#either way i love you all and i appreciate that even when i don't have anything to give people choose to be kind to me

[blueivyy99]

Calm and Serenity

Sylus x Non!Mc

summary: you didn't know what sylus saw in you. he said you were calm, quiet and serene and that's what he needs. you believed it. he showed it. not until little miss hunter came. she's everything you're not. news that she's in danger can make the ever so calm sylus to run and leave everything behind. it made you think, would he do that for you as well?

tags: angst, romance, hurt and comfort, confused sylus, non-mc reader (this is it for now)

note: thank you for the love in the previous chapter 🥹

Link to Part 1

It's been a month or two since the last time you've been with Sylus. It saddens you that the time you get to spend together is cut short, only seeing each other at night when he pleases to have dinner or greet you goodnight.

You asked Luke and Kieran about what's happening, but they don't know either. They just know it has something to do with Miss Hunter, about Aether Core, about something that you have very little knowledge about. You mentally noted to search about it later.

“He is very grumpy lately,” Luke said, "He was glaring at us like he wants to skin us alive whenever me and my twin are being a little louder than normal.”

"The only one safe from his anger is Miss Hunter,” Kieran added. "I don't appreciate that Boss is playing favorites in our team.”

You tried not to let out a shaky breath. Luke noticed and he had to elbow Kieran to make him shut up.

"Sorry, Y/N.”

You gave him a small smile. "It's okay. I'll try and catch Sylus one of these days. I'll talk to him.”

The twins scurry away while arguing. They think they offended you and they are passing on the blame with each other.

On normal days, it's not easy to get you offended but lately, every little thing just makes you … sensitive.

Maybe it started when you wanted that crow brooch that is neatly placed on Sylus's table …

When you asked him for it he just said, “It's for Miss Hunter,"

He took it from your hand. Albeit gently, it still weighed heavy in your heart.

You know you don't always get your way but with the little seeds of jealousy slowly growing in your heart, it's easy to feel hurt and feel neglected.

You just wanted that damn brooch and you know that he can buy another piece. Or even make you a custom-made one, one that is more inclined on your taste.

You took a deep breath.

Sylus is stressed. You know that and it's not right to add more to his burden. It's just a brooch after all.

“I-I didn't know, but when you have the time to grab one, remember me, okay?” you said.

"Next time, sweetie.” He replied and quickly went back to reading reports.

You don't know if he took your words seriously, but you have enough faith in him to trust that he did.

Or maybe the disappointment started when you wanted to go to Linkon.

There's a newly opened arcade shop that you're really itching to go.

Normally, Sylus would agree and watch you play. He's not the best when it comes to the claw machine, anyway.

So imagine your surprise when he rejected your offer. Not only that, the answer that followed chipped away at your heart little by little.

“Me and Miss Hunter already went there. It's not as fun as the other ones you've tried. You're just gonna waste your time there. Not even new plushies,” he even had the audacity to roll his eyes at that.

It seemed like he didn't think before speaking or he didn't see anything wrong with what he said.

Truthfully, there is none. The logical part of you knows he didn't say anything wrong. But for fuck's sake! Really telling your girlfriend that you went to the arcade with another woman? That's new. That's not something she expected of Sylus.

“You went with her?" you asked. You're anticipating his answer. Praying it's something logical. Something acceptable.

Please tell me it has something to do with those missions.

He looked at you, trying to see what's in your mind but you didn't show anything. Blocking any negative emotions from seeping on the cracks of your face. You tried to look as curious and as genuine as you can be.

Thankfully, he believed that.

“Yes. We went there after getting some intel around the area. She dragged me inside and she played until her heart's content. I remembered she went home with that crow plushie with a bib. She looked happy,"

You almost wanted to scoff at his face. You wanted that plushe as well, he seemed to forget about that. If it's only about the plushie maybe you can push down these negative feelings but here he is looking so endeared while saying that. As if he's not talking to his girlfriend.

Patience. Patience.

“I see. Good for her.” you said. "I also want that crow stuffed toy. Good thing to know they have them."

You tried giving him a hint. It's not like you to make anyone guess what's on your mind.

But then there's silence. And a beep on his phone. He tore his gaze away from you and your statement long forgotten.

At that point, you're holding yourself together trying not to scream and yell at him.

Maybe that's where it started. Maybe it's when you know that the distractions were not just caused by the missions but by Miss Hunter herself.

==

You sighed. It's evening and Sylus is still nowhere to be found. You texted him but you're met with silence. You wanted to call, but you hesitated. It feels like you don't have the right to do it.

Worry starts gnawing at you when Luke and Kieran hurriedly go out. They didn't even have the chance to say a proper goodbye.

Minutes kept ticking, and you heard it.

Explosions.

Your heart stopped and you wanted to run to where it was because something tells you that Sylus is there. He's in danger.

But before you can even step out of the base, Sylus's men stopped you.

“Boss’s orders to not let the Madame go out when the mission is in full swing. Please wait for him here."

You wanted to pull your hair out. You're trembling with worry but anywhere you go, someone will stop you. You can't even sneak out because that will surely trigger the alarms.

With a heavy heart you slumped on the couch.

“Fucking hell, Sylus what is happening when are you coming home!” you muttered to yourself.

You kept pacing and pacing every second seemed to last a lifetime.

Until the door opened.

And there he was, shirt torn, hair deshiveled and a few scratches on his body.

"Thank God you're alive!” you exclaimed and caught his heavy body before he lost consciousness.

"Sylus? Sylus!” you tried shaking him, but he won't wake up.

You settled him on the couch and grabbed the nearest first aid kit you can reach. Sylus might have the fastest regeneration in the world but it won't ease your worries about the small cuts that still remains on his body.

You tried suppressing your tears seeing him like this but you just can't. As you press the cotton on his cuts, you can't help but open your mouth and nag him about being careless.

“I know you think that this body is invincible, but please be careful! You need to come home to me. You have to come home to me. No matter how I'm annoyed at you right now, you don't have the rights to make me worry like this.”

“What's so important in that mission that you exhaust yourself like this? What's so important about Miss Hunter that you're willing to do such great lengths?"

You know that he can't hear you, but still you talked to him until you calmed down and ask his men to help you settle him in bed after changing him. You called the physician to check him up for anything. You kept yourself busy to shrugg of the nerves but those questions still linger in your head.

Sylus is a strategist even though he looks smug and arrogant. He carefully plans everything and tries to move in quiet only letting the results speak for themselves.

But this? This is not the usual.

Explosions everywhere and declaring a full on war with his enemies is not his style. You know that there's nothing really beneficial for him in this deal with Miss Hunter.

You managed to understand a bit about what their goals are. Getting that Aether core for Miss Hunter.

Tough mission, yes. But Sylus won't grab it if he won't benefit from it. And that's what you're left puzzled with. Sylus is a businessman, everything should be give and take.

So? What's in it for him?

==

You didn't expect the answer to voluntarily come to you. You went to his study to look for something or anything that you can help him with now that he's still unconscious when you stumbled upon a journal.

You thought it was not Sylus's. You never see him as someone who will write down his thoughts but you were dead wrong.

You opened it expecting it to be a list of things related to Onychinus, but you were greeted with phrases, sentences and some sketches about Miss Hunter.

You read each of them, it was a jumble of words. You almost thought it was a fairytale.

Past lives.

Dragon and Sorceress.

Kindred Spirits.

Energy Linkage.

Sweet Evil Trap.

All of it is too much. Too much for your poor little heart to take. And from what you understood, Miss Hunter is from his past. Someone who has a part of his soul.

Someone he waits for.

And the bitter realization although still unfounded, you concluded that maybe she's someone he still loves.

But what about you? What's your place in the grand scheme of things?

“I’m keeping you around because you’re still useful.”

Those lines ring in your ears. Sylus always say that to everyone but you. You thought that maybe you are an exception. That you're not someone disposable to him because you matter.

And as you soak up all the information that you knew, you started to doubt yourself as well.

note: aaackkk thank u for reading lemme know your thoughts! Part 3 soonest!

[thekoalapastriesbakery]

SILENT NIGHT

formula one x autistic!male!reader

request: Ik requests are closed, but i wanted to write this down so I don't forget it lmaooo, Oscar, Sebastian, and/or Max with Autistic reader who goes nonverbal and struggles to communicate a lot. Totally not based on real events whaaaat 🦕

summary: non-communicative? no problem.

warnings: mentions of overwhelm, references to mad max (max), implied autistic!oscar, dork!seb that could also easily be interpreted as autistic!seb

contains: max verstappen, oscar piastri, + sebastian vettel

word count: 516 (184/158/174 split)

max verstappen — 184 words:

he could see the signs before you did. little fidgeting, eyes darting around, muscles tensing … all indicators that it wouldn't be long before you went into shutdown.

max did what he could to mitigate the effects on you. he got you out of the chaos of the paddock and into his driver's room. he didn't like seeing you get overstimulated. hated it, in fact. he wasn't shy about setting boundaries on your behalf—he'd shove reporters away from you, make snarky comments about the other drivers if they pushed you too far, demand red bull change their garage to make it accessible for you. (what use is being their golden boy if he can't use it to let his boyfriend come to races?)

you had some unique ways of communicating when you couldn't talk. sometimes, you could type or use assistive technology to get your point across. sometimes you could use sign language or emojis or charades. other times communication itself was so overwhelming that max was forced to guess from your body language.

good thing he was fluent in the language of you.

oscar piastri — 158 words:

he had problems with communicating too. he wasn't terrible at it—not at all—but he had times where he would either have a really bad stutter or feel immense anxiety at the idea of verbalising anything. oscar understood when you went nonverbal. both of you frequently used sign language or picture reaction books/apps when words are particularly distressing.

on the occasions where both of you would go nonverbal, you'd sit together on the couch and watch bluey. sometimes you would cuddle, sometimes you'd just sit on opposite ends and enjoy the show. the simplicity of it took away some of the pressure to discuss whatever happened. regardless of whether or not he was nonverbal at the same time, oscar was very very sweet.

he never pressured you to speak or even verbalise. he didn't initiate too many conversations, but he was also happy to keep a running narrative for you if the silence made you anxious.

sebastian vettel — 174 words:

the best thing about seb was that he never shut up. when you were nonverbal, he was always so happy to just ramble and infodump about whatever new project he was on at the time. sometimes it was bees, sometimes it was formula one history and trivia, sometimes it was just general facts. he loved entertaining you and he never held your communication difficulties against you.

you were almost always happy to listen to him. when all things talking or listening were too overwhelming for you, seb didn't take it personally. he just found a cat (you never found out where he kept procuring them from, but he always was good with animals) and plopped it down on your lap.

if you needed down time, he left you alone. he sent you periodic updates and reminders that he was still thinking of you. formula one had taught him that even when you don't want to talk to someone, you could still get lonely. he always wanted you to know that he wouldn't forget you.

©thekoalapastriesbakery :: please do not copy or rewrite my work on any platform !!

author's note: i have an autistic!drivers agenda if you couldn't tell 🙃 (also totally based on real events for me lol)

comments + reblogs appreciated!

taglist: @raizelchrysanderoctavius @crispysoup318 @op-81-lvr-reblogs @ncrsbrg @spoonfulofmilo @justaf1girl @widow-cevans

[metaforikal]

Hi!! Would you be willing to write a scene with Brant with a shy, cat hybrid reader where brant pulls them to his lap and gently teases them?

I loved all your writings so far <33

𐙚 brant 𐙚

𐙚 brant loves his kitty kitty,, 𐙚

fluff, fluff, fluff, cat demi-human reader, gn reader.

thanks for the req nonnie <3 ! is it just me or are we lacking in brant fics? maybe i am not looking for it well enough but still, huhu! sorry it took soooo long, i was kinda busy (╥﹏╥)

fool's elysium was lively, filled with a cacophony of laughter and song. the troupe had just finished yet another successful performance at the town square of ragunna. the hustle and bustle of life offered a sweet distraction to the fools from their initial vexation of being casted away by the order, by the higher society. a place where fools, heretics, were not just toleratedーbut also celebrated.

brant exhaled, a contented smile played on his lips. his usual theatrical mask slipped away as he settled down beside his favourite person, [name]. they had been together since their first exile, small fingers intertwined tightly braving through the unforgiving tides and storms abroad the pilgrim sail. 

"you've been staring at me for awhile." your cat ears twitched. you had never been fond of lingering eyes on you, much rather staying by the side lines than being under the spotlight. unlike brant, who'd willingly jump into the middle of a spectacle to feel the whole world's gaze weight down upon him. 

"hmm, nothing much. just appreciating ya" he drawled, a look of adoration was in his eyes. no words could describe how much he loved and cherished the one that had stood by his side through thick and thin. you pouted, your fluffy cat tail swayed left and right lazily against the wooden plank of the dock. you're still not used to his flirtation, even after years together.

another sigh spilled from his lipsーsoft and dreamy. he had always loved seeing you all flustered due to his makings. "now, you're being way to cute for your own good y'know?" he nudged your side, making you huff out as a form of protest. he was no longer able to restrain himself so gently, he pulled you into his lap with effortless ease. all those years of fending his troupe from tacet discords lingering around penitent's end had turned him into quite the strong one. 

you could feel how fast your cheeks heated up, dusted in pink-colored freckles. words died on your lips, thoughts tangled and frozen lost in the overwhelming warmth of his embrace. 

your back was pressed firmly against his chest, the soft clinking of his accessories filled the otherwise quiet and intimate air. his strong, calloused hand kneaded the soft flesh of your waist, his chin rested on your clavicle. each slow, deliberate blow of his breath caressed the juncture between your neck and shoulderーa sensitive part of yours that is only known to him, only for him to exploit. 

"b-brant don't do that-!" a shaky mewl rolled off your tongue, breath hitched when he nipped onto the soft skin. oh how he loved gouging out your reactions to his affections, savouring each twitch and gasp from you. 

"who's a good kitty kitty~?" his voice was a low, teasing purr. if it were anyone else calling you like so you'd have their eyes skewered on your nails. but brant? brant knew you'd let it slide if it came from him, and he'd be damned he if didn't take full advantage of it. you didn't answer, of course, your ego wouldn't let you but it's not like he mind either way. 

your ears didn't go untouched, how could they? he couldn't just simply ignore how your ears flapped by each bated breath you took. he watched as they flicked at even the slightest movement he'd make. how could a man like him possibly resist?  “you're so unbelievably cute like this.” he hummed to himself. one hand lifted, ghosting his fingers over the soft fur before cupping one ear fully. the warmth that his palm offered sent a shiver down your spine, making you jolt ever so slightly in your seat.

“always so sensitive, you never make it easy for me, [name].” he hummed in pure amusement, laced with the satisfaction of discovering yet another weak spot.

and so, they spent their evening in each other's embrace. he had the look of a lovesick foolーbecause that was all he was. one hopelessly enamoured. in a distance, the faint echoes of the fool's troupe's merrymaking drifted through the air. but none of it mattered to him at the moment, not when he had you like this. 

"y'know, if i weren't already a fool, i'd still be one for you, willingly."

jumps around.. i finally got one done after being gone for awhile. so sorry ahhh!!!!!!!! i will get the other to work, ASAP!! i hope i did brant justice, he deserves all the love this world's got to offer (੭ ;´ - `;)੭ ♡

[respectfulrebel]

^ me every time I see a new chapter, by the way. And also me while reading every single interaction between her and Noah because GOD is she horny for him and GOD is he a fucking tease. The morning scene????? 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

Your signature cliffhanger doesn’t disappoint either, you got my blood pressure and my heart rate up with this one what the fuck 😭 please don’t hurt her? Pls? 🥺

"She gets a guard, a detail, an escort - whatever the fuck I decide that she needs. I promised her I would keep her safe and I'll do anything in my power to keep that promise. You don't have to understand. I don't give a shit. But as my best friend, you will respect these decisions and her."

Damn, the man is scary (in a good way) 🫠

Funny how your cheeks immediately warmed with a blush. You appreciated the candor, but what the hell were you supposed to say to that?

No, please, Noah. Completely ravish me. Ruin me. Make me take it. I want to feel it for days.

I meeeeaan 🤭 I’m sure he wouldn’t have minded hearing those exact words.

"Got enough for two?" The opening and closing of the lighter trailing his words.

That is such a cool way to say that. I’m a big fan of how to use words.

"For the record," he spoke after you had handed him a bowl and dropped down into a bar chair a couple down from his, "I never ate anything with goat cheese. That shit is disgusting."

The one thing he says that I agree with lol goat cheese is disgusting lol

Wait….had you said all of that out loud?

Oh shit 🫣 I had to go back and reread what she said cause I was also like 🫢

He had requested to come into Mel's apartment with you but you threatened him with bodily harm if he didn't sit in the car and wait.

Idk that make me chuckle 🤭

"Maybe," you shrugged. "Let's just say he's very proportionate."

🤭🤭🤭 that’s one way to say it

"Oh god, no!" You gasped, feigning terror and covering your eyes as your best friend held up her newest creation for you to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over. "I'm just imagining it saying 'yeehaw, buckaroo' when I get down on my knees for it and that's terrible!"

Oh my god 😂😂

If you thought Noah was annoyed, then Jackson was on the verge of blasting off to the moon with only his aggravation fueling him.

I love that description 😂

He was slowly closing the distance between your faces, his hand releasing your chin only to trace down your neck before loosely securing his long fingers around the base of your throat - something he had a habit of doing. The gesture was possessive and you knew immediately that your panties were soaked.

Well, so are mine, damn 😳😮‍💨

Frowning to yourself, you carefully turned onto your side so that you were facing him. Your upper body angled just enough until your cheek was ever so slightly resting on his shoulder. There were a few seconds where you thought maybe this was an odd thing to do - cuddling up to Noah as he slept - but the shift of his hand onto your bent leg immediately caused those thoughts to dissipate.

That’s so cuuuuute 🥺🥺🥺🥺

Noah deeply inhaled as he palmed your breast, gently kneading into the mound. His short nails pricked your sensitive flesh, just enough to have you arching up against him in a desperate yet silent plea for more. As if being able to hear what you wanted, Noah released you, but not before giving your nipple another pinch and a firm tug.

Oh boy 🫠🫠 I don’t even know which line to quote from that scene cause it was all so so good. Even though she did get her release at the end, it felt like an intensely charged foreplay and the tension was so so delicious. And I guess Noah thought so too

Simmering in your anger, you exited the safety of his apartment and made a beeline for your own. There were two routes you could take: outside across the small courtyard that connected to the sidewalk that separated your buildings or you could go up a few floors and take the breezeway. You opted for the latter because it didn't run the risk of Jackson seeing you.

Literally screaming at her to sit back on her ass and not fucking go there ohh my goooooodd 🫣🫣🫣🫣🫣 I can’t watch

"You fight back more than you used to," Hawk taunted with an evil smirk as he turned your body over. "He's going to love that."

Okay that’s probably my conspiracy theory brain that’s seen too many movies and if it’s not you don’t have to say anything but “he” 🤔 we never got a confirmation that it’s her dad looking for her 🫢 🤫

「 ON DISPLAY 」 noah sebastian ⨯ f!reader

▷ chapter five

noah is your neighbor and your new favorite view thanks to his lack of curtains. you're pretty sure he prefers it this way. but the man you've created in your imagination is nothing like reality and you soon find yourself falling prey to a past lifestyle you had been desperately on the run from. trigger warnings : language, smut, violence, mention/flashbacks of abuse, alcohol and drug use, sexual harassment/assault (nongraphic). word count : 13k

masterlist

NOAH POV

“You called in a favor to go on a sushi date?” 

Jolly could only stare at his best friend like he was going to break down in laughter at any second and tell him that he was just kidding. Unfortunately for Jolly, Noah could only stare back at him, completely expressionless. 

“That's not the point.”

“If you want to fuck the server, then fuck the server. Don't get dragged into her mess when we have our own shit to deal with, Noah. Come on, man.” 

Noah’s jaw clenched at his friend’s terms regarding you, though his face remained stoic. Years of training had made him the perfect guard with an outstanding poker face. 

Jolly’s mouth then fell open in shock. The silence said it all. He was one of the only people who could read Noah’s blank expressions, even more so lately. He figured he had you to thank for that. You were quickly becoming his one and only weakness. 

“You're telling me that you're going through all of this for pussy you haven't even had yet?” 

Goddamn, Noah really hated him talking about you like that. You weren't just some pussy he was looking to score with. Maybe at first it had been purely lust, but things changed in a whirlwind. Now you were clouding his mind every second of every day. He couldn't stand the thought of harm coming to you, especially not after he had vowed to keep you safe. You were his responsibility now. His problem. But in the best way possible. 

“Look,” Noah adjusted the black wraps on his hands and then flexed his fingers. “I swore to her I wouldn't say anything to you, so can you at least try to keep this quiet?” 

Who was he kidding? He wouldn't be able to keep it from you that he had broken his promise. 

His fist then slammed into the punching bag dangling before him with little warning, followed by another solid hit that would have his knuckles aching in a matter of seconds. No amount of fights or training could fully help his body adjust to the abuse he put it through. Jolly groaned slightly from where he was standing behind the bag, gripping at the sides to keep it still with each forceful punch. 

“Then why are you telling me?” 

Noah took a moment to ponder this question. Why was he? He knew he would eventually need resources Jolly had but he couldn't tell his best friend that that was the only reason. 

“Because clearly these guys aren't fucking around and I can't be everywhere at once.” 

“So…what? You want to assign men to her? Fucking hell, Noah.”

Hands up and his breathing controlled, Noah landed punch after punch into the bag, following it up with a knee into the side of it that would easily take any assailant down. His hands then fell to his hips and he took a step back, his breathing heavy, sweat dripping from his forehead. 

“Mainly me,” he shrugged. “But when I'm needed at the club or for shipments then I figured we could spare Jackson.” 

“We can't spare anyone, Noah. This operation only works when we have all hands on deck. Everyone has a place and a job.” 

Noah’s jaw clenched, his grip on the water bottle he now held causing the plastic to loudly crinkle. He took a swallow before setting the bottle aside and then approaching Jolly, their chests nearly touching. If Jolly thought he was going to back down to him because he was his “boss” then he was dead wrong. Their roles were nothing more than a show. 

“This woman is important to me and I'm going to make sure she feels safe. Isn't that what we're all about, Joakim?” 

Jolly flinched at the use of his actual name, his eyes narrowing. 

“She gets a guard, a detail, an escort - whatever the fuck I decide that she needs. I promised her I would keep her safe and I'll do anything in my power to keep that promise. You don't have to understand. I don't give a shit. But as my best friend, you will respect these decisions and her.” 

“Goddammit,” Jolly cursed under his breath when he was the first to break their intense eye contact. He briefly gave his back to Noah, a hand washing over his face in pure aggravation. 

Turning to face him again, Jolly licked over his lips and produced a single nod. But before Noah could strut away with his victory, he pointed a finger directly at his chest. “If this ruins our operation, I will fucking bury you. Best friend or not. Understand?” 

Noah smirked, nodding. “I'll even help you dig the grave.”

READER POV

Waking up in an unknown bed wasn't common for you. Casual hook ups weren't your thing, so if it wasn't your bed - or Vane’s in the past - then you were utterly lost and baffled. Except you were starting to recall the night before and just why you were in an unknown bed, surrounded by homely items that did not belong to you. 

Noah. Your destroyed apartment. The worry in his eyes. His mouth on your body before it all went to shit. 

You wished you could relive that last little bit just a moment longer. 

Your eyes slowly opened to first see the unfamiliar lamp on the bedside table, a bottle of water and a phone charging cord occupying the space around it. The sheets were soft and warm from where you were cocooned within them, the scent attached to them a comforting sensation that could easily lull you back to sleep. His scent. You knew you needed to get up, though. As much as you wanted to, you couldn't rot in this bed all day. 

Sitting up with reluctance, you began to scan the contents of the bedroom. There wasn't much to it, just like the living room you had been staring longingly at for a few months now. A dresser with a mirror, closet, two bedside tables, virtually nothing of personal value on the shelves or in the bookcase nestled into the corner. You couldn't say you were surprised. Noah was a minimalist, something you couldn't relate to. 

As you pulled yourself out of bed and rubbed the sleep from your eyes, your feet slowly shuffled you out of the bedroom. It was quiet in the apartment, the eerie silence sending a chill down your spine and bringing goosebumps to your arms. You hugged yourself as you stepped into the living room, making a slow approach to the window you were so used to looking through from your own apartment. Being on the opposite side now was surreal. 

