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snowysosturn · 2 days ago

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Fire & Desire - Matt Sturniolo Part 4

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Pairing: Y/n x Matt Sturniolo

Summary: Y/n has always clashed with Matt. Despite working for Chris’s clothing brand and being close with Nick, her relationship with Matt has always been tense at best. While being forced to be around each other more, their animosity turns into something deeper. Can they overcome their differences, or will their fiery emotions tear them apart?

Warnings: MDNI, angst, tension, toxic relationship, arguing

I woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. My eyes flickered open, it took me a minute to realise that I wasn’t in my room. Then it hit me, I was in Matt’s bed.

My heart sank, I sat up quickly, wiping the sleep from my eyes. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, feeling a weird mix of comfort and awkwardness. Why did it feel so nice to be here?

I didn’t ponder on the thought for too long. Pushing myself up, I walked out of Matt’s bedroom. I sauntered into the living area, and there he was, sprawled on the couch, one arm resting lazily over the back of the couch, the other holding his phone. His eyes looked up as soon as he heard me approach.

“How are you feeling now?” he said, his voice low

I stalled for a moment, still caught between the fog of sleep and the awkwardness of the situation. “Better..” I admitted. “Thanks for letting me sleep in your bed.”

He shrugged, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips. “No problem. You needed the rest.”

The atmosphere in the room felt.. odd. Not in a bad way, just unfamiliar. Too nice. The kind of nice that would make you second guess everything. I scratched the back of my neck, trying to shake the feeling.

“I should go grab my sketch pad” I said quickly, breaking the silence. “I need to finish off some designs.”

Matt nodded, his expression unreadable as he watched me.

I gave him a quick side smile before turning and heading up the stairs to my room. I flicked on the lights and my gaze shifted almost immediately to the corner of my room. A white AC cooler now plugged in, keeping the room at a perfect temperature. My eyes then fell to my bed. Sitting on top of the neatly made covers was an eye mask and a pair of earplugs, placed carefully as if someone had intentionally left them there.

I stood there in slight shock. “Did Matt do all this?” I muttered to myself, picking up the eye mask and turning it over in my hands.

Maybe this was Matt waving a white flag. A quiet, small gesture of goodwill to make things easier between us. Maybe it would actually be easy to live here now. It was almost like a weight lifted off my shoulders, cutting through the animosity between us. I should go thank him,

Eye mask still in hand, I turned to make my way back downstairs. But just as I reached the door, the sound of voices carried up the staircase. Chris and Nick were back from their day of meetings.

“I genuinely should be your Director forever” Chris’s voice was loud and triumphant, with a bit of arrogance. “I would make such an impact working at Space Camp!”

Nick laughed, his tone sarcastic. “You took a few photos, Chris. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

I hesitated in the doorway, before walking down the stairs, all four of us now gathered in the living area, but I felt a shift in the atmosphere again. Matt immediately returned to his usual cold demeanor. He shot me an arrogant look. "Look who's finally out of bed"

I raised an eyebrow, questioning why he’d say that, especially since he knew how I was feeling, how he went out of his way, in multiple forms to try fix it. It felt petty.

Chris tilted his head, curious. "Did you sleep all day?"

I shook my head, brushing off Matt’s comment. "No, just a nap. I had a migraine earlier" I explained. "But I’ve nearly finished my sketches for the patches." I added, eager to prove myself.

"Nice!" Chris said with an approving nod. "Can you show me them?"

Nick flopped onto the couch beside Matt, giving me a quick smile. “Of course she nearly has them done, it's like witchcraft how she gets things done so fast.”

I smiled back faintly, trying to settle into the group dynamic, though Matt’s comment still lingered in the back of my mind. It was a reminder that even with small moments of truce, things could snap back to how they were in an instant.

’Yeah let me go grab them” I agree.

Before I can leave, Chris’ phone buzzes, the vibration loud enough to catch both of our attention. The screen lights up with a name: Nate.

Chris grins, already reaching for it. “Hold that thought. Nate’s calling. I gotta answer this first.” Without waiting for a response, he picks up and disappears toward the bathroom for privacy, leaving the rest of us in the room.

I wander upstairs ti grab my sketch pad, not wanting to sit in the awkwardness with Matt. I step over the AC cooler, carefully avoiding the tangle of wires on the floor, and grab the sketch pad from my desk. My hand lingers for a moment over the cover, my mind racing with everything I still need to finish.

By the time I make it back downstairs, Chris has come back from the bathroom, grinning from ear to ear. His energy is even higher than it was before, showing a stark contrast to the tension that’s settled between Matt and I. Again.

“So, Nate’s in.” he says, sliding his phone into his pocket.

I blink, caught off guard. “What?”

“Nate” Chris repeats, his grin widening. “Nick and I called him earlier and convinced him to come to Hawaii with us. He’s flying into LA tomorrow morning since there’s no other available flights, told him he could stay here while we’re in Vegas.”

“Wait, Nate’s coming here?” I ask, trying to keep the surprise out of my voice. He was only someone I met briefly once, but he seemed cool.

“Yup. He’ll crash here until we’re back, then fly with us to Hawaii.” Chris explains, looking proud of himself.

Matt perks up instantly, his face lighting up with a genuine smile, which around me was a rarity. “That’s sick!” he says, leaning forward with sudden enthusiasm. “This is gonna be good.”

I can’t help but notice the shift in Matt’s tone. It’s the kind of warmth and excitement he never seems to have when he’s talking to me. Amazing, really, how he can be so happy with five people in this house but act so cold when it’s just four.

I drop into the chair across from him, clutching my sketch pad a little tighter. The contrast stings more than I want to admit, why is he like this with me? I decide to focus on Chris instead, who’s still riding the high from Nate’s call.

Chris plops back onto the couch, gesturing toward the pad in my hands. “Let me see what you’ve got.”

I hesitate for a moment, unsure if I even have the energy to go through the designs, but I set the sketch pad on the table and flip it open to the latest pages.

Chris leans forward, his expression genuinely interested as he studies the designs. “These are unbelievable” he says after a few moments, nodding in approval. “Exactly the vibe I was thinking. We’ll go over colorways tomorrow, but this is a solid start.”

“Great I was thinking adding letters into the patches too, all we need to decide on a font.” I say, but realistically my thoughts are already elsewhere.

It’s hard not to feel like the outsider in this group sometimes, and Matt’s solely the reason. But then days like today confuse me, I catch myself thinking about the small things Matt has done, the AC, the earplugs, the eye mask, letting me sleep in his bed. Maybe I’m the problem?

I glance over at Matt, who’s back to scrolling on his phone, his expression unreadable. I sit back in my chair, flipping through the pages of my sketch pad while the idea lingers in my mind. I really should thank Matt for what he did, even if he’d probably just shrug it off or make some snide remark. Still, it feels right.

But how do I do it without the awkwardness? Without it becoming another weird, tension filled moment between us? Especially with other people around.

I pull out my phone and open the Uber app, scrolling through nearby stores. Target pops up, and I click on it, searching for something simple, like a Thank You card. I scroll past the overly formal ones and find one that feels more neutral, a plain white card with a gold "Thanks" embossed on the front.

As I add it to my cart, I pause for a moment, debating whether to leave it at that or add something else. A thank you card alone might come across as too formal, like I've not made that much of an effort. My finger hovers over the snack section before I give in and start browsing.

Matt isn’t exactly hard to read when it comes to his tastes. I’ve seen him tear through a bag of jelly worms during one of his late night streams, so I add a pack of those. Then a couple of chocolate bars for good measure. It feels like a decent enough gesture, casual, thoughtful, but not too over board.

I double check the delivery address and confirm the order. The app tells me it’ll be here within the next half hour. Perfect.

I glance across the room at Matt again. He hasn’t looked up from his phone, completely absorbed in whatever he’s scrolling through. Part of me wants to say something now, just to break the silence, but I don’t trust myself not to fumble over the words. This will be easier, quieter, but hopefully meaningful.

Chris, meanwhile, is still flipping through the sketches. “Seriously, you’re killing it with these” he says, his tone casual but genuine.

“Thanks” I reply, though my mind is still focused on the delivery.

About twenty minutes later, my phone buzzes with a notification: Your Target order has arrived. I slip out of the living area as discreetly as I can and head toward the front door.

The small brown bag is waiting at the door. I grab it quickly and head upstairs to my room, where I can put everything together without an audience.

I pull the card out first, grabbing a pen from my desk. I keep the message short:

Thanks for today, and the new bits for my room. I really appreciate it. - Y/n

It feels slightly awkward writing it, but at least it’s honest. I slip the card into its envelope and tuck it into the bag with the snacks.

Now comes the hard part. How do I get this to him without making it weird? After a moment of hesitation, I decide to leave it outside his bedroom door. He’s bound to come across it eventually, and it saves both of us the awkwardness of a face to face.

I wait until the living area clears out, Chris and Nick head to their rooms, and Matt disappears into his. Then, with the bag in hand, I quietly creep toward his door and set it down infront of the door.

Now all I can do is wait, and hope this can smooth out whatever tension is between us.

I head to my room and for once, the air feels bearable, thanks to the cooler Matt got me. I drop onto my bed, sighing into the quiet. I grab my phone, ready to set an alarm for the morning. My thumb hovers over the clock icon when a notification pops up at the top of the screen:

Thanks for ordering! How was your order? Tip Ethan.

I stare at it for a second, my stomach twisting. Ethan. God, that name. It feels like it’s haunting me, popping up when I least expect it.

I push the notification away reflexively, not clicking into the Uber app. I set my alarm and toss my phone onto the nightstand, my chest slightly aching. Why does something so small feel like a punch in the gut?

Shaking my head, I pull the blanket over me, turning onto my side. Tomorrow is a new day, I tell myself. A day to focus on work, on designs, on anything but ghosts from the past.

I close my eyes, hoping to let sleep take control.

The next morning, I wake up to the sound of my alarm blaring on the nightstand. I groan softly, but I force myself up, knowing I can’t afford to hit snooze. I stretch, pull on a hoodie, and head downstairs to the kitchen. The house is quiet, which I’m grateful for. Matt’s probably still asleep, and Nick doesn’t emerge before 10 if he doesn’t have to.

I make myself some scrambled eggs and toast, moving quickly around the kitchen, aware of the time. Chris and I have a meeting scheduled for 9am to finalize designs, and I’m thankful we get to do it here, at his kitchen table.

Chris walks in just as I’m finishing my coffee. His hair is slightly messy, and he’s wearing a black hoodie and joggers, looking like he just rolled out of bed.

“Morning” he says, voice husky.

“Morning” I reply, offering a small smile.

He gets himself a soda, leans against the counter, and takes a sip. “Ready for this meeting?”

“As ready as I can be for 9am” I say, grabbing my sketch pad and laptop from the chair beside me.

We settle at the kitchen table, Chris leans back in his chair, tapping his pen against the edge of the table as we go over the color options. The table is scattered with swatches, mockups, and half drank liquids.

“So” he says, holding up a navy, white and red combo, “I think this one is clean. It’s classic, but it’s fresh.”

I nod. “Agreed. Navy, white and red always works.”

We scribble down notes on the mockup before moving to the next pairing. Chris points to a pink and red combination I’d suggested earlier. “I actually love this. It’s bold but not obnoxious.”

“Right? It’s kind of unexpected but still wearable” I reply.

We continue debating until we settle on a full lineup: navy, white and red, pink and red, lilac and violet, and an all black option.

“All black is always a hit” Chris says, jotting it down. “This is solid. I think we’ve got something here.”

We sit in silence for a moment, both of us looking over the finalized ideas. It feels good to have something concrete, a sense of accomplishment settling over me.

Before we knew it, everything was finalized and sent off to the manufacturer for samples. I was filled with a sense of relief and excitement.

“Alright” Chris said, pushing his chair back and standing up. “I’d better get going to the airport. Nate’s flight should be landing in an hour.”

As if timed perfect, Nick appeared at the bottom of the stairs, yawning and stretching dramatically. He leaned against the wall, still in his pajamas. “You’re heading to the airport?” he asked, his voice groggy but intrigued.

Chris nodded. “Yeah, to grab Nate.”

Nick’s eyes lit up. “Take me with you! I need breakfast. Please.”

Chris raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. “You just woke up, and you want me to detour so you can fill your face?”

Nick clasped his hands together in mock pleading. “Yes! Please!. It’s a win win. You get company driving, and I get tater tots. Come on, you love me.”

I couldn’t help but smile at the exchange. Chris sighed, shaking his head in defeat. “Fine. But we’re not making a whole morning out of it. Quick stop and that’s it.”

Nick grinned triumphantly and darted back upstairs, calling over his shoulder. “Give me five minutes! I’ll be ready!”

Chris glanced at me, a smirk tugging at his lips. “He’s like a child sometimes.”

I laughed. “That’s rich coming from you.”

As Chris grabbed his keys and jacket, he paused. “You good here?”

“Yeah yeah, I’ve got plenty to do” I assured him as he headed out.

A few moments later, I heard Nick bolting back down the stairs, still pulling on his Ugg’s as he followed Chris out the door.

Now that the chaos of work had settled, I decided to take a rare moment for myself. I sank into the L shaped couch, grabbing the remote and began catching up on some shows. For once, it felt like I could truly relax.

Then all of a sudden, I hear this loud, insistent pounding at the front door, completely shattering any calm I created. I froze, unsure of what to do. I didn’t like answering the door in general. Maybe it was just a delivery? But the pounding continued, more urgent this time. Should I get it? I hesitated, glancing at the empty stairs. I mean, I did live here now, sorta. If it was something important and it was missed, it would be on me.

I hopped up from the couch, cursing under my breath about how Matt should really be the one to deal with this. Each step down the stairs felt heavier as the pounding persisted. I reached the door and swung it open.

And there he stood.

Ethan.

Of all people, Ethan.

The world around me started to spin. His face was the last thing I expected to see. He looked rougher around the edges, but unmistakably him. For a moment, neither of us spoke, just staring at each other.

“Hey” he said, his voice steady, but his eyes searching mine.

“What.. are you doing here?” I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I needed to see you” he replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

My instinct was to shut the door, panic and adrenaline coursing through my veins. My mind spun. How did he know I was here? Then it clicked in my brain.

The Uber notification.

He was the driver.

“Wait!” Ethan yelled, shooting his hand out to block the door before it could fully close.

“Ethan, what the fuck? What the fuck are you even doing here?” I hissed, trying to keep my voice low enough not to draw attention.

“Just hear me out” he said, his tone becoming more insistent with every sentence.

“No. Absolutely not. You shouldn't even know where I am.”

His lips pressed together into a thin line, already getting frustrated. “It wasn’t intentional. I seen the name and recognised the address and I just couldn’t leave it so-”

“So you thought randomly showing up was a good idea?” I interrupted, my voice now raising.

Ethan sighed aggressively, leaning against the doorframe, his hand keeping the door open with his firm grip. “I didn’t come here to fight. I just.. I wanted to see you. We didn’t exactly end things on the best terms.”

I let out a pitiful laugh, trying to keep my composure. “And who’s fault is that?”

“Look” he said, his tone softening, “I know I fucked up, but I’ve been thinking about you. About us.”

I shook my head, stepping back trying to make the distance between us known. “Ethan, whatever you’re looking for, you’re not going to find it here. You’ve honestly lost it, showing up here like this. After everything you did? Trashing my apartment, stealing my things, making me homeless. You crossed every line.”

Ethan threw his hands up defensively. “I came here to talk. To explain.”

“Explain?” I snapped, my voice sharp enough to cut. “Explain what? How you thought destroying my home was some way of winning me back? You’ve got to be fucking joking. I don’t want to hear it, Ethan. I just want my locket back. That’s it.”

Ethan’s expression darkened, and his voice dripped with venom. “You really are a bitch, you know that?”

His words hit me across the face, but I didn’t flinch. I’d dealt with his manipulation long enough to know how to stand my ground.

“Call me whatever you want. Just give me my locket.” I said firmly, trying to hold back tears longing for my locket.

Ethan smirked, taking a step closer. “I was going to give it to you. I really was. But not now. Not after you acting like this.”

I took a step back, my blood boiling. “Me? Acting like this? You’ve got some nerve, Ethan. Leave.”

He didn’t budge, his presence suffocating the space between us. I repeated myself, louder this time. “Go, Ethan. I’m serious. Leave. Now.”

But Ethan stayed firmly rooted in place, his defiance infuriating and almost threatening. Just as I was about to speak again, a voice came from behind me.

“She’s asked you to leave, kid.”

I turned to see Matt standing a few steps above me, his tone calm but carrying an unmistakable edge. His arms were crossed over his chest, his posture relaxed, but his eyes told a different story.

Ethan’s face scrunched. “This isn’t your business, man.”

“It is when you’re standing at my front door,” Matt replied, his voice low and steady. “She’s told you to leave. I suggest you do before this gets embarrassing for you.”

Ethan’s stance finally cracked, and with a final glare in my direction, he muttered something under his breath before stepping back.

“This isn’t over” Ethan said, pointing at me as he turned to walk away.

“Oh, it is.” Matt laughed after him.

The door clicked shut, and for a moment, silence filled the hallway.

“You okay?” Matt asked, his face softening as he looked at me.

I nodded, though my heart was still thumping. “Yeah.. Thanks for that.”

Matt shrugged. “No problem. Guy’s a fucking loser.”

I displayed a small smile, but the feeling of the encounter lingered. Ethan may have left, but his shadow loomed, reminding me that he wasn’t out of my life just yet.

As we walked up the stairs at the front door, the sound of voices and footsteps echoed from the garage staircase. A second later, Chris, Nick, and Nate appear in the living area, their laughter bouncing off the walls.

Chris stopped mid laugh when he saw us standing there, his gaze flicking between Matt and me. “What’s going on?” he asked, his tone curious.

a/n: protective matt unlocked

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#snowy speaks #fire & desire #snowys sturniolo series #snowys series #matt sturniolo #matt sturniolo x reader #matthew sturniolo #sturniolo triplets #chris sturniolo #the sturniolo triplets #nicolas sturniolo #christopher sturniolo #nick sturniolo #enemies to lovers

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tealvenetianmask · 1 day ago

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I don't think you meant to do this, so I'm very sorry, but you just knocked me into Blitz defender mode. I might do a longer post on this later, since it's a tangent and I want to keep it short.

Blitz IS responsible. He adopted a very traumatized teenager and got her on her feet. He cooks and cleans on the regular and keeps himself and Loona fed and comfortable. He runs a (often fairly successful) business where he looks out for the safety of his team every day. He overcomes his society's prejudices against imps in order to do this. We just learned that he DID follow through and get insurance for I.M.P. When he lets things slide and his decisions get bad in Ghostfuckers, everything (especially Moxxie- let's be honest) falls apart.

What traits make him look irresponsible? Well, he's impulsive. He makes bad money decisions at times. And bad relationship decisions other times out of insecurity. He hates paper work (and I think he's probably bad at it). He sometimes falls on his face, especially when getting out of cars. These are . . . real (especially for people with ADHD, trauma, etc..). They do not overshadow the stuff above.

He's the responsible one in a lot of his relationships.

Stolas will be the responsible one at times too. Stolas is USED TO being responsible. He's also going through a lot though and needs WAY MORE SELF-AWARENESS STILL (see above), so he'll need a lot of help from Blitz, especially as he gets settled.

The good news: Blitz is up for the task. He's used to helping and encouraging people who have been through a lot. He knows how to navigate his world. He's not going to panic about this- taking care is what he's good at.

And I think that some of Stolas's qualities (meticulous, well read, compassionate, polite until he's seriously pushed. . . even a bit of the confidence that comes with entitlement . . .) will benefit them as a couple after some adjustment.

Stolas Makes Decisions Alone

I'm here to predict more problems ahead for Stolas. But don't worry- I do think he'll get through them because of character growth.

Stolas has a pattern of taking drastic actions that he believes are right and getting so caught up in his own point of view that he doesn't really listen to anyone else. I don't think he realizes this about himself. As much as he's now dealing with the consequences of his decisions at the end of Season 2, he hasn't yet learned that he can't go it alone. That he needs to communicate with the people his decisions impact- namely Blitz and Octavia, the people he cares for most. What I'm saying is, even though he's not the only one, our lovely owl man is a misunderstanding factory.

As for why he's like this, I have some ideas, but first, let's quickly go over the ways we've seen this behavior play out in HB.

It's treated as kind of light in Season 1 . . . despite being great with words, he's a lousy communicator because he gets carried away with his own ideas.

In Murder Family, Stolas has no idea that Blitz is panicking and . . . yes, I believe feeling pressured in this moment, even if he likes the deal later. In Loo Loo Land, he doesn't pay attention to Octavia's (not subtle) reactions enough to realize that no, she does not want to go to Loo Loo, and she absolutely doesn't want to bring the person Stolas cheated with along as a bodyguard. Also . . . as soon as Stolas listens to Octavia here, their communication improves, and Octavia is allowed to decide on the next father daughter activity.

The independent decision making tendency becomes more serious . . . tragic . . . in The Full Moon.

Stolas goes into the episode with a plan to do what he believes is right (freeing Blitz from himself), and he's so set on it that he blindsides the guy and shuts him out at the first hint of rejection, unable to pay enough attention to realize that it's . . . not actually rejection, just another wounded person reacting to a sudden change, since the entire decision making process already happened inside Stolas's mind.

Okay . . . Mastermind and Sinsmas.

I'm letting him off the hook for Mastermind, because he had only seconds to do something to save Blitz's life. I don't think he's wrong here. BUT symbolically, in the courtroom, Stolas rarely looks at Blitz. Someone who loves him is standing behind him, and there are moments of recognition between them, but Stolas still faces the decision, and his fate, alone.

In Sinsmas, we get the most blatant version of this kind of decision making. Yes, I know he's off his meds and going through a lot. He could have waited a few more minutes for Blitz to get back and talked through his decision to march up to his palace and demand to see his daughter. Blitz could have helped him calm down, and they could've had a conversation and decided on the best way to do it.

But that isn't how Stolas makes decisions. It isn't how he's EVER made decisions. Helping Stolas would put Blitz in danger, or Blitz might try to convince him to wait. So in Stolas's mind, if it's a choice between being kept from his daughter and dying alone by Andrealphus's hand, well . . .

There's so much that could be discussed here. Medication/depression. Suicidality. Autism . . . does this pattern stem in part from difficulty reading social cues?

These are all topics worth analyzing but . . . here's one thing that I think is at the core of Stolas's character regardless of the situation or other factors.

Stolas had all of his decisions made for him for his entire life. No one consulted him. Ever. Not about his career. Not about his marriage. Not about how he would choose to behave and conduct himself in the world.

Then when he was somewhere between 18 and 20, he had a child. And suddenly, his decisions mattered. Not in the big ways for himself. He still had to carry out all of his responsibilities. But he could decide how to raise this kid (Stella wasn't really interested in raising her after all). He could do everything in his power to make her childhood joyful, to make her feel loved, to teach her that she could be herself.

The problem is, making decisions for a kid doesn't make you a great collaborative decision maker. Being a parent means being an authority. He wasn't totalitarian like his own father, but there wasn't really anyone to honestly talk through his decisions and process his emotions with. So he's spent 35ish years never making a decision with someone else.

He's also rich and powerful, and that both keeps him isolated and gives him . . . a somewhat outsized view of his own importance and ability to control situations, in my opinion.

But now Octavia is 17, and making decisions that impact her without adequately communicating doesn't really work anymore.

And the other person he loves is Blitz. And yes, Mastermind is an exception, but Blitz usually doesn't need to be rescued or protected. He certainly doesn't need to be protected from Stolas (i.e. The Full Moon). He needs a partner. And Stolas needs one too.

So yeah, until Stolas learns to communicate (or at least learns that it's necessary) I worry about what he'll go off and do on his own.

Note: please don't take this as me blaming EVERYTHING on Stolas. Blitz and Octavia both have some responsibility for the miscommunications that go on. I just think this particular tendency of Stolas's is interesting and wanted to explore it.

#lol sorry for doing this to you @lonewolf23k #I'm not mad at your response at all #you just made me think thoughts

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wordsofelie · 2 days ago

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🎮Walls

Kenma x gn!reader

Summary: Life is falling into place for you: a spacious apartment, a good job, a healthy routine. That is, until you meet your neighbour—and the man is an asshole.

Content warning: time skip setting, manga spoilers, angst with a happy ending, alcohol consumption, mention of vomit, avoided sexual assault, swearing

Words count: 7.9k

Life feels like it’s falling into place. You have a new apartment in central Tokyo, in a building you used to admire when you were younger—one that made your neck ache from staring up at it. You’ve also started your own company, opening an architect's office that has been rewarding and you’ve made yourself a name in the field.

“What about your love life?” Your grandma asks.

And there it is—perhaps the one area of your life you’ve been neglecting. Well, that and your social life in general. Your work takes all your time. On the weekends you’d rather work or go to the gym or meal prep. Anyway.

“I don’t have time.” You answer casually. You always answer that.

Despite hearing this response hundreds of times, your grandmother still doesn’t seem satisfied. She hands you a box of miso soup and a bag filled with fruits and vegetables.

You chuckle, “thank you obaa-chan.”

“Are you sure you don’t need ojii-san to help you move?”

She points to your grandfather, asleep on the couch. That one couch that looks older than you and that you’ve seen your whole life. You often complain about the several holes and stains on it, but deep down, you know you would cry if they ever decided to get rid of it.

You put on a polite smile, “I think he needs to rest.”

The bag of food is well settled in your bike's front tray and when you start riding, you take a last glance at your grandmother waving from her window. You smile.

It’s only an hour by train, one and a half by bike, from your grandparents’ to your new apartment. Now that you have enough money and don’t have to live in a cramped studio that oddly looks like a garbage room, and with the university loans finally paid off, you chose to stay nearby—to be close to the family who raised you.

