#every day will not be this long I just got swept up in this prompt

[sesamestreep]

30 Day Writing Challenge - Day 1

Write about a first kiss (from this list) ➸ …this is a high school AU….? don’t ask me why, it just happened….

“I thought you’d be more excited about this,” Matt says, leaning his cheek against his cane.

“I’m excited,” Foggy says, from his spot next to him on the bleachers. He’d come over to say hi when he noticed Matt loitering there after he got out of rehearsal and now they’ve been shooting the shit for thirty minutes and his mom is going to be beside herself worrying about him getting home late. That’s still not motivation enough for him to get up and leave, though.

“It is exciting,” Foggy says, aiming to sound more firm about it this time. “It’s just nerve wracking too. I don’t know.”

“It’s just pretend,” Matt says, with a smile that Foggy has categorized in his head as his charming asshole smile, the one he gives people (mostly Foggy, as far as he can tell) when he’s giving them shit just for the sake of it. He’s never called it that out loud, though, to anyone but especially not to Matt so far, thankfully. He’s not even sure why he needs a well-organized mental database of all of Matt’s smiles in the first place. “Why should you be nervous?”

“I’ve got to kiss a girl on stage,” Foggy says, and he sounds twelve. This is so embarrassing. “I mean, not yet, but eventually. We’re going to have to practice it too. What if it’s gross? What if I’m gross and it makes her cry or barf or a third worse thing I haven’t even thought of? What if she’s gross and I cry and barf and also a third thing? What if I fall in love with her and she doesn’t fall in love with me? What if we both fall in love, date for years, have children together, and years down the line, we break up because we mistook the excitement of being on stage together for love and erroneously built a life on that and not real, genuine emotion and respect for one another?!”

Matt considers him, still smiling. “Well, when you put it like that, you’ve got a lot to worry about, actually.”

“That’s not helping!”

“Okay, sorry. The girl from the play you have to kiss is Diana, right? Diana Weisfeldt?”

“Yeah,” Foggy says, stretching out his legs in front of him. Diana’s nice enough, though he doesn’t know her very well, but she’s two years older than him and just pretty enough that he’s got to worry about kissing her in front of people and not embarrassing himself. He’s never thought about her much before now, when he’s suddenly got to kiss her in the spring musical.

“Okay, well, between me and you, I don’t think you have to worry about Diana falling in love with you.”

“Ouch, thanks, Matt. Between me and you, your hair looks stupid today!”

“I’m not—” Matt laughs, thrown off like he wasn’t expecting it at all. “I wasn’t trying to insult you! I just…heard something that makes me think her affections are engaged…elsewhere.”

“Oh,” Foggy says, scuffing his shoe on the metal bleacher. “Sorry. In that case, your hair looks fine.”

“Sure, like I’m going to believe that now,” Matt says, with a wide smile, like he’s being sarcastic, but he does brush his hair back from his forehead, like he actually feels awkward about it now.

“What did you hear?”

“Huh?”

“I asked what you heard,” Foggy repeats. “About Diana?”

Matt rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “Oh. I couldn’t—it’s not for me to say, it’s just—don’t worry about kissing her is all I meant. I’m sure it will be fine. It’s just acting, and I’m sure you can manage a normal looking kiss with her. She’s cool, right?”

“Yeah, she seems like it,” Foggy says, hiding his disappointment. Matt always seems to know what’s going on with everybody, despite the fact that he only started at this school earlier this year.

He’d gotten assigned to Foggy’s homeroom and Foggy, in turn, had gotten assigned by their teacher to give him a tour of the school, which was fine. Foggy likes meeting new people and Matt seemed cool, especially after Foggy recognized his name from the newspaper all those years ago. He had the gangly half-starved look of the frontman of an emo band, just without the eyeliner or the tight clothes, which made him handsome in Foggy’s estimation, which itself was entirely based on what he heard girls saying when they thought no one was around. Matt’s clothes are always a little too big for him and a little faded and completely unfussy in a way that suggests he doesn’t worry about the way he looks ever, which is how Foggy kind of wishes he was. Even on that first day, he noticed all that, and the sort of folded up way that Matt carried himself, like he really didn’t want to impose in any way. He’s also the only blind kid at their school and, despite the evidence that Matt can manage on his own and maybe the fact that it was a little patronizing to even think this way, Foggy felt an immediate responsibility towards him, from that first interaction.

It didn’t help that Matt was sort of funny in a quiet way, where he’d say something under his breath that would take you a minute to really hear and then another to fully get and then you’d be laughing at a dumb joke that no one else heard way after he’d made it. That didn’t matter, though, because Foggy always caught Matt smiling to himself, secretly pleased, when he made Foggy laugh. It certainly didn’t help when a few days later, after this handsome, mysterious kid with dark glasses and perfect manners and an even more perfect jaw (according to the cheerleaders who sat behind Foggy in Pre-Calc, at least) arrived, the rumor got around that Matt had only transferred to this school because he’d gotten kicked out of his last one—a Catholic school, of all things—for fighting too much. Some people said he’d gone after a teacher, which sounded made up to Foggy. It wasn’t hard to imagine Matt getting into a fight in general because, despite his good manners, there was an edge to his pleasantries on occasion that even Foggy could sense, a limit to his good graces that no one had, luckily, discovered yet but existed nonetheless. But fighting a teacher seemed like an exaggeration on the part of the rumor mill, for sure. Foggy had never gone to Catholic school, so he wasn’t certain, but he thought the teachers there were, like, nuns and stuff. Surely, Matt wouldn’t punch a nun, would he? That would be kind of extreme.

Still, Foggy had been grateful that fate had thrown them together and given him a chance to befriend Matt before that rumor started, because Foggy didn’t want to be the guy who was only nice to Matt after he heard he had anger issues. Matt seemed to like him too, despite an abundance of cooler, better options. It was probably just loyalty that motivated him to keep seeking Foggy out. A lot of people think Matt’s cool and even more girls want to date him, from what Foggy’s heard. He could definitely do better, but he might not know that. Or maybe he just likes that Foggy didn’t ask him anything about his old school. It’s hard to tell. Foggy’s not complaining, anyway.

“It’s like I said, don’t freak out about it,” Matt says, oblivious. “It’s just kissing.”

“Right,” Foggy says, to the middle distance. There’s a pigeon on the sidewalk carrying a lottery ticket in its beak. He hopes it wasn’t a winner. “Just kissing.”

“I mean, you’ve kissed a girl before. It’s just like that, but…on stage…”

“Right. Exactly. Just like that.”

“Foggy,” Matt says, slowly. “You have kissed a girl before, right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Foggy lies, and sees Matt wince. “I mean, kind of. More or less.”

“‘More or less’? What does that mean?”

“It means I’ve…you know…the concept of kissing is not foreign to me, not entirely, but…you know, technically, I’m not exactly—I haven’t precisely, well…”

“You haven’t kissed a girl,” Matt interrupts, flatly.

Foggy shakes his head miserably. “No.”

“Not at all?”

“I don’t think there’s degrees of kissing!” he practically shouts, before catching Matt’s expression. “Oh my god, there are! Okay! I’m going to go…walk into traffic.”

“Hey,” Matt says, grabbing his arm. “It’s fine! You don’t need to be embarrassed!”

“I definitely do, actually, because I am and I will be forever!”

“No, it’s really fine. And honestly, your freaking out makes way more sense to me now.”

“I don’t want my first kiss to be in drama club,” Foggy whines, now that the thing he’d been holding back is out in the open. “That’s so weird!”

“It’s not that weird! Think of it as practice!”

“That’s honestly worse. Your first kiss is supposed to be important and, ideally, romantic. Mine’s going to be in front of Ms. Calder!”

“Well, if it helps, my first kiss was not romantic either, so…”

“When was it?” Foggy asks, too eagerly. “What happened?”

Matt looks slightly uncomfortable. “It was, uh—I was 11. It was at a birthday party.”

“That sounds nice! And normal.”

“It was a part of a game,” Matt says. “So it wasn’t special or anything. The same girl kissed two other people at that party. So did I, actually.”

“Oh my god,” Foggy says, burying his face in his hands. “So not only did you have your first kiss five whole years before me, but your second and third kiss happened the same day? With different people?!”

“And my fourth,” Matt says, looking chagrined. “But that was the first girl again.”

“How many people have you kissed?” Foggy asks, turning to give him an awed expression. Matt pulls a face, and he realizes it’s a weird question. “Right. That’s not cool to ask. It’s probably a lot, though, right?”

“I haven’t kept track,” Matt mumbles, awkwardly.

“Cool,” Foggy nods. “Okay. Reminder to self: do not keep count of number of kissing partners. If and when I ever find someone who wants to kiss me.”

“You will,” Matt replies, looking pained. “It’s not—it’s fine that you haven’t yet! You’re just—!”

“So help me god, if you call me a late bloomer right now, I’m not responsible for what I do!”

“No,” Matt laughs, shaking his head. “I wasn’t going to—everyone matures differently!”

Foggy shoves him and Matt sort of grabs his wrist to extend their scuffle a second longer. Yet another reason Foggy wouldn’t be surprised if Matt did get expelled for fighting: he loves to get up in people’s space. He does it innocently enough most of the time, being more tactile than the average guy, but Foggy can tell he kind of likes to push his luck now and then. Foggy yanks his arm away with more force than he needs to.

“Easy for you to say,” he grumbles. “You’re kissing up a storm out there!”

“Not really. I mean, I do okay.”

“You’re doing more than okay from where I’m sitting,” Foggy says, and Matt has the audacity to look guilty, which makes Foggy feel bad. He’d meant it as a compliment, but it clearly hadn’t landed that way, so he attempts to pivot. “The answer is clear. You must teach me your ways, Obi-Wan.”

Matt snorts. “Well, first you’ve got to start by skipping the Star Wars references—”

“Okay, fair enough.”

“And then—wait, you’re as handsome as me, right?”

Foggy nods vigorously, even though the physical comedy will be lost on Matt. “Absolutely,” he replies. “One might even say more handsome. In the right light.”

“Perfect,” Matt laughs. “Then, yeah, you should have no trouble with girls.”

“And yet, here I am! Unkissed! The injustice of it is hard to bear!”

“You can always just wait around for your shot with Diana…”

“Who knows how many guys she’s kissed that she’ll have to compare me to,” Foggy complains.

“Probably not a lot,” Matt says, mildly. When Foggy gives him a pointed look, he smiles in a way that’s both vague and devilish and then shrugs. “Not everyone’s as easy as me.”

“That’s certainly true,” Foggy replies petulantly and Matt laughs. “No, I mean, Diana’s nice and all, but it’s not—” He sighs, even though it’s far too dramatic under the circumstances, and continues, “It’s just not what I thought it’d be. And I’m going to be so nervous until it happens.”

“Yeah, that’s no good,” Matt says, sympathetically.

“It’s fine,” Foggy says, pushing himself to stand. It’s probably past time for him to head out. He’s been whining about this for a while and his mom is definitely going to send out a search party soon enough. And Matt probably has better things to do than listen to his problems, anyway. “I should get home. I’ve got homework and stuff to—”

Matt stands too, very suddenly, and while Foggy is still yammering on about whatever just to fill space, leans in to press his lips to Foggy’s in a brief but utterly life-altering kiss. It’s not really passionate or anything like that, but it is insistent, which helps dissipate the immediate thought that Foggy has that this is somehow an accident, that maybe Matt tripped and fell and kissed him on the mouth. He didn’t see any evidence of that and he was looking right at him when he stood up, but bleachers can be precarious and Matt’s blind and maybe Foggy blinked and missed it? It could happen, but also it seems unlikely given the way Matt is just lingering there, as if to give no room for plausible deniability. It doesn’t turn into making out and there’s no passionate embracing, like in the movies and also like Foggy was sort of hoping might happen when he finally got around to kissing somebody, just because that seems more romantic. The kiss stays closed mouthed and respectful, friendly more than anything else, really, except that Foggy now knows how soft Matt’s lips are from touching them with his lips and he’s going to be thinking about that probably forever. And even though there’s no tongues involved in this kiss, he can feel how damp Matt’s lips are from running his tongue over them right before initiating the kiss and he’s also going to need to think about that forever as well. All in all, he’s got a lot to think about and little time to really react.

The moment it’s over, Foggy is overwhelmed by the urge to do it again, because surely now that he’s not surprised, he can do better. After all, that’s why the whole stage kissing thing was bothering him, because Diana didn’t deserve his first shot at kissing ever. She deserved someone with some skill, at least, especially since she was just acting. He didn’t want to put the burden of pretending he knew what he was doing onto someone who wasn’t even getting real enjoyment out of it. He feels the same instinct with Matt, not because it’s the same situation, but because he needs Matt to know he can rise to the occasion, that he’s not thoroughly pathetic. He improves with rehearsal and he wants that on the record.

Though, of course, he can’t do that. Matt might not be acting, but he didn’t kiss Foggy just now out of genuine feeling. He was trying to help him and be a good friend, but it was an act of pity. He was putting Foggy out of his misery, which was considerate, but it doesn’t mean he wants to keep kissing him. He’s the one who pulled away first, after all.

“There,” Matt says, looking pleased and utterly unbothered. “Now you don’t have to be nervous anymore.”

Foggy nods, not knowing how to articulate that Matt has, instead, given him several new reasons to be nervous. “Thanks,” he replies, faintly.

“I know it’s still not romantic, like you wanted, but…”

Matt trails off and he doesn’t look nervous himself, but there’s something anxious to the way his gaze, never really riveted on the person he’s talking to so much as angled in the general vicinity of their face, skitters off into the distance rather than staying on Foggy that betrays the smallest chink in the armor that is Matt’s confidence. Like he thinks Foggy might actually be mad at him for this, rather than just absolutely reevaluating everything he thought about who he is as a person as of two minutes ago.

“It’ll do,” Foggy manages to say, somewhat confidently, and the shadow of doubt passes from Matt’s expression, leaving him looking as charming and dear as he’s always been to Foggy and somehow entirely different at the same time.

[yosuk-e]

may i light your cigarette? ft. suna rintaro

in which you share a cig with uni!suna, who's wants you just as much as you do him.

content warning: swearing, smoking (duh), some suggestiveness

wc: 687

a/n: i've had a pending request for a suna fic for a little bit and i still don't know if this does it any justice... can't say i loved this one very much but i certainly hope you guys do !! listening to this while reading is highly recommended !

you and suna rintaro aren't regular talkers. not outside of the interactions made in the hallways in between lectures, certainly not outside of the shy glances you throw at him every now and then in between the conversations you have with the miya brothers, when he's standing beside them. in fact, suna rintaro himself isn't a talker in general, seemingly more expressive with his thoughts than with his mouth.

and yet, you feel it in the way that he glares at you (he knows you know), the way suna hovers over you when you're both waiting at the bus stop (you're irresistible), the way he breathes the scent of your overly sweet perfume (he can't stand it), the way he's all around you (but he can't seem to escape you).

another one of your busy days finally comes to a close, your legs are sore from walking, one class to another. damn this campus, you think to yourself, as you make your way down the lonely street. 7:58PM. shit, you might just barely make it on time to the bus. a quick look around you assures you that nobody's about to see your rushed, silly run, as you pace towards the bus stop in hopes of making it in time at least by a minute. please, please, please make it there on time, you scurry over past the street as quickly as your tired legs can take you.

your hopes are met with misfortune, as the moment you get to your destination the bus has already made it's way to the next stop. just my damn luck, you curse under your breath.

what you don't expect, though, is that your hopes are also met with the 6'2, brunette hunk of a volleyball player that loomed over you, a cigarette nestled in between his two fingers, relaxing into it. his lungs expanded as he took a deep breath from it, exhaling an equally long puff of smoke which formed patterns in the soft wind that swept the smoke your way. the smell of tobacco invaded your nostrils, almost pulling you into him. "hey." his greeting startles you, sudden in his undisturbed voice and unbothered mannerisms. "c'mon, i don't bite." he chuckled in his smoky voice.

you hadn't made eye contact with him up until now, and it's as though almost immediately his eyes had pulled you into a trance. he wasn't glaring, perse. just observing... intrusively. unapologetically. you gulp, making the choice to respond after what felt like an awkwardly long silence, "hey... sunarin."

the pressure under which he inadvertently put you was too intense to bear, prompting you to wonder whether he had felt it too. "you smoke?"

truthfully, you hadn't smoked very often. something about suna asking you made you want to change that, "every now and then."

suna stepped towards you as he rummaged his pocket for a lighter and a sobranie gold, "c'mere. all i got right now."

reluctantly, your hand pulls to grab the cigarette, and he almost instinctively motions to light it for you once it's at your mouth, the end burning up in contact with his lighter.

you share a beat of silence, longingly staring onto the now-wet, puddled road. the rain that had started just about a moment ago began to grow in intensity.

"do you do this for every girl you meet?"

"do you flash your pretty eyes at every guy you see?" immediately, your head whips around to see a smirk that's formed on his face. "think i can't tell?"

suna takes another step, closing the space in between you two as he leans down to shamelessly blow a puff of smoke into your face. "you know," he licks his lips, "you're really bad at hiding it."

your heart's racing because you know he's right- but damn is it hard to admit, especially when you've got suna rintaro, resident heartthrob standing only a few inches from you.

"suna..." his index finger moves to raise your chin, making the unbearable eye contact unavoidable. "if y'got something to say, say it, pretty. you know you can't hide from me."

a/n: a little cliffhanger (kind of?) there at the end :3 hope you liked it! i struggled a bit with this one, and kind of scrapped half of it at some point. i dooooo kind of wanna continue it but i'm not sure yet. let me know if you want more of this suna?

[yourmomsawh0r3]

Wicked

pairing: drew starkey x f! girlfriend reader

The sunlight streamed through the windows of the apartment Drew shared with Y/N. It was a rare day off for him, and he’d just gotten back from the gym, sweaty and ready to take a shower, when he heard her voice echoing through the hall. The sound froze him in his tracks.

“Something has changed within me, something is not the same…”

Her voice, powerful and unwavering, carried through the apartment, accompanied by the distant clatter of dishes and the hum of the vacuum. He followed the sound, his curiosity piqued, until he peeked around the corner to find her in one of his old T-shirts, her hair in a messy bun, completely lost in the song.

“I’m through with playing by the rules of someone else’s game!”

Y/N belted the lyrics to “Defying Gravity,” a kitchen rag in one hand as she swept across the living room, cleaning as though it were a Broadway stage. Drew leaned against the doorframe, smirking as he watched her. Her passion, her confidence, the way she poured her heart into every note God, he loved her.

When she reached the final, soaring note, he clapped loudly, startling her. She whipped around, wide-eyed, her cheeks flushing pink.

“How long have you been standing there?” she asked, flustered but grinning.

“Long enough to know you’re definitely getting that part,” he teased, walking toward her.

“Drew! don’t jinx it!” she scolded, though her smile remained. She had auditioned for the role of Elphaba weeks ago, and it was all she could think about.

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m serious, baby. You’ve got it. No one could sing like that and not get the part.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile as she buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. “I really hope you’re right.”

