#like there’s nothing worse than being so sleepy and having to deal with the issue I’ve been having with my ear

[sadgirlautumn]

I managed to get 7 hours for sleep for once today

[everythingmp3]

by her side ☾

adult!Van x fem!reader

she struggles with nightmares and as her girlfriend you have a way of helping her calm down whenever she wakes up in the middle of the night

authors note : I wanted something sweet and soft bc I realized that only have one fic for her thats without smut, so here u go! hope u like it <3

warnings: none that I can think of other than brief nsfw mentions

Van´s nightmares were nothing new to you. once you started sleeping over at her place regularly, it was only a matter of time until you witnessed it: one of those moments where she was left panicked and breathless by a gruesome dream, usually involving things like wild animals, being hunted, burnt flesh or other stomach turning gore, vague outlines of monsters or spirits, always a feeling entrapment and nowhere to run. 

the first time it happened, she was embarrassed to no end, apologizing frantically about ten times for having woken you up like that, scared that it would turn you off, even though you assured her that you were glad to be there for her and wanted to return the favor of being comforted, since she was so often the one who massaged your tired limbs and listened to your worries after a rough day. luckily, the nightmares weren´t that frequent, it was not a debilitating issue - about once a month at that point in her life- so you could count on one hand the amount of times you´d whispered sweet things to her and kissed her, so she´d fall back asleep. and that night, it happened again.

it was worse than usual. Van was used to her trauma-induced nightmares about the wilderness by then, it had been decades of semi-regularly dealing with them and pretty much nothing could shock her anymore, but somehow that night the dream just went on and on, it would not stop, an onslaught of screams of young girls, crying and begging for help, the smell of blood, the taste of something stuck her mouth, sickly sweet and vomit-inducing, it was pure torture of her senses, so by the time she finally woke up, she jolted up on her side of the bed, sweat-striken and flushed, whispering something like “fuck jesus fuck..” under her breath. she needed a moment to realize where she even was, so she was breathing like she´d just ran ten miles and was about to collapse, the adrenaline still pumping through her veins.

the commotion woke you up too, immediately, and the moment you realized what was happening, you forced your tired eyes open, switched on your bedside lamp and moved over to her, placing a gentle hand on her arm, trying not to startle her, your voice sleepy but soothing as you said “hey, it´s okay, you´re good, you´re safe”. your words hit her and she started to calm down, slowly, looking over at your face to ground herself in the moment, to focus on the relief of your presence, squeezing your hand then and coming back to her senses, nodding, a deep shuddering breath out, “yes, sorry, I´m good... god that one was fucked up”.

when she saw your sweet expression as you rubbed your eyes, the lines from the pillow still fresh on your slightly puffy face, a wave of guilt washed over her, a light touch to your cheek as she said “I hate waking you up like this. I´m sorry, you can go back to sleep sweetie, I´m fine now”, but you shook your head, determined, sitting more upright then, moving closer to her to lean your head on her shoulder, your hand in her lap over the blanket. “no way, I´m gonna wait til you´re also ready to sleep again”, rubbing your thumb over her palm as you felt comforted by the warm scent of her. “baby, that could be a while”, she said, her arm around your waist then as she felt her heart swelling from the feeling of you resting against her like that, the fear from before almost completely gone then.“that´s okay. I´m not getting up early tomorrow. we have time” you insisted, it was out of the question to just turn around and leave her to deal with the aftermath on her own. 

she´d tried and tried again, each time this happened, to persuade you to leave her to her own devices, but you never did, and she was slowly getting used to it, accepting your tender ways of caring for her, even though she felt undeserving at times. 

“alright” a squeeze to your arm then as you felt her chest rising and falling with a few deep breaths, the leftover tension slowly leaving her system, which gave you an idea, “should we go make some tea? we have that lavender chamomile one, right? that should relax you a bit. I´ll take one too” you looked up at her, her exhausted but still very striking face, a smile from her then,“yeah, that sounds nice”, her voice admittedly pretty hot to you when it was that husky and deep from sleep, a brief kiss to her cheek before you got up and motioned for her to follow you. both of you were slow and a bit uncoordinated as you walked to to kitchen but she had enough energy in her to quickly go over to the couch and grab her cardigan, handing it over to you with the instruction, “here, put this on” because you were only wearing a tank top and she didn´t want you to get cold; even in that state of half-consciousness, still that instinct to make sure you were comfortable, healthy, not at risk of catching a cold.

she lingered next to you as you poured water into the kettle, put it on, and got two cups out, suddenly very touched by the fact that you´d spent enough time at her place by that point to know exactly where everything in her apartment was, no fumbling around in the drawers, immediately aware of where to find what you were looking for, a domestic kind of intimacy that she´d never allowed herself to dream of before she got together with you. 

you turned to her eventually as you waited for the water to boil, your arms around her neck to look directly at her, her hands on your waist as she leaned back against the counter, eyeing you with an unmistakably enamored expression, beautiful even when she looked that tired, her grip on you nice and strong.

“wanna talk about it, or no?” you asked, genuinely fine with either option, watching her tilt her head back a bit to lean into your touch. she knew you never expected her to tell you more than she was willing to, and ironically enough that was why she told you more than other people, so she thought about it, absentmindedly rubbing your lower back a little then, under your shirt, savoring the sensation of your skin that was still warm from sleep. “it was just awful, the the same old shit but on steroids this time, you know? just non-stop, it felt like it went on for ten hours, literally”. that made you frown then, genuinely affected by that way of putting it, “that sounds horrible. my poor baby, what´s your mind doing to you, hm” a kiss to her forehead then, before looking at her again, concerned. “oh it´s okay” she reassured, putting up a tough front, even though she loved being coddled by you. “the content is whatever, it´s just…”, “what?”, you asked, tilting your head, that familiar loving gaze that made her weak in the knees every time.

“it was different back when I was still alone and.. well depressed. because of course my dreams were awful when I was having a miserable time. but now, it pisses me off because I am actually doing well, I mean-” she gestured at you, “we had such a nice evening, I went to bed so happy, and then, a few hours later, that fucking mess. it makes no sense, I hate that all of that stuff still has a grip on me even now.” you considered it, moved by the implication that you were the main reason she´s doing better, “I get that, yeah, sometimes it just comes out of nowhere, but I think you´d be giving me a bit too much credit if you thought I magically fixed your ptsd”, a gentle nudge as you joked around with her a bit, a faint but genuine laugh from her then as she held you a bit closer.

“well. you´re pretty fucking special, I wouldn´t put it past you to have some insane healing abilities, feels that way to me”, you nodded, amused by that, “I think that´s called being in love, my sweet woman” you whispered, playing with her hair, a hum of pleasure as you did this, her eyes briefly closed, “yes. yes it is” she agreed.

her unawareness of your close attention then made you take a good look at her, appreciating that vulnerable kind of look that somehow had its own inherent attractiveness, “you know-” you said “it´s kinda wild how your hair always looks this nice. you just trashed around in your sleep and it still looks perfect” you mused, running your fingers through the slightly wavy lengths of her hair, that familiar soft sensation, she looked you as your gaze was fixed on a strand you were wrapping around your finger, a bit in awe, which charmed her to no end, her hands further up on your back then, her voice low, a grin, “still so smooth, even at this hour, hm?”, you kept going with that thought, your fingers still busy with raking through her hair, which she didn´t mind at all, in fact, it turned her on a bit, but it wasn´t the moment to follow that thought, still, she savored the tingling sensation you were giving her all over.

“you know, during our first dates, I had the urge to do this. but of course I didn´t because it would have been weird as fuck. but yeah, I remember we were sitting outside that cafe and the sun was just setting and you looked so pretty, your hair was gorgeous in that light, it was hard not to just reach out”, she loved hearing you reminisce about your initial getting together, her voice giving away that she was charmed, “oh really? your poker face is solid then because I had no clue. you seemed so chill and cool, unlike me.. I know I must´ve seemed nervous as hell, so maybe it´s good that you didn´t do this, I would have just blacked out or something”.

you left her hair alone then and moved your hands to her shoulders, your face close to hers, smiling as you recalled her vibe during your fist meetings, “yeah you were kinda nervous, but it was cute. you weren´t awkward or anything, just easy to fluster, which I looved” drawing out the last word, meaning it, you had enjoyed every second of randomly touching her hand or giving her long, intense looks during conversation while watching her face change, a slight blush appear, it made the wait for your first kiss very sweet, knowing how eager she´d be once she´d finally let you see how into you she was. she laughed then, recalling it “oh I know, you were relentless”, a bashful, faux-innocent batting of your eyelashes then, “what can I say, I knew what I wanted right away”, “well, me too. took like… five minutes max”, “that long?” you joked, and just in that moment the kettle was done, so you walked over to the cups and poured them about two thirds full, the tea giving the water a lightly purple tint. 

she was watching you, her arms crossed, her mood completely shifted by then, no worry about any horrific images anymore, her mind taken over by the joy of having you there, being all loving and cute with her. you reached over to grab a spoon and the jar of honey, dipping it in and throwing her a playful look, whispering “for sweet dreams” before dissolving half of it in each of your cups, stirring well as she shook her head and grinned, in disbelief over how much she loved being with you, how easy it was for you to make her wanna kiss you all over your face. you weren´t doing it on purpose, the way you were slightly bent over the counter, the way the boxershorts you´d stolen from her had moved up your thighs almost entirely, but she was drawn in by the sight, a pleasant surprise then when you felt her next to you to feel you up a bit, her hand on the side of your thigh, her eyes raking over your body, a pleased “hm” sound as she caressed you before saying, “so pretty. you know, if we weren´t so tired…”.

you were already done making the tea but remained in the position for a bit longer, enjoying her little moment of coming onto you, “yeah, what then?” you asked, fully aware of the subtext there of course, she smiled, her hand under the waistband then to feel the side of your hip, “well. we´ve never fucked here, have we?”. you laughed then, her choice of words uncharacteristically bold, you liked it, “no. and I’m guessing you wanna change that, huh?”, she made a sound of approval, you stood up straight then, hand on her side, “hm, how about you interrupt me when I make breakfast tomorrow. to show me how grateful you are that I am your personal chef”, she nodded, her hand still lingering under your shorts, squeezing a little then, “deal”.

you turned around then to hand her the cup, “here, should be cooled down a bit by now”, so she drank a few sips, the warm herbal, slightly sugary taste that spread over her tongue immediately relaxing her, “oh, yeah this is nice”, a few more sips before joining you in setting the cup down again. 

you stood facing her then and wrapped your arms around her waist, resting your head in the crook of her neck for a moment because somehow the tea reminded you how much your body wanted to just go slack and drift off. she held you, firmly, her eyes open as yours closed for a moment, the two of you just standing there in the kitchen for a few moments, a peaceful silence, just the sound of cars driving down the street every once in a while, a light drizzle against the windows, her hands rubbing slow circles over your back and shoulders as yours held onto her shirt. 

she loved feeling like she was protecting you in some way, so she didn´t interrupt that moment of having you all soft in her arms until she was unsure if you were still awake, a light tap on your shoulder, “you falling asleep on me, angel, hm?”, a light shake of your head as you moved up from her then, your squinted eyes giving away how close to sleep you were, so she laughed and held your face to give you those kisses she´d wanted to give you earlier, on your cheek, your temple, your forehead, a lingering one on your lips, eliciting a pleased sigh, before eventually grabbing your hand, “okay come on, let´s go back to bed”.

she took a last few sips of the tea, you too, before she lead you back to the bedroom and waited for you to join her on her side of the bed, which you did, gladly, putting your leg over hers under the covers, your head on her chest, hand on her stomach, all snug and content as she put her arms around you.

“you feel better now? think you´ll sleep okay?” you inquired, still lucid enough to make sure. she gave your hair a kiss before answering, “yes, thanks to you, I´m all good now” a pause before she added, quieter and more serious then, “I love you so much, you know that right?”, a barely audible but heartfelt whisper back from you, “I do, yes. I love you too”

needless to say, the next few hours were some of the best sleep she ever got, her body and mind fully wrapped up in the sweetness of honey and lavender and you, everything about you, your ability to turn even a night that such horrible aspects, into one that would remain in her mind as a particularly good one.

[abyssalhuntersnerd]

Oh, ooh, I have some trouble absorbing the story after reading some posts.

I saw some posts pointing out that the Inquisition was shown in a better light than the Church, like the story agrees with the Inquisition more than the cult. I ask myself why? I think some people would want the Inquisition to suffer more or be punished as a consequence of their action (The taking of all Aegir in Gran Faro).

I personally think that the entire kerfuffle in Gran Faro was the result of the Inquisitions harsh actions and things in SN would go from very bad to extremely worse had it not been for actual outsiders intervening. If not for Kaltsit, Jodi would have been taken away, and if not for the hunters and aus, the seaborns will overrun Gran Faro.

Almost all Iberian char. barring the Inquisition have some sort of negativity towards the Inquisition. Interestingly though, I think Lumen, the only aegir in gran faro, does not hold any negativity for the Inquisition despite their actions. Irene though, left the Inquisition because it does not have good relations towards the hunters nor the aegirs.

I think I lost my point, sorrryy. I think I just need someone to throw these ideas out.

No no, don't be sorry! I love hearing about what people have to say about this event. So don't worry, if anything you are welcome to do so in my inbox anytime.

I feel like a lot of people need to understand one thing first, which might seem like a weird thing for me to say but stop trying to think in the "Black and White" mentally. The "Bad or Good" mentality most people have when it comes to media. And it's not really anyone's fault for thinking this way, most media is just like this nowadays where the bad people are bad and irremediable, while the good people are pure and have no faults.

This mentality does not appy to Arknights. There's no good or bad, just people trying to get by. Yes, some are out of their minds because of trauma. There's no right or wrong, not even the seaborns are as evil as we all make them to be.

Now, here's the deal with the Inquisition: What they've done to Aegir, has been unacceptable. And it's something that should not be forgiven or forgotten but also- Put yourself in Iberia's place for a moment. The sea took everything from them, made them loose all their glory and has slowly but surely made Iberia disappear. The Inquisition was created in order to help defeat the seaborns and while yes, their methods have been somewhat effective... It's not enough. It will never be enough. The threat they face is one they simply cannot overcome alone.

But then, what's the deal with the Aegirs? Simple. They come from the sea. They come from the place that took everything from them- So of course people will immediately be suspicious of them. Any wrong move and you could be taken away to never come back. Is it hate they feel for them? No. Just fear. Iberia wouldn't have hated Aegir so much or have done the things they did for nothing. Unless they are really just that racist, but then again... They learned from Laterano and I refrain from making any comment about the matter.

The Inquisition fears Aegir because they could be part of the church of the deep, or simply because who knows what they truly are.

But how can we solve these issues? You can't. You cannot with any help. And that's where the issue lies. Aegir and Iberia need to step up even more than they have and ask for help.

As for Lumen- He's just too good to be true, so he doesn't think much of the Inquisition because in a way, he admires what they do but he also doesn't think much about what happened to his parents because he doesn't seem to remember most of it. (I'm sleepy I don't remember all the details.) But then, there's also the fact Lumen just got tired of running away and being told what to do that he simply decided to do what his heart desired. So for him, it's simply about doing what he truly wants and he understands the things that the Inquisition has done, but still accepts to join.

And our beloved little bird, simply saw things how they were. Irene needed to simply find her reason to fight and look at things in a different way. And that's what happens to her during SN, she sees that the Inquisition holds her back from doing what she truly wants to do. Simple as that.

But yeah. Have some of my sleepy thoughts. I'm going to bed. This is so messy, sorry- sjbsjssj.

[mingirn]

after dark

jeong yunho x reader

synopsis: yunho helps you sleep after insomnia has bothered you for days

genres: smut, a little fluff

warnings: insomnia, nightmare, cockwarming, sweet vanilla missionary sex

word count: 3k

For better or for worse, there are plenty of things you accept about a lover when you enter a partnership, and within yours, you think Yunho has had to deal with the brunt of them. He knew before you moved in together, more than well aware, of all the issues that came prepackaged and wouldn't so easily disappear. And for better or for worse, he'd vowed to love each part of them.

Sometimes it's easy, like now, when the night has started to wind down and Yunho is laid on the couch, sandwiched by your sleeping form on top of him. The TV is still playing, though Yunho has stopped watching long ago. Now, his eyes are closed and he's rubbing your back in slow, gentle circles. You've been asleep on top of him for just a little longer than two episodes of this show, which Yunho would count to be about an hour.

Sometimes it's hard, like the past four days when insomnia had kept you from sleeping more than 20 minutes, and a booming headache had set in after being deprived of sleep for so long.

Yunho counts it a victory that you've managed to fall asleep now, and despite the fact that your elbow is digging into his side and your chin is poking into his chest, Yunho doesn't dare move. It's the first sleep you've gotten in days, and you've woken him up every night the past three days to retrieve painkillers or sleeping pills from the bathroom, all of whom hadn't worked. Any discomfort Yunho might feel right now is well worth the sleep you'll get.

Your chest rises under his hand with each breath, now slow and even, and the weight of your warm body feels comforting.

Yunho is one of those people who manages to fall asleep anywhere and at any time, if he just closes his eyes and disconnects his brain from the surroundings. Your insomnia keeps you awake even during the night, when Yunho is fast asleep, most of the time it's at least mild enough that you fall asleep sometime during the early hours of the morning and deal with the three or four hours of sleep you do manage to get. But then there are times where sleep evades you entirely, and you spend days grappling for even a wink of it.

Yunho had expected you to be asleep by the point he'd come home today, he just reasoned that you had to have fallen asleep, after four whole days of nothing. But he had found you on the couch yet again, tired to the point where you could pass out yet not sleeping. The circles around your eyes had darkened significantly, and Yunho swears he could see the headache take shape physically, visibly.

Yunho would much rather get to sleep in the comfort of your warm, soft bed than here on the couch where he knows he's going to get a crick in his neck when he wakes up. But it's worth it, if it means you'll wake up at least a tiny bit rested, hopefully rid of that awful headache.

It's peacefully quiet, just the low noise of the TV in the background and the sounds of both your breaths in time with each other. Yunhos hand has stopped moving, just resting across your back now as he feels sleepiness draw on for himself too. He thinks he's just moments away from falling asleep when he feels your back tense up underneath his hand, and a little whine from your lips makes Yunhos eyes fall open again.

He would assume it's only a dream if it wasn't for your whole body going stiff above him, and the small whimpers that fall from your mouth become constant and start to sound like cries, clearly distressed and beyond just a peaceful dream. Yunho knows the telltale signs of you having a nightmare, as it accompanies you as frequently as insomnia and headaches themselves, and Yunho knows that he has to wake you up. He knows how you feel in the mornings after an upsetting nightmare, that they usually onset full-blown migraines and you'll complain of getting a bad rest either way.

So Yunho sucks up the guilt he feels for disturbing you and rubs his hand quickly over your back, attempting to gently shake you awake.

"Hey," he whispers, trying his best to ease you into an awake state. "Baby, wake up. Come on, baby, wake up."

It all only makes you stir more, and you're huffing out breaths of air that are starting to become frantic, but finally your eyes snap open and Yunho knows you're awake. You jolt in his arms, sitting upright and trying to escape from Yunhos hands on you as your eyes search through the room for where the threat is, trying in a panic to assess your surroundings.

"Baby, hey, look at me," Yunho coos, bringing his hands to your face as gently as he can. "It's okay, it's just me. I'm here."

It seems to take a moment before it settles in your mind that it was just a dream and that you're safe from it now. Your breathing is still rapid, but becoming more steady the longer Yunhos voice soothes you and his hands provide pressure on your face. When you've finally come to, fully, you slump down on Yunho again and bury your face into the crook of his neck.

"'M sorry," he murmurs, stroking his hand over the back of your head instead. "I didn't want to wake you, but you were starting to panic."

"It's okay," you whisper, throat raw from all the whimpering.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, to be sure, though he finds that most often you don't. The nightmares are often reoccurring, and you have told him about them countless times, especially back when you had first started dating and Yunho had been startled awake in the middle of the night by your crying. He knows what they're about, usually, and they're not pleasant for you to go through again once you're awake.

"No, I'd rather just stay like this with you," you mumble. It's a lot more comfortable like this, with your weight distributed evenly and your mouth huffing little breaths against his neck that tickles nicely. No body part sticking into his sides either. Yunho would still rather be in bed, and he'd offer to carry you there, but it all seems sort of unnecessary when it feels so nice to be resting with you like this.

You don't fall back asleep after, that much is clear, and Yunho can practically feel the way your mind is whirling, how the tension in your back still hasn't washed away. The little sleep you got definitely wasn't enough, and the nightmare must have disturbed you a great deal to have you this worked up and uneasy. Yunhos hand still pets over the back of your head and the other one is rubbing up and down your back, hoping that he can ease some of the stiffness and possibly lull you back to sleep entirely.

Yunhos eyes have closed yet again, granting you silence in hopes that it would feel soothing enough to make you fall back asleep. But Yunho hears you hum a little in the back of your throat, and then he hears the sound of your lips parting.

"Yunho?" you ask at first, trying to work out if maybe he's closer to sleep than you are.

"What is it, angel?"

"Well," you start, clearing your throat in an attempt to not sound so shy. "Could you... maybe put it inside? Like how we do it when you're playing games."

It's a simple enough request, but Yunho feels warmth spread through his body instantly, flushing his face and pooling deep in his belly. He swallows, "You want to warm me? Right now, baby?"

"Mhm," you mumble, and snuggle closer into Yunhos neck. Inhaling the scent of him, where he's not covered in perfume and you can smell him, the smell of home. "It's just nice, makes me feel relaxed... And I want to feel close to you."

"I'd have to prep you though, sweetheart," he says.

"I know," you muffle against his neck. "There's lube in the table, you could do it right here. Please?"

Every protest or hesitation dies before they've had the time to actualize in his brain after that, if you say 'please' Yunho is sure to obey your requests, and he's moving off the couch to reach for the lube right away. You're only wearing underwear and one of his shirts, it takes fast enough to peel your underwear down your legs and settle back into Yunhos lap once he's laid back down.

He uncaps the bottle and squeezes out a nice amount onto his fingers, letting it warm on his fingers but it still feels startlingly cold and intrusive when it makes contact with you hot skin. Just moments ago you'd been fast asleep, getting some much needed relaxation, and now there was sticky lube spreading over you, and pushing inside. It's a slightly unbecoming sensation at first, but then Yunhos fingers are opening you up slowly, and it's starting to feel good.

The first two fingers slide in easily, and Yunho makes sure to take his time pulling in and out, making no attempts to prod against your g-spot when that isn't the agenda. It still feels good though, the filling sensation of his long fingers inside, even if they're not fucking you fast and working towards an orgasm.

"Is that good? Feels nice?" he asks, pushing a third inside when he feels the way you've relaxed. He's not entirely expecting a verbal response, your eyes are closed and he can tell by your breathing that you're starting to feel floaty already, but Yunho is proud when you hum a small 'mhm'.

It's a little torturous for Yunho to get to finger you without the aim of making you come. Yunho loves using his hands on you, even more so when he gets to finger you and he gets to make you come apart with just his hands at the same time as he can kiss you, or watch your face up close. He dislikes fingering as a means for something else, he'd much rather focus on making you feel good, so selfishness pricks in his chest when he's pulling his fingers in and out, knowing that he's going to be rewarded with the feeling of being inside of you without actually making you come.

As a consolation, Yunho spends ample time stretching you on his fingers, even beyond the point where he knows you're ready. He only stops when you start whining above him, pawing at his chest wordlessly.

"How do you want me, baby?" he asks. It takes a moment for you to register the question and think of an answer, still in that heady feeling.

"Want you to big spoon me."

Yunho pulls out his fingers and turns to his side, and with an arm around your waist, he helps you get into place. Pressed up against your back, Yunho shoves his pajama pants halfway down his thighs, enough for him to get his dick out. There's still a tacky residue of lube on his fingers that Yunho uses to stroke himself until he's fully hard, then Yunho lines himself up and starts pushing inside.

"Mm, there you go. How's that?" he coos into your ear, wrapping his arm around your middle once he's bottomed out, fully inside.

"So good, thank you, Yunho," you hum silently.

There are a few moments after the initial push inside where Yunho always feels you squeeze around him, and it takes a lot to keep from rocking his hips, to ignore the need to chase something more. It feels good like this too, but it's always hard for him to contain himself when you're so warm and tight around him.

Yunho listens as your breathing starts to even out, finding a regular pattern as you sink into the relaxation. It just feels nice to be this close, to have Yunho inside you so thick and filling, and to feel his arm around your waist and the warmth of his breath against the back of your neck. It's enough to thread you into the same drowsiness as before, and you even doze off for a little, just enough to feel far away but not quite enough to fall back asleep.

Yunho relaxes into it too, he can feel your back rise and fall with each breath, and the scent of your shampoo fills his nose in a comforting way. He's not close to falling asleep, he doesn't think he can until he's sure you're tapped out too, but there's a warm feeling that settles within his very bones.

"Baby?" comes your voice then, bringing Yunho back to reality. He opens his eyes, leaning forward slightly to press a kiss underneath your ear and humming. You continue, shyly, "Could you.. fuck me? Fuck me to sleep?"

"Mhm, is that what you want, baby?" he teases. He slips his dick out for just a moment, ignoring the whine it draws from you, so that he can turn you on your back and position himself above you instead. He lines himself up again, and pushes inside of you. "You want me to fuck you to sleep, angel? I can do that, I can take care of you."

