#hog nosed snake

[fenrislorsrai]

Western Hognose Snake by Sheridan Via Flickr: Taken at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, Oct. 25, 2008. This was a captive snake. I love the way the tongue turned out.

[themosthatedbeingmoving]

*Dead from rolled up newspaper attack more at 10*

[iceeericeee]

The urge to become a hognose snake is strong today.

[daisydoox0-blog]

[fear-the-hippo]

*bleeds on you to discourage predation*

[wow-an-unfunny-joke]

Silly Game Time: What's the best texture?

SMOOOOOOOOTH I love smooth textures. Like bumpy glass. Like aquarium rocks. Also reptiles. if snakes had less teeth and kill you juice I'd own a million snakes (or one snake named A Million) because they're just a lovely texture.

[ourladyoftheflytrap]

One day I will make big money and I will be your snake lady mutual mark my words

[goose-i-guess]

not a painting but still gorgeous

Mark Catesby (English,1683-1749)

The Hog-nose Snake (Boa contortrix), 1731-1743

Hand-colored engraving on laid paper

[scudismystud]

Why is it this is how your body feels it needs to stretch first thing in the morning?

[on-a-lucky-tide]

A funny prompt: Gaz’ No-Good, Terrible, Very Bad day. In which in the span of 24 hours he walks in on NikPrice, GhostSoap, then AleRudy bumping uglies because those pairs of idiots keep having sex in weird places and Gaz keeps having to bare witness.

How you wanna play it is up to you, but I love the way you write Gaz and I wanted to lean more into the comedic side of sexy times rather than the hot n heavy stuff this once.

Mikey, I love you for this prompt. I actually wrote it all out and then Tumblr shat itself. Serves me right for writing in the app on my phone, eh? I hope this redo is as good. Two of my favourite things: humour and sex.

Gaz has a really bad day.

cw: sexual content.

Really, Gaz should have called it a day when he had decided to have a Rich Tea with his breakfast brew and the fucker had broken off in it because he had gone zero point one second over the optimum dunking threshold. Bad omen. Yeah, pack it all up lads, turn in.

If someone were to ask him precisely when his day had gone to shit, he would definitely say it was then, because if he had to recall the next part he was pretty sure he'd require several sessions of therapy.

It was unusual for the store cupboard to be locked, which was his first warning that something was amiss. But airpods in and his mind on the afternoon's planned exercise with Bravo Company, he didn't think much of it. There were only five people on base with a key, so it was easier to leave the door unlocked. When it came time for inventory at the end of the week, Price was disturbingly effective at nailing anyone with sticky fingers so no one bothered pushing their luck.

As DJ Snake turned down for what and the beat dropped, Gaz tugged his lanyard out of his shirt and jammed the key in the lock. Shouldering the door open, he slapped a hand over the light switch and looked up at the same time, only to be faced with Lieutenant Riley's lily-white arse pounding between two hairy legs directly opposite. "What the fuck?"

Gaz practically slapped himself in the face in his haste to snatch the airpods from his ears and cover his eyes with his palm. He heard rather than saw Tav slide down the wall he'd been pinned to, and the resulting yelp as he hit the concrete floor.

"Did ya ma no' teach ye tae knock?" Tav squawked.

"You're in the store cupboard, Tav! The fucking store cupboard!"

"We locked the door..."

"He has private fucking quarters, which is... literally what they could be used for, fuck my life!"

Ghost cleared his throat and Gaz chanced a look through the slats of his fingers. He regretted it almost immediately when he glimpsed the lieutenant's monster hog, which was somehow three times the size hard as it was soft, according to the sparse glimpses Gaz had snatched in the shower. Professional curiosity, you know. Ghost was completely unfazed, standing there with it all just hanging out. "Uh, sir, if you could..."

"What'd'ye want, Garrick?" Tav growled, pulling his hoodie over his lap to hide whatever gaping devastation the lieutenant had inflicted.

"Camelbak skin. Top shelf on the left."

Gaz heard a box grind over the metal shelf and the split of plastic sellotape. When the rustling stopped, he looked through his fingers again and saw Ghost holding the skin out for him to take. He hadn't even pulled his boxers up, his hard dick still on full display. Gaz sidled over, keeping his face turned away, and took the offered plastic parcel. "Cheers," he murmured awkwardly.

"Welcome," Ghost rumbled back, and if Gaz didn't know him better, he'd say the bastard was laughing at him. Seconds later, he hightailed it out of there as quickly as he could, pinching the bridge of his nose and hoping the image of all that pale skin thrusting away between Tav's hairy stalks wasn't going to haunt his fucking nightmares. Luckily, he had a fitness course to coordinate that afternoon, which would help take his mind off of it.

No such fucking luck, as it transpired.

As Bravo Company were taking a breather after making good time over the course, Gaz snuck off into the woodland for a quick slash before they moved on to first aid training. As he rounded an old oak tree, he caught the sound of hushed voices over the usual bird song and rustle of leaves. Little fuckers had snuck off for a smoke and thought he wouldn't notice.

He did up his fly, put on a stern face and readied his most blood-curdling shout as he stomped in their direction. The 'oi, ya little cunts' sat on the tip of his tongue as he burst through the bushes, only for it to dissolve into a high-pitched little 'ah!' when he came face to face with Rudy, slack-jawed and sweaty.

Colonel Vargas was two knuckles deep in him, Rudy's cock drooling over his superior's wrist, hips twitching. That was all Gaz managed to see before he swung himself round and covered his eyes for good measure. The low voice he had heard must have been some truly filthy Spanish, because Rudy looked about ready to blow.

"Hola, sergeant," Alejandro said calmly. "¿Qué tal? I thought you were not due in the woodlands until tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah, orienteering is... tomorrow, sorry, colonel, I thought you were trainees, I, uh..." Gaz glanced over his shoulder and saw that Alejandro had moved his body to shield Rudy from view. He whispered something softly in Spanish in his lover's ear, because Rudy was hurriedly yanking up his trousers, his belt rattling, looking panicked.

"It is I who must apologise, amigo. I cannot control myself with Rudy, and with all this nature around us, I let my heart lead my head," Alejandro said. "I would be... grateful if this indiscretion did not get to the captain."

"Uh, sure, mate, yeah. Mum's the word... I'm gonna... go this way. As you were, or... not." Gaz hotfooted it back through the bushes, his face on fire, and was relieved to find some troopers slacking off because he had someone to beast. Seriously, this day could fucking do one. It couldn't get any worse.

Famous. Last. Fucking. Words.

First aid training concluded in time for dinner and Gaz sent the troopers to mess. He didn't go himself because he wasn't sure he could look Tav or Ghost in the eye just yet. Instead, he headed to his bunk and snacked on some Pringles as he finished off a report on the week's progress for Price. And yeah, he left out the sheer volume of unnecessary cock he had seen that day.

Last thing on the day's list was to submit the report and he could turn in, hoping that tomorrow had less cock and arse on the agenda for him. He rapped twice on the captain's door and let himself in, missing the sudden scuffle of movement as the hinges creaked. "Hey, sir, got the summary ahead of sched-u-oh, Nik."

Nik was sitting in Price's chair bolt upright, his hands in his lap beneath the desk, shoulders squared. "Gaz, my brother," Nik greeted, but his voice sounded a little... tight. "Kak dyela?"

