#could my eyes please stop looking at his bare chest

[pucksandpower]

Pro Bono

mafia boss!Max Verstappen x Reader

Summary: Max Verstappen could never be called a bleeding heart, he’s head of the mafia for crying out loud, but when his sister begs him to help her friend escape from an abusive marriage, he can’t help but be drawn to you … and do whatever’s necessary to keep you safe

Warnings: domestic violence, murder, and mentions of Jos Verstappen

The restaurant is loud, filled with the hum of conversations, clinking glasses, and the occasional burst of laughter from nearby tables. You sit across from Victoria, watching her tuck a strand of blonde hair behind her ear as she stirs her drink with the thin straw. The monthly dinner — the one you never miss — has always been a comfort. It’s the one place you can pretend, even if for just an hour or two, that everything in your life is … normal.

But tonight, Victoria’s eyes narrow as she looks at you. She sets the drink down, barely touched. “What’s that on your arm?”

You glance down quickly, tugging your sleeve further down. “What?” You say, trying to sound casual. Too casual. “It’s nothing.”

“Don’t do that.” She leans forward, her voice lowering. “I saw it earlier when you were reaching for the breadbasket. Bruises.”

Your heart stumbles in your chest. You reach for the glass of water, but your hand trembles. You pull it back, trying to hide the shake. “V, I told you. It’s nothing. I-I’m just clumsy, you know?”

Her eyes lock onto yours, and the silence stretches between you both. The noise of the restaurant fades into the background, muffled by the blood rushing in your ears. She’s not buying it. She never has.

“You’re not clumsy,” Victoria says quietly, her voice cutting through the noise. She doesn’t blink, doesn’t break eye contact. “You’ve never been clumsy. Not like that.”

You swallow hard, feeling the lump form in your throat, the one you’ve been pushing down for months, years, who knows how long now. You try to smile, but it falters. “It’s really-”

“Don’t lie to me,” she says, her voice soft but firm. “Please don’t lie to me.”

And that’s when it happens. The floodgates open. Your chest tightens, and before you can stop it, a tear slips down your cheek. You don’t even have the strength to wipe it away. You just sit there, trembling, while Victoria watches, her expression filled with concern and something like anger. But it’s not at you.

“He-” Your voice cracks, and you look down at your hands, twisting them together in your lap. “He hits me, Victoria.”

The words hang there, suspended in the air between you, before they drop like stones into the pit of your stomach. You regret saying them the moment they leave your mouth, but there’s no taking them back now.

Victoria’s breath hitches. “Oh my God.”

You shake your head quickly, regretting it all, wishing you could pull it all back, pretend you never said anything. “No, no. It’s not — it’s not like that all the time. It’s just — sometimes he gets angry. You know how things can get.”

Victoria’s face hardens. “No, I don’t know. And don’t do that. Don’t downplay it.”

You bite your lip, your heart pounding so hard it feels like it’s trying to break free from your chest. You can’t look at her. Not when her eyes are filled with that mixture of pity and anger. It makes you feel small, weak. But you can’t stop now. It’s all coming out, spilling over like a dam that’s cracked.

“I don’t know what to do,” you whisper, your voice shaking. “I can’t leave him, Victoria. I have nothing. I don’t have my own money. I don’t even have my own credit card. Everything is in his name. Everything.”

Victoria’s hand reaches across the table, grabbing yours. Her grip is firm, warm, grounding. “You don’t need money to leave him. You just need to get out.”

You blink away the tears, shaking your head, your throat tight. “I don’t even have enough for a lawyer. He’s smart, Vic. He’s careful. He makes sure I can’t-”

“I know a lawyer.” Victoria’s voice cuts through your spiraling thoughts, steady and calm. “And he’ll take you on for free. Pro bono. No questions asked.”

You stare at her, your brain struggling to catch up with her words. For a moment, it feels like the world shifts, tilting on its axis. “A lawyer?” Your voice sounds foreign, like it’s coming from someone else. “For free?”

Victoria squeezes your hand tighter, her eyes sharp, determined. “Yes. For free. You don’t have to pay a dime. You just have to let me help you.”

“I-” You shake your head again, overwhelmed, the weight of everything pressing down on you. “I can’t. I can’t just leave. What if-”

“What if what?” Victoria’s voice rises slightly, her frustration bubbling to the surface. “What if he kills you? What if next time, it’s worse? You don’t have to live like this. You shouldn’t live like this.”

You pull your hand back, pressing it against your forehead, trying to stop the panic building inside you. “You don’t understand, Vic. It’s not that simple. He’ll know I’m planning something. He’s always watching, always checking up on me. And if I mess up, if I try to leave-”

Victoria interrupts, her voice fierce. “Then we’ll get you somewhere safe. You don’t have to do this alone.”

The tears come harder now, faster, as you sit there, your body shaking with the force of them. “I don’t know how I got here,” you manage between sobs. “I don’t know how it got this bad.”

Victoria gets up, sliding into the seat next to you, her arm wrapping around your shoulders. She pulls you close, and for the first time in what feels like forever, you feel something other than fear. You feel the warmth of her friendship, the safety of her presence.

“You don’t have to stay, you hear me?” She whispers, her voice soft but firm. “We’ll figure it out. You’re not alone in this.”

You shake your head, still clinging to that last thread of fear, of doubt. “He’ll come after me. He’ll find me.”

“No, he won’t.” Her voice is firm, stronger than you’ve ever heard it. “You’ll be safe. I’ll make sure of it.”

There’s a long silence between you, the weight of her words sinking in. You wipe at your eyes with the back of your hand, sniffling, trying to catch your breath.

“I don’t know what to do,” you finally admit, your voice small, exhausted.

Victoria pulls back slightly, looking at you with those fierce eyes of hers. “You don’t have to know what to do right now. You just have to let me help you. One step at a time.”

You nod, but it’s more out of exhaustion than agreement. Your body feels heavy, weighed down by everything — by the bruises, the fear, the hopelessness. But there’s something else there too. Something small but growing. Hope.

Victoria squeezes your hand again, as if reading your thoughts. “We’ll get you out. I promise.”

You don’t say anything, because you’re not sure you believe her. But in this moment, sitting here in this crowded restaurant with your best friend by your side, it’s the first time in a long time you feel like maybe, just maybe, you have a way out.

***

Victoria doesn’t waste a second after dinner. The moment you part ways outside the restaurant, her mind is already racing, fingers scrolling through her phone for a contact she hasn’t dialed in months.

Max.

She knows exactly where he’ll be. He’s always at the penthouse late into the night — never sleeping until the early hours, always up to something. It’s been that way since their father passed. Even now, years after he took control of everything.

Her heels click sharply on the marble floors as she walks into the sleek, modern lobby of his building. The doorman gives her a polite nod — he knows who she is — but doesn’t stop her from heading straight for the private elevator.

The ride up is quick, the air tense. Victoria’s fingers twitch with nerves. She’s not scared of Max, not really, but talking to him about this — about you — feels different. She hasn’t brought him anything this personal in years. Ever since he took over their father’s operation, Max has become a closed book. Hard. Calculated. Cold, even.

The elevator doors open with a soft chime, and she steps into the hallway, making her way to the penthouse door. She doesn’t bother knocking. Max expects her by now.

The penthouse is a reflection of him — clean, sharp lines, monochrome tones, everything in its place. Expensive. Impenetrable. Just like him.

Max stands by the floor-to-ceiling windows, a glass of whiskey in his hand, his back to her. The city lights cast shadows over his broad frame. He’s in a tailored suit, as always. Even at home, he’s never out of uniform, always dressed for business.

“Vic,” he says without turning around. He doesn’t need to see her to know it’s her. He always knows. “What brings you here at this hour? You usually text before showing up.”

Victoria exhales, trying to steady her nerves. “I need a favor.”

That gets his attention. Max turns, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly as they meet hers. He doesn’t say anything, just waits. That’s the thing about him — he never rushes, never speaks before thinking. It’s why he’s so dangerous. And effective.

“It’s not for me,” she adds quickly, stepping further into the room. “It’s for a friend.”

Max raises an eyebrow, swirling the whiskey in his glass. “A friend?”

She nods, hesitating for a moment. “It’s … complicated.”

He walks over to the bar, refilling his glass, then gestures toward it with a tilt of his head. “Drink?”

Victoria shakes her head. “No. I need you to listen.”

Max leans back against the bar, his eyes fixed on her. “I’m listening.”

She takes a deep breath, plunging in. “You remember Y/N? My friend from university?”

There’s the slightest flicker of recognition in his eyes, but he doesn’t comment. He just waits for her to continue.

“She’s in trouble,” Victoria says, her voice lower now, as if speaking the words makes it more real. “Her husband — he hits her. She’s … she’s trapped. She can’t leave. He controls everything. All the money, the house, everything. She doesn’t have a way out.”

Max doesn’t react immediately, his face unreadable as always. But Victoria can tell he’s listening closely. He’s always been good at that, hearing what isn’t said.

“I told her you could help,” Victoria says, biting her lip. “I told her you’d represent her. Pro bono.”

Max raises an eyebrow, his lips twitching into a humorless smile. “Pro bono?”

“You’re a lawyer, Max. And you’re the best I know.”

He lets out a soft, disbelieving laugh, shaking his head. “I haven’t practiced law in years, Vic. You know that.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Victoria steps forward, her voice firm. “You’re still licensed, and you still know more than anyone else. She doesn’t have time to find another lawyer. She needs someone who can handle her husband — and he’s not just some random guy. He’s smart, careful. He knows exactly how to keep her under control.”

Max takes a slow sip of his whiskey, eyes flickering to the window before settling back on her. “And why should I get involved in this?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do.” Her voice hardens. “And because … you know what it’s like.”

Max’s jaw tightens, the first crack in his stoic exterior. “That’s different.”

“Is it?” Victoria crosses her arms, stepping closer. “Dad used to beat the hell out of Mom. And you saw it, just like I did. You know what that does to someone. You know how trapped she must feel.”

Max’s eyes darken, but he stays silent, his grip tightening around the glass.

“She can’t do this alone, Max,” Victoria presses. “And I know you — if you get involved, you can get her out. You have the resources, the power. Hell, you’ve been running the goddamn mafia for the last six years. I’m pretty sure you can handle one abusive husband.”

Max’s expression hardens at the mention of the mafia. It’s a subject Victoria rarely brings up. But tonight, there’s no avoiding it.

Their father was a force of nature, larger than life, ruthless. A man who ruled with an iron fist both at home and in the underworld. But for all his power, for all his control, he had one weakness — his temper. And when he lost it, their mother bore the brunt of it. It’s a memory that neither Victoria nor Max can erase, no matter how many years have passed.

Their father insisted on education, though. “A smart leader is a dangerous leader,” he used to say. He forced both Max and Victoria to get degrees — real ones. Victoria went into business. Max chose law, not because he ever wanted to practice, but because he knew the value of understanding the system from the inside. It was a tool, a weapon he could wield in both worlds — the legitimate and the illegitimate.

When their father died, Max took over. It wasn’t a choice. It was an obligation. And he’s been running the empire ever since, using his legal expertise as just one more weapon in his arsenal.

But now, Victoria is asking him to use it for something different.

Max sets the glass down with a soft clink, walking over to the window. He looks out over the city, his hands in his pockets, the silence stretching between them.

“She’s scared, Max,” Victoria says quietly, her voice softer now. “She’s terrified, and she doesn’t know how to get out. I can’t just sit by and watch her go through this. And I know you won’t either.”

Max doesn’t respond immediately. His gaze is distant, like he’s seeing something far beyond the city lights. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he turns back to her.

“What’s the husband’s name?” He asks, his voice low but sharp.

Victoria exhales, relief flooding her chest. She knew he wouldn’t turn her away. He never does. “Jonathan Harper.”

Max nods once, his expression unreadable. “I’ll look into him.”

“Thank you,” Victoria says, her voice barely above a whisper.

Max walks over to her, his eyes meeting hers with that intensity that always unnerves people. “You’re sure about this?”

“Yes,” she says without hesitation.

“Good,” he says, turning away again, already moving toward his desk. “Tell her I’ll take the case. But she needs to be ready. Once this starts, there’s no going back.”

Victoria nods, even though he’s not looking at her. “I’ll tell her.”

“And, Vic,” Max adds, his voice colder now, sharper, “you know what happens if this goes sideways. He’s not just some guy. I’m not going to pull punches if things get messy.”

Victoria swallows hard, but she doesn’t flinch. “I know.”

Max’s eyes flicker back to hers, and for the first time tonight, his expression softens, just slightly. “I’ll make sure she’s safe.”

Victoria smiles, though it’s a sad smile. “I know you will.”

She turns to leave, her heart still racing, but lighter now. Max is involved. You’ll be safe. She’s sure of it.

Just as she reaches the elevator, Max’s voice stops her. “You’re a good friend, Vic.”

She turns, meeting his gaze. There’s something in his eyes that she can’t quite place — something softer than usual.

“So are you,” she says quietly.

The elevator doors close behind her, and for the first time that night, she allows herself to breathe.

***

It’s a quiet evening when you walk into Victoria’s house, your hands trembling slightly as you push the door open. The warm air from inside greets you, the faint scent of vanilla candles lingering in the air. But you can’t take any comfort in it. Your nerves are shot, and your heart hammers against your ribs with every step you take.

Victoria’s house is familiar, but tonight, it feels like foreign territory. You haven’t been here in months — haven’t been anywhere that felt safe in what feels like years. Your lips are swollen, your eye still tender to the touch, though the worst of the bruising has started to fade into ugly shades of green and yellow. You can feel the pulse of it beneath your skin with every beat of your heart, a constant reminder of what happened.

You don’t want to be here. You don’t want anyone to see you like this, especially not Victoria. And especially not her brother.

Victoria meets you at the door, her expression soft but concerned, her eyes immediately darting to your face. She’s trying not to show how horrified she is, but you can see it in the way her lips press together, in the tightening of her shoulders.

“Hey,” she says gently, pulling you into a hug before you can protest. Her arms are warm, firm around you, and for a moment, you let yourself lean into her.

“I’m fine,” you whisper, even though you know she doesn’t believe it.

She pulls back just slightly, looking at your face with a quiet sadness. “You don’t have to say that. Not with me.”

You nod, swallowing hard. “Is … is he here?”

“Max?” She asks, glancing over her shoulder toward the living room. “Yeah. He’s waiting inside. Don’t worry, he’s — he’s good at this kind of thing.”

Your stomach twists. You’ve never met Max properly. You’ve heard about him, of course. Victoria used to mention him all the time in university, back when he was in law school, back before he took over everything. But you’ve never been in the same room with him. And now? Now, it feels overwhelming.

You can’t stop thinking about how you look. How awful you must seem. A mess of bruises and broken pieces.

Victoria must sense your hesitation because she touches your arm lightly. “You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. But Max … he’ll help you. I swear.”

“I know,” you say, but your voice is small. “I just — I don’t want to waste his time. I can’t even pay him. I don’t have-”

“He knows,” Victoria interrupts, her voice firm. “I told him everything. He doesn’t care about the money, trust me.”

You glance toward the living room, anxiety tightening in your chest. “Okay.”

Victoria leads you inside, and you feel every step like it’s too heavy, like your body is made of stone. When you finally step into the living room, you see him — Max — sitting on the couch, his posture relaxed, but his eyes sharp, assessing. He’s dressed in a black suit, the jacket hanging open, his tie loosened just slightly at the collar. His hair is slicked back, and his features are sharp, chiseled in a way that makes him look both intimidating and somehow … calm.

He stands when he sees you, but the moment his eyes land on your face, something changes in his expression. The cold calculation that had been there melts away, replaced by something much darker — something that looks a lot like fury.

For a moment, you think he’s angry at you, but then you realize it’s not you. It’s what’s been done to you.

“Jesus Christ,” Max mutters under his breath, his voice low, dangerous. He steps forward, but then stops himself, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. “He did this to you?”

You don’t answer at first. You can’t. Your throat is too tight, the shame curling around your chest, making it hard to breathe.

Max looks at Victoria, and then back at you. His voice softens, though it’s still edged with that same cold anger. “Sit down. Please.”

You nod, moving to the couch opposite him, your body stiff, awkward. You don’t want to be here. You don’t want anyone looking at you. But there’s no going back now.

Victoria sits beside you, her hand resting on your knee, offering silent support.

Max doesn’t sit back down. Instead, he stays standing, his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze never leaving you. “I’m sorry,” he says, his voice gruff. “I didn’t realize it was this bad.”

You try to smile, but it’s weak, and your lip twinges with pain. “It’s … it’s fine.”

“It’s not fine,” Max says, his voice sharper now, cutting through the air like a knife. “And it’s not going to happen again.”

You blink, your eyes stinging with the threat of tears. “I can’t — I can’t pay you, Max. I-I don’t have anything. Everything’s in his name. The house, the accounts … everything. I don’t even have a credit card.”

Max shakes his head, stepping closer. “You don’t need to pay me. That’s not why I’m doing this.”

Your throat tightens. “But I don’t want to-”

“Don’t,” he cuts in, his tone softer but still firm. “Don’t apologize. You don’t owe me anything. I’m going to help you, and I don’t need your money to do it.”

“But-”

“Listen to me,” Max says, sitting down across from you, his elbows resting on his knees as he leans in. His eyes lock onto yours, intense and unwavering. “I’ve seen this before. I know what it’s like to feel trapped. My father … he was the same way. He beat my mother for years, and she stayed because she thought she didn’t have a choice. But you do. You have a choice.”

You swallow hard, the weight of his words settling over you. “I just don’t know how to — how to leave. He controls everything. He’ll find me if I try to go. He always finds me.”

Max’s expression darkens, his jaw tightening. “Not this time. I promise you, once we start this, he won’t get near you again. We’ll make sure of it.”

Your heart pounds in your chest, the hope you’ve tried to bury for so long flickering faintly in the back of your mind. “But how? He’s … he’s smart. He’s careful. He’ll know if I try to leave.”

Max’s gaze sharpens, his voice low and deliberate. “He might be smart, but he’s not smarter than me. I’ll make sure we take him for everything he’s worth. You’ll get what’s yours, and he’ll have nothing.”

You stare at him, trying to process the weight of what he’s saying. It doesn’t feel real. The idea of being free, of having something — anything — of your own seems impossible. But the way Max says it, the confidence in his voice, makes it seem … possible.

Victoria squeezes your knee gently, her voice soft but steady. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. We’ll take it one step at a time. But Max … he’s got this.”

You nod, your throat too tight to speak. The tears you’ve been holding back slip down your cheeks, and you wipe them away quickly, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, your voice barely audible.

Max leans back, his expression softening for the first time since you walked in. “You don’t have to be sorry. You don’t have to be anything but ready to fight back. And I’ll be right there with you.”

There’s a long silence in the room, the weight of everything pressing down on you. But for the first time in years, it doesn’t feel like you’re carrying it alone. Max’s presence is steady, strong, and somehow … comforting. You’re not sure how or why, but you feel like you can trust him. Like he’ll keep his word.

You look up at him, meeting his gaze, and for the first time in a long time, you let yourself believe that maybe, just maybe, you can get out of this.

***

The city lights flicker below, casting shadows on the polished floors of Max’s penthouse as he stands at the window, phone in hand. He’s never been the type to hesitate, but this call — it’s personal now. His jaw tightens as he stares out over the skyline, the weight of what he’s about to do settling in his chest.

You’re staying at Victoria’s tonight, safe for now. It’s been hours since Max left you there, but your face — the bruises, the haunted look in your eyes — still lingers in his mind. He can't shake it. The rage he felt earlier, seeing you like that, bubbles back up to the surface, but he channels it into cold calculation.

He dials the number Victoria had given him, the one listed under your husband’s name, Jonathan Harper. Max’s fingers are steady, even though his blood simmers beneath the surface. He presses the phone to his ear, waiting.

One ring.

Two rings.

On the third ring, the line clicks open, and a voice comes through, sharp and annoyed.

“Who the hell is this?” Jonathan’s voice is biting, laced with impatience. “It’s late. What do you want?”

Max takes a slow breath, his voice low, smooth as steel. “This is Max Verstappen. Y/N’s lawyer.”

There’s a pause, a brief one, and then Jonathan lets out a derisive snort. “Lawyer? She’s got a lawyer now? You’re joking, right? She can’t even afford to pay for groceries, let alone a lawyer.”

Max’s grip on the phone tightens. “She doesn’t need to worry about that. I’m representing her pro bono.”

Jonathan scoffs, the sound thick with disdain. “Pro bono? Let me guess, you’re one of those bleeding-heart types, huh? Think you’re gonna save the poor damsel in distress? She doesn’t need saving, you idiot. She knows her place.”

Max’s chest tightens, but his voice remains eerily calm. “Her place? The only place she’ll be is as far away from you as possible.”

Jonathan laughs, cold and condescending. “You think you can just take her away from me? She’s nothing without me. She doesn’t have a dime. She’s got no friends, no family that gives a damn. She’s worthless. The only reason she’s got a roof over her head is because of me.”

Max’s jaw clenches. “She’s filing for divorce.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line, followed by a harsh, barking laugh. “Divorce? Is that what she told you? You must be even dumber than you sound. She can’t divorce me. She doesn’t have the guts. Besides, what’s she gonna get in the divorce? The clothes on her back? I own everything. And trust me, I’ll make sure she leaves with nothing.”

“You’re mistaken,” Max says, voice hardening. “She’s not walking away with nothing. You’re going to pay, and you’re going to pay big.”

“Pay?” Jonathan’s voice rises, anger seeping through now. “For what? For putting a roof over her head? For putting food in her mouth? I’ve been supporting her pathetic ass for years, and now she’s pulling this stunt? She’s nothing but an ungrateful little-”

Max cuts him off, his voice like ice. “Watch your mouth.”

The venom in Jonathan’s voice deepens. “I’ll say whatever the hell I want about her. She’s mine. She’ll always be mine. And you can’t change that, no matter what you do. You think a lawyer’s gonna scare me? I’ve seen your type before. You show up, throw around a few legal threats, and then crawl back under your rock when it doesn’t work out. But guess what? I’ve got a lawyer, too. And he’s ten times better than whatever pro bono hack you are.”

Max doesn’t flinch, doesn’t rise to the bait. He’s heard men like Jonathan before. Hell, he’s dealt with men far worse. But something about this — about the way Jonathan talks about you — makes his blood boil in a way it hasn’t in years.

“You’re going to bring your lawyer,” Max says, his tone calm but laced with menace. “And you’re going to meet me. We’ll settle this properly. Or I’ll take you to court, and I’ll make sure you lose everything.”

Jonathan spits another laugh. “You’re bluffing. You can’t take me to court. I’ll bury you, and I’ll bury her, too. You’ve got no case.”

Max’s eyes narrow, his voice dropping to a lethal whisper. “You’d be surprised what I can do. I’m not just some lawyer. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.”

Jonathan’s tone shifts, unease creeping in for the first time. “Yeah? And who the hell are you?”

Max doesn’t answer right away. He lets the silence stretch, lets the weight of the question hang in the air. Then, quietly, but with the full force of his reputation behind it, he says, “I’m the man who’s going to destroy you.”

There’s a pause. Max can almost hear the gears turning in Jonathan’s head, the realization dawning. Jonathan doesn’t know the full story yet, but he’s starting to understand that Max isn’t just some random lawyer off the street.

“You think you’re tough?” Jonathan spits, but his voice falters, just slightly. “You think you can intimidate me? You’ve got no idea what I’m capable of. I’ve got connections, money-”

“I don’t care about your money,” Max interrupts, his voice deadly calm. “And your connections? They mean nothing. Here’s what’s going to happen: you’re going to meet me in person. Tomorrow. Noon. I’ll send you the location. Bring your lawyer. This isn’t a negotiation. It’s a formality.”

Jonathan is silent for a long moment, and when he finally speaks, his voice is colder, more calculated. “You think you can push me around? Fine. I’ll meet you. But don’t think for a second this is over. When I’m done, she’ll be crawling back to me, and you? You’ll wish you’d never gotten involved.”

Max’s lips curl into a grim smile, but there’s no humor in it. “We’ll see.”

With that, Max hangs up, the sound of the call ending echoing in the quiet room. He stares at the phone in his hand, his mind already working through the next steps, the strategies. But the rage — cold and burning at the same time — still simmers just beneath the surface.

He walks over to the bar, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. The burn of the alcohol does little to dull the edge of his anger, but it sharpens his focus. He thinks of you, your bruised face, the way you flinched when you talked about Jonathan.

Max doesn’t care about the money or the case. This isn’t about winning a legal battle. This is about something much bigger. Jonathan Harper is the kind of man Max despises — the kind of man who thinks he can take what he wants, hurt who he wants, without consequence.

Max has dealt with men like Jonathan his whole life. His father was one of them. He remembers the nights his mother spent hiding in their bedroom, her face swollen, her eyes red from crying. He remembers standing outside the door, helpless, listening to the sound of his father’s rage. He swore, even as a boy, that he would never be like his father. And now, he’s making sure men like him pay.

He takes another sip of whiskey, his thoughts hardening into resolve. Jonathan Harper has no idea what’s coming for him.

Max pulls out his phone again, sending a quick message with the meeting details: the time, the place. It’s an upscale restaurant, neutral ground. He doesn’t need to lure Jonathan into a dark alley. No, Max is going to do this the right way — through the law. And if the law isn’t enough, he has other means at his disposal.

He glances at the clock. It’s late, but he knows sleep won’t come tonight. Not with everything spinning in his head.

Max looks out at the city again, the skyline glittering like a sea of possibilities. Tomorrow, Jonathan Harper will realize just how outmatched he is. And by the time Max is done, he’ll make sure you’re safe. Completely safe.

And Jonathan Harper? He won’t have a damn thing left.

***

The restaurant is quiet, the low hum of conversation mixing with the clinking of silverware against plates. You sit next to Max at a polished wooden table in a private room, tucked away from the rest of the patrons. It’s fancy — more than you’re used to — but everything feels off. Like you don’t belong here. You’ve been fidgeting with your hands for the past half hour, unable to sit still, as the minutes tick by.

Jonathan isn’t here yet.

His lawyer arrived on time, a sharp-looking man in a suit so clean it practically sparkles, sitting across from you and Max. He’s polite, overly so, but you can tell there’s no kindness behind his carefully measured smiles. The way he eyes you — it’s like you’re something beneath him, something he’s already decided isn’t worth much.

But it’s not the lawyer that’s making your stomach twist into knots. It’s Jonathan.

The lawyer checks his watch again, sighing lightly as if to signal his own annoyance. “I apologize for Jonathan’s delay. He’s … a busy man.”

Max doesn’t even glance at the lawyer. He’s been staring at the door for the last forty-five minutes, jaw clenched so tightly you think he might crack a tooth. His hand rests on the table in front of him, fingers drumming a slow, tense rhythm against the wood. Every second that passes, you can feel his anger growing — radiating off him like a storm about to break.

“It’s been forty-five minutes,” Max mutters, more to himself than to anyone else. “He thinks he can just waltz in whenever he wants.”

The lawyer opens his mouth, but Max cuts him off without even turning his head. “He’s late. That’s disrespectful. To me. To her.” His voice is low, controlled, but the edge is unmistakable.

You lower your eyes to your lap, where your fingers twist nervously in the fabric of your dress. You hadn’t wanted to come to this meeting in the first place. Being here, waiting for Jonathan — it feels like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing you’re about to fall. The anxiety is suffocating.

“Hey,” Max’s voice softens, pulling you from your thoughts. You look up, meeting his gaze. “You’re doing fine. He’s the one who should be nervous.”

You try to smile, but it’s weak, and Max sees through it immediately. His expression hardens, but not at you — at the situation. At Jonathan.

“I won’t let him do anything,” Max adds, his voice steady. “You’re safe.”

You nod, though the tension in your chest doesn’t ease. You’re not afraid of Jonathan in the same way you used to be. Not exactly. It’s more the dread — the weight of knowing he’s going to walk in and say things that’ll hurt, that’ll drag you back down into the hell you’ve fought so hard to escape.

The door opens then, and you flinch, your breath catching in your throat. For a second, you think it’s Jonathan, but it’s just the server, bringing water to the table. Max watches you carefully, his eyes sharp, protective. You can feel him tense beside you, every muscle in his body on edge.

“Where the hell is he?” Max mutters under his breath, his patience clearly running thin. He checks his watch again, his hand tightening into a fist on the table.

The lawyer clears his throat, an attempt to maintain some semblance of professionalism. “Jonathan has a lot on his plate. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

Max shoots him a look, the kind that silences any further excuses. “He’s almost an hour late. If he wanted to show any respect for this process — for her — he would’ve been here on time.”

You glance at the door again, half hoping Jonathan won’t show. That maybe he’ll just stay gone, and you can pretend for a little while longer that this is all over. But you know better than that. Jonathan always shows up, eventually.

And he does.

Nearly an hour after the scheduled meeting time, the door swings open, and there he is — Jonathan Harper, in all his smug, arrogant glory. He strolls in like he owns the place, not even glancing at you as he makes his way to the table. No apology, no acknowledgment of how late he is. Nothing. Just that same cold indifference you’ve seen so many times before.

You shrink back instinctively, your heart pounding, your hands twisting tighter in your lap.

“Well, well,” Jonathan says, his voice dripping with mockery as he pulls out the chair across from you. He doesn’t sit right away. Instead, he stands there, looking down at you with that familiar sneer. “I see you finally found yourself a babysitter, huh?”

You flinch, the words hitting you like a slap. You can feel Max’s anger beside you, simmering just below the surface.

Jonathan sits down, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. “I have to say, I’m impressed. Didn’t think you had it in you to hire a lawyer. But then again, you’ve always needed someone to take care of you, haven’t you?”

The air in the room grows thick with tension, Max’s silence growing heavier by the second. His fists clench on the table, knuckles white, but he doesn’t move — yet.

