#it's gotten me so inspired to draw her ahh!!!! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

my-northern-downpour · 4 years ago

Text

Otherwise Engaged

This is my (late I’m sorry) Maribat Secret Santa gift for @kitsunebell! It’s a Timari story and contains fluff, some very slight angst, but a happy ending for all! My first time writing this couple and I had a hard, but good time. I really hope you enjoy and have a Happy New Year!

@maribat-secret-santa-2020 AO3

To say Tim was nervous would be the understatement of the century. Today was Christmas after all, and it was his girlfriend’s favorite holiday. And she loved literally almost everything about it. From the decorations, to the lights, to the cooking and smells that came with it, to gift giving and hanging out with family.The one thing she didn’t really care for was receiving gifts. She always accepted them with a smile and a thanks, but she hated the idea that people spent their money on her, even if some of them were billionaires. And this was what made him nervous. Because this year he had gotten her a gift, breaking their promise of no gifts for each other. And he had a plan to go along with it.

He had all day to get everything set up just the way he wanted. It wasn’t anything elaborate, but because his family was just the way they were, there was always something that can and probably will go wrong. He had already set up a private area in the Wayne Botanical Gardens, her favorite area with the tropical flowers in a variety of colors and smells. It was her go to area when in a design slump, and the location of their first date. He smiled as he recalled that day.

“Tim! Where are we going?” asked a young 18 year-old Marinette who was currently blindfolded and being led somewhere in her new home city of Gotham. Tim had been ecstatic to learn that his long time friend, crush, and now new girlfriend had decided to attend University in Gotham for their fashion courses. He knew a little of that world, but Mari had been a willing and patient teacher whenever he asked questions on why she was doing a certain stitch when and how she just knew what kind of fabrics to use. And in return, he was always willing to explain his business knowings her when she asked anything.

“You’re so very impatient you know that?” replied an excited 19 year-old Tim Drake. He had never thought he would get the chance to take her out on a proper date, but now here he was, ecstatic and leading her to their first date location that he hoped she would love as much as he did. It was his favorite part of the botanical gardens and he knew she would love it as well. “It's our first official date and I want to take you somewhere special, so therefore it’s a surprise. You’ll just have to wait and see,” he chuckled at her sigh and tightened his grip on her hand slightly to signal her to pick up the pace a little. He, too, was getting impatient but he wouldn’t let her know that.

They entered the gardens and his excitement turned to nervousness. What if she didn’t like the location? What if she was allergic to these types of flowers? What if… He shook his head and didn’t think to much on it anymore. This was Mari he was talking about. She loved all types of flowers and he knew she loved places with color for inspiration. This was a foolproof plan… He hoped.

As they entered the tropical area of the gardens, he let go of her hand and turned around to face her. “Are you ready?” he asked. She nodded her head, excited to see where he had taken her. He reached up to untie the blindfold from her face and watched her face as she looked around. Her eyes lit up and her smile grew wide. She looked around the room, falling in love with it more and more. The red and yellow flowers contrasted against the green fauna made her inner artist squeal and add in the purples and oranges and she was a goner.

Marinette took another look around the room before turning back to Tim and placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. “This place is amazing. Thank you for showing me this place.”

It was at that moment that Tim knew he was goner as well.

Returning to his project at hand, Tim had started to set up a little picnic area for them to enjoy together after the big Christmas family dinner. Alfred had made up both of their favorite snacks and desserts and had also packed a bottle of champagne. Tim never really was one to drink these days, but he did indulge every once in a while.

21 year-old Marinette had been up all night waiting for Tim to get home. He had said he was going out with some friends earlier to a bar for a few drinks. She knew it wasn’t his patrol night, so that’s not where he would be. She had tried calling him a few times, but stopped after the third time, not wanting to seem overbearing. They had just moved in together into their own apartment not too long ago and everything had been going great so far. Marinette was almost done with her college courses and was on track to open her own little boutique here in Gotham, and Tim had started to take on some more work load for Wayne Enterprises. She knew how stressed he could get at times and a few drinks had always seemed to help him out. But he had never stayed out this late before. At least, not without letting her know he was okay.

And so, in order to occupy her mind, she pulled out her sketchbook and began to mindlessly draw some designs. Tikki would come by to check on her every now and then, but even the little goddess got tired and found herself snuggling up to Marinette to fall asleep. That was at 2 am. And it was now going on 5.

Just as she was about to give in and go to bed, she heard the jiggling of keys, the turning of a lock, and then the sound of the door opening and slamming shut. She carefully removed Tikki from herself and jumped out of the chair to run to the front door.

There stood Tim, alive at least, but looking worse for wear. His hair was crazy and wild looking and his usually neat shirt was wrinkled and had a few stains on it. She could smell the alcohol on him a mile away. She said nothing as he looked up at her and smiled before tripping over himself and landing against the wall with a thud. After helping him to the bed and removing his shoes, she set a glass of water and aspirin on the nightstand and left him to sleep on the couch.

The conversation that followed was fairly typical. She asked where he had been and why he didn’t at least let her know he would be back later than expected. He told her he was sorry to worry her and that his phone had died. He explained that he ended up at his friends house where they continued the party after the bars closed and that was it. Then he promised to not do it again.

Except he did it again. It was two months later, but it happened.

And then again and again and again.

He continued to go out and stay out on his off nights and even sometimes skipped his own patrols.

And then one night/morning he came home expecting her to be there, but she wasn’t. Instead he found a note on her side of the bed, claiming she was at his father’s house for the foreseeable future. She couldn’t keep doing this, waiting around all night for him to come back and worrying about where he was at or if he was okay. She wrote that she loved him and wanted to help him get better, but she needed a break for right now. Because she didn’t know how to help him.

It didn’t really set in that she was gone until he looked around the room and saw that it looked empty. Her side of the closet contained only bare hangers and her sketchbooks and extra fabrics were gone. He looked around to try to find the tiny flying goddess or any of the other kwami that she guarded, but couldn’t find them at all.

When he laid down, it was to a cold bed and he knew he had royally fucked up.

