#i wasn't expecting it to be 6k+ so

[endearng]

Firsts

Pairing: Spencer Reid x fem!reader

Summary: You and Spencer navigate through your firsts throughout your life as childhood friends.

WC: 6k

Warnings: death, grief, use of drugs to cope with grief, uhhhh i guess that's it

A/N: HELLO!!! It's been so so long and I'm sorry I took forever to update — uni's kicking my ass but now I'll try to write a bit more during holidays season. I hope you guys enjoy this one <3 Feedbacks are highly appreciated!

| masterlist

"Do you think we'll stay friends?"

"I'm sure we'll stay friends."

For a genius, your best friend, Spencer Reid, never seemed to notice some of his speech patterns — he would echo you sometimes, which you honestly found adorably funny, and he also had a tendency for rambling, even if it wasn't that appropriate at times. When you two were alone, you didn't mind; in fact, you encouraged him and let him talk to you all the way. When there was someone else, like either of your parents or a teacher (these were your regular companions), you would try to tap him on the arm subtly so he would know when to stop. Although it broke your heart, he said himself once that he appreciated when you helped him look more normal.

Right now, things are everything but normal. Spencer had graduated high school at the age of 12 while you were still in seventh grade and he was leaving to study at Caltech. You didn't dare to compare yourself to him, but you would definitely miss him around, since he was the first person you saw everyday (besides your parents, of course) and the one who walked you to school and then went on the way to his. Right now, you are sitting on the floor of your front porch, while Spencer is laying his head on your lap and you have your hands on his hair. You always said to him that he's got nice hair, no matter how he styled or decided to cut it. He blushed every single time.

"You know… I'm gonna miss you, Spencer."

"I'm gonna miss you. But you'll still be in my life."

"Will I?"

"I'm leaving, but I'll try my best to keep in touch. We can call each other. I'll spare a couple hours of my week so you can talk to me." A small grin stretched on his lips when he mentioned talking to you. A crease made its way between your brows when you thought you'd only talk to him weekly.

Trying to play it cool, you asked, just to be sure, just to check if the pang in your heart felt less intense, less hurtful. "Will you?"

"Yes, I will."

Despite having him in your lap, you couldn't see his eyes, for they were closed in delight from your gentle touch. You saw him smile softly and you could see just how relaxed he seemed with this big change — honestly, if you were him, you'd be terrified. Quickly trying to get rid of your sad and fearful thoughts, as you ran your hands through his hair, you poorly fought the urge to chuckle when you thought about braiding his hair. He felt the air that left your lungs hit his face when you did.

Curious, as he always had been, he inquired, "What is it?"

"You'd look good with braids."

"I'm not letting you braid my hair," even if his tone was one of mock offense, a chuckle made its way out of him.

"I didn't ask to."

You saw as he bit back a grin. Little did you know, but he's is heaven, here in your presence. In dire need of some place safe to just be, without the expectations and the big things that are expected from him and to happen to him. As you unknowingly soothed his thoughts with your gentle touch, he thought about how strange it is having someone touch him and not being utterly opposed to the idea. He also thought about how, for one time in his life, he didn't know something, which was the feeling spreading on his chest. Nevertheless, there was a ghost of a small, shy smile on his face as his shoulders relaxed.

He was happy.

—

As you made your way home from your sixteenth birthday dinner, something felt odd. Looking out the window, the city lights seemed to run from how fast your dad is driving. In the backseat, all alone, you tried to figure out what made you feel so empty all night long. As the car went over a bump, you instinctively looked to the side, and then everything made sense. Spencer wasn't there. Usually, after whatever family celebration you'd go to, he would be there (because you'd insist on taking him with you), by your side in the backseat of your dad's car, laughing at whatever funny thing had happened during the event. He was your company to every single thing you did, and you had been missing him quite more often as the contact between you two became more and more scarce.

Turning to look out the window again, your mom saw the frown on your face and sighed quietly, knowing precisely why you weren't chatting like you normally did. The specific pair of ears that you wanted to be listened by were not here. And she didn't blame you one bit.

As you got home, your frown was quickly replaced by a hopeful feeling on your chest and in your features when you found a voicemail addressed to you.

Hey! I hope you get home before midnight so that you won't think, not even for a minute, that I have forgotten about you. I'm so sorry I couldn't make it! I'm really stressed right now because there are too many things happening at the same time and I'm here all by myself, so... I guess you know, better than myself, how I feel. You… You know me so well. It is nice to be known by you. Anyway... Um... I'd like to wish you a happy birthday and, ah, I also would like you to know that I wish I could have been with you today. I'm really sorry because I know how much you love your birthdays. I'm sending you a gift, but I'm not sure if it will arrive on time. I miss you. I miss you and whatever Taylor Swift song you were always humming when we were walking back from school.

Anyway, er... I miss you—hah��I don't think I'll ever be able to tell you how much I miss you. And how much I miss our time together. Uh, happy birthday!

You didn't know when, but you had teared up at some point listening to him. You didn't know whether the cause was hearing his voice again or because he remembered you or because he told you he missed your time together or that he remembered the silly songs you'd sing when you were walking back home together. Before going to bed, you let your bedside table lamp on, as you always did before so Spencer knew, from the house beside yours, that you were up or you didn't care if he called you in the middle of the night. Either way...

You were happy.

—

Underneath the Christmas tree, the glow of the warm white fairy lights you and your mom had picked out was almost blinding. Yet, you and Spencer couldn't care less. You were both too infatuated by the blinding brightness that punished your eyes to care about having problems later. Closing your eyes, you smiled to yourself, happy to be doing something so ordinary, so dumb, with your best friend. Behind your eyelids, the light was not as relentless and it granted some relief from the current sight, which sort of looked like a kaleidoscope of... white. You heard when Spencer turned his head to look at you, but you missed his soft grin.

"It was overwhelming me," you explained.

"I know." He replied, still looking at you.

Your profile, under the yellowish glow, looked almost ethereal. The slope of your nose, the curve of your lips, everything was forever ingrained into his memory. By now, Spencer could map out every single freckle on your face — especially the particular one on your lower lip. He sighed at the sheer thought of your lips. You were now seventeen and so was Spencer. Puberty had been way gentler on you than it was on him and he noticed with a blush that you were growing up, just as he was. You were a little taller, for sure, and you had put on some weight in all the right places, not to mention your style that matched your personality. As for him, he had that voice pitch swing that he hated greatly, still wore thick glasses and overall went with the nerdy stereotype that everyone picked on him for… while you looked like you were glowing.

You opened your eyes and turned to look at him. You were so close that it almost hurt. Inches separated Spencer from what he thought would be the best feeling of his life. From the person that had him lying awake for hours, tossing and turning on his bed until the sun began to rise. "I can't wait to give you your gift. I think you'll love it!"

He grinned. "I'll be happy with anything." From you, he meant to say, but he didn't finish.

You closed your eyes again, a grin of your own on your face. He wondered... What if he got closer? What if he kissed you? What if you pulled away? What if you didn't pull away? What if you cut him off?

Almost unconsciously, he inched closer and closer to the point your breaths mingled together. You didn't pull away, not even for a second. Instead, you leaned in, getting ever closer to him than you ever had been before. The fairy lights made you look even prettier than before. You looked like a dream.

"I was thinking..."

"About what?" He asked. Despite his gaze being lost in you, he was acutely aware of the words coming out of your mouth.

God, your mouth.

"It's stupid..." You muttered, looking away from his eyes.

"You know you can talk to me." It's not stupid if it's you.

"Okay... okay." You breathed in. "Me and the girls were talking about first kisses. And I felt so, so embarrassed because I haven't had mine yet."

Spencer felt dizzy. Even if he wasn't the best at social cues, if he was reading this right, you wanted him to kiss you too. He exhaled softly, trying to clear his thoughts. His voice was weak when he asked, "And?"

"Have you had yours yet? I know we talk about everything and all that, but... have you?"

He chuckled at your question. How could he, the scrawny little nerdy boy have had his kiss and you hadn't? "You're joking right?"

"I'm not! I'm genuinely curious."

He didn't know, but your heart was in your throat, too scared of a positive answer.

"I haven't had my first kiss yet."

Somehow, that did nothing to calm your racing heart. Inching even closer, you muttered, "we could have it together."

If Spencer didn't pass out with your words, he was sure he would be unshakable for the rest of his life. Whatever life threw at him, it wouldn't matter as much as this moment of sheer strength and self-control, because he didn't pull you in immediately. "Are you sure?"

"I'd be fine with kissing you. You're my best friend. I—I know you won't judge me and you know I won't judge you either. And—and... even if things are... embarrassing... i—it will still be a good memory in the… future." As your soft voice reached his ears, he felt like he was in heaven.

Your arguments for kissing him made him wonder if you had spent that much time considering it as he did. "Okay, you've got a few points. I'm—I'm not... opposed to the idea."

Your heart burned. You both inched closer and closer, a hair width separating your lips. As your eyes fluttered closed and you placed one of your hands on the back of his neck, both hesitantly and surely, Spencer mimicked you and pressed his lips to yours with the lightest pressure as his hand found your waist tentatively. Your lips felt so soft and sweet. He knew he would feel you for days — and hoped you'd feel him for days, too.

Encouraged by him, you pressed your lips a bit harder against him. He gasped softly and you took the opportunity to capture his lower lip between yours and kiss it gently. Spencer could feel his heartbeat drumming on his ears and he tightened his hold on your waist the tiniest bit. Internally, he thought he died and went to heaven and that's how he was welcomed there. Your lips fit together so nicely and he felt his heart burning for you and he knew back then that he would do anything you asked him to in a heartbeat.

You pulled back to lick your lips and fitted them into his again. He sighed, again, moving to your accord as he tried focusing on how good it felt to be kissed by you rather than how you could regret it later. Distancing yourself, your eyes slowly fluttered open, finding his dazed ones already looking back at you. You grinned at him. Another secret between the two of you; but this time, it wasn't an embarrassing one.

He smiled back.

Later that day, Spencer sat on his bed, touching his lips, feeling the tingle yours had left behind. Smiling like an idiot, he wrote that date on the wood of his nightstand, black marker holding the evidence that tonight had actually happened, if he were to ever forget. If anyone asked, well, he would have to come up with something to hide the fact that he was relentlessly in love with you, but he would replay the best memory of his life in the back of his mind as his mouth stuttered out a little white lie.

He was so confused. And screwed. And so utterly happy.

—

At Caltech, at the ripe age of eighteen, on a working day, as usual, Spencer typed aggressively on his keyboard, writing an academic paper on a topic that had come to his mind during one of his classes and later inspired fully by a conversation with this one professor. Looking at the time on his computer screen, he cursed. It was already time he was supposed to be on his way to class, which was unlike him. There was a reason, though.

Last night, he had gotten home late. He had lost track of time talking to a girl whose name was Alex. They were both at the university library, and they hit it off immediately talking about Literature and then more mundane things — he had found out that she was a high schooler having classes with grad students, just like himself a few years back. Getting home late, his entire schedule for the day ahead had been ruined, so everything felt odd as he tried to navigate through his last obligations. He had gone to bed later than usual and overslept for some reason unknown to him.

As he got up abruptly, he knocked his knee on the desk, which was now getting very small for the size he had grown into. Shutting his eyes and suppressing a whine, he breathed in. As he opened his eyes, his line of sight caught glance of one of the two only photos he had hung up on his wall. The first was him and his mother, Diana. The second was you and him.

It was short after your fifteenth birthday, and he finally had had the time to go visit. You had greeted him with a very warm hug. That very same day, you had dragged him to your bedroom, which now didn't have the pink walls and the posters of the bands you liked so much anymore. Now, the walls were a cool tone of sage green and your walls were cleaner, the posters being replaced by photos of you and your friends from school. He had felt a tinge of jealousy, noticing just how much he was missing out on your life. Despite the lingering feeling, he tried to not let it get to him.

You thanked him so much for the gift he had given you, one of those polaroid cameras. He had spent so much time saving money to get you that present. The excited, happy tone in your voice during the phone call you had made to thank him made him feel like it had been worth it to spend that much.

"Hey, here she is! I named her Marie. From Marie Curie, of course." You explained, holding your camera carefully as you both entered your bedroom

"You named 'her' Marie?"

"She has a special place on my heart."

He chuckled. "You're so material, sometimes."

"You gave it to me!"

"I gave it to you." He whispered, a hint of a smile dancing around his features.

You smiled. "Come on, let's take a picture. It's her first. I waited a whole month so you'd be here to take this photo with me. It's only fair you're the first person to be photographed with me by Marie."

"Oh... okay..."

Holding the camera with both of your hands, you held it out so that it would capture the two of you. "Smile." You said, and, without checking his pose, you pressed the button, a big grin on your face, for the photo, of course, but also from being so madly happy that you were with him again. Spencer didn't know what do to, frozen on the spot because you were so, so close. He just looked at you, dumbstruck gaze on him as he watched you smile so beautifully at the camera.

His heart was doing somersaults.

After the flash in your face, you blinked rapidly, chuckling to yourself. "Oooh. That's uncomfortable, heh." You open your eyes and the first thing you see are his beautiful hazel ones, looking straight at you, as if he didn't even blink upon the bothering aftermath of the light on your faces. You nearly had to gulp under the intensity of his gaze. Then, you quickly regained consciousness and started fanning the small piece so that the picture would appear faster.

The result was the one now stuck to his wall: you, with the biggest smile on your face and he, lovestruck, dumb, lost gaze as he looked at you.

Sigh.

Spencer quickly shook his head, not meaning to be later and even more stressed than he already was. He missed you, though. And he let himself relish in that feeling of longing for a minute. Glancing at the photo, he couldn't help but think you were already eighteen. And that he had loved you from the first time he saw you — when he was twelve.

He sat on his bed, having removed the photo from the wall. As he held it delicately between his fingers, he thought of you. He always did. In spite of being late, in spite of everything telling him he had to go through his days, he felt something tugging at his heartstrings, a longing feeling that he should be somewhere else, something that told him something, so he knew.

It was time to go.

—

Back in his hometown, even the air felt different, despite exuding an aroma that reminded him of his younger days. It had been some time since he had visited, and the distance between you and him only grew further. Driving past your house — the state of California had finally issued his license —, he saw a somewhat big crowd of people, all dressed in black.

He felt like the noise around him didn't fully reach his brain. Like he was under water.

Robotically stepping out of his car, he approached the house cautiously. Almost as instantly as your mom welcomed him, he saw you across the room, dressed in black. Bloodshot eyes found him instantly, and a flicker of relief passed your expression — unable to muster up a smile, but oh so willing to show him that you were grateful for his presence. You felt frozen to the spot and had been standing in that corner for hours. A man placed his hand on your shoulder and that's when you looked away from Spencer. He noticed it, of course, and was obliged to acknowledge the blonde man by your side. You didn't smile at him either.

Spencer approached, somewhat relieved that you were okay, but so confused and overwhelmed by the entire situation. Almost unwilling to believe whatever bad thing had happened, because he had been so happy with you in that house.

Once he was within your earshot, you greeted weakly, "Hi."

"Hi."

Silence.

"Can we talk?"

Something about the look in your eyes told him that you desperately wanted, no, needed, craved it from him, his presence. With a subtle nod, you excused yourself from the man and lead him to the backyard. Sitting on the same bench you did when it was too late and you talked about the stars together, you reveal softly as you stare into the distance, "Dad's gone."

Spencer felt like he had been punched and all the air had left his lungs after your confirmation of something he was suspecting already. Finally, he blurted out, sitting down by yourself, "W—what?"

"He didn't wake up."

"He didn't wake up?"

"No... Last night, Spencer..." You begun, your voice thick with emotion, "he said that everything was alright." You frowned, tears streaming down your face, "That he... loves... loved me and mom... and that... that had been his role on Earth."

He stood quiet, waiting for the rest of what you had to say, still shaken by the news. Your broken voice and distant gaze were enough to skyrocket the pain he felt. Spencer absolutely adored your dad, and he was one of the few that Spencer confided in wholeheartedly when things got too rough for him to bear by himself. Even though your dad was the quiet type, Spencer would go as far as saying that he was somehow his dad as well.

With your silence, he had a little time to see past the pain. Analyzing your figure, he knew. He knew you had to leave. If you decided to stay, you'd be rooted to the spot and you wouldn't be able to grow any further, forever stuck into the never ending, relentless force of grief. Spencer knew that because, besides knowing you better than anyone else, he had left in hopes to escape the person he thought he was doomed to become. Your voice brought him out of his reverie. "I laughed. I thought he was joking."

"Maybe he was joking."

"Maybe he knew he was leaving."

Silence.

You look up at him. Asking for answers. For something. For comfort.

Sitting down beside you, he held your shaking shoulders as you let tears fall freely and you lost your breath and you choked on your own saliva. An ugly, guttural, desolate crying. Spencer held you through it all — he was ready to scream at anyone on the garden if they had the nerve to go there, but, actually, in that moment, you didn't care that somebody could see or hear you. The effect of the pills your mother had given you had started to wear off and you felt things way more intensely than when she first broke the news.

Dad's gone, was all that you could hear her voice say as Spencer turned his body to fully embrace you, placing your head on his shoulder and sobbing your pain as an effort to quell the ache of your loss.

It took every single ounce of self-control for Spencer not to break down with you, because in that moment, he preferred to swallow his own pain so that he could be your safe space instead. As your sobs slowly subsided, you sighed, squeezing your eyes shut as if that would make the pain that invaded your whole body go away.

"I think..." you started, but never finished.

Silence.

"I think you should move away."

You looked at him, baffled, puzzled, hopeful.

"What?" You whispered softly.

"I think staying won't do you any good. And you know I'm right." His gaze never faltered.

You took a deep breath. "M-my mom... Spencer... she doesn't have anyone else. I-I can't do that... to her..." You gulped. The meer thought of leaving felt exhilarating, but you had to stay. You were rooted.

"Your brothers are always around." He replied.

"Not anymore. Much has changed since… since you... left."

"I didn't leave." He said, defensively.

"I didn't accuse you. At least I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

He pressed his lips into a thin line. "Would you consider it? Leaving, I mean?" Please, say yes. Please, say yes. Come with me.

"I would... I don't know, Spencer." Your voice was broken. "Too... too much is going on. I can't just... go."

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"There's dad. And now mom. And that stupid college... I don't know where I fit." You fit next to me, he wanted to scream at you, but he realized it wasn't fair of him to demand anything from you at that moment. "I don't know what path to take without my dad here to guide me." A wet chuckle made its way out of you. He hugged you again.

On a sudden wave of boldness, he stated, "If you stay, this will be your life. If you go, you'll have somewhere to come back to if things go wrong. I—I… I know, um, that I sound very insensitive right now, but that's the truth. Why do you think I went away?"

"I can't." And your tears began again, even harder this time.

He sighed, holding you against his chest once again. Despite the unbearable pain of not being able to help, to persuade you, he decided to respect your decision.

“My father's in a casket. I have got no plans.” You muttered softly. His heart broke for you all over again.

“You've got me. And I've got you.”

Looking up at him, your eyes glimmered with hope. Desperate to believe him, desperate to leave. With him, if he'd have you.

But that wasn't how it worked.

You buried your face on his chest again, willing the tears to stop, to have some control over yourself again.

He held you through it all. He was there for you.

Spencer's stay didn't last long, even though it was filled with an unspoken, desperate beg for you to come with him, even if he didn't quite know how things would work once you accepted. After some thinking, he realized he was asking too much of you for the sake of trying to protect you from what he knew was going to happen. Losing his own father, albeit for a different reason, had changed him permanently and he was scared that you, losing yours, would turn into a different person too. The mere thought of losing you to grief was too much to handle, even if he understood that his pleas were unfair to you, not to mention absurd.

Spencer's brain was turned into a whirlwind of thoughts, all of them desperate to find a way out of this situation, to find a way out to get you out of that place — both physically and mentally. As he stood by your side during your dad's burial, he let you squeeze his hand as if that would somehow make the pain less intense for you. It didn't, but it felt nice to have someone to carry the weight with you.

—

Spencer had joined the FBI at the age of 23, when you were graduating from college. The difference was staggering and it made you laugh the same as it had when he was going to college and you were going to seventh grade. It had been years since you had last met in person, after all, Diana was the main reason he'd go to Vegas, and he didn't go there much because he was often too busy with his studies and his career. Once, he had confided in you, saying that he secretly wished that it would be enough of a good excuse to avoid seeing his mother in a facility and saving them both from the pain. Tonight, though, that would change. You were visiting him in Virginia.

A little nervous, you knocked on his door. Once he answered, you took in his appearance and your heart swelled at the sight. In your eyes, he'd always looked the prettiest, but now… It's like something had shifted: Spencer was all that you saw. And you didn't want to look at anything else anymore.

“Hi,” you greeted in a weak voice. Perhaps the intensity of your smile stole away your will to speak properly.

“You're here.” Spencer muttered, eyes filled with many emotions, but that you decided to read as relief.

“I am.”

“God, it's been so long,” he says, closing the gap between you and him, wrapping his arms around your torso, resting his head on your shoulder, not so subtly trying to smell your perfume. And failing to hide the overdrive when he noticed it was the same from all those years ago, from when you had first kissed.

Pulling away slightly, you cupped his cheeks with both hands and took in his shiny eyes, the ones that you adored so much and now met yours with a new perspective on everything. Once entering his apartment, you found that the place screamed his name, from the scattered books and the endless piles all over his living room. His TV had a documentary in a foreign language on, and you smiled to yourself. Spencer had never changed and, at his core, was still the boy you were once close friends with.

Spencer filled you in on the things you missed. You knew they were mostly about his job because he wasn't one to step out of his comfort zone — not that you'd judge him for it. “I miss having you around, tapping my arm so I know when to stop,” he revealed softly as you two shared a tub of ice cream.

Forget germs, forget pathogens, forget viruses, forget everything. She is here.

You giggled. It set his heart on fire. “Ah, Spencer… You know I only did it when other people were around. Other people are just other people. You're you. And rambling is part of who you are. Don't let that disappear.”

He smiled. You were still you.

“In fact, I have something to tell you.”

His heartbeat fastened, thinking of every possible scenario, reliving every single one of your experiences in the back of his mind. “You… you have something to tell me?” He echoed. He was still him.

Chuckling softly, “I'm glad you're still you, Spencer. I still say your name when people ask me who's my best friend. It's an excuse to relive our favorite stories as I tell them all about you.”

Spencer was left speechless, bashfully looking away from you as he resumed to talk about his days at the FBI. He told you all about his team, the people and what they found on a daily basis. “Do you think it's weird that I study what I do study?”

“No, Spence. You've always had a curious mind. Why do you ask?” You inquired back.

“I don't know… sometimes I think that people find me weird.”

“You're not,” you said, simply. “Your interests are very diverse, and anyone who talks to you will find that out. Being a profiler is not weird.”

He grinned. Your words or arguments about his insecurities throughout your friendship weren't always the most complex, but he always felt better by talking to you. He was never ashamed, never too scared of admitting something or voicing his needs. You made him feel like it was okay to speak, to want, to be. Whatever his limitations were and whatever words he left unspoken, they were never your fault. You'd never frowned at him, not once.

As the night progressed, he filled you in on what he had been doing for fun, mentioning his current readings — one of them on his nightstand. Giddily, you went over to his bedroom to find the novel that he was talking about, so that you could hear him talk about it and recite, by heart, quotes that illustrated his points and interpretation from the book. Upon entering his bedroom, you smiled to yourself. So Spencer. The sand-colored walls, the neat and clean floor, his slightly wrinkled bedsheets, a pile of laundry on top of his bed, a few scattered items on his nightstand — which, by the way, was the same in his mother's house. You had always found it amazingly pretty, the light wood and the black paint that covered the iron of the drawer pulls.

As you reached the piece of furniture and removed the book, you found something scribbled right under where the object had been lying. You were ready to give him a piece of your mind and you opened your mouth, ready to tell him not to ruin the perfect nightstand, but as you turned on the lamp to try and find out what was written there, the writing in black ink made you shiver. You fell silent. It was the date of your first kiss.

Time stopped. Why was that date written there? And why did the possibilities both scared and thrilled you so damn much? You felt someone behind you. “So, you found the book or what?” The question made its way out of his lips in a teasing tone. But, as you turned around softly, the book still clutched tightly in your hands, your eyes questioned him back. Not accusingly, only… curiously.

When he realized what you had discovered, the air left his lungs and he tried desperately to come up with an excuse. It turns out that he hadn't been asked by many people about the meaning of that date — and it's not like he had many visitors, anyway. “I… You… You… Did you… see it?” You managed to nod, weakly.

“What does it mean?” You asked, eyes never leaving his.

Looking away, he replied, “I was scared to forget.”

“Forget?” You inquired, shifting your weight.

“About it…. That night, I mean. about… us.” You gazed at him understandingly once he answered.

“About us?” Funnily enough, now you were the one parroting him. It would have made you chuckle if the situation wasn't that serious.

He breathes out, “Yeah, us.”

A beat of silence. You take a step towards him, and his breath hitches. “Have you forgotten?”

He searches your face. Upon finding nothing but support, he reveals, “There's not a single day I don't remember that moment.” You gulp and he takes a step closer, which makes your grip on the book tighten even more. You closed your eyes — a silent invitation, but it makes him falter once he doesn't have your eyes to navigate him through what he's supposed to do.

I'm glad you're still you, Spencer.

Encouraged by the memory of your words from moments ago and the presence of you, he closes the distance between you, once and for all. There's nothing that could hold him back from loving you once your lips touch and press together in a kiss that makes the book fall to your feet as your hands find their place on the back of his neck.

On any other day, Spencer Reid would be pissed upon seeing someone drop a book, let alone a considerably heavy one, on his feet — that's absurd. That moment, though, he couldn't care less as he squeezed your waist, as if trying to convince himself that you were there, that it was real, and that he finally got to do what he has always wanted.

Spencer and you had been through many firsts during the time you've known each other; some good firsts and some pretty bad firsts. But, there was a quote, from ‘Doctor Who’, that you always reminded him and yourself whenever things got too tough:

"The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don’t always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don’t always spoil the good things and make them unimportant."

As long as he had you to soften the bad things and had your company during the bad things that made the good ones unimportant, Spencer figured that life would be a pile of more good than bad things.

[jellicatty]

♯2 ┆ ❝ GROUPIE LOVE ❞ 𝜗𝜚 ᵎᵎ

Their tolerance is quickly crumbling under the weight of your relentless, wicked charm. It’s only a matter of time before their lust spills over. And unfortunately for you, the dam finally breaks during your work shift.

╰┈➤ contains : nanami x beverage cart attendant! female reader x higuruma. no curses au. flirty reader. jealous! nanami. really reaaaally mean higu. THREESOME. public sex. no protection. creampie (yipee). shoko present here. 6k words (it's an easy read trust).

╰┈➤ note : MY HANDS ARE LITERALLY SWEATING PLEASEEE okay wait disclaimer im not a smut writer but i did enjoy writing it hueheu OKAY ENJOY READING MY BFFS ( ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ഒ (hoping i don't disappoint) (a bit scared).

The harsh rings of the telephone cuts right through Nanami's ears, yet his face remained unresponsive at the sound. It was normal to be surrounded by phone calls, mugs of black coffee, and especially the snores of his coworkers.

A normal day.

Well, not so normal anymore.

From the day he and Higuruma had their eyes on you, life has been something that Nanami looked forward to. It was still riddled by his tiring occupation, but his bi-weekly golf meets with his friend turned his dull life upside down. He might be exaggerating, but that's what a good pussy/ a pretty girl does to him.

"Hey... Why are you looking so dashing all of a sudden, Kento?" His colleague asked from his work cubicle, voice groggy from being woken by his five minute alarm. Although not intending to be rude, Nanami's focus stayed fixed on his screen, typing away whatever he needed to.

"You don't have a girl yet, right?" His co-worker leaned closer to his face, eyes suspecting the blond's hyper-focused gaze. "Right..?"

With a sigh, Nanami answers, "No, I've been playing golf lately." It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either.

"No offense, but Golf? Out of all sports?" Nanami's politeness cracks for a moment, glaring at his colleague at his sudden comment.

"Please, excuse me—"

Ding!

Their eyes lands on Nanami's laptop where the notification sound came from. It wasn't an ad from a random online website or an alarming message, but rather, an anonymous text from Higuruma.

"Higuruma? Is that your girl—"

"Please, excuse me, I need to finish my work." Before his coworker could overstep his boundaries, Nanami quickly cuts them off.

A message from Higuruma at this hour was one of the things he least expected. Not only was he occupied with his work, the two actually never texted each other unless needing assistance and their hangouts. Nanami stared at the screen for a moment, then clicked the notification bar.

“Do you have a moment?” It read. Nanami hesitates to respond when Higuruma’s intention still isn’t clear to him yet. Another message arrives, this time fully capturing his attention.

“It’s about her.”

Afternoon had already approached, yet your body laid on your silk sheets. Realization has not completely settled and a nagging feeling inside you hammered. You were going on a date with a man you met from work. And you might fuck him tonight.

As the seconds pass by, exhilaration pumped in your veins. Weeks were gone with the wind since you had been spontaneously invited by Higuruma. Ever since then, your nights have been spent by scrolling through online stores for dresses— one that's sure to weaken his knees. dresses that can be easily slipped off too

On the other hand, your reality was a nightmare for someone else. And that someone was none other than Ieiri Shoko, your best friend, and fellow beverage cart attendant. If she was ever in your situation, she would have ran to the nearest highway and voluntarily approached a ten wheeler truck— her words, not yours.

"Were you even listening?" Shoko raised her voice, still overshadowed by the loud music from your laptop.

"Can't hear you!" Cautiously, you rolled your hair around the gadget and released it. Roll. Press. Release. Your routine continued while music blasted from your bedazzled speakers. "Or Nah" by The Weeknd and other artists, a filthy song for a filthy woman— or at least, that's what Shoko said.

"Please stop the music, I'm sick of hearing women moaning and bed squeaking every damn minute,"

"Fine, fine!" With a giggle, you lowered the volume, finally lending an ear to Shoko's daily rant. "What were you saying again?"

Shoko rolled her eyes, "Whatever, I said you look fucking delicious" her deadpan evident in her tone, "Oh, I'm flattered!" Roll. Press. Release. And finally, your hair was done and curled to perfection. Your focus shifted to your makeup bags, another battlefield to enter. But this war was a familiar one, and after a short time, your makeup was done to your liking.

While Shoko released her frustrations through rambling, you busied yourself with your reflection, which you had been staring at for a minute now. The sun had set and the familiar orange hues were streaming from your windows when you had finished. Anticipation crept, and once again, you find yourself daydreaming how the next moments will be. You’re planning on ending the night without a surprise, and you're certain you won’t be leaving without a catch too. Will he confess his desires through discrete touches? Does his plan include you being brought to his doorstep? Whatever it is, you were in on it. And for it to happen, you wore a good fucking dress to impress Higuruma.

You walked back to your desk and gave Shoko a clear view of your stunning choice of clothing. The sensual yet formal style of your dress heightened your charm even more. One gaze and a man will wonder what lies beneath it. Hopefully, that man will be Higuruma tonight. And hopefully, he takes notice of your daring move of choosing a backless dress. Back exposed and bare, only welcoming his warm touch.

In a trance, Shoko’s lips shut when you asked her, "So, what's the vibe?"

"Uh, hot vibe?"

"No, silly! Like, is it giving a dinner date with your ex-husband and showing up in a revenge dress to seduce him back? Or, is it giving a first date night with the side chick?"

Her mind stalled for a moment, before replying, "Yeah"

“That was very helpful!” Shoko rolled her eyes at your sarcasm. Your attention was drawn to your phone where a loud ding erupted from. Higuruma’s notification pops, and instantly you were zooming around your room for your final touches. You squealed, earning another annoyed sigh from your friend.

“Toodles, Ieri!” And with that, you closed your gadgets shut, sprayed perfume once more and slipped on your heels. One last look at your reflection, and you were good to go. Each step you took was accompanied by the hammering beats of your heart. Before you open your door, you peeked into its peeping hole. Outside, Higuruma idled by your porch, examining your house while his hands clutched a bouquet. You quietly gasped at his sweet surprise.

Finally ready, you swung the door open, “Nice to see you here, Sir Hiromi,” his name rolled off your tongue with a teasing lilt, one that’s daring him to step an inch inside your home. And he would have, because your appearance for tonight was not something that his control could take.

Higuruma wanted to stop time right there and then, at the exact moment you stepped out of your door with flushed cheeks and a dazzling grin. He wanted to take his time in analyzing every curve and inch of your skin. The rise and fall of your chest, the delicate beauty marks adorning your body, the shine of your lips, and that fucking dress. He was only a man after all, and any man would fall to their knees if they ever were graced with your stunning look tonight.

“Lovely to see you too,” There was a pause in his words, and although his lips were locked, his mind scrambled for the words to say. “Y/N,”

“Yes, Sir Hiromi?”

“Just Hiromi tonight, love.”

“Hiromi,” His name is followed by a giggle.

The man extended his gift to you, “Before we go, I want to give you this.” Immediately, the fresh scent of the hand picked peonies and tulips greeted you. Its vibrant colors matched your dress. Your appreciation fell from your lips, and without wasting any more time, the two of you settled inside his sleek black car.

“You’re comfortable, right?” Higuruma briefly glanced at you, then you replied with a polite smile. You have not even reached your destination yet but you were already drunk. His rich perfume whiffed about in the air, his scent dangerously intoxicating you and fueling your lustful imagination. His choice of clothing was a weapon too; a black tuxedo fitted perfectly on his form. And his nose, how could you ever forget his perfect nose.

Unconsciously, your teeth bit your lip. That damn charm never faded even when he simply drove. Were you reaching your breaking point? Or is it that time of the week again? Whatever, you needed him. The feeling’s mutual though. Higuruma, too, finds you irresistible under the moonlight.

An inner turmoil stirred inside him, though. His hesitance of bringing you to the date gnawed at him gradually. The closer you got, the more he wanted to turn back and drive fast to your house, needing you to be all for himself tonight. But, there’s no turning back now, not when another surprise is already waiting at the venue.

Higuruma sneaked a glance on your exposed thigh.

Christ.

Did you even know the extent of your control over his restless mind? That, just one more word slipping from your mouth would tilt him over to the edge? His composure is unraveling under the force of your mere presence and you’re so blatantly unaware of it. Your blindness to his suffering tethers him even more to you. It’s almost indescribable how badly he wants to put himself under you. under your pussy

God, he thought. May God extend his restraint because another moment alone with you will drain all his control.

Aside from his buzzing train of thoughts, the ride to the restaurant was silent. Nevertheless, your unspoken desires spoke for yourselves. A part of Higuruma was also glad you remained still, for hearing your sweet voice might just be the last push.

After a few grueling minutes of fucking you in his own world, the both of you arrived at your destination. Higuruma swiftly led you to your assigned table, where a surprise caught your breath.

“S-Sir Kento?”

Ah, there you are, Nanami’s object of nightly affection.

And just when you thought your night couldn’t get any better, Nanami sat at the booth. His eyes shifted from the menu to yours, capturing yours with a playful glint. Your grip on your purse tightened as Higuruma walked you to him.

“Thought it would be nice to have him with us.” Higuruma smiles and gestures for you to sit beside him and you excitedly do so. Albeit your visible shyness, you quickly warm up within their presence. And after some greetings, dinner started.

Your attention shifted to Nanami, who appears to be very sophisticated with his suit and tie. Fuck, it’s embarrasing to admit it but these men have outsmarted you, turning the tables and making you their playtoy instead. You’re not letting your hard headed self succumb without a fight of course.

When the food arrived, your plan silently commenced. As you bit your meal, your foot brushed against Nanami’s, earning a warning glance from him. Stubborn, you let your teasing continue. Slowly, you rubbed your heels, tracing lines on his skin that made him tense, before subtly lifting up the ends of his trousers. Nanami decided to clear his throat, as if signaling Higuruma.

“So, what about you, sweets? You can’t be sitting in your room all dolled up everyday.” Higuruma asked, placing his palm on your exposed thigh.

You’re caught speechless, “I…” You looked up at him, wordlessly begging for mercy as his hand went closer to your clothed sex. Nanami played dumb across you, finding amusement at your predicament.

“Oh, me?” You gulped, rushing for a word to say.

“Haha! I’m actually quite uninteresting once you get to know me.” Your laughter failed to cover the rising tension within the room. And just from Nanami’s stifled snicker, you knew you were an idiot for even attempting to play it off.

Higuruma went on, “Seriously? No boyfriend to talk to or anything?” You grew hotter under their intense gazes, grappling at your composure to stay under Higuruma’s taunting moves.

“No.. No boyfriend.”

“You can’t fool adults, angel. A pretty lady like you ought to grab some attention, hm?”

Higuruma squeezes your inner thigh, “A-attention?”

“Yeah, your mini skirts were distracting. Or you don’t know that either?” They’re taunting you and you’re falling for it. Gradually, but surely. They’ve found your weakness, using it to satisfy their need for humiliation; almost like a punishment for teasing them.

“S-skirts…? Oh!” Your sentence is interrupted by Higuruma’s sneaky hand that was now placed before your pussy. Dissatisfied with your limited expression, Higuruma pushed your button by grazing his finger on your nub. And for a moment, your face faltered and a short gasp left your lips.

Your mind screamed at him for his teasing, loathing at his want for humiliating you publicly. Yet, your unbridled hatred for him could not mask your desire. Each glide of his finger against your sex was intoxicating. You never thought he’d crossed the line in a restaurant, surrounded by dining visitors and watched intently by Nanami himself. Dread etched onto your face as you helplessly feel your control entangle itself within Higuruma’s lust, bound by your need for excitement.

You lift your head, facing Higuruma with a newfound courage to endure his seduction.

“Hiromi—”

“Do you need water?,” He began rubbing his index finger on your clit, “You look rather flushed.” You struggled to reply when his movement went faster. Embarrassingly, your pussy welcomed his hand, slick pooling in your panties. You can’t think straight. Not when Higuruma’s fingers are only quickening by every passing second. Or when Nanami’s staring at you with such hunger it’s almost primal.

“Hiromi, It may be beige this time.” Nanami chimed in, seemingly unbothered by the growing tent in his own pants. “Mhm? Oh, I agree with you on that one.”

“W-what are you guys talking ab—”

“It’s just a game me and Kento play.”

If it wasn’t for the table's long drapes and the cloth on your lap, everyone beside you would have seen the scene. And if it also wasn’t for the waiter who asked for the desserts, you would’ve coated Higuruma’s finger with your cum.

“May I now serve the desert?”

“Please do.” Nanami gave the server a smile. And just like that, the tension from earlier dissipated and the two men were now back to normal. They chewed their meals and laughed heartily at their conversations, ignorant to your dazed expression.

The whole dinner went by without any more intrusions and fastly, it had come to an end. You stepped out of the restaurant, arm linked around Higuruma’s with the bouquet in hand while you bid your goodbyes to Nanami. It was unfortunate that your dinner with them had to end, but that means you now have the chance to return their gesture.

It was clear the tension from earlier was still present. With Higuruma failing to keep his attention on the road ahead, and your eyes drifting from the window to his crotch, a few words needed to be said.

“Hiromi, that was so unfair!” You pouted, and Higuruma could only chuckle as his response.

“I’ll make it up to you,” He looked at you, “We will make it up to you.”

“How?” You bit your lip, pressing your legs together to ease your arousal.

“You know how.”

“But I don’t know how.” Higuruma lets out a soft grunt at your words, caught between annoyance and exhilaration. You can’t have your way with him and you know that. He’s still in control but seeing him lose his insanity over just mere words made you laugh.

“Please?” Your tone dripped with hoax innocence, pressing onto his patience even more when he stayed silent. “Stop being such a gentleman, Sir Hiromi!”

“Careful” He warned, “You might get more than you wish for.” But his statement only added fuel to the fire, igniting another desire within you to see how far you can go.

You swallowed your hesitance, “But that’s what I want.”

“Test me one more time, Y/N.”

Was it a threat? An order? Anyway you see it, you will be the one about to be tested. It’s frightening; you have a zero idea of what he can promise you after pushing his buttons. However, the fear of the unknown sends a sweet ache down your sex only he could relieve. But seeing that you’ve pressed him, you might be getting anything but a sweet treat.

“Come on, tell me how you’ve been touching yourself to the thought of being shared.”

Your body stiffened at his bold accusation, flinching even.

“Oh, was that too much? A sweet girl like you can’t handle words like that? Was it too mean, Name?” He mocked you, but your body betrayed his mockery as your pussy dripped with more lust.

“Where did all that confidence go? Where’s the girl that will grind on Nanami’s dick in front of me? Or did my little stunt earlier put you in your place? Perhaps, I need to do more to get it through your skull.”

You clenched your fists, ready to face his tenure, but your voice wavered. “Y-you’re the one who’s mean! You touched me in front of everyone!”

“Now you’re acting like you didn’t enjoy it— like you didn’t love Nanami’s eyes all over you.” His words cut right through the air, striking you a fact that you weren’t ready to accept. The sudden hushness of your voice was the only confirmation Higuruma needed. Slowly, his lips contorted into a smile.

His unbelievable behavior with you was uncharacteristic and hardly a reflection of who he used to be; a result of crossing your boundaries. As he drives a kilometer closer and closer to your house, you get to see his true nature— a hungry, and sadistic man. A man who reveled in your indignity. It wasn’t off-putting, though. If anything, it turned you on even more.

Your ride was almost coming to an end, yet none of you spoke up. Higuruma still had that stupid smile on his face, while you’re still shaken from your argument with him. When you arrived at your front porch, you hurriedly stepped out of the car, eager to escape whatever words he’ll be saying.

“You’re mean, Hiromi!” You scowled, stomping to your front door while Higuruma trailed behind without wiping his smile off his face. “Mean? I thought you liked that too.” You shot him a mocking smile before pushing your door open. However, Higuruma’s quick to close it shut.

His coy mockery slipped, revealing his genuine concern, “You… still enjoyed it, right?” he asked, needing to be assured. A small giggle ran past your lips, turning around to face the man who held a softer gaze than before. There was a pause in your movement, mind in a dilemma over what your next response should be. But one thing’s for sure; you’re ready for another date, and hopefully it goes past just rubbing you under tables.

Higuruma awaited your next move, curious at your roaming eyes. Suddenly, you started to flicker inexistent dust off his suit and fixed his unmoving tie. You took your time with your fingers, gliding them across his firm chest, unaware of his rapid heartbeat. Grabbing the lapel of his suit, you slowly pulled him into you just close enough to have your lips ghosting over his ear.

“Next time… Don’t disappoint me, Sir Hiromi. ”

Curse you! Not a single case in his profession had left him this winded. Whatever you are, you’ve bewitched him. You’ve cursed him in perpetual yearning, casting him a spell that always seemed to put you out of his reach. Now, you’ve displayed your power over him, giggling at his dumbfounded face. You may as well have hexed his mind because your distance only attracted him more.

“Ba-bye, Hiromi!”

Witch.

Exhaustion has bounded your body to near fatigue. Every action you take accompanied a sigh, a testament to your depleted energy. Lurid night shifts were a nightmare came true for you— darkness shrouding your surroundings, while the emptiness of the lot drew you in between fright and boredom. Golfers weren't a common sight at this hour either, leaving you alone with your cart and some alcohol you stashed for yourself.

However, your job can’t do itself. After serving the last round of drinks to your clients, you started a lap around the course. Night shifts were boring, but lately, your entertainment lied on every replay your mind made of your date, leaving a lingering smile on your face.

As you hummed a melody, your mind roamed its memories. Your date with Higuruma and Nanami has left you constantly checking your messages, waiting for the seen status to change.

“Perhaps, I was too mean to him.” You muttered with a sigh, but your genius mind jolted your body awake, striking yourself a brilliant thought. Giddily, you parked your car to the side and hopped off. You opened your camera and started to position your body for a normal selfie, then shifted your camera slightly above you to get a better view of your chest. You’ve mastered all inappropriate angles to get a man shaking in longing. It was a bait that worked many times in your favor— the two men won’t be an exception to this, of course.

Bending forward, puckering your lips, even pushing your breasts. You’d let them know what they’ve been missing. But, the unsettling feeling of being watched returns. However, you were too late to turn and were instead, shockingly greeted by a familiar voice.

“Bending over out in the open? A girl like you really has no shame, hm?” The sudden question left you off guarded, shrieking from the terror of the unforeseen voice. You quickly spun around, ready to hit whoever dared to mess with you. However, you’re faced with Higuruma and Nanami with cocky grins on their faces.

“W-What are you guys— No, wait! Why were you guys watching me like a creep!” They ignored your complaints, stepping forward to corner you.

“Is that really the question that needs to be asked here, sweets?”

“More like, why is your ass out for the whole golf course to see?” Nanami joined in, taunting you with each step he took. “Is that your phone in your hand?”

“It’s perfectly normal to have my phone with me all the time!”

“Hm, it’s also normal for you to send these photos, right?” Then, Nanami whipped up his phone, its screen illuminated the very scandalous pictures you took. Your shock elicited a gasp, realizing your blundering fingers had accidentally sent them in some ridiculous manner.

“What— No! Ugh, whatever!” Overwhelming embarrassment enveloped your frame as you stepped away from the scene. However, confusion replaced your shame when their conversation continued.

“It’s pink.” Higuruma suddenly commented, “Of course it’s pink— It always is!” He followed it with a brazen chuckle while staring at your pictures, Nanami joining him soon when he realized. The ambiguity of their conversation has you glancing back, refraining your steps to fill in your curiosity.

“We might be going too far with this, Hiromi.” Nanami told him once he came to his senses, showing you a fraction of his pity. However, Hiromi’s meaner, and pent up from the few days he made no contact.

“Look at her, Kento. She’s not even leaving.” You’re humiliated once again by Higuruma. However, the indignity their words caused has you in this undeniable pull. Nanami caught your gaze, before you grumpily stomped back to your cart.

Higuruma walked to you, “Are you?” The air hung heavy with his unspoken desire, and suddenly, you felt your confidence climbing up once again. You remained still, wanting to see how far Higuruma he’d cross the line today.

“I mean…” You muttered. He exchanges a knowing look with Nanami before closing the proximity between you two. He let his fingers travel your arms first, before sliding them at your back, pulling you in closer.

Suddenly, Nanami’s unannounced hands join in, welcoming

itself to explore your body. Your heart pounded against your chest at their hunger as your knees buckled under the weight of their hunger.

“You’re right where we want you to be.” Higuruma remarked against your neck before nibbling your exposed skin. Their touches ignited every nerve in your body, firing it up with anticipation. Every small contact they made with your skin had you on the edge of surrendering yourself. And it was hard to retain your confidence when Higuruma and Nanami were hitching your skirt up.

Higruma groaned, “I'm always right, Kento.” Then, he pressed his finger against your clothed clit with such pressure. He intently watched your face, examining every little twitch your mouth makes as he dug his finger more.

“W-Wha—” Before you could finish, Nanami grabbed your chin, capturing your lips in a tender kiss. He kissed you like a depraved man, tongue welcoming itself inside your mouth. He drowned out the noises you made as Higuruma continued rubbing you through your pink panties.

“She’ll look even better naked.” Without second thoughts, he dropped to his knees and tugged your panties down.

“Fuckin’ beautiful.” He breathed out, before licking your pussy in long, wet stripes. Lapping on it and spreading his mouth all over your sex while he gripped the soft plush of your ass closer to his face, practically inviting you to ride him.

“Do it, angel.” With Nanami’s assurance, you hesitantly grinded your cunt on Higuruma’s face, making sure to hit the soft tip of his nose. It panged you with a profound need, like you’ve just hit the jackpot. His nose. It was perfect. So perfect, like it was molded to have your pussy grinding on it.

It felt good. It’s only his tongue and Nanami’s hands playing with your nipples but it feels so good. Each sway of your hips has you whining for more.

“H-Hiroooo—!” Higuruma hummed in response to your mewls, sucking on your clit with more passion, before bringing his lips all over. He was relentless. Not a single spot of your dripping pussy was left unkissed.

Nanami kissed your forehead, such a starching difference from his filthy praises. “Ride it. Come on, I knooow my girl can do it.” You steadied yourself against his chest, breathless and writhing under his hold.

“Feel good? Mhm, you wanna feel more?”

“Pleaseeee— I wanna!”

“Atta girl, just like that. Ride it like you want it— Fuck.”

Nanami attempted to soothe you with his soft words, murmuring sweet praises for enduring Higuruma’s tongue. But you couldn’t even form a coherent thought— let alone actual words.

“So so soo good! Hiro— please!” Every noise that left your mouth was incomplete, babbling on and on about Higuruma’s tongue while gripping onto Nanami for your life.

“You cummin’ angel? You wanna cum all over Hiromi’s face?” The pleasure was blinding. All you can do is quickly nod and whine for more.

“Yes! yes please, please!” But once those words came out, Higuruma stopped all his movements abruptly, baring your wet, pulsing cunt.

“A girl like you… has to earn it.” Higuruma says in between his breaths. He could feel his dick screaming at him to be free— to be inside you.

You whined at the loss of his sweet lips and turned to Nanami with pleading eyes to coddle you. He simply smiled and pecked your forehead. “Cruel. You’re going to make her cry.”

Then, Higuruma interrupted your little moment with him, “Im fucking hard, Kento. Give her to me.” His impatience was evident with how he forced you to your knees, leading your hands to the belt at his waist. He looked down at you, watching you comply as you unbuckled them.

After his belt, came his pants and boxers. The sight of his bare and hard cock made you stifle a moan, taken aback by his unexpected size and girth.

“Show me you earn it.” He commanded, and you swiftly abided. Your tongue made contact with his bulging tip, swirling it around and spreading his pre-cum all over, before opening your mouth and taking him whole.

It was such a stretch having him inside your mouth— a challenge for him either. He cursed himself, restraint faltering at the feeling of your warm, wet mouth surrounding his shaft. Your head was guided by Nanami's hold on your hair, making it much harder to control himself. The thought of you being guided by his best friend makes him so horny.

As you hollow your cheeks and slid your head in and out, Higuruma’s fingers found its way wrapped in your hair, together with Nanami’s. “C’mon, doll, you gotta suck Hiromi's cock better than that." Nanami buried your head further, showing no sympathy for your pitiful state.

Your hands twitched at your sides, hinting at them to give you just a fraction of their kindness. But respect is earned both ways. When you had wickedly played with their minds, you’d be treated with anything but respect.

“A-A girl like you— shit- needs t’ be taught.”

With ease, he unbuckled his belt and placed his thick and heavy cock on your empty palm. He offered no comfort at your side now. His light, velvety touches at your cheeks were long discarded, replaced with his tip that bumped your puffed cheeks.

“L-look at her filthy mouth, Kento."

"You think— ah, fuuuck. You think she can handle two cocks at the same time?"

Higuruma drilled into your skull with each thrust that he made on your mouth. His lengthy cock protruded again and again and violated your vulgar mouth. However, the two men were unsatisfied at only ruining your face.

His chest heaved, unruly groans drawn out from his throat as you sloppily lolled your tongue on his tip.

"Shit, just like that." Your eager cunt pulsed at his erotic words. Obscene noises hung in the air, mixed with Higuruma's curses and Nanami's stifled groans.

"Shh, I know I know, you need to be quiet, angel. You don't want us getting caught, right?"

"Not even a minute in and she's already struggling— pfft."

"Maybe a few more sessions like this and she'll last longer, yeah?" Pity was finally granted when Higuruma slipped his dick out.

But you should've known that a torturous man like Higuruma had other intentions. "P-please, please touch me— mph!" He silenced your pleads with his cock, chuckling darkly at your muffled cries. Their pleasure is derived from humiliating you. You know this. But it feels good. So good when they defiled you publicly with nothing but a beverage cart covering you.

"Eyes here, angel."

Your mouth worked wonders on Higuruma's dick, slurping his leaked juices as Nanami furiously fucked your palm. Soft and smaller hands wrapped itself on his shaft, the contrast to his hard cock sent him in a dizzying haze.

The lewdness of your cries, your chin covered in drool, and your doll-like eyes that silently begged for more— you truly were a slut for pleasing them both.

The arousal from fucking out in the open and your erotic moans vibrating on their dicks did the job. Their humiliation is gone as they ride out their high, pulling their cocks from your grasp and aiming right at your fucked out face.

"F-fuck, keep looking at us like that, angel."

High on the pleasure from your tongue, cum shot out of Higuruma’s dick, coating your face messily as more and more of his thick, creamy, seed haphazardly painted your face.

"Fuck! Yes, yes yes yes..."

"S-shit, 'm coming too." Nanami wasted no time in entering your mouth, pleasure bursting within him as your tight, hot, mouth sucked him on instinct.

Their sticky semen coated your mouth, drool mixed with Nanami's cum dripped to the ground below, struggling to swallow his massive load.

As much as Nanami wants to give you a breather, time is currently ticking, inching closer and closer to the end of your shift. It's also only a matter of time before a coworker notices your absence.

In one swift motion, Nanami pulled you up from the grass, bending you over the cart’s side seat.

"Wait—" But Nanami doesn't. Instead, he lined up his throbbing dick and steadily pushed himself inside your pussy.

Your eyes shot open at the sudden feeling. Pussy filled to the brim, and you can swear he's grown larger, thicker, compared to when you had him on your palm. Your pussy clenched around him deliciously, struggling to adjust to his size.