Jonathan doesn’t even look at Max. He’s too busy reveling in his own cruelty. “I mean, come on. You couldn’t even manage to keep the house clean, let alone figure out how to divorce me. It’s cute, really. This whole act. Like you think you’re suddenly strong enough to stand up to me.”

Your chest tightens, shame flooding you, and you can’t bring yourself to meet Jonathan’s eyes. He’s always known how to hit where it hurts most.

Max’s voice cuts through the air, low and dangerous. “That’s enough.”

Jonathan’s eyes flick to Max for the first time, his smirk widening. “Oh, this must be the lawyer. What’s your angle, huh? You think you’re gonna play hero and save her from the big bad husband?”

Max leans forward, his voice cold. “I said that’s enough.”

Jonathan just laughs, leaning back in his chair, completely unfazed. “You’re not scaring anyone, buddy. You think I care about your little threats? I’ve got more money and more power than you can even imagine. And her? She’s nothing. She’s been nothing for years. You’re wasting your time.”

Before you can even process what’s happening, Max stands, his chair scraping back with a loud screech. His hands slam onto the table with a force that makes the glasses shake, his body leaning over the table, looming over Jonathan.

The sudden movement sends a jolt through you, and you glance up at Max, heart pounding. His face is inches from Jonathan’s, his eyes blazing with barely controlled fury.

“You’re going to shut your mouth,” Max says, his voice low, lethal. “Or I’m going to shut it for you.”

Jonathan blinks, his smirk faltering for the first time. But then, as if to mask his own fear, he laughs again, though it sounds more forced this time. “Oh, tough guy, huh? You think you’re going to intimidate me?”

Max leans in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sends chills down your spine. “You have no idea who you’re dealing with. Keep talking, and I’ll make sure you lose everything.”

Jonathan’s smile returns, but there’s something colder behind it now. “You’re bluffing. She’s got nothing. And when this is all over, neither will you.”

Max straightens, his hands still planted firmly on the table, his eyes locked onto Jonathan’s. “Meet me at noon tomorrow. Bring your lawyer. Or don’t — it won’t make a difference. But I’m telling you now, you’re done. You’ll never hurt her again.”

Jonathan sneers, pushing his chair back and standing. He adjusts his jacket, glancing at his lawyer with a bored expression. “We’ll see.”

He turns without another word, walking out of the room like he’s already won.

You sit there, frozen, your heart still racing as the door clicks shut behind him. Max stays standing for a moment, his fists still clenched, his breathing heavy. Then, slowly, he relaxes, his shoulders dropping as he exhales a long, controlled breath.

You don’t say anything at first. You don’t know what to say. Everything feels raw, exposed.

Max turns to you, his eyes softening when they meet yours. “He’s not going to win. You hear me?”

You nod, though your body still feels tense, the weight of Jonathan’s words pressing down on you.

“I promise you,” Max says, his voice quiet but firm, “he’s not going to get away with this. Not this time.”

For the first time in what feels like forever, you believe him.

***

Jonathan grips the steering wheel with one hand, his phone pressed to his ear with the other. His friend on the other end of the call is laughing at something Jonathan said, some offhand comment about how pathetic you are — how you’ve always been pathetic.

“Can you believe she actually thinks she’s gonna win?” Jonathan says, his voice dripping with disdain. “I swear to God, it’s like she’s forgotten who’s in control. I’ve got everything — everything — and she’s sitting there with nothing, thinking some low-rent lawyer’s gonna save her.”

His friend’s laughter crackles through the speaker, fueling Jonathan’s ego. He glances at the dashboard clock — he’s late, but who cares? It’s not like Max and his little damsel in distress can do a thing without him. They need him there. They’re at his mercy. And that’s how it’s always been.

“Max, though,” Jonathan continues, “that guy’s a real piece of work. Acting like he’s some knight in shining armor. Bet he’s got his own skeletons. Probably looking to get a taste of what I had.”

He laughs cruelly, switching the phone to his other ear as he maneuvers through traffic. He barely pays attention to the road. He never does. There’s an ease to his movements, like the world bends to his will, like there’s no need to care about anything or anyone. Not you, not Max, and certainly not whoever might be in his way.

“Yeah, she was always weak,” Jonathan adds. “Clingy, needy … hell, even if she manages to win, she’ll still be nothing without me. Just a broken little girl playing house.”

The friend on the other line chuckles darkly, clearly enjoying the tirade. Jonathan feeds off it, leaning into his own bitterness, his own inflated sense of superiority.

“She’s nothing without me,” he repeats, as if saying it out loud makes it more true, as if it cements his control over you. The idea that you might actually be moving on — finding freedom from him — twists inside his chest, but he shoves the thought away. No, you’ll never be free of him. He won’t let you.

Jonathan shifts in his seat, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the wheel, the city blurring past as he approaches the meeting point. He’s already imagining the look on your face when he walks in, late and unapologetic, just to remind you who’s really in charge. He smiles to himself, his lips curling into a sneer.

“She's probably trembling right now,” Jonathan scoffs into the phone. “Waiting for me to show up, like a good little-”

Suddenly, something feels off.

He presses the brake pedal out of habit as the traffic ahead begins to slow — but nothing happens. His foot sinks down to the floor, the pedal soft and useless beneath his foot. Jonathan’s heart skips a beat.

He tries again. Harder this time. But still, nothing.

“Shit,” he mutters, his eyes darting to the dashboard, hands tightening around the wheel. He presses the brake repeatedly, panic beginning to creep into his chest as the car continues to speed forward.

“Hold on,” he says to his friend on the phone, his voice sharp now. “Something’s wrong with the damn car.”

The brake doesn’t respond at all. The car picks up speed as it rolls downhill, buildings flashing by in a blur of glass and steel. Jonathan’s breath quickens. He yanks the steering wheel, swerving between lanes, his tires screeching as the car narrowly misses another vehicle.

“What the hell …” Jonathan’s voice is a strained whisper now. He slams his foot on the brake again, harder, and his whole body tenses. Nothing. No response.

His friend’s voice crackles through the speaker, confused. “What’s going on?”

“The brakes …” Jonathan mutters, his voice strained. “The goddamn brakes aren’t working!”

The friend says something else, but Jonathan barely hears it. His mind races, adrenaline surging through his veins. He yanks the wheel again, veering off the main road, trying to avoid the cars ahead, but the car is moving too fast. Way too fast.

Jonathan curses under his breath, his heart pounding in his chest, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. Panic claws at his throat, but he forces it down, refusing to let fear take over.

He’s not going to crash. He can’t crash.

He’s Jonathan Harper. He doesn’t lose.

His phone slips from his hand and clatters onto the passenger seat as he struggles to regain control. The buildings are coming closer, faster. His breath comes in shallow, rapid bursts as he wrestles with the wheel, trying to steer toward an empty alleyway. But the speed, the force of the car — it’s too much.

The last thing he sees before impact is a flash of brick and glass.

The sound of the crash is deafening. Metal crumples, glass shatters, the front of the car folding like paper as it collides with the side of a building. Jonathan is thrown forward, his seatbelt jerking him back just as his head slams into the steering wheel.

Pain explodes in his skull, his vision blurring as the world spins around him. The car is still now, steam hissing from the hood, the engine making a pitiful whine before going silent.

For a moment, Jonathan doesn’t move. His ears ring, his head swimming, the taste of blood sharp on his tongue. He tries to breathe, but his chest feels tight, constricted, like there’s something inside him squeezing the air out of his lungs.

Slowly, he lifts his hand to his face, touching his forehead. His fingers come away wet, sticky with blood. His own blood.

“Shit …” he groans, his voice weak, barely a whisper. He tries to move, to reach for the door, but something stops him. A sharp, searing pain in his chest. He gasps, choking on the breath, and a wave of dizziness washes over him.

The taste of blood is stronger now. It fills his mouth, thick and metallic, and when he coughs, crimson sprays across the shattered windshield.

Something’s wrong. Something’s really wrong.

He tries to lift his head, but it’s too heavy. His hands shake as he grips the steering wheel, trying to steady himself, but his vision is fading, the edges going dark. He coughs again, harder this time, and more blood pours from his mouth, thick and viscous, staining his shirt, pooling in his lap.

No. No, this can’t be happening. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go.

Jonathan struggles, panic surging through him now. He can’t breathe. His chest heaves, but no air comes in, just the taste of blood and the sharp, stabbing pain that’s getting worse with every second.

He tries to call for help, but his voice is lost, buried beneath the gurgling, choking sound coming from his throat.

He’s dying.

The realization hits him like a freight train. He’s dying, right here, in the driver’s seat of his own car, choking on his own blood. And no one’s coming to help him.

His fingers slip off the wheel, falling limp at his sides as his vision narrows to a pinprick of light. He gasps, trying to suck in one last breath, but all he gets is more blood, flooding his lungs, choking him from the inside.

As the darkness closes in, Jonathan’s last thought is of you.

You, standing in that restaurant yesterday, small and afraid, but maybe — just maybe — stronger than he ever gave you credit for.

***

The clock ticks loudly in the otherwise silent room. Each minute that passes only seems to grow heavier, the tension building with every tick. You sit in the same chair you did yesterday, fidgeting with the hem of your sleeves, stealing glances at the door every few seconds.

Max sits across from you, his expression unreadable but his fingers drumming lightly against the table. Jonathan’s lawyer is seated at the far end, flipping through some documents with a detached boredom that doesn’t match the mounting frustration you feel swelling in the room.

It’s been almost two hours. Jonathan was late yesterday, but this … this is ridiculous.

Max finally speaks, his voice calm but edged with annoyance. “Two hours. How much longer are we supposed to wait?”

The lawyer doesn’t look up, just shrugs. “I’ve been Jonathan’s lawyer long enough to know he’s rarely on time. You’ll get used to it.”

Max’s jaw tightens. You can tell he’s fighting to keep his anger in check. “This isn't a casual lunch meeting. It’s a legal matter.”

“Legal or not,” the lawyer replies, turning a page, “Jonathan Harper moves at his own pace.”

You bite your lip, feeling the weight of their words hang in the air. You want to speak up, to suggest maybe you should leave and try again another day, but your voice feels trapped. Instead, you clasp your hands together tightly in your lap, trying to ignore the gnawing pit in your stomach.

Max glances over at you, his expression softening for just a moment. He sees how tense you are, how uncomfortable you’ve been this entire time. He leans back in his chair, looking like he’s ready to explode but holding it together, probably for your sake.

“He’s deliberately wasting our time,” Max mutters, almost to himself, though the frustration is clear in his voice. His eyes flick back to the door, then back to you. “We’ll give him five more minutes. If he’s not here by then, we leave.”

You nod, grateful for the out, but before you can say anything, your phone buzzes on the table. The sound is jarring in the quiet room. For a moment, you freeze, staring at the screen as an unfamiliar number flashes across it.

Max’s eyes are on you immediately. “You gonna get that?”

You hesitate, but something tells you to answer. You slide the phone off the table and hold it to your ear. “Hello?”

“Is this Mrs. Harper?” A woman’s voice, calm but urgent, crackles through the line.

Your heart skips a beat. You feel Max and Jonathan’s lawyer watching you, but their gazes blur as a cold shiver runs down your spine.

“Yes, this is she,” you answer, your voice barely above a whisper.

“This is Mercy General Hospital. I’m afraid I have some difficult news. Your husband, Jonathan Harper, was brought in around an hour and a half ago after a car accident.” The voice on the other end pauses as if giving you space to process.

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. Car accident? Your mind races, trying to make sense of what she’s saying.

“An accident?” You repeat, your voice shaking.

“I’m so sorry,” the woman continues, her tone softening, “but unfortunately, he didn’t make it. He passed away on the ambulance ride over.”

The phone slips from your fingers. You don’t even feel it hit the floor. Everything around you blurs, the room spinning out of focus as your body goes cold. For a second, all you hear is the ringing in your ears, drowning out everything else.

Max is out of his chair in an instant. He’s at your side before you even realize what’s happening, his arms wrapping around you just as your knees give out. You’re not crying. You’re just … empty. Hollow. The world feels like it’s closing in, suffocating, but Max is holding you up, his voice low in your ear.

“Hey, hey — easy. I’ve got you.” His words are steady, but you can hear the concern threaded through them. He lowers you into the chair gently, keeping his hands on your shoulders to steady you.

You blink, trying to make sense of it. Jonathan is dead? He’s … gone?

Max crouches in front of you, his face level with yours now, his eyes searching yours for any sign that you’re still there, still processing. “What happened? What did they say?”

Your lips move, but no sound comes out at first. You have to swallow, forcing the words past the lump in your throat. “Jonathan … he’s dead. There was an accident.”

Max’s expression doesn’t change. He stays perfectly still, but you see something flicker in his eyes, something unreadable. He’s quiet for a moment, then he glances at the phone lying on the floor before looking back at you. “When did this happen?”

“I don’t know,” you whisper, your voice shaky. “They said … they said he didn’t make it to the hospital. It happened over an hour ago.”

The lawyer finally looks up from his papers, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Jonathan’s … dead?”

Max straightens, his hand still resting on your shoulder as he turns toward the other man, his voice suddenly all business. “Yes, it seems there’s been an accident. He didn’t survive.”

Jonathan’s lawyer stands slowly, his face pale. He opens his mouth, then closes it, as if the gravity of the situation is just sinking in. “I … I’ll need to contact his estate. This complicates things.”

Max ignores him. He’s still focused on you, his thumb brushing lightly over your shoulder, grounding you, keeping you tethered as your world spins out of control.

You feel numb. The words echo in your mind: Jonathan is dead. Jonathan is dead. But you don’t know what to feel. Relief? Guilt? Fear?

Max crouches back down, his eyes never leaving yours. “Listen to me,” he says, his voice low and gentle but firm. “You’re safe now. Do you hear me? He can’t hurt you anymore.”

You nod, though the words feel distant, like they’re meant for someone else. You’re still struggling to catch up with the reality of what’s happened.

“I need you to breathe, okay?” Max continues, his hands still steady on your arms. “In and out. Nice and slow.”

You do as he says, inhaling shakily, then exhaling, trying to pull yourself back to the present, to this room, to the fact that you’re still here, even if Jonathan isn’t.

Max watches you closely, waiting until you’ve steadied yourself before speaking again. “We’ll go to the hospital. We’ll take care of everything. But you don’t have to do it alone. I’m right here.”

His words are solid, something to hold onto as the world tilts around you. You don’t know how long you sit there, just breathing, letting the weight of everything settle. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours.

Eventually, you nod again. “Okay.”

Max stands and helps you to your feet, his hand steady at your back as you move toward the door. He picks up your phone from the floor, handing it to you without a word. You take it, but your fingers tremble so much that you can barely grip it.

As you walk toward the exit, Max’s presence is a constant comfort beside you. You glance at him, and for a fleeting moment, you see something in his eyes — something deeper than concern, something more intense. But it’s gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the calm, steady confidence that he always exudes.

You don’t know what’s waiting for you at the hospital. You don’t know how you’re supposed to feel about Jonathan’s death, or what it means for your future.

But for the first time in a long time, you feel like maybe — just maybe — you’re going to be okay.

And that’s when you realize: you’re not alone anymore. Max is here. And for reasons you don’t fully understand, that thought makes all the difference.

***

The car hums beneath you, the soft rumble of the engine the only sound breaking the silence between you and Max. The city lights blur past the window, smudged streaks of white and yellow against the inky night sky. You barely notice the streets you're passing, barely hear the distant honk of horns or the murmur of the radio playing low in the background. Everything feels distant, like you’re watching your own life from somewhere outside of your body.

Max sits beside you, one hand gripping the steering wheel with calm certainty. His posture is relaxed, almost too relaxed for what’s just happened. You steal a glance at him, trying to read his expression. His face is as calm as ever, his jaw set, eyes focused on the road ahead.

But then you catch it — a flash of something. A fleeting, almost imperceptible smirk. It’s there for just a second, curling at the corner of his mouth before vanishing like it was never there. But you saw it.

And in that moment, something clicks.

You sit up straighter, your heart thudding in your chest as a realization settles over you like a heavy weight.

He knows.

He’s known for a while.

You blink, turning to face him fully now, your pulse quickening. “Max.”

He glances at you, his expression still steady, but something in his eyes shifts. “What is it?”

You swallow hard, the words catching in your throat. It takes everything in you to push them out. “Did … did you have something to do with Jonathan’s accident?”

There’s a beat of silence. Max doesn’t answer right away. He keeps his gaze on the road, his hand steady on the wheel, his fingers drumming lightly against the leather. But you can feel the air change between you, thickening with something unsaid.

Finally, he speaks, his voice low and calm. “What makes you ask that?”

Your chest tightens. You can’t look away from him now, the truth pulling at you like gravity. “I saw your face. That little smile. You’re not … you’re not surprised that he’s dead, are you?”

Max doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t rush to deny it. He just sighs, like he’s been waiting for this conversation, like he knew you’d figure it out eventually. His grip on the wheel tightens for just a moment before he lets go of a breath.

“No,” he says simply, his voice calm but firm. “I’m not surprised.”

Your heart skips a beat. The air in the car feels suddenly heavier, pressing down on your chest. You wait for him to say more, but he doesn’t. He lets the silence hang there, the weight of his words sinking in.

“Max,” you whisper, your voice trembling slightly. “Did you … did you kill him?”

He doesn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightens, and he glances at you briefly, as if gauging your reaction. And then, after a long pause, he says it.

“Yes.”

The word hits you like a punch to the gut, knocking the breath out of you. Your hands clench in your lap, and for a moment, you don’t know what to say, don’t know how to process what you’re feeling. Shock? Fear? Relief?

“Why?” Your voice is barely more than a whisper, your throat tight. “Why would you …”

Max keeps his eyes on the road, his voice low but steady. “Because he hurt you. Because he would have kept hurting you if I hadn’t done something.”

You stare at him, your mind racing, your pulse pounding in your ears. There’s no remorse in his voice, no hesitation. He says it like it’s the most natural thing in the world, like killing Jonathan was just another necessary task, something he had to cross off a list.

“You didn’t have to …” you start, but the words die in your throat. Because part of you knows he’s right. Jonathan would have kept hurting you. And no one else was going to stop him.

Max glances at you again, this time his expression softening, though there’s still a cold edge to his eyes. “He didn’t deserve to live after what he did to you. I wasn’t going to let him walk away from that. Not after everything.”

There’s something dark in his voice, something you’ve never heard before. It sends a chill down your spine, but at the same time, you feel a strange sense of comfort in it. Max did this for you. He killed Jonathan because he thought it was the only way to protect you.

You swallow hard, your mind reeling. You should feel horrified, you should be angry or scared or disgusted. But you’re not. You’re not any of those things. Instead, you feel something else entirely — a strange, overwhelming sense of … relief.

Jonathan is gone. He can’t hurt you anymore. And Max … Max made sure of that.

You take a shaky breath, the tension in your chest slowly easing. “You killed him for me,” you say, your voice soft but steady.

Max nods, his eyes still fixed on the road. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

His words hang in the air, and for a long moment, you don’t say anything. You let them settle, let them sink into your bones. He’s not ashamed. He’s not regretful. And somehow, that makes it easier to accept.

Finally, you exhale, the weight of everything lifting off your shoulders. “Thank you.”

Max glances at you, clearly surprised by your words. His brows furrow slightly, and for the first time since the conversation started, he seems uncertain. “For what?”

“For protecting me,” you say, your voice firmer now, more certain. “For doing what no one else would have.”

Max’s expression softens again, and he lets out a breath he didn’t seem to realize he was holding. He doesn’t say anything, but his hand moves from the steering wheel, reaching across the small space between you. His fingers brush against yours, and then he gently takes your hand in his, squeezing it softly.

You look down at your intertwined fingers, the warmth of his hand grounding you in a way you didn’t expect. You squeeze back, letting him know that you’re okay. That you understand.

The silence between you isn’t uncomfortable anymore. It’s calm. Steady.

You lean back in your seat, your gaze shifting back to the city lights outside the window. Jonathan is dead. The nightmare is over. And somehow, despite everything, you feel like you’re finally free.

Max’s thumb rubs lightly over the back of your hand, and you turn to look at him again. His face is still calm, but there’s something softer in his eyes now, something almost tender.

“You don’t have to thank me,” he says quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’d do anything to keep you safe.”

You feel your chest tighten at his words, but not in the way it did before. This time, it’s different. This time, it feels like something is shifting between you, something you hadn’t noticed before but now feels impossible to ignore.

You don’t say anything. You just sit there, holding his hand, feeling the steady pulse of the city outside the car, and the steady pulse of Max beside you.

***

The hospital parking lot is almost empty, the few scattered cars gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. You and Max sit in silence, the weight of what’s just happened hanging heavy in the air. The hum of the engine dies as Max turns the key, and for a moment, neither of you moves. You stare at the hospital entrance, your heart pounding, your palms damp with nervous sweat.

It hits you — this is really happening. Jonathan is dead, and now you’re supposed to walk in there and pretend to be devastated. To mourn him, to cry for him.

Max shifts in his seat, turning toward you, his expression unreadable in the dim light. He’s been calm the whole drive, unshaken, and now he leans forward, eyes locked on yours, his voice low and measured.

“Listen,” he says, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind your ear. His touch is light, but his tone is firm. “When we walk in there, you need to act the part. They’re going to expect tears, shock — grief.”

You swallow hard, the idea of playing the grieving widow making your stomach turn. “I don’t know if I can do this, Max.”

His hand lingers near your face, fingers ghosting against your cheek. “Yes, you can,” he says, his voice softening. “You’re stronger than you think. Just focus on what you need to do. No one can know that you’re relieved. You loved him, remember?”

A bitter laugh escapes you, but it dies quickly in the back of your throat. The irony isn’t lost on you, pretending to be a devoted wife to the man who tormented you. But Max is right. No one can know.

You nod, taking a deep breath, trying to steady yourself. “I can do it. I’ll … I’ll cry if I have to.”

Max’s hand moves from your face to your hand, squeezing gently. “Good. And don’t worry about the rest. I’ll handle any questions, any details. Just play your part.”

You bite your lip, nodding again, your heart still racing but your mind clearing. You’ve played so many roles before — dutiful wife, obedient woman, silent sufferer. This is just another role to get through. Just another mask to wear.

Max releases your hand and pushes open the car door. “Ready?”

No, you think. You’re not ready. But you don’t have a choice. You force a smile, though it feels like it might crack your face. “Ready.”

The two of you walk toward the entrance, the automatic doors whooshing open to the sterile, cold smell of disinfectant and hospital walls. Your breath quickens as you step inside, the reality of the situation crashing over you like a tidal wave. Nurses bustle past, clipboards in hand, murmuring to one another, while the soft beep of machines hums in the background.

You feel exposed, like every person here can see straight through you, can see that the grief you’re about to display isn’t real.

Max leads you to the front desk, his hand resting lightly on your back in a gesture of support. He leans in toward the nurse on duty, his voice low and authoritative.

“We’re here to see Jonathan Harper,” he says. “He’s my … sister’s husband. We got a call.”

The nurse looks up, her expression softening with sympathy as she glances at you. “Oh, I’m so sorry for your loss,” she says gently. “If you’ll just have a seat, I’ll call someone to come speak with you.”

You nod, not trusting your voice just yet. Instead, you let Max guide you to the waiting area, where you sit down in one of the stiff plastic chairs. Your hands are shaking, so you fold them in your lap, gripping your fingers tightly together.

Max sits beside you, his hand resting on your knee for just a moment, grounding you. His presence is reassuring, a steady anchor in the storm of emotions swirling inside you.

“Remember,” he says under his breath, leaning close enough that only you can hear. “You loved him. Show them that.”

You nod again, taking a shaky breath. You focus on your hands, on the feel of the cold plastic chair beneath you. You need to let the reality of the situation sink in — Jonathan is dead. He’s really gone. The man who hurt you is gone.

And you’re supposed to be devastated.

The thought makes your stomach churn, but you force yourself to push it aside. This isn’t about what you feel. This is about survival. About making sure no one suspects the truth.

A few minutes pass before a doctor approaches, a man in his mid-forties with graying hair and kind eyes. He kneels in front of you, his expression full of the kind of sympathy you don’t deserve.

“Mrs. Harper,” he says softly. “I’m so sorry to tell you this, but … your husband didn’t make it.”

And just like that, you snap into character.

Your breath catches in your throat, your eyes widening as the weight of the words hits you. “No,” you whisper, your voice trembling. “No, that can’t be … there must be some mistake.”

The doctor shakes his head gently, placing a hand on your arm. “I’m afraid there’s no mistake. We did everything we could, but the injuries were just too severe.”

You feel the tears pricking at the corners of your eyes, and you let them fall. You’ve always been good at crying on cue. It’s something Jonathan hated about you, your ability to turn on the waterworks whenever you needed to. But now, it’s a weapon, a tool to make everyone believe the lie.

You cover your mouth with your hand, your body shaking with sobs that come more naturally than you expected. It’s almost too easy to cry for the life you lost, for the years of pain, for the woman you used to be before Jonathan destroyed her.

“I don’t understand,” you gasp, your voice breaking. “How … how did this happen?”

The doctor sighs, his face etched with regret. “It was a car accident. The paramedics did everything they could, but he passed away before he reached the hospital.”

You let out a soft, broken cry, your shoulders trembling as the grief pours out of you. You don’t have to fake that part. The relief feels like grief in a way, like a release of something you’ve been holding onto for far too long.

Max leans in, his hand on your back again, his voice low and soothing. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here. I’ve got you.”

The doctor stands, giving you a moment to compose yourself. “We’ll need you to come with us to identify the body, Mrs. Harper,” he says gently.

You nod, wiping at your tear-streaked cheeks. “I … I can do that.”

The doctor gives you a small, understanding nod and turns to lead the way down the sterile white corridor. Max stays close by your side, his hand never leaving your back. As you walk, you focus on your breathing, on keeping the tears flowing just enough to sell the part.

You feel Max lean in slightly, his voice barely more than a whisper. “You’re doing great. Just a little longer.”

You nod, sniffling as you walk, the weight of the situation pressing down on you. You’re not just playing the part of a grieving widow — you’re erasing the evidence, erasing the truth. You’re erasing Jonathan Harper from your life, once and for all.

When you reach the morgue, the doctor stops in front of a pair of heavy metal doors. He pauses, turning to you with that same sympathetic expression. “Are you ready?”

No. You’re not ready. You’ll never be ready for this. But you nod anyway, because what else can you do?

Max squeezes your shoulder, his voice low and steady. “You’ve got this.”

The doctor opens the door, and the cold air hits you like a wave. The room is dimly lit, the fluorescent lights flickering slightly as the doctor leads you toward a covered body on a steel table. You feel your heart hammering in your chest, your pulse loud in your ears as you take each step.

This is it. The final act.

The doctor gently pulls back the sheet, revealing Jonathan’s pale, lifeless face. His features are slack, his skin bruised and bloodied from the accident. For a moment, you can’t breathe. The sight of him — so still, so powerless — it’s like seeing a ghost. The man who held so much control over your life now lies broken in front of you.

You force a sob, your hand flying to your mouth as you step back, tears streaming down your face. “Oh God … Jonathan …”

The doctor watches you, his eyes full of pity, but he says nothing. He doesn’t need to. You’ve done your job. You’ve played your part.

Max steps in, wrapping an arm around you and pulling you close as you turn away from the body. “Come on,” he murmurs. “Let’s get out of here.”

You nod, still crying, still playing the part.

***

The car ride back is heavy with silence, the hum of the engine filling the void between you and Max. You stare out the window, watching the city blur by in shades of gray, your mind still reeling from the night’s events. Jonathan is dead. The words feel surreal in your head, like a distant truth you’re not quite ready to touch.

Max drives with one hand on the steering wheel, his other resting on his lap, fingers tapping lightly as though he’s thinking. His face is calm, focused, but there’s something different in the air now — an ease in his posture that wasn’t there before. He’s done what he set out to do. Jonathan is gone, and now it’s just a matter of cleaning up the aftermath.

After what feels like an eternity, Max breaks the silence, his voice smooth but carrying an undercurrent of something darker. “I had someone look into Jonathan’s will.”

Your gaze snaps to him, your heart skipping a beat. The words rattle in your brain, bringing with them a new layer of uncertainty. “What do you mean?”

Max glances at you briefly, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the dashboard. “Jonathan never updated it. He didn’t add you.”

The breath you’ve been holding releases in a sharp exhale, anxiety knotting in your stomach. Of course he didn’t. Of course, even in death, Jonathan would find a way to hurt you. You sink back into the seat, your head leaning against the cold window. “So … what does that mean? I don’t get anything?”

Max is quiet for a moment, but then his lips twitch into a faint smirk. “Not quite. The legal system will treat it like a case of forgetfulness. You were married, and he didn’t update his will, so you’ll still be the main beneficiary. It’s a loophole.”

You frown, trying to process his words. “Are you sure?”

He chuckles softly, his voice dripping with confidence. “I’m a lawyer, remember? Trust me. It won’t be a problem.”

You stare at him, your mind buzzing. Max always seems to have the answers, always one step ahead of everyone else. You’ve barely had time to think about what Jonathan’s death means for you — financially, legally, emotionally — but Max has already covered all the bases.

“It feels wrong,” you murmur, almost to yourself. “Like … taking his money after everything.”

Max raises an eyebrow, glancing at you with a look of mild amusement. “After everything he put you through, I’d say it’s more than fair. You deserve every cent.”

The bitterness in his tone is palpable, and for a moment, you see flashes of the man who took control of the situation with such ease. He doesn’t just see this as a legal matter, there’s something personal about it for him. Something about Jonathan’s abuse struck a nerve, and you realize again just how far Max is willing to go to protect you.

