#i had a long day at work then sat in the sun for awhile

[empressofthelibrary]

Y'know, I think I'm glad I'm alive

[mononijikayu]

you belong with me — nanami kento.

"Hi….I’m Kento."

“Kento, huh.” you said, testing the name again like you were rolling it around in your head, trying to get the feel of it. After a moment, you nodded, satisfied.

“Yeah, that’s my name.”

“That’s a good name.” You declared it with the authority of a five-year-old who had decided someone was officially worth their time.

“Your name’s okay too... I guess,” Kento replied, his tone so nonchalant it was almost teasing.

GENRE: alternate universe - no curses au!;

WARNING/S: afab! reader, childhood friends, best friends to lovers, romance, nsfw, rated 18 and above, explicit content, kissing, making out, rough sex, fingering, p to v sex, car sex, orgasm, humor, profanity, pet names (my love, etc), possessiveness, jealousy, characters speaking in sexual innuendo, mention of sexual euphemisms, depiction of explicit sexual content, best friend! nanami kento, best friend! reader;

WORD COUNT: 14k words.

NOTE: hello everyone, this is the final fic for 2024!!! wah, there's a lot to say. first and foremost, this fic would not be possible if it wasn't for the lovely person who commissioned it from me awhile back. please give them a lot of love and a lot of thanks.

they were my first ever commission here and still it flutters my heart with joy to have worked them. they were so good to me and continues to do so, with how they want to share this fic with you too.

also, i want to thank you all for sticking with me this 2024. it was a long road and a really painful time. i wrote to escape these painful times and i got through 2024 with you guys, just enjoying stories in my head. so thank you!!! there were a lot and there are still a lot i haven't published here.

i hope we continue to be together in 2025 too. i'll continue to write for both of us, to have solace in hard times. i bow to you in all ways that i can. thank you for being good to me!!! i love you all. this is kayu signing off for 2024. please have a lovely and wonderful new year and i'll see you on january 2025 <33333

masterlist

if you want to, tip! <3

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EVEN AS A CHILD, YOU THOUGHT THAT HE BELONGED TO YOU. It was a childish little thing, you knew that much. But the moment you met Nanami Kento at the park when you were five years old, you just knew he was going to be your best friend.

And no one else could claim that from you. It wasn’t something you decided after a long debate in your head. If anything, it was instinctive, instant, like the way a flower turns toward the sun. What surprised you even more was that he didn’t seem to mind it.

That day, Nanami Kento was sitting on the swings, looking unusually serious for a kid. His little legs dangled, barely brushing the ground, and he rocked back and forth so slightly it was as if he wasn’t even moving. It was odd. 

Most kids treated the swings like they were flying machines, pumping their legs wildly, laughing as they soared. But not Kento. He just sat there, his small hands gripping the chains, his gaze fixed on the ground as though it held all the answers to the universe.

It wasn’t sadness—not exactly. He didn’t look miserable or lonely. No, it was more like he was... satisfied. Content in his little bubble of silence, where the noise of the playground seemed to slide right past him.

You, however, were not content with his quiet. What could a kid possibly have to think about so deeply? Why wasn’t he running around, chasing someone, or shouting nonsense with the other kids? How could he stomach sitting there alone for so long?

The questions buzzed in your head, but more than that, you felt a pull. You wanted to know him. You wanted him to talk to you, to share whatever thoughts were hiding behind those serious brown eyes. And if he wouldn’t come to you, well, that was fine. You’d go to him.

You had the kind of confidence that only comes from being five years old and utterly fearless. The kind of confidence that didn’t know rejection or hesitation, only the certainty that the world would say "yes" if you asked it nicely enough.

So, you marched right up to him, your pigtails bouncing with each determined step. You put on your brightest smile, the kind of smile that has always gotten adults to bend down and coo. “Aren’t you just the sweetest?”

"Hi!" you announced, planting yourself firmly in front of him like he had no choice but to acknowledge you. You told him your name, grinning at him. 

He blinked, startled out of his deep, secured thoughts to the sight of you. It took a while, but he  lifted his caramel gaze to meet yours. For a moment, he just looked at you, like he wasn’t sure if you were real. No one has ever approached him before, well not as brazenly as this. Then, finally, he answered you back. 

"Hi….I’m Kento."

“Kento, huh.” you said, testing the name again like you were rolling it around in your head, trying to get the feel of it. After a moment, you nodded, satisfied. 

“Yeah, that’s my name.”

“That’s a good name.” You declared it with the authority of a five-year-old who had decided someone was officially worth their time.

“Your name’s okay too... I guess,” Kento replied, his tone so nonchalant it was almost teasing.

“Huh? It’s pretty!” you retorted, your hands flying to your hips, a slight pout settling on your lips. “My mom thought hard about it, you know!”

“So did mine.” Kento shot back, a flicker of mischief lighting his normally serious face. Then, in a tone that was just a little too smug, he added, “It’s a good name too.”

For a second, you just stared at him, caught off guard by the slyness in his tone. Then, to your own surprise, you burst out laughing. It wasn’t just the words that got to you—it was the way he said them, so calm and deliberate, like he was throwing you a challenge wrapped in politeness.

“You’re funny, you know that?” you decided, grinning widely.

Kento raised an eyebrow at that, his lips twitching into the barest hint of a smile. “I wasn’t trying to be.”

“Well, you are.” you said firmly, as though your opinion was final. “So, Kento, what do you wanna do? We could swing, or climb the jungle gym, or—oh! We could build a sandcastle!”

He blinked, caught off guard by your rapid-fire suggestions. “I don’t know,�� he said slowly, like he wasn’t used to making decisions for playtime.

You rolled your eyes and grabbed his hand without a second thought. “Then we’re doing the sandcastle! Come on, you’re gonna love it.”

He let you pull him along, his steps falling into rhythm with yours. “What if I don’t?” he asked, his voice so soft you almost missed the challenge in it.

“You will!” you said confidently, already imagining the crooked towers you’d build together. “Because I said so.”

Nanami Kento didn’t argue. Instead, he let out a quiet laugh, the sound so small you might’ve missed it if you weren’t paying attention. But you were paying attention, because something about this boy made you want to see every little detail he kept hidden in that quiet bubble of his.

From that moment, Kento Nanami became yours.

He knew that just as much as you did, even then.

And he was certain you were just as much his from then.

It wasn’t long into your days of playdates before you started staking your claim. You didn’t mean to—well, maybe you did. That really didn’t matter. What mattered was that you and Kento were having fun. Like the time some other kids approached while you and Kento were hard at work in the sandbox, trying to make your castle less crooked.

"Hey, kid!" one of them called, pointing at the little shovel in Kento’s hands. "Can I borrow that?"

"No way." you said firmly before Kento could even open his mouth. You shot the kid a look that clearly said back off. "We’re using it."

"But—"

"Nope. Sorry. It’s ours to play with." you cut them off, turning back to your castle as if the conversation was over. "Right, Kento?"

Kento hesitated for a second, glancing between you and the other kid, before quietly nodding. "Right."

The other kids' faces were filled with harsh looks at what you said. But you didn’t care. All they could do was huff and puff until they were blue in the face. You would never budge, not even if they wanted you too. 

You were a tough girl. And you always got what you wanted. And you wanted your new friend and his attention only on you. So you didn't care what you did. You’ll keep your friend, no matter what they want. 

Soon enough, they gave in and went to wander off. You can only smile. You didn’t feel the slightest bit bad. If anything, you had wished that they had left much sooner. 

You turned to Kento with a satisfied smile. "Good. They’d just mess it up anyway. It’s better if we play together, only us!"

Kento tilted his head, watching you with that quiet curiosity he always seemed to have. You seemed to be content about playing just by yourself, by his side. Not many kids seem to be content about wanting to do that at all.

"Why don’t you let other kids play with us?" he asked.

You looked at him like the answer should’ve been obvious. "Because you’re my friend. I found you first. That means you’re mine."

For a moment, he just stared at you.

Then, slowly, that tiny, barely-there smile returned.

"Okay." he said simply, like he didn’t mind one bit.

══════════════════

YEARS DRAGGED ON IN A FLASH FOR BOTH OF YOU. From that day forward, Nanami Kento was your shadow. Or maybe you were his—it often depended on who was asking and whose ego needed inflating at the moment.

But that was just how it was between the two of you. And you were content about how that goes. You knew he was just the same. Not because you went around declaring it (okay, maybe you did once or twice), but because your actions left no room for doubt.

The two of you were inseparable, and everyone knew it. In a way, both your parents were both glad and concerned about it. Glad that you both were in each other’s lives, nurturing and caring for each other. That means you both weren’t lonely, and you both were happily playing with each other day in and out of school.

But concerned that you weren’t letting each other find any other people in your lives and explore other friendships. But that hardly mattered to the two of you. Both of you didn’t budge. You didn’t need anyone else. If anything, you only need each other. You were both content with that. 

If there was a school project, Nanami Kento was your partner. No debates, no negotiation. You made sure of it every single time. It got to the point where teachers didn’t even bother asking anymore. By third grade, the class roster might as well have been printed with your name and his own written in bold under "Partners" for every project.

“Do you guys ever work with anyone else?” a classmate once dared to ask.

“Why would we?” you replied, looking genuinely puzzled. “He’s the best at making the physical parts.I don’t need anyone else.”

Kento, standing beside you, simply shrugged. “She’s good at explaining the messy, hard parts.” he said, so matter-of-factly it left no room for argument.

At lunch, it was no different. You always saved him a spot, waving him over like a VIP guest being ushered past the velvet rope. And no one dared sit with the two of you. Not after The Incident.

There was one time where a new kid made the mistake of sliding into the seat next to Nanami Kento before he got there. You didn’t even hesitate to act as quickly as you could. 

“Excuse me, new kid.” you said, your voice sugary sweet, but your eyes narrowing dangerously.

“What?” the kid asked, glancing up at you.

“That’s his seat.” You pointed toward Kento, who was still in the lunch line, entirely oblivious to the showdown brewing at the table.

“Seats are for everyone in the school.” the kid said, with all the defiance of someone who didn’t know better yet. “I can sit wherever I want.”

And that’s when you did it. You reached out and swatted their hand as they tried to open their milk carton. You glared at him, almost as cold as the North Pole. He gulped at your glare. You were terrifying for a middle schooler.

“Go. Somewhere. Else.” you said, every word punctuated with a glare that could have sent a grown man packing. “That’s HIS seat!”

The new kid was terrified and immediately scurried off, muttering something about "territorial weirdos." — that was another thing for the school to whisper about in their past time. But you didn’t care. 

By the time that he got out of the boy’s toilets, Nanami Kento got to the table, his spot was as clear as always, and you were already peeling the wrapper off the sandwich your mom made for him like nothing had happened.

“Thanks.” he said, sitting down without even asking why the kid from earlier was now eating on the other side of the cafeteria. He saw that of course. But he didn’t dare ask. “Thank your mom for me, about the sandwich.”

“You’re welcome.” you replied, sliding his sandwich over to him. You smiled as he opened his own lunch bag and started to pull out chocolate pudding in a tupperware. “Ohhhh, your mom thought of dessert!”

“Hm, I asked her.” Kento retorts back to you, smiling softly at your excitement. “Since you like chocolate pudding.”

“Thank your mama for me, okay?”

“Hm, I will.”

But of course, your protectiveness didn’t stop at lunch seats. If anything, you were protective of him to the point that it was already insane. If anyone so much as thought about teasing him, you were on them like a hawk. It didn’t matter if it was a stupid nickname or a poorly aimed joke. Nanami Kento wasn’t going to deal with any of it, not on your watch.

“Hey, Kento, why are you so quiet all the time?” one boy snickered during recess, his tone dripping with mockery.

Before Kento could even respond, you were already there, hands on your hips and glaring like you were ready to call down the wrath of the heavens. You glared at the kid as though he was meeting to face a thousand suns. 

“Maybe he’s quiet because he doesn’t waste time saying dumb things like you do.” you snapped, tilting your head and raising an eyebrow for maximum effect. “Stop being a weird waste of space and leave him alone, you freak!”

The boy tried to stammer something in response, but you didn’t wait to hear it. You didn’t care for what they said. Only for what Kento says. You rolled your eyes at the kid, as though he bored you and looked away. Soon enough, you turned back to Kento, your expression softening immediately. 

“Come on, Kento.” you said, grabbing his hand. “We’re going to the swings.”

Kento didn’t say much about that. But later, when that same boy made a malicious face at you from across the playground and had made a plan to chase you with a bottle of water to throw, Nanami Kento was the first to sense a threat against you.

He sighed heavily and without even looking up from his picture book muttered just loud enough for you to hear. “She’s faster than you, you know? She would wet your hair and make fun of you for it. So, I wouldn’t try it.”

The boy stayed far away after that.

And you could only giggle at what he said.

Nanami Kento knew you all too well.

But just as much as you were ready to fight Nanami Kento’s battles, he was ready to fight yours. And while you often took on challenges with the energy of a charging bull, Kento’s approach was quieter, deadlier—like a knife slipping between ribs before anyone even noticed it was there. He was just that type of kid, you think.

You first realized just how far Kento was willing to go for you one day when a group of older girls decided to target your ponytails. It wasn’t a big deal to you at first; you were used to the occasional teasing. But this time, something about their tone, or maybe the way they crowded around, everything about it had made your stomach twist.

“Why do you always look like you just rolled out of bed?” one of them sneered, her voice dripping with faux innocence.

Her friends burst into laughter, as if she’d just delivered the punchline of the century. You bristled, the words forming on your tongue to snap back. But before you could speak, Kento appeared, slipping between you and the girls like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Why do you care?” he asked, his tone calm, his hands tucked casually into his pockets.

It was such a simple question, but somehow it silenced the entire group. The girl blinked at him, thrown off by his directness. Kento yawned, as though he was already bored with her. She had never expected anything from him. Kento was quiet and reserved. 

He was also popular and quite a handsome young boy that people had a crush on. Even when he didn’t talk or pay any mind to any of them. You glared at this girl, as though she was the worst of them all. She’s always been trying to take Kento from you.

“Uh, excuse me?” she said, attempting to regain her composure.

“You heard me.” Kento’s gaze was steady, his expression as unreadable as ever, but there was an edge to his voice that made it clear he wasn’t messing around. “Why do you care what she looks like? Or are you just bored?”

The giggling stopped. 

“Well, I—” The girl floundered, her cheeks turning pink. 

“She looks fine to me.” Kento interrupted smoothly, tilting his head slightly as if he were assessing them. “Better than you, anyway. I mean, those pants with that shirt? What are you thinking? Does your mom even love you if she allows you to wear something like that?”

You could’ve heard a pin drop at what he had said. You look at him, blinkingly. Before finding yourself bellowing at laughter at how blunt he had worked everything. The girls gasped, their mouths falling open in perfect synchronization. One of them muttered something about “rude boys” and then, just like that, they were gone, retreating with their tails between their legs.

You stood there, stunned, as Kento turned back to you like nothing had happened. You finally straightened yourself from your laughing form. You wiped your eyes as you turned back at him. You grinned at his words. 

“Better than her?” you repeated later as the two of you walked back to class. You were trying not to laugh, but the corners of your mouth kept twitching upward.

“It’s true. You already know that.” he said simply, not bothering to look up from the book he’d already opened, as if the whole thing hadn’t even fazed him.

“Aw, you think I’m cute, don’t you?” you teased, nudging him with your elbow.

“Don’t push it.” he replied dryly, but the tiny smirk playing at the corner of his lips betrayed him.

══════════════════

BUT OF COURSE, THIS ONLY INTENSIFIED ONCE YOU BOTH GREW OLDER. Entering this new environment, in high school — one could say nothing had ever changed. If anything, it has only grown more concrete that you and Nanami Kento, no one can separate the two of you even if they tried. 

If one were to describe how you both were, it would be like being a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Inseparable. And even when people questioned it, you turned them down just as easily. Little by little, people barely questioned it anymore. 

You had long since reached the point where your friendship was so solid that it seemed like a fact of life. If anyone tried to ask about it, the answer was already clear: You two were a package deal. And while you liked it that way, not everyone seemed to get the memo.

It didn’t take long for the attention to roll in once high school started. You were used to it by now. After all, you and Kento had always been a pair of conspicuously close friends, so naturally, people were curious. 

But this was a different kind of curiosity, the kind that came with stares and whispers behind your backs. Everyone seemed to have suddenly developed a keen interest in your best friend, and you couldn’t decide if it was because of his brooding good looks or that deep, mysterious aura he carried, but maybe, probably both.

It started with the girls, as it usually did. They would hover around Kento in class, a little too eager to engage in conversations about anything—his favorite books, his thoughts on the weather, even the random things he’d written in the margins of his notes. It didn’t matter what they brought up; they were just looking for an excuse to get a reaction out of him. 

They wanted to be the one to crack the mystery that was Nanami Kento. And of course, they expected him to open up, to smile, to laugh, to do something that would confirm they were special enough to make him forget his usual quiet, studious demeanor.

But Kento, being the stoic, no-nonsense guy he was, would respond with quiet politeness, barely even registering their presence. He would tilt his head slightly when they asked questions, look at them through the edge of his glasses, and give just enough of an answer to keep things from getting awkward.

The girls would often stare at him a little longer than necessary, hoping for a second of warmth or acknowledgment. But no matter how many times they tried, all they got was that polite, impersonal smile that didn’t reach his eyes. And it wasn’t that he didn’t care; it was just that he didn’t care about them, not in the way they wanted. 

To Nanami Kento, it was all just noise. So, he’d just keep his focus on what mattered, which was probably the latest algebra problem or his ongoing internal monologue about the best way to prepare his next snack.

Even as an emo guy with that black hoodie, messy blond hair, brooding eyes that screamed ‘don’t talk to me, but if you do, be prepared for my sarcasm’—people still flocked to him. It was almost unfair, you thought. He had this combination of boy-next-door charm and detached, almost tragic mystique that girls couldn’t resist. 

He was a pretty boy, you knew that much. You’d known him long enough to appreciate the way his eyes glinted in the sunlight, how his messy hair always looked effortlessly perfect, how he somehow made a monotone voice sound like the most hypnotic thing in the room.

And it wasn’t just the girls, either. The guys were starting to notice, too. Sure, they didn’t hover the same way, but they’d get a little too chatty when Kento was around, laughing a little too hard at his dry jokes, trying just a bit too hard to be friendly.

Everyone knew he wasn’t the type to just buddy up with anyone, and that mystery only made him more desirable. So when they’d get too close, you’d notice the slight twitch of Kento’s eyebrow, the way he’d lean just a little bit further away to make it clear that he was not interested in their company.

But the one thing you didn’t doubt was this: Kento was really polite. He never outright rejected anyone, and that politeness was a plus. Sure, it drove you a little crazy when they’d swarm him like bees to honey.

But you had to admit that his politeness was a rare commodity in a world where most people had no issue turning someone down rudely or making them feel uncomfortable. Kento didn’t do that. He’d simply nod back at people and get back to whatever it was he was doing, never making a fuss about the attention.

Well, it was better than over half the school, that’s for sure. You’d seen the way people treated each other, cold and snide, brushing off others without so much as a second thought. Kento was a rare gem in that regard. He was a gentleman, even in the face of all the attention he was getting, and that made it all the more frustrating. 

It wasn’t that you didn’t want people to admire him; you just didn’t like the thought of anyone thinking they could replace you. You and Kento had this bond, a strong one, one that didn’t need words to be understood. But here was the thing—everyone else didn’t get it. And that was where the fun (and by fun, you mean sneaky sabotage) began.

After all, who else could say they knew all his little quirks? Who else had shared so many quiet lunches under that same oak tree, or been the one to force him to eat a full meal instead of staring at his book? You were his best friend, and that meant you had a certain, special claim on him, no matter how many girls wanted to make themselves part of his world.

But, like the selfless best friend you were, you’d keep that fact under wraps. No one needed to know you had a stake in him—especially when you were also the one helping him avoid the chaos of all his newfound admirers. Let them keep fighting over who could be the one to crack Kento's cold exterior; you'd be the one to keep it safe.

But that wasn’t enough. No, they wanted more. They wanted to peel back the layers, crack open that cool exterior, and find whatever hidden treasure lay beneath. And that was where you came in. That’s where you always have to come in. He was your best friend, after all.

It wasn’t that you hated the attention Kento was getting, but it was yours, wasn’t it? You didn’t want anyone to think they could just stroll up and waltz into the little bubble you and Kento had created. And you know he agreed. He doesn’t really need anyone else, he’s said that to you numerous times.

So naturally, you and Kento found creative ways to sabotage any admirer who dared to get too close. It wasn’t malicious, exactly. Well, not to you or Kento. it was more like you were just “protecting” him, and, on occasion, he did the same for you.

It started with the simple things. You'd hover near him during lunch, casually tossing your snacks at him in a way that made it obvious you didn’t want him interacting too much with anyone else. It was like a game of cat-and-mouse between the two of you. Both of you pretended you weren’t doing it, but everyone knew exactly what you were up to.

For example, when this girl from the other class named Yuki asked to sit with Kento one day during lunch time, you quickly swooped in, plopping down next to him like you were the most important thing in his world. You grinned at him and he hummed.

“Hey, Kentooooo!” you said, dropping your lunch tray in front of him. “Did you get those history notes I gave you this morning?”

Yuki opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, you continued to talk to him with a brighter grin. You nonchalantly handed your strawberry milk carton to him and he started to open it for you with the same amount of cool. 

“I was thinking of making brownies this weekend. You like chocolate, right? The ones that we used to buy at the mart? It hasn’t changed, right?” You sent her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I know it's probably too sweet, but it’s his favorite.”

Kento nodded back at you as he placed your strawberry milk carton on the side. You thanked him happily as you started to drink with happy sounds. Kento simply looked at Yuki with the politest expression he could muster and muttered back at her. 

“Sorry, I’ve got a study group with her after school. Maybe next time.”

Yuki didn’t even bother trying to argue, just nodding stiffly before retreating. You shot Kento a quick grin, but before you could say anything, he just sighed and went back to his book.

“You didn’t have to do that, you know.” he muttered under his breath. “Could have handled that myself.”

“But I have to. You know that.” you said with a grin, popping a piece of fruit into your mouth. “You’re my best friend, not hers.”

One day at lunch, as you and Kento sat under the shade of the old oak tree, munching on your usual snacks, a girl named Mia from your history class walked by. She glanced at Kento, then at you, then back at Kento, before finally stopping a few feet away.

"Hey, Kento!" she called, her voice way too sweet for your liking. “Mind if I join you guys?”

You didn’t even have to look up from your crackers. “Sure, but he doesn’t bite.” you said, not even looking at Mia. “I mean, I don’t think so...”

Kento, who had been engrossed in a textbook the size of a brick, glanced up at you before looking back at Mia. "I can sit alone, you know." he said, a little too casually, not even bothering to hide the fact that he didn’t care much for the attention.

Mia, undeterred, tried again. “Are you sure? I heard you like this band, too. Maybe we could—”

But before she could finish her sentence, you leaned forward, dropping a half-eaten cracker dramatically into your lap as if to make your point clear. 

"If you want to talk about music, you’re gonna have to take it up with me right now, okay?" you declared, giving her your best “this is my turf” look. "Kento here’s more into his book right now, not whatever band you think you have in common with him."

Kento blinked slowly, clearly trying to figure out why he was being pulled into this, but didn't argue. He just glanced at you and nodded, an expression you knew meant, I’m not getting involved in this one.

Mia looked between you and Kento, her shoulders slumping in defeat. “Okay, fine.” she muttered before turning around and walking off, her face flushed red.

"Good job, hero," Kento muttered under his breath, voice dry.

You smirked at him. "You’re welcome, sunshine."

Of course, it wasn’t like you were the only one who was possessive. Nanami Kento hated that you were constantly getting hit on. It drove him absolutely insane. Apparently, teenage boys had this ridiculous notion that your consistent rejections made you more appealing. The more you turned them down, the more determined they became, like you were some kind of prize to be won.

Nanami Kento of course, naturally, found this logic baffling—and irritating. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust you to handle yourself; he absolutely did. He hated everyone else, maybe most of all the men around him and of course — you. 

But watching those guys swarm around you, trying to impress you with their lame jokes or over-the-top compliments, made his jaw tighten and his grip on his pen just a little too firm. Oh, he hated men even more like that. And, well, Kento was never one to sit back and let something annoy him for too long. Not when it comes to you.

But of course, there are things that come as unexpected too.

Maybe it was because Nanami Kento was too perceptive.

Maybe he was just good at dissecting situations happening.

He doesn’t know how this happened, or how this came to pass.

But today would change his life for good, that was certain.

A week after one particularly bold senior cornered you after class to “ask for your number” Kento decided to return the favor—not with dramatics, of course, but with his usual understated, calm assertiveness.

You were sitting in the library, animatedly telling Kento about your latest sketch. It was a concept you were certain would win the upcoming art contest. He was actually paying attention, nodding slightly as you explained your technique, when suddenly, a guy from the senior class decided to interrupt.

“Hey, you’re the girl who draws, right?” the senior asked, leaning against the edge of the table with a grin that screamed overconfident.

You blinked, caught off guard. “Uh… yeah, that’s me.”

“Well,” he continued, practically oozing smugness, “I was thinking, maybe you’d want to collaborate on some sketches sometime. You know, we could—”

Before he could finish whatever weak line he’d rehearsed, Kento smoothly slid into the seat beside you, his broad shoulders cutting off your view of the guy. He didn’t even spare him a glance. Instead, he turned to you, his voice calm but laced with just enough edge to make his point.

“I’m pretty sure sketching is a solitary activity.” Kento said matter-of-factly. “You know, for concentration… unless, of course, you want a distraction?”

The guy blinked, clearly caught off guard by Kento’s sudden presence. “Uh, no, I—”

Kento didn’t let him finish. “You know….” he continued, still not looking at the guy. “It’s actually better if you’re alone when you’re working. Less… interruptions.” 

He then picked up your sketchbook, flipping through it with the kind of casual indifference that somehow made it clear he wasn’t going anywhere. Your jaw dropped at what he’s done.He’s silly like this sometimes, you think to yourself. 

“Kento!” you half-laughed, half-scolded, reaching for your sketchbook. “That’s my sketchbook!”

“Yeah, I know, I know.” he replied nonchalantly, not even pretending to give it back. His attention wasn’t on your sketches anymore, though. His eyes were fixed on the poor senior, who was now fidgeting uncomfortably under Kento’s unnervingly calm stare. 

“Do you mind?” Kento said coolly. “She’s busy.”

The guy stammered something unintelligible, his confidence evaporating faster than a spilled soda in the sun. “Uh… yeah, maybe another time, I guess.” he mumbled before slinking off, clearly realizing he was no match for Nanami Kento’s level of subtle intimidation.

Once the guy was gone, you turned back to Kento, crossing your arms with a mix of exasperation and amusement. You giggled to yourself for a moment. He sighed, looking at how amused you were. It was always like this with you, getting giddy when he does things like this.

“Nice one, Kento.” you said, smirking. “You do know I could have handled that, right?”

Kento raised an eyebrow, setting your sketchbook back down and leaning back in his chair like nothing had happened. You take it back from him, giving him a small thanks. He couldn’t stop looking at you. But when you looked up again, he'd already looked away.

“Sure.” he said, his lips curling into that faint, almost-smile of his. “But it looked like you were busy… talking to him.”

You rolled your eyes, swatting his arm. “What was that even about? You’re not my bodyguard, you know.”

“I wasn’t being a bodyguard.” he replied, his tone annoyingly calm. “I was just... pointing out how distracting he was being.”

“Right, right.” you said, narrowing your eyes at him. “And that had nothing to do with you hating that he interrupted us?”

Kento didn’t answer right away, but the way his eyes flickered with quiet amusement gave him away. He never likes admitting it out loud, but he feels glad. He feels glad when he makes sure you both are alone. You were all he needed after all.

“Maybe.” he finally admitted, his voice as casual as ever. “Or maybe I just wanted to look at your sketchbook.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “You’re impossible.”

“And you talk too much.” he countered, eyes shining softly against your own.

You giggled back at him, your lips smiling beautifully at him. Beautifully more than ever before. “But you like it that way, don’t you?”

Huh, what was that? He thought to himself.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

Was that his heart beating like that just now?

For a moment, he stops and looks at you. You were unaware about what happened just now. Instead, you were back on your sketching, humming to some song you were obsessed with right now. Kento swallowed hard, suddenly hyper-aware of how he was looking at you. He cleared his throat. 

“We should get going.” he said finally, his voice a little quieter than usual. “The library closes soon.”

You nodded, falling into step beside him as you always did. But as you walked, Kento couldn’t help sneaking a glance at you out of the corner of his eye. He’d always thought of himself as someone who was good at keeping his emotions in check, but now he wasn’t so sure.

Is this what it feels like? Kento wondered as he watched you walk off in front of him. 

He stops. He takes in the sight of you. You were laughing, hopping on the tiles one by one. The sun glows behind you like a beacon leading him to the direction of life. You nearly fell, making him jump forward. But you held your balance. 

And then you laughed. Laughed so beautifully that he doesn’t know what to do.  He could feel every fiber of him turning warm, warmer and redder than ever before. His heart beating out of rhythm again. 

Ah, shit. Kento once more thinks to himself. I’m screwed.

══════════════════

HE DOESN’T THINK TO SAY ANYTHING. How could he, when he’s scared about the outcome? But as the time flew by as fast as it could, he knew he can’t keep being a coward about it. He had to say something. He should do it soon.

It was going to come out anyway. College was looming on both your shoulders. And with that, a lot of uncertainty came. If he says something, at the very least there would be something certain, concrete as your friendship. 

The two of you sat cross-legged on the floor of Kento’s family home, a single bottle of sake between you. Neither of you had much experience with alcohol, but the thrill of being eighteen and toeing the line of rebellion was too tempting to resist.

Kento poured carefully into the mismatched cups you'd found in his cupboard, his movements precise, even in the low light.

"Cheers, cheers!" you yell with that bright eyed grin, raising your cup to him.

"To...?" he asked, his brow arching slightly, always wanting things to have a purpose.

"To us!" you said simply, eyes sparkling with mischief.

He hesitated, his breath catching in his chest, before clicking his cup against yours. "To us."

The first sip was sharp, burning its way down, but it wasn’t long before the alcohol began to work its magic with swift effectivity. You laughed more freely, leaning closer to him, and your words came faster, your thoughts unfiltered.

"You know, Kentooooo." you said, poking his shoulder with a pout. "You’re, like, ridiculously handsome, right?"

Kento froze mid-sip, his ears instantly turning as pink as your sweater. "W–what?"

"I mean it! You’re so... ugh…." you groaned, tossing your head back dramatically. "How am I supposed to focus when you look at me like that?"

"Like what?" he asked, his voice soft, betraying the nervous flutter in his chest.

"Like you’re trying not to smile, but your eyes are giving you away." you teased, your grin widening as you poked his cheek this time.

Nanami Kento could feel his heart pounding so loud he was sure you could hear it. Every word you spoke chipped away at his usual composure, and he could feel himself unraveling under the weight of your drunken admiration. In just this moment, you wholly outwit him. You make him come undone. Only you can have that effect on him. Only you. 

"You’re unbelievable, you know that?" he muttered, trying to look away, but you caught his chin, turning his face back to yours.

"Admit it already, won’t you?" you said, your voice lower now, but no less playful. "You like me. Maybe even a little too much."

Kento stared at you, the world blurring slightly around the edges, whether from the alcohol or the way you were looking at him, he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to do it like this. He didn’t want to put up his hopes that you would be sober enough to know the truth. Or for you to have sober truths pouring out of your sharp grinning lips. 

"I think…" he began, his voice steady but his heart anything but.

“You think?”

"I’m falling for you. More and more. Every second."

You blinked at what had just shifted in the air, your teasing expression softening as you processed his words. Then, to his surprise, you smiled—not mischievously this time, but gently, sweetly. Full with a merry drink, you smiled.

"Good." you whispered, leaning in so close he could smell the faint sweetness of the sake on your breath. "You said really good words.”

Kento barely had time to breathe before you pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, leaving his face on fire and his heart completely, utterly yours. Kento froze, the warmth of your lips lingering on his cheek like a brand. His breath hitched as your words sank into the alcohol-drenched air between you. 

“I think I’m already there.”

He stared at you, his usually composed mind now an unsteady swirl of emotions—exhilaration, disbelief, and a flicker of hesitation. Your gaze was soft, dreamy, and undeniably sincere, but the alcohol in your system clouded everything. He said it out loud. But are you sure? How could you be, with how merry the drink is in your belly?

"You don’t mean that." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, as though saying it too loud would shatter the fragile moment.

"I do. I do." you said, your expression serious despite the light flush of intoxication on your cheeks. You reached for his hand, holding it with a gentle firmness that made his heart stumble in its rhythm.

Kento's fingers curled instinctively around yours before he could stop himself, but his grip was careful, steady. "You're drunk. I just…you can’t say that drunk." he pointed out, his voice more tender than reprimanding.

You frowned, tilting your head like you were trying to understand him through the haze. "So? That doesn’t mean it’s not true."

He sighed, looking down at your joined hands. He wanted so desperately to believe you, to let his heart leap completely into your words, but his rational side, his ever-present voice of reason. It held him back.