He doesn't wait to hear your response to pull his hips back and thrust inside once more. If you want him to fuck you, Yunho is more than happy to oblige.

His arms settle on either side of you, hovering above you close enough that he can lean down and sweep you up in a heated kiss. It turns stupid fast, you're finding it hard to kiss back when Yunho is sending pointed thrusts and rubbing against your g-spot each time. It feels good already, whether from the sleep-deprived deliria or the fact that Yunho manages to make you unravel fast, your bones feel like liquid and the only thing holding you together is his arms caging around you.

Yunhos hand wraps around your thigh, hiking it up so he can gain more leverage, so he can thrust inside and make sure each push hits you exactly where you need. The string of broken moans leaving your mouth seems like confirmation enough that Yunho's hit correctly so he settles for a steady rhythm.

Yunho groans when your hands reach up and tangle into his hair, pulling a little on the ends until you find purchase. Yunho wishes you'd pull more, make it sting a little at his scalp to remind him he's fucking you good, though he supposes the kiss you pull him into is confirmation enough.

He hasn't even been fucking you that long but you're panting into his mouth, arching your back against him and trying to meet each thrust with your own rolling hips. It's a lot already, Yunho knows you're sensitive and that it's not gonna be long until he has you writhing and tipping over the edge.

"Yunho, Yunho, Yunho, please-" you cry, pulling him down until his forehead is resting against yours. The sound of your voice so broken and desperate makes Yunho pick up the pace and fuck you faster, and there's a moment where his hips stutter when he realizes how close he is too. Yunho just hopes you're closer, that he won't come before you do because that would be embarrassing and an awful feat when he's supposed to be fucking you to sleep.

He leans even closer, pushing his middle to yours, knowing that not only is his cock getting you off but this way you can rub against him where your bodies meet, and it's the sure-fire way to make you come without the use of his hands.

"Close, baby?" he asks when your mouth falls open, overwhelmed and unable to speak. "You can come, I've got you, come for me."

It's his voice that finally sends you over the edge, the delightful praise and promise of I've got you, knowing perfectly well that Yunho is there to take care of you, that makes the pressure snap in your belly. It's overwhelming, the sudden rush of warmth that spreads throughout your body, that tingles in the very tips of your fingers and the shell of your ears. It feels like the warmth rolls in waves for long afterward, longer than any orgasm you've ever had, and then it quickly turns into oversensitivity when Yunho is continuing to fuck you in chase of his own high.

"Yunho, please, please-"

"Fuck, I'm gonna come too, just a little more. Doing s-so good for me, baby, just a little more," he groans, dropping his head to your shoulder instead. He angles the thrust so that they're not rubbing against that spot anymore, but each part inside of you feels hot like fire and the pleasure mixes with prickling pain, all of it just so overwhelmingly good. It feels so fucking good even when it stings a little, when there's a hint of oversensitive pain behind all the pleasure, and you know that you'll be so worn out after this you will be able to sleep.

Yunho finally comes, you can tell only from the warmth of his come spilling inside, and then the way he moans your name into the skin of your shoulder. The feeling of his weight on you, or his cock still inside of you, it's all so far away now and you can hear his voice, distant but sweet, cooing praise quietly into your ear.

All you feel is good, and it's starting to swim over into drowsiness. You barely feel it when he slips out, and once Yunho picks you up to carry you to the bedroom, you finally fall asleep.

[witch-hazels-musings]

Angst in coming. Diluc Zhongli and your pick being haunted by the SO they couldnt save.

Lingering Regret

Warning -> Only Angst (there isn’t a happy ending here, the reader is dead, all interactions are memories*, mentions of Kaeya (D), illness non-specific (Zh)) 

( i made myself cry ) 

Character X GN Reader | Anthology 

Includes: Dainsleif, Diluc, Zhongli 

The ghosts of the past cling to our shadows and seep into our memories when we least expect them to. For some they can move on, they can be healed by the passing of time, but for others, it becomes a festering wound that will never seal. 

Dainsleif

He was no stranger to regret, absolutely everything in his life was a torturous experience. From the day he became the Bough Keeper to the night he failed them all, it was a memory burned in his mind for all eternity and as if he bore the weight of all of Teyvats karma he wove it into the fabric of his being 

There was nothing he thought could break him more, could lower himself further into the sinking sandpit that was his life - that was until the day he met you

Just how many years ago was it now. With the curse of immortality like a chain to a world he was obligated to avenge, it was growing harder and harder to remember you - but there were moments when he could see and those were the ones he longed to hold onto 

“Dainsleif, are you ready?” Your voice called down to him, his eyes flooded by the bright light that surrounded you as you patiently waited for him to climb the dark stairs. You followed him everywhere, much to his disagreement, but he had grown warm to your company. “The day won’t wait for us, you know.” 

The light was so bright, why was it hiding your face? Wait -- let me see your face, I can’t remember. Don’t … don’t leave. 

He blamed himself for your death - there was no one else who could have stopped it but him and, on the day you left this world to a place he had no way of reaching, was the day he stopped caring 

There were rumors of a man who took little to no payment for almost any job - 300 mora and he’d handle your issue. They called him “The soulless vessel” for he was void of any and all emotions 

How could he hold onto something that he didn’t understand anymore, how was he capable of experiencing a sensation that had no more purpose - he was nothing but a shell without you 

“Psst, Daini. Hey sleepy, wake up.” The sound of your laughter, let me hear it again.

“Silly, we can’t sleep forever, wake up.” The touch of your hands, oh I remember them now … were they always this small. 

“I guess we can rest a bit longer, you know I won’t mind.” Your lips, how could I have forgotten their warmth; I’ll let you remind me. 

“Dainsleif, I love you.” 

The birds pulled him from his dream, their chirping calls to each other a playful and carefree tune. He felt the warmth of the sun on his face, how it cast its glow across his lips but as the memory of his dream began to fade away he covered his eyes with his hand to hide the tears that disappeared into his hair.

“Forgive me …” 

 Diluc

Lingering ghosts loved to slip into the darkness that was Diluc Ragnvindr - when they fit so perfectly there, why wouldn’t they make him their home 

He had countless people close to him perish and each one was a direct result of his actions - his father, a slash of a blade, his brother, a clash of opposing elements, his values, a single dismiss of a hand, his friends, the darkness of the abyss and the hands of the Fatui -- there was nothing he let get close anymore because it was only a matter of time before he brought it crumbling to the pit of his existence 

How could he have been so naive - what was hope but a debilitating disease and yet you purged all of that from his mind every time you entered his space, every time you pushed your way past the walls he so expertly crafted -- you were the last thing he clung to, the last light he vowed to protect 

“You know, you don’t have to worry about me all the time, I’m more capable than you think.” You crossed your arms and gave him a cocky smirk, the bag of supplies resting at your feet as they waited for you to pick them back up again. It was only because of his hesitancy that they were there in the first place. 

“I have seen your capabilities many times, yes.” 

“So, what, you don’t trust me.” 

“That is far from the truth.” He looked at you for a moment before sighing in defeat. His hand reached for the bag and lifted it to your hands. “Do be careful, is all that I ask.” 

“You know I will.” With a bright smile, you took the pack and slung it over your shoulder. In your excitement, you turned toward the door before pausing as if you forgot something and when you hurled yourself back to him only to place a kiss on his lips, he felt the heat from his pounding heart rise into his cheeks. “See you soon, handsome.” 

“I’ll be waiting.” 

The distant and closed-off winery owner turned into a being of rage the day of your death. No matter how hard those closest to him tried to quell the wildfire that was his fury, they could only stand back and deal with the aftermath - The flame of Diluc’s devastation was so great that it left a permanent scar in Mondstadt and to this day the earth has yet to heal 

It was on him to protect you and he couldn’t, he wasn’t even there to try and he wasn’t sure what was worse - but one was for sure, the anguish he felt knowing you called out for him but he never came to save you ate him up inside. He wasn’t Diluc Ragnvindr anymore, he was no-one 

“Diluc! Come back!” Kaeya shouted but he couldn’t hear over the sound of the violent crashing and eerie nothingness in front of him. 

“Kaeya, don’t!” Another voice joined the noise but Diluc didn’t turn around. In front of him was the only answer to his shattered and empty heart. 

“Diluc please, they wouldn’t want this!” Kaeya reached for Diluc’s arm but the pressure and wind from the opening were so great it felt like a thousand anchors were strapped to his body. “Diluc!” 

Suddenly, there was silence. No noise, no sound but the world continued to whip around like a violent storm. Kaeya’s fingers touched the fabric of his brother's coat and, as Diluc turned his head to look back, tears were streaming down his face. It was strange to see Diluc’s lips moving as if he were saying something but there was nothing, an unbearable amount of nothing.

Riddled with fear, Kaeya extended his hand toward the rip in space and as soon as he felt the pulse of his vision escape his fingers, his others curled around Diluc’s jacket and flung him backward. In the settling explosion, the sound of the world slipped back in and as those who cared deeply for the man who no longer knew his name drew closer, the first thing they saw was his hunched-over body guarded by blue and the sound of his painful cries. 

Zhongli

To know suffering, to know loss was nothing new to the Geo Archon. For six thousand years he watched those close to him rise in greatness and fall in agony - for some they were thrust into death by a number of means and for others, well, his hands have never been clean 

Still, even if he had known what it was like to lose someone he loved, it was never easy and while he always knew the day would come when you left this world to walk a path he’d never know, it wasn’t something he expected so soon 

There were endless memories he couldn’t wait to make with you - the engraving your life into the notches of his soul, to be reminded of your face by simply turning around, to recall your wit with banter of his own, to be inspired by you every single day he stepped out the door -- why didn’t you stay 

“Welcome home, Zhongli.” You were already preparing the table with the teacups by the time he entered your home. It was elegant incarnate to watch you move around the room, to place everything so perfectly and properly that he wondered if you hadn’t been a spirit in another life. 

“I am home.” He reached for your waist and pulled you close, his smile setting yours off, and as the kettle began to sound he first greeted you with a heartwarming kiss. 

There are many things he can circumvent - his capabilities are endless but he found that no matter how strong a person is, there is one thing strength cannot beat 

To watch you slowly suffer was a torturous thing. Every day you grew weaker and weaker, your skin changed but the kindness of your smile outweighed it all until the day finally came ... 

A ceremony to send someone off is a beautiful thing, a celebration of their life while they kept it their own, a remembrance and blessing to hold strong every impact they made - but to Zhongli that day was laced with bitterness 

He made the arduous steps up the hillside. His legs carried him on even when nothing else of him felt the desire to do so. When he finally reached the peak, he prepared everything so skillfully as if he’d practiced this a thousand times, and it's possible he did for there was no end to his life even if he wished for it. 

“My dear, the flowers are blooming splendidly.” He set the burning incense by the weathered tombstone. It had faded and eroded over the years, but as he brushed the engraving with his fingers, he could still make out its marks. 

The chimes in the tree rang out as he poured a glass of tea before setting it against the small offering before you. “Ah, I can only hope you are able to see them from beyond the veil.” As he gazed out over the vast field, the sun illuminated the thousands of flowers that surrounded your grave, and, as he took a sip of his tea, he sighed contentedly before continuing, “Never worry, I shall cultivate more until you do. I know how fond you were of flowers.”

--

tag list:

@star-gods @mercurysmaiden @dourpeep @clemmywrites @handswritteeen @musekala @mooshymello @glazelilyy @twokissesforamelia @angel-melt @lucacandy @marianadi @smol-knife @nightlywallows @aoirohi @mguerra11 @lucy-roo @maiiikoo @nonniechan @tempehlust @zenith-impact @plumpkie @jaggedsi @salty-salty @onlyhereforinteractivestories @liebestraumss @jaemjenjam @softlybeloved @anatthesavage @mkazuyuh @excitedlysuffering @kaidou-pie @yujiia @cytomegalia @natxxu @fvushiguros @nua-fromliyue @nightlywallows @yoshikuno @anonymousficreader @cyphermagic @chichikoi @akira-kiryu 

[absolutepokemontrash]

ayo!! congrats on 666 <33 I'm not sure if its much of a request but I love how you wrote the demon kids personalities! I was wondering what kids of personalities you would see the other brothers kids having? Hypothetically of course (unless 👀)

BRO- I’ve actually been thinking about this for a while! Fan kids are fun to think about, what can I say? Now, these kids aren’t canon to the Awfully Familiar series, the HOL is crowded enough as is… but I hope you enjoy anyways!

(I’m giving all the kids names just so no one gets confused with which kid is whose)

Levi’s Kid

Uh let’s use probability to figure out how rare children of our snek boy are. The Otaku left the house (unlikely), spoke to a human being (very unlikely), did the devil’s tango with them (impossible)

I’m kidding, but seriously what the fuck why did this human exchange student look so much like Levi? Was that a tail? Hehehe… what a weird practical joke…

(I’m calling this MC Percy. Three guesses as to why)

Okay, onto the kiddo’s personality. I’m picturing them being REALLY hyped and REALLY enthusiastic about their hobbies and isn’t afraid to yammer about them. They’re good at what they do and they’re damn proud of it! They turn their envy into *~inspiration~* and get better at the things they enjoy doing!

In all fairness to Levi, it’s a bit easier for his kid because Percy isn’t literally being eaten alive and consumed by this sin every waking moment of his life… perks of being half human! :D

Percy loves swimming, and the ocean, and fish, and they brought a shark back from the beach- wait hang on a second-

It’s not uncommon for Levi to be hardcore gaming while Percy swims around in the fish tank.

The pair of them have a very good relationship, Percy is kind of Levi’s hero with how eager they are to get better at the things they love doing and how they almost never self pity spiral. The one issue is… ugh… Percy is a 🤢…. Sorry. Percy’s a 🤢 🤢-

They’re A FUCKING NORMIE. THEY DON’T LIKE ANIME!

Other than that, the two get along swimmingly. (Ba dum tisssss)

Percy’s reaction to Levi’s cool military titles is basically “WOAH! YOU HAVE BOATS?! CAN I GO ON ONE?!” And Levi would be a monster to decline.

Percy wore a pirate hat despite Levi telling them numerous times that they were a part of the navy, they CATCH pirates. Which are apparently still a big problem in the Devildom…

Also, Percy and Lotan absolutely adore each other. It makes Levi very happy

Satan’s Kid

Satan’s a pretty charming guy, and it’s canon that he’s amazing at seductive speech craft so it’s no surprise that he was able to seduce a human.

You know what is a surprise? The fact that Satan, the smart one, didn’t think to use protection! Like- DUDE I EXPECTED BETTER FROM YOU.

Whatever, anyway, when this kid slammed onto the floor of the assembly hall no one had time to react when the kid suddenly grew horns… and fangs… and a tail… OH FUCK THE KID WAS GOING THROUGH THEIR FIRST TRANSFORMATION WHAT THE FUCK-

(For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to call this kid Lyssa, mainly because of the meaning of the name)

The first thing Lyssa did was launch themselves straight at the first person they saw, and I ask you to guess exactly who sits in the middle seat of the assembly hall. That’s right… Satan… yay…

This kid nearly clawed his face off in the span of two seconds and it took Lucifer and Beel working together to drag them off of him and then Asmo had to step in to use his powers to calm them down. Well. That was eventful.

So Lyssa has a volcanic temper and they’re honestly really bitter and upset at everything, which is something that’s supposed to come in adult life, not so early. So what’s up with this kid? Well, when you’re born with a burning rage deep inside you that can be set off at even the slightest inconvenience and because of that everyone around you immediately assumes you’re dangerous or crazy can really do some damage to a kid.

So who oh who is Lyssa going to blame for this…? Hmmm… who is responsible for the anger? *Side eyes Satan*

“Wow, this kid is blaming me for passing down my wrath even though I couldn’t control giving it to them and if I had the choice I would have made sure they wouldn’t have to live with it and they’re mad at me for subjecting them to existence itself… wow this feels so bad :( who would treat someone like this..?” “*Dad sigh*”

The two of them do eventually get along. It’s actually Satan who extends the olive branch and offers to help them control their anger. As the two spend time together, Lyssa’s intense hatred slowly subsides.

So… what’s Lyssa going to do now? They’ve spent so much of their life being defined by their anger… who the fuck are they????? U-uh… cats! Cats! Lyssa likes cats! Is liking cats a personality? No? Okay… um… Music! Music is relaxing! Lyssa likes music! Um… um… ooo- look at that! They like space! And stars!

You knew what they don’t like? School. Lyssa doesn’t like learning in a controlled environment where they’re being told what to learn. Leave them alone so they can go read about space.

Beelzebub’s kid(s)

*munch* *munch* *chew* *chomp* huh, *chomp* why does the takeout- I mean the human look so much like him…? They’re his kid..? *choke* *cough* *cough* …Huh. Want some chips?

Surprisingly chill first meeting. Well, Beel and the kid were chill, everyone else was freaking the fuck out.

I’m calling this kid Pepper. Why? Fucking guess.

Pepper themselves is just… chill. They’re sort of like a capybara, their vibes are just so immaculate that everyone wants to hang out around them.

Unlike Beel, Pepper’s penchant for food mainly comes from “food is good.” instead of “my body is literally eating itself alive every second of the day and I need to be eating something at almost all times in order to stave off a rampage.” Beel is very happy that his kid doesn’t have to live with food constantly on the brain.

All was well until three days into the exchange program when Pepper asked at the dinner table “so when are we bringing my twin down here?”

…twin genes man… twin genes…

Second kid, I’m calling them Cane. (CANE PEPPER, GET IT?! GET IT?!) this kid is less like a capybara and more like a honey badger. They don’t give a shit.

Here’s the thing though… they’re identical twins.

Cane is basically Beel but smaller. They follow Beel to the gym and usually get stopped at the door. “Kids aren’t allowed in the gym.” Ha, the rules don’t apply to Cane, they just cross their arms and raise their eyebrows and whoever is stopping them just steps aside. Don’t fuck with the honey badger kid.

Pepper and Cane are super close though, but don’t ask if they have a telepathic link or something, Cane will fuck you up and Pepper won’t be able to stop them. (I know a pair of identical twins, and the amount of times they’ve been asked if they can read each other’s minds is enough to make anyone homicidal)

Belphegor’s kid

*squints* how’d this happen..?

Whatever. When Belphie’s kid woke up on the floor of the assembly hall everyone took one look at this kid and collectively went “shitballs”

Belphie was in the attic and his kid was wandering around the house like they ran the place! What the fuuuuuuuuck was Lucifer supposed to do with this????

Anyway, meet Arien.

Arien, how does one describe this little hellspawn? Well, one would call them the brood of Lucifer or the spawn of Satan but that would be false because this manipulative evil devil-child that crawled straight out of a teacher’s nightmares is BELPHIE’S kid. And it fucking SHOWS.

This kid won the demon/human genetic lottery and they’re going to make it everyone’s problem. Basically, they’re sin is sloth, but unlike Belphie, Arien’s is more voluntary, if that makes sense. They sleep and slack off because they like not doing work, not because they’re always tired. They have this sort of lazy relaxed facade that vanishes the second it’s not needed, it’s honestly kind of terrifying.

They quickly learn that if they just pretend to be having troubles with being constantly tired, the rest of the house will go easy on them if they miss their chores and schoolwork.

Jeez Louise when this kid met Belphie…

They both just stared at each other for a solid five minutes before anyone said anything. Belphie somewhat nervously started up his “oh woe is me get me out of here :(“ charade, and the kid played along for a few weeks, until of course, they got suspicious.

You remember how Belphie guilt spiralled with L!MC? Yeah imagine that but 40 times worse, and he hadn’t even done anything yet.

But yeah, blah blah blah Arien breaks Belphie out, they don’t die, family’s back together, happily ever after. But not quite. Arien’s “oh no I’m sorry I’m sleepy…” charade was found out and boy howdy was everyone pissed.

Surprisingly, it was Belphie who gave Arien the wake up thwack, but Arien called Belphie out on his laziness so Belphie was forced to become a better example.

The way they fixed Ari’s behaviour? Extra chores, extra schoolwork, extra everything, and the boys did nothing to help. Basically, “this is how we felt! Deal with it!”

It worked… thankfully.

[hansols-yoda-boxers]

Warming Up

Cat Hybrid!Hongjoong x Female Reader

Word Count: 7518 

Contents: hybrid au, rut/mating season, reader is referred to as a girl, lots of plot for no reason other than it was cute, hongjoong is a bit of a dumb little tsun who is easily flustered, dream sex (mirror, pet name (darling), slight degradation (whore), marking), sleepy reader is not the brightest bulb in the box, hongjoong is a tease, first time together, dry humping, sensitive ears, fingering, unprotected sex, creampie, cum eating, oral (female receiving), very slight hair pulling

Note: Okay this is a whole 18 DAYS LATE but HAPPY VERY BELATED BIRTHDAY @lustjoong this has been a long time coming. You are such a dream friend and it’s about a year now that we’ve been friends and I’m so happy about that. You bring so much light to my life and I so enjoy each and every word we share. I really hope you enjoy this gift also yes this is why i asked u about cum eating skjjadlhslkdj

Hongjoong’s ears twitched as he listened. He didn’t want to look like he was listening of course. He wanted to look unbothered because he was unbothered. So Seonghwa couldn’t keep him anymore, so what? He had to move, the city was bigger and the apartments were more expensive and he couldn’t afford the space and that was that. So Hongjoong was being dropped on someone else, on you. He didn’t care. If he really wanted to stay with Seonghwa that badly he could have tried out working more but that had never really panned out and a lot of places didn’t wanna hire a cat hybrid anyway. 

Seonghwa said he would visit. That was fine. It wasn’t like Hongjoong needed that, he wasn’t a baby. He was a grown adult if he really wanted to strike out on his own he would. It was just easier in this world to live with someone. Seonghwa was nice and they got along well for the most part and he was comfy and familiar. He’d met you a few times but you were new and different and he didn’t really like that. It wasn’t that he was upset or anxious or any of that. It was just different from normal and he didn’t want to have to learn how to live with someone else, that was all.

None of this bothered him.

It was fine.

~

“I don’t think we forgot anything. I double and triple checked all my boxes to make sure he’d have all his stuff and-”

“Seonghwa,” you hushed him. “It’s fine. It’s not like you’re leaving the country, you’ll just be a couple of hours away. If you forgot anything you can bring it by when you visit, or we can buy new stuff.”

“I know but Hongjoong is… particular. You know I have another day or two on the lease. I could-”

“Seonghwa,” you grabbed his hands, chuckling. “It’s really okay. We’ll be fine. Right, Hongjoong?”

“Huh?” The cat hybrid looked up at you. Apparently he’d been tuning you out. 

“We’ll be alright, right?”

“Yeah, whatever.” He muttered. “Can I take my stuff to my room?”

“Sure!” You tried to sound bright but you felt a little unsure. You’d met Hongjoong a handful of times. He seemed a little guarded and he wasn’t the easiest to get to know, but he had always at least been nice to you, pleasant. He seemed a little colder today, he seemed bored but was he really bored? You knew he and Seonghwa were close even if he wouldn’t admit it. Surly he felt something over the whole thing.

“He’s upset,” Seonghwa mumbled once Hongjoong was out of the room.

“Is he? He seems so… bored…”

Seonghwa sighed. “He does that when he’s upset. I know he doesn’t really love this idea but it’s the only option if he doesn’t want to go back to the shelter. And I’m not totally confident he can live on his own at the moment. He doesn’t cook much but when he tries to it always burns and I have to scrub it off the pans.”

“Duly noted,” you mumbled. “No cooking.”

“I think he could learn. And he might be happy if he lived alone but between you and me I think he’d get way too lonely. He won’t act like it at first but he gets really cuddly and sweet when he wants affection. And, oh god I almost forgot.” He dropped his voice, growing quieter. “If you get turned on around him, he’ll be able to smell it.”

“I’m sorry, what?!” You exclaimed.

“Shhh,” Seonghwa hushed you. “If he knows I’m talking about this… But you should know. It’s just a cat thing. It’s not too bad in the summer but in a month or so when fall comes around if you get worked up and he’s in the same room it’ll drive him nuts.”

“W-What does he do? I mean will h-he-”

“He won’t do anything,” Seonghwa said quickly. “He just-” A blush started creeping up his cheeks. “It’s harder for him to get over getting worked up, and he u-usually needs- o-or he uh- it’s good if you- uh- well anyway if it happens with someone else’s scent it just gets to him. And with you being a girl it’ll probably be worse s-so-”

“No watching porn around him, got it,” you said.

Seonghwa’s eyes went wide. “You just watch porn in the open?!”

“No, god no that was a joke,” you laughed. “Look, we’ll be okay. It’s not like I’m horny 24/7 so it’s all good. Besides I’m pretty sure he kinda hates me.”

“He- no he doesn’t. If anything he’s mad at me. You’re fine. Just… give him a chance to warm up to you and this whole thing. I promise you he’s really sweet when you get to know him.”

You glanced warily towards his bedroom. “I’ll take your word for it.”

~

The first week was, in a word, uneventful. Hongjoong was aloof. You weren’t sure at the moment if that was a cat thing or a Hongjoong thing. So far he hadn’t seemed to warm up to you at all. He barely spoke and spent most of his time in his room, though you did notice that the leftovers in the fridge had noticeable dents and he had left a few items in the bathroom. He was settling in, even if it was just a little bit.

You heard a door open, just barely making out the padding of his feet down the hallway. You didn’t move, listening and watching out for the corner of your eye as you sat on the couch. You saw him slip into the kitchen and listened to the fridge door opening, then closing, then the microwave running. He usually waited until you were out of the living room to get food.

