#he was the most in tune with his powers than ever before

[100hyunswife]

suite escape | 100hyunswife

f. reader (assistant) x Byun Baekhyun

genre: smut w/fluff since Baek is a little bratty but so sweet (until the sex demon comes out)

wc: 6,398

warnings: dom!Baekhyun; piv; oral sex (f receiving); sugar daddy coded; jealous!baekhyun; mirror sex; choking; hair pulling; man handling; missionary sex; doggy/back shots; tiny breeding kink; FILLED W TENSION; mentions of cheating

synopsis: you’re on your way to a press conference with your boss byun baekhyun. a blizzard disrupts your plans and leads you two to sharing a luxury hotel suite together. baekhyun takes this chance to turn up the heat between you two as you’re stuck together in close quarters.

author’s note: my first fic ever! be gentle pls haha. feedback is very appreciated! hope you enjoy :) xx - veronica

Byun Baekhyun. Your boss is expensive and will only accept the best of the best. That applies to all areas of his life. Most notably at the moment, is his car that you’re currently riding in with him. His famous Porsche 911 Turbo S hums a sweet low purr as it is steered down the highway, taking you two to a press conference. Since it is no more than an hour and a half drive, Baekhyun insisted on driving there with you instead of other transportation options. He’ll always take the opportunity to drive himself; it’s one of his favorite things to do, it clears his mind so well. Other staff members were given Ubers with the plan for you to all meet up at the venue. He also wouldn’t mind the excuse to get to talk to you one-on-one. He’s always been curious about you, his dedicated assistant, and wants to get to know you on a more personal level.

Luckily, you and Baekhyun share the same taste in music. Classic RnB tunes play softly in the background of your drive. After a bit, Baekhyun’s voice fills the air.

“I’m really glad you agreed to ride with me for the trip down,” he confesses.

“Of course! We’re saving money this way,” you reply matter-of-factly. You are frugal to a fault, never able to understand Baekhyun’s quick willingness to spend money. “It’s nice to see you take your own steps to keeping a healthy wallet,” you add with a sassy tone. You were always like this with him - he needed it sometimes. You truly were the backbone to his success and he appreciates everything you do, and yes, including the motherly nagging that can come about. You both were a powerful work couple, but little did you know, Baekhyun wants to be more.

“So…” he starts before clearing his throat, “are you seeing anyone?”

Your head shoots up at the unexpected question. Your eyes scramble for something to focus on as you craft an answer back. Do you tell him the truth? The truth that your shitty ex-boyfriend from last summer dumped you after leaving you for the woman he had an affair with? Hmm, too personal, you think. Besides, he’s probably just asking to make sure I won’t be distracted from this job by being in a relationship.

“No,” you respond tersely.

“Oh, but Greg—” Baekhyun begins to question about said shitty ex-boyfriend.

“Greg cheated on me.”

“I-I’m sorry…” Baekhyun mutters out.

“It’s fine, trust me, you’ve got me busy enough anyway! I don’t have the time to truly think about it and get sad.”

The conversation trails off after this. Baekhyun has a sympathetic look as he stares out onto the road. You could’ve sworn he moved his right hand over towards you, as if to place it on your thigh for comfort, but it was quickly retracted. What was a bit awkward at first transforms into a comfortable silence. You take pleasure in being in the passenger seat, seeing the world pass by. Snow begins to softly fall from the sky. It’s not too bad at first, but after another half hour passes, the snow begins to really come down and pile up on the road. Baekhyun doesn’t look too phased, so you don’t question it.

As the drive continues, your mind revisits your conversation. You really haven’t thought about Greg in a while. The last time he crossed your mind, funnily enough, was when you last touched yourself. You were using a toy that you got back when you and Greg started growing distant - of course now you know why he stopped having sex with you. You haven’t been fucked in a year, and it’s really starting to become apparent to you just how horny you are.

You stare at Baekhyun’s hand gripping the steering wheel. His delicate but nicely sized fingers curve around it. You feel a bit shameful letting your mind wander like this, but you can’t help it. He looks effortlessly cool like this. It’s not like you never noticed that your boss, THE Byun Baekhyun was attractive. But you work for him, and he had you occupied indeed. Your professional relationship doesn’t stop you from having little fantasies crop up in your mind on this ride, though. So when you watch his beautiful fingers adjust their grip on the steering wheel, you can’t help but wonder how they’d look wrapped around—

“y/n.”

Your eyes snap up to find Baekhyun looking at you with a raised eyebrow. You look around to see that you two have pulled over into the shoulder and the snow flakes that fall are even bigger than what they were 30 minutes ago. The scenery is coated in white.

“I think we’ll have to call it a day from here, the snow isn’t letting up and I want to be safe,” Baekhyun says with worry. He pulls out his phone and sees that the other staff members have already arrived to the venue and are discussing things with the venue’s management. They caution that they’re thinking of cancelling the press conference for the day and moving it to tomorrow afternoon’s backup date to be safe.

“It’s probably for the best,” you tell him.

Defeated, you two pulled up to the nearest hotel you could find to get out of the hazardous weather. It turned out to be a luxurious hotel - you hate to be putting out such a pretty penny just for overnight shelter before you continue on the rest of your way in the morning, but you needed to get out of the snow.

At the valet, you open your car door to be met with the frigid air of what is fully a blizzard. Your cheeks flush. With your luggage, you both head to the lobby. Baekhyun heads to the front desk to make the reservations while you stand off in a far corner on your phone, updating the rest of the staff of your guys’ plans and whereabouts.

You approach Baekhyun after the phone call is complete, “Got the rooms?”

“Got the room.”

“Room?”

“Yes.”

“One?” you ask, stopping in your tracks.

Baekhyun continues to walk without looking back, “Oh, shouldn’t I be spending less money?”

You catch up to him and look at him dumbfounded.

“I wanted a presidential suite and you said that I need to stop spending so much money, so I got one.”

You narrow your eyes at his pettiness.

He waves off your look of distaste saying it’s fine and just one night. “You need to taste luxury for once,” he adds.

“But Baekhyun, there’s probably only one bed.”

“What? You afraid you won’t be able to keep your hands to yourself?”

You’re speechless as you raise your eyebrow and follow him on the elevator up.

As you both stand in the empty elevator together, he discreetly peers over at you to observe the slight panic on your face. He feels a bit bad about the distress written on your face, but it’s erased when he thinks about how wound-up you are all the time. You deserve to be pampered and the only way he could make sure you were is if he gave it to you. He didn’t want you to humbly reject a suite all to yourself. Also, he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want the excuse to be able to talk to you more.

Ding. You’ve arrived to the top floor, and surprisingly, the door opens directly to the suite itself. It expands the entire floor. Your eyes go wide as you step into the space.

Large floor to ceiling windows are dressed up with satin chocolate drapery. Large green Majesty Palm plants are placed in each corner, breathing life into the space. Leather furniture by Le Corbusier rests on the polished, beige marble floor. The recessed lighting along the ceiling is dimmed and casts a warm glow, creating a soft ambience in this luxurious interior. Your mouth is slightly ajar as you explore. You’ve never been somewhere so opulent. Baekhyun thinks the awestruck sparkle in your eye is… cute. Though you might say otherwise, he knows you like it.

You continue to walk around the suite, looking at all the sections. Soon you get to the bedroom and rest your luggage next to the large king sized bed in front of you.

All this space and still just one bedroom? Curse these designers, you think to yourself.

The bedroom is beautiful. The windows of this cornered room give such a perfect view of the cityscape and the snow that continues to come down. Though it’s a bitch to be outside in it, the snow coating the city in a thick blanket looks so majestic. The view is breathtaking.

Baekhyun joins you in standing in front of the window, but instead of his gaze being on the city, it’s fixed on you.

He gives you a soft smile, “Do you like it?”

You look over at him and bite your lip, fighting your mouth from giving too big of a smile.

“It’s okay to say yes,” he leads on.

“You really didn’t have to get all this,” you say looking down at your hands, “but, yes,” you end in a whisper.

“Well then it’s worth it,” Baekhyun replies with a satisfied look on his face. He turns away and gets started on unpacking his clothing.

You decide to check out the attached bathroom next. You flip the switch and are met with the most expansive bathroom you’ve ever seen. You get excited over the large bath and all the toiletry amenities; they even provided bubbles and bath salts! You couldn’t wait to put them to use. It’s been so long since you’ve had a truly relaxing evening with how busy your job is.

You announce to Baekhyun that you’ll be in the bathroom to take a bath and begin to run the steamy water. You pour in the bubbles and lavender bath salts. The herbal aroma fills the air; you inhale deeply, already feeling relaxed. You undress and sink into the tub, ready to melt away the stress of the day. You stay there like this, savoring the quiet, feeling the tension release from your body…

After a tranquil half-hour of soaking, you conclude your bath. You are about to rise from the water, but instinctually reach for a towel first. That’s when you realize, shit. You forgot to bring over your towel. If this were your bathroom at home, it wouldn’t have been a problem since it is small and doesn’t take much to reach over to the towel bar from the tub. However, this is very much unlike your bathroom at home. You scan the perimeter and spot the towels folded neatly on shelves by the sink. The distance is way too long for you to walk soaking wet without trailing water everywhere.

You sigh in defeat, knowing it’s best to just ask Baekhyun to hand you one, he’s not doing anything anyway. You yell to him to help hand you a towel. You hear his footsteps approach and tell him to keep his head down. You still in the water, draw your knees into your chest. You feel nervous, being naked in front of your boss.

Baekhyun hands it to you without looking up and just before he was about to quickly slip out, you request him to leave the door cracked to let out some of the steam that has accumulated. He obliges and returns to sitting on the bed to continue unpacking his things. As he takes out a pair of pajama pants from his suitcase, his eyes catch a titillating sight.

The door is cracked open no more than two inches, but it is enough for him to see a glimpse of your body as you rise from the tub fully naked through the mirror that reflects it in front of him. He sees your body glisten under the bright, fluorescent bathroom lighting as you proceed to wrap yourself in the towel he just handed to you. The towel he just touched. The towel that is now touching your soft, bare curves.

Baekhyun shuts his eyes, and squeezes them. Her coming back to see you with a boner would NOT be ideal, he thinks to himself. He takes a deep breath, stopping himself from getting too worked up.

You locate your pajamas. You only brought two options with you: a sheer slip dress and a big t shirt. That big t-shirt being an old EXO t-shirt with your bias’ name on the back: Suho. You were not prepared for this freak scenario that you’re in. You weren’t expecting to be seen by someone at night. Your mortified and face palm inwardly at your last minute wardrobe choices. You sigh as you pull the big t-shirt over your head, it will have to do. You just hope that he won’t tease you about it. When you joined the company, you let Baekhyun know you were aware of EXO’s legacy but he had no idea that you were an actual fan.

This is gonna be interesting…

You step out of the bathroom and hurriedly jump into the bed and pull the duvet up to your neck.

“Ok?” Baekhyun looks at you quizzically, “I’m going to go wash up now.” He leaves to the bathroom with his pajamas and toiletries.

You let out a big sigh, happy that you didn’t get caught in this embarrassing shirt. You scooch over a bit more to the left, making sure you’re as far on your side of the bed as possible without falling off. You detest the current arrangements but the displeasure doesn’t stay on your mind for too long. It’s been a long day, and as you hear the water from Baekhyun’s shower, it acts as white noise, lulling you to sleep. You feel drowsy and your eyelids slowly close, fully consumed by the toll of your day.

Once Baekhyun steps out of the bathroom and spots your sleeping figure, the desire to sleep hit him as well. He gets into bed and frowns at the amount of distance between you two. Hopefully with time you’ll open up to him. He knew this one night wouldn’t have been enough. He closes his eyes and waits for sleep to take him… but it’s no use. Unfortunately, his mind is too awake. Images of your naked body are branded in his vision. When he closes his eyes, your form is all he sees and he can’t stop thinking about what it’d feel like to touch you. He struggles to clear his mind. You’re right next to him. So close, yet so far away. How long will he have to wait for you to be his?

The next morning, you wake up entangled in each other’s bodies. Your leg is hiked up against Baekhyun as your head rests on his chest. His hand rests on the small of your back, holding you close. You freeze. How the fuck did we get like this? Thank god you’re up before him; you quickly scurry out of his grasp gently without waking him up. After separating yourself, you admit that you miss the warmth of that position.

You check your phone to make sure you didn’t over sleep and have enough time to make it for the rescheduled date of the conference that was made for this afternoon. The time is 7:48am - not bad at all considering you didn’t set an alarm. Your eyes continue down the remainder of your lock screen. Soon, you see a slurry of texts from the rest of the staff alerting you that the conference has been called off completely. The venue, and the rest of the businesses in the area, will be closed until further notice until the blizzard subsides. Your eyes widen with shock - you had no idea it’d be this bad. You open up the weather app and sure enough, there is a warning for extreme winter conditions. You slide through the hourly forecast and see that this blizzard is not letting up anytime soon, great. You turn over in bed and look out the window to observe the street below; there are absolutely no cars out, the roads are closed, and the snow is still coming down heavy. Looks like you’ll be staying in this suite until everything clears. You sigh as you turn around, getting ready to share the bad news to Baekhyun.

You’re about to tap his shoulder, but you pause. You take the chance to really look at him: his cute nose, plump cheeks, and perfectly shaped pink lips. This man really is pretty. Little did you know, Baekhyun is awake. He feels your eyes on him too and it’s hard for him to contain his smirk.

He looks so peaceful when he rests, but you have to update him. You poke his shoulder and softly whisper his name. He moves a little bit but still acts like he’s asleep, wanting to hear his name coming from your mouth again. It just sounds so good when you say it.

“Baekhyun,” you whisper a little louder. He finally opens his eyes. Happy to meet yours, he smiles sweetly.

“Good morning, y/n.”

God, his raw morning voice was not something you were prepared for. You almost bite your lip. You try not to show it on your face how affected you are, but nonetheless, he notices. That infamous smirk creeps up onto his face. You blush and your mind becomes empty.

You see him sit up and turn over, sinking his left hand into the mattress to support his weight, and shifting to be above you. He adds his right hand down onto the bed, holding himself squarely on top of you. As he hovers over you, he looks down into your eyes. Your gazes lock on each other. Your heart stops as you look up at him. Frozen with shock. Frozen with wonder and want. But following his actions, you see him reach over to grab the temperature control remote that was resting on your nightstand.

“It’s a little too warm,” he says so casually, still above you. You feel his breath slightly grace your forehead. He presses the button to turn the heat off before swiftly returning to sit up on his side of the bed.

You let out a deep breath that you didn’t know you were holding. You blink a couple of times to regain your composure and clear your throat.

“So it looks like the conference has been called off because of the weather,” you gesture to the window, “…the blizzard is bigger than we initially thought.” You catch him up on the staff’s messages and bleak weather forecast.

Baekhyun is a little upset at the delay in his scheduling of things, but he doesn’t stay disappointed for too long. More time with you, he thinks.

You get up from bed and head to the bathroom to brush your teeth. You walk languidly, completely forgetting about what you wore to bed.

Baekhyun’s eyes narrow at the name on the back of your shirt. Suho? She likes Suho? Huh. He feels a tinge of jealousy. Here you are working for him and you decide to bring the t-shirt of a different group member. And wear it right in front of him. Baekhyun waits for you to return to playfully confront you.

“Hmmm, so your type is a dandy, preppy, book smart guy, huh?”

“Baekhyun, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you say in confusion.

“Well, I don’t know,” he starts while walking towards you slowly, teasingly. He places both of his hands on your shoulders and guides you in front of the large mirror. Your back faces it, your face still to him. And he is impossibly close. He smirks before slightly leaning down and whispering into your ear, “You really know how to make a guy jealous, don’t you?”

You look back into the mirror, only to be met face-to-face with what you attempted to hide so carefully the night prior. You immediately shut your eyes. You feel your cheeks heat up, partially due to your clothing revelation and partially due to just how close you both are to each other.

Baekhyun slides his hands down your arms before completely removing them from you and crosses his arms. He cocks up an eyebrow, enjoying how small you look in front of him — literally and figuratively. Your shyness is palpable and the oversized shirt you were drowning in made you look fragile as he peers down at you. Like someone he wants to protect. Someone he wants to care for.

Before you could defend yourself, Baekhyun projects, “That’s why you were making googly eyes at him when you met the group after the EXO fan meeting we had!”

“I was not!” You countered, embarrassed at the possible truth of his statement. “Why would you even notice something like that? Stop making things up to embarrass me.”

The truth is, Baekhyun notices everything you do. Your quirks and all. How you twirl your pencil while you think, how you stick out your tongue when concentrating, and especially how you bit your lips while looking at Suho while greeting the rest of his members backstage at the fan meeting last year.

With a soft smile, Baekhyun hands you one of his spare button ups. “Well I can’t stand to see you in it any longer. Take this.”

“Does it really bother you that much? Is your ego that big? You don’t have to be everyone’s favorite you know!” You give a snarky reply. Of course, you’re still going to change out of it, though. You didn’t mean to ever be seen in it. With hesitation you accept the the shirt and bring it with you to the bathroom.

You slide your t-shirt off and replace it with Baekhyun’s fresh smelling white button up. As you slide each arm through, Baekhyun’s words ring in your head. You really know how to make a guy jealous, don’t you? Did he really mean that he’s jealous of the fact that your bias in the group wasn’t him? And if so, he’s just joking right? Your cheeks are still warm. You place your two hands onto your face to calm them. Feeling his closeness, his hands on your shoulders and how he slid them down your arms as he let go, and the soft tickle of his breath against the skin of your neck when he whispered to you, it refrains in your mind.

You look into the mirror at yourself in his clothes. You don’t know exactly what it is you feel, but you don’t hate it. It’s actually… comforting. This shirt is just as big as your t-shirt, so it’s oversized and comfy. It’s better than the sheer nightie that’s in your suitcase — no way that’s coming out. You’re stuck here for who knows how much longer, at least you have a new third option.

You step out the bathroom and walk towards the main living space to see Baekhyun on the phone.

“Yes, the breakfast platter for two please.”

He talks to the concierge, sitting on the brown leather sofa. His legs are spread wide and he leans back into the chair, looking up at the ceiling as he speaks. He looks delectable. You stand at the entrance of the room and continue to observe him. You see him hold the menu in one hand and the phone in the other as he carefully skims the beverage options.

“One matcha latte with almond milk and one iced americano,” he requests.

He remembered your favorite cafe order: you’re precious matcha latte. You’re shocked at this since, as his assistant, you’re usually the one to order your food at any given moment, so there’s no reason for him to archive that detail about you in his mind. After hanging up the phone, Baekhyun leans to place the menu on the coffee table. In that motion, he catches your figure standing by the entrance way. He sucks in a sharp pull of air. He stares back, wordlessly. He himself wasn’t prepared to see you in his clothing. It did something to him he wasn’t ready for. Warmth gathers in his chest. He looks you up and down as you make your way over to him. The shirt’s hem stops at such a delicious height on your thigh, tempting even. Any higher and he would have a hard time being discreet with his gaze.

“Thanks for breakfast, Baek,” you say smiling. Baekhyun could have died. You, standing in front of him in just his shirt, and calling him a new nickname? For the first time that trip, you had Baekhyun blushing.

Not too soon after, the food arrives and you two pleasantly share the meal together. At the end of your main meal, you indulge in the included sweet morning treat: churros and chocolate. It’s no secret that you love sweets - Baekhyun gifts you a set of chocolates every year for your birthday. You pick up the thick, cinnamon and sugar covered fried stick of dough and dip it into the accompanied pot of liquified chocolate. With anticipation of the flavor and little else in your mind, you lift it up to your lips and take a bite. You close your eyes as you savor the decadent dessert. You’re sure your lips have curved up into a smile as you chew.

Sitting across from you, Baekhyun finds your deep enjoyment of sweets adorable, as well as the chocolate sauce that is left on the corner of your mouth. He reaches over the table to swipe it away with his thumb. He wishes he could have licked it off. The unexpected contact causes you to open your eyes just after swallowing.

“You had something there,” he says wiping his thumb off with a napkin.

You feel your cheeks heat up. Gosh, why does he keep making your heart flutter, it’s as if he’s doing it on purpose at this point. He gives you a smile as he raises from his chair.

“Here,” he scoots his set of churros towards you, “have mine too.”

He affectionately ruffles your hair with his hand and leaves to sit at the desk in the bedroom. You watch him leave, he has such a confident stride when he walks. It’s sexy. You return your gaze to the churros and aren’t shy about finishing them. You eat your way to the last remaining churro. After dipping it, you bring it over to yourself slowly… too slowly. The chocolate sauce that coated the end drips directly onto Baekhyun’s clean white button up. Shit, shit, shit. You shoot up and scurry to the bathroom, passing Baekhyun on your way. Baekhyun turns his head in concern when he sees you run into the bathroom. You immediately take the shirt off and run it under the water of the fully blasting faucet. You wouldn’t forgive yourself if you ruined a perfectly good shirt that he kindly lent to you. Drowned out by the sound of the running water and the swarm of thoughts in your mind, Baekhyun goes unnoticed as he steps in the bathroom and shuts the door behind him. In the middle of your desperate attempts to scrub the stain out of his shirt, you suddenly feel yourself encased. Baekhyun’s hands are on each of your sides. You look up into the large mirror in front of you and see Baekhyun right behind you as you stand there topless in just a pair of panties. You could have screamed but you caught yourself. You’re frozen with shock. You thought it’d be bad just if he saw that you stained his shirt, but this is so, so much worse. Or so you tell yourself.

“You know, I came in here out of concern,” he starts, “you ran right past me without saying anything and you didn’t even close the door, I had to do it for you.”

“Baekhyun, get out!” You protest as you miserably try to cover yourself.

But he doesn’t move, he stays pressed up against you, forcing you to stay facing the sink. Trapped for him to control.

“Finish what you’re doing.”

Through the mirror, your eyes shoot daggers at him, but he wouldn’t know how it’d feel to get directly hit by them. He’s been peering down at you from the side this whole time. He watches your pride crumble in front of him, because of him, directly with his own eyes.

He continues, “This is my shirt, that I own,” he pauses, “I deserve to oversee it with all the damage that you’ve done.”

It wasn’t the shirt that he wanted to oversee, it was you.

You’re in disbelief but guilty. In a desperate attempt to make this moment pass as soon as possible, you continue to tend to the shirt, though your tries at truly getting what is left of the stain out are futile. After a minute of rubbing and rinsing as best you can, you turn off the faucet in defeat.

“Please,” you let out in a whisper, “I’m so embarrassed right now, you have no idea. This is the most I can do, I’m sorry,” you say with your head down, not able to meet his eyes in the mirror.

He stays silent. Your mind races. You’re afraid that he’s upset. In this moment of stillness, you feel uneven pressure against your ass. Something hard pokes you from between you two. You look up and see his eyes closed and his lips parted. He’s aroused. It’s so obvious and you’re so gone. Byun Baekhyun, your hot as fuck boss, is pressed up against you in the bathroom of the suite that he paid for for you two, with a boner that he can barely contain.