"It matters. It matters to me." he said softly, his thumb brushing over your knuckles absentmindedly. "If you mean it, I need to hear it when you’re sober. When you’re sure."

"But I am sure, Kento." you insisted, leaning closer, your warmth almost overwhelming him. Your free hand reached up to brush a stray lock of hair from his forehead, and he felt the breath leave his lungs in a rush.

Kento shook his head, his smile faint but aching with restraint. "Not like this." he murmured. "You’ll wake up tomorrow and—"

"And what? Pretend this didn’t happen?" you interrupted, your brows knitting together. "Do you think I’d forget how much I lo—"

His hand shifted, gently pressing a single finger to your lips to quiet you, though it was more for his sake than yours. He wasn’t sure he could take it, hearing those words from you while your judgment was fogged.

"Stop. Please." he said, his voice barely steady. "Don’t say it now. Not tonight."

Your eyes searched hisfrustration flickering in their depths before softening. You saw the way his shoulders tensed, the way he looked at you like he was holding back an ocean of feelings.

"You're such a romantic, aren’t you?" you murmured, a teasing lilt to your voice as a lazy smile spread across your face.

He gave a quiet chuckle, his fingers brushing against your cheek now without realizing it. "Maybe." he admitted, his tone gentler than ever. "But I want this—want us—to start right. I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me again."

You let out a small sigh but didn’t argue. Instead, you leaned into his touch, your head coming to rest on his shoulder as your eyelids grew heavy. You always liked this, taking in his warmth. You don’t think there was any other place you belonged in but his arms.

If you were being honest, you were afraid. He was right. Your words could mean something, and maybe it wouldn’t be as clear as his own. You were drunk. You were really drunk. And feels hazy in your head. It wouldn’t be fair. It wouldn’t be fair to your Kento. Not like this.

"Fine." you murmured, your words slurring slightly. "But you’d better be ready for me to say it a hundred times tomorrow. Maybe a thousand."

Kento chuckled again, the sound low and warm in his chest, as he rested his chin lightly on top of your head. "I’ll be ready." he promised, even as his own heart thudded wildly at the thought. “I’m always waiting for you. Always.”

And as you drifted off, still clutching his hand like it was the most natural thing in the world, Kento silently vowed to himself: when the time came, he’d tell you how deeply, how completely he felt for you too. He just needed to be sure you knew what it meant.

The morning after that night, you woke up on Kento's couch, the faint remnants of sake lingering in the air. Your head throbbed lightly, and your memories were fuzzy around the edges. Kento, ever thoughtful, had left a glass of water and some aspirin on the table beside you.

"Rough night?" he asked from the kitchen, his voice steady but carefully neutral as he busied himself making coffee.

You groaned, rubbing your temples. "What did I even say last night? I barely remember anything."

He hesitated, his hand tightening briefly on the handle of the coffee pot. He looked over at you, your half-asleep face free of the weight of your drunken confessions. For a moment, he considered saying something, but the words got caught in his throat.

"Nothing too embarrassing," he said instead, forcing a faint smile.

You laughed, your cheeks reddening slightly. "Good. I’d hate to think I made a fool of myself in front of you."

Kento gave a small nod, but his heart felt heavy. You didn’t remember, and he couldn’t bring himself to remind you. Not like this. So, he lets himself break apart. He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t let you have guilt. Because if he did, how is that loving you?

So Nanami Kento buried those words, locking them away where they couldn’t touch the fragile balance between you. He told himself it was better this way. But he hopes, maybe one day — just one day. You’ll see him too. Sober with your love for him.

══════════════════

THINGS DID CHANGE A BIT WHEN YOU WENT TO COLLEGE. Of course, you both got into the same university. But there’s a rough difference between not only being in different departments, but also being in different campuses. It was a rough travel back and forth. But Nanami Kento was determined to go and visit you.

You often feel a little bad when you look back on those days. Engineering classes were no joke. Too many long hours, grueling projects, and the constant pressure to keep up left you drained most of the time.

You barely had the energy to go out, even when you wanted to. But Kento never minded. He understood in the quiet, steady way that only he could, and instead of waiting for you to have time, he made sure to visit you instead.

It didn’t matter where for him. Whether it was the bustling campus lunch hall, where the two of you would share a plate of something warm while you tried to finish an assignment, or your dorm room, which was always a little messy with textbooks and half-drunk cups of coffee.

What mattered to him wasn’t the place or even what you were doing. What mattered was just being with you.

And that thought? It never fails to make your heart skip a beat. Even now, after everything, it feels just as special as it did back then. You still held dearest to him after all this time. Ever since you were kids, you were his everything. And you were sure, more than ever now, that he was yours too. In all sense of the word.

It’s been a year and a half since that time, since you confessed to Kento. Well, technically, drunk you confessed to him. It was late, and you’d had just enough to drink to make your heart bolder than your brain. You didn’t want to say a word. And you think that Kento was just as much waiting for you to say something.

You were ready to die of embarrassment when you remembered that you had said that. But then you remembered, with just as much horror and embarrassment — he’d confessed too. With that same calm sincerity, he told you he’d felt the same way for a while.

Looking back, it was a little messy, maybe even a lot embarrassing. But it was also sweet, earnest, and so perfect for you two. And honestly? You wouldn’t change a thing. You had said something that clarified things for you.

After all, that drunken confession was the start of something that would make all the challenges of those days worth it, every late-night study session, every coffee-fueled conversation, every stolen moment in between. It wasn’t perfect, but it was yours.

You were falling for Kento more and more every day, and it was starting to feel like a problem. A big problem. How were you supposed to act normal around him when everything he did—from the way he fixed his tie to the way he said your name—made your heart do backflips?

It wasn’t fair, really. How was it possible that the same person who once laughed so hard he choked on a piece of rice during lunch was also the one making you reconsider your entire perception of love? He was your best friend, and now you couldn’t even look at him without overthinking every little thing.

And to make matters worse, he was visiting you today.

You had approximately 15 minutes to get your life together before Kento arrived, which was nowhere near enough time to deal with the tornado that was your dorm room or the emotional hurricane swirling inside you.

“Okay, okay, calm your tits.” you muttered to yourself, grabbing stray socks off the floor. “Just play it cool. It’s just Kento. You know him best. Real well. He’s been here a million times. No big deal. Totally normal.”

You shoved a pile of notebooks into your desk drawer, praying it wouldn’t jam, and quickly rearranged the pillows on your bed. By the time you heard the knock at your door, your dorm was passable, well barely. And you were mostly sure you didn’t look like a total disaster.

When you opened the door, there he was, Nanami Kento in all of his huge handsome stature, standing there with his usual calm demeanor, holding a bag of snacks. You yelped quietly as you looked at him. Your roommates must have let him inside. 

“Thought you might need these.” he said, giving you one of those small, knowing smiles that made your brain short-circuit.

You blinked at him. “Nanami Kento, are you a psychic?”

He raised an eyebrow. “No, but you texted me at 2 AM complaining about running out of your favorite chips, so I figured this might help. You still have some paperwork to do, right? And you won’t eat unless I come by to remind you. So, I got it.”

“Oh.” You tried to laugh, but it came out more like a nervous croak. “Right. Thanks. You’re, uh…you’re a hero.”

He stepped inside, his gaze sweeping over the room. “Did a tornado hit your room? It was clean last time I came by.”

“What? No!” You crossed your arms defensively. “I cleaned! Mostly.”

Kento gave you a skeptical look before setting the bag of snacks on your desk. “If this is what ‘clean’ looks like to you, remind me never to see it messy.”

You threw a pillow at him, and he caught it effortlessly, smirking. “Careful. That’s my best throw pillow. If you damage it, I’ll charge you emotional damages.”

“Noted, little miss engineer.” he replied, setting the pillow down with exaggerated care. “What’s the rate for emotional damages these days?”

“Depends. How many snacks did you bring?”

“Enough to keep you from suing me.” He tells you with a grin. “Still have some in my car, just in case you wanted more.”

The two of you laughed, and for a moment, it felt like old times. A little bit easy, comfortable, effortless. But then, as Kento sat down on the edge of your bed, something in your chest tightened. How had this annoying, perfect, infuriatingly kind man become someone you couldn’t stop thinking about? Someone you don’t think you could live without?

He looked up at you, tilting his head slightly. “What’s with the staring? Do I have something on my face?”

“What? No!” You blinked rapidly, your cheeks heating. “I was just—uh—zoning out. Engineering stuff. Very complicated. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Right, right.” he said, clearly unconvinced. “Because I’m definitely not the one who helped you with that last project.”

“Details, details, Nanami Kento. Don’t get bogged down in the details.”

He chuckled, and the sound was so warm and familiar that you almost forgot why you were freaking out in the first place. Almost. Kento takes a moment. He then looks at you as though examining you with careful abandon. Kento wanted to take in the sight of you, after not seeing you for a while.

“You’re weird today, do you know that?” he said, leaning back slightly. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, totally fine. Super fine.” You waved a hand dismissively. “Just tired, you know? Engineering. It’s a grind.”

Kento studied you for a moment, his expression softening. “You’re a terrible liar, you know that?”

Your stomach flipped, and you forced a laugh. “Who, me? No way. I’m like…a professional liar. Best in the business.”

“Uh-huh.” He hums back in retort.

He didn’t press further, but the way he looked at you. Everything about his caramel gaze was gentle, understanding, like he already knew what you weren’t saying. Everything about it, everything about him made your heart squeeze.

You sighed internally. How were you supposed to handle this? You couldn’t just blurt out, “Hey, Kento, I think I’m in love with you, and it’s driving me absolutely insane!”

But as he opened the bag of snacks and handed you your favorite, you couldn’t help but think maybe, just maybe, he already knew that you knew. And that maybe he knew that you felt deeply about him. You sighed. Maybe you’re just imagining it.

As the minutes ticked by, Kento made himself right at home in your dorm, sitting cross-legged on your bed and munching on the snacks he’d brought. Meanwhile, you had plopped into your desk chair, scrolling on your phone under the pretense of “taking a break.” 

But in reality, you were desperately trying to distract yourself from the way he looked way too good just casually existing in your space. How could he look that good even as a law major? How can he have time to make your heart feel like this?

As you flicked through your social media feed, you stumbled upon a post that made your stomach twist uncomfortably. It was a picture—Kento, smiling (smiling!) with a group of classmates, apparently from earlier that day. Some of them were girls. Really pretty girls. Those really pretty preppy law girls!

Your first thought was When does Kento even smile like that? He never smiles like that around me!

Your second thought was Who’s the one leaning so close to him? Is she, like, whispering in his ear or something?

You shot a quick, subtle glance at him. He was still on your bed, completely unaware of the emotional spiral you were going through. He crunched on a chip like it was the most normal day in the world.

“Did you have fun today?” you blurted out before you could stop yourself.

Kento raised an eyebrow. “Uh…what?”

“Today. You were with…people from your department.” you said, trying to sound casual and failing miserably.

His brow furrowed toward you slightly. “I mean, yeah, I had a class project meeting. It was fine. Why?”

“Oh, no reason.” you said, voice a little too high-pitched. Fuck, you  were too obvious. You looked back at your phone, scrolling furiously to hide your face. “Just…wondering. Looked fun.”

“Wait.” Kento’s tone shifted. Suddenly you felt his gaze on you. “How do you know about that?”

Your heart dropped. “Uh, I saw it. Online. A picture. No big deal!”

There was a beat of silence before he spoke again, amusement clear in his voice. “Are you…jealous?”

“What?!” Your head whipped up so fast you almost gave yourself whiplash. “Me? Jealous? Of what? Why would I be jealous?”

Kento’s lips quivered into a rare, brat–like smirk, and you immediately knew you were in trouble. “No reason at all.” he said smoothly. “Just seems like you’re a little…interested in what I’m doing when I’m not here.”

“Interested? Pfft, no. I was just—just checking to make sure you’re not hanging out with the wrong crowd.” you stammered, flailing for a decent excuse. “You know, bad influences. Peer pressure. That sort of thing.”

“Right, I see.” he said, clearly unconvinced. “Because I’m the type to fall victim to peer pressure.”

“Well, I don’t know that part of your life right now!” you snapped, feeling your face heat up. “Maybe one of those girls was trying to…to make you join a pyramid scheme or something!”

Kento leaned back on your bed, folding his arms behind his head, clearly enjoying this far too much. “You’re terrible at hiding things, you know.”

“I’m not hiding anything!” you shot back, spinning your chair around so you didn’t have to look at him.

There was a rustle of movement, and then suddenly, he was right behind you, his hand resting lightly on the back of your chair. You could feel your ears redden at the feeling of him. You squeaked, loud enough for him to hear.

“You’re really bad at lying, too. How come you haven’t evolved at lying? It’s been years and somehow, you’re still bad at it.” he said softly, his voice just teasing enough to make your heart race.

You spun around to face him, glaring. “Okay, fine! Maybe I was a little jealous. Are you happy now?”

Kento blinked, clearly surprised by your sudden outburst. But then, to your absolute horror, he started laughing—actual, full-on laughing. He hadn’t expected for you to just come out and say it like that. You were a prideful little flower, you always have been. 

“You’re laughing at me?!” you cried, swatting at his arm.

“I’m not laughing at you, you know.” he said, still chuckling. “I just didn’t think you’d actually admit it.”

“Well, I did!” You crossed your arms, trying to look annoyed even as your face burned. “So what are you gonna do about it?”

Kento’s laughter softened into a small, fond smile, and for a moment, the teasing disappeared. He didn’t know how much he missed you until now. Somehow, the world seemed like it was in proper orbit when he’s with you like this.

“Nothing, nothing.” he said, his voice low and sincere. “Because you don’t need to be jealous. If I wanted to spend my time with anyone else, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

You stared at him, your brain short-circuiting as he straightened up and walked back to the bed like he hadn’t just casually wrecked you with one sentence. You looked away, crossing your arms as though to shield yourself from him. But he could still see the redness of your ears.

“Well….” you muttered under your breath, plopping dramatically onto your desk. “Now I’m jealous of myself.”

Kento paused mid-bite of a chip and turned to you with an amused look. “What was that?”

“Nothing!” you said quickly, sitting up straight like you hadn’t just been caught having an existential crisis.

But of course, Kento being Kento, he wasn’t about to let it slide. “No, no, go ahead.” he said, his smirk returning as he leaned back against the headboard. “Explain how you’re jealous of yourself. This, I have to hear.”

You groaned, hiding your face in your hands. “Forget I said anything. It’s dumb.”

“I doubt that at all.” he replied, his tone annoyingly smug. “But fine, I’ll drop it. For now.”

You peeked at him through your fingers, only to find him watching you with a mix of amusement and something softer, something that made your heart flip all over again. You wanted to throw a pillow at him or maybe yourself—just to get rid of the growing warmth in your chest.

Instead, you grabbed the bag of chips from the desk and walked over to him, shoving it into his hands. “Here. Eat some of the snacks and stop psychoanalyzing me.”

“I wasn’t psychoanalyzing you.” he said, popping another chip into his mouth. “But you’re making it very tempting.”

“Unbelievable, Kento.” you muttered, plopping down onto the bed beside him. “This is why I can’t stand you sometimes, you know that?”

“Uh-huh.” He glanced at you, one eyebrow raised. “So much so that you admitted to being jealous of people spending time with me. Makes perfect sense.”

You huffed, grabbing a handful of chips just to give your hands something to do. “Okay, fine, you got me. I was a little jealous. Big deal. You’re my best friend. It’s normal to feel weird about you hanging out with other people, right?”

“Is it?” he asked, his voice teasing but his eyes studying you closely.

“Yes!” you said, refusing to meet his gaze. “Because we’re close. And I don’t like sharing, okay? You’ve known that since we met!”

“Hmm, hmm.” he said thoughtfully, leaning a little closer. “So what you’re saying is, you want me all to yourself?”

You choked on your chip, coughing violently as Kento sat back, looking far too pleased with himself. “You—ugh! Don’t say things like that!”

“Why not? I’m just repeating what you said to me.” he replied innocently.

“That is not what I said!”

“Sounded like it to me.”

You glared at him, your face burning. “You’re the worst.”

“Sure, sure,” he said, smiling slightly. “But I’m your worst.”

And just like that, you were done for. Completely, utterly done for. You threw a pillow at him once again. Because what else could you do to him like that? He wasn’t wrong. Sure enough, he caught it effortlessly, laughing rather softly as he set it down beside him.

“Stop overthinking about it.” he said after a moment, his tone quieter now. “I’m here because I want to be. No one else matters, okay?”

You blinked, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in his voice. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” he said simply, reaching into the chip bag again like he hadn’t just made your heart implode for the second time that evening.

And you sat there, staring at him like an idiot, thinking that maybe, just maybe, falling for him wasn’t the worst thing in the world after all.

══════════════════

IT WAS ONE OF THE RARE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE YOU HAD A DAY OFF. So of course, you took the time to call Kento and ask him to hang out with you. And as usual, all he had said was that short, sure yes and nothing more.

He’d pick you up in thirty minutes, like usual. And of course, Nanami Kento was never late. If anything, he was always ten minutes early. He couldn’t have you waiting, after all.

The bar was warm and lively, filled with the hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses. You and Kento had decided to spend your day off together, and while the original plan had been something low-key like a café or a bookstore, somehow you’d ended up here, nursing a drink and trying to act normal around him. 

He’d never been here before, but he saw it from across the road and if the cafe or bookstore was closed — an afternoon at a bar wasn’t going to be a bad idea for college kids wanting to have some adventure beyond the campus walls.

Normal. Just normal. Yeah, act like you do. Well, whatever normal looks like to you now.

You could only mentally sigh as your peripheral was only stuck on him more than usual.

As if that was possible when you were utterly, hopelessly in love with the man sitting across from you.

Kento, of course, looked effortlessly composed, like he always did—leaning back in his seat, one hand resting on the table, the other holding his drink. He wasn’t a flashy guy, but there was something about the way he carried himself that made it impossible not to stare. And you were staring. Again.

“You’re staring at me again.” he said, his voice calm but with a hint of amusement.

“I am not!” you shot back, quickly taking a sip of your drink to cover up your flustered state.

“You’ve been doing it all evening.” he continued, raising an eyebrow. “Is there something on my face?”

“No, no.” you muttered, feeling the heat creep up your neck. “I was just…zoning out. Thinking about…stuff.”

“Stuff. You sure….about stuff as an excuse?” he repeated, his tone skeptical.

“Yes, stuff.” you said firmly, glaring at him. “You wouldn’t understand.”

He chuckled softly, and you were both annoyed and utterly charmed by the sound. Why did he have to be so effortlessly perfect? It wasn’t fair. You hated how good he is at being everything you love. As you tried to regain your composure, a voice interrupted your thoughts. 

“Hey there, sweetie–pie.” a man said, sliding up to your table with a confident grin. “Mind if I join you?”

You blinked, caught off guard. “Uh…”

Before you could say anything else, the man pulled up a chair and sat down, clearly not waiting for permission. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on you. You felt disgusted by the way he looked at you. He wasn’t your type at all. And moreover, he’s creepy as hell.

“I couldn’t help but notice you from across the room.” he said smoothly. “You’ve got a great smile.”

“Um, thanks?” you said awkwardly, glancing at Kento.

Kento’s expression didn’t change much, but there was a subtle shift in his posture. He sat up a little straighter, his jaw tightening just slightly. Kento’s eyes were glaring hard enough that you could find those eyes were blades cutting you whole.

“So, what’s your name?” the guy asked, ignoring Kento entirely.

You opened your mouth to answer, but Kento beat you to it. 

“She’s not interested in you.” he said flatly, his voice calm but with an edge that made the guy pause.

The man glanced at Kento, raising an eyebrow. “And you are?”

“Person she’s with.” Kento replied smoothly, though his tone made it clear that he wasn’t just a friend. “Who also happens to know she’s too polite to tell you to leave, so I’ll do it for her. What else are you waiting for? Leave.”

Your heart skipped a beat. Was Kento…jealous?

The man hesitated for a moment, clearly debating whether to push back, but something about Kento’s steady gaze seemed to make him think twice. With a shrug, he stood up. He wasn’t going to get anything out of you. Lest he wants to get bitten by a tiger waiting to eat him. Well, at least he’s smart about that.

“Alright, alright. No need to get territorial.” He winked at you before walking away.

You shuddered at his wink.

Have men always been weird?

You shake it off quickly, drinking your pint.

You turned to Kento, your cheeks burning. “Territorial? Really?”

Kento shrugged, taking a sip of his drink like nothing had happened. “He was bothering you. I handled it.”

“I could’ve handled it myself, you know.” you said, crossing your arms.

“I’m sure you could’ve.” he replied, setting his glass down. “But I didn’t feel like watching you pretend to be polite to someone who clearly couldn’t take a hint.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “You’re impossible.”

“Maybe.” he said, a small smirk playing on his lips. “But at least you don’t have to deal with him anymore.”

You huffed, turning back to your drink. But as you took a sip, you couldn’t help but notice the way Kento’s gaze lingered on you, softer now, like he was trying to gauge your reaction. You drink your pint once again in some somber silence. 

“Was that really necessary?” you asked, trying to keep your voice steady.

“Yes.” he said simply, his tone leaving no room for argument.

You glanced at him, your heart doing that stupid fluttering thing again. “Why?”

Kento held your gaze for a long moment before replying. “Because I don’t like the idea of anyone else thinking they can have what’s mine.”

Your brain short-circuited. “W-what?”

He didn’t elaborate, just leaned back in his chair with that same calm composure, as if he hadn’t just wrecked your entire evening with one casual sentence. You stared at him, utterly flustered and more in love than ever, wondering how on earth you were supposed to survive the rest of the night without completely losing your mind.

For the rest of the night, Kento didn’t let you out of his sight. He was subtle about it at first—the way he leaned in whenever someone walked by, his hand resting casually on the back of your chair. But as the minutes passed, it became glaringly obvious: Kento was on high alert, and every glance from a stranger only made his protective aura grow stronger.

When a group of guys walked by your table and one dared to look at you a second too long, Kento’s hand dropped from the chair to your shoulder, the weight of it warm and grounding. He didn’t even glance at the guy, his focus entirely on you, but the message was clear: Don’t even try it. Back off.

You tried to act normal, but it was impossible. Sitting beside him, close enough to feel the heat radiating off his body, you were acutely aware of every little thing about him—the way his sleeves were rolled up just enough to show his forearms, the way his voice dropped into a lower register whenever he spoke to you.

“You’re quiet again.” he said, his voice low as he leaned a fraction closer.

“I’m fine, Kento. Really.” you mumbled, staring into your drink to avoid looking at him.

“Liar.” he murmured, his tone edged with amusement. “You’ve been squirming all night.”

“I have not!” you protested, but the way your voice cracked didn’t help your case.

Kento just smirked, and that was the last straw. You stood abruptly, your chair scraping against the floor. “I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Not alone, you’re not.” he said immediately, rising from his seat with an ease that made you want to throw something.

“What, are you my bodyguard now?” you snapped, trying to ignore the way your pulse quickened at his possessive tone.

“If that’s what it takes, then yes.” he said simply, his gaze steady and unyielding.

Before you could argue, he took your hand—firm, unrelenting—and led you toward the exit.

“Kento, the bathroom’s that way.” you pointed out, trying to tug your hand free.

“We’re leaving.” he said without looking back.

“Wait, what? Why?”

“Because I’m done watching people think they can look at you like you’re up for grabs.” he said, his voice calm but with an edge that sent a shiver down your spine.

Your protests died in your throat. Nanami Kento rarely raised his voice or lost his composure, but there was something in his tone now. It was something raw and unmistakable. And every bit of it just left you speechless.

The car ride was silent, tension thick in the air. When he pulled into a quiet, empty lot, he turned off the engine and finally looked at you. His gaze was dark, intense, and it sent a jolt of electricity through you.

“Kento, what’s going on?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“You.” he said, his tone low and rough. “You’re what’s going on. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sit there and pretend I’m okay with watching other people look at you like they have a chance?”

Your breath hitched. “I… I didn’t think you—”

“Didn’t think I’d care?” he interrupted, leaning closer. “Didn’t think I’d notice? God, you drive me insane, you know that?”

“Kento…”

“You’re mine.” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “You’ve always been mine. You always have been since we were kids. I just didn’t want to scare you off by saying it out loud again.”

Your heart pounded so loudly you were sure he could hear it. “I— I….I know.” you admitted, your voice trembling. “But I thought you wouldn’t say it again and I just…maybe with time passing… I thought I was the only one now.”

His lips curled into a dark, almost predatory smile. “You’re not. Never. Not when I’ve marked you since we met at that playground when we were kids.”

Before you could process his words, Kento leaned in, capturing your lips with his in a kiss that was anything but gentle. It was animalistic, it was wanton. It was full of possessiveness, claiming, as if he were branding the truth into you.

You matched his intensity, your hands gripping the front of his shirt as you pulled him closer. The kiss deepened, and any hesitation you’d felt earlier melted away, replaced by a burning need that had been building for far too long.

He broke away just long enough to murmur against your lips, “Say it. Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours.” you whispered, your voice shaky but resolute.

“You belong with me.”

You looked at him with your doe like eyes. “I belong with you.”

“Good.” he growled, pulling you into his lap without hesitation. His hands gripped your waist firmly, his touch both grounding and electrifying. “Because I’m done holding back.”

Your fingers tangled in his hair, and you couldn’t stop the smile that spread across your face as you whispered, “Then don’t.”

And he didn’t.

══════════════════

YOU DIDN’T EXPECT HIM TO BE THIS HUNGRY FOR YOU. But with the way he’s going at it. Kento has been hungry for you for a very long time. Kento’s lips linger, soft and insistent, as if savoring every inch of your skin.

The warmth of his breath trails higher, leaving behind a delicate ache where his mouth was. His hands rest firmly on your thighs, fingers pressing just enough to make your breath hitch.

“You’re trembling.” he murmurs, his voice a rich baritone, teasing but laced with tenderness. He looks up, his gaze heavy with desire, his lips brushing against your inner thigh as he speaks. “Do I make you nervous?”

A shaky laugh escapes your lips, betraying your composure. “Not nervous... just—” Your words cut off as he presses another kiss, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin.

“Just what?” he asks, his tone low and deliberate, his lips curving into a smile against your skin. His hands slide upward, thumbs drawing small circles that make your heart race.

“Kento.” you breathe his name like a plea, your voice catching as he moves closer, the space between you charged with electricity.

The dim glow of the streetlamp filters through the windshield, casting golden lines across his sharp features. The intimacy of the confined space amplifies every touch, every sound between the two of you in these leather seats. The soft rustle of fabric, the quiet hum of his breathing, the slap of flesh against flesh.

“I love when you say my name like that, you know?” he says, voice dark and velvety. His mouth moves with purpose now, leaving faint marks of love on your skin, each one deliberate, each one staking his claim. “I love hearing it like that. Wanton f’r me.”

You gasp, your head falling back against the car seat, fingers threading through his hair, tugging gently. He groans at the sensation, the sound sending heat coursing through you. How has he ever been this good at getting under your skin?

“I want to hear more from you.” he murmurs against your skin, his voice a mix of command and yearning. His lips hover for a moment, teasing you with their proximity. “But only if you’re ready.”

Kento’s lips trail higher, each kiss softer yet more possessive, leaving warmth that lingers long after his mouth moves on. He pauses for a moment, his breath hot against your skin as his hands tighten slightly on your thighs, his thumbs stroking slow, deliberate circles.

“Don’t hold back your noises from me, okay?” he murmurs, his voice a sultry whisper that sends a shiver racing through you. He looks up, his golden-brown eyes locking with yours, a smirk tugging at his lips. “I want to hear you clearly.”

The command in his tone makes your pulse quicken. You bite your lip, but the sound escapes anyway, a soft, breathy whimper that only seems to spur him on. Kento’s touch made you feel as though a thousand flames were burning all at once.

“That’s better, isn’t it?” he says, his voice thick with satisfaction. His teeth graze the sensitive skin of your inner thigh, and he chuckles darkly when your hips shift involuntarily toward him.

“Kento.” you gasp, your voice trembling with both restraint and longing.

“Hm?” he hums against your skin, the vibration sending a jolt straight through you. “I told you—no holding back.” 

His hands glide upward, thumbs pressing into the soft flesh of your thighs, anchoring you in place as his mouth continues its slow, maddening journey lower and lower. You could feel your lips mutter a weak groan against him. 

The dim light of the streetlamp catches the sheen of his messy blond hair, illuminating the faint smile on his lips as he drinks in every reaction you give him. The intimacy of the moment wraps around you both, the world outside the car fading entirely.

“Kento, please.” you whisper, your voice raw with need, your fingers tightening in his hair.

He pauses, his lips hovering just above your skin, his breath ghosting over you. He takes in the sight of you, almost as though a hunter to a prey. Nanami Kento is your hunter, he always has been. And he’s been keeping this inside him for way too long. This desire, for you. Only you.

“That’s what I wanted to hear from you.” he murmurs, his tone dark and full of promise, before pressing another kiss, softer this time, but no less consuming.

Kento’s words hang in the air, thick with authority and desire, as his lips return to your skin with renewed purpose. He’s slow, methodical, as if every kiss, every graze of his teeth is a language only he can speak—and you’re utterly fluent in his meaning.

“Such sweet sounds from you, hm?” he murmurs against your thigh, the deep timbre of his voice reverberating through you. “Don’t hold them back from me. Let me hear what I do to you.”

Your breath hitches, a soft moan slipping past your lips, and the way his lips curl into a grin tells you he’s satisfied—but not done. His hands are firm but gentle as they slide further up your inner thighs, fingers brushing dangerously close to where you want him most. 

His touch sets your skin alight, the heat pooling low in your stomach as your chest rises and falls in uneven rhythm. You could feel his long fingers making their journey to that space, their cool touch melting you whole in a pleasurable moan.

“Kento.” you whisper, barely able to find your voice, your hands trembling as they clutch at the seat beneath you.

He glances up, his caramel eyes catching the faint glow of the streetlight streaming through the windshield, giving him an almost otherworldly allure. His gaze is dark, hungry, but there’s a softness there too. There was that endless reverence in the way he looks at you, as though you’re something precious.

“Yes, my love?” he asks, his voice laced with feigned innocence, though the smirk pulling at his lips betrays him. Your heart drummed at your new nickname from him. It was real. You were lovers. Doing what lovers do. “Tell me what you need. I want to hear it.”

You let out a shaky exhale, your fingers threading into the lower depths of sandy blond undercut for stability as much as desperation. Slowly, it trailed down on his neck, your touch sleuthing through him. Temptingly, almost like a wanting vixen.

“I need you… closer.” you admit, voice breaking, the vulnerability of the words making heat rise to your cheeks.

Kento hums in approval, the sound low and pleased at your words. He leans closer and his fingers echo deeper and deeper into you. Your head throws back hard against the leather’s pristine touch. He playfully moves inside. One moment in a circle. One moment a thrust. Over and over again, rinse and repeat, force and pleasure. And all you could do was surrender.

“Good girl of mine, my love.” he murmurs, his praise sending a wave of warmth coursing through you. 

That had surely made you even more wet inside. His lips press higher against your jaw, his stubble grazing your sensitive skin, drawing a sharp gasp from your lips. He continues on and on. You don’t know where he learned it. How he got so good at knowing how to take you to paradise. BUt you could hardly care. You were focused on how deep his fingers were in you. 

“You’re so beautiful like this, my love.” he continues, his voice velvet against the charged air. His hands grip your thighs tighter, pulling them apart just enough for him to settle more firmly between them. “Completely undone for me.”

A sound escapes you, part moan, part plea, and his response is immediate. There was a broken groan deep in his chest as he nuzzled against you, the vibrations of his voice making your whole body tremble and shake as  he rushed more and more, in and out, with his masterful fingers.

“That’s it. Go on, my love.” he breathes, his voice dark, dripping with satisfaction. “Just let go for me, honey. No one else is here. Just us. Just me and the way you fall apart under my touch.”

The world outside the car feels impossibly distant now. The soft flicker of the streetlamp, the faint hum of passing cars. It’s all drowned out by the thrum of your heartbeat and the way Kento’s lips, and his fingers worship every part of you they touch, in and out.

“Kento, Kento.” you gasp again, your voice a desperate whisper.

His name on your lips seems to be his motivation, pushing more and more as his fingers tighten inside of you as he shifts closer, his movements becoming more deliberate, more consuming. You could only feel your tears rush in pleasurable waterfalls on your cheek.

“Say it again, my love.” he demands softly, his lips grazing the edge of your hip. “Say my name like that again.”

And when you do, your voice trembling and raw, and broken — he lets out a sound that’s pure need, his control slipping as he loses himself in you entirely. His fingers dug deeper and deeper until they couldn’t anymore. Your slick brushing through his fingers as he repeats it over and over again.

Kento’s name spills from your lips again, breathless and aching, and he growls softly against your skin. There was a sound that sent a ripple of heat straight to your core. You cry out loudly as you come undone on his touch, so hard that you see stars. 

“You’re trembling so much, my love.” he murmurs, his voice molten and rich. “Is it because of me, hm?”

His fingers slowly exit through your crevices, slick and full of you. He looks satisfied with the mess he made of you. It doesn’t matter if you pool your pleasure on his leather seats. The sight was satisfying to look at. Because you’re his. And this was proof.

