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builtbybrokenbells · 1 year ago

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Catch-22 | iv

Sometimes new beginnings are really just the same old story hidden in disguise.

Masterlist

Read while listening: harvest moon - neil young

Pairing: Sam Kiszka x f!reader

Word Count: 14k

Warnings: SMUT 18+, unprotected sex, car sex, fingering (f!receiving), mentions of oral (f!receiving), praise, possessiveness/jealousy, biting, lots of dirty talk, mentions of masturbation, mentions of hookups/casual sex, name calling, drinking, mentions of addiction, mentions of cheating/cheating, arguing, swearing, fighting, mentions of breakups, crying, general angst/sadness, anxiety, sorry if I miss any!

i hate to say finally…. but finally some smut lol. sorry for the wait, and thank you for sticking around 🫶🏻 as always, be kind, enjoy, and don’t mind any grammar mistakes! (lightly edited, my apologies 😘)

“Where is my curling iron?” You exploded, pushing open the bathroom door with enough strength to knock it off its hinges. Your eldest sister peeked her head around her open door, looking at you with concern.

“Why are you screaming?” The house was full after months of the upstairs bedrooms being mostly vacant, and it had done nothing but cause chaos. Things were constantly getting lost, there was never any good food in the fridge, and it was beginning to feel like you were in high school all over again. As nice as it was for the first few days of the reunion, it was beginning to grow old. Brooke was back from her graduate studies for a few weeks to celebrate the holidays just the same as you, and Ellie was on Christmas break from high school. With all of you home constantly and nowhere to go, tension was begginning to rise at an alarming rate.

“I have somewhere to be in half an hour, and I can’t find it anywhere!” You explained, stress eating away at you.

“Did you have it in your room or the bathroom?” Brooke asked, now stepping out to join you in the search.

“I don’t know, I can’t remember.” You sighed, running a hand through your freshly blowdried hair. Brooke stepped towards the bathroom just as Ellie’s bedroom door opened. With a confused stare, she tried her best to piece together the cause of the commotion.

“Here!” Brooke called, sticking her arm out of the door, holding the exact thing you were looking for. With a sigh of relief, you grabbed it from her with a smile.

“Thank you.” You breathed.

“What’s got you all riled up?” She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“She’s got a date!” Ellie called out, rushing to join in on the conversation. Brooke raised an eyebrow, now curious about your plans for the night.

“Not a date!” You corrected, giving your youngest sibling a glare as you searched for the outlet to plug in the curling iron. “Dinner, and a very platonic one at that.” Ellie leaned against the doorway as Brooke hoisted herself up on the bathroom counter, both of them unwilling to retreat back to their rooms just yet.

“I wouldn’t be this worked up over dinner with a friend.” Brooke chuckled, looking through your makeup bag. “This is cute, where’d you get it?” She pulled out a lipgloss, inspecting the label.

“I’m not worked up,” You snipped, running a comb through your hair. “I just don’t want to be late. And I got it for my birthday, I don’t know where it came from.”

“Your friends have good taste.” She hummed, dropping it back in the bag as she continued looking through the rest of it. “Who’s your strictly platonic friend that you’re terrified to keep waiting?”

“No one you know.” You huffed, clipping the top section of your hair back. Ellie cackled at your dismissal, not willing to let you get away with such a lie.

“It’s Sam.” Brookes eyes widened as her head snapped up in your direction.

“Ellie!” You hissed.

“Sam Kiszka?” Brooke pressed, her eyes never leaving your face. “I never thought that would happen again.” Your face burned red, embarrassed and annoyed at their persistence.

“Nothing is happening, not now, not ever. It’s just dinner, catching up with an old friend. After this, we’ll probably never see each other again.”

“Uh-huh,” Brooke gave a slow nod, not believing a word you said. “Be careful, squirt. He’s notoriously good at breaking your heart. I don’t want to see you go through that again.” Your lips tightened as you held back a grimace, her reminder doing nothing but resurfacing an old ache in your heart that you’d worked hard to cover up.

“He can’t break my heart if he doesn’t have access it, and he most certainly doesn’t now, nor will he ever.” You muttered, wrapping your hair around the metal barrel of the curling iron. Brooke gave a slow nod, watching you struggle to keep the lock of hair in place. When it fell from around the iron for the third time, she rolled her eyes, slipping off the counter as she extended her hand towards you. “What?” You asked, looking at her through the mirror as you tried again.

“Let me do it.” She said, her tone soft and much more caring than usual. She would never say it, but every time Sam broke your heart, hers broke for you. She had her fair share of misery at the hands of boys, but never had she seen someone hurt another person so extensively. She had no idea why you were so drawn to him, and in turn, why he was so fascinated with making you fall for him only to throw it all in the garbage, but she was at peace with the fact she never would. Nobody else needed to understand the nature of your relationship, because it was yours and yours alone. As a sister, it was her job to call you stupid first and then comfort you through it later. She did her job well, and she would continue to do it for the rest of her life.

“Thanks.” You sighed, watching her curl the long locks of hair with ease. She grabbed a few clips from the counter and clipped the curls as she worked, choosing not to acknowledge your appreciation. Ellie took Brooke’s place on the counter, now taking her own turn to inspect your makeup bag.

“Has he changed?” Brooke asked, her stare fixated on the iron. She refused to look up and catch your gaze, fearful that you might see the apprehension in her eyes.

“I hope.” You shrugged. “He seems like he’s grown up, but every now and then, I see the same old Sam in his eyes when he looks at me for a minute too long.” You said, your own eyes fluttering towards the sink. “I’m not the same person, though, and I think that’s the difference. He doesn’t know me anymore, and he doesn’t have any power, either.” You were lying with a ferocious intensity, but nobody was willing to call you out on it. If there was one thing Sam knew, it was you; it did not matter if continents and oceans were between you, and not even if decades and centuries separated you from each other. It was a violent act of the universe to place someone with so much power over you directly in front of you, and you prayed that if his power had not lessened, your immunity to it had grown.

“And you’re sure that this is a strictly platonic event?” She said, moving on to the upper portion of your hair.

“Yes.” You assured her. “I made that very clear.”

“Good, because if you’re uncertain about that, he’ll pick up on it. They always do.” She did not hate Sam, and she never had. She hated the way he treated you, and she hated the way he promised things he could not do for you. Brooke found the Kiszka’s just as charming as you did, and she was no stranger to the difficulties of loving them. She had a brief history with Jake after the summer of her senior year, and they broke each others hearts more than you and Sam had ever done to each other in your entire lifetime. If she told you she was going to dinner with Jake, you would likely have the same reaction. “Is Josh home, too?” Her intentional exclusion of the other twin was duly noted, but it seemed as though all three of you had no interest in calling each other on your bullshit.

“Yeah, I saw him at the bar the other night. I didn’t talk to him, but I’m sure he’d love to see you.” She gave a dry chuckle at the formal response, but she did not believe you one bit. Josh felt for her the same as she felt about Sam.

“Leave these in until you’re ready to go.” She said, clipping the last lock of hair to your head. “If you don’t, you’ll ruin them.”

“Okay.” You nodded.

“I’ll get you a nice dress.” She said, patting your shoulder as she left the room. You knew her gestures were sympathetic, but you had faith in yourself to stay strong and refuse to give in to temptation. You had to, because you feared if you allowed Sam to break your heart again, you would never recover from it. While you waited for her to come back, you put on some foundation and dusted blush across your cheeks. You applied some light eyeshadow and mascara before swiping on a thin layer of lipgloss. By the time you were finished, Brooke had long returned and was lost in chatter with your youngest sister.

You picked up the dress from the counter, inspecting it closely. It was a simple one, but stunning nonetheless. You were grateful for her charitable contribution to your not-date, and you disappeared into your room to change. When you joined them in the bathroom, you held your arms out by your side as if to ask them what they thought. “You look beautiful.” Ellie gushed, always supporting you no matter if your decision was stupid or not.

“Thank you.” You breathed, beginning to unclip the curls from your head. When all of the pins were discarded in their place, you combed your fingers through the strands of hair and sprayed a touch of hairspray to keep it in place. Just as you set the can down, you heard your mother calling your name from the bottom of the stairs. Your heart sped as the anxiety began to creep back in. Ellie took to the closet, throwing a bottle of perfume at you, and Brooke searched a drawer for deodorant. As much as your sisters got on your nerves, they were your best friends in the whole world, and you knew that they would always have your back. When you were certain you were ready, you rushed to your room to grab a jacket and your purse. The other two met you in the hallway, ready to see you off.

“Have fun.” Ellie grinned.

“Be safe.” Brooke warned. “And smart.”

“I will.” You took a deep breath, trying to settle the shaking of your hands and your restless head.

“Can I come and say hi?” Ellie asked, hoping for a yes. She missed Sam, but not enough to overstep your boundaries. You couldn’t blame her for wanting to see him; he’d been nothing short of an older brother to her for years.

“F’course, bug.” You looked to Brooke, wondering if she would join. With a reluctant nod, she silently told you she’d follow. With little courage and a lot of heart, you took a step towards the stairs. You could hear joyful chatter sound from the kitchen, knowing that your mother had likely trapped Sam in an unavoidable conversation. When you stepped foot on the ground floor and peeked your head into the room, Sam seemed to immediately feel your presence. He looked to the stairs, giving you a smile that instantly warmed your heart and sent your stomach into a flurry of butterflies. You broke your stare from him, already regretting your decision to go out with him. A simple shared gaze from Sam was more powerful than anything from another, and you were slowly realizing that his hook was just as deep in your skin as it was the last time you saw him.

“You didn’t tell me you were going out with Sam, y/n!” Your mother scolded, but her tone was light. She was elated to see him, and despite your years of tortuous love, she still adored him like he was her very own son.

“My apologies, I’ll be sure to put out a flyer next time.” You said, trying to keep your humour alive despite the fear brooding over your head. You took a step closer to Sam, and the cloud of despair only seemed to grow larger. He was dressed in nice clothes, clearly just as anxious about the night as you were. When you were close enough that you could catch the scent of his cologne, you nearly fell to your knees in grief.

Sam Kiszka had never been just a friend, and he never would be. Before he even said a word to greet you, you were head over heels for him the same as you were all those years ago.

“You look nice.” You mustered the strength to speak, your eyes glued to his face as if it were the force that held you to the earth. You feared if you looked away, you would float away and descend into nothing.

“So do you, Rapunzel.” He extended his arm, drawing you in even closer. You accepted the gesture, melting into his touch as he wrapped you in a hug. It was the nicest interaction the two of you had since your duly cold reunion. When you pulled away, a part of you ached to continue the contact. Your body had been longing for him since you left him last, and now that he was within reach, you never wanted to let go.

“Hi, Sam.” Ellie cut in, a grin eating away at her face.

“Hey, bug.” He greeted her with just as much enthusiasm. “You’re all grown up now.”

“So are you.” She shrugged, chuckling at his surprise.

“Come here.” He beckoned her towards him for a hug, which she accepting happily. “How’s school going?”

“It’s high school.” She said, not knowing any better way to describe it.

“A little birdie told me that you’re the captain of the volleyball team?” He raised an eyebrow at her, curious to hear it from herself.

“I am.” She nodded, enthusiastic about the fact.

“That’s awesome, El. I know you’re going to do a great job.”

“Thank you,” she breathed, happy for the recognition.

“As much as I’d like to stay at talk all night, we’ve got a dinner reservation to make.” Sam said, casting a sideways glance at you. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah.” You nodded, slipping your jacket over your shoulders.

“Don’t be a stranger, dear. We’d love to see you again.” Your mom said, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder.

“Of course.” He agreed. “It was great seeing you again.”

“Oh, you too.” She sighed, reminiscing on the younger days when you and Sam were too little to get yourselves into any trouble. “Have fun tonight.”

“Thanks, mom. Love you.” You cut the conversation short, moving towards the door. Sam was close behind you, allowing you to slip your shoes on before he moved any further. When you looked over your shoulder at him, letting him know that you were ready to go, he made a move to open the door for you.

When you broke out into the cool evening air, you were brought back to reality with a ferocious sense of fear. The bubble of momentary bliss that came from having Sam around you and your family was so intense that it allowed you to forget about everything else. His arms wrapped around you felt so good that you were willing to overlook every injustice that he’d committed since the very beginning of time. As he opened the car door for you, you hesitated as you got in. Even if it was nice to be around him again, you were unsure if you were ready to deal with the consequences if the night ended poorly. Loving Sam was a dream come true, but being heartbroken over him was worse than any other pain in the world.

Sam Kiszka would be the death of you, and the small town of Frankenmuth would serve as a catalyst for the bitter end. For some reason, you were stuck believing it to be the other way around. You were not ready to accept that Sam was your vice, and not your childhood home that housed all of the hurt behind the walls. The house held what he had caused, but it was easier to blame the inanimate rather than the beating heart that moved in time with your own. He was the one thing that was impossible to give up, and on your deathbed you would still be clutching the memories with a fervor that none could understand.

“I’m happy you agreed to have dinner with me.” His sweet tone pulled you from your internal struggle, drawing your eyes towards his face and cementing your body to the seat below you.

Dinner was definitely not going to be platonic, nor had the agreement ever been reached with the intent of friendliness. You were both head over heels for each other and were hoping to relieve the happiest days of your lives while ignoring the worst of them.

“I am, too.” You whispered, begging your eyes to look at anything other than him.

“I was scared you might change your mind.” He confessed, both of his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly to ensure one would not find its place on your thigh. It was so easy to fall into routine with you; easier than falling asleep, and it was as dangerous as certain death. As badly as you feared getting hurt, he feared doing the hurting just as much. It was the worst curse in the world to only know how to cause harm to the person you only ever wanted to love, and it seemed like he was stuck with it. For him to blindly rekindle the love without first acknowledging the mistakes he made was reckless, and he wanted to show you he had changed.

“I’m surprised I didn’t.” You mumbled, finally freeing your stare from his face. You ran your fingers across the hem of your dress, mindlessly busying your hands so you couldn’t reach out to grab his own. The two of you were so similar, and the strength in which you felt for each other had never diminished.

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.” He shrugged, trying to keep his eyes on the road. It was hard when you were sat next to him, because you were the only thing he wanted to look at. “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” You said, looking out at the streetlights illuminating the dark roads. “It wasn’t for charity.”

“That’s good, I guess.” He chuckled, turning the stereo up ever so slightly. Your eyes flickered to the display, a fizzle of excitement growing in your chest. A small smile graced his lips, noticing the moment just the same as you did.

“Did you play this on purpose?” You accused, but the sparkle in your eye told you it was all playful.

“It’s the radio, Rapunzel.” He laughed. “I’m not smart enough to plan ahead that much.” You reached over, turning the dial up a few more notches.

“Sing it with me?” You asked, hopeful that he would agree.

“Always.” He assured you, his heart pounding against his rib cage as he anticipated the lyrics.

“Come a little bit closer,

Hear what I have to say” his soft brown eyes were staring straight into your soul as he sang. His fingers nervously danced over the fretboard, vibrating with fear but continuing with hopes of pleasing you.

“Just like children sleepin’

We can dream this night away

But there’s a full moon risin’

Let’s go dancing in the light

We know where the music’s playin’

Let’s go out and feel the light” he took a shaky breath as he prepared himself for the chorus.

“Because I’m still in love with you

I want to see you dance again

Because I’m still in love with you

On this harvest moon” you sang softly alongside him, adoration radiating from you and enveloping him in a cloud of comfort. He slowed his playing to a near stop, only the distant hum of the strings reminding you he’d been playing at all.

“Did you learn that just for me, Sammy?” You asked, your fifteen year old self never before being on the recieving end of such a romantic gesture.

“Yeah,” he chuckled, nodding his head. His eyes were still focused on his hands, almost afraid to look up at you. “It’s stupid, I know, but it’s your favourite.”

“It’s not stupid,” you shook your head, appalled that he would even think that “it was beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He breathed, finally finding the strength to meet your eyes. “I begged Jake to teach it to me. It was supposed to be a surprise for your birthday, but I couldn’t wait. I don’t know all of it, but I promise I’ll keep learning.”

“You’re the best, Sam.” You smiled, reaching out to cup his cheek in your hand.

“I love you, Rapunzel.”

“I love you more.”

God, how you wished it wasn’t true.

You were tired of living a lifetime where you always loved him more than he loved you.

By the time the song drew to a close, tears were prickling your eyes as your heart broke at the years of memories tied intricately to the song. He looked over at you, his eyes also damp with sorrowful reminiscence. “I haven’t listened to that song in a long time.” You confessed, a sad laugh sounding over the static hum of the radio.

“It reminds me of you every time I hear it.” He said, his eyes back on the road. It was not to ensure safety, but rather because he could not bear to look at you any longer without breaking down.

“Me too. That’s why I can’t listen to it anymore.” You bit down on the inside of your lip, stopping it from quivering from the tears begging to fall. “It’s still my favourite.”

“Mine too.” He said, pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant. “Maybe it was a sign, Princess.”

“Maybe so.” You sighed, swiping away any evidence of sadness that slipped onto your cheeks. “Guess we’ll never know for sure.” You hoped to god that he secretly planned the whole ordeal, mostly because it was too hard to digest the truth that the universe would always force you two back together.

“Maybe it’s better that way.” He offered, parking the car and turning it off. You hated to disagree, but you knew better than anyone that the uncertain was always more painful than certainty. That was exactly why your relationship with him hurt so much. You never knew how it would end, or if it would end for good. Your entire story with Sam ended on a cliffhanger, and you did not know if your heart could handle another one. “You want to go inside?”

“Yeah, sure.” You nodded, unbuckling your seatbelt. When you stepped outside, your bones were nearly aching from the cold air. Sam joined you by your side, wrapping an innocent arm around your shoulders to preserve any heat for you.

The outside of the small restaurant was covered in Christmas lights, all caked with a light layer of fluffy snow. Warm, yellow hues poured from the windows, inviting you inside with the promise of comfort. The open sign was flashing blues and reds at you, but the bulbs of the ‘O’ had blown out. You knew it would never be replaced; instead, it would be kept hanging and turned on (even in the darkness of the earliest hours, because someone always forgot to turn it off) until the very last light died. Even then, you were certain they would keep it there forever.

It was the fanciest restaurant on the downtown strip, but fancy in accordance to small town standards was nothing to call home about. The interior was nicely decorated, and the food tasted great (even if it was a bit pricey). They served good wine and had friendly staff, and you were content with his choice. He’d taken you here once before on a date, and you could recall it being quite enjoyable. Then again, time spent with Sam was most often spent happily.

He opened the door for you, allowing you inside first. When the door shut with a heavy thud behind you, he guided you towards the main room. He stopped at the front desk, letting the hostess know you were there for the 6:30 reservation. She grabbed two menus from her stack and guided you towards a secluded corner booth. You slipped off your jacket and placed it beside you as you sat down, watching as Sam did the same. They waitress asked if she could start you off with any beverages, in which you quickly asked for a glass of wine. Sam settled on water, knowing that he’d be driving you home. When she walked off to retrieve your drinks, Sam finally allowed himself to settle his focus solely on you.

“Josh and Jake are begging me to bring you over tonight.” He admitted, taking a quick look over the menu. “They miss you like crazy.”

“I miss them,” you chuckled, doing just the same. “Tell them they can always call me.”

“I think they’re worried about overstepping.” He explained. “Jake never really forgave himself for everything that went down.”

“It wasn’t Jake’s fault.” You said, furrowing your eyebrows in confusion.

“I know that, but you know what he’s like.” He said, a grimace crossing his face. “He thinks that because he invited you, he hurt you, too.”

“He’s an idiot.” You rolled your eyes. “I’ll have to go and see him, just to set the record straight.”

“Maybe,” he shrugged “he loves you just as much as I do. Just hurt him to see you hurting.”

“Tell him to blame it on his stupid brother.” You joked, sending him a smile, but he didn’t return it.

“He did that too, don’t worry.” He assured you. “They were pretty angry with me for a long time. I deserved every minute of it, but I don’t want you to think that they let me get away with it.”

“Oh,” you whispered, unsure of where to go from there. Part of you was happy that he received some sort of punishment for his behaviour, yet you felt guilty that they did so on your behalf and you never tried to stay in contact with them. There was a part of you that felt like you weren’t allowed to, that they were off limits and your relationship was only allowed to exist with them when you had one with Sam. Now that you thought about it, you realized how stupid you were for thinking so. The three other boys had been your friends for just as long as Sam had been, and you had punished them for a crime they did not commit. “I’ll definitely have to set that record straight, then.” He gave a solemn nod, pained at the memory of the look on your face that night. “Let’s put the sad stuff to the side, yeah? We came here to have fun, so let’s do that.”

“Yeah, okay.” He agreed, smiling at the waitress as she dropped off your drinks. “Is school considered a fun topic?”

“Depends; don’t ask me about my finals.” You joked, sipping at your wine.

“Noted.” He laughed. “How’s your classes, then?”

“Good.” You replied, still pondering your choice of dinner. “I took the big step and dived into poetry this semsester. Did you know that there’s so much to learn about writing pieces that take twenty seconds to read?”

“Yeah, it’s crazy.” He chuckled. “Poetry and music are pretty similar, right?”

“Yeah, I mean poems are basically songs waiting to be sung.” You agreed. “I wanted to wait until the end of my degree to get into it. Poetry’s always been my favourite, but it’s a lot to tackle. To me, it’s the hardest out of all the courses I’ve taken. I think it’s because it’s so emotionally taxing. The symbolism and the figurative language is really hard to perfect.”

“Harder than Shakespeare?” He raised an eyebrow, recalling his blatant distaste for the high school English courses that prided all of Shakespearean literature.

“I like Shakespeare, Sam. Not everyone hates it.” You reminded him. He raised his hand in surrender, showing you he wouldn’t argue it. “I only have three more classes to finish next semester, then the degree is in my hand.”

“You must be really excited.” He said, shaking his head in disbelief that time had stolen so much from him.

“I am, but not as much as I am scared.” You admitted. “I’m an adult now, and I have to get out into the world. I’m happy to have accomplished what I have, but I’m terrified at the same time.”

“This world has always turned just for you, Rapunzel. You have nothing to be afraid of.” He mumbled, his eyes falling to the table to hide the blatant love he held for you in his gaze.

“I used to say that about you, Sam.” You hummed, silently begging for him to look up at you. “The world can’t turn for the two of us.”

“It can.” He assured you, his gaze flickering back towards your face. “It has before, and it still can.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think that you were asking me to try again.” You said, noticing your wine glass was nearly empty. You made it a point to place it further away from you so you wouldn’t continue to give in to the temptation.

“I’m always asking you to try again.” He chuckled. “Even if it is indirectly.”

“That would defeat the whole point of a friendly dinner, would it not?” You questioned, leaning back in the booth as you studied his face. He was so different; the version of Sam sat before you was different from what you’d always known. He was older, and maturity graced his features. In his eyes, there was emotions that you weren’t able to place. His mind was different, too, even if you had a hard time to imagine it. When he spoke to you, the boyish humour and mannerisms seemed to disappear. He was replaced with a man that could only be described as a familiar stranger, and it hurt to see it. There was so much to be discovered, and so many forgotten feelings you were desperate to remember. You wanted to know him in all of the ways you once did and even beyond that. Not knowing Sam completely killed you, and you weren’t sure if you could survive another minute of it.

“It would.” He nodded. “That’s why I didn’t bring it up first.”

“So you were hoping I would?” You pressed, folding the edge of your napkin over itself to distract yourself from the thud of your heart against your chest.

“I’ve been hoping for two years that you would ask me to try again, even if I knew that it was never going to happen.” He was not shy to admit that he hadn’t moved on, nor had he ever tried. Even if the world seemed to work against you both, he knew that there was nobody that could compare to you. The love you gave him was sacred, better than anything he’d ever felt before, and he would go to the ends of the earth to feel it again. Before you could respond, the waitress returned to take your order.

When she went on her way, the air was filled with an uncomfortable silence. You did not know how to proceed, nor did you want to. Instead, you did what you knew best: avoiding the imminent elephant in the room with everything you had in you.

“How’s living in Nashville?” He watched you, stunned at your eagerness to move on from the topic at hand. He knew that you weren’t interested in rekindling any old flames, yet he thought you would at least want to talk about it.

“It’s good.” He cleared his throat, nodding as he spoke. “It’s lonely, but it’s good. It’s hard being away from home, but I’ve got my brothers there with me.”

“I never really felt that way.” You shrugged. “I guess maybe for a little while, but I was so glad to get out of here that I forgot to miss it.”

“Did you forget to miss me?” He was pushing his limits, seeing how far you would let him go before you put a stop to it.

“No,” you picked up your glass, realizing that intoxication was your best shot at making it through the night without any hateful comments. “I missed you more than I care to admit, but it wasn’t a happy feeling. It was bitter and resentful, but I certainly didn’t forget to miss you.” You swallowed down the last of the liquid, placing the cup down with a bit more force than intended. “Sorry, Sam.” You sighed. “I’m trying, I really am.” You promised.

“I know.” He said, chuckling at your inability to remain harsh. “Maybe that’s what we need.” He theorized.

“What?”

“You need to get it all out.” He said, giving you a smile. “You’ve been holding on to it for too long, and it’s killing you. Tonight is about moving on, so do it.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m following.” You let out a laugh, confused about his intent.

“Tell me everything you’ve ever wanted to say. Be as mean as you want. I’ll sit here, I’ll listen, and I’ll take it. God knows I deserve it.”

“I can’t do that.” You shook your head. “The past is the past, Sam.”

“Clearly it’s not living in the past. It haunts you every single day.” He leaned in a little closer, drawing your attention even further. “You deserve this, y/n.”

“Fine, you want me to tell you how I feel?” You asked, looking around to survey if there was anyone else within earshot. When the coast appeared clear, you flagged down the waitress to order two more glasses of wine. “I’ll tell you exactly how I feel, but you don’t get to be upset about it. You never get to throw it back in my face, and you never get to say that I was being too harsh. You asked for it, and I’ll give it, but you don’t get to go back on your word.”

“Pinky promise, princess. Those are sacred, remember?”

“Pinky promise it so it’ll last forever.” You raised your hand to him, holding out the digit while you awaited his response.

“What?” He laughed, looking at your hand with curiosity.

“You said we’ll be together forever, so pinky promise it. They’re sacred, Sam. You know that.”

“I do.” He nodded, raising his hand and intertwining his finger with yours. “I’d pinky promise you forever, Rapunzel, because I’ll never want anything more than you.”

You recoiled at his words as if he’d struck you across the face. Just as you did, your beverages were placed in front of you and the intruder was gone in an instant. “That. That’s exactly what I mean.” You snapped. “That’s why it’s so hard to love you, Sam. You walk back in my life after two years of fucking misery, and you remind me of all of these little things I’ve been begging myself to forget.” You hissed, furious that he would even bring that up. “You pinky promise to love me for the rest of my life, and you fuck it up, every time. You say that I’m your soulmate, and that I’m the only thing you want, but sometimes it feels like I’m the last thing you want.”

“Y/n-“

“No, you said I can say whatever’s on my mind.” You snapped, cutting him off. “I have loved you for my entire life. Sometimes it feels like loving you is the only thing I know how to do, or that it’s the very reason why I was put on this earth. I have given you my entire heart and soul, and I have loved you like my life depended on it since the minute I met you. I don’t think it’s brash of me to say that I was allowed to expect you to do the same.”

“It’s not, y/n.”

“The first time you broke my heart, I was devastated. I thought the world was ending. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep; I spent every single night sleeping in Ellie’s bed because I was too upset to sleep in my own. I let you come back, I forgave you and decided it was for the best to move on, and then you did it again!” You smacked your palm against the table, all of the anger coursing through your veins too strong to keep locked inside. “I swore I was done, and I promised myself that I would never let you hurt me like that again. When we went to prom, I had to beg myself not to fall for you again. Then you showed up with your stupid smile and your pretty eyes, and I fell in love without even knowing it. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but you’re also the worst. You’re like an addiction that I can’t kick, and I want to hate you so much that it makes me hate myself for feeling something so vile.” You chugged down the liquid in the newest glass in front of you, feeling the sting of tears in your eyes.

“The third time, I was convinced that it was forever. It was so different from anything that came before, and it was the longest that we had ever loved each other without hurting. I was planning to move to Nashville just to be with you when I finished school, to put all of my plans on pause so I could watch you live your dream!” Your hands shook as you pointed a finger at him, making sure to perfectly portray your hurt. You were on display for everyone to see, your betrayal and mistrust loud and your broken heart placed in a glass box for all to witness. “I walked into that house that night with nothing but love for you in my heart. I walked down the stairs after driving for hours to surprise you. I squeezed my way through that crowd just to be greeted by your arms around another girl while she stuck her tongue down your throat. You can hate me for walking away without saying anything, because that’s well within your rights, but you do not get to blame me for how I chose to move on from it.”

“I never blamed you,” he shook his head, a grimace on his face and tears shining in his own eyes.

“I packed up whatever was left of my life into a box, and I went back to Michigan State with the intent of never stepping foot in this town ever again. I was determined to forget you, or at least to hate you enough that it overshadowed all of the love, but I couldn’t even do that. I watched your name taunt me through a phone screen every time you called, I tortured myself looking at old pictures every night, and I killed myself over and over again as I replayed every tear filled apology left on my answering machine. Your memory has plagued me for years, and your touch has seared into my skin so much that there’s nothing left but scar tissue, and you get to waltz back in here and hope that I’ll give in and love you again?” You asked, the notion incredulous and unsettling you to the extent of insanity. “You see me at the bar, and you think you have the right to speak to me? You show up at my house and expect me to let you inside? And then you have enough nerve to ask me to dinner and hope that I end up in your bed?”

He had nothing to say. Instead, his head was pointed towards the table as the weight of your confession began to crush him.

“Is it a game to you, Sam? Is it fun to lead me on and let me go? Like fishing, a catch and release? You only want me until the thrill wears off?”

“Are you even listening to yourself?” He snapped, finally unable to withstand any more. “I have loved you just as much as you’ve loved me, for my entire life. You can accuse me of whatever you want, but you don’t get to accuse me of not loving you, y/n. I love you so much that it hurts, and it hurts me even more to know that I didn’t know how to love you right.” You sipped at your wine, washing the bitter taste from your mouth as he spoke.

“How else am I supposed to feel?” You rolled your eyes, finding his rebuttal weak. “You can’t say that you love me, then act completely different and expect me to believe you. Maybe I’m the idiot because I keep coming back, but I can’t walk away unless you let me go. This constant back and forth is going to kill us, and we owe it to ourselves to let go, Sam.”

“I can’t let you go, y/n, but you don’t get that. You just see me as the monster who wants to hurt you. We were kids when we fell in love. We loved each other without even knowing what that meant. I fucked up, and I’ll admit to that every day for the rest of my life, but I have never had intent to cause you harm.” He put his face in his hands, trying to wipe away the stress in his features. “It’s been two years. I live in a new city, and I have an entirely different life, but I still can’t seem to forget what it feels like to have you in bed next to me. I wanted to let you go, because part of me knows that it’s what’s best for you, and you deserve the peace after so much pain, but I just can’t do it. I saw you at that bar and I knew that we were there for a reason. Don’t you think after two years of nothing but silence, we should have made some progress? That we shouldn’t be this hung up on each other when we’ve been trying so hard to get over each other?”

For the first time since you arrived, you were too stunned to speak. There was no argument in your mind, because you knew he was right.

“I hate you, Sam. I hate you so much that it makes my head spin and my chest ache.” You muttered. “I’ve spent the last two years wishing I never met you.”

“I don’t blame you for feeling that way.” He whispered, trying to catch your eyes. “But I love you, Rapunzel. I don’t think I’ll ever stop. I'm afraid that if I let you walk away, I’ll wonder what life would have been like with you until the day I die.”

“I love you, Sammy.” You bit down on your lip, hiding the quiver that was taking hold. “I love you more than I could ever hate you, and that’s why it’s so hard for me.” You wiped away the tears littering your cheeks. “Every time I try to forget, I only ever seem to remember more. I will love you until the day I die, and I’ll still look for you even after death.”

“I’ve changed, Princess. I know you don’t believe me, and that’s okay, but you have to know that I’m not that person anymore. When I watched you walk away for what I thought was the last time, I knew I needed to be better, and not just for you, but for me. I can’t live my entire life hurting the people I love. When I saw you at the bar, I thought that maybe all of that work was for a bigger reason, and I finally had the chance to make up for everything that I’d done wrong. I couldn’t let you walk away without trying. I still can’t let you walk away without trying, so that’s what I’m doing. It’s not a sick game, it’s not a trick; I love you more than anything else in this world, and I know I always will.”

“God, we can’t do this again.” You shook your head, swallowing back a sob. He reached out, taking your hands in his. You hated that it immediately soothed you, the touch more comforting than anything you’d felt in the last two years of your life.

“We can’t, or you won’t?”

“Both! I don’t know, Sam. I don’t know anything! I came here tonight certain that I’d walk away with a clear head, but it’s only gotten worse. I thought I just wanted to be friends, but I know that when it comes to you, it will always be more.” You sighed.