You got up slowly and made your way towards the kitchen, peeking around the corner. Predictably, Hongjoong had heard you. He stood stock still, even as the microwave beeped, the counter reaching zero. The only things that moved were his ears, flicking back and listening to you.

“H-How are you doing?” Your voice was less certain than you wanted it to be.

“Fine,” he said simply.

“That’s good,” you tried to sound bright and happy. “I know this is a bit of an adjustment.”

Hongjoong finally relaxed just a little, opening the microwave, if slowly.

“I’m fine. Seonghwa doesn’t have room in the new place and you do. It makes sense.”

You crossed your arms, leaning against the door frame. “You’re really okay with it all? I know it uprooted a lot for you an-”

“I’m fine.” He said flatly. “It’s not like he kicked me out or told me he hates me. It’s money and space. It’s fine. He’s just a friend anyway.”

“He is? I thought you two were closer o-or…” you words trailed off as Hongjoong’s tail started to flick and a blush crept up his cheeks.

“He was more like a roommate really,” he said defensively. “I’m going to go eat.” Hongjoong took his food as you tried to find something to say, but he clearly didn’t want to talk to you anymore.

You bit down on your lip as he slammed his door shut.

You had done a fantastic job of putting your foot in your mouth.

~

“Hey.”

You looked up from where you sat on the couch. Hongjoong had barely talked to you in the last two weeks. You weren’t totally sure what you had said that upset you but you had apologized nonetheless. He didn’t respond from within his room at the time but he did start coming out while you were out and he said hello when you did first at least. But it was still unusual for him to talk to you directly.

“Hi,” you said, putting down your phone. “What’s up?”

Hongjoong shrugged, trying to look unbothered but his ears were partially flattened to his head, the tip of his tail flicking. “I just wanted to know if I could sit out here.”

“Of course,” you smiled, scooching over to leave more room on the couch. “Have a seat.”

“You don’t have to stop what you’re doing,” he mumbled, curling into a ball on the far end of the couch.

“Alright,” you hummed, grabbing your phone but keeping your eye on him. 

The longer you two sat there the more he relaxed. He let his legs extend on the couch, resting back and idly curling and uncurly his fingers as he watched videos on his phone. You tried not to move around too much, typing on your laptop and checking your phone, getting up and offering him water at one point which he accepted.

But the evening wore on and you found yourself more and more weary over time. Yawns slipped past your lips and it made you giggle when Hongjoong yawned as well, ears pressing back and then coming up, his tail curled comfortably around himself until he heard your giggle, perking up. 

“I yawned then you did,” you chuckled. “I don’t know about you but I think I’m ready for bed.”

“O-Oh, yeah,” he mumbled.

You frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Hongjoong’s cheeks started to blush pink. “Nothing, nothing’s wrong. You’re right it’s late I-”

“Hongjoong,” you said gently. “I know we’re not close or anything but you know you can tell me if you have an issue, especially with things to do with living here. It is my responsibility to deal with it.”

“It’s stupid,” he said, standing up. “I’m going to go wash up-”

“I was talking to Seonghwa,” you said quickly. “He said you’re not used to spending this much time alone.”

“What does he know,” Hongjoong said quickly. “It’s not lik-”

“Hongjoong,” you cut him off. “I know you probably don’t wanna say it but just so you know, it’s okay if you’re lonely. I won’t make fun of you for that.”

Hongjoong’s face was cherry red. “I-I’m not!?!”

“I-” You sighed. “It’s just- If you get lonely, it’s okay. That’s all.”

“Yeah, whatever,” he muttered, stalking back to the bedroom as you buried your face in your hands. You swore every time you tried to make him more comfortable you made it ten times worse.

You let Hongjoong finish in the bathroom, hearing his door slam before you got ready for bed. Part of you thought of asking Seonghwa what to do but you didn’t want to make him feel bad about the whole thing. You knew he already felt bad about not being able to stay with Hongjoong. You dragged yourself through your evening routine, finally flopping into bed and finding yourself restless and unable to really sleep.

Were you ever going to be able to be able to get to know him without saying something dumb? He barely talked to you and you messed it up every time he did get comfy. You were worried that he hated it here or he hated you and for a few hours things had been good. There had to be a way to get to know him and get him more comfortable.

A knock at your door had you sitting up suddenly in bed.

“Come in,” you called.

Hongjoong poked his head in. “Can I sleep here?”

You stared at him in surprise, taking a few moments to take in his request before realizing he was blushing more and more as he waited for your response.

“Y-Yeah, sure.”

Hongjoong mumbled out a “thanks” as he shuffled into the room, closing the door behind him. He cautiously climbed into the other side of the bed and rolled to face away from you. You tried to shake off your shock as you laid back down.

“Well, good night.”

“You were right,” he mumbled.

You looked over at his back. “Huh?”

“I get lonely, sometimes.”

A smile tugged to your lips. “Yeah, me too.”

~

“Hey Hongjoong?” You queried, looking up from your book. Hongjoong’s ears perked up even if he didn’t look up. You’d learned that he did that a lot, it was his way of showing he was listening to you, turning his ears in your direction. More and more you had been talking with him. He was getting more comfy with you as the weeks went by and it was finally starting to feel like you were friends.

“Do you do random cat things?”

His head flicked up to look at you from his spot on the couch. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” you shrugged. “I noticed when you’re really sleepy you do that thing that cats do where they curl in their little toes and then stretch them out. You do it with your hands.” You kept going as the blush rushed up Hongjoong’s cheeks. “Do you do other stuff like that? Like do you play with yarn? Do you run after laser pointers? Do you get up and run around at 3am and I just never hear you? Can you meow?”

“I- I don’t do that with my hands!?!” He said indignantly.

You giggled. “You do, and it’s cute. Don’t worry I’ve only seen it a couple of times. But I wanna know if you do other things like that.”

“N-No?!”

“Okay,” you hummed, a smirk pulling at your lips.

“Why are you grinning?! Stop grinning!” He cried.

“No reason,” you said, tossing out a ball of yarn from where you were hiding it next to you.

“I’m not gonna play with that.” Hongjoong deadpanned. “I’m still a person you know.”

“I know,” you said, still grinning. “But there’s no temptation at all?”

“None.” 

“Okaie dokie.” You grabbed the laser pointer from the pocket and shone it against the wall.

“I’m not gonna chase it!” He cried.

“Then it won’t bother you if I leave it on.”

Hongjoong looked between you and the laser shining on the wall before huffing and burying himself in his phone again. But his eye kept darting to the wall, his tail flicking and body shifting. After a few minutes he got up and moved to sit next to it against the wall. You grinned as he flicked at the spot and tried to grab it.

“I knew it!” You laughed, turning off the laser. Hongjoong hissed at you as he moved back to the couch.

“I wasn’t chasing it. I know it’s just a light. It’s just annoying I just did that to make you turn it off.”

“Of course you did,” you hummed. “Hey, can you purr?”

He gave you a glare. “I’m not purring for you, especially when you’re being so annoying.”

“So you can purr,” you grinned. “Who do you purr for?”

“N-No one,” he stumbled, blushing again. “It’s barely even a thing.”

You regarded him thoughtfully for a moment. “Can I try?”

“Try and what?”

“Make you purr.”

Hongjoong’s face went red. “W-Why would you want to?”

“I just wanna hear it,” you said. “I like when cats purr, I wanna know what it sounds like. I mean if you’re all embarrassed about it that’s okay.”

“I-I’m not embarrassed,” he hissed. “It’s just a thing cats do. Why would it embarrass me?”

“It’s okay Hongjoong,” you said, trying not to grin. “I get it, it makes you flustered.”

“N-No? I-If you wanna try whatever. If you figure it out yay for you I guess.”

You clambered across the couch gleefully. The blush stayed on Hongjoong’s cheeks as you pulled him closer while he played with his phone and started playing with his hair. He did his best to ignore you but you could tell from the way his tail swayed that he liked the contact. You relaxed, running your fingers through his hair and petting his head.

A light touch on his ear had it flicking forward and had him jumping and letting out a yelp. You pulled you hand back quickly as he twisted to look at you.

“Your ears are so soft,” you hummed.

“Yeah w-well,” he mumbled. “They’re sensitive, so be careful.”

“I will,” you said, “Of course I will.” You let your hand come out to play with his hair again, waiting for him to relax before you found the base of his ear and scratched at it.

Hongjoong let out a “mreow” and a deep rumble started to emanate from his chest.

His hand was quick to push yours away as you gasped and he crawled back the corner of the couch.

“There, you heard it. Happy now?”

“Yes,” you smiled. “Thanks for showing me.” 

Hongjoong blushed harder as he hid behind his phone. “Yeah yeah whatever.”

~

Hongjoong sleeping in your bed had become a regular occurrence. As the weather started to cool and fall set in he was there more and more. Since the first week, asking each night if he could sleep in the same room, and then just slipping in quietly. He talked to you more and seemed a little more relaxed around you and that made you happy.

Tonight you smiled to yourself when you found him already curled up under the sheets. You weren’t surprised, he’d gone out with friends during the day and seemed exhausted and maybe a little tipsy when he got back. Him getting to bed early wasn’t too surprising. When he first moved in you thought he stayed up late in his room but it turned out he went to bed early and slept in late.

You climbed into bed quietly, noticing his ears and nose twitching. It didn’t matter how quietly you moved his senses were too good. He stirred slightly and you tried to settle in smoothly and quickly so he could get back to sleep.

Hongjoong mumbled something you couldn’t make out. When you turned your face to look at him he was reaching out towards you. His hands were making grabbing motions and you couldn’t help the smile on your face. You had only seen him do it a few times but when he was half asleep, his hands kneading the air like cat’s paws.

“Cuddles,” a pout formed on Hongjoong’s lips as he mumbled and you felt heat rise in your face as you realized what he was asking.

“Hongjoong?” You asked softly. He grumbled again, tail flicking and hands grabbing at the air as he sleepily opened an eye.

“Cuddles,” he grumbled, clearly still half asleep.

“A-Alright,” you stumbled, shifting closer to him. As soon as you were within reach he wrapped himself around you, nuzzling his face into your neck.

“Warm,” he purred sleepily.

“Very warm,” you mumbled, wrapping your arms around him. “Goodnight.”

All you got in response was the loud rumbling purr emanating from Hongjoong’s chest as you settled and drifted off into a dream.

~

Hot breath fanned out against your ear and your fingers pressed into the cool glass of the mirror. Hongjoong’s hips snapped into yours quickly, building the pleasure in your core. You felt his wet fingers move from their ministrations on your clit and seconds later they gripped your jaw firmly.

Your eyes snapped open and you felt heat rush to your face as took in his intense gaze, meeting yours in the mirror.

“Keep those pretty eyes open, darling,” he purred. “You look so pretty when I fuck you like this.”

You whimpered, feeling shy and all the more turned on as you tried to look away but he kept your gaze trained at the sight of yourself getting fucking against the mirror.

“If you’re good, I’ll let you have my fingers in your mouth, just the way you want my pretty little whore.”

You let your eyes trail over yourself, heat rising through your body at the sight, his arm around you and his cock sinking into your heat over and over, sending a wave of pleasure through you each time. You took in the sight of the hickies all across your chest and felt the way he smirked against the skin of your neck as you clenched around him at the sight of yourself.

His fingers came to your lips and you sucked them in eagerly, head feeling even more hazy as you did so.

“Good girl,” he murmured.

~

You woke up feeling very warm. Your eyes blinked open blearily and you felt the soft ear flicking against your chin. Slowly, the memories of the night, and then your dream, trickled into your brain as Hongjoong came into your sleepy view. He seemed to be sleeping soundly, ears and nose twitching as he clung onto you, apparently having cuddled with you all night.

You let your hand rub his back slowly as you closed your eyes again. Maybe it was being so close to someone so warm and feeling someone next to you but your dreams had been anything but innocent. Could you fall back asleep? It would be so nice to sink back into those wonderful, heated images. A quiet sigh passed your lips as you pressed your thighs together, enjoying the feeling of Hongjoong’s weight and warmth on top of you and running through the images from the dream in your mind.

Slowly, Hongjoong started to stir. You let your hand travel up to his hair and run though it. The action was calming for you and you hoped in your sleepy brain that it woke him gently as his ears and tail started to twitch and flick more. His hands grabbed onto your shirt and he pressed his face into your neck as he woke, a quiet mew leaving his lips and quiet purrs emanating from his chest as he came too.

“Morning,” you hummed sleepily. Hongjoong answered with a groan, pressing tightly against you. You scratched at the base of his ear, and heard his purring grow louder. His hand found your hip, thumb slipping under your shirt and rubbing your skin soothingly. This wasn’t his usual behaviour, but you were sleepy and warm and it was so comforting to cuddle someone, especially someone who made such a wonderful, calming purring sound.

“What did you dream about?” Hongjoong’s voice was rough as the words left his lips, ghosting over the skin of your neck. The sounds sent a rush of arousal through your body. You felt heat rise to your skin as the images flashed on the back of your eyelids.

“I don’t remember,” you lied.

Hongjoong nuzzled his nose against your neck. “Are you sure about that?”

Did he know? Was your skin too hot? Did you moan in your sleep and somehow give it away? He couldn’t read your mind but he wasn’t buying it so he had to have some hint. You squirmed a little, pressing your thighs further together and trying to keep your breathing even.

“Nope,” you hummed, a little too high. You knew it sounded like you were lying now.

Hongjoong purred a little louder, lips trailing over the skin of your neck and up to your jaw. “I don’t believe you.”

“W-Why not?” Your voice started to betray you.

“Come on,” he purred. “I know Seonghwa told you about it. He doesn’t realize how good my ears actually are.”

You tried to reach back through your groggy memories, your brain was still sleepy and didn’t want to work too hard. But he knew something, what had Seonghwa told you that would explain this? You knew there had to be something but your sleepy brain didn’t want to think or try to remember. Meanwhile the way he was gripping your hip and running his nose along your neck was only turning you on more.

“Did you forget?” His voice was not helping matters and you pressed your legs together again as another shiver of arousal ran through your body. Hongjoong let out a groan, ear flicking against your jaw and tail swishing across the covers. “Or are you playing dumb?”

You felt your face getting even hotter. You weren’t play dumb, at least not on purpose. Your brain was being taken over with lust and was already sleepy. A small squeal left your lips as Hongjoong shifted over you, his thigh pressing between your legs. His hands found yours and he laced his fingers with yours before pressing your hands into the bed. Your gaze met his and you finally took in the hunger and lust in his eyes.

“You know I can smell it, right?”

Heat rushed through your body and to your face as you realized. The embarrassment washed through you and yet, you still only felt more turned on. You tried to press your legs together again, ending up squeezing them around Hongjoong’s thigh as you finally tore your gaze away from his.

“I-I forgot,” you mumbled, squirming under him. The way his fingers were laced with yours was so sweet but the way he held them down was only making you feel hotter. Hongjoong let his head dip, purring and nuzzling his face into your neck before pressing a soft kiss to your skin.

“This is going to drive me nuts,” he murmured. “But I can leave you alone.” Your brain tried desperately to process everything through the ever increasing lust cloud but your body had a mind of its own. As Hongjoong started to pull back you squeezed his hands, not letting them go. He gave you a curious look, the ghost of a smirk on his lips.

“Do you want me to stay?”

You felt your face burning but you tried to let your words out before your brain caught up to them potentially being a bad idea. “I-I- You could? I-I mean I’m- um- and Seonghwa s-said you- it- that it’s harder i-if…”

A blush crept up Hongjoong’s cheeks and his tail flicked as his gaze dipped away from yours and he squirmed a little. “R-Right. Yeah it- uh- it’ll be a long day if I-” He shook his head. “Don’t worry about that. If that’s that only reason-”

“It’s not.” The words were just on their way out of your mouth on their own now. Hongjoong’s ears perked up and a smirk tugged at his lips.

“Did you dream about me?” He teased.

“N-No?!” You stuttered. “I-I- it was just- you- but- n-n-”

Hongjoong chuckled, pressing closer to you again, the tip of his nose pressed to yours. He was supposed to be the needy one, how was he making you flustered so fast?

“I think you did,” he murmured.

“I-I-”

“You can tell me. Don’t you think I should know if my roommate is having dirty dreams about me?” He teased.

“I-I It wasn’t- Why w-would I-” the heat on your body only rose as he moved, lips trailing lightly over your jaw before brushing against your ear.

“I mean if it wasn’t about me then I could just go,” he murmured. “I can leave you alone to get back to your dream world… if you don’t want the real thing.” He pulled his hands away from yours.

You gripped Hongjoong’s shirt strongly and whined at him. You heard his breathy chuckle in your ear as you pulled him a little closer, not wanting him to go but not wanting to admit that you wanted him to stay. You squeezed your eyes shut, only getting more embarrassed by your actions and more turned on at the same time.

“D-Don’t…” you couldn’t bring yourself to say what you wanted. A much louder whine tore itself from your lips as Hongjoong sat up, resting back on his heels. He smirked down at you, tail flicking curiously as he let his hands trail down your sides, moving them out of reach of yours when you tried to grab at them. You jutted out your bottom lip at him and he chuckled.

“If you want something you have to ask,” he teased. “Otherwise how will I know?”

The way the frustration twisted your gut somehow only turned you on even more. You squirmed a little under his gaze, trying to decide if you actually wanted to say anything while knowing full well that you didn’t want him to go anywhere, and if you said nothing he might just actually leave.

You reached out to him cutely. “Please?”

“Please, what?” He grinned.

Heat licked at your skin. “P-Please stay. I don’t…” your own embarrassment was trying to get the better of you and dropped your gaze from his as you trailed off. Hongjoong leaned down swiftly and started to leave kisses against your jaw, hands finding your waist.

“You don’t…?” he murmured.

“I-I don’t- I don’t want you to go,” you mumbled, arms wrapping around him.

Hongjoong lifted his face just enough to look at you, but his expression was sweeter, less smug. “Then I won’t go, I’d rather stay anyway.”

He finally leaned in, pressing a kiss to your lips. Your heart melted a little at how soft his kisses were. He was gentle in bringing his hips down against yours, rolling them slowly. You let out a little sigh against his lips, pulling him closer and letting your fingers play through his hair slowly. You would think by now you would be wide awake, but you still felt sleepy and his warmth and weight on top of you felt so nice.

Hongjoong slowly deepened the kisses, his tongue pressing cautiously against your bottom lip before moving into your mouth. You pulled him in even closer, one of your legs wrapping around him of its own accord. Hongjoong let out a small mewl which had your lips tugging into a grin as you tried not to giggle at him.

His hips ground down a little more strongly as your fingers moved through his hair. You brought them to the base of his ear and rubbed them gently, feeling the soft fur under your fingers.

Hongjoong let out whiny meow as he shuddered, dropping his face down against your neck. You grinned to yourself, still playing with him and feeling him squirm, his hips bucking against you as he tried to hold in his mewls, eventually flicking his ear away from your touch.

“Th-They’re sensitive,” he panted.

“I know,” you hummed. “Does it feel good?”

Hongjoong whined in response, keeping his face hidden against your skin. He cautiously flicked his ear back to find your hand again and you grinned, petting and scratching at the base of his ear again. He did his best to muffle his sounds against your skin, shifting so he was fully between your legs and rutting into you more quickly. 

Soft sighs fell from your own lips. You were getting needier by the second and you knew now that he could smell it. Your hips tried to roll and grind up to meet his movements, fingers moving a little faster and his own hips getting a little more sporadic. His whines were growing louder despite his effort until he flicked his ear away again, lifting his head to look at you. His face was all flushed, a cute rose tint on his cheeks.

“Can we- c-can I?”

“N-Not right away!” You stammered, internally wincing at how that would hurt.

Hongjoong went redder. “I know that,” he mumbled. “But can I- we- move on?”

You grinned a little shyly and nodded. From Seonghwa’s warning you were aware this could happen but you had somehow not really considered it until now. Somewhere in your mind you thought you would simply never get horny all winter and that would be the solution, not that you knew he was going to sleep in your bed or cuddle with you but still.

It was ever so slightly nerve wracking.

Hongjoong pressed kisses to your neck sweetly as his fingers found the waistband of your pajamas. You lifted your hips a little and let him pull them off along with your panties, pressing the side of your face into your pillow as your cheeks burned again until you felt Hongjoong’s lips on your jaw, coaxing you to turn your mouth towards him.

You did so slowly, letting his lips meet yours in much needier kisses. Still, his fingers were gentle as they trailed over your lower stomach and to the tops of your thighs. Slowly he coaxed your thighs apart with his fingers, rubbing soothing circles into your skin as he went, moving along the sensitive skin until you started you push your hips up towards his hand. You felt him smile against your lips.

“Do you want more?” He asked, his tone mostly sweet but a little teasing.

“Hongjoong,” you whined and he chuckled, dropping his lips next to your ear again. 

“I already admitted I want more,” this time his tone was much more sweet, almost bashful.

“Yes,” you mumbled quietly, “I-I want more.”

He pressed a kiss to your lips while his fingers finally moved where you wanted them, rubbing circles into your clit slowly. You moaned quietly into his kisses as your hips followed the flow of his fingers. Your arms wound around him, fingers tangling into his hair and holding him close as you kissed him and his ministrations only made you wetter.

The pleasure started to slowly build in your core. The grinding hadn’t been nearly enough friction and the movements of his fingers were much more welcome. Pleasure sparked from your core and curled through you, drawing heat through your body that had your kisses growing more feverish bit by bit.

Hongjoong kept shifting and moving, eventually starting to shift your thighs apart a little more. His lips drew away from yours but before you could look at him he dropped his face into your neck, though what you could see of the edges of his face was blushing.

“Can I grind against your thigh?” He mumbled quietly, fingers slowing down a little.

You let out a slight giggle. “Weren’t you already grinding on me?”

“Y-Yeah? I just- it…” You heard the confidence waver in his voice and you were quick to grab his cheeks and bring his face up to meet yours.

“Yes, you can,” you hummed before giving him a kiss and keeping him there. His skin was hot to the touch, no doubt from the blushing and it made you smile a little. It felt kind of nice to know you weren’t alone in the slight nerves you were feeling, even if excitement did override it. Hongjoong started to relax into your touch again. You heard his tail swishing against the sheets as his hips came down, rutting against your thigh.

Small mewls and moans fell from his lips, swallowed by your kisses as his hand traveled lower. Your legs opened wider instinctively as his fingers teased at your entrance, fingers tangled into his hair telling him you wanted more so your words didn’t have to. Your hips pressed up towards his hand, urging his fingers to dip inside you and you were a little thankful that he didn’t tease you and make you even more flustered.

A moan that you couldn’t muffle, even with kisses, fell from your lips as he sunk two fingers into your heat. Your hips rolled up against his fingers, urging them deeper as you tried to capture his lips in another kiss but he pulled back just a bit. When you opened your eyes you felt heat rush through your body and clenched around his fingers at the heated expression on his face.

Hongjoong bit down on his lower lip as he started to move his fingers. The movements themselves were a little sloppy and unsure but you were too wrapped up in the darkening of his gaze and the feeling of finally having something inside of your needy core to care. You felt your skin burning as he gazed at you, at once wanting to look away and wanting to keep watching him, taking in the way his eyes devoured your expression and watched your features start to twist in pleasure.

His hips moved more roughly against your thigh, almost as if chasing his own high as he curled and thrust his fingers into you. He was a quick learner, ears perking and twitching every time you moaned louder and trying to repeat the action as the pleasure grew inside of you.

His fingers moved a little faster and you felt your hips starting to buck up into his hand more, your body begging for more all on it’s own. He only slowed down a little to press a third finger in, stretching you out even more and quickly finding that heavenly spot inside of you to curl his fingers into again.

Your head fell back as the coil in your core twisted tighter and you got closer and closer to your release. You tried in vain to get his hand against your clit as well, growing more and more desperate for just that little bit more. Moans fell from your lips with less and less abashment every passing second. Your hands had fallen away from his body and were gripping the pillow under your head as your hips jolted and bucked up, chasing the sensation of his fingers and starting to clench around them more and more.

Hongjoong cursed under his breath and pulled his fingers from your core. It drew a whine from your lips as you blinked your eyes open to see Hongjoong sitting up. He slipped his fingers into his mouth and groaned, his eyes rolling back before closing as he started to shuffle out of his sweats with his other hand.

You held in your whines as you watched him, only feeling more heated at the sight as he licked and sucked your juices from his fingers. Your bottom lip caught between your teeth and you squirmed impatiently, wanting more with no desire to wait.

“Hongjoong,” you whimpered. his ears flicked towards you and you lost the words that were ready to leap off your tongue as he opened his eyes slowly, pure lust filling his gaze. A gasp left your lips as he pounced over you, gaze drinking you in. You pressed back into the mattress, feeling yourself dripping and clenching around nothing as his hands pulled at your shirt to get it off.

He dipped his head down and dragged his nose along the skin of your neck, breathing in deeply before letting out a groan. He shifted only to pull off his own shirt before settling between your legs. You let your head tilt back as he kissed slowly along your neck, hands coming up and fingers lacing with yours as you rolled his hips against you slowly and you let out a shaky breath. 

Hongjoong’s lips came up to brush against yours. “Please,” he moaned, his tail flicking in the edges of your vision.

You nodded as he pulled his face back just enough to look at you. One hand left yours, moving between your bodies. He kept his eyes on you and you felt your face burn as he pushed into you slowly, drawing a gasp from your lips. You felt your eyelids flutter but kept your gaze on him as he moved slowly, sinking deeper into you, panting harder than you were.