"Where's... the..." Gaz studied Nik a bit more carefully and began noting a few more oddities. His skin was flushed, eyes blown wide, usually slick hair all ruffled out of place, and he was shifting minutely in his chair, but keeping his feet very, very fucking still. "He's..." Gaz pinched the bridge of his nose, "he's under the desk, isn't he?" Because of course he fucking was.

Nik flashed a mischievous smirk.

Gaz sighed. "Jesus fucking Christ..."

Nik bit his lower lip and then opened his mouth to say something, but Price got there first, his voice low, rough and husky from his hiding place beneath his own desk. Probably from where he had just been gobbing off Nik's--no, no, for Gaz's own sanity he just couldn't finish that thought.

"Leave the report on the desk," Price growled.

"Yup, right, it's on the desk," Gaz replied, getting as close as he could to be able to chuck it on the keyboard without risking seeing Nik's cock next to his captain's face. "Have a, uh... a good..."

"Garrick," Price snapped.

"Right, yeah, going. Going."

Nik waved at him as he left but Gaz could do nothing more than cringe his way back into the corridor. Three for three. Fan-fucking-tastic.

There was no way he was getting any sleep after that. Gaz headed for the mess and a cup of tea. Maybe if he managed to dunk the biscuit properly, the day would stop fucking with him.

He was completely engaged in a thousand yard stare when Tav slid onto the bench opposite. Gaz gave him the side eye. "Surprised you can sit down."

Tav smirked. "Aye, s'taken some practice."

"Nope, no, no more. It's gonna take years of therapy, decades, to get over seeing that man's arse between your legs."

"Dunno what yer whinin' about, ah've got bruises from where the fecker dropped me."

Gaz snorted. "Good."

"Look, ah... ah came tae apologise. It weren't decent, an', uh..."

"Mate," Gaz sighed, slapping his hands on the table as he sat up. "The shit I've seen today, Ghost's pale arse ain't even the half of it." He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. "Do you fuck in there a lot?"

"Oh aye, and other places."

"Oh god..."

Gaz's eyes narrowed as Tav turned in his seat and extended a leg. That was an exit manoeuvre. Tav rolled his lips into his mouth, smirked, and then landed the killer blow. "Pretty sure we've done it in yer bunk."

"You cun--oi, c'mere you rat Scottish bastard!"

Tav fled cackling and Gaz followed with full intent to put a few more boot-shaped bruises on his arse. Perfect end to his no-good, terrible, very bad day.

[quarterlifekitty]

Hey girl I just wanted to say I loved your writing! I have a bearded dragon, and I’m working on getting a hog nose snake. I was wondering what the boys reactions would be to a partner with an alternative pet?

picture tax

If you have a reptile, Gaz thinks it’s a little odd at first. Like, you can’t really cuddle it. But then he sees it shed for the first time…. And he’s obsessed with that. Peeling the little bits of dead skin where it gets stuck on spines and crevices. Revealing a new, perfect guy underneath.

You need to keep an eye on Soap. He’s been a lifelong member of the overfeeding animals club. He just loves to watch it eat. You buy a little container of blueberries and you have to give Soap a really stern warning— that your baby can only have COUPLE. Catch him always holding the tweezers in your mantis’ terrarium, ready with crickets.

Ghost, as a man who wears all black all the time, is forever tortured by the existence of pet hair. So he loves your scaley guy. He also loves that it’s almost totally silent also. He likes dogs a lot but sometimes he can’t handle the barking.

Price… takes a bit of convincing. He’s a very classic man. Always thought he’d have 2 kids and a dog. Lizard was never a part of the equation. But you invite him to your baby’s birthday party. And he sees it eating the little cake you made with raspberries and superworms and other little fruits and vegetables. And he’s like well. I can’t not like this guy.

[bastionofbibliophiles]

I love these guys! They even let their tongues hang limply out like a cartoon. All they're missing is little 'X's over their eyes.

Dead wunk

Take him at his word, he's dead

[mountttmase]

Not Your Fault

Note - i hope you’re all excited to meet the final bubba 🩷 a few guesses for the name were right but no one guessed the exact spelling 😂 I hope you love them as much as I do though and hopefully I’ll be able to write about them a bit more as we learn about their personality 😌 hope you enjoy and feedback is always appreciated 😘

Pairing - Mason Mount × Reader

Word count - 6k

Warnings - fluff, smut, tiny bit of angst

Putting the kids to bed with Mason was never an easy task. Mason putting the kids to bed on his own was a recipe for disaster but right now there wasn't much the pair of you could do.

You could hear Mason trying to wrangle your two babies as you sat with your third in the nursery. Ollie trying his hardest to help Mason tame Tilly as she ran riot and you knew Mason was about to explode. You wondered if you should get up to help but Ryley was feeding peacefully in your arms and you didn’t want to disturb him.

‘Welcome to the mad house baby’ you whispered, stroking your finger along his perfect nose all the way down to the end before awkwardly reaching down to kiss his head. ‘You’ll get used to Tills, she’s just excited about you being here’

And she really was.

Never in your wildest dreams did you imagine you’d get pregnant so quickly after agreeing to try again and after your first two pregnancies you thought you knew your body well enough now to know when something had changed. Clearly that wasn’t the case though and it was actually Mason who figured it out first that were pregnant with a little help from Nala.

The kids were at school and Mason came home to find you cuddled up with Nala on the sofa. Her head and paws on your tummy as you scratched her head but as soon as he tried to cuddle you, Nala wasn’t having it. Growling at him when he tried to put his arms around you and pushing him away with her nose.

‘What’s crawled up her arse and died’ Mason laughed. Trying to snake his hands around your middle but Nala would fight him off every time until he gave up and grabbed your boob instead.

‘Mason? Do you mind’

‘Take it up with her, she’s hogging you’ he huffed but you just let it slide. You knew Mason needed to be holding something and if it was your boob then you’d just have to get on with it as he wouldn’t move off. You didn’t think anything of it though, you just knew Nala was protective and after you’d been cuddling for a while she was feeling territorial.

It was two days later that Mason caught you crying in the utility room. Half buried under all of the kids washing and the look of concern on his face just made you cry even harder. You’d been trying to get ontop of the cleaning all day and it the point you just felt overwhelmed.

‘Hey, what’s wrong sweetheart?’ He asked as he helped you up but you didn’t really have an answer for him. Trying to quieten your sobs but you could feel your bottom lip still wobbling as he looked at you softly.

‘Sorry Mase, I don’t even know why I’m crying’ you laughed as he wiped your eyes for you. ‘I’m just a bit emotional at the moment’ you told him and by the small sigh you knew he had something he wanted to say so you raised your eyebrow at him in hopes he’d speak.

‘Baby, you don’t think you might be…’

‘Drowning in washing?’ You laughed but the soft look on his face made you be quiet. He looked genuinely concerned but there was also something behind his eyes you couldn’t quite place.

‘No you wally… pregnant’

Pregnant? You didn’t think so at all. Apart from feeling more emotional than usual you didn’t have any other symptoms that you could think of and you wondered if Mason was just getting ahead of himself.

‘No I don’t think so Mase, I’d know if I was’ you told him but you watched his face soften as he cupped your jaw.

