#just a little while longer. some more waiting. just you. in the dark. | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

asherthehimbo · 2 days ago

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Lightning in the Dark

synopsis: Yunho as a son of Zeus has always sought to defy his father, and well falling for the daughter of Nyx? that certainly sounds like something that would piss off his father. Well too bad, for Zeus- his spawn is much more powerful than he anticipated, and he can't do anything about it.

pairing: Son of Zeus! Yunho x Daughter of Nyx!Oc (Kyu), Side couple of Lee Felix X Male! Oc (Kai)

words: 28k

warnings: some of the gods aren't good parents but tbh wbk, abusive ex, mentions of abuse, stereotyping? suggestive content, violence, blood, fights, death, talks of infirtility, stabbing, mentions/ implications of suicide and r@pe but it's very breath and only in the begining (fuck Zeus, we say in unison🗣️🗣️), mature language and suggestive themes but no actual smut, Yunho is down bad

notes: WAHHH I BEEN WAITING TO WRITEEE THISSSS, it's an idea I've had for so long and after me and @kaisworlds plotted sm for this I decided to write for it because its stuck in my brain I can't do this anymoreeeeeee, anyway Skz & Atz are both involved in this. Godly parents and connections are explained here, I suggest you read that before reading this if you don't know a lot about Greek gods. also this is labeled as Oc since there are some specifics like hair color but I tried to make it inclusive so feel free to imagine yourself! also playlist! also thank you Nana ( @seongsangssbitch ) and Rayray ( @grapejellysollie) for supporting me while writing this <333 NOT proofread so if you find any mistakes please lmk<3 Happy birthday to me! as Ody said in epuc "A trade you see a gift from you and a gift from me" for all the love and support you've given me I wanted to give you guys this as a present on my birthday!

Yunho's mother- his biological mother was a beautiful woman, delicate sun-kissed skin and a tiny stature, long hair that's always tied into a French braid in all the photos he's seen. His Dad had told him about her, of the woman he fell in love with, the woman who looked so much like Yunho, but Yunho doesn't think any of his visions of her could ever match to the kindness his Dad had described. He hadn't ever met her, or he supposes he had, but he was too young to remember her then, before her death. So all he's left with is the stories his Dad would tell him right before bed.

Stories of monsters and gods, stories of creatures far more powerful than they thought possible, he told Yunho of people Yunho would meet- Yunho would always disagree, stating that the stories were just that- stories, but his Dad would give him that warm smile, eyes glistening with knowledge that Yunho was yet to learn.

See Yunho's mother wasn't a normal woman, well not the two years before her death anyway, not anymore. She and Yunho's dad had lived a quiet life on a tiny farm, the two of them had been in a type of love Yunho could only describe as pure by the stories he was told. His mother was beautiful both inside and out- but her beauty had seemed to be her downfall, as one day, the day Yunho's dad didn't join his wife in the strawberry fields of their little farm, the most horrific thing had happened.

Zeus, king of the gods, slayer of Kronos, god of the sky and thunder had seen Yunho's mother, in his usual adulterous ways had swayed her into warming his bed, and well- that's how Yunho came to be. His mother had been enamored with the king of the gods, no longer content with the quiet life she lived with her husband, no now she strived to be something more at least that's what his dad told him she had believed while pregnant.

Yunho's mortal father, his dad, had loved her no matter her indiscretions, and sometimes Yunho thinks he's stupid for it. Loving the woman that had left him the moment a more powerful being came into play, that hadn't been the love Yunho was told stories about, not the love they had before. Loving someone when they tell you that you aren't enough for them anymore, it seemed wrong to Yunho.

But then his father had told him, after his birth the spell had been released, and his mother had broken down in a panic at the realization of what the last few months of her life had come to, his mother was not a willing participant in Zeus's escapades, and the god had seemingly placed her in a false sense of delusion when he placed his offspring in her belly, but now that Yunho had been born, that delusion had worn off and all that was left was the shell of a woman she previously was.

His mother had been named Eun-kyung for ‘graceful gem’, but after his birth, all that had been left was a lump of coal eating away at her darkened soul. Yunho couldn't imagine what she must have gone through, the shattering of the perfect delusion that had been so carefully placed in her mind by a power beyond her control. Yunho guessed that's why she decided to leave them, to join the Elysian fields, the guilt of betraying her love, the hatred for the god that ruined her - and the lack of love for her own son must have driven her- and Yunho couldn't blame her for that.

Jeong Eunwoo, his Dad, not Zeus, no that man would never be referred to as his dad for as long as Yunho lives, but his mortal dad had been his biggest support. His dad was a kind man, always had a warm smile and a helping hand to offer to anyone in need, and he had taught Yunho the same. Even after the death of his beloved wife, his love for Yunho never faltered, he never showed Yunho a hint of aggression or inkling of blame, but Yunho knows it must have hurt. He could see it on the nights when they would sit at the table and his father would stare at him with this far off gaze, he used to hate himself for it, he was the spitting image of his mother, but with the blond hair and golden brown eyes of the god who ruined her.

Yunho's woken up countless nights, little feet silently padding from his room to the kitchen where he would see his dad silently crying to a picture of his mother, he never interrupted, despite the love he was raised with, he knew it must've been hard for his father, living in the home they built together without her. He never blamed his father for these moments of sadness, for the moments of regret he could catch in his eyes before it disappeared, he never blamed his father because his father never blamed him. Never blamed Yunho for being the cause of his mothers death, and Yunho will forever be grateful for that.

Yunho was barely two years old when she first came to visit him, it was right after the death of his mother and despite his dad's efforts, the older man had been in his own period of mourning. She had visited him in the middle of the night, with an intimidating gaze and a light golden glow around her that fascinated the little brain of Yunho.

Hera, queen of the gods, wife of Zeus, goddess of marriage, women and childbirth had stared down at his sleeping figure with disgust. Another demi-god offspring caused by her husband's infidelity, another boy that would grow up as egotistical as his father, trying to overthrow her for not accepting him, it happened countless times before and she had told Zeus to stop. That if he didn't ensure his seed would stay off the earth, she would. She had done this many times, but when the little babe had opened its eyes something in her heart stuttered.

A heart she had thought she lost long ago, that had been chipped at by Zeus with each act of infidelity, each proclamation he made- a heart she thought had finally given up when he married her darling Hebe off to Heracles. But this little babe, he had the eyes of Zeus, not the Zeus he was now, not the parallel of who their father was- no, he had the eyes of a young Zeus. Of a little god determined to save his family, to love and cherish the earth, of a Zeus before power and paranoia reached him. Of Zeus when he had promised her the world, not the Zeus who had taken her title of goddess of marriage and dragged it through the mud. No, he was different, he was… pure so to speak.

He had the eyes all her and Zeus's children had before they were touched by their fathers vile hands, and when he reached up at her, smiling in the darkness, she couldn't help but smile back. In a moment of weakness, a moment of nostalgia the goddess had reached down and let the babe cradle one of her fingers in his tiny hand, and he was so… warm. Not cold like the sky during Zeus's storms, not scalding like the fire caused by her husband's lightning, no he was just- warm, comforting, like the arms of her sisters had been before the revolution.

She couldn't bring herself to kill him as she planned, not that night at least, no, she would allow him tonight and come for him tomorrow, the pure soul deserved that at least. Only when she appeared the next night, with the same plan- albeit some added hesitance, the babe was not alone in his room. Beside his crib sat a man, he was handsome, and for a moment Hera thought he might do the job for her. For had this babe not been caused by his own wife's indiscretions? She could not see his face, but she saw the strain of his back muscles, the clench of his hand on the wood of the cradle, and she had mistaken it for anger.

“You're here for him aren't you? for my boy?” he had whispered, surprising Hera, she had thought her glamor had made her invisible to mortals, “I apologize my Queen, but I can't let you take him. I can't let you kill my son” The man breathed, his hand that was tight around the wood loosening as he gently held the sleeping child's head. Hera would've cursed the man had he been any other by now, but she did not have the rage to do so tonight, rather she had sympathy, this man must not have known, she wonders what his wife had told him then, what lies the woman had spun.

“He is not yours mortal, you must be aware of that” she had replied, her voice as cold as the golden glow illuminating her in the dark nursery. “He is more mine than he is My Queen's husband's. I am the one raising him…. please, please My Queen, he is all I have left of her” the man breathed, and Hera could hear the tears in his strained voice. “Left of who? “ Hera asked without thought, “of my wife” the man had responded, finally turning to face Hera.

“Your wife left you and the babe?“ she asked incredulously, studying the man's sunken features, he looked truly horrible at the moment, like a ghost of a person. “She had not just left us my Queen… the moment his delusion in her mind had broken, and she had realized what was done to her, she had left our mortal plane completely I'm afraid” the man's head droops down, and it all clicks for the goddess.

He has not shouted at her yet, so he's clearly not as stupid as most mortal men she's come across, he loves this babe, he's raised this child with love despite his own mourning, and that's why the child's eyes are so pure. The child no longer has a mother he would use to try and replace her with in some deluded sense of proving himself to his father-to Zeus. No this child is just…. a child. There's a moment of silence before Hera speaks, “Very well then… I am not here to kill your child” she walks forward, placing a hand upon the man's shoulder as she looks down into the cot. “I am simply observing the current cause of my curiosity” the man does not respond to her words, probably for the best, she muses. Humans tend to say stupid things when overwhelmed with emotions.

For now she'll leave the babe, watch it grow, if it ever does turn into its father like it's many brothers and sisters before had tried- well then she'll still have enough power to kill it. But the stars twinkle and the night seems to shift, as if the ancient Titaness that personifies it had been told something by her three daughters that Hera isn't aware of. For now she'll trust fate, she'll trust the Fates, unlike her husband she can understand when a being more powerful than her is at play. When a fate that is not her own is to be woven.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

Hera had often come down to check on the little babe, her husband had been too busy with his own prospects to notice, she scoffs, of course he didn't care about the one babe she had allowed him to have. But she shouldn't complain.

Visits that started out as ‘insurance’ of her position as Queen of Olympus had turned into much more, she wouldn't admit it, not yet at least, but the babe had grown on her- and so had his father. She would often join the man in telling Yunho bedtime stories, and comfort him when he was missing his wife. These two had become her own secret little family, a present Hera would treasure and protect. Like an old friend and a son untouched by the unholy divinity of the gods, they had made her feel at peace.

But of course the mother of war could not live in peace for long. Ares, god of war and courage, the spirit of the battle personified in one hot headed god. Hera loved her son, despite all his antics, and he loved his mother in turn- so it was only a matter of time before he had started noticing his mothers absences. Sure she could blame it on the higher marriage rate, ensuring she had more work on earth- but Ares didn't believe that, if living in this family taught him anything, it was that gods would never share their truth-even when they had no reason to hide it. The paranoia of the divine was a fickle thing.

Ares was never known for his stealth, much preferring brutish force in the throes of his battles, but he had picked up a thing or two from Athena. So he had quietly followed his mother down to earth one evening, using the skills he acquired to remain undetected. The sun had started setting as he stared at his mother, the usually stoic goddess’s face now holding a small, pure smile he had only remembered seeing as a child. Before the fights with his father, before Hebe was given away, a smile he had longed to see back on her face.

Only this smile was not directed at him, not it was directed to the little boy running up to his mother with a smile that mirrored her own, the boy couldn't have been older than 6- if Ares's knowledge of human children were correct- the boy seemed to be around the age of Ares's own youngest currently. He stares as a man walks behind the boy slowly, greeting his mother with a soft upwards tilt of his lips. The scene seemed so… comfortable.

His mother lifted up the little boy, as if she was not a divine being and he was not just some - human. Thoughts run to the forefront of his mind, conclusions messily drawn as they always are in his brain. Had his mother had enough of his fathers infidelity? had she created a secret family of her own? but that couldn't be right? His mother was the goddess of marriage, as much as he wished she could, he knew going against her marriage with his father would be going against her very being. Nights he's spent begging her to leave Zeus, where she would just look down at him sympathetically, pat his head and leave it at that.

And now she had a family, a family he wasn't a part of- a family she didn't share with him. Hurt consumes him, but it quickly turns to rage as it always does, something in him snaps, whether it be jealousy of the toddler clinging to his mothers side, or his own insecurity of not understanding the situation, it bubbled up in his chest until it spilled out his throat, in one loud, guttural scream that silenced the whole field bathed in fading sunlight. “MOTHER-YOU- LET GO OF HIM MOTHER”

Ares had walked forward with force, he didn't charge- he would never charge at his mother, but the man beside her could be a great target to release his anger. The mortal at least had the mind to look scared, grabbing the child from Hera as she looked at Ares in shock, the child whom Ares could sense a faint aura of divinity from buried his face in his fathers neck as he looked away. “Mother what- are you alright? What has happened? What is this?” Ares' words are shot from his mouth faster than the twins shoot their arrows. His hands fly to his mothers face, gently holding her chin and inspecting her, as if searching for a crack in a porcelain doll- scared she had been broken.

“Ares it's not-” she tries to interrupt her son’s thoughts but his anger is boiling at a degree not even Prometheus' fire could reach. “No mother, what is this? I follow you because I worry and I find you- with some mortal seeming to do the very thing you've told me would dissipate your being” he's frantic. “Ares, listen to me” her voice is sharp, in that scolding way she always used to silence him when he and his father would have their squabbles around the dinner table.

“Yunho is not my son, nor is Eunwoo a mortal lover. “ Hera clarifies, and despite the confusion Ares still feels relief sink into him. “Yunho is.. an offspring of your father, whom I have been overseeing” Hera stops for a moment as she searches for the correct way to relay her words. “an offspring of father?” Ares raises a brow and his gaze drifts to the child in the grown man's arms, the child no longer hiding, his curious eyes now staring at Ares- an oh.. his eyes… They reflect the stories his mother had told him of a time Zeus had been kind. They look like a golden thunderstorm disguised behind the pupils of a boy.

“Does he know of this? “ Ares asks, understanding his mother a bit more now, “No, and he doesn't have too, not until Yunho is of age. He knows I have allowed this one to live but….. “ her sentence trails off and Ares can read between the lines enough to understand her, to understand what this boy will become. “and the mother?” he looks at the man, “Dead, my wife is dead.” The man speaks for the first time, and his voice is gentle, not what Ares would imagine a mourning man to have when faced with the son of the god his wife committed adultery with. Then again he's holding the child protectively, so Ares assumes there's much more to it.

He takes a moment, a breath of the sweet smell of fruits in the farm around them before he releases his featherlight hold on his mother, trudging over to the boy. His mortal father sets him down and the child does not hide away from Ares's intimidating figure, instead staring up at him with awe, it almost gains a chuckle from the god. Ares bends down, one knee hitting the ground as he stares at the child. “Your name is.. Yunho? “ he asks, remembering his mother's words, the child nods eagerly, reaching out a hand, “Jeong Yunho, nice to meet you sir!” he chirps.

“it is, not unpleasant to meet you either” he takes the child's hand in his, “do not refer to me as sir, from now on, I'm your brother, little prince” Ares gives a mischievous smirk as the last two words leave his lips, he can feel his mothers glare on his back, but Yunho is none the wiser. Jumping excitedly as he looks at his dad, “Really dad? He's one of my brothers?” ah-so Yunho had been told he had siblings, that's good, at least if any more are to pop up it wouldn't be a shock for the boy.

Eunwoo’s apprehensive face seems to melt away as he smiles warmly at his son, nodding in confirmation, Yunho jumps circles around Ares, the energy of a thunderstorm seeming to run through him. Ares cracks the smallest of smiles- Eros was never this energetic, nor were any of his other children, mortal or god, this boy is like a breath of fresh air. He quite enjoys it. “Ares” his mothers voice reaches his ears, it's a warning, but it's not commanding, she motions him over as he looks at her and Eunwoo seems to understand as he picks up the jumping child. “We'll be inside My Queen” he nods and Yunho waves goodbye from his fathers shoulders.

Ares walks back over to his mother as she gives Yunho a tiny wave, knowing she would go back into the home soon to soothe the thunderous offspring to sleep. “So you've chosen?“ Ares asks as he stands next to his mother. “No- and you shouldn't call him little prince, that's not what he is.” she responds, voice firm, almost as if she's scared of the repercussions his words would bring. “Not yet maybe, but I know you mother, you would not let one of father's offspring live this long- let alone help raise it- if you didn't have expectations for him”

Hera sighs but doesn't respond, she can't refute his words, because she knows it's true, she doesn't want Yunho to be apart of the world of the gods, but she knows it's inevitable - he's her chosen, the one offspring of Zeus she accepts as her own. The one who will rule Olympus if something is to happen to her or Zeus.

Yunho is the heir, but she'll be damned if she can't hide him from the king a little while longer.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

Yunho did not like this, he did not understand it either. He didn't understand it and he didn't like it and his Dad has always told him to avoid things he felt this way about. So why was his dad making him do this? Why do they need to move?

At 14 years old, this is the first time Yunho is disagreeing with his father, he doesn't want to move. Why would he want to leave this place? a wonderful open farmland where he runs free, where he spars with his brother, where he meets his mother every night. He doesn't want to leave, but he's still following his fathers lead. He trusts the man's decision, that doesn't mean he likes it.

Standing in the newly bought house filled with boxes that still need to be unpacked, Yunho takes in how cramped everything is- well it's not cramped, but compared to the open floor plan of the farmhouse he grew up in it is. His dad said he'd make friends here but he doesn't want friends. He's too scared of hurting them, he knows he's different, knows the powers his godly parent had given him, - the power he will possess one day and he's scared to get too close to the mortals.

He may be half mortal, but he's aware of his innate ability to hurt them, and he doesn't want that. He was fine on the farm, just fine. “This will be good for you little prince” Ares ruffles his hair as the bigger god walks into the home, in one of his many human forms he's still taller than most mortals. Yunho grumbles back, swatting the elders hand away, Ares thinks this is his rebellious teenage phase, his own son was busy going through it as well, or at least that's what the kids mother said, he doesn't really know much about mortals and their ways.

“Stop calling me that” Yunho grits as he fixes his hair, he had to dye it black due to the regulations of this new city school he's going too- something about Koreans not naturally having blond hair- it's bullshit if you ask him, he wouldn't actually say that as an answer, he was raised too polite for that. But he'd definitely think it, for the first few days at least, until he gets used to it.

“Never, little prince” Ares chuckles and Yunho swears the god acts more like a child than he-the 14 year old- does. Yunho sighs as he follows Ares into the living room, throwing himself on the couch as his elder brother places down the big box in his hands, letting out a fake groan as if the box was heavy to him. “ ‘res? Were you ever scared? when you first came down to the mortal realm, yaknow interacted with the humans?” Yunho doesn't look at his brother as he asks, rather preferring to look up at the ceiling of his new home, porcelain white in contrast to the wood of his old house. He feels the couch dip as Ares sits beside him, moving his brother's legs to lay on his lap. “Now why would I be scared of mortals?” the god chuckles.

“not of them… of hurting them” Yunho clarifies and his brother sighs, “at first? no. I didn't realize how fragile they could be.. not until I had my first offspring with a human… despite having the power from me she still had her mothers mortality… safe to say she didn't last long. Is that why you don't want to be here? you're scared of hurting them?” Ares asks and Yunho finally moves his gaze to the elder, he hums in confirmation, not trusting his voice. “You're too young to be thinking like that little prince… too gentle to, you won't hurt the humans, not like you think you would”

“Ares I'm aware of the power our father gave us.. and now with Mom having claimed me as her own I…. I'm scared of myself sometimes, of the power I could possess… How could I not be scared of hurting someone weaker?“ Yunho asks, “Our mother… She's a piece of work sometimes but don't think of her claim as a burden, if anything it'll help balance you… it's a problem most demigods face, if they're godly parent has a power as strong as Zeus's well… they need to be at least acknowledged otherwise they're power will well… kill them from the inside..." Ares sighs, “Yunho you may have a destructive power, but don't think that's all it is alright? you're better than our father, it's why mom chose you.. you're special”

And before Yunho can respond, before he can say he doesn't want to be special, his dad and Hera walk in, “ah so we do all the work while you two laze around on the couch is that it? “ Eunwoo asks as Hera walks over to the two, gently slapping Ares' head as a sign for him to get up, “HEY - OW” he whines as he looks over to his mother, “we were just talking” he pouts. “don't pout, you're not a child Ares, it's unseemly” Hera says, and despite her tone there's a slight smirk on her face.

Yunho likes this, the little family that's been built around him, it may be unconventional but they're special to him.. oh… that's what Ares meant. He was special, if he wasn't special he wouldn't have his family. Maybe being special wouldn't be so bad if he could keep this peace…

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“You really need to find a way to release more energy Yunho” Eunwoo sighs as he looks out the window of their living room, the sky outside dark and dreary despite it being midday, lightning cackling, before his gaze drifts back to his son. “Your dad's right, your energy is too much for your body” Hera sighs as she stands in the entrance to the living room. “Yeah well if I could train with Ares this wouldn't be an issue” Yunho huffs, “well the city doesn't exactly have the space for that” his dad retorts and Yunho rolls his eyes. “Why not take up something after school? a sport of some kind, I hear mortal children like that!” Hera says, seemingly pleased with herself.

“Your mom’s right, why not baseball, didn't you say you found that interesting recently? some of your friends are on the team right?” his father asks and all Yunho can do in reply is hum, of course he's thought about it, but he's not the best at controlling his powers yet, something about puberty Hera told him, he kind of blocked out that part. Point is, he can't really play any power sport that is needed for him to release the energy in his body, he doesn't want to.

As much as he likes his friends, he always feels so.. distant from them, from the bonds they share.. he's tried treating everyone equally like his father said, and everyone loves him for it but…. he doesn't think they actually know him. He lets out a huff “no team sports” and Eunwoo nods his head. “hm what about dance? I've heard some of the gods have been putting their children into that recently” Hera walks over and sits on her rocking chair in the living room, nobody else sits in that chair except for her, it's like her own little throne in their home. “Dancing could be good! you have been liking those Idols recently haven't you Yunho?” his father drifts his gaze from Hera down to the boy who's still laying on the floor mindlessly throwing a soccer ball up in the air as he catches it again.

“Dance?... I mean maybe but…“ He pauses and his father seems to get what he means, “I heard of a great dance school in another town over? why don't you try that one? Come on, a few classes and if you don't like it we can try something else” Eunwoo pleads and the thunder outside crackles a bit louder, scaring Yunho into dropping the ball directly on his nose and causes Hera to hold a laugh back with her palm. “Fine I can try I guess” Yunho mutters rubbing his nose, though his mind is focused on the weather outside, he knows it's his doing, and he hates it because the more he uses his powers the greater the chance Zeus will wish to speak to him.

The god knows about Yunho by now, but after a fight with Hera had agreed to let the boy live relatively peacefully away from Olympian life, doesn't mean Yunho wants to remind him and have the god change his mind though. Besides, it won't be that bad right? it's another town over so he won't have to deal with most of his school friends hopefully, the only problem is now he needs to socialize with a new group of humans. Yay him!

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Okay so maybe dancing isn't that bad, the kids mostly stick to their own groups or to themselves and only bother him when they need help with something. He's started picking up the moves relatively quickly and the sky's seem clearer these days, with most of his energy spent on practice, Yunho feels a bit lighter. His coach is great too, giving Yunho extra exercises or choreography when the boy asks for it, always checking up on him. It's nice, it's quiet, all he has to focus on is the music and his own footsteps, he doesn't have to worry about being overwhelmed and accidentally hurting anybody, because the passion that's quickly gripped him is becoming a grounding action.

Whenever he was in class and the kids would hoard around him, he'd rhythmically tap his foot to whatever choreography he's learning and suddenly that threatening spark that always seemed to simmer beneath his skin would be gone. It's helped him communicate more with his peers, something he's grateful for, he's always wanted to be seen as kind, and he hopes this helps him achieve it.

“Yunho, how would you feel if I introduced you to someone?“ His coach asked him one day after a particularly grueling practice, Yunho raises a brow as he drinks water, “uhm fine I think? May I ask why?” His coach sighs as he walks closer to the boy, taking out his phone seemingly texting someone. “I have this friend, he coaches at the other location this dance company has, anyway I've sat in with him a few times and you remind me a lot of one of his students… that boy is fast paced too, and he also doesn't interact much with his classmates” the coach gives Yunho a pointed look and he can't help but only give a sheepish one in return. It's really not his fault okay? He treats everyone equally, and not wanting to talk to one means not talking to the rest, not voluntarily at least.

“Anyway, me and my friend thought it might be a good idea to get you two together, you're around the same age so your styles may align” The coach looks at Yunho hopefully, the younger letting out a sigh before nodding. His coach's face instantly brightens up as he pats Yunho on the back, “GREAT! because he's here!” The elder does a weird shimmy movement with his shoulders and wiggles his brows before scurrying to the entrance before Yunho can even respond. He's left standing there, mouth agape water bottle in hand watching as his fellow classmates leave and he's stuck waiting for his coach and a new person.

It's subtle at first when he feels it, the power that shocks him out of his dissociative state. It doesn't crackle and spark like his own, doesn't burn or feel like it's clawing to go somewhere, it's more….. misty. It's cold, it's comforting almost, like a light blanket, a knitted one with holes, or maybe one made of nylon, sheer and not used to block the freezing temperature.

The hairs on the back of his hair stand up, he knows Hera had told him he'd be able to sense others like him, other demigods, but this is a surreal feeling, he's not even completely sure it's his senses calling out to someone of his kind until the boy steps into the room with his coaches in tow.

He's tall, around Yunho's height, which is weird since Yunho is only this tall at his age due to his godly connection, the boy is pale and lanky, glaces placed on his eyes, which Yunho can't see due to his fluffy dark black hair covering it. The boy is sunken in on himself, not as if he's shy, no, more so uninterested in the situation.

It's as if Yunho knows, as if a voice in his head says “this one's like you” as he stares at the boy who finally looks up at Yunho. The son of Zeus sucks in a breath as he stares at the boy's eyes, innocent and wide on all accounts but Yunho can see something more… something dark, scary, concerning…. something deadly. “Yunho, this is Mingi- he's .... “ his coach trails off, almost as if unsure on how to handle the situation, luckily the other older man, whom Yunho assumes to be the friend his coach talked about, finishes his sentence for him. “He's like you” the man says and while Yunho's first instinct would be to believe he means in terms of skill as his coach had said at first, the man's tone suggests something deeper. “Like me? “ he manages to ask, setting down his water bottle.

“Godly, divine, different, half-bred, Olympian-” the boy makes a face at the last word, “Chthonic, holier than thou, whatever you call yourself these days” the man sighs and Yunho gapes, “wait you-”

“know? yes, most company higher ups do, a lot of coaches and scouts know in order to see who they want to recruit for entertainment companies” Yunho's own coach interrupts him, “you'd be surprised at how many of your idols are godly offspring” and Yunho does not know what to do with this information. “Well, you two get acquainted, we'll be off then” Yunho's coach clasps his hands together and rushes his friend out the room, closing the door leaving only a very confused Yunho and Mingi, who seems like he doesn't want to be there.

“So uhm - I'm uh- I'm Yunho- sorry I've just never met another demigod before like - I knew others existed it's just-” Yunho's nervous rambles are cut off when the boy speaks up, “it's just Olympians like to keep their kids away from one another, think you guys are gonna rise up against them or something” Yunho nods at the boys words. “So uhm I'm guessing you aren't Olympian then?” Yunho questions as he goes to sit down against the wall, Mingi following him. “Nope, Chthonic through and through” he nods, fiddling with his fingers. “What's that like? My mom told me the Chthonic are much closer than the Olympians” Yunho turns his head to look at Mingi.

“It's nice, the outside world can be lonely so our parents help keep the kids around one another, they don't have the ego and fear the Olympians have- no offense” Mingi laughs, “None taken” Yunho responds in kind. “So I don't really know the meeting other demigod etiquette uhm would it be disrespectful to ask who your parent is?” He looks at Mingi, and deep in his heart he's hoping his new found friend maybe says Hades, maybe he and this boy could be family, a family that could understand him. “hm, My mom's mortal, I love her with all my life, but my dad-” Mingi swings his head to look at Yunho, almost hesitating “my dad's Thanatos.”

Yunho's mouth hangs open “as in-” Mingi nods, “as in god of death yep.. how about yours?” Yunho sighs, “it would be hypocritical of me to say I don't really want to share right?” Mingi turns his body to look at him, “come on dude I just told you my dad is literally death personified I don't really think I can judge” Yunho raises a brow “oh no you can judge, trust me I do.. but uhm… my dad may or may not be Zeus… “ he mumbles the last part but Mingi clearly caught it as his eyes widen “HOLY SHIT DUDE WAIT ZEUS?? AS IN?? THAT MEANS YOU'RE - oh damn give me a minute…. dammit man now I owe my cousin twenty bucks” Mingi sighs, running one of hands over his face as Yunho looks at him confused. “you what??”

“bro the fates are real chatty and my aunt is like their favorite or whatever so they tell her stuff and they told her about one of Zeus's kids being spared cause Hera liked him then she told me and my cousin and we had a whole debate about it man” He takes a breath, “but damn Zeus as a dad's gotta be rough.. and I thought having to deal with grandma on monthly dinners was tough” Yunho looks at Mingi, and something in him hurts, the way he speaks of other godly beings, of family apart of this world, it's something Yunho yearns for. “and by aunt, grandma and cousin you mean…. “ Yunho trails off, not knowing who to refer to. Mingi's mouth makes an ‘o’ shape at the realization that Yunho wouldn't know who he was talking about, “uhm my aunt, she's a demi god- I don't think you'd know her, her names Kyu, by grandmother I mean her mother, Nyx, and my cousin is a son of Hypnos, his names Hyunjin” Mingi nods as he explains.

“Wait Nyx had kids??” Yunho asks and Mingi looks at him confused, “yeah dude like so many literally -” “no- no not godly kids like, like demigods?” he asks again more clearly. “Oh yeah well she and Grandpa Erebus were bored so they decided fuck it! and each went to a couple of their own choosing and had a kid, Grandma had a daughter, my aunt Kyu, and grandpa had a son, my uncle Kai” Mingi nods. “wow.. that's… hmhm damn, how old are they?” he asks, not really knowing how to process the information just yet, “well my aunt's our age, a few months younger than me actually and my uncle is like a year older than us- enough about my family though, tell me about yours, come on I gotta know HOW you managed to stay alive” Mingi looks at Yunho wide eyed with a smile.

He likes this, having a friend that understands him, he thinks he could get used to it. He hopes he and Mingi can stay friends, he'd like to hear more about the other's family, and wish that one day he can maybe be as close to those of his own.

Nyx was bored, she was so unbelievably bored. The entertainment of watching the mortals under her night sky could only last so long until the stories got repetitive, working with her children didn't really bring her joy. as much as she loved them, they were all grown now and their work was their own. She tried being a receptionist to help sort souls who had recently died and send them to her son Charon for travel, but a few to many mortals had got on her nerves and ended in the nothingness, so she was asked to leave ‘for a while’ which was Hades code for “please for the love of god this is too much paperwork”

Nyx wasn't childish, not by any means, no she was strong and powerful, she was feared, but when you leave an offspring of Chaos alone for too long… Well then she gets a bit restless. So, she bounds over to her husband, deciding he would indulge her in her boredom. Stepping into her cave she immediately feels the surge of power as her bare feet step on the dark void of a floor, her cave had always been where she felt the most powerful. It was her home, where she and her husband reside and where she had birthed her children.

“Honeyyyyyy I'm bored” she yells, placing her chin on his cloaked shoulder when she finds him sitting in his office, her husband's mostly made of smoke and darkness that can't really be solidified, but he does have a cloak that gives him a semi physical form. “And what could I do to cure that boredom, My Night?” he asks, voice monotone as always, her husbands never really been one to show emotion, but she's fine with that, she knows him well enough to understand him even when his tone seems disinterested to others. She hums as she thinks for a moment, watching him move pages around until a specific name catches her eye, she leans over him and stops his movements, placing her finger on the name that's written in dark black ink “Kai.” she states, “Kai? “ her husband asks.

“mhm, shouldn't he be ready by now? I wanna play with him” she clasps her hands together as she bounds to the other side of her husbands desk, sitting on a chair in front of him, “My Night, Human babies take nine months to form, he has currently only been in his mothers womb for eight” he states softly, “besides we agreed to let his mortal parents raise him as they see fit until he decides if he wants to be apart of this world himself, no?“ he tilted his head to his wife, reminding her of the rule she had set in place. Despite her seemingly bubbly nature she was always serious when it came to her offspring, step child or not.

She groans and sinks further into the chair “but I'm bored and the kids are all grown up and I have no one to play with” she pouts and Erebus lets out a chuckle, “Well I'm sure the King and Queen would allow you to borrow Cerebus for a while to play” he hums, but his wife seems to have other plans. She slams her hands on the table, standing up and sending the chair flying “I want a baby” she looks him in the eye, dead serious.

He sighs, realizing he is not getting any work done while she's here and sets down the papers in his hand “you want a baby?” he asks for confirmation and she nods, “come on so many of the gods had kids recently, even our sons! let's have a baby hm? come on imagine another little running around the cave!” she looks at him hopefully.

“My Night, firstly, if you wanted a baby we both know you could have just created one-” she nods, as she sits back down, “-which makes me believe there's a bit more to this. Secondly, if you make another child alone or with me that offspring would be a god- and as much as I love our children, I believe we have enough gods running amok already-” he points to the papers in front of him again, who knew helping consult Hades would be this tiring, Erebus hasn't needed Hypnos’s help to sleep since he took on this job in his wife's stead. “Thirdly, I don't think Zeus would take too kindly to us creating another god, you remembered how he was every time you announced another offspring, how he was when Hades had told him about Kai” Erebus finished and Nyx scoffs.

“Zeus can go suck another dick for all I care” she grumbles, she never really liked him, sure he was sweet when he was still a babe, she remembered Rhea showing Zeus to her, but she's always preferred Aidoneus more- or well Hades as he liked to be called now. “My Night I know you dislike him but he's still king-” she rolls her eyes, “yeah of Olympus” her husband nods his head, “- of Olympus and we really don't wish to cause little Hades any more trouble now do we?” he asks and she nods, she really likes little Aidoneus and knows her nature sometimes causes him enough trouble with his brother as is.