Shaking those thoughts aside, he took a look at the picnic area and smiled. Now all he had to do was make sure his family didn’t interrupt him this evening after they left the manor.

~~~

Christmas dinner went as smoothly as expected. Marinette’s parents flew in to spend some time with everyone and, of course, brought along some of their macarons. Gifts were exchanged and pleasantries were passed along. Time kept creeping ever closer to his time with Marinette, and Tim was feeling nervous again. He knew she loved him, no doubt about it. She wouldn’t have put up with him for almost 7 years if she didn’t. And he loved her more than he could ever convey. So why did he feel this way?

Ahh, yes. It was his brothers, who were currently trying to set up a way to sneak into the gardens beforehand and not get noticed. The only ones he wanted there were him, his girlfriend, and the gaggle of kwamis that were always around her. But even they were in on it, so they were going to make themselves scarce. Dick and Jason had set up cameras earlier, but Tim had found them and knocked them out. Damian, who really opened up to Marinette over the past few years, had tried to sneak a peak at the ring so he could give his approval, but it was moved before he could find it. Even Bruce had had thoughts of trying to get in, but Alfred had pulled him aside for some last minute details on something that needed his attention right away.

He looked at the clock in the living room. 9:30. It was time to go. He began to get up and walked over to Marinette who was sitting with her parents just chatting away. He felt bad for taking her away from them, but this was important. And her parents knew.

“Mari, babe. Let’s head out. There’s some place I want to go before we head home for the night,” he said to her as he laid his hands on her shoulders. She turned to look at him and smiled before turning back to her parents.

“Maman, Papa, is that okay if we go?” Her parents eagerly agreed, saying they would talk later and to have fun tonight. And with that, Tim and Marinette had grabbed their coats, said their goodbyes, and went on their way.

“So, where exactly are we going Tim? You seem really excited for this,” she inquired from her seat, Tikki sat on her shoulder and grinning widely.

“Now, where’s the fun in surprises if you know about them?” he chuckled as they pulled up to botanical gardens. He quickly got out of the car and ran to her side to open the door and let her out. Taking her hand, he gently kissed the back of it before closing the door behind her. “Now, I do have something for you to wear before you can go in.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blindfold.

“Really? I know almost every inch of this place?” she giggled. “But, if you insist, go right ahead.”

Tim then covered her eyes and started leading her into the gardens. They passed through every single area until they reached her favorite room. This was it. Now or never. He reached up to take the blindfold off, but instructed her to keep her eyes closed until he told her to open them. He pulled the ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee.

“Okay, you can open them.”

Marinette opened her eyes and smiled at the room. It was always lovely to be here. It made her happy and always quieted her mind. She looked for Tim in front of her before looking down and gasping. There he was, kneeling in front of her, with a simple yet gorgeous floral ring.

“Marinette,” he began, “you’re my best friend and my favorite person. I’ve gotten to spend 7 years with you and for that I am the luckiest man in the world. You were there for me in my darkest time and you never stopped believing in me. You were there even when you had every right to leave me behind and never look back. You have no idea the hold you have on me.”

“I want to continue to wake up next to you, and to share your struggles, frustrations, and celebrate your achievements. You’re the only one for me and I want to let everyone know that. So will you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, do me the honor of marrying me?”

Marinette’s heart was beating so hard at that moment. Her eyes began to water and she began to smile. “As long as you can handle the constant screeching you’ll get from my friends for not telling them about this, then yes. Tim Drake-Wayne, I would love nothing more than to marry you.”

His smile turned so bright at her words and he took the ring out of the box. She handed him her left hand and slid the ring into place before pulling her in for a passionate kiss…

That only lasted a few seconds because not long afterwards did a bat boy seemingly fall out of nowhere.

“Really Nightwing?! I had the perfect spot to record it all!” Red Hood shouted up to the ceiling where a chorus of laughter rang out. He pulled himself up before turning to the happy couple and whipped out his recording device. “Don’t mind me. Just recording this for prosperity’s sake, you know?”

Marinette laughed and Tim sighed before turning back to his fiance (Fiance!) and pulled her back in for another kiss, ignoring all the catcalls and whistles from up above.

Years down the road, Tim was grateful for the video, even though he would never tell anyone that.

#timari #maribat #timinette #fluff #my writing

74 notes · View notes

byakuyasdarling · 3 years ago

Text

I’ve seen so many of my mutuals do these F/O acrostic poem ask things, in which has gotten me all excited and giddy to do the ask game too!

All under the cut :)

[DNI if you ship and post about Nae//gami. Block me immediately and leave.]

———————————————————————

This is the original post if you’re wondering <3

Now, let’s get to it!!

B - Before - before you decided to make them your F/O, what did you first think of them/their source?

One of my school friends recommended Danganronpa to me — so I eventually started to watch Kubz Scouts (Jay!!) play-through. I really liked the premise and thought the story and characters were really interesting, I was hooked!! I did almost skip DGR THH just because “the guy from the sans undertale memes isn’t here” (Komaeda).

The first time I did see Byakuya I do remember thinking “oh look, stereotypical asshole — he’ll probably be my favourite” jokingly. Celeste and Kirigiri were actually my favourites for a time because a cosplayer I used to do a really good cosplay of them all the time.

The first screenshot of the game I had taken was of Byakuya though; it was the moment where I just kinda knew he would be my favourite.

Because I was screaming that at the screen the whole time and FINALLY someone said it — so I already gained a liking to him. And he’s handsome too!! Bonus!! This is my first insta story of him though:

Toko was my least favourite from the start because she stuttered out insults — and I just thought she was a coward. I liked her in UDG though, she was really funny.

Y - You! what do they like about you?

I always struggle with this question, so here’s what I said in another post:

“I remember a friend once told me he would think I’m clever and skilled,,,, maybe that. Ahh <<333 Perhaps physically it’s her eyes and her hair,,, ... overall, I think it’s the way she loves him outside of the fact he is the heir apparent/ outside of his family identity and has always known and understands him as simply himself; she doesn’t see Togami, she sees Byakuya. Yeah? Maybe his favourite thing about her is the way she makes him feel; the way she’s given him a concept of happiness and fulfilment.”

<333 I love him very much

A - Art - do they draw or paint? what about any other kind of art? what’s their favorite style/subject/another artist who inspires them?

No — I mean, he can do simple scientific diagrams but that’s about it. Byakuya may be innovative (business wise) but don’t confuse that for genuine creativity; he is very left-brained. I do feel as if he appreciates and values art though. Especially Renaissance, I feel as if that would be his favourite style of artwork.

S/I is not his favourite artist — ahahaha. He does appreciate her prowess, however. Byakuya often will watch her paint for 15 minutes or so barring he doesn’t have much else to do. He is a complete backseat driver about it though, being rather keen to point out discolourations and mistakes that need working. He at least attempts to be somewhat romantic about it by hugging her from behind while he gives her his criticism — occasionally leaving a chaste kiss on her neck or cheek ^//v//^

K - Kiss - give us any kiss headcanon you want. description, reason, location, who initiates it, etc.

Hnnnggg his kisses <333 I love his kisses <333 jsjsjsjsj sweetie <333

N e way... S/I has very sensitive lips, which often means she is easily (for lack of a better term) be overstimulated there — so she doesn’t really initiate kisses. Luckily, kissing is probably the form of affection Byakuya enjoys most (only in private though; he’s fine with pressing a kiss to her forehead and cheek around few close friends but even that is rather rare). He does like kisses a lot though — he’s very gentle with her (unlike his nature towards others).

His kisses are genuinely a lot slower and softer, he’s pretty well aware of how it effects S/I who is very prone to pulling away and hiding in his shoulder from the overload of happy emotions. She can’t really escape when Byakuya holds her face though (he isn’t fond of her breaking away when he wants to kiss more — of course he would lay off if she is forcibly removing him, albeit that never happens; the overload isn’t a negative thing for her). He’s a bit rougher when he’s angry though.

Haha I’m so cringe SKSKSKSK ^//v//^

U - Uplift - how do they help you when you’re stressed or sad and vice versa?

Byakuya had a lot to learn in having a relationship with her. He did learn how to be more acclimated to affection and more vulnerable (to an extent), but this never really translated to openly sharing his stress as I have gone into more detail in another post.

S/I always asks him if he’s okay though; it’s pretty obvious when he’s actually stressed. His grip on her will be tighter when he hugs, his heart rate is notably higher, and he likes to hold her hand more in an attempt to ground himself (he can squeeze her hand too tightly though).

Byakuya has been coaching S/I with her issues even before they were together (insert backstory carrd segway here). Mainly he just has to add his reassurance and cold, harsh logic to whatever problem she is facing, she finds that security and confidence very comforting. He’s not the biggest fan of hugs in the world — but giving her a hug and kiss does help calm her down. He is very protective of his darling <<333 he really just wants her to be safe and happy with him; he’s grown quite a big soft spot for her and her alone over the years they’ve known each other.

I’ve already done Y and A for the rest of the ask game ^//v//^ I might do his last name as a part 2 <333 I hope you all have a wonderful day 💙💙

#you can tell I am so in love with him recently and I’m so annoying about it <333 sorry !!#ship tag: book lovers ♡#Andreagami

4 notes · View notes

toloveawarlord · 4 years ago

Text

The Little Vampire (Ch. 2)

You can find my masterlist in my bio!

Characters: Nell, Levi, & Satan

Tagging: @plumpblueberry @starry-starry-night24 @gay-noodle-clan

A/N: Day 3 of the 12 Days of OCmas! He is already so attached to his little vampire. Who should she meet next?

Being summoned had turned into a complicated, scheduled event. Levi began to enjoy his trips to visit the girl, bringing her snacks and playing board games. She intently listened to his ramblings about Ruri-chan without judgement or teasing. He honestly had more fun with her than anyone else.

He looked forward to visiting, despite being confined to an empty bedroom.

Except today was different.

It was late, but he was up watching a new anime that was finally available in the Devildom when he was tugged through the void and into the human world. They weren’t scheduled to meet again until the end of the week. “Nell? What’s this abo-” His words trailing off.

The room was empty, and the circle at his feet poorly drawn as if done in a hurry. He’d never come without her being here, and never had the door been left open. The demon wasn’t sure that she left the room at all. Nell never told him about her life here, only asking that he keep her company and play games with her.

“L-Levi!” A shout from somewhere else in the house. Her voice shrill and desperate, hoarse like she’d been yelling for hours.

The layout of the house unknown to him, but the stench of humans drew him down the staircase. There were more than he’d expected, and all quite surprised at his sudden presence. As for Levi, his mouth gaped at the scene before him.

“Levi! Help me!” Nell cried out from where she was held down on the coffee table, a human on either side of her writhing body. A makeshift beheading block. She managed to get an arm out, helplessly reaching towards him.

The large human with the axe stuck his foot against her head, his boot cutting into her pale skin and drawing blood. “Stop squalling, you monster.” His hate-filled eyes turned to Levi. “This doesn’t concern demons so move along!”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” Levi spat out, demonic power erupting from his body. His transformation enough to send fear rattling through the pathetic human’s fragile forms. Golden irises were overflowing with absolute rage. His voice inhumanly deep and commanding. “That little vampire belongs to me.”

Although the leader tried to be strong, his limbs betrayed him, trembling like leaves in the presence of someone so powerful. “What does a demon want with a-” No words could form with his back against the wall, gaze unable to look away from the demon towering above him. The man completely paralyzed.

Levi’s head tilted to the side, assessing his prey with muted interest. Humans were so weak, and yet they pretended to be at the top of the food chain. “It won’t matter to you. You hurt someone important to me.” His tail slithered up to the man’s throat, wrapping gingerly around it....

With one squeeze, his head popped off, splatting against the floor.

The others scattered but none were able to escape. Angering a demon, even one without his strength was a death sentence. No one did so and lived to talk about it.

“Nell?” Levi regained control of himself, scratching his bloodstained cheek awkwardly. He found the vampire quivering in the corner of the room, violet eyes sweeping over the mess. A wave of guilt flooded over him. He must have frightened her so much with his anger.

He glanced around, finding her stuffed dinosaur under the coffee table, likely from when she’d dropped when they were throwing her around. He knelt down in front of her, reaching out and offering the stuffed animal to her. “I’m sorry- oof-”

The girl threw herself into his arms, the force knocking him over. Her cheek rubbed against his chest as she sniffled but smiled. “I knew you’d save me!” A mixture of emotions bubbled over. Nell was crying out of happiness and relief. “If you hadn’t come... they’d of--they’d of- hic.” The fear of almost dying turned into a sobbing mess. She tried to wipe them away with the backs of her hands.

Levi patted his hand against the top of her head. “It’s alright. You don’t have to worry about them anymore.” Mostly because he’d killed them, but he had another reason. He produced a golden band from his pocket. “Check this out. I had my brother help me get it. It’ll let you come back to the Devildom with me. It’s like a super rare item!”

At first it was too big to fit around her dainty wrist, but it shrunk in size once it touched her skin. “Woah. You’re giving me a rare item? Like...” Her brows furrowed as she dug through her memory. “Like the Silver Lion sword in that dungeon game we played?”

“Yeah! Just like that! And it’s all yours! I mean... if you want to come with me.”

Her small arms locked around his neck. “Yes! I wanna go now. Can we go now? Before the others come and lock me up again.”

More humans? Levi cast a glance around at the carnage. He didn’t have the energy to face any more of them. Better to abandon this game than continue to fight. He’d gotten his prize anyways.

Nell nearly fell when they were transported back to his bedroom. She spun on the ball of her foot, throwing her hands up. “That was so cool! It was like poof and we were here!” Her spinning only stopped when she got dizzy, teetering around as she laughed.

Levi collapsed into his gaming chair, all his energy drained. Traveling between the two realms was a big enough strain, but also using so much demonic power only made the demon exhausted. With his elbow propped up on the arm, he rested his chin on his palm.

“Is this where you sleep?” Nell pushed her hands against the edge of the tub to see it better but slipped and fell headfirst into the pile of pillows. Her legs kicked in the air before she flipped upright.

“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Levi asked, nervously turning his gaze to find Henry in the large aquarium. Only normies slept in beds. His tub was the perfect size, and he could cuddle his Ruri-chan body pillow without any issues.

The girl hummed, brushed her white hair out of her face. “No, it makes sense.” She grinned at his surprised expression. “Besides, it’s comfy. Can I sleep here, too? I’m really tiny so we can both fit.”

“S-sure.” He hadn’t thought this far ahead. The situation had turned out to be more dire than he’d realized, but even without it, the demon didn’t have anything in place for her once they’d arrived here. Levi racked his brain for his next move while the girl continually dove into the pillows and then popped up on the other side of the tub and repeated.

The only thing he did know was that Lucifer couldn’t find out she was here.

“I see the item worked for you.”

Nell slipped back under the pillows, peeking out between them to spy on the new demon in the room. His green eyes flickered to where she hid but quickly moved to Levi. Which one was he? She’d heard about all of them.

“Although, I’m not sure that keeping a human as a pet is a good idea.”

“I’m not a human!” The girl sprung up, haphazardly knocking the pillows out of the tub and onto the floor. Her index fingers tapped against her two large canines. “I’m a vampire. See? Fangs!”

Levi rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do next, but think you can keep her a secret? If Lucifer finds out, he’ll punish me for sure.” His shoulders dropped in dejection. And who knows what he’d do to Nell. “Nell, this is my brother Satan.”

“Oh, the one that likes books and is a cat.”

“A cat?” Satan blinked at her in confusion. He wasn’t not like a cat, although he didn’t think that would be a bad thing. She certainly didn’t say it as a negative, so it was possible that it was meant as a compliment.

The vampire climbed out of the tub and approached the fourth born brother who was deep in serious thought. Her hand tugged on his sleeve, violet eyes that of puppy’s. “Please don’t tell the bossy one I’m here. I want to stay with Levi.” Her gaze fell away, distracted by the mountain of games and toys around her. “If I have to go back, the humans will kill me.”

Satan chuckled at her reference to the eldest as the bossy one. “Your secret is safe with me.” He ruffled her hair and smiled softly. She was quite cute, and it would be entertaining to see how long Levi could keep her hidden.

“Nell, no!” Levi chastised. His tail wrapped around her waist, hauling the girl away from his brother. Her fangs grazed against Satan’s wrist but didn’t actually sink in. He held her in the air, sighing. “You can’t bite him. Actually, you can’t bite anyone. No biting.”

