#i don’t see how this benefits him

[wearechecking]

.

[corsairspade]

Halenthir scenario where they get married for tax benefits (in a platonic good friends sort of way) and fall in love long distance via sending each other letters with ideas on how to best leverage their marriage for tax evasion.

[reyesstrand]

rewatching and i just think it’s interesting that owen lost his half-brother and tk will be getting his half-brother back in his life. wonder if that (alongside tk’s relived memories of his childhood) could come into play with jonah

[worstloki]

Loki unable to secure a marriage because of unworkable socialisation and awkward ulterior motives 🤝 Sigyn unable to secure a marriage because people keep slipping up and snitching on themselves

[adelinamoteru]

I have truly never seen so much discourse for a hero/anti-hero that kills until I started liking jason todd. I have literally never seen so many people get hate for not condemning a fictional character who kills bad guys until now its shocking! and I mean that literally

maybe I’m the one missing something but there are plenty of heroes (not antiheroes but HEROES) who exist that choose a lethal method and people take that in stride? the only way I can make sense of this is that people are so attached to batman and his mythos; they literally imprint on him and his thinking ?? and now any slight against him or challenge against his righteousness is taken as if its a slight against them.

at the end of the day, to me, you can still support jason being lethal because the fictional characters hes killing aren’t actually dead. in this sense, specifically, I don’t see why real life morals should be applied to a comic world. he’s not killing out of bigotry and if he was, I would get the controversy! but if you can agree with brutally beating and invasions of privacy in the dcu because it’s “morally correct” within the universe, I can’t see an argument against jason’s methods being morally wrong as valid unless those views are applied to every aspect of batman comics. if we did that, then everyone who continued reading these comics would be getting the same treatment jason todd fans do. ​you cannot hold one character accountable to real life moral views and not the other(s)!

[lunarrosette]

Had a scary thought: so if scary completely cuts ties with Willy (which seems decently likely based off of last ep) Willy will no longer have a reason not to kill/get rid of the kiddads (as far as I’m aware) because he would no longer care about what scary wants or cares abt and that terrifies me!!

[labselkie]

meeee to my dad after he makes a joke (?) about agatha x r/o being the main point of the show after i got physically sick and the one thing ive been waiting for was cancelled without any notice

[itseghost]

mad again that I kind of fucked up alistair’s character arc completely by accident just bc I didn’t think the cynical mean line after the goldanna quest was a helpful thing to say to him. LMAO

[mutalune]

me when people hate on aos trek:

[mandalora]

It’s probably an inevitability of a franchise being this far reaching and this popular and this long lasting but it is so baffling how much of the wider star wars fanbase tries to “fix” star wars

[pepprs]

mutuals i got myself into a situation so sticky i don’t even know how to describe it (edit: *describes it* lol). please send thoughts of successful escape my way lol

[roobylavender]

i mean most abusers do love the people they abuse. abuse isn’t something done with intention or malice half the time, it’s done by people thinking they’re doing the right thing. bruce’s love and need for control are constantly in conflict with each other and that’s why the robins are stuck waging a war against him. i feel like a big part of a dysfunctional parent-child dynamic is feeling trapped by your parent’s love. Even if you hate it, it’s still canon that Bruce has been historically bad with dealing with his kids. Half of them don’t even feel comfortable calling him dad cuz the relationship seems so undefined or shaky. In Dick’s case i feel like he has no grounds to oppose robin and his vigilantism because Bruce (deep down) loved having someone like dick around to fight crime with. They both refer that time as “the good old days” so it’s not like Bruce was truly opposed. It’s only when the actual reality of that negligent and naive behaviour materialises that he realises he fucked up (robin year one eg). Then he treats Dick in such a cold manner that Dick believes if he’s not robin, he’s not wanted. This has been a pattern since the golden days so no it’s not ooc for Bruce. Yes the natural conclusion to all the modern day tension should be for both parties to meet and resolve their issues but Bruce is still the abuser at the end of the day, and even though Dick’s self sacrificing nature might easily forgive him, on a textual level it should be clear that a true resolution between the two would need Dick to dig deeper, and for Bruce to be ready for rejection from his son.