‘Well I know you too, and I think you are’ he teased. ‘You’re all emotional, you’re eating everything in sight and Nala suddenly won’t let me go near you’ he listed off and you blushed at the fact he’d clearly caught you snacking more than usual. ‘Maybe we should check? Just to rule it out’

‘I mean we can but it’ll just be a waste’ you laughed ‘We only started trying a month ago, Mase. I doubt it would have happened that quickly’

‘Don’t doubt my powers of fertility’ he laughed and even though you wanted to smile you were trying your hardest to keep a straight face.

‘You’re insane’ you huffed, grabbing his hand and taking him upstairs to your en-suite. You’d made sure to stock up on tests since you were now trying and you instructed him to wait on the bed while you took it.

‘There you go’ you smiled, walking out of the bathroom and handing him the capped test that was still loading. ‘What do you fancy for dinner? I’ll go get it started’ you told him as you made your way to the door but he grabbed your wrist to hold you in place, looking back at you like you’d lost your mind.

‘You’re not gonna wait?’

‘There's no point, it’ll be negative babe. Now what do you want?’ You told him, shrugging your shoulders as you really believe deep down that you had nothing to worry about as there was no way you were pregnant already.

‘You pick’ he told you quietly, and with a kiss to his forehead you made your way back downstairs and into the kitchen.

Mason was gone for a while, almost to the point where you were about to go and find him but he suddenly appeared in the doorway with his eyes full of tears and a soft smile on his face. You knew he would be upset that it was negative, knowing he wanted a third baby more than anything but you figured at least if he was smiling then he hadn’t taken it too hard.

You didn’t have a chance to say anything though, Mason coming straight over to you so he could cup your face and press gentle kisses over your cheeks which made you blush and your knees weak but you loved his gentle side and you let him shower with you affection.

Before you could reassure him everything would be fine and you had all the time in the world to try for baby number three, he pulled back to look at you and you were frozen in place as you knew what that look in his eye meant.

‘You’re pregnant baby’

‘What?’

‘You’re pregnant’ he laughed, kissing your cheeks again as you froze in his hold. Letting him continue to kiss your face and it’s like his words hadn’t hit you yet until he rested his forehead on top of yours.

‘You're lying’ you whispered, your bottom lip wobbling as your eyes started to burn but he just laughed at you. Reaching into his pocket to pull out the test so he could show you and there it was in black and white. The words pregnant staring you back in the face until you looked up into Masons happy ones. ‘We’re having a baby’

You burst into tears instantly as you fell into Mason's chest. Him holding you close to his body as he rocked you from side to side, letting you know it was okay and that he’d keep you safe, the both of you safe, and when you eventually pulled back he kissed your tears away.

‘I didn’t think it would be this quick, sorry it’s just a bit of a shock’ you laughed, trying to wrap your head around it as your stared back at the word pregnant.

‘It’s alright, baby. Are you feeling okay?’

‘I think so’ you laughed. Letting him grip the back of your thighs so he could place you on the counter and look him in the eye. ‘I just can’t believe it, like I don’t even know what to think’

‘Well It’s still early love, how about we keep it to ourselves for a little while and tell the kids when we’re certain everything’s okay’ he reassured you and you felt yourself relax at how calm and in control he was about everything. ‘We can tell the rest of the world after that when you’re ready but for now it’s just us yeah? You, me and Nala’ he joked before pulling you in for a well needed hug.

So you kept it to yourselves. Telling the kids after your 12 week scan and as soon as Tilly found out you were pregnant she’d barely left your side and was seemingly very quizzical about what was happening. You knew she wanted to come out and ask fully how it had happened but she kept it inside until one night when it was just the three of you.

Ollie was at a friend's house for dinner and after all of you had eaten, you were cuddled up on the sofa with Mason, Tilly nestled in between you. Her head on Mason's chest as you watched whatever was on the tv but soon enough Tilly was ready for a biology lesson.

‘Daddy, how did the baby get in mummy’s belly?’ she asked, her head tilting up to look at him but as soon as you looked up you could see the panic written all over his face.

‘Yeah, how did it happen, Mase?’ You teased wanting to know how he’d worm his way out of this one but you could see he was hating every second of this. Sending you a what the fuck face before looking back down at Tilly who was waiting patiently for him to explain.

‘Okay, so you know how you write a letter to Santa at Christmas?’ He started, Tilly nodding excitedly and you could see the cogs turning in his brain, wondering where the hell he was going with this but let him carry on. ‘Well, when two people who love each other very much want a baby, they write a letter to the stork and then you have to bury it in the garden so they can come and pick it up’

You could see Tilly wasn’t buying it, looking back at him in confusion and you yourself were waiting for what he had to say next.

‘But how?’

‘How what?’

‘His did they get into mummy’s belly’ he asked more firmly this time as Mason was quite clearly skirting around it but knowing Tilly she would ask and ask until she got her answer.

‘Well um… well then the stork, it comes back and uh… and it leaves a seed which is the baby… and uh, that goes in Mummy’s tummy’ he nodded, stuttering the whole way through as he was panicking but you were loving how flustered he was. Trying to hold in a laugh as you covered your mouth with your hand.

‘But how does the seed get in there?’ She persisted, watching Mason now try to hide a smile before his eyes flashed to yours and you knew he was about to say something he shouldn’t.

‘She swallows it’

‘Okay that’s enough for today’ you interrupted, pulling Tilly onto your lap ‘you need to go and pick Ollie up’ you told Mason with a slightly dissatisfied look on your face and he quickly kissed your forehead la with a smile before getting up. ‘Come on missy, let’s get you in the bath, yeah?’

‘Okay mummy,’ she smiled. Reaching over to give Mason a kiss on the cheek before making her way up the stairs and you promised her you’d be right up in a minute.

‘Right I won’t be long’ Mason laughed as he got up, reaching down to help pull you up with him but he must have caught the unimpressed look from you as he began to laugh at your expression. ‘What?’

‘You know what’ you laughed. ‘Maybe If I had swallowed we wouldn’t be in this state would we’

‘I love it when you talk dirty’ Mason laughed. Pulling you into him with his hand on your bum and he squeezed it as he kissed you heavily. ‘I’ll see you soon, maybe when the kids are in bed we can try-‘

‘Mason I swear to god’ you laughed, pulling away and tapping his chest before making a beeline for the stairs but the sound of his giggles as he made his way out the door made you giggle along too.

Things took a turn at the gender reveal though. The four of you not doing anything extravagant but you knew you wanted the kids involved so after you scan you gave your bestie Sid an envelope with the gender inside so she could organise a cake and the next day you were all sat around the kitchen island with wine glasses in hand ready to sink them into the cake and you couldn’t be more excited.

Mason and Ollie didn’t care what the gender was, as did you, but Tilly was gunning for a baby sister. Having already picked out some toys for her to have and she constantly referred to the baby as she. You knew there would be a meltdown if she didn’t get her way but you were trying to distract her as best you could.

‘Okay, are we ready?’ you laughed, popping your hand on Tilly’s glass to help her push down into the cake and after the count of three you shut your eyes and pushed down on both until you hit the board.

It was Tilly crying no that made you realise what had happened. Looking round to see everyone’s glass filled with the blue frosting from the inside of the cake but Tilly’s wails wouldn’t let you enjoy your time just yet.

Mason was trying his hardest to contain his laughter and when you pulled Tilly into a hug to console her, he wrapped his arms around the pair of you whilst Ollie just grabbed a fork and began to dig into his cake.

‘Tilly baby, it’s okay’ you tried to reassure her, holding your laughs in as best you could but she just cried harder.

