#love that i live in a city where i can walk to a restaurant for dinner

[cinewhore]

Sorry for being weird I’m just getting used to being happy and alive

[norrisjpg]

novacane - ʟɴ⁴

in which, lando is completely and utterly obsessed with his girlfriend, and can't seem to keep his hands off of her - especially when she's in that dress.

contains: NSFW; smut, oral (f recieving), fingering, body worship, p in v, unprotected sex, squirting, cockwarming; tiny bit of fluff at the end.

lando norris x unnamed female character

...

...

lando thought he was actually going to die. there in rome, he was sure of it. they had been together for two years at this point, and don't get him wrong, she always looked good - but something about the air in rome was making him fall in love with her all over again, and he was going feral.

the couple had decided to spend a few days in italy together, first venice, second maranello, and last rome.

venice had been brilliant, spending a few days with max and pietra, exploring the city together, and many other late night activities. maranello had been nothing if not wholesome, that being where his beloved girlfriend's family lived - lando having rekindled his bromance with her dad and older brother, and not to mention seeing his favourite dog again.

"can you help me with my heels, baby?" her voice snapped him out of his trance.

fucking hell.

she had walked out of the bathroom, looking like a divine treat for him to devour. it was a sundress - her sundresses always did unholy things to him - of course, and her tanned skin looked particularly endearing against the flimsy white material.

his mouth hung agape, eyes flitting over her body rapidly. his mouth could have (and almost did) water at the sight of his girlfriend, looking oh-so-innocent with her pretty eyes and glossy lips.

again, lando thought he was actually going to die.

"yeah, come here." lando gestured with his fingers, getting up so she could perch on the edge of the bed.

he got to his knees before her, grabbing her ankle gently and delicately tightened the clasp until it clung to her skin snugly, repeating the same action on her other ankle.

"thankyou, sweetheart." she responded, running her fingers through his hair briefly.

yep, he was definitely going to die.

...

if he thought he was going to die earlier, he was dead now.

she was sat there, fiddling with the necklace he'd bought her a few months ago, blinking at him through her lashes as she spoke about their plans for the rest of the summer break.

he could have actually fall to his knees in the restaurant right there and then - she looked utterly and completely irresistible.

"can we go now, please?" lando pleaded for around the third time.

he had asked her after they had finished his main course, and then after they'd finished their desserts, and now when they were having another drink.

"god, what's gotten into you?" she laughed as she swallowed the remainder of her wine.

"nothing, i just want to go home." he shrugged, trying not to let her onto the fact he was planning every single thing he was going to do to her once that hotel room door was closed.

"okay, weirdo." she shook her head with another laugh, before politely asking for the bill.

technically, it was her turn to pay for dinner - but lando never let her pay anyway. his credit card was being swiped across the card machine before she could even get hers out of her purse.

"let's go, come on."

...

as soon as that hotel door had latched shut behind her, lando turned into some sort of rabid animal with no self control.

she found herself pinned up against the door very quickly, dress bunched up at her hips as he began his assault on her neck.

“god… needed you since i seen you earlier.” lando murmured, hoisting her legs up around his waist.

“yeah?” she nodded, arching her eyebrows as her eyes fluttered shut.

“mhm.” he hummed, his hand shifting to her lower back as she was then moved to her feet. “look so pretty — turn around for me?”

she spun her heel slowly, allowing lando to effortlessly pull on the delicate white bow, the thin straps loosening and falling below her shoulders. his hand trailed back down her arms, pulling the dress down and allowing it to fall to a puddle at their feet.

“so gorgeous.” he whispered, hot breath fanning the back of her shoulder — before his hands whipped her around to face him again.

"you think?" she responded quietly.

"of course, pretty girl." he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck, before spinning her round and walking her backwards to the bed - eye contact very, very intense.

a gentle shove rendered her flat on the bed, propped up on her elbows shortly after her back hit the soft mattress. just as he'd done earlier, lando dropped to his knees and now started to remove her heels.

god, she looked divine.

she was now only wearing the prettiest white lace underwear, but lando was trying not to focus on it - due to the fact that he was painfully hard, and that if he looked at her, all of his self-control would fly out of the hotel door (not that she would have minded that.)

a quick toss of the heels behind him made soft thuds in the room, but lando was already softly kissing up from her ankle to her inner thighs, rendering her unable to think about anything else.

"god..." she breathed out, tossing her head back as he skimmed his nose over the delicate fabric of her panties.

a soft chuckle reverberated through her from lando, he was literally laughing into her pussy - how hot could this man get?

"someone's needy." he whispered, lips brushing against the lace once again, resulting in her clenching around nothing.

"shut up." she whined. "just do something, please?"