“But what if people start asking questions?” You ask, your voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t want anyone to think I-”

“Stop.” Max’s voice cuts through your spiraling thoughts, firm but not harsh. He reaches over, placing his hand on yours. The warmth of his touch calms you, steadying the racing thoughts in your mind. “No one is going to question anything. You were his wife. You’re entitled to everything. No one’s going to think twice.”

You stare at your intertwined hands, the weight of his assurance sinking in. Max always seems so certain, so sure of himself. He makes everything sound simple, even when it’s not. Even when you feel like you’re standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to fall.

“I don’t know,” you murmur. “It just feels so … complicated.”

Max squeezes your hand, his voice softening. “I know it does. But I’ll make sure it’s not. You won’t have to worry about any of this.”

His words are like a balm to your nerves, but there’s still a flicker of doubt gnawing at you. You’ve been living under Jonathan’s thumb for so long, every part of your life controlled by him, that the idea of having any freedom — especially financial freedom — feels foreign. You’re not used to having power, and the thought of inheriting everything Jonathan left behind feels like stepping into unfamiliar territory.

“What did he leave behind?” You ask after a moment, your voice quiet.

Max’s eyes flicker with something — an unreadable emotion — but his tone stays steady. “More than enough to ensure you’re taken care of. He wasn’t exactly a modest man.”

You nod, biting your lip as your mind runs through the possibilities. Jonathan was always secretive about his finances, never letting you see the full picture. But you knew he had money — more than enough to maintain the lavish lifestyle he forced you into, the one that felt like a cage. Now, that money is yours, and the thought leaves a strange taste in your mouth.

“I don’t want it to feel like … blood money,” you say quietly, the words slipping out before you can stop them.

Max’s grip tightens on your hand, his voice firm. “It’s not blood money. It’s justice. He took so much from you. Now, it’s time you take something back.”

You look at him, searching his face for any sign of doubt, but there’s none. Max’s conviction is unwavering, his belief in what he’s done — and what he’s doing — absolute. It’s both comforting and unsettling, this realization that Max sees the world in such clear-cut terms. Right and wrong. Justice and vengeance.

And somehow, you’ve fallen right into the center of it all.

As the city lights flicker by, you let out a soft sigh, resting your head against the seat. “I don’t know what to do with it all. The money. The house. Everything.”

Max’s eyes soften, his voice gentle. “You don’t have to decide right now. One step at a time. The most important thing is that you’re free.”

The word ‘free’ hangs in the air, and for a moment, it feels like a foreign concept. You’ve spent so long living in fear, tiptoeing around Jonathan’s moods, that the idea of being free — truly free — seems almost impossible.

“I wouldn’t even know where to start,” you admit, your voice small. “I’ve never been on my own before.”

Max is silent for a moment, then he reaches over, brushing a thumb across your knuckles. “You’re not on your own. You have me. You have Victoria.”

You nod, swallowing the lump in your throat. The truth is, you don’t feel alone. Not with Max sitting beside you, guiding you through every step of this mess. But the idea of relying on someone else again — especially after everything with Jonathan — it makes your stomach twist with uncertainty.

“Thank you,” you whisper, glancing at him from beneath your lashes. “For everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

Max’s lips curl into a soft smile, but there’s something deeper in his eyes — something you can’t quite place. “You don’t have to repay me. You’ve been through enough. Let me take care of this.”

The car slows as you approach Victoria’s house, the familiar sight of her front porch coming into view. Your heart clenches as you realize that this — this strange, messy situation — is your new reality. Jonathan is gone, and with him, the life you once knew.

Max pulls into the driveway and cuts the engine, the silence between you thick and charged. For a moment, neither of you moves. Then Max turns to you, his expression softer than before, his eyes searching yours.

“You’re going to be okay,” he says, his voice low and steady. “I promise.”

You nod, though you’re not entirely sure you believe it yet. But there’s something about the way Max says it — something about the certainty in his voice — that makes you want to believe.

As you reach for the door handle, Max’s hand brushes yours, stopping you for a moment. “And if you ever need anything — anything at all — you come to me. Understand?”

You look into his eyes, feeling a strange warmth spread through your chest. “I understand.”

With a final squeeze of your hand, Max lets you go, and you step out of the car, the cool night air hitting your skin. You walk up to Victoria’s front door, the weight of everything pressing down on you. But as you turn back to see Max watching you from the driver’s seat, you can’t help but feel a flicker of hope.

For the first time in a long time, you’re free. And maybe, just maybe, you’re strong enough to figure out what that means.

***

The restaurant is one of those upscale places with white tablecloths and a quiet hum of conversation, the kind of place that feels almost too polished for the three of you to have anything resembling a casual lunch. You sit across from Max, watching him, trying to get a read on him the way you’ve been doing ever since everything happened. It’s hard to tell with Max. He always seems so composed, like everything is part of a plan that only he knows.

Victoria, sitting next to you, has been doing most of the talking, catching Max up on the little things that have been going on — her job, mutual friends, things that feel oddly normal considering how not normal your life has been lately. You pick at your salad, your appetite still shaky after everything that’s happened.

“So,” Victoria says, after taking a sip of her wine. “What’s the plan with the house?”

The question catches you off guard, though you’ve been thinking about it non-stop. Jonathan’s house. The house you lived in with him. The house that still feels like it’s haunted by his presence, his cruelty, the fights that rattled through its walls. You look down at your plate, avoiding Max’s eyes.

“I don’t know,” you murmur. “I can’t … I can’t stay there.”

Victoria reaches over, placing a comforting hand on your arm. “Of course not. You shouldn’t even have to think about it. You’re still welcome to stay with me as long as you need. My home is always open for you.”

You glance up at her, gratitude warming your chest. Victoria has been nothing but supportive through all of this, offering you a safe place to land when everything felt like it was crumbling. But even though you’ve appreciated every second of her kindness, the truth is … you feel like a burden.

“I don’t want to impose,” you say softly. “I’ve already stayed longer than I should have.”

Victoria waves her hand dismissively. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not imposing at all.”

“I don’t know,” you continue, fidgeting with the napkin in your lap. “I just … I feel bad. It’s your space. I don’t want to be in your way.”

Before Victoria can respond, Max clears his throat, drawing both of your attention to him. He’s been quiet for most of the lunch, observing, listening. Now, he sets his fork down, leaning back in his chair with a thoughtful expression.

“You could move in with me,” he says, so casually that it takes a moment for his words to register.

Your head snaps toward him, eyes widening in disbelief. “What?”

Even Victoria looks taken aback, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Wait — what?”

Max shrugs, his expression calm, as if he hasn’t just dropped a bombshell on the table. “I’ve got plenty of space. The penthouse is way too big for just me anyway.”

Your brain scrambles to catch up with what he’s saying. Move in with him? Into his penthouse? You’re not sure how to respond, your mind immediately filling with reasons why that’s a bad idea.

“Max, I-I can’t just move in with you,” you stammer, feeling your cheeks heat up. “That’s … I mean, it’s your home. I don’t want to-”

“You wouldn’t be imposing,” Max cuts in smoothly, as if he’s already anticipated every one of your protests. “Like I said, it’s way too big for one person. You’d actually be doing me a favor.”

Victoria blinks, looking between the two of you, her surprise turning into a curious smirk. “I mean, it’s not the worst idea,” she says, clearly enjoying how flustered you’ve become. “Max does have that ridiculous apartment. It’s like living in a luxury hotel.”

You shake your head, still trying to wrap your mind around the suggestion. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t want to be dependent on anyone again, especially not after …”

Your voice trails off, but Max knows exactly what you’re thinking. He leans forward slightly, his gaze intent. “You wouldn’t be dependent on me. This isn’t about control, it’s about giving you a safe space to figure things out.”

His words hang in the air, their weight settling over you. Max always knows how to say the right thing, how to make it sound like everything is under control. And maybe it is, in his world. But in your world, everything still feels like it’s teetering on the edge of chaos.

“I don’t know …” you murmur, your fingers twisting the napkin in your lap.

Max reaches across the table, his hand resting on top of yours. His touch is firm, grounding. “I’m not asking you to decide right now. Just think about it. You don’t have to figure everything out at once.”

You glance at Victoria, hoping she’ll have some kind of advice, but she just grins, leaning back in her chair as if she’s thoroughly entertained by the entire conversation. “Honestly? I think it’s a good idea. You’d have more space to yourself, and you wouldn’t feel like you’re cramping my style.”

“I don’t feel like I’m cramping your style,” you mutter, giving her a playful glare.

She laughs, but there’s a softness in her eyes as she looks at you. “Look, you’ve been through hell, and I think the last thing you need right now is to worry about where you’re staying. Max is offering you a chance to take some of that stress off your plate. You should take it.”

You swallow hard, your gaze flicking back to Max. He’s watching you intently, waiting for your response. And while every instinct in you is screaming to refuse — to keep your independence, to not get too close — the truth is, you’re tired. Tired of fighting, tired of being afraid, tired of not knowing what’s going to happen next.

Max’s offer feels like a lifeline, and as much as you hate to admit it … you need one.

“I’ll think about it,” you say finally, your voice barely above a whisper.

Max nods, his expression softening. “That’s all I’m asking.”

The conversation shifts after that, Victoria taking over with a story about a disastrous date she had earlier in the week, but your mind stays stuck on Max’s offer. Move in with him? The idea feels foreign, like stepping into a life that’s not your own. But then again, everything about your life has felt foreign since Jonathan died.

Later, as the three of you finish your meals and the waiter clears the plates, Victoria leans over and whispers in your ear, her breath warm against your skin. “You should say yes.”

You glance at her, your eyes widening. “To what?”

“To moving in with Max,” she says, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. “I mean, come on. A penthouse? You’d be living the dream.”

You roll your eyes, though her words stir something in your chest. “It’s not about the penthouse.”

“Right,” she says with a knowing smirk. “It’s about Max.”

Your face heats up, and you quickly look away, hoping she doesn’t notice the flush creeping up your neck. But of course, Victoria notices everything.

“You like him, don’t you?” She teases, nudging you with her elbow.

You shoot her a glare, though it’s more out of embarrassment than anger. “It’s not like that.”

“Uh-huh,” she says, clearly not believing you for a second. “You don’t have to lie to me, you know.”

You groan, leaning your head back against the chair. “Can we not do this right now?”

Victoria laughs, but she doesn’t push it further. Instead, she just gives you a soft smile, the kind that says she knows exactly what’s going on, even if you’re not ready to admit it to yourself.

By the time lunch is over and the three of you are standing outside the restaurant, the sun warm on your skin, you still haven’t made up your mind. Max’s offer feels too good to be true, like stepping into a different world, a world where you don’t have to be afraid anymore.

But as Max pulls you into a quick hug, his strong arms wrapping around you for just a second too long, you start to wonder if maybe … maybe it’s not too good to be true.

Maybe it’s exactly what you need.

***

The late afternoon sun casts golden light over the city as you stand at the entrance of Max’s penthouse building, staring up at the sleek, glass structure. It still feels surreal. A part of you wonders how you got here — how your life has shifted so quickly from the nightmare of Jonathan to this strange, uncertain new chapter.

Max stands beside you, keys in hand, effortlessly calm like always. He glances over, his dark eyes warm. “Ready?”

You nod, gripping the handle of the box you're holding a little tighter, though your nerves buzz underneath your skin. “Yeah. Ready.”

The moving truck is parked a few feet away, filled with your belongings. You don’t have much, just some clothes, books, a few personal items, and the memories that you’ve tried to leave behind. Victoria offered to help today, but Max insisted that he could handle it. You’re still not sure how you feel about that — about Max doing so much for you — but you’ve stopped protesting. Every time you try, he brushes it off like it’s nothing.

Max leads you into the lobby, the doorman greeting him by name. You follow him into the elevator, clutching the box to your chest. The ride up is silent, save for the low hum of the elevator. When the doors open, Max steps out first, turning back to give you a reassuring smile.

“Let's get these up to the apartment,” he says, his voice steady, like moving you in is just another ordinary task for him.

You step out of the elevator and into his penthouse. The doors open into a sprawling, open-plan living room, framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a panoramic view of the city. The space is sleek, modern, but somehow still comfortable — just like Max himself.

He sets his box down and glances over at you. “We can start setting things in your room if you'd like. The spare bedroom is down the hall.”

You try to hide the way your breath catches in your throat as you nod. “Sure. Thanks.”

As you begin moving boxes from the truck to the penthouse, you find yourself increasingly distracted by Max. Every time he bends to lift a box, his muscles strain against the fabric of his shirt, the sinewy strength in his arms drawing your attention. His movements are fluid, effortless, as though this is nothing for him.

And it's not just that he’s strong — it's the ease with which he carries himself. There’s no posturing, no arrogance. He’s doing this because he wants to help, because he sees you struggling and wants to make things easier.

You try not to stare, but it’s impossible not to notice the way his shirt stretches tight across his broad shoulders or the way his biceps flex when he lifts heavier boxes with one hand, like they weigh nothing at all. He catches you glancing once or twice, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, but thankfully, he doesn’t say anything.

After a couple of trips back and forth from the truck, you’re standing in the living room, trying to decide where to start unpacking. Max steps beside you, brushing a bit of dust from his jeans, and glances around the space.

“Where do you want this stuff?” He asks, motioning to the remaining boxes.

“I guess I’ll start with the bedroom.” You bite your lip, glancing toward the hallway. “It’s not a lot, really. I don’t want to take up too much space.”

Max shakes his head. “You’re not taking up space. Like I said, this place is too big for one person. Besides,” his voice softens, “you deserve to feel comfortable. Make it yours.”

Something about the way he says that, like he genuinely cares, makes your heart skip a beat. You nod, feeling your throat tighten as you head down the hall with him. The spare bedroom is just as luxurious as the rest of the apartment, with floor-to-ceiling windows and more space than you’ve ever had in any room you’ve lived in.

Max sets the box down near the door, watching as you take in the room. “What do you think?”

“I don’t even know what to say,” you admit, shaking your head. “It’s … beautiful. It’s too much, Max.”

He steps closer, his presence warm and solid next to you. “It’s not too much. It’s exactly what you need. And besides, I want you here.”

You swallow, trying to process the weight of his words. He wants you here. Max has always been protective of you, ever since you met him through Victoria, but this is something else. It’s not just protection — it’s … something more. Something you can’t quite put your finger on yet.

As the day wears on and more boxes make their way into the penthouse, you start unpacking, trying to make sense of this new chapter. Max works alongside you, quietly helping without ever making you feel like you owe him anything. Every time you glance over at him, he’s there, steady and calm, grounding you in a way you never expected.

After a while, Max heads back to the truck to grab the last few items, leaving you in the apartment alone. You take a moment to breathe, running your fingers over the smooth surface of the kitchen counter. It still doesn’t feel real, being here, surrounded by luxury and safety. You’ve spent so long being afraid, walking on eggshells around Jonathan, that this feels almost … too easy. Too good.

Max’s voice calls out from the hallway as he returns, carrying the final box. “That’s the last of it.”

You nod, brushing a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “Thank you, Max. For everything.”

He sets the box down with a quiet thud, then turns to face you, his dark eyes steady. “You don’t have to thank me.”

“I do, though.” You cross your arms, feeling a mixture of gratitude and something else — something heavier. “I don’t even know how to start repaying you for all of this.”

Max steps closer, the air between you shifting, heavy with unspoken tension. He tilts his head slightly, a faint smirk on his lips, though his eyes are serious. “I’m not doing this because I expect anything in return.”

“I know,” you whisper, looking up at him. “But still.”

He reaches out, brushing his thumb across your cheek in a gesture so gentle it makes your chest ache. “You’ve been through enough, okay? You don’t owe me anything. All I want is for you to feel safe.”

The warmth of his touch lingers even after he pulls his hand away. You nod, though your throat feels tight, overwhelmed by the way he looks at you, like he actually means it. Like he’s the one person in your life who doesn’t expect you to give something back.

The two of you stand there for a moment, the weight of everything that’s happened settling between you. And for the first time in what feels like forever, you realize that maybe — just maybe — you’re finally safe.

Max’s phone buzzes, breaking the silence. He glances down at the screen, his expression shifting back to that calm, collected demeanor you’ve come to know. “I need to take this call. Are you okay unpacking the rest by yourself?”

“Yeah,” you say quickly, waving him off. “Go ahead. I’ve got this.”

He nods, already heading for the door. But before he leaves, he pauses, turning back to give you one last look.

“If you need anything,” he says, his voice low, “I’m here.”

You nod again, watching him leave, the sound of his footsteps echoing through the hallway as he disappears. Once he’s gone, you let out a long breath, sinking down onto the couch.

This is your life now. And somehow, despite everything, it doesn’t feel as scary as it used to.

***

The scent of simmering tomatoes and garlic fills the air as you stand in Max’s kitchen, stirring the pot of sauce slowly. The space around you feels both intimate and strangely unfamiliar, a far cry from the cold, silent kitchens of your past. Here, in Max’s penthouse, everything feels alive, warm.

Max leans against the counter beside you, watching the sauce bubble. He’s more relaxed than you’ve ever seen him, his sleeves rolled up and his tie long discarded. It’s a side of him you haven’t seen before — domestic, almost casual. You’re still getting used to it, the idea of Max being more than just the quiet force of nature who’s been protecting you. Here, in the soft glow of his kitchen lights, he seems … human.

“Are you sure it needs more basil?” Max asks, raising an eyebrow at the pile of fresh leaves you’ve already tossed into the pot.

“Trust me,” you say with a smile, turning the spoon in your hand. “It does.”

Max chuckles under his breath and takes the spoon from you, dipping it into the sauce for a taste. He blows on it gently, then takes a slow, thoughtful sip. His eyes narrow as he considers the flavor, the corners of his mouth twitching upward.

“Not bad,” he admits. “But I think you’re overestimating the power of basil.”

“Basil makes everything better,” you say playfully, nudging him with your elbow.

He smirks, setting the spoon down on the counter before leaning back against the cabinets, his arms folding across his chest. “We’ll see. I’ll let you have this one.”

You laugh softly, shaking your head as you go back to stirring the sauce. Max watches you quietly, his eyes lingering on you in a way that sends a strange warmth through your chest. You’ve been in his penthouse for a few days now, and things between you have settled into an easy routine. It’s nice — this strange sense of normalcy.

But every now and then, when you catch him looking at you like that, you’re reminded that there’s nothing entirely normal about this.

“So,” you start, trying to focus on the sauce instead of the way Max is watching you. “Do you cook often?”

Max shrugs, still leaning back lazily against the counter. “Not really. Usually, I have someone come in to do it, but … I don’t mind doing it myself sometimes.”

You nod, stirring the sauce in silence for a moment. There’s a calmness between you, a quiet comfort that has become a regular part of being around Max. But there’s also something else. Something unspoken.

“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” you say suddenly, surprising even yourself with the question.

Max tilts his head, watching you for a moment before a small smile creeps onto his lips. “You know, you ask a lot of questions.”

“I do,” you admit, meeting his gaze with a playful glint in your eyes. “And you never answer them.”

He chuckles, shaking his head slightly. “Alright. Let me think.”

There’s a pause as Max considers his answer. Then, after a moment, he leans in a little closer, his voice dropping just slightly.

“When I was in law school, I almost dropped out. My dad wanted me to be a lawyer, to have something legitimate on the side. But halfway through, I couldn’t stand it anymore.”

You raise an eyebrow, surprised by the honesty. “Really? But you stuck with it.”

“Yeah,” Max nods, his expression thoughtful. “I stayed because of Victoria. She said I was too stubborn to quit.”

You smile softly, stirring the sauce as you consider his words. There’s something oddly comforting about hearing that — even Max, the man who always seems so sure of himself, had his moments of doubt.

Before you can respond, Max reaches for the spoon again, dipping it into the sauce for another taste. This time, he doesn’t blow on it first, and the heat catches him off guard. He winces slightly, pulling the spoon away from his lips quickly.

“Too hot?” You ask with a grin, watching his reaction.

“Just a little,” he mutters, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. But as he does, a small streak of sauce remains on the corner of his lip, bright red against his skin.

You chuckle softly, pointing at his face. “You’ve got something right … there.”

Max pauses, his hand hovering near his mouth as he tries to find the spot. But before he can clean it off, something inside you stirs — a sudden impulse you don’t fully understand. Without thinking, you take a step closer, reaching out to him.

His eyes meet yours as you lean in, your heart pounding in your chest. The space between you shrinks, and before you can second-guess yourself, your lips brush against the corner of his mouth, tasting the faint hint of tomato and basil.

The moment is quick, fleeting, but the electricity in the air lingers long after you pull away.

Max freezes, his dark eyes locked on yours, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, neither of you speaks. The kitchen is quiet except for the low simmer of the sauce on the stove.

You swallow hard, suddenly unsure of what you’ve just done. “I — sorry. You had … some sauce.”

Max blinks, his gaze softening as the corner of his mouth lifts into a small, almost amused smile. “I noticed.”

Your heart races as the weight of the moment hangs between you, and you wonder if you’ve crossed a line. But then Max steps closer, his presence warm and steady, his voice low.

“You didn’t have to do that,” he says softly, his eyes searching yours.

“I … I know,” you murmur, your breath catching in your throat as he inches even closer. “But I wanted to.”

For a moment, Max just looks at you, the intensity of his gaze sending a shiver down your spine. And then, slowly, he reaches up, his fingers brushing lightly against your cheek.

“You know,” he murmurs, his voice barely above a whisper, “you’re full of surprises.”

You let out a breathless laugh, your skin tingling under his touch. “Is that a bad thing?”

His thumb grazes your cheekbone, his touch gentle but firm. “No,” he says quietly, his eyes never leaving yours. “Not at all.”

The tension between you crackles in the air, thick and charged, and for a moment, it feels like the whole world has narrowed down to just the two of you standing in the kitchen, the smell of tomato sauce and garlic surrounding you like a haze.

Max’s hand lingers on your face for just a second longer before he pulls away, clearing his throat and stepping back. The distance between you returns, but the weight of what just happened still hangs in the air, unspoken.

“I should, uh …” He glances at the pot, his voice a little hoarse. “We should finish dinner.”

“Yeah,” you agree quickly, trying to ignore the way your heart is still racing in your chest. “Dinner.”

Max turns back to the stove, grabbing the spoon and stirring the sauce again as though nothing happened. But you can’t shake the feeling that something did happen — that something between you shifted in that moment, even if neither of you is ready to acknowledge it yet.

As you move around the kitchen together, preparing the rest of the meal, the atmosphere is lighter, but there’s an undeniable tension simmering beneath the surface — something neither of you can ignore, no matter how hard you try. Every time your hands brush, every time your eyes meet, it’s there, lingering just out of reach.

And though neither of you says it out loud, you both know that whatever this is between you … it’s far from over.

***

The clink of dishes fills the kitchen, a peaceful rhythm as you and Max stand side by side at the sink. The scent of the meal you cooked together still lingers in the air — garlic, basil, and rich tomato sauce — its warmth a comforting backdrop to the easy silence that has settled between you.

You rinse the plates, passing them to Max, who dries them with a towel and places them in neat stacks. It’s strange how domestic this feels, how normal. After everything that’s happened, after all the chaos and tension, this moment feels almost surreal in its simplicity. The steam from the hot water rises, blurring the edges of your thoughts as you hand him the next plate.

There’s a calm between you, but also something unspoken. A simmering energy that’s been lingering ever since that brief, impulsive kiss earlier. Every time your hands brush, every glance you exchange — it’s there, lingering in the air like a spark waiting to catch.

You try to focus on the task in front of you, scrubbing a stubborn spot on a plate with a sponge, but your thoughts keep drifting back to the way Max’s lips felt when they grazed yours. The way his eyes darkened when he looked at you afterward. And how, even though neither of you has mentioned it since, you know he hasn’t forgotten either.

Lost in your thoughts, you absentmindedly squeeze the bottle of soap a little too hard, and a burst of bubbles shoots out, landing on Max’s arm. You blink, startled, then burst into laughter as you see the suds clinging to his sleeve.

“Whoops,” you say, biting back more laughter as Max looks down at his arm, then back at you with raised eyebrows.

“Whoops?” He repeats, his tone dry but with a playful glint in his eyes. “You did that on purpose.”

You shake your head, still giggling. “I swear I didn’t! You just-”

Before you can finish your sentence, Max reaches out, swiping a finger through the bubbles on his arm and flicking them back at you. You gasp as the soapy foam splashes your face, catching you completely off guard.

“Max!” You protest, laughing even harder now as you wipe the bubbles from your cheek. “That was not fair!”

Max smirks, leaning casually against the counter with the towel still in his hand. “Payback.”

You narrow your eyes playfully, but you can’t stop the smile from tugging at your lips. The tension that’s been simmering all night seems to dissolve in the laughter, replaced by something light and easy. For a moment, it feels like you’ve stepped into a different reality — one where the two of you can just be like this. Normal. Happy.

But then, as the laughter fades, the silence between you shifts again, the air thickening with something else. Something heavier.

Max is watching you, his eyes dark and intense, the playful smirk fading into something far more serious. His gaze lingers on your face, tracing the curve of your lips, the way your chest rises and falls as your breath quickens.

The mood changes so fast it almost knocks the air from your lungs. One second, you’re laughing, and the next, the tension between you is back, sharper and more urgent than before.

You can feel it — the pull between you. It’s like a magnetic force, drawing you closer together, even though neither of you has moved. The bubbles, the dishes, everything else fades into the background as Max takes a slow step toward you, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Max …” you murmur, your voice barely above a whisper. But you don’t know what else to say. You don’t know what this is, this charged energy building between you, but it’s impossible to ignore.

Max takes another step, closing the distance between you, his hand still holding the towel loosely at his side. His eyes are locked on yours, and for a moment, it feels like the entire world has narrowed down to just the two of you. Just this moment.

You’re not sure who moves first. Maybe it’s both of you at once. But suddenly, Max’s hand is on your waist, pulling you toward him, and his lips crash into yours.

The kiss is hard, almost desperate, like all the tension that’s been building between you has finally snapped. His other hand comes up to cup the back of your neck, his fingers tangling in your hair as he deepens the kiss, pressing you back against the counter.

You gasp against his lips, your hands instinctively grabbing at his shirt, pulling him closer. The cool surface of the cabinets presses into your back, but you hardly notice it. All you can focus on is Max — on the heat of his body against yours, the way his lips move with a hunger that makes your knees go weak.

For a split second, you can’t think. Can’t breathe. All you know is that you want more — need more. Max’s kiss is consuming, overwhelming, and you find yourself lost in it, lost in him.

His hand tightens on your waist, his thumb brushing against the bare skin just under the hem of your shirt. The sensation sends a shiver down your spine, and you let out a soft, involuntary moan against his lips.

That sound seems to snap something in Max. He breaks the kiss suddenly, pulling back just enough to look at you, his breathing ragged. His eyes are wild, dark with an emotion you can’t quite name.

“Are you sure about this?” He asks, his voice rough, low. His thumb still strokes your skin, a gentle reminder of the fire burning between you.

You nod, your heart racing. You can barely find your voice, but when you do, it’s filled with certainty. “Yes.”

That’s all it takes.

Max crashes his lips against yours again, harder this time, more intense. His hand slips under your shirt, fingers tracing the curve of your waist as he presses you further into the cabinets. The towel he was holding drops to the floor, forgotten, as both of his hands find their way to your body.

You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer, needing to feel every inch of him against you. His kiss is rough, insistent, and you can feel the barely restrained desire in the way his hands roam your body, the way his mouth claims yours like he can’t get enough.

The kiss deepens, growing more heated by the second, and you lose yourself in the sensation of it all — the taste of him, the feel of his hands on you, the way his body fits so perfectly against yours. It’s like nothing else matters in this moment, like the world outside this kitchen doesn’t even exist.

And then, just as suddenly as it started, Max pulls away again, his breath coming in harsh gasps. He rests his forehead against yours, his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he tries to catch his breath.

You’re both silent for a moment, the only sound in the kitchen the quiet hum of the refrigerator and the rapid beating of your hearts. Max’s hands are still on your waist, his grip firm but gentle, as if he’s afraid to let go.

When he finally opens his eyes, they’re softer now, the wild intensity from earlier replaced by something deeper. Something more vulnerable.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper.

You smile, your heart swelling at his words. “Me too.”

He leans in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to your lips — this one slower, more tender, like he’s savoring the moment. When he pulls back, there’s a small smile on his face, and you can’t help but smile back.

There’s a calm between you now, a quiet understanding. Whatever this is between you, it’s real. It’s undeniable. And as you stand there, wrapped in Max’s arms, you know that things between you will never be the same again.

***

“Is that …” One of the men, Gregory, squints toward the entrance of the exclusive restaurant, pausing in the middle of a flirtatious exchange with the hostess. His words trail off, confusion clouding his features.

“What?” Brian, the stockier of the group, follows his gaze, annoyed that Gregory stopped mid-conversation. “What’s up, man?”

Gregory gestures with a tilt of his chin toward the door, where a woman has just stepped in. The place is dimly lit, but something about her seems familiar, though they can't quite place her.

“Do I know her from somewhere?” Gregory mutters, his brow furrowed as he leans back in his chair. The hostess, sensing their distraction, uses the opportunity to walk away, leaving them with menus but no promises of a table anytime soon.

Brian cranes his neck to get a better look. “Wait … yeah, she looks familiar.” His eyes narrow, trying to make out her face in the low light as she stands by the coat check with a man. The guy is tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in an expensive-looking suit. He’s effortlessly helping her out of her coat, revealing a very obvious baby bump underneath her fitted dress.

“That can’t be …” Gregory’s voice drops, his eyes widening. He leans forward abruptly, his voice incredulous now. “No way. It can’t be her.”

Brian is staring hard now too, the realization dawning on him slowly. “Holy shit. Is that …”

“It’s Y/N,” Gregory finishes, his tone a mix of disbelief and amazement. “No fucking way.”