His hand came back to yours, fingers lacing with yours again as he rolled his hips in a slow, deep thrust. Your eyes fell closed as you let out a moan and Hongjoong’s face fell to your chest, ears tickling your chin. He let out low groans as he moved his hips, picking up speed more and more until he built to a steady pace.

Your moans mixed with his own noises in the hot air as the pleasure built more and more, bringing you to your edge but not quite falling over it. You felt the coil in your core curled incredibly tight, pleasure rushing through you from each thrust. Your hips moved with his as best they could as you gripped at his back and tried to hold him closer.

Small curses fell off Hongjoong’s lips as he moved even faster, starting to chase his own high as his lips kissed feverishly at your neck. Gasps and moans fell from your own lips and your legs tightened around his sides from the feelings, each wave of pleasure and the way he sucked harshly on your neck, leaving dark marks blossoming along your skin.

“Y-You feel s-so good,” his voice was unsteady and rough as he spoke as he came so close to being unravelled.

You answered him with moans and digging your fingers into his back, pulling him as close as you could. A series of “please” fell from your lips, your mind only focused on falling over that edge as you started to clench around him, thighs shaking.

Hongjoong let out a loud, beautiful mewl as he came, hips starting to a stop, much to your needy body’s chagrin. You clenched around him as he released inside you, his body trembling and his hands squeezing yours as he panted. You slowly caught your breath as he finished, his face coming up to meet yours and a puzzled expression coming over his when he saw your frown.

“What…” colour rushed to his face as he realized and he quickly hid his face again.

“I’m sorry,” he whined.

“It’s okay,” you sighed, pushing down your slight annoyance. “I can just-”

“N-No!” His face snapped up to look at yours but he winced at his own tone. “I-I mean- let me… please?”

 A smile tugged at your lips as you nodded to him. Hongjoong pulled out of you gently and his hands left yours as he started to kiss down your body. You met his gaze and found sweetness in his eyes, tail swishing as he kissed over your stomach and to your hips before settling between your legs. His lips found your thighs and the purring rumbling from his chest calmed you as he pressed kisses to your skin.

He bit his lip when he pulled back for a moment, looking at your core. You could feel his cum leaking out of you and heat rose through your body as he stared before he quietly murmured. “That’s so hot,” more to himself than you.

His tongue peeked out and he left a little lick along your core, and then another, each time gathering some of his own cum on his tongue. The licks each made you gasp, your body so sensitive, thighs already trembling and core clenching and pushing out more cum with each lick. 

Hongjoong moaned against your core, tongue curling into your heat more feverishly, taking in your juices mixing with his cum on his tongue. Your hand found a way to his hair and he gave you a sweet gaze as he lapped at you, not wanting to waste a drop. His hands gripped your thighs and you let out moans and shuddering breaths with each movement of his tongue.

Your eyelids grew heavy and your gaze hazy as you got so close to your release again. Your thighs pressed around his head as much as his hands would allow as pleasure tied tight in your core. Your grip in his hair got stronger as you held him against your core, “pleases” falling off your lips.

Hongjoong’s ears twitched against your hand, intently listening to your moans as his tongue dragged up over your clit. He started to lick at it quickly, drawing gasps from you as your hips started to buck up and he moved his arm to hold them down. Moans fell off his lips and vibrated through your core as his tongue moved quickly, finally drawing you over your edge.

You cried out, back arching off the bed as you came hard. Your thighs fully crashed in around his head and he let out a slight whimper at the way you pulled on his hair as the pleasure crashed through your body. You felt the sensation rush through you from your core to the tips of your fingers and toes as the feeling sucked you into calm bliss.

Hongjoong moved out from between your legs. He wiped his chin off before crawling on top of you and resting his head on your chest, the loudest purr you’d ever heard from him coming from his chest. He nuzzled his cheek into your skin as his ears flicked affectionately against your chin.

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

You giggled. “I’m the one who woke up all horny and made you horny.”

“Yeah but it’s not like you had to- w-well anyway- that was nice-”

“It sounds like it,” you rubbed your fingers in a small circle on his back over where his purr was coming from and he hid his face in your neck.

“Don’t make fun of my purring,” he whined.

“I’m not,” you chuckled, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “I’m really not. It sounds so nice. So comforting.” A yawn left your lips.

“Do you want to nap for a bit?” He mumbled, sounding hopeful.

“Yes please,” you murmured.

[criticallyacclaimedstranger]

Fic: Pepsi Raspberry

Fandom: Triple Frontier

Ship: Francisco “Catfish” Morales x Reader/you

Warnings: There's a fight and Reader's ex left her with some issues, but nothing super traumatic. Frankie is super cute (and a little needy). I just threw this together on a slow day at work, apologies in advance for errors.

Summary: You fight with Frankie. That's it that's the plot.

A/N: This was honestly supposed to be a piece about feminism and female independence in a relationship but I can't be trusted around Frankie, he totally bippity-boppity-booped me into forgivance. Dickhead. Also I struggled for two and a half hours with the title and that's why it's shit. I hate titles.

Words: 2,416

A loud noise wakes you up, your heart missing a beat. For a moment, you're completely still in bed, scared out of your mind. That was definitely the sound of the front door opening and closing, and someone crashing into a chair. You're as stiff as a board, your first thought being that this is it, this is how you'll die, by the hand of a home invader who's probably going to assault you first and then kill you, or maybe kidnap you and do god knows what to you…

You hear cursing and as you recognize the voice you also realize that if someone wanted to break in, they'd probably at least try to be stealthy about it.

"Frankie?" You mean for it to be a call but it's just a breathless whimper. You wet your lips, finding your mouth too dry.

Heavy, staggering footsteps bring the unknown visitor to the bedroom door and you reach out to turn on your bedside lamp. Blinking blearily towards the soft light is indeed Frankie, a sheepish smile on his face.

"The hell are you doing?" Your fright-induced stiffness leaving your body, you sit up in bed and glare at your boyfriend who was supposed to sleep at his own place tonight after his night out with the boys. His eyes are unfocused and his face shiny, and it's clearly been a good night. You glance at the nightstand, where the red light diodes of the clock tell you that the time is barely three am.

“Sorry, baby. Did I wake ya? There was… there was a chair in the entry. Did you move a chair? There never was a chair there before. Stubbed my toe.”

He limps over to the bed, trying to look as sober as possible while unbuttoning his shirt – “trying” being the operative word, as he’s clearly lost control of his fine motoric skills. He ends up pulling the flannel over his head, but it gets stuck, and he topples over his side of the bed. You draw back a little, wrinkling your nose. He smells of stale beer and cigarettes and moreover: he was supposed to go home. You had both agreed that you'd spend Saturday night apart for once, him catching up with his friends, you with yours, and he'd go home where he could spend Sunday nursing his hangover while you got some cleaning done in your apartment.

“What you are doing here?” you demand again, anger replacing fear. “Can I send you to the shower or will you drown?”

“I’m not a good swimmer,” Frankie acknowledges ruefully as he clumsily rolls over in bed and attempts the next step of getting undressed: undoing his fly and getting his tight jeans off. “Here, baby, gimme a hand, you’re so good at this…” “You deal with it yourself,” you say sternly, in no mood to help. The whole idea of spending one night apart was to get a good night’s sleep – something you rarely get in the same bed as Frankie as both of you are usually too voracious for each other to think about sleep – and for you not to have to worry about a hung-over boyfriend the following morning. On top of that, you’re furious with him for scaring the shit out of you by stumbling in at three in the morning. You almost regret giving him a key but then again: if he didn’t have one it could have been even worse, he could have gone full on Stanley Kowalski outside your window.

“Ah, baby, c’mon… Don’t be like that. Help an old man out.”

Frankie tilts his head up and looks at you with imploring eyes, upside down from you. Half of him is hanging outside the bed and the rest is slipping off, and he looks like he might fall asleep any second. You might as well help him before he goes limp and ends up on the floor.

“Jesus Christ,” you mutter and crawl over to his side of the bed before climbing out. As you bend over to pick up his legs and lift them onto the mattress, Frankie manages to slap your ass.

“Baby. Hey, baby. Let’s have sex.”

“Not gonna happen.”

You unzip his jeans and yank them down carelessly, pulling Frankie down the bed in the process.

“Whoa, wild thing,” he murmurs thickly, his eyes falling shut. “Careful of the joystick, you don’ wanna damage that or you won’ be able to fly anymore…”

You don’t bother with an answer, he’s not going to remember it anyway. You help him off with the t-shirt as well and when you’re about to tuck him in, he grabs you by your wrist with a move much quicker than you had thought him capable of in his state. He pulls you down over him, the other hand squeezing your ass.

“Sex,” he mumbles. “Love you, baby, and I wanna be in you fo’eva.”

You try to avoid the smelly, wet kisses that he keeps pressing to your neck and shoulder. While you can appreciate him being horny for you in any situation, you’re still mad about him being here at all.

“You need sleep and I want it,” you tell him as you squirm out of his hold. Returning to your side of bed, you ignore the puppy eyes look he gives you as you turn off the lights.

“Not sleepy,” Frankie protests weakly before he’s out cold. He starts to snore loudly and you sigh in exasperation.

You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me.

You barely sleep for the remainder of the night and when you finally give up and get out of bed, you're in a pissy mood. Not even two cups of coffee and the fancy bread rolls you bought at the bakery yesterday to treat yourself this Sunday morning make you feel better. You down a painkiller to combat the beginnings of the headache you feel creeping up on you before starting on your chore list. The clearing of the closets in the hall is the first task and you get to it, trying to find some satisfaction in the fact that you're getting your things in order.

As the hours pass by, you do your best to work around the tasks on your list that would generate noise, such as vacuuming. You may be pissed at Frankie but you're decent enough to let him sleep for a little while longer. However, you finally face the fact that if you're to get everything done in time for you to actually enjoy the rest of your day off and open that novel you've been dying to read, you're going to have to start the vacuum cleaer. If Frankie wanted to sleep until three pm he should have gone home.

When you turn off the vacuum cleaner, you hear Frankie groan in the bedroom.

“Babe?”

You're not really in the mood to talk to him but you go check on him, just in case he needs help to get to the bathroom. Nursing his hangover is the last thing you want to do today but you also don't want to clean up vomit.

He looks like a wreck with his hair standing out in every direction where it's not plastered to his skull, puffy eyes, and pale face.

“Morning.” Your tone is short but he doesn't seem to notice. He grunts and rubs his forehead with one hand, the other reaching out of bed towards you.

“C'mere. I wanna cuddle.”

“You smell,” you shake your head. “Get up already, I want to change the sheets.”

He groans again and retracts his arm, draping it over his forehead.

“One more minute. Or hour. It's so early and my head is killing me.”

“Not my problem, Frankie.”

Frowning, he looks at you, clearly bothered by the sunlight washing the room in light. You don't offer any explanations.

“Is there coffee?” he asks eventually.

“No.”

“Can you make some?”

“Make it yourself.”

He blinks at you, surprised.

“What's wrong, baby?”

You go to the other side of the bed, grab the pillow and start to take off the pillowcase.

“Just get out of bed. I have shit to do.”

Frankie sits up slowly, his head clearly bothering him when he moves from a horizontal recline to a vertical seat. He takes a moment, eyes closed and hand on his bare, soft stomach, before looking up at you.

“What's up with you?”

There's a hint of accusation in his voice and that does it for you. You slam down the pillow onto the bed and cross your arms in front of your chest as you glare at him.

“You scared the shit out of me last night, Frankie! I thought I was being burglared!”

“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you,” he mumbles, his apology meaning nothing to you because you can clearly see that he doesn't understand the terror you felt last night.

“We agreed that we'd spend the night apart, what the hell did you come here for and ruin my sleep and my morning?” you demand, raising your voice a little despite yourself. Frankie hates yelling. “Did you think I'd take care of you, tip-toe around you all day, serve you coffee in bed and junk food on the couch while you get to feel sorry for drinking too much?”

“What, no, what are you – “ Frankie seems utterly confused, the state of him most likely partly to blame. “Can you please keep your voice down?”

You pull at the duvet, stuck partly underneath him. “Move.”

“Jesus...” he mutters as he slowly gets out of bed. He stands still for a moment as if to recalibrate as he adjusts his boxers, before sluggishly dragging himself to the bathroom. You strip the bed and as soon as Frankie's out of the bathroom and heading into the kitchen, you take the sheets to the washing-machine and start it. And just because you're feeling like a bitch, you throw Frankie's clothes out of the bedroom, letting them land on the floor, before vacuuming.

When you're stowing away the vacuum cleaner into the cleaning closet, Frankie confronts you. He's now dressed but that doesn't help his half-dead appearance.

“Why are you being like this?” He's still struggling to understand you. It's typical Frankie: he always tries to talk about things, bring clarity into every issue.

“Like what? What am I like?"” You're being a brat, you know, but you have no desire to be an adult right now. Frankie really doesn't seem to understand: the frown seems permanently etched into his face and he looks so different from his usual soft, easy-going self.

“Mean. You're being mean!” The last word comes out harshly and you can tell Frankie's losing his customary cool.

“So when I have plans to spend a day apart from you and be my own person, I'm being mean?” you spit. He looks at you like you're suddenly speaking in a foreign language.

“What are you even talking about?” The exasperation is plain to see, and it somehow makes you even angrier.

“This isn't your mama's bed and breakfast that you can just check into whenever you feel like it, Frankie!”

“Fuck,” he mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I can't deal with this right now.” He pulls out his phone. “I'm getting an Uber.”

“Good!” you quip. “Fuck off home, like you should've done at three in the fucking morning!”

Without waiting for a reply, you stomp into the bedroom and slam the door. A few seconds later, you hear the front door slam as well.

[+++]

Sorry I showed up unannounced in the middle of the night. I just missed you. Didn’t want to go home and sleep without you. Call me, okay? I Love you.

You stare at the text message and feel bad, no, not bad: really fucking awful. It took you a few hours to calm down; hours that you spent playing angry music while finishing your list of chores. Afterwards, you didn’t feel that satisfying sense of accomplishment you usually experience after a good cleaning. Your head still hurt, so you went to your newly made bed which smelled fresh and nice even with the spread on top. You slept until late afternoon and woke up by the beep signaling the text.

You’re conflicted. The fact that he missed you is so sweet but there’s something about the statement that annoys you. He’s a grown-ass man, for chrissakes, and he should be able to be without his girlfriend for one single fucking night. And then guilting you into calling him with I-love-you’s and his fragile feelings? Fuck that noise.

And still. You know what Frankie’s like: physical, devoted, kind. He’s not like anyone you’ve ever been with. Not like your last boyfriend, who would pull shit like this all the time: show up at your place at all hours of the day (or night) whenever he wanted something from you. Sex. Comfort. Sympathy. Who would text and call you all the time when you were out with friends because he couldn’t find his way to the fridge without your help.

Reluctantly, you hit the speed dial button to Frankie, and he picks up almost immediately, saying your name with barely contained urgency.

“Hi,” you say quietly.

“Hi. You okay?” Such a Frankie thing to do, make sure you’re okay after a fight where, technically, he’s the injured party.

“Not really. You?”

“I’ve had worse.”

“You mean the hangover or this morning?”

You hear the smile in his voice. “Both, but I meant the hangover.”

You exhale in an amused little sniff.

“I’m sorry, Frankie. Do you… wanna come over?”

“I’d love to. Have you eaten?”

“No.”

“Neither have I. I’ll pick something up. Burgers from that place you like?”

Your stomach rumbles at the mention of burgers but you’re more concerned with the sudden tears that rise in your eyes. Oh, Frankie.

“That would be great,” you manage, wiping at your eyes. Get a fucking grip!

“Parmesan fries?” he queries, but all he gets from you is a sob. “Baby?”

“I love you,” you sniffle. “You’re the best.”

“Aww, babe. I love you, too.”

You draw a deep breath to calm down, a little embarrassed at your emotional outburst. It’s not like you, but it’s been a weird day.

“You still there?” he asks.

“Sure.”

“Pepsi Raspberry for you?”

You start crying.

[bakubabes-tatakae]

A/N: I hope you all enjoy part 1/4 of my pieces for day four of the anniversary collab for the @konoblog-simps​. You can find all the lovely pieces for the day here! Today’s theme was song pieces, and its full of angst. My heart broke after this piece. 😩 Izaya just deserves love. I’ll be spanning my four pieces throughout the next couple of hours so stay turned. You can find all the days of the collab here!

For the best experience listen to the song while reading the piece. The song title and artist have the link for he music video. 😊

Pairing: Izaya x fem!Reader

Song Choice: Without Me by Chvse

Warnings: alcohol consumption, angst, violence

Word Count: 1.7k

Izaya had never felt this kind of pain before. This man had been beaten senseless, stabbed, and everything in between, but nothing had ever really hurt him as much as heartbreak did. He had been the one to end things, but that was only because he didn’t want to put you in danger anymore. He didn’t want to be the thing that ended your life. But that didn’t stop the thoughts from roaming his head.

“And I don't want nobody else but you

You the girl in my dreams every night

You the reason that I let the sun come through”

You had been the best thing in his life, but he had let his life come in between that. He hadn’t wanted harm to come to you. But just that had happened. All this dealing with the Yakuza had made them take you hostage. They wanted to make him hurt.

So when he had finally gotten you back from them. When he had finally gotten you settled at home he had left, running away with nothing but a note on your nightstand. He couldnt’ bear to tell you to your face that you were better off without him.

You were in his dreams every night since then. Your face haunted every single thought that he had. He told himself day after day that he had to move on, but he couldn’t do that. He wanted you, nobody else.

His thoughts always went back to the countless mornings that you would wake up and roll over to tell him the same thing every time. “You’re the reason that I open those blinds every morning, Izaya.” You’d smile and climb over him, straddling his lap and pressing soft kisses to his cheek. “You’re the reason that I let the sun come through. You’re my light.”

Those words were on repeat in his head. He reached for the beer bottle on his coffee table and took a sip, tightening his grip around the bottle as he fought back the urge to let a tear loose.

“Girl, I'm sorry for the things that I've done

Always starting shit and put you in a dumb mood

Always pushing you away, but I pushed too hard

Now you're gone, what a dumb move

'Cause you're the person I'mma run to”

Izaya’s work had always gotten in the way of your relationship, but you had tried hard not to let that bother you. He knew how hard you tried to ignore it. That didn’t stop him from feeling horrible about it. He had tried to push you away some, despite how much he always regretted himself for it after. He wanted you to make the decision on your own.

He would get angry when you questioned him about when he was going to spend some time with you. He tried to understand where you came from, but his work was his life and he wanted nothing more than to succeed. He wanted to make a better life for not only himself but for you as well. He had gone about that wrong.

His anger would always put you in horrible moods. And when you had left him the first time he should have left you alone.

When you had finally decided that enough was enough he should have left it at that. But something inside him said that he had to have you back. He just couldn’t let you get away. He loved you too much.

You were always the person that he ran to when he needed help. You were the person that he always leaned on. And now you were gone.

“Look, I understand why you had to leave

'Cause I was treating you so bad, that your family

Could see through the fake smile that you had with me

I wish you didn't go, but also know you had to leave”

Izaya had heard the words that your family always spoke. He heard the conversations on the other line. You had been sure that the phone speaker wasn’t loud enough, but he heard them say that you needed to move on.

You would object to their statements. You always did, but he knew that deep down you would think for a long time about them.

They would say that you always seemed like the feelings you had weren’t real. They called your smiles fake and said that you only did them to fool the family. You only wanted them to think that you were truly happy.

Izaya wished that he hadn’t pushed you away that first time, but he knew that it needed to be done. He understood why you had left, but his heart wanted you to be with him.

“'Cause I was toxic, found a way to talk shit

Accusing you of things you didn't do, I know I'm not shit

So leaving me to better you, is better than the option

To stick around with me, I just hate that I caused it

I hate that I caused it”

Izaya had done nearly everything to push you away the first time. He was toxic. He was rude. He played every game he could think of. Izaya even went as far as accusing you of being unfaithful.

He claimed that you had found yourself in the arms of one of his enemies.

So you chose to leave. You told Izaya that you needed to better yourself. You needed to get away. You weren’t going anywhere or doing anything with your life being with him.

You were beginning to see that sticking around with him was the worst option.

He hated that he made you feel that way, but he couldn’t do anything about how he felt about himself. He hated that he had wanted to put you in that position. But you would have been better off without him.

“'Cause I don't wanna hurt you

But I know I will

And I'm looking for the reason

For the way I feel

I didn't wanna lose you

But if I'm being real

Then you're better off without me”

He could feel himself slipping away from you and that’s when he knew that he needed to do what he did. He knew that eventually he would hurt you worse than he had ever wanted too. Worse than just heartbreak.

But Izaya never truly understood why he felt that way. He didn’t know why he knew that he would hurt you. He just knew.

So in the note that he left you on your nightstand he said “You’re better off without me.”

And it was the worst thing he had ever written in his life. The worst thing he had ever said to someone. And he truly meant it. No one could change his mind. Your life meant more to him than his own.

“I never really fell in love until I met you

'Cause that day out at the cabin, I felt something special

3 a.m, vibing, drinking beer on the couch

Remember? I was scared to even cuddle with you”

Flashbacks of how you met filled his head, another swig from the beer bottle filled his throat. The small feeling of forgetting starting to take over. That’s all he wanted to do. These memories were too painful.

When you had come to the cabin with a couple of friends of his and they had introduced you, he hadn't expected to be obsessed. But he was.

Everyone had gone to sleep, the two of you had been the only ones left in the living room, and he had never been more nervous in his life.

You hadn’t hidden your attraction to him. You made it very obvious in the hours after you had met.

You had looked at the clock as you both drank the last of the beers that were sitting on the small coffee table. Three in the morning. The fire burned in the fireplace and your laughs filled the room.

Izaya couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this way. The last time he had truly felt love.

Izaya had never been as nervous as he was right now. He was normally the tough guy. He had never had a problem showing affection for a woman he liked. But you were different.

You noticed his hesitation and went in yourself. Before you could even stop yourself, your body moved. You straddled his hips and pushed him back into the couch. Your lips pressing together as Izaya placed his hands on your hips. His fear almost instantly watching away.

“My heart's breaking 'cause I love you and I miss you

I'm thinking about the times where I'd cuddle and I'd kiss you

But I understand that I got a lot of issues

I just hope you know that it ain't easy to forget you”

Izaya shook his head, trying to get the memory to leave him. “Fuck.” He grasped the bottle tighter in his hand and down the last swig. “I miss her.”

Before he even realized what was happening the bottle soared from his hand, a scream leaving him at the same time.

A light switched on in the hallway and a figure appeared in the doorway of the living room. Namie had a sleepy, puzzled look on her face as she checked on her boss. “Izaya?”

Izaya rubbed his eyes and gave her a weak smile. “Everything’s fine Namie. Go back to bed.”

She gave him a worried look before turning back to head to her room. She knew better than to push Izaya when he was like this.

“I just-“ His voice was a whisper as he picked up his phone. He didn’t want to say anything else and have Namie come back out.

Izaya opened his messages, his finger instinctively finding your name and typed out a message he had never meant to send. Alcohol made him hit that button and made him throw his phone across the room after.

So when your phone lit up and you opened the message, your heart broke for him.

Izaya 💞 2:36am

I miss you so fucking much.

Taglist: @monic00l​ @strangeinternetwasteland​ @rowley-with-ackerman​ @kyu-pine​ @ellechanwrites​ @bonnisimpparker​ @impinthecloset​ @nikiniki743​

©bakubabes-hatake’s original content, please do not repost/modify without my permission

[13uswntimagines]

Prank Your Way Into My Heart (Alex Morgan x Reader)

Request: @Androgynousmoneyflowervoid: Alex Morgan is mean because she is scared of her feelings for the reader and reader thinks Alex hates her. Reader confronts Alex and they get into a fight and Alex tells the reader that she had feelings for her.

Pranks were a massive part of the USWNT culture. You had known that going in. You had accepted that you were most likely going to be the target of many of the team’s shenanigans because everyone liked to pick on the newbie. The baby, the rookie of the team as they had taken to calling you. To your surprise, the team had pretty much welcomed you with open arms. Krashlyn immediately taking you under their wing, and the youngins accepting you into their group with little fuss. 

Everyone seemed to like you. Everyone except Alex. It was like she had made it her personal duty to make your life a living hell. You took the first few pranks on the chin, smiling along with the rest of the team when you walked into your shared room after practice to find it plastered with sticky notes. Or when you woke up for practice only to be trapped in your bed by thousands of cups half-filled with water. Or when she had saran wrapped all of the pieces of your soccer kit. 

The pranks had been harmless, and in the beginning, you thought that it was just a tradition for a singular veteran to mess with their rookie, but then the pranks didn’t stop. You didn’t mind at first. You might have even secretly enjoyed the way Alex’s dimples looked after one of her tricks on you. Or how her cackle filled the room. You hadn’t minded being the butt of the joke if you got to hear that giggle. She was fucking gorgeous, and you may have had a tiny (massive) crush on the forward since before you even joined the team. The problem though was that the pranks hadn’t stopped. No, they seemed to be getting worse, and today you were truly not in the mood to deal with this shit. 