"F-fuck fuck fuck…" There was an agonizing pain in how he stuffed you. Once he started, his pace was torturously slow, savoring your fluttering walls.

"too good 't much!" Though every effort in flailing your body away from Kento's grasp was in vain. Higuruma surrounded you, a scowl on his face.

"Fuck, Hiromi. She's clenching me good."

"You're one greedy fucker, Kento."

"So fucking tight…”

He shushed you to be quiet, but his cock sliding in and out of you drew out sinful noises from your lips.

Nanami had spent countless of nights fucking his fists to you. How you'd sound like and how you'd feel like. Now, it was undeniably incomparable to the tight squeeze your pussy gave, and the high pitched moans you cried out.

"S-shut her u-up, 's too noisy,"

"Feel good! S-sir Kento—!" Your tears stained your cheeks, mixed with the drool escaping your puffy lips. Under his slamming hips, lay his cruel hand, that kept on rubbing your clit in tune with his thrusts.

"C’mon baby one more cock— so good so so good" Higuruma whispered, encouraging you to take his cock in your mouth again. "You take us so good sweets. You're the sweetest."

Your shaking frame struggled to keep up with their brutal pacing, legs so weak Nanami had to lift up your hips, putting you in that position where you could feel every single inch of his cock.

In their own corrupt way, it was their way of putting you in your place— serving punishment by ramming their hips and hollowing your tight, dripping cunt.

"Fuck… she's squeezing me- shit."

Nanami panted, eyes clenched shut and slamming himself harder and deeper— doing anything to chase that high.

"You close, sweets?" Higuruma grinned,"Kento's dick feels that good?” He taunted you, knowing you couldn’t reply with your mouth full of his dick. You closed your eyes and let them digged your holes, thrusts so persistent you were molding into their little fuck toy.

After a few more thrusts, his pace started to become unsteady, drawn out and returning to fucking you so slow and sensually. He was close, so fucking close. You're not done yet but he was already right over the edge. Curse you and your tight pussy.

But Nanami was no quitter. He held it in and waited for any sign that you're near your climax too.

"Fuck fuck fuck— don't stop!"

Just the sign he needed.

With a long breath, he slammed his hips into you with such force, knocking you right off your feet.

Plap plap plap

You were a mess; jaw wide open, whimpering and clinging unto Nanami's arm around your waist, eyes squeezed shut.

Nanami fucked you until you're dumb, unraveling every coherent thought you could muster; fucking you in a way it had you turning into a cock hungry slut.

"She's cumming."

Plap plap plap

He didn’t stop. He didn’t want to. He needed to see your throbbing and stretched out cunt squeezing him dry. He wasn’t stopping unless you had that fucked out look across your pretty face. God, he begged himself to hold out for much longer, wanting to see you take all his cum.

All his efforts were worth it. In the end, he had you screaming out a shrilling whimper, flailing your body as pleasure electrified your whole frame. Surges of blinding light cascaded you, then the rest is a blur. The only vivid feeling was his persistent cock.

"Good..." plap "fuckin'..." plap "girl..." plap

Gone was the control he prided himself on. He filled you with everything he had been holding back, pushing you further with every wave of pleasure that erupted within him. He emptied his balls, all its contents now leaking out of your weeping pussy.

"What a fuckin' mess..." Higuruma cackled, before lifting your limp semi-conscious self in his arms. Although he wanted his arms wrapped around you in a sweet embrace, a gratification for enduring them, he did made a promise to himself.

“My turn.”

It's going to be a long, long night.

tags : @packsvlog @honeynanamin @rrssrios @misscigarettes @shokosbunny @shamelessdonutkryptonite @i1uvc4ke @dongh9e @freakadelik @tomurafrlover23 @sad-darksoul @glader13 @that-redheadd @beantokki @a-hidden-gem @joonsanswers @erenspersonalsexdoll @s-1-xx @shxniq @ilovetengen @zianaz-slvtz @jwnzlvr @wifenanami @20kglex @oromaangel @jejejjekskwl @s4m4nth4wrld @jaeminsmilk @alpha-mommy69 @lobsteeer @blackphoenix0718 @wrldldo @nappingmoon @cindyneko-strider @yumiecheesecrackers @rattats-world @mirrorballkento

© jellicatty | no plagiarising please (*ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ꕤ*.ﾟ

[halfmoonaria]

unanswered II

pairing: tara carpenter & female reader

summary: tara finally comes to her senses.

word count: 6k

author’s note: sorry for the wait guys! might be forgiven tho since i claimed this was 4k words but it ended up with 6k.

i tried to include all your suggestions so i hope you like it

Tara had been blocked.

You had blocked her.

Though, it didn't hit her all at once. The first few minutes, she thought you were just asleep, it had been late when she had texted you after all.

Maybe you needed space after what Tara had said a few nights before, and she couldn't blame you for that.

Yet she still tried texting you, each one more desperate than the last. They were all small messages, apologies wrapped in awkward words that probably didn't mean much for anyone but her.

At first, Tara chalked it up to bad timing, bad service, something.

You had to see her messages eventually, right? So she kept sending them. But there was still no reply. Then, the doubt crept in.

Maybe you were ignoring her.

That thought weighed heavily on her, but she didn't stop.

She was still convinced there had to be an explanation. You always stayed. Even when things were at their worst, when she screwed up time and time again, you stayed.

But something was different this time. She felt it.

Then she noticed the green bubbles. The messages weren't delivering.

Her stomach had dropped. It wasn't bad service. It wasn't bad timing. You had cut her off completely.

Her thumb hovered over your contact, thinking about calling, but she stopped. What was the point? You wouldn't answer.

You were done with her.

She stared at her phone for longer than she should have, as if willing it to change.

But it didn't.

The reality sank in, slow and suffocating. You were gone.

For the first time, she wasn't the one walking away, and the absence of you—your presence, your texts, your warmth—was a hole Tara hadn't even realized she relied on.

It wasn't like she hadn't expected it after everything that had happened.

You always had a way of catching her when she messed up, but things seemed to smooth over eventually.

She never really had to confront her mistakes because you stayed, no matter how many times she got it wrong. Now, though, there was nothing.

Tara wasn't used to this. Sure, she knew she had done something wrong—pushing you away, keeping you in this weird limbo while she figured herself out—but she hadn't thought it would lead to you cutting her off.

Blocking her, even.

That had never happened before. No matter how many times she messed up, you had always been there, willing to pick up the pieces, and things just... worked.

She hadn't even realized how much she relied on your presence until it was gone.

For the first time, she was completely alone. No Amber, no you. Just silence.

———

Tara woke up the next morning with a strange sense of hope. She half expected to see the messages had been delivered, that maybe you'd unblocked her while she was asleep. Maybe it was all just a mistake. You wouldn't really cut her off, not after everything, right?

She grabbed her phone, swiping to the messages she'd sent.

Still green.

Her heart sank, the pit in her stomach deepening as she realized nothing had changed. You were serious. You weren't coming back.

When she got to school, a part of her still thought maybe you'd be there, waiting to talk like you always did, or at least watching from afar. She found herself glancing at the spots where she usually saw you, waiting for that familiar feeling of your eyes on her.

But you weren't there.

But Tara kept walking, her heart heavy as she scanned the hallways. That's when she spotted Amber, standing by her locker, waiting. The familiar feeling of longing tugged at her, but this time it wasn't as comforting as before.

Amber caught her eye and signaled for her to come over, flashing that smile Tara always fell for. Without thinking, Tara did. She walked straight into Amber's arms, letting Amber sling her arm casually around her shoulders as if nothing had changed between them.

For a brief moment, Tara felt like she had what she wanted. Amber was there, holding her close, showing everyone that she was hers—at least for today.

But there was still a heaviness in her chest, something she couldn't shake. It didn't make sense. She was with Amber now, wasn't this enough?

The thought of you crept in, uninvited.

No, it couldn't be that.

She pushed the feeling down, convincing herself that having Amber was enough.

It had to be.

That's what she told herself for the following days, trying to convince herself that Amber was enough, that this was what she wanted.

And for a while, it almost worked. Amber had been good—more attentive, more affectionate than usual—at least during the school week.

The weekends, though, were different. Parties took priority, and Amber's attention drifted.

Yet even when things were good; better than ever if you will, Tara couldn't shake the feeling lodged in her chest, that gut-wrenching discomfort that seemed to cling to her no matter how much she tried to ignore it.

The more she tried to push it down, the more it twisted inside her, leaving her uneasy.

And all of the thoughts led back to you. To Tara's own surprise.

You didn't try to search for her between classes, didn't glance in her direction when you passed her in the hallways. Nothing. Like she didn't even exist.

That was what Tara should've expected, really. After everything she'd done—after the way she'd strung you along, pushed you aside, left you waiting on the sidelines—it made sense. She had no right to expect anything different.

Tara had always been the one to call the shots, to decide when and where things stood between the two of you. Now, for the first time, the power was out of her hands.

She kept telling herself it was temporary. You'd come back—you always did. She just had to wait it out. Maybe this time it would take a little longer, but you'd be there, eventually. You had to be. So she forced herself to get used to it, to the absence, pretending she could handle the emptiness you left behind.

But what really started to get under Tara's skin wasn't just your absence or the way you seemed to move on so easily. It was seeing you with someone else.

She first noticed it during English class. You had been sitting next to some girl—someone Tara vaguely recognized but never really paid attention to before.

At first, she didn't think much of it, but as the days went on, she kept seeing the two of you together. Talking. Laughing. It wasn't just casual conversations either. You looked comfortable. Almost like you were enjoying yourself.

And as the days passed, Tara couldn't help but notice it more.

You hadn't even glanced her way in days, and yet here you were, cozying up to someone else like nothing had happened.

And every time she glanced in your direction during class, there you were, talking to her. Sometimes you'd laugh, or lean in a little closer, your body language relaxed in a way that made Tara's stomach twist.

You weren't just sitting next to each other anymore—you were... comfortable. And it wasn't just in English. She caught sight of you together in the hallways, outside the building after school.

The more she saw the two of you, the more it grated on her nerves. A sharp, simmering anger that built with each passing day.

Every smile, every shared glance between you and this girl made it harder for her to focus on Amber, even when Amber was right beside her, holding her hand or whispering in her ear.

It shouldn't have bothered her like this. It shouldn't have mattered.

You were free to talk to whoever you wanted. For all Tara knew, she was just a classmate, someone you happened to sit next to by chance.

But that didn't stop the ugly feeling from growing inside her, gnawing away at her with every interaction she witnessed.

She told herself it was nothing. That it didn't mean anything. But with every glance, every shared word between you and that girl, her anger simmered, coiling tighter until it was all she could focus on.

It wasn't jealousy, Tara told herself. It couldn't be. She had Amber, after all.

Yet there was no denying the way her chest tightened every time she saw you with her. It wasn't supposed to feel like this. You weren't supposed to matter anymore.

But somehow, you still did. Of course you did.

___

"What's got your panties in a twist?" Amber's voice broke through Tara's thoughts, cutting through the low hum of the campus.

Her tone was sharp, playful in a way that normally would've made Tara grin, but today it grated, pulling her out of the spiral she had been sinking into.

They were sitting outside, perched on one of the weathered wooden benches that lined the quad, the usual bustling energy of lunchtime fading as the crowd thinned.

Chad and Liv had disappeared first, throwing out some half-hearted excuse about "something better to do," Mindy had ditched too—not that Tara blamed her, considering she wasn't exactly Amber's biggest fan. Which left only Amber and Tara behind.

Normally, Tara would've reveled in that—the rare chance to have Amber's full attention, unshared, unchallenged by anyone else. She used to crave these moments when it was just the two of them, when Amber's eyes were only on her.

But now, Tara could barely summon the energy to care. The thrill of it had dulled, smothered under the weight of everything else she couldn't stop thinking about—of everything she couldn't feel.

Your absence hung heavy in the air, even though Amber didn't know it was there. She couldn't know.

She wouldn't have cared if she did.

Amber shifted beside her, more out of impatience than concern. "Seriously, you've been acting weird all week," she pressed, her voice tinged with frustration.

She wasn't used to Tara being so distant, and the idea that something might be slipping out of her control clearly bothered her. "What's your problem?"

Tara blinked, her mind sluggish, trying to catch up. It wasn't like she could explain it—not in any way that made sense.

How could she tell Amber that the cold shoulder she had been getting from you had thrown her completely off balance?

That it was the same cold shoulder she'd given you, over and over again, each time leaving you on the outside while she stayed wrapped up in Amber's world. How could she admit that now, when it was her on the receiving end, it felt like a punch to the gut every single time she saw you?

"I don't know," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. "I'm just tired."

It was the best she could come up with, the easiest excuse, but even as the words left her lips, she knew it wasn't enough.

Amber wasn't the type to let things slide, especially not when it came to Tara. She was used to being the center of attention, the one calling the shots, and when Tara's focus wasn't on her, Amber always took notice.

"Yeah, well, you've been 'tired' for a while now," Amber snapped back, her tone cutting through the brief silence like a whip.

She didn't sound concerned, not really—just annoyed, irritated that something wasn't going her way. "Maybe you should come out with me this weekend, you know? Party with me."

Amber's suggestion hung in the air between them, and Tara hesitated. Normally, Amber didn't bother to ask.

She'd go without her, living up the night on her own, letting Tara watch it all from the sidelines. She'd see it unfold through Amber's and other people's social media—photos and videos of Amber laughing, surrounded by friends, completely absorbed in her own world.

But this time, it felt different. Tara could feel it in the way Amber's eyes lingered on her, waiting, expecting something—expecting Tara to be excited, to jump at the chance like she would've done before.

But the thought of it, the thought of pretending everything was fine, felt suffocating.

She nodded anyway, forcing herself to give Amber the answer she was waiting for, even if it felt hollow. "Yeah. Sure."

But even as the words came out, Tara felt the weight of them, heavy and wrong.

Because the truth was, none of it mattered—not the party, not Amber's fleeting attention. None of it made a dent in the gnawing ache in her chest that had started the moment you stopped looking at her.

She told herself it was fine. She could play along. She had done it before. But deep down, Tara knew that no matter how much she tried to push it down, nothing could fix this disgusting feeling.

She sat in silence for a moment longer, staring at the ground as her mind whirred with thoughts she didn't want to have.

She clenched her jaw, trying to shake the feeling, trying to make herself believe that this—Amber, the party, all of it—would be enough. It definitely would've been before, hadn't it?

But now, the weight of your absence pressed in on her from every angle, heavy and suffocating. It wasn't supposed to feel like this. It wasn't supposed to matter so much.

Amber shifted beside her, sighing loudly. "Whatever, Tara," she muttered, standing up and brushing invisible dust off her jeans. "Don't get all weird on me."

Tara barely registered her leaving. The rush of relief she might have once felt in moments like these—when Amber turned her attention elsewhere—was gone, replaced by an ache she couldn't name.

A week ago, maybe two, Tara would've called after her, almost running to catch up. She would've asked if they could get ready together, spent half an hour agonizing over what she should wear, hoping for Amber's approval.

Her mind would've spun with questions, things she'd never needed to worry about when she was around you.

What should she wear? What did Amber want her to look like? Was her hair okay down, or should she try something new? She would've sent selfies for Amber's opinion, eager for a reaction, any reaction, to reassure her that she was enough.

But now, the questions didn't come. They felt distant, buried under the weight that had settled in her chest and refused to leave. Tara didn't care what Amber thought anymore. She didn't even care what she looked like.

The weekend came sooner than she had expected, almost sneaking up on her while she drifted through the week in a haze.

Throughout the week, Tara had tried to text you. Just one message each day, nothing too desperate, nothing that screamed she was losing her mind over your silence.

But each time, the bubble turned green, and with every little notification, her hope that you might respond twisted into something bitter, something angry.

Were you with her? That girl from your English class, the one she'd seen you walking with down the hallways, laughing, your head bent close to hers like you didn't have a care in the world.

Tara's stomach knotted at the thought, her grip tightening on her phone every time she imagined the two of you together. Were you sharing the jokes you used to save just for her? Did you laugh the same way?

By the time Friday came around, the anger had wrapped itself around her chest, growing heavier each time she looked at her phone, still green, still silent.

It weighed on her as she stood in front of the mirror that night, staring at her reflection like a stranger. She had thrown on whatever was closest, not caring how it looked—not caring how she looked—and now, standing there, she could feel the frustration boiling over.

She looked terrible, and she knew it. The clothes didn't sit right, her hair was a mess, and she didn't even have the energy to fix any of it.

Normally, she'd have texted Amber for advice, asked her what to wear, how to do her makeup. They might've gotten ready together if Amber cared enough, Amber teasing her the whole time but never letting her leave the house unless she looked perfect.

But tonight, none of that mattered. Tara was angry—angry at herself, at you, at the girl you were probably with right now. She felt like she was spinning, her thoughts spiraling into a million catastrophic possibilities, each one worse than the last.

Maybe she just needed to see you in person. Maybe if she could find you, look you in the eye, and tell you how she was feeling right now, you'd understand. Maybe that's what would finally break through this silence.

If she could just get you to listen, maybe if she could tell you all of it—how she didn't know what she was doing, how none of it made sense to her—you'd understand.

But would you even believe her? Would you even want to hear her out?

Without thinking twice, she pulled out her phone and typed out a message to Amber.

can't make it tonight. smth came up.

She didn't even wait for a response before throwing her phone onto the bed, her mind already somewhere else.

Part of her wanted to look you up, track you down, and talk to you face-to-face. Whether you were with someone else or just avoiding her the way she'd been avoiding you —but either way, Tara was done waiting around for you to reach out.

She stood frozen for a moment, feeling ridiculous as the thought of showing up at your house unannounced settled in.

She could already picture how stupid she'd look, standing at your door, trying to explain herself. You'd blocked her—didn't that already say everything she needed to know?

But then that other girl's face flashed in her mind, the way you laughed with her, walked next to her in the halls.

The thought of her taking you away, of her being the one you shared everything with now, twisted Tara's stomach in knots. She couldn't let that happen. Not without at least trying.

She didn't want to be too late.

Tara hated how desperate she felt, how even after everything, after you'd blocked her, she was still running after you. But she couldn't help it.

Even if she had to look you in the eye and hear you say you didn't want her anymore, she needed to know for sure. She needed to fight, because the thought of losing you to someone else was worse than any rejection you could throw at her.

With a deep breath and her hands shaking, she grabbed her jacket and keys.

Feeling stupid the whole way, she headed out the door, her heart pounding with every step she took toward your house.

___

didn't think u were weak enough to back out.

guess i was wrong.

Amber's text lit up her screen, but Tara barely glanced at it.

Normally, Amber's words usually stung, leaving Tara questioning herself, doubting everything. But tonight, they barely registered. She didn't care anymore, not about Amber's opinion or her insults.

The thought of how she'd been stringing you along—pushing and pulling, hot and cold—made her stomach twist in a way Amber's games never had.

Tara had always hated how Amber toyed with her, how she'd be there one day and gone the next, keeping Tara on a leash just long enough to never fully let go. Now, she realized, she was doing the same to you. She'd been selfish, scared, and now it was coming back to haunt her.

Amber had dragged her through the same emotional mess for so long—back and forth, never knowing where they stood—and now she had done the same to you.

It wasn't about Amber anymore. It was about you. And she wasn't going to let you slip away without at least trying.

She made it to your house almost sooner than she'd liked. The sight of your front door tightened the knot in her stomach, something she wasn't used to feeling.

Tara wasn't the nervous type—usually, she could handle herself in any situation, always sure of what she'd say or do. But now, her palms felt damp, her breath catching every time she thought of you opening that door.

She didn't know what she was going to say. Hell, she didn't even know if you'd open the door. But she had to try, even if her nerves were making her feel like a complete idiot for being there.

But she was already here, and she'd come this far—she couldn't just turn back now. She'd fought her way through every doubt to get here, and backing down wasn't an option.

Her feet felt heavy as she took each step up the walkway, the familiar creak of the wooden steps underfoot echoing louder in her ears than it ever had before.

The closer she got, the more every little detail stood out—the chipped paint on your door, the soft glow of light seeping out from the window.

She raised her hand to knock, fingers hovering just inches away, her heart pounding so loudly she wondered if you'd hear it from the other side.

Taking a deep breath, she let her knuckles tap lightly against the door, the sound swallowed almost instantly by the still night air.

It took long enough for you to answer that her thoughts had time to spiral. She knew your parents weren't home; in the little time she'd spent actually getting to know you, she'd learned that they hardly ever were.

You were probably home alone, and the idea haunted her—maybe you'd invited someone else over, maybe you weren't even alone at all, maybe you were with that girl she'd seen you with before.

By the time she heard footsteps approaching, her heart was beating so fast she almost felt sick, every possibility fighting for space in her mind.

Finally, the door swung open, and for a split second, there was a soft smile on your face.

But the moment your eyes landed on her, it vanished, replaced by something unreadable.

It wasn't anger—your expression was calm, almost neutral, yet there was a guardedness to it, like you'd been caught off guard, not entirely prepared to see her standing there.

The warmth in your eyes had dimmed, leaving something harder to read.

Tara couldn't tell if that look meant you were relieved or if she was the last person you wanted to see right now.

For a second, Tara felt so small. She knew she was short, but this was different—she'd never felt this out of place, like she was shrinking right there on your doorstep. Not since Amber.

Her fingers fidgeted, tracing over her knuckles as she tried to read you, to figure out what was going on behind that guarded expression. She barely registered the sound of her name until she heard your voice.

"Tara.. Hi."

The words hung there, making the quiet between you even heavier.

Tara didn't respond right away, too caught up in the questions swirling through her mind.

Had she interrupted something? Were you expecting someone else—someone who actually wanted to be here?

Her mind raced, flashing back to all the times you'd tried reaching out, inviting her over, and all the times she'd ignored you, too wrapped up in the momentary thrill of Amber's attention.

She hadn't let herself think about what that might've felt like for you.

And now, standing here, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was karma—that maybe you'd moved on, found someone else who didn't make you feel like a backup option. What if, after all this, she was too late?

Finally, after a moment, she managed to speak, her voice barely above a whisper, unsteady.

"Were... were you expecting somebody else?" Her words faltered, her gaze fixed on her hands as she twisted her fingers together, almost as if she could hold onto some kind of confidence.

You furrowed your brows just slightly, a small, almost confused smile pulling at the corner of your mouth as you let out a soft, breathy laugh. "No... why would I?"

Tara's mouth opened, but no words came out right away. She hadn't expected you to look so genuinely surprised, and now she felt her cheeks warming, her gaze darting down as she scrambled for something to say. Her fingers twisted together, and she forced herself to meet your eyes again, feeling silly for even bringing it up.

"I... I don't know. I just thought... maybe." Her voice was barely a whisper, and she hated how uncertain it sounded, as if she'd already given away too much. But she couldn't help it—she just had to know.

You tilted your head slightly, still wearing that soft smile, though there was a hint of something knowing in your eyes.

"Is she.. ignoring you again?" you asked, the question so casual yet so pointed that Tara's breath hitched.

She knew you meant Amber—you didn't even need to say her name. And the worst part was, she felt a pang of guilt because, honestly, it wouldn't have been the first time.

She swallowed hard, feeling like her own answer was betraying her. "Actually... no," she said slowly, her voice faltering as she tried to piece together her words. "She, uh, actually invited me to a party."

Your expression shifted, that lightness fading from your eyes, and Tara's stomach twisted painfully when she noticed.

She hadn't expected you to react like that, hadn't anticipated that flicker of hurt crossing your face. And now, standing there in the doorway, she felt a rush of regret wash over her.

Before she could stop herself, she added, her voice barely above a whisper, "But I didn't... I didn't go."

You didn't respond right away, just looked at her, eyebrows raised, silently waiting. Tara shifted under your gaze, feeling smaller by the second, until finally, she started to speak.

"I know you probably... don't want to talk to me right now," she began, her voice a little too fast, like she was rushing to get the words out before she lost her nerve.

She took a shaky breath and continued, "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. I mean, it's not like I've given you a reason to, you know, feel any different... or... yeah."

Her hand drifted up to her wrist, squeezing it as she fumbled for her next thought. "I... I messed up. And, I've been thinking about it, like, a lot, and it's just—I didn't know what I was doing. I mean, I thought I did, but then I... I didn't. And I didn't mean to make you feel like you weren't... important, or that I didn't care, because I did. I do."

She bit her lip, glancing up at you, unsure if she was making any sense, but she kept going. "I know it's probably too late to say any of this, and you've probably moved on, but I just... I don't know. I didn't want you to think that I... forgot about you. Or... or that you didn't matter."

Her gaze flickering down to the ground, then up to yours again, almost as if she's scared you'll walk away.

"That message where I told you to... that I didn't want anything to do with you..." She shakes her head, struggling for the right words. "I shouldn't have said that. I was... I don't even know what I was thinking. I just... Amber was there, and I felt like if I didn't, she'd—" She stops herself, clenching her fists a little, swallowing hard.

"And all those other messages.. I just kept trying to say sorry, but it was probably just... desperate, I guess. I didn't know how else to say that I... I wanted you, that I didn't mean it. That I still..."

Her words falter, and she sighs, rubbing her forehead as though exhausted with herself. "I know it probably doesn't make up for any of it, but... I swear, I didn't mean it. I never wanted to hurt you."

As soon as she stopped talking, a wave of embarrassment crashed over her, and it was all she could do not to cringe.

She hadn't even planned on saying half of what she'd said, and yet here she was, fumbling through one strained apology after another.

It felt messy, like she was just piling words on top of words, hoping that somehow they'd turn into something that made sense to you, that could somehow make things better.

But in her heart, she knew it sounded like nonsense, just a lot of desperate, pointless excuses that probably made her look even more pathetic.

And you just stood there, looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite read—somewhere between shocked and neutral.

The silence between you seemed to stretch on, making her rambling feel even more pointless, like each second of quiet only added weight to her mess of words.

Tara could feel her face heating up, and all she wanted was to take everything back, to make it sound right somehow—but she didn't even know what "right" would be.

Her fingers tightened around her wrist, her gaze dropping back to her worn out converses as the silence thickened around her. Part of her wanted to shrink back, to stop talking altogether, but she'd already put too much out there to turn back now.

So when you didn't answer, she continued.

"I... I want to do better," she said, each word a little slower, like she was searching for the strength to actually mean it. Her eyes barely lifted to meet yours, as if waiting for something—anything—that might tell her it wasn't too late.

Your hand, which had been holding the door open this whole time, finally slipped away. You clapped both hands against the sides of your thighs, the sound breaking the quiet between you two.

Then, with a tone that was almost unreadable, you asked, "Is that it?"

Tara's face fell slightly when your words cut through the silence. She searched your expression, looking for something—anything—that hinted at forgiveness, but the steady way you looked back at her made her stomach drop.

Her throat tightened, but she forced herself to speak, her voice barely above a whisper.

"So... you don't forgive me?"

Tara looked up at you, her eyes wide and glistening, almost like a puppy's, searching for any hint of understanding. It was a look she hadn't meant to put on, but somehow it found its way back to her face, a reflex from childhood.

She remembered using those same eyes when she'd gotten into trouble with her mom or when Sam wouldn't let her hang out with her friends. Back then, she'd wielded them like a weapon, a last-ditch effort to melt hearts and earn forgiveness.

Now, though, it felt different.

There was no intent behind it, just a genuine plea for empathy that made her feel exposed, and a wave of embarrassment washed over her as she realized how desperate she must look.

You took a breath before responding, your gaze steady but distant. "I do.. but I don't see why that matters because it'll all happen again." You said slowly, weighing each word.

Tara felt her heart sink at your words, the reality of what you said hitting her hard. She knew all too well how it felt to be caught in that cycle—Amber had done the same to her, repeatedly promising change only to slip back into old patterns.

It was frustrating and disheartening, and in that moment, she understood where you were coming from.

She took a shaky breath, trying to find her voice. "It won't... I promise it won't." Her tone was earnest, filled with a desperate need to be believed, to convince you that this time would be different.

Tara searched your expression, and as your words echoed in her mind—you did accept her apology—a flicker of hope ignited within her. It felt like a delicate promise written in cursive, intricate yet fragile, and she couldn't help but cling to it.

She tried to muster a soft smile, though it felt tentative, as if it might shatter under the weight of everything left unsaid.

"Can we... do you think that maybe we can try again?" The words tumbled out, filled with a mixture of uncertainty and determination. It was a fragile request, a chance she hoped wouldn't be met with rejection.

She could see the flicker of thoughts crossing your face. Your brow furrowed slightly, and she sensed the hesitation lingering in the air between you. It was as if you were weighing her words, measuring the sincerity of her apology against the weight of the past.

She couldn't tell if you were considering her request or if doubt still lingered in your mind.

It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for a sign, desperately hoping that you would choose to leap with her this time.

After a long pause, a small, soft smile crept up on your face, the tension in your shoulders easing just a bit. You finally met her gaze, and the warmth in your eyes hinted at something Tara had been longing to see.

"Sure... yeah, I'd like that," you said, your voice gentle but firm, like a lifeline tossed her way.

Tara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, her shoulders eased slightly at your response, something softening in her expression as she processed your words. It wasn't a promise, but it felt real enough.

A quiet acknowledgment that maybe this could lead somewhere different.

She looked at you for a moment longer, managing a small, uncertain smile as if not entirely sure this chance would hold but willing to take it anyway.

The silence lingered, weighty but almost comfortable. Tara held your gaze, her expression softening just a bit as she let herself settle into the quiet, not wanting to push any further. When she finally managed a small smile, it was tentative, as if she was holding onto it carefully.

"Guess I'll... see you around?" she asked, her voice a quiet murmur, like she wasn't entirely certain if she should even say it.

You gave a slight nod, already moving to close the door. The subtle acknowledgment was enough to let her feel that maybe, just maybe, things could shift—if only a little.

She shifted slightly, like she wanted to say something more but couldn't quite find the words. A small, unsure smile crossed her face as she looked up at you again, her voice softer.

With that, Tara turned to go, casting one last look back at you before turning around to walk away.

___

The next week, Tara's phone buzzed on her nightstand, pulling her from a the books scattered all over her bed.

She squinted at the screen, hoping to see your name lighting up, a sign that things were finally moving forward between you two.

Maybe it was about the plans you'd casually mentioned — plans that did not include Tara bringing out her frustrations in bed with you.

Instead, her heart sank a little as Amber's name flashed across the screen.

u free this friday?

For the first time, Tara felt a surprising clarity wash over her as she read the message. She didn't hesitate, knowing exactly how she wanted to respond without second-guessing herself.

In the past, she'd tiptoed around her replies, always afraid that Amber would judge her for whatever she said.

But now, after everything with you, she was certain of what she wanted. This time, there was no uncertainty clouding her thoughts. So, after a moment, she typed a quick reply.

im actually busy, sorry

With a breath of relief, she hit send and immediately blocked Amber's number. She felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

This time, she wouldn't be waiting for Amber's text, for promises that never changed anything.

She knew what she had now—this newfound sense of clarity—and what she wanted. And that was enough.

This was how it would stay.

[fangswbenefits]

The Arrangement (1)

Summary: You managed to convince Astarion not to go through with the rite of profane ascension. He remains a vampire spawn, and you now offer your blood from time to time to help with his sanguine hunger until a solution is found. Even though you had both decided to stay as friends back in Moonrise Towers, lines begin to blur once more as other cravings come to the surface… and things with Astarion are seldom uncomplicated.

Pairing: Astarion x female!Tav

Word count: 6k

Warnings: 18+. Endgame spoilers. Blood drinking. Mutual pining. Biting. S*xual tension. Mentions of past trauma.

Series masterlist . AO3

"He's upstairs."

You nodded curtly, but before you could turn in your heels and head to the wooden staircase, you felt a hand grip at your arm.

"He hasn't been paying his due," Bork, the Blushing Mermaid tavern's publican, said with a rise of his brows.

"Noble room again?"

"Yes."

As expected. Astarion would sooner be caught dead again than having to stay at a merchant or peasant room.

He adored all things lavish and that extended to his accommodations, naturally.

"I'll cover for it," you said, snatching your arm away. "How much?"

He bared his yellow teeth. "Thirty gold pieces."

You felt Shadowheart's burning gaze on you. She didn't approve of you cleaning after him. Especially since her protective instinct dragged her along with you every single time.

"Very well," you said through gritted teeth, rummaging through your pouch, and handing him the expected amount. 

"Good," the older man said with a twirl of his kitchen knife. "If your pale friend does it again, he's done for."

Threats like this would usually warrant you to bare your dagger or cast a less friendly spell, but you couldn't afford to cause a scene.

Not in front of so many onlookers. 

You felt Shadowheart briefly tense up by your side. "Do hurry up. I shall wait for you."

Nodding, you gave her an assuring nod before heading up the staircase. 

The first floor was reserved for the highest paying customers, and it was heavily decorated and with candles spreading along the narrow corridor.

You paced quickly along the wooden floor, already knowing where to find him.

Room 7.

At this point, you were already over common pleasantries, so you skipped knocking at the door and just barged inside.

You heard a sleepy groan from the crimson bed placed at the centre of the luxurious room.

Astarion wasn't alone.

He was laying on top of the silk sheets, flipping through a book, seemingly undisturbed by your sudden appearance. Curiously enough, he was fully clothed, wearing a frill shirt and his regular trousers. 

However, the woman next to him was very much fully naked, with only a blanket draping over her bare torso.

The sight made your stomach twist and turn.

"Hello, darling," he said casually as if you had just walked in on him picking flowers. 

She peeked over her shoulder with a horrified look spreading across her pleasant face.

Of course she was extremely attractive.

She let out a shriek. "Do you mind?"

"No," you said dryly.

She immediately rolled out of bed, shooting a murderous glance your way, while scrambling to collect her belongings from the carpeted floor.

The door snapped shut behind her, and you were already pacing toward his bedside table once you spotted his coinpurse.

"Happy, are you? You scared her off, poor thing," he shook his head, feigning disapproval.

"You owe me."

You reached out to grab the thick pouch, but caught sight of the glint of a blade and the cool touch of metal being pressed gently against the back of your hand. 

Typical.

"Ah-ah-ah..." he tutted with a click of his tongue. "Where are your manners?"

He seemed very serious all of a sudden, but you knew better. "I'll hex you."

"Faster than me piercing through your skin?" he asked, tapping the flat side of the blade playfully on your skin.

You really did consider hexing him for a split second just out of spite. "You overestimate your abilities."

"And you could have cursed me already, but are too lost in my dashing good looks."

Your jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

"That lovely mouth of yours could never compete with my agile fingers."

The insinuation wasn't even subtle, and it was enough to make your blood boil.

You scowled deeply at him, shoving his dagger out of the way. "Thirty gold pieces."

He slipped the blade under his pillow again with a devious grin.

"Bork was rather eager to have at you, so I just paid him. Maybe next time I won't intervene."

"And what would he do? Kill me again?"

Point taken.

A dangerous smile danced across his lips. "And here I thought you intended to start charging me for our arrangement."

You glared at him intensely, feeling momentarily outraged. "You're the one profiting off of it. Entirely."

"Hmm, debatable."

You narrowed your eyes. "If anything, you should be paying me, no?"

He snatched the coinpurse from your grasp, tugging it open before handing you a few gold pieces. 

"Here you go, darling. Sixty gold pieces," he said, voice dripping with amusement. "Buy yourself a new attire, while you're at it."

You glanced down the length of your body, arching a brow and straightening your shirt and trousers. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

Astarion scoffed. "I don't even know where to begin, but do not fret. You could be wearing nothing but a rotting sack of potatoes, and I would still not be deterred from your neck."

You pressed your lips tightly together, and glanced at the gold pieces in your hand. "Your sweet-talking skills have been slightly below par as of late."

He chuckled, crossing his hands behind his head and against the meticulously wooden-carved headboard. "Yet here you are."

Not that you had much of a choice, really.

Halving the sum of money he had given you, you shoved the rest in your pocket while placing the other half on the table.

"Keep it."

"Don't be ridiculous," you groaned.

"Working on your flattery, I see?"

He was enjoying this far too much, and the more you talked back, the more you instigated him to continue.

"Why don't you just pay him when he asks for it?"

"Oh, darling…"

Here we go…

He was casually checking his hands, putting on his condescending demeanour. "Patience is a virtue he clearly lacks. If I'm to live eternally, I might as well teach these commoners some manners."

"Or you just adore getting on people's nerves," you said with a sly smile.

He grinned so wide, you caught a glimpse of his razor-sharp fangs peeking through. "You know me too well."

You used to think so.

Now, you weren't so sure.

Clearing your throat, you looked around the dimly lit room until your eyes settled on the large majestic bed. "She was really pretty."

"You sound surprised."

"Not at all. She does fit your type."

He laughed dramatically, further grinding your nerves. "I have a type?"

You gave him a look.

"You mean outrageously beautiful and undeniably entertaining?" he asked innocently. "Like you?"

Your heart jolted.

His method of seduction was deemed nigh pristine, and a few weeks ago, you would have maybe fallen hard for this level of charm.

But not anymore.

Well, for the most part…

"She was not outrageously beautiful."

He placed on hand at his chest, feigning hurt. "First you rob me, and now you question my taste in beauty. I'm not entirely sure my dead heart can take much more of this."

You huffed, crossing your arms before glancing out the window. The full moon lit up the street below, as the night began to draw out those who preferred to keep to the shadows.

And those who had no choice but to do so.

Like Astarion.

"I didn't do it."

His voice startled you and you stared at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

He paused briefly. "I didn't do anything with her, if that's what you're thinking. There is an odd comfort in being surrounded by beauty, even if only to glare at, and nothing else."

Your heart clenched at how vulnerable he sounded all of a sudden. His pleasing face held an expression that you'd seen many times before…

Guilt.

The ripple effects of centuries of torture and abuse still slipped through the cracks of his usual pompous demeanour.

"Your personal matters are your own, Astarion. No need to justify yourself."

He stared at you in silence for a moment, and the urge to reach out to embrace him nearly took over.

Until his features began to twist into a light frown. "Don't look at me like that. I can't stand it."

"Like what?"

"That look. Pity. Spare me," he groaned with a roll of his eyes.

You weren't surprised in the slightest that he went into his defensive mode so rapidly.

He would fluctuate so often around you these days, that it gave you whiplash. Some days, he would let his guard down and allow you in, while others were plagued with him having a brick wall up around him if you happened to breathe in the wrong direction.

You had learned how to navigate through his tough exterior when the two of you traveled together, and as he opened more and more to you.

It all culminated when you offered your help against Cazador, and having him make the decision not to go through with the ritual that would doom so many souls – including his own — in the process.

He had thanked you for saving him from himself.

But nowadays, talking to him was like walking on eggshells while simultaneously dancing around his weathervane mood.

It was as if your relationship had somewhat soured over the past few weeks, and all the remnants of a solid friendship were now beginning to crack.

"You know, you don't have to be here," you said softly, trying to disperse the tension. "You are more than welcome to stay with us."

Astarion snickered darkly. "And having to endure that dullard? Please. I'd rather stake myself, darling."

You rolled your eyes and heaved a sigh at the targeted provocation.

"Gale is not a dullard. He is quite inter-"

But he began to part his mouth into a forced yawn. "Boring already! See, this is what happens when you choose to surround yourself with such unstimulating company – it spreads, and you used to be so much fun," he finished with a dramatic pout.

Your heart skipped a beat, and you sent him a death glare. "He's not the only one there."

There was a hint of amusement gleaming in his eyes. "Oh, yes! How could I forget Shadowheart and her magnificent ability to bore me." He swung his feet off the bed, standing gracefully. "Or perhaps you mean Lae'zel? She's clearly in debt to whichever god bestows a sense of humour."

An added layer of defense: sarcasm.

No one wielded it quite like Astarion, which also proved to be a major inconvenience when trying to win an argument. 

I'm also there, you wanted to say, but chose to remain silent.

Deep down, you detested how you still longed for his company. Even after so many weeks had gone by. Even when he seemed so averse to it outside of this… arrangement.

Your relationship had been reduced to nothing more than a transaction.

Once again.

Your blood for his hunger to be quenched even if only momentarily.

"Or are you referring to yourself?" he mused, pacing towards you while adjusting his shirt.

It was extremely infuriating that he could see through you so easily.

"Let's get this over with, then," you said, words stinging in your throat.

He offered a faint smile, as he came to stand before you. "I must say, our weekly encounters are nothing short of exciting," he brought his fingers to your jaw, tilting your head gently as his eyes roamed across your neck. "And I am positively famished."

You felt a gentle tug at the collar or your shirt, and glanced down to see him undoing the buttons with just one hand. 

All those years of honing his dexterity were bound to come in handy at the most convenient of times,  and Astarion would never shy away from displaying his expertise.

Your senses were suddenly hit with the faint scent of bergamot, rosemary, and aged brandy.

His scent.

The same that once brought you comfort through the toughest of times.

But now…

"Which side will it be this time?"

You swallowed hard, shuddering. "You decide."

He caressed your neck tenderly, tipping your head to the opposite side, half-hooded eyes roaming across your exposed skin.

"Ever so generous."

You huffed in annoyance. "Astarion."

He didn't need to be warned twice, and you soon felt his soft lips brush across your skin, as he searched for your steady pulse. The contact made you jolt slightly and he took your hands in his, placing them at his waist.

"Hold on, darling," he whispered, as his breath fanned your flushed skin, before darting out his agile tongue and enclosing his lips around the selected area.

You had let him feed on you many times before, but the flutter was ever present. It wasn't out of fear or concern that he might take it too far. He never did. But the knowledge that you were, once again, involved in something so intimate truly gnawed at your nerves.

As soon as you felt the initial sting, you balled your fists, gripping the fabric of his shirt tight, as you hissed in pain. 

He held your jaw in between his fingers whilst his other hand was firmly pressed to the back of your head, making sure you were anchored in place.

Astarion moaned first – a muffled and deep sound that reverberated across his lips with each mouthful of blood he downed.

Your eyes dropped close all of a sudden and he  pressed his body against yours, acting purely on the instinct driven by his bloodlust. 

And just like all those times before, you began to feel it.

With each passing second, the all too familiar and ever-growing pressure in your lower abdomen became harder and harder to ignore.

He had once revealed how your blood worked like an aphrodisiac whenever he drank from you; how he couldn't keep his body from reacting to it, and, ultimately, to you. After all, you had been the first thinking creature he had ever fed on. 

As such, you had grown accustomed to his erection being pressed firmly against you – a constant reminder of how easy it was for him to make you yearn for more.

Whatever pain you had left from the initial bite, had morphed into a very subtle wave of pleasure that spread from between your legs.

You cursed inwardly, tugging harder at his shirt.

You didn't wish for your body to be so… primal. 

Even with blood being drained from you, and the act itself being considered so profane, it was still a much welcome moment of intimacy that you had come to embrace. 

A soft roll of his hips lulled you into him like a moth to a flame. Your body struggled with fading from the blood loss as well with the increasing throb between your thighs.

At this point, you couldn't help but moan softly as he eased his grip on you until he had fully withdrawn his teeth from you. 

Your eyes fluttered open and you had to blink twice to disperse the haziness blurring your vision.

Crimson red tainted his lips, and droplets of the warm liquid threatened to spill over. The sight of him revelling in your blood used to make your stomach turn, but now it had morphed into a habit.

But what truly caught your attention was how he looked faintly… displeased?

He lowered his head, crimson eyes locking in with yours. 

"That was quick," you whispered, struggling to ease your throbbing clit, as his erection was still very much pressed against you.

But now he was frowning. 

Suddenly, you felt experienced fingertips trailed across your lower abdomen, casually teasing the hem of your waistband.

You sucked in a breath, chills sprawling all over your body, as he began to trace down your thigh, just where your dagger was resting.

"What are you–"

He pressed a long finger to his blood-stained lips and you swallowed, his eyes darkening. "We have company."

Before you could process his words, you felt your dagger being yanked swiftly from its sheath. With a languid shift of his feet, you watched as he threw the sharp blade across the room.

Just as it cut through the air, the large wooden door began to swing open and Shadowheart came into view.

The dagger landed dangerously close to her head, the tip carving into the wood and wobbling faintly.

She frowned slightly. "You missed."

He darted out his tongue to collect droplets of blood. "Did I?"

She looked positively unimpressed by such a display of skill, even one that could have easily maimed her.

But he had deliberately missed.

Of course he had.

You caught a glimpse of Astarion's reddened ears – the ultimate proof that he had recently fed, and one that, somehow, sent a shiver down your spine.

The bloodless effect was also beginning to take a hold of your body, as dizziness spread more and more.

Snapping out of your transfixed gaze, you hurriedly brought the handkerchief in your pocket to apply some pressure to your bleeding wound.

"Stealth was never your forte, darling," Astarion mused, visibly annoyed. "You're about as subtle as a pack of gnolls."

A teasing smile parted her lips. "You have such a way with words."

He grinned deviously. "It's called being eloquent, dear Shadowheart. Not that you'd know anything about that."

"I was taught to converse with others without constantly resorting to sarcasm," she mused, hurling your dagger back at him. "Not that you'd know anything about that."

As expected, he caught it in between his fingers with little to no effort, twirling it easily with the expertise that only centuries of practice could provide.

He clicked his tongue. "No wonder you're so tedious. But… eavesdropping? My, my… how unbecoming of you, darling."

A flash of surprise crossed her face. "I - I was doing no such thing! I merely decided to make sure everything was all right." Her face softened as she turned to you, her usual caring nature surfacing. "Do you need any healing?"

You smiled warmly at her, patting the pouch at your hip. "No need, thank you. Brought the scroll of Lesser Restoration you gave me."

Astarion scoffed.

Shadowheart ignored him. "I ought to go. Gale needs my assistance with some letters he's received from Waterdeep," she said, straightening up to her default stoic pose. "I trust you're quite done here."

You nodded, clearing your throat.

"What, you're not joining us for a nibble?" Astarion pouted dramatically.

"Over my dead body."

He looked as amused as ever. "That can certainly  be arranged. Though I prefer fresh blood… right from the source."

Her features hardened once more and you decided to intervene. "Will you stop it? You're like a cat with its claws out."

Astarion snapped his head at you. "Excuse me? Claws?"

"Would it kill you - well, again - not to be so damn abrasive all the time?" 

He groaned sheepishly. "She interrupted my feeding. It can be quite hard to resist the urge to behead her."

Shadowheart's gaze dropped to his lower half with the slightest uptick of one corner of her mouth. "By the looks of it, Astarion, you have other hardships to concern yourself with."

A rush of heat spread across your face as you followed her line of sight and were met by the very prominent outline of his erection strained against his trousers.

He turned around, mumbling curses under his breath to adjust himself, and Shadowheart looked at you with a triumphant smile.

It wasn't an easy feat to silence Astarion, yet she had achieved it so gracefully.

"I'll see you later, I suppose," she mused and you nodded. "It was rather entertaining seeing you again, Astarion."

He threw her an infuriating glance over his shoulder.

By the time she had closed the door behind her, you were already taking the scroll into your hands and whispering the incantation, as the paper scroll began to disintegrate itself.

A wave of warmth spread through your hands, before engulfing your body in it. Strength and heightened senses gradually returned to you as the lasting effects of him feeding on you dispersed. 

From the corner of your eye, you spotted him glaring at you with a visible sulk. 

"I'll come back next week."

"Leaving already?" He asked, fake heartbreak twisting his features and voice. "Was wondering if you could, perhaps, give me a hand."

He handed you your dagger, which you promptly slid back inside its sheath.

Your eyes then widened at his not so subtle suggestion.

Uncertainty boiled deep within you, and you had to muster your will to keep yourself from immediately leaving.

Astarion's healing path had been one he had decided to tread alone. The relationship he had with sex had been the reason you two had decided to be as friends and nothing more. You had fallen hard for him – or his deceit – but you figured what he truly needed was a friend and not a lover.

And so you left your infatuation for him behind.

It was better off this way.

But now… watching him fall back to his usual charming advances made you somewhat wary. Was he back to forcing himself to seek intimacy with his body, because he still couldn't do it effectively in any other way? Was he simply feeling more at ease?

You met his sultry gaze and cleared your throat. "Well, I'm sure you can ask that outrageously beautiful woman to help you out, if that is what you truly seek."

That seemed to have caught him by surprise, and he cocked his head. "What?"

"She seemed positively distraught for having to leave your company so early," you said, dragging the handkerchief down your neck to wipe off the trail of blood.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Do I detect a hint of jealousy, darling?"

"Delusion does not suit you, darling."

He took a few steps towards you until you could see the crimson of his eyes flicker as they studied your face.

Your stomach turned.

The proximity made you feel vulnerable and you immediately felt naked under his burning gaze. 

Astarion had over two centuries of practice when it came to reading others. It wasn't an easy feat to deceive him, and you were no exception.

"We traveled together for so long and I can safely say I never took you for a liar – perhaps too soft-hearted for my liking, but not a liar."

"I did not lie," you shot back, lifting your chin in defiance. "I can offer you my friendship and even my blood, but I'm not so sure about anything else."

He heaved a deep sigh.

"I just fed on you and the bloodlust can be quite… overwhelming," he confessed. "I usually take care of it myself, but you did taste absolutely exquisite tonight, what can I say?"

That caught you off guard.

"What do you mean? Take care of…" your voice trailed off as realization hit you.

Oh.

Oh.

Astarion clicked his tongue. "Don't act so surprised. You can feel it whenever I'm feeding, can't you?" He took another step back and only came to a halt once your back was pressed against the carved-wood wall. "There is only so much I can withstand with your delicious blood coursing through my body, darling."

You swallowed hard. 

He was being particularly firm on his advances tonight. You were used to his occasional flirtatious remarks whenever he fed on you ever since the arrangement took place. However, this was bringing things to a whole new level.

One that you hadn't expected you'd reach ever again with him.

Somehow, you managed to find your voice. "Maybe you should stop feeding on me, then?"

A weightless taunt, obviously.

Crimson eyes darted all over your face as if studying you. He remained silent for what seemed like an eternity, before the corner of his mouth curled into an intriguing smile.

He had seen immediately right through it.

"If that is what you wish, then so be it," he said in a rather dismissive tone, but still towering over you.

You arched a brow. "That's it?"

"Darling, as immortal as I am, I do not beg," he continued, now tracing around the fresh bite marks on your skin with uncharacteristic tenderness. "I will surely find other exquisite necks to sink my teeth into."

His words carried a hint of a threat, which unsettled you. 

"That was not the arrangement, Astarion," you said with a scowl. "It's either wild animals or my blood."

His fingertips paused at your pulse point, and you were certain he could feel the throbbing increasing rapidly. "How possessive of you, my dear," he mused playfully. "Although, I am quite sure you are aware that many do carry fantasies with vampires."

You pressed your lips together in a silent reply.

A man as attractive as Astarion was bound to allure all sorts of attention. When passing through Moonrise Towers, the drow Araj had tried to have him bite her in exchange for a rather powerful potion, but you had assured him that you did not demand anything against his will.

The memory still left a sour taste in your mouth.

But he did have a point.

Vampires could be regarded as a taste of the forbidden, and he could certainly deliver it.

"That was not the arrangement," you repeated through gritted teeth, deciding to ignore his previous remark.

His eyes narrowed dangerously in an instant.

"'The arrangement'," he mocked, inching near and pinning you frozen against the wall with the weight of his burning stare. "Does dear Wyll know that I haven't been exclusively feeding on wild animals? Because that was the arrangement, darling," his face drew closer and his cool breath fanned your skin.

Upon becoming Duke of Baldur's Gate, Wyll had agreed to allow Astarion to reside within its walls, but not without assuring he posed no danger to others.

But then you decided to volunteer in aiding him until a solution to his vampiric condition could be found. Hopefully, it wouldn't take too long to find something useful. 

Your research had led to a couple of enchanted items, but those were rare to come by. A wish spell seemed to be the easiest way, but even as a sorcerer and with Gale's help, it would be extremely challenging.

You swallowed the lump in your throat. "He does. He knows blood from thinking creatures sates you more effectively, so he allows it for the time being."

He scoffed, dropping his hand from your neck. "How very thoughtful of him, indeed."

"This is what friends do."

He sneered at you. "Friends do not hand out ultimatums. Care to revive my memory?" His lips almost brushed against yours and you didn't dare take a breath. "I am to wag my tail like an obedient pup as I wait for a solution to this minor inconvenience, all the while enclosed in a golden cage."

Impatience gripped your nerves ferociously. "These things take time, Astarion."

"Oh, my darling… I have all the time in the world, but you only have a limited supply of blood," he whispered softly and you could almost taste his taunting words.

He drew back slightly, his glare so intense you felt yours waver and drop, catching a glimpse of his sharp canines. "We are actively looking for a solution. Gale is also making some progress-"

He pressed a finger to your lips, effectively silencing you.

"Do not make the mistake of thinking I am faulting you," he said, his face suddenly softening, as he caressed your lower lip. "If anything, you are the only reason I was ever able to kill Cazador."

He was being sincere, and that was what made your heart drop to your stomach. 

"You have my eternal gratitude."

You shuddered under his touch, feeling your breath quicke, as his other hand trailed down your neck until it was resting just above your left breasts and beating heart.

He was too good at this…

Unfairly so.

"Wyll ought to allocate more of his resources into aiding me, don't you think? After all, you are the one at risk here," he continued. "I know he cares not for me, but I could have ascended and bent Baldur's Gate to my will… if not for your intervention."

"I'm not at risk," you said with a roll of your eyes. "And if you drink more than what you need, then you know the consequences."