‘I don’t like boys’ she sobbed into your neck as she held you tight and as much as Mason looked like he was about to lose it, he peeled Tilly away from you and began to talk to her quietly. Eventually taking her out into the garden where you could see him swaying her from side to side as he spoke into the side of her head and eventually she was nodding her head and wiping her eyes

You joined Ollie though, accepting the fork he passed you so you could dig in too while you spoke about the new baby boy on the way and Ollie was very quick to reassure you how excited he was and how much he wanted to help out.

‘Okay, I think we’re on board now’ Mason announced as he walked back in with Tilly on his hip. A smile on her face but her eyes were still red and watery so Mason sat her on the side so you could feed her some cake.

‘Tilly, my new book came today. Shall I read to you for a bit?’ Ollie asked, your heart melting at the way he wanted to cheer her up as Ollie reading to her was their thing. Whenever Tilly was on mad one or overwhelmed he’d often take her over to their little corner to calm down and your heart felt full as she toddled off with her hand in his.

‘So, another boy huh?’ Mason smiled as he came over to you. Resting his hands on your waist as you rested yours on his chest and you were thankful for a little bit of alone time with him.

‘Looks like it. And after two clones of you I’m hoping this one looks a little bit like me’ you told him before he kissed your forehead with a giggle.

‘Are you happy?’

‘Of course, as long as he's healthy I couldn’t care what they are,’ you told him softly and he nodded his head in agreement. ‘What did you say to Tilly?’

‘Told her it’s another boy to boss around. And that if she’s the only girl then she’ll always be my only princess’

‘What about me?’ you pouted, watching Mason roll his eyes but he was leaning down to kiss you just after.

You’d picked a few names out, but just like you’d done with Tilly you wanted to see him before you named him and once you had, the name Ryley seemed to fit him like a glove. Whilst you could tell he was Mason's boy you were constantly told how much he looked like you and it made your heart swell whenever you looked at him.

Tilly also came around as soon as she saw him. Almost bursting into tears at the way her little face softened at the sight of her new brother before she was looking up at you for permission to say hello to him and Ollie was just as perfect as ever with him.

A new baby meant a whole new routine though and lately it meant Ryleys feed came at bed time so Mason had to put the others to bed on his own. Usually he’d love this but clearly the novelty has worn off for Tilly and she was making it as difficult for him as possible.

Soon enough the noise died down. Mason telling Tilly that Ryley won’t want to stay with us if she’s too loud and she finally took the hint and got into bed. Letting Mason read her a very quick story before he went and said goodnight to Ollie with the house falling silent once more.

You felt Mason pop his head into the nursery soon after, his eyes and facial expression soft as he took you in but he couldn’t hide the deep blush on his cheeks. Eyes flicking down to your exposed chest as you fed Ryley and you could see he was debating whether or not he should come in but you nodded your head to motion for him to come over. Watching him carefully make his way over to the pair of you and when he was close enough you lifted your head in hopes he’d lean down and kiss you. Revealing in the feeling of his lips brushing against yours softly and you hummed in delight just before he pulled away.

‘You two alright in here?’ He asked quietly, crouching down so he could kiss Ryley’s head. Your heart fluttering at the adoring way he looked down at him before his gaze was locked on yours.

‘We’re okay. Are you okay?’ You laughed, referring to the nightmare he seemed to have just had with the others and you smiled as he rolled his eyes playfully.

‘Oh you heard that yeah?’ He laughed. ‘Unless you put Tilly to bed she’s a right pain in the arse’ he teased. ‘I love her but my god she’s a handful sometimes’

‘They don’t call her Tilly the tiny terror for nothing’ you winked. ‘You done good though sweet cheeks’

‘Thanks’ he laughed, rolling his eyes again. ‘I’m gonna go sort myself out but I’ll see you in our room in a bit, yeah? Take your time’

‘Okay’ you whispered and with one last heavy kiss to your lips he was making his way out.

You sat Ryley up not too long after so you could wind him. Knowing Mason hadn’t really got to see him all that much today and he’d be itching for a cuddle soon so you made your way back across the hall to your bedroom for some time for just the three of you.

You didn’t questione why the door to your bedroom was shut even though maybe you should have. He never usually shut it as it was harder for you to open with just one hand whilst carrying Ryley and you always kept it open just in case one of the kids needed you but you just shifted Ryley on your chest so he was over your left shoulder and pushed the door open.

You should have known there was a reason why he shut it. Walking around to be met with the sound of his loud breathing and when you rounded the corner and into his view you were shocked by the sight in front of you.

There he was laid on the bed, T-shirt riding high on his perfect body as his boxers had been shuffled down his thighs ever so slightly to free himself and even from the split second view you knew what he was doing as his hand moved up and down. A shocked gasp falling from your lips before you turned and you heard mason fumbling behind you.

‘Shit! Oh god, oh god no’

‘Mase, it’s okay’ you told him, slightly chuckling as you turned back around to face him but the look on his face made your heart drop.

His cheeks were redder than you’d ever seen them, a humiliated look plastered across his face no matter how much he tried to hide it and he looked on the brink of tears.

‘Masey, no don’t get upset it’s alright’

‘I need the bathroom-’

‘No wait’ you called, popping Ryley into his crib as quickly as you could before rushing over to him to stop him from hiding away in the en-suite for the rest of the night and thankfully you caught him before he was able to shut the door. ‘Come here baby, come and talk to me’

‘No I-‘

‘Mase, come on’ you interrupted, pulling him back to bed so you could sit on the edge with him in hopes he’d look at you. He was determined to keep looking down though so in the end you just held him tight and spoke into his hair. ‘It’s okay, you don’t need to be embarrassed or anything. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before’

‘I thought I had more time’ he told you. Holding you tighter but you hated how down he sounded.

‘Look at me’ you whispered, letting him take his own time to gather himself before looking up at you shyly. ‘You don’t need to be embarrassed, it’s perfectly normal’

‘I know I just… it’s still embarrassing’ he laughed. ‘I feel like a teenager who’s just been caught. I just thought you’d be a bit longer with the little man and I’d have time. I haven’t wanted to ask for… you know. I wanted to wait until you’re ready and-‘

‘Who said I’m not ready’ you smiled. ‘I gave birth 8 weeks ago now so that’s two weeks over’

‘I know’ he smiled. I’m just worried that’s all’

‘Worried about what?’

‘I don’t wanna hurt you’ he whispered and your heart broke at his sad face. ‘Remember what happened after Tilly?’ He asked and you nodded solemnly.

It had been six weeks since Tilly had been born and you knew Mason was chomping at the bit to have you. You were too big and uncomfortable towards the end of your pregnancy so it had been months since you’d last been intimate and it was almost as if Mason was counting down the days.

Your night didn’t go as planned though. Unbenounced to you, you still weren’t fully ready and even though Mason had been gentle with you and you’d tried to push through it, it hurt too much and you’d ended up bursting into tears.

Mason felt awful, almost in tears himself as he tried to comfort you but you knew he was blaming himself when he shouldn’t be. In the end you took his face in your hands so you could pepper his cheeks with kisses but your heart was breaking as he repeatedly told you how sorry he was.

‘Masey it’s not your fault’ you told him quietly, but he wasn’t having any of it. Hiding his head into your neck for the rest of the night until the pair of you eventually fell asleep.