i don’t disagree with that assessment of abuse like it’s absolutely true, but my problem is i don’t think the cold or controlling behavior is really a consistent enough pattern until we move into post-crisis canon. for several decades dick and bruce have a great rapport with each other bc that’s what everyone knows they’re supposed to have. like i don’t think most writers from the golden or silver age if asked that they intended to write bruce as an abuser would agree and say yes, and that distinction to me is impt, bc sure, we can take what we’re reading on a surface level and project our own experience or modern understanding of relationships onto it, but i don’t think that should happen to the extent authorial intent is superseded bc then you start to enter territory where you’re divorcing narrative from genre conventions. if we go by the assumption that bruce is an enabler and abuser for allowing dick to be a hero for so long without purported attention paid to his safety then that establishes practically every hero within the universe possessive of a sidekick as an abuser. and i do get that some people are interested in following that thread like esp in post-crisis we see that exploration a lot but ig for me personally it’s kinda like the thing that breaks the camel’s back and withholds the entire genre from actually allowing itself to explore more pertinent issues. not to say abuse isn’t a pertinent issue, it absolutely is and i do think there’s ways it can still be explored, but the primary reason the genre was established in the first place was in response to fascism. obv the engagement with that wasn’t necessarily complex early on but it’s incredibly impt to the development of the genre and as we can see in a modern context how that response to fascism or lack thereof is conveyed can be incredibly influential in terms of facilitating support or not for fascist government. so my issue is like, yes, it’s impt for bruce’s faults in these relationships to be addressed to a constructive and worthwhile extent, but i also think writers have gone so drastically far in curating those faults in the post crisis era that it’s effectively restricted the scope of the stories they’re allowed to tell, bc they’re more focused on individual instances and relationships within this world than they are on any form of commentary that reflects the operations of the world at large in relation to regulation of crime

[jackdawsfavorite]

I’ve been watching the latest season of love island USA on my normie [affectionate] sister’s rec, and while it’s good tv it’s also got me like, “fucked up that they made a world where girls don’t kiss,” so naturally I type “bisexual reality tv” into a search engine and learn that there was a pretty recent- christ, never mind, it premiered five years ago, how time flies -that in 2019 there was a bisexuals-only season of Are You The One and I’m like, “That sounds fun,” and one episode in it Is except that there are like ten seconds of poly-related commentary that make me pull my own hair a little.

[oreo-creampie]

“𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐈 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮”

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Suguru’s pov, he has a fat crush on you, reader has breasts, Suguru sucks on your nipples and bites your breasts, caught masturbating, stoner!suguru, Suguru is hypnotized by your beautiful ass self, heavily praise/smallest hint of condescending/teasing, fingering, begging, daddy/mama/princess/sweetheart name calling, smoking a blunt, face fucking, using his dick to masturbate, ‘just the tip’, becoming friends with benefits, some cock sucking and face fucking, begging, edging, squirting, he uses a vibrator a little towards the end, hints of suguru's size kink, mutual masturbation, controlling when you can cum, he spits in your mouth once, one pussy slap, light pain kink on both ends (biting you, digging your nails into him)

𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 @devilsfavouritelamb; I'm so fucking predictable and reading through those I could imagine so many lines with other characters BUT 'you came so fast, I barely even touched you' with Geto would send me into space😭🫶🏻

𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡; 1.8k / 6 minute read!

𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟��𝐲; I’m sorry for how long this took 🥲 I hope you enjoy it!

"Suguuru mnnnn!" Your sweet moan makes Suguru's cock throb. Throwing the blanket off and getting out of bed. Grabbing the blunt from the ashtray along with a lighter.

Another erotic moan from your bedroom, “Guru!” His cock getting heavier and thicker in his sweats. His name couldn’t sound better then when you moan it.

Suguru quietly steps into the hallway, your door is cracked. Easing it open. You’re so damn sexy with legs spread apart stroking the prettiest clit he’s ever seen. A vibrator charging next to you.

Grabbing the top of your doorframe, "Anything I can help you with sweetheart?” Ripping your eyes off the muted faceless guy stroking his fat cock. Tugging the sheets over yourself, your eyes wide with adorable embarrassment.

Suguru laughs, “Aw look at you beautiful, playing with your cunt.”Walking into your room, pointing at your screen, “Were you pretending that was me?” Hooking his thumb in his sweatpants, slowly pushing them down showing you an inch of his cock.

Letting the band go, it snaps back into place. He croons, “Don’t tell me all shy on me again after moaning my name. Did ya forget I was here?” You can't meet his gaze but you can stare at his cock, its so damm cute.

You huff glance away and clutching your sheets tighter, “Yeah, I thought you left, you’re mean!” Pausing the porn playing on your bedroom tv.

Suguru scoffs, “How? I was taking a nap. If anything you’re the mean one playing with your pretty cunt moaning my name, all without me.” He pushes his sweatpants down, kicking them to the side.

Smirking as you glance over then stare at his heavy cock swinging as he walks closer. “Then you cover up when I come to watch. With how you were you moaning my name I thought you wanted my attention.” Spitting in his hand smearing it over his fat cockhead. Suguru’s abs flex as he fucks his fist.