Across the way you could see the destroyed mess that was once your home. Noah hadn't let you clean anything up before dragging you out the night before despite your protests. The large sum of money you had hidden away was truly what you were concerned about. You heavily sighed, eyes then falling to the singular plant that sat to your right. The soil was in desperate need of some moisture, so you scurried to the kitchen and filled a glass with water, then slowly began to dump it into the dry soil. 

Just as you were tilting the glass further up, the front door suddenly opened, keys jingling and bags rustling. You jumped, what remained of the water sloshing onto your chest and stomach, the fabric of Noah’s shirt you wore immediately soaking all the way through. 

“Jesus Christ!” You gasped, a hand clutching your chest. Your eyes were nearly bulging out of your head as you looked at Noah standing in the doorway, his brows raised and a laugh threatening to escape. 

“Just me,” he then chuckled, hands held up in innocence. 

You relaxed only when your brain came to terms with you not being in any danger. You actually felt your safest when Noah was around. It was odd since you had only known him for a handful of time, but no one had ever put you at ease the way he did.

That both delighted and terrified you. 

“Did you sleep okay?” 

Noah's eyes trailed your body, pausing when he noticed the way his damp shirt was clinging to portions of your skin. One spot in particular being on your chest, granting him the view of your hardened nipple beneath the chill-inducing wet fabric. You pulled the fabric away from your body, waving it a bit to help dry sections of it, unaware that he had been close to drooling. 

“Yeah, I guess,” you shrugged. When you looked back up at him, he abruptly shifted his gaze elsewhere, awkwardly fumbling with the items in his arms. 

“You really should've let me sleep on the couch,” you added as he made his way into the kitchen. 

“What kind of host would I be if I did that?” 

“Okay, then you should've slept in bed with me,” you continued while following right on his heels. Noah was stocking the fridge with some sparkling waters that just so happened to be the same brand you always had on hand. “I would've kept my hands to myself.” 

Noah peered up at you with his infamous smirk, brows raised. He shook his head while closing the fridge and then went to continue unloading the little bit of groceries. He was wearing a black t-shirt and athletic shorts, his face flushed, leading you to believe that he had been out at the gym before. You would've loved to have watched that show. 

“I don't think I would have,” he replied honestly. 

Funny how your cheeks immediately warmed with a blush. You appreciated the candor, but what the hell were you supposed to say to that?

No, please, Noah. Completely ravish me. Ruin me. Make me take it. I want to feel it for days. 

Yeah, you didn't think that was the right route to take. Not when he was clearly on edge and you had people out there set on killing you. 

“I had to tell Jolly about what happened.” 

Your heart skipped, silence befalling you both. 

“I'm sorry,” Noah continued, his hands pressed into the kitchen island he was leaning into. “I know I promised you I wouldn't but with what happened last night…I needed the extra support.” 

You were trying your best to ignore the flexed muscles in his arms, as well as the reddened and split skin that was his knuckles. Nope, you weren't going to let him unknowingly distract you with his body. The same body you had dreamed about, the one you desperately wanted to feel on top of you. 

Fuck! No! You were supposed to be mad at him for going back on his word!

“Extra support?” You repeated, your voice small. 

“As much as I would like to be, I can't be with you at all times. So, some of the trusted guys that work for me will also be keeping an eye on you.” 

You grimaced at his word choice, head slowly shaking. You could practically see the Nocturnal mask slipping down over his face. 

“I'm not a toddler at a water park, Noah. I don't need people watching me.” 

“It's happening whether you want it to or not.” His words were stern and direct, the muscle in his jaw fluttering beneath the strain he was placing on it. 

When you said nothing after crossing your arms over your chest, he continued. 

“Someone will drive you to and from both of your jobs, as well as anywhere else you need to go. You'll stay here until I can get a safe house sorted, where a guard will also be stationed.” 

What the fuck was happening? Why was Noah suddenly talking like some secret service agent? 

“Safe house?” 

“I know it's asking a lot, but I'd also like for you to check in with me if I'm not around to see you for myself. Can you do that?” 

You stared at him, the expression on your face reading as utterly dumbfounded. 

“Who the hell are you?” Although you didn't really know Noah, not as much as you should to feel the way you did about him, this was the first time you truly viewed him as a stranger. 

He blinked a couple of times before his face softened and he pushed away from the island to close the space between you in record time. The usual confidence remained in his movements but you could see the concern written in his eyes. 

“No,” he lowered his voice to a near whisper while taking your face into his hands. “Please don't look at me like that. You've never looked at me like that.” 

Was Noah worried that you were scared of him? That's all that you could think of as you gazed up into his eyes while his thumbs brushed your cheeks. You wanted to tell him that you weren't but the words wouldn't move past your tongue. His forehead leaned down against yours, strong hands still encasing your face and keeping you close. 

“Why are you doing this for me?” You managed to finally speak, your voice now as soft as his had been. Your hands lifted to circle his wrists though not so you could push him away, but because you wanted to be closer. So, so much closer. 

Noah took in a deep breath and remained silent for a long moment. When he did speak up again, you were no more enlightened than you had been.  

“I don't know.”

X X X 

Six days had gone by and you barely saw Noah. He was busy with work, muttering something about having to receive shipments and make deliveries, but he was gone more so than he used to be. You thought it was odd that Nocturnal’s head of security was on delivery duty, but you found it best not to question him about it. Noah obviously had secrets and you weren't so naive to believe that you were meant to know them. 

You stared blankly at the dark blue backsplash of Red’s stove, condensation from your use of a burner and boiling water forming along it. You had opted to stay later than you usually did because it was better than going back to Noah’s quiet apartment. Sure, you had whichever guy was assigned to you that night, but it wasn't the same. They never talked to you, never really paid you any mind except for when Noah called and they had to verify you were okay. 

So, you were “working” late, which consisted of you making a box of macaroni and cheese for dinner. Red had long gone to bed, or so he said, though you could occasionally hear the creak of his floorboards above. Oh well. Whatever he did in the comfort of his house was his business. 

“Something smells…processed.” 

You looked up from where you were mixing the powdered cheese in with butter and milk to see Nicholas standing in the kitchen walkway, trusty Zippo lighter in hand. His bright eyes were set on you, an amused smile on his lips. 

“Got enough for two?”  The opening and closing of the lighter trailing his words. 

Chuckling, you rolled your eyes before releasing a long exhale. You didn't yet respond as you reached up into the cabinet to bring down another bowl, a silent acceptance to his desire to join you. 

“I don't want to hear one complaint about it,” you exclaimed, eying him for a brief moment. 

“Why would I ever do such a thing?”

You began to spoon the yellow coated noodles into both bowls, being careful to make each one equal. “Because I know you were raised on truffle goat cheese macaroni and bottles of wine that cost more than my rent.” 

The sound of metal scraping against the hardwood told you that Nicholas had pulled a chair out at the massive island. Followed by another because apparently he was kind enough to prepare a seat for you as well. 

“Do I sense a bit of a judgy tone?” 

“Me? Judgy? That doesn't sound right at all.” 

Since you had been spending more nights at Red’s house, you had managed to run into Nicholas way more than you would've preferred. It was awkward at first because he gave you the creeps, which he still kinda did, but at least he was willing to talk to you. You had no idea why he was at the house so often nowadays, but once again, it was just one more thing that wasn't your business. 

Were you just cursed to be around mysterious jackasses your entire life? Probably so. 

“For the record,” he spoke after you had handed him a bowl and dropped down into a bar chair a couple down from his, “I never ate anything with goat cheese. That shit is disgusting.” 

“Yeah, it tastes like two goats fucking in your mouth,” you snickered. 

Nicholas laughed along with you before the sounds faded away and all that could be heard was your tandem chewing and forks hitting the bowl. 

“Can I ask you something?”

With a sound of acknowledgement, Nicholas nodded. 

“How do you know Noah?”

There was no way the two of them knew each other just from the club because you could've felt the tension between them from another room. You knew history when you saw it. 

“We were friends as kids,” Nicholas revealed. His focus remained down on his food, the fork he held stabbing into individual noodles before bringing them to his mouth. 

“He was always pretty chill, even at a young age. Always the type to problem solve, y’know? But I was the opposite of that, so we didn't really mesh.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Were you just a problem Noah was aching to solve now? 

Nicholas pushed away from the island, the chair again making a piercing sound as it slid across the floor. He went to the large fridge and retrieved a couple of waters, one for each of you. 

“The word ‘insane' is used a lot to describe me, medically speaking. I don't see it but I'm also not the one with a PhD. But I caused the problems instead of fixing them.” Shrugging, he dropped back down into his seat and returned to his food. The way he was speaking so nonchalantly was shocking to you, especially when he was divulging so much information that you hadn't even been forced to pry from him. 

“And Noah doesn't like that sort of thing. He needs order and control. I'm sure you've realized that by now.” Nicholas flashed a devilish grin as he looked at you, his eyebrows playfully wiggling. 

Well, that surely was something you didn't want to talk about with him. 

“Either way, our families clashed and we stopped being friends.”

“Clashed?” You felt bad for asking question after question but you couldn't bring yourself to stop. Every answer he gave only produced more curiosity. 

Nicholas shifted in his seat, that repetitive amused grin overtaking his features. You were getting the same sense that you would from Noah, like something was being kept from you. Something important. 

He didn't speak again until he was done eating, the bowl in front of him thoroughly cleaned of every noodle. You were impressed, to say the least. 

“I'm going to be honest with you because I like you, okay? So listen to me very carefully.” 

Turning in his chair to face you, he leaned in closer, almost too close for comfort. If there hadn't been an empty chair between the two of you, then he would basically be in your lap at this point. You gave a slight nod, that damned curiosity noticeable in your eyes. 

“Do not trust anyone. Not me, not Noah, not Red. No one. Do you get me?” 

You opened your mouth to speak because the confusion you felt was on the verge of bubbling over, but promptly closed it when you figured nothing would quench your hunger for answers. Fuck, you were so tired of dealing with this bullshit already. It was always something. 

“I can tell that you're smart. When I say ‘no one’, I mean absolutely no one.” 

“Why should I believe you now then?” You challenged, brows raised. 

Nicholas smirked, slowly nodding. “See? I knew you were smart, just as I said.”

X X X 

Some Top 40’s pop song drifted through Melinda’s apartment a couple of nights later. You sat on the floor of her living room with your back propped against the couch, a pink coffee table in front of you which held a couple of different wine bottles atop the surface. A wine glass was also within reach but you had pushed that aside after the first pour and started drinking straight from the bottle. Melinda had arched a brow at you but hadn’t voiced her concerns. At least not yet. 

Your nerves were causing your fingers to tremble to the point that not even alcohol could calm them. Why? Because you were on the verge of telling Mel everything. The confession had been right on the tip of your tongue for the last hour but you'd always chicken out at the final second and drown out your words with the overly sweet wine you preferred. 

You didn't want to drag her into this. You'd never forgive yourself if she was harmed because of you. But you needed someone to lean on that wasn't Noah. Not because you didn't appreciate his willingness to help, but because he was edging dangerously close to the line in the sand you had created. Plus, Melinda was your best friend and you desperately needed her. 

“Whoa there, tiger,” Mel laughed as she made to reach for the wine bottle you were currently tipping back. “Why don't you take a breather and tell me what's wrong?” 

Damn, where were you even supposed to begin? You were on the run from your own father, had been forced to change your identity, and now had a few unknown men hunting you down to kill you. Not to mention the fact that you were involved with some James Bond secret service type of guy who had a killer smile, was a great kisser, and also gave you butterflies. Oh, and how could you almost forget to add that you had killed your ex-boyfriend? 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” 

You looked up from where you had been heavily focused on the pattern of the brightly colored rug beneath you, just to see Mel staring at you with wide eyes and her mouth dropped open. 

Wait…had you said all of that out loud? 

Your hand immediately smacked over your mouth but the damage was done. The words had been vomited out. Melinda heard every single one. 

“What?” You finally squeaked out, though your voice was muffled within your palm. 

“Are you fucking with me right now?” 

Hesitantly you shook your head, your hand slowly lowering back down to your lap. You had to clamp your hands between your thighs to stop them from noticeably shaking. 

“Your dad always gave me the heebie jeebies but what the fuck? What. The. Fuck.” 

“Why do you think I showed up on your doorstep with barely a day’s notice, asking you to call me by a different name?” 

Melinda’s brows pulled together as she briefly fell into a deep consideration over your question. “I don't know!” She finally exclaimed, her hands thrown up in defeat. “I thought you had finally just cracked or wanted to be someone else here for fun!” 

“Thank you for going along with that, by the way,” you hiccuped, now smiling at your best friend despite the deadly serious topic. 

“Hold on. Hold up. You killed Vane? Like…dead? He's gone?” 

You sheepishly nodded as you pulled your lower lip between your teeth. How did you justify what you did without fully going into all the details? 

“He wasn't a good person, Mel.”

“Did he hurt you?” She quickly cut in, her jaw clenched in preparation for an outburst they both knew she was about to have. 

Heavily sighing, you gave a single nod. “Everyday.” 

Sexual, emotional, and plain ole physical abuse had been your day to day life not so long ago. A waking nightmare you had no choice but to endure. It was honestly amazing that you hadn't thrown yourself off the Golden Gate Bridge instead of escaping across the country, although you had contemplated it more than once. The abuse had ended but the scars remained, most mental but some physical. 

Tears began pooling in Melinda’s eyes, her lower lip wobbling. “Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have left you. I would've…I would've taken you with me. What the fuck? Why would you hide that from me? How did you even hide it?” 

Well, your buzz was officially gone. 

“You know how Vane was. He never would've let that happen.”  Yeah, that pretty much summed it all up. 

While Melinda wasn’t unfortunate enough to spend extended periods of time with Vane, she had still noticed how horrible of a person he was. He never tried to hide it, no matter who was around. Vane was proud of the fact that he could scare people. He found his power within it, just as your father did. 

“Your dad…” Mel shook her head, all the information being too much for her to process so suddenly. Though her sadness had quickly flipped to anger. “I'm going to fucking kill him. I'd do the same to Vane if you hadn't already had the honor.”

“My dad doesn't know where I am.” You paused, your lips twisting in thought. “Well, he didn't. I guess he does now, though. Y’know, considering the guys that are after me.” 

While you were sure those were Vane’s men, you could assume your father now controlled them since their previous leader was dead. That probably made it worse. They wanted to avenge their beloved late boss while also following the orders of one of the most corrupt men you knew - a bad combo. 

“Noah has been helping you though?” 

You snorted a laugh as you brought the wine bottle to your awaiting mouth again. “Yeah, just look outside.”

Sitting in a dark SUV directly in front of the apartment building was Jackson, the guy Noah had put on the rotation of keeping an eye on you. He had requested to come into Mel’s apartment with you but you threatened him with bodily harm if he didn't sit in the car and wait. You must've been somewhat convincing since he obliged. Reluctantly, but you still considered it to be a win. 

“Okay, I'm seeing a guy smoking and staring at us. Should I be worried or?” 

“No, it's his shift to watch me. Noah is very…thorough apparently.”

Melinda looked back at you with a wicked smirk, her tears now long gone as her thoughts drifted elsewhere. “Just how thorough are we talking?” 

You groaned as you rolled your eyes and held a middle finger up to your friend. “I wouldn't know about that. We haven't done anything more than kiss.” 

“Are you suddenly the Virgin fucking Mary? What's the hold up?” 

You stared at Melinda with an expression that read ‘are you fucking serious?’. A few seconds passed as you waited to see if she would see the error of her question but your best friend was none the wiser. 

“I've kinda been distracted with the big as fuck target on my back, Mel.” 

“Shit, you're right. Sorry.” She shook her head after lightly hitting the side of it with the palm of her hand. “Okay, but you've at least felt it, right? Because I just know that man is working with something great.” 

How the hell had you gotten onto this topic? 

Your response to Melinda was in the form of a side eye and a shy smirk as you brought a newly opened wine bottle up for a swallow. “Maybe,” you shrugged. “Let's just say he's very proportionate.” 

It would've been impossible for you to not feel exactly what he was “working with” the night he had you pressed up against your apartment door. You still thought about how hard he had gotten and the way it felt when he rolled his hips between your open thighs. The sounds he had made were the perfect cherry on top. It had actually been on repeat in your head that very morning when you were showering while your fingers just so happened to be assisting in getting you off. 

“Fucccckkkk,” Mel groaned as she tossed herself onto the couch behind you. “I love a tall man. And he's, like, soooo tall. Those hands? You're lucky.” 

“We aren't talking about it!” It was already bad enough that Noah was still holding out on you. You were willing to bend over for him anytime, any place, but he still hadn't even kissed you since that night. Maybe there was a flirty comment here and there, but that's where it stopped. You were beginning to think maybe he wasn't interested anymore. You couldn't say you blamed him considering all the baggage you came with. 

Just some thoughts you were doomed to have again and again. 

“When did you become such a prude?!” Melinda teased, lightly poking the back of your head. 

“I'm not a prude!” You quickly defended as you shot a glare at her from over your shoulder. “I just don't want to talk about his dick!”

Well, you hadn't wanted to until you finished off another glass or two worth of wine. Once that happened you were completely free to blab about anything. You leaned over Melinda’s coffee table not even half an hour later, a fit of giggles constantly escaping you as you doodled yet another comically large drawing of a dick. Mel was doing the same on the opposite side of the table, but she had opted to place a little cowboy hat on the head of her dick picture. Scattered on the tabletop were other little drawings of cocks, each one with their own personality. 

“Oh god, no!” You gasped, feigning terror and covering your eyes as your best friend held up her newest creation for you to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over. “I'm just imagining it saying ‘yeehaw, buckaroo’ when I get down on my knees for it and that's terrible!” 

“I would dry up like the goddamn Sahara.” 

You erupted into a fit of laughter that had you falling back and grabbing your stomach. It was like you had never seen or heard something so funny before and you had all the alcohol to thank for that. 

Somehow you managed to hear your phone ringing over both yours and Melinda's cackling which sent you stumbling across the living room to grab it from where you had dropped your things hours ago. You didn't even look at who it was before you were answering in a sing-song voice. 

“Hellooo?”

Noah’s voice came through immediately, his tone stern as he said your name. 

“Where are you?” 

“Well, Mr. Grumpy Pants, I'm at Melinda's still.” Laughter cut through your response as Mel turned the drawing vertically and pretended to make it dance amongst the sea of other crudely drawn dicks. 

“Are you drunk?” 

“Maybe…just a little bit.”

Noah could be heard heavily sighing from the other end of the call and for some reason his annoyance had you giggling to yourself. 

“I'm coming to get you,” he stated after taking a deep breath. 

“What? No! I'm fine here. Plus, your little watch dog is still outside.” Steps were taken to the window so you could look down at where Jackson still sat. He was in his car now but his eyes were looking up at you. If you thought Noah was annoyed, then Jackson was on the verge of blasting off to the moon with only his aggravation fueling him. 

“It's after two in the morning. I'm coming to get you.” 

Noah parroted himself which only let you know that he was holding back what he truly wanted to say. It was a good thing you found it kinda hot when he got angry or else he really would've been killing your mood. 

“Don't be such a fun sucker!” You laughed, both at Noah and the newly drawn dick Melinda was holding up to you again. This one looked like a mermaid, complete with a seashell bra. 

“I'll be there in ten minutes.” 

The call then ended and you could only roll your eyes. 

“See?” You motioned to your phone as Mel arched a questioning brow. “I told you he's always so tense.” 

True to his word, Noah was knocking on the apartment door ten minutes later. Jackson was no longer posted outside, more than likely relieved of his duty as soon as Noah had pulled in. 

Melinda answered the door wearing a large grin and holding up her drawing of a princess cock so it was the first thing Noah would see. You could barely make out the furrow of his brow from behind your friend, but just that was enough to send you spiraling into another fit of laughter. 

“Welcome!” Mel beamed with glee. 

“Is that…a dick with a crown?”

You were then on your feet and approaching your best friend, your own amused smile seen from over her shoulder. Noah’s eyes shifted to you and you briefly felt bad for how tired he looked. The long hours at Nocturnal were clearly getting to him. 

“It's actually a tiara,” Mel corrected. 

“Do you not like it?” 

“It's…great,” he sighed, figuring that agreeing would help move this along faster. “Are you ready?” 

“No,” you shook your head, eyes once again rolling as you turned to grab your things. “But I guess I'll have to be.” 

Okay, so maybe you turned into a bit of a brat when you drank too much. There wasn't really much more to it than that. 

Noah stepped into the doorway and immediately began to assess his surroundings. His eyes squinted when he found all the dick drawings on the coffee table, as if trying to make sure he was really seeing it. 

“Is this what girls do together? Draw dicks?”

“They do when they're not getting any,” Melinda murmured under her breath before sending a wink your way. 

Your eyes widened slightly but you ignored her comment and instead slung your bag over your shoulder in a dramatic show. Noah’s jaw was clenched as you approached him, again wearing a wide smile all thanks to your beloved wine. He was very much unamused but you knew he wouldn't be able to stay mad at you for long. 

After saying your goodbyes you were trudging along beside Noah, only slightly struggling to keep pace with his long legs and eager steps. Your humming was all that sounded between the two of you, the silence becoming a bit of a concern. Maybe he was actually mad this time. Fuck. That made you feel like a teenage girl being picked up from a party by her dad. 

Gross. 

“You know,” you began after hitting the ground level and Noah made sure you were secure in the passenger seat of his overpriced car. “I didn't ask you to come get me.” 

“Can we not do this? It's been a long night and I just want to get home.”

You had never been good at keeping your mouth shut when you were drunk, so his plea was met by deaf ears. 

“I told you that I don't need a body guard. I would've been perfectly fine staying over at Mel’s.” 

Noah’s jaw further tensed and his finger tapped against the steering wheel as he pulled out of the apartment complex and drove down the road at a much higher speed than the posted limit. You didn't even want to look at him but you couldn't stop yourself because, well, he was always a sight to behold. His sleek all black clothing told you that he had only just left Nocturnal despite going in before noon, so that explained his heavy lids and the dark circles forming beneath his eyes, as well as his less than desirable attitude. 

Man really needed some time off. Maybe a nice vacation where he could get some sun and relaxation. You held onto the fantasy of being right there with him on a beach, both of you with a coconut cocktail in hand. Maybe you would even get him to rub sunscreen on your bo–

“And then I wouldn't have been able to sleep because I would've been up all night worrying about your well being.” 

Well, there went that perfect fantasy. Normally his words would've made you swoon, but with your drunken state you were borderline furious. Again, you hadn't asked for any of this. All you wanted was for him to keep your secret. Noah was the one all gung-ho about keeping you safe as well. So why did you feel as if you were being punished for it? 

“But why? I've managed to keep myself alive before we even met, and I'm sure I can continue to.” 

Noah huffed a chuckle while shaking his head. “You have no idea who you're up against.” 

“Oh, I know exactly the kind of men that are after me. Did you forget that I was surrounded by them for years? Believe me, King, I fucking know.” 

His head was quick to whip around to stare at you, fury flaring in his eyes. You knew you were being an idiot for pushing his buttons but you for some reason couldn't make yourself stop. Maybe you were just a glutton for punishment. 

“What did you just call me?” 

You heavily exhaled through your nose, your lips pursed and your eyes set forward on the mostly empty road ahead of you. “You heard me,” you shrugged. “You want to wear your Nocturnal mask outside the club? Then I'm going to call you by your Nocturnal name.” 

It was rather obvious that he was fed up with your antics but he continued to press. “What are you talking about?” 

Noah stepped a little too hard on the brake as the car approached a red light, sending your body jerking forward ever so slightly. You cut your eyes at him and adjusted your position in the seat before answering. 

“The fucking mask you wear when you're at the club. King and Noah are not the same.” 

He laughed. He actually fucking laughed, the kind of laugh that had him gripping the steering wheel tight between both hands as he leaned back to lessen the pressure on his stomach and rest his head against the seat. You didn't know why it was so funny to him but you didn't currently care enough to ask. 

“We're very much one in the same, sweetheart. You don't think ‘Hot Neighbor’ would shoot a man through the head to keep you safe?” There was now a devilish - yet also mocking - smirk pulled across his lips and you weren't sure if you were scared or turned on by it. What the hell was wrong with you? You knew Noah was dangerous. He had probably killed more people than you could count on both of your hands and while you didn't like to think about that side of him, you still knew it was him. That wasn't lost on you as he seemed to believe. 