Your answer is a shaky exhale, your head falling back against the seat as your hazy gaze saw him slowly eat at the slick of your pleasure. You had just come undone from his touch and now you could feel yourself wanting more. You were wanton for more. Only he could make you feel this way.

“Words in full, my love.” he coaxes, his tone teasing but firm. “I want to hear you say it.”

“Yes, Kento.” you admit, voice breaking as you finally surrender to his command. “It’s you—only you.It’s always been you.”

And with that, he kisses you as he finds himself wanting more of you, as much as you wanted more of him. You gave him everything, and he gave you everything. You wanted to be whole, consumed by the existence of the other.

The air thickens with desire as his touch shifts from lingering to deliberate, the rhythm between you growing more urgent.  You brace yourself, your body trembling in anticipation, and then, with a careful, controlled movement, he enters you. 

A sharp inhale catches in your throat, the sensation overwhelming as he fills you completely. You gasp, every inch of him stretching you, pushing you to the edge of something deeper, something more consuming. Your body trembles in the wholeness of him. 

He began to move at a slow pace and then soon enough, with that eager speed. Your legs crossed against his back, and your arms crossed against his shoulders. You could only hold on for dear life as he pushes in and out of you in a pace that took your breath away.

Every inch of him stretches you, each motion slow yet intentional, designed to leave you breathless, wanting more. Kento’s gaze never leaves yours, intense and searching, as though he’s reading the unspoken desires written in the way your body responds. The heat between you builds steadily, a slow burn that makes your pulse quicken, your limbs aching with the need to surrender to him entirely.

Everything felt so good.

He made you feel good.

Only he could do it like this.

"Are you okay?" His voice is low, almost reverent, as he pulls back just enough to meet your gaze. 

There’s a softness in his caramel eyes, a tenderness beneath the storm of desire that mirrors the vulnerability you feel. His breath is heavy, and yet there’s a careful concern in his touch, as if he's trying to read you, to make sure you're ready for what comes next.

You nod, but words fail you, the overwhelming sensations clouding your ability to speak. Every inch of your being is attuned to him now, to the heat of his body against yours, the steady rhythm of his breathing. 

You inhale deeply, trying to steady yourself, yet all that fills your senses is him. The scent of him, the taste of his skin, the press of his chest against yours. Your slick blending against his own. It was all consuming. How you both fit together. How you were made for each other.

"More, Kento." you whisper, the word barely audible but laced with desperation. It’s not just a plea. No, you were saying it as it is. “Faster.”

You needed him. Every bit of him, every part of him. You wanted it all. The craving in your voice is clear, raw, and unfiltered. The desire that had been simmering between you both is now an undeniable force, impossible to resist.

His lips curl into a small, knowing smile, and something in his gaze shifts, darkens. Without breaking eye contact, he presses forward again, moving with an intensity that speaks of his own growing hunger. His movements are deliberate and calculated, even with the speed he was going at. 

It was as if  he was savoring every inch, every moment with you. Each stroke is measured, calculated, and yet there's an undercurrent of urgency, as though he's trying to pull you deeper into him, deeper into this shared space where only the two of you exist.

His gaze is intense, a silent communication passing between you both. It's not just about the way he moves or the way he touches you. Everything about it felt like magic. It's how he reads every subtle shift in your body, every small intake of breath, every whisper of need. 

He’s attuned to you in a way that goes beyond words, understanding the unspoken pleas you can't voice. It’s like he knows you better than you do yourself. It’s like he’s memorized every part of you. He just knew how to love you whole, completely.

You cried out as he hit that pleasure spot, in and out. The car windows were fogging up with the hot breath echoing out of your lips over and over again. You were certain that just as much, people had noticed the car shaking and rearing with activity at the stop. It was too obvious to see.

The heat between you builds steadily, a slow burn that makes your pulse race, that quickens the rhythm of your heart. You feel it in the way your body responds, how the pressure inside you grows with every shift, every stroke, until it feels like the world is narrowing down to just the two of you. You both were lost in this rhythm of connection, of craving, of surrender. This was all that there was, this universe of you, together.

Your body aches with the need to give in completely, to let him take you fully, to become lost in the feeling of him, of the shared moment. He looked at you and leaned forward, letting his lips take yours. His tongue pushes through against your own in a delicious melee of pleasure. You hummed against his lips as his thrusts got deeper, faster. More desperate. 

When he parts from you to gather air in his lungs, he slows for a bit and pulls out, earning a whine. But then in a steady shock, he pushes back in, his hands straying to your back, pulling you closer to him. It was as though he wanted you to melt and blend with his flesh. To become one. He thrusts deeper and deeper, harsher than before. You cry out against his ear. 

"Let go, my love." he murmurs, his voice a low, breathy whisper against your ear, sending a shiver down your spine. "I’ve got you." 

There’s an assurance in his words, a promise that you can surrender, that he’ll be there to catch you, to guide you through whatever comes next. And with those words, everything inside you snaps. The tension, the anticipation, the desire. 

Everything unravels in a wave of release, a deep, consuming surrender. You cry out so loud that you think that you were gasping for air for the first time. Nanami Kento hit on your body with a harsh desire last time and felt his own hot pleasure flow through you with a loud roar.

Your body trembles beneath his touch as you lose yourself in him, the rhythm of his movements pulling you deeper into the moment, into the raw intensity of it all. Your grip on him tightens involuntarily, fingers digging into the hardness of his skin, anchoring yourself to the sensation of him. 

Each breath comes quicker, more erratic, as you struggle to keep up with the waves of pleasure crashing over you. Your eyes flutter closed, and a few tears escape, blurring your vision. But the tears are not from pain. They are from the overwhelming satisfaction, the complete surrender of everything you’d been holding back.

For a moment, you can’t see anything, your body entirely consumed by the sensations coursing through you. It’s like you’ve been plunged into a haze, where nothing exists but the pulse of his touch, the heat of his body against yours. You feel your senses heighten, every movement, every sound reverberating inside you, making your heart race.

And then, slowly, your sight begins to return. Everything is foggy, distorted at first, the edges of the world softened by the force of your pleasure. But as the fog clears, everything sharpens, every detail comes into focus. 

And in that moment, it feels like you’ve stepped into something infinite. The universe itself is laid bare before you, and standing at the center of it all, consumed by the same overwhelming force, is him. Everything felt like enlightenment. Life started here.

Kento’s eyes are locked onto yours, dark and intense, holding you captive with every glance, every word unspoken. His face, usually so composed, is now etched with a mixture of hunger and satisfaction, his own breath coming in ragged pulls. You are drawn to him, to the way he fills every corner of your mind, your heart, your body.

"You're... breathtaking, my love." he murmurs, his voice rough, barely audible as he moves against you, his hands cradling your face gently. "So beautiful, at this moment."

The words make your heart ache, the vulnerability in his tone striking you deeply. Your gaze never wavers from his, even as the pleasure inside you begins to coil again, threatening to pull you under once more. It’s not just his touch, not just the way he moves inside you. It’s the way he sees you, the way he makes you feel like you’re the only one who matters in the world.

"You’re mine. You always will be." you whisper, your voice trembling with the truth of it. The words come from somewhere deep, primal, raw. You don’t even know where they’ve come from, only that they’re true. 

“Am I really?” He snickers, pecking at your jaw with small peppering kisses with exhaustion.

You nodded shyly, smiling at him. "I need you... like this. Always."

Kento smiles at your confession. His grip tightens around you, his lips pressing against your forehead in a soft kiss, almost reverent. For a moment, it was like he’d fallen in love with you again for the very first time again.

"And you have me, my love." he responds, his voice low and full of promise. "All of me. Always."

[lostinlovingrevery]

Skinny Dipping (18+ Only!)

Logan X F!Reader

Plot: You're bored, and you decided to go bug Logan on a hot day

A/N: I actually had this idea in my head FOREVER. This is the first time writing smut, so pls forgive for any inaccuracies. I actually had fun with it! but I feel I still need some work on describing a scene with so much movement happening. You could technically imagine any Logan, but I pictured the X! movies Logan. Comments/critiques welcome and appreciated!

Warnings: Friends-to-Lovers type style, Smut, Unprotected PiV, slight voyeurism, nudity, sex in a lake (watch out for STIs!), it's sorta dubious consent but readers been horny for him for awhile and very eagerly accepts it. Not proofread and I also wrote this in one go.

Word Count: 2996

It was an unusually hot spring day at Xavier's School for the Gifted. The air held a certain dryness that was usually felt in deep July, and the sun was annoyingly bright. It was Saturday, most of the students had gone home to be with their parents, and the ones that stayed here were taken on a field trip by the other professors to a local planetarium. You had some work to finish up, so you stayed behind in your study. It was just you, and Mr.No-Fun Wolverine, who didn’t go either because he didn’t feel like babysitting. 

You were tired of having sat in your study most of the morning. You were almost done with your work and figured you could finish it up in the evening or on Sunday. It was one of the most rare moments you ever had in school- time alone.

Except you weren’t planning to spend it alone.

You left behind your study, your work, to hunt down Logan. Something had crawled in your bones and urged you to go annoy the hell out of him. Your favorite activity. Despite it being a huge mansion, it wasn’t hard to find him- sitting in the living room, watching some old movie you’d probably seen before but couldn’t really care about to remember the name of. What you focused on was the swirl of smoke coming from his hand.  

“Y’know, you aren’t supposed to be smoking in here.” Your voice made him turn his head, giving you a side glance, just to acknowledge you. He purely grunted in response, turning his head back to the tv as he took another long- almost as if he was being obnoxious- puff of his cigar. You walked around the couch to face the front of him, and his eyes tracked you, as he took his time blowing the smoke past his lips, another obnoxious move to rub in your face that he just didn’t care. He leaned back on the couch, spreading his legs in some kind of display of dominance that didn’t really deter you from backing down. It merely just turned you on. 

“Ain’t no one here to complain bub.” He finally says, eyes leaving you and turning back to the tv. You weren’t going to take that though. You moved to step in front of the tv, blocking his view. You crossed your arms. 

“I’m here.” You challenged yourself. “It stinks Logan. Seriously.” 

“I’ll light a candle.” 

“That’ll just make it worse.” 

He shrugged, showing you he didn’t consider it his problem. “You’re blocking my light doll.” He mutters. You kept your spot, arms still crossed, and eyebrow quirked upwards as if questioning if he was going to do anything about it. He looked at you, and finally he gave in, leaning forward, he stubbed the cigar out on the ashtray that he likely had stashed in his room and brought out here, looking at you with his brow drawn together and his lips pursed together in displeasure. You actually could have cared less if he smoked, the stench of cigars had become a welcome smell- because that’s what he smelled like and it had grown comforting to you. Like you felt earlier- you just wanted to annoy him. You could never actually do that though, because he was too fond of you to ever actually be annoyed with you in any shape or form.

You and Logan were close. You were the only person who challenged him when he’d forget his manners and become rough around the edges. You’ve kept him in check since he’s come to the school. You also were the only person who’s truly taken the time to get to know him. You saw beneath the rough exterior, the raised hackles, and the bared fangs- something everyone else saw as aggression, you saw it as self-defense. You broke through his stone-like exterior, his foolhardy confidence, and his flirty way of pushing people away, and found a man who simply was lost in the world, lost in who he was. You found him to be intelligent, compassionate and has a great penchant for being a sweetheart if you just gave him time. To put it simply, you loved him to pieces, for the man he is. He, on the other hand, has been too damn stubborn to let himself experience any joy of being loved and cared for. You knew he felt the same though, you saw the way his eyes would lighten up when he saw you in the kitchen in the mornings, how he would relax when you’d join the X-men meetings and sit next to him, the gentle way he’d touch your shoulder or hand- as if afraid he was going to hurt you. Whatever it was you guys had going on between you, it was being completely unspoken and frankly you were growing impatient. At first, you believed that Logan simply needed time to adjust- then he would make a move. Now though, you think it’s you that needs to make the move. Logan has an incredible ability to be self-destructive and shut himself out from the world. Even if you see the yearning he has in his eyes in front of you right now, you’re not sure he’d ever do anything, purely for the sake that he believes you deserve better.

You know what you want though, and by God you’re going to get it. 

Logan, has met his match in someone equally as bull-headed as he is. 

“Thank you.” You say dropping your arms to your side, and moving away from the tv. You walked over to him, and grabbed his hand. “C’mon.”

“What?” 

“Let's go for a walk.” 

“It’s hot outside bub.” He pulled his arm back, making you groan dramatically. 

“I’ve been cooped up all morning. I wanna go take a hike by the lake.” You say grabbing his hand again, this time succeeding in pulling him off the couch. You knew you’d never be able to actually lift him- as heavy as he is- but he’d just hate to see you struggle. You smiled at him victoriously as he rolled his eyes and sighed just as dramatic as your groan. 

“Fine.” He mutters. He can say no to you once. Twice though? How could he when he’s looking straight into your pretty little eyes, looking so pleadingly at him. 

You did a little dance in victory, a small wiggle of your hips- his eyes couldn’t help catch sight of, as you held onto his hand and pulled him with you as you made your way to the front door, outside in the heat, and down the familiar path that you’ve walked with Logan plenty of times before- whenever either of you just needed to get out together, and talk, towards the lake somewhere on the estate of the school. 

Your walk had started out silent, side by side, your hands brushing against each other. If it wasn’t so hot, you’d actually be clinging to him- you’d hook your arm around his, you’d lean your side against him- he didn’t mind, he was tall and sturdy, and the weight of you pressed against him was grounding. Now though, even though you urged to be near him, the hot sun pushed a space between you. 

Half way on the walk, that’s when you started complaining. “Ugh, it’s WAY too hot for April.”

“Told ya.” he mutters. He glanced at you, and you were tugging on the hem of your neckline, pulling back and forth to allow some air, showing the cleavage of your breast, enough to make him get some dirty thoughts. Something something- licking the sweat off your skin… His eyes darted away from you. 

There was tension building between you both. Something that had been building a long time, you- you didn’t like leaving things unresolved. 

Reaching the lake, you both slowed your pace to enjoy the scenery and the nature around there. Logan wouldn’t admit it, but he enjoyed these walks with you. He enjoyed the ones that were filled with comfortable silence, and the ones where you both couldn’t stop talking, it was rare to get him into a conversation, but you had a way of drawing it out of him. You’d talk about everything from politics, religion, his history, your history, the universe, how bad Scott and Jean's cooking was.  

This walk would be no different, if it wasn’t for your complaining.

“I told you it was hot.” He states again, “But you wanted to go out.” 

“Well excuse me for wanting to stretch my legs, get some fresh air.” You say, glancing at the lake. It looked cool, refreshing. That’s when you get an idea. 

“There’s a whole mansion full of stuff to do-” He says as he keeps walking, He picks up that you stopped, no longer next to him anymore, “Bub?” He turned around, his face dropping as he watched you shed your last item of clothing, and began to run into the water. Once you were up to your knees, you dived in- creating a splash of water that sent waves rippling towards the shore where he stood. His eyes trailed over to where you left your clothes behind, and blood rushed straight down, stirring his cock. 

You popped your head up above the water, your location now deeper into the lake, having to kick your legs to keep you afloat, and you waved at him. He swallowed, as he pictured your naked form- having only gotten a glance of it before you disappeared into the water. His cock throbbed in the confines of his jeans. 

Fuck it

He thought to himself, as he moved to shed his own clothes. You had turned around, swimming small laps in circles, dipping your head underwater to refresh yourself, feeling the inner temperature of your body cooling off. You didn’t notice him taking his clothes off- you somehow didn’t hear him over your splashing as he quietly swam towards you. 

So when his arm came around your waist, turning you and pulling you against him, you shrieked at first. Only to gasp as your breasts came pressed against his chest, the feeling of his coarse hair stimulating your nipples that had become hard from the cold of the water. He barely gave you a chance to catch up to what was happening as his lips crashed down onto yours, making you moan as your arms wrapped around his shoulders. You relaxed your legs from kicking, able to rely on Logan who’s already so freakishly tall, was still standing as the water lapped at his shoulders. You marveled at the feeling of his muscled body against yours, his strong arms wrapped around you, god you spent forever imaging him like this.

He nipped at your lips, moving down into your jaw, sucking and biting at the skin there, while his hands ran up and down over your body. One hand pressed to your lower back, the other ran up your thigh, warming your skin that had grown cold from the water temperature, he pressed the hand under your thigh, encouraging you to wrap your legs around his hips- which you eagerly obliged. He groaned,

“You’re gonna be the death of me, bub-” He muttered as he pressed kisses down your neck, “Being a fucking tease like that. You were planning this the entire time weren’t you?”

You couldn’t help but giggle, not responding to his question, as his beard delightfully scratched at the skin of your collarbone. You brought your hands up into his hair, running it through the wet strands and scratching at his scalp gently- making him moan in response. You tipped your head back and raised your hips, softly grinding against his lower abdomen, really also urging him to put his lips on your chest. His mouth sucked and licked the skin of your breast, his hand coming up to fondle and squeeze the nipple of the other, as he twirled his tongue over one, making you moan- a warm, syrupy honey feeling sat in the bottom of your stomach- but it wasn’t enough. 

“Logan-” You whined, your hands tightening through his hair. 

“I know, I got you baby.” He murmured against your skin, right over the place where your heart is located. Adjusting the both of you, he brought his lips back to yours, pressing a few small pecks against them, as he ran his throbbing member between your folds, making you gasp at the sheer size of him. 

“Fuck, you’re big.” You whimpered into his lips, shutting your eyes tight, you could feel him smile against your cheek. 

“You can take it.” He purred soothingly into your ear.

The resistance of the water against your bodies forced you both to be slow. As fast as Logan wanted to fuck into you, he was forced to take his time, as he wrapped an arm around your waist, using his other hand to lead his tip into your entrance. The water provided a natural lubricant for you, although you wouldn’t have needed it, even before now, Logan just had this amazing ability to soak your panties through, unlike anyone else. 

You felt him enter, and gasped, practically a squeal as he pushed into you- music to his ears.

“That’s right-” He moaned. “Make all the pretty sounds you want gorgeous, I got you.” as he pushed deeper inside you, a small thrust of his hips, and he was down to the hilt inside you. Your cunt was tight around him, almost molding around his length, making him grunt as he had to take a moment to not bust inside you right then.

“Oh god-” You gasped, pressed your forehead against his. His nose bumping clumsily against yours, as you felt his own breath began to pick up. His hands moved down to your hips, he dug his fingers into your plush skin, attempting to get as much leverage as he could, before he lifted you up in the water,

It felt like slow motion, the way the lake pushed at you both, as if it was reminding you to slow down, and savor the moment between you. His hands pushed down on your hips, his movements fighting at the water, as he brought you back down onto him again. He continued those movements, angling his hips forward under the water, digging his feet into the sandy ground he stood on. Once he found a steady pace, an angle that sent you squealing, wrapping your thighs tight against his hips, your hands digging almost painfully into your scalp, he kept going. 

“Been wanting to do this for fucking ever baby-” He grunted. 

“Lo-” You whimpered. Every thrust hit that sweet spot inside of you. He glided easily in and out, his hips bouncing against yours, but you wanted him deeper. You spread your legs- your thighs open farther, the water allowing you to easily loosen your limbs and float, his grip on you keeping you close. You gripped onto his shoulders, tipping your head back. Your upper half of your body came out of the water with each thrust, and Logan watched- hypnotized by how your wet tits bounced, and he felt heat pooling inside him. You were so fucking perfect. Everything about you, your face, your lips, your tits and ass. Your personality, your heart. “Lo please-!” You gasped.

“Fuck-” He grunted, bringing a hand to your throbbing clit, as he begin to rub tight circles against it, sending your hips squirming against his. “That’s it, take it all-” He moaned. “Feel good darling?”

You nodded desperately, finally getting that stimulation you needed, as you quickly brought your body back to him, desperate to feel him everywhere as you began to rise to your peak. “Don’t stop, please don’t-” You begged, as you placed open mouth kisses on his lips that he returned. 

“Cmon, cum for me-” He grunted. His thighs were shaking, and he was unsure he’d be able to hold out much longer. He wanted you to cum first, he needed you to cum first. He wanted to see you come undone by him, to feel your cunt pulse and squeeze him so tightly he couldn’t pull out if he tried. “Fuck, fuck, I love you-” He practically whined into your mouth. 

That was exactly what you needed, as you felt your explosive finish finally reach your peak. You screamed his name as your legs wrapped around him, and you buried your face into his neck, moaning and crying as waves of hot ecstasy ran through your body. You cupped his face with one hand.

“I love- I love you too-” You managed to gasp, looking up at him in his eyes. It filled you with a certain pride, as you watched Logan's face become undone, as he thrusted up into you, you could feel his cock throb, and his cum coating your walls inside, making you feel full, and warm. He practically whimpered, carefully pulling out, as he held onto you, his head resting against your shoulder. 

“Fuck, sorry.” He muttered,

“It’s alright, I really don’t mind.” You hum amused. You would have told him to finish inside anyway. 

He sighed, looking up at you. His eyes were filled with adoration as he looked over your face. You smiled, cupping his jaw, leaning forward to give him a sweet kiss, that he happily returned. 

“Feel better?” He asked, a cheeky grin on his face. You rolled your eyes.”You got out, got some air, stretched your legs.”

“Shut up!” You playfully hit his shoulder, pretending to pull away from him, but he didn’t let you go, pulling you back into his arms as he wrapped them around you protectively. 

“Uh uh, you ain’t going anywhere bub.” He purred. “Now that I got you, I ain’t letting you go.”

“It’s about time…” You smiled, muttering against his lips, but he only smiled. You were wrong, Logan did end up making the first move. Turns out, you just needed to keep being a pain in his ass. 

[starstruckmiraclekitty]

Ayo! Can I request of TF141 + König x Fem! Reader who sneeze like a kitten and how the mens react when they see her sneeze. Imagine like Y/n was minding her own business and she sneeze, then the men’s watch her awe.

Take all the time no need to rush.

Thank you for this!! Thought this was a cute request. Sorry this is a bit short, but hope you enjoy!🙃🩷

141 Boys + König with a Reader who Sneezes like a Kitten

Warnings: swearing

Simon "Ghost" Riley-

It was awhile into the two of you dating, before he heard you sneeze for the first time.

You were cooking dinner together in your apartment, when you turned your head to the side and squeaked out a sneeze.

"What in the bloody hell was that?" Simon asked, directing his attention to you.

You lifted a finger at him, and turned your head away as you let out another sneeze. "Apologies, must be my allergies."

"That….was a sneeze?" Simon asked incredulously. He'd never in his life heard someone sneeze like that.

"Unfortunately." You chuckled, amused at your boyfriend's reaction.

"It was…kind of cute." Simon's cheeks burned at his admission. "It was like a little kitten."

Soap MacTavish-

Both of you were laying in bed, cuddling before a mission. You were snuggled into Soap's side while he was stroking your arm lightly.

"I love y-." You were cut off mid sentence by an oncoming sneeze, you sat up and quickly turned your head to the side to sneeze. A small squeak came out, and you turned to see Johnny staring at you in awe.

"That was possibly the most adorable noise I've ever heard." He couldn't help but laugh, incredibly amused at your little sneeze.

"Oh hush, I've always hated my sneezes." You pushed him lightly. You felt another one coming and braced yourself.

"Oi yeah, give me another one. Gotta hear this again." Soap bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing further.

You let out another squeaky sneeze, and Soap cackled the rest of the day because of it.

"Hey L.T. You've gotta hear Y/N's sneeze. Sounds like a mouse kitten hybrid. It's bloody adorable." He'd later told Ghost, much to your dismay.

Kyle "Gaz" Garrick-

Like you, Gaz also has rather squeaky sneezes. The first time he'd heard you sneeze, you and the 141 were on a mission together.

You and Gaz were camping out in a small hideout when you had the urge to sneeze. You took a deep breath in to try and fight iy, which caused Gaz to look in your direction. "You good, babe?"

You nodded your head, causing you to squeak out a sneeze.

"Oh my God! You sneeze like me!" Gaz cried out, a smile forming on his face.

"I, what?"

"Your sneeze, it's like mine. Got a little squeak to it." Gaz was practically beaming, and you had to bite your lip to prevent yourself from laughing at your boyfriend. This certainly wasn't the reaction you expected.

Later on that night, you awoke to sounds of repeated squeaking coming from beside you. "Gaz?"

"See? Told you my sneezes were like yours!"

John Price-

Price was on a work call at your house when he heard your sneeze for the first time. You were in the other room trying to be as quiet as possible, but you'd looked at the sun through the window a little too long and felt the distinct feeling of a sneeze coming on.

You quickly threw your face into your arm and let out a squeak.

You could hear Price stop talking in the other room. He poked his head out from the doorway and called out to you. "Love? You okay?"

"I'm fine! Just a sneeze!"

"That was the weakest sneeze I've ever heard in my life." John had a shit eating grin on his face as he addressed you.

"Would you rather me sneeze like you? Loud enough to shake the whole house?" You quipped with a smile.

"Fair enough, love. I'll take the squeaky sneezes."

König-

The two of you were cleaning your weapons together, when a bit of dust came off the weapon, directly into your nose.

You blinked back slight tears, and turned your head to the side letting out a sneeze.

König whipped his head around the room, looking for the source of the noise. "Y/N. Is there a cat in here?"

The fact that he was deadly serious had you in a fit of giggles. He was walking around the room, inspecting each corner intently.

"What? What's so funny?" Konig asked bemused, stopping his search to look at you.

"I sneezed, love. There's no kitten."

König's eyes widened as he let out a chuckle. From then on, you'd lovingly earned the nickname "Kätzchen" from him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: I hope you enjoyed!! :) working on some requests now, but am always open for new ones🙃

Also Kätzchen is German for kitten😊

[cloudluvrrr]

Past.

a/n: YALL WANTED THIS BAD OMG so pt 2 to my before fic, basically it goes a little further back and a lot more in detail after his planet blew up :3. This one’s long! But Tysm :)

Past boothill x reader ft some headcannons. (Gender neutral w some fem indication later on)

forwards reckon rebound

--

-Boothill was a sweet kid, a little dumb at times but he always gave his effort. Always curious and helping out on his families farm, helping his dads with his siblings as hes the 3rd oldest .

-He never gave much trouble as a kid, always listening other than sleeping in more or sleeping on hay sometimes.

-his family wasn't made of money, but he always had everything he needed or want.

-Growing up with the idea girls had cooties...as he eats crayons.

-he learns guitar as he got one for christmas, he goes to the local church to learn how to play it. He'd bring his scuffed up cd player to show the teacher the songs he wanted to learn.

-His parents take him out every weekend, teaching him how to hunt, ride a horse or how to shoot a gun.

-he has a habit of looking off into the distance. Wide eyes as he looked off into the sunset wondering what was beyond his small family and tribe.

-He loves stories, often reading picture books at the library or getting one of his parents too read it to him before bed. As well as sneaking into his dads room to watch his shows, his favorite being of an outlaw.

-His family went to church once in awhile, but always went during christmas. Boothill hated dressing up, but he loved the songs. When he learned guitar would join as well, playing christmas songs.

-Everyone in town knew him, he was always making a name for himself.

--

-You'd show up in his life while he was in school, messily drawing on his math paper (instead of doing it) with his tongue out as the teacher announced a new student. As you were a new student in 3th grade, boothill being boothill would introduce himself as the class sheriff to impress you.

"I'm Boothill, the class sheriff! I keep everyone in line, and make sure they all do what they're supposed too!" he said in a confident tone puffing out his chest.

-Thats where it all began.

--

-the teacher put you beside him which made him often pout and utter that you had cooties, while he didn’t do his work.

-he often ‘patrolled’ during recess but in reality no one wanted to play with him. (Since he had two dads and he looked nothing like them) they didn’t like how different he was from them. So he decided to give you a shot, since you also only sat on the swing set.

‘Hey..’ he said with a slight frown ‘..I’m not busy today patrollin’ wanna play’ he asked looking away with a small dust of pink on his cheeks

‘..sure, you can push me’ you said perking up

—

-after that you’d always sit on the swing set together, as he’s talk about anything and everything. How he didn’t like waking up early, how his youngest sibling kicked him in the shin, his horse, how Nick complimented his shooting. He loved talking about his family

‘..maybe you should come over.. you’d like the meatloaf my daddy makes’ he said kicking his feet against the dirt ‘if you want too.. it’s a big White House with a barn ‘bout 10 minutes from town’

‘I’ll ask about it, I’d like to see your animals. All we have right now is chickens, and they get annoying’

You went to his farm, his family was happy he'd made a friend. That was the first of many visits!

--

-You two soon became inseparable as you grew older and closer, everyone in town knew when one was around the other probably was too.

-Always going to school festivals together, shopping, staying out at night, laying in fields at night looking at the constellations, coming home wet from splashing each other with water.

-It was a romance from the novels you read, the only part left was the confession. You often thought about it, 'maybe this week..' you'd think as another day went by and he hadn't confessed.

-Until that faithful day

-The sun was setting, it was a day like any other. He seemed a bit on edge but it was normal.

-

He was sitting up, his chin resting on his shoulder as he stared out at the cornfield near his house mindlessly. The sky a peachy tint as you laid on his sheets, looking up at him admiring his long hair and jawline. '...I like you" he said softly his gaze never leaving the window.

'really?' you couldn't believe it, finally it happened. 'I like you too, ya know' you replied still admiring his figure. His gaze meets yours and eventually his lips. The same lips that introduced himself in the past, chapped yet soft.

You'd never felt more in love.

-

-the next few weeks didn't change much, kisses here and there and he'd get more touchy. But he also spoke more about the future, how he wanted to either build or fix a older house. He wanted a small family, a farm and barn animals.

'I'd like to fix up that house at the end of town" he said leaning against the barn door looking off into the distance once more, as you looked over his barn cats kittens. 'You think you could?' you add standing up and leaning in front of him

'Yeah, make it all nice and pretty for you' and smile wrapping a hand around your waist. 'A pretty kitchen, cozy livin' room, big room..' he said with a small giggle kissing your nose.

'it'd be a dream baby'

-Soon after he told you he was dropping out of school, he was 17 and decided he didn’t need to further his education. And just help out his dads on the farm, while he scrapped together some money. You were mad, but understood he had a different path and mind than yours. Even if you tried arguing with him that he only needed 2 more years to graduate, he’d blow it off and just go fix his truck.

-but while you were at school getting educated (weirdo) he eventually fixed up the old house at the end of town he always spoke about. He’d also made a small ring, with a single stone on it. He could afford a real promise ring, but he thought this one was more special. Even carving their initials on it.

-one day when you both were old enough, and you were out of school be finally brought you to the home. And promising to stay by your side.

‘Your lyin’ you said looking at the delicate ring

‘..no? I want you to be by my side, while I save up for your weddin’ ring’ he said softly slipping it onto your finger.

‘Cause your my past present and future’ he said pressing pecks all over your face.

-soon you both lived together, slowly building your life on the farm, getting chickens, moving his horse from his family’s farm to your forever home. It was a dream all over again

-it was mundane, you would tend or the animals and boothill would fix things and do the heavy work or sometimes you’d do the heavy lifting and when he’d leave for a few days. At the end of the night you’d lay in bed together. You wouldn’t have it another way.

-when there wasn’t work done he’d sit out under a tree playing his guitar, watching you put his shirts on the clothes line. As he hummed and played love songs.

He’d sneak up on you snatching you into his arms and tackling you into the grass. As he admired your laughing face.

-19 was when he found the baby girl in the cold, lost in thought. When he heard the cry, and your lives changed once more. Now a family of 3.

-it was hard, you didn’t make much money. But his family had hand me downs, boothills old crib and toys. You’d sew her dresses, boothill would attempt at making hats and mittens for her as well.

They were always too big, and he’d say she’d grow into them while the girl sucked on the fluffy oversized mitten in his arms. Looking up at him with wide eyes, he wasn’t even 20 and he felt fulfilled.

-when she was a little older and starting to crawl around and walk a little, he carved her a small cherry wood guitar.

She couldn’t play it, but when he had his out he gave her the small guitar so she could ‘play’ along side him.

-he loved the days where he’d sit outside and the little one was waddling around picking up dandelions and handing them to him

‘Oh for me? Their so pretty darlin’’ he smiled softly ruffling the girls hair and letting her waddle around more as she babbled to herself.

-sometimes he’d think of leaving but

-it was all perfect, a house he’d fixed, a barn with animals, his perfect lover, a daughter, all he needed was to make it official. An engagement ring.

-he was saving for months, finally he had the money to buy the one you were eyeing at the store.

‘I’m going to the market’ he announced putting the bills in his wallet.

‘Can’t I join? I got a bad feelin’ Boothill, them ipc people don’t like the town’ you said.

He hesitated ‘it’s just my usual errand nothing special’ he replied kissing you. ‘I’ll be back take care of her for me’ he smiled kissing the girls cheek.

—

Only to return to ashes, he’d heard two workers joke about this very tragedy. He thought nothing of it. Not till he heard the explosions, and saw the flames. He couldn’t bring himself to go inside, he can’t imagine what it was like.

He couldn’t bring himself to tears, those twenty years he’d spend building his life with you gone.

The ashes of your once blue home, the farm on fire. He couldn’t bring himself to search for your bodies, he barely made it to find your family pictures.

He didn’t sleep, for 3 days and then he slept for 3 days straight. Before leaving behind two crosses over the sight.

And he finally left the planet, he spent a few months searching before he found a doctor that could help him.