Her index fingers poked together as she gave Satan a sheepish expression. “I’m sorry.”

“Levi, you do know you have to feed her, right? Vampires survive on blood, and if she’s willing to bite a demon, then she must be starving,” Satan said, observing the two with curiosity. He’d never seen Levi so invested in something 3-D.

“I know. I’ll figure something out.” He set her down but didn’t release his tail’s grip. Procuring human blood in the Devildom would be difficult. And if he bought it online in bulk, Lucifer was sure to notice. Levi gritted his teeth and rolled up his sleeve. “For now, you can drink from me. Just be quick.” His head turned away, not wanting to see his own blood.

Nell stared at his bare skin, tongue gliding across her teeth. She hadn’t properly drunk in a while, and it was oh so tempting. “Are you sure? I can control myself... maybe.” She would do her best to abstain.

“Yes. I’m sure. It’ll be like in that one episode where Ruri-chan’s best friend was turned into a vampire and needed blood so Ruri-chan sacrificed herself for them to not suffer! A true inspiration!”

Her soft giggle drew his attention back to her. “You’re so funny, Levi. I bet Ruri-chan would be super proud of you.”

Tears welled in his eyes. If that were true, he could die a happy demon. “Alright, let’s do this! Ahh- ouch!” Levi whined as her fangs pierced his skin. It was nothing at all in Ruri-chan! It stung and burned. He clenched his fist and bit his lip. He would not back down.

But damn did it hurt!

Nell drank enough to feel full and then collapsed forward onto his lap with a happy sigh. “You have nice blood,” she whispered, eyelids too heavy to stay open. With a full tummy and the adrenaline of the day wearing off, the little vampire fell promptly asleep.

“I’ll do some research on where you can purchase blood. In the meantime, be sure to keep her in here where none of the others will find her,” Satan said. Once Mammon or Asmo got a hold of a secret, the entire house would know about it in a matter of minutes.

“Thanks, Satan. I owe you,” Levi said, reaching a hesitant head out to pet her white hair. She was kind of like a pet, like Henry, but more hands on. He lifted her up and climbed into his tub with her. She’d been right, they both could fit in here comfortably. For the first night ever, he didn’t need his Ruri-chan pillow.

But keeping her a secret would turn out to be much harder than he’d imagined.

#obey me #obey me leviathan #obey me levi #levi adopts a vampire #papa levi #the little vampire #chapter 2 #he's so soft for her

22 notes · View notes

wangxiangiftexchange · 4 years ago

Text

Lunar New Year Gift for muckkles!

For @muckkles, I hope you enjoy this!

*****

Pearls Dissolved in Vinegar

It isn't Wei Ying's fault. Lan Wangji was very firm on this matter.

When they were young, Wei Ying's habit of flirting with everyone in range had driven Lan Wangji off the wall. When he was gone, Lan Wangji had occasionally thought that he would happily watch Wei Ying flirt with every woman in a hundred li if it meant he were alive.

When Wei Ying did, in fact, somehow, miraculously, return to him, Wangji didn't doubt for a second that it was a trade well worth making. Which did not stop watching his beloved charm strange women from being extremely irritating.

Since the Guanyin Temple--since everything had come out in the open--since Wei Ying had become his, his, his--Wei Ying's flirtatious behavior with others had diminished. Not...ended. Not completely.

Wei Ying was just so friendly. And absurdly trusting of others' intentions, for someone who had been through everything he had, although possibly that was just his self-esteem issues surfacing again, leaving him unsuspecting that his brilliant smile was enough to inspire intent upon his virtue. Whatever shreds of it remained after Lan Wangji's very thorough and very much appreciated campaign to remove it, in any case. Regardless of the reason for his husband's obliviousness, Lan Wangji found that having his beloved did very little to quell the prickles of his jealousy.

Admittedly, it hurt less. Knowing that Wei Ying was his and any encouragement of others' attention was obliviousness and not intent, the fire that roared within him when anyone else dared to lay appreciative eyes on him was warm and free to be acted upon, not cold and futile and needing to be suppressed with all the Lan self-discipline in his possession.

Wei Ying yelped as Lan Wangji lifted him bodily from where he was chattering with a fruit-seller--dispensing loquats of all things, which certainly didn't help even if the connection couldn't reasonably be said to be the fruit-seller's fault. He threw his husband over his shoulder and stalked off towards the inn where they were staying for the particular night-hunt they had just completed.

People gave the two of them askance looks as they passed by, Lan Wangji carrying his husband over his shoulder as though that was a thing people just did, face unreadable to these strangers, Wei Ying keeping up a light chatter of insincere protests and (decidedly not obliviously) flirtatious complaints. No one, however, dared to do anything, perhaps due to their collective or individual reputations, perhaps due to the fact that Wei Ying was really very bad at pretending he wasn't delighted by his husband's outrageous behavior.

The innkeeper looked for a moment like he might be about to do or say something, but then he hesitated, and when Lan Wangji swept past with Wei Ying, the two of them were not followed.

Lan Wangji threw Wei Ying down onto the bed as soon as they reached their room, pausing only to close and lock the door behind him.

"Oof," Wei Ying said as he hit the bed, then pouted in a way that made Lan Wangji want to take his lower lip between his own teeth immediately. "Lan Zhan, what was that? Do you think that just because you're so strong you can manhandle this poor husband as you please? Have you no--mmf!" His disingenuous protests were cut off as Wangji followed his earlier impulse with a kiss that started out as a savage bite before turning softer and more probing, relishing in the wet heat of Wei Ying's mouth and the warm line of his body under him.

"I can't believe people think I'm the one who's shameless," Wei Ying gasped when Lan Wangji let him breathe again, in what Lan Wangji supposed was the most genuine complaint he had issued since he had physically removed him from the produce stall at the market.

"Mn," Lan Wangji said noncommittally, nosing his way down Wei Ying's jaw and neck. Wei Ying giggled and gasped, and something in Lan Wangji's chest purred smugly at his ability to draw these sounds from his husband.

"You scoundrel," Wei Ying said fondly as Lan Wangji temporarily stopped mouthing lasciviously at his collarbones in order to redirect his attention to the ties holding Wei Ying's robes shut. Wei Ying actually disliked it when Lan Wangji destroyed his clothes too often when they were on the road, so Lan Wangji nobly refrained, even when he really wanted to, so that he would have the leeway to do so when he really really wanted to. Ideally, any night passionate enough to result in serious sartorial damage would also be passionate enough that it wouldn't occur to Wei Ying to consider the state of his clothing until the following morning.

Lan Wangji was not yet ready to rule out that kind of night, but for the moment he was just barely patient enough to manage to get his husband's top off the long way. Fortunately, Wei Ying wore very few layers when the weather meant he could get away with it.

As soon as Wei Ying's chest was exposed enough, Lan Wangji latched onto his nipple with more teeth than lips, drawing an approving hiss out of his husband as he arched up into it. His other nipple barely had time to feel neglected before Lan Wangji's hand came up to pinch it, twisting viciously.

"Mean," Wei Ying panted. "My husband is so mean to me!"

"Mm," Lan Wangji hummed contentedly.

"So mean," Wei Ying said with a pout that showed off his swollen lip, a sight that set the smug and purring thing in Lan Wangji's chest off all over again. "My husband kidnaps me off the middle of the street and brings me back to his lair to ravish me in the middle of the day!"

"Mn," Lan Wangji agreed.

Wei Ying tipped his head back. "Ahh...there's no way for me to get free...I'm completely helpless, my husband is too strong..." Wei Ying could absolutely have gotten free if he really wanted to. It never failed to give Lan Wangji a thrill that he did not.

Lan Wangji pulled the ribbon from his head, surging upwards to capture Wei Ying's hands above his head, tying the ribbon around them and to the bed beneath. Wei Ying moved cooperatively underneath him. Lan Wangji kissed him again, harsh and sweet and full of so much love.

Wangji pulled away for a moment, over Wei Ying's nonverbal protest, to yank Wei Ying's trousers off. He fell back upon his husband immediately, kissing him greedily and groping him enthusiastically.

"Ahhh, no," Wei Ying sighed huskily, pushing his ass back into Lan Wangji's hand. "No...ah, I'm completely overwhelmed...there's no way I could stand up to the great Hanguang-jun."

Lan Wangji gave his ass an extra squeeze before releasing the handful of cheek he had captured and bringing his hand center-wards, sinking one finger into Wei Ying's hole as Wei Ying pressed back eagerly into his hand.

"Ah, ah, my husband is so cruel, he's going to do me without any kind of oil," he said. Lan Wangji wasn't sure whether he intended this as prediction or command, but either way he sounded plenty enthusiastic about it. Wangji obligingly added a second finger, gaining a number of delighted protests of "Mean!"

Lan Wangji moved on fairly quickly from two fingers to three, and then he was lining himself up and sinking inside in one stroke.

"Aa-ah!" Wei Ying cried, head thrown back, exposing the elegant line of his throat. Lan Wangji bent down to bite it, teeth sinking in around the protrusive Adam's apple. Wei Ying moaned in pleasure as Lan Wangji thrust roughly inside him. Part of Wangji wanted to nail Wei Ying to the mattress with full force and speed immediately, but he held back for the moment in order to make it last.

"Lan Zhan, please...ah, ah, so mean," Wei Ying pleaded.

Lan Wangji sped up a little, his thrusts rocking Wei Ying's body as he once again abandoned his pursuit of covering the entirety of Wei Ying's body with teeth-shaped bruises to grab his face for a frenetic, fantastic kiss.

If Lan Wangji were truly trying to do so, he could have held out for hours. But right now he had other concerns, such as staking his claim on Wei Ying's body in every way possible, including a few that were slightly implausible. When he finally came, after fucking his husband to orgasm three times in a row, he simply lay there, head on Wei Ying, reveling in the feeling and the smell and the sheer ecstatic knowledge of him.

"Not that I'm complaining," Wei Ying said, serious this time, "but what was the reason behind this little interlude?" Lan Wangji buried his face in one of Wei Ying's shoulders, savoring the cozy connection and marshalling his words.

"The fruit seller," he said.

"The one I was talking to when you grabbed me? What about her?"

"She was flirting with you."

Wei Ying broke into peals of laughter. Lan Wangji would have been more concerned by the possibility that Wei Ying was laughing at him if it wasn't such an incredibly beautiful sound.

"Ah, Lan Zhan, I'm a handsome man," Wei Ying teased. "I can't help it if I attract a few admirers." Objectively true. And yet.

"Mine," Lan Wangji said firmly.

"All yours," Wei Ying agreed softly, and the two settled in for a good long snuggle.

#muckkles #wangxianLNY21 #*LNYfic21 #*LNYgifts21

12 notes · View notes

robbiekaysfavoritelostgirl · 5 years ago

Text

The Hybrid: Part Five

Find all the parts HERE

Pairing: Jacob Black x Cullen

Edward Cullen x Jessica Cullen

Edward Cullen x Bella Swan

Plot: You are the last witch of your kind, you were turned after you vampire father decided to get back at your mother. In a effort to throurt him your grandmother transferred the magic of the entire coven over to you, so that when you woke a vampire you would have access to your magic but had the speed, heightened senses and immortality . After a century you meet Carlisle and agree to join his family. Everyone thought that you and Edward were going to end up married until he met Bella. You were left heartbroken until you meet a certain wolf.

Fandom: Twilight

A/n: So this is what inspired my story “The Hybrid” so I had to do it. Also the pairing only refers to the certain part. The pairings crossed out are the ones that will come in another part. The majority of this series will take place during Eclipse. Please note that everything in italics is a flashback.

Important! I have made some changes to parts three and two, they are minor but important. So you do not have to re read them, unless you want too, I will briefly explain. After some thinking I decided that the twins are going to be equally as powerful. Which means that Jessica is also a shape shifter and Nik can us magic just as well as his sister. Demetri will also be playing a key role but I go into more detail in this imagine. You will also get to see just how powerful the twins are.

Rosalie's P.o.v

“Despite what everyone may be thinking, she wasn’t mad.” Jasper whispered softly, sighing when our family turned to glare at him. “She was, is actually, terrified. I don’t know what Demetri has done, but whatever it is, it has her and Niklaus, scared stiff. I think she reacted impulsively. I could feel that in that moment she, for some reason, felt trapped, she did the only thing she could think of that would allow her to leave without doing anyone any harm.”

“Of course she’s terrified. What Demetri did to her family, it’s beyond horrific.” Emmett sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before turning to look at me. “I think it’s time we tell them.” I nodded, taking an unneeded breath before facing out family.

“You know of course, the story of how they were turned, or at least as much as they remembered. What you don’t know is what happened before and it is now important that you do understand. Demetri had tried to get to them but, due to their covens magic, was unable to. Instead he began to weaken the spell that kept him out by luring members of the coven out to him. He didn’t kill them, what he did was much worse. He took his time with the whoever he caught, they learned this when the soul of one of his victims came to them to warn them.’

‘ The victim, a young witch named Emily told them everything. How he would harm her, being sure to draw blood, for days. How he would break her bones just so she couldn’t run. The whole time he gloated about the others, how he would continue this attack until he was able to reach them. This last for several months, every week another would go missing and then their spirit would show up, explaining the horrors they endured. Their fear it isn’t for them, it for us. They are both afraid of what he will do to us if he ever found them. The fact that he now knows where they are is their worst nightmare come true. Add in the fact they know he won’t harm them because of Aro, only makes it worse.”

“Why turn Edward into a ferret then? Esme asked, holding the snow white ferret that was my brother carefully against her chest.

“My guess, she knew that unless she did something, we wouldn’t have let her leave, not when was is that upset. So she did the only thing she could think of. I mean a few hours ago she was laughing to the point of tears over some teacher turning a student into a ferret in whatever Harry Potter book she’s reading.”Emmett answered, smiling softly as he remembered the sounds of her laughter. Carlisle opened his mouth to speak but stopped as a large barn owl flew into the room. Seconds later Nik was standing in the middle of the room, ignoring us as he quickly gathered clothes, throwing them into a bag that he then sat on the window seat.

“Nik..” Esme began, moaning when he only turned once more into the own and soared out the open window, this time with a bag of clothing hanging from his talons. In the distance there was a hoot and Edward the ferret was no more. Esme dropped him at once, breathing a sigh of relief before turning back Emmett and I. “Will they come back?”

“Eventually. Emmett and I will go see them in the morning, hopefully by then Jacob and Niklaus will have managed to calmed Y/n down.”

“Not that it matters. They would never turn either of you into a damn animal.” Edward mumbled, scowling as he came back out, fully clothed.

“It could have been worse.” Alice chirped, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “They could have left you like that until Y/n was able to see reason.”

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

Niklaus’s P.o.v

I wasn’t at all surprised to see that Jacob had his window open and that a large snowy owl was sitting on the edge of his bed, hooting softly at him. I rolled my eyes as I soared the window, dropping the bag at Jacob’s feet. At once he bent and opened it, tossing me the pant I had thrown in just as I landed on his floor.

“Sorry about this, between our grandmother and Edward she is both terrified and angry.” I sighed as I pulled my pants on, reaching out to turn him around. The moment our backs were turned Y/n shifted, she was still scared and angry enough that her magic was rolling off her in waves.

“You turned him back didn’t!” She demanded, her voice low enough so it wouldn’t wake Billy.

“Well one of us had too! What do you want to keep Edward as a ferret for the rest of his life?” I asked, growling as Jake tried to turn his head.

“What the hell is going on?”Jake asked, ignoring me completely as he turned around. Thankfully Y/n was dressed, she choose a pair of plaid pajama pants and a tank top. The moment Jake had turned she was in his arms, shaking with silent sobs. He stared at me with wide eyes over his head as I quickly began to explain. As I did Jake moved both him and Y/n to the bed, pulling her onto lap and cuddling his against. Y/n sniffed softly, closing her eyes as Jake began to play with her hair.

“Edward put you both in danger?” He repeated, his arms tightening around Y/n as if they would be enough to protect her from Demetri.

“Unintentionally but yeah. However despite everything, there may be a way we can hide from him.” I frowned as Y/n cut me off, her voice thick with emotion.

“What are you talking about? Nana said herself..”

“That she wasn’t sure if we could.” I cut her off quickly, shaking my head as she began to interrupt again. “I know nana knows a lot, but this is new and completely out of her territory of knowledge. Remember what Jasper said about the new borns? That they are strongest that first year because they still had their human blood running through them, and that afterwards, when it’s gone they are just as strong as a normal vampire. Well it got me thinking, we can’t use our magic against our blood but if, say someone no longer had it.”

“Then we may be able to.” She whispered, relief flooding her features. “Can we talk about this more tomorrow? All I want to do is cuddle with Jacob and go to sleep.”

“Sure thing. Is it okay if I sleep in your sisters room?” I asked. “I would say we would go home but something tells me I am not getting her out of here without a fight.”

“Sure, it’s right across the hall.” Jake muttered, his attention still fixed on Y/n, who had wormed herself free of his embrace to move over to hug me.