And if they were one in the same, as he claimed, then why was he so taken back by you referring to him as his Nocturnal persona? 

“King would and so would Noah, both without a second thought. Know why?” 

With the red light still glaring through the windshield, Noah reached over to grip your chin. His fingers were gentle despite the argument you were having, but he still used enough force to turn your head to look at him. It was nothing like the brutal jerk Vane would've used and had many times. Back then you would've flinched from Noah just extending a hand towards you, but now all you wanted to do was lean in closer to him. 

“Why?” You murmured, his eyes staring directly into yours with an intensity that made you press your thighs together. 

“Because I'm Noah and I'm King. There wouldn't be one without the other. You know what else?” He was slowly closing the distance between your faces, his hand releasing your chin only to trace down your neck before loosely securing his long fingers around the base of your throat - something he had a habit of doing. The gesture was possessive and you knew immediately that your panties were soaked. 

Noah didn't wait for you to respond before he handed you the answer. “I care about you and my main mission right now is to make sure you. Are. Safe.” 

His lips were then crashing against yours in a hard kiss that had your heart pounding and your breath stalling in your lungs. This man definitely didn't half-ass anything. The sensations that coursed through your body from a mere kiss were electric and practically made you putty in his hands. It didn't last for long, though, because the traffic light was soon turning green, but Noah still gave your neck a squeeze before he was pulling away and focusing his attention back on the road. 

Well, fuck. 

An hour later you were freshly showered and sitting up in Noah’s bed. Neither of you had spoken since your argument in the car except for when he asked if you were hungry upon entering his apartment. You declined his offer of food, leaving him to fix whatever he was in the mood for as you opted to stand beneath scalding water instead. 

Noah’s words kept replaying in your head on an endless loop that was causing a headache to form behind your eyes. Well, maybe it was all the wine you drank too, but that was beside the point. Was he truly willing to shoot someone for you? Not just to wound them, but actually shoot to kill? The thought alone made you shiver and you pulled the blankets up over your legs to help rid yourself of the chill. 

Vane never would've killed someone for you, but he surely would've because of you. He looked at you as property with his name branded everywhere, whereas Noah wanted no harm to come your way because he cared. While you were aware of their similarities, they were still drastically different and you hated that your mind kept wanting to compare the two. 

“Just going to grab some clothes and shower.” Noah softly spoke as he entered his room and immediately went for the dresser. He retrieved a random graphic tee from the top of the pile and then a pair of gray sweatpants, his eyes shifting to you when he slid the drawer closed. 

“Okay,” you barely whispered, your fingers twisting around strands of your wet hair. 

“Can we talk tomorrow?” he asked from where he stood in the doorway between his bedroom and the bathroom. He had almost closed the door separating the two but turned around at the last second to blurt out the question. 

Lifting your gaze to meet with his, you gave a hesitant nod. 

“I know the sooner the better but I'm exhausted and need to sleep.” 

“It's okay,” you sheepishly smiled. “Talking tomorrow is fine.” 

Honestly, you hated “talking” but you weren't going to deny Noah of what he wanted. You also didn't know what he wanted to talk about and that obviously piqued your curiosity. Could be your living situation or whatever this relationship was you two shared, or possibly even things about Nocturnal. No matter the topic, you had no reason to turn him down. 

With a single nod, Noah shut the bathroom door and a few seconds later you heard the water to the shower cut on. Taking in a deep breath, you turned off the side lamp and shimmed down into his bed, shifting around until you were comfortable. Or as comfortable as you could get. You still felt odd with Noah sleeping on the couch and it had been so long since he was in his own bed that it didn't even smell like him anymore. The comfort you previously held onto when wrapped in his blankets was gone and you feared you missed it. 

“I can hear you tossing and turning from the bathroom.” Noah was tugging on his shirt from the now open doorway, allowing you a quick glimpse of his heavily tattooed torso. You didn't try to avert your gaze elsewhere because that would've been a travesty. He deserved to be admired. If only you could do it with both your eyes and hands. 

How much time had even passed since he went to shower? You could've sworn it was only a couple of minutes but it must've been much longer than that judging by how steamy the bathroom was. Noah clearly liked his showers extra hot just as you did. 

“Will you sleep in here tonight?” You dropped your arms down to the bed with a defeated sigh and gave him the saddest look you possibly could. 

“I really don't thin–”

“Please, Noah?” You cut him off, the desperation heavy in your voice. It wasn't because you were going to try anything - you already knew having sex the first time and being drunk was off the table - but because you needed him close. You hated that he spoke to you as if you were the most important person to him currently, but then constantly distanced himself. 

It fucking hurt and had your mind reeling in all directions. 

Noah didn't respond, but he did step forward and lift the blankets enough for him to slip beneath. You slid over to the right side of the bed, allowing him ample space so that you weren't crowding him. Once he was settled, you were both laying on your backs and staring up at the ceiling. Silence again drifted between you. 

“I fucked up,” you then admitted. 

The first time you were sharing a bed with Noah and you were not only drunk, but you were also going to ruin it by spilling your guts. Hopefully only in a metaphorical sense and not actually. Thanks, wine. 

“I told Mel about…what's happening.” 

“Shit,” Noah breathed out. You didn't have to look at him to know he was pinching the bridge of his nose. He had a way of doing that when he was frustrated. 

“I just…was tired of keeping it from her and I needed someone to talk to about it. No offense.” 

“No, I get it. She's your best friend.” His fingers drummed along his chest, soft thumps that you could barely make out. “I can't be upset with you when I did the same thing.” 

Yeah, you were still a little irritated about him telling Jolly, but there was nothing that could be done about it now. Maybe it would be for the best in the long run. 

Needing to talk about anything else, you opted to change the subject. “Do you work tomorrow?” 

“No, it's my one day off since we're closed on Sundays.” 

“Maybe we can go by my apartment? There's things I need to get that I forgot.” 

For example, the thousands of dollars beneath the floorboards of your closet. You didn't know how you were going to explain that to Noah but you didn't like just leaving it there. You needed to have it within reach. 

Noah yawned, but you could see him nodding his head through the darkness. “Yeah, that's fine. We’ll swing by.” 

You were tempted to say something else just so you could hear his voice a bit more, but the sound of his breathing evening out let you know that he was drifting off to sleep. Turning your head to look at Noah, your eyes now mostly adjusted to the dark, you were transfixed by how perplexed he appeared. How could someone still be so tense even when sleeping? 

Frowning to yourself, you carefully turned onto your side so that you were facing him. Your upper body angled just enough until your cheek was ever so slightly resting on his shoulder. There were a few seconds where you thought maybe this was an odd thing to do - cuddling up to Noah as he slept - but the shift of his hand onto your bent leg immediately caused those thoughts to dissipate. Your heart skipped a beat, a fluttering starting in your stomach that you could only blame on those damned butterflies. Weren't you too old for those? Your body clearly thought otherwise when it came to him. 

Finally, the calming scent that was just so Noah eased you back into what you could only consider to be tranquility. An intoxicating mix of mint and pine. Your thoughts slowed, the weight on your shoulders lifting, even if for just a night. Whether Noah was truly asleep or simply faking it, you didn't care. If it was the latter then that meant he wanted to comfort you however he could in the moment. But if he was actually asleep? Well, that only meant you eased his mind just as he did yours, so much that he was seeking you out while unconscious. 

X X X 

Don't trust Noah. Don't trust Noah. Don't trust Noah. 

Trust no one. No one. 

Nicholas’ warning was what swirled through your brain the following morning. You were silent as you stared down at a sleeping Noah, his head somehow finding your chest in the middle of the night, that being where it currently still rested. You never would've pegged him as a cuddler, but alas, he was cuddling you. 

If you were to trust no one, then how were you expected to trust what Nicholas had said? It bothered you that he hadn't given you any reasons as to why you shouldn't trust Noah or Red, specifically the former, but since Nicholas had known both much longer than yourself, then maybe you should heed his warning. Or at least take him seriously enough to be on the lookout for yourself, right? 

It was just so hard when Noah was like this. His body was radiating a heat into yours that you only wanted to dig deeper into, his scent still clouding your senses and easily becoming your new favorite indulgence. He was your favorite indulgence. Fuck, you were so screwed. Allowing your eyes to drift away from him, you instead focused them briefly on the ceiling. You had only been awake for maybe ten minutes and Noah hadn't moved a muscle since. This didn't surprise you considering how utterly exhausted he had appeared the night before. He was clearly due for some sleeping in. 

Just as you were closing your eyes to attempt another hour or so of sleep, you felt Noah’s fingers gently massaging into where they rested at your side. Was he awake? Or simply dreaming? You remained unmoving, opting to wait to see which option it could be. Only when you felt Noah shift a bit did you realize he was awake, but barely. He took in a deep breath, his shoulders rolling into a stretch, though his fingers continued to gently squeeze and rub down to your hip. 

“You're awake,” you whispered through the silence. You had expected Noah’s hand to stall but there was no hesitation in the way he touched you. How he was always so confident in everything he did, you would never know. But damn did you want to learn from him. 

“Mhmm,” Noah barely hummed a response. His cheek nuzzled into your chest, the warmth of his breath wafting across your breast and immediately causing your nipples to harden beneath the shirt you wore. One of his again, which Noah seemed to like. He had stared at you for far too long the first time you emerged wearing his clothes, explaining that you had forgotten to grab pajamas in your haste to pack a bag. He had zero objections. 

With your heart beginning to pound within your chest, you blushed. Noah without a doubt could hear the effect he had on you and maybe that's what urged him forward. The hand he had on your hip slipped beneath the fabric of the t-shirt to begin rubbing slow circles across your bare skin, working his way up at a tantalizing pace that had you pressing your thighs together for even the smallest amount of relief. 

“H-how did you sleep?” Fuck, that was embarrassing. You were already stammering over your words just from him touching you. Obviously you were touch starved, especially from someone you actually wanted to feel, but you didn't want it to be so embarrassingly obvious. 

Chills formed along your skin in the wake of his wandering fingers. He stroked along your stomach and over your waist, up to the valley between your breasts, and then over to tease the only one he could reach in this position. Your eyes fluttered closed as a fingertip circled your nipple before giving it a small pinch, just hard enough to force a whimper from your lips. Already your body was on fire with the need you had for him. An anticipation that had been building up since the very moment you laid your eyes on him only a few short months ago. 

Shit, was this how you were going to have him for the first time? Your hair a mess and with unbrushed teeth? At least he wasn't trying to kiss you, though you were sure you wouldn't be strong enough to reject it if he were to try. Not to mention how stopping him so you could go brush your teeth would completely ruin the moment. So, you were going to try not to think about it. Just as you were trying very hard to get Nicholas’ voice out of your head as well. 

Noah deeply inhaled as he palmed your breast, gently kneading into the mound. His short nails pricked your sensitive flesh, just enough to have you arching up against him in a desperate yet silent plea for more. As if being able to hear what you wanted, Noah released you, but not before giving your nipple another pinch and a firm tug. His hand was then traveling back down your body, curving over your hip to find the band of your panties. The shirt you wore had been long enough to cover everything, so you never even thought to further clothe yourself when Noah had crawled into bed with you. You were thankful you hadn't because you didn't currently want to deal with awkwardly shedding the layers. 

A shiver raced down your spine when his fingers dipped lower, making a slow trail between your thighs, but still over your panties much to your dismay. On instinct your thighs fell open and Noah immediately cupped your pussy with enough pressure to make your clit throb and your hips roll into his touch. You swore you could feel the way he smirked, obviously pleased with the reaction. 

I can't get enough of the way your body responds to me. Isn’t that what he had said only hours ago when he had you pressed against your apartment door? 

“Please?” You whimpered as he began to stroke his fingers along your pussy, pressing up against where he knew your clit to be every time he made it back to the top, only to return to featherlight touches again. Your head was already spinning and you were going to go crazy if you didn't have some sort of release soon. 

Noah, on the other hand, seemed like a patient man, the type who wanted to draw out your pleasure, but you could sense he was just as eager as you right then. Was that also his hard cock you felt pressed into your side? 

As silent as ever, he merely pushed your panties to the side and finally touched you in the ways you had been fantasizing about. He actually groaned when he felt how wet you were for him and his hips jerked forward slightly, but it was more than enough for you to have your answer. That was definitely his cock you felt and you swore it was even harder than it had been mere seconds ago. 

He began to circle your clit slowly, every slip of his fingers making you softly moan and your chest rise and fall faster. Already you could feel the pressure building within you, your hips writhing under his touch, seeking out more. You had one hand gripping his shirt in your fist at the middle of his back, the other doing the same to the sheets. You were trying your best to keep your body under control, but it was impossible when Noah was touching you. He made you feel things no one else ever had, and to think he had barely even had his hands on you. 

The sudden pressure of his fingers sinking into you broke your train of thought. Your head fell back against the pillows and your hips rolled into his hand, forcing those two long fingers of his even deeper. You didn't want to control yourself anymore. No, you wanted to fall headfirst into Noah and whatever this was between you. You could trust him. Nicholas just didn't know what he was talking about. 

As your thighs trembled around his hand, you opened your eyes so you could glance down to watch his tattooed fingers disappear again and again. He pumped them into your pussy at a steady pace, curling them just right to have you begging for more. “Don't stop,” you gasped, your hips twitching every time the heel of his hand ground against your swollen and needy clit. 

Noah was reaching depths in your cunt that your own fingers couldn't and you felt nothing but bliss because of it. Your walls fluttered around his fingers and tightened more the closer you were to your orgasm. Even Noah’s own breath was coming in soft pants along your chest, his cock rubbing against your side. You so badly wanted to reach into his sweatpants and have him cum in your hand, but he had made it clear that this was about you. 

You pouted when he pulled his fingers from you, just so he could play with your clit some more. He pinched and rubbed the nerves, just as he had done to your nipple, though now with more vigor. You gasped and moaned his name, the tight circles he made nearly sending you into a frenzy. Right when you felt your end coming, he stopped, forcing his skilled fingers back hard into your dripping pussy. It was all too much. The pressure was becoming almost painful as you chased your release. 

Noah kept his fingers buried deep inside of you, no longer thrusting, but instead stroking along that golden spot in a way that had you seeing stars. Your body tensed and your thighs closed around his hand the very moment you shattered. Every nerve in your body went off at the same time, your pussy convulsing around his fingers and tightening like a vise to keep him in place. You scratched at his back, your nails sinking in deep, uncaring of the wounds he'd be left with. 

You were sure you also yelled out his name in the midst of your release. Possibly a few times. 

How the fuck was he so good with just his hands? He didn't even stop as your orgasm raced through you, his fingers still working you to the brink of insanity so you could ride out the pleasure. Your body trembled and your legs shook, your hips still moving against his hand so you could rub your clit along his palm in the most intense way. When your legs finally stilled and loosened from around his hand, Noah then slowed the pumping of his fingers. He eased out of your still fluttering pussy and you whimpered in response, every inch of you now overly sensitive. 

Noah raised up over you, his eyes finally greeting yours. He studied your face, which you knew was flushed, your eyes heavy but bright thanks to that amazing wake up. His lips formed into a faint smirk before he looked away to instead admire his fingers that were glistening with your arousal. You again felt his cock twitch against your side but he seemed unconcerned by it. 

“Good morning,” Noah said for the first time while carefully untangling himself from you and slipping off the bed, his fingers at his mouth as he cleaned you off of them with casual yet hungry swipes of his tongue. 

That image would forever be burned into your mind. 

“Morning…” you breathlessly murmured, watching him disappear into the bathroom. Not before noticing the rather large tent that was in his sweatpants, though it wasn't like he made any attempts to conceal it. God, he was always so confident. And from what you could see, he had every reason to be. 

You weren't sure how long you stared at the halfway closed bathroom door, but when Noah finally emerged again, the tent in his sweats was gone and he looked your way with a well rested smile. Unfortunately, you couldn't return to the smile, because you had grown more and more confused the longer you had sat alone with your thoughts. 

“What was that?” You were no longer shaking, finally, your body settled back into its natural state. This meant you weren't tripping over your words anymore when trying to exude even an ounce of the same confidence Noah had. 

Noah arched an inquisitive brow while pulling his anime graphic tee from his body. With his sweats sitting low on his hips, you were graced with the perfect view of his bare torso. Your teeth sunk into your lower lip, your gaze slipping down his body without shame. You wanted to trace every tattoo he had with your tongue and find out which one made him shiver the most. Fuck, he had ruined you just from making you cum once. 

“What was what?” He went to the closet to retrieve a plain black t-shirt from the mass of other black clothing. You assumed this is where he kept his Nocturnal clothes. On the opposite side of the room from his regular day to day clothing…interesting…

“That,” you motioned back towards the bed behind your shoulder, your voice stern since he wanted to play dumb for whatever reason. “You're just going to finger me and then act like everything is normal?” 

Noah’s brows knitted and he paused, the black shirt he held still clasped in his hands. “Are things not normal between us now?” 

He seemed genuinely confused and, okay, maybe you felt a little bad about it but you were also confused. Weren't you? No way were you making this weird…right? That was a damn good question he had asked, though. 

“No. Yes…I don't know.” 

Setting his shirt aside, he took light steps until he was standing in front of where you still sat on the bed. Noah extended a hand out to gently stroke your jaw before his fingers shifted through your messy hair and then stalled at the back of your neck. Your eyes were set up on his, your heart again beginning to race due to how close his half naked body was to yours.  

Noah leaned down, his lips barely brushing yours with every word he spoke. “I'm not going to act like it didn't happen, if that's what you’re worried about,” his eyes searched yours. “Believe me, I wouldn't be able to ignore the way your tight pussy squeezed around my fingers even if I wanted to.” 

His nose lightly brushed yours before he captured your lips for a tender kiss. It didn't last for nearly as long as you would have wanted, but you knew it was for the best so neither of you got carried away. You already wanted to rip his clothes off and have your way with him after the way he just spoke to you. It made your thighs clench and your lower stomach do a flip. 

“And the way you taste?” A groan rose to the back of his throat, both of his hands firmly holding your face again. “So fucking sweet and perfect.” His lips again fell to yours, the pressure behind the kiss easily would've made your knees give out had you not been perched on the bed. Your fingers danced along the bare skin of his chest and stomach, just as you had dreamed of doing, as your tongue moved in tandem with his own. His mouth still tasted just as amazing as it had the night before and you were immediately addicted. You needed more. 

Unfortunately, Noah had other plans. He slowly pulled back, both thumbs ghosting over your cheeks before he released you completely. A small step back was taken, giving himself enough room to pull his black shirt on, as well as black jeans after losing his sweatpants. 

“I have to do a couple of things and then I'll be back. You'll be okay, right?” 

Of course you would be. It wasn't like you really had a choice, though. 

“I thought we were going to my apartment?” 

You stood from the bed and stepped up to him, your fingers trailing the length of his arm. You didn't want him to leave, but you knew he had something with work to do despite claiming it was his day off. 

“I'll only be an hour or two and then we’ll go. I promise.”

Nodding, you allowed Noah to pull you in closer so he could then press his lips to the top of your head. You responded with a gentle smile because while you didn't want him to go, you weren't going to be childish and beg him to stay or ask if you could tag along. There had to be some separation. You knew this. 

“Jackson will be outside, okay? He’ll be here in seconds if anything happens, especially if you don't answer his check ins.”

Yeah…you were pretty bad at that, but only because you had a terrible habit of leaving your phone lying anywhere and everywhere. 

Noah called out his goodbye to you after you had flopped back against his bed with full intentions on going back to sleep. What better way to pass the time than that? Unfortunately, sleep never took you. Not completely. You had dozed off here and there, but eventually you awoke after only half an hour and decided to shower. Also, you couldn't believe you had let Noah kiss you without you first brushing your teeth. Ugh. 

After your shower, you dressed in black leggings and another one of Noah’s shirts. You had clothes to wear out and about, but there was something about wearing his that made you feel safer. They were also extremely comfortable and smelled like him - two of your favorite things. Dropping back onto the couch, you let your mind melt away for a bit without whatever television shows you could find. You even attempted one of Noah’s animes he loved so much, and although you didn't understand what was going on, you still found it entertaining. 

Nearly two hours had passed when you looked at the time on your phone for the fifth time. Not even a text from Noah? That was odd. 

Pulling up your messages, you went to the one labeled “GUARD DOG 1” and began to type. 

YOU: Nothing from Noah? 

A few seconds passed before the gray circles appeared to indicate Jackson’s typing. 

GUARD DOG 1: He got pulled away again. He should be leaving shortly. 

Ugh. So much for getting to spend a day with just him. 

GUARD DOG 1: Need anything? 

YOU: No, I'm good. Want a mini pizza? 

GUARD DOG 1: I've got a PopTart and some chips. I'm set. 

The couch is where you remained for another hour. Then another. You were becoming angry at this point. Mostly because he couldn't even spare a second to message or call you himself, but had Jackson doing it every half hour. You kept telling yourself to not be mad because he was working. But what the fuck could be so important at a nightclub that he left you for so long after making you a promise? 

When another thirty minutes drifted by, you had had enough. You pushed away from the couch and slid your shoes on, then began to rummage through your bag until you found the keys to your apartment. If Noah wasn't going to take you, then you would take yourself. The only reason why you had asked him to in the first place was because you knew he wouldn't want you to go alone. He never wanted you to go anywhere alone anymore. 

Simmering in your anger, you exited the safety of his apartment and made a beeline for your own. There were two routes you could take: outside across the small courtyard that connected to the sidewalk that separated your buildings or you could go up a few floors and take the breezeway. You opted for the latter because it didn't run the risk of Jackson seeing you. You had put that guy through enough already. 

You politely smiled at other tenants when they passed, a few with familiar faces and some not, though they didn't appear to be any sort of threat. You hated that this was how you thought of people now, constantly wondering if they were employed by your father and after you. Maybe you should leave the city. Wouldn't that make it easier for everyone? Something told you Noah would never allow it now, though. And if you ran away in the middle of the night, wouldn't he just be able to find you? That thought caused your stomach to flip again. Something about it made you shiver, but not with fear. 

Pushing all of those thoughts aside, your steps began to slow as you approached your apartment. It didn't take you nearly as long to unlock the door as it had the night before, simply because you didn't have Noah pressed into your back and kissing your neck. Honestly, that was kind of a bummer. Taking in a deep breath, you held it in as you gently nudged the door open. The disaster remained just where you had left it, the creeping silence making it all the more terrible. 

“Fuck,” you murmured to yourself during the first step inside you took. You opted to leave the door cracked, just because that connection to the outside world for some reason made you feel safer. You knew it was ridiculous, but what did you care? 

“Ignore it all,” you continued to whisper to yourself. You weren't here to inspect the damage or wallow in your pity. You came for one thing and you needed to remain on task so you could get in and get out as quickly as possible. It would be a few minutes before Jackson would call to check in again, so your goal was to be back in Noah's apartment by then. 

Rushing back to your bedroom, you flung your closet doors open and immediately went for an overnight bag on the top shelf. Quick. You had to be quick. You dropped to your knees, fingertips grazing the hardwood until you found the floorboard you had pried up many times before. You dug your nails beneath the wood and repeated the same motions until the wood edged up enough for you to slip your fingers beneath it. It was hollow in this area, for reasons unknown to you. Maybe another tenant had hidden things in the same spot in the past. 

You lifted another board to give yourself enough room to retrieve the opaque container you had the money stashed away in. $300,000 to be exact, money you had stolen from Vane after your fight to the death with him. You always thought large amounts like this would be impossibly heavy, but the bills fit easily into your overnight bag and weighed no more than seven or eight pounds. Who would've thought? 

As you were loading the money into the bag, you heard the creak of a floorboard. The sound immediately had you on alert. Your motions stalled, your eyes wide, ears listening out for any other sound. No other noise came, so maybe you were just imagining it. It was your anxiety getting the best of you. Shaking your head, you continued with the task at hand as fast as you could. Bundles of fifties and hundreds were shoved into the bag one after the other, again and again until your fingers were brushing the bottom of the container. 

Finally, you had it all. 

You carefully placed the container back beneath the floor and replaced the boards to their rightful location. The last one had just slid into place when you heard the same creak again, followed by what sounded like shards of glass being stepped on. 

“Hello?” You called out, your heart pounding within your chest. It was from both the adrenaline and the fear you now felt. “Jackson?” 

No answer. Just another piece of glass scraping against the floor in the living room. 