Team practice hadn’t gone well for you. You just couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm. You were groggy from being woken up at 3 am by your roommate Alex’s brilliant idea to dump ice water on you, and your sleepiness made it laughably easy for Emily to defend all of your attacks on goal. Your passes were sloppy and not even Lindsey’s jokes could lift your grumpy mood. You were incredibly relieved when Vlatko called practice and released you to all go change in the locker room. All you wanted to was to get back to the hotel and go to sleep. 

You ripped your soaked tank top over your head, tossing it on the bench beside you, and began digging through your bag in search of your favorite sweatshirt in hopes that it would provide some of the comfort that you were desperately craving. You groaned when you realized that it was missing. You dropped the bag, whipping around and glaring at the blue-eyed woman who was already smirking at you from across the room. 

“Ok, where the fuck is my shirt?” You growled, marching over to Alex. Her Cheshire cat-like smile widened at your rage, her eyes shining in the most hypnotizing way. 

“Why are you asking me, rookie?” She shrugged, bringing both of her hands up behind her head and stretching out her legs. God, she was enjoying the way your abs flexed with each annoyed breath you took. 

“Because you’re the only one who can’t seem to stop messing with my stuff,” You spat back, pointing your finger in her face. Her eyes left yours and shifted to the way your bicep was put on display with each angry jab of your finger. 

“What can’t take a joke?” She laughed, wiggling her eyebrows, proud that she could get this far under your skin. Sure there were more… pleasurable ways, but your adorable angry face made her hesitant to stop. That and the fact that you were almost 10 years younger than her. If she couldn’t have you the way that she wanted, well, this was a good substitute. 

“Not when I’m the only one who’s getting messed with,” You scowled, taking a step closer to the woman with each word until your finger is planted firmly in her chest. You try not to think about how her heart feels hammering against your finger, or how good she smells. You’re supposed to be angry, outraged. 

“Slow down kid. Why don’t you go shower first? By the time you get out, I’m sure your clothes will have turned up,” Ashlyn intervenes, appearing out of nowhere to wrap an arm around your middle and pull you away from Alex, who looks more amused than afraid. You weren’t known for being a hothead, but none of the girls had ever seen you get so pissed off. 

“No. Last time I showered in the locker room, someone dumped ice on me, and the time before that she doused my favorite sweats in paint. All I want is my shirt so I can get on the freaking bus,” You snarled, shoving your self-appointed team mom’s arm away from you. Alex didn’t want you here, that much was obvious. But you were here none the less and didn’t understand why she couldn’t just leave you the fuck alone. 

“I told you that I don’t have it,” She smirked, showing off her dimples as she raised her hands in innocence. She really didn’t have it, not anymore. It wasn’t her fault that you were generous enough to… donate it to a few of the kids who had snuck into the stadium to watch the practice. You lunged at the woman, the angry words coming out of your mouth as garbled gibberish, only to be stopped again by Ashlyn’s arm. 

“Alright, I think that’s enough. Take mine, and go get on the bus, and you stay away from her,” Ali said, with authority, stepping in between your very angry form and Alex’s laughing body. You struggled for a few more seconds, the team watching as frustrated tears left your eyes before you finally went limp. You shrugged Ashlyn’s arm off, pulling on the shirt Tobin offered you and huffed out the door. 

The room was silent, most of your team shocked by your outburst. You were usually like a little ray of sunshine, always smiling and laughing. They had never seen you so angry. Alex’s eyes were glazed over, staring into space. Who the fuck gave you the right to look so hot and adorable at the same time when you were pissed?

“You know, I think you’d have better luck if you just told her how you felt instead of acting like a middle school boy,” Kelley said after a few minutes, settling down beside the star forward and pulling her out of her thoughts. She sighed. She didn’t like that she had hurt you, but finally admitting her feelings for you was too terrifying to even consider. Yes, she was acting like a child, but having you this way was better than having you avoid her because she freaked you out. Was it healthy to push you away to avoid rejection? No. But if she never told you how she felt, then you could never turn her down. 

“But she’s so cute when she’s mad, and have you seen those abs,” Alex murmured, biting her lip. Kelley shook her head. How oblivious could two people be? The two of you were always sharing longing glances, and you kept trying to be Alex’s friend, despite her horrible treatment of you. You both stared at each other like lovesick puppies, and she was tired of you getting hurt. 

“I’m sure she’d willingly show them to you if you asked, rather than destroy her property,” Kelley grumbled, and the rest of the room snorted. Just because the two of you were oblivious to each other didn’t mean the rest of the team followed suit. If they could just convince Alex to get over her hesitance due to the age issue, or the fear of rejection, then the entire team dynamic would be better off. They really needed to get rid of the sexual tension that followed the two of you as it was always a bit distracting.

“Hm…” Alex hummed back noncommittally. Why would you pick her over someone like Mal, or Emily or any one of the other youngins you were always hanging with? In her mind you wouldn’t, and why would she need to tell you about her feelings if the plan was already set into place for her to see your abs again. The team shared worried looks, knowing what Alex’s demeanor meant, they could only hope that it wasn’t as bad as the time she had turned all of your t-shirts into crop tops.  

*****

They would find out exactly what she had done not even two hours later. Most of the team was gathered in the conference room munching on whatever food the staff had put out for them. They hoped that excitement for the day was done, but Alex’s smirk and the bouncing of her leg told them that it wasn’t.

You had avoided everyone when you arrived at the hotel, longing for a hot shower and a good nap before you had to deal with the fallout of your outburst. Everything had been going fine until you caught a glance at yourself in the steamy mirror. Your normal Y/H/C was far from its normal shade. 

“What the actual fuck Alex,” You yelled, slamming open the dining-room door, and storming up the women in question. She took in your very angry, very wet form staring down at her clad in nothing but a sports bra and some basketball shorts. She could only assume that you had seen your hair before you had the chance to put on a shirt. 

“How do you know that it was me?” She smiled up innocently at you, biting her lip at the fact that your abs (which just happened to have little water droplets dripping down them) were mere inches from her face. 

“Because who the fuck else would think dying my hair pink was a good idea, and you’re the only one that had the other key to our room” You spat, clacking your teeth and lifting a strand of the hair in question.

“Well, you did say that you needed to liven it up a little bit,” She shrugged. Maybe it was more of the fact that she had thought you would look better in pink, the same shade of pink as her favorite pre-wrap. At least she hadn’t been wrong. 

“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” You glowered, running a frustrated hand through you now ruined hair. You had wanted to do something cool, like different shades of blue and teal, but now you looked like a fucking flamingo. 

“Mmm, did I?” She challenged and her interest peaking as you turned your glare to the floor. It seemed that all Alex wanted was to humiliate you in front of the world, and now she had gotten her wish. You shook your head, it was fine when the pranks were kept within the team, but this was so much farther beyond that. There would be no way for you to hide this from the media, and you weren’t looking forward to their mean comments. 

“You know what, I don’t know what your fucking problem is with me, but I’m sick of you fucking picking on me,” You growled, channeling your frustration and raising to your full height. She may never feel the way you felt about her, but that didn’t give her the right to be an asshole.  

“I don’t have a problem,” She denied, but the gloating smile on her face told you differently. 

“I’d beg to differ. What did I ever do to you to make you fucking hate me?” You finally broke, unable to hold back your frustrated tears any longer. You opened your mouth to speak, but no words would come out. Your fingers tugged roughly at your hair. 

“I don’t hate you Y/n,” Alex said softly, her joyful demeanor crumbling, her shoulders slumping. She hadn’t meant to push this far, it had just been so hard to stop. 

“Do you just think I’m not good enough? I swear that I won’t bring the team down. I can get-” You started to ramble, your tears making it very difficult to understand what you were saying. You were so caught up in your thoughts that you failed to notice the soft hands gripping your shoulders or the fact that Alex’s face was getting very close to your own. 

Her lips touched yours midway through your self deprecating rant, your eyes growing wide when her soft flesh touched your own, before slamming shut and remembering that it was probably a good idea to kiss her back. And you did. Your lips moved in harmony, a symphony of fireworks exploding behind your eyes.

You had dreamed of this moment for as long as you would remember, praying that one day you would finally be given the chance to fight for the woman’s heart. You had all but given up hope that she felt the way you did, but with her tongue gently probing your bottom lip, you couldn’t help the butterflies that filled your chest. Her hands migrated from your shoulders to the baby hairs at the back of your neck, pulling your closer, while yours found the curve of her hips. 

Air became an issue within seconds, and you reluctantly pulled away, taking in large gulping breaths, and instead of taking a step back, Alex followed you, connecting your foreheads. 

“What?” You asked breathlessly, trying to ignore both the loud wolf whistles of your teammates and the heat from your blushing cheeks. 

“I’m was being an ass, and I’m sorry,” “It’s just, I didn’t know how to tell you. You’re just so young, and to be honest, the way you make me feel scares the crap out of me,” She confessed, and you could see the honesty and insecurity in her bright blue eyes. You placed a sweet kiss on her lips, realizing that you were slowly becoming addicted to them. 

“So you thought it was better to push me away then to tell me that you liked me?” It was your turn to smirk at her. 

“It’s not an excuse. I’m so sorry that I hurt you, and if you hated me, I would understand,” She mumbled, leaning peck your lips this time, and you huffed. 

“I don’t hate you. I’ve actually had a crush on you for the longest time…” You giggled, pinching the skin that was exposed by her shirt riding up. You would never admit it, but you had plastered your walls with posters of the women’s national team growing up, and you may or may not have had a propensity doodle your favorite players number all over all of your notebooks. 

“Hmm,” Alex hummed against your lips, wondering exactly how long ‘the longest time’ was, and thanking her lucky stars that she hadn’t entirely fucked up her chances with you. 

“Does this mean you’ll stop messing with me,” You whined, pulling away from her face and burying your nose in her neck. 

“As long as I don’t have to steal your stuff anymore to see those abs,” She giggled at your adorableness, running her hands through your newly pink hair. You sighed in contentment into her neck. 

“Why don’t you buy me dinner first,” You muttered sarcastically raising your eyebrow and, leaning back to finally look her in the eyes. 

“I think that can be arranged,” She shot you a wide smile, her cheeks turning blood red when your teammates started cheering again, bantering about how you two finally got your shit together. 

“I can’t believe Alex basically pranked her way into your pants,’ Kelley snorted after a few minutes, and you couldn’t help the cackle that left your lips. You were smooth, but no one was smoother than Alex. Hopefully, she could woo you as well as she could prank you.

[xxdragonwriterxx]

🔥I’m Done Playing Games So I’m Going Down in Flames (Mafia AU)🔥

A/N: Okay so I’ve been reading  a lot of Mafia AU’s lately and now I’m obsessed. I’ve always loved this AU but some amazing recent fics have revived my soft spot for them so I decided to give a shot at my own! If you want some absolutely top notch Mafia AU Levi fics to read, go read the stuff from @mysteriousmagicx​  and  @ackermans-freedom-inc​! They both have fantastic work all around and inspire me all the time. Thanks for the support and enjoy!