“Good night Nik.” She sang, kissing my cheek before turning back to Jake, who had quickly gotten up and back into bed, clearly as exhausted as the Y/n and I. At once she crawled in beside him, curling herself into his side as he threw the blanket over them both.

“Night guys.” I chuckled, smiling at the sight of them. If it wasn’t Jake, who looked like he was a blind man seeing the sun for the first time every time she came into view, I never would have left. Since it was though, I shut the door quietly behind me, confident in knowing that my sister was safe.

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

Your p.o.v

If Billy was surprised to see Nik and I sitting at his kitchen table, he hid it well. Instead he simply smiled at us both and joined us. Jake sent me a warm smile as he got his father some breakfast, Nik had woken up before us and made bacon, eggs and homefries along with coffee.

“Well you can stay here as long as you want.” Billy laughed as Jake placed a mug of coffee and his breakfast in front him. Shaking his head, he carefully pulled me up from my chair, sitting in before pulling me back onto his lap. I smiled and snuggled in against his chest, loving the way he kept one warm hand pressed against my hip.

“What are the plans for today?” Billy asked, smiling as Jake pressed a careful kiss to my shoulder.

“I am going to show them around La Push.” Jake explained, reaching past with his free hand to snag a piece of bacon. “Then I’m not sure.”

“Ahh well I hope you all fun. I will be going fishing with Charlie.”

The rest of breakfast past in silence, the only sound the scrapping of forks against the plate and then the gentle sound running water as Jake and I silently did the dishes, just enjoying being so close to one another. It was peaceful, but that peace was broken the moment we were all in Jake’s Rabbit.

“So I’ve been doing something. I think Nik has a point, about the whole your magic being able to stop him. I mean he still a threat as are the rest of the Italian blood suckers, but..”

“But it may not be a death sentence.” I finished, biting my lip as I nodded. “I just wish that there was a way to TEST it, to know for sure if our magic can protect us from him, to know for sure that we can protect ourselves and everyone else.”

“So do I. If we can test it, to be sure.” Nik started, shaking his head as if to shake off some thought. “But we can’t. So I say we just act like we can. Put up a spell that will alert us if Demetri or the Volturi leave Italy, I am sure you know one and then take it by year.”

“I know one but.. well I’ve never used it so I am not sure it will work the right way.”

“Try it on someone then.” Jake suggested, reaching out to grab my hand in his own. I smiled as his large hand engulfed mine, something that I would never stop enjoying. I smiled at the idea and nodded, knowing that this was the best way to figure it out. Sighing I closed my eyes and pulled a picture of Rose. Once I had it, I muttered the words, which were in some language that has long since died out. I knew it worked at once, because there was a silver cord connecting us, vibrating softly.

“Right.” I exclaimed, opening my eyes to grin widely at my two favorite people.”Should Rose leave today, we’ll know...” I was cut off by a sharp jab from the line connecting Rose and I. I had barely time to blink before I was no longer seeing the road in front us. Instead I was at home, watching as Rose and Emmett slipped into the car. A route flashed in mind, showing me just where she was headed. As quickly as it came, it left, leaving me feeling light head but pleased.

“What just happened?” Jake asked, his voice so full of concern that it instantly felt bad for causing it.

“Everything is okay, the spell works. Rose is on her way to the boarded. No doubt to scream at me for losing my temper last night.”

“Did you want to go back?” Nik asked, chuckling when I instantly shook my head.

“No I want to see Sam and Emily and then go see La Push. My scolding can wait.”

“Good because honestly, I really didn’t want to leave. I don’t know why, but I woke up this morning with the feeling that I should not leave La Push.”

“Well, seeing as you two are witches, I say we don’t ignore any feelings, especially ones that are telling you not to do something.” Jake laughed, turning to smile brightly at me.

“You just like it because it means she is staying.” Nik joked, earning a playful eye roll from Jake.

“No because who said that I would be leaving her. If she didn’t want to stay here, I would go to your place.”

“Like I would want to leave La Push.” I giggled. “I like it hear, it’s beautiful. Plus I have always been happiest close to water.”

“Sure and the fact that your boyfriend is here.”

“We need to find him a girlfriend. Maybe he won’t be so annoying then.” I joked, laughing as Nik playfully slapped the back of my head.

“Hey I am all for it. No more chaperones.”

“No it would simply mean double dates. You don’t get rid of me that easily Jacob.”

“Worth a shot.”

#jacob black #jacob black imagines #jacob black x reader #twilight saga #twilight #twilight imagines

44 notes · View notes

leggomylino · 5 years ago

Text

Emin | yandere!artist!chenle

Genre: yandere, a bit of fluff, angst, a bit of comedy (just to relieve some tension)

Pairing: yandere!artist!chenle x baroness!reader

Word count: ~10.3k

Warning(s): deep angst, dark thoughts, violence, possible character death

Song: Leia by Yuyoyuppe (feat. Megurine Luka; here’s a really pretty piano arrangement!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-Ooh0e-fvk c: )

A/N: Requests are open! | Masterlist in bio!! | thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy it!!! <3 | P.s....I wanted to portray Chenle as more of a soft/confused yandere?? Still possessive but more...respectful? Innocent? I think that’s the word(s) I’m looking for? Like he’s really unsure how to handle it? Idk hopefully you’ll get what I was going for… ^^”

[2:42 pm]

You were his safety. His peace. And that’s why he refused to let you go.

You were a rainbow, and they were all colorblind. But not him. Never him; to him, you were all the colors of the spectrum and more, so much more, so much more that he simply couldn’t contain it all in his fragile, broken body.

So he painted. That’s how he’d gotten his start as an artist.

He painted religiously. Each day was something new, something vibrant, something alive, bursting with color and warmth and emotion; so many emotions. Some days were painful; others were like a breath of fresh air. But he didn’t care if it hurt. He didn’t mind that it was slowly consuming his sanity, filling up every square inch of canvas in his mind. Like a moth to a flame, he’d do it all over in a heartbeat. Like a sailor to a siren at sea, he’d keep coming back for more, over and over and over again.

And on days he’d lost sight of that focus, on nights he couldn’t sleep, his body wracked with pain from the debilitating illness that the clerics still had yet to find a cure for, he’d draw the person he wished he could be.

He was strong, and handsome, and focused. He wasn’t sick; he was healthy, and determined and dedicated and sophisticated. He was loyal and brave and loving and so charismatic, so charming, there was no way you couldn’t notice him. He was your world; just like you were his.

Even if it wasn’t real. Even if he had to paint it himself.

It was all he wanted. It was all he had.

And for now, it was enough.

“Chenle~ I’m heading out now!”

Chenle blinked to life, waking himself back into reality. Reluctantly.

He smiled to the woman walking into the room, her wine red dress skirts swaying with each step she took towards her precious baby boy. Her one and only son, now that his older brother had gone off to enlist in the war effort.

“Okay, Mom.”

She sighed, resting a hand on her wrinkled cheek as she examined his most recent masterpiece. He was painting that girl; again. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright by yourself? Don’t forget you have that meeting with the Duchess today at five p.m.”

He sighed back as she ran her free hand through his messy orange hair, stained that way from all the many late nights painting to his heart's content. The room was never clean when he was hit with inspiration, and nothing was spared; not even his hair. His fingers were often so blue, the rivets embedded in murky varnish, the other villagers thought they were broken.

...That wasn’t far from the truth, but it was still a misconception all the same.

“I know. I’ll be fine. Take care on your trip.”

His mother smiled once more, placing a gentle kiss upon his forehead. “I will, dear. You take care of yourself as well. Don’t stay up too late with...erm…”

“Emin.” He smiled much more brightly. “Her name is Emin.”

“...Yes...Emin.” She frowned, her shoulders sagging a bit. This wasn’t the first time he’d locked himself into his own false realities...he’d be gone for at least a few days.

But that was fine. He may not have much longer to live anyway; it was the least she could do but to play along with his delusional fantasies.

“Just remember to get yourself cleaned up before you present yourself at the palace. And don’t be late!”

“I won’t. Goodbye, Mother.”

“Goodbye, sweetheart.”

Cha-chunk.

“......”

The moment she’d left the small cottage, a sigh of relief escaped him, and he tilted his head back to face the sky...or rather, the low-hanging splintering wood ceilings.

All he wanted to do was paint and get lost in you. But he’d better start getting ready.

✦

He was scrubbing away the residue of last night’s oil pastels from beneath his fingernails when the image of you popped up in the window through the small broken looking glass of the washroom. He was sure he must be imagining things; after all, the visions of you had been quite strong lately.

Except this time he wasn’t hallucinating. It really was you.

“Chenle!”

“GAH!”

He flinched, dropping the small scrub brush in a state of panic, then whirled around to see you.

Your bright (e/c) eyes. Those rosy cheeks. That gorgeous hair.

He desperately wanted to melt into it, to mix his palette with yours. But he feared the result would be muddy...an unwanted color. He couldn’t risk tainting such beauty with his filth. “E-Emin...I mean, (y/n)...” Gosh, even just saying your name on his tongue was an indescribable joy. “(Y/n)...what are you doing here?”

You crinkled your nose the way you did when you knew something wasn’t right, and Chenle beamed, taking in your every small act of expression. “First tell me who on Earth this Emin fellow is. Do they bear such resemblance to me?”

“...” He nodded after a moment, sheepishly trying to hide the heat rising to his cheeks, but failed miserably. “It’s the name of my newest painting--”

“Oh my gosh!” You lit up brighter than the festival lights during the Fall Harvest, your head bobbing up and down giddily from the small space of a window. “You’re done already?! I wanna see I wanna see I wanna see! ...Please?”

You gave him your greatest puppy pout, the one he couldn’t resist. But you didn’t have to. Because eventually he would have caved anyway.

He picked up the brush off the ground, wishing he would have had more time to make himself presentable for you. Even if the two of you had been friends for a few years now, he still wanted to look his best for you...oh, but who was he kidding, really? It’s not like someone of your stature, the Baroness of Adderdale, would ever fall for a paint-stained dirt-scratcher like him...especially not one that probably only had a few months left to live. “Of course. I’ll open the door for you.”

“Oh, no, that’s okay! I know you have a big meeting with Duchess Rowena soon, I’ll just--”

“Nonsense. You’re way more important.”

The words were out there before he could take them back. But he wouldn’t have wanted to anyway, because it was nothing short of the truth. “Uh…” You nodded back to him, your face half-swallowed by the high-standing square hole in the wall, your eyes peeking just over the edge now as you climbed down from the crates you’d been standing on. “Okay, then. I’ll see you in a minute.”

Chenle opened the door for you not but a minute later, right on schedule, and you smiled now that you were able to see him up close.

There was a smear of green paint on his cheek. You pulled out a handkerchief from your dress pocket, fanning it open in one quick flick of the wrist and tenderly reached up to wipe his face clean.

You almost suspected that you missed a few spots from how red his face turned, his whole body tensing, eyes barely peeking out shyly behind closed lids. He’d always been such a bashful, apprehensive young man. But that was one of the many things you loved about him.

If only he knew. Maybe things could have gone differently than how they eventually would come to play out.

You’d just starting to retract your gesture when he stopped you, taking your hand gently in his and holding it against his cheek. Nuzzling his face against the silk fabric of your glove.

You laughed. “What are you, a cat?”

He murmured back a soft reply. “I wish I were, sometimes...maybe then I could focus on the things I really care about.”

This made you frown. “Like what?”

“Like...painting, and watching the sea reach out to the sky, and taking naps all day, and...you.”

“Chenle…”

“Hm?”

“How would you paint? You wouldn’t have thumbs.”

He gave you a playful smirk. “No, but it’d have a tail. I’d never have use for another brush again.”

“How would you sign your work?”

He held up his hand. “Paw print.”

“How is that any different from any old stray cat off the street?”

“Hmm…” He gave it some serious thought, making you smile from ear to ear. “...Oh!” He released your hand, resting a fist in his open palm in an action stating he’d thought of something. “...Two paw prints?”

“Chenle!” You busted out laughing, and it’s got to be one of the most blessed sounds he’d ever had the pleasure, no, the honor of being alive to hear; he felt faint upon hearing it, yet stronger all the same. It’s the sound that gave him strength and security when he needed it most, on nights when he thought the sickness that plagued his brittle bones really would deliver his soul to Heaven. The moment he remembered your voice...even if it was all in his feeble mind...all was well again.

“Are you going to invite me inside? It’s mighty hot out here in the sun.”

“Oh!” He hurriedly stepped aside, taking your hand to help you up the small step into the tiny aged cottage that had to be at least sixty years old. “Sorry…”

“Don’t apologize. I’m used to you spacing out in the middle of a conversation by now.” You poked his nose, sending a charming smile his way that may as well have taken his heart had he not already given it to you. “I think it’s cute.”

The wink you sent him was the nail in the coffin.

“Ahh!” Your eyes caught sight of his studio set up in the far left corner of the room, and you lifted your skirts to dash your heel-clad feet across the splintering floorboards. The moment you got there your hands gripped the drape over the center canvas, but you remembered last minute it’s probably polite to ask first, even if it was a dear friend of yours.

Normally Chenle would have murdered anyone who dared to disturb his art without permission; but you were the lone exception. He could never bring himself to hurt you. “Go ahead.”

Excitedly you casted the veil away, and when your eyes met the girl in the painting you froze.

Because she was you. You were looking at a reflection of yourself.

Except you were way more beautiful than you ever imagined you could be. Why didn’t you look this good in real life?!

“Chenle...it’s…”

“Do you like it?” His eyes were full of excitement and adoration as he gazed upon the you in the painting. “Her name is Emin.”

“Emin…” You repeated the name like a foreign word. “...She…”

You paused for a considerable amount of time, just staring curiously at the work of art. Of course this wasn’t you; it was too beautiful to be. How could you be so vain as to think…?

You sighed, small and subtle beneath your breath. “...She’s beautiful.”

“Just like you.”

“Wh-What?”

When your eyes turned away from the fantasy version of you, they met the artist responsible, staring at you as if it was you who hung the moon in the sky each night. “She looks just like you. Beautiful.”

You couldn’t help the warm feeling spreading over your cheeks; you casted your gaze away before Chenle too could notice.

It was too late, of course, because he already had. It made him so happy to see you flustered and flattered so; he’d have to add it to his list of future Emin’s.

You were his after all.

✦

At precisely four o’clock you left Chenle to finish getting ready, though he was sad to see you go. It was a vision he never wished to see; you disappearing out of sight. What if he never saw you again…? You were always so busy with your responsibilities as Baroness of the state. And it was all his fault.

He shouldn’t have asked to paint your portrait out in the grassy fields beyond town square. Maybe then you wouldn’t have been discovered by those royal administrators, who were so captivated by your charming appearance (as they should have been) that they scooped you up and swept you off to the palace to be trained, paying off your family to buy you as their newest errand girl. Because that’s basically what you were in your role of Baroness; the only difference was that they actually fed and clothed and educated you properly in the art of sophistication and foreign affairs and how to be a proper lady.

It made him sick how they ran you ragged. Sicker than he already felt with this accursed illness he was born with.

Which is why he hadn’t hesitated to pay off a young chef-in-training to poison the roast duck going to the administrator’s office one evening whilst sneaking around the back gardens. Your life became a bit easier after that, and the two of you at least had more time to see each other...until they hired another administrator.

But it was alright. The young man was fresh off the boat from vocation school. He’d hired some local bandits to give the man a good scare, and ever since that day you’d had Tuesday afternoons and Saturday evenings free. Sundays after spiritual services were always a given, thank Heaven.

It was now four-thirty. He’d carefully gathered his materials and was on his way to the palace, bag in hand. He wore his best suit: a brown sewn vest over a cream-colored button-up shirt and long, plain-colored trousers. His orange hair was groomed to look as good as it would ever be.

He had to get this job. It was for himself, for his mother; with his brother out of the house, they had scarcely been able to pay the bills, and the new royal tax document was expected to be passed within the next coming weeks. He was the only one left to take care of her.

And then there was you. He would have done anything for you. If he did manage to land this position, he’d be able to see you more often; even if it was just a few fleeting glimpses from a studio window.

By the time he made it onto the palace grounds, chefs and gardeners scurried about in preparation for a celebratory occasion of some sort. He wondered what it could be…

Until a flyer smacked him right in the face, temporarily blinding him.

Startled, he took a few steps back, ripping the inked parchment away from his face. His eyes scanned the page curiously.

𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑱𝒂𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒊𝒄𝒉, 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