Encouraging you, “Lemme see how you play with yourself when you’re thinking about me mama.” You push off your covers lie down and spread your legs. Sliding your finger in between your soft-looking lips. Soaking your finger to rub your soft clit easier.

Suguru gets on the bed, you have the sexiest cunt his ever seen. “Your cunt ‘s gorgeous mama, ‘s wet thinkin’ about me.” His mouth is watering looking at you. Whilst his cock drips pre-cum onto your sheets.

Smearing the pearling drop of pre-cum on his cockhead’s small slit with a slow swirl of his thumb. “Look me in the eyes mama n’ keep moaning my name when you touch yourself.” You’re eyes are beautiful, alight with an intense lustful passion and needy

Moaning “Suguru please touch me.” It almost makes Suguru cave. “I wanna cum on your fingers.” It’s beautiful how needy you sound begging him.

Suguru’s cock softly twitches in his palm. He needs to feel your soft wet cunt rubbing and squeezing his cock till he bursts. “I’ll pay for plan b fuck I wanna cum in ya.” Swirling his fist stroking his cock faster. Your hands around his cock would make him look so much bigger.

He feels massive kneeling on the foot of your twin-sized bed. You’re soft, supple body and vulnerable state play on Suguru’s size and power kink. His mind is racing things he can do to you and the ways he can tie you up. He wants to test your soft body out with his, find your limits. And make your eyes roll back with body-shaking pleasure.

Begging him, “Daddy please.” Sitting up and grabbing his wrist, sliding it off his cock, slipping two of his thick fingers in your mouth. Swirling your tongue around as you play with your clit.

His cheeks flush with heat. Your warm wet tongue around his fingers, your beautiful body so close to his, he can’t think straight. Suguru is seconds from pinning you to the bed when you glide his fingers out of your mouth.

Grabbing your hair and yanking your head back, “Open your mouth beautiful.” Spitting in your mouth for you to swallow, sticking your tongue out for more. “Fuck me, I wanna stuff my cock in your pretty mouth.” Dipping your head down to take him in your mouth.

You’re beautiful bent over, your soft ass looking so damn smackable. When your sweet lips press against his cock head Suguru's breath hitches. This is really happening. His eyes roll back as he groans when you take him into your hot mouth.

Rolling his hips fucking your mouth. He has always adored your pretty lips. Seeing them wrap around the butt of a blunt was hot. Plaguing his mind when he'd jerk off. But this. watching your pretty lips gliding along his cock, seeing each inch vanish inside of you is memorizing.

Fucking your sweet mouth faster, his balls softly hit your chin with each quick pump of his hips. You grab his thigh digging in the nails he paid for last week when you got stressed.

You suck in your cheeks, stick your tongue out straight, taking his cock like a good slut whilst touching yourself. "Lie back n use my cock like a slut to masturbate. Rub my cock head on your pretty clit but don't cum." The more he slips out of your mouth the harder you suck, making his tight remble.

Leaning forward his broad shoulders curling in. Groaning your name his cock slips out with a pop! "I hope you can go multiple rounds in one day, I'm gonna get horny again thinking about your pretty mouth mama." Admiring you as you lie back down on your back spreading your legs welcoming Suguru.

Lying his fat cock on your soft wet lips. Instantly obsessing over the color and feel of your lips against his pale cock. Along with watching his cock head nudge your perfect clit.

Sliding his hand along your side, gently squeezing. Suguru cups your soft breast, sliding his thumb over your beautiful nipple.

Sliding your hand down his chest, groping his thick pecs, tracing the lines between his abs. “You’re so damn handsome Suguru, you can fuck me like a glory hole whenever you want.” Following his dark happy trail to his cock, holding him still, grinding your hips. Your hands and cunt are so soft.

Grabbing your headboard leaning over your short stature feeling massive as he looms over you. "Next I'll tie you up, after I cum on ya I'll leave ya there like a sex doll for me to come fuck whenever I want" Slowly swiping his cock from side to side getting yourself off with his cock like he's one of your toys.

Sucking on his thumb gently rubbing your soft nipple. Slowly twisting your hardening bud, you sound so hot crying in pain. Gently rubbing your soft nipple, massaging your breast.

Your eyes flutter shut, and your sweet bottom lip trembles. It’s memorizing watching the pleasure overwhelming you. Pleading with him, “Suguru, Daddy, please! I was about to cum before you came in. Please tell me I can cum!” Clenching him with your supple thighs, grinding your hips faster. You’re getting so close.

Suguru pulls away and slaps your wet cunt. The way your body tenses as you cry is stunning. “Watch me, I love seeing passionate lust in your pretty eyes.” Gliding his fingers in, rubbing your sensitive clit with his thumb.