When they got home, the celebration continued in a much more private way.

The call came two days later.

Y/N was pacing the living room, her phone pressed tightly to her ear as Drew sat on the couch, trying to decipher her expressions. Then, her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped.

“Wait, really? I got it? I thank you! Oh my God, thank you!”

She hung up the phone and stared at drew, her hands trembling.

“Well?” he prompted, though he already knew the answer from her reaction.

“I GOT THE PART!” she screamed, jumping up and down. “I’m going to be Elphaba! And and Ariana Grande is playing Glinda!”

Drew barely had time to react before she leapt into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as she buried her face in his neck. He spun her around, laughing at her joy.

“I told you, didn’t I? I knew it!” he said, holding her close.

They celebrated that night with a fancy dinner at her favorite restaurant, toasting to her success. She couldn’t stop smiling, her excitement radiating off her in waves. Drew had never been prouder.

Drew kissed her deeply as soon as they stepped into the bedroom, his hands sliding down her back to grip her thighs. “You have no idea how proud I am of you,” he murmured against her lips.

Her breath hitched as he pushed her toward the full-length mirror in their bedroom. “You’re incredible, Y/N,” he said, his voice low and husky. “I want you to see yourself the way I see you.”

He guided her hands to the mirror as he stood behind her, pressing kisses along her neck. Slowly, he undressed her, leaving her bare in front of the reflection. His hands roamed her body, his touch igniting her skin as he whispered praises in her ear.

When he entered her from behind, her moan echoed through the room, her eyes locking with his in the mirror. Watching herself come undone in his arms, seeing the intensity in his gaze as he moved inside her, made the moment even more electrifying.

“You’re perfect,” Drew rasped, his voice thick with desire. “So beautiful, so talented, and all mine.”

Y/N clung to the edge of the mirror for support, her body trembling as waves of pleasure washed over her. Drew didn’t let up until she was completely spent, her forehead resting against the cool glass as she caught her breath.

Afterward, he wrapped her in his arms, kissing her forehead tenderly. “You’re going to be the best Elphaba the worlds ever seen,” he said, his voice full of love and certainty.

And as Y/N drifted off to sleep, she couldn’t help but think she was the luckiest woman in the world to have her dream role and a man who believed in her every step of the way.

The night of the premiere was electric. The theater buzzed with excitement as celebrities, critics, and fans filled the seats, eager to witness the debut of the highly anticipated production. Drew sat in the front row, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked up at the grand stage. His girlfriend, his Y/N was about to take the stage as Elphaba, performing alongside Ariana Grande as Glinda.

He couldn’t believe how far she had come. From belting out show tunes while cleaning their apartment to landing the role of a lifetime, Y/N had poured every ounce of her heart and soul into this moment. And now, here she was.

The lights dimmed, and a hush fell over the audience. The music swelled, and Drew’s breath hitched as Y/N stepped onto the stage, painted green, dressed in Elphaba’s iconic black dress and hat. She radiated confidence, her voice commanding the room as she began to sing.

By the time the show reached its climax Defying Gravity, Drew was gripping the armrests of his chair. The stage was bathed in light, and Y/N and Ariana stood side by side, their voices weaving together in perfect harmony.

“So if you care to find me, look to the western sky…” Y/N sang, her voice soaring.

The audience was captivated, but Drew’s focus was solely on her. Her voice was breathtaking, full of raw emotion and power. As the song built to its crescendo, Y/N stepped forward for her solo moment, the orchestra quieting as the spotlight focused solely on her.

For a brief second, Drew could see her nerves flicker. This was her first time singing live in front of such a massive audience. But then, her gaze found his.

He mouthed the words, I love you.

Y/N’s shoulders relaxed, a small, confident smile tugging at her lips. Taking a deep breath, she launched into the final, soaring note of the song.

“And nobody in all of Oz, no wizard that there is or was, is ever gonna bring me down!”

Her voice filled the theater, resonating with a strength that left the audience spellbound. Drew felt tears streaming down his cheeks as the final note lingered in the air, followed by a beat of stunned silence. Then, the entire theater erupted in applause, a standing ovation sweeping through the room.

Drew stood too, clapping so hard his hands hurt, tears blurring his vision as he watched Y/N bask in the moment. She glanced at him from the stage, her eyes shimmering with joy, and mouthed back, I love you.

As the curtain fell, Drew knew this moment would be etched in his heart forever. She had done it. She had defied every odd, every doubt, and soared to unimaginable heights.

That night, as they celebrated together, Drew held her close and whispered, “You were born for this.” And she believed it, because with Drew’s unwavering love and support, she truly felt unstoppable.

[weasleyreidstyles]

between the shelves

for @thatdammchickennugget's hogmarch challenge!!

prompt 1: "is it that, or is it because you're in love with me?"

pairing: theodore nott x reader (no house specified)

warning(s): none

~∞~ a short little drabble – i've never written anything for theo so i thought i'd give it a shot.

There are many beautiful mysteries within the castle walls. That includes Hogwarts' expansive library that holds every book one could think of, and more. It's earthy tones and the smell of ink on parchment paper permeates the air at all hours of the day and the rustle of books is the only sound, besides idle chit chat that fills the vast room.

Right now, you despise the library.

The table that you and your potions partner had chosen was small and crammed into a corner of two towering bookshelves and the heat that magically swept through the room seemed to be set to sweltering hot as you sat, clinging to the fabric sleeves of your cardigan, which you refused to remove. There are potions books strewn across the table, which you absolutely abhor to look at, especially as his deft finger trace featherlight patterns against the worn covers as he jots a note down onto a separate piece of parchment for the assignment the two of you have been tasked with completing.

It all seems physically impossible. The fact that you're totally abysmal at potions, paired with the way Theodore Nott made you so nervous. Sitting in the sweltering library with him, is the last place you want to be right now.

He was one of the most popular boys in your year. Star quidditch player; top of all his classes without even having to try; he had more friends than you had fingers and he was just so godsdamn attractive. Everyone either wanted him, or wanted to be him in some capacity. Sometimes when you looked at him, jealousy festered in your gut because how can he sit in lessons so nonchalantly, but still remain just below Hermione Granger in all of them? And how can someone be made to be that fucking attractive?

It was not fair.

But more often than not, when you catch yourself staring at him (it happens more frequently than you'd care to admit) you find yourself constantly picking out the little things about him that make your heart soar.

Like the way his nose twitches irritably when his slightly curled hair falls over his eyes, yet he refuses to get it cut shorter.

Or the way his mouth tilts into a devious smirk that has people swooning instantly.

When he's on the quidditch pitch, his agility could rival the professional. He was truely a real talent and he could have an amazing future career, you think.

But the most fascinating thing about him are his eyes. Theodore has the most captivating eyes you've ever seen. They are a kaleidoscope of blues and greys that you find yourself wishing to get lost in.

Unbeknownst to you, Theo looks up from his note taking and watches as you stare off into space, the potions book in front of you long forgotten. His lips lift into that arrogant smirk that you seem to admire quite a lot as he abandons his own work in favour of staring you down.

You must be miles away in your own mind because you barely concentrate on the fact that he's looking so deeply at you, that he may as well have been staring right at the makings of your very soul.

"Have you got a staring problem, dolcezza?" he asks, his deep voice a mixture of smooth and raspy. It makes your heartbeat pick up in speed as you're jolted from your wandering thoughts.

"I'm bored." You mumble, moving your hands, which are resting on your lap, to lay upon the table so that you can lie your head down. "Potions is so draining and it's so bloody hot in here."

"Is that it, or is it because you're in love with me?"

You sit up abruptly, eyes wide and mouth threatening to gape like a fish out of water as he merely stares back at you with his brows slightly raised. His smirk is widening, almost to a full blown grin. Gods he's so pretty, is all you can think as you roll your eyes at him.

He lets out the lightest of snickers as you ignore him and open your abandoned book, in favour of evading his gaze. But he could already see the blush crawling further and further across your cheeks.

"You can admit it if you want to, darling." He says teasingly, his voice is arrogant and silky and it makes you blush even more. "I don't blame you. Everyone seems to be in love with me."

He smiles prettily at you as you glare at him from across the table.

"No one like an egotistical brat, Theodore." you retort, but there's no bite in your words – there never is when it comes to him. And as he stares you down, you swear you can see the reciprocation in his gaze, but it's gone almost instantly when he turns back to his own notes.

One day, you'd tell him how you felt.

Today was not that day.

[yandere-sins]

Monstober - Day 8: Merfolk [Elemental Sacrifices Part 3/4]

Work's been draining me of my strength, but I will not abandon my beloved challenge! Especially not on my beloved Mermaids ♥

Also, I am dedicating to that one person who loved the Mermay polls so much and didn't care about the yandere because they got to be a mermaid. I still remember you, and I thought about you while writing this!

Prompt: Merfolk | Water // Singing // Alluring Warnings: Yandere, Sexual Content (Dub-Con, Throat-fucking with a tentacle, Swallowing copious amounts of an "essence"), Long Post, Tentacles, Mermaids, Monster + Description

"Very beautiful. I am very pleased."

Nodding, you forced a smile on your face, looking up at the behemoth of a god before you. Waves crashed against the little platform that served as a stage for the sacrifices to perform on, a couple hundred feet from the mainland. The water seemed angry, lashing out at you, soaking your beautifully beaded gown as it swept over the edge of the stone and tried to wash you off.

But there was nowhere to fall, you were surrounded.

Writhing tentacles sloshed around and wrung out of the depths of the ocean, their movements so unpredictable, it had complicated your performance. Sometimes, they came so close to you that it made your voice shake, the sounds completely clogged in your throat as they brushed against you once, but they were mainly wrapped around the altar in endlessly sprawling amounts.

The only reassurance you got from the growths around you was that your family wouldn't have to see your eventual demise. You knew they were there, at the shore, waiting with the other people of your tribe to witness whether their god would be pleased by the sacrifice they had offered or not. You tried not to think about the tears your mother had willed away, the softest of hugs from your father before he let you board the boat that would take you away from them.

Sacrificing their loved one seemed much too cruel, while this god didn't.

Sure, if his size was any indication, he was frightening. A creature to be revered or be swallowed whole by. The scars littering his body indicated that he was a warrior, and seeing them made you realize there must be creatures beyond your knowledge that could put scars on such a being. He wouldn't go down easily, so your people worshipped him instead.

But on the other hand, he had leaned onto the platform and closed his eyes throughout your song, really taking in your singing like no one had before. His sharp teeth were scary, but his smile reached his eyes, and even though his hands had sharp claws, he didn't rush you to start singing when you were frozen up at first, gently encouraging you to present your song when you were ready.

If you were going by human standards, he didn't seem like a bad person.

The side of his clawed finger pressed against your cheek, smushing it softly, capturing your attention again as your mind had drifted off. That's just how comfortably he felt, yet you were alarmed by your own recklessness. He smiled down at you, but it almost seemed sad.

"I envy you so," the merman said, eyes dulling as he gripped his throat. "One of your people's ships managed to damage my own vocal cords, so I can't sing anymore. I listen to the sounds of the ocean every day, but it doesn't compare to the beautiful songs of your kind."

A knot formed in the pit of your stomach, and you felt terrible as the creature told you about his woes. "I wish to listen to them always," he sighed, staring longingly back at the shore; some people gathered there, gasping and shrieking in horror at the sudden attention they had gained from their god.

"The ones of you humans, and these creatures that fly in the sky, singing all day long as they please. But I cannot follow them, can't leave my waters to seek them out."

"You... you mean birds?" you asked, the conversation feeling a little one-sided with only him speaking. His eyes lit up as you mentioned them and he gave you a quick nod before lowering down again, resting his head on his hands.

"Sometimes they fly over the ocean, and I get to watch them, but they do not compare to you either. Your voice makes my hearts flutter, it tingles over my skin. It reminds me of how beautiful it is to live in this world that cannot return what has been taken from me. It would be a pity to take you, too."

A few beats of your comparably small heart, the god of water simply watched you, smile fading as he thought. His tentacles wrapped over the platform, slowly coming to a halt as they clenched it in their hold.

"Tell me, little bird, do you wish your sacrifice to be eternal? Don't you wish to stay with me instead and sing to your little heart's content? I didn't offer this chance to the ones before you, for I was still so distraught over the pain your kind has caused. I did not want to take them with me, but I do for you. You have changed me, and I'll have you by my side instead of making you a sacrifice if this is what you desire, too."

Your breath hitched as you took in the deal you were being offered. One that would not seal your fate and end in the death of yet another poor soul. All you wanted to do for as long as you could remember was to sing and make people happy, you didn't realize you were tying the noose around your neck tighter with every performance until your sacrifice was announced.

"But..." you mumbled, staring at the gap filled with water between his body and the stone. You had a secret that you had never shared before, and although staying alive sounded so much more favorable, you knew it was just that: too good to be true.

"But I'm only human. I can't live where you live, and my life is shorter than yours, so I won't be able to stay with you forever, even if I were to find a way to be with you. And besides, the ocean... it scares me. I fear it almost as much as death, as it seems to want to swallow me every time I look at it."

His face scrunched up as you explained your plight, unhappiness being written across as you refused his generosity. Still, it quickly turned into a blank look you couldn't read. "It's no problem," the merman explained, the corners of his lips curling back into a grin.

One of his tentacles rose high in the air, and as it lowered itself, you realized it was clutching something between its tip and the rest of the growth. You held up your hands as it came to a halt in front of you, expecting something, and it dropped a surprisingly small vial with a glowing substance into your waiting palms.

"My mother gave me this in case I find something worth keeping. To make it like me and take it for myself. You'll only need to drink this and then some of my essence, and you'll be able to live with me beyond the surface."

"Oh..." you mumbled, still feeling hesitant as you watched the glowing, light blue fluid slosh around inside the glass vial as if it had a life on its own. The god your people had submitted to seemed to be on a level of preparedness you didn't expect. That, frankly, didn't seem like a coincidence. But you found yourself overthinking as you were overcome with fear and dread.

"You don't want to? Do you want to die, my little bird?" the merman asked, staring down at you with the expectant eyes of someone who knew he won. Because whether you choose to be eaten or to become what he wanted from you, both options were in his favor, even if he preferred one over the other. Your eyes fell to the ever-so-angry water spraying everywhere as it collided with the stone. You remembered being caught in it, sinking deeper and deeper, swallowed whole by the darkness and endless wetness, unable to escape the hungry maw of the ocean when you were a child. You had been lucky then, somehow managing to wake up again at the shore, but you couldn't count on your luck to strike again.

"I will protect you from the darkness you fear, I promise. I will cradle you in my body so nothing can get to you."

He laid his palm at your back, supporting you as you wobbled, weak in the knees after remembering your childhood trauma. Before you knew it, you were swept off your feet, either by the dizziness you felt or the hand at your back. Either way, you found yourself sitting in his palm, being lifted off the altar, the slightest sound reaching your ears as the people gasped.

Surely, everyone was thinking you were about to be eaten, causing their trembling voices to cry out, and you felt something break inside of you, thinking about your poor parents. Hastily, you uncorked the vial, not overthinking what exactly you were swallowing as you placed the glass against your lips, the fluids slipping right in. It barely had any taste, but it was almost like you had swallowed some kind of slimy porridge, causing you to gag.

The merman's grin widened as you felt your body heat up just seconds after consuming the sludge, a shudder going through you as the world seemed so much colder all of a sudden. "There, there, what a good human you were," he murmured, patting your head with one of his giant fingers. "Drink this now, my lovely songbird, we can't have you dry out like one of the poor fishies."

Heat threatened to overwhelm you as you clutched your stomach. Everything was cramping while your legs prickled as if thousands of needles were trying to push out of your skin. Breathing was hard, focusing was harder, so when something wet and eager pushed against your lips, you didn't have the strength to resist.

Your throat immediately accepted the salty fluids rushing in, gulping them up as if it was the first drink you had ever received in your whole life. Your hands latched onto the squirmy supplier of the only substance that was able to calm whatever was going on inside your body. It explored your mouth, pressing left and right into your cheeks as if to make space for more of its length and slipping down your throat until it was satisfied.

Tears brimmed your eyes as more and more of the wet was spewed down your throat, hoping it wouldn't accidentally suffocate you. The fluids swelled your stomach, but you couldn't stop drinking more of the antidote. The salty turned into sweet the more your tongue lapped it up, and as it was the last lifeline you had to save you from the side effects of the vial, you were eager for more.

Whatever it was you were drinking, it gave back your senses to you, allowing the shudder that went through the merman to not go unnoticed. Followed right after with a soft sigh, you finally blinked out of the haze, realizing that it was a tentacle you were clutching onto, one latched deeply in your throat.

Panic rose, and your gaze wandered over to the lovestruck face of god feeding you his essence as if stuck in a weird ritual. His hand clasped over his mouth, and you watched as he bit down on his knuckle with his razor-sharp teeth, staring at you as if he had never seen something quite so fantastic. It felt wrong to be an object of devotion when he was the one that should have been worshipped.

"I'm sorry, did I go overboard?" he moaned. "You took that so well, I couldn't stop thinking about how... No, here, let me get it out, my little bird. I can't have your vocal chords be destroyed like mine."

Only as the tentacle slowly pulled from your throat did you realize how deep it had crept, every inch more painful than the other, as if it had wanted to leave your human body caved out. That was the feeling you got as you doubled over, the tentacle popping from your lips, coughs and gags that had to cover a lot of space following.

You couldn't hold all of his essence inside, and to your absolute horror, it was a pitch-black muck that dripped from your lips, smearing all over your body, dripping down your chin, and landing on your legs.

Your legs?

Even though it caused you to cough even more violently, you shrieked at the sight of your gone legs, replaced by blue scales the color of the merman's eyes and a long, heavy tail. When you slapped it out of sheer disbelief, you felt the pain in both your palm and that tail that seemed so out of place. You couldn't associate with it at all! But trying to move around only caused you to fall over in the creature's palm as the tail was too heavy, your body completely unsuited to heave its weight.

"What... What did you do?!" you gasped in horror as you watched scales protrude from your arms as well. You didn't need to see them to feel their presence all over your torso, and your throat hurt even more as you tried to scratch the discomfort there, noticing the large indents on each side of your neck.

"I made you mine," he chuckled blissfully, not at all worried or concerned with your change. "And now I will do as I promised and take you to my cave, where you will live with me and sing me your beautiful songs, little bird."

His body moved, rising even higher out of the water, and although his hand was steady, you were shaken, clinging to the ridges in his palm. "I'm not ready!" you yelled out, a rush of nausea overcoming you as you thought about the wet together with your inability to move well. Surely, you'd drown if he were to put you in the water!

"It'll be fine," he reassured you.

"You are so small, nothing will notice you where we are going. There are much bigger creatures lurking in these depths, but you. You will be safe as long as you stick with me. I can protect you from them, as have I with your little humanfolk. Although it is not your humanfolk anymore, you are seaborn now."

Pinching his fingers around your waist, you were lifted from his palm, your god smiling brightly at you. You tried to wiggle, his hold almost crushing, although he tried to be gentle. Beneath you was the dooming, hungry sea, waiting to swallow you again, and below your waist was a body you couldn't control.

