#can you tell I haven’t gotten a good nights rest on like two weeks

[neon-danger]

My thought process runs like a Barbie: Life in the Dream House episode where I’m Barbie and the side characters are all time low’s band and crew

[steveseddie]

for protection

steddie | rating: t | wc: 5,2k | cw: none | tags: steve pov, scary movies, accidental hand holding, turned into non-accidental hand holding, soft boys, getting together, fruity four friendship

for week four of @softsteddieseptember using the prompt “protection”

click here to read on ao3

Steve never liked horror movies. 

He didn’t like them before the Upside Down and he definitely doesn’t like them now when he spends most of his time worrying and waiting for the next supernatural shoe to drop. There’s no reason why he would want to spend two hours peeking through his fingers at a screen and anticipating the next jumpscare on top of that.

Occasionally, he will let Robin or one of the kids— or lately, Eddie too— convince him to watch one. They might have gone through the same horrors as Steve, but somehow they’re not bothered by these movies at all. At least when Robin is around she’ll let Steve hold her hand, which has gotten him through worse things than movies about aliens or monsters or psychopathic killers. 

That is the only reason Steve agreed to go to the movies tonight.

“Who are you kidding, dingus?” Robin snorts when Steve tells her as much. She’s sitting in the passenger seat of the Beemer as Steve drives them both to The Hawk to meet Eddie and Nancy. “You agreed to come because you can’t say no to Eddie and his big Bambi eyes!” 

Steve sputters indignantly. “What? Yes, I can!”

Robin rolls her eyes. “Steve, I told you I wanted to watch this movie weeks ago and you kept brushing me off. You only said yes when Eddie pouted and complained that no one wanted to watch it with him!” 

Steve waves her off. “I would’ve said yes to you eventually.” 

“But you didn’t,” Robin says, poking Steve’s side and making him yelp. “You said yes to your boy—”

“He’s not my boy,” Steve huffs, trying to ignore the heat creeping up his neck at the words. 

Robin ignores him and keeps teasing him. “You said yes to him because you love him—” she says, dragging the word love and making obnoxious kissing noises. 

“Christ, what are you? Five?” Steve protests, pinching the bridge of his nose while he waits for the red light to turn green. Robin keeps making those kissing noises, making Steve groan. “Ugh, shut up. Or I’ll shove you out of the car and you’ll have to walk the rest of the way.” 

Robin huffs. “If you do that you’ll have to explain to Nancy that you abandoned me in the middle of nowhere,” she says, sticking her tongue out at him. If she keeps up acting like a child they’re not going to let her in to see this movie. 

“We’re like, four blocks away,” Steve says, pointing ahead where the sign for The Hawk comes into view. “That’s hardly the middle of nowhere.” 

But they both know he won’t do it anyway— not even a horror movie sounds scarier than having to tell Nancy he left Robin to walk the streets of Hawkins alone at night. 

So he finds them a parking spot instead, a few blocks away from The Hawk so by the time they walk up to the entrance it’s exactly 7 pm. They agreed to meet up at that time, meaning Nancy is already there—and probably has been for a while—and Eddie is nowhere to be seen. 

As soon as she sees Nancy, Robin leaves Steve’s side and runs up to her, wrapping her arms around Nancy’s shoulders to hug her. Nancy stumbles back a few steps, taken by surprise but then she smiles and wraps her arms around Robin’s waist, returning the hug. 

As Steve approaches, he hears Robin rambling with her arms still around her. “Hey, Nancy! I hope you haven’t been waiting for long, I told Steve we were gonna be late but he still took forever to fix his hair. And I was like ‘dingus we’re going to be in a dark room for the better part of two hours, no need to fuss about it so much!’ but you know Steve. Duh, you dated him, of course you do. I think he just wanted to look good for—” she pauses, pulling back to look around them and make sure they’re alone, “—for Eddie, which is silly, y’know? Have you seen Eddie’s hair? He does not care about hair care routines and stuff!”

“I should’ve made you walk,” Steve mutters, feeling his blush tinting his cheeks pink again. Nancy stifles a chuckle behind her hand and Steve waves at her. “Hey, Nance.”

“Hi, Steve. Your hair looks good,” she says with a tiny smirk that makes Robin cackle loudly and makes Steve roll his eyes. She turns back to Robin, “And I haven’t been waiting long, I just got here.” 

Robin throws some finger guns at her. “Cool,” she says, “Should we get the tickets?” 

“We still have to wait for Eddie,” Steve interjects, looking around for any sign of Eddie’s van or Eddie himself. 

“You can wait for your boy,” Robin says with a smirk, “and Nance and I will get the tickets!” 

Steve lets out a long-suffering groan. “For the last time, Robin, he’s not my boy.”

Once again, she ignores him and holds her palm up at him. “Money, please.”

Steve sighs, pulling his wallet from his jeans and handing her a few bills, enough for four tickets. 

“Thanks!” She says, whirling around and hooking her arm with Nancy’s, dragging her towards the ticket booth and leaving Steve to wait for Eddie alone.  

He entertains himself by kicking a plastic bottle back and forth. He keeps his eyes on the ground as he does so he doesn’t notice Eddie approaching— not until he jumps on Steve’s back, wrapping an arm around his neck in a chokehold.

“Got ya, Harrington!” Eddie yells in Steve’s ear as Steve stumbles with the added weight but manages to find his balance before they both end up on the ground.

“Christ,” Steve mutters, trying to wiggle out of Eddie’s hold while he laughs like a maniac. “Eddie, get off, man!” 

“As His Majesty commands,” Eddie giggles, jumping off Steve’s back and sweeping down in a dramatic bow when Steve turns around to face him. 

Steve’s hands land on his hips. “You couldn’t just say hello like a normal person?” 

“That, my dear Stevie, would require that I was normal, and as the Hawkins population so graciously accused me of, I am—” he pauses for dramatic effect, “—a freak.”

Steve lets out a snort. “You’re late, that’s what you are,” he says and Eddie gives a dismissive wave. “The girls went inside to get the tickets.”

Eddie gasps, his eyes sparkling under the streetlights. “And you waited for me, sweetheart?” He asks, placing both of his hands over his heart. Steve’s cheeks pink up at the pet name. “You shouldn’t have!” 

“Noted,” Steve smirks. He bumps his shoulder against Eddie’s, jerking his head towards the entrance. “C’mon, they’re waiting.”

Eddie falls into step beside Steve as he starts walking to where Robin and Nancy are whispering and giggling about something.

Robin notices them first. “Eddie!” 

“Lady Buckley,” Eddie greets her with a little royal twist of the hand, then repeats the motion in Nancy’s direction. “Lady Wheeler.” 

“Hey, Eddie,” Nancy says, playing along with a curt nod. “Glad you could make it.” 

“Late as usual,” Robin says, rolling her eyes good-naturedly. 

“Time is nothing but a social construct, Birdie.”

“Tell that to the movie starting in fifteen minutes,” Steve says, checking his watch. “We should head in. C’mon, Eds, I’ll buy you popcorn.” 

Eddie gives him a lopsided grin. “You sure know your way into a man’s heart, Harrington.” 

“Do I get popcorn too?” Robin asks with a knowing smile. 

Steve flicks her on the forehead. “Dude, I already paid for your ticket.”

“You also paid for Eddie’s!” She argues, crossing her arms over her chest petulantly. “Why does he get popcorn and I don’t?”

Steve glances at Eddie and finds him staring back at him with wide eyes, a strand of hair tugged in front of his face. Steve doesn’t know what he’s supposed to say— other than tell Robin to shut up. 

But before he can, Nancy, bless her soul, jumps in. “Hey, Robin,” she says, putting her hands on Robin’s shoulders so she can steer her away. “I’ll get you popcorn, okay?”

Robin lets Nancy guide her away, narrowing her eyes at Steve over her shoulder one last time.

Steve lets out a puff of air. 

He feels Eddie bump his shoulder. “Hey, I- I can get my popcorn, man. And I can pay for my ticket too,” he says a little awkwardly. “I don’t wanna get you in trouble with Buckley.”

“No way, Eds,” Steve is quick to say, bumping his shoulder right back. “It’s on me.”

Eddie offers him a shy little smile. “Well, I’ll get the next one then.”

Steve nods, stomach fluttering at the thought of doing this again with Eddie— maybe just the two of them next time. “Sure, as long as you don’t drag me here for another crappy horror movie.” 

“Stevie, Stevie, Stevie,” Eddie says, shaking his head. “This isn’t a crappy horror movie! It’s supposed to be the best one of the year, I guarantee you’ll be scared.” 

Yeah, that’s precisely what Steve is worried about. He tries not to grimace at that. 

As long as you sit next to Robin, you’ll be fine, he thinks to himself. 

To Eddie, he says, “Whatever you say, Eds.”

They join the girls at the concession stand where Steve and Nancy get large popcorn bowls to share with Eddie and Robin, sodas for each of them, and Steve also asks for some gummy worms because he knows Eddie will put too much butter on their popcorn, get sick of it halfway through and will want to eat something sweet. 

As soon as the kid slides the bag of gummy worms over the counter, Steve puts it in his pocket. He doesn’t want Robin to see them and call him out on that too.  

He hands the popcorn to Eddie who, as expected, soaks it with butter, earning horrified looks from everyone around them, including Steve. Though Steve’s expression might also be overly affectionate. 

“Hey, don’t forget the napkins for your gross buttery fingers,” Steve tells him when Eddie deems their popcorn soggy enough and waits for him to grab a handful of napkins before they follow Nancy and Robin. 

“Why do you care if I have buttery fingers, hm?” Eddie asks, getting all up in Steve’s space. A few popcorn kernels fall on the carpet from Eddie moving so much. “Planning to hold my hand in there or something?” 

And Steve isn’t— he’s planning to hold Robin’s, but the thought of holding Eddie’s hand instead makes his heart stutter in his chest, pink tinting his cheeks.

“You wish, Munson,” he says, picking up the pace to catch up with the girls and walk into the dark movie theater, hoping it will help hide his blush from Eddie. 

“Oh, but I do, Stevie, every night,” Eddie says, following him with a shit-eating grin. 

It’s relatively empty inside and the four of them head straight to the back rows where Steve ends up sitting between Eddie and Robin, with Nancy on her other side. 

While they wait for the movie to start, Eddie leans over to whisper in Steve’s ear what critics are saying about the movie, what he’s most excited to see, what the scariest parts are supposed to be. Someone else might find it annoying— to have Eddie loudly chewing popcorn right next to their ear and talking about the movie they’re about to see— but Steve loves hearing Eddie talk, and maybe knowing what’s going to happen in the movie will help ease his nerves a bit.

Eddie doesn’t stop talking until the opening credits start to appear, settling back on his seat with a happy little squeal. 

Cute, Steve thinks as an idea occurs to him. Maybe if he focuses on Eddie instead of the screen it won’t be so bad. 

And so for the first thirty minutes of the movie, Steve keeps his attention on Eddie with the occasional glance at the screen to not be too obvious— even if Eddie is unlikely to notice since his eyes won’t leave the screen, barely blinking as he shoves handfuls of popcorn into his mouth. Halfway through, just like Steve predicted, Eddie shoves the popcorn towards him, buttery lips scrunched up. He downs his soda as he tries to wash away the taste of salt and butter before using the napkins to wipe his fingers. 

He glances away from the screen for the first time since the movie started when Steve nudges him with his elbow and holds out the gummy worms. 

Eddie’s eyes widen and then he gives Steve a slightly awed look. “Thanks, Stevie,” he whispers, grabbing the bag. 

Steve just winks at him, and when Eddie faces forward again, Steve thinks he can see a pink flush high on his cheeks thanks to the glow coming from the screen. 

Pleased, Steve finishes the popcorn and his soda, setting everything on the floor to pick up later and sitting back to stare at Eddie a bit more, paying little to no attention to the screen. 

That’s when bad things start to happen in the movie. 

Shoulders tense and heart hammering in his chest, Steve does his best to not glance at the screen but even then there’s no way to block out the screams or the other disturbing noises. When he looks at Eddie, he actually seems excited about the horrific, gruesome scenes taking place. On Steve’s other side, Robin and Nancy seem mostly unbothered, though Robin’s nose keeps scrunching up at times. They’re all handling it better than Steve is— fingers digging into his legs, eyes screwed shut, breathing in and out as he tries to calm down. 

Steve makes the mistake of opening his eyes and accidentally glancing at the screen just as some awful monster jumps at them, almost giving Steve a heart attack. His hand leaves his lap to grab Robin’s hand, needing physical comfort. 

It takes him a few seconds to realize that, while the hand he just wrapped his fingers around is thin and bony like Robin’s, it’s also bigger and uncharacteristically cold. Steve glances down at it with a frown and realizes that the reason why it’s so cold is the multiple rings adorning the fingers— fingers that don’t belong to Robin. 

Because Steve reached out with the wrong hand and grabbed Eddie’s instead. 

Fuck.

He glances away from their hands and finds Eddie already looking at him. Steve knows he must look like a startled deer, but instead of the teasing expression he expects to see on Eddie’s face, his eyebrows are knitted in concern. 

“You okay, Steve?” Eddie asks softly, leaning into Steve’s space even though the noises coming from the speakers are enough to drown out their voices. 

“Not really, but um, I didn’t mean to do that, sorry, I thought I reached for Robin,” Steve nervously stammers out. He manages to get his scrambled brain cells working and lets go of Eddie’s fingers— but before Steve can fully retrieve his hand, Eddie flips his hand over, trapping Steve’s there.

Steve blinks at him.

“Does it help? Holding someone’s hand?” Eddie asks and Steve nods dumbly. “Okay, then.” 

And so Eddie slides his fingers through the spaces between Steve’s fingers, intertwining their hands.

Steve looks down at them, blinking repeatedly, expecting them to disappear. “Eds, you don’t have to—”

“Shhh, I’m happy to,” Eddie says, squeezing his hand.  Steve’s breath catching in his throat. “Don’t you worry, big boy. I’ll protect you,” he adds with a wink. 

Steve knows Eddie is trying to lighten up the mood but he doesn’t laugh it off because the truth is that he does feel safer like this, more relaxed. He gives Eddie a small smile. “Okay.” 

“I guess it’s a good thing you made me grab those napkins, huh?” Eddie says, and this time, Steve does laugh, though he muffles it behind his other hand so hopefully the girls can’t hear it. He doesn’t need them glancing over and noticing their hands— Steve is already blushing enough as it is. 

After that, Eddie turns his attention back to the screen but Steve keeps his eyes on their hands for a while, taking advantage of the glow coming from the screen to study each of Eddie’s rings, his chipped nail polish, the tattoo on the side of his wrist, the scar from a demobat bite in the back of his hand. 

When he glances back at the screen, the worst of the movie seems to be over and he’s able to push through the remaining and significantly less scary scenes by squeezing Eddie’s hand and feeling Eddie squeeze right back. 

At one point, Robin glances at him, probably to check on him and her eyes end up on their held hands, a loud gasp slipping past her lips. 

Steve whips his head at her and meets her bulging eyes. She mouths her words at him— “Oh my God!”

“I know!” Steve mouths right back.

Because this might’ve started with Eddie being a good friend and comforting Steve, but as the movie droned on, it started to feel less like that— it started to feel like more. The way Eddie started rubbing his thumb over Steve’s hand, the way he blushed when Steve started to play with one of his rings, the way they both kept glancing at the other and smiling almost shyly. Steve’s heart hasn’t stopped jackhammering against his ribcage at the thought of all of this meaning something. 

But they can’t address any of that right now and Robin seems to realize that, so after giving Steve a dorky thumbs up, she turns her attention back to the movie. 

Steve does the same. On the screen, those who survived are being rescued and Steve can breathe a little easier. Before he knows it, the end credits start rolling up and Steve finally fully relaxes. 

He expects Eddie to let go of his hand right away but to Steve’s surprise, he doesn’t. Without letting go, Eddie leans over Steve to ask the girls what they thought about the movie. 

“I probably could’ve lived without seeing that many guts,” Robin says, her nose scrunching up. 

At the same time as Nancy says, “Oh, it was good!” 

Steve stares at her, dumbfounded, but Nancy has always been the bravest out of all of them. 

“Hell yeah, Wheeler!” Eddie whoops, reaching over with the hand not currently holding Steve’s to give her a high five. 

Nancy returns it with an amused chuckle. If she notices Eddie’s other hand intertwined with Steve’s, she doesn’t show it. “What about you, Steve? What did you think?” 

“I think I’m never letting the kids rent this fucking movie,” he says with a scoff.

Eddie throws his head back with a laugh, loud and full-bellied. It’s a good thing that the movie is over because the sound reverberates around the rapidly emptying room.

Next to Steve, Robin snorts. “You know Dustin is just gonna convince Eddie to rent it for him, right?” 

“Lies and slander!” Eddie protests. “I would never corrupt the youth like that!” He says, pulling his hand and Steve’s towards his chest, clutching it as he plays the to offended part. Well, if Nancy didn’t notice they were holding hands before she sure did now. 

“You would,” Robin says with a shake of her head, “You have.”

“I resent that, Buckley.”

“She’s right, Eds. Max told me you let her try beer last week,” Steve says, voice shaking slightly from Eddie keeping their hands on his chest, letting Steve feel his heartbeat. 

It stutters at Steve’s words and his eyes go wide. “That little snitch! Okay, it was one sip and she was blackmailing me!” 

Nancy raises her eyebrow. “With what?”

Eddie’s cheeks go pink and he averts his gaze, his eyes darting to Steve for a second before focusing on the rips in his jeans, tugging at them. “Um, nothing. All I’m saying is those little shits are menaces. They’ll find a way to watch the movie, y’know?”

“Well, god-fucking-speed to them,” Steve grumbles, “I’m never watching that shit again.”

Eddie leans close. “Not even if I agree to hold your hand, sweetheart?” He asks, his voice low and accompanied by a squeeze of his hand. 

Steve flushes— from Eddie’s voice in his ear, his hand still on his, the thought of holding it like this again. He opens his mouth and closes it, he wants to say no but he’s afraid the word will come out will be an embarrassingly eager yes. 

Luckily, he doesn’t have to say anything because Nancy speaks up. “You guys ready to go?” 

They all nod and set about picking up their trash, which means Eddie finally has to let go of Steve’s hand. He tries not to look too disappointed by that but probably fails. As they start making their way out of the room, Eddie and Nancy fall into step together, engaging in conversation about their opinions on the movie, which in Eddie’s case includes a dramatic reenactment of his favorite parts.  

Steve and Robin are a few steps behind and Steve watches Eddie as he gestures wildly and makes weird noises and even falls to the ground at one point, pretending to die like one of the characters in the movie. Nancy laughs and helps him up and Steve feels a wave of affection for Eddie so strong he nearly doubles over with it. 

“Ugh,” Robin groans next to him. “Tone down the heart-eyes, dingus, it’s gross and I literally just saw someone’s insides explode.” 

“Fuck off, Robs,” Steve says, shoving her lightly, his cheeks dusted pink. She stumbles before crowding against Steve again, a bounce in her step. 

“Nope, you still have to tell me how you two ended up holding hands.”

Steve hangs a hand from his neck, wishing he could say he pulled it off by being smooth or something. God, he used to have game. “Uh, the movie was a lot and I accidentally reached for his hand instead of yours.”

Robin throws her head back with a loud cackle. “Oh Steve,” she says, holding onto Steve’s shoulder as she laughs. “You’re lucky you’re pretty.”

“Hey!”

At Steve’s protest, Robin shrugs. “What? I called you pretty!”

Eddie comes bouncing over. “Ohhh, are we calling Steve pretty? Can I join?” He asks, throwing his arm over Steve’s shoulders. Robin meets Steve’s eyes and waggles her eyebrows. If Steve wasn’t trapped against Eddie’s side he would pinch her arm. 

“No, she’s just being annoying,” Steve says and Robin sticks her tongue out at him. 

“Doesn’t mean she isn’t right, pretty boy,” Eddie says, dropping his head to Steve’s shoulder and looking up at him, eyelashes fluttering. Steve goes warm all over. He ducks his head, unable to keep a dopey smile from stretching over his lips. 

Robin clears her throat— she and Nancy are trying not to smirk as they look between the two of them. 

Steve squirms. “Um, you ready to go, Robs?” 

“Actually,” Robin says, exchanging a look with Nancy. “Nance is giving me a ride home.”

Steve’s eyebrows knit together. “What? Why?” He asks. “Is it because I threatened to push you out of the car and make you walk?” Next to him, Eddie lets out an amused snort. 

