#i didn't get to sit around and do nothing why do YOU

[agreeeeeeeeeee]

i would love to see 1000 secrets with barty crouch or regulus 😏

combining this with another reg request!! I have one coming for Barty soon too dw 🫶

1000 secret kisses | R.B.

cw: MDNI 18+, smut mentioned, secret relationships, fwb, drinking

1000 things prompt list (closed!) | masterlist

Alright, Barty. Truth, dare, or shot,” Dorcas said, still coughing after the gulp of firewhisky she just took.

“Truth,” Barty replied.

“What's your most controversial opinion about someone in the group?” Dorcas challenged, and everyone ooooh’d.

Barty took a contemplative drag of his joint, then—“I would bet my left nut that Regulus is a virgin,” Barty said through a cloud of smoke.

“No way, look at him!” Pandora argued. “He fucks, guarantee it.”

The groups heads swiveled to Regulus, who was reclined lazily in arm chair, knees spread, a cigarette dangling from his fingertips. He looked supremely fuckable to you, like he always did.

That's why you've been secret friends with benefits for most of the school year.

You and Regulus were an unlikely pair; Reg, a certified grouch with a distaste for socializing, and you, a gifted student and natural flirt. But you found him fascinating, deeply intelligent and perceptive, with an artistic heart, even if he preferred not to show it. And he found you endearing, infectious in your enthusiasm.

You'd kissed him after a drunken night in Hogsmeade, and he'd sought you out the following day in the library. Now, you snuck away every chance you got, stealing secret moments around every corner, in every classroom, praying your friends never discovered the truth, lest you never hear the end of it.

This was just for the two of you, and you preferred it that way.

“I'm not saying he isn't sexy!” Barty argued. “I'm saying he couldn't be bothered to fuck someone, too busy reading poetry and glaring.”

“And you expect me to, what? Fuck everything with legs like you, Junior?” Regulus bit back.

“No, but like—I’ve never even seen you glance at someone,” Evan chimed in. “You've never talked about fancying someone, or gotten flustered.”

Regulus raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

“Nothing shakes him, and he'd never tell you half-wits if he fancied someone because you can't keep your mouths shut,” Xeno laughed.

“It's not like it's anyone's business anyways,” you added, stealing the joint from Barty and taking a puff. “It's his business who he does, or doesn't, fuck.”

“Oh, come off it. He hasn't even had a crush on you, and we've all had a crush on you,” Barty said.

You nearly choked on your hit. “You're full of shit, Junior.”

“It's true! We talked about it the other day!”

You risked a glance at Regulus while you fanned the smoke from around your face, and found him glaring down at his lap, his expression was calm, but you'd long ago learned to judge his true feelings by his pale eyes. And right now, the hostility in them could raze the castle.

That must have been the day he abruptly dragged you from your dorm and into an empty classroom. He toyed with you until you cried, begging him to get you off. And when he finally let you ride him, you weren't allowed to come until you told him exactly who you belonged to. Making you spell out his entire name, letter by letter, thrust by thrust.

Regulus Arcturus Black.

Your pussy shivered just thinking about it.

“Can we get on with the game, please?” Pandora huffed. “It's y/n’s turn.”

Barry grinned over at you, and you groaned. Why on Salazar's shitty earth did you think it was a good idea to sit next to him?

“Truth, dare, or shot, my darling?” Barty asked, his voice a seductive purr.

You really didn't want to take a shot of that lukewarm swill, and you had a hunch of what Barty's question would be: do you fancy any of us? Leaving you with one option.

“Dare.”

Barty’s eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together like a supervillain. “You've made a grave error, my dearest y/n.”

“Don't be an ass, Crouch. Play fair,” Regulus warned, the edge of his voice sharper than was probably necessary.

“Oh, you'll like this Reggie, don't worry.” Barty presented his palms to you, like he was offering a gift. “Treasure, I dare you to make Regulus blush.”

“That's not fair!” Pandora argued. “How is she supposed to do that?”

“By any means necessary.” Barty grinned.

You looked at Regulus, who was already looking at you. “I don't want to cross any lines—”

“And when she fails?” Regulus asked, a hint of a smirk on his pretty mouth. Baiting you.

“Then she takes two shots,” Barty wagered.

You looked back and forth between them, all eyes on you. “Deal,” you said, pushing to your feet.

Regulus' eyes widened a fraction, like he didn't expect you to actually go for it, but he vastly underestimated your pettiness. And you would love nothing more than to be the thing that made Regulus finally crack in front of his friends. A tiny consultation for months of keeping secrets.

You sashayed over to him, ignoring the whistles and shouts from your friends, focused entirely on Regulus' smug face. His eyes roamed over you, lingering at the edge of your skirt, the sway of your hips, and you caught the unmistakable sign of his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, and his arrogant expression faltered.

Already, you were making him sweat.

You knew none of your regular tricks would work on him, he was impervious to flirting, but you had an ace up your sleeve.

Carefully, you perched on the arm of his chair, being mindful to not actually touch him, knowing it would bother him to have you so close without being able to touch. He shifted a little in his seat, a fraction closer to you, fingers tightening on his cigarette.

You took a pull from the joint, filling your lungs with its acrid burn. You looked at Regulus expectantly, and he smirked before tilting his head back for you. You leaned in and he parted his lips, letting you blow the smoke into his mouth.

Your friends continued to whoop and cheer, but you focused on Regulus' proximity, the hazy feeling coarsing through your blood.

Merlin, you wanted to kiss him.

Instead, when the last of the smoke left your lungs and entered his, you shifted to whisper in his ear. “Took that hit so well, sweet boy,” you purred, letting your lips brush the shell of his ear.

You felt his body hitch, wanting to cough up the smoke, but he managed to blow it out of the corner of his mouth, casting you vicious side eye. To your delight, you noticed a delicate pink stain was crawling up his neck, warming the tops of his cheekbones.

“She did it!” Evan cheered, and the rest of the group roared in approval.

“Brat,” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. You knew you'd be paying for it later, but it was so worth it to know you had an affect on him no one else did.

You sauntered back over to your seat, smiling ear to ear and basking in the groups praise.

Regulus tried to play it off, but there was no going back now. And you knew he was in trouble when it was finally his turn.

“Alright, Reggie,” Pandora said. “Truth, dare, or shot.”

You already knew what he would pick: Reg hated booze, and would rather run around the common room naked than fess up to something.

“Dare,” he said, taking a bold glance at you.

Pandora caught it, of course, and a tendril of uncertainty coiled in your stomach.

“I dare you to make y/n blush back.”

Regulus huffed a low laugh. “Come on, Dora. Give me a challenge.”

You glared at him, and he winked back. Maybe it was the weed, or his competitive nature, but you'd never seen him so brazen.

Everyone ooooh’d.

“Fine, I dare you to kiss one person in the circle!”

Your heart sunk. Even if it was platonic, a stupid dare, you didn't particularly want to see Regulus kiss someone else. Your feelings for Regulus has grown over the course of the your secret relationship, and while neither of you were ready for labels, that didn't mean you wanted to share him, or vice versa if the night in the classroom was any indication.

Regulus narrowed his eyes at her. “Not everyone consents to being kissed by me.”

“I consent!” They all chorused, and you inwardly groaned.

“What? You've never fucked and you've never kissed someone?” Barty teased, ramping up the pressure.

“Fuck off, Crouch,” Regulus hissed. The game was getting to him, and your friends were feasting on his rare display of discomfort.

You'd feel bad for him if you weren't feeling so sorry for yourself. Reg would probably kiss Barty just to shut him up, and then storm off to bed. Leaving you to decipher his words and actions like every night spent without him there to prove his affection with his hands and mouth.

Shit, maybe this arrangement had gotten more out of control than you realized.

“How the fuck is Sirius such a lady-killer, and his little brother is the virgin fuckin’ Mary?” Barty was too busy laughing at his own jokes to notice Regulus get up and prowl across the circle towards him.

Barty finally noticed when Reg was almost on top of him, but at the last second, Regulus pivoted. His hand shot out to grab you by the hair, roughly tilting your head back for the bruising kiss he planted on your unsuspecting lips.

You squeaked in surprise, but quickly gave way for him, melting under his firm, insistent mouth as his tongue delved between your teeth to taste you.

As quickly as he swept in, he was gone, leaving you wide eyed and breathless as he stalked back to his seat and dropped into it, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“What was it you said? ‘Y/n has the most gorgeous mouth you'd ever seen’?” Regulus said, a mocking edge in his voice. “That you'd ‘give anything to taste her'?”

Barty gaped like a fish.

Regulus smirked. “I’ll have that left bollock now. And I'll take the other one if I hear my girl’s name on your mouth again, you prick.”

Everyone gasped, including you, but Regulus didn't even flinch.

“Understood?” He glared at Barty, then the others, until each one of them lowered their eyes in submission.

Regulus beckoned you forward with two fingers and you jumped up, crossing the space between you and allowing him to pull you into his lap. He threaded his fingers through your hair, pulling you in for another kiss, little more than a peck, but it still made your head spin.

“So, secrets out?” You asked, meeting his eyes.

Regulus shrugged, pecking your cheek. “It doesn't change anything,” he murmured, kissing the corner of your mouth. “I’m yours.” He kissed your nose, your temple, your lips, down your neck, until all of your friends dispersed, making disgusted noises as they fled such a public display of affection.

But you couldn't be happier, grinning like a fool as you basked in a thousand not-so-secret kisses.

[ohthecalamity]

Year 6. 10 years old. Mrs M. Spelling class.

to set the scene:

the teacher, Mrs M, only liked Neat-Haired Dancer Kids That Are Seen, Not Heard (you know the type).

I was uncoordinated, opinionated, outspoken & articulate, and hated combing my hair. (aka: autistic). She did not like me.

Mrs M was nothing but nice to her Favourites. She gave them compliments, extra help, lots of leeway with homework & grades.

But those she didn't like? She tried her utmost to make their lives miserable. She loved mercilessly ripping into any & all academic insecurities, making people hate themselves. (I'm willing to bet a lot of my classmates left with lasting psychological damage.)

Fortunately, I did not value her opinion. I realised pretty quick she was not ruled by logic or truth.

In year 6, we had weekly spelling tests. And if there's one thing I've always known, it's words. So my answers were consistently correct, and she haaated it. I didn't give her anything to sink her teeth into.

So week after week, she had to bear it. Be an Objective Teacher, as per the marking schedule. She was openly fuming. I tbh enjoyed it.

One week, though, she must have had enough. Like usual, I brought up my (all correct) spelling sheet. She glanced through it....peeked up at me....looked back down at the sheet....and gave me a zero.

Why?

'Because you started all the words with a CAPITAL LETTER. And these words aren't ALWAYS written CAPITALISED.'

I had always capitalised them in the past, and never been marked down for this. I know for a fact at least a few of my classmates did the same. And not to mention: that's an incredibly dumb thing to nitpick???

I was angry, obviously, but there is only so much a year 6 can argue in the face of someone like Mrs M, no matter how stubborn they are. So I finally went screw it, ok, I'll do this her way. Why not. I still know I'm right.

Fast forward to next week: spelling test, same deal, all correct. And this time, all lowercase, too. And what did she give me?

Another zero.

Why?

'because, if you put a word on a NEW LINE, it should ALWAYS be CAPITALISED.'

other things mrs m has done (hall of fame):

yelled at me for "throwing a chair" when it (after being put up for the end of the day) fell off a table of its own accord. It was not my chair, nor even at my table group. also, I was sitting down and reading halfway across the room

she decided she didn't like one of her previous Favourites (for reasons I won't get into) and yelled at her for an extended period of time. why? because she finished something early, and asked what work she should do next. How unforgiveable...

we did one of those "make super super detailed how-to instructions like for a computer" assignments, and she shouted at me (I sense a theme) for being 'too detailed'.

Oh, and once I yawned, and she shouted at me for that!! Thinking back, a lot of my year 6 was getting shouted at while trying not to laugh. I did openly laugh at her a couple of times. Her reaction was always even funnier. (I really tried not to provoke her though--don't get me wrong. I don't love yelling. Well, nobody does. But specifically, it's loud, and I'm autistic... anyway)

and oh. oh yeah. she told my old friend she was 'too silly' and 'obnoxious to be around', and 'will never be taken seriously in life if she keeps going on like that'. It got to her. It really got to her. She was never quite as joyful/carefree after that talk.

I think of Mrs M as a joke, a place to mine for funny conversation material. She was something I never took seriously, that I kinda enjoyed thwarting. But other people, people in the same class, got actually hurt by her. Had long-lasting effects from all her nonsense.

God, I forgot about that.

when i was a kid i got a 90% on my kindergarten "what are your favorite things?" test because for the question "what is your favorite animal?" i wrote down "puma" and it got marked wrong because my teacher said a puma isnt even an animal its a kind of shoe

[svgarseason]

𖹭 cw: fluff, suggestive, mdni

You really threw a wrench in mean bf sukuna's plans when you totally forgot about Valentine's day. You told him from the start that you didn't care about stuff like that, but he thought you were just playing the Cool Girl™. Realistically, all girls care about that shit. It's ingrained in their fluffy, pink, little brains, right? You're going to be mad as hell when he tricks you into believing he's completely ignored your first Valentine's day together.

That works just fine for mean bf sukuna, who just so happens to think you're super hot when you're mad. So, he ignores you all day while he shops. He smirks to himself as he thinks about how you must be scowling at your phone screen, waiting for a text that never comes. He outright laughs when he imagines the shock on your face when you see what he has planned for you. Maybe you'll do that thing where you bang your fists on his chest while he pulls your body against his. Maybe your eyes will be shiny with tears when you look up at him and say, "I thought you forgot!"

Turns out he's the one scowling at the screen when the whole day passes without a peep from you until you text him "picking me up?" Just before your shift ends.

"Yeah, I guess," he grumbles as he types it out. What kind of passive aggressive, feminine sorcery is this anyway?

His scowl only deepens as he listens to you chatter on about your busy day the whole ride home. You don't seem angry at all. In fact, you plop down next to him on the couch, as usual, practically sitting on top of him as you giggle at the TV and dig into your dinner. You don't even notice that he hasn't touched his own food. He's actually getting pissed in a serious way. And he looks it, even more so than usual, you notice. You fucking finally notice. "What's your problem?" You ask around a mouthful of your favorite takeout.

"Tch, nothing," he says, crossing his arms and looking away. Is he... is he really pouting?

"If you say so," you shrug. You know better than to press him too much, unless you want him angrier and even less prone to discussion. "I'm gonna get changed," you say as you stand to head towards the bedroom.

"No!" He says, just a little too loud.

"Why not?" You ask narrowing your eyes at him over your shoulder.

He would have physically stopped you, but you're a little too small and a little too quick not to slip through his grasping fingers.

"What's all this?" You ask, standing in your bedroom doorway staring at the array of pink and red bags, flowers, your favorite candies and snacks.

mean bf sukuna winces at the sight of the veritable mountain of gifts he had spent the day heaping on the linens. He may have gotten a little carried away, but he kept thinking of things. That bag you pointed out at the mall. And the necklace. And the sunglasses. Then he remembered you said you wanted to go to that concert, so he got tucked the tickets into your card. Then he thought you'd want to wear those shoes you pointed out.

"Oh, my god," you say in a small voice. "It's Valentine's day. I totally forgot."

You turn to him, but the apology that was on your lips dies in a fit of laughter when you see his face is as red as the gift wrap.

"You'll pay for that, brat," he growls as he tosses you right on top of the pile, fully intent on getting his money's worth out of you.

[certifiedcodbabygirl]

More Hooker!Soap (perhaps new series??)

pt.1

Never did you think you would be doing this. God, how desperate were you? Freshman year in University with an Astrophysics major, and you couldn't bring yourself to ask for help on your homework. So, what did you do? Turn to a hooker for help.

You heard of Soap from a friend (her so called best night of her life) and she mentioned how he was military, blows stuff up and shoots shit. Okay so demolitions and sniper? That's physics, right? Close enough, you'll take it. Now, you had no intention of sleeping with him, no. You just needed schoolwork done.

At least it started that way. One study session with him turned into two. Then three. Then you had a test coming up, and it was worth 20% of your grade. He was your go to, your very expensive tutor. Once he noticed that this was just a study session dynamic, he stopped charging you for the sessions. You were sweet, you were funny, and he enjoyed being around you. A strange friendship bloomed.

The day the dynamic between you two shifted was the day after you took your test. Soap had made plans with you to meet at a coffee shop that day, pass or fail. You had scored a 93% and couldn't wait to tell him. Walking through the shop door, you were met with the sight of Soap sitting at a table in the corner. He flashed you a smile, quickly looking you up and down, then to the counter in an attempt to hide it. Why did you have to be so pretty if he couldn't have you?

You walked to the table, sitting in front of him with the test in your hand. He sips his black coffee, and gestures to the paper.

"What'd ye get?" he asks, slightly impatient, "Ye have to h've gotten a pass"

You smile at him and slide him the test, "I did"

He looks at it and breaks out into a wide grin, "And ye thought ye couldn't do it. Guess a hooker isn't such a bad tutor, huh, bonnie?"

You blush and shake your head slightly, "Your military experience is what's making you"

He barks out a laugh, raising his hands in fake surrender, "Never said it wasnae"

Fifteen more minutes pass in friendly banter, simply enjoying your time together. You weren't blind, he was nice to look at. But that's just objective attraction, right? And of course it didn't help he was smart. And funny. But it wasn't a crime to find him attractive, even if you couldn't have him. He'd only want sex, right? There's a very small chance he'd want you outside of the bedroom.

Walking out the door, him by your side, he offers to walk you back to the university. It was getting dark earlier, so it was for your safety, as he would say. Nothing more, right? The walk back was quiet, yet comfortable. Conversation wasn't forced. Stopping in front of the building, you place your hand on his forearm.

"I really appreciate your help. Without you, I would've probably failed and would have had to spend the rest of the semester make the grade up" you smile lightly.

His eyes glance down at your hand, and he smiles, "It's nae issue really, good for the ole noggin' to keep the wheels turnin"

You chuckle, "I think I'll be okay now, as sad as it is that we won't study together anymore", You smile sadly. You remove your hand from his forearm and bring it down to your side.

His eyes follow your hand, and he looks back up to your eyes, "Y'know, we don't have teh hang out strictly for studying", he says, gently grabbing your hand.

Your heart speeds up, palms warming up, "what would uh, we do?", you ask softly.

"I could take ye to the movies, or a museum if you'd like? Like a-"

"Date?", you ask hopefully, heart pounding.

"Yes", he says with certainty.

You break out a smile, "I'd like that", you almost whisper.

It's quiet for a moment when you whisper, "I should head inside, gotta get sleep for class tomorrow"

He nods and lifts your hand to his mouth, "I'll text you", he says softly and then kisses it.

Butterflies rip through your stomach before you force yourself to walk away. He waits outside until you close the building door, then walks home, the warmth of your hand burning into his memory.

It isn't until you're in your bed, your fingers rubbing soft circles on your clit, with the still fresh memory of the way his lips felt on your skin, that he texts you.

Art museum on Saturday?

You smile as you text back

I'd like that

[insidekatmind]

You’re mine-Joao Felix

Request: yes!

It's a sunny day, and the two of you are sitting in the park, just like always, talking about everything and nothing. João looks at you with a smile that seems too sweet, too full of emotions he's no longer able to hide. You've known each other for years, but lately, there's a strange tension that you can't ignore. It's not like before, when everything seemed simple between you two. Now, every time you talk about your boyfriend, you notice a slight tinge of jealousy in his eyes.

"So, how is he?" João asks, his tone a little too cold to be casual. His eyes drop for a moment, then look back at you, fixed on you.

"Yeah, he's doing well. We made plans for tonight," you answer, trying to sound natural, but you immediately notice how João shifts in his spot, as if the idea of you spending time with someone else is burning him inside.

"It seems like things are going well, huh?" João says, but there's something in his voice that you can't quite decipher. His hand absently brushes the grass, and his gaze drifts off into the distance.

"We're getting along, yeah," you reply, trying to keep your tone neutral. But when you meet his eyes, there's something strange in them, a mix of affection and something that makes your chest tighten.

"Well," João starts, trying to downplay it, but his smile is tense, "you should be happy with him. You're a special person, Y/N. You deserve nothing less."

Your mind is confused. What is he trying to say? There's something João hasn't told you, something that now seems clear between the lines. In another moment, you would have ignored his tension, but today you can't. His voice sounds different, as if he's trying to mask his pain behind an apparent kindness.

"João, is something wrong?" you ask, trying to figure out what's behind his behavior. He smiles weakly, but his eyes don't lie.

"Nothing's wrong," he quickly responds, but his gaze betrays a truth he doesn't want to admit. The tension between you two grows, palpable, like a storm approaching.

"Are you sure?" you insist, feeling the need to understand. João pauses for a moment, then moves a little closer, as if he wants to say something, but then stops again, unsure.

"Y/N," he starts slowly, "I've always wanted the best for you, and I know you've found it with him. But..." he pauses, his breath shortening. "It hurts to see you with someone else. I don't know how to tell you, but... it's not easy for me."

The world around you seems to freeze as those words pierce your heart. You don't know how to respond, because something inside you, something you hadn't noticed before, has awakened. Your friendship with João has always been a constant, but now there are emotions that go beyond simple friendship.

You move closer to him and caress his cheek. João's gaze flutters for a split second, surprised by your affectionate gesture. The moment your fingers touch his cheek, his expression softens, and he closes his eyes, as if savoring the touch he's been craving. You can feel his skin under your fingertips, warm and inviting.

You hug him gently and lean against his chest. João's body tenses briefly, as if trying to resist, but he can't help but surrender. He wraps his arms around you, pulling you closer, and you feel his body against yours, the warmth of his chest against your cheek. He buries his face in your hair, inhaling softly, as if trying to memorize your scent.

You sigh softly before speaking. "Why didn't you tell me before?" you whisper into his chest. João's hand slides from your back to your hair, running his fingers through it. He takes a long breath, holding you tight against him.

"I didn't want to ruin your happiness," he replies, his voice a soft murmur. "I watched you with him, and even though it hurt me, I saw how happy you were. I thought I could keep it inside, that it would pass. But it didn't."

You sigh softly and cling to him. “Yes but I am happier with you” you whisper softly. João's heart skips a beat upon hearing your words. His fingers pause for a moment, and his hold on you tightens slightly, as if he's afraid this moment will slip away. He pulls away slightly, just enough to look into your eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asks, searching your gaze. There's a vulnerability in his eyes, a mix of hope and fear. “Yes,” you whisper and lean closer to him, kissing the corner of his mouth.

João's breath catches in his throat at the feel of your lips on his skin. His fingers tense briefly on your waist before pulling you even closer. The desire he'd been trying to ignore suddenly flares up, and he can feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest."Y/N," he whispers your name like a prayer, his voice hoarse with suppressed emotions.

He closes his eyes for a moment, gathering whatever courage he has left. Every reason, every logical thought that told him to stay away from you, to respect your relationship, it all disappears like smoke in the wind.His hand cups your cheek, and his touch is gentle but firm, as if he needs this connection more than air. His eyes open, and the mixture of want and fear is there, plain as day."Do you know what you're doing to me?" he murmurs, his thumb brushing your skin.

Your eyes meet his, and the intensity in his gaze makes you shiver. You know you're stepping into uncharted territory, crossing a boundary that's been there for years. But at this moment, none of that matters. The only thing that matters is the feeling of João's touch, the sound of his breathing, the desire that's been building between you.You raise your hand, placing it over his chest, feeling the rapid thumping of his heart. "Yes," you reply softly. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

João's breath catches in his throat as your hand on his chest makes his heart beat even faster. His grip on you tightens, his fingers digging into the fabric of your clothes. The way you look at him, the confidence in your eyes, it both enthralls and terrifies him.He swallows hard, his gaze never leaving yours. "You'll drive me crazy, you know that?" he murmurs, his voice thick with desire.

You smile, a sly, confident smile. "Maybe that's my plan."João groans softly, the sound low in his throat. The way you're teasing him, the way you're testing his self-control, it's both maddening and alluring.His hand slips from your waist, moving up to your face. He gently cups your chin with his fingers, tilting your head back slightly. "You're playing with fire, you know that?" he whispers, the heat in his gaze searing.