“Look at me.” He pleaded, reaching out to guide your chin upwards. Your eyes connected with his, the tension between you two nearly too much to withstand. “I don’t know, either, but I do know that I have always loved not knowing anything with you by my side. I don’t need to know anything else, because when you’re around, it all makes sense.”

“Stop it,” you shook your head, but it was weak. “Don’t do that.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“You are.” You scolded, but you could feel a smile begging to break free despite your sorrow. Even when it was painful, there always seemed to be a part of Sam that made everything better.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He grinned, happy to see a spark of your old self still remaining inside your eyes.

“Stop,” you warned, holding back a laugh. “We’ve already made enough of a scene in the restaurant. They’re never going to let us back in here.”

“F’course they will. They need the business. Plus, it’s probably the most exciting thing they’ve seen all month.”

“You’re terrible.” You scolded, a giggle stuck in your throat.

“You love it.”

“I do.” You hummed, already in too deep to back away. His claws were deep, and you were too blind to notice the pain that stemmed from it. The temporary euphoria was too strong to resist.

“I'd like to kiss you, Rapunzel.” He whispered, his eyes locked with your own. “If that’s okay with you.”

“I don’t think it’ll matter either way.”

“Only if you want me to, y/n.” You took in a long breath, unsure of where to go from there. After a moment, you gave a weak nod against the hold of his hand.

“I do, Sam.”

Not even the slightest hint of hesitation was in sight, and within seconds, he leaned across the table and his lips found your own.

It was not earth shattering in any sense. There were no sparks flying nor an eruption of butterflies, but it was familiar, and god was it comfortable. It seemed as though it was the very thing your body had been yearning for, and suddenly, the world seemed right again. The ache in your chest subsided, and the emptiness that haunted you was filled with so much love that it began overflowing. You didn’t care that you were engaged in a blatant public display of affection, and you did not care that you were both uncomfortably laying across the wooden tabletop to engage in the aforementioned activity. The only thing that mattered was Sam, and he was the only thing that had ever mattered in your twenty-three years of living. Even when he was hurting you, and even when you were miles away, your heart only ever wanted him.

When he pulled away, the grief from the separation nearly brought tears to your eyes. You had missed him so much that you weren’t sure you could handle missing him again, even if it was superficial compared to what you had been feeling for the last two years. He looked over your face, the same type of yearning you felt for him. In that moment, you knew that all of what he said to you had to be true, because it was impossible to fake the emotion showing in his eyes.

“Do you want to get out of here?” He asked, still dangerously close to your face.

“Yes, please.” You nodded, your desperation evident, but little shame was to be found. With that, he sat back in his seat, pulling his wallet from his pocket and throwing a few bills on the table to cover your drinks and the meals that had yet to be served. He slid out of the booth, jacket in hand as he reached an arm out to you. You laced your fingers through his, grabbing onto your purse and coat as he pulled you to your feet.

In a mess of giggles, you both put your jackets on as you rushed out the door. You didn’t even care about the food you were so excited for, because your appetite for Sam was much more demanding. You were long overdue for a reunion, and the one you so badly wanted was not appropriate to be had inside a restaurant.

You could not even wait until you were in the car to touch him again. Before you were fully out of the restaurant, he was pulling you into his side, and before you had reached the vehicle, he had slipped an arm around your waist. He opened the door of the passenger seat for you, but before he let you climb inside, he pulled you into another kiss. It was heated, his body was pressed tightly against yours. The cold air could not even reach you, because you were too immersed in him. His hand was cupping your cheek, and his other had a firm grasp on your hip, holding you to him as if he was scared you would disappear. When you were both desperate for a full breath of air, he parted with great hesitation. He let his forehead rest on your own, not straying too far away from you in hopes that the closeness would make up for all of the lost time.

“I missed you more than you’ll ever know, Rapunzel.” He muttered, resisting the temptation to kiss you again.

“Me too,” you breathed, letting your eyes flutter closed. If you were not so aware of the effects of his searing touch, you would have believed it to be a dream. It would not be impossible for your brain to conjure such a story, mostly because you’d spent every night for the last two years dreaming to have him like this again. “We can’t go to my house. Everyone is home.” You chuckled, realizing that seclusion was near impossible with a family like yours.

“My family’s home, too. If I brought you back there, they’d never let you out of their sight.”

“We… we can go to our spot.” You said, almost reluctant to speak the memory into existence. It had been a long time since you visited, and you had already come to terms with never seeing it again.

“Okay.” He said, nearly brought to his knees by the strength in which he felt for you. He was almost surprised that you remembered it after so long, but he knew that if you felt even close to how he did, forgetting was the hardest part of living. In all of the time the two of you spent away from each other, not once could he remember what it felt like to be without you. No matter if it was years or miles separating you, the world was bleak without you by his side, and remembering with such clarity was the only thing that got him through it.

He placed another kiss on your lips, this one sweet and short-lived. He allowed you inside, and within an instant, he was in the driver's seat and the key was in the ignition.

You feared that the wine was clouding your judgment, or if the months worth of tortuous thoughts of him was driving you to make a decision that lacked any rationale, but when his hand slipped to your thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance, you knew that being with Sam was always where you were meant to be.

The drive was silent, filled by the radio singing you songs of love and longing. The lyrics, although not always about the emotions your heart was feeling, seemed to twist and morph into a perfect descriptor of the love you had for him. You hated that no matter what it was, whether it be a song, a poem, a movie, or a couple sitting next to you on the bus, it was impossible not to see a picture of you and Sam, love struck and completely lost within each other. He was the whole world, and you just lived in it, begging him to be kind to you so you did not have to face any more tragedy.

He pulled on to a little dirt road, so secluded that the street lamps could not even penetrate the darkness. The headlights of the car did little for your visibility, but he had no fear of finding the place he’d missed so deeply. He would find his way back to it bloody and blindfolded, because it was the only spot where his heart truly felt at home. From the main road, there was a small cut off in the tree line. It was a trail so easily missed by those who weren’t looking, and it had quickly become your favorite hideaway. At the end of the narrow trail sat an opening. There was a plateau, dirt covered in a thin layer of snow that was fenced in by an old, rust eaten guard rail. Beyond the weathered metal was a plethora of trees that bordered the sky, and a clear view of the busy streets down below.

If you could go back in time and thank the curious teenage version of yourself for finding it, you believed even that would not be enough.

He parked the car and let it idle, fearful that the cold might claw its way into the comfortable bubble you’d grown inside of the vehicle. He looked to you, admiring your face that was illuminated by the extremely minimal daylight still hanging on to the bottom of the sky. The moon was overhead, the white glow casting a serene aura over the two of you.

“You know, I always said that I would ask you to marry me, here.” Sam whispered, wanting to look out at the breathtaking beauty of the landscape, but his eyes were glued on you. In truth, he knew that whatever lied outside the car window had minimal impact compared to the sight of your face.

“Don’t get any ideas, Kiszka.” You warned. Still, as you looked over at him with just as much adoration, you knew that if the words tumbled past his lips in a mess of anxious thoughts, you would say yes before he could even finish his sentence.

That was the horrendous thing about loving Sam; no matter how much he hurt you, or how long it had been since you were last with him, you always loved him just the same.

“You deserve more than a spur of the moment proposal.” He assured you, but did not deny the fact that he would still ask you to marry him given the chance.

“You don’t have to sweet talk me anymore; you already got me here.” You were captivated by his stare, unable to look at or think of anything else. The night was a whirlwind, and you had no idea how you ended up in such a position, yet there was a small part of you that knew long before you got in the car that you would end up immersed in him sooner or later.

“I’m not saying it to get what I want,” he said, pushing his seat all the way back. “I’m saying it because I want to, and because it’s true.” He extended his arm out to you, an invitation that you could not refuse. With his help, he guided you across the console and into his lap.

“You always know just what to say to get me to fall in love with you.” You said, raising a gentle hand to his cheek. As your fingers ghosted over the skin, you were struck with a type of longing that you could not even begin to comprehend. He was the same person who sat below you all of those years ago, with the same bumps and scars on his cheeks that nobody else had ever cared enough to notice. He had the same love in his eyes, and the same familiar scent that you could only ever describe as home. He was older, and so were you, but you were still the same stupid kids who fell too deeply in love.

“Why is it always my fault? Maybe I’m not doing anything at all and you just love me, Rapunzel, and you don’t want to admit it.”

“It’s easier to blame you than to admit that after all this time, I still feel the same way about you.”

“Then I guess I should start blaming you too, then.” He reached up, tucking a strand of your curled hair behind your ear. The night casted a dark shadow over your face, but not even the night could diminish the glow of your beauty. To him, nothing could ever outshine it. “I love you, y/n, and I never stopped loving you. I tried, but it’s impossible. This world is only worth living in if I get to love you.”

“All that song writing seems to have turned you into a sap.” You teased, but you couldn’t deny the swell of your heart as he spoke.

“I think it’s just you.” He admitted, his hand resting on your hip as he drew your face closer to his own. “All of those songs that I wrote always seem to come right back to you, Princess. You’re in everything I do, even if you don’t want to be. I can’t help it, and I can’t seem to stop.”

“Right now, I don’t want you to stop.” You chuckled. “I spent all of that time wondering why I couldn’t get over you, and why it was so easy for you. Maybe we’ve just gotten really good at pretending.”

“Maybe I’d make a good actor too, because nothing about these last two years have been easy, except for this part. It’s always easy with you, and it’s always been easy loving you. I just wish that I wasn’t so stupid, and I wish that I knew how to do it better, back then. You didn’t deserve a single thing that happened, and it kills me to know that I hurt the person who was willing to give me the world.”

“Shut up.” You shook your head. “I don’t want this to be sad. This isn’t supposed to be sad.”

“Okay,” he agreed, nodding as you spoke. “No more sad.” You gave him a half-smile. It was all your brain could muster as you watched his face, too enthralled in the small detail that you’d missed so much. Even after spending so many days denying it, you wanted this version of you to know that version of him, even if it may not last. You thought it was a shame for any version of you to not know him, and vice versa, because after so long spent loving someone, you felt cheated to miss out on any of it.

You leaned down, kissing him softly as your fingers laced with his hair. His hand tightened on you ever so slightly, showing you that your advance was welcome. You knew that even if the two of you sat there all night and never went any further, he would be just as happy. He never expected anything more than you were willing to give, and it was one of the very things that made him so unforgettable. But, you had been deprived of his touch for too long, and denying yourself any gratification was out of the question. You needed him more than you needed water, and you knew that the desperation was shared between you.

As his teeth sunk into your bottom lip with great caution, your hips grinded against his growing erection. It was a response that was automatic, and it sometimes felt as though your body would constantly be in search of his own. His hands moved to your thighs, his fingers snaking their way under the skirt of your dress and hiking it all the way up to your navel. Without breaking the kiss, his hands found your ass, pulling you down on him with a little more force every time your hips made a move of their own.

“God, I missed having you like this.” He muttered against your lips, nearly in euphoria just from the small movements.

“Me too,” You sighed, just as far gone as he was. “I thought about this every night.” You admitted, which was no lie. After the anger passed and the ache of missing him subsided, you often thought of his hands on you and his lips on your skin. Sam was your biggest guilty pleasure in every sense of the statement.

“Yeah?” He let his eyes flutter to your hips, nearly crazed by the thought of what was to come next. “Every night?”

“Every night.” You confirmed, uncaring about the blatant desperation laced in your words. You didn’t care if he knew how badly you wanted him, and you didn’t care if he knew how often you dreamed of it. Sex with him was the best you’d ever had, and even on the rare occasions that you’d find yourself with company for the night, you were still thinking of him. When the door closed behind the men you cared little about, it was Sam's face pictured so clearly in your mind as you made quick work at getting yourself off. He was the only one who ever knew how to do it, and he was the only person in the world who could make you feel this good.

“You had nobody to take care of you all this time?” He crooned, his eyes crossed with stars at the idea of you still needing him so badly.

“No one is as good as you.” You knew you shouldn’t be inflating his already too-large ego, but you couldn’t help it. It was so easy to want to please him, and even easier to do it.

“So you had no one to do it right.” He corrected, his jaw clenched tightly at the thought of someone else’s hands on you. He knew his jealousy was misplaced, and you being with other people was only a direct consequence of his own actions, but it still stung. Instead of punishing you for it, he knew that the only thing he could do was prove himself to you once again. “You poor little thing.” He sympathized, reaching one hand between your legs to relieve the ache that was steadily growing. You leaned back slightly, making the position a little more comfortable for both of you. His fingers ran over your clothed cunt, the action sending a shiver down your spine. You needed him so desperately that you weren’t sure you could wait a second longer. “This is what you need, baby?” He asked, his voice low and his eyes fixated on his hand.

“Fuck, yes.” You muttered, watching him watch you. His pleasure ridden expression was almost too much to bear, and you knew that nobody else in the world would be so pleased with pleasing you.

“Okay, angel.” He hummed, adding a little bit more pressure to his touch. “I’ll give you what you want, but I think we have some catching up to do.” He said, his eyes flickering to your face.

“What do you mean?” Your words were breathy, and you were barely focused on anything he was saying. The only thing you could think of was his hand between your legs and how long you’d waited to feel it again.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, Princess. There’s lots that I missed out on.” He explained, his fingers pulling the fabric of your underwear to the side to allow himself access to you. “I’ll keep touching you as long as you keep talking to me.” You wanted to protest, knowing Sam well enough to know that his antics were not going to be as fun for you as they were for him, but as his fingers slid through your arousal and traced over your clit, you were willing to do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it. “Does that sound okay?”

“O-okay,” you stuttered, already lost in the feeling of his touch.

“Good,” he hummed, carefully inspecting your expression as he continued his movements. You were irresistible to him, and he was just as much of a fool for you as you were for him. “So you’ve had no one to take care of you all this time?” He asked, the pad of his finger circling around your clit with a steady pace.

“No,” you let out a shaky breath, overwhelmed by the feeling.

“You’re telling me nobody knows how to treat her right?” His middle finger slid down towards your entrance, waiting to go any further until you responded.

“No, Sam.” You shook your head, placing your arm on the seat to brace yourself upright.

“Tell me what you did instead.” He said, locking his eyes with your own.

“W-what?” You stuttered, shocked at the filthy question. You had grown, and that was for certain, and even for a moment, he felt like he was having sex with an entirely different person. Then, your eyes would catch his own, or you would stumble over your words and your cheeks would dust red with a blush, and he knew that you were still the exact same woman he fell in love with so long ago.

“You said that nobody knows how to take care of you, so I want you to tell me what you did instead.” He repeated, slipping one digit inside of you. You let out a hiss of pleasure as your head fell backwards in bliss. “Tell me exactly what you did, sweet girl.”

“O-oh, god.” You groaned, feeling the familiar pressure pulsing in your stomach. If he wanted to play dirty, you could, too. “After I kicked them out, I locked the door behind them and turned off all the lights.” Your voice was weak, but he was listening intently. “Sometimes, I’d even light a candle or throw on some music.”

“Mhm,” he prompted you to continue, his eyes steadily flickering from your face down to your cunt.

“Then I’d get into bed, and I would make sure I was really comfortable. I’d close my eyes, and I’d think of you. I’d remember how good it felt when your hands were touching me, how nice it felt when your lips were kissing me.” Your breath hitched in your throat as he added another finger to you. “What I thought about the most was your tongue, and your head between my legs, and how much you loved to be there. I thought about how good it felt, and it would get me so bothered that I had to slip my fingers between my legs and touch myself while I thought about it.” He let out a groan, his eyes squeezing shut at the sound of your obscene story. He added his thumb to the mix, letting it brush over your clit with every pump of his fingers. The stimulation was fantastic, and he could tell you were getting close. As he felt you clench around his hands, he recalled all of the other times he’d made you cum the exact same way.

“Such a bad girl,” he let out a disapproving tsk “getting off to me after having someone else in your bed.”

“I had to, Sammy.” You pleaded with him, but you were unsure why you felt the need to defend yourself. “They couldn’t do it right. They couldn’t do it like you.”

“I know, baby.” He sympathized. “Nobody knew how to make my sweet girl feel good. That’s not your fault.” He assured you. “But, I need to hear you say it before I make you feel good, Princess.” You knew what he wanted, and you were almost willing to give it to him. You were so close to an orgasm that you were certain you would do absolutely anything he asked of you. You opened your eyes, first noticing the strained erection against his jeans. You swallowed hard, knowing that you would give anything for him to fuck you, now. You needed him so badly that you couldn’t even comprehend it. When you looked up to his face, a whimper left your lips. His eyes were blackened with lust, crazed at the thought of having you wrapped around him again. “Say it, and I’ll let you cum. I’ll treat her just how she deserves.”

“Nobody else can make me feel this good, Sam.” You let out a shaky sigh, hoping that he would be kind enough to grant you the pleasure. “You’re the only one who can do it right. I need it, baby. I need you.” His head fell back against the seat, a guttural groan tearing through his chest at the sound. He loved knowing that you were his, and you had always happily obliged to the need.

“That’s it, angel.” He was heavy on the pet names, unsure of how else to show you how much he still cared. If you still weren’t sure of it by the time the night was through, he did not know what else he could do to prove his point. “Show me how much you missed me,” he ordered. The permissive statement washed over you with a fervent intensity, and it was only seconds before you descended into the climax. Curses and moans filled the air, and his name painted the windows along with the sinful fogging of the glass. Your sin was all but written on the vehicle for everyone to see, and you had missed him so much that you could not even fathom any consequences that may come after. Your legs were shaking and you were covered in a thin layer of sweat. As you came down, he tapered his movements and withdrew once he knew he had drawn out the pleasure for as long as he could.

As you collected yourself, he undid the buckle of his belt and unzipped his jeans. “That was so fucking good, Sam.” You breathed, head still spinning with euphoria.

“Yeah?” He hummed, freeing himself from his boxers. You shifted backwards, giving him a little bit more room to work with. As you did, you bumped into the steering wheel and applied pressure to the horn. The loud honk startled you, causing you to jump in response. He let out a laugh at your mishap, finding the hiccup hilarious and perfectly fitting for the two of you.

“Are you laughing at me?” You huffed, feeling your heart still pounding against your chest.

“I’m laughing with you, Princess. There’s a difference.” He corrected, reaching out and wrapping his arm around your waist.

“Whatever,” you rolled your eyes, feeling your cheeks tinge red with embarrassment.

“Come here, honey.” He chuckled, drawing you closer to him. “You don’t ever have to be embarrassed around me. You know that.” He lined your hips up so the tip of his cock was resting against your entrance.

“I know,” you grumbled, already forgetting about the incident and only thinking of what was to come next. Without any further discussion, you lowered yourself down on him and silenced any conversation indefinitely. He let out a hiss of pleasure, the feeling taking him by surprise. A sigh of relief left your lips as you began to move, the sensation so familiar even though it had been years.

“Fuck you feel good,” he groaned, placing his hands on your hips to help you move. With every movement, he pulled you down on him even further, heightening the impact and increasing your pleasure. “I thought about you too, Princess. Every fucking night.” He admitted, moving one hand to the top of your dress to free your breasts from the fabric. “Wished that I could have you there with me so I could fuck you in every one of those fancy hotel rooms.” Your face flushed at the idea, the confession blunt, but it sent a whole different flood of arousal through you. Sam was otherworldly; no other boy in the world held a candle to him romantically or sexually. He was your whole world, the reason your heart continued to beat, and the very thing your soul searched for every minute of the day.

“I missed you so much.” You gasped, feeling the tip of his cock hit the sensitive spot he knew so well. His thumb brushed over your nipple, the soft tickle sending goosebumps across your skin. “I missed this so much.”

“Me too, Princess.” He leaned forward, capturing your nipple in his mouth. A gasp left your lips, your hips bucking against him as his tongue ran over the sensitive skin. His hand traveled to the back of your head, gathering your hair in his fist as he gently pulled your head backwards. His lips trailed upwards, his tongue gliding across your skin as he left marks to remind you of the reunion in days to come. He let his teeth sink into your collarbone, doing everything in his power to drive you over the edge. He was so deprived of you that he wished he could keep you there with him for the rest of time. He was terrified of losing you again, and some part of him believed that sex would keep you with him longer. There was no act he was unwilling to commit to keep you wrapped around him forever.

As he connected his lips with yours, your body ignited with an unfamiliar feeling. There was a fire burning within you, now, one that had long burnt out and could not be reignited by anyone other than him. All it took was one dinner and you were just as crazy for him as you were in high school. His love was a curse, a vile addiction that ravished your body with intent to leave nothing behind. He was evil, maybe not as a whole, but definitely to you. The things he made you feel were ungodly, and the ease that he had while doing so was heinous. You knew he was bad, but you couldn’t get away, and now, you didn’t even care to. His sin felt like bliss, and when with him, the euphoria was incomparable with anything else.

You were doing every single thing you swore to avoid, but it felt so good that you managed to convince yourself that this was what you wanted all along.

The two years worth of tears and agony meant nothing now that he was back in your arms. The hurt was obsolete, replaced with all of the love that was once shared between you. In that moment, you felt so good that you almost forgot every bad thing that ever happened. He was just a boy, and you were just a girl so hopelessly in love with him that you could not see him for what he truly was.

“Can you cum for me again, baby?” He asked, breaking the kiss for only a moment.

“Yeah,” you nodded, desperate for another release. You had not had an orgasm like that since the last time you were so sinfully intertwined with Sam, and you were selfishly in search of more. For once in the entire history of your relationship, you were moving with a selfish intent, and if he had to admit, it was intoxicating. To see you so crazed for pleasure and so determined to fulfill your needs was almost too much for him to handle. He was ready to come undone, and he was close to an orgasm before he even started fucking you. Pleasing you was the most pleasurable thing he’d ever done, and he would do it until the end of time if he knew it would make you happy.

“Come on, angel.” He pleaded, knowing that he could not hold on for much longer. You let out a whine, feeling the knot tighten even further. Your movements up until that point were steady, but now your hips were stuttering and your legs were shaking with the intensity of the impending climax. He reached his hand between your legs again, his fingers finding your clit in hopes of driving you over the edge. He knew you well enough to know that it would work, and within minutes, you were a mess. You could barely speak his name; your brain was rotten with impure thoughts about the man below you and what he was capable of. “That’s my girl,” he purred, moving your hips for you so you could get the most of your orgasm.

“Fuck, Sam.” You moaned, the possessive proclamation sending you into another wave of madness. As much as he enjoyed knowing that he was yours and that he was the only one who could treat you right, you were absolutely feral at the idea of being his. It felt like it was what you were put on earth for, and him, too. You were meant to be his, and he was meant to be yours, even if the world threw obstacles and challenges at you every other day. “I love you.”

The dreaded slip of words stole the air from his lungs and made his body weak.

Oh, how long he’d been waiting to hear you say it again.

He only had enough time to say it back before his orgasm came hard, sending him into the same state as you had been just seconds before. He pulled your hips down on him as he spilled his release into you, muttering curses mixed in with your name. The sound was heavenly, and you knew that there was no better one in the entire world. When you both relaxed from the excitement, he leaned back into the seat and pulled you into him. You let your forehead rest on his while hearts danced in both of your eyes. You let out a long sigh, your skin tingling with the ghost of pleasure and your body light without the stress of sexual tension in the air.

“I was hoping for it to be more romantic than this.” He admitted, letting his fingers trail over the soft skin on your thigh.

“So you were planning it?” You smirked, knowing that this had been his intent the whole time. Although you had denied it, you were secretly hoping for the same outcome.

“We’ve never been good at friends, Princess.” He reminded you, wishing he could live in the bubble of comfort for the rest of his life.

“No, we are good at being friends. We’re just not good at staying friends.” He let out a chuckle, leaning forward and pressing his lips to your own.

“You’re right. We’re not good at staying friends.” Neither of you were willing to bring up the proclamation of love, nor did you even want to. The moment was too sweet to ruin it with any talk of the future. The future always ruined the sweetness of your relationship; the uncertainty of where you would end up, whether that be someone moving away or another breakup, always seemed to dampen the mood. You did not want to think about what would happen next, because your fear was nearly paralyzing you. You wanted so badly for every moment to be this happy, but with your history, you knew it wasn’t possible.

He slowly withdrew from you, sliding your underwear back in place to contain the mess. With his help, you climbed back into your own seat. For a few moments, you both sat and stared out at the sky, unsure of what to do or say. Eventually, he slipped his hand into your own and gave it a gentle squeeze. The tightness in your chest lessened with his touch, but the fear did not dissipate.

“I should probably get home.” You whispered, your eyes fixated on the dark tree line.

“Sure, Princess.” He said, his eyes flickering towards you. He knew that vacant stare, and he knew the withdrawal all too well. He was afraid he did the exact opposite of what he intended and pushed you away for good, and he was too afraid to ask. He did not know if he would be able to handle the answer. Hesitantly, he pulled back out into the main road and began the journey to take you home.

You watched as the city passed you by, dread settled deep in your stomach the closer you got to your house. As gratifying as the sex was, you knew now in your new-found state of clarity that it was a mistake that was nearly fatal. You were so adamant about not letting Sam back in your life for a reason, and you were angry with yourself for overlooking it in exchange for momentary pleasure. You looked over at his face, pained at the sight of his beauty. He was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen, yet it was haunting, and incredibly dangerous. Loving him was easier than falling asleep, and knowing that he held so much power over you was terrifying. You wanted to believe that he would never use it against you, but history has a terrible tendency to repeat itself, especially when it came to your own.

The truth was harrowing, and it was deeply unsettling; You loved Sam so deeply, but it had always been at a cost that you could never afford. You loved Sam, but this time, you weren’t sure if you were as willing to risk your life for it as much as you were the last.

TAGLIST: @itsafullmoon @freefallthoughts @lightsofthe-living-gvf @heckingfrick @sagekiszka @clairesjointshurt @thetroublegetssoloud71 @torniturntomyarrow @dannythedog @jordie-gvf

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headfulloflettuce · 2 months ago

Text

The Human Who Fooled All of Prythian

26. Toxic Tea

Note: I edited a couple chapters for grammar. Although I always edit before posting I don’t always catch my mistakes, so you may see some very minor changes. I also changed the ‘Oh my God’ quote in the summary, and subsequent chapter, to ‘By the Mother’ because I want to be consistent with the fae using appropriate phrases to differentiate them from the humans.

I also realized that in Chapter 8 - The Hunt, Calypso is referred to as Tatianna several times. I have fixed this now and she is addressed appropriately as Lady Calypso. I apologize for the discrepancy.

“What do you want to do first? I was thinking we can grab lunch and then meet the critters I mentioned last time.”

“That sounds like a pan to me.” Cosette said, pulling off her cloak, following Briar down the hallway of the palace.

I still cannot orient myself in this place. How this woman knew where she was going was beyond me.

Cosette couldn’t help the slight feeling of envy as she looked at Briar’s clothes. A detailed blouse accompanied by a warm skirt that went down to her knees.

I bet just those boots alone could fund the renovations for our second floor in the perfumery.

She shook her head.

Stop it Cosette. What are you even thinking about? Wanting nice things is great and all but this is your friend.

‘Friend’.

The term felt weird to Cosette when she looked at Briar but she couldn’t quite place why.

“Briar, Cosette, what are you two doing here?” Viviane approached the duo, a servant and a modestly dressed fae behind her. The Lady of Winter wore a silvery blue dress with a low slit, the top of which had various designs of snowflakes and swirls that faded into the dark fabric at the bottom. Her arms were carefully wrapped around a small bundle.

“I invited Cosette to hang out, remember?” Briar walked over to Viviane, giving the bundle a small kiss, “I am going to show her the barn with the retired animals.”

“Oh, but you have your etiquette class right now.” Viviane’s expression shifted to one of worry.

“I do? But I was certain that I rescheduled it.”

“It seems I must have missed a memo.” the modestly dressed fae spoke up.

“Well, that is quite unfortunate. I apologize that you came all the way out here.” Viviane gave the teacher a hesitant, but dismissive nod.

“It’s no problem really.” the tutor sighed, giving the Lady of Winter a smile.

Briar glanced nervously between the two faes, uncomfortable with the situation.

“W-Wait.” Briar said, turning to Cosette, “Would it be alright if I did the class, and then we hung out? It only lasts an hour and a half.”

“Yeah, sure, it’s no problem.” Cosette nodded.

Viviane gave Cosette an appreciative smile, “I am so sorry about all this.”

“No, it’s alright. Accidents happen. I can wait a bit.”

Lord knows how many times I messed up my schedule back on Earth.

The group, led by Viviane and the tutor, entered a room further down the hallway which was cleared of most common decorations typically present in a Winter Court’s palace room. The only things that remained were two tables, one in the center of the room and the other next to a large book cabinet.

Viviane sat down in one of the seats beside the cabinet, gesturing for Cosette to do the same. Meanwhile, Briar approached the table in the center, where the tutor began her lecture, showing Briar the proper way of bowing depending on the status of the fae she was encountering. Cosette watched as Briar imitated the movements of the tutor, while Viviane watched Cosette with a curious expression.

Cosette quickly turned her attention back to the ruler before her. Now that she was up close, Cosette could see the little child wrapped up in the blanket, resting in Viviane’s arms.

Oh, she's adorable.

“Congratulations Lady of Winter on the birth of your child.”

News spread across the court fast about Lumi. Every faerie on the street was talking about her, and messengers had been sent out to the more distant territories to relay the news of her birth personally.

According to the book Cosette had been studying, in all courts it was traditional to hold a welcoming ceremony for the child of a ruler soon after their birth.

“Thank you Cosette, and please, call me Viviane in such an informal setting.”

Cosette nodded, surprised Viviane would permit something like that.

I am definitely not going to call you by your first name ma’am.

“Would you like to hold her?”

“Pardon?”

“Here.” Viviane stood up, walking over to Cosette’s seat, gently holding the baby out for her to take.

Ophelia gave me a whole lecture about how territorial fae parents were over their children when they were first born, and Viviane is just giving me hers to hold?

“Are you sure it’s okay?”

“Yes, it is.” Viviane tried to ease Cosette’s worries, “I am giving you permission Cosette. If I truly didn’t trust you or couldn’t control my instincts I wouldn’t be doing this.”

But can you truly control yourself?

Viviane laughed at the unspoken question, placing the babe into Cosette’s hands, “I promise you Cosette that I have good self control, I have had centuries to practice after all.”

Cosette held the baby, looking down at her cute little nose and small fingers. She gently reached down to hold Lumi’s hand.

“She’s so cute.” Cosette smiled as Lumi squeezed her finger with her hand, “A mighty grip on this one.”

“She’ll be beating Kallias in thumb wars soon.”

Cosette laughed quietly so as not to disturb Lumi.

The second exercise the teacher had Briar practice was walking. She was forced to pace back and forth across the room in heels, a book balancing on her head. Every once in a while the instructor would correct her posture.

Guess Ophelia’s training for me wasn’t far off what actual fae tutors did. Though, in my case I had no book; I just fell into the snow if I held myself the wrong way.

Suddenly Lumi’s face soured and she let go of Cosette’s finger. What came next was an ear piercing wail.

Cosette panicked.

“No, no. Shh, shh, it’s okay.” she tried to soothe the child but it only made Lumi cry louder.

“Oh, she’s a fussy baby, don’t mind her.” Viviane took Lumi away from Cosette, holding her close, carefully bouncing her up and down.

Cosette watched as the child stopped crying, her shrieks settling into calm coos.

“You just aren’t used to Cosette yet, isn’t that right?” Viviane sat back down, gently stroking Lumi’s head, the baby snuggling close to her mother.

“Are you planning a welcoming ceremony for her?” Cosette picked up the conversation again.

“Yes, we’re currently working on the preparations but we’re not in a rush. She’s still so small after all, I don’t want to overwhelm her with a bunch of guests.”

At least the whole affair was kept inside the court. The baby wouldn’t have to deal with a bunch of High Lords trying to coddle it, just the neighborhood politicians trying to kiss up to her parents.

Wonder which was worse?

Glancing at the cabinet they were sitting by, Cosette could read the titles of various textbooks: ‘A Lady’s Guide to Proper Behavior’, ‘Politics and Tea: A Partnership’, ‘The History of Winter Court’s Trade’.

Vviane followed her gaze.

“Do you read a lot, Cosette?”

“A bit. I have been trying to read before going to bed each night. Ophelia got me a book about Prythian’s history.”

“Is it treating you well?”

“Yes, it’s quite interesting. There is so much I still have to learn about all the different courts. Despite the similarities between Prythian and the Faerie Realms the differences are numerous.” Cosette said.

“If you would like, you may borrow some of these texts.”

“Really?” Cosette perked up.

“Of course.” Viviane smiled sweetly, “It would be my pleasure.” she opened up the cabinet, permitting Cosette to pick out the books she wanted.

This was a definite win.

Firstly, because it would help Cosette understand Winter Court better, but also because it was another chance at potentially finding a clue to how to get home.

Getting access to Kallias’s and Viviane’s library would be ideal, but I can settle for this.

“You’re holding it wrong.” the tutor’s voice rang out, making Cosette snap to attention and almost drop the book she was holding, “Try again.”

Briar nodded, her eyes vacant as she tried to pick up the tea cup again.

“Adjust your third finger. How many times do I need to remind you?”

“Sorry…” Briar muttered, quickly trying to fix her grip.

