#i did laugh at 'promise between two' but no amount of it being a royal trio dlc would make that about glove. 100%. it is funny though

[bobzora]

me and the boys squinting at the song names in disc 5 of the persona 5 tactica ost tracklist to try and sus out any details about the dlc

[looooooooomis]

FINAL GIRL | FIVE

You were his final girl.  And there was no chance in hell that anyone or anything was going to mess that up.

p a r t   five  |  t h e  c a b i n (part I)

masterlist here

pairing: Billy Loomis x f!reader word count:  5.6k (I’M SORRY I GOT CARRIED AWAY) warnings: s m u t (18 +!!!!!)

A/N: after 8 months of MIA, SHE’S BACK BABY!!! this is part 1 of 2 of our fav couple being at the cabin x next chapter will have soft moments I promise lmao 

You should have been paying more attention.

If you’d been paying more attention, you wouldn’t have had five sets of eyes currently watching your every move, waiting for an answer you didn’t have. Why had you thought it was a good idea to stay up as late as you had packing your overnight bag for the cabin? If you had gone to bed at a reasonable hour, you wouldn’t have been as braindead as you currently were and, if you hadn’t been braindead, you wouldn’t have wound up in whatever ring of hell you were currently stuck in as your friends stared at you as though you’d grown a second head.

You pleaded with your tongue to say anything, pleaded for your brain to register a decent enough lie to make this uncomfortable silence end but nothing came out of your mouth. Only a pathetic hum and a gusto of forced laughter.

You wanted to die.

It should have been an easy enough answer to what was an even easier question. One that you’d practiced answering for the last two days and yet, as the moment for the lie came and went, you were left scrambling like a fucking moron.

You didn’t dare look at Billy as Sid curled into his side knowing if you managed to catch his coffee-coloured stare, you’d only be met with something between terror and amusement as you royally shit the bed. So, instead, you did the next best thing. You replayed the question over and over again in your head until you were driven mad.

‘Are you up for a movie this weekend?’

It was a simple enough question, one you’d managed to decline easily enough but, as Tatum frowned and asked the one question you were expecting to hear, your mind went blank.

‘Why? What are you doing?’

The answer you were supposed to say: I have to babysit my cousin in Santa Rosa all weekend. The answer they got? Silence. Pure, awkward as fuck, silence.

“Earth to Y/N,” Tatum laughed, brows furrowing. “Are you alive?”

“Sorry,” you huffed out a quiet laugh and shook your head, “I barely slept last night, I’m braindead.”

While it wasn’t a lie, you were still on edge. You’d think after months of sneaking around with the asshole sitting in front of you that you would have chilled out a little more but not today. Maybe it was the nerves of a full weekend away with Billy Loomis as his girlfriend hosted a fucking movie night sans her boyfriend and best friend – but something was making you stumble over what should have been second nature to you.

“You feeling okay?” Sid, the angel she was, asked with a small frown. Your stomach twisted in the familiar way it always did when your sweet friend showed concern. Concern which you most definitely didn’t deserve. “You seem…off.”

It would have been so easy to confess your dark little twisted affair with Billy right then and there. To just open your mouth and let the truth of everything you’d been doing behind her back play out. But you knew it would break her heart and, more than that, you were a fucking coward.

“I’m fine, Sid,” you smacked on a small smile and leaned into your locker. You had one more class until you were home free. Free of your friends’ inquiring eyes, free of Biology, free of Woodsboro. If you managed to get through this incredibly uncomfortable moment. “And I would if I could, trust me. I have to babysit my little cousin in Santa Rosa.” You feigned disappointment with a small frown. You could see Stu’s lips tug up in mild amusement out of the corner of your eye. “She’s nine, so if I don’t come back on Monday, know that she annoyed me to death.”

Randy scoffed and casually threw his arm around your neck. “Every day I’m thankful I don’t have any snot-nosed kids in my family. Losing my weekend to babysit? I’d rather rot.”

Despite your guilt, you managed a small smile as you looked across at him. “I think the kid would rather you rot, too. You’d be a terrible babysitter.”

“She’s right,” Tatum smirked, “you’d show the kid one of your weirdo movies where a girl with big tits is running helplessly away from her killer. It’d scar the kid for life.”

“Or,” Randy mused, “prepare them for the real world. Put some hair on their chest and all that shit.”

“Furthering my point, Meeks, you’d be a shit babysitter.” You laughed. “But, yeah, I’ll be suffering at the hands of a nine-year-old, so you guys have fun without me.”

“How about you, lover boy?” Tatum asked, looking across at Billy. “Will you be joining us this weekend?”

You should have averted your eyes. Should have done anything besides wait, with bated breath, to see what Billy would say. Slowly, those brown eyes tapered over towards you just briefly before looking at Tatum. With a casual shrug of his shoulders, Billy shook his head and leaned into Sid. “Can’t,” he merely said, “I’m going up north with my dad. He wants to get some of his affairs in order or something, I don’t know.” He ran a hand through his hair. “All I know is I was promised free beer if I helped him. So, I’m helping him.”

If Sid caught onto his lie, her face didn’t betray her once. And, as she looked up at her boyfriend with doting eyes, you couldn’t help but feel that pang of shame slice into your gut once again. She believed him. She always believed him. Believed you. Regardless of how good it felt to have Billy, that shame of knowing just who it was unwittingly hurting in the process never dissipated.

“You sure you guys won’t need help?” Sid asked, further digging that knife of shame into your chest. “Besides this movie, I’ve got nothing else going on this weekend.”

“Real nice,” Randy teased. “She’d rather watch Billy’s dad punch away at a fucking calculator then sit down with her nearest and dearest.”

Billy ignored Randy entirely as he glanced down at the brunette. “I’m sure,” he affirmed, giving her a quick squeeze. “Enjoy the movie night. I’ll be there for the next one.”

He lied so effortlessly, so casually, that it should have unnerved you. But it didn’t. Because for as good of a liar Billy Loomis was, you were right here with him. This dangerous little game the two of you were playing was becoming second nature to you and for as much as it pained you to see Sidney get lied to, you couldn’t help yourself.

You loved Billy. Billy loved you. Right person, wrong time. Only rather than wait like you knew you should have, Billy’s glow was much too enthralling to miss. You were both moths to each other’s’ flames and no amount of guilt or shame was strong enough to outweigh the otherworldly affliction the two of you had for one another.

The bell signifying your final class rung out, snapping you out of your brief reverie as you blinked and focused on pushing Randy off of you. “Want to drive me to the bus station?” You asked him. “I don’t want to drive all the way to Santa Rosa, so I bought a bus ticket.”

“Tonight?” Randy considered it briefly before shrugging. “Sure, I guess. I’ve got a shift tonight at seven, though. When’s your bus leave?”

“Six thirty,” you lied, mainly doing this so that should anyone drive by your house this weekend and see your car still neatly parked in your driveway, they wouldn’t bat an eye. “I owe you.”

“Yeah, you do,” Randy agreed. “And, lucky for you, I accept a lot of different payment options.” He wriggled his brows, earning a playful smack from you and an annoyed glare from Billy. Thankfully, Randy didn’t catch onto the latter. “Pick you up at six?”

You nodded. “Perfect.”

With your eyes flickering to Billy’s once more, you managed to shoot everyone a quick smile before disappearing down the hall towards Biology. Just how you’d managed to dance your way out of what could have been an incredibly awkward moment, you didn’t know. But as you felt that weighty stare of Billy’s on your back as you walked away, there was an air of excitement that swallowed you whole.

No matter how much guilt you felt, no matter how sick it made you to see Sidney get hurt, even if she didn’t quite know about just yet, there was a much larger part of you that couldn’t wait to get Billy alone.

Because for the first time in the seven months since you’d started this torrid little affair, you were finally getting Billy all to yourself. No prying eyes, no secret kisses, no having to hide every part of your relationship with the man. None of that.

This weekend, it was you and it was Billy.

And you couldn’t fucking wait.

»»-------------¤-------------««

Randy, being the superstar he was, had dropped you off at the station a little after six-fifteen and by six-thirty-two, just around the time the actual bus was leaving for Santa Rosa, you were scrambling into Billy’s car with a wild grin on your face.

Just how the pair of you had managed to pull it off, especially given your brain lapse earlier in the day, was beyond you. But, as Billy tore off down the main street leading to the freeway, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of freedom engulf you the farther and farther you got from town.

It was exhilarating.

And, as you glanced at Billy, who couldn’t have looked more like a movie star with his dark locks blowing with the wind cascading in through his open window, you couldn’t help but reach across the divide to gently squeeze his jean-clad thigh.

“Thank you,” you found yourself muttering and as those brown eyes met yours, you couldn’t help but grin. “For your stupid key proposal. In hindsight, it was very sweet.”

The dimple in Billy’s cheek deepened as his own grin grew. “Glad you let me steal you away?”

You loosened your seatbelt momentarily and leaned across to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Very glad.” You made a move to pull away but stopped when he gently grabbed your chin with the hand not holding the wheel. “What—”

The kiss, while dangerously stupid, was short and sweet but the emotion behind it, the genuine happiness that exuded out of Billy in those few seconds was palpable. “I really do fucking love you, you know that?”

“You’ve mentioned it,” you hummed and slinked back into your seat. When his large hand found your thigh, he gave it a firm squeeze that sent shockwaves throughout your whole body.

“Not going to say it back?” He teased, giving you a sidelong glance as he drew nearer to the freeway.

“I’d rather show it.” Rather than put your seatbelt back on, you shimmed in your seat and leaned into him as your fingers scraped along his thighs towards the button of his jeans. “Eyes on the road, Loomis.”

Easier said than done, Billy thought, torn between watching the road and watching you unzip his jeans. Raising his ass out of the seat just long enough to allow you to tug his pants down his thighs, the second Billy saw yours eyes light up as his now somewhat erect cock sprung free of his jeans, keeping his eyes on the road seemed impossible. But, the second he saw that pretty mouth of yours perk up in anticipation, it was game over. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

A low chuckle escaped your lips as you began to pump his length with your hand. “Focus on the road, Billy.”

“You say that like it’s easy.” Not being able to keep his hands off of you, he reached for your nipple and gave it a pinch through your shirt. “Take your shirt off, baby.”

“Shut up and drive.” You chided him, shimming in your seat so that you were on your knees leaning over the console. His cock was rock hard now and, as you ran your tongue alongside his length, from the base of it all the way up to coax your tongue along the precum that had gathered along his head, you felt him shiver beneath you.

“Fuck,” he hissed, tangling his fingers through your hair. You were too fucking good with that mouth of yours.

Still pumping the base of his cock with one hand, you swirled your tongue along the tip of his dick again before taking that perfectly girthy cock in your mouth. His grip tightened on your hair and your eyes watered as he pushed your head down to fully take the length of him inside of your mouth. He heard you gag on him but even as his grip eased up, you continued your pursuit of deepthroating him.

His breathing was shallow as he felt your hot mouth all over him. Between the sounds of your wet mouth taking him in and the occasional gag as you choked on his length, Billy was in heaven.

But having you this close as you fucked him with your mouth whilst still fully clothed was killing him. He needed to feel you. He wanted to feel your juices on his fingers and running down those perfect fucking thighs as he fingerfucked you. He wanted to hear you moan, feel you moan on his cock as he made you feel as good as you were making him feel.

He wanted all of you, needed all of you.  

Trying his damnedest not to shut his eyes as your mouth brought him closer to the edge, he reached beneath you to work on your own zipper but when that proved to be impossible, a frustrated growl tore out of his lips. “Undo your pants.” He hissed through bared teeth.

You hummed against his dick which nearly sent him into the other land of traffic. “No,” you purred, “I want to make you feel good.”

With one hand on the wheel and the other now gliding up and down your back as you fucked him with your mouth, Billy couldn’t help but buck into your mouth as you began to massage his balls. He was going to bust and soon if he wasn’t careful.

You were too fucking good and he was too fucking in love with you not to get lost in the way you made him feel.

“Touch yourself, at least,” he breathed out, desperate to see that pretty cunt. “Please, baby.”

Not granting him the satisfaction, you simply dug your nails into his thighs and moaned onto his cock and the sensation of it alone was almost enough to make him come down your throat. It seemed to slither around his cock, making him twitch and buck into your mouth.

But it was the second you moaned out his name as you swirled your wet mouth along the head of his dick one final time, swallowing back his precum with a contented hum, that Billy blew his loud inside of your mouth.

For a good five seconds, he didn’t care if he crashed the goddamn car as he watched you swallow his seed. He was bucking into your mouth, his breathing was ragged, as you guzzled him back and, as you finally released his cock with a pop, Billy almost lost it.

With a devilish grin, you simply wiped a finger along the edge of your lips and leaned back into your seat with a satisfied glimmer in your eyes. You knew you’d be in for it once he got his hands on you at the cabin, but for now, as you watched him lamely try and pull his jeans up his body to cover his slowly softening cock, you couldn’t help but laugh.

“What’s the matter, Billy?” You teased, fastening your seatbelt back up. “You look a little rattled.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he simpered, not bothering with the zipper or button of his jeans. Instead, he reached across the divide and grabbed for your hand as he ghosted his lips across your knuckles. “Just wait until we get to the cabin.”

With your suspicions confirmed, you couldn’t help but beam across at him as you drove further and further away from Woodsboro. That was definitely a threat and good god were you excited for its execution.

»»-------------¤-------------««

By the time you’d pulled into the Loomis family cabin, it was pitch black outside.

The moon was too high in the sky and only a sliver of its light poked through the tall pine trees that surrounded the small house but, even with the low light surrounding you, the shadows that danced along the lake was enough to bring out a small smile as you quietly made your way out of the car. You didn’t need full sun to see the beauty surrounding you and the smell of the fresh air mixed with the spice of pine made any ounce of nerves filter out of you.

You were happy.

Unreservedly so.

Glancing across the roof towards Billy, he seemed almost distracted as he looked around at the familiar surroundings. You couldn’t quite tell if he was feeling as happy as you were in those brief moments, but you couldn’t quite blame him for that. The cabin held a lot of memories within it, many of which you knew included his mother. Where you felt freed and excited, you could tell the weight of his current whereabouts was heavy on his shoulders.

“Hey,” you muttered, slicing into the quietude around you. Walking around the front of the car, those brown eyes found yours as you circled your arms around his middle. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he assured, but his voice was low and distant. All the same, however, his strong arms enveloped you as he kissed your hairline. “Lost in a memory, I guess.”

You nodded into the crook of his neck but said nothing. He needed time to decompress, to familiarize himself with a house he hadn’t been in since his mother left. So, you’d give him that time.

For what must have been minutes, the two of you simply stood at the helm of porch holding onto one another. It wasn’t until Billy placed another quick kiss to your forehead that you felt his arms slowly fall only to grasp your hand in his own. “Come on,” he hummed. His grip on your hand was firm as he walked up the steps leading to the wrap around porch and as he stuck the key inside of the lock and opened the front door, the smell of cedar surrounded you.

The cabin was gorgeous. Wooden slats covered every square inch of the small house and a small fireplace sat at the front of the house with a worn-in couch and chair facing it. It was obvious nobody had come to visit for quite some time judging by the dust lining most of the countertops and shelving units, but you didn’t care.

To you, it was perfect.

Your own little oasis with the boy you loved without any sort of outside interruption.

You released his hand to take a brief look around the small living space but you could feel his eyes on you with every step you took. You knew he was looking to get even with you after your little stunt in the car, but you also knew that he hadn’t quite been expecting the swell of emotions to hit him upon driving up to the cabin. So, you continued to wander around the cabin to both grant him the space he may or may not have needed and, simply, to snoop around.

There were family pictures lining the tables and one in particular made you smile as you caught sight of a young Billy swinging from a tire swing. With a quiet laugh, you picked the frame up and surveyed it with a fond smile on your lips. “Cute,” you remarked, looking across to catch his stare. “A little model, eh?”

Billy watched you carefully place the frame down on the table before continuing on with your self-guided tour. No matter how hard he tried, regardless of the bittersweet memories swirling around inside of his brain, he couldn’t take his eyes off of you. Not that he ever really could, but there was an ease rolling off of you tonight, coming off of you in waves, that drew him in.

“I’ve been thinking about this all week, you know that?” He remarked, leaning against the back of the couch as he watched you pick up another picture frame. “Just me and you. Out here alone in the woods for an entire weekend.”

“Sounds like a scary movie when you put it that way,” you goaded with a wink. “Or a really niche porno.”

“Why not a bit of both?” His molasses coloured eyes glimmered mischievously as you walked up to him and stepped between his legs. The second you were close, he pulled you flush against his chest and kissed the tip of your nose as he pushed your hair back and away from your face. “Both could be fun.”

You grinned. “I’m down for anything,” you shrugged. “So long as you promise to take me on an actual date tomorrow. We’re not just fucking like bunnies inside of the cabin all weekend.”

“Heaven forbid,” he leaned in and gave you a slow, torturous kiss.

“I’m serious, Billy,” you moaned.

Pulling away from your mouth, Billy nudged his nose against yours and nodded. “The entire population in Bumfuck, California will know you’re my girl by the end of the weekend,” he avowed, skimming his hands down to your ass to give it a firm squeeze. “I promise.”

“Oh, yeah?” You hummed, kissing him again.

His calloused hands slipped beneath your shirt and scraped up your side. “Yeah.” Digging his hips into yours, he gave you one last kiss before nodding towards the bedroom. “Take your clothes off.”

You giggled as he slapped your ass to steer you down the narrow hallway. “And if I don’t?”

“I’ll rip them off of you,” he simply said, “so either they remain in one piece or I ruin your outfit.”

You glanced down at your jeans and tank before frowning. You looked cute tonight and you’d be damned if the bastard ripped them. So, being the good girl you were, you held his stare and slowly slinked out of your clothes. His eyes seemed so much darker as he watched you strip and the small smirk he wore slowly fell into a hungry thin line as you then perched yourself on the edge of the bed, completely nude.

“You just going to stand there looking pretty or are you going to do something about this?” You slipped your fingers between your thighs and ran your fingers along your swollen clit. A low moan slipped out of your lips at the sensation. “I’m already so wet for you, Billy.”

Slowly, Billy stepped towards you and undid his belt. Leaning down, he kissed you, hard, and steered you backwards on the bed beneath you until your head reached the soft pillows. You could feel his cock straining against his jeans but rather than grant himself any sort of reprieve, you watched him gently grasp your hands and raise them above your head only to wrap his belt around your wrists.

In the blink of an eye, you were tied to the bedposts.

“Is this payback for the car blowie?” You laughed, looking up at your restrained wrists. “If it is, I can’t say I’m mad about it.”

“You wanted something between a horror movie and a niche porno, remember?” He hummed against your skin, placing sloppy kisses along the vein that ran along your neck as he pinched your nipple. “God, you’re fucking perfect. You know that?”

He bit down on your collarbone, kissing his way down your chest until his warm mouth wrapped around your nipple. You could feel his teeth slither along your breast as his tongue lapped expertly on the sensitive bud. You hissed, arching into his mouth as your wrists, on instinct, fought for freedom. “Hardly.”

His eyes met yours as he slowly released your nipple. You were in nothing, of course, but he was still fully clothed, and you hated him for it. You hungrily eyed the bulge in his jeans as he propped himself up on his arm, letting his other hand glide up your chest and neck until it cupped your cheek. His nose brushed against yours, nudging it up to allow his lips to hover just over yours. Close enough that you could almost taste them, but much too far away to satisfy the hunger you had for the man.

“I love you,” he whispered, thumb stroking the apple of your cheek as his warm, brown eyes swallowed you up. “You know that, right?”

“Yes,” you swallowed hard and tilted your head up just enough to finally catch his lips. But, just as quickly as it happened, the man pulled away and let his hand begin to roam down your body. His mouth was at your ear now, nibbling at your earlobe as his hot breath slithered against your neck. You shivered. “I love you, too.”

His voice was gruff in your ear. “I’d kill for you,” his hand continued its journey down your throat, brushing past your nipple, down the length of your stomach until reaching the small smattering of hair along your mound. He was careful to keep his hands from dipping any lower, tormenting you as best to his ability, which just about killed you, if you were being honest. “You know that?”

Bucking your hips up, you nearly growled at the lack of attention you were receiving. You were soaked and touch-starved for him. His fingers, his mouth, the erection currently poking into your thigh, anything. “I wouldn’t ask you to do that,” you managed a quiet laugh. “But I appreciate it.”

His teeth bit down on your neck again. “But, I would. I’d do anything for you, sweetheart.”

His hand slipped further down to your sopping cunt and as he slowly slipped his fingers through your wet folds, the moan he got in return nearly killed him. “Billy,” you whispered desperately. It felt as though you were going to die if you didn’t feel him inside of you. “Please.”

His lips hovered over yours and on instinct, you caught his bottom lip between your teeth and bucked your hips against his hand. He snarled as you bit down on his lip but as the metallic taste of blood met his tongue, it was as though Billy was transcending. His pace on your clit quickened but it was still too slow for you and he knew it. He was torturing you, killing you, and he was enjoying every second of it. Struggling against the belt, your struggle was all for naught as it didn’t so much as move an inch.

“You’d love me, no matter what, right?” He asked, slipping one of his fingers inside of you as he kissed his way down to your chest. Lapping at your nipple, Billy was gentle at first before biting down hard enough to draw blood. Tit for Tat.

“Yes,” you moaned. Your entire body was on fire as his fingers brought you closer to the edge. “But I’d love you even more if you fucked me. You’re killing me, Loomis.”

Licking up the small trail of blood off of your tits, Billy hummed against your nipple and added another finger inside of your pussy. He’d fuck you soon but right now, he needed to feel your entire body light up the way it always had when he drove you into that fit of madness. You were a woman unhinged in the bedroom, he knew as much, and he knew exactly how to get that animal inside of you out.

“You’re so fucking wet,” he admired, reaching his hand up to coat your tit in your own slick. When it was sufficiently wet, he licked your juices off of your breast and growled. God, you tasted so fucking good. “You’re my girl, Y/N, you’re always going to be my girl, right?”

You looked up at him as those words fell from his lips. His brown hair hung down his forehead, his neck red from the strain of having to watch you writhe beneath him without doing a damned thing about it. But what struck you was the look of vulnerability in those brown eyes. That longing, far-away look as his eyes searched yours.

He wanted nothing more than to hear you say that you wanted him. Needed him. Just as much as he needed you.

“Always,” the answer tumbled out of your lips before you so much as thought twice. “I’m your girl, Billy.”

His mouth caught yours in a bruising kiss. Finally, his pace quickened inside of you as met your throbbing core with his dept fingers. With his thumb circling your clit, he dipped two fingers inside of you and grinned against your mouth as you let out a low, desperate moan.

It happened so fast after that. One moment, you were the one tied up on the bed and the next, he’d released you, stripped himself naked, and managed to flip you over so that you were the one on top of him, straddling his waist. Pulling away from you mouth, Billy’s eyes darkened as he saw that familiar glimmer in your eyes. That animalistic side of you was out in full force now.

“Get up here.” He demanded.

You smirked and leaned across him so that your lips hovered over his. “Why would I want to do that?”

He leaned up, the veins in his neck swelled against his neck as he caught your bottom lip between his teeth. “Get. Up. Here.”

Releasing your lip, Billy watched you smirk and crawl up the remainder of his body until your pussy was less than an inch away from his mouth. Grabbing onto the metal of the headboard you’d just been tied up to, you gasped as Billy’s tongue slid into your folds. Finding your clit instantly, you moaned and allowed your eyes to fall shut as you reached down to play with your hardened nipples.

Fuck, what Billy could do with his mouth should have been illegal.

He sucked and lapped at your clit as you rocked back and forth against his mouth. His fingers dug into your hips, so much so that you knew there would be bruises in the morning but, blinded by the pleasure between your thighs, you couldn’t care less.  

The moans that were coming out of you were raw and guttural and, as you played with your own tits, envisioning his hands being the ones to squeeze and nip on the swollen buds of your nipples, you saw stars.

“Fuck,” you moaned out, “Billy, baby, fuck.”

He pulled your hips further down so that you were sitting on his face. Not just hovering but sitting on that perfect mouth of his as he held you in place. You knew it must have been hard for him to breathe but he was adamant and as his tongue continued its assault on your throbbing cunt, you came devastatingly hard and incredibly loud.

Stars danced behind your eyes as you continued to ride out your orgasm. When you couldn’t take another second of Billy’s skilled tongue, you climbed off of him only to feel his large hands take hold of your hips again.

Swinging you around so that you were on your back and he was the one hovering over you, Billy wasted no time in slipping his rock-hard erection into your soaking pussy.

He was thrusting hard and the sounds of your juices squelching with every thrust of his cock would have been off-putting if it hadn’t been for the raw, primal need coursing off of the pair of you in waves. He was kissing your lips and biting them and suckling your neck as he continued to rail into you with all of passion in the world. You weren’t sure you’d ever seen him this riled up and you had to admit it was inherently sexy seeing him so affected by you.

Not surprising in the least, it didn’t take him long to come. You’d riled him up to the point of no return in the car and, as you felt him come inside of you, you all but laughed when he dramatically crashed on the bed beside you.

Sweat glistened over every inch of body and the sheen of your juices was still on his lips as he kissed you. This kiss was slow, methodical. Sweet. And you felt yourself fall even harder for the man as he broke the kiss and gently brushed your hair away from your now damp forehead.

Wrapping one arm around your chest, Billy held you against him as he propped himself against the headboard. You were both naked and sweating and while a shower was something you both definitely needed, neither of you found yourselves all too willing to move out of the other’s embrace.

“Is it hard being back here?” You asked, listening to his heart beating in his chest.

“For a second, maybe,” he admitted, soothing your hair down. “Not now.”

“What’s changed?” You asked with a small smile. “The sex was that good, huh?”

A quiet chuckle shook his chest as he kissed the top of your head. “I think horror meets niche porn is my new favourite genre.”

Kissing his naked chest, you grinned into his body. “Same.”

[bratkook]

not yet. jjk

not yet, almost, right now pairing. jungkook x reader genre. fluff, some angst, pg-13 word count. 4.1k warnings. mentions of infidelity, some feelings come to light, unrequited pining, spur of the moment kissing, light grinding on the dance floor, jungkook pops a boner and wants to cry</3 summary. jungkook feels the pang of guilt in his gut when you spot your recent ex out with his new girl, and what better way to make the jerk hurt than to have him believe you were now dating him, the neighbor he had been insecure about your whole relationship note. this is based off a request sent a while back for numbers #43 and #67 from this prompt list! (i think this might turn into a small drabble series...mayhaps)

Jungkook can spot your discomfort easily, the occasional colorful light bouncing off your face showing him the flash of anger in your eyes. The only reason he’s not currently running for the hills, knowing very well how mean you can get when angry, is because your glare isn’t being sent at him. Not yet at least. 

Because of this, he allows himself to enjoy the cute way your nose scrunches up, lips twisting in displeasure as you stare at the crowd of people, eyes locked onto an unlucky bystander. Honestly, he wishes he could hear your thoughts, wanting to know exactly what has your panties in a bunch, ruining your mood instead of letting you enjoy the expensive fruity drink he had just bought you as payment for allowing him to drag you out of the house. Jungkook isn’t a mind reader though, so he decides on his next best option. 

“Who’s got you looking all sour?” he sighs, resting his elbow on the counter of the bar as he inches closer to you, head at your level in an attempt to match your line of sight. 

“Him,” you seethe, brows pinching together, showing those light wrinkles in between them, a product of how expressive you were and definitely something Jungkook always teases you about. 

Jungkook can only hum in question, eyes squinting in the low light as he attempts to find the him you’re talking about. With a slight turn of your head, you’re inches from Jungkook’s cheek, the obvious look of confusion etched onto his soft features letting you know he was absolutely lost. With a soft huff your fingers are gripping his cheeks and moving his face in the right direction, free hand pointing as discreetly as you could to the man in question. 

You know he spots him, you can feel his jaw tense underneath your grip. What you don’t feel is the sudden guilt that fills him up, sloshing in his stomach and mixing with the liquor he just drank until he feels a little queasy. Jungkook instantly regrets coaxing you out of your little dungeon with the promise of cheering you up. If he had known the spawn of satan–dubbed your ex boyfriend and also the reason why you were in a downward spiral–would be here, he would have just let you rot in your bed like you originally wanted. 

“Do you wanna go?” he mutters out, cheeks still squished by your slowly tightening grip, and he begins to accept the fact that you might just break his jaw right now. It’s fine, he thinks, he deserves it. 