Robin waves him off. “No, it’s because um- she left a book! At my house last week! And she needs it back tonight, right Nance?”

Nancy’s eyes widen almost imperceptibly. “Oh, yes, it’s a very important book.”

Steve narrows their eyes at them. He’s not buying any of it. “Right.”

“Yeah! So I’ll see you tomorrow at work,” she tells Steve then to Eddie she says, “And I’ll see you, well, probably tomorrow at work too when you inevitably show up to annoy me and Steve.”

Eddie grins, wiping a fake tear. “Oh Buckley, you know me so well.”

“Yeah, yeah, sometimes I wish I knew you less,” she says but the corners of her mouth are turned upwards. 

Eddie lets go of Steve so he can give Robin a quick hug. Then she throws her arms around Steve’s shoulders. “Call me when you get home and tell me everything,” she whispers in his ear and Steve frowns. 

He already told her about the hand holding and that’s pretty much it. He doesn’t know what she thinks will happen between Eddie and him when they say goodbye right here in the middle of the street, but he nods anyway.

They each get a hug from Nancy too and then she leads Robin away towards her car.  “Bye, boys! Miss you already!” Robin says, waving enthusiastically at them. 

Steve wiggles his fingers at her and Eddie gives her a two-fingered salute, both of them chuckling in amusement. 

“Um, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” Steve says when it’s just the two of them and a few other moviegoers trickling out of the cinema. He can see Eddie’s van parked just across the street while his own car is a few blocks away. 

“Nope, Stevie, I’m walking you to your car,” Eddie says with a wink. “For protection, of course.”

“You know I keep a nailbat in my trunk, right?” Steve asks with a raised eyebrow. He’s over the movie by now, not worried about some creature jumping him on his way to his car— not more than usual at least.

Eddie shrugs. “My protection then.”

“If you insist,” Steve says with a chuckle.

They start walking towards Steve’s car, the street getting darker and quieter the further away they get from The Hawk. Their shoulders keep bumping together, the back of their fingers brushing with how close they’re walking. Every time it happens, Steve wants to grab Eddie’s hand and hold it again. 

“Hey, um, sorry I dragged you to this movie,” Eddie says after a short silence. 

Steve glances at him and finds Eddie looking at him shyly. “You didn’t drag me,” he says, nudging Eddie with his elbow. “I said yes.”

“But why? If you hate horror movies so much.” 

“I like hanging out with you,” he says and Eddie’s eyes widen almost imperceptively. “And I had fun just— not during the movie. Though holding your hand wasn’t so bad.”

Eddie chuckles, ducking his head. “Mediocre hand holding is what I’m best at,” he jokes. “And I’m glad you said yes, you know I love my Stevie time, but maybe next time you can pick the movie.” 

“You mean next time we come here with Robin and Nancy?”

Eddie bites his lip, side-eyeing Steve. “Sure, yeah, or y’know just the two of us, if that’s a thing you’d want to do.”

His voice is small and he’s anxiously playing with his fingers and with a start, Steve realizes that Eddie is nervous. Cute, Steve thinks.

He tilts his head. “Like a date?” 

There’s a sharp intake of breath and then Eddie is grabbing some hair and tugging it in front of his face, but Steve still sees the way his cheeks turn red. He mumbles, “Um, yeah?”

Butterflies explode in Steve’s stomach then and he feels a dopey smile stretching over his lips. Eddie’s eyes go wide, looking hopeful at Steve’s expression. He spits the hair from his mouth, revealing a small smile tugging at his lips. “How about next Friday?” Steve asks.

A disbelieving laugh tumbles from Eddie’s lips. “Really?” When Steve nods, Eddie lets out a cute little yelp at the confirmation. “Friday it is,” he says. His eyes get a little twinkle in them. “Do I need to pretend to be scared so you’ll hold my hand?” 

“Nope,” he says, and after looking around and making sure they’re alone in the street, Steve finally reaches over and grabs Eddie’s hand, intertwining their fingers like Eddie did in the movies. 

Eddie’s mouth makes a little “o” shape as he blinks down at them, color rising in his cheeks. 

Steve tugs on his hand to get him walking again, pressed together to hide their hands between them even if it’s dark and there’s no one around.

Sooner than either of them would’ve liked, they reach the Beemer. “Here we are,” Steve says, leaning back against the car, their hands dangling in the space between them. “And we didn’t even need my nailbat.” 

“You know that’s not the only reason why I walked you to your car, right?” 

Steve’s eyebrows go up as he feigns shock. “You mean you didn’t actually expect us to get attacked by slimy monsters with razor-like teeth?”

“Nope,” Eddie says, stepping closer until he’s pressed against Steve’s body, pushing him against the car. “Not that I’d be surprised in this fucked up town but no, um, I was also hoping I’d get to do this.”

Steve opens his mouth to ask what he means by this but Eddie shuts him up by hesitantly grabbing Steve’s neck and leaning in, softly pressing his lips to Steve’s mouth, who gasps in surprise before the sound melts into a happy sigh. He lets go of Eddie’s hand so he can wrap his arms around Eddie, bringing him closer, tilting his head for a better angle so their lips move together more easily and he can taste butter and salt and the slightest hint of sugar. They keep the kiss short, knowing that despite the lack of street lights around them and the late hour, they’re still in public. 

When Eddie pulls back, his cheeks are bright pink and his eyes are sparkling, his smile giddy and so beautiful. Steve already wants to kiss him again. 

“Jesus Christ, Steve, don’t look at me like that,” Eddie groans, and Steve’s eyes snap up from Eddie’s lips, where they darted to without Steve realizing it.

He blinks. “Like what?”

“Like you want to—” His hand slides through the air as he gestures aggressively, “—eat me or something. I’m trying to be a gentleman here and not drag you into the backseat of your car.”

Steve smirks. “I wouldn’t say no to that.”

“Steeeeeve,” Eddie whines.

“Okay, okay,” Steve says, holding his hands up with a laugh. He doesn’t trust himself not to jump Eddie right now if he stays here any longer anyway. “Goodnight, Eds.” 

Eddie’s face softens. “Goodnight, sweetheart.” 

When neither of them move— Steve to get in the car and Eddie to go back to his van— Steve shoves him and sends Eddie’s clumsy ass stumbling back. “Go! Before monsters actually jump from the shadows and murder us.” 

“You’d protect me though, wouldn’t you, Stevie?” Eddie teases, batting his eyelashes at him. 

“Always,” Steve says, then makes shooing motions at him. “Now go.”

“Yes, your Majesty, I’m going,” Eddie says as he starts walking— backwards so he can look at Steve some more.  

Steve blows a kiss at him, making Eddie trip over nothing and stumble, but he catches himself and he catches Steve’s kiss in his hand— and then makes out with his hand, making Steve scrunch up his nose and chuckle fondly at the same time. 

He waits until Eddie turns around to get in his car, catching sight of his dopey smile on the rearview mirror as he adjusts it. But he can’t help it— he held hands with Eddie, he’s going on a date with him, he kissed him. 

Turns out Steve does have a reason to call Robin when he gets home after all. 

[moonstruckme]

Busybody

summary: when Steve notices your anxiety spiraling out of control, he finds his own way to help

cw: anxiety

Steve Harrington x fem!reader ♡ 1.3k words

You’d woken up with some busybody in your chest that you can’t get rid of. 

It feels like you’ve had three cups of coffee despite your four hours of sleep. You’d all but jolted awake, pre-panicked about something that you haven’t identified yet. Something you have to be forgetting, or not assigning enough importance to, surely. And the way you figure it, if your body’s going to freak out at you about being idle, you may as well appease it and hop to. 

By the time Steve cracks an eyelid, you’re thinking about what to make for lunch. Heart never having left your throat, you’ve cleaned the kitchen, baked a blackberry cobbler, tried to read a few pages of your book before giving up for fidgetiness, reorganized your portion of the bathroom cabinet, and begun a grocery list for the week. 

“Morning,” he yawns, leaning against the counter. He’s looking endearingly rumpled, a faint red line on his face from a crease in his pillowcase and his hair pressed flat on the one side. You smile at him as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. “Smells like fire in here.” 

“Morning! I made a cobbler,” you explain, not mentioning the burnt first attempt that’s smelled up his kitchen despite you opening all the windows. “Do you want some bacon, eggs, and toast for breakfast?”

Steve blinks, eyebrows rising slightly. “Uh, sure. You gonna make me some?” 

“Mhm.” You’re already taking the eggs out of the fridge. “Scrambled?” 

“Yeah. Thanks, babe.” 

“No problem.” You grin, happy to be of use as you whisk his eggs with a fork, turning on two burners of the stove to preheat as you do. “How’d you sleep?”

“Good,” he yawns. “Well, pretty good. Woke up a couple times this morning, but you were already gone. Been up for a while?” 

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep.” 

Steve nods, frowning. “Sorry, honey. You didn’t get much chance to sleep the night before, either, right?” 

You hum, bacon sizzling when it hits the pan. You put the toast down in the toaster, hoping you’ve timed it right so it’ll still be warm when everything else is done. “Oh, do you want orange juice?” 

“Sure, but I can grab it.” He moves for the cabinet, but you nudge in front of him, too restless to stop moving while everything heats on the stove. 

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it.” You shoot him a smile as you grab a cup. Steve returns it, but muddled.

“So between last night and the one before, how many hours have you gotten?” 

You shrug. “Not sure.” Nine, give or take. “But I don’t feel tired.” 

“Well, that’s good,” he says slowly, watching as you fill the cup with orange juice before hustling back to the stove, flitting between tasks at something approaching light speed. 

“Hey, so I was thinking,” you go on, flipping the bacon, “do you want to do some Christmas shopping today? I mean, I know you said you’re not thinking about it yet, but it can’t hurt to get a jump on things.” 

Steve yawns again, stretching his back. “Yeah, that sounds okay. Not sure I’d know what to get anyone.” 

You nod a few times. “Maybe you’ll know it when you see it.” Flip the bacon onto a plate, add more pepper to the eggs, put the bacon’s pan in the sink, turn off that burner on the stove—the toaster goes off, and you nearly hit your head on the ceiling. You jump straight up. 

“Oh.” You press a hand to your chest, laughter tripping off your tongue. Your blood thrums excitedly, like it’s finally found the outlet it's been looking for all morning. “God, that scared me.” 

“I could tell,” Steve says, eyebrows at his hairline and smiling faintly. “You doing alright?”

“Yeah, good.” Your heartbeat has become more noticeable all of a sudden, a hollow ache behind your breastbone. “I’m almost done, just a sec.” 

“No rush, honey. Thanks for making me breakfast. It looks great.” 

“Of course, no problem.” You plate up the rest and spin to find Steve already there, his hand the only thing stopping you from nearly flinging the dish into the wall surprisedly. 

“Thank you,” he says earnestly, taking the plate from you and setting it on the counter. He brings his arms around your shoulders, and you wrap yours around him too, an automatic response. Steve sighs, his ribs expanding and contracting with the force of it, and you copy him mockingly. 

“Still tired, baby?” 

“A little,” he admits. “Though I can’t really complain, considering how little sleep you’ve gotten.” 

You make to pull out of the hug, but Steve tightens his grip on you, palm pressing into the midpoint of your upper back. You give in, a willing captive. 

“It’s fine,” you tell him. “I’m sorry you’re tired.” 

Steve hums, taking another big breath. “I’m good.” A pause. “Okay, you can tell me if I’m crazy, but it does smell like something’s burning in here, right?” 

“Burnt,” you admit. “I left a blackberry cobbler in the oven a bit too long. The one in the fridge is a re-do.” 

“Oh, okay.” 

“Sorry.” 

“No, don’t be. I think the smell’s clearing out anyway. Right?”

You sniff experimentally at the air. “Yeah, I think so.” 

“Yeah?” he sniffs too. 

You inhale more fully, only detecting the faint remains of smokiness under the newer scent of bacon grease. 

“I’ve never had blackberry cobbler,” he says, palm beginning to coast slowly between your shoulder blades while his other arm stays firmly around your waist. “What’s it taste like?”

You perk up. “Wanna try some now?”

“No—I wouldn’t want to ruin this breakfast you’ve made me. Describe it to me.” 

It’s an odd request, but nothing you can’t manage for him. You think back, letting your tongue conjure up the memory of the last time you had it. “Well, the blackberries aren’t tangy by the time they’ve been cooked,” you tell him. Steve hums, hand solid and steady on your upper back. “And this recipe is really sweet. The dough is kind of like sugar cookie dough.” 

“Sounds good,” he says appreciatively. “Hey, do you think you can smell it?” 

“From inside the fridge?” You take your head from his shoulder to give Steve an odd look. 

“Sure, just give it a try.” He closes his eyes, inhaling deeply. You wrinkle your brow, sniffing tentatively. Steve opens his eyes as if to check you’re doing it, and it’s the worry in his look that gives him away. Your bemusement gives way to fondness as you take a long breath in, filling your lungs and holding the air inside you for a few moments before emptying them. You know what he’s doing, but you’re letting him anyway. 

“Mmm, don’t think I can,” you tell him wryly.  

“No?” Steve’s smile is sheepish, well aware you’re onto him. “Do you think we should find three things you can touch, just for fun?” 

You roll your eyes at him, but inhale again as you hug him tightly. Some of the pain in your chest eases. “Thanks, Stevie.” 

“What for?” he asks, hand resuming its route between your shoulder blades. “Hey listen, I’m all about your Christmas shopping idea, but do you wanna try taking a hot shower first? It might help you relax.” 

“That’s a good idea,” you admit, peeling away from him. He lets you this time, albeit reluctantly. “Your breakfast is going to get cold.”

Steve looks at it as though just remembering it’s there. “Right, thanks. Sit with me while I eat? You could have some of that tea you like.” 

You smile at him, taking a mug and your herbal tea down from the cabinet. “Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks.” 

“You’ve got to stop thanking me, I haven’t done a thing all morning.”

[genderfluid-insomniac]

I love your blog and wanted to make a request before I leave for errands

For nsfw can I have wukong and macaque ( separately ) that they get a call from thier fem lover to come over to her place at night cause she got a surprise for him. They go see her since she sounded nervous, only to see her wearing thoes sexy short silky night gown dress. It makes her look sexy yet innocent looking since she looked rather shy and flustered to look at them but wanted to pleasure them since they seemed busy these past weeks. If you want to do only one, I’m fine with wukong!

Thank you! I hope your errands went well! You have this amazing spicy request and expect me not to do both of them? I couldn't and my indulgence got the best of me 😅 I hope you like it!

“A lovely shy surprise” Macaque x fem!reader x Wukong (separately) NSFW

Wukong

You’d just gotten back from work and collapsed on the bed after working another 8-hour shift. Now scrolling through your phone until you text your friend back and see your lover’s contact. The amount of hoops you and the rest of the gang had to jump through to convince Wukong to get a phone and then to use said phone was a tough trial.

From your past conversations, you knew the past few weeks had been tough for both of you but certainly on Wukong because of the seasons changing from fall to winter and the intensity of the training ramping up. So you stood up and walked over to your closet, pushing aside different articles of clothing trying to find what you were looking for, and pulling it out.

You’d seen a light pink short silk nightgown with black lace trim that was usually expensive at a lingerie store but was half off today and you felt like treating yourself. As you’d bought it a couple of ideas came to mind that didn’t just involve wearing it for yourself and tonight felt like a good night to put that gown to use.

You called your boyfriend who picked up on the last ring with a lazy tone and you could tell by the happy energy that this was probably one of the highlights of his day. “Hey, sunshine! How was your day?” he said and you took a deep breath, schooling yourself on what you wanted to say and mentally saying it in your head. “Hi, Sun. It was- it was good but I’m glad I’m out of work. Now that I am though I have a surprise for you that I think you’ll like.“ you said and hung up before you rambled out anything more anxiously.

You didn’t like how it came out a bit more nervous than you would’ve liked but it would have the added effect of making him worry whether you were okay or not and get here quickly. It took a minute or two to slip on the nightgown and look around to make sure your room wasn’t a total disaster.

Just as you thought it only took 10 or 15 minutes for him to get here and enter the way he usually did which was through your window. He seemed on edge as he scanned the room and stopped when he saw you. “Hey, is everything alright? You seemed kinda nervous on the phone-” his voice trailed off and his jaw dropped.

Every inch of your body wasn’t left untouched by his eyes and you felt a soft blush creep onto your cheeks, hugging your arm and breaking your gaze after seeing the lust in his eyes. You shivered when you suddenly felt warm hands feeling up your body, one of his fingers lifting up the ends of the gown and the other sliding your shoulder strap off. “Well aren’t you gorgeous tonight~ What’s all this about, hm?” he asked and hummed.

You felt your cheeks warm and your mind went blank as he felt up your body shielded only a thin layer of fabric that he could easily shred like paper. “I wanted to do something for you since I know you’ve been busy and we haven’t been able to hang out as much,” you said and shyly kissed the back of his hand that was intertwined with yours, interrupting him again when he went to speak and assuring him you wanted to do this.

“Before you say that you should be the one spoiling me you are always pampering me and I want to be the one to pleasure you,” you whispered and gently guided him to sit on the edge of your bed, slowly slipping off his pants so they pooled around his ankles and rubbing his growing erection through his boxers.

Wukong groaned and gripped the bedsheets, lifting his hips and silently asking you to hurry up. You relented since you were the one pleasuring him and wanted to spoil your boyfriend with affection and lust. Quickly his boxers were gone and you steadily pumped his hard cock, kissing the tip and receiving a beautiful moan. You licked a stripe up his shaft and took his dick in your mouth, bobbing your head up and down.

Sucking with hollowed cheeks and fisting the rest of his cock that you couldn’t take. Many pleas and praises were said by your lover and he gripped your hair as he came, rubbing circles on your cheek and panting as you swallowed his cum. “Now wasn’t this a pleasant surprise~,” he said and lifted you up to cuddle for a bit.

Macaque

It had been your day off since the roof of your workplace collapsed due to the heavy amount of snow weighing it down but you weren’t complaining about the free time you now had to put your plan into action. The “gift” you wanted to give your boyfriend was one that you thought of a couple of days ago and it took a fair amount of effort to make sure all of your work was kept secret. Today despite the blizzard that plagued the city a day ago Macaque has shows scattered throughout the day so he would be busy enough for you to not worry about alerting his prying ears.

You made sure to keep the fire in your living room going so it didn’t get freezing in your small home and went back to your closet, pulling out a dark lavender short silk nightgown with black lace trim that was usually expensive at a lingerie store but was half off today since the store had grown bankrupt. The fabric was so soft and a bit cold as you stripped and slipped it on, patting out the invisible wrinkles and turning in the mirror in front of you. “Hopefully I managed to keep this hidden from him but ugh what if I can’t do this?” you murmured and ran a hand through your hair, worrying that your shyness would be your downfall and jumping at the sudden ringtone of your phone.

Of course, the text from your boyfriend saying he’d just finished his last show didn’t help quell the nerves in you and push out a breath for your own will. You quickly type back that you have a surprise for him and that he can come over if he wants to, only for him to text if everything is okay since you seem a bit nervous and he said that your heartbeat was faster than normal. You typed back yes and didn’t get a response, now nervous that he would come straight here instead of taking a usual 5-minute break.

“Lotus everything good? Your heartbeat was pretty fast?” he said and you heard his voice getting closer, stopping when he came into your room and his concerned expression turning into one of amusement. You made a noise of surprise at his sudden appearance and turned quickly to see Macaque giving you a teasing smile, dipping into a portal, and coming out right behind you. “Well well~ What have we here? Is this the surprise you were talking about?” he said slyly and tilted your chin up.

His tail coiled around your waist and his hands felt your figure up, eyes taking in your sexy body and growling when he felt how thin the fabric was. His claws pierced little holes in the silky gown and looked up at you with hunger in his eyes. You blushed and felt your heart speed up, “You’ve been busy with your shows and I felt like you deserved something nice.” you said shyly and wrapped your arms around his neck.

Macaque cupped your face and rolled one of your straps between his fingers, looking into your eyes and smiling when you slowly got down on your knees. You gently guided him to sit on the edge of your bed, slowly slipping off his pants so they pooled around his ankles and rubbing his growing erection through his boxers.

Macaque groaned and gripped the bedsheets, lifting his hips and silently asking you to hurry up. You relented since you were the one pleasuring him and wanted to spoil your boyfriend with affection and lust. Quickly his boxers were gone and you steadily pumped his hard cock, kissing the tip and receiving a beautiful moan. You licked a stripe up his shaft and took his dick in your mouth, bobbing your head up and down.