He was quiet with you but extra soft for a few days until you could talk it out and let him know it wasn’t his fault. You just had to wait an extra few weeks and everything would go back to normal.

You could see it in his eyes now that he was frightened so you pulled him closer and cupped his jaw so you could look at each other properly.

‘Tilly had a massive head baby’ you laughed. ‘She was a right pain to get out but I don’t feel like I did with Tilly. Ryley was a breeze compared to her and I’m all healed up now. There’s nothing to be afraid of’

‘Yeah?’ He smiled. His body relaxing in your arms as you reassured him everything was okay and the small smile on his lips made you feel a lot better.

‘Yeah, of course. In fact… what do you say we pop Ryley in his nursery for a bit so we can have some time for just us’

‘Wait, what?’ He whispered, his face looking slightly shocked but in all honestly your been craving some alone time with Mason yourself. ‘Are you sure?’

‘100%, Just give me a sec and I’ll be back’ you told him. Slightly untangling yourself from him so you could pick up Ryley and take him over to his nursery. You never left him in here at night but he had his naps in here all the time so you made sure the baby cam was set up properly before dropping a kiss on his head. ‘I’ll be back for you soon, little one. Just keep sleeping for me’ you whispered. Taking one last look before making your way back to Mason.

He was sitting on the bed facing the door when you got back and a sudden wave of anxiety rolled over you as soon as you shut the door. Your body had changed so much since he’d last seen it and you knew you were covered in stretch marks and still sagging in certain places so when he pulled you in between his legs you tried not to look him in the eye.

‘Baby? Everything alright?’ He asked, fingers delicately tracing the backs of your thighs and you just nodded and you pulled him into a hug.

‘I’m okay, just nervous’ you laughed awkwardly. ‘It’s been a while’

‘I know, love. We can go as slowly as you want to though, yeah?’

‘I know’ you smiled, kissing his forehead gently but he could still read your mind and sense how apprehensive you were.

‘And I don’t care what you think your body looks like now. You know that don’t you? I love you and I just wanna make you feel good’

‘I know, Mase’ you smiled, eyes filling at his sweet words. He’d said the same after both your other babies had been born but the words still hit you deep. You didn’t look like you used you, three babies would have an effect on anyone but Mason never cared. He took you as you were and only cared about looking after you, telling you you’d given him everything he’d ever wanted and he’d make sure he looked after you in whatever way you needed.

His hands were trailing all over your bare legs, touching wherever he could as his lips pressed kisses to your chest and you couldn’t help but giggle as he finally got to touch all the places he’d missed for the last few months.

‘What’s so funny?’ He smiled, pinching your bum gently as you steadied yourself but his cheeky smile was melting you.

‘We’ve been together for so many years now, had three kids together and you’re still as horny as ever’ you chuckled, wanting him to know how ridiculous you found him but deep down you knew you were just as bad.

‘That’s what happens when you’ve got the most beautiful wife in the world’ he told you. ‘You know I’ll never not want you. Even when we’re grey and wrinkly I’ll still think you’re hot as fuck’

‘If you’re trying to get me in the mood, talking about old people probably won’t help’ you told him, kneeling onto the mattress and his light laugh made you smile.

‘Noted’ he winked, shuffling back and inviting you to lay with him and once you were next to him he laid you back gently and kissed you with as much passion as he could muster.

He kissed you until you felt dizzy, your hands gripping at him where you could and when when you moaned into his mouth he rolled ontop on you so he could look directly down at you.

‘What do you want baby? You want my fingers?’

‘Mhmmm’

‘Yeah? You don’t sound so sure’ he teased but before you could protest he was talking again. ‘I think I know what you really want’

‘What’s that?’

‘You want my mouth, don’t you?’ He whispered lowly into you ear. The sound making you shiver and a gasp to fall from your lip at the sound of his dirty words. ‘Thought so’ he chuckled and before you knew it he was kissing down your neck as he grabbed the hem of your shirt.

You knew it was just Mason and he loved you no matter what, so you let him remove all your clothes as he placed kisses to your exposed skin. Pushing any nervous thoughts out of your head so on you could enjoy the feel of him again.

As soon as his lips touched where they needed to you felt yourself melt. Feeling like you were floating on clouds as he reminded you what you’d been missing out on for months as you tried your hardest to keep your moans at bay and not wake anyone. He made it difficult though. Getting back into the rhythm of things like he’d never been away and soon enough your fingers were getting tangled in his hair as he pushed you over the finish line.

‘Stop biting your lip, I wanna do that’ he laughed, as he made his way back up to your face. Kissing you so you could taste yourself and you let out quiet moan as he gently sunk his teeth into your bottom lip.

‘I’m trying to be quiet’ you laughed, lips against his as you spoke before he stole another kiss from you. Knowing he was ready and raring to go.

‘What do you want now baby?’

‘I want you. All of you,’ you told him. Watching a slight nervousness flicker through him and you wanted to reassure him straight away. Gripping the back of his neck so you could tug him back down for a kiss and as he got into it you began to undress him until you were both naked and needy for each other.

You knew he was watching you the whole time as he pushed his way inside of you. Your face contorting in pleasure as he took his time before bending down to press gentle kisses over your face.

‘Is that okay?’ He whispered, moving his hips slowly so you could adjust to him but you were already seeing stars after not feeling him for so long and all you could muster was a nod. ‘Yeah?’ Breathed, a sense of relief laced through his voice and you nodded as you tried to reassure him further.

‘Yes masey, keep doing that’ you moaned, louder than you’d intended to but it all felt so intense and you knew mason was feeling it too.

‘Should I slow down?’

‘No, just like that’ you sighed. Reaching up to grab his shoulders so you had something to steady yourself but also because you wanted to feel his skin under yours.

‘You wonder why I still can’t keep my hands off of you?’ He moaned, pulling up so he could hold you at your waist and take a bit more control. ‘Fucking look at you, you’re unreal’

‘Mase-‘

‘I know gorgeous. I’m with you, just let go for me’ he told you and you did exactly as he said. Letting him coax you through it until you were spent and he was flopping down gently next to you.

Sometimes you felt like this was your favourite bit. Laying skin to skin with your man as he gently stroked your back and you couldn’t help but nuzzle into him more as you made every second count. You’d missed these moments with him and from the way he was holding you close you knew he’d missed it too.

‘You okay?’ He whispered after a while. Feeling your eyes growing heavier as he lulled you to sleep but you looked up at him with a soft smile as he kissed your nose.

‘I’m perfect’

‘I didn’t hurt you at all did I?’ He questioned quietly but you shook your head so he knew you were fine straight away.

‘I promise you, I’m absolutely fine’ you told him. Pecking his lips softly before sighing. ‘I’m so comfy but I need to go and get Ryley. I don’t like leaving him in there alone for too long’

‘Stay there, okay? I’ll go get little man’ he reassured you. Kissing your head gently before untangling himself from you so he could get dressed and grab your boy.

You got dressed too whilst he was gone and you were just pulling your top over your head as he walked back in with Ryley cuddled into his chest. Your heart thumping at the way they were together and no matter when or where, watching Mason with a tiny human always made your knees weak.

‘Come on boys, mumma needs a cuddle’ you laughed. Jumping up onto the bed and letting Mason pass you Ryley before he laid next to you. His head on your chest as Ryley laid on the other side and you couldn’t stop yourself from looking down at Mason and seeing how happy he was to have some time with Ryley. ‘You okay, Mase?’