Both men stare openly now, their jaws slack. This can’t be the same Y/N they remember. The meek, quiet wife of their old friend, Jonathan Harper. The one who always seemed so timid, always a little on edge, looking small beside Jonathan's larger-than-life personality.

“Didn’t she …” Brian begins, but the sentence dies in his throat as you turns, facing their direction for a brief second. There’s no mistaking it now. It’s definitely you.

“But she looks …” Gregory is still fumbling for words. Different is an understatement. The woman they remember had been quiet, always fading into the background whenever Jonathan had his friends over. The Y/N they’re looking at now is glowing, confident, carrying yourself in a way they’ve never seen before.

“Jesus, man,” Brian mutters under his breath, eyes still locked on her. “She’s pregnant.”

Gregory snorts, shaking his head in disbelief. “And with someone else? This quick after Jonathan? What the hell?”

Brian leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest, his tone taking on a gossipy edge. “Guess the widow moved on real fast, huh?”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.” Gregory's expression darkens. “She sure doesn’t look like she's grieving anymore.”

The two of them exchange knowing looks, already jumping to conclusions. In their minds, the version of Y/N they remember wouldn’t have been able to survive without Jonathan — without a man to take care of her. But here you are, very much alive, very much pregnant, and very much with someone else.

Brian’s eyes flicker back to your new partner. “Who the hell is the guy?”

“Beats me.” Gregory leans forward, intrigued. The man looks polished, strong, and carries himself like he’s someone important. He’s not standing too close, but his body language is protective, subtle but noticeable. He’s keeping an eye on you, as if ready to act if needed.

Gregory turns back to Brian, his voice lowering conspiratorially. “Should we go say something?”

Brian looks at him, eyes gleaming with the kind of self-satisfied anticipation of someone about to stir trouble. “Hell yeah, we should.”

They exchange smirks, feeling a sudden surge of superiority. After all, you had been part of their circle by extension of Jonathan. You were Jonathan’s wife — emphasis on were — and to them, this move you pulled, getting knocked up by someone else and flaunting it in public, doesn’t sit right.

“Let’s see what she has to say for herself,” Gregory mutters, already starting to rise from his seat.

But as the two men stand up, ready to saunter over, something makes them pause.

The man at your side reaches up to adjust his suit jacket, and as he does, the fabric pulls back just enough to reveal something. Tucked into a holster at his side is a sleek, black gun, the metal gleaming subtly under the restaurant's dim lights.

Gregory stops mid-step, eyes widening. “Holy shit.”

Brian notices it at the same time. The two exchange glances, the smugness draining from their faces, replaced with a mix of uncertainty and alarm.

“Did you see that?” Brian hisses, his voice dropping several octaves.

Gregory nods, frozen in place, his gaze locked on the gun. He looks back at you, now laughing softly as the man beside you places a protective hand on the small of your back. You have no idea they’re watching you, no idea they were even thinking about approaching you. But your partner? He’s fully aware.

Max turns his head just enough to catch their eyes, and though he doesn’t say a word, his message is clear. The slight smirk playing at the corner of his mouth says everything. Don’t even think about it.

Brian swallows hard. “Who the hell is this guy?”

Gregory shakes his head, suddenly regretting the entire idea. “I don’t know, but I’m not sticking around to find out.”

They both sit back down, their bravado evaporating as quickly as it had come. They exchange another uneasy glance, neither of them willing to admit they’ve just been scared off by a single look, but both fully aware that they want nothing to do with whatever’s going on here.

“Maybe she’s not our business anymore,” Brian mutters, grabbing his glass of whiskey and taking a long, deliberate sip.

Gregory nods, his eyes flickering back to you one last time. You’re completely engrossed in your conversation with the man, your hand resting on your belly as you smile softly up at him. Whoever this guy is, he’s clearly important to you. And as much as they hate to admit it, you don’t look like the fragile, breakable woman they remember.

In fact, you look happier than you ever did when you were with Jonathan.

“Yeah,” Gregory agrees, his voice subdued. “Maybe she never was.”

The two men settle back into their seats, the waitress bringing over a basket of bread and menus they’d long since forgotten about. They exchange a few more words, but the energy has shifted. The gossip that once seemed so juicy has lost its appeal.

As they half-heartedly resume their conversation, their eyes drift back to you and Max every so often. They can’t help it. There’s something captivating about the way you hold herself now — something different from the woman they once knew.

Brian, ever the more curious of the two, finally leans back in his chair and lets out a low whistle. “She really moved on, huh?”

Gregory shrugs, pushing his bread around on the plate in front of him. “Guess so.”

But as the night wears on, neither of them can shake the image of you and your new life. The woman who was once a shadow in the background of their lives is now someone they barely recognize. And for the first time, they realize that maybe — just maybe — they never really knew you at all.

Across the room, you and Max remain unaware of their scrutiny, wrapped in your own world, where the past no longer has a hold on either of you.

[rafelandia]

In the Middle of the Night (Rafe Cameron x fem!reader)

Word Count: 2.4k

Warnings: smut, little bit of cum play, unprotected sex

Summary: Rafe can't sleep. Luckily, the antidote to his ailment is laying in bed right next to him.

Author's Note: I can't stop thinking about Rafe waking Y/N up in the middle of the night for sex. I am addicted to the trope of Rafe being an asshole to everyone except his girl, but this is more of a soft!Rafe moment than anything. If you enjoy, please give a like or reblog. And any requests for blurbs/one shots/etc. are always welcome in my inbox!

Before Y/N came along, there were many ways in which Rafe would conquer the restlessness that crept up on him in the middle of the night. He would go for a run on the beach with nothing but the moonlight to guide him, hunker down in his home office and crunch numbers, read a few chapters in his current favorite non-fiction. There were dozens of outlets Rafe had conditioned himself to do when he just couldn’t fall asleep despite knowing that he should. He was older now and staying up all night like he would as a teenager just wasn’t good for him in any capacity anymore.

All of these outlets, but they suddenly went out of the window when he met Y/N. She was unlike any other woman he had ever been with or even met before, but he supposed that’s how it always was when you were in love with someone. He swore he could stare at her features for forever, that she was more intoxicating than any substance or drink. But looking at her in the glimmering moonlight that shone through the cracked shades was not what put him to bed whenever that frustrating feeling of not being able to close his eyes came insidiously creeping into his head.

There was something about the way her hair was mussed about her head like a halo around her pillow, or maybe it was the way that she was sleeping on her stomach so that the swell of her breast peaked through the comforter. Either way, Rafe couldn’t help but feel his boxers growing tighter the longer he traced his eyes over the shape of her sleeping body next to his.

He slid his body over towards her, turning her and wrapping his arms around her body so that his front was flush with her backside. Warmth radiated from her sleeping form and his hands found their way to her breasts. Rafe began gently kneading them in aim to draw her from her slumber, but the most he got out of her was a shift in her bum on the mattress. A low rumble escaped from his chest at the way she unknowingly ground herself against his cock.

His next attempt was to go for her neck. Rafe always teased her for being so sensitive there but at the same time, there was nothing more that he loved than feeling her turn to putty in his hands when his lips roamed about the column of her throat. He started nipping at her skin with his plush, pink lips, just barely meeting his skin with hers. Goosebumps raised in response to his touch as his kisses grew sloppier. It was when he’d hit her sweet spot with his tongue that he heard the sound he’d been searching for. Rafe swears he’s never heard anything more heavenly in his entire life, that soft, half-moan half-groan that fell from her parted lips. It brought his neediness to the forefront.

“Baby,” Rafe grumbled against the crook of her neck, tickling her with his outgrown stubble.

Amidst her hazy state she was able to hum back at him, though it sounded once more like a broken moan.

“Need you to wake up,” he hoarsely whispered as he began working himself against her backside, slowly but surely rutting his hips into the skin of her bum to ease some of the tension that had built up in his cock.

He couldn’t see the way the corners of her lips turned up knowingly. She was no stranger to this Rafe, the Rafe that woke her in the middle of the night with an itch that he just couldn’t seem to scratch. It was almost comical to her, the way that he’d do just about everything in the book besides coming right out and telling her that he was in the mood. Sometimes, she’d tease him and pretend to be asleep longer than she actually was before turning over and giving him what he wanted, but not tonight. Unbeknownst to Rafe, he had stirred her from quite the dream, so there was no need to dance around the ledge this time.

With a sigh, she resituated herself in the bed, turning in Rafe's arms so that their faces sat mere inches from each other.

“Hi,” she sang through her sleep-ridden voice.

“Hi,” Rafe repeated back to her in the same groggy tone. "Can't sleep?" she asked, a tinge of playfulness in her voice.

He gave no response - just a lazy smirk in return. Even in the darkness, Y/N noticed a flush rising up his neck and cheeks. He'd been caught.

“Need some help?” she quirked her brow and gestured downwards to the tent in his boxers.

“Maybe,” he answered with a sleepy chuckle.

She knocked him on his back so that she was straddling his waist and sitting on his now painfully hard cock; the feathered duvet now pooled at their knees. Rafe hissed at the commotion, but the feeling soon turned to bliss when her hands snuck into the waistband of his boxers and she took his length in her fingers. It felt heavy in her grip as she smeared the silky beads of precum along his tip, coating him in preparation to make home within her tight, warm walls.

“I was dreamin’ about you,” she spoke lowly as she gently twisted her wrist around his cock, reveling in the way Rafe's brows were furrowing together in response to her touch.

“Yeah?” he jested.

“Mhmm,” she hummed, “We were kinda like how we are now. But this is much better,” she finished with a tantilizing pump of her hand.

Rafe's hips jutted into her fist, wanting more than just her teasing touches. It almost made her laugh aloud, how needy he could be in the middle of the night like this. She wanted him just as much, only due to her still-drowsy state, she was able to control it.

She leaned down and laid her body flush with Rafe's as she kissed him for the first time since he’d woke her. They tasted of the remnants of their minty toothpaste and mostly of morning breath, but that was the furthest thing from their minds. Rafe held her close to him as his tongue slipped between her lips, aching to get her going as quickly as he could. His arms slid under the ratty Kildare High School t-shirt of his that she slept in so he could lift it off of her frame, breaking the kiss for only a fraction of a second before they were intertwined again.

Once her chest was free of clothing, Rafe ran his hands along the sides of her breasts and spine, chilling her skin with his cold hands. He ducked his head down to kiss the center of her chest and then outwards to her wrap his plump lips around her erect nipples. Those velvety, smooth sighs of hers turned into the moans that Rafe adored oh-so dearly. Y/N began to feel the wetness from her core pool at the front of her panties. One of her hands cradled his neck, snugly but not tightly as she kissed him, but she was able to move the other down to grip his cock in her digits once more.

“Y/N," Rafe pleaded, his hazy, hungry eyes peering up at her. He needed her to do something, anything before he lost his whits.

She locked eyes with Rafe as she sank down slowly, splitting herself on top of him. Rafe always swore that the way the wrinkle between her brows reared itself and her lips parted just slightly when she first felt his cock first enter her was by far his favorite face of hers. Well, his second favorite, apart from the face she made when she came, he supposed. He gripped onto her hips tightly as she lowered herself fully onto him, exhaling a sigh of relief when she made it all of the way down to the base of his cock.

They soon found their rhythm, Y/n bouncing and rolling her hips against his while they chased their highs. Her early morning sensitivity caused her to melt in Rafe's arms with the way his tip was able to brush against all of the sweetest spots that made her eyes roll back into her head and a shiver run down her spine.

All that was heard in the otherwise silent room were sounds of wet skin meeting harshly each time she pushed herself back onto Rafe. Their lips chased each other in between thrusts, eager to be as close to each other as they possibly could. Sweat pooled in the dip of her back and in the grooves of Rafe's toned stomach, the two of them yearning to reach their ends.

Y/n's bouncing soon turned to lazy, barely motivated rocking as she found herself almost physically unable to continue. The tendons in her thighs were screaming for relief and the heat that surrounded her made her feel like she was trapped in a sauna. She could feel herself right there, right on the brink of getting to where she needed to be, but she was growing frustrated that she wouldn't be able to get them both there on her own.

“Rafe,” Y/N whined as she gripped both of Rafe's shoulders tightly, knuckles growing white from the hold she had on them.

He sensed her weariness, but he was waiting to see how long it would take her to beg for him to take control of the two of them.

She raised her eyes from being buried in Rafe's neck to look at him.

“Please,” she moaned.

“I've got you, baby,” he huffed, barely able to spit the words out between each manual breath.

With one fluid motion, he had her flipped over onto her back and plunged back into her soaking cunt once more. Y/N cried out at the new angle of Rafe on top of her, watching his dainty, silver chain dangle inches away from her face.

“Gonna make me cum if you keep looking at me like that," Rafe muttered into her ear as he mouthed against her neck, “You gonna cum for me first though. Right angel?”

He continued to drill his cock into her heat, each time brushing against the spongey part of her walls that made her thighs shake and reflexively want to close. Rafe caught wind of her trembling and forced her legs open with one of his strong, veiny hands, pressing it even deeper into her chest with his other arm pressed deep into the mattress to balance his body on top of hers. Their stomachs brushed against each other with every thrust, only adding to the overwhelming sensations that they were both feeling.

“Your pussy's so perfect. Like it was made for me," Rafe moaned. "Gonna fuck you like this every night for the rest of my life."

His words of encouragement took her right back to where she was before, right at the brink of breaking. Her moans went up an octave and Rafe could tell by the way she had started to clench around him that she wasn’t going to last much longer. He knew for certain that with the way that her cunt was so expertly gripping his cock that he wasn’t that far behind her.

"Need you to cum, baby. Need to feel it," Rafe was nearing his breaking point, but knew he couldn't be satisfied without feeling her clench around him first.

Unable to speak due to the way he was pounding into her, Y/N gripped Rafe's shoulders even harder than he was fucking her in response. This made Rafe cockily smile and only pushed him to fuck her more fervently and deeper. His hips would certainly leave light purple bruises on hers come morning.

Her release sprung on her quickly, her walls spasming around Rafe's thick, pulsing cock. Y/N let out a sound akin to a high-pitched whine blended perfectly with a scream - it was so beautiful to him. Her orgasm came so suddenly that it caught Rafe off guard as well; he had but mere moments before he found himself filling her up with his warm, milky seed. It was so sudden and intense that it seeped out from around his cock and onto the plush, silky sheets.

They rode it out together, Rafe pumping into her slower and sloppier than just minutes before. Y/N was becoming overwhelmed with the sensation and he was quick to pick up on it. Rafe pulled out slowly, watching Y/N wince as her now-swollen heat contracted around nothing but emptiness. He ran his fingers along her pussy, collecting her wetness and his cum on his digits before gently pressing the mixture back into her core. She hissed at the feeling of him inside of her again and it made Rafe's dick twitch. He could easily go again, but he knew that she couldn't. It was intoxicating to watch her squirm. Next time he thought to himself. He loved to drive her crazy.

They both laid there, Rafe resting his full weight on top of her while they listened to the sound of each other’s heartbeats return back to their resting rate. She twiddled with the clasp of Rafe's chain while he pecked soft kisses on her sweat-slick breast with his lips.

"I love you," Y/N sighed, her eyes beginning to close as she teetered the line of consciousness.

"I love you, too," Rafe was just as exhausted as she was. Finally.

When they regained their bearings, Rafe reached across the bed for the shirt he’d pulled off of her body. With caring hands, he cleaned the two of them, tossing the soiled garment somewhere off into the floor to be dealt with in the morning.

“Thank you,” Rafe mumbled into her skin as he crawled back into the covers with her and pulled her into his arms once more.

“Anytime,” she laughed, still somewhat out of breath.

“But will you please go to sleep now? You have a presentation in the morning and you only wake me up to fuck when you can’t sleep so I’m assuming you’ve been awake this whole time,” she sounded like a parent talking to Rafe, which while he would never admit, he adored.

She felt Rafe's laugh reverberate off her chest and shake her body, to which he then promised her he’d be good and go to bed.

Rafe could go on midnight runs and read as much as he could, but nothing could put him to sleep as easily as this.

[puckinghischier]

quinn fucking ur face to shut u up after the game

WHATTTTTTT

“yeah? got something to say now, huh?” quinn spits down at you, watching his cock slide in and out of your mouth through the swell and deflation of your cheeks.

you tried to respond, but all that came out was a strangled gargle, the sensation of your throat closing around his tip only spurring him on further.

“knew i was gonna have to find some way to shut you up as soon as i walked in the door. so many questions, so many opinions on the game tonight,” he grunts, gripping the back of your head and pushing it forward to meet his thrusts. “think this is a much better use of your mouth, personally. you agree, pretty girl?”

your wide, tear rimmed eyes look up at him. he watched the moisture stream down your already stained cheeks, bringing a thumb up to wipe the drops away. you try to nod, but his firm grip on your head stops you. he notices the slight movement of your fingers between your legs, shocked to see the drip of your arousal onto the floor beneath you as your fingers toy with your swollen clit. you were wearing one of his t-shirts with nothing on underneath, he assumed a surprise for him when he returned home from the disaster of a game.

he cocks an eyebrow, bringing his gaze back to your face. “you like this, huh? like me filling your mouth so full you can’t get a word out otherwise?” his thrusts get sloppier, harsher.

you whine around him, trying to keep your breath steady and even. his words cause your fingers to circle faster against yourself, thinking about how inadequate they are in comparison to his thick digits.

“well, as much as i love to see you get off to me fucking your throat raw, i never said you could touch yourself, did i?” he tsks, watching your eyes widen even more, your hand never leaving your cunt.

you sputter and struggle to convey your apology. the vibrations mixed with the constriction around his cock while you gag slightly has him shooting his release down your throat, no warning other than a sharp tug of your hair.

you lap up every drop he has to offer you, whining at the feel of your now empty mouth as he pulls back, drool mixed with his come dripping from your open mouth.

“quinn, m’sorry, was just so wet, needed something. i-“

“shhh, never said you could talk yet, did i?” quinn interrupts your hoarse plea while caressing your swollen lips with his thumb. he watches your mouth snap shut, both hands now resting on your bare thighs. he bends down to be eye level with you, reaching a hand out to collect some of your juice on his fingers, teasing you with a quick circle of your clit.

you shudder, a strangled moan leaving your spent throat as he smirks at you, not realizing how sensitive you were. “please,” you beg him, trying to rock yourself back and forth across his fingers.

he jerks his hand back, looking at the sticky coating on his fingers. “oh, sweet girl, you really did enjoy that didn’t you?” he brings his fingers to his mouth, cleaning your sweet taste off of them with a moan of delight. “god, you taste so good. swear, there’s nothing better than your flavor.”

your chest fills with hope, hope that since he’s had a taste he’ll want more. and more and more and more.

that hope is deflated, though, when he stands, towering above you once again.

“too bad you broke the rules, and i can’t have my favorite treat after such a bad game. cruel of you, really,” is all he tells you, trailing a finger down your still wet cheeks before he turns and walks away from you.

[rottenfyre]

⸻ ʟ ᴏ ᴠ ᴇ ᴍ ᴇ ⸻

Pairing: Dark Aegon I Targaryen x Fem Reader

Summary: Aegon spends his life desperately trying to win the love of his sister. And yet he's never enough.

Warning: Non-Con (rape), targcest, physical violence, murder, obsessive and delusional behavior, child loss/grief.

Notes: English is not my first language. Art belong to Denis Maznev. Hope you enjoy!

She was always there.

From his earliest memories, her face is etched in his mind like a cold, pale moon. She never smiled, never laughed. Never cried. Just looked. Always watching, always silent. Even as children, while Rhaenys played with him, she was a shadow in the background. A constant presence that gnawed at him, her cold eyes watching him with that empty gaze. It was as if nothing could move her, nothing could please her. But he tried. Gods, how he tried.

He was barely seven, still small but proud of the sword his father had given him. He had trained for hours, his arms aching, his legs sore, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to show her. He wanted her to see him—really see him—for once.

He had run to her, his little chest puffed out with pride, holding his wooden practice sword like it was Blackfyre itself. "Look! Look what I can do!" he had said, his voice bright with excitement. He swung the sword in wide arcs, spinning and thrusting as best as his small body could manage. "Did you see that? I’m going to be a great warrior! You’ll see!"

But she just stood there. Watching. Her face expressionless, her eyes cold, as if she hadn’t seen anything at all. She didn’t say a word. She didn’t even blink. It was like he wasn’t there, like his efforts were meaningless.

He had felt something tighten in his chest then, a feeling he didn’t understand. A hollow ache that made his hands shake as he gripped the sword tighter. He tried again, swinging harder, faster. "Are you watching?!" he had shouted, frustration leaking into his voice.

But she didn’t move. Didn’t smile. Didn’t say anything.

She never did.

And that’s how it always was. Every time he tried, every time he showed her something—his victories in the yard, his skills in battle—she just watched. Her cold eyes always on him but never giving him what he craved. Never giving him anything.

But then, that day came. The day that broke something inside him.

He remembers the sound first. The sound of her laughing. It was so foreign, so unexpected that he almost didn’t believe it at first. He had stopped in his tracks, heart racing, the sound of her laughter echoing in his ears like the sweetest music he’d ever heard. For a moment, just a moment, he thought it was meant for him. Finally, he thought, she was laughing. She was happy. Maybe, just maybe, he had done something to make her feel.

But then he saw it.

She wasn’t laughing with him. She wasn’t laughing for him.

She was laughing with a man. Some nobody. A fool. A good-for-nothing who could never even begin to understand her, let alone deserve her. And yet, there she was, her eyes shining, her lips curved into a smile—something Aegon had never seen in all his life. She was radiant, her laughter like music, but it wasn’t for him.

The rage came fast, burning through his veins like fire. How dare this man, this insignificant speck, be the one to bring her joy? How dare she smile for him, laugh for him, when she had never once given Aegon anything but that cold, dead stare? He could hardly see through the fury as he drew his sword, his heart pounding in his ears, and with one swift strike, he cut the man’s head clean off.

The blood sprayed across the floor as the man's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless, useless. And Aegon, triumphant, stood there holding the severed head, his heart racing with the thought that maybe now—now—she would see how much he loved her.

He brought the head to her, a smile tugging at his lips, presenting it like a gift, like an offering to a goddess.

But then, for the first time, he saw her cry.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, silent, like everything else about her. She didn’t wail or scream, just wept, her cold, distant eyes filled with sorrow. But not for him. Never for him. The realization hit him like a dagger to the chest. She wasn’t crying for him. She was mourning the other man, that worthless fool.

Could she not see? Could she not understand what he had done? He had killed for her. For her. To prove his love. Why couldn’t she see that?

It was worse now. So much worse.

He stands in the room, their child’s room, staring at the small bed where their son had once slept. His heart is heavy, his chest tight with grief that he can’t seem to swallow. Tears burn in his eyes, but he doesn’t care. Their child is dead. Gone. And he can barely breathe from the weight of it.

But when he looks at her, she’s standing by the window, her back to him, staring out into the night as if nothing had happened. As if their son wasn’t lying cold and still in the crypts below.

She doesn’t cry. She doesn’t scream. She doesn’t even move.

His son, their child, lay lifeless, and yet...she didn’t care. She couldn’t care. The realization gnawed at him, twisting in his chest like a knife. If it had been another man’s child, would she be mourning now? Would she cry for that child, like she had cried for that worthless fool?

"Do you...do you not care?" His voice cracks, the words barely a whisper. He feels like he’s choking on the silence. "He was our child. Our son." His hands tremble, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Why… why?"

She doesn’t answer. Of course, she doesn’t.

She never answers.

The hollow ache that had plagued him since childhood is back, sharper than ever. He stares at her, at her still, cold form, and something inside him snaps. He can feel it, like a tether breaking, a dam bursting inside his mind.

"Why?" he growls, his voice low, trembling with fury. "Why can’t you love me? Is it really so hard?!" He steps toward her, fists clenched, his heart hammering in his chest. "I’ve done everything for you. Everything!"

His hands shake as he grabs her by the shoulders, spinning her around to face him. She looks at him with that same blank, emotionless expression, her eyes cold and distant, as if she’s not even here. As if she’s not even alive.

"I killed for you!" His voice is rising, desperate, wild. "I’ve fought for you, bled for you! I’ve done everything you could ever want, but you—" He pauses, his breath coming in harsh gasps as a dark, twisted thought coils in his mind. "Is this because of him? Because I killed that servant? Did you really think he could love you more than I do? That he deserved you? Him?"

His grip tightens, fingers digging into her flesh. He can feel his heart pounding in his chest, the rage coursing through his veins. "I am the one who loves you. I’m the one who’s always loved you!"

She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t react. Just stares at him with those empty, cold eyes.

The silence is unbearable. It breaks him.

With a roar, he grabs her dress, tearing at the fabric, ripping it apart in his hands. He’s rough, vicious, his fingers leaving bruises on her pale skin as he forces himself onto her.

She doesn’t fight back. Doesn’t scream. She just lies there, blank, her body cold and still beneath his. The more she doesn’t react, the harder he thrusts, the rougher he becomes, as if he can force her to feel something—anything. He can feel the blood, can see the bruises forming on her skin, but she just keeps staring at him, those empty eyes boring into him, cold and unfeeling.

But it didn’t matter.

She will love me. She will.

"You will love me," he growls, his voice low and savage, each thrust more brutal than the last. "You will love me. You’ll see. I’ll make you."

But she doesn’t change. She never changes.

Even as her body bleeds, even as he takes her in the most violent, twisted way, she just looks at him with that same cold, distant stare. As if he’s nothing. As if nothing will ever be enough.

Her eyes stayed cold.

Her eyes stayed empty.

And still, he kept going.

@ʀᴏᴛᴛᴇɴꜰʏʀᴇ 2024. ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴏᴘʏ, ᴛʀᴀɴꜱʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴏʀ ᴜꜱᴇ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋꜱ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴇʙꜱɪᴛᴇꜱ

[iichfilwypj]

loved | percy jackson

ღ percy jackson x daughter of ares! reader ღ warnings: hurt/comfort! (for the ones that are so so angry) ღ wc: 720 this is clearly about me guys

“Percy, you don’t understand!” 

Her shouts shattered the silence of the forest; the birds seemed to have fled the moment they arrived, and the forest nymphs hid within their trees, unwilling to get involved.

“You’re right!” His voice was edged with frustration and anger as he followed her, but instead of looking threatening, he looked almost pitiable. "I don’t!"

There was a raw, painful gleam in his eyes, one she chose to ignore -although it proved her point.

“Why can’t you talk to me? Tell me what is wrong, please.” He begged. “I love you.”

No. 

Not those words. 

They were precisely the ones she didn’t want to hear. 

The weight they pressed onto her chest was overwhelming, and she didn’t think she could bear it any longer. 

He was the sweetest and kindest boy in camp, effortlessly funny and charming with everyone –how could someone like him love someone like her?

“That’s the thing.” Her fists clenched tightly at her sides, crescent-shaped marks forming in her palms. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she stopped to turn toward him. “You can’t love me!” 

And he flinched. He fucking flinched at her.

But she didn’t care.

“I’m mean! I’m mean, and violent, and aggressive. I’m insecure, quiet, narcissistic. I have anger issues, stupids outbursts, I curse all the fucking the time! I’m not-” She took a deep breath, trying to quell the anger boiling inside her.

She was unlovable.

“Percy, I can’t make you happy. I don’t know how you expect this-” She gestured toward the space between them, which seemed to close with each tentative step he took. “-to work, I am not good for y-”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” 

Now it was her turn to flinch as he stepped closer, his hands gripping her shoulders firmly. 

He was staring into her eyes as if he could see right through her, peeling back her defenses to uncover the truth she kept hidden –something she sensed he had been doing for far too long. 

“Don’t tell me what’s good for me or not.”

She could only stay silent.

What else could she do with that sight in front of her? A sight that wasn’t made for her, that felt so foreign for her.  

Those green eyes looked at her with a love she was sure she didn’t deserve, and those hands brushed against her skin as if they could see something good within her that she had buried.

“I know you, and I know how you feel. Like you don’t deserve the good things that happen to you, like you’re not good enough, like you’re a burden in everyone else’s life." One of his hands moved to cup her cheek. "Like you are a bad person.” 

She almost laughed; well, he was really laying bare her entire life with his words. 

“I don’t know who made you think all of that, but please, I’m begging you, don’t believe them.”

“That's the thing,” Percy leaned closer to her to show he was paying attention, but it was almost impossible to get any closer. “No one said anything; I just know it.”

As she closed her eyes, he observed her. Before him stood his favorite person in the world, unraveling before his eyes.

And he couldn’t stand to see it happen.

“You are the purest person in the whole world. From the first moment I saw you, I was wrapped around your finger. My mother is tired of hearing your name, my room is fed up with me sprawled out, holding your photo, and my mind is consumed by thoughts of you –there is no space for anything else. ” 

The words flowed from his lips as if they were the most natural thing in the world, and the effect they had on her was overwhelming.

She felt the boy’s hands on her face, gently wiping away the tears she didn't know were there –he knew how much she hated being seen while crying.

When she finally dared to open her eyes, something clicked inside her as she was met with the prettiest shade of green.

She had never felt this way in her life, so free, so safe.

And despite the fear swirling within her, she wanted to try –to try with him.

“You are not mean, you are not a bad person, you are not something that is wrong."

His hands were so, so soft on her cheeks that she could've died.

But she didn't; she felt more alive than ever.

"You live, you act and you feel so, so much. You don’t have to be perfect to be loved, you have to be you. That would be enough for me.” She smiled at him, momentarily at a loss for words.

In response, she leaned in closer, pressing a soft, salty kiss to his lips. 

And she felt like she deserved it, like it was meant to happen. And maybe it was.

She felt so, so loved.

hi!! this is how i feel daily lately and i am so scared of telling someone! but i hope you like it!