He decided he needed to end his life, to kill his current self. Leave his past, and that’s exactly what he did. His mechanic fixed him.

All he remembers is the taste of metallic in his mouth and seeing his heart removed, as he died.

His rebirth into Boothill

—

Basically a yap session and excuse to talk ab him again after the 2.6 story line :P might add or not

Hope you enjoyed 😣

tags :3

@jassy-ine @shuzoku @sneakylilbartender @kita-01 @edxo @blueangelstone

[surielstea]

Strings Attached

Based on this request.

Pairing: Helion x Fem!Reader

Summary: Reader has had a crush on Helion for awhile now but feels inadequate when compared to the partners he brings to bed.

Warnings: fluff | Suggestive | Slight angst

3.3k words

The giggling in the room next to mine has me fighting back from hurling my guts out.

Helion was with yet another female tonight— perhaps multiple based on the sound emitting through the walls. Some part of me felt anger, everyone who was interested in the male seemed to get the chance to roll in the sheets with the High Lord while I sat in my room alone, trying to ignore the obnoxious thudding of the headboard against the connecting wall.

I put a sound shield over his room for him, he seemed to forget half the time which left me restless and annoyed.

Finally, at peace with the quiet, I release a soft sigh and my head comes down onto my pillow. The brunette that he led into his room tonight was particularly gorgeous, with long dark locks and beautiful caramel-colored skin. She was from the Summer court, cousin to the Day court. She looked like she'd been bathed in the sun, like not a single cloud had ever settled over her.

I was from the night court.

Born in the hewn city and fleeing the court entirely when Amarantha was defeated after those long years Under the Mountain.

It was noticeable I didn't belong in this court, this palace, the libraries, or the shops. I'd get looks of all sorts from strangers or other court members who thought it best for me to return to where I came from.

Helion made me his second in command after a few years of serving as his emissary. I've been with him for nearly a decade now and my feelings towards the high lord have yet to fizzle away. He's my best friend, yet I couldn't help imagining something more than just being on the sidelines, I wanted to be looked at the way he gazed at potential partners, wanted to be touched, and loved the way the females rave about as they're leaving the palace.

In between thoughts I manage to slip into a gentle sleep, a light slumber that I could easily be startled from. The large bed felt empty like I was drowning in it, like I needed someone next to me to make sure I didn't fall through the mattress.

________

I was standing at my workbench, bright light shining down onto my most recent invention. I peered through my magnifying glass at the inner mechanics, making sure all the gears shifted with each other as they spun. I've been fiddling with the small device for a while now but haven't been able to get it just right. "Let's try this again," I mumble before pressing the button atop the small cube. It makes a quiet beep and my brows shoot up. "Testing," I say into the microphone of the cube.

"You're so smart, starlight." A familiar voice makes me jump and I whirl around to face the High Lord. "You'd make the perfect high lady for this place." He hums and I flush, taking my eyes away from the handsome male and back to my invention. He walks over to me, the warmth of his skin radiating onto me. "What is it?" He tilts his head as he peers over my shoulder.

"A recording device," I say, glancing at him— which I realize was a bad idea because, Cauldron, he was so close. "If it works, we'll be able to start recording audio to put in our libraries for people who can't read,"  I explain and a soft smile curves his full lips.

"Genius." He hums. "It's not finished yet." I wave him off and press the button atop the recording device and set it down.

"Did you need something?" I turned to him fully, he wasn't wearing his crown or any golden jewelry, just glowing dark skin contrasted with his clean white robe. "I can't pester my favorite emissary?" He arches a brow, and my heartbeat quickens.

"I'm your only emissary." I remind him, cleaning up my workspace as he toys with a pair of miniature tweezers, his calloused hands seemingly too large to even hold the tool. "That doesn't mean you can't be my favorite." He mumbles, concentrating on picking up an even smaller screw from the desk with the tweezers.

"Helion," I pluck the tool from his hands and he pouts dramatically at me. "I was only going to ask if you'd like to join me for dinner, but you seem busy." He knocks on the wood as a farewell and takes a few steps away. "Wait," I look to him. "I could eat." I shrug and a wide smile spreads over his sharp features. "Follow me then."

Helion leads me down the halls of the palace, I still marveled at the beauty of this place despite living here for nearly a decade now. The high ceilings held up by large pillars, the floor-to-ceiling windows putting the Court outside on display in a decoration of its own, the crystal clear lake that spreads on the right side of the residence reflects the moonlight right onto the white palace, making it reflect and shimmer like a sun.

"Amilia?" Helion calls as we enter the long dining hall lit by golden chandeliers and tall, skinny candles. "Yes, my lord?" A kitchen maid scuffs into the room with bright green eyes and large voluminous curls. "I have a guest joining me for dinner, we'll need the table set for three." He informs and the maid bows her head with a soft smile. "Right away Lord Helion." She turns on her heel and shuffles towards the kitchen. "Thank you!" The male hums as she disappears behind the swinging doors.

"Three plates?" I ask curiously, coming up to his side. "Not just us?" I say and he looks at me with raised brows. "I have another courtier coming to meet with me from the Dawn court, but I'd be happy to cancel so it's just us." He offers and I shake my head, hair swishing with the movement. "That's alright, I won't disrupt your schedule." I brushed him off, even if a buried part of me felt disappointed. It's been some time since I had some alone time with Helion, he always seemed to be busy as High Lord— or spell cleaver.

I walked over to the table and took up the seat I always sat in, directly beside the head of the table, where Helion planted himself. A maid came over and poured both of us glasses of white wine. I thank her and she nods before skittering away.

The doors to the dining hall open and both Helion and I look up to spot a butler accompanying a gorgeous female clad in lilac and rose-colored robes that draped over her full frame in long sweeping motions. Her deep brown hair was combed up into an intricate style, and the golden bangles at her wrists clanked against each other as she walked in like she owned the place. "Lady Basu." Helion stands with a polite tone. "Please, my lord; call me Imara." She begs of him in a delicate voice. Is she the courtier from Dawn?

"Then you can call me Helion." The Lord gives her a seductive smile. I was going to need more wine.

Dinner was utterly delicious if it weren't for my need to hold back gags every time the two in front of me obnoxiously flirted, I watched as she noticeably stared at him while wrapping her perfect lips around her fork. They weren't even discussing anything pertaining to the courts, perhaps I was blinded by jealousy but what was the point of this female being here if she wasn't going to mention where her court lies with alliances?

"Amilia?" I call the maid, neither of them notice but the female shuffles over to me with an inquisitive expression. "Can I have some more wine?" I ask her. She nods her head and pours the pitcher until my glass is full again. "You know what, I think I'll just take this." I reach for the decanter and her brows raise slightly but she allows me to have the pitcher before I put it down onto the table. Helion looks at me with creased brows but I don't say anything.

"Are you enjoying the food Imara?" The high lord hums. "I've had better things in my mouth." She teased and I nearly choked. "Is that right?" Helion's reply only makes me drink deeper from the goblet, chugging down the rest of the liquid until I'm refilling the glass again.

The flirting grows so insufferable that I have to take a deep breath to control myself from yelling at them to keep it in their pants or take it to the bedroom. So instead I stand up, grabbing my wine glass, my chair loudly scraping against the floor.

"You okay?" Helion looks to me concerned. "Fine, just tired." I brush him off. "I think I might turn in early," I add and he only nods. "Sweet dreams, starlight." He hums. "Good to meet you Imari," I give her a wave. "You as well." She smiles at me even though she's been glaring at me all meal like I was a threat, as if Helion would ever choose me over some drop-dead gorgeous female offering herself so openly to him.

Helion's fingers intertwined with mine and I look at him curiously, his warm hand somehow heating the entirety of my body right down to my very bones. "Get good rest, alright?" He smiles sadly and I get the feeling that he wasn't originally going to say that, that he’s holding back.

"I should be the one telling you that." I joke as I drop his hand but he doesn't laugh, instead, he looks at me with something tender and wanting, that gaze that makes butterflies awaken in my stomach. I ignore it, giving him a nod before spinning on my heel and walking towards the doors, thanking the cooks and maids on my way out without another word.

______

My hangover was pounding into my skull as I stood at the kitchen counter, peeling an orange as my negligent breakfast. Luckily the morning was quiet, the bird’s song flowing in through the open windows, goldfinches perched on the aspen trees outside.

I hum along to the familiar tune with a gentle smile at the tranquility of it, everything going so smoothly until the smell of ginger and honey floats into the room and I know Helion has entered.

"Starlight," He grins widely as he approaches, his hands behind his back like he's hiding something. I narrow my eyes at him skeptically, wondering what it was he kept tucked away from my vision. "How are you so awake?" I sighed with a slow blink. "It's daytime," He looks to the window. "Should I not be awake?" He arches a brow. I shake my head and return to peeling the rind from my fruit.

"Have a good night?" I tilt my head. "Eh," He shrugs and I scoff, a small smile forming on my lips at his dissatisfaction, something like precedence blooming in my chest.

"I have something for you." He bounces slightly on his heels and I look at him unamused, my migraine slowly fizzling away as he gazes at me. "Do you now?" I tilt my head and he nods, pulling his hands from behind his back and revealing a small black box meant for jewelry. "I felt bad last night, you seemed upset so I got you these at the markets this morning." He explains before cracking open the lid of the velvet box and revealing a stunning pair of earrings. A clear sunstone gem framed by gold plates, the stone dangling from a golden clasp.

My brows raised as I looked between him and the expensive gift. "Helion I can't take this," I shake my head. "Sure you can." He urges me. "You can’t just give me things because I'm the slightest bit upset." I sigh, taking the box from him. "Sure I can." He reiterates and a small smile forms over my features. "Thank you," I say, taking the earrings out of their box right then and there before sliding them into my earlobes.

He smiles and tucks my hair behind my pointed ears. The male grins cheekily and I look at him, with stained cheeks. "What?" I cross my arms over my chest. "You're the most beautiful female I've ever seen." He states proudly. I chuckle and tear my gaze away from him, his expression falls. "I'm serious, you are." He nods his head and I only shake my head and continue to peel the tangerine.

"No, I am not." I toss the rind in the trash, trying to ignore the fact that the air in the room has gotten noticeably thicker. "Do you think I'd lie about such things?" He seems genuine which only makes me want to laugh more.

"You lie to me all the time." I shrug and he looks at me like I've gone crazy. "Nonsense, name a time." He commands and I roll my eyes. "Just yesterday you told me I'd make the perfect high lady for the day court." I remind and he twists his lips to the side. "That doesn't sound like me." He shakes his head. I deadpan at him before removing the small invention I've been working on from the pocket of my dress and pressing the button on the bottom.

"Testing," My voice emits from it, louder than planned and all too close to the microphone. "You're so smart starlight," another voice sounds from the speakers of the cube. "You'd make the perfect high lady for this place." It quoted and I glared at him before turning off the invention and putting it back into my pocket. "It works!" He says excitedly and I glare at him.

"Alright fine, so I did say that but still; I didn't lie." He argues and I huff out a grumble of curses. "I'm a truthful male." He drones as I return to picking the spongey white excess along with the fruit of my orange. "No, you're a flirt," I grumble. "Can't I be both?" He shrugs and I shake my head. "No, not if you're telling me I'm the most beautiful girl you've ever seen whilst bedding females ten times prettier than me." I defend and his jaw falls slack, slightly taken aback at my prepared remark. "But they're not prettier than you." He admits and I avoid his gaze that seemed to be analyzing every move I made.

"Stop lying." I grit out and he releases a sigh, his arms coming to either side of my waist, trapping me between his muscular frame and the counter.

"I'm not. You're out of my league." He says breathlessly as if he couldn't believe it. I turn to look at him, my brows pulled tensely. "Then why can't I be one of them?" I utter and he blinks. "One of what?" He asks, his dark brows quirking together. "One of the females you take to bed, if I'm. So beautiful then why haven't you shown it?"

The look on his face was pure shock, his ears perked up at the sound of vulnerability coming from me. I begin to grow embarrassed at what I just confessed.

"Starlight," He sighs, looking down at me with remorseful eyes. "Those partners mean nothing, there's no emotion. I'm simply admiring an art piece, there's no strings attached." He explains and I wait for him to tell me whatever art I am isn't good enough.

"I don't want that with you." He confesses and I swore my heart stopped.

I look up at him with tears welling in my eyes. I wasn't ready to confess and didn't have the confrontation skills to tell him how I truly felt. I swallow thickly and nod. "I understand," I mutter, dipping my head down. His large hand comes up to cup my cheek, tilting my head back and forcing my gaze back to his. "I want the strings attached, with you, is what I mean." He explains and I blink a few times to make sure the make that stands in front of me is real.

"What are you saying?" I need clarification, what does that make us, what can I bear to him without showing my soul in its entirety?

"I'm saying that I want you, for a lot longer than just a night." His hand slips from my cheek to curl around the back of my neck, his thumb stroking along my jaw. "Helion," I warn and his eyes are soft, this is real, he wants this as much as I do. "I know it's unprofessional but—" He begins to argue and I lunge upward, slinging my arms over his shoulders and planting my lips onto his.

He stumbles back, his other hand coming to my hips as he immediately kisses me back. I smile against the feel of it. Gods, he tasted like honey. I pull him closer, his chest pressing into mine as I balance on my toes just so I can reach up to him. He hums against my lips before pulling back with a knowing smile. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," I admit and his eyes gleam with pure affection.

"I have some idea." He reassured me before dipping down again and this time taking my mouth entirely, my lower back pressed against the counter behind me, his hands dipped down, sliding along every inch of my body until finding purchase at my thighs and hoisting me up onto the counter, my legs immediately wrapping around his torso as he pried my mouth open with his tongue and I allow him to explore every inch, I've dreamed of this, fantasized of this. Every male I've ever been with never amounted to what could've been with Helion, and now I have it and I was never going to give it up.

My hands go into his hair, dragging through the black locks as he presses his wanting hips into mine. I begin to work at the top of his robes, dipping it off his shoulder. He backs away with a restrained movement. "We can wait." He pants out. "We can go slow," he reassured, staring at me with every ounce of self-discipline he possessed. "I don't want to wait," I shake my head. "I need you now," I add and a smile curves his lips— then a soft gasp releases from his lips, looking at the center of my chest with creased brows.

A sudden sort of devotion overwhelms my body and I look down, spotting a golden string, sprouting from my abdomen and tethering directly to his. "Mate," I mumble, the only thought racing through my head. My body heats at the realization and when he pulls me into a kiss this time it's pure adoration, in every movement he holds utmost love and respect.

"You're my mate," I mumble into his mouth and he nods with a smirk on his lips. "Wait—" I say and he immediately rears back. I turn to look beside me, the freshly peeled orange untouched on its plate. I pick the fruit up and split it into two. "Eat." I hold the tangerine out toward him. His expression turns into something tender and he takes the fruit, taking no time to consume the citrusy fruit, handing me the other half and beckoning me to eat too. I smile and peel one slice off and pop it into my mouth.

A sudden smell of arousal takes over the space and as soon as I swallow down the slice his lips are on mine, his hands pulling me closer, kissing me deeper, harder. He tasted of citrus and that fact fueled every nerve in my body. Mates, we're mated. His tongue enters my mouth again and the mating frenzy seems to take him full throttle. He winnows us into his quarters, carrying me towards his bed.

Something told me we wouldn't be leaving this bedroom for weeks.

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[laurentidal]

Stay Awhile

Harry walked into the café a little nervous for his date. He hadn't been playing the field for a few years and had finally decided to get back out there. The apps had been kinder than he'd expected for an older guy, and eventually he found himself setting up a coffee date with Alexis.

He scanned around the room and found her. He breathed a sigh of relief that she looked exactly like her pictures. She sat facing the door in a cute little skirt and a wool pullover. He waved and the smile she gave him back filled him with butterflies as he took his seat.

The talked about all kinds of things. Their jobs. Their histories. Their ambitions and passions. He told her about his divorce. She told him about her thesis defense. They agreed that both seemed equally painful. Harry felt at ease in a way he hadn't in a long time.

When they got up to leave, she asked him if he wanted to keep the date going and walk her home. She promised there were no expectations other than a walk. She just wanted to stay in his company. He eagerly agreed, and as they left the coffee shop she took his hand. He felt light as the breeze listening to her talk about how nice a day it was. The sun was shining. The wind was easy. Warm but not hot. A perfect relaxing day.

He found himself agreeing with everything she said. He let himself daydream of how it would feel to be able to agree with her forever. He was a little ahead of himself, to be sure, but it was nice to let his mind wander about good things for a change. He focused on the feeling of her hand in his. It was soft but firm. His eyes glanced to her chest, hidden beneath that bulky top. He wondered if they were soft and firm, too.

One foot fell in front of the other. Was she counting? He'd lost his train of thought, so enamored with her presence that he had drifted away from reality. He blinked and looked over at her. She was looking back at him, sly smile on her face.

"Well, this is me," she said, coming to a stop in front of a tall apartment building. He hated to let her go. There was something magnetic about her. He wanted to stay, and she seemed to know it. "You know, there's nice courtyard behind the building. We could stay there a while. If you want."

He blushed when he realized how quickly he'd agreed. He never wanted to say no to her. He marveled at how quickly he'd fallen under her spell. For her part, she just laughed and beckoned him down the alley way. Her laugh seemed to spiral around him, pulling him along after her. His face was sculpted into a dreamy smile as he watched her hips sway just ahead.

The courtyard was gorgeous, though not half as gorgeous as its occupant. She moved a chair for herself to sit, finally pulling off her wool pullover. Harry's breath caught in his throat. Underneath was a shear crop top that managed to hide nothing. Somehow, it drew even more attention to what lay underneath.

"You seem like a good man, Harry. I think you should stay a while."

All he could do was nod. He'd agreed with everything she'd said so far. He could just keep doing that, right? Besides, how could he say to no her now? She slid her legs open, and miraculously, Harry's eyes moved off of her perfect breasts and down to her exposed panties. Without really meaning to, he dropped to his knees.

"Show me how much you want to stay with me."

He knew then he would never leave.

Thanks for reading! If you are a fan of my work, consider buying me a coffee. Any contribution is insanely appreciated. 💖

[some-bunniii]

— self indulgence time, say howdy to my hellaverse oc! [+ a fic]

Kokabiel, one of Hell’s original celebrities and fashion icons [art by mamma_hisa]

I have a 6k word fic that’s been sitting in my drafts for awhile, and i worked long enough on it so i think it deserves some sunlight

i wrote the first chapter to a lucifer x oc story in an AU where Lilith leaves when Charlie is a baby and Kokabiel accidentally becomes her maternal figure, and it was going to be long but then I never touched it again ☠️ she was made originally made for the fic but she’s so gorgeous and mommy i spent days fleshing her out as my main bbyg.

working on a few things so take this for now to get a taste of her and some morningstar love! no romance, just introductions.

“Charlie, please go to sleep” The pearlescent figure next to the small bed begged the toddler, who was trying to scramble out of his grip and away from the covers that were wrapped around her waist.

The man’s platinum-blonde hair was disheveled, dark bags under his eyes from the lack of sleep that was quite evident on his features as he tiredly pulled the girl back onto the bed, holding her still as she whined against his hands. 

His mouth opened in a wide yawn, his shark-like teeth glinting in the soft light that emanated from the bedside lamp next to him. He blinked slowly, trying to rid himself of the exhaustion that was trying to overtake him, his eyelids beginning to droop even as he continued to wrestle his daughter. 

Charlie shot her father a nasty glare, brows furrowed as she frowned deeply. The bright red spots that graced the chub of her cheeks lowered as her lips curled downward. They were one of the many features she shared with the pale man before her, including those soft, sun-kissed locks and snow-bathed skin. 

She also shared the same tired eyes that met hers sternly, but her mind was too active to allow her body those much-needed hours of rest. 

The rest her father, Lucifer Morningstar, also needed.

“I know you’re sleepy, sweetheart! Just lay still so daddy can get some shut-eye too, hm?”

“No!” Charlie whined, lips puckered in distraught as her strength began to wane. Why would she sleep when she could be playing with her stuffed goats instead?! It just wasn’t fair!

“Yes!” Lucifer commanded, before he growled softly and lifted a finger towards the small child, a glint of golden light lit on the tip of his claw as he pressed it softly against Charlie’s forehead. 

For a moment it flickered against her pale skin, and Lucifer removed his finger as Charlie froze at the sudden tingling sensation.

Her mouth was in the shape of a small o as she tried to get a look at whatever her father had placed on her, but the only clue in her vision was the twinkle of aurum light. A warmth began to seep into her skin, emanating from the magic blooming across her face.

Like a firework launching into the night sky, the tiny orb shot from her forehead up towards the ceiling, before it burst into a flurry of sparks that glimmered in the darkness, casting the walls with their vibrant hues.

The golden light danced above Charlie’s head, her eyes wide and in awe as the golden sparks began to melt into rippling waves that spiraled across the ceiling.

Lucifer flicked off the bedside light, the room darkening slightly as the magic above basked the room in a subtle warm glow as it pulsed rhythmically.

He still sat beside the bed, hand resting limply against Charlie’s chest as the interest in her eyes soon turned to sleepiness, and her eyelids began to droop.

Lucifer watched with a small smile as a magical display began to lull Charlie into sleep, and it only took a few more minutes before her face relaxed into a peaceful expression and her breathing swallowed.

Roughling rubbing a hand down his face with a sigh, Lucifer stood from the floor. His fuzzy pink robe drooped from his shoulders just enough to expose his bare, finely chiseled chest.

Quietly, he tip-toed across the bedroom, stepping over dolls, stuffed animals, and other trinkets that littered the floor. As long as he was careful, he wouldn’t risk waking the child.

Lucifer’s fingers wrapped around the door handle, before he waved his hand in the air, and the golden light dispersed, showering the room in shadows once more.

Cracking open the door just a tad, he slipped into the hallway. Lucifer’s back hit the door’s solid, oak frame as he exhaled a sigh of relief. The fallen angel felt like he could slide down onto the plush red carpet and hibernate right there, but he was the King of Hell, he had too much self-respect for that.

Raking a hand through his disheveled hair, Lucifer began to drag his feet down the hall, fatigue gnawing at his mind as he passed by the large paintings that hung upon the dark red walls, a perfect backdrop to the fair-skinned figures that posed elegantly inside the gold-framed portraits.

A man, his apple-red cheeks practically brushing against the edges of his face as he smiled brightly. A woman stood tall beside him, a dark purple dress hugging her curved figure as she posed regally. Her fingers entwined with her counterpart, their intimacy evident.

Lucifer would take that down, eventually. It only ever reminded him of painful memories, of that violet, sultry gaze through which she would send him as they basked in the warmth of the large fireplace in the large lounge in their castle. 

Wine glasses emptied again and again as the King listened to her gentle humming, her fingers laced with his as she pulled him closer. Her lips left wet, sloppy kisses against his chin. The faint trail of black lipstick as her mouth connected with his in a passionate embrace of body and soul, intertwined.

Lilith, the previous Queen of Hell. Lucifer’s ex-wife, Charlie’s mother.

How long had she been gone now? Lucifer knew the exact day, he practically memorized the minute and hour when she left. When Lilith had sent him one last look from the open front door, her gaze unreadable through the black shades on her face, her honey-colored hair flowing like water around her figure as the two lovers locked eyes for the final time.

“Goodbye, Lou,” Lilith had whispered, her voice like silk against his ears even in such an anguished moment. Strands of hair covered her features as she spoke, shielding her expression as she turned her head, her back facing the fallen angel as she stepped through the threshold. 

Out of his home, out of his world. 

And, Charlie’s too. It’s hard explaining to a child that their mommy went on a very, very long vacation. He’d have the courage to tell her… eventually. Except, that meant she might one day blame him, too.

What could Lilith have been feeling, happiness, sorrow, anger? Lucifer would never know, he had tried so desperately to even understand why she had left in the first place. Had there been signs? An argument of some kind he had forgotten? What had he done wrong, that his first love and the mother of his child, would leave him to care for Charlie and the realm, all alone?

It was Lilith who held most of the influence when it came to the lower-classed demons, her words and songs enlightening the residents of Hell, cultivating the realm like a garden as she watered the needy and uprooted those with dark intentions like invasive weeds.

To the people of Hell, Lucifer was the epitome of complete, ultimate power. The embodiment of pride, and the reminder of who would always have control. 

He was rarely seen in public, especially in his own Ring, full of the very demons he despised the most. Sure, he had his covers on magazines and face plastered all over LuLu World, but that was where it ended.

Instead, the King kept his duties strictly to those most loyal and most powerful. The rest of the Deadly Sins, the Ars Goetia family, and once in a while joining on an overlord meeting. 

As long as they understood who not to cross, the safety and security of his family would never be at risk, if one could even try and pose any threat to one of the first creations. The Morningstar that shone before Lilith, before Earth, before everything.

In all honesty, Lucifer didn’t really do… anything, when it came to his subjects. 

It was Lilith whose appearance was imprinted into the minds of her subjects through her many concerts and powerful political influence. It was she who had given them the confidence to defy Heaven, to stand against their exterminations that plagued the Pride Ring once a year.

Now, Lucifer was left to hold up face, to keep the realm from divulging into chaos, as the stability of the hierarchy of Hell slipped slowly and slowly through his fingers. No matter how many demons he could smite with the snap of his fingers, the sinful on Earth would always be sent to him as punishment, for the both of them. 

He needed to keep them all in line, as respectfully as possible.

Which meant Lucifer was alone to take care of Charlie, who was insanely active and needy for attention, like any demon her age. She couldn’t stay out of trouble, and Lucifer had to juggle her, his own volatile emotions that had been causing him to skip more and more meals, and the piling events that always filled his days this time of the year. 

The annual gatherings with the Ars Goetia that he had to attend symbiotically to keep their unwavering loyalty, the meetings to make sure the rest of the Sins were keeping their rings afloat, and flaunting a little bit of his power to the Overlords in Pentagram City that liked to stir trouble in his own ring.

Hell needed a future so that his daughter would have something to rule over when she came of age and wisdom. No matter how he tried to push the thoughts of his little girl growing up and leaving him, sooner or later, the fledgling would have to leave the nest.

Lucifer could see it, clear as day, his spirit and creative spark deep in her gaze when she listened to his many ideas and visions of what could have been and what surely will be. The way she giggled quietly as he presented her toys of his creation, her soft gaze looking at each little trinket with adoration and inspiration.

If she was anything like the man Lucifer used to be, that meant she would no doubt rebel against his views of Hell and his subjects, and that scared the King. 

Lucifer continued to pass more portraits, dimly lit by the warm glow of the wall lamps dotting the hallway. Pictures of his daughter, the other Sins, and the grand opening of LuLu World. The final portrait next to his bedroom door was a small painting, an almost-perfect recreation of the only Heavenly creation he still held close to his heart. 

The Morning Star.

The large ball of bright, white light illuminated against the oily-black backdrop that was also speckled with smaller, glittering stars. Some shone in vibrant, multi-colored hues that lit the painted night sky with a soft celestial light.

Except, none of those stars shone as bright as his star, the star specifically created for him by a face whose familiarity had been long lost in time. A face that still gnawed at the edge of his mind every time he stared at that painting, those long-buried memories slowly crawling from the depths of his soul.

Maybe, one day, he’d have the strength to remember.

When the door to his room was pushed open softly, Lucifer’s eyes hit the digital clock on his nightstand. It was one in the afternoon, and Charlie would only nap for a few hours before she awakened with renewed energy. 

The toddler has grown restless lately, anxious to see a new face, to take a peek outside of the confines of their large home. No matter how many magical displays Lucifer presented the child, she always grew bored, and that frown was becoming more permanent on her lips as the days passed.

It must be tiring waking up and practically seeing your reflection almost every minute of your day.

There was no one Lucifer could trust in the presence of his daughter, though. No one he could see fit enough to care for her, not even himself. He struggled, being a father, for his little apple pie.

Parenting was not easy, especially when you had no idea what you were doing. It was especially hard when you were too afraid to upset your daughter with stern words and an authoritative voice, which meant the toddler ran the house.

The most powerful being in Hell would have to put his foot down to his little girl… eventually. After this quick nap, maybe. 

The large bed, much too big for only one person, beckoned Lucifer with an irresistible invitation. His legs moved with renewed strength before he fell face flat into the soft, cool duvet that welcomed him kindly. His muscles relaxed instantly, his feet dangling limply from the end of the bed as he finally opened his mind to the idea of sleep.

Slowly, Lucifer’s consciousness began to ebb, and his snores echoed around the room as his mind stilled into blackness.

What he wasn’t aware of, as the fallen angel sunk deeper into the plush, red blankets, was that the small bed on the opposite side of the hall was empty. Its previous inhabitant was currently tottling towards the door to his workshop that had been slightly ajar just across from her bedroom.

With wide eyes, Charlie scanned the room as she poked her head through the crack in the doorway, her little button nose twitching as she drank in all the little knick-knacks and prototypes of fantastical ideas that would never see the light of day.

It was dimly lit, save for the faint red glow pouring in from the large circular window above the desk across the room. There was nothing of interest on its smooth, wooden surface to the tiny awe-struck eyes. Instead, it was the soft, chromatic light that caught her gaze on a low shelf right next door. 

Floating elegantly above a short, circular pedestal were seven glowing rings, stacked above each other a few inches apart with zero gravity. Each held a unique hue, from green to pink, as they lured Charlie with their ethereal glow. If she could lift her little body just slightly onto the chair against the desk, she could reach them. 

What could they be, so pretty just floating like that? They looked just like glow-stick necklaces! Would Daddy think she was pretty if she put them on and showed him?

With a large smile and slightly unsteady steps, Charlie crossed the room, her tiny feet pitter-pattering against the soft carpet as she beelined for the colorful display. When she reached the wooden chair, her chin barely grazed against the cushioned seating as she placed her palms gingerly against its plush surface.

With a mighty heave and a sharp inhale of breath, the toddler began kicking her legs wildly as she tried gaining momentum to hoist herself onto the chair. 

Charlie sputtered for breath as her grip loosened due to her sweaty palms, but then her leg hooked onto the seat railing, which gave her momentarily support to pull herself farther up until her knee grazed the top of the cushion. 

Placing one arm underneath her for support, the toddler reached the other out towards the ring. Her fingers splayed out, the whites of her eyes glowing red as they reflected the ring’s vibrant hue. 

Charlie held her breath, beginning to tip over just as her index finger grazed the very edge of the ring’s surface. Red energy shot down her spine, sending her hair to stick out with static 

The girl barely got a squeak in before she vanished in a burst of lightning that barely resonated a sound as it zapped her away. 

The red ring flickered once, faltering above the rest for only a moment, before it stilled into place.

And the room was empty once more.

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀🤍🤍🤍

On the outskirts of the Pride Ring was a small, white villa nestled against a rocky cliff face, surrounded by tall, black fencing that ended in sharp, spiked ends. Purple magic sizzled off of the tips, a clear warning to anyone who wanted to enter: They would not be welcome.

Inside the powerful barrier, was a large garden filled with a surreal combination of beauty and decay. Vibrant flowers bloomed amidst twisted, blackened trees that seemed to reach out with gnarled branches like skeletal fingers. 

The floral scent that wafted from the blossoms permeated the air, mixed with the slight tinge of sulfur of Hell’s odor.  

Nestled among the dark purple bushes and other hellish flora, were tall snow-white sculptures of men and women, their stone eyes staring lifelessly across the garden’s expanse. 

A diverse cast of figures, short and brawny, too tall and lanky. Each unique from the rest.

Except, for their facial expressions, in which they each held a similar look of terror. As if they had been frozen in place during a time of anguish, of a terrifying encounter that left them to rot inside their pretty stone casks. 

They were positioned across the lawn in a perfect, meticulous manner. As if someone spent day in and day out holed up inside the black fencing, with nothing to do but continuously cultivate their blooming garden. 

One particular statue, which held the image of a goat-like man, staring up at the sky as if in one final prayer, was currently being inspected by a gracefully poised woman standing before it. Painted on his frozen cheek, was a small black lipstick-stained kiss.

From a distance, you’d think she was human. The silky, black dress that hugged her curves was reminiscent of ancient Greek fashion. Her shoulders were fully exposed, garment held up by a high neckline that tickled at her throat as she leisured, a glass of alcohol in her hand.

Her rich, deep brown skin stood out among the pearlescent, marble statues. Practically shimmering against the red hues that basked her home with the midday light. 

An ethereal radiance seemed to seep from her skin, giving her silhouette a faint, golden glow that made her skin shimmer like light on morning dew.

Her hairstyle was similar to a ponytail, a partial updo that sat at the top of her head like a bun, before the long, white locs cascaded down her back.Along with two large strands that framed the sides of her angled face.

The big differential between her and a woman strolling down the street? The horns that graced the top of her head. They curved to end just above her forehead, a black crown that cemented her place as another resident of Hell.

Travel a bit farther down her figure, and you’d find those large, white tendrils of hair that swished as she turned slightly had a funny texture to them that most would mistake for thick braids. 

Except, braids aren’t made of scales, are they? 

At her ankles, a multitude of snakeheads stuck out their tongues, tasting the air as their beady red eyes scanned across the grassy scape. 

They twisted around each other, curling into themselves to keep a tighter form as they wriggled against the woman’s back, interest peaked at their surroundings as their tongues flicked in and out.

