#it sounds like my voice if that makes sense? like i can recall my best friend’s voice perfectly and it sounds like them

[inland3mpire]

I don’t remember the sound of his voice: 😞

I don’t remember the sound of his voice: 🥳🎉🍾

[chosok-amo]

GENTLEMAN AND THE LADY : NANAMI KENTO

you were six months pregnant and living with your roommate, nanami kento. after you mentioned that no one wants to take a pregnant woman on a date, he kindly offered to take you out himself ( also because he likes you ).

warning : non-sorcerer! nanami, roommate! nanami, fluff, pregnant! reader.

wc. 6,5k

just re-watched friends i just wanna make this where joey is taking rachel on a date when she's pregnant.

you and nanami are lounging on the couch in your cozy apartment, the soft light of the noon creating a warm ambiance around you. a bowl of popcorn rests between you, the buttery aroma mixing with the faint scent of your favorite candles flickering softly in the background. as you both settle into the comfort of each other’s company, you feel a sense of tranquility enveloping the space.

the sound of the television playing a lighthearted movie fills the room, but your focus is entirely on nanami. he leans back against the couch, a relaxed smile on his face, as he munches on a handful of popcorn. you can’t help but notice the way his eyes crinkle slightly at the corners when he’s genuinely enjoying himself.

after a moment of silence, he turns to you, his expression thoughtful. “hey, do you have any recommendations for a good place to go on a date?” he asks, his voice steady but laced with curiosity. you can see him genuinely considering your opinion, and it makes your heart flutter a bit.

you ponder for a moment, glancing around the apartment as if the walls might offer a suggestion. “well, there’s that new café downtown that just opened. they have great pastries and a really nice atmosphere for conversation,” you suggest, recalling the charming details you’ve heard about it.

nanami listens attentively to your recommendation, nodding thoughtfully as his gaze remains fixed on you. he reaches for another handful of popcorn, munching on it as he mulls over your suggestion. “that sounds lovely,” he muses, a soft smile playing on his lips. “i appreciate your input.”

he leans back against the couch, his eyes meeting yours, and there's a hint of vulnerability in his gaze. “i must admit, i’ve been a bit uncertain about planning a date,” he confesses, his voice laced with a touch of self-consciousness.

“it’s been a while since i’ve done this,” he continues, a small chuckle escaping his lips. “i guess i’m a bit rusty.” he looks at you with a soft, almost sheepish expression, seeking reassurance as his eyes search yours.

you frown, a hint of disbelief in your voice as you respond, “rusty? what do you mean by that? you can’t possibly think of yourself like that.” you shake your head, wanting to emphasize your point. “you’re kind, respectful, and such a gentleman. every woman wants that in their life—at least that’s what i want.”

nanami listens intently to your words, his eyes never leaving yours as he takes in the sincerity of your response. a slight flush of embarrassment spreads across his cheeks, but there’s a hint of gratitude in his expression as well.

he chuckles softly, a mixture of humility and appreciation in his voice. “you flatter me, truly,” he says, his gaze softening. “but i admit, i’ve been out of the dating scene for some time now. it’s been a while since i’ve seriously considered taking someone on a date.”

you can’t help but smile at his honesty, feeling a warmth growing in your chest. “the girl who’s going to be your girlfriend is going to be very lucky,” you tell him earnestly. “i’ve been dating on and off, but i’ve never had someone like you as my boyfriend.” your voice carries a hint of nostalgia as you reflect on your past relationships. “most of what i’ve experienced has been… well, let’s just say not the best. all i have is someone who knocked me up, and nobody want to take a pregnant woman on a date,” you add, glancing down at your visible bump with a wry smile.

you’ve been pregnant for over six months now, and while the journey hasn’t been easy, you’ve embraced it with a sense of determination. although you and your ex decided to keep the baby, you both agreed to remain civil about it without getting back together. it was a decision rooted in mutual respect, allowing you to navigate this new chapter in your life while maintaining your independence.

nanami’s usually stoic facade shifts slightly as he takes in your words. there's a hint of disbelief in his eyes when you mention your previous partner, and his protective instincts seem to kick in. he leans in a bit closer to you, his expression now one of concern.

“i’m sorry you had to experience that,” he says quietly, his voice steady yet tinged with a hint of anger at the thought of someone treating you poorly. “you deserve better, especially in your condition. no one should have to deal with that kind of treatment, especially while expecting a child. if you don’t mind, i could take you on a date..”

nanami falters for a moment, his words caught in his throat. he seems to hesitate, as if struggling with something internal. his gaze drifts downward, his eyes fixating on your visible bump, and a mixture of protectiveness and vulnerability floods his expression.

he takes a deep breath before speaking again, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of uncertainty. “i would never treat you like that,” he says hoarsely, his eyes meeting yours.

your eyebrows raise in surprise, and a smile spreads across your face at his words. “do you really mean it? you’re actually offering to take me on a date?” the excitement in your voice is unmistakable, and your heart races at the thought of spending time with him in that way.

nanami's heart skips a beat at your reaction, your enthusiasm mirroring his own feelings. he straightens up slightly, his gaze never leaving yours, and he nods in response.

“yes, of course,” he replies, his voice slightly breathless. “i wouldn’t have said it if i didn’t mean it.” he leans in a bit closer, his expression now a mixture of anticipation and tenderness. “i’d gladly take you on a date, if you’ll allow me.”

you raise an eyebrow, a hint of confusion crossing your face as you ask, “but what about your date?” your voice is curious, a bit puzzled by the implication that he had plans before this moment. “i thought you were going to take someone else out?” you add, wanting to clarify, the excitement of your own offer mingling with a tinge of uncertainty.

nanami glances away for a moment, his expression becoming slightly sheepish as he realizes the disconnect between your understanding and his original plans. he runs a hand through his hair, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“well, my plans were somewhat...open-ended,” he admits, his tone a mix of sheepishness and honesty.” he looks back at you, his eyes meeting yours in a moment of vulnerability. “i hadn’t actually asked anyone out yet.”

he rubs the back of his neck, a hint of embarrassment in the gesture, as he looks at you sheepishly. “to be honest, i was just trying to figure things out and..” he trails off, searching for the right words.

he takes a deep breath, his gaze meeting yours with a newfound determination. “i guess you could say you were always on my mind as a potential date, but i was just struggling to find the courage to ask you.”

your eyes widen slightly in surprise, and a soft smile spreads across your face as you respond with a simple, “oh?” the word hangs in the air for a moment as you take in what he’s just revealed. then, your smile grows, and you add, “well, i’d love to go on a date with you, ken.” your voice is warm, filled with sincerity as you meet his gaze, feeling a sense of excitement and tenderness bloom between you.

nanami’s eyes widen at your response, a mixture of surprise and relief washing over his features. his usual composed demeanor seems to soften, his expression tinged with an almost boyish charm.

he leans a bit closer to you, a lopsided smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “really? you truly would say yes to me?” he asks, still somewhat in disbelief. “i thought you’d be reluctant since...” he glances towards your bump, his expression slightly sheepish.

you chuckle softly at his disbelief, your eyes glancing down at your bump for a moment before returning to his. “i’m glad you asked,” you say with a playful yet sincere tone. “since, you know, it’s not like there’s a line of people wanting to take a pregnant woman on a date.” your words are lighthearted, but there’s a trace of truth in them. your smile grows warmer as you add, “but you... you did, so yeah, i’m happy.”

nanami's eyes light up at your response, his expression becoming softer as he listens to your words. there's a mixture of appreciation and a hint of protectiveness in his gaze as he smiles back at you.

he shakes his head slightly, a hint of disbelief and amusement in his voice. “i can’t believe i’ve been overthinking this for so long when all i had to do was ask.” he reaches out to gently place his hand on yours a moment, his touch warm and comforting. “i’m happy too,” he says quietly, his voice filled with sincerity.

you smile warmly at nanami, feeling a sense of comfort and affection in the moment. without hesitation, you gently intertwine your fingers with his, the simple gesture solidifying the connection between you. “then it’s decided,” you say softly, nodding as your eyes meet his with a sense of certainty and excitement. the warmth of his hand in yours feels reassuring, and you can’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation for what’s to come.

nanami's eyes widen slightly at the feeling of your fingers intertwining with his, his heart skipping a beat at the unexpected yet welcome gesture. there's a brief hint of surprise in his expression, but it's quickly replaced by a tender smile.

he laces his fingers with yours, his grip firm and steady. he gazes back at you, his eyes filled with a mixture of tenderness and newfound confidence.

“it is,” he whispers, a hint of excitement in his voice. he leans in a bit closer, his gaze never leaving yours. “i’ll plan something special for us.”

the atmosphere around you both seems to crackle with a sense of anticipation and excitement, the intimacy of the moment heightened by the connection you've just established. the quiet of the room feels almost charged with an unspoken tension, the silence broken only by the faint hum of the movie playing in the background.

nanami keeps his hand intertwined with yours, his thumb gently moving over your skin in a soothing motion as if he's savoring this newfound closeness. his eyes remain fixed on your face, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

later that evening, you were adjusting the last details of your outfit when you heard a knock at the door. thinking nanami might answer, you call out for him, but there's no response. slightly puzzled, you walk to the front door yourself, expecting maybe a delivery or someone else.

as you open the door, you’re greeted by the sight of nanami standing there, looking more put together than ever, a soft smile tugging at his lips. his presence takes you by surprise, especially with the beautiful bouquet of flowers he holds out toward you. the delicate blooms seem to mirror the warmth in his eyes.

“for you,” he says softly, his voice warm and sincere as he hands them over, waiting for your reaction.

a surprised laugh escapes you as you take in the scene. “what are you doing out here?” you ask, shaking your head with amusement as you reach for the flowers. “are you pretending to pick me up?”

nanami’s smile widens at your question, seemingly amused that you’ve called him out on his unusual arrival. his eyes remain fixed on yours, a hint of playfulness dancing in their depths.

he shrugs slightly, a charmingly sheepish expression on his face. “i thought it would be a nice way to start our date,” he replies, his tone laced with a touch of charm. “i wanted to play the part properly.”

he steps a bit closer, the scent of his aftershave mingling with the fragrance of the flowers he’s handpicked for you.

you look up at him with a soft smile, warmth spreading through you as you take in his thoughtfulness. “thank you, ken,” you say, your voice sincere. “you didn’t have to go all out, but i appreciate it.”

glancing down at the flowers in your hand, you feel a surge of excitement for the evening ahead. “i’m just going to grab my bag, and then we’re good to go.” with one last smile, you turn back inside, the sound of nanami’s quiet chuckle following you as you head to finish getting ready.

nanami watches you as you retreat into the apartment, his eyes following you with a mixture of fondness and a hint of anticipation. a soft smile graces his lips as he stands there on the doorstep, patiently waiting for you.

he rocks back and forth on his feet, his thoughts swirling with excitement for the night ahead. he’s confident, but there’s a slight fluttering in his chest that reminds him that this is more than just a casual hangout.

a few moments later, you reappear from the apartment, your bag in hand.

“ready?” he asks, extending his hand out to you.

you smile warmly, feeling a little flutter in your chest as you see nanami standing there, his hand extended toward you. without hesitation, you nod and gently take his hand, the warmth of his palm instantly comforting. “ready,” you reply softly, your fingers intertwining with his.

there’s a quiet excitement between the two of you as you step outside together, hand in hand, ready to enjoy the night ahead.

you and nanami sit across from each other in the cozy café, the soft glow of the dim lights casting a warm, intimate atmosphere around you both. your plates are half-finished, but neither of you seems too concerned with the food as you focus on each other. nanami gently holds your hand across the table, his thumb absentmindedly stroking your skin, and there’s a soft, tender smile playing on his lips.

as you both talk, your conversation is filled with warmth, the kind that makes you forget about everything else. the sounds of soft music and quiet chatter from other tables fade into the background. nanami’s deep, steady voice is soothing, and his eyes never leave yours, as if he’s fully present, hanging on to every word you say.

nanami’s gaze never wavers as he listens to your words, his focus intently on you. there’s a sense of care and concentration in his expression, as if he's absorbing every detail of your conversation.

he continues to absently run his thumb over your hand as you talk, a small gesture of affection and connection that adds to the warmth of the moment. he occasionally leans in slightly closer whenever you pause, as if to ensure he doesn’t miss a single syllable.

occasionally, he contributes to the conversation with soft, thoughtful responses, his words chosen carefully to match your tone and topic.

the atmosphere around you both feels almost like a cocoon, the café’s ambiance creating an intimate space that allows you to fully immerse yourselves in the conversation. it’s almost as if the rest of the world has faded away, leaving only the two of you in the cozy, private bubble.

nanami’s fingers gently play with your knuckles, his touch light yet reassuring, as if he’s silently conveying that he’s right here with you, completely present in the moment.

the conversation continues to flow effortlessly, the topics weaving seamlessly from one to the next. nanami’s eyes are fixed on you, his gaze never wandering as he listens intently. his smile grows more relaxed and genuine as time passes, a clear sign that he’s enjoying himself immensely.

he occasionally squeezes your hand softly, not breaking the flow of the conversation but rather subtly communicating a sense of comfort and familiarity through his touch.

nanami suddenly interrupts, you pause, mid-sentence, your words hanging in the air. his apology is soft and genuine, but what follows catches you off guard. “i’m sorry to interrupt, but… i just want to tell you that you’re so beautiful tonight,” he says quietly, his voice filled with sincerity.

your breath hitches for a second, your heart skipping a beat at his unexpected compliment. the warmth in his eyes is unmistakable, and it sends a gentle flutter through you. his words settle between you, quiet yet powerful, leaving you momentarily speechless.

the moment hangs in the air as you let his words sink in, the unexpected compliment setting off a flutter of emotions within you. your heart skips a beat, a warm shiver traveling down your spine at the genuine sincerity in his voice and the warmth in his eyes.

for a moment, you’re speechless, your mind racing to find the right response to such a heartfelt compliment. it takes a few beats before you’re able to respond, your voice soft and a bit shaky.

“thank you,” you breathe, your cheeks tinged with a hint of pink.

nanami’s eyes soften as he sees the effect of his words on you, the sight of your cheeks flushed with a hint of pink making his heart skip a beat. he can tell that his compliment has caught you off-guard, but the sincerity of it remains. he gently squeezes your hand again, his touch a silent reassurance and comfort, as if he’s anchoring you back to the moment. he looks at you intently, his voice warm and sincere.

“i mean it. you look absolutely stunning tonight.”

you feel the warmth of his words settle deep within you, your cheeks still slightly flushed as you smile softly. meeting his gaze, you squeeze his hand back, your voice gentle yet teasing. “you’re one to talk,” you say, your eyes sparkling as you take him in. “you look handsome too, as always.”

your compliment lingers in the air, and you can see a faint blush rise on nanami’s cheeks, the usual calmness in his expression giving way to a quiet appreciation. you feel the warmth of the moment surround you both, an unspoken understanding in the air between you.

nanami’s lips quirk into a small, boyish smile as he registers your compliment, his usually composed demeanor faltering for just a moment. a soft blush tinges his cheeks, betraying his slight embarrassment at your words.

he ducks his head slightly, his smile growing more genuine as he lets out a soft chuckle, his thumb beginning to once again gently stroke your knuckles. “thank you,” he murmurs, his tone soft and just a touch sheepish.

he looks back up at you, his eyes locking onto yours. the usual calm confidence has been replaced by a hint of warm, a subtle sign that your words have gotten to him more than he lets on.

he doesn’t say anything for a moment, simply holding your gaze, his eyes filled with a mixture of warmth, affection and maybe even a hint of something more, something that’s still taking root. the cafe’s soft background music fills the brief silence, a gentle reminder of the world outside their little bubble. after a beat, he breaks the gaze to look down at your entwined fingers, a thoughtful expression clouding his features as he seems to mull over something in his mind.

he runs his thumb over your knuckles again, as if the act is grounding him in the moment, a soothing habit. then, he looks back up at you, his gaze fixed on your face.

“can i ask you something?” he says quietly, his voice carrying a hint of uncertainty. you meet his gaze, noticing the subtle shift in his expression, and nod with a soft smile. your fingers squeeze his gently in encouragement as you say, “of course.” there's a warmth in your eyes, letting him know you're open to whatever he wants to ask.

nanami takes a deep breath, his gaze dropping momentarily to where his thumb is still absently rubbing circles over your knuckles. he seems to be collecting his thoughts, silently preparing himself to ask whatever question is on his mind.

finally, he looks back up at you, his eyes locking onto yours with sincerity and vulnerability. his voice is soft, but steady.

“can i be honest with you?” there’s a hint of trepidation in his eyes, as if he’s unsure of how you might react to whatever he’s about to say. his grip on your hand is still firm, his touch steady, but there’s a subtle tension in his body, as if bracing himself for your response.

the quiet chatter of the café fades into the background as he waits for your response, his eyes fixed on your face, searching for any sign of how you might take his question.

you tilt your head slightly, your soft smile never faltering. the sincerity in his voice makes your heart flutter, and you gently squeeze his hand in reassurance. “always,” you reply, your voice equally soft, encouraging him to speak freely. your eyes meet his, conveying that whatever he has to say, you’re ready to listen.

nanami’s expression relaxes a bit as he hears your answer, the reassurance in your voice settling something within him. his grip on your hand tightens just a fraction, as if drawing strength from your presence.

he takes a deep breath, his eyes drifting down to your entwined fingers for a second before coming back up to meet yours. “it’s just…” he trails off, seemingly unsure of how to phrase what he’s trying to say. there’s a hint of uncertainty in his gaze, as if he’s struggling with voicing his thoughts.

he looks down again, his thumb continuing its nervous dance on your knuckles, the soft caress like a quiet plea for understanding. it’s clear that whatever it is he wants to say is not an easy topic for him to bring up, judging by the way his eyes dart between your joined hands and your face.

he takes another deep breath, then slowly lifts his gaze to meet yours again, his voice a bit more determined this time.

“it’s just that… i care about you. a lot more than you might realize.” the vulnerability in his eyes is undeniable, the truth of his words laid bare for you to see. there’s a quiet intensity in his gaze, as if he’s silently asking you to understand the depth of his feelings without him having to spell it out.

he lets out a soft sigh, almost like a quiet confession, his fingers tightening around yours just a bit more. “more than i should,” he adds quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

you smile softly at him, the weight of his words settling in your heart as your expression warms. without breaking eye contact, you gently place your other hand on the table, a silent invitation for him to take it. nanami looks at your gesture, his hesitation melting away as he places his hand in yours, entwining your fingers with a delicate care.

“thank you, ken,” you say quietly, your voice filled with sincerity. “i’m grateful for that… for you. you’ve made things easier for me, especially with the baby on the way. i couldn’t have asked for a better person to be by my side.” your gaze is steady, your words carrying the truth of how much his presence has meant to you.

a soft, almost disbelieving smile tugs at the corners of nanami’s lips as he takes in your words, his eyes locking onto yours with a mixture of wonder and gratitude. it’s as if your words have reached deep within him, touching a part that’s been yearning for this connection.

he squeezes your hand gently, the touch of his fingers against yours anchoring him in the moment.

“i… i didn't think you felt that way,” he admits, a hint of vulnerability seeping into his voice. “i thought maybe... i was being too much.”

you quickly shake your head, squeezing his hands gently as you lean in slightly, your eyes filled with sincerity. “no, ken, you’ve never made me feel that way,” you say softly, your voice firm but kind. “if anything, you make me feel incredibly lucky. i don’t know how i would’ve gotten through all this without you, especially with everything happening.”

your gaze softens, a small, appreciative smile playing on your lips. “even though we’ve only known each other for a year, you’ve shown me so much care and support. i can’t thank you enough for that.”

nanami’s expression softens even further at your words, a wave of relief and gratitude washing over him. it's clear that your reassurance means a lot to him, as if a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

he lets out a soft sigh, his grip on your hands tightening a fraction. “good. i’m glad i haven’t crossed any boundaries,” he says, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes. “i… i don’t want to overstep. i just want to make sure you’re taken care of.”

after your lovely date at the café, nanami leads you to a nearby ice cream parlor, the sweet aroma of freshly made waffle cones wafting through the air as you step inside. the vibrant colors of the ice cream flavors are a delightful sight, making it hard to choose just one. you both eventually settle on your favorites and exit with tiny paper bowls of ice cream in hand.

as you sit on the bench outside, the evening breeze carries a hint of warmth, making the moment feel cozy and relaxed. you take a spoonful of your ice cream, savoring the cold, creamy sweetness while watching nanami as he takes a bite of his own. a small smile spreads across his face as the flavors hit his palate, and you can’t help but chuckle at how genuinely happy he looks.

nanami glances over at you, his eyes tracking your movements as you take a spoonful of your ice cream. he watches as your expression changes with the creamy sweetness, and it brings a genuine smile to his face.

he savors his own bite, the cold, soothing sweetness a welcome treat on a warm evening. he notices your chuckle and raises an eyebrow in an amused question. “what’s so funny?” he asks, his voice tinged with a hint of mock curiosity.

you shake your head, unable to suppress a chuckle as you glance down at your ice cream, trying to hide your smile. “you look so giddy, like a little kid,” you tease, unable to resist the playful jab.

nanami lets out a soft scoff, a hint of mock offense in his eyes. “ i do not,” he replies, his tone trying to sound indignant but betrayed by the hint of a smile at the edges of his lips. “i’m just… enjoying my ice cream.”

he takes another deliberate bite, as if to prove his point, his expression exaggeratingly serious. “i’ll have you know i’m a professional, serious adult. this is just the proper reaction to good ice cream.” he takes another bite, as if proving a point, his expression still playful.

you nod, humming teasingly as you lean closer, a playful grin on your face. “oh, really? you do, do you?” you reply, raising an eyebrow at him, clearly enjoying the light-hearted banter. your tone playful as you take another bite of your own ice cream, reveling in the moment.

nanami’s eyes narrow a bit at your challenge, a hint of a competitive spark igniting in his gaze. he leans in closer to you, the gap between you shrinking to mere inches.

“oh, i absolutely do. i’m a perfectly serious, dignified adult,” he says, his tone mock-serious once more, a playful glint in his eyes. “ice cream does not make me giddy or childlike. not at all.” he takes another deliberate bite, maintaining eye contact with you as he does, as if daring you to contradict him.

you lean in closer, a mischievous grin spreading across your face as you playfully agree, “of course, how could i forget? the epitome of seriousness!”

the warmth radiating from his chest brushes against your arm, and you can’t help but smirk, your tone dripping with mock sincerity. “i mean, who wouldn’t be totally composed while eating ice cream?” you maintain the playful tension between you, your eyes sparkling with mischief as you challenge him silently, clearly enjoying this lighthearted moment together.

nanami’s expression remains mock serious, his eyes locked onto yours even as the corners of his lips threaten to twitch into a smile. he’s clearly enjoying the playful banter as much as you are, his competitive streak coming out in full force.

“exactly,” he says, his voice still maintaining that overly serious tone. “ice cream consumption requires the utmost composure and maturity.” he takes another deliberate bite, holding your gaze for a moment before adding, “though it seems you’re also having some trouble keeping a straight face.”

his shoulders brush against yours gently, and he leans in a bit closer, his proximity creating an intimate but playful atmosphere between the two of you.