“Now, you agree with what I've said so tell me what this is really about him?” His voice is still monotone, and would be considered cold and crude to an outsider, but she loves her husband, and she can sense the softness in his tone. “Just… When you helped that couple conceive Kai, we went through so many couples who wished to receive this blessing, so many who wished to have more children and that made me so grateful for my babies but- they aren't my babies anymore yaknow? they grew up so quickly and I-” She stops herself, but Erebus finished her sentence for her, “you wish to have a child that does not grow as quickly? “ she nods.

“I want a mortal- well half mortal- demigod I think the others call it I just- I want one” she pouts at Erebus, and it's not the one she usually has, the one she gives him when she's in trouble or being petty, it's not the one that reminds him despite their age she's still his little sister. No this one is sad, it holds a sense of longing he last saw her have when she watched Rhea hold little Aidoneus, wishing for more of her own.

Erebus sighs, “okay” he gives a nod, “okay? “ she asks hopefully, “it might not hurt for Kai to have a younger sibling of his own kind…. besides the Fates mentioned something to me yesterday… so I think this might already be written in stone.”

Nyx stops her joyful kicking in the air as she looks back at her husband, “what did they say?” she asks curiously, worried about anything that may pertain to her future stepson or the prospect of her own half- mortal child. “I wasn't exactly listening, you know how they love to gossip, but they mentioned something about a lightning storm at night- I'm assuming that's probably just going to be Zeus overreacting to the news” he hums. “I swear I ought to teach that little lightning bolt a-” “ah My Night, why don't you focus on choosing the prospects for your child hm?” He tries to stop his wife from her vengeful tangent, already seeing the darkness creeping up on the tips of her fingers. It was daytime currently, so his wife was sporting her paler skin shade, not yet was it time for night to overtake her when she had to go to work.

In an instant the darkness dies back down and she lights up- figuratively of course, she stands and rushes to the door in excitement, before rushing back to him and placing a kiss on his head then out the door she went, screaming about how she's going to go sit with Persephone and look through the candidates her and Erebus had used for Kai again. He just sighs, mentally apologizing to the Queen of the underworld - wait no she'd enjoy this, mentally apologizing to Hades for having the time with his wife be interrupted.

Kyu loved her mother, really she did, the goddess was sweet and kind, always having love for her children- but she was playful too, as a daughter of Chaos she never allowed her family to forget where they came from, no day was spent without even the tiniest of a mischievous slip in her voice. It always brought a smile to Kyu's face, when she would fight with her mortal parents or be under the stress of her academics, her mothers eyes would sparkle with the most chaotic twinkle, letting her daughter know that everything would be okay.

Kyu loved her mother, but she was nothing like her, she couldn't be. She wanted to, gods sometimes she wished she could be as carefree, as mischievous. When she was younger, she would play around with her brother, Kai, they would pull pranks on their elder godly siblings, but she couldn't be that person anymore.

It started when she was six, her mortal parents had gone through a rough patch of sorts, partying on weekends and fighting when they thought she was asleep. She started spending more time with her nephews, visiting her mothers cave more, anything to just get away, to have the chance to be a kid without worries. She loved her mortal parents, and as much as it killed her she had to admit that despite their efforts those memories of her early childhood will always haunt her.

Her fellow demigods had become her refuge, her brother whom she didn't see a lot was a constant comfort for her, always shadow traveling to her when his own parents had gotten a little too much, he truly helped her feel at home. Her closest nephew Hyunjin, son of Hypnos, who lived just a few streets down would always come to her and excitedly show a new dance he'd learned. The boy loved the activity, and she could tell he'd have a future in it. Her other Nephew Mingi, son of Thanatos, she didn't see as often, he lived a bit away so their only interactions were at family dinners but she loved him deeply, her little - not little he had always been taller than her, and older at that- but he was still her little joy.

Being the youngest, her love for her family was as endless as the night sky itself, and for a while, that love was extended to Erin Gim. She met him when they were both thirteen, school had just started getting serious when she met him, an offspring that held the chaos a part of her craved to release when her powers got too much. He was her tiny piece of freedom under the crumbling pressure of being perfect, of upholding the image of the perfect and regal night's daughter.

It was such a cheesy story really, the goody two shoes, top of the grade class president and the delinquent that barely showed up for class, highschool sweethearts. Every endeavor she had pursued, he was there supporting her. Sure the relationship wasn't conventional, sure he wasn't always there, sure she didn't always feel comfortable enough to tell him everything she was feeling… but that was normal right? yeah it was… it was completely normal, everyone had things they kept to themselves. So yes, her love had been extended to him as well… until it wasn't.

Her entire family had decided to go into the glorious industry of the elite, Kai had become a designer in his own right, both her nephews decided they wanted to be Idol's, use their talents to connect with others and she… she just wanted to stay alive, to survive. Erin had become a bit more.. controlling, he would accompany her to classes, an action originally seen as sweet now a looming figure warning her of the dangers of a misstep.

“I love you honey, you know that” he'd always say, stroking her cheeks as tears fell from her eyes, she'd try to hide them in the beginning, but there was a point where she just gave in. “It's only because I love you that I'm doing this, if I'm to rule one day with you by my side, then you will need to be able to stand the ridicule you'll inevitably face” he'd speak softly, soothing tone and warm eyes contrasting his words, if she had been deaf his expression would have reminded her of the boy she loved. Yet she was only falling, falling deeper into the lost space of uncertainty.

She didn't know what to do with her life, so she decided to follow her family, without the liberty of creative freedom, she signed up to JYP entertainment for a management position and luckily she had been accepted. Some shadow program thing, she had been instated as the manager for a young trainee, a boy named Kim Seungmin, son of Demeter. He was sweet, clearly too scared to show it, but Kyu knew, she always did. She was good at reading people. The way little petals would fall from his fingers when he was praised, the small quirk of his lips when he saw something funny. It was a cruel business, but Kyu was determined to help this boy every step of the way. She guessed she'd gotten that maternal instinct from her mother.

Her work was her escape from Erin, he thought it was a good thing that she was networking with other demigods. Recently he's had this fixation, believing he and her could have some sort of uprising, rule the underworld in Hades and Persephone's stead, she learned to ignore his rambles. Throwing herself into working, taking on more responsibilities and opportunities than any other manager of her level, it was the perfect excuse, one to get her away from Erin, one he couldn't refute.

Of course she'd thought of leaving him, of telling someone, anyone of the downward spiral he was going through, but she'd spent too many years on this, on him. She wouldn't be seen as weak, wouldn't let her mothers reputation fall because she was too blindsided to know when she was being used. She just couldn't, she felt weak before him and she hated being weak, she wouldn't let others think of her as that either.

Deep in the back of her mind, her heart screamed at her that this wasn't true, that her soul was not meant to be hurt in the way it was, that it was meant to be cherished. Her family wouldn't be upset, wouldn't be mad she ruined their image, they would be rageful and that scared her even more. For if her mother were to take her anger out on Eris? it would simply upset the balance of nature. Kyu couldn't be the reason for that, she wasn't important enough in her own mind to be.

She only felt strong when others leaned on her, asked for support, looked up to her like an older sister or a mother. When Seungmin would come to her for comfort, when coworkers asked her for help, when God's complimented her maturity, she felt pride, like she was succeeding in a legacy of powerful, capable women, like she was worthy of being her mother's daughter. When Stray kids was formed, the company didn't really care much for them, decided that nine managers would be too many for a group that had the possibility of not succeeding, stating that only one manager would oversee the group and they had to decide who it was. The others immediately withdrew their own names, all young and too scared to take the risk, Kyu with her cousin and the boy she had taken under her wing on the line, decided she would do so.

That's how she got the position she was in now, head manager of the big fourth gen group Stray kids, although they had now downsized to eight she still couldn't be more proud of her boys. She'd never regret her decision, not aloud at least, she loved the boys really, they were like her own family, parts of her life she could not live without. Especially after her brother had been hired as a stylist for Minho, it felt like everything was complete, as complete as it could be. She'd watch the stolen glances between Kai and Felix, the giggles of Minho when he was plotting something, hear Changbin's warm laugh echo around the halls and envelope those around him in the comfort of his mothers hearth, watch Chan's sleepy eyes droop when he stays up in the studio, see Hyunjin slip a little sleeping potion in said leaders drink to have the man rest. She'd watch Han do something so hilariously stupid that Jeongin can't help but smile, bringing him out of his own mental spiral.

And while she'd never tell the others, her favorite thing to observe was a sleepy Seungmin, when he was all mope-y, when he finally fell asleep on the couch in her office after a long day yet refusing to go back to the dorms without her. He always looked so cute when he slept, little leaves sometimes forming from his hair if he had a good dream. She understood Demeter’s protectiveness over her children, especially with a son as cute as Seungmin. She mentally promised the goddess to look after the boy, and Kyu would never break a promise, especially not one as close to her own heart.

“You really need to stop babying him,” Kai sighs, whispering as he walks into Kyu's office. A sleepy Seungmin rests on the couch with Kyu's favorite blanket draped over him. “and you really need to stop avoiding Felix” she bites back, not looking up from the files on her desk as she writes. “Hey that's different and you know it” he immediately responds as he falls into the chair opposite her by her desk. She nods agreeing, doesn't mean she'll verbalize it though.

“Seriously though Kyu at this point you and Demeter have shared custody” Kai steals one of her pens and starts doodling on the corner of a paper closest to him, “okay and? I love Demeter so that's not a bad thing” she hums in response and Kai groans, “that's not what I meant” his voice remains monotone despite the playful atmosphere, he's always been like that, much like his father when it comes to showing emotion.

“Then what did you mean?” She finally looks up at him, “What I mean is you've been here a lot recently… and when you don't go home he doesn't go home. You baby him and now he's too attached” Kai still continues his doodles, “I have work to do I can't go home right now-” I don't want to “-I'll get him home soon so you can tell Lix to stop worrying” She says as she looks back down at her files. Kai stops his drawing, the reasoning behind his questioning being caught.

There's a moment of silence as Kai places the pen back in its place, “Seriously though, you have been spending too much time here recently - and don't tell me it's a work overload cause we both know that's bullshit”

“Erin's just been a bit stressed lately - you know I don't like being in stressed environments so I'm just letting him cool off” Kyu speaks, her response almost rehearsed in its entirety, Kai gives her a look, as if he doesn't believe her. Because he doesn't, he knows his little sister better than anyone, but they've had one too many fights about this, about Erin. He can't bring up his accusations and worries again, while not baseless his sister always manages to hide whatever proof he might find.

“hm, just don't stay here too late- or I'll sick Hyunjin on you” He hums as he stands up, taping her desk three times, she taps back subconsciously, “yeah yeah- now get out before you wake up Min” she throws a pencil at him and he lifts his hands in surrender as he backs out, silently leaving the office. She looks over at Seungmin and sighs, knowing her brother was right, and mentally preparing herself to go home so that she can ensure Seungmin went back to his own dorms.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“I'm home” Kyu says softly as she opens the door to her apartment, sighing in relief as she shrugs off her coat and heels and puts on her slippers, she places her keys down as she walks more into her home, she hears a bit of noise in the kitchen. “Erin?” before she reaches the room her boyfriend comes jumping out of the kitchen, “Hi!” he seems excited, that's good, he leans forward to hug her. She doesn't like the way he hugs her, he's taller than her, so he always wraps his arms around her neck, she feels more trapped than comforted when he does this, reminded of far too many times his arms around her neck were threatening to find peace in them now.

“So I bought some stuff for cookies cause I was in the mood right? but I kind of forgot that I can't bake so I thought ‘hey! you know who can bake? My girlfriend! we should make a date out of it’ so I set everything out and well yeah what do you think” He smiles at her, one of the rare times there doesn't seem to be any intent of anything else behind. “hm that sounds nice, but I'm kind of tired. Could we maybe do this tomorrow?” she looks up at him, her words carefully and tone soft as she speaks.

His face drops, it's not really that noticeable, but Kyu knows how to read him by now, “are you sure? if we bake them now they'll be ready and you can take some to work tomorrow, you always like a sweet treat at work don't you?” he rubs her arms in mock comfort as he speaks down to her, it's supposed to be a reassuring tone but it makes her feel inferior to him and she hates that, because she knows it's not true- she knows and yet- yet she feels like it is.

He really doesn't know her, if he did he'd know she actually hates eating things like cookies when at work, prefers little snacks, things that don't make a mess. She also doesn't like apples, and knowing Erin he's going to want to make an apple cookie. “yeah-yeah uhm just let me go put on some more comfortable clothes and-” She's interrupted by Erin, “no come on, you can get dressed when we're done hm? cause then you can shower and you'll be all clean after we played around with the flour” he drags her to the kitchen and she sighs but doesn't fight back knows she can't.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“guys guys guys guys did Persephone by any chance I don't know like have a kid” Yunho asks as he rushes over to his fellow Ateez members, almost sliding past them as they stand backstage in their allocated rooms of the Kingdom set, “Melinoe and Zagreus - did you not listen when we were taught -” Hongjoong starts as he looks confused at Yunho, who stops his leader from talking, “no-no not them like a demigod kid-like us” Yunho asks, his voice almost a bit frantic. “uhm no? Dude she and Hades are like, so in love I don't think they'd ever really have any demigod children” Seonghwa hums, eyes leaving his phone to look up at Yunho, “why?”

Yunho sighs as he sinks into the couch beside San, “because I think I just found the love of my life”, his words hang in the air for a second before all hell breaks loose, everyone whipping their heads to him. “WHAT?” Wooyoung yells as both he and Yeosang zero in on Yunho, “mhm.. she was so pretty and she smelled like strawberries” he smiles blissfully as he thinks back, head resting on the couch rest behind him as he looks up at the ceiling.

“oh so that's why you thought she was Persephone's? strawberries?” Jongho asks, trying to make sense of the situation, Yunho only nods in response. The members have learned not to ask him how he knows when someone is like them, he has a sense for it. “and you're in love?” Yeosang asks slowly, as if he's doubting Yunho. He's never shown any interest in someone before, so while this could be a good thing the timing of it all was not. “yeah…. HEY! doesn't Demeter have a kid!” Yunho shoots up, “I mean I thought she was Chthonic but maybe I was wrong yaknow? I mean Demeter that's -” Yunho shoots up as he thinks, “that would mean she's my cousin” he groans as he falls back.

“well good thing is as far as I know Demeter only has one kid- and he's a son, and apart of Stray kids so I don't think your mystery girl is your cousin if that gives you any hope” Jongho says, “hey didn't Mingi say his aunt worked for stray kids right? If she's a staff member, maybe she can help you guess who your mystery girl is? I mean there aren't any girl groups here so the only women would be other staff members or… partners” San offers the last word a bit hesitantly, afraid of what Yunho's reaction might be. Yunho always feels deeply, even if he doesn't show it to many, even if he tries to remain neutral.

Yunho doesn't seem to register the last word though, as he looks at San in excitement, “YES! yes oh you're a genius I could kiss you” Yunho turns to San, holding his face in his hands before he springs up, “hey where do you think you're going?” Hongjoong asks as he sees Yunho walk back to the door, “to find Mingi's aunt? I can just go find Hyunjin and ask him who she is and then I'll ask her who-” Yunho's rambling is cut off. “You can do that after the performance, we're about to be called for filming and I'm not having you be missing when we need to go up there” Hongjoong gives him a stern look, “But-” Yunho starts to protest but is once again cut off, this time by a knock on the door.

“Ateez? it's almost time, we're going to need you to get in positions” a staff yells from outside the door, and Hongjoong raises his hand in a ‘see?’ motion. “Come on Yun, you'll probably see her when we go stand out there yeah? Just do your best with this performance and impress her” San squeezes Yunho's shoulders as he stands next to him, “yeah yeah yeah I can do that - I can do this” Yunho psych's himself up as he looks at his members, eyes filled with determination.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“Oh I can't do this, I can't fucking do this she's looking at me- guys she's looking at me fuck, are these cameras on? shit my knees feel like jelly, Holy Kronos her eyes are so pretty” Yunho speed mumbles as staff fixes his outfit, eyes focused on the woman across the room who's currently talking to Stray kids, as if she's scolding them and they're hanging onto her every word. He would hang on even tighter if he was able to get just a little closer, to hear her voice.

“oh? which one is she?” Yeosang asks as he looks over the staff in front of him, “The one scolding Stray kids like a Queen with her servants- she'd make such a good Queen don't you think? I know mom said I need to find someone to rule beside me-” He starts again, “Okay slow your role buddy you don't even know her name yet, seems like she's their main manager though. Wait isn't that-” Yeosang’s realization is cut off by San, “That my friend, is Mingi's aunt” he says as he smirks, Wooyoung's head suddenly poking out from behind him, “Oh shit Yunho fell in love with Mingi's AUNT??” he shouted.

“shut up shut up I did not” Yunho reached over to slap his hand over Wooyoung's mouth, accidentally knocking the staff in front of him out of the way, apologizing immediately when he noticed, “oh you so did” Yeosang says from where he stands, “Ohh Mingi isn't gonna like thissssss” he continues, “I did NOT fall for Mingi's aunt okay? that's not Mingi's aunt-” Yunho tries to defend, retreating his hand from Wooyoung's mouth “Oh no that's definitely his aunt he showed us a picture” Yeosang hums as he motions his fingers between himself and San, who nods in agreement.

Yunho looks at them, his lips pressing into a thin line as he seems to take in the information, he starts nodding slowly as the members around him watch, waiting for some sort of reaction. “You think he'd be okay if I gave him a shirt that says ‘you're my favorite nephew’” Yunho asks thoughtfully, although his face is almost void as he continues nodding his head as if all of this is just normal. Jongho looks at him as if he's just lost his mind. “First of all- ouch” the younger says in mock offense, clearly not liking his title being given away, “secondly, no I don't think he'd be too fond of that” his tone is almost deadpan, as if it's the most obvious opinion in the world.

“WRONG, Wooyoung next opinion” Yunho turns to the giggling menace, completely disregarding the staff who just huffs and gives up on styling him further,. “I think you should go for it, yaknow give Mingi a cousin” Wooyoung wiggles his brows as Seonghwa smacks him upside the head, “hey! your mom is like- the queen of breeding kinks you should agree with me!“ he tries to defend himself, only for Seonghwa to start chasing him around their little group huddle and trying to smack him.

“okay so don't follow Wooyoungs advice” Yeosang looks to Yunho with a facial expression that asks ‘can you really believe he said that?’ but stops once he realizes that Yunho actually looks as if he's contemplating it. “Yunho. Don't listen to Wooyoung.” he tries to snap his roommate out of it, but it seems to be of no use, “no, no he's got a point, I mean I'm my dads heir right? so obviously I need to have an heir” he nods again, as if all of life is finally starting to fall into place. “yeah, but uhm, in all Mingi's rambles about his aunt I think you're forgetting a very important detail” San says as he winces.

“wait you're so right I know her name now!” Yunho bounces, hands on San’s shoulders, “Thank you San this is so-” Yunho's enthusiasm is stopped by the mountain boys hands atop his own, “yeah that's good but I wasn't talking about that Yunho…“ San says almost sympathetically, Yunho tilts his head confused, the smile on his face turning strained but still there.

“Places everyone, we're starting in five!” a crew members voice reverberates through the large set, as everyone starts to shuffle into place San moves Yunho so he's looking back over at Stray kids, specifically at their manager who's walking away from them and going to stand next to a man who's slightly taller than her, he places a hand on her shoulder comfortingly as she breathes out and places her hand atop his, watching Stray kids walk to their position. “I'm talking about the fact that she has a boyfriend… “ San says and he starts moving, slightly pushing Yunho to walk with the rest of them.

“oh” Yunho lets out a sound, eyes locked on the two, he remembers, Mingi talking about his aunts boyfriend, he remembers Mingi asking Yunho if he knows him since the man was from Zeus's line. Yunho remembers once how Mingi had brought up a concern that maybe this guy wasn't the best for her, but never talked about it again after that. His eyes stay locked on them as he's swept with his members to their places, and it seems the other man notices, his gaze that seemed kind turns to Yunho, and there's a glint of recognition in his eyes begore his gaze turns cold.

He stares at Yunho, who's eyes flick between their faces and the hand Erin, because he remembers his name now, has on Kyu's , because god he knows her name now too, shoulder. Erin's eyes turn dark, staring Yunho down as if assessing an enemy before a slight smirk pulls at his lips as he pulls Kyu just a bit closer, and she leans in as if it's instinct, as if its natural. It seems so comforting, so loving, but something about it makes Yunho's stomach churn. “come on dude we have to go, we can talk about this after the performance yeah?” Hongjoong nudges him, trying to gain his attention and thankfully it works.

Yunho nods and puts on the best smile he could muster as he pulls his eyes away from the couple before anyone else could notice his staring. Unfortunately he pulled his gaze away just in time to not notice the way Erin ducked down to whisper in Kyu's ear, to not notice the way she clenched her fist and her posture went rigid beneath her boyfriends hold.

On the other side of the room, Kyu's nervous, her boys are about to perform and she has Erin breathing down her back, invading her safe workspace because whenever she has to be on filming's like these he insists to come with her, to meet the people she'll be spending months with. She feels his breath ghost over her neck, because he doesn't like it when she wears her hair down, “Someone's got an interest in you it seems, don't have it continue, before I get interested in them too hm?” he places his other hand on her hip, rubbing circles that would seem comforting to others, but only feel threatening to her. She doesn't know who he's referring to, but by the gods does she wish whoever that is leaves her alone. Lest Erin gain interest, it didn't go well the last time.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“come onn we're like way much more fun you should switch to join us” Han whines from where he lays on the couch, kicking his legs as if to prove the point of his little overdramatic tantrum, Kyu sighs as she sits on the floor, her laptop propped on the coffee table in front of her as she types away, “I've already told you, I'm not managing the rap unit, the head managers pulled straws, I didn't get you.” she explains for what feels like the hundredth time. The mayfly units have been formed and to take some stress off of all the managers they decided they'd draw straws, some would be in charge of certain units while others could relax at least a little, unfortunately Kyu drew a work straw.

“exactly besides she's already going to exchange to be with us, duh” Seungmin retorts as he sits next to Kyu, playing with a piece of her hair like a cat as he keeps braiding and unbraiding it. Han sticks out his tongue at the younger, “that is just unfair- THIS IS NEPOTISM!“ he shoots up, pointing an accusatory finger at Felix. “just because we joke about Kyu being his mother doesn't mean she actually is” Minho remarks as both Kyu and Seungmin make an “ehh” sound while shrugging they're shoulders. “SEE?? NEPOTISM” Han looks at the others as if asking for backup.

“It's not nepotism because I'm not changing to the vocal unit either” she sighs out again and Seungmin makes a noise of protest, “HAH! suck it losers” Kai huffs from where he sits styling Felix's hair, nobody knows why since they don't have a schedule right now, but they've learned not to question whatever excuse the two make to spend time together. “why are you happy, it's not as if she's there for you” Minho days and Kai throws something at him in response, “yeah she's clearly not wanting to leave the dance unit cause she wants to meet San” Changbin stirs the pot a bit more, Kyu finally looks up to him.

“No, I'm doing this because it would be unfair to the other managers if I just-” Kyu's explanation is cut off by Seungmin, “Be honest, are you going to abandon me for him? because like I'm so much better I can do PLANTS he's like- just the mountains” he huffs out. “You're worse than a three year old when he gets a baby sibling dude you are a grown man stop this… it's just sad and weird at some point.. “ Jeongin says as he lays on the other couch, sipping on a juice box Kai had gotten him as he plays game son the elders phone, “hypocrite” Seungmin mumbles.

“I still find it funny that Mingi isn't your Ateez bias I mean he's your nephew” Chan speaks up from where he's typing away at his own laptop, “Seonghwa’s your brother and yet he's not your bias either” Kyu retorts back and Chan immediately goes silent again. “Okay that's not fair you know Chan's never even really met the guy except for recently” Kai says as he drops down onto the couch next to Jeongin, finally done with Felix hair that definitely doesn't look the exact same as when he started. Kyu turns her head to her brother, “He's your nephew too and last time I heard he was not your bias” Kai's lips press I to a line as he hears his sisters words, “yeah no sorry Chan you're alone with this one” he nods, “wait who's your Ateez bias?” Felix asks confusedly, “don't worry about” Kai responds immediately and Felix makes a face that lets everyone else know he is definitely going to worry about it.

“Besides I just think san is cute is all” Kyu shrugs, and before Minho can make a sarcastic retort she continues, “in the way I think Seungmin is cute not the way I think Erin is don't even start” she says accusingly and Minho lifts his hand in mock surrender, “keeping quiet.”

“Good, now speaking of Erin, if you'll excuse me I need to go talk to him” she sighs as she picks up her phone, walking out of the room as she brings it to her ear and they hear the fading dial tone. “So are we all just going to act like that Yunho guy that's in the dance unit hasn't been bugging us about Kyu like the whole show?” Kai asks as he looks around, “oh yeah, Zeus's kid got it bad” Minho whistles, “Hey I think it's cute, he's just being shy” Felix muses as he smiles, “It's annoying” Kai looks at him with a deadpan expression, “I don't want to be answering questions about my sister all day” he groans.

“He's hopeful, I don't think it'll ever really work with Zeus not liking Nyx and all, they're opposites, but cut the kid some slack” Changbin huffs, “kid? he's your age- actually I think he beats you by a few months” Han looks at him weirdly as he speaks. “I don't see how them being opposites should stop any feelings, sometimes you just can't help it” Felix shrugs as he sneaks a glance at the back of Kai's head, the fatigue of having spent the day with the son of darkness is starting to reach him but he doesn't want to let it show, so he blinks rapidly as he looks back to the rest in the room.

“I think we're all forgetting the fact that she has a boyfriend whom she's been with since like- highschool?” Jeongin questions, “that seems like the actual issue here” Seungmin looks back at him, “yeah but do any of us actually like Erin” he asks and nobody responds, “we may not enjoy his company but he's good for her so how bout we all just stay out of it hm?” Chan looks at his members as they nod at their leader's words, Kai lets out a low grumble of something they can't really hear, but they ignore it anyway, used to him sometimes mumbling to himself. Felix doesn't though, he could never ignore a word Kai says, and he tries so hard to focus, hearing the words “not really” after Chan had said that Erin was good for Kyu, and he furrows his brows as he looks at the love of- as he looks at Kai.

“hey guys I just got a text, they changed some schedules so they want the dance unit to meet and film now” Kyu sighs as she walks back in, clearly not happy that the schedule was moved up a few hours. “I thought you were talking with Erin?” Seungmin asks, “hm, I was, but then I got the text so I needed to come back- he understood” she reassured the boy as she ruffled his hair, packing up her own things. “I'm gonna meet you guys in the car okay? “ She looks at the boys assigned to her unit, “meet me there in ten. ”

“Yo do you need me? “ Kai asks lazily, “yeah, you're Minho's stylist and he's gonna be on camera so kind of” she looks at him as if he just asked the dumbest question, and he just repeats her words mockingly to himself as he stands up and shrugs on his jacket. “Can I call shotgun? I don't wanna sit between these two” Minho moves his fingers to point between Kai and Felix as he looks at Kyu hopefully, wanting to persuade her into giving up her seat. “Nope, I'm manager, I call the shots, I get shotgun, just sit somewhere else in the back” she shrugs before walking out and Minho groans in disappointment.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“You don't have to stare at her that hard, yaknow, she doesn't bite…. unless that's what you want?” Felix startles Yunho as he creeps up behind the taller, his eyebrow raising. Yunho almost jumps as he turns around, spluttering and trying to defend himself, “staring? pfft what? no who's staring? not me nope, no sir” he scratches the back of his neck before sighing, “is it that obvious?” he winces as he asked, and Felix just nods. “yeah, but she doesn't notice don't worry” Felix tries to reassure him, “I don't know if that's a god or bad thing” Yunho sighs, and Felix hums in acknowledgement as his gaze drifts over to Kai for just a moment before moving back to where his manager is talking to an overly enthusiastic San.

“You don't have to kill him either, if you're jealous I mean. Kyu-noona has this thing of taking people in” Felix looks at Yunho, who returns his gaze confusedly, “aren't you supposed to be telling me to stay away from her? that she has a boyfriend?” he tilts his head as the question flows from his lips. “Probably, but I'm not her keeper so…. “ Felix makes this weird spinning motion with his fingers as he drags out his last word, starting to move away from Yunho, hips first as he leans his head back and holds the elders gaze before eventually releasing it and bouncing off to Wooyoung.

Yunho muses over Felix's words, while he would never actually try anything with her if she was in a happy relationship, talking to her couldn't hurt right? All he knows about her is what he's heard from Mingi, and from the research he's been not so sneakily doing but nobody needs to know that last part. Having an actual conversation with her might be good, maybe he could get over this feeling then, maybe it's all just intrigue, the mystery of her.

He steels his nerves as he walks over, thinking he could just use San as a bridgeway to enter the conversation but the slippery bastard spots Yunho first and moves away just in time where he can act like he didn't see Yunho coming but also in time for Yunho to look weird if he turns around now since he's basically already in front of Kyu. He stares down at her, blinking rapidly, by the gods she's even prettier up close, he swear with every blink he's taking a photo to keep stored in his mind, engraving another piece of her face in his memory as each second he spots another interesting feature, each more beautiful than the ones before.

“Hello? is there something I can help you with Mr. Jeong?” Kyu asks after a moment of silence, not understanding why he's not speaking. From what Mingi had told her about his best friend, which was a lot, he was quite a joyful person around most, so her first concern was that the man maybe didn't feel well. Were the lights hurting his eyes? He was blinking pretty rapidly. “You smell like strawberries” is what he blurts out, so many thoughts had been running through his mind and that was all he could get out.

She blinks at him as his own eyes widen in shock, he claps his hand over his mouth as if he can't believe his own words. “Oh my gods I'm so-” he tries to save himself but Kyu lift a hand to stop him, “It's alright, I've heard a lot about you so I'll try and not let this weird first conversation derail my view of you” she laughs slightly, clearly joking although Yunho lets out a breath of relief. “I'm uh I'm Yunho- but I guess you already know that” he says awkwardly, rolling on the balls of his feet, “I do know who you are, Son of Zeus. My mother speaks highly of you” she nods.

“Your - your mother speaks of me?“ Yunho asks, his voice breaking in surprise, internally his hopes already deflating, knowing the mistress of night isn't fond of his father. “Only good things lightning boy don't worry” she huffs out a slight piece of laughter, and Yunho relief is clouded by the loud thumping of his heart at the sound of her laughter. “Good things? that's not what I expected… but I'm glad then, I do have a lot of respect for your mother” Hera has taught Yunho how to keep his composure under many a circumstance, but he feels like all that training is going down the drain as his palms become more clammy, the urge to reach his hands out and cradle her own becoming almost overwhelming.

“hm, and she you, she does prefer you over your father so-” Kyu steps forward, placing a hand on Yunho's chest and patting it comfortingly, “-you have my family's support when your time comes at least, Lightning boy” there's a playful gleam in her eyes, one that reminds Yunho of her lineage and one that makes him yearn to join whatever game she wishes to play, even if he loses. She walks away, joining her brother and Felix, the former looking at Yunho with a thoughtful expression, or at least, what Yunho preserves to be one.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“You're kidding me right…. “ Mingi says as he stares at his best friend through the screen. Yunho sits legs crossed and hands intertwined as if he's offering a proposition to a professional employer. “oh no he's like, dead serious, like it's bad, like I had to ask Eros if he didn't accidentally shoot Yunho with an Arrow bad“ Yeosang says as he sits beside his roommate, staring at Mingi who looks like he's just been told his best friend is in love with his aunt- oh wait that's exactly what happened.

“Listen I didn't know she was your aunt when I fell in love-” Yunho tries to convince Mingi, “STOP SAYING YOU'RE IN LOVE YOU BARELY KNOW HER??” he shouts through his phone, gripping his hair as he stares at him incredulously. “Listen Mingi love knows no bounds-” Yunho starts again, “THERE ARE NO BOUNDS TO KNOW YOU'VE KNOWN HER FOR A MONTH” Mingi stops him, Yeosang huffs out a breath of laughter and Yunho shoots him a look. “Listen, I'm not asking for your permission or anything, it's not like I'm going to act on it, I mean she has a boyfriend. I just thought I should tell you” Yunho shrugs. Mingi takes a deep breath before leaning forward and getting a bit closer to the screen, “and you're sure you like her? like, what scale of like is this? Is it like a playground crush? puppy love?” he asks.

“It's like…” Yunho stops a moment, trying to find his words, “You know that one iconic Gomez Addams speech? of like the ‘I would die for her, I would kill for her’ I can't really describe it but honestly? it feels like that and trust me you can be mad all you want, I mean fuck I'm mad at myself. Like who develops feelings this fast?? for a person in a relationship no less, it feels sickening, despite the depths of my feelings the speed in which it happens makes it feel unreal, like it will slip away at any moment but it's so deeply rooted I know it won't and I hate it. Because even if I did have a chance, even if the fates tied our strings together with their own hands I feel like my love would seem valueless to her, honestly who would believe me? you don't, none of you do. It doesn't make sense and I hate it” he says and his voice is shaky as he's trying to regain his composure, Mingi's eyes soften as Yeosang places a hand on his shoulder.

“Love isn't supposed to make sense, or at least that what my mom says, I mean do you think my brother kidnapping Psyche after he was sent to kill her but ultimately fell in love with her made sense? You think Orpheus turning around made sense? think Hades took Persephone because it made sense? Love doesn't make sense Yunho, and it's not that we don't believe you, it's just.. “ Yeosang trails off as he looks to Mingi for help, “It's surprising, you've never shown any interest in anyone, you specifically were raised to think of these feelings as the most important thing by Hera, so you saying stuff like this it… It's shocking, especially considering who she is” Mingi finishes.

“Because she's Chthonic?“ Yunho asks and Mingi shakes his head, “Because she's her mothers daughter, in every sense of the word” and the words hit Yunho deep. something about Kyu, it envelopes him like the veil of night her mother brings, the one gifted to her by her own brother- husband. He's only known you for a few months and he's barely spoken to you but God's does he yearn for more, to learn every inch of her skin, every memory she holds dear, every twinkle in her eye that reflects the stars of her mothers night sky.