“No,” you grunt stubbornly, fingers finally releasing him as you turn back around and choose to face the endless amount of bottles behind the bar. He may be the reason you were currently on a never ending cycle of watching sad, heartbreaking chick-flicks from the early 2000’s, dumping you with the lame excuse that you two were on different paths and he just wasn’t ready for commitment. It’s something you accepted, albeit jaw tense and eye twitching as you did so, but you figured you would eventually find your way back to each other. 

Your mind was warped, believing you were meant to be, that this was just a mere bump in the road that you would laugh at together in the future. 

That is, until he blocked you on all social media, and you had to hear from your best friend that he had moved on days later and was now with some blonde-haired, fresh faced, supermodel-esque woman that you could not get yourself to hate. Instead you took to endlessly scrolling through her instagram while you stuffed your face with milk chocolate and questioned why you had ever convinced yourself that you had a future with him. 

“Good, he’s a dick and you shouldn’t let him ruin your night.” Jungkook grumbles, slinging his arm around you as you hold your forgotten drink by your lips. He had seen your relationship with Hajoon play out from the very beginning, knowing slightly more intimate details than he would like considering you were next door neighbors and happened to share a wall between your bedrooms. 

The friendship you had with Jungkook blossomed right after you moved in four years ago, friendly neighborly talks morphing into actual conversations, and eventually inviting each other into your apartments where you would attempt to beat him at any game you had in your Nintendo switch. It was a great dynamic, providing the two of you with a sense of relief after your busy days at work. 

Unfortunately, the second you got with Hajoon was the end of any of those playful matches, your ex’s jealousy making you distance yourself in an attempt to keep your relationship at bay. 

Jungkook can’t say he didn’t see it coming, having heard the way you’d cry anytime you had an argument and your ex would leave, slamming the door behind him so hard Jungkook’s walls would rattle. It had become such a common occurence it was a shock he hadn’t marched out of his house, met Hajoon in the hall, and gave him a clean right hook in your honor. 

He was secretly hoping you’d break up with the jerk for your own good–and maybe for his own personal reasons too. Your ex was right in being wary of Jungkook, knowing the way a boy's mind worked, sensing Jungkook’s feelings for you in a way you were too blind to see. Jungkook wasn’t a dick though, he could tell you wanted your relationship to work so he kept his distance. 

When weeks went by without the sight of him he began to think you finally did it, a call for celebration that made him want to go over to your place to challenge you for a friendly match of Mario Kart like you used to. 

Until he ran into you in the hall and took note of what a mess you were, his smile falling from his face when he saw how defeated you looked. 

Your shameful confirmation that you had been royally dumped made his heart twist for you, his selfless tendencies urging him to help you feel better in any way he could. You were thankful for it, grateful that he was keeping you company while you moped around, providing you with just the right amount of distraction to allow you to breathe and slowly heal. 

Honestly, today would have been just another day if it wasn’t what was supposed to be your two year anniversary. The second Jungkook heard the telltale sounds of The Notebook starting up in your bedroom—something he hadn’t heard through the drywall separating your rooms in weeks—is when he knew something was up. 

Jump to: now. 

With Jungkook looking sheepish and wishing he had chosen another bar, and you gripping the cup so hard it was a shock it hadn’t shattered in your grasp. 

“He’s with her,” you whisper out harshly, head downcast, swirling the liquid around in your glass as you force yourself not to look back at them. The vision of them coddled up in the corner, her arms wrapped around his while she laughed at whatever he whispered in her ear had stung enough the first time, you weren’t jealous but the pain still lingered inside of you.. 

“Just try to ignore him. Don’t let it bother you,” he attempts to reassure you, the bass of the music muffling the way you try to deny the fact that you’re clearly upset, his attention now elsewhere. 

Jungkook takes a chance and looks back once more, eyes narrowed as he searches for Hajoon in the crowd. He spots him with more ease the second time, seeing the way he lazily drinks from his glass while the blonde rests her head on his shoulder, lips moving as she tells him something that makes him smile. 

“Oh shit,” Jungkook chokes, eyes widening slightly in shock when Hajoon meets his gaze. He’s been caught, too late for him to avert his eyes and pretend he wasn’t blatantly staring. He can only give him a tight-lipped smile that he hopes doesn’t come across as an invitation to come say hello. 

“What?” you question, turning to stare at Jungkook and seeing the look on his face, doe eyes swirling with a mix of emotions. 

“He saw me,” he speaks through clenched teeth, lips barely moving as he does so, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. 

“What?” you repeat harshly, setting the drink back down as your palms grow clammy, finger tugging at your shirt’s neckline when the air becomes thick and stuffy. 

“Oh fuck, he’s coming.” Jungkook throws back the remainder of his drink, grimacing at the burn lingering in the back of his throat before placing the cup down. “Just follow along,” he whispers into your ear, standing tall as Hajoon approaches the two of you. 

He’s ballsy, Jungkook will give him that, more so when he completely ignores Jungkook in favor of calling out your name. 

“Y/N, oh my god is that you?”

Jungkook can’t stop the way he glares at the bastard, not even the small jab to his side that you deliver with your elbow is enough to wipe the look off his face. Still, you pause to breathe, shutting your eyes briefly before plastering a look of surprise on your features as you turn around to face him. 

“Hajoon, what are you doing here?” Your voice has risen a few octaves, pitch surpassing the normal customer service voice and entering unhinged and borderline crazed territory. Hajoon doesn’t notice though, and neither does the girl strapped to his side, the two of them smiling at you and not giving Jungkook a glance. 

“Oh, we’re just celebrating our four month anniversary.” The girl finally speaks up, giving Hajoon a kiss to the cheek and completely missing the way your face instantly falls. Her innocent statement has you coming to the sudden realization that this son of a bitch had been cheating on you for the last two months of your relationship. 

Jungkoon spots it easily though, can sense the way your body tenses up beside him, no doubt will the rage flare up in the form of hot tears spilling over and onto your cheeks soon. One look at Hajoon’s pleased face is enough to not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing the way he affects you. 

“Young love,” Jungkook sighs, long arm pulling you into his side obnoxiously, seeing the way Hajoon eyes the two of you carefully. “I can relate. We’ve been together for...what is it again babe, five months?”

Hajoon doesn’t even attempt to be discreet, eyes bulging out and fist curling at his side. He had hated Jungkook the second he met him, intimidated by his physique and the way he made you laugh with ease, threatened by him in every sense. It was the reason he told you to cut ties with him, his fragile ego not trusting your neighbor, fully convinced all Jungkook would have to do was beckon you over for you to leave him. 

Any man would feel threatened by him, just looking at him now with his long hair framing his face, the challenging glimmer in his eyes as he gauges the other’s reaction. Hajoon follows Jungkook’s arm, seeing how it snakes around your body and settles with his palms curling around your waist, fingers gently squeezing your skin. 

Jungkook chuckles when Hajoon meets his gaze once more, free hand adjusting the yellow tinted sunglasses perched on his head—something that should make him look like an A class douchebag, because who the hell brings shades to a fucking club. But like all things, Jungkook makes it work. 

All of this tied in with that small, white lie, makes Hajoon’s head spin in a jealous whirlwind. It was fine and dandy if he cheated on you but how dare you give him the same treatment, with your neighbor of all people. 

“Five months?” He bites first, eyes bouncing back and forth between the two of you. 

The insecurity is written all over his face, it almost makes him shrink in size and for some reason it fills you with confidence. You stand taller now, sliding your own arm around Jungkook’s side as you nuzzle into him. 

“Almost six.” Those two words are the nails into his coffin of insecurity, probably increasing his trust issues for years to come, but considering it was no longer your problem, you don’t care. 

“Wow, almost half a year. That’s so cute, isn’t it?” His girlfriend coos, perfectly manicured hand placed over her chest, totally missing the way Hajoon looks like a kicked puppy. 

Now that he doesn’t have the one up, he’s no longer interested in sticking around, the gross green monster perched on his shoulder laughing at his misfortune. 

“Adorable,” he grunts out. “We should get back to our table. It was nice seeing you.”

He doesn’t wait for a response before walking away, his girlfriend giving you a small wave before following behind him. The growing distance between you makes your muscles relax, sagging in relief as you release Jungkook’s side and hunch over the sticky bar. 

“I think I'm gonna puke,” you groan out, eyes going crossed when you feel Jungkook rest two fingers against your lips, sending him a questionable stare. 

“Please don’t, that drink was expensive. You’re only allowed to hurl as the grand finale of the night, and we’re just getting started.”

Jungkook smiles when you shut your eyes and groan, your mood was already down in the dumps, and despite the small rush you got from putting Hajoon in his place, you were still craving the comfort of your bed. “Can we go?”

The bartender proceeds to place a glass of water in front of you, assuming your slumped state was due to intoxication and not the gross remnants of running into an ex-boyfriend. You grab the glass regardless, taking a big gulp of the cool liquid and sighing when it helps calm you down. 

“If you really want to go we can, but at least try to loosen up.” His smile is genuine, cheeks pushed out as he looks down at you with kind eyes. “We’ll stay on the opposite side, and if you’d still rather watch the Notebook for the millionth time, we can do that.”

With a half-hearted groan you nod, allowing Jungkook to order another round of drinks for you to enjoy before eventually dragging you out onto the dance floor. He knows how to keep the atmosphere up, goofy smile on his lips as he bobs his head along to the loud beat, hands clasped with yours and wiggling in time to the music. 

“You love this song,” he manages to say through the noise, pulling you closer as he settles into a spot on the decently packed floor. You couldn’t even deny it, he heard just how often you played it through the paper thin walls. That playlist full of hit 2000’s songs was your guilty pleasure, and it was the main reason he had decided to bring you to this club on their themed night. 

Jungkook was attentive, he knew so much about you and played it off casually, always listening to things you say you enjoy, storing them into a folder labeled under your name and shoved into a very important part of his brain. 

You knew he was trying his best to get you to enjoy yourself, so you give in, beginning to sing along to the lyrics of an old song that brought back a flood of memories that made you smile back at him. Jungkook feels the first burst of success bloom inside him, joining in with your singing, raising up your clasped hands as you begin dancing. 

The smile doesn’t leave his face as he stares down at you, the few drinks you’ve had loosening you up and allowing you to push the earlier thoughts away. He feels mesmerized, eyes locked onto you, the flash of colors painting your skin, illuminating you in alternating shades of purple and blue. His heart does that annoying thing where it skips and stutters in his chest, mouth drying up as you drop your head back and sway your hips, slowly loosening the grip in your hands and turning around until your back is dangerously close to his chest.

Jungkook’s hands hover in the air for a moment, panic over taking his brain as he tries to remain calm. He could do this—he has done this before—the two of you would go clubbing before you got with your ex, and dancing definitely played a big part of it. So why was his brain short circuiting?

Sure your ass was brushing up against his crotch with each sway of your hips, but you were dancing, so his mind and his dick could fuck right off. He shakes his head to clear any dirty thoughts as his hands loosely grip your hips, testing the water, and when you smile and look back at him he feels less wary and sways his hips in time with yours. 

You can feel his chest brush against your back, breath fanning along your skin from his close proximity, only getting closer when you lift an arm back and hold his shoulder to pull him tighter against you. The heat sticks to your skin, thin shirt dampening with sweat from the warmth of the bodies around you, everyone in their own state of drunkenness as the bass flowed through their chests. 

Going out like this had been something you missed, used to frequenting the bars and clubs by your apartment with your friends and Jungkook, something that came to a halt because your ex claimed he hated that kind of scene. Something that was clearly a lie considering he was here now, enjoying himself as him and his new girlfriend danced along. 

You didn’t realize when he made his way onto the dance floor, enough distance separating you, but now that you had spotted him you feel like he’s way too close for comfort. In a similar position to you and Jungkook, Hajoon is free to look around while his girlfriend dances on him, eyes locked onto you with a smirk that makes your skin crawl. 

Jungkook is too lost in the music to notice where your attention has gone, earlier effects of the alcohol settling into his bloodstream, warming him up in that familiar way he welcomes. When the song changes, flowing into the next bass heavy anthem, you turn around in his grasp, giving him a brief glance before your hands are gripping his cheeks and bringing him down into a messy kiss. 

This is definitely something he’s never done with you before.

A muffled sound of confusion is swallowed by you as he quickly falls into the motion, large palms gripping your hips, slowly sliding up your back before lightly tangling into your hair to deepen the kiss. Jungkook can taste the liquor on your tongue, mixing with his own as your tongue slips between his lips. He has no idea what came over you but his racing heart and buried crush don’t let him question it, soft lips smacking with yours, not heard between the thrumming music. 

Your fingers feel the warmth of his cheeks, how he blushes into the kiss but you attribute it to the alcohol pumping through him. Harsh breaths fan across your face as he groans, lightly pulling back for a gasp of air but you don’t allow it. “No, don’t pull away. Not yet.”

And who is he to argue with that, blindly letting you bring your lips back together in a messy kiss. Your small pleas for him to continue has all the blood rushing to his cock, the ache felt in his jeans when it starts to harden, pressing into the denim uncomfortably and only getting worse when you gently bite down onto his lip before inching back. 

“Is he still looking?” you question, breath jagged as you peer up at Jungkook’s dazed expression. 

“What?” he dumbly replies, lips swollen and shiny, eyes still focused on your own as he makes an attempt to reconnect your lips. But then your question dawns on him, like a bucket of ice cold water, it sobers him up instantly. Is he still looking?

This was all for show. 

“He’s on the far right.” You motion your head in the direction and observe his face when his eyes move over to check if Hajoon was in fact still there. He does spot him heading out in a hurry though, girlfriend trailing behind him as he exits the club entirely

“No, just saw him leave.” Jungkook clears his throat, fingers slipping out of your hair and settling down over your back just like before. He hopes his solemn expression isn’t amplified by the lights flashing across his face, trying his best to act unaffected, as if he didn’t just pop a boner on the dance floor over a revenge make-out session. 

Luckily you don’t spot his fallen expression, a wide smile spreading across your face in victory, happy that you had successfully put him in his place. 

“I’m so sorry for kissing you.” You gasp in realization, unknowingly pouring salt in the wound when you act as if kissing him was something you would never do if it wasn’t in an attempt to piss off your ex. 

“No, it’s okay,” he waves off and smiles, eyes glancing over to the bar once more. Jungkook needed a drink, maybe five—actually he wouldn’t mind going home and watching The Notebook now, that would surely give him a reason to cry with no questions asked. 

He starts to walk back to the bar with you by his side, the sad look you had earlier entirely gone, replaced with a giddy smile and a pep in your step, so he can’t say he's too upset. 

“God, you should’ve seen how mad he looked when he saw us dancing together,” you giggle, standing inches from him as he orders another drink. Before he can respond, you’re wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing him in for a hug. 

A hug, really?

Still, Jungkook sighs and wraps his own arms around your waist, a defeated smile on his face that he hides as he lets his chin rest over your head. The dip in his head makes the yellow tinted frames fall over his eyes and when he pulls back you snort at the visual, finger gently poking the bridge of them. 

“You look good in those.”

His drink gets placed in front of him then, giving him a good excuse to avoid stumbling over his words from your compliment, choosing to take a gulp of the hard liquor, wincing when it burns his throat. “Thank you,” he rasps out, grimacing at the taste and it just makes you giggle. 

“I should be thanking you. You need to be my fake boyfriend more often.”

Even more salt poured into his wound, topped with a dash of lemon juice in the form of your playful smile and nudge to his ribs, it stings. His heart ache in his chest, more so when he realizes his stupid boner was still going strong. Thankfully the dark lights prevent you from seeing it, the last thing he needed was further embarrassment. 

The yellow frames are placed back over his head as he takes another sip, nodding along to your statement with what he hopes comes across as a genuine smile on his lips once he sets his cup down. “Anytime you want Y/N.”

“I know this night didn’t end with the grand finale of me puking, but do you wanna go home and watch movies? No sappy romance ones, I'm not in the mood for crying anymore.”

He finishes his drink with ease, quickly closing his tab as he agrees. “Yeah, just let me go to the bathroom real quick.” 

You might not be in the mood for crying but he definitely was; he also needed to handle the situation in his jeans, and what better night to stoop this low than tonight. His own version of a grand finale coming in the form of jerking off in the dirty bar bathroom while maybe shedding a tear or two. 

“Okay! I’ll call an uber,” you announce cheerfully, allowing him to walk away as you settle onto one of the sticky bar stools. 

Jungkook’s chest feels heavy as he walks to the bathroom, slipping into the small room and locking the door behind him. His forehead rests against the dirty door, eyes falling shut with a groan. He wishes he had the guts to confess to his crush, needing to push the fear of ruining the friendship away from his mind, wanting to gather possible clues that could indicate that you might feel the same. 

One day, but not yet. 

[markberries]

a l o n e  t i m e┊draco malfoy

ALONE TIME — DRACO MALFOY

info: you and the infamous draco malfoy were always at each other’s throats, so when you’re by yourself planning to prank the irritating slytherin, you take this as an opportunity to finally relieve yourself. but of course, things go a little unexpectedly.

warnings: absolute filth, smut smut smUT !! cursing

genre: SMUT, fluff at the end, enemies to lovers, gryffindor!reader word count: 2400+

a/n: ok so like... i got onto dracotok, and decided to write this. it's been awhile so i hope u enjoy!! btw this isnt edited at all (n if u know me irl, no u dont)

god — you absolutely despised draco malfoy.

he reminded you of why you asked the sorting house to not place you into slytherin; he was rude, a smartass, and an asshole.

everyone knew how much you and draco liked to bicker with each other. it's almost as if he knew what got under your skin, or maybe it was because everything he said gave you the urge to tell him to shut up. he would never stop talking about how you would ruin the school's reputation, being an international student from north america.

honestly, arguing with draco had been a regular thing. maybe a few small pranks here and there, but that was only when he had royally pissed you off (it happens quite often). although you did find draco quite attractive, it was completely overlooked by how much of an arse he was.

you sat in the dining hall with your fellow gryffindor students, harry, hermione, and ron. they were the only ones you really talked to, well in your year at least.

from across the room, you locked eyes with draco. you glared at him, then rolled your eyes, focusing your attention back to your three friends.

"seriously y/n, if you want to ace herbology, you're going to need to listen to me," hermione mutters, continuing to go over notes with you.

"sorry, it's just malfoy has been giving me dirty looks, kind of in the mood to punch him right now," you snort, then feeling hermione flick your forehead shortly after. "come on y/n, you can deal with malfoy later."

"how long have you and malfoy been going at each other?" ron asks, "it feels like it's been decades."

you laugh, "it's only been a year, alright? and it's only because he's such an ass."

"me? an ass?" you hear malfoy emitting from behind you, you could practically hear the arrogance dripping from his voice. you roll your eyes, then turn to look at him.

"listen here malfoy," you hiss, "i swear to god, if you don't fuck off, i will personally, beat the shit out of you."

malfoy laughs, looking back at his friends, than back at you. "looks like the pretty girl has a potty mouth," he says through his laughter.

"get out of here malfoy," harry told draco, and draco only replied with the roll of his eyes.

"whatever, potter. see you guys around, and watch yourself, y/n. you never know what's coming."

malfoy leaves after that, and you groan in annoyance. hermione breathes deeply, feeling the same amount of irritation as you.

"how do you put up with his shenanigans? i cannot stand malfoy," ron states, venom lacing his voice when he says malfoy's name.

"well you know," you sigh, "it just never ends. i get him back for doing something to me, and then he does something even worse after, but i don't mind."

harry looks at you with confusion in his eyes, "what do you mean you don't mind? i would definitely mind."

"well," you pause, glancing at draco who is already glaring at you, "i've been thinking. ever wanted to see draco with red hair?"

"oh my god, y/n no! we'll lose a terrible amount of points!" hermione gasps, closing her notebook to convince you that this would be a big mistake.

"it would be worth it," harry chuckles, imagining how draco would react to having gryffindor's colours among his head.

"harry!" hermione snaps.

"by the way y/n, are you coming to the common room party tonight?" ron asks, but you shake your head. "no, i don't think so. i want to prepare for malfoy's new hair do, but i'm sure you will have fun."

"but y/n! i need you there to survive," hermione begs, she's told you before that she was so excited to have another girl in her friend group, if that's what you can call it. she didn't mind being the only girl with ron and harry, but it was a nice change to have you there.

"i'm sorry hermione, next time, i promise!" you smile, winking at her and tilting your head.

"okay.. just be careful with malfoy, alright?"

—

you sat in bed, reading spells that you could do to make draco's hair red. even if there wasn't a spell, you had red hair dye ready to go.

while you were sitting there by yourself, you couldn't help but realize it had been ages since you were left alone, you were almost always surrounded by people, and that means it's been awhile since you had "relieved" yourself.

i shouldn't let an opportunity go to waste, right? you thought to yourself, fuck it.

you placed the book onto your bedside table and removed your cute little pyjama pants that had penguins on them, discarding them onto the floor and sticking a hand down your black lace underwear.

you brought your fingers to your clit, letting out a mewl. it truly felt so nice to finally be able to touch yourself again, after months of not doing anything.

you slowly trailed your fingers to your folds, collecting the building up wetness. you slid your fingers up and down, rubbing on your clit a little more as well. you slapped your free hand onto your mouth to cover up any loud noises.

you moaned to yourself, shutting your eyes as you played with your little bundle of nerves, before sliding a finger into your pussy swiftly, moaning quietly. lost in the moment, you began thinking of draco, sure he was a douche, but he had a pretty face, and that was good enough for you at the moment.

you imagined what it would feel like for his finger to pump into you like this, how it would feel like for him to call you pet names as you moaned.

you slid another finger in, whimpering even louder as you felt the unforgotten feeling of the knot being formed in your stomach. you imagined how it would feel like for draco to kiss you as he finger fucked you, how it would feel like if he curled his fingers in your pussy as you moaned his name.

"draco.." you whimpered quietly.

"oh love," someone said from the shadows.

you immediately froze, retracting your hand from your panties as you scrambled to cover yourself with your blanket. you heard footsteps, and then saw a familiar figure emerge from the darkness.

"what do we have here?" the platinum blonde boy smirked, staring at your embarrassed form on your bed. "never thought someone like you would be wanting me this badly."

"what the fuck, draco?" you whisper-shouted, holding the blanket to your chest and staring at him with furrowed brows, "you better get out of here before you regret being here in the first place."

"ah yes," draco chuckled, walking closer to you, "i would love to leave and tell everyone about how you were moaning my name as you touched yourself." you wanted nothing more than to smack that stupid, hot smirk off of draco's face.

"what the hell do you want?" you asked, quickly looking at what he was wearing. a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of black dress pants.

"i was actually here to dye your hair green, you see, i saw you weren't at the party, and thought you were sleeping, but i can see it's obvious that you weren't. but now," draco explained, "y/n, the question is," he took a seat on your bed, lifting your chin to look into your eyes, "what do you want, hmm?"

his eyes trailed to your exposed neck and shoulders, "do you want me to bend you over like the bad girl you are? or do you want me to fuck you with my fingers, is that it?"

you stayed silent.

you hated the fact that you could feel yourself getting wetter as he spoke, and you hated how much you wanted him. you wanted him to do all those things, and more. you wanted him to make you say his name, you wanted to tangle your fingers in his hair as he fucked you.

"perhaps i misread the situation," draco said, rising from his position and dusting off his pants. "i better be going, crabbe and goyle may be looking for me already."

you grabbed his arm, "draco malfoy, i swear to god that if you don't fuck me, i will kill you." draco smirks at you once again, "now that's something i'd like to hear."

draco gets into your bed as you lower the blanket, exposing your top half, only being covered by your bra. he gets on top of you, kissing you with desire and hunger. you moan into his mouth as you feel him unhook your bra and grab your breast. he takes this as the perfect chance to slip his tongue into your mouth, asserting dominance with your own.

he breaks the kiss, panting to take off his own clothes and throw them onto the ground.

"you know, i always thought you were hot," malfoy says, and you scoff. he throws your bra onto the floor as well, before getting on top of you again and kissing your neck.

"i never thought that i'd get to fuck you, though."

you palm him through his boxers, and he groans, hardening quicker by the minute. he bites down softly on your neck, making you gasp. he drags his hand down to your clothed heat, rubbing you through the thin fabric.

you bite down on your lip, wrapping your arms around draco's neck. he kisses your collarbone, before tucking his hand in your panties, playing with your clit between his two fingers.

"love, i think these drenched undies of yours are gonna have to go," he says, grabbing the elastic part, pulling it back and then letting it go, slapping your skin lightly. "mind if i take them off?"

you quickly shake your head no, and he puts on that smug smile of his, before going down to crotch level, and sliding your panties down in a one, quick movement.

"god, i bet you imagined this," draco muttered, sliding a finger into your already soaking core. "all prettied up for me, saying my name.."

he slowly inserts a finger into you, pumping in and out slowly. "fuck, draco!" you moan, grabbing onto the bed sheets. it feels so much better to have him with his finger inside you, pressing light kisses to your stomach.

he inserts another finger, pumping faster this time. "how do i make you feel, hmm? how much did you want this? did you want to come with my fingers inside you?"

draco keeps his fingers inside you, thrusting them at a steady pace, but he comes up to look at your face. you screw your eyes shut, enveloping yourself in the pleasure.

"look at me, love," draco says sternly, making you lock eyes with him. he puts another finger inside you. "do you want to come like this?"

you nod furiously, intertwining your fingers in his hair. "oh god draco.. i'm gonna come.. fuck.."

suddenly, draco removes his fingers from your insides, chuckling to himself as he sees your face form into a vicious glare, almost as if you were ready to slap him. you clenched around nothing, irritated with draco for retracting his fingers as you were just about to reach your high.

"what the fuck, draco?" you yelled, he just laughed and sat up from his position.

"we're just getting to the good part, love, and you're lucky i brought condoms just in case. now be a good girl and turn around for me, yeah?"

you quickly obliged, scrambling to get on your hands and knees as draco rolls on the condom.

"tell me how much you want this," draco whispers in your ear, sending shivers down your spine. he lines up with your entrance, only waiting for your word.

"i want this so much," you say, panting.

draco squeezes your ass, "not good enough."

"for fuck sakes draco, i want you to fuck me. i want you to mess up my insides and make me moan your name. that's what i want, malfoy."

draco doesn't help himself after that, he thrusts into you, making you yelp and grab a fistful of the bed sheets. you clench around him, making him groan out in pleasure. "do that again, fuck. it feels so good to be inside you like this."

malfoy grabs the headboard, slamming into you at a moderate speed, and you could feel your high approaching.

"you take my dick so well, y/n, i've wanted nothing more than to take you into my room and fuck you just like this," he admits. the sound of your skin slapping is the only thing that could be heard in the room, other than the party going on in the common room.

you feel a knot forming as draco hits a spot in you, making you whimper. "right.. there.. fuck!" you yell, as draco continues to hit the same spot.

"i'm gonna come," draco grunts, picking up the pace and biting his lip. "are you gonna come with me, love?"

"yes! yes! i'm gonna... fucking come!" you moan, your arms almost giving out as draco's thrusts become deeper and faster.

"come then, i wanna hear you scream my name," draco groans, slapping your ass lightly. "f-fuck! i'm-"

"draco!" you cry out in pleasure, as the knot in your stomach untangles in the most euphoric way. draco pulls out, taking off the condom and throwing it in the trash. you collapse on the bed, breathing heavily with sweat glistening on every inch of your body. you feel a dip in the bed beside you, and you hear draco panting.

"well," draco says, facing you. you turn your head to see him with a confident grin on his face. "unexpected, huh?"

"yeah whatever, shut up malfoy," you reply, now turning to lay on your back, but still looking at draco. "still don't like you."

"i think different," he teased, playing with strands of your hair. "i think you like me."

you scoff, "as if! i just needed some dick."

"okay y/n, whatever you say," he grinned, "but how about i take you out to hogsmeade, and lets see if you have a change in heart."

[visd3stele]

Remus image - angst & fluff

*mostly angst with a tinsy bit of fluff

*forced marriage trope

summary: you're a Slytherin pure blood dating Remus Lupin, but your family has other plans

TW: none

A/N: any thoughts and opinions are welcomed. I'd love your reviews. Requests are open, too, if any of you are interested in that

masterlist

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

You're staring at the high ceiling, wide awake and way past the middle of the night. In your hands, an envelope is twitching with every move of your fingers, twisting its corners anxiously. You received it at dinner that night, the letter from your family. And wisely waited until the privacy of your room to open it. Around you, pure bloods Slytherins were sound asleep. You made sure not to let any emotion show, on your face or voice. Something everyone in between the walls of the Slytherin residence could most likely do.