“it’s like you’re trying to challenge my serious ice cream-eating skills,” he adds, his voice still tinged with mock offense, but his eyes sparkling with mischief. “and we can’t have that, can we?”

you scrunch your nose, a playful smile breaking across your face as you shake your head. “oh no, we definitely can’t have that!” you respond, your tone light and teasing. “i wouldn’t want to challenge your serious ice cream-eating skills. that would be too much pressure!”

leaning in slightly to match his playful intensity, you add, “besides, you’ve got the whole ‘mature ice cream connoisseur’ vibe down perfectly. i wouldn’t stand a chance.” the atmosphere between you feels charged with laughter and warmth, and you can’t help but giggle at the ridiculousness of the moment, feeling utterly at ease in his presence.

nanami lets out a soft scoff, his expression maintaining the mock serious facade, but the amusement in his eyes is clear to see. “of course, you’re right. it would be unjust to challenge my mastery in ice cream consumption. it’s a skill cultivated over years of careful refinement and dedication.”

he takes another deliberate bite, his eyes still locked onto yours as he continues his little act of exaggerated seriousness. “i’ve honed my technique, studying the perfect temperature, texture, and flavor balance. it’s an art, really.”

you nod, suppressing a laugh as you play along with his act. “wow, you really do sound like an ice cream expert,” you say, your eyes sparkling with mischief. “with all that dedication and refinement, I’m starting to think you should consider a career change. maybe open an ice cream shop or something.”

leaning in closer, you tease him further. “just imagine: ‘nanami’s ice cream academy,’ where you teach everyone the fine art of ice cream consumption. i can see the slogan now: ‘because every scoop deserves a serious approach.’”

the playful banter flows effortlessly between you, making the evening feel even more special.

nanami lets out a soft snort, his mock serious demeanor faltering for just a moment as he struggles to maintain his composure. he can’t help but let a small, genuine smile slip through as he shakes his head at your suggestion.

“ice cream academy? that’s a bit excessive, don’t you think?” he replies, his tone playful but feigning seriousness. “though i must say, the idea of a ‘serious ice cream consumption school’ does have a certain ring to it.” he takes another bite, leaning in a bit closer. “hmm… something to consider, maybe.”

you look at him with a wide smile, your eyes sparkling with amusement as you shake your head. “you’re so silly,” you say, letting the warmth of the moment linger in the air.

there’s a lightness between you, and the playful banter makes everything feel effortless. the street’s soft ambiance continues to wrap around you, creating a perfect backdrop for the connection you both share.

nanami lets out a soft sigh, his mock serious facade finally collapsing as a smile fully takes over his face. he can’t help but let out a small laugh, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he looks at you.

“i can’t help it,” he admits, his tone lighthearted. “you bring out the silliness in me, i guess. plus, it’s hard to be serious when i’m having so much fun.” he takes another bite, savoring the sweetness as he watches you, the light of the streetlamps casting a soft glow on your face.

nanami feels a surge of warmth as he watches you, your smile brightening the moment. the closeness between you feels natural and comforting, but he hesitates, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. he glances at your shoulder, his heart racing slightly at the thought of wrapping his arm around you.

with a gentle and respectful tone, he asks softly, “would it be okay if i put my arm around your shoulder?” his voice is laced with sincerity, hoping to convey his genuine intention to make you feel comfortable and cared for. he wants to bridge that last bit of distance while ensuring you feel at ease with the gesture.

you immediately catch on to his hesitation and the reason behind his question, and your heart swells at the thoughtfulness behind his gesture. you know that he’s being respectful of your feelings and boundaries, and it warms your heart to know that he cares so deeply about making you comfortable.

without any hesitation, you reply with a warm smile, nodding your agreement. “of course,” you say, your voice soft and sincere. “i would like that very much.”

nanami’s heart skips a beat, a wave of relief washing over him as you accept his offer with a gracious nod and a warm smile on your lips. he had been so worried about overdoing it or making you uncomfortable, but your eager response dissolves any doubts he might have.

he scoots a bit closer, closing the small gap between you as he gently slips his arm around your shoulder, pulling you in closer. the weight of his touch is light and comfortable, a subtle display of affectionate care. he looks over at you, silently asking for confirmation that he hasn’t overstepped.

you look up at him with a soft smile, your eyes sparkling with warmth as you silently reassure him that he hasn’t overstepped any boundaries. the gentle pressure of his arm around your shoulder feels comforting, and the connection between you deepens in that moment.

the ambiance of the street seems to fade into the background as you both share this intimate space, filled with laughter and understanding. it’s as if the world outside your little bubble doesn’t exist, and in this little bubble, you feel at ease and genuinely happy to be here with him.

as you flash him a warm smile, it’s as if a knot of tension he didn’t even realize he had, in his chest loosens. your silent reassurance that he hasn’t crossed any boundaries further eases his mind. having you so close like this, feeling the weight of your body against his arm and the warmth of your presence, it’s everything he’s hoped for and more.

he gives your shoulder a gentle squeeze, his fingers lightly tracing small circles on your skin, an affectionate gesture that speaks of his contentment in this moment.

“do you have a good time?” nanami asks, his voice gentle yet filled with anticipation as you both come to a stop in front of your shared apartment door. the cool evening air wraps around you, but his black coat drapes over your shoulder, providing a comforting warmth that lingers like a gentle embrace.

you look up at him, taking a moment to soak in the soft glow of the light above that casts a warm light over his features. his eyes, usually so serious, shine with a hint of vulnerability, revealing the underlying excitement he felt throughout the evening. the way he looks at you, with such genuine interest and kindness, makes your heart flutter.

with a smile spreading across your face, you nod enthusiastically. “i had a very good time,” you reply, your voice light and sincere. the memories of the evening—the laughter, the playful banter, and the sweet moments shared—flood your mind, filling you with warmth.

“thank you for taking me on a date,” you add, your tone laced with gratitude. you can see the corners of his mouth lift slightly, a soft blush creeping up his cheeks at your words. he seems genuinely pleased by your response, and it’s clear that this evening meant as much to him as it did to you.

nanami’s heart skips a beat as he listens to your response, the sincerity in your voice and the gratitude in your expression make his spirits soar. the blush on his cheeks is evident, his expression betraying a mixture of joy and slight embarrassment, but he maintains his composure as he responds, his tone gentle and sincere.

“good,” he replies, his voice filled with relief and joy. “i’m glad to hear that.”

he takes a small step closer, his hands slipping into his pockets as he continues. “i was worried i might have... overdone it.” he gazes into your eyes, his expression growing more earnest, the vulnerable glimmer in his gaze becoming more prominent. “i just wanted everything to be... just right. perfect, even.”

he lets out a soft sigh, a mixture of tension and relief escaping his lips with the exhale. “i guess i was a bit on edge, hoping you’d like everything.”

your heart swells at his words, seeing the sincerity and vulnerability in his gaze. you take a small step closer, closing the distance between you, your smile widening as you reassure him. “you haven’t overdone anything,” you say, your voice soft yet confident. “everything was perfect. I had an amazing time, and I’m very happy.”

you can see the tension in his shoulders ease slightly as your words sink in, a wave of relief washing over him. the blush on his cheeks deepens, and you can't help but admire how endearing he looks, balancing that gentle masculinity with a hint of shyness.

“seriously,” you continue, wanting him to fully grasp how much this date meant to you. “from the flowers to the dinner, every little detail was thoughtful and sweet. it really made me feel special.” you pause for a moment, letting your gaze linger on him, conveying the warmth you feel inside.

his eyes soften even more, and you can see the gratitude radiating from him. it’s in the way he smiles, his expression a mix of joy and relief, and you realize that he truly values your happiness just as much as his own. “thank you for being so wonderful,” you add, feeling a rush of warmth between you two as you share this moment together.

as your words sink in, nanami feels a wave of relief wash over him, knowing that his efforts haven’t gone unnoticed or unappreciated. he basks in the warm glow of your approval, your sweet compliments and genuine smile making him feel as if he’s floating on air.

he lets out a soft sigh, his shoulders relaxing as the tension dissolves from his body, his heart lighter than it's been in a long time. he takes a small step closer, his eyes never leaving yours as he responds in a soft, sincere voice.

“thank you… for being so understanding and kind.”

nanami’s gaze lingers on you for a moment, his expression warm and appreciative. he notices how the evening chill begins to settle around you, the gentle breeze brushing against your skin, and he instinctively wants to ensure you’re comfortable.

“it’s getting cold and late,” he finally says, his voice taking on a more serious tone, though there's still a hint of tenderness in it. “you should head inside.”

he pauses for a heartbeat, the corner of his lips curling into a playful smirk as he adds, “just pretend i’m dropping you off like a gentleman, okay?”

the lightheartedness of his remark brightens the atmosphere, but there’s an underlying sincerity behind it as well. he takes a small step back, maintaining a respectful distance, allowing you the space to feel comfortable as you reach for the doorknob.

“after all,” he continues, “a gentleman always makes sure the lady gets home safely.” his playful tone mingles with a softness in his eyes, and you can tell he truly enjoys these moments with you, cherishing every shared smile and laugh.

you can't help but laugh softly at his playful comment, his gentle smirk instantly putting a smile on your face. the way he maintains a respectful distance while making sure you feels safe and comfortable makes your heart skip a beat.

“okay, i’ll play along,” you reply, playing along with his little game, your tone warm and teasing. “but only because you’re being such a perfect gentleman, of course.” you reach for the doorknob, your hand lingering on it as you turn back to look at him once more.

you pause for a moment, the playful banter hanging in the air like a warm embrace. the smile on your face reflects the joy he brings, and you can’t help but feel a sense of lightness in your heart.

“don’t forget to be safe on your way home, mister gentleman,” you tease, your tone light and playful, as you look back at him. your eyes sparkle with warmth, and you can see the way his cheeks flush slightly at your words, a hint of bashfulness creeping into his demeanor.

“i wouldn’t want anything to happen to you while you’re out on your noble quest to drop off your lady,” you add, your voice laced with affection.

you take a small step closer again, the distance between you two shrinking just a bit more, you standing on your tiptoe to kiss his cheek softly. there’s a softness in your gaze, a genuine care that shines through as you maintain eye contact, wanting him to know you truly mean it.

“take care of yourself, okay?” you say, your smile lingering as you finally release the doorknob, stepping fully inside. the moment feels sweet, and you know that this is just the beginning of something special.

nanami's heart flutters at your affectionate gesture—the way your lips brush against his cheek, the warmth of your gaze, the softness in your words. he feels a rush of emotions welling up within him, a mixture of happiness, a hint of embarrassment, and a deep sense of contentment.

he stands there for a moment, his fingers reaching to touch the spot where you just kissed him, his fingertips gently tracing over the lingering warmth. his lips curve into a soft, bashful smile, his heart feeling lighter than ever before.

“goodnight” he replies, his voice soft and warm.

as the door closes behind you, he takes a small step back, a mixture of relief, gratitude, and lingering happiness filling his heart. the evening had been everything he hoped it would be—the laughter, the banter, the small gestures of affection—and he feels a sense of satisfaction knowing that he made you feel special and happy.

he lets out a gentle sigh, his mind replaying the moment of your lips brushing against his cheek. the memory warms his heart, and a small smile appears on his lips.

nanami stands outside the door for a moment, letting the warmth of the evening linger in his heart. the soft sounds of your presence on the other side bring a sense of comfort and joy that he hasn’t felt in a long time. he takes a deep breath, soaking in the calm atmosphere of the shared apartment, the memories of laughter and connection still fresh in his mind.

as he hears you settle into your room, he finally opens the door, stepping inside with a gentle smile still gracing his features. the familiar surroundings feel even cozier tonight, as if they’re wrapping him in a warm embrace, reflecting the happiness of your date.

he glances over at your closed door for a moment, a sense of protectiveness washing over him. he thinks about how lucky he feels to have shared such a lovely evening with you, his heart fluttering at the thought of what the future holds.

after a brief pause, he walks into his bedroom, the door clicking softly behind him. he takes a moment to collect his thoughts, still wearing that contented smile, feeling a newfound sense of hope and anticipation for the days to come. as he prepares for bed, the echoes of your laughter and the warmth of your presence linger in the air, making him feel grateful for the bond you both share.

nanami settles into his bed, the cool sheets feeling inviting against his skin. his mind replays the events of the night, the images of your smile and the sound of your laughter replaying over and over again in his mind. he can still feel the warmth of your hand in his, the press of your body against his, and the soft touch of your lips on his cheek.

despite the late hour, he feels wide awake, his heart still beating fast with the residual excitement of the evening. the memories of dinner, the playfulness of your banter, the gentle intimacy between you, all seem to swirl through his mind.

[luvsellie]

TONIGHT YOU ARE MINE [s. neteyam]

pairing neteyam x metkayina!fem!reader

summary fed up with his siblings stealing you away while the sun shines, neteyam decides it's best to see you during eclipse

wc 1.2k

warnings mentions of jealousy, probably littered with grammatical errors (oops)

note first actual neteyam oneshot 😋 it took me WAYYYY too long to actually finish this. i must admit i’m a bit embarrassed lol. also this is heavily inspired by this song !!

glossary yawntutsyìp (darling), skxawng (idiot), oel ngati kameie (i see you)

neteyam wasn’t jealous. he wasn’t. he swore to both you and himself that jealousy was something he felt a lack of, always trusting in you and the relationship you both upheld. he took great pride in not having experienced the pesky emotion. but now, as he stood watching you from the shore of one of the reef’s many beaches, he was trying to force down the bitter feeling that caused his jaw to tighten and stature to straighten.

the na’vi stealing your attention away from him weren’t even strangers. neteyam felt more betrayed that you were making more time for his siblings than you were for him. he supposed he could join in on your fun, integrate himself into the smiles and laughter, but he wanted time with you and you alone. so as he turned away, gears beginning to turn in his mind, he worked out a supposed better moment to approach you.

“there you are! i’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

your words carried a lilt to them, and you wore an exhilarated smile as you walked up to neteyam, reaching for his hand in earnest. 

“that’s funny, ‘cause i’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he replied gingerly, his lips pulling into a grin similar to yours. he took notice of the way you were practically bouncing on your heels as he began to tug you in the direction of the water.

it was just after eclipse, and you could sense that his family (or parents in particular) would be worried about him, but you didn’t question when he said, “come with me.” 

his braids fell past his shoulders as he walked, and you squeezed his hand tenderly as water started to lap at your ankles, the waves pooling around your feet. out beyond the beach, the reef glowed with bioluminescence. you had always thought it to be prettier now than when the sun touched it.

“where are we going?” you asked.

neteyam shook his head, smile refusing to feign or falter. “you’ll see, yawntutsyìp. we’re not going far, just…out.” his tone of voice was stoic, and a small part of you thought there might be more to his answer than he was letting on.

“just out,” you repeated, hyper-aware of the way his hand felt in yours. “i like the sound of that. it has been a while since we have been together. alone.”

scoffing out a laugh, neteyam nodded, stealing a glance your way as you both walked along the shoreline. “indeed it has. you’ve been spending all of your time with my brother and sisters.”

you frowned at his words, mentally recalling your activities throughout the day. much to your dismay, neteyam was right. “they’ve required my attention; their breath hold is getting longer and longer each time we practice,” is all you told him.

“yes, but i require your time too,” neteyam drawled, his face morphed into an expression of longing. he pulled you to a stop. “you’re so distant when the sun comes out. why don’t you let tsireya take over. just for a day. i miss being with you.”

lips stretching into a soft smile, you released neteyam’s hand before bringing both your palms to his freckled face. his cheeks were warm against your skin as you said, “you’re with me now. and yes, i can talk to tsireya. she will take over tomorrow’s lessons.” after a slight pause, you stepped closer to him. “there’s no need to be so jealous, ‘teyam.”

your lover rolled his eyes, large hands grabbing your wrists and pulling them from his face. his thumbs smoothed over your knuckles as he said, “i’m not jealous. just…”

“envious of your siblings?” you finished for him, a teasing smile stretching your lips.

neteyam gave you an unamused look, but you noticed the way he was biting back a grin. “you’re such a skxawng.”

“says you!” there was no point in trying to hide that some part of you found it humorous and sweet that neteyam was jealous of his siblings for ‘stealing you away.’ you found it to be quite cute.

instead of trying to find a proper rebuttal to your intended banter, neteyam only sighed and guided your hands to rest behind his nape, his own fingers finding themselves latched to your hips. your front pressed against his, and he sighed as his amber eyes met yours.

intimidated by the sudden closeness, you found your insides twisted with anxiousness. in your peripheral, you noticed the way neteyam’s tail flickered behind him. 

“what do you want to do tomorrow?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. his gaze consistently jumped to your mouth as he awaited your response.

hit by the abrupt urge to kiss him, you shook your head. “ask me when i’m not distracted by your presence, okay?”

neteyam grinned, and you caught sight of his elongated canines as he stroked the outline of your jaw with his right thumb. “when are you not distracted by my presence, yawntutsyìp?”

giving him a disgruntled look, you rolled your eyes, leaning into his touch regardless of your annoyed facade. “just shut up and kiss me, skxawng.” using the heels of your palms, you gently urged neteyam closer and pressed your lips against his, instantly losing yourself in his taste.

your mouth moved with his, fingers splaying and threading themselves into the roots of his braids. he was so close, and yet you wanted him closer, forever engraved into your skin and mind and soul. as his teeth grazed your bottom lip, you moaned quietly before pulling away. neteyam followed suit, though, and you found yourself exhaling as his mouth began to trail the column of your neck.

“neteyam,” you said, failing to steal his attention away from the marks he was branding onto your skin. “neteyam.”

he breathed heavily against your throat. “what?”

“people…” you started, mind clouded with the sensation of his warm tongue. “people will notice marks, neteyam.”

“good,” he regarded with no hesitation, placing chaste kisses on your jawline. “let them notice.”

you let out a strained whine, your eyes locked on the blazing stars above, hands sliding down to his biceps. “my parents will notice. yours will too.”

at this, neteyam finally pulled back, his gaze lidded. his head tilted ever so slightly to the left. “what is so bad about them noticing?”

exhaling through your nose, you shot him a pointed look before shifting yourself against him. you rested your forehead against his chest, squeezing your eyes shut. “there’s nothing distinctively wrong, i suppose. everything about this—about you—just makes me nervous. or, rather, excited. my mind and senses feel tuned to a hundred percent when i’m with you. i have never felt this way. i think i am scared to express whatever this is.”

neteyam’s gaze softened with understanding, leaning down to rest his chin atop your head. he embraced you tightly—to which you were quick to do the same—and he said against your hair, “i have never felt this way either.”

you pulled away, just enough to properly look at him. “oel ngati kameie, neteyam. oel ngati kameie.”

he did not hesitate to say the phrase back, his fingers splaying across the small of your back. “i see you, my love.”

neteyam let the words hang in the air, their weighted meaning bringing heaviness to your heart. and it was at this moment, as you both stood facing each other, skin against skin, that you deemed the entire sully family to be a gift from eywa herself—it had never been so clear to you than it was now.

© luvsellie 2023 | do not repost, republish, steal, or translate !!

[shixcherie]

Rum To My Whiskey | Jung Wooyoung ☆

~ ~ call me chérie ☆

☆ Navigation | Kinktober List

☆ Day 01 : Drunk Sex

↬ [ Synopsis ] : He called you the rum to his whiskey, his partner in crime and his best friend. All it took was a few shots, a risky bet, and a night of unexpected passion to tear down those walls. Best friends won’t be best friends after this wild night, I guess.

Word Count : 1.8k Genre : Non Idol Au, Smut, Angst. Pairing : Best Friend! Wooyoung x F.Reader

WARNINGS : Pure smut (18+), a bit of plot, both are switch!, praise, dirty talk, making out, neck kisses. Biting and marking, pet names (angel, baby, babygirl), whiny Wooyoung, marking, mentions of alcohol consumption (rum, whiskey, shots).

Tag list OPEN! - let me know if you want to be tagged for this Kinktober list

☆☆☆ NOTE : First fic of Kinktober is hereeee!!! It's also the very first fic I've written for this blog. It's a bit long because I'm planning to hide some Easter eggs here and there. And of course, the first fic has to be about Wooyoung, as this man singlehandedly dragged me into the world of ATEEZ. Hope you enjoy it, ma chéries! ☆.

Being best friends with Woo for years has taught you one thing, this guy is un-fucking-predictable.

One minute, he's all giggly and smug, teasing you to no end, and the next thing you know, he’s riling you up so much that you somehow fall into his trap.

This time, his game was a bet, a wild one at that. The bet was to seduce Yunho, the hotshot you'd been eyeing all night at this masquerade-themed party, and drag him into the nearest room for a steamy session. The catch? You couldn’t take off your mask.

It was a bet that would come back to bite you in the ass later.

But, after having god knows how many shots of Havana Club’s finest, you weren’t in the right state of mind to form a responsible thought. All you wanted was to prove Woo wrong. So, you went through with it. And you won! The mask stayed on the whole time while you and Yunho had your fun.

After winning a bet, downing 20 shots, and having a wild session with Yunho, the last thing you expected was to find yourself in an extremely intimate position with your best friend, Jang Wooyoung.

Then how did you end up like this, your back pinned against the wall in Woo’s bedroom, legs lazily wrapped around his waist, while Wooyoung left open-mouthed kisses along your neck, occasionally biting just enough to make your toes curl?

Everything happened so fast, you can barely recall how you both got here.

“Woo…aa..aa” you moaned, trying to form actual words, but all that escaped were breathy sounds. Your fingers tangled in his now messy hair as you tried to make sense of the situation unfolding right in front of you.

“Oh, you poor baby” Woo cooed softly into your ear. “How is this too much for you, when you enjoyed Yunho’s monster dick so much, huh ?” You could hear a hint of jealousy in his voice as he brought up Yunho.

Why is Woo angry ? When did I mention about Yunho’s dick to him ? Aren’t we best freinds ? Why is he almost ready to fuck the soul outta me ?

Were you confiused ? Yes.

Are you complaining tho ? Fuck No!

This wasn’t the first time you two had gotten a little too close. You’d kissed in the past, with Woo’s logic being: Best friends who love each other , Kiss each other. And honestly, you never saw a problem with it. After all, there was no way either of you would catch feelings, right?

But there was something about the way he kissed you, the way he touched you, and how your body eagerly responded. It didn’t make sense to you, but you enjoyed it. So, you never stopped him but you both never crossed the line, ofcourse.

Wooyoung and you were like a well-crafted cocktail, always mixing together perfectly. Over the years, you’d made countless bets, each one a shot of daring mischief, setting each other up with other people, yet somehow, you always returned to one another like the sweet allure of rum after a long night. Your connection was like a fine whiskey, smooth and warming, leaving you both craving the intoxicating spark that only each other could ignite.

You were the Rum to his Whiskey.

—

He leaned in closer, capturing your lips with his. They were just as soft as you remembered, fitting perfectly against yours. As his lips pressed deeper, a wave of heat surged through you. His hands gripped your waist tighter, pulling you even closer as your back remained pinned against the wall. You could feel his hardness pressing against you, heightening the electric tension between you.

With a playful smile, Wooyoung teased your lips with his tongue, coaxing you to let him in. You opened up, and he dove deeper, his tongue dancing with yours in a sultry rhythm. Pulling him even closer felt impossible, but you did it anyway, soft moans escaping your lips as you kissed him hungrily, savoring him like never before.

“You’re so perfect” he murmured against your mouth, his breath hot and heavy. Every kiss ignited a fire within you, making you crave more of him and this moment, where nothing else mattered but the two of you lost in each other.