His eyes dropped to your cleavage as he began to caress the flushed skin. With each deep breath you took, you pushed more of your breasts into him, further igniting the heat between your legs.

"Promises, promises… unfortunately for you, darling, your words don't match your body."

Fuck you. "You're impossible."

He slowly dipped his head until his lips grazed yours. "You would stake me?"

Never. 

"I would."

He chuckled. "You would stake me as I sink my teeth into your darling neck and feast on your divine blood?" 

No. "Yes."

But his smile only widened as amusement settled on his face. "I can't think of a better way to part this world for good."

Your mouth parted slightly in surprise, and he rolled his hips into you, earning a soft gasp.

You half-expected him to finally take your lips, but he tilted his head instead to press a lingering kiss to the corner of your mouth. 

And your body nearly imploded as old sensations resurfaced.

Fuck.

"You're so sweet…" he whispered with a sigh, as he began to graze along your jaw, taking your hands in his and planting them on his waist. "So warm… the gods above could never do you justice." He continued in between light kisses with his hips matching the pace.

As your eyes fluttered shut, you lost track of how eagerly your hands tugged at the hem of his shirt, fingers brushing impatiently against the waistband of his trousers.

Astarion groaned softly, helping you with the inconvenient lacing at the front. "And here I thought I was the starving one."

He always talked way too much and had a natural talent for doing so at the least opportune time. 

"Can you shut up for once?"

"Gladly," he said as he quickly took your lips in his, muffling your groan of protest.

Reason told you to halt everything once. That you were taking things too fast, and that there was no need to indulge in such depravities.

But you had missed this.

You missed having him so close that he completely overtook your senses. 

The kiss turned rougher and his tongue soon found yours. Instinct guided you as you succumbed to the vicious grip of desire, and you pressed yourself further into him.

It was almost embarrassing how wet you already were and how intensely your swollen clit was pulsing. Your body was already readying itself for him to be buried inside you, and you shuddered at the prospect of it.

Your tongue darted into his mouth and your eagerness had it glide across one of his sharp fangs, and you felt a sting of pain as you accidentally drew blood.

"Fuck," you grumbled, breaking the kiss at once.

The familiar taste of metal began to pool in your mouth, and you felt gentle fingers grip your jaw tight, as he titled your head back.

"I would apologise, but it was your own doing," he said with a smile, hunger in his eyes. "So let's not allow it to go to waste, hm?"

And then he pressed his lips against yours, immediately parting them with his experienced tongue, in search of the warm liquid he so badly craved.

The cut wasn't deep or wide enough to cause much to spill, but it was certainly enough for him to let out a beautiful moan of delight, as he lapped at your blood.

Your hands gripped the front of his trousers, the lacing now undone and offering you the opportunity to feel him, and he was kissing you so ardently, that your mind was completely clouded by all of him.

Testing the waters, you caressed his cock through the fabric.

He immediately parted from you to let out a delicious hiss, as he rolled his hips into the palm of your hand.

Astarion was incredibly hard, but just as you were about to slide it inside to grip him, he caught your wrist and held it firmly in place.

And everything halted all at once.

Your eyes found his, and he seemed… distant.

Concern washed over you. "Astarion?"

He was frozen, eyes fixed on the floor.

As he eased his grip on you, it became apparent that he wasn't listening to you.

Fuck.

You brought one hand to grip his shoulder. "Astarion…"

He shook his head lightly. "Give me a moment, darling."

The way the last word drawled out of his lips, made your heart clench violently. It was so instinctive for him, that you doubted he even realised he had uttered it.

You stood still, unsure of what to do to help.

The two of you remained silent for a few moments. You kept your hold on his shoulder, gently caressing it in an attempt to bring him some comfort.

Then you felt rage swirl in you.

Cazador had warped him in such a way and for so long, that the ramifications of his abuse on Astarion seeped so deep and gripped him so tight, causing you to feel nothing but anger.

You took a deep breath, and carefully placed your hands on either side of his face, slowly guiding him to meet your eyes.

He looked broken.

"I apologise."

You caressed his cool skin with your thumbs, shaking your head. "There is nothing to apologise for. Ever. Do you hear me?"

He tilted his head until his forehead touched yours. "I really wanted this."

Even though the two of you had grown apart over the past few weeks as he had distanced himself, you couldn't think of anyone else who had such a hold on you.

With one hand drifting along his soft curls, you pulled him further into a hug, which he promptly embraced, lacing his hands behind your back.

This was your Astarion.

The one who made it so easy to love and care for him.

"Sometimes what we want is not what we need."

His cheek was pressed to the side of your head and you heard a faint chuckle. "So poetic. I reckon Volo has competition."

"Your mind goes to Volo when holding me? Is there something you wish to tell me, Astarion?" you teased lightly.

He patted your back twice before letting go.

"Guilty as charged," he mused, slipping back into his usual antics.

He crossed the room, tying the laces of his trousers before plopping himself on the bed with a stretch of his arms.

"I'm sure you're exhausted. Maybe you should go back to that dullard friend of yours," he said with a sly grin.

His words hit you hard and your face dropped. "I can stay a little longer…"

He picked up the book next to him, examining the cover. "Whatever for? I'm perfectly fine, darling."

Now, this was not your Astarion.

Cold. Distant. Impenetrable.

The one who pushed you away whenever you attempted to bridge the gap that had come in between you two. 

He focused his attention on the book in his hands and you swallowed the lump in your throat.

"Very well."

You composed yourself, and headed to the door, not even bothering to exchange another look.

"Thank you for the meal, and for… well, you know."

You nodded, feeling the overwhelming urge to just leave. "See you next week, then."

He didn't reply.

You rushed out of the room, feeling the familiar prickle of tears in your eyes, and you tried to convince yourself it was better off this way.

That he needed time and space.

That he didn't need you.

By the time you crossed the crowded lounge of the tavern, you crossed paths with that woman again.

She locked eyes with you, a faint smile curving her lips, as she rose to her feet from her chair, probably heading back to him.

She truly was a sight to behold, no doubt.

But what tore your heart was realising that, even after everything you'd been through with Astarion, he still favoured her company over yours. 

Next chapter

Masterlist . Series masterlist. AO3

[kasagia]

His mortal saviour

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova/The Darkling x otkazat’sya!fem! reader Summary: You saved him. You took him from under the fold and healed him when he was in his most vulnerable state. He doesn't know you; he's hostile and distrustful of you, so he naturally runs away at the first possible opportunity. But somehow, he can't just walk away from you. Word Count: around 6k Anonymous requested this a looong time ago (in January). So sorry honey!!!! Hope you will enjoy! 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 Taglist: @aoi-targaryen @il0vebeingdelulu @chelseyyouraverageluigi @watersquirtpewpewboomm @summersummoner-pat Aleksander Morozova's Masterlist ~•♤♤♤•~ Main Masterlist

He woke up feeling numb.

He had never felt so... paralysed in his entire life. It was as if the use of all his limbs had been taken away from him. And he didn't like that at all.

He expected him to be in the centre of the fold, with the volcra circling around him. However, as consciousness returned to him, he became more aware of his surroundings.

The first thing he felt was warmth. The warmth, which wasn't at all in the fold. He shuddered and remembered how the cold had penetrated his body even more the moment the volcra's claws had dug into his face.

Then he felt the softness of the mattress beneath his back instead of the hardness of the sandy, packed soil. Further evidence proving that he was entirely somewhere else was the sound of soft footsteps and humming a few feet away from him.

He opened his eyes hesitantly and hissed, unaccustomed to the light after being unconscious for so long.

He freezes as he feels a hand on his eyes, keeping the sunlight from reaching them. Little. Soft. Alina... a thought comes to him, and he quickly laughs it off. His little sun summoner would probably rather blind him completely with her sun than protect him from more pain.

"Take it easy. You've been badly harmed." A soft female voice breaks the silence and pulls him from his thoughts about the woman who betrayed him and their kind.

He feels a strange rush of fear as he hears a female voice. Aleksander unwillingly recalls the memory of the time when he and his mother were captured by the Drüskelle. He felt like he did now. Helpless.

He was unable to move even a small distance on his own. The only difference was that no one was hanging over him with scalpels and other blades or hurling insults. But he suspected that could change very quickly...

He had to do something. He needed to get out of here somehow, but every slight movement of his muscles was accompanied by a huge wave of searing pain throughout his whole body. And for a brief moment, it occurred to him that maybe destroying the fold wasn't such a bad idea.

"Don't worry. I am not a psychopath, mad, serial killer, or anything. I'm a nurse. I saw you near the fold and took you to my house to heal you. It's a miracle you survived your encounter with the volcra. Usually, no one gets out of the fold. Certainly not on their own." The woman says, slowly removing her hand from his eyes.

He's too dazed by the light, busy taking in his surroundings and seeing her face for the first time, to notice that she's adjusting the bandages on his face and checking his wounds.

But he hisses, feeling the burning pain on his forehead as she rubs some thick, gooey liquid onto him.

"I'm sorry, but I have to. It's an ointment against infection. This should also numb you enough so that you don't feel any pain in your face. How's your back?"

He is too shocked to respond. As he takes a breath, he has a sudden coughing fit. She moves away from him. He hears her quick footsteps as she returns a moment later with a cup of water and a tissue. He spits something black out of his mouth, desperately trying to get some air. She strokes his back gently and leans him more forward, making him spit out all the black goo mixed with his saliva from his throat.

He frowns, staring at the tissue soaked in black liquid.

"Don't worry, it's absolutely normal. Every time they bring a survivor from the fold to the infirmary, something like this happens. The air is different there, and volcra tend to infect their victims. Let's just say it's some kind of poison that comes out of you. That's a good sign. As well as the fact that you woke up. Here." The woman says, taking the tissue from him and throwing it into a nearby trash can. He glances there, seeing that it is half full of black dressings and bandages. He looks back at her as she hands him a glass of water.

"What do you want?" He asks, his voice hoarse from disuse (or screaming in the fold), not taking a sip from the cup you gave him. It could be poisoned or worse.

"I... I don't understand." You say, confused by his hostile attitude.

"What do you want from me?" He repeats it again, and the commanding, demanding tone of his voice sends shivers down your spine.

"Nothing. I'm just helping." You reply with a shrug, which annoys him even more. He laughs mockingly, making you frown.

"Selflessly? To a stranger? Don't make me look like a naive idiot. Tell me right now who you are, what you want, and where we are, and you won't get hurt."

"With all due respect, I doubt you'd be able to raise your hand right now, let alone hold a gun or sword, or hit me, even if you were a soldier of the First Army." He stares at you in surprise, realising that you have no idea who he is, and maybe you really just helped him.

Could a normal person dare to speak back to the Darkling with such courage and anger in her eyes? He didn't think so. But one name comes to his mind... even though he's too hurt to think about her.

"What?" You ask him as he stares at you for a little too long.

"Nothing." He clears his throat and stares warily at the offered water. "Not many people surprise me." He explains, still not believing in your good intentions. You couldn't be so altruistic as to help a strange man who got spat out by the fold. People weren't kind or helpful to the weak, at least never towards him. That's why he always had to be stronger than others. To never become prey again.

"I see that you don't trust many either. If I pour for myself and you water from one jug and drink it first, will you consider doing the same? You need to rehydrate." You say it calmly, completely unfazed by his distrust.

For some reason, this makes him more surly towards you. Maybe this whole act on your part was just to keep his guard down until someone came for him, for example, Shu, Drüskelle, or even Alina's group of heroes. He had to get away from here. As soon as he regained full control over his aching body.

“Try to deceive me, and I will make sure to wipe out your family lineage to the last living generation.” He growls hoarsely, trying to regain at least some semblance of control in this situation.

"It's good that I'm an orphan then." You say, pouring him and yourself a glass of water and showing him that both are empty.

Another orphan... he thinks as you reach both glasses so he can choose which one he wants.

"Who are you? Where are we?" He asks as he holds a glass in his hand.

You drink your water and set the glass on the nightstand near the bed. Aleksander decides to wait a while before taking a sip himself, to see if the water won't have a strange effect on you and if you haven't poisoned it after all. Although you could have practiced mithradism and been immune to whatever poison you wanted to give him. His head began to hurt more as he considered all the possibilities.

"Y/N Y/L/N. A nurse, as I mentioned earlier. We are in Eastern Ravka, on the border with the fold. More south of Tsemna and closer to the border with Shu Han. And you?"

He hesitates for a moment and doesn't know why, whether it's the headache or the fact that he doesn't want you to catch him in a lie, but he tells you his real name.

"Aleksander." He says, finally deciding to take a sip from his cup. He would always be able to use the cut if there was something wrong with the drink you gave him. You try your best not to smile at that.

"And what are you doing for life, if that's not a secret?" You ask jokingly, but he doesn't seem too eager to lighten his attitude.

He is still tense and looks around carefully, as if waiting for someone to attack him. Your heart hurts at the sight. Something must have happened in his past for him to be on guard all the time. And those scars from the fold... you suspect it wasn't just the volcra that were responsible for them.

"I... create things." He tells half the truth. After all, the fold, the volcra, and his shadows are some kind of... things he created.

"Are you a carpenter? Do you have your own workshop?"

Little Palace. He thinks, but he knows that after what happened in the fold, the tsar probably took this away from him as well.

He shudders to think about how he could have hurt his people. He had to get out of here. And fast. Before more, Grisha got hurt. Because if he knows something, he knows that Alina won't be able to protect them. He tried to walk the path of peace with Lantsov's dynasty, but it never ended well.

All he provided for Grisha—a safe place at the Little Palace, home, food, illusions of freedom thanks to the cessation of Grisha hunting, and much more—was bought with the blood of others. And if he had to be a monster to make sure his people wouldn't suffer like he did and many others have in the past, then so be it.

He would be the worst of them all.

"I have people who create for me and follow my orders and requests." He replies brusquely when you look at him carefully. You sigh, seeing that you won't be able to get through to him until he's sure you really don't have any bad intentions towards him.

"Okay… do you have any family I should write to? Or someone else?" You ask instead, apparently hitting another sore spot as his injured hand grips the cup so hard that the bandages you wrapped around it dig into his skin.

"No... there is no need for that." He says it coldly.

An image of his mother quickly comes to mind, as does the image of Alina, at which he shakes his head. The only two women with whom he allowed himself to be vulnerable and who could hurt him actually did. Without blinking an eye or a moment of hesitation. You probably were the same, and despite your quite tender care, he still wasn't sure if it was true or just an action.

Although if you were meant to capture him, you would at least tie him up so he couldn't summon his shadows. Maybe you really had no idea about his identity...

"I shall leave you to rest then. I have to go to my work." You say as you start to put on your coat.

"You will leave me alone?" He ask. He can't believe that you would really leave him—a strange man you didn't know at all—in your house all alone.

"Do you need a company?" You ask mockingly, using the exact same cold tone of voice he used before. Aleksander decides he liked you much more when you were soft towards him.

"Aren't you afraid I'll rob you and run away?"

"There are only herbs, medicines, and a few books here. I have nothing so valuable that I couldn't get it on the market if you decided to take it. You can look around if you want. Although I wouldn't advise you to get up, your wounds are still fresh and barely sealed, so they don't bleed."

"Are you insane?" He can't help but ask, as you really are going out. His words and utter shock make you giggle, which doesn't make his opinion of you any better.

"All the best people are. Try not to die. It would be a waste of medicines and bandages." You say this and smile amusedly as you close the door behind you.

Aleksander blinks, surprised, as he lays in your bed. He tries to understand what has happened here, but he still has a headache and needs to get out of here.

He didn't trust you at all.

So before anyone could come and get him from you, he stood up. His legs are shaky at the beginning, but as he walks around your (tiny) cottage, he regains the ability to walk… maybe not as well as he did, but enough to move.

He looks around, just as you suggested, but he didn't find any proff that would confirm his suspicion about your bad intentions towards him.. But it doesn't stop him from taking some pills and herbs before he leaves your house. He makes sure to take only a little—enough to get to the village or somewhere where he could find his people.

He decided that you were too kind to be robbed.

The healer who was trying to heal his wounds was surprised at how good their condition was. Virtually cured. However, black scars remained on him, marring his face. Just like the piece of amplifier in his hand.

But Aleksander didn't care at all. His scars were a good reminder that anyone can be made a fool of. And he didn't want to be fooled by the woman's beautiful eyes once again—even ones as beautiful as yours.

David offered to take it out for him, but he wasn't ready for it yet. The amplifier was his only connection to Alina, and he needed every means to locate her. At least, that's how he explained to himself his reluctance to remove the festering amplifier from his hand.

He did the same with you. He also told himself that the creation of a secret shelter for his Grishas in an abandoned manor in the forest a few miles from your little cabin was pure coincidence. Just like the way he had a habit of wandering around your neighbourhood and watching you from afar when he needed to think alone about his further plans.

The problem was that he couldn't plan anything. Nothing significant. Of course, he still freed his Grisha and kept them safe, but when it came to Ravka's fate... he was in a bind. He didn't know what to do.

And so one day, when he went for a walk away from Ivan, Fruzsi, and the rest who were bothering him, he 'accidentally' came across you.

It's happened quite often. At first, he sent Ivan to look at you; sometimes he followed you around himself, waiting in suspense to find out that you weren't an innocent nurse after all. That it was not by accident that you took him from under the fold and cured him. But he found nothing. You have no conspiracy against him, no cult that was killing Grisha, or even any connection to Alina's group. Nothing.

He didn't know what to think about that either. He would rather discover that you weren't so selfless and sensitive to others' harm. This way, you would save him some sleepless nights when he thought about you and the way you took care of him. No one has done this for a long time... or ever. To be honest, Aleksander didn't remember the last time that someone just... he looked after him out of pure kindness and concern FOR HIM.

Neither his mother nor Alina. One was too cold to even think about caring for the other, and the second was too afraid of him to even consider him as something more than just a monster craving power and the throne. He didn't think he'd had anyone since Luda who would simply take care of him out of the goodness of their hearts.

That's why he started to be fascinated and curious about you. A mere mortal. Otkazat’sya. You tended to avoid people despite your willingness to help (at which he was very surprised). In the village where you worked in the infirmary, everyone treated you warmly and kindly, just as you treated them. Even your worst patients. To which Aleksander would lose his tamper more than once.

Over time, he realised that what drew him to you was your warmth. He was starting to get jealous of the attention you gave others, even if you then went back to your cabin alone. He didn't know what caused this need to be near you. Maybe it was because he was tired of being alone in his icy darkness. Alina once was his sunlight. For a brief moment, he felt... normal. In peace. After everything went to hell. And then, he felt like this for a while under your tender touch.

He should have learned from his mistakes and forgotten about you, but... something wouldn't let him.

He was beginning to suspect that maybe he was just getting too old for all this.

"All alone in the forest? Do you know what monsters might be lurking here?" He asks, encountering you on one of his excursions to help him think. It was a pure impulse. He snuck up on you on the spur of the moment (or maybe because Alina tried to snatch the amplifier out of his hand a few hours ago and he needed someone to talk to as... just Aleksander. Not the Darkling.)

"For example?" You ask, turning to him and stopping picking herbs. You look pretty. Strands of hair fall into your eyes, and he almost reaches out to brush them off himself, but you do it before he can raise his hand.

He takes a look at you. Your coat is too thin for his taste. The snow had barely melted, and what you were wearing certainly didn't adequately protect you from the cold wind that was still blowing. He had to ask David to make you something similar to a kefta when he would be back.

"The Darkling." He says, feeling your burning, careful gaze on his face. You don't look at him with disgust or fear. No. He sees in your eyes a professional assessment of his health and a slight hint of curiosity... he wonders if maybe he's not the only one here who feels drawn to the other.

"I doubt he has enough free time to wander around the forest." He smiles at your words, amused that you have no idea that you are now talking with him.

He had never been happier that the news in these parts of Ravka... usually didn't reach here. People here identified more with Shu since they started mixing with each other a long time ago. Of course not Grisha. They could only count on themselves. Mostly...

"Oh, you'd be surprised what can happen, little saviour."

"Saviour?" You ask, raising your eyebrows at him. He sees the spark of amusement shining in your eyes, and he just can't help himself. He steps closer to you and reaches for the basket of herbs. He follows you as you select herbs and plants that you apparently find useful. Aleksander feels... normal and ordinary. And for a moment, he begins to understand why Alina would choose a simple life with her tracker rather than a privileged one as a Sun Summoner.

"I believe I owe a part of my life to you."

"Almost no one gets out of the fold. Thank the saints for your life, not me." You shrug off his feeble attempt at thanking you and turn to him. You study his face carefully, assessing the appearance of his scars. He feels himself starting to blush under your gaze.

"I don't believe in saints." He finally says, glad that he managed to drag your gaze away from his face as you look into his eyes this time, frowning in surprise.

"Why?"

"They were ordinary people. Most of them had no idea what they were doing. People hailed them as saints mainly because of rumours—stories whose confirmation could only be sought from the insane."

"So not only a carpenter, but also an expert in saints. You are a true mystery, Aleksander." You laugh at him and he smiles, thinking that you don't even know what an enigma he is.

"I'm just saying that most of them didn't do anything significant. Not for Grisha. And they were killed because they tried to show people that they shouldn't hunt us and that we are useful in some way. If anything, they tightened the chains of slavery on us."

"So you are a Grisha." He blushes slightly, embarrassed at how easily he let his secret be revealed. Yes. He was definitely too old for all this. "What kind of are you? Inferni? Durast?"

"Heartrender." He answers quickly and without thinking. "But it doesn't matter. Forgive me. I should go." He says, almost panicking as he turns away from you and rushes in the opposite direction. He wants to get away from you as quickly as possible before he unknowingly reveals his true identity to you.

"Wait a second. Aleksander!" However, you don't give up and chase after him, grabbing his hand—exactly the one that is rotting from the remains of the amplifier left in it. Aleksander hisses, wincing in pain. He pulls his hand out of your grip and tries to look anywhere but at you. "Your hand." You whisper hurriedly as you walk towards him. He takes a step back, trying as always to keep some distance from you when you made him feel... vulnerable.

"Not your concern." He growls at you, hoping you'll drop the idea of ​​examining his wound. Because how was he supposed to explain to you the stag bone stuck in his hand?

"Volcra poison can infect your blood. You should get it cured by your healers. And do it as quickly as possible; otherwise, it will lead you to a slow death; you will lose your senses; you will start hearing whispers, calls from the fold, and volcra."

"I'll be fine."

"Don't make me laugh; even the Darkling wouldn't be able to deal with that all alone. The Volcra may be the product of his ancestors, but this... this is a wild kind of little science. Unpredictable. I have seen hundreds who may have managed to get out of the crease but have gone mad because of their venom. These are not ordinary shadows. They are living creatures that attack just like any other animal. So please, if you don't trust me with this, go and show it to some talented healer, because you can't leave it like that."

"How do you know so much about this?" He asks curiously, putting his injured hand into the pocket of his kefta.

"Anyone who lives near the fold and is involved in healing knows this." You answer evasively, trying to avoid his further questions. This time you turn your back to him, pretending that you are interested in some plant.

"No, they not." He continues insistently, wanting at all costs to know the real reason you were here, why you had so much knowledge about the fold. He grabs your arm and turns you around so he can look at your face, as he is waiting for your answer.

"My sister was a healer. A Grisha." You blurt out in one breath and look away from him as painful memories come flooding back to you. Aleksander feels a pang in his heart when he sees the obvious pain in your eyes. A pain he himself had carried with him for centuries.

"Was?" He notes, swallowing.

"She is dead."

"The fold?" You nod at his question. He feels his throat dry, and he lets go of your arm as his hands tremble slightly. And Aleksander thinks that of all the lives that the fold has taken, your sister's life will be the one that will remain permanently in his memory. Especially that look filled with pain, bitterness, and grieving. "Then why did you stay here?"

"I moved here... to help to this who could somehow managed to get out of it." You reply as you calm down. Your tone of voice and posture may confuse Aleksander at first glance, but your eyes, your eyes tell him everything that you try to hide.

"It's... very nobel."

"Just please, don't leave it like that. You will certainly die if you will."

"You care about the stranger?" He asks in surprise, raising an eyebrow at you. You reach for your basket and take it from him before giving him your answer and looking him in the eyes again.

"I've already told you. It would be a waste of medicines and bandages if you die." You reply mischievously with a smile, and he chuckles. He can't help but reach up to your cheek and caress your cheek with his thumb as he gets lost in your eyes. No one had ever cared for him, so... simply. Without any major reasons. It was... extraordinary. You were extraordinary.

"It's... more complcated... but I shall listen to you." He assures you, noticing the way you nuzzle your cheek into his hand, not pulling away from him at all, not flinching at his sudden touch. His gaze involuntarily flits from your eyes to your mouth for a brief moment, and he imagines what it would be like to kiss you—to feel the softness of your lips against his. And Aleksander really wants to do it.

"I hope so... and that you won't get in trouble because of that grumpy old general of yours for being here." Alexander chuckles at your joke, amused by the absurdity of the situation. If you only knew...would you still let him stand so close to you? His mood suddenly worsens as he thinks about it. What would you do if you found out he was the Darkling? That he created the fold?

"Believe me, little savior, he can't do anything to me for coming to you." He replies and lowers his hand, breaking any contact with your soft, silky skin. Oh, how he wanted to know more of you—to touch more than your hands, cheeks, hair, or neck. But he couldn't. Not after so much disappointment, not after Alina, not after Luda. He should have known better.

So he freezes, completely shocked, when you grab his wrist and cup his cheek in your hand. Your basket of herbs is abandoned on the forest path as you brush your nose against his. Alexander holds his breath, waiting to see what you will do.

"May I?" You ask, whispering, trembling as you're unsure of his reaction to what you want to do.

All Aleksander can do is cross the last inches between you and capture your lips in a kiss. You sigh, tangling your fingers in his hair and pulling him closer. Aleksander wraps his arms around you tightly and takes two steps back, pressing you against the tree. You moan into his mouth as his beard tickles you into the kiss, which he uses to his advantage and slides his tongue into your mouth.

Aleksander allows himself to lose himself in the feeling of you, your taste, your smell, and the way your body feels under his wandering hands. And if he had previously suspected that he might be obsessed with you, now he has proved to himself how deep you have gotten under his skin. He was a fool for allowing you to have such power over him. But how sweet it was to be a fool, with your lips and hands pressed against him.

And the next day, when he comes to visit you, his hand is completely healed, without any amplifier. And his mind is completely free of Alina Starkov.

"That's nice." You whisper in the crook of his neck as you lie cuddled in the meadow under the full moon.

“Mhm…” Aleksander mumbles, burying his nose in your hair. He hugs you tighter, as if afraid that you might escape from his arms at any moment. "Although I'm beginning to wonder if you've brought me here to perform some witchy tricks. Maybe some sacrifice?"

"Your ass is too beautiful to sacrifice it." You reply teasingly, biting his neck. He gasps and digs his fingers harder into your hips. He leans down, moving your head away from his neck by pulling your hair so he can steal a kiss from your lips.

"Is it?" He whispers against your lips as he pulls away to let you catch your breath.

"Apparently." You reply, reaching up to caress the scars on his face with your fingertip. Aleksander closes his eyes and sighs, surrendering to your gentle touch. "I like your face too. The way you frown when you're irritated by something. The way you twist your ridiculously tempting lips into a smirk when you're right, even though it irritates me sometimes. The way your eyes sparkle when you talk about how you help Grisha. The way you look at me, as if I were your whole world. The way you wrap your hands around me or take my hand in yours to make sure I'm close to you, that I'm under your protection, and that I'm not going anywhere. The way you are grumpy when you are sleepy and how you don't want to admit that you are tired. I... I think I fell in love with you, Aleksander."

Aleksander smiles, caressing your cheek tenderly. He leans down and captures your lips in a tender kiss, trying to shake away the guilt that has been haunting him for several months now.

Ever since your relationship... became more serious, Aleksander has been trying to find the perfect way to tell you about his true identity. But every time he thought the moment was good, he lost his courage. He didn't even want to think about what your reaction might be to him being the Darkling who created the fold. He was absolutely convinced that you would hate him as soon as the truth came to light and that you would blame him for your sister's death. And honestly? Aleksander would not even try to defend himself. He knew damn well that he didn't deserve your affection and love. However, he couldn't help but come back to you, basking in the feeling that he had been denied for a very long time.

You end the kiss and bury your face in the crook of his neck. Aleksander shivers as he feels you exhale warm air onto his cold skin. He tightens his grip on you and presses a kiss to the top of your head.

"I love you too, milaya." He mumbles, running a hand through your hair. He plays with the strands of your hair, twirling them around his finger.

He feels unexpectedly pleasant around you. Homely. Ordinary. These were feelings that Aleksander had rarely, if ever, experienced over the course of hundreds of years. He found himself longing for moments where he could slip away to your little cottage and sink into the warmth of your arms, listen to your gentle heartbeat, and bask in your scent. This was a huge hindrance to his plans to get another amplifier and guarantee a better future for his Grisha.

"They say they've seen a Darkling in these parts. That he's gathering an army to start a civil war." Aleksander frowns, feeling his heart speed up slightly in panic.

"That's what they say?"

"Yhm... What do you think about it? Will you join him? Or will you try to escape and join Sankta Alina?" He unconsciously tightens his grip on you as you ask him this question and mention Alina. He buries his nose in your hair, inhaling your scent and trying to calm himself down before answering your question.

"I will stay. I think he wants a better future for us than Alina plans to guarantee."

"Maybe for Grisha. But still, I don't like wars."

"Me too, lapushka. But sometimes there is no other solution to change something than to start a war and take the power." He admits with a sigh and traces patterns on your arm, calming down as he feels the softness of your skin under the pads of his hard fingers.

Aleksander suddenly becomes more alert, subconsciously sensing the approaching threat. He doesn't want to outgrow you, thinking that maybe it's his paranoia kicking in, so he sits down, still holding you in his arms, as he looks around at his surroundings. He holds his breath as he sees movement in the bushes across from you.

Before he can do anything, a group of Shu surrounds you. One of them has a shotgun aimed at you. Aleksander acts instinctively. He wraps one arm around you, summoning his shadows. Before anyone can hurt you, he uses a cut and sends his shadows to remove the threat. The metallic smell of blood fills the clearing. Aleksander breathes quickly, his veins pumping with adrenaline as he looks around carefully. He feels blood seeping from where the bullet hit him, piercing his plain coat. He hisses, turning his attention to you. He breathes a sigh of relief when he sees no signs of hurt on you, but freezes in fear as soon as he sees your terrified look.

"Y/N... I can explain."

"You are hurt. Let's go back to my cottage, I'll stitch you up." You interrupt him, examining his wound.

You take his hand and lead him through the forest towards your house. Aleksander stares at the back of your head in shock, tightening his grip on your hand, wanting to make sure you don't suddenly run away from him and that you don't decide to abandon him in the middle of the forest to save yourself from him.

You open the door and wordlessly point to the bed. He takes your hint and sits down, taking off his coat and shirt. Involuntarily, he remembers the first time he came here and woke up in your bed. He swallows hard, hoping this won't be the last time you treat his wounds. Or when you're close to him.

"This may sting." You tell him, sitting down next to him. You squirt a cotton ball with antiseptic into his wound. He hissed, biting his lip, completely unprepared for this as he was still lost in his thoughts.

"Y/N… I… I wanted to tell you. I swear. I just… I didn't want to ruin… you know what I mean, right?" He asks, staring intently at you. You make no move to look him in the eyes, pretending to devote all your attention to his wound. Aleksander cups both of your cheeks in his hands and forces you to look at him as he gives you a pleading look. "Please. Say something. Anything."

"I… I didn't expect this. Because why would the Darkling be hurt by something he created and why would he return to my cottage?"

"Because you fascinated me. Deeply. You... you were the first person to see me as something other than a Darkling. Alexander. The real me, not the version of myself I had to create for my Grishas. I... besides, I didn't hide my thought from you. You... you were one of the truly few people I let under my mask who could see my heart. And I swear I was going to tell you, I... I was just afraid that I would lose you the moment you found out who I really was. What can I do."

"Oh, Aleksander. You stupid man. Am I running away screaming? Am I calling you a monster? Am I treating you differently?" You ask, placing your hand on his bearded cheek and using your thumb to stroke it tenderly, making sure you give his scars the tender care they deserve.

"No." He responds, carefully analyzing and comparing your behavior before today's fatal accident.

"Because I don't see you any other way. Yes, at first I was shocked and a little scared, but that was because I didn't expect it at all. You… volcra it's not your fault. Even if you created it. You didn't know what would happen." Aleksander feels a lump in his throat.

How can he tell you that he planned to make it bigger? That before he met you he would have done it without blinking an eye, but now he has such serious doubts that he is actually considering deviating from his original plan for you?

"I'm not as good a person as you think."

"Then show me." You answer casually, as if it were that simple. You finish patching up his wound and press a kiss on it.

Aleksander smiles at you tenderly and pulls you in for a passionate kiss. His heart is racing as he realises that he hasn't actually lost you, that you're still here and want to be here, judging by the way you moan into his mouth.

He holds you tightly and lays down on your bed with you straddling him as you place small kisses along his neck and across the width of his muscled chest. He smiles, realising how far he's come with you. He never would have guessed when he woke up in this bed that he would let you get this close to him. But with each little kiss you gave, the gentle, tender way your hands moved over his body, and the way you caressed each of his wounds and scars, Aleksander thanked the saints for putting you in his path. And unknowingly to him, you truly were his little saviour, saving him from a much worse fate than he could ever imagine.

[bratzkoo]

[M] merging arrangements | wonwoo pt. 2

Author: bratzkoo Pairing: chaebol heir! wonwoo x chaebol heiress!/ nurse! reader Genre: angst, fluff, smut Rating: NC-17 Word count: 6k~ Warnings/note: for my Anna, my beautiful nurse. smut scenes, not graphic but it’s weird. don’t look at the first sex scene as romantic that much, pls. MINORS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, don’t read !!!

summary: Jeon Wonwoo's been smitten with you for years, as the two of you enter an arranged marriage, he hopes you'll feel the same.

taglist (hit me up if you wanna be added): @escoupseu , @yanabaaaaaaarysheva , @spnyin , @sousydive , @gyuguys , @gyubakeries

requests are open, but you can just say hi! | masterlist

The Maldives stretched out before them, a paradise of turquoise waters and powder-white sand beaches. Y/N stood on the balcony of their overwater bungalow, the warm breeze tugging at her hair. The setting sun painted the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink, reflecting off the calm ocean surface. It was breathtaking, like something out of a dream. And yet, Y/N couldn't shake the feeling that she was living someone else's fantasy.

Behind her, she heard the soft slide of the glass door. Wonwoo emerged from the room, two glasses of champagne in hand. He approached cautiously, as if afraid to startle her.

"It's beautiful," Y/N murmured, accepting the glass he offered. The crystal was cool against her palm, grounding her in the moment.

Wonwoo nodded, his eyes on her profile rather than the view. "It is," he agreed softly. There was something in his tone, a warmth that made Y/N glance at him. Their eyes met for a brief moment before both looked away, suddenly self-conscious.

An awkward silence fell between them. They were married now, alone together for the first time, and neither quite knew how to bridge the gap between stranger and spouse. The weight of expectations – from their families, from society, from themselves – hung heavy in the air.

Wonwoo cleared his throat, clearly searching for a safe topic. "So," he began, his voice a little too loud in the quiet evening, "tell me about your work at the hospital. What made you want to become a nurse?"

The question caught Y/N off guard. She had expected inquiries about her family, about her upbringing – the usual chaebol small talk. But this... this was personal. Genuine. She found herself smiling, grateful for the familiar topic.

"I've always wanted to help people," she began, her voice growing stronger as she spoke. "When I was little, I used to patch up my dolls, pretending they were patients. But it wasn't until high school that I really understood what nursing meant."

She paused, lost in the memory. "There was a car accident outside our school. A little boy was hurt, and I saw a nurse who happened to be passing by take charge of the situation. She was so calm, so competent. She knew exactly what to do to help that child, to comfort him until the ambulance arrived. I knew then that's what I wanted to do with my life."

As Y/N spoke, her eyes lit up with passion, her hands gesturing animatedly. Wonwoo found himself captivated. This was the Y/N he'd fallen for years ago – passionate, determined, alive with purpose. So different from the quiet, reserved bride he'd married just days ago.

"That's... amazing," Wonwoo said softly when she finished. "You must be very good at your job."

Y/N blushed slightly, unused to such direct praise. "I try to be. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it."

"I can imagine," Wonwoo nodded. "The responsibility must be immense."

"It is," Y/N agreed. "But there's nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you've made a difference in someone's life." She paused, then added with a small laugh, "Even if that someone is yelling at you because they don't want to take their medicine."

Wonwoo chuckled, a warm, rich sound that surprised them both. "I can't say I've ever had a client yell at me for trying to help them with their taxes."

This time, it was Y/N's turn to laugh. The sound seemed to lighten the air around them, easing some of the tension. They fell into a conversation about their respective professions, comparing the challenges and rewards of nursing and corporate finance.

As the last rays of sunlight faded from the sky, Y/N found herself relaxing. Wonwoo was... not what she had expected. He listened attentively, asked thoughtful questions, and even made her laugh with his dry observations about the corporate world.

Maybe, just maybe, this arranged marriage wouldn't be the disaster she had feared.

---

The days of their honeymoon passed in a blur of pristine beaches, gourmet meals, and tentative conversations. Slowly, the awkwardness began to fade, replaced by a cautious friendliness. Wonwoo proved to be a thoughtful companion, always ensuring Y/N's comfort and happiness. He remembered how she liked her coffee in the morning (one sugar, no cream), made sure there were always fresh flowers in their bungalow (he'd noticed how she admired the local blooms), and never pressured her for physical intimacy beyond what she was comfortable with.

Y/N, in turn, found herself warming to his quiet charm and genuine interest in her thoughts and dreams. She discovered that beneath his reserved exterior lay a sharp wit and a surprising depth of knowledge on a wide range of topics. Their conversations ranged from the latest advancements in medical technology to the intricacies of global finance, from their favorite books to their childhood dreams.

One afternoon, as they lounged on the beach, Y/N found herself studying Wonwoo's profile. He was handsome, she had to admit, in a classic, understated way. But it was more than that. There was a kindness to him, a gentleness that she hadn't expected in an arranged marriage.

"Wonwoo," she said suddenly, causing him to look up from his book. "Why did you agree to this marriage?"

He blinked, clearly surprised by the question. For a moment, Y/N thought he might deflect or give some generic answer about family duty. But then he closed his book, his expression thoughtful.

"Honestly?" he began, his voice low. "At first, it was about duty. About fulfilling my parents' expectations and securing the future of our company." He paused, his gaze drifting out to the ocean. "But then... I remembered meeting you at that charity gala a few years ago. Do you remember?"

Y/N shook her head. She'd attended so many galas over the years, all blending together in a haze of forced smiles and polite small talk.

Wonwoo smiled softly, lost in the memory. "You were talking to a group of doctors about your dream of becoming a nurse. You were so passionate, so determined. I remember thinking, 'This is someone who's going to change the world.'"

Y/N felt her cheeks warm, touched by the sincerity in his voice.

"When my parents suggested this arrangement," Wonwoo continued, "I thought maybe... maybe this could be a chance. To get to know you, to see if we could build something real."

For a moment, Y/N was speechless. It was perhaps the most Wonwoo had said at one time since they'd met. And the raw honesty in his words... it stirred something in her, a flutter of possibility.

"I... I don't know what to say," she admitted.

Wonwoo reached out, gently taking her hand. "You don't have to say anything. I know this isn't ideal for either of us. But I want you to know that I'm committed to making this work, whatever that means for us."

Y/N squeezed his hand, a small gesture of acknowledgment and perhaps, just perhaps, the beginning of something more.

---

On their last night in paradise, as the sun dipped below the horizon painting the sky in brilliant hues, Y/N and Wonwoo found themselves alone in their bungalow. The air was thick with unspoken expectations and nervous anticipation. They had shared kisses throughout the week, tender moments of connection, but nothing more. Now, with their return to Seoul looming, the weight of their unconsummated marriage hung between them.

Y/N stood by the window, watching the stars emerge in the darkening sky. Her heart raced, but not with anticipation. Instead, a heavy sense of duty settled in her chest. This was what was expected of her, wasn't it? To be a proper wife, to fulfill her role in this arranged marriage. The thought of her first time being born out of obligation rather than love left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Wonwoo approached slowly, his own heart pounding. He had dreamed of this moment for years, but now that it was here, he found himself terrified. Not of the act itself, but of disappointing Y/N, of hurting her in any way.

"Y/N," Wonwoo said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. She turned to face him, carefully schooling her features to hide her inner turmoil. He reached for her hand, his touch gentle. "We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with. I want you to know that I respect you, and I hope that in time, we can build something real. There's no rush."

His words, so full of consideration, made Y/N's heart ache. Part of her wanted to confess her fears, to tell him that she wasn't ready, that she was only considering this out of a sense of duty. But the larger part, the part that had been raised to always meet expectations, to never disappoint, pushed those feelings down.

Instead, she squeezed his hand and met his gaze, forcing a smile she didn't entirely feel. "Thank you, Wonwoo," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "I... I think I'd like to try. I trust you."

Wonwoo's breath caught at her words. He brought his free hand up to cup her cheek, his touch reverent. "Are you sure?" he asked, searching her eyes for any sign of hesitation. "Y/N, I know this is your first time. We can wait if you're not ready."

For a moment, Y/N almost broke. The genuine care in his voice made her want to be honest, to tell him that she wasn't sure, that she was scared and conflicted. But the weight of expectation, of duty, pressed down on her. She leaned into his touch, drawing on all her strength to maintain her facade. "I'm sure," she whispered, the lie tasting bitter on her tongue. "I want it to be with you."

What followed was a night that left Y/N feeling more conflicted than ever. Wonwoo was incredibly gentle, taking things slow, always checking in with her. His tenderness only made Y/N feel worse about her deception, about the fact that she was going through with this out of obligation rather than desire.

As Wonwoo kissed her softly, his hands caressing her with utmost care, Y/N found herself torn between her sense of duty and unexpected moments of genuine response to his touch. Her body reacted to his gentle ministrations, even as her mind whirled with guilt and confusion.

"If anything feels uncomfortable, or if you want to stop at any point, just tell me," Wonwoo murmured, his forehead resting against hers. "Your comfort and happiness are the most important things to me."

Y/N nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. She wished she could take him up on his offer, to stop and be honest about her feelings. But the thought of disappointing him, of failing in her role as a wife, kept her silent.

When the moment finally came, Wonwoo was incredibly patient and attentive. He distracted her from any discomfort with tender kisses and whispered words of encouragement. Y/N was surprised to find that despite her emotional turmoil, her body responded to him. The initial pain gave way to sensations she hadn't expected, moments of pleasure that only added to her confusion.

"Are you okay?" Wonwoo asked, his voice strained with the effort of holding back, of ensuring her comfort above his own pleasure.

Y/N nodded, her hands coming up to cup his face. "I'm okay," she whispered, and for a moment, it wasn't entirely a lie. "Please, don't stop."

As they moved together, Y/N found herself lost in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. There was the physical pleasure, yes, but also guilt, confusion, and a growing affection for Wonwoo that she hadn't anticipated. She looked up into his eyes, seeing in them a mixture of desire, affection, and something deeper that made her heart twist with a combination of warmth and regret.

For Wonwoo, the trust he believed Y/N was placing in him was humbling. He took his time, savoring every gasp, every soft moan, committing to memory the way she felt, the way she moved with him. His only goal was her pleasure, her comfort, unaware of the internal struggle raging within her.

As they reached their peak together, Y/N felt a sense of completion she hadn't expected, accompanied by a wave of guilt. It wasn't just physical satisfaction – it was emotional turmoil, a confusing mix of pleasure, duty fulfilled, and shame at her deception.

Afterward, as they lay tangled together, Wonwoo pressed soft kisses to Y/N's forehead, her cheeks, her lips. "Are you alright?" he murmured, his voice filled with tender concern. "How do you feel?"

Y/N took a moment to assess her feelings, surprised by the warmth and contentment flowing through her. Despite her initial reservations and the sense of duty that had driven her decision, the experience had been genuinely pleasurable and emotionally moving. "I feel... wonderful," she said softly, and realized with a start that it wasn't a lie. The guilt she'd expected to feel was there, but it was overshadowed by a confusing mix of physical satisfaction and emotional connection.

"Thank you for being so patient and gentle with me," she added, her voice thick with emotion.

Wonwoo's arms tightened around her, and she could feel the rapid beating of his heart. "Thank you for trusting me," he said quietly. "Y/N, I... I want you to know that this means everything to me. You mean everything to me."

His words brought tears to Y/N's eyes, which she didn't try to hide this time. She was overwhelmed by the sincerity in his voice and the depth of her own response to him. She snuggled closer, partly out of a growing affection, and partly to process the complex swirl of emotions inside her.

"You mean so much to me too, Wonwoo," she said, and this was entirely true. Despite her initial motivations being rooted in duty, she had grown genuinely fond of him over their honeymoon, and this intimate experience had only deepened that feeling.

As they drifted off to sleep, tangled in each other's arms, Y/N found herself grappling with a confusing mix of emotions. The guilt at her initial deception was still there, but it was now intertwined with genuine affection for Wonwoo and a surprising contentment with their physical intimacy. The sense of duty that had initially driven her had been transformed into something more complex, more real.

Y/N's last conscious thought before sleep claimed her was one of cautious hope. She might have entered this marriage out of duty, might have approached this intimate moment with mixed motivations, but the genuine connection she felt with Wonwoo now gave her hope for their future. Moving forward, she would try to build something real with him, based on the unexpected feelings that had blossomed between them.

---

The return to Seoul brought with it a harsh return to reality. No sooner had they unpacked their suitcases than both sets of parents descended upon them, full of questions and expectations.

Y/N's mother cornered her in the kitchen, ostensibly to help prepare tea but clearly with an agenda in mind. "So," she began, her tone deceptively casual as she arranged delicate porcelain cups on a tray. "How was the honeymoon? Did you and Wonwoo... get along?"

The implication in her mother's tone was clear. Y/N felt her cheeks heat up. "Mother," she said, a warning in her voice.

But her mother was undeterred. "I'm just saying, darling, it's never too early to start thinking about the future. When can we expect news of a grandchild?"

Y/N nearly dropped the teapot she was holding. "Mother, we've only just gotten back."

"And?" her mother pressed. "You're not getting any younger, Y/N. And the merger between our companies will be much more secure with a heir in the picture."

Before Y/N could respond, Wonwoo's voice came from the doorway. "Is everything alright?" he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp as they took in Y/N's flushed face and tense posture.

"Of course, of course," Y/N's mother said smoothly, picking up the tea tray. "We were just having a little mother-daughter chat. Shall we join the others?"

As they made their way to the living room, Wonwoo fell into step beside Y/N. "Are you okay?" he murmured, low enough that only she could hear.

Y/N nodded, grateful for his concern. "I'm fine. Just... family pressures, you know?"

Wonwoo's hand found the small of her back, a comforting touch. "I understand. We're in this together, remember?"

His words, so similar to those he'd spoken on their honeymoon, helped steady her. Together, they entered the living room where their fathers were engaged in a discussion about the merger while Wonwoo's mother looked on with barely concealed impatience.

As Y/N and her mother served the tea, Wonwoo's father turned his attention to the newlyweds. "So," he began, his tone businesslike, "have you two given any thought to your future plans? The merger papers will be signed next week, and it would be good to have a clear picture of the next steps."

"Next steps?" Wonwoo asked, though the tightening of his jaw suggested he knew exactly what his father meant.

"An heir, of course," Wonwoo's mother chimed in. "It's never too early to start planning. The future of both our companies depends on a strong succession plan."

Y/N felt Wonwoo tense beside her. She reached for his hand under the table, a silent show of support.

Wonwoo's voice was calm but firm when he spoke. "We understand the importance, but we'd like some time to settle into married life first. Y/N's career is important to her, and to me. We'll start a family when we're ready."

The room fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable. Then Y/N's father cleared his throat. "Of course, of course. No need to rush. But do keep in mind the bigger picture. This merger is about more than just business – it's about creating a legacy."

The parents exchanged knowing looks but dropped the subject – for now. As the conversation turned to other topics, Y/N felt a mixture of relief and dread. This was only the beginning, she knew. The pressure would only increase as time went on.

Later that night, as they prepared for bed in their new shared apartment, Y/N found herself watching Wonwoo. He moved around the room with a quiet efficiency, his face thoughtful.

"Thank you," she said suddenly, causing him to look up in surprise. "For what you said earlier, about my career. It... it means a lot to me."

Wonwoo's expression softened. He crossed the room to her, taking her hands in his. "I meant what I said, Y/N. Your dreams, your ambitions – they're important to me because they're important to you. We're partners now, in every sense of the word."

Y/N felt a rush of warmth towards him. She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. It was different from their honeymoon kisses – more familiar, more comfortable. When she pulled back, Wonwoo was smiling, a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes.

"We'll figure this out," he said softly. "Together."

As they settled into bed, Y/N found herself believing him. Whatever challenges lay ahead, at least they would face them as a team.

---

Y/N's return to the hospital was a welcome respite from the suffocating expectations at home. The familiar bustle of the emergency room, the beeping of machines, the controlled chaos – it all felt wonderfully normal. As she changed into her scrubs, Y/N felt a sense of rightness settle over her. This was where she belonged.

She made her way to the nurses' station, nodding greetings to familiar faces as she passed. The hospital staff had been curious about her sudden marriage – gossip traveled fast in the healthcare world – but most had been respectful enough not to pry.

"Well, well, look who's back from paradise," a familiar voice called out as Y/N approached the nurses' station. Alexys, her friend and sometimes-nemesis from the medical technology department, was leaning against the counter, a mischievous grin on her face. "How was the honeymoon? Did you even leave the room?"

Y/N felt her cheeks heat up. "Alexys!" she hissed, glancing around to see if anyone had overheard. "Behave yourself."

"Never," Alexys grinned, unrepentant. She lowered her voice, leaning in conspiratorially. "But seriously, how are you doing? This whole arranged marriage thing... it's got to be weird, right?"

Before Y/N could respond, Dr. Ela joined them, her white coat crisp and her expression warm. "Welcome back, Y/N," she said, giving her friend a quick hug. "We've missed you around here. The ER just isn't the same without you keeping everyone in line."

Y/N smiled, grateful for her friends' presence. "Thanks, Ela. It's good to be back. I've missed this place."

"More than your new hubby?" Alexys teased, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Y/N rolled her eyes, but before she could retort, a new voice joined the conversation. "Hey, Y/N. Welcome back."

She turned to see Seungcheol approaching, a stack of files in his arms. He hesitated for a moment upon seeing her, then approached with a forced casualness. "Glad to have you back on the team," he added, his voice a little too bright to be natural.

Y/N felt a flutter in her stomach, a mixture of fondness and guilt. "Thanks, Seungcheol," she managed, acutely aware of Alexys and Ela watching the interaction with interest. "It's good to see you."

An awkward silence fell over the group. Ela, ever the peacemaker, cleared her throat. "Well, we should probably get to work.  Y/N, why don't you join me for rounds? I can catch you up on what you've missed."

Grateful for the interruption, Y/N nodded. "Sounds good. I'll see you guys later," she said, directing a small smile at Alexys and Seungcheol before following Ela down the hallway.

As they walked, Ela lowered her voice. "Are you okay? That seemed... tense."

Y/N sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm fine. It's just... complicated, you know? Everything's changed so fast, and I'm not sure how to navigate it all."

Ela squeezed her friend's arm sympathetically. "I can't even imagine. But you know we're here for you, right? Whatever you need."

Y/N smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Ela. That means a lot."

As they began their rounds, Y/N found herself falling back into the familiar rhythm of hospital life. The complex cases, the worried families, the rush of adrenaline when a critical patient came in – it all reminded her why she'd fought so hard to continue her career.

However, throughout the day, she couldn't help but notice Seungcheol finding reasons to be near her – offering to help with difficult patients, bringing her coffee during her break, lingering to chat whenever possible. His attentions, once welcome, now filled her with a confused mix of emotions.

During a particularly hectic moment in the ER, Y/N found herself working alongside Seungcheol to stabilize a patient with multiple injuries from a car accident. Their teamwork was seamless, born from years of working together. As they successfully got the patient stable and ready for surgery, Seungcheol caught her eye, a look of admiration and something deeper in his gaze.

"We make a good team," he said softly, his hand brushing against hers as they both reached for the patient chart.

Y/N felt a jolt at the contact, memories of their past flirtations flooding back. She stepped back, creating some distance between them. "We always have," she replied, keeping her tone professional. "I should go update the family."

As she walked away, she could feel Seungcheol's eyes on her back. The guilt that had been simmering all day intensified. She cared for Seungcheol, she couldn't deny that. But she was married now, committed to making things work with Wonwoo. The situation was far more complicated than she'd ever imagined it would be.

Later in the day, Y/N found herself in the lab, waiting for some urgent test results. Alexys was there, bent over a microscope with intense concentration.

"Any chance those results are ready?" Y/N asked, trying to keep the impatience out of her voice.

Alexys looked up, a smirk playing on her lips. "Patience, Nurse Jeon. Quality takes time."

Y/N bristled at the use of her new surname. "It's still Nurse Kit at work, Alexys. And my patient doesn't have the luxury of time."

"Well, excuse me, Florence Nightingale," Alexys shot back, rolling her eyes. "But unlike some people, I can't just stick a thermometer in an ear and call it a day. These tests are delicate."