You read it once. Then again and again until each word, each letter carved its mark in your brain. Carefully, you folded it back, wrapping it in the thick layer of the envelope. Despite having stopped reading it, the news your family dropped on you kept on repeat in your mind. Over and over and over. Marriage. They found you a perfect, pure blood spouse to marry. No matter that you were still in school. And only sixteen. And already having a boyfriend.

But of course, that last part might be exactly why your blood supremacist family decided to take your love life in their hands at last. For you were dating Remus Lupin, head boy of Griffindor. Involuntarily your lips moved upward at the mere thought of him. The way his soft brown hair feels under your palms when he lays his head in your lap in the afternoon – that is when you convince him to take a break from learning for a change. Your smiled deepened. The way his scarred hands stroke your face right before he leans in to kiss you. You blushed in the dark. The way his eyes sparkle after one of the Marauders notorious pranks. The way he rolls his eyes and leave a snarky comments to any Slytherin who mock your relationship and how it only masks his own fears and self doubts.

Now you were crying. You'll have to break up with him. You'll have to break up with him without bringing the marriage up. You didn't want him to think back on what could have been years after. It's better if he thinks there is no chance anymore to be with you. And you had to do it quick. News spread in the pure blood community and risking lying about your parents intention only to fool yourself a bit longer with stolen happy times was as self destructive as it can get at this point.

You slipped your body on one side. And tossed. The envelope fell off your bed. You didn't bother to pick it up. But someone did. You felt it rather than hear it, someone picking it up and placing it on your nightstand.

" 'Morning," that sweet voice you loved so much whispered. And you snapped your head towards it in shock. Only to find a very uncomfortable Remus Lupin, switching from leg to leg, smiling awkwardly at you.

"It's five in the morning." He stated before you could find your words through the foggy veil of your thoughts. "And the sunrise is about to start..." Remus went on, looking anywhere but at you.

More tears sting your eyes, threatening to slide down your cheeks and getting completely out of your control. Here he was, your perfect boyfriend, sneaking in your bedroom to take you to see the sunrise. For you, this boy defined romance and no amount of scars, secret disappearances on the full moon and mysteries surrounding it could change that. You were more than willing to give him time, let him open up to you when he feels like it. After all, he has great friends to share secrets with and you wouldn't get in between them.

Biting your lips, you closed the distance and hugged him tight. After less than a second of hesitation, Remus put his hands around you as well. You needed it, the proximity, the safety, the warmth and love. When you were sure your voice won't break, you breathed a question to him. "And how are you planning to sneak me out?"

Remus saw right through your attempt. He pulled back a little, enough to brush his fingers over your swollen face. "Have you been crying?" Worry clouded those beautiful brown eyes. You shook your head, snatching yourself from him and desperately wiping your tears. You should do it now. Tell him it's over. Spare him – and yourself – for the pain and torture of stretching it longer. It was time to face it: your relationship was doomed from the start.

But you couldn't. Not yet. Just a little more time, you bargained with yourself. Just that sunrise together. One last date. You promised to no one. So you made yourself swallow and said instead "My family," dismissing any further remarks.

Remus pulled you back into his lean body, long arms the only thing holding you together. He needed no other explanation. Thanks to that friend of his, Sirius, Remus knew exactly what those two words meant coming from a pure blood kid. He pressed a kiss on top of your head, caressing your back in soothing large circles. Voice dipped with concern, he asked "Do you want to talk about it or do you want me to distract you?"

"What about taking me to see that sunrise you mentioned and we'll figure it out from there?"

He nodded, led you to the now slightly opened window and motioned for his broom flying within reach.

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

The sun beamed from between rare clouds, spread amongst a royal blue sky. Orange light crowned the ascending golden disc, fading into a soft purple and light pink at its edges. The curtain of morning mist broke the rays in matt bliss, wrapping around your entangled figures.

A wet coldness flew on with the tentative mist, but Remus planned everything ahead, it seemed. He had a wool blanket at ready, different bits and pieces of clothing, threads and patches sewed together.

"Don't tell me you picked up knotting, Moony." You didn't know when it happened, but you had taken on calling him by the silly nickname his friends did.

"No. My mother made it, actually." The scar on his lip pulled up as he patted the spot next to him. He had laid a blanket on the freshly cut grass near the Black Lake and held his mother's gift in a silent invitation.

You snuggled in, circling his waist with your arms and nuzzled your nose in the crook of his neck. "Y/n!" he exclaimed, a shiver running through him at the contact with your cold skin. You sent him a grin that had nothing to do with apologies and you both snickered before turning awe filled eyes to the sunrise.

Remus let his own head lean down on your own, brown hair slightly brushing your forehead. His hand found its way to yours and as your fingers laced together he rubbed his thumb on top of your palm.

Content silence settled in. Only birds dared sing a sharp note once in a while. Your boyfriend knew how to choose a date spot, you were more than happy to give him that. The marvelous sight the sky presented doubled in the lake's still waters. Calmness washed over you. Here and now, with Remus' hand in yours, your head resting on his shoulder, everything pieced into place.

You turned your face, meeting the warn off material of his shirt and placed a kiss there. Lifting your lips upward, you kissed his exposed neck as well. Then his cheek, lingering close to his lips before stopping to murmur "I love you, Remus Lupin! So, so much."

He met your lips with his own and you were thankful he said nothing about the pang in your voice. "And I you, my darling." His glittering eyes, filled with adoration and care, were too much for your heart to bear. It was all you could do to close your eyelids tight and press into his side even more.

"Is something wrong, y/n?" Remus asked, shifting his arm to welcome your new position.

"No. Nothing. Just overwhelmed by everything I feel for you." And in a way, it was true. Not the whole truth, but as you couldn't give him that...

An unsure smiled played on your lips. He brought your face to his again, laying a kiss on your nose. You scrunch it up and made a face at him. He tried to bit back his laugh, but failed as a bundle of it escaped in a soft breath, tingling your flushed cheeks.

Remus kissed you again, this time on the bridge of your nose. Which earned him a giggle and a wide smile. Bringing your hands to his face, you cupped his cheeks and touched your noses together.

"We're missing the sunrise. And you put so much effort in this."

"Hmmm," he mused, leaning in your touch. "The sun does much of the work, to be fair." You burst in laughing at that, shaking your forehead against his.

You two traded more kisses – and then some more, bathed in the dawn light of a new day.

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

"Where have you been?" You heard James Potter asked your boyfriend when you bumped in him and the rest of the Marauders in the hall.

Peter waved at you, while Sirius gave you a knowing smirk at which you rolled your eyes. Truth be told, their demand wasn't misplaced. You and Remus didn't show up at breakfast, and run late for the first class.

"Down at the lake, Prongs. I should know better than to ask for notes, right?"

"Not to worry, Moony, you didn't miss much."

You left Remus to his friends, brushing your lips to his as a form of good-bye. You headed to your room. Thoughts swirled in your mind, flying by so fast you barely registered them. You passed Narcissa and Lucius on your way. They have been married since year four, something you found very unsettling. At that time, you belittled Narcissa for not fighting off her families wishes, like her sister and cousin. But now, that you found yourself in her place? You started to understand. To understand that courage is not so easy to haul up from whatever pit it lays dormant in one's being.

So lost in thoughts, you haven't noticed the guy sitting on your bed until he spoke, voice laced with disgust. "You better kick that sorry excuse of a wizard away before we make our engagement public, honey."

You startled. "Who...?"

"Why, your new husband, of course."

"Future husband. And Remus is a fine wizard, greater than you could ever hope to be."

The stranger only rolled his eyes and huffed. "Whatever you say, honey. Just make him gone by noon. I have plans for us before the ceremony."

A ceremony that would take place in a few months, once summer blooms, you realized, dread chilling your blood in your veins. The tight line of your lips followed your betrothed until he left and swiped the door close.

Noon. Break up with Remus by noon. Make it look like it's over because there is no love anymore. Let him think you choose this smug, full of himself, brainless, boorish brute over him. It's the right course of action. So you told yourself. And so you did. Any hope for standing up against your family gone.

°•▪︎~▪︎•°

Wind howling outside, rain pouring, you thought the weather mocked you. It just happened to turn gloomy and morbid all of a sudden, when you were about to break the heart of the most precious boy in the whole school. And yours too in the progress.

"Remus, can we talk for a second?"

"Sure, what is it?" He turned his whole focus on you, dropping mid conversation with his mates about whatever prank they were up to next.

"Moony!" three offended sighs followed you as you dragged Remus to a more private spot. The way he no more than waved at his friends, giving all up for you, knowing you had a bad day, strung a painful chord in your soul. You did not deserve this boy. Maybe the wedding was a good thing after all.

"Hey, y/n, talk to me," Remus whispered when you came to a halt. His fingers searched for yours, trying to turn you around to face him. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm here for you. We'll fix it."

"No." You said, and cursed your weak voice. You still didn't face him. "No we won't fix this." You spoke again, this time with more surety, allowing a sharp edge to it.

Bless his too kind soul, he didn't balk away. Instead, he took one stop forward, resting his head on your spine and bringing his long arms around you. "Everything's gonna be fine, y/n. I promise."

It took a superhuman effort to break free of his embrace. And you finally swirled to meet his soft brown eyes. Tears rolled down, dripping from your chin, but you didn't let him comfort you. Shacking your head, you took another step back, building distance between you, as if the following words would hurt less that way.

"Everything's not gonna be fine, Remus. Not with us. Not anymore."

For a couple seconds, he stared at you, confusion painting his beautiful features. Then, realization sunk in. And in that moment, you were sure nothing could ever hurt you as badly as his pain struck expression. His parted lips, moving in vain to form words that doesn't exist. His frenzy eyes, looking all over yourself, searching for any sign of a cruel joke. For a trace that you weren't being serious. Eyes that begin to water when he found none.

But he refuse to let the tears flow. Remus led his stare to a dark, far away corner of the empty hall. Heat colored his face, a light shade of pink that not even the cool from the open window couldn't beat down. "So that's why you were distant this morning?" Your boyfriend asked, bitterly even as his voice was small, lost. "That's why you avoided me all day and didn't look me in the eye once, more than a passing moment?"

You knew better than answer. You had nothing to say anyway. "I'm sorry, Remus. I've been meaning to tell you earlier..."

A razor sharp laugh bit your words off. "But you took pity on the poor half-blood."

No, no it wasn't like that, you wanted to say. Those remained only thoughts as you wiped your face and crossed your arms to keep them from reaching out. Reaching out to him, reassure him, hug him. Whatever he believed, you'd roll with it. If he thought you an evil pure blood, then fine! You'll be that.

An image of your mother's face, lips curled in disgust at the last Quidditch match when Slytherin lost again in favor of Gryffindor, served as model for the expression you forced your own face into.

"I didn't want it to be like this. Goodbye, Remus Lupin."

You turned. And left. Just left. You kept your back straight as you walked away from the boy who tickled your heart. Who placed feather light kissed on your cheeks, and nose and forehead for days into your relationship, too shy to initiate something more without your worded agreement. The wizard who helped you with assignments, not thinking anything less of you when you weren't perfect. Who let you fall asleep in his lap at Hogwarts' few parties that you couldn't stand due to your family. This guy who gave you everything you were too afraid to dream of. And you just walked away, as if couldn't be bothered to care.

His fist thrumming once on the hallway's wall filled your ears, a sound forever carved in your brain. The thud that followed, of him sliding down on the floor you guessed, printed an image in your mind you'll pray to forget. Remus' silent sobs, though, almost made you turn around and run towards him.

You didn't so much as cast a glance back, knowing what you'll see and too much of a coward to bear it. His body shaking with crying, knees cradled to up to his chest where his chin digged in, covered by lean arms with palms crossed over his head.

His friends would find him. They'd help him. Remus will move over and forget you. Each sentence was another step. Each step, another crack in your heart. By the time you reached your room, collapsed in your bed and twisted in a similar position to your boyfriend's – ex boyfriend. It made you understand, showed you far too clearly why he'd sit like that. The pure devastation and despair, the attempt to contain a hollowness within, to replace a part where a whole, happy heart used to beat.

You broke Remus Lupin's heart. And yours was just as shattered. And there was no going back from it now.

PART 2

[spideymarvelws]

It’s The Law (1/2)

Prince!Alpha!Peter Parker x Fem!Omega!Reader

Main Masterlist / Add Yourself To My Taglist

A/n at the end!

Summary : Being an omega was hard enough in the kingdom but being an omega maid was even worse. You were constantly told that you were nothing by everyone around you, constantly put down because of your status and class. But you never let them deter you, working even harder at your job despite every jab and sly comment thrown your way. Days became harder with time, the slander against your name growing harsher by age. Your dream of finding love in such a harsh environment becoming dust swept under the rug.

That was until the prince took interest in your scent.

Warnings : Smut? (nothing graphic just some background cockwarming and a few suggestive themes), unplanned pregnancy, violence, some fluff but we go angsty real quick, choking, mention of death, threats, Tony is lowkey as asshole (pls message me if i missed anything)

Word Count : 4.4k

...

It was a warm night in the castle. You and Peter didn't care for the sheets that had been discarded to the side of the bed hours ago, opting to lay on the mattress with your bodies exposed to the heat. The fire probably didn't help either, he could remember the small whines you let out when he snuck you into his room, complaining about the flames that erupted from the fireplace. But as you moved to put out the fire, he pulled you into his body, kissing you senseless until you forgot all about it, falling into bed with him.

He didn't want you to take out the light, he didn't want to lose sight of you. Sure he could have used the small candles his mother kept by his bedside at night, but that would only keep parts of your body visible to him when he wanted to experience the whole thing. 

Sure it was selfish, but in the end it didn't matter. He was going to have you sweating by the end of the night either way, so what was the harm in a little heat to add on to that.

You both haven't had a night together, alone, in so long. He missed his omega, like any alpha would but more importantly, he missed his mate. He would go through any amount of heat to make sure the night stayed engraved in his head like every moment he ever had with you.

Especially tonight, where you laid naked spread out on top of him, making sure every part of your skin touched his. You were much more cuddly tonight, needier for his touch. You always had to be looking at him, keeping eye contact when he had his way with you. Even when you presented to him, ass high in the air, he had to pull your back against his chest, calming the loud whines escaping your throat.

But he wasn't complaining, in fact it only went to his alpha brain causing him to increase his past, to keep you close as he showed you how much he missed you. How much he loved. Now you were both spent, your body draped on him like his own personal blanket, clinging to him like a koala.

He didn't know when the next time might be where he could be with you like this after recent events he refused to tell you about, but he tried his best not to think about it. Even if it was taking up his mind when he should be focusing on you.

“What’s wrong, alpha,” You whispered into Peter’s ear, placing a lazy kiss to the side of his neck.

Peter looked down at you, raising his hand to rest in on your cheek, swiping a strand of hair that stuck to the side of your face. He smiled softly as you snuggled your face into his palm. Despite the layer of sweat covering your skin you still craved his warmth.

“Nothing is wrong omega,” he whispered, kissing your nose lightly, “I have everything i need right here,”

You giggled at his words, shaking your head, “Never knew the prince would be such a softy,”

Peter chuckled along with you, bringing you closer with his arms, “Only for you,” he sighed, “Only for my mate,”

“See, there’s the tone again,” you pouted, nuzzling your nose with his shoulder in an attempt to get him to speak up. You huffed when he stayed silent, rolling your eyes as you took things into your own hands, moving your legs to straddle his waist.

You pressed your hands against his chest to lean over him, his fingers moving to your waist, keeping you locked in your position. You began littering kisses on his face, starting with his forehead, then his pink cheeks and nose finally stopping at his chin.

“What. Is. Wrong. Peter.” you said in between kisses, pulling away when you felt the creases in the corner of his mouth deepen, “I’m going to get it out of you,”

“Sure you are omega,” he said, sliding his hands down your waist to the top of your thighs. You purred at his touch, nudging your nose against his as he continued, “So persistent,”

“And your so stubborn,” you sat back, crossing your arms over your chest when a idea popped in your head, “Come on Alpha,” you bit your lip, slowly grinding on his crotch, “Talk to me,”

Peter let out a warning growl, sitting up and pulling your chest against his, “You,” he grabbed your jaw, directing your gaze on to his, “Are on thin ice,” he paused, leaning up with his mouth by your ear, “Omega,”

You shivered, a small whimper escaping your mouth when he used his alpha voice. It was instinct for an omega to submit when an alpha used a specific tone. While Peter promised to never use it on you, it didn't mean he never did it playfully knowing how much it annoyed you.Your head fell on his shoulder, groaning into his skin as his laughs filled the room at your reaction.

“You’re mean, you know that?” you took a deep breath of his calming scent, “But you do know that changing the subject won’t work on me,”

“Yeah I figured,” he sighed, pulling back to look you in the eyes, “I just-,” he moved his hand back to your face, caressing your cheek with his thumb, “I’m just really happy, that’s all,”

“That’s all?”, you said, tilting your head to the side, “Peter, come on, somethings wrong,” you brought your hand to his cheek, “Tell me Alpha,”

Peter sighed into your hand, awkwardly moving up against the headboard to his back could have some support with you on top of him. You readjusting yourself in his lap, his hand tightening on your skin when your thigh brushed his bare cock.

“Y/n...”

“Okay, that wasn't on purpose!” 

“You know what?” he groaned, pulling you up slightly and lining up his member with your pussy, rubbing the tip along your lips. You bit your lip as he tapped your hip, signalling for you to lower yourself down, “There,” he bottomed out, “Now we may continue,”

You whined but stayed still placing your hands on his shoulders speaking out of your mind without thinking, “So the thing keeping you from talking in not having your dick in me,”

His mouth flew open, taken back by your words, “You, are, lucky you’re mine,” he grunted, the small smile on his face showed that he was far from annoyed.

You giggled, trying your best to focus back on the reason you were interrogating him, “Now, Peter,” you grabbed his face once more, “Speak,”

Peter sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, pulling you closer to rest his head on your shoulder, inhaling your scent. You responded by running your hand through his damp hair.

“Sabina is getting suspicious about me, about us,” he kissed the side of your neck, his lips lingering for a few seconds, “I guess i didn’t mask your scent to well after last time,” You could feel his weak smirk against your skin, “I could feel her eyes every time I walk away from her, especially when I refuse to mate with her,”

“Peter,” you pulled back, looking him in the eyes, “You said you father didn’t want you two to mate yet, you said you’d tell her about us before this got to far,”

“I know, I know,” he said desperately, trying his best to keep your mind from wandering too far before he got out the entire story, “But I was planning on telling her tonight, but then the emergency happened and I-,” he pauses, “They left on the carriage earlier than expected,”

“Peter! Tomorrow is inspection, how am I supposed to hide my mark and my-,” you caught yourself, looking down to avoid his curious stare.

“And your?”

You sniffed wrapping your arms around yourself for some form of protection. You took a deep breath before responding, “My stomach Peter,” you hesitantly looked up into his soft brown eyes, “All the symptoms were there, what settled it was the small bump,” you laughed wearily, “And we both know I don't get enough food for that to happen,”

His mouth feel slightly open, his eyes filling with water as he put his hand on your stomach, “So you’re saying-,”

“I won't be able to go to a doctor but from what my mother told me...” you put your hands on his and just nodded, not sure if you could go on without bursting into tears.

“Oh my god,” his breath became heavy, “Oh my god,” he pulled you into a hug, tightening his hold as much as he could. 

Peter didn't know how to feel, how to think. On one hand, his instincts told him to protect, to love, to cherish, to be grateful that out of all the women in the kingdom he met his mate and was lucky enough to have a child with them. It was the dream for all alpha’s, to see their mate, their omega swollen with their child, with their pup.

He’s had dreams of having a family ever since he presented as an alpha. He always watched in envy at his aunt and uncle, the rare case of royals being mates. He knew the chances were slim, but he never lost hope that one day, the intoxicating scent of an omega, of his omega would fill his senses.

Would make his alpha heart complete.

But would also shatter it whole.

He was a prince, set from birth to marry one of his kind. An omega was seen as not fit to rule, when one was born into the family, they were always seen as a disgrace, most likely to be married off to a knight or one of the royal advisers, disregarded from the blood line.

That’s where his Prince side came in.

Your love was forbidden, therefore your mating was as well. This child would mean hell, not for him but for you if anyone were to find out outside of the people he trusted. And with his future queen already on his tail, he didn't know if a child would be the best option for the both of you.

Even if he wanted it so bad.

“I’m not going to let them take you away from me,” he mumbled into your shoulder, his protective instincts kicking in, “If they ever lay a hand on you i swear I’ll-,”

“Peter,” your broken voice brought him out of his alpha frenzy, “There going to find out tomorrow either way, my scents slowly changing and the guards are going to sense two heartbeats and i-,” you breath hitched, “There’s no way out of this Peter,”

He forgot about the inspection his uncle’s adviser pushed every month. To check up on everyone who worked with the crown, making sure they were suitable and still held the rules set for their line of work. For you, being a maid meant, from what he remembered no mating and no possible mate. 

Well you broke the rules within two weeks of meeting him and it was only three weeks ago he finally decided to claim you as his.

Meaning he was the one who got you into this mess. 

And he was the one who was going to get you out of it

“What if we run away?”

You looked down at him shocked, “Run away, Peter! Are you insane?”

“I’m serious, my aunt, mother and Sabina are away on a trip, my uncle never really asks for my whereabouts, neither does my father,” He could feel the gears turning in his head, pulling at all the details and creating plan, “It’s the perfect opportunity,”

“What happened to just telling them about us?”

“Y/n, you and I both know they won’t allow it, even if I ask politely,” 

You sat speechless, your mouth opening and closing, words failing to escape your mouth. He looked between your eyes, hoping to find something that would calm his racing heart. You gulped, finally processing his words as you said slowly, “But Peter, you’re the prince,’

He sighed, “That doesn’t matter,”

“Yes it does,” you shook your head, “Peter, if we leave, there is no way your uncle wouldn't send a search party out for you!”

“Not if we leave the land, set up somewhere else,” he reasoned, “Once we cross the seas, they wouldn't be able to find us,”

“That would mean we have to prepare in advance,”

“I’m the prince, I’m sure i could get a boat out of here at any convenience,”

“Then they’ll know where we’re going, track your recent purchases”

“I’ll just pass it through Harley, he knows about you-,”

“Harley knows about me!”

“He helped me hide us don't worry,” he moved on quickly, cursing at what he let slip, “Look the point is, we need to get you out of here,” he pulled you impossibly closer, “And you’re not leaving without me okay?” He let his forehead fall against yours, “I’m not leaving my omega,”  his voice cracked, “Or my possible child,”

“Peter-,” you breathed, biting your lip as you felt tears begin to form in your eyes.

“This is our only chance Y/n,” he whispered, “This was long overdue, us finally going off, living life together,” he laughed softly, “Maybe this is just the final push we needed,”

You stayed silent for quite some time, trying to process his words. If you leave tonight, there was a chance that it would reach the king before you and Peter could step out the castle walls. If you both made it out, it would take days for you both to reach the port, during that time there wasn't a chance that nobody would notice his absence and send a group out to look for him. Leaving meant the possibility of getting caught risking both your life and your child for the chance at freedom.

But if you stayed, the inspection would happen, outing you as mated and pregnant with another alpha’s child, punishable by death. You couldn't imagine leaving peter like that, losing a mate was like losing a part of yourself, it completely shatters the person, leaving them a shell of who they once were.

But in Peter’s case, he couldn't show that he was mated, because he was already promised to another, someone that wasn't you. You could already feel your heart plummet at the thought of him without you, of your alpha stuck with another.

You couldn't even think of the possibility. 

But in the end, only one option had the chance of escape, the chance of a life outside the castle.

And that was to run away.

“Okay Parker,” you mumbled, finally looking him in his shiny brown eyes, “Let’s do it,”

“Are- are you serious?” Peter grinned.

You nodded, giggling when he pulled you into a sloppy kiss. Your teeth clashed while your lips move out of sync but either of you could have cared less, thoughts of a life together plaguing your minds.

Thoughts of starting a family of your own coming right after.

Peter giggled, pulling away breathless, “I’ll try my best to have the inspection pushed back to the next day so we have time to prepare,” he looked up at you with a sly smirk, “Now that’s out of the way,”

He quickly picked you up slightly to lay you down on the bed, slamming his cock back into you when it slipped out. Your legs immediately wrapped around his waist, your arms thrown around his shoulder as he slowly grinded into you.

“I believe we have some unfinished business,”

…

Peter waited by the stables the next night, leaning against the wall of the enclosure of the horse he planned for the both of you to ride. The plan was simple, Harley would fake an emergency distracting most of the guards so the both of you could leave without being detected. His aunt or mother wouldn't be back until the next day which would most likely be the moment they figure out about his absence.

But by then you would be halfway across the lands, close to the docs to board a small boat, ready to take you wherever you wanted. To finally start a new life together.

Of course, he would have to make a few stops along the way to buy materials and food which might slow you both down a bit, but the initial head start would give you enough time. Well, he hoped would give you enough time.

All he needed now was for you to come and as time passed by, he grew more worried when you never cdid. It wasn't hard to sneak out of the maids quarters, especially with the majority of the guards on the other side of the castle, he expected you to hear your small footsteps running down the creaky wood stairs, your scent invading his senses.

But it never happened, he waited until dawn and nothing.

That was until a stinging scent filled his nostrils.

“Didn’t expect you to stay for so long Peter,” she sounded from behind him, making him whip his head around. He didn't care to hide his distaste at her presence, his nostrils flaring as a low growl escaped his mouth.

“What did you do,” he said, clenching his fists by his side. Peter wasn't dumb, he knew that with her sudden presence she had to do something with your absence, “Aren’t you suppose to be on a trip,”

“Got cut short, much to your dismay,” the beta began walking closer to the alpha, sizing him up with her steady strides, “Word of a mated Omega,” she tilted her head to the side, “I’m sure you’ve heard of her,”

“What the fuck did you do Sabina,” he spat, matching her steps as he backed her up against the wall right at the bottom of the stairway.

“Oh I didn’t do anything,” usually the slight waver in her voice would give Peter a burst of pride, but now it just made him feel shameful, “I’m sure she was aware of the rules,”

“DON’T FUCK WITH ME!” he shouted, slamming his hands on the walls, “What. The fuck. Did you do?”

“The right thing for this kingdom Peter,” she sneered, “Doing something that you are to stupid to do,”

“And what’s that?”

“Getting rid of your mate,” she grinned sickly, “You didn’t actually think we left for so long did you? A week before our wedding?” she chuckled, “Well your a lot more dumb that I thought,”

In a fit of rage Peter found himself wrapping his hand around her neck, slamming her further against the wall. The small whimpers failed to register in his mind as his grip became tighter and tighter, his anger increased with every passing moment.

“Ah, ah, ah, Peter,” he tisked, barely able to speak, “I’m not the one you should be worrying about right now,” she giggled frailly, “Not when your little omega is in trouble,”

He felt his heart drop when Sabina mentioned your title, his hand loosening immediately, dropping her to the floor. He didn't waste anymore time listening to her coughs as he sped up the stairs and into the castle, searching for your scent.

But he couldn't find it, his heart breaking more and more with every room he entered. He could feel his chest begin to tighten, his senses going into overdrive as his mind wandered to the horrible things that might have happened. That he wasn't there to stop.

He should have picked you up from the quarters, he should've made sure you were out there with him or had Harley escort you. To make sure you arrived safely. It was stupid of him to let you leave alone, to trust that no one caught on to his plans.

He couldn't give up now, his feet taking up across the castle once again, growling at anyone who tried to stop him. He was going feral, his palms sweating as his breath became heavy almost growling with every breath.

That was until he caught another scent, one that smelt like burnt wood and dry blood, seeping from the doors of the throne room.

Tony sat on the throne, leg crossed over the other as he sipped on some wine from his favourite gold chalice. He was making casual conversation with his guards as Peter burst into the room rage and guilt radiating off of him as he stomped up to the middle of the room.

He looked awful, his hair ruffled like he had been tugging and pulling at the strands constantly. His shirt was ruffled up, the button up raffled along with his trousers.

“Where is she,” he growled, his voice croaky and low.

Tony only sighed at his son’s exaggerated tone, placing his chalice in the hands of another before standing up, fixing his tunic in the process. He walked down the few steps that lead to his throne, approaching his son with crossed arms.