Sucking with hollowed cheeks and fisting the rest of his cock that you couldn’t take. Many pleas and praises were said by your lover and he gripped your hair as he came, rubbing circles on your cheek and panting as you swallowed his cum. “How about I return the favor~,” he said and lifted you up to lay on your bed.

[ma1dita]

liar, liar

part two cn be found here-> truth be told

words: little under 2k

summary: sirius black is a good liar. spot how many times sirius lies in this fic.

warnings: slight nondescript smut!! errr cursing & another self-deprecating marauder, mostly unrequited love/being led on, sirius’s trauma response, fem!reader is too good for sirius, fem!reader has ‘i can fix him’ complex

a/n: guys… i thought of this prompt and the necklace Alex Russo wore in WoWP and suddenly, complex by katie gregson-macleod started playing so…sorry if this gets sadder.

(posted 9/8/23 & edited 11/6/23)

—

At the very core of him, Sirius Black is a liar. 

It’s not directly his fault, but a subliminal result of the loveless household he grew up in. Lies roll off his experienced tongue more naturally than when he’s ever tried to say I love you. So he’s convinced himself that it’s easier to live life this way, without love. If love ever fell into his hands, he’s not quite sure what he’d do with it. 

If Sirius Black could be defined, he thinks it would lack the word love and instead encompass a lot of his anger. Fiery, palpable anger, deep set in his core. That’s what he is. There are a lot of things to be angry about in this life, after all.

—

You’re 16 and this birthday party might’ve been your best idea yet. Your friends are dotted around your dorm room, along with some people you’ve invited from your classes. Among the forming crowd, you spot one Sirius Black. You don’t talk much outside of being Potions partners, and you get by with smiles in the halls and friendly touches. He’s looking at you from across the room like he knows you intimately, but that is far from the truth. Sirius Black is an enigma if anything, but what’s more unusual to you even after three shots of firewhiskey is the fact that he doesn't have any of his friends in tow. He meanders around the open space before circling back towards your direction as if that wasn’t his plan in the first place.

“Trouble in paradise?” you joke, gesturing to the space his posse would usually occupy behind him. He scoffs, avoiding the question, giving you a proper kiss on the cheek instead as he loops his arms around your waist. It piques your interest; you’ve always loved a challenge.

“Happy birthday, gorgeous.”

Sirius is handing you a small jewelry box, and you look at him dumbfounded. You’re barely even friends.

“You didn’t have to get me anything, Black. I just called you over to get drunk with me and my mates.” You giggle, cheeks red from the alcohol.

It’s a necklace. A magical, really expensive one. Sirius is gauging your reaction, scratching the back of his neck. It’s easy to put a price to something rather than show you all of his cards.

“Well, aren't I special? This is too much, Black. I shouldn’t…” Your soft hands are pushing the box into his impenetrable wall of a chest as you shake your head in disbelief. No one’s ever gotten you something this nice or expensive before. You wonder if he does this to all the other girls that fawn over him.

“It’s nothing. I insist. You keep me distracted in Slughorn’s class and for that, you get a prize just as pretty as you.” He’s holding your wrists now, rubbing them casually like this isn’t the most intimate encounter you’ve had with him yet. Somehow you can sense that he needs this more than you do. To be needed. He doesn’t want to tell you that you’re the only one making him smile nowadays since his friends haven’t talked to him in weeks. You indulge in this behavior, because it’s new and exciting, and who would say no to Sirius Black?

The party ends much later after you tease him until his wit’s end, and then it’s your whispered approval that moves him to move his body over yours, the rest of your clothes quickly flying off in his pursuit to become a part of you. Physically and metaphorically, his being overtakes you quickly. Deep into the night, when he’s fucking you into your mattress, the necklace he gave you swings back and forth against your chest with every thrust of his hips, every bump of the headboard against the wall thumping the final nails into the coffin. You can’t help but feel special as he lays kisses on your spine. You know this isn’t intimacy in Sirius’ world though. This isn’t love, it’s bodies yearning for connection, to find something meaningful. To string the words to define how to pass the time. You hope he finds what he’s looking for between your sheets and as he breathes into your hair.

Sirius is angry at the world and he’s chosen you to be his target. What color on your necklace can define the fact you wanted him to fuck you brainless anyways? What can accurately portray the shaking of his hands as he slaps the fat of your thighs? Both of you don’t remember, but all he knows is your naked bosom is glowing amber as you pant, and it looks and feels like you’re on fire. Lust has a way of consuming the body, both of you moving until you cannot anymore, anatomy animated by the need for touch.

He needed this, a distraction. And you just wanted a crazy story to tell. You keep note of the fact that Sirius likes it when you moan his name, and he makes it his mission for you to scream the name he grew up hating because it sounds pretty coming from your mouth. Because here in this room, it means something other than disappointment.

“Oh my god, baby, right there!”

“Don’t call me that. I’m not your baby.” he pants, pulling your hair roughly as he jackhammers into you. No pet names or endearments are allowed. Just Sirius, and he’ll correct you if you get it wrong. By the end of it, you’re slurring your words and screaming nonsense anyway. You think nothing of it.

He wants you as much as you’ll have him, which, when you’re 16, you think can be made a priority just to keep his eyes on you. Everyone wants a piece of Sirius Orion Black. And your hands are stretched out in hopes of partaking in this transaction of physicality and sin. Weeks later, after you seemingly fall asleep in the boys’ dorm, James asks Sirius if you’re his girlfriend. “She’s…alright,” he mumbles into the air. They’ve finally forgiven him for The Prank after your urges to get Sirius to swallow his ego. He never got to thank you for it. Gratitudes and endearments were a rarity at Grimmauld Place. 

Peter whispers in the dark of their dorm and asks Sirius if he could ever fall in love with you. With your eyes closed and your head lying against his chest, you feel him shrug as he traces a hickey he left on your collarbone. What is love to Sirius Black? He’s looking at your chest glow red, and his hand clutches the pendant in his fist, trying to dim its light. You go to sleep instead. The incandescent glow of the pendant seeps beneath your eyelids.

—

You’re 19 and sometimes you wonder if it’d be easier to be dead. Good days are a relief for all to have, presenting themselves as scarce and far apart in your new normal. There’s a war going on and you think it’s criminal to consider yourself adult enough to fight in it, but you and your friends–and your boyfriend do. You sleep in Sirius’ apartment more than your own now, but he never calls you his girlfriend, he just calls you his, and you convince yourself to not worry so much about it because death itself is coming for everyone you know. You’re together, and that’s what matters, right? There are bigger problems at hand.

Between Auror missions, Sirius has a bad habit of picking fights with you in front of your friends, which now include his friends. A lot of you comes from him, which you don’t resent. They’re lovely, but they see through the struggle. They know him too well, and you go to every gathering with an inkling that they know how mean Sirius can truly be. Old habits die hard. Tonight he yells at you because you won’t let him get a fifth beer. 

“Always thinking you know better than me, (Y/N). You’re not my fucking wife, so I don’t need to listen to you! No one wants to hang around a killjoy.”

He wrenches his grip from your thigh, nearly toppling your chair over to stomp over to the bar himself. Everyone stares at you, waiting for you to react before they judge. Before they defend their friend. His behavior has been erratic lately with his world crumbling as he knows it. But then again, Sirius has never known life without chaos.

“I know it’s not… ideal. But he’s a good guy. We’re all just going through shit right now. His brother’s missing, so I’m there when he needs me.”  Which is always, you omit from your response. You don’t mind being needed though. Helping him fight his demons is a part of being in a relationship with someone so damaged. You bring him light when his mind darkens. That is not transactional. It’s something deeper, though the words dissipate before either of you can utter it at night.

Lily reaches over the table to hold your hand, with Remus pulling his arm around the back of your chair, and rubbing your shoulder. Your chest is still glowing red, your love for him triumphing over any embarrassment he’s caused you. How you feel has always been clear, evident on your chest. What a weakness to have, to lay yourself bare to him and you wonder if Sirius did it on purpose.

He gets piss drunk as you expected and you have to side-apparate him home while you insist to everyone else that they should stay and have fun. They’re not as easily convinced, but you bid them farewell anyway. You get to the apartment and Sirius mumbles a ‘thank you’ as you help him take his clothes off and you gently tuck him under the covers, kissing him goodnight. Small moments like these are tender. They say more than anything you could put into words.

Moments later, you pretend to not hear Sirius cry, but his chest is heaving and the sound coming from his throat is so gut-wrenching that you lift yourself out from under him where he was weeping into your shoulder. In the dark, your eyes adjust to find his face in the moonlight.

“Sirius?” you breathe, fingers ghosting over the tears on his face. 

“He’s dead.” he whimpers. You’ve never seen Sirius Black let himself be vulnerable like this. Not to the Marauders, and especially not to you. There’s no carnal aspect in sorrow, though it leaves one gutted, worn down to the bone.

“My baby brother is dead, and no one knows. I don’t even have a body to mourn over.” 

He chokes back a sob, and you let his arms shroud your body, leaving the red glow of your pendant trapped between both of your ribs. You hope some of the light and some of your love seeps into him. You have plenty to give, and it’s all his for the taking, if only he’d let you.

Sirius falls asleep hours later, and you’re pinned to the bed underneath him. There’s a crick in your trapezius that you try to ignore as you stroke his hair. Maybe in his dreamless state he can find peace. You close your eyes and wonder if Regulus has found solace in death. Maybe it would feel something like this.

—

You’re 21 and most of your good friends are dead or in hiding. It’s the night before Halloween, but there’s not a lot to celebrate if real life is much scarier now.

Over the years, Sirius and you have come to an understanding. He’s flawed, with a viciously large ego and oftentimes he’s mean when he doesn’t know how to react. But he’s human. He tries now, more than ever to quell the anger born in the Black name. He tries to be gentle, though the instinct to hurt is in his blood. You’re patient, and resilient enough to take the blows, knowing what you feel is deeper than his anger, often revealing itself as his darkest fears. You like him ‘because’ and love him ‘despite’. Your cue to comfort him is usually right before he gets the look on his face that tells you he’ll say something knowing it’ll make you cry. You’ve always loved him, but now you know why. Sirius wonders every day how you’re still with him. He’s a runner, but since the day you’ve met him, you haven’t quite let go of his hand.

Usually instead of an apology, he’ll usually fuck you to oblivion, making sure your legs shake and your brain is jumbled enough to not talk about the hurt he causes you. He strokes the fire in you, and the feeling of anger that continually wracks his being can only be satiated by your touch. His skin on yours is the best place to be, but maybe there’s a part of you that likes the hurt, his anger. It's almost passionate, the only emotion he knows how to express well. You love him in a way that only you can, despite all of that. But it all blurs when he kisses you, consumes you. You especially like it when he pulls your hair.

You shriek as you come down from a release, hands rubbing the expanse of his chest. His thrusts slow as he grapples with reality, pawing at your breasts. Your hips milk him for his worth, and he groans lowly.

“You’re too good to me, wife. You’re all mine.” 

Your ministrations come to a stop as you look down at him, pendant hanging between your faces. Nicknames were a growing commodity lately.

“Wife, huh…”

The air is heavy between you two, still connected as one while you wait for his response. Let him take the lead, as it’s the role he’s more accustomed to.

“If that’s okay.” he breathes, not knowing what to do with his hands. Love has fallen into his hands, and her physical form is sitting in his lap. His grip eases as he accepts you wholly.

“Maybe someday soon.” 

A slow smile stretches across your face. 

“Ask me properly and I’ll consider.” But the glow of your necklace is more vibrant now, and you two both know your answer as he grabs your waist and pulls you down for another round.

Sirius tries to sneak out of bed in the early morning as you doze off. You wake, rubbing the sleep from your eyes, bare feet padding across your shared apartment in search of him until you see him dressed in the kitchen and holding a letter. 

“I have to go… deal with some business,” he mutters, not stepping away from the window nor sparing you a glance. Lying to someone he loves is harder than he thought it would be.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” You’re standing in the doorway wearing his shirt and his boxers. He likes it when you say his name. You could call him anything you want and he’d come running.

“James and Lily, they’re in trouble. I’ll be back by morning.”

You turn to grab your wand, planning to go with him, but he’s suddenly grabbing your arm and pulling you into a kiss, stopping your advances. He has something to lose now. You’re his, and he’ll be damned to let you follow him blindly into danger.

“You have to stay here. Everything will be okay,” he says, holding your chin. The lie sits heavy on his tongue. Maybe if he focuses he’ll see the rose-tinted hue of your irises every time he shuts his eyes.

“You’re scaring me...” You look at him in apprehension, his movements erratic and you wonder if he’s cracked and needs an exorcism. Then your heart is thundering in your chest and the red glow turns ice blue. A new feeling has taken a larger form than your love, and its fear. Briefly, you wonder how Sirius lives on edge like this. Something is dangerously wrong. He looks into your eyes, and then the cold glow on your chest. He takes a slow step back away from you, looking almost apologetic.

“Sirius Black, don’t you fucking dare.”

“I love you.”

He’s apparated and long gone before you register what he said. It sounded unfamiliar coming from his mouth, but you weren’t surprised. It was something you’ve always known. You just didn’t think that hearing it would hurt this badly.

—

The doors of the dreary prison cell screech shut in Azkaban. Visiting hours are over, and Sirius hadn’t left his space the whole two hours you waited outside in hopes of seeing him.

Tossing the lunch you packed into the bin as you push through the exit door for the last time, you think that killing him would’ve been easier than this, but he is not the victim in this story. You at least hope he got your package, as you think that maybe you could find a different adventure now, one that doesn’t involve having your feelings splayed across your chest for a murderer to come in and kill you dead. What a fool, to know someone so intimately, so innately, and for him to be a killer.

The envelope is slid under his cell door, and he opens it slowly. The necklace. Sirius sighs, and he wonders if you’ll finally let him go. It’s what you deserve anyway, now that he’ll rot in here for the rest of his life for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s hurt you enough that even if he did tell you everything, there’s a chance you wouldn’t believe him. No one does, after all. The cool silver of the chain makes goosebumps rise on the back of his neck as he slips it on. Red. 

With all the time in the world to think, he realizes that he can easily be defined by the sound of your voice calling his name. He’s called many things now besides a liar; a murderer, a deranged madman, a traitor. The only definition of himself he prefers now is one where he is described to be loving you. There are a lot of things to love about you, after all. He spends days, weeks, months, years, keeping track. He finds new ones every time he closes his eyes.

But Sirius Black is first and foremost a liar, and if there’s anything he’s sure of, is that he’s damn good at it.

—

“You say you love rain

but you open your umbrella.

You say you love the sun

but you find a shadow spot.

You say you love wind

but you close your windows.

This is why I am afraid

when you say you love me.”

William Shakespeare

love me some tunes! i listened to this while writing: complex by katie gregson-macleod

taglist: @jsjcue

[burn-before-reading]

Fanpages

Joost klein x goth! plus sized! reader

It was only inevitable your relationship would become public. unfortunately, not all attention is good.

wordcount: 700ish

warnings: fatphobia, cyberbullying, google translate Dutch

a/n: First request ive gotten, thanks! haven’t written for a plus sized reader before but i really wanted to take a stab at it so i hope i did it justice at least a lil. Also most of the time i try to write gn readers but this one ima be leaning more fem. hope you enjoyyy (Im so bad at titling things you guys)

RPF BELOW. Dont read if not comfortable with that k thnks :)

it was unlike you to go on such a deep dive into the comments of some random fanpage for your boyfriend, but it was only inevitable regardless the recent events. After Eurovision, Joost’s popularity just seemed to have skyrocketed and with that your guy’s relationship became a lot more public.

Fans figured out you two were dating quite quickly. Piecing together screenshots and matching posts, but it wasn’t until some fans took a picture of the two of you kissing at a bar last night that your socials truly went haywire. Most fans were supportive, you had seen a cute fan edit of the two of you already, but of course with every few lovely comments, there were always gonna be jealous fans.

- can’t believe hes dating this fat bitch

- i know right?! she looks so tacky and weird compared to the rest of his friends

similar comments kept popping out at you, all under the slide of fan paparazzi photos with the caption: JOOST GIRLFRIEND CONFIRMED?!

You didn’t even wanna look at your dms at the moment. fans taking it upon themselves to tell you you weren’t good enough for him, like you hadn’t already been together for years. You knew you shouldn’t let the comments of strangers get to you, but it brought up all the insecurities you’ve had about your relationship in the past.

your little media spiral had led you to where you were now, hiding in your bedroom, under the covers, away from the world. You were too busy doom scrolling on your phone and blasting Bauhaus to hear the knock and jingling of keys from Joost entering your apartment.

He had gotten the news probably even before you did that morning, his mentions filled with the same few screenshots and reactions that he learned to ignore. He had stopped by the store to pick up a bouquet of flowers and coffee and pastries from your favorite cafe you two frequent. He followed the sound of the music to your bedroom to find the lump of blankets on your bed that was you.

"oh Schatje..." you heard him call out. Your head popped out from under the covers to reveal to him your tear stained face. Eyes red, you did your best to put on a smile for him.

"Hi love, Im guessing you saw the news.." you sniffle and glance at his full hands. "You really didn't have to come by today, I'm okay I promise."

"je gezicht zegt iets anders, liefje" (your face says something different, love) He set down the flowers and small feast on your dresser and crawls onto the bed next to you. You sit up in your blanket cocoon and lean on his shoulder, Joost wrapping in arm around you and pressing a kiss to your forehead. "What did they say?"

"people are assholes." you mumble. "Its nothing I wasn't expecting.. just wasn't how I thought this week was going to go.."

"I know and im sorry. I saw some of the bad comments already, you know I love everything about you right?" he pulls out his phone and opens tiktok to show you a post he had saved. It was another edit, this one of pictures of joost in his lowlands performace with his mime face paint and you that same day with your matching trad goth makeup. The caption included the hashtag # couplegoals and it made you smile. "See, not everything is bad, they love you Schatje, I love you."

"okay okay, can we just stay in today? and tomorrow, and maybe the whole week..."

"Today for sure, why do you think im in sweatpants?" he gestures to his cozy attire. "Now share the blankets, your place is always so cold."

you open the blanket to wrap around the two of you and Joost repositions you so your legs are resting over his in his lap so he can be all the more closer to you. You look up at him and his right hand cups your face, wiping away and remaining tears, before leaning in and kissing you. You lean closer and move your lips with his as you feel him grab your side to move you more onto his lap. you break the kiss, faces still inches from each other.

“The coffee is gonna grow cold.” he just smiles and murmurs against your lips.

“fuck de koffie”

[dreamwritersworld]

Space..(mike schmidt x reader)

Your relationship with mike was beautiful before all your responsibilities came crashing down.

late night shifts…

taking care of abby…

arguments…

Now there was tension and you hadn’t spoken to each other in what felt like weeks..

Your days were filled of waking up early beside Mike who was still asleep from the late nights shifts, bags under both of your eyes.

It hurt seeing him so different then before, you guys had fallen in love young and stayed together since then. Once Mike was given the responsibility of Abby everything changed, of course you loved her but it was true.

The reality was you were now given a child and the dynamic of your relationship shifted. You both took your role and for the first three weeks it was stressful yet remained peaceful, Abby wasn’t as open to Mike as she was to you…not until later on.

Two weeks ago is when it started, Mike was getting lazy. It was as if he had given up on taking care of the family..

This was the fifth time in a row that Mike had walked past me, after coming home from work. He hadn’t bothered to say hello, like he usually did before. We haven’t spoken in forever because now he sleeps and goes.

I had woken up earlier than usual to get Abby ready for her picture day. Breakfast was prepped for us, we ate and picked out the clothes she’d wear. I spent the morning perfecting her curls and jewelry, sending her off and leaving her at the parking lot of the school..

“You look so beautiful Abby, I can’t wait to see your pictures!!”

“Thank you Y/n, will you pick me up today or are you working another shift?”

I couldn’t help but sigh remembering that Mike forgot her the other three times, leaving her waiting for me to pick her up while he slept.

“I can’t today princess I’ll be working but I can assure you that your brother won’t forget you!”

Abby smiled and waved goodbye giving me one last hug before she left the car

I made sure to send a text to mike reminding her to not forget her and he replied ok, my worries were taken care of and I had reliefs…

A couple hours later while at work my phone was going off like crazy, and when I picked it up I saw it was calls from the school and I answered immediately, walking away to go someplace quiet..

“Hello? I’m Abby’s caretaker is anything wrong? Did her brother forget her?”

“Ahh yes he did. We were just a little worried as it has been about 20 minutes since school ended, will you be picking her up?”