"And my patient's life depends on those results," Y/N retorted, her frustration mounting. "So if you could maybe work a little faster instead of making snide comments..."

"Ladies," a firm voice interrupted. They turned to see Ela standing in the doorway, her expression a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "Let's remember we're all on the same team here. Alexys, how much longer for those results?"

Alexys had the grace to look slightly abashed. "Five minutes, tops."

Ela nodded. "Good. Y/N, why don't you go check on your patient in the meantime? I'll bring the results as soon as they're ready."

As Y/N left the lab, she could hear Ela gently admonishing Alexys. Despite her frustration, she felt a surge of affection for her friends. They might bicker and tease, but when it came down to it, they always had each other's backs.

The rest of the shift passed in a blur of patients, paperwork, and the usual hospital drama. By the time Y/N was changing out of her scrubs, she felt physically and emotionally drained. As she gathered her things from her locker, she heard a soft knock. Looking up, she saw Seungcheol standing in the doorway of the locker room.

"Hey," he said, his voice gentle. "Tough shift?"

Y/N nodded, too tired to maintain her earlier professional distance. "Yeah, but we got through it. That's what matters."

Seungcheol stepped into the room, closing the distance between them. "Y/N, I... I know things are different now. But I want you to know that I'm still here for you. As a friend, as a colleague... as whatever you need me to be."

The sincerity in his voice made Y/N's heart ache. "Seungcheol, I—"

"You don't have to say anything," he interrupted, holding up a hand. "I know you're married now. I respect that. I just... I needed you to know."

Before Y/N could respond, her phone buzzed with a text. It was from Wonwoo: "Hope you had a good first day back. Dinner's waiting at home when you're ready."

The message was a stark reminder of her new reality. She looked back at Seungcheol, seeing the mixture of hope and resignation in his eyes. "I should go," she said softly. "But thank you, Seungcheol. For everything."

As she left the hospital, Y/N felt the weight of her complicated emotions settling over her. She was married to Wonwoo, committed to making their arrangement work. But her history with Seungcheol, the ease of their connection, the what-ifs... it all swirled in her mind, making her question everything.

The drive home was a blur, Y/N's thoughts too chaotic to focus on anything but the road ahead. As she entered the apartment she now shared with Wonwoo, the smell of home-cooked food greeted her. She found Wonwoo in the kitchen, plating what looked like a gourmet meal.

He looked up as she entered, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Welcome home," he said, his voice gentle. "I thought you might be hungry after your first day back."

The domesticity of the scene, so at odds with the turmoil of her day, nearly brought Y/N to tears. "You cooked?" she managed, setting down her bag.

Wonwoo nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "I'm not as good as the chefs at the resort, but I wanted to do something nice for you. How was your day?"

As they sat down to eat, Y/N found herself opening up about her day – the challenges with patients, the bickering with Alexys, the comfort of being back in her element. She carefully avoided mentioning Seungcheol, guilt gnawing at her for the omission.

Wonwoo listened attentively, asking thoughtful questions and offering words of support. As they cleared the dishes together, he suddenly turned to her, his expression serious.

"Y/N, I want you to know how much I admire what you do," he said. "Your dedication to your patients, your passion for your work... it's incredible. I know our families are pushing for you to give up nursing, but I want you to know that I support you, completely."

Overwhelmed by his words, Y/N felt tears pricking at her eyes. Without thinking, she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Wonwoo in a tight hug. He returned the embrace, his strong arms enveloping her, providing a sense of safety and comfort she hadn't realized she needed.

As they stood there in the kitchen, holding each other, Y/N felt some of her earlier confusion begin to fade. Yes, her feelings were complicated. Yes, there were challenges ahead. But in that moment, with Wonwoo's steady heartbeat against her ear, she felt a sense of rightness. This was her husband, the man she had committed to building a life with. And maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.

"Thank you," she whispered against his chest. "For understanding. For supporting me."

Wonwoo pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. "Always," he murmured. "We're in this together, remember?"

As they prepared for bed that night, the air between them was charged with a new awareness. The physical intimacy they'd shared on their honeymoon had been tentative, exploratory. But now, with the reality of their daily lives settling in, there was a different kind of intimacy developing – one built on mutual respect, understanding, and the beginnings of genuine affection.

When Wonwoo kissed her goodnight, Y/N felt a flutter in her stomach that had nothing to do with duty or obligation. As she drifted off to sleep, Wonwoo's arm draped protectively over her waist, she found herself looking forward to the future they would build together.

But even as she succumbed to sleep, a small part of her mind couldn't help but wonder about the path not taken, and the man she'd left behind at the hospital. The road ahead was far from simple, but Y/N was beginning to realize that the heart rarely followed a straightforward path.

The next few weeks fell into a rhythm. Y/N threw herself into her work at the hospital, while Wonwoo divided his time between the office and working from home. They were still finding their footing as a couple, but each day brought small moments of connection – shared meals, quiet evenings watching dramas together, gentle kisses goodbye in the morning.

At the hospital, Y/N continued to navigate the complex dynamics with her colleagues. Alexys remained a constant source of both irritation and amusement, their bickering a familiar dance that often ended in reluctant laughter.

"Seriously, Alexys," Y/N sighed one afternoon, exasperated by yet another delay in lab results. "How long does it take to run a simple blood panel?"

Alexys leaned against the lab counter, a mischievous glint in her eye. "About as long as it takes you to take a patient's temperature. Oh wait, that's right – you nurses have those fancy ear thermometers now. Must be nice to have technology do all the work for you."

"Says the person whose entire job revolves around machines doing the work," Y/N shot back, unable to suppress a smile.

"Ladies," Ela's voice cut in, equal parts amusement and exasperation. "If you two have enough energy to bicker, perhaps you could channel it into, oh I don't know, actual work?"

As they both mumbled apologies, Ela shook her head fondly. "I swear, sometimes I feel more like a kindergarten teacher than a doctor."

Despite the teasing, Y/N was grateful for the normalcy of these interactions. They were a welcome distraction from the more complicated aspects of her new life – namely, her conflicted feelings about Seungcheol.

True to his word, Seungcheol had maintained a respectful distance. But Y/N couldn't help but notice the longing looks he sent her way when he thought she wasn't looking, or the way his hand would linger just a moment too long when passing her a patient chart. It was torture, in a way – a constant reminder of what might have been.

One evening, as Y/N was finishing up her shift, she quite literally ran into Seungcheol as she rounded a corner. His hands came up to steady her, and for a moment, they were closer than they had been in weeks.

"I'm sorry," Y/N said, stepping back quickly. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's okay," Seungcheol replied softly, his eyes searching her face. "Y/N, I—"

"I should go," she interrupted, suddenly desperate to escape the intensity of his gaze. "Wonwoo's waiting for me."

As she hurried away, she could feel Seungcheol's eyes on her back, full of unspoken words and unfulfilled promises.

When she arrived home that night, she found Wonwoo in the living room, surrounded by stacks of papers and looking thoroughly stressed.

"Rough day?" she asked, setting down her bag and moving to massage his tense shoulders.

Wonwoo leaned into her touch with a grateful sigh. "You could say that. The merger is... complicated. There are a lot of moving parts, a lot of people to please."

Y/N felt a pang of guilt. In the whirlwind of her own conflicted emotions, she'd almost forgotten the enormous pressure Wonwoo was under. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered.

Wonwoo turned to look at her, a soft smile on his face. "You're doing it," he said, reaching up to squeeze her hand. "Just being here, being you... it helps more than you know."

In that moment, looking down at her husband – this man who supported her dreams, who cooked her dinner after long shifts, who was working so hard to make their families' vision a reality – Y/N felt a surge of affection. She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Wonwoo responded immediately, deepening the kiss as he pulled her around the couch and into his lap. As things heated up between them, Y/N found herself fully present in the moment, thoughts of the hospital and Seungcheol fading away.

Later, as they lay tangled together in bed, Wonwoo trailing lazy patterns on her bare skin, Y/N felt a sense of peace settle over her. It wasn't the all-consuming passion she'd once dreamed of, but there was a warmth, a tenderness to their relationship that was beginning to feel like home.

"Y/N," Wonwoo murmured, his voice husky with sleep. "I know this isn't how either of us imagined starting our lives together. But I want you to know... I'm happy. With you."

Y/N felt her heart swell at his words. She snuggled closer, pressing a kiss to his chest. "I'm happy too," she whispered, and was surprised to realize she meant it.

As she drifted off to sleep, Y/N knew that challenges lay ahead. The pressure from their families for an heir would only increase. The complications at the hospital wouldn't magically disappear. But for now, in the warmth of Wonwoo's embrace, she allowed herself to hope. Hope that they could build a life together that was more than just duty and obligation. Hope that the affection growing between them could blossom into something deep and lasting.

The road ahead was uncertain, but Y/N was beginning to believe that with Wonwoo by her side, they could face whatever came their way. Together.

[rispwr]

If i were you i'd do me - JK - MDNI - 6

pairings : fuckboy! jk x fem! reader, established relationship, mentions of smart! namjoon x oc, slow burn, enemies to lovers

contents/warnings : smut, rejection, new character apearances, car sex, semi public sex, implied sex, smut, jealousy, i think that's all. let me know if i missed any

taglist : comment if you wanna be added to my taglists) @crazyovayou @minghaosimp @pitchblack0309 @kpopsmutty69 @ririkookiemonster

word count: 6k words, kinda short

context : Jungkook, the notorious campus heartbreaker and player, unexpectedly becomes your groupmate alongside Namjoon, the guy you’ve secretly admired for ages. However, it seems your feelings have started shifting from Namjoon to someone else entirely unexpected…

Not proofread

The days had started to blur together ever since that revelation. Two weeks had passed, and the heaviness of everything still lingered. Hoseok had been distant—he hadn't visited our house at all. It was understandable, given the circumstances. Finding out that the woman who raised you wasn't your real mother and that your entire past had been a lie was more than anyone should have to deal with.

Mom and I tried our best to comfort him, but he was in his own world. Instead of Hoseok coming to us, Mom and I had taken to visiting him at his place. It was our way of making sure he knew he wasn't alone, that we were still his family, no matter what.

This morning was no different. "Ready to go, Y/N?" Mom called out from the front door.

I grabbed my jacket and met her downstairs. "Yeah, let's head out."

As we drove to Hoseok's place, I couldn't help but feel the weight of it all. Hoseok had always been a light in my life—his positivity and energy were infectious. But now, things felt different. He'd withdrawn, barely speaking when we visited him. I just hoped today would be better.

When we arrived at his apartment, I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Mom and I exchanged hopeful glances as we slightly opened the door.

As we walked inside, the familiar coziness of his apartment greeted us. The place had always been filled with life—plants, art, music—but lately, it felt quieter, more somber. Hoseok had been spending most of his time in his room, avoiding the common areas as much as possible.

Mom and I exchanged another glance before walking toward his room, hoping to pull him out of whatever funk he was in. "Maybe we can cheer him up a little," I whispered to her.

"Let's hope so," Mom whispered back, her voice laced with concern.

When we reached his bedroom door, we could hear muffled voices inside. I raised an eyebrow, curious. "Is someone else here?" I asked, turning to Mom.

"I don't know," she replied, equally puzzled. "Maybe he's on the phone?"

We both stood there for a moment, debating whether to knock or just barge in. In the end, Mom knocked softly. "Hobi, we're coming in, okay?" she said.

But there was no response, just more muffled sounds, now a bit more frantic.

My curiosity got the better of me. I gently pushed the door open, and—

Chaos.

The door swung open, and the sight before us was not what I had expected. At all.

There, in the middle of the bed, was Hoseok. With Yoongi. Doing it.

Time seemed to freeze as my brain tried to catch up with what my eyes were seeing. Hoseok's eyes went wide with pure panic, and Yoongi let out a high-pitched yelp. Both of them scrambled to grab the blankets, desperately trying to cover themselves.

"Oh my GOD! What the—WHAT THE HELL!" I screamed, my voice mixing with my mom's equally shocked shrieks.

"OH MY GOD, MOM!" Hoseok screamed back, his face as red as a tomato as he tried to bury himself under the blanket, utterly mortified. "W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

"We—we didn't know—OH MY GOD!" My mom squealed, her hands covering her face. "We didn't see anything—well, actually, we did, but OH MY GOD!"

Yoongi looked like he wanted to crawl under the bed and disappear. "This is—this is not what it looks like!" he tried to stammer, even though it was exactly what it looked like.

I grabbed my mom's hand and yanked her out of the room, slamming the door behind us. Both of us stood there in the hallway, eyes wide, hearts pounding.

"What. Just. Happened?" I gasped, trying to catch my breath.

Mom stood there, just as stunned as I was. "Did we just walk in on your brother and Yoongi?"

"Yes. Yes, we did," I replied, feeling like the entire world had tilted on its axis.

We made our way to the living room and collapsed on the couch, still in shock. There was a long, uncomfortable silence before I finally broke it.

"I can't believe it," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. "Yoongi? With Hoseok?"

"Of all the people..." Mom murmured, her hands still trembling. "I didn't even know Yoongi was—well, I didn't know he was interested in men, let alone your brother!"

"I mean... I guess I never really thought about it," I said, my mind still trying to process the bombshell we'd just walked in on. "But Yoongi? And Hoseok? What are the odds?"

Mom let out a breathless laugh, still dazed by the situation. "I guess we all have our secrets."

An hour later...

After what felt like an eternity of sitting in awkward silence, I heard the creak of Hoseok's bedroom door opening. I glanced toward the hallway, where Hoseok and Yoongi appeared, both looking sheepish and extremely embarrassed.

Hoseok was the first to speak. "I... uh... I'm sorry you had to see that." He couldn't even look at us, his eyes fixed firmly on the floor.

Yoongi, standing behind him, nodded quickly. "Yeah, that was... not how we wanted you to find out."

Mom, to her credit, had managed to compose herself somewhat. She cleared her throat and smiled awkwardly. "Well, I suppose we should have knocked first. That's on us."

I nodded in agreement, though I could still feel my face burning with embarrassment. "Yeah, sorry about that."

There was another awkward pause before Hoseok finally looked up, his face still flushed. "I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you guys. Yoongi and I... we've been seeing each other for a few months now."

That revelation hit like a ton of bricks. "Wait, months?!" I blurted out, my eyes widening. "How did I not know about this?"

"We were keeping it quiet," Yoongi said, scratching the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable. "We didn't want to make things weird, especially with everything that's been going on with Hoseok and his... family stuff."

I glanced at Hoseok, who nodded. "Yeah, I didn't want to add more to the pile of crazy. But... Yoongi's been there for me through everything. I don't know what I would've done without him."

The sincerity in his voice made my heart soften. As much as I was shocked by the whole situation, I could see the love and support they had for each other. It wasn't just some random fling—they really cared about each other.

Mom, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "Well, Hoseok, I'm just glad you have someone who's there for you," she said gently. "We want you to be happy, and if Yoongi makes you happy, then that's all that matters."

Hoseok's face brightened a little, relief flooding his features. "Thanks, Mom. That means a lot."

I nodded, trying to wrap my head around the situation. "Yeah, I mean, I'm still processing the whole... uh, scene we walked in on, but... I'm glad you have someone who cares about you."

Hoseok let out a small laugh, his cheeks still pink. "Yeah, sorry about that. Definitely not how we wanted to break the news."

Yoongi smirked, a hint of his usual confidence returning. "Well, at least now we don't have to hide it anymore."

I laughed along with them, the tension finally breaking. "Yeah, but maybe next time, lock the door?"

"Noted," Hoseok replied with a sheepish grin.

Later that evening...

I stood in front of my house, my thoughts were already on the evening ahead. Jungkook had texted me earlier, asking if he could come over, and I'd agreed. It had been a while since we spent any real time together, especially with everything going on in my life.

I unlocked the door, stepping inside as the familiar warmth of home enveloped me. The scent of something cooking drifted from the kitchen—Mom was always up to something, keeping herself busy. I texted Jungkook to let him know I was home, and soon enough, I heard a knock at the door.

When I opened it, there he stood, leaning casually against the frame with that signature grin of his. "Hey," he said, his voice low and teasing.

"Hey yourself," I replied, stepping aside to let him in.

We barely made it to the living room when my mom's voice called out from the kitchen. "Oh, Jungkook! Is that you?" she asked, peeking around the corner with a smile.

Jungkook offered a polite bow, looking slightly embarrassed by the attention. "Yes, it's me, Mrs. kim. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm good, dear. How about you? Still causing trouble on campus?" she teased, knowing full well the rumors about his reputation.

Jungkook chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not as much trouble anymore, I promise."

I rolled my eyes and nudged him playfully. "Yeah, sure. He's a good boy now, right?"

Mom gave us both a knowing smile, clearly amused. "Well, that's good to hear. It's about time, isn't it?"

"Mom!" I groaned, shooting her a look as Jungkook's cheeks tinged with pink.

Before she could say anything else embarrassing, I grabbed Jungkook's arm. "We're going upstairs, okay?"

"Uh-huh," Mom replied, but just as we turned to head up, her voice rang out again. "I'm sure you have an IUD, right?"

My eyes went wide in horror. "Shut up, Mom!" I yelled, my face burning as I dragged Jungkook up the stairs with me.

Behind us, I could hear her laughing to herself. "Just saying!" she called after us.

When we finally reached my room, I closed the door behind us, leaning against it for a moment, trying to shake off the embarrassment. Jungkook, meanwhile, was grinning like a Cheshire cat, clearly entertained by the whole situation.

"Your mom's hilarious," he said, dropping down onto my bed with a sigh.

I gave him a mock glare. "Yeah, well, I have to deal with her all the time, so trust me, it's not as funny from my end."

Jungkook just chuckled, patting the space beside him on the bed. "Come here."

I rolled my eyes but joined him, stretching out beside him as we settled in comfortably. The familiar ease between us took over, and for a while, we just lay there in silence, listening to the faint sounds of the house around us.

Then I felt his eyes on me.

I turned my head to look at him, and there he was—those big, doe-like eyes staring at me with a softness that made my heart skip a beat. Jungkook had this way of looking at me, like I was the only person in the world. It was impossible to resist.

I groaned, playfully smacking his arm. "What do you want?"

He blinked, feigning innocence. "What? I can't just look at my girlfriend?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh, sure. Spill it, Jungkook. What are you up to?"

He hesitated for a second, then smiled sheepishly. "Okay, so... there's this party tonight."

I groaned inwardly. "A party? Really?"

He pouted, leaning closer. "Come on, it'll be fun. Can you come with me?"

I sighed, giving him a look. "Can't you just go by yourself? You don't need me there."

"Nooo," he whined, scooting closer until his head was practically on my shoulder. "I wanna be with my girlfriend."

The way he said it made my heart flutter, but I wasn't going to give in that easily. I turned to face him, narrowing my eyes. "You don't want to let people know that the infamous campus fuckboy Jeon Jungkook is actually a baby when he's with me, do you?"

He huffed indignantly. "I'm not a fuckboy."

I raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Oh? Then what are you?"

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a soft, serious tone. "I'm your boyfriend."

His words sent a wave of warmth through me, making my cheeks flush. I hated how easily he could get to me like this, how one simple sentence from him could make my heart race. I looked away, pretending to be unaffected. "Fine, fine. I'll go with you," I muttered.

Jungkook grinned triumphantly. "Really?"

"Yeah," I said, still avoiding his gaze. "But only if Sora can come too."

"Sora?" he asked, confusion flickering across his face. "I have no idea who that is, but... okay, sure."

I smiled, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his cheek. "Great."

Jungkook gave me a curious look but didn't push it. Instead, he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer until I was tucked against his side. "Thanks for agreeing to come. It'll be fun, I promise."

"Uh-huh," I mumbled, resting my head against his chest. "You better be right."

Later that evening...

We had spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around, talking about random things and just enjoying each other's company. As the evening approached, I reluctantly started getting ready for the party. Jungkook, of course, was no help—he just lay on my bed, watching me with amusement as I tried on different outfits.

"You know," he said, his voice teasing, "you could wear a garbage bag, and you'd still look hot."

I shot him a look. "That's not helpful, Jungkook."

He laughed, sitting up. "Okay, fine. How about this?" He pointed to the outfit I had on— a really cute red lacy dress, hugging my curves nicely.

I glanced at myself in the mirror. It wasn't fancy, but it was comfortable, and that was all I really cared about. "Yeah, this works."

Jungkook grinned, hopping off the bed and coming up behind me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder as he looked at our reflection. "You look amazing," he murmured.

I smiled, leaning back into his embrace. "Thanks."

After a few more minutes of last-minute adjustments, we were finally ready to go. As we headed downstairs, I mentally prepared myself for whatever chaos this party was going to bring. With Jungkook, you never really knew what to expect.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, Mom was waiting by the door, clearly still amused by our earlier interaction. "Going out, I see," she said, her tone playful.

"Yeah," I replied, grabbing my jacket. "We're heading to a party."

Mom raised an eyebrow. "Behave yourselves, okay?"

I groaned. "Mom, seriously. We'll be fine."

She just laughed, giving Jungkook a wink. "Take care of my daughter, Jungkook."

He smiled politely, nodding. "Of course, Mrs. kim. I always do."

With that, we finally made our way out the door and into the cool evening air. As we walked to Jungkook's car, he reached for my hand, lacing his fingers through mine. It was a small gesture, but it made my heart swell.

"So," I said, glancing at him. "What kind of party is this, anyway?"

Jungkook shrugged. "Just a casual one. A few friends, some drinks, music. Nothing crazy."

I raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Uh-huh. I'll believe that when I see it."

He laughed, squeezing my hand. "Trust me, you'll have a good time."

on the way to the party.

"Baby, if ever you don't wanna be here anymore, just tell me, hm?" he said, glancing over at me with a tender look in his eyes. His concern was so endearing that I couldn't help but smile softly at him.

"Okay," I nodded, feeling reassured by his protective tone. Jungkook was so different with me, softer, caring. It still caught me off guard sometimes, given his infamous campus reputation.

Soon, we arrived at the party. As we pulled up, it was clear that the night was already in full swing. The chaos hit us even before we got out of the car—music blaring, people dancing wildly, and the unmistakable scent of alcohol hung in the air. I could already tell that half of the partygoers were drunk.

Jungkook stepped out first, rushing to my side to open the door for me, always the gentleman, even at a place like this. I took his hand as he led me through the crowd, his grip firm and protective. Just as we made it through the packed entrance, I spotted Sora, one of my closest friends.

"GIRLYYYY!" I squealed, rushing over to hug her tightly. It had been a while since I last saw her, and seeing her at the party immediately made everything feel lighter. Her energy was contagious.

Sora hugged me back, spinning me around dramatically before pulling away, her eyes landing on Jungkook. She scrunched up her nose in mock disgust and leaned in closer to me, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "Is that the infamous Jeon Jungkook who has fucked every girl on campus?"

I winced, knowing Jungkook heard that. "Yeah, he's my boyfriend," I whispered back, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. There was something so ironic about the whole situation—everyone on campus thought they knew who Jungkook was, but the boy I knew was completely different.

Sora's eyes widened in disbelief, her mouth agape. "Girl, how the hell did HE pull YOU???" she exclaimed a bit too loudly.

I heard Jungkook clear his throat behind us. "Excuse me, I can hear you," he said, trying to sound serious, but the playful smirk on his lips gave him away. He wasn't mad—more amused, if anything. I turned around to see him crossing his arms over his chest, pretending to act offended.

Before I could respond, a group of guys approached us—Jungkook's friends, as I quickly recognized them. Jimin, Taehyung, and Mingyu were all grinning widely as they came up to us, clearly enjoying the chaos of the party.

"Hey bro—oh, who's this pretty lady you're with?" Mingyu asked, giving me a once-over with a playful grin. I knew instantly he was teasing, but Jungkook's arm tightened around my waist possessively.

"Don't even think about it, Gyu. She's my girlfriend," Jungkook declared, his tone light but firm. His friends laughed, but the look in their eyes showed they knew better than to challenge him.

Jimin nudged me gently. "Tell us if he hurts you, Y/N. We'll back you up," he said with an exaggerated serious expression, clearly joking, though I could tell there was a hint of genuine care behind his words.

Taehyung joined in, putting his arm around Jungkook. "Hey, hey, you're forgetting you guys are my friends too!" Jungkook laughed, shaking his head as his friends continued to tease him.

The party was in full swing.  People were scattered everywhere—some dancing wildly, some slouched on couches deep in conversation, and others already passed out from drinking. I was mingling with Jungkook and his friends, the warmth of his presence at my side keeping me grounded amidst the madness.

But Sora, my ever-lively best friend, had shoo'd me away. I could still see her from where I stood, sitting on the couch by herself, a drink in hand, the picture of contented solitude. I knew she didn't want to feel like a third wheel, and in her usual carefree manner, she seemed to enjoy her own company for the time being.

As Jungkook talked to Taehyung and Mingyu, I caught sight of Namjoon walking towards Sora. My heart did a small, familiar flip. There was a time when I'd had a crush on Namjoon, and while those feelings had long since faded, the sight of him still gave me a strange sense of nostalgia.

Namjoon, always composed, always so cool, sat down next to Sora, a gentle smile on his lips as he greeted her. "You alright, pretty?" he asked, his deep voice carrying over the music.

Sora looked up, a little surprised to see him, but she quickly gave him a smile in return. "Hi," she said, taking a sip from her drink.

Namjoon leaned back on the couch, his body language open and relaxed. "What's up?" he asked, his eyes flicking over her face with mild concern. He had a way of reading people, always tuned into the little details.

Sora sighed, twirling the straw in her drink lazily. "Just bored. Shoo'd Y/N and Jungkook alone 'cause I didn't wanna be a third wheel," she explained with a slight eye roll.

Namjoon's smile widened, his dimple appearing. "Wanna change that?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eyes. Before Sora could answer, someone came over and interrupted their conversation.

"Hey! We're about to play spin the bottle!" the guy announced excitedly, clearly already a little tipsy. He was gesturing to a group forming in the middle of the living room. "You guys in?"

Sora didn't even hesitate. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she grabbed Namjoon by the arm, dragging him towards the circle before he could protest. "Come on, let's go!"

Namjoon glanced over at me, his expression one of mild amusement as Sora pulled him into the game. I gave him a small wave and a smile before returning to my conversation with Jungkook, who was blissfully unaware of the little interaction happening just a few feet away.

But my mind kept drifting back to the game. Spin the bottle always had a way of bringing unexpected drama, and as much as I tried to focus on the conversation in front of me, I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. What if Sora ended up with Jungkook? I trusted her, of course, but it would definitely make things awkward, especially since Sora didn't know about my past crush on Namjoon. The situation felt like a ticking time bomb, and I silently hoped for the best.

As the game progressed, I glanced over at the group every now and then. People were spinning the bottle, laughing, and occasionally disappearing into various rooms for the infamous "7 minutes in heaven." Sora seemed to be enjoying herself, laughing with Namjoon, who looked more relaxed than I'd ever seen him at a party.

Then, it was Sora's turn.

My heart skipped a beat as she leaned forward to spin the bottle. The room seemed to quiet down, everyone watching as the bottle made its slow, torturous rotation on the floor. My eyes followed its every move, dread building in my chest as it spun closer and closer to Jungkook.

Please, not Jungkook, I silently begged.

The bottle slowed, inching its way past Jungkook and landing squarely on... Namjoon.

Relief flooded through me, I watched as Sora turned to look at Namjoon, her eyes wide with surprise but quickly morphing into a playful grin. Namjoon raised an eyebrow, glancing at me briefly before standing up. He shot me a small, reassuring smile, though I wasn't sure why he felt the need to comfort me.

"The third bedroom to the right!" one of the guys yelled, his voice cutting through the room's din. The crowd cheered as Sora stood up, grabbing Namjoon's hand and dragging him toward the stairs with a laugh.

my eyes dragged as i watched them disappearing up the stairs together. There was something surreal about it—seeing my best friend and the guy I used to like head off for "20 minutes in heaven." I wasn't sure how to feel, but I did my best to shrug it off. Sora didn't know about my old crush, and Namjoon was just a friend now. There was no reason to be upset.

I turned my attention back to Jungkook, who had noticed my distracted state. He leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, "You okay?"

I nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just... thinking about sora"

He smirked, clearly amused. "Worried about Sora?"

I blinked, surprised by how easily he read me. "yeah, I just—"

"Relax, babe. Namjoon's a good guy. Sora's in good hands," he said, squeezing my hand gently. His words should have reassured me, but they only made my thoughts spiral further.

The clock seemed to tick slower in the dimly lit room. Namjoon sat on the edge of the bed, his heart racing for reasons he didn't quite understand. Across from him, Sora was sitting on the floor, leaning back against the bed frame, swirling her seventh drink around lazily in her hand. Her cheeks were flushed a deep red from all the alcohol she'd consumed, her lips slightly parted as she hiccuped softly, a tipsy smile on her face.

Namjoon hadn't anticipated this turn of events. He had agreed to the game, figuring it would just be a silly, harmless round of "20 minutes in heaven." Maybe they'd laugh, maybe they'd talk, and then head back downstairs. But as the minutes ticked by, it was clear that Sora wasn't just tipsy; she was completely wasted.

"It's fine if you're not okay with this, Sora," Namjoon said gently, his voice filled with concern. He wasn't sure if she fully understood the situation, or if she was even aware of how out of it she was. He knew Sora could handle her alcohol—she was no stranger to parties—but tonight seemed different. Something was off.

Sora tilted her head up, giving him a lopsided grin. Her eyes were glazed over, barely focusing on his face. "It's fine, Joon," she slurred, her voice heavy with the effects of the alcohol. "I want you."

Namjoon's breath hitched in his throat as Sora suddenly lunged forward, pressing her lips against his with a surprising amount of force. Her kiss was sloppy, tasting overwhelmingly of alcohol. He could feel her hands fumbling at his shoulders, trying to pull him closer, but there was nothing about the situation that felt right to him.

Gently, but firmly, Namjoon pushed her away, breaking the kiss. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, the bitter taste of alcohol still lingering on his lips. "Sora," he said softly, his voice filled with worry. "How many drinks have you had tonight?"

Sora blinked at him, her head swaying slightly as she tried to focus on his face. "Uhm... twelve?" she replied, giggling at her own inability to remember. She flashed him a tipsy smile, her eyes half-closed. "But who's counting, right?"

Namjoon frowned, feeling a surge of protectiveness for her. This wasn't the Sora he knew—the sharp, witty, confident woman who could hold her own in any situation. This was someone drowning in alcohol, trying to numb herself from something deeper. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Sora, no way I'm going to take advantage of you," Namjoon said, his voice firm but kind. He placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her steady as she swayed slightly. "I'm not that kind of guy."

She looked up at him, blinking slowly, as if trying to process what he was saying. But instead of responding, she giggled again, leaning her head against his chest. "You're sweet," she mumbled. "But I'm fine, Joon. I can handle it. I'll drink those 15 shots for you." Her words were slurred, but her tone was playful, as if this were all a game to her.

Namjoon shook his head, his frown deepening. "Sora, you're drunk. You don't have to do that."

But she didn't seem to hear him. She was already pushing herself off the bed, wobbling unsteadily as she stood. Namjoon quickly stood as well, placing a hand on her arm to keep her from falling over. Sora's laughter echoed through the room as she stumbled toward the door, determined to go back downstairs and take those shots.

"Sora, wait," Namjoon said, his grip on her arm tightening slightly. "Let's just stay here for a bit, okay? You need to sober up."

But Sora was already reaching for the door handle, her movements clumsy and uncoordinated. Namjoon sighed, realizing that reasoning with her wasn't going to work. He had no choice but to follow her downstairs, keeping a close eye on her to make sure she didn't hurt herself.

Sora immediately headed for the table where the shots were lined up, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Sora, seriously, you don't need to do this," Namjoon tried again, his voice strained with concern. But she wasn't listening. She grabbed the first shot and downed it without hesitation, slamming the glass back on the table with a triumphant grin.

"One down!" she yelled, already reaching for the next one.

Namjoon stood by her side, his arms crossed, feeling a sense of helplessness wash over him. He didn't want to be the killjoy, but he couldn't stand by and watch her drink herself into oblivion. He knew something deeper was going on, something she wasn't talking about.

As Sora reached for the second shot, Namjoon stepped in, his hand gently covering hers. "Sora, stop," he said, his voice more commanding this time. "You're going to make yourself sick."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and confused. "Why do you care so much?" she asked, her voice soft and vulnerable.

Namjoon's expression softened as he met her gaze. "Because you're my....friend," he said hesitantly. wasn't so sure if he wanted the friend as label for them. "And I don't want to see you hurt yourself."

For a moment, Sora just stared at him, her drunken haze lifting slightly as his words sank in. Then, slowly, she let go of the shot glass and leaned into him, resting her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice small. "I just... I just didn't want to feel alone tonight."

Namjoon wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as she trembled slightly in his arms. He didn't say anything, just let her rest against him, offering her the quiet comfort she so desperately needed.

After a few moments, Sora pulled back, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I guess I've had too much to drink," she admitted, her voice shaky.

Namjoon smiled gently, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let's get you some water, okay?" he said, guiding her away from the shots and toward the kitchen.

As they walked, Namjoon couldn't help but glance back at the crowd, where the game was still in full swing. He spotted me sitting with Jungkook, both of us laughing and enjoying ourselves, completely unaware of the emotional rollercoaster that had just unfolded upstairs.

In the kitchen, Namjoon filled a glass with water and handed it to Sora, who took it gratefully. She drank slowly, her hands still shaking slightly from the alcohol. Namjoon watched her closely, making sure she was okay.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly, leaning against the counter as he waited for her to finish drinking.

Sora looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of embarrassment and sadness. "It's stupid," she mumbled, setting the glass down on the counter.

Namjoon shook his head. "It's not stupid if it's making you feel like this."

Sora sighed, running a hand through her hair as she leaned against the counter next to him. "I just... I had a crush on this guy," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But he rejected me. And I guess I just... I don't know, I wanted to forget about it tonight."

Namjoon frowned, his heart aching for her. He knew how hard rejection could be, and it was clear that Sora was hurting more than she let on. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "That sucks."

Sora laughed bitterly, shaking her head. "Yeah, well, it happens, right? Can't win them all."

Namjoon didn't say anything, just stood by her side, offering her silent support. After a few moments of silence, Sora turned to him, her expression softening.

"Thanks, Joon," she said quietly. "For being here. And for stopping me from doing something stupid."

Namjoon smiled, his dimple appearing as he reached out to squeeze her hand gently. "Anytime."

As the night went on, the party continued in full swing, but Namjoon and Sora stayed in the kitchen, away from the chaos. They talked, laughed, and slowly, Sora began to sober up. By the time the party was winding down, Sora was feeling more like herself again.

"I should probably get home," she said, standing up from the stool she had been sitting on. "Before I do something else I'll regret."

Namjoon chuckled, standing up as well. "I'll bring you home," he offered.

Sora smiled, grateful for his kindness. "You're a good guy, Joon," she said as they made their way to the front door.

Namjoon shrugged, a shy smile on his lips. "Just doing what any friend would do."

As they stepped outside into the cool night air, Sora took a deep breath, feeling more clear-headed than she had all night. "You know," she said, glancing over at Namjoon. "I think I might have a crush on you now."

Namjoon raised an eyebrow, shocked.

The night was quiet outside the car, a stark contrast to the chaotic party they'd just left. Y/N and Jungkook were laying down in the backseat, the engine off, but the warmth of the night kept them comfortable. The windows were slightly fogged up from their relaxed breathing. Y/N shifted slightly, her head resting against Jungkook’s chest as she sighed, her fingers lazily playing with his.

"I feel bad for Sora," Y/N murmured softly, breaking the silence.

Jungkook, who had his arm wrapped around her waist, tilted his head slightly to look down at her. "Why’s that, baby?"

Y/N’s eyes fluttered as she blinked up at the ceiling of the car, her voice tinged with sadness. "Her crush rejected her. I saw how much she was drinking, and she just seemed... I don’t know, lost. I hate seeing people like that."

Jungkook’s fingers traced absentminded patterns on her side, his touch light and soothing. "I get it," he said softly. "But Namjoon’s got her now. He’ll take care of her. She’ll be alright."

Y/N nodded, her eyes closing for a brief moment as she breathed in the comforting scent of Jungkook's cologne. "Yeah... Namjoon’s a good guy," she said, her tone thoughtful. But there was something else bubbling underneath her words, something unspoken that she couldn’t quite put into coherent sentences.

A silence settled between them again, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. They both were wrapped in their thoughts, the events of the night playing back in their minds. Y/N felt her pulse slow, the alcohol leaving her system bit by bit, but her body was still buzzing with energy—though not from the party anymore.

"Jungkook?" she whispered, breaking the silence once more.

"Yeah, baby?"

She turned her head slightly, her lips brushing against his neck as she spoke. "Would it be kinda crazy if I said I want you to fuck me so bad in the car right now?"

Her words hung in the air for a split second before they sunk in. The shift in Jungkook’s demeanor was immediate. His body tensed beneath her as his breath hitched in his throat, the playful and relaxed atmosphere turning into something electric in an instant. Without another word, Jungkook’s lips crashed into hers, the intensity of his kiss matching the sudden fire that had sparked between them.

He rolled on top of her, his body pressing her down against the seat, his hands sliding down to her waist. His touch was firm but teasing as his fingers ghosted over the curves of her body, exploring the soft fabric of her dress that hugged her figure perfectly.

"You’re so hot in this dress, baby," he murmured against her lips, his voice husky and breathless from the kiss.

Y/N smiled into the kiss, her hands finding their way to the back of his neck, pulling him closer. "I should wear it more often, huh?" she teased, her voice dripping with seduction.

Jungkook growled softly, nipping at her bottom lip as he pulled back just enough to look down at her. His eyes were dark, filled with desire as he took her in—the way her hair spilled out over the seat, the way her lips were slightly swollen from their kiss, and the way her dress clung to her body in all the right places.

"Nope," he said, his voice low and possessive. "Save it for me."

Y/N’s heart raced at his words, a shiver running down her spine. There was something about the way Jungkook looked at her, the way his eyes drank her in like she was the only thing in the world that mattered, that made her feel completely and utterly desired.

His hands roamed her body, fingers tracing the edges of her dress as he pushed the fabric up, revealing the soft skin of her thighs. Y/N gasped, her hands gripping his shoulders as his touch sent sparks of electricity shooting through her.

"Jungkook..." she whispered, her voice breathy.

"Shh, baby," he murmured, his lips brushing against her neck as he trailed kisses down her collarbone. "Let me take care of you."

His words were a promise, a vow to make this moment about her, to worship every inch of her. His hands continued their journey up her body, pushing her dress higher until it was bunched up around her waist. Y/N bit her lip, her breath coming in shallow gasps as his hands slid beneath the fabric of her panties, teasing her with the lightest of touches.

Jungkook’s lips found hers again, kissing her deeply as his fingers brushed against her most sensitive spot, drawing a moan from her throat. He smirked against her lips, his fingers moving with more purpose now, knowing exactly how to make her body react.

"You’re so wet already," he whispered, his voice filled with pride. "All for me, huh?"

Y/N’s response was a soft whimper, her hips bucking against his hand, craving more of his touch. "Only for you," she breathed, her hands gripping his hair as she pulled him closer, wanting to feel every inch of him against her.

Jungkook groaned softly, his free hand gripping her thigh as he positioned himself between her legs, the fabric of their clothes the only thing keeping them apart. The tension between them was unbearable, the need for each other growing with every passing second.

Without another word, Jungkook pulled away from her, his hands fumbling with the buttons of his jeans as he kicked them off, his movements quick and desperate. Y/N followed suit, slipping her panties off and tossing them aside, her eyes locked on Jungkook’s as he hovered over her once more.

"You sure about this, baby?" Jungkook asked, his voice low and filled with lust, but still carrying a note of concern. He always made sure she was comfortable, that she wanted this as much as he did.

Y/N nodded, her hands reaching out to pull him closer. "I’ve never been more sure of anything," she whispered, her voice filled with need.

That was all the confirmation Jungkook needed.

He positioned himself at her entrance, his eyes locked on hers as he slowly pushed inside her, both of them gasping at the sensation. Y/N’s nails dug into his shoulders as he filled her completely, her body arching off the seat as pleasure surged through her.

"Fuck, baby," Jungkook groaned, his head dropping to her shoulder as he began to move, his pace slow but deliberate. "You feel so good."

Y/N could barely form coherent thoughts as he thrust into her, each movement sending waves of pleasure crashing over her. Her hands roamed his back, nails leaving faint marks on his skin as she clung to him, her body trembling with the intensity of it all.

"Jungkook," she moaned, her voice breathy and desperate. "Faster, please."

Jungkook’s eyes darkened at her request, and without hesitation, he quickened his pace, his hips snapping against hers with more urgency. The car rocked slightly with each thrust, the confined space making their movements even more intimate, every touch, every kiss, amplified by their closeness.

Y/N’s moans filled the car, her body completely consumed by the pleasure Jungkook was giving her. She could feel herself getting closer, the tension building in her core with each thrust. Her hands gripped his shoulders, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she teetered on the edge of release.

"Come for me, baby," Jungkook whispered in her ear, his voice rough and filled with desire. "I wanna feel you."

That was all it took.

Y/N’s body tensed as her orgasm crashed over her, her back arching off the seat as she cried out his name, her body trembling beneath him. Jungkook groaned at the sight of her coming undone, the feeling of her tightening around him pushing him over the edge.

With a few more thrusts, Jungkook followed her, his body tensing as he spilled inside her, his moans muffled against her neck as he rode out his own release.

For a moment, neither of them moved, their bodies still pressed together as they caught their breath. The only sound in the car was their ragged breathing, the tension slowly ebbing away, replaced by a soft, comfortable silence.

Jungkook pulled back slightly, his eyes soft as he looked down at her. "You okay, baby?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Y/N smiled up at him, her fingers brushing his cheek. "More than okay," she whispered, her heart still racing.

A/N : okay okay did you guys miss me?? i missed yall tooo. this was kinda short, i know. but i'll make sure to make the few of the last chapters worth it for you guys. thank you so much for taking ur time to read. tho i didn't reach my goal for 15k words i'm sure i'll get it soon

[spider-man-199999]

No need to hide it

gif by @userjoel

pairing: college!Peter Parker x Fem!Reader; Post nwh; not too canon

word count: 6K

warnings: underage drinking for USA citizens; mentions of sex

summary: Peter thought no one remembered him after the spell, however you did, but not for the reasons he was afraid you would. Mostly fluff and slow burn romance.

a/n: I'm a sucker for college!Peter, I literally cannot think about anything else. ANY SCIENCE TALK IS A BUNCH OF BS I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT CHEMISTRY OR SCIENCE.

part2

"Hey, catch!" you heard a male voice from somewhere behind you, making you turn towards the sound. A brown leather football flew throgh the air, landing in your feet. You picked it up, throwing it back to the shirtless man that was jogging in your direction.

"Thanks!!" He said after he caught it, running off back to whoever the other shirtless dude he was playing with was.

"Yeah no problem..." you muttered under your breath, trying to hide how flustered you were.

It was orientation week at Empire State University.

The weather, apparently, was still warm enough to have people running shirtless around campus, and being the shy, awkward geek you were, it was hard not to get embarrassed by any social interaction, let alone one that included both sport and a half-naked man. Overall, orientation week was going well. You checked out a few classes that sparked some interest, went to the library, the gym, even got completely settled in your dorm room. Things were going smoothly, excluding the fact you hadn't really met anyone new. Most of the people in your classes seemed like they already knew at least one person and stuck to them. Since you were not really the type to go out of your way and approach people, it left you walking around campus alone, sitting in class alone and even eating alone. It wasn't all that bad, just lonely. Your roommate hadn't arrived on campus yet either, so everything felt especially odd to you, like you were invisible to everyone. 

Four days in and the long walks between buildings were already annoying. It was so easy to get lost or distracted on the way between buildings. You didn't know the shortcuts yet, so it was always a hazard whether you would make it to class on time. Miraculously you got there early, and gave yourself a mental praise for that. You didn't expect to actually be in a lab on the first day of class, and were glad you got there on time because there were barely enough lab coats for everyone in the room. You really didn't want to be the freak who wasn't wearing one. You scanned the room as you sat down on one of the desks, secretly praying that this class wouldn't require having a lab partner or work in groups because it was going to make you feel even worse. And as you were stalking the people around you, your eyes landed on someone who looked suspiciously familiar. He wasn't terribly tall, curly brown hair, one backpack over his shoulder, flannel shirt over a plain white t-shirt and regular blue jeans. You could recognise Peter Parker from miles away. You've never felt so terrified and so excited at the same time. You finally knew someone in this university and it had to be him of all people. He never told you he was going to ESU. In his defense, you couldn't really recall ever speaking to him. You used to have the biggest crush on him back in high school, but never gathered the courage to actually chat him up, even if it were about homework. He never got assigned as your partner on a project either (no matter how many times you would fantasize about it), so you just graduated one day and accepted the fact it just wasn't meant to be. 

But now you were presented with the perfect opportunity to actually talk to him and decided to take it. Unfortunately, the class started before you could approach him. You tried your best to keep your focus on the professor, but it seemed as if that was not necessary, he was only going over the main goals of the class and what books you would need. You sneakily looked over Peter from time to time, thinking about what would be best to say to him and not make it awkward. 

The class was over in the blink of an eye, which made your heart beat pick up because you no longer had an excuse to not approach him. There was a line forming around the coat hangers, which you thought was going to be the best way to casually start a conversation. You cut the line when you saw Peter hang up his coat, putting yours next to his and smiling at him. He smiled back when the two of you locked eyes. 

"Hey" you said "Peter Parker, right?"

He looked a bit stunned by your question. First, he was starstruck because the prettiest girl he had ever seen came out of nowhere and greeted him and secondly, she knew his name. And that was not supposed to be like this at all. His mind was rushing and calculating how it were possible. Were you a supervillain from an alternate reality trying to expose him? Or did the spell just not work on you? All of the scenarios seemed very bad for him. 

The way he just sat there and said nothing was making you extremely nervous. It did feel like a terrible idea now that you had done it. 

"We used to take Spanish together in high school." you added, your voice shaking slightly from the anxiety. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, I'm really sorr-"

"Wait Spanish?" he finally said, his theories crumbling down when he realized what was actually going on. You were no supervillain, just an old classmate. Yet, he was sure he would have remembered you. 

"I really don't remember..." he continued, feeling his cheek heat up.

"Oh that's fine, we never really... spoke? Like at all, I sat all the way in the back and no one could make me say a word."

He laughed softly at your words. 

"Wanna discuss this over coffee? If you don't have any other classes?"

"I'm free, so yeah, we could grab a coffee"

20 minutes later the two of you were laughing over how ridiculous you looked in the yearbook. Peter was holding your phone and looking at the photo in which you still had braces on, your eyebrows were so badly drawn on because you thought shaping them with a razor the night before was a good idea. It was not, you shaved off so much from one of them you had to fill it in. And since it was your first ever filling eyebrows in, it was very, very bad.  Also, your hair looked like it was made out of dark matter, because you recently had it dyed black, straightened it and accidentally put a bit too much hair oil on it. You were definitely not having a good time back then, but it was a small price to pay to hear Peter laugh so hard. A 4-month accutane treatment to acne and taking your braces off could really make a person change enough. It was a glow up and Peter could really see it now. 

"Okay now that I've seen that, I actually do remember you! You're the girl that got hit in the head with a basketball while tying her shoes on the bench during gym! Somehow you fell back and got under the benches so I had to pull you out."

"Oh no" you whined, hiding your face in your hands to hide how hard you were blushing. And he was right, that really did happen once, and it was that moment that actually started your little crush on him. You were probably 14 when it happened. You fell under the bleachers and felt so embarrassed that you froze on the spot, feeling like crying. People came running towards you, Peter beating them to it, and pulled you out by the hand. He dusted your shirt off and asked if you were alright. To your teenage mind he came in like a knight in shining armor, and it made you fall for him, very hard. 

''Come on, it wasn't that bad!" he said between laughs, giving your phone back. 

"It was bad, like really bad. How can your only memory of me be my worst moment in high school?''

"If that's your worst moment, you were doing good."

You took a sip from your coffee, your finger tracing the rim of the paper cup once you placed it down on the table. You really were regretting not talking to him in school, he seemed like such a nice person, you would have been good friends. 

"Why did you decide to go to ESU? I thought you had plans to go to MIT with your friends."

"Oh, I didn't get in."

"Yeah, totally sounds believable, Peter Parker, the Stark intern, highest SAT score in our grade, didn't get into MIT" you said sarcastically, shaking your head at him. 

He sighed, looking down at his hands. His leg started bouncing under the table and he suddenly seemed tense. Now it really did feel believable, based on his reaction. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, honestly I was so sure I would get in too, but I don't think I ended up at a bad place"

"Obviously you didn't, I chose ESU, which makes it the best place ever. And now that I know you're here too, I get double confirmation for that." 

He laughed softly at your words.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few weeks later you were actually glad to have to work in pairs in the lab because Peter asked you to be his partner. 

You arrived just before the class started, sitting down at the table and putting your protective goggles on. 

"Sorry" you said as you sat down next to him, taking the empty flask that was sitting in front of him and immediately starting to mix the things you managed to read on the board. 

Peter smiled at you as he watched you, doing his own thing which you didn't pay too much attention to. 

"Roommate problems again?" he asked. 

Being lab partners meant the two of you had to talk regularly, which led to getting closer. You didn't know many people there besides him and your nightmare of a roommate. 

"You have no idea." you sighed, dropping a few droplets into a test tube. The mixture inside started smoking up slightly, you swirled it around until it stopped, passing it to him so he could heat it up. 

"What did she do this time?"

"Locked me in and took both of the keys on her way out. I had to call her to come back and unlock, she was pissed."

"Still don't get how someone can be so rude to you for no reason."

"I don't think she hates me really, she hates the idea of me. Not every 3rd year student is keen on the idea of babysitting a freshmen, I totally get that."

Peter wrote something down in his notebook after the mixture started bubbling up. You looked at it, brows furrowing. 

"What's the temperature?"

"140 F" 

"Peter that's not supposed to happen" you said worried 

"Actually it is, you didn't have the time to read the board and put only half"

"Oh-"

He removed the test tube, letting it cool down.

"It's okay, we'll just multiply it by two."

"Sometimes I wonder what I would do if you weren't here."

"Probably blow up the place."

You rolled your eyes at him before the both of you laughed, continuing your work. You tried being more concentrated now, and for the most part it was working out. Until Peter would roll up his sleeves and expose his forearms. Or when he would take the goggles off to fix his hair. You tried staring as discreetly as possible, but he probably did notice it every time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

That same night was your first ever frat party. You weren't really a fan of parties, the high school ones you went to were boring but you were hoping that college ones were going to live up to the hype everyone was giving them. Plus, you were trying to make amends with your roommate, and she wanted some alone time with her boyfriend back at your place. The idea of frat boys really turned you off, you had seen more than enough of them in class and around campus. 

The music was booming through the speakers as you entered the house, people were everywhere. You could barely squish through the crowd, it was barely 10 pm and people were already wasted. You really wanted to let loose that night too, so you made it over to the bar and took whatever drink was handed to you first. It was vodka. Tasted bitter and burned down your throat and stomach as you drank it. The stress from university and the complicated relationship with Ruth, your roommate, were really starting to get you. Add your unresolved feelings for Peter to the mix and you really do have a strong enough pressure to make you explode like a time bomb. So, you wanted to take some pressure off by drinking and dancing. No one knew you here anyway so it was relatively easy to just do whatever you wanted. 

Five shots of vodka were already in your system by the first hour. The dance floor was yours to take. A red plastic cup in your hand while you were swaying to the rhythm of the song playing, boys were coming from left and right to dance together. And you did dance with them, probably even made out with one or two as well. It continued for what felt like forever, until 2 am rolled around and you started feeling tired and wasted. And the alcohol in your blood was about to hit you in the worst way possible and make you overthink everything that was going on around you. At that point you were sat on a couch in the trashed living room and some dude was talking to you. His hand was on your knee. You were too preoccupied by your own thoughts to even listen to whatever he had to say.

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Peter hid behind his apartment building on campus, looking around to make sure no one would see him as he took off the spider-man costume. Ever since he went back to no one knowing his identity, he had to sneak around. He couldn't risk any of his roommates seeing him accidentally so he took the costume off outside after patrol, shoved it in his backpack and walked in. If anyone was ever awake and asked where he was, he would say either the library or doing lab work with you. He really did use you as an excuse a lot to his roommates, which gave them all kinds of wrong ideas. He didn't share a bedroom with anyone, which made his life so much easier, but there was a whole other bedroom with two boys in it in his apartment. 

No one was awake when he walked in, throwing his bag on the floor next to his bed. He felt shattered. The whole studying and spider-man business was draining his batteries like never before. Peter lay down on the bed, too tired to even get out of his jeans. He was rapidly drifting into sleep when his phone started ringing. He groaned in annoyance, looking at the screen only to see it were from you. Peter quickly picked it up, any feeling of tiredness leaving his body when he heard you crying on the other side of the phone. 

"Hey, hey, what happened? Are you hurt? Where are you?" he asked, panicked. 

"Ruth locked me out again." you cried on the phone "She left her key in, she was with her boyfriend and they were probably doing the deed and locked themselves and fell asleep."