You tilt your head back, meeting his gaze unflinchingly. "Maybe I don't mind getting burned."The words hang in the air, heavy with an implication that you both know all too well. The tension between you is palpable, a thin line you're both toeing dangerously.João's hand moves from your chin to the back of your neck, his fingers playing with the soft hairs at your nape. His thumb brushes against your lower lip, the contact sending a jolt of electricity through your body.

"You shouldn't say things like that," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble. "I'm already barely holding back as it is."His thumb continues its ministrations on your lip, tracing the shape of it, as if he can't help himself."You're a temptress, you know that?" he whispers, his gaze fixed on your mouth.

You smile and bring his finger into your mouth sucking on it. Joao's breath catches in his throat as you take his finger into your mouth, a low moan escaping his lips. The act is so intimate, so wanton, that he can feel himself coming undone.

"Y/N," he whispers harshly, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. "You're playing a dangerous game."His other hand tightens its grip on your waist, pulling you closer so you're practically on his lap.

You smirk around his finger, your tongue swirling around it in a way that has him groaning again. The sight of you like this, so confident and brazenly sexy, is driving him crazy. He's trying desperately to keep control, but every flick of your tongue, every subtle movement of your body is eroding his restraint.His hand on your waist slides down, gripping your hip, his fingers digging into the flesh. He pulls you even closer, his body pressed against yours, and the heat between you is palpable.

You release his finger with a soft pop, your gaze never leaving his. The smirk on your face is now a full-blown smile, one that borders on dangerous. You love seeing him like this - torn, vulnerable, wanting you so desperately."What if I want to play that game?" you whisper, your voice a sultry purr.Joao's eyes darken, the hunger in them a barely contained beast. He leans closer, his lips brushing your ear. "Careful," he warns, his words a hot breath on your skin. "You might get more than you bargained for."

Your heart pounds furiously in your chest, the threat in his tone only exciting you further. The thrill of defying him, of pushing his limits, is intoxicating.You lean in, your mouth against his jaw, your lips softly trailing kisses along his skin. "Maybe that's exactly what I want," you whisper back, your voice sultry and bold.Joao's grip on your hip tightens, his body tense with the effort to restrain himself. He tilts his head to the side, giving you better access to his neck, a silent permission for you to continue.

You take advantage of his surrender, kissing and nipping at his neck until a low groan escapes him. His fingers dig into your flesh, his breathing ragged and uncontrolled."You're driving me insane," he breathes, his voice strained with desire. "You're gonna be the death of me."Your hands slide up his chest, feeling the taut muscles beneath his shirt, the quick rhythm of his heart. Your mouth continues its assault on his neck, leaving a trail of kisses and little bites that make him shiver.

It's getting difficult for him to think, with your mouth on his skin, your body against his, teasing and torturing him in the most delicious ways. He grabs your jawline, forcing you to look at him."Enough," he growls, his eyes dark with a mixture of arousal and command. "I can't take this anymore."He stands up abruptly, pulling you up with him, his grip on your arm firm but not harsh. He's lost all patience, and he needs you now.

You smile and kiss him. Joao doesn't waste a heartbeat. As soon as your lips meet, he kisses you back with a fierce intensity. There's a hunger there, an almost desperate need, as if he's been waiting for this moment.His hands grip your hips, pulling you tightly against him. His body molds to yours, as if every contour, ever curve was made for him. The kiss is deep, possessive, as if he's marking you as his own.

You respond to his passion with your own, your body arching into his. Your hands grip the front of his shirt, holding on as if your life depended on it. You can feel the heat radiating from his body, the way his muscles tense under your touch.The kiss is primal, a raw display of desire that neither of you can control. His fingers tangle in your hair, pulling your head back as his mouth moves from your lips to your jaw, your neck, down to your collarbone. Every touch of his lips against your skin feels like fire. His hands are everywhere, roaming your body, pulling you closer, demanding more. You can feel his possessive need in the way he touches you, the way he commands your body with his.Joao pushes you back against a tree, his body trapping you in, his hips pressing against yours. His mouth returns to your throat, his tongue trailing a heated path along your skin, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake.

Your fingers clutch the bark of the tree, desperately searching for something to hold onto, as your body responds to every touch, every kiss from Joao. His hands are under your shirt now, roaming over your bare skin, his touch leaving a trail of fire.

"You're mine," he breathes against your neck, his voice a low rumble of possession. "You've always been mine, and I won't share you anymore."

[red-phantom-0]

SALVATORE

•,¸,.·' '·.,¸,••,¸,.·' '·.,¸,•

-> tim drake blurb 🍵

-> tim drake has a crush on his favorite barista

life is forever busy for Tim , constantly juggling his ever pressing responsibilities of being Red Robin , school , completing cases for Bruce and helping run Wayne Enterprises- honestly his time for himself is so slim he often finds himself neglecting himself.

he's so accustomed to catering to everyone that when it comes to himself, he honestly doesn't know what to do - like does he take a nap and run the possibility that something happens when everyone needs himmost or does he skip on patrol tonight to watch that one series he's been wanting to for a while but then someone get's hurt covering for him?

overthinking about the endless possibilities makes him dizzy . he loves everyone too much to burden them with that even though Jason and Damian pisses him off to the point where he holds them all too dear . though no matter how busy his ever hectic schedule is he always makes time for coffee- always.

he doesn't care nor mind how clichè it is, but nothing beats the feeling of sipping a warm lattè on a cool evening or the smell of cinnamon and spice that seems to float around in the air everytime you open the doors to a cafè. there is no recreating that feeling of peace when you sit down and just watch the world move along and have that sense of peace .

today there was a new cafè opened not too far from his school and tim has to try it out . His mouth has been salvating since yesterday when he heard rumors of matcha roll cake with vanilla whipped cream in their menu . even now, his mouth is foaming as he approaches the small little shop tucked away between hustling apartments and shopping complexes.

tim pushes open the glass pane doors of the cafè and his nose is immediately hit with the scent of cinnamon and freshly brewed coffee. wooden tables with dainty matching wooden chairs were spread out , a few latterns adorned the ceiling , giving the atmosphere a warm glow .

a huge wall was adorned with jars of presumably different coffees with country flags next to them , another adorned with welcoming and menu posters while others were filled with shrubbery.

it was so peaceful . Tom seated himself on a seat near a window and took it upon himself to scan through the menu . he was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed the pretty barista that came to his table .

"Good afternoon sir what can I get you ?"came a sweet yet gentle voice . Tim looked up from his menu towards the sound of the voice, and his eyes widened - in front of him was probably the most ethereal being and they were talking to him .

" Oh uhm - I would like a uhhhh chocolate lattè with a matcha roll cake, please," he called out his order , careful not to embarrass himself in front of this beautiful being . They gave him a small smile , " Alright I will get your order out in the next five minutes sir " .

Tim watched in pure awe as they walked away behind the counter and began watching them make his order . His faze fully fixated on the way their delicate hands maneuver around the coffee machine and they way they appear so elegant as they do the most basic tasks .

it wasn't before long they brought him his order and lord was tim red and shy . he politely thanked them, and they, in return, had to flash him their angelic smile, and he swore at that moment he felt like he was in heaven .

tim digged into his roll cake - the food practically melting so perfectly with his taste buds . tim takes a sip of his coffee as he peaks at them from the corner of his eye - god why are they so - so perfect ?

that day forward, cafès didn't only offer him peace of mind for him, but they also offered him a chance to be so close to them . of someone where to ask him right now if he had a crush, he'd immediately deny it, but anyone can tell by the way his cheeks redden and the fact he now literally visits this cafè every day that he is definitely helplessly crushing on his favorite barista.

[makeitmingi]

When Flowers Bloom In The Dark [Chapter 14]

Genre: Romance, Mafia!AU, Violence, Angst, Slow burn

Pairing: Hongjoong x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Florist!Reader, Mafioso!Hongjoong, Mafioso!Seonghwa, Mafioso!Yunho, Mafioso!Yeosang, Mafioso!San, Mafioso!Mingi, Mafioso!Wooyoung, Mafioso!Jongho

Summary: When you appeared and wept at his mother's funeral, Hongjoong found himself wanting to find out more about you. A regular girl, who owns a flower shop in his territory and has a relationship with the mother that he hasn't spoken to in years, why hasn't he ever noticed you before?

[Warning(s): 18+ for violence, use of weapons, smoking, alcohol consumption, slight gore, gang affiliation, tattoos and character deaths. Minors DNI. This is a work of fiction and does not represent the Ateez members in real life.]

Word count: 3.3K

After Hongjoong gave you a mini tour of the place that day, you honestly couldn't remember all of it. The only place you remembered was the library and Hongjoong's office, in case you ever needed to find him... For whatever reason...

"Have a nice night, (y/n)." Seonghwa smiled as he stood by the front door, watching the chauffeur open the car door for you.

"See you, Seonghwa. Goodnight." You bowed your head and waved before entering the car. The chauffeur bowed to Seonghwa and got in to drive you home.

'She's gone. - Seonghwa'

Seonghwa sent the text and retreated back into the house, the maid closing the door behind him.

"Thanks, Hwa." Hongjoong limped into the house and fell onto the couch. His fringe stuck to his forehead from the sweat since he spent the past 30 minutes waiting in the carpark.

"Damn, they got you bad." Seonghwa frowned as he stood in front of his best friend.

"Yeah, I think I know." Hongjoong winced.

"I already called the doctor." Yeosang said, coming in as he was tucking his phone back into his pocket. Except for the cut on his lip, Hongjoong didn't have any other open wounds so he went to take a shower before the doctor came, he wanted to get the dried blood and grime off his body.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Who is it?" Hongjoong asked as he dried his hair.

"Hyung, its me and Doctor Lee." Yeosang's voice was heard on the other side of the door. When Hongjoong let out a sound of acknowledgement, the two came in.

"Good evening, Hongjoong sshi." The doctor bowed and Hongjoong just nodded, moving to sit on his bed.

"Just wanted to make sure there's nothing internal." Yeosang said to the doctor.

"Of course, excuse me, Hongjoong sshi." The doctor wore gloves and began to check Hongjoong's injuries. Yeosang stood across the bed, leaning against the dresser as he watched the doctor work.

"I'll have to remain hidden for a while, especially when (y/n) comes to the house." Hongjoong sighed.

"Why?" Yeosang tilted his head.

"How am I supposed to greet her like this, Yeosang ah? She doesn't know what we do. I can't suddenly see her like this, all beat up and injured. She'll definitely suspect something and I'm not ready to tell her what we do for a living." Hongjoong stated.

"Well, you'll have to tell her some day, cap. You can't hide it from her forever... Especially if you... plan on keeping her around you and us." Yeosang shrugged.

"Don't... say it like that." Hongjoong hissed as the doctor disinfected his wound.

"Ah, you know what I mean." Yeosang rolled his eyes. There was another knock on the door and San came in.

"What's the damage?" He asked Yeosang and the doctor.

"From my assessment, nothing major. Just some minor bruises and cuts but I would advice you to take it easy, Hongjoong sshi. The hit to your knee wasn't major but still bad." The doctor said.

"I know myself. I can't just stop working because you tell me to." Hongjoong scoffed, putting his shirt back on and buttoning it up.

"Besides that, thanks for dropping by, doc. I'll walk you out." Yeosang said and walked the doctor out.

"Easy up, hyung." San chuckled, to whom Hongjoong just rolled his eyes at. He sighed and wanted to get out of bed but winced and just leaned back, letting San come over to fluff his pillow and prop it up for him. With a look of defeat, Hongjoong leaned against the pillow on his headboard.

"Anyway, I've got... not so good news to share..." San said, sitting at the foot of Hongjoong's bed. Hongjoong raised his eyebrows in anticipation of what San had to say.

"My fight club was bugged. I went back and did a sweep, I found bugs in the VIP room." San crossed his arms.

"And we have no clue how long it has been there?" Hongjoong asked.

"I'm having my boys run through the camera videos now but I'm not sure how long that will take. These people wanted something, knowing where the VIP room was and how to bug it." San sighed.

"This is not good. We don't need this now. We need to find out when and who bugged your place." Hongjoong rubbed his temples.

"I'm on it, hyung. I'll get the footage to Yunho and Jongho, see if they can find out where the video was transmitting it." San assured and Hongjoong nodded.

"So, how are you going to face (y/n) like this now?" San changed the topic.

"Gosh it's like you and Yeosang rehearsed what to ask me. I'm not, I'll just stay in my office or say that I'm out working when she comes. I shouldn't take too long to heal up. No big deal." Hongjoong said. San nodded his head slowly, seemingly convinced.

"Woah, where are you going now?" San rushed to Hongjoong's side, seeing him suddenly swing his feet over the side and attempt to stand on his feet.

"My office. I need to get something." Hongjoong mumbled.

"Tell me where and what it is. I can get it for you, you should be resting in bed." San urged.

"I'm fine, San ah. Just let me get it and I'll come back. Don't worry and don't follow me." Hongjoong pointed to the younger, whose hands droppd by his side in defeat.

"Alright, goodnight hyung." San wished and Hongjoong nodded before they split way. He limped to his office and turned the lights on.

"Now, where was it?" He sat at his desk and opened the drawers. Finally, he spotted wha the was looking for.

"There you are." Holding the jar of leftover medical balm that you made in his hand, he smiled with content and stood back up. But when he saw his office door open, he quickly shoved the jar into the pocket of his sweatpants. Seonghwa stood there with a raised eyebrow and folded arms.

"What are you doing in here?" The second in command asked with much suspicion. Seeing Hongjoong so skittish, he knew that the captain must be hiding something.

"Nothing. How did you know I was here? Did San rat me out?" Hongjoong asked back.

"No, I was walking back from the library and saw your office lights on. No one comes in while you're not here." Seonghwa stated.

"Right... I just came to get something and I'll go back to bed." Hongjoong said, limping out from behind his desk, over to the doorway where Seonghwa stood.

"Good, I thought you might have snuck here to continue working." Seonghwa wrapped an arm around Hongjoong to support him.

"No, I wouldn't dare. Not when I know you're awake." Hongjoong teased.

"I only nag you because you don't take care of yourself." Seonghwa sighed, having repeated that line to his best friend since they were much younger. Hongjoong hummed, letting Seonghwa help him back into his room and into bed.

"Just spend the day resting in bed tomorrow, let the rest of us take over what you have to do." Seonghwa said as Hongjoong adjusted his pillows so he wouldn't be in pain.

"I'm fine, Hwa! I swear." Hongjoong grumbled into his pillow. Seonghwa rolled his eyes.

"Goodnight, Joong." He ignored the sulky captain's whining and turned the lights off before leaving the room.

After the door closed, Hongjoong sat up, leaning over to turn the nightstand lamp on. Then he fished out the jar of balm from his pocket and set it there so he could remember to use it tomorrow.

-

It was weird that the other night, Seonghwa was the one that walked you out. You hadn't seen Hongjoong for practically the entire day but you figured he must be busy working.

Then this week, when you went over, Hongjoong wasn't there at all. But you still did your job, with the other boys coming to bother you, occasionally. You wanted to text him or ask the others where he was but after thinking about it, it sounded too clingy so you decided against asking.

Something felt off, not seeing Hongjoong for two weeks when you saw him every week at his house. But you were not in the position to pry about his wareabouts.

"(y/n)!" Nana came into your shop during lunch time. You broke out of your thoughts and looked at her, blinking in confusion.

"What are you doing tonight?" She asked.

"Nothing. Once I close shop, it's just me and my couch. Plus dinner." You chuckled, gesturing for her to take a seat at your work table. She smiled, satisfied with your answer.

"Your smile is scaring me... Why do you ask my plans for tonight?" You asked with caution.

"There's this thing! Like an event of sorts... I wanna take you and Eve to experience it. Perfect that you're free." She clapped her hands.

"What event or thing is this?" You raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, don't ask so many questions! It's a surprise! You'll see when we get there. Just get dolled up, it's an outdoor event. Think... Outdoor party?" She tilted her head.

"That worries me even more." You squinted your eyes at her. Nana merely smiled innocently at you.

"We'll come by your place to pick you up tonight. Be ready by 9!" She patted your hand and left your shop before you could ask her any further questions. You let out a long sigh, shaking your head with a knowing smile.

'Hey, Hongjoong, haven't seen you at the house. Busy with work? Not playing hooky anymore? ;P - (y/n)'

After sending that message to Hongjoong, you put your phone away and went right back to work, preparing orders and attending to walk in clients.

"No, you don't have to!" You shook your head.

"I insisted, (y/n). Anyway thanks to you, my aloe vera is flourishing! So please just take some." The lady slid the bag of aloe vera back.

"Ah, alright. Thank you so much. This is great for treating sunburns and wounds." You smiled, looking at the aloe vera. After that, you walked her to the door to see her off.

"Fresh aloe." You smiled happily and placed the bag into the fridge so you could use it later.

"That's order number #5019 done." You checked off your list on your phone. Curiously, you opened the chat with Hongjoong.

*read*

He had read the message but didn't reply. He could just be really busy with work but then looking back at the message, you realised that maybe you were acting a little too familiar and friendly with him. Maybe you were not at that level of friendship yet and he still viewed you as nothing more than a gardener working at his house.

"Once again, you have overstepped." You scolded yourself with a sigh, tucking your phone into your pocket to finish up your work for the day so you could close.

"Could I maybe add some greenery around the back?" The customer requested.

"Of course. I'll be right back." You went to your bins to retrieve some stalks of green to add to the bouquet.

"You've got a good eye. It compliments the bouquet and flowers nicely." You smiled as you added the extra stalks to the bouquet you had already bundled together.

"Thank you." The male blushed, watching you wrap everything with colourful tissue and securing it together with a pretty ribbon.

"There you go." You handed it to him and sorted out the payment with him.

"Have a nice evening!" You wished. He smiled and bowed while leaving the shop. Once he stepped out, you closed the door and locked it, turning the sign to 'CLOSED'. Now, it was time to pack up and go home.

'(y/n)! No skipping out tonight! See you~ - Nana'

'Yes, yes. Can't wait to see you! And don't try to hide from us, we know where you live... Okay, that sounded a lot more stalkery/ evil than I expected... - Eve'

You laughed at your friends' messages and slung your bag over your shoulder before making your way home.

"What to wear? What to wear?" You sighed.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

"Coming!" You went out, knowing it was your friends at the door. They stood there, all dressed up, staring at you who was still wrapped in your robe.

"I don't know what to wear because I don't know where we are going. You guys need to help me." You said.

"Ask Nana, she picked my clothes. I, too, don't know where we are going, remember?" Eve shrugged, sitting at the edge of your bed.

"Alright, let's see what we have." Nana looked through your closet. You chuckled and sat at your vanity to do your make up, watching as Nana sifted through your closet to put together an outfit for you. Eve watched on with amusement, trying her best to help by giving opinions on colour coordination.

"Yes! This works." Nana smiled proudly and you went over to see the outfit.

"I don't think I've ever worn these clothes before." You chuckled, picking up the skirt. Eve shooed you off to the bathroom and you went to change.

They picked an oxblood leather skirt and a black tube top with a racing jacket to wear over.

"You look cute!" They clapped happily.

"Seriously, where are we going?" You laughed as your friends hurried you to wear your shoes so you could leave.

"You'll see when we get there! Stop asking questions." Nana pushed your out of the house. Typical her, she already had a car waiting for the 3 of you, the driver knowing the destination prior.

"I'm starting to question where we're going..." Eve nudged you, trying to freak you out even more.

"And we're here!" Nana squealed. You and Eve looked out the window, unsure of where you were, but got out of the car anyway. It was a deserted area but there people standing around with the revving of car engines being heard.

"Nana, where are we?" You held her arm.

"Street racing." She grinned. You and Eve stared at her with wide eyes, totally not expecting this. There was a lot of people, cheering for the race that was happening.

"This doesn't feel safe..." You looked around. Nana laughed and led the two of you further in.

"There are bike races and car races." She explained as you watched the two bikers race, getting loud cheers from the crowd.

"How did you find out about this place?" Eve asked.

"From a... friend." Nana grinned, cheering on the bikers like she knew them. You were still a little in shock, this was definitely not legal and you weren't really into racing, cars and bikes to begin with.

"And of course, our winner is still undefeated!" The winning biker removed his helmet. Your eyes nearly bugged out of your skull.

"S-Seonghwa?" You whispered to yourself.

"What did you say?" Your friends turned to you but you shook your head, denying having said anything. If Seonghwa was here, that means the others might be here too. If there's a possibility Hongjoong might be here, you felt your stomach sink a little. You couldn't face him now, at least not here.

"I need to use the bathroom. I see the portable toilets there, I'll be right back." You said, patting your friends on the shoulders before going to the bathroom.

"Gosh, even here, I run into them." You mumbled.

"Hey pretty, what's your na- (y/n)?" Mingi's eyes widened when he saw you. You gave an awkward, shy wave.

"W-What are you doing here?" Now Mingi was stumbling over his words, having dropped his cool guy persona, exactly like the person you knew back at the house.

"Here with some friends. I didn't even know I was coming here, have never been to anything like this before." You chuckled.

"Oh, you've never been to a race before?" He tilted his head. You shook your head.

"Mingi ah! What's taking you so lo- (y/n)?!" San stopped in his tracks, blinking at you like he was dreaming.

"Hey, San. Yes, it's me." You chuckled and waved. San smiled, sending you a friendly wave back. He sent Mingi a look and the taller just shrugged in response. In your head, you wondered if you should ask them if Hongjoong was here.

Then you saw him, dressed in a nice suit and talking to Seonghwa. But you were not staring at that. You were staring at the bruises and cuts on his face, and that he walked with a limp.

"Wait." You spoke. San and Mingi turned around to see what you were staring at and immediately blocked your view.

"Guys, is Hongjoong okay?" You looked at them.

"Uh, yeah! He's fine, you know busy with work at home. He's not even here." San waved you off.

"Yeah, you must be seeing things. It's dark." Mingi added with a smile. You gave them an odd look, wondering why they were lying to you about Hongjoong being here. Or maybe you really were hallucinating.

"Guys, Wooyoung's race is gonna start soon. Oh, (y/n)! What are you doing here?" Yeosang smiled.

"Just here with some friends. Speaking of, I should be getting back to them. Bye..." You waved and left to find your friends.

"Hongjoong hyung, Hongjoong hyung. (y/n)'s here! We just ran into her, she saw you and asked about you." Mingi said with panic. Hongjoong stopped talking to Seonghwa and turned to look at his younger brother with wide eyes of shock. San and Yeosang could only nod to confirm the taller male's statement.

"And what did you say to her?" Seonghwa raised an eyebrow.

"We told her she was seeing things and that you were not here." San replied. The two oldest facepalmed and sighed.

"You guys... Why did you... You know what, nevermind. We're in the VIP area anyway, she won't be able to come look for me. It's fine." Hongjoong assured.

"Wait, you're still avoiding her, hyung?" Yeosang asked.

"I just want to wait until I have recovered then everything will go back to normal." Hongjoong said.

"Yeah, wouldn't want her to see hyung with his grandpa cane." Jongho added with a snicker. Hongjoong glared at the youngest, using his cane to hit Jongho.

"Seonghwa made me use it okay." Hongjoong hissed then turned to glare at his best friend.

"It was a cane or crutches, Joong. You know you're supposed to be resting and keeping your weight off your knee." Seonghwa shrugged.

"Anyway, guys. You know while we're here, we have to avoid her. We cannot be seen with her and she cannot be associated with us, it may put her in danger. We're here as Ateez, not AURORA Corp." Hongjoong reminded. The boys nodded obediently.

"Go, Wooyoung!" San cheered loudly as Wooyoung stepped into his car. As they all cheered Wooyoung on, Hongjoong looked out into the crowd and met eyes with you.

"Get ready, racers!" He tore his eyes away from you and focussed on Wooyoung's race instead.

RINGGGGGG

"Shit. I think there are issues at the club." Hongjoong cursed and excused himself, going to the back of where his brothers was sitting to answer the phone.

"Okay, handle it. If you need me to come down and handle it, call me again." He said to the manager and hung up.

"Hongjoong?" Hongjoong cursed and turned to see you there.

"(y/n)... Didn't know that you were here..." He nodded over to you. Seeing his entire condition, your eyes widened. You didn't see him with a cane earlier but now that you did and you saw his injuries a lot closer, it just made you assume that his condition was a lot worser than you initially thought.

"Hongjoong, actually I-"

"You shouldn't talk to me or approach me." Hongjoong said and turned to walk back to where his brothers were sitting, leaving you there alone.