‘Tsk, tsk, tsk, dear, are you a savage? Where are your manners? Do you not know how to hold a cup properly?’

‘Wrong posture dear. You humans really are quite stupid.’

‘You should be grateful darling that I am bothering with your manners. You would look like a complete fool otherwise. Now try again.’

Cosette gritted her teeth at the reminder, disdain swirling in her guts at the memory. She got up and approached the center table, picking up a cup as well.

“Like this?” Cosette asked.

“No, you need to position your fingers like this.”

“Hm, like this?”

“No.” the tutor was beginning to sound upset.

Good. I am doing the worst I can.

Briar looked a bit relieved, the teacher’s annoyance being directed at another subject.

“How about this?”

“Better, but still subpar.”

“Briar, why don’t you try again?” Cosette smiled at the black haired girl.

“Right…”

The tutor’s tone was exasperated as she started “Briar, you’re-”

“Briar, try to move your fourth finger over slightly.” Cosette interrupted.

Forgive me Viviane for bossing around a tutor you hired, but I cannot in my good conscience stand by.

Briar blinked.

“Your third finger has no space in the place you’re trying to put it. Move your fourth finger a bit.”

Briar smiled appreciatively at the correction, quickly readjusting her fingers.

“Hmpf…better.” the tutor admitted begrudgingly, continuing her lecture at Briar about tea cups and public gatherings.

Cosette remained standing by her side, keeping Briar company.

In retrospect, it seemed rude to just sit to the side while she practiced. If we had waited in a separate room that would have been fine. However, sitting tauntingly right in front of Briar was just mean.

Viviane smiled as the two girls practiced under the tutor’s instruction, her expression unreadable besides the faux happiness she had put forth.

Not that either of them was paying enough attention to notice the mischievous glee that the Lady of Winter had expertly covered.

“Thank you for the lesson.” Briar happily pulled off the heels.

“I will see you next week.” the tutor bowed to Viviane before leaving.

“Hm, since I had the class I am not sure if we have enough time for both lunch and visiting the critters.” Briar put on her warm boots again, “What do you want to do Cosette?”

“How about we visit the barn? We can have lunch together another time.”

“Okay!”

“Cosette, before you go.” Viviane stood up, carefully giving Lumi to her personal servant, “I wanted to invite you to a tea party I am hosting next week.”

“A tea party?” Cosette didn’t like the way her voice pitched in response to such news.

Control your nerves woman! Steel them!

“Yes, it’s just me and my close friends so please don’t feel nervous. It’s meant to be somewhat casual.”

That makes me more nervous.

Viviane passed Cosette a letter, “Bring this as evidence of your attendance.”

Curiosity getting the better of her, Cosette decided to ask, “Is there a particular reason why you give me a formal letter approving entry for this, but when I visit Briar I need no documents?”

Aquilo did the same when he invited me and Ophelia over but there I thought it was given since we didn’t have a set date at which to visit the palace.

“It’s a formal event, so there must be proper documentation. Whenever you visit Briar the guards are informed ahead of time so security is still maintained.”

“I see.” Cosette put the letter away, “I greatly appreciate your invitation Lady of Winter. You can expect me to be in attendance.”

“Wonderful.” Viviane clapped her hands together.

“Come on, let’s go or we’ll lose even more time!” Briar grabbed Cosette, dragging her away.

It is nice that there are no extra steps to seeing Briar. It made the whole ordeal feel more familiar. Like I was hanging out with classmates back in college. Except the classmate was the unofficial child of two monarchs.

Some really casual stuff.

The two walked down to the training area of the palace, soldiers greeting Briar happily as she practically ran to the stable-like building.

“Welcome!” Briar pulled the large doors open to reveal a hay-filled wooden interior. Horses, foxes and even a couple large white bears were resting inside.

“Is it not dangerous to keep foxes and horses next to the bears?”

“They train the bears to not eat the horses or foxes to ensure that military or diplomatic missions are carried out without problems.” Briar said, kneeling to pet Snow, who happily bound over to them.

“Do the foxes often work with the bears?” Cosette knelt with Briar, giving Snow some pats. The fox immediately took advantage of the opportunity and rolled onto its back, exposing its belly. Cosette obliged, giving the animal its well deserved belly rubs.

“Not too often but since foxes are used as message carriers they need to pass through the forests that bears patrol without getting harmed.” Briar explained, proud to be able to provide an answer.

“Why is Snow retired again?” Cosette petted the fox behind the ears, earning a purr.

The fox is clearly bursting with energy. It seemed a shame to keep her here instead of out on the field.

“Aquilo said she suffered a leg injury when delivering a letter towards the end of Amarantha's reign. One of her beasts got to her but she still made it to Viviane which allowed her to ensure that Amarantha couldn’t locate the remaining Winter fae in the court. She has a lot of energy but can’t run for long periods now.”

Cosette nodded, eventually standing up, brushing off the hay that stuck to her clothes. Snow yipped in annoyance, turning back to Briar to receive her rightfully owed affection.

While Briar hugged the friendly fox, Cosette walked further into the stables, gazing in wonder at the horses resting in their stalls. They reminded her of yakutian horses, extremely fluffy and large.

They gazed at her with their black round eyes, their white fur and hair clearly well taken care of.

I can’t believe a horse looks more well groomed than me.

One of the horses tilted its head.

Cosette replicated the motion.

You’re prettier and fluffier than Autumn Court’s horses.

The horse snorted.

“That used to be Viviane’s horse but it got injured during the attack on Winter Court by Hybern’s soldiers.” Briar approached the blonde, carrying Snow in her hands.

The fox hopped out of Briar’s arms and into the horse’s stall, curling up by its side. The horse snorted again but didn’t kick the fox out.

“She’s beautiful.” Cosette said, watching the horse as it lay its head next to the fox.

“As all things are in Winter Court.” Briar beamed.

“Seriously, her tutors just seem harsh. I thought maybe she was exaggerating a bit as the student but they really are snappy towards her.” Cosette complained to Ophelia, stirring the pot before her.

“Most fae tutors behave that way.”

“Most bad tutors behave that way; their race doesn’t matter.”

“Did anything interesting happen? Or did you just practice tea etiquette and play with foxes?”

“Viviane let me hold her baby. She also invited me to a tea party.” Cosette noted.

Ophelia put down the box of perfumes she was unpacking to look at Cosette with a tired, yet confused expression, “Why do you always lead with the most mundane of facts when something more important has occurred?”

Cosette shrugged.

“Are you going to the tea party?”

“I said yes because I wasn’t sure if I could really say no.”

“That’s a fair point.” Ophelia smirked, resuming her work, “But in all seriousness it’ll be beneficial to establish yourself with Viviane.”

“Lumi started crying when I held her.” Cosette further shared, “She’s such an adorable baby…when she’s not screaming.”

“You know, they say that if a fae infant cries when you hold them, that’s a bad omen.”

“What do you mean?”

“Fae babies are considered to be particularly sensitive to the magic and intentions of the people around them.”

“Don’t tell me the baby knows I am a human…” Cosette stared at Ophelia in horror.

It was Ophelia’s turn to shrug, “She might. Not that she’ll remember that fact to tell it to anyone by the time she grows up.”

That doesn’t make me feel better!

Cosette looked down at the boiling pot of sandalwood. She had managed to get her hands on the material after ages of searching. Since the tree didn't handle cold climates well there had been a deficit of sandalwood in the market, with Summer and Day Courts being the only proper producers of it at the moment.

I’ll have to mark up the price on this perfume to match the amount I paid for the wood.

“I can’t believe a baby knows I am a human.”

“It’s more of a loose rule than a hard fact though.” Ophelia tried to offer comfort, “Many babies cry just because they want to. No one is going to find you out because Viviane’s child doesn’t like you.”

“I guess…”

“More importantly, you should get a proper dress for the tea party.”

Cosette nodded in agreement, turning off the pot.

I’ll have to finish this later.

The bell to the front door jingled, followed by Theo’s voice, “Anyone home?”

“We’re in the back!” Ophelia responded.

Theo and his father poked their heads through the doorway to the back room.

“Hello!” Theo smiled brightly, “Do you two need any help? Since we sent out the prototypes we haven’t had anything to do so I-we want to help.”

“Sure, you can help Ophelia restock the shelves.” Cosette said, the elder glancing curiously at the pots she had been working over.

“On it boss!” Theo immediately got to work.

The light outside had begun fading as the group quickly got through the necessary clean up and preparations for the next day.

“Wow, I can’t believe Viviane herself invited you.” Theo murmured, his eyes full of wonder as he helped Ophelia put bottles onto the higher shelves.

The elder didn’t have any retort to make this time, working quietly.

“Do you feel ready?” Theo asked Cosette.

“I guess?” Cosette was very much not feeling ready. In fact, her feelings regarding the whole invitation were mostly terror and dread.

“It’s getting late and Ophelia mentioned you two still need to go buy a dress for that party. You two can go on ahead while we close up.” the elder offered.

The man looked rough, his hair a mess and his cheeks sunk in.

I can’t make this man work overtime.

“Absolutely not. Theo said you’re still not feeling well. You two can go home early while we close up.”

The elder sighed, fixing Cosette with a grouchy stare, “Ugh the youth, always arguing with their elders. I am perfectly fit to work. Now go before I change my mind.”

Cosette looked to Ophelia for support but she agreed, “If you insist sir.”

The elder took Ophelia’s box away from her and quickly unpacked it. Theo was practically sparkling with pride at his father’s initiative.

“You two go on ahead, we’ve got this place covered.” Theo resumed cleaning the shop happily.

Cosette quickly grabbed hers and Ophelia’s cloaks, bid Theo and the elder a good evening and rushed out onto the streets, walking towards one of the capital’s shopping centers.

With Lumi’s birth the snow had been falling nonstop, filling the streets with snow. The Winter Fae took this as a blessing from the Spirit of Winter and celebrated the child’s arrival.

The Spirit of Winter clearly didn’t care if its court’s citizens could walk down the sidewalks.

Ophelia held Cosette’s hand, helping the human get through the heaps of snow. The two of them were sticking to the edges of the main roads where carts and carriages had already paved a flat path.

Ophelia was looking better since their arrival in Winter Court. She had regained some weight and a lively blush returned to her russet skin.

Cosette smiled, “You look good.”

Ophelia tugged on her friend’s arm, pulling her out of a snow pile and into a cleared out section of the street, “Thanks.”

“How fancy does the dress have to be?”

“Did Viviane say who she was inviting?”

“She said it was just her and some close friends.”

Ophelia frowned, “It’ll need to be fancy enough to pass for a low noble’s dress but not enough to be competing with them.”

“Why shouldn’t I be competing with them?” Cosette quickly added upon seeing Ophelia’s expression, “Not that I want to of course.”

“Cosette, how do you think it will look if a Lesser Fae tries to outcompete the High Fae that invited her to a party?” Ophelia broke it down for her.

“Bad. Very bad.”

“Exactly, that’s why your dress needs to look like you put in effort, but not too much. Yet, it still needs to match their style.”

“This is all very complicated.”

“Remind me to get you a fashion textbook for your next birthday.”

“Yes ma’am.” Cosette saluted Ophelia earning her an eyeroll.

Ophelia made the executive decision that they were going to go to a shopping center who’s price range was between the places they tended to go to and the places they only dared to look at through windows.

The boutique was pretty, with the owners clearly putting effort into its design and aesthetic. Compared to shops that merely put all the clothes they had on racks, here the shop put work into their displays, adding decorative flowers and ribbons to the dresses, showcasing potential shoes or accessories that would go well with the outfit.

All that of course was mirrored in the dresses' price tags.

Cosette walked through the rows, looking at the various gowns, eyeing the ones with lots of frills - impressed by the handiwork.

‘Look Your Highness! Isn’t your toy beautiful now?’

She turned away from the dresses, walking down a different row.

I don’t have to wear it if I don’t want to.

Cosette tried to convince herself of that, but still had to wipe away the tears that formed in the corners of her eyes.

Ophelia said I need to match their aesthetic, from what I have seen of Viviane she doesn’t seem to wear overly puffy or frilly dresses. They tend to be more sleek and smooth in design.

Cosette ran a hand down the fabrics of several gowns.

It would make sense to wear blue - it’ll make it easier to fit into their group.

The texture of the smooth cloth and the intellectualization of the situation distracted Cosette from memories of Calypso, letting her finally take a deep breath.

You’re fine.

Cosette made her way out of the row she had been examining to see Ophelia gazing at a dress. It reminded her of something she would have seen an Autumn Court noble lady wear during an outing, despite its Winter Court coloring. The dark blue, short cape had a tartan pattern while the dress was decorated with gray icy leaves, the coloring of which brought some light to the overall darker dress. The edges of the long sleeves were covered in white furs, perfect for keeping a person’s hands warm.

Eris used to wear a longer cape. These ones tended to be reserved for noble ladies who didn’t actually hunt-

Cosette decided to speak up to distract herself once more, “It’s beautiful.”

Ophelia hummed, “It’s expensive.”

Cosette looked at the price tag - 50 gold.

“We can afford it considering how much Viviane and Kallias paid us.”

Ophelia stared down at it silently.

“You said you wanted to fill your wardrobe with dresses. I would feel awkward being the only one with something that should be worn for fancy outings.”

Ophelia still looked hesitant.

“We have enough money for food.” Cosette gently squeezed her friend’s arm, understanding her concern, “I wouldn’t be encouraging you if we couldn’t afford it.”

“Alright, but not this one.”

“Okay.” Cosette agreed, “Is there something about it you don’t like?”

I would think that a reminder of home would be a good thing? To some extent? Actually, considering Ophelia’s past in Autumn that was a stupid thought. It probably wasn’t easy for her to see reminders of what she left behind, or more accurately escaped.

“I want something a little more practical.” Ophelia gave her a pointed look, “I am not the one being invited to tea parties.”

Fair point.

The two continued their search, with Ophelia settling for a dress the design of which was still reminiscent of Autumn’s clothing, but the overcoat of which seemed easier to move around in compared to the first option.

Cosette tried to pick out something she could wear around the perfumery later but Ophelia stopped her, “You’re going to an event hosted by Viviane Cosette, you can’t wear that.”

“But you got something similar.”

Ophelia rubbed her temple, “Yes, but I am not going to be in attendance with a Lady of a Court. You are. You need to pick something that looks elegant, and is meant to be worn for sitting and looking pretty.” Ophelia continued, “If you want to make a fashion statement, do so after attending and wearing the traditionally expected clothes, okay?”

“When can I start making bold statements?”

“You already are!” Ophelia’s exasperated tone made Cosette quiet.

Ophelia took a deep breath, “Cosette, you’re a Lesser fae being invited to have tea with High Fae. A Lady of a Court nonetheless. That’s serious. I need you to understand that.”

“I do understand.”

Ophelia bit her lip.

“Lesser fae are looked down upon by many High Fae. This…this isn’t just some casual invitation, Cosette.”

The fact that Cosette was not even a Lesser Fae to begin with was left unsaid in the public space.

“I know that.”

Ophelia looked into her eyes, softening a bit, “Good, then please act like it.”

Cosette nodded, her more serious expression making Ophelia relax.

The duo returned to their browsing, with Cosette giving Ophelia some space, walking down a different row than her.

It would be nice for the dress to have a lighter shade of blue.

Cosette rummaged through the options before her.

Since I have to dress up anyways, it would be cool if I could lean into fashion choices I couldn’t afford back home. It would be so much fun to wear something lolita inspired or one of those old European ball gowns.

However, Ophelia says I need to match Viviane's style, which means those options are off the table for now.

On the other hand, I would like some of my preferences to still shine through.

Cosette stared at the juliet sleeved dress she found with hunger.

It’s so pretty.

“Did you find anything?” Ophelia’s voice sounded behind her.

“Oh uh, yeah. This.” Cosette showed her the dress she was holding, “Though, I don’t think it really fits the type of clothes Viviane wears.”

Ophelia nodded, “Do you like puffy sleeves?”

“I think they’re cute.”

“Fair enough.” Ophelia relented, “Here, I think I saw something that will fit better.”

Cosette followed the fae to the row right next to hers.

“What do you think of this?” Ophelia pulled a dress off the shelf that made Cosette’s eyes light up.

“You know me so well.”

“Of course I do.” the fae pushed the dress into Cosette’s arms, “Let’s make our purchases and head out.”

Cosette agreed, following her to the counter, looking down at the gown. It was a cornflower blue color with bishop sleeves. A small bow was tied around the waist beneath which the fabric went down slightly past the length of her ankles.

Not because her ankles were sexy but because otherwise her legs would get cold.

Ophelia handed the cashier the money and took one bag, handing the other to Cosette.

“We should stop by the store to get some food before we head back to the perfumery.” Cosette skipped out of the boutique and down the cleared out road, satisfied with her purchase.

With it being evening there were few carriages on the smaller roads, allowing Cosette to walk there instead of the snow covered sidewalks.

Ophelia carried her own purchase quietly.

“When we get back I am going to design a present for Briar.”

“Cosette, I-”

“Since her teachers aren’t teaching her properly, I will! Besides, it’ll be a great way for me to learn too!” Cosette exclaimed, continuing to walk.

If she couldn’t learn history or traditions by being told them, it was nothing some proper DnD immersion wouldn’t fix.

Cosette wasn’t the biggest fan of the game, but she played every now and then with her friends. They had even dragged her to a renaissance fair one time.

Cosette slowed her skipping.

Was it fair to share something she held so dearly with them with another person?

Ophelia remained silent.

Cosette glanced at Ophelia.

“Ophelia?”

She didn’t respond.

Cosette slowed her walk, matching Ophelia’s pace, looking at her friend with concern, “I am sorry, I interrupted you. What did you want to say?”

Ophelia smiled back, “It’s nothing, really.”

Cosette frowned, “No, this is definitely something.”

“I said, it’s nothing.” Ophelia walked ahead.

“Ophelia,” Cosette kept up with her, grabbing her arm gently to slow her, “I don’t prod into personal things. Or…at least I try not to. We discuss personal traumas when both agree to it and we feel comfortable enough. However, I will not have us not communicate on something that actively offended the other in the present.”

Ophelia avoided her gaze.

“I did something that upset you. Now please, tell me what’s wrong.”

Ophelia looked at her with saddened eyes.

“I don’t want us to fall apart because of a misunderstanding.” Cosette lowered her voice, “You mean a lot to me and I don’t want to lose you like that.”

“Right. Sorry.” Ophelia blinked the mist away from her eyes, “I…don’t feel it’s right of me to say this though in retrospect.”

“Say it first, and then we can talk about it.”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Briar and Viviane lately, and I get it. I really do. I just wish we could hang out a bit more as well. Outside of the perfumery, you know? You also mean a lot to me and I just worry…I am sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped at you about the dress. I really just want to help.”

Cosette felt terrible.

“Ophelia, you could never be replaced. Where would I be without you?”

Certainly not by Briar or Viviane of all people.

Ophelia looked like a kicked puppy.

Cosette hugged her, tightly squishing her friend, “I promise when I come back from the palace we will have a day for just the two of us. I am really sorry that I haven’t been spending as much time with you. I got so caught up with everything, I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

“I am sorry for being harsh.”

“You’re worried for me, and rightfully so.”

If I was a faerie helping a human pretend to be a fae I would also be worried if they weren’t taking this situation seriously.

Ophelia put her face on Cosette’s shoulder, “Can we invite Blanche too?”

“Absolutely.”

Ophelia hugged back, holding her human, “Thank you, I really am sorry about this.”

“Don’t apologize, I am glad you talked to me.”

“I am glad we talked too. I feel a lot better now…”

Cosette felt a small laugh escape her, “Who would have thought not bottling up your emotions was helpful?”

Ophelia laughed as well, wiping away the tears that had dripped down her face, “Yeah, who would have thought?”

Cosette shook her head, the two enjoying each other’s embrace in the cold air, the street empty, “It’s you and me until the very end.”

“To the edge of this world?” Ophelia smiled.

“To the edge.”

“Wow.” Cosette stared at the indoor garden filled with plants and trees of different varieties and colors. Her awe was not missed by the servant escorting her, who smiled proudly.

It was so warm inside that Cosette immediately pulled off her cloak, breathing in the sweet scent of flowers. Despite the flashes of color here and there the whole place still carried an aura of cold distance. The indoor garden being made of almost entirely glass created a crystal-like appearance to the place and with the majority of the plants sharing a cooler color scheme the garden still looked like a winter wonderland.

“Cosette, welcome!” Viviane stood up from a table in the center of the garden near a miniature water fountain, her icy blue dress, a more modest version of the one Cosette had seen her in with Briar. A small crown rested on her head, sparkling when the light fell on it perfectly.

“I greet the Lady of Winter.” Cosette bowed.

“You can rise.” Viviane led the woman over to the table she had been sitting at, “Please meet my sister Evelyn. I am sure you have already met Solene.”

Evelyn smiled, her royal blue dress decorated with swirling patterns matched her sister’s, albeit it was less extravagant.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Evelyn.” Cosette curtsied as per instruction of the etiquette book she snagged with Viviane’s permission, “I greet you Lady Solene, it’s wonderful to see you again.”

Apparently I had been putting my feet in the wrong position.

Cosette cried to Ophelia from embarrassment upon her realization that she had greeted Kallias and Viviane improperly the first time they met. To which Ophelia told her ‘bullshit’ and that she greeted them fine - the intricacies of a bow only started to matter between High Faeries in a government setting.

Viviane’s smile widened and she gestured for Cosette to sit.

Cosette tried to put her cloak on a chair only for a servant to quickly snatch it up and carry it away. Looking to Viviane, the Lady merely tilted her head, watching Cosette like a hawk.

Cosette took her seat, an uncomfortable feeling slowly building inside her.

Briar is right, they totally stare at you as if you were an exotic animal.

Another servant quickly appeared, refilling Viviane’s flowery tea cup with tea. Evelyn’s being filled next, then Solene’s and Cosette’s last.

Cosette was grateful to her past self’s decision to have started reading the books Viviane gave her. Partially because she could behave more appropriately but also because she could appreciate the effort and time that was put into creating this tea set. From the intricate designs painted onto the cups to the way the glass was shaped into its current form.

Cosette paused.

Did she give me those books on purpose? To prepare me for this tea party?

The thought left a sour taste in her mouth but it didn’t seem that absurd of a theory. On the other hand, perhaps Viviane simply wanted her to have something in common to bond over with Briar?

It’s not like she gave me instructions to read them, but wouldn’t one have to if they were being invited to such an event?

Cosette’s thoughts were interrupted by Evelyn, “Cosette, Viviane mentioned you’re not originally from Prythian. Is there a particular reason you’ve traveled here?”

“I wanted to travel and see other places besides the Faerie Realms. With many faeries returning after the war with Hybern I decided to come with them.”

Cosette mentally high-fived Ophelia.

“Were you a perfumer back home as well?” Solene joined in.

“Sort of.” Cosette decided to keep the explanation vague, “I worked with herbs and medicines from which I expanded into perfumery.”

“Oh? So you’re a healer by origin?”

“I was an apprentice.”

“Why not stay to finish your education?” Solene sipped her tea.

The plan was to finish my education before the universe decided I didn’t need a bachelor's degree!

“My teachers and I decided it would be best for me to study abroad in Prythian.”

“Do you come from a wealthy family then?” Solene pressed.

Shit, what does my wealth back home even translate to in Prythian? How rich are the fae that live in the Faerie Realms?

“Not inherently wealthy, but well off.”

Didn’t Ianthe hide near the Faerie Realms while the conflict with Amarantha was going on? Her father was an important figure of sorts in Spring so they can’t exactly be poor.

“Solene, if she came from a family of doctors then of course they’ll be well off.” Evelyn giggled, “I am sure Cosette’s parents are well known in their village if they raised such a talented female.”

“We’re average compared to some of the other healers in our village.” Cosette deflected the compliment.

Never ask my parents to do anything medical related, they would get you killed faster. Mom would prescribe you wine with cheese and as Dad always said, ‘nothing a good old shoot out wouldn’t fix’.

“If your definition of average is what you have brought to the table then I want to see what you consider to be extraordinary.” Solene scoffed.

A silence settled over the group as a servant brought in a platter full of sweets. Cosette eyed the cookies. Like everything else in this palace, they were beautiful; shaped as different snowflakes, with blue frosting, the treat looked straight off the cover of a cooking magazine Cosette was sure she had seen in a bookstore back home.

Cosette however didn’t reach for the cookie like Evelyn did, her stomach instead choosing to do cartwheels under Solene’s stoic gaze.

I can’t even tell if I am giving you the right answers or not. Can’t you give me a smile? I’ll even take a frown from you! Negative feedback loop. I am begging you over here Solene!

“So, um.” Cosette mumbled, earning a small shift from Viviane as she stirred her tea, “Solene, how is Amelio?”

Solene smiled, making Cosette shiver.

Nevermind, go back to being apathetic.

“He's doing well, working on the trade route to Velaris.”

“Velaris?”

“Yeah, with the city no longer being a secret he is trying out various ways to get to the port there to trade.”

“Haha, I remember when he found out about the city he was so mad.” Evelyn smiled.

“Well of course. It's not every day as a business fae you find out that there was a huge market and trading space that you didn't know existed.” Solene said.

“How long have the two of you been married?” Cosette asked.

“About fifty years.”

“You got married during Amarantha’s rule?”

“Right about the time she truly rose to power.”

Wow, it’s almost like with Kallias and Viviane. A declaration of love in a tense environment where countless foes are trying to destroy your new found happiness.

“Did one of you end up having to leave and stay under the mountain?” Cosette leaned in slightly, eager to hear the rest of the romantic tale.

“No, we were some of the lucky ones who got to remain.”

“Oh…well that’s still very romantic.”

Solene laughed, the sound making Cosette’s skin crawl.

Did I say something?

“Oh, forgive me.” Solene’s laughter slowly calmed, her eyes meeting Cosette’s, “Our marriage is a notorious example of a business arrangement within Winter Court so hearing someone call it ‘romantic’ is a bit humorous to me.”

Well, as always, good thing I didn’t lie and say I am from Winter Court. Otherwise all these gaps in my knowledge would have screwed me over long ago.

“But…he acts so tenderly towards you.” Cosette reproached.

“Well, it’s better to have good relations with your partner, no?”

“I…yes.”

Solene’s expression softened slightly as she explained, “Marriages born out of business deals are not all equal. Some can be quite fun.”

Cosette nodded.

I guess if the partner you’re married to is a good person then it’s not inherently bad.

Sensing Cosette’s hesitance Solene continued, “Besides, I am the one in control within the relationship.”

Wait, so did the elder have a point? Was Solene really in control of their whole arrangement??

“What do you mean?”

Cosette’s question earned a stifled laugh from Evelyn.

Cosette was beginning to feel stupid.

“I am Amelio’s window to high society and method of making valuable business connections that he as Lesser Fae otherwise wouldn’t get a chance to, while he is my money-maker. My family has a long history of working in the trading business and upon seeing Amelio’s ideas and integrity my father decided to bring him in as he knew I was shit at the job.” Solene said, “My strengths always lay in court matters rather than negotiations over prices.”

Cosette nodded, processing this information.

“It’s simply an added benefit that he’s good in bed.”

Cosette choked on her tea.

Viviane patted her back as Solene leaned back in her chair, smug at Cosette’s response.

“Cosette, what do you think of marriage?” Viviane retracted her hand as Cosette caught her breath.

“I hadn’t really thought about it.”

No offense, marriage is not at the forefront of my mind these days.

“Would you want to marry for love?” Evelyn smirked.

“I don’t think I am at a place in my life where I am ready to get married at all.”

“How old are you?” Solene set down her tea cup, her arms resting lazily on the armchair. Her prussian blue dress fit her figure perfectly with the earrings drawing attention to her face, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed the woman before her.

“One hundred.” Cosette lied, the number feeling heavy on her tongue.

The fact she was going to turn 23 soon wasn’t lost on her.

I still can’t believe I spent 2 years in Autumn Court. 2 years absolutely wasted!

Evelyn let out a small whistle, earning a look from Viviane. Even Solene looked a bit surprised, if one had to describe her subtle facial expression shift.

“Only one hundred? As a Lesser Fae? Yet you’re already traveling by yourself?” Solene tilted her head, “You parents must be very confident in your abilities.”

“They have good reason to be.” Evelyn said, “It’s not like Cosette is struggling to take care of herself.”

“Still, I did expect you to be a bit older…” Viviane murmured.

“I am an adult.” Cosette stated matter of factly.

“True.” Viviane conceded, “You are of legal age.”

“Say Cosette, if your farming project takes off, how do you plan to distribute the tool?” Evelyn changed the conversation topic.

“Well, I planned to just sell them.” Cosette in truth hadn't started thinking about that.

“At a store?” Evelyn clarified.

“I…am not sure. I guess I'd need a way to get it out to farms outside the capital since a traditional store wouldn't really work in this case.”

“Perhaps you could use some of the intra-court paths and routes for transporting the tools?” Evelyn suggested, “You could even make a moveable store using them.”

“Right…makes sense.”

A moveable distributing center would be useful. Though, I don’t actually know what routes are used within Winter Court to trade.

Who owns them?

Who manages them?

I’d assume it was all government owned.

Cosette forced herself to take a sip of tea.

I am seriously out of my element here.

“On the topic of trade, how is the route that goes to Summer?” Viviane shifted the conversation away from questioning Cosette.

Cosette withheld a sigh of relief.

Viviane I would kiss you right now if I could.

Cosette wasn’t sure how much longer she could take being asked questions to things she didn’t know the answer to.

“It’s going well. A bit slow due to Summer’s lack of outgoing produce but that’s understandable considering their overpopulation crisis at the moment.”

Cosette sat quietly, listening to the three women discuss the routes within the Winter Court and their reach.

“Aquilo says security is doing well on the check points.”

“I remember Noel’s family mentioned that the forest spirits had been acting up recently.”

“How so?”

“They said they were restless, but they never elaborated on why or what was upsetting them. The more high level spirits refuse to acknowledge any sort of problem when confronted.”

Wait, who the hell is Noel?

Seeing Cosette’s confusion, Viviane turned to her, “Noel is the daughter of Kallias’s uncle. They help us manage the court’s security and safety by working together with the army.”

Cosette was preparing to get laughed out of the room for her question, “Is Aquilo related to them?”

“Very, very distantly to the point that the answer should be no.” Viviane said, “He’s from one of the less powerful High Fae families that remain. His and Noel’s side of the family simply interact often as they are both in charge of the court’s security.”

“I see.”

I am going to need to go find a family tree for Winter Court and start memorizing it because this is terrible.

Cosette smiled, as the ladies continued their conversation.

All things considered this was a useful experience. I can confirm, for certain, that I am extremely uneducated when it comes to Winter Court matters.

Something that Cosette was very eager to fix, and quickly.

Cosette awkwardly followed Viviane out of the garden and down the hallway, bowing to Solene and Evelyn as they went their separate ways.

“Did you have fun?” The Lady of Winter suddenly spoke up.

“Of course your Majesty. Thank you for inviting me.” Cosette curtsied once more.

Viviane watched her carefully, a soft smile gracing her pale features, “I hope you didn't feel like we put you on the spot back there.”

At least you're understanding of my feelings.

“No, no it was okay.”

“If you ever have any questions, don't be afraid to ask.” Viviane said.

“Thank you, I am sorry I feel like I couldn’t contribute much to the discussions you were holding since I don't know a lot about Winter Court yet despite my profession.” Cosette felt silly.

Viviane shook her head, “No, no. It’s completely okay, Cosette. You’re new here after all. I hope this was a good opportunity for you to learn.”

“Thank you for your understatement.”

“Of course dear.”

Cosette took a minute to register the change in their surroundings as they clearly entered a different section of the palace. There were less guards and servants, the furniture getting more luxurious.

“Cosette!” Briar’s voice rang out, the girl running over to the two women.

“Well, I’ll leave you in Briar’s capable hands. Have fun.” Viviane waved goodbye, walking past them.

“Thank you again for having me Lady of Winter.” Cosette gave Viviane one last bow, straightening out when Briar made it to her.

“I am so glad you’re able to hang out again! What do you want to do? We can visit the stables, or we can get lunch? Oh, we can also go training!” Briar rambled, out of breath.

“I actually have an idea.” Cosette smiled.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“I have a game we can play, it’s a lot of fun but we need paper, twenty sided and four sided dice for it. Do you have those?”

“Yeah, of course.” Briar quickly rushed back to her room, Cosette lifting up her dress slightly to keep up with her.

Cosette’s eyes widened upon seeing the girl’s room; a cozy fireplace with two armchairs stood in front of it, with blankets draped over them. A large four poster bed and several bookshelves filled the room, a fluffy rug completing the look.

“How do we play the game?” Briar sat down on her bed, putting the requested items on the neatly made blanket.

Cosette sat down across from her, “Have you ever done roleplay Briar?”

“Um, no?” Briar gave her a weird look.

“Okay, so the game is called Dungeons and Dragons. You create a character and then play through a story during which you can go on different adventures.” Cosette picked up the dice, “We use these to decide your strengths and how well your actions are completed in game.”

Briar nodded, listening intently.

Cosette picked up one of the papers, pushing it to Briar, “What do you want your profession to be? There’s many options like wizard, sorcerer, druid, to name a few.”