Your eyes travel from his delicate hands resting in the edge of the counter, to his wrist decorated in a platinum Rolex watch, then up his arm. Slowly, you turn around to fully face him. Your eyes are level with his broad chest. It’s contained by a plain black tee and decorated with his beloved gold Chrome Hearts cross necklace. Eventually you meet his face. Your eyes lock.

His eyes flicker to your lips for a moment.

“Can I be honest?” He asks.

You nod in earnest, hanging on to his every word.

“There’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while.”

You wait for him to continue. He holds your chin between his thumb and forefinger and gives you a sweet but firm kiss on the lips. This one peck turns into two, then three. Each lasting longer than the last, until you both are fully exploring each other’s mouths. You decide to get flirty: in the middle of your kiss, you pull away to lick his bottom lip. This elicits a deep groan from him. You gently bite his bottom lip while pulling away; it snaps back into place. Baekhyun presses his forehead to yours after that amazing kiss.

“God, you’re gonna be the death of me,” he says breathless. The lack of contact doesn’t last long, though. Now that you’re facing him unlike earlier, he takes the opportunity to unashamedly get a good look at your body. He bites his lip as he fully takes in the sight of you. After a good up and down, his eyes stay tethered to your breasts. He cups them in his big hands before swirling his thumbs around your nipples. You moan softly and throw your arms around his shoulders. He bends and latches his lips to your neck. He leaves open mouthed kisses on this long stretch of skin, all for him to mark. He notes one special area that makes you throw your head back.

“Please, Baek,” you pant out.

“Please what?”

“I-I need you.”

“Where?” he asks, the roughness in his voice palpable. You grab his hand and put it right over your mound that is covered only by your panties. His eyes flash a darker shade of brown.

Baekhyun sinks down your body, his hands take a quick tour, running along your torso, swiping your breasts, your stomach, and down your legs as his knees get closer to the floor. He swiftly meets the cool, hard tile. He braces himself by holding onto your hips.

“Spread your legs, I want to taste you.” He commands and you obey.

His teeth meet the top of your panties; he bites the fabric and drags them down — they drop to your ankles.

He looks hungry. He gives your pussy a kiss.

“So so pretty.”

He finally gets a taste. Your fingers grip his hair in pleasure as he uses the thick, well-trained muscle to swirl around your swollen bud. With no more delay, he dips his tongue between your folds, eating you out with passion.

“Ah, Baek,” you whine languidly. Baekhyun smirks against you, still loving your new name for him. He fucks you with his tongue, getting more impatient by the second.

Suddenly, Baekhyun stands tall again, you see the big tent in the front of his pants. He looks, and is, uncomfortably hard. You can’t help but stare. He notices and brings your hand to touch his bulge atop the thin fabric of his cotton pajama pants.

“See what you do to me baby?”

Your mouth is agape. He really wants you and there’s no denying it now. In a drunken daze, ready to be filled, you pull down the waistband of his pants and underwear. You see it spring out, thick, hard, and angrily leaking with pre cum. You run a finger along the shaft. You see him shut his eyes and he makes a fist out of frustration. You smile, successfully teasing him. You give in and grip his cock with your hand entirely, giving it a couple of strokes up and down. Baekhyun reattaches his lips to yours as you get him impossibly hard.

He says, with little restraint left, “I need to fuck you. Now.”

He regains control and grabs your waist to lift you up onto the bathroom counter. You keep your legs spread wide for him to fit himself in between. He pumps himself one more time before lining his cock up with your entrance. His eyes flick up to yours before he takes the plunge; he wants to be sure you feel the same desire, the same ache, the same burning need. You give him a nod with needy eyes.

He watches your face closely as he sinks into you. He pushes in slowly. He could get off solely from seeing your face contort from pleasure. You both groan at this new depth of contact, of intimacy, and most notably, of pleasure. Baekhyun wants to shut his eyes and focus on how tight and wet you are around his length, but he doesn’t. He keeps his eyes open. He doesn’t want to miss a single movement from you. He wants to catch ever squirm, every wriggle, every sigh and lip bite. He wants to see all the evidence of his effect on you.

He thrusts into you go deeper and deeper as you beg him to go harder. Heavy breaths and terse grunts leave his lips. Meanwhile, you can’t control yourself. Your eyes roll back and your hands smooth over his broad shoulders and back, feeling his muscles tense with every movement he makes.

“I want you to see how pretty you look when you’re stuffed with my cock,” He breathes out.

Before you can react, you’re lifted off the counter and he promptly turns you around — returning you to your original position that started all this. His hand snakes around from behind and grips your neck. Your back arches. You’re forced to look up and at yourself in the mirror. He gives it a slight squeeze, restricting your airflow. Your eyes roll back at the dizzying sensation. You can focus on nothing but the pleasure that is welling up inside of you. Your mind and body is filled with him.

“Look at how you fall apart for me,” he whispers into your ear before once again attaching his mouth to your neck, nibbling that special spot of yours. You’re his and he wants you to remember that beyond the hotel stay. Not your shitty ex-boyfriend’s, not Suho’s, his.

You let out a cry at the love bite, too fucked out to care how loud you are. He switches his grip from your neck to now being wrapped around your hair, pulling your head back. You’re completely exposed, tits bouncing with the impact from him slamming into you. You can’t control your moans as he pummels inside of you; thrust after thrust you feel that band within your stomach tightening, getting closer and closer to snapping.

“Fuck, Baek please! I’m so close,” you whine out.

Your pussy grips his cock, ready to milk him for everything he has.

“Yeah, you want to cum? You want to cum all over my pretty cock don’t you?”

You nod your head in ecstasy. “Yes, yes, yes,” you chant.

Baekhyun’s grip on your waist tightens and his eyebrows furrow. He looks down, mesmerized at his cock disappearing inside of you.

“Fucking cum for me,” he grunts out roughly.

You feel your body tremble as your release takes over. Your vision goes white; your body explodes under his grasp. Soon after, you feel Baekhyun grip your waist the hardest he ever has.

“You’re gonna take every drop,” he forces out through gritted teeth. He stills in you and throws his head back with a growl. His thick cock pulses inside of you as it shoots his pent up load. Thick ropes of his hot white cum paint your walls.

If his hand wasn’t on your waist to hold you up, you would have collapsed from your unstable legs. You close your eyes, still recovering from the intense orgasm. Your body is spent. He slowly pulls out of you; you feel the mix of your secretions seep out your cunt.

Your body feels heavy in this moment, but with the kiss that Baekhyun lands on your shoulder, your heart flutters and feels light.

[ancientnapdragon]

the most self indulgent svsss au i will never write is like a double reach-around cross-universe type shit.

Luo Binghe is the tragic villain of Pathetic Demon's Immortal Revenge (or some equally stupid name). LBH is the Qing Jing Peak Lord who was well liked and well respected by the Cultivation world at large; rumored to be the most powerful one like ever. Had a super tragic backstory and always came across kind if a bit self sacrificial and distant.

This and the story is all experienced through the eyes of the Scum Protagonist, disciple Shen Jiu. SJ ALSO had a tragic past and was saved by LBH before being taken into the Sect. But he's like. You know. SJ. So he has it out for LBH and doesn't trust him because SJ would never allow himself to change or get any happy ending.

It culminates into SJ taking every chance to secretly slander and tear apart his Shizun's reputation until finally LBH is like tried for all these crimes he didn't commit. LBH ends up having like a qi deviation and gets real quirky before it ends up this like epic battle where SJ finally kills LBH. And SJ like gets away with all these years of framing his Shizun for all this terrible shit he never did. It's the most beautiful story that Shen Yuan has ever read! Critically acclaimed, multiple adaptations, ect ect. This real deep cut into trauma and how it effects people and their perceptions of others and all this stuff. When the story closes out SY cries so hard he chokes on a meat bun and then fucking dies. And woah! he gets transmigrated! As SJ! Except, like, the System kinda fucks up. And instead of actually taking SJ's body over, he becomes like his twin? But this works, because now he has a chance to save his favorite character ever, LBH, from his tragic death! And maybe he can also help out some of the other well rounded characters who suffered because of SJ in the novel!

EXCEPT. EXCEPT.

THE DOUBLE HORSESHIT REACHAROUND.

Meanwhile, one universe to the left, another SY is dealing with this exact same thing. He's the twin brother of Scum Villain SQQ, the Qing Jing Peak Lord. He's working SO HARD, even with his System limiting him, to keep his 'brother' from blackening white sheep LBH in this shitty novel he fucking hates.

After finding some bullshit artifact from Airplane's shitty writing, some wife plot happens and SY activates it by accident. SQQ and LBH end up in the perfect spot to BOTH try and drag him out of it's range, only for both of them to get effected as well.

What it ends up doing is (somehow?) dragging Peak Lord!LBH and Disciples! SY and SJ into PIDW. So then they all just Spiderman Point Meme at each other. VERY IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THIS STUPID AU:

Disciple!SJ is just as, if not more, psychosexually obsessed with PL!LBH as canon LBH is about SY. More so, even. It's a 'if I can't have him no one can' type situation.

Both SY figure out pretty quick they're transmigrators and do their best to compare notes. Adult SY is pretty mad that he got stuck in the shittier story.

Both SJ like hate each other instantly. Somehow the 14 y/o is crazier and tries to pull off loony tune plots to kill his adult version. It never works.

Adult LBH and Child LBH have no idea what to do with each other. Adult LBH still ends up adopting Child LBH like instantly tho because he wants the kid to 'have a better life' than he did.

Adult SJ finds himself charmed by the sad wet dog aura that Adult LBH has and gets a crush on him. He hates himself for it. This is a factor in why Child SJ wants to murder him.

YQY is over the moon because now he has FOUR Shidi to dote on. Child SJ takes the most advantage of him because the other three are not really interested.

Child SJ ironically ends up being fantastic for Child LBH. Because Child LBH is kind of his Shizun, and no one can be mean to his Shizun except Child SJ. So he WILL break bully bones. Even if Child SY does his best to curb that.

Adult LBH is still half heavenly demon but he like hides it.

The underground Cang Qiong Fujoshi Alliance is going insane because of everything happening. This is like a perfect honeypot storm for them.

[demigods-posts]

having percy create a hurricane in the son of neptune was an amazing choice. not only do we get to see percy return to himself in that scene, remembering all that's left to fight for. we have to keep in mind that this hurricane wasn't on accident like in the battle of manhattan. it didn't happen by chance because he was annoyed with his opponent. it was on purpose, which shows he's more in tune with himself than ever before, and more powerful than we last saw him. this was easily one of the top highlights of this book for me.

[telephoniii]

Do you accept requests? I really loved the Really him thing and was wondering if you could do that but him reacting to reader being in a polyamorous relationship with Malleus and Leona? Srry id u not comfortable with it. I thought id ask cuz there are like no poly fics

I’ve actually been debating whether or not to do requests. That and I was thinking about making a masterlist! If people really want to request stuff/have a masterlist then lmk and I’d be down to do it. My verdict rn is; if you have an idea, feel free to send it. 🤷

Also! It's not exactly polyamorous, but I've got a longer fic in the works abt Leona and Malleus being love rivals for the reader. So if that interests you than stay tuned!!

Anyways, lets get to the fun and whimsical stuff!

I’m not poly myself so I’m really sorry if anything is misrepresented. I did decide to add more than just Malleus and Leona since I thought it’d be fun! I hope you enjoy :>

REALLY…HIM? (Poly Addition)

malleus and leona

Oh, you’re going to give this man a heart attack. Because what do you mean you’re dating the two most powerful yet reckless students of them all. Malleus and Leona? The two have a heated rivalry, do they not?!Do you have no concern for your safety?!?!The amount of sheer power these two hold together frighten this poor soul. He tells you to keep your distance if they start to fight. As a magicless student, you do NOT want to get involved if a duel were to break out. No, Trein wants you to RUN if that ever happens. Give him some time to get used to it. The sight of you next to Malleus and Leona in the hallways sends panic throughout his nervous system. After a month or so, Trein mellows out. He’ll start asking technical questions that you don’t have answers to. “If you were to marry them both, would all three of you be the rulers of Briars Valley?” ??? No clue, Professor. Can I get back to my test in peace now?

ace and deuce

He’s not surprised in the slightest. Trein always had an inkling that something was going on between you three. He just didn't want to believe it. Why? Because he doesn't like them. Well, scratch that. He doesn't like Ace. Is he supposed to jump for joy at the fact you’re dating the biggest slacker among all the first years? Trein has a habit of nit-picking them both and what they do. However, despite all the smack he talks, deep down he heavily approves of the relationship. He knows the two boys and doesn't doubt their loyalty to you. It's always been the three of you from the start and he views it as an unbreakable bond. So, even though he makes a face when you walk in with Deuce’s sports jacket and says you should take it off because it smells like sweat, he finds himself smiling when he spots you three sitting together at lunch just enjoying each others company. The way you all joke around and laugh together like you’re the only people in the world. He trusts them with your heart more than anyone else.

vil and rook

He actually thinks it's a pretty sweet relationship at first. You all balance each other out. Vil and Rook earned Trein’s seal of approval to date you from day one… and then Rook sends him a creepy letter thanking him for being supportive and— yep. Trein takes back that seal because what the hell. For the senders name on the letter, it was by both Rook and Vil, so Trein pulls both of them aside to talk about HIS boundaries. (He thought he didn't have to explicitly say, “Don’t stalk me before, during, or after school hours” but here we are) Vil is so confused the whole time. What could've possibly prompted this?? Then he remembers his boyfriend next to him who’s blissfully smiling and it all starts to make sense. With a sigh, Vil ends up apologizing to Trein for the whole ordeal and tells you about it as well. Rook gives you a kiss and promises to just watch Trein from afar. You don’t know how much better that is and it seems like Vil is thinking the same thing as he lets out a small groan. Trein is forever unnerved by your relationship— specifically because of Rook.

jamil and azul

Honey, are you being manipulated into this relationship? Which one of them is gaslighting you? Trein knows that they both have deceptive tendencies and is concerned. He’s not actively against it or anything, but he just keeps a close eye on the three of you. Jamil and Azul pick up on this and silently agree to each other that they want to prove themselves to Trein. Expect to get the ultimate royalty treatment everytime the Professor is around. One moment they’re playfully poking fun at you, the next they are cherishing the ground you walk on. (As they should) Unfortunately, it ends up having the opposite effect where Trein is even more suspicious and starts telling you to keep your distance from them. Jamil lets out a tired sigh an decides to do the mature thing by actually talking to Trein about their relationship with you. He drags Azul along with him and makes sure to keep him in check during the discussion. Jamil’s honesty takes Trein by surprise. Usually he wasn't one to make himself notable like that. Azul, reluctantly, ends up being honest about his feelings and relationship regarding you after Jamil. Afterward, Trein doesn’t say anything the next time he sees the three of you together. Instead, he just gives you a small nod and smile. Wow. Ultimate approval. Jamil and Azul high-five each other under the table.

[sugurouge]

── all the things you do to me. sylus x f!reader

"your tender loving care is going to last the whole night, huh?"

. ˳༚༅༚ explicit content, smut, mdni: body worship, praise, blowjob, spit, deep throating, marking (lipstick stains, scratches, hickeys), pet names (my love, my perfect/good girl | @ sylus: my birthday boy, baby), size difference

♱ word count: 2.1k

♱ synopsis: sylus receives more than just birthday wishes on his special day. tonight, the one he trusts most disarms him beneath her worshipful touch. from a symphony made of praise, vulnerability, and desire he learns what it means to be truly cherished

The penthouse was quiet, save for the soft sounds behind the closed doors of Sylus’s master bedroom. What happens behind those close doors was a secret shared tonight.

The city’s glow shining through the giant floor-to-ceiling windows casts Sylus's broad figure in gentle light as the crimson moon hangs low to witness the lust and sin exchanged through filthy kisses and longing touches. 

Two bodies move in perfect tandem—slow, deliberate. It started with lips tasting of wine and cake which kissed you like you were the very air Sylus needs to live. Strong hands lead a gentle roam beneath your clothes, savouring every inch of skin he discovered until bare chests pressed against another.

By now, your worship borders torture. Your mouth alone is enough to unravel Sylus: the warm drag of your tongue between his digits pure eroticism to lust-laden eyes while adoring fingertips skate over the dips and valleys of muscle like a stroke of a brush, nails dragging lightly down his chest causing shivers to prickle over tanned skin.

The ever-composed man of calm control turns all flushed cheeks, shaky breaths and trembling fingers, undone by the simple intimacy of being wanted.

"You’re so strong," you whisper in a voice that drips with sinful promise before branding his collarbone in open-mouthed kisses and deep red lipstick, "so beautiful."

Sylus watches you with dilated pupils and bated breath, bravely fighting for a semblance of dignity though already long lost to the claws of his huntress.

A heavenly mess created by the mercy of your lust, you continue to work on the masterpiece: Lipstick stains leave a trail down his chest before your tongue flicks over one nipple as your nails press into the firm sides of Sylus’s waist, grounding him, locking him in place. 

His own fingers move to play a silent tune over the soft skin on your arm before curling around your shoulder. But not to guide you—only to feel, to tether himself to this very moment.

"You make me feel–," the confession is paused by an uncommon moment of insecurity. Though as quickly as it came, it’s chased away by a reassuring kiss above his hip bone, leaving the skin there tingly and tinged in purple hues. A groan more sinful than previous ones escapes Sylus's lips before he murmurs, "as if I were the most desirable being on this planet."

And he is. To you, Sylus is the most precious thing in the whole wide universe. Hence, why you wanted to take your time, wanted to cherish, explore, and praise him until your love weaved itself into the very fabric of his being. However, the reactions he rewards you with in response to your touch and your voice, they left you aching for more, for everything. 

You slide off the bed until you kneel on the carpeted floor, perfectly seated between his spread thighs with the man of the day looming right above you, powerful in theory, yet softened by the adoration behind each touch and loving gaze directed at him. 

It’s still his birthday—your first together—and tonight, you want to spoil him, completely. Want to show him what it means to be worshipped in every sense of the word.

His chest rises and falls with anticipation, every breath drags through his throat like he’s never known a touch this tender, this loving.

The thick weight of his cock encased by your smaller hand might already be enough to drive him crazy tonight. Sometimes he forgets how fragile you can be, how much smaller your hands are until he holds them... or you hold his length.

Sylus will never tire of the sight of your fingertips failing to circle him full. He’s so big, so hard, yet twitching helplessly under your gentle strokes—utterly undone by your devotion. A tremble runs through his frame as you spread the beads of precum dribbling slowly down the head. He watches you with those ruby eyes, wide and wondrous, like you’re some divine being he can’t believe is kneeling before him, just for him. 

"You're so pretty, baby," you murmur into the thin skin along the side of his cock, lips dragging in a slow, savouring kiss.

A groan leaves his chest—deep and almost pained—and his fingers, ever so gentle, brush your cheekbone, trace your jawline, before his thumb skims over your brow as though memorising every curve of you. 

His cock pulses in reply, in recognition of your praise as you swipe your thumb over the sensitive slit, spreading the sheen across the flushed head before leaning in to kiss the very tip of him.

The first touch of your tongue has Sylus exhaling sharply. But he can't fall apart this easily, not yet. At least that is what he tells himself until you continue your whispered praise.

"You really are beautiful like this," while the tip of your nose grazes along the thick vein running along the entire length of his cock. Of course, the wet pursuit of your tongue follows before you reach the goal and with a teasing flick, your mouth soon wraps around the thick tip.

Tonight leaves no room for you to hesitate, not with the flushed mess the Onychinus leader has turned into for you.

Through heavy lids, you stare into the depths of Sylus’s very being as your tongue swirls slowly, purposefully. 

Adorable.

He is adorable with his reactions. How his abs tighten too quickly, and a quiet curse falls from lips used to well-spoken words and poems. 

Sylus feels like a virgin all over again. Your eyes, your hands, your mouth, they disarm him in his entirety causing his hips to twitch upward. His jaw clenches tightly in regret while the colour to his features reaches up to the tips of his ears—a pretty shade of deep pink not even the crimson moon seems willing to cover. 

What a gorgeous, flustered mess. Indeed, Sylus receives praise like he’s never known it before—like he doesn't think he deserves it, and yet craves it all the same.

"You enjoy playing with the weak, donn't you?" he breathes with a voice roughened by restraint. He's so receptive tonight, soaking up every word you offer like oxygen. You swirl your tongue around the swollen head, coating it generously with your saliva. But instead of urging you to invite him in deeper, Sylus only receives what you offer with a sigh so pretty, it makes you ache between your thighs.

Your nails scrape gently along the firm muscles of his thighs, leaving marks in your wake, grounding him in the reality of your touch, making sure he fully witnesses how you slowly pull back.

Your lips drag along his length, tongue teasing the underside as you move until a wet pop finalises his welcomed stay inside your mouth. 

The cold air hits him first, before your messy lips press yet another heated kiss against the head.

Ever the innocent actress, you blink up to witness your most beloved expression on Sylus’s features: his brows are softly creased, lips pressed tightly shut as he tries to contain a mess of pleading words for you to keep going. Though the desire pools silently in crimson hues, the yearning, the need.

"Do you feel good, baby?" Is nothing but a whisper, a gentle rasp, as you tease the thin skin of Sylus's inner thigh before fondling his balls. 

A smirk tugs on the corners of his mouth in acceptance of tonight's defeat. May he rest easy in the palm of your hand, wholly at your mercy.

"You make me feel really good, my love," he praises alongside a cradling brush of his palm over your head. His words are soft, so soft, almost too kind. Just like his touch and patience.

"Could you make me feel even better?"

After all, Sylus is as much a glutton as you are. A match made in the abyss, true kindred spirits.

His hand moves again, cupping your jaw, then sliding up to run his thumb across your cheekbone. He traces the curve of your ear, the line of your neck, thumb lingering on your lips as you open for him. The gentleness in his touch breaks your heart a little. He is always so guarded, so unreadable—but not now. Not with you. Not here, on his birthday, with nothing between you but devotion.

You hum, before your lips curl in a smile meant to ease, though it only excites. "Anything for my birthday boy."

With renewed hunger, you leave a trail of kisses down his shaft, slow and unhurried, tracing every ridge, every pulse. You lick along the underside, tongue flat and soft, then circle the head once, twice, to encourage louder gasps and groans from Sylus.

Spit drips past your lips, thick and slow, while a pair of greedy eyes watches it slide over his cock. A generous pump of your hand spreads the wetness to coat him generously. 

No matter how hard Sylus may try, the shudder running through his built is evident–you feel it, see it.

With your mouth slackened, you take him in again, deeper this time. His length slides along your tongue, hits the back of your throat, and you choke once, causing more spit to pool around your lips. 

Sylus's breath stutters, hips jerking momentarily though he fights it, lets you keep control. "You're perfect," he rasps, nearly delirious with pleasure, the praise slipping out as naturally as breath. "My girl," the words akin to something soft and sacred.