“Just, Listen I'm not saying go for it, not at all, she and Erin have been together for years and while I may not like him, she loves him. So get closer to her, be her friend if you want, anything that will help lessen your own burden, but don't pressure your feelings onto her, otherwise I'll drag you to Tartarus myself” Mingi warns, “I'd never dream of doing anything of the sort” Yunho replies, “I know, but just because you don't mean to doesn't mean it can't happen”

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“I still don't think this is a good idea” Yunho says nervously as he walks with his members, holding one of the many baskets they’ve brought with them, “come on, you've gotten closer to her and your friends now, the awkwardness is gone bro, just relax. It's not like you're going to be the only people here” Mingi tries to hype up his friend. It's been a few months since Kingdom ended and Mingi had returned from his hiatus and while most groups on the show had become close, Stray kids and Ateez shared a certain bond. Maybe it had been their family ties, maybe it was just their personalities, but they meshed well together. Thus they planned a picnic, having the day off when both their schedules aligned was a grace in and of itself and they were determined to enjoy it, despite some people's anxiety.

“Yeah but it's gonna feel like it, I'm not going to be able to take my eyes off her and it's going to feel like it's only us to me but Erins going to be there and gods I hate that dude” Yunho grumbles, he tried, really he did, to push his feelings aside and become Kyu's friend, but it didn't work. The more time spent with her the deeper into the void he fell. it got so bad that when Eros came down to bother visit Yeosang his immediate response to greeting Yunho wasn't even a ‘hello uncle bro’ nope it was ‘god you smell like a yearning man in love it's sickening' now for a god of romance to tell you your feelings are so prominent that it sickens him isn't really what Yunho was hoping to hear.

And Erin, god that pretentious little bastard, Yunho wishes he could deck him sometimes, and it's not even like he treats Kyu poorly for Yunho to feel this way. He just doesn't treat her great either, and Yunho notices, because he can't help but notice everything about her. Erin seems weirdly possessive, and while Yunho understands given, he'd feel the same had he been given the grace of her attention, he would never dream of interrupting her life the way Erin seems to do. It's weird, the way her personality changes when he's there, she becomes soft- no, although it can be confused with it, not soft- withdrawn, insecure, scared almost.

“Eugh” Wooyoung makes a noise of disgust at Yunho's words, “Seriously man, get a grip, you can't be leading us after our time in the mortal realm has run its course like this” He slaps the back of Yunho's back and oh great that's another thing that's happened in the last few months. His father has so graciously decided that since Yunho is already named heir- something he finds bizarre given the fact that his father can't actually die therefore doesn't need one- the king of the gods decided each god should name an heir, and immortalize them- without their permission. So when Yunho stops aging at the age of thirty he'll be sure to thank his father-not.

Another reason the two groups had grown so close, all of them had been named their parents sole heirs, well except for Seonghwa and Chan, they've decided to split the responsibility. Walking up to the group who seems to already be setting up Yunho feels his stomach churn as he sees Kyu, Erin standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her shoulders and head resting on her head. Yunho doesn't like the way he holds her, it seems uncomfortable, and it obscures his vision of her delicate face, her peaceful smile.

Wooyoung is first to be bound over as everyone greets one another, Yunho going to help Changbin with the blankets. It's a beautiful day outside, sunny too. Felix seems extra happy, his hair a little more vibrant and freckles seeming to glow just the faintest bit as he smiles up at the sun, greeting his father probably. Yunho ensures a chuck of the blankets are placed beneath the shade of a tree, he knows both Kai and Kyu tire from being in the sun too long, and they had all planned to spend the whole day together and watch the sunset, two of them falling asleep wouldn't exactly help with that. Changbin pats his back and smiles as Yunho tells him why he moved their blankets, “Wow dude not even I remembered that and I'm like- King of hospitality” he jokes and Yunho just laughs along but his eyes flicker to Kyu once again.

She's standing with Erin as they talk to Seungmin who seems to have found some sort of plant, he looks frustrated in his ranting but Kyu is just smiling at him. What worries Yunho is that she's standing in the sun, and she's not wearing clothing that could protect her from it, rather a light gray sundress. Kai may be standing in the sun, but Yunho's seen him retreat to the shade for a few minutes before joining Felix again, and he's wearing a hat (Yunho also saw Felix lather the man in sunscreen so thick he doesn't think Helios could even reach Kai's skin but he's not going to talk about that). Still, Kyu's hair isn't even down to protect her neck, what if she gets sunburn? fatigue? He bites his lips as they continue setting up, nervously watching her every move to look for signs of anything. He knows being in the sun for a little while isn't that damaging, she works in the day for god's sake but, it's really hot today, and according to what he eavesdropped overheard she and Erin have been out in the sun since early that morning.

“Come on guy's we did all this work to set everything up standing around is just insulting” Changbin huffs and the group quickly makes their way over, Kai immediately sitting in the shade and Felix sitting in the sun right next to him, the line between the sunlight and shadow separating the two perfectly. Yunho sits opposite Felix on the blanket, next to the other shadow, hoping he could sit close to Kyu as well, he hasn't talked to her in a while. He watches as Erin goes and sits down between San and Seungmin, which is weird since he's never shown an interest in the two earthly demigods, who recently have grown close, they sit at the edge of the blanket opposite the shadows, furthest from the coolness and directly under the sun. Kyu walks between them, and she seems like she's walking to the spot beside Yunho, like she knows it was left for her, but a light move of Erin's foot taps hers just before she's completely out of his reach and as if on instinct she moves to sit in front of him, slotting herself between his legs as he wraps his arms around her neck once again. God Yunho really, really hates the way he holds her.

He sends a questioning glance to Kai whom he can see is already looking at Kyu worriedly, along with a few other members, Yunho doesn't think they noticed Erin's motion, “Aren't you gonna come sit by me?” Kai asks as he locks eyes with his sister who only gives him a soft smile in return, “I'm okay, I'm sitting with Erin” Yunho doesn't like the way she's speaking. He never does when it comes to Erin, because she never says that it's something she wants, it's not ‘I want to sit with Erin’ it's ‘I'm sitting with Erin’ and sure Yunho may be overthinking the little things, but after awhile the little things start to add up.

“Won't you get tired Noona?” San asks as he looks up from where he and Seungmin were playing some sort of game with the ground behind them, it's part of why they chose this place, they can release and enjoy their powers that weigh them down without being seen. Yunho wouldn't, he's mastered locking away his abilities compared to when he was young, but he still enjoys the bliss it brings his friends. “She's fine, I'm protecting her from the sun” Erin replies for her, settling his head into hers as if to emphasize his point of enveloping her, and while the others either shrug or find it cute, Yunho doesn't, and it seems like Kai doesn't either. “At least take this, you seem uncomfortable moving your dress the whole time” Yunho says as he hands Kyu a blanket to throw over her legs, it's light enough not to add any extra heat, but good enough to protect a part of her body from the sun. Yunho totally didn't buy it specifically for her and has totally not been watching her waiting for her to show she's struggling with a dress or skirt so he could offer it to her, don't believe what that target employee told you, it's a lie.

She nods and thanks him with a quiet smile and he returns it, ignoring the look Erin sends him because at least he had made Kyu smile. “alright everyone remember it's hot so remember sunscreen” Chan claps his hands together, “and hydration” Seonghwa finishes as he starts handing out water bottles, “we can get our own water yaknow we aren't baby’s” Han says and Chan gives him a look, “Last time we spent a day in the sun and we didn't remind you to hydrate you almost passed out from heatstroke” the puffy cheeked boy just purses his lips and starts drinking the water Seonghwa handed him without retorting, causing the group to laugh.

“okay first order of business” Jeongin says seriously, “card games” he finishes as he pulls out the giant pack of Uno, well, their version of the game, it's a bunch of different decks with different rules and cards shuffled together, they call it ‘Dos’ which is just wishful thinking that copyright doesn't catch them but hey if nobody snitches they should be fine…hopefully. The day drags on as the group shares laughter, Yunho sending glances to Kyu and taking whatever chances he could get to talk to her when Erin wasn't looking, although he must've caught on because he started dragging Kyu along whenever he needs to grab something or stand up to talk to someone.

Kyu only seemed to get more and more tired, her cheeks red, not with blush, but by the sun and the heat surrounding her, her eyelids would droop whenever anybody wasn't paying attention and she had gotten less and less verbal throughout the day. When sundown hit they all sat down and watched it, everyone admiring the scenery as Felix bid goodbye to his father, the blonde resting his head on Kai's shoulder as the days activities dawned on him. Yunho looked at Kyu, her smile small and her eyes closed as she breathed softly, the light of the sun now casting a soft glow on her skin, not harsh or burning as it had been earlier. She looked beautiful like this, at peace, the only thing ruining the picture for him was Erin's arm securely wrapped around her shoulders.

Yunho had thought that was the most beautiful picture he'd ever see in his lifetime, a moment he wouldn't have been able to capture on film even if he tried, memorizing each line on her face as the golden glow casted over her, no matter the teasing of his friends around him. Yet he was proven wrong once again when they had decided to stay out later and stargaze. He was worried, Kyu had clearly been tired and she didn't seem like she wanted to stay, but agreed when Erin looked down at her and whispered something in her ear, the others cooed, but Yunho only felt the electricity beneath his fingers twitch, a soft yet familiar hum starting to buzz against his skin before he forcefully snuffed it out.

Everyone was laying on their backs, spread out beneath the night sky as they looked at the stars above them. Kyu seemed happier, maybe because this had been her rightful domain, but even in her tired state she seemed more content than Yunho had ever seen before. The stars and the moon seemed to shine brightly that night, that was until Yunho went to lay down next to Kyu, he doesn't know how he got the motivation to do it, but Erin wasn't here, he was off somewhere else, having made the excuse of needing to take a phone call- that was half an hour ago yet Yunho isn't complaining. When he laid down next to her she turned her head to look at him, giving him that tiny smile she'd give Seungmin and San when they showed her whatever new little thing they made in the plants. It was comforting, made his heart warm up and his own cheeks flush. She looked back up at the sky, and when Yunho followed her gaze but seemed darker, the veil of night almost dimming the stars and the moon, who seemed all too happy to be coveted by its blanket.

He had decided then, that this was when she was her most beautiful. When she was at peace, when her powers seemed strongest and the night at its darkest, she was the most divine then. A being he'd make sure even his father worshiped if she would allow him to, if she'd give him the honor of admiring her openly. Under the stars, as the darkness of the night seems to reach out at her and she lifts her hand in response, darkness creeps from her fingers down to her elbows as she whispers something in return to the night.

He decides he'll marry her right then, become her husband, her king, anything to please her. If she'll allow him he would give her the world, the universe and all he asked for in return was to be able to gaze upon her like this, when she was at her most comforted. He was going to marry her, no matter how long he'd have to wait, he would do so with a smile on his face until the day he could put one on hers.

“So.. marriage” Hera’s voice rings through his dad's apartment, startling Yunho as he almost chokes on his glass of water. He had come to visit his dad on one of his few weeks off, and had not expected to have Hera surprise him at midnight when he went to get a glass of water after staring at the night sky through his window for a solid hour or two.

“I'm - I'm sorry- what?“ he coughs out confused, hitting his chest as he breathes heavily, “don't choke Yunho, it's unseemly” Hera scolds him, “Thanks mom I'll remember that next time” he retorts and Hera has a hint of a smile at her son’s sarcasm, clearly she raised him right- somewhat. “Yes, you should remember everything I teach you, you do, don't you?“ she moves her body to face him from where she sits at the dining table, clad in dark blue and green robes, golden jewelry holding the pieces of fine fabric together as it drapes off her, white hair tied in a bun with a peacock pin holding it together, the crown placed atop her head a tinier, more practical version of her actual one. Dark green eyes bore into Yunho's with an intensity he's never seen directed at himself.

“Yeah, yeah of course I do” he nods as he hops on the countertop, long legs dangling off the edge so he's facing her, “but I don't understand why you're visiting me in the middle of the night to ask if I remember what you teach me” he tilts his head confusedly. “You remember what I told you about marriage?” she taps her fingers rhythmically against the wooden table beside her, “uhm? that you oversee it and so you know the most about it?” he asks, not quite knowing what she's referring to, she's told him a lot about marriage, quite passionate about the topic.

His mother only sighs, “That it's an important promise, not to be taken lightly, especially not before the gods” she hums, and he swallows thickly, “yeah.. yeah I know that” he twiddles with his fingers in his lap, scared of where this conversation might lead. “You asked why I was here, visiting you in the middle of the night? so your father had no way of hearing us- he wouldn't dare poke his nose under the night's cloak, not recently anyway. I came here for an explanation, to ask you why your thoughts were screaming ‘marriage’” she doesn't look at him this time, rather looking out the window. His breath hitches as he stops all movement, “I don't - I don't know what you're talking about” he stammers out, knowing he would never really lie to Hera, but still trying anyway.

She turns her head back to him as she stands up, walking to stand in front of him, “Don't try and deny it, You were screaming, pleading, projecting your thought to me and to her who watched over you that night” Yunho's eyes widen at her words, “Wait Nyx heard-” Hera shakes her head, “Not her, Selene did, but it may as well be all the same, she would never keep anything from her lady. So if I'm going to be approached by a primordial because you have a crush on her daughter, I need the truth”

“I don't have a crush on her mom- I love her- I'm in love with her and it hurts mom, it hurts so much that I wish I didn't have these human emotions- she consumes my every waking thought, my every action every breath, it's like wherever I look I draw a connection to her because I've deluded myself into believing the fates are trying to show me she's the one for me. I know you've taught me about the sanctity of marriage and I know it would never work with Zeus in the way but I… “ Yunho breaks down, a single tear dripping from his eye as he lets his face fall onto Hera's shoulder, he's been holding it in so long that he feels like he can't real it back now that he's spilled everything.

“You love her” Hera finishes his sentence for him as she pats his hair, “but she has eyes for another” she continues, knowing that the girl is currently with her own grandson, she's never really liked the boy, neither has Zeus which is why he didn't care when he started dating the nights daughter, but Yunho.. Yunho is a different story. “I know, I hate it, I know she's with someone else but these emotions just won't stop growing, like my heart is ready to burst out of my chest and take my humanity with it” he huffs.

She brings his face from her shoulder, holding it with one hand as she gently cups his cheek, “I think that's the best part about you Yunho, the humanity. Unlike us Gods, you have a heart, a soul” she hums, “I do, and my heart beats only for her, my soul yearns for her touch I- I can't live like this anymore mother, can't continue living as if nothings wrong knowing she's in the arms of another man- a lesser man. She deserves more than him- more than me! more than the night sky, more than anything anyone could ever give her.. “ he confesses and Hera’s resolve steels. If her son wants this girl, if he believes the man is not suited for her, then Hera will make damn sure both she and her son get what they deserve, that the sanctity of marriage won't be sullied more. She'll need to talk to Aphrodite after this.

“What do you need” she asks, and he looks up at her, his eyes filled with a yearning she could only describe as purely human, yet with the intensity of the divine “I need- I need to offer her my bleeding heart, whether she cradle or crush it- I would still be at peace knowing it was touched by her darkened hands” he states, and she smiles at him as she hears his last words. He loves this girl, not only for who she presents to be, but for who she truly is. “then you'll do just that” Hera offers and Yunho looks up at her confused, but she doesn't say a word more, already knowing that up in the sky another conversation quite like this one is taking place.

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“Selene baby! What brings you to my neck of the woods?“ Nyx asks joyfully, trapping the shorter goddess in a tight hug as Artemis watches the two from a far, giving them their privacy but still doing her job. “I have news to share with you my lady, it's about your daughter- the half mortal one” Nyx's joyful face instantly disappears as she looks down at Selene with a serious expression, “What happened to Kyu? I knew it was strange that she hadn't talked to me tonight yet but… “ the elder bites her lips as she waits for the moon to respond. “No no, mistress your daughter is not in any.. immediate danger, but I am here to share news” Nyx tilts her head at the gray haired goddess warning but nods her head for her to continue.

“I believe an Olympian is in love with her” she states, and Nyx chuckles, “Well id hope so, I may not like the boy but they've been together so long id be worried if he doesn't love her… well id also rip his head off but that's neither here nor there” she hums as Selene nods her head, “Not Erin, there's another. The son of Zeus… a few nights ago his thoughts had been screaming, I could hear them- he sought marriage” she says and Nyx has a thoughtful expression on her face. “hm.. Zeus's boy…. he likes my daughter?” she asks suspiciously, “he loves her it seems my lady, I've been watching him. He stares up at the night sky every night and talks of her, I'm not sure if he knows I listen, or wishes for me to carry on his messages, but he speaks of her for hours, asking of her health and pleading for the stars to respond” she tells Nyx.

“And Erin? What have you seen of him?” she raises a brow, “I have not seen much of him, nor your daughter Mistress, it seems after she had greeted you he withholds her from enjoying the night sky” Selene says, bracing herself for the impact of Nyx's rage. “I… I entrusted you to look after my daughter when I had to work.. and you did not think to inform me that she was being withheld from my domain?” the primordial's voice is deadly calm, darkness around them growing stronger as the veil her husband had gifted her sways angrily, Artemis’s shoulders tense at the change in atmosphere and she locks eyes with the scene unfolding, Nyx's skin turns dark, almost unseen as her hands glow white, Selene falls to her knees, as if her light had been sucked info Nyx's hands. Artemis immediately moves to catch the Moon, trying to support her as she looks up at Nyx, “My lady maybe we should-” “How long” Nyx interrupted her as she stares down at Selene, a darkness looms over the both and a shadow hand grasps Selene's chin and forces it up from behind, “I believe my wife asked a question” Erebus’s voice rings deep in their ears, and alerts Artemis that they are no longer only in the night. Everything around them is pitch black and there isn't a star in sight.

“How long.“ Nyx asks again, and her voice sounds almost as if it had mixed with her husbands, dark and powerful, dripping with venom as she stares down at her dear friend, “How long has that bastard been keeping my daughter from me” Selene breathes heavily, “about- about f-five years” she says, and Erebus drops her head, no longer supporting her chin. “You've kept this, kept my daughter from me for FIVE YEARS?” Nyx shouts, veil and hair floating as she grows larger, fingers turning to talons as she looms over Selene, “My darling night, calm down” Erebus tries to reason with his wife, although he himself is not too fond of the information they were just given, “I AM CALM” she retorts, her voice distorted and monstrous.

“I'm sorry mistress, It's just- lady Kyu asked me not to tell you!” Selene shouts up at the giant goddess, and Nyx stops in her tracks, staring down into the moon's eyes for a moment as if to gauge if she is telling the truth, before the goddess starts to shrink down. Returning to her normal form and the light from her hands returning to Selene as she tries to stand up, supported by Artemis who does not interrupt what is clearly none of her business. “She what?” Erebus asks this time, the shadows of his figure wrapping around his wife to hold her, whether that be for comfort or the safety of the two moon goddesses before them he doesn't know.

“Five years ago, around the time Her group had just started out, she and Eris’s boy had a fight. I'm not sure what it had been about but it got heated, I would've told you but she pleaded with me not to Mistress and I…” Selene doesn't finish her sentence, not wanting to offend Nyx nor Erebus. Artemis holds her up, trying to support her and help her stand as she looks at the two primordials before them. “You didn't wish to disobey an ask from your future lady” Nyx finishes, her voice back to normal but lacking its usual steady tone. Selene nods in response, the black haired goddess takes a deep breath before she releases herself from her husband's hold, bending down to now hold the moon's cheek in affection again. “I'm sorry I yelled at you like that darling, but you need to promise never to hide such things from me again, especially when pertaining to my daughter, do we understand one another?” she asks, despite the soft tone there's a hint of malice as her gentle hand digs a nail into Selene’s cheek. Not hard enough to draw any ichor, at least not yet.

“Yes, yes I understand Mistress, I apologize” Selene’s response is immediate and laced with just enough emotion to have Nyx believe her. The veiled goddess releases her hold on Selene as she stands up, locking eyes with Artemis, “you'll ensure she keeps that promise, won't you darling deer?” she asks her, and the huntress only nods in response, feeling no more powerful than the animal she had just been named, caught trapped by a pack of panthers. “Very well, may you go” Nyx walks back to her husband as Artemis takes the chance and helps Selene back to their chariot, not sparing a glance back or waiting for the goddess to change her mind and continue their journey. Leaving alone the husband and wife of all that is void.

“My night I understand -” Erebus starts, “Five years, five years has my daughter been kept from me. I thought she had just been busy. I've heard that mortal kids often migrate away from their parents at a certain age. I thought it had rubbed off on her. I'm a bad mother Erebus, I didn't even realize my own daughter was not spending time in her rightful domain- oh my poor baby she must be so tired” tears well up in Nyx's eyes as she paces back and forth in the endless void of darkness. Her husband takes a breath acknowledging how serious this is for his wife to be calling him by name, no matter how enraged he himself is, he knows he needs to be the voice of reason between the two of them. He steps closer and holds her arms, his shadow mist wrapping comfortingly around her as he stops her pacing.

“You are not a bad mother for giving her space my night, it was a completely logical assumption for you to have made, never once has she given you any reason to doubt her” he tries to soothe her, placing a kiss to her forehead, she always enjoyed when he did this, said the cold shadow of his lips tickled her skin. “I'm her mother I was supposed to know, it had taken me too long to notice the way her mortal parents had been handling her and now- now she's going through Morai knows what at the hands of some Olympian bastard who doesn't know his place!” her voice starts to raise again, causing Erebus to rub her back as he tries to contain her. “My love, we cannot be sure of what it is they are hiding, while I am well aware of your dislike for the boy, and share the same notion, it is not our choice to make, now is it? Remember, when you had come to me the day you asked for her?” he asks softly and she nods in response, “I had told you about what the fates had shared, had I not?” he continues, feeling her nod against what should be his chest, “and what was it your wonderful daughters had said?” He waits for her to speak.

“You said they mentioned a lightning storm at night” she mumbles, gripping onto his figure like a vice as she's not understanding where he is going with this conversation. “Yes, and we had thought it had been connected to Zeus, and it could very well still be in a way… the news Selene brought, it had been of Yunho's admiration for our princess hm?” He continues, hoping for his wife to catch where his thoughts are leading, yet she only looks up at him, waiting for him to clue her in. “Now you and I both know you've spied on that boy enough to know he has pure intentions-” it's true, Nyx had not liked the idea of Zeus having another offspring, even if he had been approved by her darling Hera, she still had to ensure the boy was good, especially after he had befriended her precious grandson, “- and for Selene to have heard his thoughts of marriage, his cry must have been a desperate one, a meaningful one… we know he would never make such a proclamation, even in thought if he did not mean it, he is Hera's son after all” He finishes.

“So are you suggesting what the fates had told you has to do with him and Kyu?” she asks, contemplating his words, he only nods in response as a flicker of insight sparks in her black tear-filled eyes, “So you are suggesting we leave the problem to him… “ she asks softly and he only nods, “I have had a… premonition of sorts for the last few months, of something coming, something big… I believe this is something we must have them sort out themselves”

“I know but.. still I need the reassurance that she will be okay, otherwise I will rip off that Eris boys head myself” her eyes narrow as she speaks, Erebus thinks for a moment, before snapping his fingers. Before them his son materializes, messy hair, in nothing but pajama pants with his toothbrush still hanging from his mouth, “SHIT! Dad a warning next time” Kai yells as he slightly shivers from the cold hitting his bare skin before he observes the scene before him, “oh this is serious….. okay then” he nods slightly, wiping his mouth from toothpaste. He knew something was off the moment he was summoned, he and his father may not have a bad relationship but they aren't close either, boths inability to express actual feelings when not directed to their lover straining their relationship despite the love they have for one another.

“Does Zeus's boy truly love your sister?” Nyx asks, and Kai doesn't even act surprised at his stepmother's knowledge on the subject, all he does is nod in response, “He's more obsessed with her than uncle Hades when Aunt Perce comes home from spring” he responds and Nyx's face seems to brighten up just a little, “and the Erin boy… is he good to your sister?” his father asks him. “Not good, he's m.. I don't know what he is, when it comes to him Kyu is more private than she's ever been, she doesn't share much and I try to keep away from him.. something about him just feels off” she responds as he looks at the two questioningly, “what's this even about?”

“We heard some… news and wanted to ensure your sister's safety” Erebus tells his son, “So you feel it too then? the impending feeling of doom hanging in the air?” Kai raises his eyebrow at his father who nods in response, when his father does not offer another word he understands that he has said what they wanted of him, “can I go back now?” he looks between the two, Nyx nods. “yes, and do say hello to little Felix for me” she kisses the top of his head and walks off to who knows where, “what I wasn't even-” Kai tries to defend himself but his father only pats his forearm where a burn mark in the shape of a hand lays comfortably. “You need to tell that boy that his touch hurts you in the extreme light, he's too innocent to know otherwise” his father offers before walking away, and Kai can now only stare at his reflection in his bathroom mirror as he's teleported back to his apartment.

Something is wrong, the feeling consumes Yunho, stirring in his stomach, humming beneath his skin as it mixes with the ever building electricity that courses through him, creating a melancholic melody of ominous dread as he looks up at the sky. It had become his usual routine this past year, staring up at the sky hoping that Kyu was staring up at the same time as him, he’d talk for hours, about his day, the thoughts he would have of her, all shared with the moon. He wasn't sure if he shared these things in hopes she would hear, that the message would be shared to her, or if it was only to release himself from the guilt of feeling for a taken woman, he'd prefer the latter, for if it was the former, and the message had been shared then he wouldn't be able to handle the heartbreak of her never having responded.

Yet tonight his usual routine is interrupted as he stares up at the sky, it’s winter, a time he’s come to appreciate as the night sky grows longer and Kyu always seems happier, whether she’s more active online or responding to texts, the more constant feeling of her presence brings him joy. Unfortunately on this cold winter night the joy is diminished, the usual darkness of the longer night sky is brightened, the moon and sun seeming to outshine the darkness, creating a purplish veil instead of the usual darkness that had become Yunho’s comfort. It creates an uneasy feeling in Yunho’s stomach as he worries about Kyu, it’s not natural, was it due to her? Was the lustre light of the night connected to Kyu or her mother?

Thoughts swirled in his mind, maybe he should call her.. but that would be weird wouldn't it? if he had just called her randomly at night, but then again they were friends maybe it wouldn't be too abnormal. He bites his lips as he stares up at the moon, face pleading wishing she could give him answers. Was he being paranoid? sure but one quick text couldn't hurt… and then one quick text went unanswered, and it turned into two, then three, giving up he sent one to Kai, maybe he had heard something?

“Kaiiiiii you have a text from Yunho- he's asking if Kyu is okay- why would he ask if Kyu is okay?” Felix questions as he walks to Kai, giving the phone back to the taller person who's looking out to the night sky, “he's just worried” Kai replies, not responding to the text. His father was right, something was coming, and Kai did not have enough care to mess with fate, no matter how much he loved sister, this needed to happen. “Worried about? the night? it is a bit bright tonight” Felix hums as he rests his head on Kai’s shoulder, “Thinking about it Kyu hasn't responded in the group chat tonight” Kai only nods his head at Felix's words, “and she won't. not tonight at least, she's busy” he states, “with what?” The blond asks, Kai simply turns his head to kiss his cheek, not knowing the answer.

“Aren't you worried about her too then?“ Felix hums despite the smile on his face at the small show of affection, “of course, but it's not my fate to interfere with this” Kai turns, holding Felix's face in his hands, “so why don't you help distract me from my worries hm?” he asks and Felix only smiles up at him as the moon looks down at the two through the window.

Once she's sure they won't interrupt, she turns her attention back to the faux black haired male who's currently pacing along his balcony. She knows she promised the young mistress she wouldn't interfere, but it's getting worse and she'd rather break a promise than see her young lady then have to witness her death under the weakened night sky. She promised Nyx she'd take care of this, and had to have the goddess distracted lest she rip off the son of discord’s head and give Zeus a reason to start the war he'd been itching for. This has to happen tonight, and it has to be Yunho.

“Is she okay?” he asks up at the sky, voice shaking and desperate in a way Selene has never heard him speak to her before and this is just what she wanted to hear, the desperation and yearning ensures he’ll be willing to do what fate had lined up for him, so for the first time since he’s started talking to her, she responds. As a voice in his mind, cold and drifty in a whisper, “no, she needs you” Selene speaks and Yunho looks up in surprise, taking a moment to understand the importance not only of being called by the moon but also of her words, although all that is pushed to the back of his mind as he understands the meaning of her words. “Where” is all he grits, “The park under the night” she says, and at first Yunho doesn’t understand, everything is under the night sky, but the memory at the back of his mind resurfaces, seemingly forcefully dragged to the forefront of his worried thoughts. The night at the park in which he witnessed Kyu reach out into the night, and the night reached back to her.

Quickly he moves back inside the house, not bothering to grab a coat to protect him from the cold winter's night, the electricity murmuring beneath his skin already warming him enough, No longer a soft and subtle hum of nerves as it constantly was, his powers were now murmuring, whispering as if trying to coax him to release it, he had a feelings he’d have to listen, he ignores Yeosang question as he grabs his keys and rushes to the car, jumping in and driving off at a speed he’s sure to break the speed limit with, but he can’t find it in himself to care, quickly he navigates his way to the park not far from his own dorm, it’s quiet outside tonight, too quiet, as if the entire world had been put on hold for this very moment.

He doesn’t even park the car, only stops it and yanks out the key, jumping when it comes to a stop as he sees the park in his view, he can hear it now, the sound disrupting the quiet night, yelling and crying, loud and gut wrenching, the murmur of the lightning beneath his skin gets louder, his head starts to hurt as he tries to suppress it. The storm clouds build on the horizon as he rushes forward, the voice he can recognize as Erin’s growing louder, drowning out his powers. He only stops when he reaches the clearing, seeing Kyu stand before Erin, hunched over and holding her stomach, he hasn’t been noticed yet, his mind going into overdrive as his eye’s frantically take in the scene, Erin laughing up at the lightened sky, “YA SEE THAT? HM? SEE HOW YOUR POWERFULL DAUGHTER FALLS? KNEELS BEFORE ME?” he screams up, pointing a bloodied knife in Kyu’s direction, “THIS IS YOUR FAULT!” he turns the knife upwards, and Yunho is surprised he has yet to be smite, that he had ever gotten this far into hurting Kyu.

His powers are screaming at him now, head throbbing in a way that almost disorients him as rage builds, the thunder beneath his skin cooking the red blood in his veins into golden ichor as he slowly tries to creep to Kyu, no matter the unspeakable things he wishes to condemn Erin too, getting Kyu out of the way and in the safety of his arms is his first priority. She does not notice him until he’s behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her to support her, ignoring the warm wet feeling of her blood beneath his fingers as he tries to put enough pressure on the wounds to stop bleeding. She doesn’t make a sound at his touch, whether that be because she’s too tired too or because she recognized him he didn’t want to know, although the way her body went rigid before relaxing when he whispered in her ear suggests the former.

“YOU RAISED HER TO MOTHER EVERYONE UNDER YOUR SKY AND NOW GUESS WHAT?” Erin shouts deliriously, thinking the gods are listening to him with bated breaths, “SHE DIDN’T WANT TO CARRY MY CHILD- SO SHE WON'T EVER BE ABLE TO BEAR ONE NOW” he waves the knife in the air, her blood dripping from the cold steel onto his hand in a taunting manner, “SHE WON'T EVER LEAVE NOW BECAUSE NOBODY WOULD WANT HER AS BROKEN AS I'VE MADE HER- NOBODY-” his manic screaming becomes more deranged as he turns his head back to her, likely for another toxic spill of words to leave his throat, but he stops, noticing Yunho standing beside her, supporting her as her breath hitches due to Erin’s attention on them, “go” she whispers to Yunho, her voice weak and throat hoarse, he only tightens his grip on her in response.

“Or well, not nobody… the pathetic little puppy comes crawling for spoils that aren't his? You're just like your father aren't you? Taking women that aren't yours” Erin tuts, swinging the knife in Yunho’s face tauntingly, “Well sorry to break it to you but unfortunately her pussy can no longer bear whatever children you wish to put in her soo.. Shoe along now, uncle” the last word drips from Erin's mouth like venom and Yunho has to stop himself from lunging at the man. The thunder clouds roll in, dark and fast as they grow, reflecting the storm behind his eyes, “Yunho, go, this is not your fight” Kyu whispers to him, her voice weak in a way he never thought he’d hear from her, her face turns to him, sweat beading on her forehead mixing with the silent tears down her cheeks, her eyes are pale, no longer the soft gray, now more sullen and void as she looks at him desperately, “I don’t want him to kill you too, please” she begs, and Yunho does not understand why she doesn’t strike the man down, she’s much more powerful than him, even in her weakened state, so why won't she just let go of him.

“I’m not going to let him kill you either” my queen, Yunho does not add the last two words to his sentence, but it’s clear Erin knew he wished to say it, “No not me, Yunho-” she’s cut off by the brunette before them, “Not her you idiot, she is still my queen, I wouldn’t be able to take over the underworld without her unfortunately, so I won’t kill her- you on the other hand, are currently holding my prize so if you would ever so kindly let go” Yunho hates the way Erin speaks of her, as if she is not a person, not the love of Yunho’s life. “She’s not yours” Yunho speaks, his voice ringing through the clearing as rage fills him, sparks tingling at his fingertips, his hair losing its dark color as he feels Kyu weakly trying to push herself out of his hold. “Oh? And you think she’s yours?” Erin asks, tilting his head. Before Yunho can respond Kyu lets out a stronger push, breaking free from Yunho’s hold and simultaneously pushing herself toward Erin, stumbling before she grips onto his shirt for support. “Please Erin, stop this, I'm begging you” she pleads.

“aww Baby it’s okay hm? You know I'd never hurt you if not for your own benefit, I'm doing this for us” Erin says, stroking her hair as he looks down at her but not bothering to try and support her, Yunho wants to reach out, to grab her and take her as far away from Erin as possible, but he sees the sparks along his fingers, hears the faint clap of thunder above them and knows touching her would only hurt. “You see Yunho? She chose me, she doesn't love you, she knows to whom she belongs and for that she'll be rewarded… unfortunately she must have lead you on enough to make you believe she loved you, for that she has to be punished” Erin’s voice speaks and before Yunho can register it the sound of Kyu’s gasp fills the air as the knife is imbedded in her back this time, she’s thrown to the ground with a resounding crack implying she must of hit her head, she doesn’t move further and Erin’s attention is on Yunho as he steps forward.