“I don’t know who you’re-,”

“Don’t try that shit with me, alright,” Peter said, exasperated as he threw his arms in the air, “Where the fuck did you put her,”

Tony lost all playfulness in his voice, rolling his eyes at the boy's words, “I thought you were her mate? Why are you asking me,”

“How did you figure it out,”

Tony only laughed, “A little birdie told me, but even then it was quite obvious. I just thought I raised you well enough to resist,”

“Resist my mate?” It was Peter’s turn to laugh, “You’re growing more and more into a salty old man everyone pins you to be,”

“Everyone pins me to be?” Tony walked around Peter, pointing his finger in the air, “I’m a man of law Peter, that’s what makes me king,” 

“Ever think that the law is fucking stupid?” Peter scoffed.

“Do not talk to your father like that,”

“Or what?” Peter sized him up, despite him being slightly shorter that the king, he still stood tall over him, “Your going to throw me in the-,” his breath hitched, “Dungeons...you put her in the dungeons,”

Tony laughed once more, “You’re not as dumb as I thought,”

“If you hurt her-”

“Oh calm your little alpha brain,” tony snickered, “I won’t hurt her yet, she’s holding my grandchild! I’m not that much of a monster,”

“So you admit that you are one,”

“Of sorts yes,” tony looked at him expectantly, “Well you put two and two together, why aren't you going after her,”

Peter scoffed, “As you said before, I’m not dumb,”

Tony only smiled, turning to sit back on his throne. He knew he already won when he watched his guards take you down to your cell, he always does. Sure, it was sick how much joy it brought him to see his own son in distress, but it wasn't his fault. His job was to see that the laws of the crown were always followed. He was only doing his job.

At least that’s what he told himself.

Regardless, it was over. In the next two days we would discuss an execution for the poor omega (he didn't take the time to learn your name) with his council for such crimes and everything would be back to normal, back to the way it’s supposed to be.

“What ever happened to your mate, Tony,” Peter suddenly said from behind him, making him stop in his tracks, “I’m sure you’ve had one in the past,”

“I don’t know what your talking about,”

Peter looked at him in disbelief, turning the tables as he found a way to get under his father’s skin, “So the scar on your neck is just a fashion statement?”

“If you know what’s good for you then you’d shut the hell up,” Tony turned around, pointing a finger in the boy's direction.

But Peter stayed persistent, knowing that the only way to get to his father was threw words, “You know the pain of losing a mate Tony, don’t make me go threw the same thing because of fucking laws,”

“I’m the not the one who put you in that position Peter,” Tony said, walking back up to the boy, “I wasn't the one who broke the law for fucking love,” he laughed, his eyes blowed as he shook his head, “What’s happening to her is your fault-,”

“Just like what happened to Pepper, it happened because of you,”

“Keep her name out of your mouth!” Tony snapped, striding up to Peter and grabbing him by the collar as he shouted in his face, “Don’t you ever mention her again,”

“Then let Y/n go,” Peter whispered, carefully choosing his next few words, “Let my omega go,”

“You know I can’t do that,”

“Yes you can,”

“But I won’t, and you know god damn well why,”

Peter didn’t push further, with the close proximity of his father, he could see the corners of his eyes start to shine, his lip trembling slightly. It was a low blow to bring up a past mate, one he only learned about while eavesdropping a conversation with him and his grandfather. But he knew it was the only way to get to him, and in his defence it seemed to be working.

“I’m going to get her out of here,” Peter calmly, “I’m going to get her and my child out of here, away from you and I don't care if the kingdom burns when I leave,”

“Over my. Dead. Body,” Tony sneered, finally letting go of his shirt, watching as his nephew stumbled a little to regain his balance.

“Then so be it,” Peter said lowly as he walked out of the room, the guards immediately following his fast stride.

He didn't know where he was going, what he was going to do. He couldn't trust anyone, not when your life and child was on the line. The conversation he just had seemed all over the place as he tried to process every words spoken. But as he entered his chambers, slamming the door almost off its hinges one thing became clear to him.

That he needed to get you out of here, he needed to get you both out of this kingdom.

With or without his father on his side.

...

A/n : I’ve been wanted to do alpha!peter for so long and finally got the inspo to do one. I have an idea for part two, so stay tune for that!

also shameless self promo if you like nail art please consider following my nail blog @nails-golden​ it’d be pretty cool okay bye bye-

Permanent Taglist : @jadegill​ @joyleenl​ @sarcastic-sunset-7​ @wakeupandsmellthelavender

Peter Parker Taglist : @ietss​ @itscaminow​ @dummiesshort​ @seutarose​ @lovewolfspirit​

[roger-that-cap]

meet me in the gardens

summary: being the widow of a decently wealthy lord and sitting on a large plot of land automatically meant that you were a candidate for the program that you couldn’t say no to; the hosting. you had to sponsor a knight and keep them in your home for an entire year, which was troublesome enough on its own. but you never expected your knight to be a woman, and you certainly didn’t expect to have a full on illegal love affair with her, either.

knight!natasha x lady!reader

sort of royalty au (there’s social hierarchy and a king and queen and knights and commoners and all that so- yeah it’s a royalty au nvm lmao)

warnings: this is fluff, angst, uh, basically everything but smut and serious angst.

word count: 2.5k, starting off short before we get into this 

part one!

also, to the very few people who look for fics up here- i promise i’m alive, sorry for being m.i.a! work and school are bodying me right now 

A lot could change within a year.

In a year, one was expected to grow wiser and older, and for you, because you were a woman, prettier. And because you did all three of those things in one year, you were herded off like cattle from your small farm, where the old pig you would soon be forced to call “husband” had seen you in the first place, and carted away to his large estate. You were supposed to be his wife, bear his children, and love him unconditionally even though you knew nothing about him, and he was supposed to do not even half of that for you. He had chosen you purely because your father had an abundance of wheat and animals, and he thought you were nice looking. He would surely never go hungry if he had the owner of a relatively large farm’s daughter with him.

Regardless of his reasoning for wanting to make you his wife, it ended up happening. You cried yourself to sleep the night before, and when you were done consummating the horrid marriage, you cried after he fell asleep, unable to shut your own eyes. That was how you spent your first night at the female counterpart to your lord husband, and as Lady Mirellis.

The marriage was loveless. The only thing you got out of it was a nice roof over your head and some silky clothing that made you feel like you were betraying who you really were. He was a brute and a pig, and he hardly ever spoke to you other than to tell you to get on your back, your knees, or something else as equally vile. You were the lady of his large manor, considered a small castle, but that was all you were. You made friends with the staff around, and that made things just the tiniest bit better. He was still cruel and crude, still insanely aggravating, and getting more and more angry with each month that you weren’t carrying his child.

And then, all of a sudden, he grew ill. And, within a month after he fell ill, he died. And then you were a single woman who had a large estate to her name, and a growing line of suitors who wanted nothing more than to have their last names attached to the great patch of land. You were the lady of the house without a lord, still young and still capable of marriage. After a large fuss over whether or not a young woman from your background was fit to take over, you had inherited everything.

So, yes, a lot could change in a year. And you decided that the changes that took place in that year were ones that you could barely handle.

§§

You knew exactly what the letter with the King’s Seal on it was when it was put into your hand, and you very easily guessed the contents of it.

You supposed that you should have seen it coming. Miraculously, your late husband and lord had gotten out of the Hosting, which could have been seen as treasonous or dishonorable if he had been any less careful. You grew up on a farm, and you had no idea how to go about denying or questioning royal decree, so you weren’t going to. You were going to have to Host, for the first time in your life.

Your family was never important enough to have to do it, so you had no experience with it, other than knowing that a high up lord of a small castle, or big estate, whatever one wanted to call it, was in charge of having a knight in their home while the knight completed his year long training. The training was said to come from within, and the job of the knight was to be a good, honorable guest, and to come back to the castle after their year expired as a new and improved person.

But it was rare that they truly soul searched, you had heard. Mainly because they were ninety nine percent male and thought with their penises more than their brains and hearts. The Hosting was a knight’s last stop before true knighthood, more or less a time that humbled young knights. It was a test of the true intentions of a knight, the true desires of a man who wished for glory and authority.

“For you, Milady.” You grimaced inwardly at the title, the title that you used to have to call the lady that you used to bring barrels of hay to on Sunday mornings. You nodded at the young boy, a smile on your face. He was new, and it was clear that this was his first task that involved him to speak to a “higher up” person.

You patted his head. “Thank you,” you said, and his eyes widened comically before he laughed and ran away, obviously shocked by the way you spoke to him back.

It wasn’t against the law, but it was frowned upon for nobles to speak to servants more than necessary. A noble person was not required to have manners or ask kindly for things, and when they did, it was certainly an out of the ordinary experience. You knew that well enough.

You broke the red seal and took in a deep breath, going to sit at your late husband’s desk (that you of course inherited, as you inherited everything the man had) and finding your name in perfect and Royal handwriting.

Lady Mirellis,

As you know, the time for the selection of The Hosting has come. Your house was not a host during the previous Hosting, therefore, you will be required to sponsor a knight this year. Out of respect for your late husband and all he has done for me, I will choose a knight for you, a knight that I trust. You will be safe with my choice, and the year will flow smoothly. Once again, I am sorry for your loss.

Please expect your knight within the fortnight, Lady Mirellis.

With respect, King Anthony Stark.

§§

Two weeks later, your keep was buzzing. You hated hosting things, even if they were short dinners. And you knew that you were going to hate hosting a person for an entire year. A brand new knight who was full of himself, no less.

King Anthony had given you what he thought was going to be an easy charge for a reason. New knights were known for being rowdy, disgusting, perverted, and authoritative when they shouldn’t have been. No lady should ever have to deal with the crude words or behavior of a man—certainly not. And with you and your poor husband gone, that meant that no one was there to help you.

You appreciated the kindness, but it was obvious that every man thought that women were only an extension of their husbands. If you weren’t able to handle the loud voices and taunting shouts of men and boys, you would have melted or turned to dust by the time you were thirteen years old. If you had survived a man who carted you off and away from your family like you were cattle, you could handle a boy who was staying under your roof.

Nonetheless, your people were busy, and so were you. They were making accommodations to the largest guest room, because it was to be someone’s for an entire year. They were cleaning things that you never thought would be cleaned, washing random sheets and hanging them to dry. And you? You were making the welcoming package.

You had never made one before, but you were trying your hardest. It was more or less a care package to make the knight feel comfortable. It was a starter kit, so that they wouldn’t have to ask for much or seem unfit for knighthood, because it was all about pride. So help anyone above, you wouldn’t be dealing with a knight with a bruised ego.

“Men,” you scoffed out, rolling your eyes as you fluffed the silk pillowcase and folded the top of the woven basket over, closing in everything and tying the top with a bow. 

“Y/N,” a woman’s voice called out, and you turned to it with a gentle smile.

Of course it was Wanda. Her and her brother were always by your side, ever since you had arrived at the keep. Pietro was the messenger boy for Lord Mirellis, because he was so fast on his feet. He delivered a message meant to go hundreds of leagues away and came back within days, when it would take others weeks. You liked Pietro a lot. He was a funny man, cheeky, but he knew his boundaries with people, whether they were lowborn or highborn. He had the same amount of respect for everything, and you admired that about him.

Wanda however, was your favorite person in the castle. She was the first kind face that you saw when you walked into the keep. She was the first person to actually ask you if you wanted help being dressed or brushing your hair. She was able to see that you needed help with your corset before you even asked. There were so many trivial things that Wanda did for you that made you so loyal to the friendship you shared, but there was one thing you were sure to never forget.

She had been the one to help you out of bed after a rough consummation night. She was also the only woman who had offered you even a sliver of sympathy, and for that, she was your greatest ally, and on a deeper level, a true friend. 

You had barely even seen her for more than five minutes before you woke up in bed by yourself the morning after that horrid night, crying silent tears and feeling sore between your legs. A knock sounded on the door, and instead of her turning away and apologizing for coming in on such an improper moment, she shut the door and asked you if you needed help, without any fear of being scolded. Wanda Maximoff was different. That’s why you liked her so much.

She was standing beside you as you waited, even though waiting for a knight was somewhat improper. You were supposed to wait inside and have them knock on your castle door, and you were to welcome them inside and have a warm dinner ready. That was how it was always supposed to go, but you decided not to do that.

You were standing outside, like the lady you had been forced to become. Your chin was slightly lifted and your hands were at your sides, even though you were desperate to fiddle with your thumbs. You took in a deep breath as you heard the sound of a carriage coming, horses and the chatter of men getting louder with each passing moment.

You would be a liar if you said that you weren’t scared to have a man in your house that you didn’t know. Not only would he be a man, but he would be a man that knew how to do things that most didn’t, such as how to properly wield a sword. You were a woman alone, a widow to a lord, and people had tried things with you before, ever since your husband had died. Most of the time, those things ended up with their hands being cut off as the legal and unyielding punishment for their attempted crimes.

“No one here is going to let a stupid knight hurt you, you know.” Pietro had come out of nowhere, chest puffed out as he looked to his sister for a moment, and then back at you. “Wanda is practically with you every second of every day, and I’m never too far.” It was true. There were guards around, as well, but you were still scared.

“If you don’t like it this year, you can always say no next year.” Wanda offered, but you whined under your breath when you remembered that this was no visit. The man would be living with you for an entire year. “And King Anthony said he would be giving you a man he trusted to sleep under your roof. I trust his word.” 

“As do I,” you said quickly, ringing out your hands one last time before the carriage got closer. “I’ll be fine, you two. Thank you.” And they knew just how grateful you were for them.

The carriage was being pulled by two white horses, both looking around carelessly and cluelessly as the coachman pulled them to a stop. “Lady Mirellis,” he said, looking you up and down, clearly judging you for not yielding to tradition. “It is very kind of you to meet us outside.”

“I thought it may be easier to begin the tour early,” you said, remembering at the last moment to school your voice into sounding ladylike. The stark difference between your public voice and the one that you spoke to Wanda and Pietro with always made Wanda smile a bit, and you knew that you would have laughed if you were looking at her. “I don’t want to give my new guest too large of a culture shock. I am not quite sure if he would appreciate being hoarded inside a place he hasn’t seen before.”

The coachman gave you an odd look, almost like he wasn’t understanding what you were saying. Or maybe, why you were saying it. But, he knew that because of your status, your word outweighed his, and he would do as you said. Your heart was beating nearly out of your chest as you watched him climb out of his chair and walk around, and you saw his hand wrap around the handle of the white and gold carriage.

There was a flash of brilliant red. That was all you saw at first, and then you saw shiny armor, glinting in the sun. Your eyes trailed up from the shoes that you knew were crafted specifically for knights, up to the legs and then to the breastplate, which you noticed was curved outwards. Your brows furrowed as your eyes got stuck in that place, and you willed yourself to believe that it was a trick of the eyes. There was a pinch on your arm, and you realized that you had been staring without speaking for much too long. In your embarrassment, your eyes flickered up to meet the man’s, and then, you nearly choked.

The knight was no man at all.

*****

so this is a series! this idea has been cooking up in my head for a while now, and i figured it was finally time to go through with it! i’m really excited about this one, and i’ve already got most of it planned out. i hope you guys liked this!

also- if you would like to be tagged, you are free to ask! (bold of me to assume that any of y’all want a notif for this bye 😭) please interact with this if you liked it, it makes me so happy and motivated to hear from you guys!

[ethanesimp]

LET ME GO // V. D. A.

Pairing: Servant! Victoria De Angelis x Royal GN! Reader

Summary: You're cornered into making a decision that won't only break your heart but Vic's too.

Request: Maybe something that makes me cry

Warnings: Angst, mentions of death threats and death, arranged marriage, swearing

Word Count: 3.1k

Masterlist // Taglist link in bio

Taglist: @superchrystaldrug @reputationdamiano @ethaneskin @dont-let-me-drown-in-you @bidet-and-legolas​

A/N: I hope this is sad enough nonnie and that you like it :) It's my first time writing for Vic so I hope y'all enjoy reading as much as I did writing it! And yess, we’re still continuing this angst fest :)

Love was a double-edged sword.

That was one of the first things you learned in your life. You’d see people in pain, crying and destroying themselves for it. It took you a long time to understand why one would do so much for a person, what was so special about them to sacrifice so much?

It took Victoria for you to fully understand. She was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful, energetic, and sweetest people you’d ever met. Those gorgeous blue eyes and endearing laugh made you fall head over heels for the girl you often saw around the castle ever since you were little. 

Ever since you shared your first kiss with her at the back of the stables while your friend Thomas looked out for guards, you knew your relationship was going to live on borrowed time but had always refused to dwell on the thought too much.

You were aware the circumstances you lived in were like a ticking time bomb stuck to your back. It was far too obvious and you’d be too naïve to think otherwise considering you were a member of royalty and the kingdom would eventually be your burden to carry. However, what you weren’t aware of was how easily things would fall apart or when, or how quickly. 

You’d already spent three years of pure bliss next to Victoria, sneaking around the castle and stealing moments and memories only the two of you knew about. You couldn’t deny that you’d always longed for more, to be able to show all your love for her in public and ask her to rule the kingdom by your side, but no amount of dreaming or wondering about what if’s would ever make your situation any different.

Six words were all it took for your bubble of denial to finally burst. Those six little words kept on repeating inside your head over and over again as you held Victoria in your arms. Her pretty eyes were looking into yours and a sad smile adorned her face as you brushed her hair back with your fingers. You could see the tears in her eyes and knew she could see yours, but neither of you dared to comment on it yet.

It was a delicate subject and neither of you wanted to talk first in fear of triggering an argument, even if you were both aware it was coming soon and there was no way to stop it. So you just sat there together in complete silence. The only thing that could be heard was the sporadic sounds of the window creaking because of the wind and the soft crack of wood burning on the large fireplace. 

You placed a soft peck on her lips and caressed her cheek delicately with your thumb, also removing the tears from her rosy cheeks. You pressed your forehead against hers and tightly closed your eyes as you smelled the sweet scent of flowers that hung in the air because of the small flowers woven into her light hair. 

Her arms were tightly wrapped around your body as if she was afraid that you’d suddenly vanish in the form of smoke and would slip from her fingers. You held her closer as a form of reassurance and sighed when you felt her once quiet sobs turn so violent they’d shake her whole body. 

“I’m sorry,” You mumbled and rubbed circles on her exposed back. You wanted nothing more than to take away all the pain she felt and let her know things would be alright, but you didn’t want to lie to her either, “I’m so sorry you had to see all that amore.”

She shook her head and buried her face against your chest as she cried harder. Victoria had always been so strong, so unbreakable, yet those six little words had just broken her and her heart into a thousand pieces. 

You’re getting married tomorrow. No questions. 

You’d been set to marry the heir of a nearby kingdom ever since you were a little kid, promised away to the other royal in exchange for resources to save a dying kingdom and they’d told you all about it in front of your friends… and your girlfriend. 

Your father had made you meet them right in front of her. The young royal, ignorant to your situation, had even gone as far as to kiss both your cheeks and quickly peck your lips. You had all been so taken aback by it, but no one commented on it because it would look suspicious. 

Even though all you wanted to do was take Victoria and run as far away as your legs would take you, the conversation you’d had with your father just minutes before the announcement stopped you from even trying. 

He looked exasperated, angry. You’d tried to browse your mind for anything you’d done wrong as of late but couldn’t come up with anything. There was no reason for him to be as mad as he seemed. 

“I seem so stupid to you, don’t I? You ungrateful child,” He’d spoken, tone sharp and voice laced with venom. You had flinched at how harsh his words sounded, still clueless as to what he was talking about, “I could put up with you not giving a shit about the Kingdom that will soon be yours because you’d have to stop that childish behavior of yours. But sneaking around with a maid’s daughter? That’s just ludicrous!”

Your heart fell to your stomach right then and there. He knew.

“I have tried so much, given you every single thing you wanted to hopefully get you to listen, but I’m tired of playing nice. You’re getting married tomorrow. No questions. And don’t you dare try and run away unless you want all her friends and family killed the second you step foot out of this castle.”

 She thankfully hadn’t heard your father’s words and you weren’t planning on telling her a thing. You knew for sure that if she’d heard, you would’ve already lost her. She had always been one to stand up against things that were wrong, and that time wouldn’t have been an exception. Unfortunately, your father was anything but lenient and you had no doubt that if she even thought of raising her voice at him things would end in chaos. 

“This is so unfair,” She murmured against your chest as more sobs escaped her lips. You stroked her head gently and nodded, “I know it is, I know.”

Then, she raised her head and looked at you with excited eyes as she wiped her tears away. She had an idea and you had a feeling you wouldn’t like it, “Let’s run away, Y/N. Right now. I have an aunt who lives far away in a kingdom where they will never find us! And we can be happy.”

Your gaze softened at her words. There was nothing you wanted more than to run away with Victoria, far from your parents and the responsibilities you’d been born into. You would’ve tried it too had your father not threatened to kill her family and friends if you did so. But you weren’t going to say a thing. 

“Victoria… We can’t- I can’t,” Her smile fell the moment she heard your words. She pulled away and left your embrace, making you instantly miss the warmth of her body pressed against yours.

Victoria sat down next to you, her eyes focused on yours as if she were trying to read your mind, “What do you mean you can’t? This hasn’t been the first time we’ve talked about it and you’ve always agreed to do it if we ever needed it, which we do now. What’s changed?” 

You had to look away after hearing just how hurt she sounded. You didn’t want to see her cry again because you knew you’d end up telling her every single thing your father told you. Anything would’ve been better than having to tell her, so you decided to say something that would not only break her heart but yours too, “I just can’t, okay? Vic, we were being childish! I cannot just flee the kingdom and expect no consequences. That was a stupid idea that would never work. I need to serve my duty, not run off with some servant’s daughter and forget all about my responsibilities here!”

She moved even further away from you. Victoria didn’t even try to hide the hurt caused by your words, “Oh, okay. I get it now,” She nodded and laughed bitterly as she turned around and gathered all the clothes that had previously been scattered all over the room, ”All this time I’ve been nothing but a fool...

“You know, when this all started between us, my friends kept telling me you were just using me for your amusement,” Victoria spoke. Her tone almost made you flinch because it just had as much venom laced in it as your father’s had earlier that day, “I never believed it, you know? I thought you loved me! But no, you’re just as hungry for power as all those fucking bastards, and I was nothing more than just your little game.” 

Her words felt like agonizingly painful stabs to the heart. You didn’t give a shit about power, about the kingdom, about anything but her. However, you weren’t selfish enough to be driven by your desire to be with her, a desire that was almost a need at that point. At least not after knowing everything that was on the line. Her family… her friends, friends who had become your own too. 

Oh how much you wanted to cave in. You wanted to reach out to her and wrap your arms around her frame while you told her just how sorry you were, how much you didn’t mean those words. But you stayed quiet instead and listened to her insults, took them in, and tried your hardest not to flinch or shed a tear, as much as it hurt to do so.

You didn’t stop her either when she ran out the door, tired from crying and screaming at you. Instead, you waited until she harshly shut the door behind her to finally cry. You cried and cried for what seemed like an eternity, got up from the bed, and tore the room to pieces out of pure frustration and hatred to both the universe and your parents for doing this to you. 

It felt like everything was moving in slow motion as you smashed the mirror to pieces with your shoe and tore off the blue wallpaper from the walls. Then, with weak knees and a heavy heart, you slid down the wall and sat on the floor.  You pressed your forehead to your knees and placed your hands over your face as you cried some more. 

Eventually, you fell asleep, exhausted from all the crying and heartbreak you were feeling, wanting nothing but for it to stop. Not too far away, Victoria was being held in the arms of her best friend, who held her while she cried and fell apart in his embrace. No one who was with the two knew what to say. Contrary to what Victoria had said in an attempt to hurt you, all her friends believed you were head over heels for her. Everyone knew you’d do every single thing she asked, but they had all been proven wrong. 

─────────༺♡༺─────────

There was an instant the next morning when you woke up, everything still foggy, where you forgot everything that had gone down the day before. You should’ve held onto those seconds tighter, but your brain didn’t let you as it brought back all the memories from the previous night like violent waves breaking into the shore, so painfully you had to hold your head with your hands.

When a servant walked in, he didn’t question the broken glass scattered all over the wooden floor, neither did he comment on the bare walls and the fact that you looked terrible. He didn’t because he was one of Victoria’s closest friends, Damiano. He silently pieced the story together in his mind and felt his heart break for his two dear friends.

He’d once described you two as a melody. A beautiful one that seemed to flow smoothly and left everyone around them speechless because the force in it was something that no one ever expected from such a quiet-sounding and delicate piece. You loved each other with everything you had, kissed each other like that time would be the last, and now, when you needed all that power and force, you weren’t using it. It made him sad and he couldn’t help but compare you two to an instrument that had gotten out of tune during an important solo. 

Minutes before entering the room, he’d been ready to lash out at you for breaking his sister’s heart, but the mere sight of you made him reconsider. Especially when you looked at him with red eyes and tear-stained cheeks. You looked into his eyes with so much panic and desperation as you spoke up, voice hoarse and barely inaudible, “I’m so sorry.”

He crouched down to your level and didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around your body and hold you like he’d held Victoria the night before. Damiano, for the first time in a while, was out of words to say. He wanted to understand what had happened because Victoria had been so distraught the night before that her words had come out in, mostly, incoherent mumbles that not even Thomas or Ethan could catch. 

“What happened Y/N?” He asked in the sweetest, most delicate voice he could muster. It caught him off-guard how you started crying even harder at his question and gripped the collar of his shirt so tightly he was afraid of getting choked by a heartbroken you.

After a few sniffles, you spoke up. Thankfully, your words were much clearer than Victoria’s had been, “I fucked up, Damiano. That’s what happened,” You hiccuped, “I’m nothing but a coward. When my father threatened to kill her family I just stood there looking so fucking stupid. I just nodded along to everything he was saying.”

Damiano’s brown eyes opened wide as he processed your words, “He did what?” You brought a hand to your face and pulled at your hair in frustration at the realization that you had let those words slip. No one was supposed to know, especially not the person who was so close to her that he was basically her brother.

But the secret you’d tried so hard to hide was now out and it felt like a breath of fresh air after being close to suffocating, so you told him everything. All the words spilled out of your mouth and you didn’t even try to stop them. In fact, the exact opposite thing happened and you told him everything with as much detail as possible to the point where a little movie seemed to be playing inside your head.

He didn’t say a word until you finished talking. By that point, you had already calmed down enough to only sniff every once in a while, which was nothing compared to how distraught and shaken up you’d been minutes earlier. That’s when it dawned on him that the only thing you needed was to talk, it also explained why Victoria had been so heartbroken. She didn’t know about it…

It was like you were able to hear his thoughts, because the moment he opened his mouth to speak, you interrupted him, “No. I cannot tell Vic and neither can you. I know you love her just as much as I do and you know how she’d take this… Look, I can live happily if I know she’s out there, safe. How would I ever live with myself if she was gone and it was all my fault?”

His heart broke at your words, but he truly had no clue what he could ever say to make you feel any better, so the only thing he did was hold you closer and let you cry some more.

-

He eventually had to leave before another servant walked in to help you get ready for ‘the big day’. The other servant didn’t question the looks of your room either and stayed quiet as they helped you into the outfit that had been selected for you to wear to the wedding. You almost wanted to chuckle, you had no choice on who’d be there at the altar by your side and it seemed like you had no choice in what you’d be wearing either.

To anyone who’d seen you walk down the halls of the castle would’ve easily mistaken your frown for nothing more than being nervous at the thought of getting married. Hell, Damiano had even told you that a rumor had spread around the castle quickly after everyone found out about you being engaged. 

It was, apparently, no secret to any of the servants that you were seeing someone. Anyone who didn’t know any better had thought it had been the other royal you were set to marry. That you’d spend blissful hours sneaking around the castle, eager to finally unite and live together forever. They weren’t exactly wrong. You did wish for that with everything you had, but not for the person who was already anxiously waiting at the altar for you to walk in.

No. You wanted all that with the blond-haired girl that sat at the very back, with her hair neatly braided back and a few flowers adding a pop of color to her head. You almost wanted to chuckle when you saw she wasn’t wearing a dress. Ever since you were little kids and she’d started working around the castle, she’d begged your father to let her wear a pair of jeans instead of the skirts maids would wear. He hadn’t seen it as a huge deal and ever since he allowed her to do so, you’d never seen her in a skirt, ever, much less a dress. 

As you stood at the altar, you often looked for her in the crowd. Thankfully enough, she’d stayed with her eyes glued to the floor for most of the ceremony and hadn’t caught you staring, not once. Everything that followed seemed to happen so quickly you spaced out over most of it. It hurt, but Damiano’s reassuring smiles and just looking at Victoria gave you enough strength to keep the tears in.