Your parents moved abroad when you were in junior high and they gave you a choice, which was probably the only time in your life that they listened to your opinion. And you wanted to stay in Japan, stay close to the two people you loved the most in the world. Your obaa-san and ojii-san, in their eternal kindness, sold their house in the countryside and moved to Tokyo so you didn’t have to change schools. You never told them, you guess because you were too grateful for what they did, but you wished you had left this obnoxious city, you wished you had grown up in their old wooden house instead of that tiny two-room apartment they brought—probably worth a lifetime of their work.

And the funny thing is, no matter how much you dislike the city, you stayed—for university, and now for work. The gods have a strange sense of humour.

You reach your apartment faster than expected. Outside, a few cardboard boxes are waiting for you alongside a team of sturdy men to help you lift them. You want to believe you could handle everything yourself, but after the first three trips between the sixth floor and the moving truck, you are overwhelmed with humility.

And remember, now you have the money to pay for this type of service.

You’ve struggled enough when you were younger—isn’t it finally your time to enjoy life?

The movers are surprised when you hand them generous tips with both hands. They bow a few times in gratitude. You want to tell them that you know what it’s like to have physical and tiring jobs like theirs, your grandfather has been there too—carpenter, brick mason, plumber, gardener, selling fish on markets from early morning.

Once they’re gone, you start to unpack everything. You keep a notebook with you to note down what you need to buy—extra sheets, dishwashing detergent, another glass of wine (if you ever invite someone over, the idea makes you cringe a little because gods know when that will happen, you don’t cross out the word anyway).

The first evening in your new place is… special. It’s quiet, spacious, clean in your living room, everything that you’ve ever dreamed of. You decide to open a bottle of beer and turn on your computer.

You still can’t believe you have a proper room where you can work, an office at home. It’s beyond what you imagined when you graduated from university.

It’s 8 p.m on a Sunday but you think that preparing for the week ahead won’t kill anyone. So, you sit down at your desk and check your emails.

The calm only lasts half an hour.

The first scream rings out, startling you so much that you almost choke on your drink. It takes a few seconds for your heart to return to a normal rhythm.

It is unusual. Absolutely, not like the screams in films. It doesn't sound like a woman’s scream, nor like someone needs help. Still, you ponder whether you should take a look outside or not.

You’re about to finish writing an email when you hear the second scream, followed by thud of a fist hitting a table. This time you’re convinced of two things: first that it comes from the neighbour next door and second, that neighbour is raging over something.

A million scenarios play out in your mind. The worst-case scenario is that someone is being hurt—perhaps a child or a partner. If that’s the case, you can’t stand by and do nothing.

Barely a minute passes before you find yourself standing outside the neighbour’s door.

You don’t know where the courage to stand here comes from because when it’s time to knock on the door, all this courage disappears. What if they are drunk? What if they beat you up in return? What is your company going to become if you go to the hospital? What if you never see your grandparents again?

“D’ya need something?”

A low voice coming from behind you asks and when you turn around, you’re faced with a tall man with dark hair.

“I-”

He smirks as he crossed his arms over his chest and waits for your answer.

“Are you a fan?” He finally questions when the silence stretches for too long.

You blink, confused. “I heard screams,” is all you manage to say.

The man's reaction is anything but predictable.

He bursts into laughter—a loud and weird laugh, that you decide not to comment on.

“Ah, Kenma is probably playing LoL again. I told him to quit. It’s bad for his heart.”

Every word is said too fast, too casually. “Kenma? LoL?”

“You’re the new neighbour?” The stranger ignores your questions. Maybe you’ve whispered them.

“I am.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell him to keep it down,” he says, already turning toward the door.

“Thanks… I guess.”

“I’m Kuroo Testurou by the way.” He calls over his shoulder as he steps inside the apartment. You simply say your name in return before he adds, “have a lovely evening.”

And just like that he's gone and you're left here, confused.

At least the screams have stopped, and you know the name of the person next door. It’s better than nothing and you won't end in a crime documentary about a murderous neighbour.

You go to bed early that night, hoping that this was the last time you would get interrupted working.

It turns out, you get interrupted every evening. The wall separating your office from the neighbour room is paper-thin. It makes you crazy.

Some nights it’s screams of anger, other it’s just uninterrupted chatting. You can ever hear the incessant clicks of keyboard keys.

You want to convince yourself that you can handle the situation, but when you start having dark circles under your eyes, when you pour orange juice instead of milk in your coffee, when you don’t turn to the right street to go to your grandparents house and arrive an hour later to their lunch, your obaa-san starts worrying about your heath (both physical and mental health).

“It’s been two weeks since you’ve moved,” she informs you as if you didn’t know when you started being woken up every hour of every night. “And you’ve been acting weird, my love.”

“My neighbour isn’t the quiet type.” It’s the first time you explain the situation to her. You don't want them to burden them with your problems, but fatigue brings out some honesty in you and the words leave your mouth before you can register them.

Logically, she advises you to go and talk to them. “Be kind and explain calmly that you work from home and need to rest because your job is very demanding,” she says. She can’t help but speak with pride when she mentions your work, and you want to smile. But you don’t because all you can do with your mouth is yawn.

“I’ll go if they don’t stop.” She thinks she looks terrifying with her pink apron and her pointed finger. You get up and kiss her cheek.

“I’ll do it, don’t worry.”

You’ve depended on them your whole life, you won’t bother them again.

It’s strangely silent that evening and with a heart full of naivety, you believe you will finally have a good night of sleep. But before that, you need to work on a very important project, one in collaboration with the city hall, probably the most important of your career so far and that you won against renowned architects’ companies. The first sketch is done, and you can start doing the 3D model now.

That is until you hear the neighbour talk and talk and talk.

Enough.

You don’t even check your reflection in the mirror or bother changing into a decent outfit. You simply grab a jacket, put your shoes, and this time, you dare to knock on the door.

You must have been very insistent or perhaps the knocks were loud enough to drown out whatever music or phone call he was listening to—because after three or four sharp taps, he finally emerges from his cave.

The man is nothing like you imagined. Long hair with remnants of blond colouring, yellow eyes narrowed as if annoyed. He is not small but not as tall as who you assumed was his friend. His attitude reminds you of one of those nerd boys you avoided in high school, though you would bet he is around your age.

“Huh?” Comes out of his throat.

Your hands clench into fists at your sides when he doesn’t even greet you.

“Good evening.” You try not to bark. You need to be the mature one here otherwise he won’t be receptive. You’ve learned that from dealing with arrogant old men in your job. “I am your new neighbour; I live next door. It’s a pleasure to meet you but I was wondering if you could talk a little bit less...loudly.” You remember the points your grandmother has given you and it’s all you can think about (apart from insults and words you might regret), “I am working from home so it can be hard to focus with your chatting.”

His face turns into furrowed brows and a wrinkled nose. You're pretty sure you hear a sigh escaping his nose. He avoids your gaze and when he meets your eyes again, the annoyed stare has disappeared, and he looks blank again. He's unreadable.

“Sorry. I will be careful from now on.”

His words sound as scripted as yours. A knot in your stomach forms and the palms of your hands start to sweat.

Why in the world does this asshole seem annoyed when you’re the one who hasn’t been able to sleep and work for freaking days?

“Is that all?” He dares to ask.

“I hope it will be.” You threaten with pursed lips and your chin lifts a little.

“Fine.” He mutters and closes the door behind you.

Great. Your neighbour is a shithead.

The gods are unfair sometimes. Life is falling into place for you but they seem to have one last obstacle for you: him. Kenma.

A storm of questions keeps you wake that night, the main one being: what is this guy doing with his life?

Doesn’t he have a job? What is he doing of his days since he doesn’t seem to be sleeping at nights? And how can he afford an apartment like yours when he looks like he just graduated from high school?

Maybe he was born rich—unlike you. Maybe his parents are paying for everything and he just spends the days doing nothing and doing LoL?

What’s a LoL, anyway?

You search the term online and discover it’s a stupid video game. That doesn’t surprise you. Kenma seems like exactly the type to waste time playing video games all day.

You don’t want to play it stupid, but you can’t stop thinking about how detached he looked when you complained (nicely and respectfully). A part of you wants to make him pay, just a little. Your grandma would probably disapprove, but that's fair play, isn't it?

And so, during the day you start putting on music. Musical music, it’s the only genre that helps you focus when you work. You make your phone calls while standing right next to the wall separating you from Kenma. You even move your coffee machine into your office. The closer, the better, right?

Your little revenge lasts a week. You don’t want to be cruel—not that it would matter much, since you assume he’s jobless.

At first, he doesn’t seem to react, but the second you turn off the music and return the coffee machine in the kitchen, the sound of gunfire and monstrous roars make your walls tremble.

You invest in earplugs.

You don’t see him much—which is a good thing. Occasionally, you pass by him in the corridors or the lift. Neither of you speaks. A lazy look from him and a quick movement of your head to avoid his gaze are the only interactions you have. He always wears his hair in a half-ponytail and oversized jumpers, from a brand you don't know and has them in every shade of colour. You almost look up “Bouncing Ball Co.” online but decide you don’t care. You don’t care about anything related to this man. Really, anything.

The other neighbours, however, seem to like him. They smile at him, greet him warmly as if he wasn’t a pain in the ass who plays stupid video games at full volume. You conclude they’ve never had to share a wall with his gaming room.

When you complain about it to your grandparents over tea and sweet potato cakes, your grandfather suggests moving back to their house. Your room, after all, hasn’t changed a bit, with your old drawings and posters still hanging on the walls.

“They should fix the problem, coming back here won’t change anything to the situation.” She says while pouring you another cup of green tea, the hot drink feels good and warms you up, if only a little. “I’ll go talk to that Kenma boy.”

Your grandfather only shrugs, he never wins an argument with her.

“Please don’t,” you beg. Your grandmother does that thing she does when she’s lying—she smiles and closes her eyes.

“Whatever you want, darling.”

You try to stop the chaos by yourself. By trying you mean that you leave notes at his front door (some rather fiery when you’re not in the best mood, others more docile when you have been praised for your work by your peers.)

But the letters pile up, eventually covering the straw mat outside his door. One evening, you hear a child on your floor asking their mother why there are so many envelopes by Kenma’s door. The mother replies, “Oh, those must be letters from fans.”

Fans. This word again. Coming from Kuroo you thought it was sarcasm; the guy looks like he often uses sarcasm even though you don’t really know him, but now it really starts to make you wonder: who really is this man?

When your initial plan doesn’t work, you resort to a more direct approach. Every time you hear noise from the other side of the wall, you pound on it with your fist.

If that rude bastard can’t read a polite note (you fucking said “please”!), he’ll surely understand this.

The only thing keeping you sane is that you’re going away for work for a full week. The train ticket, the hotel, the food, everything is paid by your client and when you finally leave Tokyo you feel a wave of relief. The knot in your stomach that you’ve been carrying for days disappears.

You call your grandma to inform her you’re in the train now.

“Have a safe trip and don’t overwork yourself. Your worth is greater than any project.”

You smile softly, “I know. don’t worry.”

She’s about to hang up, but you interrupt by saying, “And please don’t go to Kenma’s in my absence.”

“Kenma this, Kenma that. It’s always his name on your lips these days.”

You’re glad the train starts moving, you blame the surprise of the movement for the slight skip in your heart, “Bye bye, I’ll call you when I arrive.”

The business trip goes well. You manage to make your voice heard and your opinion valuable. You meet a lot of other architects, some congratulate you for your work, other only glower at you. They envy your position. You’re young, you’re not the child of a well-known person and you still success in everything you undertake.

You meet a man of a year or two your senpai; he’s very polite, smiles a lot and seems genuinely interested in your ideas.

The absolute opposite of your neighbour.

By coincidence, he lives in Tokyo too, and you end up on the same train back. The discussion is easy, mostly about architecture, and you enjoy conversing with someone who truly understands the nuances of your job.

He offers to drive you home since his car is parked near the train station and even if you refuse at first, you finally agree. It’s better than calling a taxi, right? You’re still confused at the fact that you’re the person who sits in a taxi rather than watching them from afar.

You don’t see it coming, the approaches, the undertones. He suggests stopping at a bar, but you decline, you tell him you’re tired, and the more he talks, the more it’s obvious he didn’t offer that ride out of sympathy.

Your throat feels tight, and you start cursing yourself for trusting a complete stranger just because he does the job as you. How stupid.

You finally catch a sight of your apartment complex and even though you liked the hotel room and the calm of it, you’re suddenly desperate for the four walls of your place—no matter how noisy they can be.

“You can stop here,” you tell, perhaps a bit too loudly. You try to make the shakings in your voice away. “Thank you.”

He does as you tell, you’re about to open the door when a cold hand lands on your thigh. A shiver runs through you, and your legs seem paralysed.

“Don’t you want to stay a little longer.”

You can't meet his eyes. “I appreciate the invitation,” you absolutely don’t. “But I really have to go home.”

“Your boyfriend is waiting or something?”

You open your mouth to lie, but the tension in your neck and throat is too strong. In a sudden move, you open the door and babble a “thank you.”

The engine stops and you know he is looming closer to you.

“Wait,” you want to go faster but he whirls you around by taking your arm. “C’mon, don’t be shy. You were all talk on the train, let’s continue the conversation somewhere else. Or maybe you want to invite me over?”

The snicker that tugs at the corner of his lips makes you want to vomit. Just like with your neighbour, you’re done being compliant and if being polite doesn’t work then you might use violence.

“Ah, you’re home.”

You both turn to the voice. The lazy and unbothered voice. Kenma’s voice.

“I brought to make curry, is it fine for you?” He lifts a plastic bag while saying this.

His eyes flick to the man for just a second—brief, almost out of time—but the intensity in his gaze is enough to make him pause, and then, instinctively, take a step back.

“Let’s go,” Kenma tells you simply and you follow him.

He walks behind you, from the moment you step into the lift to when you finally reach your front door. Somehow, you feel safe.

Apologise, thank him. Your mind orders. But your hands can’t stop shaking and your throat is still dry.

“If you need something…” he starts but stops, his gaze shifts awkwardly to the side, as if seeking the right words. “Just knock. On the door or the wall. You seem good at that anyway.”

You’re left speechless when he closes the door.

It takes you a whole minute to find your keys and get inside.

It’s cold. Silent. Dark.

It’s strange how you suddenly feel lonely.

You’ve always dreamed of living in a spacious place like this; but the white walls, the too-cleaned surfaces, the too-tidy shelves are oppressive.

“Ah, you’re home.” Kenma said.

But are you really?

These four walls and you; they’re not warm, not lively.

You curl up in your genkan, your shoes still on, the light still off and you start crying.

You haven’t in months, or maybe in years.

Did you even cry when your parents left? When you’ve been mocked for wearing soiled shoes in school? When your so-called friends called you boring?

You find the strength to shower and crawl into bed. Kenma lets you sleep that night. You close your eyes wondering if he is thinking about you for you are thinking about him.

Kenma is away for the next week, and you wonder what he is doing. You don’t complain about the peace his absence gives you, but you also want to say thank you.

Thank you for two things; of course, for helping you with the man but also for leaving a bento of curry at your doorstep.

I made too much–Kozume

It is written.

Now you know both his name and family name.

Somehow, the thought makes you smile.

The curry isn’t really good–it’s too salty and the potatoes are too hard. It’s nothing like your obaa-san’s food. Still, you think it deserves an apology for being an asshole with him, not matter how fair you thought it was.

The clean plastic box is waiting for him in your kitchen, wrapped in a pretty furoshiki and when you hear keys and footsteps coming from outside a few days later, you rush out.

“Kenma-san,” you call for him.

“Hello there,” Kuroo answers in its place.

You only notice the tall guy at his side when he speaks.

“Good morning Kuroo-san,” you bow.

“Heh?” Kenma raises an eyebrow.

“What? You’re surprised because I’m friends with your annoying neighbour.”

“Annoying?” You mumble and a “oops” escapes the dark-haired man.

“His words, not mine.” Kuroo clarifies, pointing a thumb at Kenma, who only sighs in response.

You clear your throat and hand Kenma the box, “thank you for the food. It was...convenient.”

Before you can finish the acknowledgement, Kuroo starts laughing, “convenient. Kenma, man, for gods’ sake, stop cooking.”

Your neighbour takes the box from you and clicks his tongue.

You don’t linger on the goosebumps his fingers leave on your skin.

“My manager said I should eat healthy food.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve been telling you that for years, but you never listen to me. Anyway, we’re going out tonight, wanna come?”

You don’t realise he’s talking to you but the silence stretches for too long and his tilted head suggests he is waiting for an answer,

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Kuro…” Kenma mumbles and his shoulders slump.

You can't tell if he’s embarrassed or annoyed. He’s so hard to read, it almost upset you.

“Kenma won’t be there,” Kuroo informs as if he isn't standing next to him. “It’s gonna be fun. Apparently, you work a lot, it could be good for you, you know. It’s not just me, by the way, some old friends will come.”

“Okay.”

Kenma widens his eyes and Kuroo smirks. Both seem surprised, though you’re probably the most surprised here.

“Okay.” You repeat, maybe to convince them—or yourself.

“Great, I’ll see you at seven then.”

He grabs Kenma by the shoulder and leads him inside.

Your eyes meet yellow eyes one last time, and your heart skips a beat—or a thousand. Either way, it feels good.

It’s hard to focus on work that day. You keep thinking about what you’re gonna wear, what you’re gonna talk about. What if you make a fool of yourself? What if you’re boring?

Your forehead hits your desk, and a long sigh escapes your lips.

You get ready when it’s time, going for something comfortable and simple, and when seven rings, you find Kuroo standing in front of your door.

“There you are, shall we go?” He offers and though your eyes scan around you, you find no trace of Kenma.

Kuroo said it; your neighbour won’t come.

You knew that, and in lieu of relief, you’re disappointed. You ignore the reason behind it—it doesn’t make sense, but you feel it anyway.

“Sure, let’s go.” You say with a last glance at Kenma’s door, hoping it will open. When it doesn’t, you decide to follow Kuroo.

Kuroo’s friends are fun to be with. There’s Yamamoto, a bit too loud for your taste but nice, then there’s Kai, who’s interesting and makes you comfortable and finally Fukunaga, who is quiet and—something else. The four of them went to the same high school, one from the opposite district where you grew up. They tell you there are usually more of them but one of them is in Russia, another is doing a campaign abroad. Kuroo mentions the other ones, but you don’t remember all the names.

“We’ve got some pretty famous guys in the team,” Kuroo says with pride.

“Kenma the richest though,” Yamamoto complains, and you raise an eyebrow. So, he does come from a wealthy family, you conclude.

Two more join the group, Bokuto and Akaashi, and you can’t help but relate a bit to the latter, with his serious attitude and reserved nature, especially when Kuroo jokes that you’re both workaholics. You don’t deny the assumption.

The evening goes pretty well, faster than expected. You’re not too awkward and find yourself laughing at Fukunaga’s lines to Yamamoto and discuss literature with Akaashi.

You drink a little too much compared to what you’re used to and it’s almost 2 a.m when Kuroo offers to drive you home. The room is blurring, and you can’t refuse.

You sleep the whole way home, vaguely aware of the man helping you into the lift, and only realise you're almost in your flat when you catch the sound of Kenma's voice.

“I’ll take care of them,” you hear him say.

The next second you're pressed against him. His skin his colder than Kuroo’s but his scent is a mix between hazelnut and white musk. Your nose is drawn to his neck.

You don’t know how he manages to take your keys and remove your shoes, but when you open your eyes again, you’re on the couch and he is standing in your kitchen, pouring water into a glass.

“You’re being nice… again…” The last part is above a whisper.

He takes his time to answer, he always does that. “I’m not a brute.”

“I thought you were.”

“Sorry.” He apologises and despite the alcohol making your mind dizzy, your eyes widen and you sit up straight.

“I should be the one apologising.” You reply.

“Don’t be so loud.” He groans and hands you the glass.

“Oh, wanna talk about loud? Weren’t you the loud one when you played shooting games and LoL?”

“I don’t play LoL anymore,” he avoids your gaze.

“I couldn’t sleep for weeks. I tried asking nicely, but you wouldn’t listen or even look at me.” You let out an annoyed grunt, “just like now. You’re not looking at me right now.”

Your body moves on instinct, and inch forward, your nose almost touches his. His ears turn red, but you don’t flinch back. “Do I disgust you or something?”

When he finally turns, when his breath brushes your face, and the pupil of his yellow eyes dilate, you feel every single one of your muscles stiffen. You break the eye contact when your cheeks are burning up.

“You don’t disgust me,” he says but you've already forgotten the initial question.

“Thanks for helping me last time.”

He says nothing back and gets up.

“Drink water and go to bed.”

What happens next must have been a nightmare (you wish it was). But he’s one foot outside your apartment when your stomach twists violently, and you barely make it to the sink before letting your guts out.

It’s the first thing you remember when you get up the next day, Kenma helping you walk to the bathroom, helping you brush your teeth, putting you to bed.

You vomited. In front of your asshole neighbour. He helped you, cooked you food, showed you his kind side, and you vomited.

You’re nothing but shameful.

You want to hide in your bed and never get out of it. Maybe you should move out, sell your apartment and go abroad.

That would make your grandparents sad, though.

You sigh loudly, your head hurts but you still go to your kitchen to make yourself a coffee.

Being in this place reminds you of the night before and if you don’t want to drive yourself crazy pacing the floor, you decide to take your bike to go to your safe place.

Obaa-san notices it right away; the dark circles under your eyes, your bad mood, your incessant fawning—everything gives away your lack of sleep.

“Is your neighbour annoying again?”

Your heart races faster at the mention of Kenma, “what? No, no. It’s over, we found a… solution.” You lie through your teeth.

“What’s wrong? You’re not even eating your food.” She wants to serve you more soup, but you stop her.

You sigh, again, but tell her everything. When you’re done with the story, you see her brows furrow deeper and deeper.

“We didn’t raise you to vomit on people’s feet.”

Your stomach twists, “please don’t talk about vom—I’m embarrassed enough.”

“As you should be. Isao, let’s go.”

She calls for your grandfather and starts packing a bag of fruits.

“What are you doing?”

“We are going to apologise.”

You curse yourself and every single decision that led you to this exact situation. You’d rather quit your job than face Kenma and be forced to write excuses in front of your family.

It’s cruel, cruel, cruel.

You follow them anyway.

“Huh?”

“Kenma-kun,” your grandmother says. “We are sorry to interrupt but we came as soon as we found out what they did to you.”

You look down at the floor, not caring if you seem like a child instead of a twenty-something-year-old. You just want this to be over—soon, soon. But then, Kenma chuckles, and your head lifts.

“It’s fine,” he says. His laugh is soft, so nice to your ears. You’ve never heard him laugh before, but now, you don’t want to hear anything else.

“Please enter,” he offers the three of you, and you finally step inside his apartment.

The curtains are closed but lights cover the walls. Purple, red, blue. The couch is huge, and the kitchen looks too clean to be used. It makes sense when you see boxes of takeout and instant ramen on the counter. At the back, you see the door to his gaming room—the one next to your office—open. You can’t count how many screens there are, and cables are scattered across the floor.

Why does it feel so warm inside? Why do you feel safe here?

“I brought fruits, it’s nothing, but please accept it.”

You end up staying there for about an hour, talking about everything and nothing at all. You learn he played volleyball back in high school, and that he is two years younger than you. Your grandmother is peeling fruits, your grandfather is drinking the lemonade Kenma offered and he explains that he owns a sports company.

“What a smart boy,” your grandmother exclaims.

You don’t really know what “sports company” means. It could be a million things, and it’s certainly more complex than that. He probably simplified it for your grandparents’ sake.

“Our grandchild is also very smart. They have an architecture office and are the youngest-ever architect to work with Tokyo City Hall. Do you know the new hospital they’re building in the suburbs? They designed the plans and-”

“Alright, it’s almost time for dinner.”

You get up suddenly.

The sun starts to get down, and you only take notice of the time by watching the hour on your phone.

The corner of Kenma’s lips lifts a little and you immediately turn to your grandfather for his smile is too sweet for your heart to handle.

“He is a kind man,” your grandmother whispers to you when they’re about to leave.

“I know, I know.” You groan.

She pinches Kenma’s cheeks, “call us if you need anything.”

You would’ve guessed he’d hate physical contact, but he doesn’t complain. His features are soft as she says goodbye.

“Good luck with them, they seem tough, but they can be very sweet!”

“Oi!” You shout but they close the door behind them, chuckling.

You don’t want to face Kenma, don’t want to show him the embarrassment on your face.

“So… dinner?”

“What?” you turn a little in his direction.

“You said it’s time for dinner. Do you want to order something?”

The question makes you happy even if it leaves you puzzled for a few seconds. It seems like Kenma Kozume is full of surprises. And maybe that’s what you need, so you shrug.

“Why not.”

When he takes his phone from his pocket and starts ordering food, you smile widely and bite your lips.

A dinner leads to another, and another, until it becomes a routine. You come to his place, usually on Mondays because it’s his only free night. He shows you some of his games, you never beat him, and he laughs when you blame it on the controller.

You’re impressed by his skills and think that maybe he should become a professional.

You pretend to be upset when you lose, but deep down, you just want to hear him laugh.

Sometimes you cook something together, though you’re the one in control of the quantity of salt and the temperature of the oven.

And he listens to you ramble or complain about your work.

When he’s out of town, which happens more often that you thought, you start to go out more. You decide that it’s time to put more colour in your apartment, so you buy cacti, and carpets and frames. You long to draw again, like you used to, so you bring back your old pencils and sketchbooks from your grandparents’ house. You missed the smell of that cheap paper and ceder. Sometimes, you have a drink with Kuroo after work (alcohol-free; you won’t repeat the same mistake twice) and a coffee with Akaashi on the weekends. It's often quiet with him; he reads a book and you draw him reading.

When Kenma comes home from his trips, you welcome him with drawings of beautiful places you saw while he was away and good homemade food.

“Better than what I ate at the hotel,” he says, and you can’t help but smile.

You don’t really know where this friendship is going, maybe it isn’t meant to go anywhere, but it’s comfortable and deeper than any relationship you've had in years.