Your squishy, soaking wet cunt quivers, clenching his thick fingers. Dipping his head between your legs. Watching your beautiful, squelching hole take his finger. “Fuck I can't wait to see you take my cock.”

Curling his finger searching for your sweet spot. Biting by your knee, licking up your thigh towards your cunt. Adding a little more pressure on your sensitive cunt.

Arching your back, digging your hips into the bed, grabbing the sheets. He’s found the perfect spot. “There we go beautiful.” Wrapping his hand around your neck, nudging in a second thick finger.

Leaning down to bite your breast, flicking your nipple with his tongue. Rubbing your sweet spot with with fingers, playing with your clit. He adores how you tremble beneath him.

Pinning you by your throat, biting down on you as he finger fucks you. It makes Suguru feel primal like he’s claiming you as his.

Digging your nails into his back, Suguru softens his bite letting your breast go. Grabbing the blunt resting in your ash tray, “Spark it for me mama.” Putting it between his lips for you to spark after you catch you breath.

Taking a slow drag, the end burning red. Taking it from his lips, leaning down to blow the sweet bitter smoke into your mouth. Smoke wisps past your beautiful lips as you moan.

Squirming, spreading your legs, pleading with Suguru, “Please lemme cum I wanna-needa! Nnnn!” You’re getting wetter, tighter, clutching his fingers with soft spasms.

Leaning over you, “Whose are you?” Taking a hit off his blunt before ashing it. “Tell me mama whose fingers are you about to cum on?” Stroking your clit a little faster, finally pushing you over that sweet edge you’ve been seeking.

Sensually moaning, “Your's daddy! Nnn fuck I can't stop it!” He could ruin it for you one more time. Make you cum on his cock being such a naughty slut you moaned his name whilst you touched yourself. But the way you’re pleadingly looking at him.

Taking another slow hit, there is nothing better than this. You trembling, moaning about to cum on his fingers whilst he smokes a blunt.

Smoke drifts past his lips as he croons, “Cum mama.” Thick warm cum gushing on his fingers. Smirking, “You came so fast, and I barely touched you, n' ya came so much.” Finger fucking you through your high, slowly dragging his fingers out, sucking them clean.

Dipping his head, swiping his tongue between your lips groaning in your cunt. Grinding his hips into the bed, his cock aching. He needs to feel you.

Kissing your plush, wet lips, lifting his head to look down at you, taking another drag. “Ya taste so sweet mama.” Gliding in just the tip, moaning as he watches your beautiful little hole stretch for the sloping shape of his fat head. The thick soft ridge of his cock’s mushroom head shape vanishes inside you.

He wants to savor this, draw out the first time he gives you his cock. “Beg for more than just the tip while I smoke my blunt. N’ you can make a mess on my cock mama.” With the blunt between his lips Suguru unplugs the charging vibrator.

Clicking it on keeping it in a low and steady setting, swirling it on your wet, sensitive clit. "Go ahead, focus on begging." Your back arches, driving his cock a little deeper. It takes everything in Suguru to glide his cock back out leaving just the tip.

Oreo’s creampie

[bookwyrrm]

I just started Yumi and the Nightmare Painter bc I heard such high praise for it and I have never read any Sanderson before….. why tf does the narrator keep talking to me

[chuluoyi]

𝐉𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐄

- sylus x reader

more than friends with benefits, definitely lovers. your relationship is one filled with banters, steamy nights, and secret strings attached... but when someone shows an interest in you, sylus won't hesitate to stake his claim for everyone to see

genre/warnings: 18+ suggestive content—minors do not interact!—jealousy, crack, fluff, smut, a dash of comfort, assassin!reader (not l&ds mc)

note: loosely a sequel to strictly (un)professional. how this snowballed into 3.8k... i don't really know :')

“Missus, please spare us!”

You shot an unamused look at the twins before you, who clasped their hands together, pleading for you to let them go.

“Why is it so difficult for both of you to say?” you hissed, crossing your arms together. “I’m not asking for much—just a recount of what happened!”

“Boss will have our tongues for this!” Kieran looked up at you, quivering. “No way, I want to live!”

“He’s terrifying…” Luke shuddered in fear, hugging himself. “You don’t know how frightening he is!”

You were holding both Luke and Kieran hostage, the tender preys, all because Sylus refused to reveal what you had been wanting to know these past few weeks.

“So you’re afraid of Sylus…” You fixed them with a steely glare. “But have you ever thought that if you don’t spill it now, I will be the one taking both your tongues?”

“—?! Missus, please!”

“Why are you bullying the twins?” A deep voice cut through the twins’ pitiful laments, and you let out an exasperated huff as your chance slipped away once more.