Once in a while, a head would spot some small, hellish critter skittering across the yard looking for food. And, before one could blink, its jaws would open wide as it shot forward, pulling slightly at the woman’s scalp as it clamped its maw around the tiny creature.

It would slink back near her ankles, trying to gulp down the tasty delicacy as the other snakes around it poked and prodded for a taste. They hissed and snapped at one another, fighting for a morsel.

The woman turned her head, shooting the reptilian mass a glare as they wrapped around her legs. Milky white pools met multiple red, glowing eyes as they slunk back slightly at her scolding, giving time for the one snake to finish gobbling up his snack without fuss.

The two smaller serpents that framed her face weren’t as long as the rest of their siblings, instead reaching to her breasts as they lazily rested on the fabric of her dress. 

Tenderly, the woman lifted an arm, and her shorter serpent curled delicately around her hand, until its head rested gingerly on her palm. 

Gently, she brushed a thumb along its snout, and it hissed softly with pleasure, its eyes closing shut as it nestled farther into her warm skin.

“Jameson, another margarita, please.”

“Yes, Lady Kokabiel,” a small imp butler bowed, his cropped, curly white hair bouncing slightly as he lowered his head. 

Turning, the imp trotted towards a shaded area underneath a weeping willow tree, its low-hanging branches that grazed against his shoulders were dark red, shielding the large mixture of alcohol from the heat of the day as he poured another glass of the blue liquid.

When Jameson returned, Kokabiel handed him the empty glass before plucking the margarita from his grasp. She sent him an appreciative smile, her white freckles sparkling like starlight as they curved with her lips.

She swirled the alcohol in the glass, watching the small vortex for a few moments, before lifting it to her lips and taking a sip. 

That’s how Kokabiel spent most of her days in Hell, nowadays. Getting a buzz off of fruity liquor and fawning over her snakes, as she lounged in her garden with no one to bother her. 

It had been a long time since she left the spotlight, previously a fashion and sex icon, Kokabiel had flaunted her good looks and curves to promote all kinds of products and events, dominating the biggest runways. She even starred in a couple of A-list movies, growing her until she reached the peak of stardom.

Kokabiel had earned her place at the top of the pyramid, right next to many older, successful celebrities in the industry. Lilith was a big name, even bigger than Koko’s with how beautiful of a singer she was, pulling in fans like a siren with her honeyed voice. 

Even with such cutthroat competition, Kokabiel never felt that she was fading out of the audience’s vision with how fast her mailbox would fill with writings from her fans

Fanart, declarations of love written in sparkly pink ink, and invitations to large parties and prestigious events. Even now, she still received fan mail here or there, although they were usually left unanswered. 

She had never wanted to retire in the first place, her plans for the future only confining to grow bigger by the day. Until one night, during a party hosted by the overlords of the city, was Kokabiel confronted with an ultimatum. 

“I know your secret,” he had smiled devilishly. That flat-faced, know-it-all smirk the man sent her one evening, as he confronted her in the darkness of a hallway. 

“What secret?” Kokabiel laughed dryly, shooting him a question glare. 

“Oh, you know,” his pixelated eyes lifted to the darkened sky through the ceiling-high windows nearby, Heaven’s white glow cascading through the panes, “The one about where you really came from, not the Lust Ring lie you like to spin to the audience.” 

The alcoholic buzz in Kokabiel’s system faded in an instant, and her snakes coiled against her back, hissing loudly as she shot him a deathly glare. It had seemed he had chosen to give the news from a safe distance, too far for her snakes to reach. A smart man. 

How did he find out, and what did he plan to do with that information?

That smile of his had only widened further, giddy at the fact he had her in his grasp. He could pull the strings, keep her away from his industry. This secret, that he had only stumbled upon accidently, was going to make sure she stayed gone.

Kokabiel had never caused trouble, never flaunted her power to rise up Hell’s hierarchy, never made any public displays of how easily she could rip demon’s souls out of their bodies if they got too close. 

Nor did any demon claim to be owned by her, as they were too busy being decorative pieces to tell their tale. 

Kokabiel’s presence was a mystery to her powerful counterparts. Her aura was too clean, too ethereal to be a sinner or an average hellborn. But, she had never actually said the words ‘Yes, I’m from Heaven.’ 

She didn’t need to, anymore. After that little conversation, the talking TV had made a deal. Keep that pretty face away from the cameras, and his lips were sealed for eternity. 

Kokabiel had announced her retirement a day later, not answering a single question about why or where she was going. Those cameras and microphones that had gotten shoved in her face received no words as received hurried into her limo. 

How could Kokabiel, someone whose face was once plastered onto entire sides of buildings, fall so hard because of some up-and-coming overlord with the intent to control the masses? She’d had bigger spats with the paparazzi on the side of the street than this!

Now, she didn’t have to worry about those annoying flies anymore, with their constant flashes that always anguished her snakes and the peppering of questions.

Finally away from any prying eyes and those awful, bright flashes that plagued every step Kokabiel took out in public. Here, she could do and say anything, without someone waiting to jump at the opportunity to sell a shitty, non-contextual picture to the highest tabloid bidder.

Solitude gets boring, though. Even with her snakes to crawl over and her garden to tend, one could only vent to the marble figures for so long before they felt their sanity slipping.

That was until an imp had squeezed his way through the thick pickets of her fence, those short white curls singed at the tips from the magic that stung him. 

Whatever was chasing the small man was more dangerous as he continued to beeline toward the bushes that could shelter him.

The imp had turned his head, catching the sight of his pursuers as they reached the fence. Three burly, tall shark demons roared as his tiny frame sped off.

That only led him to meet horns first into the stomach of the owner of the fence, and the land he was currently trespassing on. With an oomph he landed on hit, gaze darting at the being standing above him.

Kokabiel had quirked a brow, unamused as she wiped the dirt from the front of her dress. It wasn’t until one shark demon rammed into the fence, did she lifted her head and a dark frown played on her lips. 

He had seen it, the power behind her gaze, when the loan sharks blew up one of her favorite rose bushes as they broke through the gates.

“How dare you,” she had hissed, her white gaze boring into the thugs, glowing with a much fiercer intensity as she bared her teeth, “Get out!” 

The imp had flinched, but Kokabiel’s anger was not directed at him as she stepped right above his quivering body, and he could feel the soft grazing of scales against his raised arms before he turned to watch the woman continue to meet the loan sharks halfway.

“Not without our little friend there,” one sneered, his teeth glinting as he gave the woman a silent warning of his strength.

“Unfortunate that you aren’t the one making the demands,” she retorted, putting herself between the sharks and their prey. 

With a loud, collective hiss, the bodies of her snakes lifted, encircling her head, and they opened their maws with extended fangs, displaying their own grim warning with bright red eyes.

The aggressor didn’t like that so much, as he opened he pulled out a large, glowing steel-laced ax and charged right for the duo. The imp squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the killing blow. 

The Kokabiel’s pupils shifted from that starlit glint into black pools of emptiness, and the air sizzled with a powerful energy right as the shark-faced man swung his weapon to connect with her shoulder. At the last moment, the fallen angel ducked and backpedaled, right as one of her snakes lashed forward, jaw wide to reveal twin, deadly fangs and struck the demon right in the eye. 

The scales of her snakes pulsed with a golden shimmer, and the demon’s mouth opened in a painful scream as his feet took on an ivory color, hardening to stone. 

The other sharks near him tensed, the rage on their faces instantly draining as their comrade's feet cemented to the ground, that stone plague creeping farther up his waist as he writhed in place, clutching his eye as black blood seeped from the large gash. 

They took a step back, then another, and another as the only blubber left on the struggling man was his large head. His teeth gnashed in mixture of anger and pain, but his good eye only showed fear, right as it was glazed over by white stone.

After that, the rest of the loan sharks had fled, huffing and puffing as they tumbled through the broken fence. 

Then, the snake that had bit the demon began to convulse, writhing with an open maw like it had something stuck in its throat as black blood from its victim landed on the grass below.

Like some hellish form of mitosis, the scales of the serpent began to stretch and split, revealing a mirrored version of the reptile that began to take form and separate from its twin. 

With wide eyes, the imp watched the two snakes finally , this new, fresh face shaking its head in confusion, before the rest of the scaly follicles began to surround and inspect their new friend with flicking tongues.

Kokabiel only watched the demons scurry off, before she sighed and adjusted her dress. Pivoting, she turned to face the imp, her arms crossed as she regarded him curiously. 

The scrawny demon gulped as he stared wide-eyed. Was he next?

“What’s your name?”

“W-what?” The imp replied hoarsely.

“Your name. You have one, don’t you?”

“it’s… Jameson, madam,” 

“Thank you, and I assume they’ll kill you if you try and go back into the city?”

Jameson nodded slowly, rising tentatively from the ground to look up at the woman. 

“Well, it seems you are out of options, Jameson,” Kokabeil had quirked a brow, a small smile on her lips, “but, it appears I’m in need of a butler. What do you say to free room and board in exchange for your services? I’ll let you keep your soul, I promise.” 

He had looked at her, suspicion in his gaze as his eyes darted to the snakes that coiled around her, shooting him hungry glares. How could someone with power like that be so… nice? If it were any overlord back in the city, they’d have taken his soul and his free will.

But, the offer didn’t sound too bad, and she didn’t look crazy. Just… lonely. Maybe, staying here would be so bad.

That’s how Jameson had begun working for the retired celebrity he now called master. Weirdly, he didn’t do many things a butler would do.

Sure, he cleaned and was at her beck and call most of the time, but Kokabiel did most of the things on her own. She cooked, tended to her garden which was slowly growing by the day, and kept up on the juicy rumors that circled the city. 

Usually, Jameson spent the day as entertainment for her. As an ex-clown in the circus, Jameson had a few tricks up his sleeve he’d showcase for the fallen angel, and she seemed to eat it up with amusement.

Kokabiel’s thoughts towards him? He wasn’t exactly sure. Obviously, she was much kinder to him than anyone else he’d worked for, but her zipped lips on anything related to her past or what kind of demon she was made him unsure.

There were times she got… sad. That was the best way to put it. Jameson never saw her cry or have a tantrum, but sometimes she’d get so sullen even her snakes seemed rather depressed.

And, once a year there was a day that Kokabiel would lock herself away in her room, and would not call for him at all the entire day. Not even for food to feed her snakes. What could make her so depressed for that one day? A lost loved one? Her death day, perhaps? 

She rarely mentioned her influential era as one of the largest fashion icons and models Hell had seen, although she didn’t need to with her collection of the seductive, sultry gazes she on the many ripped out pages of magazine covers she had framed on her walls. 

The few times he did go into the city, heavily disguised to run errands for Kokabiel, he’d pick up the newest tabloids or fill her ears with the latest gossip circling the entertainment industry.

“That’s what that old fart is up to now?” She had chuckled about an old acquaintance as she moisturized her snakes with a scale-safe lotion, “He used to be an A-list actor, and now he’s selling retinol cream? Ha!” 

The snakes had hissed with a chuckle-like sound, mirroring their mother as she coddled them. They still made Jameson nervous, even after all these years, they had a mind of their own, each individual one it appeared. But, they all seemed to have the same thoughts when it came to him: hungry.

Watching the snake finish its snack made Jameson a little uneasy as Kokabiel turned away from the statue and she took another sip of her drink.

“I’m getting tired, Jameson. I think I'm going to go inside, maybe take a nice, warm bath to relax.” 

“Would you like me to get the water heated?”

“No, thanks. I can do it myself.” She said, beginning to walk towards the patio doors. 

Jameson’s eyes flicked past her shoulder, at the very moment the statue began to sizzle with a powerful energy that even made his curls stand on end. 

Red sparks erupted from the front of the statue, right on the pedestal it was standing on which raised a few feet in the air. Jameson could only stare in disbelief as the sparks began to swirl like a vortex, until they burst and sprayed like confetti and a figure materialized an inch off the marble surface.

The tiny stranger landed with a quiet oomf, before she stood on her feet with a slight wobble, her little hands held out in front of her for balance. 

Jameson’s eyes flew open at the sight. It was a child! Her platinum-blonde hair disheveled, and her large eyes were darting around the area with confusion and fear. 

When her eyes landed on him, she took a tiny step back, her eyes growing wide as she stared nervously at the new face. 

“M-m-madam!” Jameson finally croaked, his finger pointed towards the girl with a slight quiver as he tried to get the words out. 

“What..?” Kokabiel quirked an eyebrow at his stammering figure. Jameson’s eyes never left the strange girl, and she slowly followed his gaze to the statue.

The toddler and the fallen angel locked eyes, before Kokabiel’s mouth fell open and she stood there silently for a few moments. Charlie’s eyes widened, and she pulled her arms to herself in comfort at the shocked faces.

“What…. is this?” Kokabiel finally spoke slowly, eyes trained on the little being standing awkwardly on the statue. Her snakes lifted their heads slightly, tongues flicking the air as they tried to get a scent of the girl.

“It’s a child, madam,” Jameson whispered.

“I know that! But, how did it get here? What’s the point of having a magical fence if everybody can just walk right through it?!”

“She didn’t get through the fence, madam!” Jameson squeaked, shaking his head furiously as he explained, “She just… appeared here, like out of thin air! I saw it all!”

How could that be possible? There’s no way a child could harness such strong magic. It must be some kind of illusion, trickery by a powerful demon trying to use her empathy to get the best of her!

“You!” Kokabiel pointed an accusatory finger at Charlie, taking a small step forward “How did you get in my garden?”

“Um…” Charlie started, but her words—of what little she had—died in her throat. She only took a step backward, trying to escape from the attention 

“You’re trespassing on private property!” Kokabiel continued to stalk forward, she was only a few feet away now, her snakes becoming antsy as they curled around her, hissing softly.

“Oh…”

“Who are you?” 

Charlie took another step back, her hair grazing the leg of the marble figure. Where was she? 

“…Char—eep!”

Charlie’s heel hit the foot of the statue, and she tripped, her back hitting its leg as she slid awkwardly sideways. Her tiny fingers grasped desperately at the smooth, white stone, but to no avail, as she tumbled right off the edge of the pedestal.

Jameson squeaked in terror, before throwing his hands over his eyes to protect him from any grisly sight. He heard Kokabiel gasp, but no sickening thump or terrible crack of bones meeting the firm ground.

Slowly, he splayed his fingers and lowered his hands, his eyes widening. He stood there gobsmacked at the scene, mouth agape in silence. 

Yes, Charlie had been unable to save herself, falling helplessly in the air…. right into the arms of a shocked Kokabiel. 

Kokabiel stared wide-eyed at her own reaction to the split second of instinct that propelled her to catch the child. Charlie was tightly secured in her hands, being held at arm's-length as far as possible. 

Charlie blinked, before her eyes met those glowing white pupils with a slowly growing smile. She had one hand wrapped around the wrist of the taller woman, as she lifted up her free hand and sent a small, shy wave.

“Hi!”

[art i commissioned for the chapter by ruspettaa]

woahhh nice little(ha!) introduction to my oc, with some cute art of charlie! If I were to ever continue writing this fic, the relationship would be more focused on charlies than lucifers, at least at first. Slow-burn/co-parenting kinda thing bc Koko can def exist without being a relationship with our handsome king. she’s sipping margaritas free as a bird rn.

kokabiel is a loosely based version of the biblical figure with the same name who created the stars and constellations. One of the reasons she fell was for teaching humanity astronomy. A few others fell with her too, but she instead melded into demon society instead of her heavenly counterparts.

the only people that know of her true identity are Hell’s royalty, and Stolas probably has a signed autograph of hers somewhere around his office seeing as his duties are closely bound with her creations.

she’s a business woman too, though i am trying to figure out whether she sells snake-skinned accessories as a fashion line or diluted venom that’s a psychedelic drug which makes you feel all euphoric and stuff. l

I also have no idea who her voice claim is 😭 i imagine it being smooth and buttery like Beyoncé, but i’m sure there’s other voices similar to hers that I haven’t found yet.

i’ve got a comm [by wkyarts51243] in the works that will be styled closer to the show, so here’s a sneak peak i guess ☠️ I’d say her height is slightly shorter than charlie (not counting her horns lol), but I haven’t settled yet.

i have more art (one of her and luci hehe), which i might share either. but you can have the full version of the first art pic, with an extra piece from the same artist 🤭

also making this post so i can cement her backstory and stop changing it up ☠️ it’s its writing officially now yall

anyway, enough rambling, back to writing!! have a great weekend 🤍

[jjunberry]

a little after midnight~ 🧸 DK

the sun had set awhile ago. but the boys were still messing around with different games and drinking different drinks. you sat back on the couch watching them mess around. occasionally laughing at something silly they did. your eyes followed your boyfriend most of the night.

seokmin invited you over to hang out. you agreed so you could spend time with him. the night wasn’t supposed to keep going this late. after your long work day all you wanted was to cuddle your boyfriend.

a little after midnight seokmin finally started to lose energy. you were secretly thankful he was getting tired. he walked towards you with a lazy smile. “hey love, ready for bed?” you asked. seokmin nodded eagerly. smiling you took his hand and the two of you made your way to his bedroom.

since seokmin was already in pajamas, you took yours to the bathroom to change and get ready for bed. he whined as you left leaving you giggling softly. “babeeeee hurry up.” his voice carried. quickly you got dressed and washed your face before joining him.

he was star-fished on the bed. you leaned against the door frame. seokmin must have felt your presence because he peeked his eye open and patted his chest.

this was your favorite part about staying over with him. the cuddles. you laid down cuddled into his side with your head resting on his chest. his heart beat was fast but it would slow soon. “did you have fun tonight?” you asked softly. he hummed in response his fingers going to your hair. “did you?” he asked in reply.

“i always have fun when i’m with you.” seokmin’s chest rattled as he laughed. “i always have fun too.” he kissed your head before playing with your hair again.

your eyes felt heavy. one last kiss to his chest and a small “i love you” you finally let sleep in. seokmin noticed your breath even. he smiled before covering you both with the blanket and closing his eyes.

safe to say over breakfast the next morning the boys teased him for turning in early and going soft for you. he smiled proudly because of course he is, he loves you!

-

requested! from @mirxzii <3

author’s note! sorry for the wait, i had work :( buttt i hope you enjoyed i <3 soft dk

love, Echo 🖤

© jjunberry

[redheadspark]

3. “We’ve known each other for so long. I can’t imagine my life - myself - without you anymore. And I really don’t want to.”

9. When they were in elementary school, they created a secret language to avoid their teachers reading their notes they passed back and forth in class. Now one of them uses that language to write a love letter.

with Ominis

A/N - STELLA! I love this for Ominis! He's been growing on me, thanks for requesting this, bestie!

Senses

Summary - Ominis finds ways to connect with you, which makes him fall for you more and more

Warnings - Just fluff!

Being blind since birth, Ominis had to rely on his other senses when it came to communication. 

Although his wand was an essential tool in both navigating around the castle and even conducting his work in class, Ominis still relied on his other senses.  It was now second nature to him to listen for certain foot patterns, the touch of his fingertips along surfaces to remember where he was, even tasing his favorite treats in Honeydukes or in the Great Hall during a meal.  

But when you came along and became his close friend, he developed a new “sense” when it came to communicating with you. 

He was used to chatting with Sebastian from dawn to dusk, his best friend and longest friend that he’s had at Hogwarts.  But there are times when it was tiring after hearing plenty of Sebastian rants and banter.  He dared his friend, he truly did, but he like the silence of the world around him every once in while.  Especially when his mind was too occupied with his family drama or the stress from school.  

The first thing that devleoped between you two, was touch.  

After the whole fiasco of your fifth year and all that you went through from Autumn to Spring, Ominis knew you too needed some space very once in awhile from school and your friends.  Things were going back to normal, though it was taking longer than expected, but they were.  No longer were there threats of goblins or poachers around the school or beyond, the students were going back to classes again as if nothing happened. But Ominis knew that you couldn’t forget it, you couldn’t go back to class normally anymore or simply enjoy the rest of your year in peace. 

So when he sat next to you, he left the palm of his hand open and upwards for you to take.  Whether it was on top of a table at The Three Broomsticks or sitting together under one of the massive trees in the courtyard at Hogwarts, he left this hand open for you to take.  Every time he did, you would take it.  Feeling his cool palm against your own, your calloused skin rubbing against his warm one, it was an anchor for the pair of you.  And unspoken way to telling the other that you were there and present.  There were times it was nice and light, you enjoying the sun setting and Ominis feeling the cool breeze on his face. Other times it was hard, tears maybe flowed or one would perch their head on another’s shoulder for comfort.  

But every time, you would still take his hand, and he would feel his heart grow a bit fonder for you.

The next sense that Ominis loved with you was sound.

He knew the crunching of leaves on the cobbles stone outside the school grounds, the scratching of quills of parchment, even the snickering of Peeves down the hall.  With you, he listened to your humming.  You would hum all the time, whether walking to and from class or reading your book.  Humming was a pass time for you, something you did without realizing it.  

Ominis loved hearing you hum, it was a soothing melody that would be in his ears and brighten his day instantly.  He could hear you coming down the hall with a pep in your step and the humming sound so light and airy.  That’s when he knew you were having a good day, you two walking side by side and your humming was floating over your heads.  

Other days, he knew you weren’t yourself in the way you hummed, or not hum at all.  Your bad days or days filled with guilt were hard for him to witness, you voice falling silent during class or as you were sitting on a bench with a book in hand.  It made him feel worse when he didn’t know how to help you at first, but he came up with a good idea one rainy afternoon in the library.  You were sitting against the window, looking through the stained glass to see the massive rain drops slide down the window with ease.  

Ominis tilted his head in your direction, not hearing you hum as he tapped his fingers nervously against the study desk in front of him.  Maybe the idea he had was horrible, it would not work in his favor and he would look like a fool.  But he was not going to let you sit in silence and in sadness.

So he cleared his throat, and started to hum.

You instantly looked over at him as he was humming, though it sounded a bit mushed together and uneven.  But still, it made you break out into a grin as Ominis was still attempting to hum along and keep his voice down before the librarian found hear him.  Ominis did sound out of tune, which made you giggle and hide your mouth behind your hand as Ominis smiled and stopped his humming.  

“Were you trying to hum the Hogwarts School song?” You had to ask him.  Ominis snorter and glared in your direction as you laughed again.

“I’m obviously not as good as you!” He retorted, then you two were laughing in your small little nook.  He was glad that he did hum though, hearing you laugh and almost feeling your warmth all over again from his simple gesture for you.  Though it was short lived when the Librian whirled around the corner and shushed the pair of your abruptly.  

You both snuck of the library in giggles and fits before she could get you two in trouble.  

Lastly, his sense of taste became greater thanks to you.

You two became a couple your 7th years, Ominis finally getting the courage to ask you out on a date into Hogsmeade during the holiday season and you accepted it with no hesitation. 

“We’ve known each other for so long. I can’t imagine my life - myself - without you anymore. And I really don’t want to.” Ominis confessed to you as he asked you on the date. He was surprised that you did, though he was scared that you would only see him as a friend.  But you both walked together along the path that lead to the cozy village, snow falling around you and he was finally able to hold your hand as your date and new boyfriend.  If he could, he would fly on a broom with how happy he was feeling in that moment.

To call you his girlfriend, not just his best friend.  

You both wanted to go to Honeydukes first before going to The Three Broomsticks, you asking him to stop at the sweet shop right away since you wanted to grab a few treats to keep in your dorm.  Ominis couldn’t say no to you, since he too wanted to grab some treats for his train ride home to see his parents in two weeks.  He offered to stay with you at Hogwarts since you weren’t going to go home for the holiday season, but you reassured him that you had Natty and Poppy Sweeting to hang out with whom were staying at the castle as well. 

Popping into the shop, you gravitated over to the Lemon Drops that were on display near the Pumpkin Pasties.  You knew the shop owner rather well since you were a regular patron of his shop, your eyes glazing over the Lemon Drops as the show owner walked over to the pair of you.

“I just made them this morning, and I have a special box for you since I knew you’re my best customer for these,” he explained to her, Ominis had to smile as you giggled and anticipation and thanked him.  Ominis himself loved breathing in the treats of the shop, including Chocolate Frogs.  Those were his favorite, and he was about to ask the shop owner where the Chocolate Frogs were when you slipped one of the dark blue pentagon packages in his hand.

“Thought you would like one.  I’ll buy this time, and you owe me a Buttebeer so we can call it even,” You explained, Ominis blushing as you then took a singular Lemon Drop in your fingers and gestured to the candy, “Here, wanna try it?”

He nodded, feeling you place the candy very gently along his lips as a sign for him to open his mouth.  The candy slipped in, the sour and tang hitting his tongue instantly as he then felt something else touch his lips like velvet caress. It was one of your fingers, and Ominis felt his heart stop for a singular moment from that notion that he tasted your fingers.

Stained in sugar from the candy, but still just as delicious.

“How was it?” You asked, not realizing that Ominis was going to have a small heart attack from the simple task of tasting your fingers.  He was glad that it was just the pair of you now since the shop owner walked on to talk to another cluster of students that came in.  Finally, when he found his voice, he sounded a bit nervous but still with a smile on his face.

“Sour…but delicious,” He replied.  It turned out to be the best night he had with you as his girlfriend, and something you two would remember years down the road. 

The End

June Prompt Session

[l3xdrigo]

I had silly thoughts run into my mind, Regulus igniting Vertin's passion to do art again by showing her an abandoned wall and bringing spray paint.

Vertin is more traditionally on painting but she has known about spray paint and has been wanting to try them for a long time and Regulus gives her the opportunity to test them out.

When first picking up one of the spray cans, she's not sure what she wants to create, what type of mural or artwork. Vertin is pretty unfamiliar on how to work with such a big canvas, and with a tool she hasn't quite got the grasp of yet. Regulus comes back with a bunch of paint buckets and big and small paintbrushes "What are these for? " "To help us with the painting of course, I may not be the best at any painting stuff but this pirate is passionate in anything art based and the freedom of expression! " Regulus happily chimed.

Vertin was grateful but she's not sure what to make yet, so she asked Regulus who gave her one of the buckets of paint, puzzled, she looks at Regulus "what am I supposed to do with this? "

"Throw it of course! Throw it against the wall and watch it splatter, let it be messy, let your artwork be free. It has been awhile since you last painted yes? So why not let all your creative ideas out now? "

Vertin looks at Regulus and then to the paint bucket in her hands, the swirling color inside it, she knows what she needs to do. Taking a slight step back, she throws the paint out of the bucket towards the wall, making a huge splatter to it and some to themselves as well. Regulus let's out a cheer "There ya go! Now, Let's get painting!"

Splashes of colors added to the wall, the more added, the more Vertin felt free. The paint flowing down like raindrops, the lines of contrasting colors overlapping each other, using the spray paints to add more texture and little designs and details. It was messy yes, but it was free, Regulus smiling wildly as she continues to paint the already very colorful wall, this felt nice, it felt great. Vertin was smiling, laughing even at times where they get hit with splashes of paint, Regulus's joy has been contagious and seeing Vertin happy made Regulus even more joyful.

After finally finishing their artwork, both sat down on the ground, facing what they've created. It was a messy mural, with designs of their interest, a music disk, some doves, a golden thread, butterflies and much more. Both were covered in paint and colors, it'll take a while to get them off but that's the least of their worries for now. "I think this pirate can say that, that is one beautiful mural" "It is, thank you Regulus, for bringing me out here and doing this" "No problem, you've been cooped up in that office for days now, I think you deserved a break.. And you did tell me you liked painting so, this was the best idea I could come up with" "One of the ideas you had that didn't end in disaster *pfft*" "Oi-"

Both bickered for a bit, laughing and giggling like children. It's moments like these that make all the work and sacrifices worth it, even with the weight of responsibility of being the timekeeper, others are lending a hand to carry the weight, just like Regulus. Both sat there, as the sun sets and hope rebuilds.

(Or platonic soulmate Reguvert my beloveds<333)

Bonus:

As both sat quietly, a song from the radio that Regulus brought suddenly plays "Oh hell yeah! I love this song.. Say Vertin, do you dance? "

The timekeeper pondered for a bit and gave her an answer "I do, why? "

"Well, would you like to dance with this pirate? I think that'll be fun"Regulus stood up and stretched out her hand, Vertin, slightly surprised by the sudden request, but accepted it, taking Regulus's hand into hers.

" Though be aware that this pirate may not be the best at dancing, but will certainly try her best" It's been awhile since both had danced, and more so with someone but none of that mattered right now, they're just here to have fun. Dancing to the beat of the music, as both moved to the rhythm, a few slip up's here and there but is still going strong. Going with the flow of the music, both have actually made a good dancing pair, being able to move to the rhythm easily and adjusting their movements to near perfection. Despite not even having steps in mind, both have their own, synchronized and adapting as the music goes on. It felt like walking on air as they continued to dance, they kept this on till the music ended and both were exhausted.

"I must say, you're a great dancer Regulus"

"Thanks, you're not half bad yourself, we should do this more often" "I'll check if my schedule can free up a bit"

They realized that it was near dark soon, both headed back into the suitcase, walking and talking about their interest, plans and anything really. They've grown into each other's company, and they wouldn't have it any other way, a captain and her second best mate, a bellwether and her first follower.

[pyr0-kai]

Scars.

Mike Schmidt x reader

Movie spoilers if you haven’t seen it yet ‼️‼️

Angsty, a hint of injury/scars, a bit of fluff, and bad writing and mike might be a little ooc? Let me know your opinions :)

This song was my inspo as well

You had known mike for awhile before the whole Freddy’s Pizzeria incident. You had met him as a security guard at the local mall, before he got fired for beating up someone in the fountain. He had mentioned needing a babysitter to watch his sister, as he got a new, and somewhat suspicious nightshift job. You were happy to help, as you only lived a few houses down from his.

Mike has always been a closed off person, but he seemed to be opening up a bit towards you. Simple things such as having you stay a little while after he comes home, or inviting you to eat dinner together as the 3 of you, or joining you and Abby to watch cartoons after school. It seemed to make him happier to see you with his sister, and being comfortable at his home.

You we’re often worried though, when he came home with bandages on him, or blood marks on his shirt. Abby would be deep into sleep when he came home. You would ask him how work was, and he would just mumble something incoherently. He tried to hide the damage from you. When you asked if he was okay, or tried to help him with the blood on his arms at times, he would thank you for watching his sister, mumble a goodbye then turn and shut himself in his bedroom.

It was awkward, but you understand thats part of how he was. The most confusing part though, is how he used to often lounge around in sweats and a t-shirt. Especially when it was hot outside, his house having little to no AC. But now it seemed like he was always wearing long sleeve shirts or coats inside, especially around you. This was concerning as it was summer, the sun blazing and hot. You could see the sweat beeding all over his little exposed skin.

One day though, you finally asked what was up, worrying he could get heatstroke or something, especially as the temperature only seemed to increase outside. He only seemed to brush you off.

“I’m fine [Y/N].”

“Mike, you’re drenched in sweat… what’s making you act like this??”

“Nothing.”

Then he just huffed, walking into his room and shutting the door, not before you put your foot in the doorway before it fully shut. Mike was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing away from the door, hoodie thrown on the floor, and he was looking down, head in his hands*

You shut the door before stepping cautiously towards him, hearing slight, sniffling? You walked over and sat next to him on the bed, trying to get him to look at you.

“Mike, sweetheart, what’s wrong? I’m just trying to help” you ask, cautiously.

He finally drops his arms onto his knees, and turns his head towards you, his various scars and gashes from the animatronics at Freddy’s.

“I’m sorry [Y/N] I just feel like a freak, and I don’t want to scare you away. I don’t think you’ll believe me. Its that place… Freddy’s. I have had nightmares there… then woke with these nasty gashes.” he says, sniffing and on the brink of tears.

Wordlessly, you pull him into a tight hug, rubbing his back before speaking.

“Hey… its okay, It’s nothing that would scare me… I believe you. I’d call those battles scars… you fought, and you survived. Abby, Vanessa and I are all so proud of you”

You pull back from the hug, and gently take his arm in your hand and kiss the scar softly, then taking his other arm and doing the same. Mike looks at you shocked, and turns to make eye contact with you. Then he pulls you close and sobs into your shoulder for a while before pulling back and speaking.

“T-thank you… I needed to hear that… I just… I’m so tired and hurt… I just. Don’t want you to think I’m crazy, like most people think”

Your heart breaks at his words. You just hold him as he lets out his sobs. After a minute or two, he starts to calm down

“Hey, You’re not crazy. I can understand. You’re strong, and you work so hard, for Abby, for yourself. She really loves you.”

a quiet pause floats between you two for a beat, before you speak again.

“Would you want to lay down with me for a bit?”

He sniffles and responds

“Y-yeah… please…”

You adjust and roll to lay on your back, motioning for Mike to lay with you. He wipes his face with his hand and flops down next to you, putting his head on your chest.

“Is this okay?” He asks.

“Yes” you reply.

You two lay there together, as he slowly falls asleep next to you. Then you kiss his forehead gently, close your eyes and whisper.