You had no idea what you needed before, but since he showed up in your life, it all became clear.

You still know little about him; he remains a mystery to you, and you can never decipher what he's thinking. But you enjoy being with him—that is.

There are some glances exchanged that last a bit too long, hands brushing against each other, words left hanging in the air as if they’re too fragile to be spoken aloud. It’s not enough to call it something more, but it’s also too much to ignore. Sometimes, it keeps you awake at night.

It's Christmas and you hate this time of year. It's cold outside, crowded in the streets and on top of that, it's the time when your parents return to Japan. Apparently it's important for them to spend time with the family, which you find hilarious, given that they've never been here for any of your birthdays.

You complain and groan about it to your grandmother; she’s used to it. It’s the same song every Christmas. She always stays quiet, and when she does, you know she agrees with you.

It would have been more fun to be with Kenma, you can’t help but think when you’re sitting at the table, half-listening to your father talking about his new project in Singapore. Instead of being here, you could be eating KFC on Kenma’s couch, playing Mario Kart (you’re almost as good as him now) until the sun rises.

Your brother is watching YouTube on his phone (isn’t 12 years old a bit too young to have a phone? Why did you have to wait until you were sixteen and get a part-time job to buy one that lasted until uni?).

You don’t realise you’re glowering over him before your mother calls for him, “Kengo. Turn off that video, please, we’re eating.”

“But it’s Kodzuken’s last live of the year, and he’s breaking his record.”

You roll your eyes and get up to help your grandmother in the kitchen.

“Who’s that Kodzuken?” You hear your grandfather asks from afar.

“He’s the best YouTuber and streamer. You know he has over 10 million subscribers on YouTube, and he sponsors volleyball players too. He’s like the best.”

“Let me see that fabulous man,” Isao chuckles. “But that’s Kenma-kun.”

The plate you’re holding almost drops to the floor.

“Yes. His real name is Kenma Kozume.”

You feel the gaze of your grandmother on you, and she’s about to say something, but your voice chimes in, and you take the phone from your brother’s hands.

“What the fuck…” You curse.

“What’s wrong?” Someone asks; you don’t even know who. You’re too stunned to answer.

“I-I’ll go wash my hands.” You excuse yourself and go to the bathroom.

You sit on the edge of the bathtub and tap his name into the internet.

There are articles about him, a YouTube and Twitch channel, and your brother was right, with million and millions of views; he even has a Wikipedia page.

Why didn’t you know that? Why did you assume he was a rich kid too lazy to work.

You don’t know why but you’re feeling betrayed. It feels like you’ve been lied to—which technically isn’t the case, but it feels the same.

Everything makes sense now: the fans, Yamamoto’s comment about him being rich, the mention of his manager and above everything the sleepless nights spent on his games talking, chatting, screaming. He was just working.

You feel extremely stupid for not connecting the dots before, but you also wish he had told you. Not that it would have changed anything in your friendship, but at least you wouldn’t feel like you’ve spent the last few weeks sharing most of your time with a stranger.

The anger you experienced when your first met him is quick to come back, even if it’s not for the same reason now. It’s not because he is too loud, but because he is too quiet.

Maybe he doesn’t trust you. Maybe you don’t matter to him as much as he does to you. Maybe he’s not the stranger, but you are, and he just pitied you.

It’s a good thing your grandmother opens the door to come and get you, otherwise, you could have spent the whole evening making up scenarios and speculating on why Kenma never told you what he was really doing in his life.

You act like nothing happened when you sit back down at the table. Your brother has turned off his phone, and your grandfather keeps glancing at you. You stay silent until your parents leave.

"Don’t be mad at him,” your grandmother says when it’s time for you to head home.

You don’t promise you won’t be.

You do go home, but instead of your door, you stand in front of his. He’s probably still doing his live, but you knock on the door anyway.

When he opens, you can see the red in his eyes, probably from staring at the screen too long.

“What’s that?” You show him your phone.

“My… YouTube channel.”

He’s so unbothered, so unimpressed, it makes you want to cup his face with your hands and scream at him.

“I didn’t know.”

He raises an eyebrow.

“I didn’t know you were doing this. You said you had a sports company.”

“I have a sports company. Why are you so upset?”

Kenma never asks questions, he usually just answers them and then listens to you talking, asking more questions. It leaves you confused.

“I know nothing about you.”

You feel your eyes getting wet and your throat tightens. Why are you so emotional when it comes to him? You hate how weak it makes you.

“What do you want to know?”

Everything. Everything, is the answer.

Your favourite colour. Your favourite food. What makes you laugh (apart from seeing me lose at Mario Kart). What films do you like? When did you start being friends with Kuroo? What's your happiest memory? Your saddest one?

“What do you think about me?”

Among the infinite questions rushing through your mind, this is the one you chose. Perhaps it’s the one you’ve wanted to know the most, the one that’s been eating you alive for weeks.

“I-” He begins but stops immediately.

“Of course,” you turn around. Two steps, is all it takes to reach your door, but Kenma stops you.

When you face him again, you feel your blood rushing through your whole body, warming you up.

He’s avoiding your gaze, but his hand clings to yours and his face his red, from his chin to his ears.

“You’re interesting and it’s nice to talk with you… Your food is good. You’re passionate about your work and it makes me want to be more invested in what I do. You’re funny when you’re upset and you’re a terrible, terrible player.”

His grip loosens a little, and he straightens up.

“I think you’re great, a good person. Someone I like spending time with, someone I think of when I go to bed, and someone I miss when I’m away. I didn’t tell you about my job. Maybe because I assumed everybody knew me, well, at least everyone who uses social media. Maybe also because… you’re way cooler than me, and what I’ve done with my life is nowhere near what you’ve accomplished.”

You’re shocked, to say the least. It’s the longest you’ve ever heard him talk—he who never uses extra words, who makes minimal effort in everything he does—just bared his soul to you. He must be exhausted at this point.

You gulp loudly, and the only thing your mind can picture is you kissing him. So you do. One step toward him, a hand against his cheek, and your lips on his.

You fear he might push you, run away, and slam the door in your face. But instead, he kisses you deeper and his hands find your hair and the back of your shoulders and your waist.

You don’t know how long it lasts—one minute, forever. Your brain doesn’t seem to work properly, only your heart responds, and it screams his name.

Kenma Kozume.

One of you breaks the contact only to rest your foreheads together.

It’s awkward, but it feels right.

Someone passes by, one of your neighbours, and you both step back.

They greet you with a wide smile, excusing themselves for interrupting.

You clear your throat, “I-I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sure.” He says, not meeting your eyes.

That night when you go to bed, even though the sheets are cold against your skin, you think the walls feel warm.

“And so, if you want to marry someone, you just need to be annoying and insult them for being an asshole.” Kuroo explains matter-of-factly to Bokuto.

“I never said Kozume was an asshole.” You justify.

You hear Kozume sigh.

“Well… at least not directly to him. But I thought it really hard. Maybe I wrote it in the letters I left at his door-”

“Love… they got it I think.”

“Right, sorry…”

“Arrrrgh, I’m so jealous… I want to have a relationship like you guys.” Bokuto scratches the back of his neck and groans loudly.

“Bokuto-san, if you love someone just tell them.”

“But Akaaashi, I’m not a poet like you. I can’t just write love letters and stuff.”

“C’mon, bro,” Kuroo interrupts. “Isn’t it great to be single? You don’t have to worry about making the other mad or sad or-"

“Kuro says this because he doesn’t want to be the only single guy here.”

“Oi! Kenma, if I hadn’t helped you conquer their heart, you wouldn’t have been able to get someone like them.”

“You helped him?” You rest your chin in the palm of your hand and look at Kuroo.

“He never told you? The night when you were completely wasted, two years ago, I was the one who suggested he take care of you. And the day when-”

“Okay, time to go. Your grandparents are waiting for us.” Kenma gets up and you can see Kuroo smirk from the corner of your eyes.

You’re about to tell him to wait, you want to know more about his friend’s story. But Kenma takes your hand and leads you outside, not caring about Kuroo’s comments about him being a coward and Bokuto’s complaints about nobody caring about his love life problems.

Once you step outside, you call for him.

“Huh?” He speaks. He never says more than that.

“I love you.”

He kisses the top of your nose and whispers, “I love you too.”

a/n: the story comes from a dream i had, i woke up and knew i had to write it haha. hope you enjoyed it

elie

129 notes · View notes

dilf-din · 2 days ago

Text

I Don’t Wanna Get Used to Not Having You Around

Frank Castle X f!reader for @xxdrixx

A gift for you my sweet friend!! Please enjoy a little fake dating Frank fic I cooked up!! Title is from In the Heights by Knox Hamilton

WC: 4100

Warnings: none, fake dating, slight sugar daddy vibes if you squint, no beta if you see a typo no you didn’t

Frank slipped into his usual haunt, black hood up and boot speckled with rain. Incessant drizzles like this one meant a thinner crowd than usual. Of course, he did a quick scan of the room from the wide window before he entered. A group of college aged guys gathered around the pool table, three middle aged men at the far end of the bar watching the giants play, and a girl at the opposite end hunched over a drink he couldn’t make out. Once he deduced there were no threats, he entered quietly, stamping his feet on the crooked mat to rid himself of any larger raindrops and pushing it straight with the toe of his boot before taking a seat on one of the barstools with frayed seams and stuffing spilling out.

Two stars on yelp meant cheap drinks and sparse evenings. Perfect for someone like him.

He flagged down the bartender for a beer and shrugged his hood down. A bruise on his cheek was fading to a sickly green, but he was otherwise free of wounds which was a rarity.

Frank fished a book from his inner jacket pocket and noticed the girl two seats down from him more clearly now. Watery eyes, a pile of disintegrating tissues in her pockets that she had been using to dry the stream of tears. Chipped nail polish that had clearly been picked at and a phone that she incessantly checked for a message that didn’t seem to be coming.

For some reason, he was overcome with pity for this stranger.

He cleared his throat, “If the drink’s that bad, I can buy ya another one.”

You tensed slightly at his voice and looked to see who he was talking to before realizing it was you.

“Oh,” you laughed, a small one but a real one. “No, this is the only thing that’s helping.”

Frank nodded and cracked his book open, unable to parse if he should further the conversation.

He closed his book just as quickly as he had opened it, “Shitty guy?”

“The shittiest,” you instantly responded, turning slightly on the stool to face him.

The bartender set Frank’s beer down and he gave a quiet, “Thank you,” accompanied by a nod.

“My ex is engaged, to a girl I hate,” you drew out the H sound incredulously. “We went to the same college and she was always weirdly competitive with me, going for the same opportunities, stealing my ideas and trying to outdo me. We even applied for the same job at the end, and she got it instead of me. And he fed me some bullshit about us being incompatible. I feel like I got traded in for the better model,” your voice wavered. You picked up your drink and drained the second half in one gulp.

“That’s,” Frank paused, “Profoundly shitty.”

“They invited me to their engagement party,” you scoffed, pushing your phone away from you.

“Yikes,” Frank scratched the back of his head.

“And I’m still at the same shitty job living in the same shitty apartment. No date. Nothing nice to wear, no way to pretend like I’m a fraction as okay as them,” you signaled to the bartender for a refill.

“You might want it straight from the bottle,” Frank whispered, making a slight gesture towards their kitchen and wordlessly grimacing.

“Gross,” you wrinkled your nose, “Thanks for the tip.”

“When’s the party?”

“Tomorrow,” you groaned and laid your head on the cool tile of the bar before quickly retracting from the sticky residue you were met with.

“How did I never notice how bad this place is?” you laughed.

“It’s easy to ignore when you’re trying to forget everything else.”

“Who are you trying to forget?” you asked softly, resting your chin against your hands and really taking him in for the first time.

A strong jaw and nose, broad shoulders, neat hair and square posture. You would’ve guessed ex-military even before you eyed the dog tags around his neck with what looked to be a wedding ring.

“I’m sorry. That was out of line”, you apologized quickly.

He shrugged it off, “Nah, you’re just making conversation with the jackass who hit you up at the bar. I’m the one who didn’t mind my business.”

“Well I don’t think you’re a jackass.”

“You’d be in the minority then,” he scoffed a laugh and took a swig of his beer.

A short silence hung in the air between you. The clack of pool balls, loud complaints from the men watching football, the roar of the heater in the corner. Your head swam a little under the low lights as you stared at the man beside you. Feeling bold, you slid over to another stool until only one sat between you.

“I’m Frank,” he smiled.

Fuck. He was tanked.

While the two of you made further conversation, Frank took in everything about you. The shine of your eyes, the lilt of your laugh, the way your hair fell across your face and how badly he wanted to brush it behind your ear so it no longer obscured his view of you.

For hours the two of you chatted and drank. At some point, Frank scooted to the stool next to yours until your shoulders were flush against each other.

He leaned in to whisper to you, observations and wisecracks about the other bar patrons. You could feel the stubble on his cheek against your earlobe and his breath falling on your cheek, clouding your senses and making you forget that you had chosen that bar to be alone and cry tonight.

“I have a stupid idea,” he said, angling his body towards yours and you missed the contact of his shoulder.

“I love stupid ideas,” you grinned.

“Let me take you to that party tomorrow. I’ll pretend to be your boyfriend. We can show them what they’re missing.”

“That’s ridiculous,” you laughed, then paused to contemplate.

Frank knew this was a bad idea. That if you said yes, he’d be in too deep. He was already under your spell and you weren’t even trying to be anything but an unguarded, unfiltered version of yourself.

“You don’t have to do that. Keeping me company tonight means I’m already in your debt. I don’t like when the score is that uneven.”

“On the contrary, you kept a lonely guy like me company tonight, so I actually owe you.”

You laughed and looked down, really starting to consider his offer.

“You would do that?”

“If there’s anything I love, it’s giving people hell. Having a beautiful girl on my arm is just a bonus.”

“Yeah. Okay,” you nodded.

The two of you exchanged contact info, when and where he should pick you up, and parted ways, but not before he insisted on walking you home. You could tell he wasn’t a creep, and that his insistence came from a place of concern and protection. You looked at the ring hanging from his neck, and allowed him to accompany you. Something told you he was carrying some regret about not being able to protect someone once. Plus he had already punched your address into the contact in his phone, so it’s not like seeing it in person put you at any greater risk. If anything, you did feel safe walking next to him. You noticed the way his eyes scanned every alley and intersection. Though you weren’t holding hands, you felt the urge to cling to him as he guided you through the rainy night.

“This is me,” you announced at the foot of a staircase leading to a well lit brick building. “I’m that one right there,” you pointed to the corner window on the third floor.

“I’ll uh, see you tomorrow,” he shifted on his heels and shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

“Good night, Frank,” you smiled, casting one last look over your shoulder at the mysterious man before unlocking the door to let yourself in.

Frank lingered on the sidewalk, counting the seconds until he saw the light in your window flip on. He disappeared before you could check the pavement to see him still standing there.

———

You woke the morning to splitting headache and two texts from Frank.

“Good morning. Drink some water before you do anything.”

“Heard you mention you didn’t have anything to wear. Get yourself something nice.”

Attached to the second message was an apple payment for $300.

You responded immediately.

“Frank this is ridiculous. I can’t take this money from you.”

Three dots as he immediately started typing his response.

“Consider it a thank you. Been a long time since I had a night as nice as last night.”

“Well thank you back.”

“See you at 7”

You dropped your phone to your chest and stared at the ceiling. What have you gotten yourself into.

A gurgling growl from your stomach coaxed you out of bed to assemble any kind of breakfast to sop up this hangover, accompanied by a tall glass of water, doctor’s orders.

After breakfast, you showered to get the smell of last night out of your hair. When you gathered your laundry to toss in the washing machine, you caught of whiff of Frank’s cologne on your hoodie, and fished it out. For some reason, you wanted to save that little memory, and laid it across the foot of your bed while you dressed to get ready for your shopping excursion.

It was windy this week, and your eyes stung as you stepped into the brisk air. You drew your scarf a little higher up and trekked into town. There was a department store not too far from where you lived, so you decided to try there and hope for the best.

The store was almost empty, save for a few ladies holding up sweaters to their bodies to check the length of the sleeves before placing them back on the rack.

Nothing stood out to you until you found a black velvet mini dress. It had a high neck and long sleeves, and the fabric slightly sparkled in the right light. On the way to the dressing room, you spotted a pair of knee high boots cut from the same fabric. There was one pair left in your size that you grabbed to try on as well.

It fit like a glove. The expanse of your thigh that peeked out between the boots and the bottom of the dress made you look elongated and sexy.

“Not too bad,” you murmured, doing a spin to admire your figure from every angle. With a few accessories and your hair pulled back into a bun, this would do quite nicely.

On your way to the register, you stopped to pick a pair of dangly gold earrings.

There was still a good bit of daylight left before Frank was supposed to pick you up, and you found yourself feeling antsy.

“Found a dress. Want to see?”

“I’ll wait till tonight. Bet you look beautiful.”

Another wave of butterflies.

“Are you doing anything?”

“Negative.”

“Early dinner?”

“Sure thing. I’ll be there at 5.”

Though it was still early afternoon, at least you shaved a few hours off until you could see him again. You found yourself strangely looking forward to the whole evening.

Popping in your headphones, you decided to clean your apartment. You danced from room to room mopping the floors and dusting the corners. You switched your laundry to the dryer and decided to toss in your sheets while you had the momentum.

At the end of your cleaning stint, it was nearing 3:30, and you decided you could start getting ready.

You brushed your teeth, applied simple makeup, and plucked a few stray hairs while an audiobook droned on in the background. Pulling on the dress once again, you were in love with the way it hugged your body, feeling a confidence you had been missing. A small jewelry box sat on your cluttered vanity holding not much besides a few pieces your mother had given you.

Carefully, you fished out the tennis bracelet and matching necklace that would perfectly complement the earrings you had picked up today. The last thing to do was pull your hair into a loose bun at the base of your neck. You pulled a few strands out to frame your face, and heard the buzzer to your apartment.

“You’re early,” you teased.

“Need me to walk around the block and come back?”

Without answering, you buzzed him in.

Suddenly, the butterflies were back. You did a once over in the mirror and sprayed on your perfume right when you heard a gentle knock at your door.

Without looking through the peephole, you unlatched the door to let Frank inside.

He smiled and presented a bouquet of flowers to you.

“Well hello,” you tried to conceal the heat that was rising to your face.

“My ma told me to always bring a lady flowers,” he shrugged as if it wasn’t an incredibly sweet gesture for two near strangers.

“And mine taught me to send thank you notes, so expect one this week,” you smiled turning to get them in a vase before the two of you left for the evening.

Angel, your small white cat mewled pitifully at Frank who bent down to scratch behind her ears.

You filled a vase with water and set the bouquet into it, carefully rearranging a few stems. It was a beautiful palette of whites and oranges.

“Do you still need a minute?”

“I just need my boots and coat,” you replied, rounding the corner out of the kitchen and skidding by him in mismatched ankle socks that he found incredibly endearing.

You sat on the edge of the overstuffed ottoman by the chair at the door and pulled the boots up your long legs, zipping them and brushing a bit of lint off of them. Frank looked away, turning to pretend to admire your wall art instead.

“What do you think?” You asked nervously fidgeting with the hem.

“I think you look like a million bucks,” he said quietly. He held his hand out for you to grab and do a little spin.

“Try three hundred,” you winked and he cracked a nervous laugh. Moving his hand up to run it over his chin and try to conceal his smitten smile.

“I think you look good enough to make that doofus see he’s missing out.”

“You clean up nice yourself,” you pulled your long black coat out of the closet and Frank wordlessly held it open for you to slip your arms into.

Frank was also in all black, sporting a button down and tie with jeans with some chelsea boots that looked new, or like something he only pulled out for special occasions. On top of it all he had a leather jacket that fit him like a glove.

“We’re so in sync we matched. We already have that couple telepathy,” you joked, grabbing your bag and dropping your phone in next to your keys. “Bye, Angel,” you cooed to your cat, leaning down to offer your nose that she gently pressed her own into.

Christ that was cute.

“I got us a table at a place close to the party,” he explained on the way down to his truck.

“You’re quite the planner,” you said sounding impressed.

“Something like that that,” he mumbled, closing your door behind you and making his way to the driver’s seat.

Though old, he kept his truck in perfect condition. There was an air freshener shaped like a tree hanging from the mirror, the windshield was spotless, and the floor mats even looked recently vacuumed. The radio played classic rock low through the speakers as you made light conversation on the way to the restaurant. You kept reminding yourself this wasn’t a real date. This was all just part of the act. You might not even see him after tonight, so why were you so nervous?

Frank turned on the charm over dinner, bantering with the waitstaff and ordering expensive wine for you to share. You started to wonder where he got this seemingly never ending supply of money and why he was spending it on you of all people. He was polite, paid cash, left generous tips. The thought of him being in the mob crossed your mind.

Frank checked the watch on his wrist, “It’s almost showtime. You need another minute?”

You finished off the glass of wine in front of you and exhaled, “Let’s just get this over with.”

Frank helped you into your jacket once more and offered you a firm hand to hold as you stepped over the threshold of the restaurant. His manners also never seemed to be in short supply. You bet to everyone else, you looked like a normal couple on a normal night out, not two strangers on a mission to scorn your ex. It was fun to pretend that this was for real.

You were quiet on the drive to the party, absentmindedly picking at what remained of your nail polish and wishing you had thought to repaint your nails.

Frank could sense your nerves.

“Just say the word and we can go.”

You looked over to meet his intense gaze.

“I can tell this is tearin’ ya up. So if you want to forget this whole thing, we can leave now. I’m sorry I even suggested it.”

“No, no I think this will be good for me. I need to face them. Thank you though,” you smiled sincerely.

Frank parked a few blocks down. He pulled the key from the ignition and exhaled.

“Ready when you are.”

“Let’s get it over with,” you sighed, reaching down for your purse.

Frank rushed out to open your door before you could even think about touching it.

“My lady,” he smiled charmingly as he offered you an arm down.

“Frankie, you’re too good to me,” you leaned against his arm, and he felt his throat tighten at your closeness.

“Their names are Beck and Dawn,” you whispered as you made your way to their stairs.

“Which is which?” He asked in earnest.

You tried to conceal a snicker as you let yourself in.

The halls were crowded with a number of faces you didn’t recognize and a few you did. Old classmates and colleagues, friends of Beck’s.

Less than a minute in and you already felt like you were suffocating.

You fished a card out of your purse and dropped it on a table that seemed to be collecting gifts and well wishes.

“Let’s get this over with,” you turned your head up to whisper to him.

Frank helped you out of your jacket and laid it next to his on a chair, then rested his hand on the small of your back. You tried to not think about the warmth of his skin and the width of his palm as you headed into the kitchen, exchanging a few polite greetings.

“They’re over there, but I want them to come to us,” you leaned up to whisper again.

Frank turned into you and nuzzled his nose against yours in a way that made you dizzy.

“She’s looking at us,” he whispered against your earlobe. His breath was hot on your neck, and for a second you thought about turning around and shoving your tongue down his throat to really sell it.

Frank’s hands lighted on your hips and he leaned in to whisper again, “You look sexy as hell. Don doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“Dawn is the girl,” you hissed through a giggle.

“I told you I can’t tell the difference,” he laughed genuinely and both of your faces were lit up as Dawn and Beck made their way to you.

“Hey you!” Beck drew you into an awkward side hug.

“We didn’t think you would show,” Dawn said with a hint of true shock in her voice.

“Oh we were already in the neighborhood so we figured we might as well,” you shrugged. “This is Frank,” you smiled with a hand pressed to his side as the other was wrapped around his back.

Frank gave Beck a firm handshake, firmer than he should have but he couldn’t resist. When Beck drew his hand back and shook it out he asked, “Are you military, Frank?”

“Retired marine.”

“Oh hey, semper fi.”

Frank stared at him blankly. He could tell from everything about this goon that he had never served anything but overpriced coffee.

“Funny how life works out, huh?” Dawn forced a smile as she caressed Beck’s lacking bicep. Frank tried and failed to not feel incredibly superior to both of them.

“Yeah I’d say we both found people who deserve us,” you volleyed back.

Frank’s grip on your waist tightened in a possessive way that flooded you with heat as he and Beck seemed to be in a silent stare down.

Feeling bold you decided to say one more thing, “I hope you drive each other crazy. You truly deserve it.”

Beck started to say something, but you took long strides to the exit, leaving him behind once and for all. Frank shrugged and raised his eyebrows as if he had nothing else to add, following you back to the car.

Tomorrow they would open a card addressed to them congratulating Dawn on once again stealing something that belonged to you.

In your rush to leave, you left your jacket and were met with an unpleasant gust of wind.

Frank followed behind you a moment later, holding your jacket open to step into once again.

“My savior,” you murmured. Your heart was still pounding as nearly a decade of feeling looked over and plotted against settled in your throat. Hot tears spilled down your cheeks before you had a chance to convince them not to.

“Hey, hey. None of that,” Frank said softly, swiping the tears away with rough knuckles.

You stood on the stoop trying to compose yourself, and buried your face in Frank’s chest. He wrapped his arms around you without hesitation and settled his feet to become a wall against the biting wind.

“Not that I mind holding ya, but do you wanna go somewhere else away from these assholes?”

“Yes please,” you sniffed, following him back to his truck.

Once you had settled into the cab, Frank turned the heat on and adjusted the vents so you could warm your fingers beneath them.

“I’m sorry,” you started.

Frank scoffed as he prepared to chastise you.

“Not for crying, for bringing you here. I have too much baggage with both of them. It wasn’t fair to rope a stranger into all this.”

You met his gaze with a fresh wave of tears crowding your eyes.

“Couple things, sweetheart. One, you didn’t drag me anywhere. I’m not the kind of guy who does things I don’t want to do. And second, you don’t have to apologize. We’ve all got baggage. Some of us carry it with us everywhere,” he cleared his throat. “And third, I know it’s been a weird coupla days, but I’d love to not be strangers when this is all said and done.”