You looked into his eyes, the blue reflecting that of the ocean, relentless, greedy, and full of unbending confidence that he was doing what was right. Maybe being eaten would have been more merciful, you thought, not knowing what awaited you beneath the surface. His body fell back, and you two sank into the water, his voice a solemn declaration against the splashing of water around you.

"Now, you have all eternity to sing your songs and be mine."

[valyrianvibranium]

TO STOKE A FLAME.

Aemond Targaryen x servant!Reader

WARNINGS: SEXUAL CONTENT-MINORS DNI; p in v, oral (m receiving), power imbalance (prince and maid), mutual pining, female Reader

WORDS: 4K

NOTES: this is written for the writing challenge hosted by @targaryenvampireslayer I got the prompt "Just relax for me, I'll make it feel good" and the trope mutual pining. This was my first time writing mutual pining, and I hope it's at least slightly fitting lol.

When you’re first assigned to cleaning the chambers of the King’s second son, your heart leaps for it means you are able to escape the tortures of being a scullery maid for a position that is at least a bit higher ranked, and not as ungrateful and strainful. 

Prince Aemond is an early riser, already up long before first light, and whenever he sets off to train with the sword in the morning, it’s time for you to take care of his quarters. 

There’s another maid that has been offered the same opportunity, only that she is in charge of making the chambers Prince Aegon presentable, and from what you have gathered, you wouldn’t want to trade places with her. 

Aemond’s chambers are always immaculate when you step into them. Everything is in its place, and the air is always filled with the cool morning breeze from the windows he’s kept open. Quite different to the quarters of his older brother. 

But what they do have in common are their questionable reputations. 

While Aegon is promiscuous, known to pinch and fondle at any serving girl who strays within his reach, Aemond is somewhat feared, at least among the staff. Most servant girls keep well away from the prince, and a part of you is certain it is solely because of the black eyepatch he dons after losing his eye, and the grim expression he usually holds on his face. 

The other maid that tends to his chambers with you is overly cautious when dusting or putting fresh linens on his bed, something that even makes you swallow thickly. However, you can’t seem to bring yourself to share their sentiment. 

How could you?

Despite only meeting the prince very briefly, you feel like every day that you sweep through his chambers, you get to know him more and more. If there’s bedlam following in Aemond’s wake when he leaves in the morning, it merely consists of several books scattered all over his desk, his armchairs and sometimes even his bed. 

Most of them deal with dragon lore, history, and a variety of other subjects which you wouldn’t expect to be read by any other lord, making clear that the prince is very well educated, and always strives to learn more. 

And though he keeps his chambers mostly spotless, there’s very much of his personality in them – if you read between the lines. 

More oft than not, the armchairs close to the fireplace don’t stand in their usual positions, turned to the side to face each other with one of them being piled by books or scrolls. And you know from the servants that he’s often found sitting beside the fireplace either in deep thought or engrossed in a book with the flames of the fire dancing in the corner of his eye. 

You’re cleaning his quarters all by yourself today for Darla, the other maid assigned, has been called to take care of something else, which means you’re granted slightly more time for Aemond’s chambers. 

Kneeling in front of the fireplace, you’re knocking off as much ash and debris as possible back into it, before some of it is swept up and emptied into the pail standing next to you. 

You’ve been a bit too engrossed in your task when the doors behind you burst open, catching you by surprise and startling you. There’s only one person that could and would enter the prince’s quarters at this hour of the day – the prince himself. 

As you hurry to get back on your feet, already straightening and dusting off the skirt of your maid attire, you’re a bit too quick and hit your head on the ledge of the fireplace, your mob cap falling to the ground in the process. 

It’s a stinging pain that shoots right through your whole body, and a throbbing that settles at the crown of your head. You bring a hand up to soothe the pain at least a bit, before you’re reminded of the reason why you got up in the first place. 

Gritting your teeth, you take in a sharp breath and lower your hand, bobbing a small curtsy with a strained ‘Prince Aemond’ leaving your lips to the man that stands still in the room, clearly regarding you.

“My apologies, I–” you say, trying to make excuses and wanting to state that you’re just about to leave, but he cuts you off. 

“Are you well?” he asks, though there is a lilt of amusement in his voice. “I apologize for startling you, that was not my intent.”

What’s even more unusual than him apologizing to you, a servant, for barging into his own chambers is that he's inquiring about your well-being. You’ve never before been acknowledged by any of the Targaryen’s, not that you expected it, and feeling his gaze on you kind of makes you nervous. 

He raises his brow when there doesn’t come an answer from you, and you take it as your cue to speak. “I–Yes, Prince Aemond,” you stutter, bowing your head. Raising it again, your hand brushes the crown of it briefly, the spot still throbbing despite it happening a few moments ago. “I am well. It’s–It’s nothing, my prince.” 

Gathering your things, you’re caught off guard for a second time since he’s entered his chambers as he slowly approaches you. He has a sympathetic smile on his lips now, and you’re not sure if it’s the embarrassment or him coming close enough to tower above you, but your body feels like it’s been put on fire. 

“Are you certain you’re well?” he asks, eye flitting from your head to meet your eyes. “You’ve struck your head rather hard.”

He reaches to inspect the spot on your head, yet he hesitates and pulls back right before his fingers could brush your hair. You’re slightly disappointed, but your pounding heart is grateful. Just the mere proximity brings a blush to your cheeks and has you shifting your weight from one leg to the other, and you’re certain you wouldn’t have been able to handle him touching you. 

There’s a moment of silence between you, and your hands clutch the handle of the pail tight enough for your knuckles to blanch from the force. It’s unnerving, and you’re torn between wanting to stay and wanting to leave. You’re afraid he’s not the man you’ve made up in your mind, that there’s just a hint of truth in the rumors that make their way around staff and court. 

His voice cuts through the silence like a sharp blade, smooth and somewhat calming. “What’s your name?”

Taking in a deep breath, you tell him your name, but not without your eyes darting to the ground. His gaze is heavy, too heavy for you to meet it, and you feel as though there’s something else than curiosity woven within it.

“You’re quite flustered over nothing,” he hums, and the way your name slips past his lips with so much ease almost makes you melt right then and there; at least it’s enough to make you forget that he’s clearly noticed the effect he has on you. 

Aemond takes note of you being nervous around him, his attention causing your blood to rush through your veins. It seems as though it’s a rather strong reaction that you have to him, something not many women feel when he comes near them. It’s endearing.

Your eyes flicker upwards to meet his good one again, and you straighten your back for another curtsy. 

“M-my apologies, Prince Aemond.”

You can spot the exact moment the corners of his lips curl into a teasing smirk, your timid demeanor and your nervousness the trigger for it. And being as cocky as he is, he thinks he could have a bit of fun with you. 

“It seems you’re rather out of sorts for something so trivial,” he notes, his tone teasing and playful, matching the flicker of mischief in his eye. “Perhaps I should inspect you myself to see if you have in fact sustained any injuries.”

His words make you feel as if the world around you is slowing down, making everything feel almost unbearable. You’re finding it incredibly hard to look him in the eye without blushing or your breath becoming heavy, and therefore fix them on the ground again. Noticing his large feet in comparison to your much smaller ones, your thoughts briefly stray to what else of him might be large. 

But before you can answer him, or your thoughts can dive deeper, Aemond places a hand beneath your chin and gently tilts your face back up for you to meet his gaze. You’ve only seen one other in passing, and even then you’re certain he’s paid no mind to you at all, so his touch comes unexpected. But you don’t tense, and you certainly don’t pull away. However, you’re unsure if you should give in and lean into it. 

His finger brushes along your jawline, trailing down the curve of your neck, and coming close to your collarbone, a heat following in its wake. He stops for a second, as if he’s debating whether or not he should move his touch any further. 

Aemond’s surprised by your reaction, yet he also realizes that you’re much more interesting than any of the other maids for they were all alike – all not daring to look at him or stay in his presence for longer than a few minutes. But you’re different. 

He could already tell by the way you so neatly clean and store his books when he’s spent his night reading by the fire, or how you seem to pay extra attention when you’re putting fresh linens on his bed, fluffing his pillows without the hurry the previous chambermaid has had. 

And seeing his touch having such a significant impact on you, the little maid he’s spent so much time dreaming and fantasizing about, feeds a desire he didn’t have before – the desire to bed you, to claim you. 

“Get on your knees,” he orders, hooded eye looking down at you. 

Swallowing thickly, your mind struggles to comprehend what he asked of you. “I-what?” you stammer in disbelief. 

“You heard me. On your knees.” He’s a bit firmer now, and uses the slight grip he has on your shoulder to give you a little help sinking down. You follow his lead, the pail rattling onto the ground. 

Your hands are folded in your lap when you gaze up at him, eyes wide and curiously studying his next move. With your thumbs brushing over each other, you try to keep your fluttering nerves at bay, grazing your skin to distract yourself from the throbbing that blossoms between your legs. 

Aemond looms over you, reaching out to cup your cheek with one hand. There’s something in the position you’re in, and the combination of his gentle touch and stern orders that gets to your head, and lures you in to lean into his hand. It also makes you a bit bolder as you place a hand on his thigh in return.

It piques his interest, obvious in the way he raises a brow, and his eye flickers to where your hand rests on his body. But he doesn’t shy away from the touch. 

“Do you know what I require of you?” Aemond asks, sterner than before. 

You bow your head, batting your eyelashes at him in an innocent manner. “I do, my Prince.”

That’s all he has to hear before he swiftly unlaces the front of his breeches and tugs them down barely enough to free his cock and stones, the sight alone making your breath hitch in your throat. He’s well endowed, and far bigger than the cock of the one man you’ve slept with before.

You release a shaky breath, replaying all the knowledge you’ve gathered about pleasuring a man with your mouth, and catch a whiff of musk mixed with the salty smell of sweat – he’s definitely trained with the sword this morning. 

Squeezing his thigh, your eyes flicker between his and his hard cock as the slight nod of his head encourages you to curl your hand around it, your thumb and index finger barely touching. 

He throbs in your palm already, and the tip is covered in a red that makes it clear he’s desperate to be buried inside of something; probably not caring whether it’s your mouth or your cunt.

Even though you cower beneath his dominating presence, a jolt of boldness strikes you that makes you lean in and lick a flat stripe from the base of his cock up to the bulbous tip. A salty taste lingers on your tongue as you drag it over the slit, making you hum appreciatively, seemingly pleased to witness the effect your touch and presence have on the prince’s body. 

Aemond buries his hands in your hair, loosening the bun you’ve put it into this morning, and grabs a fistful of it. It’s a sharp tug of him that catches your attention, and your wide eyes flit up to meet his demanding gaze. 

Spurred on by the heavy breaths moving his chest, you swallow, and eventually part your lips to slowly ease him inside, and even though he holds you by your hair, he’s generous enough to not force himself inside, allowing you to move as you please. 

“Fuck,” he growls as he gets accustomed to the warmth and tightness of your mouth, head tipping back to release a bawdy groan. 

You hollow your cheeks around him, and, after a few moments that allow you to adjust to him, start to bob your head back and forth his thick length, flattening your tongue against him for added stimulation. 

Growing bolder and bolder with each passing moment, you squeeze your thighs together every time the tip of his cock brushes the back of your throat, robbing you of the ability to breathe until you pull off of him again. 

With his hand in your hair, Aemond senses you getting more comfortable, and starts to guide your head along his member, encouraging you to set up a quicker pace to which you eagerly comply. 

“That’s it,” he groans, not able to tear his eye from the sight of your lips wrapped around him as his cock repeatedly disappears inside of your mouth.

Droplets of your saliva dribble from the corners of your lips down your chin with how fast you sink down on him, and the lewd sounds of his soaked cock sliding back and forth past your lips fill the prince’s chambers, hardly drowned out by his grunts and groans. 

At this point, you’re drenched in your arousal, the linen of your small clothes clinging to your swollen mound in a way that’s almost uncomfortable. 

While you bring one hand up to clasp around the rest of his cock that doesn’t fit into your mouth, the other grips his thigh a bit harder than before, holding onto him for dear life as he uses your face however he pleases. 

You feel the muscles of his thigh tense and contract under your palm and his cock throb inside of you, indicating that he’s close to reaching his peak. It’s the first time you pleasure a man with your mouth, and you’re not quite sure what to expect. But before you can brace yourself for whatever might come, Aemond pulls you off of him by your hair, prompting you to topple back to sit on your haunches. 

You lock your teary eyes with his good one, lips smacking as his musky and salty taste spreads on them and your tongue. “My Prince, I–”

“Remove your clothes,” he interrupts you, his voice less friendly and more a command. 

There are so many thoughts rattling your mind right now, and you don’t know where to start and what to process. 

“I wasn’t asking,” he growls, his impatience showing as you don’t comply quickly enough. 

With a bow of your head, you rise to your feet and peel the beige-ish apron off of your body, the red dress and smallclothes following suit. You waste no thought on your modesty, on the fact that you’re standing bare in front of a prince of the mighty House Targaryen. The longing for him that has built with all the days you’ve cleaned his pristine chambers, and the undeniable aching between your legs don’t allow you to. 

You’re undressed when he stalks around you, regarding you like he’s the hunter and you’re his prey. You see that your obedience arouses him, his hard cock throbbing and bouncing with each step he takes around you. It’s thrilling in the best way possible, and the feeling of being desired by him feeds your confidence.

“Are you just watching, or will the prince undress as well?” 

His eye narrows and flickers up to yours at your question, and there’s the hint of a smile adorning his features. “Would you like that?” 

Biting your bottom lip, a blush creeps on your cheeks. “Very much.”

As you size him up, you notice a flush blossoming from his cheeks down his neck, the same warmth you feel obviously spreading through his body, too. 

“Then I suppose that I’ll oblige.”

You watch with half-lidded eyes as he removes his clothing, slipping out of layer after layer, starting with the black leather robe, and ending with his smallclothes.  

You all but drag your eyes over his lithe frame, taking in every muscle that ripples beneath his pale skin, and every silver, coarse hair that trails from below his navel to his cock and the sac of his stones. 

It seems like he basks in your attention, in the way you stare at him in awe as you lick your lips, and he’s certainly not afraid of showing himself in his full glory. 

“Get on the bed,” he says, smugly. “On your hands and knees.”

This time you know better than to take a few seconds to comply, bowing your head before climbing his bed right away, getting in the desired position. You suddenly feel vulnerable and exposed, completely at his mercy in a way you’ve never experienced before. However, your curiosity and desire overshadow any reservations you could have. 

“Pray tell, have you lain with a man before?” You feel the mattress dip beneath his weight as he slowly settles behind you. His hands find your hips, and you shiver with anticipation. 

Looking at him from over your shoulder, you nod. “Just once, my prince.”

A soft hm rubles in his chest at your words, and he raises an eyebrow, intrigued by your words. You certainly seem to take him very seriously, which isn’t unusual given his station, but it’s your honesty that’s a whole different matter to him. “You enjoyed it, I presume?”

Still meeting his gaze, you swallow thickly. You’re hesitant to answer, not sure why it’s of importance, but he doesn’t seem willing to let you off the hook just yet. “Yes, I did.”

Aemond gives your flesh an appreciative squeeze at that, and shuffles close enough for you to feel his cock press against your arse. “Would you be willing to again?”

You press your lips into a thin line to stop them from pulling into a grin, but fail miserably. The prince behind you takes that as his cue to continue, and you’re most grateful when you feel him drag the tip of his cock through your soaked folds. 

“Just relax for me,” he purrs, his eye fixed on the motions of his hand, watching as his cock disappears inside of you. “I’ll make it feel good.”

The moment you stretch around him, you take in a sharp breath, his cock breaching your cunt at a teasingly slow pace that makes sure you feel every vein and ridge of him drag along your walls.

With his hands coming back to rest on your hips, he pulls you onto his cock until his hips press against your arse, taking his time to adjust to your tightness. The ‘shit’ he mumbles doesn’t go unnoticed by you, a renewed wave of your arousal drenching his cock and the sac of his stones. 

If his impatience hasn’t been running thin before, it certainly does now, because the first gentle, sensual thrusts are quickly replaced by merciless pounding. You don’t mind it for you’ve been thoroughly soaked, and enjoy the feeling of his cock repeatedly brushing the spot inside of you that makes your vision go blurry. 

Aemond brings a hand between your shoulders, applying a good bit of pressure to press your chest down and your face into the pillows. Your head turns to the side, but you’re not able to look at him.

His breathing is heavy, strained pants leaving him, and his hand trails back to grope your arse. 

“Fuck, what an obedient girl they’ve ordered to take care of my chambers–of me,” Aemond rambles behind you, bowing forwards to put a bit more of his weight on your small frame. “Taking me so well. Giving me exactly what I want.” 

The praise goes straight to your head, and you want to answer, but the words die on your tongue, replaced by quiet whimpers and whines that grow wanton as he splits you open with a hard, percussive thrust. Then another follows, and another, keening at the sweet sounds you make only for him. 

Not able to focus on anything else than the pressure building inside of your belly, you push your hips back against him, and he counters by pulling you back with each of his thrusts, meeting him halfways which results in the lewd sounds of skin slapping on skin to echo off the walls. 

He’s making you feel so good, so wanted, that you’re certain you would keep going even if someone is to barge into his chambers, interrupting you.

As his hand snakes beneath your body to make contact with your pearl, you’re overcome with the true knowledge of how experienced Aemond actually is. He strums your body like the most talented lutenist, bringing you closer towards your sweet release. 

“Gods, I–” you whine into the pillows. 

The taut string inside of you snaps, and the pleasure within you soares through your veins. White, hot pleasure clouds your vision, his arm around you the only thing keeping you up right now. 

“That’s it,” Aemond grunts, and the snaps of his hips increase to the point your whines become hiccuped, catching in your throat with little to no time to fill your lungs with air. 

And then, his hips stutter, his throbbing cock spending itself deep inside of your quivering walls. He twitches and trembles so much that he’s forced to still his hips, and you take it as your cue to roll yours against him, helping him through his peak. 

The throbbing only stills once you’ve milked him for every drop of his seed and the last bit of the euphoric high subsides, making him come back to his senses. 

But there’s not much basking in the proximity for you, not when Aemond pulls out almost immediately after, climbing off the bed to get dressed again. The red dress is crudely thrown into your direction, silently making clear that it’s time for you to leave. 

It seems as though he’s embarrassed, because he has a hard time meeting your eyes, and doesn’t look at you when you get back in your clothes. But perhaps you’re just not catching the subtle glances he throws into your direction as your maid attire comes back to hug your curves. 

Tying the apron and fixing your hair, you reach for the pail. It’s then, with you bowing forwards, that you finally feel his seed trickling out of your cunt, and the sensation alone makes you shiver in an uncomfortable way. You certainly have to look for a quiet spot in the keep where you can clean yourself, since you’re not done working. 

You head for the door, but before you open it, his smooth voice catches your attention again. 

“You may leave now, but I expect you to come back and finish your task at the Hour of the Ghosts, for you have not cleaned the fireplace thoroughly enough.”