“Yes! I will I’m leaving work right now! Thank you for calling I’m so sorry for the wait!”

“We understand, we’ll see you soon.”

The call ended and although I remained calm on the call I was infuriated. There I was once again having to tell the boss for the fourth time in the row that my boyfriend had an emergency and i had to pick up his little sister from school…of course he was mad urging me to fix the issue or else we’d have a problem.

I ran to my car soaking wet from the rain, rushing across the roads and through the traffic to get Abby. It was embarrassing, having to pick her up once again seeming like the most imperfect caretaker. This wasn’t what abby needed or deserved and this wouldn’t look good in family court for her either.

The school released abby to me and I stood there for awhile apologizing profusely to the teacher who had to wait for her. Once I made my goodbyes we ran to the car and I realized that Abby was holding tears in her eyes, her curls had gotten messy and her dress wet.

“Oh abby i am so sorry-“

“No! It’s fine! Really it’s fine! It’s not your fault.”

Her voice had raised and cracked when she spoke.

“…no it’s not fine. I’ll fix this Abby I promise, once we get home and get you cleaned up.”

We walked into a silent home I got a bath ready and that I left clothes for abby to change into, walking away from the bathroom in a calmed hurry.

“Mike? Mike.”

He was woken up in a slum his bags lighter from the rest he had.

“What?”

I took a sigh at the attitude he sent my way and I stood in front of the bed, trying to remain patient without yelling, realizing it was a hard time for the both of us…but I just couldn’t handle the situation.

“We’ve gone over this before. I know your working late and your exhausted but I can’t keep leaving work to pick up Abby. I need you Mike, I need you to take care of her.”

“Please don’t give me that bullshit Y/n. I take care of her, she has roof over her head and so do you. I don’t need that, dinner was ready for you by the time you guys came back home. I missed a couple of days so what?”

“Excuse me? Mike are you serious? Do you know how that will hold up in court? Mike! She came into the car soaking wet, exhausted and frustrated that she had to wait for someone to pick her up again. I help you Mike so don’t act like I’m living off you-“

“You act as if Abby’s a chore Y/n, is that helping? Cause you always seem to sound like your complaining-“

The tears of stress that I had held in for so long had fallen, the shock of his words felt like too much to handle

“How dare you?! Don’t you ever say that! I love her Mike. I’m still here. I’m present and I care for her. Do you even realize how lucky you are to have her Mike? Because your starting to treat her like she’s not even in the room and your doing the same to me. It’s not fair! Not to her, and not to me either!”

“I get that but I’m stuck Y/n, all you do is take her from here to there and go to work and come back home to a cooked meal.”

“Why don’t you care? Your just comparing our routines, Mike have you even factored the fact that I clean for you, and that on the days where it’s too hard for you to get up I’ll handle the cooking whenever? You act as though I don’t do my part in the rent. I take care of abby she’s a kid Mike. She doesn’t need you to just give her the bare necessities, she needs love.”

He was holding my heart and squeezing it apart and it had to be fine, because it was him. Mike was the man I had fallen in love with, I gave him my everything. Nausea hit me and I couldn’t stand being in the room with him, I walked away and he hadn’t even followed just mumbling that he was tired.

I rushed away in a hurry, tears falling. I was going to get into my car but I had thrown up when I went to open my door. I have been thrown up a lot lately..my body was always sore, and I’ve been getting my energy drained easily..was I pregnant?

My car was swerving to the nearest pharmacy, my trip led to taking a test in the bathroom, and sobbing holding the positive test in my arms. I’ve never felt so stuck in my life, my relationship was in shambles, I had Abby as my child and another would be an addition to the fire..

I cried my entire way home, shaking and afraid to tell the news…my hands rubbed off the painful tears before I walked in, afraid Abby would be awake watching TV.

Mike walked in a rush breathing heavily,

“I-I thought you weren’t going to come back, Y/n I am so sorry…I’m sorry.”

I walked up to him pulling on his arm to come to our room. The tears flowed again…and I was standing before him, door closed as he watched me with a confused face. I wasn’t one to cry unless I was really hurt by something..

“..im pregnant.” I had spoken the news in a hushed voice emotional and afraid of his reaction

“w-what?”

“i’m pregnant..”

“..no..no..” he sat down with his head between his hands

“please don’t shut me out Mike…we need to talk.”

“Talk about what? What more is there to talk about?”

“We need to talk about us, about abby, what we’re going to do. keep your voice down you’ll wake Abby..”

“Ok well there’s nothing else to talk about your pregnant, we have another mouth to feed.”

“…that’s it?”

“Yea that’s it!”

“why are you yelling at me?”

“Im not yelling at you.”

“Yes you are.”

“No I’m not..my god..alright whatever.”

“You don’t understand how hard this is, this is my body.”

“No I do get it.”

“No you don’t get it. You haven’t been there for us Mike, for our family. You go to work and you barley speak to us.-“

“Our family? This wasn’t a family until two seconds ago Y/n we haven’t spoken in weeks-“

“…Because you haven’t tried! And I’m drowning trying to keep our relationship going!”

“Yea and i get that but we’re struggling to hold everything together and we just got abby as our kid we shouldn’t be having one on the way right now.”

I took a step back turning around to change out of my clothes frustrated with his attitude to the situation

“Ok well, it happened. We have to figure it out.”

“Im not gonna be able to do this Y/n…Between you, abby, and this baby i can’t provide for us…We have to let Abby go.”

“What? You think she’s going to be happy with your aunt? You don’t care about anyone but your fucking self! That’s why I can’t talk to you!”

“I don’t care about no one but my fucking self right now?”

he approached me closer with anger and I pushed him away.

“Fuck you, move!”

I made my attempts to leave as he pulled me in getting in my face holding me close

“We can keep the baby Y/n, we just have to make sacrifices. I need to keep you safe and Abby needs to have a better home.”

My tears fell into his hands and sobs fell as I shook my head at his words.

“Fuck you! You think I’m gonna raise my baby with you? Look at you!”

“What do you mean look at me? I’m here for you-“

“No your not, stop saying that!”

I shoved him again as my heart continued to shatter

“Please Y/n just stay.”

“No…no Mike anything but that..you can’t give up on Abby..please.”

He held me close pulling down to the bed as I sobbed

“Ok..ok we’ll figure something out..I need you Y/n…I love you.”

he was pausing and crying in between as we slowly fell asleep once again..

When it was time to wake up I opened Abby’s door to see her quietly sitting down with tears in her eyes and a packed bag.

“What are you doing baby? What is this? Why are you crying?”

“A-are you going to send me away?”

“What? How could I? Oh no..no, Abby. I would never.”

I sat down beside her pulling her to lay down on my leg as I gently pulled her hair away from her face

“I heard what Mike said about me..”

“you heard..”

i looked up with an ashamed face, frustrated at Mike.

“He didn’t mean it, I promise you he didn’t mean it. Abby I love you, I can’t give you up especially to her..she doesn’t deserve you.”

“…he still said it..”

“i know but he didn’t mean it..I promise.”

i wiped her tears away and let her play, as I prepped breakfast and got ready to leave for work.

It had been a long shift and I was exhausted going back home.

“No Abby, you can’t come to work with me.”

“Please, I want to.”

“N-“

I almost made it past but Abby’s screeching stopped me.

“Y/n!!! Tell Mike to take me!”

“Oh Abby you know he can’t..please just come go to bed I’m exhausted.”

The room grew silent as Mike watchedhow I came in with my work bag and bagged eyes.

“Fine Abby we can go but you have to behave, and Y/n can get rest while we’re gone.”

“…Mike it’s fine, that’s not a good idea, I’ll be-“

“Y/n I got it, just get some rest babe.”

I gave him a kiss walking away calmly but as I waited in I couldn’t help but get a bad feeling…

*💕*

hope you enjoyed!! and i can assure you that Mike would not act like this irl!! I JUST NEED ANGST! :) please be aware that im just starting to come back into writing and trying to find my drive for it again, Thank you!!!

[mingirn]

tell me it's love

mark lee x reader

genre: smut, some angst and fluff

warnings: dry humping, cumming untouched, childhood best friends to fuck buddies, unrequited love, hidden feelings

word count: 3.6k

notes: first nct fic kinda nervous. there will be a part 2 to this i already have most of it written i just got scared it’d be too long LMFAO

”Do you like it better like this? Or, wait- like this?”

Mark is sitting on his floor in front of the full-length mirror he’d demanded help from both you and Johnny to put up. He’s messing with his hair, it’s been a while since he’s gotten a haircut and this is a new routine. He’ll sit in front of the mirror, arranging his bangs to lay across his forehead, or pushing them back, parting his hair in the middle and on each side, asking for your opinions.

”Mark,” you sigh. ”You keep asking this, but then you still wear your hair like you always do anyways.”

”Yeah, but… it looks stupid, doesn’t it?”

You haven’t even bothered to look up at him. You don’t need to in order to predict what he’ll look like, it’s the 4th night in a row now and you’ve seen it all. Instead, you keep your eyes on your book.

”If it bothers you so much, why don’t you cut it?” you ask.

”And ask Yuta again? After last time? It took me three months to grow that tragedy out, no way!” He breathes out something between a sigh and a groan and slumps down on the floor with a thud.

”Then stop complaining.”

Mark protests with an overblown sigh, but offers no rebuttal. Your focus shifts back to your book now, getting lost in the plot while Mark lies in silence on the floor. His dorm room is nicely lit, glowing warmly from his night lamp and a few fairy lights he’s got set up. The campus has that usual 10 pm quiet, and you know you should drag yourself back to your own dorm room soon but Marks bed is just so nice and soft, and your book is just getting good, and it is Friday.

”You got any space for me up there?” Mark asks, already making his way up and without waiting for your answer he’s climbing onto the bed.

You huff a little from the sudden disruption, but this is also pretty much routine, and Mark quickly finds a resting spot for his head on your shoulder.

”Still the same one?” he asks, as if it isn’t obvious.

”Yeah. If you’d stop distracting me, I might actually be able to finish it sometime.”

It’s Marks turn to huff now. He lays in silence next to you for a while, though it's all but peaceful. Mark always fidgets, he just always seems to be buzzing with something. There are these pressures and expectations packed tightly under his skin and a brain that never seems to shut off. It's Friday, he's got two days of rest ahead of him, yet you know he's probably already going through the schedule for next week in his head.

"Mark," you say, softly and silently.

"Mm?"

"You're squirming."

"Oh, sorry," he apologizes, sounding more like he's sighing. He runs his hand over his face, as if to reset, then sighs again.

You ponder for a moment. Then you speak, "Remember when we got drunk like two weeks ago? I threw up in your bathroom and afterward you read to me to keep me from freaking out."

Mark hums.

"What if- do you want to lay in my lap? You could read to me, and I'll play with your hair. Maybe it'll relax you," you suggest.

"Mhm, yeah, that'd be nice.." he murmurs. He lets you scoot yourself up to make space for him, with the way you're sat against the wall. He lays the side of his head down on your thigh, grabbing your book and bracing it against your leg so that he can easily turn the pages.

"Should I just start here?" he asks.

"At the second paragraph," you tell him.

He clears his throat and starts reading. The back of his head is turned towards you, like this you can brush your fingers through the thick of his hair. Mark sounds sleepy, his voice is low and warm, sounding very soft as he reads out loud. If his hair didn't feel so nice in your hands you think you could fall asleep right here, lulled by only his voice.

His hair really has gotten long. It's been a long time since he's dyed it too, there's some brown left at the tips but most of it is his natural color by now. You card your fingers through it, pressing at his scalp and feeling him melt in your hands.

This is what you like best, you think. Times like these, when it's quiet around you and it feels like no one exists but you and Mark. Like this, like the warmth of his cheek against your leg, the soft strands of hair between your fingers, the sound of his voice filling your head.

Your eyes start to drift a little, first following the sight of his dark hair falling from your hands, then down to his neck, then over the expanse of his shoulders. You rarely let yourself do this, to just look at him. You've convinced yourself that letting your eyes linger on him for more than a few seconds would tell on you. Like he'd be able to look into your eyes and little confessions would float in your irises, that he'd know just from looking that you're in love with him. With his back against you like this you feel shielded, you can let yourself look.

He’s wearing a thin shirt with a wide neckline, it almost hangs off of his shoulders and you’re struck with the need to just touch him. It's like a silent bet, you dare yourself to move your hand down just a little. The tips of your fingers ghost down the back of his neck where his skin is fully exposed. Mark twitches, and you get scared for just a moment, wanting to pull back, worrying that his body is alarmed at your touch. But you keep your hand in place, and he lets you.

His skin is warm under your hand, and there’s still a sliver of bare skin underneath your hand, so you trail your fingers down, all the way to where the hem of his shirt is hanging.

Something in the room shifts. Marks voice stutters and he sucks in a deep breath of air. You can hear it hitch in his throat, and you expect him to ask you what you're doing, for the illusion to break. But he does nothing, just squares his shoulders to lean into your touch.

You keep it light, dragging your fingertips up and down his back, staying outside of his shirt. It's thin enough that you can still feel the heat of his body through the fabric. You can also feel the way his ribs rise and fall with each breath he takes, how it's becoming faster.

Suddenly, Mark stops reading. He draws another deep breath, and from what you can see of his face you notice his eyes fluttering shut. There's a long silent moment where it feels like time stands still. The only thing that is happening, the single action taking place while the rest of the universe stops is Mark turning towards you.

And surely he must know, then. He's looking into your eyes, and doing nothing to avert from them. In absolute silence, he grabs your hand and lays it on his chest. You wonder if the universe has resumed moving yet, or if time is still only yours and Marks.

Mark closes his eyes again, and he squeezes your hand. His instruction is wordless, but you understand it nonetheless. Touch me, he urges.

You gather the courage to move your hand down, coming over the muscles that make up his chest. He’s almost feverishly warm, and you can feel his chest move with every labored breath. You've never touched him like this before, flattening your hand over his stomach and moving over every little inch of his torso. You're really taking him in, learning what he feels like, how defined his muscles are, how broad his chest is.

Marks mouth falls open, and he lets out a low, quiet moan. It heats you, like this hot flash that shoots through your body and makes your chest tighten. It's so bright and hot that it knocks the wind out of you.

Moving solely on instinct, just this thoughtless and desperate urge, the sight of his parted lips has you trailing your hand up his chest, and then along the column of his neck to end up at his mouth. You tap the pad of your pointer finger against his lips once, to test the waters. Mark pouts, chasing your touch. You abide, tracing your finger over his bottom lip and feeling his hot breath against your finger.

”You’re so pretty, Mark,” you tell him. You're not even thinking. Your hands move on their own and so does your mouth.

His eyes open again, so heavily lidded, and for a moment you think he’s about to say something. That maybe his eyes will sharpen and he's going to snap out of this illusion. Instead, he sits up. His gaze is focused on you and there still isn't a hint of hesitation or distress in his eyes.

”Please,” he pleas, only that.

You pat his shoulder, ”What, please? What do you want?”

”I want to kiss you.”

Mark blinks, looking down at your lips as he says it. You should probably stop to ask him if he means it, if it’s just a heat of the moment thing, but he’s so beautiful, and so eager, and his eyes still have not left your mouth. You just lean forward, connecting your lips with his and Mark kisses you back in an instant.

Whatever first kisses are supposed to be, you're sure this isn't it. In the books you read they describe the fireworks, the instant passion and how their lips just meld together. With Mark it's clumsy, he makes contact with the corner of your mouth and pulls back too quickly, then kisses you again before you've regained your breath. You can feel your heart pound in your chest and you swear Mark can hear it, and you wonder if his heart is doing the same. The very tips of your fingers feel cold, your entire body is filled with a heat so warm it's paralyzing and all you can think about is the fact that Mark is still kissing you.

He's not pulling away. He kisses you, again, and again, and again. It makes your heart surge, the fact that he isn't scared off by how awkward it is at first. The possibility of what that means rushes through you like a wave but you forbid yourself to ruminate on it now.

Whatever first kisses are, this isn't it, but it's infinitely better.

Marks hands come up to your neck, curling around the back of it so that he can pull you impossibly close as he parts his lips, swiping his tongue along yours. You have to part for air but he hardly lets you, with the way he keeps his lips just close enough to be ghosting yours.

"Touch me," he whispers into the kiss.

You’re not exactly sure where he wants you, but he releases a satisfactory hum when you trace your hands down over his chest. He leans his forehead against yours and you can feel his breath come out hot and short against your mouth. Spurred on by the moment, you trail your hands even lower to lift the hem of his shirt to touch his bare hips. He gasps at the contact, and a whine builds in the back of his throat, so quiet that you’d be unable to catch it if he wasn’t so close.

He's right above you, closer than he's ever been before and he guides you to lie down. He's laying on top of you now, pressed against you so that you can feel him everywhere. Your hands are frantic under his shirt, rushing to feel every inch of him. Quiet moans continue to slip past his lips the more you touch him, and you wish to swallow them all up.

”Take my shirt off,” he mumbles, barely parting from your lips to speak. It's already hiked up his torso, all you need to do is bring it over his head and your hands tremble when he sits back to let you take it off.

You watch him, breathless, as he sits shirtless in front of you. His hair is messy, ruffled by the shirt and he shakes his head to get it to fall pretty again. Mark leaves little time for you to take in the sight of him bare before he's kissing you again, this time far more passionately.

Somewhere in the haze of it all you've spread your legs, and Mark has positioned himself between them. His hands are as rushed as yours, moving over your thighs and the side of your ass, squeezing at your hips, feeling you everywhere he can. Mark whines, letting out these desperate sounds into your mouth that only quiet down when you wrap your legs around his hips and press him against your body.

Everything about it is needy, neither of you can get enough. Marks hands are everywhere, tangling his fingers into your hair, caressing your face, cradling your jaw, wrapped around your neck. It's like you're making up for all the time you haven't had each other like this. A million touches laced into this one hand on his naked torso, so many words spoken in this total silence.

Mark pulls away, moving to trail kisses over your jaw. A spot in the junction of your ear and jaw makes you gasp once he kisses it, and Mark smiles. He lets out this satisfied chuckle, and there's still a smile on his lips when he puts his mouth on your neck again. He sucks your skin into his mouth, letting his teeth grace ever so slightly against your neck. His mouth feels so good on you, it has little gasps and moans spilling from your mouth. Embarrassment makes you silence them as best you can, but Mark seems dedicated to making you even louder.

He starts to leave open-mouthed kisses down your neck, stopping sometimes to suck your skin into his mouth. He falters by a spot right above your collarbone, just where your shoulder starts, where he sinks his teeth into the flesh. Your body just melts, and you feel weightless, only whispering out his name under hushed breaths.

"Hm, you okay?" he asks, breaking away from the kiss. He comes up to your face again, close like before, where his breath tickles your mouth.

"What?" you ask, before you realize where his concern has come from. "Oh, yeah, yeah. More than okay. You?"

"Me? I'm okay," he laughs. Your heart is beating out of your chest, and your fingertips have still not returned to their normal temperature. It's still the same Mark looking back at you right now, the one you knew as a child, the Mark you've spent every milestone of a lifetime with.

The way he looks at you is new though. His eyes flit from your eyes to your mouth, it makes him look dazed in a way.

"Do you.. do you want to?" He doesn't finish the question. He moves towards you ever so slightly, still focused on your lips. He barely waits for the little time it takes you to rush out a 'yeah, yeah, please' until his lips are back on yours and his hands return to your body.

Something inside of you clicks, bringing you back to reality instead of the swimming fantasy in your head. You become aware of the weight of him above you, and the fact that his lips taste like buttercream chapstick. You can feel his hands on you, fingertips chancing to go underneath your shirt. It has taken until now for you to realize that his hips are pressed against your own, and with your legs wrapped around him, he's so close, so fucking close that through all the layers of clothing, you can still feel that he's hard.

Just the feeling of it has your legs squeezing around him, without really meaning to you push yourself against him. Your stomach swirls and tightens and your own arousal builds as Mark starts grinding himself against you.

”Oh my god, what the fuck," his breath shudders, words spoken into a kiss.

He's not even making direct contact with you but it still feels so fucking good. Marks hand is under your shirt now, his soft fingers tracing your naked skin. His touch feels so good on your body, and he's starting to angle his hips in just the right way, so you can feel his dick right where it feels good.

His voice is hushed and strained, pulling away from you to rest his head in the crook of your neck while he moans your name. You're probably making too much noise, the walls are thin and you worry that anyone walking by would be able to hear the noise inside Marks room. It's only a fleeting thought, easily silenced by Mark groaning, deep and low, so that you can feel the vibrations in his chest.