You searched his face and only saw things you had always longed for: patience, sincerity, adoration.

“I can tell you feel broken right now, but it won’t always feel that way. Forget those jokers. They don’t know what they’re missing. I think I walked out with the prize tonight.”

Frank licked his lips nervously and cast his eyes downward. It wasn’t like him to be so bold, but he had learned long ago that hesitating means you lose out on the best stuff life could give you.

You scooted closer to him, leaving a small space like you had in the bar. Frank scooted closer to you and closed the gap. His hands on your neck were rough and warm as he pulled you into a kiss.

He kissed like a man who had known both love and loss, passion and regret. It was tender, holy, all consuming.

“Fuck, I’ve been wanting to do that since yesterday,” he laughed against your mouth, stealing another quick kiss.

“I promise I’ll never make you wait 24 hours again,” you laughed back.

“I’ll hold you to that,” he drew his hands back and started pressing buttons on his watch.

“What are you doing?”

“Settin’ a timer,” he smiled, not meeting your eyes as he moved the small dials with his large fingers.

#frank castle x reader #frank castle x you

77 notes · View notes

otomiyaa · 3 days ago

Text

A/N: Posting the long-ass thing I gifted to @ticklygiggles during the holidays with her fav pairings!

Summary: Mondstadt's Winter Festival has arrived, and Aether has made it his job to make sure everyone is having fun… among other things! (Also on AO3)

Word Count: 10K

Prologue

Winter season was here, and this time again, it seemed that Mondstadt was all for exceeding the previous year’s traditions and festivities.

A spectacular festival, with musical performances, special treats just for the season, attracting friends from all over Teyvat to spend the cold days right here in the City of Freedom.

With the start of the event just around the corner, Aether and Paimon were helping out a lot. Aether assisted with the decorations with his practical use of all elements, and his Serenitea Pot could offer additional lodgings when all hotels and inns were fully booked. Paimon especially helped a lot at the food stalls, and no, hehe, not only by eating everything. Although, pre-tasting food was definitely part of her joyful duties.

Most of all… Aether was here to help out Albedo who was experimenting at home for the first festive alchemy show of Mondstadt. Inspired by Lyney’s magic show and Gaming’s dance, Aether had made the suggestion that Mondstadt could add some exciting entertainment as well, apart from the musical performances, especially for the enjoyment of the youth.

He did not expect this would become the task of his very own boyfriend, Albedo, and although the sweet alchemist was reluctant at first, he had been enjoying some new types of experiments recently. Sometimes these went well, and sometimes they didn’t. And well, today….

“I’m home,” Aether announced as he entered Albedo’s chambers. He then gasped when confronted with the mess inside.

Today’s experiments didn’t seem to be going well!

Albedo x Aether

Albedo didn’t appear very worried about his predicament, however the moment he saw Aether, his face brightened.

“Welcome home,” he greeted casually. Aether snorted. There was a strange sticky slime all over the place, and apparently Albedo found himself stuck underneath the substance as well.

“What happened?” Aether asked, carefully stepping around the slimy disaster. Albedo hummed.

“I am not sure. When I tried another trick for the alchemy show, this happened. Please don’t tell Paimon about this.”

Pffft hehe. Paimon would’ve made an even bigger scene of this. Panic, maybe even hysterical laughter. Aether wasn’t sure. But Albedo was so calm. He wasn’t even squirming.

“Are you… Are you stuck?” Aether asked, finally reaching Albedo. He lay in a funny position on the floor, covered with the bright green slime. His legs and head were sticking out, and that was about all that was visible of him.

“I am. It would be great if you could help me get out.”

He was the cutest. Aether had no idea for how long he’d been like this, but Albedo looked so at ease. He probably trusted that Aether would be here to help him.

Chuckling, Aether grabbed Albedo’s notepad that was on the table. With only a few splashes of slime on it, the notes were safe from harm, and Aether checked them out.

“Uhuh. So, how do I get you out?” he asked when he didn’t understand the notes. Albedo shrugged.

“Maybe you can use some water? Or cut away the slime,” Albedo suggested. Looking at him again, Aether couldn’t help but giggle.

“Is it me or do you seem rather comfortable over there?” he asked. The lack of concern coming from Albedo was kind of hilarious. He was just lying there and not being very helpful.

“Well, I can’t move after all,” Albedo said. Walking back towards him, Aether kneeled by his legs and poked them.

“What about these? They are still pretty slimeless,” he said. Albedo kicked.

“What can my legs do, then?” he asked. Aether shrugged.

“I’m not sure. It’s just funny to see you’re so relaxed.”

“Well, apart from the fact that we have to clean all this, there’s not much to be concerned ab-OH!” Albedo let out a funny yelp.

“We have to clean? I think it’s you who made this mess, Bedo. Not me,” Aether said, tickling the back of Albedo’s knee with one finger. The trapped alchemist now did start to squirm a little. His relaxed attitude changed.

“The shohow was your ideahehe, w-we cahan clean togetheher ahah!”

Aether tickled him more now and smirked. “I didn’t know you’d be getting yourself into trouble like this,” he teased, now tickling Albedo’s knees with both hands. Albedo started to kick and struggle, but his arms really seemed to be stuck to his torso underneath the slime.

While his relaxed attitude had Aether doubt it before, he was now pretty sure he was as helpless as he claimed. And that…. Well. That gave him only more desire to make his precious boyfriend laugh until he couldn’t breathe.

“AHahaether! Dohohon’t! R-relehease me fihihirst!” Albedo kicked his legs weakly, but Aether sat on his calves and used all fingers to scribble behind his knees and all over those sweet sensitive thighs.

“If I’m going to tickle your pretty legs, I’m obviously doing it when you still can’t move, Bedo.”

“Juhust because you cahahan doesn’t mehean you should! Nahaha!” Albedo threw his head back, and Aether felt enchanted by how cute and charming he looked. Despite his predicament, covered with sticky slime and tickled to death, Albedo was as dazzling as ever.

“Ahaether! Nohhoho! Thihis is so chihildish- stohohop!”

After tickling and teasing him for as long as he pleased, Aether finally gave his breathless lover a break and looked for a way to free him from the slime. Water didn’t seem to work, so in the end he indeed had to use a knife and carefully cut through the thick substance until it freed Albedo. Not without an ‘accidental’ tickle with his finger here, and a little ticklish scratch there, of course.

“That was about time,” Albedo said when he was finally free.

“Pardon?” Aether poked him, making him jump, and Albedo caught his hand and pouted.

“The tickling part was rather unnecessary,” he said with a cute blush. Aether giggled and hugged him. Even though Albedo was still sticky and had a strange chemical smell on him, he was still his lovely huggable boyfriend.

“Was it that unnecessary? Trust me, anyone would’ve used the opportunity to use some tickling to make you laugh when you were that helplessly stuck.”

“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” Albedo lectured.

“You already said that. I’m serious, when presented with the opportunity, anyone would tickle their partner. It’s that simple.”

“No. I think it’s just you. Tickling is for the youth. Not everyone is so immature,” Albedo said with a playful smile.

“Wanna bet?” Aether suggested.

“.....I don’t see the point.”

“There is none. I’ll just prove it to you.”

“No need.”

“Still, I’ll do it.”

“You’re being so silly.”

“Yup. Your silly.”

While they cleaned up the room, they argued back and forth, and meanwhile Aether came up with his little plan. Not only was it going to prove to Albedo he was right. It was also going to make this festive week so much more fun!

Wanderer x Sethos

“....... How convenient.”

While Wanderer didn’t seem too delighted, Sethos was dying from happiness. Thank you, Traveler! Thank you!

Due to the crowded hotels and inns, Aether had added his Serenitea Realm as an additional place for many guests to stay during Mondstadt’s Winter Festival, and Sethos was lucky to share a room with Wanderer. And not by accident, he assumed.

Pretty much everyone, including Aether and Wanderer himself, knew about Sethos and his schoolboy-crush on the mysterious scholar. He knew Wanderer didn’t necessarily dislike him, but he had never really responded to his advances so far. They were just friends, and nothing more.

So now that they were roommates for the week, Sethos was so excited.

“He even left us this,” Wanderer sighed as if it was a problem. On both their beds, a gift was wrapped to celebrate the festive season.

“That’s so kind!” Sethos chirped. Before he opened his gift, Wanderer already opened his own and read the card to go along with it.

“To Wanderer: A festive hat to wear this week. Be sure to wear it, or I will make you. From Aether,” he read, and he looked at the red and green colored hat.

“Well, how nice,” he sighed, but Sethos already rushed towards him and grabbed the hat.

“That looks lovely! Put it on, please!”

Wanderer rolled his eyes but did take his hat off so that Sethos could put the new one on. He looked really adorable like this.

“You look great,” he whispered. Wanderer blushed a little and shrugged.

“So, what’s in yours? Don’t tell me we’ll be wearing matching hats,” he said. Sethos turned around and quickly returned to his gift.

“That’s right! Let’s see…” He excitedly tore away the paper and revealed…

“A book?” Both he and Wanderer said at the same time. Sethos studied the cover.

“A special book of treasures for my dear friend Sethos…. From the Traveler…” he read out loud.

“Treasures? What’s that supposed to mean,” Wanderer asked. Sethos wondered too and opened it. His eyes then widened.

“T-this…” He blushed. They were very detailed research notes and observations, about something very specific.

“W-Wanderer’s tickle spots,” he whispered.

“Hm? Pardon?” Wanderer stood by his side and tried to peek at the book, but Sethos quickly stepped away with a blush.

“What is it? Let me see,” Wanderer demanded impatiently, but Sethos quickly held the book in front of his face and scanned the pages quickly.

This was indeed valuable information. Out of nowhere! What a mischievous thing to do! Sethos hadn’t tickled Wanderer before. Sure he had some tickle fights with Cyno and with Aether before, but the thought of tickling his one and only crush just flustered him greatly.

To think Aether would give him such a major push in that direction. His eyes found the first notes:

Always tell him you will tickle him. He’ll get flustered and deny he’s ticklish, making for the perfect build-up towards his demise. Try to catch him from behind, it will make him more vulnerable. Start with his sides.

So detailed… Sethos kept stepping away to avoid Wanderer’s curious grabby hands, and then suddenly he stopped and looked at him. He smirked.

“Wanderer. I’m going to tickle you,” he announced as was instructed.

“H-huh?!” He indeed got flustered immediately. “What are you s-suddenly…?!”

“I’m going to tickle you,” Sethos repeated, pressing the notebook between his elbow and side so he had both hands to use.

“That’s ridiculous! I’m not ticklish, you’ll be wasting your time,” Wanderer claimed as was expected. Sethos giggled.

“Oh, well if you’re not ticklish, you surely wouldn’t mind~!”

He had hoped Wanderer would turn around and run as soon as Sethos wiggled his fingers at him, but it wasn’t going to be that easy. He raised his hands defiantly and was ready for a struggle, but luckily Sethos had sparred a little too much lately with Cyno and was proud to have gained some skill and agility.

So he grabbed one of Wanderer’s arms and spun him around, pulling his arm behind his back. Then with his free hand he began to tickle his side with gentle squeezes and slow finger-wiggles. It proved to be effective immediately.

“Gahah! D-don’t you dahare!” Wanderer howled, squirming slightly while Sethos continued to tickle.

“I thought you weren’t ticklish? Then why are you laughing?” he asked. He realized it might’ve been better if he read the full notebook first before immediately attacking. He had gotten a little too excited. Now with his hands occupied it was a little hard to take out the notebook again and read the next steps. So he was going to have to take gambles for his next attacks.

“Ahahaa you -! I’ll gehehet you for thihis!” Wanderer laughed. Sethos blushed a little. He wouldn’t mind getting got by his crush. But still, he was now tickling him for the first time and hearing that unique laugh. He would love to hear more.

“Maybe heeere…” He moved his wiggling fingers from his sides to his stomach and dug in. Wanderer bucked wildly and threw his head back, causing his hat to fall off.

“Look what you’re doing now. It doesn’t tickle and yet you’re making a mess!” Sethos teased. He managed to push Wanderer in the direction of his bed and tried to push him down, but that wasn’t as simple as he had hoped. Before he could succeed, the roles had suddenly reversed and he ended up on his back with Wanderer pinning him down.

“Now why would you play with fire like that, huh?” Wanderer said, and he grabbed the book that was still squeezed between Sethos’ arm and side so he could take a look. With one hand he pinned Sethos’ wrists together above his head, and he used his free hand to peek into the notebook.

“That wicked….” he mumbled with a blush.

“Please - it was Traveler’s gift to me! I didn’t even go further than the first step!” he whined. Wanderer chuckled and put away the book.

“Oh really now? Well guess what? I wouldn’t need any research notes to kill you. I’ll just follow my instincts.”

Well, using the term ‘killing’ seemed rather dark, but Sethos could confirm that he was indeed dying of many things very soon. Laughter, that was for sure. And also from the butterflies that swarmed inside his lovesick stomach. What was also killing was the thought that after all this, his romantic feelings towards Wanderer may have doubled, making him explode, while remaining unrequited!

“WHaahaha-Wandeheheer plehehease! Aaahahaha!”

“Geez, you’re so easy, Sethos~”

Then again… It was only the first day of a festive week together in Mondstadt. Who knows what might happen after today’s tickly exchange….

Alhaitham x Kaveh

The streets were decorated beautifully. The lights on the buildings were even more impressive. So this was Mondstadt at the start of its Winter Festival.

Together with Alhaitham, Kaveh arrived in their room. It seemed they were lucky to get a room at the inn. With so many guests visiting, all lodgings had been fully booked, and Aether even had to use his Serenitea Pot to offer additional space.

Over time it seemed that Mondstadt’s Winter Festival had become even more popular than its famous Windblume Festival, which was rather impressive. But seeing it up close like this, Kaveh could understand why.

“Oh, what is this?” They noticed two gifts on their bed with their ‘Alhaitham and Kaveh’ on it. There was a little card as well, and Alhaitham opened it and read it out loud:

“Dear Alhaitham an Kaveh, welcome to Mondstadt. You must be tired after the long trip. Enjoy a nice hot drink and a meal first, you can find my recommendations at the bottom of this card. Then when you’re back at the inn, enjoy a relaxing night together with these gifts I got for you. Enjoy your week in Mondstadt and thank you for coming here to celebrate the Winter Festival.”

Kaveh had to chuckle a bit since Aether’s words were so kind and warm, and yet Alhaitham read them in such a dry voice.

“That’s so kind of him,” Kaveh said and he opened his gift. “Ooooh!” He revealed a set of very soft and warm pajamas, in the color red. Alhaitham opened his own and had a matching one, in green color.

“I suppose he figured we would not bring fitting clothing for these temperatures,” he said fondly. Kaveh chuckled.

“This will definitely keep me warm tonight.”

“Well then, let’s eat something first.” They studied Aether’s recommendations and enjoyed a lovely meal at a restaurant nearby. When they were outside they could already enjoy some more of the festivities which would officially start with the Winter Festival’s opening ceremony tomorrow.

After a good meal and a stroll around the city, they were back at their inn. While Alhaitham sat down in one of the comfy chairs to read his book, Kaveh went to change into the warm pajamas in advance. Feeling the fluffy fabric he just couldn’t wait.

“Suits you.”

Kaveh looked up and saw that Alhaitham didn’t even look away from his book, but he surely had checked him out when he didn’t notice. He blushed slightly and sighed.

“I’m not sure if I should take that as a compliment, coming from you. You should wear yours too. It’s really nice and warm,” he said, walking over towards Alhaitham and handing him the PJ’s.

“Hm - wait,” Alhaitham said just as Kaveh turned away from him.

“What?” Kaveh asked and turned back again to face him. Alhaitham put away his book and got out of his chair. He approached Kaveh until he stood pretty close, making Kaveh hold his breath.

“Turn around,” Alhaitham said. Rather than a request, it was almost a firm command. What was he so serious about?

“I-is there something on me? Are the PJ’s torn? Is something wrong?” he asked. Alhaitham didn’t say a single word while Kaveh turned his back towards him.

“Alhaitham?” Kaveh asked, feeling curious and impatient. Then… without warning…

“AYah!” Kaveh jolted when he suddenly felt two pairs of hands on his sides, with fingers digging in slightly, enough for it to tickle.

Kaveh immediately tried to grab Alhaitham’s hands, but he failed to pull them off as those fingers continued to dig in, wiggling and dancing playfully.

“Ahhahalhaitham wha-what are you dohoing! Wahaha!” he laughed. They would tickle each other from time to time, it wasn’t that uncommon in their relationship, no matter how odd it may seem. But usually there would be at least a little bit of a reason. This time it was so random Kaveh got completely overwhelmed.

“Dohohon’t!” He stumbled forward, trying to escape Alhaitham’s clutches, but he was followed all the way through the small room, and they ended up on bed; Kaveh pinned underneath Alhaitham’s heavy weight, laughing and squealing for his life.

“AHAHA nooooo dohohon’t!” He blushed like crazy - he wasn’t sure how thin these walls were. This was humiliating, what if other guests would hear this noise!

Without saying a word, Alhaitham looked at Kaveh’s face while he tickled the hell out of him. Kaveh squirmed and struggled, kicked and flailed, but in the end there wasn’t much he could do except laugh until he was out of breath.

Then, Alhaitham gave him a short, gentle kiss on his lips and got up again, returning to his seat to continue reading.

“W-w-what was… that… for,” Kaveh said breathlessly. He was all shaky as he got up again. The warm pajamas were now more like an obstacle rather than his savior. He felt too warm after getting tickled mercilessly like that. He took off the top and folded it while he caught his breath. But then…

“Hmm?” He turned the shirt around and saw what was on the back.

Tickle me ♡

….. Kaveh stared at the text. It was subtle, not too big. But yes, these PJ’s definitely invited the other to tickle them. He watched Alhaitham in shock. He couldn’t believe Alhaitham would get tempted by something so silly.

“That Traveler, really….” Kaveh mumbled. He was too tired and flustered to say more to Alhaitham about this, but there was still one thing on his mind: if this text was on his shirt, then maybe it was also on Alhaitham’s. Not that he could just carelessly tickle Alhaitham whenever, without risking a similar treatment like just now. But still….

“Challenge accepted,” he whispered softly. Somewhere this week, he would get his well-earned revenge!

Zhongli x Diluc

“It was great!”

“It was so amazing. Did you see, did you see?”

“Even better than last year!”

Diluc didn’t care much that everyone was talking about the Winter Festival’s opening ceremony which he had missed. Instead of feeling disappointed that he missed it, he felt embarrassed. He had gotten so carried away cleaning up his tavern’s storage that he completely lost track of time and missed it unintentionally…

“Yo~” Diluc looked up to see Kaeya enter.

“We didn’t see you at the ceremony. Traveler asked me to give this to you,” he said, and he handed him a gift.

“Oh…?” Diluc accepted it and studied the wrapped package.

“Where were you anyway?” Kaeya asked.

“I was…. busy,” Diluc said. It was obviously a lie, it wasn’t crowded yet at all because everyone was enjoying the start of the festival with so many things to do. Skating at the ice rink, buying food and drinks at the various stalls, having fun with workshops, games, performances, shopping. Most people would come to the Angel’s Share later that day.

Luckily Kaeya didn’t say anything else. “Well then. Enjoy the festival too when you can~!”

He left the tavern, and Diluc finally opened the gift and revealed a small bottle. On the card was written:

Dear Diluc,

You’re probably going to be very busy during this festival. I wanted to give you this special gift. It’s the result of a little experiment Albedo did the other day. With a few drips of this magical potion, you will feel very happy. So happy it will make you laugh. You can drink it yourself, or present it to grumpy customers. No worries: it’s completely harmless. If you want the effect to wear off sooner, there is one way to do it: more laughter! If someone’s there to give a little tickle, that’ll work best.

Warm regards,Aether

“Hrmph…” Diluc studied the bottle. Why would he give him this thing. He had no need for ‘feeling happy’ and even though he indeed complained about some irritating customers once in a while, he doubted whether he should give them something of this, uh…. He studied the label. Happiness potion? Pfft.

But the gesture was nice. He studied the bottle some more. Then he took a glass and poured some wine in it, and added a few drips, just to experiment if it was anything visible at all. It wasn’t visible.

He just wondered about the taste of it, what the effect would really be like and if it would be best to throw this away wine-tester instead of trying to drink it when he heard a sudden noise from the storage. Huh? He went inside and to his horror found a sneaky bard attempting to raid his storage.

“When did you get here, hey!”

“Surpriiiise noooo!” Venti wailed as Diluc caught him and tried to drag him out. He changed his mind. If anyone would be his test subject for that mysterious potion, it should be Venti. If it was harmless, Diluc needed to see what would happen if- eh?

“Hello.” Entering the tavern again while dragging Venti by his collar, Diluc stared at a polite looking customer who was sitting at the bar.

“Zhongli! Good to see you! So you love Diluc’s drinks too huh!” Venti chirped, struggling in Diluc’s grip.

“You know him?” Diluc meant to ask Zhongli about knowing the little thief Venti, but the merry bard already gave an unwelcome response: “Of course I know him! He’s a very old friend of mine! Zhongli, so good to see you here all the way from Liyue! Are you enjoying the Winter Festival?”

Zhongli only smiled at them and chuckled. “Hello. Hehehe…” Diluc may have heard about this Zhongli person from Aether, but it was actually his first time meeting him. He seemed rather… What was the word… Goofy? And that while Diluc had the impression from Aether’s stories that he was a rather serious person.

“I am ehenjoying myself, indeed. The wihine is so good, too hehe.”

Diluc’s eyes widened and he quickly looked for the happiness-tester he had poured just now. Gone. Instead, Zhongli had a glass in his hand that looked a lot like it, and aaaah he took another sip!

“Ahah yes, I apologize. It wahas here ahalready, and it looked so g-good hehe. Of course I will pay for it, one mohoment.”

Zhongli’s giggly words were laughed at by Venti who threw his head back and cackled. “What’s the matter with you? Never seen you so giggly before!”

Diluc sighed. At this moment people should be enjoying the many parts of the Winter Festival, and instead he was dealing with this remarkable pair of guests, and one of them had sipped from Aether’s stupid happiness potion unknowingly!

“I am just feeling hehe, very good,” Zhongli said as he leaned some more over the bar so he could slide some mora Diluc’s way. He was sitting in such a strange position while laughing like that.

“Thanks pal! And thanks for the drinks!” Venti the little thief took the mora and two bottles from the bar before bolting out.

“I’ll pay you back soon!” he promised. Geez… That little shit. Besides the mora, Venti was now on the loose with: 1) the happiness potion and 2) the bottle of wine Diluc had used to make his tester with, which had been consumed by the man before him.

Zhongli smiled at him. “Very eheh pleheased to meet you.” Diluc sighed and decided to worry less about Venti and more about the charming man in front of him. And since the Traveler was the culprit of all this and also was their mutual friend, maybe Diluc should be honest with him.

“I am sorry if the way you are feeling right now is a bit strange. Here, this might explain,” Diluc said, and he gave Zhongli the card. Zhongli read Aether’s handwriting while giggling, and then he let out a deep sigh.

“T-that trahaveler. I wonder h-how long this will tahake,” he laughed. Diluc nodded.

“Diluc, was it, yehes?” Zhongli asked. Diluc straightened himself and nodded again.

“Yes?” he said. Zhongli’s random giggles were a bit awkward to him too.

“P-please hehe. Please tickle me.”

Diluc’s eyes widened. He remembered the last part of Aether’s card and he groaned.

“W-what did you say?” he asked.

Zhongli merely giggled some more before repeating: “Tickle me, plehease. I would lihike to hahave a proper c-conversation wihith you, b-buhut I cahan’t when I’m like thihis,” Zhongli giggled. Poor Zhongli. Diluc felt already tired just by watching him. Ugh it was to be expected of the mischievous Traveler and his alchemist boyfriend to come up with something like this.

Diluc sighed and awkwardly stepped from behind the bar and circled around Zhongli’s giggling figure. He felt weird to do it, but maybe it was even worse to do nothing and let him sit here and suffer from endless giggles for who knew how long?

“Then please excuse me,” Diluc said as he stiffly put both his hands on Zhongli’s sides.

“Are you ticklish here?” he asked first to make sure he wouldn’t touch an inappropriate place if it wasn’t even going to work.

Zhongli nodded. “Yehes, it will tickle,” he confirmed. Oof, that was kind of cute. Diluc shook the thought out of his head and dug his fingers into Zhongli’s sides. The man jumped slightly and his soft monotonous giggles got their first little pitch.

“HEeheh!” Diluc almost stopped promptly, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be enough. So he tickled Zhongli’s sides until the giggles turned into laughter.

“D-dohoon’t mind me struggling-heheh! Y-you mahay continuehehehe!” Zhongli laughed. Diluc didn’t know Zhongli very well and wasn’t sure how much of this funny personality was influenced by the happiness potion. But he started to feel rather fond towards it.

The handsome, strict-looking man in his neat uniform was giggling and laughing while Diluc tickled him, and he could only pray that no one would enter the tavern and disturb this moment. For eh, you know, privacy sake, and not to humiliate them. Not to humiliate poor Zhongli in particular, of course. Yes.

“M-more…?” Diluc asked, wondering if the potion’s effect was wearing off. He wouldn’t know if he kept tickling him, but Zhongli was pretty clear:

“Yehehes! Plehehease!”

Well, that was very clear. Diluc wondered if Zhongli would get used to the tickles on his sides. Remembering his embarrassing tickle fights with Kaeya, of which many he shamefully lost, he recalled a spot that would make Diluc himself lose his mind. He let his fingers climb up and clawed gently at Zhongli’s ribs.

“Ahhhahahaha!” The gentle bubbly laughter changed pitch again. Lower, but louder. Diluc moved his fingers up even higher until he reached the spot right below Zhongli’s underarms.