His voice breaks once the thick head presses past the back of your throat unexpectedly. The groan that escapes him is pure, needy gratitude, accompanied by the deeper dig of strong fingers into your shoulder. Sylus needs to hold onto you, needs to feel you, to anchor himself as you take him in, inch by inch, and allow your wet heat to welcome him until your nose brushes his groin.

The tightening of your throat follows in natural response upon the thick intrusion as your nails press into the muscle of his thighs for support, leaving crescent marks behind.

Sylus watches you take him in again,transfixed, bewitched, he cannot look away. "That's it… that’s my girl," he murmurs, voice catching on a groan as your throat tightens. "Just. Like. That." Silver brows draw together, his breath growing heavy as he lays open for your devotion. 

Building a rhythm, your cheeks hollow with each bop of your head, and your tongue presses against his length with every stroke. The tension in Sylus’s body builds and builds until each breath seems to burn his throat from the unfamiliar and unrestrained noises he makes.

Pushing and pulling, you take him deeper still until every muscle in his body flexes and strains as you honour him with mouth and tongue.

He’s shaking—this massive, dangerous man, trembling because you love him just right.

His fingers graze your jawline, then they stroke your neck in slow, grounding motions to ease the strain he puts you through. But you feel so good, allow him to be selfish for one night. 

Sylus tries to draw it out, but the way your throat flutters around him, the pressure on his balls, the image of your swollen lips and teary eyes—it's too much.

Every noise he makes is a reward—groans and breathy moans, half-whispers of "gorgeous" and "my good girl" tangled with sharp intakes of breath as you fondle him, coaxing even more pleasure from him.

Restraint only goes so far.

"Vixen," Sylus groans—a breathless, shattered sound, more awe than anything else. Then, his head falls back in surrender, exposing his neck, flushed and slick with sweat, when he finally gives in.

The familiar red and black mist swirls around you like smoke, playful in its pull. It presses you down, holding you steady as Sylus bucks his hips and spills into your mouth with a desperate sound.

Sweet praises spill between moans. A messy mix of "so beautiful," and “thank you," breathed out from his heaving chest and trembling voice thanks to the sheer intensity of his climax.

The taste of him floods your senses—warm, slightly sweet, wholly Sylus as you swallow him down without hesitation. Your eyes are watery and your cheeks smeared with mascara, though your body hums in pride at his surrender.

Then, gently—always gently—does the mist move to swirl around your waist to ease you back onto his lap. Strong arms move to wrap around you, to hold you tightly against his chest like he might fall apart without you there to catch him.

Eager and messy, your lips find another only a heartbeat later, and he kisses you like a man starving. Like he can’t get enough of you.

He tastes himself on your tongue, savouring the echo of what just happened.

"I love you." A confession between kisses, between the tug of his teeth and the drag of his tongue.

"I love you too, Sylus."

You sigh, nearly whine thanks to the mist coiling tighter, rocking your hips slowly against his own, a teasing nudge to give him further rewards on his special day

Happy birthday, Sylus!

dividers: @/cafekitsune

[martiniluvr]

18+ minors dni

1,000 follower celebration!! I love u all wow. thank you for all your support, truly. be warned, this is long. enjoy 💫

warnings: nsfw alphabet for dick grayson and jason todd, so there’s a variety of things under the cut. please proceed with caution 🩷

★・・・★・・・★・・・★

A | Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

jason is very different after sex. it’s a major act of trust for him, so when it’s done, all he really wants is to be close to you. in other words: he’s a big cuddler. he’ll mumble some things into your skin as you run your fingers through his hair, and after, you usually end up ordering enough food to feed a small family, because that man can eat.

dick is a loverboy at heart. once the dust has settled and you’re both down from your highs, he’s doting on you—bringing you water, a snack, cleaning you up with a damp cloth—with doe eyes and a big old grin. always invites you to have a shower with him afterwards, and you always say yes, because his shoulder rubs are divine.

B | Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

unsurprisingly, jason has some…issues with his body from all the shit it’s been through. that being said, I think he intentionally trains his back and shoulders the most. it’s what makes him look as huge as he does. as for his favourite thing about you, jason todd is an ass man, argue with the wall. he likes something he can grab. hard.

dick grayson knows his ass is fat. he’s not shy about it. but his favourite body part is actually his arms, and how muscular they’ve become over the years. as for you, he loves your hips. they trigger something primal in him; the second you put on a fitted dress, he’s thinking about giving you his children.

C | Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

jason gets nasty. he’ll cum anywhere on your body just for the obscene sight, but he especially loves to cum in your mouth when he’s feeling that extra bit dominant. he doesn’t care if you spit or swallow, it turns him on either way—but, god, he’s proud when you open your mouth to show him it’s all gone.

let’s cut to the chase. dick wants to cum inside you over and over again. he hardly even contemplates doing it anywhere else; that man wants to fill you up and watch you drip. maybe it’s his out-of-control breeding kink, maybe it’s how intimate it feels—whatever the case may be, rest assured dick grayson loves a creampie.

D | Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

voyeurism. jason likes to watch. it happened accidentally once when he walked in on you practicing some self-care, and he’s thought about it ever since. he enjoys the performance aspect of it; it’s a power play, watching you get yourself off, knowing he’s right there but refusing to help you.

this ties in with Q, but dick borders on exhibitionism sometimes. fucking you in his car, in the bathroom at a charity event, or in a changing room—anywhere you might get caught, really—god, it gets him going. it’s the daredevil in him, constantly yearning to test the limits of what he can do.

E | Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

I think jason had very limited to no experience before his death, and most of what knows today he learned by being with you. ever the fast learner, though, he sure as shit knows what he’s doing now. I think he’s very in-tune with your body and his needs, and it shows in the way he fucks you.

we have to face facts here. dick definitely got around before committing to a serious relationship. despite that, I think he knows what he’s doing thanks to his impeccable observational skills; sometimes you think he knows your body better than you do (but don’t tell him that; it goes straight to his head).

F | Favorite position (this goes without saying)

jason is a sucker for good old-fashioned doggy style, of course, but fuck, does he adore the prone bone position. trapping you under his body, hitting you deep with each thrust, and he gets to watch your ass jiggle at every movement? it borders on religious ecstasy for him.

dick goes feral—feral—for the mating press position. it’s erotic, carnal, and raw, and that’s exactly what he wants when he’s fucking you. he’s also partial to cowgirl, especially when he can tell you want to take control. the view it offers him is enough to have him whining underneath you for more.

G | Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

jason is more on the serious side; sex with him, intense as it may be, is still a big act of vulnerability on his part, so he doesn’t treat it lightly. he will, however, crack a warm smile on those occasions when you make love in the small hours of the morning, when he thinks you can’t see his face clearly.

dick is a tease, and sex with him is fun. he likes to flirt with you while he bends you into compromising positions, and he gets very cocky when you cum. he can’t help but make little quips after the fact, either; “something wrong with your leg, baby?” as your limbs twitch and tremble from your orgasm. jerk.

H | Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

in keeping with his rugged exterior, jason is only doing what he needs to in order to keep things manageable and convenient. he is not dedicating hours to manscaping. much to your elation, that means he keeps his happy trail intact.

dick is a little more meticulous in his grooming, being the “pretty boy” that he is. he prefers keeping himself neatly trimmed, partly to ensure more comfort in his nightwing suit—he’s learned the hard way that the pornstar look is a one-way ticket to chafing when you’re jumping off of buildings.

I | Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

jason really restrains himself from being outwardly intimate. he finds it hard to be that vulnerable, and while he loves the passion between you when you fuck, he’s only really able to tap into the romantic aspect if he’s wholly at ease. that’s not to say it never happens! it definitely does, just give him time.

he may be cocky and unserious when he’s fucking you, but sex with dick is always very openly intimate. he sees the beauty and romance in what you do together, and it’s truly special to him that he gets to witness you like this. sex is absolutely one of the ways he expresses his love and admiration for you.

J | Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

jason only really masturbates when he’s away from you on a mission, and needs to take the edge off. it’s less interesting without you, so he wants it done quick. he imagines you touching yourself as he does it—legs wide and eyes hazy—and that gets him to his peak extremely efficiently.

dick likes to edge himself. I said what I said. he’s thinking about how he’d much rather save his load for your pretty cunt, so he’s bucking his hips and screwing his eyes shut as he forces himself to stop right before his climax, reminding himself how good it’ll feel when he gets to fill you up.

K | Kink (one or more of their kinks)

overstimulation is jason’s go-to; he gets off on dragging orgasm after orgasm out of you until you’re hardly able to speak. he also loves forced eye contact, especially when you can barely keep your eyes open. oh, and he has a massive size kink. when you’re as huge as he is, everyone is small by comparison, and he likes how big you make him feel.

say it with me. dick grayson has a breeding kink. the visual aspect of cumming inside you is enough to drive him crazy, but the thought of getting you pregnant…now that makes him rabid. face-sitting is another big one; any variation of pussy-eating drives him wild, but having you sit on his face is his favourite way to do it.

L | Location (favorite places to do the do)

if you’re at home, anywhere is fair game to jason. he’s fucking you in the kitchen, in the bedroom, on the sofa, against the wall, in the office—anywhere. outside of home, he’s more restrictive, but he has thought about fucking you in the batmobile on the many occasions he’s stolen it.

the bedroom is definitely dick’s favourite place to fuck you; aside from making things feel more romantic, he wants you to be comfortable as he’s bending you into crazy positions. he also loves a shower quickie and car sex, impractical though they may be. don’t worry, he’s an acrobat. it’ll work.

M | Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

is it crazy to say that jason gets turned on when you argue? because he does. a moderate disagreement where you’re getting huffy with him is a surefire way to get bent over the sofa. oh, and if he feels even a little jealousy creeping over him, you’re in for a ride. also, if you nestle into him during the night, you’ll be contending with his hard cock pressed against your lower back until one of you caves.

dick is whipped. whatever you’re doing can get him going. cooking, reading, wearing his clothes—he loves everything you do. but, he’s particularly turned on whenever you dress up for a special occasion. it can be a little inconvenient when you’re running late for an event and he’s groping you over your gown in the limo, but how can you refuse those blue eyes?

N | No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

jason would be very resistant to anything that puts him in a submissive role (this goes for ak!jason too). this includes both sex acts and the use of props/toys that take control away from him; he’s just not into it. he’d also refuse any kind of roleplay, saying it’s unnecessary. he’s a pragmatic guy.

I think dick would really dislike the idea of hurting you. he’s not opposed to spanking, and he’ll even engage in some light breath play (ahem, headlock, anyone?), but he would never take it any further than that. if he bruised you through anything other than hickies, he’d be sick with guilt.

O | Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

it should come as no surprise that jason loves receiving head. there are few sights as enticing as watching you take his cock in your mouth while he instructs you to keep your eyes on him. he’s also very skilled in returning the favour, and his preference is eating you from the back so he can see your pretty ass move each time you squirm.

you know my stance on this. dick is a munch. he’s eating pussy like it’s his last meal before the end of the world, and he’s doing it for him. needless to say, he’s fucking good at it. receiving head is quite literally the last thing on his mind. that being said, when he does remember to let you reciprocate, all he can think about is how pretty you look while doing it.

P | Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

jason can get pretty rough, and he likes to fuck you hard, but he knows how much you can take. sex for him is partially an emotional release. but, he’s good at alternating between destroying you one day and being gentle the next; despite his tough facade, jay enjoys soft, passionate sex as much—if not more—than you do.

dick is kind of a hedonist; once he starts feeling pleasure, he doesn’t want it to end—especially when you start feeling it too. he’s happy to give you fast and rough if it’s what you want, but his preference is sloppy, erotic fucking. the messier you get, the better. although, if he’s got you in a mating press, the roughness seeps back in quickly.

Q | Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

while he’ll never say no to a quickie, jason prefers to take his time with you. once he starts, he finds it hard to stop, and he loves to see how much you can take from him before you’re spent. quickies are sporadic with him; he prefers to enjoy your body at his pace.

if he gets the chance to fuck you—hell, even just tease you—dick is going to take it. he loves the thrill and the sense of urgency that comes with quickies. whether it’s a hookup in his car or an impromptu blowjob when he’s supposed to be on patrol, his eyes are lighting up like it’s christmas.

R | Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

jason is not a risk-taker. he needs time to warm to any kind of experimentation, but he’s more likely to try things on you than on himself, like using light restraints on you or dabbling in sensory play. as long as he feels he has some control.

dick is a different story. he’s willing to try most things at least once, and he’s able to laugh it off if something goes south. he’s not opposed to switching (ha) things up and giving you the lead, either; he likes a woman in charge.

S | Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

maybe it’s his extensive training, maybe it’s just who he is; whatever the case may be, jason can go for a long time. but, it’s usually just one round that he draws out so he can really work you to your limit.

dick can handle multiple rounds if you give him time. his recovery consists of burying his face between your legs until he’s ready to go again, which doesn’t take very long once you start convulsing against his tongue.

T | Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

jason wouldn’t even think to use sex toys unless you brought it up, but he’d be open to using them on you if you asked. he’s quick to see the potential in your little pink vibrator when he holds it against your clit while he fucks you, noticing how much easier it is to overstimulate you this way.

ever the experimentalist, dick isn’t opposed to trying out toys in the bedroom. in fact, he’s the one who would show up with fuzzy blue handcuffs (“I got them in my colour!”) to restrain your hands behind your back, so he can devour your cunt without interference from you.

U | Unfair (how much they like to tease)

he’d like to tease you more, but jason doesn’t really have the restraint for it. as soon as you’re splayed out in front of him, he wants to take you. when he does tease, though, he likes to touch you everywhere but where you need him most, until you’re begging for him to make you feel good. then, he likes to make you regret it—over and over again.

dick is the world’s biggest tease, and you can look that up. he’s got you grinding on his lap, making out with you until you’re panting, only to say he needs to do some work as he stands up with a smirk. and when he finally gets you naked, he makes you tell him what you need while his fingers hover over your aching pussy, never reaching you.

V | Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

jason isn’t very loud at all, but the sounds he does make range from grunts and groans to the occasional low moan if you tug at the hair on the nape of his neck. he’s a big dirty talker, and he likes to get up in your ear to do it, so he knows you’re listening. he notices the way you shiver at his gravelly voice, and it drives him crazy.

dick is far less concerned about being quiet. he’s moaning, swearing, telling you how pretty you are, even occasionally whining, and he’s not worried about what your neighbours think—in fact, he’s making sure you’re just as vocal as he is, insisting you tell him how you feel. he’s also expressive when he cums, especially when he does it inside you.

W | Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

I know this is controversial, but jason would never agree to a threesome. this man is possessive. the mere thought of seeing someone else touch you in front of him is enough to make him see red, so no—he’d end up committing murder (not that it’s a far leap for him on a good day).

dick has a thing for watching you work out, especially when you’re doing yoga in the living room in those skin-tight pants. watching the way your limbs elongate and contract as you bend and stretch does things to him, but he never interrupts; the images stay in his mind for those long missions.

X | X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

jason is a behemoth of a man all over. and I do mean all over. he’s packing. an easy 8 inches (slightly more), thick, with a slight upwards curve and a prominent vein from the base to the tip—which is a mauvy pink, by the way. you’re still shocked you’re able to take him, and he was too the first time.

‘prettiest man alive also has a pretty cock’ would be dick’s headline. just over 6 inches, with enough girth to make you feel full, and a rosy pink tip that matches his lips…you could honestly just stare at it if he’d let you (and he probably would). he fits you like a glove every single time.

Y | Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

jason’s sex drive is pretty consistent; it’s always simmering a little ways below the surface. he’s able to compartmentalise it when he has to, but sex doubles as a form of stress-relief for him, so it happens…often.

dick has an incredibly high sex drive. like jason, he can reel it in when needed, but if it were up to him, you’d fuck every single day, twice even. I also truly believe that he’s regularly plagued by morning wood.

Z | Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

he’s going to make sure you’re comfortable and taken care of, but the truth is jason could probably pass out in your arms about 10 minutes after you’re done. take it as a sign of how safe he feels with you as he’s snoring softly into your neck.

he’s definitely tired after sex, but dick is waiting until he notices you dozing off before he closes his eyes. once he’s out, though, good luck waking him up again without an air horn. he’s going to need his full eight hours to recharge.

[yanderenightmare]

Ryomen Sukuna

TW: suggestive noncon, threats, Sukuna in general

gn reader

Thinking about sorcerer ! reader – only instead of having a really offensive technique, it's purely defensive.

A power to pacify. Creating the ultimate stalemate. All attacks are nullified – people can’t even throw one measly punch your way.

– which obviously means you’re the ultimate babysitter for trigger-happy curses like Sukuna.

The only issue is…. you don’t at all behave in accordance with your technique. 

You are perhaps the most childish and bratty sorcerer he’s ever been forced to share air with. Even worse than that white-haired prick. Where with him – he could at least spar. But you? You just monitor him while making the most meaningless and ever-so-grating conversation.

“I read in an old book that you’re a cannibal.” You muse with a smile. Eyes vibrant with curiosity – playful even – as though the prospect of him eating human flesh shouldn’t be making your own skin run raw with goosebumps. “Is that true?” 

His brow raises at your eagerness. His mouth is a prim line before muttering an unenthusiastic. “Yes.”

“Really?” You jump. “Why? Does it taste good?”

It’s an awfully stupid question – he thinks with an ever-growing wrinkle furrowing his brows. But suppose explaining to you how it’s meant to strike fear into people’s hearts would only make you laugh.

He huffs.

“Tastes like meat.”

“Right~” You sing-song as though it was a satisfying answer – but then almost immediately add onto it. “So, like chicken or beef?” 

You really are such a nuisance, he thinks. Grumbling. “Pig.”

You hum – then smack your lips. And he feels another onset of annoyance – expecting another moronic query to come pouring gracelessly from your lips.

“You’re a little disappointing – you know that?” You say instead.

He picks his head up at that – finally looking back at you through the bars of his cell to where you sit opposite way on a chair – looking straight back at him, fearing no harm.

There are about a million seals covering the walls, keeping him trapped. Though you’d feel just as safe without them.

“I’d thought you’d have more to say, but…” You pout. “Turns out you’re just boring.”

His nose makes an offended scrunch – eyes narrowed. “Watch how you speak to me.”

You laugh – your chuckle in itself is something that makes the hairs at the back of his neck rise out of ire. That smug smile on your face enough to have his fists ball at his sides – and at the moment you lick your lips, saying, “Or what?” he’s already on his feet with his hands wrapped tight around the bars – knuckles turning white in his grip.

His skin sizzles from the cursed energy imbued in the metal – like holy water to a demon – and still, he doesn’t let go. Four eyes, blood red, glaring at you with a look that’s nothing short of deadly. If he could, you knew he’d have your heart in his hand forever ago. But the fact that he doesn’t – the fact that he can’t – only makes your grin ever sharper.

“Wow~” You tease. “Look at that face~” Giggling. “So scary~”

His nostrils flare as he releases the bars. Hands healed shortly after. “One of these days, brat – I’ll have you on your knees.”

You feign a gasp. “Sukuna~ so indecent~” Your grin lessens into a coy smirk. “To think the King of Curses is flirting with little ole me~” You bite your lip, looking kittenish – eyes amused while watching him recede into the dark of his cell.

You break from the act with another laugh.

Beginning anew. “I do have a question, though.”

“Naturally.” He mutters, stretching his arms – all four – one pair above his head and the other behind his back.

“Are you double-packed down there as well? The same with the rest of you? Or~”

His spine cracks between tensed shoulders – and you think, to be a thousand-year-old specter, he’s awfully easy to rile up.

But then he laughs – a throaty, low-tuned snicker that echoes against the cell walls. 

“As I said – one of these days…” He walks up to the bars again, his chin fitting through them. “You’ll find out.”

There’s another chuckle – his eyes slim with something that makes you feel naked. Suddenly flushed – smile gone – you watch him lick his lips.

“And to answer your next question, you insufferable brat.” 

You gulp.

“I think you’ll taste like peaches.”

[bagofshinyrocks]

The Whole Bakery

Prompt: How will the boys respond to an S/O who slaps their ass out of nowhere? [Requested by @airghostlyfox]

Featuring: Task Force 141 (CoD: MW2) - John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Johnny "Soap" MacTavish (separately) x GN!Reader

Word Count: 0.8k

Warnings: expletives; lightly suggestive content

There he was. Making his morning cup of coffee. Comfortable sleep clothes and sluggish movement. Your handsome partner. 

He had finally freed himself from the blanket web and your comfortable arms, with the intent to go through most of his “honey-do” list that weekend.

And he was so unaware.

That your arm was winding up for a powerful smack to his ass.

John Price

The sound was not as impressive due to his sweatpants, but the way he jerked and slowly put down the things in his hands was reward enough. He did not appreciate it. And he did not turn around.

“Luv,” he said in an even tone. “What the hell was that?”

You rubbed the offended cheek with the same hand, deciding against pinching, as he would win any fight you started. 

“My darling John. Your ass is just so wonderful, I can’t help myself.” 

Both hands gently squeezed his ass. And you pressed an apologetic kiss between his bare shoulder blades.

“You’ve got the whole bakery right here, bubba.” Gentle pats. Still no movement of his neck. “All these buns.”

Finally, he turned around.

He was trying very hard not to smile. Trying not to encourage you. But goddamn, did you look pleased with yourself. Strong arms wrapped around your middle, pressing you to his chest.

“You are-” Kiss. “Such a flirt.” Kiss. “And absolutely shameless.”

You kissed him back and lazily threw your arms over his shoulders.

Behind you, his arm raised itself and smacked your ass as hard as he possibly could. You folded into him with a yelp.

“GOD FUCKIN–!”

Simon Riley

The moment your hand left his cheek, he had turned on you and grabbed you under the armpits.

“Uh oh” was all you had the chance to say before he dragged you off to the nearest wall. He was smiling, but it was the smile that meant you were still in trouble. You chuckled nervously as he settled you against the wall, caging you in and leaning in close.

“You are a cheeky one,” he purred.

“Yessir.”

“Any particular reason we’re playful this morning?”

You wriggled your arms out of his grip, and settled your hands over his ass again. He let you, one of his fingers tapping your nose.

“Well, if you must know, Simon,” you said, adopting a matter-of-fact tone. “It is because your ass is just so delicious looking.”

He snorted at your blunt words and hid his eyes with his hand.

“Bloody hell.”

“I mean, just look at it, lover.” You firmly gripped his ass, squeezing ever so slightly. “All this cake.”

He sighed, but he was still laughing. You’re adorable. He loves you.

Kyle Garrick

You didn’t smack too, too hard. A peace offering for walking around in his boxers and nothing else. Your favorite outfit on him.

But he still jumped and gave you a dirty look.

“It is 8 in the morning, you shit.”

You turned him back around and massaged his ass, humming a cheerful tune. “I’m just gonna knead this yummy dough, don’t mind me.”

“You a cat? Making biscuits?”

You giggled and kissed the back of his neck.

“Oh, have you got some biscuits on you, loverboy.”