You never thought that’s how your life would go, but you were thankful because at least she’d be safe. She’d have the chance to find someone else and fall in love one day. You only hoped that eventually, when many years had passed, Damiano would tell her all of the truth and maybe, just maybe, she’d find it in herself to forgive you for it all. 

[lantsovsupremacist]

tiberias (cal) calore vii: illicit affairs

i’m only on the 3rd book so a) pls don’t spoil you’ll break my heart and b) my perception of the characters has only been developed to this point so if you come for me do it with the correct context lmao!!!

you knew what it was.

leaning your forehead against the cool metal post of your bed frame, a shaky exhale escaped from your lips. you wished just like that lost breath, you too could leave behind your body and with it, mind. a few minutes was all you needed, really; some semblance of relief.

even with your door shut tight with a deadbolt, the danger contaminating the palace lingered outside of it. you were not foolish enough to deny the cracks it could slip through. you would give any adversary a worthy fight, though. you could not afford not to, especially now.

for the first time in your life, you had truly encountered a problem that you could not use your abilities to maneuver out of. as much as your lungs screamed and your legs ached to run, you could not. being a swift, your first instinct was always to run. your speed always gave you the advantage in pursuit.

a familiar knock at the door broke you from your trance of pity. you stood up, sniffling as you ran the back of your hand across your nose and mouth. the action of clearing your throat sounded more like a whimper, but you managed as you gathered your skirts and headed for the door. you pushed down the nausea and wrung your hands to settle yourself.

your fingers shook on the deadlock before you pried the door open. the amount of weight on the wood, the length of the echo, and the momentary pause before the second, lighter knock gave away the identity of the person on the other side. you were in his arms before you could take another breath.

despite offering you the comfort you had craved all morning, his touch triggered the sobs caged in your chest. perhaps, it was because your heart was only safe in his hands. but, without the key to let them out, they messily tore through and paved their own path.

a year ago, your greatest worry would be the shame brought to your family on account of conceiving a child out of wedlock, let alone to the crowned prince. now, it seemed the impending war took precedence. you could have laughed; a red threatened your livelihood. a girl, really.

you were always careful, and it did not even happen very often. both you and the prince were very busy people, after all. send offs and reunions.

“we can fix this,” cal murmured into your hair.

“no, you don’t get it,” you broke out with a defiant shake of your head, “there’s nothing to fix.”

he pulled back, stroking your hair and pushing it behind your ears. your golden strategist was at a loss. your heart fell further into the pit of your stomach. you chewed on the inside of your lip, desperate to look anywhere but his eyes. yet, in the space of the same moment, you never wanted your gaze to leave his.

“i won’t leave you,” his warm hands ran up your arms, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake, “and i won’t let my father have a say in any of it.”

“it’s not the king i am frightened of,” you admitted with a sour taste in your mouth.

cal nodded with a grimace, “then i’ll be sure she is controlled until the end of the month.”

but who could control the queen who could twist minds? you chewed on the thought to avoid choking on it, forcing it down in distaste. both cal and yourself needed time neither of you had the privilege to claim.

cal communicated the importance of waiting until the traditional queenstrial to propose publicly. while the larger part of you agreed with this position, a small piece of your heart reserved for crippling doubt and senseless paranoia wondered if he was stalling for a different reason. if you could at any time expect desertion, it would be now but true to his word, cal had done no such thing—a loyal soldier until the end.

“and if they don’t chose me?” the secret fear you had harbored far before you had even become aware of your current condition felt a traitor to expose to the boy who had given you everything, kept every promise he could.

he studied your face carefully to ensure he held your full attention (though he was foolish to ever think otherwise), “make them, my dear.”

despite the event’s purpose of selecting a bride for the princes themselves, all of the noble houses knew the eldest had little choice in the matter. while your relationship with cal was not overt due to the inherently illicit nature of the affair, servants were known to talk. even in your deepest frustrations, you could not necessarily blame them.

his confidence in you was endearing but what other choice did you truly have?

you pulled away from his arms and lingering stare, wrapping your arms around your middle. pacing the length of the room, you suppressed a bitter laugh, “and then what? when a baby is born after less than eight months? and that’s to say we can persuade your father to rush a royal marriage.”

“let them talk,” his fingers twitched at his sides and you caught the scent of smoke, “nobody will be able to do anything.”

he thought he could protect from anything. sure, there would be little opportunity for any political action after a marriage was solidified but rumors would swirl. born into the pressures of eyes always watching you, they did not cut deep, but a queen needed a reputation demanding of respect. you did not want to be cruel but you decided that if need be, you could.

you wanted so terribly not to cry but willing it away only drew your focus to it more. you did not think the act made you weak but you would rather avoid the complete exhaustion it often caused. you were already so tired. but, some things were inevitable.

cal caught on before you did, “baby,” his voice was croaky, maybe laced his emotion of his own, “please don’t cry.”

you giggled at the irony. it was watery and your voice was nearly gone but it was there. confusion spread across cal’s features. you studied his face as he began to understand. a slow, crooked smile spread across his freckles and indicated the transition.

“suppose i could have chosen better words.”

“mhm.”

you had not noticed he was slowly rocking you in his arms. calm rushed into your senses. cal radiated your favorite kind of warmth. he monitored his body temperature around you, never too hot but always comfortable. it reminded you of home. he was your home. he smelled of pine and dying embers.

now nearing nineteen, you met the prince at fourteen. your elder sister married sooner than your parents expected, hastening your introduction into political meetings as a representative of the swift house of nornus.

who could blame a young and inexperienced teenage girl for falling in with a powerful, older boy who dared throw her an extra glance. what began as a benefit to palace life at fifteen soon turned into a vice. it was easy to tell yourself that you could stop any time you desired but you were addicted to the way he touched you, the way he tasted, the way he spoke your name.

for a while, you were foolish enough to believe he maybe even loved you. when you turned sixteen, you understood you were a pastime for the prince. so when at seventeen he told you he loved you, you did not believe him. he was gone for service quite a bit and your training schedule stole away any time for secret meetings when he was home. you began to purposefully avoid him but the withdrawal from the high that was cal left you dizzy.

when he did not make a move to find you, you tried even harder to move on. you had both made a mess of your hearts, left bleeding and shattered on the floors of the palace. you watched him escape the palace more often, always finding another place to be. one night, however, you followed him. you told yourself it was curiosity that caused you to slip out of your covers and into a warm coat, a coat you would not have needed if you left with him.

you caught up easily with your inhuman perception and speed and yet, he still saw you coming. he always did. that night, you wandered through a village and blended in. that night, you could be normal. he helped you clean up the mess between the two of you and things were different but the same again. they were better. you still took the long way to his room and pulled him into hidden corridors but the longing stares across meetings reignited.

you cleared your throat, “when you returned from delphie.” you tone held the pace of a simple comment, not the answer to the unspoken question pressing down on both of your minds.

cal turned his lips into his mouth and nodded, taking a deep breath, “i remember.”

it was a good memory, a good time. slow and gentle and loving. rane had worn you ragged sparring evangeline from sun up to sun down. you enjoyed the younger classes attending for the exposition but your muscles felt like weights lodged into your body and your breath had not yet fully returned after running circles around evangeline.

usually when one of you returned from an excursion outside of the palace, you wasted little time in attaching to every piece of each other. but, you were both exhausted—exhausted but greedy for the attention of the other. it had been a month ago, nearly to the day.

you and cal never discussed the prospect of children. even if one of you did not favor the idea, there was no choice in the matter. cal, as a future king, needed heirs, and if you wanted to be queen, you would have to bear them. but, you did want them and secretly, you knew cal did, too. it was more than a superficial requirement.

cal always looked at you, found you in a crowd, so it was hard to study him in secret. when he was with children, however, all attention transferred to those at his feet. it was then you saw him fully relax, the weight of his crown falling off his back. he loved them. you loved him more for it.

“and i don’t regret it,” he continued, dipping his head to place it gently on your shoulder. he kissed you neck once, twice, and then dropped his head back down.

[that-bi-bitch-writes]

A Cursed Reality- JJk x Male Reader (Ch.6)

I love you all. But I refuse to proofread this. I hope it isn’t horrible. If it is I can promise the next one won’t be. This is kind of long but kind of short and has parts taken directly from the manga but I also switch it up here and there.

Last || Next

“[Name] i’m worried about you” 

"Why?"

"Because you were hysterical over yuji's body and now you're just fine"

"My cursed technique doesn't fail. It just...doesn't. I’m Fine. Yuji's fine. i'm just waiting for him to wake up"

Megumi looked at him concerned before turning and looking at Kugisaki. They recalled how gojo described [Name] when he'd been sent out on a mission with inumaki 

"He's my best student. A little unhinged but he means well. Do Not get on his bad side. if he learns how to fully use his cursed technique [Name] has a shot at dethroning me as the strongest"

They looked at him in disbelief. sure [Name] was strong. Strong enough to not fear Sukuna but they couldn't believe he'd be stronger than Gojo. That was god-like power and it didn't make sense for someone like [Name] who fights over cheez-its and dislikes people because they "felt wrong" to be in the running for the strongest jujutsu sorcerer. One of the strongest... maybe.

"Well..." Gojo interrupted their thought "That won't happen anytime soon" He gave a closed eye smile to reassure the first years. If they'd known him a little better they'd know he was lying. [Name]'s power relied on emotions. And with him increasingly getting attached to people like Nanami, Gojo and the first years—and Inumaki of course, he grew stronger and more out of control. To avoid a repeat of what'd happen a couple years ago, They'd begun honing [Name]'s skill within Gojo's infinity. It was the only way to release such a massive amount of cursed energy undetected. 

[Name]'s dislike towards the higher ups would only prove a threat if he grew more powerful. Gojo was raised in the world of jujutsu, primed to be a shaman. [Name] became a shaman because of a terrible accident. Someone raised outside of their society with no desire to follow their hierarchy is a threat. He would be like Geto Suguru but worse. Especially since he had an attachment to the vessel of Sukuna.

"I hope [Name]-san will be okay"

"He'll get over it. by the way when did you switch to calling him [Name]-san Fushiguro?"

"He's been asking me to stop calling him senpai for a while now. But seeing him like that over Yuji's body. It really humanized him. He's only just 17 years old"

"[Name] honey"

"Satoru"

"Oh wow first name okay. how about we take a break and come back after Shoko examines the body"

"No i'm gonna be here when he wakes up"

"Okay"

Gojo gently pat [Name]'s head, leaving his hand to rest before walking closer to Ijichi who was shocked by the scene between the two.It was obvious to anyone that [Name] and Gojo were close, Gojo being the only one who could give [Name] orders without any pushback and [Name] being the only person since Geto who could truly make Gojo soft. What was more shocking was the state [Name] was in. Since he'd arrived in Tokyo they'd only seen the colder more composed aspect of him. 

"Why are you placating him Gojo?You’re letting him sit there and believe his friend will just rise from the dead?"

"He needs this. He needs to grieve and if I tried to stop him he could simply tell me to go die and then what would I do?" (Probably not die you idiot. fight back)

Ijichi went silent after that remembering exactly how petty [Name] got when he was upset. He could and most certainly would tell someone to go and die. or fall in a ditch. The get lost one was a real nuisance.

Shoko looked at Ijichi’s face and realized it wasn’t worth arguing. It wasn’t her turn to say anything, she’d let the rest of their conversation play out before she makes her dramatic entrance. She could only hope they wouldn’t make too much of a fuss as she was getting anxious to dissect the vessel’s body.

“It was intentional wasn’t it”

“What do you mean?” Ijichi asked, his heart thumping audibly. This piqued [Name]’s interest too, but like Shoko he’d let the scene play out a little before speaking up. He wanted to wait until his two cents would help make a dollar. 

“The enemy was special grade. Five rescue targets who weren’t even confirmed alive. There’s no way I’d send in first-years for that.” Gojo Answered “I had to pull some strings to get a stay of execution for Itadori. Those crusty ass higher ups used a special grade to get rid of him in my absence. If the other two had died that would’ve been icing on the cake right”

“But when the mission was planned… there was no indication of special grade” Ijichi nervously choked out. Gojo’s bloodlust was overwhelming and kind of scary. He’d much prefer if [Name] ordered him to get lost

“What they didn’t count on was [Name] seeing through their plans. He’s a genius, my student. It would be a pain trying to find the culprit so maybe I should just kill them all”

“You’re being emotional for once. You really had a soft spot for him, huh?” Shoko spoke as she made her entrance

“Sure, I’m a nice guy who looks out for his students.”

Nice guy. Shoko almost scoffed “Don’t pick on Ijichi too much He’s caught in the middle between us and the higher ups”

“Besides” [Name] spoke up “It’d really get on their nerves when they learned the plan failed. Especially because of me. They should suffer a little before they die, no?”

Shoko gave [Name] a quick glance before continuing, from the corner of her eye she could see Gojo smiling at the second year. He must have a couple more soft spots than she realized. “So.. this is Sukuna’s vessel. I can dissect him anyway I want”

“You better make it worth it”

“I will who do you think I am”

“Sorry puppy, endure it a little. We can get our revenge when you wake up” [Name] whispered

“What use is he dead?” Nobara asked with her chin on her hand “[Name] might be having some monumental breakdown but at least he’s still strong… and alive” she paused for a second. “Hey is this the first time a friend of yours has died?

“A classmate yeah”

“Really? You seem fine”

“Look who’s talking”

“Of course. I’ve only known him for two weeks. I’m not the kind of girl who cries over a guy like that” 

Fushiguro noticed her lip quivering and chose not to say anything as she pulled herself together.

“Man it’s hot”

“Yeah I wonder when we’ll get our summer uniforms.”

“Sheesh. You’re more moody than usual Megumi. What is this a funeral?”

“Zen’in senpai”

“Don’t you dare call me by my last-”

“Maki! Maki!” Panda called “He really did die. It happened yesterday. A first-year boy”

“Fish flakes”

“You ARE A LITTLE LATE. Now I look like a cold hearted demon”

“Well you pretty much are” 

“Tuna Mayo”

“Who are these people?” Nobara asked Fushiguro. He introduced her to the second years. Panda, Maki and the infamous Toge Inumaki”

“Ahh so this is [Name]’s boyfriend”

“HAH!” Maki laughed “The two of them are close but I think i’d prefer Inumaki with Okkotsu”

Megumi tilted his head at the suggestion “Okkotsu senpai isn’t here but he’s the only one I can sincerely respect. He’s abroad right now”

Nobara paid very little attention to whatever Fushiguro was saying caught up in Panda’s… pandaness.The only thing that truly broke her out of her curiosity was the mentioning of a goodwill event. Considering it was less of a charity event and more like a battle royale it was right up Nobara’s alley. 

“You’re in right?” Maki egged on “Do it for your fallen friend”

“We’re in” Kugisaki and Fushiguro chorused

“But if I think both the training and the goodwill event are pointless. I’m out”

“Same here” Megumi agreed  

“Heh. it should be fun putting you guys in your place”

“Fish flakes” 

“Inumaki senpai.” Megumi looked away, finding the distance much more appealing “He’s not alright. But he will be.”

“Salmon” Inumaki knew [Name] would be alright. This was THE [Name] [L.Name]. He was the main character. When the MC disappears, they just come back stronger.

[vs-redemption]

This is the first piece out of seven written for the one year anniversary collaboration event for the @konoblog-simps discord. I encourage everyone to check out the masterlist for today's prompt and support the other creators. Some content is not suitable for minors so please pay attention to the warnings.

Prompt: Fluff (Finral Roulacase x Fem!Reader)

Word Count: 1.3K Warnings: None

Anyone could tell by a glance that the mixer wasn’t going well, and by the look on Finral’s face, you knew that he was coming to terms with that unfortunate fact as well. The other two magic knights sitting with him were either the only people in the restaurant oblivious to the disaster, or they just didn’t care as the one who’d likely arranged the gathering in the first place frantically grasped for conversation.

“You know,” Finral looked completely distressed by this point, gesturing desperately to the two who were meant to be acting as his wingmen. “Four members of the Black Bulls were actually recruited into the Royal Knights. Asta and Luck are two of them. They’ve been on some really crazy missions lately.”

The girls sitting across the table just force smiles before going back to picking at their food. No matter how much The Black Bulls had done recently, people were still stuck in their ways and looked down on the squad known for causing a little more trouble than they should. In your opinion, it was really a shame that all the girls Finral had ever invited to his little mixers failed to see what was right in front of them.

Time after time you watched him act like a complete gentleman; making polite conversation, giving just the right amount of respectful compliments, and even using his spatial magic to bring unique flowers or special treats from around the Clover Kingdom, just for girls to turn up their noses because of the Black Bulls symbol on his cloak. Well, that and maybe he did seem to try a little bit too hard at times. It was endearing though and obvious with the way he acted that he was genuinely looking for a real relationship with someone special. The poor boy had so much love to give, but nobody seemed to want it.

“Can I get three slices of chocolate cheesecake for table four?” You peek your head into the kitchen to ask the owner. The man gives you a weird look before checking the receipts.

“Table four didn’t order any chocolate cheesecake,” he folds his arms, “and we usually save that for special customers anyway.”

“You can take it out of my paycheck,” you tell him seriously while grabbing the dessert and skipping back out into the dining area.

Chocolate was a little more expensive since it had to be imported from the Heart Kingdom, but your boss was a hypocrite. By ‘special customers,’ he’d meant magic knights. Finral and his friends fit the criteria, even if they weren’t in one of the more glamorous squads. Taking a hit to your wages wouldn’t set you back too much, and anyway, you hated seeing Finral’s mixer flopping so badly. He didn’t deserve such poor luck, and you hoped maybe you could do this one thing to help him out a little.

“Three slices of chocolate cheesecake, as requested for the lovely ladies,” You gently slide a plate in front of each of the girls. Their eyes light up immediately, hands reaching for their forks so they can dig in as soon as possible. Finral, on the other hand, looked panicked.

“Excuse me, I didn’t order that,” he leans in towards you and whispers.

“Not to worry,” you wink playfully, ignoring the flutter of your heart caused by his closeness. “Consider it a thank you for all your hard work while protecting the kingdom. It’s on the house.” He didn’t seem to believe you, but you don’t give him the chance to ask any more questions. You straighten up and nod to the girls, telling them to enjoy the rest of their evening and then hurrying off to get back to your duties.

Things seemed to pick up for Finral a bit after that. The girls seemed a little more inclined to give him a chance, listening to his stories and being a little more forthcoming when he asked questions about themselves. You had to roll your eyes a little. Seeing the cautious optimism on Finral’s face, and seeing him smile without the usual underlying stress and self-consciousness was worth it, even if you didn’t think those girls deserved a moment of his time or attention.

It was a little before closing time when the mixer finally seemed to be wrapping up. You took that as a good sign and watched curiously as Finral and his friends walked the ladies to the door, thanking them politely and bidding them good night. You turn away, expecting them all to go home for the evening, but jump in surprise when you feel a tap on your shoulder.

“O-oh!” you feel heat rise to your cheeks when you find yourself face to face with Finral. “Can I help you?”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” He smiles, looking embarrassed. “I tried to thank your manager for sending those desserts earlier, but he said to thank you instead.”

“He wasn’t supposed to tell you that,” you mumble, averting your eyes and wishing the owner had just taken the credit. This was such an awkward situation to leave you in.

“I don’t understand,” Finral replies, his soft purple eyes searching your face for an answer. “Why’d you do that?”

“It just looked like your group needed a little pick-me-up,” you shrug, shifting from foot to foot nervously. “Just thought I’d help you out a bit… I don’t know.” Finral looked surprised by your explanation, and regards you in wonder for a moment before his face falls.

“Well,” his shoulders slump in defeat, “I still managed to get denied a second meeting from all of them. I really appreciate the thought though. I’ll pay you back, I promise.”

“That’s not necessary,” you tell him, a mixture of annoyance and relief swelling up inside you. As you’d predicted, those girls didn’t deserve a guy like Finral, and part of you was glad they’d rejected him. “Magic Knights are supposed to get free desserts anyway,” you reveal. “Just don’t tell anyone that I told you that.”

“But, you have to let me do something to repay your kindness,” Finral pleads, that anxious look coming back to his face. You fight the urge to reach out and try to smooth away the wrinkles caused by his stress, and start to fiddle with your hands as a crazy idea comes to mind.

“Well,” you glance up at him shyly, “You could always invite me to your next mixer.”

“What?” His eyebrows shoot up towards his hairline, somehow blown away by the suggestion until it clicks in his brain why someone would insist on inviting themselves to a mixer. Realization blooms across his face and you smile when his cheeks turn red.

“You don’t have to bring your friends though if you don’t want to,” you say, feeling a little bolder now. “Or invite anyone else at all really.”

“But that would be…” Finral blinks at you, struggling to accept what was happening.

“Only if that’s something you’d be comfortable with,” you decide to give him a chance to decline, not wanting to bully him into taking you out.

“I… really?” He stumbled over his words, “I mean, yes. I would be… very comfortable or… are you comfortable?”

“Yes,” you nod your head in confirmation, letting out a small laugh at his nervousness. “So, it’s a date then.” You finally say the “date” word and a look of excitement and disbelief takes over his features.

“O-ok, yeah.” He lets out a breathy chuckle, “Are… you really sure?”

“Yes!” You exclaim in amusement, “Just let me know the time and place and I’ll be there.”

“All right!” He promises, “I’ll make arrangements and let you know as soon as I can.” He pauses to shake his head as if he really thought he was stuck inside a dream. “I’m… really excited.”

“Me too,” you admit.

After a slightly awkward good-bye, Finral finally headed back outside to join his friends while you got back to work. Butterflies danced around your stomach as you tried to imagine what the magic knight would plan. You’d been interested in him for so long, and you hoped things would work out well between you. If it did, perhaps you’d never have to watch him suffer through a failed mixer again.

[internalsealpanic]

The Dog and Duck

summary: Dick Grayson is a terrible flirt (in more ways than one).

a/n: Special thanks to @jd-loves-everyone, @littleredwing89, @glorified-red, and @multifandomgirl-us for proofreading! This fic is based on a headcanon by @pricetagofficial (I think) that Dick Grayson is actually terrible at flirting which is just the cutest thing.

warnings: Potential cringe and terrible flirting advice

Main Masterlist

Series Masterlist

The sound of voices and clinking of glasses mingle around you like a bustling symphony: discordant, rhythmic, clashing but endlessly vibrant. The scent of alcohol hung thick in the air, enough to taste and intoxicate. The amount of people in such a small space made something under your skin hum, whether it was simply an irritable Yasiri or the buzzing energy stored in your bones or maybe even a genuine discomfort, you weren’t entirely sure.

You sip lightly at the scotch in your glass, letting it burn through your throat, but it wasn’t enough to make the itch in it go away completely. 

 You watch Dick’s eyes intently as they slide past you, just over your shoulder. His sentences coalesce clumsily, syllables squishing and clipping at odd ends as his plush bottom lip catches between his teeth. His eyes are glossy with interest even in the dim lights of the pub. His pupils are blown and dark. You fight everything in you to stamp down the urge to huff or roll your eyes. Not that he would have noticed. You’re pretty sure you could stab someone in the eye and Dick wouldn’t even blink, not when he is so enraptured by whatever the hell is behind you. You feel a gross sticky sort of jealousy pool in the pit of your stomach.  You swallow it down not really knowing of any other way to deal with it. 

 You arch a brow, the tips of your nails tapping loudly against the lacquered wood of the table as Dick once again stumbles absentmindedly over his story about Wally West being living proof of the need for warning labels (for people). You click your teeth irritably while Yasiri’s tail rattles against your collarbone before you take another sip, eyes following his only for them to land on a vivacious redhead at the bar. The irritation bubbling in your veins dwindles into mild amusement. Your best friend is a hilariously predictable moron. 

 “She is either a suspect or you’re being a creep.” You tease, the cruel curve of your lips barely obscured by the glass pressed against them. The mockery in your eyes shining amber like the drink in your glass. Dick’s cheeks flush as the playful lilt in your voice lances through the fog in his mind. He looks at you, dopey and red-cheeked as if he didn’t know what you were talking about. You roll your eyes, nostrils flaring letting out a breath caught between a huff and a laugh. “Stalker.” You hiss, trying to smother the warmth in your voice with sheer, unadulterated pettiness. 

 Dick levels you a look, cutting and vicious if he wasn’t flushed. “Am not.” He whines halfheartedly, eyes flicking once again to the woman at the bar. Some part of you is sure you really ought to be mad at him. After all, you haven’t seen each other for almost half a year. This is thanks in part to work and in part to work getting royally fucked up. Thankfully, not because of Gotham’s resident furry and his new little bird boy. Really, you should be furious at being sidelined considering this outing was his idea but here you were smirking into your malt whiskey, tickled. 

 “Then stop staring.” You challenge, unfolding and relaxing into the moldy cushioning of the bar. Dick glares at you, the pout on his lips obscured by his hand as he rests his chin on his palm but you know it’s there. You’ve memorized the plains of his face and how they shaped themselves, a product of spending far too much time staring at the details.  Hey, if he was gonna third wheel you the least you could do was tease him about it. “Or do you want me to wingman for you~”

 “HELL NO”

 You can’t stop the cackle that spills from your lips. “Why not?!”

 “I’m not letting you cockblock me. AGAIN.”

 “That was one tiiime, Joystick.”

 “Once was enough!" 

 "’Fiiiine but to be fair,  you still ended up dating her, didn’t you?” You defended weakly, running your fingers through your hair, jostling the already wind whipped strands. Dick was red-faced. The liquor was definitely working through his system. The color in his cheeks was lively and cute, making him look boyish despite how much he’d grown. You had, in fact, cockblocked him due to an extreme bout of jealousy, childishness, and hormones. Back then you hadn’t yet learned the art of burying your feelings 6 feet under.

 “Fine, fine, fine. Just shoot your shot, Dickie bird.” This does not appease him. He, in fact, crosses his arms over his chest. You set your glass down and raise your brow. “If you fail, I’ll buy you a round.” You add placatingly. Dick’s eyes slide over your shoulder, the lump in his throat bobbing.“Make that two.” 

 Your eyes shine, cat-like the dim lighting of the lamp overhead. You smile at him all cocksure, placing your chin on your intertwined fingers.“Deal.”

 Dick gives you a withering look as he pushes off the table. You take a sip of your daiquiri as he moves through the crowd, gracefully slicing through the sea of bodies. No, maybe they were parting just for him. Dick does have that air about him. A pull that made it so painfully obvious that he was so much more. Dick also had this way of talking that made you unsure of whether you’re being flirted with or if it’s just the way he talks to people. Either way, he had this way of making you feel special and you had no doubt he would sweep this one off her feet.  

 The redhead at the bar tipped her head finally sensing his gaze on her and as per your expectation, she seemed to reciprocate the interest. Not that you can blame her. Dick was a 10 on his worst day. Now that you thought about it, you’ve never actually seen Dick flirt. You’ve seen him banter but flirt? You can’t seem to think of an instance of it. This��ll be fun. 

 You watch him closely and your brows climb higher than you thought they could. Something was off, something very un-Dick-like. There’s an unsteadiness in his step that makes your stomach sink. Dick wouldn’t. Even Dick wasn’t stupid enough to blow his shot just to get a few shots, would he?

 And then it happened.

 “Did it hurt when you hit your face?” Dick asks, winking stiffly. A ripple of pain lances through you followed by an unbearable wave of second-hand embarrassment. “Excuse me?!” Her face morphs into something terrifying before Dick’s brain can catch up. You watch in mute horror as Dick’s face slowly matches the sinking feeling in your gut as embarrassment suffused his entire body. 

 “Wait, shit. I- I meant- Shit. I didn’t mean to say you look like you banged your face. I mean, of course, you don’t-” You watch in fascination as Dick stumbles through apology after apology after apology. Until finally, he gives up. “Actually, I’ll just leave.” Dick shambles gracelessly back to your table while your brain tries to process what just happened. 

 You wheeze against the table, pounding your fist against the table. “Dickie, yanno you did have a shot before you opened your mouth, right?” Your hand is clamped over your mouth trying to stop the shrill cackle bubbling in your throat. 

 “Y/n...” 

 “Jeez, Dicktopus, was gin really worth getting blue balled?”

 “You better have your money,” he sneers, cutting you a scathing look as he slides into the booth. 

 “I-” The smug look on your face vanishes when you reach into your wallet. “If I apologize for you, will you cut me some slack?” you try, brandishing your nearly empty wallet. 

 “I’ll buy you a shot if she doesn’t tell you to fuck off.”