‘I’m better than okay’ he smiled, reaching up to give you a quick peck before nuzzling back down into your neck. ‘Thank you for everything, I never thought I could be this happy’

You didn’t have the words for him. Your eyes filling with tears as you kissed his temple but inside you were agreeing with him wholeheartedly. You too never thought you could ever be this happy but as you thought about where you were right now and who you were with, you knew right now your life and your family were complete.

Thank you so much for reading 🩷 I really hoped you enjoyed it and I’d love if you could leave me some feedback if you fancy it 😘

[daisydoox0-blog]

[thisisjustfanfic]

Cleaning up the Timeline

{You and Rafayel have a sleepover....there's very little sleeping.}

Read on ao3.

Tags: Reader/L&DS Men, Romance, Possessive Behavior, NS!FW, Rafayel has a strong nose, and even stronger fingers. SLight!Somn0

Chapter 9: Sleepover

Evening comes and you’re snuggled in bed. The light from the windows dimmed by sheer curtains and the sounds of the outside world completely lost to you.

Your phone was practically useless most of the time. Receiving messages at odd intervals, hours after they’d been sent. It sat in your bedside table, off, because the screen kept turning in randomly.

Your dreams are filled with sensations, though images seem to escape you. You can feel the warm skin and calloused fingers as they wind together, but can’t see them. Like your sight had been plucked from you, all only fragments of your other senses remained. 

The scent of sea salt and fresh air met you as lips dragged down the back of your neck, teeth biting down on your nape as hips slapped against yours. The pain from their canines only heightening the intense pleasure of their cock sliding inside. 

A shift and their body was gone— replaced with hands on your hips, digging tightly into your flesh as you used your trembling thighs to slide up and down. You could hear their pants, their pleas for mercy but no matter how hard you tried—- you couldn’t decipher who it was.

Frustrating in more ways than one, and the shards of dreams dissolved into the ether when a knock at your door drew you into lucidity.

Groggily you sit up, wondering if the knock had been real or just another part of the dream. But it came again, a little louder this time, and you groaned into your pillow.

On unsteady feet, you went to the door and opened it, a sleepy looking Rafayel leaning against the frame. He smiled when he saw you— soft but eager.

“Rafayel?” You mumbled out, forcing yourself to wake up enough to question him, “What are you doing here?”

“I had another bad dream.” Rafayel said with the most exaggerated pout and sad eyes. You’re surprised he didn’t stick out his bottom lip and flutter his long lashes at you, he was laying it on so thick.

“And?” You hum, rubbing at your dry eyes, “Did you want me to check under your bed or something?”

“Can I stay here for the night? Please?” Rafayel asked sweetly, but was already pressing into your room mid sentence.

“Really?” You croaked, “If you want a cuddle just say that. Lying is bad for your health you know.”

You mean it as a joke, hoping he’d take the hint and back away, but he doesn’t. He tilts his head and leans in, “It’s not a lie. I did have a bad dream and I want cuddles. Is that so bad?”

You sigh, hoping he doesn’t notice the red in your face in the darkness. (He does.) You turn back to your bed, too eager to get back to sleep to try and argue with him. If there’s one thing you’ve learned about Rafayel, it’s that there’s not much point in arguing with him when he wants something.

It doesn’t hurt that cuddles sound nice too, and you’d slept so good the last time he’d been there so why not?

“Don’t hog the blankets.” You warn as you step aside and let him in. He grins and pats your head, closing the door shut behind him.

He beats you to the bed, practically jumping onto the free side and climbing beneath the blankets. “As if I could.”

You let out another sigh as you climb into bed, sliding beneath the blankets which are still warm from your body heat. You’ve barely settled against the pillow before a hand snakes around your waist and roughly pulls you back against a solid chest. You wheeze a little as the breath is squeezed out of you, and then turn your head to glare at your assailant– who’s already pretending to be asleep. 

Though you want to argue, you decide against it. It’s hardly the most scandalous thing you’ve done these past few days, and what’s wrong with a little cuddling? It can even be considered platonic. You would consider it platonic, but something squirming in your chest debates otherwise. 

“I can feel you overthinking again.” Rafayel’s lips move against your ear, letting you feel the words almost more than you hear them.

“I’m not.” You whisper, turning back to face away from him, head sinking into the pillow. The windows across from you let in the light from the distant, bustling city. A soft, almost lunar glow. 

“Don’t worry so much,” Rafayel hums squeezing his arms in a teddy-bear hug, “Makes you stink.”

You jerk a little, “I don’t stink.”

A feathery laugh jostles the both of you as it leaves Rafayel’s chest, “No, not really. But when you think too much, you get stressed. And it smells like metal. Like copper and salt.”

You frown and shake your head, “That’s weird. You’re weird.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rafayel replies, “I think you’ve told me that before.”

“Go to sleep,” You whisper, feeling much to aware of how much of you is pressed against him. It feels different to when Xavier had you pressed from stem to stern. He’d actually been asleep, and not just pretending, and so sinking into him felt like relaxing into a pool of feathers and wooly down. 

Rafayel was not asleep, and so every nerve ending that touched him buzzed. Humming like the plucked string of a harp. 

He sighs and shifts a little, moving his hips more firmly against yours as he nuzzles his head into the pillow. “I am.”

That’s the last thing spoken, at least for a little while. Being in a city, there’s never really silence. An occasional car will pass by, casting reflections of its headlight across your ceiling through the cracks in the curtains. The hum of the central heating kicks on, and then off. A symphony of racket that combines into a familiar song.

The breathing in your ear is the melody. The final touch which sends your body submitting into decadent sleep. Drifting through tidepools of clear slumber. 

You’re swimming in that thick in-between between sleep and awake when Rafayel hums again, a deep content sound. He presses his nose into your hair and inhales, which you only register because it's followed by the silken press of lips to the shell of your ear.

“I like this scent much better,” Rafayel purrs, his hands pressing into the soft flesh of your stomach and drifting, moving without purpose, like the mindless push and pull of the tide. “Sleepy…and…sweet. Like strawberries…”

His words slink like a serpent into your sleep-addled mind, simultaneously lulling you further into oblivion with his syrupy tone and rattled into wakefulness with the heat in his words. 

All you manage is a soft, placating noise of acknowledgement. Your hands, which had been outstretched in front of you, pull inward, and your knees pull up a bit. Curling up into a tighter ball. 

“How can you still be…” Rafayel’s voice is more hoarse this time, and he flattens his right hand against your bellybutton and presses down, forcing your back to straighten and drawing you out of your curl. With a firm hand at the hemline of your sleep shorts, he presses you back to where you were before. Hip to hip. His breath stutters as you press back into him and feel the prominent hardness he ruts into you. “S-So…good.”

Your mind is still swimming, but in the most delightful way. Eased into a floaty, warm headspace by the heady shift of his hips and the tentative drag of his fingers. 

“Can I?” He rasps as he presses his nose to the pulse point behind your ear, quickly replacing it with his lips, pushing into you more. His pulse is fast and pounding, and his desperation to taste tempered only by the lack of permission. “Can I…please?”

You’re not even really sure what he’s begging for. But he’s begging. His voice a thready whine that wraps around you like a hangman's noose, making you lose the ability to breathe until you give in to him. It strangles you, the feeling of needing him. His plea falls like a command from a god, and you're nothing but a willing, lowly, supplicant. 