He couldn’t help but laugh into his cup, turning himself around and pulling you into his embrace. Soft, coffee-flavored kisses. Then his arms snaking lower, and his own hands settling on your ass.

“I think that’s one of the sweetest things you’ve ever said to me.”

“Sweeter than ‘I love you’?”

He squeezed your ass and pulled you impossibly closer to him.

“Mm,” he sighed into your mouth. “Tied for first.”

You pulled back and narrowed your eyes.

“What? Oh, right. I love you, too, baby.”

Johnny MacTavish

Of all the boys, he has no right to complain. A chronic ass-slapper. Repeat offender groper. Can’t sleep without one hand one you, be it your arm, your stomach, or your leg.

He was singing some song to himself, dancing a little. Background noise that kept him from hearing you until it was too late.

“Steaming bloody-”

You hit him too hard. Oh no. Oh no, no, no. You ducked out of his grasp and started pleading for forgiveness.

“Baby, I’m sorry, that was harder than I meant. I’m sorry. I’m sor- shit.”

A mad scramble around the kitchen island. Never had you run away from your bare-chested Scotsman so quickly.

“Get your arse back here!”

“Nuh uh!”

“Fuck you mean-” He vaulted over the island and you screamed. Like a bird of prey, he grabbed you and dragged you to the couch, falling on top of you with all his weight.

“I’m sorry, baby,” you wheezed.

He smothered your face and neck in kisses, and accepted your apology. He would get you back later. With less force but greater number of ass slaps. You were sure of it.

Enjoy reading this? Here's a link to my other works! Thanks for reading :-)

Posted: 2023 Dec 12

[mariacallous]

Donald Trump launched a destructive global trade war last week, devastating the US economy and quickly erasing a record $6 trillion in value from the stock market. Americans everywhere watched their retirement savings catch fire, and now amidst the rubble, many Trump voters lament that this wasn’t their desired outcome when they willingly returned a madman to power.

Over the weekend, billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman called Trump’s tariffs “a self-induced, economic nuclear winter” and insisted, “This is not what we voted for.” (Ackman pathetically changed his tune after Trump walked back some of his tariffs on Wednesday and the markets temporarily ticked up, tweeting, “Textbook, Art of the Deal.”) Many Trump supporters have complained that they voted for “affordable groceries” and “lower taxes” but not a “global trade war.” But they were kidding themselves.

The 2024 election wasn’t a restaurant where you could order cheaper eggs but politely ask for the server to hold the fascism. You’re still getting the fascism, and your eggs aren’t just overpriced now, they’re broken and rotten.

Perhaps the most damning commentary about the US electorate and media is that Trump never even tried to conceal his malicious intentions and deranged policy positions. Despite some revisionist history from pundits and Trump voters with serious regrets, his second term is largely what his campaign promised. He was consistently fixated on personal grievance and revenge, with no serious solutions for the country’s problems, many of which were of his own making. That’s hardly the blueprint for an American Golden Age.

Almost exactly a year ago, Trump gave an extensive interview with Time Magazine that served as a detailed confession of his plot to ruin the country. The interview was conducted in April, months before he’d receive the Republican presidential nomination for a third time. His general election campaign was even more radical and divisive: He offered a dirty ashtray’s view of the future, with migrant fear-mongering, transphobic attacks, and outright threats against his enemies.

Trump wanted to win the presidency for his own self-aggrandizement and to inflict pain upon everyone he hates and who he believes has wronged him. Now he’s doing just that. He’s targeting immigrants, trans Americans, minorities, his political opponents, and anyone who ever tried to hold him accountable for his past crimes. He’s abandoned America’s allies and embraced democracy’s enemies. He’s governed even more lawlessly than during his first term, which is really saying something considering he was impeached twice, the second time after inciting a coup attempt.

There are cultist MAGA voters who supported Trump because he promised mass deportations, no matter how inhumane, and further persecution of marginalized groups. Then there are the supposed “normie” Trump voters who were willing to overlook the actual words coming from his mouth and assume he would restore the economy to how it was in 2019 — conveniently before his botched pandemic response. Now, neither group is happy with Trump’s insane, self-harming revenge tour, even though it was completely predictable.

[mydearestbeloved]

Chapter 5 [Draft]

Sung Jinwoo/Trial Player!Reader

CW:

Inspired by @circeyoru ‘s “Future Power Couple”

[Masterlist🦋✨️]

It was supposed to be a peaceful—boring—day. You yawned and stretched your arms above your head, feeling the tension in your muscles ease as you walked back from the raid you had been sent on as support by the Hunter's Association. Healing a few injuries here, casting some support spells there—typical stuff. A cozy evening of spoiling your children at your Gardens awaited, and maybe you’d even treat yourself to some well-deserved rest.

You let your guard down for just a moment, something you rarely did outside your domain. And perhaps, you shouldn’t have.

The first thing that went wrong was the collision. You hadn’t even sensed anyone nearby, which should have been impossible. Your senses were too sharp, finely tuned from years of surviving the system’s trials.

The second thing that went wrong was that you stumbled backward from the impact—an almost absurd realization, given your strength and agility.

You could’ve been able to catch yourself immediately, but before you could react, a strong arm wrapped around your waist, steadying you.

The third—and most unsettling—thing was the face that came into view as you were pulled flush against the person. Your eyes shot up, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. Stormy grey eyes stared down at you, too close, too familiar.

There, standing before you with an unreadable expression, was Sung Jinwoo.

Your mind went blank for a split second before you quickly masked your surprise with a polite smile—a customer service smile, the one you used to deal with awkward situations. What the hell was this situation? A K-drama plot twist? You fought the urge to groan. There was no way he would recognize you. You had worked hard to stay anonymous, to keep your involvement in his life strictly hidden. This was just an unfortunate run-in, surely—

And just as you were about to step away, you felt it—the familiar tug in the back of your mind.

<Fancy meeting you here, Trial Player!>

Damnit, you cursed internally, your blood running cold.

"'Trial Player,' huh?” Jinwoo’s voice was calm, almost casual, but there was a dangerous curiosity in his tone. The strange glint in his once stormy eyes, now glowing in a sharp blue, set your nerves on edge. “Interesting title.”

Of course, the system wasn’t done. It never was.

[Dear Trial Player, (Name). 

Be careful not to spill your secret to Player Sung Jinwoo, 

else you may find the penalty... quite costly.]

[To not disrupt the predestined events of this world too much, things that should be kept a secret by the Trial Player include: 

- True origin 

- Prior knowledge of this world.]

[Reminder to watch your words, Trial Player.]

You swallowed hard, mind racing. You were treading on dangerous ground. The glint in Jinwoo’s eyes wasn’t the detached curiosity of someone stumbling upon a stranger; it was the look of a predator that had cornered his prey.

“It’s… complicated,” you managed to say, trying to buy yourself some time as you mentally sorted through your options.

“I have time.” His voice was as calm as ever, but the weight behind those words made it clear—he wasn’t going anywhere, wasn’t going to let you go, until you explained yourself. And of course, he had. You knew his schedule better than anyone else—You hold back wince; you sounded like a stalker just now.

 His eyes never left yours, and the weight of his stare was almost suffocating.

Your eyes darted around the street. Too open. Too public. If you were going to spill even a fraction of the truth, you needed privacy. “...Follow me,” you said, steeling your nerves. There was no escaping this encounter now, but at the very least, you could control where the conversation would take place.

Jinwoo’s lips quirked up in the barest hint of a smile, as if he’d already won. He let you go, didn’t ask questions, didn’t press you further—just nodded, as if he had expected nothing less than your cooperation. He fell into step beside you, his presence both comforting and unnerving at the same time.

---

You sat across from Sung Jinwoo in a small, secluded café, your fingers nervously tracing the edge of your cup. It was peaceful here, or at least it was supposed to be. The gentle hum of conversation, the scent of freshly brewed coffee—under any other circumstance, this would be the perfect place to relax.

But the man sitting in front of you wasn’t just any ordinary guy. He was Sung Jinwoo, and not the E-rank, sweetly awkward and adorable version of him you once quietly helped. No, this was the Jinwoo who had been through hell and back, the one who had grown stronger, and the one who was currently giving you the most piercing stare you had ever been given in your whole life.

You weren’t afraid of him, but you weren’t naïve enough to think this would be an easy conversation, either.

God, why couldn’t it be the E-rank him? At least that Jinwoo wouldn’t be giving you this much of a hard time.

[Choose your words carefully, Trial Player.]

You clenched your jaw at the system's ever-helpful reminder.

Jinwoo was watching you intently, sipping his coffee as he waited for your answer. His questions were understandable—he was the protagonist of this world, after all—but each answer felt like walking a tightrope, balancing half-truths and white lies. Years of surviving in this world had changed you, turned you into someone far more cautious and guarded than the girl who had first been dropped into the dungeon all those years ago. But you hadn’t expected to have to use those skills on him of all people.

“Look,” you started, choosing your words carefully. “There are things I can’t tell you—things I’m not allowed to tell you.”

His eyebrow raised slightly, though he pushed further on that matter, for now.

“This ‘Trial Player’ business. What does that mean?”

You bit your lip, carefully considering your next words. You had to walk a fine line here. “I had a role to play before you became the system’s player. A trial run of sorts.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “So, you were meant to take my place?”

“No.” Your response was immediate, a bit too sharp, perhaps, but you needed him to understand that. “I was never meant to take your place. I was… a beta tester for the system. Nothing more.”

Jinwoo’s gaze bore into you, as if weighing the truth of your words. The silence stretched, tense and heavy, until he finally spoke again. “And now?”

“I... don’t know.” The only truth you let slip.

“I suppose you’ve been watching me for a while now,”

Your heart skipped a beat. So, he did know?

As if knowing what you wanted, Jinwoo then mentioned the system. Apparently, his system had become unnecessarily chatty—and vague—about you after his awakening. You shouldn’t have been surprised. Just because the system hadn’t forbidden you from helping Jinwoo in small ways didn’t mean it would keep your actions secret forever.

“Paying the hospital bills,” he continued, his eyes locked onto yours. “Items arriving at my door when I needed them. Heals when there was nobody around.”

Your customer-service smile faltered, a tiny fraction at the edges of your lips. He had figured it out. There was no point in denying it. “...Yes.”

You were out of your depth now, there was no turning back.

"So," Jinwoo leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving yours, "how long have you been helping me?"

Your fingers twitched. "For a while now," you answered, purposefully vague. Not a lie.

"Years, then."

You nodded, biting back the urge to say more. He didn't need the specifics.

"And why?" His gaze was steady, but there was a flicker of something behind it—curiosity, maybe, but also wariness.

You had expected that question, but it didn’t make it any easier to answer. Why had you helped him? The official answer was because he was the protagonist of this world. But deep down, it was more than that. You admired him—his strength, his perseverance, and the way he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders without complaint. Somewhere along the way, admiration had blurred into something deeper, something more personal.

"I just... wanted to help," you said softly, your fingers tightening around the cup in your hands. “The system... didn’t give me much of a choice from the moment it chose me as the trial player. And perhaps it had turned a blind eye; helping you—it felt right." Another half-truth, but still rooted in reality.

Jinwoo studied you for a long moment, his gaze intense. You could almost feel the gears turning in his mind, trying to figure out whether you were a threat or an ally. He didn’t press further, which was almost worse. Silence stretched between you, heavy with unsaid words and unanswered questions. You wished you could explain everything, tell him the truth without the system suffocating you in response, but you couldn’t. So, you settled for half-truths and hoped they would be enough.

Then, out of nowhere, the conversation took a turn.

“Let’s keep it that way then,” Jinwoo’s voice was casual, almost too casual, “you’re joining my party.”

Your mind screeched to a halt. “Wait, what?”

“I said,” he repeated, leaning forward slightly, “you’re joining my party.” There was something in his tone that left no room for argument, but it didn’t make any sense. Jinwoo had always been the lone wolf. Solo raids were his thing. He didn’t need healers anymore—not with his own incredible healing factor.

“No—”

“I’m not asking.” And you berated yourself once again for being weak to his eyes, especially the current glowing ones. That beautiful, beautiful blue hue.

“Why? I mean, you don’t need me.”

Jinwoo’s eyes narrowed slightly, catching onto the strange phrasing, and you suddenly felt the invisible tightness around your throat. Watch your words, Trial Player, the system’s voice echoed in your mind, a third reminder today that made your blood pressure spike every damn time.

The system wasn’t just blocking you from outright saying it; it was suffocating you, a warning wrapped in discomfort. You cursed yourself internally.

Jinwoo answer interrupted your thoughts, “Let’s just say… I’m curious. About you.”

Oh. Oh. What did you expect? This wasn’t about your healing abilities. He was suspicious of you. He knew something was off, and now he was keeping you close—keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, and all that.

But you weren’t his enemy, were you?

You opened your mouth to argue further, but just as you were about to speak, the system chimed in again.

<You have been invited to join Player Sung Jinwoo’s party. Trial Player (Name) cannot refuse this offer. Would you like to accept? {Yes}>

You let out and internal scream. Seriously?

"...I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?" You said, your cheeks were starting to hurt from forcing a smile throughout this conversation as you selected the only option on the screen.

Jinwoo smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "No, you don’t."

---

After discussing the details for your future joint raids, you watched Jinwoo’s back as he turned to leave, you couldn’t help but feel a sinking sense of dread. You were trapped. Whatever game the system and Jinwoo were playing, you were caught in the middle. And now you were officially part of his party.

You sighed, slumping back into your chair. It was supposed to be a peaceful day. You should’ve known better.

[So, how have you been? ~]

“Shut it.”

---

The partnership was, for lack of a better word, complicated.

Jinwoo noticed it was a word often associated to you.

The more time Jinwoo spent with you only made things murkier. You were a puzzle wrapped in a riddle, and no matter how many pieces he tried to put together, he was always left with gaps. It was frustrating, but it also intrigued him in a way that nothing else had since he became the Player.

Jinwoo was suspicious—he couldn’t afford not to be. Jinwoo never imagined having someone like you beside him, much less allowing it. For the longest time, he had preferred working alone—solitude was safer, simpler. He didn’t have to worry about anyone getting in his way or betraying him. So, naturally, he had kept you under close observation, convinced that the cost of keeping you around would be more than just the unease gnawing at him.

From the start, Jinwoo had believed that taking you along would mean a decrease in his own growth. Experience was precious, and dividing it was a risk he was prepared to accept—but you had assured him that wouldn’t be necessary.

"I won’t take any exp from you,” you’d said with a quiet confidence that he hadn’t known how to trust. “I’ve got a feeling it doesn’t work like that for me anymore."

He’d been skeptical, of course. Experience was everything to a player, and he’d been prepared to lose some to keep you around. But as the weeks went by, he found your claim to be frustratingly true. No matter how many monsters you felled, it was only his system notifications that pinged, announcing increases in his experience points, his level bar that filled up, not yours, as though the system recognized you as an extension of him.

It was as if you just weren’t there.

He didn't know whether to be relieved or more suspicious. What kind of player didn’t gain EXP? It didn’t fit with the rules, and Jinwoo was nothing if not a careful observer of the patterns around him.

---

The material rewards, however, were a different story.

There was a strange way you treated the remains of the fallen monsters. At first, he hadn’t paid much attention to it; after all, every hunter had their quirks. But you would always linger after the fights, almost reverently inspecting the bodies, picking through the materials they left behind. When he finally asked you about it, you had given him that infuriatingly cryptic smile.

“Do you mind if I take whatever you don’t need?” you had politely asked one day, the first time out of the many in future raids to come. “I promise it won’t go to waste.”

“What do you even need them for?” he had asked, watching you examine the remains of a C-rank goblin with almost childlike fascination.

“Hmm…” You’d glanced up, meeting his gaze briefly before turning back to the material in your hand. “Think of it as... research.”

He’d agreed, more out of curiosity than generosity. And every time he did, he could have sworn he caught a glimmer of excitement in your eyes. It was an expression so genuine and bright that Jinwoo found himself taken aback. What exactly you were doing with those materials, he had no idea, but you seemed genuinely grateful, almost... happy. And Jinwoo found it oddly endearing every single time.

The guarded woman he fought beside every day for the past few weeks by now—the one who always hid herself behind walls of practiced calm—suddenly looked more humane. A person delighted over something so simple.

“Thank you, Jinwoo.” you said softly as you packed away pieces of monster hides, bones, and crystals with precision.  The way you spoke his name felt different than when others said it. Like it was laced with something unspoken, something almost... familiar.

For a moment, he’d thought he might be able to catch a sliver of truth from you. But then, as quickly as it appeared, your guard returned, and you slipped back into your composed, impenetrable self.

---

Yet, for every discovery he made about you, new questions took root. The way you spoke to the air when he couldn’t see your system window was one of the strangest things he’d observed. It wasn’t like how he interacted with his own system—a cold, mechanical guide that answered in emotionless text.

He had come to terms with it, which made it more puzzling when you, on the other hand, seemed to have a strangely conversational relationship with yours. It was as though you were talking to a real person rather than an AI. And there were times he swore he heard you bantering with it. The fact that he couldn’t see it, that he couldn’t know what it was telling you without you telling him, left him on edge.

While you could see the familiar blue screens of his own system at all times, yours sometimes seemed to exist in an entirely different realm. He didn’t have enough information to even confirm you had the same kind of system he did.

One evening after a raid, after you had muttered something to the empty air beside you, Jinwoo couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer. The two of you were taking a break in the clearing of a forest-like dungeon, waiting for the mana in the air to settle. His shadows patrolled the perimeter, leaving the two of you in relative isolation.

“You’re… talking to it, aren’t you?” Jinwoo asked, as you finished your quiet exchange with your invisible companion. “The system, I mean.”

“Hmm? Oh.” You paused mid-motion, halfway through tucking away the latest monster core you’d collected, s if you hadn’t just spoken aloud to someone—or something—that only you could see. You glanced at him, something unreadable flickering behind your eyes before you looked back at the core in your hands.

“It’s not quite the same as your system,” you said finally, your voice almost too soft to hear over the rustling leaves. “Let’s just say we have a complicated relationship.” You paused, seeming to search for the right words. “Yours is… a guide, yes? Cold, instructive?”

He nodded, and you seemed to weigh your response.

“Mine is… let’s call it more opinionated.”

Jinwoo raised an eyebrow, clearly unsatisfied. “You mean to tell me that your system has a personality?”

A small smile tugged at your lips. “Something like that.”

He muttered, narrowing his eyes. “You know more about my system than I do, and yet I can’t even see yours most of the time. Feels like a rigged game.”

“You mean the same way my kills count towards yours instead?”

Fair point.

“You could say I know it pretty well. And… it knows me.” Your tone was careful, and he realized he’d learned something more about you in that one sentence than in all the raids you’d fought together.

It was almost as if you wanted to be honest—desperately so—but something stopped you every time you got close to revealing too much. It seemed less like a power play and more like you were protecting something—maybe even protecting him. But that didn’t make sense.

 Still, Jinwoo could see glimpses of genuine loyalty in your actions. The more he witnessed this, the more he felt torn, unable to decide if you were an ally bound by strange circumstances or a threat with motives he couldn’t yet see.

End Note:

Unedited Draft of [013/10/2024] -

The later parts of this chapter (where it switches to Jinwoo's p.o.v.) are originally part of the next chapter, but I substitue them with a new fight scene.

[farmerstarter]

The Bachelors on their Wedding Day

Hi Hello have this short list of my little Headcanons of the bachelors on their wedding day. Hope you enjoy it! Reblogs and likes are appreciated!!🌷🤍

ʚ🏈ɞ ˚ · . Alex :

🏈 Fiddles with his tie relentlessly and ends up ruining it. He runs to Evelyn to ask her to tie it up again. The only other thing he fusses over is his hair.

🏈 Alex keeps a rabbit's foot in his pants, wanting all the luck he can get.

🏈 Spent literal days writing his wedding vows. Ends up opting to wing it. It wasn't the most eloquently worded thing you've heard but it was sweet.

🏈 He gave himself a pep talk in his bedroom before the ceremony. You only know about this because George was complaining about how loud he was to you.

🏈 Dusty the dog is the mermaid pendant bearer, I decided.

🏈 Also, the song that plays during the wedding is the same tune from Alex's music box. 🥺

ʚ🪶ɞ ˚ · . Elliott :

🪶Beach wedding. You guys have a beach wedding. You've expressed your interest in one and Elliott, with the eager help of Willy, clean up the beach for your special day. Elliott's shoes would fill with sand but his discomfort is overpowered by his delight when he sees you all dressed up.

🪶 He reads you one (of many) of his poems about you. You later learned that he's got a whole book of poetry about you that he's been writing ever since you two started dating. The poem he read on the wedding day was the very first one and is the first page of the book.

🪶 He spent hours trying to make himself look good. Asking for Leah and Willy's input on what he should wear for a solid 3 hours.

🪶 Aside from him worrying over his appearance, Elliott is more excited than nervous. He's on the verge of creating a new chapter in his life with someone else. Gone are the days of his lonely shack and the empty (well, not as empty since you moved into town) beach. Honestly, to say that he's excited is an understatement.

ʚ🛩️ɞ ˚ · . Harvey :

🛩️ Gets awfully shy when reading his vows, stuttering his way through his words and being a blushing mess. He has no problem with the one-on-one check up sessions he does with the other villagers of Pelican Town, but to read aloud in front of all of them at once threw him off. But he kept his eyes on you and managed to power through it.

🛩️ He considered shaving off his mustache for the wedding at least twice. But he decided against the idea.

🛩️ Insisted that you eat Farmer's Brunch the morning of the wedding. Even during your wedding day, he wants to make sure you're feeling healthy.

🛩️ Holds your hands throughout the whole ceremony. Whispering apologies for how clammy his hands are.

ʚ🎸ɞ ˚ · . Sam :

🎸 He wrote a whole song about you and played it on your wedding day. He made it a surprise for you and the moments of him hiding his guitar and shoving music sheets under his bed when you visit his room were all starting to make sense to you.

🎸 Couldn't sleep for the whole night before the wedding. He worried over the ceremony and wanted to make it go smoothly. He's not one to meticulously plan every detail, opting to engage in spur of the moment decisions, but he tried his best to make everything as close to perfect as he can get.

🎸 Jodi tried to gel Sam's hair back, but no matter the amount of gel and hours, his hair would always spring back. Sam wasn't a fan of dressing up in a "dorky suit" but he did anyway, for you.

🎸 Sam didn't want to see you until the wedding so he got Vincent to play messenger for the two of you. He wouldn't do it at first but only agreed to do it because he likes you (Cue a dramatic gasp from Sam).

ʚ🐸ɞ ˚ · . Sebastian :

🐸 Ends up smiling through the whole ceremony, looking at you with such a brightness in his eyes.

🐸 He isn't one to wear anything fancy. The closest thing he ever wore that is considered formal was the suit that Lewis got him and the rest of the dancers to wear for the Flower Dance. He asks his mom to help him dress up for the wedding, asking her about it while she was building furniture. Sebastian doesn't want to admit it, but he liked watching his mom so happy over something that was so mundane to him. He makes sure to keep the suit in perfect condition throughout the ceremony because of it.