"as you wish, baby." he mumbled, tugging her underwear down effortlessly and discarding them across the room.

he was like a man starved, denied of watching his girlfriend squirm underneath him for a mere few hours - that seemed to feel like years.

not that she needed any sort of lube, she was soaking wet by the time lando's thumb circled over her clit agonising slowly, but lando felt it necessary still to let a string of his saliva drip down on her aching cunt, spreading it adequately around with his tongue.

she was just about to beg, but he latched his lips onto her before the pleads could leave her lips. the noises made between his lips and hers were disgustingly hot, his fingers slowly beginning to prod at her entrance, teasing her tightness. his tongue drew shapes on her clit, he was spelling his fucking name, and she was seeing stars when a thick middle finger slid into her.

over and over again the same shapes danced over her heat, and lando slowly began to curl his finger to push against her g-spot. an almost pornographic moan left her lips as she felt the pressure of his index finger alongside his middle finger inside of her - whines and whimpers now a constant sound in the room.

they weren't just from her either, when her hips pushed into his face, lando wasn't ashamed to let a low groan out, the vibrations making her back arch up off of the bed - only for her to quickly be pushed back down by a veiny hand.

"fuck.. lando..." she moaned airly, a hand clutching onto his hair for dear life.

the soft bite to her clit was what sent her over the edge and into space. her legs shook around his head, the most lewd moans tumbling loudly from her lips. he pumped his fingers in and out of her and kitten-licked her through her orgasm, allowing her to float on her cloud of ecstasy for a little longer as she spasmed around him.

"you with me, pretty?" he softly spoke, now having moved his hands from her heat to her ribs, gently rubbing his thumbs up and down.

"yeah." she panted, nodding her head. "so fucking good."

he laughed airily, pressing soft kisses from her lower stomach up to her pillowy lips - swollen from how much she'd bitten down on them over the past few minutes.

their kiss was soft and gentle, she could taste herself on his lips, making her grow all-the-more wet again.

"take this off." she murmured into his lips, making a small noise resembling both a laugh and a whimper leave his lips as she tugged at his shirt.

he began to unbutton his shirt, while her hands frantically made their way down to his dress pants, unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers. both items of clothing were quickly a puddle on the floor, his boxers swiftly following.

lando's necklace dangled down and rested just below her chin, then sitting comfortably on the centre of her neck as he kissed her again - teeth clashing and tongues pushing against each other for dominance (lando won, obviously.)

the hand that wasn't holding his body up above her, made its way down to his erection, running it up and down her slit to lube it.

breaking the kiss, the look in his eyes asked her the inevitable, and a quick nod followed.

the tip of his cock pressed into her, still stretching her out. you would have thought that after almost three years of very frequent sex, both would get used to the other - but no, every time they felt each other, it was like the first time all over again.

she quite literally fluttered around him, eyes squeezing shut as he bottomed out a few moments later. a low groan escaped his lips, cut short when he realised her eyes were closed.

"hey, eyes open, baby." he whispered, tapping her cheek gently. "want to see the look in your eyes when you fall apart, yeah?"

pretty eyes met his once again as she blinked up at him, some form of a moan leaving her lips as he spoke to her - how could such dirty words come from a man who looked like a fucking angel?

"good girl." he nodded, pressing a small kiss to her nose as he began to slowly thrust in and out.

now, usually, rough sex was lando's thing - but there was something about the way she looked up at him, it made him want to fuck her nice and gentle, slow and deep - so he did.

his strokes were fucking delicious, taming the fire in her lower belly in just the right way - a way that was building the indescribably incredible knot thick and slow. something was different, it was overwhelmingly good - the softest yet neediest moans tumbling from her lips at an almost alarming rate.

maybe every other deep thrust, she'd clench around him, even more blood rushing to his throbbing cock - he wasn't really sure if it was her that was pulsing around him or it was himself, but either way, it felt fucking good.

his lips made their way to her boobs subconsciously, feeling as if he'd neglected them. swirling his tongue around one hard nipple, he slid two fingers inside of her mouth to wet his fingers - before returning them to the nub his mouth wasn't paying delicate attention to, pinching and pressing the pads of his fingers to them.

sensitive from her previous high, the next one was encroaching quickly, warmth spreading to her inner thighs and lower tummy. he could immediately tell she was close. there were tell-tale signs - loud moans would turn to quiet, short, sharp whimpers, she'd become grabby with her hands - needing something to clutch onto as she fell into the abyss of ecstasy - simultaneously clenching around him so tightly that sometimes she'd accidentally restrict his movement - and all were currently taking place.