“I love you…”

Little did you know, he wasn’t full asleep yet and he smiled, knowing deep down he loves you too…

[rite4fun]

used to you

i need you guys to know this was only supposed to be a short blurb but i got carried away then tried to rein it back bc i felt it getting too long and now, this is what you guys get so enjoy heheehehehe // also someone tell me i’m not the only one who has had rickyl invade their feed (not that i’m complaining)

i also scheduled this to go up last night and it didn’t so 😑

18+ content

••

it had been you two from the start, you and daryl falling easily together. as strangers to acquaintances to friends to lovers.

the pair of you had just meshed unbelievably well and no one could stop it, not that they would want too. you guys complimented each other with your sweet softness and his edgy strength, both bringing out something the other needed.

with everything you both went through, landing in a community that called for settling was the last thing you guys expected but it was welcomed.. atleast for some of your group.

it took awhile for your groups leader, rick, to realize that it was safe, seemingly struggling the most out of everyone despite needing this equally as much.

but something about watching you and daryl fall into a routine: waking up in the morning, sharing breakfast before parting for the day, only to come back together at dusk to eat dinner before falling into bed together- it all made him feel like it was okay to just.. be, for now.

and he was, he could handle coming home after a long day of work to no one but his kids and crawling into an empty bed- until he wasn’t.

because somewhere in your sweet soul, you began helping with the kids, making sure breakfast was served for everyone, bidding farewell from the porch with baby judith stuck to your hip, then greeting everyone cheerfully with dinner and equally charming dismissals of sweet dreams.

you’d given him a taste of what domestic life was like and that would have been fine too, he could find someone to fill that space- except they wouldn’t ever reach the level of grace and love, you exuded in your actions for him and his kids.

all of it, had him looking at you differently.

finding himself laughing harder at your dumb jokes, making fickle eye contact, constant fidgeting with his clothes or hair, and following you like a damn puppy whenever you were near.

and it was no secret to daryl or you. having found his newfound traits towards you to be a tad amusing.

daryl figured it out first; always the best observer, he found his friends eyes lingering longer than normal on you. saw the way he went out of his way sometimes to just speak to you but he’d never touch.

while you; a woman, well.. don’t woman know everything? it wasn’t exactly rocket science to figure it out with the way he fumbled his words around you and constantly asked your opinions on things that held no real weight.

daryl kept quiet on the matter whereas the minute you caught whiff of ricks growing crush, you had giddily told him.

there wasn’t much else that came of it, daryl wasn’t threatened nor worried and you basked under the extra attention while rick remained oblivious to both of your acknowledgment of his clear infatuation.

but resisting you was daryls biggest downfall and he knew, with time, rick would eventually want to cave into his desires too. that’s when he questioned you on the matter again, wanting to find out just exactly how you felt about it all, along with the what ifs.

with the sun setting, the fire sizzled along with the chatter of people around him. daryl sat in a lawn chair, legs bent and spread with the neck of a beer held loosely in one hand as his hooded eyes followed your figure.

you; who had taken advantage of the humid weather to doll yourself up in a short sundress that swayed with the light wind every now and then, stood across the grassy area. your hands animated as you gleefully spoke to maggie and rosita.

since you’ve left his lap, he has done nothing but follow you with his eyes as you bounce from one group to another. you’d had a few sips of some fruity cocktail someone had made, the lightweight you were showcased even more as you became more touchy to everyone willing to accept your loving affection.

it amused him more than anything, better than any pointless conversations that surrounded him.

there was a light sheen layered over your warm skin, glistening under the little light left from the sky. daryl swallows a gulp of his beer to ease his sudden bout of thirst, sometimes you mindlessly walk around like a wet dream of his and it was so fucking infuriating that others get to witness the absolute vision you are.

as if sensing his heated gaze, you break from the conversation to lock eyes with him before a smile spreads across your lips at his obvious desire.

he’d hope his eyes said enough that you’d come bounding back to him and sit back in his lap to sedate the growing fire in the pit of his stomach but you only send him a playful wink and turn back to the girls infront you.

you like the chase, he knows that.

and he plans to come join you, hoping his touch would rein you back in enough to make you follow him back home and fall into bed together except he doesn’t even get the chance to stand before another presence enters the small group.

rick holds a glass of water in one hand, the other brushing your elbow as it comes back in the middle of your fit of expression, his touch startles you for a second before you laugh at something he says and continue on with your story- entrancing the group once again.

daryl’d probably find himself stuck on you too if not for the fact that this is the first time he has seen rick touch you in some way. it clearly meant nothing but a form of protection from his stomach that you almost hit as he approached you from behind but it was also something new.

rick stands close to you, so close that you occasionally brush against him with the slightest drunken movements. even across the ways, daryl can sense the clear excitement that comes from the other man at the simplest touches.

there’s no hiding from his glaringly obvious stare but under the trance of your presence, rick doesn’t even acknowledge him, seemingly lost in whatever you contribute in conversation and attempting to bounce off it to keep your attention.

daryl only slouches further into his seat, his free hand coming to rest over his mouth, scratching at the scruff on his chin, finger swiping over his lips before resting it against his jaw as he watches you both from under his messy bangs. rick reaches out and places a hand on your lower back when you seem to laugh too hard- having thrown your head back enough to lose your balance slightly.

his hand lingers even when you steady yourself, settling it more firmly as if testing his luck and when you don’t pull away- he saddles up closer, if that’s even possible.

you seem the least bit concerned about any of it but to daryls trained eye, he’d caught the quick side-eye glance you’d given him as you shifted onto your feet, purposefully bumping your shoulder into ricks chest.

daryl can’t help but bite back an amused smirk that threatens to take over. he shifts in the lawn chair, spreading his knees wider once he catches your eyes back on him.

his stance screams insouciant; passive to your clear act of defiance and maybe that’s what gets you so hot- no matter how much you push it, daryl would never verbally break but physically..

he knew just how to show you who was still in charge.

so it’s almost too easy as you bid a quick farewell to those you previously seemed interested in conversating with but now, you dismiss yourself rather hastily before speedily rounding the fire to place yourself sideways in his lap.

“hi” you breathily mumble against his cheek as your arms wrap around his shoulders, pulling yourself as close to his warm body as possible.

“hi darlin’” daryls husky voice rumbled deep into his chest, one arm wrapping around your body- securing your placement across his legs. his large hand encompasses your bare thigh, revealed from the inches your dress has ridden up when you had fallen clumsily into him.

“missed you..” your whiney tone has daryl letting out a light-hearted scoffed laugh.

“been ‘ere tha whole time ya were flirtin’ ova there” he squeezes your thigh roughly before rubbing his thumb soothingly over the smooth surface.

“wasn’t flirting..” you pull back enough for him to take in your glazed over eyes and pouty lips, it takes everything in him not to pull you up and escape from this get together but..

“happy birthday!” it’s a celebration for you and maybe it isn’t quite appropriate to kidnap you and hide you away when the whole reason this is even happening is because of you. carol holds out another cocktail but daryl dodges it before your hands could make the grab for it.

“think she’s had ‘nough” your body has gone completely lax, damn near weightless in his arms. while you haven’t had a drink in your hand this whole time, he knows you’ve had to of taken sips from someone else’s drink or snuck in shots somewhere that are settling even more into your system as the time goes on.

“oooo, don’t be such a party pooper, pookie!” carols teasing words sends you in a fit of giggles and clearly pleased with the short interaction, she dismisses herself with a few more digs at him as she leans closer to you, “when you can get away from your guard dog, come find me”

you only share a sweet laugh with her as she walks away before turning to daryl with a mischievous smile; seemingly amused. he pulls you roughly into him, your body laying heavily against his chest as he presses a kiss onto your shoulder, mumbling the words, “be good” into it after.

you don’t respond to his words, instead you charmingly join into the conversation with the people sitting by- keen on staying close to daryl but still wanting to be involved with the party.

with his attention no longer focused on you, he can finally acknowledge the piercing stare that’s been on you both since you’ve come bounding into his lap. from over your shoulder, daryl peeks up at rick; who stands in the same spot as before, yet the conversation that surrounds him is ignored as he heatedly gazes in your direction.

daryl watches his eyes trail down your figure, until they land on the newly bare skin of your leg where his hand now resides over the bunched up fabric of your dress.

there’s a moment where he thinks of pulling it down, wondering just how he’ll react to him shielding you from his eyes but the urge to show you off is stronger and daryl finds himself raising the fabric just a tad higher.

at the motion, ricks eyes shoot up to meet his; wide eyed and fish mouthed at being caught- except the blazing fire in daryls eyes is everything but malice.

he knows what absolute vision you look like atop his lap; the light of the fire bouncing off your glistening skin, short white dress contrasting against your sun-kissed tan.

daryl can barely resist the urge to steal you away and devour you in every way that leaves you messy, so he can’t imagine just how much rick must be suffering from having to hold back his own desires.

if there is one thing about daryl; he’s a giving man and how could he leave his brother so obviously thirsty?

his hand bunches the fabric some more, rick quickly following the sudden movement with his eyes, prepared to get a glimmer of what could be-

except your hand shoots down over daryls, shooting him a questionable look at the odd behavior. he only nods his head in the direction of the other man who locks eyes with you the minute you catch them.

daryl leans forward near your ear, “got ya a fan, baby”

you elbow him playfully before sending a sweet reassuring smile to rick, “how long?”

“since ya left ‘im”

“hm..”

“hm?” daryl hums back questionably to which you respond with a careless shrug as you both stare down rick who holds your heated gazes.

for once, he remains unreadable to daryl but from the current act you both put on together and clear indifference on the matter well he isn’t exactly surprised when rick seemingly takes a whole new interest in all things you, questioning him constantly on minuscule details such as: where were you? how were you? were you adjusting to the new environment? how was the new job treating you?

until they weren’t so innocent anymore and the leader became more bold in his approach.

the only light came from a small lamp that casted a soft yellow hue over the living room space. a half bottle of whiskey sat on the coffee table between the two men’s bodies, one glass in both of their hands as they sipped on it occasionally in the midst of conversation.

daryl- always so good at handling his liquor felt a cool buzz under his skin while rick tried to keep up, only to realize a little too late that he’s reached his limit.

it was rare to get the chance to just sit and drink but after a week long supply trip- they both deserved it.

daryls body ached even after the hot shower he took with you, where you lathered his body in soap and pressed your fingers into his sore back. maybe it didn’t help that immediately after he fell into bed with you, indulging himself into every bit of you until he felt like he had his fill or atleast until you were given atleast three orgasms.

but how was he to deny you? looking at him as if he held the world in his hands, begging him to just touch you and grabbing his body in ways only you knew made his heart pulse.

and while you laid tiredlessly in the bed after your fit of passion, he slipped back upstairs to check in on the other people in the house- only to find everyone already prepared for bed, lights turned off except for the one spilling from the living room where only one person resided in.

still struggling to adjust to sleeping in a bed, in a house, in walls- well, daryl doesn’t mind sitting and chatting for a bit until exhaustion settles fully into his body and his mind will finally shut off so he can get a decent amount of rest.

the alcohol is only an added bonus to make him effortlessly slip into unconsciousness.

“she excited to see you? barely got a glimpse of her before she whisked you away” rick can remember easily how his chest ached when all you did was greet him with a quick half hug before gripping back onto daryl and dragging him off.

“mm..” daryl grunts, excited might be an understatement as you had practically vibrated in his arms when he first walked through the door and jumped onto him.

nevermind the care and attention you gave him in the shower and in bed. allowing him to just take what he needed while mewls of pleasure slipped from your lips, hands trying to grasp onto him as the euphoric feeling grew deep into your stomach, body shaking in pure ecstasy as you reached multiple highs.

“she’s a good one.. you’re lucky man”

“yuh.. she’s good” the words drip suggestively following his previous dirty thoughts.

“… yeah?” rick doesn’t look at him, simply taking another sip from his glass of whiskey but his words oozes a certain yearning for more about you.

daryl would never want to sit and talk about you in a such a way with just about anyone- but rick is his best friend, his confidante, his right-hand man, his brother.

if there was someone who he trusted with his life, it was the man to his left.

besides you, of course.

“mm.. cheeky as ‘ell but she’s sweet” it’s vague but rick gets it, you’re a firecracker. an absolute angel with a burning need to do right by anyone who has been wronged.

daryl loves that about you- equally as much as rick found it so.. enticing.

“givin’?” rick isn’t sure how far he can get away with his questions so he keeps them just as vague as daryls’ answers.

“loves it.. always so eager ta please, tha’ one” the reply slips from his lips easily, daryl finding himself slouching further into the couch as the alcohol settles into his veins, his buzz heightened by the topic of conversation to create a hungry heat that burns from within as he shifts to discreetly adjust himself.

blinded by his own building desire, he misses the way rick chews on his own lip, fists clenching as he resists the urge to adjust his own growing arousal.

the hum of fervor thrums throughout the dimly lit room, the warmth bubbles them in as if they are the only two people on earth with a sudden thirst to last them a lifetime.

“can imagine she fights you though” rick swallows the last gulp of whiskey in his glass, holding the cup in his lap- afraid if he makes one sudden move that it will break whatever safe haze that has casted over them.

“tries, she likes a bit of tossing ‘bout” daryls head falls to the back of the couch, eyes closing as he re-envisions his welcome home gift: you, who still lies warmly in his bed and now that he thinks about it, why did he leave?

“likes it rough then?” it’s a bolder question, yet- with the warm liquor settled into their stomachs, neither of them seem to bat an eye.

“needs it. leaves her putty in yer hands by tha end of it” an even bolder statement that fuels the everbuilding fire within them both, a sudden yearning to please the heat of it.

except only one of them will actually get the chance to quell that need while the other is left longing for a fill.

the silence between them lingers heavy in the air.

“i see tha way ya look at ‘er” the accusation has rick freezing, body thrumming with mild panic as he readies himself for the wrath of his friend’s anger but daryls head still rests against the couch, body completely laxed and only sinking further into the cushions, “dun’ mind, know ‘ts hard to not”

rick isn’t sure how to respond, if he is quite honest, he thought he hid it pretty well at first. the night of your birthday celebration was a mere fluke filled with nothing but alcohol and mock confidence. he had figured you guys had forgotten all about it.

“i-i’m not trying to start nothing, just yeah, lookin’ man.. wasn’t going to do nothing”

“ya want too though?”

“what?”

“she said ya had a crush on ‘er” daryl shrugs, “asked ‘er wha’ she thought ‘bout it n she jus’… got all red n shit. knew she wanted ya then”

“i-i..” rick is thrown for a loop, his drunken mind slow in catching up to every word that spills from his friends mouth.

“if ya know wha’ ya doin’.. ya can try” daryl now leans towards rick as if sharing a secret but his demeanor no longer holds such openness as he stares menacingly with waves of threat rolling off of him, “there ain’t no more rules but she always comes first- she tells ya no, ya back tha hell off”

at that, daryl pushes off the couch after setting his empty cup onto the coffee table. it’s as if a steam of smoke follows after him, a sudden need to cool off but instead of going outside for fresh air-

he’s slipping back into his room, his bleary eyes landing on your still figure illuminated shallowly by the moonlight. the dark sheets do little to cover your naked body as you lie with your back facing him; clearly having pulled it to cover your front but left the cool air to kiss the dip of your spine.

a tasteful sight.

one that daryl could never turn down as he quickly strips to his briefs before sliding his body right behind yours, the warmth you’ve accumulated in your sleep only lights the one that’s been burning within him for the past hour.

you whine softly as his broad body encompasses you, a heavy arm slipping around your waist to pull your hips firmly into his; practically morphing your body along his.

daryl nestles his face into the nape of your neck, pressing a wet kiss onto the smooth skin as he hums comfortly to your protested noise.

there’s a moment of silence, one where daryl thinks you’ve fallen back asleep and despite his previous desires, he too, could have lost himself to conciousness.

except your hips shift, pressing harder into him and with only thin layers between your bodies, the result is delicious. daryl releases a moan of appreciation at the spring of pleasure that the motion brought on.

his hand moves to your hip, gripping it tightly as you continuously roll back onto his cock that had been poking at you since he crawled into bed.

you’re quick to roll over, forcing him to lie on his back as you press your bare body ontop of his. fingers coming up to comb through the messy strands of hair, face hovering over his.

“haven’t you had enough?” you tease softly as your lips brush against his, pulling away slightly when he attempts to press them together.

“never get ‘nough of ya” his hands come to rest along your back, musing with the tangled sheets to get a feel of your soft skin.

“hm..” the heavy press of his fingers dancing over your spine has you arching your naked chest closer to his, “where’d you go?”

“rick..” the simple brushing of his hair and the warmth you emit above him nearly lulls him to sleep with his eyelashes fluttering as he attempts to grasp onto the conversation, “talkin’..”

“about?” you pull on his hair gently to gain his attention, the sting of it flushing him something hot.

“‘bout ya..” his eyes lid heavily with arousal as he looks up at you.

“me? what about me?” you shift your body more until your legs untangle from the sheets and you’re able to place them on either side of his body, knees pressing into the mattress more securely.

the alcohol must be wearing off as a flush of embarrassment settles uncomfortably in his chest when he thinks back to the way him and rick spoke about you.

the hesitancy in his response has you peppering kisses along his jawline and your hands traveling from his hair to his chest, nails dragging gently over his skin. the sensation sends a thrilling shiver through his body, eyes falling shut at the slight pampering you give him.

“tell me..” you press a kiss to the corner of his mouth before finally giving in, pressing a heated kiss onto his lips. daryls hands slip further down, caressing over your ass before gripping the back of your thighs until you bend your legs even more: fitting your core directly over his throbbing cock. the new position has you gasping, a reaction that allows him to slip his tongue into your mouth but before you could lose yourself further, you pull away to repeat your demand, “tell me”

“he was askin’ me questions..” you hum so he knows you’re listening as you roll your hips slowly over him; a motion that has him releasing a grunt before speaking breathily, “told ‘im- he could try”

“yeah?” you watch him bite his bottom lip, eyes rolling back as you continue your teasing ministrations.

“mhm.. so ya could stop buggin’ me ‘bout it” the corner of his mouth quirks up.

“shut up” one of your hands slide between your bodies, slipping inside his briefs and gripping his thobbing cock, “don’t seem to be complaining” he curses under his breath as his eyes open to immediately lock onto yours that glint with mischief, “ya want it as much as i do, hm?” his head tips back as your hand squeezes him- the angle is awkward to get a proper grip but your fingers circle around his swollen tip that oozes precum as you jerk him off clumsily, “say it”

it’s messy and he fucking loves it that way as he brokenly gasps, “i do”

“hm?” your nose bumps his chin before his head is tipping back down to meet your heated gaze.

“wanna see ya with ‘im” the heated arousal has dropped his voice even deeper, the rumbling of his chest vibrating with his desperate words: it’s true though. he’s a natural obeserver and the idea of you under rick? it makes him so unbelievably hot, something he struggled to understand but of course; with your loving, open heart and overtly helping hands- he was able to come to terms that it was okay to like what he liked.

“i know” your mocking tone has him flipping your bodies around with a playful growl into your shoulder that sends you in a fit of giggles when his scruff tickles at your bare skin.

••

daryl hadn’t expected things to move on so quickly after the fact, whereas rick seemingly jumped at the first chance before it was taken away.

where the leader was once wary of his affections, now went out of his way to touch you. even finding odd excuses to always have you near, whether that was out on a run because you were considered one of the fastest or simply following him on his daily route around the community because he wanted your opinion on the newest developments.

your job as a medical assistant did not require such but you went along anyway.

the progression of your situationship advanced quickly right under daryls nose, one moment he watched from afar as you and rick stuck close to one another- clearly fond to be in each other’s presences to then finding you guys in compromising positions.

he hadn’t suspected things had gotten that far, atleast, you never spoke about it but it became apparent it had when he stumbled across you both going at it hastily in the infirmary.

he had an early hunting expedition that made him miss your guys’ normal morning routine so he planned to surprise you by coming by your job for lunch.

arriving at the small house turned hospital, he stepped inside with muted movements. visually the place seemed void of anyone but aurally, there was light scrambling that came from further into the building.

he followed the quiet sounds, assuming you must be taking inventory or simply cleaning but that was far from the case as he passed a room with a cracked door where he saw you placed sat upon a bathroom countertop, dress pulled messily to your waist with rick stood between your legs, unbuckled belt and open jeans.

the initial shock passes through quickly before heat flushes into his body and he finds himself at a loss for breath. there’s a certain desperation in your movements, both you and rick gasping in relief that accompanied your rapid pace; a hunger that is finally being relieved.

ricks hands dig into the top of your thighs, scrunching up your already wrinkled dress as his hips move erratically and his face shoved into your neck as if it would hide the sounds his mouth releases. you respond with your own muted moans, arms wrapped tightly around the man’s shoulders in an attempt at holding onto the pleasure in some form.

it’s rushed, clearly meant for one thing- release.

daryl can tell this isn’t the first time you guys have met up and fell into one another. the level of intimacy isn’t shocking but rather welcomed; hurried but still gratified.

it’s hot, better than he could ever imagine.

he knows what it is like to be inside your warm walls, to be grappled at by your small hands and nails digging into his shoulders, to hear the many beautiful but broken gasps and moans you release so close to his ear- all of you, is so fucking delicious but this view.. this was a whole other level.

and rick, god- rick was rabid. just taking what he wanted without hesitation now that he was given the green light and he had no plans of wasting it as he opened your thighs more, pulling you closer to the edge and pushing himself harder into you.

daryl can feel his pants getting tighter but there’s a fear that if he moves, if even the slightest, you guys will stop and he’s not sure yet if he wants you guys to know he is watching. too lost in each other, his presence remains unknown and he rather likes it that way for now.

people change when they know they are being watched- the way you guys succumb to the burning need within, in pure desperation makes him flush hotly.

so he remains still, despite the aching urge to reach down and soothe his painfully throbbing cock. it’s not much longer when you both reach your highs; your head thrown back as one hand grips ricks bicep and the other caressing the back of his head, shoving his face deeper into your neck. he bites down on your collarbone to muffle his groans, one hand squeezing your thigh and his other arm wrapped around your lower back, pressing you into his last few lazy thrusts.

it becomes a thing, atleast for daryl.

both of you, too far gone to ever notice his lingering presence so yeah.. he continues to observe but it isn’t like he means to find you guys in such compromising positions everytime, it just happens.

like family movie nights where he found you guys going at it in an unlocked bathroom, or the supply closet of the pantry where you were meant to cover a fellow community members shift, even outside the walls where he hunts, against a tree until ricks legs give out and you’re both crumbling to the earths floor.

daryl found it enticing; simply watching and it was never meant to be some secret- you and rick- but you still kept it hidden from him. of course not intentionally, the first time was rushed, then the second was equally as sudden, and then soon, you had found yourselves doing it more and more until it felt like it was too late to tell.

at this point, daryl still found it unbelievably hot and soon, he couldn’t keep himself from asking about it.

your hips rolled heavily over his, only the thin layer of your soaked lace panties between you and his cock. you sat over him in just one of his shirts, his own briefs shoved hastily on the floor, leaving him completely naked.

he was meant to be sleeping, having an early wake up call time the following morning but having not seen you all day, well, it was hard not to resist you after you crawled into bed wearing his shirt but smelling like rick.

you gasp brokenly, chest falling into his at a sharp roll that had the head of his cock pressing right into your covered clit. your hands grip the side of his broad body, face next to his- it’s how he gets the huge whiff of aftershave that so particularly reminds him of the other man and he can’t help but think just what you guys did today and where?

“tell me” his words rumble inside his chest, thus vibrating against your own. the gravely sound so deeply demanding that you almost whimper in response.

“what?” your breathy question; a result from your overuse of exertion to find the perfect angle that will send you both over the edge.

“tell me what he did ta ya today” his eyes are closed, losing himself to the movements of your body against his but he can feel when you still completely above him.

“what?” you push yourself up, hair falling into your face as you look down at him in confusion, “who?”

“rick..” daryl doesn’t know why he suddenly feels embarrassed that he wants to know all about your secret rendezvous’ but it’s out and there was no going back now, “can smell ‘im on ya..”

it takes you a few seconds to gather yourself, shocked that he knows but also not- because of course he’d know. daryl was an incredible reader of people and even without catching physical evidence, in time, he probably would have found out either way. it was also never meant to be a secret, yet you feel a sudden guilt that you hid it from him so long even though you both wanted it.

“d.. i-i was going to tell you” your heart aches at the thought of hurting him, “i- we just got into it so fast and-“

“i know, i saw” your heart drops with your jaw but daryl keeps going even at your obvious shock, “‘n tha infirmary, at tha pantry..”

“d.. i’m sorr-“

“rick was.. ‘s like.. all animal, innit he?” you could not feel more confused in your life at his words that drip heavily with heat, “jus’.. takes wha’ he wants, doesn’t he?” you stop for a few moments to take in daryl, who shys away from your eye contact but once you catch a glimpse of what was once a soft powder blue, now darkened in a sharp sinful black- it clicked.

that, along with his ever pressing cock that has continued to throb under you.

“oh” you watch him flush down to his chest, the sight of him so aroused yet bashful is so sweet but you can’t help the amused smirk that slips on your lips before you begin to grind onto him again, “you are unbelievable, daryl dixon”

the pace of your motions have doubled and he can only nod numbly as his large hands grip your thighs roughly, chewing on his bottom lip to keep from coming prematurely. you can’t help but lean down to kiss him, pressing your lips harshly against his as if it will emit all the love you have for the man below you into it.

you had never seen him so.. submissive to anything- to anyone but seemingly just the idea of you and rick had him in a chokehold.

with a new fervor to get him off, you slip your panties to the side and allow him inside your warm body. the perfect pressure of your wet walls against his cock and the soft whispers in his ear of just exactly what rick does to you- it takes no time for his vision to blur as he comes the hardest he has in awhile.

with the knowledge that he watches known, he no longer finds himself seeking you out when you disappear, knowing later you’ll find him and spill every ounce of detail you could remember.

rick remained to himself, he now knew too that daryl used to lurk in the shadows and even that he liked to hear what they get up to when he catches you alone.

neither men spoke much about it, sticking to small talk when around one another but none of them held any malice on the matter; simply existing around you.

and god, you- you loved it. feeding off the energy of both men everytime they got you, desperate in their own as they devoured you everytime but the nonsexual moments were favorable too; following daryl on his hunting trips, making dinner together (realistically him just watching you), cuddling after a long day (you carelessly draped over his body) but the nature of these began to fade after a while.

daryl found himself alone most of the day, finding your presence absent until night falls and your crumbling into bed, fast asleep before he could tell you goodnight.

questioning you on your whereabouts wasn’t something daryl could ever see himself doing, you were an adult, independent and fully capable of taking care of yourself- that didn’t mean he couldn’t bully it out of others.

the resulting answer falling to one culprit: rick.

the leader having you do aimless tasks with him, following him around the community, taking you on runs- anything that required you to be right next to him.

daryl didn’t feel an inkling of anything.. until you showed up with a hickey on your neck. that, is when he began to become frustrated with ricks clingy behavior.

he didn’t mind sharing you, truthfully it didn’t feel so much like that, he could see the equal love you had for both of them and he cares for rick the same way he cared for you; it was no competition, they were both lucky to be with you.

but this felt.. isolating.

something he has felt many times before and even unintentional, it still hurt- which only pissed him off more because he was shit at handling his feelings.

so he backed off, finding himself outside the walls more, avoiding rick, avoiding you. it was the hardest thing he has had to do but if was going to lose you either way, he’d rather chose the option of leaving first, hoping it will hurt less when you confront him.

except you don’t, you never plan too and although he is the master of reading people- he seemed to have forgotten just how well you had learned to read him after years together.

the distance he puts between you all is his safety net for the pain he awaits.

you know that and it’s something you bring up to rick. it takes little convincing to get him to agree to your plan, knowing that it will take what you guys have to a new level but daryl needed this, he needed to know that he was still wanted.

you laid propped up by the pillows in bed, dressed in another one of his shirts and lace panties again. nothing riled him up more than the simplicity of you in his clothes. having snuck in the room after he went into the shower, you waited, listening to the soft sounds of the water flowing and shuffling of his movements.

with the water shut off, you grew anxious as he took his time drying off but it was only a couple seconds later he was stepping out the bathroom, steam pouring from the room to cloud around him.

he froze upon seeing your figure on the bed, giving you enough time to take in his still glistening naked body covered in just a towel.

swallowing the lump in your throat, you sat up to your knees before settling back on your haunches, nails digging into your thighs in anticipation, “hi”

a look of confusion crosses his face as he looks at you, “wha’s goin’ on?”

it pains you to see him so bewildered by your presence in your own home, in your guys’ bed- you stand and grab his hand, leading him to sit on the edge while you stand between his legs.

he keeps his hands in his lap as yours run through his wet hair, brushing through the tangles to the best of your ability before a particularly hard tug as his head falling back, eyes meeting yours.

“you’ve been avoiding me..” the dejected tone lingers heavy in your words, his hands immediately coming to rest over the back of your thighs soothingly. his eyebrows furrowing at the mere sound of you in any form of pain, “it’s okay. know you were just hurt” daryl doesn’t bother denying the sentiment, choosing instead to keep himself occupied with the hem of your (read: his) shirt until your next words spill from your lips, “but.. we wanted to make it up to you”

his head snaps up to you, eyes shifting around your face before moving to the door, where rick has appeared leaning against the frame. your head turns, smiling brightly at the other man and holding out a hand in his direction.

you spin around, pressing back into daryl but giddily waiting for rick to meet you guys. the idea of having them both here- together, it was nerve racking but so very exciting too.

you reach a hand back to grab daryls, squeezing in question, you’d never want to make him uncomfortable. he squeezes back, his other hand wrapping around your thigh and pulling you further into his body until you collapse into his lap- just in time for rick to reach you both.

he stands fully clothed infront of both of you, looking down as you both gazed up at him, stance reeking nothing short of leadership.

rick reaches a hand out, cupping your chin roughly, “did you apologize?” you still in daryls lap at the question, shaking your head in response to which rick tsks at, “use your words”

“no, i haven’t apologized.. sir”

it wasn’t like you weren’t submissive to daryl, but it normally took you a little bit to get to this point- clearly it was not the same for the leader who knows just how to handle people.

rick motions at daryl, stepping back so you could stand and kneel before him. once settled, you look up at him with a dazed expression, lost in a haze of premature pleasure, “i’m sorry..”

“for?” rick growls as he grips your hair, pulling your head back some and the delicious sting it brings has you dropping your jaw in a quiet gasp.

“f-for making you feel alone” rick looks to the other man, waiting for confirmation that all is forgiven but all daryl can do is nod numbly to your watery words. seeing you so out of it, so- wanton, thisclose- was new and while he knows your sex life was amazing, this was something else as his heart beats heavily in his ears.

“good girl” you whimper at ricks praise, his hand soothing over your scalp for a second before he squats to your level. lips near your ear as he forces your head to look at daryl, both of you taking in the heavy lifting of his flushed chest, “now, why don’t you show him how sorry you are?”

your eyes plead with daryl, desperate to make it right and when has he ever denied you?

your hands fly up to rip the towel off, revealing his swollen cock that has been throbbing painfully since he first saw you. you squeeze your thighs together at the sight of his mushroomed head that’s nearly purple and the pulsing decorative blue vein down his shaft.

rick has since moved to stand back against the wall, watching as you lean forward to take daryl into your mouth, “know you can take more than that”

daryl grips the edge of the bed, back slouching as your sweet mouth encompasses his cock even more. he can’t help the throaty groan he releases as you hum happily around him.

“fuck baby” he prides himself as an observer but with the heated gaze of rick on you both, he can’t say he doesn’t enjoy the attention a little bit. your head bops faster as you wet his cock more, drooling messily over him and helping make your movements more seamless. your hand drops to roll his balls with your fingers, the heaviness of them makes you wetter, knowing he was so turned on and ready to burst at any moment. it only encourages you further, slowing the bopping of your head to allow your tongue to swirl all over his cock, hollowing your cheeks around his dribbling head, “‘m gonn’ come, fuck” with your hand wrapping back around the length you can’t fit it your mouth, it takes no time for his hips to jerk, cock twitching roughly in your mouth as his cum slips easily down your throat. one hand finds it’s way onto the back of your head, holding you close as curses fall repeatedly from his mouth.

when he releases you, you gasp for air upon lifting from his cock, chest heaving heavily as you sit back and gaze up at him with glassy eyes, a mix of spit and cum on your chin that he swipes away with his thumb before pressing it onto your tongue. your lips wrap around the digit, tongue swirling and cheeks sucking it in more. he shakes his head at your ministrations, “never ‘nough fo’ ya, hm? always need somethin’ in yer mouth”

“she’s greedy” rick pipes up as he approaches you both again.

you release daryls finger, a pout heavy on your lips as you look up at rick, “am not”

both of them can’t help but smile at your indignant tone, making quick eye contact in silent conversation as rick pulls you up from the floor and daryl shuffles back up the bed.

“know you’re not, just like teasing you” rick brushes some hair out of your face, feet moving forward until your pressing into the bed and crawling your way to lay with your back to daryls chest.

“not very nice sir” you fiddle with daryls fingers, lying heavily against him as you face the other man.

“it’s not, is it?” ricks teasing tone makes you frown until he too, climbs onto the bed, making to grab your feet and sending you into a fit of giggles at the playful act, “how should i make it up to you?” your eyebrows raise at the question, knees knocking together bashfully until rick is gripping your ankles and pulling your legs down, “don’t hide now, angel” you blush beautifully, squirming against daryl as rick places himself between your thighs, “this where you want me?”

you smile coyly before bringing daryls hand to your mouth, nibbling on his knuckles to quell some of your growing excitement. rick doesn’t press for a verbal answer, impatient himself on getting his mouth on you- something he hasn’t done yet.

rick wraps an arm around one your thighs, his beard skimming lightly over the smooth surface. the ticklish sensation causing your leg to twitch, threatening to close.