[celisths]

JJK men reacting to you being quiet during sex | 18+

starring: Satoru Gojo, Suguru Geto, Kento Nanami, Choso Kamo, Toji Fushiguro

warnings: explicit, suggestive, 18+

a/n: i didn't do all my usual boys for this bcs i don't know how much you guys will like this since this is my first time writing something like this, but if you like it and want more pls lmk!!

masterlist

Satoru Gojo

~this poor man was be so insecure

~he wouldn't say anything in the moment, not wanting to make things more awkward

~but afterwards, while you lay with your head on his chest, he couldn't help but speak up

~"did i... not make you feel good?" he would as quietly, almost bashfully, silently praying you would scream no

~and frankly, you almost did! you couldn't bare the shameful look on his face, looking like a kicked puppy

~as soon as you denied his accusation, his shoulders went slack as he let out a deep breath he didn't realise he was holding

~"why the heck were you so quiet then!?" he would whine, pulling you close against his chest with a big, childish pout on his glossy lips

Suguru Geto

~suguru would be more confused than concerned.

~i mean, it would really depend on the kind of sex you two are having. if its sloppy, lust drunk, sex after a while of not seeing each-other then you best believe sugu is way too pussy drunk to realise whether or not you're making noise.

~but if its slow, love-making and you're quiet? oh yeah, suguru is confused.

~he would whisper in your ear, "babygirl? thrust, why're you so quiet?", nipping on your earlobe with his sharp teeth

~you couldn't keep up the facade much longer- truthfully, you were being quiet because you thought your loudness would bother him.

~but when he deliberately bullied your poor g spot with his cock, you couldn't hold back wails and whines

~"atta girl..."

Kento Nanami

~Kento would probably discuss it with you the next morning, over coffee and a delicious breakfast he prepared for the two of you

~he would be sat across from you, nervously picking at the scrambled eggs on his plate as he wondered what the best way to word his next question would be

~"sweetheart, can we talk about last night...?" his voice would be totally level, but his blue eyes looking anywhere but you're face would give him away

~"you were very... quiet. was i displeasing, my love?" oh how nervous ken would be for your answer, his worst nightmare was not being good enough to those he loved

~as soon as you reassured him, a smile creeped its way onto his lips. reaching over the table and grabbing your hand to press a gentle kiss on your knuckles

~kento had never been more relieved

Choso Kamo

~this poor boy would stop mid sex

~he would look into your confused eyes with his own concerned ones "my love, whats wrong??"

~he would be checking you for any signs of discomfort on or around you before you could even reply. as soon as you denied anything being wrong, his little frown would deepen.

~"but... you were so quiet.." he would be very confused at this concept, every other time you two had sex you would be loud and whiney, why was this time different?

~"i just wanted to enjoy the moment with out my annoying moa-" but you were cut off by your sweet, sweet boy slipping his cock back into your pussy.

~"no... wanna hear you baby, please..." and god, how could anyone say no to that cute little voice?

Toji Fushiguro

~as soon as toji notices that you're not making any- nah, holding back your pretty noises he doubled his efforts

~you really think toji fushiguro is going to let you get away with being quiet? hahahaha

~he would thrust his cock a little deeper, his fat head massaging your g spot perfectly

~when you still didn't give in, he got just a little pissed.

~"trying to stay fuckin' quiet?" his thumb started toying with your swollen clit, lips clasping around one of your nipples. he was determined to break you

~a wicked grin split across his lips when he heard your little whines, and hums, turn into wails and incoherent babbling

~"what i fuckin' thought..."

credits to @saradika-graphics for banners

[paulyenvol6]

Bound by Flame (Prologue)

Contains: no warnings

Wordcount: ~4.12k

Masterlist of this story

96 AC

The child in her arms just wouldn't stop crying and Aemma desperately cradled her back and forth.

"Shhh my love.", she purred and kissed the babe on her forehead. "Shh, sweetling, you are fine."

The young mother was overstrained with her two children and now one of the wet nurses was sick with the fever and her sweet Maera just wouldn't stop crying. 'If only Viserys was there.', she thought.

Not that he could fix it but everything would be easier. But no, he was busy with the small council and in the evening would probably celebrate and feast in honor of his guests and Aemma would be on her own with their daughter again.

Croaked cries and shouts left Maera's throat repeatedly and her mother thoughtfully walked from her bed to the table and then back again. She had a thought in her mind. One that Viserys wouldn't approve of but it was a tempting one. Aemma sighed. She knew that she would upset her husband once he would learn of what she was about to do but it didn't really matter to her. Right now all she wanted was to calm her daughter and not listen to her complaints another second so the young mother left her chambers and found what, or better who she had been looking for in his own chambers.

Daemon Targaryen sat on a chair, his head lowered in front of a book and his hands resting on his forehead. He was highly concentrated and didn't even notice his sister by law until Maera let out another cry. Daemon lifted his head and a slight smirk appeared on his face.

"Aemma.", he said.

She walked torwards him and exhaled loudly. "Daemon, please, could you take her? The last time that you did Maera was so much more calm and content and it's just too much sometimes with Viserys being barely here and…"

The prince interrupted her by getting off the chair and nodding understandingly.

"It's alright. Of course I can take her."

He reached out to take the little babe from Aemma's arms and held her in his while slowly rocking her. She had previously still cried but only in a matter of moments did her weeping fade and soon she just sniffed in his arms. Her mother smiled relieved and let out a scoff.

"How do you do it, Daemon? Why is she at calm with you?"

In response he shrugged and didn't take his eyes off his niece.

"I don't know." He ran his thumb over her cheek to remove a tear. "You just needed your uncle, little one, mhm?"

He felt strongly protective over the little girl in his arms. The way her eyes twitched and how she grabbed his finger with the whole of her hand. She, his little niece, actually meant a lot to him and he couldn't hide the honest smile creeping up on his face. Daemon and Aemma laughed as Maera sneezed and then the queen sank down on a chair.

"Oh thank you, Daemon. You've done me a great favor. Do you mind taking her until the evening?", she asked carefully.

"Of course not, sister. She'll be safe with me."

~~~~~~~~~~

A little later Aemma entered her chambers, her daughter now in her own arms again. She had expected to be welcomed by an empty room but her husband stood in the middle of the room and had just taken a sip from his wine. Aemma raised her eyebrows and approached him to give him a kiss on his cheek.

"Husband. I thought you were occupied with feasting with the Velaryons."

"Later. I think a king should be allowed to have some time with his wife and daughter, shouldn't he?"

Aemma smiled softly and watched as Viserys took his daughter from her arms and lifted her in the air.

"I feel like she's growing every day.", he mumbled and his wife couldn't stop herself from saying her next words.

"That's because you're rarely with her and me."

The king turned to her at once, a shocked expression on his face. "What are you saying?"

Aemma crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Forgive me. It's just a lot sometimes. You know that Isyla is sick with the fever and sometimes Maera just doesn't stop crying. I don't know what to do then."

Her husband sighed and ran a hand over his daughter's head.

"I know. And I'm sorry that I can't be with you more. But I'm king and I have duties. I can't just stay in our chambers all afternoon and care for you and her."

Aemma nodded and stared at the floor. "I know. Of course I don't expect it. I just…" She didn't finish her sentence which made her husband lift one of his eyebrows.

"You just…?"

She dropped her shoulders and closed her eyes.

"Viserys… I wished you wouldn't get so mad when I give our daughter to your brother."

The king frowned. "What do you mean?", he asked sounding suspicious.

"Well… Today was especially bad. Maera cried and wept and kicked with her feet and it was so bad that I-I thought perhaps she would be more calm when Daemon holds her. And I know that you don't like it and I'm really sorry, but I came to him and from the second that he held her in his arms, Maera was quiet like a tamed kitten. It's truly magnificant, my love."

Viserys had a bitter expression on his face and his jaw was tense. And then he glared at his wife.

"You know that I don't like it."

"Yes. But I don't know why."

The king gave the babe to his wife again and walked back and forth in the room.

"Because my brother is dangerous and unpredictable. I'm meant to trust him with my only daughter?"

Aemma shook her head. "Daemon is 15. He is merely a child himself. And I can see it, he loves Maera. If you would simply open your eyes for once you could see it as well. Do you think he would, I don't know, murder his niece?"

Viserys exhaled annoyed. "No of course not. But I'm just careful, alright? I know him better than you do and I know that he can be a mess. He can do terrible things, Aemma."

She laughed out. "Not to his niece, love. Please just… Please allow me to go to him at times. It's a great relief for me to have a moment of silene. And then there is also Aegon. Sometimes I don't even have time for him when Maera is shouting all the time and I'd hate to neglect him."

Viserys was quiet for a few seconds but then chewed on his buttom lip.

"I don't like it.", he growled.

Aemma begged him with his eyes and pleadingly enclosed his hand with hers.

"Fine. But only when there is no other choice."

She quickly nodded and felt a weight dropping from her heart.

101 AC  

The wind messed up her hair but no part of her cared. She had never flown so fast, she was certain. Daemon had taken her on Caraxes so many times but never that fast.

"Wuhuuu.", she screamed and tightly held on to her uncle as he guided his dragon through the crystal clear sky. It was a hot day with the sun burning down on King's Landing but up here with the wind it was the perfect feeling.

"How about a dive, little one?", Daemon asked her turning his head to her and Maera excitedly shifted on Caraxes' back.

"Yeahhh. Please, I want to go faster."

Her uncle chuckled lightly and then pulled at the ropes to make his dragon dive down towards the blue of the sea. The sun reflecting in it became brighter the closer they flew but then just when Caraxes was about to hit the water Daemon pulled him back and they lifted into the air again. Maera screamed and her hands dug into her uncle's shoulders. "Oh gods!!!"

Thirty minutes later Maera was sulking as her unlce swang himself off his dragon's back. She had tried everything to convince Daemon to fly a little longer but he had told her that her father would be very angry if she didn't return soon and no matter how hard the girl had complained, he hadn't given in.

"I'm sorry, little one.", he had said and led Caraxes back to the dragon pit.

Now he stood on the ground and heaved Maera through the air until she was standing on her feet on the muddy ground.

"I don't want to go back, uncle. Everything is so stupid here and on Caraxes it's so nice."

She had taken the sleeve of her uncle's tunic and pulled at it while her mouth still formed a pout. In response Daemon grabbed her under her arms and lifted her. He carried her towards the red keep while the frown on her face didn't vanish and Maera sucked on her thumb, just like she had always done when she was upset or sad.

"We can take another ride on Caraxes soon, sweet niece. But now it's time for supper and then bed."

"I'm not hungry. And I'm not tired.", she answered. Daemon sighed.

"You're a stubborn little thing. I promise you, we can go again tomorrow."

Maera's face softened a little and she put the hair out of her face. "Will you play with me later? Please uncle, it's no fun with Aegon, he always steals my toys saying I have the better ones."

Daemon smirked while walking the two of them up the stairs to the throne room.

"Yes, love, I will. But don't forget your high valyrian lessons. We'll make it an hour but if you behave very well maybe 45 minutes will be enough."

His niece nodded eagerly and rested her head on Daemon's shoulder. "Sȳz." (Fine), she smiled proudly which made her uncle smile as well.

"Olvie sȳz." (Very good)

~~~~~~~~~~

"Se zaldrīzes zāle…."

"Zalagon.", corrected Daemon.

"Zalagon.", Maera repeated. "Oh uncle, please. I don't want to anymore. I don't want to learn it and I don't want to learn about stupid history with septa Julvra and how to hold my stupid fork."

Maera sat on his lap but relentlessly shifted because she had grown tired of this and rather wanted to play with him.

"You have to, niece. You have to learn the language of your ancestors and you have to learn these kinds of things so one day you'll be a noblewoman of court and can marry a noble man."

The girl pouted at him and poked her uncle in his cheek.

"I want to marry you, uncle. Not a stupid lord."

He chuckled quietly and stroke her hair back but then turned her head towards the book opened in front of them on the table.

"Read, little one. You know that word already."

But Maera was tired and annoyed and shook her head. "Please uncle. Please, can we play now?"

Daemon sighed deeply and gently grabbed her shoulders. "Three more sentences, alright? Then we can play."

She giggled excitedly and read the following words with a new determination.

108 AC

Maera turned her head from one side to the other, humming some familiar melody to herself while feeling the sun tingling on her skin. She loved that feeling and then stretched her body with relish.

She still had her eyes closed when she heard the door open and someone enter her chambers. Only when the steps had stopped in front of her did the girl slowly open her eyes and recognized her handmaiden in front of her.

"Princess. Your lord father demands your presence in his rooms."

Maera yawned open-mouthed. "Mhmm."

But she obeyed and drunk on sleep got off her bed. She let her maids brush and braid her hair, put on a light gown and then followed her handmaiden down to her father's chambers.

Once inside she sat down on a chair while watching Viserys write something on a piece of parchment. She boringly dangled her legs waiting for him to finally tell her why he had asked her to come to speak to him and then he finally put down the quill and gave her his attention.

"Daughter. I wish to speak to you about your brother's upcoming name day."

"What of it?"

The king smiled kindly. "I want to know what you think Aegon likes more. Chocolate cake or lemon cake?"

Maera smiled widely. "Lemon cake. Definitely."

Her father chuckled. "Are you sure? Or are just saying this because it is what you prefer?" She giggled but shook her head.

"No. Aegon prefers it as well. I know it."

Viserys remained suspicious but nodded while tidying up his desk. "I shall believe you then. What are your plans for today, daughter?"

The girl thoughfully put her finger to her lips.

"Mhmm, I want to go to the gardens to pluck some strawberries. Septa Julvra told me I am to wait until the summer so they are ripe and sweet and I think it's time now."

Her father nodded. "That sounds lovely. Take your brother with you, please. I think he needs a bit of sun."

But Maera rolled her eyes. "He would not come with me anyway. He's only ever interested in studying his books and he always ignores me."

"He's 15. I think every boy and girl is a little reserved at that age."

Viserys stood up and walked to a shelf nearby. While sorting some letters he turned his head to talk to his daughter.

"You can go to the gardens but only…. If you'll bring me some of those delicious strawberries as well."