“Noah? Is that you?” 

No, he knew better than to sneak up on you like this. He would never do that. He would've yelled your name as soon as he stepped into the apartment. 

With shaky hands you hauled the bag over your shoulder with all intentions of running to the front door. When you looked down the hallway, though, there was a tall, dark figure in your path. You froze, fear coursing through your veins. That wasn't Jackson or Noah, but instead a person you had wished to never see again. 

This man was taller than Noah, with broad shoulders and thick arms. He was bald, which you were easily able to make out even in the distance that separated you, intricate tattoos covering his head. His name was Hawk, one of Vane’s right hand men that did all of his biddings, no matter how horrible. He had been present for many of Vane’s atrocities against you and now there he was, standing in your apartment. 

“You're a very hard girl to find,” he breathed, the joy he got out of this evident in his tone. 

“That's typically how it goes when trying not to be found,” you shot back while reaching for your phone in your pocket. 

“I wouldn't do that,” Hawk took a step forward. “Or else your little guard downstairs is going to get a bullet through his head.” 

“Don't you dare,” you spoke through gritted teeth, your eyes narrowing at this monster of a man. 

Hawk laughed, a few more steps then taken towards you, which you took the same amount backwards. It wasn't like you had anywhere to go unless you wanted to jump out the window. It would surely end in your death but that was better than being at the hand of Hawk and whoever else was waiting for you. 

“What do you want? The money? You can fucking have it.” You shrugged the bag off your shoulder and dropped it to the floor, allowing him the chance to snag it. Hawk didn't even look at the bag, though. His sights were set firmly on you. 

“You think he gives a shit about that money? No, baby, he wants you.” 

Of course your father didn't want the money. He had enough to last multiple lifetimes and then some. 

You fell silent, both you and Hawk staring each other down, daring the other to make the first move. It would be easier for you to escape now that you didn't have the money on your shoulder, but fuck, it was going to hurt having to leave it behind.  

Without a thought you ran for the mountain of a man, your body easily dipping below the height of his arm as you squeezed by him. Hawk reached for you, one large hand securing around your waist and pulling you down with enough momentum to send you falling to the ground. The wind was briefly knocked out of you and you remained on the floor, desperately trying to gain a breath while ignoring the pain in your back where you had landed. 

“You should've made this easy for both of us,” he snarled, his large form standing over you, a foot on either side of your hips. 

You coughed a few times as your lungs ached to expand, your eyes frantically searching for anything littering the floor that you could protect yourself with. You figured it would be simple since your apartment was a mess, but what were you to do with little pieces of glass and pillow stuffing? 

“I have to bring you in alive, but he didn't say anything about unharmed.” 

Hawk leaned down and gripped your shoulders to force your body up. You then quickly shoved your hand into his face, a palm full of broken glass pressed into his skin. You twisted and turned your hand, ignoring the pain that you were inflicting on yourself at the same time, all to embed the glass as deep as you could. Hawk yelled out, blood now dripping down his face, but it wasn't enough to make him fully lose his concentration. 

No, he was still coherent enough to send a fist flying into the side of your head. Your body met the floor again, blackness dancing before your eyes on impact. You were briefly dazed, just long enough for Hawk to find his bearings and begin reaching for you once more. 

“No!” You yelled, your hands hitting against his, your legs kicking beneath him. You needed to fight him off however he could, even though deep down you knew he was going to take you. That didn't mean you were going to make the task simple. “Get away from me! He's going to kill you!” 

Hawk tossed his head back and laughed as soon as he had your wrists pinned down above your head. “Who's going to kill me? That pretty boy you've been spending your time with? I can't say I'm scared, baby.” 

The sound of your phone ringing cut through Hawk’s laughter and you both paused. It only took a couple of seconds for you to begin squirming again, desperately trying to pull a hand free so you could answer the call you knew had Jackson on the other end. It was time for your check in. 

Your knee collided with Hawk’s crotch, leaving him stunned. He huffed out a heavy breath and his body tensed, giving you just enough time to force your foot into his knee with a crack, sending him rolling to the ground. You grabbed your phone from your back pocket, the screen broken from the fall you had taken, but you didn't care. You could still see that it was Jackson. 

“Jackson!” You yelled as soon as you accepted the call while trying your best to pull yourself to your feet. Hawk was right behind you, though. His hand secured around your ankle and you again met the hardwood floor with a loud thud. 

“I'm coming up!” Jackson hollered. How did he know where you were, though? He would go to Noah’s apartment under the assumption that you were still there, unaware of your little field trip to your home. By the time he realized it, you knew you'd be long gone. And what about the threat Hawk had made against him? Was it a bluff or was there actually someone downstairs with his gun trained on Jackson? 

Before you could warn him, the phone was ripped from your hand and thrown to the ground. Hawk ground his boot into the device, rendering it completely useless. You could feel tears welling within your eyes, though you weren’t sure if it was because of the blood you could taste in your mouth or because you were about to be kidnapped. Maybe it was a nice combo of both. At least you knew your father wouldn't kill you…or so you were hoping. 

“You fight back more than you used to,” Hawk taunted with an evil smirk as he turned your body over. “He's going to love that.” 

Before you could make another sound, Hawk’s heavy fist slammed into your face again, and you were left with nothing but a shock of pain and then overwhelming darkness. 

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[aonogifreactions]

Can I ask what you think is Yukio's ideal type?

Hello Anon, of course! I also looked up yukio gifs and there were some people wrestling like??? Help 😭

Personally, I don't think Yukio has an "ideal type" - mostly because he's painfully aware that no one is perfect, especially himself, so he won't really look for someone that ticks all his boxes. What he'd look for in his potential significant other is rather simple - Yukio would appreciate someone patient and understanding.

That being said, he doesn't want you to forgive everything that he does wrong; he wants honesty and hear what you truly have to say, even if it hurts. Especially post-illuminati!Yukio, who would also stay truthful to you. If you want to berate him for something stupid he did or might do, your words can potentially drive him away from that thing or help him realize what went wrong last time.

Yukio would also appreciate someone that likes to take care of others - you don't have to volunteer every weekend, but at least check up on his loved ones once in a while, especially Rin. While Yukio would never admit it, but he also wants to be taken care of, so if you even smallest things like folding his clothes, making cute bento boxes for him, or helping Rin in his homework, that will be one of many ways that can help him share his daily burdens together. Small things like these really make him happy... But he only admits it in his head.

On the fun side, he might also enjoy someone that's a little outgoing, so he's not locked in the same few rooms every day. Taking him out for dates in the library on the other side of the city, festivals, aquariums or plain walks, not as Mr Okumura, but as Yukio, would be a great opportunity to give him that normalcy he desperately wants. He appreciates your time and eventually will give you the most beautiful, genuine smile that'll forever imprint itself in your mind.

I think it's clear that Yukio NEEDS someone emotionally available, because he's already emotionally constipated and needs to open up about his feelings. He'll take time to say anything that bothers him, but once he feels like he can trust you, he's either telling you minor things that upset him and "doses" it for you, or genuinely just starts crying you a river because he just can't hold it anymore. If his s/o appears uninterested in listening to his feelings it may end up in Yukio never trusting anyone ever again and bottling up his feelings even more.

When it comes to physical appearance, I genuinely think he has absolutely no preference and solely looks for someone that knows they'll handle him. Seriously, you can be either really petite or somewhere on the chubbier side - his brain doesn't care, because once it clicks in his head that he likes you for something that you both share in terms of hobbies or because you keep chasing him and proving he CAN trust you, his eyes start resembling hearts.

Oh, also, if you tolerate Rin, he'd be pretty content. Yukio loves his twin deep down and won't let anyone get in between them (even if he pretends he dgaf. He lying).

In short: mf is truly Shiro's son because they have 100% the same preferences 😭

[the-magpie-archives]

Literary analysis for podcasts: my top tips

Recently some of my analysis posts have been getting notes again and it made me think that maybe I can share some advice with those of you who are interested in writing about similar things but feel hesitant to! I'm by no means an expert but I love writing and reading media analysis, and I'm sure some of you do too. This is primarily for social media and blogging, but some of it applies to academia too!

1. Know your media

This one's pretty obvious, but useful! Definitely write notes of your thoughts the first time you listen to a podcast, but if you're able to listen multiple times you can gain insight into what piques your interest again, and also what you missed the first time/s that other people might've missed too.

2. Know your audience

Engaging with the community of said media can add even more depth and interest to your writing and theories. Look at what people are already putting out there: what are their headcanons? What's controversial? What is nobody saying? There's always something new to be found, even if you're exploring a really popular aspect of the story.

3. Write for yourself

In my experience this is the most important thing. Even if you tailor your writing in a way you think will suit everyone, somebody will still disagree with you, so it's better to write what you think and feel (in a respectful and conciontious way) than to try and make everyone like it. There's always hate, but there's also always appreciators!

4. Don't undervalue transcripts

For some reason when I first started analyzing podcast content I was really against looking in the transcripts? I'm sure you're not, but either way make sure to read them if you can, there's often extra tidbits of information in them, and they can help you understand!

5. Sometimes how it was said can be even more interesting than the sentence itself

It can be so interesting to look into a voice actors choice; podcasts present the unique challenge of an audio only word, so phrasing can really make a difference and be interesting to analyse. It's also interesting to compare notable lines to the speech pattern an actor or character usually uses.

6. Sounds effects and audio design can be just as interesting as storylines

This is something really specific to audio dramas, as again they rely only on sound. I think it's easy to underestimate the difference that the sound design can make, but as it's something everyone interprets differently I find it a really juicy topic for analysis.

7. Have a look at the producer/creator's other work

This can be another really cool topic for analysis if you're interested in the maker themself! It can uncover common links in their work, introduce you to new media, and give you new perspectives on the media you started with! Also, as all of you creators will know, there's a chance they reused cut parts of your favourite podcast in another they made...

8. Be self indulgent...

I kind of already said this but I can't say it enough... Write about what you love, share your brainrot, share the weird little things you think (as long as they're appropriate to...). Just share your joy and it'll probably make other people happy too!

Hopefully some of this will be helpful! It's not all podcast specific, but it all certainly applies. And remember, if you think this is all really obvious, you may not be the target audience, but you can share it with someone who might be! And also, as always, please feel free to add your own tips in the tags!

[albertasunrise]

Hope - Hopelessly in Love (Preview)

Masterlist

GIF by hoffmans-hoffman

So.. yeah... this has taken a while. Sorry about that. Life has been super busy and I will confess... Work wife kinda took over.

I hope this preview will wet your appetites and I will try to get the full chapter finished and up either today or tomorrow ♥️

Read previous chapters here

Six months had passed since the night that you and Joel confessed your feelings for each other. The two of you had decided to keep your relationship a secret from the kids for the time being. Not wanting to confuse things if it wasn't going to work out.

But it was becoming clear to both of you that this relationship wasn't going to break any time soon. You fit together as a couple so seamlessly that the two of you had confessed that you wish you'd just confessed your feelings sooner.

But… You could never regret marrying Alec.

You had loved him so fiercely and you shared two children with him. Noah had always felt like yours despite not being related to him in blood and two years after the accident, and Alec's health started to decline, he has asked if you would consider adopting Noah.

You had accepted without question.

A year later, Noah was legally your son.

His mother had given up her parental rights without argument, which had both saddened and relieved you. You could never understand how someone could just walk out on their child the way she had but you also felt like her loss was your gain. You loved Noah with every fibre of your being.

You had started to discuss with Joel when you should tell the kids about your relationship. You were sure they had their suspicions. You spent most evenings at each other's houses, with the kids of course, but it was pretty obvious that getting them together was just an excuse for you two to spend time together.

So it was no surprise when Ali sprang the question of your relationship on you both that Sunday at your bi-weekly BBQ.

"Are you two together?" She asked out of the blue, poking her head up over her book and spying the two of you talking quietly to one another with sweet smiles plastered over your faces.

"What makes you think that?" Joel asked and the girl shrugged.

"Just being all gross together."

"Oh, thanks." You huffed and Joel sniggered at your reply.

"Well?" She asked again "Are you?"

"Would you care if we were?" You asked and Ali shook her head.

"Nah… Makes sense." She replied casually "But I dunno about Noah and Sarah… They might find it weird… with them being together and all."

This is the reason the two of you hadn't said anything.

Despite Noah having told you that he wouldn't care… you were still nervous. Neither of you minded if the young couple stayed together. They weren't related after all but you knew people might talk, and that's why, 6 months on, you hadn't gone public.

"I won't tell them if you are." Ali continued "It's up to you guys to do that but don't leave it too long."

For a 9-year-old, she was wise beyond her years. You felt like it was partly to do with the fact she had been forced to help you take care of her father towards the end. You'd had to take on more hours in order to ensure you could cover the bills after he'd been medically retired and that had meant Ali and Noah had taken on a little of his care. Something you'd never asked of them but they had done without complaint.

"Yes, we are together." You stated simply, you and Joel sharing a sweet smile before you finished with "We will tell Sarah and Noah so yes, we would appreciate it if you kept this to yourself for now."

"We'll tell them soon." Joel finished and Ali shrugged again before returning to her book.

For updates follow @albertasunrise-ficsblog

[copper-sands]

starting to think that maybe it's a good idea to stop forcing myself to create and take a break actually

[inkedbybarnes]

blind date

bucky barnes x fem!reader

summary: convinced that bucky will never like you back, you agree to a blind date arranged for you to forget about him.

word count: 3.7k

warnings: fluff. two idiots pining over each other (i know, i know. i love the trope). blind dates (they honestly scare me). boundaries being crossed. not so gentleman of a blind date. protective & grumpy bucky (yes, that's a warning!). pet names such as doll. lowercase writing. not proofread.

notes: happy 500 followers to us! hehe. sorry it took long, i waited until i reached that milestone and we finally did! we're growing in our small delulu home, and i love it. <3 i hope you enjoy this one!

dividers by @cafekitsune

comments, reblogs, and likes are highly appreciated. thank you! ♡

“come on! tell me more about this mystery guy.”

natasha plopped down the couch beside you while she held a pint of ice cream in her hand and a spoonful on its way to her mouth. you were talking about the blind date that sam arranged for you, and she hasn't stopped asking questions since you mentioned it.

“there's really nothing to tell besides that he's a guy looking for a date and that he's friends with sam. i'm actually surprised that sam set this all up, but i trust him, you know? maybe it'll be nice,” you answered, ignoring the fact that sam suggested this to help you get over your not-so-little crush on a super soldier.

your phone beeped, showing a message sent to you by your teammate. “speaking of the devil, sam just sent me the details but i'm really not sure if i should go. it doesn't feel right.”

“and leave the poor guy waiting? not happening." natasha stuck her spoon into her pint and set it down on the coffee table. “you feel that way because you like someone already, but nothing's going to happen if we'll sit here waiting. you're either giving this date a chance or ask bucky out. it's time you finally go out there and see someone. aren't you sick of us yet?"

“i'm quite sick of you, that's for sure.” you joked, having natasha as your room neighbour and basically your best friend. if you weren't spending your time sleeping in your room, you'd be spending it with her. “i just don't think i should be going on dates when i know i'm technically not emotionally available for others yet.”

“oh, you can't be sick of me. i'm great company." natasha replied confidently. “then why did you agree? we all know, besides barnes, that you've liked him for so long. plus, he's never been with anyone for ages. the two of you makes sense.”

you gnawed on your lower lip, hesitant to tell nat the reason why you agreed to this stupid date, but she was your best friend and also one hell of a spy to even try and hide it. “he told me that he found someone similar to bucky and that i might want to meet him. we agreed to let it be a blind date to avoid the mess of telling them that they're meeting an avenger.”

“i knew it. you're going on a rebound date!” she jumped on her seat, as if she'd solved the winning numbers to the lottery. “there was no way you'd suddenly go on a blind date without a catch. you're too hung up on bucky!”

“keep it down!” you pulled her back into the couch, nervously looking around the room to see if anyone was close by. “i'm pretty sure rebounds only apply to people i've dated. bucky's hardly a candidate for that list.”

“you've liked him for way too long that it basically feels like you had a relationship, and i'm pretty sure he likes you too,” natasha said. “trust me, my guts? golden.”

you winced at the thought. there had been zero signs that bucky liked you back. as much as you trusted natasha and her instincts, this was something you couldn't just assume.

“i don't think so, nat. i've given him enough hints. it's either he's too dense about it or he's just not interested. maybe it's just how it's supposed to be, and i can't keep myself stuck with maybes forever.” you sighed, deciding to finally go to the blind date. “help me pick an outfit?”

“like you even have to ask?” she smiled, dragging you to your room while you were still left with uncertainty in your heart.

the restaurant was one of those hole-in-the-wall places in downtown new york. it had a lot people dining inside, their noise easily heard from the outside, yet the ambiance already felt warm and welcoming. you wondered if sam suggested the place or the guy you were about to meet.

you sighed, giving your chest one last tap since it wouldn't stop beating so fast. it was a wonder how your heartbeat remained stable during a risky mission, while a harmless date had you this nervous. although with that, you felt human.

“okay, let's see where this goes,” you muttered to yourself, glancing at your watch that had a tracking device in it, as requested (or ordered) by your best friend.

natasha initially opted to come with you and seat somewhere far, but you told her that you didn't need it. so, she settled with a tracking device, as if you weren't an avenger who could defend yourself. you couldn't find it in you to complain, since this was natasha's own way of showing that she cared.

you entered the restaurant, eyes wandering around the room despite not knowing exactly what to look for. the only details you were allowed to know was that “joseph” knew where to take you, so you assumed that person was one of the staff that you had to look for.

once you found a waitress that didn't look too occupied, you approached her with a smile. “excuse me, may i know where joseph is?”

the lady looked up at you, recognition evident on her face. you were slightly worried that she knew your identity, but she gave you a warm smile and held your arm gently. “oh, he's right there by the counter. let me take you to him!”

she escorted you towards the man handling the counter that seemed to be where the orders were taken. he was shouting various orders behind him while arranging the food on the counter. by the looks of it, he could be the manager or the owner of the place.

“she's here!” the lady beside you exclaimed, catching the full attention of joseph.

“ah, there's our special guest for tonight!” joseph walked around the counter to hug you, as if you knew each other for a long time. “come, come! we have the best spot reserved for you. it's right outside where you can enjoy the view while also having some privacy, eh? your date already arrived, but no worries. he wasn't waiting for too long.”

you were rendered speechless as he took you to the patio, not expecting your date to arrive first, and most importantly not expecting to see him right away. you thought you were early enough, but it seems that your date was an earlier bird than you were.

once outside, all you could see was an empty patio with one man sitting not so far from where you were standing. you hated how you could only see his back and not his face, since he was facing the opposite direction. although, you immediately noticed how he was dressed similarly to bucky.

similar haircut, black boots, and a black jacket. while you weren't sure if they actually looked alike, sam wasn't kidding about them having some similarities.

“how come it's empty out here?” you asked with genuine curiosity. the restaurant was oozing with customers tonight, and they could surely use the extra space outdoors.

“well, uh...” joseph scratched his head, smiling awkwardly as he looked for an answer. “oh, well, stop worrying about that! you're here to go on a date and nothing more! let us worry about that ourselves, hm? come, let's not make your date wait for too long.”

you both walked towards the only table occupied, taking a deep breath before joseph announced, “your date has arrived!”

the man turned around, eyes widened at the sudden noise, but he eventually smiled once he looked at you.

“hey, nice to finally meet you.” he stood up, extending his hand. “i'm martin.”

one look at him and you knew that your heart stubbornly stayed with someone you shouldn't be thinking about.

“i still can't believe that i'm on a date with an avenger.”

you were barely done with your meal despite being here for more than an hour, and martin hasn't been able to stop gushing about your whole avenger sideline. while you understood his excitement, this wasn't the type of date that you hoped for.

“you think i could tell my friends?” he asked, suddenly nudging his chair closer to you that he was basically sitting beside you. “they probably won't believe me, so will it be okay if we took a picture?”

oh, so that's why he moved closer.

“sure.” you forced a smile. “but don't get too close, maybe? i'm.. i'm not that comfortable yet.”

as if you said nothing, he placed an arm over your shoulder, pulling you even closer to him. you've been through worse situations than this, but you were highly uncomfortable having your boundaries crossed.

bucky wouldn't do something like this. how did sam think that any of his behaviour was similar to him?

martin already had his phone out, capturing pictures and squeezing your arm, when you decided that this isn't what you wanted, but before you could open your mouth, you felt someone pulling his arm off of you, causing martin to scream.

“what is wrong with you!?” martin shouted, standing up and stepping away while he held his aching arm. when you turned around, you felt your heart stop to find the person you least expected to be here, but wanted the most to be with.

“bucky?”

he did not look at you, his eyes still fixated on martin, nostrils flaring as he took a step closer, standing in front of you as if he was shielding you, while martin took the same amount of steps backwards. “she clearly said no. what the fuck was so hard about understanding that?”

“look, man, i don't know what you're doing here, but i think this is between me and her,” he said, his eyes showing fear as he watched the ex-assassin approach him, hearing the gears of his metal arm whirring.

“give me your phone.” bucky ordered. “now.”

martin immediately fished for his phone, nearly dropping it, and gave it to bucky. “w-what are you going to do?”

“no, this is what you're gonna do,” bucky started, crashing martin's phone with ease and carelessly throwing it to the side. “this date never happened, your friends will hear nothing about tonight, and you will get out of here before i finish counting to three. one...”

in a snap, martin was already out of your sight. if you hadn't known martin before this, you would think he idolised pietro with the way he ran so fast.

“are you okay?”

forgetting about bucky for a split second, his voice jolted you out of your thoughts. you looked up, your heart racing, to find him right in front you.

“what are you doing here?”

“that doesn't really answer my question, doll. answer mine first, will ya? then i'll answer yours.”

“i'm okay, but i can take care of myself. you didn't have to scare the guy.” you sighed, trying your best to look displeased when in fact this has been the happiest you've been tonight. “so? why are you here?”

“well, it's really hard to explain...”

“you better try, barnes, because i am very confused right now,” you said. “one moment i'm on a date with someone, then suddenly my teammate, who i told nothing about said date, appears and crushes the phone of the guy i'm with?”

“natasha told me about it.”

you frowned, not surprised with natasha's gossipy nature, but confused about what she could've said that made him go all the way here.

“i was looking for you since you're always with us during dinner, and nat told me that you were on a date. i couldn't help but ask where and with whom, but she said that she had no idea, that it was a blind date. she was more than glad to tell me where you were, so i came here looking for you.”

“why?” you asked, confused and suddenly hopeful at the same time. although, you tried to keep your hopes down, not wanting to set yourself up for a heartbreak.

“what do you mean why? that's it. i was just worried, and now you're okay. can we go home?”

he turned his back on you and walked away, you were quick enough follow him, still unsatisfied with his answer.

once you've reached a dark alley where he had his motorcycle parked, you sighed and decided to ask one more time.

“what are you actually doing here, barnes?” you asked. “i want an actual answer or i'm walking home.”

“it doesn't matter,” bucky answered shortly, frustration. written on his face. “why did you agree to this anyway? doesn't feel like something you'd do.”

“you have no idea about what i feel and what i want to do,” you answered. “and you still haven't answered my question.”

“i don't know, okay? i don't know. i just..” he sighed. “i heard the word date and everything didn't make sense. all i knew was that i wanted to follow you here and stop whatever you were doing. i didn't like it.”

“what gives you the right to stop me from going on a date?” you asked, your head jerked back in disbelief. “and why would it even bother you? this is the first time someone went on a date in the team. so what makes mine so different?”

“what do you think?” he asked, his gaze challenging and curious, waiting for your response.

you stood in silence, his question causing a sudden drift in the conversation. you could feel the tension in the air.

“sam made me go to a blind date as well,” he spoke again. “i just remembered that he was asking me where i'd take someone on a date. days after that, he said he found a girl that i might like, and that i should go on a date with her, he suggested that it should be a blind date, knowing that i'm an avenger and all.”

“why didn't you go?”

“i couldn't. i wasn't interested. i knew it wouldn't work.”

“why?”

“because i already like someone.”

your heart sank, a lump forming in your throat as the reality set in that the person you've been pining for was already interested in someone else.

so much for going on a date to forget about him.

“what about you?” he asked. “why did you go?”

because of you, you idiot.

“trying to get over someone,” you simply answered.