Taglist: @heimtathurs @croatianprincess @nina2697 @malfoytargaryen @thetaygaryen @wintrr13 @winter-soldier-101 @kyuupidwrites @boofy1998 @thekinslayersswordhand @sagelovesreading @jiminie-08 @doublesparrows @at-a-rax-ia @fan-goddess @recorddust @tsujifreya @melsunshine @drwstarkeyy @kazuyatokue @moonlightfoxx @bbgmonsay @thatmysteriousblog @ashovertheriver @black-dread @watercolorskyy @nothingqueens @urmomsgirlfriend1 @lovelykhaleesiii @hypocritic-trash-baby @darylandbethfanforever9 @snowystark @connorsui @valeskafics

[fkinkindagauche]

Do Those Come in XL?

This is a @harringrovewinterbingo prompt fill for square A1 - Buying Condoms.

Pairing: Steve Harrington/Billy Hargrove Rating: Teen and Up WC: 1,225 Tags: AU - no Upside Down, AU - different first meeting, Meetcute Summary: A hot guy keeps coming into the drug store where Steve works.

divider by @/saradika-graphics

The first time the blond guy came into the store, Steve was on the brink of dying of boredom. He'd always hated winter and that feeling of being cooped up inside, but it had been even worse this year, with his job in the near-windowless drug store. At least Family Video had had big windows. He could people watch the strip mall parking lot on the really slow nights. He didn't even have that here at the drug store.

Robin wasn't working with him tonight, and it had been slow. Just a few tired old dudes asking where the hemorrhoid cream or arthritis cream was. Steve brightened as someone around his age walked in for once, letting in a blast of frigid air as the doors opened. He looked like he was in a hurry, running past Steve at the register without even looking at him, straight back to the coolers. He was hot - long dirty blond hair and a muscular body wrapped in tight jeans, paired with a mostly open button-down shirt and a thin leather jacket. Completely inappropriate for the weather, but Steve appreciated the aesthetic.

He dropped an energy drink on the counter and finally looked at Steve. His eyes widened as he swept them over Steve hungrily. He grinned when his eyes came back up to meet Steve's.

Steve was flustered by the full force of the man's attention. He grabbed the energy drink and scanned it, telling him the total. The guy handed over a bunch of change, watching Steve as he counted it.

"Thanks, Steve," he said with a smirk, then left the store. Steve panicked for a moment, wondering how the guy had known his name. Then he glanced down at his name tag and sighed in relief. Right. Not a mind reader, just a regular reader.

Steve knew it was most likely going to be a one-time thing. He'd never seen this guy before, so he probably didn't live around here. Every once in a while his mind would drift to the sight of that ass in those jeans, but otherwise he mostly forgot about him. Until he came back in.

Robin was working with him this time. She was at the register while Steve was stocking shelves, in the soap aisle. He heard voices from the front of the store and peeked down the aisle to make sure Robin didn't need him to come man the second register.

It was the guy again. He was talking to Robin. Steve couldn't hear what he was saying, but Robin gestured vaguely toward the area of the store Steve was working in. The guy caught sight of him and headed toward Steve's aisle. But as he walked down the aisle, he just looked at the shelves and ignored Steve.

"Um. Can I help you find something?" Steve asked when it seemed the man was going to keep browsing aimlessly.

He looked over at Steve with an overblown surprised expression, like he hadn't seen Steve there. "Oh, hi there, Steve. I didn't see you."

Steve suppressed the overwhelming urge to roll his eyes. "Looking for something in particular?" he asked.

"What's your favorite soap?" the man asked. "Which one smells best to you?"

Weird fucking question. "Uh." Steve scanned the shelves, then pointed to a section. "Those are good."

The man grinned, and grabbed a bar of the soap. "Thanks." He walked up to the register, swaying his hips in a very obviously contrived way.

Once he was gone, Robin immediately waylaid Steve in the soap aisle. "What the hell was that?" she hissed. "Do you know that guy?"

Steve shook his head. "No. I mean, he came in a few days ago, but that was the first time I ever saw him."

"I think he's got the hots for you."

Steve blushed. "I doubt it." The guy exuded bad boy vibes. Steve may be into that type, but they didn't usually see his appeal.

Robin crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the shelf. "He took one look at me at the register, frowned, and asked if there was anyone else working today. He was looking for you."

Steve shrugged. "Seems unlikely."

Robin rolled her eyes. "What'd he say to you?"

"He just asked what my favorite soap was, which one smelled best to me."

She poked a finger into his chest. "So he could use it, and smell good to you!" she crowed triumphantly. "He's into you, dingus."

"Doesn't really matter," Steve insisted. "I don't even know his name. I'll probably never see him again."

But Steve did see him again. He came in every evening for the next few days - for hairspray, gum, and shampoo. Each time, he asked Steve what his favorite was. Robin was having a field day with the whole situation. Steve was starting to think she might be right about the man being into him, as weird as that seemed.

Friday was Steve's day off. He wondered if the guy was gonna go to the store, and if he did, what he'd think when Steve wasn't there. Robin was off, too, and Steve could only imagine how confused Dave would be by the guy.

He went in for his shift on Saturday wondering if the guy would still come, or if he would be put off by Steve's absence the day before. Every time the doors swooshed open Steve felt a little rush of anticipation, only to have it crushed when someone who wasn't the guy walked through the door.

Finally, toward the end of his shift, Steve caught sight of the blond man walking through the doors. He grinned when he saw Steve at the register, going straight over to him.

"Missed you yesterday, Steve. That other guy wasn't nearly as… helpful." He said the last word like he wanted to put a different adjective there.

"What can I help you find today?" Steve asked.

The man looked thoughtful for a moment, like he was deliberating something. "Condoms," he finally said.

Steve felt a little thrill run through his belly. "We keep them behind the counter here," Steve explained, turning away. "Do you have a brand preference?"

"Whatever's on the lowest shelf." That meant Steve had to bend all the way over, giving the guy a real eyeful of his ass.

Steve turned when he was done, placing the condoms on the counter. The man looked at them then glanced up with a wicked grin on his face. "You have those in extra large?"

Steve couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes this time. "Really?" he asked.

"Really," the guy insisted. "Sometimes even the extra large doesn't fit."

Steve snorted a laugh, and screwed up his courage. "Look, man. Do you want my number?"

The man grinned even wider. "Absolutely."

Steve scrawled his number on the back of an old receipt. The man grabbed for it but Steve held it back. "Wait. What's your name?"

"Billy," he replied.

Steve relinquished the receipt. Billy turned to leave. "Aren't you gonna buy the condoms?" Steve asked, perplexed.

Billy looked back over his shoulder at him. "Oh, no. I've got plenty at home. I got what I came for." He held up the receipt with Steve's number on it, then left the store, calling "talk to you soon" back over his shoulder.

[msschemmenti]

emily’s song

emily prentiss x reader

prompt: emily has been away on a case and she comes back to her girlfriend in her apartment cleaning early saturday morning to old 90s RnB love songs. and she’s educated and serenaded on the kind of love of her childhood.

a/n: can i interest anyone in a self-indulgent fluff drabble from my notes app? linked all the songs. and a surprise at the end. not edited at all and way longer than i intended.

emily sighed as her to her apartment door came into her vision. she and the team had been off in the texas heat chasing down another serial killer. two week away from home was already taxing enough but it was the first time she’d been gone this long as a girlfriend. emily had been seeing y/n for about six months now and she’d finally worked up the courage to make it official four weeks ago.

y/n was a childhood friend of derek’s who had moved up to DC earlier in the year. derek invited her out to drinks one night to help her get acquainted with the Virginia social scene and it didn’t take long for her to catch emily’s eye. she’d wowed the team with stories of her life in the south, had eased into a casual girls night invite the next time all of their schedules were cleared, and even got a laugh out of hotch. she unknowingly demanded the attention and interest of every room she entered. emily had been sucked in during their first meeting like everyone else, but that paid off in a way no one really saw coming.

y/n had excused herself to get another drink from the bar and as soon as she reached the bar a man twice her size sidled up next to her. derek was focused on a girl and everyone had dissolved into their own conversations in her absence but luckily emily had been keeping her eye on her for the entire night. emily did the whole knight and shining armor bit, rescuing her from unwanted attention and that had really been the start of everything. it started very casual, almost just friendly for the first couple of months. texting during the day, a quick lunch on a weekend, very casual. until emily got hurt on a case and derek let it slip to y/n. after that very minor injury (in comparison to everything emily had experienced in the past) the younger woman made it a point to check in with her everyday. emily had essentially become her best friend in DC— next to derek. and the fact that she found emily extremely attractive did nothing but fuel her actions. and just like that y/n wormed her way into emily’s most used contact and most seen friend. their schedules hardly aligned but when they did, they made it a point to get together. and now almost 7 months later, they were officially dating.

the team had initially hoped to wrap this case up in three days tops but when the killer extended his cooling off period they were forced to extend their time in texas. when she realized she wouldn’t be back she asked y/n to stop in to feed sergio while she was away. they’d both exchanged keys two weeks earlier under the guise of y/n needing emily to water her plants and with the access it just made sense.

it was nearing 10am when emily finally made it to her door and pushed the key in the lock. expecting to meet a dark and silent apartment she was very shocked to hear music flowing through the walls and lights on everywhere. the song playing was unfamiliar to her but she what was familiar was the voice singing along to the song. she quickly disarmed her alarm and slipped out of her shoes. she definitely hadn’t expected her girlfriend but she wasn’t mad about it at all.

“babe?” emily called into the apartment as she shrugged her go-bag off her shoulder as well.

“bathroom!” y/n called, before going back to singing along. emily followed the sound of her voice and grabbed sergio on the way and leaned against the doorframe of her ensuite.

“what are you doing?” emily asked as her eyes swept the room to find y/n on her hands and knees in the bathtub. y/n staying the night was already a surprise, but she really hadn’t been expecting her to be cleaning her apartment.

“it’s saturday baby.” y/n answered matter of factly.

“well yes, that’s true. but why are you scrubbing my bathtub right now?” emily asked in confusion. “is this your way of subtly telling me im a slob?”

y/n chuckled softly and leaned back to meet emily’s eyes, “no. this is just how i start my weekend. and i figured you wouldn’t mind coming home to a clean apartment.”

“huh, you do this every saturday?” emily asked curiously as she moved to perch on the bathroom counter.

“yep, been doing it since i was a child. every saturday my mom would wake us up, turn on her favorite songs and put us to work. we’d get to start the week in a clean house and it was a sort of symbolic cleansing of the week. i guess it kinda stuck with me.”

“so it’s a learned behavior.” emily hummed as she scratched behind sergio’s head.

“okay miss profiler. it’s my routine. i didn’t mean to fall asleep here last night but since i did i figured i’d do a lil cleaning before you got back.” y/n said climbing out of the bathtub to stand between emily’s legs.

emily smiled and released sergio to settle her hands on y/n’s waist, “well how much have you done?”

y/n smiled and pulled the rubber gloves from her hands, “i spent most of the morning in your bedroom, specifically your shoe closet.” she teased as emily rolled her eyes. “since i’m done in here i’ve just gotta finish in the kitchen.”

“how long have you been awake? do you wake up this early every saturday?” emily asked incredulously.

“not always, it’s just how i was raised baby. come on, i’ll make you something to eat while i finish up.” y/n smiled and patted emily’s hip.

“she cooks and she cleans?” emily teases following the younger woman into the kitchen.

“housewife training.” y/n winked, focusing on piecing together something for them both to eat.

as emily watched y/n work, she took the time to listen to the music that had been playing through the apartment. the songs had to be old. they didn’t sound like anything she’d heard on the radio within the last ten years.

“have you ever loved somebody so much it makes you cry? have you ever needed something so bad you can’t sleep at night?” y/n sang softly as she scrambled eggs. her hips swayed softly to the beat. emily watched and listened closely. over the past couple of months emily had grown to love y/n’s singing voice but she’s never heard her sing songs like this.

she plated the food and brought the plates over to the island where emily sat watching. y/n paused her singing to plant a soft kiss on emily’s lips then slid onto the island stool next to her to dive into the food. the song came to an end and faded into another, instrumentally specific and again about love.

“what are you listening to?” emily asked after spending most of their impromptu breakfast staring at y/n’s mouth watching her sing along to love song after love song.

“this song is addicted by sisqo.” y/n answered easily as she washed dishes.

“sisqo? as in thong song sisqo?” emily asked.

“yep! same album, just not on this playlist.”

“and what exactly is this playlist? i haven’t known a single song since i walked through the door.”

“not a single one? now that’s just wrong.”

“i can tell they’re older love songs? RnB? 90s?” emily deduced.

“are you using profiling to figure out what we're listening to? you’re almost as bad as the people who shazam songs in the car instead of just asking.” y/n laughed. “if you must know, this is my emily playlist.”

“i have a playlist?” emily asked cheeks tinting with a blush.

“you do. a playlist full of songs you’ve apparently never heard before.”

“well how do you decide what songs go on this playlist?”

“well if i hear a song and picture you— it gets added. something about the lyrics ���just take my love baby, because you are so dear to me.’ just scream emily prentiss.”

“you have a playlist of love songs about me?”

“i’ll try not to be offended that you don’t have one for me.” y/n teased but moved to bring her phone over to the profiler. “take a look.”

emily rolled her eyes at the tease but picked up the phone trying to distract from the blush taking over her cheeks. she scrolled studiously. it really was a playlist with her name on it. brandy, monica, aaliyah, mariah carey, jodeci, and more. emily smiled softly at just the titles of the songs and turned her warm eyes on the younger woman wiping the counters down.

“you wake up every saturday and clean while you listen to songs that remind you of me…” emily allowed a smirk to color her words in an attempt to hide just how bashful she was actually feeling. she’d never really experienced this kind of outright proclamation of love.

y/n clocked emily’s blush and deflection almost immediately and made her way over to the older woman with a soft smile. she swiped her phone and put on one of the songs.

“someone’s playing cocky to deflect but i’ll let it slide if you dance with me.” y/n extended her hand to emily and pulled her to her feet easily. the pair slotted together in a familiar dance. y/n’s arms wound around emily’s neck pulling her close and brought her lips to her ear. the song forever my lady swelled through the apartment and the lyrics caught emily’s attention.

“so you’re having my baby, that reminds you of me? you trying to tell me something?” emily snickered squeezing the younger woman’s waist.

“not that part particularly but you never know if that’ll change. just listen to the other words.” y/n prompted placing a kiss to the skin beneath her ear. “forever my lady. it’s like a dream. i’m holding you close , you’re keeping me warm. if this is ecstasy.” y/n sang quietly to emily as they swayed. as the song continued, emily’s heart swelled. she’d really lucked out in the romance department with this one.

“you know you’re quite romantic.” emily whispered as the song came to an end and faded into another.

“only for you baby, only for you.” y/n smiled and pulled back to press a sweet kiss to emily’s lips.

emily made a mental note to start her own playlist.

here’s an edit that basically inspired this whole thing :)

[sombrashe]

coffee stains tlou tv show jesse

I need a jesse fic , where basically , the reader is a barista and jesse is like a gym rat (he works out alot) and there obviously dating , i dont know wherever or not you write smith but if you could that would be great ! (@beelee-cotton)

content ִ ࣪𖤐⋆ gender neutral reader (they/them pronouns used), fluff, falling in love, modern au

note ִ ࣪𖤐⋆ this prompt was so cute because i used to be a barista and a gym rat lol / this is meant to be a modern au but i think it can be read as normal idk / i hope this is what you were looking for !!

the first time he noticed you was during a rush

he absentmindedly watched you and your coworkers. moving forward a few steps every few minutes. his eyes flick over to you as you pour steaming milk into a paper cup. he was new to the city, and finding a coffee shop to go to daily was a need. with a soft smile, he'll order something low-fat with no sugar, and his eyes will meet yours as you scan the crowd. probably getting a mental note of how many people are here. he steps off to the side and waits patiently for his drink. something warm against this Wyoming winter. when it's his turn, your smile and sweet face stop him momentarily before grabbing his drink. walking out, he attempts to shake you from his mind.

the first time he recognized you was at the gym.

here he was, ending his session with some cardio when the door swings open. his treadmill was angled perfectly to see whoever entered the building. looking up he nearly trips as you scan the room. walking around you enter the locker room. focusing forward he gets back into rhythm. he almost fools himself until you decide to choose the only open treadmill. damn at least they're not in front of me. that didn't help keep your soft scent from entering his nose. he should be smelling sweat, something pungent not you, so soft and sweet, inches from his left hand. focusing hard on his run he gets lost in the feeling of it all and ends up on that treadmill until it counts down to off. taking a moment to rest he notices some old man has taken your place next to him and he decides not to quell and disappears into the locker room.

the first time you saw him was when he first talked to you

he maintained strict small talk whenever you two had to interact. you're the only one able to cash him out? all he gives is a polite nod and maybe a good weather. hurrying out the door he goes about his day as normally as he can. every time he saw you at the gym was like trying to walk through quicksand. every time he thought he was safe there you were all tight pants and small frown as you focused on your reps. it takes a few weeks but after learning your routine (not in a creepy way he promises) he finally decides to finally bother you.

"Sorry to bother you, but I just had to come over here. You're stunning. I love your hair color, is it natural? Do you wanna grab dinner sometime?"

he gives you ample time to respond to any and every question he asks of you all the while he's internally shaking. when you give him that smile he knows he's in. you agree to dinner and he leaves you to get back into your routine. of course not before he adds his number to your phone <3

the first time your coworkers heard about him was three weeks after your first date

it took a while before you felt comfortable enough talking about the gym rat who swept you off your feet. when you finally opened your work bestie groan and rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, finally you tell me. I was wondering how long you were gonna act all secretive. Didn't know it had to do with a man though~. What's his name? Is he a regular 👀?"

you opened up immediately, spilling absolutely everything about him. smiling and giggling as you talk about the weeks spent texting him, going out to random spots around the small town, and especially about the way he complimented you every chance he got. he was something you weren't used to and out of fear you never said you two were dating. of course you never had to say anything. anyone who saw you two together they just knew. knew you two were meant for each other and that you meant the world to each other.

[takenbypeter]

Laundry Day

Tangerine x reader

Words: 637

Based on the prompt: “you don’t have to waste your day doing this with me.” “Nothing is a waste as long as you’re there.” From @deity-prompts I may have tweaked it a bit.

Laundry day. Such a mundane thing. Boring but necessary, is what you told yourself as you forced yourself to get up and finally wash that pile of dirty laundry you’ve been meaning to get to for the last two weeks. 

Did you love doing laundry? No, nobody loves doing laundry but you figured with Tangerine gone on a mission for the past three days, what better time to do it then while he’s still out. 

But of course, just like with every plan you make, something else always gets mixed in. 

You had just begun folding the first load, while the second one continued to spin in the drying machine and the third in the washer.

Folding just about the third piece of fabric that you’d picked out, you heard keys jangling on the other side of the front door. Peeking out from the nearby window you recognized Tangerine’s car as the door unlocked and in he came. 