"go on, pretty girl, cum for me."

she was so gone.

lando's back suffered as her nails scratched into it, leaving red lines painted across the muscles - his trainers wouldn't ask any questions, it's not as if they hadn't seen worse marks before anyway.

she tried so so hard to keep her eyes open, but it was just too hard. her eyes fluttered closed as her mouth hung agape, eyebrows arched as her nose scrunched up a little - lando wanted the image etched onto his retinas.

she gushed all over him, pretty liquid squirting from her cunt, painting his abdomen shiny as the juices splattered on him.

she thought she was going to die, and she would happily like this.

that was actually all it took for him. hot ropes of cum spilled deep into her, stuffed up against her cervix as he tried his hardest to keep thrusting into her - his hips stuttering as he started to get a little overstimulated.

slowly but surely, the two came down from their mind-blowing highs, lando rolling them over so she was laid on top of him, her walls still unconsciously clenching and fluttering around him.

"you good, baby?" he whispered, his hands rubbing up and down her back.

"think so, tired now." she smiled wearily, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, before letting her head roll down into the crook of his neck.

"want to sleep or clean up?" lando asked softly, running his fingers through her hair.

"sleep, definitely."

[fr0stf4ll]

Flavours of Prythian

Coming from that request

paring; Azriel x reader

summary; Y/N, a talented restaurateur’s life is turned upside down when she forms an unexpected bond with Azriel, the mysterious Spymaster of the Night Court. Befriending Elain, who confides in her about a male she’s trying to win over, she eagerly helps her new friend — only to discover the male is none other than Azriel. When the bond between her and Azriel snaps at first touch, she’s torn between loyalty to Elain and the undeniable connection she shares with the shadowy warrior.

word count ; 7.8k

warning; //

notes; Yoo everyone, here is my first one shot ! Thank you again for the request<333 Should I do a more general taglist so that you guys can be permanently on it. Enjoy it, see you <3

---

Prythian was a land of many wonders, from the towering peaks of the Illyrian mountains to the lush, rolling hills of the Spring Court. But for you, the true magic of the land was found in its kitchens, markets, and the rich flavors that each court had to offer.

You had always been drawn to the culinary arts, even as a child. Your curiosity led you to travel across the courts, tasting the distinct dishes of each region, learning from the most skilled chefs, and uncovering the hidden culinary gems that most would overlook. You spent years journeying from the Day Court, where spices danced like sunlight on the tongue, to the Winter Court, where hearty stews and warm bread were a staple against the biting cold. In the Night Court, you discovered the delicate balance of flavors that mirrored the starlit skies above, and in the Summer Court, you indulged in the rich, vibrant tastes that seemed to capture the very essence of the sun-drenched beaches.

Your travels weren’t just about satisfying your own cravings; they were a quest to bring the best of Prythian’s diverse cuisines to others. And so, you did the impossible—you opened a series of restaurants, each one in a different court, each one a testament to the culinary traditions you had learned and made your own. Your establishments became a haven for those seeking not only a good meal but an experience, a journey through Prythian’s tastes and textures without ever leaving their seat.

Your flagship restaurant, nestled in the heart of Velaris, was particularly special. It was here, in the City of Starlight, that you combined the flavors of all the courts into a menu that was as varied and enchanting as Prythian itself. Word quickly spread of the remarkable dishes served within, and soon, it wasn’t just the citizens of Velaris who came to dine—High Fae from every court sought out your creations.

One such evening, as you oversaw the final preparations for the dinner service, the door to your restaurant swung open, and in walked a familiar face—Elain Archeron. Elain had been wandering through Velaris, taking in the beauty of the city, when the warm, inviting aroma from your restaurant had drawn her in.

Elain was known for her gentle nature, her love of gardening, and her keen eye for beauty in all things. But tonight, she was here for something different—a new experience, a chance to explore another form of beauty through the culinary delights that had been whispered about throughout the city.

As Elain took her seat near a window overlooking the Sidra, she immediately felt at ease. There was a sense of comfort and warmth in the restaurant, and it wasn’t long before you found yourself walking over to greet her. She looked up with a warm smile, her eyes bright with curiosity and a touch of shyness.

“Welcome,” you said, your own smile reflecting her warmth. “I’m Y/N, the owner and chef here. It’s a pleasure to have you.”

Elain’s smile widened, and she nodded appreciatively. “I’ve heard so much about this place, I just had to come see for myself. The aromas alone are worth the visit.”

You chuckled, feeling an instant connection with her. “I’m glad to hear that. I’ll make sure the food lives up to the expectations.”

As the evening went on, you found yourself returning to Elain’s table more than once, the conversation flowing easily between the two of you. You talked about your travels, the different courts you had visited, and the inspiration behind some of the dishes on the menu. Elain, in turn, shared stories of her own—of her love for gardening, the peace she found in the quiet moments spent among the flowers, and her growing appreciation for the little joys in life, like a perfectly prepared meal.