“She'll live, don’t worry, she always finds a way to stay alive, like a cockroach, but it’s you and me now buddy. You think your dad will praise me when I give him your head? The son who dared love the enemy? Think he'll give me your position as heir? It’ll be a lot easier than fighting for it, not that I wouldn't win either way of course.” Erin speaks, and with each step he takes forward the thunder above them clasp louder. Lightning strikes down to the ground, and when he’s right in front of Yunho, who’s feet are planted to the ground, eyes looking terrified at the woman on the ground, the sound of a falling tree echoes through the clearing. His face falls, the ashy blond tips that are slowly seeping into the rest of his black hair obscuring his face from Erin's view, “Your right” Yunho says, voice void of emotion as his fists clench beside him, “Oh I know I am” Erin replies with a smile on his face.

“I am my fathers son…” Yunho says as he lifts his head, brown eye’s now glowing golden as he grabs the already scrunched shirt of Erin, sending a surge of power through his body just strong enough to make his muscle spasm and go limp as the knife in his hand made from Hephaestus's metal falls to the ground before he could even think of using it on Yunho. “And my father isn’t afraid of killing those who anger him” Yunho spits out, and before Erin could even think of replying Yunho sends the first punch, the power behind it along with the electricity sends Erin to the ground immediately, but it’s not enough for Yunho.

He falls to his knees, straddling the bloodied man beneath him as he continues punching him, the lighting striking as the storm rolls in time with his punches. “You really think you deserve her? You're nothing but a bastard and a shame to the family name, no wonder your mother abandoned you, you mutt. I'd be just as disgusted if my son were like you” Yunho speaks between punches, not holding back the strength not the power that's praising him, chanting beneath his skin in joy at the release, eating at the man beneath him whose face is already caved in and skin burned in patches. All the power Yunho’s ever held back is released, the door not being able to close as he simply sees red, his hair now fully golden, the man beneath him doesn't respond, but that’s fine, Yunho doesn’t need him too.

A cough from his side is what snaps him out of his rage, scrambling off the unconscious and barely breathing body beneath him over to Kyu. Blood seems from her mouth, her stomach, her back, and somewhere on her head that Yunho can’t find beneath the heavy black hair. He pulls her into his hold and she looks up at him with the faintest smile, “You look p-pretty in blond thunder boy” she tries to move but groans and stays where she is, “You n-need to stop, you shouldn’t become a murderer for me” she tells him, and he wants to scream at her, he'd kill anyone for her, massacre the whole world if that's what she wanted serve the heads of those who wronged her on a plate if she just asked him too. The tears fall from his eyes, “I- I need to get you to a hospital I-” he frantically panics, trying to position her in a way that wouldn't cause her wounds to worsen, the power that's still screaming at him to finish off the man behind him doesn't dance atop his skin anymore, not with her in his arms “Hey, hey no you- “ she splutters again, more blood emerging from her mouth, a golden sheen coating the angry red.

“You need to calm down before this storm attracts your fathers attention” she says, Yunho’s sure it already has but he couldn’t give a damn, he’s pleading with her, trying to have her keep her eyes open, her breath even. She smiles again, this time at something behind him, he doesn’t want to look, does not want to acknowledge the unmistakable feeling of death looming behind him. “Hey Than” Kyu says softly, “Hello μικρή αδερφή” the gravelly voice of Thanatos responds, his tone soft and caring in contrast to the rage Yunho can feel from him. Kyu closes her eyes in content, humming softly at his words, “No, no Kyu stay with me, please love, please open your eyes I'm begging you Kyu stay-” Yunho pleads as he holds her face in his hand, the mixture of her and Erin's blood rubbing off on her cheek from Yunho’s palm, sullying her beautiful face.

She doesn't respond, and feels cold in Yunho’s hands. She always ran cold, but this was different, she was freezing. “Don’t take her, please I'm begging you don’t take her” Yunho beseeches the god behind him, “I don’t want to” Thanatos replies. “Then don’t, as your future King I order you, do not take her from me” Yunho’s voice breaks, not holding the power or sounding nearly as threatening as he wishes it too. “I need to take a soul, a shade needs to be given to the underworld” Thanatos says as he looks down at his dying sister in the arms of the man she never had the chance to love.

There's a silence, no sound to be heard on the clearing except for the roaring tempest overhead, no breath, not from Yunho, not from the two unconscious bodies and certainly not from the god of death himself. “Then take him” Yunho breathes, “She’s closer to death than he is, by the power I was given I need to accompany the soul closest to their demise” Thanatos tells him, planting the seed in Yunho’s mind that he wishes will grow quickly. The silence overtakes them again before the last of the dark roots atop Yunho’s head turn a golden blond, matching his eyes and the ichor he’s created in his veins, there’s a strike of lightning behind them, so sudden and loud it takes Thanatos by surprise, luckily he does not jump, the glow of the bolt matches the one on Yunho’s hand that's holding Kyu’s thigh as he hugs her tight against him, trying desperately to listen for her heartbeat.

Thanatos looks behind him, the unconscious body burnt and the grass around it flaming, earth cracked from the pressure of the electrical discharge that hit the now dead body. “Take him.” Yunho speaks with finality, voice truly sounding like the order of a king, Thanatos nods, grateful that he did not have to reunite with his sister in such a way. “I'm sorry” Yunho whispers as he presses his forehead against Kyu’s own, feeling her heart beating against him. Whether he’s apologizing for becoming the murderer she asked him not to, or for the small amount of lightning he sent through her to jumpstart her heart, he does not know.

Ever since he had rushed her to the hospital, Yunho had not left Kyu’s side, staying beside her when she had been asleep for 3 days, holding her hand and praying to any god that would listen that she’d wake up. His father tried to summon him, but he refused, he wouldn't leave her, couldn't, Hera had stopped the King from smiting his heir, but Yunho knew his father wouldn’t be too happy about the damage caused. Even tried to come down to the mortal realm to get Yunho himself, only to be stopped by Nyx, who stated his son had been placed under her protection after saving her daughter. This caused Zeus’s anger to grow but he knew better than to cross the goddess of his nightmares.

When Kyu had woken up the first face she saw was a doctor, not Yunho. She could feel his presence, the electricity in the air, and the moment his name invaded her thoughts, the side of her right thigh started to pain, ignoring the voices of the frantic doctors she had thrown off her blanket, desperately yawning up her gown to gain access to the searing skin. Her eyes was met with the claim of thunder on her skin, pitch black contrasting with the paleness caused by her bloodloss, protruding from the soft flesh like a tattoo, little bumps of raised skin seemingly glowing with a golden sheen, she wanted to scream, because it hurts, fuck it hurts , but something about it, the searing heat of the lightning she can feel moving beneath her skin makes her feel alive.

Her eyes frantically move from the doctors to the room around her, desperately searching from his face, she doesn’t see him, but she does see a mop of unmistakable golden hair from the window leading to the halls outside her room, he’s not looking at her, back facing her room, but when she spots him the pain dies down, she relaxes as the doctors around her continue their work, the sound of them fading out as she focuses on the back of his head, memories returning to her of the moment right before she lost consciousness.

“You really need to talk to her, you know?” Kai says as he hands Yunho a coffee, it’s been a week since Kyu had woken up and the newly returned blond man had yet to enter her room. She yelled out at him, asked those who visited and her doctors to tell him to come inside and yet he refused. He couldn't look her in the eye, knowing what he’s done. “Mhm” he hums, dark circles beneath his eyes clear as he accepts the coffee from the other, sitting upright and ignoring the pain his back suffered from the cold metal chairs that line the outside of the hospital rooms.

“Seriously bro I’m gonna make you sniff some essential oils and sleep for at least a few days if you don’t get some proper rest” Hyunjin says as he walks out of Kyu’s room, looking over at Yunho as he goes and sits beside the blond. “Put him out for a week!” Kyu’s voice yells from the room, and you can hear Mingi’s soft huff of laughter following her words. “See?” Hyunjin makes a face at Yunho. “I'm fine, I'm not tired” Yunho defends himself and Kyu’s voice can be heard mocking him, he only huffs in response. “If you would just come in and TALK to me, then I wouldn’t be doing this and you wouldn’t be huffing and puffing!” Kyu shouts again as she hears Yunho.

“She’s right ya know, you'll need to go in there eventually” Kai says as he closes her room door, voice softer to ensure she can’t hear the conversation happening. “You've been sitting here the whole time, ignoring her and your father. You need to face something, hate to break it to you but sitting here 24/7 isn’t helping anybody” he sighs as he sits on the chair opposite Yunho. “I'm not here all the time, I go home to shower and stuff” Yunho mumbles, but he only receives a look in response, “Can I go face my father?” he asks and Hyunjin slaps his chest in response, “Go talk to her.” Yunho groans as he slides down in his chair.

“She’s not mad, I promise” Seungmin walks in on the conversation, holding a bag of clothes he went to go pick up for Kyu, “You say that and yet I do not believe you” he points a finger at Seungmin, “If she was mad I don’t think she’d be calling out to you everyday” Seungmin walks closer, throwing the bag in his hands on Yunho’s lap. “Go” the boy speaks with finality. “She may not sound mad but what if… what if I walk in there and the moment I look into her eyes and she’ll realize what I've done and hate me forever” he asks, only receiving three blank looks in response, “Yunho go in there or so help me I’m calling your dad- mortal one” Kai’s threat does not fall on deaf ears, “Okay now we don’t need to go that far” he tries to get himself out of the situation, but with the way he’s being glared at he knows it’s not possible.

“Yeah okay” He stands up, stretching as he hears his back crack, ignoring the winces of those around him, “If she hates me I’m smiting you all, because apparently I have the power to do that now” Yunho says before taking a deep breath, knocking on the door, Mingi opens it, eyes widening as he sees Yunho at the door, “Oh- well that's uhm- hm yeah I'm gonna go” Mingi fumbles before practically bolting out of the room. Yunho takes a breath as he walks in, he doesn’t take his eyes off the floor as he walks over to the closet to place down Kyu’s bag, he mapped out the entire planning of the room the first few days when Kyu was not, and kept retracing the steps of the room when he sat in the corridor to keep himself from going insane. “Yunho” Kyu’s voice seems much better now, he’s heard it yell to him from outside the room, but it’s different now. More clear, stronger than it was the night of the incident. “Yunho look at me please” she pleads, he grips his fists but only continues putting away clothes and not looking at him.

“I’m.. I’m sorry, that you had to be the one there, that I turned you into a murderer” Yunho finally turns at that, it’s not that he wanted to, but it felt like instinct to turn, to reassure her that none of this was her fault, “No-No Kyu it’s not-” his breath hitches as he finally looks into her eyes. It’s like he’s back to the first day he met her, butterflies in his stomach and his knees feeling weak, sparks sourcing beneath his skin in the way that makes him feel giddy and not ready for war. “Hi” she smiles softly at him, “Hi” he responds, voice shaky. He can feel tears forming in his eyes as he finally looks at her, she looks so much better, the light in her eyes shining in a way he’s never seen before.

She pats the spot beside her on the bed, Yunho takes the hint and moves forward, but he sits on the chair instead of the place offered, “When I- When I told you I didn’t want him to kill you too -” Kyu starts, but Yunho stops her, “You don’t have to-” Kyu interrupts, ”no, no I do- I - I need to speak okay?” she looks at him and he nods, she takes a breath before continuing. “I didn't mean it in the way of I thought he would kill me, He’s he’s killed before, for me, and I didn’t want that burned on your shoulders- I know- I know our parents take care of all this stuff but if this ever gets out it could ruin your career-” ‘I don’t care about my career, I care about you, I want you to be safe’ Yunho thinks, but he only continues to listen to her speak, “-When we were young, fresh out of highschool and just started college I thought of leaving him for the first time, I had this friend who wanted to help me, I didn’t really know him well, but he was such a sweet guy and I needed any excuse to get out.. But Erin found out and, well, he took care of the problem before it could show itself.” she says as she draws her knees up to her chest, she shouldn’t be able to, but her wounds have been healing faster than they should.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that” Yunho whispers, trying to suppress the urge he has to hold her in his arms, “I'm not telling you this because I want your sympathy Yunho, I need you to understand” she says, “understand what?” he asks, “Why I can't reciprocate your feelings, the claim you made Yunho I.. I know it wasn’t made with bad intentions, and I know you’d never be like Erin but, I've spent my whole life being his prize, being claimed by him and not seen as a person of my own, and as much as I hated him for everything he’s done to me I-” she breathes, “You loved him” Yunho states her thoughts, and she only nods. “I’m sorry I killed him” Yunho says, and she shakes her head again.

“Don’t, don’t feel sorry Yunho, you did what I wished I could have, it was something I was too weak to do despite the power that my mother gave me. I couldn't kill him, and it wasn't because I still loved him I- I didn't want to admit I was weak enough, stupid enough to have made the decision of loving him in the first place. So as much as I like you Yunho, as much comfort as you bring me I- I’m not ready to be claimed as someone’s else's before I get to find myself. I just- I need time, could you please give me that?” she turns her head to him, tears glistening in her eyes as her cheek is pressed against her knee.

“I never, I never expected you to even feel anything for me Kyu. The fact that you’ve just admitted you even have some sort of likeness to me is a blessing I didn’t even know could have been bestowed upon me…. You’re not weak Kyu, you're one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, I wouldn't ever force my feelings upon you.. I never meant to claim you it just- it happened and I will give you as much time as you need” Yunho looks into her eyes, brown with golden flecked iris’s staring into her gray and silver ones, reflecting the meaning and importance behind his words. “But I will tell you this, as much time as you need, as long as I need to wait.. I won’t lose you again. You don’t have to be mine, You don’t have to be the queen that will one day ascend the throne with me but… but I will forever and always be yours, the King that's willing to do anything for you, and I need you to know that”

She smiles at him, the unshed tears in her eyes finally falling, “I know Yunho, I know”

˜”°•.˜”°• ⋆ •°”˜.•°”˜

“Do you understand what you've done boy? You've disrupted the balance. Killed one of your own.” Zeus’s voice booms through the Olympian court, of course the god couldn't just talk to Yunho normally, no he needed to summon him to the court, before the eyes of multiple gods to ‘face his punishment’ whatever that means. “Zeus I've told you I honestly do not care that the boy was killed” Eris says from where she sits, bored out of her mind. She didn’t care for the boy called her son, he wanted to disrupt the delicate balance of discord, he did not understand how to carefully plant a seed, she did think him deserving of her lineage anyway, if anything the boy who is technically her half brother did her a favor.

“Sush daughter, we must mourn the loss of Erick and punish this one accordingly” Zeus silences Eris, “His name was Erin..” Yunho huffs, his father doesn't care about the dead half god, just wants a reason to punish Yunho, he hasn’t ever really liked Yunho, not liking the fact that his son is more favored among the gods than he is. “That's what I said, Erin, sweet boy that one” Zeus nods his head solemnly, beside him Hera rolls her eyes. Ares huffs from where he sits besides Aphrodite in the stands of the fake courthouse his father created for this occasion, Demeter is standing there with her arms crossed and foot tapping in that livid manner that makes Ares shudder, like a mad mother she looks at Zeus.

“A sweet boy?” a dark voice haunts the room, sending shivers down the spines of the gods as dark smoke rolls in from beneath the doors, Yunho’s back straightens as he recognizes it, the voice that's come to talk to him in dreams, to both threaten and thank him for his connection with Kyu. As the shadows spread and the room is encased in a veil of darkness Ares smirks, knowing his father is in for it now. The doors open once the room is fully dark, “You call the bastard that hurt my daughter, sweet?” Nyx asks as she steps into the room, the light her husband has drained from the room running from her fingers to her elbows as she simply seems like a dark shadow, her husband is not beside her but they know he’s here, the darkness around them a show of his presence.

“Lady Nyx, as much as you know I respect your judgment, this is a matter not involving you” Zeus speaks through gritted teeth, tone strained as he tries and shows respect for the goddess he fears. “Doesn’t involve her? The dead had hurt her daughter, I think she has every right to be here” Hera speaks, her word carries the same weight as Zeus’s in this court, as much as he tries to deny it. “See? Hera gets it.. You know you've always been my least favorite of Rhea’s children Zeusy boy” Nyx states as she walks closer, flashing her hand atop Yunho’s shoulder comfortingly, “Unfortunately for you, my daughter has grown fond of him, and as any loving mother would, I protect what's hers. He’s under my protection Zeus, you will not punish him for having done what's right”

“My lady, Yunho has used the powers he was given not only to hurt a member of his future kingdom, but dared to turn his own blood to ichor. Blasphemy cannot go unpunished under my reign.” Zeus tries again, “He used those powers to protect our daughter, the ichor made in his system does not compare to what he will hold once he ascends, this is all redundant in your baseless case against the prince” Erebus’s voice rings through the room, seeming to have no clear starting nor end point, just as the darkness its all encompassing.

“That boy, tried to ensure my daughter would never know the joys of being a mother” Nyx spits to Zeus, “and as I was informed your daughter's ability to bare children remains in tact, he had failed so that cannot be used against the dead who's not here to defend himself” The king replies, and without missing a beat Nyx silences him by saying “Your father ate your siblings and yet they stand alive before you, does that release him from the punishment he currently suffers due to his cruelty?”

“Oh shit” Ares mumbles, eating some of the popcorn Hermes popped up with beside him, Apollo on his other side, Aphrodite slaps Ares upside the head to quiet him down. “Now My lady that-” Zeus is cut off by Hera at his side, “This is fruitless Zeus, you’re trying to punish the boy for loving that girl because you can’t handle that fact that they’d be more powerful together than you'd ever be, which is just insanity because they aren't even together” the goddesses words make the other gods nod in agreement, mostly because they don't want to be there.

“Yeah no see asking me to punish him is like asking me to go against love and that's kind of the opposite of my whole vibe” Aphrodite speaks, and the three male gods beside her nod while eating their popcorn like mindless puppets. “That girl has taken great care of my son, so I would not want to punish this boy for his bravery” Demeter interjects her own opinion. “So no one wishes to punish him?” Zeus asks, and everyone shakes their heads, he sighs, despite the anger rising he is a smart enough king to know he can’t go against the vote of all his subjects, and he does not want to anger two of the oldest deity’s known to the world. He nods, “Alright then the boy will be… released”

Months later, when the story had calmed and his fathers rage had mostly cleared Yunho couldn't be more content than what he currently was. Laying in bed with the soft hum of the tv, the golden glow of the setting sun and the love of his life in his arms he couldn’t wish for more. It was the beginning of summer and Kyu’s tiredness worsened as the sun got stronger and the days got longer. As worried as Yunho would always be for her during these times, a part of him wanted to thank Helios, for it only meant he got to hold his sleeping love in his arms longer.

Her back pressed to his chest, resting her head on his arm as she plays with the fingers of that hand and focuses on the show she’s watching, she looks so beautiful, ethereal even. Yunho’s other hand that had been resting on her hip was now mindlessly tracing the lines of the lightning along her thigh, grateful that the summer heat makes her wear shorts and gives his eyes access to the greatest piece of artwork he’s ever created. Her breathing matches his own, heart beating in sync with his as he can’t stop himself from leaning down and placing a kiss atop her head. “I love you, you know that right?” he mumbles into her hair.

“Mm, I don’t think there’s a universe in which I don’t” she hums back, a small smile playing on her face as she turns her head to look at him, “what brings this on?” she asks, instead of responding he just ducks down further, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss and she responds in kind before giggling. When he pulls away she looks up at him mischievously, a hint of chaos in her eyes as her lips curl into that tiny smirk that drives Yunho wild, “You haven’t been focusing on the show have you?” she turns her whole body around as she looks up at him, “What? I totally have how could you question that” he asks in mock offense, but his eyes don’t leave her lips.

“Alright then, what did Buck just fall off of?” she asks, and she can practically see the loading screen in Yunho’s mind, “Who’s Buck?.....” Yunho makes a face and Kyu playfully slaps his chest in response, he only grips her hand in his as he laughs down at her, “Come on Love, you can’t expect me to focus on some show when you look so pretty in my arms” he smiles as he watches the blush form on her cheeks. “Some show? this is my favorite show” she huffs and Yunho makes a noise of disagreement, “See now I know that’s a lie because your favorite show is The originals because you have a little crush on that hybrid guy” Yunho says knowingly and she buries her face in his chest. She grumbles before she looks up at him again, a hand coming up to tangle in his hair, no longer the golden natural blond, or the fake colors of his dye. No now it’s a soft blond with black roots and ends seeping through, proof of her affect on him.

“I've affected you too much” she beams up at him softly, “I could say the same” he moves her so she’s now laying atop his chest, his palm flattening out against the mark against her thigh as it glows a faint golden, sending a exhilarating jolt of electricity through her body. “But you know what?” he asks as he presses a kiss to her forehead, bringing both hands up as he holds her face in them, threading his fingers through her hair as he tuck a strand behind her ear. “What?” she grins up at him, “I wouldn’t have it any other way” he utters but before he could act on the thoughts swirling in his head, she beat him to it. Moving upwards and capturing his lips with a fervent need.

The tv still playing in the background, the setting sun and rising moon, the heat of the day worsened by the tension in their bodies is a stark reminder that the future King and Queen of the gods will never be separated, their bodies intertwined, souls connected and hearts beating as one.

Yunho remembers the stories his dad told him, of Humans having four legs, four arms and two hearts, being split into two souls by Zeus and left to roam in search of their other half forever. He never thought to ask any of the gods if this had been true, but feeling the love coursing in his chest for the woman atop him, he believes it must be.

taglist: @grapejellysollie @seongsangssbitch @idkwhatto-namethis @leezanetheofficial @waywardsummoner46 @randomfan218-blog @kaisworlds

waahh, im also planning on writing a spin off for Kai and Felix so if you wanne be tagged in that lmk😼

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devotion-disorder · 3 months ago

Note

be careful what you wish for...the village Killian's from is having a bit of a population crisis right now, and having a nice little human come by could be just what they need...

Oh noooo....I'm just a naive human lost in this big forest with no one waiting for me...would be a shame if some beautiful elves whisked me away and brainwashed me into thinking I'm their pet/breeding machine and only need their "love and devotion". That would be terrible /silly

- 🩵

wdym the beautiful elf men do not, in fact, have my best interests in mind and were planning something nefarious from the start </3 I was just gonna write down some quick thoughts but it kinda got out of hand LOL

Content warning for: implied drugging (hypnotics, aphrodisiacs), dubcon/ noncon touching (nothing explicit though), manipulation, slight obsessive/ yandere themes, general elven condescension?

Imagine that you’ve accidentally wandered too deep into the forest and lost your way, your shoes hardly holding up in the rough terrain, and the last remaining rays of the setting sun are snuffed out by the overgrown foliage…

To make things worse, you walk right into some sort of trap - a stumbling step is all it takes to activate the runic trip switch, and a suffocating cloud of purple gas is the last thing you remember before things fade to dark…

How clumsy of you! Good thing Priest Killian happened to be on his evening walks when he spotted your pitiful form twitching and writhing in the hunting trap he’d set up; carefully he scooped you up and went his way back to the village. Only the most observant would be able to discern that the Priests’ unmoving smile seemed a bit wider than usual.

It was a trap the elves set up for hunting animals, he’d explained. The poison was almost enough to be fatal, had he not been there in time to save you. It’ll also take a bit for all the toxins to be out of your system. No worries though, because Killian offers to take care of you in his quarters until you’re up on your feet again.

You don’t even remember if you’d managed to give a response, what with lead-heavy limbs and relentless migraine pulsing in your head. Luckily, Killian treated you with utmost care. 3 meals a day (along with the antidote treatment) brought to your bed (well, his bed), and spoon-fed to you because you were too weak to even sit up. He massaged your stiff muscles and brushed your hair. He ran warm baths and washed you – and even then he never opened his eyes – so at least there was some comfort in that.

Under Killian’s care you gradually regain your strength, save for the occasional dizzy spell and fatigue. But he saved your life after all! Feeling indebted to him, you offer to stay longer in the village to help around. While Killian’s expression is ever-unreadable, you can’t help but sense a bit of…amusement from him upon your suggestion. Regardless, he agrees – so long as you agree not to wander too far outside the village, because it’s very dangerous out there, he said.

And of course, he maintained a watchful eye over you, shadowing your tottering form as you went around introducing yourself to the other villagers. How cute.

You worked whatever odd jobs the elves had for you. which isn’t much at all. Mostly just menial tasks, or perhaps relaying messages. Things that they could’ve easily done themselves with their magic, but it’s fun watching an over-enthusiastic little human do it instead, so eager to please. You would say they are…endeared, perhaps. Or maybe they’re just looking out for you, what with your unfinished recovery. Anyhow, the elves are charmed by the newfound presence in the village.

Killian gifts you a new set of clothes, made by the local tailor (you don’t remember visiting a tailor for measurements at any point though, strange). To help you feel more at home, he said. It's pretty, a delicate garment that flutters cool against your skin in the warm summer heat, with an unmistakably elven style of elegance. It is a little short but, well, elves are known for being tall so maybe they're not used to human proportions? The white silk is a bit sheer in places, and you tried to ignore how it clung to the contours of your body when you sweat…

You hadn’t expected elves to be so openly affectionate. Being a long-living race known for their high culture and intelligence, it made for the perception that they were maybe a bit prudish, engrossed in their endless pursuit of finer things to care about lowly desires. But you suppose the elves are as curious of you as you are of them. You got to know some of them quite well, and soon it was routine for them to envelop you in their embrace. They pet your hair and nuzzle into your neck (Killian said something about how common skinship is in elven culture), at times slipping their digits beneath your clothes…sometimes you don't really remember, because the medicine still made you a bit sluggish. But it's ok! Their affectionate nature is a surprise but one you welcome. You think.

During all of which, your treatment continued. Just a little longer, Killian promised. The side-effects seem to show no sign of waning, if not worsening at times. Sometimes you struggle to recall what has happened and what has not. The elves didn’t seem to mind, gladly cradling your tired body when you are overcome with sudden bounds of weakness. You poor little thing, they cooed, one hand combing through your hair to distract you from their other that wandered along your body.

Some days the medicine leaves you feeling more flushed than usual, and a strange feeling you can’t quite place invades your senses; a deep, frustrating kind of yearning that throbbed in your core. You assume it's the side-effects of advanced elf sorcery/ enchantment in your antidote treatment. It’s a tad embarrassing, but you can’t really do anything about it when the elves (if not the Priest himself) check in on you so frequently.

Your only reprieve comes when Killian slots himself snug against your smaller form at bedtime. Were you always this close? You’re not sure if you recall, trying desperately to suppress the suggestive thoughts flooding your brain. His cool hands trail over your body, and it feels way too good against your overheating skin, so good that you can’t even think about resisting as his lips come crashing on top of yours, when he slips his arm underneath your waist to push you closer, closer against him.

Stumbling out of Killian’s quarters in the dead of night, confused, and your vision blurred by hot tears, all you can think about is getting away from him, from this godforsaken place. The other elves stepped out of their houses from the commotion. It was as if something in the air shifted. Their friendly, curious pretenses have dropped completely, leaving a ravenous hunger and unyielding need in their place. The way they leer at your body, the disheveled elven outfit failing to provide much cover, makes your hair stand on their ends. The elves close in on you, their concerned voices laced with something unmistakably sinister. You’re trapped.

A gentle hand on your shoulder snaps you out of your stupor.

“Now, now, I’m sure we’re all very excited about our little one here, but everyone will have their turn sooner or later.” Killian explains. He leans close to your ear, whispering in a volume only audible to you. “Look at you getting everyone so riled up already. Aren’t you such a needy little pet?” You’re paralyzed in fear, but his husky voice in your ears is still setting your nerves alight.

“I’ll give you two choices. Either you let me 'take care of you' back at home,” his arms snaked around your body again, lithe fingers fanning across your thighs. “Or we’ll give everyone a show, and maybe let them get...a preemptive taste, as well. What’ll it be?”

#ask #🩵anon #Killian posting #yandere oc #yandere x reader #yandere imagines #elves don't really do hunting because they have livestock btw. and it was Killian that set up the trap 😔#elf fever hours

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qingyuns · 17 days ago

Text

— i won’t let you fall down, unless you’re in my arms

alternatively, the 3 times kinich saved you from falling and the 1 time that he was the one who fell

pairing: kinich x gn!reader, wc: 2.8k, two or three swear words, reader has a pyro vision because mualani kinich reader burgeon team is a funny hc i have, ajaw makes 2 brief appearances, fluffy but ig they don’t do that much?? pre-relationship and confessions (does this count as a confession), title from an nct dream song (rains in heaven), pls reblog ty

1) The fall that was Pacha’s fault

You were never one to back down from a challenge, not when your pride was on the line. And presently, it was. It was an unfortunate mistake on your part when you’d been a little too cocky, bragging about your rock climbing skills, and as an even more unfortunate result, a friend of yours from the Scions of the Canopy had decided to dare you to climb an actual cliff near his village.

“I’ve got all the equipment,” Pacha had exclaimed. “If you’re really that good, then this should be no sweat.”

You’d narrowed your eyes at him. You couldn’t tell if his smile was mocking or not.

“No problem.”

But now, as you looked up and tried to find another edge to grasp at, you were wishing you had backed down. Seriously, this cliff was just a flat canvas of orange. What were you supposed to hold onto?

“Stupid Pacha,” you hissed to yourself as you reached for a bump in the cliff face. “Stupid cliff.”

Man, you wished you had a Geo vision. Then you could probably create some kind of ledge to rest on. Or maybe an Anemo one would be more useful. You could make yourself float to the top.

You were also never one to be afraid of heights, but as you glanced down, your heart jolted at the distance between you and the ground. Too high. Much, much too high. Your Pyro vision hung uselessly at your hip.

A second glance told you that Pacha was no longer anywhere to be found, and you cursed him under your breath.

“Okay, don’t panic. Just don’t panic and don’t fall,” you huffed. “Easy enough.”

Your palms were moist, your fingers were suddenly too smooth. And just when you risked a second to wipe your hand dry on your leg….

….the other one slipped, and you were falling.

The organ in your chest seemed to stop. This is it, you thought, I’m dead. You were falling, and falling and falling, until suddenly, while your eyes were squeezed shut and your stomach was leaping like a wild Koholasaurus in water, you were flying.

It took you a second for your brain to orient itself, to realise that you weren’t in fact dead yet, but when it did, you felt an arm wrapped securely around your waist, so tight that it was almost painful. You peeled your eyelids open. In your limited view, your saviour was nothing more than a head of dark hair and a blur of green attire. The surrounding cliffs were reduced to blobs of colour as you were swung through the air, down then up, down then up, until your feet were once again on solid ground.

Your knees almost collapsed once you were, and both of your saviour’s arms moved to steady you. A blink. Two blinks. You waited for your breathing to return to normal, then your eyes flitted up to meet theirs.

A kaleidoscope of green and gold greeted you. Huh, pretty.

Your saviour let out a strangled sound, something between a choke and a grunt, and released you. Oh. Had you said that out loud?

“Uh, sorry,” you coughed awkwardly. You took a step back, fiddling with your fingers. “Thanks for saving me.”

With the bandana that was tied over his forehead, it was difficult to discern his emotions. He gave you a curt nod. “You should be more careful.”

A distant yell made both of your hands turn, and you saw the tiny figure of Pacha rapidly approaching and waving his hand at you. By the time he’d closed the distance, which to his credit only took about eight seconds (so he must have felt at least a little guilty about almost letting you die), the guy beside you had vanished.

“Are you okay?” Pacha exclaimed as he skidded to a stop in front of you. You nodded, and he let out a sigh of relief, before looking around curiously. “Was that Kinich?”

2) The fall that was a Tepetlisaurus’ fault

The next time you met Kinich (‘Malipo’ Kinich, a Saurian Hunter who according to Pacha, was transactional, blunt and borderline reclusive), you were on the cliffs by the Children of the Echoes, picking Saurian Claw Succulents as a favour for a new friend of yours, a sweet young girl by the name of Kachina.

And maybe you shouldn’t have been crouching so close to the edge of a cliff, but how you were supposed to know that a Tepetlisaurus burrowing in the earth would come straight for your footing and uproot you, effectively tossing you off the side? Really, it wasn’t your fault! It was just some kind of ninja saurian.

This was only the second time you’d ever fallen off the side of a cliff, but for some reason, you were hardly surprised when the same person came to your rescue this time.

He looked at you blankly as you clutched at the succulent in your hand, eyes darting around to avoid prolonged eye contact. You were sure he probably had an eyebrow raised under his bandana.

“Do you make it a habit to throw yourself off every cliff you come across?”

You flinched. “Well, no.”

His arms crossed over his chest, and you couldn’t help the way your eyes were drawn to the tattoos exposed on his biceps. The teal suited him, you thought absently.

Your thoughts were interrupted by a screeching voice. “Well, what’s your problem, then!”

A flashing myriad of yellow and green flitted into the air. The creature that had popped up from behind Kinich was … strange, to say the least. A strange, blocky thing. It looked strangely flat, like a hundred tiny, flat, square blocks. Were you going insane?

Kinich sent an annoyed glance towards the creature, before looking back at you to see that your mouth was now agape as you stared.

“Oh, right. You haven’t met Ajaw.”

“Oh,” you muttered, suddenly feeling fainter than you had when falling off the cliff, “so this is Ajaw.”

The blocky creature expanded around the middle (you supposed that was the equivalent of puffing out its chest). “Aha! So you’ve heard of the Almighty Dragonlord, K’uhul Ajaw, have you? Tell me, peasant, what have you been told? That I’m ferocious and powerful?”

Kinich sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. You blinked at the creature. You thought back to what Pacha had said – “Ajaw. He’s Kinich’s saurian companion. Really weird little guy. Super annoying.”

“Yeah,” you assented, “something like that.”

“Do you ever shut up?” Kinich sighed. It took you a second to realise that he wasn’t talking to you.

“Maybe you should shut up, Kinich!” Ajaw’s eyes angled themselves into a glare, and he fluttered around agitatedly.

The response he received was a flick of a gloved hand, which sent the Saurian soaring into the sky, until you couldn’t even see him anymore. You were pretty sure you’d never blinked as much in your life as you had in the last five minutes.

Kinich turned to you. “Sorry about him.”

“Um, that’s alright,” you said half-heartedly.

“So how come you’ve fallen off another cliff?”

Yikes. He must have thought you were either insanely insane or tremendously stupid.

“A Saurian knocked me off the side when I was picking succulents,” you muttered, cheeks flushing with heat.

He hummed. You weren’t quite sure what that meant. “And the other time?”

“Um, my friend dared me to climb the cliff. So I did.” You winced. “But I swear, these are the only times I’ve ever fallen off a cliff.”