“you were seeing someone?” he asked, completely clueless, but suddenly looking uneasy. “i never knew you were in a relationship. i guess, we're not that close, but i thought i'd at least know abou—”

“what? no!” you replied, voice rising as you spoke. "god, i agreed to this date because i wanted to get over you!"

the words slipped out of your mouth, your eyes widening in surprise as you accidentally reveal the feelings you had kept hidden.

bucky blinked, silence hanging in the air. the confession felt heavy between you as you waited for his response.

“i didn't agree to going on a blind date because i have feelings you,” bucky finally spoke, taking a deep breath before continuing, “because i knew i wouldn't enjoy it knowing i'd be thinking of you anyway, because as convinced as i was that you had no interest in me, i'd rather keep my eyes on you than on anybody else.”

“wait, wait, what? you like me?” you repeated in a slightly disbelieving tone, searching his face for confirmation.

“why would i follow you all the way here if i didn't?”

“because you care? and it might be dangerous to go on a date with someone i've never met?” you guessed. “i mean, i think you'd also do it for everybody else, as grumpy as you look like on the outside, you can be a softie sometimes.”

“if i had no feelings for you, i wouldn't be here. you're an avenger for christ's sake. some random guy would be like a training dummy for you,” he answered. “and no, i wouldn't be doing this for anybody else. if the situation's that dangerous, maybe, but a date? you're all adults. you know what you're doing.”

you couldn't help but giggle at his answer, which earned you a glare from him. “what?”

“nothing.” you shook your head. “you sound like an old man lecturing the younger generation.”

“are we completely ignoring the fact that we like each other?”

“that's the only thing on my mind right now.” you admitted. “are you sure about what you just said? it could be the hunger talking.”

instead of answering, bucky took his phone out of his pocket, swiping and tapping on it a few times before taking your hand and placing it on your palm.

“what am i supposed to—”

“just read it.”

choosing not to argue with him, you grabbed the phone with a frown. his messages with natasha were on the screen, starting from their messages from nearly four months ago. you scrolled through their messages, and while they lasted for months, they were all short and straightforward.

three months ago

bucky:

did you arrive safely?

romanoff:

since when did you start asking?

bucky:

?

romanoff:

yes, we arrived safely.

bucky:

👍🏻

romanoff:

really???

two months ago

bucky:

is she okay?

romanoff:

ohhh, that's why you keep texting.

bucky:

answer

romanoff:

geez, barnes.

yeah, she's okay.

bucky:

ok

one month ago

bucky:

she's sick?

romanoff:

yeah, wanna visit her?

you're basically immune.

bucky:

i have a mission

romanoff:

oh yeah

oops

bucky:

are you busy?

romanoff:

nope

why?

bucky:

take my place

romanoff:

no thanks, barnes.

bucky:

i'll take your next task

and the next one as well

romanoff:

why can't you just take this one?

bucky:

nothing

romanoff:

a reason or i'm not doing it.

bucky:

she's sick

i want to stay

romanoff:

oh my god

you're such a sap

fine i'll talk to steve

bucky:

ty

romanoff:

you're using abbreviations now???

bucky:

👍🏻

one week ago

romanoff:

movie night later, don't ditch us again

bucky:

busy

romanoff:

she planned this one

she's worried you won't come

bucky:

i'll bring snacks

romanoff:

i love knowing your weakness

bring popcorn!

bucky:

she prefers pizza over popcorn

does she like popcorn?

romanoff:

nope, but some of us do.

bucky:

ok

romanoff:

so you're bringing popcorn?

bucky:

no

once you were done reading, you returned his phone back to his hand. “you do like me,” you said, the confession finally sinking in.

bucky nodded. “and you like me too.”

“where does that leave us?” you asked, hoping. “are we.. dating now?”

“no,” he answered quickly.

you felt that ache returning in your chest, but before you could say something, bucky already sensed your worries and he wasn't letting you slip away that easily.

“no because i want to do this right. i want to take you out on a date first, bring you flowers, play music and ask you for a dance, all that stuff that you deserve,” he explained, bringing his warm hand to your cheek. “but trust me that it won't take long before i call you mine. i don't think i have the patience for it at this point.”

“you promise?” you rose to your tiptoes, wrapping your arms around him. “i don't want to wait that long either.”

“you won't,” he replied, leaning into you, his lips brushing against your nose before pulling you in a kiss. “i promise.”

this was supposed to have a lil bonus when they got back to the tower, revealing the team's true involvement with the blind date, buttt i might just do it some other time as a snippet/part 2 instead. i still have a few to write anyway, woops.

if you have any requests for bucky, send them my way! 💌

[deathbxnny]

Maybe a part 2 of the arcane characters saying things they regret, but they're apologizing because I can't live after reading a angst 🫠

Making up with Arcane characters after a bad argument. | Vi, Caitlyn, Jinx, Ekko, Sevika x Gn!Reader

(Previous part)

Fine, fine, here is a happy part two guys. Take it as an apology for the tears and pain I've caused.✨️

Content: Swearing, accusations of cheating, slight angst, making up, fluff, potential spoilers for season 2, established romantic relationships, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not proofread))

》VI

She knew that she had fucked up. There was no way to deny or refute it either. And your absence was further proof of that.

You were always there for her, even when things got bad and she became even worse. No matter how much she yelled or drank, you were there afterward to nurture her back to health. It was so unfair of her to expect it still, after all she had said to you. She hated herself. She hated how weak and pathetic she had become. How she can't even stand straight anymore from the alcohol and couldn't win a single game since she had lost you.

And instead of Caitlyn haunting her like she used to, it was only you now. But you were crying every time. Asking her why she hated you so much. Why she couldn't care for you the way you cared for her. Why you were always the second choice despite having been there since the start.

Why, why, why.

Gritting her teeth against the headache, she made her way through the dark, familiar lanes to your small home that you once shared together. She had to talk to you. She really, really had to. Even if it's far too late now after a week of silence in-between the two of you. She had taken the time to reflect and think about everything, especially about your relationship. And it made her realise that nothing in this world was losing you too.

Knocking on your door, she nervously waited as she heard your footsteps quickly approaching her from inside. You opened the door carefully, ironically just how she had taught you, before freezing at the sight of her. She gave you a weak smile, attempting to look calm and friendly, but it still scared you off. "Hey cupca-" You tried slamming the door into her face mid greeting, but her foot was faster to jam itself in the way.

"H-Hey! Wait, please hear me out!" "Fuck off, Vi. I'm not in the mood to hear more of your bullshit. Go back to Caitlyn since I know how badly you want that!" You never cursed, and every word you spoke made her flinch. She, for some reason, didn't expect you to be this mad. But it hurt, and she deserved it. Another thing she underestimated was, unfortunately, your strength since you somehow managed to push her away and shut the door again. "Come on! Please! I... I didn't mean what I said. I just... have been losing my shit ever since what happened. The guilt is killing me, and I know it's not an excuse! You're right, I have to stop this shit! You're right, I need to stop treating your love for granted!"

She didn't know if you were even listening to her anymore, but it didn't stop the tears that burned in her eyes. "I don't give a damn about Caitlyn like that! I never did! It always you for me. You... you cared for me when no one else ever wanted to, and I was such an idiot for not appreciating it more." Her hand slammed against the wood in defeat, her head coming to rest against it as her body trembled. She was so scared of losing you. This can't be the end. "Please. Please just give me another chance to prove myself. I know I'm a fuck up but I swear I'll do better now."

Vi nearly fell right through your house entrance when you opened the door wide with a teary huff. "God, you're such an idiot... get in already before the neighbors complain." You didn't let her reply as you simply dragged her inside and locked the door again. The pitfighter watched you do so with a gentle gaze, one that felt so familiar to you. "... Fine, I'll give you another chance... but no drinking or fighting anymore. Please." You whisper to her, and she nods quickly before engulfing you in a warm hug.

She knows that she isn't fully forgiven yet, but she'll do everything in her power to prove herself worthy of your love again.

》CAITLYN

"You're still up." Caitlyn's voice was calm and gentle now, so different from the stern and cold tone it had before. You ignored her, however, knowing better than to fall for this again. She always got like this when she knew she had screwed up and was trying to crawl back into your good graces. But this time around, you didn't allow it that easily. You refused to speak to her if she hadn't come back to apologize. And yet... you couldn't help but allow yourself at least one sharp dig at her. "And you're late to bed once again. But I suppose Officer Nolan's 'report' was just that interesting, no?" You were perhaps the only person in all auf Pultover that could ever accuse her of something so scandalous as adultery and get away with it.

It certainly would have been amusing if Caitlyn didn't feel so sick at the thought of you believing that.

Sighing, she placed her hat onto a clothing hanger, her jacket following suit. You were facing away from her on the bed, trying to read a book and rest, despite the pain in your heart. It was hard being angry at her when you loved her so deeply. But her insults had struck much deeper than that.

The bed dipped behind you, and soon enough, you felt her strong arms surrounding your body and her nose tickling your cheek. "I'm sorry, my love. I really am. I... have lost my cool, and that was wrong of me." You scoffed at her words, finding them too shallow for the pain she had caused earlier. Yet you struggled to get out of her strong grasp on you. It felt desperate. And you hated the warmth and security that it made you feel. "If that is all you have to say, then you can leave." You hissed out weakly but couldn't find any malice in it. Just heartbreak, that solidified in more tears burning in your eyes. "Because how... how could you ever say that I could betray you? Do you know how that makes me feel? Do you care?"

Caitlyn hummed against the nape of your neck soothingly, a way to acknowledge the plight she had caused you without revealing her own tears. The grief had made her into a monster. A monster that hurt its friends, family, and most importantly, you. It was unforgivable, and yet she wanted to prove herself worthy of you anyway. She wanted to show you that she hadn't changed deep down like everyone claimed. She was still yours.

"... I will find a way to end this war and resolve it peacefully as soon as I can. I swear it to you." She began, her voice low and gentle, as she listened to the sound of your hiccups and sniffling. This wasn't what she wanted. "And I apologize, truly, for what I called you... I know that you are loyal and trustworthy. Much more than I ever could be... I'm still your Caitlyn." The last part was whispered quietly, as she tried everyone in her power to not break down in front of you like this.

She hated what she had become deep down. She knew it was wrong and that her mother must've been turning in her grave at the sight of what she had done. But what she couldn't handle at all was you hating and leaving her.

There was a moment of silence before you turned to face her and immideatly hugged her impossibly close as you cried into her arms. She rubbed your back lovingly, understanding that this was your way of accepting her apology. But forgiveness will still be a long journey she was willing to take.

For now, she'd rest in your embrace thankfully.

》JINX

Deep down, you knew that she didn't mean what she said. She never would do anything to hurt you. Silco's death was just killing her more than anyone could have expected, and it was hard for everyone to deal with. But you just couldn't take the pain and hurt she caused you anymore. You've been there since day one. You were always at her side. You always took care of her when no one else wanted to. And you understood her better than she did herself. But it was ultimately just not enough. Or so you thought.

The young girl that was now dragging you through the lanes reminded you of her too. She didn't speak a word to you, and for some reason, you didn't have it in you to protest against her odd actions either. She somehow seemed to recognize you the second you bumped into her. And that was enough for her to take your hand and lead you to a very familiar hideout. Perhaps it was fate that brought you here again when you needed Jinx the most.

"Hey kid, who's our little guest-?" The rest of the young woman's words died on her tongue, and it left you simply staring at each other. There was a familiar haze in her eyes, one that you often saw when the voices were taking over. She once mentioned that you sometimes became a part of her hallucinations during longer absences, and that reminder alone made your heart ache. You shouldn't have run away that day. But what other choice did you have? She didn't trust you anymore. She didn't think you should be together anymore. Why were you even here?

"S-sorry... I'm just going to leave..." You muttered as your ears rung and that familiar burning in your eyes made your sight blurry. You felt suffocated and somehow also angry, wishing she could just see how much you loved and cared for her. But just as you were turning away to run again, her strong hand was quicker and held you back by your arm. "Wait. Let's just... talk, alright? Like we always do?" That was your thing. Whenever things got bad, you'd sit down and talk calmly to her about it. She used to scoff at it every time... yet she was the one who suggested now for once. Something about it shook you so hard that it made the first tears finally spill at the recognition she had given you for all the work you've put into her.

Jinx panicked a little at that, unsure of how to comfort you, yet at Isha's stern frown and cross of her small arms, she just hugged you for the first time in a while. And god, did she miss it.

Perhaps it was good to show the little girl a picture of you after all.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, I swear, sweetie! I... I won't ever say stuff like that again. Just don't leave me. Please don't leave me. I just, I was just-" You hushed her by just hugging her tighter and shaking your head. "It's okay... just hold me for a while. We can talk later... I missed you so much." You whispered, voice breaking into sobs. Jinx hummed weakly and sighed against your hair, the familiar scent making her relax and feel better at last.

Isha grinned to herself behind you before quickly sneaking off to let you talk things out.

》EKKO

To say that the entire firelight hideout was pissed at him would be an understatement. Absolutely everyone disagreed with the way he treated you, and the side eyes he got very much confirmed this. But the worst part of it all was definitely you avoiding him like the plague.

Every time he entered a room, you were the first one to leave in a hurry. Every time he tried speaking to you, you either ignored him or found an excuse to get away. Every time someone even mentioned his name to you, your mood seemed to dampen. And that hurt so much that it killed him. This isn't how he wanted you to feel about him. He was your boyfriend, damnit it. Yet he acknowledged that he was failing at his job way more than he should've allowed himself to. He had to fix this somehow.

Ekko couldn't just lose you over his own foolishness. You were the one person who motivated him to keep going even on his worst days. You were the light he fought for. The person he battled to come home to every day. He couldn't handle your absence any longer, especially at night when he laid wide awake in your empty bed without you.

And so, he finally had enough and cornered you one night up in the tree during a patrol you had together. One, he definitely didn't pull the strings for to happen. And ever the one to abide by his orders despite your current dismay, you were now avoiding his gaze whilst you watched your sleeping home below. It was peaceful and calm, but the pain lingered between you two too much to enjoy the moment. He didn't know how to break the deafening silence, and it made him think of backing out on his initial plan... until you surprised him by speaking up first.

"I'm... sorry for avoiding you. I didn't mean for this to become your last resort. I just... didn't want to be a burden anymore." "Wait, wait, wait... who said that you were a burden, I... I should be the one apologizing right now. Because I was wrong about every fucking thing I said to you." The words spilled out in panic at the mere thought of you blaming yourself. He never wanted you to feel like this. It made him feel even worse about himself. This wasn't right. "You're not useless. You do so much for us, for me, and I take it all for granted like the asshole I am! And I fully acknowledge that now... I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. There is no excuse for it." He shook his head in disappointment at himself, wondering if this was it now. He'd understand if you broke up with him now... but instead, you seemed to be in the mood to surprise him alot today.

"Did you... like the food I made you?" He blinked at your question in confusion, yet answered honestly. "Best thing I had all week." "Then I guess I'll forgive you... just don't do that again." Ekko chuckled weakly at your words, relief filling his senses whilst he pulled you close to press a kiss to your head. "Would never dream of it... wanna ditch patrol and fly around town?" You mirrored his sly smile, glad he had the same thing on his mind as you did. "Sure thing. But let's make it a race."

He let you win.

》SEVIKA

She took some time to cool off after your argument and returned later into the night with a clearer mind. Sevika had actually reflected on what you had said to her, and she knew you were ultimately right. She was extremely overprotective and stubborn, two things that didn't mesh well and often ended in her thinking you couldn't take care of yourself. Even if she knew better than to actually believe that.

You were strong, especially mentally. It's what drew her into you to begin with. But with the fall of Silco and a war being on the verge of breaking out against Piltover, she had no choice but to make sure that you never left her sight. And if you did, then you had to be somewhere she knew was safe and away from all the chaos she dealt with daily. It helped her focus and stay calm to know that you're okay. Yet despite how much she cared, she still fucked it all up for herself again.

And now she had to fix it, something she was never good at.

She felt awfully guilty at the sight of the things you've lovingly prepared for her, now laying forgotten and cold on the kitchen counter. She truly didn't deserve someone as kind as you. And yet she considered herself too selfish to let you go.

Slowly approaching the bedroom door, she paused to hear if you were awake or not. Unfortunately, you were, but she only knew this from the faintest sound of your sniffling and sobbing that drifted through the wooden door. Sighing to herself, she knocked once, deciding to just rake things slow and as calmly as possible. You had sustained an injury after all, and her mind was reeling at the thought of it getting worse without any proper care. "What do you want?!" Your weak voice yelled at her, and it made her frown. Yeah, you were definitely beyond pissed.

"I want to talk." Her gruff voice said, and it may have sounded like a demand if the underlying care and worry didn't overshadow it so clearly. Your silence made her initially think you were ignoring her until the door slowly opened and revealed your disheveled form. "... well, go ahead." You muttered, one hand cradling the side of your hip that was clumsily bandaged up by you. You were never good at stuff like that.

"Let me take care of the wound whilst we're at it. Can't have ya dying on me because of an infection." She sighed out before simply dragging you to your shared bed and pulling out your medkit. You didn't protest or complain and let her do as she pleased, whilst you carefully listened to her speak with an unreadable expression.

"Listen. I... get it. I really do. The way I treat you isn't right, and I know you're grown enough to take care of yourself, but... I can't risk losing you too now. It drives me crazy to think about. Even if that ain't much of an excuse, and I get that too." She was never this honest before. Usually, she simply deflected or blamed someone else. But here she was, for once admitting openly to being the problem. "Just... be more careful out there. That's all I ask of you. I won't comment on it otherwise anymore though, unless you're in serious danger. I promise." Finishing the last of her bandaging, she hummed at it now looking much securer. This way, you are sure to recover much faster.

Taking a deep breath, you nodded your head at her words, deciding to give her another chance to prove herself. You understood where she was coming from after all. "Okay, fine. I'll accept your apology... if you help me cook." She grinned at that slightly with a casual shrug. "Fine by me, if I get a taste of your heavenly cooking, sweetheart."

[krysmcscience]

At long last: either an alternate explanation for or continuation of my prior comic regarding how Bill was ABSOLUTELY naked in Ford's karaoke night drawing. (Because errors in art do not exist. Artists do not make mistakes. So if you see any in this comic, No You Do Not.)

I am so normal about these old dorks.

I'm not really clear on exactly when Bill started throwing his desperation book at Ford just like a needy ex do, but I find it extremely funny to imagine it happening literally the day of or after the makeshift funeral. Bill just gets this weird sense of 'Ford is taking steps to move on' and CANNOT FUCKING ABIDE.

I hope you enjoy all the goofy things I added to each page of Bill's sad spieling. (Everything SHOULD be readable so long as you view the full size, but I have added basically this whole little fanfic in the image descriptions, LMAO, which lays out all the little written notes and such.) Also don't ask how Bill managed to sneak that vampire pen in there. I have no idea, and honestly? I don't wanna know.

Oh, and a little bonus comic:

Of course Bill would take it as flirting. Because between the two of them, Bill is the bigger masochist By Far. :)

Also I have continued applying The Good Place logic to any of Bill's attempts to swear. Case in point, one last bonus image, this time with a motivational line from my slapdash Theraprism OC, EV-01:

Yes, its name is just 'love' backwards. No, I will not be taking any feedback on this. Yes, EV-01 was only ever assigned to Bill's case due to the Theraprism being desperate to make some progress in rehabilitating him. No, it did not work anywhere close to staff's expectations - Bill didn't even appreciate EV-01's matching fondness for bowties! (He claimed the fondness to be "cultural appropriation" and insisted he'd been traumatized by it.)

Anyway, if you like my stuff, reblogs are very much appreciated, and if you really really like it, perhaps consider my commissions or yeeting a teeny tiny tip my way? I am trying to recoup over 500 dollars in vet bills, ahaha... 🙃

In other news, I loved all the fun tags people added to the prior naked-karaoke comic (such as 'the hat and bow-tie stay ON during sex' and the classic '[insert keysmash here]', as well as the many amused/bewildered remarks about how I either made the bricks a piece of clothing or just straight up peeled Bill's skin off). However, I think my favorite thing by far was the several people losing their shit over the fact that I gave Bill toes. Like, excuse me? The magical talking triangle can have fingers but not toes??? Since when was that a rule????? 🤣 (Also the one person who reblogged with the cropped panel where Bill's fishnets pants are falling off to ask why Bill peed himself. Dude, I want to examine your brain...?)

Okie-dokie, I'm sick of looking at all of this stuff now and I'm off to go to work, after which I will either scribble some more goofy "Billford" comics or perhaps draw my lame human!Bill in Situations, idk yet. Maybe I'll even finally draw more than just a single other person's human!Bill...? Who knows, but I sure hope I can mix it up a little and not turn whatever I draw into a month-long fukken project. >:\

[moonchild1]

jeon jungkook fic rec list (Ⅺ)

hi everyone i am back and boy has there been some amazing fics posted while i was away it's awaken that spark in me again and this list is honestly packed, i went over like 60 fics for this one and i even added some of my ult. faves. the ones i have to mention again because they are just so amazing, trust me you will be going back for more over and over again too. you might notice some fics from ao3 and wattpad included as well they are hold a special place in my heart, they are masterpieces that need to be shared with you guys so please enjoy this new list and give all the authors mentioned all the love and respect they deserve seriously they work so hard on creating these beautiful fics and they deserve all the attention and gratitude we can offer them so please share your love through a like, comment and reblog them so they can feel the love and more people can find their masterlists and accounts because they have some really good fics there as well.