🐸 He tells his very heartfelt wedding vows. And while he does, you could hear the faint "that's good," from Elliott before a grunt, inevitably elbowed on the side by Leah.

🐸 You and him ride on his motorcycle after the wedding. He drives you two to the cliff overlooking the city, the same cliff where he confessed his true feelings to you. Under the full moon, the two of you would look at the stars with Sebastian occasionally pointing at a constellation that Maru taught him to find.

🐸 Consider: winter wedding.

ʚ🐣ɞ ˚ · . Shane :

🐣 Genuinely doesn't believe that you want to marry him. He thinks it's a dream at best and a prank at worst. It wasn't until you were tying his mermaid pendant around his neck for him to know that you do love him. He still has trouble understanding it sometimes.

🐣 Shane asked Marnie to teach him how to waltz for your wedding day. Sure, he's danced in the Flower Dance countless of times but he wanted to learn something new to surprise you. And he did. After dancing with you, he dances with Jas. Well, it's more of Jas standing on Shane's feet while he walks and glides around.

🐣 He gave his chicken, Charlie, a bow tie for the wedding and everything. Even got a picture of you and Shane with the little guy. The picture ends up being hanged on Shane's side of the bedroom for many years to come.

🐣 Has his pocket full of corn chips, let's be honest. He offers one to you before the ceremony starts.

[ramblings-of-a-chaotic-neutral]

Hello again everyone! Thank you all so much for the overwhelming support for the last part of the "Merlin accidentally conquers Camelot" au! I've had so much fun writing this au, and I'm so glad that you've all enjoyed it too! This will probably be the final part of this au (for now), since I have more au ideas to share with you all, but I'll probably revisit this au some day! For now, I'm approaching two pretty big tumblr milestones, so I'm working on an extra-special au to post in celebration of those (and I won't give anything away, but I think that this new au may be my best one yet, so stay tuned)!

Also, warning, this one is a long post! Be prepared!

Now, onto part four of this au! You can find part one here, part two here, and part three here!

As it turned out, planning a royal wedding was no easy feat.

Merlin had thought that simply adding a quick and (hopefully) painless wedding ceremony at the end of his coronation would make everything go smoothly. After all, the castle would already be decorated, they'd already have all of the important lords in attendance, and everything needed for a consort's coronation ceremony would already be there.

However, when Merlin announced to the lords and the steward in charge of preparing his coronation ceremony that he'd also need a quick wedding and coronation to take Arthur as his consort, they reacted with so much shock and horror that Merlin thought for a second that he'd accidentally announced that he was ordering their executions instead. The only person in the council room who didn't look like death itself had just appeared before him was Gwaine, who took advantage of he shocked silence following Merlin's proclamation to start laughing so uncontrollably that he doubled over and had to grab the wall for support.

Merlin had expected some shock and pushback from the council at his decision, not... this. All of the lords on the council had gone as pale as parchment, some trembling in their seats with fear. What on earth...

"Sire," the ever-unflappable Geoffrey called out, jolting Merlin from his confusion at the state of terror that had gripped the other council members, "while such a marriage would not be unlawful, it would certainly be unprecedented. I'm not questioning your judgement, I know that establishing yourself as a strong ruler this early in your reign is paramount, but are you sure that this is the best way to go about it? I'm certain that the citizens of Camelot will accept you as their rightful ruler as soon as they witness their true power for themselves, so taking the former king as your war prize isn't entirely necessary to show your dominance over the land."

The lords grew several shades paler at Geoffrey's words, and the trembling councilman sitting next to Geoffrey leaned in to fearfully hiss something into the librarian's ear. Merlin watched with growing confusion as Geoffrey's eyes went wide at whatever had just been whispered to him, and he rushed to speak once more.

"Of course, if this decision was made as some form of revenge or humiliation towards the Pendragon line, that is well within your right as a conqueror, Your Majesty. We would simply advise you to take the disgraced king as a concubine, perhaps, instead of your official consort. As a ruler, you must now also consider the issue of one day producing legitimate heirs, which can only be borne to you through your consort."

Merlin blinked, desperately trying to follow whatever logic Geoffrey was using. Take Arthur as a concubine?! Had the old man gone insane?! And Merlin certainly wasn't concerned about heirs, since if he got his way, then his reign wouldn't last longer than this week!

Still, with most of the council looking like they were being plagued by waking nightmares, they weren't likely to listen to Merlin's very reasonable objections to being king in the first place, so Merlin just had to get them off his back until the wedding.

After a deep sigh, which made most of the council members flinch back with a still confusing amount of fear, Merlin addressed Geoffrey's concerns.

"Thank you for your input, but I'm afraid that my decision has already been made on this... issue. I will be taking Arthur as my consort at my coronation, and my decision is final. And don't concern yourself with the topic of heirs, that will be sorted out shortly."

Several lords choked on the air at Merlin's last comment, with a couple outright fainting at his words. Merlin's brows furrowed even more with befuddlement. What... what had he said that garnered such a reaction?! He was just telling them not to worry about it!

(Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Merlin, the lords had a very different idea of what their new king- a powerful, brutal warlord and sorcerer- had planned. They interpreted Merlin's intent to marry Arthur as an act of revenge against the son of the man who killed off so many of his people during the purge. It apparently wasn't enough for the mighty Emrys to defeat his enemy and leave him with nothing to his name. No, this ruthless new king of theirs planned on forcing the former king into a life of humiliation and servitude in the court that was once his own. To a king, that must be a fate worse than death.

These lords, who were some of the most active and complicit members of Uther's purge, looked at the punishment that Emrys had planned for Arthur and thought if that's what happened to the king, what's he going to do to us?!)

The days went by quickly after that meeting, with Merlin's time being filled with a never-ending list of his new duties and things that needed to be done before his coronation, not to mention organizing the coronation itself and the subsequent wedding (which Arthur didn't know about yet, as Merlin had been deliberately avoiding the dungeons after his last conversation with Arthur).

It took the better part of a week for everything to finally be prepared for the official coronation ceremony. The ceremony itself would consist of Merlin being crowned in front of the court (a nauseating thought for Merlin himself), the vassal lords and knights willing to swear fealty to him taking the oath of loyalty, and finally Arthur being handfasted to Merlin and crowned consort.

Merlin was, for once, thankful for the amount of work that he had to do over the days leading up to the ceremony, as it kept his mind busy and his thoughts away from the pit of self-loathing that had taken up permanent residence in his head. After all, what kind of friend stole everything from the person they love the most in the world and then turns around and forces that same friend (and unrequited crush) to marry them?!

Merlin had attempted to rationalize his selfish decision to keep Arthur in the dark regarding his plan to reinstate him as king by telling himself that if Arthur didn't know about the wedding until the last minute, then he would spend less time worrying about it in the long run after he was king again! Besides, if Merlin's plan worked, they would only be married for a day or two, so there was no reason to get Arthur worked up over that by telling him earlier!

Truly, Merlin was not being a complete scumbag by doing this, he was just looking out for his friend's best interests and mental wellbeing! This would all blow over in a a matter of days anyways, Merlin was certain of it.

Still, Merlin found himself anxious and pacing the floor of his room on the morning of the ceremony. He had sent a team of servants and guards to retrieve Arthur from his cell and prepare him for the ceremony, so he likely wouldn't see Arthur until he was brought into the great hall for the handfasting ceremony. However, he still worried over Arthur's reaction when he learned what exactly when was being prepared for.

This worry lingered in Merlin's mind and consumed his thoughts throughout the entire day and into the coronation ceremony, so much so that his own coronation seemed like a blur to him. One moment he was standing in the great hall in front of the assembled crowd of lords and knights, and in the next, he was sitting on Arthur's throne with Arthur's crown on his head, with the crowd shouting "long live the king".

The sound of it almost made Merlin sick. Those words should never be directed at him, but he'd make this right soon enough. He just had to suffer through this ceremony to appease those disloyal lords who had turned their backs on their true king.

Perhaps the worst part of the coronation itself was the ceremony in which the lords and knights willing to pledge their fealty to him took an oath declaring such. It was no surprise to Merlin to see those weasels on the council of lords pledging themselves to save their own skin, but the knights who showed up to pledge their fealty were... very unexpected.

Look, Merlin had assumed that it would just be Gwaine and a small handful of guards and younger knights that he had roped into his mischievous scheme swearing loyalty so him. All of the other knights with their wits intact would surely still be down in the cells of the dungeon, holding true to their prior oaths of loyalty and keeping their true king company.

What Merlin did not expect, however, was for nearly a quarter of all of Camelot's knights to take a knee before him and pledge their loyalty, led by a highly amused Gwaine, who was no doubt enjoying every minute of this. Merlin quickly scanned the crowd of knights, trying to take count of who all had turned their backs on Arthur and could no longer be trusted.

Gwaine, of course, came at no surprise. Many of those assembled were commoner knights whom Arthur had taken in, including Percival, but the giant regularly got pulled into Gwaine's nonsense, so this wasn't truly that much of a shock if Merlin thought about it. There were a fair number of noble-born knights in the crowd, including all of those whom Merlin had noted had a softer outlook on magic. And then, of course, there were a decent number of pompous, high-born knights who had never given a lick about magic or loyalty, they just wanted to preserve their own wealth and power no matter the cost.

Merlin narrowed his eyes at the cluster of those knights. All the rest had logical reasons to side with Merlin, between Gwaine's persuasiveness, solidarity between the lower class, or a connection or sympathy towards magic, so they would be allowed to stay in court after Arthur had retaken his rightful throne. But these knights? These cowardly snakes had to be dealt with at the first opportunity. But how could he get rid of them without people becoming suspicious?

... Wait a minute, Merlin was king now! He might only have that title for a day or so, but in that time, he could certainly use it! (And he absolutely was not using this as a tactic to prolong this part of the ceremony so that he had a few more minutes of peace before the wedding began.)

Right, but how was he going to play this? He couldn't exactly just announce that he wanted those knights to leave because he wanted them gone before Arthur took over again.

Merlin narrowed his eyes at the group of treacherous knights and noted how they squirmed a bit under his gaze, with even some of the people around them shuddering. Right, he looked like a ruthless and powerful sorcerer to them now. He could use that to his advantage.

As the knights finished reciting their oaths, Merlin held up his hand, signaling for them to stay in place. The knights did so, but a confused and concerned murmuring started buzzing around at this strange departure from the normal ceremony. Slowly, Merlin lifted his hand and pointed at the assembled group of knights in the back.

"You lot. In the back."

The murmuring died down the instant Merlin opened his mouth and was instead replaced by an oppressive dread weighing down the ornately decorated hall. If Merlin wasn't trying so hard to keep a straight, intimidating face, he would have winced at causing such a wave of fear with nothing more than a few words.

Hesitantly, one of the called out knights stepped forward, addressing their new king.

"Yes, your majesty? Is there something you require of us?"

Merlin held back the urge to smirk as an idea, and a very satisfying one at that, formed in his head. He quietly cleared his throat and put on his most imperious "Emrys" voice that he could muster.

"I can sense insincerity in your hearts with my magic. Just as you abandoned the previous king, you would also turn your backs on me at the first opportunity to do so. Do not even attempt to deny it, you know just as well as I do that this true. I cannot trust any such men as knights of mine."

The group of knights went pale as Merlin called them out for their flimsy loyalty, and at once whispers began fly in the crowd. Perhaps they were intrigued by this show of his "powers"? Were they scandalized by this public shaming of a group of high-ranking knights?

Either way, the knights immediately began groveling, begging Merlin to let them keep their positions, their wealth, their power, but Merlin dismissed them with a wave of a hand and publicly revoked their knighthoods. The murmuring of the remaining people in the great hall grew louder as the disgraced former knights made their way out of the hall, no doubt intimidated and scandalized by how quickly their new ruler was purging his court of the disloyal.

However, with the loyal knights having taken their oaths and the untrustworthy ones having been cast out, the coronation ceremony was now officially complete, meaning that Merlin could no longer stall what would come next.

Merlin sat still on his stolen throne, trying his best not to fidget with nervousness as Geoffrey gave some traditional speech that had to be done before the doors of the great hall opened to let consort walk down the aisle to the throne.

After a couple minutes, Geoffrey's monotonous voice became nothing but a buzzing in Merlin's ears as he stared at the doors of the hall, desperately trying to imagine any scenario where those doors wouldn't open to an Arthur who was filled with nothing but rage and betrayal.

All too soon, Geoffrey's droning speech ended, and the trumpets in the hall announced the arrival of the soon-to-be-consort and signaled for everyone of lower rank to stand. Merlin's heart leapt to his throat as he jumped to his feet, even though he was the only person in the room who didn't need to. Ever so slowly, the doors to the hall swung open, revealing... Arthur.

Merlin damn near choked on his own saliva at the sight of him. He had seen Arthur in a wide range of states over the years as his manservant, ranging anywhere from sleep-rumbled to solemnly prepared for battle. But this... he had never seen anything like it.

Merlin couldn't decide if whoever had been in charge of dressing Arthur and preparing him for the ceremony ought to either be promoted to Arthur's personal tailor or immediately banished. In place of Arthur's usual surcoat and chainmail for official ceremonies, which was what Merlin had foolishly assumed the servants would dress Arthur in, there was... a monstrosity that would haunt Merlin's dreams for the rest of his life.

Merlin didn't even know how to begin to describe it. The garment that the servants had no doubt forced Arthur into, as Merlin knew that he would never wear such a thing of his own accord, was somewhere between a set of intricately intertwined robes and a dress, which hugged Arthur's shoulders, upper arms, and thighs, highlighting the muscles there. Most of the outfit appeared to be made out of a rich velvet, dyed in a majestic royal blue that both looked entirely out of place on Arthur and brought out his eyes like nothing Merlin had ever seen before. And dear gods, was that lace on there?! And why the hell did the outfit need elbow-length lace gloves?!

(The servants who had been in charge of dressing Arthur for the ceremony had assumed that their brutal new warlord would probably want his war prize to look as far from a warrior as possible, in order to further prove that he had beaten the previous rulers. So, they selected a delicate and elegant outfit for Arthur in the hopes of appeasing their new king.)

Merlin swallowed dryly as Arthur slowly began making his way down the aisle with measured footsteps. The movement snapped Merlin out of whatever temporary madness the outfit had sent him spiraling into, and Merlin finally locked eyes with Arthur.

Merlin winced at the sheer amount of rage that Arthur managed to fit into one glare as he took another step towards the throne that was rightfully his. Merlin tried to give Arthur his most reassuring smile, but he was almost certain it only came across as a nervous grimace.

Just go along with this, Merlin tried to beg of Arthur with only his eyes. Their bond had always been one that allowed them to communicate without words, and Merlin prayed that their connection would hold strong once more and get his message across to Arthur.

Neither Arthur's impressive glare nor his furious scowl let up though, but he kept his pace towards the throne steady, which Merlin decided to take as a good sign. After all, if Arthur truly did not any merit to this impromptu plan, why would he still be walking of his own accord towards the altar?

Still, as Arthur grew closer and closer to the altar prepared for the handfasting, his eyes became darker with rage as Merlin winced. Yes, this would certainly be harder than it needed to be, but this had to be done to get Arthur back on the throne! Surely Arthur would understand that!

After what must have been an eternity, Arthur finally reached the altar and, ever so slowly, walked around to stand at a fidgeting Merlin's side.

As Geoffrey began yet another speech that had to be done before the handfasting took place, Merlin quietly turned to Arthur and gave him a small smile, trying to a least let Arthur know that everything was alright, that everything would turn out fine.

That little smile, it seemed, turned out to be the final straw for Arthur. Merlin wasn't even entirely sure how it happened.

One moment, he was standing next to Arthur in front of the altar, with the only sound in the room being Geoffrey's boring voice. And in the next, there was a savage war cry coming from Arthur, who was now armed with a sword, and a decent amount of screaming coming from the crowd.

It spoke volumes about Merlin's state of mind that his first thought upon seeing Arthur run at him with a blade in hand wasn't get back, dodge! but was rather that dress is tight, where on earth did he hide that sword?

However, Merlin's sense of self-preservation wasn't nearly as terrible as Gaius accused it of being, as his second thought was I should probably try to avoid getting stabbed at my own wedding.

Reluctantly, Merlin gathered his magic, ready to disarm Arthur and hold him still if need be. Arthur could stab Merlin later if he really felt like it, but Merlin needed to at least officially make Arthur his consort and heir before Arthur did that!

However, to Merlin's surprise, rather than trying to run Merlin through, Arthur instead stabbed at the wooden handfasting altar, sinking his blade deep into it. Merlin carefully kept his eyes on Arthur as the other man viciously pulled off one of the dainty lace gloves and threw it on the ground at Merlin's feet.

Dumbfounded, Merlin stared at the thrown glove on the floor and then looked back up to stare at Arthur, not quite getting what Arthur was trying to tell him here. Did he just really hate the outfit? Or was it this whole marriage plan that he objected to?

"Pick it up."

"Huh?"

Arthur nearly started growling, his rage apparently rising with Merlin's confusion.

"It may not be a proper gauntlet, since you have denied me such a dignity, but it will suffice for this. Pick it up, King Emrys. I challenge you to a duel in single combat for the throne of Camelot. You may have defeated my sister, but you did not defeat me! I am no prize for you to claim!"

Merlin simply blinked, completely thrown off by this turn of events, while loud shouts started erupting from the crowd. By the time his mind caught up to what Arthur had said, Arthur had taken up his sword from where he had struck it into the altar and was pointing it threateningly at Merlin again.

As Merlin's shock wore off and he finally understood what exactly Arthur had just done, he had to fight back the urge to scream into the sky with frustration as yet another one of his plans to reinstate Arthur as king had just been ruined by the obstinate clotpole himself. Couldn't the prat just let Merlin help?!

With his frustration rising, Merlin glared down at the thrown glove. While a duel would certainly allow Arthur to retake the throne, Merlin wasn't entirely sure how his magic would react to such a fight. Merlin would never consciously hurt Arthur of course, but who knows if his magic would strike out in self-defense?!

And, besides, formally accepting and preparing the duel would take days. And, in Merlin's opinion, this whole farce has gone on for long enough.

"No. I will not accept your challenge."

Arthur's face went red with anger at Merlin's refusal.

"You are just as much of a coward as the rest of your kind, sorcerer! You would not even grant me the opportunity to take back what's mine!"

Merlin bit back a frustrated scream at that. Arthur would be getting his throne back if he just followed through with any of Merlin's plans instead of ruining threm!

Merlin took a deep breath and sighed on the exhale, trying the rein in his own anger. He just needed to go through with this ceremony, and then everything would be fine.

With a quick flash of gold in his eyes, which had Arthur flinching back (and didn't that just sting?), Merlin turned Arthur's blade into dust had Arthur's glove fly back onto his hand, setting everything right as it had been before Arthur had pulled out a sword and all hell had broken loose.

"That's enough! I've been trying to restore you to your rightful position as king this entire time, and yet you push back at every opportunity! I am not about to let you sabotage your own destiny! So, here's what's going to happen!"

Distantly, Merlin heard the wind outside whipping around, like his own frustration and stirred nature itself into a frenzy.

"You are going to stand here, complete this ceremony, be named my heir, and then retake your throne when I abdicate! Are we clear?"

Arthur, who still looked rather shaken at Merlin's display of magic, scowled, but still nodded his head. Merlin, satisfied by this, turned back around to face the shocked crowd.

"And do I make myself clear to all of you?! There will be no more interruptions of this ceremony, and Arthur will take back his throne!"

The frightened crowd went silent at Merlin's outburst, seemingly relenting to Merlin's demands.

Merlin then turned to Geoffrey, who was still standing in front of the handfasting altar with the rope in his hands.

"Now, Geoffrey, I would greatly appreciate it if you would get a move on here. I don't want to wear this stupid crown for any longer than I have to."

The only indication that Geoffrey gave that he was surprised by Merlin's outburst was a mere uptake of his eyebrows, rather reminiscent of Gaius's signature look. Without further ado, Geoffrey tied Merlin and Arthur's hands together, declaring them to be now married in the eyes of the gods of the Old Religion.

(Merlin tried to ignore the hurt and longing that built up in his heart in that moment. How many times had he dreamed of something like this? But he never wanted it to happen like this. This was Merlin's dream come true, but it was all wrong. In that moment, Merlin didn't dare look at Arthur, too afraid of what his dearest friend thought about this grievous overstep of boundaries.)

Immediately after Geoffrey untied the handfasting knot, Arthur's coronation as consort began. The ceremony itself went smoothly, but Merlin's heart broke both at the sight of Arthur kneeling before him, waiting to be crowned, and at the furious glare Arthur gave him as he gently put the consort's crown upon Arthur's head, officially naming Arthur as his heir.

As soon as Arthur stood from where he was kneeling, applause broke out from the crowd. Someone (Merlin heavily suspected Gwaine) started a chant of "long live the kings!", which caught on quickly. Merlin winced again at the chant, not daring to turn and look at Arthur's face.

Still, Merlin reminded himself as he took a deep, calming breath, everything was coming along. Arthur was now officially his consort and heir, and all that was left to do... was the copious amounts of paperwork finalizing his abdication.

Yeah, no. Merlin wasn't going through that process when he could just take care of it here and now.

"Citizens of Camelot, on this most joyous day, I, King Emrys, abdicate the throne!"

Even though he had made his intentions clear only a few minutes earlier, shocked whispers flew around the crowd, like they hadn't truly believed that he would go through with it.

Merlin couldn't help the grin that was forming on his face. Finally, everything would be set right again!

"I am no longer your king, and as per the laws of the kingdom, the throne now rightfully belongs to your true king, Arthur Pendragon!"

With that, Merlin reached up and yanked the crown off of his own head, marched over to a dumbfounded Arthur and, without any hesitation, replaced the consort's crown on Arthur's head with the true crown.

"There, that's much better," Merlin whispered to himself as he gazed upon Arthur, finally looking like himself again, but he was certain that Arthur must have heard it too, as Arthur's eyes went wide at his words.

But that was a conversation for another day, as Merlin was now done here. This entire calamity was over, and now Merlin was going to savor its end.

Merlin turned back to face the crowd once more with an undoubtedly crazed grin.

"Goodnight everyone! Be sure to obey your true king! In the meanwhile, I'm off to bed for my first full night's rest since this nightmare started!"

And with that, Merlin merrily skipped out of the great hall, made his way to his cramped room in Gaius's chambers, and slept soundly.

Bonus Scene!

THE NEXT DAY:

Arthur: Busts into Merlin's room

Merlin, unwillingly woken up from the best sleep he's gotten in years: Ugh, what do you want you prat?! You're king again, aren't you?! Don't you have kingly duty to be attending to?

Arthur: Merlin you idiot, you abdicated the throne.

Merlin: Yes, and now you're king again. You're welcome!

Arthur: But you never dissolved our union!

Merlin: Huh?

Arthur: A divorce can only be granted by the same ruler who authorized the marriage! You know what this means, right?!