“I apologize,” Diluc said before tickling that well-known killer spot with everything he had. Zhongi’s laughter definitely got more hysterical and he almost fell back. Diluc caught him, and while Zhongli squirmed and laughed in his arms, Diluc felt himself heat up at the close proximity.

“Plehehease!” Zhongli laughed. Not sure whether he meant please tickle more, or at last, please stop, Diluc settled with the second one and finally stopped tickling. Zhongli continued to rest against him and gasped for air. Although he was breathing heavily, Diluc was pretty sure he had stopped giggling,

“Did it…. Did it work?” he asked. Zhongli smiled and nodded.

“I-it worked. I apologize for that,” he said. Diluc helped him back in a proper sitting position and returned to his spot behind the bar.

“N-no I should be the one to apologize. It was Aether’s gift, I left it here carelessly and…” To his surprise, Zhongli reached over the bar and grabbed his hand to make him stop sputtering.

“Let’s not apologize. Could I please order a glass of your finest wine? I’ll pay you double, since a certain someone stole my previous payment.”

With that humble smile and his cheeks still colored slightly, Zhongli smoothly ordered his drink, making Diluc blush even more.

“Y-yes sure… and don’t worry about t-the eh, about the money…” He wasn’t sure if it was because of the silly situation because of Aether’s potion, but the mood was definitely a little weird in here, and he found himself wishing for Zhongli to hang around at the tavern for a little while longer.

Ningguang x Beidou

Luxurious. Aether definitely saved his best room for them. Beidou was secretly relieved that Mondstadt couldn’t provide more rooms to stay. Thanks to that, she and Ningguang had the honor of staying at one of the spacious mansions in Aether’s Serenitea Pot realm, and although it wasn’t winter over there and it wasn’t like the true festive atmosphere as in Mondstadt City, they got such a beautiful and fancy room. It was amazing and magical.

“Feeling like royalty here,” Beidou chimed. Ningguang giggled.

“Oh my queen,” she sang. Beidou playfully stuck her tongue out at her girlfriend and headed towards the bed to try out how soft it was.

“Are you going to skip this part?” Ningguang asked. Beidou turned around and saw that she had missed an important detail. There was a beautiful coffee table made from glass, with on top of it a neatly wrapped gift.

“Dear Ningguang and Beidou, I hope you will enjoy the Winter Festival in Mondstadt. Please accept this humble gift. May it fill you with love and warmth at all times, whether you’re together or apart. Always. Warm regards, Aether,” Ningguang read out loud.

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” she said. She opened the gift while Beidou relaxed on top of the comfy bed.

“Tell me what’s in it!” she chirped.

“It’s…. oh. It’s… us?” Ningguang wondered. Beidou got up and joined her girlfriend, wrapping her arms around her middle and leaning her chin on her shoulder. She noted the dolls in Ningguang’s hand. One resembled Ningguang, and one resembled Beidou. But there was one remarkable thing. On both dolls there was a little text: tickle doll.

Beidou and Ningguang looked at each other in confusion, then back at the dolls. “You mean, they’re like voodoo dolls? If I tickle this one, will you feel it?” Beidou took the Ningguang doll and tickled it playfully. Ningguang gave no reaction.

“I’m not feeling anything.”

She lifted Beidou’s doll and tickled it. “That’s… disappointing,” Beidou said when she didn’t feel anything either.

“I think the text is just for show. Don’t be mean towards the generous Traveler. The dolls are cute, right? Especially yours,” Ningguang teased. Beidou pouted and turned the Ningguang doll around and tried to tickle it in various places. The doll was definitely cute, but there was no effect to tickling it. Ningguang didn’t even smile or giggle. She just walked away and put the Beidou-doll aside.

“So, how soft was that bed, hm?” she sang as she approached the bed. Beidou put the Ningguang-doll down and wiggled her fingers. The damage was done. The doll had tempted her, and didn’t give her what she wanted. Well then, she had to solve this herself, hmm?

“Ah, that does feel pretty soft and- Beidou wah!” Ningguang squeaked when Beidou suddenly pounced on top of her. Ningguang stared up at her with those beautiful eyes. She then seemed to relax, obviously thinking of different things as she was pinned down on their comfortable bed.

“You couldn’t wait?” she asked. Beidou chuckled.

“Definitely couldn’t.” Then without warning she tickled Ningguang, playing her ribs like a musical instrument, and oh, she definitely made music. The best music in the world.

“Hohold on, nohoho!” Ningguang giggled in the cutest way.

“See it as a belated effect of the tickle doll, sweetie. Does it feel any ticklish now? Well?” Beidou taunted. Her fingers moved expertly all over her lover’s soft and sensitive areas. Ningguang squirmed and laughed charmingly. She didn’t even struggle much, indicating only how much she actually enjoyed it. Beidou smiled fondly. Tickling Ningguang and watching those beautiful reactions would never get old.

“Hehehe ohohoh you- hehehe!” Ningguang giggled when Beidou tickled her neck. Charmed and intoxicated by her beauty, Beidou found herself leaning closer and closer until she could kiss those smiley lips and drink those melodious giggles. What she didn’t expect however was that a very animal-like sound of her own interrupted Ningguang’s beautiful sounds - caused by the sudden tickle she felt under her arms.

“HNGHHah!” Beidou pulled away and immediately crumbled when Ningguang tickled her more.

“You always let your guard down, don’t you sweetie?” Ningguang teased. She always seemed so calm and radiant, but those fingers with their gentle touches were absolutely killing. Beidou collapsed on top of Ningguang and howled, much less charmingly than her gorgeous girlfriend.

“Nihihing ahahaha not thahahat!” she cackled. Ningguang managed to move from under her and switched their positions. She took one of Beidou’s arms and pinned it above her head, and with her free hand she tickled her underarm in a way that made her screech.

“NIHIHING Ahhahah dohohon’t!” Beidou shrieked. She kicked her legs wildly and shook her head from side to side, but Ning was as strong as ever.

“What’s the matter, my precious tickle doll? Don’t tell me you can’t handle this?”

Most of the time, Beidou was the one to tickle first. When she wanted to tease Ningguang, when she wanted to flirt with her, when she wanted to get her attention. And after hearing those pretty angelic giggles, she’d always forget the villain-traits Ning would show whenever she turned the tables and got into absolute sexy revenge mode. They were the best actually.

With only five fingers she tickled Beidou’s underarm until she thought she’d pass out, all while smirking down at her.

“Plehehease I gihihive! You win ahahahah!” Beidou begged. As evil as she was, the tickling was always unbearable very very soon, and even then Ningguang did tickle her for a little bit longer after that. After some more hysterical pleas for mercy, they finally ended up cuddling comfortably while they both recovered from that… sort-of tickle fight.

“Maybe the Traveler wanted us to have fun like this. Why else would he give us tickle dolls that don’t work?” Beidou said breathlessly.

Ningguang shrugged. “Who knows. No one ever knows what he is really thinking. He’s a mystery.”

“Not as mysterious as you are,” Beidou teased. When Ningguang turned her head and smirked, Beidou immediately squeaked and tried to move away.

“I didn’t mean that as an insult dehehear no wahahait this isn’t fahahair!” she cried when Ningguang tickled her once again. Well no matter what Aether really meant with those gifts, Beidou was actually thankful for them!

Cyno x Tighnari

Mondstadt’s Winter Festival was absolutely amazing. So many fantastic decorations, performances, the most delicious food, many fun games and activities. Cyno felt overwhelmed. No offense, but he felt that returning to Sumeru was going to be such a bummer after having so much fun.

“How about we finally make use of Aether’s gift, hmm?” Tighnari asked. Upon arrival they both received a voucher for free drinks and a surprise activity at The Cat’s Tail.

“You’re right. Let’s see if they’ve got a table for us,” Cyno said. They had been wandering around the festival all day. Tighnari had participated in a fun archery game, and they even tried a round at the ice rink together. To relax and have a drink somewhere sounded good.

“I wonder what the surprise activity is.”

The moment they entered the Cat’s Tail, they were embraced by warmth and pleasant scents of food and hot drinks, and engulfed by the noise of loud chatter and laughter.

“Is that… a cat?” Tighnari asked when they saw the black cat at the counter.

“Hello Mr. Cat. We are here to exchange these vouchers,” Cyno said, and he held up Aether’s gifts. Right at that moment they heard a “hey!” and a small girl came running towards them. A cat girl!

“Traveler’s vouchers, is that right?” she said. Tighnari and Cyno nodded.

“Uh, yes.”

“Great! We’ve been expecting you. I’m Diona, follow me to your table!” She ripped the vouchers from Cyno’s hand and pranced into the tavern. It seemed pretty crowded, all tables were occupied, but she guided them into a private room behind closed doors. Wow.

The moment the doors closed the noise surrounding them was much less. The room was festively decorated, and there was a side table with a collection of pretty hourglasses. Interesting.

“Wow, this room is for us?” Cyno asked when Diona gestured towards the sofa.

“Yes it is. Special request from your friend, the Traveler. I’ll be getting you our Winter Festival special drink for free.”

Before Cyno and Tighnari could say anything, she left already, and they both sat down in awkward silence. It was so quiet all of a sudden.

“Such luxury,” Cyno said.

“Very generous of the Traveler,” Tighnari said with a nod.

“What about the surprise activity?” Cyno wondered, and Tighnari shrugged.

“I’m sure we’ll hear it later.”

Diona came back with the delicious-looking drinks and she put them on the table.

“Two specials for you! Don’t ask what’s in it, secret Cat’s Tail recipe,” she said with a cheeky smile. “As for your surprise activity, here.” Diona put a little box on the table.

“Genius Invokation TCG, the limited Winter Festival edition. These are special cards for you to play, specially arranged by the Traveler. The winner of the game wins a second free drink. After your game, just come back to the bar. Alright? Good luck!”

She left again and they were all alone in their quiet private room with their fancy drinks and special cards.

“That’s amazing.” Tighnari opened the books and read the rules.

“For this game, you can only use these cards. Shuffle them and divide them between the two of you. May the best player win. Aether,” he read, and he gave it to Cyno so he could read as well.

“P.S. You may keep these cards after the game. That’s what it says, Nari. You’re missing the most important part,” he said.

Tighnari giggled. “Well, let’s see what kind of cards they are then.” He shuffled the deck and handed each a few cards.

“It’s Mondstadt themed. Of course,” Cyno said as soon as he gave his cards a first glance, noticing some familiar faces, meals and locations.

“Yes- and….” Tighnari paused and made a face.

“What?” Cyno asked. He didn’t notice anything strange in his cards yet, except that they were all related to Mondstadt somehow.

“Never mind. Let’s play.”

They played like they normally would. That was until Tighnari suddenly played a card. He looked very smug about it.

“The feather. Roll the elemental dice. Each anemo die counts as one minute. You may tickle the opponent for the total amount of minutes.”

Cyno’s eyes widened and he grabbed the card to read it. It was exactly that. “Wait, what? N-no way!” he cried. Tighnari chuckled and wiggled his fingers.

“I can now understand what’s so special about this game. That’s so typical of Aether,” he said, and he rolled the dice.

“T-that’s three times anemo…” Cyno said with a pout. Tighnari clapped his hands and got up.

“Yep! Three precious minutes to tickle you.” They noted that’s why there were hourglasses for them to use. Tighnari took the one of three minutes and put it down in the middle of the table.

“Gotta follow the rules, Cyno. Are you ready?”

“No.”

Despite Cyno’s answer, Tighnari did start to playfully tickle him. He started by aiming for his stomach with one hand while his other hand went to his side. Cyno immediately tensed up and giggled uncontrollably.

“You dohohon’t hahave to do thihihis!” he laughed. Tighnari hummed.

“I may do it, so I will. We have to play the game as Aether intended for us to do, right?”

“Yehehes buhuhut- ahhahah!” Cyno squirmed and wriggled around. Tighnari really wasn’t going easy on him. Luckily three minutes went by fast when you were having fun and- eh, well yes. Cyno felt flustered when he realized he was indeed having fun getting tickled, and then Tighnari finally stopped.

“O-oof. Well, that definitely shook me. B-but don’t think you’ll win now,” Cyno said, grabbing his cards. They played a few more turns until Cyno pulled a ‘special’ card as well. His eyes widened with wonder. Even though there was another card he could play right now in his advantage, this special card was the one he wanted to play instead, because:

“Tickle Monster!” He proudly put the card down and then read: “Deal 5 minutes of Tickle DMG to the opponent.” He pointed at Tighnari.

“You’re in for it now.”

Tighnari smiled. “That isn’t really fair, but alright. Let’s go.” He quickly surrendered and took one of the 5-minute hourglasses.

“Ready?” he asked.

“That should be my question to you, Nari,” Cyno said, wiggling his fingers eagerly. The five minutes of tickling Tighnari for this game were a pure delight. Tighnari was as ticklish as ever, giggling and squirming while Cyno tickled all of those lovely spots.

“Just one more minute I think,” Cyno sang when he was busy tickling Tighnari’s thigh. He held his leg trapped with one hand and danced five fingers all over his thigh, making the cute Tighnari squeal.

“Heehehehe ahahalright!” he laughed adorably. Tighnari took the 5-minute tickle monster attack like a champ, and a little bit more of that since they both got carried away and lost track of time.

“That was all you got hm?” was Tighnari’s cocky remark when the tickle attack ended. Cyno smirked. He would’ve loved to make him pay for that attitude with some more tickles, but he was curious to see what the rest of the game would bring them.

“I’m saving your breath for later,” Cyno said with confidence. Meanwhile they almost forgot to drink their delicious specials which had already gotten cold. They were that much invested in the card game.

With both of them flustered as well as determined to beat the other, they were now doing all they could to draw more cards. Rather than defeating each other’s characters, they kept playing cards that would allow them to obtain new cards. More tickle cards to be specific.

During the game, Tighnari got another shot at Cyno with the so called ‘Flower of Laughter’ card which specifically gave him an X amount of minutes to tickle Cyno’s feet. He rolled the dice and ended up with only one minute, but he didn’t make it an easy minute for Cyno.

Cyno was the luckier one with at least 3 more tickle cards in his hand until the game ended. Before he finally beat Tighnari, he got to use the Winner’s Weakness card which allowed him to tickle one single spot of Tighnari’s own choice for 1 minute. Flustered as hell, Tighnari chose his tummy, thinking he could handle that best, but with Cyno focusing all of his attention on that lovely tummy, Tighnari was squealing helplessly pretty soon.

Another tickle card Cyno got to use on him was the ‘Tickler’s Meal’ which allowed him to tickle Tighnari for the full round, even during Tighnari’s turn. Watching him giggle and squirm while he rolled the dice and made his move was the cutest thing.

And then his favorite card was the ‘TICKLE FREEZE’ card which made Tighnari hold his arms up while Cyno tickled him for 2 lovely minutes.

This was the best game ever. Now finally out of breath, 200% flustered and no longer determined to win, Tighnari’s final character lost its life and Cyno turned out to be the winner.

“I’m the winner,” he said proudly. Tighnari was almost too tired to congratulate him, but he smiled and gave a thumbs up.

“G-good for you,” he panted. Cyno grinned and leaned closer.

“Do I get my prize?”

“Y-yeah. At the bar - hmph!” Tighnari squeaked when Cyno pulled him closer for a kiss. As far as he knew, Aether didn’t even know they were romantically involved, and even if they weren’t, he surely would’ve fallen in love with him after tickling him so much in this playful match.

“Shall we share the prize together?” he asked after kissing Tighnari’s lips again. Tighnari blushed sweetly and nodded.

“A-alright.”

Cyno nodded and grabbed his hand, and as much as he would’ve loved to stay alone here with him, he did want to reward Tighnari as well for sharing so much of his sweet laughter all because the rules of a game said so. He really was the cutest boyfriend ever!

Xiao x Venti

Xiao wasn’t much of a people person. So naturally, he wasn’t too thrilled when Aether invited him to visit Mondstadt’s Winter Festival. However, rather than convincing, Aether had been a little annoying about it. Enough to make Xiao curious.

Especially curious to see this ‘special Winter Alchemy Show’ which was prepared by Mondstadt’s alchemists with Aether’s partner Albedo in the lead.

Aether was mean enough to give him the wrong information about the show, causing Xiao to arrive in Mondstadt too early. It appeared the alchemy show was also part of the closing ceremony. Last day, at the end of the festival.

Although he could’ve simply teleported the hell out of here, there was something that made him linger around. He had wandered around the busy streets of the city, watched some activities from afar and tasted a snack or two.

Aether and Paimon were so busy helping Mondstadt by organizing this festival that they hardly had time to hang around, but Xiao did run into Hu Tao, of all people, who was enjoying the festivities together with her good friend Yoimiya from Inazuma. Also something-something about a fabulous fireworks show which Xiao had missed.

Xiao even saw Zhongli among the crowds and followed him around sometimes.

But most of the time he chose to hide himself and enjoy the festival quietly, and once in a while when it got too much, he wandered around the surrounding areas outside Mondstadt and traveled to places such as Springvale, the Whispering Woods and Wolvendom.

Tonight he found himself sitting on the hands of the Anemo Archon statue, admiring all the Winter Festival festivities from a safe distance.

He could hear some music from here too, and all in all, it wasn’t too bad to be here. He felt the warmth and joy even from such a distance. Xiao smiled. Mondstadt really was the City of Freedom, hmm.

“Oi! Xiao, it’s you!”

Xiao sighed when he heard a familiar voice, belonging to someone he had also definitely seen a few times in the crowds. Someone he avoided for… vague reasons, even to himself.

“That’s my spot, you know!”

It was Venti, of course, and now he was sitting right beside him. He carried a funky bag with him and he looked pretty cute- eh, pretty…. different, in his wintery outfit. He was wearing a red scarf and a winter hat to keep his head warm. His cheeks were rosy from the cold and Xiao could clearly see his breath when he spoke.

“Is it?” Xiao asked. Yeah… For some reason the Anemo Archon’s presence always made him feel funny. He wasn’t sure why, but also not too eager to find out more about it.

“Want something tasty? Look at my stash,” Venti said, opening his bag and showing some things. A bottle of wine. A couple of waffles wrapped in napkins. Some cute souvenirs.

“Look, isn’t this nice?” Venti took out a reusable drinking bottle. “Aether gave it to me as a gift. It’s the best. I can just refill this at the tavern if I want. Well, with the bartender’s permission of course. Aether has a gift for you too, you know. You gotta find him later,” he rambled. Xiao took note of his last comment and nodded.

“I will.” It wasn’t like he hadn’t tried to see Aether before, but that was beside the point.

“This wine is from Diluc’s tavern. You know Diluc, right? Of Dawn Winery. Want some?” Venti asked.

“No, thank you.”

“Maybe some of this? Some sort of juice or something, also from Angel’s Share. Pretty sure there’s no alcohol,” Venti said, holding out a smaller bottle. Xiao rolled his eyes and to make sure the archon wouldn’t annoy him more with that stupid wine bottle or any other unwelcome liquor, he accepted the smaller juice bottle and took a sip. And another.

“It doesn’t really have a taste.”

“Is that so?” Venti also took it and tasted it as well. He took a big sip, and another, and another. He shrugged and studied the label. There were very tiny handwritten letters on it. He squinted his eyes.

“Can you read this?” He gave it to Xiao. While feeling a little distracted because of the sudden urge to laugh (?) Xiao studied the label on the bottle.

“H….Happiness potion?” he read. Meanwhile he was having a harder time holding back his giggles. What was happening?

“H-hehe, hold on, is this…? Nohoho…” Xiao tried to fight back the giggles. Since Venti drank it later, it seemed he was still safe from its effect and he quickly grabbed the bottle from Xiao’s hand and tried to read it again.

“Happiness potion, experiment by Chief Alchemist Albedo. Dose: a few drips, mix in drink. Effect: laughter. Cure: laughter + tickling.”

A few drips? Mixed?! No way, they both drank it straight, and not just a little sip! And what about that cure - that didn’t make any sense!!!

“Whahahat hahahave you dohohone!” Xiao asked angrily through hysterical giggles. This was tiring already, he couldn’t stop!

“I dohohon’t knohohow! I’m sohohorry! It wahahas at Dihihiluc’s tahahavern!”

This was ridiculous. The label didn’t say how long it would last.

“Shahahall I tihihickle you theheen?” Venti asked.

Xiao shook his head, but the bard moved closer and grabbed him. “Wehehe’re going to lahahaugh ahahanyway!”

Oof, it wasn’t the same. Xiao didn’t feel like being tickled, but he also didn’t feel like laughing forever.

“Ahahalright thehen!”

Venti curled his fingers against his lower sides and started to tickle. Xiao jumped because of the electrifying sensations. He’d occasionally forget how ticklish he actually was.

“AHh!” Although he was already laughing because of the potion, he felt a different sort of laugh getting through as soon as Venti tickled him.

“Wahahait, not thehehere!” Xiao whined when Venti tickled his ribs. He squirmed weakly and tried to gasp for air. He hadn’t experienced such a tough challenge in a while.

“Thehehen whehehere?” Venti giggled. Xiao had no idea where he could get tickled and make it bearable. Without getting his answer, the cheeky Archon moved his fingers down and squeezed his hips. Xiao squeaked and jerked heavily, but Venti pulled him closer and had to hold him tightly to prevent him from tumbling off the statue.

“D-don’t wohorrehehe, I’ve got you hehehe,” Venti laughed. Xiao wasn’t sure if he did well by agreeing to this. Venti’s tickling only made him laugh more than he already was. Obviously.

“H-how aahahabout hehere?” Venti reached up and wiggled his fingers under Xiao’s arms. Xiao’s eyes widened and he suddenly bolted to the side, but Venti followed him and managed to tackle him. Now straddling Xiao, Venti wiggled his fingers eagerly and smirked - or well, tried to, he was still laughing pretty much.

“Hehehere I cohohome,” Venti laughed smugly. He tickled Xiao like he hadn’t been tickled in ages.

“HAAHhh Vehehenti- nohoho ahaha wahahait!” Xiao felt miserable. It was embarrassing to be overpowered by laughter from two sides. The potion, and the tickling.

Was the tickling really going to work? Venti only made him laugh more and more. He laughed until his stomach ached and was about to just force Venti to stop when he finally felt a noticeable difference.

“Stohohop hehehe- STAHap!” Xiao warned abruptly, and Venti actually did so. Xiao waited for more laughter to come, but he was done.

“I-it worked,” he huffed. Venti giggled.

“I’m glahahad. Then nohow you tihickle mehehe~”

Xiao frowned. “Tickle you?” Oh. Of course. They were both suffering from this condition. It was just that with Venti it seemed more… natural. The giggles did suit him after all.

“Yehehes!” Venti sat before him and raised his arms. “Do it plehease!”

Xiao blinked. He thought laughing uncontrollably for a mysterious amount of time was exhausting. But he wondered if Venti really minded it that much. It did seem that he was excited about getting tickled, and even though Xiao didn’t want to indulge him, he also didn’t want to be too harsh.

“AAahahha!” Venti almost fell backwards and Xiao immediately stopped right after tickling him just briefly.

“Moooore ahahah!” Venti begged. Xiao blushed. This was so embarrassing…

He awkwardly ran his fingers up and down Venti’s outstretched underarms. Venti threw his head back and squealed.

“AHhh!” He sounded like he was having the time of his life. But still, Xiao continued to tickle him. He felt the blush on his own face grow and tried to focus on the wiggling movements of his fingers and the considerations about adding more pressure, like digging his fingers in or pinching and squeezing lightly.

For an archon, Venti’s body was surprisingly delicate. The slightest touch could tickle him and make him squeak loudly.

In the end it didn’t matter where and how Xiao tickled him. Venti reacted to the tickles in almost the same cute, hysterical way. No wait, not cute. Weird. Yes.

“Xiahahao!”

“What,” Xiao hissed, almost exploding because of the embarrassment and strange tingly feelings that surged inside his chest.

“Dohohon’t stohohop! Aahahaha!”

That’s it, enough. Xiao stopped tickling him, it was too much.

Even when he was the one who was already cured and not suffering from the potion and tickling, he was the one who couldn’t deal with this anymore.

“You know what, you’ll be fine. You’re laughing in any case,” Xiao growled.

“Noooooo not fahahair! Xiao pleheeease tickle me moooore!”

Xiao felt like teleporting out of here. But he found himself staying by Venti’s side, just in case, like, yeah, just in case he’d be laughing too much after all. If he would be getting out of breath, if it would get harmful, too painful and too uncomfortable, Xiao might try to help him out some more…

But he didn’t need to. In the end after a while longer, Venti stopped laughing on his own. “Phew!” He fell on his back and sighed.

“That’s what you get for stealing unknown drinks,” Xiao lectured.

“Stealing? No no, I borrowed it from the Angel’s Share, I was there when…” Venti made a face. “Wait, actually I think Zhongli drank it too. I now remember he was laughing. So unlike him, hehehe.”

Xiao hummed. Zhongli did….? He snorted. “Pfft. I can’t imagine it.”

“Riiight?” They both giggled at the thought. As they both stopped giggling, their eyes found each other’s, and Xiao noticed he once again felt so funny, as if his insides felt ticklish, except he wasn’t sure about the cause.

“Sorry I….” Xiao paused before he finished talking. What was he about to say? He wasn’t sure.

“Sorry you didn’t tickle me more? Apology accepted. I’m too cute when I’m tickled, I’m told often,” Venti said cockily. Pffft.

Xiao rolled his eyes fondly.

“You’re even cuter though. You should laugh more, Xiao~” Venti sang.

Right, enough of this.

“I have somewhere to be.”

Xiao got up and teleported right when Venti cried out: “No wa-!” But Xiao was already gone. Pfffft, his cheeks were burning. He should’ve left sooner!

That crazy Venti. Why did the most ridiculous things always happen when he was around, and why did it set Xiao’s entire body on fire? At least, that was what it felt like! Wah! He teleported himself outside Mondstadt’s gates so he could cool down in peace and quiet.

Xiao knew he would definitely be back by tomorrow night for the closing ceremony and the alchemy show.