Speak of the devil, and Sylus shall appear. He looked at the scene before him as if you were all a bunch of kindergarteners.

Luke and Kieran immediately flocked to him. “Boss! Save us! She’s scary!”

And now you were suddenly the scary one. You rolled your eyes. "Your henchmen are useless."

Sylus glanced at you with a half smile, knowing what information you were squeezing the twins for. "Sweetie, just give it up. You'll find peace faster that way."

Was it wrong to be curious about what Sylus had been up to during the three weeks you were unconscious after the attack that literally took your life? Why was he being so secretive about it anyway?

“I know, you were so worried sick you didn’t even eat or sleep,” you taunted your lover with a wicked smile. “That’s why you won’t tell me about it.”

Sylus laughed outright. “Pftt. You’ve got quite the imagination. Good to know.”

Nothing much changed after that night of his confession—if you could call it that—to you. You were indeed no longer strictly his bedwarmer, but your banters stayed the same, if not even more sarcastic now.

“Chop chop, we have an auction to go to, sweetie.” Sylus placed his big hand on your head, amused. “Stop being a hissy kitten towards the poor twins and get ready, hmm?”

“I’ll definitely uncover it,” you shot him a resentful glare. “Just you wait and see.”

Such were your days with your true kindred-spirits lover. He would tease you during the day and turn you into a hot mess at night, and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

In tonight's auction, you had one target: the broker for a new rising star firearms dealer. Sylus had been eyeing him, deducing his goods could be a nice addition to his armory.

And so, you went up to him. However...

“...Are you single, miss?”

Here we go again.

You forced a tight smile. “Sir, I’d appreciate it if we can stick to subject at hand.”

The man blinked, then quickly plastered on a wide grin to mask his surprise. “Oh yes! Yes, I-I’m sorry, I got distracted— well, I’d say this is a pretty solid MoU... but I’ll need to contact my boss first.”

This weirdo... you thought with boredom, is so transparent.

This wasn’t the first time you’d dealt with a situation like this. Granted, you were pretty and you knew it, but usually, more distinguished men would be a bit more subtle about it.

“Take all the time you need,” you encouraged smoothly, your eyes crinkling in an attempt to look friendly. “As you can see, Mr. Sylus has proposed the perfect bargain for this kind of dealings.”

“I wouldn’t argue with that. I assure you we’ll certainly try to accommodate his request.” The man nodded and gave you a meaningful look, before coughing awkwardly. “Uh, sorry, what was your name again, miss?”

Your faux smile remained perfectly still as you replied, “Mephisto.”

The man’s eyes roved over you, and he grinned roguishly. “Right. Still, I never expected Mr. Sylus’ secretary to be as beautiful as you, Miss Mephisto...”

This was tedious. Your patience was tested with every leering look he gave you. Sylus must know this already, and he's somewhere laughing at the sight of you dealing with this creep.

“You flatter me too much, I’m average.”

“No, no! I mean it!”

He knows... yet he wouldn't do anything about it. Not that you would expect Sylus to barge in like a man blinded by envy, but still, he was insufferable for not coming to you just like he had for Miss Hunter back then.

The man kept droning on and on about himself and everything else that had nothing to do with the business deal, and you were this close to dropping him and using your Evol to shut him up when—

He then turned to you expectantly. “Oh, there is a dance! Miss, would you mind if I have your first dance?”

“Oh...”

And it occurred to you... why not spice things up a little?

Sylus’ dark crimson eyes narrowed silently as he watched both of you from the island table while savoring his glass of wine, before he let out a loud snort.

That vermin doesn’t have a clue he is playing with fire.

For most of your interaction, the firearms dealer’s broker kept giving you suggestive looks, and occasionally brushing his hand against yours on purpose. He wasn't even trying to hide it, and it was amusing to see how aggravated you looked the entire time.

Adorable. Sylus found you incredibly endearing these days, from your pouts to your glazed eyes whenever he thrusted into you—

You were oh so delectable… at least until he saw you holding that lesser man's arm, as he led you to the dance floor.

A deep frown immediately formed in his forehead.

“What are you scheming now?” Sylus scowled, half exasperated and half in disbelief. “You naughty cat.”

He was even more irked when he saw how casually you wrapped your arms around that vermin, twirling and pressing yourself against him in a waltz. Seeing him trying to hit on you was one thing, but for you to reciprocate was just plain unacceptable.

—and to his ire, your audacity continued throughout the night.

. . .

“Miss Mephisto, do you play pool?”

“I do.”

“Then, will you play with me?”

Sylus was now burning with tendrils of anger, watching you from a closer corner. He had seen the broker put his hands on you so many times that he had lost count—during the dance, mingling with other guests, and while sharing hearty laughs. All in all, you were acting as if you had forgotten he was even here.