🐉 Song Recommendation: “The Search” By: NF 🐉

~~~

‘Damn, she’s still working isn’t she?’ Levi thought as he looked up from the crime thriller he’d been reading, his brow furrowed as he glared at the closed door of their bedroom, waiting for his girlfriend to finally come to bed with him.

He glanced at the clock and sighed when the little red numbers told him it was already 3 AM. While he greatly admired his girlfriend’s work ethic and stamina, always getting everything done efficiently, he also hated it. She tended to let her responsibilities take over her life, working until she collapsed and neglecting to take care of herself until every project was done for the day, which unfortunately, always seemed like a never ending list.

Levi got up, determined to get her to relax, even if he had to force her to. He was worried about her, her boss dumping way more work than usual on (Y/N) as the company she worked for struggled to overcome a recent financial obstacle. He knew it was important to her, and he definitely didn’t want her to lose her job, but this was the sixth night in a row in which she hadn’t slept more than an hour or two and it was starting to get on his nerves. 

He missed having her warm presence in bed with him, lulling him to sleep when his insomnia normally troubled him until the early morning hours. He missed waking up to her sleepy smile and half-lidded eyes, her gaze filled with love as she gave him his good morning kiss. He missed seeing her bright eyes and energized personality, going on runs with him or laughing as she cooked something mouthwatering in the kitchen. Now, (Y/N) could barely do more than give him a tired kiss on the cheek when she trudged home from the office before collapsing on the couch in a desperate attempt to catch up on sleep, only to wake up an hour later to continue her grueling assignments.

Slipping into the hallway, Levi padded quietly through the dark until he reached her office door, the golden light spilling out from underneath it and the sound of clacking computer keys floating through the wood. Raising his fist to the door, Levi knocked three times and waited as the sound of typing faltered only to be replaced by the sound of her chair scraping along the wood floor.

When (Y/N) opened the door, Levi had to stop himself from wincing. She looked absolutely drained. Her skin was paler than usual, almost sickly in the golden light, her cheeks were sunken in a little, her cheekbones protruding from her face as if someone was stretching her skin, and dark circles made her look as if she had been punched, displaying her exhaustion under her eyes clearly for anyone to see.

“Hey, Levi, I’m almost done, okay? Then I’ll come to bed, I promise,” (Y/N) said with a tired smile, fighting back a yawn, not even needing him to speak to know why he was here.

“(Y/N), you look like shit,” Levi said.

(Y/N) smiled wider at his blunt response and shook her head at him with a chuckle. “Thanks, Levi, I try.”

“I’m serious,” he said. “You look so tired I don’t even know if you’re really awake. You could be sleep walking for all I know.”

“I know,” (Y/N) sighed. “But I have to finish these reports before tomorrow, otherwise my boss will kill me. Why don’t you go back to bed? Try to get some sleep? I’ll meet you there soon, I promise.”

“Join me in twenty minutes. If you’re not done by then, I’m dragging you there and tying you to the bed.”

“Oh, how forward,” (Y/N) teased.

“I mean it, I’m not letting you kill yourself over work. You need to sleep and if that means forcing you to relax, then that’s what I’ll do.”

(Y/N) nodded, her shoulders slumping as she made her way back to her desk. She knew she needed to go to bed, and she wanted more than anything to snuggle up to Levi and let his warm protectiveness lull her to sleep, but she also wanted to make sure she had done the most she could possibly do before she retired for the night.

Settling back into her desk chair, (Y/N) almost felt like crying in frustration as she woke her computer up again, envying the damn machine for getting more shut eye than her. She could feel Levi watching her from where he was leaning against the doorframe, his intense gaze burning into her back, but she ignored the urge to cave and started typing again.

After a few moments, Levi eventually left again, closing the door behind him as he mumbled something about keeping his promise of dragging her away. (Y/N) smiled despite herself at her boyfriend’s antics, his love and concern for her giving her the strength to keep working.

________________________________

Levi scowled at (Y/N) over the rim of his tea cup, frowning at the dead look in her eyes. He had eventually gotten her to come to their room the night before, but he knew she had tossed and turned for a significant portion of the night, thoughts about her job and the stress that came with it, keeping her up.

He wanted desperately to help her with it, to maybe even take some of her workload for her so she could finally get some damn rest. But he didn’t know anything about budgets and profits and organizing trade deals. (Y/N) worked for a company as their assistant manager, making sure everything ran smoothly and handling the organizational parts of running a business, which was where the majority of her work came from. His annoyed growl made her glance up at him, the low noise snapping her out of her zoned out state.

“Everything alright, Levi?” (Y/N) asked sweetly, blinking a few times and digging into the bacon and eggs in front of her in an attempt to wake herself up more.

“No, it’s not. You’re working too hard and I’m worried about you.”

“I know,” (Y/N) said softly, her fork dropping to hang limply from her fingertips so she could twirl it on the edge of the plate. “But unfortunately we are going through a rough patch right now in the company, so I’ve been having to work double time to make sure things get back up to speed. Assuming it gets better, I’ll be able to relax more when things calm down. My boss is just panicking at the moment, so I’ve needed to step up to provide her the support she needs to get us through this, which means extra hours.”

Levi knew what she said made sense, but he still couldn’t help being unhappy about it. He missed when (Y/N) was lively and bright-eyed, telling him about her day and giving him the affection he pretended to find annoying. Hugging him, kissing him, combing through his hair with her fingers, and smiling because she knew he loved it anyway. Grunting in acknowledgement, Levi took another sip of his tea before reaching for a strip of bacon, attempting to ignore the unusual silence that filled the house.

Levi wished he could be there to support her more. She obviously wasn’t taking care of herself, and he wanted nothing more than to pull her back to bed and snuggle with her, ignoring her protests as she only put in half the effort to escape from his warm embrace and go back to work. But he too had work that day and didn’t have time to slide back into bed with (Y/N), no matter how tempting that may sound. As if someone was reading his mind, his phone rang and when he looked at the number, he nodded to (Y/N).

She nodded back. She knew when he nodded to her that it was a work related call for him. She watched as he stood from the table and made his way into the other room, his voice echoing back as he told the person on the other line to stay on target until he got there. Standing up, (Y/N) put away their dishes as Levi hung up and made his way to the door, grabbing his jacket on the way out.

(Y/N) gave Levi a quick hug and a sweet kiss on the lips right before he walked out the door, waving to him as he made his way to his sleek black car and drove off. She watched until he was nothing more than a black speck in the distance before shutting the door and immediately heading back to her office to finish her work.

___________________________________

Levi was sitting on the couch, his hands clasped together with his elbows on his knees as he poured over the papers on the glass coffee table at his estate, his eyes narrowing on the text.

“Fucking idiot. At this rate, we’ll have no choice but to face him,” Levi muttered angrily, glaring at the photos and documents in front of him.

Erwin sighed from the arm chair across from Levi, his fingers reaching up to rub at his temples where a headache was starting to build. “I know, but you know he won’t stop, not until he gets what he wants. If we keep dodging this, it could lead to some major territorial issues, should another group decide we are being too lax with our borders. We need to put an end to this, right now, before it gets even worse.”

“But doing so will put us in the spotlight, Erwin,” Levi countered. “You know as well as I do that, although being famous in the criminal underbelly has its perks, being well known outside of that bubble can be detrimental. If we go through with what Zeke Yeager is requesting, we will be completely exposed; to the media, to the public, to the police. It’ll be a slaughter, and we’ll have to give up our territory anyway.”

“I know,” Erwin muttered, slouching in his chair. “But we have a similar outcome if we don’t follow through with his demands. He’s got us cornered, and he is obviously willing to go to any length to make sure we cooperate.”

Levi growled and glared at the photos again, the images making his heart pound. While he was alarmed at the sight of them, he was not surprised that the photos were of (Y/N). He had tried his very best to keep her out of his mess, to keep her bright light from being swallowed by the darkness he ruled, but he knew realistically that there was no guaranteed way to keep her safe. Alongside the photos of (Y/N) were also photos of Erwin’s lover Emily, her smile beaming as she took a walk on a beach or had a lunch date with (Y/N), the two of them having been friends since high school.

He hated to admit it but the photos were proof. Both he and Erwin were most definitely cornered, Zeke taunting the two powerful mafia bosses with the safety and survival of their respective lovers as if it were a game. Levi wished he were strong enough to fight against Zeke, to come off as unaffected, but he wouldn’t risk (Y/N) for anything. No matter what happened, if it guaranteed her life and safety, he would comply. He supposed that made him seem weak, something that would’ve made his past self scoff in disgust, but he couldn’t change how she made him feel and how unconditionally he loved her. If protecting her meant the end of him, either as a mafia boss or in life, then so be it.

______________________________

Levi didn’t let himself regret anything as he shouldered on his jacket, his eyes roving over the things he’d laid out on the bed in preparation for this meeting. He knew he should probably be trying to think of ways to outsmart the rival mafia leader, finding ways to kill him and continue expanding like he had been doing for the past several years. But as he packed the few things from the estate he thought he would need, his thoughts were only focused on his gorgeous lover, her warm smile and contagious laughter filling his senses.

He sighed. He knew she wouldn’t understand, and he feared she would do something rash in response. But he trusted Hanji, the only one he had told about this meeting aside from Erwin, to keep her safe for him. He tried not to think about it too much, what (Y/N) might do when she found out about what was about to happen. She had left early for work that morning, giving him the perfect opportunity to write her a lengthy letter telling her how much he loved her and how none of it was her fault. He knew the letter was far from adequate in explaining everything to his beloved girlfriend, but it would have to do.

Strapping a single small pistol to his belt, Levi gave his room one last glance before pushing through the door, nodding to his members as he passed them in the hallways. All of their expressions were grim, all of them knowing the same thing. Today would be Levi’s last. While nobody said anything to their leader, their hearts were heavy as they watched him leave. Despite what they did for a living, Levi was well known amongst his subordinates for caring for them in his own way, always protecting them the best he possibly could and offering council when necessary.

Levi could feel their eyes on him but he spared none of them a glance aside from the occasional nod or slight wave. He didn’t stop to talk to anyone, even Erwin, who he’d convinced to stay behind to protect the estate, just in case Zeke used this as an opportunity to take over the powerful crime syndicate. Levi was willing to give up his life to protect (Y/N), but that didn’t mean he was willing to wave a white flag either, refusing to bow to this cowardly piece of shit just because of his threats. 

Levi pushed through the glossy wooden front doors and slipped into his car without looking back, only looking up to give his driver the address Zeke had given him after a brief interaction over the phone. The sleek black car pulled out of the drive and picked up speed after sliding through the large open gate, the passing trees flashing by in a blur. Levi looked out the window for a minute, his silver eyes taking in the beauty of nature for what he assumed to be the last time, the sun glinting through the leaves of the trees to dapple his lap with sunspots. He saw rolling hills and glittering streams and children playing in the park, their laughter echoing temporarily in his ears before the speed at which they were moving snatched the sound away. He saw a big dog chasing a ball and immediately thought of (Y/N), quickly swallowing the sudden lump that formed in his throat. 

She had always wanted a dog. The two of them had lived together for long enough that they had started to talk about it, but Levi had always shied from the idea, not excited in the least about having a messy, loud animal in the house with them. (Y/N) had teased him but had never pushed the issue, aside from the one time she had offered to get him a cat if he got her a dog, shoving down her disappointment and respecting his wishes for cleanliness. Little did she know, despite his attitude, he had secretly been excited to share something like that with her, wanting nothing more than to see her beaming smile as they picked a furry friend to love together. He wished he had done something like that with her sooner. Now, she was going to be in that house all by herself, with nobody to keep her company or help her process her grief. 

His heart tightened and he looked away from the window, his eyes trained on his lap as he focused on his breathing. He never expected to feel this way, like he was drowning. He never expected to fear his lover’s reaction to his death more than the death itself, although he surmised he shouldn’t have been surprised, he had always valued her welfare over his own.

“We will take good care of her, sir,” Mikasa said from behind the wheel, her eyes trained on the road as she continued to drive steadily to their destination, making Levi look up in surprise. Mikasa had always been a loyal member of his group, but he had continuously butted heads with his cousin over her obsessive compulsion to protect her boyfriend, Eren, another member of the syndicate. He had never expected her to care about (Y/N) or him, nor to even notice that (Y/N) was the origin of his turmoil.

His eyes lowered back down onto his lap and he swallowed hard. “Thank you.”

Mikasa shrugged in response but he could tell it wasn’t as nonchalant as she was trying to make it look, her shoulders tense and her hands gripping the steering wheel a bit harder than normal. Silence filled the car again as Levi went back to thinking about (Y/N), even pulling out his phone to look down at a beautiful picture of her, one where she was smiling at him while at the beach, wearing an adorable bikini and holding her sunhat to her head to keep the wind from blowing it off while the ocean waves crashed behind her. She looked so happy, her smile making his heart flutter and his stomach churn just as it always did when he saw her.

All too soon, Mikasa had pulled onto a cleverly hidden gravel drive and parked in front of an old abandoned warehouse. His heart was thundering in his ears as soon as the purring of the engine cut off. Levi took a deep breath and opened the car door, slipping out while Mikasa stared straight ahead, her breathing labored as she fought against the surprising appearance of tears springing to her eyes.

As soon as Levi shut the car door, Mikasa restarted the vehicle and put it into reverse, her eyes meeting Levi’s briefly as she crawled back onto the street before she sped away, Levi standing in the drive until the sound of his car had given way to silence. With Mikasa gone, Levi was able to release his shaky breath, his eyes scanning the beautiful forest he was standing in, the trees arching high and protecting the land below with thick canopies that blocked most of the harsh sunlight from the flourishing foliage, giving the forest floor a beautiful spotted look, the sun winking at him from the space between the leaves.

It was time. Taking in his surroundings one last time with an appreciative deep breath of the warm pine smell he and (Y/N) both loved, Levi headed into the warehouse.

“Good bye, (Y/N). I love you.”

_______________________________

Zeke was grinning so wide his cheeks ached as the door to the warehouse opened, revealing a very angry Levi Ackerman. The Torva Messor. The Grim Reaper. He had never expected in his entire life that he would be able to get rid of one of the most dangerous mafia bosses in the world so easily. It was almost laughable, how quickly Levi had submitted to Zeke after he had threatened his lover.

It had taken years to find Levi’s weak spot, the man always just out of reach and seemingly untouchable with no family or friends to speak of that weren’t already in his gang. Zeke and his men had spent countless hours searching for a crack in Levi’s impenetrable armor, some of them even leaving to find a new boss, claiming Zeke’s obsession with the raven-haired man was both unhealthy and futile.

But Zeke had never given up, always waiting patiently for the one day when he would find something, and everything would fall into place. He was determined, and had no doubt in his mind that a day such as this would come eventually. Despite the skeptical nature of his followers, he never lost that spark of hope that he knew would one day lead him to power unlike any other.

The day he had discovered (Y/N), he had thought he was dreaming. It couldn’t be that simple. A lover? Levi would never take one of those, always too busy and too cold-hearted to even think about love. He was a mafia boss for fucks sake, how the hell was he supposed to juggle a lover at the same time? But against all odds, Zeke found it to be true when he tracked her and found her with him, the two of them sharing loving embraces and playing off of each other smoothly. It was then that Zeke realized he had finally found his opening, the crack in Levi’s armor where he knew his arrow would strike home, and just as he had expected, the most feared man in the criminal underbelly had yielded immediately.

“Well, well, well,” Zeke cooed as he pushed away from the wall he’d been leaning against when Levi came in. “If it isn’t the man of the hour! Welcome, welcome, Levi!”

Levi gave a nearly inhuman growl in response and walked to the center of the warehouse before stopping, his eyes never leaving the bearded man in the room with him.

“Jesus, where did you learn your manners? Do you speak to (Y/N) that way, hmm?”

“Don’t say her name you filthy cock-sucking bastard,” Levi snarled.

“What are you going to do about it?” Zeke taunted, pulling a gun from his holster. “Shoot me? Call in your cronies and have me violently killed?”

Levi stayed silent, knowing that one wrong step could render this entire mission pointless. Unfortunately, (Y/N)’s life still rested securely in Zeke’s grasp. If he wished, he could send his men to find and kill her in the worst way possible. He might even be sadistic enough to force Levi to watch.

“That’s what I thought,” Zeke practically purred, coming right up to Levi and running the gun from the shorter man’s temple down to his side before moving in front of the shorter man and placing the muzzle of the gun directly over Levi’s heart.

Levi swallowed thickly once, the only sign that he was even remotely concerned, his eyes remaining clear and narrowed on Zeke’s gleeful face.

“Goodbye, Great Torva Messor, may your death bring about a better world.”

Levi closed his eyes and thought of (Y/N), her bright, happy face floating through his mind one last time before the sound of the gun going off blasted through the warehouse. It wasn’t what Levi was expecting, surprisingly painless as he felt himself falling backwards.

_______________________________

A scream had his eyes shooting open, his mind frazzled as he found himself on the floor but with no bullet wound. He pawed at his chest in confusion, almost as if the wound was hiding from him, the blood waiting to bloom under his shirt until he uncovered it. But he found nothing, his chest solid and whole, his heart hammering loudly in his chest.

He wasn’t dead.

Quickly looking around, Levi found Zeke on the ground facing him, his jaw slack and his eyes glazed in death, his hand still clutched around his own heart and covered in blood.

“What the fuck-”

A quiet groan made him look up, and his eyes widened at the figure crumpled to the floor, their hand clutching their side as blood seeped between their fingers, their hair curtaining her expression.

“(Y/N)!!! HOLY SHIT!!!” Levi didn’t hesitate to scramble to his feet and sprint over to her, his hands immediately reaching out to hold her to him, to assess her injuries, to do something, anything to help her.

“I’m fine, Levi, I’m fine, but we need to get out of here,” (Y/N) coughed, her eyes darting around the space nervously and her head tilting as if listening for something outside.

“(Y/N), you are not fine! You just got shot!”

“I know, but we need to leave right now. My car is out front, let’s go. Now.

Levi balked at her serious tone, his brow furrowing.

“(Y/N), what’re you…,”

His eyes widened even more as a gleam at her chest made him pause, his voice catching in his throat. It was a badge. A shiny gold police badge.

“(Y/N), what is this?” Levi asked, leaning down to brush the cool metal with his fingers. He noticed (Y/N) wince slightly but when he looked at her face, he saw the fire that was in her eyes, the hurt that swirled in them too. He had no right to question her right now, she had just gotten shot saving his ass after catching him working with the mafia, and here he was drilling her about a badge.

“It’s nothing,” (Y/N) snapped, making him flinch at her harsh tone. “But if we don’t move right now, things will get a lot worse. Please, drive us somewhere, anywhere, but make sure it's far away from here.”

Levi met her hard, determined gaze for a second before nodding, bending down to gently shuffle her into his arms. To his surprise, she pushed him away and stood on her own two feet, only leaning on him to use as leverage to make it to the car.

“Not my first time getting shot,” (Y/N) said in response to Levi’s questioning look.

“What!?”

“I’ll explain later,” (Y/N) mumbled, stumbling towards a glossy black car that wasn’t too different from own work car. He could tell it was meant for speed and agility with its aerodynamic form, something that surprised him since he had been expecting a bulky cop car. It was definitely not the car she normally drove, making him wonder how much of her life she had hidden from him in the way that he had from her.

Bundling her into the passenger seat, Levi tried not to panic at the sound of her pained groan as more blood gushed from her wound. He wanted to stay and bind it or stitch it, but a sharp look from (Y/N) had him hustling for the driver’s side door.

The car roared to life and Levi wasted no time in spinning the car around and speeding out onto the road, breaking several traffic laws in his haste to get back to his estate. As they sped through town, (Y/N) shouldered her jacket off and gripped the corner of it with her teeth, ripping at the fabric until she had several strips to bind her side with. Levi watched her out of the corner of his eye, making sure she didn’t faint from the blood loss as she worked. He was surprised by her skills, watching as she properly bound her wound with nothing more than a few breathless hisses and settled back into the seat, her palm pressed into her side.

Levi busied himself by calling Erwin to update him on the situation, ignoring his friend’s relieved surprise and demanding the first aid kit be delivered to his room before they arrived.

Levi nearly hit the gate in his panic, forcing himself to take a deep breath as the slow speed at which the gate opened made him want to tear his hair out. He was practically foaming at the mouth when a warm hand on his arm immediately demanded his attention, his gaze snapping to where she was watching him, her gaze unreadable. Her touch immediately calmed him, despite the turmoil in his gut at not being able to read her emotions. She always knew how to bring him back to himself, and even if she now hated him with every fiber of her being, it was still immediately effective. Something Levi was immensely grateful for as the gates finally opened wide enough to grant them entry.

His group members immediately swarmed him when the doors opened and the pair stumbled in, ready to assist, only to part like the Red Sea when they realized it was (Y/N) that was hurt rather than their leader, shock rippling through the small crowd. He barked orders and sent them running, quickly cutting past them and ignoring their questioning stares as he ushered (Y/N) up to his private quarters.

The two were both silent as Levi sat (Y/N) on his bed with a towel underneath, (her boyfriend’s clean freak tendencies making (Y/N) smile despite herself), and got to work studying her wound, the first aid kit open with a surprising amount of tools at their disposal. The room was thick with unresolved tension but neither of them seemed to be able to find the courage inside themselves to speak first, (Y/N) distracting herself by taking in the large room while Levi busied himself with cleaning her injuries. 

It turned out to be Levi who spoke first, his hands running along her side in a soothing motion with every small wince she did, only for his fingers to pause when they reached the thick metal of the badge on her chest. Levi’s eyes flashed as he took it in, his fingers lifting it so he could look at it better in the light. It was a real badge alright, that was for sure, and Levi hated the fact that it sent cold shivers down his spine.

“So you’re a cop?” Levi asked softly, his voice barely over a whisper.

“A homicide detective, actually.”

Levi looked up and met (Y/N)’s hard gaze in shock. A homicide detective? How the hell could he have missed that? How did he not know about this? He thought she was the assistant manager for a firm, working with trade deals and profits. Since when did she deal with murders and killers?

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Levi asked as he went back to fixing her wound, his fingers gently prodding at the sensitive flesh around where the bullet went through.

“I didn’t tell you partly because my boss told me not to. She told me that she wanted as few people to know about this case as possible since it’s impossible to find all of the mafia members and nobody can be trusted. But it was mostly to protect you. I’ve been doing this job for a long time, and it wouldn’t be the first time if someone I was chasing down threatened the people I care about to get me off their tail. I couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to you, of you getting hurt on my behalf, so I didn’t tell you, to keep you safe.”

Levi’s breath caught in his throat at her words, his heart pounding against his ribcage. He was warmed by her words, the love and consideration she held for him, but her sentiment also fanned his anger, upset at the burden she had placed on herself.

“Idiot, you should’ve told me! You didn’t have to put all of that stress on yourself, I could’ve handled a few measly threats.”

“Oh like how you told me all about you working for the mafia? Being a mob boss?”  (Y/N) said, making Levi flinch at the venom in her tone. “Do you think I liked lying to you, Levi? Do you think I enjoyed having to erase my browser history and create false reports for a fake company to keep you from finding out I was researching the recent murders that have been happening all over the city? I hated it. I fucking hated it, but I did it to keep you safe and to keep my job so I could continue to help support the two of us.”

Levi was silent, hanging his head in shame as her words washed over him. She was right. She had every right to be angry at him, but he couldn’t help but feel as if he were being stabbed with every harsh word that came out of her mouth.

“I wanted to tell you. So many times I wanted to tell you why I couldn’t come to bed with you, or why I had to skip breakfast, or why I had to lock my office door everyday for work. It killed me to lie to you because I knew I could trust you. It made me want to vomit because you had done nothing wrong and you deserved to know about what I was really doing for a living, but I held my tongue because I knew it was for the best. 

And besides, my boss’s reasoning made sense. I mean, it’s obvious that the more people who know about something, the harder it is to keep it a secret. Who knows? Maybe you had friends in the mafia who could find information through you. Maybe you had a boss who was involved with the murders and would use your connection to me to keep from being behind bars. I thought it was ridiculous, but I did it because I trusted my boss too.” 

(Y/N) choked out a small sob, her lip trembling as she spoke the next words. “But now I know that not only was my boss right, but if I had told you, it would have ruined our entire investigation. Why? Because you’re a fucking mafia boss, that’s why.”

“(Y/N)..., I-”

“Are you the one I’ve been hunting? The one who’s been instigating the recent murders all over the city?”

Levi froze.

“Are you the one who put bullet holes in the bodies of the people I went to see? Are you the one who created crime scenes I had to analyze? Have you been behind everything this entire time!?”

Levi couldn’t breathe. At first, discovering she was a homicide detective had made him worried for her physical health, the fact that she had been shot before making him feel light headed. But now he realized, as she asked him these questions, that he hadn’t even taken into account her mental health. It was clear she had seen a lot in her life, especially since she had told him earlier that she had been doing this job for a long time. But the images of what he often did to his victims floated through his mind. The way he was sometimes ordered to torture them in horrible ways until they finally collapsed into death from pain and exhaustion. 

Horror filled him then at the thought of (Y/N) seeing that. Of seeing what he had done. Levi always knew he was a monster, a demon straight from hell, his name, The Grim Reaper, a testament to that. But he had always felt better knowing that (Y/N) would never know that side of him.

(Y/N) noted his labored breathing, his lack of response, the horror that flashed in his silver eyes even though his head was still hung, his bangs covering his face. It told her everything she needed to know. She felt her chest tighten, her heart constrict painfully as tears leaked from her eyes.

“Levi…, why? Why did you do this? I spent all of this time, trying to find this psychopath, who tortured and murdered people. To give justice to the people who could no longer obtain it themselves, only to find it’s my own boyfriend!? How could you do this? To them? To me?”

Levi shuddered with a shaky sigh as his own tears slipped down his cheeks. He finally lifted his head to meet (Y/N)’s gaze, and had to force himself to hold it when the hurt look in her eyes made him want to vomit.

“(Y/N), I’m so so sorry, I didn’t…,” Levi swallowed hard. “I didn’t want to lie to you either. I wanted to tell you, I wanted so badly to let you in on what was going on, but I couldn’t bear the thought of you getting caught up in my mess. I didn’t want anyone from my side to see me with you, to have any idea about your existence because I knew that someone would try to target you to get to me. I was so worried about you getting hurt, or worse, killed, because of me. So I didn’t tell you because no matter how much it hurt me, no matter how much I ached to tell you, I had to keep you safe. It’s my responsibility to protect you, and even if that meant lying to you about who I am, then that was what I was going to do. That’s what I did do, to keep you safe.”

(Y/N) was silent in response and while it worried Levi, he was at least grateful she wasn’t trying to kill him. She had left the gun she had used to kill Zeke back at the warehouse, but that didn’t mean she didn’t possibly have other weapons she could use against him. It wasn’t until Levi’s shaky hands managed to gain the courage to begin redressing (Y/N)’s injury that he found the strength to speak again, wanting nothing more than for this deafening silence to go away.

“Thank you, by the way…, you saved my life back there.”

“Well, I couldn’t just let him kill you, could I? No matter how angry I am at you, I will never let that happen, not if I can help it.”

“How did you find me?” Levi asked, his brow furrowing as he gently began to stitch his girlfriend up again. To his surprise, she did nothing more than squeak slightly at the sting of the needle.

“Like I said, I was investigating the recent murders, and since I was leading this case, I had free rein to do a lot of extensive research on my own without having to consult with anyone other than sending in reports for my boss. My findings led me to Zeke Yeager, and he became my number one suspect. I started following him, keeping track of his movements, noting down the addresses of places he frequented. Unfortunately, he’s a sly bastard, and covered his tracks pretty well, so I didn’t have much proof that pointed to him being connected to the murders other than he was a mobster with a vast history of violence.

Desperate for more proof, convinced that my gut feeling was right, I never stopped watching him. So when word that he was planning to execute a meeting between a long standing rival of his at an old warehouse reached me from one of my partners, I sped over there as fast as possible.”

“You didn’t know I was there?” Levi asked.

“No,” (Y/N) said. “I found you there, waiting for him to shoot you when I walked in. At first, I thought he’d found out about me tracking him, and the whole thing was just a set up to get me to show myself. I thought he’d kidnapped you to get to me, my worst fear.”

Levi finished putting in the last stitch, the bloody bullet resting on the towel beneath (Y/N), and met his girlfriend’s gaze, the tears in her eyes making his own start to water.

“But then I noticed how you were standing, and the expression on your face. You weren’t scared or confused. You were furious, but… confident. Livid, but accepting. I knew in that moment that Zeke didn’t know about me at all, but he knew you, and you knew him. It took me a little while to figure out, but when he started gloating about how he was going to be the one to bring down the famous Grim Reaper, I realized who you were. What you were.”

“(Y/N)-”

“He was going to kill you,” (Y/N) said, her hair curtaining her expression as she broke from his gaze to look down at her lap, her teardrops landing with soft taps on her crossed legs. “And you were going to let him.”

(Y/N)’s body started to shake but she fought to keep her voice firm. She had to get through this. They had to get through this… together. If she couldn’t handle this, then there was no way she would be able to be around him ever again.

“But I couldn’t let him. I saw him press that gun against your chest and I exploded. I couldn’t control myself, it was like I was possessed by a wild animal,” (Y/N) looked up at Levi again, her eyes swirling with so many emotions he couldn’t read them all.

“Levi, I’ve been doing this job for many years. I’ve seen some of the most horrific murders on the planet, met the worst scum in the world, talked with a perfectly sane man who killed his entire family one day for seemingly no reason. But never in my life have I ever felt the want…, the need to kill someone. I’ve only ever pulled out my gun three times with the intention of actually using it,” (Y/N) raised her hands to gently cup his face, her eyes locked on his. 