There was something comforting in the way you both connected, as if you had known each other for much longer than just one evening. By the time dessert arrived—a delicate pastry inspired by the flavors of the Summer Court—you and Elain were chatting like old friends, the conversation punctuated by shared laughter and the occasional appreciative hum as she tasted each new dish.

As the night drew to a close, Elain hesitated for a moment before speaking. “I’d love to come back,” she said, her voice soft but sincere. “Maybe we could do this again sometime?”

You smiled, genuinely pleased by the idea. “I’d like that. You’re welcome anytime, Elain.”

Elain quickly became a regular fixture at your restaurant, her visits growing more frequent as the two of you bonded over shared stories, laughter, and the occasional glass of wine. It wasn’t long before your casual conversations began to take on a more personal tone, with Elain confiding in you about her life, her hopes, and her dreams.

One evening, after the dinner rush had died down and the restaurant had settled into a peaceful hum, Elain arrived with a particular glint in her eye. You noticed it the moment she walked in, her steps lighter, her smile brighter. She took her usual seat by the window, and you didn’t waste any time joining her, a knowing smile on your face.

“Alright, Elain,” you said, sitting down across from her. “You’re glowing tonight. What’s going on?”

Elain blushed, her hands fluttering nervously in her lap. “It’s nothing, really… Well, maybe it’s something. I don’t know.”

You leaned in closer, eyes wide with curiosity. “Come on, you can’t just leave me hanging like that. Spill!”

She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before finally giving in. “There’s… this male,” she began, her voice soft but filled with excitement. “I’ve been trying to get his attention for a while now, and I think… I think it might actually be working.”

You couldn’t help but squeal in delight, clapping your hands together. “Elain! This is amazing! Tell me everything—who is he? How did it start? What’s he like?”

Elain giggled at your enthusiasm, her own excitement bubbling to the surface as she began to share the details. “He’s… well, he’s different. Reserved, I guess you could say. But there’s something about him that just draws me in. He’s kind, in his own way, and he has this quiet strength that I really admire.”

You listened intently, hanging on her every word as she described this mysterious male who had captured her attention. It was clear that she was smitten, and you couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement for her.

“So, what’s the plan?” you asked, your mind already racing with ideas. “How are you going to win him over?”

Elain smiled shyly, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass. “Well, I thought… maybe I could start by cooking for him. You know, something simple but special. He loves good food, and I think it might help him see… well, see me.”

You practically jumped out of your seat with excitement. “Elain, that’s perfect! And you’re in the right place—I can help you with recipes, tips, anything you need. We’ll make sure this meal is unforgettable.”

Her eyes lit up with gratitude. “Really? You’d help me?”

“Of course!” you replied, beaming. “This is what friends are for. And besides, I love a good love story. We’ll make sure he can’t resist you after this.”

From that moment on, the two of you were inseparable. Elain would visit the restaurant every few days, sometimes to try out a new dish, other times just to chat and share the latest developments in her budding romance. The more she talked about this male, the more you could see how deeply she cared for him, and it made you all the more determined to help her succeed.

You spent hours in the kitchen together, experimenting with different ingredients and techniques, crafting meals that were not only delicious but also filled with meaning. Elain would watch you work, her eyes wide with admiration as you explained the significance of each spice, each flavor, and how it could be used to convey emotion.

“There’s a language in food,” you told her one afternoon as you kneaded dough for a loaf of bread. “Every dish tells a story. When you cook for someone, you’re sharing a part of yourself with them. It’s intimate, in a way.”

Elain nodded thoughtfully, her hands busy chopping herbs for the soup you were preparing. “I never thought of it like that, but it makes sense. I want him to know how I feel, even if I can’t always find the words.”

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection for your friend. “Then we’ll make sure every bite he takes is filled with love.”

As the days turned into weeks, Elain’s visits became a highlight of your day. She would burst through the door, her eyes sparkling as she recounted her latest interactions with the male who had stolen her heart. You would listen with rapt attention, offering advice and encouragement, celebrating every small victory and reassuring her during moments of doubt.

“He loved the soup,” she told you one evening, her cheeks flushed with happiness. “He said it was the best thing he’d ever tasted. And I think… I think he’s starting to notice me.”

You grinned, feeling a surge of pride. “I told you, Elain. No one can resist good food, especially when it’s made with love.”

She laughed, her joy infectious. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Y/N. You’ve helped me so much.”

You waved off her gratitude with a smile. “Nonsense. You’re the one doing all the hard work. I’m just here to cheer you on.”