You were threading on a very thin ice and whether you realized it or not... you didn't seem to care.

"Ah, I think your stance is a bit off..." And to make it worse, the broker was definitely seizing every chance he could, as there was nothing wrong with your form—you often accompanied Sylus playing pool, so you were a pro—and yet he still got behind you, trying to drape his arms around your body.

That was the last straw. Enough is enough.

Before Sylus realized what he was doing, he stormed over to where you were, yanked your arm forcefully, and effectively separated you from him. He didn’t give a damn about the horrified shout from the broker or the judging looks from other partygoers as he dragged you by the hand out of the ballroom.

“Sylus!” you nearly shrieked when he kicked open a door to a meeting room and locked it with his black-red mist. He pinned you against the wall, and crashed his lips against yours in a searing kiss.

“Mmph!” You tried pushing him back, but he was stronger and held you in place, his tongue forcing your lips open as he pressed the back of your head toward him. His other hand slipped inside your dress—between your legs— two fingers in—

“—!” you couldn't even squeal as he devoured your mouth and the shock set in, feeling yourself getting aroused by the minute when his fingers did that scissoring thing and edged you further.

After he was done with your mouth, his hot lips trailed down to your neck and shoulder blades, sucking hard on several spots, making you gasp and moan.

"Hah... this... is the price to pay for testing me, sweetie," your lover growled his nickname for you with satisfaction as he noticed you trembling body, nibbling on your shoulder. "You want to get punished so badly, huh?"

"Ahh..." you threw your head back, clinging to him, grinding yourself against his fingers.

"Is it funny to you? Watching me see him touch you?" Sylus' unforgiving ruby eyes stared down at you like a lion eyeing its prey. "What an insolent little kitten you are..."

His fingers kept moving and thrusting inside you in an alarming speed, mercilessly hitting that one spot that could make you cry. He was seriously teaching you a lesson by forcing you to come undone right then and there.

"I-I...!" you tried to refute, but then you felt the knot inside you burst, and in the next second, you could feel yourself coming all over his fingers, shuddering, your breaths coming in pants.

Feeling faint, relief washed you when he pulled out his fingers. You leaned and clung onto him, pulling him closer, and Sylus finally saw what a mess he had turned you into.

Your glassy eyes focused solely on him, seemingly pleading—and those swollen lips, as well as the sizzling heat creeping up your cheeks—

“Ha,” he let out a low chuckle, a wicked grin curling his lips. “If I can still make you look like this, then I suppose I can forgive you.”

“You’re a meanie,” you mumbled breathlessly.

“You’re the mean one,” Sylus tutted with narrowed eyes, starting to pull away from you.

But then you pulled him close again and pressed your lips to his, this time with a gentleness that surprised him.

There was no malice or burning desire in your kiss. Strangely, it felt far more intimate. You pulled away, the heart-stopping swirls of his red eyes captivating you as you pressed your foreheads together.

“Needy, aren’t you, sweetie?” Sylus whispered, holding your gaze, his breath hot against your skin.

But right now, all of a sudden, you looked so vulnerable to him, as if any wrong word from his lips would shatter you. It made him almost feel guilty for manhandling you so roughly.

You didn’t respond, just wanting this closeness with him. Behind your snarky words and little schemes, this was what you wanted more than the release you just got. Sometimes, you still worried—did he want this too?

“What is it?” Sylus asked with a frown, seemingly concerned. “Talk. Tell me.”

“Nothing…” you replied in a small voice.

“Do you feel sick? Want to go back?”

You shook your head.

You weren’t usually this quiet. Sylus couldn’t help being restless at your sudden change. It felt awkward for him to do what he was about to do next, but instinctively, he figured it would comfort you a bit.

You felt a pang in your heart when he pulled away, but in the next instant, a wave of warmth enveloped you as he pressed you to him, burying your head against his sturdy chest.

For someone who deals with blood and gore, your body felt too soft and fragile, yet still fit perfectly in his arms. Though he had held you and made love to you many times before, it was only now that he truly noticed how small you were.

“You’re warm…” you murmured, your voice carrying a hint of a whine.

So needy and pliant… for him.

“My woman is such an enduring mystery.” Sylus mused, sounding almost as if he were lamenting. “Sometimes she’s a brazen kitten without a shred of shame, but then she pulls stunts like this.”

Your heart picked up the pace. You are... his. That was right. You were his woman in every sense of the word now, and he wasn't shying away from it.

But to cover your embarrassment, you could only come up with, “Can you not refer to me as cat...?”

He shot you an irked glance. “No.”

“He calls me by your bird’s name.”