You babbled really fast, he was trying to understand what you were saying but it was muffled by soft sobs. And you didn't sound sober either. 

"Peter, you fix all of my lab mistakes, please fix this."

He wasn’t sure what to do, especially since he didn’t know where you lived exactly. There weren’t many opinions in this situation, he could either find you and kick the door down so you could get in your place or he could take you in his room and let you sleep there. 

“Can you tell me where you are?” 

“In front of my dorm?”

“I don’t know where that is, genius”

You continued sobbing at his words, which made him feel even worse. You were very vulnerable and probably scared and he was acting poorly. 

“Okay, okay, sorry, I didn't mean that. Tell me where your dorm is and I’ll come fix it, okay?”

“It’s the one next to the library” 

He hopped out of his bed, rushing towards the building. 

When he got there he saw you sitting on the steps, looking down at your feet. 

"Hey" he said, standing in front of you, his hands in his pockets as he watched you slowly look up to him. Your eyes were red from all the crying and your cheeks were still wet from the tears. Peter sat down next to you with a sigh, the second he did that he could tell you had been drinking. The smell of vodka and cigarettes were all over your clothes. 

"Hi" you muttered back after a while, not really sure what to say or do at this point. 

"So what happened?" he whispered to you, bumping his shoulder into yours

"I got locked out, again" you whispered back, looking at him. He was smiling, a warm, comforting smile that made you feel so incredibly guilty that you called him. 

It made you realize what time it actually was, and that you probably woke him up. It was the middle of the night, and you woke up the closest thing you had to a friend here to help you. You ruined his sleep so he could save you from something you could have probably figured out on your own if you weren’t drunk. 

"Come on" he said, getting up and reaching out his hand to help you up as well. ''Let's get you out of here" 

You took his hand, the tears were welling up in your eyes again as you looked at him. He seemed so tired, yet he came rushing to your rescue. 

He walked in his room, trying to be as quiet as possible. 

"Wow you have a double bed??" you said as you looked around his room.

"Oh, yeah" he said, blushing when he saw the state of it. He didn't really think about making the bed before he left and the bedding looked like scrambled eggs with all the pillows and blankets everywhere. Peter didn’t want to look messing in front of you but it was too late for that.

"Lucky duck" 

Peter was kind enough to take out some clothes for you to sleep in while you showered. It was a spare pair of pajama pants and an old star wars t-shirt. He looked away while you got dressed and helped you into bed after that. 

"I can't thank you enough for this."

"Oh, you can, you can do my calculus homework."

The both of you laughed after that. He grabbed a pillow and a blanket, with the intention of sleeping on the couch. 

"Where are you going?"

"To sleep?"

"Not here?"

"Well, no-.... I-.... Don't want to invade...."

"I feel bad enough about it as it is, please come sleep in your bed, it's big enough" you whined.

Peter stood at the door. He really didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable, or crush you while he slept but at that point he was so shattered that the bed seemed like the best thing that could happen to him. You got up and pulled him towards the bed, grabbing the pillow and blanket with your other hand and throwing them on.

Peter was asleep the second his head hit the pillow, and you followed a minute or two later. It didn't feel as weird to sleep in the same bed as the two of you had anticipated. Maybe the alcohol helped. You were pretty sure that it was, in fact, the alcohol that made you call him, the one that insisted on sharing the bed as well. Sober you would probably be a flustered mess just from the thought of being in Peter's bedroom alone. 

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The second Ruth knew you had somewhere to sleep over, she took advantage of it. It was happening so often that you basically had a schedule when you would sleep over at Peter's. He didn't mind one bit because it was a reason to spend time with you. Plus, you did all your work for classes together, even in classes you or him weren't taking. So by the middle of the semester, you two were practically platonically dating. 

And it made you feel the worst and the best type of ways at the same time. You absolutely loved spending time with him and your feelings were only getting deeper and deeper with each day. Somehow, you still felt like you were taking away the college experience from him. He declined every party opportunity his roommates suggested, he rarely spoke to other girls and if he went out with friends from other classes, he would always make you tag along with them. Everyone thought that if you were not dating, then you were definitely hooking up, no matter how many times you denied it. Truth being told, it was actually kind of weird that you weren't doing either of those. And it got even weirder when someone else started expressing an interest in Peter.

Surprisingly enough, even to yourself, you actually liked going to parties. The alcohol helped you loosen up and talk and since Peter actually had other friends, now you knew some people here and there. You would always find someone to chat with at a party and you learned that socializing wasn't at all as scary as it seemed before. 

Tonight you found yourself at a random party in some basement of the dorm on the other side of campus. You knew that you'd be home late so the arrangements of staying over at Peter's were already made. As you were speaking to someone from your beginner-friendly biology class, a girl approached you. She was tall, way taller than you, had long dark hair and an amazing body. She grabbed your arm and said your name in a questioning tone. You nodded slightly taken aback from the interaction. 

"Can I borrow you for a second?" she asked, turning to the other person in an apologetic smile. 

"Sure."

She pulled you a bit away, still holding your arm right above the elbow. The whole thing was making you tense for some reason. 

"I'm sorry that I asked like this." she said, letting your arm go. "Actually, we've met before, I take calculus with Peter Parker, he brought you over at one of our group study sessions."

"Oh. Right." you did remember her now, but she looked slightly different with heavy makeup on. She definitely looked like one of the it girls on campus and you got the impression that she actually was. 

"So I wanted to ask if you and Peter were a thing?"

Once again you were stunned by a question from her. You looked around for some reason, she was making you feel uneasy. 

"Um, no, we're not."

"Great!" she said with a bright smile. "Do you think he'd be into me? He has this nerdy sex appeal, I actually really want to get with him."

You were blinking in disbelief towards her. This whole thing was really not making you feel well about your situation. She was gorgeous and she wanted to fuck your crush, it was going to end badly for you. You felt something like a ball in your throat that you knew even the gin couldn't wash down. 

"Well, good luck with that." you said, patted her shoulder and walked away before you started crying in front of her.

The whole situation really put you in a bad mood. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but it managed to burst the bubble you were so peacefully living in. It got you wondering if Peter had his eyes on someone, if he was sleeping around with different girls, if he was going on dates. You kept imagining it, and drinking to try to stop, but nothing seemed to help. You couldn't spend every waking second with him to know, plus he never talked about girls with you. You didn't know who he was texting, or if he were going out with someone and not telling you. You were sure he wasn't because no girlfriend would ever feel okay with some random girl sleeping over as much as you did. Then again, he could be hooking up with someone, you were only sleeping over two or three times a week. 

You were so preoccupied by your worries that you almost didn't pick up your phone when Peter called. He said he finished whatever work he had to do and was going to come to the party and pick you up. It made you even more anxious. 

He walked through the door 15 minutes after the phone call. The whole thing was a sensory overload for him, the music was way too loud, the colors were too flashy, people were everywhere. He was constantly on edge because people were walking a little too close and his reflexes were being triggered. He hated parties. He hated the idea of you liking them even more. With the amount of time the two of you were spending together in the last few months, he grew very attached, he even developed a little crush of his own, but he was too terrified to admit that. Given his background and his secret, he wasn't too sure he wanted to put you through what MJ had gone through. He felt like it would be unfair to lie to you at the same time, it's not something you could hide from the person you're dating. 

People greeted him here and there, giving him brofists and handshakes. Peter really felt like a real frat boy, but he hated the experience. He froze in his tracks when he saw a girl that looked just like you making out with some dude. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, his chest tightened and it felt like someone set his lungs on fire. You were wearing black skinny jeans and a black top, hair was tied in a bun and your tongue was in someone's mouth. Was that why you sounded so weird on the phone? Was that why you waited so long to pick up? Peter was too stunned to even move so he just stood there in shock for a few seconds. He felt a hand on his shoulder, which made him snap out of it, turning his head. He met your eyes when he looked down, giving you a confused look. His head turned back to the other you that was still exchanging saliva with a guy, then back to the actual you. He finally started breathing again. Your outfit was actually nothing like the girl's, you had a long-sleeved light blue dress on that had a v-cut. It made you look really desirable and the way the color mixed so well with the lighting in the room, you looked like you walked straight out of Peter's dreams. He was practically trying to take pictures of you with his eyes for later. 

"What?" you asked as you noticed his stare, looking at your dress for accidental spills or any signs of why he was looking at you like that. 

"Nothing, actually." he said, taking the cup you were holding and finishing whatever was in it. He didn't really care what was in, alcohol had little to no effect on him but he liked to pretend. 

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You expected to go home shortly after Peter's arrival, but things didn't play out that way. The girl that talked to you about him earlier tonight saw the two of you and came over to chat. After 15 minutes of them talking and you awkwardly standing there, holding an empty cup in your hand, you were feeling more annoyed than ever. And pretty drunk too. You were already in a bad mood because of her, and when Peter suggested walking her to her dorm you just felt like crying. Your feet were killing you because of the heels you were wearing and you made sure to inform him but he seemed to have forgotten about that. 

And now, all three of you were walking around campus to get her safely to her room. You were giving them a side eye the whole time while she tried to scoot over closer to him. And when she said she was cold she could offer his flannel, you rolled your eyes so hard you got scared they'd get stuck and not come back. Unfortunately, they did come back and you had to witness him putting his shirt over her shoulders. Once at her dorm, she even had the audacity to kiss his cheek before walking in. It made him blush, and you, you were really about to throw up at that point. It felt like a very weird game of chess, and she had checked you in it. 

"Are you okay?" Peter asked when he saw how you looked. Gorgeous, he thought, but kind of pale and like you would collapse any second. 

"No" you said, your eyes meeting his. You could see the lipstick stain on his skin from the other girl and now you really did feel like throwing up. You were only 3 steps away from him and he made them so fast you felt like he teleported. 

"No, no, Peter, step away" you told him, your hand covering your mouth while you rushed to the nearest trash can and actually threw up. He rushed after you, holding your hair as you did. 

"You didn't look THAT drunk."  he said, patting your back while you were coughing. 

"This is so embarrassing" you cried softly, as if this night wasn't humiliating enough. 

"There, there, I hope you got it all out because I am not changing my sheets for the second time today." 

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"I'm thinking about switching my field of studies." you said, looking at Peter. 

He took his glasses, looking at you in disbelief. He was sat at his desk, trying to solve a math problem while you were lying on his bed, playing on your phone. 

"Chemistry doesn't do it for you anymore?" he asked mockingly.

"No, I just hate spending so much time with you." you replied in the same tone, sticking your tongue out at him. 

It had been a week since the whole party thing. You didn't throw up at his place, but you did have the worst hangover of your life. Peter helped you through it, but didn't pass up an opportunity to make fun of you.

"Then why are you here? I'm sure there's a party somewhere on campus."

"Shut upppp" you groaned, throwing a pillow at him. He caught it mid air and put it on the back of his chair before turning to finish his work. 

It felt like it was too early to sleep but you didn't have anything better to do since Peter was so busy with math. You turned on your side, facing the wall, since you liked sleeping on the side next to the wall, and closed your eyes. You didn't know how long it had been but you were definitely asleep when you got woken up by a knock on the door. You looked up with confusion, half asleep when Peter gave you an apologetic smile and got up from his chair to check who it was. 

He assumed it was one of his roommates that either lost or forgot his key, but he was surprised to open the door to his calculous classmate. 

"Hey, Pete." She said "May I come in?"

"Sure-" he said, letting her in

The girl walked over to the couch and sat down. 

"Remember last week when you gave me this shirt?" 

"I do." he said, only now noticing what she was wearing. It was his flannel, with a belt around her waist.

"Well, I came to return it." she said, unbuttoning it and taking it off. She got up, only in her underwear and walked towards him, handing him the shirt.

Peter was so flustered that he had to stare at his feet the whole time. 

"I think you got the wrong idea here-" he started, squeezing the flannel in his hand.

"About what?" she asked, squatting down in front of him so he could see her, and, well, you know...

Just as he was about to move, the door of his bedroom flew open. You stood there, wearing his shirt as your pajamas, double taking on what you were seeing. You didn't think there would be anything serious happening, but the chatter was disturbing your sleeping attempts and you wanted to check what was going on. But now you were just frozen in your spot, staring at a half-naked girl that was on her knees in front of Peter. Both of their heads turned towards you, staring in the same amount of disbelief. It felt like your worst nightmares had turned into reality. Neither of you knew what to do or what to say and you just stood there in silence, the tension so heavy it could suffocate someone. 

"It's not what it looks like." Peter managed to say, holding eye contact with you. 

''I'm so sorry, I didn't know-'' she started, getting up from the floor. 

"I think I'll pretend I dreamt that and go back to sleep." you said, closing the door before anyone could do or say anything else. 

"Peter, I didn't know, she told me you two weren't a thing last week."

He handed her the shirt, not even bothering to look at her. 

"We're not. You can keep this, go home."

She walked to the door, stopping at it to look at his back. 

"I'm really sorry, if I can do anything, tell me." 

"Goodnight."

He knocked gently on the door before walking in. He saw you tucked in the bed, hugging one of the pillows. You weren't really sure what to feel right now and you were trying your best not to cry. It wasn't like the things between you had changed and you had no right to be upset over his personal affairs. Peter sat on the bed next to you, placing a hand on your shoulder. 

"I know you're not sleeping, can we talk about this?"

"Talk about what?"

"What happened back there."

"There is nothing to talk about."

"I don't want you to get the wrong idea."

You sat up, still hugging the pillow. You pressed the back against the wall, looking directly into his eyes.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why don't you want me to get the wrong idea? Whatever that is supposed to mean."

He looked at his lap, unsure of what to say next. 

"Because I'm not that kind of guy."

"Peter, it's none of my business what you do for fun."

"For fun? You think I do this for fun?"

"You're not doing math for fun, that's for sure."

"Are you always a bitch or is it a defense mechanism?"

"You were the one who wanted me to ''not get the wrong idea'' and suddenly I turned into a bitch?"

"Okay, I overstepped on that one. Nothing happened there, I haven't talked to her or seen her since we left the party together and you threw up."

"Okay, for some reason I believe that, but why should it be concerning me?"

"Stop pretending."

"Excuse me?"

He didn't say anything after that, just pulled your arm so you could get closer to him and kissed you. It happened so fast you couldn't really process it. Once the shock was over, you kissed him back. You probably looked like a teen movie kissing scene, you on your knees and arms while he was sitting, one arm for support and the other one cupping your face as you kissed. 

"I should have done this way sooner." he said after you parted.

[moonylvs]

— ⋆˙⟡ A Lovely Christmas

Summary: Coming back to your small hometown for Christmas after years in the city doesn't sound very exciting, but the warmth of the town, the smell of cookies and a woman with a delicious wooden scent make you think that maybe Christmas won't be so bad.

Dedicated to @kousanosgf I hope you like it and have a Merry Christmas, xoxo.

Pairing: Sevika x fem!reader

Words: +6k (I lost count, but this is long)

ⓘ Warnings: Mostly fluff, modern au, cliche, a bit of soft!sevika (Someone give this woman a hug), hallmark kind of movie, use of yn once, no proofread, lmk if I miss anything!

Coming back to your hometown was not the way you expected to spend Christmas, but here you were, in that little town where snowfalls were an everyday thing, that little place where everyone knew each other, you didn't know whether to love it or hate it.

In just a week that you had been in that little town you had already been greeted and hugged by half of the population, all telling you “How big you are” and how “much you have changed”, even some old ladies who even if you tried hard you couldn't remember, called you beautiful and said they remembered you as a baby.

You did not consider yourself the most sociable or friendly person, years in the city and a dozen rude people had made you become a rather closed and some would even say bitter, you had to admit that you had lost a little Christmas spirit, not that your small apartment in the big city allowed you to do much, you just put some Christmas decorations on the front door to not feel out of place with the other neighbors.

But other than that, your Christmas the last few years had been boring and lonely, your work consumed most of your time and without many close friends you had no one to spend the holidays with.

So here you were, in that small town, it was all a rushed decision, after years you finally got a well deserved vacation from your job, but the moment they gave you the news you couldn't help but ask yourself, what the fuck do I do now?

You thought about staying at home, rest and sleep as much as you needed, or maybe travel to some extravagant place, you had the savings for that, but at the same time it felt so…empty.

You spent a whole day tossing and turning in bed in your apartment, trying to think of something to do so that your vacation wouldn't become a routine of rolling around in bed and overthinking.

That's when your gaze fell on your bedside table, where there was a picture of your family, when you were just a little girl, you were covered in so many clothes that you were sure you could barely walk, but your smile was pure, full of happiness.

So you thought, why not go back to that place, where there were so many memories, you knew it probably wouldn't be the same, your parents were no longer there to cheer you up in those cold days, you didn't even know if your old friends were still living in that small town or if they had left for the city like you, but at this point you didn't have many options and what better than spending Christmas in a small town where Christmas is such a beloved tradition.

You didn't know at what point you thought it was a good idea to buy so many Christmas decorations and stuff, but here you were, carrying at least a dozen boxes and bags, each one with ornaments, old-fashioned decorations, garlands and you even remembered to buy a ridiculous Christmas sweater.

You could barely stand, maybe everything would be easier if you had brought your car with you, but in that small town everyone was in the habit of walking and your house was not too far from the center of town.

While you were trying to get to your house you couldn't avoid bumping into some people, you didn't remember that there were so many people in the town, but now you were sure that the population had at least doubled.

You were starting to feel tired, you had to admit that it wasn't your best idea to buy all those things knowing that you had to carry them back home.

At this point you felt your legs ache, you were freezing and desperately needed to eat something, for a moment you stood in the middle of the sidewalk, rethinking your life decisions, you were sure that your hands had the marks of the handles of the bags and half of your vision was obstructed by the boxes you were holding.

When one of the bags slipped from your hand it was the final straw, you knew that to pick it up you would have to bend down and first of all your legs hurt, but more importantly, the rest of the stuff would fall out, your eyes closed in frustration, letting out an exaggerated sigh.

Fuck, fuck Christmas, fuck the Christmas spirit and fuck you and your compulsive shopping.

“Need some help, sweetheart?” a voice snapped you out of your thoughts, causing you to open your eyes, though the boxes still obstructed your vision.

“Yeah, thanks” You said quietly, not caring who it was that had spoken to you, you only felt the frustration disappear a little when that person held the boxes that obstructed your vision with ease and handed you the small bag you had dropped, at least you didn't feel like you were carrying weights anymore.

“I didn't remember you liked those ridiculous sweaters” Your gaze lifted suddenly, now recognizing that voice, but above all that scent, of fresh wood.

“Sevika” The name came naturally out of your mouth, without thinking.

The woman smiled slightly as she listened to you, taking some of the bags you were holding as she saw that you still seemed to be having trouble with the weight of them.

“I didn't know you were back in town, I thought you were already a city girl” Sevika said with that typical sarcasm you still remembered, you couldn't help but scoff slightly, you had lost count of how many people in town had said that to you.

“I just came to spend the holidays here, but I forgot how much you walk in this town” You said with some frustration, it was true that the big city was full of cabs and means of transportation that made your life easier, while here, most if not all, walked.

There were only a few people who owned a car, among them, sevika.

“Do you want me to give you a ride home? I see walking is no longer your thing” Sevika said with amusement, although her offer was sincere. You could still remember the years when both were young and would walk all over town, buying Christmas cookies and running errands for your parents.

“Yeah, I could really use a ride, I'm freezing” You admitted with amusement, letting sevika guide you to her car across the street.

You had to admit you weren't surprised at the ease with which sevika carried your stuff, she was always taller and stronger than the rest, you had to blame her parents' job ( probably hers now) for this.

Sevika placed the boxes and bags on the back seats of the truck, before opening the door for you with a smirk, to which you rolled your eyes.

That truck was the same one you remembered seeing as a child, the one that Sevika's father drove around the small town, bringing Christmas trees and firewood to all the residents, you had to say that although it was old it was in very good condition.

“Your family still sells firewood and Christmas trees?” You asked calmly the moment Sevika started the car, she didn't even bother to ask if you were still living in the same place, she knew you were.

“Yeah, my father passed the business down to me a few years ago, he said he was too old to keep working, but I think he really just wanted me to have a job and stop going from bar to bar” Sevika explained with a smile, you didn't doubt it would have been like that, when they were young Sevika was always the topic of conversation in town, some older men even said she would be a problem, but here you were now, almost 15 years later and Sevika seemed to be anything but a problem.

It didn't take long to get to your house, in fact, now you felt a little embarrassed because your house was too close and you could have easily walked there, but you were thankful that at least sevika didn't mention anything about it.

When you arrived home Sevika was quick to come down and open the door for you before starting to unload the boxes and bags from the back seats, while you hurried to open the front door, wanting to take shelter from the winter cold.

Upon entering the house you immediately felt relieved, it was as warm as you expected and you finally stopped feeling like you were freezing.

Sevika came in behind you carrying the boxes and bags, leaving them on the dining room table, the place was just as she remembered it.

It was obvious that you had been away from the village, because most of the people were already used to the cold while you were freezing with just a little while outside.

“Would you like some hot chocolate? For helping me out” You offered with a small smile, though you didn't even wait for an answer before you started walking to the kitchen.

Sevika rolled her eyes at this, but only hummed in approval, it wouldn't hurt to have a cup of hot chocolate, plus she wasn't planning on refusing to spend a little time with you.

You prepared the drink quickly, the smell bringing back memories of your childhood and Christmases in that place.

“Here” you murmured, handing a cup to sevika, it took you by surprise that sevika laughed, but you soon realized that the cup you had given her was yours, how did you know this? Because of the ridiculous drawing on the mug, which was a picture of the grinch.

“You never change from what I see” Sevika said mockingly, to which you rolled your eyes and snatched the cup from her hands, handing her the one that had no ridiculous drawing and was of a flat color.

Sevika tried to hold back her smile, despite the years you were still somewhat childish and stubborn, but something about it gave her comfort, despite the years, you hadn't changed.

“What made you come back after so many years?” sevika asked calmly after a few minutes in a comfortable silence.

You hesitated for a moment, taking a sip of your hot chocolate while you thought, even you didn't quite know the reason, you didn't want to say it was an impulsive decision, but at the same time it was as if something drew you back to that place.

“I don't know, I guess I needed a break from the city” you murmured, although the truth is that you didn't just need a break, you were looking for that comfort of the town, the one you had in your childhood, but you didn't even know if you would still find that comfort in the town after years.

Sevika just hummed in approval, she knew you weren't saying everything, but she wasn't going to push you to say more, you had always preferred to keep some things to yourself and Sevika knew that.

“Well, anyway…I'm glad you're back.” Sevika said with a gentle smile, taking a last sip from her mug before setting it down in the sink.

You couldn't explain why but something stirred in you, an electrifying current ran through your body at her words, you stood still for a moment, before snapping back to reality as you saw sevika take her coat and walk towards the door, running away after dropping a bomb, all in all things hadn't changed.

Without thinking your body instinctively moved after sevika, catching up with her at the door.

“Hope to see you around, call me if you need anything, love” Sevika said casually, opening the door and walking towards her truck, as always without looking back, but this time you were thankful she didn't, because she would have seen the embarrassing red color that flooded your cheeks at that nickname she hadn't used in years.

When Sevika's truck was finally far enough away from your sight, you went back into the house, closing the door behind you and leaning against it, lowering yourself down until you were sitting on the floor.

What the fuck was wrong with you? Why did you suddenly feel like a teenage girl having her first crush on a girl? Damn it, this couldn't be happening to you.

The next few days you tried to keep your mind busy, but those simple words from sevika wouldn't leave your head and that was killing you, you wanted to believe that it didn't mean anything, you and sevika had been friends when you were young, of course she would be happy to see you after years and the nickname, oh that damn nickname, of course it didn't mean anything either, she also called you that when you were young, you didn't even know how it started, you only knew that she only called you that, you and nobody else.

You were so deep in your thoughts that you didn't even hear the truck park in your house, not that you were going to notice it, you were trying to untangle that strip of lights, maybe you should have done it before climbing the stairs, but here you were, three meters above the ground, untangling a strip of lights and praying not to fall.

“All right up there, love?” That voice brought you out of your thoughts all of a sudden, for a moment you thought that now you were crazy, now you were hallucinating her voice?

But the sound of footsteps in the snow made you realize that in fact you were not hallucinating, without thinking your gaze went to the ground, seeing the figure of sevika, by god how good she looked from up there.

“Do you need help? I don't want you to fall on me, love” Sevika said with a smirk, her tone slightly mocking, but her gaze was fixed on you, as if she was actually expecting you to fall and hurt yourself, she even moved a little closer to the ladder.

“I'm not going to fall” You muttered with some annoyance, returning to your task of untangling the lights, trying with all your might to ignore sevika's presence, but it wasn't working, not at all.

Until this moment you hadn't taken into account that you were so far away from the ground, you looked at sevika again and this time the ground looked much farther, God, way too far, you didn't think you would die if you fell but it would definitely hurt.

“Get down from there and let me help you” Sevika said, this time her tone more gentle, seeming to notice your growing anxiety.

This time you didn't protest, leaving the lights there and starting to slowly descend the ladder, you were sure the ladder wasn't shaking so much when you climbed up, nor that the ground was so far away.

When you were halfway down the stairs you felt hands on your waist and soon your feet were on the ground again, which you were grateful for, you felt you would never finish coming down.

“Thank you” you murmured softly to sevika, lightly fixing your clothes, you were still a little anxious, you weren't even afraid of heights, you didn't understand where that momentary fear had come from.

“You're welcome, love” Sevika said kindly, her gaze sweeping over you, checking that you were okay. “Let me help you with this, yeah?” sevika asked, giving you a small smile, to which you nodded, her help would be very useful, you didn't want to climb that ladder again.

For a moment you realized that sevika had come to your house out of nowhere, which was strange.

“So what were you doing here?” you asked after a few minutes of silence, while sevika placed the Christmas lights calmly, although you felt on edge thinking that she could fall.

“I came to bring you some firewood, when I came you didn't have any, I thought you must be freezing” Sevika replied casually, brushing some snow off the roof, by god, how was he not freezing his hands off.

You frowned slightly, you hadn't even noticed that you didn't actually have any firewood, you had been living under the blankets freezing so much that you didn't think to light the fireplace.

“I'm almost done, would you mind giving me something to drink?” Sevika said after a few minutes in silence, to which you nodded immediately, walking into the house and pouring her some coffee, you prepared it as you always did, you didn't consider that maybe sevika wouldn't want it as sweet….

In a few minutes you came out with two cups of coffee, but as soon as you set foot in the snow you felt something cold hit your head, snow.

A loud laugh came from beside you, you looked up a little and there was Sevika, still on the ladder cleaning the snow from the roof, with a smile on her face, you couldn't remember ever seeing her smile like that.

You snorted falsely offended, feeling the snow on your head and seeing some flakes in the locks in front of you, you were thankful that nothing had fallen into the cups.

“Sorry, love, I didn't know you were there” Sevika said with amusement, although maybe she had seen you standing there, but she wasn't going to admit it. Sevika couldn't help but laugh as she came down the ladder and saw your hair white from the snow, her hand went to your hair, shaking it out a bit and brushing some of the snow out, even though you ended up a bit disheveled.

You just rolled your eyes, not being able to contain a giggle, careful not to burn yourself you handed the cup of coffee to sevika, instantly you noticed her frown slightly frowned when she saw the liquid in the cup.

“Don't tell me you like black coffee because I swear I'll throw you out of my house” You said in disbelief, staring at sevika, who only laughed lightly before shaking her head.

“It's just that this looks more like milk with a bit of coffee than coffee with milk” Sevika said mockingly, taking a sip of the coffee, though to her surprise, it was quite good, much less strong than what she usually drank, but not bad.

You smiled at her expression, which clearly showed that she liked it.

“I knew you'd like it” You replied with obviousness, giving her a proud smile, and sevika had to hold back with all her strength to say, 'I'd like anything that came from you'.

You both spent a few minutes in a comfortable silence, you watched the house, which now had Christmas lights and some decorations here and there, but sevika's gaze wasn't on the decorations, she didn't give a damn if santa was coming down the chimney, her gaze was fixed on you.

Despite the years for sevika you were still the same, your eyes were still huge and sparkled when you saw something you liked, you still covered your mouth when you laughed even though your smile was beautiful, your cheeks still blushed with the cold and you still had that habit of biting your lip when you were anxious.

Despite the years you were still you and sevika couldn't be happier with this, sevika thought that by going to the city and living so many years there, when you came back (if you did) you wouldn't be the same, she thought that maybe she wouldn't even be able to recognize you.

“Sev?”

Your voice brought sevika out of her thoughts, who hadn't even noticed that she had been staring at you and hadn't heard you speak.

“Yeah, sorry, what were you saying?” Sevika said, trying to sound as casual as possible, but your couldn't help but laugh slightly, even though you knew better than to tease her with this.

“I was telling you that if you were on your way to the town center…I wanted to know if maybe you could give me a ride” You explained with a small smile, trying to convince the woman.

Christmas Eve was tomorrow and you still wanted to buy some things, you didn't even know what you were going to do it for if you didn't plan for anyone to visit you but you still wanted to decorate and prepare some food, maybe you could give it to the people in the neighborhood, you remembered your parents doing it when you were little.

“Yeah sure, I was going to buy some stuff anyway, I can take you” Sevika replied calmly, finishing the coffee in her cup. “I'll take the Firewood inside and then we'll go, yeah?”

You nodded slightly, taking her empty mug and accompanying her inside while she carried the wood for the fireplace.

After leaving the empty cups in the kitchen, you went to get your purse, taking out some money, by the time you came out, Sevika was already waiting for you outside, leaning against her truck with a cigarette in her mouth.

You didn't want to admit it but she looked absolutely stunning, over the years she had grown a lot taller and her body was more muscular, probably because of her job.

You tried to shake those thoughts from your mind, but the blush had already grown across your cheeks.

“See something you like, love?” Sevika asked with a smirk, taking another drag on her cigarette.

You wanted to make a remark, to answer her, but you only felt your face turn redder, all you could do was roll your eyes and mutter a “shut up'”.

Without another word you walked towards the truck, Sevika still with a smirk opened the door of the truck for you, and then got in as well.

“Here, for the firewood” You said, extending the money to Sevika without looking at her, still feeling your face redden.

Sevika frowned, pushing your hand with the money gently.

“You don't have to pay me” Sevika replied sternly, starting the van towards town.

You rolled your eyes, extending the money towards Sevika again.

”Yes I do, just take it, will you?“” You said again, firewood was sevika's job and you weren't going to let her give you something for free.

“Love” Sevika called, catching your attention, damn it, she knew the effect that stupid nickname had on you. “I don't want you to pay me, I don't need you to pay me, so give it up, yes?”

Sevika's firm voice didn't let you contradict her, so you simply left quiet, still somewhat frustrated, but you knew there was no point in arguing, besides even if you didn't want to admit it, that nickname had convinced you a little.

The drive into town wasn't very long, the streets were flooded with people, all shopping for Christmas dinners.

Sevika quietly got out of the car, opening the door for you and helping you out, smiling slightly as your feet sank into the snow, you definitely should have chosen other shoes.

“Thank you for bringing me and for the firewood” You said softly, giving Sevika a small smile, your thanks were sincere, those small acts were huge for you.

“You're welcome love, do you want me to take you back when you're done?” Sevika asked to which you shook your head instantly, she had already done too much, you didn't want to take advantage of her kindness.

“No, no, don't bother, I'll just buy a few things and take a walk around town, thanks anyway sev” You said kindly, giving Sevika a sweet smile, to which she nodded slightly, saying goodbye and walking in the opposite direction to you.

The town was still the same as it was years ago, snow covered the streets and people were enjoying their Christmas shopping.

You spent some time going through each store, buying some ingredients for cooking, some gifts for your co-workers and just window shopping.

“Oh god, it's really you yn?” A voice behind you made its presence known, you instantly turned around, recognizing that sweet-eyed lady.

“Mrs. Smith, it's been a long time” You said in a friendly voice, walking up to greet the woman.

“I had heard you were back but I wanted to check it out myself” Said the woman with a sweet smile, which you reciprocated, it had been years since you had been in that town but there were people you never forgot.

“Ah yes, I just came to spend the vacations around here” You said kindly.

“I'm glad to see you here, I see the years did you good!” the woman remarked with a smile, squeezing your cheek affectionately, you couldn't help blushing slightly, feeling embarrassed for a moment, it was true that you had changed too much in these years.

“I saw you talking to Sevika, I'm glad to hear you're still friends” The woman said sympathetically, though there was something in her voice, nostalgia perhaps? “Sevika doesn't visit town much these days, she's always with work, so it's nice to see her around and more so happy like this.”

Your cheeks instantly turned red at the old woman's comment, you didn't even know this about sevika, you remembered that she used to be very sociable when she was little, running around town from place to place, so you had to admit you were a bit surprised.

“She doesn't visit the town much?” You repeated with curiosity and some confusion, the Sevika you remembered spent all her time in town.

“Not these days, after the death of her parents she took refuge in her home and work, I don't blame her…”

You couldn't even continue listening to the woman's words, you remained static, your mind blank.

Sevika's parents had died? How could you not have heard? You felt the air disappear from your lungs, sure, it had been a while since you had visited the village, but you still vividly remembered sevika's family, the one your parents used to visit at Christmas and who always made sure to give you presents.

“Her parents died? When?” you asked totally shocked, your face still slightly pale.

“Oh dear, didn't you know?” The woman said empathetically, bringing a hand to her chest. “It was a year ago now, the whole town suffered their loss, you know they were very loved…”

Your chest squeezed even tighter, how come you hadn't heard about it? Those people had welcomed you into their home a dozen times, they were loyal to their people and had a huge heart.

For a moment you felt your chest hurt too much, even more so because of Sevika, you didn't know and you didn't even get to say anything to her all this time, now you felt even worse, what if she thought you knew and you just didn't care?

The mere thought made your chest hurt, you couldn't leave it like this, you didn't want it to stay like this.

“I'm sorry ma'am, I have to go, it was nice to see you” You said politely, quickly saying goodbye to the woman and leaving the store.

You started walking through the streets of the town, it was starting to get dark and people were starting to go home, looking for shelter from the cold of the night.

Out of the corner of your eye you could see sevika, loading some groceries into her truck, without thinking you crossed the street, walking towards her, you didn't even know what you were supposed to say to her.

“Oh hi love, did you change your mind?” sevika asked calmly, about to take your shopping bags.

You didn't know what to say, you couldn't just say “oh I just heard your parents died, I'm sorry, I know it seems like I'm an insensitive piece of shit but I'm not!”

“Is something wrong?” Sevika asked with confusion when you wouldn't let her take the shopping bags.

“Ah? Oh, no, I just…” Shit why couldn't you stop stuttering.

“Do you want to come spend Christmas at my house?” You asked without thinking, your words coming out too fast that it took Sevika a few seconds to understand what you had said.

You immediately regretted it when you noticed that she didn't respond right away.

“You don't have to come, it was just an invitation, I was thinking of making cookies and baking something-” You quickly started to explain, your voice sounding more unsure than you would have liked, but Sevika interrupted you with a soft laugh.

“Love, relax, I would love to go, I was just taken by surprise by your invitation” Sevika said kindly as she noticed your concern over her response. “May I ask why the invitation so suddenly?”

You were quiet for a moment, hesitating how to answer, but simply sighed for a moment before speaking.

“I…I don't want you to spend Christmas alone, I'm here so I figured we could spend it together” You admitted quietly, unable to look Sevika in the eyes.

Sevika fell silent, the realization hitting her, you knew about her parents, someone had told you.

Sevika sighed lightly, bringing her fingers to the bridge of her nose.

“Who told you?” Sevika asked quietly, though she didn't sound upset, not with you.

“Mrs. Smith… I hadn't heard, I'm really sorry, I wish I had been here…been here for you” You said softly, feeling your chest tighten, you couldn't help but feel horrible, for not being there for her.

Sevika instantly shook her head, moving closer to you, bringing one of her hands to your chin, causing you to lift your head to look at her.

“You don't have to apologize, I know you didn't know” Sevika said softly, her tone more calm and understanding.

“I'm really sorry Sevika, I know they loved you so much” You said softly, this time looking Sevika in the eyes and for a moment you felt like you could see a momentary flash of vunerability, of pain.

You didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but you closed the distance between the two of you, hugging Sevika tightly, you wanted to show her that you cared, that you understood her pain.

Sevika was static for a moment, surprised by the sudden contact, she was never a fan of physical contact, but in that moment it felt so…comfortable.

In just a few seconds she hugged you back, sinking into the warmth of your body, for a moment she felt so vunerable, and for the first time she didn't mind.

Your embrace felt so perfect, so comfortable, after months she finally felt comforted.

Don't misunderstand her, the whole town had been there for her, giving her condolences and supporting her, but deep down Sevika didn't feel consoled, she didn't think anyone understood her pain, not like you.

You had been there in her childhood, you knew her parents, you knew how much they meant to Sevika, you knew and understood her, like no one else.

“Believe me I would have loved to have been here for you, I'm so sorry you had to go through this…. I know they loved you too much” You murmured softly, still not separating from sevika, you could swear she didn't want to separate either.

Sevika had no words, she couldn't say anything, at that moment she simply felt understood, your embrace alone gave her that comfort she was looking for, that she needed so much.

“My invitation for Christmas is still open, I'd really like to spend Christmas with you” You said softly, feeling Sevika separate just a little, just enough to just see your face.

“You don't have to feel pity for me, love, I don't want to be a bother in your house-” Sevika began to say, her tone slightly defensive at first, though still somewhat soft, probably because it was you.

You instantly frowned, shaking your head and interrupting her.

“Sevika, no, I'm not inviting you out of pity or anything, I'm serious when I say I want to spend Christmas with you” You said firmly, this time looking Sevika in the eyes, and she saw nothing but sincerity in you.

Still Sevika remained silent, there was something in her that was still defensive, that told her she couldn't let her guard down, that you were only inviting her out of pity.

“Let me take you home, love” Sevika murmured, finally letting go, even though she didn't want to, you instantly felt an emptiness, why did being in her arms feel so good?

The drive to your house was silent, neither of you said anything, you didn't know what to say or how to break the silence, and Sevika didn't seem to mind.

When you arrived at your house Sevika opened the door for you and brought down your groceries, making sure you got in the house.

“Thank you” You said softly, standing at the front door entrance, Sevika nodded slightly, before she could make the eagerness to turn around you spoke, '“My invitation still stands, just think about it, yeah?…There is no one else I would like to spend Christmas with” You admitted softly, giving sevika a small smile, you knew you were too direct, but at that moment you couldn't care less.

Sevika's eyes seemed to sparkle, she hesitated for a moment before she nodded slightly, you didn't know if she accepted or just simply gave in, but you didn't have the courage to ask.

At that moment you just watched Sevika leave in silence, getting into her truck without another word and disappearing down the snowy road.

Deep down and even if you didn't dare to admit it quietly, you hoped that Sevika would accept, that the next day she would show up at your door, you really wanted it.

Christmas Eve came, you spent the whole afternoon cooking all kinds of dishes, you didn't even know if Sevika would appear, but something deep inside you wanted to believe it, you desired to believe it.

The sky slowly began to darken, your house was illuminated by the Christmas lights that Sevika had hung.

After hours in the kitchen you finally finished, looking at the table in front of you with satisfaction, there was food, cookies and so on, you tried to recreate all those dishes you had eaten in your childhood.

The doorbell rang and you practically jumped in your place, you stood there for a moment, thinking you had imagined that sound.

But after a few seconds you moved quickly to the door, fixing your clothes and your hair lightly.

You couldn't help but feel anxious, your heart was pounding too hard and your head was racing too fast.

The moment you opened the door your heart stopped, Sevika was standing in front of you, looking spectacular, in her hands was a bouquet of flowers and a gift bag.

“Hi, love” Sevika's voice was soft and sweet, you couldn't even say a word, to say you were gawking was an understatement, all you could do was invite her in, moving to the side and opening the door for her.

Sevika smiled lightly, stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

“I brought you this” Sevika said softly, extending the bouquet and gift bag to you.

You blinked a couple of times before taking both, but before sevika said anything else you walked over to her, wrapping her in your arms gently.

“Thanks for coming, sev” You murmured softly, feeling your cheeks redden.

Almost instantly sevika's arms were around your body, wrapping you gently, careful not to crush the flowers or the gift.

“Thank you for inviting me, love” Sevika replied sweetly, leaving a small kiss on your forehead.

To say you were happy was an understatement, you felt like an excited little girl at Christmas, you had spent all afternoon preparing a beautiful dinner and now Sevika was there to enjoy it, you couldn't ask for more.

After a few seconds you separated from Sevika, taking the gift and the flowers with one hand while with the other you took Sevika's hand, leading her towards the dining room.

Sevika couldn't help but smile at seeing you so excited, she didn't hesitate for a second to follow you, her eyes widening in wonder at the sight of all the food on the table.

That table looked like something out of a magazine, there was all kinds of food, desserts, sevika couldn't even recognize half of the dishes there, she just knew it looked delicious.

“I spent the whole afternoon cooking, I don't know what you like so I prepared many things…” You explained with a small smile, while looking at the table full of food.

“Everything looks delicious love” Sevika replied instantly, giving you the sweetest smile you had ever seen on her.

Almost instantly your cheeks reddened, you couldn't hide the smile on your face nor your happiness, everything felt like a movie.

After sevika admired the food you invited her to sit down, it was already dinner time and you were excited for her to try every dish.

The moment sevika put a spoonful of food in her mouth her eyes practically sparkled, a low humming moan came out of her mouth, showing you that she definitely liked it.

“This is delicious, my goodness” Sevika said with a smile, shoving bite after bite into her mouth.

You couldn't hide your happiness, you made her try all the dishes and left the desserts for the end, even though sevika seemed to be completely full, she didn't refuse to try any of your dishes, telling you how good each one was over and over again.

When you both finished dinner you decided to go to the living room to watch a Christmas movie, sevika hated them, but she didn't have the heart to tell you so she just nodded and sat with you on the couch, trying not to roll her eyes at every ridiculously romantic scene.

Without even noticing it, as the movie went on you and sevika ended up snuggled up next to each other, sevika's arm that was initially on the couch behind you, was now on your shoulders, tracing patterns on your arm gently.

You didn't hesitate to snuggle up next to her, until you were leaning against her side, feeling the warmth of her body sheltering you from the cold.

That position was the most comfortable, it felt so familiar and so real, your head couldn't think of anything else but Sevika and how good it felt to be this close to her.

At one point sevika's gaze wasn't even on the movie anymore, but on your face, staring at you and noticing every expression on your face, from your smiles to the pink color that appeared on your cheeks when the main characters kissed, sevika could only think about you and didn't want to think about anything else.

While you were watching the movie you were eating the cookies you had prepared, which sevika complimented a dozen times, saying that you had a lot of talent for baking.

Sevika's gaze fell on you when you took a last bite of your cookie and after a few seconds a smile appeared on her face, noticing that you had some icing on the corner of your lips.

You couldn't help but be surprised when sevika gently took your chin without saying a word, her gaze was fixed on your lips and you swore you couldn't be redder.

Sevika's thumb carefully ran over the corner of your lips, wiping away the icing that was there, you immediately felt embarrassed, feeling stupid for believing that Sevika was looking at you with other intentions, for imagining how good her lips would feel on yours.

Sevika seemed to notice the blush on your cheeks and her mouth curved into a slight smile, without another word her hand moved from your chin to your cheek, her hand caressing lightly.

You felt like your heart was pounding out of your chest, your eyes practically glowed at the sight of Sevika and she clearly noticed it, as her eyes glowed the same way as she connected her gaze with yours.

You both stayed like that for a few seconds, your faces so close that sevika could see every detail of your face, a gleam ran through her eyes and without another word her lips met yours.

Her lips felt like heaven on yours, they were firm yet so gentle, loving was the only word that came to your mind.

You instantly kissed her back, bringing your hand to her neck and pulling her closer.

Sevika felt like she could melt under your touch, your lips were the sweetest thing she had ever tasted, she could feel the sweet taste of your cookies and the strawberry flavor of your lipstick, it was the best combination she had ever tasted, the softness and sweetness with which you kissed her made her feel butterflies as if she was a teenager.

She didn't know how long you spent kissing until you had to pull away for air, sevika reluctantly pulled away, her hand still on your cheek, holding you gently.

The moment sevika saw your face a smile spread across her face, you looked absolutely beautiful, your lips slightly puffy and your cheeks flushed, your eyes shining with love, it was the best sight.

“You look absolutely gorgeous” Sevika admitted without thinking, her thumb caressing your cheek and feeling her heart melt as you leaned into her touch.

Your hand went to sevika's on your cheek, holding it sweetly as your eyes closed for a second, enjoying the warmth of her touch.

When your eyes opened your gaze was fixed on sevika, roaming over every detail of her face, her lips, her shining eyes, every little scar on her face.

“You're staring, love” sevika murmured softly, her lips curving into a small smile.

“I know” You replied without looking away, instead you moved closer, leaving another soft kiss on her lips, which sevika responded to instantly.

“I love you” You said softly as you broke away from the kiss, sevika's hand stopped on your cheek, looking at you in disbelief for a second, those words felt a thousand times more powerful coming from you.

Sevika pressed her lips to yours again, this time in a sweet and gentle way, before pulling you into an embrace, holding you against her chest.

“I love you… More than you can imagine” Sevika murmured softly, leaving a kiss on your forehead.

At that moment you felt your heart melt, you could hear the beating of her heart and feel the warmth of her body, at that moment you knew you didn't need anything else, this was all you had wished for.

That night was beautiful, you could only call it a lovely Christmas.

a/n: All I can say is that I love this!!! I think I got a little excited and made it too long but I really love this, I know it's very cliché but that's literally the point! I hope you liked it and remember that reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated, have a merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas, love u, xoxo.

[dreamywriter143]

Breathtaking

Status: Oneshot?

Parings: Neteyam x Human Reader

Genre/Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Romance, Mentions of Violence, Some blood, Jealousy.

Summary: Y/n grew up with Spider. She played with him, fought with him, ate with him and slept with him. There is nothing they couldn’t do together….well, one thing. And that is leaving the base at any costs. Now, what will happen when Y/n does leave the base? Why had she been trapped in the base for so long? And why did a certain Na’vi take her breath away?

Word Count: 6k (Uh.....sorry😭)

A/N: Ok, I said I’d have my followers special out by now but everything is all over the place. I’m sorry😭😭 This is my first xHumanReader so please enjoy! I’m so sorry for the delay!

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“Then this huge viperwolf jumped on me! I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes until Lo’ak saved my ass” Spider chuckles nervously at the memory.

Currently he is seated in the medical wing as his arm is getting patched up. The gash wasn't too big, but deep enough to sting in pain.

 Y/n frowns at his words, being mindful not to apply too much pressure as she wrapped the gauze around the wound carefully across his bicep. Y/n bites her lips at the stinging pain of worry strikes through her.

“You should be more careful Spider. You cannot be reckless all the time, you cannot expect Lo’ak to always have your back either” Y/n says softly, her eyes wandering over the tiny scratches over his body in worry. Spider scoffs out loud, rolling his eyes at her words. 

“You worry too much Y/n, You don't even know Lo’ak, we have each other's backs” Spider assures, making Y/n sigh out loud. She holds the urge to nudge against his wound out of spite.

“Because I don't know him”

For as long as Y/n had known she had always been in the cold confines of base camp, what she knew to be her home. The only thing she had known truthfully. 

Y/n was born shortly after the war, her father was unknown, but her mother who was a well known medical officer of the team, sadly passed upon her birth. She grew up following Norm and Max around the lab, as they were the only people she felt any sort of connection to. They knew her mother well and raised her alongside Spider, who also couldn't be transported back to Earth due to being so young. 

Though Spider was younger then her by a bit, Y/n always trailed behind him within the lab. She had no other females around her age, it was natural to grow incredibly close to Spider over the years. 

“Well, you should. Next time I'll introduce you! He'd love you, come with me next time I go out” Spider says nonchalantly, not taking notice how Y/n’s shoulders slumped at his words.

 

“Ha Ha , very funny Spider” Y/n spits bitterly, tying up the bandage before turning around and leaving him for the tiny sink where she washed her hands begrudgingly. 

“O-oh,shit, I'm sorry Y/n…I didn't mean to sound…it came out wrong..” Spider apologizes, hopping down from the medical table to walk up to her. Y/n focuses on scrubbing her hands so she couldn't focus on the sadness bubbling within her. 

Y/n grew up alongside Spider, they ate together, played together and slept together while growing up. But Y/n…was different. 

For as long as she could remember, she had never set one foot outside the compound. Y/n even had her quarters on the farside of the base, as if they didn't want her near the entrance at any costs. That's why when Spider would sneak into her room to accompany her, she felt less lonely.

Over the years Y/n grew but not as tall as Spider. Spider was a hunk compared to her much tinier and delicate figure. Y/n always worked out within the base to increase her strength and endurance but she gave that up years ago when she came to the conclusion she would never be able to see the world outside the cold gates. 

Y/n always wondered why she was deprived of something Spider was allowed to do so freely, she would always boil with envy when she walked Spider as close to the gate as Norm would allow her. 

Watching him run off to his freedom only made her mental resolve crumble that much more. It didn't help when Spider would go on and on about his adventures. Y/n would always aggressively chew her food to drown out his words during communal dinners. 

Y/n had learned to tune out his words from time to time, but how can she when he was living what she dreamt about day in and day out?

When she questioned Norm and Max why she couldn't leave, they would claim it's because she is too delicate, that there are toxins and dangerous creatures out there her body could not handle and Spider could because he left the compound at such an early age.

Y/n chalked it up to something deeper they are not telling her, based on the constant blood tests and X-rays they conducted on her for ‘check ups’ when she never even stepped outside the facility. 

She never did question them too much on the tests, why would she? They wanted what was best for her, and she had no place to argue. Maybe she was, as they claimed, ‘delicate’. 

When they compared Y/n’s stature and physical maturity against Spider, they claimed it was for her safety that she didn't leave. That she wouldn’t be able to defend herself and that her body is more delicate than others. She was the only girl her age, the only young human girl in Pandora and they didn’t want to take a chance. 

Y/n always kicked herself for being room ridden in her early years that led her to not get used to the outside world. Always drinking in logs of her mother and Grace Augustine. She also convinced Max if she could see Jake Sully’s logs, which she was grateful for. The current Olo’eyktan, was a human like her. And now he is living his truth amongst his people out there. 

“It's fine, I'm not bothered by it anymore” Y/n says harshly, spinning around as Spider grabs her shoulders. He looks down at her apologetically.

“No, it's on me. I shouldn't even be telling you about my day when you….” he trails off frowning.

“No! No, it's fine Spider. I love listening to your adventures. Honestly. It's my form of entertainment and I love watching you happy” Y/n says smiling up at the taller boy.

Despite this Y/n always tried to stay positive, always helping around with research, helping maneuver samples and making sure the tanks are full for the exo packs they would take outside for excursions and for Spider’s constant usage. Y/n tried to be as helpful as possible, all to divert her attention from the void she felt deep within.

Her free time always consisted of watching logs, watching how her mother spoke about the Na’vi with excitement. Her mother had helped the clan recuperate after the war, helping alongside Mo’at with the injured. Y/n’s mother had even gotten close with Neytiri, the wife of Jake Sully. Her mother was also involved in Neytiri’s firstborn’s delivery. 

Y/n watched in amazement everytime memorizing how her mother spoke fondly about the world, the beauty that basked her in awe all the time. Y/n couldn't help but desire that as well. Fantasize about going out, running across the forest floor with no limits or the chance of running into a cold wall. She craved freedom. Craved adventure. Something more. Something beyond her personal prison. 

“Y/n! There you are!” Norm peeks into the medical wing, his hand gripping a tablet as he eyes Spiders wrapped arm in worry. Spider shows a thumbs up to clear his concern as he turns his attention back to Y/n.

“Can you double check on the exo-pack’s when you have time? The filters need to be cleaned and the power supply pack needs to be changed. Think you can do that for me?” He asks, offering a tiny pleading smile. Y/n forces down her pent up sadness and manages a tiny nod.

“Max told me to check them earlier. I just have a few left” She explains to which Norm sighs out in relief. “Good, did you fix pack #8? That one was almost busted the last time I saw it” Y/n waves him off, she wasn't in the mood to go back to recharding and cleaning the exo-packs, the very thing they needed to survive the outside world. The very thing she wishes she had the opportunity to use. 

“Yes, no worries. I’ll get them done!” Y/n reassures as Norm nods once more before ducking down to head for the laboratory. Y/n sighs out once he is out of earshot. She turns to Spider who had been quite the entire time. 

“Ok...wanna have dinner together?’ Spider asks, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen over her face behind her ear. Y/n smiles at Spider, her dear friend she grew up to love and cherish as a brother. 

“I’d love that, my room or yours?” Y/n asks, taking his larger hand into hers as she tugs him towards the kitchen.