Chenle scoffed. Like he cared about the affairs of the royal elite or the country...

None of that mattered unless it involved you.

✦

“So,” Duchess Rowena Varner, next in line for the royal throne, declared. “You must be Chenle...Zhong, is it? Zhong Chenle?”

The said boy grinned politely from before her throne of sorts. A placeholder until she got her greedy hands on the real thing. “Yes, madam.”

“You shall address her as My Lady!” a royal guard barked.

The Duchess shook her head, chuckling a bit as she waved him off. “Now, now, it’s quite alright. Please, call me whatever you like. And might I say, what a handsome young boy you are!” She stood and paced over to the works of art displayed on silver easels. Real silver. Just an ounce of that would be enough to pay the house bills for an entire month, with a bit left to spare for a royal feast. “Quite talented as well. I reviewed your work the other day.” She smiled, stopping beside his most recent portrait of you: Emin No. 54. His most brilliant work of art to date. “This portrait titled “Emin” is especially beautiful.”

He remained smiling in return, pride swelling in his chest. “Yes, I think so as well.”

Her next question caught him off guard.

“Is she by chance, a lover of yours?”

He froze. His face grew hot; hotter than the sun, it had to be. The Duchess tittered, finding amusement at seeing a young boy turn so red.

“So she is, then? That’s quite sweet. I’m happy for you, I am.”

“...N-Not...Not exactly…”

“Oh, come now. It’s alright. But you know…” she pondered, reexamining the painting. “She looks rather familiar...like I’ve seen her somewhere before…”

“I think it’s ugly.”

Duchess Rowena gasped, and all eyes quickly turned to her daughter, the royal Viscountess.

“Nina!!” The Duchess scolded. “That’s very impolite! Apologize this instant. That’s not how a lady should speak.”

Nina huffed, tossing a long pigtail over her shoulder. “Well it’s true. Her nose is too big. And the eyes sort of creep me out. I’d be turning tail and running if I saw this girl in my dreams or out on the streets. More like my nightmares…”

The Duchess’ face was far worse than a frown, and she snapped her fan shut to emphasize her anger and disappointment, scowling down at her daughter’s abhorred behavior. “Oh, Nina…!” She turned her gaze down to the ridiculed artist with sorrow in her eyes. “I’m so sorry for my daughter. I don’t know what’s gotten into her. She’s usually very sweet and polite, I assure you.”

“......” Chenle didn’t know what to say. All he knew in that moment was that he couldn’t stop his hands from trembling, and it felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart-- no, that someone had stabbed Emin in the heart.

You. His Emin. The only thing he loved more than anything else in this world. More than his mother, or his brother, or his art supplies, or the beauty he found in every little thing this world has to offer…

The only reason he found such beauty was because of you. He saw you in everything. You were everywhere to him.

Something foreign and unabashed was painting a dark portrait on his insides…

And that portrait was titled The Death of Nina Varner.

✦

He waited just after dusk for the Viscountess to appear on her balcony for her ritual spoiled stargazing event. Each night she would wander out in a silk nightgown onto the balcony outside her room, tossing grapes and cheese and whatever late night snack she could get her snot-nosed hands on into that vexatious piehole of hers, all while shouting orders at the pitiful maids who were stuck with her that evening to braid her hair or rearrange the furniture or stop breathing so heavily and get her some more wine.

Chenle almost felt bad for them. Almost.

But he was much too busy kindling the fires of hatred he had for the witch who dared to insult his precious Emin.

He waited five swift breaths for the maids to take their temporary leave, then made his strike.

It was swift. Quick. A cursory stab to the heart. But it did the trick all the same; she hadn’t even much time to scream in terror as her body slumped to the marble stone floor, lifeless and in vain with a look of pure trepidation on her face.

It scared him how much joy and excitement it brought him to see her that way. But he didn't have time to admire his crafty work; in one rapid, fluent motion, he scampered off down the secret passage he’d bought the blueprints for at the Black Market in the shady part of town, a harsh coughing fit echoing down the narrow hall as he fled.

✦

The next day was meant to be spent orchestrating the Viscountess’s wedding as well as the arrival of Prince Jaemin. Which is why you were surprised to find that instead, that responsibility was no longer yours...and a new one was being passed down to you; or rather, promoted up to you.

“She what?!” you cried, horror-stricken in face. You could only imagine what the Duchess’s face must have looked like, to find her daughter’s dead body on the balcony floor. The maids almost had it worse, being the ones to discover the horrific display.

Even now you could hear Rowena’s cries and sobs as she mourned the murder of her only daughter. It broke your heart; the Duchess was such a sweet lady...a little greedy, yes, but still very kind. And sure, you never much cared for Nina. Everyone knew what an impish hellion she was, despite her mother insisting she was a good person...yet...you’d never once wished to see her drop dead.

...Okay, perhaps once, when she had shoved you into a closet and claimed that it was you who started a fire in the kitchen during a baking lesson, you did. But you hadn’t meant it literally…!

And now here you were, set to be crowned the new title of Viscountess. Set to be wed for the sake of the country to some prince whose name you scarcely remembered.

It was all too much. So sudden. So soon. You didn’t know if you could take it...you were barely managing to process it all after only half a cup of coffee; everything was passing you by the narrowest of margins.

You needed to talk to someone. Someone not on the inside. Someone you could trust. So the moment the royal guard who had delivered the news left your quarters, you ran off to find the one person you could think of, the first one to come to mind: Chenle.

He was waiting for you in the front garden, just as you’d ask a young pageboy to summon him there. His face was a desolate wasteland as it looked into yours. So he must have heard...news did travel fast.

“Chenle...I…” you sighed dejectedly. “I don’t know what to say. I never wanted this, I had no say, I promise I--”

“Don’t say anything.”

His eyes were a blazing fire when you gazed back up into them. It made you gulp nervously. “Wh-What do you mea--”

“Shhh...“

He was smiling then. Smiling...how could he smile at a time like this?

“I worked everything out. You don’t have to go to the funeral.”

“...What?”

“The funeral. For the late Viscountess. You don’t have to go, I thought of a way out of it...so we can spend time together instead.”

You stared at him, dumbfounded. So he really didn’t know, then…? “I’m sorry? Chenle--”

“Hush now, it’s going to be alright. I doubt anyone’s going to show up anyway.”

You gasped at that harsh remark. “Chenle! That’s a horrible thing to say! Even if she was a brat, she wasn’t...she didn’t deserve to…”

“Yes she did.”

...Your eyes snapped back to meet his, again, and this time they were devoid of any life. Vacant of all color.

He was serious. He really meant it.

You took a step back, suddenly feeling ill at ease and uncomfortable with the heavy change in atmosphere. “...How...How can you say that? How…”

The boy you thought you once knew shrugged, gazing off to the side nonchalantly. “Because...she insulted something that belongs to me.”

“That’s no reason to--!”

“She insulted you.”

The air left your lungs for a second. The pressure around you was rising. Did...Did he just say…?

Scowling, you furrowed your brow, crossing your arms before you to boot. “I-I’m not yours, Chenle. I don’t belong to you, or to anyone but the State of Adderdale...and, pretty soon, the Kingdom of Norwich…”

You felt your anger fleeing from you as feelings of anguish and anxiety rushed to take its place, leaving a hollow sensation of misery in its wake.

And it wasn’t just you. Chenle was feeling it as well, his face drooping until it sagged in an expression of crestfallen disbelief.

“What...What do you mean?” he asked. His whole attitude had suddenly changed in no less than a millisecond.

You glared back at him in regret that you had to be the one to tell him; but it was best coming from you. “With Nina gone, I’ve been recently appointed as the new Viscountess. And, furthermore…” You swallowed again, wishing you could take the words down as well. “...I am to marry the Prince of Norwich, in her place. I’m sorry, Chenle…” You sighed for the millionth time. “There’s nothing I can do. I have no say in any of this.”

You didn’t want to look at him in that moment, to see the sadness written all over his face. But you did. Because you had to be strong; especially if you’re going to be taking over as head Viscountess (though not for long...).

Chenle appeared as if he wasn’t feeling anything. Or maybe it’s that he didn’t know what to feel. In reality, he was absolutely, undeniably, without a doubt...melancholy. Hopeless. Lost. Completely despondent.

The same pageboy poked his head around the corner just then, shyly calling your name. You were being summoned to speak with the Queen about wedding invitations, and what kind of wine you would like served with the celebratory dinner.

There were no words that could form what you wished to express to your only real friend in that moment. So instead you said what it is you’d normally say after parting ways, had it been a regular, everyday encounter; and not the last.

“Goodbye, Chenle…”

And then you were gone. His worst nightmares coming true, seeing you vanish from sight.

He looked to the paintbrush in his hand. Broken just like his body. Just like his heart. He squeezed it tightly, as tightly as his frail bones would let him. Tighter, tighter, as if he could squeeze the entire past three minutes out of existence. Erasing all the words that were said, and starting over on a clean, blank canvas. But it didn’t work out that way; that’s not how life worked.

So instead he shut his eyes tightly, envisioning his happy place. The world where the two of you were always smiling, always laughing, always together, always, always…

...It was all his fault. Again. He was to blame for all of it; he was the reason you were rapidly fading from his life. His insecure actions had led to his own downfall.

He sighed, the breath fleeting like a dream deferred.

It was no longer enough.

✦

Three whole days. Three whole days he laid there, his body writhing in pain and agony at the dull ache that seeped through his bones, violent coughs rattling his lungs and rib cage. His throat was sore, his eyes dehydrated from leaking out all the water left in his body. It was painful, certainly, but...it was nothing compared to the apparent horror blatantly staring him in the face that soon, very soon, you would be gone. For good. Forever. And he’d never see you again...only in his dreams, were he lucky enough to obtain them.

A flyer drifted in from the window, once again bringing itself to cover his tear-stained face.

𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒔 (𝒀/𝒏) 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒅𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑱𝒂𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝑵𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 // 𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒔 (𝒀/𝒏) 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔-𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒕

A literal slap in the face. His hands shook violently as he tore the sheet into bite-sized pieces, seething with rage and despair that did nothing to help his coughing fit and overall health.

He turned his head to stare at his latest masterpiece, feeling color draining from the world around him, his walls crumbling and caving in.

You were no longer his Emin. You were no longer his.

He felt like he was losing his mind. “But...she’s mine,” he mumbled, reaching out a shaking hand to the you of his dreams. The one he stayed up for three days straight painting with all his heart and mind and soul, pouring out every last ounce of passion from his expiring fingertips stained forever blue, as was the life of an aspiring, tormented artist. “Emin is mine...she’s mine, she’s mine, she’s MINE!!”

In a flash of anger he knocked over a case of brush pens, then a few books, then his entire work desk. He began throwing canvases out the window, their blank slates an abhorred reminder mocking the bleak future he had to look forward to: a future without you.

“Emin...she’s...she...” Tears pooled in the corners of his eyes, where he thought he had none left. “She’s mine...E...min...she’s...”

Gone. You were gone, lost to him now, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.

...Or was there?

Hastily he reached to grab the flyer from before, then remembered it was in pieces all over the floor. He struggled for an hour putting it all back together, but once he had a mischievous grin found its way where originally no amusement could be found. A tiny, faint ray of hope amongst the coming darkness.

𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝑱𝒂𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒓𝒐𝒚𝒂𝒍 𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 // 𝑨𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝟑𝒓𝒅

That was tomorrow. The Duchess must have convinced them to postpone the wedding for her daughter’s funeral. Which meant...

There was still time.

✦

With not a moment to lose Chenle rushed through the bustling palace walls, each hall as lively as the next as staff from every category of service hustled and hurried and scampered about, preparing for the wedding of the century.

Prince Jaemin had just arrived not but a few hours prior, and with his disguise as an errand boy Chenle had gotten all the right information and knew exactly where to find him.

Now he was just hoping he could get there fast enough, before someone knocked into him and revealed his dire plan.

Looking left, then right, he continued to weave in and out of the crowded hallway until he made it to the far end of the hall, making a stealthy left turn. He made his way down the steps to the kitchens, climbing into a dumbwaiter when no one was looking and working his way up the rope, grunting profusely with each feeble tug and the occasional cough. The moment he made it to the fifth floor he released a tired breath all at once, making sure the coast was clear before exiting the small chamber and trotting on lightfoot down the surprisingly quiet hallway given all the commotion downstairs.

His next task was to locate which one of these blasted guest rooms belonged to the Norwich prince. He had yet to get that far…

Knock knock knock.

“Your Highness?”

He whirled around and tripped his way behind a potted plant, almost spilling the chloroform in his pocket. A door he’d passed some twenty-odd steps ago was opened from the inside by a butler with a peculiarly sour look on his face.

The maid outside smiled kindly. “Pardon me, but all our errand boys are busy at this time. Her Majesty the Queen would like to have a word with His Highness, if that’s alright.”

“...” The young butler turned back into the room. “Yo, Jaemin. The old lady wants to talk to you.”

There was a hissing sound, followed by heavy footsteps before the boy was suddenly yanked back by his collar, a tall, handsomely dressed one taking his place instead. “Please forgive my idiot brother. He’s...a rare case.”

Mumbling could be heard in the background as the maid turned the whitest shade of pale Chenle had ever seen, bowing and apologizing profusely for not recognizing the youngest prince. In her defense, Chenle hadn’t of known either.

But that was besides the fact. His real target was now standing just a few feet away.

He hated how attractive he was. How he radiated an aura of regal perfection. It turned his insides into a dark, muddy green…

Somehow Jaemin had convinced the idiot brother with a smart mouth to take his place in seeing the Queen as a form of punishment (and to apologize for referring to her as an “old lady,” even if the hag was ancient beyond her years) and just before the door closed and the two witnesses had vanished around the corner, he made his move, dashing quickly and shoving his way--

...Right into the door. Thud.

He winced, praying to God his nose wasn’t broken just now. He should have known this guy probably lifted weights on a daily basis, where the only thing he ever lifted was a paintbrush.

He knocked, a hand still over his aching nose.

The moment the door opened he braced himself, whipping out the chloroform that...leaked in his pocket…

The last thing he remembered was the repeating curse he irately flung at himself: Drat, drat, drat…

✦

When he awoke some twenty minutes later, the first thing Chenle noticed was a handsome young man sitting at his bedside.

Great. He was having another nightmare.

But the young man’s nervous laughter proved that he was, in fact, awake, not dreaming.

“There have been far better applicated attempts on my life than the one you just tried to pull.”

The pauper took a deep breath, coughing on the exhale as he threw himself up into a sitting position, then on his knees, knife in hand.

He furrowed his brow a second later; why had the prince not disarmed him…?

Prince Jaemin merely smiled as bright and cleanly as sunshine on a crisp, cool day with the knife hanging inches away from his throat. He didn’t even budge.

Chenle scowled. “Why aren’t you frightened of me? Why didn’t you disarm me while I was unconscious? ...Why did you help me at all? Why not report me to the guard, or the executioner, or--”

“Executioner? My, what troublesome times these must be if you’re sentenced to execution for a simple act of violence.”

A simple act of…?

Chenle didn’t know whether to be confused or appalled. So he was both.

The look on his face must have been quite the spectacle, because the next moment Jaemin was chuckling kindly, as if they’d been having a basic conversation about the weather. “You sure do ask a lot of questions, I’ll give you that. As I mentioned before, you’re not the first poor sap who’s wanted me dead.” His eyes gleamed curiously then, almost taking on a new persona entirely. “Now let me ask you something. Why on Earth would you mention being hauled off to be...executed, of all things?”

Chenle’s whole posture drooped. His shoulders sagged. His breath hitched ever slightly, before being onset by a minor coughing fit.

Jaemin swiftly helped to ease him back onto the bed, but the ill boy fought back, thrusting the knife above his neck once more.

“D-Don’t…” He coughed again. “Don’t help me. I don’t need or want your help. I only want my Emin back. I’m not going to let you take her away from me…!”

“Emin?” The Prince frowned. “I don’t have anything like that...I’m afraid I don’t quite follow what you…!” Then his face lit up with realization. “Ah, wait, you mean that painting in the Duchess’ quarters?” His face began glowing with soft sort of realism. “It’s lovely. Did you paint that?”

“It’s a girl,” Chenle coughed, slowly coming out of his minor attack. “...and she has a name...her name is--”

“Emin,” Jaemin cooed, purred, slandered. As if he enjoyed the way it melted on his tongue the same way it brought the artist pleasure.