~

Series masterlist

[lilacmingi]

ANTLERS AND ALL

My works are 14+ ONLY. If you’re under 14 DO NOT interact with me or any of my works. And please don’t spam-like!

Pairing: Deer hybrid!Yeosang x fem reader

Word count: 12,820

Note: This has been months in the making. I’ve been wanting to write deer hybrid Yeo for years 🥹

Birds were chirping, creating a little melody in the atmosphere, the breeze was blowing, softly rustling the leaves on the trees, the golden sun casting rays of light through the foliage. It was a beautiful day and one you took advantage of by setting off into the outdoors.

The dried leaves beneath your thick-soled boots crunched under your weight as you made your way down the narrow nature-made trail in the woods. You'd been walking it for a couple years and the trail had only gotten more noticeable thanks to how often it was followed. One might assume you were an outdoorsy type, but you weren't. Most of your days were spent indoors or at work, going about your daily life, however, you did make it a habit to get out and traipse the trail, as it was always a good mood-booster. Besides, a little fresh air never hurt anybody.

Every so often you'd stop to examine and admire a unique mushroom for wild flower with an eye-catching hue, sometimes snapping a photo before moving on.

A small meadow laid ahead, the sight taking your breath away even from the distance you were at. Usually you stayed on the trail, but this sight was one to behold and you wanted nothing more than to go check it out. So, you strayed from the path and made your way through clusters of dried leaves and tangled roots until you arrived at the clearing. The sight was breathtaking and looked like a fantastical place that a fairy might roam. Tall wisps of grass that reached your shins covered the entirety of the clearing with clusters of white wildflowers dotted about. The direction at which the sun shone down on the meadow through the clouds cast almost angelic beams down on the earth. It was when your eyes skimmed along the land that you spotted something out of the ordinary, a head of reddish brown hair amidst the blades of grass and ivory blossoms. Your gaze traveled up, following something sticking out from the top of his head, your eyes widening when you realized it was a set of antlers. A hybrid.

You took a tentative step forward, the light crunch of a leaf under your shoe might as well have been a twig with how quickly the man's head jerked in your direction. Your body stiffened and you opened your mouth to speak, but before a single word could be uttered, the hybrid took off.

Startled by his sudden and swift exit, you were frozen for a few seconds before naively chasing after him, while calling out, "Hey, wait!"

The knee-high grass whipped past your legs as you took off through the field after the hybrid boy. He was already way ahead of you, but you shouted again in hopes that he'd hear you and stop.

"I won't hurt you!"

He kept running, moving through the trees with grace and agility, leaping over branches and tree roots. It was futile to even attempt to catch up, he was nearly out of sight, so you slowed to a jog and stopped, hunching over to rest your hands on your knees. He was gone.

All you could do was stare at the spot you'd last seen him, left in a bit of a daze after your abrupt encounter. A sigh of defeat expelled from your lips and you took a few steps back before reluctantly turning around, heading back across the meadow, returning to the trail you were walking.

It didn't sit right with you that he just got away. You couldn't pinpoint why you were so concerned for the hybrid boy, but knowing he was running the woods alone made your stomach twist a little in discomfort. Where was he going? Did he have somewhere to stay? Would he be okay? And most importantly, would you see him again?

Worrying about a complete and total stranger was a bit ridiculous, but you couldn't help it. Hybrids didn't always get treated well and were still being accepted as members of society, so naturally you were concerned.

The antlered boy is what kept you coming back to the forest more often than usual. There was a part of you that hoped you'd see him again, then maybe the worry that had made itself at home in the pit of your stomach would go away after finding out he was okay.

You returned to the woods almost every day, stopping by the meadow you'd seen him in. Every walk you took you ended up returning home with no results.

It had been a few days since you stepped foot on the trail in the woods not far behind your home due to weather. Despite that, you hadn't given up hope, stepping back out into the thicket as soon as you possibly could, lacing up your hiking boots and taking off.

You followed the worn dirt path, still slightly damp from last night's rain, the soles of your shoes leaving faint prints in the earth. The undergrowth and wild plants had a fresh green look to them, the natural aroma of petrichor in the air. Your steps slowed to a stop, your eyes drifting over to the meadow in the distance, lingering for a moment too long as you hoped to spot the deer hybrid again. The chances he'd be in the meadow again after you'd previously spotted him were highly unlikely, but you looked anyway, searching for a pair of antlers amongst the blades of grass.

Just like all the other times you went out searching for the hybrid, you found nothing and headed further into the woods until you arrived at the place where you would normally circle back and head home. For some reason, you decided to keep going, abandoning the familiar trail and searching further this time. It was harder to navigate due to the large clusters of wild plants covering the ground and no trail to follow. You mentally marked your spot by choosing a tree with a unique moss pattern growing on it as your returning point. You ducked under small trees and stepped over clusters of briars, wincing when they got caught on the fabric of your pants.

You didn't want to stray too far from the path and lose your way back, so you tried to only walk straight, moving a little deeper into the woods. Everywhere you looked, you only saw trees and wilderness. Just when you were considering turning back and giving up for the day, you spotted something, your eyes widening at the sight that greeted you. The deer hybrid that you'd been searching for was on the ground a few feet away, letting out small noises of distress, a net tangled around his antlers.

You couldn't believe it, it was him. You didn't think you'd see him again.

Without thinking, you started moving forward, making sure not to approach too fast so as not to startle him like last time. The light crunch of small twigs under your feet announced your presence as you approached, alerting the boy.

The man's head jerked up towards you, his eyes wide with fear as he scrambled to his feet only to trip due to the large net, which he stepped on.

"It's okay. It's okay." You held your hands up in a placating manner where he could see you weren't holding anything that might cause him harm, making sure to keep your tone gentle as you spoke.

He stilled, his frightened gaze still locked on you, unsure of your intentions.

"I'm gonna help you." You said, coming to crouch beside him.

When he didn't try to bolt off, you started working to maneuver the netting around the blunt points of his antlers. His wide eyes followed your every move while you worked diligently to untangle the rope around his deer-like appendage. He was terrified and it made your chest ache.

It took a while, but the moment he was freed, he scrambled away from you, putting some distance between you both.

"It'a okay." You assured him. "I'm Y/n. What's your name?"

He blinked, his chest heaving up and down with short, rapid breaths. He was too scared to speak and you knew you wouldn't be getting a name from him.

"Do you have a home?"

He hesitated before shaking his head a little, if you weren't paying attention you would've missed it. His clothes were dirty and slightly tattered, his hair mussed. It was obvious he'd been roaming the woods for a while.

There was no way you could leave him out in the woods after knowing he didn't have a home, it would just tear you to pieces.

"Do you want to come with me?" You asked tentatively, staying put where you were so as not to make the hybrid run off.

His round eyes stared unblinking at you.

"I have food and a bed. You'll be safe."

Though he was scared out of his wits, you could tell he was trying to discern wether or not you were a threat and you could only hope that saving him helped him realize you meant him no harm.

The air was silent, save for the occasional rustle of the leaves in the breeze as you waited for what felt like minutes for a response. Finally, the man nodded, albeit slowly while getting to his feet, never taking his eyes off you.

A sigh of relief escaped your lips and you gave him a gentle smile. "Come on, then."

You started heading back the way you came, moving forward a few paces before you realized you didn't hear a second pair of feet behind you. Glancing over your shoulder, you saw the deer hybrid standing in the same spot, looking unsure even though he agreed to come with you.

"It's okay." You told him. "This way."

After that, you could hear his quiet footfalls behind you. He trailed along silently, keeping a sizable gap between the both of you, clearly still wary, and that was perfectly fine. If he was most comfortable keeping his distance, you'd let him.

You made it back to the mossy tree you'd passed earlier, returning to the familiar trail. Part of you was relieved you didn't lose your way, thankful you had a path to follow now. You threw a glance behind you every once in a while at the hybrid to make sure he was still following along.

"I didn't mean to startle you that day when you were in the meadow." You spoke up, feeling the need to fill the heavy silence in the air.

As expected, you received no response, which prompted you to continue talking.

"I walk this trail often. I like to enjoy nature."

You assumed talking about yourself would help build some trust between the both of you and put the hybrid at ease, but every time you glanced back at him, he looked anxious as ever. That's when you gave up on talking for the remainder of the walk.

"Here we are." You announced when you emerged from the tree line, gesturing to your home.

You approached the front door and stepped inside, waiting for your new houseguest to follow, which he did. The door was gently pushed closed as the boy made his way around the living room, taking in everything.

"You can sit down." You gestured to the couch, which he examined for a moment before taking a seat.

He looked so uncomfortable and on edge, his posture stiff and rigid. You hated that he felt like he needed to be alert at all times and it made you wonder what he'd gone through to make him that way. The knot in your stomach worsened at the thought of how he might've been treated by humans, especially being a deer hybrid.

You circled around to the front of the sofa, making sure not to get too close to him, keeping a safe distance in order to keep him as comfortable as possible. His large brown eyes darted around the unfamiliar environment before landing on a bowl of chocolate bars you had on the coffee table that sat between the both of you.

"You want one?" You asked him, picking one of the fun size candy bars from the bowl. "It's chocolate."

He flinched back when you reached over and held the sweet out, but brought his hand up to take it from you. He fiddled with the wrapper for a moment, finally getting it open and taking a small bite. There was a spark of happiness in your chest when you saw a flicker of pleasant surprise on his face.

"I'm sure you're hungry." You mentioned, unsure of how long he'd gone without food. "Stay here and I'll make you something."

You scurried off to the kitchen, scouring the pantry for something quick to make for your guest. Your searching gaze landed on a can of soup. That would have to do. It's the quickest thing you could make.

You poured the contents of the can into a bowl and stuck in in the microwave for a couple minutes, watching the numbers slowly count down. Every so often, your eyes drifted to peer into the living room, checking on the nameless hybrid seated on the sofa.

The microwave beeped, bringing you back to the task at hand. You removed the steaming bowl of soup and placed it on a hot pad to prevent any burns, sliding a spoon into the savory broth.

As soon as you reentered the room, the man's head jerked in your direction.

"It's just me." You announced, watching his eyes track your movements. "I brought you soup, I hope that's okay."

The bowl was cautiously passed to the man.

"Careful, it's hot." You warned, shuffling back to sit in a chair, observing him.

He stared at the soup, lifting it to his nose to give it a sniff, taking in its aroma before he took the spoon, scooping up a bite and bringing it up to his lips.

He blew on it, giving the broth a little taste, going back for a few more spoonfuls, his rigid shoulders relaxing just a fraction.

"You think you could tell me your name now?" You asked in a subdued tone.

He swallowed a mouthful of broth, licking his lips before answering in a barely audible voice, "Yeosang."

You breathed out a little sigh, smiling faintly.

"Yeosang." You echoed. "It's nice to meet you."

After he finished his soup, he lowered the empty bowl down to the coffee table and discreetly slid it towards you to show that he was finished.

"Would you like more?" You asked, taking the bowl.

He shook his head, the movement so slight you almost missed it. There was a part of you that felt like he should have more food, but it was very likely he didn't have much of an appetite due to being so nervous, so you accepted his answer and went to the kitchen to wash his dirty dishes.

When you returned to the living room, Yeosang was messing with a hole in the leg of his dark jeans.

"Would you like to bathe? I have a shower and hot water." You offered.

He sat there in silence, not giving you any response except for that same wary expression that was almost constant.

"You'll have the bathroom to yourself." You added. "I won't bother you."

He shifted in his seat before giving a tiny nod.

You led Yeosang to the bathroom down the hall, showing him how to turn on the shower in case he didn't know how, letting him know he could use your shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. You laid out a towel and tossed a washcloth into the shower, making sure everything was prepped and ready for him.

"I'll let you have your privacy now, but if you need anything just let me know." You told him. "I'll go find you some fresh clothes while you shower."

With that, you exited the bathroom, closing the door behind you and leaving Yeosang to himself.

The deer hybrid turned around, getting a look at the bathroom. It had been so long since he last bathed, never in a shower though. His eyes moved to the mirror to meet his reflection, the sight that greeted him making him pause. He was filthy. His hair was unkempt, his entire face lightly smudged with dirt, and his clothes were stained and ripped in different places. How long had he looked that way?

Tearing his eyes away, he started removing his clothes, tossing the soiled garments into a pile on the floor before turning on the shower and checking the water temperature to make sure he turned the correct knob. Once satisfied, he stepped inside, sighing as soon as the steaming water hit his body, his muscles relaxing immediately under the warm stream. He stood still for a few minutes just to relish in the new and unfamiliar feeling of the water hitting his back. Yeosang had never had a shower before, but being able to control the temperature of the water was unimaginable.

He leaned his head back to get his hair wet, careful not to let his antlers bump anything. He washed his hair, gently massaging his ears with the bubbles, the scent of the shampoo and conditioner being rather pleasant. He'd never used that stuff either. He picked up the washcloth and put some body wash on it, scrubbing his body and ridding himself of the outdoor residue that clung to his skin.

The steam that had built up inside the shower escaped in billows when Yeosang pulled back the curtain and stepped out. His little tail flicked behind him a couple times, flinging small droplets of water. A pleasant sigh of relief expelled from his nostrils. He'd forgotten what it was like to be clean. He retrieved the towel from where it laid on the toilet lid and used it to dry himself off, feeling like a new person.

Yeosang opened the bathroom door and stuck his head out into the hall, letting out a small noise when his antlers bumped the doorframe by accident. He didn't see you in the hallway, his eyes dropping down to the pile of neatly-folded clothes on the floor. He leaned down and picked them up, bringing them into the bathroom to change into.

He didn't know why you were being so kind to him. Maybe it was a different method to make him feel comfortable so you could take his antlers. His hand instinctively reached up to brush along the relatively small growths coming from the top of his head. Sure, they'd regrow if they were ever removed, but the thought of having them sawed off to be displayed on a plaque made Yeosang's skin crawl.

Deer hybrids didn't have massive sets of antlers due to it being an inconvenience in day-to-day life, which should be enough to avoid being a target, but to some, deer hybrid antlers were special due to them coming from a half human half animal. It wasn't legal to do so, but a handful of sick people were willing to break that law and unfortunately, Yeosang had encountered a couple of them.

Yeosang's head jerked towards the bathroom door when he heard a faint sound coming his way. He watched as a shadow moved in front of the door, coming to a stop just outside. It was you. He could tell by your scent.

He still wasn't sure wether to trust you or not. You were being awfully kind to him—suspiciously kind. Though no one had treated him the way you had, he wondered what your angle was, if you had a motive, and what your true intentions were.

Even though the soup and shower were nice, he was still wary and on edge, ready to bolt the moment things started going south.

You were stood outside the bathroom, the shower no longer running. You had your ear pressed to the door to see if you could hear anything, hoping your houseguest was alright. Just as you were about to announce your presence and check on him, the door opened and made you flinch, stumbling back a little.

"Oh!" You blinked, taking in Yeosang's appearance.

His reddish brown hair was damp and the fresh scent of body wash hit your nostrils. Past the wet tendrils of hair, by Yeosang’s right eye, was a couple of pink splotches on his otherwise blemish-free skin. The marks were pretty and unique, adding to his already stunning appearance. The large t-shirt you'd found for him looked cozy and thankfully the sweatpants didn't seem to be too short. You'd given him the biggest size you owned.

"Look at you." You smiled. "You look nice."

Yeosang just stood there, his eyes glued to the floor. He was still uncomfortable and you couldn't blame him for it. Offering him soup and letting him have a shower wouldn't be enough to earn his trust.

That night, you set up the couch nicely for Yeosang, giving him one of your softest pillows and a large fuzzy throw blanket. You lingered for a moment to make sure he settled in before slowly inching away.

"Goodnight, Yeosang. As always, if you need anything, just let me know." You extended the offer once more before reluctantly turning to head down the hallway.

The room was cloaked in a dim light from the moon outside the window. It had been about fifteen minutes since you left the living room and you couldn't stop thinking about the deer hybrid, worried that he might not be able to sleep. You tried to justify your actions of bringing him into an unfamiliar environment, telling yourself over and over again that he was in danger out in the woods all alone, and he willingly came home with you. So even though he didn't speak and was skittish, him following you back showed some semblance of trust, which was a relief.

The following morning, you got up and slowly walked into the living room, your bare feet shuffling against the floor. A faint smile of relief settled onto your features when you saw Yeosang sleeping peacefully on the couch. It was a welcomed sight and one that brought you some solace. You silently snuck into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, hoping your guest woke up with an appetite. You did your best to keep the noise to a minimum, mixing up pancake batter and getting the pan hot.

It wasn't until the four four similarly-sized cakes you'd spooned out started cooking that you heard the faint sound of footsteps. Glancing over, you saw a head of reddish brown hair and one eye peeking around the corner into the kitchen. When you spotted Yeosang, he ducked back around the corner.

"It's okay." You chuckled faintly. "Are you hungry?"

His antlers poked out, followed by the upper half of his head, one of his deer ears twitching slightly. At the question, he shuffled out and started heading over to the stove, coming to a stop a safe distance away while trying to get a look at what you were cooking.

"Have you ever had pancakes?"

His eyes met yours before moving back down to the pan and he nodded.

"Would you like anything in them?"

The expression on his face could only be described as surprised confusion.

"I can add stuff to the batter. Blueberries, bananas, chocolate chips."

At the mention of sweet chocolate, his eyes widened.

"You want chocolate chips?"

He nodded, almost as if he wasn't sure he was allowed to customize his breakfast despite you offering it. You promptly sprinkled some chocolate chips into the bowl of batter, returning to the partially cooked plain pancakes in the pan and flipping them over.

Yeosang stood by and watched your every move, looking on in interest as you spooned out batter and created somewhat circular pancakes.

You finished up the rest of the batter and plated the pancakes, giving three chocolate chip ones to Yeosang and then serving yourself, heading into the dining room.

"What would you like to drink? Apple juice, orange juice, milk, water?"

You had to watch Yeosang and wait for him to nod when you listed a particular beverage, getting the signal when you said milk.

"Good choice." You smiled.

When you came back with a glass of milk for him and your own drink of choice, you brought along a bottle of syrup for the pancakes. Yeosang was quick to reach out and discreetly take the bottle from where you set it, popping the cap and drizzling it over his pancakes.

As you ate, your gaze flickered up to look across the table at Yeosang who'd forked a small bite of his chocolate chip pancakes. You watched in silent anticipation as he raised the fluffy hotcake to his lips and took a bite, chewing it for a moment. His eyes brightened and a barely audible gasp could be heard from where you were seated, observing as he took another bite. Seeing him enjoy the things he ate brought you a sense of comfort and warmth, especially after knowing he'd been roaming the woods alone with little to no food.

You suppressed a giggle when you noticed Yeosang's lips smeared and speckled with melted chocolate from the pancakes.

His head jerked up at the sound, his wide brown eyes staring at you. You discreetly gestured to your own lips and he was quick to lick away the chocolate and grab a nearby napkin, wiping over his mouth for good measure.

"I'm glad you like it." You commented.

After a couple days, you decided Yeosang needed clothes, ones that weren't borrowed. Thankfully, after he showered that first time, you went to get his torn, stained garments and peeked at the tags to get his size before tossing them into the trash.

Yeosang's always vigilant and wide eyes followed you across the living room as you tossed your bag over your shoulder.

"I need to go buy you some new clothes." You told him, absentmindedly fiddling with your keys. "Are you going to be okay staying home alone for an hour?"

He stared at you, a response you often got any time you asked him something. He still wasn't talking.

"I'll lock the door when I leave." You mentioned.

Finally, Yeosang gave a little half nod.

"You can watch TV." You gestured.

His gaze followed the direction you pointed to, staring at the black screen. You could see that he didn't seem to know how to work the TV even though you'd watched it with him the day before, if you could even call it watching, he stayed pressed against the opposite side of the couch the whole time you were in the room.

"Here." You moved to turn on the TV, the last channel you were watching flashing up on the screen. You pressed a button and pulled up the massive list of channels. "You can watch whatever you want. Just pick one and press this big OK button." You demonstrated, placing the remote on the coffee table in front of him. "And you can have more chocolate bars if you want, just don't eat too many or you'll get sick."

Yeosang looked almost overwhelmed at everything and you didn't know if it was from all the information you were giving him or the freedom.

"I'll try to be back soon. Don't answer the door for anyone except me, okay?"

He nodded, his attention locked on you until you stepped out the door.

The house was quiet, save for whatever was playing on the TV. Yeosang glanced around the room, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he had your entire home to himself. He let whatever was already on continue playing, his foot tapping against the floor. He wasn't really watching it, his mind wandering as well as his eyes that drifted away from the images on the television and to the decor in your living room. He never really got a good look at it, too afraid to do so.

He finally got to his feet and headed over to a bookshelf beside the TV. It had a photo of you and who he assumed were your family placed on one of the upper shelves. He was able to pick you out right away. His fingertips traced the shape of the frame, looking at your gleaming grin. Other items on the shelf were pretty vases and little decorative geometrical sculptures. He slowly made his way around the room, looking at all the items and personalized pieces you had sitting about, familiarizing himself with the space.

Eventually, his curiosity led him to your bedroom, his bare feet padding across the hardwood towards your open door. There were many things that caught his eye when he entered, one being your little wall shelves with tiny items lined along them. He shuffled over to get a better look, liking how the fuzzy rug on your floor felt against his feet. There were cute little trinkets of all sorts and even pretty rocks placed neatly along the shelf. Amongst the tchotchkes were a couple framed photos of you and other people. You looked so happy in all of them. On the walls were posters and colorful pictures depicting different things, photos and cutouts, each one different but somehow having a cohesive appearance. Everything was fairly neat, your nightstand was a little piled up and your desk area had a few stationery supplies strewn along it, but besides that, your room was tidy.

As Yeosang looked around the space, he noticed something—you didn't have any dangerous things in your room. No weapons or plaques with animal heads or horns on them. Everything in your room was cozy and sweet... just like you.

Yeosang meandered around the rest of the house, biding his time by familiarizing himself with the place and sorting out how he felt about his current situation. He still didn't feel comfortable in this new environment, however, he did feel safer, even if he was a little scared. At least he didn't have to worry about hiding anymore or wondering where he was going to sleep.

Then there was you. Your behavior was the complete opposite of the other humans he'd encountered, and yet, he and his family were already betrayed once by people he trusted. He didn't want that to happen again, but it was difficult to keep his guard up when you were so caring.

Yeosang slowly picked up the remote and pressed the menu button, scrolling through the channels, trying to figure out what he wanted to watch. He wasn't familiar with TV shows or movies, only hearing about them, so he didn't know what he wanted to see. He clicked on a few different channels, moving on to another when he wasn't interested. His browsing came to a halt when he saw a man and a woman kissing. He gasped softly, his eyes glued to the screen. His heart thumped in his chest at the sight displayed before his wide-eyed gaze. He'd never kissed anyone before due to living a sheltered life in the woods, but he always imagined what it might be like. Yeosang absentmindedly licked his lips, wondering how yours might feel on his.

A noise outside snapped Yeosang out of his daze and he jumped to his feet, scurrying over to the window when he heard the sound of a car. His body went rigid when he saw a man get out and make his way up to the front door with something in his hands. Yeosang stepped away from the window so he couldn't be seen, backing up further when heavy footsteps thudded on the front porch and a couple quick knocks were given to the door.

Your words about not answering the door for anyone echoed in his mind. Yeosang froze up for a few seconds, listening carefully, his ears twitching. Then, slowly, he creeped back to the window to see the man getting back into his vehicle and driving off down the road.

Yeosang spent the rest of his time running back and forth from the couch to the living room window, jumping at every little noise he heard, thinking it was that man coming back, but it never was. He attempted to distract himself with whatever he found on TV that caught his interest.

After what felt like hours, the sound of the lock clicking announced your presence before you even stepped inside the house. Your arms were laden with multiple shopping bags and you had a small box in your hand.

"I'm back." You announced, not missing the way Yeosang seemed to perk up at your return. "I found a package on the porch. I hope the mailman didn't startle you while I was gone."

Yeosang blinked in realization. The mailman. He didn't get mail back home, so he didn't know that's who that man was and immediately assumed he was there to harm him.

"Anyway, I got you clothes." You smiled, setting the bags down on the coffee table. "You wanna take a look?"

Yeosang leaned forward, his eyes meeting yours, then dropping down to the plastic shopping bags and carefully reaching inside one of them. He pulled out a plain-colored t-shirt, a black tank top, and two pairs of sweatpants, one black, one gray. He proceeded to the second bag and found a couple pairs of jeans and three more shirts, one of them long sleeved. Finally, in the last bag were socks, boxers, and a simple pair of shoes.