“Yours, you have a more comfortable bed”

~~~~~~

“I’m off!” Spider calls out quickly grabbing an exo pack and securing it tightly against his face. Hearing his declaration and watching him walk towards the exit, Y/n scurries to his side, glancing at the watch on her wrist as she frowns deeply. 

“Are you insane! It's already nightfall!!” She hisses. She rolls her eyes noting how Norm and Max didn't seem bothered by the fact that Spider wanted to go out again, and this late into the day, the sun had already set a while ago which meant the dangers of the night would be out on the prowl. 

“So what? Kiri wanted to show me some cool bioluminescent plants. We can only see them when the sun has set anyways” Spider shrugs, tightening the pack against his back. Y/n bites her lips furiously, her nostrils flaring in a mix of anger and worry for the boy. 

“Spider, seriously? It's only been 3 days, and your wound hasn't fully healed yet. What if you run into trouble?” She rants, trying to stand in Spider’s way crossing her arms in frustration. Spider sighs out loud, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance. 

“We won't be going too far out and I have this-” He gestures to the bow slung across his chest. Y/n raises an eyebrow, glancing at his injured arm as if to answer his statement . He playfully rolls his eyes, sidestepping her and quickly walking past her. 

“I’ll be fine Y/n, quit worrying!” He calls back, walking towards the entrance with determination. Y/n sighs out realizing she wouldn't hear the end of it if she took another step closer to the entrance especially since Norm and Max were in her line of vision. She throws her hands up in annoyance, turning to Max who simply offers a tiny smile. 

“Seriously? You're allowing this?” Y/n asks her cheeks flushed in worry. 

At this point Y/n didn't know what egged her to react in such a way. Was it a worry for Spider’s safety? Was it anger towards the ‘adults’ in the lab that allowed him to venture out so late? Or the more likely option, was it jealousy? Jealous over the fact that Spider could go out, and she can't. 

“Relax Y/n, it's not the end of the world. Let the boy live a little” Max says teasingly which caused the tiny girl to fume. 

‘Then, why can I live a little?’

Hearing the entrance lock from a few feet behind her Y/n whips around to leave the lab, intending on going to her room to watch her mother logs. Watching her mothers calming logs always helped calm her down. 

“Wait! Y/n?!” Norm calls from his seat, causing the girl to stop right outside the door. She glances back, her eyes cold and unwavering.

“Yes?” she asks in a monotone, not feeling in the mood to listen to what he had to say. “Did you check the exo-packs like I asked the other day?” He asks, not noting how Y/n looked ready to kill at this point. 

“Of course, now if you’ll excuse me. I have to go to my room” Y/n easily lies before marching out of the lab. Max glances at Norm who had a questioning look on his face. 

“The rebellious stage?” Norm asks, tapping his pen against his lips 

“I'd say more like just fluctuating hormones?” Max offers, glancing back at where she had stormed off to.

“Thank god I don't have children of my own”

 

“Norm….Y/n and Spider are practically our children…”

~~~~~

“No”

Y/n’s hands scurry over the hanger, rechecking the packs in her arms, her heart beating a mile per minute.

“No, no no no, where are you?” Y/n whispers to herself, her eyes jumping around as if it would magically appear in front of her.

 

After gloating in her room for half an hour Y/n decided to finally finish up her duty to clean and recharge the exo packs. She had been rather lazy the past few days, lazy to the point she kept putting off the chore entirely. 

The moment she arrived back to the lab it was empty, everyone must have left for their quarters or for dinner, a perfect time to quickly finish her work and be on her way to her room again. But unfortunately for her, life wasn't going to be that easy. 

She remembered leaving a few packs to do later, but one was missing. The very same pack Norm had emphasized on, the defective and nearly beaten up exo pack. #8. 

She looked around aimlessly, double checking the logbook to see if anyone had mistakenly taken the pack out. But she knew no one would be out this late. And if things couldn't get any worse, there were no loose packs lying around. No one would have mistakenly placed it anywhere. And the recycling system didn't have it either so no one decided on throwing out the defective pack. 

Which only left one, bone chilling conclusion.

 

“Shit…Spider” 

Y/n looks at the entrance a few feet away. Before the entrance seemed to shine, it seemed to always glow in her eyes. But right now, it looked menacing, scary even. It was the very same door Spider had run out of not too long ago, wearing the defective mask. 

Y/n feels sweat drip down her forehead, her eyes widening in fear. Due to her laziness, her foolishness. Spider was going to die. And all because of her. 

The exo packs would be good for a few hours even if they are near to running out of power, or even if the filter needed to be changed. But Y/n knew about that mask, #8 was defective. That mask should have been discarded weeks ago. And she knew Spider didn't have hours, he had minutes left. 

“What have I done? '' Y/n shakily covers her mouth, covering up her sobs as she feels the weight of her mistake weigh down on her. She couldn't seem to form a coherent thought  as she sobs out of sheer pain and guilt that shook her body. 

Just as her sobs die down she glances at the entrance one more time, before mindlessly grabbing two exo packs. She slings one across her arms carefully while placing the other one over her face, securing the mask snugly and slinging her arms through the power pack. She held the extra pack close to her, taking tentative steps towards the entrance. The closer she got, the faster her heart rang against her chest.

She knew Norm and Max would be devastated if they found out Spider was in danger , or worse dead because of Y/n. And she couldn't, wouldn’t live with his blood on her hands. She nears the entrance, her hands shakily reaching out to firmly grasp the cold handle. 

She didn't know how, she didn't know if she had the ability. But she would rather die trying than sit in the lab waiting for the inevitable.

She was determined to find Spider. Wherever he may be.

 

Glancing back at the empty lab once more she turns her exo pack on, taking in a deep breath. The hum of the power supply working flawlessly vibrates against her back comfortably. 

Locking the airlock she opens the door, shutting it behind her with force as she runs into the unknown forest ahead. 

Not sparing a glance back at her so-called; prison. 

~~~~~~~~

Y/n had been wandering around aimlessly as her feet carried her deeper and deeper into the forest. She didn't have the time to bask in the beauty of the forest she had desired for long as her worry and fear for Spider clouded her vision. 

Her eyes darted around, the bioluminescent plants aiding her in her quest through the dense forest filled with twigs and foliage that crushed under her hurried steps. 

“S-shit” 

Y/n comes to a stop in a clearing, resting her hand against the tree beside her to catch her breath. She had never run so far, and for such a long duration in her entire life. She felt her legs tremble under form as if it couldn't hold her upper body weight any longer. Her breaths came out in gasps occasionally fogging up her face plate. 

At the rate she was going she didn't know if she had a chance to even find Spider. Feeling all the adrenaline drain from her body, she slumps against the large tree, sliding down to sit on the cold forest floor beneath. Her eyes trail over the beauty as she tries to regulate her breathing, her eyes glimmering with  mild excitement. 

For a moment, she forgot that Spider was in danger. 

For a moment, she felt like she was dreaming. 

Her fingers clutch the leaves underneath her, they felt so soft yet rough at the same time, her eyes catching the various plants that glow and glimmer in the dead of the night. It was an indescribable beauty. Y/n found herself realizing  her mother had not done justice when describing the beauty of Pandora in her logs. 

Pandora was not simply beautiful; It was breathtaking.

 

Y/n smiles softly to herself, her eyes taking in the beauty of the night. She couldn't imagine how it would look during the day. What she would do to stay out and wait it out till day break. 

Her thoughts are cut short when she notices a small glittering thing float down to her from high above the treeline. She watches curiously, her legs regaining some strength as she shakily stands up, her grip on the extra exo pack for Spider secure. She stands to her full fight as if to meet the floating object halfway. 

A surprised gasp leaves her lips as realizes the beautiful being was floating down to her, her face flashing with recognition. The seed came mere inches away from her face.

Y/n shakily lifts her free arm towards it, facing her palm up. Staying perfectly still. The pure spirit hoes on to land on her palm swiftly, as if it intended on landing on her hand in the first place. Y/n giggles softly feeling the tiny tendrils tickle against her bare skin. 

“You're a Atokirina” (Woodsprite) Y/n whispers out quietly,  as if weary of scaring the delicate being. She watches how the seed stays on her hand, fluttering occasionally but staying put. What a beautiful sight, she felt her heart soar.

Y/n had learned a lot through her many ‘lessons’, from Norm and the logs. About the importance of a woodsprite and its meaning. She had also learned they were pure spirits and considered scared. Y/n bites her lips softly as a thought crosses her mind. Taking a moment to contemplate her question she takes a deep breath.

 

“I've lost a dear friend of mine…Spider, will you help me find him?” Y/n whispers, feeling silly for asking a favor out loud. She watches how the seed flutters at her request, floating up at her words. Taking this as a sign, Y/n pushes her wobbly legs to follow the floating woodsprite across the clearing and near a patch of bushes. 

She comes to a halt noticing how the woodsprite started to float upwards, floating further and further away. She tilts her head in question. Did it want her to continue on straight? Straight through and deeper into the forest? 

Y/n glances back at the bush in front of her, her eyes catch the slight movement between the leaves. Her heart jumps at the movement. Was it Spider? Was he in the bushes? 

Feeling like she had no other option she slowly comes closer towards the bush, watching the rustling increase the closer it got. She couldn’t help but feel fear ping inside of her as she came closer, her feet practically tip toeing against the forest floor. 

‘If it was Spider, why hasn't he come out yet?’ 

Gulping loudly she reaches out her free hand to move the leaves for a better view but within a blink of eye she is harshly pushed down to the ground. 

The extra pack flies away at the impact of her landing harshly against the forest floor, her back pressed down by a heavy weight. The deep growl makes Y/n’s  blood run cold. 

Her eyes widen in unbridled fear as she stares into the eyes of an angry viperwolf. Out of fear she trashes against the beast, screaming in fear which only agitated the creature who snaps its fangs at her. 

Tears pool along her irises as her body gives in, to warn out to fully fight back. She feels the creature get closer to her face, the warning growls disappearing as its eyes square down into her smaller form. 

She scrunched her eyes shut, waiting for it all to end in a second. 

Spider was right, your life does flash before your eyes. And all Y/n saw was her sad self, staring at her own reflection with no purpose. An empty shell of herself. No goals, no ambitions. Nothing. All because she was denied such freedom. 

Y/n feels her body relax. Maybe this was what she needed? Maybe this was meant to be? 

She silently prays when all of the sudden the weight is lifted off of her. 

Her eyes snapped open as she scurried to sit up. Y/n eyes widen in shock, her jaw going slacked as she watches the viperwolf snap defensively against her saviour. 

She drinks in the sight of a Na’vi male, and not just any male. A really tall Navi, his broad back facing her as he wrestled against the viperwolf. She catches a glint of a knife that was lodged into the creature as it whines in pain. 

Y/n had never seen a Na’vi up close before, sure she had scanned over files and pictures. She even got to interact with some of the avatars. But this. This was new. This was a true Na’vi. And he had saved her.

Y/n crawls over to the abandoned exo pack that had gone flying when she was thrown to the ground, making sure it wasn't damaged as she looks it over. Sighing in relief, she glances over at  the Na’vi as he looms over the now dead viperwolf, whispering something in their native language as he pulls out the knife. Cleaning it if it’s blood.

“T-thank you” 

Y/n whispers, taking tiny straps to get a bit closer to the now crouched male. At the sound of her voice he visually stiffens, his grip on the knife tightening as he sheaths back into its casing across his belt 

Not receiving a response Y/n clears her throat, she wanted to wipe her face of the tears that had slipped past her eyes at her near death experience. But the mask proved to be a barrier at the moment. 

“Thank you for saving me” Y/n tries again. This time she takes a cautious step back when the male whips around, standing up immediately to his full height towering over her. Y/n craned her neck to get a glimpse of his face, her breath hitched upon taking in his features. 

He must have been the most beautiful, handsome Na’vi Y/n had ever seen. The markings and stripes along his face displayed beautifully, his yellow eyes shining bright as they pierced into her soul, his locks braided neatly and laying past his shoulders. Decorated with beads and pearls. 

And his lips, so nicely shaped and perfect, Y/n found herself getting lost in them. But from the looks of it, he wasn’t smiling at her. No. He was frowning, his eyes burning with what looked to be anger. 

“Thank??” He growls slowly, pointing his index finger towards Y/n in accusation. His English accent thick. 

“You thank?? For this?!” He hisses, his ears flattened against his head. Y/n flinches at his tone, looking over at the viperwolf that attacked her earlier. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she realized he had killed a creature, a native creature for her. 

“I’m sorry…I-”

Y/n looks back at the handsome stranger, noting how his shoulders relax a bit at her apology. 

(A/N: The rest of the dialogue is in Navi)

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get in the way. Create a…conflict” Y/n says in Na’vi. Though it was broken and missing some words, the male seems to relax fully once she speaks to him his mother tongue. 

Once she had grown interested in the Na’vi culture Y/n had made Norm’s life a living hell until he taught her how to speak. She could understand almost everything after many years of practice, it was her speaking that needed improvement, 

“Why did you save me?” She asks, her voice shaky from the event that had unfolded. The male grunts at her question, choosing to look anywhere else but her. His tail twitches under her stare. 

“Because Ewya seems to have chosen you…for what. I don’t know”  he explained. Y/n eyes widen at his words. Had he been watching her the entire time? From the moment she walked into the clearing? And she hasn't known of his presence? He must be a warrior, judging by his stature, his precision and skills. 

“I’m truly sorry, it was foolish of me to provoke him…” She wipers apologetically. The male's eyes twitch upwards, taking in her world. 

The male shuffles a little, the storm behind his eyes seems to calm down at her words. He seems to contemplate something before looking over to her, his expression much more relaxed than before but still hard. 

“Where are you from?” he demands, but much softer than before. He looked stiff, ready to defend himself if need be, but the original hostility had dispersed once he saw the sincerity behind her apology, 

“I-I’m from the base camp, a good way away from here. I work with…Norm and Max?” Y/n explains, peering up at the giant. Y/n thought it best she use the names of her guardians who she knew were known amongst the Omatikaya. She used their names hoping for the male to calm down, and luckily it worked perfectly, 

The male's tail twitches at the names mentioned, a flash of recognition crossing his face. He lets out a grunt as he glances around the clearing.

“You shouldn’t be out here alone tawtute. I will escort you back so you may not cause anymore trouble. Is that clear?” (Human) The male says sternly, his eyes completely calm but filled with authority. Not waiting for her response he turns his back on her, taking two strides waiting for her to follow him. 

Y/n thought he was around her age, but his tone and choice of words, how he held himself made him seem older. That, or he was that of nobility. 

“I can’t!” She quickly objects.

 

The male halts his steps, peering over his shoulder with an unamused look on his face. He sighs out, 

“Why not tawtute. Do you want to die? It’s dangerous and you have nothing to defend yourself,” he warns. 

“My friend….My friend is in danger, I’m looking for him” Y/n holds the extra pack up as his eyes trace over the human invention. His nose slightly scrunches at the sight but he waits for her to further explain. 

“He left with a defective exo pack, if I do not deliver this to him in time he will die.” She says stepping closer to him. The male stiffens at her close proximity, his heart rate quickens as his nostrils fill up with her scent,  which he chooses to ignore. 

“Another tawtute? In the forest? It’s really late in the night, he’s probably already dead” he states, his tone holding traces of sympathy. 

Y/n eyes widen at his words. Had she truly been late, it’s true it’s been a while since he had left, the exo pack couldn’t have malfunctioned at any time. Was it all for nothing?

“N-no! I can’t let that happen. He’s alive, I feel it-” Y/n places her hand over her heart for emphasis. “Spider, he can-“ 

“Spider?!” The male jolts at the familiar name. His eyes light up on high alert causing Y/n to be taken aback.

 

“Y-yes, Spider! Do you know him!” She confirms, taking a step closer to the Na’vi. The male glances back at the exo pack one more time before offering his large hand out for her. 

“Come” 

~~~~~~~

The male Navi pulls Y/n along with him as she walks quickly through the forest. Y/n desperately tried to keep up, her lungs burning at the sensation of her rapid pace. 

Y/n tried to get the male to give her some space, to let her run freely by his side as him pulling her seemed to pose a problem. But the only response she got were grunts of acknowledgement and nothing more, 

“C-can we slow down?”  Y/n asks, her chest heaving with every breath she tries to take. The male stops, turning towards her. His eyes burning with determination, his tail swishing behind me. 

“You tawtute are slow, weak. If you don’t hurry we won’t find him” the male hisses. Y/n realizes this male must be one of Spider’s friends. He recognized him the moment she mentioned him, and the urgency in his actions proved he cared for him. 

“I’ll try to keep up. Can I please walk on my own?” Y/n pleads, the arm that had been tugged at for the past few minutes throbbing with pain. 

The male scoffs, the tiniest smile playing along his lips. “Fine, do what you want tawtute, but move with haste” the male turns around taking a few steps but much slower this time to accommodate her speed. 

“I have a name!” Y/n huffs out.

 

“Oh? What might that be?” There is a small trace of amusement in his tone as he keeps walking forward. Y/n glances down at her footing. Being mindful where she placed her feet on the huge branch as she didn’t want to fall. It wasn't a big drop, but it was big enough to break a bone or two. 

“Y/n. My name is Y/n” she wheezes out. The male hums at her response, satisfied that she answered to him so quickly, 

“Y/n…Mhm…” the male says her name causing Y/n’s steps to falter. The way her name rolled off his tongue, so elegantly it seemed to cause her heart to skip a beat. The deep baritone voice only made him sound that much more….attractive.

“What's your-”

Y/n was so lost in her thoughts she misplaced her next step. Y/n screams in fear feeling her leg slip from under her, she is able to see how the male Na’vi whips around to the sound of her scream, rushing to catch her in time but to no avail. Y/n’s fingers slip past his by a few mere centimeters as she tumbled towards the forest floor. She landed with a huge thump, landing on her face. 

“Y/n!”

Y/n groans in pain, struggling to sit back up. Luckily nothing felt broken, but her entire body screamed in protest as aches and pain took over her body. She held her breath to calm her racing heart. Just as Y/n tries to stand up, the male jumps down to her side. He crouches down to her level assessing her for any injuries with a worried look. 

“Woah, that was a scare! Talk abou-hmpfhghaa?”

 

Y/n’s words get caught off as the males' large hands cover her mouth. Y/n eyes widen at the action, her face heating up at the feeling of his warm hand over her mouth. His hand was big enough to cover her entire face if he wanted to. But all she could focus on was the way his body heat radiated off of  his soft hand.

‘He feels so warm…..wait…warm?’ 

Y/n feels her heart drop to her stomach realizing why she felt his hand press firmly against her mouth. 

Her mask had broken clean off. Her face was fully bare.

 

If it weren't  for his hand she would have inhaled the toxic air. Dying in an instant.

“Mhdgjpfff!” 

The male's expression is filled with worry, his eyes dancing around for the extra pack she had with her for Spider. Unable to find it near them he growls in frustration. It might have slipped from Y/n’s fingers when she had fallen. Such luck. 

“Can you hold your breath? Do you think you can hold your breath till the base Y/n? Forget Spider, let me carry you back to your base!” The male says urgently, his face showing emotions he didn’t show earlier. Y/n ignored how her heart rate accelerated at him saying her name so freely. 

Her eyes mist over realizing this was the end. She shakes her head, she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold it, and with the extra pack not in sight it was as if she was meant to perish. Like everything that has happened today, happened for a reason. 

The Na’vi shakes his head in denial, refusing to take no for an answer.

 

“No, there must be something. Another way” He glances at the sky, he would call his Ikran but the question still stands. Would she be able to hold her breath for that long? 

Y/n smiles at the male, her tiny fingers reaching up to grab his hand, trying to tug his hand free from his hold. . 

The male shakes his head, refusing to remove his hand. Y/n feels herself get light headed  from the lack of oxygen. If this is what fate had in store for her, she was willing to allow it.

 

Noticing how her eyes got droopy, the male pulled Y/n into him, having her head rest against his free arm while she sat against his lap. 

He looks down at her with sadness, his eyes staring into her e/c eyes realizing there was nothing he could do. He felt utterly useless. 

Y/n nods assuringly as she is finally able to pull away his hand. The male closed his eyes, he didn’t want to watch her in physical pain in her last few moments. A shaky sigh escaped his lips. Y/n looks up at the star's above, her eyes closing to a shut. 

Y/n thanks the gods above for letting her see the forest for the first time, and for meeting a Na’vi at the first try. In a way she got to experience everything she desired in the span of one day, and that made her happy. 

She takes a deep breath and……

Nothing happens. 

Her lungs fill in with the air around her as her eyes snap open. The male peeks his eyes open as well hearing her gasp in surprise, his  widened as he watches her able to breathe the air around her. His air. The air that was supposed to be…toxic. 

Y/n smiles wide, sitting up straighter. She can breathe fine, in fact the air seems lighter as it travels through her, better than oxygen! She could breathe Pandora air! Had the great mother spared her life?

“W-hat?!” Y/n sits up fully now, still within his grasp. The Na’vi’s eyes bore into her in shock and surprise as she wiggled what was left of her mask off her face. She adjusted her hair and moved it from face as she inhaled deeply. 

“I…I’m not dead!” She declares, turning to fully to face the male. She squeaks in surprise when she realizes how close their faces were from one another as she is practically resting over his lap. She shyly looks into his eyes, him staring back at her in awe. 

The male's eyes widen at her , fully taking in her beauty. He hadn't noticed her when he was blinded by anger, or when he began to worry over his friend Spider.  

Now that he had her in his arms, he realized he didn’t want to let her go. He was able to see everything, and up close. The mask that seemed to hide her beauty finally gone, showing him what he had missed. What he had been blind to see before.

“W-what’s your name?” Y/n asks, beginning to shy away from his intense stare up close. Maybe she looked silly with her messy hair and puffy eyes? 

The male breathes in, a genuine smile twitching along his lips.

“Neteyam,…my name is Neteyam”

 

And for the first time in forever, Neteyam felt completely breathless. 

___________________________________

A/N: I hope you guys enjoy! let me know what you think and if you'd like a Pt2?

[allwaswell16]

I'm so sorry, but for the first time in 5 years, I just don't have it in me to do an episode of Fanfictional this month. If possible, I'll be back with a new episode next month. But I do want to acknowledge the wonderful One Direction fics I read this month as well as some I revisited for comfort. Thank you so much to these amazing fic writers who have entertained me or given me some respite. For more new fics, check out this month's fic roundup here

- Louis / Harry -

🧡 Stand on Holy Ground (series) by @wishingforloushair

(E, 17k, religion kink) Louis comes back to confess again, and Harry has an idea of how Louis can show God his devotion. 

🧡 My Spiteful Ballerina by sweetkalachuchi / @neverforpickles

(M, 7k, omegaverse) Four times Harry wanted an explanation of Louis' hatred toward him, and one time Louis gives in, in Louis' fashion.

🧡 Die Without the Taste of You by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 6k, part 2 of Vampire Harry/Human Louis One Shots) the one where human Louis might push his vampire boyfriend a little too far, but it works out in the end

🧡 Ain't a Drop of Bad Blood by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 4k, part 3 of Vampire Harry/Human Louis One Shots) the one where human Louis is being haunted by a spirit, and he's reluctant to ask his vampire boyfriend for help

🧡 Alone and Back Again by LadyLondonderry / @londonfoginacup

(T, 4k, omegaverse) what does one do when a feral alpha shows up in town ready to be executed?

🧡 The Shadow by babyhoneyhslt / @babyhoneyheslt

(G, 666 words, dark Louis) Harry should've listened. He should've stayed inside.

- Rare Pairs -

🧡 That's Happiness To Me by @louislittletomlintum

(E, 24k, Zayn/Louis/Liam) Louis’ mind was whirring. He’d wanted to try and get with Liam tonight, but now a new, better idea was forming. Getting Liam with Zayn, if possible, would be something of a dream come true.

🧡 It’s a Craving Not a Crush by LetTheMusicMoveYou / @letthemusicmoveyou28

(E, 9k, Liam/Louis) the one where Liam and Louis are best bros who end up getting married so that Liam has the insurance he needs to go to rehab. Now that he’s sober, they can get divorced. But do they want to?

🧡 I'm the Big Fish by @lululawrence

(NR, 5k, Louis/Pedro Pascal) After an awkward moment at a party he wasn't actually invited to, Louis keeps running into the incredibly attractive Pedro Pascal. Somehow, it's Pedro who manages to keep making a fool of himself

🧡 Spirits by itsraininginengland / @ilovellama14

(E, 4k, Louis/Oscar Isaac) Edwardian music hall performer Louis Tomlinson meets the newest act in the show, the American magician Oscar Isaac. Romance, smut and a seance ensue.

🧡 Ci Ci Leu by @persephoneflouwers

(M, 3k, Louis & His Band) Written for the prompt «bread van fic reimagined with all the guys in Louis’ band».

🧡 Glitz, Glammer, Top Hats, Cigars and Suits by @rockstarlwt28

(NR, 3k, Louis/Dominic Harrison (Yungblud) When Isla found a love for the melody formed by a strumming of strings, Louis didn't expect to fall equally in love with his daughter’s guitar teacher, Dominic Harrison.

🧡 I regret you all the time by @disgruntledkittenface

(E, 2k, Louis/Prince William) Louis’ friends don’t understand, and they wouldn’t even if he explained. But every time William texts, Louis drops everything to go see him.

- For Comfort -

🧡 You're Not My Type (still I fall) by Imogenlee / @imogenleewriter

(M, 38k, omegaverse) This is just a bit of rain; it'll blow over. Then Harry will just... well, alright, he isn't entirely sure what to do when the rain stops because he'll still be stuck and lost. 

🧡  The Journal by 4ureyesonly28 / @evilovesyou, RecycledStardust / @wait4ever

(G, 14k, soulmates au) When Harry finds himself purchasing an antique journal in the ancient bookshop of a town he’s never heard of, he doesn’t exactly want to admit that he has no idea how he got there.

🧡 Just Your Jinx by @larryatendoftheday

(T, 10k, witch au) Harry Styles may or may not have accidentally jinxed his extremely fit new neighbor, and it's not so easy to make things right.

🧡 Court Wine by @enchantedlandcoffee , red_panda28 / @red-pandaaa

(T, 7k, omegaverse) after a misunderstanding during a scrabble game, Alpha Louis starts courting Omega Harry without the latter being aware of it.

🧡 Have Me And Hold Me by @letsjustsee

(NR, 5k, established relationship)  a wedding day AU in which Louis will let nothing stand in the way of a perfect day - especially a little rain.

🧡 Good-Old Fashioned Lover Boy by not_fitzwilliam / @not-fitzwilliam-darcy

(NR, 5k, omegaverse) When a miscalculated decision leads to an accidental courtship with the sweetest, most gentle alpha, Harry is torn between breaking the alpha's heart and telling the truth. 

🧡 Pretty and Preposterous by @brightlyharry

(NR, 5k, neighbors) Harry donates a copy of Pride and Prejudice to his little free library. He never expects what comes next.

🧡 Stealing Flowers by @lululawrence

(NR, 4k, meet cute) the one where Louis pines after the Sexy Stranger on the Subway and almost asks him out. That's when the strange posters start showing up around Brooklyn.

🧡 Choo-Choose Me by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(G, 3k, Liam/Louis) Liam is a commuter with a crush. Louis is the chirpy ticket inspector who occasionally mans the drinks trolley and sometimes makes announcements, his broad Yorkshire accent fighting the outdated train speakers.

[earlysunshines]

i don't know what you mean to me,

detective!jihyo x spiderwoman!reader (pt.2)

summary: jihyo completely ignores what the chief had told her not to do, she can't help it when it involves working with spiderwoman.

wc: 6k

warnings: cursing ; brief mention of a scar ; that's it i think ; lesbians flirting ; rushed proofreading

pt.1, pt. 3

a/n: this has been sitting in my docs for a while, tried to make it a bit exciting! I wasn't planning on making this a series, but here I am. enjoy!! hope it lives to your guys' expectations (T-T)

-

“how’s your job?” the chief asks, swirling the coffee in his cup.

“it’s good. they said they were impressed with my work.” you mumble against the cup of coffee before taking a careful sip, trying not to burn your tongue. 

“that’s good. you’ve always been so smart like your parents.” your uncle says, his eyes softening. you smile, though it’s a small, weak smile and your heart aches a bit at the thought of your parents.

would they be proud of you now? and your side ‘job?’

you had a cliche backstory for someone with powers, a "hero" backstory. life was great until middle school, your parents died around that time. you were also too smart for your own good; sure, it was a plus in school, but it was not a plus for your teenage social life. you had pretty comic-worthy trauma and yeah, it hurt to think about it here and there, made you ponder and sulk at the ungodly hours of the night, but it was a while ago and you learned how to cope. 

despite the emotional damage it caused, it definitely made you stronger, shaped you into who you are today, and is the reason you play "hero." bad experiences give you good lessons, that's what your mom had told you. your dad had told you something similar, something along the lines of "with great power, comes great responsibility," your dad always had a way with words.

the loud sound of a folder making contact with the wooden table is made so abruptly and you flinch a bit, looking up to see who had slammed it down so aggressively: park jihyo–the same person who had patched you up two weeks ago. 

the detective wore a stern expression on her face, something mixed with anger and worry as she furrowed her brows while also deepening her gaze on your uncle, eyes filled with a certain flame of authority. park slides the folder toward your uncle: the chief of the police department. 

chief l/n isn't the best guy to be related to when your part-time gig is swinging around the city as the person he's not too fond of. unlucky you.

“chief, this one is… just look.” jihyo sighs. your uncle's brows crease as he pulls the papers out from the orange, paper folder. jihyo continues to speak, “5 people dead, and fourteen severely injured.”

jihyo looks at you for a split second, and you look back at her. it's not the best time to start reminiscing, but theres a sudden memory of you that she recalls—the first time she met you. 

the first interaction she had with you was four months ago; the impression you had left on her was a great one—it really piqued her interest in you. it's really not time to start having flashbacks to when she had met her boss's niece, but here she is.

-

“jihyo, this is my niece y/n.” chief l/n had introduced, smiling and patting you on the back.

chief l/n had always forgotten to bring lunch, and your aunt hated that. your aunt turned you into a personal messenger, a cheap (not even, you got scammed) delivery woman, so you were forced to drop off lunch for your uncle, some type of udon soup thing with fishcakes scattered around in the thermos (you couldn't lie, it smelled good and you were a bit jealous that she hadn't made you any lunch the first time you started living with them and working on your own).

the first thing jihyo noticed was that you had the chief's brown eyes, and you two were similar in the way that you were taller than most – your uncle being 6’4 inches of pure muscle and strength, a whole tank for a chief and his build fit the role. jihyo had guessed you were around 5’8, you also seemed to have some muscle from what she could tell, a prominent build with broader shoulders and toned arms, you seemed rather fit and active. there were common similarities in physical features and body language; you two were definitely related. 

the detective had also noticed that you were particularly pleasing to look at.

your face looked like it had been sculpted to perfection: you had a strong, sharp jawline, and prominent cheekbones that rivaled even some models she had seen in the magazines at the local grocery store. your eyes were similar to your uncles, they had a softer look, though, and were noticeably striking. your lips were a dark peach color, beautiful and plump. every aspect and feature on your face was put together to construct such a captivating sight, it honestly shook jihyo up slightly.

“it’s nice to meet you y/n,” jihyo had greeted, “i never knew you had a niece, chief.”

“ah, well this little one-”

“i’m 24.” you sighed, furrowing your brows as your uncle chuckled playfully.

“whatever, whatever. you’re still very young,” the chief responds, “she landed a great internship at minatozaki industries, so she’s been staying at my place for the time being, probably a long time.” he adds proudly, hitting your back again and it makes you tense up a bit from the unintentional strength in the contact. your eyebrows crinkle and you wince—just for added effect.

“you’re a scientist?” jihyo questions,

“i’m a researcher for them.” you simply reply, “i journal and edit sometimes too, well—i've only written one article, actually.” you add with a shrug.

“that’s impressive,” jihyo says, and it really is because you’re a year younger than her and somehow you've landed an outstanding internship at one of the most thriving corporations in the city. you nod and end up transferring a bit more eye contact, which communicates a shared understanding and fondness between the two of you, there’s an exchanged interest. 

the eye contact breaks when a repeating buzz is heard from your phone,

“oh, i have to go,” you mumble, “it was nice meeting you jihyo, hope we can talk more." 

"me too, y/n," jihyo responds. you simply shoot another awkward grin.

"i’ll get going now. uncle, i’ll be home by six.” you finally add, waving while fixing the bag that slings across your body.

jihyo thinks you’re impressive.

-

“chief,”

“jihyo?” he says, still holding the paper of the report, but looking up at jihyo. the shorter woman sighs and bites the inside of her cheek,

“listen to me, just hear me out okay,” jihyo says. the chief focuses all his attention on the woman in front of him, all 5’3 inches of stubbornness and authority: his most outstanding employee, his favorite detective.

jihyo lets out a small breath.

“the suspect was reported to have been a lizard, chief. you think we can fight a man-sized, not even—it was bigger than a man, taller and bigger than you, apparently.” jihyo sighs, “i think we should find a way to contact spiderwoman-”

“absolutely not.” the chief says almost immediately, almost breaking the pen he had been holding in his hand. “i’m not letting that criminal ruin anything else.” he used the word criminal, it made your heart sink just a bit.

“chief, i don’t think you get it. this is a lizard. it’s something out of a comic, or movie. this isn’t some secret operation or regular thief, numerous officers were injured and people are dead l/n. one of the sergeants had lost his arm, and he barely made it.”

“what?” the chief voices in disbelief, his eyes widened. jihyo looks down at a spot at the coffee table,

“sergeant moon l/n. moon taeil, his arm…” jihyo trails off, looking down and biting the inside of her cheek. 

your uncle pauses for a moment, looking down at the paper in his hand with incredulity. he darts back up at the woman and leans back in his chair, staring at the desk still perplexed. his jaw tightens up again as he closes his eyes, letting out a stressed sigh whilst pinching the bridge of his nose.

“i don’t trust that spiderwoman at all, detective. i know she saved your life twice, and yes i'm glad she did, but you shouldn’t trust so easily.” he starts. you seem to be a bystander, they seem so invested and heated in this conversation. you listen carefully. 

“look, if you think about it: the lizard and that spider girl are the same, they have those special abilities. you might think ‘spider girl’ is good now, but she has the power to do as much harm as that lizard, and assumably more brains too. she could be extremely dangerous, what if we were to trust her? what if she takes advantage of us and boom, everything goes to shit.” the chief exaggerates the last part a bit, it takes both you and jihyo by surprise at how much emotion he uses as he expresses his distrust for spiderwoman. 

“you really think we can take that lizard?” jihyo questions, her eyebrows crease and the hand that held her up as she leaned on the table tightens its grip on the edge of it. you take a sip from the banana milk in your hand as you listen, impressed and surprised at how heated your uncle is about his distrust for your other identity.

“jihyo, i get where you’re coming from, but it’s just not safe. i don’t trust her, especially after that damn drug operation incident. i mean, how would she have known about that? she just showed up and fucked up our plan, she could fuck up more than that and we’re just lucky it happened to be a crime scene that she had ‘tackled.’ do you get what i’m saying, park?”

jihyo nods, but she doesn’t make eye contact with the head of the police.

“yeah, i get where you’re coming from,” jihyo responds, “just a suggestion.”

you sit there in silence and stare at your uncle, a bit bewildered that he hates you that much, imagine if he knew that spiderwoman had heard him talking so much shit about her—you kind of want to laugh, even if it's belittling. 

jihyo has this expression mixed with defeat and concern, it makes you frown. you don't like seeing jihyo so beat, especially because of your unwavering uncle. the chief of the police and you are close enough so that you can scold him playfully and talk to him like an adult, but this matter would leave you in an argument that you could never win. your uncle was stubborn and scary, even with you occasionally.

you wanted to talk to the detective as spiderwoman, you know she trusts you and you want to reassure her, it sucks to see her getting shut down like this. if it were just the two of you right now, you'd go on about how persistent and ridiculous your uncle is for shutting down this suggestion, you know you could work this out, but not now, not with chief l/n present.

“alright, i’ll get back to investigating this. let me know if you um, have any better suggestions that don’t involve her.” jihyo mumbles, voice getting smaller as she mutters the ‘her.’ 

before departing, detective park adds one more thing, “also, um, they’ve already planned to have a gathering of some sort for the victims, it was moon’s idea. i forgot to tell you, but it might be in your inbox." jihyo chokes out. "i’ll get going now.” 

detective park can deal with rejection, and detective park can deal with her tenacious boss.

jihyo looks at the chief for a bit before her gaze sets on you. eye contact is made and you shoot her a "sorry about that" smile, and she replies with an “it’s okay” smile. you’ve always had this way of communicating quietly, at least in front of your uncle—no words needed—even though you two had known each other for only a bit. 

detective park walks away with the papers she had taken back, her shoulders sink a little as she strolls out the door.

“that was kind of harsh.” you chide, almost glaring at your uncle with narrowed eyes.

“i just can’t stand that spiderwoman.” 

thanks, you almost reply.

 “i trust jihyo—don't get me wrong—she’s always been one with great ideas and plans, but this one… god that vigilante…” 

“she can’t be that bad, what if she’s just doing it because, i don’t know,” you’re trying to frame your response as best as you can because how does one who isn’t spiderwoman word her motives for doing what she does? they'd either have to know her personally, or be her. “maybe she just feels a sense of responsibility with her abilities.”

“or maybe she’s a threat to us.”

“well,” and you almost continue, but this is chief l/n.

you stop trying after that.

-

jihyo almost died right then and there from shock.

“hi.” spiderwoman had said so casually—too casually for someone who had appeared behind the marble counter in the center of jihyo’s dimmed kitchen area.

“you just love breaking the law do you?” jihyo says in a stable tone, though her heart had been beating a little too fast from your unannounced visit (she tries to excuse it with how you shocked her, but it might just be from being able to have your stupidly charming self in her home).

“you’re not the chief, and i know you love me. i'd like to call my ‘law breaking’ a friendly surprise.” you beam, moving so you can sit on the counter. detective park can tell you're grinning, even with that stupid mask on. jihyo sighs and sits on her beige couch. she leans into it with a small, exhausted groan. 

“what do you want? did you hurt yourself again?” the detective says with annoyance, but deep down there's some worry laced in the question—she’s also been wanting to see you again, especially after she had been rejected so harshly by her boss.

you shake your head. “no, just wanted to see my favorite worker in the police force.”

“yeah sure.” she groans, “how are your injuries?”

“aw, you care about me?” it comes out as almost a chuckle.

“never mind.” jihyo says, rolling her eyes playfully. a laugh leaves your lips and it’s a heartwarming moment, but it's strange to the both of you because you’re spiderwoman, a whole ‘criminal’ in jihyo’s apartment and you converse as if you’re two good friends. 

“my injuries have been healing well,” you begin, “they closed up three days after you patched me up, it’s like they weren’t even there—kinda,” you explain. maybe you were lying a bit, there was still that faint scar that most people get after getting cut (in this case, you were cut much more than the average person would've been). the detective sits up from her seat and looks at the vigilante wide-eyed, her brows furrowing, and eyes narrowing as she looks at you in disbelief.

“are you serious? let me see, there’s no way.”

“hey, woah woah, usually women would take me out to dinner before they undress me.” you tease, laughing to yourself and jihyo knows you have that stupid grin on your face—though, she’d be lying if she said she didn’t want to see it again.

jihyo crosses her arms then leans back into the beige couch, you’re unbelievable.

(her heart warms up a little, she's extremely intrigued.)

“what are you here for? there’s no way you broke into my apartment for no reason.” jihyo probes, and she says it with such authority that it kind of makes you nervous, her tone makes you tense—it's kind of hot.

“the lizard thing,” you mutter, “i wasn’t there in time to stop him from hurting all those people.”

there’s a sudden guilt that takes over—the whole mood of the room shifts slightly, but you compose yourself even as your jaw tenses. the floor suddenly looks a bit more appealing now because you’re doing anything to not look at the detective before you, feeling at fault.

“you can’t save all of them, i know how it feels.” jihyo mutters softly, her voice is deeply comforting and you fold a bit. “did you manage to do anything about that giant reptile?”

“no, but i think i know what it is, and how it, well… how it turned into that."

“what? i honestly thought it was a science experiment gone wrong, maybe some lizard accidentally drank something, i don't know, i'm not a scientist. i was actually going to ask the chief's niece since she’s a science genius, very smart.” jihyo shrugs. your mood is lifted again after being complimented, after hearing the words "science genius."

she thinks of your alter ego like that? well, technically spiderwoman is your alter ego, not that nerdy minatozaki industries employee. you hold back a snicker.

“you’re not one hundred percent wrong on the science experiment part, i guess.” 

“can you just get to the point?” jihyo groans.

“alright alright,” you make your way over to jihyo, standing slightly closer to the tired detective and leaning against the wall. “i’m this way because i’m technically a science experiment gone wrong, but at least i’m not a hideous monster. anyway, i got bit by this spider, it wasn’t a normal one, it was more of a science experiment that turned me into one.”

jihyo quirks a brow. “so you’re actually a spider?” 

“well, no detective.” you scoff, “do i look like i have eight legs? well if i were a guy maybe i’d have three-”

“i hate you.” jihyo complains, “so much.”

“sorry sorry, it was funny.” you joke (you have the humor of a thirteen-year-old). “anyway, that spider basically lets me shoot webs out of my wrists, climb walls, stick to things, a sixth sense? hmm, i think i'm missing something...oh! i can turn invisible too-”

“you can what?” jihyo says in utter disbelief. you just keep surprising her more and more with every word that escapes your mouth.

“i can turn invisible yeah yeah whatever, it's cool i guess—but that’s enough about me. what i'm trying to say is that i’m a science experiment gone right and that lizard is one that went wrong.”

“harsh," she murmurs, but she's entertained by your amusing little explanation, "but how so? how do you know you won't go wrong?” and now jihyo’s really interested in your little backstory.

“that's a harsh way to put it detective." you pout, but continue nonetheless. "well, i didn’t turn into a spider and i ended up with some fun little abilities. this guy must’ve gotten bitten by a lizard or something? i don’t know, but instead of getting some cool fun powers, he became the lizard. i’d be crying on the ground if i were a were-lizard, must suck.” you finally explain. jihyo giggles at your last little remark.

“so what do you think we can do? how does this help at all?” the detective’s head tilts, and you think to yourself, humming for added effect.

“it’s probably like a werewolf, just without the full moon. maybe it will turn back to normal again?"

“and what if it’s permanent?” jihyo adds. 

you shake your head, “a giant lizard can’t fit into many places without being noticed.” you respond, “i think if i can lure it or something, maybe even capture it with my webs—we can wait for it to change back: we can stop it from killing any others.”

jihyo nods and you both take a moment to consider. 

the detective’s face lights up as she figures out a plan, and she almost laughs thinking about how this is everything the chief had told her not to do. she didn’t care though, this was the best option, the most effective one (and she also just wanted an excuse to work with you more often).

“there’s going to be a ceremony soon for that incident, three days from now i think. i bet you that lizard is going to sabotage it.”

“elaborate,”

jihyo's brows crease again, “half the police force is going to be there, including some civilians. if i were a hungry, ugly, big reptile, i think'd target that for sure.”

“glad you’re not a reptile because who knows what you’re capable of.” and jihyo scoffs at your response. “you’d probably be a small reptile though.” you exaggerate that last remark by putting your hand out, pretending to compare your height with her; detective park narrows her eyes again, and you think she might consider turning you in soon.

“how can i let you know when to show up? what if you’re not there in time again?”

you shrug your shoulders. “i’ll be there. i have my ways.” 

“you’re so ominous it’s annoying.” park scoffs,

“just admit that you want to take me out on a date, i know you want to know more~ i mean personally, i’m up for it.” you smirk. "what about something simple, a coffee date? i'm a latte person-"

“i’ll take you out and turn you in soon,” she scoffs. you simply laugh at her response and make your way to the opened window to leave, much to jihyo’s disappointment (she kind of (really) enjoyed your stupid flirting and company).

“it’s a date then?” the tone of your voice is filled with hope, excitement, and wonder. your tone is extremely inviting. “maybe you can undress me after since you've seemed so eager,” you add with a chuckle. "i'm not against skipping to that part." 

jihyo is about to get up to actually chastise you, even if her cheeks are flushed and her heart skips a beat. she really can’t believe you’re putting the image of a naked spiderwoman in her head right now, she doesn’t even know who you are or what you look like under that suit and mask—except for the bottom half of your face—but fuck you're really making her want to.

you leave before she can do anything, or even respond.

-

“dear, you have to come, it’s respectful and i know you’re free today.”

how the hell are you supposed to swing in to save the day as spiderwoman at the ceremony when you’re also being forced to sit near the big, buff chief and his highest-ranking men?

as much as you’d like to argue, you really can’t win this argument because that would make you sound like a really big asshole for not attending a ceremony for the injured and dead. would you be a bigger asshole for not being able to save them at that same ceremony? you’ll figure it out (you hope).

you’re not able to win an argument with the 6’4 tall, incredibly built chief of police, you'd never be able to in this type of situation. 

now, you stand in front of the mirror buttoning up a white dress shirt to cover the little spider-shaped device that turns into a suit. the person in the mirror is looking at you with eyes that say “please don’t fuck this up” 

you stare back with a look that responds: “trying my best.”

how the hell are you going to be two people at the same time, same place, while being near the people who hate your guts? 

-

the venue is this random building a couple of minutes down the street from the police station.

various tables with white cloth surrounded by brown chairs are scattered across the room; there are already people dispersed across the room in their respective areas, chatting with each other. your uncle leaves your side and decides it’s okay to leave you in a place filled with strangers, great.

as you wander around the room some people seem to recognize you by the way they greet you so warmly. various people who you’ve seen once, or maybe twice greet you formally; you blame your uncle for why you’re being treated like someone with slight authority.

you’re finally alone about ten minutes later at the drink station and you fill your plastic cup with some iced lemon water. it’s a little less overwhelming in the mellow corner, away from the people who are a little too lively for the reason it’s even being held. 

“hey.” a voice says, and you flinch, spilling some water on the dress shirt you have on. jihyo stands there next to you after tapping on your shoulder and making you look like a fool. 

you pat down your shirt with the napkin on the table, “hi.” you respond, trying to sound a little leveled.

“did i scare you? sorry about the shirt, let me help.”

“just startled, haha.” you wish you could be as smooth as spiderwoman would in this interaction. jihyo helps you out by grabbing a napkin and patting at your chest, she’s literally patting near your boobs and your face is probably red from the way she does it so obliviously. spiderwoman would probably, no–she'd definitely be making a comment about jihyo wanting to be near your chest–something like that.

“so, how is everything so far?”

“it’s just really strange.” you sigh, finally patting down the button up dry, there’s just a big patch of water that hasn’t dried off yet. “i feel a little too respected.” 

jihyo laughs and you feel a smile tugging at your lips.

“well, if i didn’t know your uncle as personally as i do now–i’d probably be the same.” jihyo confesses. “your uncle can be scary.” and she exaggerates the last remark by widening her eyes and raising her brows slightly. you laugh.

“and if you didn’t know me personally?”

“well, i’d be a bit skeptical of how this tall, striking woman had spilled water all over her chest just from me tapping on her shoulder.” jihyo jokes. 

“you think i’m striking?” and you send her a grin. the grin sends a shiver down her spine and the detective pauses in her place as she watches the way your lips curl, almost identical to the vigilante's stupid grin. jihyo is a bit shaken up from the similarity and it takes her a bit to respond. 

“a little.” she admits. 

ever since you had met jihyo, something in that interaction sparked a casual friendship. a friendship that was so similar to one between people who had known each other in college, or maybe something close to that.

it always started with comforting, regular greetings, and there wasn't any awkward small talk. there was slight joking here and there, some teasing remarks, small ‘gossip’ about your uncle and anyone else that you two knew. it was a refreshing and friendly relationship that you had with jihyo—even some mutual attraction; in fact, you’re the reason jihyo had been hesitant to flirt with spiderwoman, she would be lying if she said she didn’t have a slight crush on you—though it could never work out—your uncle would kill her (probably).

“you know what my uncle said to me earlier? he’s a strange one.” 

“and what was it?”

“he told me to sock any guy that tried to ask me out, it’s so weird.” and it really is, because everyone here is present for the events that took place a couple of days ago. why would it be someone’s first instinct to ask out the niece of the chief?

jihyo laughs at your remark, shaking her head. “honestly, i’d listen to him. the guys in the force that are single can be pretty strange.”

you nod in agreement, “yeah… what was his name… mark? he asked me out with the worst pickup line i’ve ever heard. something like ‘usually coffee is the thing that wakes up my senses, you seem like you’d wake them up too.’ the laugh i had to hold back…” 

jihyo laughs upon hearing that very amusing information (which, she’ll likely use against her colleague). “he’s like that.” 

the conversation is cut short when you hear the noise of someone tapping against a microphone. a familiar voice is heard throughout the room, it’s one of the sergeants who had welcomed you so warmly: taeyong. the guy seemed young for his position, maybe 3-4 years older than you, all you knew was that he was young for someone so highly ranked.

he cleared his throat before speaking. “welcome everyone. we’d like to thank every guest for attending.” 

jihyo taps your shoulder and tilts her head to signal you to a table, just so you two can look like you’re listening. the two of you pull chairs out and sit at a small, round table that seems to be unoccupied. jihyo scans the room subtly, there was one thought that had been occupying her mind the entire time she had been in the venue: where is spiderwoman?

the detective knew that the lizard showing up wasn’t necessarily guaranteed, but she sort of wished it were. she wanted to see you, even if it meant a giant lizard barging in.

park jihyo should not be thinking of this. maybe the chief thought you could've been a bad influence, jihyo believes you might be a terrible one with how she's thinking right now.

-

taeyong had been finishing up his speech, that’s about the same time the low, goosebump-inducing rumble was heard and felt. 

the entire building trembled.

jihyo looks around frantically, this should be your cue to show up, this should be your time to swing in and piss off the officers.

this should be the time she gets to see you again. 

to be fair, you had shown up, just not as your little arachnid alter ego. just yourself, though jihyo didn’t know that. 

the building shudders again and overwhelms all your senses, and everyone in the room. goosebumps creep up your back, and your so-called “sixth sense” starts acting up.

all the guests who had been in the venue started to chatter quietly; hushed whispers and sudden panic filled the room. the building shakes again and everyone seems to get the message that this isn’t normal, that something is happening and the fact that they don’t know what the hell is happening disturbs them greatly. worry and fear start to crowd the room when a piece of the ceiling falls, it makes you instinctively scan the room—keeping your guard up.

“y/n,” jihyo mutters. she’s observing the space with her narrowed eyes, the other cops seem to overlook with caution too. “stay close.” 

“what’s going on?” you question, but you know the answer to your query as soon as another piece of the ceiling falls over and splits into pieces, leaving some dust. jihyo looks at you for a second, panic and worry in her eyes. all you can think is: i need to get out of this damn place.

taeyong turns around and as soon as he does the wall in front of him completely breaks down. the enormous (and really ugly) lizard invites itself in, emerging (more like barging and breaking in). taeyong falls back, no, he's practically flung away from where he was before; he lands with a blunt thud.

terror fills the room completely. jihyo’s eyes widen at the sight of taeyong on the floor, some blood seeping out of him as he lies there hardly conscious.

the guests scream and run towards the exits while the officers pull out their guns hurriedly and point them at the lizard in sight, their hands quiver and their bodies tremble in fear from just seeing this unbelievable monster. 

you gulp at the sight, it really is an enormous lizard, maybe ten feet tall. the lizard was an ugly, swamp-green shade, it’s really disgusting to look at and its eyes are something out of a nightmare–gross.

 the spider-shaped device under your button-up practically calls out your name, it’s almost screaming in your ear “press me! press me!” and as much as you’d like to listen to it so you could magically turn into a so-called “hero,” you can’t risk people knowing, especially not the cops that are scattered around. 

you’re hidden from a few cops, though it would definitely be noticeable if some random suit had been wrapping around you out of nowhere, someone would notice. despite the commotion that goes on and the panic that's heard from various screams and whimpers, someone would certainly notice the chief’s niece turning into the “friendly neighborhood spiderwoman!”

and that wouldn’t be good, especially if your uncle found out.

there are two options: run away with jihyo and let her find out about your little secret, or let people die. you don't have much time to think—or plan for that matter—maybe you can risk letting jihyo know, it’s about time. it’s your last resort anyway, 

shit.

a groan leaves your mouth and you scan the room impatiently—there are broken chairs, tables, and debris all over—you’re trying to think of how you’ll escape this very inconvenient situation. you spot the sign that says “restrooms” from the corner of your eye and quickly pull jihyo by the arm, rushing over. jihyo’s expression turns into one of surprise and confusion, she looks at you with worry and furrowed brows while you drag her, almost debating whether she should fight against your grip on her.

“what the hell are you doing?” jihyo questions, looking at you distressed as she hears a sudden high-pitched scream and another sharp, loud sound from outside. your fingers work at the button-up you wear, and jihyo quickly turns away as you do so, “y/n? what the hell is wrong with you? why are you stripping now? we have to help-”

“fuck, jihyo.” you mutter, and you give up as you rip the dress shirt open, showing your bra-covered chest. this is not the time for jihyo to be checking you out right now, but shit, your body is like a magnet—one with toned abs and an incredibly satisfying physique that pulls her look towards it. you glance at the quivering bathroom door and continue, “i can’t explain everything now, but i swear i will soon, and please don’t get mad at me. there’s too much going on and i just, i have to go.”

“what the hell do you-” jihyo starts, but her question is quickly answered as you press on the spider logo.

your suit stems out from it and covers your body in seven fleeting seconds. the familiar suit covers your body, and she realizes it's you. her eyes widen and her mouth opens slightly, she looks at you in such shock and nearly stumbles back. 

“i told you i’d be here,” you say. jihyo is left speechless, though she manages to choke out a broken, stuttered response to your "big reveal."