But the truth was, you had come to care deeply for Elain and her happiness. It wasn’t just about the food anymore—it was about seeing your friend find the love and connection she so deserved. And as she continued to come back, sharing her hopes and dreams, you couldn’t help but feel that you had found something special too.

Your friendship with Elain had become a source of joy and fulfillment, a reminder that sometimes, the most meaningful connections were forged in the simplest of moments—over a shared meal, a quiet conversation, or a burst of laughter that echoed through the night.

And so, as the seasons changed and the nights grew longer, you continued to help Elain in her quest to win over this mysterious male, knowing that whatever the outcome, you had found a true friend in her. A friend who had come into your life unexpectedly, but who had quickly become an irreplaceable part of it.

Weeks had passed since you and Elain had first started crafting meals together, each one a carefully planned step in her quest to win over the male who had captivated her heart. Every visit, every dish, brought a new story, a new glimmer of hope in her eyes. You were genuinely happy for her, thrilled to see her so full of life and excitement. So, when she asked if she could bring him to your restaurant for dinner, you couldn’t have been more supportive.

“Of course, Elain!” you’d said, flashing her an encouraging smile. “I’ll make sure everything is perfect. It’ll be a night he won’t forget.”

You’d spent the entire day preparing, selecting only the finest ingredients and crafting a menu that would showcase the very best of what your restaurant had to offer. You wanted this night to be special for her—special for them. You had no idea how special it would become, for reasons you never could have imagined.

As the evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting the city of Velaris in a warm, golden glow, Elain arrived at the restaurant with a male by her side. You couldn’t quite make out his features at first, but the way she clung to his arm, her eyes bright with anticipation, told you all you needed to know. This was the one.

As they stepped into the softly lit dining room, you finally got a good look at him—Azriel, the shadowsinger of the Night Court. You had heard of him, of course, through whispers and stories, but nothing could have prepared you for the moment your eyes met his.

Elain beamed as she introduced the two of you, her voice filled with warmth and pride. “Azriel, this is Y/N, the wonderful chef I’ve been telling you about. And Y/N, this is Azriel.”

He extended his hand to you, his expression polite, reserved. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, his voice deep and smooth.

You reached out, intending to greet him with the same friendly courtesy you offered all your patrons. But the moment your hand touched his, something shifted in the air—a sudden, overwhelming rush of heat and energy that took your breath away. The bond snapped into place with such force that it nearly knocked you off your feet.

For a split second, the world around you faded, and all you could feel was the pull, the undeniable connection that tethered your soul to his. His eyes widened in shock, and you knew he felt it too—the bond, the realization that fate had just entwined your lives in a way neither of you had expected.

But as quickly as the bond formed, reality came crashing back down. Elain was standing there, her eyes full of hope, completely unaware of the storm that had just erupted inside you. She had no idea that the male she was so clearly infatuated with, the one she had been working so hard to win over, was now bound to you in a way that went beyond anything you could have ever imagined.

Panic surged through you. How could this happen? How could you possibly accept this bond when it would mean shattering the friendship you had built with Elain, when it would mean taking away the one thing she wanted so desperately?

You couldn’t. You wouldn’t.

With a forced smile, you quickly withdrew your hand from Azriel’s grasp, the warmth of the bond lingering like a phantom touch. “It’s nice to meet you too,” you managed to say, though your voice sounded hollow even to your own ears.

Azriel’s gaze lingered on you, confusion and something deeper flickering in his hazel eyes. But you couldn’t let yourself look too long, couldn’t let yourself feel what was brewing inside you. Not when Elain was standing right there, her happiness hanging in the balance.

“Please, take a seat,” you said, stepping back and motioning toward the table you had specially prepared for them. “I’ll make sure everything is perfect.”

Elain smiled, oblivious to the turmoil in your heart, and took her seat. Azriel hesitated for just a moment before following suit, his eyes never leaving yours. You could feel the weight of his gaze on you, the unspoken questions hanging in the air between you, but you didn’t dare meet his eyes again. You couldn’t.

As the evening went on, you did your best to stay professional, to act as if nothing had changed. You brought out dish after dish, each one more exquisite than the last, all while ignoring the fire burning in your chest. Every time Azriel tried to catch your eye, every time he tried to speak to you, you found a reason to turn away, to focus on something—anything—else.

Elain chattered on, completely unaware of the tension building between you and Azriel. She complimented the food, praised your skills, and even mentioned how much Azriel seemed to be enjoying himself. And through it all, you kept up the facade, kept pretending as if the bond snapping into place hadn't turned your entire world upside down.