"I just got you the necessities." You murmured, hoping you didn't go overboard. "And I didn't know what style of clothes you liked so I kept it simple. I hope that's okay."

It was more than okay. Yeosang was only expecting an extra set of clothes, maybe two. He felt like he didn't deserve it, but he knew he couldn't decline, especially not when you were staring at him with expectant eyes glimmering with hope.

"Do you want to shower and change into a fresh set of clothes?" You asked, making him glance down at the borrowed garments he currently had on.

He nodded and chose what he wanted to wear, following you towards the bathroom where you got him out a towel and washcloth like last time.

"If you ever want to shower, you can. This bathroom is yours just as much as it is mine." You told him.

He set his fresh clothes on the closed toilet lid with his towel, trying to imagine coming into the bathroom whenever he wanted to bathe.

"I'll leave you to it." You excused yourself, pulling the door shut behind you.

You went back to the living room and removed the rest of Yeosang's new clothes from their bags, tossing them into the washing machine, busying yourself by washing dishes from breakfast earlier that day. One thing you'd learned about the skittish deer hybrid in the last four days was that he loved chocolate. You weren't sure what his living situation was like prior to you finding him, but it was obvious he wasn't familiar with most foods or technology. This led you to believe he'd lived away from society for most of his life, though if that was the case, how did he get clothes?

As you pondered explanations, you didn't notice Yeosang enter the room.

You flinched after spotting him in your peripherals, your hand coming up to clutch your chest.

"You startled me." You exhaled, taking in his appearance, your already racing heart jumping into your throat.

Yeosang was wearing the black tank top, the fabric clinging to him and accentuating the shape of his body as well as showing off his incredibly muscular arms. On the upper parts of his shoulders and biceps were speckles of white, like those on a baby deer; that little detail was enough to lessen the shock that his physique caused, but you still couldn't tear your eyes away. His face definitely didn't match his body.

"The clothes look nice." You finally managed to speak, realizing you'd been staring for too long. "I'm glad they fit."

Yeosang nodded and tugged his gray sweatpants up a bit, glancing down at the outfit, one of his deer ears twitching slightly, still damp from his shower.

"Do you like them?"

He gave a little nod in response, making a sense of pride fill your chest.

A week passed and Yeosang still wasn’t speaking. He only communicated with nods or shakes of his head. He'd flinch away sometimes when you held something towards him and continued to keep his distance for the most part, only standing near you when you were cooking. He seemed to be interested in that.

You were laid in bed, snuggled into your pillow with the covers pulled up and bunched around your neck, just how you liked it. Slow and relaxed breaths slipped past your parted lips as you slept, unaware of what was transpiring in the living room.

While you rested peacefully, Yeosang was the complete opposite. He'd woken up with a start, his chest heaving up and down, sweat perspiring along his forehead. His hands trembled as he recalled vivid images of the two humans that tried to hunt him down, the haunting images flashing in his mind. His heart thudded violently against his rib cage, his entire body riddled with panic as a tiny whimper slipped out of him.

He sat upright, grabbing his pillow and getting off the couch, his feet moving on their own down the hall. He stopped just outside your bedroom, staring into it.

If you need anything, just let me know. Those were the words you said to him every night before you went to bed, telling him to come get you if anything was wrong. Without thinking twice, he entered your room and stood by your bed, reaching out to gently tap your shoulder. You stirred in your slumber and he tapped you once more for good measure. Your eyes opened and you were greeted by the sight of Yeosang standing at your bedside clutching his pillow, his eyes wide, brows pulled together in an anxious manner, and his entire body trembling like a leaf.

"Yeosang?" You uttered hoarsely. "Are you okay?"

He shook his head vigorously and your heart sank. The covers on the opposite side of your bed were pulled back and you beckoned Yeosang over.

"Come on."

He stared at you for only a moment before skittering over and placing his pillow on the bed, sliding underneath the covers. In order to keep him comfortable, you stayed put on your side of the bed, even though every part of you was screaming to hold the poor guy and comfort him.

"Did you have a bad dream?" You inquired softly.

In the dim lighting, you saw him nod.

"I'm sorry." You paused, chewing your lip. If you knew what it was he dreamt about, you'd be able to console him, but for now you'd have to assume it was about something he experienced prior to you rescuing him. "Whatever it was, it wasn't real. It was just a dream, maybe something that stemmed from a bad experience. You're okay though. You're safe. No one's gonna hurt you. I won't hurt you."

Yeosang swallowed thickly, the light from the moon outside catching on his glossy eyes and you weren't sure if he was tearing up because of your words or the fear coursing through him.

"Everything's okay." You soothed, your hand moving towards him only to freeze, reminding yourself to keep a distance. "Whatever happened in your nightmare wasn't real."

He released a shaky exhale, his hands gripping the covers to ground himself to reality. You laid there watching him for minutes, wishing you could hug him or something.

"You gonna be okay?" You inquired faintly.

He let out a little hum and nodded. He'd never hummed in acknowledgement before.

You awoke the next morning to find Yeosang sleeping peacefully beside you and it appeared that he was closer than what you remembered. He was laid on his side, one of his ears twitching softly in his slumber. His hair was slightly messy, his head turned slightly in a way that his antlers didn't press into the pillow. You had the urge to reach out and touch them, but pushed it down, knowing he'd hate it.

Instead of waking him, you decided to get up and make breakfast in hopes to cheer him up after the rough night he had. As you slid discreetly out of the bed, Yeosang woke up, his breath hitching sharply as his head abruptly lifted up from the pillow. He had a look of panic in his eyes, his hand only halfway moving towards you, almost as if to stop you.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"I didn't mean to startle you. I was just going to make breakfast."

His round eyes drifted back to your spot on the bed, his hand retracting as he gave a single nod.

That first night wasn't the only time Yeosang came to your room. He slept on the couch the following night and seemed fine, but ended up shuffling through your bedroom doorway the night after with a pillow clutched in his arms. It surprised you when he willingly showed up a second time, especially since he still displayed skittish behaviors with you. When you asked if he had another bad dream, he shook his head.

"You just can't sleep?" You had asked him, to which he nodded.

Of course, you allowed him to join you once more, still keeping your distance to accommodate him.

The third time it happened, you were telling him goodnight and making sure he was settled in, but he wouldn't lie down. He just kept sitting, like he was hesitant to even attempt to get comfortable. That's when you offered to share your bed again. To your astonishment, he agreed. Since then, he started sleeping with you regularly, no longer comfortable on the couch.

On one hand, you worried that he'd been uncomfortable on the sofa the whole time and didn't say anything about it, but on the other, his willingness to sleep in the same bed as you meant you'd finally built some trust with him, which was a good sign.

Yeosang shimmed underneath the sheets and covers, adjusting himself to where he could rest comfortably. It was a pattern you started to become accustomed to.

"I'm sorry if the couch wasn't comfortable. I could've made you a pallet on my floor with blankets if you would've preferred."

He was quick to shake his head dismissively, bringing you a bit of relief knowing he wasn't uncomfortable on the sofa. That meant he preferred sleeping in your bed, which made your chest warm.

You gave him a brief closed-mouth smile, turning your head back to stare at the ceiling.

"I know it's only been a couple weeks now, but I'm glad you're starting to trust me—or at least I hope you are." You closed your eyes, letting out a relaxed sigh. "Goodnight."

Yeosang hummed in response, shifting just a little before going still.

You were abruptly awoken from your deep slumber a couple hours after drifting off by small sounds of distress coming from the opposite side of the bed. You instantly turned to check on Yeosang, only to find him tossing his head back and forth, his expression twisted in anguish. He was having another bad dream.

You reached over to gently tap his arm, not wanting to startle him awake.

"Yeosang." You whispered.

Another tiny noise left him and he flinched.

"Yeosang, wake up."

You placed your hand on his arm, giving him a gentle shake. At the light touch of your hand, his eyes flew open and he sat bolt upright, chest rising and falling quickly as his breathing started to become panicky. He looked around the room with wide, fearful eyes, trying to make out his surroundings.

"It's okay." You soothed in an attempt to steady his breathing. "You're okay. It was just another bad dream."

His frantic eyes met yours, his breathing slowing just a fraction at your words. Still, it was clear he was dealing with the remnants of his nightmare and a faint whimper escaped him, the sound making your chest ache.

Without giving it a second thought, you opened your arms to him, unable to let him go through this again without comforting him. The first time, you were mindful of his distrust towards you, but this time all you cared about was making sure he was alright.

"Come here." You beckoned gently.

His breathing was still ragged, ears tilted down slightly in a fearful and submissive manner. As soon as he processed your open arms, he dove in and wrapped his own around you, tucking his face into the crook of your neck, being sure to avoid poking you with his antlers. His entire body trembled as he clung to you, making your heart squeeze with a bitter mix of pity and sympathy.

"It's okay." You cooed, cautiously sliding your arms around him, rubbing his back in a soothing manner. "You're okay. I'm here."

A choked noise left Yeosang, his nose pressing further against your neck. A lump formed in your throat and you had to swallow it down, fighting back tears that threatened to well up in your misty eyes. Just what kind of horrible things did he experience that caused him to be plagued with nightmares?

You tugged the comforter up a little higher to make sure it was covering Yeosang before proceeding with your gentle and calming ministrations. His breathing had evened out a little at that point, but you didn't dare stop comforting him. Your hand moved up his back and into his hair, only combing through the back of it, steering clear of his ears and antlers, assuming it might make him uncomfortable if you touched them.

When you tried to readjust your position to get more comfortable, Yeosang's hold on you tightened and his body tensed in panic, making your heart shatter.

"I'm not leaving." You assured him. "Just readjusting."

With your reassurance, his hold loosened just enough for you to get situated. You let out a faint sigh, closing your eyes and continuing to card your fingers through his soft locks, listening to his breathing even out. Knowing he was beginning to calm down diminished your worries and you could only hope that he'd be able to rest easy now.

Your gentle caresses along Yeosang's back and through his hair slowed as you started drifting off back to sleep, your movements stopping completely after some time.

It was the warm rays of sun that stirred you from your slumber the following morning and a comforting weight on your chest that reminded you of what took place the night before. Your bleary eyes peeled open, squinting at the golden streams of sunlight illuminating your bedroom, blinking a few times to adjust to it before trailing down to the hybrid sleeping on you. Yeosang looked so tranquil, his eyes closed, lashes resting delicately on his cheeks as slow and deep breaths pushed past his slightly parted lips, that pretty birthmark on full display. He was breathtaking and it wasn't something you were just noticing. From day one, you found Yeosang to be mesmerizingly beautiful, his facial features almost too perfect, something you could only categorize as angelic or ethereal.

As if he sensed you were staring, his lids opened, his gentle chocolatey irises landing on you. You smiled at him in greeting, your eyes crinkling slightly.

"Pretty." Yeosang uttered softly under his breath.

The word barely reached your ears and your brows raised in astonishment, but instead of being shocked that he spoke, you were more focused on the heat that made its way to your cheeks in response to that single word.

"Thank you."

Yeosang blinked, visibly surprised that you heard him, both of you slightly flustered in your own ways.

"Did you rest well?" You asked, changing the subject, your voice hoarse from sleeping.

He nodded.

"Good. I was worried about you." You spoke softly. "I can go make breakfast if you're hungry."

The expression on his face let you know he was open to that.

"Anything specific you want? You seem to love chocolate chip pancakes."

At the mention of the sweet hot cakes, Yeosang nodded eagerly, not trying to conceal or downplay his enthusiasm for once.

"I'll go get started. You can stay in bed if you want or you can come watch. It's up to you."

As you left the room and rounded the corner, the faint shuffling of bare feet followed behind you, the edges of your mouth twitching upward into a half smile. Even if he didn't show it, Yeosang liked being near you, or at the very least in the same space as you, especially lately.

He watched from a few feet away as you mixed up the pancake batter, dropping chocolate chips into it. You pushed the bag of sweet morsels towards him in a silent offering. His eyes met yours as if to ask permission, to which you nodded. He cupped his hand and let you shake out a few from the bag for him. As you flipped the pancakes, you couldn't help but let your eyes steal glances at Yeosang while he ate the chocolate chips in an adorably discreetly manner. You allowed him to snack a little while you cooked, piling up three warm pancakes onto a plate for him.

You sat by Yeosang at the dining table, eating your own breakfast that you prepared for yourself, watching him chew a small bite of pancake, smudges of chocolate on his pretty lips.

"Yesoang." You chuckled softly, taking a napkin and wiping the corner of his mouth without giving it a second thought.

He flinched at your touch, gasping soundlessly and freezing up.

"Oh." You pulled your hand away. "Sorry. You had some chocolate on your face."

His human ears turned a faint rosy hue along with the apples of his cheeks as he averted his gaze and continued to eat in silence. You were left to simmer in your embarrassment and self-chastising, knowing you overstepped by getting in his personal space. You shifted awkwardly in your chair, taking a sip of your drink in hopes that it would wash away your humiliation.

"I... really like the indoor rain." Yeosang spoke suddenly, staring down at his plate, cutting up the remainder of his pancakes.

It was the first time you'd been able to properly hear his voice. He was soft-spoken, but the timbre was low and smooth like silk, almost melodic in a way.

"Indoor rain?" You echoed his words in confusion, blinking out of the little daze you were put in by his mesmerizing voice. "Oh. The shower."

He nodded.

"So you haven't used a shower before?"

He shook his head, answering softly, "We used the stream."

We. So he did have a family, or had, and he did live in the woods.

"The stream." You parroted, nodding.

This was a huge breakthrough. Yeosang was talking. Not only that, but he was giving you little fragments of his life.

The rest of breakfast was quiet, which was fine. You didn't expect Yeosang to immediately start chattering right away and was willing to give him time to fully open up.

A few days passed and Yeosang spoke a little here and there, muttering one or two word responses in an indistinct tone. He didn't divulge any more information about himself, which only confirmed your assumption that he would only share when comfortable.

It was a relaxed Friday evening and you were stood in front of the stove cooking chicken for dinner, some vegetables roasting in another pan.

"I used to have this a lot." He spoke up, taking you by surprise.

"This? In the woods?"

He nodded.

This information caused questions to form in your mind, piling up with the other ones.

"So you had a garden?"

He hummed, giving a single nod of his head, watching the meat sizzle in the pan.

"And the chicken? Where'd that come from?"

"Outside." Was all he said.

"Outside?"

He didn't elaborate on that, so you decided to let it go for now. Yeosang had already said everything he wanted to and you weren't going to push it.

Dinner was mostly quiet, save for Yeosang's small hums of appreciation as he ate. Afterwards, you cleaned up the kitchen and washed the dishes while Yeosang sat in the living room watching TV, hugging a pillow to his chest. Every so often you'd glance out into the area to check on him, happy to see that he was comfortably seated and not sitting stiffly like he was for the first week he was here.

You stepped into the living room, wiping your hands on your sweatpants before dropping onto the couch with a huff.

"Alright. Kitchen's clean." You announced, your eyes drifting to the TV where a Korean drama played, something he watched often when he was left in the living room. "You sure do like these shows."

Yeosang's deer ears lowered slightly in embarrassment.

"I can't say I blame you. They're addicting." You chuckled. "A little cheesy sometimes, but there's something about it that keeps you hooked. Ah. Here's one now."

Yeosang turned back to the screen, watching one of those "cheesy scenes" you spoke about where the female lead was in a bedroom with the male, the atmosphere romantic, but the both of them not acting on anything. Naturally, the girl stumbled backwards and ended up on the bed with the man collapsing on top because she grabbed him for stability.

Yeosang's eyes became rounder, his ears flicking and twitching as a rosy hue painted his cheeks.

The male lead hovered over the female, their gazes locked on one another as the space between their faces slowly diminished. Then, just when their lips were about to touch, the female's phone rang, causing the two to scramble away from each other.

Yeosang gripped the pillow tighter in his arms, letting out a noise of protest which made you start giggling.

"I knew that was gonna happen. It always does." You huffed out.

Yeosang turned to you with brows tugged together in shock.

"Yeah. That happens a lot." You told him.

He whined a little, dropping his face into the pillow.

Commercials started playing and the sound of a female voice narrating an ad for vacation homes filled the room.

"Maybe you'd like an island paradise at a luxurious beach resort, or maybe you'd prefer a relaxing stay in a cozy woodland cabin."

Yeosang's head raised from the pillow, watching the television screen where a mother, father, and their son were sitting by a campfire in front of the cabin. You noticed his attention glued to the TV, a look of longing in his eyes.

"I miss home" He uttered, his soft voice coming out quietly.

His words squeezed your chest, making your heart ache dully.

"Did you have a house?"

"A cottage. I lived with my parents. I was happy there."

You frowned, waiting to see if he would continue.

"We had friends, human ones. They'd bring us stuff from town so we didn't have to leave home. That's how we got chicken."

Now you knew what he meant when he said "outside" earlier.

"Why didn't you want to leave? Hybrids are accepted into society now."

"My parents didn't trust them, but we trusted our friends." He shook his head, making a knot form in the pit of your stomach.

"They betrayed you—didn't they?" You asked faintly, sendsing that things were about to take a sour turn.

He nodded. "Mean hunters found us. They wanted my antlers... wanted my dad's antlers."

You pressed your lips together, sighing heavily through your nostrils.

"We were so scared." He murmured, clutching the pillow tightly in his arms. "They told me to run."

"Who told you to run?" You inquired gently, hoping to coax an answer out of him.

"My parents."

"And are they..." You trailed off, hesitant to ask such a sensitive question.

"They were trapped."

"So you don't know if they're..." Your sentence went unfinished again and he shrugged.

"I'm sorry." You whispered. "I'm so sorry. That's cruel and twisted."

Yeosang swallowed thickly, adjusting his hold on the throw pillow still hugged tightly to his chest.

"If it's any consolation, most humans would never treat a hybrid like an animal. I know that's probably hard for you to believe, especially since you've had bad experiences with humans, but there are good people out there."

His gentle gaze met yours. "Like you?"

A strong emotion you couldn't put a name to rose in your throat, your face getting warm.

"Y-yeah... like me." You nodded.

Somehow, you ended up back in the kitchen, baking a chocolate cake. You needed something to take your mind off Yeosang's flustering words, and yet, he was the one you were making the cake for, thinking he needed a mood-booster after discussing his traumatic experiences. Naturally, the smell attracted him to the kitchen, luring him in like a moth to a flame. He squatted in front of the oven, staring inside, his little tail flicking in fascination behind him. You suppressed a chortle, leaning against the cabinets.

"You've never had cake before, have you?"

He glanced over his shoulder at you before turning back to observe the sweet treat, shaking his head in response.

"You love chocolate, so you'll love cake, especially this one."

He stayed in the kitchen with you for the remainder of the wait time and even watched you ice the cake.

"Would you like to try?" You asked, holding out the butter knife.

Yeosang slowly reached out to take it, following the steps he'd seen you carry out, scooping out some chocolate icing and slathering it on the cake. His eyes were focused, his lips pursed in concentration as he spread the sugary substance messily across the surface of the dessert.

A fond smile graced your lips. "Good job."

He flushed at your praise, struggling to finish icing the cake before stepping away with a faint but proud grin.

Just as the sun began to set, you stepped out on the back patio, sitting on the concrete stones that made up the platform, a fresh slice of cake in hand. Your conversation with Yeosang played on repeat in your head as you took a bite, chewing quietly. You finally got his story, or most of it, at least. It was heart-wrenching and you didn't even hear the details. Whatever you assumed had happened to Yeosang was so much worse. He was told to run and he did, hiding out in the woods for who knows how long. He never said.

The faint creak of the back door opening caused you to turn your head. Yeosang stepped out onto the patio, outside for the first time in three weeks. He lowered himself to sit beside you, crossing his legs and staring up at the blue and purple-streaked sky.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" You uttered softly.

Yeosang nodded, taking in a deep breath of fresh air, letting it fill his lungs.

"How's the cake?" You asked, gesturing to his sizable slice which already had a chunk taken out of it.

He smiled softly and nodded. "Good."

It was nice to have him respond verbally instead of silently, reminding you of the progress that had been made.

As usual, Yeosang got a little messy with the cake, chocolate icing clinging to the corners of his lips in the most endearing way.

"You've got a little something here." You gestured to your own mouth to indicate that he had food stuck there.

He blinked at you with his large eyes and leaned forward a bit, a look of expectance on his face. That's when you realized he was waiting for you to clean it for him. That awareness was enough to make your cheeks warm, but you ignored it and reached for a napkin you brought outside, using it to gently wipe the edges of his mouth. He smiled shyly afterwards, going back to eating his cake in silence.

Minutes later, your empty plates sat idly on the concrete patio, both yours and Yeosang's gazes on the sky, which was now streaked with vibrant hues of purple, blue, and pink. As stunning as the sight was, your attention drifted elsewhere, your eyes slowly moving to Yeosang, roving over his captivating side profile and antlers. He seemed to pick up on your staring, his head turning a fraction in your direction.

"Sorry." You muttered an apology. "I didn't mean to stare."

Something in the air between you two shifted after that and no matter how much you tried to ignore your feelings or push them away, they were there. You spent the rest of the evening suppressing those unfamiliar emotions swirling in your chest. It didn't help that Yeosang had gotten cuddlier at night, opting to snuggle as close as he could to you. You brought a hand up to caress his hair, your fingers barely brushed one of his ears which twitched in response.

"Oh. Sorry."

Instead of pulling away, he responded by nuzzling closer, silently encouraging you to continue. You carefully let your fingertips rub at the base of his ears, a sigh leaving Yeosang's lips in response, letting you know it felt nice.

Little by little, your hand migrated up towards the base of his antlers. You knew you were probably pushing it, but you wanted to see how far he'd let you go. With the faintest touch, you brushed your fingertips along the smooth bone of his antlers, tracing up from where they emerged from his hair. He tensed imperceptibly before relaxing again.

"They're very pretty." You uttered faintly, tracing the shape of his antlers. "And they belong right where they are."

You couldn't see it, but Yeosang smiled, letting out a short huff of laughter, your words causing an uptick in his pulse, your touch lulling him to sleep.

"Cake again?" You asked with a small grin, joining Yeosang on the couch.

Since baking the confection the day before, he'd helped himself to it, already on his third slice.

He nodded, licking icing off his lips.

"I'm glad you like it." You said with a pleased smile. "Just don't eat too much. You'll get a stomachache."

He hummed in acknowledgement and took another bite, closing his eyes in bliss.

Yeosang finished the rest of his treat, moving to set his empty plate down, which you were quick to take from him, going to the kitchen to wash it. When you returned, you dropped back onto the couch cushions, chuckling at the sight of Yesoang rubbing his stomach.

"Full?"

He nodded with the faintest hint of a smile.

You settled against the back of the sofa and watched the TV contently, happy to be able to sit like this with Yeosang.

It wasn't until you felt a hand tentatively placed on yours that your attention pulled away from whatever was on the screen. Yeosang was chewing his bottom lip, his cheeks painted with a touch of blush, fingers curling around yours. Your gaze flickered down to your joined hands, a swirl of something pleasant flaring in your gut at the sensation it brought on.

"Thank you." He uttered softly. "I never said it."

"You didn't have to." You shook your head.

"I wanted to." He murmured. "You've done so much for me."

"You deserve it. You've been through a lot."

His gaze softened at your kind words, his gentle eyes moving over your features, lingering on your lips for a fleeting moment. That alone made your heart jump, the air suddenly charged with tension as you stole a glance at his lips in return. As if he was hesitant about his own actions, he leaned in a fraction, but stopped.

"It's okay." Your voice lowered to a whisper.

As the space between your faces diminished, Yeosang's eyes darted down to your phone sitting idly at your side. He was quick to snag it and shove it between the couch cushions.

You chuckled amusedly at his actions.

"Don't worry." You assured him. "That won't interrupt us."

His face moved closer to yours, inch by inch until his soft lips finally laid themselves upon yours. The sensation that followed had your breath hitching softly, his lips like velvet against your own, kissing tentatively. You brought your free hand up to his cheek to cup it lovingly, the touch making Yeosang hum and lean closer. His hand released yours only to hover in the air, his actions full of uncertainty.

You parted ways long enough to gently take his wrist and guide his hand to cup the back of your neck, moving the other to your hip.

"Here." You told him.