He looked…messy, to say the least. His hair was all over the place, he had blood splattered over his shirt, his tie was thrown about across his shoulders. 

Although his appearance gave off an exhausted look, his expression was just the opposite as he came in animatedly. 

“You would not believe the dumbest—most boring f——g mission I just had, wait till you hear this,” he leaned close and you pucker your lips slightly, as he connected to them almost magnetically before trailing off.

He told his tale of events as he walked around the kitchen munching on a quick snack and pouring himself a small drink. You listened, continuing to fold your clothes (and some of his), adding some hums and surprised noises of your own as you got swept in to some of the details. 

Then after telling you the whirlwind of the story that he claimed was the lamest mission he’s ever been on, he went to take a shower, once again leaving you with the same load.

You folded and folded and when you were just about finished with that pile, the second load in the dryer dinged, ready for you to work on it next. 

You took the warm fabric out pressing it to your face for a moment enjoying the feeling before setting it on the couch for you to begin.

About ten minutes had passed when you heard some steps nearing before a pair of arms snaked its way around your waist. 

“I missed you,” Tangerine hummed, pressing his lips to your cheek, then to your neck, his mustache tickling you as he did so before resting his chin in the crook of your neck. 

“I missed you too,” and of course you had a smile on your lips as your hands continued working. 

“I wish I could just take you everywhere with me.”

“While the thought is nice, I’d rather sit your blood baths out.”

You felt his shoulders lift and then drop against your body as a sigh escaped, while he once again left a single kiss to your skin before letting go. 

You half expected him to leave, being that he’s been out for a few days and typically he was tired after completing missions, but surprisingly he grabbed a clean shirt that was on the couch and he folded it, setting it right down on the neat stack. 

You shook your head at his action, “you don’t have to waste your day doing this with me. Go rest.”

“Nothing is a waste as long as I’m doing it with you,” he flashed you that proper smile of his. 

Although the sentiment was sweet, you knew he was only helping you so he could steal all your attention away for himself. 

“You’re quite cheeky, aren’t you?” 

You already knew the answer to that question. But he feigned innocence. 

“Me? Never.”

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Ry’s Blurbs

Prompt: can I get Jey, Jimmy and Sami teaching the judgement day how to dance?!

The Judgement Day x Jey, Jimmy, Sami - Rock Yo Hips please and thank you…

The room was electric. Neon lights cast a colorful glow across the WWE Performance Center, bouncing off mirrors lining the walls. What began as a simple bet after a heated match quickly spiraled into pure chaos.

"Aight, listen," Jimmy clapped his hands together, turning to the hesitant group before him—The Judgment Day: Finn, Damian, Rhea, and Dominik. "We gon' teach y'all some moves tonight."

"Why did we agree to this?" Finn muttered, already regretting every choice he'd ever made.

"Because y’all suck at dancing, that's why," Jimmy shot back, grinning wickedly. Sami stood beside him, arms crossed smugly.

"Can we just get this over with?" Rhea huffed, rolling her eyes, even as Damian snorted in amusement.

"First up," Jey announced dramatically, hitting play. Immediately, "Rock Yo Hips" by Crime Mob blasted through the speakers. Jey effortlessly stepped forward, demonstrating the dance with ridiculous flair. "You just gotta feel it! Like this—"

The Judgment Day stood frozen, utterly bewildered.

"This ain't rocket science," Sami teased. "Just rock ya hips, man."

Finn attempted a move, looking more like a malfunctioning robot than anything human. Jimmy doubled over laughing, holding his stomach.

"Finn! Bro, please stop—you’re hurting my eyes!" Jimmy howled.

Damian tried next, awkwardly jerking his hips, his usual swagger nowhere to be seen. Dom, desperate, started copying Sami’s moves with stiff limbs and a look of sheer panic.

"Dom, what are you even doing?" Rhea shouted, half-laughing.

"I don’t know! My body’s betraying me!" Dom cried, helplessly flailing his arms.

Jey shook his head, sighing dramatically. "Next track—maybe y’all got some rhythm hidden somewhere."

Suddenly, "Back That Azz Up" by Juvenile blasted through the speakers.

"Oh no…" Damian groaned, eyes wide.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," Sami announced, spinning effortlessly into a flawless move, "follow my lead!"

Jimmy and Jey immediately joined him, expertly dropping into rhythm, making it look entirely too easy.

Judgment Day watched in horror.

Rhea, refusing to lose, stubbornly attempted the move. Dom followed, looking like he was being electrocuted. Finn gave up entirely, sitting on the floor, covering his face in shame.

"This ain't natural," Damian grumbled, arms flailing.

"Neither is your dancing," Jimmy shouted back, earning another glare.

Suddenly, the door swung open. Everyone froze mid-move.

Standing in the doorway was Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman beside him. Roman’s eyes swept over the ridiculous scene before him. Dom sprawled on the floor dramatically, Rhea awkwardly mid-dance, and Finn completely given up on life.

Roman turned slowly to Paul, voice eerily calm. "Wiseman...what exactly am I witnessing?"

Paul cleared his throat, carefully choosing his words. "It appears, my Tribal Chief, that The Judgment Day lost a bet with The Bloodline, and are... being taught dance lessons as punishment."

Roman stared blankly, processing the chaos silently for a long, tense moment. Then, with an exhausted sigh, he shook his head.

"Never again," Roman muttered darkly, turning on his heel. "I need a vacation."

As Roman and Paul disappeared, the room erupted into laughter. Sami grinned broadly, patting a still-traumatized Finn on the back.

"See? Dancing's easy!"

"Says you," Finn snapped, standing up with wounded pride.

Jimmy laughed loudly, clapping his hands. "Alright, one more time from the top!"

"Absolutely not!" Damian yelled, but Jey had already restarted the song, pulling Dom to his feet.

"Come on, Dom! One more try, dawg!"

"I hate it here," Dom groaned miserably.

But he danced anyway, laughter filling the room, bringing both teams closer in the most ridiculous way possible.

[scarred0and-starry]

The Valkyries-Love Languages

AN: back again to finish this prompt up with the girls! this writing style feels quite a bit different than what I did for the lads but I think I'm going to stick to this, It flows much better and is more detailed to me, hopefully it's alright. enjoy!

-starly ☆

Lily J. Evans Acts of service.

Lily is the mum friend, whether she’ll admit it or not. She’s the one with the book you didn’t know you needed, or potion ingredients you forgot to gather. It’s not her duty--just who she is. Anything to lighten the load, put a smile on your face, is more than enough for her.

“I love you but you’re running around like a fwooper with its head cut off. I don’t know why you waited so long to pack, we’re off tomorrow for Merlin’s sake.”

Marlene’s voice cut through the chaos, bemused, but fond as she lounged on her bed, Mary perched in her lap. You groan dramatically from underneath the large four poster bed, where you’d crawled to gather more of your things.

“I was stressed out with exams! I wanted to relax afterwards and now I’ve left myself with this load of bollocks!”

“Right, because cramming in a week of pranks with the boys is such a relaxing pastime,” Mary teased, her voice muffled by laughter. Marlene snorted in agreement. Your protests were interrupted by the creak of the dormitory door and familiar footsteps approaching. You didn’t need to look to know who it was.

“Still alive under there, my love?” Lily’s voice was warm, threaded with quiet amusement.

“Lil—SHIT!” In your haste to crawl out from underneath bed, you smacked your head against the frame with a resounding thud. You stayed there for a moment, flat on your back, blinking at the redhead who leaned over you with a bemused smile.

“Alive,” you muttered, wincing. “Not well.” Lily knelt, extending a hand to help you up. She didn’t let go once you were seated, her grip steadying amidst the chaos. “Maybe if you’d spent a little less time scheming with the lads, you wouldn’t be in this mess?” You groaned, flopping backward onto your bed. “Probably. But you have to admit, the Great Hall beach prank? Iconic.”

“Iconic,” Lily deadpanned, though her lips twitched. “Come on, let me help. You’ve been at this all day, and I’m free.”

“But my things—”

“I’ve got it,” she insisted, nudging you toward the door. “You need to breathe. Go terrorize someone else for a while.”

Reluctantly, you grabbed your wand. “Accio shoes!” The pair zoomed into your hands as you tugged them on, sparing Marlene and Mary a quick goodbye. But before you made it far, Lily’s voice stopped you.

“Excuse me?” She stood with her arms crossed, head tilted in mock indignation.

Grinning, you turned back and swept her into a flurry of kisses, your laughter mingling with hers. It was only after she shooed you down the corridor that she let herself relax, watching as you disappeared with an energy she couldn’t quite understand but loved all the same.

Smiling softly to herself, she began to fold a stray jumper. “What am I going to do with them?”

Mary and Marlene just smile.

Mary MacDonald Gift giving.

Mary MacDonald’s love language is gift-giving, though she’s far from flashy about it. It’s the quiet thoughtfulness behind every token that makes it so distinctly her. Whether it’s a neatly pressed flower tucked into your book, your favorite chocolate left on your pillow after a rough day, or a scarf she knitted during the long winter evenings, each gift is a little piece of her heart. She sees you. She sees you.

Mary never needed grand gestures to show her love. It was in the little things, the moments you might not even notice at first. Like the time she slipped a bundle of quills onto your desk when yours kept snapping under the pressure of exams. Or the way she always seemed to have a stash of your favorite biscuits ready, wrapped in parchment with a note that read, “just because.”

After a particularly grueling day, you walked into the dorm and spotted a small box sitting on your bed. You opened it to find a charm bracelet, simple and delicate, with a single charm—a tiny star. A small note was tucked inside. “You seemed tired today. Thought you could use a reminder that you shine even when you don’t feel it. Love, Mary."

You smiled softly to yourself, slipping the bracelet onto your wrist. When you looked up, Mary was sitting cross-legged on her bed, eyes flicking over the pages of a book, though you could tell she was waiting for your reaction.

"Mary, this is—" you started, shaking your head in disbelief.

She glanced up, her cheeks heating up just a little. "You seemed like you needed a little something. You’ve been running on empty the past few days."

"How do you always know?" you teased, walking over to sit beside her.

Mary shrugged, a small smile playing at her lips as she closed her book. "You talk in your sleep sometimes," she teased back, nudging you lightly with her shoulder.

You laughed, leaning in to kiss her softly. "I don’t know how I ever managed without you. Thank you darling. Really."

She leaned her head against yours, her voice soft as she whispered, "I just want to remind you that you’re worth it, even on the tough days."

You didn’t need more words. With her, there was nothing to prove—just the comfort of knowing she understood you in ways that only the quiet, thoughtful gestures could express.

Marlene McKinnon Physical touch.

Marlene McKinnon’s love language is physical touch, pure and simple. After a particularly brutal Quidditch match—her hair tangled with wind and sweat, bruises blooming on her skin, and the roar of the crowd still echoing in her ears—she doesn’t need words. She doesn’t even need healing spells right away. What she craves is you. The quiet warmth of your embrace, the grounding press of your hand in hers, the way you tuck her against your chest as if shielding her from the world. In those moments, nothing else matters. The pain dulls, the adrenaline fades, and all she can feel is you. Every crash, bruise, and aching muscle is worth it—because it always brings her back to this.

The crowd had roared when Marlene caught the Quaffle mid-dive, her body twisting with impossible grace, but all she felt now was the dull ache of impact. The game had been brutal—bludgers flying too close, tackles that left bruises blooming across her skin—but it was over. The victory felt hollow against the bone-deep exhaustion settling into her frame.

By the time she stumbled into the common room, the adrenaline had worn off entirely. And there you were, perched on the arm of the sofa, looking up from a book the moment she entered. Marlene didn’t say anything, just crossed the room in a few strides and melted into your arms, burying her face in their neck.

“You okay?” you murmur, fingers already tangling in her hair.

“Mm,” she mumbled, nodding faintly. Words weren’t what she needed—just this. Just the warmth of your body anchoring hers, the way your hand slid down to her waist to hold her steady. She shifted to press her weight more firmly against you, sighing deeply as the tension began to ebb away.

You chuckle softly, tossing your book to the nearest surface. “Rough game?”

“You could say that,” she replied, voice muffled. She pulled back just enough to meet your eyes, her lips twitching into a tired smile. “But I’ve got you. That’s all I need right now.”

And she leaned in again, letting the world fade away as your arms wrapped tighter around her.

Dorcas Meadowes Acts of service

Dorcas Meadowes’ love language is acts of service. She doesn’t always have the words to express how she feels, but her actions speak louder than anything she could say. Whether it’s fixing a broken broomstick when you’ve had a tough day or quietly taking on extra chores to lighten your load, Dorcas shows her love in the way she anticipates the needs of those around her. For her, love isn’t about grand declarations; it’s about being there.

Dorcas never made a big deal out of things. She wasn’t one for showy gestures or dramatic declarations of love. Instead, she showed her affection in quiet, meaningful ways.

After a long day of classes, you walked into the common room, exhausted, and found Dorcas bent over a stack of papers. Her brow furrowed as she scribbled notes, but she immediately looked up when she noticed you. "Hey, you look wiped," she said, pushing the papers aside and standing. "You didn’t eat anything at lunch, did you?"

You opened your mouth to protest, but she was already up, rummaging through the cabinets for snacks. "I thought so," she muttered to herself as she found a small jar of honey and a piece of bread, handing them to you. "Sit. Eat."

You took the food from her with a smile, watching her busy herself, pulling out a blanket and spreading it across the couch. She sat down next to you, wordlessly handing you a cup of tea before settling in close, her shoulder brushing against yours.

"You didn’t have to do all this," you said softly, feeling the weight of her thoughtfulness sink in. "You’ve got your own stuff to do, too."

She shrugged, a gentle smile on her lips. "You looked like you needed someone to just… take care of you for a bit. Besides," she added with a small laugh, "this is more my speed than all the talking anyway."

You leaned into her, feeling the steady warmth of her presence, and for once, you didn’t need anything more than that. In her quiet way, Dorcas always seemed to know exactly what you needed.

[giveafike]

thigh riding with ben….. pleaseeeee 😂

TLDR: You miss Ben so much and you're needy. So when he comes back, you're straddling.

Word count + info: 2.1k! Dialogue, fem reader x B.T.S

Warnings + Content Ahead: NSFW - MINORS DNI! Thighriding, hickeys, kissing...that's it I think.

Azzie Notes ✚: Mhmmm you got it! Based off of the poll I did, here's the NSFW blurb u NASTY PEOPLE wanted (kidding, I am just as bad)

Thigh riding blurb is here! I have another draft ready to post, but I'll slow release 'em so I can finish off one story while a new one goes up. I take so long to write im srry : ( but! a few long stories are comin' along. By the time this goes up, I should have 1.5-2 more prompts ready to go?

Do we like longer stories as in like 3k+ word count? Or shorter ones? send me a DM or anon feedback pls I wanna know how I'm doing or if you wish I added things (like more description, more dialogue, more focus on story plot, less extra content) and stuff! Lmk!

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Come Here - B.T.S

It was early when Ben left for training, his morning routine blending quiet focus and unshakable determination. He’d stirred you awake by wrapping his strong arms around you, planting soft kisses on the back of your head, like he always does. Even half-asleep, you watched him from under the covers as he got dressed, catching glimpses of those defined muscles moving while the morning light danced across his skin, with shadows making him look like a model as he pulled on his tennis gear. He flashed you that heart-stopping grin, whispering a soft “Good mornin', see you later,” before leaning down to press a lingering kiss to your forehead.

Now, hours later, you sat slouched at your kitchen table, dumbfounded pretending to work at home but failing miserably. Ben has been your boyfriend for so long but here you were, squirmish like you just met him. You’d tried everything to distract you; trying to type up emails, playing soft music, making coffee, but nothing could pull your mind from the simmering heat that had taken hold of you since the morning. Your coffee had gone cold, your laptop had entered sleep mode, and all you could think about was Ben. Work wasn’t hard today; your focus was just... elsewhere.

Maybe it was the morning show or maybe it was shortly after that when he left out the door, when you were in bed, squinting at your phone while mindlessly scrolling Twitter. Someone had posted a picture of Ben fresh from a training session, his shirt clinging to his chest, damp curls swept back, legs muscular and defined. Then there was that TikTok edit, showcasing highlights of your man on the court. His veins popped with each power shot, his thick thighs moved like a stallion’s as he manoeuvred with ease, and the intense focus in his eyes, it all did something to you.

The heat rose to your cheeks again just thinking about it as you groaned, throwing your hands over your face. Normally, you’d smirk, knowing all that was yours, but now you were losing it like a fangirl. It was as if you’d been thrown back into the honeymoon phase, when every glance, every accidental brush of his skin would send electricity through your veins. You couldn’t stop imagining the way his thighs flexed beneath those stupid short shorts, the strength in his legs when he held you, and how his hands clenched whenever he secured a set.

You leaned back in your chair, now fanning your face. Nothing was helping the ache building inside of you as you clenched your thighs together. Your phone buzzed with another work notification, but the words blurred. All you could think about was Ben, how bad you wanted him here, how feral you'd be if you could have his solid chest under your hands, the way he whispered obscene things in your ear, and how he’d press you close, body warm and firm against yours.

God, you missed him.

It wasn’t even like he’d been gone for days, but the thought of him out there, sweating and training, only made the hours stretch longer. You were arguing with yourself, trying to get a grip. You resisted the urge to text or call him, knowing he needed to stay focused. If you asked him to come home for a “lunch break,” he would, and he wouldn’t be able to leave you afterwards. And you didn’t want to break his concentration with needy messages about how hot he looked or how badly you wanted him.

By the time 4:00 PM rolled around, all you could think about was him. You’d tried a cold shower to cool yourself down, but it only made your thoughts swirl more. In every room you entered, you could imagine Ben beside or behind you, his presence filling the space; "God if he was here...". Restless, you ended up on the sofa in one of his T-shirts and some shorts, bouncing your leg as you waited. Everything about him that you’d craved all day swirled in your mind. You put on some show on Netflix, and the noise keeps you company as you wait.

Finally, you heard the front door unlock, and before you knew it, you were perked up, staring at the door.

Ben stepped in, fresh from a shower, his face flushed from coming back, his hair still damp and tousled. His clean shirt clung to his broad chest, and his thick thighs filled out his joggers in a way that made your heart race.

“Hey, babe,” he greeted, his voice smooth and relaxed, his drawl slipping through as he set down his bag. That accent of his made your knees like jelly, especially today. His easy smile made you melt on the spot as his gaze landed on you, sitting on the couch but clearly eager. You tried to play it cool, but the way your body practically buzzed with anticipation sold you out.

“What’s goin’ on with you?” Ben laughed softly, resting his hands on his hips.

You bit your lip, fighting the giddy smile threatening to break free. “Nothing...” you muttered trying to be coy, glancing at him through your lashes. “Just missed you.”

Ben’s laugh was warm, amused. “Oh, I can tell,” he teased, moving toward you and sitting beside you on the sofa. His arm stretched across the back of the couch, casually but with enough presence to make your heart skip. “You’re lookin’ at me like I’ve been gone for weeks.”