Until then, he needed some time off, away from Mondstadt and most importantly, away from that whirlwind of an Anemo Archon, the crazy bard, the silliest guy he knew - far away from Venti!

Epilogue

The applause was so loud Aether thought his ears were going to burst. Albedo had a huge, adorable smile on his face. Sucrose was beaming while she bowed multiple times. Timaeus stood in the middle of the other alchemists and trainees and they all held hands as they made a final bow together.

The alchemy show to conclude the Winter Festival was truly amazing. Epic. A unique spectacle. The crowd loved it, not only the children but also the adults.

“Amazing!” they all yelled.

Although he and Paimon had been stage assistants, they didn’t bow with the performers since Aether felt like this should really be Mondstadt’s celebration, and Albedo’s moment. Still, he clapped as loud as he could from the side.

He felt that Albedo was made for this, more than he would think. Albedo had always been smart and artistic, and to use this trait to make crowds happy like this… He wondered if he should introduce him to Lyney. They could collaborate to give a Magic x Alchemy show in Fontaine. It’d be even more of a success if they combined their strengths. But anyway, eh, Aether was getting ahead of himself. One step at a time.

“You were great!” Aether kissed Albedo when they finally met backstage.

“Thanks.” Albedo seemed a little overwhelmed, but he was definitely smiling and still feeling the thrill. Aether grinned.

“And?” he said.

Albedo cocked his head. “And what?”

“Was I right?” Aether asked. He could see the realization on Albedo’s face.

“A-ah, that…” Yes. That.

As a part of his show, Aether had requested him to include a question to the audience: whether anyone had felt ticklish lately. More specifically, if they were tickled by anyone during this Winter Festival. Albedo could smoothly relate it to the closing ceremony and put the spotlight on the audience, and Aether had glanced at the front rows where his friends were seated.

To his surprise, more people than those he’d expected raised their hands.

Sethos proudly raised his hand and probed Wanderer with his elbow that he should too. Hehe, cute.

Kaveh and Alhaitham both didn’t raise their hand but Kaveh was blushing and Alhaitham had a funny expression. Even when they didn’t raise their hand, Aether thought they were so obvious.

Ningguang and Beidou charmingly raised a hand, both looking rather smug.

Cyno and Tighnari both did too, with Cyno looking more proud and Tighnari more embarrassed.

Zhongli held up a finger, and to Aether’s surprise, Venti shamelessly raised both hands. He waved his arms excitedly, and Xiao next to him held his arms crossed, and judging from the way Venti mumbled in his direction, Aether had the idea that maybe Xiao got tickled too.

That was even more than what he intended with his little gifts, or well, pranks! And aside from his friends, quite some people in the audience raised their hands.

“There were a lot. But you can’t prove it was because of what you did,” Albedo argued.

Aether remembered his own words and repeated: “No I can’t. But see? When presented with the opportunity, anyone would tickle their partner. Or friend! Or family. It’s not just me.”

When Albedo was too speechless, Aether imitated him: “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should! Well, if it concerns tickling, I think most people will, because they enjoy it. It’s not just childish. It’s fun, uplifting, and it connects,” he spoke proudly.

His boyfriend finally chuckled. “Alright, alright! I get it now. I get it. Oh wise tickle-know-it-all.” He then smirked. “If you wanted it that badly, you could’ve just asked, instead of putting up that whole show.”

“What do you mean I-AHH!” Aether yelped when Albedo suddenly grabbed him. The flustered traveler tried to spin around and flee, but he couldn’t stop his clever alchemist boyfriend from digging his little claws into his sides to tickle him mercilessly.

“HWHAAHAH!” Aether wasn’t as charming as Albedo about it. He flailed his arms and exaggerated a little about it, but he was also just very very ticklish.

“Everything alright there?” Sucrose asked as she came passing by. Albedo nodded.

“All good, thank you Sucrose. And good work today,” Albedo said. Sucrose smiled sweetly.

“You too! Have a good night! You too, Traveler!” She didn’t seem too awkward about leaving Aether to get tickled to death.

“Nohohoo wahahait hehehelp me, ahahah!”

Maybe Aether deserved that a little. Maybe he had put too much effort in his tickly pranks for his friends. But hey? It worked! He successfully helped by spreading joy and most people got to laugh a little, which made this Winter Festival even more special!

#genshin impact #tickling #tickle fic #albether #sethoscara #zhongluc #beiguang #cynonari #xiaoven #otomiya!writes

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astarionancuntnin · 3 days ago

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Hello! No idea if you’re taking requests, or if they are only Astarion x f!reader, nor how dark you go.

But you think you can write a Gale x f!reader in the third person (Name is just Tav) and Gale is obsessed with having a baby that he and Tav do it every minute even when Tav is asleep?

I'll go as dark as you allow me to go bb (also thank you for your patience oh my god i swear im gonna get through all my requests eventually). fair warning that this is my first Gale fic and i haven't done his romance in game, with that being said-

Silent Night

pairing: gale x tav (fem, not decribed but its implied she looks younger than him by a few years)

rating: E

word count: 3.7k

cw: 18+. smut, mentions of pregnancy, obsessive anxious thoughts, porn with feelings, coercion, unprotected sex, drugging, somnophilia, non-con, breeding kink (and breeding), creampie, using cum as lube, cock soaking, gaslighting, this is a dark one y'all have been warned. full list on ao3.

read on ao3

my masterlist

or keep reading down below~

Ever since getting rid of the Absolute, Gale’s life had been exactly how he had pictured it, and that meant spending most of his days lavishing his wife, Tav. Not a day could go by where he and his beloved did not indulge each other. Not only did they spend every single night at it - it was every single moment they had together: out on a picnic date, while they were cooking, when they were snuggled up on the sofa reading - as if their primal urges could never be satisfied.

Especially Gale’s.

After getting married, he had made it his primary goal to make sure his wife was satisfied at all moments and Gods above did he deliver. Truth be told, his drive had only gone up since they discussed their future, and potentially having a family — a child! Gale could hardly believe it; it was one of his wildest dreams and it was now just within reach.

Growing up alone with his mother, he still struggled with the idea of being a father as he feared to not be up to everyone's expectations — moreso Tav’s — but he couldn’t deny how he hoped he could eventually get the chance to be the father he always dreamed of having. Give his mother grandchildren that she could visit, make their friends aunts and uncles, even new company for Tara; finally have a real family of his own.

They had been careful in the past, however. Tav would always drink a potion that acted as contraceptive before doing anything, and it had been Gale's greatest disappointment. Every time, he wished she'd forget or would dismiss it so he could finally have it his way with her.

Thankfully, Tav was interested in the idea, but he noticed her doubts everytime the topic was brought up.

After everything they had gone through and the uncertainty of their future because of it, she had asked for some time to think about it. Make sure they were appropriately settled in — had a house, a stable income, a place secure for a child to grow up — and yes, of course, that was reasonable, but Gale couldn’t keep his mind from picturing her, with her breasts full of milk and rubbing her belly, swollen with their child.

My, what a sight.

It was enough to get him in the mood to put a damned baby in her.

But, Gale was a patient man, he could wait. Surely, she would make up her mind and have a clearer idea soon enough. She wasn’t saying it just to waste her most fertile years away, only to watch the opportunity fly out the window, or waiting for the next best option in terms of partners. They were married, for Gods’ sake, they had vowed to stay together until death did them apart, and after what they had survived, they were assured to live until their old days; they would be together forever.

…Right?

She wouldn’t just leave him now of all time, now that they were safe and secure. She didn’t just stay out of convenience, surely not. She couldn’t have lost interest since their adventure ended and was just looking for a way out — buying her time until she could safely discard him as Mystra had done to him in the past.

Oh Gods… but what if she was?

It’s not like he was getting any younger. If anything, the stress of destroying the absolute had taken a toll on him that must’ve made him age twenty years in the few months alone it had taken them. It only struck him when he gazed upon his beloved, still the very depiction of youth, as opposed to him. She remained beautiful as time passed by and he loved to admire her, but it was a constant reminder that he wasn’t getting any younger, and the orb in his chest hadn’t helped in the matter either. Even if he figured out a way to live longer, a skill he could learn as a wizard, she wouldn't have the chance to be blessed by those same powers Gale had; he would outlive her and he would be left behind — alone.

Again.

She would have every reason to look for someone more younger, who could age with her, and less broken than he was, and the darkest parts of him couldn’t accept this reality — wouldn’t accept it.

It didn’t matter that they were married, or how many times she had reassured him, those same thoughts came back crawling like a pest.

So that night, before heading to bed, Gale prepared Tav's herbal tea as usual: with chamomile, citrus, and honey — just warm enough to be comforting — and a dose of a special potion he took care of obtaining at the market during his errands earlier, just to make sure she would sleep through the night undisturbed.

Such a good husband! The merchant had exclaimed after he had explained his wife was suffering from insomnia. Taking care of his wife and tending to her utmost care, so thoughtful!

Oh, if only they knew.

They explained in detail the exact effects of the potions, and he didn't need further convincing before dropping a pouch of coins on the table and taking off with the magic concoction.

Upon watching his wife drink the tea he had so kindly prepared, Gale could only see how right the merchant had been — Tav wasn't even halfway through her cup that her eyelids grew heavy, her head wouldn't sit straight, and her entire body screamed at her to go rest.

Gale, the caring and loving husband he is, took it upon himself to bring her to bed and lay her down comfortably, still in her night clothes, with her breathing already heavy with sleep. He pushed her hair aside, letting his knuckles brush against the supple skin of her cheek as he took in the sight of her.

His beautiful wife — almost bare as she wore a short, lilac silk nightgown, and a soft pair of lace underwear, one he would eventually remove tonight to finally take what was rightfully his.

It would be preferable if she were awake, of course, but with the way her own doubts had plagued her mind, Gale thought it fair to give her head a vacation. She could rest peacefully, and he could give her a gift she didn’t know she wanted; he would help her see reason this way and she would have no other choice but to accept it if it just happened to her.

It was for the best, for both of them — he had always been careful, always so damned careful, respecting her wishes; what about what he wanted? What about his needs?

To breed her in the dead of night, leave her with a sticky mess between her legs to wake up to, then offer her another round of morning sex to cover up the soreness he would've caused her the night prior so she could stay completely inconspicuous until her sickness shows up and her belly grows swollen with a new life and—

Oh, Gods above, no, what was he thinking?! He couldn’t do this to her — not like this; not when she was asleep, but… Hells, he couldn’t ignore the throbbing erection this vision had given him. The sheer fabric of his underwear rubbing against his cock made him groan; he wouldn't be able to let it go now… And she was right there, out cold, it’s not like she would mind it if he were to just use her a little, right?

He sighed. Fine, just a touch then, just enough to ease the ache.

He let his hand reach down and underneath his underwear, where his fingers wrapped around his length, hard and angry, and he let go of a heavy breath as he pumped himself just once. Once too many, as it only made him more desperate for what could be around his cock instead of his hand.

Just a few strokes, just enough to satisfy my needs so I can go to sleep.

His grip was strong, but he pumped himself slowly as he eyed Tav's sleeping form. His thumb moved to the head of his cock, where he found a bead of pre-come already dripping, calling out for its home that rested between his wife’s legs. He rubbed it against his tip and slid it over his shaft to lubricate himself — hoping to find some relief with his own arousal — but only found himself wishing it were from his beloved, laying right there in front of him.

Gods dammit… Fine — just a touch, then… just a little… touch…

While one hand kept stroking true, his other one found comfort in the softness of her warm breasts. Small compared to what they could be if she were carrying their child, gorged in milk, but nothing short of delicious, as he remembered their taste in his mouth, his tongue circling around her plump nipple…

Oh, the taste of her–

As she moved in her sleep, he let go, afraid that he had woken her up, only for her to have simply slightly moved her legs apart, naturally lifting her nightgown up above her thighs and allowing Gale a clear view over her beautifully wrapped entrance — all of this without him needing to even lift a finger.

He chuckled nervously, thinking only for a moment she might have been awakened by his lewd touches. Still, she remained unconscious, and he remained painfully aroused by the sight of her barely covered cunt, with her legs wide open. She was right there, ready for the picking, just for him.

Hells, why was he second guessing himself, he had already spiked her tea, it's not like she would know either way; in for a penny, in for a pound, right?

Okay, okay, just a finger, just to pick up her moist and apply it over myself. That's all I need. Nothing more.

He pulled her legs together, just to slide her underwear off, only to be hit with the scent of her arousal completely coating the silk he had pulled away from her entrance.

By the Gods, my love. You're positively soaked. What have you been dreaming of, I wonder?

He brought her underwear to his nose, breathing in her aroma, and a shiver ran down his spine as he let his thoughts wander once again to his original plan. As he looked back to her, legs spread open and slit glistening wet, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind anymore; by the time he would be done with her, her womb would finally be claimed by his potent seed, and she would bear his child whether she wanted to or not.

Hells, forget the finger, I must taste you.

Letting go of his night robe and sliding down his underwear completely, he crawled over the bed and between her legs, settling comfortably with his face right besides the warmth at the apex of her thighs. He wrapped one arm around her soft thigh, while the other hand slid up to her wet slit, squeezing her puffy lips to push her juices out and admiring it drip over their bedsheets.

“Heavens above, my love,” he whispered against her cunt, his low, raspy voice carrying the lust he was done denying himself. “You look simply delicious.”

Bringing his face closer, he pulled his tongue out and pressed it flat against her entrance, swiping up along her slick ever so slowly to collect her essence. A shudder ran down his spine at her taste as he swallowed down her juices.

He murmured, against her core, “Not even the Gods could rival your taste, my heart.”

Using his thumb and finger just below her clit, he spread open her lips to expose her fully to him; pussy wet and enlarged by her arousal, almost as if she knew he was there, as if she subconsciously liked it.

Wanted it.

He breathed heavily over her slit, his mind hazy with lust as he finally dipped his tongue deeper into her folds, working his skilled tongue in and out of her. He took his time to collect her arousal in his mouth and tasted everything she had to offer him; he wanted to please her more than anything else, even as she slept through it all. His tongue circled around her clit and his mouth latched onto it to suckle, until he felt her reaching her first orgasm as she whined faintly in her sleep and her legs twitched — but she remained unconscious through it all, allowing Gale to eat and drink his fill of her.

Pulling back with his chin coated in her essence, he licked his lips with a smile. If this continued to go just as well, he would need to go back to the seller to thank them again.

Satisfied with her taste, and with his cock practically begging for her as he had smeared the bedsheets with his precome, he sat up on his knees and lifted her legs to bring them up and around his waist, then pressed his length over her cunt with a breathy sigh.

“There, there,” he purred as he rubbed his cock along her flushed and wet lips. “That’s a good girl, lying still for her husband. I just need a bit of you, love; you can rest. Just be good for me.”

If there was any doubt of her arousal, now it couldn't be ignored. Despite Gale’s assault of his mouth on her and the certitude he had drank every drop of her come as she climaxed in her sleep, a faint line of her juices dripped down from her entrance as he coated himself with her wet and stained the bed just below them.

I'll just slide the tip of my cock against her entrance, just enough to feel her— Gods, I need to feel her warmth.

No bed sheets or underwear in the way between her and him anymore, which made it all the more simple for him to align her waist with his and push her legs apart as he leaned against her with his arms on each side of her head. His length easily found its way around her warm lips, as he slid between them.

So very soaked for me, fuck— so wet and warm. Just stay like that love, your husband just needs you a little more.

Carefully moving his hips back, he pushed his tips against her entrance, and it didn’t take him long to come to a dreadful realization.

I can't wait any longer — I need this, please forgive me, Gods, I need this.

Slowly, he pushed himself all the way inside of her, and a broken gasp escaped his throat as he hit the end of her channel, filling her completely with his cock. Despite having completely sunk inside of her depths, it still wasn’t enough. He would only be satisfied when she would be filled to the brim with his seed, burst after burst of his cock spilling inside of her until she was leaking with his cum.

He picked up a rhythm — slow and careful at first — but it quickly fastened as he lost himself in the feeling of her tight walls around him, squeezing him even as she was sleeping.

“You little vixen–” he whispered, his voice breaking as he spoke to her as if she were conscious. “Ahhh… Just take it, take it for me. That's right, just like that… Oh, you little tease— you've wanted me to do this, haven't you? Have your husband come and fuck a baby into you as you slept? Are you truly this depraved, love? Are you this much of a whore for your lover?”

As she turned her head around and her arms moved up to touch his chest, Gale thought of the worst right away and slowed down his thrusts once more, but never stopped completely; he couldn’t find the strength within himself to stop now that he had gone this far.

He brought a hand up to softly cup her face and stroke her cheek, “Shhh, please don't make me do this, please, my love.” He whispered, pleading. “Don't fight it, just let it happen, you were doing so well.”

She whimpered, either from a nightmare or the potion wearing off, and brought her floppy arms up to weakly push against Gale's chest. Asleep or not, he couldn't allow her to try and stop him, not now. He picked her wrists and pinned her to their bed as he picked his rhythm back up, pounding into her.

“None of this now, dearest,” he growled. “Your husband is fulfilling his rightful duties to you, and I know you want this, your cunt has been begging me to put a baby inside of you for weeks now. This is for your own good; our own good— fuck—”

When her eyes began to flutter open and she mumbled his name half-asleep, he didn’t need to think twice before casting a sleep spell on her to make sure she would remain calm and docile. He wouldn’t back down now, the best he could do was minimize the damage on her.

His head fell forward, with strands of his hair falling from his messy bun to cover his face and tickle hers.

“I'm sorry my heart,” he pleaded as she slept through his assault, and he wasn't sure anymore if he tried to convince her or himself the most. “You gave me no other choice, I need to take you tonight. I need to make you mine and mine alone. It's for your own good, I promise.”

As if his words had slipped past the veil of her consciousness the moment those words left his lips, he felt her cunt clench around him.

“Oh Gods, even asleep your cunt wraps so tightly around my cock.” He moaned, biting his lips to muffle the desperate sounds fighting to leave his lips. “It's okay, you don't need to use that little head of yours, your body speaks for itself with how it's milking me.”

He wrapped her legs back around his waist and cast mage hands to keep them locked in his back. There was only one way tonight was ending, and he wasn't going to back away until his job here was done.

Despite the sleeping spell and the potion, Tav whimpered as Gale fucked into her recklessly, with a rhythm nearly desperate.

“Fuck, you moan so prettily when you take my cock, I might just burst yet—”

His thrusts started to become sloppy, losing his clean rhythm to replace it by one borderline animalistic as he pressed himself wholly against her body, her breast crushed against his chest with each push of his hips. In the dead of this warm, silent night, the only sounds keeping them company were the sloppy splashes of his hips against hers, his balls slapping against her tight little asshole, and his breathy moans that grew only louder and out of control, barely noticing just how loud he was getting.

“Please let me give you the life we deserve,” he begged, not caring for the sound of his voice anymore. “Let me breed you, bear my children, make me a father– fuck!”

His body pinned Tav down, his cock completely buried into her as he spilled himself in the depths of her womb. With his concentration faltering, she started whining through her sleep spell as if she had fought through it to wake up. With his cock still pulsing his white, hot come inside of her, he brought his lips over hers to muffle her sounds with a one sided kiss.

“Shhh, it’s okay my love, it’s over. You’re okay, I’m right here. I’ve got you. Shhhh…” Gale ushered in her ear as he kept his body pressed against hers, his breath hot against her skin, and brushed away the hair from her face. “Let’s just stay like this for a moment. I need… I need this.”

He stayed inside of her for a few long minutes, until his breath came back to him and his cock went soft inside of her, only then allowing himself to pull out and lay back next to her; it was all too soon when he lost the warmth of her walls around him, and even soft, he knew his cock was missing it's home as it rested sadly over his belly in a puddle of his cum and her essence.

Making sure to avoid any doubt from her, he got up to slip his briefs and her panties back on before sliding back into bed and pulling the covers over both of them, then turned away to pretend to be sleeping. As he finally broke the concentration on his spell, Tav slowly woke up to a sweaty, but very much seemingly asleep Gale.

She shook his arm to take him out of his daze, “Gale? Gale… wake up!”

He turned around as if just woken up, “Gods, Tav,” he mumbled, feigning his fatigue. “What time is it?”

“Did you…” Her voice is sleepy and confused. “Did you fuck me while I was asleep?”

“What?” He exclaimed, raising himself up on his elbows and rubbing his eyes. “Gods, love, who do you take me for? I would never impose myself onto you like that, you must've had a nightmare. Are you quite alright? Come here–”

He brought the back of his hand to rest over her forehead, as if to check her temperature, and pulled back with a worried look.

“Poor thing — you're burning.” He brought her head to rest over his chest as he pet her head, trying to soothe her back to sleep. “Hush now, you're safe, I've got you. Shhh… You’re okay…”

Within minutes, if not seconds later, she slipped back into a restful sleep, with her head moving to the beat of his chest rising, and Gale couldn't help but admire her, chasing away the guilt of his actions as he realized the necessity of it.

The faint light of the rising sun exposed the glistening laying between her legs and pooling over the bedsheets past her panties, and he instinctively licked his lips at the mere thought of it.

Now, there would be no doubt in their future, only a certitude swirling around in his mind.

In time, she will be the most amazing and caring mother.

He just knows it.

Thank you for reading! Comments, reblogs, and likes are very much appreciated <3

tag list (comment or message me if you want to be added!): @grimistheangerinmystares @silverfangmarks @roguishcat @nyx-knox @anacdoce @jwera @annnagennnie @angeldarkness95 @marlowethebard @hellethil @frankie-mercury @ariajc79 @ladycroft5245 @lets-just-daydream @pursuitseternal @longjohnsilverfish @asterordinary @charmandabear @moochiepoo

#my posts #my writing #gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #bg3 gale #gale x tav #bg3 #bg3 smut #writing request #gale smut #baldur's gate 3 #gale x reader

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glossypolaroidkisses · 3 days ago

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Hi lovely!! I just read your recent response to an anon question and saw you mention being an eldest daughter and omg as a fellow eldest daughter how do you think lu would be like with a hyper independent girlfriend who basically had to learn things in life on her own and isn’t used to having people genuinely want to help her without feeling like she owes back ?

I can’t wait to read your works xx

Hello!! Thank you for being here:)) I really appreciate all the support, mwah! I see you, you're valid! It's rough out here!! As the oldest sister with a younger brother, the sexism on top of all the responsibilities was exhausting. My experience as a parentified child may shape my perspective, but I hope this still resonates with you as a fellow eldest daughter <3

(Scroll down to skip to oneshot)

Luigi to me, very much seems like a giver. Generous partner! Always wants to help you with things, acts of service! He is obviously anti-materialism, but loves gifting you items that involve your hobbies and interests; Books of your favourite genres/tropes, if you like painting, he’ll buy you the finest paint-brushes and acrylics. Wanna stargaze?; He’ll research to buy the highest quality telescope for you.

He loves showering you with compliments, and he’s a natural helper. It’s second nature to him! It’s how he shows the people he loves that he cares, by helping.

He’s not flashy or materialistic, but he buys things that he knows will provide meaningful experiences for you.

You grew up having to manage everything yourself from a young age. When someone gave something to you or did something for you, you were always left having this expectation of the favour somehow having to be returned. You’ve always had to be ‘the fixer’. Because of how kind and capable you are, you have ended up in toxic friendships and relationships where people took advantage of your kindness and willingness to be helpful.

You struggle to let your guard down, believe that others are genuine, and accept compliments or help of any sorts. When being offered assistance, your instinct is to hesitate and refuse.

Before your relationship was serious and you started living together, Luigi only saw your hyper-independence on a surface level; just like everyone else. On the outside, you just radiate bad bitch energy. You’re always busy, working and completing tasks. Luigi loves strong women who know that they don’t need a man for their lives to be fulfilled. You’re intelligent, capable, always handling things on your own with confidence. To be frank, he finds it sexy!

It wasn’t until you started going over to his place more frequently, that Lu picked up that your independence might come from a place of obligation rather than choice, a survival instinct born from a past where asking for help often came with conditions, expectations, or disappointment.

----------->

Here is one of many oneshots showing how this dynamic could play out! Yes.. this is going to be a series! Once I post the other oneshots, I'll link them at the bottom of this post, or in the comments. Enjoy!

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

General Themes: Trust, vulnerability, emotional healing, reassurance, understanding, sensitivity, love and care

Gender: Mostly gender-neutral, use of "girl" once

Smut?: No

Warnings: Emotional distress, crying, anxiety, possible triggers for past trauma (misunderstandings, interpretation of actions, self-worth issues)

Word Count: 1439

You’re cooking in Luigi’s apartment, standing at the stove. You hum a tune, swaying lightly as you stir in the pot. “Mmmm,” You hear your boyfriend from a couple of feet behind you. After a few steps, you feel his large hands gently grasp your sides, then his arms wrap around your waist. “Smells amazing, baby.” he murmurs by your ear, placing a couple of gentle kisses on your neck.

You stop humming, your body stiffening. Luigi immediately notices, lifting his chin from your shoulder, “Everything alright?” he asks.

“Yeah, I, I just..” You pause. “I’m not in the mood right now, Gi.” you admit. Luigi steps back from you, confused. He leans against the counter next to the stove so he can properly see your face. “I wasn’t trying to have sex or anything, y/n.” he calmly says, genuinely explaining his intentions.

You hold eye contact with his concerned gaze before looking down at the pot, though there’s no real need to monitor it. You’re just stirring soup. “Oh.” you feel a wave of embarrassment wash over you. “Why did you come up behind me then?” you ask, voice a little shaky. Luigi tilts his head, his thick eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He looks away for a second, then shifts his gaze back to your embarrassed expression. “I just wanted to appreciate you, my love.” he says, his tone soft and sincere.

You bite the inside of your cheek, fighting the emotions before your eyes can visibly tear up. “I’m sorry, I just thought you did that because you wanted it to.. lead.. to something..” you explain. You look up at Luigi again, searching his face for any hint of frustration or confusion.