He glared, eyes growing dark. “Don’t say her name. You don’t get to say it! She’s mine, my Emin, and I won’t let you take her away from me. Even if I have to...even if I have to…”

“Kill me?”

He flinched, muscles tensing sharply beneath his borrowed clothes. “...Yes. Even if I have to kill you.”

Jaemin was all smiles again-- actually smiling. Did this guy have some sort of death wish? Was he mocking him right now? Challenging him, daring him to try?

Chenle had no idea. It was either that, or he was into some really weird stuff. “Why are you smiling like that? Tell me right now!”

“...You’re a demanding little thing.”

“Tell me, I said!”

“Hmm…” He breathed out through his nostrils, leaning back in the chair he’d pulled up beside the bed. “If you’d really wanted to kill me...you would have done so already. But you haven’t. We’re still talking, aren’t we?”

This hit Chenle harder than he was expecting it to; he practically felt the air deflate from his lungs, and he’d just managed to suppress his haggering coughing fit.

“And I daresay I’ve counted at least three prime opportunities you could have striked.”

“...I…”

The prince simpered, crossing one richly-clad foot over the opposite knee. “So why don’t you tell me about this...Emin of yours.”

Chenle was back to being angry and frustrated all over again. “Why should I? After this, I’ll never see her again…she’s going to be yours anyway...”

He clenched the knife in his hand. Jaemin pursed his lips into a curious pout.

“And why’s that? What do you mean, she’s going to be mine? I’m not interested in buying the painting if that’s what you--”

“Of course that’s not it! You’re going to be marrying her soon enough! You’re right, what you said before...there’s nothing I can do to save her from you…”

Jaemin’s face may as well have been pandora’s box. “What? What in the name of Sam Hill are you talking about? Why would I want to marry a painting…?”

Chenle deadpanned. At least the prince had looks going for him. “I’m not talking about the Emin of my dreams! I’m talking about the real one!”

“The...The real one…?”

“Yes!!”

“...Oh.”

He still didn’t get it. The artist facepalmed. “My Emin. She goes by…” He swallowed harshly, afraid to even speak your name aloud before the prince who’d be stealing you away. “...(y/n)...”

Jaemin seemed to be getting an awful lot of amusement out of the visual display of embarrassment the painter showed. “(Y/n)? As in, Viscountess (y/n)?”

“Don’t speak her name!! At least have the decency to wait until I’m dead before you do…”

“Why on Earth would I want to do a thing like that?” He rolled his eyes. “You sure do talk a lot about execution and death. Do you want to die?”

Chenle had to think about this for a moment. Did he want to die? Technically, without you, he was nothing. Empty. A blank canvas with nothing to show.

Then, there was his mother...with his brother overseas, he was the only one working to support the two of them other than herself. As much as he loved you, he didn’t want to leave her all alone…

...Then again, it wouldn’t matter anyway. His life was on a clock right now, ticking much faster than the average, everyday man’s. He was going to die soon regardless.

“...it doesn’t matter. I’m going to die anyway.”

The princely man blinked. “What do you mean?”

He sighed, placing a blistered hand over his faintly beating heart. “I’m...sick. I was born weak, with a strange illness no cleric has ever seen before. There’s no cure for it either, I...I honestly wasn’t expected to live this long. It’s a miracle I’m even still alive right now…”

“That doesn’t answer my original query.”

“What? Yes it does—“

“No, it doesn’t.” Jaemin tsked, shaking his head. “I asked you, do you want to die. Not if you’re going to or not.”

“...” Violently, Chenle shook his head no. The elder of the two grinned.

“Good! Then we can start preparing you for the wedding right away. Oh, and I’ll get you some medicine as well. Judging by your symptoms you have a condition that’s rare but not unheard of in Norwich. So long as you don’t over exert yourself, I can have a brew cooked up and in your hands in about a week, maybe two...give or take.”

He nearly choked. This was a lot of information, but the one thing that really caught his attention was... “W...Wedding?”

So now he expected him to go? To watch (y/n) be married off? To officially strip the last few remaining pigments of color out of his life?!

Oh, he’d be there alright. But not—

“Yeah. You have to be present for your own wedding. It’s sort of a requirement, actually.”

...A re...A require…

His own wedding?!

Just then the youngest Prince of Norwich returned, popping a bubble of some sticky-sweet substance between his lips on his way in. Jaemin beamed in delight.

“Oh, Jisung, perfect timing. I need you to go back down and bring me a tailor. Anyone will do, so long as he’s qualified.”

“Tailor?” Jisung’s face was scrunched up in obvious puzzlement. “But I just got back up here! What the heck do you need a tailor for? And who the heck is he?” He pointed to Chenle, blowing another pink bubble and popping it with his teeth. “Y’know, Dad told you to--”

“Again, Jisung, Mark is not our father.” He chastised. “...But yes, I know what he said. That’s not it, though.” He gestured to Chenle as if to present a showcase prize. “This colorful young fellow is...he’s uh...er…” He scratched his ear. “What did you say your name was again?”

Chenle almost didn’t want to tell him. But then he really, really did. Because he thought he knew where this was going, and if he was right; which he was; he didn’t want to miss out on this one and only golden opportunity to save you, to save his entire world, and to finally, surely, be able to leave this world in peace once his time was soon to come...in case he didn’t happen to get that medicine in time. “Chenle.”

“Chenle...~” Jaemin nodded. “That’s a wonderful name. I like it, really. It suits the future Viscount of Adderdale rather nicely. Let’s see...Chenle. Sir Chenle! Siiir Chenle...yes, yes, I like it.” He rubbed his chin in thought with a few more nods.

Jisung stared at him like he was dumb as rocks. “Uh, hello? I don’t get it. You’re telling me that this--” he pointed to Chenle-- “--poor kid off the street is going to marry Viscountess what’s-her-name? And not you? Don’t you think Dad-- I mean, Mark, is gonna be...kinda sus? And pissed? Not to mention Renjun and Jeno…”

Jaemin shrugged. “Hey, what can I say? I’d hate to stand in the way of true love...it would be wrong to steal away this young man’s girl when he obviously adores her more than I ever could.”

He winked. Jisung groaned. “You can’t just slack off your duties for some angsty teen romance novel fling! You’re gonna get us both in trouble!”

“......” The elder shook his head, running a hand through his wavy blonde hair. “I knew I should have brought Hyuck, and not you. It’ll be good for him, they said. You’ll be doing us a favor, they said. Aiyaiyai…”

“Hey! Rude!”

“Just go bring me a tailor already! I’ll deal with our brothers when we get home, but I’m this sure at the very least, Jeno would agree with me.”

He held his fingers inches apart, and Jisung deflated a little, beginning to cave. His brother just kept on rambling.

“...We’ll have to get him cleaned up...and do something about that hair...I doubt any of my clothes will fit him, much less my wedding attire…”

Finally the youngest rolled his eyes, and as he shut the door behind him Chenle could hardly breathe. He just couldn’t believe it.

He was getting a second chance. He was going to marry his Emin.

✦

“Are you sure you understand the plan?”

“Yes.”

“And you know where to go when I give the signal?”

“Yes…”

“And you’re absolutely sure you--”

“Oh my gosh, Jaemin, he gets it already!” Jisung snapped. “Just hurry up and get out there before they start suspecting anything! I can’t believe I’m playing along with this…”

With a determined nod Jaemin took off out into the bustling chapel, everyone getting ready to take their places for the celebratory event. Because everything had to be just perfect, the Norwich Prince was directed to take his place in a back hallway, where he’d be escorted out onto the platform by high-ranking officials.

Chenle watched with nervous breadth. What if something went wrong? What if Jaemin changed his mind the moment he saw you walking out, looking like a waking dream? The personification of sheer beauty and ethereal godliness? A goddess among goddesses, Aphrodite herself?

He wouldn’t be able to take it. He’d have to stab himself in the heart and end it all right then and there--

“Hey.”

He looked over to Jisung, who was eyeing him suspiciously.

“Stop being so overdramatic. You’re worse than Haechan when he’s drunk off his ass.”

“Who?”

He blew another bubble, allowing it to pop at the peak of his eye roll. “Never mind. Listen...you don’t have anything to worry about. Jaemin’s not like that. Whatever you were thinking. He’s a good guy, really...also...I uh…” He rubbed the back of his neck, turning his eyes away. “I think you guys look good together. You and um…(y/n)?”

He casted him a sideways glance for confirmation, and when Chenle nodded, he returned the gesture. “Yeah, (y/n)...I saw you guys together, out in the front garden a few days ago...my ship arrived here before my brother’s. He took too long getting ready, so I set off without him.” He shrugged. “Anyway...the two of you seemed to be having a disagreement of sorts, but...I don’t know, the way you were staring at each other, deep into the other’s eyes, I could tell you were really close. Like an old flame or something.”

...An old flame...Chenle didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t entirely wrong, but— he was at a loss for words.

Then the youngest prince said something that really took his breath away. “Y’know...I think that, maybe, you and me could have been great friends if we’d grown up together.” He smiled, a small one, but one nonetheless. “I know this is kind of sudden, since we barely know each other, but...I think I would have liked that. You should come visit us in Norwich sometime. You’d love it there, honestly— the Winters are beautiful.”

It was out there so suddenly, so kindly worded, Chenle didn’t know how to process it all. Him? Having friends? He’d been sick his whole life, the only people ever paying him any kind of attention being his mother and his brother when he’d been around and...of course, you...the day you found him laying out on the street within an inch of his life, and you rescued him from certain death, he immediately knew you were the one. He’d instantly fallen in love with you. Those feelings only grew and grew over time…

However...the thought of having a friend…

He didn’t think he knew the answer. But the palette in his mind was equipped with a bright, yellow color, and he found himself nodding meekly before he knew what he was doing.

Jisung tilted his head back in a pleased indication that he’d gotten the message of what Chenle had meant to say, even though no words would come to him; after all, the boy was an artist, not a poet. “I should probably take my seat. Good luck out there.”

With a pat on the back, he crossed the threshold.

Now all that was left was for him to wait.

✦

It’d be an understatement to say that you were nervous. Because you weren’t; you were more than nervous, you were practically horrified.

You’d thought you could handle it. Really, you did. But the moment it actually started happening, it was instantly all too much; only now it was ten times worse, because it was actually happening in real time.

First the music started to play, a gorgeous symphony of organs and strings. The Queen had even hired a quartet of flautists to play in harmony to the familiar chorus of Canon in D Major. The flower girl made her entrance first, tossing flower petals down the aisle and into the waiting audience. They gushed and cooed over how cute she was, muttering comments of how handsome of a boy the ring bearer behind her would grow up to be, though he was practically more of a man than a boy...that ring bearer being…

...Zhong Chenle? What?!

Your jaw nearly hit the floor at the sight of him, striding into the room with such perfect posture and well-to-do attire. He looked like a prince out of a fairytale novel.

But what on Earth was he doing here…?

“My Lady, it’s time,” called a maid. You had a hard time peeling your eyes away, but you were able to nonetheless with a bit of effort on both yours and the maids parts as they pulled you away to your proper waiting station outside.

It broke your heart that he’d gotten himself roped into this, and you had no idea how he’d done it, but maybe after this, at least, you could send him off with a proper goodbye…

✦

He’d been too nervous. He couldn’t wait any longer. He had to do something.

So the second the melody of Beetovhen’s chorus flitted about the room, he snatched the rings from a boy waiting nearby, stumbling his way in right behind a small flower girl and immediately righting the way he carried himself.

He could feel Jaemin’s eyes on him from the far off hall where he peeked behind a curtain, pleading for him to turn back. He could hear Jisung’s ragged breathy sigh, calling him an idiot.

But he didn’t care. He wouldn’t. This was all for you...and anyway, it was too late to change anything about the choice he’d made now.

He paused at the foot of the altar, going to the opposite side where the men waited as traditional Adderdale weddings he’d witnessed in his lifetime. Then he took a deep, shaky breath, fighting back the urge to cough as a tickle made its way to the back of his throat.

Not now. Not now. Please, not now.

The small orchestra suddenly broke out into the Norwich national anthem, and Jaemin made his appearance, walking tall and proud and princely to stand at his place atop the altar; temporarily, that is.

He sent Chenle a sly wink from where the boy stood just two feet behind him.

“It’s alright. We can still make this work out. I know you must be incredibly nervous right now; I would be, too, were I the one getting married today.”

Curse the man. Chenle couldn’t help but smile.

Then it was the moment everyone had been anticipating: as the Norwichian anthem came to a whole-noted close, a circle of guards surrounding the chapel stepped forward from their placement along the surrounding walls in unison, saluting as the King and Queen entered, followed by the Duchess and a few other nobles Chenle never paid enough attention to remember the names of. They each took their seats, and then...then…

The most beautiful harmonic arrangement began to play, and everyone quieted straightaway, the room falling instantly silent as a gentle hush fell over the crowd. The familiar melodic tune of Here Comes The Bride circled round and round the room, and within seconds all eyes were on what had to be...what surely was...he just…

He wasn’t a poet, as was mentioned before. There were simply no words yet in existence to describe how...how…

You were perfect. That’s the best way he could think to paint it; and speaking of paint, he wanted to capture this moment so badly on canvas and…

No. In reality, he wanted you all to himself. He didn’t want anyone to see you looking so beautiful, for fear that they may steal you away from him as the palace did years ago, and as Jaemin almost had (or would have) that very day.

You approached the aisle at a slow, leisurely pace, crisp and clean and glowing with pristine perfection as two more flower girls hurried before you, and an ensemble of maids held up the trail of your dress and veil whilst shadowing at your heels.

Chenle desperately wanted to knock them all over and scurry out of there with you in his arms. If only he were strong and brave enough to do a thing like that…

The urge to cough was getting worse. He tried clearing his throat beneath the guise of the fluttering chorus, but that only seemed to make the need more prominent.

As you finally made your way up the altar steps, it was then that he simply couldn’t take it anymore. Something in him went black, shutting down, and he…

He collapsed.

✦

A series of gasps and astonished cries reverberated off the chapel walls and stained glass windows as the boy you hardly recognized hit the ground with a pain-filled grunt.

Acting quickly Prince Jaemin nearly threw himself down to help your dearest friend, pushing guards and other palace help out of the way when they tried to draw near. You yourself tossed the bouquet of wildflowers the Queen had insisted you carry (the national flower of Norwich) over your shoulder, a few stuck-up and self-centered bridesmaids scrambling to catch it and squealing excitedly about which of the other princes were available to marry.

Jisung had shut them up pretty fast with a rude remark, but you were too focused on the topic at hand to hear exactly what it was.

“Chenle!” you cried, lifting the limp boy in your arms. “Oh, Chenle...please say something…!”

This was it. You were afraid something like this might happen one day. But you’d never thought it would be so soon...Chenle’s illness was no surprise to you; you’d known about it for quite some time. In fact, it was you that had secretly been funding a portion of his monthly checkups with a palace cleric, a silent agreement you’d made with his grateful mother.

And now it was really happening. He was dying right here in your arms. You hated that your brain immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion, but...what else could it be? He’d never had a fit this bad before...not that you knew of, at least.

Chenle simpered up at you weakly as a tear crossed the distance from your cheek to his, reaching up an unsteady hand to caress away the tears. Your face shouldn’t be sullied with worry over his sake. “D...Don’t cry…” His chest heaved violently, feeble frame shivering between each ragged cough. “...I’ll be...okay...I…” He took a deep, deep breath. You held onto yours.

And then it was said. The words you never thought you would ever hear, never thought you wanted to hear, never thought you would be the one to say:

“I love you, Chenle. I love you so much...”

Tears were pouring down your face now, his shivers contaminating your body as you shook along with him, exposing your heart and soul over the dying young artist.

“Please don’t leave. Stay with me...wherever you go, I’ll go, and wherever you stay, I too will stay...I don’t care if you’re sick, or that you come from a broken family, or that you’re poor, or dirty, or weak. You’ve always hated that about yourself, but none of that matters to me...you’re just Chenle to me. Just Chenle...I’ll...I’ll be your sword and shield, your strength and shelter. I’ll follow you to the ends of this very Earth, and I...I love you, Chenle...it would be my honor to take care of you, for the rest of our days. Just don’t leave me…!”

Your eyes were squeezed shut at this point, trying to stop the flood of facepaint from raining off the thundercloud of emotion that was currently your face, and when Chenle’s hand fell limp in yours you gasped, throwing your eyes open…

And seeing that he was sitting up. Calming down. Gathering himself.

He...wasn’t dying…?

Jaemin heaved a heavy-laden sigh relief as he pulled out a needle from the boy’s opposite arm. “Thank the good Lord you brought an emergency antidote with you...nice one, Jisung.”

Another blonde-haired boy sighed. “Well, you know, really Renjun forced it on me, but...y’know.” He shrugged.

Profoundly, you turned your attention back to Chenle. He was looking at you with stars in his eyes.