But it was getting harder. With every glance Azriel sent your way, with every quiet question he tried to ask you in passing, it felt like the invisible thread between you was pulling tighter, demanding to be acknowledged. Yet, you refused to give in.

As the night dragged on, the tension between you and Azriel grew unbearable. He could sense it—you knew he could—but Elain remained blissfully unaware, happily recounting the gossip from the latest happenings in Velaris, smiling every time she caught Azriel glancing her way.

Azriel's eyes kept drifting back to you. Not once, not twice, but every time you approached the table, as if he couldn’t stop himself. You could feel the weight of his gaze burning into you, the way his expression darkened each time you brushed past him without so much as a word. He knew you were avoiding him, and he didn’t like it.

When you brought out the final dish—an indulgent dessert meant to close the evening on a sweet note—Elain excused herself to step outside for a moment, leaving you alone with Azriel for the first time since the bond snapped.

You could feel his presence before you even turned around, the quiet intensity of his gaze. And as you set the plate down in front of him, you knew you couldn’t avoid this confrontation any longer.

“Y/N.” His voice was low, barely more than a murmur, but the way he said your name sent a shiver down your spine. “We need to talk.”

You swallowed hard, keeping your eyes firmly fixed on the table in front of you. “There’s nothing to talk about,” you said, your voice cold and distant, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions raging inside you.

Azriel leaned forward, his voice dropping even lower. “Don’t lie to me. You felt it too.”

The bond. He didn’t have to say the word for you to know what he meant. It was a truth that hung in the air between you, undeniable and impossible to ignore. And yet, you had to. You had to protect Elain, to protect your friendship, no matter the cost.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you lied, your heart aching with the effort it took to deny the pull you felt toward him.

Azriel’s expression darkened, his hand curling into a fist on the table. “Don’t do this, Y/N. Don’t shut me out.”

But you couldn’t let him in. If you let him in, if you allowed yourself to even consider what the bond meant, you would be betraying Elain in the worst way possible. How could you even think about being with him when she had spent weeks confiding in you, trusting you with her feelings for him?

“No, Azriel.” You stepped back, your voice firmer this time. “I can’t.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, frustration simmering just beneath the surface. “Why? Because of Elain?”

You winced at the mention of her name, the weight of guilt pressing heavily on your chest. “She cares about you. A lot.”

Azriel's expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes. “Y/N, it’s not like that between Elain and me.”

But you shook your head, refusing to let yourself believe it. “It doesn’t matter. She’s my friend. I can’t—I won’t—do this to her.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The air between you was thick with tension, a storm of emotions swirling just beneath the surface. Azriel opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, the sound of the door opening broke the silence.

Elain re-entered the dining room, a bright smile on her face as she made her way back to the table. “Sorry about that,” she said cheerfully, oblivious to the charged atmosphere between you and Azriel. “What did I miss?”

You forced a smile, masking the turmoil raging inside you. “Nothing,” you lied, your voice steady even though your heart was breaking. “Just making sure everything’s perfect.”

Elain beamed, clearly pleased with how the evening had gone. “It really has been perfect, Y/N. Thank you so much for everything.”

Azriel’s gaze lingered on you for a moment longer before he finally looked away, the tension in his jaw clear as he nodded in agreement. “Yes… thank you.”

You nodded once, offering them both a stiff smile before excusing yourself from the room, your chest tightening with every step you took away from them.

As you retreated to the quiet of the kitchen, your hands bracing against the counter, the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. The bond had snapped. Azriel was your mate. And yet, you couldn’t—wouldn’t—accept it.

You had promised yourself you’d never hurt Elain. And if shutting down every advance Azriel made, if pushing away the one person the Cauldron had chosen for you was the only way to keep that promise, then that’s exactly what you would do.

Even if it tore you apart.

Back in the kitchen, you leaned heavily against the counter, your hands gripping the cold marble surface as you tried to regain your composure. The bond had snapped, and with it, any sense of stability you had managed to hold onto throughout the evening. The world felt off-kilter, like you were standing on the edge of a cliff, teetering on the brink.

One of your sous chefs, a sharp-eyed female who had worked with you since the restaurant’s inception, noticed your pallor. She set down the pan she was holding and approached you, concern evident in her eyes.

“Y/N,” she began cautiously, her voice gentle but probing, “are you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

You forced a nod, though you knew your expression wasn’t convincing. “I’m fine,” you murmured, though your voice was shaky and unsteady.

She frowned, clearly not buying your response. Her eyes scanned your face, taking in the unusual paleness of your skin, the way your hands trembled slightly as you gripped the counter. “You don’t look fine. Do you need to sit down? Maybe get some air?”