"Mark, Mark," you whine. He lifts his head and looks at you, but his hips keep moving. "Kiss me, please."

He leans in for a clumsy kiss, his mouth clashing with yours. It's messy, all tongue and teeth, but you can hardly care when his hips rut against yours and his breathing is becoming more jagged. You wish he'd keep kissing you, but when he pulls back and only looks at you, it doesn't matter. You're too enamored by him, watching every microexpression on his face and reveling in his beauty, and what that means for your friendship is something you’re not willing to unpack now.

It feels almost infinite, cosmic in a way, this very second that Mark stares into your eyes. His lips are parted and his eyes are still heavily lidded, there's a blush dusting his cheeks that's spreading all the way down his neck and chest.

"Baby," he gasps, leaning his forehead against yours. His hips stutter, getting faster and needier. He stutters, "Fuck, I'm- I'm gonna cum."

Words shouldn't do this much. His voice shouldn't be enough to make you feel like you could cum untouched but it is, and he keeps mumbling your name the closer he gets.

It's all a haze, your head is just filled with Mark, Mark, Mark and his voice seems to fill every space within you. You can't tell if you cum first or if he does, it's only moments before you're both grabbing onto each other and it feels like there isn't enough air in the world with how breathless you both become. Mark puts his lips to yours, too distracted to kiss but desperate enough that he needs you close.

You feel it out to your very fingertips, and it takes a second for the ringing in your ears to stop and for the air to return to your lungs. Mark is slowing his hips down, riding it out, and he finally kisses you.

The kiss is far too tender and careful for a moment like this. He’s so gentle, just brushing against your lips at first. His hand comes up to the back of your head, burying in your hair as he pulls you in even closer. You drag your hands along the sides of his torso, then curling around his shoulders in a hug.

"Mark," you try to say, muffled by his kiss.

"Mm, what?"

"We have to get cleaned up," you speak, sort of quietly. Part of you somehow believes that there's a barrier to be broken, like if you raise your voice something will exit the room and take this moment with it.

Mark lets out an exaggerated groan as he rolls off of you. The room is still dimly lit, just like before, the sky is still dark outside and you don't understand how everything is exactly the same when you aren't.

"Hm," he thinks for a moment. "Are you.. staying here, or?"

You suck in a breath. Something about the way he asks it feels kind of loaded. You've slept here before, next to him in this very bed, but something about the tone of his voice makes this feel different.

"Why?" you ask.

"Just cause, like, you'd need to borrow something to sleep in."

"Are you saying you'd make me walk to my room like this if I didn't want to sleep here?" you ask, faking upsetness. "This isn't only my cum, you know."

He looks over at you, at the little wet spot on your sweatpants that matches the one on his own.

"Jesus, yeah, sorry!" he laughs breathily, throwing his arm over his face. The whine in his voice is gone by now, but he's still being playful. Nothing in his tone conveys that he's upset, or that regret has set in. You need to stop dwelling on it though, or the deepest parts of your mind will find something to latch onto to ruin this. You can't think about it, any of it, it’s going to mess you up and you know it.

There's a moment of silence where your eyes fix on the ceiling. You steal little glances to the side, at Marks bare skin. You had just been touching him, your fingertips must be imprinted on some parts of his skin. Right now, the only part of him that is touching you is his pinky against yours. He moves it, just a little, like a twitch, and strokes it over your finger.

"So.. you're staying?" he asks.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm staying."

[youvebeenlivingfictional]

The Other Half Part Twenty Two

Previous Part | Masterlist | Next Part

Notes: Angst was requested, so angst ye shall receive. Welcome to the Thanksgiving episode.

Warnings: Smidge of fluff with a heaping of angst; reader has a mother and father, neither are described physically

Summary: It had gotten off to a good start. 

Your parents had been so buoyant and excited as they’d gotten off of the jet, and as Bruce had driven you all to the manor. The manor had incited a wave of ooing and aahing as Bruce had given them a tour. You’d departed for the kitchen, trying to help Alfred, but he’d merely steered you onto a stool and made you a strong cup of tea to steady your nerves. 

You're a little surprised when Bruce’s eyes glaze over at the idea. You’ve never seen him actively check out from a conversation like this before. You raise your hand, gently waving it in front of his face.

“Honey?” You press. “Did you hear me?” 

Bruce clears his throat, averting his gaze to the kitchen counter. You frown as he takes up his glass of wine, drawing deeply from it.

“I haven't thought about it,” He finally admits.

“Well, what do you usually do for Thanksgiving?” 

He shrugs. “Not much. Alfred makes dinner.”

“So it’s like any other day?” You tease, trying to lighten the mood. He smiles tightly, taking up the bottle of wine and topping off your glasses. 

“I guess,” He offers. You bite the inside of your cheek, trying to figure out where you can possibly take the conversation next. 

“Well,” You lean into it a little, drawing your wine glass closer to yourself. “My parents have invited us to Metropolis for Thanksgiving, and I wanted to know if you wanted to come.”

“You’re definitely going?”

“I mean, you said you don’t have any other plans, and I don’t. Michelle is doing a Friendsgiving that weekend, but I don’t have anything else going on, day-of. And…” You press your lips together, trying to gather your thoughts, fighting off the swell of emotion. You focus on your wine, incredibly wary of how you go on: “I haven’t seen my parents since you brought them here. Mom’s been harping on me to visit.” Among other things—but you don't want to get into all that now.

“Why haven’t you?”

“Work, and the press, and just,” You shake your head. “There’s been a lot going on. I haven’t accrued any time off at work, but we get Thanksgiving and the Friday off, so I figured I’d leave Wednesday night, and get back on Saturday in time for Friendsgiving.” 

“How are you getting there?” 

“I’ll rent a car.”

Bruce gives you a stern sidelong glance. 

“You can borrow one of mine if you insist on driving.”

“The tumbler?”

“You’d be disappointed in the gas mileage.” 

“Bummer.”

Bruce thinks for a moment before he leans against the counter. 

“Is anyone else going to be at Thanksgiving?”

“Just the three of us—four, if you decide to come.” 

“Alright. Tell you what: why don’t you invite your parents here. We’ll have Thanksgiving at the manor. They can stay the night.” 

Your brows raise in surprise. 

“You seriously want to do that?”

“Yes.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“...Are you concussed?”

Bruce rolls his eyes, resting his arms atop the counter and taking hold of your hands in his. 

“Invite them, see what they say. Alright?”

“Alright,” You nod. “We’ll have to tell Alfred.”

“Let’s just see what they say first.” 

Your eyes narrow slightly. He’s got to be bluffing. Thanksgiving is next week—there isn’t much time to get everything confirmed. Travel plans need to be made, shopping lists need to be created, rooms at the manor probably need to be aired out. 

“Alright,” You shrug. “Let’s ask.” You draw your phone out of your pocket, swiping open to your contacts. 

“You're going to call right now?”

“Sooner’s better than later, right?” You tap your mother’s contact, then put the phone on speaker, setting it on the counter. Your eyes flit toward Bruce, and you find him eyeing your phone like a ticking time bomb. 

“Sweetie!” Your mother screeches, and you can’t help but smile. 

“Hey, mom.” 

“How are you? I’ve been trying to reach you all week!” 

That’s on purpose. There are some things that your mother’s been bringing up lately that you just don’t want to talk about…Things that you haven’t even told Bruce. 

“I know, it’s been a lot of phone tag, I’m sorry about that. Listen, I wanted to talk to you about Thanksgiving—” 

“Oh, me, too! What time does your plane land?” 

“Well…” You look at Bruce again, waiting for him to call it off—last chance to back down. But he nods and waves you on, so you go on, “We know it’s last minute, but Bruce and I were hoping that you could join us here this year, at the manor.” 

“The manor?” Your mother’s shock and glee are delightfully clear, even through the tinny audio. 

“Mhm!” 

“Oh, I don't know, it’s awfully late to get a flight—” 

“I’ll send the jet.”  

Bruce’s assertion shocks you both into silence for a moment. Your brows raise, mouth falling open in surprise. 

‘Are you kidding?’ You mouth over your mother’s fumbling insistence that it’s too much of an expense. 

“Not at all,” Bruce shakes his head. “We really would love to host you. It’s been too long since you’ve seen Gotham.” 

“Been too long since I’ve seen my daughter.”

“Mom,” You groan, wincing. 

“Let me talk it over with your father—We’ll let you know in the morning. Thank you for the offer, Bruce.” 

“Of course.” 

“Talk to you later, mom,” You add. 

“Bye! Love you!” 

“Love you, too!” You tap the button to end the call before you look at Bruce again. “The jet?” 

“It’s just sitting there,” Bruce shrugs, taking up his wine again. “And this way they won’t have to go through security. I hear holiday lines are a real killer.”

“You are…” You shake your head a little, chuckling, “Such a fucking enigma.”

“I don’t think I am.” 

“No?” 

“No.” Bruce straightens, rounding the counter. “I don't do anything by halves, I don’t back down from a challenge…” He comes to a stop beside you, gaze searching your face, “And I love you very much.” 

You reach out, gently hooking your fingers in the collar of his shirt and tugging him closer for a kiss.

“Right back atchya, Mr. Wayne.” 

--  

It had gotten off to a good start. 

Your parents had been so buoyant and excited as they’d gotten off of the jet, and as Bruce had driven you all to the manor. The manor had incited a wave of ooing and aahing as Bruce had given them a tour. You’d departed for the kitchen, trying to help Alfred, but he’d merely steered you onto a stool and made you a strong cup of tea to steady your nerves. 

“If I may say so,” Alfred had offered, “You hardly seemed as tightly wound the last time Master Wayne brought your parents into town.” 

“Well, I was blindsided last time,” You’d admitted, “And I haven’t…” You’d trailed off, shaking your head a little as Alfred had cast a curious eye toward you. 

“Haven’t what?” 

“...Nothing. Are you sure there isn't anything that I can do to help?” 

If Alfred hadn’t bought your brushing him off, he hadn’t chased it down—and as much as you’d entreated him to eat with all of you, he wouldn’t hear of it.

It had been a good start.

Dinner is delicious, Alfred makes sure the wine continues to flow, and you think, you think that your mom isn’t going to bring it up, but— 

“Have you put in for your transfer?” 

Your blood runs cold, and your face goes hot. The sudden change of subject makes your stomach heave in such a way that you're sure you're about to lose your dinner. You keep your focus on your nearly empty plate as everyone’s attention turns to you. You swallow thickly. Your transfer. 

“You said that you would,” Your mother adds.

“I told you I would think about it,” You argue. “I never said it was set in stone.” 

“Transfer?” Bruce prods. Damnit. 

“It was just something that my mom thought—” 

“That I know would be better for you!” Your mother argues. She casts a glance between you and Bruce, sighing. “Now I know that you’re both very fond of Gotham, but it just isn’t safe, and it isn’t getting any better. Besides the crime rate, your…” She trails off, seeming to try and tread carefully for once. 

“I think what your mother is trying to say,” Your father cuts in, “Is that as much as you can shrug it off, the fact of the matter is, your…Relationship,” He glances between you and Bruce warily, “Has put you in danger.” 

“Dad—” 

“If it wasn’t for Batman, you could have died—Or Bruce could’ve lost so much money—” Your mother cuts in. 

“I never cared about the money,” Bruce’s insistence is so heartbreakingly soft, and nearly drowned out as your mother goes on: 

“You can transfer to a branch of the Wayne Foundation in Metropolis. And who even knows how long Batman will be around to stop these kinds of things.” 

“It was a one-off,” You insist firmly. “I’m fine, I’m safe.” 

“But it could happen again,” Your father points out. “It could happen to either of you.” 

You sigh softly, glancing toward Bruce. He’s not looking at you. His ears are red; his jaw is clenched. You reach for his hand beneath the table, but he pulls it away, reaching for his glass instead. 

“I don’t wanna talk about this anymore,” You say firmly, looking between your parents. “Okay? Can we just—talk about something fun and uncontroversial, like politics or euthanasia?” 

--  

It had been such a good start. 

But as your parents head up to their guest room and Bruce disappears to the study—as you hear the discordant clanging of the piano—you crumble. You bury your face in your hands, trying to stifle your sobs. Hot tears and hot breath press into your palms as your chest and shoulders wrack with sobs. You feel two hands rest on your shoulders, and you turn gratefully into Alfred, leaning into him heavily as he folds you into his arms. He smooths his hand over your back, shushing you softly as he steers you toward the kitchen. 

You sit numbly on the stool again, breath hiccuping as you scrub at your tear-stung eyes. Alfred comes back over to you with a small glass in hands. 

“What’s that?” You mumble. 

“Sherry. Steady your nerves.” 

You take hold of it and toss it all back—and regret it immediately. You cough roughly, wincing at the dry burn as it blazes down your throat. Alfred takes the glass back. 

“...It wasn’t a shot.” 

“I realize that now,” You grit out, clearing your throat. Alfred turns, refilling the glass and holding it out again. 

“Slower this time.” 

You take a small sip, brow furrowing at the taste. It’s almost pleasant. 

Almost.

You sniffle, looking down into the glass and swirling it slightly. 

“...I’m guessing you heard everything?” 

“I did.” 

“I didn’t think she’d bring it up,” You admit, "I kinda hoped she wouldn’t…But I didn’t have a moment with her without Bruce, and when she didn’t mention it on the way back from the airport, I thought…I shouldn’t have assumed, anyway. Now he’s pissed at me.” 

“...If I may,” Alfred says gently, “I believe he’s upset because he’s afraid that your mother may be right.” 

“She isn’t.” 

“Even you must admit that being in the public eye has changed things for you.” 

“I was held at gunpoint at work before Bruce and I were known to be together.” 

“Crime is still an epidemic in this city.” 

“Nowhere in the world is crimeless. I could just as soon be held up in Metropolis.” 

“...Perhaps,” Alfred nods. You sigh softly, taking in another mouthful of sherry and wincing. 

“I just wish he hadn’t left before we talked about it,” You shake your head. “I hate it when he does that.” 

“Stay here,” Alfred pats your cheek gently. “Relax.” 

“Can I help with the washing up?—Please,” You tip your head to the side pleadingly as Alfred opens his mouth to argue. “You’ve been working so hard all day, and everything was so delicious. It’ll go faster with two. Please let me help.” 

Alfred finally nods. 

“I’ll wash, you dry.” 

“Sure.” You stand, setting the sherry glass by the sink. You take up the dishtowel, still sniffling a little as you and Alfred stand side by side at the sink. 

“...Alfred?” 

“Yes?” 

“Thanks. For everything.” 

He smiles, lightly nudging your shoulder with his. It’s a gentle, familiar touch, one that makes you smile through your sniffles. 

“Any time, dear.”

Next Part

[montcumbry-gaytor]

Hi, um idk if you’re in the mood to write this and you don’t have to if you don’t feel the energy to, but could I request a story where its Latino male reader x Loki?

Like where its smut and the plot is that the reader speaks Spanish everytime he and Loki “do it” just to tease and fluster Loki, and the reader always feels proud of himself.

But a few nights go by and Loki really wants to learn how to speak Spanish; not only because it can be a way to communicate with the reader better but to get back at him and remind him who’s in power. (So like a smut and power kink story basically). And Loki takes lessons from one of the readers’ family members (but they don’t tell the member the reason ofc)

And then when the night comes, and the reader and Loki are invited to come to this super fancy party with the Avengers, and the whole night, the reader decides to tease Loki discreetly and later, Loki can’t tolerate it any longer so they both teleport back to the tower, and blah blah blah they start to have steamy sex.

Loki then decides to tease him and starts whispering Spanish in his ear all seductively: and suddenly the reader gets all shy. And then they do it, and the end there’s the obvi aftercare, and they live happily ever after :)

(Idk if you do POC readers, but I’m asking bc I haven’t seen barely any that do. I know this was a lot and in detail so I deeply apologize for that. Again, you don’t have to do this cuz ik you have a busy life rn or u just don’t feel like doing it. Have a good morning/night! :D)

Right side of the bed

Loki Laufeyson x Latino Male Reader Smut

FEM ALLIGNED DNI || MLM/NBLM TARGET READERS

A/N : I am so sorry that I haven't gotten to this sooner, I've been giving excuses but Im finally getting on track with writing and here we are.

CW : (Kind of) Public sex, Magic use, Alcohol, Use of 'Sir'

"Focus, Carino."

You hummed, Looking down at Loki's disheveled state below you, tendrils of black hair sticking to his pale forehead, Mouth hung agape as your hips bounced on his.

"Love- slow do—ah~ slow down~"

Loki whined, Slender fingers holding your hips, though he begged he never stopped rutting into you, Tip grazing your prostate each time your body connected with his.

Grabbing one of his hands, you placed it on your lower abdomen, letting him feel as tip rutted near your stomach.

"Siente lo profundo que eres mi rey~"

You said, feeling your end draw near, your words failing you as you fucked yourself on Loki, Stroking your twitching length, White spurting from your head and onto Loki's stomach.

"Fuck, That felt amazing Carino."

You hummed into his ear, smiling as his pale skin became even more red than it had been, kissing his cheek before hopping off of him.

"I'm gonna take a shower, Amor, Feel free to join me~"

You said, your voice trailing away, Leaving Loki to clean up after himself, Stuck in his thoughts, Never understanding what you were saying, He felt so lost.

He needed to show who was in control.

But how? Thor didn't know anything, He wouldn't expect him to, And he wasn't going to ask any of the Avengers, Definitely not.

Who did he know, Who knew Spanish?

"Oh! Ohoho.. My prince is going to regret this."

Loki muttered under his breath, becoming quiet as he dressed himself, Contacting a certain someone Via. Your silly human devices.

"What are you doing, Amor?"

You asked, slinking over to your dresser and slipping pajamas on, Slyly revealing bits and pieces of yourself as you did.

"Oh nothing my prince, Just thinking."

Loki hummed, Placing the phone aside, opening up his arms to welcome you into them, hands hugging around your waist, his peachy lips kissing your forehead.

"You should rest, my love, You heroes are always so busy."

Loki hummed, rolling you over with him, spooning you in his tall figure, letting him bring a blanket over the two of you and drifting off to sleep in his arms.

It had been a few weeks since then, Being that you were busy, You hardly noticed Loki's absence from your shared flat.

As days went on as per usual, Tony had decided to throw a party in the Tower, Even though you had wished to rest in your flat, maybe go out to dinner with Loki, you had agreed, and Loki—Although Hesitantly—Agreed to go aswell.

The party consisted of most of the Avengers, and some people you didn't know that you assumed were invited by Tony, though you didn't care to engage with them either way.

"Whiskey, Please."

You said to the bartender, crossing a leg over the other, leaning into Loki's presence beside you.

"Make it two."

He hummed, the bartender nodding and pouring your drinks, passing them to you both before walking off to deal with other people at the bar.

"You're deep in thought, Carino, es lindo."

You said, looking at him smugly.

"Thinking of all the the things we could be doing if we weren't here."

"Me encantaría que me jodas sin sentido ahora mismo, amor."

You whispered in his ear, swirling the amber liquid in your glass before downing it, returning the glass to the bar, where the bartender poured it another round and shuffled off again.

"No me gustaría nada más que eso."

Loki hummed back, Eyeing your face as it contorted into shock, Standing from his seat and downing his drink, grasping your hand and weaving throughout the tower, finding one of the guest rooms, and hurrying inside.

Quickly shutting the door by pressing your back against it, he wasted no time locking the door and putting his hands on you, lips sloppily smashing with yours.

Tongues sliding against one another, the taste of alcohol still tingling on your tongue, tugging on Loki's suit, whining as he pulled away from you, clasping your wrists in one hand above your head.

"ah ah ah, Amor, I'm the one in charge, no olvides."

He hummed, pressing his knee between your legs, though using his free hand to keep your hips pinned to the wall, forcing you to take what friction he gave, his mouth closing in on your neck.

"You smell sweet, Mi amor, Delicious.."

He groaned, rolling his thigh against your groin, prompting a sweet sigh from your lips, your attempts to rut against him hopeless.

Magic tingled through your body, making it hot and on point, your body staying pinned as it was even without Loki's hands on you.

"You look adorable like that, Carino, aunque te ves mas lindo sin ropa."

And in a blink of an eye, he pulled off your blazer, tugging your tie off, then your shoes, and so on until you were bare, save for your button up and briefs, erection pressed against the stretchy fabric.

"Loki- ah~! We- we can't do this here.. someone will find us.."

You squirmed, body flushed as Loki sent waves of magic through your body with every touch he made, and you couldn't fight it.