Suddenly everything you had just revealed deep down in the recesses of your heart came swinging back to whop you in the face, and you just knew you must have resembled the reddest tomato out back in the royal vegetable garden. You attempted to once more hide your blushing face--

Of course, Chenle had other ideas in mind. Of course, he had cupped your messy tear-stained face, placing a...kiss…?!

You melted into it, and so did he, the colors and clarity and butterflies all swirling together. For now you were receiving a reality neither of you had ever thought to be possible, and now, finally, he was able to mix his palette with yours. And it wasn’t a mess as he feared; it was a beautiful masterpiece.

Jaemin was the first one to applaud, and soon, hesitantly at first, the rest of the chapel began to follow.

“I’d say you may now kiss the bride, but uh...it appears to be a little too late for that,” he jested. His brother frowned, rolling his eyes with another blow of gum.

“Ya think?”

“...”

He smirked, popping the bubble in his face and everyone gasping with laughter as it exploded there.

“Shut up.”

✦

“Hey, wife?”

“Yes, Chenle?”

He frowned, his face sagging at the ends. “You’re supposed to say, husband.”

“Oh,” you laughed, moving on to the next exhibit as the two of you walked around the new art studio, hand in hand, taking in each and every piece of the artist’s work on display. “Sorry, sorry. Ahem…” You started again. “Yes, husband?”

Chenle hummed happily, his whole face beaming with pure joy and delight. He seemed to be spacing out, tossing his head from side to side as if doing a little jig in his mind.

“...Chenle. Chenle? Helloooo…?” You waved your hand in front of his face, and he winced, snapping back to you quickly with the goofiest grin you’d ever seen.

He really was so cute. “Yes, (Y/n)? I mean, wife?”

You shook your head. “What is it you wanted to tell me?”

“Tell you…? Oh, yeah!” He continued to stare at you a bit too intently. “Have I told you I love you today? Because I do. And I just want to make sure that you know how much I--”

You let out a sound that was a cross between a groan and more laughter, wrapping an arm around his as the two of you continued to stroll around the winding halls. “Yes, Chen--”

He gave you a deadpan.

“...I mean, husband. Husband.” you assured him. “Yes, you have. This would be the twenty-eighth time now.”

He gave a smug and satisfied smirk that was all too cute on his yet again paint-stained face. The moment the medicine from Norwich had come in, Chenle’s health had rapidly improved, and he was able to paint in a way you’d never witnessed him do before: peacefully. Happily. Content. It was a marvelous sight to behold.

Despite the lack of another knot tied uniting the lands of Norwich and Adderdale, negotiations and trade among the two lands had been carrying on better than ever; swimmingly, in fact. You and Chenle were set to visit Norwich Palace for a business meeting and tea within the coming weeks. They all couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome of things; according to a recent letter from Jaemin, who was now a good friend of yours, their brother’s had wished you and Chenle the best of luck and sent you their love and blessings in the new relationship. Apparently their brother Hyuck had even cried a little...but in his defense, the prince wrote, the boy was rather drunk.

The two of you came to stop before Chenle’s latest masterpiece: Emin No. 59. A portrait of the girl who looked like you in a wedding gown suspiciously similar to yours, standing with dignity and grace atop the chapel altar, surrounded by birds and squirrels and other wildlife, the sun shading colors of the rainbow upon her skin...he may as well have titled the piece Snow White.

“Say, Chenle...ah, husband...” You pursed your lips profusely in an overzealous pout. “You never told me: why do you call her that? Why Emin?”

“......” Chenle was quiet all of ten seconds as he formed his response. He smiled tenfold, putting all previous glee to shame, the light from the coming sunset casting small spotlights through cracks in the palace curtains that highlighted all your best features; which would have been all of you, to him at least. “Because…” he replied, taking your hands into his and kissing your knuckles softly. Something he’d be doing everyday, every waking moment he saw you, for the rest of his life. “You’re Emin. My Emin...and you’re all mine.” ღ

#thekpopnetwork #nctwriters #nct dream #nct dream imagines #chenle #zhong chenle #zhong chenle imagines #chenle yandere #nct dream yandere #nct dream reactions #nct dream scenarios #nct dream smut #jaemin #na jaemin #jisung #park jisung #yandere nct dream #nct dream fantasy au #requested

148 notes · View notes

khoicesbyk · 4 years ago

Text

My Two First Loves.

First Time Love. Part 2.

A/N: I’ve read a multitude of books. And this one is becoming one that I thoroughly enjoy. So; Talley Ho! *in my Sherlock Holmes voice*

Rated: Mature. Contains suggestive content brief violence and strong language. You know? The usual from me. 😁 | Bolded and/or italicized words are conversations and thoughts of the characters. | Characters: Isaiah Harris (LI) and Kailah Price (MC) | All Characters: names (except MC) are property of Pixelberry. And all characters are 18+ | A/N 2: This is a story about sexual discovery. Reader discretion is STRONGLY advised. | A/N 3: Song and Story Inspiration: Craig David-7 Days and Personal | Snoh Aalegra-I Want You Around | Tiana Major9 feat EARTHGANG-Collide | Cookiee Kawaii-Vibe (If I Back It Up) | Lonr feat H.E.R.- Make The Most | H.E.R.-Say It Again | Boyz II Men-Uhh Ahh and In The Still Of The Night | Phonte And Eric Roberson-It’s So Easy | Eric Roberson-Morning After, Softest Lips, Picture Perfect, Dealing and Mark On Me | Alicia Keys-Butterflyz (The Drumline Mix) | Ace Hood feat Chris Brown-Body 2 Body | Bobby Valentino-Lights Down Low | Current Word Count: 3,850 words

Part 2 picks up where Part 1 left off.

After leaving her best friends house party; Kailah found herself speeding through the nearly empty streets with Isaiah. They were on their way to his house. She was both excited and scared; at the prospect of actually being alone with him. A million different things, ways and situations ran through her mind; as to how the rest of the night could go between them.

Before they got to his place, Isaiah pulled into the parking lot of a 24 hour CVS Pharmacy.

“I’m gonna run in here right quick. You want anything?”, he asked her. “Yeah. Gummy worms and a soda.”, she replied. “Well that’s a pretty vague answer.”, he told her. “How is that answer vague? You asked me what I wanted; and I told you.”, she said. “You said gummy worms and a soda. What kind of soda? Orange? Grape? Root beer? Coke? Pepsi? Sprite even? I mean there are at least 50 different soda varieties! And we haven’t even gotten the diet versions.”, he says to her. “Well in that case: Pepsi. Wild Cherry Pepsi to be exact.”, she answered. “Finally! Be right back.”, he said before disappearing inside. While he was inside, Kailah took a moment to gather her nerves. She knew she wasn’t in any imminent trouble or danger for that matter; and even if she was she knew Isaiah would keep her safe.

Before long; he re-emerged with a plastic CVS bag in his hand. “Guard this with your life.”, he said to her in a mock ominous tone. She giggled and said, “sir! Yes sir! I shall guard this with my life! By the way, we near your place?” “Yup. ‘Round the corner. Why? What are you planning?”, he asked. “Ohhhh I’m drawing a treasure map and I need a spot to mark with an X.”, she replied. “Fair enough. Well get ready to mark X on your map. We’ll be there in a sec.”, he told her; before starting the engine.

Soon; they were pulling into the driveway of a quiet yet quaint little house. He dug his keys out of his pocket as he led her to a side door. “Secret entrance. VIP’s only.”, he whispered. “I feel so lucky! I finally made it to the VIP door!”, she teased. “Don’t make me take you home!”, he told her. “Not to point out the obvious but you did.”, she said with a wink and a smirk. “You’ve clearly been around me too long.”, he said to her as he unlocked the door.

As they stepped in house; a voice called out, “Izzy! Baby that you?” He flinched at the name but replied, “Yeah ma! It’s me.” An older black woman came around the corner. “Ohhh! I didn’t know you had company with you.”, she said. “Yeah I do. Ma this is Kailah. Kailah this is my mom Verna.”, he said as he introduced the two to each other. “Ohhhhhhhh this is the little girl you haven’t been able to shut up about? Well I’ll say one thing; you were right Izzy, she’s definitely cute.”, she says to her now very embarrassed son.

“Ma!”, he groaned.

“Pleasure to meet you Ms. Harris”, she said to his mom. “Pleasures all mine sweetie. And please call me Ms. Verna. Only people allowed to call me Ms. Harris are his teachers.”, his mom replied.

“So what are you up now, son? I thought you were going to that party you told me about.”, she said to him. “I was but it got boring; so I asked her to come back here with me.”, he told his mom. “Say no more baby. Well y’all have fun and for the love of God Izzy; lay off the damn drums this late at night!”, she told them. “Ugh! Just kill my creativity, why don’t you?”, he replied. “I’m gonna kill more than your damn ‘creativity’; if I get one more complaint about the noise!”, she warned him.

“Yes ma’am! No drums this time I promise!”, he told her. “Alright! Well I’m headed to bed. I only stayed up; because I wanted to make sure you got home safely. It was nice to meet sweetie.”, she said with a small smile. “You too Ms. Verna.”, Kailah replies. “I’ll see you in the morning, son”, she said before kissing him on his cheek. “Night ma!”, he told her. “Night baby!”, she called out.

When he turned to Kailah; she had a teasing smirk on her face. “What?”, he asked her. “Izzy, huh?”, she replied with a wink.

He rolled his eyes and said, “it’s a family nickname! And if I ever hear you say it outside these walls; I will never talk to you again!” She threw her hands up in mock surrender and said, “I promise you that; I will go to my grave with this. No one will what your family nickname is.”

“Thank you! That’s all I ask.”, he said as he switched on a light switch. “I stay in the basement to give ma less of a headache so: Ladies first!”, he said to her before they both made their way down the steps to the basement.

“¡Bienvenidos a mi casa!”, he told her when they got to the bottom of the stairs. “Niiiiice!”, she said as she looked around. “Thank you! I did it all myself!”, he replied. “You really did all of this?”, she asked.

”Yup! Everything from the walls, to the floors, the paint and even the bathroom. All done by me. Been at it; since I got out of juvie back in January. The only thing I gotta do now is behind that door right there.”, he said as he pointed to a door with caution tape on it. “That was an old storage room but; when I get through with it, it’ll be my studio. That way; Ma won’t kill me for playing my drums.”, he explained.

To say she was impressed was an understatement. The basement was completely remodeled and looked better than her place. “I never knew you were so handy! You’ve done an amazing job so far.”, she said to him. “‘Preciate it. The only other people who’ve been just as impressed are my sister and Ma. My brother doesn’t come down here; so he hasn’t seen what I’ve done.”, he told her.

After setting the CVS bag down on the kitchenette counter; she noticed the drum set and a guitar in a corner. “So, not only are you clearly handy but; you play the drums and guitar too?”, she asked. The more she learned about him; the harder she fell for him. “Yeah I play. I also write music. And don’t tell anybody this but I sing too. Music is like football to me. It helps me channel my energy.”, he told her.

“The more I learn about you; the more impressed I am.”, she said to him. “Don’t let golden boy hear you say that. He won’t like having competition when it comes to you.”, he said with a smirk. “Jay isn’t the jealous type.”, she told him. “Oh no? Then why does he glare daggers whenever he sees me around you?”, he asked her. “Because he’s overprotective, that’s why.”, she said to him. “Uh huh. You keep telling yourself that.”, he said to her.

Deep down she knew he was right; Jaylen was extremely jealous of all the time she spent with Isaiah. But what was she to do? She wasn’t going to break up his relationship with Brandi. Even though; she desperately wanted to. She couldn’t bring herself to ruin a friendship she’s had for years.

Isaiah noticed the look on her face as he sat down on his oversized bean bag chair. With his Arizona Fruit Punch in his hand; he said to her, “look I’m not trying to make you feel like you bad.”

“It’s not you Isaiah. It’s…everything else.”, she told him. “Come sit with me.”, he told her. She walked over to him and to her surprise; he pulled her into his lap.

She felt content as they sat like that. The world didn’t matter whenever she was with him. She felt safe. She didn’t feel like she had to hide or pretend to be something that she’s not. And in truth; he felt the same way about her. He broke the companionable silence when he asked, “it’s too quiet in here. How about a little music to set the mood?” He playfully wagged his eyebrows at her; which caused her to roll her eyes good-naturedly. “Ugh! You’re so cheesy!”, she told him. “Which one? Breadsticks or pizza?”, he asked her; causing her to chuckle while shaking her head. “Let me just…”, he trailed off as he reached behind him and switched on his wireless speaker.

Soon; the whole space was filled with ‘Tiana Major9 feat EARTHGANG-Collide’. She laid her head on his shoulder. He soothed her. His strong arms cradled her. With her right hand on his chest; she could feel the beat of his heart with every rise and fall.

“You look like a girl with something on her mind.”, he told her. “It’s nothing, trust me.”, she replied. He tilted her chin up so that she was looking at him and said, “I’ve never seen someone so quiet about nothing. It’s about golden boy, isn’t it?” She sighed and nodded her head yes.

“Like I said earlier; I didn’t bring you here to make you feel guilty or bad. So if you want me to take you home—“, was all he said before she cut him off, “no. God no. I want this. Hell, I need this. I need you. I want you. It’s just…”, she trails off. Not sure what to say or how to say it. “You love him? Is that what you’re trying to say?”, he asked her. She nodded her head yes; before burying her face in the crook of his neck. The guilt hit her like a dagger to the heart.

“Look at me Kai.”, he said as he brought her face up to look at him. “I’m not mad at you. I’ve always known there was something between you two. I see it every time you look at him. I guess I just wish that…you’d look at me the same way you look at him.”, he told her before taking a shaky breath.

“I do Isaiah I swear I do. The way I feel about him is the exact same way I feel about you. When you look at me; I feel like the only girl in the world. When I’m around you; I don’t feel like the world is closing in on me. I’ve known Jay my whole life basically. So; falling for him was easy to do. And I thought that was it. Until the day I met you. That’s the day everything I thought I knew went out the window. I thought you and I would just be friends at first; but now we’re so much more than I ever expected…”, she trailed off biting her bottom lip.

She was a mix of emotions; many of which she wasn’t even sure what they were. All she knew is that she wasn’t trying to hurt Isaiah.

He cradled her closer and kissed her forehead. “Thank you for telling me, babe. Again; I’m not mad at you. I know that it’s complicated. I’m just happy that you at least feel something for me.”, he told her.

With his left hand resting on the outside of her right thigh; he started absentmindedly rubbing his fingers in a circle. It caused her to let out a soft moan against his neck. He took notice and went from absentmindedly rubbing her thigh with his his fingers; to pointedly rubbing it. He wanted to gauge her reaction.

When he heard her moan again; he twined his right hand into her hair and brought her mouth to his. He wanted to devour her mouth. He let his tongue play with hers. He soon broke their kiss in favor of kissing down her neck.

“Yesssssssssss…”, she moaned. It felt good to feel his mouth on her skin. That’s when he stood up with her in his arms and carried her to his bed. When he laid her down on the mattress; the kissing between them picked up steam. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other.

He stopped long enough to look in her eyes and say, “Kai…look at me…tell me what you want.” After taking a deep breath; she said to him, “I want you…I’m just…I…”, she trailed off. It didn’t take him long to figure out what she was trying to say. With a low chuckle he asks, “are you trying to tell me that you’re a virgin?” Biting her lip; she nodded her head yes. He kisses her forehead sweetly and says, “I’ll be gentle babe, I promise.”

She smiled softly then kissed him again. Soon; they were pulling and tugging each other’s clothes off. A wolfish grin crossed his face as let his eyes roam her naked body. “Ohhh I’m gonna enjoy this!”, he said to her. Her eyes widened as she took in all of him. “Yeah! What you said!”, she replied. Once again; his tongue explored her mouth and vice versa.

He started kissing down her jawline to her neck. From her neck; he explored her breasts. She had never had a guy explore her body that way; but she felt like she could get used to it.

The sensation of his warm mouth tasting and teasing both of her breasts and nipples; sent electric tingles running through her. She let out a broken moan that to him; was like the music playing in the background.

“Do you like that, babe?”, he asked. “Yes. I do like it.”, she replied with desire in her voice. He continued his pleasing of her breasts; eliciting different sounds from her. “So, my good girl has a weak spot, eh? Good. Let’s see if I can find another one.”, he said before continuing to kiss his way down her body.

His mouth was like magic. It ignited a fire within her. He placed featherlight kisses on her rib cage and across her stomach. All while letting his fingers play with her nipples. “Yesssssssssss…more!”, she begged. It felt good. God it felt so good. “Well! Well! Well! What do we have here? Is my good girl begging me for more, eh? Well let me not keep you waiting.”, he told her as he got to her thighs.

She swallowed hard as he coaxed her legs apart. She was both scared and turned on by the vision she had before her. He was poised to eat for days. With a devilish grin and a wink; he dove head first into her precious lady bits.

“Heeeeeeellllllllllooooooooo!”, she shrieked as he went to work on her love nest. Every last nerve ending in her body came alive. The heat in her body rose 30 degrees. Her body trembled as he continued his assault.

She needed a break before she passed out. But when she tried to pull away; he had other plans. “Nahh! Don’t you move!”, he growled as he pulled her back towards his mouth. Eventually she gave into the sensation of him eating her out; and what a sensation it was. Every moan, shriek, gasp and shout did nothing but fuel him. His sucking, licking, teasing, torturing of her sensitive clit and fingering of entrance; sent her over an cliff she didn’t even know she was near. Until she heard him say, “Cum for me baby girl. Let me taste you.”, he told her as he sucked on her clit.