Merlin: Yeah, that you can just declare us to be not married anymore and we can all be on our way.

Arthur: No, YOU were the ruler who authorized the marriage, and now that you've abdicated, you can't dissolve the marriage! Legally, no one can!

Merlin, turning pale: What?

Arthur, looking weary: Yes, apparently it's some legal technicality that Geoffrey cited from Bruta's code. I've spent all morning arguing with him, but there seems to be no way around it.

Merlin: So... what you're saying is that we're stuck being married to each other.

Arthur: Yes, you buffoon, that's exactly what I'm saying! Now, get up!

Merlin, feeling incredibly guilty over this entire situation: Arthur, I'm so sorry, I take full responsibility for this, I never should have forced you into-

Arthur, cutting him off: Let's go. We don't have much time before the rest of the castle is up and about, and I'd rather us not be seen here.

Merlin, confused but complying: Arthur, where are we going? Why don't you want us to be seen here?

Arthur, blushing: It would reflect poorly on the king if word got out that he let his consort sleep in this dirty broom closet on their wedding night, wouldn't it?

Merlin, blushing: Ah, I suppose it would.

And that's a wrap for this au for now! I hope you've all enjoyed this story!

A huge thank you for everyone who asked for this continuation! (and holy cow there were a lot of you!! Thank you all so much!)

@magic-mushroomss @miyriu @whole-buncha-snakess @achillesuwu @aerismoon

@tidalwavesandthunderstorms @marki9 @isaidno @retro-wallflower @samwinjester

@lascienzadellafantasia @sugar-coated-prat-dragon @theoldfroglady @ryeallytired @mind-of-a-crow

@whynotreinventmyselfeveryday @likeapaperplane @odinjm @orliththedragon @aglmry

@caraspud @aostrek-236 @justaz @slippysalt @coffee-shop-gay

@the-king-and-the-druidess @theroundbartable @fanfic-library-for-me @linotheghost @scuttlingsleipnir

@guiltyscarlet @cinnabon-sweetroll-tiramisu @247merthur @veryroadpartystatesman-blog @verxen

@lascienzadellafantasia @jareicanon @arrowlovesdragons @juliairian @thesuperstitiousoldelf

@lovermyme @bootprivileges @rem-the-moth @hippielittlemetalhead @ole-to-you-nonetheless

@lordmushroomkat @starchaos01 @reynaharmonia @anastasia0614 @starlight-crow

@wheneverfeasible @savlikesbluengreen @fuckingdeadinsidetm @notquitehumanwrites @purplesandwichtiger

@rocks-d-xerxes @olli-is-a-fish @luluzealand2565 @dangerhumming @tireddruid

@spiralingtowardtheabyss @mundaneone @anxiousdragoncollector @catface233 @bennedict

@elementalpirate4 @bertolio @vadis-protenus @chaosofbelievers @floating-on-avalon

@merthurogies @justaz

And, as always, thank you all for reading through my ramblings! :D

I'll see you all next time!

[rannie-moon]

a compilation video of heran and jungwon moments from en oclock ???

🩰 now playing : en-o'clock being the ultimate hewon instigator!

synopsis : a 13 minute compilation of some of heran and jungwon's most questionable en-o'clock moments. a push and pull fueled by heran's competitive nature, and jungwon's inability to stand on business when it comes to her.

masterlist | wattpad

[ added captions are in brackets ]

indented italics are additional voice overs

hey, everyone! welcome back to my channel—aka—the hub for hewon enthusiasts! if you're here, you already know what you're in for... but for the uninitiated, strap in because once you go down this rabbit hole... there's no escape—

totally kidding, of course! ha ha ha... a quick debrief for the newcomers—heran and jungwon are a walking disaster (but in a cute way). and if there's one thing that fuels their chaos, then it's en-o'clock. every single nerve in heran's body is powered by one thing: the burning, uncontrollable desire to win. she's fucking insane super competitive! and won? the exact opposite. he fully believes in just having a good time and trying your best. and because of this clash, it causes some hilarious tension. she throws a few more snarky comments his way, gets a little hot headed, and screams more than usual. but he loves it... WE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE YANG JUNGWON!!

[ quick cut to heran playfully scolding jungwon, while he just smiles and rolls his eyes ]

so buckle up, kiddos-grab your snacks, take a deep breath, and prepare for some of my favourite moments of them together. the good, the bad, the yelling... you know the drill. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY ARE NOT DATING!! (or that's what they say..... hmmmmmm)

[ yang "heran can say whatever she wants to me" jungwon pt 3243242 ]

the cameras were dually focused on the eight members neatly sat at their own desk on the classroom set. dressed in school uniform and carrying the same weight of dread and tension as if they were in an actual classroom—the only difference being that they found this more entertaining.

and by "this"—they meant listening to heran ramble on about a topic she was overally passionate about.

it started off the same as it usually did—with someone disagreeing with her to an unhealthy extent. and unfortunately, that day, jungwon was the victim.

heran was leaning back in her chair, then pen in her hand spinning through her fingers with a practiced ease that suggested that her guard was down. she was only half-listening, relaxed, not particularly concerned about the debate that was happening around her.

[ she is toooo foineeee ugh ]

that was until she heard him speak. the words fell from jungwon's tongue, casual, careless. "fate has nothing to do with coincidences though—it's purely spiritual. meaning that most relationships are driven by coincidences."

for the first time the entire segment, she actually sat up, shifting in her seat, the slight confusion in her eyes morphing into something closer to disbelief. she ran a hand through her hair, pushing it back from her face as the cogs in her mind turned to formulate her own opinion.

heeseung was arguing his opinion, most members agreed with jungwon which wasn't a surprise. "jungwon's right. I don't think there's ever someone truly meant for you—it's what you make of it," heeseung said and a few more chimes tuned in.

heran's brow furrowed. "wait, wait," she waved her hand in the air, finally drawing the attention of her members. "do you guys know what fate entails?"

the question earned a few responded nods. "It's when the universe has something planned out for you, which logically doesn't make any sense," jake retorted, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose.

heran's mouth fell agape. "so you'd rather believe in coincidences?"

jungwon eased into his seat, his lips slightly pursed. "I'd rather believe in coincidences than the assumption that the universe had a plan set out for me before I was even born."

"so you think that we're all here because of a few perfectly alighted coincidences?" she asked again. "that despite us having met each other in one way or another before i-land, are here just because?"

jungwon shrugged, completely unfazed. “I mean… yeah.”

heran sat back in her chair, blinking at him as if he had just spoken an entirely different language.

[ why is she staring at him like that?? I VOLUNTEER! I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE ]

the other members watched the exchange with mild amusement, some of them nodding along to jungwon’s words, while others—like ni-ki and sunoo—were too entertained by her reaction to pick a side.

[ sunki knew that this mf was about to get COOKED ]

[ it's always them smh ]

“I don’t get why you’re so shocked,” sunghoon added, resting his chin on his hand. “It’s not that deep.”

heran let out an exasperated laugh, running a hand through her hair again as she tried to make sense of it all. “not that deep?” she repeated. “so none of you think that maybe—just maybe—some things are meant to happen?”

“things happen because of choices, not because the universe willed it,” jungwon argued, his voice calm as ever. “If fate existed, wouldn’t that mean everything in our lives is predetermined? that we don’t actually have control?”

heran frowned, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before sitting up properly, her expression serious now.

“that’s not what fate means,” she countered. “fate isn’t some rigid plan—it’s a force. It’s what brings people together, what nudges you toward things you didn’t even know you needed. It’s not about control, it’s about connection.”

jungwon tilted his head slightly, watching her intently.

she was fully engaged now, her usual playfulness momentarily replaced by something deeper—something convicted. her fingers tapped lightly against the desk as she spoke, her eyes flickering with thought.

“I just think… there are too many things in life that feel too perfect to just be coincidences,” she continued. “like—okay, take us, for example. we all auditioned at different times, from different places, and somehow we've all had interactions before properly meeting, we all ended up in i-land. and then, against all odds, we all debuted together?”

“that’s just luck,” heeseung cut in, ever the realist.

heran shook her head. “It could be luck. or it could be fate. maybe we were all meant to be here, to meet, to be in each other’s lives.”

[ fate did me bad by not letting me be her girlfriend... ]

It was a proper 1 v 7—and she wasn't anywhere near to throwing in her towel.

"you're really passionate about this," jay hummed, the smile on his lips not faltering.

heran scoffed. "because I'm right."

[ yes ma'am 🙇🏼‍♀️]

[ let's keep in mind that these idiots are trying to argue with a girl who has lawyers for parents AND was the debate club president throughout high school ]

[ It's like they want to die smh ]

it was then that she noticed the way jungwon had been staring at her—not in the way he usually did when they were teasing each other, but softer, almost fond. like he wasn’t really paying attention to the debate anymore, just her.

a warmth crept up her neck, but she used it to her advantage.

she turned to face him properly, tilting he head to the side. "so what about us?"

[ US??? TF YOU MEAN US?? ]

[ BRO'S TALKING ABOUT THEM!! MY SOULMATES UGHHHHH ]

the reaction was immediate.

jungwon blinked, caught completely off guard. “that’s not fair—wait."

the atmosphere in the room shifted as jungwon pushed his chair back, the scraping sound of the legs against the floor startling everyone. the members laughed, waiting for his next move, and jungwon himself seemed to be weighing his options, clearly thinking that standing might give him a better shot at making his case.

“look, we're different though,” he said with a smile, his voice steady but filled with a strange certainty, as if this one statement would somehow put an end to their debate.

the silence in the room lasted all of two seconds before the reactions came pouring in, like a dam had burst. jay raised an eyebrow, sunghoon’s mouth dropped open in mock disbelief, and jake looked personally offended as if jungwon had just insulted their entire existence.

heran, however, was still leaning back in her chair, arms crossed, eyes fixed on him. she watched him as if trying to figure out where he was going with this. there was a slight shift in her expression—an amused smirk forming on her lips, but she didn’t speak right away.

[ she knew exactly what she was doing here don't even play rn RAHHHHHHH ]

the others were quick to call him out.

“what do you mean different?!” jake practically exploded, his voice half-laughing, half-serious.

sunoo was already shaking his head, grinning ear-to-ear. “oh, I'm starting to love this more than I thought I would."

but heran? she just sat there, watching him with an amused glint in her eye, before shaking her head. "so you’re saying we’re the universe’s exception?"

[ let's do a tally on the amount of "coincidences" these two have been in, according to the boys' logic ]

[ won and heran met when they were 14 for the first time at a taekwondo tournament ]

[ they ended up tying. which was heran's first time since the age of 5 that she hasn't outright won a match ]

[ I just know she was crashing out so bad on the way home ]

[ for an entire year and a half they had their trophy's, both their names engraved on each ]

[ THEY WERE WALKING PAST THAT TROPHY EVERYDAY FOR A YEAR NOT KNOWING HOW DEEP IT WAS ]

[ they were both bighit trainees before jungwon moved to belift ]

[ then they met at i-land, and ended up in the same group for every unit performance ]

[ THEN THEY JUST HAPPENED TO TIE IN VOTES AT THE END OF THE SHOW?!?! ]

[ yeah, they are more than an exception ]

jungwon hesitated.

that was not what he was trying to say, but the way she phrased it made it sound ridiculous. he ran a hand through his hair, a flustered laugh slipping past his lips. "no, that’s not—okay, wait."

before anyone could say anything else, he moved.

straight toward her.

[ SIR, WHERE ARE YOU GOING???? ]

heran raised an eyebrow as he crossed the room, coming to a stop right in front of her desk. the others went feral.

"NO WAY, IS HE TRYING TO RECOVER?"

"JUNGWON, TURN BACK, YOU ALREADY LOST."

but he ignored them, placing both hands on the edge of her desk and leaning down slightly so they were eye-level. “just hear me out for a second.”

[ I'm sat 🪑]

but then there was the other part of him—the one that had just spent the last few minutes on a losing streak against her—telling him he was in too deep. he had already lost this round, and there was no way he was going to win. Not with that look she was giving him.

so, he tried to speak, but his words faltered. his throat seemed dry. he paused mid-sentence, unsure whether to continue or just let this moment go.

she was waiting for him to speak, to defend his point, but the way she was looking at him made it impossible to concentrate. his breath caught in his throat, and he felt a strange warmth rise up his neck.

this wasn’t how it usually went. mormally, when they bickered, he’d shoot back with a quick retort, but now? now, he could barely remember what they were debating about in the first place.

she tilted her head slightly, as if inviting him to continue. “okay, I’m listening,” she said, her voice soft, almost coaxing.

It was like a switch had flipped in his head. his mind raced, but all his thoughts were tangled in one thing—her. the way she was sitting there, calm and collected, waiting for him to figure it out, was… unsettling. he felt his pulse quicken, his stomach flipping as he watched her, his thoughts scattered in all the wrong ways.

[ can we please get these two a room...? ]

jungwon, unable to hold it together, stared at her for a beat longer before his mouth opened, and his next words were a breathless surrender.

“I’m sorry.” he deadpanned, the embarrassment hitting him immediately. “you were right, I was wrong.”

the words came out almost too easily, but as soon as he said them, the weight in his chest lifted just a little. heran looked up at him, surprised by his sudden admission. the room was still—no one had expected this.

for a split second, it felt like everyone was holding their breath, but then—

“OH MY GOD!” sunghoon exploded from his seat, hands on his cheeks. “did you just—"

heeseung had his hands in his hair, utter shock on his face. "YOU IDIOT!"

"well," jay sighed, throwing his head back in defeat. "that's one way to lose a debate."

[ when a man knows when to stfu>>> ]

“YOU’RE A GONER,” jake declared, pointing at jungwon with the intensity of a courtroom prosecutor.

jungwon barely had time to process his loss before sunoo dramatically flopped onto his desk, clutching his chest like he had just witnessed a tragic love story unfold in real time. “I can’t believe it. we lost because of this idiot.”

meanwhile, ni-ki was cackling, absolutely losing it. “hyung, you folded faster than my laundry—AND I DON’T EVEN DO MY LAUNDRY.”

heran, still seated, finally let out a laugh, shaking her head. “I was just messing with you, won.”

jungwon inhaled sharply—he knew that. he should’ve known that. But the way she was looking at him, the way she had maneuvered this entire debate like she was playing chess while he was stuck in a game of tic-tac-toe—it had felt real.

so, with a dramatic sigh, he lowered himself in front of her desk, bending his knees and resting his head on the surface in total defeat. “I knew that,” he muttered into the wood, but the heat creeping up his neck betrayed him.

heran grinned, amused, before lifting a hand and gently patting his head. “sure you did.”

the moment was short-lived because—

“GET UP, YOU COWARD,” heeseung shouted, throwing a crumpled paper ball at him. “HAVE SOME DIGNITY.”

jungwon didn’t move.

“leave him,” jay said, shaking his head solemnly. “this is his life now.”

[ bro turned into a housecat for her I'M SICK ]

[ heran's inevitable crashout ]

In this en-o'clock episode, the members were handed a silly yet surprisingly difficult challenge: they had to thread a needle while their hands were handcuffed together. the task was as ridiculous as it was frustrating, but the real entertainment came from watching the chaos unfold as each pair struggled to get the needle through the thread.

heran and jungwon were once again paired up, and the moment the handcuffs clicked around their wrists, the other members immediately started to snicker.

[ the en-o'clock directors know what we want for realllll 😩😩😩 ]

[ every day I thank them for the heran and jungwon content that they feed us ]

“are you kidding me? this is how we’re spending our time today?”

jungwon, always calm, gave a small smile, trying to hide his amusement. “It’s not that hard.”

heran shot him a look, already feeling the impending chaos. “yeah? watch me as I try to not stab you with this needle,” she said, waving it around dramatically.

she immediately started fidgeting with the needle, her hand shaking as she tried to get it through the tiny hole. but every time she tried, her movements were limited by their handcuffs, pulling jungwon into an awkward dance.

“hold still, please,” she grumbled, her frustration growing.

“I’m trying,” he replied, his voice a mix of amusement and patience. he kept his movements slow and gentle, trying to avoid bumping into her too much.

[ y’all, I’m dying ]

[ he’s so calm while she’s freaking out ]

her eyes were locked on the needle as she tried again and again to get the thread through the eye. “this is so stupid! we're gonna be here all day!” she exclaimed, exasperated.

jungwon couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his lips, though he quickly tried to calm her down. “It’s okay, rannie. just focus. you're getting too excited."

“FOCUS? I can’t even move properly with these handcuffs!” she threw her hands up, nearly hitting jungwon in the face in the process.

[ the way he dodged her hand I'm screamingggg ]

[ this girl is a safety hazard bro ]

“okay, okay,” he said, trying to make sense of their position. “let’s take a breath. we need to breathe before you stab us both.” he carefully moved her hand back, avoiding the sharp edge of the needle.

heran exhaled loudly, her dramatic energy mixing with his calm demeanour. “okay, but this is a nightmare,” she whined, but she tried to calm herself.

jungwon gently took her hand and guided her fingers back to the needle, moving them both carefully. his calm voice was steady. “don't rush it. we still have a minute left.”

despite her obvious frustration, heran felt the weight of his words. she took a breath, refocusing, and with hisgentle guidance, the needle finally slid through the thread.

the room fell silent for a second as the task was completed, and then—

“there you go,” jungwon said softly, smiling warmly. “good job.”

[ me next! me next! ]

[ her reaction 😏 ]

heran blinked at him, almost in disbelief, as the tension finally released. her face lit up with a smile, pride swelling within her despite the chaotic journey to get there. “oh my god, we actually did it. finally!”

[ look at how gentle he is with her 😩😭 ]

[ our first proper hewon moment since i-land ]

[ may i present to you, the en-o'clock episode that stared it all ]

[ we have jealous jungwon, heran being hot as fAWk, and them being all cutesie ]

the weather was slightly overcast that early afternoon, that had already been filled with laughter and momentary betrayal. the members had just finished setting up their tent on set, and were playing around with some of the games.

heran was particuarly engrossed in the football at her feet, tapping it in the air as she explained the gist of her position to the camera.

[ OH SHE IS TOO HOT WTF THIS IS UNREAL ]

[ WHY IS SHE KICKING THE BALL WITH SO MUCH EASE I'M GONNA FAINT ]

after that bit, one of the staff members announced that as a reward they got a watermelon which they had to fetch themselves down the stream. naturally, they rushed over only to be met with the difficult task of getting it out of the water while staying dry.

heran was minding her own business, standing a little too close to the edge for comfort—and there he was—park sunghoon—getting ready to commit murder on camera for whatever reason.

[ when I tell you that he had it out for her the entire episode ]

[ look at him smirking... psychopath! ]

"what if someone just—"

that was the last thing heran heard before she felt his hands on her back, applying a little more pressure than needed before her ear-piercing scream rung through the air.

[ the editors did her so dirty with this part bruh ]

[ the slowmotion fall has me WHEEZING ]

heran's first instinct was to grab onto the thing closest to her or stability, and that just to happened to be jay. she yelped, jumping onto him with an urgency of someone trying to run away from a tsunami. her arms flung around his neck in panic, her legs around his waist in the most koala-looking way imaginable.

[ HAND PLACEMENT! HAND PLACEMENT! ]

[ I need jay to hold me like that yesterday actually ]

the members were in tears, clutching their stomachs at he reaction—except for jungwon.

[ yeah... uhm... I'm scared ]

his gaze was hard, confused even as he watched the scene unfold. heran in jay's arms. that sure didn't seem right.

[ jungwon rn : that should be me, holding your hand! that should be me, making you laugh! ]

[ F in the chat for leader yang guys ]

the episode continued to unfold with similar moments, a little more tension than usual but of course it melted away as quickly as it happened. they got their watermelon and were lounging around on the grass—but something caught heran's eye.

jungwon was sitting on the grass, staring at his watermelon slice as it if had a personal vendetta against him. he was battling with the seeds, already not in a good mood.

[ aw wonie looks so sadddd ]

[ my SHAYLAAAA ]

then from the other end of the camera's view heran caught a glimpse of the issue and immediately got up. "you look like you're dissecting that thing," she said, her tone light a she crouched down beside him.

he glanced up, surprised by the sudden proximity. "It's got way too many seeds," he mumbled, holding it up as evidence.

heran didn't even hesitate and held out he own slice for him to take. "here, take mine. there's barely any seeds in it."

[ SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP ]

jungwon blinked, startled by the gesture. "what about you?"

she shrugged, plopping down beside him on the blanket. "I'll just steal another one when jay isn't looking."

[ absolute menace ]

"thanks," he said quietly, the corner of his lips tugging into a smile.

"no problem, won."

[ the moment that started it all ]

[ it was the end of border : carnival promotions ]

[ the fandom was tweaking ]

[ heran was being dragged into bullying rumours ]

[ and this moment single handedly saved us all from depression ]

[ who's the prettier princess? ]

"hyung, why does it suit you so well?" ni-ki asked in between his laughter, the other members soon joining in as jungwon placed the tiara on his head.

[ HE IS SO CUTE GUYS I'M GONNA SCREAM ]

[ AWW LOOK AT THE BABYYYY ]

his cheeks were momentarily flushed in embarrassment as he turned to the camera. this wasn't the worst punishment that he could have gotten—but it wasn't the best either. the only thing holding him together was heran's reaction.

she covered her face with her hands, fighting back the urge to squeal from beside him. "why do you look so cute?" she asked sweetly. "this is so unfair."

[ says the most gorgeous person ever??? ]

[ she's so self-unaware sometimes istg ]

sunoo clapped his hands together, loving every bit of this punishment. "you're supposed to be posing for the camera."

the other members chimed in agreement, egging him on and making sweet comments about how he was definitely a fairy in his past life. he couldn't bare the attention, dropping his head into his hands with a groan.

"how much longer do I have to do this for?" he asked, only to be met with more requests to pose for the camera properly, but for the life of him he couldn't.

but then heran happened.

she calmed herself down and grabbed his attention, nearly losing he composure when he turned to look at her. "won, you need to smile at the camera or else they're going to keep this on you," she said in between a fit of giggles, straightening the tiara on his head.

jungwon threw his head back with a groan. "It's too much, I can't take myself seriously."

ni-ki snorted from a few tables down, crossing his arms but his smile still there. "If it helps, we never take you seriously."

[ this absolute CLOWN ]

the room was filled with hushed snickers that only made jungwon even more reluctant. but heran was going to make sure that he looked at the camera, this was the perfect opportunity for a new lock screen background.

she nudged him with her foot. "come on, just a small smile for the camera, wonie," she encouraged, flashing him the same sweet smile that he could never say no to.

[ I love it when she calls him that ]

two seconds later he was facing the main camera, putting on his best act while his members cooed over the sight—especially heran, who was on the verge of having heart palpitations.

she tilted her head to get a better look at him, his flustered smile making her pout. "we need to see your dimples, baby, stop being shy."