Your face flushed. It had only been hours, but it felt like weeks with how desperate you were for him. “I couldn’t focus all day, Ben” you confessed, voice barely above a whisper. You leaned into him, inhaling the fresh scent of his shower, biting your lip “Kept thinking about you.”

His smirk widened as his eyes danced with amusement. “Yeah? What exactly were you thinkin’ ‘bout?”

Your gaze dropped to his body, tracing the outline of his strong thighs, his solid chest, his muscular arms resting lazily around you. You swallowed, heat rising in your cheeks as you met his eyes again, and the teasing glint in them made your stomach twist in anticipation.

“You’re somethin’ else,” he said, shaking his head with a grin. He knew exactly what you were getting at. “Come here, baby”.

The second the words left his mouth, you moved. Eagerly, you climbed onto his lap, straddling him without hesitation. His hands gripped your hips, firm but gentle, guiding you closer as you settled on top of him, your heart pounding against your chest.

“There we go, feel better, babe?” Ben murmured, his voice low and teasing, eyes gleaming with tenderness. He leaned back, relaxing into the cushions as his hands slid up your sides, pulling you flush against him.

Your pulse raced, all the tension you’d carried throughout the day melting away in the warmth of his embrace. His thigh was solid beneath you, grounding you, and when his lips brushed yours in a soft, teasing kiss, you felt like you could finally breathe again.

“You missed me this bad, huh?” he teased, voice rough with amusement as his lips hovered just over yours.

“More than you know,” you breathed, kissing him again, deeper this time, your fingers threading through his damp hair as his grip on your hips tightened and you let out a moan.

Ben chuckled against your lips, the sound vibrating through your body. “Damn, maybe I should go to practice more often if this is how I’m welcomed home,” he teased, kissing you slowly, savouring the moment.

You laughed softly against his mouth, pulling back just enough to look at him. “God, please don’t,” you whispered, pressing your forehead to his. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you. You have been driving me crazy.”

He smiled, his hands squeezing your hips as his eyes darkened with affection and desire. “How ‘bout you show me how much you missed me, then?”. He was tugging on his sweatpants with that voice where it dropped to that low, intimate tone that always made your stomach flutter. You pulled his sweatpants down which he kicked off before he slipped his hands through the waistband of your pj shorts, yanking those down, leaving you in your panties. You set yourself back down on him, your hips bucked, your needy motions getting Ben aroused. He smirked as he watched you roll against him.

Your fingers trailed over his chest before gripping the hem of his shirt. With a swift motion, you pulled it over his head, revealing his built torso. Your hands explored his skin, tracing every curve and contour with your nails. He shuddered under your touch, his breathing growing heavier. The sight of him aroused as you worked yourself to an orgasm was heavenly. His boxers grew tighter, his breathing more laboured and all you were doing was grinding on his lap.

Leaning forward, you pressed your lips to his neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses and hickeys along his jawline. You suckled and gnawed, trailing your teeth over him, making Ben throw his head back in a groan. His hands found your hips, gripping tightly as he guided your movements down hard against him. The friction was intoxicating, sending waves of pleasure through your body. You both found a rhythm as Ben moved up into you, bucking his leg up and moving it in a delicious, teasing way.

You felt his fingers slip under the fabric of your shirt, caressing the small of your back. The heat of his touch ignited your skin, leaving you craving more. With a soft moan, you captured his lips in a passionate kiss, tongues dancing as the intensity between you built to a fever pitch. Ben's hands glided up your back as he ran a tongue on your bottom lip, pushing forward into your mouth. He breaks the kiss to pull his t-shirt off of you, and the cool air hits your skin, causing goosebumps to rise. His eyes raked over your exposed flesh, a low growl escaping his throat.

"God, you're so beautiful," he murmured, voice husky with desire.

You felt a blush creep across your cheeks at his words. Even after all this time, he still had the power to make you feel like the only woman in the world. His lips found yours again, more urgent, more hungry this time. You melted into the kiss, letting yourself get lost in the sensation. Your hands roamed his body, fingernails lightly scraping down the back of his shoulders. Ben shivered in response, breaking the kiss to trail his mouth down your neck. You could feel your climax coming, the feeling of him roaming you all over sending you into overdrive.

“That’s it, keep goin’ baby, cum on me” he murmured against your skin, planting wet kisses. Ben lavished attention on your collarbone, alternating between gentle kisses and playful nips as his hands played with your breasts. As your hips moved with a mind of their own, Ben held you tightly, his hands steadying you as you rode out the waves of pleasure, watching you throw your head back and let waves of moans leave your mouth.

His eyes never left your face as he smiled watching you come down from your high. You rest your head in the crook of his neck, your heart pounding and your breathing laboured. You could feel your core twitch and thrum against him, ready for more as you left a pool on his leg. You hear Ben chuckle and rub your back softly.

“What a pretty mess you've made,” he said, his voice soft and warm, “guess it’s a good thing we’ve got the whole evenin’ together”.

You couldn’t help but smile, your heart racing as you looked up at him, pressing his lips to yours once more. The kiss deepened, slow but intense, the kind that made you feel like everything outside this moment had disappeared. His hands slid up to cup your face, his thumb brushing gently against your cheek as the tension you’d felt all day finally unravelled. You melted into him, letting yourself get lost in the warmth of his embrace.

The TV in the background played a forgotten Netflix show, but neither of you cared. All you wanted was right here, him, his arms around you, and the undeniable pull between you that made it feel like nothing else mattered.

[aaliyg]

In The Back Of My Mind

Word Count: 1.9k+

Pairing: Ayanna Patterson x black!basketballplayer!reader

Prompt: Rivals to Lovers

Warnings: slight angst, reader beating herself up a bit

Dialogue Color Code: Ayanna, Reader

I wanna say a huge thanks to @3xoticyanna for helping me with this one <3

Ever since you started taking basketball seriously in middle school, you and Ayanna had been rivals on the court. Ayanna was known for holding her own under the net, while you sunk down threes like there was no tomorrow. No one could deny that the both of you were talented in your specialties, but that didn’t stop them from comparing you two. Initially you didn’t pay it any mind, understanding that things like this were pointless in the long run. 

That was until you two started your junior year of highschool. All of a sudden, Ayanna was getting scouted by colleges like Uconn and South Carolina, while you barely got a glance from anyone at all. It stung, sure, but you swept it under the rug in the name of sportsmanship like your coaches taught you to do. You couldn’t help the envy bubbling beneath the surface, though, as the comparisons began to gnaw at you. Practices that used to be a joyful escape and a reset from the routine of school now felt like hell on Earth.

Ayanna didn’t make it any better either. Every time you saw her name in the local sports column or heard about her latest highlight reel, a mix of admiration and frustration would churn inside you. You tried to focus on your own improvement, pushing yourself harder during drills, working on your defense, and fine-tuning your shot. But it felt like no matter how much effort you put in, you couldn't shake the feeling that the spotlight was always just out of reach. It all came to a head one day when you heard your coach congratulating Ayanna on how well she had fine-tuned guarding people. You waited for her to say that you helped her, that you lost sleep to make her game improve, but nothing of the sort came out. You had asked Ayanna about it, and even though she did apologize, you still felt hurt. After that, the two of you playing together had never been the same, causing an even bigger rift between you two.

You shook your head out of those thoughts. That was four years ago, and you had a game to win now. You pulled your LSU jersey over your head and did one last look over before walking out of the locker room. Your team was hosting Uconn tonight, a rare occurrence, but an event that fans would absolutely pack the stands for. The noise from the crowd was already pounding as you walked onto the court with your team, the energy electric in the arena. You spotted Ayanna on the opposing side, her presence commanding as always, and you couldn’t stop the side eye targeted towards her. She side eyed you right back, making the energy amongst both teams shift dramatically. Flau’jae quckly steered you away before anything could happen. She leaned into your ear, reminding you that people came here to watch a game, not a rivalry. You sighed and nodded, even though you could feel Ayanna’s eyes on the back of your head.

At least you could say you were on the starting lineup tonight. You smirked to yourself a bit as the tip-off began.

It had been 30 minutes of each team going band for band, and the score was 57 (LSU) to 60 (Uconn). Both you and Ayanna were put on the floor to start the fourth quarter, and to say the atmosphere was tense would be an understatement. You and Ayanna took your positions, the tension between you palpable. Despite Flau’jae’s advice to keep the focus on the game, the urge to outshine Ayanna was becoming too strong. You had managed to sink a three in halfway through the quarter, tying the score at 60-60. By now there were only five minutes left, and you wanted to widen the gap. You attempted a pump fake on Ayanna, but your ankle had other ideas. 

You felt the world go into slow motion as your weight was shifted to your good foot, causing you to lose balance. Before you could hit the floor though, Ayanna’s arms were wrapped around your middle to keep you up. 

"You okay?" 

You knew Ayanna had a nice voice, but you had never heard it in this low and surprisingly gentle state. There was an undercurrent of concern in her tone that was in stark contrast to the fierce competition you’d shared on the court. You glanced up at her, momentarily taken aback. For a split second, the rivalry and the game seemed to melt away, leaving the two of you in your own little bubble. You felt your face heat up slightly as you straightened yourself in her arms, trying to regain your composure. By now a trainer was helping Ayanna sit you down on the bench to check your ankle, but you were too focused on how right it felt to be in Ayanna’s arms. Those thoughts got shattered as the trainer moved your foot gently, causing you to hiss in pain. By now, the gym had gone dead silent as the crowd awaited the verdict. 

You could hear the whispers in the crowd when Ayanna didn’t move from your side, but your mind was too focused on what the trainer was going to say to care. Eventually, you were asked to stand on the ankle, and everyone knew your night was over when you almost immediately had to shift to your other foot. 

By the grace of God, LSU took the win at 64 to 61 points. You were icing your ankle in the locker room when Ayanna poked her head in, worry written plainly on her face.

“How’s your ankle?” “It’s- it’s definitely seen better days but I should be ok, thanks.”

The atmosphere got extremely awkward, and you could tell Ayanna had something to get off her chest.

“You’re doing the hand thing you know.”

You winced to yourself at how rude that came across, but Ayanna took it in stride.

“The hand thing?”

If you weren’t in pain you would’ve chuckled at how perplexed the taller girl looked.

“When you get nervous you start wringing and rubbing your hands a lot. Just say what you need to say.”

Ayanna hummed in acknowledgement and took a seat next to you, still fiddling with her fingers. You shifted around to look at her properly, ignoring the throbbing in your ankle for a second.

“Are you ok, Ayanna?”

Ayanna took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. 

“I just wanted to say that I’ve been thinking a lot about our rivalry and everything that’s happened over the years. It was fun, yes, but I didn’t want it to come to this. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt, and I really respect how you’ve pushed through despite everything.”

You furrowed your brow in confusion at her words. As far as you were concerned, your relationship didn’t count as a rivalry if you would always be second to her. The hurt of never quite measuring up, of constantly being in Ayanna's shadow, was something you carried silently. It wasn’t just the games that hurt—it was the unspoken understanding that, no matter how hard you worked, you’d always be viewed as the underdog. You didn’t realize you had started crying until Ayanna’s thumb swiped against your cheek gently. The unexpected tenderness of the gesture was enough to shatter the dam you’d been holding up for years. The floodgates opened, and you broke down, sobs shaking your frame as a tidal wave of emotions crashed all at once.

Ayanna’s hand moved to your back, rubbing soothing circles as she tried to offer comfort. Her touch was gentle, if a bit hesitant, like she wasn’t sure on how to handle the depth of your emotions but genuinely wanted to help. Eventually your sobs puttered off into silent tears, and you couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. You wiped the last of your tears away and looked down at your lap.

“Sorry about that..”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. If anything I should be apologizing. I didn’t know how much this whole rivalry was hurting you.”

“I mean it’s a part of it-”

“You hurting and feeling like an underdog should never be a part of it. Never.”

All you could do was shrug, but Ayanna was having none of it. She gently grasped your chin and let out a sad sigh at how defeated you looked. This wasn’t the girl she met in middle school. Seeing you like this twisted her heart in ways she didn’t know was possible. She felt tears prick her eyes as the weight of her contributions -intentional or not- to your predicament pressed down upon her. You sniffled as she cupped your face in her palms, closing your eyes to simply take in the moment. Ayanna took a shaky breath before continuing.

“I’ve been so focused on the competition, on everything I’ve been trying to achieve, but tonight, seeing you like this has made me realize something important. I’ve been so caught up in being the best, I forgot to see what’s right in front of me.”

You slowly opened your eyes, looking at Ayanna through a haze of tears. Her gaze was intense, filled with a mixture of regret and something deeper. You saw the raw honesty in her eyes, something you hadn’t expected.

“Do you remember when we first started playing against each other? I was always so focused on outdoing you, on proving myself. But over the years, I’ve come to care about you in ways I never intended to.”

You were taken aback, the unexpected confession hanging in the air. 

“Care about me?”

Ayanna nodded as she looked up at the ceiling to stall her tears. 

“Yeah. I... I’ve been trying to deny it, but I can’t anymore. I care about you so much. Not just as a competitor or a player, but as someone who’s been a huge part of my life and pushed me to be better.”

She took a deep breath and looked you in the eyes, a concoction of fear, hope, worry, and so much more swirling in those dark brown eyes of hers.

 “I think I’m in love with you.”

You felt your whole world slow to a halt at her admission. You couldn’t tell if the thudding in your body was from your heart or your ankle anymore, but that didn’t matter as you slowly moved closer to her. Before you could overthink it, you leaned in and pressed your lips against hers. The kiss was hesitant, almost shy at first, a gentle exploration that spoke more than any words could of the emotional turbulence you both felt. Ayanna’s lips were soft against yours, and you could feel the tremble in her touch from the vulnerability and relief she was experiencing. 

When you finally pulled away, your breaths were shaky and uneven, and you both looked at each other with a mixture of surprise and newfound tenderness. The silence that followed was heavy, but reflective as the both of you came to grips with what happened.

“Was that too much or-”

“No, no that was alright..”

You fidgeted with your nails and mumbled shyly.

“It felt right, doing that. Like..”

Ayanna flashed her lopsided grin shyly, finding a perfect opening for humor.

“Like it was destiny?”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile that graced your face.

“Not quite, but something along that line. So..”

You looked up at her, hope mixing with a tinge of hesitance.

 “What are we calling this now?”

Ayanna looked thoughtful for a moment. She knew this was new territory for both of them, and she wanted to do this right.

“Wanna just take it slow and see how it goes?”

You nodded slowly, your heart lifting at her response.

“I think I’d like that.”

[mxlti-fand0m-imaginess]

What If It Doesn't End Well // JJ Maybank

request: none!

prompts: none!

summary: you and jj have been in love with each other for years, and after finally getting together, you couldn't be happier. but one day things change, and jj starts pulling away. when you go to confront him, things don't end the way you were hoping.

warnings: heavy angst but there's a happy ending, arguing, crying, insecure jj, mentions of jj's home life, mentions of l*ke maybank, language, brief allusions to depression

word count: 3.6k

a/n: gn!reader, this is my favorite song of all time and i had so much fun writing this! i'm really proud of this, and i hope you guys like it!

join my taglist! album masterlist!

Around the sun and around again

You seem to look right through me

Another year being your best friend

Feels like you always knew me

“Did you ever think this would happen? That we would ever get together?” you asked JJ, lifting your head up from its spot on his chest.

“I dunno,” JJ shrugged, pulling you close with the arm he had wrapped around you. “I mean we’ve been friends for as long as I can remember, it was probably bound to happen at some point.”

You smiled and reached down to take his hand in yours. “I guess. I just never would’ve thought we would end up together.”

“Why’s that?” 

You sighed, laying your head back down and snuggling closer to him. “After all this time, and after being in love with you for years, it kinda just seemed… out of reach? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve literally never been happier. But it just all felt more like a dream than something that could actually happen. And yet, here I am. With you.” 

You tilted your head up and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. JJ smiled at the affection before kissing the top of your head.

“I know what you mean. I always kinda thought you’d never see me like that. I still can’t even really believe it sometimes. That someone as perfect as you could ever be attracted to someone like me.”

You laughed softly, smiling up at him. “Oh, please. I am far from perfect.”

“Not in my eyes. To me, there’s no one better.”

And I'm so proud to call you mine

Feels like I know you from another life

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm

“Do you think you guys were together in a past life?” Kie asked, pulling her jacket around her tighter as a breeze swept through the beach.

“You believe in all that?” JJ asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he pulled you closer to him.

You smiled, leaning your head on his shoulder and wrapping your arm around his torso as he draped his over your shoulders.

“I don’t know. You guys just seem so perfect together, like you’ve already been together for years.”

You shrugged, your face flushing slightly at her words. “Maybe we were. I mean, if I ever did have a past life, I can guarantee that I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else.”

“You really mean that?” JJ asked, his voice sounding emotional.

“Yeah. I really do. There’s no one else I’d rather be with. It’s you and me. Forever.”

But what if it doesn't end well

Would you still stay?

What if I fuck it up like I always do

And my shit gets in the way?

Things with JJ had been perfect. In the few months since you had gotten together, you were practically attached at the hip. Spending every second of every day together, cherishing every single moment of your newfound happiness together. Your friends weren’t even annoyed at how clingy the two of you were, especially since they had all been aware of your feelings for each other long before you confessed them. 

But then one day, something changed. You could almost feel JJ pulling away from you, even if he tried to not be upfront about it. There was a growing distance between the two of you, and it wasn’t just physically. You had gone from spending everyday together, to only seeing him every other day, if that. You were lucky if you even got a text from him. As the days passed, you could feel yourself missing his presence more and more. Your mind spiraled as you tried to figure out what was going on. Had you done something to upset him? Did he fall in love with someone else?

When you tried asking your friends about it, no one seemed to have a clue. John B was always so busy with Sarah that he hadn’t even noticed that something changed. Pope was barely around to see anything since he was always so busy with school. And Kie was so enthralled with your and JJ’s relationship that she probably wouldn’t be able to notice anything wrong with it even if she tried. 

So, you had no other choice than to confront JJ about it. You had always been so close to him, feeling like you could always talk to him about anything, no matter what. But this time it was different. You were nervous, your mind flooded with all the possible worst case scenarios about what could have possibly gone wrong. Still, if you wanted to salvage your relationship before it was too far gone, you had no other choice than to toughen up and talk to him about it. 

What if it doesn't end well

Would we still be fine?

When the world is over and we go under

Would you still be mine?

You tried to call JJ, hoping that talking to him about things over the phone would help to ease your nerves. But he didn’t answer. So here you were, walking up to his place to confront him in person. Where he wouldn’t be able to ignore you. 

You bit the inside of your cheek nervously as you walked over to him. He was standing in his yard, working on his motorcycle. You felt your heart leap at just the sight of him, suddenly realizing how long it’s been since you last saw him in person. As you grew closer, JJ looked up at the sound of your footsteps, his face falling at the sight of you, which definitely did not help your nerves.

“Hey, JJ. Can we talk?” you asked, your voice shaking with nerves despite your best efforts to hide it.