"I wouldn't mind that, Darling, Someone seeing you get corrected for thinking you're in control."

Fingers danced around the hem of your briefs, slipping up your shirt and running over your nipples, thumb pads stroking the erect buds.

"No matter how many times I play with these, you never do seem to get used to it."

Loki sighed, the shocking waves of pain and pleasure forcing your back off the door as he pinched the bud.

"Let's take this to the bed, Shall we, Carino?"

He hummed, hand guiding your movements to lay on the bed, body shaking with anticipation, Precum spilling out of your cock head and staining into your briefs.

"Darling, You're making a mess, Let's clean that up, Shall we?"

Kneeling down on the bed, he pulled your briefs off tantalizingly slow, his smirk becoming wider—if possible—as your cock slipped free of it's constraints, twitching as it was met with cold air.

"Loki... "

"Shhh... amor, don't speak unless spoken to, understand?"

"Y- Yes sir..."

"Ooh.. sir? I like that name."

Loki hummed, the tip of his index finger teasing the slit of your cock, trailing down your length before pulling away, leaving you to whine in his absence.

"Now, tell me my prince, what would you like me to do?"

"Fuck me... Please.."

You whimpered, arms straining with a need to hold Loki, as if you feared he might up and leave just to toy with you.

"como quieras, mi amor."

In swift movements, Loki threw tossed his blazer off, rolling the sleeves of his button up to his upper arm, Unbuttoning his black dress pants and pushing down his briefs, his dick presenting itself eagerly.

Sitting on his shins, one hand slipped underneath your knee, holding your leg up, the other guiding his cock to slip inside of you, eyes trailing up to yours with a gentle smile before pushing in, causing your breath to thin.

"Ooo... Fuck-"

"No, Talking, Carino, Break the rules again and I'll have to punish you."

"Yes- Yes sir.."

"Good."

He hummed, hugging his arm around your thigh and pulling your ass to connect with his hips, your leg resting over his shoulder while the other one sat beside his thigh.

"Te sientes tan caliente por dentro, My prince."

He sighed, running a free hand over your stomach, Magic seeping out of you as you found your hands no longer stuck to the bed, instantly clinging around Loki's neck, Smashing your lips together as his hips began to rock into you.

"Shit... You feel amazing."

He moaned, pressing his forehead to yours, nearly folding you in half as he fucked you, heat building with each thrust, sweat beading on your bodies.

"Speak to me, Darling, I want to hear you."

He groaned, tip grazing your prostate, rutting against it each time.

"You feel so good Loki~! Fu—ck.."

You whined, Your spine arching off the bed, the crown of your head pushing into the mattress, your insides felt like they were melting as you both chased your climax.

"I could say the same, darling, you fe-ah.. you feel wonderful.."

He whined, you could feel his cock twitch inside of you, threatening to burst.

"I'm gonna cum.. ah... Loki- "

You whimpered, your cock spilling out precum as it rutted against your stomach, the friction bringing you closer until your body halted, taking your breath away as white spurted from your slit, spilling on your stomach.

It didn't take long for Loki to finish himself, pulling out and cumming between your legs, panting as you both came off your high, hair sticking to your faces.

"That was... Exhilarating."

Loki sighed, wiping his forehead before whipping his head around the room, locating a bathroom and rushing off to wet a rag, coming back looking refreshed, pants buttoned and all.

"Come here darling, let me clean you up."

A/N : Hope you guys all liked this!!! I hope it came out to your liking Anon!!!! I tried my best to not drag on everything but keep everything true to the plot so 🫶

[sooguru]

AVIDITY

©sooguru

[⌗synopsis ⸝⸝ 𝜗𝜚] halfway on your journey to freedom, suguru finds another way to dominate your very soul, an addictive drug that leaves you feening for more.

[⌗cw ⸝⸝ 𝜗𝜚] DARK CONTENT - stalking , peeping tom , masturbation (f) , wet dream.

chapter 02

─── ⋆⋅𝜗𝜚 FREE. i was free from that brute of a man.

weeks had passed since that gathering in the restaurant..weeks after the near kiss i shared with suguru. after a long day of work, i came back home only to discover that the house was completely empty. my husband nowhere to be seen, his clothes packed away and drawers empty. on the dining table laid the divorce papers i gave to him months ago. the same ones he refused to sign.

i was elated. if that was even a good enough word to describe the joy i felt. i let out a gleeful scream, happy that we can finally go through with the divorce.

oh what a dream.

i made a mental note to call my lawyer tomorrow morning, texting nanami to say that i won’t be in tomorrow. the divorce would be quick considering he fact that there was a mutual agreement. i’d be a free woman soon. i went to bed happily, having the best sleep.

the next morning, i was on the phone with my lawyer, telling him everything. i started to strip out of my negligee, only wearing a thong underneath. i talked to my lawyer the entire time, about to say something before i noticed a flash in my peripheral vision. it was dark and gloomy, rain coating the pavement street. i didn’t hear thunder so i decided to investigate.

i put a robe on, moving closer to the window, squinting as i noticed a figure standing by some trees. i wasn’t sure what they were doing until i noticed a camera in hand, another flash erupting from the small camera, my eyes widening as i shut the curtains. i changed into a vest and shorts, heading downstairs.

“creep”

i huffed, going back to talking with my lawyer, focusing on my divorce. i wish i could’ve called suguru but he would’ve been working so i knew i couldn’t. instead i spent the day doing the necessaries, my lawyer and i creating a date to go over everything in person when it wasn’t pouring down rain.

once that was over, i spent the rest of the day celebrating. toji was out of the house, living with his coworker i presumed, and i was finally getting my divorce. what a great day. later on i decided to order food, getting a burger and fries along with a milkshake.

around 45 minutes later, the food came, the high pitched chime of my doorbell alerting me to the deliverers arrival. however, my face contorted into one of surprise when i was met with the same man who plagued my every waking thought like a dangerous drug.

“suguru? what’re you doing here?”

i quickly let him inside so that the rain no longer soaked him, closing the door quickly. he smiled at me, holding out my delivery.

“i missed you.”

he said simply, placing the bag in my hands while taking his wet shoes off, stretching with a groan.

“when nanami said you won’t be in, i thought you had gotten ill from drinking too much last night. how could i not come and check on my favourite person?”

i blushed at his words, leading him into the kitchen.

“favourite person.?”

i whispered, nibbling on my bottom lip, feeling a sudden wave of shyness.

“well it’s very kind of you to visit me suguru, i just had personal matters to attend to”

i leaned against my kitchen counter, taking out my food from the bag, trying to ignore the steps suguru made, getting closer as closer behind me, his breath grazing the hairs on my ear.

“y/n”

he said my voice slowly, his nose pressing into my hair, inhaling deeply, taking in my scent.

“did you miss me like how i missed you?”

“of course i did..”

he grinned, letting out a small shaky breath as he mumbled out a ‘good’ as he kept smelling me. it would be odd if, one, i haven’t smelt him too, less overtly of course. and two, want him in between my legs giving me the best dick of my life. i let him do as he please, eating my burger happily while suguru’s nose grazed my neck.

he grinned against my neck, inhaling deeply, his hands shaking slightly, his eyes dilating, not giving into the urge of licking my neck, tasting my soft skin. i was too busy not notice all of this, pulling away to grab my milkshake.

i didn’t hear suguru move, but apparently he did, finding my divorce documents laying on my dining table, glancing at them before walking back over to me. as quiet as can be. i turned around, bumping into him slightly.

“oof- hi there”

i teased, looking up at him with a smile as i munched on a fry. i held one up to his lips, watching them part as he bit it, chewing slowly. he took a step closer, our bodies practically pressing up against each other as he leaned down, his nose grazing my cheek as he whispered.

“i didn’t know you were getting a divorce y/n.”

i looked to the side, nodding stiffly. i noticed the documents on the dining table and inwardly cursed myself for letting them just lay around,

“so you’re single?”

he questioned, his hands slowly sneaking around my waist. i hummed, realising where he was going with this. i nodded once again, my back arching slightly as my chest pressed against his, my glossy lips grazing his.

“haah…mr geto, aren’t you supposed to give freshly divorced women a chance to heal or something…”

i mumbled against his lips, looking into his eyes. my words earned a sly smirk, his hands gripping my vest, teasing me.

“i would if the woman in question ever talked about her husband. but mrs fushiguro..it’s rather surprising how i’ve never heard a single peep about your dear husband once in my months of working with you.”

he caught me red-handed, his lips grazing mine once more, our breaths mingling.

“you caught me..”

i whispered, my hands gripping his shirt, expecting him to kiss me. but he doesn’t. he inhales deeply, licking his lips as he pulled away, smirking at me.

“i’ll see you tomorrow y/n.”

with that, he put his shoes on and left. i stood there, shocked, a wet patch growing in my panties, my body feeling hot and flushed, my lips still parted.

“fucking tease..”

i grumbled, pouting as i finished my food, my mind clouded with everything related to suguru geto. i was undoubtedly obsessed. i walked into my living room, turning on the tv as i pulled off my pants, leaving me in just my underwear. sitting back down, my hands slid into my panties, rubbing at my clit, moaning suguru’s name, wishing he was the one touching me instead.

“please sugu..”

i whined, closing my eyes, throwing my head back as i played with myself, my fingers dipping into my sopping cunt, pumping my two fingers in and out, chasing my orgasm, needing some sort of release.

“f-fuck hngh ah!”

with my eyes closed, my body felt sensitive, desperately imagining it was suguru touching me. my back arching off the couch, a loud moan following. it felt like somebody was watching me, like a gaze burning straight into me. however, my imagination was running wild, using whatever i felt and twisting it to imagine suguru was the one watching me play with my pussy. showing him just how hot and bothered he got me. how badly i wished he’d just take me.

“sugu ‘m cummin-ghah!”

i creamed around my fingers, panting softly. the movie drowned out my whimpers and cries as i rubbed my clit with my cream, making my pussy a sticky mess.

“hmp..”

i huffed, pouting as i resisted the urge to send a picture of me touching myself to suguru. pulling my hand away, i slipped off my panties, heading upstairs so that i could wash my hands in the bathroom. once i came back down, i searched for my underwear, noticing that it wasn’t where i left it last. i looked under the couch, my ass in the air as i squinted, wondering if i accidentally kicked it under the large furniture. i gave up after a while, unable to see far under the couch, going upstairs and finding a new pair to put on.

i got back to watching my movie, eventually falling asleep on the couch, dreaming of suguru doing wickedly sinful things to me. it felt so real, as if he was really touching me. as if the grasp he had on my thighs while he ate my pussy was real. as if the gentle grasp of my neck while his cock pummelled into my drooling cunt was real.

it felt so good.

it was mind numbingly good in fact. my mind went blank in the dream, my orgasm so close. i let out a loud scream, the orgasm waking me up as i stirred, opening my eyes, feeling my arousal drip down my thighs.

the morning light greeted me, signalling that another day had arrived. however was i going to face him after having a dream like that. was i that touch deprived? i was like some horny teenager, desperate for some cock to relieve the aching pain between my legs. needy for one man, and one man alone. whining softly as my thighs clenched, grinding against nothing in desperation.

please sugu..i need you so bad..

[writing-till-i-am-dead]

Laigan oneshot - Date night

Recommended by Only_Stxr on AO3 <3

When Logan and Aiden had started dating, no one expected it. The two didn’t really hang out or talk to specifically just each other when they were all as a group. 

However, as it turns out, the two have been texting a lot. Even calling, something Logan is terrified to do. 

Calling wasn’t so scary with Aiden, though. They like to face time and Aiden just rambles while Logan does some studying. It’s nice. 

“And that’s why banana candy doesn’t taste like actual bananas!” Aiden said, concluding a hyperspecific topic he knows a strange amount of details on. 

“Interesting! Didn’t know you knew so much about horticulture. Maybe you should work for my grandparents.”

“If I could see more of you, sure!”

Logan went quiet. 

“Logan, are you flustered again?”

“Um… s-so, how’s your homework going?”

“Finished it all already.”

Logan chuckled. “Where do you get the time?”

“Magic.”

“Ha..”

The two go silent for a moment, only filled by the writing of Logan’s fountain pen.

“So, Starshine, are you busy tomorrow?”

Logan snorted at the nickname. Aiden had started calling him that when they watched the Johnny Depp Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The name just kind of stuck. 

“Tomorrow? Um.. I’m working at my grandparents’ shop from 11-4. Why?”

“I wanna have a date!”

Logan jolted from his desk so fast that papers fell. “A date?”

“Ya! A proper one! We haven’t gotten to do that yet.”

“I…” He fiddled with the strings of his pajama pants. “Where would we go..?”

“The amusement park I was thinking!”

“Oh.. like.. rollercoasters, or..?”

“YEA!”

“Oh..”

“Don’t worry. I’ll let you hold my hand so you won’t get scared.”

“Aha.. all right. As long as we go on the ferris wheel.”

“Of course!”

There was a pause before Aiden speaks. 

“So, I’ll see you at 4:30 tomorrow?”

“Ya. I’ll see you.”

“Prepare to have lots of toys won for you!”

“Aiden, my stuffed animal collection is already huge!” Logan said, laughing. 

“Well, tell them to prepare for some new friends.”

He snorted. “Good night Aiden. I’ll see you in the phantom world.”

“Hardly,” he whined. “Too busy fighting and stuff.”

“Go to sleep.”

“Fine.”

Logan hung up because he knew that if he waited for Aiden to do it, they’d be on the phone for another 10 hours. 

Aiden was definitely right about them not getting to hang out in the phantom world. But that’s not too surprising. It’s always like this. Aiden usually has to do checkups on the base and Logan has to do patrols. 

“So, you and Logan are dating?” Taylor asks, walking with Aiden. 

“Yep! 3 weeks and 4 days!”

“That’s so cute! I had no idea you guys liked each other!”

“Well, yknow, Logan’s pretty shy and I’m respectful enough to not embarrass him.”

“Aww. You can be sweet when you want to, Aiden.”

“I’m always sweet!”

The two continued with their jobs and eventually the next day came. Logan was up bright and early like he always was. Went on his morning walk, feeding the neighborhood cats, making breakfast for his grandparents, and getting ready for his work. His normal morning routine. 

Aiden was awake ever since he woke from the phantom world. He rarely ever falls back asleep after that. He played Minecraft until the sun came through. Ben had walked in on him and gave him a concerned look before bringing him to the living room to have him do morning stretches with him. Ben did these every morning. Then Aiden ate the sugariest cereal ever to get his day started and debated opening a Red Bull, but decided not to yet. 

Then he spent the rest of his day being stuck in waiting mode. That’s his struggle. Everytime he’s doing something later in the day, he has trouble doing anything else. All he can do is really stare at the clock. 5 minutes feel like 5 hours and it’s like being stuck in limbo. 

He tried to pass the time by playing GTA and Call of Duty, but he still checked the clock every 10 minutes. 

Finally, it got to 4:00. He changed out of his pajamas, which he had been wearing all day, into a black t shirt, jeans, converse, and a hoodie.

“Hey, Ben, I’m going to be heading out!” Aiden said as he started walking to the door. 

Ben got up and stopped him. 

“Huh? What?” Aiden looked confused, tilting his head.

Ben pulled out a box of chocolates and then handed Aiden a note. 

At least give your date a gift. 

Aiden laughed, taking them. “I was going to win him tons of prizes.. but, chocolates aren’t a bad idea. Thanks, Ben.”

He then started walking to the amusement park. One of the perks from moving from the city to a small town? You can walk everywhere. And enjoy the scenery too! Lots of trees and grass. Neighbors already had Halloween decorations hung up. It was cool to see it all. It wasn’t something he was used to. 

He finally reached the amusement park and there he saw Logan in the front. He was wearing a cobalt blue sweater that made him look so huggable. Then again, Logan always looked huggable. And the best part is that Logan lets him hug him!

So, the first thing he did was wrap his arms around him, startling Logan who had not seen Aiden. 

“Don’t sneak up on me like that,” he said, grasping at his heart. 

“Hey to you too, Starshine!”

Logan shook his head and stopped shaking from the scare. “I got you your ticket,” he said, handing it to Aiden. 

“Thanks! And I got you chocolate!”

“Oh.. thanks.”

“What? What’s the face?”

“Just.. wasn’t expecting it. Now I feel bad. I didn’t get you anything.”

“You gave me your presence. That’s good enough.”

The two grasped hands and went in. 

“Oh wow.. it absolutely packed,” Logan said, trying to sound like he’s joking but his voice is still very tense.

“Ya, no kidding. Cmon, let’s look for the shortest line!”

“Ah, w-wait!”

Aiden dragged Logan off to explore the fairgrounds. 

“C-can we stop running?” Logan exclaimed. 

“Huh?” Aiden came to a sudden halt; causing Logan to crash into him, the two nearly falling. 

“Sorry!” Aiden said, laughing his ass off as he smooshed Logan’s face with his hands. “You’re not hurt, right?”

“No.. I’m fine,” Logan says awkwardly. 

“Kay!”

He glances over and see a booth selling some AWESOME stuffed animals. Huge, fluffy ones. 

“Oh. My. Gosh. Logan, I’m gonna win you that prize!” 

Logan follows his finger and sees him pointing toward a giant shark stuffed animal. It was actually kind of perfect. It was really derpy looking. Plus, Aiden and Logan have both been hyperfixating on ocean life recently, going in long rambles about what they had learned and theories about the deep. 

“Um.. ok,” Logan said, smiling excitedly as he followed Aiden to the booth. 

They stood in line for a couple of minutes, during those minutes, Aiden did cool hand tricks, like clasping his hands, bringing his middle fingers downs, and twisting his hands. Logan laughed. It was such a simple trick, yet Aiden’s face was so silly as he did it that he couldn’t help but find it hilarious. Aiden always managed to make things really funny. 

Finally, it was their turn. Aiden slapped a dollar onto the table and picked up the water gun. “Ok, lemme just..” Aiden took a moment to finally aim and shot the water into the clown’s mouth, the balloon slowly filling up. But Aiden’s hands had trouble staying still, causing him to get off track and eventually he ran out of time. 

“Huh?! No!! Let me try again!”

Aiden tried at least 3 more times, failing those as well. 

“Nooooo!!!”

“Sir,” said the man at the booth. “Please hurry up and give someone else a turn.”

“Nooooo!”

Logan smiles nervously and places a dollar on the stand. “May I try?”

The man shrugs. “Go on ahead, kid.”

Logan picks up the water gun and closes one eye as he aims. Once he finds the perfect position, his muscles completely locked together, the only thing that moved was when his finger pulled the trigger, the water shooting straight forward, not moving at all. 

The balloon popped right before the alarm. 

“Hey, good job,” said the man.  “Which prize do you want?”

“I’ll take the shark.”

Once Logan was handed the shark, he turned to Aiden, smiling. Aiden’s jaw was on the floor and blushing like an idiot. “I.. always forget how good an aim you are,” Aiden says after composing himself, taking the shark and burying his face into it. “So soft!!”

Logan laughs. “Where do you wanna go now?”

Aiden’s eyes shone and he smiled mischievously. “Roller. Coaster.”

“Oh dear.”

“It’s ok! I’ll make sure you can stay safe and sound!”

“That’s.. not exactly the point.”

“Haha, cmon!!”

The two got in line for a rollercoaster that was called the FUCK YOU IF YOU’RE SCARED OF ROLLERCOASTERS, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T RIDE THIS ONE, YOU’RE LAME AS HELL. 

The name of it definitely made Logan not feel great about himself. 

“Uh, sir, you can’t go on with such a big stuffed animal,” said the ride operator. 

Aiden hissed, actually hissed, which made Logan snort, and pressed the shark to his chest. 

“It goes where I go.”

“Well.. since it’s the size of a human, you and your buddy will have to go in two different seats.”

“H-huh?!” they both exclaimed. 

The ride operator shrugged and Aiden hesitated before reluctantly handing it to her. “Guard it with your life,” he said in a threatening tone, which actually managed to freak the operator out a little. 

The two got in their seat, Logan shaking and grabbing Aiden’s arm. 

“This is going to be so fun!” Aiden said at the same time as Logan said, “This is going to be terrifying!”

The speaker went over some rules to stay safe on the ride, then there was a count down, then started to slowly move. 

Logan began breathing fast, shaking uncontrollably. Fuck. He’s literally fought against demonic-like creatures. Why is this affecting him so bad?

He felt Aiden squeeze his hand. “It’ll be ok, Starshine,” he says before giving him a big, toothy smile. 

Logan squeezed Aiden’s hand so hard, Aiden was sure he would have some broken bones. 