You nod and his breathing catches. A sharp intense inhale as his body jerks like a rubber band snapping. His hips press hotly into your ass, pushing the manifestation of his desire into you. Rutting through fabric that is quickly growing more and more irritating. 

At your silent permission, his tongue is immediately at your neck. Teeth nipping and lips latching to kiss and suck mark after mark wherever he can reach. His hand at your waist, pulls up, but only enough to slide his long, agile fingers beneath your shorts and underwear, sliding the demoniacal serpent in the garden of eden to where you’re wet and wanting. 

You gasp as his fingers slide against the seam of wetness, and the moan he lets out stutters as his middle finger finds how utterly soaked you are. Like a man rendered speechless at the gift you bestowed him, all for him. Are you really like this for him? He’s barely touched you. Such a devoted girl, responding to him perfectly. 

You don’t realize that it’s his voice in your ear muttering such utter filth and not your own thoughts. Not until he groans and presses his middle and ring finger harder against you. Finding your twitchy and hot. He explores the dewy region you’ve so graciously granted him access to, and he takes his time. 

It’s feather-light. It’s maddening. It’s not enough and he knows it, because you’re panting and whining. Rolling your hips down and back, trying to get him to touch you properly. 

The low, rumbling laugh in your ear, shoots like an arrow down your spine. His amusement at your delirious pursuit of pleasure only makes your hips jerk sharper. 

“Let me take my time,” He mumbles into you, no room for argument. “I’ve waited for this, so you can too.”

“P-please–” You gasp, the first word you’ve been cognizant enough to say, and it croaks out of you. Followed quickly by a string of high pitch whines and gasping breaths. You’re an instrument, a paintbrush. A tool that his fingers seem to know too well, stoked like a fire into a fever pitch.

Rafayel grunts when you slide just right against his cock, even through the clothing the heat of him is scorching, and you want to make him feel as mind-numbingly good as you are. 

With a soft growl he nips your earlobe, a sting of pain making you startle but also a spark of spineless pleasure right to your cunt. He’s swirling his fingers around your clit now, pressing hard enough to make you see stars and then backing off. “Be good for me, princess.”

You’re not sure if this is a reward or a punishment. You’re trying to be good, to do whatever it is that he wants if it keeps his hands on you. 

You’re getting close, rising up and and up and up, and the profane sounds of his fingers on your clit fill the room. Squelching, slippery sounds that Rafayel groans in reply to. 

Struck by the sudden desire to kiss him, you tilt your head to the side, mouth open and panting and searching for him. He growls and surges forward, using his free hand to push your neck into a painful tilt so he can press his lips to yours. 

He consumes you. Inhales your breath and swallows the noises you make. Nothing is left for anything else. He’d hoard your scent from the very air itself if he could. 

You break away to breathe, gasping for breath and try to twist more into him. He snarls– an animal sound that make you gasp as his fingers leave you. 

In a sudden flurry of movement, Rafayel throws the blankets away and onto the floor at the foot of the bed. He shifts to roll you onto your back, leaning over you to press your lips to his in a n open mouth, delirious kiss. His hands don’t stop even in the midst of the kiss. They yank down your shorts and panties, throwing them carelessly across the room and then moving to remove your shirt as well. 

You follow his movement. He’s the lead in this dance and you’re one step behind him. Skin bared he takes a moment to drink in the sight of you. He’s kneeling between your legs, hands gripping onto your thighs and sliding upwards. A strangled, half-repressed sound leaves him as his eyes rake up and down your exposed body. 

You reach for him, and he meets you halfway. Pressing another fiery kiss to your lips and he slides his hands back down to your hips, pressing his still wet fingers back to the apex of your thighs. He doesn’t hesitate to return to his circling fingertips, moving faster and harder than before. 

You collapse as pleasure grips you, falling against the pillows. Rafayel’s jaw is tight and his eyes burn. “That’s it, princess.” He praises you, and you lift your hips to meet his fingers, “Fuck, yes. Move your hips– that’s it  cutie. So good.”

He’s spread his knees apart to keep your hips elevated, and slides his fingers down to  press them inside you. Hooking them to press against the soft, squishy part of your insides that makes your vision darken. You squirm away from his hand, overwhelmed by the feeling and instinctively moving away from the intensity of it. 

“Uh uh,” Rafayerl reprimands. His voice is hushed but deadly and the hand that isn’t driving into you grabs a handful of your hip to keep you in place, “Don’t run from me, princess. Stay right there. Let me– fuck, yes–  Let me hear you.”

You do. Later, you’ll realize that the whole house can hear you, but right now isn’t about them. Nothing else exists except for this. Except for Rafayel and his magical figures. A maestro conducting his orchestra. 

Through heavy-lidded eyes you look up at him, at the absolutely wrecked expression on his face. Equal parts rage and desire, and for a moment you swear his cheekbones shimmer. Sweat probably, but somehow still ethereal. A trick of the light conjured by your misfiring brain because you also swear you see something deep red burn like the flicker of a candle flame over his chest. Peeking out from the collar of his sleep-shirt.

“I can feel you squeezing me,” Rafayel groans, “You gonna’ come for me. Yeah…yeah you are. That’s it. Ngh– oh, god. That’s it. Good girl. Good girl. Come for me. C’mon , princess, let me see it.”

Ever the obedient servant, you obey his command. Clenching around his fingers and cumming around them. You grip onto his wrist as you writhe, riding his hand as much as you can with his hand on your waist. 

Rafayel watches with rapt attention, searing the vision of you into his mind. The minute you start to come down from your effervescent high he’s over you again. Your legs around his waist and his chest pressed against yours. You squeal as your overly sensitive clit rubs against his pant, but he swallows the noise. Kissing you again and again. 

“So good,” He praises as you catch your breath, slowly  and gradually lessening the heat in his kisses until he’s peppering little sugar-sweet pecks across your face, your neck, your chest. He sighs against your skin and sits up, “You did so well.”

You swallow and try not to sound winded, “Can I?” You start but have to pant again before continuing, “Can I touch you?”

Rafayel’s shoulders shake with a warm laugh and he shakes his head. “Not necessary.”

Pushing yourself up onto your elbows you look at him with such a needy expression that his ears turn red, “I want to. Please.”

Rafayel laughs, a little more sheepishly this time. “I…I already– ah, I couldn’t help myself. It’s your fault really. It’s been a while, and seeing you…”

You can’t help but glance down at his crotch, stunned. His voice drifts off and you catch his drift. Where you expect to see a hard, aching bulge,  you see a prominent wet spot on the soft fabric of his sweatpants. 

“Oh.” You say lamely, a shiver running up your spine that he notices. 

“Let me clean you up,” He says, jumping off the bed as his face turns a deeper shade of red. 

Rafayel proceeds to clean you up. He doesn’t let you get up, asking which drawers are for what until you’re redressed in completely new clothes– even a fresh pair of undies. Hew tucks you into the blankets and strokes your hair, mumbling about cleaning himself up before he leaves the room. 

You’re half asleep when he returns, but the sound of the door reminds your drifting mind that you were waiting for him. 

When you reach your hands out to him, meeting him halfway as he climbs into your bed, Rafayel sighs into the embrace. He tucks you against him, pressing as much as he can against you and finally really settling into it. 