Maera smiled and took it as her sign to stand up and leave to follow her plans.

~~~~~~~~~~

One by one did Maera take the strawberries and let them fall into her basket. She couldn't help but almost accidentally let one slip into her mouth now and then because they just tasted too good in her mouth.

It was a warm morning and she knew it would be an even warmer midday so she was determined to do this before noon so she wouldn't melt in the sun. Suddenly Maera heard a noise behind her and when she turned around it was Daemon who observed her smugly.

"Uncle.", she said excitedly and handed him a strawberry she had just cut down. He took the fruit and ate it.

"Thank you, niece."

Maera then went back to plucking the strawberries from the bush while Daemon leaned against a tree, closed his eyes and let the sun shine on his skin.

"A beautiful morning. It's summer now."

The girl nodded. "Yes. Septa Julvra told me to wait until the summer with plucking the strawberries." Her back faced her uncle so she couldn't see the smirk on his face.

"I didn't know you liked strawberries, little niece. Remember how much you cried two years ago when the servants prepared the most amazing strawberry cake for your name day? You wouldn't stop until they brought it away from your view."

She felt her skin getting warm and was glad that Daemon couldn't see it.

"Taste can change.", she breathed and her uncle chuckled lightly.

And then Maera was done because her basket was so full that the strawberries on top threatened to fall down. It was good timing because it was almost time for lunch and so Daemon and his niece started to make their way back. He saw how Maera struggled to hold the heavy basket so without a word he took it from her hand and carried it himself.

"Go to your chambers and change before the meal. Your hair is messy and the hem of your dress is dirty."

The girl sighed and frowned. "I'll do it afterwards. Or in the evening. I'll go outside today again anyway. It's redundant."

Daemon glared at her and raised his eyebrows. "No. You'll do as I say, little one and go change now. It's inproper to show up in the dining room like that."

Maera lowered her gaze and nodded. Of course she would obey him. Only recently had she learned about it in her lessons with septa Julvra. A wife was to obey and listen to her husband. She was to please him and do as he commands. And though Daemon wasn't Maera's husband, she still had taken these words to heart. She wanted to obey and please Daemon the way a wife pleased her husband. She wanted to follow his commands and make him happy by being obedient.

And that's why Maera intended to always listen to him and do exactly as he wanted. It was her little game inside of her head. Sometimes she imagined that he was in fact her husband and she his loyal and good wife. And so along with her imagination Maera did everything Daemon asked her to, she studied when he told her to, brought him something from his chambers when they were together in the dining room, held her fork differently when he said that her manners were bad and went to brush her hair when he said that it didn't look lady like. Just the way a wife would do for her husband.

109 AC

"I hate you!! You are so mean and unfair and you always put Aegon before me.", Maera screamed on the edge of breaking down in tears which made her father shake his head in disappointment.

"I don't put your brother before you! But he is the heir to the iron throne, daughter and so it is important that he comes with me on this process."

Her eyes flashed and spit fire as she clenched her hands in fists.

"You don't care about me at all only because I'm not your heir. I hate you. I wanted to come with you on your travels and now I have to rot in the keep for two months while Aegon gets to see so much. I hate you!!"

With these words Maera stormed out of her father's chambers without waiting for his permit to leave but she couldn't care less. The tears rolled down her cheeks now and they veiled her view so much that she didn't even see where she was going. Her blood was boiling inside of her veins and she had to fight the urge to hit something but then someone approached her from behind with quick steps. Maera turned around and before realizing who it was the person had wrapped his arms around her back and held her to his chest.

She realized who it was at once. His familiar sent and the way that he felt made her sniff and Maera's hands enclosed around the fabric of Daemon's shirt. He soothingly caressed her hair and her back until her crying was more quiet and then all the tears had spilled out and there was nothing left. Maera hiccuped and sniffed and crouched her head against his strong chest.

"He's s-so mean.", she whined. "He promised me that I would go w-with them b-but now I have t-to stay here while Aegon g-goes with him alone."

Daemon's hand was buried in her hair and his thumb stroke her head.

"Shhh, little one. It's gonna be fine."

"No it's not!", she claimed angrily which made Daemon abruptly take hold of her shoulders and he held her a little away from him.

"Calm yourself. I'm not the reason for your anger.", he said with lifted eyebrows and Maera dropped her gaze ashamed.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Her uncle caressed her shoulders softly. "You know that I will stay in the capital as well?"

The girl widened her eyes. "Really?"

Daemon smirked. "Yeah. I decided it days ago. I told my brother that what I needed is some time to rest in my home."

Suddenly everything felt so much lighter and easier and Maera didn't feel anywhere close to crying anymore.

"You'll stay here as well?", she asked again only to make sure that she hadn't understood it wrongly.

Her uncle chuckled. "Yes, I will."

She rushed to throw herself in his arms once again only that this time she was happy and relieved and didn't seek comfort.

"Can we go on a trip on Caraxes, uncle? Please." But unfortunately Daemon shook his head.

"You know that you have to attend your lessons, sweetling. Septa Julvra is probably already waiting for you in the library."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Can't I skip it for once?"

Her uncle furrowed and looked strict. "No, you can not. Don't disobey me, Maera."

She gulped but nodded. Unconsciously she brought her thumb to her mouth and started to nibble and bit at her nail which made Daemon exhaled deeply and reach out to grab her hand.

"I told you a hundred times that you are not to nibble at your nails."

Maera looked up to her uncle with big eyes.

"I'm sorry, uncle. I know that you've told me before. I'll stop it from now on, I promise." He looked content now which gave her relief.

"Good. And perhaps I can read you from your favourite book later. After your lessons with your septa."

And then a little later Maera sat by the fire place clutching the book in her hands. She was already scared that her uncle had forgotten her but her worries were unecessary. The door opened and he walked in with a croaked smile on his face.

"Hello, little one."

Maera smiled happily and watched as Daemon sat down in one of the big comfortable chairs and then he tapped on his thigh.

"Come here. I'll read you."

But the girl hesitated, remembering what her septa had told her recently. Daemon noticed her doubt and frowned.

"What is it, girl?"

But Maera was ashamed and felt the blood rising in her cheek and thought it to be more comfortable to look down to her lap instead of her uncle.

"Maera. Come here and tell me what is bothering you. Are you angry with me?"

She quickly shook her head but did as he had told her and slowly walked towards him though her eyes were still fixed on the ground.

"Julvra told me that… that I wasn't allowed to sit on your lap anymore.", Maera breathed at last which made Daemon chuckle quietly.

"Mhmm… And why is that?" She slightly raised her gaze and glared at him with big eyes.

"She… She said that… That I'm a woman now. Because I... I have bled. And that it isn't proper f-for a woman to sit on a man's lap."

Her uncle sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair while watching the flushness on his niece's cheek.

So she was a woman now. A grown woman in a marriagable age. How interesting.

111 AC

Maera's lower lip slightly trembled as she watched her uncle hug her father.

"Take care, brother. I know you'll do well."

Then he was done and his eyes wondered to her. It was her turn now. Why did it have to be her turn? She felt how her eyes got teary and tried everything to surpress them but Maera was almost certain that Daemon noticed them.

"Don't be sad, little niece.", he whispered and then wrapped his arms around her shoulder to pull her towards him. The girl gripped his tunic at his back and tightly held on to him as though she could make him stay that way. She felt a tear run down her cheek but luckily her face was pressed again his chest so no one could see it.

"It's so unfair.", Maera whispered and didn't even know whether these words were directed to her uncle or herself or even her father. Daemon was the one answering though.

"I won't be away forever. Don't forget me, little one.", he added which almost made her sob.

How could she ever forget him? Maera didn't even know how she would be able to spend her time while her uncle was gone.

"Please come back soon, uncle. Please."

He didn't answer to that but gently pulled away from her to watch her with a smirk on his face. Daemon ran his thumb over her cheek just for a brief moment and then turned around to approach Caraxes.

"Goodbye, Daemon.", Viserys said.

Maera wanted to do something, shout at him to make him stay, shake her father and convince him not to send Daemon away but she couldn't.

She was frozen and then it was already too late because her uncle had flown away and became more little with every second until all he was in front of her eyes was a dot, small like an insect.

~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist:

@smashee0789 @classicsimpforaaronwarner @hangmanscoming @ninihrtss

[rosiesareblu]

choso has you in the meanest mating press, knees pressed to your chest and the most lewd expression on your face. choso just keeps bullying his cock in you. a mix of yours and his spent sullying the sheets below you both. mind blanking and whirring in pleasure. you’re barely pushing his shoulders, shaking from how sensitive you were, but he just presses his hips harder against yours whining, “no no baby please, y’told me i could fill you up, ‘m gon’ make you feel s’good, mhm?”

he’s whining and gripping your thighs so hard, you think it might just leave some nasty bruises but he really can’t help it. he just feels so good, you feel so good. he digs his face into your neck, his panting breaths roll down your skin as he grinds his cock into you. “‘m gonna cum fuck please—“ he’s babbling and almost crying from how good you make him feel. “hngg— you feel— fuck! feel so good, baby— y’feel so good— fuck please!” at this point choso doesn’t even know why he’s saying please, its as if he’s asking for mercy for how good he feels. it’s too much.

with how sensitive you are, you try pushing his shoulders back, wanting a break from his cock abusing its way into you. “choso— mm, please, can’t—!”

“no! you can, baby, please—“ he sobs, “please, one more!” his hands move to your hands gripping his shoulders, he holds them in place above your head and snaps his hips harder, letting out a choked moan as your walls try to push him out from how much you’re clenching.

you turn your head to the side, burying it in the pillow below you as your mind goes hazy from the pleasure, feeling that familiar warmth spreading in your abdomen. but choso doesn’t seem to like that as he leans into you and nudges your head to face him.

“look at me, baby, please.” he pants, his hips snapping against yours in a sloppy rhythm. “need t’see you when you cum.”

tears well into your eyes as you try to keep your half-lidded eyes trained onto his. you squirm around as you feel that tight coil in your stomach. “mm— choso— oh fuck, please. gon’ cum.”

“mhm, cum for me baby, yeah?” he moans out, pressing your lower stomach down with his free hand. it makes you thrash around as his tip hits that spot, gasping as your orgasm hits you like a train.

choso growls as he slots his lips on to yours and slides his tongue in your mouth. you cry out as you try to push him away. wanting to breath, but with the way he’s pushing his cock deeper, chasing his high, and shoving his tongue down your throat, your already fuzzy head turns woozy as you’re deprived of oxygen.

you turn your head away, gasping for air. choso whines at the loss of your lips and chases after you. “mphh— no no wait baby one more kiss,” his tongue slipping into your mouth once more, groaning at your pathetic whines. he lets out a final whine as he spills into you, fucking you well and slowly losing pace to a stop as he sits inside your walls.

he pulls away and stares as you gasp out for air, letting out a grunt of pleasure as you shake. he runs his hands on your thighs, to your stomach, satisfied with how much he’s filled you.

he rubs his thumb against your tummy as he pushes it slightly making you jump and push his hands away at the over sensitivity of it all.

“shh baby you’re ok.” he breathes out, rubbing at your skin as you come down from your high. he hums softly as he moves you to your side and holds you in his arms, making sure he sits right inside you still.

“my baby, was s’good.” choso mutters as he kisses your head, his fingers massaging the back of your head gently. you nuzzle against his chest as you let out a sigh of satisfaction.

choso silently rubs your back as your tired eyes close and you slowly drift to sleep. his eyes drag over your face, then down to your stomach where he splays his hand over it.

he really could never get enough of filling your cute cunt up.

————————

alright that’s that for my annual post LOL do what yall wanna do with this one, chat. i’ll see you in the next one or something ✌️

[kpopsexstories]

QUICK FIX GAY #2: Big Dick Duo NCT Doyoung & Jisung compare sizes and blow each other

This is a 100% gay story. Check out this post for my straight smut and this post for more gay smut.

Pairing: NCT Doyoung x Jisung

Content: Big dicks, Handjob, Blowjob, Cum in mouth

Type of Sex: MEDIUM

Word Count: 1,590

Doyoung had an enormous snake between his legs. So did Jisung, whose shaft was the size of his hand. Standing naked side by side in a bathroom, they laughed and compared their slack dicks, while arguing about whose was bigger.

“We can't settle it like this,” Doyoung said. “We need to get hard.”

Jisung smiled and took a step closer to his friend. He looked Doyoung in the eye, and reached down to stroke his magnificent cock. He placed a hand on Doyoung's shoulder and they pressed their bodies close together. Doyoung put an arm around the waist of the skinny boy in front of him, and they passionately began to make out.

As their tall, naked figures rubbed against each other, and their hands explored their bodies, both men were hard in seconds. It was not their first time.

Doyoung suddenly disappeared beneath Jisung. He quickly sat down on his knees, Jisung's long cock waving in his face. He grabbed the shaft and stroke it, then put it in his mouth.

Jisung held on to Doyoung's hair, tilted his head back, and groaned while facing the ceiling. Doyoung's head bobbed back and forth as he sucked.

“Fuck me you're good,” Jisung grunted. The question of dick size was forgotten in an instant.

Doyoung made himself comfortable and glanced up. Jisung met his eyes and smiled naughtily down at him. With lustful eyes and outstretched arms, he pushed and pulled on Doyoung's head. The shaft slid in and out of Doyoung's mouth, tightly enclosed by his soft lips.

“Stop,” Jisung said. “I'm gonna come. Let's go to bed.”

Doyoung let go of the shaft with a clasping sounds of his lips and stood back up. He slapped Jisung on the ass on the way to the bedroom, and they laughed as they kissed and fell down on the mattress.

On the bed, Doyoung lay down on his back. Jisung knew the drill. He sat down beside him, leaned forward and grabbed the enormous snake.

Slowly, he licked the thick shaft. Doyoung was hung like a horse, and Jisung could only take it so far before he gagged. He ran his tongue up and down the shaft, kissed the head, and sucked the pre-cum out of it.

Doyoung spread his legs, clutched on to the white sheets with his bare hands, and lifted his head to get a good look.

Jisung stared back at him. He'd smile, if it wasn't for the big cock in his mouth. His eyes were full of lust, and Doyoung moaned and groaned loudly.

The dick was wet. Jisung's saliva covered every inch of it. While closing his lips around the head, he wrapped his fingers around the shaft and began to stroke it. He twisted and turned his wrist, and moved his hand up and down at an increasing speed. His lips never left the head.

With his tongue, he played around near the tiny opening. He edged Doyoung on by wiggling it inside his mouth, bringing his friend ever closer to bursting.

“Fuck,” Doyoung said. His hard cock pointed straight up, and his chest and stomach moved rapidly up and down as he panted. Jisung was exceptional with his mouth.

When the edging reached its peak Doyoung's body suddenly jolted. Every muscle in him tensed. He moaned and grimaced and threw his head back hard on the bed.

Jisung immediately stopped. He took the cock out of his mouth and giggled. He loved making Doyoung squirm.

“Please,” Doyoung said. “Make me come before I faint.”

Their cock sizes were not the only thing the two friends liked to compare. Both men were known for their big ejaculations. Doyoung was able to produce more semen in a single load than most could in multiple orgasms.

Jisung knew this, and now he prepared himself for the impending eruption.

When he stopped sucking and licking, he leaned back and focused on stroking the shaft. The saliva had dried out somewhat, so he spat on the head to lube it up. A long string of liquid dripped from his mouth and onto the shaft and his hand around it.

He rubbed it all in, and Doyoung moaned with pleasure. Jisung's touch felt amazing.

“Damn baby, I want to fuck you so bad,” he said.

Jisung snickered. “You know that's not going to happen,” he said. “I think I'm longer than you, but damn you're thick!”

Slowly, he stroke Doyoung's shaft between his fingers. He jerked his hand up and down, and smiled at Doyoung's pleasured expression. Doyoung stretched out his torso and bent his knees slightly, squirming and moaning while Jisung took care of him.

“I'm gonna come!” he said suddenly. Jisung picked up the pace. He moved his hand up and down rapidly, smirking and shifting his gaze from Doyoung's face to his cock.

“Fuck baby,” Doyoung continued. “I imagine my big dick in your tight little ass. Fuck you're amazing!”

The orgasm that had built up shot through Doyoung's body like a lightning bolt. In the moments before it, the shaft pulsed extra hard between Jisung's fingers, as if a force was building up and then released.

When the release happened and Doyoung let out an ecstatic groan, an impressive amount of sperm shot straight up and out of the shaft, high into the air. It sprayed all over the place, onto Doyoung’s hot body, the sheets around him, and Jisung’s flexing arm and hand.

Jisung was always mesmerized by the explosive display. Doyoung's dick was indeed the largest, most powerful he'd ever seen. The eruption was so strong it shocked him every time. Deep inside, he knew that despite his own impressive size for his otherwise small body, he didn't stand a chance to win their friendly rivalry.

Doyoung's load was also long-lasting. Multiple waves of cum kept coming. Jisung never stopped stroking the cock, eager to squeeze out every last drop.

When Doyoung finally came down from his orgasm, and a few last trickles dripped down his shaft, they both glanced around to admire the outcome. Or to assess the damage, depending on how you look at it.

The majority of Doyoung's cum was spread out across his chest, stomach and the sheets around him. Most prominent, however, was the huge amount that had dripped down the back of Jisung's hand. The hand was still firm around the shaft when it began to soften, and Jisung's fingers were drenched in dense white liquid, slowly flowing down and dripping onto Doyoung and the sheets.

“Holy shit,” Doyoung exclaimed when he had caught his breath.

“Didn't I make you come yesterday?” Jisung asked and laughed. “How is this even possible?”

“It's you, not me,” Doyoung said and grinned. “I never come this much when I jerk off by myself. You really get my production up.”

“Well,” Jisung said and winked, “I didn't come yesterday. So let's see if I can still beat you.”

Of course he couldn’t and they both knew that, but it wasn’t the point. It was Jisung’s turn to release his load.

Doyoung scooted up on the bed and let his head rest on a pillow. Jisung climbed on top of him, and placed a knee on either side of his friend’s spent body. He sat his ass down on Doyoung's stomach, while Doyoung placed his arms on Jisung's thighs and palms on his butt cheeks.

Jisung began to jerk off with his dick right in Doyoung's face. He rubbed Doyoung’s fresh cum onto his cock, using it as a lubricant while he played around with the dick by slapping it teasefully against Doyoung's cheeks and lips. Doyoung closed his eyes to protect himself, but kissed and licked the head to pleasure his friend.

When Jisung stroke his cock faster, Doyoung opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue. He tilted his head forward, awaiting the brewing eruption.

And while not as powerful, Jisung's ejection was no joke either. He tensed his thighs around Doyoung's chest, straightened his back while leaning slightly backwards, and flexed his arms as he panted and grimaced and stroke his big cock fast.

When he finally orgasmed he jolted forward and let out a groan. Doyoung stared at the cock with wide eyes and stuck his tongue out further.

The cum exploded from the head, and shot out all over Doyoung’s face. It landed in his hair, on his cheek, and some got in his eye. Jisung rocked his ass back and forth on his lover’s chest, who squeezed hard around his butt cheeks which prompted several additional waves to come.

A great volume of sperm dripped onto Doyoung’s lips and into his mouth. He happily licked it all up. He ran his tongue around his lips, then stuck it out to clean the shaft. When the cock eventually grew slack and Jisung’s muscles relaxed, Doyoung put his head back down and laughed.

It was a very messy display indeed. Fresh cum was all over the bed and Doyoung’s body. Jisung wiped his hand on the sheets, only to end up running it through a wet spot. He used his forearm to wipe Doyoung’s face and get the cum away from his eyes.

“Damn that was amazing,” Jisung said. He climbed off his lover and lay down beside him.

Doyoung turned his body to face him. He placed an arm on Jisung’s chest and kissed his neck.

“So who won?” Doyoung asked.

Jisung snickered and glared at him. “You did, babe,” he said. “You always do.”

[misahyochaeng]

Webcam Honey >.< !!

(Sana x Fem! Reader) 🔞

tw: cam!girl reader, dom!sana, sub!reader, established relationship, humiliation, LOTS of dirty talk, fingering, degrading, cunnilingus, edging, vibrator, overstimulation, praise, strapon. (NOT PROOFREAD!!)

summary: You and your girlfriend have a ritual of going on a fancy date once a month due to both of you guys normally having busy schedules. But today, you got kind of caught up…

—

The lights were slightly dimmed to set the mood, body glistening with sweat as you went to work on your pussy, knuckles and palm covered with a thick coating of pussy slick that dripped down by small drops onto your mattress; you stared at the camera infront of you, donations flooding by on your second monitor with messages from old men and virgin perverts with no life praising how sexy you looked and telling you how they wanted to touch you.

Being honest, it was gross, but it worked out, knowing you could pleasure yourself almost daily just to earn a solid hundred-bucks, you began doing it as a profession.

You cupped your clothed tit, a lacy pair of red lingerie barely covering up your chest as you pinched and toyed with your erect nipple, holding eye contact with the camera as you put on rather exaggerated faces in pleasure.

That was until you heard your front door open and footsteps getting closer, “Baby, i just got back from my cousin’s!” she exclaimed before she opened the door with a smile “Just gotta put on some fancy clothes before we…” She took in the sight, cameras propped up as you toyed with your pussy, now muted, obviously. “head out…”

She sighed, playing off a small hue of pink on her cheeks, trying to maintain her composure, “Interesting.. I thought you said you don’t stream on our date nights..” she sulked a bit. “F-Fuck babe—, It’s tonight?..” you furrowed your brows as you stared at her, lowering the camera angle to your lower body so they wouldn’t see you talking to your lover. “Yes, honey, it’s tonight that we have our monthly date.” she eyed you up and down, jaw clenching a bit in annoyance as she realized you forgot something so meaningful to her.

“I’m sorry my love, i forgot.” You put on a pout as you put your movements to a halt, realizing the situation becoming serious. “You forgot it was our date night?” she interrupted, “I’m sorry, baby, please i’ll make it up to you.”

Sana scoffed “Uhuh.” She bit the inside of her cheek in annoyance, narrowing her eyes are she stared you down. “Are you mad at me?..” you frowned, a wave of guilt rushing your body, not even daring to look her way from how shameful you felt, toying your pussy rather than getting ready for your date.

“Can they hear me?” Sana pointed at the mic you had placed near you “Wait, Sha.. don’t—“ she tapped the unmute button. “Hey stream!” She adjusted the camera back onto you both as she smiled rather enthusiastically, completely different to how she was acting when she was away from the camera. “What are you doing” you asked concerned as you tried to adjust yourself, trying to stop Sana.

“What do you mean what am i doing, just saying hi..” She smiled softly, eyes beady as she stared at the camera, a small wink thrown onto the lense as she giggled, “Y’know… my girlfriend must REALLY love her little fans, since she completely forgot about our date tonight and instead wants to play with herself infront of you guys!” she retorted inbetween gritted teeth, looking directly at you through the camera. “You must feel sooo special, don’t you?” she clenched her jaw even harder, knuckles growing with from her tight fist.

“Love, please I forgot, it was just a mistake.” You caressed her arm, squeezing it a bit to reassure her, Sana glared at you “Let’s make this little ‘mistake’ never happen again, alright?” she used air quotes as she crossed her arms, the chat flooding with questions and multiple arguments, if it were up to you, you’d end the stream and delete the account by now, thought your girlfriend had other things in mind.

“Plus.. even if you make mistakes the first time, you still need lessons, right?” You twitched, hand extending to finally end the life, she pulled you down by your wrist “Don’t end the stream, baby, the show must go on, no?” You whined. “Go ahead, keep playing with yourself.” Sana sat next to you now, legs and arms crossed as she stared at your soaking wet cunt, eyes darkening with lust.

“Baby please, i’m shy..” You closed up your legs, redness trailing down to your collarbones as you began shielding your body off. “Oh you’re shy now? Is it because i��m here watching you play with that dirty pussy?” her voice turned husky as she leaned closer, whispering in your ear

You felt the heat inbetween your legs grow as you squirmed at her hot breath against your ear. “Guess i’ll help you, princess.” she ran her fingers up and down your slit ever-so slowly, her gaze fixed on your center like a predator waiting to feast on its meek prey. “Aww, look how wet your pussy is.” she teased, voice laced with pity and she showed you off to all the people watching. “Poor chat, you can look, but you can’t touch. This is all mine.”

She bit down on your neck, leaving kisses and purple bruises right where your ear and jaw connect, every touch from her sending a shiver down your spine. “But you sick fucks probably get turned on by this, no?” she eyed the camera as she began to rub your clit, mouth still hungrily latched on to your neck.

She stuck her fingers in, your body jolting forward as you moaned loudly for her, your wet pussy sucking up her fingers easily, “Gosh, baby, that moan was so hot.” she pumped her fingers at a steady pace, “Same as the sound of how wet you are for me.” Sana wrapped her hand around your neck and pulled you into a kiss.

“Just love going in and out of this pretty cunt..” she bit your bottom lip before going back to your jaw, she eyed your main monitor for a sec, the number of views growing up to almost more than four digits “Well look at that, the viewer count really grew.. maybe if i have a hundred more people on, i’ll use a vibrator on her, hm?” Your eyes widen as you were about to protest, but was quickly cut off by her fingers curling deep inside you, your pussy clenching against them.

“Don’t complain, baby, i know your pussy gets so wet when you get fucked infront of a bunch of people.. especially when we did it in that balcony, got so noisy for me, i bet everyone knew how good i was making you feel.” She pumped her fingers hard as she smirked, your noises growing with each and every ministration.

“You just like getting treated like a fuck-doll, don’t you?” you nodded profusely, Sana letting out a cocky chuckle as she began to talk to the camera again. “Can you hear those slutty moans, and she goes even crazier when i use my tongue like this..”She leaned down and latched onto your puffy clit, you squeezed her head with your thighs as you pushed her deeper; though she was quick to pull apart.

“Fuck—no, baby please..” you whined loudly before grabbing her by the wrist towards your cunt. “Aww, you want me to eat you out, baby? After forgetting our planned date? You selfish fucking whore.” She pumped her fingers even harder, curling deeper than before.

“Beg, beg me to eat that wet pussy.” she spit on your cunt before dipping her fingers in again. “Gosh—Fuck, Baby please.. PleASE..” she slapped your cunt, “Come on, you can do louder than that.” and so you did, practically screaming and begging with no shame for her to eat your cunt. “That’s my girl”

She wasted no time and dipped into your center, vile groans and moans leaving her mouth as she slurped and licked, her noises vibrating against your cunt as your thick pussy slick coated down her chin; her defined nose rubbing your clit from time to time, giving you even more stimulation.

She sucked like her life depended on it, like someone who hasn’t eaten for days, enjoying their final meal, your taste drove her insane and she couldn’t have enough. You tangled your fingers in her brunette hair as you threw your head back in pleasure, she smirked against your pussy at every reaction you gave her, spitting on your cunt again before dipping back in; you felt the knot forming in your stomach.

“You gonna cum, baby” Sana looked up at you, locking eyes as she bobbed her head on your cunt, paying attention to inside your pussy and your puffy clit. You nodded desperately as you pushed her head further, with a harsh smack of her lips, she pulled apart—“No.”

“Baby, please—“ she shut you up with a kiss, “Not yet, love, we made it to a thousand more views, i promised id use the vibrator on you. Now lay down slut.” You were about to protest but hesitated, doing as she asked, she put a vibrator wand right on your clit, turning it on the medium setting.

You gripped the bedsheets, legs shaky as you moaned non-stop, Sana giggled, “So fucking pathetic, just moaning away.” your lip quivered as you shut your eyes, knowing that you weren’t gonna hold the urge to cum any longer; one of your hands went to hold onto Sana’s arm, which was moving around—going up and down with the toy on your puffy pussy..

“Look at her just squirming around and holding onto my arm so helplessly..” she bit her lip as the talked to the viewers, she was holding back—a lot—she wanted to fuck you then and there, to make you feel good. She good practically cum just by the sound of your moans, but she knew you had to learn your lesson.

She leaned in to whisper in your ear. “When i’m done with you, you’ll be a filthy cumming mess.” she nibbled on your earlobe before landing a tender peck on your jaw. You felt the knot forming again, and you knew you couldn’t hold it “Babe—Close, please I—“ She interrupted “Shhh…you can take it” you protested—“Please!”— Her voice turned stricter this time—“Baby i know you can take it.”

You tried pushing her hand away, you knew the stimulation was too much and you’d cum without her permission. Sana landed a harsh slap on your pussy, “Stop fucking moving.” she bit back in annoyance, you put your head down in shame. “If you can take forgetting our date you can take this, bitch. Move my hand away again and i’m turning it up.” She pulled you harshly by your jaw so you’d look at her, you stared with lidded eyes, too fucked senseless to even think properly, you nodded.

You screamed as you pushed her hand away again, quick to regret it, “You’re just fucking asking for it, aren’t you?” she turned up the setting to the maximum, pressing down on your pussy.

Tears pricked at your eyes as you begged her to stop, voice cracking and body shaking while your breath hitched. “Sana, please—Fucks sake!” Sana put on a fake pout as she pressed it down more, a scream coming out of your lips that even the neighbors could hear, “Aww you wanna cum? Say ‘please Sana can i cum?’”.

“Pl—ease.. Sana— fuck.. can I cUM!” Sana pressed a gentle kiss to your lips “Cum for me, my love.”

And with those simple words, you quickly came undone for her, vision turning blurry as you arched your back, body spasming, knuckles turning white from how hard you gripped the sheets, collapsing on the mattress. “Good girl, baby..” she teased as she landed a peck on your cheek, the vibrator on max setting still on your clit. “Baby, please.. I can’t take it anymore.” tears ran down your eyes as you stammered with your words, “I’m not done with you yet baby, you’ve been doing such a good job.” the vibrator was collected with slick, the mattress sheets stained as your inner thighs glowed under the light.

“You’re so pretty when your eyes roll back like that, love” she stick her tongue on and lick that one sensitive spot on your neck. “I know you love being tortured like this, whore.”

Tears ran down your cheeks, “Aw, you’re tearing up? It’s okay baby, one more minute.” She payed attention to your neck again, going down to your collarbones to nibble and leave marks at them too.

She turned it off.

“Bend over, baby.” she reached for the strap harness, a purple dildo attached to it. “Face the camera, i want everyone to see the faces you do when i make you feel this good.” you obeyed, though protesting a bit at facing the camera. She lined her tip in, sliding it up and down to lube it up with your wetness. “Aww look how—“ she whined as she stuck it in “pretty you are.. fuck..” she began moving her hips slowly “Gosh it’s already soaking wet..” the room felt hot as she groaned and moved her hips, skin slapping echoing the room.

“Mmm…Baby your moans are so pretty..” she put her hands on your hips, toying and squeezing the skin there. “Come on, tell the stream how much of a slut you are, begging to be used.” you stammered, trying to speak but you felt good—too fucking good. “Come on..speak up, baby.”

“I’m— hnghh.. i’m sorry, please.” Sana put on a sarcastic facade as she faked gasped “Oh you’re sorry huh? You’re sorry?” You nodded. “Well let’s see how sorry you are now, bitch” She began thrusting at a rough pace, your mouth falling open as your tits swinged forward and backward at every thrust. Sana looked at the viewer count again, “Damn, basically everyone is here.. just watching your pretty pussy get fucked.” you screamed her name.

“Hmm? Does that turn you on, huh? Having everyone watching all the lewd faces and slutty noises from my strap, hm?” you nodded as your hand rose to cover your mouth, a cracking noise was heard as a stinging pain rose to your ass, Sana landed a harsh slap on it.

“Move your fucking hand.” She stopped her thrusts to warn you before going back to fucking you hard and good again. “You’re lucky i don’t have my handcuff and gag, bitch. I want you creaming all over this strap.” She angled herself deeper, your pussy squelching echoing the room, “Such a nasty bitch.”

She grabbed you by the shoulder and lifted you up a bit, hips still going to work, “Come here baby.” she pressed her lips onto yours, humming in delight as your saliva exchanged, knowing you were tasting yourself on your lips right now. “Good slut, now admit to the chat that you love getting fucked infront of people.”

“I-I loved getting fucking infront of people..” you said inbetween moans “Yeah? you liked getting ruined infront of everyone, Y/N?” she angled it deeper than before, hand going down to rub your clit in figure eights. “Fuck—Yes, mommy.”

Sana’s eyes rolled to the back of her head, “Fuck, you know how much it turns me on when you call me mommy.” She gripped onto your tits for support as she fucked you even harder, guttural groans escaping her lips as she fucked you at an animalistic pace, the mattress creaking and shaking harshly.

Sana moaned as the strap rubbed her clothed clit, “You gonna cum, baby? Cum for me. Fucking cum for me.” She stuck her fingers in your mouth as she helped you ride her high, back arching as you seized and twitched on her, Sana wrapping you in a warm embrace as you laid groggily on the bed, fucked stupid.

Sana stood up and reached for the camera, “Well this was just a one time thing.. I need to uhm..” she stared at you for a moment, drool dripping on the corner of your lips as you laid there, eyes closed “take care of this lady…”

She fumbled with the controls.

“How do you turn off this thi—“

[daisymbin]

vernon angst 46 please! any ending is fine 🫶

will do!!! thank you for requesting 🤍

request your own: full prompt list!

check out my masterlist! // hansol's m.list

angst prompt #46: "we can't keep doing this."

it’s late, too late, but you’re here again. the soft knock on the door was all it took for hansol to let you in, like he always does. his heart is a traitor; it betrays him every time, even when his mind knows better.

you’re standing in his living room now, avoiding his gaze, and he doesn’t know if he’s relieved or angry about it. the air is heavy, thick with unspoken words, the kind that choke him when he tries to sleep.

“you didn’t have to come,” he says, voice quiet but strained, hands shoved deep into his hoodie pockets. he doesn’t mean it, not really, but it’s the kind of thing he thinks he should say.

“i wanted to,” you reply, just as softly, but you’re looking at your hands, fingers fidgeting with the hem of your jacket. you’re always like this—distant but close enough to ruin him.

he takes a deep breath, the weight of everything between you pressing on his chest. “we can’t keep doing this,” he says suddenly, the words tumbling out before he can stop them. his voice cracks, just slightly, and it feels like he’s tearing himself apart.

your head snaps up, eyes wide, like you didn’t see this coming. maybe you didn’t, or maybe you just didn’t want to. “what are you talking about?”

he laughs, bitter and short, like the kind of laugh you give when there’s nothing left to say but too much to feel. “you know what i’m talking about. this. us. whatever this is.”

you flinch, and it hurts him more than it should. but he presses on, because if he doesn’t say it now, he never will. “you show up when it’s convenient, when you’re sad, when you’re lonely, but then what? you leave. every time.” his voice rises, not loud but enough to echo in the silence.

“it’s not like that,” you protest, but it’s weak, and you both know it.

“then what is it?” he snaps, the frustration finally boiling over. “what are we? because i can’t keep pretending this doesn’t hurt.”

your lips part, like you’re about to say something, but nothing comes out. your silence is louder than any excuse, any half-hearted apology you could give.

“do you even care?” he asks, quieter now, the fight draining out of him. “or am i just... someone you run to because it’s easy?”

“hansol, that’s not fair,” you whisper, but your voice wavers, and it’s all the answer he needs.

he shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. “no, what’s not fair is the way you look at me like i mean something, only to disappear the second i think i can believe it.”

you take a step closer, and he backs away instinctively, the space between you feeling both too much and not enough. “i didn’t mean to—”

“but you did,” he cuts you off, voice sharper than he wants it to be. “you always do.”