He smiled softly. "I've never done this."

"It's okay." You whispered, leaning back in to kiss him, this time with more passion and confidence.

His hold on you tightened and he scooted closer, craving the proximity. A cluster of butterflies tickled your stomach, a flurry of sensations overwhelming you in the best way possible. Kissing Yeosang was quite the experience and you didn't want to stop, both hands sliding into his hair, brushing past the base of his ears, eliciting a deep sigh from him, his warm breath fanning your lips, adding to the array of pleasant sensations you were experiencing. Deciding to push the envelope a bit, you applied pressure to the base of Yeosang's ears, massaging them as you kissed him. A low noise escaped the back of his throat, vibrating against your lips, his hold on your waist tightening.

You parted ways with him, your breaths coming out in short bursts, mingling with Yeosang's.

"Wow." You breathed out.

"Are you... my girlfriend now?" Yeosang asked softly.

The innocence in his tone made you giggle.

"Yes. I suppose I am—if you want me to be."

He was already nodding eagerly before you could get the sentence out. You beamed giddily, cupping his cheek. The Yeosang before you was a far cry from the one you found in the woods trapped in a net.

"And I'm your boyfriend?" He inquired tentatively.

"Yes. Yes, you are."

"I'm heading to the grocery store. Would you like anything?" You asked, slinging your bag over your shoulder.

Yeosang shifted in his spot on the couch, wrapped in a fuzzy throw blanket, pursing his lips in thought.

"More chocolate chips?" He asked, chewing his lip bashfully.

"Noted." You chuckled. "I'll be back soon."

As you twisted the doorknob, you paused.

"You sure you don't wanna tag along?"

He shook his head. "Not ready."

You understood, nodding. "Alright. I'll be back soon."

The grocery store trip would be brief, as you didn't have many things to pick up. Some instant ramen, snack foods, and the chocolate chips Yeosang wanted more of—he'd been snacking on those a lot. You were about to get in line to check out when you spotted a candy bar display, reminding you that you'd run out of them recently, as that was another thing Yeosang liked to eat. You took a few off the display, your attention drawn to a bulletin board on the wall above the candy rack. An array of papers and fliers were pinned to the board, including one in particular that grabbed your attention. A hybrid rescue facility. You didn't have any groceries that needed to be put into the fridge or freezer, so you made a mental note to stop by on the way home.

Your car rolled to a gradual halt at the curb and you stepped out onto the street, approaching the hybrid rescue facility, bold letters announcing the company's name plastered on the windows of the storefront. You were only there to check it out and see how legitimate the business was, stepping inside to take a look around. By the entrance was a display holding brochures. As you were reading over an informational pamphlet, the sound of fretful voices grabbed your attention. You raised your head and glanced over your shoulder to see who was speaking. Standing just a few feet away was a male deer hybrid with partially grown antlers and a female deer hybrid beside him, they were both speaking frantically with an employee from the facility, but you couldn't make out what was being said. Both hybrids were wearing clothes that were ripped and stained, indicating they'd been in a pretty bad situation before their arrival here.

Your eyes widened in disbelief, your heart leaping into your throat. Could it be?

"Excuse me." You spoke up, cautiously approaching the two hybrids who turned towards you with curious expressions.

"I don't mean to bother you, but would either of you happen to know a deer hybrid named Yeosang?"

The man and woman's eyes widened.

"Yeosang? You know our Yeosang?" The woman asked, her tone carrying a mix of relief and panic.

"Yes." You nodded. "I rescued him from the woods a month ago. He's at my house right now."

"A month ago?" The man echoed in surprise.

"Yes. I can take you to him right now."

"I'm sorry, but they need to stay here and be processed." The employee cut in.

"Then I'll bring him to you." You promised the parents, heading towards the door.

Yeosang was startled by your abrupt entrance and the way you rushed inside, tossing the groceries haphazardly onto the kitchen counter.

"I know you said you weren't ready to leave the house yet, but you have to come with me." You told him.

"Why?"

"I found your parents."

His expression fell into one of utter disbelief.

"They're... they're okay?"

You nodded. "They're at a hybrid rescue facility in town."

Yeosang wiggled his way out of the blanket burrito he was in, shoving the fabric aside as he got to his feet, fumbling to slide on his shoes. He followed you out to your car, which you had to help him with since he hadn't been in one before. You started the engine and took off back towards town.

"How did you find them?" He asked, staring ahead at the road.

"I was at the grocery store and saw a flier for a hybrid rescue facility. I was curious, so I decided to stop by and when I went inside, they were there. It seemed like they were just rescued."

"How did they look?"

"Frantic, but unharmed."

He sighed in relief, swallowing down the lump that rose up in his throat, he was feeling so many emotions at once.

You hardly had time to park at the facility before Yeosang was wrestling with his seatbelt, trying to get out.

"I got you." You assured, clicking the buckle out of place for him.

As soon as he was freed, he started trying to open the door, his hand moving over the inside. You unbuckled yourself and hopped out of the car to help him, hurrying after the hybrid as he took off ahead of you and entered the building. Scrambling in behind him, you saw the way his frantic eyes scanned over the lobby, landing on his parents who were now seated off to the side wrapped in blankets and speaking to the same employee you saw earlier.

"Yesoang." His mother cried out, rushing forward to embrace him in a hug.

His father did the same, his arms wrapping tightly around his son.

You were overcome with emotion at the touching reunion, watching as they clung to one another. You kept your distance, letting them have their moment, talking amongst themselves and catching up after being apart.

"What happened to you guys?" Yeosang asked them.

"After you ran off, I made a deal with the hunters." His dad said. "I'd give them my antlers if they didn't harm your mother."

Yeosang's tearful eyes met those of his father, traveling up to his antlers that were in the process of growing back. "How did you get out?"

"Employees from the facility were searching the woods for hybrids living off the grid. They found your father and I in the shed those hunters kept us in." His mom's gaze became distant, a frown etching onto her features. "We were treated like animals, barely fed and kept around just so they could saw off your father's antlers and sell them."

Overhearing the conversation, you frowned, broken by his mother's recollection of events.

"The nice people here saved us though." His father added. "They called authorities and got those hunters locked away. We've been speaking with a lady and she's assured us that the facility is going to help us get back to normal life."

Yeosang smiled. "That's great." His gaze then moved to you.

He stepped away from his parents, gently taking your arm and bringing you over.

"This is Y/n. She saved me." He chewed his bottom lip, his fingers finding yours and sliding into your palm, curling around it. "She means a lot to me."

Yeosang's parents smiled warmly.

"Thank you for bringing him to us and taking care of him." The gratitude in his mom's voice was palpable and made your heart swell, a feeling of gratification warming your chest.

You returned the grin. "Of course. It was the right thing to do."

"So," You began, turning to address Yeosang now. "I guess this means you'll be moving back to the woods?"

That familiar look of panic flashed across his features and he shook his head, squeezing your hand. "I wanna stay with you." He muttered before turning to his parents with pleading eyes.

Having Yeosang continue living with you was all you wanted, but it depended on his parents and how they felt about that.

His dad laughed. "Your mom and I will be fine on our own. You don't have to worry about us."

Yeosang beamed brightly, his eyes glimmering with unadulterated joy, vowing to visit them often and check in from time to time.

The sun was shining brightly, warming your skin with its brilliant rays. You shielded your eyes and stared out at the tree line patiently, standing out on your back patio. The man you'd been waiting for emerged from the clusters of evergreens, carrying a basket over his arm.

"Hello." You greeted.

"Hi, pretty." Yeosang responded, his cheeks dusted pink at his own use of the pet name. He was a little shy about it, but wanted to try out something new. "Mom really liked those chocolate chips you sent. She wanted me to bring some muffins back. She's been learning new recipes."

"How sweet." You grinned, heading inside.

Two weeks had passed since Yeosang was reunited with his parents. They were taken back to their old home in the woods and were provided assistance from the rescue facility to return to their old life. They even went into town on their own to get groceries. Yeosang had changed a lot too. He was now having full conversations with you, still a little on the bashful side at times, but making progress.

"How are your parents?" You asked, stepping inside the house.

"They're good. They're happy to be back home again."

"That's great news."

"Oh. Mom said she'd like for you to come visit next time." Yeosang told you, placing the basket of muffins on the kitchen counter.

"I'd like that a lot. I'm curious to see where you used to live."

He chuckled and came up to wrap his arms around you, gently nuzzling his nose into your hair. "Thank you again for everything. I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't rescued me."

A warm rush of adoration spread throughout your chest at his grateful words.

"You know, after I saw you in the meadow for the first time, I kept coming back to look for you."

He raised his head, his widening eyes met yours, rounded with surprise, but full of reverence.

"I'm sorry I ran away." He apologized.

"There's no reason to be sorry. You were wary of humans and rightfully so."

"If you weren't so persistent in finding me, I would've never met you. Thank you."

You smiled, turning your head to press a kiss to his cheek, your lips lingering on his skin. "And I'd do it all over again."

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[angelyuji]

no love like caleb's love

helloo my silliesss a lot of discourse going down on ladstwt and honestly... idgaf what people like to think abt the characters. unless its a huge mischaracterization then im like "HE WOULD NEVER DO THATT" but then again, fanfiction is called fan-fiction for a reason lolol also i know some people get the ick from caleb calling mc pipsqueak but i like it. i also like when sylus calls mc kitten. idc i love it

18+!!!!!!!!!! MINORS DNI!!!!!!!!!!

caleb (love and deep space) x gn!reader

cw // fauxcest, COLLEGE MC AND CALEB, dubcon, gaslighting, mild violence, general yandere-ness (lmk if im missing any tags plss)

your chest hurts as you sob, sitting on the floor of your room. a knock sounds at the door, “hey pipsqueak, guess who?” you rush to open the door, throwing yourself into caleb’s arms. he laughs, “yeah, i missed you-“ he steps back, seeing your tears, “what happened?”

“he cheated on me, caleb." you sob into caleb's shoulder, he was the only one you could rely on in the end. he lets you cry, rubbing your back.

"listen, (y/n)," caleb squeezes your cheeks as you look up at him, "he was a waste of space in your life anyway. a good for nothing asshole." you snort and caleb smiles, he presses a kiss to your forehead. "stop crying about him... let me make you feel better." his lips go to your neck, teeth grazing your pulse point, but you push him away.

"caleb!" your face heats up, "w-we can't! i-i can't." you swallow, letting the fire in your stomach quell. caleb frowns, but relents, stepping back out of your room.

he gives you a leisurely smile, "feel better, pipsqueak."

"he told me to break up with you." "he made it all up, (y/n)." "look at the texts he'd been sending me." "he's sick."

you didn't know who had texted you the rumors of him cheating, but the proof the asshole had showed you was enough for you to doubt caleb's intentions. you sit in the dining room when a knock at the front door pulls you from your thoughts. "come in, the door's unlocked." you call out. caleb peeks his head in, his cheeky smile resting on his face. for a second you hesitate to ask, but seeing the conflicted emotions on your face, caleb frowns. he sits down across from you, eyes scanning your face. you take a sip of your water, nervous.

"you know, you should keep your door locked. it could've been some maniac at the door, not me." he shakes his head with a smile, "did grandma and i not teach you better?" he pretends to sigh disappointedly. you roll your eyes.

"caleb... i need to ask you something..." you wring your hands. he doesn't respond, waiting for you to continue. you take a breath, "that jerk... he told me that you threatened him... that you made up the rumors... is that-" you look at caleb, anger dripping from your voice, "is that true?" caleb doesn't say anything, watching your face.

he looks down with a sigh, "yeah... it's true." you stand up, abruptly, sending your chair shrieking. caleb jolts, watching you stomp around the table to him. you grab his collar in your fists.

"why. what were you thinking, caleb." you shake him and he lets you. his hands grab yours, tightening to force you to let go.

"(y/n), it was for your own good-" you let him go, letting him slump in the chair.

"for my own good? FOR MY OWN GOOD?" you could barely contain your anger. you fight the urge to slap your best friend, choosing to grab your glass and dump your water on his head. he blinks, straightening in shock.

his eyes narrow, "you feel better now?"

"no." you slam your glass on the table, turning to storm back to your room. caleb grabs your hand and pulls you back into his lap. you try to fight it, but he keeps his grip tight. you look away, rage turning to tears. "how could you do this to me, caleb?" he rubs your back and you melt into his hold.

a few minutes of silence passes as caleb comforts you, "he wasn't good for you, (y/n). i know who's good for you, and.... it wasn't him."

you look up at him, "then who's gonna be good enough for you, caleb? or will i have to spend the rest of my life alone." you sniffle, trying to get off him. caleb tightens his hold on you. he swallows, eyes falling to your lips.

"you won't be alone... i'll be there, pipsqueak." he presses his lips to yours and you squeak in surprise. you try to push him off, but his hands squeeze your waist. you yelp in pain and he mumbles against your lips, "just let me take care of you." he continues, his hand moving up to your chest. he looks at you, waiting for a reaction. "all i want to do is take care of you, (y/n). you... you're the only person i care about. the only person i love..." you hold back a whimper as his thumb caresses your nipple. you give him a small nod and you melt into his touch.

[nlovesbjh]

hello!!! can i ask you to write something about nct wish hyung line? or sion specifically :3

details are up to you🤭

𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑏𝑎𝑑! nct wish hyungs x reader ៸៸ fluff

( 시온 ) — sion

yall remember that one fancall when sion said he's always getting nervous around pretty women? yeah, i think about that one pretty much a lot especially because sion is super giggly and soft and just so idk gentleman type yk? i believe he'll adore everything and anything about you. even the things you didn't know existed in you or your habits he noticed that you would never think of. you'd never think that such small things would attract your boyfriend, which is cute obviously <3

"have you seen my lipstick? it was somewhere in the living room.." you'd ask him, looking for your other makeup stuff in your room, while your boyfriend were preparing for a movie night. you held some makeup in your one hand, searching through your things with another.

"why do you need this lipstick right now?" sion asked, look for it anyway. he'd literally do anything you asked him to, doesn't matter if it didn't make any sense to him like why would you need a lipstick on a movie night at home?

you walked out of the room, hand is still full and the other one is holding your bag. you placed everything on the kitchen counter, turning around to look at your boyfriend. "because i can't find it! i don't wanna lose it again, okay? i just bought it…" you explained, sitting down and placing your head on the counter and sighing.

"is it pink?" you heard sion ask. you only hummed approvingly in response. then you heard your boyfriend's laugh. his laugh was always so bright and sweet, you looked up with a slight smile. you couldn't bring yourself to be annoyed by his behavior, he was too adorable laughing.

"why? what is it?"

"it was in your hand all the time!" he pointed at the lipstick that you placed on the counter, your eyes widened, face confused. how could you not notice that? sion was still laughing, seemed like he was enjoying this situation a bit too much.

"im so stupid!" you laughed as well. and all the thoughts in sion's head at that time were about how adorable you are when you're clumsy and a bit silly like that, loosing something that right there where you can see it.

( 리쿠 ) — riku

i feel like riku is not jst clingy boyfriend type ( as we all know by the way he's acting w jaehee yeah ) but also super supportive and entertaining lmao. he'd literally embarrass himself just to make you smile and feel better even if you're feeling down :) he loves to see you happy and concentrated on things you like, he's extremely proud and supports you through all the way. he'll give you all the time in the world to finish something, will help you and if you need some space or wanna do it yourself — he won't push it. he's understanding and caring, but he cares more about your comfort and the way you can express yourself without his help.

you were feeling down all week, everything wasn't right. your hair looked bad, makeup was not looking good, pimples pissed you off and you had nothing to wear because of the tricky weather. your mood was ruined, that's why you didn't wanna go on a date with your boyfriend, afraid you'd ruin his day too.

"no, riku. im not going out today, sorry.." you said on the phone as your boyfriend asked you out to new restaurant down the street where you live. you wanted to go there as soon as this place opened, but now you can't because everything is not working out.

"you sure? why?" riku sounded a bit concerned and confused at the same time, because he knew you wanted to go just a week ago.

"i don't know, everything is pissing me off and i look bad.."

"you never look bad!" riku cut you off, making you smile a little as he continued. "we can order takeout from that place and just watch something at your place? how about on of the barbie movies?"

"you seriously wanna watch barbie with me?" you giggled.

"if it'll make you feel better, i'll do anything. i can be your personal clown if you want to," he says and you couldn't hold back a laugh.

"okay that might be too much!" you joked, feeling a bit better from the fact that your boyfriend loves you so much that he can do anything for you and to light up your day. "you can come over, yeah. thank you.."

( 유우시 ) — yushi

we know yushi is shy and a bit awkward and im more than sure that he's like that with girls. doesn't matter if you've been dating for a month or three years, he'd be shy around you especially when you're giving him all your attention. but he definitely thinks you are his best friend, he trust you enough and have a special spot for you. the fact that he feels comfortable around you, not ashamed of doing something wrong, can talk abt everything with you and not afraid to speak his mind is important for him. he knows you won't judge him, he knows he can tell you anything and knows you can be trusted >.<

"y/n, stop.." yushi whispered, hiding his face in your shoulder after you kissed him on the lips infront of his members. it was a quick little kiss, he obviously liked it, but he was too embarrassed to enjoy it for a little longer. sion started giggling, pointing at his friend and smiling.

"you two are so cute!" sion clapped and the other members agreed, making you smile. you knew yushi is always shy like that, but you wanted to steal that little kiss from him anyway. he deserved that kiss, you thought he deserved all the kisses in the world and that's exactly what you whispered into his ear.

"you're making me feel more embarrassed.."

"i love making you embarrassed when you're cute like that," you said, bringing your hand to his hair to gently play with them. he smiled, sighing, finally giving in.

"honestly, i love when you're making me feel like that.." your eyes widened a little after that confession, making your boyfriend more sit up and look at you more confidently. "it's okay when it's you. making me understand that i am wanted."

"awww!" you heard his members mocking, making you roll your eyes in annoyance at them but still kissing your boyfriend again.

[alittlegiraffe]

Title: “One Step at a Time”

Back at the hotel, the shopping bag felt heavier in your hands than it should have. It wasn’t like Marshall had gone overboard—he��d kept it simple, just a couple of things, nothing crazy. But the weight of it felt like more than fabric. It felt like a shift. Like something unfamiliar pressing against your chest.

Marshall had carried most of the bags, barely letting you hold anything, but this one? This one, he made sure you held onto. Maybe he knew you needed to feel it, needed to sit with the reality of it.

He was watching you now, pretending not to as he busied himself with taking off his hoodie and tossing it on the bed. The kids were in the other room, completely unaware of the small battle still raging in your head.

You set the bag on the chair near the window, staring at it like it might disappear if you looked away.

Marshall sat on the bed, leaning back on his elbows. "You gonna put anything on?" he asked casually.

You exhaled through your nose. "Maybe later."

His brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t push. "Alright."

Silence settled between you. It wasn’t uncomfortable, not exactly, but you could tell he wanted to say something.

"What?" you finally asked, crossing your arms.

"Nothing," he said too quickly, then ran a hand over his face. "It’s just… I don’t get it."

You frowned. "Get what?"

He sat up fully, resting his forearms on his knees. "Why it’s so hard for you to let yourself have something. To do something for you."

Your fingers curled into your sleeves. "I told you—"

"Yeah, I know," he interrupted gently. "I just— I don’t know, babe. I wish you saw yourself the way I do.*"

You swallowed hard, looking away. "I don’t know how."

Marshall was quiet for a moment. Then, he stood up, crossing the room until he was right in front of you. He tipped your chin up with two fingers, forcing you to meet his eyes.

"Then let me help."

You searched his face, your throat tight.

"One step at a time," he said, voice low but steady. "Okay?"

You hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."

And when he kissed you, slow and deliberate, you felt something inside you shift. Maybe, just maybe, you could try.

---

You hated being here.

Hated being anywhere that made you feel like you didn't belong, but the girls had begged to go visit Marshall's music video set and you couldn't say no. So here you were.

The music video set was alive with energy—cameras, bright lights, crew members buzzing around with purpose. The girls were completely in awe, sticking close to Marshall as he gave them a quick tour between takes.

And then there was her.

Mia.

She was leaning against one of the monitors, all smiles and effortless charm, laughing at something Marshall had said between takes. It was nothing—just casual conversation—but the way she looked at him made your stomach twist.

You knew that look.

It was the way women looked at Marshall when they wanted him.

You tried to push it down, to remind yourself that he was yours. That he had chosen you. But the doubt crept in anyway. Mia was beautiful, confident, exciting—the kind of woman who fit seamlessly into his world. And you? You were just you.

Marshall’s hand found the small of your back when he passed by, pressing a quick kiss to your temple, as if he could feel your unease. But it didn’t erase the feeling that you were on the outside looking in.

That you weren’t enough.

—

The hotel room was quiet, the only sounds coming from the city outside. The girls were finally asleep in the adjoining room, exhausted from the long day, and you should’ve been getting ready for bed, too. But instead, you stood by the window, arms wrapped around yourself, your thoughts tangled.

Marshall was behind you, peeling off his hoodie, yawning as he sat on the edge of the bed. "You okay?"

You turned to face him, watching as he ran a hand over his face. He looked tired. He was tired. You should’ve let it go.

But you couldn’t.

Crossing the room, you climbed onto the bed, straddling his lap before he could react. His hands instinctively came to rest on your hips, eyes flickering with surprise. "Damn, okay," he murmured, a slow smirk tugging at his lips. "What’s this about?"

You didn’t answer. Instead, you kissed him—deep and needy, like you were trying to brand yourself into him. Like you needed to prove something.

He responded instantly, fingers tightening on your waist as he pulled you closer. But when you broke the kiss, his brows furrowed slightly. "Babe…what’s wrong?"

You shook your head, refusing to let doubt take hold. "Nothing."

Marshall didn’t buy it. His hands moved to cradle your face, thumbs brushing against your cheeks. "Talk to me."

Your throat tightened. "I just…" You exhaled shakily, dropping your forehead against his. "I hate the way she looks at you."

He blinked. "Mia?"

You nodded.

Something flickered in his expression—realization, then something softer. "You know I don’t see her like that, right?"

"But she sees you like that," you whispered. "And I know I shouldn’t care, but—"

"But you do," he finished for you, his voice gentle.

You closed your eyes. "I just needed to remind myself that you're mine."

Marshall was silent for a moment, then tipped your chin up, forcing you to look at him. His eyes were steady, unwavering. "I’ve always been yours," he said firmly. "No one else. Just you."

Your chest ached, the weight of your insecurities pressing down. But Marshall just pulled you closer, kissing you again—slow and deep, like he needed you to understand.

And maybe, just maybe, you finally did.

---

The morning was quiet as you made your way into the shared living space of your suite. The girls were already eating breakfast, their voices a soft murmur over the clinking of spoons against cereal bowls. Hailie was scrolling through her phone, Whitney was doodling absentmindedly on a napkin, and Alaina was sipping her juice, still half-asleep.

"Morning," you greeted, sitting beside Whitney.

"Morning, Mommy!" she chirped.

"Morning," Hailie echoed distractedly, still focused on her phone. Then, suddenly, she smirked. "Hey, Mom, come here for a second."

You frowned. "Why?"

"Just look," she said, flipping her phone around so you could see the screen.

Your heart nearly stopped.

It was a picture from yesterday at the video shoot—one you hadn’t even noticed being taken. But the focus wasn’t on Mia, or the set, or even the girls. It was you.

And Marshall.

He was in the background, standing off to the side, but the way he was looking at you…

Your breath hitched.

You had spent the entire day convinced that you were on the outside looking in. That Mia was everything you weren’t—bright, exciting, someone who belonged in his world. You had been so consumed by insecurity that you never even saw this.

But the camera had captured it.

Marshall wasn’t looking at Mia. He wasn’t looking at anyone else.

He was looking at you.

And he looked at you the way Mia had looked at him. Like nothing else existed around him. Like you were the only thing in the world.

Your fingers trembled slightly as you took the phone, staring at the image like it might change if you blinked too hard.

"I don’t know what you think you see when he looks at you," Hailie said gently, "but this is what the rest of us see."

Your throat tightened.

"Mom?" Alaina’s voice was softer now. "Do you get it yet?"

You swallowed, nodding wordlessly, because you didn’t trust your voice.

Marshall chose that exact moment to walk into the kitchen, rubbing a hand over his face as he yawned. "Mornin’." He moved toward the coffee pot, completely unaware of what had just happened.