[ WHEN I TELL YOU THAT I THREW MY PHONE ACROSS THE ROOM WHEN I HEARD HER SAY THIS ]

[ never in my LIFE have I heard best friends call each other baby ]

[ she slipped up here and didn't even careeee ]

[ the scream I SCRUMPT!!!! ]

[ THE ABSOLUTE MESS THIS THIS MOMENT CAUSED ON STAN TWITTER WAS BEAUTIFUL ]

that was jungwon's breaking point—the smile was involuntary—a natural reaction to anything that heran did, and there it was, his dimples etched so beautifully into his cheeks that she reacted to heavily to the point where she knocked her knee on the table.

[ an employed crashout indeed ]

the members were having a field day, losing their composure after something so small yet so entertaining. when it was finally over and jungwon was hit with another wave of embarrassment that had him sinking even further into his seat.

the excitement died down for a bit, the camera now focused on heran trying to calm him down. she rubbed his back soothingly, something that she wasn't aware was making him even more flustered. "you'd make such a pretty princess to be honest," she teased with a warm smile.

[ yes he would. speak your truth queen ]

he sat up straight at her proclamation, fully turning to face her as he took the tiara off his head and gently placed it on hers, brushing a few stray strands of hair out the way. "too bad, because you're my pretty princess."

[ ME WHEN?? ME FUCKING WHEN?? ]

[ I LOVE THEM SO MUCH I'M GONNA THROW UP ]

[ seperation anxiety but make it hewon ]

they didn't know who decided that it was a great idea to lock each of the members in a room for a few hours, but none of them were complaining—except for jungwon.

the other seven were more than content with their own company, a few snacks and something to keep them entertained. In heran's case it was her nintendo switch—which the fandom believed was more important to her than most things in her life.

she was sprawled out on the floor, the sun's rays seeping through the open window and onto her face with a familiar warmth. everything was going well, but she could have sworn that she heard a scream from time-to-time.

"ah! I drove into a turtle shell!" she exclaimed, her eyes trained onto the game of mario kart that she was immersed in.

[ my girlfriend is a gamer don't even ]

It was peaceful, rewarding, but strangely empty. It took her nearly 30 minutes before she cracked. "I wonder how the other members are doing?" she turned to look at one of the cameras in the corner of the room.

[ well wouldn't you like to know... ]

then the clip switched over to jungwon who was undoubtably relapsing. like heran, he was sprawled on the floor, only he had a lot more whining, kicking, and rolling on the floor. yang jungwon was losing his mind.

"how long has it been? two hours?" he asked, a slight pout on his lips.

[ 30 minutes. It has been 30 minutes ]

after a few more moments of throwing a very controlled tantrum, he sat up straight, and stared directly at the camera. "I feel so alone."

[ me too, buddy. me too ]

his attention flickered from the door that was locked, to the window until the cogs in his brain started working. and as if on cue a knock came from the other side of the door, and it was gently pushed open.

a staff member popped their head in to check up on him, just as he did with the other members. "are you okay in here?" he asked and jungwon sighed.

[ comical to say the least ]

"I'm going insane. Is heran okay?" he couldn't help himself.

[ heehheheheheeehhe ]

the staff member chuckled and gave him a reassuring nod. "she said that she's having the time of her life."

jungwon's heart dropped to his stomach, his brows furrowing in genuine shock. "why?" the question slipped. "doesn't she miss me?"

[ oh lawddddd ]

[ get ready guys ]

"I'm sure she does," the staff member answered and then took a step out of the room, ready to lock it for the next hour, but jungwon was quick.

his excuse was that one of the cameras in the room made a funny sound, and that it should definitely be checked out now instead of later. "It could be a serious issue, I'm not sure."

[ a mastermind at work ]

[ he invented prison break, I don't make the rules ]

then, just as the staff member took his first few steps into the corner of the room jungwon made his grand escape out the door. in his defence, it was a foolish mistake to leave it open with him in the room of all people.

his adrenaline filled screams echoed through the house, his figure running past a few very confused staff members until they caught on and eventually started chasing him. it was a sight to behold, and the members locked up all shared the same thought.

[ the staff members really said "..... OH SHIT!" ]

"that's definitely jungwon."—heeseung

"wow, he lasted longer than I expected, props to him."— sunghoon

"this is why I stay away from him."—sunoo

"I wonder how long the staff members are going to chase him for?"— ni-ki

"Is that jungwon screaming? how did he get out?"—jake

"I'm surprised he didn't jump out the window."—jay

the only person who didn't hear him was heran, because she was too distracted by her own screaming to notice his. that was until, she heard a bang on the window behind her, followed by a pair of hands gripping onto the window sill.

"what the hell?" she asked and walked over, peering our to see jungwon standing on the lawn about 3 meters down, clearly out of breath.

"open the window more!" he screamed. "hurry, they're chasing me!"

[ you cannot make this shit up ]

heran didn't have a clue as to what was going on but obliged, muttering something under her breath as she took a step back, watching as he took one big leap and successfully pulled himself up.

less than a minute later he was rolling through the open window, a few staff members gathering outside and ultimately giving up with a few chuckles and tired pants. "that's definetaly gonna make for good content time. we should thank him."

[ get that bag I guess ]

she was dumbfounded to say the least—her lips parted as she stared at the boy laying on the floor, attempting to catch his breath. "can I get an explanation, please?"

after a few more deep breaths, he sat up straight and stared at her with narrowed eyes. "why didn't you miss me?"

[ DEAD!! ]

[ get yourself a man who YEARNSSSS ]

heran stared at him a moment longer. "huh?" she ran her fingers through he hair, trying to make sense of the situation. "you jumped through my window to ask me that?"

he let out a dramatic sigh, sitting up. “yeah, because you had mario kart and zero loyalty.”

“excuse me?”

“I suffered in that room,” jungwon continued, clutching his chest like he had survived a life-or-death situation. “and meanwhile, you were just chilling, living your best life, not even thinking about me.”

she scoffed. “for the record, I did think about you.”

jungwon narrowed his eyes. “when?”

she paused. “...like, at some point.”

he let out an exaggerated tch before sprawling out dramatically on the floor again. “wow. betrayed. I can’t believe this.”

heran sighed before dropping back onto the floor, settling into her previous spot. jungwon watched her expectantly, waiting—waiting—for some kind of grand gesture, some token of appreciation for his bravery. but when she simply picked up her switch again and continued her game like nothing had happened, he was scandalised.

"that's it?"

[ bro expected her to propose or something ]

heran didn’t even glance up from her screen. "jungwon, I'm locked in the room too. I have nothing to give you right now."

he groaned, letting himself fall back onto the floor with a dramatic thud. "I'm too tired to even argue right now. I've never run that fast in my life."

"yeah, I could tell. I thought you were about to pass out at my window."

jungwon waved her off weakly, too exhausted to keep up his usual antics. she sighed, setting her switch aside for a moment. she looked down at him, then at the clock ticking away on the wall. another hour of being stuck in here. she might as well make things a little easier for the poor guy.

without saying a word, she patted her lap. “we’re here for another hour, come on.”

[ WOOF WOOF BARK BARK ]

[ WHY'D SHE PAT HER LAP LIKE THAT?!? ]

It took less than a second for jungwon to shift, rolling over until his head was resting on her lap. he let out a deep, satisfied sigh as he closed his eyes. "this is so much better. I should've come here way earlier."

[ bro is never beating those cat allegations ]

heran let out a soft laugh, about to reach for her switch again when suddenly—

her hand was stolen.

she blinked, looking down to see him guiding her fingers onto his head.

"how am I supposed to play mario kart with one hand?"

jungwon cracked one eye open, giving her the most shamelessly innocent look imaginable. "skill issue."

[ SIR SHE WILL KICK YOU OUT STFU ]

she gawked at him. "excuse me?"

he closed his eyes again, letting out an overly dramatic sigh. "I risked my life to be here with you. the least you can do is comfort me in my time of need."

[ dramatic ahh ]

heran rolled her eyes but ultimately relented, fingers slipping into his soft strands as she lazily combed through them. "you're an idiot, you know that?"

jungwon only hummed, already halfway to falling asleep.

do you feel unlovable yet? because I know I do! hahahaha. I'm tweaking. please leave me alone while I wallow in my sorrows, because lee heran will NEVER run her fingers through my hair or say, "we need to see your dimples, baby" TO ME!!

[jiminjamms]

sex therapy :: 33. more than friends

chapter tags/warnings: this is the last chapter to sex therapy!

word count: 3.9k

notes: please read my final comments in the end notes. thank you forever. xoxo

fic masterlist | 01. 02. 03. 04. 05. 06. 07. 08. 09. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33.

Megumi Fushiguro shouldn't feel awkward, but he did.

With tonight marking the most significant event on the Zenin clan’s monthly calendar, distant relatives and the family conglomerate’s executives convened at a majestic top-floor venue in central Tokyo, the occasion naturally bringing together the country’s most powerful individuals.

As per usual, every detail in the ballroom had been curated meticulously to exude glitz and glamor. Indeed, Megumi felt like a prince amid a golden age, surrounded by the euphonious melodies from the string quartet, the cluster of high-class individuals in tailored suits and dresses, and the fragrances of honeyed orange blossoms and sweet sage.

Megumi had attended these events plenty. Ever since he could tie his own tie, to be exact (which—among the Zenins—was something taught early).

His many experiences should have dulled his senses to this evening’s splendid decorations and live classical tunes. Yet, in the months his father had been estranged from the same household that once again heralded him king, the memories had quickly faded from Megumi's mind, and the teenager essentially found the opulence foreign.

His aunts Mai and Maki had urged him to mingle, but Megumi stood toward the side of the room, shy and aloof as he stared into the human sea ahead.

As much as he tried to seem invisible, Megumi didn’t feel invisible as he caught the many eyes sneaking a look at him discreetly, the eighteen-year-old impossible to overlook given his regal-like appearance.

Of course, people took an interest in him.

Now that a) he was an official adult and b) his father returned as the next family leader, Megumi was the second-in-line to the Zenin throne. Exciting? Maybe. Grateful? Surely.

Except, a fidgety Megumi was just a normal teen who would rather be playing video games tonight.

“A blast to the past, eh?”

He glanced over at the unanticipated voice.

To his surprise, Tsumiki slid into the vacant slot next to him and prodded her younger brother's back, knowing how he tried to appear cool and collected when he actually seemed uptight and restricted.

“Relax a little,” she chided with another nudge. Placing her champagne flute onto a nearby table, she smoothed over her lavender ensemble before adjusting the collar on his royal blue mohair suit. “Old habits die hard, hm? Standing in the corner and hoping no one sees you. Don’t you want everyone to know how smart and capable you are?”

“...No, not really.”

“What? Why?” Tsumiki patted his blazer’s fabric in a finishing move before reaching for her glass again, swirling her drink. “Don’t tell me. Is a certain Harvard-bound first-year shy?”

The said soon-to-be college freshman snorted faintly. “Am not.”

“Sure.”

As she examined her step-brother from the side, she tiptoed, relaxed her feet, and then tiptoed again. "Only been six months since I've last seen you, but you've certainly gotten taller again, Megumi," she remarked, this time swinging her hand around to compare their heights.

“Because you’re shrinking early.”

“Hey!”

As the two continued their squabble, Megumi realized just how keenly he had missed his step-sister. Despite lacking shared blood by definition, the two had constantly found security in each other, a sibling bond that became especially important amid the recent whirlwind.

Tsumiki had only been home for a week, fresh from her university semester abroad in the United Kingdom. Yet, in this short period: 1) Naoya had been ousted from the Zenin household by no one other than Naobito Zenin himself; 2) Amid the power vacuum, the family elders had turned to Toji to reinstate him as CEO, a decision fueled by both their desperation and regret for having doubted him in the past; and 3) With his father back at the helm, Megumi found himself positioned as the next presumed successor.

Of course, who could also possibly forget Tsumiki’s mom?

Megumi had heard how his step-sister had furiously confronted her mother after seeing the latter’s affair published by media outlets. Since then, he hadn’t received any updates, which prompted him to ask: "Where's that woman now?"

‘That woman.’

Even without an explicit mention, Tsumiki knew who he referred to. She stopped swirling her glass and let the flute dangle lazily in her hand.

"I don't know where she’s been, and I don't care,” Tsumiki admitted, her tone impassive. "I would not be surprised if she moved away from Tokyo once she realized too many people knew her face.”

Megumi figured as much, too.

Anyone who wasn’t living under a rock these days could recognize Mari Fushiguro, making her an easy target for verbal harassment on the streets. Netizens online already destroyed her, deeming the woman a slut, a whore, and a homewrecker ‘too easy’ for any Zenin with enough money.

Merciless would be the best word to describe the general public. That much step-siblings knew, especially since both had been on the receiving end firsthand when the Zenin clan cut them off months ago. How fickle those very people could be, too. The same relatives who shamed them now praised them all for the sake of politics, for the sake of money, and little else.

“I heard Naoya left the country, though,” Megumi added, given that the conversation had reached the topic.

“Good for him.”

Tsumiki, on the other hand, did not wish to spend a moment longer thinking about them. She instead exhaled deeply and whirled around, peering into the main hall to observe the multitude of guests enjoying sparkling wine and hor d'oeuvres while chatting about their respective ventures.

As her silence continued, Megumi watched along.

From afar, both noticed their father, encircled by older household members and company directors eager to discuss business matters. Toji’s return naturally brought him overwhelming attention, and—as an experienced leader—he came off as distinguished and dignified as the CEO of Japan's largest conglomerate should.

He greeted approaching guests with his signature charismatic grin, exchanging firm and courteous handshakes that subtly reminded them that these events were more about strengthening business ties than lineage connections.

Megumi and Tsumiki had seen their father like this many times before.

Yet, this evening, the two sensed how his demeanor seemed a touch…different.

"Dad's never looked this happy before," Tsumiki noted aloud first.

Her comment stumped him.

Megumi had to pause, his brow furrowing slightly as he thought. Dad being happy? Then, he realized and vaguely beckoned in their father’s direction.

"Because of her."

Now was the girl’s turn to appear confused. “‘Her?’”

Intrigued, she followed her step-brother’s line of vision and didn’t need much effort to figure out who he referred to. Standing at the other far end of the hall was a woman who, despite her understated maroon dress and simple accessories, radiated with regality like a princess.

The realization dawned upon Tsumiki.

“Isn't…Isn’t that Mister Daisuke L/N’s daughter?” She knew your father from his many years as the Zenin Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer. As for you, Tsumiki continued to stare hard with curiosity. “That's the same lady who had been married to Naoya, right?”

Megumi placed his hands into his front pockets, his nails pressing into his palms as he answered. “Yes.”

“Oh, wow.”

With Tsumiki seeing you for the first time in person, her eyes then began to spark with admiration. She now understood why Naoya Zenin wanted to marry you. Given your polished poise and fluid gestures, you were obviously a woman with a refined background and effortless sophistication, the trophy that her unsavory cousin needed to soothe his small ego and shield him from public scrutiny. Why suffer as an unproven bachelor when he could tout around you?

Detecting his sister's interest, Megumi reached for a glass of apple cider from a serving table and drew in one slow sip. “What do you think if she becomes our new mom?”

“What?!” Tsumiki whipped her head around, taken back by stupefaction again. “Where did that come from?”

To play off his curiosity as something casual, Megumi drummed his fingers along his cup. “Just…a thought.”

She narrowed her eyes, clearly not believing him for a moment before finally letting him free from her scrutiny. “Frankly, I don’t know yet,” she admitted. “This is only the first time I’ve seen her. I need to speak with her first.”

The teenager paused thoughtfully. "Well," and he hummed, "I approve.”

If Tsumki’s shock had not been apparent enough, this time, her jaw fell to the tiled floor.

"That's new!” The girl knew she missed out on some developments during her semester abroad, but she could barely process this whole conversation as revelations kept coming one after another, disorienting her with a flood of unanswered questions that dashed through her mind. She had trouble assessing whether Megumi was serious. If this was a prank, Tsumiki would make sure to send him to Mars. “Normally, you're extremely, extremely judge-y with the women that hang around Dad." Not that she could blame him. "What changed?"

And an amused Megumi shrugged.

"If you talk to her, you'll know.”

Toji Fushiguro was the biggest distraction.

As the man of the hour, he commanded the room such that—despite your best efforts—you couldn’t stop stealing glances in his direction.

Neither could everyone else.

The situation seemed ironic, really, as many of the same people now commending Toji Fushiguro were the ones who had turned their backs on him in the past. The ideal family figure, some lauded, as others approved of his sharp business acumen, but their gushing admiration reminded you of how quickly loyalties could shift in the face of power. With this, guests all around buzzed like bees as they spotted their renewed leader.

To you, Toji was difficult to ignore because his three-piece suit hugged his broad frame wonderfully. The freshly pressed fabric stretched over his sinewy muscles underneath, his satin lapels underlining his flair. His jet black hair had been neatly gelled back while the ink trailing down his arms peeked from beneath his sleeves. Fatigue slightly wore on his features due to his longer hours at work. Yet, in the end, CEO Fushiguro looked striking, handsome, and undeniably robust.

A whistle interrupted your reverie.

“Someone’s staring,” Choso’s voice rang out as he appeared, his words laced with mirth despite his leveled tone.

Averting your gaze immediately, you then watched him adjust the sleeve to his velvet suit. “I am simply admiring him like everyone else,” you countered, trying to play it cool. “Toji’s…just very popular.”

Choso hummed in pretend contemplation. “Admiration is one thing, but you looked like you were in a trance, bimbo.”

Just when your mouth turned dry from the inability to retaliate, Sukuna and Suguru popped up in high spirits, the former offering you a raspberry tart while the latter heartily patted your back.

“What’s with the frown?” Suguru draped a protective arm around your shoulders and noted your little pout before glancing up at the instigator. “Is Choso bullying you again?”

“I am not a bully.”

“Exactly what a bully would say,” Sukuna added this time.

Being stuck in another jest among the three men wasn’t something you had planned for, but dismissing their liveliness was impossible. As they traded pointed jabs, you couldn’t help but smile, their energy a far cry from the iciness that had defined your days as Naoya Zenin’s wife. Since this was your first Zenin family event without your ex-husband’s presence, the evening allowed you to realize how much your previous marriage had weighed upon your spirit.

Most notably, the woman you were earlier this year had clung to Naoya’s empty promises. She swallowed his insults, obeyed his commands, and convinced herself that, despite his belittling actions, he would one day truly love her. That woman had run back to him, apologizing for sins that were never hers to bear, believing that loving him harder could fix what was never hers to fix.

But, due wholly to the support from those around you, that was no longer who you were now.

“Well, what do you think?”

Geto’s question cut through your wandering thoughts, and you blinked rapidly at the unexpected question. “What?”

The pink-haired man purred at your cute and confused expression, unable to help himself from stroking your cheeks, the cold metal from his silver rings icing your hot skin. “Aw, someone spaced out. There’s no fun when you’re not mentally with us too, sweetheart.”

To no avail, you tried to shrink away. “I was just...thinking about how much things have changed. How much I’ve changed, and,” you became shy, “how…lucky I am to have all of you.”

Immediately, the group cooed at your charming comments, complimenting you for being such a ‘good girl’ and a ‘precious doll,’ and how they would do anything to hear sweet nothings from you again.

Even Choso cracked a grin. “We’re amazing, yes.” Quiet on the outside, cocky on the inside. “Who wouldn’t feel lucky?”

Geto elbowed him, a non-verbal sign to shut up. “He’s not wrong, though. You’ve come a long way. We’re proud of you.”

Just when you wanted to thank them again, a synchronized shout chimed along.

“We found you!”

The voices belonged to Mai and Maki. As was typical, the two were keen to converse with you and their animated hands reflected their enthusiasm upon their approach.

As Sukuna, Geto, and Choso stepped aside for them, the twins instantly took the opportunity to link their arms with yours. They dressed in matching cocktail dresses, making them nearly indistinguishable if not for the differences in their updos.

“Girls,” you beamed, happy to spot them. “You both look amazing as always.”

The younger sister shook her head in modest.

“You are even more gorgeous,” she emphasized with overflowing vivace. “You’re glowing these days.”

Mai had to nod in wholehearted agreement. “Looking completely different from how you looked a month ago.”

Forget the opalescent crystals adorning your collar or the subtle makeup highlighting your features. What truly stood out to them was the elegance, assurance, and composure you carried now compared to your timid self from just weeks ago.

Sukuna ran his fingers along the tattoos by his jaw and let out a huff of fake exasperation, wanting them to leave so the therapists could spend more time taunting you. “Guess you’ve both grown old enough so we can’t just order you to go to the kids’ table anymore, huh?”

A proud Mai smirked. “Got a problem?” Her outright challenge led her to receive sulking faces as an immediate response. “We couldn’t let you three hog Y/N all night.”

“Exactly. She’s ours too, you know,” Maki concurred before turning to you. “By the way, can we still call you our favorite in-law?”

At the question, laughter erupted in a homely and unrestrained rhythm to which you soaked in the heartwarming scene. Even if the world could be selfish and cruel, there were beautiful moments like these when people who weren’t bound by blood treated each other like family. They joked around, they laughed together, they fought and argued, but they shared deep loyalty and respect for one another in the end.

Here was where, for the first time in a long time, you felt like you…belonged.

With these thoughts, your sight instinctively drifted across the room and landed on Toji again. He was mid-conversation but seemed to have sensed your stare this time as he turned. When his sharp verdant eyes found yours, your pulse quickened like a mouse caught in the open. What didn't help was how he didn’t look away.

In fact, Toji took your wandering gaze as his signal to hurriedly wrap up his current discussions before he walked in your direction with brisk steps.

Several regional managers chased after him, but the observant Sukuna, Geto, and Choso noted the situation quickly and rushed forward.

“We’re happy to answer any lingering questions,” they interjected, forming a human barricade that closed in on the pursuers. “We work closely with Mr. Fushiguro and can provide further insights on his behalf.”

With the spotlight shifted away from him, Toji closed the distance between you, stopping just a few steps away. The redolences of bergamot and sage greeted your nose with their familiar velvety, spiced notes as he placed a rough hand against your back, his sudden firm touch nearly lifting you off your feet.

“Hey." Even with Mai and Maki obviously there, his green eyes only zeroed in on you. "I could use some fresh air after speaking nonstop for the past two hours. Want to step out onto the balcony with me for a little bit?”

Oh, goodness. Flustered, you didn’t expect your innocent stares to lead into this. “I—” you began, but your hesitation bubbled perceptibly. As a result, Maki pinched your elbow, prompting you to brave past your bashfulness and mutter, “Sure.”

Toji smiled. “Perfect.”

With that, he swept you away from the waving twins, his hand resting lightly on the small of your back to lead you toward the nearby corridor. He didn’t care about the guests who leered in your directions; he rightfully needed a break, and when he brought you outdoors onto the grand terrace, the man’s shoulders visibly relaxed.

He didn’t bring attention to himself, though.

“Everything alright?” he asked instead. The wrought-iron railing ahead framed the twinkling skyline below. “I can imagine your previous experiences at Zenin events like these aren’t the best, so if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to…”

His unprompted concern was touching and, when his voice trailed off, you replied by softly shaking your head. “I am doing perfectly fine, don't worry about me. Besides, I have exactly the company that I need here.”