 “Hmm, if I get her number for you, will you get me two?”

 “Sure, why not?” Dick whines petulantly. His head sinks into his arms desperately trying very hard  to implode. You cough into your sleeve trying not to laugh and hope he doesn’t notice. A blush creeps up the tanned skin of his neck. He tries to hide it by placing his hand on his neck but the color’s already made its way to his ears. Feeling a little bad for him, you squeeze Dick’s shoulder once, then twice, then twice once more. You swing your legs dramatically out of the booth. You hear Dick groan and you chuckle. 

 You flick your eyes to him one last time before moving forward. You roll your shoulders, realigning your form into something more suave and less goofy. The rhythm of your feet goes from a clumsy shuffle to a confident saunter. The woman looks at you skeptically, her lashes fluttering mockingly. You move, easy and casual. With a playful grin, you apologize and make up some bullshit excuse about Dick being extremely shy. She eases. You continue on your little sales pitch as if it was the most natural thing in the world.  You draw a laugh out of her. You can hear her heart pick up. She smiles at you telling you that you and your shy friend are fine. You chuckle and promise to tell your long-suffering friend that, tilting your chin towards Dick who is still trying to melt into the table. She scribbles her number onto a napkin and hands it to you with a flirtatious wink. You smile lopsided, cute and sheepish, as you wave her goodbye.

 Dick stares at you with slack-jawed awe. This time you feel genuinely bashful but you shrug it away with a sharklike grin spreading across your face.

“Pay up, pretty bird,” you say slamming the number on the table, teeth gleaming in the low light of the room. The petty satisfaction oozing off of you is almost palpable. Dick looks up at you, his pretty mouth twisting.  “What are you? Seven?”

 “If by seven you mean lucky, then yeah,” you sneer, nudging your empty shot glass against Dick’s shoulder. “Pay up, Dickenson~” you sing. Dick’s face twists even more and he waves you off, pushing off the table.

 “Let’s just go,” Dick bites out, cheeks burning. You bite your lips trying to resist the urge to tease him more but it’s hard. Not when he’s all pouty and cute.  

 “I mean you did just wine and dine me,” you laugh musically. You promised yourself you would stop teasing him but you never said you would stop making jokes. There’s a complicated expression on Dick’s face before it shifts back to exasperation. 

 “You. Are. Awful.”

 You shake your head not even denying it as you follow him out of the old Dog and Duck into the fresh Bludhaven air. 

“How are you good at this?” Dick whines into one of your throw pillows. The poorly counterfeit superman one he had gotten you a few years ago from a trip to the Philippines. He's pouting at you like a kid. To be fair, you did laugh at him in the club (and the whole way back to your safehouse which was not a short walk).

 You chuckle, tapping a cool can of beer against his forehead.“Sadly some of us need to work at being charming, Dimples McGee.” He accepts the can, scowling at you. Your grin doesn’t waver which only serves to deepen his scowl. It was an irritating feedback loop. Well, irritating for Dick. You’re having the time of your life. You settle on the other side of the couch rolling your beer can in your hand. “ Plus, you’ve seen pops talk right? The man sweet talks like his life depends on it.” 

 “Right, I’ll remember to ask him for flirting advice next time he tries to kill me,” Dick says, rolling his eyes at you. You perk up at the awful idea before you snicker and press a hand to your lips in a barely held back smile. It’s Dick’s turn to perk up. His blue eyes shine with interest at your expression like he’s trying to capture it. You turn to him with a serious expression. “Please, please ask him that. I will pay you to record his reaction. Please. Please. Dickle, please,” you beg, moving on your knees to his side, your hands clasped in prayer.  Dick shifts sticking his tongue out at you childishly. 

 “Noooooo!”

 “Pleeeeeeaaaaaseee”

 “No!”

 With an ‘oof’, you plop yourself between Dick’s legs, your chest against his. You stare up at him with eyes mimicking the wide-eyed innocent look he uses on you when he asks for a favor. Dick gives you a sorry look asking you to please drop it. You don’t. You double down trying to look as cute as possible. 

 Dick looks down at you, glaring then grimacing then smiling. “Ok, fine,” he huffs stiffly, wrapping his arms around you. You snuggle up against him, smug in your victory.  Your nose brushes against Dick’s pulse which makes his breath hitch. He squirms under you but you just find yourself laughing. “You. Are. Evil. ”

 “I promise to make your Granny’s goulash,” you say in a halfhearted attempt to appease him. Dick’s face softens  “Now, that’s just bribery.”

 “You’re gonna be a cop here in Bludhaven. You gotta learn how to take bribes.”

 His brows crease as you shake your head. Dick huffs, planting his chin against the crown of your head before pressing his lips to your hair. You feel one of his arms pulling you closer, his hand threading through the tangle of your hair. You smile against his skin, breath tickling him which just makes him squirm. He’s breathless under your touch and you don’t even know it. You two sit basking in the close proximity and the soft intimacy you two shared. Your limbs tangle and twine around each other carelessly. 

 Out of context, you two could have been lovers. 

 You sigh, feeling a bit drowsy from the ‘tussle’. You blink, mind reaching for something. “Wait…. Brucie flirts like his life depends on it too! What’s your excuse?” you grin, jabbing a finger into his chest. Dick scowls at you, clearly flustered again. He stammers, babbling out answers. “Hey, I- I could probably do it...” Dick mutters, finally finding a semblance of coherence. 

  “After that performance?” You challenge, sitting up, eyebrow raised and arms crossed. A sharp laugh spills from your lips. It’s louder than you intended, your entire chest moving along with every exhalation of air. 

 Dick looks at you like a kicked puppy which has you roaring with laughter. “You don’t have to laugh that hard”

 “Admit it, Grayson, you are an actual bonafide dork”

 “I’ll bonafide you,” he growls and you’re bent into the couch cushions, clutching your stomach. Dick looks like your house plant like he’s about to disintegrate. You sit up again and cross your legs. Your lungs expand as you draw in another calming breath before you give him a softer, lopsided smile, placing a hand on his knee and shaking him gently. “Come on, practice on me I’m probably one of the few people you don’t have a stick up your ass around.” Dick, not getting up, puts his hands in his face looking positively mortified by the idea. You make a little affronted noise in the back of your throat and thanks to whatever god is up there that you don’t seem to know how much he doesn’t wanna fuck up flirting with you.   

 “I don’t know how to!” The cry is muffled but the mortification still bleeds through. The admission startles something out of you. “Holy shit, Nightwing can’t flirt his way out of a paper bag. Oh my god, this is great!” you cackle, falling into the cushions. 

 “I’m trying damn it!”

 “Ok. Ok. Ok.” You breathe. You’re still clutching your still aching stomach. You wish you recorded that confession.  “Ok. Phew. Ok, I need a minute,” you say folding over into the cushions again, another bubble of laughter rising in your throat. This is the best ab workout you’ve had in months. 

 “Take your time,” Dick deadpans, rolling his eyes, color rising in his tanned cheeks. 

 “Ooook, I think I’m good. First, we need to work on your wink.”

 “The hell is wrong with my wink?” A wry smile tugs at the corner of your lips. You make vague hand gestures, hoping somehow you could physically pluck the correct words from the air.  “Just try winking, Ric.” Dick raises his brow but gives in. He winks at you in his usual devilishly charming way. You shake your head. “Wink at me like you’re trying to get my number.”

He stiffens and gives you the most artificial wink you’ve seen outside of a bad 50s flick. You drag your hand over your face. “How come you can wink so naturally while fighting and look like you work at in car sales when you flirt”

 Dick tries again. He ends up closing both his eyes and scrunching his nose- looking like a disgruntled puppy. You squeal and Dick’s eyes fly open. Your mouth works to flatten itself but your mind is still picturing the expression. “What?” he growls. You wave him off. “Sorry. Sorry. Just- just try again. Please.” 

 Dick gives you another stiff wink and you’re surprised to find yourself cringing at your best friend for the first time in your life. You drag your hand over your face. “You look like you’re trying to ask me to prom.”

 “You’ve never even been to a prom!”

 “Who do you think scares off Joey’s dates? Pops?” you snort picking up your beer can and taking a sip.  “Did you miss the absentee father part?”

 You both silently agree to move on. 

 “How the flying fuck did you date both Babs and Kory with your atrocious flirting skills?”

 “I have good pick up lines.”

 “Uh, sure, buddy.”

 “It worked on both of them!”

 “Well, hit me.”

 “Call me Fred Flintstone,”  you wait patiently, “cause I’ll make your bedrock.” Another artificial wink. 

 You blink at him, mind still trying to catch up. “Dick you are the epitome of ‘you’re lucky you’re cute’,” you groan, palm flat against your forehead. 

 “I’m not cute! I’m handsome!” Dick protests, mouth twisting into a pout. A shrill squeal is dying in the back of your throat as you draw a breath. You pinch his cheeks, “you pouting just furthers my point.”

 “Are you just trying to destroy my confidence?” Dick whines, lightly shoving you away. 

 “Oh no, the girl back at the club did that. I am just dancing on your grave.”

 “Give me another wink.”

 Dick fails at winking, again. You cringe openly at him and he scowls at you halfheartedly, more defeated than angry. Dick’s used to being good at things, you supposed. You tap your finger against your chin, trying to unspool a thought and rethread it into words. “Ok, figured out one of your problems.”

“Aside from my terminal dorkiness?”

 “You’re too nervous-”

 “You would be too,” Dick cuts in. 

You snicker, teeth bared in a mocking grin. ”Did you miss the part where I got her number?” Dick refuses to answer. You sigh but you can’t keep the smile off your face. “Let’s start with body language because for a guy with so much muscle control you are shit at this.”

 “You’re just gonna keep being mean,” he moans. 

 “I’ll stop being mean when you sweep me off my feet,” you jab. 

 “Ok, fine, maestro. What do you need me to do?”

  “You’ve got to lean into me and smile coyly,” you say vaguely.  Dick leans in close, your noses touching, his lips ghosting over yours. You can feel his breath hot against your lips. It sends bolts of electricity careening through your nerves. Your brain takes its sweet time catching up, giving your body ample time to soak up the proximity of the almost kiss. You gasp then reign yourself in. “Dickle, that’s- that’s a teensy bit too close,” you laugh awkwardly, hands playfully shoving at his chest. 

 Dick shakes out of his haze. “You said to lean in!” he says leaning into your space again. “Yeah, I did but I never said lean in close enough to eat my face. I can smell the gin in your breath,” you snort airly, pushing at his chest again. 

 Dick sits back, embarrassment creeping into his features. His bottom lip is caught between his teeth as if he’s thinking carefully about his next few words. “I’m just-” Dick puts his head in his hands. “Like you said, I’m too nervous.” 

 You raise a brow. The sound that comes out of you is too sharp and disbelieving to be a laugh. “Pfffft, it’s just me, you dork.”

 That’s the problem, Dick thinks. It’s you. The exasperation bleeds into his features. Dick fidgets, shifting and shaking in his seat like a wet chihuahua. Don’t you know how much he wants to get this right for you?. 

 “Stop twitching! You look like you’re having a seizure.”

 “I’m nervous!!” he says. “Don’t you ever get nervous about a person you like?”

 You side eye him. “I do,” you admit, rubbing your thumb over your tattoo out of habit. Dick’s eyes widen, then narrow. You see the word ‘who’ forming on his lips but his train of thought is cut off by the sound of Yasiri’s tail rattling against your skin as she emerges. Your poor danger noodle is likely frustrated with the lack of progress. You quietly thank her by scratching her chin.  “Whatever made this world just decided that you had to have at least one very obvious flaw,” you say, insincerely patting him on the back.

 “You're enjoying this.”

 “Way more than you think,” you say grinning at him. Dick simply grimaces at you. “You’re not helping me.”

 “Were you really expecting me to help?” You shrug. “Why would I do that?”

 “I’d help you!”

 You level him with a flat look. “No, you wouldn’t. You’d laugh just as hard as I did.” Dick opens his mouth then closes it. He opens it again. You raise your brow at him. “ I- ok yeah. No, I would laugh harder,” he says, giving you a cheeky, lopsided smile. Vindication and something warmer tug your features into a smile.

 “Just… relax and be yourself,” you mock sagely. Dick rests his head on yours. “ I hate you,” he groans, pressing his shoulder into yours. 

  “You’re just thinking about it too much,” you say, pressing back, “just do what’s natural. The more you over try the funnier it is.”

 “Goes back to my problem of being nervous,” he huffs into your hair. You boop his nose. “Goes back to my point about you overthinking things.”

 “I’m not!”

 “Fine.”

 “Fine?”

 “Fine,” you say, reaching back and presenting your danger noodle in your palm, "practice on Yazzy.”

 “You’re not serious?”

 You hold up the clearly unamused snake eye level with Dick. “Go on." Dick gives you a withering look. He exasperates, then looks deep into Yasiri’s black eyes. He opens his mouth and Yasiri flicks her tongue at him. The next few things happen in quick succession. Dick’s body relaxes. His face breaks into a smile that makes your heart flutter. He lets out a bubble of laughter that has you jumping and reaching for your own breath. "I can't!" he gasps. You both dissolve into laughter. 

 “Suit yourself - but prepare to have blue balls," you grin, punching his shoulder, "at least, they'll match your new suit!" you cackle. Dick flushes red.“I - I - you are legally the worst and most unhelpful human being in modern history!”

 Your cackle rises higher even as Dick shoves a pillow in your face. You push it away and wipe the tears away from your eyes. “Just practice on me, go on,” you say, reaching out, “once more." He frowns at you. "Please?”

 Dick closes his eyes. His movements become leisurely the way you've seen him when he's about to do a routine on the trapeze. “Do you have a map?” he says, pushing a strand of hair out of your eyes. The oxygen in your lungs evaporates. Heat spreads from the line of skin Dick’s finger grazed to the rest of your body. You swallow trying not to collapse under the weight of his gaze. You realize he's expecting an answer. "No, why?” you stammer out stupidly. 

  “Because I keep getting lost in your eyes,” he says, eyes glittering in the dim lights of your apartment. Some part of your brain short circuits, fizzing out in sparks and fire, then the rest of your brain follows. The entire structure goes out in a puff of smoke. You're completely frozen. Dick watches you with a furrowed brow, bottom lip caught between your teeth. Apprehension rolls off of him in waves and you can feel your lungs work again. "Exactly! Exactly that!" You squeal in delight. Dick smiles relieved. "I knew you could do it, you magnificent dork. I could kiss you right now!" you say squishing his cheeks and pressing your forehead against his. Dick’s breath catches. There's a hopeful look in his eyes. "Would you?" 

 Something clogs your throat as you pull away. You're pretty sure it's your heart. You force the nervous laughter in your throat into something else. "Need practice with that too, Dickens?" 

 "Dunno," he hedges, eyes holding yours, "you tell me." His hand cups the side of your face. You ease into his touch like a marshmallow dissolving into hot cocoa. "Can I?" he whispers, thumb brushing against your bottom lip. He's being careful with you you realize. Your eyes flutter closed. You can feel your nerves disentangling. They cross and recross so that you're fully aware of your lips. The gap between the two of you is small but it feels so impossibly big. Anticipation, anxiety, and excitement all thicken the spaces between you. You want him. You want this. Is it so wrong? 

 "Yes."

Tag list:  @batarella, @anothertimdrakestan, @lucy-roo, @multifandomgirl-us, @idkmanicantenglish,@birdy-bat-writes,  @boosyboo9206, @americasmarauders , @l-inkage, @arestorationofbalance , @cloudie-skay, @wunderstell   @hyp-oh-critical @glorified-red

[missinghan]

in the eye of heaven ⤖ bang chan

❖ genre : unrequited love; dynasty au; fluffy angst

❖ word count : 7,4k.

❖ warning : mentions of blood, death & violence, no historical accuracy

❖ summary : when heartfelt takes over grief and jealousy, chan is willing to spend a lifetime waiting for you. if only you could do so much as acknowledging the yearning in his eyes.

❖ a/n : this fic’s spin-off with the same mc; set in an alternative universe where she didn’t reject jisung and became his queen.

❖ dedicated to @meiiyue​ : lau, know that i appreciate you more than you think, that you are loved because you’re so incredibly precious. you deserve the world and more! happy birthday queen ♡

one.

“Chan, I’m getting married soon.”

Chan looks away from the report in his hands, faint agony washes over the dark shade of his pupils, and his lips quiver ever so slightly. With a courageous inhale, he stares you down as the scroll in his hands tilt a fraction. Common senses kick him at the back of his head after a brief moment of eye contact. 

He smiles lifelessly, voice tender, “That’s great. Congratulations.” 

Oh good god, those were the most insincere words that have ever been blurted from his lips. And directed at the very person he adores the most too. His fingers clench at the edge of the piece of paper when you huff, inching closer to him. Chan feels his breath mingles in momentary surprise, his face mere inches from your delicate one. 

You really should know the kind of effects you have on his fragile heart. 

“You knew?” Your index finger pokes at his chest in slight annoyance, your brows furrowed. 

He gulps, “What?” Then, his eyes proceed to narrow at you softly upon realizing that you might have run from Jisung’s private palace to here and that you must have been so excited about the news that you’ve forgotten your coat and sword. A gust of wind flies by, tousling your scent into thin air that lingers inside his lungs, suffocating him internally. 

“Jisung told you he was going to propose, didn’t he?” you clarify your point. But Chan is only taking notice of the droplets sticking to your eyelashes, how your nose is a little red, and the area under your eyes is slightly swollen. 

“No, he didn’t,” he shakes his head and contemplates if he should be looking away, uncertain whether his gaze holds pain more than fondness. His hand reaches out to wipe the dampness away from your eyes but freezes midway at the sudden pang in his chest. Then his smile falls with a hidden grimace, arm dropped to the side in sheer defeat. 

You hum with your hands clasped behind your back, allowing him to breathe properly by pulling away. “How did you know then?”

“I just do. I knew it would happen.”

Yes. Indeed. 

Chan always knew it would happen. He’s not a fool after all. 

“Hmm, really? How come?”

Gaze falling back on the boring report in his hands, he quickly comes to realize that his undivided attention has been set elsewhere from the black ink letters and instead on your question. He almost bursts out laughing at it, if he dares to admit. 

How could he not know?

Starting with Jisung—the crown prince, you—an orphan getting adopted by the general and him—the general’s very own son being childhood best friends. Although from an outsiders’ point of view, you and Chan should be nothing but mere, shallow servants to the royal. That didn’t work out because of the oh so lovely Han Jisung. Thus, his plan to distance himself from you at the get-go was also ruined by the aforementioned royal and his father. 

Chan has been training with you for as long as he can remember to take your rightful positions as the protectors of the throne, setting the royal family’s safety as your top priority. Hence, spending an extended amount of time with each other is an easy, inevitable way for your friendship to blossom. Whether it’s him waking you up too early for practice or you getting caught by him for sneaking out late at night. There isn’t a single moment that Chan wasn’t there for you. 

Oh, but then there comes Jisung. 

Adding him to the equation makes Chan’s chest ache, sick dread gnawing at the pit of the stomach. However, he has never any sense of hatred toward the young royal. The prince was born on a starlit night, amid the remaining warmth from summer. Some say it became part of him, who he is. Chan saw that in him too—whenever coldness comes, he’s the warmth. He treats everyone with such grace as if he has all the time in the world for them, as if they really matter. 

Of course, being a youngblood, Chan can’t possibly miss out on his mischievous and playful behavior. Jisung would always get the three of you into trouble. And Chan would always try to save him from his father’s scolding while you’d be taking care of his wounds—resulting from so much climbing and falling. In those moments, he can say that there’s no person who has ever held you in his eyes the way Jisung does. 

The same way that Chan does. 

“I just do,” he cracks a small smile, ruffling your hair and immediately earning himself a smack on the chest. He sets the scroll neatly to the side before slipping off his silk coat. You can only chuckle at his attentive gesture and let him drape the piece of clothing over your shoulders, the sleeves looming over your knuckles. 

“Let’s go inside. This calls for a celebration. Just the three of us.”

You smile back. “Like we’ve always been?” And a swarm of butterflies comes to life inside his stomach. 

“Like we’ve always been.”

two.

Minho is munching on a few lotus seeds, occasionally sipping his tea in a bored manner as he witnesses Chan’s distress unfold right before his eyes. 

The younger’s eyes, wide with amusement and slight confusion as to why his friend is getting so worked up over something that you’ve said, stare the general’s son down in his bedroom. It only appears to Minho as another normal conversation between the two of you—the only difference is that you’re getting married to the crown prince. Chan has not told him, but his well-hidden feelings never go unnoticed to someone as detail-oriented as the royal physician. 

“So…” he swallows the current bite before dragging his words. “Just the three of us. Like we’ve always been?” His voice imitates Chan’s with an underlying tone of mischief.  

Chan pinches the bridge of his nose at that. “Ugh, how could I be so foolish and say that?”

“Ugh?” Minho nearly chokes on his drink, sets down his cup, and squints his eyes funnily at the elder, almost mockingly. “What’s wrong, Chan? Don’t you want the three of you to stay that way?”

“That’s the problem, we can’t stay that way. We can never,” Chan confesses with sorrow. 

“It’s getting cold. Let’s head inside.”

You pull him by the sleeve of his robe. “Oh, Chan. One more thing.”

“Hmm?”

“Will you walk me down the aisle?”

It’s quite possible for him to have stopped listening to Minho’s nagging after that. Your question, just that single sentence on a loop inside the void of his blackout mind. Will you walk me down the aisle? Will you walk me down the aisle? Will you walk me— He forces down a tired breath, face buried in the palms of his hands with heavy dread. 

“Are you certain about this?”

“More than ever.”

How could he possibly reject you when his eyes were focused all on you, head tilted and finding you still so close in a way that he’s afraid he might have forgotten how to breathe? How could he when his pinky instinctively was curled over your own as you made him accept your childish yet innocent, harmless vow? 

“Anything for you then.” 

“Promise?”

How can he ever reject you? 

“Promise.”

“That...and promise me that we won’t change. Not for anything.”

Chan can still feel his lips quiver as the ghost of your words crawls upon his spine like an ugly reminder that his feelings, in fact, have always been unattended for. 

“Promise.”

And that was the first time Chan has ever lied to you. 

three.

“Chan! Are you seriously not going to get ready—“

Minho comes barging into Chan’s room with his voice loud enough to wake the entire west wing of the palace, hand aggressively sliding the paper-lined door open in a not necessarily graceful manner. The general’s son does not bother to answer his friend, preferring to maintain his slouching posture by the window and stares off into the lake surface grazed with dozens of lotuses.  

He watches attentively as a delicate droplet glides down against the blush-colored petal, kisses the lake with poise before disappearing completely and leaving behind the most subtle amount of vibration. 

“Don’t just sit there, you fool,” the younger stops for a moment and proceeds on with his scolding. “You’re getting your robe all wrinkled! The ceremony is starting in another hour!” 

Chan did get ready. If he’s not mistaken, he must have been the earliest one to do so because sleep was out of the question for him last night. Conscience has never let him off the hook these past few days. Because he truly wants to be happy for you, like how a brother should. Because that is all he will ever be to you. A brother, or a childhood friend, or family, even. But when was the last time he’d gone to sleep without thinking about you?

“I don’t really care,” he says honestly with a muffled, sarcastic chuckle. 

“But you’re walking her down the aisle.”

The particular statement draws an immediate reaction from the elder, his head snapping toward his friend and his eyes narrowed down into a glare. “I know that, Minho,” Chan clenches his jaw.  

Minho straightens the fabric of his clothing before making eye contact with him. “Right, and you should know that your undeclared feelings for her must not interfere with one of the happiest moments in her life.”

“Shut it. Those words are giving me a headache.”

“What word? Undeclared feelings for her?”

Oh, Minho just pulled at another nerve right there. 

With a hushed, pained hiss, Chan finally gets off the spot he’s been stubbornly seated on since the break of dawn. The twitching tugging at the tips of his fingers definitely isn’t being helpful. Then, he lets himself fall back onto his bed, drawing a loud grimace from Minho and finally choosing to acknowledge his hatred toward his own feelings. After all, there is nothing wrong with loving someone, but how one loves them. 

“Chan. I understand. You’re in love with her. And she’s in love with Jisung. Not to mention, they’re getting married—“

“Shut-“

“No, you shut up!” Minho spats and shakes his shoulders harshly. “What’s so wrong with your feelings for her that you’re getting to this point of denial? So what if she doesn’t love you back? Are you going to choose the option of keeping on loving her or being a petty coward about it for the rest of your life?”

Lips pressed into a thin line, Chan feels like he’s about to collapse. 

“That’s right. Be speechless and listen to me—“

Little do they know, standing behind the door is you, mouth dry and pupils shaking in hesitation. You’re oddly frustrated when it comes to something as simple as opening the door. Your hand squeezes at the wooden edge, breathing jagged at the thought of facing Chan as though you haven’t known him for your entire life. Reminding yourself that no matter what, Chan is still Chan, that he’ll never change for anything. He promised you, right?

With a deep breath, you slide the door open and peek your head inside. “Look what I got you!” you say, shaking the tiny box in your hands. 

Chan abruptly shoots up from his bed the moment you fully step inside and shuts the door behind you. His heart melts for a fraction of a second, once again because of you, always been because of you. And because of you, the fear for his paradoxical love toward you gnaws at his chest, reminding him that it will never happen and that today is your special day. 

“I thought the bride shouldn’t be running around like this on her big day.” Comes a blunt comment that makes Minho’s expression turn sour. 

“Don’t listen to him. You look beautiful, Y/N,” the physician says with an awkward smirk before excusing himself from the scene. Silence fills up the air like an overflowed cup of wine, gripping at the vessels of your lungs.

You look at Chan, confused for a moment before staring down at yourself, completely oblivious about the wall that’s rapidly built up with his cold, hard feelings and he’s only able to allow himself a blank face. He knows one thing for sure that Chaeryeong—your handmaiden, won’t be the least happy knowing that the future queen of Goryeo is going around freely in her attire for the ceremony. 

Dressed in the finest robes made with the softest of linen and most vibrant dye, delicately lined with gold, embroidered with dragons, phoenixes, flowers and tainted with red for the royal. Your hair is still let down loosely, easily lending Chan the information that you must have sneaked out while getting ready. A waft of your scent creeps up his nostrils when you take small steps toward his table, gingerly placing the tiny box down and opening it for him to see. 

“Are you really going to complain about these?” you smile at him with your still-crystalline eyes. The same eyes that he can drown in the depth of their ocean for an eternity, the peak and end of his suffering all at the same time. He might as well surrender into that canvas full of stars and fall on buckling knees right now if you keep gazing at him that way. 

Upon his unresponsive state, you simply shake your head. “Serves me right for trying to do something nice to you,” you pretend to roll your eyes jokingly, easing the clearly noticeable tension.  

“My favorite childhood candies. You remembered,” Chan swallows the croaked sob that refuses to let loose inside his throat, lips cracking into a small grin. The tiny ray of hope in your orbs dies down like a blown-out candle; his intention is plain and clear—he wants to feel familiar with you again, he just isn’t capable. 

You puff out your cheeks, and if it weren’t for how heavy the air is, Chan would have allowed himself to laugh a bit at how adorable you are. You find yourself less frustrated but rather defeated. You aren’t completely oblivious about how he feels, you just learn how to ignore it until he musters up enough courage to tell you himself. 

You’re starting to doubt the fact that he would tell you anything. He used to, at least. 

“Chan… you do know that I’m always here if you need someone to talk to, right?” you say with tiny steps toward him. 

“Of course,” Chan replies, eyes cast downward so he won’t have to face you. 

You suggest, a hand reaching out to touch his cold one. “So, do you have anything to tell me before Chaeryeong barges in?”

Chan flinches as the warmth of your fingers burns his skin and retracts immediately as though you’ve hurt him. You blink in disbelief. For a moment, anger scratches at the back of your throat and disintegrates the next, leaving you with guilt like a block of cement forcing the air out of your lungs. Because you feel selfish for even letting yourself be angry at him when he’s not in his best mood. 

“No? Okay…” Sucking in a breath, you try to give him a small smile. “You’ll still walk me down the aisle, won’t you?”

“Yeah, I will.” 

You pause by the door before angling your head at him briefly, “I’ve been thinking… There are two things I’ve been wanting to tell you.” 

“Go ahead. I’m all ears and all yours.” He ignores the sudden spike within the rhythm of his heartbeat and tries to suppress the strangled noise lingering between his vocal cords. 

“Thank you.” Fists clenched at his sides, an impulsive statement threatens to spill from his lips at how shaky your voice is. “I’m sorry.”