“What would you recommend to me?” Briar sounded intrigued, but lost.

Cosette tapped finger against the paper in thought, “What about a fighter?”

“Can I wield a sword then?”

“Absolutely!”

“Okay then I want to be a fighter.”

“Now the fun part: what do you want your character to look like?”

“Um, like me?”

“Sure.” Cosette smiled, “Just so you know you can be anything in this game.”

“Anything?”

“Yep.”

Briar looked skeptical.

“You can be a dragon.”

“I’ll be myself.”

“Fair enough.” Cosette was appreciative that this woman was even entertaining this as an idea, so she wasn’t about to push her to try something even more outside her comfort zone.

“Do you want to keep your name the same?”

Briar hesitated before saying, “I’ll go by Bea in this.”

“Do you want to give your character a motivation? Like a goal of sorts?”

“Can I decide my character’s goals as I play?”

“Yeah, but it is helpful to know a little bit about your persona before we begin.”

“Okay then, how about my character’s dream is to travel?”

Cosette nodded, jotting down Briar’s input on a paper, and explained the basics of her skills such as strength and charisma.

Briar stared at the ‘1’ she rolled for her charisma.

“Can I reroll?”

“No.”

“But it’s a 1!”

“You have a 20 on your strength. You’ll be fine, don’t worry.”

Briar huffed.

“Now…are you ready to begin the game?”

Briar nodded, her patience beginning to wear.

“Ahem.” Cosette cleared her throat, “You, Bea, are an adventurer who wants to travel the world, so you have decided to leave home and travel to the biggest kingdom on your continent.”

Briar leaned in, listening.

“You begin your journey through a dangerous forest, one supposedly filled with dangers and monsters. You have been warned by the villagers living nearby that you should never stray off the main path in the forest, but you’re not too worried as you are wearing armor and have your trusty sword on hand. As you venture deeper down the grassy path you encounter a friendly grandma who seems lost. What would you like to do?”

“Talk to her…?”

“You approach the elderly woman and greet her, to which she nervously stutters out ‘Oh dearie I seem lost! Can you help me get home?’”

Briar smiled slightly at Cosette’s attempt to mimic a stereotypical elderly grandma, “I ask her where she lives.”

“‘My little cottage is somewhere around here…’” Cosette felt her voice strain as she imitated the character looking around, trying to orient herself, “The elderly woman seems quite confused as to where her home is.”

“I take her by the hand, and start leading her down the pathway I was walking down.”

“‘Oh right this way dearie! My home is right there!’ The grandma points to a small pathway going off the main road. What do you do?”

“I want to help her get home so I walk off the path with her.”

“You hold the elderly woman’s hand, helping her over logs and rocks as a small cottage comes into view. ‘Oh dearie, thank you so much for your help! I have some food inside, weary traveler. Will you let me repay your kindness?’”

“This game is easy Cosette.” Briar ran a hand through her hair, “I go inside with the nice grandma.”

Cosette smirked, “Once you enter you see a wooden table with some bowls and a large hearth, with cages hanging off the ceiling.”

Briar frowned, “Does she give me food?”

“The woman approached the hearth telling you, ‘Wait right here dearie, I'll be back in a minute.’”

Briar’s frown deepened, “How long is she gone for?”

“She'll be gone for a while so you can do something while she's gone.”

“I explore the cottage.”

“As you take a look around the living space you spot various statues of people across the kitchen counters.”

“I take a closer look at the statues.”

“You walk over to the counter and pick up one of the figures. It's stone. The person is dressed like a typical adventurer would be with some basic armor and a crossbow. Some of the other figures in the collection are dressed like merchants or mercenaries.”

“Huh.” Briar huffed looking at Cosette, “Is she evil? Is she turning people into stone?” Briar gasped, “Is she a fae?!”

Cosette simply smiled.

Seeing that she wasn’t going to get an answer out of Cosette out of game, Briar decided to try another way, “I check what is in the cages hanging above me.”

“You begin to check the cages to find various forest animals trapped inside.”

“Can I let them out?”

“You try to open the cages but the doors do not budge. One of the trapped animals, a black cat, speaks up; ‘It’s no use, traveler. She has us trapped in here with a spell.’”

“How do I break the spell kitty?”

“‘Hmm, perhaps if you get rid of the sorceress we will be freed? Magic weakens after the caster’s death. But you must hurry, otherwise she will turn you into one of those figurines. She will try to feed you poisoned porridge. Good luck traveler.’”

Briar stared at Cosette slightly stunned before speaking, “I sit down at the table.”

“As you sit down at the dinner table the sorceress returns carrying porridge. ‘Here you go dearie, I hope you enjoy it!’”

“Oh thank you so much, but I feel terrible eating alone, will you please join me?” Briar was starting to get into the groove, exaggerating her voice slightly.

“‘Oh of course dearie.’” Cosette had the character play along, “The elderly woman returns carrying another bowl of porridge.”

“Oh my, I am quite parched, could you bring me a glass of water?”

“‘Of course dearie!’ The sorceress leaves to get Bea some water.”

“While she’s gone I switch our bowls.”

Clever.

“The sorceress returns, putting a glass of water before you.”

“I start eating my porridge.”

“The elderly lady smiles and begins eating her food as well, choking as she swallows the second spoonful. ‘What is happening?’”

“Ha! I tricked you!” Briar pointed at Cosette, “You thought I wouldn’t realize the truth? I switched our bowls and now you won’t be able to hurt innocent travelers anymore!”

“‘Noooooo!’” Cosette dramatically flopped onto the bed, freezing in a funny pose, “The moment the woman turned to stone the cages opened and all the forest critters escaped to freedom.”

“Wait, what about the people who were turned to stone?”

“‘Unfortunately they cannot be saved that easily.’ the black cat spoke up, ‘While she kept our cages locked with her magic directly, they were turned to stone using a potion. Such magic is harder to undo.’”

“Can’t we save them?”

“‘There may be a way. If we can find the antidote to this potion then they can be saved.’”

“Do you know what the antidote is, kitty?”

“‘No unfortunately, but we can search for it together.’”

“Don’t you want to stay in the forest?”

“‘I am a cat. My home is not with a place but with a person who will feed me. I choose you to feed me.’”

“You’re a very lazy cat. But alright, I’ll permit you to join me on my quest!”

“You and your new cat companion continue down the pathway of the forest.” Cosette glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner.

“Wait, what happens next?!”

“You’ll have to find out another day Briar, it’s late.” Cosette got up, brushing out her dress.

It’ll take a while to get to the more educational bits since I don’t want the game to feel too heavy handed with history and facts. It’s meant to be fun after all.

“Cosette, do you want to have a sleepover?” Briar got off the bed, following her, “We can get some snacks and continue the game.”

“I am sorry Briar, but I can’t.” Cosette said gently, “I need to be home today so I can work tomorrow.”

“Oh…” Briar’s expression fell.

“But, how about we plan a sleepover for another day? I would love to continue this game with you. I am so glad you enjoy it as much as I do.”

Briar nodded, “Alright, good luck with work.”

“If you want to work a bit on the game you can come up with a backstory for your character.”

I think you can do it now that you’ve got the general idea of DnD.

“A backstory…” Briar murmured, “Yeah, I’ll work on one.”

“Great, you can show it to me the next time we meet so I can incorporate it into the story.”

Briar nodded, leading Cosette to the exit and wishing her a good evening.

Cosette pulled on her cloak and bid her good night as well, shivering as the cold wind brushed her hair.

Cosette collapsed into bed next to Ophelia.

“I am so tired.”

Ophelia hummed, taking a sip of her herbal tea and petting Cosette’s hair as the human snuggled closer.

Cosette loved these moments with the Autumn fae. Just them. Laying in a cozy bed, not worrying about the outside world or any problems that will come tomorrow.

It was enough to take my mind off of things, and that was more than I could ask for on a busy day such as this one.

Cosette pulled out the book Ophelia had gifted her, flipping to the page she had stopped on - Day Court.

Truly, the various court traditions were so fascinating, from Autumn’s mementos to Spring’s fishing games.

“How far are you?”

“I am on Day Court.”

“Did you read the section on Winter Court?”

“Yeah, I wonder if Aquilo would let me see their active military bears. Not just the retired ones.”

“You should ask nicely.”

Cosette glanced at Ophelia with a smirk, “If a certain fae asked I have a feeling we would be given permanent visitation rights to the bears’ place of keeping.”

Ophelia shoved a pillow in Cosette’s face making the blonde giggle.

“Cosette?”

“Hm?”

“Read aloud for me.”

“Why?”

“I like your voice.” Ophelia leaned back against the bed frame, closing her eyes.

“‘Day Court duels - a tradition passed on from times before the seven courts properly formed, now takes the form of an entertaining spectacle usually watched by an audience in a stadium. The tradition shares roots with the blood duel in Autumn, but while the blood duel is meant to resolve a dispute specifically between lovers over a mate, the duels in Day are of a more broad, and legislative nature. They are a means of defending or challenging one’s honor over an offending action such as insults or past unresolved conflicts.”

Geez, are fae so sensitive that they cannot talk it out?

“While the most popular instances of these duels taking place are large gatherings or parties that are meant to clear out tensions between High Lords and their entourages, such duels can also be found taking place on a lesser scale within the regular lives of Day Court citizens as a means of determining who was right or wrong.”

Ophelia snorted, “They either fuck their problems away or stab each other over it. Wish Autumn had more of the former within their government though, would make things better for all of us.”

Cosette continued, “This method of identifying the one at fault within a conflict is supported by the belief that the Spirit of Day, a being that can see all present and past actions, would know if someone was in the right and thereby support them if necessary. This, at the very least, is the explanation used by many to explain why certain faes who were much weaker than their opponents, still won.”

“Many modern historians argue that the current Day Court’s philosophy of pleasure coming hand in hand with pain is part of the reason the atmosphere within the court is deemed to be so light hearted and freeing.”

“That…is insane.” Cosette stared at the page, “You’re telling me that Day Court faeries just duke it out whenever they disagree over something? And what’s this about Day Court’s spirit seeing everything?”

“The text literally says it best, ‘pleasure comes hand in hand with pain’. Faeries of Day Court appreciate a good show, just like any normal fae would, but they indulge in pleasure the most so the concept of justice being rightfully served is very appealing to them. However, such a triumph cannot be achieved without a few broken bones.”

“So because justice is served so frequently, it makes the court a nice place to live?”

The Autumn Fae sighed, “That’s how I would interpret the text. It’s feeding into the stereotype that fae are sadists who derive pleasure from pain.”

“Well based on past actions they’re not exactly beating those allegations.”

“No they’re not. Those tropes have roots in reality, Cosette. Albeit, as you’re seeing now, the truth is more complicated. It is layered with cultural beliefs and traditions that have good intentions, even if the execution is terrible.” Ophelia set down her empty tea cup, “As for the Spirit of Day…the general idea is that each of the court’s spirits specialize in certain attributes. For example, the Spirit of Autumn is known to be a ruthless warrior who despises cowardice. The Spirit of Winter is known for his cold demeanor and desire to preserve all as it is. The Spirit of Day is generally considered to be oriented around justice. Legends say that since the Spirit presides over the court of literal Day, she ‘can see all present and past actions’ due to the sun’s rays illuminating only truth to her.”

Interesting…if I remember correctly in the story Helion’s powers were light based and that he could break enchantments, earning him the title of ‘Spell-Cleaver’. Did the Spirit or the High Lord influence the other’s power?

Also, Helion maintained a large library and favored scholars; how did they fit into this system?

“Okay, this is a dumb question, but do the spirits have a gender?” Cosette stared at the book, flipping through the pages, “Because this book’s author, Cosette quickly glanced at the cover, “Mister Aristippus, flips between using gender neutral pronouns to she and him with ease.”

“Cosette, they’re spirits.” Ophelia yawned, “They can be whatever ‘gender’ they want to be. They could be moss for Mother’s sake. The point of getting you the book was so that you learned from it and didn’t rely on asking me so many questions.”

“Asking you is much more fun though. You’re literally all knowing.”

“Not all knowing, I just have better reading comprehension skills than you clearly.” Ophelia blew out the candles, leaving one for Cosette if she decided to keep reading.

“Goodnight.” The fae hugged the human’s arm, “Don’t let the wrigwrots bite.”

“Wait, they can bite?!”

Disclaimer: the usage of a Greek philosopher’s name, Aristippus, is on purpose, and I will be drawing a bit from his ideologies, especially hedonism when we get to that point in the story. However, the character will by no means be a fully accurate depiction of the real life figure (think along the lines of Bungo Stray Dogs, where author names are used and characters draw from said author’s works and lives but are not meant to be biographical in nature).

If you are curious as to the real life figure, here is a couple sources I find to be interesting and to the point;

britannica.com

iep.utm.edu

Next: Chapter 27 - Failure Is the Path to Success

Back: Chapter 25 - An Iris and Her Pine Tree

Masterlist

Tag list: @rcarbo1

If you want to be added to a tag list let me know :D

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blackwolfstabs · 1 year ago

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30 Day Writing Challenge: Day 28

THE CHAIR

Tara finishes a paper and has Sam proofread it.

“Hey, Sam?!” Tara shouted from her desk in her room.

“Yeah?!”

“Can you come here?!” she answered, leaning back into her chair and arching her back to stretch the stiffness in it. She heard her sister’s footsteps come down the hallway and glanced over to her open door, where her figure soon appeared.

“What do you need?” Sam asked.

Her sister nodded to her laptop that sat glowing on her desk. “I finished my paper. Can you read over it for me?”

She nodded and came into the room to make her way to the desk, “Sure.” When Tara got up, she sat down and reviewed the layout. “When is this due?”

“Tonight, at midnight.”

“You realize that’s in 10 minutes, right?” Sam’s gaze broke away from the screen to glare at her. “Why did you wait so long to write it?”

The other rolled her eyes, “Because that was the most boring prompt ever! Just be glad I even made an effort to complete it. I was tempted to just turn in my outline.” She stretched her arms above her head with a gratified groan. “It’s not that long, it’ll probably take you, like, 5 minutes.” When she was answered with a scoff, she dismissed herself to let her paper be proof-read accordingly. “I’m going to get water now. Correct any grammar mistakes you see, because I’m sick of looking at it.”

Sam spent the next few minutes reading and making minor edits to her little sister’s essay, until she came back in.

Tara placed her water cup down and looked over her shoulder to monitor where she was at. “You’re only this far?” She was surprised.

“Grammar isn’t exactly your strong suit, Tara,” was the flat reply.

The younger Carpenter just huffed and moved to nudge the propped arm that Sam was leaning her head against. When she earned a confused look, she took it upon herself to briefly explain. “Move. I wanna sit with you,” she ordered.

Sam glanced down to the single-person chair, and then looked back up at her. “Uh, this chair’s for one person?”

“That’s fine.” Tara’s invited herself to slip between the occupied seat and the desk to sit down on her lap. “I’m small, so you can just hold me.” She grabbed her cup and took another sip, trying to hide the amused smile pulling at her lips while her big sister blinked at her.

“Are you serious?”

“Mm-hmm.” She nodded and put the cup back down on the desk. “Absolutely. Now, quit staring at me and stare at my paper, yeah?” she playfully reached behind to poke her side.

Sam smirked and rolled her eyes. “Hey, I’m the one doing you a favor, remember?” she teased and returned the prod. “I could make you read over it yourself.”

Her little sister snickered and twisted away at the contact. “Nooo, I’m too tired to do it myself,” she whined, dramatically.

Again, her sibling scoffed and shook her head, letting Tara lean back into her, to which she rested her chin on her shoulder to continue reading.

While she did so, Tara took the arm that wasn’t controlling the mouse and guided it over her torso to hold her in place. She tilted her head, studying the skin of her sister’s forearm. “Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?”

“Mm– not really,” came the quick answer.

She began tracing random drawings and designs on her arm, continuing to space-off into the idea. “We should get matching tattoos. We could do, like, matching emojis, or each other’s birthdays, or our initials. Ooh, or what about a knife and phone—”

“Tara, I have 4 minutes to read this,” Samantha cut in. “I can’t focus when you’re talking.”

“Sorry.”

The younger Carpenter sighed and tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling. As she blinked at the shadows from the popcorn detail, she listened to the sound of Sam’s steady breathing and the occasional clicking of the mouse and keyboard. Then, she shifted herself to the side, draping her legs over the other’s and holding onto her neck, like she used to do as a kid. Sam shifted a little but didn’t seem to mind, which allowed her to nuzzle her head into the crook of her neck to watch the screen with weary eyes. “You’re almost done,” she pointed out, “This is the last paragraph before the conclusion.” When she wasn’t answered in any way, she asked, “Am I heavy?”

This got her a response. “No,” her older sister shook her head, the arm around the other’s waist pulling tighter to hold her close. She knew whenever Tara was tired, she became clingy and seemed to regress into her pre-adolescent behaviors—when she’d want her attention and affection. She never minded, though.

“But heavier than when we were little, right?”

Still, the older Carpenter denied it, “Nope.” She scrolled down the screen to move on to the conclusion. “Never has there ever been a time when I couldn’t hold you.”

This made Tara chuckle. “You say that like you think it’ll be that way forever.”

“It will be. I’d hold you no matter what, my love.”

“Even if I told you not to?” she tested.

“Yep.”

“Even if I yelled at you and made you cry?”

“Mm-hmm.”

And then her challenges started to become darker.

“Even if your arms were broken?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Even if the world was falling down around us?”

“No matter what.”

“‘Forget the world, there’s just us,’ right?”

Sam finished reading her sister’s essay and looked away from the screen to kiss her head. “Mm-hmm. That’s right.”

Tara then lightened the mood. “You’re so drama-coded, Sammy,” she teased.

“You’re the one who climbed in my lap, because you wanted my attention,” she countered.

The other turned her face to hide it in her sister’s shirt. “How do you know?”

She chuckled. “It was the chair, Tara…”

Because the chair was only meant for one person to sit in it, Tara chose to sit on her lap.

“It was the chair…”

Because of the chair, Sam was able to hold her like this.

And that was just the way it was.

short but giving soft!carpenter sister vibes so it checks out

All my best! ♡ - parker

#scream #sam carpenter #tara carpenter #carpenter sisters #scream v #scream vi #ao3 #ao3 writer #ao3 author #ao3 fanfic #scream fanfic #30 day writing challenge #the chair #AU: All My Heart

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mikki-does-simp · 1 year ago

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Words aren't worth shit. (Kuroiro Shihai x GN!reader)

surprise you guys, i came back from my grave for the kajillionth time! frankly, i'm slightly sick of interacting with almost of the MHA fandom, but my love for 1B seems to never ever waver, so i'll try my very best to stick to more longform fanfiction and post more-often so that the people who deserve it have actual content.

A/N: i wrote this in literally two adjacent blocks starting at 1AM and ending around 5 AM with a sleep from 4-4:30, so forgive any flow inconsistences or grammar/spelling mistakes because i say fuck the beta

edit: actually never mind next time i will appreciate a beta run more i left so many spaces that were just- *unfilled*

socially awkward kuroiro AND tactical manipulator kuroiro CAN co-exist, it just has to be written in a very specific way, though. despite that, with you, he feels like a cat covered in wet spaghetti, but like, in a good way.

Who the hell came up with the saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"? Or hell, who altered it to have it to relate an action? Kuroiro didn't really seem to convince himself of it, no matter how hard he tried. It wasn't like he was indifferent to works of art- after all, he considered himself a sort of artistic guy... but when it came to a flash, a picture in his mind, a memory- usually it only took up about thirteen words in his mind. He considered himself a writer. Dare he say a poet. He kept piles upon piles of journals of his writing, and where people could not suffice, pen and paper were his greatest confidants. As much as he liked pencils, pens were just- ironically more artistic; even if he had to scribble at the paper if he misspelled a word or accidentally placed the lettering way too close.

He clenched a few papers between his hands, skimming over the writing as he stood in wait for what might be a pinnacle moment of his life. There were too many mistakes in his mind- so many scribbles it seemed like a quarter of each page was just a section or a word, blacked out in ink. He sighed, inwardly admitting that staying up until two am in the morning writing this was a terrible idea it's not like the author is doing the EXACT same thing down to the hour, but he could just not wait. Thoughts seemed to be always running through his head at light speed, from dawn to dusk and in between his dreams like a sickness of his. This is when he started to pace around with the pages in his hand, having to really mentally prepare himself for what he set up on what seemed to be the first impromptu thought of his entire life so far.

Kuroiro had somehow deluded himself so hard that he decided that he was going to profess his feelings for you within the next moment. Or at the very least, his fond admiration for your pieces, large or small that create the entire puzzle. He had slipped a piece of plain notebook paper under your door, even; that's how casual he tried to seem about it, as it could mean a lot of different things under different connotations if you ask someone to meet you. It wasn't a fancy sort of greeting or letter like he would have spent countless hours imagining he would, but it would make due. His pen and paper were becoming restless in it's own right, sick of hearing the same thought in a different variant over and over and over again. He had decided to meet you about fifteen minutes before the dormitory curfew, as to both make it less inconvenient for you and to make sure he had an escape route if anything went wrong. Yet again, his mind seems to be in a race with everything around it, dreaming up every possibility. Every triumph, every pitfall. The churns in his stomach grew more intense as he began to doubt himself,

It didn't take too long for you to meet him, with the casually dressed notebook paper folded in one of your hands. You pocketed it, then closed the gap of distance between you and Kuroiro, standing in front of him with a curious look to the papers in his hand- and how he looked like how he was going to vomit up a hairball. It raised some eyebrows, sure; but you seemed to understand his nature- his mannerisms, his idiosyncrasies: you seemed to accept them as they were, with no complaints otherwise about who he was. Human. A breath of fresh air for a guy like him, really. He didn't even greet you properly for a moment, already seeming to clam up, enamored by your beauty. It took a couple seconds for him to actually remember why he brought the two of you here- but when he did, he slowly looked to the writing in front of him, starting to read it out. Unfortunately for you, it was incredibly difficult to decipher what he was actually saying- he used so many elusive synonyms that the average person wouldn't be familiar with in terms of linguistics, and he would often go back to read a part if he messed it up, or pause for a moment to try and figure out what he was trying to say himself. The more and more he talked, the more Kuroiro realized this the sole brainless idea he had in a very long time- at least in his book, so out of some sort of shame, he started getting quieter as he read. His posture crumpled up more than it was before, and he was mumbling so badly, that it was even hard for him to hear the words that were spewing out of his mouth as he tried to read back He dropped the small stack of papers, much to your confusion; then, much to his incredible embarrassment, he felt his legs start to buckle despite himself as he kneeled to the floor, covering his face with his hands and starting to mumble a little louder about how incredibly awkward this situation was and that you should just forget it ever happened. He couldn't anymore, everything seemed to catch up to him in his incredulity...

You kneeled down to the floor with him, starting to pick up the papers for him. His hand reflexively moved to instantly snatch the papers from you- to hide away and confide yet again in the caverns of pen and paper- but he stops himself, opting to ball his hand into a fist to do so as he starts on an attempt to quell his mild panicked breathing. He felt so... soppy. Dare he say even- pathetic in a way. It took a moment, but he eventually found the strength to look you in the eye, and they lock, the watercolor to his monochrome. You pick up the rest of the pages, and even if it is incredibly messy and out of order, you remember how he reached to grab them from you, and although it confused you on why he would do that, you respected him too much to pry; in a state where he was cracking on all sides of a sphere, where he looked so oddly vulnerable. If you weren't too preoccupied with being concerned about the way he was acting, it would have felt good, about how he seemed to trust you being within this state

"Hey..." you interjected, slowly starting to offer both your held papers; and your free outstretched hand over to Kuroiro, "Take the time you need. You'll find a way to say what you need to say... and I'll flag you down with signals so it won't- get lost within the waters."

You had sort of an idea what was happening- but you could ask for more context later, as Kuroiro seemed a little too nervewracked to answer your questions. He took the both of you off guard, as he shuffled a little closer, his own arms beginning to outstretch as he simply took your simple outstretched gesture to wrap his arms around you in a shakey but gentle embrace. In that very moment, he couldn't believe it but... no words could describe what he felt. He almost lost himself in trying to figure it out, but at the same time, you quelled the tide all the same as you held each-other there.

#mha 1b #bhna x reader #class 1b #mha #bhna #shihai kuroiro #x reader fluff #fanfic #writing #x reader #bhna fanfiction #bhna imagine #mikki fluffpost

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thebawdybaldurian · 9 months ago

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Professor Gale Breeds His Wife

I don’t know why I, a child-free, uterus-free gal am on a breeding kick, but I guess my one ovary is doing something to me. 👀

Content and Warnings: female tiefling x male human. Breeding kink, pregnancy kink, oral and PIV sex, Mage Hand to assist impregnation.

No edits so excuse any spelling/grammar mistakes

Syma knocked politely on the door, curious as to why it was shut. Professor Dekarios was known as an ‘open-door’ instructor, always available for questions or just a chat about magic. “Come in,” she heard an exasperated sigh from the other side of the door. Her tail swished excitedly as she turned the handle. His furrowed brow softened a little at the sight of his wife. His desk was covered in a slew of papers that needed to be graded, as well as quarterly reviews of all the students’ progress. His sleeves were rolled up and there was a half-eaten sandwich shoved to the side.

“Syma, my dear, this is an unexpected surprise,” he walked around his desk to greet her with a kiss.

“You look busy…” she ran her finger across his brow. “And stressed.”

“Oh you know this time of year,” he sighed. “Student reviews, along with the papers from my Evocation course, budget sheets for the month…not to mention everything at home.”

“It will happen in time, my love, I promise,” she ran her hand across her belly, her skin completely naked underneath the wrap dress she wore. “In fact,” she untied the side and pulled the dress open. “That’s why I’m here.”

Gale let out a loud gulp, looking her over. She was completely nude aside from some thigh-high stockings. She’d been wearing them more often to keep her blood circulating better and increase their chances of pregnancy. “My basal temperature is ideal right now,” she purred, letting her hand cup his balls. She kissed him again, his fingers gently sliding between her lips to test himself.

“You are indeed,” he moaned, his lips still pressed close to hers.

She shut the door with her tail and locked it before slipping her dress off completely. Gale slid all the papers to one side, clearing a space on the desk of them. Syma fell to her knees, reaching up to undo his pants and put her mouth around his cock straight away. She pulled them completely off after removing his shoes, but didn’t bother to remove to remove his socks or garters. She gave one of them a playful snap before setting her tongue to getting him hard as soon as possible. It didn’t taste long for her to taste his pre-cum. She seemed content to suck him for a bit, but he gently pulled her face away with her horns, looking desperately at her. “There’s sperm even it that,” he groaned, picking up her hips. “Let’s not waste a drop.”

It took only moments for him to slip inside her, his glasses slipping down a bit as he eagerly thrust into her. He hugged her close, wanting this to feel as intimate as possible despite their analytical nitpicking trying to conceive. “Mmmm yeah, Gale, just like that,” she moaned into his shoulder. “Get that cock deep inside.”

He shifted a little, hooking the back of her knee with the top of his thigh and firmly planting his foot on the desk so he could penetrate her deeper. She moaned even louder, his hard thrusts vibrating against her clit and driving her closer to climax. “Oh…hhhhnnn…Gale,” she cried into his neck, her legs kicking wildly as she came.

“Mmmmmphhh, my love, I’m so close,” he groaned.

He shifted again, climbing completely onto the desk so he could lay her down and tilt her hips up at the ideal angle to hold his seed. He pounded her for a few more thrusts before spilling inside her, moaning loudly. They slowed their breaths together, smiling warmly at each other. She held her knees up, supine, in the ideal position for impregnation. “Now don’t move a muscle,” he whispered softly, conjuring a Mage Hand. He slipped his cock carefully out of her, using the Mage Hand to plug her back up and keep his cum inside her.

“How long do you want to stay…uhhhh, stay like this?” She gasped as the Mage Hand began to stimulate her clit.

“Each contraction of your climaxes will help…so until I’m finished with these papers,” he grinned widely.

#gale dekarios #gale x oc #gale of waterdeep #gale of ballsdeep

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cuptalecupheadxundertale · 1 month ago

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Chapter 8.5 “Heartache Pt 2”

Warning: Might be a heavy chapter for some. Won't give any more details to avoid spoiling. If there are some grammar, spelling, or any other editing mistake, I apologize in advance, I've been working for this draft for months last year, only when I had time.

Author's Comment: Sorry, Chapter is 2 weeks late, but I got it done. Again, might not be posting for a long time, probably by July again after my next exam.

Without further ado, Enjoy... or you know, bring tissues.

Chapter 8.5 “Heartache Pt 2”

Dozens of scribbles and strokes were heard from Cuphead’s intense & messy, and Mugman’s calm & concentrated waxy crayons pointed towards their respective papers. Mugman wiped his paper of the excess wax with his right backhand and then he held it up to get a good look.

It was a waxy drawing of Cuphead eyebrows scrunched and smiling with confidence while shooting his light blue peashooter to different directions to the air.

“What did you draw Cuphea-“ Mugman turned to his brother, but his eyes-widened glaring at what he saw.

Cuphead, who was holding back tears behind his happy-squinting eyes and his laughter behind his left hand, showed the drawing of Mugman having a big open mouth while scattered around candy was being sucked into it like some black hole.

Mugman just stared at it with his jaw dropped, confused whether he should be laughing or be annoyed.

Cuphead burst out laughing as he pointed his finger at Mugman’s dropped jaw. “YOU LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE PICTURE HAHAHAHAHA!”

“Man, that is not fair.” Mugman then flipped his paper to look at his drawing and smiled sadly at it. “I even made ya super cool in this.”

Cuphead came over, buddy hugged Mugman, and looked at his brother’s drawn picture of himself.

Cuphead sighed. “Aw man, now I feel like a joirk.”

Mugman giggled. “Nah, not really.” He said as he looked endearingly at his brother.

“Aw come on!” Cuphead let go of his buddy arm and used it to nudge Mugman’s elbow. “Make me silly!”

Mugman picked up a black crayon, put the waxy tip on the paper, and then confidently smirked at Cuphead with a raised eyebrow.

Cuphead folded his arms and smirked. “Bring it on Mmmuggo.”

Starting from Cuphead’s smile on the drawing, Mugman drew long squiggly lines to make a tongue three times longer than it actually was. He then shaded the inside of those lines with a red crayon.

Cuphead snickered. “Since when did I get a long tongue?”

Mugman tinked his chin with his crayon, then smiled as he had an idea. He picked up a brown crayon from the table. “Since ya did this.” He drew a brown ball at the tip of that long tongue.

Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“The pie duh!” Mugman nudged Cuphead’s elbow.

Cuphead snickered, and then he burst out laughing together with Mugman at their drawings; the former had his forehead facepalmed, while the latter buddy-hugged the former and held up his drawing proudly.

When they were done, they let out a big sigh.

Cuphead smiled at his brother. “Bud, I still think yer nose is big.” He casually booped Mugman’s nose.

Mugman’s eyes focused on his brother’s finger that booped his nose, and he grunted as it was booped. “Cuphead! We made a deal!”

“I ain’t a jokin’ Mugs.” He wiped his right hand left to right as if saying ‘no’. With confidence, Cuphead pointed his thumb to himself. “I think it’ll be a whackin’ good look on me. Watch!” He suddenly yanked Mugman’s nose off his brother’s face.

“Nhey!” Mugman said with his voice sounding like he pinched his nose. He tried to grab his nose back, but then he suddenly had a small red nose pinned onto his face.

Closed eyes, Cuphead put on the big blue nose onto his face, giving it a small wiggle as he attached it in place. “How do I look?” He said with his deep nasal voice. He wiped his hand down his nose so that when he released it the nose bounced back and wobbled until it was still as straight.

Cuphead looked back at Mugman with a raised eyebrow and his flashing confident smile; the big blue nose was blocking the middle line of his eyes.

Mugman’s mouth squiggled, and then he laughed out loud as he pointed at Cuphead. “YOU-HUHU L-HOOK SILLY!” His voice sounded squeakier.

Cuphead snickered and put his hands on his hips. “Yeah?” His voice was deeper and more nasally. “Well what does that make ya?”

Mugman wiped a tear of laughter. “W-hell that makes me…. Me….” He frowned, realizing that he was ridiculing his own nose. Abruptly, he started to sob; tears came out of his eyes, his mouth began to tremble, and his red nose started to run with colds.

Cuphead’s chest jumped and his straw formed an exclamation. “NO! MUGS!” He shook his hands trying to stop his brother from crying. “I DIDN’T-! WHAT DID I SAY?!”

In a loud voice, Mugman started to wail again, with waterfall tears coming out of his eyes. He then ran away to the hall.

“MUGS!” Cuphead groaned with his deep nasally voice. “Not again! BUDDY WAIT UP!” He ran after his brother.

As he ran, Mugman wailed and left a trail of tears behind him. He ran past the railing on the left, and turned left at the end of it where the mouth of the stairs was.

“MUGS!” Cuphead now shouted frustratedly. “COME BAC- WOAAAHH!” He slipped from the trail of tears Mugman left behind, and then fell to a sit on his bum. He grunted, and then got up. “MUGSYYY!!!” He yelled angry.