The sincerity in your answer satisfied him, evident in how the tension along his jaw eased. “I’m glad, then. I should check in with you more, shouldn’t I? Sorry that I’ve been busy. Sukuna, Geto, Choso, and I have been neck-deep in redeveloping the company.” Distant lights haloed him like some god as he spoke, and he ran a few thick fingers over inked lines on his neck. “Of course, how can I also not thank our new fantastic secretary?”

There was no need to wonder where Toji’s gratitude stemmed from.

With the therapists thrust back into their roles as corporate leaders, you stepped in to handle their clinic’s appointment schedules and client inquiries. By giving you a renewed purpose in your day-to-day, they were also determined to keep their practices despite their narrowed availabilities, a decision stemming from their dedication to help others during their idle hours. They intended to shift the clinic's focus to more general relationship assistance, which would allow them to broaden their scope and improve the public's favor.

Meanwhile, had it not been for your help, the same four men would not have been able to fully focus on implementing immediate action plans to steer the Zenin Corporation from a public relations and financial disaster. As a result, the company swiftly regained its positive reputation and maintained its position as the nation’s top conglomerate, hardly meeting a dent in total market share despite the shakeup in leadership.

That being said, you didn’t hide your playful pettiness. “I deserve way more than verbal gratitude, you know.”

Testy, and Toji took the chance to humor himself as well. “The answer to that is me.” He winked. “I am already a hundred times a better friend than you expected.”

Some things truly never change. “Arrogant as ever.”

“Only because you know that's true,” and he lolled his head toward his shoulder in pride. “I did let you run your pretty juices in my therapy office, over on my bathroom counter, and inside my executive suite." Hearing him recount all these moments of pure debauchery made you elbow his rock-hard pecs in retaliation, but he continued. "Do you have any idea how much self-restraint a man has to have to let that happen?”

“Probably an immaculate one. Each time, Naoya would ignore me the second after he came.”

“Yeah, well, fuck that guy.” Like Toji cared about having a filter. He found no reason to try to hide his hatred for your former husband. “Officials sent me a note on how that man flew out of the country yesterday afternoon. You don’t ever have to think about him again. You’re with me now, and I warned that fucking bastard to never bother us.” The handsome scar on his lips flexed while he spoke. “Anyway, since you do deserve to be spoiled, you should order all the caviar that you want tonight.”

"Oh?" Impressed by the offer, you jokingly jabbed at his upper arm. "Guess this is what happens once you start making the big bucks again as the Zenin Corporation’s Incumbent CEO and Future Chairman, hm? You weren't this generous before."

Toji frowned. "What do you mean? I've always been a generous man. I gave you my free trial, remember?"

“Yes, only a free trial,” you emphasized, letting his words sink in. “What happens once that ‘free trial’ ends?”

“Well, you won’t have to worry about that. There’s no expiration date because I like you enough, princess.”

While the pet name was more than enough to make you giddy, his last remarks were what really had you desperate to hide your frazzled face (which, by the way, Toji noticed anyway). "Don't say that."

"Say what?"

"That you...like me. I get flustered easily."

“Don't act like this is the first time. You know I'm straightforward and honest.” A low chuckle slipped past him since he still found your reaction adorable. “I’m too old for drama and playing with people’s feelings. Hey, the cards have always been in your hands. I told you earlier. I’m up to whatever you want to do. For as long as you want, baby.”

“For as long as I want, huh?” The midsummer breezes did not help with the warmth creeping up your neck. “I’ve already clarified before that I wish for us to be friends for a long, long time. Or, as you have suggested before,” and the following thought made more heat suffuse across your cheeks, “…more than friends.”

“Maybe I would happily say yes to that.”

“Just a maybe?”

He huffed in mock annoyance before tugging at your wrist, and you tumbled into his body’s hard planes that you had learned to find comfort in. “Does this feel like ‘just a maybe?’”

Your ensuing silence answered him, and the serene starry night as you snuggled your head into his steady chest was more perfect than words could describe, a soothing escape from the world. He squeezed you tighter, nuzzling his face into your ear while your heart pounded against your ribcage.

So warm, so big, so safe.

“You missed me,” he eventually stated with confidence, and his voice turned husky. Because, oh, he knew. He read you like a book, always.

“I did.”

Only the distant hum from the streets below disrupted the stillness. You sensed his contentment when your neck craned to gaze into his mellow emerald hues, and he similarly pulled away to examine your blissful mien in turn. The two of you became lost, lost in absorbing the peace and serenity such that neither of you detected the third presence that came along.

"Um, hi."

Both heads snapped to the side, gawking at Megumi as he walked in from the doorway.

The eighteen-year-old scratched the back of his head, his cheeks dusted with a faint pink as though he felt embarrassed to interrupt a scene he shouldn't have been watching.

Yet, there's a faint smile on his lips.

"Tsumiki wants to meet you."

𝗔𝗖𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗘𝗡𝗗

last chapter || (at end)

end notes: (see below)

Thank you to everyone who read, liked, shared, and commented on Sex Therapy!

This work, over the past many chapters, has accompanied me through many moments and milestones in life, and I sincerely cannot thank you all enough for going through this journey with me, Y/N, Toji, and the therapists. This was my first big project; there were many areas in which I excelled and others in which I could've improved. I also never wanted this story to merely be Character x Reader, so I touched upon themes like healing and self-discovery, societal and business dynamics among the elite, and (the illusion of) power versus authenticity.

I didn't expect this work to blow up on TikTok or Wattpad during the work's heydays nor did I anticipate encountering so many fanarts, fan speculations, and fan videos. (Yes, I see everything!) I am going cherish this work and reader's community forever.

As my life picks up, I hope to write sporadically for fun and will likely publish shorter and more lighthearted pieces. On Tumblr, I also want to share some writing tips I've gathered over time. Please feel free to find me on Wattpad and AO3, too! Whether or not we meet again, I wish you all happiness, health, and success. Lots of hugs and love always. XOXO, Jamms.

(P.S. As per my tradition, feel free to comment the date and time you finished reading!)

taglist: @dissociatingdiva @httpsplanetmarsdotcom @nemoyr @huangfairy @sakuraryomen01 @shadowarchon @203steph @agentdedf1sh @cloudybabes @lynn-writes-things @illicitwriter @7oji @kikuchimi @chaoticjojofan @musicisme333 @kumocchin @s-guru @mwahilovemylife @hey-gurls69 @cloudsinthecosmos @moon-mumu-moon @kazscara @skilerfrostfairy @funicidals @nico707 @proteovaldez @tsukiyohanayome @marimoares @qirbys @puffaloxx @sakanoshitaa @arizzuruu @kissditrio @lewd-bunny14 @mistyheart @szired @supsii @yvy1s @lazyassfinals @katkbc @tokyometronetwork @downtown-roponggi @the-cosmos-network

[theamberfist]

Susan Repellant | Alastor + Gen Z! Reader HC's

Platonic! Alastor with a Gen Z! Reader

Description: Alastor avoided you at first, but when he found out your mere presence was enough to keep Susan away, he quickly changed his tune.

Notes: (CW Alastor, Susan) (gender neutral reader) (mentions of cannibalism) (Gen Z Reader)

Words: 1,005

♡ No one knows how or why you ended up hell; just that you're here now. You're pretty new, and you don't talk about your backstory much

♡ They also have no idea how you ended up at the hotel. One day you just appeared and everyone kind of accepted it; especially because Charlie saw a lot of potential for redemption with a younger sinner

♡ It quickly became apparent that you were the most Gen Z to ever Gen Z

♡ Your slang, style of dress, and mannerisms really showed it, and at first Alastor avoided you for this reason

♡ He would never admit it, being the great and powerful Radio Demon, but he was terrified of you because he could never understand what the fuck you were saying and doing

♡ Also you seemed weirdly unafraid of him???

♡ Eventually, he came to attribute it to the fact that you had zero sense of self preservation. You once told him "if you killed me I would just respawn like a video game character" and because he doesn't know what that means, he's vowed to never do so and find out

♡ Charlie took notice of the fact that Alastor always avoided you. When you were in the lobby, he suddenly had an extremely important errand to run elsewhere. When you tried to talk to him, he was suddenly melting away into the shadows. When you were out of the hotel for the day, he seemed significantly more relaxed

♡ She, however, attributed this avoidance to him and you not getting along. So, she started creating situations to force Alastor to interact with you

♡ You didn't seem to care but he sure did

♡ Once, he was heading to Cannibal Town to go see Rosie for the day and just as he was halfway out the door, Charlie pulled you over and shoved you at him; suggesting he bring you with since you hadn't left the hotel (or your hotel room, for that matter) in several days. With that, she slammed the door behind you

♡ Alastor begrudgingly brought you with him, but refused to walk on the same side of the street as you. He remained a ways behind you and on the opposite side, claiming he "simply could not be seen with weaker sinners in public." In reality, he was too afraid to get near you and refused to give you the advantage of being behind him where he couldn't see you

♡ Finally, you got to Cannibal Town, where Alastor basically turned you lose and then went to rant to Rosie about how he'd had to bring you along

♡ She found his fear of you very funny and couldn't really relate to his fear because I think she's a lot more with the times than him. They had some tea and cannibal cakes together, but halfway through their conversation, there was a commotion outside that prompted both Alastor and Rosie to stand up and go check it out

♡ There, they saw you in the middle of the town, facing off against Susan with the rest of the cannibals crowded around you both in a circle

♡ You were both essentially tossing insults back and forth. She would comment about your 'distasteful' style of dress and you would simply reply with "okay, boomer" or something along the lines. She, like Alastor, had no idea what any of your slang meant and seemed to feel just as threatened by it

♡ Finally, Susan made an extra nasty comment about you and you started coming towards her, rolling up your sleeves and asking a nearby cannibal to 'hold your earrings'

♡ Susan immediately scrambled back before you could reach her, and that was when Alastor realized he might be able to use this dynamic to his advantage

♡ Rosie ended up breaking you both up, and you and Alastor left Cannibal Town soon after. It seemed like he'd now gotten over his own initial fear of you, because he came right up and walked beside you down the street, asking how you felt about the old woman

♡ When you told him you and Susan now had "serious beef" (which he assumed was a negative thing), he knew something very beautiful could be born from this awful day

♡ After that, Alastor stopped avoiding you. He was still cautious, but he would interact with you enough to maintain at least a neutral relationship

♡ In Alastor's eyes, you were akin to a feral cat. He mostly left you alone unless you approached him first, but would occasionally bring you small trinkets or gifts he thought you'd like as a way to maintain peace

♡ Think you sitting casually on the couch and Alastor approaches with a gift in hand, carefully extending it to you with one hand while keeping the rest of his body as far back as physically possible. When you can't reach what he's trying to give you, he just tosses it at your feet and runs

♡ Now, though, Alastor can walk through Cannibal Town with no fear of possibly running into an ornery old bitch. Why? Because (scary dog privileges) he has his own personal Susan repellant

♡ Whenever you're nearby, Susan stays as far away form you as possible. When she does come near, the two of you start beefing and she ignores Alastor anyway, which is also a win for him

♡ He refuses to visit Cannibal Town without you in tow now, and though he's still a little scared of you, Susan is even more so

♡ Meanwhile, Charlie is super confused and has no idea how you two managed to start getting along so fast, but she's glad you don't seem to hate each other anymore. She's even more happy when Alastor insists on bringing you with him every time he goes to see Rosie; thinking you're finally becoming friends

♡ In reality, he just doesn't want to deal with any mean old ladies, and you seem more than happy to throw hands with Susan in his place

♡ So in the end, it works out for both of you

[lifeasadorkwithnolife]

Too Late (Azriel x reader) (Part 2)

Part One , Part Three

Summary: The war is over, and Y/N has been presumed dead for over a hundred years, but she finds herself having to leave her quiet life across the border and come back to the place where it all started. Turns out, Azriel took her death a little harder than she thought.

It had been years since you woke up. Your first memory when you woke up was the pain in your chest then the pain in your abdomen. The pain in your torso healed over time, but the pain in your chest was a constant ache. You had tried reaching out, to feel the emotions of those around you, but could no longer feel anything. You had seemingly lost what little power you had, the only power that made you useful to the night court.

So you ran, shame encapsulating your being. You ran to the human lands, being able to summon what little power you possessed to live a quiet simple life, even across the border, you felt the pain in your chest lessen over time. But the tears still came, night after night, or whenever a shadow would creep by, or you would see pair of wings, all you would be able to see is the bright blue eyes of the male you loved who did not love you in return.

As the years passed, you found yourself growing fond of humans and their ways, you healed them, help protect their young, taught them to farm and even how to make some basic herbal remedies. But even as the years went by, you still dreamt of those blue eyes and shadows. Whenever you cried, you thought about the night where Azriel held you tight and whispered reassurances in your ear, but those days were long gone.

Decades passed, then a century, and it felt like life was just passing you by. The humans you had helped grew old, and then their children would replace them, and their children after that.  It was an exceptionally lonely life.

The fire roared as you sat in your chair, rocking gently as you hummed the same tune Azriel had hummed to you all those years ago. He had never left your mind, and you weren’t sure he ever would. You wove the yarn between your smooth fingers, creating another blanket for a young babe about to enter the world.

You heard a shuffle outside and immediately grew quiet, setting down your yarn and reaching for the dagger strapped to your leg. It wouldn’t be the first time someone attempted to steal from you, but you would teach these humans the same lesson you had taught the last. The door slowly opened, and a large dark figure filled the frame, wings ducking to fit in the door frame.

The dagger left your hand before you could think, landing inches away from the faes pointed ear and into the door jamb. The male snapped his head towards you, pulling out his dagger in return. You gasped in realization, tripping backwards and catching your balance on the stone wall behind you.

Cassian stood before you, his face serious but hair longer, with strands falling over his shoulders. His body was visibly more muscular, and even from a quick glance you could tell that he had more scars than the last time you had seen him. You raised your hand to your chest, unsure of the emotions you were feeling, relief that he was okay.

“Cassian, you’re okay?” You whispered, tears filling your eyes as you stood in place. Cassian stared at you, his eyes guarded.

“What are you?” Cassian growled, raising his sword in your direction.

“I’m-what?” You asked, voice choking. “Cassian- it’s me, it’s Y/N.”

               “Y/N died,” His voice steady, his arm was steady too.

               “Cassian- please.” You lifted your arms, your hands shaking. “I don’t know what I can do to make you trust that it’s me.”

               “There is nothing that you can-“ Cassian’s eye caught a painting on the wall, and you followed his gaze. Dark shadows consumed the portrait, letting in glimpses of light, you had used a mixture of charcoal and wisps of blue, but the most striking feature was the eyes you could faintly see through the shadows, his eyes, they stood out like pools of light cutting through the dark. It was his same guarded expression you saw before you fell asleep.

               “That’s Az.” Cassian whispered, and you nodded.

               “Is he alright?” You could feel the panic rise in your veins, “Please- if he’s not alright you must tell me.”

               “He’s fine.” Cassian stared at you, his eyes shifting from the top of your head to your feet. “I am – I am so glad you’re okay.”

               His warm arms engulfed you, and you could feel yourself melt into his arms. You two had fought on the front lines before you were sent away to Azriel. You felt the tears start and pulled away.

               “Why are you here Cas?” You whispered, pointing at a chair near the fire and sitting in your own. “not that I mind, I’m so happy to see you.”

               “The bone carver told us…he told me to come here and I would find what we needed most.” Cassian said, still staring at you in amazement. “What happened out there? We all thought you were dead, it’s been over a century.”

               “I got stabbed.” You recalled, looking back towards the fire, the carnage coming back to you in a vivid memory. The memory of Azriels indifference, but then him running towards you as the sword plunged through you. “Then…I woke up, in the summer court. Someone had seen me fall and grabbed me, I lost my gift.” You teared up again, “I haven’t been able to feel anything since I left that battlefield, and the high lord had told me that gift was the only use I was to him. I knew…I knew that if I came back without it there would be no point in coming back at all.”

               “Rhysand is high lord now; you can come home.” Cassian reached over, grabbing your hand.

               “I can’t show my face.” Tears streamed down yours.

               “The bone carver said our secret weapon would be here; that’s obviously you.” Cassian pleaded, “We need you, Rhysand, Az, me, we need you.”

               Your throat bobbed as you looked around the life you had built for yourself, and you slowly nodded. “Okay.”

               The trek back was cold and windy, and Cassian carried you in his arms, looking at you every once in a while and shaking his head in disbelief. “I just can’t believe you’re alive.”

               “I’m lucky to be.” You whispered, watching the scenery go by. You could feel the difference when you passed the border, mostly by the change of the feeling around you. You felt like you could breath, but the pain in your chest grew into a dull ache. “How is everyone?”

               “As good as they can be.” Cassian replied, the thud of his wings matching the beats of your heart. “Rhysand found his mate, Feyre.” Cassian explained to you what the past few years had done to them as a group, and you felt your heart tug. You had been away for so long, and they had all suffered. “Azriel is doing…well, he’s Azriel. Very broody, over dramatic, the usual.”

               You laughed, remembering the broody Azriel that you fell In love with. You froze, you were about to see Azriel. “Do you think he’ll hate me?” You whispered, Cassian pondered this question, the longer he took to answer, the more nervous you became.

               “I don’t know.”

               Rhysand was waiting in the foyer when you arrived, Cassian had already let him know the news ahead of time. He hugged you, squeezing you and spinning you around. Relief filled your veins as you looked him up and down, realizing that he was okay and happy, the aura of finding his mate surrounding him.

               “Rhys, I’m telling you, I’m not your secret weapon.” You grabbed his arm, pleading for him to understand. “I lost my abilities, I lost it all when in the war, I can’t help. I can’t even fight anymore.”

               You felt Rhysand walk straight into your mind, your mental shields falling easily due to lack of practice. He walked around the emptiness, ‘you are not worthless, Y/N’ Rhysand seemed to echo, you shook your head. You looked around the cozy house, books lined the small table in the room and a fire was lit.  

               He led you around the “House of Wind”, showing you where everyone slept, the kitchen, and living area. He brought you to the end of a hall, opening a door and showing you a dark bedroom, shadowed by the curtains hanging over the sole window.

               “This is your room, as long as you choose to stay.” He smiled gently, a hand on your back leading you into the room. “I wasn’t sure how to decorate, it’s been a while since… since I’ve seen you.”

               “Dinner will be in a couple hours, if you don’t feel like joining us, I would be happy to have the house give you your food here.” Rhys offered, you sat on the bed, feeling the linen underneath your fingers.

               “Will…Will Azriel be there?”

               “Most likely.” Rhysand sat down next to you, “I’m…I’m not sure how he will take this, he was worse off than the rest of us. “

               “Why?” You voice came out in a whisper, then you coughed. “Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”

               The day passed, you took up the seat next to the window, watching the sun slowly set behind the mountain and the stars light up the sky. Velaris was…beautiful, even more so than Rhys had described. The city was bathed in a golden light from the stars, you could see the reflections of the stars on the streets below, the streets made of glass and stone. Your stomach growled, reminding you that you hadn’t eaten today.

               You opened the door, hearing raised voices and laughter from down the hall. You slowly shut the door behind you, back turned as you made sure it clicked shut. What would you say? How would he react?

               “How did you get in here?” A low voice asked, sending a cold chill up your spine. You stared at the door, wishing you could somehow go back in time and not come out here. You slowly turned your head, peaking through the curtain of your hair.

               His form was surrounded by shadows, and he held daggers in each of his hands. You met his eyes, the same piercing blue ones that you looked at every day, you felt the tug in your chest and felt something lodge in your throat.

               His voice was low, dangerously low. “How did you get in here?” He snapped, lifting his dagger as if to throw it.

               You lifted your hands, which were shaking so bad you couldn’t hold them up straight. “Please, Azriel, I can explain.” The two daggers left his hands, pinning your shirt to the door over both of your shoulders. He walked over, his steps slow and his eyes narrowing. The pain in your chest grew to a roar, and tears filled your eyes, the panic growing within you.

               He lifted a hand, brushing the hair from your face, and then it hit him. His breath caught, and so many emotions flowed through you that you nearly dropped to the floor, after not feeling anything for so long, this was too much. Then, you felt the anger. Your head slammed against the door, leaving you face to face with Azriel as he pushed against your chest.

               “What are you?” Azriel growled, pulling out another knife and holding it to your neck. “Damn, you almost had me fooled. You look just like her.”

               “Az! “ Cas shouted from the other end of the hallway, afraid to make any sudden movements.

               “What is this thing?” Azriel looked at him, his large hand still pressed against your ribcage.

               “it’s really her.” Cas held up his hands in mock surrender, his wings behind him as he slowly walked to Azriel. “It’s…trust me, I found her.”        

               Azriel looked back to you, his eyes scanning every inch of you, from the top of your head to the shoes that you wore. A flicker of hesitation passed before, in one swift motion, he grabbed the fabric at the bottom of your shirt and tore it, exposing your torso. Under the fabric and now exposed was your scar, white and ragged on your skin. 

               Azriels breath caught, his posture stiffening as his gaze move from his scars to you. His eyes were more guarded than you had ever seen them, but the pain in your chest didn’t relent. “Az-“ you began, trying to grasp his arm.

               “Why are you back here? Why now?” Azriel pulled his daggers from your shirt aggressively, you could feel the anger radiating from him, raw and bitter. “It’s only been, what, a HUNDRED YEARS?” His daggers flew from his hands into the wall on the other end of the hallway.

               “Azriel please-“ You begged, tears brimming. “I”

               “I LOST you, Y/N!” Azriel shouted, his hands in fist and shadows swarming around his figure. “One minute you were there, the next, gone! I searched for days! Do you know how many bodies I turned hoping to find you but also knowing that I couldn’t bear it if I did?”

               “I’m sorry!” You shouted, walking towards him as he backed up. “if I could go back and change it, I would-“

               “I don’t want to hear it, Y/N.” Azriel’s voice was stone cold, his chest heaved. Every part of him was anger, you could feel it like you were sitting next to an open flame. “I mourned you. I searched for you, I even made you a grave.” He growled, running his hands through his hair.

               “Just listen to me!” You shouted, “Just take a minute and listen to me talk, let me explain.”

               Azriel met your gaze and shook his head. “You don’t get to disappear and show up like nothing happened.” He snapped, walking to the wall and yanking his daggers out. “You don’t get to put me, us, through that. You don’t get to ‘explain’”

               “Please.” You begged, trying one last to grab his arm as he walked by. He pulled his arm back, like your touch was poison. The pain and hurt that filled you made it hard to breathe as you watched him walk out of the hallway, then heard a door slam. You slowly slid down the door to your bedroom, head in your hands as you cried. Cassian squatted down to squeeze your shoulder, but you pushed him away.            

               “Get away from me!” You screamed from your throat, and another loud sob left your body. You should never have left, maybe not feeling at all was better than this. You didn’t even notice Cassian leaving as you cried.