“...”

“Sylus, you can’t murder him. Your deal will go down the drain.”

“Tch.” Sylus blew out an annoyed sigh, glaring at you. “By the time I get back here, you’re going back with me.”

You rolled your eyes. “Yes, yes.”

Honestly you were exhausted, and you wanted to nothing more than a good sleep. But you couldn't just leave the broker without preamble because this deal depended on him, and Sylus too had some loose ends he had to tie before the two of you left.

Strangely, all eyes were on you when you returned to the ballroom. You wondered why as you navigated the crowd until you met the broker you had fooled in so many ways.

“Oh, Miss Mephisto, you’re back!” he was visibly and utterly drunk, and you cringed at the strong smell of alcohol on his breath. But then you noticed his eyes seemed to be fixated on your—

Neck. You realized in horror.

“Oh... hic, t-that... I-I see,” he blabbered, coughing awkwardly as he stared at the marks on your neck. “Miss... so that man is... y-your lover...?”

“Uh...” It was a wonder he didn’t recognize Sylus at first glance. Perhaps it was because he was so infamous, but it astounded you how this person couldn’t even tell that it was him.

"I-I thought... w-we..." he hiccupped again heartbrokenly, before snatching a glass on the table. "Oh, I need more drink!"

You observed him, half cringing. "Sir, I just want to remind you that once the documents are signed—"

"Yeah, yeah! It will be done by the end of the week!" he yelled at you. "Miss, how about you have a drink too!?"

Suddenly, a glass of gin was shoved into your hand, and you let out an irritated sigh. Yeah, he might be right. A glass of alcohol would help you sleep better tonight, you figured, so you chugged it down.

"Huh...?" And it didn’t take you long to realize something was amiss. The dizzying sensation set in far too quickly, you felt so hot, and you had to lean on the table next to you to keep from falling.

“Are you okay...?” a waitress asked you with concern, but the only sound you could hear was your own violent heartbeat. Before you knew it, the glass in your hand slipped from your grasp and crashed into the floor.

"Oh, miss! Are you okay?!" the broker suddenly got a hold over your body. "Oh! It seems you aren't feeling well! Let me escort you to you room!"

Room? You barely discerned what happened when he led you out of the crowd. Your head spun terribly, and then suddenly throbbed, making you clutch it and cry out in pain, "Ah!"

It didn't make sense, no matter how you saw it. You had a pretty good tolerance, so for you to get hungover from a gin was just—

“Oh, does it hurt much?” he suddenly asked in your ear, making you shiver. “Don’t worry... it'll be bearable soon enough... I’ll make sure you will feel good…”

It's him! You realized. He spiked your drink!

His arms were now locking yours, steering you to go into the elevator. You took a deep breath before directing your speech manipulation evol on him— "Let go!"

He was immediately jerked away from you, but as a result, you almost crumpled, your vision swimming and your head pounding intensely. The pain made you feel close to passing out, and yet you managed to trek forward, leaning on the wall for support.

You had to get away from him before he could catch up to you. Panic set in, and when strong arms caught you, you convulsed, thinking he had grabbed you—

“Stop thrashing!”

“S-Sylus...?” You looked up, trying to focus on his face, but everything was so blurry.

“I’m here.” His voice was ragged, and you’d recognize it anywhere. “What happened to you? Are you hurt?”

“M-my head...” Your voice came out as a broken whimper, clutching at your throbbing head. “Hurts...”

You were feverish, trembling against his hold, and you reeked of alcohol. Sylus instantly realized something was seriously wrong and pressed your head into his chest to provide comfort. “Just a little bit longer—” his deep voice carried a subtle hint of alarm as he hoisted you up to his arms. “Hang on, alright?”

But just as he was about to bring you back, he caught the sight of a fleeing silhouette in the corner, and realizing who it was, his right eye blazed, black and red mist swirled in the air and restrained the broker, engulfing his screams.

“S-spare me! P-please!” the man pleaded tearfully, pinned on the ground, and Sylus approached him silently, looking down at him with so much spite in his eyes.

“A roach that doesn’t seem to know his place…” The corners of his lips twisted into a sadistic smile. “Whether you survive or not depends on you. Best hope you’ll last.”

Despite his pleas, he paid it no mind as he walked away with you in his arms.

When you awakened, your head was no longer pounding.

It took you a moment to realize there was a cool compress on your forehead, you were now in a clean oversized sweater, and someone was holding your hand.

Sylus. You looked up to find him asleep, sitting with his back against the headboard beside you. It was rare to catch him sleeping. In this moment, he looked defenseless, yet a faint frown lingered on his handsome face.

Has he been waiting for you like this, holding your hand all night...?