The girls exchanged a look before Alaina nudged you lightly. "Go hug your husband, Mom."

You hesitated for only a second before standing up and walking over to him.

Marshall turned slightly just as you reached him, his brows furrowing. "What’s—"

You didn’t let him finish. You just wrapped your arms around his waist, pressing your face into his chest.

For a moment, he was still, clearly surprised. Then, slowly, his arms came around you, holding you just as tightly. "You okay?" he murmured, lips brushing your hair.

You nodded against him. "Yeah."

Because for the first time in a long time, you finally saw what had been there all along.

---

The rest of the morning passed in a blur, but something inside you had shifted. The image from Hailie’s phone was burned into your mind, and for the first time in years, you started noticing things.

You noticed the way Marshall stood near you when you all left the hotel, his body instinctively angling toward you like he was drawn in by gravity. How, even when the girls were talking to him, even when his attention was elsewhere, his eyes still flicked to you—brief glances, soft and fleeting, but constant. You were never out of sight.

And not in the way you’d thought before.

He wasn’t watching you like you were fragile, like he was scared you’d break. No, it was something deeper than that. Needier. He was watching you like he needed to know where you were at all times, like he couldn’t breathe right unless he could orient himself around you.

You weren’t his shadow.

You were his center.

At the café, when you slid into the booth, he didn’t even think—his hand found the small of your back as you passed him, his fingers pressing against the fabric of your shirt for just a second longer than necessary. Not possessive, not demanding. Just assuring.

At first, you thought maybe you were imagining things. That maybe it was only obvious now because you were looking for it. But then, as the day went on, you realized it wasn’t new at all.

It had always been there.

You had just stopped seeing it.

At the studio, while the girls sat on the couch listening to tracks, you stood off to the side near the console, watching Marshall work. He was in his element, focused, deep in conversation with the producer. And yet—

His fingers absently twisted his wedding band.

The same way he always did when he was thinking. When he was grounding himself.

And when the conversation ended, his gaze immediately sought yours, like he was recalibrating, like he needed the confirmation that you were still there.

And every time you were close enough, he touched you. Not in any overt way, not in a way that screamed ownership or expectation—just knowing. A brush of his fingers against your hand as he passed you, his palm at your waist when he leaned in to murmur something in your ear, his thumb tracing absent circles over your knuckles when you were standing next to him.

He wasn’t just putting up with you.

You weren’t some obligation, some duty he felt bound to because of the life you’d built together.

You were his world.

Hailie had been right.

You weren’t on the outside looking in.

You had been at the center of it all along.

The realization stayed with you for the rest of the day, sinking into your bones like something warm and steady. It was strange, noticing all the little things now—things that had always been there but had somehow faded into the background over time.

Marshall wasn’t the kind of man who shouted his love from the rooftops. He wasn’t flashy about it, wasn’t the type to drown you in sweet words or grand gestures. But he showed you. In the way he moved, the way he watched you, the way he reached for you without a second thought.

That evening, back at the hotel, you were getting ready for bed when you felt it again.

Marshall was sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone, but his attention wasn’t really on the screen. It was on you.

You felt his eyes follow you as you moved around the room, gathering your things, pulling your hair up. He wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it anymore.

"What?" you finally asked, turning to face him.

He smirked, setting his phone aside. "Nothin’."

"You’re staring," you pointed out.

"So?" He shrugged like it was the most natural thing in the world. "You’re mine. I like lookin’ at what’s mine."

Your breath hitched. Not because of the words themselves—you’d heard him say things like that before—but because of the way he said them. Low and sure, like it wasn’t even a question. Like there was no doubt in his mind that you belonged to him just as much as he belonged to you.

You swallowed hard and turned away, trying to ignore the heat creeping up your neck. "Well, stop. It’s weird."

He chuckled, pushing himself up from the bed. A second later, his arms were around you, his chest pressing against your back as he leaned down, lips brushing against your ear. "You love it."

You hated how right he was.

He kissed your shoulder, slow and lingering, before resting his chin there. "You been different today," he murmured.

You hesitated. "Different how?"

"I dunno." He tightened his hold on you slightly. "Quieter. Like you’re thinkin’ about somethin’."

You sighed, leaning into him. "I guess I just… noticed some things today that I hadn’t before."

"Yeah?" He nudged his nose against your temple. "Like what?"

You hesitated, heart pounding, but then you turned in his arms, looking up at him. "Like the way you look at me."

His brows furrowed slightly. "What about it?"

"I didn’t realize…" You swallowed. "I didn’t realize it was always like that."

His expression softened, something unreadable passing through his eyes. He lifted a hand, brushing his thumb over your cheek. "It was always like that," he said quietly. "Always will be."

You exhaled shakily, leaning into his touch.

And for the first time in a long time, you actually believed it.

[a-smol-storm-gt-nomfs-blog]

3 in 1 special (I'm bad with names) sea speaker

You have your normal tw for soft, safe vore/extreme cuddling.

Grian had left the island with Tango on a raft he’d been building. It wasn't much, but he could sit stand, and walk in a circle on it. The raft itself was mer-powered, for the most part at least. Mer-powered, as in it was mostly pulled around by the mers, but it still gave Grian the freedom of not being shoved in the muscle prison any time he wanted to leave the island. The raft was very simple considering there was no sail and that Grian never learned how to use one. He didn’t want to be blown off to sea, hence the lack. It was mostly logs and sticks tied together giving Grian enough space to walk around a little, and to lay on. This was a second run of it, Grian wanted to test it before the storm came in. So it was stripped bare, nothing comfortable besides a small perch the avian could sit on and keep an eye out.

Tango was with him, as mentioned. Right now the eel was the Mer power as the rope was a comfortable length for him. Everyone knew Scar wanted to do it, but he was a bit big, yet Grian also feared the mer would just swallow him into his crop when away from the others.

The avian knew tango enough that he trusted the mer wouldn't store him without good reason.

Grian reached into the water and stroked the eel’s back, it was weird, mucus coated under his hands made sense, being an eel they hid in rock crevices the mucus protected their skin from infections and cuts.

The mer was watching him, likely a bit confused by the petting, but he definitely liked it.

Grian smiled, keeping it up. He looked up at the clouds, still far enough away, only ever able to make out the rain sheet yet.

The rain didn't help his already messed-up wings. Although waterproof, winds could be horrible, knocking him around.

They'd throw the boat around just as much.

That's part of the reason why Grian didn't want to make a sail yet.

He'd have to eventually. He knew that the mers might not always be around, and if he had to go offshore himself, it was the safest option.

At least until his wings recovered.

That might not happen for a few years though.

Until then it was, for the most part, random kidnappings and crops he'd be put in.

Thankfully it seemed Impulse was keeping an eye out for him.

Ironically for his name, he seemed the least impulsive of the bunch.

False told Grian Scar's energy was from hormones, causing his- impulsive crop storing.

Oh yeah, she said something about those-, they aren't crops, baby pouches, or something.

Why would a baby pouch be internal, though?

He'd need to ask False to translate someone for him so he could ask about it.

He looked down at the eel mer again watching his tail go side to side, the spots creating a hypnotic movement.

Grian leaned closer to it. If he were any normal bird, he might have tried something stupid, thinking it was a small school of fish.

I wonder if that was just normal avian instincts or his fish-hunting instincts.

The eel must have seen him staring, honestly, grian didn't even realize Tango had stopped the boat till he heard a teasing “Hmm?”

Grian blinked a couple of times before looking up at the toothy, playful smile.

Grian turned away, face red with embarrassment.

“I know I'm hot but-.”

Grian splashed, making the mer laugh.

“Your tail h- messed with my brain.”

“You wanna feel it?”

“Shut!” Grian said, embarrassed.

Tango thankfully changed the subject. “Anyways, topic change, but I know with this storm you likely won't get anything to eat, so- Do you want me to go down and get something?”

Grian paused. “I -er that- it sounds nice.”

Tango smiled. “Alright, ‘be back in a bit, then.” Grian watched as the yellow tail vanished down into the dark water.

The avian sighed, he looked back at the clouds, he had maybe half an hour before it hit him. That thought changed quickly as he could feel the waves rocking a bit, he also just realized he might have been moving, was it waves? Maybe a current? He stuck his hands in the water, he could feel the pull, yeah a current, Tango was likely using it to swim faster, then didn’t think about Grian’s raft. So now he was being dragged towards the storm, giving him maybe 5-10 minutes less time before the storm would be on him. That wasn’t great. What made it worse was that when Tango would be back up, he’d likely be unable to find Grian, the mer was smart, but how long would it take him to realize Grian was down current? Would he swim back to the other mers then realize? Would something else find him? Grian heard murmurs of the two sharks, Doc and Ren, who had been stalking the island, looking for him, not sure if that was the old one or the one he was at currently. Maybe he could convince them, but when it comes to the waves, yeah, he wouldn’t be able to talk them out of killing him. The avian let out distressed peeps. Wait, maybe he could try and get to tango, water did carry noise a lot better, but he’d be shocked still if Tango surfaced. “TANGOOOOO!” Grian yelled. He paused, he knew if the mer heard him he wouldn’t be coming up yet but just to make sure. “TANGO HELP I THINK I’M CAUGHT IN A CURRENT!”  After a couple of minutes nothing, the avian got nervous, but not surprised.

And something worse is he made out the fin of a shark, and something perhaps pale.

Please don’t be, please don’t-

He saw a head and surface, but it didn’t seem to have seen him yet, it was the smaller shark. He was looking around, maybe for his pal, he seemed slightly nervous.

In about 30 seconds, he spotted Grian, the perking of the dogfish’s ear fins being obvious.

He went under some and started towards Grian. The kingfisher himself let out loud panicked noises, the shark becoming invisible under the darkness of incoming cloud cover.

He could make out the paleness just before the shark broke the surface, fingers sitting on Grian’s raft, the mer seemed a lot less nervous now.

Grian on the other hand was not, his feathers came up, his trimmed wings too, poofing out as he tried to look bigger.

“Awww aren’t you cuteee.” Ren teased

“Leave me alone.” Grian, well he wasn’t sure if he was begging, or commanding, what he did though was his voice was shaky.

The shark seemed confused. “I dunno about that bud, I don’t think you’ll survive this storm, it’s not pretty.”

Maybe the mer didn’t remember him, he thought he’d be angry.

The shark's expression seemed to shift as he could make out Grian’s body shaking.

“Ah, I-.” He rubbed the back of his head. “Alright, look, I’m guessing you don’t like us chasing you around, but I’d rather you not die in the storm.” He definitely remembered.

“I- I have a mer friend, H-he's near, h-he’ll be back for me soon.”

“You mean Scar?”

Grian almost said no, but then nodded yes, Scar was big, they might not test it.

“Riiiiight, your expression says it all.” Ren said sarcastically, making Grian swallow and shrink some, walking backward on the raft.

“Don’t worry, you won’t be harmed, not unless you do something stupid.”

“Please Don’t,” Grian begged, but he didn’t move, besides his shaking body, when Ren’s hands came up.

“Oh, bud.” Ren cooed softly, his finger Gently brushing Grian’s body. “I’m not gonna hurt you, I promise.” The avian’s voice shook as nervous peeps slid out. Ren gently put a hand under Grian's feet and lifted him up.

The avian's breathing and heart sped up, when tens mouth opened he tried to go back but his wings bumped the mers hand making him freeze.

“Please don't eat me,” Grian begged one last time.

Ren paused, his open mouth closing into a frown. “I'm not gonna-.” Ren was cut off by something that threw himself at the shark mer. Ren dropped Grian who let out a small gasp. Hands were quickly around Grian before he could comprehend anything. At first, the Avian squirmed thinking it was the bigger shark.

“Hey Grian, I got you, it's okay.”

That was Tango’s voice. Looking up the avian saw the eel over him, but the mer’s attention shifted to Ren as he recovered.

“Ow! Jeez man- what was that for?”

“For trying to grab our Grian.”

The avian smiled at that, their Grian, he liked the sound of it.

Ren sighed. “Well then careful with him, he was nearly caught in the storm, where were you?”

“Fishing, I wanted to make sure he ate, and something interesting, but I'll take him back, thanks.”

“I mean you can try.”

All 3 heads turned to Doc, and Grian let out a verbal gulp.

“I’d like my bird please.”

Grian started shaking again, but Tango pressed him to his, soaked, chest.

“No, he’s not yours.” “He isn’t yours either.” “He likes us, so I’d say yes, he is ours.” Doc huffed and turned to the shaking bird, he met Grian’s eyes and the avian puffed up again. The larger shark mer chuckled. “So cutee.” Tango lowered his head towards Grian. “Hold on tight, okay?” The eel whispered before putting him on the perch. Grian did as told and felt a yank as Tango started swimming upstream, he could see how hard the mer’s body was fighting it, and the angry yells that came from the two- or well, more like just Doc. Grian watched behind them carefully, Ren seemed to be trying to stop Doc but the larger dove under. “I- I think Doc’s chasing.” Tango’s ears flicked, and he heard Grian. Looking at the direction the mer was heading he could see a lot of rocks that stuck up above the water. The mer was gonna try and lose the bigger mers in it probably. Grian was yanked to the side, he yelped but held, barely. He looked back and saw a snarling Doc, upset he missed. Tango still aimed sharply towards the rocks. The larger shark mer must have seen as he tried to move and cut tango off. He would have too if it wasn't for Ren. The smaller shark mer stopped Doc, saying something not understandable to Grian. It worked for a bit as just after Tango was in the area he could see the shark mer dive in, aiming at the two runners. Once around a couple of rocks Tango surfaced. He did a finger over his lips, which Grian wouldn’t argue against, then took his hands up. It was the trust signal they showed Grian a while back. Grian’s breath held. He turned towards where he heard Doc’s angry shouting, then swiftly turned back and put his hands on Tango’s fingers. The mer, much quicker than he’d ever been cupped his hands around Grian’s feet and back before shoving the avian in his mouth, nearly deepthroating him.  The kingfisher pulled his legs up, one foot grasping it gently around one of Tango’s teeth, the other trying to use the tongue to pull himself up quicker. Tango swallowed, it was strong, crushing the avian, unlike all those from the other mers. Grian wasn’t fighting it, he’d rather be in Tango’s pouch than Doc’s stomach. The eel let out weak coughs, and Grian could feel the walls shift, and push up a bit, but once fixed there was another swallow. The coughing came again, a hand came up and scratched at Grian’s back. What was? Oh, Grian’s wings, the feathers must be itchy. The avian tucked them closer to his body, and the itching changed to a rubbing, thanking Grian silently, before another swallow. The body shifted to a bit of a stiffer area, being moved mostly out of Tango’s throat, and under his chest. The muscles around him moved less from the breathing, the sound of the mer’s heartbeat was there, not loud, but he could make out the distinct sound. He remembered it from Impulse. This was a bit louder, though, and a lot quicker, too. It made sense, as the mer was likely stressed. The avian moved a shaky arm out in front of him, putting a hand gently against the throat walls he rubbed a bit. Tango’s hand, or what he thinks it was, gently pressed in on him. “I’m okay,” Grian said softly. The mer responded with another swallow, another after a bit, Grian could feel it getting tighter, and after a 3rd swallow, even more. The avian squirmed a bit, but then with a 4th push, he gasped and pushed into a slightly more open area, tango’s pouch. Slightly became very cramped. Grian’s hands pushed at opposite walls, it felt more compressed than Tango’s throat, and he hated it. One thing he could tell is that, when pushing at the muscles, they were tense, very tense, likely the reason Grian felt so cramped. The avian tried pushing more but his hands just slipped and got stuck. The kingfisher squirmed, he hated the tight feeling, he hated it so much, he wanted out, he

 wanted out- “Stop!” Tango hissed. Grian’s thoughts and body stilled. It felt like the world paused It felt so still Everything unmoving For just so long nothing Not a word, not a shift in the muscles, the avian could barely recognize his own body moving from breathing. It took Grian so long to realize Tango’s chest wasn’t even moving much, if at all from breathing. ~~ pov change woooooo ~~

Tango put his hands up, asking Grian silently if he trusted him. The avian looked nervous but after hearing some yelling he nearly shoved himself into tango’s head when leaning over and accepting.

Tango picked up Grian’s feet in his hand and put the avian hybrid’s head in his mouth. Grian tasted amazing, but they didn’t have the time for that.

The eel mer pushed the avian in even more, as far as he could before he needed to swallow. He didn’t at first, as he felt the king Grian’s feet pull up, but after a bit understood Grian was just attempting to pull himself in.

So Tango swallowed, It was a strong swallow, something he could feel the avian didn’t enjoy, but Grian didn’t fight, so Tango went again.

He coughed, as quietly as he could, as the avian’s feathers brushed up against his throat. Tango didn’t think that his feathers would be so itchy, it was odd, considering how soft they felt in his hands.

He forced another swallow, more coughing, but then more swallowing. Grian was doing well, but Tango hadn’t noticed they weren’t struggling until the avian got near his brood pouch entrance, it was tighter there so he supposed that made sense.

He swallowed Grian into his pouch. He could feel the avian, every part of him, he could make out his wings, his heart beating ever so swiftly, the small patch of warmth as a breath escaped Grian. And hands pushing out, at first he thought it was Grian trying to rub, maybe get comfy

, but it never lessened, and maybe got worse, using stronger pushes.  Tango hissed at the avian, and Grian stopped, but Tango had to go, he left the raft, the avian could rebuild another, and it would just give him away. The Eel mer used the rocks as a way to hide, soon hearing Doc finding the raft and breaking it. He was glad he left it now. The thing is he has to try and swim back without being spotted. The major problem was he was slow compared to the shark's more sleek build, his best chance was to hope a mer from the group saw the storm and came after them. Once noticing that Doc was distracted again he went for it.

He had gotten halfway to another rock when he turned his head and saw Ren.

The smaller shark mer stayed quiet but was still staring.

“What are you looking at? Ohhh there he iss.”

Tango ‘dashed’ well not really, as his back was slammed into a rock making him let out a gasp of breath.

“Where is he?” Doc growled.

Tango panted, looking the large shark mer in the eyes. ‘Where you can’t reach him.”

“Let me have him.”

“Why?” Tango asked seeming defensive now. “Why do you need him so bad? What has he DONE to you that you feel the need to scare the living daylights out of him every damn second.”

Doc didn’t have a response for a little.

“He spends hours staring at the ocean terrified, he thinks you’ll just show up and eat him!”

“I’m not going to eat him.”

“He doesn't know that!” He felt Grian shivering, every part of the avian’s body was shaking. Tango put a hand on his chest letting the avian know he was there.

“I told him so, back when we first met, besides, he bested me once-.”

“So this is all a dumb challenge to you? He’s so terrified, god he didn’t even understand us for so long, do you know how long it took Scar to calm him down the first time he did that? He only managed to swallow him because he didn’t eat for 3 days beforehand!” Doc stayed silent, but he looked pretty pissed. Tango opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. He ended up saying nothing, not wanting to anger Doc more. The hand pressed harder and he gasped, his own hands pulling at Docs. “Then why is he in you?” “BECAUSE HE TRUSTS ME! He knows NOTHING about you, besides you ate the whole crew, and went after him! What is he supposed to think?” Doc lessened his grip, Tango and the larger shark turned to Ren who was pulling Doc’s arm back. “He was, he was scared of me too when I first saw him. He thought I was going to eat him then too, brute force won’t solve this one.” Tango could feel Grian calm down some at that. “Besides, the storm is coming, just let them go, it isn’t worth it right now.” “But- I- he’s RIGHT here Ren, I can’t just let him go!” “If you do anything to him or me, you’ll have a lot worse to deal with!” Tango well it was a threat, but also a truth. Doc growled. “Or maybe I’ll just scare you into silence.” Tango felt his stomach compressing in on itself a little, not realizing the same was happening with his storge. Grian squirmed a little. “Aww he looks nervous now~.” Tango growled, then he saw a flash of black and white before Doc and Ren were shoved, not far but Tango looked up and saw Gem. Gem was Orca mer, one of the 3 that lived nearby the island, never really interacted with Grian though. “Well well well! Look who’s here.” She said smiling threateningly, teeth showing purposefully.

Doc growled. “We just want the damn bird.” “He’s not JUST a BIRD!” Tango growled. The large shark growled again. Gem turned to Tango, her gaze more neutral but still intimidating. Her arms came out, pulling the eel closer to his face. When her mouth opened Doc dashed at them, but Joel, another Orca, came from out behind the rock and shoved harshly into Doc, earning a grunt. Gem shoved Tango’s head and shoulders into her mouth. Tango could feel the taste buds against his tongue, the muscle moving a little with her breathing. He knew she wouldn’t kill him, but Tango’s breathing stuttered. He watched the tongue lower, showing off Gem’s throat for a bit before it came up for a swallow. He could make out the sounds of arguing, mostly Doc shouting, but Joel shouting even louder, much more aggressively. Once Tango’s belly was swallowed into the orca’s throat he looked back at his chest, thinking about Grian.

The avain had been very quiet, though the silence, and body movements spoke volumes.

Tango only now realized how nervous both himself and Grian had been.

“Grian?” he asked softly. The avian’s shaking lessened, but no verbal response. “G?” tango asked again, still no response, so maneuvering a hand, he pressed it to his pouch.

He could feel a lot of tense muscle, was it Grian or his own? He smushed or tried to smush his chest, but he realized it was likely his own.

Impulse’s words hit Tango like a brick. ‘They like their wing space. Without it avians feel trapped, weak.’ Those words were told to him by Impulse, the day he teased Grian, the first day they met.

Tango almost did the same thing as Doc that day.

No wonder Grian preferred Impulse over everyone, the mer left it up to Grian, never forcing it on him, not like Doc, or Scar would.

Tango wanted to throw up. He heard Grian now- or well felt Grian, he was pushing gently, feeling trapped by the tense muscles. The Eel got more nervous, wanting to calm Grian down. “G-gem I uh- how- I need to calm down how-.” “Tango- Tango.” She said softly, tongue brushing his tail. “Breathe, breathe, deep breaths, in 3 out 5.” The smaller mer nodded. He took in a deep shaky break for 3 seconds, held for one, and then breathed out. 

After 3 of these, his breathing became more normal, 

after 10 Tango realized he couldn’t feel Grian as well, 

after 15 the avian moved slowly, seeming to test the mer, After 20 tango apologized. “G, I- I’m sorry, I’m sorry for before-, and even before that.”

He felt hands press on his pouch, rubbing it. Tango could feel his tenseness when Grian did that, but the avian’s petting helped.

“I’m sorry for Scaring you- like when we first really met-.” He was stopped as Gem swallowed.

“And uh, for yelling earlier-.”

Grian finally spoke, “It’s okay- we were both stressed out I could- really tell-.” Tango guessed his tense stomach told Grian, never mind the hiss Tango let out earlier.

“Do you have my raft?”

“No, I left it tied up to hide, but Doc destroyed it- sorry.”

“It’s fine, I have other things I want to try anyway.”

Tango rubbed at Grian, helping both the avian and himself, also because he had no idea what else to say.

Gem purred gently around them. “Grian- that name familiar.’ She hummed

“He's uh- he's the avian that we’ve been talking to on the island?”

  “OHHHH! Hi! Nice to meet you finally, er- I wish it could have been better than this?” Grian laughed. “It’s okay, I uh, can I ask your name and uh species?” “Names Gem, I’m one of the 3 in the pod that has territory around your island.” “Wait I’ve had Orca mers near my island this whole time?” Gem laughed this time. “Has no one told you?” Grian “N-no- not really? I suppose I never left the island though, at least not without being in someone, today was supposed to be like that, but uh-.” Gem “That's fair, you guys might be in me till the storm passes though, is that alright?” “I’m fine with that,” Tango said. “I-er Grian what do you want?” “I’d un- I guess? I- I mean I’d-.” the avian went quiet, not wanting to sound commanding. Tango rubbed at the avian. “What is it?” “I’d like more wing space.” He said quietly. Tango nodded and did his best to relax, but being in someone else's tight throat, he also pushed back at the eel, likely not helping Grian’s case. “Gem can you- er, continue please?” Gem hummed confused for a second. “Oh yeah!” She continued to swallow, Gem’s hand feeling his lump from the outside. Gem was gentle yet effective. Tango’s biology made him easier to get down, being a bit of a slimy creature himself. It wasn’t long till he was in the orca’s pouch, it was odd, Gem’s multi-colors, like on her tongue, seemed to carry down all her body. Tango could pretty much feel Grian’s relief as the space expanded.  What sucked for the avain though is it still was hugging him, but the kingfisher wasn’t complaining. It occurred to Tango that he could just have been nervous to say, Grian was nervous to ask before, but the fisher wasn’t tense, or fighting it, more relaxed.