Downstairs, along the eerily quiet hallway of purple walls with brick patterns and pink floors, Toriel stood there watching the end ahead and numbly wondering if she should keep going.

She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She kept quiet… and quiet… and quiet… holding her breath during this time… and then she exhaled, and a tear poured down her right eye. “No… not again…” Her eyes opened with renewed determination. “I have to do this.” She took a step forward-

“WAAAAGHHAAGHHH!!” The wails of Mugman echoed from above the stairs behind her; his voice sounded squeakier and higher pitched than usual. Soft footsteps started running down echoing & bouncing on the walls, and they (with the bouncing echoes) got louder as they got closer.

“TORIEL!” Mugman clung onto her robe.” C-CUPHEAD HE-!” He sniffled.

Slowly, Toriel turned her gaze towards Mugman and she blankly stared at his face which had Cuphead’s tiny red nose attached on his face.

Noticing her blank and numb stare, Mugman released her robe and took a step back. “T-Toriel?”

“MUUUUGGS!” Cuphead furiously yelled with his deep nasally voice from the stairs, followed by running steps towards him.

For a moment, Mugman turned to notice Cuphead running towards him, but then turned back to Toriel in concern.

Cuphead punched Mugman’s arm.

“Ow!” Mugman said, mostly out of surprise.

“WHY CAN’T YA STOP BEING A WIMP AND JUST PLAY ALONG FOR…. Once…” Cuphead slowed as he noticed Mugman not paying attention to him, and instead looking at Toriel with deep concern.

Cuphead looked up, and saw Toriel looking back at them with a numb stare.

“Uhhh…” Cuphead proceeds to whisper to Mugman with his right backhand covering his left sidemouth. “Ya think it’s the noses?”

“Oh! Right!” Mugman giggled.

They pulled out each other’s nose out of the other’s face, and then attached it to their faces.

“Tah dah!” They both said, while doing their jazz hands with their center hands forward and their outer hands spreading outwards that they looked like they were forming a big Y.

Numb, cold, and indifferent, Toriel just stared at them for a few seconds of silence… and then she took a deep sigh and closed her eyes. “You are too innocent…” She shook her head.

The boys frowned. From a stop, they slowly retracted their jazz hands to an uncomfortable stand.

“What…?” Mugman said, confused and more worried than ever.

Toriel looked towards the end of hall. “You wish to return to your home, do you not?”

Still worried, Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other, and then they slowly turned back to Toriel while saying “Yyyyeeeaaaah….?”

Toriel paused in silence, still staring at the end of the hall ahead.

Mugman’s mouth squiggly smiled nervously. “W-we’ll stop by more often!” He shyly raised his index finger.

“Yeah!” Cuphead buddy hugged Mugman, and the latter smiled in relief. “So we can have more pie!” He splayed his hand in explanation.

Mugman’s eyes widened. “Cuphead!” He glared at his brother.

Cuphead blinked as he noticed Mugman’s reaction. “Oh! Right.” He smiled at Toriel. “We’ll bring Elder Kettle too!”

As if to argue with his brother, Mugman opened his mouth and raised a finger, but then began to tap his chin in thought with that same finger.

“Actually… Yeah!” Mugman smiled. “What he said!” He pointed his thumb to Cuphead.

In their buddy hug, Cuphead and Mugman clinked each other’s heads and winked at each other.

“Thoughtful… as usual.” Toriel said numbly as she kept looking onwards. She took a deep sigh. “But no… that’s impossible.”

Smiles fading, Cuphead and Mugman started to worry again. They looked at each other and saw they were thinking the same thing.

“Oh-kay… Toriel you’re startin’ tuh scare me.” Cuphead’s eyes squeezed in worry.

Toriel took a step forward, and then stopped with her feet together. “Ahead lies the exit to these ruins.”

Cuphead and Mugman gasped, then looked at each other, and squealed while they held each other’s hands and danced their feet by running in place quickly.

“Golly that’s swell!” Cuphead looked at Toriel.

“We can go home!” Looking at his brother, Mugman gently squeezed his brother’s hands with his own. Cuphead looked back, met his brother’s eyes, and nodded.

“I’m going to destroy it.” Toriel said, her back still turned towards them.

Once full of hope, Cuphead and Mugman’s smiles turned into horrified frowns as they turned to Toriel. “Wh-what?!”

“No one will ever try to leave again.” Toriel turned her head a quarter towards the boys just so she could see them in her right periphery. “Children. Please be good and go upstairs.” With that, she looked forward and walked on to the end.

A few seconds of shock passed, but then Cuphead and Mugman gasped as they noticed her moving away. “NO!” They leapt forward and grabbed onto her dress.

As she felt the tug, she stopped taking another step. “You don’t understand… my naïve children. I am only trying to protect you.”

“From what?!” On the floor, Cuphead looked up to Toriel. “The monsters?!”

“From Asgore.” Toriel said the name in a deep blood-curdling voice

Cuphead and Mugman shuddered at his name and it made them let go of Toriel’s robe. They mouths were left wide open, wanting to gasp, but they were so scared that nothing came out.

“Every human that falls down here meets the same fate.” Toriel held out her right-hand face up, representing the human.

“They come.” She brought her right-hand to her left-hand that caressed it.

“They leave.” Her right-hand slipped from the grasp of the left-hand.

She took a long pause, her right-hand shivered as she did. She then closed her right-hand to a fist. “They die.”

On the ground, holding their breaths in fear, Cuphead and Mugman stared at Toriel’s right-fist. They held each other’s hands and felt a comforting warmth in this cold and anxious tale that had overpowered their auras once full of energy and fun.

“If you leave the ruins…” Toriel turned her head a quarter slowly. “They…” She kept turning, now half-towards them. “Asgore…” She now looked at them, who were still holding hands and looking back worried.

“Will kill you.” She spoke the last words slowly and heavily.

Whimpering. Squeezing their grasps on each other’s hands tighter. Gulping. Mugman started to crawl back a bit, but Cuphead was staying put trying to be brave and be the front for his brother.

Toriel’s eyes looked down in a sorrow. “I am not going to let that happen.” She looked back to the end of the hall far ahead. “Not again.”

Cuphead and Mugman (who was slightly behind the former) looked at each other.

“A-again?” Mugman looked back at her.

Toriel did not answer to that question, and just looked on. “This is your final warning.” She shot a strict stare at them. “Go to your room.”

With that, Toriel hurriedly walked on.

Scared, Cuphead and Mugman watched her go, and they even looked at each other just silently asking what just happened.

Trying to muster courage, Mugman took a deep breath, and then got up.

“W-WAIT MUGS!” Cuphead raised his whispering voice. “WHAT’RE YA DOIN?!”

While looking back with an insecure look at Cuphead, Mugman took a step forward. “I-I’m-!” He took a deep breath. “I’m gonna be brave.” He looked forward to Toriel. “M-ms Toriel! E-Elder Kettle might be-!”

As she walked forward, Toriel’s hands blazed with orange fire, then she turned around and swiped her right backhand behind her, drawing a horizontal line of fire on the floor between them.

Cuphead and Mugman screamed, and the former got up to catch Mugman into a protective hug while they shivered in terror.

The line of fire grew into a tall wall reaching up to Toriel’s chest.

“Don’t make me ask again.” Toriel said coldly with the flickering fire reflecting on her numb eyes.

After turning around and walking a few steps, Toriel went left where the corner turned, and she disappeared from view.

Still hugging, Cuphead and Mugman panted as they watched Toriel go.

“She….” Cuphead panted. “S-she tried tuh-….” He looked in concern at Mugman, who was shivering and whimpering in the hug.

Mugman buried his face onto Cuphead’s chest. “M-maybe…” He started to cry. “M-maybe w-we should just do what she says… I-it’ll… i-it’ll… I dunno…” He started to wail again.

“Okay…” Cuphead panted as he patted Mugman’s back gently. “Okay… w-we should just…”

While in their hug, guiding Mugman, Cuphead slowly turned them around and they slowly walked towards the stairs.

“Y-you…” Cuphead looked at Mugman. “Y-you okay pal?”

In response, Mugman buried his face onto his chest even more, shivered more violently, and tightened his hug even more, to which Cuphead just patted his brother’s back and took the intense tightness like a brother.

They walked on and on, back to where they’re being kept… but they knew they could not call it ‘home’ anymore.

Laying in the small twin-sized bed, Cuphead and Mugman hugged each other, numbly staring at the walls over each other’s shoulders. Lost… confused… conflicted…

But then… there was Toriel… she took them in when they needed help… she healed them when they were hurt… she laughed and played with their jokes… but now… with the fire and the warnings… was this really the same Toriel?

Asgore… The name sent shivers over their spines. They imagined a beast more vicious than the Devil… a bloodthirsty smile with the silhouettes of the cups on his sights… would it be right to just listen to Toriel? Leave Elder Kettle forever… leave Inkwell Isle… stay here… Elder Kettle…

Mugman just tightened his hug just to snug in comfortably. “Good night.” He said glumly as he closed his eyes.

Cuphead tightened his hug in response, and closed his eyes as well. “Good night.”

Warmth… in this cold dark room, they could only feel some form of relief in each other’s hugs… much like the warmth of home... home…. Home…

Home…

Home… the humble brown mushroom house, the crackling fire, the creaky rocking chair of Elder Kettle…

The forest where they ran around, laughing and playing together… Mugman desperately trying to catch Cuphead while the latter just spit raspberries and then ran into a tree in their game of tag, making the former tag the latter and laugh to his heart’s desire… and then, them playing hide and seek but with the unfortunate discovery of a beehive in Mugman’s hiding spot within the tree, which then got them all stung all over.. and then, them counting stars and drawing constellations on the roof when Elder Kettle supposedly tucked them in for the night…

The Root Pack... Hilda… Djimmi… Ribbey and Croaks… Ms. Chalice… Everyone… Toriel?

She stood there in the constellations. “The puzzlezz are vaiting for youzz my childrenzz!” She then flapped her arms like wings and began to squawk like a crow.

‘Asgore!’ A loud whisper echoed from around the boys, making them sit up at the roof in vigilance.

‘Asgore. ASGORE! A-ASGO-ASGORE!’ The voice echoed again, with the last being the loudest, and this time the boys held each others’ hands and readied their finger guns with the other.

“Cu-…her….” A fatherly voice spoke with its second syllable being muffled.

“Huh?!” Cuphead and Mugman looked around trying to find the source.

“Please…” The fatherly voice grew more desperate. “Wake up!”

Mugman looked at Cuphead, who also looked back. “Wh-what?!”

“You are the future of humans and monsters…” The same fatherly voice spoke desperately.

“Oh-kay…?” Confused, Cuphead looked to Mugman, who shrugged his shoulders while still staring in confusion.

The voice made them so uneasy that they went back to hugging each other, and closing their eyes.

“C-cuphead?!” Called out an endearing elderly and familiar voice. “Mugman?!”

Popping their eyes open, Cuphead and Mugman turned and shifted their gazes everywhere to find the source of the voice in the now dark void.

“E-Elder Kettle?!” They called out.

“Boys! Boys?!” His voice sounded very worried.

The void turned into Elder Kettle walking in the rain while wearing a raincoat in the forest.

“It’s time to go home! Where are you?!” Elder Kettle’s voice cried out in despair.

In panicked waking, Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes popped open, and they gasped. “ELDER KETTLE!” They yelled as they jumped out of the blanket and shook in the air (like they were shock-electrocuted) with their straws turned into exclamation points.

They both scrambled out of bed, banged the door open, rushed to the main hall, ran back down the stairs, sprinted through the long purple hallway that now, near the end of the corner, had a horizontal black ash mark on the middle of the floor, held hands, and then they turned left to see:

Like deafening rocket booster engines blasting off, powerful and colorful fires blazed from Toriel’s two hands towards the large arched door that was about a foot higher than her.

“Hey!!” Cuphead stomped his foot furiously.

Immediately, Toriel’s hands stopped blasting fire, revealing a violet door charred black on its upper-half; whatever design the door had in the middle, it was covered by black.

Toriel sighed. “So… you really do want to leave so badly after all…” She slowly lowered her hands and turned only a quarter towards them; she was facing the upper right corner of the room.

Mugman took a breath and took a right foot forward. “Ms. Toriel ma’am, thanks for everythin’…. But we really gotta go! Ya can’t keep us in here!” He jabbed his index finger to the floor.

“Yeah!” Cuphead pointed an index finger at Toriel. “It ain’t all about you lady!” He jabbed that same finger to her.

“CUPHEAD!” Mugman glared at Cuphead as he gripped the latter’s hand tighter.

“WHAT?!” Cuphead yanked his hand away from Mugman’s slightly painful grip. “It’s like ya said Mugs, we can’t stay here! Elder Kettle’s waitin’ for us back home!”

Closing his eyes, Mugman sighed. “Well… yeah!” He opened his eyes and faced Toriel. “Like my brother said, Elder Kettle’s prolly worried sick ‘bout us so we really have to go!”

“And I’ve told you already…” Toriel sighed, and kept looking at the upper corner. “If you leave, you will die…” She made a long pause. “…just like the others.” Her voice weakened and sounded it would break.

Looking down, Mugman shuddered at the thought.

“Pfft! We’re not like the others!” Cuphead flicked his left hand down. He then buddy-hugged Mugman. “WE have a brother.” He winked at the latter.

Mugman snickered. “YOU…” He touched his brother’s chest with his pointing index finger. “Have a brother. WE…” He pulled Cuphead closer that they clinked. “Have each other.” He winked.

Cuphead grumbled, his cheeks blushing from embarrassment. “Not now Mugs!” He pushed Mugman away (while Mugman grunted slightly annoyed). He then smirked at Toriel. “We’ve beaten the devil and won!”

Mugman gasped and beamed. “Oh yeah!” He snapped his fingers. “We could definitely give a wallop tuh any dum dum who gets in our way!”

“Yeah buddy!” He smiled with confidence at Mugman. “It’ll be easy as pie!” He giggled. “Get it?” He elbowed Mugman.

Mugman groaned. “Cuphead.” He rolled his eyes with a smile on his face that he’s trying to wipe off.

Toriel glared coldly at them. “Even if it were me?”

“Yeah!” Cuphead and Mugman said confidently while raising their fists and held hands to the air… but then their smiles faded into frowns of horror.

“I’m in your way…” Toriel slowly and eerily turned to them. “Would you fight me?” Her cold and numb eyes stared directly at them. “Would you…” She looked at the corner of her eyes for a moment, and then back at them; her body was now facing them. “Hurt me?”

Cuphead and Mugman made a shuddering gasp.

“If you want to leave… Prove it to me then.” Toriel elegantly and gently flipped her palms face up and laid them at the ready. “Prove to me that you are strong.”

Their breaths grew into shudders. Cuphead and Mugman took a couple of stutter steps back. “N-No…” They shook their heads in disbelief.

PING! Their pink hearts beneath their chests popped into visible.

Out of thin air, above each of Toriel’s palms, two sparks grew into candlelight fires, then flickered into larger multicolor flames.

Shocked and confused, Cuphead and Mugman’s faces turned into cold and sad frowns respectively; they knew there was no way of changing her mind. They held each other’s hands and, with each of their free hands, they formed finger guns with the tips of their index fingers humming with power and glowing with a red spread shot for Cuphead and a blue peashooter for Mugman.

The fireballs on Toriel’s hands blazed into flames two-times larger. She swirled her hands clockwise and then pushed forward while joining her fireballs together into a blast of two long-tailed spiraling comets flying and hurtling towards them.

After an alarmed gasp from each, letting go of each other’s hands, Cuphead and Mugman jumped into a curled-ball front flip to dodge the spiral through the gap on the center… but as halfway through their front-flip, their butts touched the multicolor fire from the top of the ring.

Midair, Cuphead and Mugman goofily screamed in panic and pain with tears rushing like waterfalls out of their eyes, while their legs flailed around, and their hands were covering the sides of their bums.

On the floor, the two brothers ran around in a frenzy of screaming while trying other ways to put the fires out on their own (such as sliding their bottoms on the floor, bouncing them, or patting them out). Then, still screaming, they ran around circling each other for about one, two, three times until they quickly pulled their heads popping up from their necks, and then (like buckets of water) threw the milk from their own heads towards each other’s backsides. As the fire hissed into steam and left big charred spots on the tush of their shorts, Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes (on their detached heads that their hands were carrying) squeezed shut and their teeth gritted as they felt the sting lessen… and finally as the sting receded, they sighed with smiling relief.

“Thanks buddy.” Cuphead and Mugman said in sync as their straws, that were facing each other, formed into fists that bumped into each other.

They opened their eyes, and then those eyes bugged out, and then they screamed, with their bodies shivering, as they saw a colorful fireball blazing towards them. Feet spinning like super-fast bicycle pedals, their bodies ran, but then they grunted as their bodies slammed into each other, causing them to drop their heads clinking and rolling to the floor.

The fireball blasted just above their necks (where their heads were supposed to be).

Toriel grunted coldly and unimpressed. She crisscrossed her wrists and conjured more fires on each hand.

Heads on the floor, Cuphead and Mugman whimpered and shivered (their straws formed into exclamation points, and their pupils shrunk and shivered).

“SHE’S GONNA TOAST OUR BUTTS AGAIN!!” Mugman cowardly yelled.

Their bodies grabbed a head and plugged it into the X spot on their collarbones.

Wrists crisscrossed, Toriel whipped her backhands spread apart, and the fireballs from each hand multiplied into eight fireballs that hovered in the air for a while and then dashed towards the boys in the middle; four each were homing for either Cuphead or Mugman.

The boys dashed and tumbled in opposite crisscross directions, dodging the fireballs as they dashed towards the back of the room. Cuphead and Mugman willed their bodies to aim their finger guns of where they saw Toriel, and then they fired… but their shots hit the walls respectively in front of each of them on opposite sides. The boys looked at the walls they fired at confused, and then they looked at their bodies to see they were wearing the opposite-colored shorts; their heads were on the wrong bodies.

Meanwhile, the eight fire balls that divided into two pairs of four bounced on the corners of the room back towards the boys.

The boys tumbled to the center, each knelt on one knee closest to each other while their other legs were lunged to opposite side; they posed like action stars holding their guns up. Smirking, they then held their own head handles with the use of their bodies, pulled their heads out of the wrong neck, hovered it over their respective necks, gave each other a light clink, and put their heads back to their respective necks… but then the fireballs that bounced from the corners behind them blasted onto their butts again, and they jumped up screaming and crying in pain while flailing their legs around and covering their bums with their hands.

Side by side, they landed on their chins with their butts pointing to the ceiling, while flames kept burning on their bums like they were brazens, and Cuphead and Mugman just stared annoyed, unamused, and uncaring.

“Alright we get it…” Cuphead said annoyed. “We’re really hot!”

Mugman groaned. “Not now Cuphead.”

Cuphead and Mugman licked the tips of their index fingers and pressed the flames on their bottoms, extinguishing them with a ‘tssss’ sound from the steam.

“Yeah, tell that to every joirk that made puns while we got our butts kicked back home.” Cuphead said, still staring at space unamused.

As he chance-glanced at Toriel, Mugman’s eyes bugged out in shock. “LOOK OUT!” He pushed Cuphead to the side and he dashed away opposite of him, leaving a puff of white smoke behind, to dodge a fireball that instead exploded on the ground they were on.

Toriel brought her wrists together, palms forward, and hands spread open horizontally. From the center, where the wrists met, she shot a continuous shower of smaller fireballs towards the boys.

Standing up after their roll, Cuphead and Mugman grabbed their head own handles, and gave them a hard spin that their heads spun very fast. Meanwhile, their straws turned into hands glowing with pink energy; their heads turned into spinning helicopters with a pink spinning energy ring which then parried the fireballs that flew towards them.

Toriel gasped as she saw her attacks being swatted away like flies.

The boys then jumped up with the pink energy ring from their straw hands being seeped inward the tubes of their straws and into the milk in their heads. Their heads stopped spinning, and they looked fiercely at Toriel while their bodies were twisted to the right with their fists pointing towards that direction as if to wind their own bodies up like toys. Then, they aimed the mouth of their cup-heads towards Toriel and spun their bodies counterclockwise really really fast and unleashed a spinning blast of milk towards her.

Toriel’s eyes widened, and with fast reflexes, she unleashed, one from each hand, two powerful multicolor fireblasts towards each blast of milk that was coming towards her. The fireblasts and the milk blasts met in the middle gap between, and it resulted in a thick steam building up between Toriel and the boys. Each of her fireblasts were being pushed by the blasts of milk, the boys’ power was stronger in this attempt, but even if she could be stronger otherwise, Toriel willed her blasts to weaken instead and then frowned in acceptance.

The milk blasts hit her hands, and then her body, and they were powerful enough to slam her body towards the door behind her.

Cuphead and Mugman landed on their feet on the ground and watched the wall of white foggy steam cautiously with their finger guns glowing with their respective red and blue energy pointing towards it.

I’m… I’m determined too…

In the steamy fog, two colorful fires blazed from within, and those two fires were wiped sidewards to dissipate the fog and reveal Toriel with sharp canines on her teeth and a fiercer stare towards the boys, who then gasped and backed off a bit.

Toriel blasted the ground, and a wave of large pillars of fire came towards them in one… two… and three. The boys split up (Cuphead ran forward, while Mugman backflipped) and Cuphead just stood in the gap between the first and second pillars of fire as he kept firing with his red spread shot, while Mugman just stood in the gap between the second and third fire pillars as he fired his blue peashooter shots from afar. The bullets pierced through the fires creating gaps within the fire, and they kept hitting Toriel, who just stood there secretly gritting the teeth beneath her fierce frown, bearing the pain.

Mugman saw the suffering expression Toriel bore on her face, and in a compassionate look, he stopped firing his shots. “Cuphead!” He started to run forward to his brother.

Hands drawn together, from the gap between her palms, Toriel formed a big multicolored fireball twice the size of the boys. She launched it forward, and Cuphead gasped as the fireball was hurtling towards him, but then he was tackled from behind (by Mugman) and they both disappeared in a puff of white smoke, and then reappeared on the other side of the fireball behind it. They both fell to the floor with Cuphead below, and Mugman’s head stacked on top of Cuphead’s.

Cuphead smiled at Mugman above him. “Thanks pal!”

“Cuphead!” Mugman gently raised his voice to Cuphead below him. “Toriel! We-!”

Just then, Toriel conjured another huge fireball and then fired it at the boys.

Mugman gasped. “Look out!” With his arms and legs, he pushed Cuphead to the right, all while the fireball hurtled towards himself.

KABOOM!…SHATTER!

As he landed and heard the explosion, Cuphead looked back to where Mugman was, but what was left was a big black burnt mark on the floor with smaller rays of black burns spreading radially from the center (shaped like a sun). He gasped. “M…Mugs?” he crawled to the ash slowly, his eyes shivering in horror.

A groan came from the left side, and Cuphead looked towards its source. He found Mugman slumped on the corner wall, still intact with no burns on his face or his clothes, but his head handle was chipped off and he fell to the floor on his right; the fireball didn’t hit him, but the force of the explosion pushed him to the wall.

“MUGS!!!” Cuphead yelled with tears trickling from his eyes as he stood up and ran to him.

Toriel gasped, her eyes shrunk, and she covered her mouth with both her hands.

Cuphead reached Mugman. “Buddy?” He held his brother’s shoulders.

Mugman just groaned in pain.

Breathing stopped… and then intensified into raging deep breaths. “That does it…” Cuphead turned to Toriel with a furious stare; his pupils turned crimson red with a sinister energy.

From his right pocket, Cuphead brought out a plastic toy knife with the blade colored in gray plastic and the handle in orange.

As she saw the knife, her terrified gaze turned softer, as if she was accepting it. From covering her mouth, Toriel spread her hands wide to her sides and conjured two-multicolored flames that were smaller than they usually were.

Growling, huffing, and puffing, Cuphead then dashed forward and ran towards Toriel with a finger gun on his left hand and a toy knife on his right.

Toriel pushed her hands forward and unleashed another showering fireball attack.

Cuphead kept running forward, even if he knew he could get hit. But the showering fireballs just hurtled to the side, leaving a large gap in the center for Cuphead to run safely to.

With a sinister bloodlust smile on his face, Cuphead leapt to the air, held his toy knife high in the air, and stroke a vertical overhead slash right down the middle of Toriel.

For a moment, Toriel’s body turned into dust while retaining its shape, and she yelled in pain.

Slumped on the wall behind Cuphead, Mugman groaned as he rubbed his head. Blinking his eyes open, a blurry figure of someone with a black top and red shorts ducking under a multicolor fire attack, which was fired towards the ceiling from the white arms of the figure wearing purple in front of the black and red one; the sound of the fire attack was slightly muffled due to his dizziness. The finger gun from the black and red one glowed yellow and an ascending ‘zhooming’ sound was beaming up.

Vision clearing. Hearing stabilizing. Mugman blinked to see Cuphead firing a yellow charge-shot at Toriel, whose body, for a moment, turned to dust but retained its shape, only this time the dust form stayed longer before it reformed back to her stable default, and she screamed in pain.

Mugman gasped, and his eyes widened in horror. “CUPHEAD NOOO!”

He ran to Cuphead, who started to give a sadistic giggle as he held his finger gun and toy knife proudly.

Mugman grabbed hold of Cuphead’s hand which held the finger gun. “BRO WHAT’RE YA-!” He gasped as he saw Cuphead’s crimson pupils and toothy carnivorous smile.

“OUT OF THE WAY WEAKLING!” With his voice sounding demonic (lower pitched and as if gurgling with blood), Cuphead pushed Mugman away very strong that the latter fell to the floor, but did not show any sign of pain due to how scared he was.

“Cup…” Mugman reached out his hand to Cuphead but…

Laughing like an evil maniac, Cuphead ran forward with his hands gliding to his sides like an assassin; he held his toy knife on the right and finger gun on his left.

Toriel unleashed another attack of tiny showering fireballs, but the quantity of the fireballs is fewer, and were all moving away from Cuphead as he got closer.

With his haunting maniacal laugh, Cuphead spun horizontally and slashed Toriel across her stomach, and again she screamed in pain.

Her body turned into dust form again, this time retaining for about longer seconds, but then her body kept flickering back and forth from dust to her regular body as she panted and tried to catch her breath.

Mugman did his ‘dash’ move towards Cuphead and tackled him with a really tight hug from behind. “CUPHEAD WHAT’S GOTTEN INTO YA?!”

Cuphead squirmed and struggled from Mugman’s hug; the white in his eyes were turning yellow, and the red color in his shorts and the two stripes in his straw were turning purple. “I need… TO BE STRONGER!” His voice turned demonic on the last phrase. “YOU’RE NOT GONNA BE A WIMP ABOUT THIS AND GET IN THE WAY AGAIN!!” He gave two hind kicks towards Mugman’s legs, and Mugman yelled in pain as he let go of Cuphead due to losing control of his arms.

Mugman tried to catch Cuphead with his arms again, but the latter was too fast. “NOO!” He yelled with his strongest voice. He fired a shot of his peashooter to Cuphead, aiming for his foot, but Cuphead jumped over, and the shot went to Toriel instead. Toriel screamed in pain again, this time weaker from all the hits, and her body was flickering from dust to stable.

Mugman gasped at what he did, and tears started to form in his eyes.

A sinister cackle came from Cuphead. “Thanks pal!” He looked behind him with a demonic carnivorous smile at Mugman.

The sound numbed everywhere, and only Mugman’s voice echoed. “CUPHEEAAD!!! PLEAAASE!! NOOOOO!!” He ran towards his brother.

Cuphead leapt up held his toy knife overhead, and prepared to strike.

Panting from all the pain, her body flickering in and out of stability, Toriel just stared numbly at Cuphead, at the knife he was carrying… and then closed her eyes.

SLASH!

…

Huffing…. Panting… Groaning in pain…. Toriel held the part in her chest which was slashed, and her body just continuously flickered from dust to stable… dust... stable… dust…

Huffing… Panting… Cuphead just smiled devilishly at the deed he has done. Then… He was punched in the face from his left by a white-gloved fist.

“OWW!” Cuphead yelled in pain, but then he was punched again with the other gloved fist, and he was knocked to the ground.

Huffing… Panting… with tears in his furious eyes, Mugman approached Cuphead who was groaning on the floor and grabbed his shoulders. “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!” He shook his brother.

Huffing… Panting… With a blurry vision in his eyes… Cuphead blinked repeatedly to see Mugman with tears streaming from his furious eyes staring back at him. “B…Bro?”

PUNCH!

“OW! MUGMAN!” With an angry face, Cuphead caught Mugman’s fist before he punched him again.

“WHY DID YA DO THAT!” Mugman tried to pull his fist back but Cuphead’s grip was too strong. “WHY DID YA DO THAT WHY DID YA-!” He blinked his eyes and started to sob.

Cuphead stared at him, bewildered at what his brother was talking about.

Urgh….

Turning towards the direction of the groan, Cuphead gasped to see Toriel was hurt.

“TORIEL!” Mugman yelled. He dropped his brother and ran to her.

Cuphead just stared in horror, confused as to how it happened. He used his right hand to start pushing himself up from the floor, but he felt a rod-like item was held in it. He flipped his right hand open, and gasped as he dropped the dusty-blade toy knife and hurriedly crawled away from it. He looked at Toriel again to see that her physical form was flickering from dust to stable more and more; she had a slanted vertical slash on her robe.

“You…” Mugman held her arm right arm. “Ya gotta get back up. Ya-ya need to rest.” He tried to lay it behind his shoulders.

“No…” Cuphead’s breathing started to panic. “No, I-I couldn’t have-!”

Mugman tried to walk, but in addition to his exhaustion from the fight and Toriel’s weak state, he could not support Toriel to move. “Toriel! Come… ON!” He gasped, as suddenly the weight of carrying her became lighter.

From the other side, Cuphead took Toriel’s other arm and carried it over his shoulders. “On the count’a three Mugs.”

For a few seconds, Mugman just looked at his brother confused, but then nodded in agreement. “One.”

“Two.” Cuphead counted.

“No….” Toriel breathed heavily, and gave a weak chuckle. “My sweet children…” She just kept breathing.

Cuphead and Mugman just looked at her in confusion.

Cuphead shook his head out of distraction. “Come on!”

“No!....” Toriel kept panting, her form was still flickering. “Please…. Just listen…”

A tear streamed down of Cuphead’s left eye.

“You… you are both stronger…” She kept panting, and her dust form kept lingering for longer seconds. “Than I had expected…”

Sobbing, with tears falling from both his eyes, Mugman looked at her. “T-Toriel?...”

“But you… you cannot… waver….” She kept panting. “You cannot lose focus…”

Cuphead closed his eyes, and tears streamed from his face, but he stubbornly motioned to start carrying Toriel.

“If you go beyond this door…” Toriel kept panting, and her dust form kept persisting. “Eventually… you will find an exit…”

Both of them gasped and opened their eyes wide.

“Home…” Mugman whispered.

“Yes my child…” Toriel smiled, she gently turned Mugman’s head from the top to face him to her, and she wiped a tear from his left eye with the back of her right index finger. “Home-!” A sharp pain came from her abdomen, and she quickly covered the slash on it with her right hand.

“TORIEL!” Cuphead and Mugman raced to catch her elbows and stopped her from falling by letting her shoulders lean on their chests, while the boys carried her with their hands.

She panted. “Asgore…” She breathed more slowly, her form started to flake and dust started to fly away from her body. “Do not let Asgore take your soul. His plan…” Her voice became softer. “His plan… cannot be allowed… to succeed…” Toriel groaned in pain.

Her arms faded into dust for a moment, and they went through the boys who tried to catch her in vain, and then her arms caught the floor, stopping her from falling.

The boys held her arms as more tears started to form.

“Toriel….” Mugman gave a light tug at her arm. “Please…”

She smiled and gave a weak chuckle. “Be good… and be good to each other… won’t you?” She then placed her hands on top of their heads and gave soft rubs to both while they watched her body turn to dust. “M y …. c h I l d r e n…” Her face turned gray and dusty as she spoke.

As if a gust of wind had blown, her entire form dissipated into dust, and the boys gave shivering gasps as they watched her dust fly. The thick dust that formed Toriel’s body grew thinner and thinner… until a white upside-down heart was left behind floating before them. The white upside-down heart trembled violently for a few seconds, then broke into two halves… which then dissipated into bits.

Silent. Panting. Horrified eyes wide open. Toriel… Toriel she… Slowly, they both looked at each other.

“Wha…” Mugman kept panting. “What have you done…”

“I…” Cuphead panted, his head shook, his shocked eyes had tears falling (but fewer due to adrenaline), and his heart pounded of guilt and fear (especially with Mugman in front of him). “I-I didn’t…” He stuttered a step back.

“Ya didn’t?” Mugman’s cold voice matched his cold and heartbroken stare. He walked towards Cuphead and aggressively snagged the collar of his black turtleneck (and Cuphead shivered and whimpered loudly as it happened). “YA DIDN’T WHAT?!” He screamed; he stared furiously straight into his brother’s eyes while they were practically in face-to-face proximity.

“I-I-I-I DIDN’T-! I-MEAN-!” Cuphead’s voice shuddered as he sobbed. “I-I DUNNO WHAT HAPPENED I-?!