“I want you so badly, baby. I can’t control myself anymore” he admits eagerly, his words slightly slurred as he pauses for your response but continues to pour out his heart. “Every time we kissed, I felt something different, something I couldn’t quite explain. It was more than just a kiss; it was like waking up to a desire I never knew I had. Each touch sent my mind into a frenzy, but I had to hold back because we’re just fucking best friends!” His frustration seeped through his confessions, his eyes slightly glassy.

He leans in closer, his breath warm and tinged with alcohol against your skin. “And when you walked out after being with Yunho, the way you talked about him, saying his heavenly and huge dick that literally showed you stars, damn baby, that felt like a punch to the gut. I can’t share you with anyone, not anymore.” His gaze locks onto yours, a mix of vulnerability and drunken desire swirling within them. “I’ve tried to ignore it, but I can’t. I want you, all of you, only for myself. All for myself.”

A faint memory crosses your mind.

“Woooooo, that was amazing! I had the best time with Yunho. He literally showed me stars; his dick is hugeee!” you exclaimed, nearly tripping as you made your way back to Wooyoung. Just as you were about to hit the ground, he caught you mid-fall.

“Careful, babe. I can see he’s taken your ability to walk properly” he replied snarkily, a hint of jealousy creeping into his voice, but somehow it went unnoticed by you. You both walked out of the club as the party began to wind down and people started leaving.

Woo’s house was close by, so you had already decided to crash at his place for the night. But your wobbly form wasn’t going to make it there, so Woo decided to give you a piggyback ride.

“I think I like him.” you murmured sleepily, hanging on Woo’s back. The confession made something stir inside him, his grip tightening just a bit.

“What if I like you more?” Wooyoung muttered, his voice low but playful, hoping to gauge your reaction.

You smirked, half-asleep but aware enough to tease him back. “Then stop talking and show me, Woo.” Your voice was soft but daring, the challenge hanging in the air between you two.

__

“Can I have you, baby? Please? Or do I have to wait all night while you keep teasing me?” Woo whined, a playful glint in his eyes as he leaned in closer, desperate yet teasing.

His girthy cock was now out of his pants, slowly rubbing against your soaked clit, sending shivers all over your body, heightening your arousal as the warmth of his skin against your core made your breath hitch.

“Soaking wet already, angel? All for me?” he teased, as you slickly glided against his hard length. All you could manage was a breathy "Mmmhmm." Your body was on fire, an urgent craving making you whiny and eager in a way you’d never felt before.

“I never realized you wanted me as much as I want you, Woo. I can’t wait any longer, so stop teasing and just get inside me already” you breathed out, the words falling from your lips in one swift rush, eager for him to fill you completely.

That was all he needed to hear. Without wasting a second, Wooyoung slammed his entire length into your heat in one swift motion. A high-pitched scream escaped your lips. “Nnnngh! Woo… too much… but don’t stop… please” you panted, your fingers gripped his shoulders fiercely, scratching down his back with each thrust, anchoring yourself in the moment.

He lifted your hips slowly, teasingly, until you were right at his tip before slamming you back down, hard. The sudden thrust sent a wave of pleasure rippling through your entire body, making you tremble in his strong grasp.

“You’re taking me so well, baby,” he groaned against your ear, his voice dripping with lust. “So tight, so warm… feels like you’re made just for me.” His words were like gasoline to the fire already burning inside you.

Each thrust grew rougher, the heat between you two intensifying as your bodies moved in perfect sync. The air was thick with his grunts and your breathy moans along with the wet, delicious sound of your bodies claiming each other. His pace quickened, and with every slam of his hips, you could feel your body being pushed closer to a mind-numbing release.

“You’re so tight… fuck, baby, you feel incredible” he growled against your neck, his hot breath sending shivers down your spine. His lips grazed your skin, leaving a trail of heat in their wake as he kissed, licked, and nipped his way up to your ear. “I can’t get enough of you.”

Your head fell back, every inch of you on fire. “Woo… I’m so close… I need you” you gasped, barely able to get the words out as your body tightened around him.

His grip on your hips was bruising, pulling you down onto him with an urgency that left you breathless. “You want me to make you come, angel?” His voice was thick with desire, words dripping with lust as he slammed into you harder. “I want to feel you fall apart on me... give it to me, baby. Show me how much you want me.”

The way he spoke to you was enough to send sparks through your body. “Please, Woo... I need it” you whimpered, desperate for release.

His hand slid down between your bodies, finding that sensitive spot and rubbing slow, teasing circles. “I can feel how bad you want it. Come for me, baby. Let me hear those pretty sounds when I make you come undone.”

The combination of his words, his touch, and the relentless thrust of his hips sent you crashing into a wave of ecstasy. Your body trembled as you came undone around him, screaming his name as the pleasure overwhelmed you.

You both crash on to his bed. Tiredness taking over both of you.

“That has to be the best sex I’ve ever had in my life” you admit, teasingly adding, “For a best friend, you’re not too bad.”

Wooyoung stayed quiet for a moment before softly confessing, “I like you, more than just a friend. I don’t want to share you with anyone else, not anymore.”

His words, sincere despite the drunken haze, struck a chord with you. “I like you too, more than a friend. But... do you only like me? Not love me?” You couldn’t help but ask, hoping for more.

He chuckled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Nah, I’m too drunk to say ‘I love you’ right now. But when I sober up in the morning, I promise I’ll say it. I want to do this right from here on out.”

With a playful giggle, you felt a sense of warmth and excitement wash over you. The moment felt perfect as the night faded into a peaceful end, leaving behind the promise of something beautiful yet to come.

~ ~ Chérie ☆ signin’ off

Disclaimer : This is totally fictional and not a real depiction of the ATEEZ members. It's all just for fun only so please don’t take anything seriously and keep the mood light around here.

© ShixCherie.

[yandere-romanticaa]

I'm not sure if it's okay, but can I request a second part for this precious Douma post you fed us with please ?

If you don't do second part to your post, no problem, anything for him will calm my hunger 🥲

Here it is, the heavily requested part 2 of this piece. Hope you enjoy it!

Barely a week has passed ever since the horrific encounter with Lord Douma.

You recalled someone saying that the stench of death is permanent, that it is something you can never forget once you get a whiff of it.

The smell of rot and decay haunted you both day and night. Sleep became a scarce luxury as you would lay awake in the dead of night, wondering just what other poor soul was Lord Douma going to devour next. It all clicked once you put two and two together, of course he was a demon. His strange reactions, twisted attitude and carefree smiles were nothing but a mask to cover up his true, carnivorous nature. Douma clearly had a preference for women for his meals as you noticed that most of the people who ran amok were women.

Were you next?

Despite him not turning around and even outright saying that he wasn't going to do anything, you simply did not trust him. Why should you? He was a demon, a very clever one at that, clearly. He managed to trick hundreds of people into blindly following him and submitting to his every single little whim. All he needed to do was just say the word and the entire community would execute you without a question - Lord Douma's word was absolute.

You didn't even want to think about the other much more grizzly possibility if he wanted a more hands on approach.

Due to the encounter that you had unfortunately witnessed, your work had started to hinder. You became sloppy and shaky, you couldn't even perform the most basics of tasks. Someone else was always forced to step in for you and others voiced their concern for you.

"Why aren't you with Lord Douma? You always pour his afternoon tea!"

"I thought Lord Douma wanted you close by for the ceremony?"

Many similar statements would ring in your ears on a daily basis that it made you want to bang your head against a wall a pull out every single little strand of hair. Just how blind and stupid were there people?! There was no way that you were the only one who knew what was really going on behind closed doors. To make your living nightmare even worse than it really was, on one fine and sunny morning one little boy came up to you. With a cheerful smile on his face he said:

"Lord Douma wishes to speak with you! Please meet him in his chambers as soon as possible!"

Each step that you took felt more and more agonizing then it should have been. You felt like someone had placed a giant pile of rocks on your chest and chained them there. What were you to do, oh God, what were you supposed to do? Do you play dumb or should you come clean? If you told him the truth he might appreciate your honesty and let you off the hook -

...That was nothing but wishful thinking. There was no point in trying to make sense of a demon.

You arrive to his chambers, the doors closed shut. With a heavy heart you knock and a cheerful "Come in!~" is heard from the other side.

You don't dare look at Lord Douma directly in the eye. You lower your head in fear but do your best to make it look like a sign of respect. He sits on his makeshift throne, chin resting on one hand as the other urges you forward to sit in front of him. With your knees sinking to the ground you feel him reaching out towards you, his fingers were playing with stray strands of your hair.

You still did not raise your gaze.

"(y/n) dear, I haven't seen you in so long! I missed my favorite disciple so much! Why are you ignoring me?!"

Who would have thought that this whiney brat in front of you was a man eating demon? He sounded like a little boy, like he hadn't seen his favorite toy in a long time, which was partially true in a way. You grit your teeth and try thinking of something proper to say but Douma beats you to it.

"Do not ignore me."

Icy chills take over your entire being. Since... Since when did Lord Douma sound like that? You clenched the fabric your kimono, knuckles turning white due to the pressure. Suddenly, a sharp thug forced you to look upward and were met with a rainbow gaze.

"You aren't ignoring me, right, (y/n)?"

You can do nothing but gently shake your head. With his gaze glued to you it was impossible to breathe let alone speak. Feeling the pressure behind your skull lighten your shoulders slump forward as Lord Douma brings you closer and locks you in his embrace.

He knows.

He knows that you saw him. Why else would he summon you like this? Feeling helpless you could do nothing but wrap your arms around the cult leader, returning his hug in full.

Ignorance really was bliss.

You finally understood the beauty of it.

[queenshelby]

An Illicit Affair

Part One: My Boyfriend's Father

Pairing: Cillian Murphy (46) x Reader (23)

Warning: Age-Gap, Taboo Relationship, Infidelity

It was 15 months ago when you first met the man who, unbeknownst to you, would eventually become the center of your disastrous life and that man was not your current boyfriend Maximilian Murphy, a twenty-two-year-old Irishman from Dublin.

You had been going out with Max for about a year when you met the man who changed everything for you and, whilst Max was almost an entire year younger than you, you had both met at London's top medical school after he had transferred from Trinity College. 

Max was energetic, confident and intelligent. He was popular with the girls and, although you were drawn to him because of his sense of humor and easygoing nature, it was quite obvious to you that he was much less serious about life in general than you were. 

After a year of non-serious dating, Max eventually told you that he was taking you to Dublin for his father's 46th birthday and it was then when you first laid eyes on him. Cillian Murphy, your boyfriend's father. 

The name "Cillian Murphy" didn't ring any bells for you at the time as you had never seen any of his films, but now, 15 months later, you knew everything that there was to know about him due to the publicity his movie Oppenheimer had received in recent weeks. 

You went to see the movie too with some friends and whilst you had broken up with Max about a year earlier, you happened to recall the weekend you shared with him and his family in Dublin. 

Both Cillian and his wife Danielle made you feel welcome when you arrived with their son Max late on a Friday afternoon at their large Victorian townhouse near the coast, just outside Dublin.

The house was decorated with tasteful modern furniture and a collection of modern art hung on the walls. The living room featured large windows overlooking the sea with heavy curtains blocking the view when needed.

You spent most of Saturday relaxing by the pool with Max, swimming and sunbathing before enjoying a dinner prepared by Danielle for her husband's birthday.

As you sat down at the table, Cillian seemed distracted, and it wasn't until the second glass of wine that he asked you more about yourself and your aspirations.

"So, what do you want to specialize in?" he asked and you looked down at your plate and replied softly, "I haven't decided yet. I think I might enjoy working in pediatrics."

"Working with children can be emotionally demanding," Cillian said, "but I am sure it's  incredibly rewarding," he then went on to say before acknowledging that Max had told him that you were at the top of your class. 

"It sounds like you have a bright future ahead of you," he told you and your heart fluttered a bit as you heard his voice, deep and resonant, filled with warmth and confidence. It was a contrast to Max's playful teasing, something about which made you feel comfortable and safe.

Danielle, Cillian's wife, chimed in with a question for you, "What got you interested in medicine in the first place?" she asked. You paused for a moment, considering how best to explain such a complex answer.

"Well, my dad was a doctor, so healthcare was a part of our household growing up," you began thoughtfully. "But the real turning point came during high school when I visited a friend who was hospitalized with leukemia. Her doctors and nurses took such great care of her, and it really opened my eyes to the impact that medicine could have on people's lives."

Cillian nodded along, seemingly genuinely interested in your response.

"That's amazing," he murmured. "You are genuinely empathetic and that's a good trait to have, especially as a doctor," he went on to say with a smile and you couldn't help but blush slightly under his intense gaze. His piercing blue eyes seemed to look right through you, making you feel vulnerable in a way you hadn't felt before. But instead of feeling uncomfortable, you found yourself strangely drawn to him. There was something magnetic about him, something that made you want to spend more time with him despite the fact that he was twice your age.

The day after his birthday party, while you were lounging around the poolside, you couldn't help but notice Cillian looking at you intently from across the lawn. His eyes held a mysterious glint, a curiosity that seemed to grow stronger every minute.

As if sensing your presence, he approached you and started a friendly conversation. The topics ranged from movies to books, and even personal interests. It was a pleasant surprise finding out that both of you shared a love for Jazz before Max pointed out to you that Jazz music was for "old people", causing Cillian to laugh.

The sound of Cillian's laughter was soothing and comforting.

You felt butterflies in your stomach as adrenaline surged through your veins. You tried to compose yourself, focusing on the casual exchange of small talk, hoping to distract yourself from the strong attraction you felt towards your own boyfriend's father.

But no matter how hard you tried, those enchanting blue eyes kept drawing you back in. The subtle smell of his cologne lingered in the air, filling your senses with a mix of excitement and shame.

Luckily for you however, on Sunday morning, Max and you travelled back to London, leaving behind the memory of the lingering gaze that Cillian gave you as you boarded the plane while, in hindsight, you realized that Cillian's gaze did leave something behind - a seed planted between the lines of your otherwise innocent encounter.

In the months that followed, you found yourself thinking about Cillian more often than you expected and, unfortunately for Max, at the same time as fantasizing about his father, you became more and more annoyed by his immaturities. 

And then, one evening, after another argument between you and Max over whether you should go clubbing or stay in and study, you finally snapped.

"This isn't working out anymore, Max," you told it him straight. "We need different things in life and we would be better off breaking up now rather than prolonging something that won't work long term," you told Max, sitting on the bed of his dorm room, causing his chin to drop.

"You don't mean it," he said, sounding shocked.

"Yes, I do," you said firmly as you looked away from him, knowing that he wouldn't understand why you couldn't go on like this.

"No, please, give me another chance. We can make this work," Max pleaded, moving closer to you, reaching out to touch your arm.

"No, Max, I've made up my mind," you said firmly, avoiding his pleading eyes.

You knew that it was only a matter of time before Max would come to terms with the truth, but you also knew that the process would be painful for both of you.

Max moved closer, grasping your hand gently. "Maybe we just need to communicate better," he suggested, his eyes full of hope. "I love you, you know. I am happy to try anything," he continued but you shook your head.

You pulled your hand away, fighting back tears. "I just... I can't anymore, Max," you whispered quietly. "We tried to make it work several times, but our expectations are quite different. I am taking university serious, but you are not. You have different interests and I think that you would be better of with someone else," you confessed, averting your gaze.

"But... but, what about the future? What about us?" Max stammered, desperation seeping into his tone. You remained silent, allowing the silence to hang heavily between you two. Finally, you took a deep breath.

"I don't want to lose you, Y/N," Max pleaded, his voice quivering. "We have been together for a year, surely we can find a way to make it work. I promise."

You shook your head sadly, unable to meet his desperate gaze.

"We are both still young and year is nothing if you are in your early twenties. I'm sorry, Max," you managed to whisper, swallowing the lump in your throat. "I think it's best if we end things here."

He let out a choked sob, his face crumpling. "Please," he implored, clutching onto your wrist. "Don't leave me like this."

But you couldn't stand it any longer, pulling your arm free. "I need space, Max," you said sharply, rising to your feet.

"I need to focus on myself and my studies right now," you told him while, deep down inside, you knew that something was missing, something was holding you back from fully committing to your relationship.

And it wasn't long before fate intervened as, just over year after your breakup with Max, you ran into Cillian again at a jazz concert in London...

Tags:

@sunbeamseas @saint-ackerman @oatmealisweird @naxxsstuff @amanda08319 @r-m-cidnah @elysiannook @cillshot @infireddabdab @tastycakee @harrysbestiee @lilybabe22 @adalynlowell @henrywintersdearestgirl @ietss @thatgirlthatreadswattpad @ryiamarie @axionn

@heidimoreton @nela-cutie @futurecorps3 @delishen @nosebleeds-247 @thirteenis-myluckynumber @gills-lounge @hjmalmed @lost-fantasy @tiredkitten @sidechrisporn @smallsoulunknown @charqing-qing @hopefulinlove @aporiasposts @shycrybaby @me-and-your-husband @hjmalmed @lacontroller1991 @galxydefender @aporiasposts

@galxydefender @hunnibearrr @saint-ackerman @lunyyx @gentlemonsterjennie1 @ihavealotoffandomssorry @nadloves @lost-fantasy @nolucesn@mcavoy-girl @hjmalmed @bloodybagels @obeyme4life @richiesgroupie @blushykiss @tatumrileyslover @teawithsatanx @orijanko @rhaenyra4ever @xcinnamonmalfoyx @budugu @nadloves @kmc1989 @bloodybagels @obeyme4life @richiesgroupie @forgottenpeakywriter

[fairykingjing]

Roronoa Zoro X F reader - The Emerald Necklace

Saw @totallynotasimp67 idea request and I had to write about it! Sorry that this took a little longer, hope you all enjoy!

Summary: You have been kidnapped, and Zoro will stop at nothing to get you back.

Warnings: reader is kidnapped. Also, I changed from present tense to past tense for a flashback, then back to present tense, but I think that just made me mess up and mix the two together. I corrected it and proofread it to make sure it's correct but apologies if I missed something in editing.

WC: 1925

Somewhere, off in the distance, you can hear the sound of metal on metal. Swords clashing together, and voices yelling. Voices you don’t recognize. Your eyes open, and you quickly see that you are not on the Sunny anymore, nor are you on the island the crew had stopped at for a resupply. The room you find yourself in is dark and cold, stone walls surrounding you with a single exit door in front of you and a single window to your right. Cold metal clinks together as you take notice of the cuffs keeping your hands together. The room is otherwise empty, and you shiver at the wish for a blanket. What you wouldn’t give for a warm nap on the Sunny with your boyfriend Roronoa Zoro. With all the commotion going on outside, you figure yelling for help is a pointless endeavor. Instead, you try to figure out how you got here.

The last thing you remember was strolling along the market, hand in hand with Zoro as you dragged him along to look at a sparkling necklace. It had a small, shining emerald in it, and it reminded you of Zoro. Shortly after that the two of you got separated, and you recall trying to look for him, to keep him from getting lost. That’s when two unfamiliar men approached you.

“You look lost, baby, why don’t you tell us where you’re going and we’ll help?” the taller one said, his voice sickeningly sweet.

“Yeah, baby, come with us and we’ll show you a good time,” the shorter one grinned.

“Oh, uh, thanks but I’m alright. I just got separated from my-”

“We insist, please, come with us,” the taller one begged, and before you could protest they were pulling you down a side street and into a building. It looked like a house, though not much of one. In what you assumed was the living room, a man with oily black hair sat on a lounge chair. He wore a wrinkled suit and had a lit cigar in his mouth. He smiled up at you, and invited you to sit. You saw the gun resting in his lap, so you figured it best to play along for now.

“Hello, doll face,” he cooed. “No need to be so tense, we don’t want to have to hurt you.” He stood up, and walked over to you. His hand caressed your cheek, and you wished it was Zoro’s hand instead. “You’re a straw hat pirate, yes? Girlfriend of the first mate Roronoa Zoro, yes?”

You didn’t know whether or not lying would help. You gulped, and nervously spoke. “No, you must have me mistaken for someone else…” Suddenly his hand pulled back and slapped you across the face. You winced at the stinging mark it left behind.

“We saw you walking around the market with him, holding his hand, being lovey-dovey, there’s no point in lying to us,” he growled.

“W-what do you want with m-me?” you stammered.

“No need to concern yourself with that, love,” he spoke softly again. “You just do as we say and I promise I’ll take good care of you.”

The last thing you remembered was his hand pressing a white cloth over your mouth, and then everything went blank. Now you were here, in a stone room with chains around you. Taking in your surroundings once more, your eyes linger on the window. It’s too small to fit through but maybe you can peek out and get a better sense of your surroundings. You rise to your feet, shaky, but able to stumble over to the window. The sudden weight on your feet causes an ache in your left foot, but you’ll have to ignore it for now. Standing at the window you take a deep breath and peer out.

You’re surrounded by trees and a few other buildings. A flag depicting a jolly roger hangs atop one of the buildings and you figure out that you are in a pirate hideout. They must have taken you for ransom money, or to lure the straw hats to their base. You see a number of pirates crowding around someone, swords raised. And then, among all the unfamiliar voices, you hear a familiar one.

“Black rope dragon twister!” the voice roars out. Zoro. He came to get you. A tornado appears and gathers up the pirates, crashing them into the sides of the buildings, and throwing them into the surrounding forest. The buildings start to crack as shingles fly off the roofs. The crowd of pirates now dispersed, you could see him standing there, panting heavily, eyes scanning the base to find you.

“Zoro! I’m over here!” you yell as loud as your voice will let you. His eyes dart in your direction, locking onto you. Before you can say anything else he’s by the small window, hands reaching through the bars to touch you.

“Are you hurt?” he asked worriedly.

“My left foot hurts, but otherwise I think I’m okay,” you respond, grabbing his hands in yours.

“Then lets get you out of here and back to the Sunny so Chopper can take a look at it,” he soothes. He moves over to the door to study it, and his strong arms grab onto the handle and pull. His muscles tighten and strain as he pulls harder, the door creaking and finally releasing from its hinges. The door is thrown to the side and in an instant you’re in his arms, his grip bruising as he holds you like he’s never going to let you go again. “I’m sorry, love.”

“Why are you sorry?” you ask. “You’re not the one who did this.”

“It’s still my fault,” he sighs. “If I hadn’t lost sight of you, I could have been there to protect you.” He continues to hold you and you let him, enjoying being in his embrace again. Your sweet moment is interrupted, however, by the cackling of someone approaching.

“My, my, Zoro. You certainly did a number on my base,” the black haired man from before spoke. “It’s a good thing your bounty is so high, it’ll pay for the renovations.”

“Are you the one who did this?” Zoro growls. His voice is deep, and his eyes dark.

“And what if I am?” the black haired man taunts. “You may have bested some of my men, but you’ll never best-”

“Shut your fucking mouth,” Zoro interrupts. “I don’t have time to listen to your pathetic monologue.” He pulls away from you, gently nudging you behind him as he readies his stance. “Three sword style, 1080 caliber phoenix!” he yells out. Moving with speed the likes you’ve never seen before, his attack launches at his opponent. In a blink, the man is obliterated, flying back and landing with a solid thud, slumped over. The entire area has been wrecked, but Zoro takes no notice of that as he puts his swords away. He walks over to you and grabbing the flimsy chains, he rips them apart, flinging them to the ground. Before you can process how he just did that, he’s scooping you up and starts carrying you bridal style.

“Z-zoro? I can walk on my own…” you protest.