“No, no, no, I didn’t.. I don’t know why you..” His voice trails off, confused, He takes a moment to think, “Did I do something? I--” Luigi starts, trying to navigate this situation carefully since he can tell you’re in a fragile state. You quickly cut him off, desperate to reassure him, “No, you're fine. You’re perfect. It’s just my brain, I read the situation wrong.” You say in a rush, verbally trying to escape the situation. You force a short chuckle in an attempt to rid the awkward tension.

Luigi takes a deep breath. He steps forward from the counter, towards you. He lifts his hand, delicately pushing a strand of hair behind your ear. “Is it okay if I touch you?” he asks softly, staring at your face despite your gaze being focused on the soup again. You nod, unable to look at him. He cups the side of your face with his hand, slowly stroking your cheek with his thumb. “You can talk to me about anything, love. I promise I would never do something to you expecting it to lead somewhere, or get something out of you, okay?” he reassures, sincerity written in his tone. You nod. “I’m glad that you felt comfortable telling me you weren't in the mood, though. You must’ve felt so guilty. I would never want to make you uncomfortable.” he says, his voice full of compassion. You nod again, biting the inside of your cheek.

You feel your eyes finally surrender, glazing over with fresh tears. Fuck. You already see Luigi’s expression shift in your peripheral vision. “y/n, baby, what’s wrong?” his voice laced with panic, but trying to maintain a neutral tone.

Avoiding eye contact, trying to regain some control over yourself, you set the spoon down on the stove. You turn off the burner. Thinking his honest words from his heart would help, Luigi is confused at what appears to be you emotionally shutting down. He’s analytical, used to approaching things logically with fact, and solving them with ease. It hurts his heart, not knowing how to immediately and effectively help you.

You step away, your head in your hands. Crying in front of others has always been something you tried to avoid—an old habit from years of being mocked for your sensitivity. Your palms press into your eyelids, as if you believe that pushing hard enough will force the tears back into their ducts. It’s no use. You try your best to take deep breaths, but they’re stifling. Your chest feels tight.

You’ve never been loved like this. You’re damaged. Your past has made it difficult to trust these moments. You accidentally accused him of trying to throw himself onto you, and yet here he is, treating you.. like this? Apologizing to you? Being so graceful, so patient.. with you? It makes your heart ache.

Luigi watches you from a distance, helpless. He doesn’t know exactly how to help, but his heart aches for you, wanting nothing more than to ease your pain. He walks toward you again, determined to offer comfort, even though he isn’t sure how.

Luigi watches you from a few feet away, distressed and helpless. His gaze shifts around the room frantically, up and down your body trying to read its language. His mouth gaped slightly. He needs to act quickly. He wants nothing more than to ease your pain, but he's unsure of how. He walks towards you again, determined to offer comfort one way or another.

“You’re..” you begin an attempt at explaining, stopping Luigi in his tracks. “You’re so kind.” you say, a full fledged sob following your words as you break down completely.

Luigi’s tense shoulders drop, his heart shattering at your words. He could never have imagined that his care and patience would feel so foreign to you, that it would bring you to the point of tears.

You feel his strong arms envelop you, drawing you close against his chest. His lips press a gentle kiss to your forehead. You move your hands to his back, returning the embrace and burying your face in the warmth of his chest. Luigi’s chin rests softly atop your head as you dissolve into his comforting presence, your sobs quieting in his hold.

“You deserve…” he pauses, a lump catching in his throat. He’s never seen you this broken before. “... all the kindness in the world. It's my duty to love you.” he whispers, his voice reveled in emotion.

You catch up to your inhales, taking deeper, more controlled breaths. Tears continue to stream down your face, but not overwhelmingly, with Luigi's hoodie gently absorbing them. With the newfound sense of developing control over your body, you muster the courage to lift your face from Luigi’s chest.

Your puffy, red-rimmed eyes reach his glossy gaze. You didn’t expect to cry in front of him, ever. Normally when you cry, you run to your room, find some way to hide. You never imagined Luigi would see you like this, so raw and vulnerable. His lashes are damp and clumped together. In his eyes, you see that your pain has affected him as if it were his own, yet there’s a sense of relief as he finally meets your beautiful gaze once more.

He sighs deeply, a weight lifted. His hands reach up to cup your face, his thumbs tenderly stroking your cheeks, as if they are your personal windshield wipers.

“My beautiful girl.” he whispers, a small grin tugging at his lips. You smile back, your heart glowing. You place your hands on top of his, feeling their warmth. Closing your eyes once more, you lean into his touch, feeling a sense of security you've never known before.

You look up at Luigi, “Thank you.” you whisper from the depths of your fragile heart, the weight of gratitude in your voice. “I know.. I have so much I need to tell you. I promise I will, eventually.” you say. He nods, that sweet grin having yet to leave his lips since you met his gaze. “Take your time, amore mio. I’ll be here.” he says.

You chuckle lightly, wiping any remaining tears with the back of your hand. “I never thought anyone would see me like this.” you admit.

“I’m honoured you let me. You never have to hide any parts from me, not ever.” Luigi says softly, his eyes never leaving yours.

Reaching up, you caress the side of his face, feeling the stubble beneath your fingers. You pull him down to your level, smiling as his lips get closer to yours. Closing your eyes, your lips meet his in a tender, passionate kiss.

Luigi carried you to his room, where the rest of the night unfolded in a quiet, healing embrace. Cuddling, sharing gentle kisses, opening up more about your childhoods to each other more than you ever have. You shared a comforting bowl of soup before going to bed, sleeping soundly in each other’s warm, safe embrace.

a/n: hope you enjoyed!! please feel free to leave all sorts of feedback; the good, the bad, the ugly.. LOL i appreciate anyone who took the time to read all this! thank u sm to anon for the request! xoxox!

#fanfic #fanfic luigi #ff luigi #luigi fanfic #luigi ff #luigi imagine #luigi mangione #luigi mangione fanfic #luigi oneshot #luigiff #luigi angst #angst with a happy ending #light angst #angst #fluff #one shot

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phantomwithbreakfast · 15 hours ago

Text

𝚃𝚘𝚘 𝙰𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚃𝚘 𝙻𝚒𝚟𝚎, 𝚃𝚘𝚘 𝙰𝚏𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚃𝚘 𝙳𝚒𝚎

×͜×

Prologue.

⟢ Danny Phantom Phan Fic • Genre: Angst / Tragedy / Psychological / Horror • Overall TW: Strong Language — Mental Health Struggles — Suicidal Ideation — Violence — Parental Neglect — Emotional Abuse — Graphic Content • M rate (+16!) due Graphic Emotional Intensity — CW: Character Death

Summary: “It’s the end of me. I didn’t want to feel and kiss your lips, I wanted to feel and see you suffer instead.”

AO3.

FFN.

Other Phan fics here.

Under the ‘read more’ line you’ll find the full art piece at the bottom + more. TW/CW: Gore — Vivisection (But we’re used to it by now, aren’t we?).

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦.

It’s the end of me. I didn’t want to feel and kiss your lips, I wanted to feel and see you suffer instead. I saw him. Me. Him. My own reflection. You didn’t do this. I did. But that wasn’t true. We’re the same, aren’t we? Two halves of a broken whole. This wasn’t about them. It never was. This was about me all along.

☻% x ـــــــــــــــﮩ٨ـ

I stood there. Frozen.

My eyes locked onto my white-gloved hands, stained in deep crimson. Blood seeped into the fabric, dripping in slow, deliberate drops that echoed louder than they should have. My eyes drifted down, following the deep red river that spilled across the floor.

She wasn’t moving.

Her body lay still, sprawled on her back. Her eyes—lifeless, glassy—staring unblinking at the ceiling, delving for something that wasn’t there.

My chest heaved, gasping for air that refused to to come, as my mind spiraled into a storm of chaos and despair.

What…

What the fxck just happened?

My whole body trembled, shaking under a burden. The effort of standing was too much—my knees gave out, hitting the ground with a hollow sound. I collapsed, crumpled like a broken doll.

Devastated.

I changed—transformed.

Human.

My body felt heavy, mortal, fragile. The tears fell unbidden, carving warm, fragile paths down the frost of my hollow cheeks. A guttural sob broke through, followed by another.

I couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t stop breaking.

Whimpers tore out of me—feeling like little pieces of my soul being ripped apart. My breath broke in jagged gasps, each inhale a blade slicing deeper into the hollow ache of my chest.

With the last shreds of strength clinging to my shattered body, I dragged myself forward, smearing her blood beneath my hands and knees. The trail of crimson followed me, marking my every trembling inch. My arms shook, my knees scraped against the slick floor.

Her blood was everywhere—on me, around me. Just… everywhere.

I reached her side and stopped.

The world spun in a blur of red and black. Everything felt too quiet. Too empty.

In that silence, I crumbled. Her absence crashing until I was nothing—just broken sobs and trembling hands, drowning me into an endless ache of what I… of what I could never undo.

…

“You really don’t want to do this. Trust me. Who’s going to protect this town after all, if you shoot me?” Danny said, forcing a grin that felt painfully fake.

“What use would I have for you if you’re… dead?” Her tone shifted slightly, dipping into something that sounded almost sinister. “No. If I killed you, I couldn’t examine you. I couldn’t study you the way I need to. You have to be conscious for that.”

Danny’s grin faltered and swallowed. His stomach twisted at her words, but before he could say anything else—before he could even move—there was a flash of light.

And then... there was nothing but darkness.

⟢ All this time that I was working on this art piece, I had a pang feeling in my chest. Guilt. Empathy. Compassion. I even cried at some point. I blindfolded Danny for a while, and did the eyes as final.

⟢ The art piece itself is a mix up from my dissection—vivisection stories. Plus, other ones that are about to follow, like this preview of the prologue.

⟢ It’s possible I might still change the prologue up a bit.

⟢ I’m so, so, so fxcking sorry Danny. (╥﹏╥)

♫ ▸ MOMMA’S BOY. :3

“You’re a ghost. You can’t feel pain or experience any emotions. But you? You’re so… Fascinating.”

“Why did I… deserve this? Why? What is it that makes me… interesting? That you have to… vi—vivisect me?”

⟢ Only the bad memories will last.

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neocitylights · 22 hours ago

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SCREENTIME — a call d short story

“It’s just weird not having you here. I didn’t think it’d feel so… empty.”

GENRE: Romance, fluff, non-idol au WORD COUNT: 2.3k

NOTES: An update on our duo graduated in downbadism for each other! It can be read as a standalone but it references a few things from the main story. Please let me know what you think! It’s gonna make my day!

Barbie 7:14PM I miss you ☹️

Haechan’s phone buzzes with your incoming text as soon as he steps into the hotel room, immediately making him grin at the screen despite his exhaustion.

After a long day of tedious networking—with people he isn’t particularly interested in beyond business—he’d managed to escape Johnny’s invitation for dinner in a fancy restaurant in the city to return to the hotel instead, planning to crash your morning with a video call to see you.

You’ve always joked that he had both impeccable and terrible timing, though today his ability seems to be serving you.

7:15PM Oh my 😀😀😀😀😀 Is my baby missing me???? You aren’t supposed to be up yet What time is it over there now?

Barbie 7:15PM It’s 5am here Are you at the hotel already?

7:16PM Just got to my room Are you okay? Why are you up so early?? Don’t you have today off?

Barbie 7:16PM I do I just woke up and couldn’t sleep anymore Can I see you please? I’ll facetime

7:16PM My baby wants to see me??? 😀😀

The text’s marking read when a picture of you takes over the screen, a smile tugging at his mouth as Haechan accepts your call, sinking into an armchair by the window of his room.

As your face appears, he can’t help chuckling fondly at the sight—bundled up in a blanket, your sleepy eyes immediately beam upon seeing him. The room’s still dark save from the dim light from a lampshade, his heart skipping with a few familiar details around you.

“Hi, Barbie,” he greets animatedly, curious eyes squinting at the screen. “Are you at my apartment?”

A hint of bashfulness takes over your face as you smile back, nodding at him. “Yeah.”

“You look so cozy,” Haechan teases, smiling mischievously upon noticing the extra pillows around his bed. “Are you missing me so badly that you need to sleep at my place?”

With a huff that sounds more playful than anything, you shoot him an eye-roll. “You’re so annoying,” you answer, the quiet voice lacking the bite from your words. “Did you have a long day? You look a little tired.”

“You know I hate this kind of thing.” Haechan exhales a half-hearted laugh, running a hand through his hair. “If it wasn’t for Johnny, I’d be just around talking to the artists instead.”

You hum softly, smiling at his complaint. “Sounds like you.”

As he brings the phone closer to his face, Haechan raises a curious eyebrow at you, back to his playful self. “So… how’s everything over there? Are you taking good care of my plants?”

“They should be my plants since they’re only still alive because of me,” you argue, a smile soon following your half-hearted huff. “Alia’s still going crazy over the wedding plans, your mom asked me out for lunch earlier this week, work’s still work… same as always.”

“Oh, yeah, I saw the pictures of your date with Mrs. Lee,” he jokes, chuckling as you confusedly stare at him for a second. “She told me you were going out together, so I asked her for pictures. I’ll tell you that she did not disappoint me.”

“Oh my God, is that why she took so many pictures of me?” You frown, visibly surprised at the twist. “It felt like I was shooting for a magazine or something.”

Haechan grins, offering you a coy wink. “I made a new album in my gallery just for them.”

“You haven’t told me how’s the hotel yet,” you start, purposefully disregarding him with a hint of a smile on your face. “Is the city still the same as you remember?”

“The hotel is fine, just boring,” he complains, taking a glance around the place as if to suddenly find anything interesting. “I haven’t seen much of the city, though. My mom probably has an entire schedule planned to go as soon as she lands.”

“That’s so cute,” you reply, adjusting under the blankets with a soft laugh. “She does seem really excited about it. She couldn’t stop talking about the last time you guys visited your family at our lunch date.”

The conversation pauses for a second as Haechan lets himself watch you, holding back a smile at the little peek at your pajamas—a t-shirt that’s been missing from his closet for a good few months. Though as something suddenly moves underneath the blanket, seemingly walking right beside you, his face immediately shifts to a puzzled frown.

Haechan shifts on his seat, eyes squinting for a second time. “Do you have something to tell me, Barbie?”

That’s all it takes for a pair of fluffy ears to slip out, followed by a rather loud protest at the screen before a white and brown-ish cat climbs over you, settling comfortably on your chest as Haechan watches in a mix of bewilderment and adoration.

You glance at the camera for a second, biting your lip. “Surprise?”

“We have a cat?!” he asks dumbfounded, laughing in disbelief as his eyes shift between both of you. “Do we suddenly have a cat now?”

Giggling at his reaction, the cat suddenly meows on your chest, bothered by the movement. “It’s not ours, Hyuckie,” you explain, fingers carefully running through the fluff. “It’s Yangyang’s cat. His name is Coco.”

Haechan huffs playfully, shaking his head. “Well, it’s not Yangyang’s anymore.”

Moving the camera to a better angle, you snort when noticing him taking a screenshot. “He had a family emergency but his roommates aren’t in town, so he texted me asking if I could take Coco for the weekend.”

With a hum, Haechan furrows his eyebrows at the cat through the screen. “So Coco will spend the entire weekend with you at my place?” he asks, suddenly letting out a dramatic sigh at your nod. “It’s really tough seeing someone else living your dream.”

“Stop,” you counter, holding back a laugh at his antics. “Have you eaten dinner yet?”

“No.” He shakes his head, looking around for the hotel’s menu. “I’ll order some if you stay with me.”

As both of you exchange idle chit-chat about the trip, Haechan orders his dinner with yours and Coco’s company, soon moving to the table with the phone propped in front of him. With the food’s aroma spreading through the room, a happy groan escapes from his mouth, almost making him forget the attentive audience of two on the other side of the screen.

Amused at the delight on his face, you can’t help chuckling. “Did I make a good choice?”

“You make the greatest choices always, baby,” he says, already between a mouthful when Coco meows again. “Yeah, yeah, you too.”

The silence stretches for a second too long as Haechan finishes the meal, the lively mood of your little comments fading into a quiet, sudden pause. Though neither of you are usually bothered by these moments, something in the way you’re watching him makes Haechan pause.

“Uh-oh, it looks like you’re thinking too much,” he starts, smiling softly despite the tip of worry lacing his voice. “What’s wrong, Barbie?”

You hesitate for a moment, sighing quietly before speaking. “It’s just weird not having you here. I didn’t think it’d feel so… empty.”

As he clutches his chest theatrically, Haechan slumps into the chair with a groan. “Is my baby really missing me?” he taunts, the attempt to draw a laugh out of you succeeding upon your giggle. “You could’ve come with me, I told you I’d sneak you into our meetings.”

More playful than anything, you give him an incredulous glance. “I told you I have a job.”

“That’s just details, Barbie.” He shrugs, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly. “You know Mrs. Lee wouldn’t mind giving you a few days, right?”

“Well, she did ask me why I didn’t go with you…” you confess, the tone of your voice subtly changing to a teasing one. “You probably wouldn’t get any work done with me around, so it’s probably for the best.”

As he stops a protest short at your glare, Haechan nods solemnly instead, feigning defeat. “Ok, fine, maybe you’re right,” he admits, suddenly grinning as realization clicks in his eyes. “Oh, I got some stuff for you, by the way!”

You let out a half-hearted groan, watching fondly as he disappears into the hotel room. “What did I say, Hyuckie?”

“To not get you anything,” Haechan calls aloud, an edge of playful offense laced to his voice. “That’s the lamest thing you’ve ever asked me, baby. I’m not going home to you empty-handed.”

It only takes a moment for him to return to the screen again, leaving you visibly stunned while he juggles a ridiculous number of shopping bags into the frame. The rustling sound makes you laugh, bothering Coco enough that he meows grudgingly, moving to nestle himself against a pillow instead.

“Hyuck, what the hell?” you exclaim, bringing the phone closer as if to get a better look. “How is all of that fitting in your luggage, baby?”

“I haven’t gotten that far yet,” he answers casually, a grin instantly growing on his face upon spotting a specific bag, one of the biggest ones around him. “Oh, you’re gonna love this one—close your eyes for me, hm?”

Raising a suspicious eyebrow, you resist a smile by biting your lips. “Why should I?”

Giving the camera a knowing look, Haechan huffs mischievously, shaking his head at you through the screen. “You’re usually really good at obeying my orders.”

You scoff indignantly, visibly flustered at his words despite the annoyance. “You are with mine too!”

“I’m a good boy,” he agrees nonchalantly, your astonishment earning a smirk out of him. “Come on, Barbie, close them.”

With a small sigh, you oblige, squeezing your eyes shut. “Donghyuck, if you’re playing a prank on me—”

“Shhh, no talking,” Haechan interrupts, eagerly pulling the gifts from the bag before holding them closer to the phone. “Okay, open now!”

A hand immediately flies to your mouth as you gasp, taking in the sight of the two cute bears taking over the screen of your phone—behind Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma, Haechan can’t help laughing at your reaction.

“Oh my God, Hyuckie!” you start, eyes alight as a wide smile grows on your face. “They’re so cute! How’d you know I wanted them?”

He shrugs, though his grin gives away a hint of satisfaction. “I actually listen to my girlfriend like a good boyfriend should do.”

“You are the best,” you mumble, voice softening as a pout forms on your lips. “I love you.”

“You do, don’t you?” Haechan teases instead, ignoring the warmth spreading over his neck by shuffling through the shopping bags again. “You’re gonna love me even more with this one.”

As he holds it out, your jaw immediately drops at the designer name on the bright, startlingly pink bag in his hands. “You got me a Barbie bag?!”

“Obviously,” he says, mockingly serious as he nods solemnly. “I’ll receive my gratifications in the form of kisses and cuddles.”

You giggle, fondly shaking your head at his words. “I’ll kiss you for as long as you want,” you promise, holding the phone closer to your face as Haechan sets the plushies next to him. “They look a little bit like us.”

“They do, don’t they?” Haechan agrees, snorting a laugh with a look at the pair. “Mark said the same thing. He said I should’ve picked out matching outfits for them too.”

“Oh my God, we are absolutely doing that,” you beam, giving him a mock look of determination. “Rilakkuma and Korilakkuma need proper clothes as representatives of our relationship.”

He nods through the screen, visibly amused by your excitement. “Anything for you, baby.”

You chuckle sheepishly at the words, the sound warm and easy despite a subtle mood change as the moment draws for a second too long. There’s a pause as both of you just look at each other through the screen, charged with unspoken feelings.

“So… what’s your plans for tomorrow?” you ask, breaking the quiet with a lighter tone. “More boring meetings?”

“You should’ve come with me,” Haechan grumbles again, wrinkling his nose before leaning closer to the screen, as if to tell you a secret. “There’s still time, baby. Just say the word and I’ll book a flight right now.”

“You’re insane.” You shake your head, laughing for the nth time at how serious he sounds. “As much I’d love to, one of us needs to be the normal person in this relationship.”

Noting the hints of sunlight already slipping through the curtains at his place, Haechan watches you stretch under the blankets, a yawn escaping from your mouth just as he glimpses at the clock on the wall of his hotel room.

“You should take a nap,” he murmurs, smiling as the cat beside you mimics your motion on his pillow. “Coco seems to be filling my spot well, huh?”

“I have a feeling that he’d hate you,” you joke, playfully narrowing your eyes at Coco. “It took a few hours for him to warm up to me after Yangyang left.”

Haechan chuckles, his eyes softening the longer he watches the screen. “Hey, I miss you too, alright?” he says, gently taunting you. “How many more days until I’m back?”

“Ten,” you reply instantly, timidly avoiding his gaze for a second. “Not that I’m counting or anything.”

He grins, tilting his head with a click of his tongue. “Sure you’re not, Barbie.”

“I should let you go,” you sigh, coming off a little reluctant despite your firm nod. “It’s getting late for you and I have to set up Coco’s breakfast soon.”

With a hum, Haechan leans towards the camera with a hand over his ear. “How many more days?”

Despite a half-hearted eye-roll, you sound nothing but sweet as your voice drops to a whisper. “Ten, Hyuckie.”

“That’s right,” he says, his smile softening into something warmer, almost with a reverent touch. “I love you, hm?”

A smile spreads across your face, nodding through the screen one last time. “I love you too.”

9:54PM [attachment] Here’s your tickets baby 😘 You fly out Monday morning Barbie 9:54PM DONGHYUCK WHAT???

#lee haechan #lee haechan x reader #haechan x reader #nct fic #nct dream fic #lee haechan fic #haechan fic #neocitylights

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vikkirosko · 2 days ago

Note

Hello. Happy new year !

Can I request Mr crawling, Mr scarletella, Mr silvhair, Mr Hood and Mr chopped from Homicipher (all platonic) with a child female reader ?

Reader is 8 and was able to defeat Mr scarletella. Now that Mr scarletella is her servant (more of a friend/guardian for her) she decided to bring everyone to her world. Now they all live in a huge Japanese traditional house quite abandoned in the woods near the ghost appartements.

Reader must go to school, but instead of taking her normal umbrella, she took Mr scarletella's. Let's say that when she goes back, the other saw her with a very angry Mr scarletella (her scared kids who wanted to bully her)

Thanks!

Thank you, Happy New Year to you too!