“WHADDYA MEAN YA DUNNO WHAT HAPPENED?!” Mugman violently shook Cuphead once.

Cuphead wailed. “MUGS STOP-!” He managed to plead out of his whimpering scared-to-death voice.

“I KEPT TELLIN’ YA TUH STOP!” Mugman shook him again.

“I-I-!” Cuphead gasped for breath (the grab on his collar was a little tight), and he grabbed hold endearingly on Mugman’s wrists. “Y-YOU WERE-! I DIDN’T!”

“QUIT YER SCRAMBLIN’! SPIT IT OUT!” At the last three words, Mugman yelled at the top of his voice while he shook Cuphead with trembling force.

“YA GOT BEAT UP PRETTY BAD MAN!” Cuphead yelled at the top of his voice too, as if he were pleading for his life. “Y-YA G-GOT BLASTED, A-AN-AND I SAW YA, Y-YA CHIPPED YER HANDLE!” From his left pocket, he brought out his brother’s head handle.

Mugman gasped. He let his right hand go of Cuphead, and then touched the back of his head to indeed find that it was broken off.

“I-I-I GOT SO BOILED UP I-I-I-!” Cuphead heaved for breath again, this time from sobbing. “I-I-I LOOKED AT ‘ER AND THEN…” His eyes looked left and right, trying to remember what happened. “I-I DUNNO I BLACKED OUT! I ONLY THOUGHT ABOUT YA AND-AND- THEN TORIEL AND-AND- THEN…” His eyes suddenly looked towards the floor on his right.

Mugman’s shocked gaze followed the direction Cuphead looked, and he gasped as he saw the plastic toy knife laying on the floor. The grip from his left hand on Cuphead’s collar loosened, and then he looked at his brother.

“Mugs… After everythin’ Toriel…” Heavy streams of tears fell from Cuphead’s eyes. The desperate grip of his right hand on Mugman’s left tightened. “Why would I do that Mugs?... Why would I…” He looked down at his shaking hands. “Why… did… I…” He started to sob. Slowly he knelt down to the floor and covered his face with his hands in shame.

Mugman’s breathing slowed down, and his gaze at his brother turned more understanding as the seconds went with Cuphead’s sobbing filling the silent room. He remembered the red eyes that replaced Cuphead’s when he was on a rampage. Somehow… he knew it wasn’t him. But how it happened… he didn’t know. He knelt down and watched Cuphead while the tears in his own streamed down once again.

Never in his life did Mugman see Cuphead saw so devastated. Even when they had lost their souls to the Devil, Cuphead always kept a smile on his face. They sang songs, they buddy walked to every debtor they had to face (some walks hippy-happy, while others were miserable), and even with this dread they felt within them, they kept reminding each other how sticking together would get them out of every trouble they were in.

Cuphead kept beating his thoughts with questions. Did he do it? Was it all a trick? Was he controlled? He didn’t know anymore. He just knelt there sobbing and sobbing while in deep shock and shame of what had happened… of what he did. He was alone, he felt so alone… he felt that he deserved not to be saved from this misery… for once, he felt he needed to answer for what had happened… and this was it…

And then… he felt a tackling hug.

Cuphead opened his eyes and saw that Mugman was hugging him.

Mugman had his eyes shut tight and his hug wrapped even tighter.

Shocked, Cuphead’s eyes welled with new tears. “M-mugs? No… Wh-why?”

“I…” Mugman took a pause, and then sniffled. “I would’ve done it too…” He whispered as tears fell from his eyes.

Shocked eyes widened, and Cuphead’s chest started to shudder. “Wh-what?!”

For a moment, Mugman’s eyelids squeezed shut… but then opened with tears falling from them. “If she hurt ya… If ya weren’t the same again…” He just looked down… and kept silent while he let more tears fall.

Cuphead’s tears fell. “No…. no ya wouldn’t Mugs stop…” More tears fell as he squeezed his eyes shut. “You wouldn’t… You’re not… You’re…” He started to wail.

With that, they just wrapped each other in their desperate hugs, not caring how painful they were being to each other. It was usually funny when they did stuff like this, hugging each other ‘til the other choked… but now, they felt the world was against them; they needed to be sure that they weren’t alone, and that they would have someone to hold on.

“I never wanted this Mugs…. I never wanted this.” Cuphead kept sobbing.

“Me too Cuphead.” Mugman sniffled. He tried to be just silent, and strong. “Me too….”

They just stood there clinging to each other’s hugs; Cuphead was practically leaning and giving all his weight to Mugman, and the latter was trying his best to stand strong, even though he wanted to break down too. Their thoughts circled and circled over what could’ve been, what they could’ve changed, and what would it take to stop this from happening… not like this… not like this…

Not like this…

The room got darker, and darker, and darker… until it was pitch black. Their sobs were echoing in the darkness louder and louder. The boys opened their eyes to see what was causing the echoes, and they gasped and broke apart as they discovered they were no longer in the same room.

They looked back at where the hallway they came from was supposed to be, but it was not there. Mugman looked to where the door was, it was not there.

“C-Cuphead?” Mugman asked nervously.

Looking in opposite directions, they both took a step closer to each other… but then the floor vanished and suddenly they were falling and screaming at the top of their lungs as they did. Falling and falling, and screaming and screaming into the bottomless black void, Cuphead and Mugman flailed their arms around in search of something to grab hold of… and then they saw each other.

“CUUUUPHEAAAAAAAAAD!!!” Mugman screamed as he reached his arms for his brother.

“MUUUUGMAAAAAAAAAN!!!” Cuphead screamed as he reached his arms for his brother.

Reaching and reaching, they kept swiping the air almost catching each other’s hands… and then they finally grabbed hold of each other’s right wrist.

Cuphead pulled Mugman towards himself, and the latter caught Cuphead as they both hugged each other very tight and fell… fell… fell…

Their tears were falling upwards due to the speed at which they fell.

“Don’t let go buddy.” Cuphead said as he kept holding Mugman. “Don’t ever let go.”

Mugman made his hug as tight as he could. “I won’t…” He sobbed. “I’ll never.”

They fell… and fell… and fell… alone in the silent void… alone without anyone to save them…

They fell…

And Fell…

…

And fell…

…

And fell…

…

Until a whisper came.

“Wow….” That same whisper of two familiar voices said.

Surprised, Cuphead and Mugman opened their eyes, and instead of an infinite black void…

A giant 360-degree image of the majestic door that marked the entrance to the ruins with Cuphead and Mugman holding hands as their eyes filled with awe appeared before them. The fall of gravity did not feel treacherous anymore, and instead it felt like they were in a dream. Without breaking their hug, they kept watch of the image as it shifted into another.

“And… our cupbrohood.” Mugman’s voice echoed loudly in the space.

“Just… don’t. Say. The L-word.” Cuphead’s pretend-fearful voice echoed into space.

The giant 360 image changed into that of Cuphead and Mugman (with leaves sprinkled onto his head like it was cereal) holding hands after the latter took the oath.

Mugman suddenly giggled, and it caused Cuphead to giggle to.

“Heeey! Why’re ya laughin?” Cuphead smiled to Mugman, who just shrugged his shoulders in response.

“You know bro, I believe some day he’ll be brave enough to get the cheese.” Cuphead’s echoing voice said.

“Yeah… me too bro… Me too.” Mugman’s echoing voice responded.

The 360-image changed into Cuphead and Mugman holding hands while they watched the mouse hole on the bottom of the pink wall patiently.

Cuphead and Mugman smiled with relief at this vision.

““Uhh, what did I say?” Cuphead’s echoing intrigued voice said.

The 360 image showed them by the leafless tree with red leaves on the ground, and Mugman was just leaning closer to Cuphead’s non-existent ear.

At this, Cuphead and Mugman’s mouth started to squiggle-smile a bit, and they snickered.

There was a long pause… until

“Piss a cake.” Mugman’s whispering voice said.

Starting from loud snickers, Cuphead and Mugman burst into their loudest laughter they ever had to the ceiling, and that laughter echoed through the halls… a really loud laughter that they had felt really really familiar with. As they felt strange with this all too familiar laughter, they opened their eyes.

In front, they saw a wide purple wall. They looked below them and then sidewards to each other, and they saw that they were not standing, but slumping and leaning cheek-to-cheek side-by-side each other looking like an upside-down V.

“Whoa! WHOOAAHH!” They yelled as they lost their balance and fell backwards.

Leaves rustled beneath their heads as the boys crashed into the pile of them. Looking up, they saw the top branches of the leafless tree.

They both gasped.

“N-no way!” Mugman made a whispering exclaim.

Mugman got up hastily, followed by Cuphead who just followed his brother’s lead.

Turning to his left, Mugman gasped, his pupils shrunk, and his hands covered his mouth in shock. Cuphead followed behind Mugman, and he gasped too.

Before them, was a small rectangular castle-like house standing in front of them; it had a doorless castle doorway with large cubes of rocks lining the arch, crenels lining the borders of the roof, and two long red beds of leaves flanking the left and right of the doorway… they were back in front of Toriel’s castle-house.

“Wh-….” Cuphead turned to Mugman. “What’s goin’ on?...”

Mugman blinked repeatedly, trying to clear his vision for any chance that it might be blurry or it might be tricked. “C-c’mon…” He started to walk towards the entrance of the house.

Cuphead stood there watching and wondering what Mugman was doing, but as soon as he noticed they were gaining distance, he scrambled and ran to catch up with his brother.

“M-Mugman? Y-yer freakin’ me out…” Cuphead held his brother’s hand.

For a moment, Mugman looked at his brother. “S-sorry… I just… I just had a strange feeling…”

Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “’Bout what?”

“Well… if we’re back here…” Mugman kept walking to the entrance of the house. “If we woke up there… like that… ‘exactly like we did yesterday… wouldn’t that mean…”

They entered the house, and immediately they were greeted with the same familiar scent of butterscotch cinnamon seeping into their nostrils. They felt a familiar hunger and craving that had gotten them all goofy… but it didn’t feel right to them.

“Surprise!” By the door, a familiar motherly voice said from behind as she stomped her foot forward towards the boys.

Cuphead and Mugman screamed, hugged each other, and they pointed their finger guns towards the direction of the voice and stomp.

There, Toriel was enthusiastically and happily smiling as she was shaking her jazz hands towards the boys. “That’s butterscotch pie you are smelling!” She let out a giggle as she covered her mouth with her right hand. “It turned out, you were right! Those two flavors do mix well together!” She placed her hands on her lap as she leaned closer to the boys and smiled at them endearingly. “Like two best friends!”

Slowly lowering their finger guns, the boys looked at her with tears in their eyes.

Toriel’s smile faded into an astonished frown. “Wh-what’s wrong?” She looked back outside, then back at the boys with her thumb pointing towards outside. “A-a while ago you two were so curious about my surprise, and then now- OH!”

She was suddenly given a really big hug on her legs by Cuphead and Mugman, and her arms backed away in such surprise. She looked at the boys, confused by their sudden behavior, then smiled at them endearingly, and then gave them her own warm hug as well.

Toriel chuckled. “I’m glad you really like the surprise my children.” After a few more seconds, she then lets them go, and sets her hands on each of their shoulders. “But! I have another big surprise for you!”

From bending forward, Toriel stood straight and then headed towards the hall on the right.

With confused and disbelieving frowns, Cuphead and Mugman just watched her go as if she was a ghost. Then, they looked at each other, held each other’s hands, and just followed her along the familiar hallway they knew. They walked past the light torch, and then stopped behind Toriel, where she stopped before the first door on the left.

“Here it is!” Toriel said as she took a deep breath.

Gently, she grabbed their hands and together they looked at the door in front of them.

“It’s a room for the both of you! I hope you like it!” With that, she rubbed the top rims of their heads endearingly.

Toriel looked at the door with such hope, while Cuphead and Mugman looked at it still in shock, but now with a bit of numbness.

A warm scent came before them, and Toriel took a few loud sniffs. “Oh my!” She covered her mouth with her left hand. “Is something burning?!” She looked alarmed towards the direction of the kitchen. “Oh my… Uh…” She turned towards the boys. “M-make yourself at home!” She said as she was making a run towards the kitchen.

Cuphead and Mugman ignored her, they just kept staring at the door.

They felt… numb, miserable, confused… this scene was all too familiar… like it was… scripted… and they were the only ones who knew… but… they looked at each other… and with that look alone, they silently agreed that they felt the need to follow it somehow.

Exactly like before, Cuphead and Mugman opened the door, with the latter turning the knob, and the former pushing it. Before them, was the familiar warm room that had filled them with excitement… but now it didn’t feel real anymore.

“So…” Cuphead felt obliged to speak. “Wh-what do you wanna do?” He slowly looked strangely at Mugman.

“I…” Mugman took a shuddering breath, and then slowly looked at Cuphead. “I wanna cuddle.” He said numbly.

Numb, Cuphead looked a few seconds more at Mugman, and then slowly turned to the bed. Like it was scripted, like it was a scene he just had to reenact for the sake of it, he walked over to the bed, sat on it, looked at numb, miserable Mugman standing in the doorway (where he used to used to see his brother’s devastated face turn into cute pure joy), and then he opened his arms for a hug.

Mugman saw his brother’s arms, remembering how excited he was to see his brother’s prank turning into a dream come true. But this time, like an empty soul, he just walked over to Cuphead hugged him, and together they laid in that same bed that was too small for either of them.

Mugman just stared at the wall in front of him (behind Cuphead), trying to understand what just happened. Fighting Toriel… Toriel dying… and then Toriel welcoming them into her home as if they had just gone back a few steps… how did it happen? Was this really Toriel? He didn’t know anymore. He was ready to shut his eyes… but then Cuphead squeezed his hug really really tight on Mugman, then he sobbed and crashed onto his brother’s shoulder. Mugman felt his eyes water so much that he couldn’t help but crash into Cuphead’s shoulder as well.

Horrified, confused, devastated… Toriel… Toriel…

They never wanted it to happen again.

End of Chapter 8-

(Cutscene)

“A-as-g-gore huh?!” Mugman looked up to Toriel. “W-well… Me and Cuphead could take ‘im!... I-I think!”

Cuphead giggled. “Nice!” He smirked and nudged Mugman’s elbow.

Mugman gasped and stars formed on his eyes. “Thank you!” His fist cuddled on his chin.

“Buuut, lose the ‘ya think’ next time?” Cuphead teased as he raised an eyebrow.

“I know, I know.” Mugman blushed and he mumbled, to which Cuphead just giggled.

(Cutscene)

Mugman turned to the stairs, and saw Cuphead furiously catching up to him. Quickly, he hid in front of Toriel, using her as a cover while he peeked at Cuphead. “Y-YOU’RE BEING A BIG MEANIE!”

“HUMBUG!” Cuphead pointed at Mugman while trying to get closer (but Mugman was just going around Toriel away from Cuphead). “I DIDN’T SAY NUTHIN’! I SAID YA NOSE’LL LOOK GOOD ON ME! YER THE ONE WHO’S MAKIN STUFF UP!”

Mugman mumbled nervously. “Y-you…” He started to peek his head more. “You weren’t sayin’ nuthin ‘bout my nose?”

Cuphead made a snarky laugh. “Come on! Look at me!” He stood proudly with his fists on his hips, and his big blue nose held high. “I dun’ care whatcha say, I’d keep this look forevah.”

Feeling his heart warm, Mugman couldn’t help but smile. He slowly came out of hiding with his index fingers touching together repeatedly, and he walked to Cuphead.

When Mugman was close enough, Cuphead playfully punched Mugman’s arm.

“Heey!” Mugman rubbed his arm and frowned at Cuphead.

Cuphead giggled. “Just messin’ with ya bud.” He opened his arms.

Mugman immediately took the hug. “Yer such a joirk.”

Cuphead smirked and shrugged his shoulders. “L-word.” He tightened his hug.

Author's Comments: Yep. Sorry if it wasn't what you guys expected, but I wanted to continue to capture the essence of Undertale, where you had the choice of venturing into either Genocide, Pacifist, or Neutral types of endings.

I was considering if I would include the warning 'Character Death', but it would be a spoiler if I put it above.

Almost done with this arc, and I promise I won't make a single arc as long as this in the coming chapters.

See you next time!

#cuphead #mugman #cuphead and mugman #cuphead crossover #cuptale #cupheadxundertale #undertale crossover

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ironstrange1991 · 6 months ago

Text

Forbidden (Part 8): I'm Yours

+18 Smut

Pairing: Doctor Strange x Fem!Reader

Synopsis: When Y/n attends a doctor's appointment she ends up discovering something about Stephen's past. At night, desire and reason wage a battle that both she and Stephen cannot fight against.

Word Count: 11,3k

Warnings: SMUT: Fingering, oral sex with male and female receiving, cum eating.

A/N: This one is very long but I had a very nice time writing it. I really hope you guys enjoy it and have a nice reading ;) - Also I was very tired while editing this one so any typos os grammar mistakes will be fixed later.

SERIES MASTERLIST

Stephen had no idea what he was doing. He didn't know how to cook. He barely knew how to make coffee and tea, but he needed to have something ready to offer you when you woke up. So he got up and went straight to the kitchen to try his luck preparing breakfast. However, his attempt was frustrated when the eggs began to stick to the bottom of the pan and the bacon, forgotten in the fire, turned to charcoal.

"Shit" He cursed, turning off the heat and using the napkin to try to remove any evidence of smoke from the kitchen. "Okay, plan B." He said throwing the napkin on the stove and resorting to the sling ring in the pocket of his pants. He was about to open a portal when he heard Wong and America's voices approaching.

"What's that smell?" America said as they entered the kitchen. She looked from Stephen to the stove and back to him. "Were you trying to cook?"

He sighed, returning the sling ring to his pocket.

"How many times have I told you to stay out of my kitchen, Strange?" Wong scolded, taking a good look around and then pointed to the frying pan. "Was that supposed to be bacon?"

"It's my kitchen. I'm the master of this Sanctum and yes, it was supposed to be bacon, but I forgot it in the fire because I was trying to cook the eggs..."

America sat at the table and looked at him for a second. "This is so weird. Why are you acting so weird? And since when do you try to cook?"

Wong moved his fingers and immediately the remnants of Stephen's attempt to make breakfast disappeared. The smell also disappeared. "What does she eat?"

"Wait, who?" America asked and then smiled openly. “Does Y/n here?”

"He wouldn't try to make breakfast for himself." Wong confirmed. “He would rather starve.”

Stephen rested his hands on his hips, running his tongue around the corner of his mouth. "It's not what you’re thinking."

America grimaced. "Oh, gross."

"It's nothing like that. I picked her up at a party and we talked and it got late. That's all."

Wong smirked, clearly unconvinced. Somehow he had already started making a batter that Stephen thought was pancakes. The eggs were already scrambled and ready to go in the frying pan and the bacon slices were already arranged in the other frying pan. Of course he used magic to cook, but Stephen didn't even know how to do that. He never understood the cooking spells books.

"I have no idea what she eats..." He admitted.

"I'm sure she'll be satisfied. She doesn't seem very demanding..." Wong said without a trace of humor.

Stephen frowned at the comment, but decided not to say anything. Instead he turned to America.

"How are things at Kamar Taj? Have you learned anything special that you want to show me?"

"Boring." The girl replied, "But my portals are more stable, and Wong let me read the astral projection books."

Stephen nodded turning to face Wong. "Is she ready for this yet?"

"No, but she's impatient and stubborn, much like someone I know." Wong responded. He was finishing preparing the eggs and bacon and starting to fry the pancakes.

The corners of Stephen's lips turned up in a discreet smile. "I'm sure she can handle it, then."

America smiled proudly.

...

When you opened your eyes, you had to make an effort to understand where you were, but little by little the memories of last night came back to you and you felt your heart racing in your chest. Your hand felt the mattress next to you, finding only empty space where Stephen once was and you understood that you were alone in the room.

You smiled to yourself while a movie played in your head and without thinking about what you were doing, you hugged his pillow and brought it to your nose, breathing in his delicious smell into your lungs. It was fresh, like some kind of herb scent you couldn’t identify. You decided you loved that smell.

Everything was so surreal, but at the same time it felt so right. Every kiss, every touch, and that orgasm... Even though you felt blushing, you didn't feel like you had done anything wrong, quite the opposite. And you wanted more. So much more. You wanted to experience everything with him, give yourself completely to him. Somehow you felt like everything made sense now. You never found anyone to lose your virginity to because in reality it was always Stephen.

It took a few minutes for you to finally get up and you were leaving the bathroom, dressed in your dress and boots when Stephen entered the room.

"Hey, good morning." He said, approaching you and kissing you softly as if you had already done that a million times.

"Good morning" You said into his lips. "I used your toothbrush again."

Stephen smirked "Hmm, I can get used to this."

"Hmm, you're so responsive." He whispered in your ear and then stepped away smirking, pleased to see you falling apart for him.

"Maybe you should." You wrapped your arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe to kiss him properly now and his tongue tasted like coffee and toothpaste.

He wrapped his arms around your waist and broke the kiss only to tuck his head into the crook of your neck, inhaling deeply. Not satisfied, he rubbed his goatee on your skin and finished with a little bite on your earlobe, making your entire body tremble. He was such a tease, you thought.

"Breakfast is ready." He informed casually. "Wong and America are back. They're waiting for us downstairs."

You needed a minute to recover from the state he left you in so you could finally think straight.

"Stephen... I don't know if it's a good idea. Wong..."

"He made you breakfast. He has his reservations because of the age difference, but he's on our side, sweetheart. Both are."

You seemed to think for a second.

"Or I can take you home now, like I promised." He offered but you could see the disappointment in his expressions. You shook your head taking his hand in yours.

"No, it's okay. I'm starving and I'm not looking forward to leave you, anyway."

"Me neither." He confessed kissing you. “I feel like a teenager. Don’t want to let you go.”

You smiled feeling your heart flutter in your chest. You were understanding little by little that that feeling would be an usual thing from now on.

You couldn't say that you ever imagined sitting at the table having breakfast with Wong knowing that he knew you and Stephen were together. It was kind of a dream come true, but at the same time it was scary too. Wong was scaring. He didn't hide the way he looked at you and Stephen. America also didn't make a point of hiding the smile on her face and you began to realize that both of them had joined the dots and reached the very obvious conclusion that you were Stephen had slept together. Well, you had slept together, but the term usually implied that you had had sex, but you hadn't. Not exactly. Well, everything was a bit confusing at the moment.

"America told me you have a show scheduled for tonight." Stephen said, breaking the silence that was starting to get awkward. "You hadn't told me anything."

In fact, you had completely forgotten. Ever since Stephen took you to the Sanctum, everything outside seemed to have ceased to exist.

"I forgot to mention. I actually have a rehearsal this afternoon. It's a big avenue, I'm excited to see how it goes."

Stephen smiled reassuringly at you, clearly noticing the nervousness in your voice. “I’m sure you’re going to be great.”

"Thank you.” You smiled “You guys should come. I'd love to have some familiar faces in the audience." You added.

"I would love to..." Stephen started to say, but was quickly cut off by Wong.

"But he will have to decline because we have work to do."

"Come on Wong, it's Sunday." America complained. "Stephen just got back."

"And that's why he has a lot to do." Wong completed and then returned to you "You'll see that dating a master of the mystical arts is not as advantageous as you think, Miss Y/l/n. Especially one his age."

You could notice a slight blush on Stephen's cheeks, that’s why you were firm in your answer. "I am very grateful for everything you guys do to protect us, Wong, and I am prepared for the challenges that await me."

Stephen smirked, but soon turned his attention to America who was whispering about the possibility of going to the show.

Wong pretended not to notice and turned to you again "What about your family? I don't believe Stark will be satisfied with this new arrangement."

"It's not an arrangement, it's a relationship, Wong" Stephen corrected.

"We agreed that we'll wait to tell Tony. It's still too early, but I'm sure he'll understand." You said trying to sound confident, but deep down you were terrified with the idea.

Wong didn't say anything else and you had the strange feeling of being in an interview, as if Wong wanted to know if you were good enough or weren't going to cause problems for Stephen. The situation was awkward, but the idea of Wong caring about Stephen was pleasant, after all you knew Stephen had no family besides Wong and America.

...

“Have a nice show” Stephen said as you walked through the portal to your room.

"You are not going?" The disappointment in your voice was palpable which made him smile.

"I promise I'll try." He said threatening to close the portal.

"Stephen..."

He waited for what you had to say, but you actually didn't have anything specific to say, you just wanted to spend a few more seconds in his presence.

"I really loved last night." You confessed, feeling your cheeks blush.

He smirked seeming visibly relieved.

"I know you're insecure about what we did, but I enjoyed having that moment with you and... I really want to have more of that, of everything."

He nodded and his smile widened into a cute sideways smile.

"Me too, sweetheart. Me too."

"Bye then. Hope to see you tomorrow."

"You will. One way or another."

...

The days that followed were a torment. You were on fire inside, but you needed to pretend everything was normal. You needed to contain all that euphoria and act as if nothing was happening and of course you were failing miserably.

Your life was changing for the better. College was going very well, your band, that you always saw as something condemned to failure, was having success and recognition that you never dreamed it would have, your show on the biggest avenue you've ever played was a real hit - it could have been better if Stephen had been there to see you, but unfortunately it wasn't possible as he explained - and most important of all, you and Stephen were together and even though everything had to be hidden, you were more than happy about it. It was a dream come true.

It was a Wednesday morning and you were having breakfast with Nat, Tony - who had returned from the mission the day before - and Pepper. You were late for college, but you had decided it wouldn't hurt to miss the first class of the morning since you were way ahead of your class anyway. You hadn't been able to see Stephen since Sunday night and although you spoke every day on the phone you missed him deeply. You thought about making up some excuse to go to the Sanctum, but it seemed he would be too busy and couldn't pay attention to you even if you did.

You sighed, feeling bored and just pretending to participate in the conversation and your cell phone started to buzz with messages that didn't stop arriving. You knew it was Stephen. He always texted you at that time to say good morning and wish you a good class. It was cute actually, but you didn't want to answer because you knew you would look silly reading his texts, blushing like a teenage girl, and you didn't want Tony to ask questions, but the texts kept coming and at first Tony pretended not to care by putting a lot of effort into reading his newspaper, but when the buzzing continued he placed the newspaper on the table and stared you.

"If you don't read these texts I'm going to make Friday hack your cell phone and read them to us." He threatened.

You took your phone and read the texts feeling your cheeks blush and of course Pepper noticed because she were very observant, but she made a point of starting a new topic to distract Tony for which you were glad.

"The record company called to schedule a new meeting with Y/n. Apparently the success of Sunday's concert caught their attention."

"The fact that her songs are playing on the radio non-stop seems like a good reason too." Tony added.

"Those fuckers were extremely disrespectful last time. I don't see any point in giving them a second chance when you're doing so well on your own." Nat addressed you, but you weren't really paying attention to them, your mind was still on those texts.

"Y/n... are you listening to what we're saying?" Tony pressed.

You put your phone back in your pants pocket without answering and shrugged, "I like the idea of being independent. I've never really wanted a record company, not like this. We all know they're only interested in having the Stark name under their wing."

Tony sighed "You might be right." He pointed to your pocket "Who was it?"

"America" You lied through your teeth.

"What does she want?" He asked and Pepper gave you a disapproving glare that said she wasn't buying that lie.

"She's still struggling with her philosophy classes. Maybe I'll stop by the Sanctum tomorrow to help her." You said taking the opportunity to come up with a excuse to go there.

"It's a great idea. Just be careful not to end up disturbing the wizards. You know, protectors of reality bla bla bla." Tony teased.

"Stephen and Wong will probably be at the Kamar Taj." You ran to explain.

"Excellent." He said, wiping his lips on his napkin and standing up. "Anyway, I trust your good judgment about the band and everything else. It's been working out really well so far." He said, bending down to place a small kiss on the top of your head like he always did since you were a child. You smiled at him sheepishly, feeling bad for hiding something so important from him.

"What are the plans for today?" Pepper asked getting up too.

"Work in the workshop if I'm lucky. You?"

"Company shareholders meeting."

He made a funny face "I'm glad I'm not you."

You watched the two walk away with a smile on your face. Tony and Pepper were perfect for each other and they gave you a sense of family and belonging that you never imagined you would feel again after your parents died.

Your cell phone buzzed again, and you knew it was Stephen asking for an answer.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I going to have to threaten you too?" Nat asked looking visibly bored. Apparently life as a convalescent Avenger wasn't all that exciting and since Bruce had a lot of work he couldn't give her the attention she craved.

GOOD MORNING, LOVE. I HOPE YOU SLEPT WELL AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

You took your cell phone and decided to show her the texts. It was time for you to tell someone and the options were her and MJ, but MJ was in Boston.

You stayed silent watching her reading the words you knew by heart.

I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR YOU WITH DR PALMER AFTER OUR CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. SHE ATTENDS AT METRO GENERAL HOSPITAL. IT WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON. I KNOW YOU ARE FREE BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME.

PLEASE GO AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT IF YOU WANT.

I MISS YOU, SWEETHEART. TALKING ON THE PHONE IS NOT ENOUGH AND I CAN'T GET THE MEMORIES OF SATURDAY NIGHT OUT OF MY HEAD.

SO, WHAT DO YOU TELL ME? ARE YOU GOING?

It took Nat less than a minute to google who Dr. Palmer was and the look on her face showed that she had gotten it all wrong.

"You two aren't that stupid!" She said sharply and you felt offended that she could make assumptions about you like that.

"It's not what you are thinking." You defended yourself and took the cell phone out of her hand. "It's actually the opposite of that."

Nat waited for you to explain, and you glanced around the empty dining room.

"Nat, I'm virgin. I swear I thought you knew that, after all you are a Russian spy."

She raised an eyebrow. "I always knew that, but according to these texts you no longer are."

You smiled to yourself remembering the night you had with Stephen and decided that nothing in the world would make you tell that to Nat. "We had a moment together, it was good, but we didn't get to do anything. Not yet. He's decided to take it slow and respect my own time."

Nat nodded in agreement, looking offensively impressed.

"But the truth is, I don't want to wait another minute to do it. I really love him, Nat. It has to be him. It couldn't be anyone else."

"Look, I confess that Strange has surprised me positively. And I think it should happen, it's been a long time coming."

"Nat!"

"I'm just trying to say that I think he's sensible. As sensible as possible since he's picking this fight with Stark."

You bit the corner of your cheek trying to decide whether or not it was better to stop that conversation, but ended up not resisting. "But you're on our side, right? Stephen thinks that when we tell him, the Avengers will be against him. It's important to have at least one Avenger on our side. Someone who truly understands."

Nat sighed heavily, probably realizing the trouble she'd gotten herself into, but finally she smiled reassuringly. "I'm by your side."

...

You hated hospitals. Your nails continued to dig holes into your palms as you headed to the elevator of the huge, luxurious building to get to the obstetrics and gynecology floor, but it wasn't just the fact that hospitals made you feel sick that was making you anxious. In fact, you did yourself the bad favor of searching for Dr Palmer online during boring morning classes and found some photos of her and Stephen together at some events. You knew very well that Stephen worked at that hospital for years before his accident and that it was normal for him to have photos with his coworkers, but your anxious mind kept telling you that there was a compromising intimacy in those photos you saw.

You got out of the elevator in a kind of daze and observed the waiting room, which at that time was completely empty.

“Miss Y/l/n, right?” The secretary asked as you approached the counter. You smiled and nodded. You had been used to being recognized in places for a long time. It was the price you paid for being Iron Man's goddaughter.

"I have an appointment with Dr. Palmer."

"I need your ID for registration and we will need a photo for your record. Can you look at the camera, please?"

You did what the woman asked almost automatically, a whirlwind of thoughts racing through your mind.

You waited for what seemed like an eternity as the woman typed.

"Ready." She informed you and you handed her the credit card, but instead of taking it she just smiled. "It says here that the appointment has already been paid for. Your ID. Just wait a minute. She'll call you."

You rolled your lips together "Is it okay if I ask who paid for the appointment?"

She looked at the monitor looking equally curious. "Let's see... It says Dr. Strange. Oh, he used to work here, you know? I came to talk to him a few times. Brilliant doctor. Of course, now that he's a superhero he doesn't come to the hospital anymore."

"I'm sure the fact that he can't practice medicine anymore is the real reason." You answered.

"Ah of course. A tragedy!"

You just nodded with a polite smile and walked away, sitting in one of the many empty armchairs drumming your fingers on the arms of it and letting your mind do what it did best. Stephen was a neurosurgeon, what reason did he had to come to the gynecology floor often enough for the secretary to remember him? What if they were more than work friends? What if they still kept in touch? Stephen just said that she was a friend, but didn't give any more details, however he felt free to pay for your appointment with his own card. What if he had told her everything about you?

“Miss Y/l/n?” A velvety voice called, and you faced the doctor in all her glory dressed in a ridiculous pink coat, but it didn't make her any less beautiful for that. "Come in, please."

You entered the huge office that had plaques and awards with her name on shelves as if they were trophies.

"Before we begin, allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Dr. Christine Palmer."

You smiled politely "Y/n Y/l/n."

"Tony Stark's daughter." She said with a kind of reverence in her voice.

"Goddaughter, actually. But I don't think there's much of a difference." You corrected it.