Finally, they reached the peak. Logan sucked in a sharp breath and screamed as they dove down at top speeds. 

Aiden was whooping and cheering and laughing, throwing his hands into the air while still holding Logan’s hand. 

The wind was overwhelming and Logan used his other hand to keep his glasses in place. Fuck, he should’ve taken them off before getting on!

Once the ride came to a stop, Aiden was laughing and kicking his legs giddily. “Oh my gosh, that was awesome!!”

He hopped off and helped Logan get off; who was shaking like a leaf. “You ok, Lo?” he asks, laughing, concerned. 

“You owe me a Ferris wheel ride..” he grumbles, looking down and trying not to throw up. 

“Haha! Yes, I do. Cmon. Let’s go get something to eat, first.”

“Hnghhh…”

Aiden retrieved his shark and they went over to the food court. 

“Oh, it all smells so good!”

“Hmmmm…” Logan whimpers slightly, the idea of eating sounds awful. 

“You good?”

“I just need to.. sit down..”

“Right..” They sat down at a bench, Aiden rubbing Logan’s back while Logan had his face buried in his hands. 

“You feeling any better?” Aiden asks. 

Logan shakes his head, his face buried in the stuffed animal.

Aiden nearly frowned, but stopped himself. “Wait here.”

He got up and quickly ran to a booth. It was just a ball throw to knock over some cans. Easy as hell. “Um, here,” Aiden says, putting some money on the stands. He won with ease, knocking over every can. 

“I want that toy,” Aiden says. 

As he walked off, he also stopped to grab a water. 

When he comes back, he spots Logan. 

“Hey, Starshine..”

“Hm?” Logan looked up. Aiden handed him a water, which he quickly downed. 

“I also got you this.” He held up the stuffed down. A star with a pair of sunglasses on. 

“Pffft.. silly,” Logan says, taking the toy and squeezing it. 

“Does it make you feel better?”

“I think the water is making me feel better.”

“Aaaand the toy?”

He snorted. “And the toy.”

Aiden ruffles Logan’s hair and Logan finally starts to feel better. “Let’s go on the Ferris wheel,” he says, standing up. 

Aiden takes the shark plushie and nods. “Kay!”

They walked through the fair grounds and got in line. 

“I think our stuffed toys are dating,” Aiden says confidently. “They are super in love.”

“They don’t even have names, Aiden.”

“Ok.. mine is… CHAZ!”

“Chaz the shark? All right. And I’ll name mine.. Spock!”

Aiden laughs. “Of course.”

Finally it was their turn. Aiden decided that one side of the Ferris wheel, the stuffed animals could have that bench. 

“Like they’re on a date!”

Logan ducks his head and smiles a little. “You’re just doing that so we can sit on the same bench, aren’t you?”

“Haha.. I am not slick, huh?”

“Not really,” he says, laughing. 

The two sat next to each other, Aiden hugging Logan tightly. Logan rests in the hug for a moment before twisting a little to look out the window. 

“Not many stars..” he murmurs. “Curse you light pollution..”

Aiden also looks out the window. He notices Logan’s disappointment. “Is that why you wanted to go in the Ferris wheel? To star gaze?”

“Maybe.. it sounded romantic.”

“Hmmm…” Aiden rests his chin on Logan’s shoulder, looking out the window on his side before turning to look out his own. By the lights from the fair were too bright. He squints, trying his best to find something before jumping up. “Logan! Logan!”

“Huh?”

Logan turns and looks at the sky through Aiden’s window. 

“I don’t see anything..”

“A shooting star!!”

Logan squints and then spots it before smiling. “That’s.. a plane, Aiden.”

“Oh..” Aiden looks down, smiling but clearly embarrassed. 

Logan leans in and kisses his temple. 

“Nice try, though.”

“O-oh!” Aiden exclaims, not expecting the kiss. “That was..” He rubs the spot. “A very welcome surprise.”

Logan smiles shyly and the two grasp hands. Logan liked how Aiden could be so casual sometimes. He knew that Aiden was probably screaming on the inside, but he was able to remain somewhat level headed for Logan’s sake.. somewhat. Logan could feel Aiden shaking from buried excitement. 

“Hey.. Aiden. Wanna come to my place?”

“Huh?”

“We can watch Interstellar! I’ve been wanting to get you to watch it.”

“Ya, sure! I’d love to.. wow.. it’ll be the first time we’ll be hanging out at one of our places alone. Excitinggggg!” he says, shaking Logan by the shoulder. 

The ride comes to an end and they grabbed their stuffed animals and stepped off. “The air has really cooled off,” Logan said, shivering slightly. “Guess it is that time of year. Should’ve worn a thicker sweater.”

“I have been waiting my whole life for this.”

“Huh?” Logan turns to Aiden to ask what he was talking about but his eyes widened when he saw him removing his hoodie. 

“What are you doing?! You’re gonna catch a cold!”

“I’m durable, remember?”

“Aiden, seriously. I’ll be fine.”

Aiden shakes his head and puts it on Logan. “There we go.”

“Are you not cold?”

“Lo, I’m like a heater. It’s a Clark family trait. I’ll be fine.”

“Fine.. at least hold my hand to keep those warm.”

“Ohhh, that was smooth,” Aiden says, taking Logan’s hand. 

“I wasn’t even trying to be smooth.. I guess I just got lucky.”

The two grasp hands and began to walk to Logan’s place. 

“Hey.. Lo.”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for dating me.”

“Um… y-you’re welcome?”

“I really mean it! I didn’t realize I was so into nerdy guys! You’ve opened my eyes!”

Logan snorts and shoves his shoulder into Aiden’s. “Stoppppp.”

They look at the Halloween decorations of the neighboring houses. 

“What’ll you dress as for Halloween?” Aiden asks. 

“Probably Spock..”

“You and Star Trek.”

“What’ll you be?”

“I was thinking of dressing as a phantom.”

“Seriously?! Why?”

“I think it’s a total power move.”

“Oooof course.”

When they reached Logan’s house, Logan put a finger to his mouth. “Be sure to just be as quiet as you can. My grandparents like to go to bed early.”

“Kay.” But they both knew Aiden probably would shout at least 10 times during the movie. He has no volume control. 

The two entered Logan’s room and Aiden was awestruck. Fairy lights, star stickers, a huge bed covered in blankets, stuffed animals, and pillows, posters covering the walls and a whole glass jar filled with fancy pens (Logan likes collecting fancy pens). 

“This is the greatest room I have ever seen in my life.”

Logan laughs and grabs his laptop. He sits on the bed and pauses for a moment. “Wait.. are we going to cuddle?”

Aiden tilts his head and chuckles. “Ummm.. I thought that was the plan?”

“I-I didn’t even think about it! I just wanted to watch the movie and unwind!”

“Do you not want to cuddle?” Aiden asked, failing to hide his disappointment. Physical touch is his love language. 

“Yes? No? I-I don’t.. I-“

Aiden cut him off by plopping himself on top of him, knocking the wind out of him. 

“Took too long to answer,” he declares. 

Logan freezes for a moment before realizing just how warm Aiden was. “You really are like a heater!”

“Told ya!”

Logan manages to loosen up a little, pulling the movie up and the two wrapping up in the blankets. Aiden was a total blanket hog, but Logan had tons of blankets, so it worked out. 

Aiden was talking through the whole movie, which made Logan a bit sad. 

He’s not interested in it.. he thought. 

But then Aiden started making comments and theories on the movie, damn near getting the entire ending right. 

“Are you.. enjoying the movie?” Logan asks. 

“Huh? Ya! It’s cool!!”

“Ok… cool.”

Once the movie concluded, Logan found himself crying. He always cried when watching this movie. Aiden was hugging the shark plushie and looked at the star stickers on the ceiling. “Cool movie! ….What now?”

“Um.. do you wanna watch Star Trek: Next Generation..? We don’t have to! I know I you probably don’t wanna watch any more of my nerd space stuff, but-“

“I wanna watch it.”

“…ok.. cool..”

They turned on the show and Logan finally was relaxed enough to lean back. The entirety through the movie, he had been sitting up. But he’s starting to feel fine now. Loose. 

While an episode was running, Logan turns his head to Aiden. “Hm.. your eye bags.. they’re pretty heavy..” he notes. “Do you sleep?”

“Uhhh.. ya? All the time. How else do I get to the phantom world?”

“You know that doesn’t count.. besides that.”

“Um… nooooooo….”

Logan pouts a little. Aiden’s never seen him pout. 

“Take them out.”

“Huh?”

“Your contacts. Take them out.”

“What? Why?”

“You’re going to sleep early.”

“Whaaaaaat?”

“Do it.”

Aiden hesitates before relenting. It was hard to say no when Logan was so serious and stern. He took them out and he had to squint at the screen to see it. 

Logan closes the laptop and rests his head against Aiden’s chest, his glasses smooshing against him. 

“Aren’t you going to take your glasses off?” Aiden asks smugly. 

“Hm.. right.. I always forget.”

“Hypocrite,” he says playfully. 

Logan places them on his nightstand. Aiden wrapped his arms around him, the two shifting a bit to get comfortable in the blankets because there were just so many. 

Once they finally got comfortable, Aiden started doing this weird thing where we rubbed his legs together like a grasshopper. 

“What’re you doing?” Logan asks quietly, chuckling. 

“It’s comfy!”

He shrugs. “If you say so. I just think it’s because you can’t sit still.”

“That too.”

Aiden buries his face into Logan’s hair, relaxing a bit. He actually started to get tired. Heavy eyelids, yawning, brain becoming static, everything. And everything is soft, and warm, and nice. And not.. lonely. Not a screen buzzing in his face and a cold empty room. 

He wasn’t alone.. and that was the last thought he had before he actually fell asleep… He fell asleep. 

[bubybubsters]

Love of My Life part two (Azriel x reader)

A/n - Hey so some people asked for this, I haven’t thought about this much so gonna be mostly winging it. Also someone needs to tell me how to link part one without just putting the link. And how to make a master list. That probably didn’t make sense, my bad.

Ouch, I feel like I’m antagonizing Azriel.

⚠️- language otherwise nah

masterlist part 1 part 3

It’d been exactly a year since you had found your mate and of course, he still couldn’t figure out why you’d spend so much time with him. Why his shadows searched for you in every room, why his shadows caught you glancing at him to often to be normal.

After a few weeks of your arrival, you’d gotten to know the Court of Dreams and Keir had stopped demanding for you to go home. You’d immediately connected with your sister, Amren, but mostly Nesta. Nesta’s fire had interested you and the two of you had become fast friends. Cassian had started training you one on one because you’d quickly surpassed the skill of the Valkyrie unit. Rhys and Feyre were training with your power and working on shielding and attacking minds. But Azriel, Nesta had told you, was dating Elain. Elain had been nothing but nice to you since you’d came and you could only assume she and Azriel still didn’t know about the mating bond. You’d almost punched Elain when Nesta had told you but instead went up the the training ring and trained the whole damned night.

You’d wanted to go to the Hewn City with your friends before solstice to show your old family you weren’t a helpless idiot but Azriel had put his foot down on that idea. The first time he’d been so bossy when it came to you.

That solstice you’d walked into the river house and found Elain waiting for you in the doorway. You raised your brows to prompt her to speak but she inclined her head to a balcony.

Once you were out she spoke up. “Y/n, I see how you look at Azriel and Feyre told me you’re mates, but please don’t interfere with our relationship. I care for him and if he chooses you, I will respect his decision.”

You nodded. “Elain, if he chooses me, I will be happy beyond reason but I would ask you to give Lucien a chance. He’s a good male.” You’d met Lucien a few weeks after you’d come to Velaris and the two of you had quickly become good friends. You may have fallen in love with him had it not been for the mating bond between you and Az.

Elain smiled and nodded and the two of you walked back to the living room in comfortable silence. You sat next to Lucien and grabbed the bottle of wine from his hand, you tipped it back and chugged the rest.

“Little early for that isn’t it?” The two of you hugged and you opened your mouth to respond but the bottle was ripped out of your hand and Lucien was pulled away from you.

“Don’t touch her.” Azriel was in Luciens face.

“Az-.” You tried but he was pulling you out and onto the balcony. You turned to him. “Az what the hell! What is wrong with you??”

He just stood there staring at you. You realized that the mating bond must have snapped in for him as well. “Y/n, you…youre my mate.” You just stared at him, waiting for the realization to set in. “You knew?! You knew and you didn’t tell me?

“Az- let me explain.” But he was already gone, back in the living room. Back to sitting next to Elain. You knew he’d do that, choose Elain. He’d never choose you even if it was in between you and the fucking Suriel.

As you walked back in and sat next to a very worried looking Lucien, Azriel pulled Elain into his lap and kissed her. His message was clear, you may be my mate, but I can still choose whoever I want, and I don’t want you.

Lucien had gone still in his chair and the whole room had fallen silent, looking between you and Lucien, and Elain and Azriel. You and Lucien stood up in the same movement and walked out to the balcony. You were starting to hate this balcony.

“Well that does it, she doesn’t want me, never will. What does she get from the Spymaster that she doesn’t get from me!?”

“The giant wings?” You used the question to try to ease the tension but Lucien looked at you as if you had a good point. You went on, “Well what does he get from her that he can’t get from me?”

“Nothing,” Lucien states, “but he still chose her. They haven’t rejected the bond yet so why does it feel like my heart is breaking in two?”

“I don’t know, we’re like a band of rejects.”

Lucien smiles and his smile almost takes your breath away and suddenly you’re very aware of how close the two of you are standing.

“Uh well, we should probably get back in before someone comes ou-”

“Are you guys okay!? Rhys called Az into his office and I’m pretty sure he’s getting a verbal lashing right about now.” Mor stops and looks at our faces. She looks at Lucien and he nods to you before disappearing through the balcony doors.

“Y/n, do you need anything?”

“I’ll be fine Mor, I promised Elain I wouldn’t interfere, we basically said we’d let Az choose and he chose her….” Tears are falling down your face and Mor pulls you into a soothing hug.

*****

You jolt out of sleep as an impatient knock sounds at your door. Mor is still asleep next to you, having held you and listened to your rambling until you fell asleep. You smile down at your sister for a moment, enjoying the peace etched in her body. But the knock sounds again and you open the door to find Azriel of all people outside. Stepping outside as to not disturb Mor, you raise your brows to prompt him.What you were not expecting was for him to lean forward and kiss you.

The kiss lasts a second at most and is desperate and demanding but you lean into it, kissing him back furiously. But he pulls back suddenly and starts to walk away.

“Absolutely not sir! You are not leaving until you explain what the hell just happened!” You’re still slightly dazed by the kiss but you manage to keep your voice strong and steady.

Azriel doesn’t even turn around but he stops walking. “I kissed you, you kissed me back. Before you ask, I did it because I needed to see if I was making a mistake choosing Elain. And I am going to break up with Elain so I can be with you.”

You stared at him, what the hell!? His face betrayed nothing, no love, no joy, absolutely nothing. “You don’t get to choose her, then kiss me and then decide to choose me! I will not be your second choice, I will not be yours because you liked kissing me better. You can’t have both.” You step back into your room and shut the door.

Breathe, you close your eyes and focus on the mind stilling the Valkyries taught you. In, out, in, out, in out.

What feels like a few minutes later you finally open your eyes and see Feyre, Nesta, and your sister gathered in your doorway with a pack in each their hands and an extra pack on the floor.

“We’re taking a girls week out, would you like to join us?” Feyre’s question is answered with a nod. Mor springs forward and hugs you as Feyre says, “Elain didn’t wish to join us but Gwyn and Emerie are waiting at the balcony. Mor and I will winnow us to a point between the Illyrian Steppes and the Illyrian Mountains. Ready?”

You smile at your friends and gather your pack following them out onto your balcony. You’re afraid to open your mouth to speak, you aren’t sure what might come out so you let Mor take your hand because everyone knows you’re in no shape to winnow yourself.

The smell of cedar and juniper hits you first as you open your eyes. Everyone is lookin at you but it’s your high lady who asks, “Will you be alright?”

The care in her words breaks some dam and you drop to the floor and weep as if you’ll never stop.

Part three will exist one day, comment to be added to the taglist. I didn’t proof read it btw. I also feel like this is a horrible story….

TAGLIST

@glaciuswduo

[honeyjars-sims]

2.9 Itinerary

[Cece and Ben are cuddled up on the couch]

Cece: I really need to study, but I’m so comfy right now.

Ben: Yeah, me, too. It’s hard enough getting up the motivation to do anything for school as it is, much less when it means I have to stop snuggling with you.

Cece: Wait, do you have senioritis already? The semester just started!

Ben: I don’t think it’s that. All my classes are so boring. I really thought I wanted to work on the technical side of the music industry, but lately all that’s been on my mind is being onstage.

Cece: This is a hell of a time to come to that realization! I know what you mean, though. I’m glad I’ve gotten to work on my songwriting skills, but now that I’ve been performing more that’s all I want to do. What do you think you’ll do after graduation?

Ben: Well, there’s what I think I’ll do and what I want to do, and those are two different things.

Cece: Now I’m curious.

Ben: What I think I’ll do is stay in Del Sol Valley, try to get in with one of the record companies to do some sound engineering, and do that 5 days a week for the rest of my life. What I want to do is travel the world, perform in different cities, and snuggle with my girl on the tour bus every night.

Cece: Hmm, you’ve been bringing that up a lot.

Ben: A guy can dream, can’t he?

Cece: Well, since you’re soooo sure we’re going to have this fantastic life together, there’s something I should probably tell you.

Ben: Uh oh. Nothing good has ever followed those words.

Cece: It’s not that bad. I think. It’s just…I’m on the asexuality spectrum. And while I do find you attractive, I’m not sure that our sex life is going to be as active as you might expect.

Ben: [laughing] Are you for real?

Cece: Yeah, I am. You don’t have to laugh about it. If you’re not interested in me anymore, just say so–

Ben: No! Cecelia, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t laughing at you, I’m laughing because I’m greysexual and I’ve been too scared to tell you. An active sex life is pretty low on my list of priorities.

Cece: Wow. I feel like I shouldn’t be this happy to hear that the guy I like doesn’t want to have sex with me! How do you feel about kids?

Ben: Oh, now you’re all about the future talk. If I’m being honest, parenthood isn’t really my gig. I’m more of the uncle type.

Cece: Yeah, I don’t want kids, either. The thought of having a baby doesn’t appeal to me at all.

Johnny: What are you two talking about? Nobody in here better be having any babies any time soon.

Cece: Uh, definitely not. Ben and I were just talking about how we don’t want to have kids.

Lexie: Wow, you’re having those kinds of discussions already? 

Ben: See, Lexie, when you have such a strong and undeniable connection like Cecelia and I do, your future becomes clear as day. Yes, I can see it now…Cecelia is about to give me an exasperated look and swat me on the arm–Ow!

Cece: I barely touched you! Anyway, we’re just making sure our expectations match up. Don’t you and Johnny talk about stuff like this?

Lexie: We haven’t, no. I’m just saying, there’s no point in rushing things.

Cece: Nobody’s rushing anything, not even this doofus. There’s no harm in making sure you’re on the same page about the big stuff before you get too invested. What if Johnny really wants kids and you don’t? Wouldn’t you rather know that now instead of later?

Lexie: I don’t know, I just turned 19. I don’t even know if I want kids or marriage yet. I just want to pass my test on Thursday and plan something fun for Spring Break.

Johnny: Yeah, I’m not trying to think about any of that stuff yet, either.

Ben: Lexie’s right, the only thing we should be thinking about right now is Spring Break. I have the itch to travel. How does everyone feel about taking a few days to unwind in Granite Falls?

Cece: I’ve always wanted to go! And since we have a few weeks, that gives me plenty of time to plan. I can get started on an itinerary so we can make sure we don’t miss out on anything.

Lexie: I’ve been there a few times with my family. I can help you out with planning! There are some really great hiking trails we should check out, and you just have to see the falls. This is going to be a blast.

Johnny: I’m totally down to get away, but I’m telling you right now, I’m not following any damn itinerary. You said "unwind" and that's what I'm gonna do.

Ben: Awesome! I'm glad everyone's on board. Cecelia and I can bring our guitars and serenade each other by the campfire.

Johnny: On second thought, maybe I'll just stay home.

Previous | Beginning of story | Beginning of chapter | Next

[skzhocomments]

Mafia Book #2 - PART II - The Withered Rose - Chapter 6 - Quid pro quo

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

General masterlist

PART I - The Black Iris

---

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 5 | Chapter 7

---

PART II - The Withered Rose

Chapter 6 - Quid pro quo

chapter word count: ~3k words

Weeks later, Emilia still can’t bring herself to talk to Chris again. It hurts to think about him, it hurts to see him every morning, and it hurts to watch him play with Ivy, but she’s become more lenient.