It was a sentence you never thought you’d have to say. How embarrassing. You waited for the inevitable scolding or mocking to fall upon your ears, but then—

“Alright,” Kinich nodded easily. “Maybe try to avoid cliffs from now on."

Then he turned around, and started walking away. The sudden departure made you recoil in shock. Was the conversation over? Pacha really wasn't exaggerating when he said Kinich was reclusive.

"Huh? Wait a second!" You weren't sure what came over you in that moment, but you had a startling feeling that you couldn't let him leave here.

He paused, and turned to look at you, head tilted slightly to the side.

"Um, hold on." You thought for a moment. How to make him stay for longer? "Are you free right now? I'd like to treat you to a meal, if possible. You know, to thank you."

Your hands clasped in front of you and you fiddled with your fingers.

Kinich blinked slowly for a moment and stared at you. For a horrible moment, you thought he was going to decline, in which case you would have had to turn tail and flee on the spot, but instead, he nodded.

"I have some time."

You brightened. "Great! I know this place that has the best tatacos!"

There was a light skip in your movements as you began to lead the way, trusting that he was following you. You could only hope he didn't eat too much. You weren't sure your pockets could afford it, and you'd hate to make an even bigger fool of yourself in front of him by being too broke to pay. What a horrible first impression...

“Oh, right!” you paused in your steps for a moment. “I forgot to introduce myself!”

And so you did, and you watched as something that almost looked like a smile twitched at Kinich’s lips. Then, as if testing the way it rolled on his tongue, he repeated your name carefully.

Something fluttered in your stomach as you beamed. Yeah, you sure liked the way that sounded.

3) The fall that was the fault of a slippery rock

“No, guys, trust me. I just discovered it. It’s like, really underground.”

Kinich sighed as Mualani giggled at her own joke. As if on impulse, you laughed along with her, but you even as the sound escaped you, you couldn’t tell if it came from a place of pity or not. Underground, because it was literally in an underground cave. Hilarious. Still, a small smile made its way onto your face. This was nice. As much as you loved your other friends, it sure felt great to hang out with people who didn’t always challenge you to risk your life (fuck you, Pacha), though you suspected Mualani just waiting for a chance to take you Spirit Wave riding, and you weren’t sure you were quite ready for that yet.

Today, however, you were spared. Mualani had promised you and Kinich a relaxing afternoon in a new hot spring she’d found. And so you were following her into an opening in the rock face.

The air was immediately a little cooler than it was outside as you stepped into the darkness. The cave was still illuminated by the sunlight, and you could see more patches of light ahead. It glowed slightly in the reflections of the rock on the ground.

“It’s a little steep here,” your friend warned. “Watch your step.”

No sooner had you nodded to show your understanding than you had placed your foot down on a particularly slippery patch on the floor, and it slid.

A gasp tore out of you, but two arms were already wrapping around you from behind.

“Be careful,” his voice murmured in your ear. You almost gasped again. How glad you were that he was behind you and thus couldn’t see the way you froze up at the feeling of his breath on your skin.

From a little ways ahead of you, Mualani called out. “Hey, you alright?”

Your throat suddenly felt very dry. You cleared it before telling her that you were.

Kinich kept one hand on your waist for the next few steps before removing it after you had found your footing. You found yourself missing his touch upon the removal.

No matter, you assured yourself. Focus on not falling over again. The decline of the slope eased out into a flatter path, and soon the tunnel opened up into an expansive area. The underground spring was much brighter than you had anticipated, thanks to the perfectly round opening at the top. Smooth, round rocks seemed to line the edge, and the water sparkled in the ripples as Mualani crouched down to test it with her hand.

“Oh no!” she exclaimed.

You turned your attention to her. “What is it?”

“It’s cold! It was really toasty last time, though,” she frowned. “It must be because it’s further away. The underground water flow can get unstable and–“

As she rambled on, you crouched by the side of the spring, dipping your hand into the water. It lukewarm at best, but the pool wasn’t as big as most of the one’s above ground. You could work with this. Placing both hands in the not-so-hot spring, the vision at your side pulsed with energy. You let the heat flow through your body to your fingertips, as steam floated just above the surface of the water.

You failed to notice the pair of eyes that were fixed on you as you smiled to yourself.

“Hey, Mualani? Is this better?” Mualani’s eyes widened as she watched the mist rising out of the hot spring.

“Yes, yes, yes!” She squealed. She rushed to your side, squeezing you in a hug, before drawing back immediately. “Ow, hot!”

The girl quickly submerged her arms in the water, sighing in relief. You couldn’t help the giggle that escaped.

You grinned at your friends, stepping into the water yourself. “Shall we swim?”

The pounding of your heart against your chest was hard to ignore when Kinich slid into the spring and settled right beside you.

???) The fall that wasn’t even you

Kinich wasn’t sure what was wrong with him lately. He’d been sleeping the same, his regimented diet was unchanged, but in recent weeks, he’d found himself feeling a lot more strange.

Hunting commissions had been slow lately, so he’d taken the liberty of accepting ordinary bounties and commissions from the Adventurers’ Guild. When you’d heard about it, you’d insisted on joining him. He hadn’t had a problem with that, but since he started taking on these new commissions, Kinich had noticed that something was happening to his health.

He’d been spending a lot of time with you these days, but that couldn’t be it. How could that explain his borderline feverish symptoms? The heat that flushed his head and neck sometimes, and the weird way that his heart flipped, like it did when he went bungee jumping that one time.

And sure, those symptoms only happened when he was with you, but that was just because he was almost always with you. How could fighting a few treasure hoarders in your presence make him ill?

“Isn’t it obvious?” Ajaw growled. “You like them!”

Kinich was too surprised to scoff. “What?”

“You have a big fat crush.”

“No, I don’t.”

The little green dots in Ajaw’s eyes rolled around so hard, Kinich thought they might fall out.

“Fine! Don’t believe me, then! Even though you blush whenever you’re with them, and you stare at them when they’re talking, and you didn’t even complain when they wanted to join your commissions and you’ve been losing half the profit!”

Ajaw’s body doubled in size before he vanished in agitation. Kinich raised a hand to his chin in thought. He needed a second opinion.

“You like them,” Mualani replied simply. “It’s pretty obvious.”

Kinich blanched. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”

“Because it is,” she grinned. “Dude, you’ve fallen hard.”

There was a twist in his stomach. The tips of his ears turned redder than a hot chili pepper.

“Come on, Kinich. You’re a smart guy. Think about the way they make you feel.”

Despite everything, despite the fact that he was, in fact, a smart guy, and he had always been sure to analyse and prepare for every outcome, and he was always weighing the costs of his relationships and seeing right through people and thinking way too much about everything—

—the realisation hit him like a tidal wave.

Oh.

Mualani grinned, satisfied. “I’ll leave you to your thoughts, then.”

Kinich barely registered her departure.

Because of course. Your relationship had never been transactional. All you ever did was give and give, and without even realising it, he’d poured his all into giving back without a moment’s hesitation. He’d never asked anything of you, nor you of him.

And because Kinich was a level-headed man, and ever-so-straightforward, there was no time wasted before he was at your front door.

If there was ever one thing he would ask of you, it was this.

“I like you, and I need to know if you feel the same.”

A grin found its home on your lips. A step forward and you closed some of the distance. The sparkle in your eyes did nothing to shake Kinich’s nerves, but it did make his stomach flip.

“Guess you’re the one falling for me now, huh?”

#kinich x reader #kinich #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact imagines #genshin imagines #genshin impact #genshin #genshin fanfic #natlan #mualani #kinich imagines #written works !

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sinner-as-saint · 11 months ago

Text

run for your life

Mob!Bucky x Reader

Summary: He was away from the city for a while, chasing after some bastards who betrayed him. But the traitors were no longer breathing now and Bucky Barnes was finally able to come home to the city he ruled. Mostly, he was excited to come back and see his girl again. However when he got to the strip club where you worked as a waitress, he didn’t find you there. They told him you didn’t work there anymore. No one knew where you went, or why you left. Nobody even knew your real name. Now it was up to him to search the whole wide world to find a nameless girl – one he was obsessively, mindlessly in love with.

Themes: slight stalker!bucky, possessive!bucky, mild degrading kink, smut, FLUFF, opposite aesthetics, mild daddy kink (nicknames only), cosy little town vibes

a/n: some fluffy mob!bucky to end the year <3 Thank you so much for always supporting my silly little fics. Merry Christmas my darlings, and happy New Year!! See you soon ;)

He didn't know where exactly he would end up locating you, but finding you in a cosy, small, coastal town in the south of France was not on his list.

You being the owner of a gourmet bakery was not on his list either. Bucky was confused, surprised, but mostly confused. How did this happen? At first, when Sam came to deliver him the news of your location that morning, Bucky didn’t believe him. Had Sam not been Bucky’s oldest, most loyal friend Bucky would’ve never believed him at all.

“I’m gonna need you to stop being a dumbass and go find this girl!” Sam, ever the voice of reason yelled at Bucky who had been drowning in his sorrows. “It’s been months, and I can’t keep covering for your ass. I have my own shit to do, my own men to command.” He used that cool, authoritative voice of his. “Pull yourself together, Buck. Go find her.”

Sam was right. Of course he was. He always was. And it had really been months since that damned night…

—

Bucky couldn’t wait to get out of his plane the moment it landed. It was late at night, but the perfect time to go to the club. He had missed it. Well, not the whole club really. Bucky had missed you.

He had a… special connection with you. His girl. His only girl. His favourite girl.

This time, he thought, he would do whatever he can to solidify whatever was happening between the two of you. Maybe he’d even get you to go on a real date with him. Maybe that would lead to something more. He was smiling to himself just thinking about it.

He often thought back to the night you met. He was at the club after a long day of being the dark ruler he was. All he wanted was a drink and a pretty woman on his lap. That’s when he found you.

Right as he walked in, you caught his eye. Walking around serving drinks, wearing a little see-through red dress that brought every man you walked past to his knees.

Once he got to his booth, Bucky called you over. You walked towards him sheepishly.

“I’ve never seen you around here before, beautiful.” He said, patting his thigh. He noticed the way you hesitated. Must be new, he thought.

You carefully perched on his lap, holding your empty metal tray to your chest. Bucky smirked as he looked at it, like you were putting a makeshift barrier between the two of you. When you remained quiet and squirmy, Bucky spoke up again.

“Come on, babygirl. Talk to me, it’s okay.” He whispered at his nuzzled your neck. “I don’t bite. Unless you ask nicely, then I might.”

His warm breath against your skin tickled. You chuckled as you pulled away to look at him. “Um, I’m just a waitress. I’m not supposed to…” You trailed off. Both of you were aware of the no-contact ‘rule’. But there was a natural, unexplainable spark there that neither of you could ignore.

“Hmm,” His chest rumbled. “How about we go somewhere private?” He whispered into your ear and noticed the way you shivered.

You hung your head, clutching your metal tray. “Waitresses aren’t supposed to go into the VIP rooms, sir.” You said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear you above the sensual music.

Bucky smirked. Then leaned in and whispered, “I suppose I can bend the rules a little given I co-own the club.”

You froze and went to stand up immediately, already apologising but he wrapped his arm around your waist, keeping you on his lap.

“It’s okay, babygirl. You’re not in trouble, I promise.”

The two of you ended up in one of the VIP rooms. Nothing happened, you just kissed and talked and kissed some more. Bucky promised to come back. And he did. For months. Again and again and each time he did, you were drawn to him like he was gravity from the very moment he walked into the room.

And that night he landed after being away for weeks, he expected you to run right into his arms the moment he’d enter the club like you always did. He even got you a nice little gift to make up for the time that he’d been away. It was a rare, red diamond choker. He could already imagine how it would look around your neck. Like a brand. His.

But then he got to the club. And he noticed everyone was avoiding his eyes almost anxiously. And his girl was nowhere to be seen. He searched for you in the main area for a while, then even searched the VIP rooms, vowing to commit horrible crimes if he ever found you in there with another man.

But no.

He called Sam, who co-owned the club, and Sam had no idea who he was talking about. Bucky asked the staff members, and one bartender finally told him that you’d resigned a few weeks ago. And no one knew where you went. He asked for your full name, but no one knew that either.

Not even Sam. “I didn’t even know we had a new waitress, Buck. I have more important shit to worry about.” He’d said, adding to the burning sensation in Bucky’s chest.

“She left me.”

Sam had no idea what his best friend was babbling about. And during the many months that followed, Bucky was a mess. A mess like Sam had never seen before. Frantically scanning country after country, searching for a girl with no name. He was in love, and he wasn’t giving up. He would find his girl come what may.

—

But now Bucky knew where you were.

And he was more confused than ever. He had even more questions.

Bucky spent a whole week in that little town. Watching you, learning your routine, observing and questioning. He disguised himself as a local and always kept his distance even though his hands itched to touch you.

At first he was bothered by how you were fine with living the same day everyday. Your routine seemed boring at first, but the more he watched, the more he realised it was sort of therapeutic. The normality of it all.

He rented an apartment on the other side of the street from your bakery, and he spent hours watching you.

You lived right above the bakery. A quaint apartment, with flower pots all around the french windows. Sometimes when you forgot to turn the lights off at night, Bucky spent the whole night spying on you, counting your breaths as you slept on your couch in front of the TV.

You’d wake up at the crack of dawn, then you’d feed your dogs. He noticed you had two. Lazy, both of them. Then you’d get downstairs and within half an hour, the cool air that entered his apartment carried the smell of the sea and baked goods.

All he wanted was to cross the cobblestone street and drag you to his bed, demand answers while fucking some sense into you. But the more he watched you, the more his anger diminished. Temporarily.

The genuine smile on your face as you served your loyal customers all day, especially the ones who always came early in the morning on their way to work. The occasional sound of your voice or your laughter that slipped past whenever someone didn’t close the door right. The sound of children squealing and laughing whenever you gave away leftover baked goods or donuts in the evenings. How you knew almost everyone by name. How sometimes you invited neighbours over for wine nights. How you went on little walks in late, cool evenings, forcing your lazy pets to walk but then ending up having to carry them on the way back. They were spoiled, he realised. He hated to admit that he was jealous of the damned dogs who got so much of your attention while he starved for it.

He wasn’t angry by the end of that first week of spying, he was just hurting. How dare you live a whole new life without him? How dare you laugh and seem like you don’t miss him? He’d just spent months looking for you and here you were, just going about your day like you didn’t care? Like none of those nights you’d spent together mattered?

Meanwhile he was shaking just reminiscing the way your touch felt across his skin. He remembered the first time the two of you crossed that line in one of the VIP rooms…

You were wearing that red dress again. Fucking tease, he hissed each time you moved or squirmed on his lap.

“Baby, please,” He groaned. “Just… let me touch you. Daddy will make you feel good, so good babygirl, I promise.” He pleaded, hands caressing your soft, warm thighs.

You shook your head, popping another one of those chocolates he brought you into your mouth and sucking your fingers after. Torturing him.

“We can’t,” You insisted, with nothing but mischief in your eyes as you looked at him. “You made these rules yourself, remember?” You chuckled when he groaned again when you straddled him properly.

“I don’t give a shit about rules.” He hissed, nuzzling your neck. Slowly, he kissed up and down your neck. “I just wanna taste you. That’s it. Just a taste.”

That’s how he found himself on his knees, face in between your thighs. His skilled tongue making you whine and whimper as you tugged on his hair. Bucky hummed in appreciation the more he tasted you.

“Come on daddy’s face, baby…”

That’s it.

Bucky decided he would go see you the next morning. He would drag you back home if he had to, but he wouldn’t spend another day without you. Who did you think you were? No one just tosses him aside like this. He’d remind you who he was and then you’d both go home right away.

—

Bucky woke up to a thunderstorm. Weather around here was unpredictable. He got out of bed and immediately looked outside to find your bakery empty. No customers in sight because of the heavy rain, lightning and thunder. The golden light was on though.

He decided it was time to go have a talk with you. He promised not to lose his temper. He would go in there calmly, talk it out with you. Ask you what the fuck you are doing here, and then he’d take you home.

But that ended up not happening.

Bucky crossed the slippery cobblestone street, walked into your comforting, sweet smelling bakery and froze. He froze right there at the entrance.

As did you. Standing there behind the wooden counter, oven mittens in your hand and apron in another, you stared at Bucky with nothing but pure shock and surprise on your face. A thousand thoughts, mainly questions, crossed your mind.

What is he doing here? How did he find you? Why is he dressed casually like a local, wearing soft colours instead of his usual suits? How long has he been here? What is he doing here?

You let out a little gasp. “Bucky?”

Wrong move, apparently. Because his demeanour changed in a nanosecond. His calm and collected-ness was forgotten instantly. Jaws clenched, with a murderous look in his eyes, he walked closer, more like charged at you, and around the counter before you could even get a word out.

He had you pinned to the nearest wall before you could process it all. Knocking down a framed picture in the process. Towering above you, he looked like he was beyond pissed.

“Bucky, I—,”

“Shut up.” He hissed, voice cold with bitterness and anger. He watched how you shivered when he pinned your wrists to the wall on either side of your head. “Shut the fuck up.”

He leaned closer, chest pressing against yours leaving no space in between. He closed his eyes and sighed for a moment, trying his hardest to see reason but he was angry. So angry he couldn’t think.

“Who the fuck do you think you are?” He spoke with such a low voice that you trembled against him, causing him to tighten his grip around your wrists, surely bruising them. You didn’t care.

You winced, “I can explain.” Fuck, you’d missed him too. It had been months since you last saw him. He was just as handsome as you remembered. His hair was a little longer now, his beard a little thicker. But he made your heart race just the same. “Please Bucky,” You whispered, “let me explain everything to you.”

“No.” He growled before pressing his mouth to yours, angrily. Like he wanted his kiss to hurt. And it did.

His rough facial hair scratched your skin, his teeth nibbled on and bit your lips. His hands damn near crushed your wrists in his strong grip. And he didn’t give you even the briefest second to breathe. He kissed you just like how he imagined he would do once he found you. Ravenously. Pouring everything he felt into it. Desperation, anger, hurt, obsession. He couldn’t get enough.

“Bucky…” You gasped against his lips when he finally pulled away. Breathing fast, you tried to get a look at him but he just seemed even more angry.

“Turn around,” He mumbled, forcing you to turn around anyway. Fuck, the sight of you in that long, flowy, sundress was doing things to him. He was never this bothered when you used to parade around in your little see-through dresses, but somehow the sight of you in this pink, floral dress was making him act like a caveman.

His movements were rash and angry. He almost tore your dress off of you while he shoved his rough hand in between your legs and touched you where you desperately wanted him to. You whined and trembled against the cool wall when he slid a finger in, fucking you with it while he hissed into your ear.

“I should punish you for what you did to me,” His deep voice made his chest rumble against your back. “I should tie you up and fuck you however I want.”

Your dress was partially off, bunched and only hanging on around your waist. Being so dishevelled made this even dirtier. You were moaning by now, hoping the heavy rain would blur your actions from anyone who walked by the shop. Or god forbid, walk in.

“How dare you think you can just leave me?” He demanded, sliding another finger inside you and making your body come alive.

You were embarrassingly wet at this point, and the sounds your body made as he finger-fucked you were lewd. But you couldn’t get enough.

More, more, more. You mentally chanted.

Bucky wasn’t having the silent treatment, so he smacked your thigh to get your attention. You yelped. Your skin stung as he smacked it again, on the same spot. Harder this time. You cried out even louder as he kept taunting you. “Answer me, you fucking brat!” His lips brushed against the back of your neck as he spoke. “Why did you leave me?”

You cried as he kept fucking you with his fingers you even as you came. His fingers sliding in and out with ease now. The sounds you made were wanton. “You… you left first.” You tried to argue. But failed miserably.

He chuckled in that dark and dangerous way of his. “I left for work.” He said, “And I promised you I’d be back.” He reached deeper inside you, curling his fingers just enough to make you mutter incoherent things. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

“Please, please, please…” You begged. “Please I need to come, Bucky please.”

“Oh?” He chuckled again, slowing down his movements purposely. “No one touched you, huh?” He playfully bit on your exposed shoulder. “You’re so fucking wet it’s dripping down my hand, babygirl.” He boasted. “Is it because no one has touched you these past few months? Hmm?”

“Yes…” You had tears streaming down your face, and you nodded breathlessly. “Please…”

But instead of making you come all over his fingers, Bucky pulled away for a brief moment. You couldn’t see him, but you could hear him undoing his trousers. And moments later, he was rubbing the tip of his cock against your wet folds. You shivered in pleasure.

“I’m gonna teach you what happens to people who think they can run from me, babygirl.” He growled as he pushed his cock into you, making you cry out loud as he stretched you out.

After months of not having him, right now he felt huge inside you. Just like that, memories of nights spent with him came flooding back in. You moaned as his fingers found your clit again, rubbing it in sync with his thrusts.

His hand gripped you by the hips, holding you against him as he sped up into you, fucking you like he hated you. Like it was punishment. He dipped his head into the crook of your neck and licked, and bit on your skin as he fucked into you relentlessly, earning more and more moans out of you each time his cock stroked your walls.

“Did you think I’d never find you?” He asked, fucking into you. “I bet you thought you’d gotten rid of me, hmm?”

You’d missed him too. He could tell by the way you were starting to clench around him already. Bucky nibbled at the skin under your ear and you lost all control you had left. Your thoughts became cloudy and all you could focus on was how good he felt inside you.

“See, it didn’t have to be like this, baby…” he mumbled angrily against your skin while he fucked you like an animal, “I could be nice and gentle with your body, but you just had to be a fucking brat and leave me with no warning.” He spat, growling in your ear as he pounded into you, your chest slamming into the wall with each thrust. It hurt in the best way.

“You feel so fucking good, baby,” He moaned against your ear and the sound sent shivers down your back. Your legs started to shake as he quickened his pace, pounding into you mercilessly.

The pleasure, the pain, the heat of him… was too much and you couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Bucky–,” You choked on your words as you came undone, walls clenching around him, and a loud moan erupting from your mouth as he made you come hard. It was almost blinding.

His thrusts became irregular as he came right after you did, cock throbbing against your pulsating walls, moaning out loud when he felt your walls pulsating violently around him. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” He came while biting down hard on your shoulder. So hard that even you cried out, still coming down from your high as you felt him spill deep inside you.

That bite on your shoulder hurt. And like a chain reaction, everything began to hurt. Having him here hurt. Memories of being with him in the city, in the dark rooms of that club hurt. Realising how fast your life changed hurt.

You didn’t realise you were sobbing quietly until you heard Bucky apologising profusely. Suddenly no longer angry. No longer feeling betrayed.

“Fuck, baby. I’m so sorry.” He kissed that sore spot softly, his bite mark on your shoulder repeatedly as he wrapped his arms around you, securing you in the comfort of his embrace. “I don’t know what came over me, babygirl. I’m so sorry, please look at me. Hey, hey,” He pulled away and turned you so you faced him, still with tears in your eyes. “Babygirl, I’m so sorry.” He whispered, wiping your tears away, then kissing your face repeatedly.

You remained like that for a few minutes. Arms wrapped around one another, standing there against that wall while it rained like hell outside. Bucky didn’t stop apologising.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been an animal like this with you, I—,”

You cut him off finally, “Shh, it’s okay.” You pulled away from his warm chest to look up at him. “I needed this.” You said, sniffling as you gently cupped his rough cheek, caressing his face with your thumb. “I needed you like this.”

He just hugged you close again, kissing the top of your head. “I’m sorry.” He apologised one final time. “I’ll listen, I promise. I’ll listen to whatever you have to say.”

You smiled faintly at him. “Then I should lock up down here and we can go upstairs. I don’t want to scare my neighbours by risking them finding us like this.” You looked down at your partially torn dress and Bucky’s unbuttoned trousers.

Much to your surprise, Bucky said, “You go ahead, I’ll close and lock up.”

You frowned at him even as you desperately tried to get the top of your sundress to cover your chest. “You wouldn’t know how to…” You trailed off as realisation set in. He was a calculated, smart man. He didn’t just apparate on your doorstep with no planning. “You’ve been watching me.” You stated, raising an eyebrow at him.

Bucky gave you a rare, guilty look.

You sighed and shook your head. “I guess I chose this life by getting involved with you.” You gave him a faint smile. “Alright then, lock it. Leave the key in the little basket by the door.” You started walking towards the stairs, then turned around again and said, “Make sure the windows are properly locked too, because of the rain and stuff.”

“Yes ma’am,” Bucky nodded.

You smirked at him.

With that you took the stairs and Bucky watched you go with a fond smile on his face. No one ever ordered him around. He hated it. But coming from you, he quite liked it.

Bucky chuckled at himself because never in his life had he ever imagined he would one day be closing up a bakery in a small town, all for the woman he’s obsessively in love with. But he didn’t mind it one bit.

After following your instructions and double checking the windows, he made his way upstairs as well. Again, he didn’t know what he expected your place to look like – and all that spying only allowed him glimpses of your apartment – but he never expected your space to look so…

Pink. With occasional gold accents. Pale pink couch, the one you often fell asleep on while watching TV, and fluffy white pillows and rugs to go with. Paintings hanging on even paler pink walls. The kitchen he couldn’t quite see but he assumed it’d have to be all white. Pink dog beds, with fluffy balls of brown fur sleeping on them – wearing pink collars no less.

He couldn’t see your bedroom from the living room given the door was closed but given the pink, fluffy robe and socks you wore he could imagine just how pink it must be.

“It’s so girly.” He commented, as if surprised. Maybe he was a little. After all, he knew you as the seductive goddess he met almost every night at the club. He never realised that it was all just a show, that it was all just a persona at work. In a way, stepping into your space felt so intimate. He liked it.

You chuckled. “Coquette, please.” You corrected as you handed him a glass of red wine while he took a seat beside you. He did look a little out of place in your apartment, a dark and broody man like him. But then again, he was here and that’s all that mattered.

He turned to look at you and couldn’t resist holding your hand and pulling you onto his lap again. “Come here,” He said, “I’ve missed you.”

As you straddled his lap, your robe exposed some of your shoulder and Bucky saw the very noticeable bite mark he left on you. He grimaced when he saw it. He placed his wine glass to the side and traced the bite mark with his thumb carefully.

“I’m sorry, babygirl.” He whispered, leaning in to nuzzle your neck and kiss the bite mark. And breathe in your scent. Fuck, he’d missed it so much. “You smell a little different. Fruitier.”

You giggled when his hair tickled your skin. “I made blueberry compote earlier this morning. Perhaps that’s why.”

You could feel him smiling against your skin. Then he pulled away to look at you. His hands shamelessly slid under your robe, eager to touch your skin. Relishing it this time, not in a feral hurry like he was earlier. He seemed visibly calmer too.

“We used to spend hours like this at the club, remember?” He spoke, and immediately you were overwhelmed with nostalgia.

Hours, days, weeks, months. Some days back then you would wake up in the morning already excited to see Bucky in the evening. And it wasn’t because it was all sexual. So many nights all you two did was drink, laugh and talk about everything. He once told you that apart from Sam, you were his only real friend.

Bucky kissed you, breaking you out of your reverie surely thinking of the past as well. It was a slow, gentle kiss. It was consuming you. His hands caressed your thighs which were still a little sore from earlier. You winced in pain when he massaged the spot where he spanked you.

Bucky pulled away from the kiss, apologising again as he kissed down your chin. “I’m sorry, babygirl.”

You smiled at him after taking a sip of your wine. “Stop pretending as if we were always vanilla or that this is scandalous in any way shape or form.” You chuckled as you leaned in to whisper in his ear, “We both know this was nothing compared to how we used to be.”

Bucky smiled, a little sadly. “I missed you.” He repeated. “Tell me,” He said, “Tell me everything.”

You finished your wine. “What do you want to know?”

“Why did you start working at the club?” He caught the look of sadness that suddenly appeared on your face upon hearing the question.

“I… I had to drop out of uni because my grandparents fell sick.” You explained. “Mom and dad were travelling for work at the time, and I was the only one who could take care of grandma and grandpa. The treatments and all ended up costing a little more than what we had so I needed a job that paid well, I also needed one that would allow me to be flexible with my time so I could take care of my grandparents.”

Bucky nodded, “Hence the club.”

You nodded in confirmation.

“Your parents never intervened? So you could finish your education?” He questioned.

“No.” You said, almost emotionless. “When they found out what I was doing, where I was working to earn the extra money we needed… they kind of disowned me. And vowed to never talk to me again.” You chuckled, humourlessly.

“They don’t deserve you.” Bucky said quickly, wrapping his arms around you and hugging you close. “You were so brave baby, I wish you would’ve told me all of this.”

You slid your fingers into his hair and massaged his scalp gently. “You were already taking care of me.” You said, “You mended my heart a little each night when I saw you.”

“I wish I could’ve done more.” He kissed along your collarbones, then froze again as if he remembered something. “I almost forgot,” He said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a sleek black box. “I got you something.” Then clarified, “Well, I got you this months ago. I would’ve given it to you had you not run away from me.”

You rolled your eyes at him, “I didn’t run from you, I–,”

He cut you off with a finger on your lips. “Tell me about that part in a minute,” He opened the slender black box to reveal the red diamond choker inside. “I had this made for you.” He watched your face intently.

“Bucky…” You hesitantly reached for it, running your fingers over the beauty of it. It was a simple design. Elegant, timeless. Way too expensive. “I can’t take this,” You began protesting, “It’s too much.”

Bucky made a face and said, “Oh shut up.” He was already clasping it around your neck before you could protest any further. “It’s a gift from daddy,” He whispered against the corner of your lips. “You deserve it, babygirl.”

When he pulled away to look at you, his heart almost broke again at the sight of the tears in your eyes.

“What is it?” He asked, wiping your tears away for the second time today. “Is it that ugly?”

You laughed through the tears. “No, it’s the prettiest thing I own.” You sniffled. “The only piece of real jewellery in fact.” You leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

“Remind me to get you a whole collection.” Bucky pulled you closer and kissed you deeply.

Then it turned into something more and by the time the afternoon rolled around, the two of you had lost count how many times you’d made love on your pink couch. Slow touches and cuddles, and soft kisses always resulted in the two of you fucking again.

—

In the late afternoon, while snacking on random things Bucky realised you still hadn’t explained how you ended up here.

“Grandma and grandpa’s bakery.” You explained, watching the rain pour outside. “They left it to me. They died within weeks of each other,” You said with a melancholic smile on your face, “I always knew that would happen. They loved each other too much to live without one another for too long.”

You turned to look at Bucky who pulled you onto his lap again and held you as tightly as possible. You weren’t crying this time, but being held felt nice.

You continued, “I had funerals to plan, I had to pack up my life and move all the way here, I had to take on the responsibility of the bakery and renovate this apartment. And you were already gone at the time so…” You sighed. “I didn’t know if I should leave a note or not. I didn’t know if you were actually coming back or–,”

“I would never abandon you. I thought you knew that.” Bucky said, a little annoyed at that. “I made you a promise, did you not–,”

You couldn’t help but argue, “Yeah well, I didn’t know if what we had was real enough for you to come back to.”

Bucky frowned. “Baby…”

You gave him a small smile, and pressed your forehead against his, rubbing your noses together. “I know now. It is.”

When you finally pulled away from his addicting embrace you said, “I’m gonna get started on dinner. You can shower in there,” You pointed at your bedroom door as you got up from the couch. Bucky tried to grab you again but you pulled away laughing. “The weather is clearing up, we can have dinner outside on the patio.”

You threw him a wink and made your way into the kitchen.

Bucky finally got up and walked into your bedroom. Just as he imagined, the place was all white, gold, and pink. He actually laughed when he walked into the bathroom and found it pale pink as well. He’d grown to love it too by now.

–

You were busy at the stove, making your best seafood pasta, when you felt strong arms wrapping around you from behind.

“How’d you like my bedroom?” You asked, smirking already as you pictured him in your very girly space.

“It’s very pink. The bed looks comfy,” He whispered into your ear, “I’m gonna fuck you in it later.”

You chuckled and passed him another glass of wine. As you turned to face him again, you couldn’t help but laugh out loud. There he was, one of the scariest men you knew, standing in your grandma-core kitchen, wearing a fluffy white robe with pink clouds on it.

Bucky rolled his eyes, “Oh don’t comment on it. I can already hear Sam laughing his ass off and he’s not even here.”

You laughed even harder before you kissed his cheek. “It suits you.” You said. Then you handed him a couple of plates and pointed at the patio which could be seen from the kitchen window, “Can you set the table?”

He finished his wine and then mumbled on his way out like a grumpy old man, “First close the bakery, now set the table,” He shouted from outside, “You know, if this whole thing was your elaborate plan to hire me as your domestic helper, you could’ve just asked, babygirl.”

You laughed at him from inside the kitchen. You shook your head as you watched him. Wearing your fluffy robe, setting the small table on your patio. The view of the ocean from that patio was to die for, and the setting sun was just sublime. The golden lights you’d hung above the cute little dining area added to the cosy atmosphere. Now with the weather a lot nicer than it was hours ago, you could hear the small town coming alive again. Voice and laughter, children cycling down the cobblestone.

And Bucky. Bucky was here too. Winking at you from the patio. And you thought your life had ended when your parents disowned you. You scoffed at the thought. Then you thanked whatever god was listening for bringing Bucky back to you.

—

During dinner, Bucky filled you in on what he was up to while you were gone. And you did the same. One bottle of wine turned into two, then you and Bucky laughed at random things while you did the dishes.

Then you found yourselves in your bed. And like he promised, Bucky made love to you there as well.

His muscular body hovered above yours. He looked down at you with nothing but love and desire in his eyes as you undid the ridiculous robe to let his cock out. He was hard already.

“Think I like you a lot in this robe.” You teased.

Bucky laughed before leaning in for a kiss again. He nibbled along your skin, from your mouth to your neck as he parted your legs and slid into you.

You gasped as your walls welcomed him perfectly. He was nice and snug inside you, stretching you out in a way that had you whining and whimpering under him in no time.

Bucky laced your fingers together and pinned both your hands above your head on your pink covers as he sped up into you. Your eyes rolled back once he started moving in and out of you. Taking his sweet time, loving the way his warm skin rubbed against yours.

He leaned in and kissed your lips again, groaning and panting against your lips as he fucked you slowly. “I love you.” He breathed against your mouth. “So fucking much.” He kissed along your skin and moaned into your ear as he sped up. “I’m sorry it took me so long to say it.”

“Oh Buck,” You smiled up at him, “I love you.”