She smiles, showing annoyingly perfect teeth. "Stephen told me about you. He called me personally to ask for the appointment, given his insistence should I assume something is wrong, miss Y/l/n?"

"Please, call me Y/n." You said feeling yourself blush. You had no idea how to start and the fact that this woman knew Stephen didn't help matters."

"I saw some pictures of you and Doctor Strange, are you friends?" You asked, scaping from the initial and most important question.

She seemed slightly confused by the question, but replied simply "Stephen and I are work friends, well we were work friends. I hadn't seen him in ages, in fact I was surprised when he called me."

You agreed "There's nothing wrong. I actually need a method of contraception." You exhaled slowly and finished speaking at once, "I'm a virgin and I intend to stop being so."

She nodded, keeping her expression professional, but you knew her head was working on the connection between what you just said and the fact that Stephen was so insistent that the appointment be as quick as possible, in addition to the fact that he paid for the appointment. For you, at least, the truth was almost obscene.

"I see. Well, there is a huge variety of methods. Pills are the most common, but I personally really like Implants.

"What is the most effective method?" You asked apprehensively.

She smiled, seeming to notice your hesitation and continued. "The pill requires an almost religious commitment. It must be taken every day at the same time and cannot be forgotten. For this reason, I usually recommend the implant. Furthermore, it is one of the methods that least affects your libido and since you just explained that you want to start your sex life now, I imagine this is an important aspect for choosing."

You nodded feeling like your face was on fire and she continued to pretend not to notice.

"It lasts for 3 years and can be reapplied after that and as there is no danger of forgetting like the pill, its effectiveness is usually 99.9%"

"Does it hurt?"

"It's a simple procedure and we use local anesthesia. It can be done today if you prefer."

You swallow thickly. "After I put it on, how long will it take before I can..." You let the words trail off in the air.

"It depends on when your last period was, but in general it is preferable to wait 10 to 15 days to be sure. Remembering that this does not mean that you cannot have sex before this period, but you need to use condoms."

You nodded. "Does it have side effects?"

"It is common for women to stop menstruating when using it, but it is also common to have breakthrough bleeding. In general, menstruation will be very irregular until your body gets used to it. The good news is that it tends to greatly reduce the effects of PMS."

You nodded. "Can we put it on now?"

"Sure." She said, getting up and going to one of the huge closets in the office.

When returning home in the taxi you could feel your arm slightly numb due to the anesthesia and the small bandage, as small as it was, was quite visible and you were going crazy thinking about what to say in case someone noticed.

Luckily when you entered the tower you didn't bump into anyone on the way to your room and after closing the door you threw yourself on the bed and called MJ, after all you owed her an update and there was indeed a lot to tell.

...

Stephen checked his cell phone every five minutes waiting for news, but every time he was disappointed. To make matters worse for him, the day was being particularly slow and he would rather be dealing with some interdimensional beast than facing that anxiety alone. He was particularly worried about the fact that he hadn't explained to Y/n that he and Christine had an affair years ago and being as smart as she was it was clear to him that it wouldn't take long for her to find out. That's if she hadn't already discovered it. God, he looked like a teenager experiencing his first love. What was Y/n doing to him?

He was in the Kamar Taj library doing the worst, most boring job in the world when America came running in looking for him.

"You won't believe what I almost managed to do!" The enthusiasm in her voice made him bite back a snarky comment.

"I hope it's better than spending the whole afternoon cataloging books."

"So much better. I almost managed to conjure the mirrored dimension. I could even hear and see the glass breaking, but I couldn't maintain focus for long enough. Master Hamir said it's normal and that I have to keep trying."

"And he's right." Stephen said, putting the last book on the shelf and closing the ledger. He placed it in the librarian's desk drawer and checked his cell phone again. Nothing.

"Something wrong?" America asked and he shook his head.

"I hope not. Come here, I'm proud of you, kid."

America walked over and he wrapped his arms around her. It was a strange sensation. Letting someone get close to him like that after so long running away from any relationship with another person, however since America arrived, she started to soften his heart and Y/n was doing much more than that.

"Uh Stephen... you can let me go now."

"Oh ok." He said a little sheepishly and released the grip of his arms around her. America stepped away looking at the Sorcerer Supreme's book collection.

"Oh they are so mysterious. I would die to read one of those." She exclaimed!

"You wouldn't read them if you were dead."

She looked at him rolling her eyes "Have you read them yet?"

"Sometimes."

"So, I don't need to be a Sorcerer Supreme to be able to read them?"

"No. You just need to be smarter than I was when I read them and not cause problems."

She smiles "I think I can do that."

Stephen was ready to tell her it was easier said than done when they heard footsteps approaching in the hallway.

"Strange, are you done working here?" Wong asked, looking at them with a look that clearly said 'shouldn't you be doing something useful?'".

"Yep. By the way I'm heading back to Sanctum to check if everything's okay. Are you coming with me?" He asked America to which she grimaced.

"I still have one more class."

He nodded, taking his sling ring from his pocket and opening a portal home.

"See you tomorrow then."

...

It was past 10pm and you and Stephen were texting like two teenagers and you had to cover your mouth to muffle the sound of your giggles as you read each of his texts. He was so silly and cute and dirty and funny and so many other things that you had no way of knowing before you actually got to know him. Yes, he was a powerful sorcerer and a famous superhero, but when he talked to you, he was just Stephen and you felt yourself falling more and more in love with him with each passing minute.

I WANTED YOU WERE HERE

You suddenly confessed to which he texted back immediately.

YOU KNOW I CAN FIX THAT, RIGHT?

You bit your bottom lip, sitting up in bed immediately. Were he serious?

WOULDN'T IT BE VERY INAPPROPRIATE?

He answered with an emoji smiling sideways exactly like he used to do and just thinking about that smile made you simply abandon your reason. You got up and locked the door and took a look in the mirror. You were reasonably presentable. Fresh from the shower, comfortable lingerie covered by an old tee, hair tied in a messy bun. You smile at your image in the mirror and throw yourself on the bed, picking up your cell phone and answering.

I’M WAITING.

It didn't take a full minute before you heard the familiar hiss of the portal and Stephen walked past it with a smirk on his lips. He was dressed in sweatpants and a tee and his hair was wet and the smell of cologne made it possible to tell that he had also just gotten out of the shower.

"We can't make any noise. Tony and Pepper's room is next door." You whispered.

His smirk widened into a cocky grin. "I can fix that too." He whispered back.

"Yeah? How?"

He moved his hands in a complicated gesture and the walls were enveloped by a kind of ring of golden light that soon dissipated completely.

"Totally soundproof." He informed proudly. “Very useful spell.”

"That was sexy." You smiled, getting up and going to him. Stephen wrapped you in his arms containing your sudden advance and held your face gently directing you to his lips and kissed you slowly, but devilishly good and you felt your knees getting weak.

"I've missed you all day." He confessed as he finally allowed his lips to part to breathe. "I don't care how this sounds, Y/n, but I really don't know how I managed to spend so much time loving you from afar. I don't want to be away from you anymore. Never."

You didn't have time to formulate an answer because he pulled you to his lips again and this time he tightened his grip around your body and you could feel every muscle beneath the thin fabric of the t-shirt and the inviting heat coming from his skin.

"I've missed you all day too." You confessed, holding his hand and pulling him to your bed. You sat crisscrossed against the headboard and he sat facing you, but he stole one of your pillows and lay down next to you with the same naturalness as someone who always did that.

"But you kept me waiting for a text all day." He complained.

"Because I was a little mad at you and I didn't know what to say."

He sighed, "I knew I should have talked about Christine with you, but Sweetheart it was years ago, I swear I didn't think it was important enough to mention."

You ran your tongue along the corner of your cheek. "I knew there was something in those photos. MJ kept telling me I was being paranoid, but I'm never wrong."

Stephen buried his face in the pillow groaning, "That wasn't what you were mad about, was it?"

"No, but thanks for adding another reason."

He looked at you trying to be serious, but there was an arrogant smile on his lips. "I've always wanted to know what you're like when you're jealous."

"I am not jealous!" You defended yourself taking one of the pillows that were next to you and throwing at him. "I just think you have no idea how uncomfortable it was for me to be there talking to your ex about losing my virginity and choosing contraceptive methods when you made a point of making everything so obvious by insisting that the appointment was scheduled as soon as possible and the worst part, you paid for it."

"It was the very least I could do. You went there because of me." He defended himself.

"That’s not true. I went there because of me and Stephen, don't make me talk about a topic I don't feel comfortable talking about."

He said nothing, instead he continued looking at you waiting for you to speak.

"I don't need you to pay me anything. I'm Tony Stark's goddaughter!"

He rolled his eyes. "It's not about the money..."

He stopped and took a deep breath and then began to explain himself. "Y/n, you're half my age, less than that. You're a virgin, which scared me a little, I confess, but it also makes me feel protective towards you. I wanted you to have the best doctor in the city, probably in the country and I was anxious for us to resolve this as soon as possible and I didn't stop to think for a second about my past with Christine because it didn't mean anything to me. She was a friend I had sex with at work, that's all."

You opened your mouth to interrupt him several times, but ended up giving in. Deep down you knew you were being dramatic.

"She is very beautiful." You said with a pout.

"No more than you." He responded, opening his arms so you could cuddle into his chest. You lid down letting yourself be hugged as you became aware that Stephen was really in your room at that time of night. It was wrong somehow, even though you were an adult, the secret made everything feel so dirty, but you couldn't deny to yourself that you were enjoying the feeling.

You held Stephen's face in your hands and kissed him hard like you wanted from the moment he arrived and he let out a soft moan on your lips that made your heart jump in your chest.

"Now tell me about the appointment." He asked when you finally broke the kiss.

You told all the details of the most awkward medical appointment of your life and each time you brought new information you felt your face getting hotter.

"It's just a little sore now." You said as he ran his index finger lightly over the band aid you placed on your forearm.

"Well, I also have something to show you." He said moving the fingers of one hand and conjuring a sealed envelope. He handed it to you with a somewhat shy smile that was unusual for him, but equally beautiful.

"What is this?" You asked curiously.

"Open it."

You opened it and only after finding his name in the top right corner of the sheet did you understood.

The laboratory exam had a list of tests that were carried out to detect herpes, syphilis, hepatitis, HIV, among others and at the end of the sheet there was a single line that said: negative for the pathologies tested.

He waited silently for some kind of response, but all you could think was that you didn't need that. His words were enough for you.

"When did you take these tests?"

"Yesterday."

You handed the sheet back to him and kissed him softly "I believed you when you said you haven't had anyone in the last six months. You didn't need to..."

"But I wanted to. It's important to me that you know I'm clean. It's the least I could do since you..."

You waited for him to finish, but he just smiled.

“Since I…” You pressed.

"Since you're giving yourself to me."

You smirked at his choice of words.

"Is that what I'm doing?"

He held your chin steady and bit your bottom lip to tease you.

"You know very well what you are doing, young lady, and you know very well how much I am looking forward to it."

You nodded, but pouted "Your ex said we should wait at least 10 days..."

He rolled his eyes, "Don't call her that. It's not fair."

You let out a soft giggle "Fair enough, but it doesn't change what she said."

He kissed you softly and ran his index finger down your neck, down to your breast and circled your nipple until it got hard under your shirt.

"I’m a patient man." He said in the most anti-climax statement you could imagine.

"Well, but I’m not a patient woman. I'm so tired of waiting, Stephen. I've already waited too long." You grumbled, crossing your arms like a child indignant at being denied their favorite toy.

"For someone who have waited until now, you are very impatient indeed." He teased.

"For someone who hasn't had sex in six months, you're really slow." You replied to which he let out a small laugh, but then he held your face in his hands and kissed you hard with tongue, teeth and a newfound passion that literally took your breath away.

"Just because I was trying to play nice, but now I think you've changed my mind. Now I’m going to take advantage of your inexperience. What do you say, sweetheart?"

You bit your lower lip, feeling your cheeks heat up, but you didn't let yourself be intimidated by your shyness. "Yes."

Stephen's eyes darkened with desire and a sly smile played on his lips. "Yeah? You don't even know what I have in mind and you're already saying yes."

You nodded "I trust you."

"But you shouldn't." He kissed you and pushed you onto your back and came on top of you, spreading your legs with his knees and fitting himself between them. He made a point of rubbing his hips against your core, making you feel his half-hard cock contained inside his pants. Unable to control yourself you let out a small moan and he chuckled in your ear making your skin prickle.

"You have no idea how much I want to make love to you finally. I've already waited too long..."

He kissed you again and ground himself against you without any shame and this time you didn't even try to contain your moan as your body responded to the stimulation with a wave of pleasure.

“Stephen…” You mumbled almost incoherently.

"Yes, sweetie. Tell me what you want."

"Touch me. I need you to touch me. I always imagined what it would be like to have your hands on me, your fingers..."

He smirked taking his hands under your t-shirt and grabbing your panties.

"You’re sure?" He confirmed and you nodded, raising your hips for him to take off your panties and your whole body shivered with the night air when he did so.

He lifted your t-shirt to waist level and finally allowed himself to look at your naked body, his hands slid up your legs and before you could understand what he was doing he started placing little kisses on the inside of your thighs and the brush of his goatee against your skin made your entire body prickle.

"Your skin is so soft and smells so good." He praised, moving his lips in small wet kisses down your crotch and getting more and more dangerously close to where you really wanted him. "I imagined myself doing this so many times..."

"Stephen...please." You wonder if you knew what you were begging for. You just knew you didn't want him to stop, you just wanted much more."

But he stopped, at least long enough to give you a smug look and put his middle finger to his mouth. He sucked his own finger and then took it between your legs, opened your folds with his other fingers and touched your clit lightly, but enough to make your entire body tremble with the sensation. He slid his finger up and down between your folds with absurd ease and you realized that you were shamefully wet and of course he noticed that too.

"Fuck sweetheart, is this all because of me?" He teased, moving his finger in circles on your clit and making your hips buck against his hand. "So sensitive. I've barely touched you yet."

You bit your lip trying to hold back a moan, but it escaped your lips anyway.

"It's okay, I like listening to you, love." He cooed encouraging you. "I'm going to try something else and you're going to tell me how you feel about it, okay?"

You nodded watching him dive between your legs. He licked you from bottom to top and then used his fingers to spread your folds and then licked again directly on your clit this time and you moaned outrageously loud. No words were necessary.

He hummed pleased with your reaction and gave it a long lick again and then began to flick the tip of his tongue on your clit sending shocks of pleasure throughout your body. The touch of his beard on your sensitive skin increased all the sensations even more.

"Fuck Stephen... oh my..." You stopped biting your lip and grabbing his hair with one of your hands without realizing what you were doing, but he didn't seem to mind.

You always heard about how good oral sex was, but you never imagined it felt this good and at the same time you were a mess of sensations and feelings because you had never been touched by a man before and not just any man was doing, it was Stephen, your Stephen and the realization of that brought you surprisingly close to cumming and you found yourself desperate to warn him because... wouldn't it be rude if you came in his face?

"Stephen, I think I'm gonna..."

But he stopped immediately upon hearing those words and emerged to look at you with the most beautiful and naughty smile in the world.

"You're very sensitive, sweetheart. I've barely started." He said, running a hand over his face.

"I didn't want to... in your face." You confessed and he smiled sweetly at you.

"Sweetheart, there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I'd love it if you did."

"But isn't it gross?" You asked, still unsure, to which he shook his head. "I like it."

You felt yourself blushing "But you stopped."

He smirked "Just because I don't want it to end so quickly. Sex shouldn't be a quick thing, at least not most of the time, we should make it last and that means lessening the stimulation before finishing." He moved so he could kiss you and you found the taste on his tongue strange, but at the same time you found it sexy knowing that it was your taste. "We're just getting started." He whispered against your lips as he brought your index finger back to his lips, he sucked on it and then brought it between your legs and teased your entrance lightly.

"Tell me, when you touch yourself, do you only play with your clit or..." He forced your entrance slightly and you felt your muscles contracting involuntarily.

"You never used your fingers here?" He asked and you shook your head.

"Okay, but I can try a little, can't I? Or do you want me to stop?"

You held his face in your hands.

"Will it hurt?"

He kissed your lips gently, "Not if I do it slowly. And I won't go deep. You just said you trust me, remember?"

You nodded. "I do."

He smiled and you felt a small pressure at your entrance and you immediately squeezed your eyes closed waiting for the pain, but it didn't come, on the contrary you were washed by a wave of pleasure when he started to use his thumb on your clit as he slowly penetrated the middle finger on you.

"Shit." You cursed through your teeth and he chuckled in satisfaction.

"Good girl."

He started to move his finger in and out and the feeling was strange but good at the same time and the next thing you knew you were moving your hips against his hand seeking more friction. He understood immediately and began to put more pressure on his thumb, circling your clit slowly while fingering you.

"I'm going to put another finger, okay? Tell me if it hurts and I'll stop immediately."

You nodded without doubting his word for a moment. You knew Stephen would never hurt you on purpose.

He used his index finger to stretch you a little more and you felt the pressure again and an uncomfortable tug that soon disappeared giving way to pleasure.

"God, you have magical fingers." You heard yourself confessing.

"That's one way of putting it." He teased "But you haven't seen anything yet, sweetheart."

You bit your bottom lip, holding back a moan when he circled his thumb around your clit just the right way and your legs shook with the wave of pleasure that enveloped you.

"Then show me. I want you to teach me everything."

He smiled brightly and pulled you to his lips and kissed you hard, his tongue chased yours in a battle for dominance that you had no intention of winning and he hummed in your lips adorably.

"You're every man's dream, you know that?" He said as he finally allowed himself to break the kiss. "Beautiful, inexperienced and so willing to please. Somehow you make my heart beat faster in my chest and my dick throb in my pants with the same intensity at the same time."

You smiled proudly "Then take me. I'm yours. I always wanted to be yours and no one else's."

You entwined your fingers in his hair and pulled him to your lips again, but his lips didn't just stop at your mouth, they went down your neck where he placed little kisses and bites and then went up to your ear, brushing his goatee there and making your skin prickle again and you swallow thickly. You loved when he did that and he sure as hell knew that.

"Stephen... make love to me. I want it... tonight."

His fingers didn't stop stimulating you for a second, but you wanted more, you wanted to know how it would feel to have him inside you thrusting into you with the same passion you saw the actors in the movies doing, but he shook his head.

"We can't, love."

You shook your head trying to reason with him "We can. We just need to use..."

He interrupted you by kissing you and then explained "I know, but I don't want our first time to be with a condom. It's not the same."

"Oh" That's all you said, and he smiled seeming a little embarrassed "It doesn't change much for you, but for me... shit, now I'm being selfish..."

"It's okay." You reassured him cupping his face gently "I didn’t know. We can wait."

He sighed smiling "But that doesn't mean I can't give you what you need." With that he dived between your legs again and used his tongue on your clit again, but now he wasn't content with just licking, he started sucking as if he was nursing on your sensitive bud and while he did this his fingers continued playing at your entrance, moving in and out at a lazy pace and the combination of stimulation was enough to push you to the edge.

"Oh shit... oh Stephen... gonna cum."

He hummed satisfied and this time he didn't stop, on the contrary, he increased the intensity of the suction on your clit which made you scream in the middle of the orgasm that washed over you.

Your legs shook around his head, your nails dug into his scalp and your fingers pulled his hair and the most beautiful little scream in the world escaped your lips when you came in his mouth. He lapped up all your fluids like a thirsty man and then emerged from the paradise between your legs to look at you and the way you glanced at him made his heart jump in his chest.

Stephen couldn't remember the last time he had given oral sex to a woman. A sexist part of him thought it was too intimate to be done with any of the women he had slept with in recent years, but with you it was natural. It wasn't like he planned it. Stephen was coming to the conclusion that nothing with you happened as planned, you were too spontaneous for that and he was weak in his convictions when it came to you, but it didn't matter, he had loved it, every second between your legs, listening to your little moans were like a trip to paradise and he felt ecstatic.

He moved on top of you, careful not to release the weight of his body on you and cupped your face, pulling it to his lips.

"God I love you, sweetheart." He heard himself confessing. Stephen had never been so in love in his entire life and as such he never found himself confessing his feelings like that, but it was true. He loved you so much that somehow he knew he couldn't contain it inside him, he needed to pour that love into you again and again.

As if you could read his mind, you smiled the most beautiful smile in the world "I love you too." You whispered and your face turned red with the realization of what had just happened and he thought it was adorable. Yes, he had been surprised by the discovery of your virginity and yes, that had complicated things a little, but he would be a liar if he said he wasn't loving every minute of it. Your innocence and inexperience made everything more exciting.

"I love the way you blush." He confessed, kissing your lips lightly and then rolled to the side, resting his head on his pillows.

"That's good because I can't control this. It's all so embarrassing, will this become normal for me one day?"

He couldn't help but laugh at your comment.

"Do not laugh at me." You protested, covering your face with your hands, but Stephen held them and replied, "I'm not laughing at you and the answer is yes. It'll become normal."

You turned to snuggle into him and he wrapped his arm around you, letting you lay your head on his shoulder as he intertwined your leg with his.

"Do you remember your first time?" You asked as your fingers traced his goatee absently minded.

Oh yes, he remembered it perfectly and never stopped feeling embarrassed by it.

"Tragically yes." He replied.

"That bad?" You asked curiously.

"I had no idea what I was doing, and it must have lasted three minutes."

Now it was your turn to laugh, but he didn't care, he had already overcome the trauma.

"I was always afraid of doing it with someone my age and ending up in an awkward situation where we both wouldn't know what to do." You confessed, still stroking his beard and Stephen noticed how much he liked feeling the touch of your hands on him.

"I think it's very difficult for a guy your age to still be a virgin, sweetheart. The risk was practically zero."

"But they wouldn't be like you." You insisted and your face flushed again "You're very experienced and although I don't like thinking about you with other women, I like the fact that you know what you're doing, it makes me feel safer."

He nodded. What impressed Stephen, besides the fact that you were a virgin at age 21, was that you had almost no sexual experience besides watching porn and touching yourself.

"You made me feel very safe while you were..."

"Going down on you" He finished for you and you nodded.

"I didn't imagine it would be so good. I mean, I've read about it, I've seen it in the movies, but nothing prepared me for reality."

Stephen smiled broadly. "I'm not going to be modest about it and say it's always like this. Most men have a hard time satisfying a woman this way."

"But not you." You said and pulled him to your lips and Stephen let himself be guided by the intensity of your kiss. So inexperienced, but kissed like a whore. He thought and quickly scolded himself.

You hummed adorably at his lips and then broke the kiss and said simply "I want to touch you now."

His cock pulsed in his pants at that, but he tried hard to reason with you.

"Are you sure? You know you don't have to do this just because I did it to you."

You nodded "I know. I want to. I want to see you the same way you saw me and pleasure you to hear you moaning too."

Stephen couldn't help but smile and comment, "You're going to have to be really good to make me moan, sweetheart. Do you think you can do that?"

You blushed heavily but were firm in your response "I learn fast, you just need to teach me how to do it."

Another twitch in his cock and this time it didn't go unnoticed by you. You lowered your hand that was resting on his chest and touched his dick through his pants.

"It's so... hard." You said

"Because of you. Your innocence leaves me like this." He confessed.

"I'm not innocent." You protested to which he chuckled.

"Maybe not in other things, but in this you are."

His cock started to throb again and you looked at him in surprise, but didn't say anything. It was as if you knew that asking anything would prove his point.

"Hard is good. It's exactly how you want me. And this..." His cock twitched again "It's also because of you, it shows how much I want you."

You were blushing, but a proud smile played on your lips.

He watched you move your hand lightly over his erection and then your fingers threatened to go inside his pants, but you stopped confirming "Can I?"

"Yes." He said and his voice sounded shaky with excitement. Stephen had fantasized about this so many times.

You put your hand inside his pants and seemed surprised to notice that he wasn't wearing any underwear. He never wore underwear when he got dressed to sleep, in fact when it was hot he even wore clothes to sleep. To his surprise, the brief moment of hesitation was replaced by the impulse to touch him, and you grabbed him in your hand and started moving up and down, probably imitating what you had seen in the movies. The sudden stimulation made a small moan escape his lips and you smiled victoriously.

"Brat" He said biting his lower lip and surrendering to your touch. "Wait, let me take this off, you need to see what you're doing."

You moved your hand away enough for him to free himself from his pants and then your eyes feasted on his thighs and finally settled on his cock.

"You can touch me however you want now." He said

You held it firmly in your hand and moved it up and down slowly and he had the feeling that that was pretty much all you knew how to do. The stimulation was delicious. For someone who had had no sexual stimulation other than his own hand for six months, any foreign touch was enough, but he wanted just so much more.

He moved his fingers quickly conjuring up a bottle of lube and explained "Here, sweetheart. You lube naturally, but I need this. Give me your hand."

You turned your palm upwards and waited for him to pour some of the clear gel. He was not modest in quantity. Stephen liked a lot of lubrication.

"Now you can do what you were doing, but it will feel much better."

You nodded, grabbing his cock again and slowly moving it up and down, letting the lube spread over his entire length making a delicious squelching sound.

"Make sure to touch the head when your hand goes up. Here..." He showed his frenulum to you "It's very sensitive, I like it when I'm touched here."

You nodded, completely concentrated on his explanation and started to raise your hand further to touch where he had shown you, a wrinkle of concentration formed between your eyebrows and Stephen found it adorable. His cock throbbed in your hand again and a loud moan escaped through his teeth.

"Shit, love. You’re a fast learner."

You smiled happily at the compliment "Can I use both hands? I saw it in a movie and the guy seemed to like it."

Stephen nodded. "Give me the other hand, let's get some more of this."

You did as he asked and then grabbed him with both hands stroking him nice but very lightly.

"You can use a little more force, sweetheart." He instructed and his voice sounded shaky.

"I don't want to hurt you. I know it’s very sensitive."

He smiled widely. You were so sweet, he was basking in your inexperience and there was no reason for him to hide how much he was enjoying the whole thing.

"Not that sensitive. You can squeeze a little more. I'll like it. Isn't that what you want? To make me feel good?"

"Yes." You said biting your bottom lip while tightening the grip of your hand around him and for a minute the only sound that could be heard was the wet squelching of your hands on his dick and the heavy breathing followed by moans that he couldn't control. .

"So fucking good... these little hands feel amazing, sweetheart."

You smile "Really?"

"So, so good. I've fantasized about this moment so many times..."

You bit your lip, looking undecided whether to say something or not.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Is it okay if I put it in my mouth? I've never done this, but I'd like to try."

Stephen moaned loudly "Wanna give me a blow job?"

You nodded. "But I do not know how..."

He moaned loudly and his hips jumped against your hand. At that point, Stephen didn't know if he would last long.

He cupped your cheek gently and ran his thumb across your lips, forcing you to separate them. "Open it for me." He asked, placing his thumb inside your mouth when you obeyed. He left his finger on your tongue collecting saliva and forcing you to swallow around it and when you did he closed his eyes and imagined the feeling of it around his dick.

"Suck it." He ordered and you obeyed, sucking his finger slowly. You were so good at following orders, so sweet and so obedient. Something about it all was revealing a side of Stephen that even he didn't know and he was enjoying it.

"See how easy it is? Now let's try to do the same thing but on my cock." He took his finger out of your mouth and grabbed his dick and directed it to your mouth.

"Open it big for me." He asked and you did exactly as he said.

Stephen smiled, placing just the head in your mouth. "You're going to suck it like it's a lollipop. Don't use your teeth, just your lips and tongue."

You seemed lost at first, the sweet taste of the lube wasn't exactly ideal, but it was better than saliva, at least at first. Deep down he was dreaming of seeing you going dirty, spitting on his cock without fear of making a mess.

A wrinkle of confusion appeared between your eyebrows, but you continued sucking his head slowly.

"Now use your tongue, you can flick it around my cock, it feels really nice."

You did exactly as he asked, eliciting a surprised groan from his throat when the tip of your tongue flicked onto his frenulum. "Shit, you learn so fast, sweetheart."

You took it out of your mouth to breathe and smiled proudly at him as he couldn't help but tease you. "You like being praised, don't you? Does it make you feel good?"

To his delight you blushed heavily making his cock pulse in your hand.

"See? That's how much I want you. Because you are so fucking special to me..."

He was interrupted when you leaned in to give him a hard kiss that took his breath away and then you put his cock in your mouth again and without him needing to teach you, you started using your hand around what you couldn't take and Stephen grabbed the sheets with one hand while he brought the other to your head, threading his fingers through your hair. You let out a sweet moan of approval around his cock and he had to control himself not to push your head or thrust against your mouth. Stephen liked to be rough when given oral, most of the time he forced deep throat because he loved cumming deep in their throats, but he could never do that to you. At least not yet and definitely not without your consent.

"Fuck... twist your hand while you move it up and down, sweetheart and keep using your tongue, give me a hard suck on the head... just like that... yeah, use your tongue just like that."

You followed each of his instructions masterfully which was quickly taking him to his limit and when he noticed how you started to moan while sucking him, how your legs started to rub against each other, clearly feeling pleasure while giving him pleasure, he knew he couldn't hold on much longer.

"Wait, sweetheart... stop, please." He moved his hand down to your chin and gently pulled your mouth away from his dick.

You seemed a little confused "Why? I thought I was enjoying it. Did I do something wrong?"

He chuckled nervously "I was, I am...very much." He ran say a little embarrassed. "I don't want to finish in your mouth. It's your first time and it might be a little gross."

He saw the realization on your face immediately and then you stared at his cock with a newfound curiosity.

"What does it taste like?"

Stephen smiled "To be honest, I don't know. It's salty. Most women don't like it."

You frowned, "I'm not most women."

"Of course not. You're my sweetheart." He said and watched you blush again. He would never get tired of it.

You went back to holding his cock, stroking it lightly up and down, being careful to touch the head as he explained and watched him twitching.

"I want to see you finish." You confessed.

He nodded "Just use your hands then."

"But will they be enough?" You asked increasing your grip again while stroking his cock.

Stephen groaned through his teeth.

"Of course. These sweet tiny hands are more than enough."

You smiled watching Stephen surrender completely to your touch. You were learning a lot that night and one of the things you enjoyed most was the sweet noises he made when he felt pleasure. It was hard to imagine such a stoic man making those sounds and your chest filled with pride knowing that you were responsible for leaving him like that.

He kept one hand firmly on the sheets and the other found a home on the back of your neck. His eyes were glued to yours, his cock was so hard and red and wet pulsing in your hand. You didn't stop or reduce the stimulation, remembering perfectly what he had explained to you. You wanted to see him finish.

"Oh, fuck sweetheart... I'm so close... just do it faster and don't stop." His baritone voice was even sexier when covered in lust like that.

"I won't stop" You promised moving your hands faster and harder and finally getting what you wanted. Seeing the magic happening before your eyes.

He moaned loudly, his jaw became rigid, his legs shook and cum began to squirt from the tip of his dick, spilling over your hand, entering between your fingers and making a mess in his stomach.

"Oh shit... oh fuck sweetheart." He muttered through clenched teeth and then pulled you to his lips and kissed you hard.

You kissed until you couldn't breathe and when he broke the kiss he smiled almost shyly.

"Shit, look at this. I made a fucking mess, sweetie."

"You get a dirty mouth when you're horny." You teased and he let out a small laugh.

"Good point. Does it bother you?"

You shook your head "No. Actually, I liked it." You said, observing the puddle of cum on his stomach and then looked at your hand, seeing the sticky, whitish liquid running through your fingers. You could smell it, it wasn't bad, it was just different and suddenly you were struck by a burning curiosity and the next thing you knew you were bringing your hand to your mouth and running your tongue between your fingers. You didn't know the look on your face when you tasted it, but Stephen smiled in disbelief, and you knew he was loving it just like he had loved everything else.

"It's salty and something else. It's not good, but it's not bad either. It's... strange."

"I don't think there's a better word to describe it." He teased moving his fingers and conjuring a damp towel with which he began to gently wipe your hands.

"It's the first time I've seen a woman taste my cum like it was a foreign dessert and I admit it was sexy as hell."

You felt your face getting hot which made his smile widen even more. He used the towel to clean himself and then got rid of it in the same way he conjured it and touched your cheek affectionately. "You're giving me so many firsts." He said contemplatively and then kissed you again. He pulled you on top of him and made you snuggle into his chest. With a flick of his fingers he dressed you and he and you laugh softly.

"I'll never get used to this."

He hummed "Yes you will because I will do this all the time and I will be by your side all the time.”

"Promise?"

He kissed the top of your head and held you in his arms.

"Promise."

You were silent for a minute listening to nothing but each other's breathing. It was you who broke the silence.

"Don't you think this is all very silly for you? I mean, we're together and we haven't even had sex yet and you're an experienced man..."

"There's only so many times you can say that to me without making me feel old." He warned making you laugh softly.

"I like my men older." You teased.

"Man. Your man you mean."

You smirked "Yes, sir."

Stephen sighed and you closed your eyes, reveling in the feeling of his hand rubbing your arm.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm loving every minute we spend together, sweetheart. You're making me live so many new experiences and I love you for that. There's nothing silly about this."

You smiled "Okay."

"There's just one problem, young lady."

You turned to look at him and there was a cute smile on his lips.

“Which is?”

"I want to come here every night from now on."

"I won't object to that."