“y/n, you- what the hell?” 

“let’s talk later yeah? help gather the people that aren’t cops, bring them somewhere safe,” you say, and jihyo is still baffled by everything that just happened at the last minute. you put a hand on her shoulder and start again. “jihyo?”

“you can't just, you can't just leave like that? you can't-” 

"i have to help them, detective," you say. your eyes lock with hers as if they could convey a certain understanding.

"god y/n, you... you have to explain everything, i swear to god." she manages to sputter out. you nod at her,

"it's a date then, on me." you joke, trying to lighten the mood and calm her nerves so she can assist you in dealing with this situation. now jihyo knows it's really you. the detective watches you leave the bathroom quickly, though you stop at the door to give her a small thumbs up before departing.

jihyo is at a loss for words—she's not even sure if all her senses are working properly. there's too much to process, but the detective has to do her job, she has to try and save these people, she's going to do what you told her to do.

detective park can do this, detective park can overcome anything, detective park can do her job and compose herself—so that's what she does, and she's completely disregarding whatever the chief had said a couple of days prior:

jihyo is going to work with spiderwoman, she's going to do what spiderwoman says.

[readychilledwine]

Love In The Kennels

Eris Week - Day 2 - Childhood and Legacy

Summary - Loving her was the easiest thing Eris had ever done, and a surprise meeting with his "least favorite" Illyrians let's him relive that.

Warnings - Formal dog breeding terms and briefly touched mentions of it, sexual tension, Beron being creepy, Liz's headcanon that Autumn is mote feral, therefore females have heat cycles, childhood friends to lovers, mutual pinning, mentions of fxf smut, mentions of injuries, possibly missed errors

A/N - Happy Day two of @erisweekofficial! I've had his hidden in my docs since Eris week last year, but I was so nervous to post it dur to the formating. It seems that wasn't a huge issue. A heads up, this is very similar to my Tarquin x reader Runaway Love fic. There are italized moments that are flashbacks as Eris and Artemis tell the batboys their story. I also took some inspiration from my absolute favorite Eris fanfiction in how Eris and Artemis constantly say each other's names back and forth. It is almost 6k words, so maybe grab a snackie?

Ps - can you guess with children's princess movie I based their relationship off of?

🍂Eris Week Masterlist🍂Eris Masterlist🍂Master Masterlist🍂

Dividers by @tsunami-of-tears

Eris needed to get Rhysand and his hounds to leave his cabin, and quickly. The sun was starting to set, and Eris knew his wife would be returning home soon. He had come too far to risk her. He already had too much hiding in this cabin due to this surprise interrogation. She was not something he was willing to put at stake. 

"The hour grows late, Rhysand," Eris paused as one of his hounds stood and began to pace at the door. "I believe we can discuss this at our next scheduled meeting."

Rhysand smirked in front of him, noting the way Eris passively stated he was not thrilled about their sudden appearance. "So eager to get rid of us, Eris? I thought you wanted our help." 

The heir of Autumn scoffed slightly as he continued to watch his hounds growing anxious with the excitement of their mother coming home. "I do," he said calmly. "I just do not wish to discuss this topic at length again."

"The topic of how you left Mor for dead in the woods?" Eris found himself raising a brow at Azriel as he spoke. "I do not believe the shit you fed Nesta and I would like to hear it in person."

Eris rolled his eyes and froze as the first whine happened. Rhys turned to the 3 hounds Eris had brought into the cabin with him. All three of them wagged their tails, constantly readjusting their paws on the wooden floors and staring up at the door. "Are you expecting company, Eris?" Rhys watched as Eris's jaw tightened. Another whine came. It was followed by a sad huff as the male hound lay on the ground.

Eris moved to the cabin door, all three hounds perking up as he did so, "Do not jump. Am I understood?" The smoke hounds whined as he gave them his serious father-like face. "Go." He opened the door, and Azriel watched in silence as the three of them quickly took off into the clearing and waited at the center of it.

"I didn't leave Mor. I caught her in the middle of-" Eris paused thinking of how to word his story to the male who had chased after his ex fiancé for years. "I caught her in the throes of passion with one of my friends. When I asked Morrigan about it, she told me her preferences sexually leaned towards females. We made an agreement. She fucks someone to get out of the marriage, I fake outrage, she's free." Eris looked out into the clearing. The beer he had been nursing appeared in his hands as he waited and watched.

"We hadn't planned on what to do once Keir found out. We figured she'd be sent off to whoever she fucked and then be done with it. When she showed up with the letter nailed into her and beaten, I tried to get her to let me help. I offered to bring her here then get her to the Winter Court. I offered to help. She refused." Eris felt the shift in the clearing and saw his wife and mate off in the distance. 9 other hounds began to howl and whine appearing from out of nowhere before rushing her.

"What is happening out there?" Cassian moved the window by Eris. "Who is that?"

"My wife." Eris said plainly. "I left Mor after getting her to a place she knew you'd be able to find her, Azriel. I waited until you had her to leave. If you didn't come to get her, I was going to bring her here, to a safe cabin, until we could figure something out. Even if she hated me for it.”

Azriel and Rhys had also moved to the window in shock. The last part of Eris's story was buzzing in Azriel's ears as soon as his eyes landed on the figure of the female in the clearing. She was the one who had healed Cassian after he was gutted. The Autumn Court healer they couldn't find to thank. She was laughing as she was being chased around in her burgundy dress, dark hair flowing in the wind as she did. She was holding a bag up from the dogs as they jumped to try to grab it.

Eris sighed softly before moving to the door and reopening it. "No jumping! Let your mother come inside. Don't you all have rabbits to chase?" The hounds all slowly disburse as she patted their heads one by one. The three that had been in the house flanked her. Protecting her as she bounced up the steps to the cabin.

"Hello sugar," Eris said softly. "We have company." He watched her make a small face and laughed slightly before taking her hand. 

"I'm mad at you," she said. She moved inside as he stood and processed the sentence. "High Lord. High Lord's friends." She greeted them softly before moving into the kitchen. 

"Artemis?"

"Eris?' 

Cassian chuckled slightly at the two of them as he watched Eris narrow his eyes at the female. "What exactly did I do to earn your anger?"

"Well, Husband," Rhys laughed this time at the sarcastic tone she was using. "Shall we start with the fact that you left me with your father all day, hmmmm?" She rose a brow at him and set her hand on the counter before also placing one on her hip.

"Or shall we start with the fact that I've been tugging this useless bond for HOURS begging you to come save me? And then I finally get to come home, after your father questioned me about everything under the Gods damned sun, by the way, and I find you drinking beer and having a grand old time."

Azriel covered laughter with a cough as he watched the Autumn female’s chestnut waves dance with every bob and move of her head. She clearly wasn't actually angry with Eris. Just very annoyed. He watched as she slammed down the bag she had been carrying.  

"And to really top it off, husband."

"Please, do top it off, wife." Cassian threw his head back at Eris leaning in the doorway with a smirk. “You know I do adore you topping things.”

The female Artemis gave a serpent like smile before cocking her head, deep chocolate eyes playfully glaring at Eris, “When you do finally tug back, it's to ask me to break into your father's office-" She pauses motioning to the bag. "And copy all of THIS!" 

Azriel's wings flared as she pulled out copies of the paperwork the Night Court had asked for. He walked to the table instantly, maintaining eye contact with the beautiful female in front of him. "The only reason you are alive right now, Eris-"

"Oh fuck, tell me why I'm alive, Artemis." Eris had grown slightly predatory as the Illyrians slowly realized the husband and wife were flirting with each other.

"The only reason I did not slit your throat when I walked through the door," she paused giggling slightly at Cassian's shocked face as Eris groaned and smiled, "is because that one," she pointed to Azriel, "is handsome and I do not wish for him to see that side of me. Plus your cock serves some purpose. Maybe.”

Cassian lost all composure then, a loud laugh seeming to shake the small cabin they were in as Eris's jaw fell, not realizing she would be so bold in front of the other males in the room. Artemis was rarely subtle though, her freckled face had subtitles. Something Eris had to remind her of frequently when she'd make looks of disgust openly.

"Artemis."

"Eris?"

"I love you." The laughter in the cabin stopped as Eris moved to his wife and kissed the top of her head. "And I'm sorry I wasn't there today."

She continued glaring at the papers in front of her, "You should have let one of them stab you. I might have had sympathy then."

"I could not allow that to happen, wife," Eris said into her hair, "We put knife play on the exclusive to us list.”

She smirked softly before turning to Cassian. "You healed nicely, general."

Cassian made a confused face as he tried to place how he knew her. "Have we met?"

"She's the healer who stitched you shut and spent herself magically so you'd heal as quickly as possible." Rhys said softly looking over the papers again. "Then she disappeared, never to be seen again."

"I didn't disappear. I went back to hiding. My oh so lovely high lord did not clear me to come. My arrogant husband refused to have a cold bed, though." Eris nodded from behind her, sipping his beer again. "He snuck me into you, though. Now I know why." 

They watched as she turned and placed a hand on Eris's chest. "I am so proud of you, husband." Eris's smile dropped as she smirked ferally at him. "Who would have known you were capable of making friends?" Eris shut his eyes and bit his inner lip to stop the laughter threatening to spill out. 

"Gods why did I marry you?" He looked up to the ceiling. "Wicked, cruel, ruthless little thing you are."

"You sir," she finished pulling out the copies of documents Eris hadn't asked her to steal but she had anyway and handed them to Azriel, "Are the one who forced me into a drunken bargain and then sabotaged my relationships to ensure I would have to marry you."

Cassian opened four more beers as the female poured herself wine. "Now this is a story I need to hear." He settled next to her after handing the beers to the other males. "What exactly happened, little fox? I want to know everything about you and our dear friend, Eris."

Eris growled as Cassian stared down at his wife. "Everything? It all started when Eris and I were like 8."

"I was 12. You were 8." Eris corrected. "We had gone to her family's home. They breed hounds and rumors lead us to believe they had smoke hounds. Beron had beat me for the first time and a puppy was his apology.”

"Artemis!" The young female faeling froze as her father yelled her name. "You need to go bathe, child. The high lord is coming with his son."

Artemis was sitting in the kennel with the new litter of smoke hounds her dog had just birthed almost a month ago. She was covered in dirt, and had fur all over her leggings and tunic she wore while cleaning and working with the hounds. 

"Papa! Look at what Scout can do!" She allowed the largest of the male dog to sniff her hand before leaving the kennel and hiding the fabric she was holding in another hounds enclosure. She had dug it deep into the hay and dirt and scent of that hound. 

Unknown to her, The High Lord and his son had appeared and were watching as her mother and father apologized profusely. "Scout!" She yelled from the hallway. "Find it!" 

Beron watched in silence as a male puppy exited the kennel he was in, sniffing the ground the little female had run all over before locking in on a specific trail. His tail was straight up, shoulders, neck, and head low as he slowly made his way to the part of the run she was nowhere near.  He sat and indicated that he had found what he was looking for by barking once as his tail began to wag swiftly.

"I believe we know which hound we want. Your daughter made that quite easy. Right, Eris?" The high lord looked down at his son to find he had locked eyes with the female near his age. Something the princeling wasn't used to.

"Papa?" The girl hid behind her father. "Can I go hide?" Artemis had never seen another child. Not in the seclusion of their farm on the outskirts. 

The master of the kennel shut his eyes and whispered another apology. "Of course, baby. I'm sorry. She's not used to seeing anyone other than her mother and I. She's not normally out here when we handle sales. She's very shy."

'So she doesn't want to play?" Eris did the best he could to hide his sadness. He crossed his small arms and hands in front of him. 

"I am not sure, my Prince." The older male kneeled down and pointed to the little shed near the kennels. "She probably ran in there. If you'd like to ask. The high lord and I have some paperwork to go over."

"So fucking Eris, comes into my playshed. Without knocking. And asks if I want to play with him. Guess how he responded when I said no?"

Eris smirked, "I commanded her to."

Azriel was invested in the story deeply. He sat and was leaning his head on one hand as Rhys and Eris also took a step and got comfortable. This was the exact information Azriel had actually wanted. Eris in his most intimate moments. The Eris only Cassian and Nesta had grown to know.

"Then she called me a bully. We played for hours. In the creek. In the kennels. In the flower beds. Your mother's food garden."

"Is that when you struck the bargain," Rhysand asked. “Children have been known to do that by accident.”

Eris shook his head. "We were closer to 50 when that happened. We became rivals after we met right away. I couldn't train the hounds the way she could."

"I couldn't use a bow the way he could"

"I had no healing magic the way she did."

"My fire Magic skills weren't coming in as quickly due to my half dawn court heritage."

"She had higher marks in school."

"He had more friends."

"Our birthdays were the same day."

"Our names both have origins with the Gods and we were teased for it."

"She's always been beautiful. I was an ugly brat."

"Accurate." Eris flipped her off and she blew him a kiss.

Rhys paused looking at the two of them. "So you two hated each other?"

She nodded while he shook his head. "I've loved her since we were children. I just wished she'd teach me the things she could do that I couldn't."

"I hated him," she said boldly, causing a rare laugh to come from the shadowsinger. "That was our childhood, though. A constant back and forth of competition."

Eris sighed softly, "And then I realized I wanted her when I had turned 54, and she was 50. We were at a stupid ball my father was throwing in her honor since our families became very close due to the hounds."

Artemis laughed as Eris twirled her again. Her dress swished behind her as he did so.  Eris had not allowed another male besides his and her father near her all evening. He had told her it was because it was technically both of their birthdays and what kind of male would he be if he allowed another male the opportunity to dance with the most beautiful female in the room. 

Their friendship, if one would or could call it that, had become tense as they approached adulthood. Their hormones from their teenage years had left them both burning for each other. Not that Artemis would ever admit that.

She curtsied as he bowed at the song's end, "Eris."

"Artemis." He immediately interrupted her in the same fashion he always did when she said his name. 

"Can we get a drink, please?" Eris took in her flushed face, her labored breathing. He had her out here for almost two hours now without a rest break or beverage. 

"Of course, my lady." He offered her his arm as they made their way to the wine table. "Have you had wine yet, or will this be your first time?"

"My first time. What do you suggest, my prince?" Eris handed her the Autumn court golden wine saved for celebrations and special occasions.

"Shall we?" He held his glass to hers.

"We shall." Eris and Artemis drank way too much that night. Giggling and joking with each other as their ambitions fell to none.

They stared off the balcony at the dark orchard in front of them, "Make me a deal, Artemis."

"Depends on what it is, Eris."

The heir smirked at the hiccup in her voice as she leaned into him. They were so far gone. Drunk on each other, happiness, and wine. "If I am not married by say….. 550, let's marry each other."

Artemis paused suddenly sober on his shoulder as they turned to face each other. "What do I get out of that?"

"Me?" The heir seemed offended as he stared at her. "A higher station? All the pretty dresses you could want?"

She scoffed lightly. "My family has the second highest station in this court. My father is your father's right hand. My brothers both have high positions in your armies and command their own legions." She turned back to the Forest. "What of love, Eris? What do you have to offer me there?"

The heir paused before moving to cage her body between him and the balcony. She felt so right in his arms. Like she was made for him. "I can promise you you'll never be alone. That you will feel safe and wanted every day. That you would be my equal in every way. We would make any decisions we needed to make together." He took a deep breath and started again. 

"I can promise to warm you bed, magically sugar, every night so you are never cold. That you will be showered with gifts, compliments, and treats." She hummed at the mention of sweets, causing Eris to chuckle. "I promise to take you to every court. To always dance with you."

She whispered softly again. "But what of love, Eris?"

He leaned into her ear, knowing she would not remember the soft confession he was about to whisper to her. "I have loved you since we were children, Artemis. And I will love you long after this world takes its last breath." 

She sealed the bargain by crashing her lips onto his. Their first kiss. It was sloppy. Messy. Tasted heavily of honeyed wine, but Eris was too happy to turn it away as matching leaves appeared on both of them.

"I had no clue what the fuck this was from. I was absolutely wasted," Artemis said as she held her left ring finger up. A small fall colored leaf graced the skin right above her wedding band and engagement ring. "He had to tell our families what happened the next morning."

"Father beat me for weeks after that." Eris shrugged as Azriel's jaw dropped. "Fuck him."

Cassian pulled her small hand closer to his face, "Your bargain tattoos look so life like?" Rhys undid the glamour he had on his own Autumn court bargain. An acorn stood out, clear as day, on the wrist joint.

"It's honestly become my favorite." The high lord admitted. "I have never had a seasonal court bargain. I find it unique that their's are symbols instead of runes spelling the conditions."

"I want one." Cassian said. "We'll think of something." He pointed to Eris, who laughed softly.

Azriel was the only one deeply confused as he listened to the love story between Eris and Artemis. One would almost describe his investment as childlike wonder as he flicked his eyes back and forth between the two of them.  "So you were in love with her the whole time?" Eris nodded to the shadowsinger. "So why didn't you just marry her?"

"Because his engagement to Morrigan was a- interesting hangnail that left lingering tensions. Even after he told my parents what happened."  Sadness was clear in her voice, “That whole thing was a shit show.”

"You contributed to that, my love."

The three illyrians snapped their heads back to the Autumn Court Female. Flush had spread across her chest and cheeks. "I didn't exactly know what she meant when she asked me if I wanted to try that, Eris. She offered a demonstration, I innocently said yes."

"This is true. You did say "penis" to me once before you learned bedroom talk." Cass covered his mouth as she sighed and stared at Eris.

"You're making it sound like we have tons of sex when that's never happened. I said it as a joke, not realizing the real joke was the use of the word "penis." She glared at Eris.

"You two haven't?" 

"Nope," They said together.

"Contraceptives do not work on Autumn Court females. Our blood burns too hot. I won't risk it until his father kicks the bucket."

Azriel looked at her, "So you fucked Mor instead?"

"Um-" She began to blush again. "I let her do things after we had discussed how I had never done said things. Yes."

"And then I walked into her guest room thinking I was about to kill some male for touching her, and guess who's there instead with her head buried between my mate's thighs? Morrigan." Eris chugged his beer before grabbing another. "Guess who hasn't gotten to be between his mate's thighs? Eris."

"Cry me a river, Vanserra."

Eris responded by raising a single finger to his wife. Rhys interrupted their impending flirting, "So we know what happened with Morrigan? What led to this?" He motioned to their rings.

"I began to sabotage every relationship she had. Anytime I found out a male was trying to court her, I dueled them, threatened their station, their business, their lives. Or I'd just simply invite myself on her dates." Eris shrugged as he switched to the scotch he hid for special occasions. Everyone had moved to the living room, Eris holding Artemis tight by his side. 

"I disappeared for a hundred years though to be transparent," she said softly. Eris hummed before kissing her head. 

"You had a valid reason, sugar."

"Eris, please," Artemis was pleading with the male as she braided her long hair. "I really like him."

"He enjoys your company as well." Eris paused as he took in her cream dress and tall dark leather boots. "And by that, I mean your tits. It's all he would talk about at training today." She sighed softly. Eris moved to help her finish her braid.

The scent of toasted sugar and roses clung to her like a second skin now that she had gone through her first heat, and it slapped him in the face. He growled softly in her ear, and she whimpered back. Leaning her head over, she exposed her neck to Eris. "Sugar," he growled in warning.

Protecting her in the Forest House had been nearly impossible during her heats. His brothers and father had nearly slaughtered each other while he stood guard with her brothers. 

The bond snapped when he took her in food the second day of that long week. She had been naked in a hot bath, whimpering softly as she desperately tried to ignore the pain growing between her legs and in her stomach.  It was a curse only Autumn females experienced. It was a plague to ensure the population stayed high here.

That scent became a warning. He used to dread the first signs of it. Now, years later, it was one of Eris's favorite things. He'd drown in her scent if she'd just allow him to.

"You smell delicious, little bunny," he whispered into her ear. He watched with feral eyes as her breath hitched. "When is your next heat?" She whimpered as his large hands took her hips in them. Grabbing the skin there. Massaging softly.

"It's not supposed to be for another week," He hummed as his mouth grazed the shell of her dedicated pointed ear. He ignored her words, nipping softly at the pointed top. "Eris, please. I need to get ready."

"No, you don't," he paused. "You can stay here and read with me. We can head back to your family estate and check the new litter early. You do not have to go on this date with this unworthy male."

Eris paused as a knock came on her door and went to hide in her closet. He nodded for her to open the door once he warded his scent and sound from whomever was entering the room.

"Enter," she said softly as she began applying soft makeup. "Oh, High Lord, what a pleasant surprise."

Eris watched as his father studied Artemis. "Are you going somewhere, dear one?"

"One of the generals is taking me on a walk, my lord," she replied softly.

"You really must learn to aim higher, Lady Artemis. A general? You could be pursued by much higher ranks."

"I am sorry. I do not know what you mean?" Eris watched as his father walked slowly to his mate. He held back a growl as the hand that had beaten him countless times touched her delicate face.

"You can do much better, Artemis. Surely you know my bed is always open to you." He watched as Artemis looked at his father in shock. "You have come to realize why we keep you here during your heat cycles, haven't you, dear girl?  It's in hopes of one of my sons, or I, will put a babe inside of you."

"You wish to make me your whore?" Artemis whispered softly.

"I wish to make you my son's wife, but if the idiot will not take you himself, so I see nothing wrong with another of us trying." Beron touched her neck and collarbone gently. "You smell like your heat is about to set in. Think about my offer, pretty girl."

"I never went on a date that night." Azriel was stiff across from her. His hand clutched. Artemis reached over and held his scarred hand in hers.

"She never went on a date ever again after that. She winnowed home without saying goodbye." Eris found his hand absentmindedly rubbing circles on his wife's back. "I hunted her down before we all ended up under the mountain. The bargain timing was coming to a close. I asked her to marry me in secret the night before we all fell into her trap."

"Artemis," she felt her skin erupt into goosebumps as a familiar voice rang through the smoke hound kennel. "Ah, there you are."

Eris watched as she stood slowly, a pup in her arms, "Eris." 

You realize we are both unwed and our birthday is in 2 weeks. Correct?"

Artemis closed her eyes, "I can't go back there, Eris."

"So you'd rather we both die?"

"I've always been fine with you dying." Eris chuckled softly from the spot he stood at as she presented the pup she was holding to him. "This is Archie.  She's proving to be a wonderful hunter."

Eris took the pup from her arms and held her. "She has a wonderful build," he examined her carefully. Checking her ears, teeth, eyes. "Who are her bitch and sire?"

Artemis motioned towards the kennel, "Rammie and Rainy." Eris nodded. "She comes from a long line of prize-winning hunters. We picked the two of them to go together after buying out the last other breeder. Less inbreeding among their stock now is making an interesting change."

"Congratulations on the success. We're getting married tonight in secret." Eris dropped the bomb casually on her as he continued to scratch the pup behind her ears. "This little beauty shall be my wedding present."

"You have got to be joking," Artemis said slowly. "No."

"Yes. I do not intend to die over a decision we foolishly made when we were drunk. Get ready and meet me in an hour, or I'll drag you there in your leggings and tunic."

"For all you know," she pointed to the hounds in the kennel, "They were a courting present from the kennelmaster of-."

Eris laughed lightly. "Not his style, princess. He would have just stolen you. Get ready. Now."

"So you two married in silence?" Azriel looked between them. "And you didn't even get to have a mating ceremony or honeymoon because of her. Did you go with him under the mountain?"

Artemis pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. "No," she said softly. "Eris kept me here. I-" She looked up and sighed softly. "The bond hadn't snapped for me. So, I spent 50 years trying to help maintain Autumn with the fewlordss that were left. I regret not going."

"I don't regret leaving you here," Eris ran a hand through her hair, pulling her back into his chest. "She would have killed you."

Rhys nodded slowly, "I wasn't the only one Amarantha played with," the high lord sighed. "If she would have known Eris had a wife, a mate nonetheless, she would have had Artemis pulled under the mountain and her womb ripped out in front of Eris."

Cassian felt sympathy set in for Eris. "So, when did the bond snap?"

The couple both smiled. "When he came home," her eyes were on him and him alone as he raised her hand, kissing it.

Artemis was cleaning kennels as she prepared for her newest litter. There wasn't much she could do as the Autumn thunderstorm raged on outside. She had hoped cleaning kennels would take her mind off her husband, but it hadn't. 

She sighed softly at the amount of hounds she currently had.  They had wonderful lives. They were enriched, allowed to roam, trained, well fed. It just broke her heart not to see a Vanserra or other noble laying claim to them, though. She had sent a few over the border to Spring once. Lucien had almost cried with joy as the three pups found him. She had sent them with his favorite Autumn treats and her love. Lucien sent her frequent updates on them until they passed.

Eris had approached her slowly, rain dripping down his face and hair as he froze at the sight of her. He wanted nothing more than to see his wife, his mate. She was deep in thought as she picked up blankets and put them in a basket to change them out. 

"I know, baby," she leaned down and patted one of the hounds. "You're almost there. Let momma get you some new water and blankets.'"She moved to pick up the basket, looking down as she turned towards where Eris stood. He cleared his throat softly, wanting her attention but not wanting to startle her. 

Artemis looked up instantly at the noise.  They locked eyes the second she did. Tears began to fall down her cheeks as she stood in silence before dropping the basket.

She ran to him. Jumping in his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. Their lips were on each other instantly. He kissed her deeply as the rain poured on them. 

Her hands tangled in his hair. She knew she was crying. But she couldn't bring herself to care. She had missed him. Missed his laugh, his voice, his hands. And Gods, after 50 years apart, she knew. She knew without a shadow of doubt that she was truly, madly, and deeply in love with Eris.

"Eris," she whispered. She opened her eyes, looking into his again. Then she felt it. She felt her gravity shift. Her heartbeat quickened, then slowed. She felt a deep snap radiating through her, and a sob tore through her. "Mate."

Eris let out the soft sob he was holding back. "Mate. I love you."

"I love you," she repeated. He carried her like that into her parent's home where their families waited for them.

Eris had told his parents the second they arrived home in Autumn of the bond. He wanted to truly marry her in front of the whole court.  Their fathers had agreed instantly. This benefitted Beron, and for her father, it put Eris one step closer to ending the tyranny. 

Azriel truly looked like a child right now. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees as he rested his chin on his hands. "And now we're here?"

Eris nodded, "And now we're here." Cassian watched as Eris kissed Artemis's ring and softly whispered that he loved her. 

Rhys was processing everything slowly. "But Nesta?" He finally said.

Artemis laughed lightly as Eris smirked, "If you're going to dangle a treat in my face, Rhysand, I'm going to try to take it. She would have had to settle for being my consort."

Artemis shrugged, "Or my wife. I technically only have a husband."

Cassian started laughing again. "Oh Mother, if you can survive Eris for almost 500 years, I cannot imagine you and Ness together."

"We got along fine when she sat with me while I healed you. We like the same books, wine, and both enjoy long baths."

Cassian looked at her. "You're the one she keeps asking about then." Artemis looked shocked at Cassian. "She doesn't have a lot of friends."

"Because she's blunt and abrasive? That's why I liked her." Artemis shrugged. "She would have fit in well here. Also-" She turned to Rhysand and smiled. "We're even."

The high lord nodded, "So you don't want me to bring you thousands of gifts?" Eris growled slightly looking at the High Lord.

"She receives PLENTY of gifts. Thank you."

"You could bring me Lucien," she whispered softly. "I miss him."

“Or kill my father,” Eris muttered silently. “Then she could have her baby.”

Artemis released a dreamy sigh, “A little baby to grow with all the love in the world. No Beron. No violence. A new beginning.”

Azriel held up the papers she brought. A silent confirmation that was what they were for. Eris only looked at her, continuing to drink his beer. She knew now. Knew the dangerous reason the 3 of them were here. 

“So the legacy begins,” she turned to Eris. “You're ready for things to change?”

Eris only nodded, “I'm ready for change.”

“Then change we will make,” Artemis said as if he was the only being in the room. He was the only one that mattered to her now. She stared at him in pride for a moment before turning to the shadowsinger and pulling out one last paper she had hidden in the corseted bodice. “A map. Of the Forest House.”

The males all moved to the table as she unfolded it, and the discussion began, Artemis at Eris's side. Their future was the only thing on her mind. The new era that her mate would bring to Autumn. 

It was time for the narrative to change. 

And Artemis knew Eris was a world shaker.

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[gojolvs]

I still want you.

Chapter 6

⤿ Satoru Gojo × reader

Falling in love with the Satoru Gojou wasn’t an easy task. You truly love him but will this come to an end?

Warning/ tags; angst, profanity, smoking, cursing, smut, cheating.

Genre; angst, cheating, infidelity, jik, Gojou × reader

Notes: the tag-list is open if you'd like to be mentioned everytime i update just send me a message.

6k words

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Opening the door Satoru was met with Toji’s bare chest. Satoru stood there, taken aback. He wasn't expecting to find Toji standing in the doorway of your hotel room, with his bare chest exposed. He knew Toji was a bit of a wild card, but he never expected this. He couldn't help but feel a bit irritated as he tried to avert his gaze from Toji's body. Why was Toji opening the door like this, especially without a shirt on?

“Where’s Y/n.” He spat with jealousy in his voice. Why was there another man in your hotel room. He didn’t care if you both agreed on a divorce you still shouldn’t bring a man into to your especially if he’s awake in the morning without a shirt.

Toji couldn't help but feel a bit smug at the sight of Gojo's obvious jealousy. He knew that Gojo wished he was the one in the room with you, instead of Toji. Toji's smirk widened, amused at the thought. “She’s sleeping, she’s tired from last night.”

Tilting his head Toji had a wide grin plastered on his face. He couldn’t help but feel amused upon seeing Gojos reaction. Gojo was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. His mouth was left agape as he tried to process what had just happened. He was at a loss for words as he stared at Toji in disbelief. “Im just kidding, we didn’t do anything.”

Gojo could feel the rage cursing through his veins. He didn’t know why seeing Toji with you in the hotel room made him so upset. After all he shouldn’t feel anything towards you especially because he brought his lover with him. He tried to suppress his emotions and remain calm, but it was an uphill battle. He was determined to keep his composure, but he couldn't help but feel a wave of jealousy wash over him. He wanted to confront Toji and ask him why he was there, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. He had to keep his emotions in check and stay focused on the mission. He clenched his jaw and tried to steady his breathing, reminding himself that it was a situation he had put himself in. He had no right to be angry, yet he couldn't help the jealousy that was bubbling up inside him. He had to remind himself that he had made his choice and that he had to accept the consequences of his actions.

“We’re all meeting later to go get some drinks. Tell Y/n once she wakes up to send me a message.” Licking his teeth Toji let out a small sigh.

Gojo merely nodded, not saying a word. He knew that Toji was testing him, but he chose not to give in to the provocation. Toji sighed and stood up straight, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's all?" he asked again, this time with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Gojo stood up, his face expressionless. "That's all," he said calmly. He knew that his response would not satisfy Toji, but he didn't care. Toji had gone too far and he would not stand for it any longer. He turned to leave, knowing that the conversation was over.

Closing the door Toji headed back towards the bed where a sleeping you laid. He didn’t know how you could deal with gojo for so long. He was a prick and you were such a sweet person. As he watched you sleep, he wondered how you could be so tolerant of Gojo's behavior. He admired your strength and patience, and vowed to himself to be more like you. Toji couldn't help but smile at the sight before him, feeling a warmth in his chest at the peacefulness of the moment. He silently thanked the gods that he had been blessed with such a strong and kind person in his life. Taking one last look, he crept out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He knew that even after everything you would still choose Satoru and not him. Toji was slowly falling for you but your heart wasn’t his. Toji was aware that no matter what he did, it was impossible for him to sway your heart away from Satoru. Even though he was slowly falling for you, he accepted that you were already in love with Satoru and that his efforts would be in vain. ‘Fuck.’ He knew he had to put a stop to his feelings sooner or later. The whole thing about Megumi not being able to sleep without you was a lie. He just wanted an excuse to see your face light up when you saw his child. He wanted to see you play around with megumi. He knew it was wrong to use Megumi as a way to get closer to you, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to spend time with you, and he knew that seeing you interact with Megumi would make it easier for him to express his feelings for you. He was determined to put an end to these unrequited feelings, but he was also filled with anxiety and fear of the unknown.

Toji felt fear because he hadn’t felt anything for anyone in so long. Ever since his wife died he felt like there was no meaning in life anymore. But seeing you with megumi healed something in him. He felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time, a spark of hope. He was afraid to feel something, because it would mean having to open up his heart again and risk being hurt. But, he was comforted by the thought of you being in his son’s life, and it made him feel alive again.

Toji was afraid of getting too close, of letting himself feel something for someone else. He was scared of the pain of losing someone else, of being reminded of the emptiness he felt when his wife passed away. But he also felt a glimmer of hope, a feeling of possibility, as he watched you and Megumi together.

“Toji?” Hearing your voice Toji immediately went back into the room. Seeing your frail figure rub your tired eyes you smiled at him.

“How long was I out?” Toji caressed your head patting it.

“You were asleep for three hours,” he said softly. He brushed a strand of hair from your forehead and continued, “I'm glad you're okay. I was worried about you.”

“It’s already 8 in the night?” Nodding you got up the bed. Remembering that you were wearing Toji’s shirt you felt your face hot.

“Gojo told me to tell you that you’re getting drinks at 9. With everyone don’t worry.” Grabbing his typical black shirt he put it on. Covering his muscular figure.

“Are you going?” Rubbing your hands together you finished fixing your hair.

“Not today, I have to take care of Megumi.” Right you forgot about megumi for a second. Seeing his small sleeping figure on the bed. Thank god you didn’t crush him in your sleep.

“Mm, okay. I’ll just go for a bit if anything text me okay?” Nodding his head Toji went back to the bed grabbing baby megumi and cuddling with the child. Toji was an amazing dad and you both knew it. Oh how you would kill for Sumire to have a father like Toji. Walking out the door you were met with a pair of familiar eyes staring at you. You were taken aback by the sudden intensity of the gaze between the two of them. Jiyuu's eyes were kind yet piercing, while Satoru's were filled with a mysterious emotion that you couldn't quite place. You felt a chill run down your spine as you stared back, unable to break the gaze. Finally, Satoru blinked and the moment was gone.

“Y/n?” Quickly walking past Satoru you ignored him. Not wanting to spend any more time seeing Jiyuu gush about her lover. It made you want to puke that Satoru brought the woman he cheated on you to this trip. You quickly walked away, feeling a chill run down your spine. You could almost feel the intensity of his gaze burning into your back, and you quickened your pace in an effort to get away from him. As you rounded the corner, you could feel the tension in your body begin to dissipate and you breathed a sigh of relief. Walking outside the hotel you saw everyone waiting for you. Utahime quickly ran to you hugging you tightly. “Lets go drink!”

You smiled and nodded, taking Utahime’s hand as you walked with her. You were excited to finally be able to go out and spend time with your friends. As you walked down the street, you could feel the energy and anticipation in the air. You couldn’t help but smile, knowing that this was going to be a night to remember. “So I saw that tojis staying at your room huh,” Wiggiling her eyebrows at you shoko came around and smacked her lightly on her head. You blushed, not knowing how to respond. "What? No, we're just friends," you stammered, trying to explain. Utahime just smiled and said, "Sure, sure. I'm just teasing you." She winked and walked faster towards the bar.

"Hey, don't be like that," you said, laughing lightly. "We were just talking, nothing else. Besides, you know I can take care of myself." Shoko smiled and nodded, "Of course, I know that. Utahime just wanted to tease you a bit."

Grabbing her cheeks, she pulled them upwards, making a funny face, before hearing Utahime whine about how she was no fun. “We’re here!” Running towards the entrance you could see shokos irritated face. It was like taking care of a small child. “Huh, Toji isn’t here what a shame. Guess you’re going to be alone now.” With a giggle she covered her mouth. Grabbing Satoru’s arm and pulling him closer. You hated this bitch so much. "Don't worry, I'm sure I can keep myself occupied," You replied with a forced smile. Trying to keep your composure, but your face was flushed with anger. You wanted to tell her off for being so rude, but he stayed quiet and tried to ignore her. You just wanted her to leave him alone.

He grabbed Jiyuu’s arm and pulled her forward, “Come on, we're going.” Satoru said in a stern voice. Jiyuu looked at him in surprise before she smiled and winked at Satoru. Satoru rolled his eyes and continued walking towards the entrance. This jerk couldn’t even defend you in front of his lover. But then again he choose her not you. You felt disrespected and betrayed by his actions. You had thought that he truly cared about you, but it became apparent that he was willing to put his own needs before yours. It was a painful experience, but you eventually had to move on and find someone who was more deserving of your trust and loyalty.

Walking inside the bar you were met with a scent of cigarettes and a bunch of cologne. Conversation filled the air as people laughed and talked with each other. Music played in the background, providing a mellow atmosphere. The clinking of glasses and ice cubes filled the room as drinks were poured and served. The bar was alive with people, each one living in their own little world. “Y/n drink with me tonight.” Smiling at you Mei grabbed your hand and pulled you onto one of the bars.

She looked at you, her eyes intense and serious. "We have to talk about something," she said, firmly. She scooted closer to you, signaling the waiter for two drinks before turning her attention back to you. "What do you want to talk about?"

“Whos that woman that’s always with Satoru?” Gazing at her mei’s gave a disgusted look at Jiyuu. Seeing her so openly romantic with him in public. “Oh, me and satoru are no longer a thing. That’s his new lover.” Drinking your diamond cocktail Mei’s eyes widened. "What happened?" Mei asked, her voice filled with surprise. She hadn't expected the news, and she could tell by the look on Satoru's face that it was true. "It was for the best," you said, taking a sip of the drink.

"We just weren't compatible." Mei nodded, understanding. They sat in silence for a few moments before Mei finally spoke up. "Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out," she said. You nodded and smiled sadly. "Me too."

“But why is she here?” Remembering that Satoru actually suggested on bringing her you both your tongue. You knew Mei respected Satoru because of his well dedication at his business. Not wanting to take away the respect for him you just shook your head, “An old friend of my sisters, what a coincidence huh?”

Taking another sip of your drink you realized you quickly finished it, ordering another round of drinks you sat in silence. Mei didn’t know what to say after hearing the news. She loved you like a sister and seeing you hurt, hurt her too. She reached out and held your hand, squeezing it gently in a silent gesture of comfort. She knew words were inadequate to express how sorry she was, so instead she stayed silent and just offered her presence. You tried to smile, but the sadness was too much and the corners of your lips only slightly curved up. You looked away, not wanting to show the tears that had started to well up in your eyes.

“I’ll pay for your drinks, it’s the least thing I can do.” Smiling she gave you a pat on the head before drinking her expensive martini.

“Hows Sumire? Im sorry I couldn’t go to this birthday party I was quite busy.” Remembering the events that happened the day of Sumire birthday you felt an ache in your heart. You remembered the fight you had with your husband that day. You felt like that day was cursed and that nothing good would ever come from it. You felt a wave of guilt wash over you, for not being able to make it a special day for Sumire. You wished you could turn back time and make it a better day, but you knew it was too late. “He’s good, he’s coming here in two days so.” This was probably your third drink of the minute. Finally feeling the wave of nausea hit you, you knew you weren’t far from being drunk. You took a sip of your third drink, feeling the alcohol burn its way down your throat. You could feel the effects of the alcohol, as your vision began to blur and your head started to spin. You knew that if you didn't stop soon, you would be in real trouble.

“You know I really… I really thought me and Satoru would end up together forever. But I was dumb and young to think that. Look at us now.” You felt tears falling down you cheeks. Gripping the glass you had you just wished everything went back to normal. You took a deep breath and tried to compose yourself. You took a sip from your glass and looked at Satoru. You remembered the days when Satoru would take you out and you would laugh together. You thought about the times you would talk until the morning and the feeling of being so in love. You wished you could turn back time and fix all the mistakes that had been made. You took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. You felt your chest heaving against the pain. You closed your eyes, wishing that the tears would go away. You wanted to forget this feeling of sadness and regret, but it seemed to be etched into your heart. You felt like you had been wronged and it was impossible to get back the time you lost.

“I expected us to last longer Mei.” Crying you held back sobs. Mei couldn’t help but try and console you. You were drunk and all your feelings were scattered. You hated Satoru for making you feel like this. Mei put her arms around you and whispered, “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. It’s okay to let it all out.” She gently wiped away your tears and continued to hold you until your sobs subsided. You felt a bit better, but the pain of the breakup still lingered in your heart.

Both you and Satoru were both drunk but it looked like he wasn’t. Deep down he saw you cry with Mei and something in his heart broke. He didn’t know why seeing you cry hurt him so badly. He felt so helpless that he wanted to do something to help you, but he didn't know what. He could only stand there and watch as you cried. The pain he felt was unbearable and he wished that he could find a way to make it go away. He felt a deep sense of guilt and regret for his actions that had caused this pain. He wanted to say something, to apologize and make it right, but he didn’t know how. He just stood there, watching you with Mei and feeling the weight of his guilt and regret.

“What’s wrong Satoru?” Smelling the intoxicating smell of Jiyuu’s breath he knew she was also drunk. Not wanting to deal with her he pursed his lips. Satoru sighed, “Nothing, I'm just tired,” he said, taking a step back. He knew that Jiyuu had a tendency to be overly affectionate when she was drunk and he didn't want to encourage her.

“Here I’ll order you a cab go back to your hotel room, you’re drunk.” Grabbing her hand he took her outside. Waiting for her cab to arrive he felt irritated feelings her arms wrap around his back. She leaned into him, her lips grazing his neck. He felt her breath on his skin and his heart raced. He wanted to give in to the temptation and take her in his arms, but he knew it would be a mistake. He stepped away from her, his voice firm. "Here's your cab, now go back to your hotel room. You're drunk and I'm not going to take advantage of you in this state."

She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears, and said, “Thank you for looking after me.” He could feel the warmth of her breath against his neck and feel her heart beating against his chest. He softly said, “You’re welcome, just take care of yourself.”

He tried to push her away but to no avail. She was too drunk to understand and kept clinging to him. He tried to reason with her but she was not listening. Finally her cab door opened and he helped her get in, making sure she was safe. He watched as the cab drove away, feeling relieved that she was finally on her way home. Seeing your wide eyes he was surprised to see you also outside the bar. You were also waiting for a cab to get back to the hotel room. He was taken aback to see you outside the bar. He expected you would have gone back to the hotel room already. Your eyes were wide and puffy, like you had been crying recently. He was about to ask what was wrong but decided against it. He knew it wasn't his place to pry.

Walking towards him you tumbled a bit. He immediately knew you were drunk just by seeing you struggle to walk towards him. As you got closer, he could smell the alcohol on your breath. His face softened with concern and he put an arm around you to steady you. “Be careful.”

“I hate you, soo so much.” Hearing you slur your voice he knew you didn’t mean it. He sighed, wishing he could take away all the pain and anger that was causing you to make such a statement. He tried to give you a comforting hug, but you shrugged him off and backed away, tears streaming down your face. He said nothing, just looked at you with a sad expression, and waited for you to calm down.

“Why Satoru? Why’d you have to do this to me,” crying you hit his chest. Despite being drunk everything you were saying was true. Every single word that came out of your mouth came from deep in your heart. Tears streamed down your face as you spoke, your voice shaking with emotion. You had trusted Satoru with everything, only for him to break your heart. You felt betrayed and hurt, and the pain was overwhelming. You wanted him to understand how much he had hurt you, but he seemed oblivious to your feelings.

Satoru stood there, his eyes glistening with tears. His heart was heavy and he was filled with regret. He wanted to take back what he had done, but he knew it was too late. He had hurt you, and he knew he had to face the consequences of his actions. Feeling the alcohol in his system Satoru turned to look at you. Grabbing your face he gently rubbed your cheek with his thumb. “Im sorry.” You felt yourself leaning closer to him. His mouth inches away from yours

"I want you to mean it Satoru," you whispered, your voice barely above a whisper. You closed the distance between you and pressed your lips against his. His skin was warm and his lips were soft as you felt your body melting into his embrace. You could feel the heat radiating from his body and you were drawn to him. Everything melted away except for the two of you, and you felt the urge to move closer. You could feel the warmth of his lips against yours as he leaned in closer. His hands moved around your waist as he deepened the kiss, and you could feel his heart racing. You could taste the whiskey he had been drinking, and the taste mixed with the sweetness of his lips. Both of you drunk, you passionately made out, lost in the moment as the world around you faded away.

Not caring if anyone saw you, you were so caught up in the moment you didn’t even realize your cab was waiting for you. Separating from the kiss Satoru leaned his forehead on yours. “Lets go back to my hotel room.” Without a second thought you nodded in agreement, taking Satoru's hand in yours and leading him to the cab that was waiting for you. You were so lost in the moment, you barely noticed the cab driver watching you with a knowing smile as you climbed in. You and Satoru settled in the backseat, still holding hands and sharing a few stolen kisses as the cab drove away.

Before you knew it Satoru was undressing you. Making it back to the hotel room was hard. Currently you were at Satoru’s room. Kissing him intimately he took off your shirt. His hands were all over your body, exploring every inch of it. His touch sent a shiver down your spine. His lips were warm, his breath tickling your neck as he moved closer. You could feel your heart racing as the tension between the two of you increased. You felt like you were in a dream, everything around you fading away into the background.

You felt your heart beating rapidly, as you were nervous and excited at the same time. His hands were gently caressing your skin, as he moved closer to you and whispered in your ear that he wanted you. You felt a thrill of anticipation as you felt Satoru's lips pressed against yours. Removing his shirt you were met with his muscular figure, pushing you onto the bed he unbuckled his belt, taking it off and putting it to the side knowing he would need it for later. His hands ran up and down your body, tracing the curves of your figure as he leaned in to kiss you passionately. You felt his breath on your neck as he continued to explore your body, sending shivers down your spine and making you forget the world around you.

Unhooking your bra you took it off. Covering your chest Satoru leaned down to whisper in your ear. “Don’t cover yourself.” He ran his hands over your exposed skin, feeling the warmth radiating from your body. You felt a shiver run through you as he kissed your neck, his hands exploring further down your body. He pulled you closer, and you felt his breath on your skin as he whispered, "Let me make you feel alive."

Removing your panties he could see you were already wet, smiling he went down on you. Leaving trails of kisses down your legs. He reached your inner thighs and the heat between your legs intensified. His tongue and lips were soft and gentle, yet his touch was electric and you could feel the pleasure radiating through your body. His hands were skillfully exploring your body and you could feel yourself becoming more aroused with each passing second. Satoru's tongue was soft yet firm as it explored your sensitive folds. His touches were gentle and gentle, and his mouth felt hot against your skin. You felt your pleasure build as he licked and sucked on your sensitive areas, and you couldn't help but moan his name. His tongue felt like pure bliss as it sent waves of pleasure through your body. You felt yourself reaching the brink of orgasm and you could barely contain yourself. "Satoru!" you cried out as your body shook with pleasure.

It was clearly one of his favorite activities as he licked and sucked with vigor, bringing you closer and closer to orgasm. His fingers joined in the pleasure, teasing and caressing your inner walls until you were left shaking and screaming his name in pleasure. “Fuck your so beautiful.”

Feeling yourself cum you brought Satoru back to you. Kissing him roughly before making him lay down, getting on top of him you trailed kisses down his chest towards his boxers. You tugged them down, grinning at his gasp as your hand reached his now exposed flesh. You started to stroke it, your thumb rubbing circles around the tip as you leaned in to press a heated kiss against his neck. He moaned, his hands gripping your hips as you continued to tease him. You could feel him pulsating and throbbing as you caressed and kissed him, your hands exploring every inch of his body. He moaned softly in pleasure, his breathing becoming more and more erratic as you continued. You could feel his anticipation and excitement growing with each passing second.

Not wanting to waist any more time you aligned yourself with your entrence. Seeing his icy blue eyes stare at you, a blush creeping onto your cheeks. In his eyes you looked like a goddess. The way the night sky hit your beautiful face making you look unreal. You felt yourself slowly go down on him. You let a small moan come out as you bit your lip, watching him throw his head back in pleasure. You closed your eyes and enjoyed the moment, feeling every inch of him inside you. “Fuck, you’re so tight.” Licking his lips he couldn’t wait anymore. Slamming you on his dick you felt your eyes roll back. He couldn’t wait anymore he wanted to fuck you so bad. His thrusts became harder and faster as he felt himself getting closer to the edge. You could feel your pussy tightening around him as the pleasure coursed through your body. You felt yourself getting closer and closer to the brink of orgasm and he could feel it too. He grabbed your hips and pulled you closer, thrusting inside of you. He let out a deep moan and started to move faster, pushing deeper and deeper. His hands roamed all over your body, exploring every inch of your skin. You felt your body heat up as the intensity of the pleasure increased and you both moved together as one, lost in the moment.

He kissed you hungrily, exploring your mouth with his tongue as his hands roamed your body. His touch sent sparks of pleasure through you, and you felt yourself melting into him. You were lost in the moment, your body aching for more as he moved against you. You felt the heat of his body as he pressed against you, your heart pounding as the intensity of the kiss increased. You could feel every thrust of his hips as he moved inside of you, the sensation of pleasure building until you were left breathless and trembling with desire. “I missed you so much,” groaning you could feel his tongue dance around with yours. His lips deepening the kiss while moaning in his mouth. You felt your heart racing as his hands explored your body, eliciting a moan from deep within you. The sensation of his lips against yours was like a spark of electricity, sending waves of pleasure through your body. His tongue continued to tantalize your senses as the kiss intensified, and you felt yourself melting in his embrace.

Feeling his thrust get sloppier you knew Satoru was going to cum soon. Lost in the mood you didn’t care. “Cum inside of me toru, I want you.” Smirking Satoru felt him release himself into you. His thrusts became more erratic and his breathing became more ragged as he got closer and closer. You could feel his release inside you as he let out a loud moan. You felt satisfied and content as you felt the warmth fill you. You looked into his eyes with a satisfied smile as you both laid there in each other's arms.

Feeling his cum dripping on your thighs, you were still drunk. Satoru smirked seeing your frail figure. “How about round 2?” Moving you he got on top of you. Grabbing his belt he tied it into your wrist. Making a handcuff, he smirked. Seeing you biting your lips. He moved his hands around your body, caressing and massaging you slowly. His touch sent shivers down your spine as his eyes stared into yours. He moved closer and closer until you could feel his breath on your neck. His lips were about to touch yours when he suddenly pulled away and whispered in your ear, "Let's make it even wilder this time"

"Oh how I love to see you like this, helpless and weak. You are all mine now." He brushed his lips against your neck, leaving a trail of kisses as he went down lower. His breathing grew heavy as he started to explore your body. You felt your heart pounding in your chest and your body trembling with anticipation.

You slowly opened your eyes and groaned as the light pierced your head. You felt a sharp pain in your temples and a dry, scratchy throat as you tried to swallow. You had a vague recollection of the events from the night before, but it all felt like a foggy dream. You looked around and noticed you were in a strange room - you had no idea how you got there. You had a splitting headache and all you wanted was to get out and get home.

You had no idea how much you had drank or what you had done. You could hardly bring yourself to move, feeling like your body was made of lead. You slowly dragged yourself out of bed, dreading what the day may bring. You’re heart skipped a beat as you suddenly realized you were naked. Instantly, you began to question what had happened the night before. Did you really get so drunk that you had forgotten what had happened? Had you actually gotten laid the night before?

Walking out the restroom Satoru’s wet hair dripped down his face. His lower body was covered with a towel, seeing his defined body your eyes widened. ‘No way, I didn’t…’ Not being able to believe that you slept with your unfaithful husband you felt angered. You were drunk and you let yourself have sex with this scumbag.

You felt ashamed and embarrassed for allowing yourself to be taken advantage of in such a vulnerable state. You couldn't believe you had allowed yourself to be treated this way, and your anger quickly turned into overwhelming sadness. You felt betrayed and used, and you knew that you needed to do something about it. About to protest before you heard the hotel room open.

Seeing Jiyuu rub her head with her eyes closed she opened it. Seeing your naked figure wrapped around with the sheets her eyes widened. Seeing Satoru with just a towel she had tears in her eyes. She felt her heart break and she wanted to run away and never come back. But she stayed, standing there frozen in time, unable to move or speak. She felt her world crumbling around her, and her emotions overwhelmed her. She wanted to cry, but could not make a sound. Finally, she fled the room, unable to face the truth. “Jiyuu!” Running after her Satoru left you alone in the room.

‘Fucking hell.’ Slapping your forehead you cursed yourself for sleeping with Satoru, quickly changing into your old clothes your legs felt like jello. Closing the hotel room you were met with Toji’s eyes. Staring at you with disappointment all he could do was just walk back inside the hotel room. Seeing you exit Satoru’s hotel room he already knew what happened.

taglist; @allofffmypeaches @wo-ming-bai @nerdiel-has-no-braincells @creolequeen11210 @yevene @doughnuts-eater @narutosagemode @lilith412426 @pandoraium @dcvilxswish @cloudsinthecosmos @alurafairy

[clarisse0o]

Camp Wiegman-Part 56

Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Alternative Universe : Military School

Words : 6k

Masterlist

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Friday, February 19; 3:00 PM -Alps

"Mom," I sighed again. "Do I really have to argue with you about this?"

"Why wouldn't you want to come home as well? I really expected you to visit."

"How many times do I have to repeat myself?" I replied with a weary tone. "I have an interview on Tuesday. We would have come after that, but all my friends are staying here."

"Yes, but..."