“I don’t want to overthink it,” You confess to him. He reaches up to run his thumb across your cheek. “But I don’t want to mess up either.”

“Impossible,” Rafayel whispers, sounding so fond it makes your heart ache. “I can’t speak for the others,” He takes another breath, “But I’d forgive you for anything, I think.”

You laugh at his absurdity, but something in your chest aches. “That’s not true. I’m sure there’s something I could do to get you to hate me.”

You’re not sure why you press it, but Rafayel doesn’t bite. He presses a kiss into your hair and sighs again sleepily, “You could crush my heart, kill my body, and I would still…still forgive you.”

His voice is barely a whisper, and you're struck so dumb by his words that you don’t reply. You let his devotion float in the air around you, wrapping around your heart like barbed wire. It hurts to hear, and you’re not sure. 

You want to argue, but he’s already snoring. And so you close your eyes, holding onto him a bit tighter– wondering why you feel so sad when you do.

--------------

You’re surprised Rafayel is still there when you wake up, and surprised more when its not painfully awkward. Your alarm sounds, and it’s like a practised routine. He squeezes you tight and then reluctantly lets you go, rolling over onto his own side of the bed as you sit up and check your phone. 

There’s a few texts to read. 

I can hear you all the way in the basement. 🐱 I wonder who could be making you sound like that? Or are you alone?

Sylus’ text makes your gut clench and your face turn bright red. No way he heard you in the basement. You might be loud, but you’re not that loud. He’s such a tease sometimes, and you dread the stupid, knowing smirk that’ll be on his face when you see him next. 

Are you alright? - From Xavier

Oh, I see. You’re not injured. - From Xavier

I have a mission coming up. I expect my turn before I leave. - From Xavier. 

Xavier’s three messages span over an hour as he slowly came to the realization of what’d you been up to. Your poor tummy twists again,  and desire curls again like a venomous snake. Sylus taunting you is one thing– the two of you teetering around the other with so much tension it could turn into fighting or fucking. Xavier, on the other hand, is so direct. Demanding his turn with such bluntness. You imagine Xavier in Rafayel’s place, plying you with his fingers you have to bite your lip. 

For some reason, your mind imagines Xavier as so much rougher. His movements are still precise, but brutal, coupled with a resounding smack to your ass whenever he thinks you’re not focusing enough on him. 

Where did that come from?

There’s nothing from Zayne, which is both a relief and a disappointment.

The last text stuns you. 

Hey! Where are you!? I’ve been trying to call you a thousand times, what happened?????? I came back from a mission and you’re gone! And your apartment is empty! Please call me! 

Tara’s text is frantic and missing the usual overuse of emojis. You rise from the bed and go to the bathroom, Rafayel sighing into his pillow the only sign he’s still there as you close the door behind you. 

You quickly call Tara, guilt eating at you as it rings. Once. Twice.

“Oh my god! It’s you!” Tara squeals from the other line, an odd series of beeps sounding before her voice which you dismiss as your buggy phone’s death knell. “Thank god! I was so worried! I was an hour away from starting to call hospitals!”

“I’m fine, Tara, I’m fine!” You assure as quietly but firmly as you can. “I didn’t mean to worry you. Captain Jenna put me on leave, and then my landlord found out and kicked me out. It’s complicated but I’m fine.”

Tara exhales a heavy sigh of relief, “I know you’ve been struggling lately, and I was worried….” She pauses, “I guess I was worried you might have done something. You didn’t…you didn’t do anything to yourself right?”

Your heart stops, “No, no! I wouldn’t– I mean, No. I didn’t do anything. I was in the dumps a little when Jenna put me on leave, but I’m okay now.”

Tara’s concern makes you nauseous. You know you’d been in a bad place, but had it really been that bad? It makes you reconsider why Jenna might have put you on leave, maybe she was worried you’d hurt yourself…it wasn’t unheard of. Hunters who chose death-by-Wanderer. 

“Where are you staying?” Tara asks sweetly, “You know you can come stay with me, yeah? I promise I’ll clean before you get there!”

You laugh lightly but then grimace. Her offer is genuine, everything about Tara is genuine. Should you consider it? You’d be out of the boys’ hair, and could maybe convince Jenna to give you your job back. 

Looking at the closed bathroom door, your heart sinks. Rationally, you know you should want to leave. You should want to return to your normal life, your normal apartment, and your semi-normal job of Hunting. 

But you don’t want to, and the realization of that makes you feel dizzy. “No,” You say before your mind has fully caught up, “I’ve got a place to stay. I’m good, I promise.”

“Well, call me when you can, ok?” Tara insists, “I’ve been fighting Jenna all morning for you. I can’t believe she would do that to you.”

“She wasn’t wrong for it,” You sigh, “I wasn’t performing up to standards. Besides, the break has been…enlightening.”

Tara is quiet for a moment, like she’s choosing her words carefully, “You’re coming back, right?”

“Yeah, of course! I worked too hard to give it all up. I love being a Hunter, I’m just…I just needed to clear my head that’s all. I’ll send the Captain a message and see what I need to do to come back, okay?”

You hear Tara’s cheery squeal crackle through the phone, “Oh good! When are you free? We need to meet up! How about karaoke? Or we could go dancing?”

You laugh softly, “Karaoke sounds fun. I’ve got a side-gig I’m doing right now and so I only have Sundays free. Oh, but not this coming Sunday…so next Sunday?”

Tara hums happily, “Next Sunday it is. I’ll text you. Don’t ever go off grid-like that again ok?”

“I promise. It won’t happen again.” You say apologetically, “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Just don’t do it again and you’re  forgiven!” Tara says in mock reproach, “I gotta go, text me ok?”

“I will, see ya.” You bid and the line goes dead. You sigh and set your phone on the counter, watching as the screen flickers off and then back on. The recent calls turned into the home screen and then back again. Damn, glitchy thing. 

You get ready for the rest of the day. It’s Saturday, and you need to work on laundry. Not to mention the pantry could use a reorganization. Your going through a mental list of things as you get dress, barely thinking about the man asleep in your bed. He doesn’t rouse at all as you move around, and you don’t bother him until your set to leave your room.

You gently touch his hair, moving the curled amaranthine strands from his resting face and then press your palm to the side of his face, “Rafayel?”

His brow pinches and he whines, turning away and digging his face into the pillow petulantly

“I’m heading downstairs.” You tell him, “I’ll see you later, ok?”

He mumbles something incoherent into the down of the pillow and you can only smile. It feels a little bittersweet to leave him in your room, but also kind of scandalous. Like he’s your little secret that everyone happens to know about. 

You shoot Tara a message to tell her you’re excited and aren’t surprised when it takes an age to send. Added onto your list is to have someone look at your phone, Sylus seems handy. Maybe you’ll ask him tomorrow.

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[finding-flight]

My great-grandma, A Crazy Person, bought a German Shepherd to be a guard dog, and then shot it because it barked at someone.

This happens all. the. time. Plus, killing someone else's animal is not okay either??? In some places, it's standard practice to clip barn cats' ears when they're spayed/neutered because people will just shoot at cats if they can't tell whether they're unaltered males or not. Not if they get into the chicken coop, just if they approach some trigger-happy person's property.

And don't get me started on "well, it was kinda the same color as a rattlesnake, therefore it deserved to die."

People in rural areas solve any animal problem ever without shooting at it challenge