“Sure. What about?” He seemed so nonchalant about things, that you were almost more hurt by his lack of a reaction. Did he seriously not know what you wanted to talk to him about? Or did he just care that little about you?

“You know what about. You’ve been so distant lately. I haven’t seen you in days, and you almost never answer when I call you. What’s wrong? Did I do something?” your voice broke near the end of your words, your eyes filling up with tears that you desperately tried to blink back before they could fall.

JJ sighed in frustration, running his hand through his hair as he turned to face you. “No, you didn’t do anything. I just- I can’t do this anymore, okay?”

“What?” you asked, your resolve crumbling as tears spilled down your face.

“I’m sorry that things ended up like this. But I can’t do this anymore. We can’t be together anymore. It’s over.”

“Are you serious? After everything, it’s all over just like that?” your voice rose slightly as emotions swirled within you. You were absolutely devastated, but you were also enraged. Out of nowhere, JJ pulls away and then suddenly decides that he’s done with you? You could barely hold yourself together as all of your feelings poured out of you. “It was supposed to be you and me forever. What happened to that? What happened to us?!”

“I can’t do this right now, y/n. Okay? Just go.”

You opened your mouth to respond, before letting it fall shut again. You couldn’t think of anything to say. What would you even say? This was so unlike him. Not once in all the years that you’d known him had he ever treated you like this. But things were different now. Something had changed, and you still didn’t know what it was.

Around the clock, we can talk for days

'Bout how we saw it comin'

Another sign written on my face

'Cause now my blood is pumpin'

JJ sighed to himself as he watched you walk away. This was bound to happen sooner or later. He knew that you guys were never going to last. One day you would wise up and realize that you were too good for him. Or one day he might do something that would drive you away for good. Either way, he knew that he had no chance of you staying with him for good. So, he decided to break up with you first. To save himself from the heartbreak that he knew would happen eventually. 

Except, things didn’t work out quite like he'd thought they would. Breaking up with you didn’t save him from the hurt that he knew would come. In fact, it almost seemed like it made it worse. He had hurt you. He had made you cry. He had broken your heart. He knew he would never forget that look on your face, how devastated you seemed. Your relationship really did fall apart, and it was all his fault. 

“Fuck!” he yelled, kicking his motorcycle over in a fit of rage.

That was exactly why he had dumped you. He was so messed up. He was always so sad and angry all the time, and he didn’t want you to see that. Well, that isn’t really true. He was always sad and angry, except when he was with you. You had always made him feel normal, not like the broken monster that he viewed himself as. But now that he had pushed you away, most likely for good, he realized that he had really fucked up. You were the one good thing that he had in his life. And now you were gone. And he was alone again. 

Can you just hold me for a little while?

My skin is crawling, I feel vile

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm

Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm

It had been almost two weeks since JJ ended things, and no one’s really seen him since. Even after the way things had ended, you were still really worried about him. He rarely ever stayed in by himself, usually opting to go to parties or hanging out at someone else’s house instead. But ever since you broke up, JJ’s practically been a ghost. You knew that you probably shouldn’t, but you couldn’t stop yourself from going over to his place to check on him. Just to make sure that he was alright. 

“JJ?” you asked as you knocked on his door for the second time, waiting for an answer. But there was still nothing. Either he couldn’t hear you banging on the door, which was highly unlikely, or he just couldn’t be bothered to get up to answer it. You knew he was home, you could see a light on through the window and you could hear the faint sound of the television from the other side of the door. 

You reached down and tried the doorknob, which much to your surprise opened the door. He hadn’t locked it. Not really a good safety practice, but right now it was working in your favor. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, you walked inside, closing and locking it behind you.

“JJ? Are you in here? I know you probably don’t want to see me right now, but I’m worried about you. No one’s seen you in a while, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

You walked into the living room to see JJ laying down on the couch, watching reruns of some old nineties sitcom. You felt your heart shatter at the sight of him, he was a mess. His eyes were red and puffy, his cheeks were stained with tears. His clothes looked as if he had been wearing them for the past few days, and he was surrounded by empty beer bottles and takeout containers that littered the coffee table and the floor. 

You frowned as you walked over to him, sitting down on the armrest of the couch. 

“Are you okay? What happened?” you asked, your voice soft as you reached down to run your fingers through his knotted hair. JJ almost melted at the touch. 

“I’m sorry,” he replied, his voice barely above a whisper, but you could still hear all of the pain behind his words.

“It’s okay, you don’t need to apologize. You did what you thought was best, and I’m not mad at you for it.”

He shook his head, before looking up at you as he spoke. “But I didn’t want to do it. I just-,” JJ cut himself off as he let out a sigh. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to, but could you hold me? Please? Just for a little while. Your touch always helps me feel better.”

You nodded, moving to lay down beside him on the couch and pulling him into your arms. “Of course. I’ll always be here for you, don’t ever forget that.”

But what if it doesn't end well

Would you still stay?

What if I fuck it up like I always do

And my shit gets in the way?

“I didn’t want to break up with you. I just didn’t know what else to do. We were becoming serious, and I was just so scared. I didn’t want to ruin things. But I guess that’s what I ended up doing anyway,” JJ said, finally breaking the silence between the two of you.

“Why did you do it? We were so happy together, things were amazing. What changed?”

JJ sighed, tilting his head up to look at you. “Nothing changed. I guess I was just starting to realize that we never would’ve lasted anyways, and I didn’t want to deal with all that pain after I became more attached to you. I thought getting it out of the way would hurt less. But it didn’t. I shouldn’t have done it like that, I’m so sorry.”

You frowned at his words. “You didn’t think we were going to last?”

“Did you think that we were? I mean look at us, who are we kidding? It was never going to end well between us. We’re just not right for each other. I’m not right for you.”

“JJ, what are you talking about? We were great together. We were perfect for each other. I thought that we were going to be together forever.”

JJ huffed and sat up, inadvertently pulling away from your arms. Your face fell at his actions, but you sat up too, turning to face him. 

“I mean, just look at you! You’re perfect! Everything about you and your life is perfect! You have an amazing family, you’re happy all the time. You know what you want, and you know what you’re going to do with your life. You have a plan, and goals, and you want to get out of here. I was an idiot for thinking someone like you would ever want to stay with me.”

“JJ-,” you started, only for JJ to cut you off.

“No! Don’t tell me that I’m wrong, because I’m not wrong. I don’t have anything going for me. I’m sad and angry all the time. My dad’s a piece of shit, and I’m turning into a criminal, just like him. I’m barely passing high school, there’s no way I’m going to college. I have no idea what I’m gonna do with my life, but I know damn well that I’m never gonna leave here. You’re all put together. You’re perfect. And I’m a mess. I’m just a pathetic loser that you can do so much better than.”

What if it doesn't end well

Would we still be fine?

When the world is over and we go under

Would you still be mine?

You reached out and gently grabbed JJ’s face, making him look at you. Even though he wanted to pull away, he couldn’t help but melt into your touch. His eyes watered as he looked into yours, and you wanted nothing more than to take his pain away. To make him see himself the way that you saw him. 

“First of all, you are nothing like your father. Okay? Nothing. You’re not turning into him, and you are never going to turn into him. Because you are a good person JJ. And so what if you don’t have any plans for the future? That doesn’t mean that we can’t still be together. The future is years away. All that matters is right now. And right now, I want to be with you.”

JJ reluctantly pulled away from your touch. “No, okay? You don’t want to be with me. I’m just a broken mess. You can do so much better than me. I don’t want to be the one holding you back from being happy. You deserve to be with someone better.”

You reached forward again and took his hands in yours. “So what if there’s supposedly someone better for me? I don’t want them. I don’t want anyone else. I want you, JJ. You make me happy, happier than I’ve ever been before. You’re not holding me back from being happy, you’re the one who’s making me happy. And so what if you’re broken? I don’t care. I want you, and I want to be with you, no matter what. And if you really are broken, then I’m gonna be right there beside you to help you put yourself back together.”

“No. No! You don’t want to be with me. You might think that you do right now, but you don’t. I’m too much for you. And even if things are okay for a little while, I’ll mess up eventually. Someday you’re gonna realize that I’m not what you want. And the longer we’re together before that happens, the worse it’s gonna hurt when it does.”

“I love you, JJ! I have never loved someone as much as I love you. And if you think that there is anything that you could do that could ever make me stop loving you, then you don’t know me at all. There is absolutely nothing, not a single thing in existence, that you could do that could ever make my feelings for you change. I am always going to want you, and I am always going to love you. And I’m going to prove that to you, no matter how long it takes.”

Woah-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

Woah-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

Woah-oh, woah-oh, oh-oh

Woah-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh

JJ’s gaze softened at your words, and you could see him visibly relax, almost as if all of the tension was leaving his body. 

“Do you really mean that?”

You smiled and squeezed his hands tighter. “Every word.”

He smiled back at you and pulled you forward, hugging you tightly the second you collided with him. You wrapped your arms around his neck and held him close, the feeling of finally being close to him again making you feel whole once more. You never wanted to let go of him again.

“I’m sorry, for everything. I shouldn’t have just broken up with you like that. I was just too scared to talk to you about what I was feeling because I was worried that you would think I was right. I just didn’t want to risk losing you, so I thought pushing you away would save me from the heartbreak.”

“It’s okay, JJ. I get it, really, I do. But if you ever feel like that again, or if you’re ever feeling anything that’s too big to handle on your own, you can come to me. I’ll always be there to help you, no matter what. And I would never judge you. I promise.”

“I know. I should’ve just gone to you in the first place, instead of messing everything up the way I did. I wish I could just go back and change it. I wish I had never broken up with you in the first place.”

But what if it doesn't end well

Would you still stay?

What if I fuck it up like I always do

And my shit gets in the way?

“Does this mean that we can give us another chance?” you asked, pulling away slightly to look at him.

“Are you sure you want to? I mean, what if it doesn’t end well? What if I panic and break up with you again, or what if I become too much for you? I don’t want to lose you.”

“JJ, you’re never gonna lose me. I love you, so fucking much. Nothing could ever make me want to leave you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, nothing could ever change that. I don’t care how long it takes me, but one day I’m gonna make you believe me. So, please. Give us another chance.”

JJ looked into your eyes, fighting with himself as he tried to turn you down, not wanting to risk it. But he couldn’t. You sounded so sincere with all the words you said to him. And even if things don’t end up the way the two of you were hoping, at least he would get some more time with you. And he would gladly take as much time with you as he could get.

“Yeah, okay. We can try again. And I’m not gonna run away this time. I love you. And I’m gonna try to not be so scared anymore. I trust you. And, I want to be with you.”

You smiled widely as you pulled JJ into another hug, squeezing him so tightly that your arms began to hurt. You felt him pull away slightly, so you did too, feeling a bit confused by this. But once you could see his face again, JJ pulled you into a kiss, and it felt like everything around you melted away. Nothing else mattered anymore. It was just you and him. Forever. 

What if it doesn't end well

Would we still be fine?

When the world is over and we go under

Would you still be mine?

[imagines--galore]

||The Thread of Fate|| Part Thirty-Nine

Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.

Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)

Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure. Angst. Hurt/Comfort. Family.

Previous Chapters - Masterlist

A/N: And here is the second and final part of the date. Meep! I just wanted to say thank you so much for sticking with this story for so long. I appreciate and adore every single one of you. Thank you for your reblogs, shares, hearts, and comments. They mean so much to me.

After the unplanned, yet refreshing nap, the two teenagers were ready to continue with the rest of their date.

"So have you planned anything for the day?" Orora asked as they walked towards the small town that also served as a marketplace for the visiting patrons. Zuko had pulled on his hood again, to avoid anyone recognizing him. It would be easy to spot him in the crowd should she loose him. Though that would be impossible since he was holding on to her hand like he never wanted to let go.

"It's a rough draft. And a work in process." He replied honestly with a shrug of his shoulders. "Not like I've done anything like this before." The Prince added, allowing some of the nervousness he felt to slip into his tone as he continued. "I should warn you, because I don't want you to be disappointed." He paused in their walk so he could face her. "Don't expect to be swept off your feet or anything. That's not how I do things."

Zuko didn't believe in grand gestures. Whenever he had the chance to encounter anyone who would go up and beyond to please the person they loved, he figured they were making up for some mistake they had made, or compensating for something.

Letting out a rather unattractive snort of laughter, which Zuko admitted to himself he found adorable, Orora reached under his hood to ruffle his hair. "You don't have to worry about that Zuko. Because what I do know, is that whatever you have planned, or will plan in the future." She gently tapped his shirt, the area under which his heart was beating, steady and sure. "It'll come from here."

Smiling and pressing a fond kiss to his scar, the Waterbender began to walk down the path. Unaware of the effect she had on her boyfriend, who stared at her with just the barest hint of a blush on his cheeks.

He may have the advantage of making her blush when he flirted with her, Orora, however, had the power to make leave him flustered and unsure, in a good way, about what to do next, with her faith and belief in him.

It took a few more steps before Orora realized her boyfriend wasn't following her. With a playful roll of her eyes, she marched back, grabbed his hand and began to tug him forward. "Come on! I'm starving! Those candies and fire flakes were hours ago."

With a smile that could only be described as smitten playing about his face, Zuko followed her lead.

                                          ————————–

Since the usual time for dinners at restaurants started after sunset, and the two of them were more then an hour early, they got the best seats. Right by a window, overlooking the beach. "You know I had only ever been to a restaurant twice before I left the Water Tribe." Orora commented, once they had given their orders to the polite server. She was looking around at the beautiful decorations that made up the interior of the restaurant. Sitting on the floor across from her, Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Because the Water Tribe didn't have many restaurants?" He teased, prompting Orora to shoot him an annoyed look, which he grinned at.

"No." She defended. "More like the women in our family were meant to stay home like the good obedient wives and daughters they were meant to be." The anger in her voice was evident, as was the glimmer of it in her ice blue eyes. Thinking that maybe having her talk a little about it would help her let go of her anger, Zuko decided to prod further. "And what were the two occasions when you went out to a restaurant?"

The girl shrugged. "One was an invitation from the Chief himself. A celebration for some achievement my oldest brother attained." The dismissive tone had Zuko smiling slightly as he pictured Orora trying to get through a dinner by having to be polite and quiet. The arrival of their drinks had both teenagers pausing briefly in their conversation. Orora took a refreshing sip of the mango juice she had ordered, smiling at the sweet taste coating her mouth. Smacking her lips, she set her glass down and turned her gaze back to Zuko who was still sipping on his watermelon juice.

"And the second was when my father secured a marriage proposal for me."

Her revelation had Zuko inhaling sharply while he drank, prompting him to cough, the juice getting caught at the back of his throat. Orora winced as she leaned forward, the concern obvious in her eyes as she said. "Are you alright?" With one final thump to his own chest, and another sip to help settle his throat, Zuko nodded. "I'm fine." He replied, his voice a little hoarse as he wiped the corner of his eyes where they had started to water from coughing so hard. "I forget you were almost engaged to someone." He admitted, a dark frown creasing his brow, as if the very thought of Orora being with someone before he had even met her offended him.

She waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "It's not as if anything came of it. I ran away before the official betrothal necklace was given to me, so technically, I wasn't engaged to him." And a good thing too. Orora had no desire to have any links to her past, because lets face it, there was nothing there that appealed to her.

Well, maybe except her Mother. Only because she felt pity for her, and not out of the love she had for her.

Not like Zuko, she thought to herself, casting her boyfriend a look that had him raising an eyebrow in question. She shrugged. "Nothing, I guess I'm just a little envious of relationship you had with your Mother." She admitted. "I figured you weren't close to her." Zuko said, thinking back on how she barely mentioned the woman. "Was it because she forced you to follow the rules, or something else?" Unconsciously, his hand slid across the table to cover hers in a comforting grip.

Orora pursed her lips. "More like, she stood by and did nothing." The girl sighed, a sad lilt in her voice as she continued. "My grandmother, my mother's mother, used to say I reminded her of her daughter when she was younger. That I had the same fire she had. But I never saw that. I only ever saw a woman who would bow her head and quietly obey whatever her husband and sons demanded of her." Her gaze flitted to the view outside the window, where the sun had begun to set, casting the it's light across the ocean as the waves broke against the beach. "I guess." She continued, her voice soft and low. "Whatever spirit she had left was leeched out of her, a long time ago by my Father."

Silence followed her words, as they both sat there, staring out of the window, their minds racing, thinking and pondering on just how different and yet similar their family lives had been. The one thing they had bonded over so long ago beside that lake, during their time as refugees.

"You know, considering the family you had, it's amazing you turned out the way you did." Zuko commented, to which Orora scoffed and rolled her eyes. "If we're going to do that comparison, then you win in the depraved and demented family department. Minus, yourself, your Mother and Iroh, of course."

The mention of his Uncle, had Zuko's heart twinging with guilt as he retracted his hand from Orora's and clenched them in fists. "I'm still so ashamed for what I did to him in Ba Sing Se. And the things I said to him when he was in prison." He admitted, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke.

The length of the table between them was an empty space she didn't like. She was too far away from him. Which was why Orora rose from her place, and in two strides, was sitting down cross-legged beside Zuko. She took his hand, much like he had taken hers a few minutes ago and tilted her head down so she could meet his gaze from where he had his head bowed in shame.

"You made a mistake Zuko. That's all it was. And you made up for it by turning against your family and your entire Nation to help us fight the war. And since you've been with us, you've done so much. You've helped Aang with his firebending. You helped Sokka rescue his Father and Soulmate from prison. You helped Katara finally come to terms with her Mother's death. And you're the perfect victim when it comes to Toph's teasing." The last one had an involuntary laugh falling from his lips, as he tilted his head upwards to, unable to help the smile she coaxed out of him.

"Besides." She continued. "Once we win this war, you and I can go on a little trip ourselves and try to find him. I'm sure Aang will let us borrow Appa." Zuko squeezed her hand, drawing comfort from the warm softness. "That's what scares me. What if we find him, and he doesn't forgive me for what I did. Not that I deserve it." He muttered the last part to himself, which earned him an eye roll from his girlfriend.

As well as a slap to the back of his head. "Hey!" He protested, his hand lifting to rub the tender area. He turned to shoot her a look, but thought better of it when he caught her glaring at him instead. "You even think of going down that self-pitying, 'oh I'm worthless and never to be forgiven for what I did' road, and I swear Zuko I will leave you here right now." She claimed, already pushing herself on her knees to stand up.

"No, wait! I'm sorry. I won't go there." Zuko mirrored her movement, placing his hands on her shoulders and gently guiding her to sit back down. The girl crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. "Do you really think your Uncle won't forgive you? I've only known him a few months Zuko, and I know that he loves you so much that he wouldn't even have to think about it."

Silence followed her little proclamation. Zuko sat there, his heart feeling light for the first time in weeks. All because of what she had just said. Somehow, so far, whatever Orora had claimed and deduced about him, had always been true.

She was still glaring at him. And no matter how much he liked seeing her riled up, with that glint in her ice blue eyes, and the way she looked like she would have no qualms about hitting him again, Zuko had no desire to be beat up by his girlfriend in public.