She started her sentence but quickly stopped to sigh in turn. I had been struggling with her for nearly fifteen minutes about our possible return to Barcelona. I knew it would be difficult to tell her we weren't coming, but I didn't expect it to be this hard. She seemed really upset.

"I would have loved to see you again... Plus, I'm a bit worried about letting Joan travel alone."

"Oh come on, it won't hurt him to manage on his own, don't you think? And it's not like we're never coming back to Barcelona. It's just that the end of this vacation isn't convenient for us."

"Yes, I understand..."

I rolled my eyes as I turned to lean against the railing of our small balcony. I had stepped outside to get some space. I didn't need Lucy hearing our conversation. Who knows how it could have gone. Surprisingly, it was going more calmly than I had imagined. Especially for a disagreement. She had never acted this way with me before. It's the first time she's trying to see me, and maybe that's why I'm not being as harsh for once. From this new angle where I positioned myself, I could see inside our room. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to move. Lucy was gathering our things, offering me a perfect distraction. It's our last day today, and we're leaving in the next hour... Just thinking about it makes my stomach turn. I would have loved to extend this vacation.

"I took a few days off, you know," my mother continued, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" I teased. "I can be stronger than you at this game, Mom. For instance, you've never taken a vacation for me before."

An awkward silence followed. I could almost feel her nervousness from here, and yet I hadn't even raised my voice this time. She knew I was right, and she must have been afraid that I would get angry. However, now that I think about it, I can't blame her. Our relationship was so shaky that she avoided taking vacations at the same time as me. It was better for everyone if we didn't want seven to fifteen days of door-slamming arguments.

"Alright, I get it," she sighed. "I give up, but do you think you could come back soon...?"

"I don't know. Probably. We'll make sure to come back over a weekend if you really want to see us. Has Lucy made such an impression on you or what?" I teased lightly.

"I love Lucy, but I'd also like to spend time with you."

I nervously bit my lip. Her words seemed sincere, but for some reason, I felt like there was something more behind them. She really insisted on my girlfriend's presence, which was very unsettling. My daydreaming was quickly interrupted by Lucy waving at me from inside to get my attention. It wasn't hard to understand that she was waiting for my help. I sighed as I ran my hand through my hair.

"Listen, Mom, we'll come back, for sure, but it won't be next week. Just get a ticket for Joan. The best would be for Wednesday," I said, repeating what Lucy and I had agreed on.

"Alright... I'll let you know the times. You fly this route often, do you know someone who could take care of himS?"

"Yeah," I said without even thinking. "Ask Shay to take care of her. She's young, probably Lucy's age, very nice. I don't know if she'll be on that flight, but you can try."

"Okay, I'll see. Did you have a good vacation otherwise?"

"Really great. I'd love to keep chatting with you, Mom, but I need to gather my things, you see. Lucy will come looking for me outside if this goes on," I chuckled softly.

"Oh," she replied, embarrassed. "Sorry for keeping you..."

"No, don't worry. I'll call you when we get back to tell you all about it, okay?"

This conversation was getting stranger by the minute. I don't know where these words were coming from, but I felt compelled to say them given how she was behaving. One thing is certain, it does nothing to ease our awkwardness.

"Alright," she responded uncertainly. "Be careful on your way back."

"Promise. See you soon."

"Safe travels."

"Thanks. Bye, Mom."

The words slipped out again. I had never said "bye" to her at the end of a phone call before. I quickly hung up to avoid prolonging this strange and unusual conversation. I took a deep breath before heading back into the room. The first thing I did was take off my jacket. Lucy was no longer visible, but I understood she was in the bathroom from the noise coming from there.

"Did everything go well?" she asked me.

"Mm-hmm," I replied nonchalantly. "I don't want to leave," I added to change the subject.

"Oh, come on. Don't act like a child."

I relaxed, relieved that she was playing along by responding to the second part of my sentence instead of asking questions about what I had been doing outside. So I quickly continued in that direction.

"It was way too short."

"Are you done? Help me finish packing our things instead of complaining."

"Blah, blah, blah," I mumbled with amusement.

I smiled as her head peeked out from the doorway to give me a threatening look.

"I'm not kidding. Your clothes are still in the closet, so make sure to pack your suitcase."

"Yeah, yeah."

I rolled my eyes before turning my back on her. Looking her in the face right now could be regrettable for me. At the same time, it really was a perfect stay. It's the first time I've had such a hard time leaving. Yet, I tend to be the kind of person who loves returning home to find my routine after a trip. But today, I have to admit it's the opposite. Lucy was right again. I'm going to be the one making us late if I keep delaying our departure. With these thoughts, I started packing my suitcase as Lucy had asked. Everything was folded, so packing was easy. Then I tackled the nightstand, dumping what was left on it into my bag. I sighed at the same time, which made Lucy laugh in the next room.

"Aren't you done yet? Are you going to mope too?"

"Yes! Completely."

"Well, I guess I'll leave you here then."

"Hey!" I protested. "You wouldn't do that."

"Why not? You just confirmed that you'd be depressed if you left here, so you could stay here, right? That would solve your problem."

"But no," I complained. "You don't get it. I'll be even more depressed if you leave me here alone."

"Really?" she murmured in my ear, making me jump.

She placed her hand on my hip. I didn't expect her to be behind me when just a few seconds ago, she was talking to me from the bathroom. I glanced over my shoulder to see her little charming smile. When I tried to turn around, she held me back to pull me closer to her.

"So, I'm more important than a place, huh?"

"You know very well you are," I whispered. "You understood perfectly when I said I wanted to stay here. It meant with you."

"I didn't understand it that way, though," she teased lightly.

I closed my eyes as she placed her lips on my neck. My God, how I loved her kisses. Anywhere, as long as she gave them to me. She's the only one who can drive me crazy to the point of letting her touch me like this. I still can't figure out how she managed to fit so easily into my life, but she did. And damn, do I love it.

"You should..." I finally whispered.

"And why is that?" she murmured against my neck.

- Because. I don't want to go anywhere without you anymore...

I pause for a moment after saying this. I don’t even recognize myself anymore. I was never someone clingy, and I definitely feel clingy saying this.

- I can't believe I just said that, I mutter out loud, making Lucy chuckle.

- But you did. It’s cute.

I take advantage of this moment to turn around and face her. She gives me a quick peck on the lips without adding any more comments that could make me uncomfortable.

- Alright, now that your little bout of depression is over, can we finish packing our things? I promise we’ll end our vacation just as well as we started it.

- I know, but it’ll be different. Not as... magical. We had our own little world here, you know?

- I can't argue with that... It’s true it will be different, but we have to return to the real world sooner or later.

I nod in agreement. It’s true, we’re really going back to reality. This last week of vacation will bring more work and responsibilities. It will start with the interview Lucy arranged for me, and then with my brother's arrival. I’m quite happy I won the battle against my mom. There was no way I was going to impose another long trip on us. Plus, after talking with the girls, I found out that Ale is staying in Manchester with Jenni, and Mapi already bought her ticket back for next weekend. Going back under those circumstances was out of the question. Having spent several weekends in Manchester before, this is the first time it’s happening. I can understand why my mom is worried about sending Joan, but he’ll only be traveling alone for one trip as we’ll make sure he returns with Mapi.

- Well, Lucy says, closing the suitcase. It’s time to head down. Are you done on your end?

- Yep.

I throw in the last of my things that I had in my hands before doing one last check. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s repacking when leaving. I always feel like I’m missing something. Fortunately, everything seems to be in order. I close my suitcase and join Lucy, who has already moved towards the door. I glance back one last time with a slight pang in my heart. I’m really going to miss this place. It was truly our little haven.

- Let’s go, Lucy murmurs.

I give her a sad smile and grab her hand. She shuts the door behind us, and we head downstairs. I’m surprised to see that we’re among the last to finish. I expected the others to take more time, considering this is the first time it’s happened. Usually, we’re among the first.

- I’ll go return the keys, Lucy tells me.

She steals a kiss before heading to the reception. I take the opportunity to join Alexia and Mapi, who seem to be having an animated conversation from where I’m standing. It looks like it’s the case, given how they greet me.

- There you are at last! Mapi calls out. We had an idea, Ale and I.

- Oh really?

- Yeah, she says proudly. Do you think Lucy will let you go for a night? We were thinking of having a girls’ night when we get back. Just the three of us, no girlfriends, nothing. Just us.

- Do you really think I would spoil the night by not wanting my presence, Mapi?

Once again, Lucy catches me off guard with her sudden appearance. The girls didn’t expect it either, judging by the looks on their faces. Since I told her what Mapi thought, this is the first time she’s made a remark that could suggest a reproach. Yet, I know they’ve talked. Neither of them wants to tell me what was said, but all I know is that things are better. They’ve settled their differences and know what they think of each other. I had pestered Lucy to be kind, and it seems she was. The most important thing is that their relationship has improved. It would be great if they didn’t take three steps back again. The comment had its effect on Mapi, as she gives me a disapproving look. She knows I told Lucy. At the same time, she should have known that was the case. A little cold sweat breaks out when she looks back at Lucy again. She almost seems embarrassed.

- It’s not that, it’s... Well-...

Her distress is evident in her eyes. Fortunately for her, Alexia comes to her rescue.

- We just wanted to have a night with friends, you see, Alexia interrupts. We’ve never had the chance to do one since we’re never together.

I bite my lip as I see Lucy raising her eyebrow seriously at Alexia’s intervention. Knowing her better now, I immediately relax. I was afraid she might react negatively, but I quickly realize she’s just teasing them. She often plays on her influence, and it’s very amusing to watch. I’ll never know how she manages to stay so serious every time. It’s something I could never do. Her serious expression slowly turns into a smile, making me burst out laughing.

- It’s fine, relax, Lucy finally laughs with me. Do you really think I’d stop her from going out? I’m not her mother, I’m her girlfriend, remember?

The girls’ faces are priceless. It’s funny that they always ask for Lucy’s permission. They still see her as my school chaperone. They haven’t yet understood that Lucy clearly distinguishes between the two relationships, and it will never be the case.

- But the night needs to be decided so we can plan, okay? Lucy adds while running her hand through my hair.

- Yes, Commander, I tease.

She rolls her eyes with a little smile.

- I’m going to Jenni’s, she finally says.

She kisses my cheek before heading off in her direction. I linger on her before turning back to the girls, who seem really uncomfortable.

- Forgive us, it’s just that we always feel like she’s the one calling the shots, Alexia apologizes first.

- I assure you, she lets me live my life fully, I giggle. If that wasn’t the case, I’d let her know.

- Okay, so when would be a good time for the girls’ night?

- Probably in the next few days. Joan is coming, so I’d rather avoid having him with us or leaving him with Lucy, I say with a shrug.

- Really? Joan is actually coming? You managed to call your mom?

- Just about. It was hard to convince her because she wanted us to come instead, but she finally agreed.

- That’s awesome! Alexia exclaims. So, you’re staying?

- Well, yeah, I laugh. We weren’t going to leave when you’re all here. Joan will probably come on Wednesday, but it would be best for us to have this girls' night over the weekend.

- We could do it tomorrow night. It’s Saturday. Saturday night is fun, right?

- Yeah, Alexia agrees. Jen told me she hasn’t done anything with Lucy in a while, so it’ll be a good opportunity for everyone to go out.

- We’ll check with them then, I say.

- Hey girls, are you coming? Beth calls out to us. It’s time to leave.

- It’s funny that it’s the latecomer calling us, Mapi jokes.

She nudges her playfully before they head off together, joining the others in laughter. It’s amazing how this trip has brought everyone closer. As for me, I’ve spent a lot of time with the four girls and Jenni. That girl is great, and I’ve learned some stories she shared about Lucy. It seems she was very protective of her and still will be if necessary. It’s good to know she’s surrounded like this, though I often wonder why. From what I know of Lucy, it’s hard to believe she needs it. Other than her, I’ve also talked a lot with Beth since she loves art, but also with Aitana during the evenings we spent together. Lucy was never far when one of her friends approached me, and I’m grateful for that. She has a good understanding of my anxiety, so I’m glad. Speaking of Aitana, she’s the last latecomer before we finally head out. We were very lucky with our cars. Since we barely used them these past few days, they were all covered in snow. Fortunately, the staff noticed and offered last night to clear them before our departure. Now that we’re in front of them, the result is really there. They’ve cleared everything, both on top and around. We decide to keep the same seating arrangements as on the way, which suits me perfectly.

- I’m still sad, I confess to Lucy while Jenni loads the car.

- We’ll come back, I promise, she chuckles.

- Hmm... But we might have to wait. Our next trip will be somewhere sunny.

- Are you going on vacation this summer? Alexia joins our conversation.

No. With the work at the gym, we won’t have time, Lucy replies. We’ll probably go to my parents' place during the next school holidays.

Lucy brought up this idea to me this week. I wasn’t particularly thrilled, but I couldn’t really say no. She had already met my mother, and she herself agreed to come back with me when I asked her. She admitted to visiting them twice a year: once during the end-of-year holidays and the second time during the summer vacation. Unfortunately, this year the second visit won’t be possible. Since she’s leaving her job to open her gym with Jenni, it goes without saying that they will have a lot of work on their plate this summer. When she told me about it, I expected her to say she wasn’t going. However, she promised them that she would come during the April holidays, so she can’t back out now. At first, I thought she just wanted to warn me about her departure, but in reality, I quickly realized that she wanted me to accompany her to introduce myself. I clearly panicked. It was sudden, and Lucy is older than me. Her parents must expect things different from mine. I don’t even know myself how we’re going to move forward after school, and I’m not in a hurry to find out, to be honest. All I want is to take my time. I was almost ready to say no to her, but she then explained that her parents have been worried since Keira’s death. Understanding Lucy’s desperate state, they had asked her to come back to Portugal, but Lucy categorically refused. She explained to me that she didn’t want to do that, that it would have been like taking ten steps back in her life. According to her, she had gained her independence by coming to Manchester and she had learned to love this city. It was because of this event that their project with Jenni truly came to life. If all this hadn’t happened, they would have waited before starting their own business. However, it was apparently the only thing that convinced Lucy’s parents to let her continue living in UK. Lucy managed to hide from them that she felt lonely and destroyed, and instead, she was determined to continue her new life. I felt bad hearing these revelations. I didn’t like knowing she was feeling so badly. Her solution to cope was Camp Wiegman. She confessed to me that it was her best way to heal. With this job, not only was she able to make money, but also, she managed to forgive herself for not being able to save Keira by helping other people in distress. It’s crazy that we could have met this way, but I’m so happy that her presence has been woven into my life.

- Yes, that’s exactly what I thought, that’s why I was asking, Ale continues with a smile. It’s cool if you can leave before! And where are you coming from then?

- From Portugal.

- You too? she wonders, knowing that I am too. Wow. Two Portuguese together, then, she giggles.

- Oh yes, Lucy laughs.

- It’s true that it’s a good idea to come back, Jenni says, closing the trunk. It’s been a long time since we did that with everything that’s happened.

- It was you who didn’t come back with me in December, Lucy replies. But if you want, you can come with us, Lucy offers. We will definitely leave the first week of the April holidays, but that remains to be confirmed.

- That would be cool! I agree. I would feel less alone, I joke.

- So yes. Know that Ona is really scared of meeting my parents, Lucy teases, making me blush.

I was panicking too. After what she told me, she never introduced someone after Keira. I can imagine that I would be the center of all their attention to ensure that I wouldn’t harm their daughter. In itself, I can’t blame them. I would have been the same and that’s what terrifies me.

- Well, at the same time, there’s a lot going on with Diane, Jenni laughs. Does she at least know that you have someone new in your life? It’s been a long time since you introduced someone to them.

- Since Keira, she murmurs. They don’t know about Ona yet, but I was planning to tell them over the phone in the next few days.

- I feel like you’re going to get a good scolding, she mocks. How long has it been since you called them? Knowing you, you’re still avoiding them like the plague, right ?

- Oh stop it. I avoid them much less than you avoid yours. I call them every weekend since... Well, every weekend except last weekend. She might have noticed that I’m hiding something from her, and I didn’t want to tell her about Ona right away. Anyway, did you know that your parents asked about you? she smiles amusingly at this news.

- Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me, she grimaces. But with all the organization and everything, I was pretty busy. That’s why I’m saying that maybe I should go back there, she giggles.

- You’d better call them more often, she scolds.

- You’re not in a position to preach to me. Start by telling her about Ona. You should know that the sooner the better. They’re just waiting for you to come back with someone.

- Hum, hum, she rolls her eyes.

- Hey guys, Aitana calls out to us, interrupting. Are we good to go?

Yeah, we’re good, Jenni confirms. Let’s get going before we get yelled at again, she tells us with a little laugh.

- That would be the height of irony since we were always the first this week.

We laugh as we get into the car. As on the way, we take off our jackets to be more comfortable, and Jenni hurries to turn on the heater. After Jenni checks the other cars, she opens the road as it’s still us who have the GPS. I look back with a slight pang, but I forget it very quickly the moment Lucy rests her hand on my thigh.

- Anyway, in all this, Ona, I confirm that you have reason to worry, she jokes. Diane will be relentless with you, believe me.

- Hey, Lucy replies upon seeing my face. She’s already quite panicked like that. Don’t make it worse. I would have preferred if you reassured her.

- Do you want to know the truth? she asks me.

- Because that wasn’t the truth?

- Yes, she laughs. But what you really need to know is that Lucy’s parents are adorable deep down. They’re just worried about her, so they’ll simply make sure that you deserve her. To do this, you’ll certainly have to go through a very thorough questionnaire, and they’ll definitely check your background—

- Jenni! Are you out of your mind?

- What? We both know they’d be capable of that, she snorts. No, seriously Ona, knowing you, they’ll adore you once they get to know you, believe me.

Lucy sighs before resting her hand again on my thigh. Looking at her now, I almost feel like she’s more stressed than me about this meeting. Maybe if she wants to take me right away, it’s to do it as quickly as possible like Jenni said earlier? I won’t hesitate to ask her. Anyway, I would follow her to the other side of the world if necessary. She has already done so much for me, so I wouldn’t hesitate to return the favor. However, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m totally panicked and if it were up to me, I would have gone back to Barcelona to spend my days studying for my exam.

- Everything will be fine, OK? she finally tells me. It will be the rest of the world against the two of us, in any circumstance.

This sentence may be cliché—and I hate it so much—but coming from Lucy, it's just adorable. I link my hand with hers and bring it to my lips to kiss the back of it.

- I know, I murmur before taking a deep breath. Anyway, you’re going to come with us too, right? So maybe they’ll have other distractions since it seems like Jenni hasn’t come back in a long time.

My subject change ended up easing the atmosphere. We laugh under the groans of the driver of the car.

- The worst is that she’s probably right.

I smile, staring outside. After all, it’s not really a bad idea this vacation. I’m going to have to face her parents sooner or later, and I’m happy to return to Portugal. It’s been a while since I last set foot there, me too. I miss my country. Maybe I’ll ask her to stop in my city as well...

Friday, February 19; 9:30 PM - Manchester.

I can’t take it anymore. I’m literally exhausted. In a good way, of course. Since it was mealtime upon our return, we all stopped at a pizzeria again to grab a bite. It’s been about an hour since we ate, and we’re now chatting. Most of our conversations are about our stay. Unlike in the Alps, there’s no more snow here, but it has been transformed by rain. Lucy told me she got used to this city, but I still wonder how. Maybe the weather will warm up now. I blink several times to stay awake. I try to follow what’s being said while being completely slumped over Lucy. A little more and I’m lying on her.

- Do you want to go home? she whispers to me.

- Hum, hum.

I shake my head, sinking into her neck. I don’t want to ruin the evening because of me. Everyone still seems to have their heads in the living room. We've done so many things that there's a lot to talk about. Lucy kisses the top of my head, holding me close.

- We’re going to go home.

No, I mumble.

- "Yes, let's go home," she giggles. "I don't exactly want to carry you all the way to my apartment."

- "I'm fine," I mumble. "I'm not that tired..."

I try to sit up, but she firmly keeps me against her.

- "You're allowed to be tired, babe. We've had a long week."

I smile at the thought. We definitely had a long week. Between parties, hikes, and activities, I don't know where my head's at anymore. Lucy had promised we'd go sledding, and that's what we did yesterday on our last day. Afterward, we stopped by a chalet for hot chocolate and ended the evening in the pool. It was the perfect way to unwind one last time. I didn’t expect to be this exhausted, though. There were nights when we didn’t get much sleep, but I should be used to short nights by now.

- "Alright, everyone," Lucy says to the others. "Any volunteers to drive us home?" she asks.

- "We’ll take you," Jenni teases. "We’re falling asleep too."

Eventually, everyone agrees to head back. I was surprised to find out it was already nearing ten o'clock. Suddenly, I didn’t mind going home. I thought it was much earlier. I struggle to get up, barely managing to stay on my feet, which seems to amuse Lucy.

- "It’s not funny," I mumble with a small smile.

- "Do you want me to carry you?" she teases.

- "No, and stop mocking me," I complain.

- "Oh, by the way, we didn’t get a chance to talk about the girls' night," Mapi says, approaching us.

- "You can talk about it tomorrow. She won't remember anything tonight," Lucy laughs.

I groan again, giving her a gentle push. Bad idea. Not only does she barely move, but I also stumble. Without another word, Lucy lifts me into her arms, making me let out a small cry of surprise. It was the last thing I expected her to do after joking about it. I smile as I relax against her, no longer finding the strength to protest. It takes just a few minutes for sleep to take me.

Saturday, February 20; 3:00 PM - Manchester Supermarket.

I sigh for what feels like the hundredth time as I push the cart. Whose idea was it to do the shopping the day after a vacation? Especially on a Saturday. It’s packed with people. This isn’t exactly how I imagined getting back to normal life. At least I got a good ten hours of sleep last night... I could’ve easily slept ten more.

- "I’m sore all over."

- "Are you done complaining? You've been doing that since you woke up," Lucy teases.

- "I’m sleep-deprived. I don’t really understand why you volunteered us to do the shopping. The others volunteered too. We could’ve spent the day on the couch!"

I’m starting to think it was a mistake to agree to this evening so soon. I should have known that with Mapi, everything would need to be meticulously organized, and that’s exactly what happened. This morning, during breakfast, she called me bright and early. Before her call, Lucy had confessed that she wanted to bring it up last night, but I fell asleep before she could. Mapi didn’t hesitate to remind me, teasing me about it. I laughed it off, so I can't really be mad at her. It’s something that’s never happened to me before. Then again, we didn’t get much rest during the vacation. We scheduled the girls’ night for tonight. I would have preferred to move it to tomorrow, but Lucy and her friends will be heading to The United while I’m out.

- "I’m starting to think I should have let you sleep in that restaurant last night instead of carrying you. And to think I said I wouldn’t do it."

I gasp, lightly hitting her arm.

- "It’s not my fault I was completely exhausted. You would’ve dared?"

- "Hmm... I would have if you were acting like you are now. You wanted this girls' night tonight, so own it."

- "Listening to you, it sounds like you're not too thrilled about it."

- "Don’t put words in my mouth," she sighs.

- "Then what? Are you going to say it’s my fault again? I consulted you, and we didn’t really have a choice since you’re also going out to your bar."

- "That’s not what’s bothering me right now."

- "Then what? Are you going to blame me for agreeing to a girls’ night? Did you not want me to?"

I ask, feeling a bit panicked. What if that’s it? I barely consulted her, but she said it was fine yesterday. At least, it seemed like tonight worked for everyone since she’ll be out with Jenni and Ingrid while I’m with the girls.

- "Of course not. It’s not about the night out. It’s you making a fuss about these groceries that’s irritating me. That’s all."

- "Well, the others could’ve handled it. Mapi and even Ale offered to help."

- "We needed some groceries anyway. Besides, Jenni’s going to start working solo on our room, so I owe her since she’s already doing a lot. And as for the other two, I don’t trust them with the shopping list. You know what I mean?"

I swallow the words I was about to throw at her. I’m such an idiot sometimes. I should know by now that most of her decisions are well thought out.

- "Sorry," I mumble. "I get it now, but I was just expecting we’d spend the day on the couch, so I’m frustrated."

- "It’s fine, I know. We’ll have time for that too. I promise, babe."

- "Yeah, well, I’m afraid we won’t have much time left, you know? Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had a chance to relax?"

- "Are you going to tell me you regret last week?" she challenges, raising an eyebrow.

- "Of course not... Alright, have you finished contradicting me just to change my mind?"

Lucy laughs as she continues filling the cart that I’m pushing. Some of it’s for us, and the rest is for tonight, as she mentioned earlier. We’re staying at Jenni’s apartment, so we needed to buy stuff since she’s low on supplies too. We decided to make pizza, so we bought what we needed, as well as some drinks. In the end, I’m glad we’re taking care of it. At least I know what we’re buying, and if it helps the others out, then all the better.

- "Nope. It’s actually pretty funny," she teases with a small smile. "Anyway, how about we grab some things for a movie night tomorrow, hmm?"

I was about to pout, but Lucy knows just how to talk to me to avoid that, it seems. I nod enthusiastically.

- "That sounds tempting, for sure."

- "We can finally finish the Harry Potter series after all this time."

- "You’re the best."

- "Alright, let’s finish these groceries then. We’re almost done."

Now that I look into the cart, I realize that Lucy had already started picking up stuff for tomorrow. I smile, amazed at how she always manages to distract me. It’s incredible.

- "Hey, you’re not really mad at Mapi, right?"

- "Why do you ask? I thought everything was settled."

- "I thought so too. It was just a question based on your remark yesterday. She blamed me for talking to you," she giggles.

- "Oh. I was just joking. I thought you guys understood that."

- "I did. I just wanted to make sure now that we’re alone."

- "Mapi is your friend, Ona. Like I said before, we’ve settled our differences. As long as she stays honest with you, I’ll appreciate her."

- "Even if she makes me drink tonight?"

- "Well, I’d rather not talk about that."

I laugh, knowing exactly what she’s thinking. She really doesn’t like it when I drink. Keira must have really left a mark on her in that regard.

- "I’m kidding. I promise it won’t be a wild night. Alexia didn’t seem to want that, and with what you picked out, I doubt we’ll get drunk."

I say, glancing into the cart. There are mostly beers, two bottles of low-alcohol liquor, and some soft drinks. I don’t think we’re at risk of getting drunk with this.

"And what do you plan to do tonight? Do you have any plans yet? »

My smile widens. She just can’t help but be curious. Even though she told me this morning, and just repeated, that she didn’t want to know anything about tonight.

- "I have no idea. We’ll probably talk a lot. Anyway, you’ll be looking for me tonight, so there’s no risk of anything happening to me, right?"

- "Don’t be so sure. If I find you drunk, I’ll make you run beside the car on the way home to burn off the alcohol."

I burst out laughing. The craziest part is that she really would do it.

- "Well, we’ll try to avoid that, huh?"

- "It’s up to you to avoid it, sweetheart," she replies with a wink. "Come on, let’s check out. When we get home, we can prepare the room for your brother, get the snacks ready, and finally relax. I’m starting to get tired too."

- "It’s about time," I giggle.

- "What can I say? I guess I have more stamina than you," she teases.

- "Yeah, well, not all of us are as athletic as you," I retort with amusement.

- "True," she smiles. "But even the best can get tired."

- "What nonsense! I never said you were the best."

- "I don’t need you to say it. I know it myself, and that’s enough," she boasts.

I laugh, giving her shoulder a gentle push. Her smile widens, making mine grow too. She’s joking when she says that, but she probably doesn’t realize how true her words are. She’s such an amazing woman, and I feel like she doesn’t even see it. I can’t wait to get home and hibernate on the couch with her.

[orshii]

Guilty Pleasure - Follow You (Part 2)

✟ Pairing: Choi San x female reader ✟ Word count: 6k ✟ Warnings: cursing, suggestive, mentions of death, blood

✟ Summary: You go back to your hometown for the summer vacation, not expecting the small town's priest to be a total eye candy. But he seems to be hiding dark secrets underneath his holy façade.

Will you find out the truth?

✟-First Part-✟

✟ A/N: Heeyy, so here is the long-awaited part 2 of this story. When I first wrote it I would've never thought it was going to head this way, but it happened and we finally know all the dark secrets of Priest San and why is he acting like this. Also, Yunho and Mingi appear in this story as well, and they are from @bvidzsoo's Who Am I fanfiction, it's happening in the same world but the mention of it is just slight. I find it funny and exciting to write in the same world lol, as in the future that is going to happen more often if she is in hehe. Anyways, read part 1 before reading this to understand everything. Tyy, byee! (Also I'm obsessed with this song again, and it matches the vibes of the story so I recommend listening to it)

         I was sitting on the church’s brown bench again as I watched the familiar face who was standing in front of the altar with the Bible in hand and a rosary strolling around his veiny hands the familiar cross hanging on his chest, as he was preaching for the people who came to the church on a bright Sunday morning.

People need to hear some reassuring thoughts about their God so they are going to feel less burdened about the sins they have committed. As if going to church will liberate them from the bad things they all did. Including me, that had the biggest sin anyone had in this church.

And that was—sleeping with the priest who was standing in the middle of the church, trying to motivate the people who came and prayed for their freedom. His sharp but innocent-looking eyes never met mine. Maybe he felt guilty about the sins we committed or he was pretending like I did not exist.

Two weeks went by since that night. And I barely saw Choi San, the priest of the town I grew up in, well he wasn’t a priest, he just pretended to be one, because he had some dark secrets that he did not share with me. After we slept together—some not-so-innocent images popped up in my mind, as he looked down at me, hovering over me, whispering some dirty thoughts into my ears that made me commit any sins that existed. The way his hands ran through my thighs up and down as he made me feel good with a burning desire in his eyes. That night I just cut all my sanity and gave in my guilty pleasure, and so did San—But after that night we did not speak. We had met a few times at the store or at the servings he held, but he pretended like nothing happened and it made me feel uneasy.

Why did he pretend like nothing happened? Was I just a one-night stand to satisfy his needs as it was rare for him to find someone who is in for a fuck with a priest? But in reality, he wasn't even a priest and I still did not know what he was doing here, and why he pretended to be one.

And as I watched him standing in front of the altar, the hall as quiet as the church's mouse, in his long black vestment his eyes observing the people sitting in front of him, I had enough of this game and I needed to talk with him.

When the mass ended, I waited until the church emptied, pretending to pray a little longer. I needed this moment, especially since my thoughts during the service had been less than innocent. Once everyone had left, I stood up and made my way to the vestry room where San always prepared for the mass.

As I entered the room, I saw San speaking with an old man. He was smiling, his dimples showing—a rare sight since he was always so serious with me. His hands rested on the old man's shoulders as he reassured him, promising to pray for the man's sick wife. It was kind of him, revealing a caring and warm side to his personality. But I knew it was all an act. He fooled these people with promises he couldn't keep because he wasn't the person they thought he was.

When the man finally turned, I smiled at him and bowed a little when he passed by me, leaving the two of us in the room. San just glared at me with his sharp eyes, his dimples disappearing the moment the old man left the room.

"Hi," I said as I walked further inside leaning against a table that was full of crosses and Bibles, on the walls there were a few glorious paintings and a closet in the corner of the room where the priest's vestments were hanging. I looked at San with crossed arms in front of my chest.

"Hey," he said, not even meeting my eyes as he turned his back to me. He began taking off the black vestment he was wearing, revealing an ironed white shirt and black pants underneath. 

"Why are you avoiding me?" I said as I stared at his wide shoulders where my nails drew blood a few weeks ago.

He folded his black vestment and put it into the closet. Then he turned around to face me as he leaned against the closet mirroring my position. His eyes scanned me up and down. "I'm being watched. I have to pretend everything is normal and fulfill my priest duties," he said in a low voice, his expression unreadable. 

I scoffed. "So, I do not deserve at least an explanation?" I lifted my hands questioning him. "You can't keep fooling these people, they really trust you San. Some people would give their life into your hands."

He pushed himself off the closet and slowly approached me with predator's eyes. "I know, I hate to do this, but I have to. I can explain everything. Let's meet at the cemetery tonight." He said as he stood in front of me, he hovered above me, making me feel small. His eyes, burning with intensity, stared into mine, lighting up even in the dimly lit room.

"A cemetery? Really?" My brows furrowed in disbelief.

"Yes, I want to show you something." He stepped closer to me, even though we barely had space between us, his hands squeezing my waist tightly.

"First you kidnap me to an abandoned mansion, and now you want to take me to a cemetery? Are you planning to hide my body in a used coffin?" I folded my arms in the narrow space between us.

He hummed, leaning close to my face, his lips brushing against mine. "I want to do other things with your body, and they're far from innocent," he whispered as his thin lips moved to my bare neck, leaving slight kisses along the way. My lips parted, my body growing hotter, and my heart pounded with uncontrollable desire. I gripped the table behind me, trying to pull away, but he held me in place, not letting me escape. 

His hands on my waist pulled me flush against his body, one of his hands traveling up to my jaw as he held it and pulled me closer to his parted lips. "You are my guilty pleasure." He whispered the words onto my lips as his thumb traced over the bottom of my lip. I couldn't control my body or my thoughts, so I just gave control to him. His familiar candy-like scent drove me crazy, making me lose my mind.

Then I felt his lips crush onto my lips, which immediately parted letting his tongue in as it discovered my mouth. This feeling was too familiar yet too strange. I felt like all of this was wrong, I didn't know anything about him, yet I was here kissing him like he was the love of my life.

His lips moved against mine, meanwhile, his hands discovered my body that was flushed against his, I wrapped my hands around his neck like it was in a script of a movie, all of this felt so natural but inhuman at the same time. While he was kissing me, his hands traveled down to the back of my tights just to lift me to the table, swiping the things off from the top so I could sit. He was standing in between my legs that I wrapped around his small waist. His hands brushed against the top of my thighs up to my back where his hands ended up in my hair as he ran his fingers through my dark strings.

The desire that lit my heart in that moment was endless, I felt like it could never burn out, but I couldn't let this go further. After all, we were still in a church… I slowly pulled away from him a string of saliva still connecting our lips from our passionate kiss as San captured my lips in a deep possessive kiss again, pulling me into a more rushed kiss, sucking my lower lip between his teeth, as my hands were on his pumped-up chest trying to push him away carefully.

He leaned his forehead against mine as we both breathed heavily. "I want you," He whispered in between quick breaths.

"We are in a church," I whispered back as my eyes met his, our eyes mirroring the same desire we felt for each other.

He nodded with a slight smile, as his lips met mine again, leaving a long peck on my warm lips. "I have to go, meet you at the cemetery at 8 p.m. darling." He left a kiss on the corner of my mouth and with that he left me there sitting on the table, the crosses and Bibles on the floor scattered, making me want to run away as quickly as possible from there, and I face-palmed myself mentally for being this high over heels for a man, who made me forget humans had sinned and that needed forgiveness.

I parked my car in the cemetery’s parking lot, the sun was slowly settling down, to hide behind the hills that hugged the town around. The weather was quite chilly, as it was already the end of summer, early autumn knocking on the door to let them in. This change of season meant I would soon have to return to where I lived and resume teaching the children who counted on me. I didn't want to let them down.  

When I stepped inside the cemetery goosebumps ran through my body. The sun was barely shining, leaving me in a quiet and dark cemetery that was swimming in mist. I heard some weird noises that I couldn't comprehend. Perhaps it was a bird nesting in the branches or a squirrel scurrying up and down the tree trunks. I stood frozen at the entrance, hesitant to venture deeper into the eerie yet noisy cemetery. There were a lot of gravestones and some flowers that were long withered.

Then I gathered all my courage and stepped deeper into the cemetery not knowing where should I wait for San. The cemetery slowly swallowed me as I went deeper, the graves forming a labyrinth around me.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps, but I couldn't tell which direction they came from. My heart was beating wildly, and I was frozen in place, my legs refusing to move. Then, I felt hands on my waist from behind, squeezing me. I jumped and let out a small scream.

"Holy shit San, don't do this again." I felt relieved as I turned around and saw his face where the curves of his lips were up his dimples on the sight.

"Sorry," He chuckled as he saw my terrified face. "You seemed lost in here, darling." His hands were still on my waist as he pulled me closer to him.

"Of course, it's not me who comes to the cemetery daily to bury random people." I squinted my eyes looking up at him and I noticed he was in casual clothes that was a black T-shirt, glued to his chest and broad shoulders, the familiar cross hanging on his pumped-up chest, the T-shirt paired with black sweatpants. He looked so comforting in normal clothes I wanted to hug him so badly.

He giggled, seeming genuinely happy—a rare sight to see him smile in a way that wasn't fake. His hands reached for mine, interlacing our fingers. "Come, I want to show you something," he said.

He began pulling me along by our interlaced hands, guiding me through the maze of graves and random sculptures of fallen angels that I didn’t quite understand. I realized there were many things about this small town that I didn't know, despite having grown up here.

Suddenly, San stopped, and I bumped into his broad back, feeling as if I had collided with an unbreakable wall. As I looked around, I saw we were standing in front of a grave that was unique—nothing like the others. It was crafted with care, adorned with fresh flowers in two vases on the ground, and featured graceful curves with winged decorations. I had never seen anything like it before. I turned to look at San, who stood next to me, gazing down at the grave with a look of deep grief.

"This is my grandmother's grave." He said with a low voice still holding my hand as I stood next to him. I nodded and caressed his shoulders signaling I was here next to him. "She raised me with my grandpa. My parents passed me to them when I was little. We have not heard about them since then." He sighed and sat down in front of his grandma's grave pulling up his legs to his chest and resting his elbows on his knees. I followed him and sat close to him and ran my hand up his back my fingers slowly combing through his raven-black hair. I wanted to be there with him, I wanted him to know I was by his side no matter what.

He was staring at his hands in front of him as he continued. "So, I was growing up here until I was eighteen, that was the time I left the town so I could study more."

"How come I don't remember you? I was growing up here, yet I never seen you." I asked with a frown.

His lips curved a little. "Well, I changed a lot. I was a weak and not-so-social little boy, maybe that is why." He tilted his head towards my direction to look at me with a slight smile. As I pouted trying to remember the boy he was describing. "If it helps you more, my grandfather was the priest before me." He smiled at me looking at my face, my eyes going wide at the realization.

"No way, you are the mysterious grandchild of Father John? Oh my God." I looked at him as I couldn't believe it. "Look at you, now being strong and independent." I squeezed his biceps as he chuckled. But then his expression turned serious.

"So, the thing is, I don't know where is my grandfather." His gaze went back to the grave in front of us.

"What? Isn't he retired?" I asked him a little confused.

"No, he had this year to complete, and he wanted to retire next year. I came to visit him, but he was nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere, but there was no trace. Then, one day, these guys came after me and mentioned a 200-year-old golden relic that my grandpa owned, worth millions. " He glanced at me briefly as he spoke. 

"Those were the guys who chased us?" I asked him, trying to stay calm, it was a lot of information to process, as I remembered the night someone was chasing us with a black car, that night led us to San’s mansion.

"Yes, it's a mafia gang. They call themselves The Boyz and their leader is Sunwoo. One day they cornered me and told me they captured my grandpa and they were going to kill him if I don't tell them, where is the cup." His voice was full of rage as I watched his sharp side profile as he gritted his teeth. "When you saw me negotiate with some guys the other day, it was another gang called Ateez, their leader is Kim Hongjoong and I turned to them to ask for help. But the only way they agreed was that I give them the cup to keep it safe because they were famous for collecting different kinds of relics, and I agreed because I couldn't save my grandpa alone… I gave them money to help me but they only told me they were going to come when needed. And since that, I never saw them. So, it was a waste of time and I don't know if my grandpa is still alive." He sighed weakly in frustration, the burning rage slowly fading out of his eyes.

I ran my finger through my hair trying to calm down and think straight. "Do you know where is the cup?"

"Yes," He looked at me his eyes full of sadness alongside revenge. "We are sitting on it."

I frowned at that, looking around in confusion. "Where?"

"It's in my grandma's coffin."

My jaw hung open as I looked at the grave in front of us. "So, what will you do?"

"I don't know, Y/N…" He ran his fingers through his hair stressed. "I don't know what to do, what is the right choice I'm all by myself—"

"Hey," I said, reaching out to gently pull his hands away from his hair. I moved in front of him so I could look directly into his eyes. "I'm here. You're not alone, San." Kneeling between his spread legs, I cupped his face in my hands. "We'll figure this out together, okay?" I gazed into his eyes as I rested my forehead against his. 

He nodded and enveloped me in his strong arms and legs while I remained kneeling, almost making me disappear in his embrace. "Thank you so much, Y/N." He whispered into my ears his voice going weak. The familiar scent of candy hugged me tight, giving me a comfort that I didn't even know I needed.

Then San pulled away as his hands cupped my face. "I want you to be by my side…I want to be with you, but I'm scared you might get hurt in the process. I have a difficult life, Y/N…especially now…I don't know if I can keep you safe." He whispered as his gaze never left mine, his eyes welling up with tears.

I traced my thump on his cheek, where a teardrop escaped his eyes and wiped it away. "I'm going to be okay, it's easier to fight together than alone, right?" My lips curved up a little, giving him comfort.

He smiled at me emotionally, as his finger reached towards my hair, brushing a string behind my ear. "You are so beautiful and perfect, my darling. I don't deserve you." His eyes beamed caring and unlimited love, which made my heart twist painfully, but that pain was good, it whispered good things for the future.

"You do deserve someone by your side. And I want to be that person." I whispered back, leaning close to his face. When his lips met mine, it felt like he was kissing me for the hundredth time, yet each kiss still felt like the very first. It wasn't rushed, it was careful and warm, we sealed our lips together as a promise to protect the other no matter what. Something in my heart started to grow and it felt right for the first time in my life. But then a voice interrupted our promise to each other. 

“Well, well—the love birds are hiding in the cemetery. How romantic,” a voice said from behind us. I glanced over San’s shoulder and saw five men standing there, their eyes fixed on us with a predatory gaze.

San immediately got up and hid me behind his broad shoulder, his arms out in a protective manner. He looked like he was the mountain that hid people from danger. "Sunwoo…what do you want?" Sunwoo—then he was the leader of The Boyz… they were after the cup and we were standing right above it.

"Wasn't I clear enough on that?" I peeked out from the safety of San's back and saw the man who was speaking, he had foxlike eyes and black hair, and all of them were wearing leather jackets with ripped jeans, making them disappear into the darkness of the cemetery. I could barely count how many of them were still hiding in the dark.

Suddenly I heard hustling from behind and I had no time to react, all I felt was a hand around my neck and that pulled me away from San, a sharp, cold thing replacing the strange hand. San turned towards me, looking at the man behind me with sharp, glaring eyes. "Let her go, she has nothing to do with this!" He shouted as he tried to attack the man who held a knife to my neck. From the sudden movement, the knife went deeper into my skin, as blood streamed down my neck like tears. But San had no chance as the leader caught him in no time and held a gun to the back of his head. "Don't try to act like a hero, or she'll die," Sunwoo mumbled into San's ear.

I couldn't process what was happening, my heart was pumping loudly in my ear, and I barely heard what was happening. My vision was on San the whole time, whose eyes were staring at me, trying to give me some strength that I needed at that moment. I breathed heavily, trying to calm myself down, but as I lifted my chest to breathe the sharp knife dug deeper into my skin, making me panic at the sudden pain.

"If you tell us, where the fuck is that cup, I'm going to tell you where is your old man and we won't kill this sweetheart." The leader nodded towards me with a perverted smile. I wanted to throw up from the pain and the faces they all made while looking at me.

I met San’s gaze again; he was signaling that he was about to make a move. In a sudden burst of action, he spun around, grabbed the gun that was pressed against his head and punched the man in front of him who fell to the ground. At the sudden movements, the man behind me lost the grip of the knife and I immediately kicked him in the balls and he hunched over immediately from the sudden pain. San ran towards me and held me by both sides of my shoulders. "You have to run, Y/N! Drive to the mansion and wait for me there, please!" He said hurriedly, as the other men were running towards us. Fuck, I had no chance there, but I did not want to leave him alone.

He saw my face as I hesitated a little, "I promise I'm going to find you, darling. Just go!" He begged me as the man behind him gripped his shoulder trying to hit him. I wanted to scream and shout at the men who attacked him, but I needed to run and get some help for him. San was fighting with the two men, punching them and trying to dodge their movements.

Then I got an idea, San had no chance against a bunch of people we were surrounded by, it was impossible, so I needed to distract a few of them. The ones behind my back were walking towards me because they knew I had no chance, but I quickly jumped over a grave and started to run so they were going to get far away from San. I needed to reach my car, but navigating through the graves was difficult in the dark; I could only make out vague shapes.

 I jumped over several gravestones and tried to be as quick as I could and try to distract them, hoping one of them was going to get lost in the dark mist, trying to move quickly and create enough confusion that maybe one of them would get lost in the darkness. Then I heard gunshots—lots of them. The sound made me stumble, and I fell to the ground, feeling a surge of fear and wanting to cry. "San," I whispered, still on the ground as the men behind me closed in. I couldn't let them catch me, for San, I needed to gather my strength and get help for him. So, I stood up with determination and started to run towards the exit. 

When I finally arrived at a trail that led me to the exit, I felt relieved as the adrenaline gave me a burst of power, making me run faster as I looked behind me. Three men were running after me, the fourth probably gave up on chasing me, or he did get lost in the labyrinth of the cemetery.

I ran through the exit and quickly sat in my car. I fired the engine, the lamps lit up and the three men were standing in front of my car, their faces like the devil's, smiling in success as they trapped me. But I was in a car, and I had the advantage of simply using it as a weapon. The engine of the car roared up as I hit the gas pedal and the car speeded towards them. Two of the men managed to jump out of the way, but the third wasn't as fortunate.

He leaped onto the hood of my car, trying to avoid the impact. He looked at me with killer eyes through the windshield as I was still speeding, but then I hit the break and he stumbled forward, hitting the ground with a loud thump. I hoped he wasn’t seriously injured—or worse.

I was frozen for a moment as I tried to think what to do, my breathing was loud and heavy, and blood pumped in my ears. Then I looked to my right and saw a baseball bat lying on the floor. I had kept it in the car for situations just like this. Why not use it? I couldn't just leave here San; I promised him we were going to fight together.

So, I grabbed the bat and opened the car door. The man I had hit was groaning on the ground, clearly in pain but still alive. The other two men were running towards me as I held up the baseball bat preparing to defend myself as they approached.

But then, I heard a loud engine sound and all I saw was a big, black jeep, hitting the two men that were running towards me. It all happened so quickly. The jeep stood in quiet for a moment, the front a little broken from the impact and smoke coming up from the engine.

Then someone opened the passenger door and a tall man got out of it, whom I barely saw in the dim lights of the parking lot. The other door opened as well, and another tall figure stepped out, both of them heading in my direction. I held up the baseball bat again because I did not know if I could trust these men.

"We are here to help." The one with the soft features raised his hands in the air.

"Who are you?" I asked them, gathering all the strength I had left.

"I'm Jeong Yunho, Kim Hongjoong sent me to help San." He is Song Mingi, we came to help." The tall boy came closer to me and reached his hands to shake hands, his features full of kindness.

"We don't have time for this, San is in the cemetery and we got attacked, he needs help." I started to panic as I did not hear anything after the gunshots.

"Mingi stay with her, she is injured, I'm going to find San! " Yunho said with a serious expression on his face as he was speaking to the other guy, whose expression was bored as he leaned against my car folding his arms. Then Yunho ran towards the entrance of the cemetery as the dark swallowed him.

I leaned against my car, waiting impatiently for Yunho and San to come, I tried to go after them a few times but Mingi stopped me all the time, saying 'Let them do their job'.

After half an hour that I spent worrying about San, their dark figure finally appeared from the cemetery as Yunho was holding San by the waist and San's hands were clinging around Yunho's neck. I hurried in front of them quickly, San seemed injured.

"San-ah, are you okay?" I cupped his face, which was a little beaten up, with a few cuts on his lips, and on his cheekbones.

"I'm okay, darling, I'm okay," he whispered as he released Yunho and pulled me into a protective embrace. When he gently pulled me away, his eyes roamed over me from head to toe, checking for any injuries. His gaze finally landed on my neck.

"Fuck, Y/N!" He traced the cut on my neck with great care, where the blood had already dried—I had already forgotten about my wound. "Does it hurt?" he asked softly. Leaning down, he placed a tender kiss on the wound, sending shivers through my body. 

I shook my head as a no. "It's not that deep."

He tilted his head up looking into my eyes with anger. "I'm glad I killed those motherfuckers." My heart started to race at that, it was a new side of him, that I did not see until now. It did scare me, but at the same time, I knew he had no other choice than to kill them. It was a choice between him and them, and clearly, the better option was for San to survive. 

"Okay you love each other we get it," Yunho clasped his hands together, making me remember they were also there. "But we should hurry if you want to save your old man, San."

"Where is he?" San asked turning towards the two tall men, both leaning against the car. San's eyes were full of determination.

"Right now, as our people told us, he is in a building that is going to explode in like…" Yunho looked at his watch on his wrist. "…10 minutes." He said casually.

"Then why are we even here, let's go!" San said, already forgetting he was injured, as we sat into the black jeep, the guys already gone that they hit.

As we made our way to the building, I cuddled up to San’s side. He caressed my back and ran his fingers through my hair, whispering how proud he was of me for standing up to the bad guys and staying by his side. Even if I had the choice, I wouldn't have it any other way. I knew I was meant to be with San, and I never wanted to leave him.

When we arrived at the building, which was about to explode, I stayed in the car despite my urge to join them. I figured it would be easier for them if I stayed behind. Nervously biting my nails, I watched the clock ticking down to the explosion—just 2 minutes remaining—and they were still nowhere to be seen.

I couldn’t stay still. I stepped out of the car and paced back and forth in front of it, my anxiety making it impossible to remain in one place. 

1 minute - nothing

30 seconds - nothing

I was on the verge of running into the building just before it was about to explode when I saw four figures run through the entrance the moment the building exploded. The moment the building erupted, a burst of orange filled the dark air pieces of the building everywhere in the air, which landed in a rain-like form on the ground with a loud thump as the explosion shook the ground.

I lost sight of the figures running as I held my arm out forming a shield. Bits of concrete and debris struck me, and some landed on the car. When the building caught on fire I looked around to search for them.

But I saw no one in between the burning pieces. I walked closer, as I spotted them between two big concrete pieces that fell from the building. As I ran to them, I saw that San held his grandfather on his lap, crying as Yunho and Mingi were kneeling beside them, Yunho's hands on San's shoulder trying to calm him down.

I speeded next to San my hands on his back, as I looked down at his grandfather. His abdomen was full of blood, his T-shirt long soaked with red, his chest unmoving, and his eyes were glassy, a single teardrop falling towards his temple as he was staring up at the sky full of stars, with no reaction in his eyes. He left us.

"I couldn't save him," San's voice came out and stumbled as he was sobbing, holding his grandfather's dead body. His grandfather raised him and made his grandchild the most caring and passionate human on earth. He fulfilled his job and it was time for him to leave us behind.

I hugged San as he was sobbing into my neck, still careful not to hurt the wound on my neck. I whispered to him some reassuring thoughts that slowly calmed him down. Yunho and Mingi waited for us patiently to calm down so we could talk about the cup that was the cause of this turmoil that ended with the death of San's grandfather.

 It is interesting to think about how humans are capable of anything just because of a two-hundred-year-old relic that was worth millions—even billions. They do not realize the value of a human's soul; it is higher than the paper that is worth—perhaps millions.

A human's soul is worth the universe which has more value than a piece of paper. But people are greedy and they do not care if someone gets lost along the way. They only see the gold and money, that keeps them going, not caring about burning the world along the way.

This is why San decided to entrust the cup to Yunho, whom he trusted deeply. San knew Yunho was a man of his word, reliable, and always present when help was needed. As we handed the cup over to them just before they left, Yunho's final words were:

"Welcome to Ateez."

With that, they drove away with the cup, leaving behind a trail of trouble but also opening the door to a mysterious future with the gang Ateez. 

-1 month later-

"That's all," San said as he closed the rear door of the car, clasping his hands together as we were in front of his mansion, I needed to go back because the summer vacation ended.

"Are you sure you want to come with me?" I asked still unsure of why would he come with me back to where I was living.

He stepped closer to me as he grabbed my waist, one of his right hands cupping my cheek as his thumb traced it with care. "I have nothing left here." He whispered resting his forehead against mine. "I'm going to follow you, wherever you go."

"Promise me you'll never leave my side," I whispered, overwhelmed by the surge of emotions that suddenly hit me.

"I promise, darling." He whispered looking into my eyes. "I love you," He cupped my face, his eyes full of sincerity and passion that burned with flaming desire.

I held his wrist that held my face as I left a feather-like kiss on his wrist. "I love you too, San" I smiled at him with all the warmth in my heart, gazing at him as if he was my entire world—and it wasn’t a lie. He truly was my world, and I was committed to following him wherever he went. From the moment I saw him, I knew we were destined for each other. 

Then he kissed me carefully his lips moving against mine in a possessive way, like he wanted to ensure I was his forever, his hands pulling me closer to him, locking me in, as if I wanted to run away from him, but that was the last thing I wanted to do. I kissed him back reassuring him I was never going to leave him.

Our story had only just begun, and I was eager to discover what destiny had in store for us. The red strings bound us together to connect us so we could fight the obstacles that life would throw our way. It was easier to fight against the bad things when you had someone by your side.

Choi San had me, and I had Choi San—together, we were ready for whatever came next.