Perhaps this is better than an inevitable heartbreak resulting from an inevitable rejection. Perhaps he should start learning how to unlove you. 

four. 

It catches Minho off guard when you approach him a few hours after dawn. During this certain period of time, you used to get yourself all huddled up at the East wing, attentively training soldiers with Chan. It is only recently (preferably after the wedding and your coronation) that he stops seeing you both together. 

Scanning the ebony table full of herbs and substances that you have absolutely no knowledge of, your eyes dart around one last time to confirm that no one else is here. With a strong heave of breath, you allow yourself to take a seat across the royal physician, cautious not to knock anything over. 

“Your Highness, my respects,” Minho stands up after a few seconds of processing the fact that you are now the queen of Goryeo. 

He was so used to associating you with armors and blades that his brain finds it weird to see you dressed in such a delicate robe. Something’s changed, though he can’t decipher if it’s good or bad. Your eyes don’t look as lively as they were before, and the effort of putting on a firm front as the queen seems to be draining. 

“Save it, I’m still not used to that,” you clasp your hands together neatly on your lap, fiddling with your fingers anxiously. 

“Fine,” Minho breaks into the usual catlike smile that you’re all too familiar with. “You look...unwell. Are you okay?” 

“No. I needed to ask you something, that’s all,” you shake your head. “I won’t be here for long.”

His expression turns crooked at the crack in your voice. A slight pout adores his lips, already guessing what’s bothering you and trying to come up with stories, or even whites lies to convince you that Chan does not hate you but at the same time not outright telling you that his stupidity is growing because he’s fallen head over heels for you. 

“I’m not busy at the moment, do tell me.” 

“Chan… has he been doing well? I haven’t seen him for weeks. Whenever I do try to meet up, he keeps pushing me away,” you voice sadly. “I know that ever since the wedding… things must have been hard for him. It’s taking a toll on me too. It hurts me to see him like this. He’s never been so out of reach, so.. illegible.” 

You internally cringe at how selfish your words are. But Minho doesn’t take it that way and instead, smiles at you politely, “Chan… has not talked to you during these past few weeks? Despite you both being inside the palace? Not even once?” Only now do you notice that the corners of his lips are twitching, in anger, you dare to assume. 

A small ‘no’ slips from your tired vocal cords. 

Minho wants to scream into the unknown void about how ignorant his friend can be when it comes to love but suppresses the annoyance to the pit of his stomach. He’s in fact trying to console you very delicately. The only problem is his nonchalant look is straight-up sending your paranoia flying off the moon when your emotions are a clustered mess at the moment. You’re not the type to rant but you’re perpetually overwhelmed, letting the agitation get the best of you and ceasing your ability to speak normally. 

“Well, isn’t he going to come hunting later tonight with you and His Majesty? Perhaps you can talk it out with him then?” Minho suggests, making a mental note for himself to whack some common senses into Chan later. 

“I know,” you wave your hands. “It’s just that. I’ve missed him. Very much.” 

The physician is about to reply but his mouth freezes midway when his gaze travels past your shoulders, catching a glimpse of the figure looming over yours, their eyes as cold as ice. 

“Seriously?”

“Chan?” you flinch with a hand flying to your chest in surprise. 

“Your Highness, the reason why we haven’t been able to meet up is that since you’re no longer part of the military regime, the amount of work is doubled up for me,” he says, not looking at you. “Who am I to make the queen of Goryeo do something as disgraceful as training soldiers?” 

“Disgraceful? That was my duty—“

He nods sternly, “Your duty now is to stay by the king’s side.” 

“I’ve always been by his side, and yours too! You know that, Chan,” you stand up in the fraction of a second, your sorrowful eyes trying to find his unresponsive ones. 

“Oh, and forgive me for being blunt but why would you bring this up to Minho? I thought you trusted me?”

“I do trust you.” You ball your fists uncomfortably. 

“Then why did you have to go to him?”

You open your mouth to defend yourself but your lips are sealed shut later, your mind screaming at him that you don’t like how he’s acting toward you. At the same time, it’s telling you that the root of the problem is you. It’s not like he doesn’t have a point, you really can’t blame him for being busy. You’re being nosy when you shouldn’t have. A queen shouldn’t be nosy in the first place. 

“I’m sorry,” you whisper before walking away hurriedly, head hung low in shame. 

In the distance, you can hear Minho yelling at Chan to hold you back. The conflict in his voice only shatters your heart, even more, the shards drawing red on your conscience. You don’t think you know who Chan is anymore. You feel suffocated to be within his presence. 

“You bastard, what were you thinking?” he comments with a brief glare. 

Chan protests dryly, eyes filled with exasperation, “You know nothing about us.” 

Minho grows speechless for half a second before scoffing, “I take that back. What a tremendous idea. This is brilliant. It’s truly brilliant!”

“I know.” 

five.

Jisung knows something was wrong when he couldn’t find you in your shared private palace. You were alone in the garden, cloudy eyes glued to the ground as your reclined figure rested on the rock bench in exhaustion. And when he finally came up to you, you broke down into a cluttered mess of incoherent sobs. It was heart-wrenching, life-threatening even. To him. 

Oh, and Jisung is furious, he is absolutely furious. 

Rain patters thickly against his umbrella, against the tiled roof of the pavilions and the cement of the courtyard. The ashy canvas that hovers all beings gets torn apart when lightning strikes right through it, thunder roaring in the distance. Everything perfectly resembles the hurricane that’s raging inside Chan’s rib cage. 

“Bang Chan!” 

Chan can recognize the voice in an instance. He can even pinpoint exactly why Jisung is here too. His hand which is resting comfortably on his sword loosens, dropping to the side as he contemplates whether he should turn around or ignore him and make a run for it. Talking to Jisung isn’t necessarily helpful for the mess inside his head right now. Not only does he not need to be reminded of you, but he also doesn’t need Jisung to lecture him about his ignorance when Minho already did plenty of times. 

The clouds inside his head aren’t fading away as he would like them to so before he can come up with a reasonable solution, Jisung has already grabbed him by the collar and dragged him under a tiled canopy where no one is around. It’s already late into the night, no one should be around at this hour anyway. The only surprising factor is that Chan makes no effort to pull himself from Jisung’s grip when he’s fully capable. 

“Your Majesty, you know you could have called for me in a less...violent manner,” he gathers himself, dropping the umbrella to smooth out his collar. 

Jisung spats, rage tugging at the nerves on his creased forehead, “And you knew you could have not said those words to her! You knew there was another way to fix things!” 

“I don’t see a point in trying to piece something back together when it’s already broken,” Chan momentarily rolls his eyes, voice filled with spite. 

“If you’re broken, we can help you. But you being broken doesn’t mean you have to break Y/N too,” Jisung says sternly, his words clear and menacingly. 

Chan’s heart involuntarily sinks in a beat. Even the slightest mention of your name makes him weak to his knees, urging him to dig himself a grave and hide in it for the rest of his life. When was the last time he ever spoke your name out loud? 

“I’m doing it so I can protect her! To protect you!” His voice raises into what seems like a growl, slightly getting drowned out by the sudden roar of thunder in the background. 

Jisung fully takes a moment to process his words, the disbelief flashing before his perplexed eyes makes Chan’s heart drop in shame for a mere second. The young king looks genuinely tired and baffled at his protest like he’s having a hard time coming up with an eloquent reply. Mad and defeated and irked. 

“And she loves you,” he smiles at his friend. It’s genuine, it baffles Chan, not surprisingly. 

He shakes his head in denial, “She does not—“

“She loves you very much.” 

“You know that’s not what I meant!”

Through this thick darkness, Jisung can see right through Chan’s useless stone wall and pinpoint exactly why he’s been acting so irrationally. This isn’t about you becoming the queen. You were never the problem in the first place. But he feels bad for Chan at the same time because he finds something familiar about him, something that resonates within himself. 

“I love her too! But I’m afraid! Alright? I’m so stupidly in love with her that I might as well ruin everything for you both.” Everything eventually bursts out of his lips in a rushed confession. Chan can no longer speak after that. He’s never felt more helpless. 

A fang-like ray lights up inside Jisung’s round eyes. He gives Chan a rough shove on the shoulder, breath ragged in pure irritation and cynicism. “Shut it. You know nothing.” 

Chan does just that. He keeps his lips sealed. 

“Don’t pull her into your mess,” With every breath, Jisung consecutively points at his chest with an apologetic wash on his expression. “You’re the problem. Don’t you dare use your love for her as an excuse for your ignorant actions.” 

A weak whisper. “I was hurting. Do you know how much it hurts me?” 

“It’s supposed to hurt. It only hurts when you truly love someone.” 

“It must be nice to have that person love you back then.”

That is the breaking point of Jisung’s patience. At that moment, water finally tips over the cup and overflows, rage getting cuts on Jisung’s edges. He reaches out and strikes a harsh punch. When his fist collides with the flesh on Chan’s cheekbone, he’s sent flying to the ground. The bitter aftertaste makes Chan want to laugh at how pathetic he must have sounded but his jaw is wired shut at the sting from the blow. 

“Don’t ever show up in front of Y/N again,” Jisung snaps before turning on his back and striding away briskly. 

six.

Jisung doesn’t know how to feel as he stands in front of the wooden door of a cabin after almost a year since the incident. Guilt, that might be what it is. Because Chan took his words more seriously than he could ever imagine and chose to lock himself away from you, deep in the forest like a lone wolf. 

Get yourself together, he tells himself, Chan is still your friend. 

“Your Majesty?” Seungmin—his personal guard calls out to him when he’s starting to zone out. 

“I’m alright,” Jisung clears his throat before giving the door a firm series of knocks. Moments that seem like an eternity fly by and eventually, the door swings open. He wants to exhale out of relief when a familiar face comes into view. 

“Minho, I swear—“ Chan freezes midway, taking in Jisung, Seungmin, and a few other guards he easily recognizes from the palace. His expression falls flat, his gaze darkens, and his hand slams the door shut without a word. 

However, it gets stuck. Tonguing the inside of his cheek in annoyance, Chan averts his gaze downward and sees the tip of a leather boot. “Don’t be insufferable. We came for something important,” Seungmin says calmly but his eyes look like they’re about to set Chan on fire if he dares to try him. 

“Fine.” 

They all hear him murmur before letting go of the door, revealing the neat and cozy cabin inside. There’s a single bed, a fireplace, a slightly crooked table, and another door that leads to another room. Jisung sighs, a smile tugging at his lips upon seeing that Chan didn’t let himself go completely. The place is well cleaned, meaning he’s still strict with himself. 

“Why are you here?” 

Seungmin clicks his tongue at his rude remark, itching for his sword but Jisung outstretches an arm to hold him back. He allows himself a few inches away from Chan so he won’t grow uncomfortable before saying, “Yongbok is about to turn a month old. We were hoping you could come.” 

Chan’s dull eyes light up at the mention of your son. He felt so foolish for running away into the woods when your letter arrived at his door a few weeks ago. He couldn’t be there like he used to when you’re the happiest. But does he have the right to be there for you after what he has done? 

“I can’t,” he answers sadly, drumming thoughts clouding his mind as the guards start walking around his cabin mindlessly. 

Jisung takes a step toward him, only for Chan to take another one away from his friend. “No, really, I insist,” he tries to convince him. He’s growing desperate when he sees what’s lying beneath those icy eyes. Chan is still hurting, he has never stopped since their last encounter. “Y/N wants you there with us.” 

“I’m sure she doesn’t.” 

“Chan, please,” Jisung insists further, and something inside Chan’s chest breaks a little more. The tension is hanging midair like a string on the verge of splintering. 

He unknowingly snaps, “Get out.”

“She cares about you!”

“I know that!”

“No, you don’t,” Jisung barks back at and receives a mere glare from his friend. “If you knew, you wouldn’t have been here in the first place.”

Chan elects to ignore his words from now on, “I said, GET OUT!”

“Childe Bang,” Seungmin raises a brow. “Have some respect for the king. He’s taken his own time and effort to come all the way here from the palace. The least you can do is treat him like a friend.” 

One of the guards speaks up suddenly, startling both Chan and Jisung, “Your Majesty. Don’t you think that he’s acting suspicious? If he’s really your and Her Highness’s childhood friend, what harm can be done if he attends the crown prince’s full-month celebration?”

Jisung can’t help but frowns, confused. “What are you implying?” 

“What I’m trying to say is that he shouldn’t be fussing over something like this if he still sees you as a friend. Unless..., he’s hiding something from you?”

Chan chuckles sarcastically, far too tired to be irked at such false accusations, “Oh, and what can that be?”

The cabin feels significantly cooler now. Gaze darting all over the place, something shiny catches Jisung’s attention. His eyes grow alarmed. 

“You and the queen herself may speak of your wrongdoings in court!” 

The young king’s heart thrashes inside his restrictive rib cage as he yells out Chan’s name before his feet take off running toward his friend. Those mere moments are played in slow motion as Jisung grabs Chan by the blades of his shoulders and pulls him away, alternating their initial positions. With a grimace, he braces himself as pain rips through him all at once. He looks down, and with a sigh of defeat, a blade is plunged right through his chest. A weak whimper gushes out of his lips with blood when the weapon is pulled away from his body viciously. 

“Your Majesty!” Seungmin gasps in panic when his lifeless body drops to the ground like a ragged doll. After moments of sheer panic, he gathers himself before commanding, “Tie him down!” 

Chan scrambles to his feet and his senses come back to him, his heart dropping to the pit of his stomach when he feels Jisung’s body limp against his own. “Jisung…?” His eyes grow stingy. 

“Chan, come back to Manwoldae with me.” With the little amount of strength he has left, Jisung smiles, “Do it for Y/N. She’s still...waiting for you...” 

At that, Chan nods like a madman, squeezing his friend’s cold hand as if it’s the only thing that keeps him from going insane. “I will go back with you, just don’t die on me like this! Please!”

Jisung doesn’t reply. 

His hands are sticky with blood. So much blood. So dark, and red, and it reeks of guilt. It’s too much. It’s all too much. It all happened too fast. 

His eyes water, vision blinded with crimson as his gaze rolls around the room and lays still on the slaughter. Fire flickers and sears through his veins, breaths mingling. Chan goes up to the man who is on his knees, his hands bound behind his back tightly. 

“Why did you kill him?! Did you know who you’ve just killed?! Why did you kill Han Jisung?!” 

He reaches for his neck and squeezes, threatening to crush his windpipe completely. The culprit isn’t able to answer when Chan cries out, choking on air as he desperately claws at his hands for some sort of relief. With every heaved breath, his grip ruthlessly grows a fraction tighter. 

“Now that you’ve killed him… What is Y/N supposed to do?!”

“What is their son supposed to do?!” 

“What am I supposed to do?!” 

Seungmin places a gentle hand on his shoulder. “That’s enough,” he speaks. The guard is as shocked as Chan either way. His head is all over the place right now, he didn’t expect someone to send a spy their way like this. “It’s done. You’ve killed him. You can stop now.” 

Chan inhales sharply before removing his grip. The slaughter falls to the ground in an awkward position. Dead. He turns his head toward Jisung instead, an urge to tear his own heart out of his chest is scratching against his eardrums. His friend’s blood is still turning cold on his cheeks, leaving a bitter taste with the droplets that are about to burst from his eyes. It burns, it hurts so bad. Chan might as well run his sword through himself already because how can he possibly face you after this? 

He stumbles over, falls to his knees, and lets his tears fall freely. The laughter of self-mockery ripples through his muscles, shakes his body, and resonates inside his skull. Jisung is dead. But why does he feel so demised inside? 

Can someone tell me what I should do now... Please… what should I do?

seven.

Several hours later, Seungmin kneels outside your private palace, suppressing his features from being contorted in pain as Chan’s cries of agony pierce right through him. A deserving price and punishment await the culprit for they have committed the most unforgivable of sins—murdering the king and queen of Goryeo. 

Behind the paper-lined door, Chan is caressing your cheekbone softly in hopes of you waking up and looking at him once again. You can’t. Shaking relentlessly, his hands scarlet and sticky with the blood of the two people he cares about most. There comes the exquisite pain of loss that kills him in a way nothing else can. Like his heart has been pulled from his body yet it’s still beating at the same time. Yet it is proof that he’s hurting, the proof for his love, is it not?

Jisung, it hurts. It hurts so much… Why does it have to hurt so bad?

It’s supposed to hurt. 

The tears have stopped for long. But your blood flows thickly over his fingers, cold. You must have gone some time ago. None of this would have happened if he could just push his prideful ego aside and listen to Jisung. None of this would have happened if he was selfless enough to let you go if he loved you enough to let you be happy. 

If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, what you want will be the sacrifice, they say. 

The room is dark, reeks of bloodshed and torment. With the soft candlelight flickering, the allure is cradling Chan in its stiff, emotionless arms. 

In loss, the seven stages of grief come as a road full of shards that can only travel upon bare soles and never leave your guts. So Chan lets the pain consume him before it becomes poisonous. In quiet moments, it chokes the breath from his body and makes his mind go haywire. What was once whole is now shattered without mercy, where once was love is an emptiness, echoes a love he used to put everything into. With time, the edges of the shards get duller and he eventually finds some sort of relief. 

“Didn’t you say that you wanted me here? At least… look at me. I’m right here… can you not look at me..?”

Silence. 

You’ve gone too far into the mist of the tallest mountains to come back to him now, deep into the horizons, above the clouds of the canvas that drapes itself over all beings. He would sell his soul to the most feral demons within the nine tiers of the ruinous abyss if it could bring back the warmth of your cheeks. But no elixir can bring back the sweetness of your smile, the innocence in your eyes, or the sound of your laughter. Not even a favor from the gods above can possibly turn back time and give Chan a second chance to redeem himself.

He was waiting far too long for his inner turmoil to fade away that he’s utterly oblivious about your own storm. It’s funny how you both can easily do the same thing. Meanwhile, you’re waiting for Chan to come back, to ask for your help, he’s only focusing on his own pain. 

“You’ve been waiting for me this whole time,” he murmurs into your hair lifelessly. “How could I be so foolish? Why can’t I just give up on my damned pride for once and listen to Jisung?” 

Despair numbs his spine, bloodshot eyes staring off into space as he gently rocks you back and forth. His body shudders unknowingly, like crimson is dripping from his innards, every breath being knocked right out of his chest ruthlessly. “I never knew...if I was doing the right thing. You said you would always be there for me, yet I wasn’t there when you needed me the most. I never cared!”

“Jisung was right, I never knew how much you cared. I never knew about your suffering or your pain. I never asked if you were happy that we’d turned out this way.” 

One last tear silently rolls down on his face, for he—someone who cared so little is undeserving of your love. Because of him, no one gets the happiness that they deserve. 

At the end of the day, the real slaughter is him. The most tainted soul of all belongs to him. The greatest sinner at the end of the line is him. Forever will Chan be trapped in the moment of having his hands stained with your blood. The scars he’s embedded in himself shall not go away until the end of this lifetime. And a day shall not pass in vain if his heart does not ache for you and Jisung. 

Chan hopes that the sky is pretty and full of stars, wherever you two are right now. 

eight.

“Mother...,” Yongbok picks up a doll, giggling to himself before averting his gaze to the other one in his hand. “Father...” 

His shoulders slump with a familiar weight, sadness washing over the pureness of his eyes. “...and Yongbokie.” 

People often ask him how it feels to be an orphan. Truth is, he does not know. He only ever wanted to ask them what it feels like to have a family. 

With a huff of annoyance, the young prince tosses his doll away. His murmurs go unnoticed even to himself when he buries his face into his knees, blinking back the wetness upon his lashes. Oh, how he yearns the nagging of a father and the gentleness of a mother that his peers often take for granted. 

His head perks up the moment he feels another presence beside him. 

“...who are you?”

That’s when he sees, with his starry eyes, a figure taking their seat with him, right in front of his dead parents’ portrait. 

The wind caresses water delicately, leaves rustling like hushed whispers in awe of the precious crown prince. The stranger freezes momentarily before him, utterly awestruck. It’s been almost ten years since he’s come back to Manwoldae. Yongbok has grown into his features more now. From the still-crystalline eyes that he adores the most, to the cute button nose and chubby cheeks. He’s beautiful. 

You grew up so fast. His heart clenches. 

“Hmm, me?” Chan rubs his chin in a playful manner. “I’m your uncle.”

Yongbok’s face lights up at that. “Uncle?” 

A breathless chuckle. “That’s uncle Chan for you, Your Highness.”

“Uncle Chan,” the young prince calls out to him, making his heart dance. “Have you ever met my parents before?”

At this very moment, Chan knows he wouldn’t want to let this bundle of joy into the cruel world out there. His innocence reminds him of affection and bond, things that the callousness in his heart has long abandoned. He’s as vulnerable as a single snowflake, one wrong touch and he might just disappear forever. If Chan allows this little ray of light to venture into his pitch-black night, he might as well detest his very own existence. 

“Of course, I have.”

“You have?”

“Yes.”

“They told me that… my mother was a bad person,” Yongbok shifts his gaze downward, teary-eyed. 

Chan only shakes his head, a gentle hand ruffling his soft locks of hair. “Yongbok, ignore them,” he says. “Your mother was strong and very kind-hearted.” 

“And my father?”

The smile on Yongbok’s face doesn’t last long before a small pout forms on his lips. He looks discouraged. As though he’s been keeping a lot of things to himself without any condolences from others. Because no one feels like they have the right to empathize with the crown prince of Goryeo about his parents’ tragic death. But if Chan is holding the entire world in one hand and him in the other, he won’t waste a single heartbeat to take him. 

“Uncle, are you okay?” Yongbok’s small voice snaps him out of it. 

“Huh, what-“

Chan flinches slightly when his nephew rises to his feet, reaches up, and attempts to messily wipe his cheeks with his tiny hand. Hot tears have been trickling down his face unknowingly, his lashes heavy with droplets. He wants to slap himself back to reality—he shouldn’t be crying, he can’t cry in front of Yongbok. Not because Chan wants to protect the innocent glint within his eyes, but because he’s the only one who needs to go through this agony. 

With a long inhale, he pulls himself away from his nephew’s clumsy grip. Both hands on his shoulders, Chan wipes his tears with the back of his hands before pulling the young prince into his arms. 

“...your father loved your mother, very much so.”

Jisung did love you. More than Chan ever could.

[thearvariblues]

A Valentine’s Day Non-Date (AKA Lambert Was Fucking Right)

Because it’s Valentine’s Day and even though I definitely don’t celebrate it, I still got this funny little idea that simply refused to go away until I write it down. So... Yeah. Enjoy the Witcher boys and their Valentine’s Day non-date!

*

“It’s just… So unfair!” Jaskier whines, downing his glass of wine and holding it out to be refilled.

“Yeah, I know. I know,” Geralt murmurs, turns the bottle upside down and frowns confusedly when only a drop falls out. “Fuck. Are we out again?”

“Looks like it,” Jaskier nods solemnly. “Ugh, it���s probably for the best. I think I’m a little drunk, Geralt.”

“No shit,” Geralt chuckles.

“You don’t understand. I’m just… I’m a very romantic person, you know?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it romantic–”

“But I am! And it’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow and I’m not gonna have a date for the first time in years!”

“Good. Valentine’s Day is bullshit, anyway,” Geralt mutters. “That’s your biggest problem?”

“Is it not enough?!”

“Boo fucking hoo. Look at me. I’m single too, you know?”

“Trust me, I know.”

“Good. Because I am! I’m almost forty, I got a divorce last year, and I’m so fucking broke I can’t even get my own apartment and have to have a thirty-year-old–”

“Excuse me? I’m twenty-nine, you asshole, I’m nowhere near being a coffin dodger like you, thank you very much!”

“Yeah, whatever. When’s your birthday again? I’ll buy you a cane.”

“See? I’m single and old! I’ll spend the rest of my life all alone, die alone and then I’m gonna be eaten by my cats.”

“You don’t have a cat.”

“I will. Because I’m gonna turn into a little old cat lady!”

“I wouldn’t worry about it, because I won’t be able to afford an apartment on my own anytime soon,” Geralt laughs. “I’m just gonna keep living with a twenty-nine-year-old roommate who plays in a semi-famous local band, fucks everything that moves, steals my gaming laptop to play Sims and serenades my ass when he’s bored.”

“It’s a gorgeous ass,” Jaskier smiles dreamily. “So perfectly round and firm…”

“Oh, fuck off, Jask,” Geralt chuckles.

“You know what we should do tomorrow?” Jaskier frowns, thinking. “We should go on a non-date together!”

“Non-what?”

“Non-date! Like a date, but like… as friends. Because we are. Friends.”

“You wanna go on a date that’s not a date… On Valentine’s Day.”

“You said it was bullshit, didn’t you? So what’s a bigger fuck you to the day than going for a friendly dinner with your roommate slash friend?”

Geralt sighs, closing his eyes. The world is beginning to spin a little.

“Just for the record, if I refuse to go,” he mutters, “are you gonna spend the whole evening drinking, crying, listening to terrible pop love songs and, well, being all miserable?”

“Probably, yeah.”

“Oh, whatever. I’m in.”

Geralt opens is eyes just in time to see Jaskier grinning at him.

“Are you? Oh, Geralt! I promise it’s gonna be the best non-date you’ve ever been on!”

And then Jaskier wraps his arms around Geralt and kisses him on the cheek and Geralt knows he’s just made a horrible mistake.

*

“You,” Lambert says when he finally stops laughing, “are a fucking idiot, Wolf.”

“I know,” Geralt sighs, hiding his face in his hands. “It’s a horrible idea.”

“What, to go on a date–”

“A non-date.”

“Even worse. To go on a non-date with a roommate you’ve been madly in love with for the past eight months, on a fucking Valentine’s, knowing he’s not even gonna fuck you when you get back home – because, let’s face it, getting laid is the reason why people really go to those pretentious dinners… That’s incredibly stupid even for you!”

“You’re right. I’ll just cancel it.”

“What? Why?”

“Because it’s stupid!”

“It is, but you can’t do that to poor Jaskier, can you? And who knows, maybe you will get laid in the end.”

“That’s bullshit, Lambert,” Geralt sighs.

“Is it? I don’t know. He likes sex, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, but he’s my roommate, for fuck’s sake!” Geralt shakes his head. “What about you? How are you spending Valentine’s Day?”

“Oh, we’re gonna stay at home. Aiden’s bought a new strap and he refuses to show me, so there’s no way in hell I’m gonna wait for a whole fucking dinner.”

“Patience is a virtue, you know?” Geralt chuckles just as Lambert’s boyfriend places two cups of coffee on the coffee table in front of them. “Thanks, Aiden.”

“You’re welcome,” Aiden smiles. “And don’t listen to the asshole. He’s the one who started it. He said he bought me something special for Valentine’s Day and then he refused to tell me what it was. This is just a little revenge.”

“What did you buy?” Geralt asks, turning to Lambert.

“An engagement ring,” Lambert shrugs, smiling.

“See?” Aiden smirks. “Every time I ask him, he just thinks of another stupid thing he could give me. I’ve heard like fifty of those already, from lace lingerie to a puppy. This one’s probably the best yet, though. As if you’d ever propose, you bitch.”

He slaps Lambert on the head playfully and returns to the kitchen.

Geralt raises an eyebrow questioningly and taps his left ring finger.

Lambert smiles and nods.

For real? Geralt mouths silently.

Lambert just nods again.

“Well, fuck,” Geralt chuckles.

“Yeah, well. At least one of us is gonna get laid tonight, right?” Lambert laughs.

“What are you wearing, anyway?” Aiden asks, coming back with his own cup of coffee.

“Oh, you know, the usual. It’s not a date, remember?” Geralt shrugs.

“So, black jeans, black shirt, that wolf medallion of yours… Poor Jaskier,” Aiden nods.

“More like poor me,” Geralt sighs. “I don’t even want to know what he is going to wear…”

*

The answer is purple jeans, white shirt, a dark grey waistcoat, an excessive amount of silver rings… and dark red lipstick.

Geralt nearly faints when he sees Jaskier for the first time, and then every single time he looks at him.

Jaskier looks simply beautiful, more beautiful than Geralt has ever seen him, and Geralt simply cannot take it. It wasn’t just a stupid idea, it was a completely idiotic idea, and the only thing that keeps him from running away is the fact that he’s doing it to keep Jaskier from being sad.

He’s near oblivious to everything that happens during the dinner except the parts which directly involve Jaskier. That’s why he, when asked later, has no idea what he was even eating but can easily describe the way a stray drop of red wine stained Jaskier’s lower lip.