I just wanna send an honourable mention to every single writer i have added to this list without you i would not have so much happiness when i come on this app and you have filled my heart and countless others with so much joy and happiness we appreciate you more than you will ever know and you make being here 10 times better your stories help us through alot and puts smiles on our faces and we get to spend time with a community of people who love what we love and we get to interact because of your ideas and it creates such an amazing experience so thank you for everything that you do the worlds you create and the ideas you come up and for sharing it all with us i adore you so much and you are just the best so once again thank you for everything and i look forward to what so many of you have planned - kiki ♡

NO MINORS ALLOWED PLEASE DON'T INTERACT!

happy reading everyone i hope you enjoy this extra long list of my faves and please remember to be happy and keep on smiling and interact if you want i love hearing from you guys and if you want you can send me a few of your faves 🥹🖤✨

f - fluff s-smut a - angst

series

yuanfen by @azurefangirl AzureFangirll s a unrequited love slow burn brother's best friend arranged marriage dadjk widower jk (315k) ao3

⋆ Yuanfen (yuánfèn), "fateful coincidence," is a concept in Chinese and Vietnamese societies describing good and bad chances and potential relationships. Koi No Yokan (Japanese): the feeling upon first meeting someone that you will inevitably fall in love with them. You did not know what was stupider, falling head over heels for your older brother's best friend the day you saw him, or agreeing to marry him after his wife died. Either way, you're now stuck with Jungkook whom you've loved since before you hit puberty, who can't stand the sight of you. Will he ever feel the same way, or does he just see you as the replacement mother for his infant?

lines of fate by @kookiestarlight s a exes au zombie apocalypses tattooist jk

⋆ the last thing Jungkook ever imagined was an outbreak that turned the dead into the living. But even more unexpected is seeing you—an ex he’s known nothing about in the past four years—with a small child who bears a striking resemblance to himself. As Jungkook grapples with the shock and the city spirals into chaos, the two of you are thrust back together, forced to confront unresolved feelings, long-buried truths, and the horrors of the deadly virus taking over.

lost stars by @hueseok f a roommates e2l slow burn college au (33.2k)

⋆ the last person you’d expect to be there for you is your roommate, jeongguk, on the night you break up with your cheating boyfriend; because as far as you’re concerned, the both of you aren’t exactly friends, and he definitely shouldn’t be running to get you upon hearing you sob via phone call.so when he does, you begin thinking that maybe you’ve just been hard on him over the years, or perhaps he just liked pretending to be an annoying shit most of the time. either way, it becomes the beginning of an unexpected friendship finally blossoming.

a lovers kiss by @/hueseok f s a fwb i2l college au (55.6k)

⋆ a friends with benefits relationship never ends on a good note. unless, both parties are not dumb fucks who find themselves falling for each other along the way of their agreement, of course. and in yours and jeongguk’s case, you should have known better than to think the two of you would be an exception to the so-called curse of being friends with benefits with someone you already hold dear to you, since not even five months since it was agreed upon—the line between being only friends and being a little like lovers only continue to get hazier and hazier.

hell is empty by @aquagustd f s a ft.kth love triangle dadJK exJK CEO kth (164.4k)

⋆ life has a tendency to throw things your way when you least expect it, when you’re content, and the ominous presence knows exactly how to steer your existence back into the darkness.

to the stars by arckook (ao3) a zombie apocalypse (94.6k)

⋆ It was always you, and Jimin, and your best friend Jihyun. But fate, regardless of whether you believed in it or not, had other plans for you. Jimin told you once, "It's a tough road to the stars." Nowadays it was hard to believe the stars were somewhere you could reach.

moirai by norabean (ao3) f s a soulmates slow burn (95.2k)

⋆ On your 18th birthday a name appears on your wrist. The name of your soulmate. It’s a momentous day that everyone looks forward to, but you’ve always brushed aside; refusing to believe in a fickle mistress called destiny. But what happens when on the morning of your 18th birthday you wake to find the name of your mortal enemy? Jeon Jungkook.

from home by @yuzukult f s a e2l richkid jk fakedating au (89.5k)

⋆ a rich kid who gets cut off from family money meets an average post-grad girl who may be the key to getting him back on his parents’ good side.

and they were roommates by @hoseok666 f s a ft. kth e2l love triangle tsundere jk s2l (103.k+)

⋆ it all started with a rejection from your longtime crush, jeon jungkook. you decided to confess to him on your last day of high school. after a harsh rejection and a rough summer dealing with the heartbreak, you were starting anew once your freshman year of college came. you were going to be sharing an apartment with two other roommates that you don’t even know. what a surprise you’re going to be in for once you find out it’s the one and only: jeon jungkook and kim taehyung.

future hearts by @jungblue f s a ft. pjm punk jikook s2l band au f2l lost love (114.6k)

⋆ It was everything, from his tattoos, to his touches, to the way sweat rolled down his neck as he strummed into his guitar on stage; everything about him completely enthralled you. So why are you now, two and a half years later, on a train to Seoul, telling a complete stranger the recollection of how you became fated to forever have scars on all of your future hearts due to the happiness, but most of all the pain, that came along with falling in love with Jeon Jungkook.

mind games by @yerion f a tsundere jk roommates au (31.8k)

⋆ jungkook drives you to think strict criticism isn’t too bad, purely because you didn’t expect things to turn a bit steamier than intended. as the one and only female esports player, misery was at your fingertip when your skills suddenly deteriorated. however, the stoic leader of your team—jungkook, simply couldn’t sit back. he puts you back on track, yet no one told you sparks would fly; and the crazy fact that it’s inevitable

heartbeat by @xbaepsae s a ft myg unrequited love (24.9k)

⋆ “You fell in love with a boy who was in love with music, and you weren’t sure if he was capable of loving you the same way. This thought should’ve caused you to move away from him; but, if anything, it just drew you closer.“

one year, my love by @hayjeon f s a historical/royal au 100 days my prince kdrama (31k)

⋆ You forge a marriage contract with the strangely speaking man who suddenly stumbled into your town with memory loss, but little do you know that he’s actually the lost Crown Prince, and a lot can happen between a married man and woman in one year. 

the love prognosis by @awrkive f s a medical au roommates f2l (90.7k)

⋆ for as long as you can remember, you've always been a hopeless romantic. the girl who’s always dreamt of cheesy encounters with her soulmate, grand love declarations, and a cute little beach wedding to boot. but reality pretty much slaps you hard right on the face, because love, unfortunately, doesn’t come grand — it’s simple and it’s quiet, but it is quite painful, especially when the love that you’ve been seeking for all your adult life has just been right under your nose all this time.

ever a never after by @yoonia s ft. ksj enchanted au (51.8+k)

⋆ Some say fate can be a cruel thing. Yet you never knew how true it was until fate played a hand in your bad luck. Merely moments before your happily ever after, you are suddenly sent out to a weird place. A different world. You wonder if this is a test from fate to see if you are truly deserving of your happy ending, or if perhaps fate wants to show you something else. Something that fate wishes you to learn before you can finally move on to take the next step towards your happiness.

between takes by @jeonstudios f s a fluffer au porn star au (74.6k)

⋆ as a fluffer for a popular porn star, your focus is to keep him hard and performing on set. turns out he's not the only thing that's hard

Shatter With Me by @colormepurplex2 f s a surrogate au best friends husband (46.4k)

⋆ Your best friend, Jiyoon, and her husband, Jungkook, have faced years of hardship trying to start a family. In a last-ditch effort to have their dream life, they seek solace in surrogacy. Wanting to see your best friend smile, you offer to become the bright beacon at the end of the tunnel, giving them what they have always wanted. But what happens when you begin to shine your light on their darkness? Things aren’t always as they seem—happiness can be a façade, shattering under the lightest pressure.

Chasing Cars by @oddinary4bts f s a college au brother best friend forbidden love (218.5k)

⋆ when your brother goes to study on a semester abroad, your life collides with his best friend Jeon Jungkook, who's coincidentally your roommate. Will you survive the collision, or will you crumble into dust?

hold me close by @ahundredtimesover f s a brother best friend (41.8k)

⋆ When you're asked to look after your parents' house and meet them before they go on vacation, you, Jimin, and Jungkook take the trip to your hometown of Busan and relive memories of your youth. While your new relationship has you feeling like a lovesick teenager with all the affection that Jungkook shows you, you're still you - a professional trying to make it in the corporate world, and an eldest child trying not to disappoint her parents. And that turns out to be your undoing, as a little blunder causes a rift between you and Jungkook, resulting in a trip that you might as well have messed up… Not if your brother can help it, though

sugar high by @yeojaa f a idol au childhood best friends unrequited love (33.3k)

⋆ You thought you’d known real love and maybe you had - it just wasn’t with who you thought.

the law of attraction by @jexnkookie f s a lawyer jk girl of his dreams (26.9k)

⋆ Throughout his life, Jung Kook has only ever loved one girl. Despite her being out of his league and of an elite class that he wasn't born into, he fell hard, keeping his feelings a closely guarded secret. When they parted ways, and Jung Kook pursued his law career, he did so with the intent of moving on. But when she unexpectedly arrives back into his life, Jung Kook finds himself once again face to face with his own insecurities, and the girl of his dreams.

love bug by @here4kpopfics f s a established relationship (30.4k)

⋆ A collection of stories and drabbles with my comfort couple Jungkook and Love Bug as I affectionally call her. They were my first couple to write in over a decade and I hold them very close to my heart.

sh by @wwilloww f s a ot7 f2l (118k)

⋆ Six months of quarantine have kept you apart. Somehow the distance sparks something new in each of you: questions, unfinished conversations, threads once chased now left cold. So when your roommate invites you to come with him to a mysterious house in the mountains with your friends, how could you even think of saying no?

bloodlines entwined by @spideyjimin f s a s2l soulmates werewolf au royalty au (30.8+)

⋆ having a baby alone was supposed to be easy. but an accidental twist of fate pulled you into a hidden world of werewolves, and ancient bloodlines. navigating your already complicated life becomes even harder as you uncover your past; one tied to a legacy you never knew existed. and in the middle of this chaos stands jungkook, the werewolf king… and the father of your child.  

jump then fall (into you) by @writtenwhalien f s a bf2l fake dating (52k)

⋆ bringing Jungkook along as your date to your ex’s lavish cruise wedding seemed like a perfect idea at first — all of your family and close friends together, nothing can go wrong… then Jungkook’s ex shows up and all of a sudden you’re in a years long relationship with him. You don’t mind though, really, how hard can sharing a cabin and pretending to be deeply in love with your best friend really be?

not in that way by @girlygguk f s a ft. myg unrequited love bf2l (30k)

⋆ in which you're hopelessly in love with your best friend, min yoongi. meanwhile, your other best friend, jeon jungkook, is hopelessly in love with you.

live through this by @starshapedkookie f s a band au exes to frenemies to lovers (46.5k)

⋆ A record deal. The one thing Violet needed to become the next big rockstars. As the front-woman to the band, life couldn’t have been any easier for you. That is until a devastating life event changes everything for you, leaving you heartbroken and in a downward spiral you can’t get out of. With your biggest competitor, Whailen 52 on your heels, your bandmates worried about the future, and your ex Jeon Jungkook being your only solace; you weren’t sure if you were going to live through this to see your dreams come to fruition.

a story that we paint by @thedefinitionofbts f a ft.kth college au scifi au (25k)

⋆ in which the lines between virtual and reality are blurred.

crimson park by heartbeatan f s a e2l crime au(159.6k)

angel in the darkness by @icyhobi s a mafia au prostitution au

⋆ after a patient urgently pleads you to go and help a friend of his, you naively agree to it. little did you know, that you would get more than what you agreed to, when he leads you to a brothel, to help a dangerous prostitute named jeon jungkook.

one night stand by @buryhny f s a ceo au e2l (382k)

⋆ as if the unexpected twist of a one-night stand turning out to be your CEO boss wasn't surreal enough, the situation takes a more challenging turn when both of you discover that you're expecting his child.

the alpha omega series by @borathae f s a childhood best friends to enemies to lovers werewolf au (40.8k)

⋆ Jungkook is the son of the pack Alpha and therefore heir of the titel. You are an omega and utterly out of his league. This is the story of how, against all odds, you and he became true mates.

4-7-8 by @jiminrings a marriage au (73k+)

⋆ you’re secure when it comes to loving jungkook, knowing that your husband loves you beyond words. what you aren’t so secure about is his first love — someone who isn’t you. alternatively, jungkook’s married to you, but he still celebrates his anniversary with his ex out of sentimentality.

netflix & chill by @1kook f s blindate collge au (113.7+)

 ⋆ If you planned things right, you could rain down your raging displeasure on Jeon Jungkook right after the meal but before this proposed ‘Netflix and chilling,’ maybe dramatically throw your glass of wine at him, before storming out of his place and reporting him to the authorities (Namjoon) for his douchebag personality.

the bad blind date by ravsisrekt f s a idol au f2l (wattpad)

⋆ Being set up on a date is hard as it is. But being set up on a date where the boy you're with loves your best friend is even harder-and trust me, being bubbly, cute, and incredibly hilarious doesn't work on him either…but on the other members it certainly does.

sns by narcotichobi f s a idol au s2l (wattpad)

⋆ Jae is a twenty-one year old Korean-American university student whose life is just ordinary. Struggling through the confines of cultural differences between her lifestyle and ethnicity, Jae finds herself through social media outlets and the integration of k-pop into her American life. Jungkook is a twenty year old singer, dancer and producer of the Korean-Pop idol group, BTS (방탄소년단). He works over twelve hours a day and has almost every second of his life circulating around social media. Jungkook, with newly found dating privileges, is slow to trust another person with his personal life and thoughts. Follow Jae and Jungkook through a love-story heavily motivated by social media and press

40 weeks by magicalmochii f s a teeange pregnancy f2l (wattpad)

⋆ They didn't want to be virgins when they graduated. Two friends agree to let go of their innocence together, no strings attached. Life had other plans.

unconditionally by magicalmochii f s a parents au (wattpad) sequel to 40 weeks

⋆ They survived high school and overcame the obstacles that tried to break them apart. Together they adapt to college life and work, all while caring for their new baby. Now, two friends turned lovers prepare for their wedding. Life had other plans. The continuation of 40 Weeks. Bring tissues.

blood ink by pocketbangtan f s a gang au tattoo artist jk (wattpad)

⋆ "That's my tattoo, Y/N, on your body. You know exactly what that means."

one shot

wait for your love by @/spideyjimin f s a exes2lovers parents (17.3k)

⋆ sixteen years ago, your life was turned upside down when you surrendered to the temptation — none other than jungkook, the star basketball player on your school’s team. today, after all that time, you reunite under tragic circumstances; a car crash where he saves your life.

Inkling by @gguksgalaxy s a f2l tattoo artist jk (17.7k)

⋆Jungkook is your brother’s boyfriend’s co-worker, they own a tattoo and piercing parlour. In other words, he’s tall, gorgeous, has his passion literally etched into his skin, looks incredibly good in a man-bun, and is semi-unattainable for you. Why? Well…you’re not entirely sure but him ditching right after a very heated make-out session sure isn’t a good sign. His extremely poor mood the next week sure isn’t either, but the only way to fix it is to face the beast head-on. Right?

in this paradise by @ressjeon f s a s2l survivor au (16.3k)

⋆ in an attempt to escape what’s been planned for him, Jungkook hopped on a ship only to face a tragedy that he didn’t expect and then there’s you who somehow couldn’t believe to find company in this isolated land. was this fate or was this just a temporary chance of bliss as a challenge for you both?

sleepover by @personasintro f s best friends brother (10.4k)

⋆ Jungkook is your best friend’s little brother who invites you to have a sleepover at his place. Nothing can happen, right?

bottle up old love by @wintaerbaer f s a exes to lovers (4.6k)

⋆ Jungkook may have broken up with you a year ago, but that's not going to stop him from coming to your rescue when he sees you being cornered by a creep.

the devil’s change up by @/jungblue f s a coach au (41.3k)

⋆ Majoring in athletic training means you have mandatory observation hours to perform with every single sports team at your school throughout the year, and so far it’s been going pretty great. However, when regrets from your past cause your rotation with the baseball team to become a little rocky, there’s one star pitcher who says that he can make it all better. 

entertainer by @taegularities f s a s2l (32.4k)

⋆ Growing singer Jeon Jungkook is as charismatic as he is self-absored – that is, until he meets you. Caught in a web of secrets, he finds a riddle in you he urges to solve; even ready to turn the spotlight towards you until nothing remains… but regret.

habits of a clandestine nature by @alphabetboyluvr s a college au rich jk e2l (16k)

explorer by @/1kook f s alien au s2f2l (17.8k)

⋆ Jungkook does not want to impress the frankly tyrannical ways of his planet on you. He just wants to stay here and keep your couch warm for you, hold your hair back when you wash your face in the morning. 

million dollar darling by @kooktrash f s a e2f2l crazy rixh asians inspired (19.7k)

⋆ jeon jungkook is well aware of how privileged he is to have been born into the life he was given. it was glamorous and influential yet close-knit and suffocating, something he thought he wanted to escape from. a trip back home to the circle of wealth and snottiness for his best friend’s million dollar wedding has reminded him of all the reasons why he wanted to leave in the first place… and all the reasons he should stay — the main one being you, the spoiled rich girl he knew was utterly perfect for him.

little surfer girl by @ppersonna f s a summer love suferjk (9.8k)

⋆ every summer you watched jeon jungkook turn into a perfect, professional surfer. every summer, you wanted him more. this summer, you were determined to make him yours.

the whole of your heart by @lcksndkys f s a husband au band au (8k)

⋆ Save a drum, bang a drummer.

sketch by @moonscriptsx f s soulmate au artist jk (9.6k)

⋆ After sixteen years of dreaming about the same unknown beautiful girl, Jungkook finally gets to put a name to the face — and she's so much more than what he's dreamt of

strings attached (to my heart) by @jungkoode f s spiderkook college au (11.8k)

⋆ You were a journalist at Yonsei University when you started noticing the strange coincidences between your favorite bumbling freshman and Seoul's newest superhero. The way Spider-Man's voice cracks on 'noona' exactly like Jungkook's does. The way they both bring you the same snacks, have the same nervous energy, the same tendency to ramble when flustered. You tell yourself it's just a coincidence, because the alternative means admitting something you're absolutely not ready to deal with.

it was always you by @/hueseok f s a childhood best friends to lovers (13.2k)

⋆ for as long as you remember, you’ve always had the fattest crush on your childhood friend, jeon jungkook. it never blossomed into something more though, because that’s what happens when life naturally takes it course—you grow up, you move on, and you pretend that those feelings never existed in order to maintain the good friendship that remained between the two of you over the years.so when he visits you after work one day, asking you to marry him, you do everything you can to refuse, because the reason he’s asking you isn’t due to the fact that he finally realized that he loved you after all this time, but because he thinks he’s doing you a big favor.or at least, that’s what you think.

mio angelo by @/hueseok f s a mafia au established relationship (33.3k)

⋆ it’s no secret to the whole nation how powerful the jeon family was. the efforts of the highly respected don jungsoo was the reason why the name of their clan continues to be a name that people thought greatly of and sometimes even feared. despite your father working alongside with the don, you never truly understood what the family possessed to earn them such acclaim; that is until you got closer to one of his grandsons, jeon jeongguk, that you caught a glimpse of how much power they truly seized as you see it first hand and become a part of it yourself. inspired by the godfather and vincenzo

ultimatum by @parkmuse f s spiderkook (10.3k)

⋆ Your pervy, idiotic boyfriend just so happens to also be your friendly neighborhood Spider-man (in bed).

melomaniac by @jungkxook f s a band au f2l (13k)

⋆ you’re wholeheartedly, madly in love with jungkook and yet you shouldn’t be because he’s supposed to be your best friend and nothing more. worst part of it all is that you know he’s in love with you too.

Navigating Tides by @jjungkookislife f s a exes2lovers (18.9k)

⋆ A cruise is the last place you expect to see your ex-boyfriend, Jeon Jungkook. You broke up six months ago, and your best friends Jimin and Yoongi assured you your ex wouldn't even remember this cruise that you booked a year in advance. However, on your first night on board, you discover your ex isn't only on the cruise ship, but there are no rooms available for him to stay in other than yours.

will it fit? by @jeonsweetpea f s idiots2lovers roommate au (6.7K)

⋆ So what if your roommate caught you masturbating? At least he forgot about it the next day. But he can’t exactly forget the big dildo you left in your shared bathroom…

pull me down by @starryeyedkoo f a badboy gang college au (22.9k)

⋆ “Do you regret it?” “What?” “Falling in love with me? It feels like I only weigh you down.” “I’ll let you pull me down to the depths of hell if that’s what it means to love you.”

espresso by @joonberriess f s a boxer jk idol oc (14.6k)

⋆ a rowdy boxer and the pretty it-girl he bagged by being him. jungkook’s doing anything to prove he’s serious, even if it means making a fool outta himself.

changes in between by @/taegularities f s a roommates s2f2l (24.7k)

⋆ Becoming the roommate of Jeon Jungkook is the biggest change you’ve ever gotten thrown into - but little do you know that the addition of another man will bring even further turbulence into your (love) life.

not my fault by @/taegularities f s college au classmates 2 lovers (12.6k)

⋆ After sparking a sinful conversation on a dating app, you vow to yourself that you won’t give in to more the notorious college fuckboy Jeon Jungkook might have to offer. That is, until he rings your doorbell just one night later – and it’s truly not your fault that he’s so damn hard to resist.

the secret beneath our stars by @subvk s a college au f2l (13.1k)

⋆ Falling in love with Jeon Jungkook was everything you’ve ever dreamed of and more, but maybe it was exactly that: a dream so blissful and comforting that it was too good to be true, something that could all disappear when the night changes to day, and your eyes open again. Or, making a marriage pact with your best friend was supposed to instill a sense of hope for you, so why does this hurt you more than it should?

mature by @/jiminrings f a pining f2l (8k)

⋆ alternatively, crushing on jungkook who's in your friend group is, has, and will never be a good idea.

movie goers by @mi55delulu f s a e2f2l (16.4k)

⋆ starting off on the wrong foot with your new neighbor was not on the top of your bucket list, yet you’ve made an enemy of jeon jungkook in less than 24 hours. unlucky for you, he’s not backing down either.

hopless hearts by @cupofteaguk f idol au s2l (17k)

⋆ you never understood the gravity of your position as an intern working Kcon until you fall for one of your favorite idols, Jeon Jungkook—quite literally too.

dissonance by @/yuzukult f s a rockstar jk student oc (19.4k)

⋆ something that first seems out of reach becomes a reality for him. screaming adoring fans, billboards with him and his band plastered on it, and touring across the globe with venues sold out. he has everything… but all he’s missing is you.

this is how we break by @ahundredtimesover f s a exes au (20.6k)

⋆ There are things you prepared for coming back home and that includes seeing your ex-boyfriend, but helping him design his apartment isn’t one of them. From meetings over coffee and lunches with your friends, you both learn more about the time in-between, and what you find out leave you heartbroken, wondering if there’s enough of you left to try to get back what you’d lost.

↬looking for other jjk fics or the other members check out my library

coming soon....

[nymphaea-blue]

Love and Deepspace boys as dads

Info : 3.1k+ word count whole (around 650 - 900 per part), includes : Rafayel, Zayne, Xavier, Sylus, reader is female, reader and LIs are married, mentions of arguments, possible lore spoilers or slightly inaccurate lore references.

Notes : I did my best to keep the parts even :D They are all so supportive, I love the game because of this so I had to include that in the fic as well <3

Rafayel

﹒　⁺ I see him as a girl dad, he would probably have twins.

﹒　⁺ He loves his little daughters more than anything! They are the light of his day, even when they mess up sometimes. He has no issues taking care of them if you aren't able to because of missions.

﹒　⁺ Rafayel would be very patient. Yes, he has his moments when even he loses a little control, but overall your kids would be well behaved so there rarely were moments when he needed to get angry at them.

﹒　⁺ The playful type. He likes to take them out somewhere fun, perhaps to go swimming or maybe to a nearby amusement park, or even on a small vacation in a different country with you by their side of course.

﹒　⁺ They would be half lemurians! The girls are naturally excellent swimmers and they are very loyal, as well as interested in arts, but they look human and don't have a tail. He loves to sing them lullabies in Lemurian and he would try to teach them a little about Lemuria as well.

﹒　⁺ After they grew up, he was even more invested in their lives. He knew all the drama, everything that was happening in school and you bet if your daughters ever came home crying he would be quick to do something about it. Rafayel would also not mind doing skincare with all of you! He did it even before he knew you (in this lifetime) so now he just got to do it with the entire family.

﹒　⁺ He still makes sure the two of you get plenty of time together and he takes you out on dates, even well after he became your husband. He does his best to split the responsibility 50/50 but with how frequent his exhibitions seem to be, it’s hard, though he is always fully supportive of you and appreciates the effort you make for the family.

“Mommy look, look!” Your daughters called out to you as you were relaxing on a towel nearby. Since you were free from work and Rafayel finished his pieces for the exhibition, it was a perfect day to spend it on the beach, especially because the weather was warm and it was right in front of your home anyways.

As you looked over at where the girls were, you could see a sandcastle being built, with your husband, Rafayel, helping them with it. It was very visible which parts Rafayel worked on and which ones the girls did, but it was endearing since they tried to replicate what he did. 

“Awh, it looks wonderful! Good job, girls!” You cheered them on, they were trying their best and it was all that mattered, they had fun with their dad too, it wasn't surprising since they got a little bit of his artistic spirit from him.

“Heyy, I'm here helping them as well, you know.” Your husband pouted playfully as he got up and walked towards your resting spot.

He kissed your forehead gently after he adjusted your parasol to make sure the sun won't blind you.

“How are you doing, cutie?” He checked in on you, the beach day was also a way for you to take a break and relax, with constant either work or motherhood activities you felt very tired out as of late so Rafayel decided that he would keep the girls busy for a while so you would be able to relax a little. He does his best to help out daily but you understand that he is in fact a world famous painter so his job does keep him busy sometimes. “Much better, thank you Rafayel.” “Don’t thank me, I’m your husband and they are my kids too you know. Just let me know if you ever need a break, okay? I don’t mind ignoring Thomas every once in a while if it means I can spend some more time with my favourite girls.”

Zayne

﹒　⁺ I think he would have both a girl and a boy, with around a 4 year gap between them.

﹒　⁺ Ever since your oldest son was born, he took a lot more rest days from his job. His job was important, yes, but family came first, especially after you got pregnant with a second child. Zayne was very active in their lives and he was there to keep the entire family in check - especially when it came to health.

﹒　⁺ I think he picks up the kids from school almost daily and he is never late. He makes them school lunch while you handle breakfast for the family and later on he gets the kids dressed when you prepare yourself for the day. The responsibility is very even and no one feels left out or overworked.

﹒　⁺ He fully believes in raising kids to be smart, kind and helpful but also responsible. I feel like he would be against giving them a phone or access to the internet before he was sure they would be ready for it and even after they get it, he would remind them to not spend all day on the internet and he would do his best to go out with the kids so they would be able to play around outside.

﹒　⁺ Zayne never gets mad at the kids, he just can’t. Even if something does happen, he handles it with a straight face and a calm voice while he helps them to navigate the difficult situation. The only time he would get slightly annoyed at them would be if they dare to disrespect you - he is a firm believer that since you gave birth to them and took care of them so well, they should respect you, no questions asked.