“You’re mine.” He whispered, leaning down to kiss you as he made you come again.

“And you’re mine.”

—

You woke up some time in the middle of the night, thirsty after all that wine from earlier. But the moment you sat up to get out of bed, Bucky woke up too. Asking in his groggy voice, which you had never heard before but concluded that it was kind of hot, “Where are you going? What is it?”

You smiled and kissed his forehead while getting out of bed, “Just thirsty. I’ll be right back.”

Bucky got up after you, getting out of bed as well. “I’m coming too.” He said, “I worry this girly room might engulf me if you leave me here alone.” He joked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he followed you out and into the kitchen.

Truth is, he didn’t want to be apart from you for even a second.

You handed him a glass of cold water while you put some water to boil to make tea. Some green tea should put the two of you right back to sleep, you thought.

So there you were in your cosy kitchen, wrapped in a soft blanket. Bucky leaned against the counter watching you. He was shirtless, just in some white, cotton pyjama pants that you lent him. They didn’t fit him at all but something about him in your clothes made him seem adorable.

You were both quiet. But you could feel Bucky thinking. He looked like he was trying to find the right way to ask you something. You didn’t know what. But he had that little frown on his forehead. You wanted to kiss it away.

“What is it?” You asked.

Bucky avoided your eyes, choosing to stare at the floor instead as he asked, “Do you think… I mean, would you ever come back home?”

Ah. The few moments of silence which followed were heavy. You didn’t like how that question put some kind of metaphorical distance between the two of you.

So you took a few steps and leaned into him. You placed your hands on his muscular, toned chest and said, “This is home, for me.” You gave him the truth. “That city was never home now that I think about it.” You smiled faintly, “The only good part was you.”

Bucky nodded. “So,” He began, then stopped to clear his throat and spoke again, “You won’t ever leave this place?”

You slid your hands up across his skin, feeling the warm, strong muscles underneath your palm. You traced his collar bones, then his neck and finally cupped his face in your hands. He wrapped his arms loosely around your middle.

“I love it here, Bucky.” You stated. “It’s quiet, and peaceful. It looks boring at first but it’s what I’ve always wanted.” You said. “Plus my grandparents left me this, it’s all I have of them.” You paused for a while, hating that look of hurt in his ocean blue eyes. “I won’t leave. This is my home now.”

Bucky was quiet. Even his breathing was slow.

You let go of him, took a step back and said, “Maybe you should head back.” It felt like the words sliced you from the inside. It hurt to even utter them. “You have a life there.” You gave him a sad smile. Followed by a faint chuckle. “Unless you want to take up fishing then I’m afraid there’s nothing for you here.”

He scoffed. “There’s you.” He said as if that was more than enough.

“Bucky.” You warned.

He shook his head, then reached for his phone which he’d forgotten in the kitchen earlier tonight. “Sam will probably fly out here to beat me up when I tell him.” He spoke, none of what he said made sense to you though.

“What are you–,”

“And he’ll have to work twice as much. But he’ll do great, I know. He’s Sam after all, strongest man I know.” Bucky carried on, ignoring your questions as he typed away on his phone. “I’ll do as much as I can from here, maybe fly back to the city once or twice a year to show my face.”

“Bucky,” You warned again, “What are you talking—,”

Bucky continued, cutting you off each time you tried to get a word in. “I’ll have to call my people, actually I have a lot of phone calls to make if–,”

You cut him off this time, stepping closer to him again and grabbing him by his broad shoulders. “What are you talking about?”

Bucky gave you a lovesick smile. “Well if you’re not going back to the city, neither am I.” He answered. You froze. He continued. “I’ll have to buy us a bigger home somewhere around here. We’ll keep the apartment and bakery of course, but maybe we could use some staff to help with maintenance and to keep the bakery running.”

He made a mental, makeshift plan while you had silent tears streaming down your face.

He continued, “We’ll get you back in uni, whichever one you want and whichever offers distance learning because there’s no way I’m letting you live on some campus away from me.” He paused, then said, “I’ll have to actually take up fishing. Maybe I’ll buy a few boats, you know I always wanted to be a yacht broker.” He sounded almost… hopeful. “Retirement sounds nice.”

You sniffled. “Buck…”

Bucky kept talking while he gently caressed your back. “I’ll have to learn French,” He groaned, “At this grown age.” He added. “I’ll have to know what's a chocolate croissant and what’s a pain au chocolat if I want to occasionally help out with the bakery. I can’t be uncultured while my wife is this connoisseur, you know? The locals will laugh at me.”

“Wife?” You questioned through tears and a faint, barely there smile.

He rolled his eyes. “Baby, I’m wearing your clothes, sleeping in your girly room, eating off of your floral plates.” He explained, “If you don’t marry me, I will lose my reputation.” He joked.

You laughed, and sobbed as you threw your arms around him, hugging him as tightly as you could.

“You don’t have to do this.” You spoke through tears. Your heart felt so full, you didn’t know how to handle a man like Bucky changing the course of his life for you. All for you.

Bucky hugged you back, kissing the top of your head. “I want to.” He said, “I have to. Otherwise you’ll run away again.” He teased.

You laughed quietly. “I won��t.” You said firmly.

“Good,” He sighed, squeezing you tightly in his arms before letting go. “Now I have to tell Sam.” He looked genuinely worried.

You giggled, then leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Tell him in the morning.” You whispered, your hands already trailing down to the waistband of the pyjama pants.

Bucky chuckled before leaning in to kiss you, deeply. “Okay baby,” He whispered, forgetting everything else as he got lost in you all over again.

He made love to you right there in the kitchen, sliding in between your legs as you sat on the edge of the counter. Slow and gentle. Kissing you softly, making a mess of you as he made you come over and over and over again. Whispering against your heated skin, your wet, open mouth, “You’re mine…”

“All yours,” You answered, holding him tightly. Your nails scratching down his back, your skin burning in all the best ways as his beard scratched it each time he kissed you.

This time, he made you a different promise.

“If you chose to run again, you better run for your life and pray I never find you, babygirl…” He whispered into your ear as he slid inside you again. His cock made it hard for you to focus on anything else but you tried your hardest to hear him out. “Because I won’t be this kind if I ever have to hunt for you again.”

You laughed, but ended up moaning as he bit down on your other shoulder this time. Marking you as his again.

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes smut #bucky barnes x reader #mob!bucky #bucky barnes au #bucky barnes imagine #bucky x reader

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harknessxo · 1 month ago

Note

Prompt to a request (if it is okay) 🫶

Agatha and innocent fem reader+ corruption kink

Reader hasn't even had her first kiss and Agatha teaches her how to tongue kiss and so much more(fingering and magic strap)

Breeding kink as well plsss

Neighborly Desires

Paring: Dark!Agatha Harkness x reader

Summary: You had recently moved into Westview. Your mother had passed away and you wanted a new start in a small town. Agatha was your neighbor there and she didn’t waste any time welcoming you into town. She thought you were so adorable and so innocent…she wanted to be the one to corrupt you. She needed to be patient, careful, and precise.

Warnings; dubcon, corruption kink, enchanted strap, fingering, mommy kink, cunnilingus (r receiving), breeding kink, dummification.

Word Count: 3.7k

A/n: This request has been sitting in my inbox since DECEMBER of 2023…I am extremely sorry but I hope this makes up for it. 😅

You had recently moved into Westview. Your mother had passed away and you wanted a new start in a small town. Agatha was your neighbor there and she didn’t waste any time welcoming you into town. She watched you struggle to carry the boxes back and forth from your car to your living room and grinned. You were wearing a cute little pink dress and she couldn’t help herself.

“Hiya hon! Do you need some help with that?” You heard a friendly voice from behind you. You swiftly turned around to look at the woman, almost dropping the boxes.

“Careful, there, sweetheart. We don’t want you hurting yourself,” Agatha chuckled, taking a box from you.

“T-thank you,” you blushed, slightly embarrassed at your clumsiness. She helped you put the boxes inside your house before turning towards you.

“I’m Agatha, your neighbor to the right,” she smiled at you kindly, stretching her hand out for you to shake.

“I’m Y/n,” you shook her hand, longer than intended, “And thank you so much for helping me with those boxes. Would you like something to drink?” You offered not knowing what else to say, fidgeting with your hands.

“Y/n...” she tasted your name on her tongue, “What a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Tea would be wonderful.”

“Alright, just give me a second until I find my cups,” you chuckled nervously and disappeared into your kitchen. Agatha walked to your living room and sat down. She thought you were so adorable and so innocent…she wanted to be the one to corrupt you. She waited patiently for you to finish up, thinking of all the things she had planned for you.

“I’m so sorry! I completely forgot where I packed everything. I would forget my head if it wasn’t attached to my body,” you joked as you handed Agatha her tea.

“Thank you, hon,” she took a sip, “So, what brings you here?” She asked, curious on how a girl like you ended up in this shitty town.

“Well this was my mother’s home and she passed away a few weeks ago so decided to move in.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” she held your hand, gently running her thumb over your knuckles.

“No, it’s okay. We weren’t really close and I wanted a new start.”

“Well if you ever need anything don’t hesitate to knock on my door, alright sweetheart?”

“Y-yeah,” you blushed at the nickname and she grinned. You two talked for a little while longer before you bid her goodbye and continued unpacking your things. Agatha walked home with a smirk on her face. You were too cute for your own good and she knew she was going to have fun with you. The fact that you were alone in this town was a bonus.

Days passed, and her visits became more frequent, her presence becoming very comforting. Somehow many things started to break inside your home and Agatha always seemed to be there to help. She was slowly gaining your trust and finding how truly innocent you were. You hadn’t even had a boyfriend before, how adorable could you possibly get? Yet beneath her warmth and sweet reassurances, a cunning plan took shape. She needed to be patient, careful, and precise.

Agatha now stood next to you in your kitchen. She had offered to help you cook dinner with the excuse she didn’t want you to eat all alone. She made sure to put her hands on your waist and press her front against your ass every time she walked past you. You, of course, didn’t think anything of this, too oblivious to think badly of Agatha’s touchy behavior. She couldn’t help but tease you a little more. She leaned in close to your ear and whispered.

“You’re doing great, sweetheart.”

“T-thank you…” you tried to hide your flushed face and she chuckled.

“Why don’t you go clean up while I make the table?” Agatha said as you were finishing up.

“Okay!” You obediently took your apron off and started walking to your bathroom to clean up.

“Good girl~,” she said under her breath but just loud enough for you to hear, making you flush once again.

You quickly went in, washed your hands, and fixed your hair. While you were in the bathroom, Agatha debated whether or not she should put a spell on you so she could take you right then and there but she wanted to take her time with you. By the time you walked out, Agatha had the table set up beautifully. There were candles and rose petals on the table. It was almost like a romantic dinner. How did she do this so quickly?

“Agatha, this looks beautiful.”

“Just like you,” she complimented you, booping your nose.

“Thank you, Aggie.” You recently started calling her that. Agatha didn’t seem to mind the newfound nickname, in fact, she loved it.

“Of course, darling.” She pulled out your chair and gestured for you to sit down. She was such a gentleman. You were completely oblivious to her true intentions.

You both sat down and ate dinner. Agatha asked you all kinds of questions, she wanted to know every little detail about you. What made you blush, what made you upset, what made you cry, what made you break. You answered all the questions, not thinking anything of it, and asked some yourself. You liked Agatha, more than you actually thought. God, you were so naive.

Eventually, you both finished eating dinner and she helped you clean the dishes. She always found a way to touch you even if it was just touching your hand when you passed her a plate or spoon to dry off. She saw the slight tint on your cheeks when she did.

"We should do this more often, don’t you think?” Agatha asked, her voice carrying a hint of something you couldn't quite place.

“I would love that!” You said happily. Agatha smiled, her eyes seemed to glint in the candlelight. After you were done doing the dishes Agatha started gathering her things to go home but you stopped her.

“Can you stay and watch a movie with me?” You asked, not wanting for her to leave yet.

“I think it’s a bit late, sweetheart,” she said, wanting to hear you beg for her to stay.

“Pretty please?” You grabbed her hands in your, caressing her knuckles with your thumbs, giving her your best puppy eyes. Agatha pretended to think about it, a sly smirk on her face. You were just so cute, how could she possibly say no to you?

“…fine, I’ll stay, but not too late. You need to go to bed soon, deal?”

“Deal!” you said, excitedly, pulling her towards your couch. She sat back while you picked the movie, settling for Tangled, it was your favorite comfort movie. After you started playing the movie, you sat next to Agatha, subconsciously snuggling to her side. She smiled as you snuggled against her. Her arm wrapped around your shoulders, pulling you closer to her.

“Is this your favorite movie, sweetheart?”

“Mhm!”

“Who’s your favorite character?” Agatha asked, combing through your hair.

“Mother Gothel,” you mumbled.

“Mother Gothel, huh?” she raised an eyebrow, “Why her? She’s the villain of the story.”

“I don’t know…” you frowned slightly, “I just like her character I guess…”

“Hmm. If I were Mother Gothel and I kidnapped you into my tower, what would you do?” she half joked.

“I would never leave.” You smiled at her. Agatha was very pleased with your answer and pulled you closer.

The movie went on and by the time it was over, you were fast asleep on Agatha’s shoulder. You looked so peaceful, so vulnerable, Agatha wanted to take you right then and there but no, she had to hold herself back. She picked you up and carried you to your bedroom, gently placing you on your bed. She tucked you in before leaning into your ear.

“You will be mine.” Was all she said before leaving to go back home.

—

Over the passing weeks you had gotten attached to Agatha, almost obsessively. Maybe it was her caring nature or your mommy issues coming to bite you in the ass. You were sitting on your couch with Agatha once again. She had picked the movie this time, telling you it was a surprise. She started playing the movie and you soon found out it was titled Carol. You had never seen it before but curled into Agatha’s side, wanting to feel her warmth.

The movie was good and all until the motel scene. Watching as Carol and Therese started kissing and touching each other made your core feel warm. Agatha noticed the way you were trying to hide your flushed face and how your thighs clenched together and smirked. She had you exactly where she wanted you.

“What’s wrong, baby? Are you cold?” she asked, pulling you closer, placing her hand on your thigh.

“I’m f-fine,” you stuttered out, unconvincing. She chuckled and gently started rubbing your thigh. Her touch was so warm and comforting, it made you want to melt against her. She moved even closer, cupping your face to make you look at her.

“You’re trembling, sweetheart. Are you sure you’re fine?”

“I-” you realized how close your faces were, noses almost touching, “Aggie-” she finally crashed her lips against yours. You closed your eyes, savoring how soft her lips were until you pulled away, looking away from her. She smirked at your reaction, enjoying how flustered you were. She gently turned your face to look at her again.

“Sweetheart? Did you not like it?”

“No! I loved it, it's just that…I don’t know how to…” you trailed off, embarrassed.

“Aw, such a dumb baby,” she cupped your face, “You’re so naive and innocent you don’t even know how to kiss. How cute.”

“Wha-” She pressed her finger against your lips, shutting you up and brushed a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Just follow my lead. I promise you will love it,” you hesitantly nodded and she kissed you again, this time moving her lips against yours and you did the same. She poked her tongue between your lips and you opened your mouth to let her in. You did your best, following her lead and moving your lips and tongue like her. Agatha moved her hand to squeeze your thighs, sliding them closer to your soaked core making you squeal and pull away.

“Agatha I don’t think-”

“Shh,” she pulled you into her lap, your thighs on either side of her legs, “Let mommy do the thinking.” You frowned slightly at her comment but then she pressed her fingers against the wet patch on your panties, making you lose any train of thought you had.

“You’re so wet baby,” she started rubbing her fingers over your clothed clit, “Is that all for me?” she asked, her other hand gripping onto your hip.

“Hmph…” You unconsciously moved your hips against her hand.

“Use your words, sweetheart,” she commanded, pressing harder against your clit, the pressure sending a wave of pleasure through your body.

“Yes…”

“That’s a good girl.” She growled, moving your panties aside to touch your bare core directly, her fingers sliding between your folds. You gasped at the new feeling. You had never felt like this before. You’ve never touched yourself let alone have sex.

“So innocent…” She said before shoving two fingers inside of you. You were so tight, so warm, so wet for her. She pumped her fingers in and out of you, rubbing your clit with her thumb.

“Such a good girl for mommy.” She praised you.

“Aggie-” you clung to her, wrapping your arms around her neck while she worked on fucking your with her fingers. Her other hand started to sneak under the thin dress you were wearing, finding that you weren’t wearing a bra at all.

“Not wearing a bra?” she pinched your nipple, “What a naughty girl…” You whimpered in response, making her chuckle. She pinched your nipple again, she started biting your neck leaving a trail of marks on your skin. She added a third finger, her thumb circling your clit faster than before and then suddenly stopped.

“Why’d you stop?” You whined desperately.

“Such a needy girl,” she picked you up like you weighed nothing and carried you upstairs like she had done before. She took you to your bedroom and sat you on your bed.

She took your dress off, throwing it elsewhere and started undressing as well. She took off her pants to reveal the enchanted strap she had been wearing. She smirked as she looked at your surprised expression.

“Like what you see, darling?” She pushed you back against the bed and climbed on top of you, your legs wrapped around her waist.

“W-wait-” You started to hesitate.

“Shh, it’s okay baby.” She gently caressed your cheek, looking into your eyes with a soft expression. Her strap was pressing against your core and she started rubbing it against you.

“It’s going to feel so good,” she pressed the tip of the strap into your entrance, “I’ll be gentle, okay?” You swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded your head.

She slowly pushed the strap further inside your warm wall, watching as your mouth made an ‘o’ shape and your brows frowned in pleasure. She let out a low groan as the strap went further inside, your pussy greedily clenching around it. Her eyes roaming over your body, watching every little expression you made.

“That’s it, baby… you’re doing so good. You’re taking me so well,” she said most out of breath.

“M-mommy-” She almost lost the little control she had left when you finally called her mommy, feeling a rush of pleasure run through her body. God she was going to finally make you hers. Agatha’s grip on your hips tightened as she began to thrust into you, slowly at first, making sure you were comfortable and enjoying it.

“Oh, you like calling me that don’t you, darling?” She grunted.

“Mhm!” You nodded your head. She smirked and began to pick up the pace, thrusting faster and harder into you. She leaned down and began kissing your neck, leaving more marks as she went. Her hands roamed over your body, squeezing and pinching every inch of your skin.

“Such a good girl, taking mommy’s strap so well…you’re mine.” Agatha finally said out loud. She continued to ramble on, as she thrusted into you. She grabbed your hands and pinned them above your head, making you completely helpless beneath her.

“No one else gets to see you like this. You’re all mine. Fuck- I’m never letting you go.” Your brain had turned to mush and all you could do was chant a bunch of yeses as she snapped her hips at a brutal pace. Agatha loved how incoherent you were becoming. She loved how easily she could reduce you to a moaning mess. She began to talk to you in a soft voice, praising and mocking you at the same time.

“Look at you. Such a babbling mess. Mommy’s little dumb slut. Isn’t that right? All mine?”

“Yes! All yours!” Your voice trembled as you got closer to the edge, your orgasm building up.

“That’s right,” she moved one of her hands from your wrists to your clit, rubbing it in fast circles, “You’re all mine, and you’re going to cum for me, aren’t you?”

You tried to reply but instead let out a loud sob, tears running down your rosy cheeks from the pleasure you felt. Agatha leaned down and kissed your tears away, her movements becoming more frantic as she chased your release.

“Come on, baby. Cum for me. Be a good little slut and cum for mommy.”

Your eyes rolled back and your mouth opened in a silent scream as you fell apart. Agatha moaned as she felt your walls clench around her, sloppily helping you ride out your orgasm as best as she could as she held onto your trembling legs.

“Fuck- I’m going to fill you up nice and full of my cum, baby, you’re going to be all mine.” She came, moaning loudly as she spilled her hot seed deep inside you. She gave you a few more thrust before pulling out, making you whine in protest at how empty you felt. Her hand on your wrists loosened and she looked down at you with a satisfied smirk on her face.

“There we go…Good girl. You did so well for me, baby. So perfect,” she started kissing down your body, “Now mommy’s gonna clean you up…” She finally let go of your wrist, putting your legs together and bending them against your chest, your pussy now completely exposed to her. She used her fingers to spread your pussy lips apart. She watched as her cum leaked out of you and almost moaned at the sight.

“God look at how messy you are…” she leaned down and ran her tongue over your entrance, licking up her own cum. She lapped at your sensitive core, moaning at the taste of the two of you combined, “You taste so good, baby.”

You squirmed against her mouth, your pussy already too sensitive. Agatha chuckled and wrapped her arms around your thighs, holding you in place as she continued to eat you out. She was going to make sure you were completely clean.

“Stay still, honey. Mommy’s not done with you yet.”

“But it h-hurts-” She looked up at you with a mocking expression.

“I know it hurts, baby. That’s why you’re going to be a good girl and take it, isn’t that right?”

She nipped at your inner thigh before diving back down between your legs. You reluctantly nodded, letting her lap over your puffy folds and sucking on your clit. She moaned against your clit, enjoying the taste of your juices. She swirled her tongue around it before sucking on it again, pulling it into her mouth and teasing it with her teeth.

“Mmmm…there we go,” she kissed your clit before letting go of your legs, “All done.” She pulled you into a kiss, shoving her tongue in your mouth, making you taste yourself. You whined against her lips, finding it hard to keep up. She just chuckled and pulled away.

“Come on, baby. Let’s give you a bath.” She started picking and you absolutely melted into her. She set you on the bathroom counter while she filled the bath. You simply watched her as she put bubbles in the bath and made sure the water was at a good temperature.

Once the bath was ready, she gently picked you up and lowered you into the warm water. She sat behind you, letting you lean against her chest. She began washing your body with a soft washcloth, making sure to be extra gentle with you. When she got close to your core, you stiffened slightly, still sensitive from your orgasm and her tongue. She chuckled softly, noticing your reaction.

“Aww, is my baby still sensitive?” She pressed her fingers against your clit. You tried to swat her hand away and clench your thighs together but she took your wrist and held them against your chest while using her own legs to keep yours open.

“Just give mommy one more orgasm and we’ll be all done, okay?” She said, already playing with your clit, rubbing it in small circles.

“It hurts mommy…” you mumbled, hiding your face in the crook of her neck.

“I know it hurts, baby. But you can do it,” she continued to tease your clit, rubbing it faster and harder, “Don’t you want to make mommy proud?”

“Y-yes-” she smiled and rewarded you by letting go of your wrist and wrapping her free hand around your throat, gently squeezing it.

“That’s my good girl. Keep being good for mommy and I’ll make you feel so good, okay?” The pain finally turned into pleasure and your body pathetically melted to Agatha’s once again. Her grip on your throat tightened slightly making you light headed.

“You’re so cute when you’re like this, darling. All weak and pathetic. You’re mine to use however I want, aren’t you?” She slipped two fingers inside you, making you mewl like a dog in heat.

“I’m close!” You moaned as she nibbled on your earlobe before whispering in your ear.

“Good. Come for me, baby. Come for mommy one more time and I’ll let you rest.” Your hands clung to the hand that was still tightly wrapped around your neck for dear life as you came again. Agatha grinned, loving the way you clung to her like she was the only thing keeping you alive. How pathetic and adorable.

She kept her hand around your neck, slowly applying pressure as you came. Once you came down from your high, she loosened her grip and rubbed your neck softly, admiring the redness she left behind.

“That’s my girl. I’m so proud of you,” she soothed you, combing through your wet hair until the water in the bath became cold. She got out first, getting a towel for you before helping you out.

She gently wrapped you the towel, setting you down on the counter once again to brush the knots out of your hair. Once she was done, she wrapped the towel around you tighter and lifted you, cradling you in her arms like a small child.

“It’s time to go to sleep, my sweet girl. You must be so tired huh?” she sat you down in the bed while she went to get you some pj. She made sure to be quick noticing how droopy your eyes looked. She came back a moment later with some soft, silk pajamas for you. She gently dressed you in them before tucking you into bed, pulling the blankets up to your chin.

“Comfortable, Angel?”

“Aren’t you going to stay, Aggie?” Agatha smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair out of your face.

“Of course, I am, darling. I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

“You promise?” She leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead.

“I promise, sweetheart. You’re mine, I’m not going anywhere. Now get some sleep.”

#fanfic #smut #x reader #agatha harkness x reader #agatha harkness #agatha x reader #agatha all along #dark!agatha

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slightly-knot-insane · 2 months ago

Note

Loving your writing and saw that you’re accepting asks!

I have this thought about monster boyfriend of some sort who is desperate to have sex but you’re hesitant/nervous because he’s so big/will knot you. He reassures you and says that he’ll put in just the tip to ease you into it and then you’re both going crazy for it and he goes feral and thrusts the whole thing in/pops his knot in you

I'm so happy to hear this! Especially since English is not my first language (if that isn't painfully obvious lol). Thank you for this incredibly excellent ask!

Hidden in the Basement

[ m!monster x fem!reader ]

You could hear him in the basement. It was that time of the year - he goes into rut and he simply... needs his alone time. He always kisses you, lingering just a tad bit longer than usual, and retreats downstairs.

You stand outside the door. He is trying to stay as quiet as he can, muffling his groans and heavy breathing, but he's too loud. Too pent up.

You want to help him. He is almost frenzied when in rut and sometimes hurts himself or the others. He recognizes you, of course, but there is something in his behavior that scares you. Although - you bite your lip - not in a necessarily bad way.

You notice the basement is too quiet. Is he okay? You try the door handle - surprisingly, he didn't lock himself in. Perhaps he forgot? You go downstairs, as quietly as possible. It is almost too dark to see, but you can't turn on the light - you shouldn't be here after all.

He is kneeling on the floor, his huge pulsating cock in one hand as he is trying to get off. It is out of the sheath, a big bulbous knot at the base, and leaking glans on the top. His other hand is holding your panties. He is sniffing and biting them while jacking off. The fabric is completely damp.

Your face burns from embarrassment. Somehow you feel you shouldn't have seen this. Maybe you could sneak outside without him noticing? But... do you want to? You've never seen him like this, barely human, his limbs different and longer and stronger, his neck wider, his tail more flexible. It was him, but not completely. Also his cock... it changed in a rather interesting way.

He finally senses you and his eyes snap open, his pupils dangerously dilating.

"I'm sorry!" You panic and try running upstairs. You barely climb two steps before he grabs you from behind and lifts you. You yelp in surprise. He carries you downstairs and, without letting you go, kisses you. Everything about him is different, even his embraces. They are so intense, more consuming, needy. More feral. His hands quickly remove all your clothes and his fingers find your breasts.

"Wait," you gasp. "You are so big. I can't..."

He nibbles your neck, his large hands cupping your ass cheeks. "I need you. I will be careful, I promise. Let me have you a little bit or I'll go mad." His voice mutated into more dominant, animalistic one. You whimper as his finger finds your pussy and pushes against your entrance. "Not wet enough."

In one easy move, he lifts you up in front of his face and places your knees over his shoulders. Once your pussy is perfectly leveled with his large mouth, he proceeds to eat you out like a starving animal.

"Aaaah... aaah..." You wiggle and pant, sensations too overwhelming. But he firmly holds you in place. His tongue reaches places no toy or his human form ever reached. It circles around your clit and pumps into your entrance, swelling and pulsating. Your boyfriend pleasures you until you're soaking wet and trembling, and then lowers you just above his massive cock. "Please!" you scream, intimidated by the knot. "I can't do it..."

"I will put just the tip in," he reassures you. "I would never hurt you."

He sounds like your old wonderful boyfriend and you slightly relax in his arms. The way he kisses you by biting your lips, licking your face and sliding his long tongue deep into your throat is truly something special. Distracting you with his mouth, he slowly forces his glans into your pussy. It glides easily, and you both moan.

"You are so..." he whispers under his breath. "So tight. So amazing."

He barely enters and immediately lifts you up again. He is breathing heavily and sweating, his muscles trembling. You know it's not because he can't hold you like this - he is barely controlling himself, trying not to impale you on his massive cock.

"More..." You whine, his monster phallus rubbing against your wet walls. "Give me more."

He grunts happily and let's you slide down. He fills you completely, holding you safely with his arms. "Fuck... Can I go faster?"

"Yes please." Your blood is already boiling, nerves vibrating from incoming orgasm.

He starts bouncing you up and down, only pushing the half of his length inside. It doesn't feel uncomfortable. He is stretching you bit by bit, and immediately pulling out. His grunts and panting, and your moaning surround your sweating bodies. "Fuck... Fuck..." you both pant into each other's ear.

"Harder," you moan and his hips start jerking upwards when his arms lower you down. The impact is so much stronger, more intense, more ecstatic. After just a few thrusts, you climax and scream into your hands. You are so loud, it's embarrassing.

"No, let me hear you. Scream more for me. "

He speeds up, your pussy contracting around his cock and you can only moan and whimper from your overwhelming prolonged orgasm. He presses you against his chest, growling like a beast, and jerks his hips upwards. There is some sudden pain, but pleasure too, and you cry out.

His low moans become louder as he pounds you. Your entire body feels his body, all around you and inside you. Finally, with a hard thrust, he grunts into your hair and forces you even harder against his body. Hot liquid enters deeply into your womb. It feels amazing.

With panting and drooling all over you, your boyfriend lets your torsos separate. But nothing else.

"I knotted in you. I can't pull out." He sounds both happy and worried. You look down and see a big bulge from your swollen pussy all the way to your navel. And finally you realize his whole monster cock entered you including the knot. "I'm sorry," he says.

It doesn't hurt too much. It's a bit sore, sure. With little practice, you are sure you could do this every day. The thought makes your pussy throb. He feels that and looks at you curiously.

With a sly smile, you rub the tip of his cock through your skin and it twitches. "Sorry? I'm upset we haven't tried this sooner. No need to hide in the basement from me ever again." Realizing what you said, he happily purrs and embraces you.

#monster #monster lover #monster boyfriend #monster imagine #monster fucker #monster fuqqer #monster x reader #monster x fem!reader #monster x human #werewolf #werewolf x reader #werewolf knot #monster knotting #teratophillia #smut #slightlyknotinsane #ski.doc

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knightjpg · 4 months ago

Text

Brick by Brick

You have his favourite tea on hand. You ask him what he'd like for dinner this weekend. One time you opened the door for him within seconds of buzzing, like you'd been as eager for his visit as he was. And maybe most devastating of all: you routinely start making too much food for even Simon to finish.

tags: 🔞construction worker simon/neighbour reader, unprotected piv, oral (f receiving), size kink, brief mention of simon's childhood abuse

part 1 | part 2

After that things shift, just a little. You still sit with Simon while he works, handing him tools he teaches you the names of; still try to convince him to get pay for his work around the house.

But you have his favourite tea on hand. You ask him what he'd like for dinner this weekend. One time you opened the door for him within seconds of buzzing, like you'd been as eager for his visit as he was.

And maybe most devastating of all: you routinely start making too much food for even Simon to finish.

“Thought you might want some leftovers for lunch,” you tell him, holding out two tupperware boxes. “If you're working those long hours you have to eat right, you know?”

When Simon opens them at home, just before tucking them away in his work bag for tomorrow, his chest clenches. It's not just leftovers. There's dried beef jerky, a pack of crackers that go well with coffee, and a fist-sized chunk of banana bread. And—

A little note.

His heart hammers against his chest when he unfolds it. It's nearly dark out, crickets chirping soft and low somewhere beneath the window. The only sound in his kitchen is the ticking of a clock.

Good luck today! Don't work too hard :)

“Christ,” he mumbles, fingers tracing over the ink. Pretty. Like you. Like every fucking thing you do.

Summer is nearing its end, and Simon is running out of excuses. Part of him feels proud to see the house shape up to the best it can be, but over the months the boxes have nearly all disappeared. He knows—has helped you unpack God knows how many books. Helped you put together a new bookcase, even.

But if he's no longer useful, what's keeping you from closing your door on him? Dread rises sharp and fast in Simon's throat when he thinks about a dark, cold home waiting for him as his only company. He passes your door on the way home, more often than not sees your silhouette against the warm light of your window. Illuminating the hard dirty edges of him.

You've started feeding him, this big mean watchdog, and he might choke on his leash if you stop now.

“Hello, what is that?”

Simon sharply yanks his lunch away from Johnny's grabby paws.

“None f’your business.”

“Is that bloody banana bread? You've got to be fuckin’ me.”

“That's homemade,” Kyle says unhelpfully from just behind Simon's shoulder.

“Piss off,” Simon grumbles.

Johnny does not, of course, piss off. Instead he grins, cheeky and wide. “Didn't know y’had a bird, Simon.”

“Fuck,” Kyle groans. “Is that roast beef? That smells so good. Where'd you get this?”

Johnny snorts. “More like who's he blackmailin'.”

Simon glowers at Johnny, then says through a mouthful, “My girl.”

If there'd been any hope of them dropping it, it's gone now. Simon realises his mistake as soon the words leave his mouth and Kyle and Johnny light up.

They're incessant. Dog him at every opportunity—who is she? What's her name? What's she look like? Show us a photo, Simon, dinnae be so selfish.

Simon suffers it for a week until he slams his gloves on Price's table and threatens someone's going to end up in the cement mixer by the end of the day if he doesn't do something about it.

They quiet down after that, though they can't help but ask after you every now and then—even Price, who despite his congratulatory shoulder clap admits he wishes he had a sweet thing of his own.

And the lunches keep going. As do the notes, every one of which Simon keeps carefully tucked away in a box at home. He didn't find one last night, and he suppresses the wave of disappointment. Maybe you forgot. Maybe you were just tired, and maybe he's grown too comfortable with your casual affection.

So when a little piece of paper that was stuck to the bottom of the lid flutters onto the ground the next day Simon is unprepared. The two seconds of surprise cost him—Johnny dives after it like a hawk and scoops it before it's barely touched the concrete.

“You little shit—”

Simon's at him immediately, and Johnny, delighted by what he thinks is a funny fucking little game, twists and dodges while fumbling the note open with one hand.

“Looking forward to dinner tonight. Be safe today,” Johnny reads before Simon snatches it from him with a hard shove to his head. “Aww, Simon, you lucky shite. C’mon, give us one o’ those cookies, aye? If you're goin’ home to a candle lit dinner.”

“Get your own cookies,” Simon huffs, and curls one arm around his tupperware protectively while he eats.

Looking forward.

So is he.

“Simon!”