“Would you be okay with some rubbing?”

“Me?” Gem asked. “I- I meant Grian, but I could pet you too if you want.” Gem’s belly flushed with embarrassment. “I-I yeah- please.” “I uh- I guess?” Grian responded after the other two quieted down.

Tango took one hand to both of them, his tail curling around his chest, protective of the bird. Grian was still somewhat tense himself Tango could feel that as he rubbed. It was fair, the poor guy was scared he was about to get eaten, was in a smaller space, and still wasn’t totally used to mer’s swallowing him.

Grian himself started rubbing back as well after calming down enough for it.

“How are you feeling G?”

The avian stopped his rubbing. “Nervous- I- not because of you-.”

Tango chuckled. “It’s okay G, You’ve been through a lot in these what- last 15 or so minutes?”

Grian nodded, Tango could feel it. Soon after that, the avian was readjusting himself, the eel’s tail twitched happily at the feeling. The avian ended up lying on his belly, one arm was used to raise the roof a little, the other pushing the wall out a little.

The eel wasn’t sure when, be he had started purring, he wouldn’t be surprised if it was from when Grian was shifting around.

The avian’s hands did some mix of kneading and rubbing, Tango purred more, and his head moved to be laying on his tail. Poor Gem missed out on the petting, but the smaller mer could pretty much hear her teasing, smile.

“Don’t. Say. Anything.” He threatened Gem as if he could do anything.

“And if I do?”

Tango growled, she was right, there wasn’t much, butttttt… “No belly rubs for you then.”

Gem gasped. “Okay okay, I won't I won't.”

Tango “Aww, good girl.”

“Shush, I'll make you into sushi.”

“Not in front of Grian,” he said slightly seriously. “Yeah, I’ll squeeze him out of you first, then turn you into sushi.” “I’m about to get Geminislayed.” “Rip,” Grian said jokingly making Tango burst out laughing. Gem joining him soon after After the laughter died down there was some silence, mostly because everyone's lungs hurt. “What’s your favorite fish?” Grian asked Gem. “Like to eat.” “Ooooooo.” She hummed “Good question uhh, I mean- do sharks count? I like eating the predatory fish a lot, sharks being one of my faves.” “Any shark in particular?” “Not really, I’ve had uhh a couple of each, I can’t say I’ve had them in time to know what the difference is, I just like sharks.” “Have you had whale? Like those whale bodies?” “Oh yeah, I think it's kinda common, More so than most think. We only go for those who died on the shore, if we can help it, we get them back in if alive.” “Oh wow.” Grian paused for a bit. “What's your option on Humans?” “Oh uh, mean, annoying, but we ignore them, unlike the two sharks that attacked you. I think Doc was attacked by humans though, which is why they turned to eating the small boats of them that come through.” “Oh, is that where that scar came from?” “Yeah.” The avian hummed, feeling bad likely for the mer. Tango was a bit shocked by that, surprised Grian would feel bad for the thing hunting him down. “Oh Gem, uh- question, can you drop me off at the reef- the one near the old human island?”

“Oh yeah sure, after the storm or now?”

‘Now please.” “Can do.” She whistles something to her Pod before swimming off. “How big is the pod?” “3 strong, with surprisingly different personalities.” “You say it like it's bad.” “I didn’t mean it to be.” Gem chuckled “How does it work, being an orca mer.” “Well, we have territories, but only against mer’s that eat the same diet. We, like Orcas, have separate diets. We have a pod that crosses territory with us, but their pod eats mostly fish.” She paused for a bit. “But our territory doesn't allow anyone with a similar diet to cross.” “Orcas also eat seals, do you have a pod that does that?” “No, we’re a bit too far out at sea, not many walruses or Seal are out here.” “Ah, now that you mention that I suppose I haven’t seen any of them.” “There’s a pod that lives a bit passed your island, passed the reef too, they dive for deeper prey than us, and they have scars from the squid that they tackle, they’re pretty cool dudes.” “Oh, so almost like- taking over some whale's jobs?” “Yeah, they eat bigger and deeper stuff normally, but there haven't been many sperm whales in the area so they just ended up taking over the Job. They used to be more like us, a couple of generations ago. But our waters don’t go deep enough for that type of diet, hence the lack of overlapping boundaries. If you get lucky you might find one at the reef getting a clean, we don’t mind them here as they don’t attack anything in our land.” “Does anything else have territory?” “I've heard some Mer sharks and whales do. But most go with the flow”  “Whale mers do?”

“Yeah, mostly Sperm whale mers, they eat more than an average sperm whale as they have a warmer body temp, but they tend to be in groups of 5 or more.” “Are they sisters and daughters like your pod?” “Maybe? But I’m with two bachelors.” “OH- sorry, I didn’t mean to assume.” “Nah you’re fine, It's actually what we normally do, but I used to just wonder with Pearl, ended up settling with them here, but never was interested in many babies, not yet at least.” “That's fair, but were you kicked from your pod?” “Nah, but the group was a bit big, I was young, and so decided to go with the guys when they left, split away when I met Pearl, we were moving around together, and as mentioned, found this spot.” “Pearl said she knew you too, when you were younger right?” Tango asked Grian. “Yeah! She was teaching me sea speak, but when the hybrid hunting boats came in her pod forced her to leave, it's why I knew so little.” “Ohhhh, yeah okay, that makes sense.” “How did you recognize her when she showed back up?” “She recognized me, and she had a nickname for me, one word I did know.” “Gabba?” “Yep, that’s me.” “OHH that's you, I’ve heard her call you Gabba, so when ‘Grian’ showed up I wondered if you were like- twin siblings.” Grian snickered. “Awww man that would be a good prank to pull on someone.” Tango laughed. “How’d you do that?” “Dunno, I'll think of something.” “How would that work on Skizz? -if I pretended to be someone else.” “He’d believe you, Zed would figure it out, Impulse might too, but sometimes he just believes it, so I could be wrong.” Grian chuckled. “What's it like, down deep?’ “Dark, big things, the mers down there eat whatever is smaller than them, that includes any mers.” Grian swallowed nervously at that. Tango seemed casual, it was a bedtime story used to keep mers from going down too far, as pressure was a thing. “Do you know anyone who’s been eaten by one?” Grian asked, voice shaky. “No, and rumor is they lack storages too.” Grian peeped nervously. “Andd that's enough of that!” Tango said pretty loudly. Gem was a bit startled by it but seemed to understand. “Do avian’s have storages?” “Kinda, we have crops.” “Huh, what do those do?” “Store food, it's in our throats rather than our chest, and- if I swallow whatever is in there is going down.” Tango let out an understanding “Oooooooo. That's why you get scared with skizz in there yeah?” “Yeah, because I eat fish his size.” “It's a good fear,” Gem said softly. “I know I was worried when it first came to swallowing myself.” “Can I ask where you came from?” “Main-land, on the coast, I ate both salty, estuary, and freshwater fish, I had an avian village, we lived in the trees.”

“Did you get caught in a storm?” “No, watcher boat got me, was going to be sold. Then the boat was attacked by the two sharks that attacked us today.” “Oh, the boat raiders huh, did they take you to Tango and them?” “No, they tried to eat me, I got to an island, Scar found me, stored me, took me here.” “Ah.” “Yeah, wasn’t fun- no offense, I just couldn’t speak like anything, and- er- he just- almost ate me in my eyes?” “Ohhhh Oh wow, yeah that- sorry that that happened.” “It’s okay, I know you- it’s natural for you- not for us?” “That’s fair.” Gem said softly, putting a protective hand on Tango’s back.” There was some silent, calming swimming for a bit, the silence broken by Gem.“I’m nearly there, want out, Tango?” “Yes please.” The orca mer moved downwards, laying in the center she was approached by fish but the mer’s head aimed down, and the noises started. Gem started pushing Tango up, the body pressed into him and pushed. He was used to it, but he could tell it startled Grian as he moved around some.

“It’s okay G, I’m just getting out of Gem.” Tango cooed, petting the bird as best he could.

He heard Grian let out nervous peeps, it made his heart pang a little, poor guy.

Thankfully Gem was fast, and the eel slid out of her mouth casually, like any eel would if it was coming out of some rocks.

“Thanks for saving us- helping me return in one piece.”

Gem laughed at that, the other two were lying down and being cleaned. “You’re welcome

Tango slowly made his way towards the rocky outcrops, he gently traced the sand with his puffed-out belly. He looked down and could make out well even feel where Grian was. The avian’s movements were slow, the darkness making the kingfisher tired. Impulse spotted him first, and dashed over “Tango! Where’s G-?” Tango smiled softly and pressed a hand to his belly. The shark mer cooed in excitement and lay down, looking at Tango’s pouch as if he were a father. “How’d that happen?” The eel looks to the side nervous. “Not the best situation, Doc and Ren showed up while we were out, his uh- his raft was smashed by Doc too.” “Awww, poor G he was so happy with that raft.” “I’d rather it than me.” The avian piped up. Impulse flushed in embarrassment, not expecting Grian to have heard them. “How are you feeling?’ “Tired… comfy.” Tango purred. “Can I lay down, G?” “Yeah.” The avian said softly, Tango swore he could hear a yawn soon after, but he wasn’t sure. The eel looked up at the surface, it was dark, still stormy. “Want to head back to the reef?” “Yeah, be careful with Skizz, he’d want in with G.” Tango snickered. “I had a feeling, not a great idea I don’t think, poor G barely has enough space for himself.” Impulse nodded in agreement. The two chatted, swimming slowly towards the reef. While chatting Grian was moving around in him, the eel mer didn’t pay too much attention, it wasn't an upset struggle, more of a finding a comfy position.

  “Tango! you’re back!” Zed said happily interrupting their thoughts. Impulse- “With a Grian in him too.” “Wait really? Oh my gosh, how’d you do that?” Tango chuckled nervously. “Mutual agreement and stress.” “Ah, yeah I suppose Scar harasses Grian into Impulse all the time, I could see that happening with someone else.” “Not Scar but close enough.” he looked around. “Where’s Skizz?” “Helping someone, he’ll be gone for a bit.” Tango nodded and lay down. Impulse got out part of a fish, offering it to tango. Tango hummed. “I- kinda feel full but- G you hungry?” The avian said nothing. “G?” Tango tried again. Still nothing, so Tango pressed a hand gently before his eyes widened. “G-guys- I- I think he’s sleeping.” The eel whispered-shouted. Impulse’s face lit up, Zed looked excited and they both came close, listening in to the sleepy chirps and breathing.

“Seems like it,” Zed whispered. “It's soooo cute.” Impulse cooed quietly. “I’m glad he can relax during this.”

“More like adrenaline dying down, and the darkness, but I do agree.”

“Yeah, that's fair.”

So the 3 chatted quietly, letting the bird sleep, he needed it.

[justwhisperingfantasies]

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Characters: Reader. Jensen. Jared. Mac. Heather. Alex. Kyle. Mike.

Warnings: Language, Drinking, Heartbreak, Fluff, Angst, Couple Fighting. Rough Sex. Unprotected Sex [no just no] Breed Kink, P-I-V , Oral [both receiving] I think that's all if not lmk.

A/n: Sorry this one took forever and I'm sorry. Beginning is sad be prepared.

You guys are amazing. Seriously thank you for every heart, reblog, and comment. I love hearing your feedback. 🫶 Please do not copy my work.

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Special Thank You To: @copperboom82 Thank you beta-ing and listening to all my rambles. 🫶

Jensen

He pulled into the drive way, and parked beside Beau. He huffed, if this went bad, she would probably change his name.

He walked up to the porch, finding her siting on the porch steps.

“Hey, “He said lightly kicking the step her feet were on.

She scooted, giving him room to sit down.

“I can explain.” He took her silence as sign to continue. “She told me her dad was in the hospital. That he wasn’t going to make it. I felt bad, that’s why I stayed to talk, next thing I know she threw her arms around me.”

She stayed silent.

“There’s nothing.”

“So I got a call on my way home.” She cut him off.

He rolled his eyes, “Let me guess.”

“Yep, it was her. “ She sighed. “How did she get my number?”

“I don’t know… What did she say?”

“Oh ya know, how you couldn’t believe people actually thought we were married.”

“I never said that.”

“But you did talk to her that night, and you lied about it.”

“Yes, but I told you the truth.”

“After you lied.” She took a drink of her water. “She also told me y’all have been fuckin this whole time and how much you just loved fucking her in my cowboy hat.”

He scoffed a laugh, “Now you know that’s not true.”

She turned on the screen of her phone and handed it to him. White hot rage bubbled in his stomach as he saw a picture of Heather lying in his bed with y/n’s hat on.

“She sent 4 of different poses. You can scroll through them, if you’d like.”

“You don’t have to be a smartass.” He said handing her phone back.

She swiped and turned the phone back in his direction, “Oh and there’s this one. Of you, her, and some of your band mates, the night we met.”

“She came in, had a beer, and wished us good luck. That’s it.”

She swiped again “And one of you and her at the brewery. Which I just found has a co-owner.”

Jensen huffed, “I am been trying to buy her out since the divorce. She won’t budge.”

“And correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that what you wore fishing last Sunday?”

“Yes, she told me it was for the website, but it’s not like I’m holding her or sticking my tongue down her throat.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Yeah… So that makes it all ok?” Her voice cracked.

“I didn’t say that.”

The cicadas hummed as they sat there. Neither knowing what to say.

She wiped her eyes before the tears could fall. “She also said, that you told her that you hope I’m not pregnant with your kid.”

“That’s not fucking true. You can ask Jared,” He sighed. Kickoff the steps he got up and started to pace. “Why would I do half the shit I've done if I was fucking someone else, or if I didn't want a future with you?”

She stayed silent.

“And do you really think I’d cheat on you?”

“You cheated before…”

“That’s not fair.” He blinked back his tears.

“You really wanna talk about what’s fair right now?”

“Look, I know everything is all fucked up right now” He grabbed her hand and held it in both of his. “And you have more reasons to not trust me right now, but baby the things she said isn’t true.”

“Jensen..”

“Don’t. y/n don’t let her win.”

She stayed silent.

“This can't be over.”

She looked over at him, wiping the tears away from his cheek “I don’t want it to be, but how do we come back from this?”

Jensen

“Hey man,” Jared said as he sat down at the bar of the brewery

“J.P. what’s up bud?’ Jensen greeted, cracking a can of beer open and sliding it to Jared.

“Not much. How are you?”

Jensen opened another one for himself. “Eh, I’m hanging in there.”

“So, have you talked to y/n?”

“Not since Sunday,” Jensen said after taking a drink.

“It’s only been two days, just give it some time, man everything will work out.”

“You remember what I’ve told you about my luck right?!.”

“And what usually happens when I say i have a good feeling about something?”

Jensen rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Jensen lifted his head as he heard a car door, “Motherfucker.”

“Dude. Follow my lead.”

Jensen tilted his head with furrowed brows.

Jared pulled out his phone and began scrolling.

Reader

“Aw Jared.” Mac said as his name flashed on the radio screen.

“He’s probably with Jensen.” You reached for the ignore button, but Mac slapped away your hand and hit the green button

“Jay-rod!” She exclaimed. No answer. “Jared? Hello?”

New text message popped up on the screen.

Padalecki: Trust me. Don’t hang up. Please just listen. And please do not hold anything against us. We are just great actors I promise 😉 you know we love you.

You pulled into the nearest parking lot and pulled your e-brake. Mac turned the volume up.

“Hey! Heather!” Jared shouted

“You need to cut him off if he is happy to see me.”

“I’m just happy, now that y/n is gone we can finally have fun again.” Jared slurred.

Your jaw dropped.

You heard Jensen chuckle. “What are you doing here?”

“I just came to see how you were doing.”

“Better now.”

“I thought you’d be mad.” Heather’s voice got closer.

“Eh, I was at first, but I see why you did it.”

“Jared, can I talk to Jay for a minute?”

“Sure thing. I gotta piss anyway.”

You heard some ruckus and what sounded like a barstool slide across the floor.

Heather laughed. “You really need to cut him off.”

“He would have done that sober” Jensen chuckled again “So, What can I do for you darlin’?”

“Just acting.” Mac whispered as you grinded your teeth.

“Is it true? Did you guys really break up?”

“Yes, ma’am”

“Thank god.”

“Can I ask you somethin’?”

“Anything.”

“How’d you get the picture in her cowboy hat?” Jensen chuckled “Man she was so pissed.”

“Promise you won’t press charges?”

“Now, would I do that to you?” Jensen said in a flirty voice, making your jaw clench again.

“Well, I kinda broke into your house. I was just going to take pictures in your bed, but I saw the hat and I knew it wasn’t yours, so I figured why not.”

“You’re an evil genius, Heather.”

“I know.” she snickered. “Hey, have you heard anything? Is she pregnant?”

“No. she’s not. How the hell did you know about that?”

Heather laughed. “I watched her the night of the pop-up. Nobody goes to a bar and orders soda unless they are pregnant.”

“God, I forgot how damn clever you are.”

“So now that she is out of the way, maybe we could.”

You heard another round of ruckus. “Jensen you need to fix these floors dude.” Jared said in his drunk voice.

“Well i gotta get going.” Heather’s voice seemed farther.

“I’ll call you later.”

“Dude. Are you really going to call her later?” Jared asked in a normal voice.

“Fuck no.”

“Did you get anything good?”

“Yes. Please tell me you were recording that.”

“No, better. y/n?”

You bit the inside of your cheek, “Ow.” You said when Mac nudged your arm.

“Bonnie?”

“Yes, Sasquatch.”

“Did you hear it?” Jensen asked.

“Yes.”

“What did she say?”

“She just admitted that pretty much everything she said was a lie.” Mac told him.

“Not everything.” you mumbled.

“Hey there Mac.” Jared said.

“Hello boys.” Mac said using her Crowley impression, making you laugh,

“So y/n, what do you mean not everything?” Jensen asked

You sighed. “Can we talk about it later?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Reader

Your heart pounded as your finger loomed over his contact. “Come on ” you told yourself.

You hit the green button and brought the phone to your ear.

“Hey.” Jensen said as he answered.

“Hello Mr. Ackles.”

He chuckled. “How are you?”

“I’ve been better. How about you?”

“Same.”

“What are you doing?”

“Sitting on my couch. Having some scotch.”

“Mmmm scotch.”

“Did you take a test today?”

“Yeah.” You murmured

“Well I can tell by your enthusiasm that it was good news.” He huffed.

“I'm sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“I don't know I just feel bad.”

“Well don't. We kinda knew it was a long shot anyway.”

“Yeah…” you sighed. “Still would of been kind of cool though.”

“Really? So you.” You heard the beep on his end. “Hey bab-” He stopped himself “Eh, y/n I gotta take this. Gimme a minute.”

“Sure.”

After a couple minutes you got antsy.

Y/n: Do you just want to call me back. Ackles: No. Y/n: Is everything ok? Ackles: Lawyer. Y/n: So I shouldn't be stealing your attention.😂 Ackles: Don't have to steal it. You always have it.

“I’m sorry.” Jensen said,

You jumped a little as his voice came through the speaker.

“You're fine. Is. Never mind not my business.”

“Frank and I, Frank is my lawyer. We have a meeting tomorrow with Heather and her lawyer.”

“Ah. I see.”

“Yes I'm gonna push her to let me buy her out.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Let's just hope she does.” He huffed “So you wanna tell me what you meant earlier with that comment?”

“The not everything one?”

“Yep. That'd be the one.”

“Well I mean she didn't. She asked me why I never came to the brewery and I said I don't know. She said because Jensen couldn't have the 2 girls he was fucking in the same spot. I know now you weren't fucking her. But you didn't tell me about her co-owning the place and apparently always there.”

“Actually she hadn't even stepped a foot in it for a year, the day our pictures came out, boom there she was. That was the day the boys and I went fishing.”

“See I didn't know that. Maybe you should learn how to open up more.”

“And invite you into all this bullshit?”

“Yes, when you are in a relationship with someone their bullshit is your bullshit and yours, theirs. If I would of known about the brewery, she wouldn't have been able to use it against you.”

“I don't know, I just got scared. And then it felt like too much time had passed. Like I was hiding it.”

“But you were.”

He sighed. “Yeah.”

“And she did come see you the night we met, but I guess I can't hold that against you since we weren't technically together.” your phone beeped. “And now I'm getting another call.”

“Maybe you should of just came over.” he teased

You hit the red button as you read private caller. “I need to get my number changed.”

“Let me guess.”

“Yep. I ignored it.”

“Great, now she's calling me.”

You sighed. “She's always gonna be there isn't she?”

“Not if I can help it.”

Reader

“I can not believe you talked me into this shit.” you said walking through the doors of the honky tonk.

“Trust me, I'm just as surprised at you.” Mac laughed as you followed her to the bar. “Bar keep!” She pounded her first down getting the guys attention.

“Omg is that McKinley Jane?”

“Hey Kyle, How are you?”

“Good! Girl i haven’t seen you in months.” He turned toward you. “You must be y/n. I’m Kyle.” He stuck his hand out.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Alex is here somewhere.” He said turning back to Mac.

“You know Alex?” you asked

“Yep, I know Jensen and Jared too. Jensen and I went to school together.”

“Ah, so how big of a dork was he back then?”

Kyle chuckled. “Imagine the same guy with a baby face, no beard or shaggy hair. He’s always been a dork. Great guy though.”

You sighed. “Yeah.”

“So you guys want a beer? Or we have Jell-o shots tonight…”

“Give us one of each.” Mac told him. “Start a tab?” She said handing her i.d and credit card to him.

“You got it darlin’. What flavor?”

“Surprise us.”

“Hey gorgeous.” You heard Alex say as he wrapped his arms around Mac from behind. A faint sense of jealous hit you. “Hey there stud.”

You cleared your throat. Alex chuckled. “Hi y/n.”

“Oh. Hi.” You teased.

“The boys and I got a pool table in the back. Y’all wanna play?”

“If you mean kick the crap out of you let’s go,” Mac snickered.

“Thanks Kyle,” she shouted, handing you your beer. The two of you took your shots and handed for the back corner.

You and Mac followed Alex, the balls were racked and ready to go.

“So,” Alex said picking up a pool stick. “I call dibs on y/n’s partner.”

You laughed.

“Ha! I think the fuck not, bud.” Mac playful sneered.

“Did you really think that was going to work?” You asked him

Alex shrugged I thought I'd give it a shot.”

“She can't be that good.” A guy walked up beside you.

“I've known her most of my life and I've only seen her lose twice.” Mac explained. “The first time she was drunk off her ass, the second time.”

“He cheated.” You cut her off with a smile.

“Y/n, Mike. Mike y/n.” Alex introduced him. Mike nodded at you “Pleasure.”

“Same.” you told him. “Mac you break.”

“Why do you get to break?”,

“Did you rack them?”

“Yeah.”

“You know it's bad luck do break your own rack right?”

“Ok maybe you know your stuff. Doesn’t mean you're good.” Mike teased.

Mac took her shot. Nothing went in “you should of broke.” She told you shaking her head.

Mike swaggered over the the white ball. 1

He got 2 striped balls in, before missing a shot.

“Alright sweetheart. Let's see what you got.” He taunted, stepping back.

You strolled over to where the white ball was, sinking 4 balls in.

“Damn little lady.” Mike commented.

“I told ya.” Mac said

You lined up your next shot and your head dropped with a groan when you missed.

You walked over to the table and took a drink of your beer.

“Finally.” Alex teased

“So are you single?” Mike asked as stepped beside you.

“Um. Technically, but I’m really not.” you said as you watched Alex, he got 2 more balls in.

“Y/n!” You turned around finding Matt walking up to you.

“Well hello there.”

“How are you?”

“Good, you?”

“I'm good, where's Jensen at?” Matt asked

“Not sure”

“Shit! I forgot I'm sorry.”

“Your Jensen’s ex?” Mike blurted out.

His words were like a punch to the gut. You nodded, not being able to form words.

“Please don't tell him I hit on you.”

You rolled your eyes.

You and Mac looked up as your heard the commotion coming from the bar area.

“Wonder what that is...” Mac said looking at you

“I’m gonna go get another round.” Alex said. “I’ll let you guys know.”

“Oh, Grab some Jell-o shots too, baby.” Mac called after him.