“But in that moment, when I heard him telling you that your death would make the world a better place, when I saw him put his finger on the trigger, I had the overwhelming desire to tear him limb from limb. I acted before I could even process the situation, and I killed a man without a second thought.”

“(Y/N)...,” Levi cooed softly. “It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault. You acted without thinking because it’s in your nature to protect people. I’ve seen the way you care for others. Even when they are complete strangers, you are always thinking about how you can be there for them. What you did, protecting me, is the very essence of you, and that does not make you a monster.”

“But it is my fault, Levi,” (Y/N) said. “I killed a man. I’m a homicide detective, I’m supposed to solve murders not cause them. I’m glad I saved you, more than anything, but this is something I’m going to have to deal with and live with for the rest of my life.”

The pair were silent again, the air heavy with the weight of (Y/N)’s words.

“I was doing it for you, you know,” Levi said after another moment.

“What?”

“At the warehouse. I was there because while Zeke may not have known you were keeping an eye on him, he did know that you were connected to me. I don’t know how he found out about our relationship, but he did, and had the photos of us to prove it. He threatened you, told me that if I didn’t give myself up, that he’d do the worst of the worst to you. He threatened your friend Emily too. Erwin is a part of the Wings of Freedom with me.”

“The Wings of Freedom?” (Y/N) asked, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach at the thought of her best friend being hurt.

“That’s what we call ourselves. Zeke’s people are called the Beast Titans, a rival group. They’ve been a thorn in my side for years, competing with us for territory and power in the most violent ways possible. Zeke especially was always known for his complete lack of humanity, and he’d been obsessed with catching and killing me ever since we first met. When he found out about you, found out that I love you, he immediately set his sights on you and used you to corner me.”

(Y/N) sucked in a breath, somehow producing more tears to slide down her cheeks as Levi spoke.

“You’re right. When I went to that warehouse, I knew I was going to die and was prepared to do so. I didn’t want to obviously, but as long as your life was held in his hands, I knew I was going to yield to him no matter what he asked of me. I did it to protect you, to keep you alive, even if it meant never getting to see you ever again.”

Levi heard her voice catch and closed his eyes, waiting for her to react. While he wanted more than anything for her to forgive him and allow him to hold her close, he knew there was a very high possibility of her rejecting him. He had done all of it for her, but that didn’t erase his history, or his job, or the lies he spun to keep her in the dark. He knew it would kill him if she walked away from him and never looked back, but he would find a way to live with it, loving her from afar if that’s what she wanted from him. It was her choice. He would be strong for her.

What he didn’t expect was to be tackled to the floor. Levi let out a surprised grunt as he was thrown backwards, landing on his back with (Y/N) clutching him from above, sobbing into his shoulder. His arms immediately wrapped protectively around her and held her to his chest, breathing in her calming, unique scent.

“(Y/N)?”

“You idiot, you absolute fucking idiot,” (Y/N) lifted her head to look at him with puffy eyes and flushed cheeks. “Never fucking do that ever again. I know you did it to protect me, but I wouldn’t have been able to live without you, Levi. If you die, even for my sake, especially for my sake, I will kill you.”

Levi chuckled shakily and buried his face in her hair, his own tears soaking into the soft strands as he held her.

“Levi, what’re we going to do now?”

“What do you mean?”

She looked at him incredulously. “Are you serious? I love you, but I’m still a detective, and I killed a man. I can’t exactly go back without a proper explanation about what happened, and why I’ve been MIA for the past several hours. And I’d prefer it if the explanation I gave didn’t result in you getting arrested or killed.”

“I think I’d prefer that too,” Levi teased with a small smirk, earning him a slap on his chest.

“I’m serious, Levi.”

“I am too,” Levi said, sitting up so that (Y/N) was seated on his lap, his hands gripping her waist gingerly to account for her recent injury. (Y/N) watched him closely as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers, sighing happily against her.

“Listen, (Y/N), I know this will take a long time to get over. I know we will both struggle with this for a while and I am going to work my ass off to have you forgive me, but I want you to know that I love you and no matter what happens, we will do this together, alright?”

(Y/N)’s eyes sparkled warmly. She was still upset at him, her emotions roiling in her gut like a brewing tornado, but she managed to shove them all to the side, leaving her love clear to shine brightly for him in the wake of what just happened. There were a lot of things to figure out, and she still had no idea where they stood in terms of their relationship when they were trained to hate and hunt each other. But just as he said, they were going to get through this together.

“Okay, Levi..., I love you.”

“I love you too, (Y/N). Let’s get some sleep.”

Despite everything, the killing of a man, the discovery of her boyfriend’s secret identity, the inner turmoil inside her as the mind of a detective fought with her heart over her love for a mob boss, (Y/N) felt everything melt away the moment she was curled up with Levi in his huge bed. She nuzzled into his chest as she was lulled to sleep by the strong beat of his heart, shouting out his love for only her to hear.

[thehermitcraftqueen]

Angst, Tango x Vampire!Etho - Vampiric Glitches

There's been a glitch in the server. Not even Xisuma knows what it is, until a night attack reveals a vampire in their midst. Tango takes the job of confronting said vampire, even if the vampire turns out to be his love.

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I'm sorry not sorry for this one. It's mostly angst and kind of creepy, but there's some fluff at the end. Another Hermitcraft AU and mostly self indulgent, but I had a lot of fun writing it.

Obviously a warning for vampire stuff, it doesn't get too crazy but it's there.

For those of you ready for more fluff, I've got some cute requests coming, so just hold tight ;)

“We have an issue.”

Xisuma’s gaze swept over the assembled Hermits. Tango shifted uncomfortably in his spot, wondering what was going on. The admin had randomly told them to gather at the Town Hall a little while ago. He gave no context, and his voice was as calm as ever, but Xisuma didn’t normally call meetings with no warning, and every Hermit could sense something was up.

“There’s been a glitch,” Xisuma went on. “But this time, I can’t tell what it is to fix it. It’s either minor or hiding somehow. Although I hope it’s the former, I’m thinking it’s more the latter...either way, you all need to keep an eye out for anything strange. It could be anything, including potentially harmful things, so we have to be careful until we know what it is.”

Uneasy murmurs passed through the crowd of Hermits. Tango glanced at Impulse and Etho next to him. Impulse had a mixture of curiosity and concern in his gaze, and Etho seemed a bit uneasy but calm at the same time.

"I know no one has any real idea, but what do you guys think it is?" Tango asked them.

"It could be anything if Xisuma doesn't even know..." Impulse murmured. "I have no idea."

"Hopefully it's not anything too bad, but we'll see I guess," Etho said.

"Yeah," Tango sighed.

After more fruitless discussion about what it could be, the Hermits returned to their bases. By then the sun was beginning to sink, and Tango was more than ready to curl up in bed. He put the last few blocks away from finishing a build, then slipped into the sheets, sighing as he let himself relax. Still, no one had found the glitch Xisuma had talked about, but nothing had been affected either. Everyone was beginning to think it was just a minor issue.

Beeping from Tango's communicator woke him up not long after he'd fallen asleep. Letting out a yawn, shortly followed by a growl of annoyance when the communicator wouldn't shut up, he snatched it off the table and began reading the chat to see what was going on.

Impulse: WE HAVE A PROBLEM Ren: What's up my dude? Grian: Why are we being woken up before it's even midnight, come on guys Impulse: I THINK I FOUND THE GLITCH Impulse: OR SOMETHING

That piqued Tango's curiosity, all sleepiness fading. If Impulse was as scared as he seemed, it didn't sound like the glitch was something minor either.

Tango: What is it?!? Impulse: ETHO TRIED TO BITE ME

Tango had to do a double-take, and still the sentence made zero sense.

Tango: What?! Ren: Dude what? Impulse: He jumped out of nowhere and started attacking me, then while we were fighting he tried to bite me with like vampire fangs or something?? Mumbo: :0 Impulse: OH COD HE'S STILL HERE HELP Xisuma: Meet at Impulse's base everyone.

His heart beginning to pound, Tango shot out of bed. He spread his wings and jumped into the sky, beginning to fly to Impulse's base. He was worried about both of his friends--Impulse, who seemed to be in trouble; and Etho, who for some reason was attacking Impulse. His communicator fell silent halfway there, increasing Tango's worry, and he couldn't get to Impulse's base soon enough.

Most of the Hermits had gathered in the base or were heading to it when Tango arrived. Xisuma was questioning Impulse, who looked a bit shaken, while the others looked on and listened intently. Tango landed and made his way over, straining to hear Impulse and Xisuma as he neared.

“Tell me exactly what happened,” Xisuma was saying.

“I was just sleeping, like normal, when suddenly I woke up feeling unusually cold and uneasy for seemingly no reason. I didn’t see anything right away, so I started to go back to sleep. Then something shot out of the shadows and hit me with a sword, and I realized it was Etho. We started fighting, and he pulled down his mask during it. He had fangs and started trying to bite me. I got a pretty good hit on him and he disappeared long enough for me to chat with you guys. And then obviously we were fighting again when you guys started showing up,” Impulse replied.

“Bdubs and I were working on something in Aqua Town and we got here first. We started to help Impulse fight but then Etho vanished into the shadows,” Scar said.

“I guess he didn’t like being outnumbered,” Bdubs added.

Etho was a vampire? What? Tango was struggling to process the information. He couldn't imagine Etho with fangs and a taste for blood. Besides, he'd been fine earlier. Hoping Xisuma would have answers, Tango turned his gaze to the admin, who was currently silent, looking thoughtful.

“Well...assuming Etho being a vampire is the glitch...that makes it a lot harder to fix,” Xisuma said after a moment.

“It can be done, though, right?” Tango asked.

“I’m not sure,” Xisuma admitted. “I can code the server, but I can’t code a player. Etho has to fix himself, in a sense. We might be able to help him along, but ultimately he has to fix himself. And if he can’t...” Xisuma trailed off, and Tango’s heart twisted as he realized what the admin was going to say. “If he can’t, we’ll have to kill him. We can't have a vampire to worry about all the time."

In all honesty, Tango knew Xisuma was right. But the thought hurt a lot more than he wanted to admit. He’d never told anyone, and somehow no one had found out, but Tango had a pretty significant crush on Etho. He was a lot more than a friend by this point, and Tango didn’t know if he could deal with losing him.

“We need to talk to him, then,” Scar said. “Maybe we could talk some sense into him.”

“He’s not going to come out if it’s a big group, though,” Impulse pointed out.

“Maybe someone needs to go alone to somewhere Etho would be able to easily find them, while the rest of us stay here on stand by if they need help,” Bdubs said.

“I’ll go.” Tango didn’t even realize what he was saying at first. His heart spoke before his mind, needing to know that Etho was okay. But he didn’t correct himself once it was out. It could be fun, right? Exciting? Maybe?

"I don't like the idea of someone going alone in such a dangerous situation, but I guess we don't have a choice," Xisuma sighed. He glanced at Tango, the seriousness in his eyes making the demon hybrid shiver. "Are you sure you're okay with doing this, Tango?"

"Yeah. If I can build decked out and survive the ravagers, I can deal with Etho," Tango assured, with much more confidence than he felt.

"Oh, I don't doubt you'll survive him," Xisuma replied. "What I'm worried about is what will happen if you can't convince him. If he doesn't change, whoever goes will have to kill him, and I'm honestly not sure you can do that, Tango."

Tango swallowed hard. That wasn't something he'd considered at all, nor did he think it was something he could do. But...something told him he would be even worse off if he wasn't the one to go. This was something he had to do. He could only hope that death would be an unnecessary measure.

"I can," Tango replied, just barely managing to keep his voice firm.

Xisuma gave him a long stare, then sighed. "Okay, fine. Just please, be careful."

"I will," Tango promised. "Should I go now?"

"I guess so, while there's still plenty of night left," Xisuma agreed. "If you need help, we'll be a message away. Check Etho's base first."

Tango gave one last nod to Xisuma before taking off again. As he flew, he was painfully aware of his sword resting in its sheath against his side. He desperately hoped he wouldn't have to use it against Etho. On second thought, maybe he wasn't the right person for this job. But he wasn't going to turn back now.

The base that was normally so friendly and cheerful-looking now gave Tango chills as he landed. Structures of varying looks and heights cast eerie shadows throughout Etho's base, and the fact that it was dead silent didn't help at all. Tango struggled to stay calm as he slowly made his way through the base, his gaze flicking nervously from shadow to shadow as he watched and waited for Etho.

"So they sent you to kill me, huh?"

The whisper about gave Tango a heart attack. He spun around, frantically searching for the source of the sound, but he didn't see anything.

"Funny. I was wondering what your blood tasted like~"

Tango's heart was pounding as he continued to spin in circles, unable to find Etho. "E-Etho, stop, please..." he said, hating how his voice trembled slightly. It scared him, how much Etho had changed. "This isn't you."

"No. It's better." Etho's voice was a slight snarl, putting Tango even more on edge.

"At least come out!" Tango said desperately. He was terrified, drenched in sweat. This was by far the most exciting night he'd had in a long time, but he hated it with every rapid breath he took.

Something dropped down behind Tango. He whipped around, his heart skipping a beat as he met Etho's mismatched eyes, practically glowing with the menace they held. The temperature seemed to drop significantly, while Tango's heart rate spiked. He gulped, trembling with either cold or fear, he didn't know.

"Etho..." Tango whispered, not knowing what else to say. The now-vampire's stare didn't waver, but Tango noticed his hand slipping to his sword. "Please, Etho. Listen to me. Come back to me. I don't want to have to fight you," he begged.

Etho drew his sword. "Too bad," he said coldly as he raised the blade.

Instinctively, Tango pulled his sword out to block it. The weapons clashed, the sound breaking the quiet. Etho pulled his back to attack again, but Tango blocked. The cycle continued, neither of them giving nor taking hits. Soon, Tango's moves began to slow as he grew tired. He couldn't take this much longer.

"Etho, just stop. You're stronger than this. You can fight it," Tango said, praying Etho would listen.

"Why should I? I'm fine like this. No one can convince me otherwise," Etho hissed.

"I will!" Tango growled. "I'm not losing you, Etho!"

Fueled by his new determination, Tango began to overpower Etho. After a few more blocks and attempted hits, Tango tried a disarming move. Etho's sword flew out of his hand, leaving him defenseless.

"Now you have to listen to me," Tango said.

"I won't," Etho growled. He spread his arms, leaving his chest and ultimately his heart vulnerable. "Just finish the job, Tango. You can't change me back, and I know Xisuma gave you one other option if I didn't listen. Now do it."

"I..." Tango glanced at his sword, then at Etho. Tears pricked at his eyes and a sob escaped his throat. "I can't. I can't kill you, Etho. It would destroy me."

"Guess you're mine then." In a flash, Etho had pulled his mask down and lunged. Pain stabbed through Tango's neck as Etho's fangs sank in, and he let out a choked cry. He pulled away from Etho and pressed a hand against the wound. Etho stared at him, licking his bloody lips and fangs. Tango's stomach twisted at the sight, and his mind drifted to his communicator. Should he call for help? He was definitely in need of it. But if the others saw this, Tango had a feeling Etho wouldn't last long. Something told him there was still hope for Etho, he just had to keep trying.

"What's on your mind?"

Etho's voice, twisted into a demonic whisper, jolted Tango back to reality. He had an idea. Love confessions worked for this sort of thing in the movies, right? It was by no means sensible, but Tango was getting very desperate.

"You," Tango admitted. "I like you, Etho. A lot. And it hurts me to see you like this. I want to help you, but you need to cooperate with me."

"That's sweet. But I already told you, there's nothing to be helped. This is fine," Etho said.

"Is it?" Tango asked softly. "Are you truly okay with what you've become?"

"I-" To Tango's surprise, Etho faltered. "No. I'm not. But it's too strong for me..."

Tango's heart clenched, but he continued with new confidence. "Etho, I may not know how strong whatever this thing is, but I know for a fact you're stronger. You can beat it. I know you can."

Etho dropped to his knees, his fingers curling into fists. He whimpered softly, trembling. "It's...too strong..."

Tango sat in front of Etho and hesitantly placed a hand on his cheek, causing him to look up. "You can do it, Etho. Don't let it win."

Etho's eyes flickered and he closed them, releasing a low hiss. Tango watched anxiously as Etho battled unseen demons, mentally cheering him on. He slipped a hand into one of Etho's, and Etho's grip tightened as if it were for dear life.

Seconds turned to minutes as Etho continued to fight the glitch, urged on by Tango's words of encouragement now and then. Tango lost track of time, completely focused on Etho. It was painful watching Etho suffer, but all he could do was offer support.

Finally, Etho began to relax. His fangs began to disappear, and when his eyes fluttered open Tango noticed the normal sparkle was returning to them.

"I think...I did it..." Etho gasped.

"I think you did too!" Tango grinned. "I knew you could!"

Etho cast Tango a tired smile. "Thank you. I couldn't have done it without you, Tango."

Holding back tears, Tango wrapped his arms around Etho and pulled him close for a hug. Etho snuggled into Tango's arms in response. "I love you, Etho," Tango whispered.

"I love you too, Tango," Etho replied.

Both gazed into each other's eyes for a long moment. Then, both leaned in to meet the other's lips, letting their worries fade away as they kissed passionately.

-------

"It's been over an hour." Impulse turned to Xisuma, biting his lip anxiously. "You'd think if everything was fine they'd be back by now. I think we should look for them."

"I'm not sure. These things can sometimes take a while. I don't want to disturb the process," Xisuma responded.

"I'll be careful, I promise," Impulse said.

Xisuma sighed. "Okay. But try not to be seen, and don't engage unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Understood." With that, Impulse was off.

He flew over to Etho's base and landed on one of the upper areas. It was oddly quiet, and Impulse began to get worried until he looked down. Tango and Etho were curled up together, both sleeping soundly. Impulse smiled, reassured, and happy to see them both sleeping well.

As he made his way back to Xisuma, though, Impulse made a mental note to tease them about it later, like the amazing friend he was.

[funkymbtifiction]

This pandemic has brought out the worst in me. My sleeping schedule is a mess (I go to sleep at 6am and wake up at 2pm), I'm barely able to get out of the bed, I can barely do the dishes and take out the trash, I spend too much time on YouTube and inside my head, thinking about all the stuff I wanted to work on but being unable to do it.

My memory has also gotten worse - if it's not something I'm not obsessed with then I'll not remember the details. I was trying to snap myself out of this hazy floating by trying to focus my mind at least on reading, which is something I absolutely love, but now I'm unable to focus even on a plot I find interesting and intriguing, my mind immediately starts to wander, or I need to do at least 2 things at once (reading and checking Reddit, or reading and listening to some ambient music). I've also started to not finish stories where I once used to read a book a day.

I know the theory of what I should be doing, but that's it. I'm unable to JUST DO it. I think my Te is trying to motivate me by trying to wake up my conscience, but it's not enough. I hate this because I know I can do things and concentrate and be responsible and productive, but because I'm fine and all my basic needs are met I don't have the need to pull myself together. I used to fuel my 7 by travelling and observing people, but now that we need to stay home, and I have covid (so my friends bring me groceries), my 9w1 core sloth is all too happy to be left alone, with my devices.

I know that this pandemic brought pandemic fatigue with it, plus it's spring and I'm always tired in spring (plus my years-long medical issues with thick blood and low blood pressure), but it's driving me crazy that I could've gotten better at my hobbies and could've reached some of my goals by now only if I DID things. Things that used to work don't help anymore. And then I don't even stay mad long because some new video distracts me.

Is there something from a mbti perspective that can help to start doing things and concentrating on them? (For context I'm an ENFP 9w1 7w6 2w3)

Also thank you so much for this blog, thank you for helping lost souls find their way and be better people, both inside their head and outside when interacting with the outer world ❤️ I haven't been studying mbti for that long but so far I've seen so much valuable information on your blog, and for free!

Are you mad enough at yourself yet to change your behavior?

That's really the bottom line here, because you KNOW that YOU have to start being responsible and doing things and not just wasting your time... but YOU are the only person who will force yourself to do things.

A couple of thoughts. First, I recognize this phenomenon / brain fog. It happened to me several times last year during the pandemic (where I am, things are opening up, so hopefully they will soon for you as well) and I hated it. My mind was unclear, I had lots of things I needed to do but could not focus on any of them. It was, to be honest, a Si grip, which yanks you out of Ne-dom (possibilities, excitement about doing projects, seeing things made real) and turns your intuition into a "fog." There's no access to Fi (do I care about this? if I care, am I a principled person enough to do it?) and no Te (how am I going to prioritize my tasks?), just Si (I'm comfy doing nothing and feeling depressed) and flits of Ne, which only show up as being bored, easily distracted, etc. So some of this is a Si grip, and some of it is general depression (being unfocused, sleeping in late, not taking care of yourself, no motivation even for things you love, unable to finish things). You need to approach it by dealing with both -- getting back into your stronger functions (Ne: envisioning possibilities and finding a purpose, Fi: drawing upon your character and who you want to be and what you care about, to take action, Te: making a plan, forcing yourself to do what needs done, and keeping track of your progress to self-motivate) -- and by recognizing and admitting that you are depressed, and asking what you can do about it.

Second, you have built up some BAD habits during the pandemic. I get it. I fell into some of this as well last autumn, when I ceased being my usual productive self and started leaving work (from home) at 3pm every day. I developed a bad habit of just watching television, which numbed my brain and ultimately bored me. It's only now that I have hope and can go to the store without a mask on that I am feeling happier (my little 7 wing rejoices and has PLANS) and can work through into the late afternoon. I'm re-establishing a schedule that is productive throughout the day instead of allowing myself to "meander" in life. So what you need to do is look at your habits. Make a list of them. Look at what you told me: basically, it is I have become undisciplined, my sleep schedule is bad, and then I wake up late and feel lazy so I don't do anything. What is ONE THING that would jolt you into a different routine? Go to bed on time. Set a time every night, shut off all your devices an hour ahead of it, read a book until you get sleepy, and go to sleep. Wake up at a decent hour. If you wake up at 7am instead of 2pm, your body won't fall into its usual "welp, afternoon is half over, guess I'll watch YouTube" habit. It will go -- wait, what new habit are we forming? Breakfast? Then work?? Okay!

Lastly, and this is HUGELY important for an ENFP -- decide the night before what you are going to accomplish or work on tomorrow. Why? It prepares your brain to know what is expected from it. Unless I do this each night, and have a notion of how I am going to spend my time, my Ne goes ?!?! and I get very little done or waste three hours trying to decide what to do. But if I say, "Okay, tomorrow I am finishing chapter four," I usually finish chapter four (and then some). Today, I have to work at my paying job. I knew this last night, so I am mentally clear and prepared to focus only on the task at hand. I don't treat today as "mine." It belongs to my employer. I know what I am going to do, I intend to do it, and when I get home, I know what else I can work on. Learn to create this habit each night before bed. Decide what tomorrow is going to be like and commit to it.

As for tasks you don't want to do that still need done -- just do them. You can spend 2 weeks avoiding them, or spend an hour and get it over with so you don't feel like crap about yourself because you have kept avoiding it for weeks. Decide, "Tomorrow, I am doing that thing first thing in the morning," and then do it.

You will find that when you start setting yourself tasks (Te) that your Ne starts working properly again -- it will become more focused, less hazy, and more interested in what you can contribute, rather than just mindless "consuming." It's fine to have a down day now and again (even so, it's also useful to have a vague idea the night before of what this day will contain, even if it's fun -- it's fun and exciting to anticipate things) but your life NEEDS structure, or you won't do anything.

I hope you can pull yourself out of this, because you won't be happy unless you do. ENFPs need to get things done, contribute, feel like they are moving forward, and have something to show for their time. Without it, they will get angry at themselves -- as you well know.

[roscoe-dream]

Night Light || Stuart Twombly

A/N: I was thinking of a cute college fic + cuddling and thought of bby stuart. posting it now because I was too excited to wait!!

word count: 1,658

WARNINGS: cursing and sleepy twombly feels.

⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀* * *

“You look pretty pooped, Stewie. You okay?”

Billy’s voice spoke out in the midst of your Google team chattering about the next challenge, making all sound cease and eyes look over to a certain grouchy brunette with a beanie covering the top of his face.

You stifled a laugh at the sight of him, his head leaning back against the top of his swirly chair with his arms crossed over his chest. Stuart groaned in annoyance at the undesired nickname given to him by the older man, but didn’t bother to correct him as he pulled the beanie away from his glasses and adjusting it on his curls.

“No. No, I’m not okay.” He snapped, causing the group of adults to raise a brow at him. “I haven’t been able to sleep because of a certain dumbass.” Stuart’s gaze was now in front of him, on you, an angered look in his slitted eyes. You scoffed at his words, mimicking his figure and crossing your arms over your chest, shrugging as you sneered. “Listen here, asshole, it’s not my fault you can’t sleep at night.”

The pair of you were too engulfed in your heated argument to notice Billy let out a low whistle while stepping forward. “Hey, guys, why don’t we calm it down a little bi-”

“You sleep with the god damn light on! How am I supposed to get any sleep when it’s as bright as the sun in the room?!”

You laughed falsely, giving him the biggest, sickly sweet smile you could. “If it’s such an issue for you, Twombly, why don’t you go to Chetty and get a room switch?”

The brunette snorted, his hazel eyes rolling behind his glasses. “I shouldn’t have to! You’re 21 years old, Y/N, you don’t need a night light!”

You opened your mouth to retaliate, but was cut short by Neha’s outburst. “That’s enough!” She shouted, jumping up from her seat and turning to you. “Y/N, you know I love you, but we don’t give a shit about your guy’s sleeping issues. We need to focus on this challenge, we’re seriously behind.”

You pursed your lips, cheeks flushing in embarrassment when realizing she was absolutely right and arguing with Stuart was just wasting time. You nodded your head, silently surrendering while looking over at the beanie wearing brunette to see him doing the same. A sigh made it’s way past your lips as Nick stepped forward, wrapping his arm around Yo-Yo with a face full of optimism. “Alright, nooglers, let’s nail this challenge!”

⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀* * *

Your feet dragged along the carpeted floor of the Google building’s hallway, making your way past the numerous identical doors in the dorm hall. Not too far behind you was Stuart, and it didn’t take a brain to figure out that he was involved in his phone.

Not too long ago, the team had just finished the challenge assigned to them... and failed, once again. The thought of the defeated brought a slouch to your posture and a frown on your face, so you decided to focus on your exhaustion rather than your defeat for the night. As you waited in front of the door, you let out a squeak of surprise when Stuart crashed into you, knocking you into your dorm’s door. He gasped, dropping his phone onto the ground, before looking up at you with bulging eyes. “What the hell are you doing just standing there?”

You stared at him with astonishment, a dry chuckle rumbling from your chest as you shook your head at him. “You’re saying that like you weren’t the one that bumped into me.” Pointing your finger into Stuart’s chest, his eyes flickered between your finger and your face with a small smirk. “I’m waiting out here because you have the dorm key, doofus.”

Pushing past you, Stuart grabbed the dorm key from his back pocket. “They gave us two for a reason.” The brunette mumbled as he unlocked the door, walking through it first and switching on the overhead light. “Well I left mine,” you paused, walking through the dorm room and shutting it, picking up an identical key card from the counter by the door. “Inside.”

You watched as Stuart pulled the navy blue beanie from his head, revealing the tousled curls that you only saw in the late evening. He ignored your presence as you moved around the room, leaning against the headboard of his bed and tapping away at his phone while you gathered your things for a shower. Your shower was quick, knowing that if you took too long in the bathroom while Stuart was tired he would shut off the light before you even came out.

When you did exit the bathroom, your eyes darted to where you thought the hazel eyed boy was, only to find him by the light switch. Your eyes widened in realization, taking a step towards your bed. “Stuart, no.”

“Y/N, yes.�� He mocked you, a smug smirk on his pink lips while he placed the light switch between his index and thumb. “I’m fucking exhausted, and you keeping the light on is only going to make it worse for me tomorrow. I’m turning it off.”

“No!” You panicked , a deep frown settling on your features as you watched his grin grow wider. “I can’t sleep like that.” You mumbled, feeling your neck and face grow hot with embarrassment under his teasing eyes. Stuart raised his brows, nodding slowly with that same smug look. “You mean like this?” He asked, fingers dragging the light switch down and making the room go dark. You let out a piercing shriek, catapulting yourself onto your bed.

As embarrassing as it was, you were afraid of the dark. Always have been.

You brought your knees to your chest, frantically searching for any sight of the brunette in the dark. “Turn it back on, Twombly! I’m serious!” Your voice stammered, resulting in Stuart to groan before flicking the light back on.

“Y/N!” Stuart whined, throwing his head back. “I can’t sleep with this light on. You have been sleeping with it on for the past few weeks! Just for tonight?” He proposed, sighing loudly when you simply shook your head at his offer.

You observed him silently while he bit the inside of his cheek, glancing over at his empty bed that was across from yours, to the light switch, before settling his gaze back on you.

The boy sighed, stepping away from the light slightly which made you relax. “Don’t scream, or do anything stupid.” He demanded, pulling his glasses off his face and giving you a better view of his whiskey colored eyes. Your brows furrowed in confusion, but soon your body tensed when his fingers were back on the light switch.

A whimper escaped your mouth when the room went dark once again, and you quickly shuffled underneath the covers. The bed creaked slightly from your actions, but you didn’t care. It was quite for a few moments, nothing heard but the slow shuffling in the room that you could only rule out to be Stuart.

There was a sudden thudding noise, followed by a larger one. “Oh fuck, damn it!” His hushed voice grunted, which you let out a laugh at. “You okay, Twombly?” You asked into the dark, your eyes roaming around what looked like a dark empty space, feeling your heart race a little faster.

“I’m fine.”

His voice was a lot closer now, but still as soft as a whisper. You swallowed thickly, nodding your head even though he couldn’t see you. There were a few more moments of silence, the only thing being heard was both of your breathing. Although you could hear Stuart’s breathing perfectly fine, you knew he was close because you could faintly feel it on your face.

Your bed began to creak once again, but it wasn’t from your shuffling, it was from Stuart’s. Quickly moving as close to the wall as you could, you made enough room for him to lay down as he hesitantly made his way into your bed.

“Stuart?”

“Yeah?”

“What’re you doing?”

It was silent again, you could hear his breathing as well as feel it on your face. His breath smelled like a faint mint, not overpowering like he had swallowed multiple mints. You waited patiently for his response, not commenting on the fact that you could hear him swallow because of your close proximity.

“I thought that, uh, I would sleep with you so that you aren’t as scared with the lights off.” He murmured, and you couldn’t help but feel your face heat up for the third time today. Your silence, fortunately, egged him on his reasoning. “You’re scared of the dark, so if you knew that I was here and in the dark with you, you wouldn’t be so scared anymore.”

His voice was quiet, and sincere. You felt your heart swell at his actual kind words, a smile growing onto your lips to compliment your rosy cheeks. Thankful that it actually was dark, you didn’t want Stuart to see you in such a flustered manner.