the tears in your eyes are the final blow, because he knows he’s hurting you, and he hates it. but he also hates the way you’ve been hurting him, over and over, with every fleeting moment you give him only to take it all away.

“maybe you don’t know what you’re doing,” he says, softer now, almost like he’s talking to himself. “but i do. i know what it feels like to hope, to think maybe this time it’ll be different, only to be wrong again.”

you’re crying now, silent tears streaming down your face, and he looks away because if he doesn’t, he’ll break.

“i can’t do this anymore,” he whispers, his voice trembling. “i can’t keep letting you in, knowing you’ll leave. it’s killing me.”

“hansol, please,” you choke out, but there’s nothing left to say.

he looks at you one last time, taking in the way you’re falling apart in front of him. it’s ironic, he thinks, how the person breaking him is the same one he wants to hold together.

“go,” he says, barely audible, but the weight in his voice makes it feel final. “just... go.”

you hesitate, like you want to fight, but then you turn and walk toward the door. the soft click of it closing behind you feels like the end of everything, and maybe it is.

hansol sinks onto the couch, head in his hands, as the silence wraps around him like a suffocating blanket. he knows he did the right thing, but it doesn’t feel like it.

it feels like losing, like ripping out a piece of himself and leaving it in your hands, knowing you’ll never give it back.

and as the minutes stretch into hours, he sits there, drowning in the quiet, wondering if you’ll ever come back—and knowing, deep down, that he hopes you don’t.

[enemiestolovershoe]

Heyy. First off all I love your blog :). Second can you maybe write something where readers is best friends with sam and colby and they celebrate christmas together. maybe do something with presents etc and then they decided to play a drinking game and they get absolutely wasted. sam whispers something to reader and she eagerly nods and just says „lets fucking do this“ so sam takes her hand and leads reader to his bedroom and colby is just „have fun guys but remember wrap the present“

thank you :)

Not such a silent night

Sam Golbach x bsf!reader

Summary: Sam gives Y/N a different kind of Christmas present this year.

Words: 8k

Warnings: SMUT 18+, Alcohol use, drunk people, swearing, use of petnames

A/N: Like I said in my previous post this got deleted half way through so please ignore mistakes and maybe show it some love. Thank you and Sorry :)

The soft hum of Christmas music filled your bedroom as you stood in front of your mirror, biting your lip in thought. Clothes were scattered across your room—a clear sign of indecision. Tonight was Sam and Colby’s annual Christmas party, and you wanted to strike the perfect balance between festive and comfortable.

You held up a pair of black tights in one hand and a black skirt in the other, tilting your head as you considered your options. “This should work, right?” you murmured to yourself, eyeing the combination critically.

The tights slid on effortlessly, their sleek material hugging your legs. You paired them with the skirt, zipping it up and smoothing the fabric. Then came the pièce de résistance: a red Christmas sweatshirt adorned with a goofy reindeer face and the words Oh, Deer! printed across the chest. You chuckled at your reflection, the bright red contrasting perfectly with the darker tones of your outfit.

“Festive, but not trying too hard,” you muttered, grabbing your black boots to complete the look. You pulled your hair into a loose half-up, half-down style and dabbed on a touch of makeup—just enough to make you feel like you’d made an effort.

Satisfied, you grabbed your coat and phone, double-checking your gift bag containing presents for Sam and Colby. Before heading out, you shot a quick text in the group chat:

You: On my way! Should be there in 15.

Sam: We’re ready for you!

Colby: Hurry up, you’re missing all the fun.

You: Colby, the party hasn’t even started yet.

A laugh escaped your lips as you ordered the Uber. Minutes later, a car pulled up outside, and you slid into the backseat, the faint scent of peppermint in the air reminding you of the season.

The ride to the boys’ house was uneventful, with the city twinkling in Christmas lights. You couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement as you neared their place. Every gathering at Sam and Colby’s always promised unforgettable memories—and likely some chaos.

When the car rolled to a stop, you stepped out, clutching the gift bag. Their house was already glowing with fairy lights strung along the roof, and you could hear faint music from inside. You barely made it to the front door before it swung open, revealing Sam with his signature grin.

“About time!” he exclaimed, pulling you into a warm hug.

“Hey, it’s not like I was late,” you teased, laughing as you hugged him back. His arms lingered around you for a beat longer than usual, but you brushed it off, assuming he was just in a festive mood.

“Don’t crush her, dude,” Colby interrupted, appearing in the doorway and pulling you into a more casual, one-armed hug. “You brought wine, right?”

“what even is this question,” you shot back with a grin, holding up the bag. “Fair enough,” Colby said, stepping aside to let you in.

The familiar warmth of their house enveloped you as you stepped inside, the scent of pine and cinnamon wafting through the air. Their living room was decked out with Christmas decorations: a tree bursting with ornaments, garlands draped over every surface, and even a Santa hat perched on the corner of the TV.

“Let’s get you a drink,” Sam said, leading the way into the kitchen.

The three of you crowded around the counter, where an array of bottles was already on display. Colby grabbed a bottle of wine and waggled it in your direction. “Red or white?”

“Red,” you answered immediately.

“Bold choice,” Colby said as he uncorked the bottle and poured three glasses.

Sam handed you one, his fingers brushing against yours briefly. “Cheers,” he said, raising his glass.

“To another chaotic Christmas party,” Colby added with a grin.

“To not be hungover tomorrow,” you chimed in, clinking your glass against theirs.

Sam chuckled. “You’re too optimistic for your own good.”

The doorbell chimed, and the three of you exchanged glances before Colby dramatically sighed. “Guess we have to be good hosts now.”

He pushed off the counter, but you followed behind him with Sam right on your heels. As Colby swung open the door, Jake, Johnnie, Tara, and the Sturniolo triplets filed in, bundled up in scarves and jackets, cheeks pink from the cold.

“Merry Christmas!” Jake announced, stepping forward to pull you into a quick hug.

“Merry Christmas!” you replied, squeezing him tightly.

Johnnie was next, offering his usual goofy grin as he hugged you. “Nice sweater,” he teased, tugging at the hem of your sweatshirt. “Very on brand.”

“Better than your sweater,” you shot back, eyeing his plain green pullover.

“I’m minimalistic,” he argued with mock indignation.

Tara pulled you into a warm hug, planting a kiss on each of your cheeks. “You look so cute, babe,” she said, her tone genuinely affectionate.

“You’re one to talk,” you said, admiring her glittery gold dress. “You look like a Christmas goddess.”

“Stop, you’ll make me cry before dinner,” she joked, wiping away fake tears as Matt, Chris, and Nick approached.

Nick greeted you with a bear hug, lifting you off the ground slightly. “Hey, superstar,” he said, setting you back down.

Matt waved before giving you a casual side hug. “Nice to see you not in sweats for once.”

“Wow, thanks for that,” you deadpanned, though you couldn’t help but laugh.

Chris was the last to step forward, his shy smile immediately softening you. “Hey,” he said simply, pulling you into a brief but firm hug.

“Hey,” you replied, giving him an extra squeeze before stepping back.

Once everyone had their coats hung up and glasses of wine in hand, you all moved to the dining table. The feast was already spread out: turkey, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and enough side dishes to feed a small army.

“Damn, you guys went all out,” Jake said, eyeing the spread appreciatively as he took a seat.

“Colby was in charge of the decorations,” Sam said, pulling out a chair for you before sitting down beside you.

“And the food?” Tara asked.

Sam raised a hand. “That was all me.”

“I helped,” Colby interjected, pointing a fork in Sam’s direction.

“Boiling water doesn’t count,” Sam shot back with a grin, earning a round of laughter from the table.

The conversation flowed as everyone dug into their plates.

“This turkey is insane,” Matt said, his mouth half-full. “What’s the secret?”

“Hours of YouTube tutorials and one minor kitchen fire,” Sam admitted, making everyone laugh.

“Remember when he almost set the microwave on fire last year?” Johnnie chimed in, earning groans and giggles from the group.

“I was reheating gravy!” Sam defended himself, though even he was laughing now.

As plates were cleared and the last bits of dessert disappeared, everyone leaned back in their chairs, visibly satisfied.

“I think I’m gonna explode,” Nick groaned, patting his stomach.

“You say that every year,” Chris said, shaking his head.

“Because it’s true every year,” Nick retorted.

“Alright, living room,” Tara declared, standing up and clapping her hands. “I need to lie down before I go into a food coma, and we still have presents to open!”

You followed the group into the living room, wine glasses refilled and spirits high. The Christmas tree sparkled in the corner, and the stack of gifts beneath it looked almost too good to disturb. Almost.

“Who’s going first?” Colby asked, plopping onto the couch and stretching his legs out.

“I think we should make Nick go last,” Matt said, smirking. “Make him suffer a little.”

“Why me?” Nick demanded, throwing a pillow at Matt, who easily dodged it.

“Because you’re the most dramatic,” Chris said, shrugging.

The bickering continued as you settled onto the floor near Sam, your gift bag resting beside you. You sipped your wine, a warm buzz settling over you as laughter filled the room.

“Alright, let’s start this,” Tara said, grabbing a gift from under the tree. “Otherwise, we’ll be here until New Year’s.”

The first exchange began, and you watched as everyone’s faces lit up with excitement, their laughter and gratitude filling the room. The warmth of the night, the company, and the holiday cheer wrapped around you like a cozy blanket.

The group gathered around the large U-shaped couch, everyone settling into their spots with wine glasses in hand and cheeks flushed from the meal. Sam sat beside you, close enough that his knee brushed against yours every so often. You noticed how he leaned slightly toward you, his shoulder just barely grazing yours as he laughed at Colby’s commentary about Nick’s dessert plate still sitting abandoned on the table.

“Nick, are you seriously going to let that ice cream melt?” Colby teased.

“Maybe I’m saving it for later,” Nick shot back, slumping into his seat at the corner of the couch.

“You’re saving a puddle,” Chris said, smirking.

“Guys, focus,” Tara interrupted, tapping her wine glass with her nails. “It’s time for presents.”

Sam reached for his wine glass but kept his body angled toward you. “Excited for this?” he asked, his voice low.

“Always,” you replied, ignoring the way your heart fluttered when his smile lingered a bit too long.

Chris cleared his throat, standing up with a sheepish smile. “I guess I’ll go first.���

He reached under the tree, pulling out a small stack of neatly wrapped gifts.

“Chris, you wrapped these?” Tara asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Of course I did,” he said, handing her a gift bag. “I’m a man of many talents.”

“Or a man of many YouTube tutorials,” Matt quipped, earning a laugh from everyone.

Chris worked his way around the room, handing out gifts until he reached you. He gave you a small rectangular box, wrapped in silver paper.

“Open it,” Chris urged, sitting back down as everyone tore into their gifts.

Inside the box was a delicate bracelet with a tiny charm shaped like a star.

“Oh my God, Chris,” you said, holding it up to the light. “This is beautiful.”

“I figured you could wear it for good luck,” he said, smiling shyly.

“You’re the best,” you said, leaning over to give him a quick hug.

Chris had given Colby a new pair of wireless headphones. “Because you always steal mine,” Chris added, Matt a sleek black beanie that immediately went on his head, Jake a pair of ugly pajama pants, Johnnie a pack of rare trading cards, and Nick a hardcover book on photography.

Matt went next, handing out his gifts, which ranged from a bottle of whiskey for Colby “It’s your type of sophistication,” Matt had joked. A custom framed photo collage for Tara of their favorite group memories. For you, he’d picked out a soft plaid scarf in your favorite color.

“This is perfect, Matt,” you said, wrapping it around your shoulders.

Jake’s turn brought practical but thoughtful gifts: A giant gummy bear dick for Johnnie, and a handmade scented candle for Tara. “I made this myself, okay?” he added, and for you, a new journal for your junk journal addiction.

“I thought you might like something personal,” Jake said as you opened it.

“Jake, this is so sweet,” you said.

Johnnie was next, handing out quirky, personalized gifts like a t-shirt for Sam and Colby that read Professional Ghost Hunter and a glittery phone case for Tara. When he handed you your gift, you opened it to find a small framed picture of you, him, and the rest of the group from last year’s Christmas party.

“I figured you’d want to remember how great we look,” Johnnie said, making you laugh.

“Thanks, Johnnie. It’s perfect.”

Tara’s gifts were chic and thoughtful. She gave you a makeup set you’d been eyeing for months. “I knew you wanted it but wouldn’t buy it for yourself,” Tara said, grinning.

“I love you,” you said dramatically, throwing your arms around her.

Finally, it was Sam’s turn. He picked up a neatly wrapped box and handed it to you first.

“For you,” he said, his voice a little softer than usual.

Inside was a soft, oversized hoodie you had been eyeing for months now.

“You’re always saying you want that hoodie so I got it for you,” Sam said, scratching the back of his neck. “And it’s your favorite color.”

“Sam, this is perfect,” you said, your heartwarming at how thoughtful he’d been.

“I knew I was winning gift-giving this year,” he said with a wink.

Colby’s turn was filled with playful energy, gifting you a pair of fuzzy socks with little snowflakes on them and a mug that read This is probably wine.

“Because you can never have enough fuzzy socks,” Colby said, grinning as you laughed.

When it was your turn, you handed out your gifts: a pair of engraved keychains for Jake, Johnnie, Sam, and Colby with little inside jokes on them, a signed copy of a book for Tara, a box full of different Pepsi flavors for Chris, a Necklace for Matt and hoodie for Nick.

Finally, Nick’s turn arrived, and he gave everyone hilarious gag gifts—a banana costume for Colby, a potato-shaped stress ball for Matt, and a shirt for you that said Holiday Chaos Coordinator.

“Very fitting,” Nick said with a smirk as everyone roared with laughter.

The room was filled with thank-yous, laughter, and a sense of togetherness that made you feel like you were exactly where you were meant to be. Sam nudged your arm gently, and you looked over at him, his gaze warm.

“Pretty good haul tonight,” he said softly, his smile making your heart flutter again.

“Yeah,” you replied, smiling back. “Best Christmas yet.”

The room buzzed with the lingering excitement of gifts as everyone settled back into their spots on the U-shaped couch, laughter and casual chatter filling the space. Colby was holding up the banana costume Nick had given him, inspecting it with an exaggeratedly serious expression.

“I’m just saying,” Colby began, “this might be the best gift I’ve ever received. You’re never going to top this, Nick.”

“You’re welcome,” Nick said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk.

Tara sipped her wine, her legs curled up beneath her as she glanced at the potato-shaped stress ball in Matt’s hand. “What’s the story behind that?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Matt gave a dramatic sigh. “Nick thinks I’m stressed all the time, so naturally, his solution is a potato.”

“It’s a multi-functional potato,” Nick retorted. “You can squeeze it and pretend it’s your dinner companion.”

Jake burst out laughing. “Matt and his emotional support potato. Coming to a theater near you.”

“Don’t give him ideas,” Matt groaned, tossing the stress ball at Jake, who dodged it easily.

Meanwhile, Jake was fiddling with the engraved keychain you’d given him, turning it over in his hands with a small smile. “This was a really thoughtful gift,” he said quietly, nudging you with his elbow.

“I’m glad you like it,” you replied, smiling back.

Sam, sitting close enough that his arm brushed yours, leaned in slightly. “I can’t believe you actually found a signed copy of that book for Tara,” he said.

“Let’s just say I had to pull some strings,” you said with a wink.

“Impressive,” Sam said, his grin lingering a little too long before Tara interrupted.

“So,” Tara said, gesturing to the now-empty wine glasses scattered across the coffee table. “What’s next? We need to keep this party going.”

As if on cue, Colby suddenly stood up, stretching his arms overhead. “Don’t move,” he said, already heading toward the kitchen.

“What’s he up to?” Jake asked, leaning back against the couch.

“Knowing Colby?” Johnnie said, smirking. “Something ridiculous.”

You all continued chatting, speculating about Colby’s plans as you sipped your wine and lounged around. A few moments later, he reappeared in the doorway, grinning mischievously and holding up two bottles of Christmas-flavored vodka.

“Time for the real Christmas spirit?” he announced, waggling the bottles in the air.

The room erupted in cheers, everyone raising their glasses or fists in agreement.

“Hell yeah!” Jake exclaimed, already sliding off the couch to sit on the floor.

Colby sauntered into the room, setting the bottles on the coffee table with a flourish. “Let’s gather around, my festive degenerates.”

Everyone scrambled to sit on the floor, forming a loose circle around the coffee table. You found yourself between Sam and Tara, the former sliding closer as he stretched his legs out in front of him.

“What are we playing?” Matt asked, already grabbing a shot glass.

Colby sat cross-legged at the head of the circle, uncapping one of the vodka bottles. “I was thinking we’d start with a classic. Truth or Drink.”

“Dangerous,” Tara said, grinning as she poured herself a small shot.

“Dangerously fun,” Colby corrected.

“Just don’t ask me anything too crazy,” Chris said, shaking his head.

“That’s not how this works,” Jake said with a laugh.

As everyone poured their drinks and settled in, the excitement in the room buzzed with anticipation. The vodka smelled faintly of cinnamon and nutmeg, filling the air with a festive warmth as the first round began.

The game started innocently enough. Everyone poured their first shots, laughter already bubbling in the air as Colby rubbed his hands together with a mischievous grin.

“Alright,” Colby began, looking around the circle. “Let’s ease into this. Jake, truth or drink?”

Jake raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered. “Truth.”

Colby smirked. “What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done this year?”

Jake leaned back, thinking for a moment. “Easy,” he said. “Remember that hike where I tripped over my own feet and slid down the trail on my ass? In front of that group of strangers?”

“Oh my God, that was amazing,” Tara said, laughing so hard she had to clutch her side. “You looked like a cartoon character.”

“You’re welcome for the entertainment,” Jake said, holding up his shot glass in mock pride.

The circle moved on, with everyone taking turns answering light-hearted questions or taking small sips of vodka. The cinnamon burn warmed your throat and stomach, the buzz creeping in slowly.

When it was your turn, Johnnie grinned devilishly. “Alright, truth or drink?”

“Truth,” you said confidently, leaning forward.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying himself. “If you had to swap lives with one person here for a week, who would it be?”

You laughed, glancing around the circle. “Easy—Tara. She’s got her life so put together, and I’d probably spend a week just trying on all her clothes.”

“Excellent choice,” Tara said, flipping her hair playfully.

As the rounds went on, the questions began to take on a more daring edge, fueled by the increasing buzz from the vodka.

“Sam,” Matt said, pointing at him. “Truth or drink?”

Sam hesitated before saying, “Truth.”

Matt smirked. “Have you ever had a crush on anyone in this room?”

The group collectively “oooh” -ed, leaning in eagerly. Sam flushed bright red and quickly reached for his shot glass, downing it in one go.

“Oh, come on!” Nick said, groaning. “You can’t leave us hanging like that.”

Sam just shook his head, his cheeks still pink. “Next question,” he muttered, earning a round of laughter.

The bottle made its way back to you, and this time, Colby’s gaze landed on you with a smirk.

“Your turn, Y/N,” he said. “Truth or drink?”

“Truth,” you said, feeling a little braver now.

Colby leaned forward, his grin widening. “What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?”

You rolled your eyes, laughing. “Oh, that’s easy. This guy once took me to a drive-thru, ordered himself a meal, and then told me he ‘forgot his wallet.’ I ended up paying for his food and leaving before he finished his fries.”

The group erupted in laughter, with Nick practically wheezing. “No way that actually happened.”

“It did,” you said, shaking your head. “And I blocked his number before I even got home.”

“Legendary,” Sam said, clinking his glass against yours.

The game continued, the questions gradually becoming bolder.

“Matt,” Tara said, a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Truth or drink?”

Matt leaned back, a cocky smile on his face. “Truth.”

She tapped her chin dramatically. “What’s your biggest turn-on?”

The group erupted into laughter and whistles, and Matt raised his hands in mock surrender. “You’re evil for that,” he said, laughing.

“You answered truth!” Tara shot back, raising her glass. His grin faltered slightly as his gaze flicked around the room. “Uh...confidence, I guess?”

“Lame answer,” Nick said, shaking his head.

“I’m not gonna give you a whole list!” Matt retorted.

As the game progressed, your buzz deepened, the warmth of the vodka and the closeness of your friends making everything feel a little brighter, a little louder. You couldn’t help but notice how Sam’s arm rested against yours more often now, his laughter always seeming to linger just a bit longer when he looked your way.

When the bottle circled back to Colby, he leaned forward, holding the vodka in one hand and his shot glass in the other.

“Alright, group question,” he said, smirking. “What’s the kinkiest thing you’ve ever done? If you don’t answer, you drink.”

The room burst into chaos, everyone groaning and laughing at once.

“No way,” Matt said, immediately reaching for his shot glass.

“You’re all cowards,” Tara said, though she quickly poured herself a shot as well.

Chris buried his face in his hands. “This game is getting dangerous.”

You exchanged a glance with Sam, who raised an eyebrow at you as if to say, Are you really going to answer that?

You laughed, the vodka making you bolder than usual. “I’m drinking,” you said, lifting your glass.

“Smart move,” Sam said, clinking his glass against yours again.

As the game continued, the questions got riskier, the laughter louder, and the group more uninhibited, the holiday cheer blending with the undeniable buzz of the vodka.

The circle had dissolved into a chaotic mess of laughter, slurred words, and increasingly questionable decisions as the vodka bottles emptied. The once-civilized drinking game had spiraled into a parade of the most shameless questions imaginable, fueled by the holiday spirit and far too much alcohol.

Nick was sprawled on the floor near the couch, snoring softly, one arm flung over his face like he’d given up on keeping up with the group.

“Nick’s down for the count,” Chris said, waving his hand in front of Nick’s face. “I give him an hour before he’s asking for pizza.”

Tara was doubled over, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her stomach. “You guys,” she wheezed, struggling to catch her breath. “I can’t—it‘s so funny—oh my God!”

Jake, meanwhile, was leaning back against the couch, mumbling something incomprehensible. “Shss... s’like, ya know?” he slurred, gesturing vaguely with his hands.

“Exactly, Jake,” Matt said with mock seriousness. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

Colby was leaning back on his elbows, his cheeks flushed from both alcohol and laughter. “This game’s officially off the rails,” he said, shaking his head. “And I love it.”

You sat cross-legged on the floor, your back resting lightly against Sam’s chest. At some point, he’d shifted closer and closer, his thigh pressed against yours, his arm draped casually behind you. You were both laughing at something Matt had said, but your brain was starting to feel foggy from the vodka.

Sam leaned down, his voice low and close to your ear. “You’re way too good at this game, you know that?”

You turned your head slightly, meeting his gaze, which was laced with mischief. “Or maybe you’re just bad at it,” you teased, your words a little slower than usual.

He grinned, his face so close you could feel the warmth radiating off him. “Nah, I think you’re just trying to distract me.”

“Distract you from what?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“From how ridiculously pretty you look right now,” he said, his tone playful but with a hint of sincerity that made your stomach flip.

You laughed, shaking your head. “Sam, you’re drunk.”

“Maybe,” he said, shrugging. “But I’m not lying.”

Tara, still cackling, pointed at the two of you. “Oh my God, Sam’s flirting, everyone. Someone write this down.”

“Shut up, Tara,” Sam said, but he was smiling, not even trying to deny it.

Chris groaned, throwing a pillow at Tara. “You’re gonna embarrass them.”

“Oh, please,” Colby chimed in, smirking. “I think Sam’s doing a good enough job on his own.”

Jake tried to say something, but it came out as an incomprehensible mumble, which only made Tara laugh harder.

“Jake, are you even speaking English anymore?” Matt asked, looking genuinely concerned.

Jake waved him off, his words slurred but his grin unbothered. “ M fine... jus’ talkin’... ‘bout... stuff.”

Sam ignored the chaos around you, his attention focused solely on you. “I’m just saying,” he continued, his voice softer now, “you’ve been looking at me like that all night.”

“Like what?” you asked, your heart racing despite your alcohol-fueled haze.

“Like I’m the only guy in this room,” he said, his voice teasing but his eyes serious.

You felt your face heat up, though you weren’t sure if it was from the vodka or the way Sam was looking at you. “Maybe you’re imagining things,” you said, trying to sound nonchalant.

He chuckled, leaning even closer. “Or maybe I’m not.”

Colby clapped his hands together suddenly, breaking the moment. “Alright, who’s next? Someone’s gotta keep this circus going.”

“I’ll go,” Tara said, still giggling as she picked up a bottle and pointed it at Matt. “Truth or drink?”

As Tara launched into her question, Sam didn’t move away, his shoulder brushing yours as he stayed close. His hand rested on the floor behind you, but his fingers toyed lightly with the edge of your skirt as if he couldn’t help himself.

“You’re trouble,” you murmured, glancing at him out of the corner of your eye.

He smirked, his gaze dropping briefly to your lips. “You have no idea.”

The group around you continued to spiral into drunken hilarity, but you could barely focus. The warmth of Sam’s closeness and his bold flirting had your heart pounding in a way that even the vodka couldn’t numb.

The game continued in the background, but you and Sam had completely checked out. The vodka had dulled the edges of your thoughts, and the warmth of his body so close to yours was all-consuming. Every little move he made seemed intentional—the way his fingers brushed against your knee, the way his voice dropped just a little lower when he leaned in to speak to you.

“You know,” Sam murmured, his lips barely an inch from your ear, “I can’t decide if you’re ignoring me on purpose or if you’re just trying to drive me insane.”

You turned your head slightly to meet his eyes, a playful smile tugging at your lips. “Why not both?”

He chuckled, his gaze dropping to your lips briefly before snapping back up to your eyes. “You’re trouble,” he quoted you, his voice thick with something that made your stomach flip.

“And you’re repeating yourself,” you teased, leaning just a little closer, your noses almost touching now.

Meanwhile, the game carried on without you, though Tara seemed to notice your zoning out. “Uh, Y/N,” she called, laughing as she nudged a shot glass in your direction. “It’s your turn, by the way.”

You blinked, glancing around the circle, but Sam’s hand rested lightly on your thigh, and your focus immediately snapped back to him. The room around you blurred into irrelevance as he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against yours in the lightest, most teasing of kisses.

You froze for half a second before leaning into him, and suddenly, the light teasing kiss turned into something deeper, hotter. His hand slid up to cup the back of your head, his fingers tangling in your hair as he pulled you closer. You barely registered the collective gasp from the room or the way the laughter faltered, giving way to a chorus of catcalls and cheers.

“Holy shit,” Matt finally said, breaking the spell as he waved a hand in front of him. “Get a room, OMG!”

The group burst into laughter, Tara clapping her hands together. “You go, girl!” she shouted, raising her glass in a mock toast.

Jake, still slumped against the couch, squinted at the two of you. “’M I seein’ things? Or are they…?”

“Nope, you’re seeing it,” Colby said, smirking. “It’s happening.”

You pulled back just slightly, your breath mingling with Sam’s as you both grinned at each other. His eyes were dark, full of heat and mischief, and he didn’t seem remotely fazed by the group’s reactions.

“You’re terrible,” you whispered, though the smile on your face betrayed your words.

“And you love it,” he shot back, his voice low enough that only you could hear.

Without saying another word, you stood up, grabbing his hand and tugging him to his feet. He followed you willingly, his grin wide and boyish as you led him toward the hallway.

“Where are they going?” Chris asked, though his voice was more amused than surprised.

“Where do you think?” Matt said, laughing as he leaned back on his hands.

Tara cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. “Have fun, but don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

“Oh, please,” Colby said, shaking his head with a grin. “Remember to wrap the present!”

The room erupted into more laughter, and you turned back just long enough to shoot them a playful glare. Sam, however, just smirked, giving a little salute before following you down the hall.

You barely made it into Sam’s bedroom before his lips crashed against yours again, this time with even more urgency. He pushed the door shut behind him without breaking the kiss, his hands gripping your waist as if he were afraid you might slip away.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he murmured against your lips, his voice breathless and husky.

“Then stop wasting time,” you teased, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

He groaned softly, his hands sliding down to your thighs. Before you could react, he lifted you effortlessly, pressing you firmly against the wall. The cool surface contrasted with the heat radiating from his body as he pressed his hips against yours, the growing hardness between his legs impossible to ignore.

You gasped at the sensation, your head tilting back slightly, giving him access to trail kisses along your jaw and down your neck. Each touch of his lips sent sparks through you, and you couldn’t hold back the soft moan that escaped your lips.

“Fuck,” Sam whispered, pulling back just enough to look at you, his pupils blown wide. “You sound so beautiful.”

His words made your cheeks flush, but you didn’t have time to respond before his lips were on yours again, more demanding this time. His hands roamed over your body, exploring, while his hips rocked gently against yours, teasing you with just enough friction to make you want more.

“Sam,” you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper.

He pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against yours as he caught his breath. “You’re driving me crazy,” he admitted, his voice low and rough.

“Good,” you said with a smirk, your fingers threading through his hair.

He let out a soft laugh before stepping back from the wall, still holding you securely. He carried you over to the bed, laying you down gently as his hands brushed over your sides. The weight of his body over yours made your heart race, the heat between you nearly overwhelming.

Sam propped himself up on one arm, his free hand trailing along your side as his eyes raked over you. “You’re so fucking gorgeous,” he said, his voice filled with awe.

“You’re not so bad yourself,” you replied, your hands tugging at the hem of his shirt. “Now, are you going to let me see more or just keep talking?”

He chuckled, sitting up just enough to yank his shirt over his head before tossing it to the floor. “Better?” he asked, grinning.

You reached up, your fingers skimming over his chest. “Much.”

He leaned down again, his lips capturing yours as his hands began to explore more boldly. Your hands moved to the hem of your sweater, but before you could pull it off, Sam stopped you.

“Let me,” he said, his voice a mix of command and plea.

You nodded, lifting your arms as he slowly pulled the sweater over your head, his eyes darkening as he took in the sight of you. He trailed kisses down your neck, his hands working their way to the waistband of your skirt.

“Tell me if you want to stop,” he said softly, his voice sincere even as his desire was clear.

“I won’t,” you assured him, your fingers already tugging at the button of his jeans.

He groaned softly, helping you push them down as his lips found yours again. The rest of your clothes quickly followed, each piece discarded in a growing pile on the floor. The air between you was electric, every touch, every kiss stoking the fire building between you.

The room was dimly lit, bathed in a soft, golden hue from a nearby lamp. You could hear faint chatter and laughter from your friends in the living room, but here, in this quiet moment, it felt like the world had shrunk to just the two of you. Sam’s gaze held yours, warm and intent, his lips curved into a mischievous smile.

“You’re beautiful, you know that?” he murmured, his voice low and steady. The sincerity in his tone made your cheeks flush, and you found yourself shyly looking away, though the fluttering in your chest told you how much you appreciated it.

“Sam you‘re...” you started, your voice trailing off, but he gently tipped your chin back to meet his eyes.

“I mean it,” he insisted, his thumb brushing softly over your cheek. “Every bit of you. Everything.”

Your heart swelled at his words, and before you could respond, he leaned in, capturing your lips in a kiss so tender it left you breathless. The room seemed to tilt as his warmth enveloped you, the closeness of him erasing every stray thought. His hands slid to your waist, grounding you as his lips began a gentle exploration, tracing from the corner of your mouth to the sensitive spot just below your ear.

“Sam,” you whimpered, a mixture of anticipation and disbelief in your voice.

He hummed softly in response, his breath hot against your skin as he pressed a kiss just beneath your jawline. His touch was slow, deliberate, as though he was savoring every second. His lips moved lower, tracing a path down your neck, pausing every so often to leave the softest kisses that sent shivers racing along your spine.

“You okay?” he asked softly, his voice cutting through the haze. He pulled back just enough to meet your eyes, his brow furrowed in concern. “Tell me if this is too much.”

The tenderness in his expression nearly undid you. You nodded, your breath hitching. “I’m more than okay,” you managed, your voice barely above a whisper.

He smiled at your reassurance, his confidence returning as he resumed his journey. Each kiss felt like a silent conversation, his care evident in every touch. When he reached the edge of your collarbone, he paused to look up at you again, as if seeking permission.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, his voice laced with an earnest vulnerability that made your chest tighten.

You didn’t hesitate. “Always.”

That one word seemed to light something in him. He pressed his lips to your shoulder, then continued downward, his hands steadying you as you leaned back against the cushions. Time felt suspended as he traced the curve of your arms and sides with the same careful attention, his gaze flicking up to meet yours now and then, as if to ensure you were still with him.

The warmth of his presence, and the way he handled you with reverence, made it impossible to focus on anything but the moment. You couldn’t hold back the soft moans that escaped your lips, each one making his smile grow.

“I think I like this,” he teased lightly, his voice breaking the stillness. “Hearing you like this.”

You laughed softly, though the sound was shaky. “Don’t get too cocky.”

He chuckled, the vibration of it resonating against your skin as he placed another kiss over your sternum. “Too late.”

The sound of your friends’ laughter drifted through the door again, and you froze for a moment, suddenly aware of how thin the walls were. Sam noticed immediately, his lips pausing as he looked up with a grin.

“Worried they’ll hear?” he asked, his tone teasing but kind.

You shrugged, feeling self-conscious, your drunkness wore off as soon as Sam kissed you. “Maybe…”

He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Let them. They’ll just be jealous.”

You swatted his arm, laughing, and he grinned, the playful glint in his eyes making your heart race.

His breath was warm against your skin, and when he chuckled softly, it was as though the sound itself ignited something deep within you.

“You’re so sensitive here, Y/N,” he teased, his voice low and filled with affection. His lips pressed against the delicate curve of your neck again, and this time you couldn’t hold back the soft sigh that escaped your lips.

His hands traced down your arms before resting at your waist, grounding you as he continued his slow exploration. He didn’t rush, letting each kiss speak volumes as he moved lower, his lips brushing over the line of your collarbone.

“Sam...” you whimpered, unsure if it was a plea for him to slow down or to never stop.

He looked up at you, his eyes dark with a mix of playfulness and intent. “What’s that, sweetheart?”

The nickname sent a rush of warmth through you, pooling low in your core. You shook your head, unable to form coherent words, and he grinned as if he knew exactly what you were feeling.

“Nothing? Alright,” he teased, his lips curling into a smirk. “I’ll just keep going, then.”

He shifted slightly, his hands moving up to your sides as his lips made their way to your chest. The first kiss he placed there was slow and deliberate, his lips soft against your skin. He took his time, letting his hands trace gentle patterns over your back as he moved lower. Your breath hitched as he kissed along the curve of your tits and sucked on your nipples, each touch deliberate, like he was savoring every moment. His hands joined in, brushing over your sides before settling, strong and steady, as he leaned in closer.

“Sam...” you moaned again, your voice trembling.

“Still with me?” he asked, pausing to meet your gaze. His expression was soft, full of affection and care.

You nodded, unable to do much else. “Always.”

That was all he needed. He leaned back down, letting his lips travel further, pressing kisses along your stomach. Every touch sent shivers through you, each kiss slower than the last as if he was committing every inch of you to memory.

When he reached your thighs, he paused, his hands steadying you as he looked up once more. “You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice thick with sincerity.

And then he continued, his lips tracing down the length of your thigh before moving to the other. You felt your breath falter, your heart racing as he inched closer, his movements purposeful but never rushed.