“here-“ daryl reaches down, grabbing one of your thighs and holding it open, “sensitive lil’ thing.. gonn’ try suffocating ya the minute ya get yer mouth on ‘er”

“not a bad way to go” rick shares a smirk with him before pressing light kisses all around your aching cunt, teasing you until you release an impatient whine at his games.

he doesn’t reprimand you, he too, losing patience as he pulls your panties to the side; slick sticking to the lace and causing all three of you to release some noise of wanton.

not wasting anymore time, rick swipes his tongue from your dripping hole to your swollen clit. you release a gasp at the simple movement, thighs threatening to close but held down tightly by both men. he makes for the motion again, your hips bucking when his mouth separates.

it takes a few minutes for rick to build a proper rhythm but with the help of daryl who reads your body like a manual to him- you’re squirming against his mouth; wanting to both run and get closer to the overwhelming pleasure.

“that’s enough” rick pulls back to slap at your thigh, making you squeal at the sudden sting but you don’t think of it much more when he dives back into your cunt.

daryl presses a kiss to the side of your head, the hand not holding tightly to your thigh rubs at your side soothingly for a brief moment.

“rick- ah- daryl-“ it’s hard to form a coherent thought when rick eats you out so well, dipping his tongue into your hole and sucking on your clit, “i’m.. please, i’m so close” you let out a cry of pleasure, sandwiched between your two favorite people.

“tha’s it, sweethear’” daryl coos into your ear, hand lifting your shirt and exposing your bare chest to them; nipples hardening at the cool air. his calloused hand brushes over both of them, the rough texture sending a delicious sensation through your body as you arch your back, hips twitching roughly against ricks mouth, “let ‘im have it”

ricks nose presses heavily into your clit as his tongue messily moves in and out of your pulsating hole, his fingers dig into the meaty parts of your thighs, fighting the urge to reach down and touch himself, doubling down on his efforts to make you come.

the combined forces of their touches had your head spinning, vision incapacitated by colors as you lost control of your breathing. it was all so much, yet not enough and you fought to stay current but lost to the everbuilding pressure in your core. your hands flailed out, searching for something to hold onto as you found yourself nearing your high; daryl grabbed one hand and placed your other on ricks.

“‘s ok.. let go baby” your thighs shake in both mens grip, body thrumming with pure pleasure and a little bit of pain as you attempt to hold off your orgasm; wanting to make this last as long as possible, “we’ve got ya.. jus’ let go fo’ me. see rick, hm? worked so hard, didn’t he? he wants ‘t”

the soft crooning of daryls voice has you finally gasping for air and allowing the flood of euphoria to fill you up before bursting at the seams; your hips shove your soaking cunt closer to rick, thigh ripping from daryls grip to squeeze around the mans’ head that still lies between your legs.

tears stream down your face as you sob, momentarily blurring your vision even more. you brokenly speak nonsense full of their names and gratitude as your hearing deafens; a high pitched ringing resounding loudly through them.

as it dies down, you can hear the soft praises from daryl lift through the piercing sound as his hands squeeze your body; helping you back to earth in a gentle manner. it takes a few moments for you to gather some kind of bearings, wincing in oversensitivity as rick laps at the mess you made. your thigh falls open heavily, letting rick release you but the urge to squeeze them together again is strong as you take in his face; mustache and beard glistening in your slick.

you whimper at the sight and the inability to fully grasp onto reality, your high having left your body heavy and limp.

“sh sh sh” rick hushes you as he sits up, wiping his facial hair as he takes in your current state; clearly pleased to know just how much of a mess he has made of you. his hands move to caress your thigh in admiration but you jerk at the touch, body high on sensitivity.

daryl laughs softly, “nearly ruined our girl”

rick shares an equally fond scoff at the accusation, hands now massaging the exhausted muscles as you blink slowly at him. with the last bit of your orgasm ghosting by, being wrapped in daryls strong arms and the light pressure of ricks fingers over your thighs- you found yourself tired, relaxing your body entirely as you enjoyed the pampering.

the moment remains quiet and with your eyes closed, the soft breathing and light shuffling is the only thing to grace your ears; the perfect white noise to fall asleep too.

“would never have the heart to take her away from you” rick looks up from your legs to daryl; wanting to make sure he knows that it was never his intention.

“i know” and he does, the realization hit him as he directed rick earlier- he was just getting to know you; more so than before. learning all about your many quirks, interests, and desires.

the same way daryl once did.

••

a wave of déjà vu hits him as daryl sits in another lawn chair, surrounded by the community that have come together in another celebration. he can’t be sure who it’s for nor does he really care to find out as of now his attention has been zeroed on your form since you’ve left his side.

you had said something along the lines of getting another drink but the absence of your presence grew past it’s expiration and it was only a matter of time before he was planning on sending a search party out when his eyes fell on your figure.

leaning against a table with a glass in hand, everything would’ve seemed normal, had it not been for the pressing force in the form of a man that stood too close for comfort.

you didn’t seem to mind, illuminating in the afterglow of the man’s compliments and while you offered nothing but your fair share of pleasantries, daryl would have rather you told him to fuck off.

the minutes feel like they stretch for hours as he watches on to the scene, he says something- you laugh. he gloats- you speak. he answers- you laugh again. it’s uselessly repeative and even from daryls spot, it seems rather exhausting even when he can’t hear exactly what the man is saying but surely it can’t be that amusing.

from his relaxed spot among the lawn chair, he catches your eyes for a quick moment before your focusing back on the man. suddenly, your gestures become more exaggerated; your laughter is louder, your eye contact more prominent, and voice sweeter than honey.

it’s pure bait and boy, does the man fall right into it. his demeanor sharpening to solid confidence that damns him immediately as he reaches out to touch you- daryl is seconds from bolting from his seat to prevent such contact from happening but he doesn’t even get the chance too when rick appears out of no where, slipping between the pair and with a solid grip on your bicep- forceing you away from the stunned man who attempts to say something but rick shuts him down with a simple glare. it’s hard not to be pleased by the other mans possessiveness as he storms both of you in his direction, damn near tossing you into daryls lap before saddling in the empty seat next to him.

“rude” you pout and cross your arms defiantly, squirming to get comfortable.

“quite a show ya put on ova there” daryl teasingly says before possessively pulling your body closer to his and despite your bratty behavior, you don’t put up a single fight as you melt into his chest.

“she’ll pay for it later” rick voices from his seat as his leg bounces in mild irritation.

daryl takes it in silently amused, both at your attitude and ricks jealousy; and while your mood was nothing but a bit, annoyance rolled off the mans shoulders.

while daryl holds no qualms to your schemes, he knows rick has yet to learn that your favorite game is cat and mouse but with time, he’ll get it.

after all, he is still getting used to you.

[desmond69miles]

An Artists Eye

I don't know why but every time I try to update a post it doesn't work until I do it three times?? Boo. This isn't exactly how I wanted it to turn out but I'm semi-happy with the finished work, soooooo have fun.

I'm working on a 'part-two' (it's more of a part one, it takes place before this). Not sure when it will be posted, but it'll be out sometime. (Read it here!)

Arno finds your sexual drawings and offers to live them out with you.

AO3 LINK

Warnings: Fluff and smut, Google translated French, oral (r receiving) fem!reader, vaginal sex/fingering, unprotected sex, creampie (I hate that word), grinding/dry humping.

Word count: 3,491. It's been awhile since I wrote something this long.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Three years ago, you had the pleasure of Arno knocking you over. The streets of Paris had been bustling one fall morning, and you were late to a client meeting, scuttling down the street with your sketches haphazardly secured in your arms. You weren't looking - or maybe you were but didn't process it in time - when a man walked straight into you. It was somewhat theatrical--your papers flew up as you fell down. The man immediately bent down to help collect your sketches while muttering apologies, but it was too late; a good majority of your work had fluttered straight into a muddy puddle you narrowly missed. 

As the brunette picked up what papers were still preserved, you worked on dusting yourself off. Once the two of you stood, you finally looked at the man's face, one of his gloved hands moving to push his hood back. "Je suis vraiment désolé, madame," he said, "I'll buy you a new stack of sketching papers." You blinked at his offer - somewhat distracted by his handsome face - and politely rejected it. "Non, c'est bon. I wasn't looking where I was going." The man nodded and handed you back your work, dismissing himself with a slight nod and smile before disappearing back into the crowd. You stood there for a few seconds while people passed you, their shoulders occasionally bumping yours, and you moved to put the papers in your messenger bag. 

A few days later, the man randomly arrived at your door around eleven at night. When you opened the door, you were no less than shocked - he actually brought you a new stack of sketch paper! Then you asked yourself, how did he find my house? "Bonsoir Madame," he said. His brown eyes danced over your face, the same you had done when he knocked you over, and he extended his hand with the cartridge paper that was wrapped in a thin cloth to keep from dirtying. You take it from him, and your mouth flubbed open in search of some words. Finally, you decided on nothing more than an awkward "Merci... May I get your name?" The man chuckled, "Arno Dorian, and yours, madame?" Arno repeated your name once you said it, nodding along in confirmation. He left after denying your offer for coffee with a goodnight, and after you returned to your sofa, you undid the covers to the paper. 

A small card with a fancy gold trim sat on the stock. You turned it around and looked at the fancy swirls of writing--If you wish for more paper, run into me at Café Théâtre. You couldn't help the wide smile that formed on your face. 

Now, it will be your and Arno's second anniversary in a day.

You sat in front of your easel that held up your latest work, and one of your hands mixed up a beautiful blue on the wooden pallet held by your other hand. It was seven-ish, the sun hazily setting in the dimming sky, and the warm air of summer blew through the open windows of Arno's chambers. The ambient buzz of crickets and the fuel of early nightlife gave way to your soft humming of a lullaby. Occasionally, you'd hear the claps from the Cafe down below, a recitation of Hamlet playing tonight, and you've seen the show so much that you found yourself rehearsing the lines to yourself every so often. Your fingers plucked through your paintbrush jar until you found a suitable one and began to paint the shading colors of Arno's coat. Shading was the last thing that needed to be done, an easy task that could be completed quickly.  

Arno was indeed your favorite subject to draw. Often, when you found yourself unable to sleep, you sketched him while he was resting--or when you found yourself with free time, you drew his body's familiar lines and curves in practice. Sometimes, these anatomical figures found themselves in... precarious positions, such as in nude drawings. Those were your personal favorites, your sexual admiration for him going past just intercourse, but that sketchpad had been stowed away in the very back of your closet in a box. Hiding your drawings wasn't something you liked; you were proud of your work, and you didn't shy away from drawing nude bodies. In fact, Élise's favorite work of yours was of a sexually deviant nun she had nicknamed 'The Sin.' But, you always hesitated to show Arno the drawings and paintings you have done of him. Neither of you was sure why; you argued they weren't perfect, and Arno argued you were worried that he'd judge (in truth, you were a little more than embarrassed to show the numerous sexual positions you had put your lover and yourself in through pencil). 

However, you decided to face that embarrassment with your second anniversary, hence your eagerness to finish this portrait of your lover. Hours had ticked by reasonably quickly, and soon enough, you heard the grandfather clock chime twelve times, indicating the strike of midnight. You pause to look over your final work and give a more than satisfied smile, grabbing the canvas sheet you had and covering the painting so Arno didn't see it (you also had to make sure he didn't peek; he seemed fond of doing that). Your hands had been stained with colors, and your apron had a few new splotches--you didn't mind, but you still hung up your apron carefully for washing and quickly scrubbed your hands clean. 

With your hands a tad bit achy from the repeated holding of brushes, you stripped yourself of the painter's gown. You didn't even bother with a chemise or undergarments and instead grabbed one of Arno's button-up shirts that had a smear of purple paint. The mark was seemingly impossible to get out of the cotton, so he had unofficially gifted it to you, telling you that he'd wear it if you ever wanted to fling paint at him again. You grabbed one of the two pillows Arno claimed and tucked one between your thighs for comfort--the pillow usually replaced by his thigh. That, sadly, was the reality of being with an assassin; most nights, he wasn't around to fall asleep with. Thankfully, it seemed like you always woke up in his arms, your lover either sleeping soundly or admiring you. 

You heard the chime of 12:30 on the grandfather clock before you shut your eyes for the night and fell asleep. 

Awaking in the morning was a chore. The bed was so warm, cradling you like your mother did when you were a babe, and when you shuffled to get comfortable, an arm tightened around your waist. A knowing smirk cast onto your lips - Arno was back and pressed tightly to you. "Arno," you whisper, quiet enough so he could hear if he were awake. No response. Good, you hoped he was asleep - allowing you to get up and prepare your present for him. 

So, carefully, to not wake him up, you moved Arno's arm from off of you and gingerly rolled out of bed, slowly standing up so as not to make the wood creak. Once your feet were planted on the cool floor, you stretched fully before walking away from the bed. Your easel still sat in the same position with the canvas sheet covering it; the oak stool pushed out to the side with a dirty jar of brushes resting on top of it. You noted that Arno had closed the windows and drawn the curtains, only slivers of sun peeking through. You first moved to open them just a tad so the chambers would be more illuminated--mainly so you wouldn't topple over something. Then, you moved over to your easel. 

You took a deep breath and hoped that it looked okay after drying. Your hands gently took the cover off, and for the second time, you smiled proudly, hands clasped together. It wasn't alright; it was... almost perfect. Something was missing, and you couldn't put your finger on it. Then, it dinged in your brain. The drawing of us! You made your way back to the bed, but instead of getting in, you opened the dresser beside it and rummaged around until you found your trusted sketchbook. You flipped through it until you found the page already torn out and signed with a small love note. You paused, though, and your tummy did a flutter.

You forgot about this drawing. It was one of the first sexual ones you drew, a rather raunchy drawing of none other than Arno laid on his stomach, arms wrapped around a faceless woman's thighs and his face pressed to her cunt. This was still when you were too ashamed to draw yourself in these drawings - hence the faceless woman - but it made you fuzzy. 

It wasn't like you and your boyfriend never had sex; quite the opposite. Many nights you had been spent on the bed, Arno deep inside you while some serious French kissing went on (not to mention the time when Arno's mentor had walked in on you deepthroating the brunette's cock in none other than the Assassin's base under Cafe Theatre, but you're too embarrassed to talk about it. You still get hot when you hear Bellec calling Arno 'pisspot'). While you've had amazing sex, you've never got the confidence to ask for oral. Arno offered it, but you said no; what if you taste bad or do something Arno doesn't like? The thought of a mouth down there always intimidated you, but that doesn't mean you haven't fantasized about it. 

You were so caught up in staring at the drawing that you jumped when a loud crash came from outside, dropping the sketchbook onto the floor. "Merde," you almost immediately cussed, recoiling your foot from the damage of your toes being hit by the journal. It was enough to wake Arno up, and while you bent down to retrieve the book, he sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Everything alright, cherie?" He said, and you were startled like you were caught doing something bad. "Oui, sorry to wake you." Arno gave you an understanding smile, sliding to the edge of the bed and leaning forward to find your waist. You tucked the sketchpad to your chest as he pulled you in for an embrace, his face resting between your shoulder blades. 

"What were you drawing?" Arno muttered, and you tensed for a moment. "Sketches, love, it's nothing too important." You replied, and he hummed. "Everything is important when made by you." You didn't protest when his hand snaked from your hip up to your hands, his fingers grasping the edge of the book and pulling it free. His head moved back but still rested against you, and you heard him chuckle. Your face warmed, and for a moment, you willed the floor to open up and swallow you or for you to turn into a gnat and fly away. 

"Is this woman you?" He asked, and you quietly said no. "Then you envision me eating another woman out?" You let out a defeated breath, shoulders slumping. "Non, it is me." 

"But you did not draw your face?"

"It was awkward."

"Ah, then we should make it less awkward. Experiencing it may give you confidence."

Your head turns to peer at him from behind your shoulder. He has a cheeky grin that he knew he was doing - and you chewed your lips. "It's our anniversary, too. How will I marry you if I've never tasted you?" You blinked and chose to ignore the marriage comment, but as he pulled you into his lap, you knew you weren't getting out of this one too quickly. "I've heard from other women that it's relaxing if that quells your worry." One of his hands slides up your thigh and rests near the apex of your legs, thumb rubbing small circles into your flesh, and he kisses your cheek. You turn your body, legs swinging to rest on the bed and lean into Arno. He gives you a sweet look, brown eyes filled with what could only be described as love, and kisses your lips. He didn't get far once he pulled away; your hand brought him back in.

Your fingers undo the red ribbon, keeping Arno's hair tied while he bites your bottom lip teasingly. Once his hair was free and you could run your fingers through it, you allowed his tongue to slip past your lips and tangle with his. He tasted faintly of expensive red wine, and you drank the groan he let when your nails scratched his scalp. The hand resting on your thigh slid under the shirt you wore, warm fingertips running over your curves. Your noses bumped accidentally when you moved to tug on the buttons of his nightshirt, and neither of you went too far from the other. Your breaths still mingled as his hands aided yours in tugging his shirt off, the fabric falling onto the floor. Arno then moved both of you, so now you were lying against the pillows with your lover hovering above you. You exchange soft, loving smiles, eyes studying each other. Your hands ran down Arno's arms and rested against his wrists.

"Do you want to try oral?" He asked, genuinely curious, and you pondered. "Will you go slow?" You query, and you get your answer with the gentle, warming kiss Arno places against your forehead and then lips. His hands grab a pillow you are not resting on, and he says to lift your hips. You comply without question, and Arno slides the pillow under your butt, then moves your thighs apart so he can adequately slot himself in between them. The pillow gave a perfect angle for his hips to slot against yours, his semi-hard cock pressed into your inner thigh, and you could feel the wettening of your folds. 

His lips find yours for a small kiss before he moves to your neck, sucking in a few light marks that can be hidden, and one of his hands trails down your body to your stomach, resting there patiently until you give the go-ahead. The attention placed on your pulse point made you let out a quiet whimper, and you circled your arms around Arno's shoulders so you could tug his body closer to yours. His bodily warmth was nothing short of what you called home, the south trail of his hand at your happy whisper of 'more,' the press of his thumb against your clit--it gave an almost sentimental feel. 

There was loving, and then there was loving. 

And he loved you like you loved him. 

The way Arno loved you was nothing short of amazing? Spectacular? supercalifragilisticexpialidocious? There was no word for the way he treated you. 

After slicking his fingers in your cunt, he pressed a final kiss to your lips before descending your body, leaving kisses every place he could reach. You shifted awkwardly once you two were positioned like the drawing--Arno on his stomach, his cheek pressed into your thigh, hands holding your legs apart. You did have to admit that it was an ego boost to see your lover between your legs with such a hungry look in his eyes. Arno pressed a kiss to where your thigh meets your leg, impossibly close to your cunt, and you felt his breath over your puffy clit. It caused you to shift your hips, a hand coming to rest on his, and Arno peeked up at you from his position. 

Your insides became mush--there was absolutely no right for him to look heavenly, and you moaned as his index finger teased against your slit. "Do you want me to?" Arno asked, dipping his finger inside, teasingly curling in a way that he knew wouldn't feel terribly pleasurable. You debated--a new experience and most likely an intense orgasm, or you'll have to listen to your girlfriends rave about cunnilingus without knowing what to say next time you all met up. Most, if not all, your nerves of appearance had vanished and instead replaced by the anxious want of indulgence. Arno pushed his finger deeper, pulling back and repeating those actions slowly, awaiting your response. 

"Mhm, oui. I'd like you to." 

Arno smiled, and when he exhaled, you wiggled at the cool air against your warm cunt. "Merci," he hummed and leaned in, pressing his lips to your clit. Arno was gentle at first, careful not to overwhelm you. The rough pad of Arno's tongue pressed flat against your clit, and he let you move your hips, allowing you to draw your pleasure in what felt good. Once he thought that you had enough of a taste, his hands moved to your hips and pushed them down into the pillow. Your hands moved between Arno's resting ones or his head, moaning loudly when he sucked your clit with fervor. "Dieu," you exasperatedly said. Your thighs closed around Arno's head, not tight enough to hurt him but snug enough to keep him there, eyes closing when the tip of the pink muscle drew figure eights on your cunt. His finger slipped back in, this time pumping with a little more vigor, and when he curled them just right, that beautiful edge came into feel. 

"S'il te plaît, oh mon Dieu, s'il te plaît," you whined and swore you could feel Arno smile into you. Your hips rocking against his face as well as your thighs clamped tight around his head, caused a slight burn from his stubble, but, shit, you couldn't care as long as he kept going. Arno's lips move up once again and slurp your clit, and "There, fuck! There, Arno, don't stop!" pours out from you. Another finger adds to your wet hole, and he gives a rough suckle just before you send hurdling over the crescendo of an orgasm. Arno lets you ride it out by grinding on his face, his nose bumping your clit in delicious aftershocks, and you eventually come down enough to release Arno's head from your thighs. 

His head popped up from between your thighs, and he crawled up, bouncing down onto the bed beside you. One of Arno's hands rested on your stomach, and he asked, "How was it?" You gave a weak chuckle, "Le meilleur, fuck, the best." 

"Another round?" He suggested. 

"Always another round." You enforce. 

Before Arno could move, you crawled on top of him and gently pushed your hips down so your saliva-and-slick-ridden cunt pressed perfectly against his hard cock. He gave that devilish smirk, hands finding your waist to push the nightshirt over your head, and you moaned as his hips met yours with equal enthusiasm. In more-or-less semi-clothed dance, you rocked against each other until Arno's hands slowed you, one going to slightly push you back just so he could free himself from his now wet undergarments. The fabric didn't get farther than his knees before you scooted back up and took him in your hand, running the head of his cock through your folds. After a few teasing passes, his tip catches your hole, and you slowly - yet easily - sink onto him. Once your lower half was pressed against his pelvis once more, Arno gave a few shallow thrusts and cupped one of your breasts, squeezing the soft flesh and playing with your nipple. 

A few more seconds passed, and with a quick kiss to Arno's forehead, you tensed your thighs, hands pressing against his chest, and you began to set a steady rhythm of riding him. Your lover met your thrusts halfway with quick motions that effectively created a shlick shlick when either of you moved. The friction inside you felt good but just not enough to reach climax again, and Arno knowing this, moved his fingers to rub small circles against your clit. Arno cursed and rolled his head back onto the pillows. You watched his Adam’s apple bob with each thick swallow, and his thrusts became unsynced--a tale tail sign of impending orgasm. 

With a few more messy thrusts, Arno pulled your hips flush to his and spilled deep inside of you. The warmth of his cum had made you unexpectedly orgasm, toes curling as you moaned. You stayed still and savored the moment, your spine failing to keep you upright, so you lay down on Arno's chest instead. Arno rolled over onto his side and took you with him, grabbing the closest blanket and covering you both up to keep from getting cold. 

"Je t'aime," Arno whispers against your hair, and you softly hummed. "Je t'aime plus," you countered, but he won the battle with an "I love you the most." 

"I peeked at the painting," he said after a peaceful silence, "I love it. You'll have to paint me nude next time."

[idontplaytrack]

On your birthday

Janis ‘Imi’ike x fem! reader

Warnings: descriptions of labour & delivery, medical procedures + trauma, coarse language

Read other parts here<3

Watching you sleep, Janis’ mind drifts. It thinks about almost everything that’s happened lately in the last two years. Your miscarriage, her unsuccessful IVF attempt, your second and current IVF attempt — successful, but gave you hyperemesis gravidarum or HG. Your ‘morning sickness’ lasted nearly all day and well over your first trimester. Janis’ heart ached every time you had to get sick, but seeing you just persevere through it all, it made her gain a whole new sense of admiration for you. More so now, because of HG, you’ve developed emetophobia. A lot of things happened in the last couple of years, but one thing was always for certain. You were so loved and because of that, you knew you’d be okay.

You were right around 20 weeks along, but the nausea still showed no signs of calming down, much to your dismay. This morning was just like the others, you woke up when the sun’s barely risen because of the nausea. You sat on the mattress, legs hanging over the side as you stared at the bathroom several feet away from you. Janis was asleep behind you, but she’d be awake too in about a minute or so. Once she hears you puking into the toilet.

You’ve begun to dread the act of getting sick ever since you’ve had to deal with HG. It made you incredibly anxious, and afraid to do so. Once you felt the warmth of a hand on your back, you knew Janis was awake— barely awake. You sat in the bathroom to wait, Janis trailed right after you. Holding onto your hand, she gives it a squeeze. Her other hand was kept on your back while you started to lean over the porcelain.

Janis would never admit it, but she cringes every time she had to hear a retch. It doesn’t physically affect her, but she just wishes this would stop. She wishes that you didn’t have to go through this terrible thing.

You were numb to it, the ‘morning sickness’ but Janis knew about your recently surfaced phobia. You were always in tears after you walked out of the bathroom and unable to go back to sleep out of fear that you needed to run back into the bathroom for another round of upchuck. Janis handed you the half-eaten packet of li hing mui. The only thing that’s ever worked to help you feel better. Ever since years ago during that god awful stomach bug in high school.

The last five months felt like a drag because of this, you were practically on a liquid diet most days. You were just lucky you didn’t end up in the hospital needing IV fluids. You somehow felt okay enough after awhile to keep quite a bit of water down.

You went back to sleep after taking a few sips of water. You knew you wouldn’t be able to stomach any solid food until well after noontime. Maybe even later. Janis laid down with you again, but stayed awake. “I know, baby. I know.” She shushed, “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

Absolutely defeated, you just quietly laid there hoping the sickening feeling would go away quickly. You weren’t sure how much time went by before you fell asleep again, but the last thing you felt before you drifted off was Janis pecking you on the forehead. “You’re alright, I promise.”

You lounged in bed when you woke up again later that day, but you made sure to get up and walk around the room at least. You had the habit of doing that since you hated sitting around for too long. Eventually, you dragged your feet and wound up outside. Janis looked up from her laptop. She was sitting by the coffee table. “Hi, honey.” She smiled, “Want anything? Aunty already cooked some rice and chicken soup.”

“I’ll try some water, then the soup.” You nodded, sitting down on the couch, right next to her. She patted your knee, “Sure thing, baby. I’ll go get you the water first, okay? Why don’t you watch some TV?” Janis hands you the remote then headed towards the kitchen to get you a cup of water. Once you took that, she went back to the kitchen to get you some of the food. “Thanks, Jan.”

“No problem.” She smiled again.

“Have you eaten yet?”

Janis nodded, “Mhm. I did, then I’ve just been here writing a little bit.”

“Gotten anywhere on that latest chapter yet?” You asked, curious.

“As a matter of fact, yes.” She smiled proudly, “Writer’s block is gone.”

You chuckled, “I’m glad.”

“Eh, this is just for fun. I’m just happy my real job allows me some free time on the side to do more of what I enjoy.”

“I know.” You hummed, “Sorry I haven’t been much fun lately.”

“Honey.” She squinted at you, “You literally have a human being growing inside you. You’re doing a lot while being pregnant and that is fucking amazing. You’re going to work, you’re taking care of yourself, your body, you’re taking care of the baby by taking care of yourself. It’s hard work.”

“I know, I know.” You sigh softly, setting the cup down then you picked up the bowl. “It just feels like I have a case of cabin fever or something. If I’m not at work, I’m at home, if I’m not at home, I’m in the hospital for an appointment.”

“I get it, honey. But you can’t push yourself to go out all the time if you’re feeling nauseous. I don’t want you to be hurrying around trying to find a bathroom or a trash can.” Janis saved the document, shut her laptop then sat next to you.

You swallow a mouthful of the food then set the bowl down. “I just…it feels like my life is slipping away even though I know I have a huge responsibility to keep myself safe so the— so our baby is safe.”

“When the HG goes away—”

You chuckled wryly, “Do you really think it would go away? Some people have it from start to end.”

“Yeah, some people. Other people don’t.” Janis held onto your hand, squeezing it, “Feeling okay? Do you feel sick again?”

“I’m okay, I just wanted to eat slowly.” You told her, “Doing better than yesterday, I think.”

“That’s so good, baby.” She smooched you on the cheek, you chuckled. “Want me to feed you?”

“What?” You squinted at her, nearly choking on your saliva.

“You heard me.” She grins, “My girl doesn’t have to lift a finger if she doesn’t feel like it.”

You snorted, “Right.”

“Right.” Janis squinted at you too, “Come on, it’s not the first time I’ve done this.”

“What is this, practice for feeding our baby solids?” You laughed, but let her do it anyway. Not for long though.

“Well, if you want it to be, sure.” She teased, picking up the bowl, scooping a spoonful of food and putting it up to your lips. You ate it. “Thatagirl.”

You chuckled, chewing the food and cautiously swallowing it. You were nervous about food these days because the nausea was coming on at the most random moments. “So, names?” You brought up.

“I like what we settled on a few days ago. Kalia?” Janis hums in thought, “Gotta figure out a second name then decide the order of it too.”

“Uh…” You thought aloud, “Reese? Sadie? Lisette?”

“Okay, all those flow really nicely together, baby. I really don’t have just one favourite.”

“You know…” You continued, “I thought of Jean. It just sounds kind of the same but I wanna name her after Regina— somehow.”

Janis gasped, “Aaand that name combination has just made its way to the top of the list. That is a great one.”

“Don’t tell her though.” You replied, eating another spoonful, “I want it to be a surprise.”

“My lips are sealed.” Janis snickered, kissing you on the cheek.

You and Janis were home alone for most of the day since Carl and Grace had work, but you two sure made the most of it— for as long as your body allowed you to. You watched some movies with Janis, then played some board games. Once that got boring, you two decided to bake some cookies. Oh, and the real fun part? This afternoon, you actually felt well enough to leave the house for the beach. So…you and Janis took a little walk while the sun started to set. “Wanna sit down? I brought a beach towel.”

You snorted, laughing, “What, are you gonna help me up from the ground, then?”

“Of course, baby.” She squints, expression slightly amused.

“It’s okay, I’d rather not sit.” You declined in the end.

After a good walk along the beach, you and Janis began making your way home where you two passed by a shave ice shop. “Can we get one to share?” You stopped in your tracks, tugging on her arm.

“Of course!” Janis agreed, she was holding onto your hand, thumb brushing over your knuckles. “You pick the flavours, honey.”

“Okay, guava and cherry?” You asked.

“That sounds good, hun. Yeah.”

By the time you two arrived at home, the shave ice was half finished. Carl and Grace were also already home from work. “Hi, ladies.” Grace greeted. “I see you two went out for a walk, that’s nice.”

“Sure did.” You say down on the couch, “Got some shave ice, too.”

“Yum, that’s good. Stay hydrated.” Grace replied.

“Been trying my best to, aunty.”

“How are we feeling about dinner tonight, sweetheart?” Carl asked.

“Better today, actually. Still going to be careful though.”

“Aaand we’re laying off the eggs.” He decided. You chuckled, “What ya making?”

“Well, the rice is ready. And the miso soup is simmering, but you need some protein.”

“Dare I say I’m craving some Spam?”

He nearly cheered hearing that, you haven’t requested anything for your meals for ages because of how bad the HG was. But it seems like it was ready to become history.

————

“Pleeeeeease.” You sulked.

Janis bit back a laugh, looking right at you. You sighed.

“I’m just messing with you, honey.” She said with the biggest smile still on her face. Then, she sat down next to you, cupping your cheek, “What do you need?”

“You know what I need.” You squinted at her.

“No, I don’t.” She hums, “Tell me.”

“Nooooo.” You whined.

“Oh.” She chuckles, “You want…me.”

“Please?”

Janis grins, leaning closer to your face. She held your face in her hand, pressing her lips against yours. “Don’t have to plead, pretty girl.”

“Pretty, my ass.” You mumbled into the kiss.

“Excuse me?” She broke away from the kiss, “Mm-mm, no. Don’t say that. You…you are so beautiful.”

“It’s been so hard, I’m honestly growing sick of what I see in the mirror. I know it’s normal to gain weight now, it’s healthy. But I’m not used to it.”

Janis pecks you on the lips again, “I hear you. It’s a tough thing to get used to. But…watching you go through day after day of so many symptoms but you still press on…you’re incredible and it’s been making me fall in love with you over and over again.”

“God, you—” You took a deep breath.

“Don’t you ever doubt that.” Janis stroked your cheek, “You’re so loving, so caring, so…so damn strong. I wish I had an ounce of your strength to be dealing with puking multiple times a day. I get that it’s scary, but that’s what I’m here for. I’m here to be your partner, ride through the scary times with you. Or anything else.”

You sniffled, avoiding her gaze as you swiped your tears away. Janis tilted your chin, making you look at her again, “On a lighter note…you know what’s one of my favourite things about you being pregnant?”

You shrugged, looking at her while tears still welled up in your eyes. Her eyes flicked downwards and you followed the gaze. “These ladies getting big.”

You let out a chuckle, “Damn.”

Janis grins, “I have a joke for you.”

“What?”

“What kind of bees make milk?”

You squinted at her swallowing thickly.

“Boo-bees.” She answered with a cheeky grin. Thanks to the hormones, you weren’t even sure if you wanted to cry or laugh. “I really— set myself up for that one.” You let out a shaky breath. “Eyes up here, tit head.”

“Oh, you’re a sassy one today, eh?”