“Ohhhhhhhh God! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yesssssssssss!”, she screamed as her body convulsed, stars burst in her eyes and she flooded his mouth. She laid back on his bed trying to catch her breath. She could hear him chuckle as she did.

“Congratulations babe. You just had your first orgasm.” He told her as he kissed and nibbled his way back up her body. “God you taste like cotton candy! Maybe I should call you that from now on.” She greedily devoured his lips. Tasting herself on his lips was intoxicating. Isaiah had managed to turn her out.

“Are you ready, babe?”, he asked as he looked in her eyes. “Yes. I’m ready.”, she replies. She watched him pull a small box out of his jacket pocket. “Are those what I think they are?”, she asked. “Why do you think I went to CVS? I’ve been wanting to fuck you since homecoming.”, he answered. She smirked while shaking her head. “Judging by that look on that beautiful face of yours; it’s been on your mind as well.”, he said with a wink.

After putting the condom on; he climbed on top of her and lined himself up with her entrance. He whispered to her, “take a deep breath, babe.” She did what he asked her to do.

That’s when he spread her lower lips apart and slid inside her. Doing so, stretched her out. It didn’t hurt. It just felt new and different to her. A small moan left her lips as Isaiah slowly started moving against her. “Goddamn you’re so fucking hot and tight!”, he told her. It felt good to them both; up until a point it started to burn. It caused her to squirm and bury her head into his shoulder; because of the sensation.

He stopped long enough to calm her down. “I know. I know. It’s alright babe. You gotta relax. The more you relax; the more we’ll both enjoy it.”, he told her as he peppered her forehead with soft kisses.

After taking a few very deep breaths and getting used to the feeling of him inside her; she captured his bottom lip between her teeth. “Dangerous!”, he told her with cheeky smile. “Shall we continue?”, she asked him. “If you insist!”, he told her. Soon; the room was filled with the sounds of their bodies coming together.

Every single sound she made not only energized him but; they sent chills down his spine. “Don’t stop! Please don’t stop!”, she begged. His stroke was driving her crazy. “Yeah that’s it baby! Take it! Take this dick! You feel so good! So damn good!”, he said through clenched teeth. He couldn’t think straight. All he could think of was good this was to him.

When he intensified his stroke; it sent her into a tailspin. She wanted him. She needed him. And she was getting him. She felt everything. She felt whenever he pulled out, when he surged back in, when her muscles clenched around him and especially the way he throbbed inside her. It was amazing. It was new. It was intoxicating. And when he hit her G-Spot; she lost it.

“Ohhhhhhhh myyyyyyyyy God! Yesssssssssss! Yes! Yes! Yes! Right there! Right fucking there!”, she screamed. “Is that it? Is that what you want, baby? Just like that?”, he asked her in between strokes. “God yesssssssssss! I want that! God! It feels so good. You feel so good!”, she managed to say as she dug her nails into his back. Her head was spinning from the pleasure. “If you think that feels…good. I got something that will feel…God…even better!”, he managed to strain out.

Before she could say anything; he pulled out and flipped her over so that she was on all fours. “I am about to end you!”, He growled in her ear. His words sent heat running throughout her entire body.

Once he was in position, he closed his eyes, grabbed her hips and plunged into her. ”Shit! That’s it! Fuck yes! Ohhhhhhhh fuck me!”, he shouted. She was in another world. He was constantly and relentlessly hitting her spot. “Fuck yes! Oh my God! That’s it! Just like that! Isaiah! Don’t stop! Don’t fucking stop!”, she screamed. “That’s it babe! Tell me what you want! Tell me how you like it!”, he shouted. The pleasure was rich and amazing to them both. “God you’re so fucking wet! Give it to me baby girl! Give it all to me!”, he growled in her ear.

With sweat rolling down his back; he was getting close. “Shit! I’m so close! And it’s all yours baby! Take…it…babe!”, he shouted in a strained voice. And when he hit her G-spot one last time; that was it for her. “Fuck yesssssssssss!! That’s it! Right there! Right! Fucking! There!”, she screamed as the heat in her body and her orgasm drowned her in emotions; taking her out. He joined her not too long after. “Jesus Fucking Christ! That’s it baby! I’m there baby girl! It’s…all…yours! I…fuuucccckkkkk yesssssssssss!”, he shouted as he gripped her hips and unloaded into the condom.

When he pulled out; they were both tired and satisfied. He wrapped his arms around her; and snuggled close to her. Resting his chin on her right shoulder; he said to her, “Sorry if I was a little rough with you. It was just too good. You were too good.” She turned over in his arms and smiled. “I’ll be fine…Izzy.” He groaned before he kisses her sweetly. After laying together for several minutes; he asked, “I’m hungry. You want something to eat?” “I got gummy worms remember?”, she told him. “You need more than sugar in your system. So, pizza rolls or Hot Pockets?”, he asked. “Both!”, she answered. “Just steal my heart why don’t you!”, he said before getting up to get them some food.

Later; he took her home. After walking her to the door; he pulled her close for one last kiss. It sent tingles throughout her body. When the kiss ended she was warm all over. “I’ll see you Monday?”, he asked her. She nodded her head yes as a response. “Good. I’ll text you later.”, he said before kissing her on her forehead. She watched him speed off and went inside and straight to bed.

It was bright and early Monday morning; and Kailah was in home room with her mind a million miles away. She was still thinking about him and the night they shared together. She could still feel his lips on her skin.

That’s when he came strolling into class just as the late bell rang. “Good morning everybody! What another glorious Monday morning!”, he exclaimed. “Well; good morning to you too, Mr. Harris! Nice of you to join us…on time.”, Mr. Morton; the home room teacher said to him. “Weeelllll hello Mr. Horton!…er I mean Morton. Hello Mr. Morton.”, he said to him. “Well! You’re in a good mood, Mr. Harris.”, he said to him. “Of course! I had a good weekend, Mr. Morton.”, he replied. “Ohhh! I take it you did something productive this weekend?”, Mr. Morton said to him. With his trademark smirk; he replied, “I’ll say.”

As he took his seat; he noticed her outfit and texted her.

Isaiah: nice outfit 😍 how long before I get to take it off? 😋😏

All she could was smile.

This is the longest fanfic I’ve ever written. It was worth it. I hope you like it.

😘

Tag list: @txemrn @chetachisblog @choicesficwriterscreations @lucy-268

#choices #pixelberry #choices fanfiction #choices stories you play #khoicesbyk #fanfic #pb mftl #mftl #choices mftl

3 notes · View notes

welllpthisishappening · 6 years ago

Text

[Always] A Boast or Brag

Alright, it’s Fourth of July. Hockey players are consistently absurd in the offseason. And @stealing-vengence sent me an ask earlier today suggesting that something from this post of the aforementioned hockey players being absurd would help inspire some words. So, uh, I spent 30 minutes typing before getting absolutely wrecked at mini-golf and here we are.

Set the summer after Matt is born, so this is actually July 4, 2019 here. It’s like, only, two thousand words! A drabble!

I hope you guys all have/had/will continue to have a good Fourth, but also, like, America is kind of a disaster, so if you’ve got a few extra bucks maybe send ‘em here so you can help other people. Let’s be good people.

------

It really was a dumb idea.

A stupid idea.

An idiotic idea.

A vaguely patriotic idea

Emma wasn’t even sure if that last one made sense, but Mrs. Vankald had outdone herself and they were in Colorado and it was probably…something about the sun. Or the holiday. Or how stupid it was that Emma was still so incredibly, possibly irrationally, attracted to her own husband.

Particularly when he kept splashing in a pool with their son.

That was just unfair.

So, really, she could not be held accountable for whatever happened next.

Because what happened next might have been the dumbest thing she’d ever done.

“I’m telling you, the logistics of it are possible,” Liam said, and Emma knew it wasn’t the first time he’d used those words in that exact order, but she’d admittedly only kind of been paying attention.

Will shook his head slowly, slumped against the stairs at the other end. “Have you lost your mind?”

“You don’t think so?”

“I think you’re drunk and you’re insane.”

“No, no, no—“

“—That’s totally what it is,” Robin interrupted. He hadn’t gotten in the pool once, more than content to spend most of the afternoon on a chair next to Regina while both of their kids did their best to get as much water on the deck as possible.

Mrs. Vankald must have bulk-ordered American flag bathing suits.

“Do you have any idea what he’s talking about?” Emma murmured, bumping her arm against Elsa’s. She couldn’t actually see her roll her eyes, what with the sunglasses and the absolute refusal to change into flag-branded despite the uproar of the peanut gallery and their announcements that she should have been the most patriotic of all, but Emma could feel it. She knew it.

The muscles in her face were starting to ache from all the smiling.

“Scarlet is right, it’s definitely an alcohol thing,” she muttered, drawing an indignant sound out of Liam and a laugh out of Killian. It made Matt splash even more. “But, yes, I do.”

“And you want to share with the class, or…”

“Leader thinks we should be playing chicken,” Will explained. “But like—“

“—Ultimate chicken,” Liam amended, and Emma’s eyes couldn’t flicker to Killian’s quickly enough. He was wearing flag-branded sunglasses. That was also kind of distracting.

It was the mostly the kid thing, though.

“And what,” Emma started, “is ultimate chicken, exactly?”

Liam actually stood up a bit straighter. It wasn’t all that easy, one of the twins hanging off his side while the other appeared especially insulted that Roland could get more splash on his cannonball, but he certainly made an effort and Emma had to bite her lip to stop from laughing.

It was an idiotic idea.

“Ultimate chicken,” Liam said, “is, as its name implies, the ultimate form of physical—“

“—Oh my God, say combat,” Regina muttered, not taking her eyes off the magazine in her hand.

Liam’s shoulders slumped. “It’s not combat, Your Highness. It’s…well, it’s chicken. Like pool chicken, you know?”

“He’s only doing this because it’s the one thing we didn’t have when we were kids,” Anna laughed. She dropped on Emma’s other side, Lizzie clinging to the straps of her bathing suit top and her eye roll was really more a full body roll.

“No pool,” Elsa added.

Emma nodded, a soft ahh and another glance Killian’s direction. He grinned. “He’s a giant whiner is really what’s going on,” Killian said, hauling Matt in his arms and the splashes were even larger when they were more like kicks.

Her heart felt like it was going to explode.

Like a firework.

So, at least she was on brand.

“Do not act like you guys were not disappointed about the pool thing,” Liam shouted, but that only led to more laughter and Emma was a little worried Will was going to drown. He kept sliding further down the steps.

“No one was disappointed about a pool. Water was supposed to be frozen, not swum in. Swam in? What’s the right tense there?”

“Didn’t go to college,” Regina muttered.

Killian stuck his tongue out at her. And then immediately started blowing raspberries on Matt’s stomach.

“You realize that I’m still waiting on an explanation for ultimate chicken,” Emma pointed out, and Will was absolutely going to drown.

Liam slung Charlie over his back, leveling Emma with a very specific type of stare that she was starting to believe was, in fact, genetic. She didn’t blink. “You’re familiar with chicken?”

“Didn’t grow up with a pool either.”

“Ok, don’t be difficult.” She splashed him, reveling a bit in the way he sputtered against the water. Killian was openly smirking at her now. “Jeez,” Liam grumbled. “See if I ask you to be on my team.”

“Was he always this bad at getting to the point?” Robin asked. “Why did we ever let him be in charge of anything?”

“It’s three-person chicken! God,” Liam groaned, not able tot how his head back like Emma knew he wanted to. That was probably also genetic. “So it’s two people on top, instead of one and then we—“

“—Do combat,” Regina finished.

“I hate all of you.”

“God bless, us everyone,” Anna said, Killian shaking his head.

“Wrong holiday.”

“Your sunglasses are stupid.”

“Don’t tell your mom that.”

“She’s watching 1776.”

“Of course she is.”

“Is no one going to agree to ultimate chicken?” Liam asked, but every word was a bit more petulant than the last and Elsa wasn’t even trying to mask her laugh. Will had started floating at some point.

“You’re going to kill all of us, if we do that,” Robin said.

“Where is your adventurous spirit?”

“Stuck in my rookie season.”

“He’s old, you see,” Killian drawled. Robin threw a towel at him. “Hey, c’mon, I’m not throwing things at your kids!”

“Yeah, my kids are throwing themselves, so that threat doesn’t hold any—“

“—Water,” Elsa and Anna shouted at the same time, identical laughs and wide smiles and Emma was fairly certain the warm flutter of feeling under her skin didn’t have anything to do with the sun.

Killian glanced at her again.

She shrugged.

She’d never played chicken before.

And it was the dumbest, stupidest idea in the history of the world.

“Liam, you’re going to have to be some kind of super strong base,” Emma said, pulling her legs out of the water so she could get back in the water. It was a very round-about way of doing things, but then, she supposed, ultimate chicken was also kind of strange and Liam looked a little overjoyed. “Because I’m not sitting on anyone’s shoulders except Killian’s.”

“Tough break,” Killian quipped, a smile practically dripping with sarcasm now.

“Are you guys kidding me?”

Emma shook her head. “I don’t think we’re going to be able to stand up, if I’m being honest, but you deserve to live your dream, Liam Jones, so…”

“You’re making fun.”

“Yes. Obviously.”

Elsa snickered, sliding into the pool as well. “Which is what you deserve, babe,” she said, a quick kiss to his cheek. “Scarlet, are we doing this, then?”

“Yeah, of course we are.”

Liam gaped at them. “You guys are kidding.”

“This is what you wanted, Liam,” Killian reasoned. “You two need a third, though. Otherwise we’re killing ourselves for nothing.”

“If any of you die, I’m going to be very frustrated,” Regina said.

“Noted. I’m serious, El, find another third person or—“

“—Obviously I’m going to do it,” Anna announced, sounding more than a little annoyed that they hadn’t realized. “I’ve just got to…” She glanced around, like one of the Vankalds would appear suddenly to take over child-watching duties and this entire family was a joke and a fairy tale and goddamn wonderful because Mrs. Vankald did, in fact, appear, phone in one hand and “Sit Down, John” humming in the air around her. Anna handed Lizzie over.

And got water everywhere when she jumped in the pool.

Liam groaned and Killian laughed and Matt sounded overjoyed, so many people and moving water and Regina finally put her magazine down to mutter give me that kid before retreating back to her chair almost immediately.

Which was, probably, for the best because the whole thing was as absurd as Emma thought it would be.

Liam had to crouch in the middle of the pool, just shallow enough that he wasn’t treading water, Killian clamoring onto his shoulders and there were more than a few god, skate more, you weigh six tons, exchanged before Emma felt like she could even attempt to get on.

That was a very strange sentence.

That was probably a metaphor for America.

“This is not going to work,” she muttered, but both Jones brothers shook their head. She was not surprised Killian was already determined to win. Over-competitive idiot.

“It is, Swan. Look, look, we’ve got logistics and—“

Liam let out a triumphant noise. “I knew you’d come around eventually, little brother.”

“My foot is very close to your face, you want to try that again?”

“Jeez,” Anna sighed. “It’s like time has not passed at all.”

Emma took a deep breath, trying not to think of all the ways this was going to completely blow up in her face. That was another fireworks joke. “Ok,” she said. “Liam, you’ve got to get lower, you are severely overestimating my climbing ability.” Killian snickered. “Oh, do not,” she warned, slinging a leg halfway up Killian’s arm.

“Something about a tree, right, love?”

“I will kick you.”

“You’re not that flexible.”

She nipped at the shell of his ear, making him laugh and wobble and Liam cursed loudly. “Alright, alright,” Emma chanted, a poor attempt to psych herself up. Her right leg had gotten over Killian’s shoulder, but her left foot was still on the ground, a shaky base and the out-of-practice thigh muscles of Liam Jones and—“I’m just gonna…”

The rest of the words got caught in her throat, any sense of the English language quickly mutating into a scream and a shout and something far closer to a shriek. The water was cold. And everywhere.

It shot into Emma’s mouth and up her nose, trying to breathe despite the distinct lack of oxygen and she flailed like she’d just been thrown over the side of a ship instead of falling off her husband’s shoulders while playing the world’s most ridiculous pool game.

She sputtered as soon as she crested back up, breathing heavily and…Killian smiled at her. Broadly. His hair was everywhere, strands stuck to his forehead and, somehow, below his right eyebrow, drops of water falling from his jaw line and the tip of his nose.

There was the start of a bruise on his arm.

“Did I do that?” Emma asked, reaching out and that might have been her biggest mistake, because it only made it easier for him to pull her flush against his chest. And kiss her. While he was still smiling.

She could briefly make out Anna’s grumbled idiots.

Killian nosed at her cheek, a nip to her lower lip and another kiss that threatened to make Emma’s knees wobble. More. They’d somehow, migrated to the deeper end of the pool.

“Liam’s got absolutely no control of his limbs,” Killian mumbled, and she didn’t remember moving her arms around his neck.

She wasn’t really treading water.

That was nice.

“Yeah, so, we’re not doing that,” Will announced. “I refuse to reach this level of Jones insanity.”

Emma hummed, letting her forehead rest against Killian’s. “That’s fair. You ok, though?”

“Better,” Killian promised. “Gina, give me back my kid.”

Regina didn’t need to be told twice, moving Matt back into Killian’s arms and those kicks weren’t quite as strong as Liam’s, but it was something else about genetics and happiness and, probably, the overall state of the summer. The pool was nice. And the sun was warm.

And 1776 was, it appeared, a very good way to get their kid to fall asleep, Emma curled against Killian’s side hours later with Matt’s eyes closed and John Adams singing in the background.

#cs ff #blue line one shots #seriously if you ever think wow i should send this to laura but i don't know if she'll actually write it #lemme tell you #i'll write it #hockey family feelings are my favorite kind of feelings #also i'm getting crazy close to a pretty major follower milestone and i think we may do another prompt a thon #so #also now i've got grand old flag stuck in my head

18 notes · View notes