He smirked and you rolled to the side on the bed and he was quick to pull you close so you were cuddled into his chest.

Reblog please! Leave a comment if you liked it. Interact! I will love to read all of your comments and opinions. It inspires me to keep writing!

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butterfly-writer · 2 years ago

Note

Hi! Hope you having a great day, do you still taking Arcane request?. If so can you do a Ekko x Male Reader? Where the two of them having really bad fight then the reader said theyshould take a break of this relationship and left the Firelight place. Didn't come back for a while. Both of them regret that decision but they too stubborn to said it.

It's been a week since that fight, the reader was a mechanic. He was trying to fix something for a friend but ran out of things to fix, so the reader go out to find some supply. At that time the firelight was out fighting Silco's people, At first the reader choose to ignored but notice Ekko got injured from one of the guys that when the reader run out to help Ekko and the firelight beating those bad guys.

After a while helping Ekko get back to the firelight place, try to make the wound better. The reader about to leave, returning to their work place. But Ekko pulling back, want to make up the fight before and didn't want their relationship to end like that. The reader apologize about that fight and they make up!

You can make it a little drama like having a boy or girl got too comfy with Ekko or not your choice! Angst at the beginning then fluff in the end and sorry if my grammar bad, English isn't my first language!

Fight

Ekko x Female!Reader

Summary: The two of them had a really bad fight, then the reader said they should take a break from their relationship and left the Firelight place. Didn't come back for a while. Both of them regret that decision but they are too stubborn to say it.

★☽A/N: AAAAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REQUEST!!!! Yes I do Arcane requests, it’s in my request page!!

Edit: Oops! Turns out it was a male reader- I'm so sorry for the mix up reader!

Contents: Angst in the beginning - Fluff at the end

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“You can’t just go and act like some hero!” Y/N yelled loudly at Ekko. The two had been fighting for the past hour about Ekko always going out, fighting enforcers everyday, not spending a single moment in Firelight or with Y/N. “I can’t! They are arresting innocent Zaun people and we are the only ones who can stop them!! ” He protested, “Mind your own fucking business!! You are just gonna get yourself hurt, asshole!” Y/N yelled back.

“You know what? I had it with you!” She yelled, “I’m seriously done.” She said with a stern look, that made Ekko stop. “Wait– What? Wa-Wait— are you- leaving me?” Ekko stuttered with a panicked voice. “I think it’s best for us to take a break, Ekko.” Y/N said, holding her stand. “Hey-Hey– I actually didn’t mean what I said, I’ll stop–” Ekko apologized but was cut by a hand to his face when he tried to walk towards Y/N, “Don’t act all nice now. I’m leaving the Firelight for my apartment, don’t look for me.” She told him, already walking back to their shared place to grab her stuff. Ekko was already behind her, telling her that he’s sorry and won’t do it ever again but it all fell into deaf ears.

By the time the other Firelights came back from a mission, Y/N was gone. Both Y/N and Ekko regretted their decisions but they were too hard-headed to admit their mistakes.

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‘Shit, I ran out.’ She cursed after she gave up looking for any more gears. Her friend asked her to help them with their motorcycle which Y/N agreed to. With a sigh, she picked herself up and walked outside of her little garage-like place which was far away from the Firelight place but close to her apartment.

It had been 2 weeks since the intense fight, none of them admitted their mistakes which led to more sadness as the days without each other went by.

“Raph!!”

That voice suddenly caught Y/N’s ears, ‘Ekko?’ She tried ignoring that call out but she couldn’t help but be curious of what’s going on, also worrying over Ekko’s well-being. She walked slowly and peaked behind a brick wall, seeing a whole fight between the Firelights and Silco’s henchmen. There were two henchmen with purple veins, looking like monsters, powerful ones. ‘Shimmer…’ She noted, grabbing her handmade guns, ready to shoot.

She ran swiftly, grabbing a perfect spot and armed towards the shimmered up monsters. With one eye, she aimed perfectly and shot down the henchmen, killing with a harsh headshot. The Firelights was confused, a shooter? They looked up to see Y/N crouching with a gun, holding it to shoot with perfect aim.

She dropped down and walked up to Ekko, “Still can’t listen to me? Huh, stupid.” She spat, grabbing him and put his arm around her shoulder, using her as a crutch. “Tch, don’t lecture me again.” He scoffed, “Still mad? Gosh, you sure are stubborn.” Y/N sighed, gesturing the Firelights to follow them back to the Firelight.

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“Ah! Careful-Careful- Careful!!” He begged, feeling the pain in his leg. “Don’t be such a wimp.” Y/N insulted, wrapping his leg harshly with bandages.

They stayed in silence with Y/N wrapping his wounds, stopping the bleeds. Finally she finished bandaging them up, grabbing her stuff and the new gear she bought and leaving.

“Wh-wait!!” Ekko yelled, catching up to Y/N with a limp and grabbed her arm. “What is it? Make it fast.” She sighed, looking at Ekko with poker eyes. “I’m- really sorry. I didn’t want us to fight and I know I’m stupid but fighting with you was the stupidest thing I ever did.” He admitted, apologizing for his actions. Y/N looked at him softly, she sighed and hugged him which caught him off guard. “You’re really an idiot.” Y/N mumbled. Ekko chuckled and hugged her back, “I know, but I’m your idiot.” He said, she chuckled at that statement. “I’m sorry as well, I was just- so mad that you would risk your life for others who you don’t know. You sure love being the hero.” She admitted.

“My hero.” Y/N said, kissing him softly.

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★☽A/N: Sorry if it's short!! Keep the requests coming :33

#Arcane #arcane league of legends #ekko arcane #ekko #female reader #ekko x female reader #ekko x reader

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tarrenterror25 · 2 years ago

Text

Ulysses Klaue x F!Reader Title: I Always Find My Way Back To You Chapter: 2 of 9 Rating: Explicit 18+ Word Count: 5.9K

Summary: You can always count on Ulysses to return to you, but lately you find yourself wanting more. The new dangers in the world don't make the life of an arms dealer any easier and any day could be his last. Running away and living off the grid with the man you love is the dream. Does he share your feelings and can he be convinced to live a life with you?

Tags: MxF, heavily implied sugar daddy/sugar baby relationship, sending nudes, brief Klaue POV, masturbation, semi public sex, unprotected PiV, mention of daddy kink, oral f receiving, mention of alcohol, age-gap

Playlist here (May contain explicit material)

Notes: Age of the reader is your preference as it is not specifically stated, but is written with with 25+ in mind. It is being used to portray a barrier/insecurity for reader.

If there’s any mistakes in this one, I apologize, I have looked through it countless times to edit it to get it just right. When it came down to “Edit to catch spelling, grammar, and continuation errors” I was already so burnt out from rereading it for the hundredth time 🙃 Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Chapter Two: While You're Away

When you enter the living room, there's a large gift white box on the coffee table.

You set down your cup of coffee on the table and pop off the lid to the box. Tufts of tissue paper poke out to conceal the contents inside. Beneath the tissue paper there’s a beautiful and simple champagne colored dress that you pull out. There’s some draping to it, but it looks like it would accentuate you perfectly. It’s got a little bit of a plunging neckline and a slit going up the thigh.

Setting the dress aside, you eye a large velvet box at the bottom of the box. You pick it up and open it.

Diamond earrings and a diamond necklace dazzle before your eyes. The necklace is intricate and not overly large. Removing it from the backing you feel there is some heft to it.

These are expensive, you know this, and they are objectively beautiful, but you just feel nothing towards them. You don’t want these and you’re almost...mad at receiving them.

You set the items down and search for a note, a card, something, anything, but there’s nothing.

There’s nothing, just the box with the dress and jewelry. Klaue didn’t even leave you a text.

This isn’t the first time he’s left you so suddenly and you’ve grown accustom to it, but this time is different. This time it hurts.

With a heavy sigh you carelessly set the necklace back into the velvet box and toss it back inside the larger one. You plop on the couch and wish you had woken earlier to at least catch Klaue before he disappeared.

Well, he did say we’d go out tonight, but who knows when that’ll be.

An idea occurs to you.

You get up from the couch and stuff the take the velvet box with a mischievous grin and head to your room.

You look yourself over in the mirror.

You are wearing the necklace and earrings that Klaue has left behind for you.

Only the necklace and earrings.

The diamonds stand out even more against your bare skin than they would with clothes on.

You take a deep breath and wiggle your hands at your sides to shake off the nerves.

You've never sent a picture without any clothes on.

You've always had something to hide behind be it lingerie or a robe. You liked to tease the idea of being nude and having the clothes made you feel secure. The thought of being completely without clothes was one that left you feeling vulnerable.

But there was something about it that was also empowering. You'd send a few pictures to Klaue and though you wouldn't be there to see his reaction, you were sure there was to be the desired response.

It was your turn to drive him crazy.

Another deep breath.

“Just do it. Don’t overthink it, just do it,” you say to yourself.

You pick a spot with some good natural lighting and snap a few photos. It takes awhile to get ones that you are satisfied with and to narrow it down to two photos, but finally you have the ones you want to send.

You slip on a robe and lay yourself on your bed. The pictures are loaded into the chamber, the message box, and all you have to do is hit send.

Ulysses Klaue sits in some kind of swanky conference room at some fancy building whose name he doesn't care to remember. He sits drumming his fingers on the glass table, patience running thin.

The buyer, who he came to meet, had asked to be excused with his entourage leaving Klaue at the table and a couple of his guys standing by the door. He hated when these types could never come to a decision or haggled too much over price and this buyer was being particularly difficult.

He checks his watch.

Ten minutes had passed and that was about all Klaue could take. He stands and is about to call his men to head out, but his phone chimes, the much nicer one.

He digs it out of his pocket and there's a message. He opens it.

Klaue's jaw slowly drops open and his hand strokes his beard thoughtfully.

He glances up to make sure his men at the door are occupied and that they can't see him looking at his phone lustfully.

Thank you for the gifts, your text reads.

And there you are, wearing the jewelry he left behind for you and nothing else. All of your body on display for him to rake his gaze over. In one picture your hands cup your breasts and in another your fingers dance dangerously close to the patch of hair near your sex.

The photos are so explicit and erotic, he can't take his eyes off of you. He doesn't hear one of his men trying to get his attention until they are standing almost right next to him.

"How much longer are we waiting?" the man asks.

Klaue quickly flicks his phone up so the screen is pressed to his chest. He scowls at being interrupted and tucks the phone back into his pocket. "Who put you in charge, huh?” he snarls. “We go when I say we go.”

Why did he say that? Of course, he wanted to leave, especially now when all he could think about was how uncomfortable his pants were starting to feel. God, now all he could think about as he sat back down was how badly he wanted to get back to you.

The men resume their posts and Klaue retrieves his phone and pulls up your pictures again.

He’s never received photos like these from you and it’s got him feeling some kind of way. It’s hard for him to pinpoint the exact feeling with his growing erection clouding his mind with desire.

Klaue gives an order for his men to stay behind and excuses himself from the room. He heads down some hallways and corridors until he finds an empty office. He locks the door behind him and dials your number on his phone.

No answer.

Fuck.

Klaue sits down and can't help, but palm himself through his pants, his erection becoming too difficult to ignore. This is not where he's trying to rub one out, but that is what it's looking like is about to happen.

Cock aching, Klaue makes sure there's no way anyone can see him or walk in on him. He frees his member from its confines and begins stroking himself. He takes out his phone, your images pulled up, and pumps his hand on his length. Just imagine what it would be like to fuck you wearing those diamonds; watching them bounce off your chest as he ruts into you, watching how they glimmer like the sweat on your skin.

Klaue stifles a moan as his hand picks up the pace. He wants to draw this out, but can't. He has to be quick to get back before anyone suspects he's up to something.

But you look so fucking good in those photos and he can’t get his mind off the fact that they’re for him.

His grip on his length tightens and he tosses his head back thinking about how much he wishes it was your cunt riding his cock right now. Or your mouth, God your mouth on him right now would feel so fucking good; seeing your glossy eyes as he fucks your face and you swallowing every last drop of his spend. He’s not sure what would be more glistening, the diamonds or the tears that form at the corner of your eyes from when you deepthroat him.

“Oh God,” he lets out with a shaky breath. He’s so close.

Klaue quickly grabs something, anything, to release into. The poor casualty ends up being some poor sod's paperwork.

After cleaning up and adjusting himself, Klaue exits the office and returns back to his business.

Back at your apartment, you shut the door behind you. You’ve been out shopping and had a lunch date with some friends to get your mind off of Klaue.

You set your bag off to the side and kick off your shoes leaving you in just your jeans and t-shirt. You suppose you could cook something since you aren't sure if Klaue has eaten anything yet.

He’ll probably be hungry when he gets back.

Readjusting you hair to be better suited for cooking, you make your way to the kitchen. You begin prepping some ingredients, taking into account Klaue’s liking for spicier and bolder flavors.

The internet is helpful to you when trying to figure out what to make with the ingredients you have. You're in the middle of scrolling through recipes on your phone when you hear the doorbell ring.

A look through the peephole shows you Klaue, one arm bracing himself against the doorway and the other on his hip. He looks impatient.

You open the door with a smile, but his expression is dark. You step aside to let him in and close the door. He faces you and without saying a word, pulls you to him and kisses you deeply. The air left in your lungs escapes as he takes in your moans. Gasping, you come up for air. Klaue’s lips are already on your neck and his hands on your hips crushing them against his making you whimper when you feel his hardened clothed cock press into you.

"Uri, h-hold on. I'm cooking," you start to say.

He lets out a sound in your ear that can only be described as a soft growl. "So glad you liked the gifts," he whispers.

So he saw your pictures and judging from how he is right now, he's been thinking about them. The thought of turning him on while he's busy makes a warmth pool inside you.

"Yes," you say.

You open your mouth to speak, but all you can do is yelp as Klaue lifts you up and throws you over his shoulder.

"W-wait, Uri! T-The food!" you say helplessly reaching an arm out towards the ingredients left on the counter.

"It can wait," he says matter of factly heading towards the bedroom.

"I can't just leave it!" you argue.

"Sure you can!"

Once in the bedroom, he playfully tosses you onto the bed and crawls on top of you, his arms on either side of your head making you feel so small beneath him.

"You had me quite worked up while I was away," he gently scolds.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," you reply trying to stifle a giggle.

“Don’t be coy, you little minx,” he says, his breath hot in your ear making you squirm.

You open your mouth to say something, but his lips are on your neck again, kissing you, his teeth grazing your skin and eventually marking you. A hand comes up under your shirt and begins to roughly massage your breast and his hips start to grind against you.

"Ah!" you moan as his hand dips past the waistband of your jeans.

Desperation is not something Klaue usually shows, but he’s touching you like your body is what sustains him and not the air that he breathes.

His fingers begin to trace tight circles on your clit. "I need you," he says hungrily.

Oh god.

Hearing his plea to have you has you soaked now.

"Me too," you reply breathlessly as he thrusts against your leg.

“Need to be inside you, baby,” he says, his voice straining like not being buried inside you has him suffocating.

It's not long before the two of your have your clothes off. Klaue sits propped up by some pillows against the headboard with you on top riding him. You’re bouncing on top of him, hands grasping his shoulders for leverage, and he’s got his hands on your waist with one of your breasts in his mouth, his tongue teasing your nipple.

Beneath you he looks so beautiful and handsome. He’s holding onto you with a firm grip, your flesh puckering between his fingers.

It’s a sublime feeling knowing that you bring him to his knees. You mentally pat yourself on the back for the idea of sending the pictures.

Klaue releases your mound from between his lips and looks up at you.

“I love you,” he says softly.

You stop your movements and do a double take. Klaue thrusts up into you to keep the friction between you two going.

“What did you say?” you ask.

“I said,” he kisses you, “I love you.”

You cup his face, resuming your thrusts. You feel tears form at the corner of your eyes as you kiss all over his face.

“I love you, too, Ulysses.”

You open your eyes.

You lay on your bed wearing your robe. Your phone in one hand with the photos you took, still pending in the message box. Your other hand squeezed between your thighs, trying to apply pressure and friction to your clit.

You fell asleep, indecisive about sending them.

In a huff, you sit up and take off the jewelry that you’re still wearing. You set them aside and back out of the message.

Stupid.

You curl up into a ball, tensing all your muscles then relaxing. You’ve sent pictures before, why was it so hard now?

You tense all your muscles and relax again.

Why was loving Ulysses making things so difficult for you?

The phone rings and you answer it.

“What?” you say less than enthused.

“Woah, sweetheart, just checking in,” Klaue says. “You get the box?”

“Oh! I did,” you reply trying to sound more cheery. “They’re nice...really, um..yeah, they’re great.”

There’s a silence on the other end.

“Not your usual response to that sort of thing,” Klaue states. “You alright?”

“I’m fine,” you assure him. “I just...”

Don’t care about them. I just want you.

“Will you be back soon?” you ask.

“Missing me already?” he chuckles.

“Well, I just thought-”

“I’ll be out pretty late. Change of plans for tonight, I’m busier than I thought I’d be so I’ll have a car pick you up for dinner, alright?”

“Sounds good,” you reply and he hangs up.

You take advantage of the peace and quiet to do some things to take Klaue off of your mind. You sit on your balcony and soak up the afternoon sun while reading a book. You doodle and jot some notes down in a journal, you bake, and you do yoga, but even in the middle of a downward dog pose, you can’t shake him from your head.

God, you’re so lovesick.

You fall back on your yoga mat and stare at the ceiling.

Love.

You’re drowning in it and all you wonder is if he’s even in the water. Is he knee deep where the tides could carry him out to sea at any moment? Is he wading in the shallows or is he on land just out of reach of the tide?

When evening approaches, you drag your feet getting dressed to go out. You should be excited, but your shame from not having the guts to just send the stupid photos, to not tell Ulysses how you feel eats at you. It seriously can’t be this hard, can it?

You put on the dress Klaue gifted you and the new jewelry. You look stunning in them and it warms your heart that it’s something he’s picked out for you.

Looking yourself over in the mirror, you are grateful that you’ll get to spend time with Klaue. Visions of how the night might go play in your head: would it be cozy and romantic? Maybe he’s taking you to that restaurant with the aquarium floor or the one on the roof. Is it good weather for that?

There’s a knock at the door and it’s the driver. You complete the finishing touches to your look, grab your clutch, and head out.

The driver helps guide you to the car and into the backseat of a large luxury SUV. As he drives, you look outside the window and admire how the city lights illuminate the night.

Everything is a brilliant gold blur as it passes by. You fidget with the clasp of your clutch. The driver says the name of the restaurant he was instructed to drive you to and you’re anxious since it’s one you’ve never been to. You’re back in good spirits at the thought of being surprised.

The car stops outside a building bustling with activity. The driver helps you out of the car and to the door. That is where he leaves you.

“I let him know you’re here,” he says before walking back to the car.

You give your name to the host at the door and he guides you inside to a sort of lobby. The place is nice so far.

And then you venture further inside and it’s really nice.

The decor is very elegant. Past the lobby there’s a bar and a vast open dining room with baroque inspired architecture; high ceilings, intricate carved columns, and glass fixtures. Most of the guests are equally as elegantly dressed in long gowns with deep emerald and navy tones or well pressed shirts with tailored dinner jackets.

Your dress stands out a bit in color and your strappy heels with the slit in the dress showing your skin definitely draw a few eyes. Your hair isn’t as tightly wound up as some of the other women here and you start to feel severely underdressed. Holding your clutch like a shield in front of you with both hands, you set off into the dining room to find Klaue.

The dining room is huge and packed. Large tables seat large parties and there’s a small orchestra on a stage playing music. You feel terribly small in this space with these people who look at you like you clearly don’t belong here.

A few older women look down their noses at you and some men do a double take. You cross your arms and try to search for Klaue.

The host could have at least guided you to your table. but he said something about the rest of your party being here already.

Klaue finds you first. He walks up to you and kisses your cheek. He’s dressed very well tonight with a neatly pressed black shirt and grey waistcoat. He’s even wearing the sleeves down.

“Just in time,” he says with a smile. “This way.”

He puts his arm around you as he leads the way to the table and you feel yourself relax, no longer bothered by whatever stares you might be getting. Once he stops at the table, your heart sinks deeper than before.

There’s a large round table with about six other people seated.

“What is this, Uri?” you ask softly.

“Just some business folks,” Klaue whispers in your ear. He pulls out a chair for you. “Insisted I join them to go over some deals.”

Of course.

You force a smile and sit.

The other table guests are well mannered and greet you happily. You do your best to be polite, but the prospect of having Klaue to yourself was now ruined by some very lovely strangers.

“Ulysses tells us you’re a doll,” the woman seated next to you, Estelle, says as she sips on her wine. “How long have you two been together?”

“Oh, I’ve known him for a few years now I think.”

She downs the remainder of her wine before she clarifies, “No, I mean how long have you two been going out? You are together right?”

“Well,” you say trying to find an appropriate answer. “We don’t really like to put labels on it.”

Good save.

“Aw!” Estelle says clearly tipsy. “That is so great! I love that for your guys!”

Dinner is brought out, conversation continues, and the drinks pour. You notice that Ulysses is taking advantage of access to the bar. He’s enjoying himself and you can’t quite say the same for you.

You poke at the food on your plate boredly as the table gossips about things you don’t care to take note of.

Klaue’s hand gently rests on your bare thigh. “You alright?” he asks.

Setting your fork down, you just nod. He’s not satisfied with that answer.

“Something’s wrong,” he says. “Can tell when you make that face.”

“I don’t make a face?” you say with a slight scowl.

“That one, right there,” he says pointing a finger at you.

“This is just my face,” you defend trying to keep your composure.

He laughs and you can’t help, but crack a smile. He kisses your cheek and you sigh.

“Tell me then,” he says more serious now. “Is it the gifts? You were pretty conked out this morning so didn’t have lot of time to ask about them and you’ve said before you hate just the cash.”

Ouch. A reminder of what your relationship was with him. It stings a little, but you brush it off. You shift a little in your seat, removing his hand from your thigh. “I’m still a person, Uri,” you say. “If I wanted just your money, I’d have you leave me with a credit card.”

“No,” he says ready to go into a whole lecture. “I’ve already said why that’s a bad idea and-”

“It’s not the gifts,” you snap in a hushed tone. “Or the money. I just...I thought this would be just the two of us.”

“Oh.” He scratches his beard thoughtfully.

“I mean it when I say I’ve missed you,” you say a little more seriously. “No calls or messages or anything until a day ago. I was just...looking forward to spending time with you. Just the two of us.”

“That so?” he says scanning your expression.

You just nod and drink the wine from your glass to avoid looking at him. Holy shit, it’s good. You see why Estelle is drinking so much.

Klaue moves in close to you, his lips inches from your ear. “Can I make it up to you?” he whispers placing his hand on your knee, pulling it towards him.

Unable to resist his touch, you part your legs and his hand slides up your thigh where the slit of your dress falls open. Your heart drums rapidly in your chest. You remember where you are and close your legs while removing Klaue’s hand.

“Not here,” you say gently.

He pulls away. He takes your hand and kisses the back of your palm and resumes chatting with the other guests at the table.

Estelle continues chatting you up as well and you indulge her. She fauns over how beautiful you are and insists on repeating what a lovely couple you and Ulysses make. Despite her being inebriated, she’s your favorite at the table since, aside from Klaue, she’s the only one talking to you like an equal. If you had to guess, she’s about ten years your senior, but she dotes on you and listens to your input during the conversation.

From around the rest of the table, the bits and pieces of conversation you hear make your stomach turn. Between the talk of who’s who and world events there’s talk of weapons, war, and the Avengers come up a couple of times.

Estelle keeps talking, but you can’t ignore that you just heard a US government official say that the has possession, let alone access, to a weapon that could decimate cities. And so casually.

It starts to remind you too much of the news. You manage to weasel your way out of the conversation and make for the bathroom.

The bathroom is spacious and just as ornate as the rest of the restaurant. There’s a counter with a mirror where you set your bag down.

You look yourself over in the mirror, wishing you were home with Ulysses. The two of you could be snuggling on the couch watching a movie or taking a nice warm bath. You could be making your dream a reality right now. Your cunt throbs at the thought of his hands on you again. God, this dinner could not be over soon enough.

From your clutch you retrieve some lipgloss and a compact to touch up your makeup to distract you from your lustful thoughts. You gasp and set down your makeup when you hear someone else enter the room.

You turn to see it’s Klaue.

He locks the door and right as you’re about to argue as to what he’s doing there, he takes hold of your face and kisses you deeply.

His hands are all over you, much like in your dream and you melt into his embrace. “Uri,” you say breathlessly when he trails kisses on your neck.

“Let me make it up to you, baby,” he says grabbing your hips and pulling you close. “Don’t like to see you upset.”

“I needed you so badly, today,” you sigh in his ear. An ache begins to settle between your legs as you remember the position your dream left you in.

“Then let me,” he groans. “I’m here now.”

A ‘yes’ barely escapes your lips when he kiss you again. He swallows your moans and you can feel a dampness building at your center.

The slit of your dress slides open when you bring a leg up to Klaue’s waist. His large hand grabs your thigh and the other cups your ass so he can lift you. Your lips never leaving his, you wrap your legs around him and he sets you on the counter, swiping your belongings aside.

He hikes up your dress and slides off your panties before settling between your legs. Klaue’s kissing you as he rolls up his sleeves. You undo his tie and the top buttons of his shirt to run your hands across his chest.

His hands plant themselves on your thighs and parts them. The sudden air hitting your naked sex makes you gasp. Reflexively, you try to close your legs, but he’s not budging.

“I said I would make it up to you,” he says kneeling down in front of you on one knee and dipping his head between your legs.

Klaue teases your entrance with your tongue and you brace yourself as best as you can with your hands switching between the wall, mirror, and the counter.

His tongue makes long swipes over your cunt and you bite you lip to stifle your whines. Klaue adjusts himself and then throws your legs over his shoulders, his hands hooked around your thighs to keep you in place.

You grab his hair when his tongue finds your clit. Your heels dig into his back as your thrust against his face. You stifle a cry as you hear Klaue moan against your sex and you lean your head back to rest against the mirror.

“Please don’t stop, Ulysses,” you choke out.

Keeping his tongue on your clit, he releases one of your thighs and inserts a finger inside of you making you whimper. He hums in satisfaction at how wet you are and adds a second finger.

You have to bite the back of your hand to keep from crying out in pleasure. Klaue stands and watches you in amusement as you struggle to silence yourself. “You like that?” he asks with a smirk.

You weakly nod.

His thumb teases your clit as his fingers curl inside you. Your bundle of nerves pulsing and firing synapses of pleasure throughout your body.

“Uri, I’m about to- Ah!”

He muffles your cries with his lips on yours as he inserts a third finger inside of you, stretching you open so deliciously.

“Make a mess on my fingers, baby,” he commands.

Oh, fuck.

Your cunt feels so full and when his digits curl you can feel them hit the backside of your clit. Your walls tighten around Klaue’s fingers and you brace yourself on his shoulders as the coil of desire in you snaps. You shudder as you come around his fingers.

“That’s it, baby,” Klaue says. He sucks in a breath as he retreats his digits from you, now coated with your arousal.

One by one, Klaue cleans them of your slick and grins in satisfaction. “Here I was thinking I’d miss out on dessert,” he chuckles.

You rolls your eyes and start to close your legs as Klaue takes a step back, but he gently nudges your knee to stay open. “Let me see you,” he says.

He admires your glistening lips with a passionate sigh. “So beautiful,” you hear him say.

A thought occurs to you and you steel yourself to not back down from it this time.

“Do...do you want to see what I do when you’re gone?” you say softly.

His eyes snap up to yours, curious and intrigued. “Yes,” he replies and he watches your hand trail down your body to touch yourself.

Your fingers find your folds, teasing them slowly, spreading them apart so he can see all of you. He lets out a soft curse and with one hand he undoes his belt and pants to free his erection. Watching his fingers work at the buckle and his forearm flex through the motion has you biting your lip, the wetness between your folds increasing. He’s stroking himself, a bead of precum glistening on the head of his length.

You dip a finger inside of you and cry out his name. In return, he moans as well, his eyes not leaving the sight of you fingering yourself. “Fuck, baby,” he chokes out. “That for me?”

“Yes,” you pant, adding another finger.

You gasp as you thrust your fingers inside of your cunt. There’s a knock at the door that makes you quickly retreat your hand and you face turns a light shade of red.

“Hello?” a muffled voice calls out before knocking again and trying the doorknob.

“Our new friends are probably wondering where we are,” Klaue says mischievously.

“We better hurry,” you respond.

Klaue closes the space between you and lines himself up with your cunt. His tip rests at your entrance for a moment before he buries his cock inside you.

“You’re so wet for me, baby,” he groans thrusting into you.

The sounds of him fucking you mixed with your moans fill the room. You throw your head back, your hands grasping onto Klaue’s shoulders as his cock fills you completely.

“Put your hands around me,” Klaue instructs.

You do as he says, lacing your fingers around his neck. “What are you-”

His muscled arms throw your legs up to rest on his shoulders, positioning you like a V, and his hands adjust your ass on the edge of the counter. You look down and are met with the sight of his cock disappearing inside you.

“Oh fuck, baby!” you cry out, not caring if someone might hear you.

Klaue’s thrusts slow down, but he’s fucking you harder and deeper knocking the breath out of you. Your mind is so clouded by the sensations of him filling you that you can barely form a coherent thought let alone any words. He pulls out almost completely making you whimper before he buries himself back into you, bottoming out and making you cry out.

“That’s it, baby,” he says.

“Uri, I’m so close.”

“Me too, sweetheart,” he grunts out. “Come with me baby.”

Releasing his grip on your ass, Klaue grabs your ankles and holds them apart.

Holy shit, this man is going to tear you apart with his cock.

You’re right on the edge of your release, your walls beginning to flutter around his length. Klaue thrusts into you one final time hitting a spot deep inside you and you both come undone. His cock twitches inside you and your walls clench, milking his release.

There’s a loud incessant knock on the door and the two of your are quick to compose yourselves. Klaue helps you off the counter, smiling as you steady yourself. You adjust your dress and pick up your panties while he tucks himself back into his pants and fixes his shirt and tie. “Still upset with me?” he asks.

“No, but I might change my mind if you don’t wipe that grin off your face,” you say playfully tugging his beard to bring his face closer for you to kiss. “You leave first and I’ll be out in a bit.”

With a mischievous grin, Klaue presses against you. “Sure you don’t want to go out with me? Let them see?”

His beard tickles your neck and his fingers ghost along your waist and you have to swat him away to get him off of you. You’re trying to be serious, but your face keeps breaking into a smile. His snickering isn’t helping you either and you end up laughing as well.

Klaue leaves first and you stay behind to freshen up. You use the bathroom and look yourself over in the mirror. Your lipstick is smeared and your hair has fallen out of place a bit. Thank goodness you manage to fix yourself up back to how you looked when you arrived.

When you finally exit the bathroom, thankfully there’s no one around. You return to the table and sit next to Klaue. Estelle is overjoyed to see you. She continues chatting you up and you thank the stars for her rate of consumption of the wine lest she make out that you have a clearly ‘just fucked’ face.

The rest of the night goes smoothly; the food is delicious and dessert is exquisite. You don’t shy away from a few seductive licks of the dessert on your spoon. Elbows on the table, Klaue hides his face behind his hands as he looks at you, but you can make out his clenched jaw.

You’ve locked eyes with Klaue and you’re in the middle of removing the spoon from your mouth at a painfully slow pace when he grins and nudges his head in the direction across the table. You had done well in teasing him without anyone noticing, but now one of the guests was in the middle of picking up his wine glass and eyeing you with a very judging raised brow as the spoon pops the rest of the way out of your mouth. Klaue covers his mouth to stifle his snicker and your face turns red as you smile politely to the man across the table trying to also stifle your laughter. The man stands and walks off. You and Klaue burst out laughing trying to keep it quiet. You nudge him and whisper, “You asshole!”

“Flew a little too close to the sun being a tease,” he shoots back.

“You could’ve said something!”

“And miss out on that?”

You playfully nudge him again. “I love you,” you say softly through a chuckle.

You said that. Oh God, you said that.

“What?”

You face Klaue and he looks confused. “What was that?” he asks again.

He didn’t hear you.

“I said,” you tongue darts out to wet your lips, “I love that about you.”

“What’s not to love?” he chuckles.

You leave the restaurant on the arm of Klaue. There’s a car waiting for you outside and the two of you hop in the back. Klaue instructs the driver to head back to your place. You lean your head against his shoulder and your hand finds his to hold. Your fingers snake their way in between his, your thumb brushing over one of the rings he has on. He kisses the top of your head and you smile.

This could be the two of you; holding hands like this, all the time like all other lovers do.

You examine your hand in his: it’s softer than his, the pads of his hand calloused from labor. There is tape around two of his fingers again, to splint one or both. It is such a contrast from your manicured hand, nails varnished with a pale pink. His hands encompass yours, the ring on his little finger surely doesn’t even fit your thumb. You find yourself mindlessly fidgeting with it and hear Klaue chuckle.

The driver is heading to your apartment, but your hand in his, that’s home.

#ulysses klaue #ulysses klaue x reader #IAFMWBTY #klaue

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