You shook your head, trying to brush off her concern, but the weight of the bond pressed down on you, making it hard to breathe. “No, I’ll be okay. It’s just… been a long night.”

She hesitated, still studying you closely, before glancing around the bustling kitchen. “But, Y/N,” she continued, her tone turning more inquisitive, “it’s strange. You always insist on preparing Miss Elain’s meals yourself, especially when she’s bringing a guest. But tonight, you didn’t even touch the preparation. You left it all to us.”

You froze at her words, the reality of what had happened sinking in even deeper. She was right—normally, you would have insisted on handling every detail of Elain’s meal, wanting to ensure that everything was perfect for your friend. But tonight, when it mattered most, you hadn’t been able to bring yourself to do it.

The truth was, the moment you realized Elain was bringing someone special, you couldn’t bring yourself to touch the ingredients. You had let the staff handle everything because deep down, some part of you knew something was about to change—something you weren’t ready to face.

“I…” you started, but the words caught in your throat. You swallowed hard, trying to find some semblance of an explanation. “I just thought… maybe it was time to let you all handle it. You’re more than capable.”

She tilted her head slightly, her frown deepening as she searched your eyes. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

You nodded again, more firmly this time, even though the lie tasted bitter on your tongue. “Yes, I’m sure. I trust all of you with the kitchen. You don’t need me hovering over every detail.”

She didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she didn’t press the issue further. Instead, she offered a small, supportive smile. “Well, if you ever need a break, don’t hesitate to step out. We’ve got things under control here.”

“Thank you,” you whispered, your voice barely audible. “I appreciate it.”

With a final nod, she returned to her station, leaving you alone with your thoughts and the crushing weight of the bond you were trying so desperately to ignore.

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes for a moment as you tried to push away the overwhelming emotions swirling inside you. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t shake the image of Azriel’s eyes, the way they had widened in shock and recognition when the bond snapped into place. You couldn’t forget the warmth of his hand in yours, the way the world had seemed to narrow down to just the two of you in that fleeting, life-altering moment.

But Elain… you couldn’t do this to Elain. You couldn’t shatter her hopes, her dreams, just because of a bond you had never asked for. So, you did the only thing you could—you steeled yourself, pushed down the emotions threatening to break free, and vowed to keep your distance from Azriel, no matter how much it hurt.

You would be there for Elain, just as you always had been. You would help her win over the male she had been trying so hard to impress, even if it meant denying your own heart in the process.

Because that’s what friends did. They put each other first, no matter the cost.

And as you stood there in the kitchen, surrounded by the comforting sounds of sizzling pans and clinking utensils, you made a silent promise to yourself: you would protect Elain’s happiness, even if it meant sacrificing your own.

—

Azriel sat in the sitting room of the townhouse, surrounded by the familiar faces of the inner circle, yet he felt completely out of place. The evening had been an unexpected whirlwind of emotions, leaving him reeling from the bond that had snapped so suddenly and without warning. He had come here to find solace, to clear his mind, but every thought seemed to spiral back to you—the way you had looked at him, the way you had recoiled after the bond had formed during dinner at your restaurant.

He couldn’t understand it. How could something so significant be brushed aside so easily? He had tried to reach out to you, to understand what was happening, but you had shut him down, leaving him to grapple with the weight of the bond on his own.

The others were chatting around him, the sound of their laughter and conversation filling the room, but it all felt distant, muffled. Azriel’s mind was too clouded to focus on anything they were saying. He was trapped in a loop, replaying the moment over and over in his head—the spark, the connection, the way your eyes had widened in recognition before you quickly masked it.

He was so lost in thought that he almost missed it when Rhysand mentioned your name.

“You know, Y/N’s restaurant is one of the best in Velaris,” Rhys was saying, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smile. “Feyre and I went there a few nights ago, and it was nothing short of incredible.”

Feyre nodded enthusiastically, her eyes lighting up at the memory. “The food was amazing. Every dish was like a work of art. She really has a talent, doesn’t she?”

Mor, who was lounging on one of the couches, joined in with a grin. “That’s not even the half of it. Y/N’s got restaurants all over Prythian—one in each court, if you can believe it. She’s become a bit of a legend in the culinary world.”

Azriel’s heart sank further as they continued to praise you, each word driving the knife deeper into his chest. It wasn’t that he disagreed with them—he knew you were remarkable, talented, someone to be admired. But right now, every mention of your name was like salt in a wound that was already festering.

Cassian, who had been listening with a smirk on his face, finally spoke up, his tone playful. “Sounds like Az here missed out on one hell of a meal tonight. Maybe he’ll have to go back and get a taste of what everyone’s raving about.”