“Nah, not happening. You said your left foot hurts, so you’re not walking until Chopper takes a look at it,” Zoro instructs.

“Fine, but if you wanna go to the ship, it’s back the other way,” you sigh.

“Dammit!” he curses under his breath. “I knew that…”

Once you’re safely on the ship under Choppers care, Zoro quickly leaves again. Nami tries to stop him. “Where are you going? Your girlfriend was kidnapped, you just got her back, and now you’re leaving?” she shouts.

“I just gotta finish up some business. Chopper’s taking care of her foot. I’ll be back later,” he answers. Nami wants to question him, but she can see the darkness still lingering in his eyes. Nobody else questions where he’s going either. Chopper tends to your foot, assuring you that it’s just a torn ligament, and he can get it better in no time.

You no sooner make it to the main deck to sit and relax when you all hear a loud explosion coming from somewhere on the island. You see smoke rising up, and from the looks of things it came from the pirates hideout. More crashes are heard, reverberating throughout the island as chaos ensues. Could it be the marines? Other pirates? Several straw hats rush off the ship to see whats happening, and you are left wondering if everything is okay. Did Zoro go back to do something? Robin sits with you to keep you company as you both wait for an answer.

An update doesn’t come for another hour or so, not until the dust settles. Then, cheers and celebration can be heard from the island. “What on earth is happening out there?” you ask Robin, who was still sitting with you. She doesn’t get the chance to answer before Luffy comes barreling onto the ship, the rest of the crew not far behind.

“You guys won’t believe what happened!” Luffy shouts energetically. “Zoro went back to that pirate hideout and destroyed the whole place!”

“Yeah, every building is a pile of rubble, and they can’t find a single remaining pirate from the crew except for the captain, who’s in a body bag,” Franky chimes in. “The whole town is celebrating the destruction of that pirate crew.”

Zoro is next to climb back onto the ship. The darkness in his eyes has dissipated, but you can see how worn out his body is. You get up and hobble over to him as best as you can, and you both collapse in each others arms. “I am never letting you out of my sight again,” he whispers. His hand reaches up to cup your cheek, and he kisses you softly. When you pull back, you can see tears threatening to fall from his eyes.

“Why did you go back?” you ask him.

“Because I couldn’t sleep knowing that bastard was still alive, but I needed to get you out of there first. So I went back to finish the job,” he explains.

“They said you obliterated everything in sight!” you exclaim.

“Collateral damages?” he offers.

“You didn’t need to go that far, Zoro,” you complain.

“Give it a rest, woman,” Zoro sighs. “Does this make up for it?” He produces a small red box from his pocket. Inside is the emerald necklace from earlier.

“W-what? How did you afford this?” you gasp in surprise. The necklace is truly breathtaking, but it does come with a hefty price tag to match.

“I sorta saved the whole island, and left the captain for the townspeople to cash in and collect his bounty,” Zoro starts. “So they all but forced me to take something as thanks. I asked for a discount on that necklace and the guy just gave it to me.”

He removes the necklace from the box and places it around your neck. It hangs perfectly and compliments your skin tone beautifully. As much as you want to be mad at him for going overboard, you’re quickly distracted by the sparkling jewelry as you admire it shining in the dwindling sunlight.

“C’mon!” Luffy calls out, interrupting your thoughts. “They wanna throw us a feast, and I smell MEAT!” He tears off to the town center, and you can’t help but to laugh. It feels good to be back on the Sunny.

[undiscovered-horizon]

(tw for mentions of nudity)

Enjoying my work? You can leave me a tip on Ko-Fi | Have a request?

[After days of travelling, fighting and sleeping on rocks, a rest at a tavern is well-earned. Not feeling up to taste the nightlife with your friends, Halsin and you retire early. The evening turns into something heartfelt and domestic as you wash his hair and hum a song he's grown all too familiar with.]

The hot water against your skin is pleasant enough to elicit a chuckle of euphoria from you. It seems like a lifetime ago that you last had a warm bath. In some way, it was.

People downstairs are making good use of their money, time and energy - that you're sure of. Their music and laughter resound brightly but it's muffled by the walls and floors of the tavern, making it sound like the party is not mere meters below you but entire worlds away; almost like a memory of a banquet you're desperately trying to recall.

Despite not being used to the comforts of the city, Halsin was quick to accept your offer of shared bath. Perhaps it was the sharing part, more than the bath, that had convinced him. In any event, his broad back is resting against your chest, although judging by the minimal weight put on your body, you know he's holding back in fear of hurting you. Maybe one day you'll manage to get your point across that you would love to be smothered by the weight of his body.

As your thoughts wander further and further, you don't notice the soft melody escaping your lips. But Halsin does and the enigma of the tune he's grown to associate with you only makes him crack under the burning curiosity:

"You often hum this song to yourself. What is it?"

Only then do you finally hear your own voice. Have you really made a habit out of this? Suddenly flustered, your cheeks begin to burn. You've done nothing wrong and yet you feel embarrassed like a juvenile petty thief.

"It's something the washwomen back home used to sing while working," you explain awkwardly. In an attempt to steer away from the conversation, you reach for the cup next to the washtub. You did, after all, promise to wash his hair. "The river carried their voices, making the song audible pretty much everywhere."

"Would you mind singing it for me?" he asks, hesitance vibrant in his voice. Halsin must have noticed your sudden timidness and didn't want to push on but some part of him longed to hear the song so deeply ingrained in your mind.

You clear your throat. The lyrics first leave your mouth in a shaky voice, unsure whether your singing is pleasant enough for Halsin to want to actually hear it, but soon you let the comfort of the well-known melody take over your hesitant mind.

In my garden grows a rose Little Mania, go water my horse I can’t, I won’t, I’m afraid of the horse I fear the horse because I’m young

Halsin lets out a quiet sigh of relief as you pour the warm water over his hair. He smells of pine needles, sweat and mud but it's a good smell - it's the smell of someone who survived. And considering the strange course your life has taken these past few months, staying alive is the best thing that can happen.

In my garden grows rosemary Tell me, Mania, who’s the one that charmed you? Johnny’s eyes, Johnny’s eyes For they fell in love with my heart so much

The druid feels... odd. Not in the bad sense, of course. Perhaps "unfamiliar" would be a better descriptor. He's not used to having someone care for him in such an intimate, selfless way. After suffering so many losses in his life, Halsin doesn't quite know how to comfortably enjoy a triumph of sorts. Underneath the superficial pleasure and indulgement, lies a bottomless ocean of anxiety. Part of him expects this love to be short-lived like most affections in his long life.

His senses are overtaken by the dizzying aroma of lavender and rosemary as you carefully brush the oils through his hair.

In my garden grows a berry Tell me, little Mania, were you young? I was as young as a berry in the woods Like a berry in the woods, my love

Halsin doesn't often let himself dream and fantasise. It's better to expect nothing than to allow unrealistic scenarios to break his heart. However tonight, in the twilight of the chamber and with your soft breaths brushing against his neck, he lets his thoughts explore:

Years from now, if both of you manage to survive the upcoming series of misadventures, would this bathing be part of a routine? Dare he picture - after having put your children to sleep, would you regularly brush your fingers through his hair? Would you allow him to do the same for you? Just when he thought his heart could not swell more, the fantasy of a domestic life by your side made him ache. Something so sweet, something he's inhumanly desperate for, appears both out of reach and as the cure for his soul.

A thrilling shiver overtakes his body as he feels your nails gently scratch his scalp.

In my garden grows a lilly Tell me, little Mania, will you be mine? How do I know and tell you? How do I know if my mother will give me away?

Hot water is poured over his hair again. It feels just as good as it did before, if not better. The tension in his muscles dissipates, along with the soreness of day-long hikes over mountains and fields.

Then, Halsin feels your arms wrap around his midsection, your bare chest flush against his back. The hug is tight enough for him to be overly aware of the way your torso moves as you breathe calmly. Soft exhales brush against the warm skin of his shoulder. Perhaps it sounds a little cheesy, but to the druid, your smaller frame fits his bigger one perfectly.

Is this what being loved feels like?

"I know you're a man of virtue and honesty, my love," you murmur against his shoulder, "but can we lie a little and pretend we're still soiled and stay in here for a moment longer?"

His body shakes slightly as a chuckle rumbles in his chest. It still feels hardly believable that someone of your sort to seek his companionship. If he ever rejects your affections, he will have to be under a powerful curse.

"It brings my heart much joy to know you hold me in such high regard," he answers. One of his hands reaches for your palm, cradling it with almost fearful carefulness. Then, in an equally tender manner, Halsin places a chaste peck on the inside of your wrist. "Albeit, I am also faithful to nature."

You giggle when Halsin captures your lips in a passionate kiss. He's quick to turn around, water spilling out of the washtub, and trap you underneath him.

__

Gale's version right here!!

[elizabethsnuts]

could you write bucky wanting to be able to braid his daughters hair but he doesn’t know how so he practices on nat and then their daughter being over the moon when bucky does her hair the next morning? 🥹

Perfect Braid

WinterWidow x Daughter!Reader

Summary: Natasha helps Bucky practice doing braids on her hair so he can do the perfect braid just for you.

———

Bucky Barnes was a skilled man, honed through decades of war, and survival. Yet, there was one particular skill he lacked —braiding hair. It seemed simple enough, a trivial task in comparison to the life-or-death situations he had navigated countless times. But when you had approached him one evening with wide, hopeful eyes and a hairbrush in hand, he realized it was anything but trivial. It was a moment that required precision, care, and above all, love.

"Daddy, can you braid my hair like Mama does?" You had asked, your voice filled with innocent trust.

Bucky had knelt down, taking the brush from your little hand, his heart swelling with a mixture of affection and apprehension. "I'll try my best, baby doll."

His first attempt was a disaster. The strands slipped through his fingers, tangled messily despite his best efforts. Your giggles were gentle, not mocking, but they only heightened his determination. Bucky promised you he would get it right, and that was a promise he intended to keep.

That night, after you were tucked into bed, Bucky found Natasha sitting on the couch, reading. She looked up as he approached, one eyebrow quirked in curiosity.

"Nat, I need your help," He admitted, somewhat sheepishly.

"With what?" She asked, closing her book and giving him her full attention.

"Braiding hair."

Natasha's lips curved into a smile, a rare and genuine expression that lit up her face. "Never thought I’d see the day you became a big softie," She teased. "Y/N asked you to braid her hair, huh?"

Bucky rolled his eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at his own lips. "Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. But I'm serious. N/N asked me, I want to do it right."

Natasha stood, gesturing for him to sit. "Alright, sit down. I'll show you."

She sat down in front of him, her long, red hair cascading over her shoulders. Bucky watched intently as Natasha began to separate her hair into sections, her hands moving with practised ease.

"First, you need three equal sections," She explained, guiding his hands to mimic her movements. "Then, you take the right section and cross it over the middle, like this. Then the left section over the new middle. Keep repeating that pattern."

Bucky's metal fingers felt clumsy and awkward compared to Natasha's graceful movements. He fumbled, dropping the sections more than once, but Natasha was patient. She corrected him gently, her instructions clear and calm. Slowly, the pattern began to make sense, and Bucky found a rhythm.

"You're getting it," Natasha encouraged, feeling the braid start to take shape under his fingers.

They practised for hours, and Bucky was determined to perfect his technique. Natasha's hair became a testament to his efforts, the braids improving steadily. Finally, when he managed a braid that was neat and tight, a grin full of pride and accomplishment lit up his face.

"Thanks, Nat. Really," He said, his gratitude evident. He kissed her cheek and smiled.

She smiled at him, a glint of pride in her eyes. "Anytime."

The next morning, Bucky woke early, nervous but ready. He found you already awake, your hair a wild halo around your head. You beamed up at him as he approached with the brush and a few hair ties in hand.

"Ready for your braid, baby doll?" He asked.

You nodded eagerly, climbing onto a chair to sit still while Bucky worked. He combed through your hair carefully, recalling Natasha's instructions. His hands moved methodically, sectioning the hair and beginning the braid. Right over the middle, left over the middle, repeat.

Minutes passed, and the room filled with the quiet sounds of his concentration and your soft humming of nursery rhymes. When he finished, Bucky secured the end with a hair tie and stepped back to admire his work. It wasn't perfect, but it was a braid—tight and mostly even.

You reached up, touching the braid with awe. Your face lit up with joy, your eyes sparkling. "Daddy, it's beautiful!" You exclaimed, throwing your arms around his neck in a tight hug.

Bucky hugged you back, his heart swelling with pride and love. "I'm glad you like it, sweetheart."

You pulled back, looking at him with pure adoration. "You're the best, Daddy."

At that moment, Bucky felt a profound sense of accomplishment. He had faced countless challenges in his life, but none compared to the simple joy of making his daughter happy. As he watched you skip away, your braid bouncing with each step, he knew he would braid your hair every day if you wanted, because, for you, he would do anything.

Natasha entered the room, having observed the whole scene from the doorway. She gave Bucky a nod of approval, her eyes warm. She turned to you with a big smile on her face, "Did Daddy do you hair just like Mama does?"

You nodded your head quickly, almost jumping up and down in pure excitement. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I love it!"

As the day went on, Bucky found himself smiling more often, the memory of your delighted expression a constant source of joy. It was a small victory, but in his life, small victories were often the most meaningful. And this one, this braid, was the most important of all.

[mingirn]

heavenly

lee minho x reader

genres: smut, some fluff

warnings: smut, grinding, dry humping, some dirty talk, getting off on the way someone smells, gender neutral reader

notes: titled after the song heavenly by cigarettes after sex

word count: 1,7k

”You smell good,” you say quietly, nose squished against his neck and lips brushing over the collar of his t-shirt as you speak.

”I smell good?” he asks, and you hum. ”Like my perfume? Or just the fact that this shirt is fresh from the wash?”

Minhos voice is humorous, underneath the softness of it he’s poking fun at you.

”Yeah, but also just- you. Your skin, your breath, your hair, your sweat, everything.”

Your hand is under his shirt, resting on his side. His naked skin is so smooth and warm, and with your eyes closed you can recall exactly what it’d feel like to kiss the skin thats underneath your hand. You know exactly what he feels like, every inch of him, you know every little spot on his body from the countless times you’ve kissed all over him. You know what he smells like too, whether he’s just gotten out of the shower and his skin smells like the bodywash he uses, or if he’s just woken up and he smells of sleep. You even love the way he smells when he comes to see you right after practice, when he hasn’t yet washed up and he just smells like himself.

”You’re crazy,” he laughs softly above you, while his fingers stroke over your hair. His voice reverberates through his chest and sounds a little lower when you lay on his chest like this. Everything about this, about him, feels like so much right now. His smell in your nose, his body in your hands, his touch on you, his leg between yours, the very warmth of him so close.

You scoot a little further up, aligning your chest with his so you can burrow into his neck, the tip of your nose brushing against his ear. You give him a quick kiss there, just where his ear meets his jaw and neck, and he shivers from the sudden contact in a place you know he’s sensitive.

Minho must be able to tell that your breath has gotten a little heavier, but he’s kind enough to say nothing of it. You bury your face in his neck, inhaling the scent of his skin. He smells best here, somehow stronger than any other place on his body, here it’s just so richly Minho. Without even thinking you hitch your hand higher, moving from his side up to his chest, letting his shirt bunch around your arm and reveal the skin of his stomach. He smells so good it’s almost makes you dizzy, having all your senses be so full of just him.

”Do you like this?” he asks suddenly. He has dropped the tone he had earlier, no longer teasing you but sounding genuinely curious, or just entirely oblivious. It’s not the first time you’ve commented on his smell, nor the second or the third, and Minho should be more than aware of his effect on you at this point. The fact that he somehow doesn’t know, or perhaps didn’t really realize the depth of it until now has you whining silently into his neck.

”Yeah, I thought you knew,” you mumble sheepishly, pushing closer to Minho as if you’d somehow be able to sink into him to avoid the embarrassment.

”I knew you liked the way I smell. Fuck, I love the way you smell too. I just.. didn’t know you liked it this much,” Minho says.

”Mm, what?”

”This much,” he states, grabbing onto your hips. ”You’re grinding against me.”

Minho is right, but until now you hadn’t noticed the unconscious pull of your hips against his thigh. Suddenly, you become aware of your own body, before you’d been preoccupied taking Minho in, feeling him underneath you and trying to drink in as much of him as you can. Now, you feel pleasant warmth spread through your body, pooling together between your legs where you’re far too effected by all this and somehow you still can’t make yourself stop, even though your boyfriend has drawn attention to it.

”Oh my god,” you whine in embarrassment. Your hips stutter as you try to will yourself to stop, but it just won’t happen, your lips are brushing against the skin of Minhos neck every time you take a breath and he still smells so fucking good, you just can’t bring yourself to stop. Then, you feel his hands wrap around your hips further, fingers digging into the side of your ass, and you realize he’s helping you guide your hips.

”That’s it, there you go,” he says softly. His voice is right by your ear, so close it sends shivers down your spine. ”You should have told me you like it this much.”

”What?” you manage to spit out, trying desperately to stay focused in the moment.

This is something Minho likes to do. He talks to you, asks you questions and makes little statements he fully expects you to answer. He words them like he’s not helping you grind yourself into his thigh, and he’ll do the same when he’s fucking you, not relenting until he’s gotten the reply he wants. It makes you just a little dizzy, how he stays so composed when he’s got you falling apart in his arms and your head always feels so light when you think about how much control he has, not just over you but of himself too.

”If I had known you liked my smell this much I think we could have had some more fun with it,” he says, and you can hear it on his voice that he’s smirking.

”Fuck,” you breathe out. ”What- what fun?”

”Something like this. Or maybe I’d skip showering at the studio, if I knew I’d come home and get you to be like this for me.”

Minho lifts his leg a little, pushing his thigh further between your legs so you have no choice but to ride it. The new angle makes your breath hitch, it feels even better like this and Minho is still controlling your hips, making you yearn for a lot more than just his thigh.

”Really turns me on to know how you get for me, you know that right?” he says. You can tell that he’s hard against the side of your leg, but Minho still grabs your hand and places it over his shorts to make sure you can feel how hard he is. He speaks again, ”Fuck, it makes me so hard, can you feel that? Just for you.”

”Minho, please, please-” you choke out, mouth against his neck. He understands you somehow, reads your mind in that stupid Minho way, and weaves his fingers into the hair at the back of your neck so he can pull you up and then he kisses you.

It’s messy and desperate, even Minho is starting to lose himself and he kisses you as if he’s never kissed before. He’s all tongue and teeth, tasting you and moaning into your mouth when your tongue meets his. It shouldn’t feel as good as it does, but the hurried kisses make your head feel like it’s spinning and all that’s repeating inside of it is Minho saying just for you, just for you, just for you.

It hasn’t been long, you know that, but you’re already starting to get close. Even though your underwear and his shorts are seperating you from feeling him, there’s something so intense about this and about Minho that it hardly matters, and you know it won’t be long until he’s got you making a mess in your underwear. It has your hips faltering a little, unable to keep up with how good it feels. Luckily Minho still has a hold on you, and when he notices that it’s getting harder for you to keep composed he lets go of your head to keep both hands on your hips.

”Don’t stop,” he murmurs into the kiss. You moan into his mouth, a lot too loud and a lot too desperate. ”Want you to be good and cum for me like this, okay? Can you do that?”

You nod fervently, stuttering out something between a ’yes’ and a sob, and he rewards you with a kiss. You lean your forehead against his, eyes shut tight and hands fumbling to get a hold of anything to get your bearings. You want him as close as possibly and somehow this, his mouth mere millimeters from yours, swallowing your breath, isn’t enough.

”Minho, Minho, please. Please, I’m so close-”

”Baby, you can cum whenever you want. Come on, sweetheart, want you to cum for me,” he speaks softly, his own breath erratic from being so worked up.

He starts thrusting up, meeting your hips so you don’t have to do any work, Minho does it all for you when he can tell you’re about to cum. It’s this that finally does it for you, his hands holding you and his hips meeting yours just like he does when he fucks you like this.

Your breath catches in your throat, too overwhelmed and sensitive and still cumming, and Minho doesn’t stop for a second, just talking you through it with mumbles of ”I’ve got you, you’re so good, there you go, angel”.

Your legs are shaking when you finally come down, vision unblurring and lungs catching air again. Minho is rocking his hips ever so slightly to help you ride it out, and when you return to your senses you can feel the cum that’s soaked through your underwear and probably now stains his shorts.

”Oh my god,” you breathe out, slumping down on him. He laughs quietly, stroking your hair and craning his head to kiss your forehead softly. You continue, ”Thank you, Minho, what the fuck.”

”Thank you,” he says. ”I think I’m gonna have a lot of fun with this.”

”Oh, shut up!” You squeeze his arm a little, a pathetic attempt at being intimidating, but your fingers feel fuzzy and you’re still regaining your strength.

”It’s just because I love you so much, you know,” you say. He hums lowly at this, and yet again you know he’s smiling without having to look at him.

”I love you too,” he says. ”Always.”

[lincolndjarin]

Best Kept Secret

chapter twenty six : crucifixion

ao3 link ✿ series masterlist ✩ main masterlist ✧

pairing : bodyguard!Din Djarin x afab!princess!reader

rating : 18+ mdni

word count : 12.7k

summary : judgement day.

warnings: major character death, above canon typical violence, very brief references to suicide, torture, body horror (briefly), feelings of despair, blood, wounds, general kodo grossness, vomit (reader vomits several times, it is never described in detail), language, angst, brief smut, pregnancy, death, reader is not doing well in this like she's at a breaking point, i may have missed some so feel free to let me know.

a/n: please read the warnings on this chap! it's the most serious of the bks updates, definitely a bit more intense than the rest. gonna work on getting 27 out within the next few day. i've been terrified of releasing this chapter since i started writing it so once i post this i'm going to dig a hole and sit in it and hide for a while lmao.

i changed my editing style so if there's spelling errors lmk!! apologies in advance!!

“My room is too big.” 

He bursts into genuine peals of laughter and you gently smack his arm.

“Don’t laugh, it’s a serious issue! My room is enormous.” You’re giggling along with him now, it’s the hardest you’ve ever heard him laugh. You both just laugh for a few minutes, as if each other's company is the most amusing thing in the world. 

Once your giggles fizzle out you wait another moment before breaking the silence. 

“Where did you grow up?” You can’t see him but you can sense where he sits in the darkness, you crawl forward so you’re sitting between his legs, your own legs wrap around his waist. “I’m just curious.” 

“Aq Vetina.” You can’t recall anything about the planet. You aren’t even sure you’ve heard of it. 

“Do you remember your parents well? You don’t talk about them very much.” You put your hands on his shoulders, ever so slowly moving them up to his neck until you’re cupping his face. 

“I’ll never forget them.” He whispers. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. We can’t change the past.” You rub your nose against his, bumping them together as you hum and nod. “My mother loved ships. We didn’t travel, we never had a reason to, but she would take me outside and we’d watch ships fly past. I could never comprehend how she knew the name for all of them, it blew my mind.” You wrap your arms around his neck, staying silent in hopes that he’ll continue, he so rarely speaks so much. “My father worked a lot but he always made time for us, he was always home in time to say goodnight to me. He was always around when I needed him, he always provided for us. On his day off he’d spend the whole day cooking, I’d sit on the kitchen counter and tell him what my mother and I had done that week. When she’d come home we’d all eat dinner together.” 

“You sound like you were a happy child.” You can’t help but smile. 