Simon whips his head around and catches you stepping out of your car with a wave. You've arrived home just after him today, and his breath catches in his throat when he sees your dress flutter prettily around your legs.

You're dressed up all nice today—must've been at university, then. Simon doesn't know which he likes better: the shorts you wear at home or the glimpse of cleavage he gets when you wear a nice work blouse.

His dick throbs when he holds his own hand up in greeting, hanging back just to get those few extra seconds with you.

He's not sure why today is especially bad. Probably doesn't help that every time he jacks off in the shower you're the one he thinks of, imaging your pretty lips wrapped around his cock. It's hard to resist the indulgence after a long hard day of sweating and laying brick, then coming home and only getting to look, not touch. He doesn't want to stain you with his filth, but what's he supposed to do? He wants you.

And his desire has sat festering in the confines of his rib cage for months. It curls his hands in tight fists so he doesn't reach for you by accident the way he does in his dreams, keeps him from leaning in to taste your lips to see if they're as sweet as your cobbler pies.

“Alright?” he asks when you get closer. You feel off, distant, and when you nod it feels like it's more for his sake than for the truth of it.

“Yeah. Um.” You adjust the strap of the bag on your shoulder, shifting on your feet. “I wanted to let you know I can't do dinner tomorrow. I'm, um, I have a date, so...”

The spin of the world stutters for a second.

Simon sucks in a quiet breath. “That so.”

“Yeah.” You look up at him with a sad little smile. Not the kind of face you'd expect from someone who just scored a date, but Simon is too wrapped up in his misery to notice. “How was your day?”

Normal. Unsuspecting. Good, even, until you told him some twat is taking you out to dinner.

“Fine,” he hears himself say. Adds, “Watchin’ a match tonight.”

An excuse—an out for both of you. You won't have to feel obligated to ask him if he'd like to come ‘round for a meal, and he won't have to pretend he doesn't feel like throwing up.

“Go Manchester,” you reply with a smile.

Just like Simon, they don't score.

He waits up for you. It's pathetic, really—that of all things this is what gets him to dig around for a pack of smokes. Been mostly clean ever since you moved in next to him, his half-hearted attempts to quit finally mounting up to something with real resolve.

He doesn't want to taste nicotine when he eats your meals.

Even threw out his lighter. Which means when he finds a crushed, dust-caked pack with only one cigarette in it behind his couch he has to light it with a match and shaky hands.

It tastes awful. But it's familiar, and sometimes he craves the burn even when he sees his dad putting out his own cigs on Simon's legs behind his eyelids.

The evening grows colder around him, late summer skies tinted with dark purples and blues. It's quiet in the neighbourhood. He's the only one out this late—everyone else has retreated to the comfort of their homes, ready to turn in for the night.

It should feel peaceful, but all Simon feels is anxious and on edge. Not even the smoke calms his nerves.

Should he back off, leave you to the happiness you deserve? Throw everything away in one last shot, ask to take you out like he's wanted to forever?

Words are no good, but he's tried so desperately to show you that he'd do just about anything if you asked. To let you know that underneath his gruff silences he doesn't bite the hand that feeds him and that he'd rip anyone else to shreds for raising a finger against you.

Simon's head lifts when his ears pick up the rumbling of a car. Is it...?

It is.

Lamplight flashes over the cobbled street, and then the rumble of the engine turns off with a click.

You're alone—thank God. Simon doesn't know what he would've done if you'd taken your date home.

You look worn out, and not the happy kind after a successful lay. Just tired—to the point where you almost don't notice him and jump when you do. You take a startled step back from his hulking silhouette leaning against the stone little fence curling around all the houses along the street you share, before pausing and asking in a soft voice:

“Simon?”

And because he's a masochist he asks, “Y’have fun?”

He expects a yes. At best a non-committal shrug—at worst an enthusiastic smile. But you look down at your shoes, chew your lip, and say, “No.” A breath. “No. It was awful. He was a twat, and he tried to feel me up under the table, and he's been hounding me at university for months, and I got so sick of it I just said yes but now I'm going to have to email HR and ugh—!”

Your voice breaks on the last sentence and you sniffle, turning your face away from Simon so you can give it a quick wipe with the back of your hand.

He's up on his feet in an instant, trying to take slow breaths so he doesn't act on the overwhelming urge to hunt down the wankstain and crush his fingers so he can never fucking touch you again. Your dog bites without warning or remorse, and everything in him wants to show your sad excuse of a date just how sharp his teeth are.

But he can't. You're hurting, and that's more important than breaking some bloke's nose.

And so Simon tries for softness as much as he's capable of it, large scarred hand hesitantly landing on your shoulder. It's all the coaxing you need to lean into his touch, and when Simon shifts a little closer your head falls on his shoulder. He burns with a different kind of fire.

“Sorry,” you sniffle. “I'm okay, I really am, it was just such a—such a—”

“S’alright,” Simon rasps. He pets your hair and strokes your back with a clumsy touch, unsure of how far he should, can, is allowed to go. “Y’should've called me. Would've come t’pick you up, maybe sock him a new one.”

He'd do more than that if you'd let him. He'd take you home and made sure the only time you cried was when he worked his fat cock inside you.

Christ, he's going to hell.

“I didn't want to bother you,” you say in a small voice.

“Sweetheart. You're never botherin’ me.” You let out a shaky sigh, and Simon tucks your head under his chin a little more securely. “Woulda made sure y’got home safe.”

It's quiet, then, save for the sound of a car driving away somewhere down the road. Simon doesn't say anything else. He doesn't want to break the spell that you're under. You feel so soft in his arms, his sweet bird, finally come home to where you belong.

“I kept wishing it was you.” Your voice is so soft he almost doesn't catch it, but before he can process it you pull yourself out of his embrace, cursing under your breath. “Sorry. Sorry—forget I said that. I'm... I'm gonna go home.”

Simon's hand shoots out and grabs your wrist. You stare at him with big wet eyes that has the pit of his stomach swoop low.

“Y’wish it was me?”

His voice is low and rough, strained with want.

Your cheeks burn and you avert your eyes, though you don't pull your hand away. “Sorry. Ignore me, I'm just...”

“I'll take you,” Simon says a little too quickly. “Anywhere you wanna go. Dinner. Movies.” He pauses, trying to remember what people do for fun. “The library.”

There. You hiccup a little laugh, finally, and the beginnings of a smile tug at your mouth.

“The library?”

Simon smiles a little, too. “Anywhere you want,” he repeats. Even the fucking library.

Your gaze drops to your hands, and you carefully turn your palm against his. “I think I'd like that.”

Simon swallows and lets his fingers intertwine with yours. “Yeah?”

“I don't really care where we go, though. If it's with you.”

Jesus bloody Christ.

“Okay,” Simon says, voice tight. “Alright. We'll—we'll figure it out. We'll go somewhere.” A breeze hits you as he says it, and you shiver. “...Right now let's just get you home.”

You nod, the fatigue overtaking your features again. Simon walks you all the way to your door, squints against the night sensor he installed himself.

You hover in the doorway before opening your mouth, closing it, then take a small step forward to rise on your toes. Simon's heartbeat kicks up under your hand where you steady yourself on his chest, and then he feels your lips press against his cheek. It's his bad one, the one with the nasty scar from a bar fight long ago.

“Thanks,” you say softly.

“Yeah,” he manages, tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth. “’Course.”

The door closes with a soft click.

When you mention wanting to hike out on a trail nearby Simon, true to his word, makes it happen. It's not so bloody hot anymore and it's nice, hearing the birds chirp overhead. Nice to exist in a world where everything is washed in shades of mottled green, hearing the dirt crunch under his feet.

It relaxes him. Makes his muscles untense. You promised him a picnic at the end of the trail, and to Simon's delight he succeeds in coaxing you to feed him bites of your homemade sandwiches in the midst of tall grass and meadow flowers.

When you get home, sweat and sun lingering on your skin, Simon has full intentions of dropping you off at your doorstep and wishing you a good night. Maybe get another kiss if he's lucky.

And he does—but you linger, soft lips hovering over his cheek. His fingers curl and uncurl against his sides, waiting and wondering.

“Please kiss me?” you breathe on his skin, and that's all it takes.

He surprises himself with the intensity of it, but fucking hell, he's wanted you for so long. His shoulders hunch, neck bent low, and he slots his mouth over yours. Your little fingers grab at his shirt for balance, and he pushes you against your doorframe. Every time he pulls away you make a small noise of protest and chase his lips, and though Simon hasn't had a drop of alcohol today he feels well on his way to hammered.

“Do you want to—please come inside—?”

Simon groans and rests his forehead against yours. Fuck. “I want to—want t’do this right,” he rasps.

You exhale with a shaky breath. Your cheeks are flushed, eyes glittering like stars. Simon's stomach lurches at seeing you want him. “Right, um. Of course. I just—I've thought about... about you. For a—a really long timmf—”

Simon groans into your mouth. He cups your cheeks, one hand sliding to hold you at the back of your neck. A sweat breaks out along his spine when he imagines you at night, in your bedroom, fucking yourself with your little fingers. Whimpering his name...

“Yeah? Y’want me to take you to bed, sweetheart?” he murmurs, and you shiver.

The two of you barely make it past the door until Simon is stealing the breath from your lungs again. He's wanted this for so long it's a little hard to stop, even if it's to break apart for air. Miraculously you seem to want it as much as he does, seem as desperate for his touch as he is for yours.

When has anyone wanted him this bad? When has he ever felt like he'd die on the spot if he didn't get inside you right the fuck now?

He doesn't need to ask you where the bedroom is. This place has felt his touch almost as much as yours, has shaped up into a cosy little home that is part of him, too. Like he wants to be part of you.

Simon simply scoops you up and carries you straight to bed, forgetting to be gentle when he deposits on the mattress. His head is buzzing, his heart is thundering, and he needs you now.

Fortunately you don't seem to mind much. Your hands immediately fly to his belt, tug at the metal impatiently, then fumble with his zipper with trembling hands. Simon pulls your top over your head, throws it somewhere on the floor without a care followed by his own.

“Lie back,” he husks, and makes quick work of your trousers. Pauses just for a second to take in the growing wet patch of your panties.

“Simon,” you whine softly.

He drops to his knees and slides his large hands over your thighs, transfixed. He smooths over the goosebumps on your legs, presses a kiss to your knee.

“Want me t’take these off?” he rasps, snapping the band of your panties. You lift your hips in silent assent. Simon helps you shimmy off your underwear and suppresses a moan when a string of sticky arousal clings to the fabric—then follows it right to the source.

You gasp when he kisses your folds before gently spreading them with big warm fingers. “Sweet little cunt,” Simon mutters, and then he goes to town.

He starts with slow, wet licks, feeling out what you like and what's too much. He keeps it light for a while just to feel you squirm and to hear your breathing turn ragged, then backs off just when your knees start trembling. He smiles when you whimper his name with a desperate little “please".

“Such good manners.” His breath washes over your clit, and your hips try to twitch away from him. “Proper sweetheart, yeah?”

It's great fun, playing with you, but his cock is throbbing painfully and he's leaking everywhere, and he very much intends for you to end the night feeling so blissed out you let him sleep next to you.

So Simon hoists you closer, hooks your thighs over his shoulder, and sucks on your clit until you're sobbing his name. He holds your hips down by splaying one big hand over your stomach because you're a sensitive little thing, bucking away from him when he's not nearly done with you yet.

It's cute, seeing you lose yourself to the pleasure. It's also really fucking hot. Simon slowly pushes one finger in you and groans when you clench around him.

“Simon,” you whimper. “Oh, please, please—”

Such a good girl, begging without him telling you to. Simon crooks his finger, and your next breath is a stutter of moans before your whole body tenses and you cum on his tongue.

Simon hums approvingly, keeping his motions slow and steady so you ride it out all the way. When you whine and wriggle away from him he lets up, wiping at your slick covering his chin.

Best meal you've cooked him by far.

“Oh,” you sigh. “That was... Give me—give me a minute...”

Simon chuckles and rises from his knees to crawl over you and steal a kiss. “Feelin’ good, princess?”

“Princess—” you let out a breathless laugh, but even in the low light of your nightstand lamp Simon sees the colour rise in your cheeks. Liked that, did you? You blink up at him, a sweet satisfied smile on your lips. “Mhm. So good. Come here?”

Your hands trail over his sides, stroke over the light hair trailing down his stomach. Simon shudders when your knuckles brush over his cock and he shucks off his trousers further to give you better access.

When you wrap your hand around him he drops his head into the crook of your shoulder and moans. The twitch of his hips is involuntary, too desperate to chase his pleasure to stay put.

“Next time,” you whisper while pulling him forward, spreading your legs wider to fit around his hips, “I want to feel you in my mouth.”

“Jesus,” he groans. It takes everything in him to not just slide in. “We need a condom?”

“I'm clean,” you murmur against his jaw. “On birth control. If you want we can—”

“Fuck yeah I do,” Simon says, and you laugh. Soft eyes when your hands slide over his shoulders, brush through the short hair on his neck. Simon watches your face while he lines himself up without blinking, and he's rewarded with the flutter of your eyelashes, the parting of your soft lips.

Your brows scrunch together at the first few inches, and he kisses you sweetly to make you relax. Simon knows he's not small, and he groans when you clench around him.

“Good girl,” he whispers against your hair. “Good girl. Just like that, yeah? Takin’ it real well. Just like that.”

He slides in a little deeper. You shiver and mewl and beg him for more, and he gives it to you. Anything you want.

“Simon,” you whimper. “Feels so—oh, you feel so good. More, please, please—?”

Simon brushes the hair from your forehead, keeping his thrusts long and slow and making sure to kiss your cervix each time, just because your breath stutters so prettily every time he does.

“Fuck,” he groans. “Fuck, you're so—such a tight little cunt. Couldn't wait any longer, could you? Jus’ had to have me?”

You nod immediately and empathically, eyes glassy with arousal. You try to answer him, but the only thing you manage are airy moans that sound like his name.

That's alright. Don't need to talk. He knows what you want to say; he feels the same. Simon catches you in a messy kiss while lacing his fingers with yours. Yours. Mine.

He shoves his free hand between your two bodies and finds your clit, circling it until he's found the right rhythm that has tears gathering in your eyes. He could live on that for the rest of his life, of hearing you mindlessly stuttering his name while your body tenses up and your head drops back and those pretty lips part in a choked moan—

“Christ,” Simon grits through his teeth, sweat dampening his brow. Your cunt flutters around him, soft little flower in full bloom that, with another thrust or two, has him falling apart as well.

Both of you moan at the feeling of his cum spurting hot and thick in your waiting womb. Simon rocks against you slowly to make sure you get every last drop—birth control or not.

He kisses you on the comedown. You melt into his touch, butter and honey, running your fingers through his hair until Simon shifts you around so you're curled up against him.

In another minute he'll get up and get you a washcloth before tucking you in and kissing your bare shoulders. He'll wrap himself around you before sleep takes you, make sure that he's the last thing you see and hear and touch.

For now he lets himself bask in the present. In having a sweet little bird clinging to him for comfort and giving him more than he could ever ask for in return.

Simon doesn't think you quite realise what you've gotten yourself into, in giving this big ugly watchdog your affection. He's not a king or a prince; not even a knight, not like the ones you read so much about. Simon wouldn't exactly call himself chivalrous or genteel.

But he's just as devoted and twice as vicious. He'll belong to you, and you to him, and from the moment he saw you he was oath-bound.

He'll have to steal a ring or two to measure which size is right. It'll take some work to knock down the walls between your two houses, but he'll ask the lads for help. Simon knows you'll win them over right away if you cook dinner or bake them something sweet.

And maybe in time he'll have to try his own hand at baking. He always did want to put a bun in the oven, and Simon just knows that if you're the one to do it with him—

It'll come out perfect.

#cod mw2 #cod x reader #ghost cod #simon ghost riley #ghost mw2 #simon riley #ghost x reader #ghost/reader #simon ghost riley x reader #x reader #this should've been a 20+ chap slowburn but I'm just not patient enough for that

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ice-eise-babyy · 2 months ago

Text

Highlight | J.B.B

Pairing: Bucky Barnes X Reader

Summary: A single comment takes a toll at your self-confidence, unintentionally pushing bucky away.

Warnings: really fluffy, slight angst (so slight you won't even feel it), implied smut, Sharon (unintentionally) being a bitch, cursing (real brief)

A/N: loosely inspired by a real life event. I do request so please go slide in my asks. that's it. Happy reading!!

Bucky loved you.

Every atom, essence, and fiber of you, he loved. There was nothing about you that could change his perception of you.

He had learned to memorize every inch of you with his eyes closed; Using only his tongue, fingers, and lips. Making a mental map of each dip and curve, every scar and mole, and all of your smile lines and wrinkles. Not only that but also your whole being. He knew you so well that he could tell what you wanted— what you needed before you could even say it. It was like a telepathic connection...

That's why it didn't take him long to figure out that something was wrong.

It was never your intention to make Bucky worry.

It all started with a small comment...

You had just finished showering in the gym shower after your training. Your body was wrapped in a towel that was way too short for your liking. displaying the stretch marks on your outer thighs, making you chew the insides of your cheeks.

And as if it wasn't enough to make you self-conscious, "Woah... That's some marks you've got there y/n..." It was Sharon as she entered the gym shower. Sounding perplexed and repulsed by the sight.

"Yeah.." you said, masking the rising insecurity with a faux chuckle before getting the hell out of there.

You ignored the twisted feeling in your stomach and the lingering embarrassment her words had caused. Brushing it off and pretending like you weren't affected by it. But soon it was eating you up like mites on wood. Nipping and nibbling at the last bits of self-assurance that you have.

It was affecting you so much that you hadn't even noticed that you were starting to distance yourself from Bucky...

Bucky, knowing you better than he knows himself, immediately noticed this. He didn't miss how you'd flinch at his touch. he caught how you'd recoil and pull away whenever he sought a hug or a kiss. It didn't go over his head when you started wearing more layers than just his shirt.

Of course, he was worried... But he pushed the worries away thinking that maybe you were just tired...

Weeks went by, yet you continued to distance yourself from him. He didn't want to think about it too much or ask you about it, afraid that it would only push you further.

So he convinced himself that you just wanted a bit of space. Especially now that you were getting some actual rest since you were jam-packed with missions and meetings the previous month.

It wasn't until last night...

˚‧⁺ ･ ˖ ·˚ ⋆｡˚ ˚‧⁺

"Sure, thanks Steve..." You bid Steve goodbye as you got off the elevator, just now getting home from your first mission of the month.

You opened the door with ease, not wanting to make any noise as you entered your shared room with Bucky. Tiptoeing as you entered, concerned that you'd wake him up.

"Hey, doll..." Your whole body jolted as you heard him, his voice sounding hoarse with sleep.

You simply looked in his direction and gave him a lopsided smile,

Just a smile?

"Go to sleep..." You told him as you left him to shower...

He in fact did not go to sleep. He waited for you. Wanting to wrap his arms around you and kiss away your exhaustion from the mission.

"I told you to go to sleep, bucky." he looked in your direction, admiring how adorable you looked in his hoodie and some basic sweatpants.

"How can I?" He shrugged as if it was the most obvious question, "you're not here with me.." he added, extending his arms out for a hug.

You gulped, hesitating for a little while longer. Soon giving in as you saw the expecting look on his face. His slate blue eyes glimmered in the darkness as you walked over to him.

He sighed, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding as he wrapped his arms around your waist. Burying his face in your clothed stomach as you stood there.

"I missed you," he nuzzled into you more, "so damn much." He said as he finally pulled away, looking up at you with those pretty blue eyes.

He wanted to stay like this with you. He needed to stay like this with you...

The pad of his fingers dug into your hips as his grip tightened, pulling you to his lap.

"I missed you too..." You said, your fingers playing with the hair on the back of his head...

It was like all your worries were thrown out the window as he held you by the neck and captured your lips with his. Kissing you with such need and longing. It was as if a huge wave of relief washed over you... Until his hands started exploring under your hoodie.

All your insecurities resurfaced as you recalled the marks that you were hiding under these layers of clothing. Sharon's words replaying in your head like a broken record.

No...

It was like your body was moving on its own accord. Your breathing lodged in your windpipe as you realized that you had unintentionally pushed him away... Your hands trembling as they hovered mid-air, a short distance away from his chest which you had just shoved away...

"I..." You started but it was like the words were caught in the back of your throat...

You felt guilt settling in the pit of your stomach as you saw the pain flickered amongst the flecks of navy in his eyes that Momentarily looked down before looking back at you, helping you off his lap.

One...

Breathe...

Two...

She's just tired...

Three...

Be understanding...

"It's... It's fine..." The reassurance tasted bittersweet on his lips, a tight-lipped smile decorating his features...

You felt like the knot of guilt in your stomach was about to snap as you didn't fail to notice how his smile didn't reach his eyes... Or how the inflection of his voice came across as insincere, strained, hurt...

He's hurt... Because of me...

He wasn't hurt, no.

Hurt was something a 3-year-old would say if he scraped his knee. Hurt was something a teenager felt when he got his heart broken from puppy love. Hurt is something minor. Something that can be easily cured with words...

This? This was neglect.

He felt neglected... He felt like you were drifting a bit too far...

Too far from him...

˚‧⁺ ･ ˖ ·˚ ⋆｡˚ ˚‧⁺

He has never been the type to openly talk about what he felt... But this— this thing you were doing? It was just unbearable... In ways that no simple words formed by letters could describe. And what's worst about this was it was you.

So, he ultimately decided that he had enough of it...

You were comfortably reading a book on the couch. The cap of your purple highlighter in between your lips as you highlight lines from your book with it. The bright color perfectly emphasizing your favorite parts.

A few other teammates were also in the living room. Respectfully busying themselves with whatever task they had at hand when suddenly, a very upset-looking bucky came storming into the living room with a scowl on his face.

"Let's talk. Now. In private." He snatched the book from your hand and tossed it on the coffee table automatically catching your attention

Confusion etched your face as you looked up at him, your knuckles turning white as your grip tightened around the highlighter.

"What are you—!" Your question abruptly interrupted, the world turning upside down as he threw you over his shoulder like you weighed nothing.

The rest of the team looked at one another with puzzled looks, watching you writhe as he walked away with you on his shoulder like a bag of rice.

"Bucky!" You squealed, thrashing against the super soldier while you repeatedly told him to put you down. The purple ink from the highlighter in your hand staining his white tank top.

"Talk." Was all you heard as you landed on the bed with a guttural 'oof'

"Rude!" He gave you an unamused look, crossing his arms as his gaze followed you as you propped yourself. Sighing as he saw that familiar pout on your lips.

"I'm worried about you..." You felt a shiver run down your spine as he walked towards you.

"What do you mean...?" You facepalmed mentally as your words came out trembling.

You were sweating, not wanting to talk about any of this any further. You already knew where this was going...

And you didn't like it...

"You're just..." He paused, looking for the right words, "You're not being you... And you—" he cut himself off, noticing how you moved away when he sat beside you. "You keep doing that"

"That? What's 'that'?"

"You keep distancing yourself from me..." You felt the guilt claw up your neck as you heard the way his voice sounded so defeated.

You never intended to worry him, and you never would want to. But looking at the situation at hand made you realize how much you got drowned by your self-doubt that you had been depriving him of the truth...

You felt torn as you sat there staring into the hazy silver hue in his blue eyes, the distress and yearning flickering in them.

You wanted to tell him about everything. You wanted to tell him how Sharon's words made your confidence falter. You wanted to show him why...

But it scared you...

The mere thought of his repulsed expression made your heart sink to your toes.

"I don't know if I've done something wrong. If I've said something you didn't like. If I had been too much. If you need space—"

"No! It's not like that..." Your eyes widened as his rambling slowly sunk into your skull,

He's blaming himself...?

"I just... It's..." He held your hand, soothing you through your anxious state...

He hated seeing you like this, he hated how much you were holding back, he hated how you were hesitating... But he was patient with you like he always is. Because he knew firsthand how hard it is to open up.

"Please... Please tell me.." you let out a shaky breath. Your fingers fiddled with the highlighter as you closed your eyes for a moment to collect yourself.

The moment you opened your eyes and witnessed the unshed tears gloss over his pretty eyes was the exact moment you figured that you had lost at whatever this was...

Your hands fidgeted with the highlighter as you told him everything he needed to know— from the stretch marks that had you questioning your self-worth to Sharon’s comment that rang in your ears like a constant reminder. You just laid it all out there, hoping he’d understand how much it had gotten to you. Even though you knew it still wasn't enough of an excuse for how you've treated him...

The tears prickled your eyes as they pooled; you felt so small. So vulnerable around him... Just how you liked it.

"I'm so proud of you for telling me doll..." The pad of his thumb swiping away the single tear that rolled down your face...

"Can I see...?" You looked at him with wide eyes, why would he want to see such a sight?

"James..." His name slipped from your lips as a hesitant whisper, but your thoughts became a jumbled mess when he suddenly got off the bed and kneeled in front of you, looking up at you with those big blue eyes...

"Please...?" He pleaded, removing the highlighter before holding your hands in his.

Your man was literally on his knees for you, his eyes wide with hope and vulnerability, like he was silently begging for an answer. His voice was so full of genuine longing and yearning. How could you say no to that? At that moment, with your heart swelling, saying anything but yes felt impossible.

You meekly nodded and he looked like a kid on Christmas morning, beaming with a grin.

Goosebumps formed on your skin as you felt his hands twisting with the waistband of your pajama shorts. He looked up at you as though to ask for permission so you granted it with another nod. You lifted your hips for him to fully remove them.

Suddenly,you felt the insecurity clawing at your neck; feeling exposed and just... Bare as you sat there in just your tank top and underwear. Displaying parts of your body that only he had the privilege of seeing.

You pressed your knees together, knowing that the marks only get worse around the insides of your thighs...

Bucky didn't like this... But he had more than one way to keep those legs spread for him...

"So pretty..." he murmured, his voice soft and full of admiration as his hand gently held your calf as if you would wither under his touch if he wasn't careful enough. His other hand was doing the total opposite by holding your other leg in place and slightly spreading it. He leaned in, pressing a series of slow, lingering kisses from your knee, his lips feather-light as they brushed against your skin. He moved up to the side of your thigh, each kiss seemed to carry a silent promise, a vow of how much he adored every inch of you. The warmth of his breath and the tenderness in his eyes made your heart stutter, filling you with a sense of love and security that felt overwhelming.

You let out a whine, desperate and needy when you felt him detach his lips from your skin. Already yearning for the sensation of his lips on you. "What are you doing?" Gazing at him curiously as he took the highlighter in his hand

He didn't answer.

He held your knee in one hand to avoid them from blocking his line of sight. His mind was in a whirlwind as he saw the marks.

They're beautiful

How dare you deprive him of this.

You gasped as you felt the cold ink of the highlighter on your skin. Bucky moved his hand gracefully as he left traces of bright purple along your stretch marks, tucking his lower lip between his teeth as he concentrated.

"What are you doing, James?" Another attempt for an answer as you watch his hand in between your legs only to be met with silence once again.

He pulled away once he finished, a satisfied look on his face. Looking at his work with such pride in himself. It was beautiful. You were beautiful. Nothing could ever compare to this, to you. No art made by Monet, Renoir, or even Van Gogh could ever come close to how ethereal you looked...

"This," he started, his fingers gently tracing the trails of purple ink on your skin, "This is to remind you that I will always love all of you"

You bit back a smile as you looked down at him; the lovesick look in his eyes told you that his words exude nothing but honesty. And it was as if everything was just now sinking into your mind. Crimson tinted your cheeks, heating up as you realized that you were half naked with a super soldier in between your thighs. Kneeling for you.

You let out a strangled moan as he pressed his lips on your skin once more. Trailing wet kisses to your inner thigh, inhaling as his nose poked your clothed core. You smelled so sweet...

"You think you're getting off the hook that easy?" You gulped so hard that he probably heard it, you couldn't help yourself. How could you when Bucky was looking up at you like someone who hasn't been fed for the past few months? The warmth of his blue eyes dissipated as it was replaced by something familiar but different... Something feral.

"Spread those pretty legs for me, doll. I'm going to fuck you until you're finally convinced that every part of you is perfect"

#i tried my best i guess #this was so fun writing #bucky x you #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky

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moralesluvr · 2 months ago

Note

oooo can you write something where miguel meets yn’s family for the first time and your mom or aunt or some family member pulls you to the side and tells you “that man….is gonna get your pregnant.”

PROMISES IN THE DARK | m. o’hara.

when miguel was about to meet your parents, he was calm, composed as always, his hand resting on the small of your back—a touch that was as protective as it was possessive. his eyes, dark and intense, scanned the room, taking in every minuscule detail, from your baby photos plastered on the wall to the little intricate details of wall trim and tablecloths. there was an air of quiet confidence about him, the kind that made your heart race a little faster as you squeeze his hand tightly.

“ready for this?” you asked, trying to sound casual, but miguel could already sense your anxious aura.

his gaze flicked to you, and he tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable, perhaps usual. “always,” he replied, his voice low and controlled, sending a shiver down your spine. his eyes lingered on yours for a moment longer, his lips curving into a faint smirk. “don’t worry, mi amor. i’ll behave. for now.”

your cheeks flushed at the underlying promise in his words, but before you could respond, your mother appeared, arms open wide in welcome.

the evening unfolded with ease—or so it seemed. miguel was nothing but polite, attentive, and everything your family could have hoped for. but you knew better. beneath his facade of a calm exterior was a storm waiting to be unleashed, a storm adjacent to a tension that crackled between you every time his fingers brushed yours or when his eyes locked onto yours from across the room.

at some point during your little reunion, your aunt pulled you aside, her eyes wide with that all-too-familiar twinkle. she was always so sweet, face as plump as a berry as her reddened lips parted into a smile as she learned to whisper in your ear.

“y’know, y/n, he’s something else,” she murmured, glancing over at your fiancé, who was deep in conversation with your uncle.

“but honey, I gotta tell you—” she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “that man... he’s gonna get you pregnant.”

you immediately choked on your drink, nearly spilling it in the process. “auntie!”

she just grinned, completely unfazed by your surprise. she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and leans into you attentively, “darling, i’m completely serious. you see the way he looks at you? it’s like he’s ready to devour you whole! trust me, it’s only a matter of time.”

your face heated up as you quickly excused yourself, from your spot on the couch, feeling flustered and more than a little embarrassed. you walked back to the kitchen where your family was gathered, trying to shake off her words, but they clung to you like a second skin.

miguel’s eyes found yours as you re-entered the room, and his lips curved into that maddeningly subtle smile. he didn’t need to ask what was wrong—he could read you better than anyone else could. the way your eyebrows furrowed and the way your body language began to appear more reserved, he knew something had happened while you two were apart.

you took a deep breath and crossed the room to where he was standing, feeling the pull of his presence strongly.

“what did she say to you?” he asked quietly, his voice so low that only you could hear it. his fingers brushed against your waist, lingering just long enough to make your pulse quicken as you gulped, succumbing to his warm touch.

you bit at your lip, debating whether to tell him, but you knew there was no point in hiding it, so you pushed your nervousness aside and sighed, “she said... that you’re going to get me pregnant.”

miguel’s eyebrows lifted slightly, his expression still stoic, but you caught the flicker of something darker in his eyes. he almost looked like he wanted to laugh. he stepped closer to you, his hand sliding around to rest on the small of your back, pulling you just a fraction closer to him.

“is that so?” he murmured, his voice smooth as silk, but with an edge that made your knees weak.

you swallowed, “i mean…well..she seems pretty convinced.”

miguel’s smirk deepened, his eyes never leaving yours as he sucked his teeth, “she’s a smart woman.”

he, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispered, “and she’s right, doll. it’s only a matter of time.”

your breath hitched as his words sank in, ringing throughout your brain as the heat of his breath sending a shiver down your spine. he pulled back just enough to look at you, his expression calm, controlled, but his eyes were dark with intent, filled with promises you weren’t sure you were ready to unravel in a house full of family.

but there was no mistaking the message he had spoken to you, because when miguel made a promise, he kept it. and judging by the way his hand tightened slightly on your waist, his thumb brushing just below the curve of your ribcage, that promise was as good as kept.

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honeipie · 2 months ago

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can i request kuroo x reader? they get ready for bed together in the bathroom and then have a little make out session in bed. nothing smutty just some kisses maybe a few hickies if you want 🥰🥰🥰

routine

kuroo x reader

synopsis: you and kuroo take in the domestic feel of getting ready for bed together

w/c: 651

authors note: thank you for the request!

“ugh, i hate that you take longer in the bathroom than i do. you’re such a girl” you groaned leaning on the door.

“well you could always come inside. couples usually do that”

“yeah but you’re peeing. i don’t wanna watch you pee”

“you know, some girls would pay to watch me pee” he flushed the toilet moving over to wash his hands “you’re telling me you get this whole show for free and you don’t even want a peek?”

you opened the door face scrunched up in disgust “i will look down there any other time. but if we’re in a bathroom i’m not” making your way over you grabbed your toothbrush hands brushing as he grabbed his.

“you’ve already broken that. remember that one time on our honeymoon. they had this rain shower that hit just-“

“okay! yes! thank you i remember that. i remember it very well..” he grabbed the toothpaste putting it not only on his toothbrush, but yours as well. this was when he finally noticed your choice of pajamas.

“the hell are you wearing?”

you were dressed in a dark blue hoodie, an all too familiar one to him. on the back it had hinata’s name and jersey number on it.

“.. a hoodie?”

“yeah but it’s not the right teams hoodie”

you rolled your eyes with a smile “tetsu you work for the volleyball association. aren’t you supposed to be rooting for all teams?”

“nope! i work for the japan volleyball association. that’s brazil. plus i don’t like having another guys name on you”

“it’s your hoodie!”

he mocked your words before placing the toothbrush in his mouth. you scoffed giving him a light shove.

“don’t be like that!”

“jush brush your teef” he jumbled out his words through the foam. you started to brush your teeth contently beside him. it didn’t take long before his hand was lazily resting on your waist.

it felt nice. the two of you doing these types of things together. being honest, kuroo never knew if he wanted a life like this. stuck in some routine with a person when he could be out partying in some VIP lounge with his friends. though now that he was actually here with you, the person he loved more than anything, he wouldn't trade it for the world.

the two of you finished up in the bathroom moving into the bedroom. you immediately got under the covers while kuroo shed his shirt throwing it to the floor.

"damn you couldn't even wait for me?" he mumbled climbing right on top of you.