﹒　⁺ The twins make frequent visits to his office, he just can't say no to them when they come in… He is still very professional and will make them wait in the waiting room if he has a patient but otherwise they are free to hang out with him and he likes to teach them about his job.

﹒　⁺ He is a little sad to see your kids get older. It's amazing that they are becoming more mature and responsible but he also has a hard time keeping up with them after they become teens. 

  “Okay, open up, you need to take this for your fever.” Zayne said, his tone fully professional, his doctor mode still on it seemed. The kids caught a cold and your husband was extremely worried about this, though it was also cute to see him like that.

“Noo, this will taste horrible!” 

“Yeah, it always does!”

The siblings said almost in unison, and your poor lover just sighed in response. It felt like the hundredth time he tried to get them to take their medicine but it always needed lots of fighting for them to do so. Deciding that it was enough of watching Zayne suffer, you entered the room.

“Sweethearts, you need to take this like your daddy says so, you don’t want to be sick all the time, do you?” You tried to persuade them sweetly as you sat down next to them on the bed to bring them some comfort. “I’m not taking this, it tastes like toothpaste!” “Besides, if I’m sick I can skip school.”

“..What if I give you sweets?” You decided to take a different approach, it was bound to work. Your kids instantly agreed of course, it would help to fix the taste of the medicine and it would be like a little reward to them and hopefully, they would get better soon. Your husband just watched in slight disbelief that the attempt worked.

“Giving them sweets after doing something they should do anyways can teach them bad habits.” “Do you want some too?” “... Yes.”

Xavier

﹒　⁺ I think he would have a little boy, one kid is plenty enough but he also thinks about having a girl in the future as well.

﹒　⁺ He was the one to take care of him after he was born and he let you rest instead. Xavier treasures his sleep a lot but when your little star wakes up, he is the one to get up from the bed and cuddle him to sleep again.

﹒　⁺ I think he would read him bedtime stories as well, though you often find him asleep with the book in his hand. It was adorable, really, because somehow he could fall asleep while taking care of him but who were you to complain, at least you could rest a little.

﹒　⁺ Xavier would prefer to take care of the kid most of the time and let you work or hang out with your friends (just not Charlie perhaps). He is still your partner at work of course and whenever at least one of you isn’t at home, you hire a nanny to care for the little sunshine. But overall, he takes a lot of the responsibility, though he loves every single moment of it because he never thought that he would be able to live long enough to see a little clone of you and him combined sleep so softly in his arms.

﹒　⁺ He is very protective of your kid, just as much as he is about you. Xavier does his best to keep him away from wanderers, he doesn’t even want your child to look at them because the little one will have nightmares later on. Whenever a wanderer attack does happen, he handles it with ease and then checks up on the two of you, he is always so worried as well

﹒　⁺ When it comes to parenting, he would look like a relaxed type, but he is very protective. During childhood he is very fun and relaxed, he lets him play around and explore and has no issue going to the cinema or to a playground with him. Teenage years are a different world though, especially if your kid gets a partner - you bet he will do a background check on them, their parents, their ancestors, whatever, just to make sure they are enough for your son.

﹒　⁺ He handles any upset situations with ease and a mostly calm face, he does his best to talk with your kid and explain the situation before trying to even punish him somehow. Afterwards however, in the comfort of your bedroom, you see that he is disturbed by those conversations often and he might get more clingy and more silent after this. It just pains him whenever your kid does something bad and mostly because later on he has to do something about this. Worry not, however, give him a few kisses and reassuring words and he will be asleep in your arms in no time, almost like a baby.

“... and then the knight saved the princess. The end.” “Read me another one daddy!” You came back from a night out a few minutes ago, but the sight of your husband reading a bedtime story to your son was so cute you couldn’t help but observe from the door. Though soon enough, Xavier noticed you and you swore the room almost got a little lighter after he saw you there all alive and well.

“Welcome back, dinner is ready if you are hungry. I will heat it up for you in a second after I finish here.” He greeted you with a smile after you came closer to them, he leaned in and gave you a sweet kiss on the lips as a welcome gift.

“No need, I can heat it up on my own, do you want some as well?” You asked him, it would be nice to eat with him, spend some quality time together. All you wanted to do was rest in his arms, to be honest.

“Sure, I can eat a little. Heat up a portion for me too please.” You nodded, it was nice that he agreed, at least you would have some company and you would be able to tell him about all that happened on the night with your friends. You were working hard lately and Xavier was actually the one to propose that idea to you. Your gaze soon drifted to the little one in his bed, already all tucked in and looking sleepy. “Hey baby, I missed you.” You gently kissed his forehead and he murmured something in return, it was clear he was close to falling asleep. “I will go to the dining room soon, just have to finish putting this one to bed.” You nodded and headed to the kitchen to head up the food for the two of you. After about ten minutes though, you noticed that he still hadn't come, you even managed to change into your pajamas already but he was nowhere to be seen so you decided to check your son's bedroom again.

Sure enough, you found Xavier, asleep with a book in his hand while he leaned against your son's bed. You smiled and covered him gently with a blanket.

You sure loved this sleepy star of yours.

Sylus

﹒　⁺ He would have twins 100% and more kids too if you are up for it. It would probably be two girls.

﹒　⁺ He is a rich dad. He buys them whatever they want, but he makes sure not to spoil them too much so they will still be respectful towards hard work and money. If they ever need something for their school trip or perhaps their hobby, he will often buy them it. Their birthdays or holidays are very prosperous and full of joy, Sulus gets the best gifts for everyone because there is no better use of his money than to make his own family happy.

﹒　⁺ Sylus does his best to not get kids into his dark business, they don’t need to worry their pretty heads about it. He keeps them a secret, only Luke and Kieran know and oftentimes, he actually orders them to stay at the mansion and keep the kids and you safe in case something happens when he is away on business. 

﹒　⁺ Disrespect isn’t something that he would tolerate, but he handles it well. Sylus is cold during those talks, because he thought the two of you raised them better, but he understands that the kids make mistakes sometimes and he tries to make them realise their mistakes. In the end, he can never be too harsh on them, he tries but he is too much of a softie when it comes to your kids. 

﹒　⁺ You take care of the kids most of the time and pick them up from school. Sylus is a busy man, you knew this even before you got married so it was fine. He however feels guilty that he can’t spend as much time with them as he would like so he tries to make this up to them and you as much as possible. If you ever tell him that you need a break and feel tired then you already know that he suddenly has the next day off and he is up and with the kids the entire time while you get sent to a spa or on vacation somewhere.

﹒　⁺ He would try to help them with homework after they enter school, but he is always so confused about this. Don’t get him started on arts and music, he doesn’t understand this at all and he doesn’t know how one even teaches such a subject when it comes to the talent and abilities of the individuals, which not all have (like him).

﹒　⁺ I think the kids would somehow get some of his dragonic traits. They love to hoard things like toys or your jewelry in their room, they get so annoyed when you give one sibling more attention than the other and of course, they even look a lot more like Sylus rather than you. The cocky bastard has strong genes. Of course they can’t have a tail, horns or wings, but the twins dressed up as dragons once for halloween and Sylus was ready to cry on the spot.

   Currently you were at the table, drawing with the twins as an afterschool activity. The entire day was a bit hectic, you had a hard mission at work, then you had to rush to pick the kids up, the girls got into a little bit of trouble at school so you had to listen to the teacher scold them which sucked and now they were very energetic after school while you were absolutely drained. You did your best to appear happy, it wasn’t all their fault that the day sucked so much for you and you didn’t want to take it out on them. “I’m home, girls.” Sylus said as he finally, finally came back. He left yesterday morning and didn’t come back until now. You missed him and were worried despite knowing he would be able to handle himself. The girls ran up to him for hugs immediately.

“Daddy! Where were you? We missed you!” The girls said and then they eagerly began to talk to him about what he missed. Such energetic kids they were.

You just watched, resting your elbows on the table, you had a moment of rest it seemed.

Sylus, who noticed that you didn’t go up to greet him, hurried the girls to their room for a moment before he approached you. “Hey there, kitten. Missed me?” He asked as he gave you a kiss and a slight side hug as he noticed how tired you looked. “I did, you sure took your sweet time to come back.” You responded, with a little more bite than you wanted. But Sylus didn’t get mad, rather he seemed worried.

  “How are you holding up? Did the girls give you trouble?” “A little. I’m just… tired, it was a rough day.” You sighed, you didn’t try to hide that you were exhausted, it was visible and you knew he would do his best to help so there was no point.

“I see… how about I take them somewhere fun now, get them to use up all their energy so they will go to sleep nicely and then later on, we can spend some time together, hm? You just rest right now, catch up on some sleep and selfcare.” He proposed while he rubbed your shoulder. He knew taking care of kids could be exhausting sometimes so he would be more than happy to let you rest now and then treat you someplace nice later on. 

“That sounds nice, thank you Sylus..” “Don’t thank me, just go rest, I will take care of our little angels."

[acid-ixx]

Sigh.. We all should've have chosen both wally and conner...i can't imagine the faces of batfam

how to be a heartbreaker! (again &. again concept)

ft. yandere! wally west, starfire, roy harper, artemis, conner kent, bart allen x gn! neglected! reader w/ platonic yandere! batfam.

— masterlist !

reblogs and interactions are encouraged and appreciated.

tw: age gaps but there isn't nsfw (except for conner) and the reader is described to be older than 20 in this concept and was far ignored longer than in the og story.

a/n: happy (late) halloween! 🎃 i'm praying to the gods, please don't let this post flop, i'm in my flop era fr! because i am not writing allat for it to get ignored 💔 (just kidding i love u guys, especially to all those who comment! i read all your comments even if i'm unable to reply at times). if you guys are wondering why i didn't include all the characters, it's because this is just a drabble and if anyone likes more concepts about this, please send in asks! anyways, enjoy this sweet harem au hehe.

anon, you are so right. but let me raise you this: getting together with all your siblings' teammates. i'm not just saying wally and conner, no! i'm saying the young justice, the teen titans, all their friends and old pals— the moment you come of age, hide under the radar for a few years and eventually meet them at random. you'd be giving dick, hell, even bruce, your father, mind you, a run for his money when it comes to a player reputation amongst the siblings, and the best part (or worst part for you once it's too late...) of it all is the fact that you don't even have to keep all your little relationships with them a secret when they never once bat an eye on you until recently.

the funny thing is: you didn't even have to try to attract them. it was all them approaching you at random days and getting to know you better, with you, at your lowest point, accepting any medium of attention. at first it was them feeling pity, perceptive to how your siblings chose to focus on them rather than you, but now it's them chasing after you because you're so interesting in every aspect; even if you find yourself average at best compared to your talented siblings.

maybe it's because you bring the normal out in them, or because you display such raw emotions and are an entirely separate being from vigilantism. either way, they find themselves thinking about you more often than their missions and that's harrowing.

and because you're such a pathetic, wet cat, so desperate for love; all the people you hit on develop a savior complex because of you. i don't just mean them finding you cute, or interesting, absolutely not. i mean you're constantly being thrown around like a prince or princess who needs a knight in shining armor to catch them when they fall, except you're constantly being carried in some other's arms even when you can stand on your own two feet.

you just have that special quality in you that makes everyone fall head over heels. it makes them fantasize scenarios of a home life with you; they could provide better than your current ones do, for sure. you'd be spoiled to death with kisses to your face, hands wrapped around your body, and a guarantee that you'll never feel alone or unsafe in a world full of danger that lurks around the corner.

that same quality may have also been your downfall.

wally west doesn't mind training all day to become stronger and faster to save you from every danger that lingers near your presence. hell, he doesn't complain anymore whenever dick assigns him some missions if that means he can pass by your room by the manor as an after-mission reward, loving it when you smile at him with the gentlest quip of your mouth as he hastily wraps you in his arms with the same amount of speed it took to run to your house. wally cherishes watching you in slow-time because he could worship every little part of his darling's expression, quelling the boredom he had for the entire day. he wants to be fast enough for his babe, not only just to impress them but because he wants them to see him as the only reliable individual capable enough of protecting and flirting with you. not everyone can measure up to his speed, no? nobody could keep up with this man's speed and he's known for taking you away whenever you're with someone else just to get a sliver of your time.

starfire's emotions become ablaze and so does her powers every time she notices one of your other sweethearts becoming too touchy with you, unable to comprehend why you're not even in a relationship with her yet. but you're too sweet and you bury yourself in her curly tresses to calm her down. at first that's enough! she doesn't understand the concept of physical affection and the boundaries that come with it as much as others but boy does she crave it when it comes to you. it doesn't help the fact that you're incapable of sometimes denying her affections and letting yourself be constantly kissed by the girl in every part of your face. she's very warm, though, and her curiosity about things foreign to her, paired with you teaching her more about your world, makes starfire adore her sweetheart's willingness and patience; it simply warrants another passionate kiss in the mouth from the pink-haired alien.

roy harper brings out a more rebellious side of you that you never imagine yourself sporting. his experiences in life and his rebellious relationship towards oliver queen, his adoptive father shapes him to who he is now; and he'd be damned if you drown yourself in endless misery like he did. yeah, it doesn't help that lian loves you as much as he does and he thinks you're the perfect match for him, watching you play with his little girl and care for him whenever he's injured does wonders for the fantasies that plays itself in his head, all scenarios of coming home to you after a hard day of work, just to see you and lian greet him the moment he enters your shared house with him, kissing him in the lips, telling him about the wonderfully prepared dinner you and lian whipped up for him, and watching your eyes widen at another bouquet of your favorite flowers he bought home for you. you're not in a relationship with him at all but can't a man just dream?

why dick wonders every damn time one of his friends ditch another one of their hangouts is a question never to be answered. but it's been noticeable these days that he's starting to suspect something wrong at play, especially since he's noticed tension within his comrades, and as a leader he couldn't just simply ignore the tense glares, insults to their being, and the hushed whispers; all pet names, a mantra they're used to calling you.

but dick doesn't take it seriously until it's too late.

that his baby bird long fell off the nest years ago, taken into the arms of whom he thought to be his most trusted comrades, thoroughly loved more than he could've given you. and it's not just one person smitten with you; it's an entire harem of people unwilling to share you just as much as dick who'd soon realize that he shares far more similarities with you; a heartbreaker, yet a caretaker at heart.

it's no wonder why everybody wants you for themselves. it's not only your family who loves to hear your precious laughs and gentle hands; that sets the jealousy ablaze in his heart.

jason never thought that artemis carried a softer version of her. but he's been picking up telltale signs of her donning dangling keychains, all cute doodles of her no doubt, and necklaces he's sure he's seen around the manor at times. it's not her typical style, and she never really found the appeal with cute things like crochet plushies of her; yet the designs are oddly reminiscent to someone he always called his angel. but whenever he tries to bring the topic up, he only receives a snarky reply, a protective hold on her things, and a familiar phrase telling him to mind his business. he isn't aware of how she met you one time after you've nearly been crushed to death by a car accelerating at you, if not for her taking the blunt end of the hit. ever since that day you've been seeing her regularly by alleyways watching over you as your guardian and giving her tokens of appreciation, albeit small, that she keeps as her prized properties; ones nobody has special access to touch. she's not much of a heckler for physical touch, but she occasionally gives you a head scratches and the rare peck to your lips.

jason doesn't like how jealous he is towards her, because of how the would-be stranger treats her and why he can't seem to pinpoint the primal urge to rip those little trinkets from her. sometimes he feels like a man possessed, eyeing the keychains and the random pastel bracelets longer, all warranting the same angered glare artemis reciprocates.

he swore he's seen them before, splayed across the random rooms in the manor, some even being in the library; things he loved to fiddle with whenever he was bored out of his mind. so seeing them being proudly displayed by artemis triggers visceral reactions within him.

but could jason do anything about it when he's part of the reason why your roster consists of your family's comrades? no.

if you couldn't get attention from your family, you'll just have to get it through their affiliations. yeah, some are older than you, but god are you treated like divinity with just how willing they are to kneel upon your feet just to gain a crumb of your attention. even the strongest lay weak whenever you look at them with disappointment or sadness with your wide, captivating eyes.

all the times tim drake would be with teammates, he'd notice how their eyes look at him expectantly, as if waiting for another one to accompany them. at first he ignores it, but the longer their strange behavior persists, he begins opening a case about his close friends.

he soon realizes that conner has a record of mentioning "his cute little darling," and how he'd brag to his other friends about how left his jacket and all his favorite t-shirts in your room and how you're always drowning in his scent— always quiping about just how much it smells like you and how he enjoys wearing all his clothes right after you wear them just to get a whiff of your presence in his life; you being his motivation to fight against crime just so he could see your pretty face and tell him you're proud of him. undeniably, he's the one who spends the longest time with you and he's prideful about it, being the only man with the privilege to touch every part of your skin, wishing to melt against you just so he'd be branded in your body like how your name is the only sweet thing he can taste in his mouth.

it's not only conner, but bart allen would bounce around more often demanding that it's unfair how conner gets everything and how he gets little time with you, with just how often you get thrown around by all your love interests! he'd admit just how cute he finds you whenever you coo about him and play with his messy locks of hair whenever it's his time of the week to visit you right after missions. spending time with him is arguably the most casual part of your life, because he loves to help you with your daily errands despite him complaining about the same tasks to his other teammates... he says it's because you stimulate every part of his brain to find satisfaction in every small action that you do, but it's not only that, rather, he wishes to gain all your praises that you sing for him, never finding boredom in your presence at all.

tim's the first one who pieces the jigsaw puzzle together, but he's thoroughly astounded either way at just how smitten they are with you. it makes him open an entirely different case that's just about you; where he discovers how you're connected with nearly everyone close to him and his siblings.

it makes him wonder what makes you all the more interesting. it's how exactly he spirals into a periodic cluster of events investigating your entire life and drowning himself in work, terabytes of files each analyzed carefully— all about you, your past, and present situation. tim drake never saw a person this admired that much, so much so that online stalking lead to physical stalking.

all your dm's are spammed by countless people, and you don't even take the initiative to reply because you'd be too busy being tossed around by the time the vigilante tracks your location. it's honestly amusing at first but the longer tim become a third perspective to your life, the more he craves your physical presence, just to get a taste of dissecting all the thoughts in your brain. but with just how often their friends fight over you, it'd be hard to rip you away from the clawing hands of all your admirers.

that's why he sets a plan into motion. if he couldn't have you to himself, then he could at least share you with the closest people he had in his life— not with all the strangers who think they know his younger sibling better than he does.

a simple document, many actually, so documents, were all he needed, with printed stacks of a4 paper compiling each and every known fact about you.

all in the name of love, he'd give it out to every member of the family in quick succession.

a hefty reminder to take back what once was theirs.

[aleksatia]

Imagine the six days scenario with the boys, but it turns out the mission was supposed to be done in one day, and the reader went through he'll to get out and is met with this reaction? Imagine when she finally tells the reason she was away, would they regret their actions? How would they react? Don't know if if you take requests, if you do, consider this one.

If not, I am glad I got to read this masterpiece, thank you ❤️

Thank you so much for the request — I absolutely do take them, and I really appreciate this one! ❤️

I tried so hard to keep it short, since the “Six Days” theme has already been thoroughly explored... but, well, I failed spectacularly 😅 So here’s another deep-dive into a what-if/imagine scenario — one that can be read as either an alternate branch of the original storyline or... something else entirely. I’ll let you decide 😉

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you read it — truly means the world to me!

I’ve received so many requests for continuations — especially for Xavier — and yes, his already has a full-length, dramatic follow-up (because how could I not?). This one here is more of a request-based scenario, but it can absolutely be read as its own kind of continuation. Think of it as an alternate path the story could have taken. (One day I’ll write full versions for all the boys… but for now, consider this a little taste.) Hope you enjoy — and as always, I’d love to hear what you think! 💬💔 Here are the links to the previous parts in the series, in case you want to revisit or catch up:

Original Post | Xavier's Story

CW/TW: Psychological trauma, PTSD themes, Forced isolation, Violence / combat injuries, Mentions of starvation, Emotional manipulation, Past emotional abuse, Mental breakdowns, Intense guilt / self-blame, Brief implications of suicidal ideation (in self-sacrificing context), Adult intimacy (emotionally driven, not graphic)

The Truth — What Really Happened

It was supposed to be one day.

A clean, strategic infiltration. In and out. No complications. No room for error.

But no one accounted for the Wanderer.

No one predicted that the target—some nameless, faceless shade masquerading as a rogue—would be more than just dangerous. That he'd found a way to twist Protocore into something ancient and volatile. That he would trigger a fracture in time itself.

In a single blink, the world split. You fell into it. And the loop began.

Six days for them. Six weeks for you.

You lived, died, and bled your way through the same endless day.

Again. And again. And again.

Locked in a cycle of violence, decay, and despair—while everyone else moved on without you.

You clawed your way back—half-starved, half-mad, barely remembering your name. And when you finally escaped the loop, stepped back into their world, broken and still breathing—

They were waiting.

Angry. Unforgiving. And utterly, terrifyingly unaware.

Until now. Until you tell them.

💛 Xavier

It only felt right to write Xavier’s piece after the continuation I posted earlier. The original scene stood strong on its own, but this one—this is what came next. The moment after the storm. The truth laid bare. A quiet, alternate branch of the story, or perhaps a natural consequence of the one that already unfolded. Either way—I’m glad it found its voice.

You don’t ease into it. You sit across from him in the quiet of the morning, sunlight creeping up the walls like it’s unsure of its welcome, and you tell him.

Not six days.

Six weeks.

A loop. A fracture in time. An engineered nightmare that left you bleeding against the same hours, over and over, clawing through shadow just to return to him. Alone. Lost. Dying.

Xavier doesn’t speak. Doesn’t even blink.

But something in him breaks.

Not loudly. Not violently. It’s quieter than breath. Slower than thought. His fingers slip from the edge of the cup in his hand, and it falls. Shatters against the floor with a sound so sharp it startles the silence—ceramic shards skittering like teeth across stone.

Still, he doesn’t look at you.

He stands, but not with purpose. With instinct. His body moves before his mind can catch it. He turns, walks toward the far wall like he’s searching for air, like the room is suddenly too small to hold what’s happening inside his chest.

You rise—hesitant, aching—but he lifts a hand to stop you. Not cruelly. Gently. Like he’s afraid that if you touch him, he’ll fall apart in a way he can’t recover from.

He presses his palm to the wall. Just one. The other curls into a fist at his side.

“I thought you abandoned me,” he says at last, voice raw in a way you’ve never heard from him. “And I punished you for it.”

He turns back.

And there’s nothing left of the man who told you to ask again in six days. Nothing of the controlled strategist, the ever-collected ghost of war. His jaw is clenched too tight. His eyes are glassed over with fury—but not at you.

At himself.

“I accused you. I mocked you. I dismissed what little strength you had left and threw my pain in your face like it was the only thing that mattered.”

He crosses the room again, slower now. Purposeful. His hands don’t tremble, but his voice does.

“I let you stand there, in front of me, broken... and I thought I was the one who’d suffered.”

He kneels.

Not dramatically. Not for effect.

He lowers himself before you like a man who no longer believes he has the right to stand. His gaze stays down. One hand reaches inside his coat, and when it returns, you see it:

A blade.

Polished. Ritual-cut. Ceremonial. One of the old ones—etched with language you don’t recognize. But you understand that these words mean oath, atonement, belonging.

He offers it to you in silence. Flat in his palm.

“Where I’m from,” he says, quietly, “a wound like this is paid in blood. A betrayal like mine is not survived—it is surrendered to.”

Your hands don’t move. Your breath barely does.

“If you want justice,” he whispers, “take it.”

You stare at him. The weight of the blade between you. The weight of everything.

And then—slowly, gently—you take it from his hand.

Only to let it fall.

The sound is soft this time. Barely a whisper of steel on floorboards.

Then you fall with it.

You drop to your knees in front of him, wrap your arms around his shoulders, and let your tears fall freely.

“I don’t want justice,” you breathe into the curve of his neck. “I want you.”

He doesn’t pull away. Doesn’t speak. Just holds you, arms banding around your waist, face pressed into your shoulder like he’s trying to memorize what survival feels like.

When he finally speaks, it’s not confession. It’s surrender.

“After what you endured… after what I made you endure alone… I don’t know what anything means anymore. Not the mission. Not the cause. Not the point.”