“I never had reason to be otherwise.” He says it so matter of factly that you don’t doubt it for a second. He was loved. It only makes you smile wider.         

“What were you like, as a child?”

“Well behaved.” You immediately begin laughing once more. 

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Believe it. My mother homeschooled me, she always made sure I had manners. I wasn’t particularly athletic or talkative so I didn’t play with other kids a lot. It was just me and mama.” He sounds far away, it makes you want to hold him close and never let him go.

“So what did you do all day?” Your tone has softened significantly. 

“I would sew.” 

“Be serious.” He’s the one who laughs now at the disbelief in your voice.

“I am! I would sit with my mother after my lessons and we’d sew.” His fingertips dance along the back of your neck as he reminisces. 

“What kinds of things?” You don’t tease. When you really think about it you suppose such a hobby is fitting for him. A task that requires precision and care. 

“I would help her make clothes and blankets that she would sell most days. On the weekends she’d let me do whatever I wanted so I would practice my embroidery.” 

“My heart is actually about to explode out of my chest, you’re so cute.” You put on a mocking tone but the thought of such a thing really does make your heart clench. “Little Din Djarin stitching his name into his clothes.”

“You’re a cruel woman.” He leans forward, knocking his forehead against yours, almost as if he were reprimanding you. 

“What sorts of things would you embroider?” Your tone goes back to genuine, you could listen to him talk about himself for days and you’d never get bored. 

“Whatever my mother wanted. I would ask her what I should do and then I’d stitch it onto her blanket or the hem of her skirt. Mostly flowers, she loved daisies.” You’re pretty sure one of your ovaries literally popped at the thought of a little boy with dark curls and big brown eyes sitting beside his mother and embroidering a daisy onto her skirt. Your heart flutters a bit as you think of the necklace he got you. The silver outline of a flower you now realize is a daisy. “If he was ever gone for more than one night for work my father would bring her daisies, one for each day he was away.”

“Do you still know how?”

“I used to fix Grogu’s clothes when he ripped them but I haven’t done much else since I was a boy. He says it with finality but you carry on, not wanting him to stop talking. 

“What were their names? Your parents?”

“Clara and Arin Djarin.”  

“Those are pretty names.”

“What was it like for you? You said you had seven siblings right?”

“Eight actually.” You think of them now. There were eight of you and your parents' love for all of you combined wasn’t even a tenth of how much Din’s parents loved him. 

“Do you like having a big family?” He lifts you off of his lap, laying you back down as he crawls on top of you, laying against your chest. 

“I love it. I miss my siblings everyday, do you think we’ll be able to visit them someday?”

“If it’s safe to, of course we will.” He tilts his head, if you weren’t in darkness he’d be looking at you. 

“I wish they had visited here. They would have loved you.”

“You think?”

“Are you kidding me? The younger ones would adore you.” You tangle your finger in his hair, scratching his scalp. “Kids just naturally like you.” 

“They just haven’t learned to fear me.” You frown when he says it like a fact.

“I think it’s more than that.”

“Yeah?” The hopeful tilt to his voice has you leaning down to press a kiss into his hair. 

“Kids are intuitive, they can sense that you’re a good person.” He tenses up as you tell him he’s a good person. You know exactly what he’s thinking about now, how he punched your husband and then refused to leave. 

Neither one of you wants to talk about that though, not today. 

“What kind of room would you want? Since your current room isn’t to your liking.” He’s quick to change the subject and you let him.

“In all honesty, I like the cabin, I wish we could just live there.” You run your fingers through his curls as you think about it, gently pulling through any tangles.

“My cabin?” His voice is full of uncertainty as he pulls back a bit.

“It’s nice.” You feel a bit defensive, you consider the cabin to be the closest thing you have to a home. “Can you imagine getting to stay on Naboo? We could spend our mornings walking the market.” You rest your hand on the back of his neck now. “We could get jobs in the city, and then at night we’d come home.” 

“To the cabin?” He still sounds rather skeptical of your hypothetical future. 

“I’d cook dinner, you’d do the chores.”

“The cabin’s a bit small for us.” 

“We’d make it a bit bigger, add a few bedrooms, we don’t need that much space.” 

“A few?” He turns his head, his lips brush against your collar briefly as he kisses you there, freezing up when you speak again. 

“At least two, one for us and then some for any little Djarin’s who might need space.” With that he sits up entirely, his legs straddle your stomach.

“Little Djarin’s?”

“And Grogu, he would come live with us as well.” 

“You’d want him to live with us?”

“Of course, he’s a little Djarin.” Your hands rest on his thighs now as he seemingly ponders above you. He hums to himself in silence for a moment and you can’t help but grin at how seriously he’s taking all of this. 

“How many?” He finally speaks again and you laugh at the bluntness of his question. 

“Kids?”

“How many would you want?”

“You go first.” You haven’t ever talked about this sort of thing so you want to gauge his answer first so you don’t scare him too much with all the kids talk. 

“Maybe five? Or six.”

“Six?” Your voice pitches up immediately and you feel a rumble in his chest as he laughs. 

“Or five.”

“How about two, counting Grogu.” Turns out you didn’t need to worry about scaring him off. 

“How about three?” Three is manageable. 

“Counting Grogu?” 

“Counting Grogu.” He seems satisfied with that. 

“I suppose we could have three, you’re the one who has to build all the extra bedrooms.” 

“I don’t mind.”

“I’d work at the library and you’d work in a shipyard, we’d take turns staying home with the kids.” You pull him back to you, taking his hands and dragging him to lay his head on your chest once more.

“I’ve got enough savings, neither one of us has to work if you’d like.” It sends a twinge of pain to your heart how real this conversation has become, knowing that this exact dream isn’t possible. 

You could always make parts of it real.

Someday. 

“I’d want to work, to get out of the house, but you could stay home if you’d like.”

“When they’re still ik’aad, at least for the first few years I’d want to be with them.” He’s going to be a wonderful father. 

“Then I’d work, not long hours, just enough to get me out of the house, when I come home I’d give you a break, you could do the shopping and I’d watch the little’s.” 

“We’d go as a family, I wouldn’t want ‘a break.’” 

“You’d want to wrangle three kids in the markets?” You scoff in disbelief but he continues to sound completely serious. 

“They’d be well behaved.” You seriously doubt that. 

“What about either one of us makes you think our children will be well behaved? Is Grogu well behaved?” 

“We’ll manage.”

“They’ll be wild.” They will, not they would. 

“And smart.” He sits up again, hovering above you to give you a quick kiss. 

“And happy.” There isn’t a doubt in your mind that your children would be happy with Din as their father. 

“You’d really want to live here? I could build us a house anywhere.”

“I like Naboo, at least everything outside of the castle. I don’t even mind the castle, I just don’t care for the people inside it.” It’s true, somewhere along the way this place grew on you immensely. You love the city and the people in it. “And they’d get to play in the garden.” 

“I would build you a cabin anywhere you wanted, and I’d plant you a new garden.” He kisses along your cheeks and forehead as he speaks. 

“You wouldn’t need to plant me a garden if we lived here.” You insist. 

“We can’t live here, mesh’la.” He rubs a small circle with his thumb against your cheek. “This is too serious now, we’re supposed to be relaxed today.”

“When did we agree on that?” You muster up a weak laugh. 

“It was a silent mutual agreement.”

“I’m plenty relaxed.” You mumble. He buries his face in the crook of your neck, his stubble tickling you as you let out an airy giggle. 

“I’m actually very tense and I think we should take a break from all this talking and take care of that.” He mumbles against your shoulder.

“Oh?”

“Mhmm.” He emphasizes his point by pressing his erection against your hip, you hadn’t even realized that this is where he was going with that. 

“How long have you been waiting to jump me?”

“When we started talking about the five kids I was gonna put in you.” He continues to nip at your neck and shoulders as he speaks. 

“Skipping the agreed upon three and going straight to five already? You’re not even going to attempt to negotiate for four?” 

“So you’re open to four?” He pulls back and you can hear his smile. 

“Let’s start with one and go from there.”

“Right now?” His hips stutter down a bit against yours. 

“Maker, you’re insatiable.” You both burst into another fit of laughter. 

“What’s the worst thing that could happen?”

“I could get pregnant, and considering the lack of sex I’ve had with my husband I’m sure that might raise a few eyebrows.” 

“It would never get to that point, when we’re in the clear with this whole Kodo mess I’m getting you out of here.”

“Like… actually leaving Naboo?” 

“Exactly like that. I’m gonna take you far away from here when this is over, gonna keep you all for myself.” His hands move down, giving your hips a squeeze. 

“I’m already yours.” You laughed, rolling over to be on top of him. He’s right, if you’re going to leave anyway then what’s the worst thing that could happen? 

You never talked about that night after that. 

When everything sorted itself out you realized how crazy your fear had made you. You couldn’t just leave. At least that’s what you’d told yourself, now you feel like an idiot for not holding him to his words. It wasn’t realistic, you both knew actually leaving would take so much more preparation than a few whispered ideas during a time where neither one of you was in any position to be making such promises. 

It was just talk.

Lysa came to get you from the dining room. 

After everyone left you had no motivation to move, you just stood there, frozen in time. After a few hours she found you, she had taken your hand and walked you back to your chambers. She held your hand, she kept you upright when you threatened to crumble. And when you felt a wave of nausea ripple through you she rushed you to the fresher, a hand on your back as you threw up all over again. 

You sat breathlessly on the tile, Lysa rubbing your back.

“Gods, I’ve been nauseous since the wedding. Even before everything fell apart.” It’s the first words you’ve spoken since they took Din, your stomach is still churning. “This has never happened before.” You groan, you’ve had many moments of upset throughout your life, but none that made you physically ill. Lysa looks almost painfully worried. 

“Ma’am… is there a chance you might be…” 

Kriff.

You never talked about that night after that. 

Maybe you should have. 

You both did a lot of things during those days. You had been so angry, and he had done everything in his power to ease that anger, to keep both of you as happy as someone could be in your situation. 

You shouldn’t have used that as an excuse to be reckless. 

“I’d like to go to bed.” 

“Of course.” She helps you to your feet, walking you back to your room, you turn to her one last time before you close the door. 

“I’m sorry. Elaine never should have gotten involved in all this.” You’d trade places with her in a heartbeat if you could. 

“It’s not your fault.” She truly seems to believe that. 

Except it is. Elaine never would have found herself in this situation if she hadn’t so often been helping the two of you keep your secret. 

“Goodnight, Lysa.” 

“Goodnight, princess.” 

You lay on the bed, unable to bring yourself to sleep in the closet. 

It’s cold. Colder than Hoth, as you stare at the ceiling in your far too big bed in your far too big room. Even bigger now that it’s just you. 

You let your hand roam down your torso to rest on your stomach.

Just you, hopefully. 

☆

You’re now having nightly dinners with Kodo. 

You don’t get any respite from him, you just want to stay in bed. You’re nauseous and tired and your head hasn’t stopped spinning since that night. A million thoughts a minute. 

Where is he?

Is he okay?

What the fuck can I do about it?

Mostly that. 

The worst part is your lack of a plan. If the roles were reversed Din would have already rescued you and you’d be living happily ever after. 

But that isn’t how your story is going. Instead you are alone, with no scheme on how to get to him. It’s only been three days but it’s driving you insane, you have never known such hopelessness, it’s maddening. To sit alone in your room all day, staring at the ceiling until Lysa comes to dress you for dinner. Neither one of you ever speaks, afterall, what would you say to each other?

“I’m sorry the love of your life had been sentenced to die?”

How morbid. 

Not that you’re above being morbid. 

You think about it often. How easy it would be to drive your dinner knife into Kodo’s throat. You’re seated beside him now at dinner, both of you at the head of the table, joined by the rest of his family. 

The thought of killing him is the only thing that brings you peace these days. You’ve never once in your life been violent until now. Din is good. He’s a good man. In every way he is the opposite of your husband yet Din is the one locked away, Maker knows where, while Kodo is being rewarded. 

It doesn’t make you mad, it makes you furious. 

It makes you want to poison his wine. 

But you don’t have poison. 

And you can’t put yourself in danger. Because you feel fundamentally different, and even if you refuse to think that such a thing is possible you know you wouldn’t just be putting yourself in danger. There’s more at stake now. 

That’s what you tell yourself to stay calm, a feat that is getting harder by the minute as you’re sat beside Kodo who is currently bragging about how he defeated a Mandalorian. 

“They aren’t as strong as you think they are. Under the armor they’re weak, pathetic.” 

It took six battle droids to keep him down. You didn’t even get near him. 

“Some people just need to be taught a lesson, don’t touch what isn’t yours.” He sneers and the rest of the table erupts into laughter. “I certainly taught that horned bitch a lesson as well, you all should have seen what they brought me last night.” 

You perk up, this is the only thing they’ve said in days that truly matters to you. You’ve heard nothing about the current state of either of them until now. 

“What did they do to Elaine?” Everyone’s head turns to you, all their expressions look as if you’ve announced something treasonous but Kodo smiles as if he were explaining something to a child. 

“She was properly punished, the way someone who observed such a crime with no intervention should be.” He puts his hand over yours when he says it. 

You don’t ask for any follow up. 

You don’t think you could stomach it, so you stay silent for the rest of your meal. When you’re finished you stand, the rest of the table is starting to pour more drinks but you simply lean down, mumbling something about being tired before giving Kodo a quick kiss on the cheek and dismissing yourself. 

You’re waiting for the night where he joins you in your chambers, after all his father is dead, but it has yet to happen. He had told you that once he was king he would be in need of heirs but he seems happy enough with his pleasure houses and you’re more than grateful for the women you entertain him so you don’t have to. 

So you return to your chambers alone, peeling off your gown before burying yourself under the covers. 

Sleep evades you as you toss and turn. You aren’t even tired, there’s too much going on in your mind, there’s no room for exhaustion. After about an hour you manage to drift in and out of unconsciousness, earning a brief reprieve from your anxieties until a sharp knocking has you jolting upright. 

You don your robe, rubbing sleep from your eyes as you rush to the door, you’re too tired to wonder who might even be bothering you at such an hour as you pull the door open. 

Lysa?

“We have to hurry, ma’am.” She grabs your arm, frantically tugging you into the hall. 

“Lysa? What are you doing? Are you okay?” 

“I am fine, but we don’t have much time.”

“Surely you have enough to tell me where we are going.” 

“Do you want to see him or not?” 

Din.

You nod, taking her hand as he rushes onward, stopping at each hall to peer around the corners until you make your way to a servants stairwell, skipping several steps in your descent until you run out of stairs. You’ve never been down here, you didn’t even know there were dungeons until recently. 

It makes your stomach twist in knots the moment you stare into the darkness. 

“Are there no guards?” You whisper, squeezing her hand.

“Not for the next hour, I’ve made sure of it.” She begins walking down the poorly lit corridor, pulling you along behind her. 

The stone floor is damp and it smells of mildew. Your bare feet are already freezing after just a few steps.

Every cell you pass is lit from the outside with a hanging lantern, they’re mostly empty, but you catch glimpses of movement out of the corner of your eye every now and then. In all honesty you’re doing your best to take in as little as possible, you don’t want to think about Din being down here in such a place, but there’s one element you can’t ignore. 

The wailing. 

Someone is weeping, a low, sorrowful song filling the vast maze of halls and you realize quickly you’re heading in its direction, Lysa tenses beside you as you continue on. You’re about to turn one more corner when she abruptly stops, turning to face you.

“He needs to eat.” She removes a fistful of rations from her apron pocket, shoving them into your hands. 

“He hasn’t?” He’s been down here for three days. 

“He won’t… let me.” You pause, cocking your head to the side and she gives you an apologetic look when she turns. “He won’t let me uncover his face.”

Oh. 

“I’ll feed him.” You nod slowly, tucking them into your own pockets before turning the corner. The contents of the cell immediately on your right have you stumbling backwards but Lysa is not swayed, pulling a key from her pocket, unlocking the door quickly before handing it to you. 

“He’s two cells down, on your right.” She doesn’t look at you as she rushes in, pulling a roll of bandages from her dress. “Shh… it’s okay, I’m here.” Her voice goes soft as she kneels beside Elaine. You can’t help it as you step into the entryway of the cell. 

Well, you’ve found the source of the wailing. 

She’s sat on a cot, curled in on herself as Lysa carefully peels back a series of soiled bandages from her face. 

“I’ve got you, it’s just me.” She continues to make an attempt to sooth a rather hysterical Elaine as she peels back the final layer of bandages and your stomach flips. “You’re okay, love, I need to change these.” You don’t know how Lysa is so calm, even in the darkness you can see the extent of her wounds. Now you know what they brought Kodo last night.  

Both eyes. 

“She was properly punished, the way someone who observed such a crime with no intervention should be.” 

Oh gods. 

You’re worried you may collapse as you watch Lysa tend to her with no hesitation, cleaning them with a careful hand before she begins to redress them. You can’t bear to watch any longer as Elaine begins sobbing once more. You try desperately to force the sight of your mutilated friend from your mind as you count down two more cells before quickly fumbling for the lock, letting it hit the floor as you take the lantern outside the door off its hook, bringing it into the dark room. 

It isn’t like Elaine’s cell. 

There’s no bed or interior light, it’s terribly dark and fetid, his cell running deeper than her’s. It takes a few steps for you to finally illuminate the room enough to see him. 

Maker. 

What have they done to your Din? 

You don’t hear Elaine anymore, there isn't a single thing that could distract you from the scene in front of you. There is nothing but the sight of your kar’ta. There’s too much for you to worry about, you don’t even know where to start, you’re frozen in place, a small part of your brain refuses to recognize the man before you as Din at all. He shouldn’t look like this. 

Armorless. 

They’ve stripped him of any clothing you recognize, the thought alone makes you nearly lose your dinner. 

They took his helmet, replacing it with a linen sack.  

Did they see his face?

You briefly have to shut your eyes, taking a deep breath as you take in the rest of him. His clothes are too thin, he must be freezing, they’ve dressed him in a cotton tunic and trousers that end just below the knee. You can see just how beaten and bruised he is. Unlike Elaine he’s in chains, kneeling on the floor with his hands shackled, taut above his head. You swallow the lump in your throat and finally crouch down in front of him, setting the lantern down beside you as you reach out to place a hand on his chest.

“Din…” Your voice cracks and the moment you come in contact with him he flinches back. Suddenly you know how Lysa held it together so well with Elaine, she just had to. You can’t fall apart, who would care for him now if you did? “It’s me, just me. Just me.” You whisper and place a hand over his heart but withdraw it quickly when he trembles under your touch. You ache at the sight of it but more than anything you’re confused, it only takes a moment for you to realize the issue. 

He doesn’t have his helmet. They’ve not only left him here blind, but deaf, of course any touch would frighten him. 

He assumes you're here to harm him. 

You lean in, careful not to come in contact with him as you speak clearly and loudly. 

“Din?” His trembling stops instantly. You find it a bit troublesome how much worse his hearing seems to have gotten in such a short time, you’re half tempted to reach under the bag to make sure he still has his ears. 

“Sarad?” Oh, Din. His voice is terribly small and it sends you forward, wrapping your arms around him as you pull him into an unreciprocated embrace. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” You make sure to speak loud enough for him before pulling back, placing your hands against the fabric covering his face. 

“Are you okay?” He coughs a bit as he asks and you almost laugh at how ridiculous the question is considering the state he’s in. Are you okay? 

Technically no. 

But far better than he’s doing. 

“I’m perfectly fine, what can I do for you? Are you hurting?” You feel his face through the bag as you look down across his body. It doesn’t look like there’s been any permanent damage outside of a pretty nasty cut on one of his legs. 

“Don’t worry about me.”

“Now’s not the time to play the hero, Din.” He flinches a little and you calm your tone immediately. What the hell did they do to him? “Just let me help.”

“How’d you get down here?” 

“Lysa, she says you aren’t eating.” 

“She’d have to lift my- the bag to do it.” He sounds apologetic, as if you could ever fault him for following his creed. 

“It’s okay… may I?” You bring your hands to the hem of the bag but his head turns sharply.

“I- I don’t want you to look.” 

You have no response. He’s always wanted you to look. 

“I just, I don’t think you wanna see the condition I’m in. I don’t want your only memories of my face to be this.” He whispers when you don’t respond.

You should have looked when he asked you to. You should have done a lot of things differently. 

You shouldn’t have waited so long to look. 

You shouldn't have waited so long to tell him you loved him. 

You should have just let yourself love him. Why did you fight it for so long? It seems silly now. If you could do it all again you would have just taken his helmet off the first night you met him and you would have married him right then and there. You would have left Naboo that night.

And you would never keep any of it from him. You would tell him how important he is and how loved he is, you wouldn’t make him wait. 

Even now you can’t help it though, censoring yourself out of fear. Do you tell him about how nauseous you get every morning? About the way Lysa stares at your belly when she does your makeup? 

No. 

It wouldn’t do either of you any good, not when he’s in this situation. 

You take hold of the edges of the bag once more, gentler this time. 

“I’ll close my eyes.” You lift the fabric completely off of him, setting it in your lap as you simultaneously shut your eyes. You keep one hand on his face, using your thumb to find the corner of his mouth as your other hand fumbles to open a ration bar. You feel him part his lips as you feed him. He’s barely chewing, eating quickly and swallowing most of it whole. “Have they fed you at all?” You whisper as he finishes the first bar in a matter of seconds, his teeth lightly scraping against your fingers before you withdraw them, tearing open another bar.

“No.” His voice is still soft as you go to feed him once more, opening each package until he’s eaten them all. 

“Are you still hungry? I could see if Lysa has more.” 

“I’m okay.” You let your head fall forward, resting your forehead on his. 

“What else can I do for you?” 

“Nothing. Being here is enough.” 

If you had felt helpless before it was nothing compared to this. This is more than helplessness, it’s despair. 

“I’m sorry.” You pull yourself further into his lap, wrapping your arms around him in the process. 

“Hey… none of this is your fault.” It certainly feels like it is. Why does he keep comforting you when he’s the one shivering and alone down here? 

“Please, there has to be something I can do to help you.” 

“There is one thing.” You almost open your eyes, you're so relieved, you just want to ease his pain. 

“Anything. I’ll do anything.” 

“I need you to promise me you won’t look.”

“Won’t look?” Your eyes are already closed, you couldn’t look any less if you tried. 

“When they do it. I don’t want you to see it- it won’t be pretty.”

When they separate his head from his body. 

“I won’t.” You can’t deny him this, you’ll give him anything he wants. “Do you know how much I love you?” You whisper before leaning forward another inch to kiss him. 

The question is genuine. It terrifies you to your core to think that he may not know just how much you love him. 

“Of course sarad.” He murmurs against your lips until you let your head rest on his shoulder, fighting back tears. 

What do you say now?

What do you say to a man condemned to death? 

“I love you.” You mumble into the thin fabric of his tunic. 

“I love you too.” After a moment more with him you hear metal jingling as Lysa locks Elaine's cell once more. You quickly pull back from him, pulling the bag back over his head, once you know he can’t see you anymore the tears flow freely. Lysa steps into the cell and you remove your robe, wrapping it around him, immediately he begins to protest. 

“Mesh’la, you can’t leave this here.” His voice is strained and it makes you sick to think he started crying once he was out of sight as well. 

“Please, y-you’re gonna freeze.”

“They’ll know you were here, sarad’ika.” 

“Din…” You’re practically babbling as Lysa removes your robe from his shoulders, an apologetic look on her face as she grabs your arm. 