“You’re up.”

Mac went over and lined up her shot, getting one ball in.

“Well I see why you always partner with y/n.” Mike teased Mac.

“Just shut up and shoot.” She joked back.

Mike got 2 balls in before he missed.

“You’re up Jaws.”

“Harty Har,” you said sarcastically. “I’ve never read that one before.”

You got the last 2 of your balls in, you line up the shot for the 8 when you heard his voice.

“I got next.” Jensen challenged.

You called your shot and made it in.

“I don’t know Jay, she’s pretty good.” Mike said.

“I’ve beat her before.”

“You cheated! And you had help from Steve.”

“Well come on cowgirl, show me what your made of.” He nodded to the empty table

“You’re on, Ackles.”

Jensen.

“So, what are we going to bet this time?” she asked as she started racking the balls.

“Hmm.. I could think of something.” He smirked as his eyebrows raised.

She rolled her eyes.

“I was talking about the next round, sweetheart.” he chuckled.

“Sure you were you perv,” she teased

“Better idea. If I win you have to come to the Dallas con this weekend.”

“Alright, And what do i get if I win?” She asked.

“I’ll take you to the Dallas con this weekend.”

She laughed, “Or…” she bit her lip as her eyes scanned him up and down.

“Alright, kettle.”

“Just shut up and break already,” she taunted.

He did sinking 2 of the solid balls.

“Damn, small balls again.”

“God, I forgot how much shit you talk when you play pool.”

She giggled as she lined up her shot.

“Yeah, but I can back up my shit talk,” she said after getting 3 balls in, making him laugh.

He lined up for a jump shot and got the ball he wanted in. “So can I darlin’.” He winked at her, he laughed again as she rolled her eyes. Jensen put 2 more balls in before missing a shot.

“Son of a bitch” She exclaimed.

“Alright, Dean calm down!” Jared said as he approached.

She let out a belly laugh. “That’s my man.”

“He has really pretty eyes.” Jared said in a high pitched voice.

“Oh my god! And those muscles.” y/n added.

“Oh and those bow legs.” Jared said as he started fanning himself.

“Alright! That’s enough,” Jensen groaned with pink cheeks.

“So, Bonnie you whooping his ass?”

“Not at the moment.” she walked around the talk “About to be though.”

“Less talkin’ more shootin’.” Jensen teased.

She stuck her tongue out at him, making him and Jared laugh.

They watched as she got 3 more balls in.

“Damn, Ackles, I think you’ve met you’re match.” Jared commented.

“I know.”

She cleared her throat when she got the last one of her balls in.

“Oh, look I’m down to the 8 ball, Jensen.”

“So much shit!” He chuckled, “Hold on, what did we settle on a bet?”

“I’m about to win and your going to change it now?”

“Were you serious?!”

“Guess you’ll have to play the game and find out.”

She called her 8-ball shot and missed.

“Wah-wah-Wah.” Jared teased her.

“Don’t you have a forest to go frolic in or something sasquatch?”

“Damnit.” She said when Jensen got his last 2 balls in.

“Which pocket you going for Jensen?” Jared asked.

“Top right.” He looked up at her, lined up his shot, and missed.

She called the 8 and made it in. She gasped. “Mac!” y/n ran over to her.

“Damn Ackles, I thought you had it,”

“Yeah, me too” He smiled as he watched them celebrate.

Reader.

“I know you threw the game.” as you approached him, playfully kicking his boot that was sticking out as he leaned on the pool table ankles crossed.

“You can’t prove it.”

“I don’t want to.”

His head lifted slightly as he laughed.

“So, how was your meeting today?” you asked standing in front of his long legs.

“Well, that’s actually why I’m here,” he sighed, “This place is for sale.”

Your jaw dropped. “So, what’s going to happen?”

“Well, since Heather and I couldn't come to an agreement. We are going to sell and spilt the offer.”

“No way!”

“Yea, It will be on the market, Friday.”

“And there’s nothing you can do?”

“Nope,” he looked down. “She won. That was the last thing she could take away from me.”

You placed you legs on either side of his and waddled over them, wrapping your arms around him. He sat his beer down and pulled you closer as his arms wrapped around your waist. You heard him inhale deeply as he nuzzled into the crook of you neck, sending shivers down your spine.

“Jensen, I’m sorry.”

“It will be ok, It’s just a brewery.”

“Just a brewery?! That place is your baby.”

“Well that’s two I’ve lost this week…”

“It’s my fault.”

“How in god’s name is any of this your fault?!” He reared his head back with bewilderment in his eyes.

“You were doing fine until I came along. Now everything is fucked up.”

“You didn’t fuck anything up sweetheart. She did.”

“But if it wasn’t for me she wouldn’t.”

He pressed his lips to yours, cutting off your words. He rested his forehead on yours.

“I wouldn’t trade this,” he gestured to the two of you, “for anything in the world.”

You pulled his lips back to yours, his hands gripped your ass and pulled you closing. Your lips parted your lips inviting his tongue. you heard a small groan as he rolled his tongue against yours.

His nose nuzzled yours when the kiss ended. “From now on you have to be completely honest, and stop shielding me from the bullshit. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”

“I promise.”

“I don’t care if I’m not gonna like it. Hiding it or lying about it is gonna make it so much worse.”

“I know.”

“Like for real Jensen Ross.”

“Wait.. Does that mean?!”

You nodded your head with a smile.

He gasped and you were off the ground in seconds, spinning around as your arms held on tight.

“Ok Jensen stop. Or I will throw up on you.”

He chuckled as he stopped spinning.

He kissed you again.

“You wanna put me down?”

“Nope.” He nuzzled your nose again.

“So you’re just gonna walk around like this?”

“Yep.”

“And how long do you really think that’s gonna last?” you asked

“For the rest of my life.”

Jensen

Somehow she managed to still kick her shoes off at his door, her lips never leaving his.

His fingers found her ass, he heard a small yelp against his lips as he lifted her off the ground.

He plopped down on the closest couch in the sitting room, He heard a light moan as her core bounced off his hardening bulge making it thrum.

Her fingers knocked his hat off as they twisted in his hair, she moaned into his mouth as she rolled her hips, making him do the same.

She broke the kiss, her fingers pulling at the hem of his shirt. He lifted his arms and leaned. Her eyes danced across his chest as she threw it behind her. He smiled, his hands gliding up her sides pushing her shirt up, Jensen threw it and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her chest to his face, kissing and nibbing at the exposed skin. He found his favorite spot. Although there wasn’t a mark there anymore there soon would be.

She inhaled sharply as he sucked and raked his teeth across her skin, just above her right breast.

“I should probably just get a tattoo of a hickey there, at this point.” She teased, making him chuckle.

“Don’t act like you don’t love it,” he said then raked his teeth against the sensitive skin again, making her whine.

His fingers found her bra clasp next. He watched as the cool air hardened her nipples as he pulled it off, Her hips began to roll as he flicked his tongue against one, kneading the other in his palm.

A growl left his lips as she quickened the paced of her hips, making his cock throb.

She kneeled on the floor in front of him, pulling his pants down once she got them unbuttoned.

He felt her hot breath on his cock, making it tingle.

Breaths turned into pants as he watched her pretty mouth wrap around his cock.

“Fuck baby.” He cried out as she slid down his shaft.

His head went foggy as hers started bobbing. Pulling her hair out of her face he twisted it around his hand. Her eyes flashed up to him, sending shivers all over his body. He noticed the tears well in her eyes as his cock hit the back of her throat. “Baby...” he whined again. She moaned, the humming vibrations making the tension start to build in his spine.

“Damn baby.” He said trying to catch his breath. She grinned as she stood up, unbuttoning and pulling down her jeans. She straddled him again after she kicked them off her ankles.

“Um excuse me?” he exclaimed.

“Get me back later,” She whispered “right now I want you inside me.” her words making his cock throb again. He grabbed her hips as she lined his tip to his entrance.

Her pussy enveloped him as she slid down, making them both moan, as his cock stretched her tight wet walls.

His fingers tightened on her hips as they started to rock, pleasure coursing through his veins.

Heavy pants and moans filled the room as her pace quickened, making her clench around him.

She leaned back, her hands on his thighs, moaning his name as he watched her tits bounce. Fuck she was so hot.

“Baby, I'm getting close,” he warned her with a groan.

“Jensen. “ She cried out as he walls clenched tighter.

“Babe. Babe,“ he said head foggy.

He felt her cum trickle down as her pussy squeezed him, making his balls tighten. He tried to buck her off , but she pushed back down.

“For real?” She nodded as her hips started to bounce again.

He wrapped his arms around her and went a loud grunt the tension released as his warm seed coated her walls.

His muscles relaxed, as she put her lips to his.

“I love you.” he said as her forehead rested on his

“I love you too.”

Reader.

You woke to the smell of burnt bacon as the smoke detector wailed. Pulling his t-shirt over your head you made your way to the kitchen

“Jensen?!” you yelled

“It’s fine, It’s fine. I just had the stove too high.”

“Are you sure? Where’s your fire extinguisher?”

“Not necessary,” He looked over at you, doing a double take as he noticed his shirt. His eyes scanned lower as he bit his lip. “Whatcha got on under that?”

“Can you focus on the food before you burn your house down?” you quipped pouring yourself a cup of coffee.

He flipped off the stove. “I’m done anyway, mouth.” he smiled as he swaggered over to you and too the mug out of your hands

“Um, haven’t we covered this already? Taking my coffee equals violence.”

He chuckled as he sat on the counter.

“Yes but speaking of mouths, I believe I owe you.”

You gasped as his arms caught you and tossed you up on the corner. His hand glided up your thighs as his lips captured yours.

Trailing kisses down your neck, he pulled the shirt up to your collar bone. You leaned back on your hands as his mouth moved down to your breast. His tongue swirled around your nipple as his fingertips found your clit, making you cry out his name.

He lifted your ass and scooted you back to the middle of the island, Spreading your legs his head dipped down “Baby,” you moaned as he ran his togue up and down your slick sending pleasure through your veins.

Finding your clit his tongue swirled around it as he slid 2 fingers inside you. You could feel the tension start to build as he started pumping his fingers making your walls clench around them.

“Fuck Jensen.” You moaned out as he curled his fingers, hitting the sweet spot just right.

He slammed his fingers deep. “You gonna come baby?”

“Yes.” you moaned as he slammed his fingers again.

“Come on then.” He flicked his tongue against your clit. “Let me feel it.”

The tension got tighter as his tongue lapped faster.

You shivered as your climax coursed through your veins, his fingers slowed as you pulsated around them. Grinning at you he grabbed your hips and pulled you back to the edge. He pressed his lips against yours.

“You know I love you right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

He spun you around once you feet hit the floor, bending you over the counter.

Pulling his sweat pants down he unleashed his already hard cock, He pushed his t-shirt up your back, lining his tip up to your entrance

“Fuck.” He moaned as he pushed inside you, grabbing your ass as he stretched you again. “You good?”

You nodded, feeling a sting on your across your backside. He drew his hips back, making you moan his name as he slammed back into you. Pleasure started coursing through you again as his pace quickened, his fingertips so tight around your hips you swore you could feel the bruising start.

You could feel the tension start building, faster than it had before as your walls squeezed him.

“Oh. So close already?” he taunted

“Yeah baby, don’t stop.” You cried out as his hand dipped between you thighs, finding your clit.

His hips went even faster, bring the tension to it’s peak, You moaned his name as waves of orgasmic bliss course through you again,

“You gonna let me come inside again?”

“Yes.” you moaned, causing him to pound harder.

“Fuck.” he groaned as he pushed deep inside you, filling you with his hot pearly cum.

He spun you around again as you stood up, weaving his lips with yours as he pulled you against him.

Reader

“But babe, look at this one.” He picked up the phone off the display rack, “And it’s blue!”

“Jensen, I don’t need a new phone. Just a new number.”

“Howdy folks. Sorry about your wait. What can we do for you?”

“But, Its bigger than the one you have now.” Jensen protested.

You sighed. “Please ignore him. I don’t need a new phone.”

The sale associate’s eyes looked over to Jensen as he stepped beside you.

“Holy crap! You’re Jensen Ackles.” the young man gasped. “Oh my gosh I just love Supernatural, and you as Soldier Boy was just absolutely amazing. Oh! and Beau Arlen Just Ah.”

Jensen gave him a diffident smile and stuck out his hand “Nice to meet you…”

“Tony.”

“Tony!” Jensen repeated.

“What can I do for you sir?”

“We both need new numbers and she needs that phone over there.”

“No, I don’t.” Your argument fell on deaf ears as they ignored you.

“Alright, I just need your current phone number,” Tony said typing on his tablet as Jensen rattled it off. “And it looks like you are eligible for an upgrade. And if we were to add her line to your account you would get a discount on the phone. With the special we are running you would also get a free pair of air pods.”

“Absolutely Not Jensen!” you objected

He gave you a mischievous grin “Do that both with new numbers.”

“Alright, Let me go grab those. Did you want the pro max’s?”

“The biggest and the best.”

“This is ridiculous!” you said crossing your arms.

Jensen looked over at you poking the tip of tongue past his lips.

“Alright I will be right back.” He turned and went to the back.

“I’m paying for my phone and my line!”

“We'll see. “ He turned toward you

“We ain't seeing shit Ackles I'm telling you!” you growled turning to him.

“Oh you're telling me?” his hands slid onto your hips.

“Yes sir, I am,” You kept your arms crossed as he pulled you to him.

“You think you're big enough to be telling me?”

“Please I could take you”

“You think?” he chuckled. “Or should I bend your ass over again?”

Your eyes followed his as he looked at the table in front of you.

Your eyebrows rose as you hands slid up his chest. “I just might have to take up on that doll face.” You taunted as you stretched on your tip toes pressing your lips to his cheek.

““You missed.” He said pulling you back. Capturing your lips with his. Deepening the kiss as he hand grasped your hair.

Tony cleared his throat, startling you. “Um, Mr. Ackles?”

You cheeks got warm as Jensen chuckled.

“Sorry, she just can’t keep her hands off me.”

Your pursed your lips as your cheeks got warmer.

“We just got to out the sim cards in and get them set up. Do you need help moving your files and accounts?”

Jensen looked at you and you shook your head. “Nah, we got it.”

“Alright. And then are we terminating you service ma’am?” They both looked at you. “Since you are being added to his plan?”

You sighed. “I guess so.”

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[thenoellebird]

AAAAND WE'RE BACK FOR ANOTHER PODCAST EPISODE.

because you broke me again so now I have to do it back.

Not oNLY does Stan take the abuse from Ford, but he also takes it from himself. He will sit in silence, the self-hatred seething at him, screaming in his head yelling like nothing else. He'll sit there and stare at nothing, fighting the urge to just get rid of himself because *he messes everything up*

Post-Weirdmageddon, as Stan's memories return, so does the self-loathing. He starts to notice it and becomes depressed at the thought that he wasn't a good enough person to even love himself.

But this time is different.

Because this time he has Ford.

Even when all his memories were gone, he didn't pull away when Ford hugged him. *Ford is safe.*

He considers Ford a safe person even when he's confused, and...well...gone. He's hurting as he regains his memories, but this time, there's someone he can trust to talk to. Someone who *wants* to hear from him.

So he goes to Ford one night after a lot of self-doubt and talking up...and hopes that Ford won't hate him.

He asks if he can talk to Ford and Ford immediately agrees and sets aside whatever he's working on and Stan asks Ford why he (Stanley) hates himself so much. And Ford freaks out a bit, becoming immediately protective.

He immediately just doesn't trust stan on his own and won't leave his side, even at night. Just staying around him, making sure he's still there, making sure he's okay, and all the while insisting that Stan doesn't deserve to be hated, he deserves to be loved because he...well he deserves it. And no matter what mistakes he makes now, Ford will never cast him aside again.

I like to think that Stanford playfully punches Stanley but like- he aims at his face and throws his punch like normal because he knows his brother will dodge it or block it. He thinks Stanley is that good at boxing and Stanley trusts him...

Stanford finds out his brother sometimes doesn't dodge and he just takes it. He notices its when he thinks he deserves it, when he feels badly about himself... these times are usually after his private talks with his father or when teachers ask him to stay after to talk.

When Stanford returns from the portal he throws a good damn punch- he doesn't want Stanley to dodge it but when he actually doesn't... he can't help pause. That meant that Stanley knew he deserved it, there's no way his brother didn't notice how his fist tightened and his stance changed so his punch would have more momentum...

That meant Stanley knew he was wrong, he did wrong...and perhaps was sorry. Stanford doesn't regret the punch, no, not even when his fist still hurts days later even though it never hurt like so

[fallloverfic]

"Dear Castlevania fandom... Just because a man is pretty doesn't mean he's a bottom." - an ignoramus

I already wrote about this before, but if you're too foolish to realize you don't know off-hand why people make whichever character a top or bottom, please shut up. There's a lot of reasons people like Olrox as a bottom, and why I in particular wrote him as a bottom back in 2023, which have nothing to do with how pretty he is (but can include that, and there's no harm in that):

The idea of a human topping a vampire is fun (this was before season 2 released and we relied on season 1 alone: hi new people who showed up in 2025, season 1 came out in September 2023, you didn't start the fandom or the ship :D Welcome, hope you enjoy your stay, but stop being dickheads :D). The idea that Olrox is so intrigued by Mizrak that he allows Mizrak more control in the form of topping is fascinating

Olrox topping Mizrak just isn't as interesting, at least in humanoid form (but in his serpent form, that's more interesting). This had nothing to do with who was prettier, at least in my case. I tested out who I enjoyed doing what, and Olrox bottoming was more fun. So I wrote that.

Are you implying Mizrak isn't pretty for some reason? I mean he's buffer (slightly) but... hmm... Honey, he had me at the side cape.

The idea of a shorter man topping taller man is fun (Olrox is actually taller than Mizrak)

The idea of Olrox, a marginalized First Nation man whose people were genocided by members of Mizrak's religion, letting Mizrak top him is, well... interesting. That Olrox wants to be in a relationship with Mizrak at all (deeper than "oh he's hot, we should fuck"), as indicated by him clinging to Mizrak in S1E4, is a fascinating one. Giving someone like that any power over you, voluntarily (after all, Olrox is stronger than Mizrak, he doesn't have to allow Mizrak any control) is deeply intriguing. The concept of marginalized people who love people who are active in making them marginalized is a complex idea and I like biting into it in fic as a marginalized person who unfortunately does that.

Said clinging in S1E4 feels kind of like something a bottom would do? Obviously you can frame it any way you want, there's no actual "this is bottom behavior" label or whatever on it. But it kind of feels that way and it's fun to angle it that way.

Olrox sitting on Mizrak in S1E3 while clothed is so fun for him riding Mizrak headcanons. I'm sorry you're boring but I'm not.

If people want buff cute guy to top the slightly less buff pretty vampire, let them

You can still draw whatever conclusions you want from the final episode of season 2, but it very much feels like Mizrak is topping at least at some point in their relationship by now, and if people want to go with that, I say let them

The idea of a weaker/newer vampire topping a more powerful/older vampire is fun

Younger top/older bottom is popular

The potential idea that Mizrak is more powerful than Olrox expected + is topping him is fun

Switching is a thing

Certain dynamics are popular in fandom and people roll with them

Olrox topping has been popular in fandom since 2023. I know, I wrote it twice in 2023: Mizrox with Olrox topping, Olrox/Richter with Olrox topping. It's not radical to write, it's just what people enjoy doing for whatever reason. I didn't look at Olrox and Richter and score them on pretty points to see who got to top/bottom. I just didn't see them in that scenario with Richter topping. I imagined it, though. Just didn't get around to writing it as a fic.

I'm curious how precisely you make this stupid concept work with Adrian, who is also pretty lol Are Adrian and Olrox not allowed to fuck in any way where one is a bottom because they're both pretty lol (I made Olrox a bottom in that relationship, hate me if you must :3)

More to the point, people can do whatever they want. It's shipping. Play with your dolls how you want and let other people play with theirs how they wish. Block if it annoys you.

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

Watched The Rookie 7x06!! Loved it it was a fun episode :D

I did remember Scott and went :O! Did not remember Gretchen though lol. Like vaguely not no clue where she came from xD

And I kept wondering who the girl from the community center was - ASHA LOL!! The same actress as Asha from 9-1-1 Lone Star xD nice little reminder given this is the first week without it too :')

Glad Celina had fun lol! Poor Lucy and her not getting to have Galentine's though xdd. And I'm so glad they found Claudia :')). And AAHHH they fell in love :'D. Also best dad ever?? Stops at nothing to get her back, attacks the men who kidnapped her with a crowbar, and then goes :D yay great news!! when she introduces the woman she's going to marry :')). Iconic <33. Glad they got their happy ending 🥰.

Hope Seth's doing okay! Sick day for real 😬

Poor Miles and his girlfriend :'(( I'm glad they both get to follow their dreams and be happy but it just sucks D: and I totally get why he would feel like he owes her, it makes sense. But she loves/loved you bro, it's not something that was hard for her/something that needs repaying :'))

Nyla and James looking great 🥳🥳. I hope Anita ends up okay :(, her boyfriend seems kinda 😬😬. And by that I mean very yikes xD. I'm glad they noticed though and were helping her out (as in leave) <3.

Chenford 😳😳!! Woww :OO I figured from the season promo it would be a hook up but thought it might be a mislead, but nope lol!! Happy for them :D. But also YOU IDIOTSS and YOU ARE NOT READY FOR THISS 😭. Gosh, the fools xdd. The neck was such a wild excuse too lol. Very contrived but eh I don't mind it xD. Their scene was cute :)). I was like Lucy you will regret this girl 😭 both of you will 😭 but wh you know xD. And then both being awake was hilarious lol. Also Tim's face when he was sitting up facing away from her :(( gosh, you could feel that one. Anyway, you guys (them) are idiots xdd <3. I'm sure they'll get it together eventually lol.

Also that poor couple where the girlfriend turned him in 😭🥺. He loved her :((. I do see what she was saying but that's rough :'((. Also definitely paralleling/reminding Lucy and Tim lol.

Gray and Luna being icons as always 🥰🥰. This was a great event that she helped plan, and a really cool setting to see them in, proud of her :'D. And these two are sweet as always 🥰 like the food basket to Miles and his girlfriend's room? Aww :)). And loved Luna giving him advice 🥺 <3. His own mother isn't around to do so but she is :'). Anyway, Luna and Gray remain the sweetest (not more than another couples but yk).

Okay I get what Bailey's saying but can I be honest? I'm on Nolan's side. I do understand what she's saying, he tormented her and she just wanted him out of her life, but she committed a crime and was basically implicated/involved in a murder. And while taking steps to get rid of him she refused to take steps to keep herself safe. I'm glad he's gone but I feel like he would've gotten caught anyway, Bailey texting Malvado or not. And I understand why she didn't tell John, but bro. He's literally a cop and you committed a crime. When Wesley committed almost crimes for Elijah because of their deal Angela was basically ready to kill him lol. I don't think it's unreasonable for John to be mad at her at all. I understand the tension of their different stances and will live to see it play out more, but I think Bailey feeling like she's completely in the right and not seeing his side of things (and being angry) is not only a) hypocritical but b) just eugh. I love her I do but I was 😬 with her this episode xd. Her dress was beautiful though lol. I just hope they work things out :(( <333.

And to end on a lighter note, Wopez 🥰!! Nyla DEFINITELY knew Graham liked Angela, like in the first scene, and Wesley being so eager was hilarious xDD. Him and Gretchen are cute though, I'm happy for them :D. Poor Wesley and Angela not getting their room though xd 😭 xD. Why Wesley lol! I think Gretchen and Graham would have been fine lol. Also Wesley saying that these people don't end up their friends anymore (either way this time it works out slfjdjks) is hilarious xD how many times have they done this lol?? Imagine if Wopez were the ones who got Chenford back together lol 💀. Anyway xD. I'm SO glad to know that Angela knew lol. I was thinking she might (or was in denial in the first scene) and when she said "you figured it out" I was pretty sure lol. It is nice that Wesley gets cover for how he found out too lol. And Angela seems understanding of how he felt which is good 🥹🥰🥰. Can't blame her for using the crush lol. Anyway, it almost felt anticlimactic, but I'm glad this storyline ended softly/quietly 🥰. I want them to have drama and storylines but still be happy 😭 xD. And I'm glad they are 🥰🥰. I love them <33.

Loved the episode!! Was super fun :D. Excited for the next one :))!