Still, she stands by her word, and she still refuses any attempt of his to reconcile.

Chris is devastated by this, but at least Emilia is alive. That’s what he tells himself during the late hours of the night, when he’s alone in bed. After all, he only ever told the night how much he misses her company.

He sometimes picks up his guitar and plays something, singing words that help him connect somehow with Emilia. He’s gotten better and better at singing, and it gives him a somewhat sense of peace, to be able to relate the lyrics to what he’s feeling.

It is one of these nights when he is singing Still loving you by Scorpions, hitting chord after chord, when Iris knocks on his door.

“Come in.” He says but continues strumming the chords softly and singing the lyrics even after she enters and closes the door behind her.

~

~

If we’d go again all the way from the start

I would try to change the things that killed our love

Your pride has built a wall so strong that I can’t get through

Is there really no chance to start once again?

I’m still loving you

~

“Your singing voice is beautiful.” Iris compliments.

“Thanks.” Chris says as he puts the guitar away. “What is it?”

“Just came to see how you’ve been doing lately. We haven’t talked much.” She sits down and watches him exhale slowly.

“It’s been hard, Iris. Is grief the price we pay for love? I’m in so much pain…”

“I figured.” She smiles. “Give your heart a rest, Chris.”

“How? Or even better, how can I win her back? I’m giving her all the time in the world, but… she still won’t come back, will she?”

“I don’t know… she might. She lets you play with Ivy even when she’s around nowadays, isn’t she?”

“Yes, but… it’s been months, Iris. She’s been here for more than 4 months, and we’ve only spoken once.”

“When she stabbed you?” Iris chuckles.

“It’s not funny.”

“No, but it’s good for you. She could’ve gotten revenge and killed you, but she didn’t. She still loves you.”

“What can I do, Iris? Is there anything I can give her to make her reconsider our relationship? She must know I’d do anything for her… right?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure, Chris. Besides waiting, I don’t know what you can do about it…”

“Yeah. I’m stuck.”

“By the way, something’s been bothering me for a while. When she first came here, she was carrying around a picture of a man. Do you know who he is? Is he important to her in any way?”

“A picture of a man?” Chris tilts his head. “I’m not sure. Could be her ex partner and best friend from when she was still in The Scarlet Rose.”

“Can you show me a picture of him?”

“Why?” Chris raises an eyebrow, but rummages through the files in his desk nonetheless and finds Emilia’s file from a few years ago. He pulls out a large picture of San from inside of it and hands it over to Iris.

“Hmm.” She starts after analysing the picture for a few minutes. “If he is her best friend, why not bring him back? Maybe reuniting with him will make her softer.”

“He’s dead.” Chris sighs. “Got killed in a mission more than 6 years ago.”

“Uhm, no. Seo-jun is not dead. I put him in a mental institution four years ago.”

“Seo-jun? This man’s name is Choi San.” Chris frowns.

“Chris, I would never forget this pretty face.” She chuckles. “This man is called Seo-jun and he was one of my patients. He got caught after murdering two men who brutally raped a young girl, and I deemed him mentally ill and sent him to an institution like 200 kilometres away from here.”

“What?” Chris starts to tremble. Could this be that one thing he could do for Emilia to make her reconsider giving him another chance?

“Truth be between us, Seo-jun is not mentally ill. Those bastards saw it coming. I didn’t want him to go to jail, so I trained him on how to act in front of the psychiatrists and the jury while I sooo earnestly presented my opinion.”

“You’re one hell of a psychologist.” Chris chuckles. “Are you certain he is the same person?”

“I’m certain. However, if you need more proof, we can check if we can access my files…”

“Let’s go to Jisung.”

Chris stands up and they exit the room, heading towards Jisung’s office. In the past months, Iris has learnt how to use the program created by Han as well, so she knows exactly which buttons to click and what to search for.

Sure enough, after about 20 minutes, they’re inside the police’s files, and a picture of Seo-jun stares back at them.

“I can’t believe it.” Chris shakes his head. “It’s really him.”

“He’s still in the same institution I put him in apparently. He must be a good actor to keep up the act for so many years.”

“Iris, I would kiss you right now if I didn’t know Minho would kill me. This is the best thing you’ve ever done for me.”

“Pfft.” Iris chuckles. “I don’t want any kisses from you, thank you.”

“I still don’t understand how… I mean, I’ve looked for him before, but we couldn’t find anything. We were certain he was dead.”

“He must’ve changed his name, gotten a fake identity, faked his death. Sounds familiar?”

“Yeah. No wonder he and Emilia were in the same mafia” Chris chuckles, feeling ecstatic. Perhaps Emilia would understand his feelings better if he were to bring San back to her. Things couldn’t have turned out to be more perfect.

“So, how do we get him out of there?” Iris asks, leaning back on the chair.

“I need you to go get Seungmin, Hyunjin and Lix right now.”

“Chris, it’s 3 AM.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’re getting San out of there by the end of the week. Can’t risk anything happening to him now that we know he’s alive and well.”

~

“What does he want this time?” Emilia sighs while walking with Minho towards Chan’s office.

“You’ll see.”

“And why did he have to come as well?” She points to Wooyoung who’s following them closely behind.

“I wanna know too. What am I doing here?” He butts in.

“You’ll both see. Just walk and shut up.”

Once Minho reaches Chan’s office, he knocks on the door two times, similarly to when Emilia first got here again a few months ago. She gets goosebumps, all the feelings from that day coming back to her, but she tries to keep calm.

What could Chris possibly want from both her and Wooyoung?

“Come in.” He says, and Minho opens the door and signals to the two of them to follow him.

“What is-” Emilia starts, but soon enough, her eyes travel to a man she never thought she’d see alive again.

“Emi…” He starts, and then he sees Wooyoung, who angrily brushes past Emilia and goes to San, throwing a punch right in his face.

San takes it like a champ, and then hugs Wooyoung tightly.

“Brother, I had no idea you were alive all this time. How?! Where the fuck were you?!” Wooyoung starts crying, and Emilia feels her eyes watering too.

She doesn’t know what to do.

Should she also go embrace San?

Should she be angry that he’s never come for her all these years?

Instead of doing anything, she watches how San and Wooyoung hold each other, and she places one hand on her heart, checking if it’s still beating. It certainly feels like it stopped.

Once they are done hugging each other, San rushes towards Emilia and picks her up, holding her tightly. He grabs her cheeks and presses a kiss on her forehead, caressing her face carefully.

“You’re alive.” He says, exhaling.

“That should be my line.” She chuckles. “I was so sure that back then, in that building-”

“I thought so too. Boss betrayed me and sent two people to shoot me.”

“Then, how…? How come you’re still alive?”

“He happened to send a man I’ve saved in another mission years prior, when I first joined, and he spared me. Well, he still shot me, but in a non-life threatening spot, and then he took me away somewhere, put a few people to nurse me back to health. He really values loyalty and respect, and he has this quid pro quo mentality thankfully. I saved him once, he saved me once, now we’re even.”

“Why… why did you never come back for me?” Emilia bursts out crying, but San keeps comforting her, wiping the tears away one after another.

“I did… I tried to come back and get you, so we could run away just as we always wanted, but by the time I could return, you had already been sent to kill Stray Kids’ leader. I heard you died that night. I assumed Boss betrayed you too.”

“He did, but… Chris saved my life.” She looks at Chan, who is silently observing their reunion.

San lets go of Emilia and goes towards Chris, pulling him into a big embrace.

“Thank you, brother, thank you so much for sparing her. I cannot thank you enough. And also for bringing me back.”

“How did you even find him?” Emilia asks Chan, who looks at Iris.

“It was thanks to Iris that we were able to find out that he’s alive. He happened to be her patient before she came to us.”

“I recognised him from the polaroid you dropped in the greenhouse. Although I knew him by a different name.”

“I honestly… can’t believe this.” Emilia shakes her head. Is this a dream?

She tries pinching her arm, which immediately starts hurting. San is right here. This isn’t a dream. This is real life.

“Now you know how we felt when we discovered that you’re alive.” Minho says, and Iris elbows his side to make him shut up.

Emilia goes to Iris and grabs her right hand, squeezing it tight and mouthing a ‘Thank you’, and then she goes in front of Chris. They look at each other for a few seconds, none of them making any attempt to move, before Emilia finally puts her arms around his neck and pulls him into a hug.

He is unsure of what to do at first, but he decides to wrap his arms around her waist and hug her back when he realises it’s safe to do so, and that it wouldn’t make her uncomfortable.

Her body feels the same and fits his just right. It’s the first time they are embracing ever since he found out she hasn’t died, and he doesn’t want the moment to end.

However, Emilia eventually pulls back, and smiles at him genuinely for a brief moment before turning back to San and Wooyoung.

“There’s a lot for us to catch up on.” She says to them.

“Yeah, for example, Emilia is a mother now.” Wooyoung adds.

“A what?!” San’s eyes widen.

“Yeah. I have a really cute daughter. Her name’s Ivy. She’s sleeping now, but once she is awake, you have to meet her.” Emilia smiles and grabs San’s hand, and he squeezes it back.

“And I’ve been helping Emilia bring her up. She even calls me daddy.”

“Who, Emilia?” San chuckles.

“No, idiot, Ivy!” Wooyoung replies with grimace on his face at the thought of Emilia ever addressing him as daddy, and he shudders briefly.

“But wait, are you a single mom?” San asks with a frown, but Emilia doesn’t answer.

She doesn’t know what to answer, with Chris right there in the room.

“Who is the bastard who got you pregnant and left you?” San asks angrily, clenching his fist. “I’m gonna kill him when I find out.”

“It’s-”

“It’s me.” Chris says with a sigh, and San turns his attention back to him.

“What? But-”

“It’s a bit complicated.” Emilia chuckles, cutting San off and trying to push him out of the room. “I’ll tell you everything, let’s go and eat something. Are you hungry?”

“Sorry to burst your bubble, but you know you aren’t allowed outside, yeah?” Minho stops them.

“What? Why not?” Wooyoung asks, confused.

“We had to get him out of a mental institution to bring him here. No one should see him.”

“Mental institution?” Emilia frowns. “Why?”

“It was either that or jail, and your friend here-” he looks at Iris “decided an asylum is better than jail, so she made it work somehow. I had a really peaceful time these past 4 years thanks to her.”

“You’re full of surprises.” Emilia says to Iris, who just bows a bit with her head in acknowledgement of the compliment.

For the first time ever since coming back, Emilia no longer feels any resentment towards Iris. She used to put a lot of blame on her for dragging her and Ivy back to the SKZ mansion with Minho, but now, she only feels grateful.

~

The trio leaves the room, heading over to Hyo’s old room, which has been redecorated to accommodate Wooyoung for the time being.

This came as another surprise for Emilia, as she never expected Chan in a million years to be willing to ever unlock that room and use it again. This is yet another sign that he is genuinely changing, and it’s not all a façade just to win her over.

She is glad that Wooyoung now occupies this space; it’s most convenient, as it is the room directly next to hers, and Wooyoung is able to easily navigate between the two rooms in case Ivy needs anything.

Once in Wooyoung’s room, the three of them sit down on the bed and begin sharing stories. San is the one who breaks the ice, filling them in all the details about his time after he got out of the Rose Mafia, until he eventually got caught by the police after being careless one night. Then, he talks about meeting Iris, who seemed to be the only person not condemning him for murdering those two people.

Emilia becomes more and more impressed with Iris, hearing about how she was willing to lie to the judge and to the whole police force, risking her career and her freedom, for, essentially, a stranger. It was bold of her to do so, but Emilia is thankful nonetheless that Iris pulled some strings to keep San out of prison. With how many enemies of theirs are in there, the poor guy would’ve never stood a chance.

She likes her. Maybe they could even become friends, eventually.

Who knows?

When San finishes his story, Wooyoung is the next one who starts. He tells San about all their friends in ATEEZ, about how each of them lives far away from each other due to the high risk of being hunted down by their enemies. He tells him about how much he loathed Emilia, blaming her all this time for San’s death, and about his thought process when he decided to help her after all.

When the two men are done talking, hours have already passed. Emilia is grateful that Seungmin offered to take care of Ivy when Chris summoned them, and that he still hasn’t come to disturb them at all. He’s been giving them time to talk, to catch up on everything, to get used to the idea that they’re all alive and well.

Her turn finally comes, and Emilia starts her story. It’s tiring and painful to go through all the betrayals once more, but she does so, leaving no details aside. San listens carefully to her words, pets her back, holds her hand, and comforts her, until she’s finally done explaining.

“It’s crazy that we reunited like this.” Wooyoung chuckles after a while. “Like, can you believe it?”

“What’s crazy to me is that Emilia has been alive this whole time and I didn’t know.” San frowns.

“Bro, that’s what we should be saying!” Wooyoung counters. “Why the fuck haven’t you come to me?”

“How? You were nowhere to be found! I went to the old warehouse, but no one was there anymore!”

“You did move to that forest a bit after San’s death…” Emilia adds. “Since he spent about 2 years away, there’s no way for him to know where you could’ve gone.”

“Shit, yeah. You’re right.”

“So, what are you going to do about Chris?” San asks Emilia, who instantly turns her eyes away.

“I’m kinda still running away from this whole situation, am I not?”

“Yeah, but you’ve always been a coward.” Wooyoung says, and San slaps his thigh.

“No, Emi. It just takes you a bit longer to put your thoughts in order, that’s all.”

“But what should I do?” She frowns.

“Man’s painfully obviously still in love with you, Shade.” Wooyoung answers. “Like, the first time we got here, he kept checking all the time if you’re really here. He must’ve thought he was dreaming or something, that you’d be gone when he opened his eyes the following morning.”

“I know… I know he still loves me, but…”

“No, but seriously, Shade. If regret and guilt could take human form, it would look like that man.”

“When did you become so poetic, Wooyoung? I swear you’ve been acting stupid all these years, and now-” Emilia starts as Wooyoung sticks his tongue out.

“It’s okay to do what you feel. Stay away for some more time, forgive him, or don’t forgive him. Anything you choose is fine, Emi.” San holds her hand again, giving her an assuring smile.

“What if I make the wrong choice?” She whispers.

“Any choices we make… take us somewhere, don’t they?” Wooyoung adds.

“Besides, who cares if it’s right or wrong? As long as you make it by following your heart and your brain, it’s going to be good.”

“But what if my heart and my brain want different things? What happens then?”

“I guess you choose which one you value more.” San shrugs briefly. “But Emi… you’ve always followed your mind until now, haven’t you?”

“I guess…”

“Maybe it’s time to follow your heart too.”

---

Chapter 5 | Chapter 7

[heavy-swing]

FFXIV Write 2024 - Prompt #23 - On Cloud Nine

Content Warnings: None.

Spoiler Warnings: Characters from the 50-60 DRK quests, but no real story beats mentioned.

Summary: Sidurgu Orl should be more upset that this other Dark Knight seems to better at taking care of both him and Rielle than he is, but unfortunately he's too tired to be mad.

Check it out below or on Ao3:

“You look like shit, Sid.”

Aelita stood around a small table opposite the dark knight while Rielle sat beside the fire, warming herself up.

“You’re looking lovely too, Aelita. Thanks.” Sid glared daggers at her– or he would have, if it wasn’t so obvious that he was exhausted.

“That’s lovely of you to say, but sweet talking isn’t going to get you out of this one, mister!” She dropped the performatively cheery tone. “Seriously, Sid. You look like you haven’t slept in a week.” He closed his eyes and hung his head for a moment, before opening them again. “You have slept during the last week, right?”

“I guess, though it hardly feels restful, having to watch our backs. I’ve tried to find places out of the way of the usual patrols, but… well they’re no inn room, I’ll tell you that.”

The words sparked something in Aelita’s brain, and she glanced over to the counter.

“I’ve got an idea. I’ll be right back,” she said, fishing for her coinpurse on her belt as she zigzagged through to the tables to the bar itself, where the innkeeper stood.

She walked back over to the table, the confident smile of a person for whom everything had gone according to plan all over her face.

Sidurgu watched in confusion as Aelita and the innkeeper exchanged words and then coins, all while Rielle remained entranced by the fire. The innkeep made a mark in a large book, and then turned it to Aelita to sign. She scribbled something down with a flourish, and then set the pen down, opening her other palm to receive what looked like a key. Surely, she didn’t just…

“I know you’re not one to try and stay in one place for too long, but I got us a room here for the night. It’s the fanciest one they’ve got, and–” She stuck out a finger to preemptively halt his incoming complaints. “--before you ask, I have the word of both Bamponcet and Gibrillont himself that they will turn any Temple Knights away, should they come investigating, and the room is under my name alone with a listed occupancy of one.”

His half-open mouth quickly closed. It’s nice that she’s gotten the importance of covering our tracks, but… am I really that easy to read? He shook the thought out of his head. Surely not, I’m just tired is all.

“Sure, I can do that,” she replied, starting towards the fireplace.

“All right, we’ll stay the night. I’ll get our things together, if you can wrangle Rielle.”

Sid watched again from a distance as Aelita knelt down to Rielle’s level to give her the good news, which was quickly followed by her hoisting the girl onto her shoulder and carrying her towards the inn rooms. He forced himself to stop staring and gathered their bags together so he could catch up to the hrothgar woman who definitely did not make him envious.

–

“All of this is for us?” Rielle exclaimed, sounding genuinely a bit stunned.

“All for you, my lady,” Aelita said in a faux-posh accent, doing her best impression of a butler as she held open the door. Rielle immediately ran towards one of the two beds, leaping onto the down-filled mattress with a laugh, while Sid brought the last of their bags in and set them on the floor against one of the walls. “And for you, brave ser knight, a bed to call your own!” Aelita gestured to the remaining unclaimed bed, making sure to keep up the accent.

It was Sid’s turn to look surprised. “Then where will you sleep, Miss Aelita?” Rielle chimed in, seemingly taking the words right out of Sid’s mouth. 

“If it would please the lady, I would be happy to serve as both a confidant and an additional pillow, so that you might share any scandalous rumors about our brave knight in exquisite luxury.” Aelita punctuated her offer with a bow deep enough that Sid rolled his eyes. 

“An Aelita pillow sounds good to me,” Rielle replied, patting the bed beside her.

“As you wish, my lady.” Aelita quickly removed her boots, pants and overcoat, leaving just a long tunic as nightclothes. She then obliged Rielle’s request and joined her on the bed, watching as Sid did the same. He’d only just managed to get out of his armor before Aelita watched him practically collapse into his own bed, and before long a faint snore could be heard from the other side of the room.

“Does he always snore like that?” Aelita asked, pointing to Sid’s sleeping form with her thumb.

“Yep, most nights.”

“Oh, you poor, poor girl,” Aelita replied, as melodramatically as she could manage. “At least tonight you’ve got a whole room between you.” She then laid herself down on the bed, placing a pillow behind her head for support and arranging the remaining pillows and blankets to create a ‘nest’ for Rielle. Aelita patted the empty spot, beckoning the girl over. “C’mere, I’ve got the perfect spot with your name on it.”

Rielle was quick to oblige, nestling in perfectly to the space Aelita had made. 

“Now this is the part where we get to share rumors and stories– but we gotta be quiet so Sid doesn’t hear, all right?” Rielle nodded.

“You go first, I gotta think!” Rielle whispered pointedly, clearly racking her brain for something interesting to share.

“Okay, I’ll tell you a story while you think it over.” Aelita cleared her throat, trying to keep it somewhat quiet, even though she knew Sid was likely sleeping like a stone. “This one is about a warrior that fought a giant sea monster with only an axe and the help of their friends.”

“Oh, like the axe you use sometimes, miss Aelita?”

“Axe-actly like that,” she replied, grinning at her own pun, which had Rielle giggling to herself. “Now you gotta listen, cause this is a serious story, I promise…” 

The two of them stayed up a good long while after that, trading tales of derring-do for ones of a knight with his heart in the right place, even if he didn’t always understand his young charge. Halfway through a story about a fierce battle with some imperial soldiers in one of the Castra, Aelita noticed that Rielle had fallen asleep right where her shoulder met her chest, so she gently pulled the blanket over the sleeping girl, careful not to wake her. As Aelita reached over to extinguish the lamp on the bedside table, a smile crossed her face, borne from the satisfaction of being able to give Sid and Rielle a bit of Cloud Nine, even if only for a night.