"nope, bed was too comfy to ignore"

"i'm comfy too y'know"

"says the guy laying on me instead of the other way around"

you raised an eyebrow at him making him roll his eyes "shut up" you giggled at his sass. he moved his head up so he was face to face with you "i love you"

"i love you more"

he leaned into your smiling face, catching it in a kiss. it started off slow but he quickly got impatient. you could feel the coolness of his hands running up your sweatshirt. he moved his mouth from yours to your neck.

everything was going smoothly, just tiny kisses being peppered across your neck until-

"tetsu!" you yelped pulling him away "did you just bite me?"

kuroo scoffed trying to fight your grasp "no!.. i nipped you" he took his thumb rubbing the slightly red spot "sorry about that, but at least that one kid from your job will stop hitting on you now"

your body relaxed again feeling him rubbing the spot "he's not a kid, he's just an intern with a lot of questions"

"yeah, a lot of personal questions"

"oh my gosh i forgot to tell you. he asked what i was doing tomorrow and-"

"that's it i'm biting you again"

"but you didn't let me finish!?"

#anime #honeipie #x reader #drabble #haikyu x reader #haikyuu x reader #kuroo testuro #kuroo x reader #kuroo tetsuro x reader #haikyuu kuroo #kuroo x you #kuroo fluff #writing #haikyuu #haikyu fluff #haikyū!!

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punkshort · 5 months ago

Text

Night Shift

Thank you anon for this request!

Pairing: Joel Miller x nurse!reader

Summary: It was a relatively quiet night in the emergency room until a handsome contractor gets admitted and adds some excitement to your life.

Warnings: language, descriptions of wounds/injuries/blood (typical hospital junk), needles, drugs (the medical kind), fluff, flirting, rom-com vibes, soft!joel, just a little smut (18+ MDNI)

WC: 7.3K

lovely dividers by @saradika-graphics

A/N: I'm fully aware some things I'm about to describe is probably incorrect (medically) but let's suspend that disbelief for a fun, fluffy story, shall we?

"Dr. Fisher wants you in room 504, but if you're too busy, I would be more than willing to go," Lily said, leaning over the counter with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"I haven't had anything to do other than charts for the past two hours, how on earth could I be too busy?" you asked, standing up and draping your stethoscope around your neck. Then you froze, realizing Lily never tries to take a patient off your hands. "Wait... why are you offering?"

She grinned and flopped down in the swivel chair next to you, crossing her legs. "The guy is smokin' hot," she whispered with a wink. "I just got a glimpse when I brought Fisher the computer cart, but..." she exhaled loudly and fanned her face. "Even with all the blood, you can tell he's a fox."

"Blood?!" you exclaimed, jogging around the nurse's desk, "why didn't you tell me?"

"He's stable, it's not-" Lily began, but you were already hustling down the hall. When you skidded to a stop outside room 504, you were relieved there wasn't a flurry of staff running in and out of the room, indicating whatever was waiting for you wasn't life threatening.

As you entered through the open door, you rapped two knuckles on the wood to announce your presence. Dr. Fisher, standing at the patient's bedside and blocking your view, glanced over his shoulder and nodded while you washed your hands. You heard him talking to a man with a deeper southern drawl than you were used to, and by the sound of it, he was in pain. You plucked two gloves from the box on the wall and snapped the latex on, turning around with a practiced smile right as Dr. Fisher introduced you by name.

Lily was right. Your eyes landed on a painfully good looking, dark haired man sitting up in the bed with one leg draped over the side, as if he was getting ready to bolt. You tried to not let your gaze linger, but the way his thighs stretched out his worn, bloody jeans and his shoulders filled out his ripped flannel held your attention longer than you expected. He first glanced over at you right when you noticed the laceration on his forearm and you went into autopilot.

You began to pull various instruments from a cabinet without instruction, already anticipating what the doctor would need before he began to rattle off requests, which you mentally jotted down and nodded in acknowledgement when he was finished.

"I'm gonna give you a local anesthetic and then clean and stitch this up. Are you allergic to anything, Mr. Miller?" Dr. Fisher asked.

"No," he said, his eyes still stuck on you as you worked. "Call me Joel," he added, his eyes flicking up to the doctor once he realized he was staring. Tommy smirked from the corner of the room and tucked his chin to his chest.

"Only thing he's allergic to is askin' for help," Tommy joked. You startled and glanced over your shoulder. Somehow you had missed the second man in the room when you first walked in. Joel scowled in his direction.

"Ignore my brother," Joel muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Can you prep him and give him 20MLs of the local? I'll be right back, I have another patient waiting to get discharged," Dr. Fisher said to Joel, who nodded and lifted his leg onto the bed, resigning himself to a long night.

Your gaze drifted over his clothes, ruined by all the blood that had gushed from his arm. "This looks pretty nasty. What happened tonight, Joel?" you asked, using your typical distraction technique while you worked unwrapping instruments and lying them out on a tray. When he didn't answer right away, you met his gaze and smiled, assuming he was squeamish and doing to do your best to reassure him.

He blinked and cleared his throat.

"Sorry. Um, got hurt at work."

You frowned, your eyes roaming over his face now that you were closer and hoping he didn't notice the way you stared a moment too long at his soft looking lips. "What do you do that you're working so late?"

"I'm a contractor," he said, mesmerized by the way you effortlessly moved around, probably just going through the motions but to him, it looked so impressive. The monitor next to his bed beeped faster and he glared up at it, angry at the heart monitor for betraying him.

"Lots of things need to be built at midnight?" you teased, making him chuckle.

"I'm behind on a project and my daughter had a sleepover tonight so I figured I'd do a little extra work," he explained, wincing when he moved his injured arm.

You nodded, latching on to the new piece of information. You loved it when patients had kids. It was a great way to keep them talking and calm. But right as you were about to ask her name, the second man chimed in.

"Yeah, 'cause otherwise he'd be home alone," he said, making the both of you stop and stare at him. His eyes bounced back and forth between you both. "'Cause he's single," he added after a beat, making both you and Joel blush.

"Jesus, Tommy," Joel muttered under his breath, and you forced out a polite laugh before switching gears.

"Alright, let's see," you said, gently lifting his arm and peeling back the sleeve of his flannel. You made a face and Joel tensed.

"What is it?"

"I wish I had better news," you sighed, locking eyes with him. "I'm gonna have to cut the sleeve off this shirt," you said solemnly.

His face broke out into a huge smile, one that reached his beautiful brown eyes and creased his tanned skin, and you giggled before reaching for the scissors.

"It's alright, darlin'," he said, still smiling as you began to cut through the fabric, "ain't got no fashion sense, anyway."

"'Cause he's single," Tommy said again from across the room. Joel swiveled his head and mouthed something angrily in his direction but you just grinned and stayed focused, pulling the sleeve away and making sure not to brush up against his wound.

"Okay, Joel, how are you around needles?" you asked, turning your back to him and blocking his view while you prepped a syringe with local anesthetic. "Do I need to call someone in here to catch you if you faint?"

He scoffed. "Hell no, I'll be -" you turned around with the needle in your hand and he gulped, "-fine."

You eyed him carefully. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and looked up at the ceiling, so you decided to just make it as fast as possible. Cleaning the skin with some alcohol, you slid the needle into his arm near the laceration and injected the medicine. After, you pressed a piece of cotton against the injection site and hid the needle behind you on the tray.

"All done, you did great," you said, and he looked at you in surprise.

"That's it? Hardly felt a thing."

You smiled and shrugged. "I've been doing this a while," you said. You always loved when patients commented on how gentle you were. It made you feel proud and good at your rather thankless job.

"Yeah? How long?" he asked, watching as you pulled out another vial of medicine.

"Almost five years," you told him, filling another syringe and wiping an alcohol pad on his inner elbow.

"What's this?" he asked.

"It's for the pain," you said, "it's mild but you might feel a little out of it for a couple hours. It will help you relax so the doctor can stitch you up."

He nodded and you quickly slipped the needle in and out, just like before.

"Okay, all done with needles, I promise," you told him, disposing of them both in a red sharps container bolted to the wall by the sink.

"Whoa," Joel said softly after a minute, and you looked up at him then smiled when you saw that familiar, spaced out look in his eyes.

"Feeling it?" you asked, and he slowly nodded.

"Reckon I am."

"That's good. Just try to relax, the doctor will be back soon," you said, turning your attention to the computer cart. You were typing in your notes and scanning the vials of medicine to log into Joel's chart when Tommy's phone rang.

"It's Maria, probably wonderin' what the hell's goin' on," Tommy told Joel as he stood up and headed for the door. "I'll be right back," he said right before you heard him answer the phone and walk out into the hallway for some privacy.

Joel's head rolled to the side and he gazed over at you, smiling like a fool at the way your eyebrows pinched together as you focused on whatever you were typing.

"You're real good at this," he mumbled. You glanced at him, taking a break from the computer, and smiled.

"Thank you."

"How long you been doin' this?"

You stifled your laughter and answered the question again. "Almost five years."

He nodded, completely unaware. His eyes looked glazed over and he gave you a lazy smile. "You're real pretty."

Even though you knew it was the drugs talking, your heart still skipped a beat and you felt your cheeks heat up.

"You must be feeling better, huh?" you joked, wrapping a blood pressure sleeve around his arm. He lightly took your wrist in his hand, making you pause and catch his eye. He looked so earnest and sincere that you almost believed him when he said, "it ain't the drugs. I mean it. Can't keep my eyes off you, darlin'."

Your mouth suddenly felt dry as the two of you silently assessed the other. You searched his face but all you could find was a raw vulnerability while he waited for you to say something. And you really wanted to be honest, but you knew it was unprofessional and you had no idea what was even allowed but you had to assume your job would be at risk if you said what you really wanted to say.

Fortunately, you didn't have to say anything at all because Dr. Fisher chose that moment to return, breezing into the room with his white coat fluttering behind him.

"How're you feeling, Joel?" he asked from the sink as he washed his hands. You stepped back and focused on the computer screen, still feeling the heat of Joel's gaze on your face as you typed.

"Much better," he said, slowly dragging his eyes away from you. Tommy reentered the room, stuffing his phone back in his pocket and dodging Dr. Fisher as he turned around to face Joel.

"That's good. Let's get you patched up and back home, how's that sound?" he said, and you abandoned the computer to stand at his side, your eyes cast down as you awaited the doctor's instructions.

Dr. Fisher worked quickly and had Joel's laceration closed up in under thirty minutes, the whole time checking in with him to make sure he didn't feel anything. You caught Joel staring at you more than once during the procedure and you had to bite back a grin, but each time he noticed and he smiled that same dazzling smile that reached his eyes.

Once the stitches were done, Joel - but mostly Tommy - listened to Dr. Fisher's instructions on how to keep it dry and clean and to follow up with his own practitioner the next business day to schedule an appointment. Then he left, bidding the brothers a good night after he explained you would wrap up the wound and process his discharge papers.

You were very gentle as you wrapped his arm, quietly asking if it was too tight or if anything hurt. He would shake his head and continue to just gaze adoringly at you while you worked, completely unbothered by his brother just a few feet away witnessing his utter captivation.

"Okay, Joel. Let's get you out of here," you sighed, turning back to the computer cart.

"Already?" he asked, and you had to hold back your laugh at the bewildered look on his face.

"It's a slow night, we were able to get you in and out much quicker than normal," you explained, hitting the print button on the computer screen.

"Well, but..." he trailed off, looking back and forth between you and Tommy as he struggled to find the right thing to say. "I'm single!" he practically shouted when you gave him a pen to sign his papers. Your eyebrows shot up in surprise and Tommy laughed from his chair in the corner of the room.

"I know, your brother mentioned it a couple times," you replied as your face grew hot once again. "Um, can you just sign here, and-"

"Are you single?" he asked, cutting you off. You looked up from the papers to find his beautiful brown eyes all wide and hopeful, completely ignoring the clipboard in front of him.

"Yes," you finally answered, shyly tucking a piece of hair behind your ear.

"Great!" he exclaimed, throwing his good arm up in the air with a huge grin. Tommy cleared his throat and stood up.

"I think what he's tryin' to do is ask for your number," he said. Joel nodded, not even sparing a glance in his brother's direction.

"Yeah, sorry," Joel said sheepishly, then he rubbed his face like he could make the brain fog dissipate. "Can I get your number? I'd love to take you out sometime."

Your heart was pounding in your chest now from excitement. You bit your lip and glanced over your shoulder at the open door before turning back to Joel.

"I don't know, I might get in trouble..." you began, and he quickly sat up in bed.

"I won't tell anyone," Joel said, and his voice was so serious that you couldn't help but laugh. Tommy grinned and pulled out his wallet.

"How 'bout this. What if I left Joel's business card, in case you ever needed a contractor?" Tommy offered, holding out the card between two fingers. You gingerly accepted and briefly glanced down at it. "That's his work number but this one is his cell," Tommy continued, pointing to each number respectively, "you're better off gettin' ahold of him on that one. Y'know, for any projects you might need done."

Joel gave Tommy the most grateful look. "I love you, Tommy."

"Alright, that's enough. I oughta get you back home," Tommy said with a crooked grin. You laughed and pocketed Joel's card, standing by in case he needed any assistance getting up. But before Joel and Tommy exited the room, Joel turned to you and reached out for your hand. You hesitated for a moment before stretching out your arm and allowing his thick fingers to wrap themselves around your hand.

"Thank you for saving my life," he told you, his tone deathly serious. You fought back a smile and instead gave him a firm nod.

"You're very welcome, Joel."

His business card stayed folded up in your scrubs pocket for a week, your fingers occasionally brushing up against it like a talisman as you worked.

You never told Lily about that night but you did try to sneakily look into the legality of potentially dating a former patient, but you got too nervous someone would see over your shoulder and didn't get very far.

One day, a fellow nurse who had been working at the hospital for nearly fifteen years made a comment about a patient saying something suggestive to a male doctor and she thought the doctor in question didn't handle it properly.

"What do you mean?"

"He laughed and said something along the lines of I'm too old for you," she had scoffed. "He should have shut it down right away. If the wrong person heard it, he could get into serious trouble."

That was all you needed to hear to put you off from the idea.

That evening, you took Joel's business card out of your pocket and threw it in the trash, then went to take a shower. But afterwards, when you had poured yourself a glass of wine to celebrate the start of three days in a row off from work, you found yourself hovering over the garbage and staring at the folded up piece of paper, sitting right on top of a napkin.

With a sigh, you plucked it out of the garbage and stuck it to your fridge, then forced yourself to leave the room.

There was nothing wrong with keeping the card if you weren't going to call. Right?

It pained you to go so close to the hospital on one of your well deserved days off, but you couldn't resist the chocolate croissants sold at a café around the corner. They were baked fresh daily and always served warm and after a grueling four days in a row at work, you felt you deserved a treat. So that was how you found yourself waiting at the counter for your usual order, surrounded by various professionals hurrying to grab their coffees before chaining themselves to a desk for the remainder of the day. It was busy, but the barista who usually took care of you made sure to prioritize your order, shooting you a quick wink before she slid your croissant and coffee across the counter. You mouthed thank you and turned to leave, bobbing and weaving through the crowd of people waiting for their drinks.

When you stepped outside, out of habit you glanced towards the hospital, then froze. You blinked a few times, your coffee halfway to your lips as you stared at the familiar looking man pacing back and forth on the sidewalk with his head angled toward the ground. You began to walk in his direction, squinting against the sun and wondering if your mind was playing tricks on you, but it really was him.

"Joel?"

He stopped dead in his tracks and looked at you, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Is everything okay? Did something happen?" you asked, your eyes drifting around to see if he was with anybody.

"Huh?" he asked, then immediately shook his head, "yes, I mean... no, everythin's fine." He nervously jammed his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight. "I, uh, came to see you, actually," he said, glancing down at your clothes, noticing you weren't in your scrubs. "Are you workin'?"

You looked down at your jeans before meeting his gaze again. "No, I have the day off, I was just getting coffee," you jutted your thumb over your shoulder, back towards the café, and you realized how bizarre the conversation was so far. "Why are you here to see me?"

He gave you a nervous smile and looked away, watching as an ambulance veered noisily into the parking lot. "I came to apologize. 'Bout the other week. Tommy told me what I said and I'm so sorry if I made you uncomfortable. Wasn't my intention, I guess it was all the meds." He finally dragged his eyes back to you and watched as something flickered across your face.

"Oh," you managed to squeak out. Even though you assumed as much, it still stung to hear he didn't mean what he said. "It's fine. It didn't make me uncomfortable. It comes with the territory," you told him with a soft laugh, hoping to lighten the mood. He nodded and looked behind you, trying to think of something else to say but when the silence became too much, you took a step back.

"I should go, but it was nice to see you. I'm glad the arm-"

"Wait - uh," he scratched his beard and took a deep breath. "If I didn't make you uncomfortable, why didn't you call?"

You blinked rapidly and thought about it for a moment before frowning.

"I thought you said it was the drugs talking?" you countered, avoiding his question with one of your own.

"I lied."

"You lied?" you repeated, raising your eyebrows. He nodded.

"More like I panicked," he added, then raked his fingers through his hair with a dry laugh. "Shit, I'm sorry. I'm terrible at this, ain't I?"

You giggled and his face brightened at the sound.

"A little, but it's okay. It's cute," you told him, feeling your cheeks warm at your own admission. He grinned.

"Alright, then why didn't you call?" he asked again.

"I panicked," you replied, then after a pause, the both of you burst out laughing at exactly the same time.

"Goddamn, reckon we don't stand a chance, do we?" Joel said, tilting his head to the side, those beautiful brown eyes sparkling playfully.

"Well, I don't know about that. Why don't we find out?"

He immediately pulled out his phone.

"It's the least we could do. Y'know. For research."

"Research, huh?" but you couldn't keep the smile from tugging at your lips.

"Yeah. Can two panicky individuals who can't seem to properly flirt their way out of a paper bag make it work?"

"Sounds like a tagline for a terrible book," you teased while simultaneously snatching his phone out of his hand and typing your number into a new text. "How could I resist?"

"I promise this is where the cheesiness ends," he chuckled, pocketing his phone.

"Oh, come on. Where's the fun in that?"

Joel thought about it for a moment, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Careful what you wish for, little lady, or else we'll be havin' a picnic in the park and watchin' the sunset for our first date."

You laughed heartily at that. "Pulling out all the cheesy stops?"

"Absolutely," Joel winked, making your heart flutter.

"Alright then. Do your worst," you said, a stupid grin still plastered across your face as you took a step back the way you came.

"I'm plannin' it all out already," he said, tapping the side of his head. You giggled and gave him a little wave goodbye before turning around and heading towards home.

Joel didn't waste any time.

He had texted you within an hour with just a link and nothing else. You clicked it and immediately grinned when a website to a paint and sip place in downtown Austin opened up.

You: starting off strong - Painting with a Twist?

Joel: Get it? A twist? Because they serve alcohol there.

You laughed out loud alone in your living room. You thought the meds made him funny but you were delighted to discover he was still just as funny all on his own.

You: I got it, thanks. Very cheesy :)

Joel: So when can I take you? I want to see you paint the next greatest masterpiece.

You: I'm off the next two days and then I work the following four

Joel: You feel up for it tomorrow night? Or is that too soon?

You: tomorrow is great!

Joel: Looking forward to it, little lady.

To keep up with the cheesy theme, Joel picked you up the next evening with a singular red rose, which he had hidden behind his back so he could reveal it to you with a flourish, immediately making you laugh. He offered his arm as he led you down the driveway to his truck while commenting something about the weather but you weren't entirely certain because you couldn't stop staring at his hair, which was slicked back a bit since the last time you saw him and the longer you stared, you began to think he might have trimmed his beard, as well. You bit back your smile at the endearing effort he was putting into your date while trying to ignore the nagging voice in the back of your head that still wondered if this was going to get you in trouble at work.

When you arrived at the painting studio, you quickly realized the two of you were the youngest ones there, and not only that but Joel was the only man there. You stifled your laughter as you grabbed a couple drinks and picked your seats. Once behind the safety of your easels, you cupped your hand over your mouth and giggled into your palm. Joel chuckled and ducked down so nobody would overhear him.

"Am I allowed to be here?"

You began to laugh even harder, drawing the attention from some of the older women. Tears pooled at the corners of your eyes and you shook your head.

"I don't know!" you wheezed when you finally got ahold of yourself. You took a deep breath and wiped your eye. "You couldn't have planned this any better." He laughed and rubbed his palm over his mouth when he began to get looks.

The painting that evening was a bouquet of white hydrangeas in a wide vase. Simple enough, or so you both thought. It became quickly apparent that Joel didn't have a creative bone in his body, and while you thought you weren't much better, when you glanced over at his and noticed his vase and flowers were beginning to take on a decidedly more phallic shape, you completely lost it.

He grinned when you had to drop your paintbrush so you could clutch your stomach while you doubled over, doing your best to keep as quiet as possible, but you were failing miserably. A lady nearby cleared her throat to convey her irritation so you slid down from your stool and told Joel you would be right back, then disappeared into the bathroom to collect yourself. By the time you emerged, the teacher who was leading the class had jumped in to try and help Joel create more distinguishable flowers, but it appeared to be a lost cause.

Once the class was over, the teacher went around to take pictures of everyone holding up their paintings with the people they came with that evening. When she got to you, Joel wrapped his arm around your shoulders and tugged you close. Right before she took the picture, you leaned up and planted a kiss on his cheek, causing his face to flush and his smile to reach his eyes.

When he dropped you off at home, he walked you to the door.

"So I was thinkin' for our second date we can either do bowling or trivia night," he said with a little smile. You cocked your head to the side as you thought about it.

"Both are excellent options. You can tell a lot about somebody by the way they handle winning and losing," you mused. He grinned and leaned his shoulder against your doorframe as he gazed down at you, waiting for you to decide. "Let's do bowling," you finally said. He gave a firm nod and straightened up.

"Bowling it is."

"After tomorrow, I work four nights in a row," you reminded him.

He shrugged. "So let's do it tomorrow."

"Really?" you asked, unable to keep the excitement from your voice. "Are you sure? What about your daughter?"

"I'm sure Tommy can watch her. And even if he can't, she's old enough now to stay on her own for a few hours."

You nodded and glanced down at your hands, clutching your painting at your side.

"What does she think about you dating?" you asked nervously, chewing on the inside of your cheek and glancing back up at him.

"She's all for it. She's fourteen now, practically kicks me outta the house every chance she gets," he said with a chuckle.

You nodded again and tried to sound casual when you asked, "are you seeing anybody else, or..." You trailed off as you felt your face warm up, feeling slightly vulnerable, but he quickly put your mind at ease. He stepped forward and pinched your chin between his fingers, making you look up at him through your eyelashes.

"No," he said softly, "are you?"

You shook your head slightly, not wanting to lose his touch just yet. "No."

He smiled. "Good."

He tilted your face up a bit more then swooped down to press a gentle kiss against your lips, sending a shiver down your spine even though it was rather innocent.

"I'll see you tomorrow, little lady," he murmured before dropping his hand from your chin and taking a step back. You bit your lip and smiled.

"Can't wait."

While Joel wasn't a very good painter, he turned out to be a rather good bowler. Better than you, at least, which wasn't saying much. So after a couple beers, you flirtatiously asked him to help you with your form, to which he eagerly agreed. He walked you up to the lane and stood behind you, squaring your shoulders and planting your feet just so while the bowling ball dangled at your side with a stupid grin on your face.

"Alright, now you're gonna wanna swing this leg back," he said, tucking his chin into your shoulder and reaching down to tap the front of your thigh. You giggled as his beard tickled your skin, which just caused him to do it even more. You laughed harder and tried to squirm away but he wrapped his arms around your waist from behind and pulled you back against him, nuzzling into your neck enthusiastically. You twisted your head towards him, trying to protect your neck, but it was no use, so instead you pressed your lips against his, finally stopping his assault. Both of you were well aware of the public setting, surrounded by families, so you fought the urge to deepen the kiss but you did linger a little longer than was necessary before breaking away with a sigh. He smiled down at you, his cheeks a little pink, either from the alcohol or the public display of affection.

"I like you," he said earnestly.

"I like you, too," you whispered, watching the way his eyes sparkled. Even if it was only two dates, you could tell the connection you had was strong. You had to make it your mission to figure out the policy at work before things went any further.

"Hey, Lily," you said the next day, getting the other nurse's attention.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever dated anyone from here?" you asked as quietly as you could. She grinned and leaned against the counter.

"Oh, yeah. A few," she said mischievously before glancing around and leaning forward. "I went on a few dates with Dr. Adams last year. When I first started, I was hanging out with Richie, the pharmacist downstairs, but I swear when I found out he was married I broke it off. I felt bad about that one," she said thoughtfully, tapping her chin. "Oh! Then there was that one resident who worked here for a few months... Mike? He was tall with brown hair and had that tattoo-"

"No, I mean like, patients?" you tried again, and she pursed her lips.

"I've had a few ask me out but I never took them up on it. Why?"

"No reason," you said quickly, "but if you were interested, could you? Like, would we get fired or get our license revoked or something?"

She frowned and shook her head. "Absolutely not. Once a patient is discharged, it doesn't matter. If we worked in a doctor's office and it was a regular patient, that would probably be a different story, but we see so many people in the ER it's impossible to enforce something like that."

You breathed a huge sigh of relief and smiled. "That's great."

She grinned and raised an eyebrow. "So are you gonna spill or what?"

"Me?" you squeaked, shaking your head innocently but Lily saw right through you.

"Who are you seeing?" she pressed, smacking her gum between her teeth. You rolled your eyes but couldn't stop the heat from reaching your cheeks.

"Remember that guy last week? The fox with the arm laceration in 504?"

Lily gasped. "Shut the fuck up!"

You smirked and nodded. "We've just been on two dates, nothing serious, but before I continued to see him I wanted to make sure I wouldn't get in trouble."

"I'm so jealous!" she groaned, stomping her feet dramatically. You laughed and turned back to your computer. You began to get back to the chart in front of you but she pulled up a chair and got a little closer so nobody would overhear. "How is he in bed?"

You gave her a look. "We haven't slept together. Did you not hear me say we've only been on two dates?"

She scoffed and tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "That doesn't mean anything. If I went on two dates with a man like that, I wouldn't waste any time climbing him like a tree."

You both dissolved into a fit of giggles before the phone rang, warning you to get an exam room ready for a broken arm.

Waiting four days to see Joel again was a lot harder than you expected, but lucky for you, on your last day, Joel surprised you at work with a coffee and chocolate croissant from the café you liked.

"You remembered!" you exclaimed when you opened the bag. He shrugged sheepishly but you could tell he was pleased with your reaction.

"'Course I remembered," he said, glancing around when Lily walked into the waiting room to call back a patient. Her eyes locked on the two of you and she gave you an exaggerated wink before leading an elderly man to the back. Joel grinned and looked at you.

"Friend of yours?"

"Unfortunately," you said sarcastically, making him smile. You glanced down at your watch and made a face. "I'm so sorry, I gotta get going but this was so sweet of you," you said, motioning towards your coffee and pastry.

"I just really wanted to see you again," he admitted, "it was a completely selfish move."

You giggled. "Well, thank you for the selfish coffee and treat."

"You're welcome. Still on for tomorrow night?" he asked, and you nodded.

"Picnic and stargazing. You're really checking things off that cheesy date list," you said with a laugh.

"You asked for it, don't you forget now," he replied before leaning in and giving you a quick kiss.

After he left, you made your way back to the nurse's station so you could deposit your goodies and pull up the next chart.

"Third date tomorrow?" Lily asked, rounding the desk. You nodded.

"Yep," you answered distractedly, reading the chart of a young boy with a minor head injury from a fall.

"You know what typically happens on the third date?"

You felt your skin heat up at the insinuation. "I'm going to regret telling you about him, aren't I?"

"Sure are. That was so close to being me, I'll never get over it."

You laughed and shook your head, leaving her question unanswered as you made your way back to the waiting room.

As it turned out, a picnic and stargazing was incredibly romantic. Joel packed a simple meal: some cold pasta in olive oil, a light salad and some fruit. He had found a spot off a highway that overlooked downtown Austin, which was by far the cheesiest part of the date.

"Did you used to take girls here back in high school or something?" you teased as you sat on the hood of his truck, leaning against the windshield so you could see the stars.

"Me? Never. I was very respectable in high school. Never got into trouble, never skipped class and definitely never took the captain of the cheerleading squad up here after prom," he said with a grin. You giggled and shoved his shoulder playfully.

"You're trouble."

"Yeah, but you like it," he said, turning his head to the side so he could look at you. You tried to give him a stern look but you weren't selling it in the slightest.

"Okay, maybe I do," you admitted.

He smiled and laced his fingers together with yours, dragging his thumb over your knuckles for a minute, staring at your entwined hands while you continued to gaze upwards, the stars twinkling in the nearly clear, black sky.

"Can I tell you somethin' without you thinkin' I'm crazy?"

You rolled your head to look at him, your first instinct to tease him but his soft tone made you stop. "Sure."

"I keep waitin' to wake up or the other shoe to drop or whatever," he said, his gaze studying your face. "You just seem too good to be true," he added with a little grin.

"That's funny, I could say the same about you," you told him, but he shook his head.

"Nah, I mean it. How don't you already got a boyfriend?"

You sighed and looked back up at the sky. "I don't know. It's always been a little tough with my work schedule. I work so many overnights and it's hard for guys to understand that and work around it. Eventually things just... die off because I never get a chance to spend any real time with anyone."

He frowned and inched a little closer. "Their loss," he said. You turned to smile at him.

"You're not like that, though."

He shrugged. "I get it. I'm no stranger to havin' a busy schedule. I'm always haulin' Sarah 'round town to soccer games or friends' houses or after school activities. Don't bother me none."

You squeezed his hand affectionately before impulsively leaning over and pressing your lips against his. You could feel his surprise but he quickly reacted and brought a hand up to cup your face. He licked at the seam of your lips and you smiled before opening your mouth a fraction, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

The whole drive back to your place had you thinking about Lily's comment from the day before, and the closer and closer you got to home, the more nervous you felt.

When he walked you up to your door and kissed you goodnight, you reached up to hold the back of his neck, keeping him close. He slipped his tongue into your mouth and you let out a small moan. He grabbed your hip and began kissing you harder, pushing you up against your door and sliding his fingers underneath the hem of your shirt, stroking your skin there. You tipped your head back, breaking the kiss, both of you panting for air.

"Do you want to come inside?" you asked nervously. His gaze darkened and he licked his lips, but then you saw a tortured look flicker across his face.

"I can't," he said, sounding almost like it pained him to utter the words. "I can't leave Sarah alone overnight," he explained, taking a step back and rubbing his palms over his face. He dropped them to the side and you quickly blinked the disappointment from your eyes.

"It's okay, I understand," you told him, then reached out to squeeze his hand reassuringly.

"I promise, I really wanna come inside," he told you.

"I know," you said, "maybe next time."

He chewed the inside of his cheek and nodded. "Yeah, next time."

But it wouldn't be the next time. Or the time after that. Understandably so, Joel was waiting for a night where Sarah was at a sleepover to coincide with one of your free nights, explaining that he felt uncomfortable letting her know he wouldn't be coming home.

"Does she know about us?" you asked him one night.

"'Course she does. But it's just... awkward. At her age, she can read between the lines, y'know?"

"I get it," you had told him, trying to imagine what it would be like for you if at fourteen, your dad had essentially announced he wouldn't be home that night because he was going to get laid.

It made sense, but it didn't stop both of you from practically swallowing each other whole every chance you got, all your pent up sexual tension bubbling just under the surface with every glance and touch.

And finally, nearly two months into seeing each other, the stars aligned. Sarah was going on a school field trip to The Alamo, which coincidentally was scheduled on one of your rare weekends off.

Joel had every intention of taking you out to dinner and a movie, but when you opened the door and locked eyes, suddenly take out and a shitty movie on TV sounded much better.

You practically dragged him to your bedroom while shedding your clothes as quickly as you could, desperation rolling off both of you in waves as you fell into bed.

"Beautiful girl," Joel mumbled against your throat, sweat coating your skin as your writhed underneath him, his thick length slowly dragging in and out, making sure you felt every inch of him. "Wanted this for so long," he continued, then groaned when you clenched around him. "Fuck, you're so wet, baby," he whispered when your slick began to spread over his thighs.

"Only for you," you managed to say, too focused on how your body thrummed with anticipation as you got closer and closer to your release.

"Yeah, that's right," he growled, nipping at your earlobe. "All for me."

When you came, you whimpered his name into his shoulder, clutching onto him as the heat of your orgasm spread through every vein, reaching every inch of you. He followed shortly behind with a guttural moan muffled by his mouth pressing feverishly against yours, then you felt his muscles relax under your fingertips and his body sag. You pulled him down and he nuzzled against your throat as he fought for air, still nestled deep between your legs.

Neither of you felt much like leaving the bed, so you didn't. You ordered Chinese food takeout and watched some action movie you didn't really care for but it didn't matter because it primarily served as background noise while you pretended to fight over shrimp lo mein and shared an egg roll, the cartons spread out over your nightstands and your plates balancing in your hands.

You fell asleep before the movie ended but when you woke the next morning, tucked safely into Joel's side, the cartons of food were gone and the TV was off. You pressed a little kiss against his chest, silently thanking him for taking care of everything while you slept, but the movement made him stir. He sleepily opened his eyes, then a lazy smile spread across his face when he saw you already looking up at him.

"Mornin', little lady," he said, voice all rough and gravelly. You felt a pull in your lower stomach at the sound.

"Morning," you mumbled, pressing another kiss in the same spot.

Joel sighed and wrapped both arms around you, tugging you even closer and kissing the top of your head.

"I want you to meet Sarah."

He felt your muscles tense under his hands and then you slowly tipped your chin up to look him in the eye.

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Only if you wanna," he said quickly, but you shook your head and grinned.

"Y-yeah, I would love to, of course," you told him.

He planted a kiss on your lips, both your mouths curving into smiles.

"Good. Then it's settled. My two best girls are gonna meet," he said, sliding out from under the sheets to stand. You bit your lip, adoring the way he referred to you as one of his girls. "She's gonna love you. How 'bout a baseball game or the fair?" he offered, slipping his boxers on.

"Both sound great," you said dreamily, watching him saunter out of your bedroom. And as you ate breakfast across your kitchen table, sharing little smiles over eggs and toast, you couldn't help but feel hopeful and excited for what your future held together.

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