Platonic headcanons Another world

🖤 Mr. Crawling x kid fem!Reader 🪮

The day you found yourself in another world, it was Mr. Crawling who was the first person you met. He was surprised that you were a child, but he wanted to protect you from the dangers that might come your way. Especially if Mr. Scarletella gets in your way. It took you a while to figure out the language spoken by the locals, but you were a smart kid and understood everything quickly. Mr. Crawling took care of you and made you laugh when you were scared. But when you finally met Mr. Scarletella, something happened that absolutely no one expected. You were able to defeat Mr. Scarletella. It was the most unexpected thing the residents of the ghost apartments had ever seen, and you were definitely proud of what you could do

Mr. Crawling continued to accompany you and took care of you like an older brother, whom you said you never had, but you were depressed by how gloomy the ghostly apartments were. You wanted your friends to see the world where you came from, and Mr. Scarletella helped you with that. Thanks to your joint efforts, you were able to find yourself in a place that you liked much more. It was a traditional Japanese style house, which was simply huge, otherwise all the inhabitants of the ghostly apartments simply would not have been able to live there. Crawling was not used to being in a new house, but he was glad that he could continue to spend time with you, especially since it was obviously safer for you in a new house than in an apartment. You promised him that you would tell him a lot of interesting things about the world where you were now, and he believed you

You went to school, because you were a kid after all, and Mr. Crawling was always waiting for you to come back. You always brought him small souvenirs, and even if they were small things, he still liked them. He liked listening to your stories about how you went to school, what you were taught, and what games you played with other children. Your stories were filled with happiness, and he liked it when you were happy. He couldn't keep you company in the city, but he could play some of the games you enjoyed playing with you. He found new ways to make you laugh, though not the same as before. You continued to be under his care and the fact that you were now living in a new house could not change anything for him

In your home world, you could continue to grow, but there were those around you who were willing to help you no matter what, and Mr. Crawling was at the top of that list. He took care of you as if you were part of his family. Maybe, in a way, he did perceive you that way, but you didn't mind. You were also attached to him and were glad that he agreed to leave the apartment with you and start a new stage of life in a house so different from his usual surroundings

💭 Mr. Hood x kid fem!Reader 🪓

When Mr. Hood first met you in the ghostly apartment, he felt uneasy. You were a defenseless child who could easily be harmed, you didn't understand their language and it wasn't clear how you ended up there in the first place. He offered to help you, and you agreed. Mr. Hood wasn't sure if you understood what he was talking about, but he decided for himself that he would gradually teach you their language so that you wouldn't have problems communicating with him and with other apartment residents. But because he doubted that you could protect yourself, he accompanied you, often carrying you in his arms so that you would not lag behind him, so that no one could grab you and so that you were in his field of vision

Mr. Scarletella has been bothering you, and Mr. Hood was protecting you. As long as you were under his care, nothing bad could happen to you. Gradually, you got used to the ghostly apartments and those who lived there. You learned their language, but the fact that Mr. Scarletella continued to appear and haunt you seriously worried those with whom you communicated and Mr. Hood in the first place. When you told him he shouldn't worry about it, he thought you were taking the threat too lightly. He was of that opinion until you defeated Mr. Scarletella. When he found out about this, he wasn't sure if you needed his protection anymore, but you hugged him and asked him to stay with you, because you felt lonely without him. Your request was not entirely clear to him, but he agreed, continuing to play the role of your protector and guardian

When you asked him if he would like to go to a new house with you, he agreed, because he still couldn't leave you alone. He did not expect that you would actually bring him and other apartment residents close to you to a new home. It was a huge house in a traditional Japanese style and you claimed that now it was your new home. It was safer there, so Mr. Hood could worry less about you being in danger or getting hurt. It would seem that your life has changed little. But there was something different from the past. You started going to school. It seemed logical to him. You were a child and you were learning new things. He checked with you what he could check and tried to help you as much as he could when you didn't understand any topics at school

Mr. Hood was more than just a protector for you. He was your friend, your teacher, someone you could trust and who would never hurt you. You were glad that you met him when you found yourself in a ghostly apartment and would not have exchanged your meeting for anything, which marked the beginning of your relationship, which you began to perceive as a parent-child relationship. For you, Mr. Hood was a parent and no one could replace him for you

💉 Mr. Silvair x kid fem!Reader 🪓

Your acquaintance with Mr. Silvair was due to Mr. Chopped, whom you helped to return to the room. You were a kind child who couldn't leave him alone. Mr. Silvair thanked you, but was surprised to hear a child's voice and your lack of understanding of their language. You were a child who found yourself in a ghostly apartment, as if by accident, and he wasn't sure if it was safe for you to travel there alone. Therefore, while you were in their room, he tried to teach you some words in their language, after which he invited you to stay with them. Perhaps Mr. Chopped couldn't do much to protect you, but Mr. Silvair was more confident that he could protect you from those who might want to harm you. Perhaps you didn't fully understand what exactly he was asking you, but you agreed, and there was a joyful smile in your voice

You spent a lot of time with him, and there didn't seem to be much that could really scare you. When Mr. Silvair went somewhere, you often went with him, curious about what you saw in the apartment. He continued to act as your teacher and taught you their language, but when you suddenly disappeared, he felt very worried. Usually, if you went somewhere, you warned him or took Mr. Chopped with you, but now you just left without saying a word to anyone. He planned to go looking for you, but you returned before he could get far from your room. You came back clearly pleased with something and told him that now the strange man with the umbrella would stop bothering you. Then he didn't immediately understand what you meant, but it came to him pretty quickly. You've defeated Mr. Scarletella

You haven't talked about what happened, but things have started to change in your life. You invited them to go to a new home with you, and if Mr. Chopped was interested in visiting a new place, then Mr. Silvair just intended to keep an eye on you. Your new home is a huge house in a traditional Japanese style. It wasn't just the three of you there, but also others you had become friends with, but you continued to spend most of your time with Mr. Silvair, mostly going to school. He always checked to see if you had done your homework, as much as he could check it, and he was like a parent pleased with his child's progress when you told him about how well your day at school had gone

Perhaps life in your world was more useful to you, and Mr. Silvair, as a caring guardian, chose for you what was best for you. Even if he had to leave his usual place for that. Even in this world, there were many dangers, but he wasn't going to let others hurt you. Perhaps when you get older, he will decide to teach you how to protect yourself, and while you continued to be a child, he intended to take over your protection and care for you

🧡 Mr. Chopped x kid fem!Reader 🪮

Mr. Chopped got lost and was trying to get back into the room when he met you. He had already met an apartment dweller who looked like a child and it wasn't the best meeting, but you didn't look like you were going to force him to play with you. You smiled at him with a kind smile. You asked him if he needed help, but you didn't speak the same language as him, so he concluded that you didn't know the language. So he couldn't just ask you to help him get home. Fortunately, his hand helped him explain to you, and soon you were carrying him where he needed to go. You were an innocent child who found it dangerous to walk alone, so he suggested to Mr. Silvair that you stay with them. It would be safer for you that way, and Mr. Chopped could walk with you where he normally couldn't get to without a lot of trouble

Mr. Silvair taught you their language, and Mr. Chopped helped him, although he usually urged you to go for a walk. You didn't feel any discomfort carrying his head in your arms while his hand was on your shoulder. You both enjoyed your little trips, but you had to be extra careful, because if you got into trouble, it would be difficult for you to avoid the dangers. One of these dangers was Mr. Scarletella, who, for some reason, was often seen near you. You used to hide, but one day when Mr. Chopped woke up, he didn't find you around and it bothered him. He wanted to ask Mr. Silvair about it, but you came back with a satisfied smile on your lips and told him that the strange man in red would no longer bother you. It was hard for him to believe that you could beat him, but you had no reason to lie

When you told him about your desire to go somewhere else, he was fired up by the idea. Pretty quickly, you, along with those with whom you managed to find a common language, moved to a new home. It was a huge house in a traditional Japanese style and it gave you and Mr. Chopped a huge place to explore. You wandered around the house, exploring every corner of it, and he was just delighted with it. You played there, you told him about the school you started going to again, and sometimes you thought it was a bad idea to take him to school with you. On the one hand, it could have turned into serious problems, but on the other hand, the opportunity to show him my school looked very interesting. He was bored when you left for school, but he knew it would only be a few hours before you returned home

The new life was unusual for him, but something remained unchanged. You were still with Mr. Chopped. It was like you were siblings who played together, explored new things together, and found adventures together. He was glad that you appeared in his life and he was sure that even after years you would still be loyal friends who go on adventures together, but perhaps already outside your home

❤️ Mr. Scarletella x kid fem!Reader ☂️

Mr. Scarletella felt you. He felt that you were somewhere in the apartment, which meant it was much easier for him to find you. You were another soul that he could get by adding to his collection, but when he finally found you, he was surprised to see a child in front of him, a girl who looked at him with curiosity, without a drop of fear. He didn't show his surprise, but you managed to take advantage of the moment and leave, not understanding why this strange man was looking at you. But that didn't mean Mr. Scarletella was going to leave you alone. He followed you, watched you make friends, even in a place that should have scared you. But every time you ran into him, you preferred to leave. Until at some point you get tired of it. Your new meeting has changed his life. You defeated him, which was unexpected, it would seem, for both of you

He became the one who accompanied you while you were walking around the apartment and who helped you learn their language. The others were afraid of him, but you convinced them that Mr. Scarletella would not harm anyone. He really became more patient with others and was surprisingly attentive to you. He became your friend and guardian, who wasn't going to let you get hurt. And only for your sake will he agree to start living in another house with you and the other residents of the apartment with whom you have managed to get along. Your new home is a huge house in a traditional Japanese style. You seemed genuinely happy to be able to introduce your friends to your world, and the only thing that sometimes prevented you from doing so was that you had to go to school

You always tried not to forget to take an umbrella with you when you went to school, because the weather could turn bad pretty quickly, but because you woke up later than planned, you didn't notice that you didn't take your umbrella, but the umbrella that belonged to Mr. Scarletella. It would seem that little has changed, but when you walked home in the rain after school, you completely did not notice the children who studied with you at the same school. They were a couple of years older than you and were known at school as bullies. They regarded you as a new victim, but when they just wanted to take a step in your direction, they stopped. The reason for this was Mr. Scarletella. He was walking next to you, holding his umbrella and hiding you both from the rain, but his gaze was turned towards them. He looked really scary and the children quickly remembered the horror stories they had told each other, including about him. They weren't even sure at what moment he appeared next to you, but fear got the better of them and they ran away, and you didn't even know that if your guardian wasn't with you, you could have become a victim of bullies

For you, Mr. Scarletella was a friend whom you didn't trust at first, but now you were attached to him. He was your protector and guardian, who did not allow anyone to even think of harming you. If someone had done it, it was unlikely that someone would have been able to escape from him and his anger. As long as you were under his protection, nothing and no one could harm you

#mr. crawling #mr. scarletella #Mr. Crawling x Reader #Mr. Scarletella x Reader #Mr. Silvair #Mr. Silvair x Reader #Mr. Chopped #Mr. Chopped x Reader #Mr. Hood #Mr. Hood x Reader #Homicipher #Homicipher x Reader

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sunandflame · 10 hours ago

Text

Shards of Glass, Chapter 9

Summary: Kyojuro Rengoku, History Teacher on the Kimetsu Academy, is constantly having strange dreams about a Slayer who looks exactly like him. He thinks nothing of it until he recognizes a very specific person from these dreams and feels a very unique connection to her.

Pairing: History Teacher Kyojuro x Teacher Fem!Reader

Trope: Reincarnation / Sequel to Flame and Water (can be stand-alone)

Word Count: 3851

Warning: smut

Pinterest Board of Shards of Glass

Crossposted on AO3

Masterlist of Shards of Glass

“Could you take in two strays who were caught up in the rain?”

He looked at her in shock and immediately stepped aside to let her in, which she did. She was the last person he would expect here, but he wasn't expecting anyone at this late hour. He closed the door behind them and studied her, noticing how wet she was from the rain. Her hair stuck to her face and she shivered noticeably. Something black jumped out of her arm and immediately explored the area until the cat ran along Kyojuro's legs and purred at him.

So that was the second stray she was talking about. Kyojuro smiles at the feline and kneels on his haunches to pet the cat who is immediately smitten by him. The moment he looks up at Y/N his face turns serious as he rises up to clasp her arms in both of his hands. It’s obvious that something happened but he does not dare to ask, not now when she was shaken. “You are freezing.” He rubs her arms to create warm friction. “How about you first take a shower while I make you some hot chocolate to drink?” Y/N nods with teary eyes and he leads her into his little bathroom.

~ ~ ~

The warmth of the water jet was a blessing to her chilled skin. She had surveyed the bathroom and had noticed how sporadically everything was arranged, as if he had just moved in here. She noted the two bottles that were on the floor of the shower and smelled them before using them. Amber and pine trees. An interesting combination, but one she had already smelled on him. She remembered the first time when his scent hit her nose as she stood close to him while they talked. She had to resist the temptation to move closer to him and sniff his neck, knowing how odd that might have looked. The fact that she now had the chance to use his shampoos and smell like him made her blush. Especially when she slipped into his hoodie and sweatpants after showering. She couldn't help but bury her nose in the soft material and sniff the soothing smell of Kyojuro.

She couldn't help but think of how he had looked at her earlier. His eyes wide in surprise. His golden-red waves that were in a messy bun. His white shirt that was so tight around his muscular pectorals, showing off the definition she never noticed before and oh god… Those gray sweatpants that sat so dangerously low on his hips. She felt the heat go to her head again and was about to jump back to take a cold shower, but this wasn't her apartment. She was only a guest. Y/N took a deep breath and looked into the bathroom mirror for a brush and combed her wet hair with it.

Shimizu purred and constantly rubbed against his legs as he prepared the hot chocolate on the stove. As he stirred the dark liquid with the spoon, several thoughts ran through his mind. What happened to her? Why was she outside at this time? Threatening herself with sickness? Why was she crying? Was she hungry? His thoughts were interrupted as he saw a figure from the corner of his eyes.

“She seems to like you a lot.”

Kyojuro turned to her and saw her standing at the door frame. His clothes were definitely too big for her, her eyes still puffy from crying and yet she looked beautiful. To see her in his clothes like this stirred something deep inside him and he felt his cheeks growing warmer. “Yes, it seems like it. I like her too.” He looked down at the feline with a smile and reached down to scratch her under her chin. “Just make yourself comfortable on the couch. I will come in a minute and then we can talk. If you want.”

She nodded and seated herself on his couch. Kyojuro seated himself next to her and handed her the cup. “Here, this should warm you up.”

With a grateful nod she took the cup and sipped on the hot chocolate. He didn't know why, but he watched her closely as she closed her eyes in pleasure, running her tongue over her upper lip. “Delicious…” she sighed out and gave him a smile. “Thank you very much, I really needed that.”

“You are welcome. If you need anything else, let me know.” He smiled back at her.

“Thanks, but I think the hot chocolate should be enough for now.” She took another long sip and remained silent. Kyojuro didn't know what to say either. What was he supposed to say anyway? She was the one who came to him drenched from the rain with troubles weighing on her shoulders.

The silence became more oppressive until Shimizu jumped between the two of them and meowed very loudly. They both looked at her in surprise and then started to laugh. “I’m sorry Shimizu, I should have offered you something too.” He got up and the feline followed him immediately. He put a bowl with water and some cooked rice that he had from the day before and watched how she started to eat. As his gaze turned back to Y/N, he saw her staring at a picture that was on the drawer. He went there and gave her the frame. It was a picture of his family.

She picked it up reverently and looked at it closely. “Senjuro and you took after your father. It’s like he copy-pasted himself.”

Kyojuro’s smile turned nervous as he scratched the back of his neck. “Yes, the Rengoku genes are actually very strong. This hair color goes back to the Sengoku-era.”

“Really?” She looked at him in surprise and chuckled. “I need to confess something. The first time I saw your hair, I thought that you dyed the tips red, but then I met your little brother in one of my classes and realized that it must run in your family. I always wondered if it was your father or mother.” Her gaze went back to the picture and her smile softened. “Your mother is so beautiful.”

“Yes she is…” But his eyes were not on the picture, but on her. How she held it carefully in her hands, as if she knew how important it was to him. She put it carefully back and sat down on the couch, her smile dying out slowly.

Her gaze became distant while she tightly grabbed her mug. Kyojuro was visibly concerned, still debating if he should ask her what happened. The silence did not make the situation better as the worst scenarios were going through his head until he decided to finally ask her.

“Y/N… Why were you running so late outside in the rain? Did something happen…?” He didn’t dare to finish the sentence.

“Everything is fine…” She gave him a smile to reassure him, but this smile didn’t reach her eyes.

He scrunched his forked eyebrows. “You are a bad liar.”

Now she couldn’t hold it back any longer and started to laugh. While she laughed, he was able to hear her pain and the tears that she was not able to shed anymore. “But probably still better than you.”

Now he couldn't help but smile at the inside joke that had developed between the two of them. “Y/N you know that you can talk to me, right? You are my friend and my confession didn’t change that fact..”

You are my friend.

I love you, Y/N.

Those words still lingered in her mind. "Kenji and I… We were fighting a lot the past week. The fights became bigger and bigger..." She finally spoke.

"He did not-" Kyojuro was assuming the worst.

"No, no," she immediately corrected him. "I... broke up with him..." She was still not looking at him.

Kyojuro was surprised and he should be sad about hearing this. A break up, especially if someone had been together for such a long time, must be painful. He remembered how heartbroken he always was in his past break ups. A long silence occurred before Kyojuro decided to open his mouth. "I am sorry to hear that."

She put the mug on the table and leaned back to turn her head to him. "Are you really, Kyo?"

His eyes were now fixated on her plump lips that called his nickname so seductively. So inviting... imploring even. But he stopped himself before turning his golden red hues onto her eyes. "No, I am actually not."

Was it her who came closer or was he moving towards her? He really shouldn’t do it. He really shouldn't take advantage of her in this situation. The air was filled with tension, the longing was in both of their eyes.

“Kyo…” Her lips were whispering his name, waiting for him to finally make a move. Fuck it, he thought to himself and took her face in both of his hands and kissed her. Their lips clashed together and something inside them was like ‘finally’. As if his soul had been waiting for it over 100 years and was so desperate for her. The kiss turned hungrier and the sensation was so exhilarating that it strictly stirred his cock, which already started forming a tent in his gray sweatpants.

It didn't make it any better when she grabbed his hair and desperately pulled him closer so that he fell on top of her. His hardened dick pressed against her. Only the thin layers of fabric separated them, but not preventing the delicious friction that made them both moan into the kiss. “Kyojuro…” Her voice is so whiny and desperate for him that it evoked something primal in him.

Kyojuro felt as if a flame had ignited inside him, a flame that had been smoldering from the moment he first laid eyes on her. Now it was burning bright, consuming any lingering doubts and restraint he had left. He eagerly kissed her back, his tongue exploring her mouth while his hands gripped her waist tightly. His lips didn’t leave hers as his hands wandered down to her waist and hips. “Not here.” He was not sure if he said that more to himself than to her. It did not matter as he quickly stood up and grabbed her waist, to pick her up. Y/N immediately wrapped her legs tightly around him, kissing his lips, jaw, neck and everywhere else she was able to reach. That elicited a groan from him, making him dig his fingers into her thighs, where he was holding on desperately. It was hard to focus and if he didn’t have an ounce of self control he would have simply fucked her against the wall. However, this was their first time together so he opted to carry her into his bedroom.

Once in his room he draped her slowly onto his bed, his mouth wandering from her lips to her neck where he sucked and kissed the sensitive skin, eliciting all those sweet sighs and moans from her. He moved away from her, his body hovering over hers, to take a little to look at her. Again the sight of her in his clothes just made his heart clench in a way he never expected. His hands roamed over her body and pulled the hoodie over her head. He stared longingly at her bare breasts. Her nipples were already hard and eagerly pointing at him as they begged him to suck on them. He couldn’t take his eyes from her, before he snapped out of it as he realized that she was blushing under him. “Gods… You are so beautiful…” Murmuring words that were so familiar, creating a flashback in the back of his mind where he had said something like that before, but that didn't matter. What was important was that they were both here in the now.

There was something so intimate about being laid bare in front of him, seeing the desire and admiration in his eyes as his hands roamed over her body. Her blush deepened under his words, and she gently pulled his head down towards her chest. “Kyojuro… Please touch me…” She wanted his touch, nearly burned for the sensation his warmth gave her. He didn't need to be told twice and lowered his head down to take her nipple into his mouth, circling the hard peak with his hot tongue. The sudden shock of his touch sent waves of pleasure through her body and made her lower lip quiver. Her gasp only spurred him on further. His hand moved down to her waist, sliding under the fabric of her sweatpants to caress the sensitive skin there. He could feel how wet she was through the fabric, and the thought of it made him harder, if that was even possible.

He could feel the growing need to be inside her, to feel her from the inside, and the realization that they were on the same page seemed to fill his mind. He watched the response from her body and how she writhed under his touch. Those gasps and moans that he so craved; he wanted her to make more of those sounds. More, more, more… His hand on her waist began to slowly pull her sweatpants down, revealing more of her skin. His eyes roamed over her body, taking in every inch of her naked form. It was like being mesmerized by the most beautiful work of art in the world, and yet, it was the fact that this beauty was his to experience, to explore, that made it so much more intoxicating.

He began to slowly undress himself as he watched her beneath him on his bed. His gaze was like a physical touch, as if he was already trailing his fingers over the skin he could see. He wanted to make her feel just as wanted and worshiped, as he continued to slowly strip, revealing his toned body. She couldn’t take his eyes off him. His hand moved down and gently caressed her inner thigh, the touch gentle yet possessive.

"Gods, you are so beautiful."

He could hear how she gasped as his mouth moved down her body, and the sound of her voice only made his body react more to her. He lifted his head a bit, looking at her flushed face, and watched her lips part as she took a deep breath while he spread her thighs apart. He could already see her glistening folds, so beautifully exposed to him. The sight sent a wave of desire through his body, and he had to take a moment to gather his own self-control as he leaned down closer, his breath ghosting across her sensitive skin.

“So beautiful," he echoed, his voice thick with need, "I want to taste you…"

Without giving her time to respond, he lowered his mouth to her core, his tongue swiping across her sensitive flesh in one slow, languid motion. The taste of her was so sweet, so intoxicating, that it took all his self-control not to just devour her right then and there.

As he continued to lavish attention on her, he felt her hands in his hair, gripping and tugging at the strands. The pain and pleasure of it only added to his own arousal, and he groaned against her skin.

"You taste so sweet…" he whispered, "I need more."

He continued to explore every inch of her, his lips and tongue relishing the sweetness and warmth of her body. As he listened to her moans increase in volume, he intensified his efforts, his tongue moving with more purpose and pressure, trying to draw out as many of those delicious sounds from her as possible. And with each lick and stroke of his tongue, he felt her legs shaking and trembling. He could tell how close she was to the edge, and he kept going, determined to bring her over that precipice. Her gasps and moans fuelled him as he worked his mouth between her thighs. He wanted to make her scream his name, to hear her come undone beneath his touch.

As her moans grew louder and more desperate, Kyojuro knew she was nearing her climax. He continued his assault, not letting up, determined to push her over the edge. He felt her thighs tremble and constrict around his head as she neared her release.

"Let go, my water lily" he murmured against her skin, not knowing where the pet name came, "Let me hear you come…"

And as if it was a command she cried out his name, pulling at his soft golden locks. “Kyojuro!” His heart nearly stopped as her voice, screaming his name, filled his ears. He could feel her body tense and shudder as she came, the sensation of her fingers in his hair sending a jolt of satisfaction straight to his core. He continued to gently lick and suck at her, drawing the orgasm out as long as possible until she finally collapsed back against the bed, completely spent.

He slowly pulled away, his lips and chin glistening with her juices. He stared down at her, admiring the sight before him, the view of her trembling body and flushed skin. The beautiful sight of her coming undone because of his efforts, all because of him. It filled him with a sense of pride… and an overwhelming need for more. "So exquisite…" he murmured, his eyes skimming every inch of her body. The sight of her, so undone by his touch, was enough to make him throb with desire.

He moved up her body, his lips moving along her stomach and over her chest until they found her mouth. He kissed her gently, letting her taste herself on his lips and tongue. His body was still throbbing with yearning, and he was fighting hard not to just push himself into her right then and there. But it was not him, but her who took the initiative. The feeling of her legs wrapping around him instantly spread an unsung fire through his body. He leaned down and his lips found the skin of her neck, kissing and sucking on the sensitive spot behind her ear. His hands roamed over her figure, his touch leaving a trail of heat in its track. He groaned into her skin as his hips involuntarily ground against hers.

"I… need you, now," he whispered huskily.

He could feel the slickness of her against his stomach, and it only increased his need to be inside her. He shifted slightly, his hands gripping her hips tightly, and lifted himself up to position himself between her thighs. His eyes locked with hers as he slowly pushed his cock into her, his breath coming out in ragged gasps as he held himself back. The sensation of her tight, warm walls surrounding him was almost overwhelming. He buried his face in her neck groaning how perfect she felt. As he slowly started to move his hips, he felt as if he was losing his mind. The feeling of being inside her, having her completely at his mercy was almost too much to handle. He leaned down, his lips finding her neck as he nipped and sucked at the sensitive skin. He was lost in a hazy fog of ecstasy, the sound of her moans and gasps in his ear driving him to go deeper, faster.

His own control slowly slipped away as the pleasure consumed him. His hands roamed over her body, touching and exploring every inch to memorize the feel of her flesh underneath his fingers. He lifted her legs around his waist, getting a better angle and the new position drove him even deeper into her. And he continued to thrust into her, the pace and force increasing with each movement. He was completely lost in the moment, his mind completely overtaken by the pleasure of feeling her completely. His lips found her neck once more and he nipped and sucked at her pulse, leaving behind a trail of love bites in their wake.

Mine… his mind whispered fiercely, possessiveness creeping into him.

As he continued to dominate her with his body, he could feel her tremble and quiver under him. The sounds of her moans and gasps, the feeling of her body's response to his touch, it only fueled him to go harder, deeper. He could feel himself nearing his limit, the mounting pleasure becoming nearly unbearable. His breaths were labored as he tried to hold back his release, continuing to move his hips with each deep stroke. But the way she felt, her skin against his, the sound of her gasps and moans in his ear… it was too much.

"I'm… close…" he panted, his grip tightening on her hips as he tried to hold on just a little longer.

He could feel her body tightening around him, clenching and gripping him as if she was desperate to keep him inside. It was an incredibly delicious sensation that only added to his mounting pleasure. With each powerful thrust, the coiled heat within him grew stronger and more intense.

"I'm gonna…" he gasped, "Oh Gods… I'm gonna come…"

“M-Me too..!”, she cried between her moans as he felt her tight grip on him. Her voice sounded so desperate, needy and it was all it took for him to lose any remaining control he had.

He leaned down and his lips found hers, his tongue delving between hers, tasting her moan as he pushed himself deeper into her one final time. With a low, guttural groan he let go and succumbed to the pleasure, his body shuddering as he came hard, releasing himself inside her. He held himself there as the release hit him, his body shuddering and tensing as waves of ecstasy washed over. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breaths ragged and unsteady as he slowly came down from his high.

He collapsed on top of her, his body trembling with exhaustion and satisfaction. They lay there for a few moments, both of them trying to catch their breath and come back down to earth. He nuzzled his face into her neck, pressing soft kisses to her flesh as he tried to form words. But it was not possible. They simply stared at each other, her hand roaming over his face and pushing a blonde strand behind his ear.

A profound, unspoken connection flowed between them. Their eyes locked in a gaze that spoke volumes more than words ever could. They marveled at the raw intimacy they had just shared, a sense of wonder filling the space between their breaths. Still panting from their lovemaking, their hearts seemed to beat in unison. Their shared silence was suddenly broken by soft laughter, a tender, joyous release that bubbled up from the depths of their souls. The giggles were not just amusement, but a shared acknowledgment of the beauty they had found in each other.

A/N: Hello, my sweethearts! Who would have thought this story would ever get an update? (Not me!) I know it’s been a while, and I’m deeply sorry about that. Everyone who has been following me knows that I’ve been going through some real-life stuff, but things are getting better. I’ve been constantly thinking about this story and how much I love the plot I’ve built here, and I don’t want to disappoint anyone. But forcing myself was a big no-no, which is why it took so long. Again, I’m really sorry, and I hope I can make it up with this smutty smut. Since there’s no regular schedule for this story, please reply if you want to be tagged or not. Much love, your (Mommy) Sunny <3

Taglist: @flametrashira @mamayan @love-me-satoru @camilo-uwu @genshinsimpforlif @curlyblaze @oggy4god

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