“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but we need to go.” Tears sting your eyes as Lysa urges you to hurry but you don’t want to leave him, you want to stay, no matter the consequence. You pull away from her, wrapping your arms around his torso. 

“You need to go.” His voice is urgent through the fabric as you cling to him tighter. 

Would it be easier to just stay? Get caught and join him at the executioners? You’re genuinely considering it when you feel your stomach churn once more and you’re reminded of the exact reason why you can’t stay. Before you lose your nerve and shatter completely you lift the bag, just enough to give you an eyeful of his split lip and bruised jaw as you gently lean in and kiss him one more time. 

Doing everything in your power to remember exactly what it feels like.

The curve of his lips and the shape of his chin, the overgrown stubble brushing against your skin as you press your face harder against his, desperation taking over as you taste salt on his lips. You hold him as long as you can, until you hear Lysa urging you to make haste once more. 

“I love you.” You press your forehead to his through the fabric, feeling the familiar shape of his face against yours. 

“I’ll always be yours.” 

That was the last thing he was able to say before you let Lysa drag you out of the dungeons. 

☆

It’s like everythings suddenly back to the beginning. 

You wake up alone, you go to bed alone, and you wander the castle alone.

There is no plotting or scheming to free Din. 

Even if you were a trained killer or bounty hunter, it would be more than difficult to get him out of the dungeon and on a ship off Naboo. It would be even harder to do so when you’re one of the most recognizable people on the planet. 

He is buried deep beneath the ground and there is nothing you can do about it. 

After all, you're just a doll. 

You don’t know when it happened but all your clothes are blue again. Every dress Lysa fetches from the closet is a different shade of blue and all your nightgowns are the color of the sky. A personal brand put on you by Kodo. It’s clearly more than just a preference now, it’s a reminder to you and everyone else that you’re his. 

And time blends. 

You know a date was set right around the time you visited him. One week until Kodo’s coronation and two until the execution. His first public event after being crowned king will be a death sentence, how fitting. 

So you wake. 

And you sleep. 

And you walk. 

Kodo never replaces Din and you haven’t seen Leo since that night, so you’re completely alone. It’s like he’s rubbing in the fact that you’re powerless. There’s no need for you to have a guard, you can’t leave. If you tried you’d be escorted back in an instant. 

You tried to convince Lysa to let you see him again last night. 

“Please, just a few minutes-“

“I’m sorry ma’am, it’s just not possible. The only reason I was able to get you down there the first time was because the guard that usually lets me in was working nights, he won’t be working nights again until next month.”

Din won’t live to see next month. 

“Is he eating?”

“He won’t let me-“

“You need to insist. Tell him I insist, and tell him you’ll close your eyes.” 

She pins back a bit of your hair, leaving half up and half down. You both bask in the silence for a moment.

“I’ll make sure he eats.”

“Thank you.”

That had been the last conversation you had with Lysa. 

She doesn’t come to dress you in the morning. You think nothing of it and dress yourself in the gown she’d laid out last night. It’s a bit difficult, putting your coronation gown on on your own but eventually you manage, when you’re fully dressed in the obscenely decadent blue fabric you begin to worry. 

You have no reason to assume that everything is fine. It would actually make sense for this to be a worst case scenario situation, everything else in your life is right now. 

You’re about to leave in search of her but you decide against it. Sitting at the vanity and doing your makeup as quickly as possible, the last thing you need to do right now is give Kodo a reason to be upset with you, you have to be presentable. You smear the shimmering blue eyeshadow across your lids before rushing out of your room. 

The halls are full. Servants move quickly from room to room, cleaning every inch as you carefully push through the crowds, making a beeline towards the dining room. 

Kodo is seething when you push open the large doors. 

He stands at the end of the table, shoving an armored guard as the veins in his neck jut out in his rage. 

“Where could she have possibly gone? She’s blind. You’re telling me some blind bitch outsmarted my entire guard?” 

Your heart flutters at the thought.

They escaped.

Your hope is shattered the moment Kodo begins speaking again.

“At least we still have the Mandalorian… I want security tripled, guards stationed outside his cell at all times.” He continues grumbling for a moment until he realizes you’re there. “Happy coronation day dear wife! I’m afraid we’ve had a rough morning here, somehow in the night the Togruta girl escaped, do not fret, we’ll find her.” 

God's you hope not.

Even if things are worse than ever regarding Din there is one flicker of light in that darkness. Lysa got Elaine out. Knowing that almost puts you at ease.

“Happy coronation day.” You actually manage a smile when you look at your husband, it’s weak but it’s genuine. You want to be mad that they didn’t help Din escape but you just can’t be. You know they most likely tried but if the roles had been reversed and you could only get one of them out you wouldn’t hesitate. 

So there is no animosity. Just a flicker of happiness for them.

They got out.

☆

You were under the impression that a coronation was a happy event. Yet when you step out onto the castle steps it seems to be quite the opposite. 

They look miserable. 

All of their faces are sullen and dejected. How shocking, no one is excited about Kodo being crowned king. He didn’t have any of the outside of the castle decorated or made presentable in any way. No one reacts when Kodo reads from an ancient looking book until a crown is placed on his head. 

A moment afterwards you’re instructed to kneel and a tiara is placed onto your head. 

The audience is silent and you feel shame when you stare out at them.

Even if you don’t have very much power you still feel as if you’ve failed them. The feeling follows you when you’re directed to the dining hall with Kodo.

“I have a couple gifts for you, wife.” His twisted smile makes your stomach turn as you enter the dining hall, now decorated with blue and gray banners.  

“A gift? You shouldn’t have, my king, I- I didn’t get you anything.” You feign remorse as you take a sip of the wine in front of you on instinct before spitting it back up into the cup. 

“That’s more than okay, you’re my gift, sweet wife, all mine.” The thought of such a thing makes you sick, you smile despite yourself. 

“That’s very kind.” You’ll only ever be Din’s. No amount of blue fabric and faux smiles can change that. He snaps his fingers and a large box is brought to you by a servant, they set it directly in front of you on the table. You look at Kodo who nods, sitting back in his chair as you stand, the box is wrapped in checkered blue paper, a large bow adorning the top. Your hands tremble a bit as you take hold of the edges of the ribbon, tugging on them until the bow slips free, much to your surprise the entire box falls open, the sides collapsing giving you an immediate view of the contents. 

The silver, shimmering contents. 

Din’s helmet. 

Polished like new, it sits before you, and the room suddenly empties. It’s as if you are completely alone, despite all the eyes that are most definitely pinned on you right now. Your hands continue to shake as your fingers wrap around the beskar steel, like you would when you held Din’s face, lifting it to glare into the visor. 

Empty. 

You can’t help but stare at your own emptiness reflected back at you. 

You want to hold it close, press it to your forehead but you’re snapped back to reality by the grating sound of Kodo’s voice breaking you from your focus on the helm between your hands. 

“That’s only one of your presents, open the next one.” He hisses gleefully. 

You set the helmet down, realizing there was another, much smaller box underneath it. Silently you scoop it up and cradle it in your hands. It’s a larger than a ring box, it just barely fits in your palm as you ever so gently open it, swinging the top open as if it were a tiny treasure chest.              

Huh.

It takes a moment.

You aren’t exactly sure what it is you’re looking at at first but when it registers your entire body tenses up, your grip tightening on the gift box. 

Bloody and pink, a tongue. 

Of course you know better than to assume Kodo would give you any old tongue. This is a special someone’s tongue. 

No, no, no, no, no. 

You had loved his tongue before anything else.

He can’t do this, he cannot do this to you.

You had fallen for his sharp wit first, it was what drew you into him. His sweet words had won you back, his declaration of devotion.

Now you hold all of that in the palm of your hand. 

“What do we say?” His nasally voice breaks through your mental anguish. 

No.

“Come on, where are your manners?”

Please. 

“Thank you.” Your whisper is nearly silent as you struggle to keep down the scream bubbling in your throat.

“What was that?” 

You clear your throat. 

“Thank you.” 

He makes you take it with you. You don’t bother telling him you won’t be attending the coronation ball in a few minutes, it’s not like you’ll be missed. 

In one arm you’re cradling his helmet, in the other the little blue box. 

You set each one down carefully onto the bed, even if it’s a bit demented these are the only parts of him you have left. You stare at the little box. 

You have never been hateful. 

Kodo made you into this. You are full of hate, for most things at this point. You hate your husband, you hate your room, and most of all you hate the little blue box on the bed. 

And the music starts. 

It must be deafening in the hall for you to hear it from your room but it’s there, loud and demanding of your attention. 

You’re moving before you even have a chance to think about it, in a few quick strides you’re standing beside the vanity, your hands gripping the top of the mirror as you pull it down in one swift motion, the contents spill everywhere and the glass shatters in an instant, shards splattering the floor but you take no time to process it. 

You move on to the next thing.

You yank each drawer from the dresser, throwing them to the floor, clothes strewn about until it’s light enough for you to push the entire dresser over. In your frenzy you go about the room toppling every stupid fucking table over. So many fucking end tables in  one room, and you throw everyone to the floor, trinkets and vases clattering to the ground as you destroy the room. You get a rush of adrenaline as you lift one of your nightstands and throw it against the wall leaving a small dent but more importantly the force of it makes anything hanging on the wall tumble to the floor, glass frames shatter. 

Your chest heaves as you stare at the carnage.  

And it isn’t enough.

Your face is wet with tears and your hands with blood from cuts you didn’t feel upon your skin as you tear open the closet door, the pile of blankets mock you from the floor, you grab them, your vision now blurry with tears as you pull them out of the closet, throwing them onto your bedroom floor. When you return to the closet you’re in a frenzy, you tear at the fabric before you, yanking each and every dress off their hangers, ripping what you can.

There is nothing else for you to do, so you destroy everything you can get your hands on until the only thing left untouched is your bed, left in pristine condition as you let out a small sob. 

Maybe you are a hateful person now. 

You feel as though you have every right to be at this point. 

You step over the shard of glass, giving your bloody hands a glance before wiping them on your gown.

Happy coronation day. 

You sit on the bed, your trembling fingers wrap around the helmet, now that you’re alone you waste no time to hold it against you face, until your body just gives up, too tired to stay awake anymore.

☆

A guard wakes you in the morning, knocking on your door, when you answer it they tell you Kodo requires your presence in his chambers.

You dress in a blue gown that you don’t look too closely at. Stopping at the fresher on the way, rinsing the dried gore from your palms, wincing as you clean your wounds. None of which seem too deep. 

You want to cut Kodo’s tongue out, to make him feel it. But you know that sort of thing would be an impossible task. So you daydream about it as you walk. You’re more than displeased when you open the door and are greeted by Leodall. You hadn’t seen him since that night and from the looks of it he wasn’t expecting you. He swallows loudly when you step inside Kodo’s room.

Normally you’d be curious, you’d probably take a look around but your eyes refuse to focus on anything but Leo as you scowl at him. 

“Why’d you do it?” You don’t hesitate to ask, you have no idea how quickly Kodo will be joining you. 

He simply stares at you, shame apparent on his face.

“You owe me an explanation at the very least.” You cross your arms in front of your chest as he clears his throat. 

“I thought he’d reward me.”

You laugh. A harsh dry sound 

“What could he have possibly given you that you couldn’t have just asked me for?” Your gaze never softens and you’re practically seeing red as you stare at him.

“I thought he’d give me a lordship.” 

You can’t help it as another crisp and pained laugh slips past your lips. 

“You thought Kodo would raise your status? I thought you were supposed to be smart.” Is he an idiot? “He doesn’t see servants as people, if you wanted such a thing you could have asked me, maybe I could have done something.” 

A glimmer of something similar to hope flashes through his eyes. 

“Would you- would you consider doing so now?”

“You cannot be serious-” Your expression goes from fury to disbelief as you stand. 

“It seemed worth asking.” He puts his hands up defensively as you storm up to him, poking a finger into his face. 

“You slimy little weasel, it should be you on the chopping block, not him. If it were up to me I’d have them put your head on a spike.” The words pour out of you like venom. 

“I would be nicer to me if I were you.” He sneers and your incredulity only grows. You can’t help it, you scoff in his face. 

“I would rather die.” A part of you really means it. 

“You might if you aren’t careful, I saved your life by letting Elaine and your Mandalorian take the fall, I could have told the king that you were a willing participant. I saw the two of you together, I read your little rules. He never forced himself on you. I wonder what Kodo might think about that.” You aren’t a fighter, you’ve never so much as thrown a punch in your life but you grab him by the collar of his shirt and slam him into the wall, the back of his head hits the stone and you don’t feel an ounce of remorse as you do so. 

“Do it.” You tilt your head to the side, almost as if you’re taunting him. “Tell him.” Any of the confidence he briefly had is gone in an instant. “The moment you do I’ll tell him that you’re covering your tracks, and that you made a pass at me. I wonder how Kodo would reward you for trying to touch what’s his?” Leo’s head turns as you both hear Kodo’s piercing voice in the hall. You release your grip on his shirt, brushing off your gown as you turn towards the door. Kodo and three others make their way into the room as Leo coughs behind you. 

“Dear wife, I have another gift for you.” He takes a step to the side, gesturing at a line of three people you don’t give so much as a glance. He doesn’t even seem to notice the obvious tension in the room. “A new staff!”

“I don’t need a new staff, I’m fine on my own.” You abandon the pleasantries. You’re in such a state of upset right now, what's the point? 

“You’re the queen now, staff is required. These three will replace the ones you've lost in a week, until then Leodall will be training them intensively to tend to your every need. Two guards will also be assigned to you but I promise they will be much less loathsome than your Mandalorian.”

All five of them will be trained to keep an eye on you. To report back to Kodo, after everything with Din you should have known he’d keep you on a shorter leash. 

You barely look at them. 

You hate them. 

You shouldn’t, they’ve done nothing wrong, but you hate them. 

You give each one a quick up and down, naming them in your mind. 

A BD-3000 droid commands the most authority just based on how she stands so you mentally note her as Elaine's replacement. You’ll call her new Elaine. 

New Lysa is a pasty young blonde woman with rosy cheeks. You truly wonder how well informed she has been on your circumstance. She’s smiling from ear to ear and seemingly couldn’t be happier to be here. 

And new Leo is somehow even more nervous looking than actual Leo, practically shaking like a leaf at the sight of you. The bags under his eyes are worse than your own. A lanky thing with messy brown hair. 

There’s no reason for you to fight this, Kodo always gets his way so why bother. So you nod. You don’t pretend to be grateful this time, instead you shove your way past all of them, content to return to your room and never leave. 

☆

The morning of the execution comes before you’re ready for it. 

Of course you didn’t sleep last night, how could you?

You dress yourself, apparently your new staff isn’t starting until tomorrow, not that you mind another day to yourself. You manage to find something that isn’t blue, a gray dress trimmed with gold, the closest thing you’ll find to funeral attire. No one else will dress with any respect for him but they can’t stop you. Your vanity is destroyed so you don’t bother with your hair or your makeup, you simply don’t care enough. 

For the most part you feel nothing when you open the door, only emptiness until you look down. 

Someone left you a small vase of flowers. 

You pick them up, taking a closer look but your heart skips a beat when you do so.

Daisies. 

After a few short breaths you throw the vase into the wall across from your door, tiny shards of porcelain fly everywhere as two servants at the end of the hall give you a look of horror. Your shoes crunch over the remains of it as you make your way down the hall and to the entryway of the castle. 

Kodo insists that the two of you get to see him first. 

You’re sweating wildly out on the steps as you wait.

Long before you’re ready for it they bring him out. 

A shivering skeleton of a man with a linen bag over his head, immediately bile rises in your throat. Kodo is grinning ear to ear when his legs are kicked out from under him and he’s forced to kneel.

Kodo himself reaches forward and tears the bag off, too excited for any decorum or finesse. 

You gasp as you stare down at the broken man before you.

In all honesty he isn’t at all what you envisioned. 

His eyes verge on being hazel; they're such a light brown. You’d always pictured them to be nearly black. It doesn’t matter what color they are though, when you see the tears forming in his lash line you flinch, clutching the ring on your necklace to silently let him know silently just how much he means to you. 

He’s a mess. 

You don’t like looking at what those weeks in the dungeons did to him and the last thing you need to do right now is empty your stomach on the palace steps. 

He’s too thin. Far, far, too thin, it’s like his entire being has shrunk down. He’s hollow.

Your breath hitches when Kodo grabs a fistful of his dark hair, forcing him to turn and stare at the crowd. They must have cut it while he was down there it’s a mess, jagged edges and shorter than you’re used to. 

“This man has committed an act of treason against the crown.” His voice is loud and booming as the city goes quiet. “For such a crime he shall face the proper punishment.” He yanks him downawards, you watch in horror as Din’s head hits the stone, an incoherent mess of sounds pour from his bloody mouth and you have to look away. 

He didn’t want you to look.

You remind yourself to try and calm your breathing. You can hear the scuffle as they drag him to the guillotine, placing his neck into the wooden divot, your heart threatening to beat out of your chest as you turn to look. His eyes are everywhere but on you as he looks at the people around him, desperately pleading for his life. Not a single person so much as glances at him, afterall, it’s just nonsense, no one can understand him without a tongue. 

You can’t stand it, you almost cover your ears but you manage to resist as Kodo puts an arm around your waist, pulling you close to him. 

“You’re welcome, sweet wife.” He whispers, his breath hot and wet against your ear. 

Fuck it. 

You don’t suppress the shudder in your spine as you shoot him a look of disgust. In a matter of moments everything you care about will be gone, why pretend any longer.

A bellowing chime plays from a nearby clock tower and you know it’s time, you straighten up as you stare at the guillotine in abject horror. 

This is it. 

Your chest rises and falls in sharp short bursts as everyone prepares themselves, a hush forming among the crowd on the street. 

And it begins, a chain reaction that you cannot stop now that the executioner has his ax raised above his head.

You had expected more. More time.

A part of you thought that time would slow, that you’d have a chance to stop it. 

But no. 

There is no epic fairy tale moment where the sun glimmers off of the blade and the executioner raises his ax, giving you this perfect moment to run to him, to shield him from the inevitable, to beg them to take you with him. 

That moment never comes. 

You barely have enough time to close your eyes like you promised him. In one unbroken motion the rope is cut, the blade falls and boom. 

Just like that, he’s gone. 

When you hear the metal slicing through the air you squeeze your eyes shut, hearing only the wet crunch as it cuts through flesh and bone. A soft, squishy thud when his head hits the stone. 

In fashion with your decision to no longer hide your disgust from Kodo you vomit. Bending down you puke onto the stones, spraying your own, and Kodo’s feet. The triumphant smile on his face vanishes as he realizes what’s happened. You wipe your mouth on the back of your hand, refusing to look at Din’s limp body as you give Kodo one last look of detestation before turning around and running back into the castle, not caring what anyone thinks anymore.

The moment you’re inside the reality of it all settles in as you feel tears falling wildly as you run up the steps to your room.

☆

You have been good, and kind, and in return the maker rewarded you by killing the love of your life. 

So when you stand in the center of your demolished room you do the only thing your body can do at this point. 

You scream. 

From deep within your stomach, you scream, loud and raw. 

If anything was left unbroken in your room you’d be throwing it at the wall. But there’s nothing so you scream. 

You shriek.

You howl. 

And you wail.

You scream until there is no more noise. Your voice, like the rest of you, gives up. 

You aren’t sure how late it is when you finally stop. You’re tired and it’s dark outside and your throat is raw. 

And you lay on the floor. Because the bed is too big, and too cold, and the closet is so empty. So the only place left to sleep is there. You lay on the floor with no more tears to cry and no more sounds to scream as you stare at your bed, only from this angle can you see a rectangular shape under your bed frame. 

You wipe your nose with a stray piece of fabric before slowly crawling over to it, you sit on the floor and when you retrieve the item a brand new lump forms in your throat as you stare down at the box Din had bought all those days ago at the market. 

Your failsafe. 

With quivering hands you open it, staring into the small space containing a mess of items but what catches your eye is a piece of folded paper with your name on it. You take it between your fingers, opening it, careful to not let your tears fall onto it. 

Sarad’ika,

If you’re reading this then I’m afraid things aren’t going all that well for me. There are plenty of possible reasons as to why I’m no longer with you, but what’s important is that I plan on doing everything in my power to get back to you. There is only one thing in the galaxy that could keep me from your side, and if that is my fate then this box will ensure you’re taken care of. 

The most important thing is for you to get off this planet. I have included a few possible plans for you, do what you have to to survive. Elaine will help you escape. 

You can seek out Greef Karga on Nevarro. Tell him Din Djarin sent you, tell him what’s happened and he will see to it that you are cared for. Explain our circumstances and I am certain he will provide you with safe lodging. 

Tatooine is also an option. You’ll find a Mandalorian there by the name of Boba Fett, he will not turn you away. You will be protected there, if you need to relocate for some reason after that he will help you locate the Mandalorian convert. Show the Mandalorians your ring and you will be cared for the rest of your life, the convert will protect you. 

As an absolute last resort there is a planet located in the Outer Ring called Ossus. There is a school there, taught by a man named Luke Skywalker. I doubt he would be eager to take you in but you must insist. Bring the chainmail, they’ll know who sent you. Take care of each other. 

In this box you will find enough credits to get you off planet and take care of you for several months, a year if you’re frugal, I suggest you take a few jewelry pieces to pawn off for extra credits as well. You will find a small chainmail shirt, and a necklace of mine. 

And lastly you will find your vibroblade. 

Protect yourself. You’re strong, and more than capable of doing so.

I have one request for you, please, I will only ask this one thing of you. 

Be smart. 

You are the smartest and kindest person I have ever had the honor of knowing. Be smart, take care of yourself. If the roles were reversed I know that I would go to extremes to either get you back, or find justice for you. And all I can do is ask that you do not attempt any such thing, the only thing I would ever want for you is safety and happiness. 

So seek those things out. 

Be safe. Be happy.   

I was lucky to know you, and even luckier to be yours. 

an ner kar'taylir darasuum, 

Din

All my love. 

You flip the paper over, desperate for more, more Din, but all you find is scrawled coordinates to each location. Your fingers sift through the items, everything he promised is found inside but you latch onto the blade. Laying back down on the floor you clutch it between your fingers as you think of Din.

Din, who was yours.

Din, who they took from you.

Who Kodo, took from you. 

And your grip on the knife tightens. 

☆

Two guards stand outside your door round the clock now. 

They never follow you or come into your room but they’re there, silently watching as you direct all your anger at your new staff. As promised Leo trained them to be as persistent and infuriating as he was. 

When the two new girls come to fetch you in the morning you can’t help it when you scream at them to leave you alone and to stop trying to clean the ever growing mess of things. 

It doesn’t matter that it isn’t their fault, you can’t stand the sight of anyone. 

All three of them try. New Elaine and Lysa show up three times a day, trying to dress you and squeeze their way past you into the room but after enough shrieking they always leave you be. 

New Leo usually tries once or twice a day, you don’t even look at him. You always stare at the floor, when he tries to speak you give him the same treatment as the girls, screaming at him and slamming the door. 

Why should you let them in? You know what they are. They’re here to spy on you, to be Kodo’s eyes while he’s busy being king. They’re easy to evade. When you leave to fetch yourself food or a book from the library you easily outrun them. The two girls are worse at navigating the castle than you were when you first arrived and new Leo has a bad leg, sometimes he’ll make attempts to limp after you but they’re always unsuccessful. 