You pull back, just enough to see him.

His eyes are hollow with grief. But deeper still—something flickers.

“I thought I understood devotion,” he says, voice barely above a breath. “But I was wrong. What I gave you wasn’t loyalty. It wasn’t love. It was pride. Control. Fear, dressed in logic. And I used it to wound you when you were already bleeding.”

His jaw tightens. His gaze falls.

“I was cruel.”

It’s not said for effect. There’s no tremble in his voice, no self-indulgent break.

It’s simply true.

“And I’m sorry.”

The silence that follows is soft. Dense. Not empty.

You brush your fingers across his cheek, tilt his face toward yours.

“I forgive you,” you say. Steady. Clear. “Because not everything in this world is black and white. And I understand why you did what you did. I know the shape of your fear.”

Your thumb brushes beneath his eye. His breath catches.

“I didn’t tell you to hurt you. Or to punish you. I told you because…” You pause. Your voice thickens with truth. “Because you’re the only one I trust with all of it. The only one who would understand. Who wouldn’t fall apart under the weight of what I’ve lived through.”

You lean forward.

Kiss him. Gently. Not desperate. Not demanding.

Just there. Warm. Real. Home.

Your hands slide up to his temples, fingers massaging slow circles at his hairline, coaxing the tightness from his brow. You feel it—inch by inch—how he softens beneath your touch.

“Let it go,” you whisper. “Don’t carry this weight. Not for me.”

He exhales, shaky. Silent.

You hold him tighter.

“You are my light, Xavier. You illuminate the path. You anchor me when everything else turns to ash. And in that place—those six weeks—do you know what kept me alive?”

Your voice breaks, but you keep going.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of you mourning me. That’s what kept me breathing.”

He says nothing for a moment.

Just rests his forehead against yours. One hand moves to your chest, flattening over your heart like he’s grounding himself with your pulse.

Then—softly, firmly, as if carving the words into stone:

“You will never carry pain alone again. Not while I draw breath.”

No grand vow. No poetry.

Just fact.

And somehow—that’s what makes it a promise.

💗 Rafayel

The morning sun slips in like melted gold, tracing the edge of the sheets, catching the soft arch of your cheekbone. You lie half-curled beneath the covers, his T-shirt clinging to your body like second skin.

And in that sacred hush before the world stirs—you speak.

Not because he demands it. Not because you owe it.

But because somewhere between the echo of his heartbeat and the way his arms wrapped around you like the only anchor you had left—you remembered how to breathe.

You tell him.

About the mission. The Wanderer. The fracture in time.

About the loop.

How six days for him were six weeks for you.

How you woke up every day inside the same nightmare. How you died. How you clawed your way back. Alone. Over and over.

And when you fall silent, your voice scraped raw from remembering—he still doesn’t speak.

He just looks at you.

Like the sun never rose until he saw your face again.

His hand brushes your cheek, feather-light. His voice—when it comes—is almost a whisper.

“Are you ready to share the rest?”

You blink. “The rest?”

“The weight of it,” he says. “Not the facts. Not the fight. The dark. The ache. The part that still won’t let you sleep.”

His voice is gentle. Too gentle for a man like him. It trembles with caution, as if even asking is a violation.

You hesitate. The memories flicker like shadows across your mind—distorted, aching, sharp.

“No,” you answer truthfully. “Maybe not ever.”

His gaze doesn’t falter.

He nods once. No protest. No press.

Then his voice, lighter this time—almost a whisper:

“Then I’ll just have to help you forget.”

And he does.

He lifts you carefully, as if your body might shatter beneath his hands. You expect the weight of a blanket, but instead—he wraps you in something else entirely.

A covering like seafoam. It feels like nothing you’ve ever touched—gossamer, weightless, but cool and smooth against your skin. A whisper of silk and tide.

“It's from home,” he murmurs, adjusting it carefully over your shoulders. “Woven from the ocean’s first breath. They say it keeps sorrow out.”

Then—he scoops you up like you weigh nothing. Carries you to the kitchen with quiet reverence, as if this moment is sacred.

He sets you down on the marble countertop and kisses your knee.

Then he starts making coffee.

He hums as he moves—something aimless and tuneless and purely him. You close your eyes for a moment, letting the scent of roasted beans and vanilla settle around you.

And then—

“So,” he says casually, not looking up, “a cat broke into the studio last night.”

You blink. “A cat?”

He nods solemnly. “Orange. Loud. Looked like he owned the place. Knocked over three canvases and nearly drank my turpentine.”

You raise a brow. “And naturally, you assumed this was my doing.”

“Who else would weaponize cuteness to such chaotic effect?”

You laugh—quiet but real. “I’m not that cruel.”

“No,” he agrees, turning to face you with a soft smile. “But I do suspect you’re still hoping I’ll change my mind about cats.”

You sip your coffee. “I might be.”

Later, the bath is warm, the water laced with something lavender and soft. He sits behind you, your back pressed to his chest, his arms a steady weight around your ribs.

His fingers move slowly—massaging your shoulders, your forearms, your palms, like he’s trying to erase every echo of pain from your body with touch alone.

You both talk, but nothing heavy. Just stories. Old memories. Little things. The shape of the moon that night. The smell of burnt sugar in his favorite gallery. How he once mistook a mannequin for a person and apologized to it for five minutes.

You laugh again, softer this time. And it makes something in him melt.

He wraps you in the softest robe he can find. Carries you again—this time to the bedroom. The ocean glows outside, waves catching the last of the sun like pearls tossed across the horizon.

But he doesn’t stop there.

“Come,” he says, offering a hand. “Tea. Sunset. Company far superior to mine.”

You smile. Follow.

And when you step onto the veranda—there it is.

A small white basket. A red ribbon.

And inside—

A snow-colored kitten, curled like a pearl in a nest, blinking up at you with impossibly blue eyes.

You freeze.

Turn to him, wide-eyed.

He shrugs, just slightly. Nervous. Like he’s bracing himself for mockery. For rejection.

You blink again. “You—Raf, you hate cats.”

He exhales through his nose. “I fear them. Different thing.”

Your eyes shimmer.

He moves toward you slowly, hands lifted in surrender.

“I wanted to make you smile,” he says simply. “That’s all. Just—smile. Like you used to. Before I—” He swallows.

He crouches down before you. One hand comes up to gently stroke the kitten. The other finds your knee.

His eyes lift to yours—and there’s no performance left in him now. Just Rafayel. Just the man beneath the glitter.

“I was so awful to you.”

You open your mouth, but he shakes his head.

“Don’t say it wasn’t that bad. I know what I am when I’m scared. I threw wine over grief and laughter over longing because I didn’t know what else to do. I ruined canvases with your name on my tongue and strangers in my house, and the whole time—I just wanted you to walk through that door.”

His fingers tighten on your leg.

“And when you did—when you came back—I was so full of rage at the idea you’d left me, that I didn’t even ask if you were okay.”

He breathes. One hand comes up, presses lightly to your ankle.

“I don’t know if I deserve this. Any of it. You. The right to hold your hand. To be the one who touches you when you’re tired. Who makes you laugh. Who paints your name into the ocean.”

You slide your fingers into his curls, threading gently through the soft waves.

And he stills. Like he’s afraid to move.

You whisper, “I never wanted perfect. I wanted you.”

He exhales.

“I swear,” he says, softly now, firmly, “on every color I’ve ever touched—never again. I’ll never put my pride above your heart. I’ll never leave you alone in the dark I made.”

Then—he leans forward. Presses his forehead to your knee.

The kitten meows softly, curling into the basket.

And finally—you smile.

Because this?

This is home.

💙 Zayne

You expected something.

A tremor. A breath. A word. Anything.

Instead, Zayne listened. Like a doctor reviewing a chart. Like a man auditing loss.

He didn’t speak when you finished. He simply nodded—once—and turned away, reaching for the drawer by the bedside as though the moment hadn’t cracked the very floor beneath his feet.

His hands, always precise, always godlike in their stillness, carried a faint tremble now. Just at the edges. So minor you might’ve doubted your own eyes, if you didn’t know how obsessively exact they always were.

“I asked,” he said, adjusting a monitor. His voice was quiet. Neutral. Not for you—for himself. “I asked if you’d caught a cold.”

He finished adjusting the drip, typed something into the tablet. Still no eye contact. Still no softness in his voice. But the line of his shoulders was off. A degree too low. A breath too far from centered.

Then—he turned back to you.

His gaze met yours at last. And though his voice didn’t change, the words did.

“I would like to conduct a full diagnostic. Neurological, cellular, metabolic.” A pause. Then softer, with exquisite restraint: “Please allow me.”

You hesitated—not because you doubted him, but because you recognized the plea underneath the logic. He wasn’t doing this for the data. Not really.

You nodded.

And he breathed again.

He worked in silence. Gentle. Thorough. Every sensor placed with hands that barely touched your skin. Each test executed with a reverence that spoke more than words ever could. He treated you like something sacred—something already broken that could not, must not, fracture further.

When sleep finally came, it swallowed you whole.

And when you opened your eyes again—the world was still. Dim. The sterile light of early morning filtered through the blinds.

Zayne sat in the chair beside your bed. Unmoved.

He hadn’t changed clothes.

The same shirt. The same faint stain near the cuff from yesterday’s blood draw. One elbow rested on the arm of the chair, his fingers curved over his mouth, gaze lost in some calculation too heavy for paper.

When he noticed you stir, his posture didn’t shift. But his eyes warmed—just barely. Just enough.

“I cancelled my procedures for the week,” he said simply. “Transferred patients to colleagues. For now, my only case is you.”

You blinked, silent. Then your gaze drifted down, to the low table by the bedside.

There, lined with the kind of hesitant care that comes from someone unused to gifts, sat a modest row of familiar things. A bouquet of white jasmine, fresh and fragrant. Two of your favorite candies in delicate wrappers. And—absurdly, heartbreakingly—three new plush toys, small and soft and so clearly chosen by someone who’d spent an agonizing amount of time in the gift shop second-guessing every decision.

Your heart folded inward.

“Am I dying?” you asked, quieter than you meant to.

He didn’t smile.

But his voice, when it came, was soft and absolute.

“I won’t allow that.”

A long silence passed.

Then you shifted—carefully, your muscles aching—and reached for him.

“Come here,” you murmured.

For a moment, he hesitated. Not because he didn’t want to, but because some part of him still didn’t believe he deserved the invitation. But he came. And when he lay beside you on the narrow couch, his body held a tension that didn’t ease until your head rested on his shoulder.

He stayed still. Let you move first. Let you curl against him the way you needed. His hand hovered over your back, uncertain, until you nudged it gently into place.

Only then did he hold you.

Not tightly.

Not desperately.

But with the kind of quiet conviction that said he would stay as long as it took.

You felt his breath in your hair before you heard his voice.

“I don’t pray,” he said, low, clinical as ever. “I believe in medicine. In numbers. In protocols.”

A pause. His fingers brushed your spine, feather-light.

“But if you hadn’t come back... I would’ve made an exception.”

You didn’t answer. You didn’t need to.

Because some things, even with Zayne, are understood in silence.

And in that silence, held against the rhythm of his heartbeat, you felt it clearly: you were no longer his patient.

You were his entire world.

❤️ Sylus

For a moment after you speak, the room holds its breath. So does he.

Sylus doesn’t ask questions. Doesn’t deny it. Doesn’t demand proof or press for detail. He simply stands there, stone-still, with your words unraveling him from the inside out. The way you say it—quiet, unshaking, without accusation—is somehow worse than if you’d screamed.

His gaze drifts over you then, and you feel the moment the veil lifts.

It’s in his eyes first—how they widen, flicker, and fixate. He takes in the shadows beneath yours, the pallor of your skin, the hollowness in your cheeks. His breath catches when he sees how your clothes hang looser than before. How your hands tremble faintly, barely perceptible unless one knows you too well.

And Sylus knows you.

His chest rises once, sharp and shallow. Then he moves.

Not fast. Not sudden.

But with purpose.

The next second, he’s in front of you, reaching—his fingers brush your jaw, feather-light, as if afraid that even the weight of his touch might bruise. He doesn’t speak as he leads you gently—gently, from a man whose hands have broken bones—into the nearest chair. One knee hits the ground beside you. He opens your jacket with slow precision, not to expose, but to check. To see. To know.

“You’ve lost weight,” he murmurs, voice rough and uneven, like gravel sliding beneath steel. His fingers glide down your arm, finding the sharp edges of bone where softness used to be. “Why didn’t I see it sooner?”

You try to speak, but he shakes his head, already rising.

He moves through the room like a storm with no wind—silent, but charged. Opens drawers. Pulls out clean clothes, a blanket, a glass of water. Then he’s back at your side, crouching again, one arm draped over your lap like a bridge between his fury and your exhaustion.

His hand wraps gently around your ankle, thumb pressing lightly against the bone there as he stares at it like it personally accuses him.

“I told them to take you.” His voice is lower now. Hoarse. “Told them to scare you. Make a point.”

He looks up at you. And for once, his face is completely unguarded.

“I hit you.”

It wasn’t hard. It wasn’t brutal. Not for someone like him.

But it was enough.

His voice falters, only slightly.

“And then I said I wouldn’t look for you.”

He exhales, and it’s not a breath—it’s a confession.

“That was the worst one, wasn’t it?” he asks. “Out of all of it. That’s the one that stayed.”

Your silence says enough.

And something in him breaks again—quietly, like a structure folding inward with no one left to hold it up. His forehead presses lightly to your knee, his arm tightening around your thigh. You feel him breathe you in, like scent alone might bring you back from the half-place you escaped.

“I should’ve known the second I touched you that something was wrong. I should’ve seen it on your face.” His voice cracks, just once. “But I was so angry. So fucking angry I couldn’t feel anything but the space where you weren’t.”

He pulls back. Looks at you again—slowly, steadily. And something inside him hardens, not with rage, but resolution.

“You’re not lifting a hand again. Not for food. Not for water. Not for anything. I don’t care how long it takes. I don’t care what it costs. You’re going to rest, and I’m going to fix this—you—with my own hands, piece by piece.”

And when he stands, it’s not the usual slow menace or calculated power.

It’s reverent.

He lifts you—not like someone injured. Like something sacred. And when he carries you out of the room, wrapped in warmth and silence, there is no doubt in your mind:

Sylus will not let go again.

Not even if time itself tries to take you.

💜 Caleb

You aren’t even halfway through when it hits him.

Not like a punch. Not like a wound.

Like an organ failing.

He blinks once. Twice. And then nothing. No movement. No breath. Just silence.

Then, quietly—almost absently—he mutters, “I’ll resign.”

You look up, startled, and the absurdity punches out of you in a short, cracked laugh.

It’s the wrong moment. Too sharp, too bitter. But it slices through the tension like a scalpel.

And still—he doesn't move.

His hands press against the table, white-knuckled. Not to steady himself—he isn’t swaying. He’s rigid. Locked. Like something in him has calcified to hold him upright.

“I’m not fit to lead,” he says, voice flat, low, scorched. “Not when I see betrayal in the only person I’ve ever trusted.”

Whatever breath of amusement you had left dissolves instantly.

“I didn’t just fail as someone who was supposed to protect you,” he adds. “I failed as your—” He stops. Chokes it down. His jaw clenches so hard you can hear the sound of his teeth grinding. “As your Caleb.”

And then—he moves.

Quick, purposeful. Gone in a flash. You hear the kettle filling, the sharp click of a drawer, the dull thud of something fragile hitting the counter too hard. The way he clutches at control would be laughable if it weren’t so violent.

Then the bathwater starts.

Hot. Too hot. He’s not measuring anything. Just pouring. He throws open the cabinet, snatches towels, drops one, curses.

When he returns—his phone is in hand. “I’ll call Dr. Navik. I want a full neurocardiac scan, and we need to rule out—”

He stops. Mid-sentence. Thumb poised over the screen.

You don’t say a word. You just watch as something slows in him. As if time, for once, is merciful.

He lowers the phone. Turns toward you.

His voice—when it comes—isn't clipped or cold or distant. It's frighteningly gentle.

“Pip-squeak.”

He kneels before you, as if he’s afraid standing over you might shatter what little is left between you.

When he reaches out, it’s so slow. So reverent. The back of his fingers graze your cheekbone, barely there. Not because he doubts you—but because he doubts himself.

“How do you actually feel?” he whispers. “Not what I can fix. Not what the scans will say. Just you.”

You breathe. Only once. It shakes.

“Like roadkill,” you murmur. Then softer, almost smiling: “A hot bath wouldn’t hurt. And sleep. Maybe a week of it.”

Your faint attempt at a smile breaks him.

Not loudly. Not outwardly. He doesn’t cry. But something in his face folds in on itself, like it’s suddenly too heavy to wear. He draws a slow, trembling breath.

“I accused you,” he says, and now his voice is wrong. Hoarse. Quiet. Dismantled. “I accused you of being with someone else. After you went through six weeks of hell.”

You try to speak. He doesn’t let you.

“I thought you left me,” he says, and this time his voice cracks—just barely, but it’s there. A faultline in steel. His eyes are on the floor now, unfocused, as if he’s speaking to ghosts.

“I believed you would.”

His breath falters, like the truth is costing him oxygen.

“That it made sense. That I wasn’t enough.”

A pause. His throat works hard around the next words.

“Or worse—too much.”

His hand curls into a fist against his thigh, knuckles white. Not from anger. From restraint. From the effort not to collapse under the weight of everything he’s never said.

“That you’d finally find someone who doesn’t smother you with love that borders on obsession.”

He shifts, like his own skin is too tight. His jaw clenches. His eyes squeeze shut for half a second before he forces them open again, forces himself to keep looking at you—even if it kills him.

“Someone who wouldn’t try to chain you close,” he whispers, “just because he’s too selfish to breathe without you.”

He looks at you now—really looks—and the devastation in his gaze is endless.

His voice breaks on the last word.

“Someone who wasn’t… me.”

And for a moment, he’s not a soldier. Not a leader. Not even a man.

He’s just Caleb. That boy who loved you before he had language for it. And who never stopped. Even when it ruined him.

His hands curl into fists against his knees.

“I interrogated you. Like a stranger. Like a traitor. And all the while you were trapped—alone, dying, fighting—and I was worried about your silence in my bed.”

A breath. And another. Like he’s drowning in air.

“I loved you before I even knew what that word meant,” he whispers. “I carried it for years, swallowed it, starved it. I told myself it was wrong. Forbidden. And the moment I finally had you—really had you—I destroyed it with my own hands.”

He doesn’t look at you. Not until your fingers find his.

Then he shudders. And looks up.

“You always forgave me,” he says, voice breaking now. “Even when I didn’t deserve it. But this time… if you don’t. If you can’t…”

His hand trembles in yours.

“…I’ll understand.”

You shake your head. Just once.

And in that second—he folds into you, arms curling around your waist, forehead pressed to your stomach like a prayer he doesn’t believe he deserves to say out loud.

When he finally carries you to the bath, it’s not in silence. He keeps murmuring things—small things, promises, broken confessions, names only he calls you. He doesn’t try to be strong. He only tries to be there.

And when you’re finally in bed again, drowsy and warm, you find him already beside you. Fully clothed, facing the ceiling, his hand resting on the sheets between you like a lifeline.

You whisper his name.

He turns his head, eyes dim in the dark.

You reach for him, and he comes to you instantly, without hesitation. He lies down beside you, and when you press your head to his chest, he exhales like it’s the first real breath he’s taken in years.

His hand strokes your hair once.

And then, quiet—so quiet it almost isn’t real—

“I’ll never be the same.”

You don’t respond.

Because you both know it’s true.

And because you both know he doesn’t want to be.

[tbaluver]

The Love And DeepSpace Men- Boyfriend Headcanons + Scenarios/ Imagines Pt. 2

parings in order: Xavier x Reader, Zayne x Reader, Rafayel x Reader, Sylus x Reader requested: myself bc i craved writing something sweet genre: perhaps tooth rotting fluff fluff warnings: none unless you want cavities a/n: every day i wish they were real and every day i have a lads brain rot and i would gatekeep these ideas but i would never so here ya go ! lmk if i should write more of these ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა enjoy reading ! first part is here if you haven't read it! Pt.1 any likes and reblogs are always appreciated! enjoy!

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Xavier:

The type of boyfriend who will finish your food whenever you can't finish it. He'll let you eat his food even when you say you're not hungry or you don't want anything. If the food he gets isn't something you would want, he'll make sure to buy something for you even if you say you don't want it.

You can expect his hand to always sneak into your lap when you lay in bed together after a long day. Gently embracing your lower stomach and whispering sweet nothings into your ear before you both fall asleep.

If you can't sleep, he'll try to join you for midnight snacks and watch whatever's on TV. He's trying his best to stay awake but you can already see him dozing off, clutching the stuffed plushie you won at the arcade.

Scenario:

You two sat on the soft grass, surrounded by a blanket of stars that painted the dark canvas of the night sky, eagerly waiting for the shooting stars to streak by.

"Xavier do you have anything in mind for what you're going to wish for?"

He turns to you, his gaze softening and a gentle smile spreads across his face. "I don't need to wish for anything else if my wish has already come true- I'm looking right at her."

Zayne:

He keeps all the little trinkets you've given him by his nightstand at home and his desk at work. That way when he wakes up you're the first thing on his mind, not that you left his mind in the first place. Each time he glances at them, he's flooded with happy memories and filled with anticipation to return to your embrace.

The type of boyfriend who puts a blanket over you if you fall asleep on the couch and eventually carries you to your shared bed.

Puts a ridiculous amount of sugar in his coffee that kind of leaves you concerned for your lover's sweet tooth.

Scenario 1:

You two lay in bed together, enjoying the lazy morning, not wanting to get up as if doing so would mean the day truly had to begin. You trace the outlines of his bare chest, your fingers dancing over the area where his heart beats.

“What are you doing?” he asks curiously as he watches you glide your fingers gently around his chest.

“Finding your heart and seeing who lives there,”

He lets out a breathy chuckle, a smile curling on his lips. “No one is there right now.”

You frown at his response, a playful pout forming on your lips. He cups your cheek, finding your reaction to be amusing and adorable. “That’s because the owner of my heart is currently right in front of me.”

Scenario 2:

As Zayne rushes to get ready for an emergency call from the hospital, his glasses are perched on top of your head.

“Zayne, aren’t you forgetting something?” you hinted, leaning in for a goodbye kiss.

“Ah yes, thank you.” He retrieves his glasses and you mock a pout. But he leans down, brushing your lips with his with a sweet kiss, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “I love you. Please don’t stay up waiting for me again.”

Rafayel:

Sometimes he can be your boyfriend but sometimes he's also like your child from how much you baby him

He needs to be close to you at all times. The type of boyfriend who is all over you all the time. He needs to be close and touching you at all times. If you got hot from cuddling, he'll have either his hands or legs over your body because if you were apart for more than a second he thinks he might explode.

The boyfriend who stays up making something special for days and stays up overnight just to make it perfect just for you.

The type of boyfriend who adjusts your do not disturb on your phone so only his notification pops up whenever you're on do not disturb.

Imagine swimming in the ocean, you're enveloped in his embrace as you both gaze at the moonlight and stars above. He holds you close, resting his chin gently on the top of your head while you nestle your hand and head against his chest. It’s perfect like this. Just two of you near his homeland, the sea. Just him and you in your own world where you both find peace with the gentle sounds of the waves surrounding you both.

Sylus:

At the beginning of your relationship he redecorates his entire home so that you'll like it more and feel more inclined to stay over and stay the night at his place.

He only has a soft spot for you and only you. You see a side of him no one else does and not just that but his super silly side.

Sometimes he'll lift you onto the counter or lift you up to get what you need on a high shelf just because he wants to hold you.

The type of boyfriend who gets on his knees or sits down to be on the same level as you when you don't want to look up at him anymore. If he was sitting, he's definitely pulling you to his lap because you're not going to be the only one standing!

The type to hold all of your shopping bags and pure for you when you’re out shopping together. He does not complain about holding your purse at all, not that it would ever bother him in the first place. Also does not complain about holding all of your shopping bags, it’s literally light work for him and he would encourage you to buy more things of whatever you wanted.

Imagine after a long night at an auction, you two stumble back into your shared home not breaking the kiss. Your hands rest on Sylus’s neck, slowly sliding down as he murmurs sweet phrases against your lips. His strong arms wrap around your waist as he carries you bridal style, guiding you both toward your shared bedroom.