No matter what he tries to tell himself, it’s not a dinner between two friends – at least for him it isn’t. It’s a date. The only date he will ever have with Jaskier, probably.

And perhaps that’s the reason why, when the door of their apartment closes behind them and Jaskier smiles at him and thanks him for the dinner and says that it was the loveliest evening he’s had in months, Geralt does the one unthinkable thing he just can’t stop thinking of – he grabs the back of Jaskier neck to bring him closer and then simply kisses him.

He feels Jaskier hesitate and he’s nearly sure he’s royally fucked up just now, but then Jaskier sighs and wraps his arms around Geralt and kisses him back…

And that’s the point when Geralt stops thinking at all.

*

“Well, that was… unexpected,” Jaskier chuckles into Geralt’s hair.

“Mhm,” Geralt smiles and snuggles up closer to him. He feels light-headed, perfectly fucked out, content… happy.

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to do this?” Jaskier continues, his fingers drawing lazy circles on Geralt’s skin. “Melitele’s tits, it was even better than I imagined.”

That makes Geralt lift his head and look into Jaskier’s eyes.

“You imagined it?” he asks.

“You really have no idea how hot you are, do you?” Jaskier laughs. “Oh, Geralt. The serenades to your ass were no joke. I just never thought you’d be interested.”

“Interested? Jaskier, I’ve been in love with you since… Fuck,” Geralt whines and buries his head in Jaskier’s shoulder. “Forget I said that. Please, forget I said that.”

“Never,” Jaskier says, wrapping his arms around Geralt. “I love you too, you big moron.”

“Oh.”

“Oh, indeed,” Jaskier murmurs as Geralt lifts his head again.

“So…” Geralt says, licking his lips. “I guess it’s safe to say the non-date didn’t go very well, did it?”

“Quite the opposite, dear heart,” Jaskier grins. “I’d say it went splendidly.”

“I thought the point of a non-date was to have a nice dinner and stay… friends.”

“But you are still my friend, Geralt. My best friend,” Jaskier smiles and runs his fingers through Geralt’s white hair. “You just happen to be my lover now, too.”

“Does that mean you’re gonna be serenading me much more often from now on?”

“Absolutely.”

Geralt chuckles, pressing his lips against Jaskier’s.

“All right. I guess I can live with that…”

[smellss]

the matchmaker - zuko x reader

gif credit: @iwaois

request: @kristingirl14

“hi can i please request a zuko x reader where kiyi plays matchmaker for zuko and the reader who both have crushes on another and hilarity and cuteness ensures”

hi all!

hope everyone is doing well, another zuko x reader this time with kiyi! i really like kiyi in the comics and in @mystic-kitten-writer’s zuko x oc fic Limerence so i hope i do her justice in this oneshot, keep requesting!

- smells x

the morning breeze blew through y/n’s hair, the girl gazed out her window the warm sun shining onto her skin brought a smile onto her face as she looked down over the fire nation.

people of all nations walked through the streets interacting with each other, the sound of shop keepers shouting out there latest product for purchase and the music being played by people on the street made y/n smile.

whilst she scanned the streets just people watching her eyes fell upon one couple they were walking together holding hands, the girl seemed to be telling a story whilst the boy was watching her as if she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

I wish someone would look at me like that, well really only one person

y/n sighed a pout forming on her face as she thought about her latest problem, zuko.

y/n had been living at the palace for the past 5 years and has watched the fire lord grown up, turning from that hot headed boy she used to tease into a level head and compassionate man who she now called her best friend.

a best friend who can make me blush if he looks at me a certain way. stop it y/n. honestly imagine if he found out how you were thinking about him

continuing to zone out y/n didn’t hear the small knocks on her bedroom door or the small patter of feet quickly running towards her

“Y/N!” a small pair of arms threw themselves around her hips causing y/n to loose her balance a little bit

“kiyi spirits you gave me a bit of a fright, what do i owe the pleasure of a visit from you honey” y/n laughed at the overly excitable young girl who was practically bouncing on the spot

“well mummy said that i can have the rest of the day off from um royal duties, so do you want to have lunch with me and the turtle ducks!” kiyi practically squealed out without taking a breath, her big eyes looking hopefully up to the girl

“well of course i would love to,but first let me change okay you can sit on my bed i’ll be super quick” y/n smiled pointing kiyi to the bed as she went to change, the young scrambling up onto the bed looking all around y/n’s room before getting an idea

“oh y/n can you pretty pwease wear that super nice dress that makes you look like a princess” kiyi exclaimed bouncing on the bed excitedly

“of course honey but why that dress?” y/n laughed at the young girls antics

“zuzu said it to me that you looked like a princess when you wore the dress last time” kiyi giggled out “he had a hugeee smile on his face when he said it too i think he has a crush on you, do you like zuzu y/n?”

y/n’s walked over to the mirror to grab her brush trying to hide her extremely red cheeks and obvious fluster from kiyi

“awww y/n you look red like your dress, it’s okay i won’t tell zuzu i pinky promise” the little girl ran over sticking out her little finger to y/n

y/n shook her head and let out a nervous laugh kneeling down to kiyi wrapping her pinky around the girls then taking holding her hand and standing up

“okay let’s go to the garden’s, we can walk past the kitchen and get our lunch as well?” y/n smiled thinking if she moved past the conversation quickly enough kiyi would forget all about it

“yes yes but on the way can we drop something to zuzu?” kiyi said giving her bets puppy dog eyes and face

“yes i’m sure he would love a visit from you” y/n exclaimed heels clicking on the ground and her heart racing at the mention of her best friend

once the girls had collected there lunch, they stopped at zuko’s office the two guards that stood out the front greeted them with smiles as kiyi pulled the small card out of her pocket

“can you pwease give this to zuz- i mean fire lord zuko?” the small girl said looking at the guards

“of course” the guard nodded shooting her a friendly smiled

“thank you, oh tell him it’s urgent” kiyi said showing her toothy smile before running back to hold y/n’s hand, the girls both waved to the men before walking to the gardens

zuko sighed looking down at all of his paper work, signing them aimlessly placing them in all different kinds of piles his stomach rumbling for about the tenth time

spirits i hate paper work i wonder what’s for lunch

a knock signalled his guards where entering, the two men walking in standing in front of his desk

“fire lord zuko a message from princess kiyi she said it was urgent” the man bowed trying to hold in a smile

“thank you” zuko nodded taking the little card, the men walking out and resuming there posts

zuko looked down at the colourful card seeing pictures of turtle ducks drawn all over the front with little love hearts and in attempted cursive the word “zuzu” was written

zuko shook his head at the nickname his sister had made for him before opening the colorful card

hi zuzu!

pwease come and have lunch with me y/n and the turtle ducks

p.s i made y/n wear the dress you thought looked pretty on her

kiyi

zuko skimmed over the letter carefully trying to decipher kiyi squiggly hand writing, smiling to himself at the invite from his sister until he read the last sentence

“fuck, spirits kiyi what did you do” the fire lord muttered sucking in air as he read the last sentence over again

great zuko way to be smooth tell your little sister she won’t tell anyone about your feelings for your best friend

zuko placed his head in his hands shaking it back and forth, thinking about what he can do to fix this

you know what i am going to have lunch with them and act like everything is normal

the fire lord stood from his desk and walked out the door towards the gardens acting like nothing was wrong

“honey you have to eat first then we can feed the turtle ducks okay” y/n laughed out rolling her eyes at the girl who was now ankle deep in the turtle duck pond throwing small crumbs to the fluffy creatures

“okay but shouldn’t we wait for zuzu” kiyi exclaimed to y/n titling her head at the girl before her smiled widen and she began to sprint

“zuzu you got my letter!” kiyi squealed jumping into her brothers arms, zuko catching her with ease spun her around before placing her down on the ground

“well how could i deny my to favourite girls lunch especially with that beautiful card” zuko exclaimed to kiyi while giving y/n a wink causing her to roll her eyes and stick out her tongue

the group sat down basking in the warm sun and eating until there stomachs were full, the turtle ducks cautiously coming closer to inspect the group as they discussed there day

“so then i finished my um royal lesson and i went to get y/n and doesn’t she look so pretty in her dress zuzu? i told her to wear because i know you like it” kiyi giggled sitting in between the two now flustered adults

“yes she does look very pretty” zuko smirked drinking in y/n’s appearance making the girl’s face dust with blush as she turned her head towards the pond attempting to not make eye contact with zuko

“kiyi look the turtle ducks look hungry why don’t we feed them” y/n smiled to the young girl handing her the turtle duck food before walking over to the pond with kiyi, zuko trailing behind trying to hold in his fluster

“aww y/n look at the turtle duck mummy and daddy they look just like you and zuzu” kiyi squeaked throwing the two creatures a generous amount of bread before zuko and y/n trying to avoid eye contact there faces getting more flustered by the second

“ why aren’t you guys a couple zuzu likes y/n and y/n likes zuzu i don’t see the problem” kiyi states looking at the two adults who’s jaws where practically on the floor from shock

“kiyi um why don’t um why don’t you go get some fruit tarts from the kitchen?” zuko smiled at the young girl kneeling down towards her to give her a wink

“okay be back in a second” kiyi exclamied skipping off to the kitchen unknown to the mess she had just made

the pair looked at each other, then away, then looked again and then away until y/n finally talked

“so um this is incredibly awkward” y/n said out crossing her arms trying to advert eye contact

“yeah definitely” zuko chuckled scratching behind his neck

“you know what zuko i’m just going to say it yes i have feelings for you and i probably should have told you and not kiyi but i did and i’m sorry but i didn’t want to ruin our friendship but i really like you a lot zuko and i um-” zuko’s lips shut off y/n’s rambling his hands cradled her jaw, raising it up mere inches to meet his.

his soft lips slotted against y/n’s before any other syllables slipped past her lips. after the initial shock wore off, the girls fingers curled around his wrists attempting to bring the fire lord closer to her.

as there lips unlocked there foreheads rested together, chests heaving from the lack of oxygen

“i guess that means you like me back” y/n chuckled out looking into the fire lord’s warm brown eyes

“definitely love, definitely” zuko smirked craning his neck to kiss y/n once more but interrupted by a very high pitch squeal erupting from behind them

“oh spirits my plan worked now you can get married and have babies oooh yay” kiyi squealed running over to hug y/n and zuko, the turtle ducks quacking happily in the background as the sun shone down on the happy little family.

[gladerwolfstarkimagines]

Zuko x female reader series: Part Four

You wake up to the aftermath of your actions and have some decisions to make but it turns out you don’t know Zuko as well as you thought you did.

Part One here

Part Two here

Part Three here

Part Five here

Part Six here

Tagged: @creation-magician​ @kaylove12​ @taeeemin​

Your POV

You woke up in the middle of the night darkness covering your room and what had happened came rushing back vividly. How your talk with Zuko progressed to a kiss, to several kisses to him now lying asleep on the pillow beside you, his bare skin glowing in the dim fire light. He had an arm draped around your waist still and you felt happy at how it felt but also scared. What had you done? You and Zuko had broken past any friendship barriers, there was no going back to normal after this. That thought hurt more than anything, losing Zuko’s friendship scared you to the core and made you think back on how you’d first become friends. 

You were six years old and had been brought into the palace to see if you had potential to be one of Princess Azula’s friends. You were older than Azula by two years but all noble born girls around her age were being brought in and as your parents were friends with Ozai you were one of the first. Ursa and Ozai were actually present too not that you noticed or cared. You were too busy playing in the gardens, Azula already had Ty lee by then and they played together nearby but you didn’t seem to care, the instructions your parents had drilled into you gone from your mind the minute you’d seen toys. So you were crouched playing in the grass when someone crashed into you sending your toy flying. You turned around furious and pushed the culprit hard "you knocked my toy!" you shouted. The boy, Zuko, glared at you for pushing him and went to push you back “did not!” he argued. You fought briefly shoving and hitting each other before you barreled Zuko onto the floor with a hard push and brief kick. Zuko gasped from the floor, it had hurt when you pushed him over and he was in shock. Ursa and Ozai had also gasped when you pushed Zuko over and both were not pleased. Ursa was furious someone had dared touch her precious son and Ozai was embarassed how easy you’d beaten Zuko in a fight. Both were angry watching how this would progress and you parents swallowed hoping somehow you’d turn this around, that you’d realise your mistake, apologise to Zuko and help him up. Instead you  glared down at him in the dirt, daring him to make the next move. "It’s not like I meant to!" Zuko muttered but his expression didn’t change. "Well you still did so you should say sorry" you replied matter-of-factly. Zuko stood up dusting mud off his arms "sorry" he said sarcastically and you rolled your eyes "stupid boy" and turned away. Zuko went to walk away but stopped watching how unbothered by him you were. Part of him was angry, none of the other kids had ever yelled at him, they all treated him like...well a prince but you’d pushed him over and embarassed him in front of all his family without a second thought. That part intrigued Zuko, who were you to not care who he was? Zuko claimed that was the reason he asked to play with you that day, because you’d dared to treat him like a normal kid and not a royal. "What are you playing?" Zuko asked edging closer and you looked at him over your shoulder "ball". "Can i play?" Zuko asked carefully as if you’d hit him again. You shrugged unbothered, back then your temper was shortlived, and Zuko joined you. Your parents watched confused as you bonded with the wrong sibling but soon you and Zuko were lost in your own world together, screaming and shrieking as you chased one another, both laughing and smiling, something fire nation children didn’t do often. When you had to go home Zuko ran to his parents to ask if you could come and play again and that was it. Ozai wasn’t too keen you being a girl but Ursa would do anything if Zuko wanted it and so you were brought back the very next day and from then the two of you were inseparable.

You smiled at the memory but it was a sad smile. Not only may you have wrecked everything with Zuko you’d also done something horrible to Mai, just the thought of her you made you feel guilty. Zuko had cheated on her with you. All the times you’d told Mai you weren’t a threat, all the effort you’d gone into befriending her was wasted as you’d gone and slept with Zuko. She didn’t deserve that and your and Zuko’s discovery of mutual affection didn’t justify what you’d done. Zuko shifted in his sleep and his arm around you tightened. "Y/n?" he asked noticing you were awake "you okay?". You nodded staying silent and felt Zuko tense. "Are you sure?" he asked retracting his arm "you’re not regretting this are you?". You heard the worry in Zuko’s voice and shook your head "no...yes...i don’t know" you sighed. Zuko was silent before touching your arm softly "then tell me". You sighed flopping onto your back "we cheated zuko! You cheated of Mai with me! We did that! Mai doesn’t deserve that but we did it to her!". "I know" Zuko said frowning and you carried on "and i know that but still i’m glad it happened" you sighed "and that makes me so angry at myself! How many times did i deny i liked you, told Azula there was nothing wrong with our closeness, acted as if i would never do this and i just did". Zuko frowned "y/n you didn’t know how you felt when you told her all that, you couldn’t have known this would happen, we just got lost in the moment that’s all, we didn’t mean to hurt Mai and i’ll talk to her about it". "You will?" you asked and Zuko nodded "I will, i’ll do the right thing and call it off with her I promise, but last night...y/n last night was the greatest night of my life" he blushed "being with you felt..." he trailed off and you blushed too. You felt that way too. "I know" you told him resting a hand against his face and stroking his burnt cheek. Zuko leant into your hand and kissed it. "I want this" he sighed "i want this with you" he told you "i want you" he told you and you felt the hairs on your arms stand up. "I want you too" you agreed and Zuko leant back in to kiss you. You let him but when it moved onto something more you stopped him. "Zuko" you breathed pushing his chest "no, not until you’ve told Mai, otherwise this isn’t okay". Zuko frowned but nodded "you're right, I have to do the right thing by her and you". You nodded as Zuko moved away from you "i should go then" Zuko told you "so i’m not tempted". You blushed and Zuko smirked "i’ll tell Mai today y/n". You smiled "that’s the right thing to do". "And aften i have?" Zuko asked looking at you suggestively and you smirked knowing what was on his mind. "Not straight after but maybe a week or so after, you know a respecful amount of time and even then we’ll keep it just between us at first but yeah...we'll carry on what we started here" you smiled. Zuko sighed as he finished getting dressed but nodded "okay". He lingered just looking at you before he turned away with great force “I’ll find you once i’ve done it”. You nodded “good luck?”. Zuko smiled staring at you, taking every detail of you in once more before leaving.

You couldn’t sleep after Zuko left. You tried but every time you closed your eyes you’d picture last night with Zuko...everything he did, everything you did, everything you both did and you couldn’t relax. So you decided to just get up and were grateful when finally the morning came. You got on with your day managing to not give away what you’d just done with Zuko and got ready for an evening ball, some show of Ozai’s force before the upcoming eclipse. Zuko hadn’t come to find you all day so you assumed he hadn’t got a chance to tell Mai, or so you thought. On your way into the ballroom someone grabbed your arm and tugged you into side room. When you saw it was Zuko you looked at him expectantly "did you tell her?". Zuko shook his head "actually...my father spoke to me first". You’d almost completely forgotten about Ozai’s announcement to you. You tensed figuring he’d told Zuko you were engaged and waited for Zuko to ask why you didn’t tell him but he didn’t. "Don’t get mad!" he cried and you frowned "what?". "My dad’s asked me to stick with Mai for a while longer". You frowned still confused "what?". "He somehow knew I wanted to break up with her because he came to me this morning and told me I needed to stay with her for now until he closes a deal with her uncle, so not to make any announcements until then". You swallowed at how close Zuko had come to the real meaning behind Ozai’s words. You were so shocked at how you’d managed not to get exposed you just nodded “okay”. "Okay?" Zuko asked shocked and you shook your head "well obviously it’s not okay, using Mai like that, but we'll talk about it later". Zuko nodded and watched you leave the room.

All through the ball Zuko stood beside Mai making you tense and jealous which you knew was ridiculous. You believed Zuko when he said he wanted you, plus you knew Ozai wanted you two to marry, that was a lot of security for any new relationship. Plus Mai and Zuko were the ones actually dating! You were literally the one invading their relationship but still it made you wary, just watching them interact. You wanted Zuko to tell Mai so you and him could start being you, you hated this feeling, it felt so underhanded. Ty lee appeared beside you "what you looking at?" she asked and you snatched your eyes away from Zuko and Mai but she saw. "Ow.." she trailed off "are you okay?". "I’m fine" you snapped and Ty lee raised an eyebrow "really because you looked jealous". You glared and Ty lee shrugged "what i’m just being honest, i’ve never seen you like that especially at Zuko and Mai but that’s what you looked like...y/n you’ve been off all night has something developed?". You looked around and Ty lee noticed "y/n i won’t tell anyone". You raised an eyebrow "why not? If i was you i’d be loyal to Mai and Azula". Ty lee shrugged "i am loyal to them but i’m also my own person...plus you know we’re friends too right?". You frowned in response and Ty lee laughed "ouch!". "No i’m sorry" you sighed "i just always figured you were Azula’s and Mai’s friend never mine, you’re closer to them". Ty lee shrugged "so, i can have more than two friends". You nodded "i suppose" and Ty lee smiled "good, so what’s up with you and Zuko". "Nothing" you swallowed "just him and Mai seem closer". Ty lee nodded "yeah the trip helped...atleast i think". "What do you mean?". "Well they argued...a lot but then Mai disappeared to his room on the final night and in the morning they seemed fine". "Wait, wait, did Mai and Zuko...Mai was gone the whole night?". Ty lee looked down awkwardly but nodded "yeah...i couldn’t help but notice because we shared a room". You bit your lip, not even 24 hours later you and Zuko....

"Was it the first time she and him...do you know?" you asked and Ty lee frowned "why do you want to know?". You debated telling her for a split second before realising that would be a stupid thing to do. "I just had no idea their relationship was so...serious Zuko never gives the impression it is so i’d be suprised if it wasn’t a new development". Ty lee frowned "well that’s not good to hear but i promise i won’t tell Mai" she assured you and you glanced away awkwardly. "But no it’s not new" Ty lee told you suddenly "it happened a few days after Zuko got back to the fire nation". You felt like someone had thrown water over you as you nodded "ow wow that is a shock". Ty lee narrowed her eyes "y/n does that make you...". "It doesn’t make me anything, well maybe angry at Zuko for not telling me, i mean best friends share that stuff!" you said putting on a fake smirk. "Thanks Ty lee for listening" you smiled even though she had done most of the talking. "Any time" Ty lee smiled and she squeezed your shoulder before walking away. Ty lee gone your eyes fell to where Zuko stood with Mai. Zuko had been busier than you’d thought...

Zuko’s POV

Zuko had made a point of trying not to look at you but he couldn’t help seeming to find you. First it when you entered looking amazing in that dress, then it was when you spoke to some old navy general, then when Ty lee chatted to you and now Zuko was watching as some guy stood beside you. He recognised the boy as some highborn man’s son, Zuko couldn’t remeber whose specifically, and watched anxiously as the boy seemed keen to stick beside you. Zuko couldn’t tell if the guy was bothering you but he was certainly bothering Zuko. “What’s got your face all weird like that?” Mai asked and Zuko jumped not realising she was beside him. “Nothing I was just wondering where my sister got to, when you can’t see her is usually when you’re in the most danger” Zuko bluffed. Mai raised an eyebrow “she’s right there Zuko” gesturing to where Azula stood with Ty lee nearby “where she’s been for the past hour”. “Ow” Zuko commented and Mai narrowed her eyes looking at where you stood in full view on the ballroom floor below. “Y/n and Ikem seem to be hitting it off” she commented. “Who?” Zuko asked like he didn’t know exactly who Mai was talking about. “Ikem” Mai replied “you know son of Liang, your families have been allies for years?”. “Ow yeah” Zuko nodded frowning openly at the boy “he’s wasting his time with her, she won’t be interested in someone like him”. “Who is she interested in then?” Mai asked and Zuko avoided Mai’s eye but managed not to blush “i’m not sure, I never met her past partners they were all soldiers in the navy”. “How do you even know that I didn’t and I was right here in the capital all this time”. “I...she...I asked Ty lee” Zuko admitted and Mai frowned “why not just ask y/n herself?”. Zuko felt his face redden dangerously “I did but she wouldn’t tell me” Zuko lied, in reality he’d been too embarassed to ask you, part of him was scared you’d found many people to be with in his banishment, when he’d never thought of any other girl but you. He’d asked Ty lee out of curiosity and got ridiculously jealous just to hear you’d been with two other people before him. The memory made Zuko’s jaw tense and Mai frowned “weird I thought there were no secrets between the two of you”. “Maybe just the one” Zuko replied and felt Mai stiffen. If he was going to keep this a secret he should probably stop staring at you while Mai was next to him. “We should probably circulate the room” Zuko said awkwardly turning away from you and holding an arm out stiffly for Mai. She took it and Zuko lead her purposefully in the opposite direction to you. He’d find a way to get that boy to leave you alone but first he had to play prince.

Your POV

You were saved from some boring fire nation boy who was intent on never leaving your side by a note from Zuko asking you to meet him after the party. You were still angry at him but keen for an escape complied, arriving at his room moments after him. He let you in glancing around in a bad show of pretending not to be paranoid and smiled at you. You ignored his smile and walked over to the window wondering how to bring up what Ty lee had told you. Zuko couldn’t seem to tell anything was wrong, he came up behind you and wrapped his arms around you “what you thinking about?”. “This and that” you said coldly not relaxing into his touch no matter how much you wanted to. Zuko frowned seeing your expression in the reflection of the window. "What’s wrong?" Zuko asked his hands falling away from your shoulders. “Y/n” Zuko said tugging your arm to make you face him when you didn’t reply. You sighed and just decided to come out with it. "I didn’t know you and Mai had been intimate" you said slowly and Zuko tensed letting his arms drop from you fully. "How did you find out?". "I heard" you shrugged "it doesn’t matter how". "Okay i get you feel betrayed that i didn’t tell you before we...but y/n with Mai it was very different and we only did it a couple of times". "When was the last time?" You asked and Zuko swallowed "two weeks ago". You struggled not to smile in disbelief as Zuko told a massive lie right to your face. "So not on the last night of your holiday?" you asked. Zuko paled and you sighed shaking your head. "I only didn’t tell you because of how soon we got together aftwewards! I didn’t want to make you angry". "Well that worked" you retorted and Zuko sighed. "Plus it didn’t matter! By then i was very aware I liked you, you weren’t with us...I was missing you, i knew it wasn’t working with Mai but she offered it as an olive branch so i took it but i didn’t experience it properly, I wasn’t there with Mai...in my head it was with you, I wanted it to be you but i had no idea you liked me, if i did i’d never have touched her". "Why didn’t you tell me though?" You asked "Zuko that makes you and Mai way more serious, especially given how recent it was for you both". "I didn’t want to ruin this" Zuko sighed "this, us..we’re still so new but i don’t want anything to mess it up so i didn’t mention it". You shook your head and Zuko sighed "i didn’t know if you’d mind i mean i know you’ve been with people before me". You heard the tone in Zuko’s voice and spun on him "what? What does that have to do with anything?". "Well I just meant...I knew other people have been with you...I heard about it somehow...but anyway I knew it wasn’t a first time for either of us, if it had been i’d have told you". "Zuko i don’t care about the fact we’ve both had experiences and partners before! I care because less than 24 hours earlier you were with Mai intimately! If i’d have known..". "You’d have stopped it?" Zuko asked and you sighed "i don’t know! Maybe? It would’ve changed things". "Hence why i didn’t tell you" Zuko cried and you sighed "just because you’ve made something easier doesn’t mean you made it better" you snapped "you didn’t tell me about Mai and i don’t feel good about what we did and she still doesn’t know!" you cried. Zuko nodded "i know but my father said now isn’t a good time to break up with her". You rolled your eyes at how Ozai was using you and Mai while Zuko had no idea. "I promise as soon as i can i will tell her" Zuko said "and if my father drags it on i’ll tell her anyway". "How long before you do that?" You asked and Zuko frowned "i don’t know maybe a couple of weeks or months?". When your eyes flared Zuko backed down "okay not that long! Only a few weeks? 2 at most I promise". You still didn’t relax "and in the mean time what buisness as usual?". "Well no more sex" Zuko told you "you’re right i shouldn’t use Mai like that and i don’t want it so i will stop anything she tries, that goes for kisses too". You frowned "i just feel awful still using Mai for whatever deal your dad needs". Zuko nodded "i know but i have to do as he says". Zuko’s tone when he said that was so flat and expresionless it made you look up at him. Zuko was staring at the floor eyes fixed on one spot, he looked so defeated and lost, he almost looked scared and you realised why. The reminder of what happened the last time Zuko disobeyed his father was right there on his face. You felt a wave of sympathy for him, you didn’t want to but you’d always cared for Zuko and how that was hightenned. You sighed and hugged him "i know". Zuko seemed shocked and looked down at you "you’re not mad at me anymore?". "Ow i’m still pissed" you nodded "but i understand...kind of, but if you keep something like this from me again...". "I swear i will not" Zuko promised "i will tell you whatever you want to know...wherever you want to know...however you want to be told..." Zuko smirked and you pushed his incoming face away from you. "Hey none or that, not while you’re still dating Mai, you’re going celebate from her and me". Zuko frowned but saw your face and sighed "yes because it’s the right thing to do y/n". You grinned and ruffled his hair "so you can be trained! Good to know, maybe i can make a boyfriend out of you yet". Zuko blushed but smiled "that’s the goal". You smirked but stopped yourself "don’t get ahead of yourself we’ve got a mess to clean up!". Zuko nodded but smirked “I promise I’ll sort this and in the mean time, best behaviour” he winked and you blushed. “Unless you ask me not to...” Zuko said and you hit his arm away “I’m leaving...”. “Y/n I was joking I only meant this might be just as hard for you as it is for me, it won’t just be me resisting you”. “You sure about that? I have pretty good control” you smirked confidently but Zuko just raised an eyebrow. “I liked you for years and never did anything, you liked me for a mere week before you told me you liked me, kissed me and then had sex with me...and all in the same night”. You swallowed at the bluntness of the facts and Zuko smirked. “That was a one time coincidence” you glared and Zuko laughed “sure...all i’m saying is don’t make your rules too tight”. You rolled your eyes but felt heat rise to your cheeks “i’ll be fine without you”. “Sure” Zuko said eyebrows raised and he flopped onto his bed “I bet you will be”. You watched as he laid back, posture so relaxed and smug...so inviting, he knew this was working. “You’re an ass” you called walking to the door but you were supressing a smile. “I’m here if you need me” Zuko called after you and you slammed the door shut before leaning against it on the other side. Although sneaking around with Zuko wasn’t right it sure was going to be fun.