You think of nothing, day after day because there is nothing to think about. 

Except for the fact that Kodo took your future away from you. He took everything from you. 

If you thought time was blending before Din’s death nothing could have prepared you for now. You don’t track the days as well, you keep your curtains drawn and only leave when you get hungry or start to think of Din. The last thing you need to do is have another screaming fit so you keep him locked away in your heart, an ache that’s always there that you don’t address. 

One day, in a fit of tears you took your knife and decided on a whim to kill Kodo. You didn’t care about the repercussions at that point you just wanted him to suffer but the moment you opened the door you nearly tripped, stumbling backwards the guards didn’t so much as glance at you. 

Another vase of flowers.

You’re tempted to just kick them down the hall but you can’t help yourself when you lean down to pick them up. 

A bouquet of blue lilies. Your nose twitches at the sight of them, out of the corner of your eye you see new Lysa and new Elaine approaching so you take the opportunity to slam the little glass vase into the stone floor. Glaring at them when you do before returning to your room. 

☆

Maybe it’s been three days since Din died. 

Maybe it’s been three months. 

You aren’t sure.

You aren’t sure when you made plans to kill Kodo either but suddenly you have them. A fool proof way to get him alone. 

And suddenly you’re dressed for the first time in, well, however long it’s been. In a baby blue nightie with a robe you march out into the hall. The guards watch in silence as you walk away, your bare feet scampering down the stairs until you find yourself watching the main entrance. Waiting for your loving husband to make his nightly trip to a pleasure house, a trip that is typically accompanied by guards. 

You grip the handle of the knife in your pocket as you wait until you finally hear footsteps approaching. 

“Kodo, honey?” You step out from behind the stone column, holding your robe closed as you bat your eyelashes at him. He stumbles around drunkenly until his eyes focus on you. 

You’ve only used your voice for screaming for so long you sound meek, exactly as you want to right now. 

“Wife?”

“I thought maybe you’d like to join me tonight…” You hold a hand out towards him, putting on a sickly sweet tone of innocence. His mouth twists into a grin. 

“I knew you’d come around eventually.”

He doesn’t question where you’re taking him, he simply follows.

What a joke. 

You pull him up the stairs, you know from hide and seek where to find an empty room so you guide him there in calculated silence until he trips a bit, laughing to himself as he stutters.

“I knew if I got rid of the Mandalorian you’d realize how much better I am than him.” The statement doesn’t sit right with you and he can see it on your face, even in his drunken state he can sense your confusion. 

You both stop, you’re above him on the stairs as you turn and stare into his eyes.

“You- you knew?”

He simply nods, that sickening smile of his is plastered on his face. His icy blue eyes shimmer with delight. 

“How long?”

“When Leo told me I remembered everything. That little altercation in the hall when your boy knocked me out came right back to me, from there it wasn’t hard to figure out.” Your eye twitches as he speaks.

He knew you loved him and he took him from you anyway.

Any hesitations you had are gone as you nod, pulling him onward until you reach the large vacant tower room. He’s so drunk you decide to just drop the voice, pointing at a spot on the floor. 

“Lay down.” You mumble, reaching into your pocket once more.

He eagerly does as he’s told, laying down on the cold stone, you take a deep breath, in one swift motion you grab your knife, holding it behind your back as you toss your robe aside. He gives you a toothy grin as you ever so slowly walk to him, standing above him before sitting, straddling his waist. 

You look him up and down, one last time. 

Your loving husband. 

One of his hands plays with the blue lace of your nightie as you collect yourself. You look up at the ceiling briefly. 

I’m sorry. 

Not for Kodo, but for Din. This is exactly what he didn’t want you to do. 

You aren’t a killer. And you aren’t hateful, but a person can only be pushed so far before something breaks. 

Be smart. 

You think of Din’s note one last time before you bring the blade out in front of you and slam the blade into Kodo’s chest. 

He makes a sickly wet sound, coughing as he stares at you in shock.

You remove the knife, the hot steel cauterizes his wounds, there isn’t so much as a drop of blood as your face twists with fury and you bring it down again into his stomach now. 

How dare he look surprised by any of this. 

After what he took from you? He deserves galaxies worse. 

So you remove the knife. 

And you stab him again.

And again,

and again,

and again,

and again,

and again.

Until there is no more shocked look on his face. You don’t have a snarky remark or a statement to commemorate your revenge, you’re all used up at this point, all you have is this, this stabbing motion. 

He didn’t even have a chance to fight back.

You crawl off of his body, sitting on the stones as you toss the knife to the side, waiting for a rush of euphoria. 

But it never comes. 

It doesn’t feel as good as you thought it would. 

Staring down at Kodo’s lifeless body. You let yourself crumble. Collapsing down onto the floor, gasping for air as you sob. 

This was never going to bring him back. 

You lay there on your hands and knees for quite some time, just wailing, because what else are you supposed to do right now? You realize far too late that this was never an act of malice, some demented and shattered part of you thought that this would somehow bring him back, that it would give you peace. 

They won’t execute you. 

You planned this exactly so they wouldn’t.

Kodo didn’t tell anyone about your relationship with Din in much detail, not enough for them to assume that you could be with child. Everyone will assume that it’s Kodo’s. They won’t kill you, they can’t. 

Not if they think you’re carrying Kodo’s child. Now that Kodo’s dead, there’s no one to tell the royal family that you never consummated your marriage, your child is the most well protected person on the planet. The future monarch. It’s almost funny, you haven’t permitted yourself to think about the stirring within you as a child until just now, in this moment of weakness. A child, your child. 

Who will most likely grow up without a mother because of the decisions you've made today.

You bite your fist, swallowing a scream as you sit back on your heels. 

Your child will never know how loved they were. Your little one will never get to sit beside their mother while their father teaches them to sew. You put your head in your hands as you wail, no longer caring who hears. Your fate is sealed, what does it matter? 

You don’t turn when you hear someone coming up the stairs. When they pull you into their arms you try uselessly to shove them away. Your vision is blurry and filled with tears as you stare up at the unfamiliar figure now holding you. They rub your back, drawing swirls and stars against your spine as they pull you closer. 

“It’s okay, I’ve got you.” They mumble into your hair. You dry your eyes hastily on your sleeve, confused by the voice you’re hearing, it’s painfully familiar, on instinct you wrap your arms around their torso, pulling yourself into their lap as you both sit on the floor beside Kodo’s body. “You’re okay, I’m here.”

“I’m- I’m sorry.” You whisper against the stranger's shirt. You knew you weren’t hateful. You’re certain of it now because even though he took quite literally everything from you, you still feel bad when you look at Kodo. 

A large hand cups your face, pulling you back to their chest so you can’t see the corpse anymore. 

“I didn’t mean it- I- I didn’t mean to kill him. Well I did but I just-” You begin to ramble as a fresh flood of tears begin sliding down your cheeks. 

“Hey- hey it’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it. We gotta get you cleaned up, okay? I’ll take care of this, I’ll fix it.” Their arms tighten around you, giving you a reassuring squeeze. You finally find the courage to look at your companion and it takes a moment for you to even realize who you’re looking at. 

New Leo. 

Why would he help you? You treat him like shit. When you look at him he looks like he’s about to cry and for the first time since Din was taken from you drop the walls you’ve put up and you let yourself feel bad for him. You show an ounce of kindness to him because in all honesty he’s the first person to make you feel safe since the night Din was taken from you. 

A lighthouse while you sail through a storm.

So you hug him. 

You pull yourself closer to him and you offer him a comfort you haven’t known for days.

“I’m sorry… for all of it, but especially the flowers, I should have told you, I just- you wouldn’t let me and the guards wouldn’t let me in without your permission and you just wouldn’t look at me.” He begins to mumble his own apologies, sending a surge of confusion through you. 

You furrow your brows, pulling back once more giving him a perplexed look as you search his nearly black eyes for some kind of answer. 

And it clicks. 

All at once it snaps into place and you want to say his name, so desperately, but you’re terribly afraid of being wrong. 

And then he smiles. A soft smile that makes you feel okay and you don’t even care if you’re wrong and you don’t care if it doesn’t make sense you just have to ask.

“Din?”

☆

a/n : yeah so uhhhhh yeah uhhhh this is the first chapter i've ever written where im actually very fond of the writing and nervous about the plot stuff so im gonna go hide?? and just vanish for a while lol

//

I don't have a tag list anymore !! follow @lincolndjarinnotifs for updates!!

[okwonyo]

like in the movies.

엔하이픈 ୨୧ female reader 1300 for my mimi! fluff different tropes + cw. not proof-read kissing ( other )

heeseung

── fake dating to "get his ex back".

on a totally random day, he would ask you to date him ─ even though you never talked in your entire life.

then he would explain that he needs to make his ex jealous and the only way he can do it is by making her jealous.

but you would be like, why me out of all people?

he would explain that she will be even more mad exactly for this reason. and this is why he needed to choose someone random ─ you were the first one he spotted.

has the man of perseverance he is, he would convince you to do it.

expect, his actions don't really match with the initial purpose of all this. heeseung would kiss you more than necessary, would tell people that doesn't even know his ex that you are his girlfriend, would act as if he is your real boyfriend even when it's just the two of you.

then, you find out that he is the one who ended the relationship, and everything make sense.

"you didn't have to start like a whole─ dating simulation just to date me. you could've just like─ talked to me."

jongseong

── failed relationship.

you always loved each other, from the moment your eyes met to the last time you ever saw each other's face. the love has always been there. it didn't change anything. it didn't save your relationship. but it was there.

your relationship didn't end on bad terms or for any bad reasons ─ in fact, the last words you spoke to each other were i love you. it just seemed as if it wasn't meant to work out.

so when you meet each other again ─ on a friday afternoon after work in a convenience store, of course you can't keep your smile away from your face.

you start to talk again and reconnect, recalling your fun and cute memories.

and of course, the love that was still deep down in your core, resurfaces.

you navigate between "friends" and something more for months. until he finally takes the matter into his own hands.

"i have always loved you, i still do. and i don't really know what to do with myself if you are not here with me."

jaeyun

── that one guy that hates you

from the way he looks for everywhere you are not to the way he won't even look in your eyes, everything about the way he is with you says that he does not like you.

you don't really understand why, you have never talked to him before. did you do something weird and is not aware of it? does he just hate girls? is he the problem?

the truth is, he has the biggest crush on you and doesn't know how to act. every time he sees you, his heart starts beating and his becomes sweaty and his words are stuck in his throat.

he looks at you when you are not looking and has memorized the sound of your voice, he could draw you perfectly from memory or recognize you from your voice alone if he turned blind.

but he can't do anything but run away from you.

"if i hated you, i wouldn't run away from you."

sunghoon

── childhood sweetheart.

to him, you are a dream. a distant memory.

the kind of memory that comes back often, where he can't exactly recall your face, but he can feel the love that he had for you.

and when he sees you again ─ even though he doesn't know it's you yet ─ just your presence somewhere in the room makes his heart warm up.

when he talks to you, his heart can't stop screaming "i missed you, i missed you, i missed you" but you never ever meet before, right?

he tells you about it, that your remind him of someone he knew before and you tell him that it is the same for you.

you tell each other your childhood, slowly connecting the dots.

the love you had for each other, brought you both here, together.

the platonic love grows into something more, something that burns inside of you.

"there is something about you that i just can't replace."

seonwoo

── the guy that has a crush on your best friend.

to you, it is more than evident who sunoo has a huge crush on. it's not the first time a guy as a crush on your best friend either, so you would know. you became a professional when it comes to knowing which guy has a crush on them.

to him, it was more than even who he had a crush on. as he was always smiling at you as if he was an idiot and practically attached to your hip.

he even started to be friends with your best friend to get to know you better.

but you can't seem to connect the dots and it's really frustrating, he has been doing his best to be the most obvious he could.

then he realizes, he has never been alone with you ever and the only time you talked were the ones your best friend was there.

so he tries to talk to you, you eventually start to hang out together but you still thinks that he has crush on your friend. and you feel guilty because you start to like him too.

"you are all i see."

jungwon

── the guy you never thought of like that.

you know when your friends want you to desperately have a love life and you tell them that you just can't seem to like anybody right now so they decide to ship you with a random guy? this is it.

you never ever thought of jungwon this way, he is nice and cute but nothing more.

unluckily for you, your friends decided to make it their personal mission to get you two together.

they pull so much tricks on you. for instance, making you and him work together in a group project or forcing you to sit beside him during class.

you feel bad for him but the boy, as the eternal sweetheart he is, will be nothing but nice to you.

you'll eventually start to talk to him and you'll find yourself being quite fond of him and of course, it is the same for him too.

"maybe i do like you after all."

riki

── annoyance to lovers

to be frank, he had a crush on you for a while. but it seems as if he doesn't even exist when you are there.

so he decided to try something else, annoying you to the max so you will finally look his way.

and you looks his way, you does. every time he steals the biscuit you were eating or when he slightly ─ because he is not totally a mean guy ─ pulls your hair when you are sitting in front of him.

they are more glares than loving stares, but he got what he wanted.

you just don't understand why he decided to piss you off all of sudden so of course, you ask him.

"your attention was the only thing i ever asked for."

...

@manooffline @ibsysbsfsunsbs @nwjws @lilriswife4life @alaezasmystery235 networks ❔ @kflixnet @k-films @/k-labels

[coffee-and-tea-time]

KEEP PRETENDING TO SLEEP! KEEP PRETENDING TO SLEEP!!!

HEHEHEHEHEHE I WAS WAITING TO COOK THIS

Coffee insanely speaking! Thanks Dear, you gimme the perfect excuse to write a second part just in time although I expected the option of talking to him to come first. Not that I'm complaining lol

➤ first part

➤ here to see the other option

↪︎ ☾ I love to see you ....................................... .......................................☆ I love to hear you↩︎

TW: yandere behavior, delusions, murder of self-preservation, stalking, obssesion, somewhat willing reader, kinda denying of bad decisions

Of course, the best option is to stay still, not because you are enjoying this no no, of course not...

Despite his soft voice that sounds rather familiar, you can't really recall who or where. So the safest option is just giving in at the moment, you didn't know how he could react so the safer the better, isn't it?

A smile starts creeping on your face against your will, seems like you are a rather bad actor when it's required, huh? 

“Oh, I'm really glad, you seem like you're finally having a good dream… will it be too greedy if I want to be inside that little dream of yours? Well, if you find that greedy, you won't be able to handle me later”

Hearing a close mouthed giggle following the whisper makes your heart flutter softly, like this is some kind of really romantic scene in his mind. You were able to hear the faint sound of footsteps, he seems like he's doing a little room tour, making it a little hard to hear him.

“Oh Dear, you were researching that thing again?”

It seems like he found his way into your phone, what was he referring to?

“Why do you keep reading so much about romance? Are these words good enough to keep your focus?... Maybe I have to start practicing oral expression? It's been a while since I felt like that, last time was when you downloaded that stupid dating sim… This is truly irritating, the names they use, the way they ‘communicate’ to you; do no justice, I can express myself way better, my love, and how my eyes change when I see you walking by… just... please, I need only one chance, and I promise you won't have a room left for doubts”

Even though he made the effort to lower his voice in order to 'not wake you up', it's clear how his tone is changing with every word depending on the topic; First, a low hint of infatuation, then, what sounds closer to a plead and, finally,...was that...hopelessness?

Honestly, in a normal situation, you would be annoyed by someone searching through your phone but only an idiot would think this man would judge you even if you had pictures of dead people there, more like he's genuinely looking for more of you, despite the fact that it's really not the ‘proper’ way, you can't say it didn't work.

“My beloved Cherry, what can i do for you to talk to me? Those characters seem to steal your attention quickly… I would be lying if I sad I'm not a little hopeful because of them though, you seem to have quite the specific taste, Cherry, and I believe I fit perfectly on them... if only I could find the right moment to get into your routine, to be part of your life…”

Weird that he worries about getting to talk to you with an ideal scene but not worrying about stalking you, but maybe it's kind of understable? Since well, everyone likes to check on their crush on social media even if they take a while to actually talk, even if this guy took it a little too far, he sounds... harmless like his wish is just to win your affection…

wait a second…

Are you truly relaxed in this kind of situation? What is going on with you? Why? Why… well, can't say you didn't ask for this, even as a joke, you know this time is different because it's real, but… why does reality feel like a fantasy right now? Is it because of him?

“Huh, I come here as a routine by now, I still get the same queries, I’m dying to find the answers soon..”

Sensing that lightly sweet fragrance once more makes you know he’s approaching your ‘sleeping’ form once again, making it easy to hear him despite his constant whispering.

“Would you let me cuddle you? Would you let me kiss you? Would you mind if I were clingy? Would you mind if I get jealous? Would you mind if it seems like I already know more about you than I should? I want to hold you my dear, I can’t wait for the day I can just snuggle with you every time we want… I really can’t wait anymore, I need to be closer to you… I guess I have no option other than to talk to you out of the blue, I dislike to be so imprudent, but I promise I will make up for it once you accept me in your life, Love”

You feel a gentle hand slightly caress your cheek as a little peck is placed on your forehead, making you almost smile like a fool if it weren’t for the fact that pretending to sleep is your priority in this sweet moment, unexpected but called for moment.

“Sweet dreams Cherry, I have to prepare what I should say tomorrow, I will put all of my efforts to be my best self to make a good first impression, I hope I snatch enough of your interest to be on your mind even for a moment”

Oh, he is definitely gonna be stuck in your mind for a while, as you try your best to focus on the sounds, you catch his steps as he seems to walk away… but you keep up with your act just in case.

So, tomorrow, huh? Seems like once again you have important decisions in your hand, should you indulge in your fantasy and let him get near you? It also sounds fun to go to him first… But, maybe you should try to avoid him? It’s the safer choice, but do you really want that? He seems safe enough not to raise any of your flags, he seemed so caring for you…

sorry for any misspellings or weird sentence structure ❣

images from pinterest

[just-aake]

Boundless Devotion - Part XI

Pairing: princess!Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: MedievalAU. Natasha is the eldest princess of the Romanov Kingdom. As the time of her coronation approaches, she is suddenly forced to make a decision – either find herself a partner or her parents will choose one for her.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Warnings: light angst, light fluff, slight violence

Words: 4350

The distant rumble of thunder causes your horse to fidget nervously as the two of you press on along the trail from the manor.

Your gaze shifts from the darkening skies to the princess, riding slightly ahead of you. 

Since leaving, a heavy silence has hung between the two of you with the both of you choosing to focus on the path ahead or, in Natasha’s case, glaring into the distance.

You can easily read the tension in her body from her stiff back, letting you know her current feelings.

Unable to stand the quiet anymore, you decide to call out to her.

“I can tell that you’re still upset, you know.”

At the sound of your voice, Natasha relaxes her posture slightly, slowing her horse to ride alongside you.

With a tired sigh and a slight bow of her head, she grumbles under her breath.

“Not at you,” she clarifies before her hands clench the reins in anger, and she grits out. “Just this situation.”

You sigh sadly at her explanation, looking down at your hands in disappointment. This is precisely what you had hoped to avoid — adding more stress to her mind. 

Noticing your expression, Natasha's hand reaches out to rest on your shoulder, drawing your attention.

Her eyes soften when they meet yours with a knowing look.

“Hey, I’m serious. This is not on you,” she stresses before continuing with a pleading tone, “You’re my best friend, Y/n. I just want you to be safe.”

Her proposition from earlier reappears in your mind. The offer was kind and generous but accepting it would create too many complications, especially for Natasha. 

Breaking away from her intense gaze, you look down to focus on your horse instead, finding small comfort in stroking its mane gently before quietly telling her your answer with a resigned sigh. 

“I can’t stay at the castle, Natasha.”

“Why not?” she asks with a frustrated sigh.

Returning your gaze to hers, a sense of nostalgia washes over you as you look at her. 

Despite growing up together, you’re still amazed at how she still manages to maintain the same determination and compassion that you’ve always seen in her since you were young. 

Rather than responding directly to her, you ask a different question.

“Do you remember what you told me the first time we met?”

Natasha tilts her head in confusion, but still, she decides to go along with it anyway, curious about the point of your abrupt change in subject.

“I remember saying that you were the most stubborn person I’ve ever met," she recalls with a pointed look in her eyes.

Amused, you let out a small laugh and shake your head lightly. 

“Says the one who wouldn’t stay still after she fell out of a tree.”

Natasha rolls her eyes, but a tiny smile forms at the corner of her lips at the memory of her first official meeting with you outside of royal events. 

Your mind also drifts to the past, recalling the state of the kingdom at that time when you were still children.

Even after years had passed, people were still recovering from the effects and loss of the war. 

After a brief moment of contemplation, you continue.

“During that time, even with the peace treaty, there was still some resentment between our people and the Stark kingdom.”

“Yeah, I remember,” Natasha sighs solemnly in recollection before giving you a small teasing smile. “Even someone as kind as you didn’t like them back then.”

That was true.

At that time, the twins had recently entered your life after the devastating loss of their parents to some Stark stragglers in the kingdom. With that incident as well as Madam B’s constant comments throughout your childhood of how the Stark kingdom should’ve lost the war, it’s understandable why your sentiments towards the other kingdom weren't exactly favorable.

However, your perspective changed on that fateful day when you stumbled upon the injured princess at the base of the tree by the lake. 

Pulling yourself from the memory, you nod your head in acknowledgment of her words about you before commenting.

“You could say almost everyone in the kingdom had some animosity with the Stark kingdom.” 

Your eyes then drift to Natasha, looking at her with admiration.

“But not you,” you say softly.

When Natasha tilts her head curiously, still confused at your point, your hand reaches for hers, and she gives it to you without hesitation, intertwining your fingers. 

Despite the slight roughness on her skin, a result from years of training, you only feel the warmth of her palm spreading to you and the gentleness in her grasp. 

For a brief bittersweet moment, you can’t help but think about how her hand fits perfectly in yours. 

Shaking away the thought, your thumb instinctively caresses the back of her hand as you explain to her.

“You have a kind heart, Natasha, always wanting to protect and care for everyone.”

Pausing your movement, you remember her words from years ago.

“Back then, you told me that when you became the queen, you’re going to heal the pain that the war had caused. For everyone. For both kingdoms.”

A small smile plays on your lips as you reminisce about the memory. 

“That was the moment I knew you would become a great ruler.” 

Looking up into her eyes, you tell her earnestly, “I still do, which is why I decided that day to do everything I can to help you accomplish that future you envisioned.”

Giving her a small smile, you end with a soft tone, “Because I believe in you, Natasha.”

Natasha’s eyes widen, and her mouth opens in surprise, stunned speechless at your words.

After a moment, your smile fades as you glance back down at her hand in yours before releasing it with a resigned sigh.

“But that means you can’t keep trying to protect me from every bad thing. Not when you need to focus on the entire kingdom soon.”

“I can do both,” Natasha asserts with a frown. 

Determined, you shake your head in refusal.

“No, you need more allies among the other nobles than just me. When you become queen, you’ll be working with the heads of the houses, not their daughters or sons who are already charmed by you.”

Natasha huffs in annoyance at the mention of the older nobles, recalling their greed for power and favor. 

You shoot her a knowing look as you point out.

“You know that bringing me into the castle will show favoritism.”

Natasha huffs in disbelief before arguing, “First of all, you are my favorite, and second, everyone already thinks we’re together.”

“But we’re not going to be for much longer,” you remind her, repeating her words from this morning. “After your coronation, you and I don’t need to be in a fake relationship anymore.”