You took the next step, shuffling closer to him under the covers and wrapping your arms around his torso, curling up into his chest. In this position, you could hear Stuart’s heart thudding at a quicker pace than average, and the grin on your face only grew because it matched your own.

“You don’t have to do this, Twombly. Thank you.”

Your whispers made his chest rumble with a short laugh, his arms cautiously wrapping around your waist.

“Yeah, well,” the grip the brunette had on your figure tightened slightly, his hand brushing against your back. “Just shut up and deal with it.”

That was the first night you slept in the dark, and the first night Stuart slept at all, since you met.

And boy, did it feel good.

[nikmikaelsonswife]

Alaric’s in Love with You but Klaus Was Your One and Only

contains s5 TO spoilers that you’ve probably seen before since you’re on tumblr. set in legacies.

It started when Hope returned to Mystic Falls with you in tow, someone Alaric hadn’t seen in over a decade. You’d changed; physically and mentally. Your hair was darker and shorter, brushing your shoulders as well as your eyes had lost that pretty, dangerous sparkle. You were less extroverted, but that was understandable since you had gone through tremendous heart break.

It also didn’t help that you’d returned to a place that once was your home, the changes having a much heavier and worse effect on you than you had anticipated. You’d spent a great deal of time staring at the Stefan Salvatore Memorial plac, reliving the past, not even having the courage to enter the library.

The way you closed off was only half the reason Alaric and you hadn’t slipped back into old habits. The other was that frankly, it wasn’t easy for him to trust a Salvatore, much less a Mikaelson. You just so happened to be both; the woman who brought the two vampire families together. He didn’t see that as good in any way, shape or form.

He’d never had an issue with you, it was always your brothers, husband and his family stirring the pot and setting paths of destruction in their wake. It was rare for you to aid in it voluntarily, but at the end of the day, you were still a vampire. No matter how much you tried to avoid darkness and evil, you couldn’t hide from something that was apart of who you were.

But then again, he hadn’t seen you in so long. It was before you had officially moved to New Orleans, before you had truly began to cope with Stefan’s death and before you had helped in raising a child. Now you had gone through all of that, along with losing the love of your life and it didn’t take you opening up to him to notice that you weren’t the same person.

Out of nearly two centuries, the past decade had been the worst of your life as well as the best. You’d grown so much and Alaric couldn’t say that he didn’t like who you had become.

He was surprisingly able to set aside your supernatural nature enough to grow quite fond of you. With the help of the people around you, the distraction of being co-headmaster and weekly phone calls with Damon, you were able to break through the grief-stricken shell you’d built around yourself. It allowed Alaric to truly see you again.

At your core, you were still (Y/N), the woman he bantered with in the early morning hours in his office over take out that you had convinced him on buying. The woman who would shout, “YES,” when she’d crack a case all on her own, flashing him a breathtakingly gorgeous smile that made his heart flutter.

He could still pinpoint the day you took your wedding ring off on a calendar, stating that, “I can’t go on everyday with this reminder. I need to live my life.” He knew that was hard for you, since you had refused to take it off for a full two years following Klaus’ death. Perhaps, it meant something.

His brain would turn to mush every time you pulled him in for a hug after a particularly dangerous day, or when you’d catch him staring and give him a quizzical almost smug look. He had a hard time in controlling how his pulse would quicken up when near you, aware that if you listened for it, you’d hear it.

You were far from dumb, as well as the students attending the school. His daughters often gave him a look when they’d catch him acting weird and Hope had even cornered him asking if he had a thing for you with a threatening look on her face.

“I do not have a thing for Dr. Salvatore...”

“Salvatore-Mikaelson,” Hope corrected, arms crossed over her chest. She could see through his bullshit and both of them knew it.

“Look,” she sighed, “(Y/N) is like a mother to me. I’ve known her all my life. For your sake and for hers, I’m going to be completely honest. I doubt she’ll ever get over my dad.”

Sincerity shone in her eyes, a slight frown in her brow. “You didn’t get the chance to but I saw them together. Nothing could match up to what they had. They were soulmates. She doesn’t want anyone else.”

Alaric cleared his throat, briefly adverting his gaze to the floor. “I..I..” He stumbled over his words, unaware of what to say. Deep down, it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. But he couldn’t let his façade drop.

“Have a good day, Hope.”

He’d sat down in his office to mull over her words, pulling a hand over his face every time he’d get too caught up in his thoughts.

If what Hope told him was the case, then what about the little flirtatious glances? Or the way you snuggled into him when you fell asleep in his office that one night?

A small smile tugged at his lips when he thought about how you had berated him after he went off on his own to fight a monster. You had been fuming, eyes watery, yelling about how he was only human and a selfish jackass to not think about all the people who cared about him.

How you cared about him.

He hadn’t felt the way he did since Jo died, not even for Caroline, and it was one he had missed. One he’d been harboring for months and he felt like it was time to confess. If his feelings were requited, he couldn’t imagine a better future than that, a better feeling than that. It was all he was focused on when he said those three little words.

“I..I like you. A lot.”

It was one night when the two of you had gotten a little carried away with the liquor stored underneath your desk. You were snuggled up against him on the couch, but thought nothing of it. Unlike Alaric.

Brows furrowing, it took you a moment to register his words due to the sleepy haze and the alcohol coursing through your system. And when you did, the tension alleviated from your shoulders before you lightly punched him in his. “I like you too. A lot.”

He shook his head, throwing caution and anxiety to the wind before he clarified. “(Y/N), I’m in love with you.”

His eyes were closed so he couldn’t see the way you froze. “I have been for a while. You’re sweet, loving, unbelievably beautiful and an amazing friend. Being co-headmaster with you, seeing you with everyone...I couldn’t help but imagine a life with you by my side officially.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” his eyes fluttered open, which is when he noticed that you had moved away. His heart dropped at that. “I don’t want you to feel pressured...”

“Alaric.” You interjected, fingers toying with the N necklace dangling from your neck; the necklace that was always hidden underneath your shirt, which Alaric hadn’t noticed you still wore until now.

And that combined with the melancholy expression on your face made his stomach churn in fear and realization. He’d made a huge mistake.

Inhaling deeply, you contemplated on what to say. “I like you, Alaric.” His eyebrows raised, hope glistening in his gaze but you quickly shot that down. “But this can’t happen.”

His gaze softened as you stood up from the couch. “It’s not fair to you. I can’t be that woman for you, for Lizzie and Josie.”

“I’m not expecting anything from you...”

“Apparently you are since you told me that you’re in love with me!” Both of you were shocked by your outburst and you quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I’m overwhelmed.”

A moment of tense silence ensued as you stared at the ground, hyperaware of his gaze on your face. “Klaus was different.” You suddenly spoke, bottom lip quivering as the feelings you had buried resurfaced, “I thought I was going to spend eternity with him.”

“I understand that.” He leaned forward, “I felt the same when Jo died. And it took me a while to move on. I can wait.”

You lifted your gaze to lock it with his. “I wouldn’t ever ask that of you.”

“You’re not asking, I’m just stating. I understand if you need time.” Tears began to gather on your lashes, fingers threading through your hair as you sighed. He was making it more difficult than it already was. You didn’t want to break his heart.

“I still cry in the shower, Al! And when I’m not crying, I’m talking to my dead husband!” Your eyes were wide, voice loud and shaking as you stifled your cries. “I continue to dwell on the past. I dream about him every night. Hell, I even write in a journal about him.”

“After almost three years, I’m still mourning as if I lost him yesterday. And I know for a fact that it will always be like that.”

He stood up at that, his face contorted into a incredulous expression. “But what about the looks you give me? Or the cuddling? You can’t tell me that didn’t mean anything.”

“That’s how I’ve always reacted when a man was interested in me! I thought it was a short term thing or that you wanted to get in bed with me. But just that.”

“It’s not just that. I love you.”

Your heart broke even further at how those words made your stomach churn. “Please. Don’t.” Hatred boiled in your chest as you were upset with him. Upset that he’d ruined a strong bond that took years to build, that you wouldn’t be able to find comfort in your friendship anymore.

“Klaus will always be the man my heart belongs to. He was my one and only. He was my soulmate.”

“You have to stay here and take care of Hope.” He swiped his thumb across your wet skin, “Don’t worry, my love, I’ll be waiting for you on the other side.”

The word echoed in his head, a memory of his conversation with Hope crossing his mind. Soulmate. “(Y/N)...”

“I’m sorry, Alaric.” He internally grimaced at the absence of his nickname and he found himself wondering if the relationship he had with you would ever be the same. Found himself acknowledging that he, in fact, ruined it.

It made him angry as well. He needed you just as much as you needed him.

Your fingers wrapped around the doorknob, “You deserve someone special, Alaric. That someone just can’t be me.”

[softboywriting]

The Two Times You Ended Up In His Room, And The One Time He Ended Up In Yours | Poe Dameron

Summary: You and Poe are both x-wing pilots and you have both been mutually pining for each other for a long while. Things finally come to a head when you end up in his room one night on accident. [tw: PTSD discussion] [Set before films? but non specific] [established friendship] [mutual pining] [fluff] [established nickname]

Word Count: 5k

|Masterlist In Bio|

The first time you end up in Poe's room it's an accident. It is well past midnight and you're trying to avoid the guard who always flirts with you. He's really creepy and you just want to go for a walk around base to clear your head. Things have been tense and you just want a moment to breathe. Unfortunately you have absolutely no luck and you run into the aforementioned guard. His name is Karik. How could you forget, he tells you every single time you see him.

You turn down a hall toward the command center and there he is. He raises his hand and greets you like an old friend and you do nothing of the sort in return. Instead you turn around and go to the closest door, scan your all access ID and go in. You have no idea who to expect inside but you don't care. Explaining your issue will be easier to deal with than Karik.

In the low light of the bedroom you can make out an orange flight suit in the corner, a body on the bed with their back to you and a droid in the corner powered down. The droid is the dead giveaway. It's BB8. That means the man on the bed is Poe Dameron.

As if you had said his name out loud, he rolls over and flips on a small wall lamp beside the bed. He's topless, hair a dark curly mess, the gold chain with small ID tags he always wears glints in the light. Stars above, he is a sight to see. "Hello?" He asks sleepily, rubbing his eyes and making sure you're actually there. "Jumper is that you?"

Jumper. The nickname you earned from the x-wing pilots just over a year ago when your x-wing was going down and you emergency evacuated on a planet you had no knowledge of. You knew two things. Die in a fiery crash with the x-wing or possibly survive the fall on to the unknown planet and keep fighting with the resistance, but also possibly die upon impact. Obviously you survived. Broken and battered you landed in quicksand. It was Poe who rescued you only minutes after you landed. He had seen the x-wing go down and went to find you, or better yet, your body to bring back your ID tags. When he found you alive he was shocked. If he hadn't come after you, you'd have died in that quicksand, unable to move and sinking slowly. Truly you owe this man your life.

"Yeah, hey Poe." You chuckle nervously. Maybe explaining your sudden intrusion wouldn't be easier than dealing with Karik. Because of course it's Poe and he's your friend, and of course he's your commander too but on top of all of that you've got a massive crush on him. Like, you’re basically in love with him and he has no idea. "I-... was out for a walk."

"A walk?" He sits up and the blankets pool at his hips. "A walk into people's bedrooms?"

"Yes, no! No! I couldn't sleep so I went for a walk around base. There's this guy, a guard or something, he always tries to flirt with me and it makes me uncomfortable. Anyway I saw him and I just went into the closest room to avoid him."

"Oh. That's horrible, have you told him you're not interested?" Poe slides over on his bed toward the edge and adjusts the blankets. "Have you talked to anyone about it?"

You sigh heavily. "I've told him I'm not interested of course. I haven't brought it to anyone's attention because he isn't like...I don’t know?"

"It's unwanted attention. He's harassing you. Tell me who it is and I'll talk to them tomorrow."

"I don't want to start trouble."

Poe flips his blanket back. "I won't have anyone on this base getting harassed, let alone one of my best pilots."

"I-" your voice catches as you realize he's just given you a major compliment. One of his best pilots? Coming from Poe Dameron, the Poe Dameron? Your heart is going to explode. "Thank you," you manage to whisper while your brain and heart go a thousand miles a minute.

He chuckles softly, as if the compliment were nothing. "You know we have a recon mission tomorrow. You need to get some sleep. Should I walk you back to your room?"

"I can't ask that of you. I already woke you up and barged in your bedroom."

"It's no problem. I'm offering." Poe pulls back his blanket completely and slides off the bed, stretching as he stands. His black jogging pants hang low on his hips and you force yourself to look at BB8 in the corner. "Come on, Jumper. I need my pilots rested before they get behind the controls."

You nod and he opens the door, ushering you into the bright hallway. Karik is nowhere in sight and you're glad. It would be painfully obvious he was the one if he were lingering outside the door. "I think I'll be fine. You can go back to sleep Poe."

"No, I wanna make sure you get to your room unbothered." He runs a hand over his hair and scratches his side. It's hotter than it has any right to be. He's just being a human and you can't get your head out of the clouds. "You're in South Central quarters right?"

"Y-yeah? How'd you know?"

"I visited every day when you were laid up after your crash. Remember?"

"Oh yeah, right, duh." You shake your head and rub your neck. The scar there from the operation they did to reconstruct your shoulder is still raised. Your stomach churns as you think about how much of your body is scared from that crash. You're still alive though, and that's what matters.

Poe lays a hand on your cheek and fans his fingers out over your neck. "You still with me?"

"What?" You snap out of your trip down memory lane and look to the man in front of you. "Sorry."

"I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject."

"No, no it's fine."

"Did you ever go to therapy for that or anything? It takes a toll on a person when they get that close to death." Poe slides his hand down to your shoulder. "I'm not saying anything is wrong with you because there isn't, I just want to make sure you're alright."

You smile softly. "Yes, I've seen someone, I’m still seeing someone actually. I promise I'm not going to crash anymore x-wings or let you down on a mission because I'm in my head."

"I don't care if you let me down or destroy a hundred x-wings. I care about your health, about you as a person not as just some pilot on my team. I never wanna pull you from the brink of death again but I'd do it over and over if I must, just to see you smile and fist bump me before you get in your x-wing again."

"T-thank you Poe." You swallow back the surge of emotion that courses through you. "I haven't- I don't really talk about it outside of therapy y'know?"

"You can talk about it any time with me. It's okay. I've been there and it's a dark place to come back from." He wraps his arm around you and pulls you into a hug. "You're not alone."

You bring your hands up and grip his back gently. It's warm, soft and smooth to the touch. He must use quality body wash. "Sorry I woke you up and now I'm like this."

"There's a time for everything. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Does the name Jumper upset you? I guess I didn't think of it until now."

"No, it's like a badge of honor. It's alright I don't mind."

"Okay good." He ruffles your hair and you swat at his hand. "You need to go to bed. Like I said, I don't need a sleepy pilot tomorrow."

"Yeah okay, Dad."

Poe smirks and folds his arms over his chest. "Dad? Or do you mean Daddy?"

Your jaw drops as you realize what he is implying. "Oh disgusting. You're sick Dameron. You're sick."

He laughs raucously, leaning on the wall as he catches his breath. "Oh man, your face was just priceless. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm joking. I'm not into that at all."

"Oh my- fuck Poe you are terrible!"

"I've been called worse honey." He pats your back and pushes you forward gently. "Seriously though, as much as I'd love to stay up all night with you, we both need some sleep. Let's get you to bed so I can get some sleep too."

__________________

Two days later you wake up from a nightmare in a cold sweat. You had gone down again, your x-wing careening to the surface of a planet you're unfamiliar with. This time you didn't jump out, trapped by your seat belt straps and you crashed with it. Everything felt so real and the moment you made impact you sat bolt upright in bed gasping for air. It's been over a year since the crash, you haven't had a dream like this in forever. You remember what Poe said, that you could go talk to him anytime. It's well into the early hours of the morning and you feel bad waking him up again, but you need something solid, something real. There are no missions for a few days so he can catch up on sleep tomorrow or something.

You put on your slippers and head out into the hall. You pass a few of the hangar crew, most likely the night shift, on your way down Poe's hallway. At his door you scan your ID and it slides open, allowing you to step in and hit the close button.

Poe stirs, rolling over in bed and looking at you. "Jumper? That you again?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

"No, not at all. Here." He scoots over and pulls the blanket back. "Get in."

"I don't know if that's appropriate?"

"Appropriate? What is this grade school academy? We're adults and you're my friend and co pilot. I think you're allowed to get in my bed. Do you want me to make it an order?"

"No," you laugh softly at how ridiculous it sounds. You crawl under the blanket and snuggle down against the mattress. It smells like him, warm and rich almost like sandalwood and spices. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I just didn't want to be alone."

"Nightmare?" He asks, voice soft and deep in your ear. He's so close you're torn between being comfortable and being nervous. "Tell me about it?"

"I was going down in an x-wing and I couldn't evac because I was stuck and I was so scared." Your chest tightens and you take a heavy breath. "I was so scared of dying Poe. I shouldn't be, I know the risk I take everytime I get behind the controls. But I was so fucking scared I didn't want to die like that, I didn't want to..." Your voice breaks completely as a sob wracks your body. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Poe takes your hand and brings it up to kiss your knuckles. It makes your heart ache and everything feels surreal. You're a mess of emotions. He lets you cry it out, waits to speak until you've settled yourself down enough to breathe normally. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Mmmhmm."

"I get scared too. The first time I almost died I ended up in a sand dune alone with a cut on my head and a broken arm. I think I was eighteen. If some salvagers hadn't found me by tracking my downed x-wing, I'd have died of starvation and dehydration. I didn't know where I was or how to get back to civilization. I think about that flight every time something happens to my ship and my controls go dark for a moment. I had nightmares every night for two years. I still get them from time to time."

"Oh. I didn't know that happened to you."

"Mmm. I've been in a lot of dangerous situations and I'm sure I will be in more in the future. Being afraid of dying doesn't make you weak, it makes you human. Unfortunately PTSD is a very real side effect of traumatic events and we've been through a lot. I still go to therapy once a month because coping is hard."

You nod and squeeze his hand in yours. "Thanks for letting me stay in here for a bit. I just wanted to feel something real, to know the dream was just a dream."

"I understand. You're welcome to sleep with me if you want. I have to be up in a few hours to meet with Leia, but you can stay as long as you like."

You chuckle softly and wipe your face. You feel a lot better having cried it out. You're feeling a lot less scared of dying and being weak and a lot more giddy and anxious about being this intimate with Poe. "Is Poe Dameron asking me to sleep with him?"

"Only if you say yes."

"Mmm, only if you keep it above the waist." You say teasingly.

Next thing you know Poe is leaning over you. His hand slides into your hair, turning your face to him. In the dark room so you can't see him clearly when he is this close and your breathing stops. Is this happening? Is he actually making a move?

"P-Poe?"

"Above the waist." He strokes his thumb over your cheek. "That's the only stipulation?"

"For sleeping? Or you mean for-"

"I do."

A flush rises in your chest and you can feel your cheeks get warm just before the rest of your body floods with heat. "I didn't know you felt that way about me."

He chuckles softly and leans his forehead against yours. "Jumper, you're all I've wanted since the day I pulled you from the quicksand. I knew when I saw you almost ripped from my life, I needed you. You're funny, smart, quick, and a damn good pilot." He bumps his nose against yours and you let out a shaky breath. "I don't let just anyone in my room late at night, and I sure as hell don't share my bed with just anyone either."

"I can't believe...I was just teasing but- I've always wanted you t-"

He presses his lips to yours and you melt. Your body feels as if it completely dissolves, from your bones to your skin. You feel like putty held together by some fragile and unknown force, doomed to ooze out of your form at any second. He's burning up, body flush to you as he works his lips against yours ever so gently. It's even better than you imagined, he's so soft and warm, a gentle lover, and your heart stops as you think about how this can't be real. This has to be a dream. You're still in your room. This cannot be happening.

"Hey, you alright?" He murmurs, stroking some hair off of your face. "Did I read this wrong?"

"It's a dream. You're not real." Your chest swells with crushing sadness and you can't stop the tears that spill over the corners of your eyes. "This isn't happening. I'm going to wake up now."

Poe lets out a soft laugh. "Sweetheart you are awake." He leans over you and turns on the wall lamp. The room is flooded with a yellow glow and you see him, face to face. "See? I'm right here?"

You reach up and touch his cheek, the light stubble scratches against your fingertips. His loving eyes droop, a dead give away that he enjoys your touch. But why? Why would he wait so long? Why would he never say anything? You splay your hand flat on his cheek and rub your palm along the scratchy short hairs, thumb bumping his lower lip. "Why now?"

"Because I finally had an inkling that you were just as interested as I was. You're hard to read most of the time. I understand that though. You're private with your feelings and I'm your commander. I don't blame you for not flinging yourself at me. I've not been exactly forthcoming either, as I didn't want to be inappropriate as a person of authority."

"Right...but what is proving to me that this isn't a dream?"

"Well would a dream bite your shoulder?" He drops his face to your skin and lets out a hot breath over it.

"Maybe?"

"Would you feel it if it wasn't real?"

"I don't know."

Poe sighs heavily, forehead pressing to your shoulder. "This is not a dream. I swear. Do you want to get up? Go talk to someone else? Maybe fly the x-wings around a bit?"

"No. I want to sleep. You said you need to sleep too because you have a meeting with Leia early in the morning. Maybe if I fall asleep I'll wake up if it's a dream."  

"It's not a dream." He leans over and flips off the light before he drops his weight to the bed beside you. "You'll see."

_____________________

Morning comes and you wake up to bright light pouring in through the small window beside the bed. Of course Poe has a good room with a window. Most of the base sleeping quarters have no windows and are very small. His is nice enough, definitely more spacious than a lot of the rooms you've been in. His bed is tucked in the corner, there's a bedside table, a rod built into the wall for clothes, a small three drawer dresser behind the door and a little indent on the wall the bed is against for storage where BB8 stays. He doesn't have much in the way of personal items on display. Only a few hygiene essentials in a basket on the dresser and a small box that looks like it might hold a piece of jewelry. There is a photo frame too, and it looks like a picture of the x-wing fighters.

Last night wasn't a dream, that much is obvious. You're in Poe's room and he is gone. You debate turning over and going back to sleep, or going out to get breakfast at the mess hall. Your stomach makes the decision and it says mess hall as soon as possible.

In the mess hall you take a seat with some of the other pilots. You know them well enough, a few of them you would call friends. You've never been one to be too social because in this fight, you lose too many people. One of the few people you call a friend is Vivi. She is a bomber pilot, knows the in and out of a bomber like the back of her hand. She's a bit of a gossip but she has been here with you since the day you arrived.

"Hey hey, how's it going?" Vivi asks as you place your tray in front of you.

"Good. I've got a few days off. I'm glad just to recoup."

"Got anything special in mind?" She asks with a little smirk.

You shrug and poke at the jellied fruit you've got on the plate. "Sleeping? Finding a place to take a hot bath. I swear I've got arthritis and I'm only twenty five."

"Mmm probably because you were a shattered heap of bones when Dameron found you. That shit doesn't heal back right y'know?"

"Mmm yeah probably."

"Yeah...so how long have you and Dameron been a couple?"

You nearly choke on your coffee and quickly grab your napkin to clean up your face. How in the galaxy did she know you and Poe spent any time together outside missions? "Excuse me?"

"I said what I said. I heard from Nupe that Karik told him that he saw you go into Dameron's room the other night, like well into the night too. I also heard that Trey and Garin saw you in the hall going to Dameron's room last night. So, how long?"

"It's not like that. Karik is the one who is obsessed with me, remember? His rumors are invalid. I was out for a walk because I couldn't sleep and I just ducked into a room to avoid him. It happened to be Poe's room. There is nothing going on."

Vivi chuffs. "So what about last night?"

"I went to talk to him about the crash. I've been having a hard time lately and- y'know what? I don't owe you an explanation." You stab a little harshly at your scrambled eggs and bring them to your mouth. You don't owe anyone an explanation about why you've been to Poe's room. Why does it matter? He's your friend and co-pilot. That's all anyone needs to know. So what if you kissed last night. You're still not sure it wasn't a dream. Sure you woke up in his room but that doesn't mean anything...maybe.

Vivi stays quiet, realizing she has crossed a line she wasn't meant to cross. The two of you eat in silence while the rest of the mess hall go about their own conversations. It's not until you're ready to take your tray to the wash station that Vivi speaks again. "I'm sorry I pushed you. I think you'd make a good couple. I just thought- well the way Dameron looks at you I thought something was definitely going on."

"The way he- what?"

"You don't know? He looks at you like you're the most incredible person he's ever seen, literally after every mission he gawks like a proud parent watching their kid win a race." She laughs softly to herself. "He is so in love with you and you have no idea do you?"

"Wait- last night...fuck. I have to talk to him."

"He's still at the command center with Leia and the others last I knew."

You pick up your tray and head for the wash station, passing it off to the droid there as you head out. You're starting to think last night was not a dream after all. If not, you've gotta talk to Poe as soon as possible. If rumor spreads that you're hooking up or sneaking around, whatever, you want to make sure that it doesn't affect either of you. You want a solid definition of your relationship no matter what it may be.

As you turn down the hall to the command center you run into Karik. The absolute last person you want to deal with right now. He's standing guard outside the command center, posted most likely, and you've got to get past him to get to Poe. As if the Galaxy hasn't given you enough to deal with in your life.

"Hey Jumper, where are you headed?" Karik smiles, arms folded over his chest to make himself seem bigger. It's like a bird, puffing itself up for first impressions on a mate.

"I've business in the command center."

"Do you? I don't have any orders to allow you in."

You roll your eyes and look to the doors beyond that open to reveal the internal workings of the command center. You make eye contact with Poe for a moment before the doors close again. "Why don't you double check?"

"I know my job. How about you? Do you know yours?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Karik shrugs and gives a rude smirk. "Nothing. Just don't know what a pilot would think they need to be in the command center for. You're not a commander or a sergeant."

"What's your problem Karik?"

"I don't have a problem."

"Really? Because you are acting like an asshole right now and if my memory serves me right you've never been one before."

"People change."

You scoff and smile to yourself. This is absolutely about you and Poe. He's blocking you because he's jealous. "You-"

"Jumper, hey you came to meet me?" Poe says as he jogs down the short hall behind Karik that leads to the command center. He stops and lays his hand on your shoulder, smiling softly.

"Of course, I was hoping we could talk soon. I didn't realize your meeting would go so long today."

Poe looks back at the closed doors and runs a hand over his hair. "We're just about finished. Did you get breakfast?"

"Yeah just came from there."

"Damn I was hoping to get something with you. I'm starving in here."

You look to Karik and then back to Poe and smile oh so sweetly. "I can grab you something before they switch over to lunch. Meet me in my room when you're done?"

"Sure. I'll be wrapping up quickly." Poe moves his hand from your shoulder to your neck and does a soft little cradle of your jaw before pulling his hand away. "You're such a sweetheart. I'll meet you there soon."

Warmth floods your body and grips your heart. So tender and loving. You're not sure if you're ready for that side of Poe yet. You glance at Karik and he is staring straight ahead, an unmistakable scowl of jealousy on his face. Good, maybe now he will leave you alone.

_____________________

"So Karik is the one who bothers you isn't he?" Poe asks, stretching his legs out in front of him. The two of you are in your room, wanting to talk in private from the rest of the base who are clearly very interested in your relationship. "I could sense he was uncomfortable with me touching you."

"Yeah, he's moving on though I think. I don't know." You pick at the bread you've brought to snack on while Poe finishes his jelly on toast. "I wanted to ask you about last night."

Poe looks over and you can read his expression as plain as day. He looks nervous, concerned that he has wronged you. "Yeah?"

"It wasn't a dream right?"

"No, it definitely was not. Are you uncomfortable?"

"No. No, I'm not uncomfortable with what happened. I guess I'm coming to terms? It still feels like a dream, like it feels hazy because I was so tired. Do you really actually like me like that?"

"Yes. I really like you." He chuckles and leans his head on your shoulder. "Jumper, you're the most amazing pilot I've ever seen and you're so incredibly beautiful without even trying. I don't know why I have waited so long to make a move. I suppose I was afraid I wasn't good enough."

"Not good enough? You're Poe fuckin' Dameron. You're the greatest pilot the resistance has ever seen, shit, that some of the Galaxy has ever seen. You're sweet and kind and you're so determined and dedicated. Poe, you're a rarity and any woman who gets to be romantically involved with you is so lucky."

Poe lifts his head and puts his arm around you. "I suppose you've hit the jackpot then."

"Me? Why?"

"Because I want to ask you out, Jumper. Be my girlfriend."

"Wh- we haven't even gone on a date Poe! How do you even know you want to date me let alone actually be in a relationship with me? This is a bit fast don't you think?"

"I know we have chemistry through the roof when we are together in the cockpit of a ship. We've got an undeniable connection when we are fighting side by side in x-wings and even more of one when we see each other on the ground. There is no way you don't feel that when we're together."

You smile to yourself. Of course you noticed all these things. They're why you've got such a crush on him. You and him have an unspoken connection that puts you on the same wavelength when you're near each other. You always thought maybe it was because he's such a good pilot that you just vibed with him. Two birds of a feather type deal. But it's deeper than that. He evokes a deep comfort, a sense of home and family that you no longer have. By the stars you never realized you are basically in love with him.

"Jumper?" He murmurs, hand cradling your jaw and turning your face to him. "Are you alright?"

"I think I'm in love with you." You mumble softly, eyes focusing in and connecting with his.

Poe smiles and lets out a laugh. "And I'm the one moving fast?"

"Shut up." You grab his face and pull him in for a kiss. He immediately melts into your grasp, reaching for your face and grinning into your lips. "You taste like jelly," you giggle as he pulls back and leans his forehead against yours.

Poe pulls you against his chest and you wrap your arms around him. "So is this a yes to being my girlfriend?"

"Yes. I'd love to date you Poe Dameron."

"Good." He presses a kiss to your head. "Because I don't know if I could keep pining after you."

"Pining? Oh please."

"Hush." He ruffles your hair and falls back on the bed, pulling you back with him. "Let me be the romantic I was born to be."

"I'm excited to meet this side of you."

He kisses along your jaw and hums. "I'm excited to show it." ______________________

end

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