You tried to get a better look at him, but the rustle seemed to wake him up instead, as his eyes cracked open.

“You awake?” he asked, voice so sultry it woke all your senses up. “I was just shutting my eyes.”

“Aren’t you uncomfortable sleeping like that?” you asked.

Sylus turned toward you, his eyes still hazy from sleep. “What about you? Feeling better?”

“Mm-hmm.”

He placed a hand on your head, ruffling your hair gently.

“Really, you...” His stare was so withering it made question marks appear in your head. “I took my eyes off you for one minute, and you ended up with alcohol poisoning?”

“—? I didn’t know! But wait, what happened to that bozo?”

Sylus gave you a deadpan look, and you gasped. “You… didn’t kill him and have his body secretly disposed of, did you?”

“Just who do you think I am?”

“…a kingpin of an illegal syndicate?”

Your lover’s scowl deepened further at your response. “Nah, he got lucky. I only returned him with a broken jaw, broken hips, and two missing teeth.”

“Sylus!”

If he looked sleepy before, now he definitely looked wide awake. Sylus always sleeps at dawn, and you wanted him to rest more than anything, but now you were itching to ask him...

“Say... were you waiting for me while sitting like this too when I wasn’t conscious for three weeks?” You avoided his gaze, the question burning on your lips. Sylus had never given you a straight answer whenever you asked him about this.

This time too, he grumbled, “Why do you keep asking that?”

“Because I can’t ask Luke and Kieran, they look as if you’d set them on fire.”

Sylus went silent, not giving you any affirmation at all, and you huffed and unclasped his hand, pursing your lips together. “I see. You don’t care about me at all. Noted.”

You heard him sigh, before his red eyes squarely landed on you.

“When I was shot, you worried about me even when you know I’m going to be alright,” he suddenly posed the question on you. “Didn’t you?”

You nodded, and he tousled your hair again—the action alone somehow made you feel warm.

“Whatever you felt that day, that’s the same to what I went through during those three weeks. Multiply it by ten.”

“Huh!?” you rose up from the sheets in surprise, facing him.

Sylus then turned away from you, crossing his arms and shutting his eyes. “That’s it, sweetie. I’m going back to sleep now.”

“Wait!”

You scrambled into his lap, clinging to his shoulder. Sylus begrudgingly opened his eyes again, a look of irritation on his face. “What?”

Multiply it by ten…? Heh. At this moment, you felt light and giddy, knowing that the two of you were now true lovers in every way that mattered even when you were faced with his sourness.

“Don't scowl too much!” you giggled merrily. You placed your fingers on the corners of his lips, gently lifting them to force a smile. “Honesty suits you much better, Sylus. It’s recommended.”

This cheeky woman... Sylus never thought the day would come for him to experience these myriad of emotions, much less for them to be incited by you.

He pulled you close, one arm around your hips and the other around the back of your head. Your lips met his in a passionate kiss that left no room for further conversation, only parting when you both needed to catch your breath.

“If you want me to, then don’t make me relive those nights,” he said with a sly smile, his crimson eyes glinting in the light and his voice like silk against your ears. “Can you?”

His tone softened your gaze, a warm sensation spreading through your chest. You responded with a playful snort, wrapping your arms around his neck and giving him another peck on the lips.

After your innocent make-out session, you nestled closer to him with a contented sigh, savoring the reassuring warmth of his embrace as you both drifted off again into the morning.

Epilogue

"Do you hear anything?"

"No, nothing..."

Luke and Kieran whispered amongst themselves as they tried to hear anything of importance beyond Sylus' bedroom. After their boss went back home with you passed out in his arms last night, they had totally expected the worst.

“Seems like she’s alright then…” Kieran concluded, stepping away from the door. “We should just go. If Boss catches us, we’re dead.”

The twins backed away from the door and went back to the living room, sighing in relief.

"But honestly, Boss has changed lately, hasn't he? He looks kinder, somehow."

"Are you sure, Luke? Maybe it's just when he looks at the missus. With us, meh."

“I still get chills thinking about when he destroyed the Protofield to dust after he found her following the explosion,” Luke gazed off in wonder. “It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, but it was also heartbreaking—especially when he tried to wake her and realized she was beyond help because the steel had pierced her heart…”

Luke and Kieran went quiet at the memory.

“Anyhow!” Kieran suddenly exclaimed. “All’s well that ends well! To be honest, I totally saw it coming that they'd end up together!”

“Ooh, you're right! They did a bad job of hiding it too, no less! I mean, one time, the missus came out of his room while—”

As the twins gossiped about their master and mistress, they were unaware that Mephisto the crow, perched nearby, was dutifully recording their conversation and would report it all to his master later.