“I didn’t—that was before—,” Natasha groans, rubbing her forehead in frustration. 

You are right concerning the situation with other nobles. Navigating and balancing the political scene has always been a challenging task, even for her parents. 

Once she takes the throne, all of those nobles’ scrutinizing eyes will turn to her, and they will ruthlessly pick apart every action she takes.

Bringing you in will just put you in the forefront of their attention. 

Natasha drags her hand down her face tiredly, giving you a conflicted look.

“That still doesn’t make what your father is doing right,” she says.

“No, but it is my problem to worry about, not yours,” you assert firmly.

Natasha starts to argue, but you interrupt, emphasizing your point. 

“As queen, you will have to choose your battles, Natasha,” you stress, giving her a serious look. “Even if it means you don’t choose me.”

Her expression twists in displeasure at your last words, a sentiment she finds difficult to accept.

However, confronted by your unrelenting and expectant gaze, Natasha sighs in frustration, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You know, I feel like you got those words from one of my mother’s lectures," she says, slightly exasperated.

Her tone eases the tension in the air a little. 

“Maybe,” you reply with a small laugh.

Natasha watches you with a resigned expression.

While she doesn't entirely agree with your point, she’s not going to force you into something you don’t want. 

“I still don’t like the idea of you going back to him,” Natasha remarks.

You sigh, admitting, “Well, as long as I follow his orders, he usually just leaves me alone.” 

Her expression twists unhappily at that information, prompting you to place a reassuring hand on her arm before continuing. 

“I do have a plan so that I can leave eventually, Natasha. Until then, I can take care of myself.” You give her a reassuring smile. “And I’m not alone. I have the twins.”

“You also have me,” Natasha says earnestly, covering your hand with hers and squeezing it gently.

“Whatever you need, the castle is always open to you.”

“I know,” you say appreciatively. “Thank you, Natasha.”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

After reluctantly accepting your decision, Natasha and you continue until the two of you reach a fork in the path.

Natasha slows her horse to a stop, looking to you for direction as she realizes that she doesn’t know your intended destination. In the back of her mind, she recalls Pietro mentioning something about you finding answers.

“So, where are we going?”

“The prison,” you respond to her casually, already urging your horse in its direction. 

Natasha raises a brow, an unsettling feeling creeping in as she remembers Clint’s message to her on the day of the festival about the stalled interrogation of the man from the cemetery attack.

“Who are you going to see?” she asks hesitantly, catching up beside you.

“Captain James Barnes,” you reveal.

Natasha lets out a small breath of relief at your answer, her body relaxing momentarily before tensing up again as she recognizes the name. 

“As in Stark’s old captain?” she questions.

At your nod, she asks in surprise, “What is he doing there?”

You pause for a moment before answering, humming a little in thought.

“My father assumes it was an assassination attempt, but when I met him, he suddenly tried to take me away,” you explain nonchalantly before noticing Natasha’s shocked expression and quickly continuing to reassure her.

“Pietro stopped him, though, and he was captured before he could do anything else.”

Natasha raises her hand in a stopping gesture as she tries to process the new information, pinching between her eyes in exasperation at you before taking a deep breath.

“So you’re telling me…you were almost kidnapped by this known criminal, and now we’re on our way to the prison to talk with him?”

You nod, confirming her words. 

Natasha stares at you in disbelief for a moment in silence before quickly turning her horse around and grabbing your reins.

“That’s it, we’re going back to the castle,” she declares firmly.

“Natasha, we just talked about this,” you say, pulling your reins back from her grip.

“No, this involves a war criminal. I think I have some power over the decisions in this case,” Natasha says with a pointed look.

Despite her serious expression, you return her stare with an all-too-familiar pleading look, causing Natasha to quickly turn away, refusing to maintain eye contact with you. 

It was already difficult to refuse any request from you when you look at her with that expression, but with the recent realization of her feelings, she knows she stands no chance right now.

“Natasha, please.”

She groans internally at the sound of your voice, taking a deep breath before giving you a tiny glare, which you return with a slight tilt of your head and a small pout. 

Immediately, Natasha’s head falls to her chest in defeat. She can already hear Yelena’s mocking voice in her mind about how easily she gives in to you.

In a final attempt to see if you may change your mind, Natasha gives you another hard look before ultimately relenting with a sigh.

“Okay, fine, but I’m staying beside you the entire time, and you can’t get too close to him.”

When your face brightens with a satisfied smile in victory, Natasha huffs and shakes her head in disbelief.

Despite her reaction, though, a warm feeling spreads in her chest at your happy expression, reminding her of the original reason she had come to see you.

As the two of you ride side by side on the path, Natasha decides to take this opportunity to continue the conversation that was previously interrupted.

However, before delving back into that discussion, there was another topic concerning something from earlier that she wanted to ask you about first. 

“Y/n, back at the manor, when I was climbing to your window…,” Natasha starts, causing you to look at her curiously.

“I overheard some parts of your conversation with the twins,” she admits.

With a desire to confirm her suspicion based on the fragments she heard, Natasha presses on with her question when she notices your surprised expression.

"When you told me that you liked someone…you didn’t mean Carol, did you?"

Natasha observes as your eyes widen and your lips part in surprise before you quickly shake your head to get out of your shocked state.

“Oh, that’s—uh, I mean, Carol’s…great. Anybody would like—um…” you wince slightly at your loss of words.

With a raised brow, Natasha waits as you stumble over your words before you finally confess under your breath with a sigh.

“...no, I wasn’t talking about her.”

A sense of relief washes over Natasha at your words before she questions you with an amused smile.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” 

You respond with a disbelieving huff. 

“Well, why did you assume it was her?” you counter. 

“The two of you seemed so close during the festival, and at the bonfire, you were blushing a lot with her,” Natasha points out accusingly.

“That’s because she was teasing me about y—” you shut your mouth, stopping yourself before you finish.

In the heat of defending yourself, you nearly revealed that all of your flustered reactions at that time were about Natasha.

Glancing over at her to see if she noticed your slip-up, you groan internally when you recognize her pleased expression.

Natasha is grinning widely at the revelation, her eyes lighting up happily as if she's finally solved a mystery. 

When your hand covers your face in embarrassment, she knows you also figured out that she has already guessed what you meant to say. 

At your slight blush, she can’t help but want to tease you a little bit more, tilting her head to try and catch your attention.

“You know, I think I heard you mention my name too. What were you about to say about me before I appeared?”

You purposely avoid meeting her eyes, wishing the ground would just swallow you up already.

Having Natasha suspect that your feelings for someone were actually for her was not something that you had expected to happen, especially considering how your previous discussion this morning ended.

Choosing to ignore her question, you point to the distance ahead and try to divert the conversation.

“I think we’re nearing the prison. We should probably concentrate and focus our attention on what we’ll do when we get there.”

Natasha's grin widen at your flustering and poor attempt to change the subject. 

As you prepare to urge your horse forward, her hand reaches over to hold your reins again, stopping you.

Done with all the teasing, Natasha decides to reciprocate some vulnerability, understanding that you might be feeling exposed at the moment.

She nudges your arm gently to get your attention.

Once your eyes reluctantly meet hers, Natasha begins softly.

“Remember how I said I realized something? Turns out I'm facing a similar problem to what you had this morning.”

Confused, you furrow your brows, prompting Natasha to smile fondly at you. She takes a deep breath before admitting with a happy sigh.

“Apparently, there is someone I like, but I don’t know how they feel about me,” Natasha echoes your words from this morning before tilting her head meaningfully, adding, "She’s one of my closest friends too."

Your eyes widen in surprise and uncertainty as you try to come up with a response.

That warm feeling returns to your chest, but you try not to let that hope grow too fast.

At your silence, Natasha presses on, asking, "What should I do?"

Clearing your throat nervously, you finally find your voice as you repeat the response she had given you.

“Well, you said you would’ve just asked them directly about how they felt about you.”

“I did, didn't I?” Natasha says in contemplation. She pauses for a second before a small smirk forms on her face, and she focuses her intense gaze on you.

“So, Y/n, how do you feel about me?”

Your eyes search hers in disbelief at the implication of her question towards you. You try to spot any signs of her usual teasing, but there is only genuine anticipation and hope in her expression.

Caught off guard by the sudden realization, you stammer, “I—um…” 

As Natasha waits for your response, the sound of rustling and footsteps from the shadows of the trees catches her attention, setting her instincts on edge.

Her body instantly straightens in alertness as she observes the surroundings. 

At the faint sound of a mechanism engaging and then a quiet click, Natasha quickly grabs you, pulling you off your horse and onto the ground just as a heavy net shoots out from the trees.

Your horses whine in panic as the net soars past them, where it would have caught you and Natasha if the two of you hadn’t moved.

Instead, the complex mesh of thick ropes and weighted edges lands with a resounding thud on the ground, ensnaring nothing but air.

Natasha and you landed in a tangled heap, her hands instinctively shielding your head and body as the both of you roll to a stop.

The surrounding area seems to hold its breath for a second before the sound of hurried footsteps causes the two of you to rise quickly to your feet.

Three menacing men emerge from the trees, each brandishing a weapon as they advance toward you and Natasha, undeterred by the failure of their initial trap.

Natasha pulls her sword from its sheath and hands it to you with a smirk.

“It’s a good thing we practiced this morning, huh?” she teases lightly. 

You roll your eyes exasperatedly as you take the sword.

Natasha is more than capable of taking on these ruffians, but knowing that you are not defenseless will probably help her concentrate more on them than having to also worry about you. 

The attackers quickly rush at the two of you, and Natasha immediately engages in combat with two of them simultaneously while the third one dodges her attacks and goes for you.

You raise the sword in defense as it clashes against his before the two of you engage in a fight.

He was bigger than you, but luckily, that just means that you are faster than his movements.

You find yourself dodging and parrying his swings, but his experience with a sword allows him to defend from most of your attacks easily.   

Seeing no way to break through his defense, you spot a large tree nearby and come up with an idea.

While dodging his attacks, you discreetly move toward its direction, leading him closer. 

Right as your back hits the trunk of the tree, a particularly powerful swing knocks the sword out of your hand.

The attacker grins victoriously, thinking you are cornered, and lunges forward with a powerful thrust.

Swiftly ducking out of the way, you cause his sword to impale deep into the tree instead.

With him stunned at his stuck weapon, you knock his arm away from the sword and then swiftly hook your leg around the back of his knee, sweeping it out from under him.

Before he can recover, you quickly pick up your fallen sword and slam its hilt against the back of his head.

Catching your breath, you let out a breath of relief when you see that he is unconscious.

Next thing you know, your body is pulled away from the man, and Natasha’s hands are moving gently across your face as she examines you.

Seeing that you are okay, she glances at the man on the ground before giving you an excited smile in realization.

“You were watching me that day,” Natasha points out happily.

That last action that you just performed was almost exactly the same as her finishing move during her spar with Steve. 

Based on your evasive behavior toward her at that time, Natasha had thought that you were avoiding her to the point where you didn’t even want to watch her train anymore.

You offer her sword back to her with a small roll of your eyes.

Behind her, you see the other two attackers already on the ground, subdued.

“You already know that I’ve always liked watching you train," you remind her. 

Instead of taking the sword, Natasha wraps her hand around yours and pulls you a step closer to her, bringing your body and face near hers.

She playfully tilts her head at you with a teasing glint in her eyes.

“Weren't you just about to tell me about something else that you like before we were interrupted?” Natasha challenges. 

You huff and shake your head in disbelief, realizing her intention.

Refusing to be the first to give in, especially with her confident and charming smirk in place, you decide to lean in even closer instead, bringing your face just a breath away from hers.

“I don’t know, Natasha, is there something you want to tell me?” you whisper challengingly, lowering your tone.

Natasha’s smirk widens in amusement as she maintains her position, seemingly unaffected, but looking closer, you notice a slight change in her eyes as they darken and briefly dart down to your lips.

Understanding dawns on you as you recall all the times you’ve seen that look on her before.

A charged tension fills the air as both of you stubbornly await the other to give in.

After a moment, Natasha finally releases a shaky breath and leans her head against yours, unable to resist anymore with you so close to her.

However, before any word can escape her parted lips, the tranquility is shattered by the sound of an arrow being released and a grunt emanating from the trees.

Turning in unison, you and Natasha witness the hidden attacker tumbling from the tree to the ground.

Your gaze then shifts to the source of the arrow, revealing a familiar figure behind the bow.

“Clint,” Natasha greets before complimenting, "Nice shot."

He puts away his bow and approaches both of you with a raised brow.

“You two are adorable, but next time, please check your surroundings again before running into each other’s arms,” he advises.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, you clear your throat awkwardly and take a step back from Natasha.

However, her hand catches your side, keeping you close.

“Where are the two of you going? And without an escort, at that,” he ask, with the last part directed pointedly in reprimand at Natasha, who responds with a slight roll of her eyes.

"To the prison," you answer him.

"What about you? What are you doing running around with your bow again?" Natasha asks curiously.

Clint gestures to the attackers, unconscious on the ground.

“These men are from the Hydra's den, which happened to be suspiciously deserted when I passed by this morning,” he reveals with a serious tone.

Natasha frowns upon hearing the information.

The central area where mercenaries usually occupy being suddenly empty is never a good sign.

“Rumlow?” Natasha asks in suspicion.

This behavior is too unusual for the noble known for his affiliations with such groups to deny any knowledge of what is happening.

Clint shrugs unsurely, grimacing, “He’s not at his manor. My informant didn’t arrive at the usual meeting time either, so I came to investigate.”

He gestures towards you and Natasha.

“If you two are also heading to the prison, then it's better if I stay with you, especially after this ambush. I’m assuming you're taking Lady Y/n to see…,” Clint trails off when he sees Natasha discreetly shaking her head, signaling him to stop talking, but it is too late. 

At his words, you quickly turn to Natasha with suspicion, raising your brow.

There’s no way Clint would know about Barnes so soon, so he must be referring to someone else at the prison, and judging by Natasha’s reaction, she knows exactly who he meant.

Natasha shoots a glare at Clint, who has suddenly taken an interest in looking up at the skies. She winces slightly when she glances back at you and sees your accusatory stare.

With a resigned sigh, she reveals, “There may have been a request…by that attacker from the cemetery to speak with you before he would answer any of our questions.”

“Natasha!” you exclaim in reprimand for keeping such information concerning you a secret.

She raises her hands in defense, arguing, “He’s a threat against the kingdom, which means I can make decisions concerning him about you.”

“You can't use that excuse every time,” you tell her, poking her in the shoulder pointedly at her attempt of creating a loophole to indirectly protect you. 

Natasha responds with an amused smile, catching your hands and interlocking them together. She raises her brows and remarks teasingly.

"Yes, I can. I'm still your princess, remember?"

Rolling your eyes at her usual teasing reminder, you shove her lightly in response with your clasped hands, which elicits a chuckle from her.

Clint lets out a smile as he observes the close interaction between you and Natasha, commenting with an assuring nod, “Yeah, you two really are adorable together.”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15

Series Masterlist : Boundless Devotion

a/n: Thank you for reading! I may have been delusional saying that there would two/three more parts left of this series two parts ago, but it should be around two parts left after this one (i think).

Taglist: @lightwhoranoutoflight, @taliiiaasteria, @romanoffprentiss, @canvascoloredin,  @silentwolfsstuff, @blacklightsposts, @arcturusseer, @presser24, @dvrkhcld, @jujuu23, @screechcat, @vivs46, @cd-4848, @youneversawmehereooooooo, @pancakefan7529, @confusedspaceotter, @natbelovasblog, @izzy-b09, @iamheartless, @mrsrushman, @fxckmiup, @natty-taffy, @2silverchain, @traveler-at-heart, @autorasexy, @natsxwife, @mviswidow, @slut4johansson 

[lqfiles]

SCORE THAT GOAL! — 4. yes captain!

(wc: 998)

it was already 11, and you took that as your cue to finally make your way to the gym. you had planned to wait a few minutes in case you were the first one there. and as you neared the sports gym, you could hear the echoing voices of what you assumed to be the other applicants. you took a deep breath, giving yourself a small pep talk before you opened the doors leading to the inside of the gym.

“hello, you must be here to join the football club, right?” a voice spoke from next to you, full of anticipation and what you guessed was also expectations. it resulted in you flinching up a bit, quickly turning to your left to face the source of the voice.

you couldn’t help but slightly gape as you made eye contact with the black haired boy, who stared at you with a surprised expression after seeing you flinch. “y-yeah..” you answered his questioning. you couldn’t understand why you suddenly felt so nervous, but the boy picked up on it and gave a small smile in return.

“coach is currently getting some extra pens. he suggested we keep those who are signing up busy, wanna play?” he nodded his head back to the spacious gym. your eyes skimmed over the countless of pairs playing varieties of games with the ball they had. “sure.” you nodded, following the boy who started walking towards the corner of the gym where a basket of different balls laid.

“i’m lee jeno, by the way.” he crouched down, inspecting each of the balls and pushing into them, presumably looking for one that wasn’t deflated. “nice to meet you, jeno. i’m (—)” you introduced back, earning a hum back as a response. “alright, should we do kick ups and see how many we can do each?” jeno suggested excitedly.

you were so captivated by the way he was smiling at you, his eyes slowly glazing as the light on the ceiling reflected onto them. so distracted that you ignored his question. “hello?” jeno tilted his head, wondering if you had heard him. “oh! yeah sorry, sure let’s do that.” you apologised. the embarrassment hit you when you realised that jeno definitely saw you staring.

“i’ll start.” jeno spoke, the two of you walking to a more emptier side of the gym. you nodded and watched him place the ball down onto the ground. it only hit you then that you had no idea what kick ups even meant as you watched jeno tie his shoe laces. you copied him, feeling pressured.

soon enough, jeno started the game. rolling the ball back with the sole of his shoe before flicking it up into the air. it took him a while before the ball had reached a comfortable level to kick it properly. “start the count.” he told you, and you complied, counting the times the ball went up before it reached down again.

“34.. wow..” you were amazed and jeno couldn’t hold the smile that was forming on his face back. “this isn’t even my best, i just haven’t done this in a while.” he picked the ball back up with one hand, his other grazing through the black locks on his head. “your turn.” he handed you the ball, and panic filled your body.

you eyed the ball as if it was a foreign object, which it kinda was. you never actually played football, the most you did was see it on tv while your dad would be watching it. holding the ball into your hand, you realised that you should’ve thought this more through.

jeno eyed your frozen figure, sensing that something was wrong. he was about to comment before you beat him to it and placed the ball down like he had. you tried recalling the exact motions he had done, rolling the ball back with the tip of your shoe and lifting it up.

unfortunately, the ball didn’t go up like jeno’s did. instead it flung forward, hitting jeno’s chest. you gasped, quickly reaching forward to check if he was alright. “i’m so sorry!” you apologised, though jeno seemed fine. he shook his head. “it’s alright, try again.” he encouraged, handing you the ball back. you looked back at the ball in your hands, mentally sighing as you retried the action.

“not to sound mean, but you’re really bad at this.” jeno chuckled awkwardly after your 5th attempt. the two of you decided to take a break. “i know…” you rubbed the back of your neck in embarrassment. “so is there a reason why you want to join the football club?” jeno asked as he placed the football under his arm.

from what you had heard, (stalking jisung’s twitter page) you were aware that lee jeno was a close friend of jisung. the thought of honestly telling him your intentions was crossing your mind. maybe he could potentially help you? but a larger part of you didn’t want to take any risks, so you opted to lying instead.

“eh, i was interested. the sport seems fun.” you smiled at jeno, hoping your tone was convincing enough for him. but the chuckle he let out made you doubt it. “it is fun. as the captain it’s even more fun to see my team get hit on by others, you should see it for yourself.” jeno responded back. the coach had returned to the gym by then, asking everyone to come to the front. jeno sent you a sly grin before walking ahead towards the rest.

lee jeno wasn’t naive.

previous — master list — next

TAGLIST ; @rksbae @222brainrot @severefireangelprune @violetvoo @prdshobi @kikookii @haechansbbg @en-dream @bbxnny-bbxtch @cvpidxo @jaeminslattes @90s-belladonna @softieluvsyou @wenjunblossoms @be0mluver @jeongintwt @myhaechan

notes ; looks like i wrote a lot but it rlly wasn’t that much but i’m planning on making jeno y/n wingman kinda

[shitsndgiggs]

Hello there i love your account very much.

Could you pls write a fan fic about kenan dating a muslim girl like him :).

Doenst matter if yn wears the hijab or no your preference

Thank you anyway

A/N: Again, I’m not muslim, so I tried my best. Definitely not my best work

SACRED MOMENTS - KENAN YILDIZ

In which you and kenan pray together

Kenan Yildiz x muslim! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

The bustling streets of Istanbul were alive with the sounds of vendors calling out their wares, the scent of fresh simit wafting through the air, and the vibrant colors of the city all around us.

Kenan and I walked hand in hand, soaking in the atmosphere. Today, we planned to visit one of the city's most beautiful mosques, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque.

"It's been a while since we've had a day like this," Kenan said, squeezing my hand gently. His eyes were bright with excitement, and I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"I know. I've missed spending time together like this," I replied, feeling the warmth of his hand in mine. The mosque loomed ahead, its minarets reaching towards the sky.

As we approached the mosque, the call to prayer echoed through the streets, a melodic and soothing sound that always brought me peace.

We stopped at the entrance to remove our shoes and perform wudu, the ritual washing before prayer.

Inside, the mosque was breathtaking. The intricate ceiling and the grandeur of the architecture were awe-inspiring.

We found a quiet corner to sit, in the prayer hall, the atmosphere serene and filled with reverence.

Kenan turned to me, his expression soft and contemplative. "I'm grateful we can share moments like this together."

I nodded, feeling a deep sense of connection not just to Kenan, but to our faith and our community. "Me too."

We sat in comfortable silence for a while, letting the tranquility of the mosque envelop us. After the prayers, we took a leisurely walk around the courtyard, enjoying the cool breeze and the peacefulness of the surroundings.

Kenan looked at me with a playful glint in his eye. "Do you remember the first time we visited a mosque together?"

I laughed, recalling the memory. "Yes, I was so nervous! I was worried about doing everything right."

"You were perfect," Kenan said, his voice filled with warmth. "And you still are. I love how dedicated you are to everything you do."

Blushing, I nudged him playfully. "Stop making me blush!"

Kenan chuckled, pulling me close. "I can't help it. You're amazing, and I love you."

We continued our walk, stopping by a small café nearby for some tea. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the city.

We found a table with a view of the mosque, sipping our tea and enjoying each other's company.

"Kenan," I began, hesitating for a moment. "I've been thinking about our future. About how we'll balance everything, like our careers and our lives together."

Kenan reached across the table to take my hand. "We'll figure it out, just like we always do. Our faith is our foundation, and as long as we keep that strong, we can handle anything."

I nodded, feeling reassured by his confidence. "I know. It's just... sometimes I worry."

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Remember what my mom always says? 'Allah tests those He loves.' Our faith will guide us, and we'll support each other through everything."

I smiled back, feeling a sense of peace wash over me. "You're right. I do love how we incorporate our beliefs into everything we do. Like our weekly Quran study sessions."

Kenan chuckled. "And how you always correct my recitation."

I blushed, playfully swatting his hand. "Well, someone has to keep you on your toes."

We both laughed, the sound melding with the soft hum of the café.

Our journey was just beginning, and I knew that with Kenan by my side, we could face anything together.