By the end of the conversation, your urge came back and she helped you out. Like Janis had promised, you got a very restful nap out of it. “I love you, every version of you. Every bit of you, every single day.”Janis ran a hand through your hair, then it carefully rests on your side as your eyes fluttered shut. You smiled feeling her hand on the bump, caressing it tenderly, then, the baby kicks in response. Which Janis feels, and made it made her smile even wider. “I’m literally watching a miracle happen right in front of my eyes, y/n. I’m so in love with you, and I adore you, baby girl.”

————

“So…an episiotomy is going to be a hard no.” You reiterated.

“That’s gonna be put down in your file, y/n.” The doctor assured, “In fact, I’m writing it in there now. And I highly doubt an episiotomy’s going to be necessary for you, so don’t worry. ”

You smiled, relieved.

“Do either of you have any questions for me before I let you ladies go?”

“Nope.” You and Janis answered, nearly in unison, “Thanks, Doctor Aukai.”

“Of course. Take care, you two. I’ll see you again in two weeks. During which we can start talking about birth plans.”

“Alright.” You stood up from the chair, the doctor hands you and Janis a copy of the ultrasound photo each. “See you then.”

On the drive home, you and Janis made a pit stop at the usual shave ice shop for a treat. “You’re back!” The owner waved, “What’s it gonna be today?”

“Aloha.” Janis chuckled, waving back.

“Hi, Allie.” You replied, glancing at Janis, “Wanna pick today, Jan?”

“We’ll take a lychee and raspberry.” Janis decided.

“Perfect, coming right up.”

“Go sit down, baby.” She rubs your lower back. You nodded, “Okay.”

Couple minutes later, Janis joins you at the table. “Here we are.” Janis pushed the bowl closer to you so you could have the first bite.

“Thank you.” You murmured, eating a spoonful of the cooling treat.

She just smiled at you, watching you with such loving eyes. Your smile mirrored hers, “Here, eat it.”

“Is it good?” She asked, scooping a spoonful for herself with her own spoon.

“Always.” You confirmed.

Now almost at 30 weeks, your HG has finally gone away as of week 24. Your appetite was fully back, and you generally had an easier time despite the expected aches along with the increased need to pee. You weren’t too bothered by it, your days were a breeze lately compared to your first six months or so. Once home, you took a shower and then settled down on the couch to video call Regina and Cady. It’s been a weekly thing ever since moving here with Janis.

“How was the appointment, baby?”

“Everything went great. Another one’s scheduled for two weeks. How are you guys?”

“Jace just got over a cold, so we’re doing better today.” Regina answered.

“Have you two started thinking about birth plans yet?” Cady asked.

“We’ll be finalising that at the next appointment but we’ve started to tell the doctor some little things that we want or don’t want.” Janis answered first.

“But we’ve discussed it.” You chimed in, “Decided on being at the hospital for it. I don’t want to risk anything after the last time.”

“Whatever feels right for you, baby. You got this.” Regina replied. “But like I told you, when you asked me. I will be there, okay? I promise.”

“Okay.” You flashed a crooked smile, “And now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta pee. Again.”

“Okay.” Cady and Regina chuckled, “Be careful.”

After the call, you and Janis sat on the front porch to get some fresh air, enjoying a couple oranges straight off the tree in the front yard. Like always, Carl and Grace were cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Janis wanted to help, but they said it was fine and insisted for her to just sit and keep you company. You gave up on asking to help out in the kitchen awhile ago— they didn’t want you to lift a finger in that aspect.

“Dinner’s ready.” Carl stepped outside to inform you and Janis. And as the both of you stood up from the chairs, Akoni had just got home from work. “Hi, Dad!” You and Janis greeted him in sync.

“Hi, ladies.” He quickly walked up and gave you both a hug, “How was the appointment today?”

“All’s good.” You told him as the three of you entered the house.”Little breathless though.”

Janis had her arm around you right up until you had to sit at the table. Her gaze seemed slightly worried at your last statement. “I’m okay.” You said quietly, grabbing a spoon and beginning to eat. As per every Friday, there was a family game night after dinner. Grace finally let you help out in the kitchen— washing the dishes after the meal. You were so happy to do it, she found it adorable.

“You really don’t have to, y’know?”

“I know, but you guys have been taking such good care of me. It’s only fair that I help out wherever I can.”

She smiled, handing you a plate to dry.

“Has a name been decided yet? You don’t have to share it if you don’t want to. I’m just curious.”

“Yeah, we’ve decided on one a few weeks ago.” You told her while placing the plate on the dish rack. While you and Grace finished up washing and drying the dishes, Janis and Carl were setting up for game night. Of course, these days…game nights were limited to card or board games given the obvious. They wanted you to be included, and you wanted to be included. Game nights were fun. They always were.

“Aunty, take four cards. I saw that.” Janis laughed, “Don’t hide that card, put it back.”

“Kidding, kidding.” Grace chortled, placing the +4 card back on the deck and took four new cards like she was supposed to. “Your turn, y/n.”

“Lucky me.” She chuckled, placing your final card on the deck since it matched. “I win.”

“Okay, it’s getting late.” Carl decided, “Good game, but we all better head to bed soon, huh?” Janis headed to the bedroom with you while Carl and Grace packed up the cards. After brushing your teeth, you sat down in bed to wait for Janis, watching her as she did the rest of her nighttime routine. “Lie down.” She says. “I’m okay, Jan.”

“I know you are, but you’re tired. I know that.”

You laughed lightly, shrugging, “Don’t wanna sleep without you though.”

“Aw.” Janis cracked a smile.

You leaned back against the headboard and stared at the ceiling. “You know sometimes I can’t believe all this is happening. We’re in our twenties, and have a lot of life ahead of us but it’s just so crazy to think about and look back on.”

“I know, honey. Time waits for no one.” Janis said back while drying her face with a small towel. “But it’s been pretty great, we’ve got to experience a lot already and things are going well. And I have you, so…I’m pretty much the happiest person alive.” She sat down next to you, properly pulling the covers up. “I’m glad I’m through life with you.” You looked at her, holding onto her hand now. She squeezed your hand, leaning closer to kiss you sweetly.

“We’re doing great.” Janis said softly, “So great.”

“Jan? Can you help me with something?”

“Sure, what is it?”

“It’s really itchy.” You exhaled labouredly, “Can you help me apply the cocoa butter? I haven’t done that yet today.”

“Of course, honey.” Janis got out of bed and went over to the dresser to grab the container.

After your next appointment, you decided it was a good time to take time off work until further notice. You were getting closer and closer to your due date and being anywhere but home made you more nervous than you’d expected to be. The birth plan has also been finalised and the hospital bag was to be packed starting now.

“I’ll see you in a week, y/n. Take it easy.” Dr. Aukai smiled.

“See you in a week.” You nodded firmly. Eight weeks to go.

The fatigue started to affect you again, making you sleepy at every waking moment. Your feet hurt and your ankles were swollen, it wasn’t a pretty sight. But you still had two months to go. Not to mention your sleep’s been restless lately since you had to be up nearly every hour to use the bathroom since the baby’s head was pressed up against your bladder. You’ve even resorted to sleeping while sitting upright, otherwise breathing was a chore. But, you were now closer than ever to seeing your baby. You were more than ready to meet her.

————

“Wait at home?” You gulped, shifting uncomfortably, unintentionally letting out a groan when the pain wrapped around you again. Janis grabs your hand immediately, letting you squeeze hers to divert the pain.

“Breathe.” She reminded, “Deep breaths, honey. You’re okay.”

With her reminders, you snapped out of your little spiral and breathed through this wave. “That’s it, honey. You got it, you got it. I’m right here.”

“Oh, my God.” You murmured, breathing out heavily as you felt a surge in pressure of sorts between your legs, “Why is it so bad?”

“Well, it's been a couple hours since the pain started.” Janis mentioned, “Things are progressing. But breathe, that’s important.”

You leaned your head on her shoulder, wincing as the pressure between your legs felt like it wasn’t going to let up. “I — my God, I think my water’s gonna break.” You told her.

“It’s okay, let it happen. Your body knows what to do.” Regina sat down next to you. She’d just put Jace down for a nap in the guest room, “You’re already sitting on an absorbency sheet.”

You whined, taking in a sharp breath, “Baby. We got you, don’t worry about anything but bringing your little girl into the world.” Regina shushed.

You just sat on the couch or walked around the house to pass time. They made you food, since you could still eat…being so early on in labour and all. You only ate some of it thanks to the poor appetite caused by the increasing pain. Oh, and the nerves. Lucky you, Regina and Cady have only just arrived last night. “Take a lap with her again.” Regina encouraged, “Might help.”

You nodded, Janis helped you stand up then walked around the house with you. As nervous and as tired as you were, you wanted to try everything you could to get things going.

Eventually, the sun set, and you had to go to bed. That was a good nine hours since the pain started. Well, your sleep turned out to be quite restless for the most part. Your eyes snapped open, you felt the worst pain of all so far. With your head rolled back, you reminded yourself to breathe through. Until the nausea hit you, that is. It was so abrupt, you didn’t even make it to the bathroom.

“Fuck!” You cursed, pissed off that you’ve left them a mess to clean off the floor. Cady appeared in the doorway soon enough, Janis was still asleep. She’s been as tired as you were. “It’s alright. Sit down, do you want some water?”

You shook your head vigorously, eyes screwed shut. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. We know what we’re dealing with here, no biggie.” Cady smiled, assuring you. “How long have you been up?”

“Don’t know.” You chuckled wryly, “Pretty much the whole time, I guess. I keep drifting in and out of sleep. Every time I get a contraction, I wake up.”

“Are they closer together?”

“Like less than ten minutes, maybe?”

“Well, they were fifteen minutes apart.” Cady nodded, “So yeah, you’re getting closer. Anything new?”

“No.” You moaned in pain. Then you felt some movement on the mattress, behind you. Janis had just woken up. “How are you feeling?” Janis asked, the sleep evident in her voice.

“Less than ten minutes apart now.” You informed her, “And I just threw up.” She rubs your back, “You could’ve woken me up, honey. I wouldn’t mind.”

“It’s okay, it happened too quickly anyway.” You sniffed, “I’m gonna go get something to clean—”

Cady objected before you could finish talking, “Let me do that. You just rest as much as you can right now.”

“We can probably head to the hospital soon.” Janis rubbed your back as she spoke, “You wanna take a quick shower to freshen up before we grab the stuff and go?”

“Okay.” You looked at her, then you nodded.

“Okay, come on. Let’s do it.” Janis pressed a kiss to your cheek then guided you to stand up slowly.

After helping you with the shower and getting dressed, Janis loaded the needed items and hospital bag into the car. Cady woke Regina up, and she got ready in record time. You’ve never seen her get ready this quickly. Regina was tagging along from the beginning as discussed, Cady was staying behind at the house to watch Jace. And she’ll be there later on in the day.

Regina drove, and Janis sits in the back with you. Halfway through the drive, you’ve began to doubt your pain tolerance because it currently felt like your insides were getting ripped apart every time a contraction wrapped around your abdomen and radiated down to your legs. Janis just held you and whispered sweet words and assurances into your ears. So she kept you as calm as you could be in a time like this.

Once at the hospital, you signed in and was promptly taken to your room. “I’ll be back in a few to set an IV plug for you, in the meantime— here’s a hospital gown for you to change into.”

“Okay, thanks.” You told the nurse before reaching for the open-back gown. The nurse leaves, and you started to undress so you could put the gown on. You had your back facing your sister, your front facing Janis. “You good?”

“Yeah, just tired and in pain. No big deal.” You joked. Janis stood closer to you, smiling a little sadly. She kissed the top of your head next. “Is that still a no to the epidural?”

“Yeah.” You let out a strained reply.

“Okay.” She acknowledged, pressing her knuckles up against your lower back to counteract the pain you were beginning to feel.

“Thanks.” You hummed, leaning forward onto her, “That helps the back pain.”

“Good to know. That’s good, babe.” Janis said, then felt your body tense up as she noted the change reflected on the fetal monitor. “Breathe. In and out, honey. In…and out. You know what to do, that’s it.”

“It’s bad.” You deadpanned, trying not to focus on it. Though it was beginning to seem like something you could no longer ignore, or get distracted from.

The hospital ward’s door opened up, creaking slightly. “Okay, y/n. Time for the IV plug, Dr. Aukai said you’re gonna be started off with some antibiotics for prevention.”

You nodded in silence, still seated on the side of the bed, leaning onto Janis. The nurse, whose name was Maia— you caught a glimpse of her nametag. “Which hand do you want it on?”

“The left’s easier.” You muttered, side of your face smushed against Janis’ chest. You hear footsteps…Regina was walking over to get nearer to you. You didn’t even care about how ridiculous you seemed right now, as long as you felt comfortable, you were staying in the position until you weren’t.

“Okay, hun. Deep breath for me on three.” Maia requested, “One, two, three.” You felt the sting of the needle and yelped, Regina was holding onto your right hand somehow. You then felt the elastic band that was tied around your forearm get taken off. “All done.”

“Thank you for doing it in one try.” You managed a laugh.

“Did my best.” Maia smiled, “You’re all set. We’ll come in to check on you every hour or so. Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.”

Regina sat down on an armchair near your bed, Janis stayed put. “Dr. Aukai has been informed, so she’ll be coming by to check on you too in a bit.”

————

Dr. Aukai was the first to check on your progress and told you how you were doing. “Seven centimetres. You’re getting there. Progressing very nicely.”

Maia and the other nurse on duty did the following two checks, during which you all learnt that you were finally fully dilated and ready. Hearing that, you were in a brief state of disbelief. But then, the contraction hits and pulls you back into reality in no time. “I’ll go get your doctor.” Maia said, briskly leaving the room. The other nurse started setting everything up, including stirrups for your legs in case you wanted to use them. Janis had been holding onto your hand all the while, but what sent a wave of tears through you was Regina squeezing your hand and kissing the back of it then brushing over your knuckles — right at the moment where you felt the fear and intense anxiety kick in, altogether with the adrenaline. It did not mix well with the pain.

You locked eyes with Regina, then Janis. You looked ridiculously unkempt now, but Janis still looked at you like you were dressed to the nines. You swallowed thickly, fighting the urge to throw up. Regina got the attention of the other nurse. “Zelda? Can she get another dose of the anti-emetic?”

“Su—”

“I’m here.” Someone bursts into the room, startling you. Regina looked at the person with wide eyes, displeased. “Let’s get things moving. I’m the oncall doctor, Aukai’s in an emergency c-section.”

“What?”

“Did you not hear what I said?” The older lady squinted at you, grabbing a stool and sitting on it, in the space between your legs. “Zelda, if she has to vomit, just have her let it out, why give her the medicine again?”

“But she doesn’t need to throw up. She just feels nauseous—”

“Do you have to push?” The doctor stares at you, “Okay, push. Ten counts, don’t stop until I tell you to.”

Regina side-eyed the woman. What was she rushing you for?

You didn’t have time to care, and just started bearing down. It seemed like such a long time, and you could barely breathe already.

“Can I stop—”

“Keep going.” She insisted. You were near tears already, and exhausted without question. Akoni was beside Janis, watching it all unfold. He was dead worried.

“y/n, listen to your body.” Akoni said, “Stop if you need to stop.”

“Sir, are you the doctor or am I?”

“You clearly aren’t fit to be one if you’re gonna be rushing her like you have somewhere better to be.” Akoni snapped.

The doctor stayed mum, but you saw the annoyance on her face and you felt her hand putting pressure on the area to slow down the pushing as it was, so why the heck was she forcing you to push for so long?

She glances at the fetal monitor, noticing another contraction starting, “Push.” You did so anyway, you were feeling the urge to. It was just that this doctor was pissing you off and not at all easing your nerves like Aukai had been.

This stupid annoying voice continued to order you for the next thirty minutes, you were in an extremely bad mood now— the complete opposite of how you should be feeling in a time like this. You feel her hand leave your body, that same irritated look on her face.

“You’re gonna need an episiotomy.” The doctor decided, “It’ll be better than if you tear.”

That was not true.

“I’m going to give you a shot to numb the area.”

“What?” Janis stopped the doctor, “Did you not read her file? No episiotomy.”

“And you want her to deal with a rip?” The doctor huffed, sticking the needle into your skin without warning. You grunted feeling the sensation, a tear slipping down your cheek. Janis wipes it away quickly. “You feel that?” She asked, poking and pinching your skin. “Yes.” You told her, “Why aren’t you listening to me— yes! I feel that. Stop.”

In the next second, you felt the worst pain you’ve ever experienced. It stung, you screamed your head off and just burst into tears. “What the fuck! Why didn’t you listen to me?!” You shrieked. The pain made your heartrate go up and your stomach to do an unwanted somersault. Akoni gets handed an emesis bucket, of which you puked what little you had left right into it. You were shaking, overwhelmed by the pain and in shock. “She’s only been pushing for 30 minutes, not three hours.” Regina snarled, “How dare you do that when she told you not to. She didn’t need it.”

“Yes, she did.”

“No, she did not.” Akoni was furious. Janis and Regina knew right away, he was done being civil. To add on to it, you feel the baby’s head exit you, followed by the rest of the body. It felt like your lower half got lit on fire. The pain was unbearable, and you had no idea what was even happening.

What just happened, took place in less than a minute. In seconds, even, giving you no time to fight back, giving them no time to stop her. You felt incredibly helpless and betrayed. You heard cries, then a weight on your chest. It was the baby— your baby. And you couldn’t even focus on her. You held her, allowing some skin to skin but you just weren’t processing any of it. This doctor ruined an important milestone for you and you were bitter about it. So bitter.

The baby was then whisked away to be checked and properly cleaned. You were still struggling to breathe and make sense of this mess.

“I’m gonna stop you right there.” Janis stood closer to the doctor, “Don’t you dare stitch her up like that. She said she could feel it when you tested it, numb the area properly. Otherwise, you can leave right now and get her a new doctor.”

Your mind was a blank from the second you felt her cut you, you saw the doctor and Zelda checking weighing and measuring the small baby. You felt Maia massaging your abdomen to help with the delivery of the placenta. It hurt, but nothing compared to what the doctor did to you. Janis had her arm around your trembling frame as tears continued streaming down your face. The only thing you failed to notice was that Akoni and Regina were no longer in the room. “You’re okay, my love.” Janis held you as close as she could, “You’re okay now.”

Thankfully, your daughter was handed back to you once the doctor started to stitch you up— you couldn’t feel anything this time around, fortunately. “Mom, you wanna fill in the birth certificate?” Maia came closer with the document and a pen.

��Sure, of course.” Janis carefully let go of you and stood next to the table, taking the piece of paper and the pen.

Janis quickly wrote down the name and filled in the rest of it. She wanted to get back to you. And luckily, you didn’t even notice that the doctor had left. You couldn’t stand anything about that woman.

It took some time, but you were finally calm after about an hour. The more time you spent with your baby girl, the more at ease you were. Janis even found the time now to take some photos, like she had meant to do much earlier. Regina and Akoni returned soon after, in better spirits and excited to meet the new baby.

“What’s her name?” Akoni asked quietly, admiring the newborn in your arms.

“Kalia.” Janis answered.

“Kalia Jean.” You added on.

Regina froze, looking at you looking at her. You laughed, “Yes, Reg.”

“You—”

“I named her after you.” You confirmed.

“God…” Regina smiled in disbelief, “You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to. We wanted to. You are a badass and who better to name her after than you? You mean the world to me. And now I have her, and she means the world to me, too. It’s fitting. You taught me hope, she was the hope after that loss. I couldn’t have thought of a better person to honour than you.”

“It is fitting.” Regina sniffed, “Oh, I’m so proud of you, baby. Okay, now you three get closer, I wanna take some pictures. Come on, look here.”

“I am so proud of you.” Janis captured your lips into her own, “So fucking proud.”

🏷️Tag list:

@ashecampos @auliisflower @cheesysoup-arlo @frogs00 @ludoesartandstuff @pda128

💭A/N:

We’re getting closer to the end😩

[writersblockedx]

Criminals and Crows

Pairing - Kaz Brekker x Fem!Reader Summary - For the Crow's next job, they're in need of a pirate; Kaz tracks down you. But despite being the man to hire you, he's having a hard time trusting you. Warnings - mentions of violence, alcohol, sickness, I have no idea how ships work but I did my best at writing it. Words - 3.1K

Masterlist

There weren't many people Kaz Brekker trusted. In fact, when he thought on it, there was about zero people in which he trusted. Everyone he strung into his heists were a risk. He just made logical, pragmatic decisions on choosing who posed least threat. For awhile, that had consisted of Jesper and Inej. But with their newest heist, they were going to need a little more manpower than just the trio. More importantly, they were going to need a ship and a captain. In short, Kaz was going to need a pirate.

Through searching all of Ketterdamn, he located the least risk. Though, still a great risk: You.

Living in Ketterdamn meant you knew all about Kaz Brekker. And quite honestly, the stories told of him made sure you stayed away from his schemes and his need to fill his pockets with kruge. But he certainly knew how to make a deal.

"200 kruge." He had offered.

You looked at him through narrow eyes. In the midst of the Crow Club (something you too had consciously steered away from), you sat across from the man. The black sleeves of his shirt rolled up, his brows menacing as he slicked his hair back from his face. He was leaning as far back in his chair as he could, not making a move other than his lips. But you moved forward. Your elbows hit the woods of the table which was situated between the two of you. "You've told me nothing. I can't agree to anything yet." You scoffed at the way the man was playing this.

His eyes gave a glare but you doubted he didn't ever drop such glare. "You'll get more information when I know you're on board with this." He planned.

"I don't even know how far I'm taking you."

"As far as 200 kruge is worth." He said before standing abruptly, taking his cane back into his hold. But he didn't turn. Not right away. His glare burned down onto you as you stared up at him, trying to work out the thoughts which were stringing together in his mind. "I need an answer by dawn." With that, he left.

You stayed glued to that table in the Crow Club for the remainder of the night. Nursing a pint of ale, running through what was to gain by working with Kaz Brekker. And honestly, the decision to turn up the next day had come from a feeling of curiosity rather than searching for the need for another job. You had enough contenders when it came looking for kruge - but this was drowning in enigma, reeling you in like a fish a hook and you couldn't seem to resist.

Within six hours, as dawn hit and the sun danced in the sky once again, the Crow Club was nowhere near as busy. In fact, it was empty. Well, apart from the three figures that were crowded around a small table, papers littered between them. For a moment, you watched from afar, wondering if you might be able to catch word of their schemes. But you had failed. It didn't take long, just a footstep too loud for Inej to snap around. Her eyes gazed over you, narrow just like the way you looked to Kaz the night before; trying to figure you out.

Her head lifted as the two boys turned their heads to look at her. No one said anything at first but the air seemed filled with unspoken words. Then Kaz dragged himself up to his feet, "You came." He observed.

You didn't reply straight away. Instead, you took the next step down, continuing your walk across to where the trio were crowded. And you didn't say anything until your feet stopped, right in front of them. "A job's a job," You paused, jolting your gaze to Inej and Jesper. "Right?"

Kaz was watching you with careful eyes like he was watching a predator; one of which was unpredictable. And when you wandered around the table, passing Inej and Jesper, he didn't stop you. Your eyes danced between the papers, head tilted as you attempted to connect the dots in front of you. No one stopped you. So you reached your hand out, grasping one of them which provided you with the most information. "Erm," Called Jesper as he watched you. "Is she allowed to look at them?" He gazed back at his boss who gave no indication of not, so you continued.

You found yourself picking up a map with a red circle drawn around a certain town, "Caryeva?" You read the town out. And then you looked up, meeting directly with the eyes of Kaz Brekker. "That's where you want to go. Why?"

"It doesn't matter why, your job is to get us there." The man argued.

A huff fell from your lips as you dropped the paper back to the table, "You said I'd get more information when I was on board with this." You recalled.

Kaz gestured his hand to the paper you had just dropped, "That was your information." He said. "And from what I've heard, you don't quite possess much of a moral standing so I doubt it would matter if we told you our intentions or not." He went on - something of which you couldn't argue against. So, instead, you kept quiet. He took a step forward, facing you between the table with Inej and Jesper still lazily sat, looking up at the two like a fight was about to break out. Kaz reached for his pocket, pulling out a sachel. A heavy sachel which clanked against the wood of the table when it dropped. "That's 100. You'll get the rest when the job is done and you're still alive."

You didn't need to say anything; your glare did it all. But Kaz turned his back with that, walking away as you watched. And for a long moment, you stood there, gazing between the sachel and the empty space where Kaz had been standing. Both Inej and Jesper were awaiting what decision you made. They didn't quite care if they were honest. They needed a captain (and the ship that came with them), but that didn't exactly mean they needed you. But alas, your hand reached out, taking the kruger and leaving the Crow Club to await further instructions.

Kaz had planned to leave that night; dark and cloudy where their dark shadows couldn't be caught heading towards the docks where you were waiting. And their friendly welcome was no different. They each wore straight lines for smiles and held their hands like they were shaking to reach for a weapon.

"We all ready?" Kaz asked as he came right to the ship where you lingered in front of.

You glanced to Jesper and Inej who were holding boxes of Saints knows what, "All ready for Caryeva. For whatever it is you need to do that you won't tell me." It was a jab that hadn't all that much bothered any of them. They would much rather keep quiet than risk having their plans leaked by a captain who couldn't keep their mouths shut. But you took a step to the side, gesturing your hand for them to step on. "All aboard." You said through a dull tone as Kaz stepped on first, his cane hitting the wood of the ship with a thud. Inej followed and then Jesper who provided a salute - the only significant sign of a welcome you had gathered so far.

The trio were very much not used to ships, to sea, to the rocking and turning. When you got onto the boat yourself, you found that a glimpse of the trio was comparable to a bunny on a battle field. This wasn't their territory and it was so very obvious. "Sleeping quarters are down there," You pointed to the left where a hatch in the floor led to the rooms underground. "Front of the ship, Captain's quarters, my quarters, are here." With that, you gestured to the front of the boat where a door led to the wheel of the ship, the driver, the navigator, the captain.

The ship wasn't a huge one that was certain, but it would get this job done. Whatever that job was of course. They dropped their boxes and you unhooked the ropes which kept the ship tied to the dock. You weren't brought away from such task until a voice spoke up, "And where exactly would one be able to find the liquor on this ship?" You turned, finding Jesper wandering a few steps towards you, eyes bright and hungry for the drink he seemed in need of. "That is, assuming there is any, of course."

You looked down over at the man, the rope hanging from your grip, "That would be in the captain's quarter." You informed.

"Jesper," Came another voice, almost like a warning. "Aren't you going to be a bit busy?" Inej was pointing to the box the boy had just dropped. There was a glint in her eye, irritated in a sense, matching the warning which had littered her tone.

But Jesper didn't seem all that bothered by the girl's words. In fact, he shrugged, already walking towards the captain's quarters. "We've got time." He concluded. "Have one drink with me, please!"

Inej sighed, dropped her box, joining the boy as they slipped into the captain's quarters. Like that, your focus was drawn back to the ropes, unhooking them all before returning to the main deck where Kaz was already watching you. "Is that okay?" He asked.

You looked to him, brow raised, "What?"

His head nodded to the room across from you, where Jesper and Inej had just entered. "Jesper and Inej." He answered.

"Oh, yeah, fine." A smile graced your lips as to offer more assurance in that. "Might loosen their lips a little, find out what you crows are up to." It was a joke but Kaz wasn't laughing. However, your words had seemed to break that stern expression which seemed stuck to his face.

"Well, I guess I won't be drinking your pirate liquor then." He said; his voice so low it had almost been a whisper, his breath brushing against your skin.

And you returned the favour as you spoke in the same whisper, "You don't know what you're missing out on." Your smile twisted into a smirk. One which clung to playfulness and bathed in mischief. And Kaz seemed utterly entranced by such, his gaze seeming to lock onto your eyes like he was holding onto your hand as he hung over a cliff.

You started walking back, going to join the two crows in the captain's quarters. Your head flipped back around when you came to note Kaz wasn't trailing behind. "You're not gonna stay out here by yourself, are you?" With one brow raised, it seemed to convince him.

The room was centred around the wheel which looked out the front of the ship. Maps were scattered everywhere, on counters which lined the walls and the main map table which was situated behind the steering wheel. The room was lit by one hanging light which was known to swing dependent on the steadiness of the tide. And as Jesper had so effortlessly got his fingers on: the liquor cabinet. Filled with fine wines and ales you had collected over your years of travelling. All of which was now being poured into the cup of a crow.

Jesper fell into the Captain's chair, swinging his legs up onto the map table as if he were at home. A sigh left his lips, "You know, maybe sea travel isn't all that bad." He observed, letting his eyes flutter close.

"That's because we haven't started moving yet." You explained, shoving his legs from the table with a gentle push while making your way behind the wheel. "Hope none of you get sea sick." And with that, you manoeuvred the boat as well as possible for a captain with no crew.

Inej took a seat across from Jesper. And, unlike he, she didn't swing her legs on top of the map table like it were a footrest. "Yeah, I don't really think drinking is gonna help with the sea sickness." She critiqued.

Jesper shrugged, the cup hovering right by his lips. "The consequences of my own actions." Like that, like it was such a spilt second matter, he took a long hard swig of the liquor. It seemed everyone but Jesper could see how this was going to end.

An hour or so had passed and you swore the boy was turning green. But he pushed through his facade, trying to keep it up until he physically couldn't. His body was swaying against the tide and he hadn't dared take any more drink from the cup. When he went to stand, it was abrupt and because of such, he had so easily almost fallen flat on his face "Woah!" He sung as Inej's hands trapped onto his shoulder in an attempt to keep him steady.

"I told you." The girl seethed, forced to keep him upright. Then she turned to you, "Where's the sleeping quarters?"

You nodded from behind the wheel, "Across the main deck, down on the bottom." And like that, the two were whisked away, leaving Kaz and yourself to your devices.

It was suddenly deathly silent. The sound of Jesper uneasy groans that once echoed the room were now absent. Instead, it was the silent tension that resided between the two of you. You had caught a glance of the man, watching as he ached over the papers in front of him. You couldn't work out if the boy was stressed or if this was his natural position. To combat the silence, you gambled your safety in speaking up, "You okay?" Surely that could do no harm.

Oh, how wrong you had been.

A huff fell from his lips as he shot the paper from his hands, "Because of Jesper's choice to get black-out drunk, it's left me to do what he was meant to." He explained, irritation dripping from his tongue.

You watched him through narrowed eyes. Just like the first time; trying to figure him out. And when you gambled your safety more, you dared to draw closer to him. "I could always help." You offered as his eyes finally fell to your figure. "Unless, of course, you don't trust me for anything other than getting you there and back."

A long moment passed. One in which you could tell Kaz was weighing up his options, working out whether this was a safe option. When the moment passed, he shoved a small wooden box across to you. "We need at least five grenades."

You tried your best to not look shocked, but you had failed in doing such. "Grenades?" You reiterated, peeking inside the box which was waiting in front of you.

Kaz looked to you, a glint in his eyes that you couldn't quite work out. "Who did you think you were working with?" Suppose he made a good point.

You glanced back at the box. Then you took one glimpse of Kaz, still bent over those papers and this planning which needed perfecting by the time they made it to the docks. With that, your hand reached in, taking the parts of the weapon which need constructing. Without a word, you did it, moulding the parts together to create some deathly weapon you had no idea were being used for. After the second one was finished, your curiosity was killing you. You checked Kaz first, checking it was safe to push this very distinct line he had drawn. But you decided to push to it. "What are the grenades for?"

He stopped. His whole body seemed to pause before he gazed over at you. "What are they usually used for?" There was still a snap in his tone but you assumed it was rare it ever left the tip of his tongue. But you took that as your answer and dipped your head back to the task at hand. Kaz had watched you. And when you came back with no quipped reply, he knew he should probably say something. And as a long moment passed and you started to accept that Kaz Brekker's friendship was not something you were about to gain, he broke the silence. "They're gonna be a distraction." He informed.

You looked up, finding his eyes already trailing you. With one brow quirked, you said, "So you're not killing people then?" You queried.

Kaz's head shook, "No. Though, I can't promise that Inej won't stab someone in the wrong place."

You dropped the equipment back in the box, letting your palms grip against the table as you stared over at the man. "And who are you distracting?" By the change in his expression, it looked as if he were hesitant. "Look, I've come this far, you may as well tell me. Even if I wanted to betray your stupid plan, three against one? I'm not that stupid."

Those words seemed to prompt something. Kaz stood from his chair, wandering around the table until he came only inches from you. "Someone stole from me." He finally informed.

"And you're going after them?" You questioned. "What'd they steal? A few knives? Some ale?"

"Doesn't matter what they stole." He told you. "You have to make an example of people."

Your head tilted, finding that this was the closest to the man you had ever been. And for some reason, that fact had erupted a swirling feeling in the pit of your stomach. Ever so close that if something were to-

The tide shifted the ship. Just a wave. But a wave which was hard enough to shift your feet as you tumbled forward. In a moment, Kaz had a hand around you and you had a hand steady on his chest. The wave passed and you steadied yourself. But neither of you dropped your touch. Instead, your eyes slowly dragged to meet his gaze which was already situated on you. And like something was washing over you, a gut instinct, you leaned in. You leaned right into his lips as they met. Such a sweet, soft kiss which had seemed to encompass the tension which had only been building since you first laid eyes on Kaz Brekker.