"I did think that, but I'll take your word for it and hope that he forgives me." He finally said, watching as Orora nodded in satisfaction. "Good to see your skull isn't as thick as it was when I met you." She playfully knocked against the side of his head with her knuckles. Chuckling, Zuko pushed away her hand, the remnant dark clouds hanging around his head dissipating as he smiled at her.

Suddenly, Orora laughed softly, prompting Zuko to look at her quizzically. "What?" He asked smiling, though he had no qualms about her laughing because in his opinion she didn't laugh enough. The girl shook her head. "Nothing. It's just.......this morning, I was thinking how we already knew one another's trauma and demons and we wouldn't have to go into all that bad stuff, and yet here we are." She gestured between them. Zuko shrugged. "At least we're never bored." He offered as a positive to which Orora nodded. "No." She admitted. "And I doubt we will ever be bored and tired of each other."

No, he thought silently to himself, his warm gaze never once wavering from her pretty face. Reaching out, he pushed back a loose tendril of her white hair, tracing the shape of her ear with the tip of his finger as he did. "I know I won't ever get tired of looking at you." He admitted, watching as her eyes widened in happy surprise, as a shy smile pulled at her lips. Her lips parted, as if she were about to say something, but she paused.

Unable to find the words, and not liking the way how his eyes were glowing with the triumph over the fact that he her rendered her speechless, Orora playfully pushed him away with a shove to his chest. He caught himself before he fell, laughing as he did.

Luckily, the food arrived before he could retaliate, which averted both their attention as they dug in.

During the remainder of her meal, Orora didn't return to her seat across the table.

                                          ————————–

The rest of the dinner was spent conversing over lighter topics and eating their fill. Halfway through the spice had started to get to Orora, prompting her to order two more mango drinks. She was getting used to the spice though. Zuko was actually proud of her for trying the broth he had ordered for himself. It was extra spicy, and she only took a few spoonfuls of it.

By the time they emerged from the restaurant, the sun had set, and the lamps were lit all along the streets. People were walking around, the shops were still open, and the scent of the food various vendors were cooking masked the smell of the ocean nearby. Not that Orora minded that smell.

"So, where to next?" Orora asked, watching Zuko adjust the hood of his cloak from where it had begun to slip. He had worn it throughout their dinner. She wished they could go somewhere he could take the hood off, so she could see his face properly.

Zuko smiled, tugging at her hand, which he had taken the moment they'd stepped out of the restaurant. "There's this traveling performers who put up plays, and I heard they're doing Love Amongst the Dragons tonight." He told her, trying his best not to let his own excitement show. Orora nodded as she smiled. "Well, I guess it's a good thing I have an expert on that play as my boyfriend who can explain it to me if I get lost." She teased him, to which he rolled his eyes at her. "Come on. If we get there early, we'll get good seats."

"Oh yes. You-I mean I wouldn't want to miss a single word by sitting in the back."

And they did get good seats, right in the center of the small temporary set up that served as the seating area in front of the stage. It wasn't a grand set up by any means, but the play made up for it in more ways then one.

From the moment the lights dimmed, the chatter fell away, and the first actor stepped on stage, Orora was entranced. The story played out just as Zuko had told it the previous day, yet the actors brought the characters to life in ways she had never thought possible.

She barely uttered a word as the play progressed, emotions rising and falling like the waves she loved to watch so much. Zuko, who had seen the play in the past on several occasions, found his gaze torn between what was happening on stage, and the plethora of emotions that was playing out across Orora's face as the play progressed. Though she was more open with what she was feeling then in the past, Zuko always found her to be too guarded at times.

This was the first time in a long while there was no metaphorical veil for her to hide behind. Her emotions were free and unrestrained, just like his feelings for her, he thought to himself as he smiled.

Orora wasn't ashamed to admit that she teared up when the two lovers reunited in the end. Neither did she object to Zuko wrapping an arm around her shoulders to pull her close halfway through the play.

As the two lovers embraced one final time, the audience rose to applaud the performance, with the two Soulmates joining along.

"I enjoyed it more then I thought I would." Orora stated, sounding a little surprised herself. Honestly, she had thought it wouldn't catch her attention, but in the end the actors, the story and the characters captivated her just as much as ice sculpting did.

Zuko, glad that she had enjoyed it just as much as he had, smiled. "Well your boyfriend has good taste." He stated, sounding a little too smug for her liking. "More like an obsession." She muttered, before darting out from his range as he tried to pinch her in retaliation.

"Alright now that we've done an activity you liked-"

"Which you also enjoyed."

"-yes, yes. Which I also enjoyed. It's my turn!"

"What did you have in mind?"

                                          ————————–

The bush rustled as it spoke.

"Move over! I can't see!" In a distinctly feminine voice.

"You don't need to see." The bush responded to itself, now in a masculine voice. "You're blind!"

"I meant move your feet." The female voice came again. The voice was followed by two heads popping out of the bush, hair full of loose leaves and twigs.

"Would you two stop fighting." Aang appeared beside Sokka and Toph. "I can't hear them!" He trained his ear in a general direction, using his airbending to pick up familiar voices.

Katara's head poked out beside Aang. "I think I heard them say something about a game as they passed earlier." She said, eager to share her knowledge.

Suki, who was the last to emerge from their leafy hideout, raised an eyebrow at Katara. "I thought you said we shouldn't do this."

Never one to let an opportunity to berate his sister go, mostly because she did it to him on a daily basis, Sokka nodded. "Yeah! And now you're the one more invested then all of us."

Rolling her eyes, Katara picked a few leaves from her hair. "Well call me curious or nosy, I don't care. I'm just hoping they finally kiss and stop mopping about it."

Her brother shuddered. "And stop giving each other those disgusting looks. Bleh." He gagged.

Toph poked him painfully in the shoulder to get his attention. "You do realize that will only increase after they kiss?" She reminded him, while Aang nodded.

"Not to mention we'll probably catch them kissing more then once." He added, his grey eyes flitting to his Soulmate almost unconsciously before he went back to try and listen in on the conversation happening several feet away.

"Argh! Why can't they just be in love and not kiss?" Sokka pouted, crossing his arms over his chest as he did. Suki gave him a look. "Really? So would you not want to kiss me then?"

While the other three giggled at Sokka's obvious slip up, the Water Tribe boy turned to his girlfriend with a panicked expression. "I didn't say that!" He exclaimed.

Aang, who had suddenly caught wind of two very familiar voices, panicked. "Monkey Feathers! Hide!"

Heads popped back into the bush, minus Sokka who was looking around confused.

"Wha-why? AH!" He was pulled into the bushes by an annoyed sister and disgruntled Soulmate.

                                          ————————–

"How long have they been following us?" Zuko asked casually, throwing the ball in the air and catching it as the two of them began to walk down the path again. Orora giggled, her peripheral vision allowing her to see Sokka and Aang duck out of sight behind a stall of watermelons. "Since the play. I'm surprised they didn't find us earlier." She said, walking a few paces ahead and holding her hands out, indicating Zuko to throw the ball at her.

He did, smiling when she caught it deftly and began to juggle it from one hand to the other. They'd stopped at a little game stall, where Orora had cheated the already cheating vendor by using her waterbending to knock down the water containers that were nailed to the floor. The aim of the game was to hit them with a ball to make them fall and since that wasn't about to happen, Orora had decided to take slightly drastic measures.

Especially when she had seen a little girl on the verge of tears after loosing twice.

She'd won the girl a doll, and had taken another prize. A ball that she'd given to Zuko with a grin.

"I have a way we can loose them." Zuko suggested, approaching Orora and ignoring how Katara, Suki and Toph were trying their best to hide behind a stand of jewellery, just a few feet away from them.

Orora grinned. "What did you have in mind?" She asked.

Zuko grinned.

                                          ————————–

"Why are they separating?" Suki muttered to Aang as the two of them huddled behind a flyer that barely hid them. The boy peaked over the paper, eyes following the retreating figures of Orora and Zuko.

As they walked off in the opposite directions.

Katara, who had taken to wearing a mask she'd purchased from a vendor, frowned. "I thought the date was going well." She mused, glancing in her brother's direction, who was also supporting a mask. Albeit one that was utterly ridiculous and drew attention rather then make him discrete. "Let's split up and follow them." Aang suggested as Toph joined their little impromptu meeting, supporting two sticks of meat in each hand, not even bothering to hide herself.

Sokka grabbed Suki's hand and raced off after Orora, while Katara and Aang decided Zuko's trail.

Toph, feeling them walk away, sighed before shaking her head.

Turning where she stood, the girl made her way to the final destination she knew they would reach.

And sure enough, at the very edge of the town, Toph sat atop a boulder and enjoyed the food she'd bought. The first to arrive, were Katara and Aang. The two stubbornly idiotic Soulmates stared at Toph. "What're you doing here? Where's Zuko?" Katara asked, looking around as Aang checked behind the boulder to make sure they had covered all their basics.

"They were on to us Sugar Queen." Toph revealed, just as Sokka and Suki joined them. "I heard Zuko tell Orora about the hidden paths they could take and give you guys the slip." She finished off her food, unaware of the annoyed and disgruntled looks her friends were giving her.

"You could've told us." Aang muttered under his breath, annoyed at having the fun cut short. He'd been enjoying spying a little too much.

Toph grinned. "What? And miss the expressions on your face?"

"You can't even see!"

"A minor detail."

                                          ————————–

Laughing as they raced down the well hidden path that led them into the wilderness of the island, the two Soulmates came to a halt.

"I think we lost them." Orora gasped out, her lips pulled into a wide smile as she glanced over her shoulder. Zuko shook his head. "This is their first time on the Island. They'll never be able to find this path." He reassured her, adjusting his hood, missing the way Orora's blue gaze traced the outline of the offending item with disdain.

She frowned. "So you're saying, not a lot of people know about this path?" She asked, to which he nodded. "The locals do, and even they barely come along here." He admitted.

That was all the assurance Orora needed.

In a stride she was standing in front of her boyfriend and was untying the hood from where it was fastened just under his chin.

A little taken aback by her close proximity, the Prince blinked. "Wh-what're y-" He didn't get the chance to voice his question, as Orora pushed the cloak from his shoulders, the hood of it slipping from his head and falling to the ground with a dull thud.

At the sight of his face, unobstructed by the shadow of the hood, Orora smiled. "That's better." She spoke softly, fingers running through his always messy hair. "I missed seeing your face." The girl admitted, her expression just as tender as her voice, the fingers trailing down from his hair to trace his cheek and jaw.

If she saw the blush that suddenly streaked across his face, Orora made no comment of it.

They just stood there for awhile, lost in one another. Blue against amber.

"I want to show you something." Zuko said, finally finding the words he'd been lacking as he gently took her hand, not noticing the way their strings tangled together, glowing bright and steady. He began to lead, with Orora following his request.

The trust that burned in her heart, was unlike any she had ever felt.

And for someone who had to rely on herself, it was a rather nice feeling.

An understatement, but then in that moment, as she followed Zuko deeper into the wilderness, nothing else came to mind.

                                          ————————–

The last time he had walked along this path was when he had come with his family. The small discovery had been one of pure chance, and was one meant to be shared with the world.

And yet he never mentioned it to anyone.

He'd come back to it several times as a child, but this would be the first time he would be coming back to the location.

He hoped he still remembered the way.

"Where are we going?" Orora asked, a little confused to see the determined expression on her boyfriend's face. He came to a halt, his eyes focusing on a rather familiar looking rock formation. "This is it." He smiled, his ears picking up the sound that had become so familiar to him all those years ago. "Come on!"

"Zuko, what...."

Whatever she had been about to question her Soulmate was lost as the rounded the rocky structure and were met with a truly gorgeous sight.

The clearing was surrounded by towering palm trees and other manner of tropical foliage. But all that was nothing compared to the several small waterfalls pouring out from the rock formation, trickling down into the pond that snaked away into the trees somewhere. Several smooth rocks were jutting out of the water, looking as if they were stepping stones, leading to the waterfalls themselves.

The clear waters seemed to shine under the light of the moon, and the sound of the falling water was soothing, almost like a gentle hum a mother would sing to her baby to help go to sleep.

"What is this place?" Orora whispered, afraid she would break the tranquility of the moment if she spoke loudly. Standing next to her and watching her react exactly how he had hoped, Zuko smiled, slowly leading her towards the edge of the pond. "I found it when I was a kid. I guess it's one of the places that are still undiscovered on this island."

Still mesmerized by the sight that was in front of her, Orora missed the way Zuko's amber gaze spotted something. He dropped her hand to pick it, before returning to her side.

He tapped her on the shoulder, prompting the girl to turn to him with a smile, only to gasp in delight at what he held out for her.

"I realized I've never given you one." He admitted, smiling softly as he watched her take the Fire Lily from his fingers, and bring it to her nose to inhale the sweet scent. "Thank you." She said, her gaze turned up towards him. After a moment, the girl placed the flower behind her left ear.

Unbeknownst to either of them, when someone placed a flower behind their left ear, it was to indicate that the person was taken.

And in that moment, Orora had never been more taken by Zuko.

"It looks beautiful." Zuko said, tucking the flower more securely, allowing his hand to linger in her hair as his eyes glowed with the feelings he had for his Soulmate.

"You're beautiful." He admitted, his voice just as ardent as he regarded her with a look that had her stepping even closer then she already was. "When we were separated." She said, referring to those months of pain and suffering they had both spent. "I had a dream about you once, promising me that you would come back to me."

His eyes widened in slight shock, lips parting to voice his surprise, but she continued. "I didn't believe the dream, because I didn't want to give myself false hope." She admitted, her voice trembling slightly as she closed her eyes, trying to push away the thoughts of sheer sadness and despair that had filled her not long ago, and yet it felt like it had been years since that time.

"But I'm glad I was wrong." Lifting her head from where she had pressed it against his chest, unable to meet his eyes, until now. Now, though, she looked at him with a kind of fervency that had him wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her even close.

"Because then I wouldn't have been able to do this."

Was this it?

Were they about to share their first kiss?

Zuko seemed to think so, as his head leaned towards her, slowly closing the distance between their lips, his eyes closing.

Where he had been expecting something completely different, the young Prince felt something cold and wet hit the side of his head. As he sputtered and rubbed his eyes to get the water out, his clothes soaked through, he heard Orora laughing in delight as she pulled out of his embrace, and skated along the length of the pond, stopping in the middle atop a floating disc of ice.

"You look surprised Zuko. Were you expecting something else?" She called to him, trying to keep up an innocent expression. Only to burst out laughing as she watched the steam rise from his shoulders where the water began to evaporate as he glared at her.

She may have the advantage of being in her element, but Zuko had the upper hand when it came to speed. A little too busy laughing, Orora didn't notice him leaping from one stepping stone to the other. Only when he was one leap away did she notice. A squeak of surprise cut her mid laughter, as she tried to skate out of his range.

A little too late, as Zuko managed to catch her by the elbow, his jump and her attempt to escape him, throwing them both off balance, and straight into the pond. It was only a few feet deep, though the dip was enough for the both of them to be thoroughly soaked. Zuko emerged from the watery depths first, followed by Orora. And when the boy made to grab her once again, she retaliated by splashing him with the water she'd scooped up in her mouth.

Sputtering and giggling, the girl quickly swam out of his reach once more, with Zuko hot on her tail.

And so began a playful game of keep away, with Orora doing her best to dodge Zuko's attempts to pin her, by either simply dancing or swimming away, or using her waterbending to her advantage. For his part, Zuko was relentless and stubborn. He had never been one to give up easily, and the little game they played only solidified that aspect of his personality.

The small clearing echoed with the sound of splashing water, shrieks, shouts of triumph that turned to groans of disappointment, and laughter that was both mirthful and mischievous.

Stepping behind the waterfall, underneath an overhanging rock, she watched Zuko approach her, pausing just beyond the gently cascading water. He could make out her figure standing there just a step or two away. And though he wanted to continue the game, Zuko felt the shift in the air between them as their gazes met through the water.

He held out a hand in silent surrender and plea, smiling when she took it. Stepping back, Zuko watched as his Soulmate emerged from behind the waterfall, soaked through and looking disheveled. And yet, with that gentle smile on her lips, and the warmth and laughter that shone in her eyes, she had never looked more beautiful.

It was rare to see Zuko act so freely and laugh as if he had no care in the world. Too much weighed on his shoulders, and Orora's heart clenched with happiness at seeing him so happy. Water dripped from his hair, prompting her to reach up and caress his forehead, pushing the strands away from his eyes.

And that level of affection, that simple gesture of caring, was all it took for Zuko to wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her body against his. Orora responded by intertwining the fingers of the hand that already held his. Her head was tilted back slightly as her gaze turned shy, though she didn't look away. Truthfully, she was unable to. Because the way Zuko was looking at her in that moment, as if she were more precious to him then anything in the world, it was something she wanted to remember forever.

Whatever laughter they had shared, whatever teasing moments they had had just a few moments ago melted away like ice under the sun. All that mattered to Zuko was that he finally had her, and he would never let her go.

This time, Orora was the one to lean up, slowly closing the distance between their lips, using the hand that was resting against his cheek, to angle his head. He'd been the first to kiss her last time. He'd taken the chance to show her that she meant something to him.

This time, she would take that step. Orora wanted him to know she cared and adored him just as much as he did her. Perhaps more.

Their eyes slid close as their noses brushed for a heartbeat.

A pause.

One last, agonizing pause.

Before their lips finally met in a fervent embrace.

Their hearts beat as one. Their breaths mingled. Their souls sang.

And their strings?

They flared with color.

Bright and incandescent.

Hers red.

His blue.

The world had fallen away.

There was only him.

There was only her.

Just as Fate had meant for them to be.

Together.

The sound of multiple cheers was what brought them back to reality.

Reluctantly, Orora pulled away, her eyes fluttering open, heart melting at the expression on Zuko's face. One of complete and utter tranquility.

The shouting and cheering seemed to crescendo as he opened his eyes. Not wanting to pull away just yet, Zuko pressed his forehead against hers, sharing her breath.

"Is playing in the water gonna be a foreplay thing for you guys?" Came Sokka's voice amidst the cheers. Suki thunked her boyfriend on the head, though her attempt to punish him was halfhearted as she grinned at her friend. Toph was smiling from ear to ear. "Don't let me catch the two of you in secluded spots like these two!" She jerked a thumb in Suki and Sokka's direction, the latter of whom protested loudly.

Aang's gaze drifted from the embracing couple to Katara, who seemed to be glowing with happiness at the prospect of her sister getting her happy ending. He hoped, one day, she would look at him, the way Orora was looking at Zuko. He turned his attention back to the couple still standing in the water, completely missing the way Katara's gaze slid in his direction, hope and yearning evident in her blue eyes.

Across the pond, Zuko couldn't help but sigh in disappointment at having the moment being cut off quickly. Orora soothed him with a quick kiss to his lips.

"The first of many." She promised him, before pulling away. The Prince nodded, raising the hand that still held hers and brush his lips against her knuckles.

"The first of many."

With that mutual promise, the two teenagers stepped out of their little bubble to the relentless teasing of their little family.

                                             ————————–

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