“Sam...” you whimpered, your voice barely audible over the sound of your own heartbeat.

“Hmm?” He glanced up at you with a grin, his lips brushing over the sensitive skin of your inner thigh.

“That feels... so good,” you admitted, your words tumbling out unguarded.

“Good,” he said, his grin widening.

When he finally closed the distance, his touch was like nothing you’d ever felt before. Every movement was deliberate, every moment focused entirely on you. You couldn’t hold back the soft moans that escaped you as he sucked and licked on your clit. You were sure he spelled the lyrics of jingle bells with his tongue.

“You sound so beautiful,” he murmured, his voice full of admiration.

His words made your chest tighten with emotion, and you reached down, your fingers brushing against his hair as if to anchor yourself. He worked with a focus that left you breathless, his touch and his presence leaving you completely undone.

Your mind was a haze of warmth and light, and you could feel that familiar pressure building in your core, coiling tighter with each passing second.

“Sam,” you gasped, your voice trembling. “I’m so close... don’t stop.”

He didn’t. He gave his best performance, his movements unrelenting yet tender, and when the knot finally unraveled, the wave of release left you trembling beneath him, your breath coming in loud moans.

As you came down from your high, your breathing still uneven, you reached for Sam, pulling him up to meet you. His lips found yours instantly, soft and warm, grounding you as the aftershocks still coursed through your body.

“You’re the best,” he whispered between kisses, his voice thick with awe.

A playful grin tugged at your lips as you broke the kiss, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “Now,” you said, your voice teasing, “let’s wrap this present, shall we?”

Sam froze for a moment, then let out a laugh that rumbled through his chest. “Quoting Colby? Now? Really?”

You smirked. “Seemed fitting.”

His laughter softened into a grin, but there was no mistaking the intensity in his gaze as his hand trailed over your side. “Alright then.”

Without wasting a second, he leaned over to the nightstand, pulling it open to retrieve a condom. He glanced at you as if asking for silent permission, holding it up with a raised brow. You took it from him with a confidence that surprised even you, tearing the foil carefully. Sam’s breath hitched as your hands brushed against his cock, his lips parting slightly when you began to roll it down his length.

“You’re going to kill me,” he murmured, his voice unsteady, a low groan escaping his lips as your touch lingered.

You smiled, leaning forward to kiss him again, slow and deliberate. “You’re being dramatic,” you teased, though your own heart was racing at the intensity of the moment.

When you pulled back, Sam cupped your face, his expression softening. “You sure about this?” he asked, his voice quiet but steady. It wasn’t the first time he’d asked tonight, but you could see how much it mattered to him to hear your answer again.

“Yeah,” you said, your voice steady and clear. “Absolutely.”

His smile was gentle, almost reverent, as he kissed you again, his hands steadying you as he moved closer. The anticipation was electric, every touch heightened as you felt him align himself with you.

And then, with infinite care, he pressed forward, his eyes never leaving yours as he slid his cock in, his movements slow and deliberate. The tension between you and Sam was electric, both of you moving in sync, the shared rhythm of your body a language of its own. Each thrust, each moan seemed to draw you closer, until you could feel the heat of his skin, the weight of his presence in ways that made everything else fade into the background. Sam moaned softly, his grip on you tightening, his movements slow but intense. “You feel so good,” he murmured, his voice low and rough.

You gasped, your own body responding with a heat that only deepened with every touch. “Sam, you fill me up so well,” you whispered, your words breathless but filled with awe.

He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through your chest. “You’re killing me, Y/N,” he murmured, his eyes never leaving yours. “You’re so perfect.”

The connection between you both felt like it was building to something beyond words. You felt it in every kiss, every touch, and every movement that seemed to echo the urgency and intensity of the moment. Without any warning, something in you shifted. A quiet challenge passed between your eyes as you changed positions, now hovering above him. The change in power felt electric, and you couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the shift in dynamics.

Sam’s hands gripped your hips, his eyes dark with admiration and something deeper. “Fuck Y/N,” he groaned, his voice thick with need. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

You smiled down at him, your breath coming in shallow gasps. “Not yet,” you teased, your own heart racing as you took control, moving with a rhythm that made everything else blur.

The room was filled with the sounds of both your breaths—labored and urgent—and the shared moments of quiet connection, where every glance and every touch said more than words could express. As the two of you moved together, the world outside seemed to fade away. The room was filled only with the sounds of your breaths and moans. Your heartbeats echo in time with each movement. The tension between you both was palpable, a steady rhythm that drew you closer with every touch.

You leaned down, pressing your lips to Sam’s. The kiss was slow and deep, a reflection of everything you felt in that moment. Your body trembled, the connection between you both growing stronger with every passing second.

“I’m so fucking close, Sam,” you whispered, your voice breathless, the words escaping without thought.

Sam’s eyes locked with yours, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “Me too, baby. Cum for me” he groaned, his voice thick with desire. You let yourself go with loud moans

Sam groaned beneath you, his grip tightening slightly as he followed you with his release. You collapsed against his chest, your body still shaking with the remnants of your shared moment.

For a few seconds, there was nothing but the steady beat of your heart and the sound of your heavy breath filling the quiet room. You rested there, feeling the weight of the moment settle between you, a peaceful warmth wrapping around you both.

“That was…” you started, your voice trailing off as you tried to find the words.

“Incredible,” Sam finished for you, his voice warm, full of sincerity. He gently stroked your hair, the movement tender as he held you close.

You could hear the laughter from your friends in the other room, a soft reminder that life continued outside this moment.

But then, unexpectedly, a loud voice cut through the air.

“OMG, finally! I can enjoy my pizza! Well, that wasn’t such a silent night for you two!” Nick’s voice boomed from the living room, his words a little slurred, but unmistakable.

You and Sam both froze for a moment, exchanging a glance before you both bursted out in laughs “Seems like we woke Nick up from his drunk slumber,” you said, still laughing.

Sam grinned, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair. “Looks like it,” he chuckled. “At least he’s got his priorities straight.”

The two of you laughed together, the awkwardness fading into something lighthearted, a shared moment that somehow made everything feel more real.

As the sounds of your friends’ laughter mixed with the muffled sounds of Nick's pizza indulgence from the living room, you settled into the quiet, peaceful feeling of the moment, knowing that things had shifted, but in the best way.

[lucifers-little-light]

Lucifer sat at his desk, his face buried in his hands as papers lay scattered in front of him. The weight of his sleepless nights and his dark secret pressed down on him, making it harder to keep up the facade.

The sound of hesitant footsteps drew his attention. He looked up to see Alastor standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable but his presence imposing. The radio demon clutched his ever-present notepad, his gaze fixed firmly on Lucifer.

Lucifer: *forcing a smile, his voice tired but cheerful* Ah, Alastor. Come to check on me, have you? Don’t worry, I’m quite alright. Just busy, as always.

Alastor didn’t respond. Instead, he walked into the room, placed the notepad on the desk, and began writing. Once finished, he slid it toward Lucifer.

Alastor: "You haven't been sleeping. You're pale, shaking, and distracted. What's going on?"

Lucifer stiffened, his hand twitching as he read the note.

Lucifer: *forcing a laugh, leaning back in his chair* Oh, come now. Surely you’re not here to lecture me, Alastor. I’m simply overworked, that’s all.

Alastor narrowed his eyes and wrote again, his movements sharp and deliberate.

Alastor: "Stop lying. You look like you're falling apart. What are you hiding?"

Lucifer’s confident mask cracked slightly. He clenched his jaw, avoiding Alastor’s piercing gaze.

Lucifer: *with a strained voice* Alastor, I appreciate your concern, but it’s nothing you need to trouble yourself with. I can handle it.

Alastor slammed the notepad onto the desk, the sharp sound making Lucifer flinch. He wrote furiously, his movements erratic.

Alastor: "You're not handling it. If you keep this up, you'll collapse. Tell me the truth."

Lucifer’s fists clenched on the desk. He stood abruptly, turning away from Alastor, his shoulders trembling.

Lucifer: *softly, almost to himself* I can’t tell you…because I’ve messed up so much…

Alastor’s silence pressed on him like a weight. Finally, Lucifer turned back, his face a mixture of anger and despair.

Lucifer: *his voice rising* Fine! You want the truth? I was violated, Alastor! *his voice cracks, his composure crumbling* And now I’m...

He couldn’t finish the sentence. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he sank back into his chair, burying his face in his hands.

Alastor froze, his eyes widening in shock. He stared at Lucifer, his mind reeling. Slowly, he reached for his notepad again, his movements hesitant and uncertain.

Alastor: "...Pregnant?"

Lucifer nodded slowly, his voice barely a whisper.

Lucifer: *brokenly* One of the souls... the twins we lost. *he places a hand on his chest* I managed to save them…only one of them. He needed a new body and I couldn’t create it on my own and my body was weak hosting the souls would over a month. That’s when…I was assaulted. Only now I think I know by who…

Alastor’s mind raced. He thought of his own experiences, the trauma he carried, and the way Lucifer had stood by him in his darkest moments. After a long pause, he scribbled a message, his hand shaking slightly as he slid it back to Lucifer.

Alastor: “So…you’re carrying our son then?”

Lucifer looked up at Alastor, his expression raw and vulnerable.

Lucifer: Didn’t you just hear me. I was—

Alastor: *cups Lucifer’s cheek and wipes away his tears* O…our…s-son…

Lucifer: *eyes widened* You’re…talking…

Alastor: *nodding* S-still hard…b-but…I-I wa-wa-…to s-speak ag’in.

Lucifer: I’ll help you! Alastor please let me—! *lips are covered by Alastor’s finger, silencing him*

Alastor: Y-you do t-too much…rest…

Lucifer: I wish I could. But…I just have nightmares…

Alastor: *looks around the office and sees a small radio nearby. Using his powers, he turns it on and a song starts playing*

Lucifer: *confused*

Alastor: *offers his hand to Lucifer with a slight bow and smile*

Lucifer: *with some hesitation, accepts Alastor’s hand*

Alastor: *pulls Lucifer close and leads him to the center of the office, and the two dance slowly*

Lucifer let Alastor guide him, his trembling hand resting on Alastor's shoulder while the other clasped Alastor’s hand. The melody from the small radio filled the room, soft and soothing, contrasting the chaos in Lucifer’s mind. Alastor’s movements were deliberate and gentle, his touch steady and grounding.

Lucifer: *closes the gap between them and lets the tears flow from his eyes. His voice barely above a whisper* Alastor… I don’t know how you do it. After everything you’ve been through…

Alastor: *his voice shaky but determined, his words carefully chosen* W-we…g-go on…f-for those w-who…n-need us.

Lucifer’s chest tightened at the words. He gazed at Alastor, seeing the cracks in his usually unyielding exterior but also the strength that shone through.

Lucifer: *his tone softening* You’re stronger than I am.

Alastor: *smiling faintly, his words still hesitant* N-no…y-you…ke-keep g-going…despite…e-everything.

The two swayed gently to the music, the weight of their burdens momentarily lighter in the shared silence. Lucifer’s tears fell freely now, but his breathing steadied, his grip on Alastor firm as though afraid to let go.

Alastor: *nodding, his voice soft but firm* Y-you h-helped m-me…n-now…I h-help…y-you.

Lucifer’s lips curled into the faintest smile. The two resumed their slow dance, the music wrapping around them like a protective cocoon.

As the song came to an end, Alastor gently led Lucifer to the couch, gesturing for him to sit.

Alastor: *smiling faintly, his voice stronger now* R-rest. I-I’ll w-watch o-over…you.

Lucifer hesitated but eventually nodded, sinking into the cushions. He lay back, exhaustion finally overtaking him as Alastor sat nearby, the quiet hum of the radio keeping the nightmares at bay. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Lucifer closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Bunny: This is the song I had in mind. Tumblr won’t let me link this to text. Idk why.

[obwjam]

a small surprise part 4 (gravity falls g/t)

back with a new chapter!! parts 1 • 2 • 3

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

The fist came down at an alarming speed, like it had materialized out of thin air. Jay was thrown backwards, and her head instantly smacked against the table, causing stars to pop in and out of her vision. The only thing she could hear was a faint, dull static, like her brain was a television that wasn’t getting a signal. Her heart was pounding so fast she thought it would break through her chest. She didn’t have the strength to push herself to her feet. All of her limbs felt like they were paralyzed.

“Shit!” Stan yelled. Oh, he instantly regretted it. He didn’t even realize what was happening until his fist had already connected with the table. His subconscious must have saved him from actually touching her, but he got pretty damn close. He blinked, blinked again, and fully realized he almost just killed somebody. 

Again.

“Oh, god, kid, are you alright?” He bent down, putting himself at eye level with the writhing tiny. “Kid? I’m sorry, I didn’t — I wasn’t tryin’ to hurt you, I just — got carried away, that’s all!” She wasn’t responding, so he began to reach his hand out toward her, ready to nudge her back to reality. 

“DON’T!” she screamed, louder than anything he’d ever heard before. She managed to scramble farther away from him. “PLEASE! I–I’M SORRY – I WON’T – P-PLEASE! Don’t…”

Stan’s expression shifted. He knew what this was. She was begging for her life. Something had switched inside of her. Something Stan was not expecting. His hands were shaking, and he was unsure what to do with them. He hovered awkwardly, watching, before realizing that he suddenly felt grossly uncomfortable looming over her. The sheer force of his fist caused her to fall over. She was barely as tall as it. Stan could pinch her between his fingers and never feel the weight. She was miniscule. How was any of this real?

Jay was too busy rolling in pain to notice, but Stan sat in total silence for 10 minutes, his mind racing to figure out what to do next. Maybe Poindexter has some kind of cheat sheet on her somewhere. Maybe all those secret codes were about her and he didn’t want her to read them. How does she even read, anyway? The letters must look huge. Focus, Stan, focus. Maybe she needs some water? But I don't want to move right now. I could just ask her. But I don’t want to talk again. My voice might shatter her eardrums.

Eventually, Jay came to. She had shut her eyes tight for a while, hoping the pain would melt away on its own. Soon enough, it did, but even with her senses thrown off, the feeling of being loomed over was incredibly persistent. She didn’t want to see Stan, so gigantic and destructive, towering over her after he just tried to murder her. And she certainly didn’t want to hear his smarmy jokes about her begging for her life – the embarrassment of that was beginning to hit her hard. How could she even be in the same room as him ever again, knowing she had become the helpless, controllable little thing he so clearly saw her as?

Stan, trying to stay patient and silent, was only increasing Jay’s anxiety more. Why was he just… sitting still? She dared to take a peek and only saw Stan’s massive elbows pressing on the tabletop, his torso so big it looked more like an endless wall. She wasn’t prepared to hear him speak.

“Look, kid, I–”

But he stopped as soon as her eyes met his. The shock of her expression sucked all the air from his lungs. Her face was red and puffy, her eyes burning from tears. She was staring at him in horror, like he was some kind of – some kind of monster. Someone who acts so callously toward other people’s feelings and needs. A killer. Now’s not the time for this! But Stan’s mind wouldn’t let him rest. Not even as his hand twitched in his lap, unable to stay still. He jumped when she jumped; he had no idea how she was able to pick up on that movement. Disoriented and filled with anxiety, Jay slowly scrambled backwards until she found a stack of books to dive behind for cover. Stan just watched. There was nothing he could do.

Jay pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them tightly. Not being able to see Stan’s movements was probably a bad thing, but she couldn’t bear to be in his line of sight right now. She hadn’t cowered like this since first meeting Ford, and it all felt so eerily similar. Stan was just like Ford in as many ways as they differed – even if they didn’t share a face, she would be able to suss out their relation to each other. They both had this air of unpredictability and superiority, and Jay was now twice caught in the crosshairs. She had to get her hook. She had to get out of here. She had to…

Stan felt sick, just as he did in this very basement a week ago. It had been so long since he actually interacted with people, and he found that a lot of his survival instincts he prided himself on were not transferable to the real world; or even to tiny little people in the real world. Why did he think he needed to use violence to assert himself over someone as tall as a golf pencil? Why did she react so scared this time? Probably because you almost killed her. But nobody ever took him seriously. Why did she have to be different?

Stan sucked in a breath. Quit it, Stan. You can’t be doing this. But if he kept sitting there and staring at the books, he wouldn’t be able to stop. Fine. Then go work on the portal. Go be useful for once in your life.

It took Jay a while to notice he had left. She was too busy trying to stop her hands from shaking, and it took everything in her not to black out again from how fast the blood was rushing through her body. The sound of her own hyperventilating snapped her back to reality. For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn’t even have any thoughts going through her head. It was completely, totally silent. She wasn’t even sure she could remember what words to use. But she eventually noticed that the vibe in the room had shifted considerably. The silence had become eerie, and the suffocating feeling was largely gone, replaced by an anxious panic. She hoped her senses weren’t betraying her, but a quick, subtle peek around the books confirmed that Stan was no longer sitting at the table, waiting for her to come out. She couldn’t see through the window, but a lot of clanging and a lot of cursing confirmed Stan had gone to work in the portal room.

Jay took the opportunity to finally stand up. She needed to grip the spine of the books to pull herself up because her legs were completely drained of energy. In a moment of panic, she thought she was maybe paralyzed from the incident, but she was able to take a few shaky steps. She blinked as her brain oriented itself, her eyes stinging, her world still turning. She didn’t quite understand why Stan had left the room, but she didn’t care. The only thing her brain had the capacity for right now was escape.

She stumbled over to her hooks, which were still woefully incomplete. Fuck it, she thought, wiping the sweat off her hands, I’ll just slide down the table leg – link these together, she managed to hook one piece of bent metal around the other with her trembling hands, then use this, she picked up, dropped, and picked up again what she had tied together for rope, and I’ll just wrap it around myself, and I can – I can – I just need –

Jay tried her best to assemble something that could get her safely down from the metal table, but she was trembling so hard that she could barely keep the hooks from slipping from her grip. And the more time she took, the more she panicked, and the more mistakes she made. The risk from falling from such a great height couldn’t be any worse than seeing Stan again. She had to hurry, quick, before he—

The stinging sound of scraping metal made Jay freeze so fast she could feel her blood turn cold. She was too numb to turn around, but having her back to him was even more terrifying. She slowly turned around, gripping her hooks so tight she thought she’d crush them.

Stan gaped back, eyes wide. It felt like he glitched temporarily before getting his ability to speak back. “Oh. You’re still here.”

She shrunk back, whimpering a bit and putting her hands in front of her chest in a protective position, tightening her white-knuckle grip on the hooks. She didn’t dare move an inch.

To her surprise, Stan, very slowly, lifted his hands up placatingly. “Don’t worry,” was all he managed to say in a scratchy, hoarse voice that barely sounded like his.

Jay couldn’t budge even if she wanted to. She was frozen.

“Oh. I see. The, uh, metal things,” Stan said clumsily, nudging his head at her hooks. “Yeah, I don’t blame you. I’d want to get out of my sight if I were you, too.”

Jay knitted her eyebrows. This was not the tone of voice she expected from him.

“Look, I didn’t – I didn’t mean to – I’m – I’m sorry, Jay,” he stumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. Her heart skipped a beat when he actually said her name. “You probably won’t forgive me, and that’s alright, I don’t deserve it. It’s just – my life hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. I don’t always… handle things the best,” he said, sounding profoundly embarrassed at admitting such a thing. “Never have, and I guess I never will. I’m just the Pines family screw-up.”

Jay arched an eyebrow. Her mind was telling her this was all an act – a pity party to draw her back in so he could do something awful. But her gut kept asking one thing: Why would he need to do that?

After a few tense moments, Jay lowered her hands and loosened her hold on the hooks. Stan, taking this as a sign of trust, slowly sat down, pushing the stool back a bit to put some distance between them. Now Jay felt comfortable enough to inch backwards until her back hit the stack of books. She didn’t even blink, in case Stan did something again.

“I know Poin–uh, Ford didn’t tell you anything about me,” he began, wringing his hands together, “but I, uh, don’t exactly have the most admirable past.” He took a deep breath. Why was this so hard? “I’ve had to do a lot of lying, a lot of stealing, just to scrape by. I lived out of my car for a while. Hah, I don’t even know how Ford tracked down the motel room I was staying in to send me that postcard.” He stole a glance at Jay, who wore the same skeptical look on her face. “What I’m trying to say is, it’s been a while since I’ve had… company. Or been around people who weren’t convicted felons. And when I came here, I wasn’t expecting to see anyone else but Ford. And I sure as hell wasn’t expecting anyone three inches tall. So I guess what I’m tryin’ to say is, I just… need to remember how to act normal again.”

Jay was floored. The depth of sorrow in his voice was something she didn’t think a human was capable of. And as freaked out as she was, she could clearly see this was an attempt to reach out to her, to offer an olive branch without having to keep apologizing and reminding himself of the terrible thing he’d just done. He acted impulsively, and he knew it. Even after what he just did, he was making the effort to at least try and patch it up.

Ford did the exact same thing.

“I, uhm, I can relate. Kind of.” 

Stan’s eyes lit up for the briefest of moments at the sound of her voice. He didn’t think that would actually work. 

“Uhm..” Jay had to pause. This all felt so foreign to say. She had never related to a human about anything. “About the stealing part. And the not being used to company part.” Stan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Jay sighed. Was she really about to do this?

“I’ve told you a bit about… borrower stuff,” she said, keeping it vague in the hopes that he forgot most of it. “A huge part of the lifestyle – probably the biggest part, really – is the… stealing from humans part.” She gave Stan a chance to insert a witty remark, but he stayed silent. “We basically take anything and everything we can get while they’re not looking. Food, supplies… whatever we can get our hands on. And it gets pretty lonely, because most of us – we travel in small groups, or pairs. It’s not safe to be in a big group. I’ve…” She debated if she wanted to say this, but judging from the small tidbits Stan had revealed, she guessed it wouldn’t be so embarrassing to him. “I’ve been on my own for a while. It’s – well, it’s hard to remember times with other borrowers. I could go weeks without speaking, and it – it would have been normal. This… this is all pretty new to me, too.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s new to me. I know how to handle myself,” Stan interjected, immediately regretting his defensive tone when he saw her exasperated expression. “I mean… that sounds like it was really tough on you.”

Jay huffed a laugh. “Yeah. It was.”

There was an awkward silence as both of them tried to figure out what to say next. Stan was remorseful, and a little freaked out, but he just wanted to feel okay with himself as quickly as possible. He could barely handle the nervous side-eye she was giving him right now, and he wasn’t even doing anything.

“Look, uh, you don’t have t’be scared of me, okay? I did somethin’ stupid, I know I did. I shouldn't have tried to – it was just a reaction. I’m used to havin’ to punch my way outta situations. Sometimes I forget how… tiny you are.” Jay felt her stomach sink at the direct call-out to her size, and she shrank even more as Stan peered at her. “Like, I could breathe on you and hurt you.”

Jay crossed her arms. “Yeah, okay, I get it. Weak and helpless.”

“Well, you’re a pipsqueak, that’s for sure,” Stan said callously before shaking his head. “But no, you – that’s not it, I just – I know this is weird for you, but come on, you gotta admit it’s even weirder for me. Up until a week ago, I didn’t even know something like you even existed. Now I’m talkin’ to a person who can fit in my hand, and you… you’ve been hangin’ around Ford for months. I’m just a… different version of him.” A stupider, worse version of him.

Jay thought about it for a moment. She hated to admit it, but he did have a point. Stan wasn’t the first giant she’s ever dealt with, but she was his first tiny. And he just lost his brother after not seeing him for a long, long time. That was a lot to deal with. She didn’t really know what Stan had been through, but judging from the way he spoke about it… it didn’t seem normal by human standards.

“...I know,” Jay said quietly, sheepishly, but Stan still heard. “And I’m… sorry, for riling you up. I said those things to make myself feel better, because – you may think I have this superiority complex thing, but I mean, how else am I supposed to compete? You… Ford, Fidds, you guys are gigantic. You can do things I can only dream of doing. Hell, you do things I can only dream of without even thinking about it. It’s… hard not to feel worthless in comparison. It’s hard to feel like I even matter.”

Jay immediately flushed red. Why on earth did she just say that? Why was she confiding in Stan? She was saying things she had never even told Ford. This is so embarrassing. He doesn’t care! He doesn’t have sympathy for you! 

But to Jay’s surprise, Stan didn’t laugh at her or make another joke about her size. Instead, he sighed. “Trust me. I know how that feels.” Jay’s look of pure surprise and skepticism told Stan he needed to elaborate. “You only knew my brother for a couplea months, but I spent my entire life with the guy. I grew up in Ford’s shadow. He was the smarty pants know-it-all twin, and I was the trouble-making, dumb twin. My folks cared more about Ford’s homework than whatever I was doing.” Stan stopped himself. The last thing he wanted to do right now was relive this. Why was he even saying this to her? “Hah. Looks like we’re more alike than we thought, pipsqueak.”

Jay crossed her arms. “Woah, let’s not get crazy now,” she said, slightly defensive. But her small smile betrayed her. Stan smiled in return.

“Hah, right.”

Stan rubbed the back of his neck, and after a few seconds of silence, he stood up, ready to leave and be done with this. He said his apology – he said more than he wanted to, in fact – and that was more than enough. The exhaustion was clearly getting to him. He’d slept maybe a total of 10 hours over the past five days. Yeah, that was it. He was just tired, not thinking straight. He needed a good night’s sleep. Maybe a day’s break from code-cracking and journal reading and tiny little people who could sit in his palm would do him some good.

He made his way toward the exit, but stopped at the threshold. Something was nagging at him, and he needed a clear head.

“You, uh… you gonna be alright, kid?”

Jay’s eyes lingered on Stan. Her heartbeat still felt elevated, her breath hitching every time his fingers twitched as he wrung his hands together. The thought of being picked up by him again made her head start rocking. It took everything she had to look up at him, and even then, she could only hold her gaze for a few seconds before the bile started to rise to her throat. She had to take a few concentrated breaths once she realized her breathing was still shaky.

“Yeah,” she said finally. She wasn’t sure how much she meant it.

“Okay,” Stan replied. He wasn’t sure how much he believed her.

Stan stood for a few moments, sorting through his feelings. Nothing about this felt real. It was all happening so fast. But he would go to sleep tonight and wake up in the morning and she’d still be here while Ford was gone. Just like it had been for the last week. Just like it was probably going to be for the foreseeable future. It was stupid, and unfair. But Stan was used to unfair.

He found himself staring, still unable to process how he could barely make out her form among the clutter of the table. If he didn’t know she was there, he wouldn’t have noticed her. He hated how much that freaked him out.

Ugh.

“I, uh, I guess I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

Jay stared straight ahead, then down to the table. Her hooks sat on either side of her. She had tied up enough rope. She had thought everything out. She knew the way out.

But then she looked back up. Stan leaned on the doorframe, hands in his pockets, his expression cautious, his eyes hopeful. He regarded her with curiosity, not disdain. He was waiting for an answer. She let out a long, deep sigh.

“Yeah, Stanley. I’ll see you in the morning.”

[cigsaftersuh]

૮ trapped ྀིა .ᐟ

without another word, jaehyun turned and walked out of the living room, the sound of his footsteps heavier than they’d ever been. his shoulders were tight, and his breathing shallow, a mix of frustration and the overwhelming sting of everything jia had spewed out about his marriage.

“honestly, this is what happens when you rush into marriage,” she said, shaking her head. “he’s so young, so naive. getting married at his age was such a reckless decision. i don’t understand why you both allowed it.”

“allowed it?” jaehyun’s dad scoffed, his tone sharp. “jia, they’re adults. it wasn’t our decision to make, it was theirs. and you know what? they’ve been doing just fine.”

“fine?” jia’s voice pitched incredulously. “you think this is fine? him storming out like that? he can barely handle a conversation. he’s too young to carry the weight of a marriage, and y/n isn’t helping matters by running off with her friends every chance she gets.”

his dad’s jaw tightened, but he kept his tone measured. “there’s nothing wrong with y/n spending time with her friends. she has every right to maintain her relationships outside of her marriage — just like jaehyun does. that’s how healthy relationships work.”

jia rolled her eyes, setting her cup down with a clink. “healthy relationships? please. they’ve barely lived life on their own. how can you call it healthy when they’ve never even experienced life apart? they’re just clinging to some childhood fantasy, and one day, it’s going to fall apart. mark my words.”

“that’s enough,” his mom snapped, her voice finally rising. “you don’t get to come into our home and tear apart our son’s life like this. jaehyun and y/n have built something solid, something real, and your constant need to belittle them says more about you than it does about them.”

but jia wasn’t finished. “oh, come on,” she said, rolling her eyes. “i’m not the bad guy here. i’m just pointing out the obvious. you let him get married too young. you let him tie himself down to someone who clearly doesn’t know what it means to be a wife yet. and now look at him, storming out of the room because he can’t handle the truth.”

“stop,” jaehyun’s dad said firmly, his voice rising. “he walked out because he’s tired of you tearing apart his life, we all are. this isn’t about honesty… it’s is about you trying to pick apart something you don’t understand.”

leaning against the hallway wall, jaehyun ran a hand through his hair. the weight of the argument taking place on the other side allowed him to hear each of the harsh words leaving the elders mouths.

did i trap her? the thought struck like a hammer, unrelenting in its force. is this what she really wants? he stared blankly ahead as the questions churned in his mind. you were out with your friends right now, probably laughing and enjoying yourself, while he was in here, replaying every word jia had thrown at him. what if she feels like she’s missing out because of me?

his throat tightened, and a lump formed he couldn’t swallow. this isn’t fair to her. maybe jia’s right... maybe we should’ve waited. maybe i should’ve given her more time to just... be her. the guilt coiled tightly around his chest, squeezing until he could barely breathe. he blinked rapidly, but the tears blurred his vision before he could stop them.

she deserves so much more than this... more than me. his jaw clenched as the thought lingered, cutting deeper each time it resurfaced. he hated the effect jia’s words had on him, how they planted seeds of doubt where there had been none before. but the guilt wouldn’t let him push it away.

he sat there, lost in his own thoughts and fighting back tears, when he suddenly heard the faint jingle of your keychains against the doorknob.

against the doorknob to his house, yet everyone knew you were always welcome. you would always be welcome, in his home, his heart, anywhere pertaining to him.

it was a sound he knew too well, one that he’d grown used to and always brought him comfort. no one else would ever make that sound at this door. only you, his wife,

the familiar noise made his heart beat faster, and before he could even register the moment, the door creaked open. he didn’t need to look up to know it was you.

the warmth of your presence flooded him like a wave, but the storm of emotions crashing inside him only grew stronger. his stomach twisted, guilt and doubt churning inside.

prev. 𐙚 next

ㅡ my forever only.

with love,

© cigsaftersuh

ʚ taglist - open ɞ

@cstarry @hyuckleberriii @beacauseimmaya @jeongjaeleftbicep @lesuneczka @cryingforjae @ctrlstar @youaremysecretworld @douqhnxtss @dearlyminhyung @jaemnationnn @jaeyunluvbot @nonverdolly

[munsonsmixtapes]

Hi, I was wondering if I can ask a request for Eddie Diaz x Female Paramedic Reader smut, where they both can't keep their hands of each other and in means of finding a private place end up in the back seat of Eddie's pick up truck and do some 'things'. I am just dying for some soft Dom! Eddie Diaz smut, thank you.

Yes, yes! Thursday’s episode, I could keep my eyes off him! What a beautiful man!

cw: MDNI (18+) smut (p in v) slight dom!eddie

“You’re so pretty,” Eddie tells you as he lies on top of you in the back seat of his truck. His hand travels up your thigh and gives it a soft squeeze as his lips find yours once again.

This has become something you've done almost every single night after your shifts. Since you want to keep what's going on between the two of you a secret, you always end up meeting in a random parking lot when you always find yourselves in the back seat of Eddie's truck.

"No I think that's you," you argue as your hands slide into his hair as his lips find their way to your neck. You gasp as he gives it a rough suck and he chuckles against your skin in response.

"How about we both be pretty then?" He asks before nipping the spot right under your ear as his hands move to undo your bra.

"W-works for me."

"I think this is where you look the prettiest, though," he says, as he tosses your bra into the passenger seat before moving down to your chest, kissing all the way down your torso. "When you're underneath me."

He always knows exactly what to say to get you wet and he knows how good he is at it. You can see it in the look in his eyes. His hand unbutton your pants and he pulls them down, not missing the wet patch on your panties. He's quick to take them off along with your socks and shoes and he spreads your legs wide to get a good look at what he's working with.

"Is this for me? Honey, you shouldn't have."

The teasing was funny at first, but now you're getting desperate. You need him to do something now or you're gonna finish the job yourself.

"Eddie, please," you whine.

"Please what, honey?" He knows exactly what you want, but he wants to hear you say it. He wants you to beg for him, to whine, to cry and then he'll give you what you so desperately want.

"Please fuck me. I need you." Your whining always does something to him and now he's tenting in his pants. He's so hard that it's starting to hurt. He needs to get inside soon or he thinks he might explode.

"Well that was all you had to say. Now relax. I'm gonna take care of you."

You watch him retrieve an condom from his pocket and he sets it to the side as he gets himself undressed as quick as possible before rolling the condom onto his cock. Once he's ready, he doesn't hesitate to fully sink himself inside you just how he knows you like, watching your face the entire time.

It seems that no matter how many times you've fucked, he has to stretch you out every time. He can tell that it's still a lot for you to take in and he can see that you're already crying. He asks if you want to stop because of your obvious discomfort, but you just say not, shaking your head furiously. You're not going to be fully satisfied until you can feel every inch of him.

Once he's fully in, Eddie stays there, seeing just long you can hold out and when you ask him to keep going, he pumps in and out, fucking you fast and hard and deep as his hands pin your wrists to the seat, nothing but filthy words coming from his mouth as he does so.

Your moans are nothing but delicious as they fall from your lips, and mixed with your labored breaths, the windows are fogging up pretty quickly. Eddie has barely even done anything, but you already feel so tired from it all.

"You're starting to slur, hon. Already fucked out, huh? Does my big cock wear you out, baby?" All you can do is nod in response. "Alright, well, give me one more and then I'll take you home. Just one more, baby. You can do it."

Eddie gives you a few more thrusts and you're orgasming, your back arching as you do so. His hands slide underneath you as he talks you through it, encouraging you the entire time. And once you come down, Eddie lays you down on the seat and then he cleans you up with what he has in his glove compartment before he helps you get dressed. He then helps you into the passenger seat before he takes you home where he cuddled you until the both of you fell asleep, wrapped up each other's arms.