Azriel tensed, the comment hitting far too close to home. He knew Cassian was just joking, but the implication—the reminder of what had happened tonight—was too much to bear. Without a word, he pushed himself up from his chair, his movements abrupt enough to draw everyone’s attention.

“Az?” Feyre called out, concern lacing her voice as she watched him head for the door. “Are you alright?”

He didn’t trust himself to respond. Instead, he muttered something about needing some air and quickly left the room, the weight of their gazes heavy on his back as he made his escape.

As the door closed behind him, an uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Everyone exchanged glances, clearly taken aback by Azriel’s sudden departure.

“What’s gotten into him?” Rhysand wondered aloud, his brows furrowed in confusion.

Cassian, never one to let an opportunity for humor pass by, snorted and shook his head. “Probably just realized he’s been a brooding mess all night and couldn’t handle the idea of someone actually having a good time.”

Mor chuckled, though there was a trace of worry in her eyes. “Or maybe he just can’t handle the fact that Y/N’s cooking is so damn good, it knocked him off his game.”

Rhysand sighed, glancing toward the door Azriel had just walked through. “He’s been off since he got back tonight. Maybe something happened.”

Feyre bit her lip, her expression softening. “I hope he’s alright. He seemed… different.”

Cassian, ever the optimist, leaned back in his chair with a lazy grin. “He’ll be fine. Az is tougher than all of us combined. He just needs some time to brood in his room, and he’ll be back to his grumpy self in no time.”

The group shared a few more laughs at Azriel’s expense, but the concern in their eyes never fully faded. They all knew Azriel well enough to understand that when he withdrew like this, it meant something was seriously bothering him.

Azriel’s footsteps were heavy as he made his way to his room, the quiet of the hallway amplifying the thoughts swirling in his mind. As soon as he entered, he shut the door behind him and leaned against it, closing his eyes as he tried to block out the noise, the chaos of emotions inside him.

He couldn’t shake the feeling of your hand in his, the way the bond had snapped into place like it had always been there, waiting. The connection was undeniable, and yet… you had denied it. Denied him.

Why? The question gnawed at him, refusing to let him rest. He had seen the recognition in your eyes, the brief moment when you had felt it too. But then, you had shut down, shut him out as if the bond meant nothing.

It was more than just confusing—it was painful. Azriel had spent centuries in the shadows, watching from the sidelines as his friends found their mates, found love. He had accepted his place, accepted that perhaps it wasn’t meant for him. And then, in the span of a heartbeat, everything had changed. You had changed it.

And now… now he was left in this strange limbo, caught between the undeniable pull of the bond and the walls you had erected between you.

Azriel’s fists clenched at his sides as he fought the urge to storm back to your restaurant, to demand answers, to make you acknowledge what had happened. But he knew he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t force you to accept the bond, couldn’t force you to feel something you clearly weren’t ready to face.

With a frustrated sigh, Azriel pushed off the door and crossed the room, heading to the window that overlooked Velaris. The city was peaceful, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight, but his mind was anything but. He rested his forehead against the cool glass, his eyes scanning the distant lights of the city below.

“Why?” he whispered into the empty room, his voice tinged with a desperation he rarely allowed himself to feel. “Why won’t you let me in?”

But the night offered no answers, only the quiet whisper of the wind as it brushed against the windowpane.

—

The next day passed in a blur. You threw yourself into your work, letting the familiar rhythm of chopping, stirring, and plating distract you from the turmoil brewing inside. The restaurant had been busy, as always, with customers filling every table, their laughter and chatter echoing through the dining room. But despite the bustle, you couldn’t shake the heavy weight in your chest—the bond that you were trying so desperately to ignore.

When the last customer had left, you sent your staff home, insisting that you would handle the closing on your own. You needed the time alone, needed to clear your head without the distraction of others around. As the front door clicked shut behind the last of your employees, you finally allowed yourself to breathe.

The kitchen was quiet now, save for the soft sound of the knife in your hand as you prepped ingredients for the next day. The rhythmic motion of slicing through vegetables was soothing, almost meditative. But as you worked, you couldn’t help but feel the tension still coiled tight in your chest.

You were focused on the task at hand, chopping carrots with practiced precision, when a voice cut through the silence, making you freeze in place.

“I bet you could be good with a sword with how you work that knife,” came the familiar, deep voice, tinged with a hint of amusement. “Personally, I wouldn’t want to be those carrots.”

Your hand stilled mid-slice, the knife hovering just above the cutting board. You knew that voice all too well—Azriel.

Slowly, you turned to face him, finding him standing just inside the doorway to the kitchen, his expression guarded but his eyes full of determination. He had changed out of his usual leathers, dressed instead in a simple tunic and trousers, but there was no mistaking the intensity in his gaze.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The tension from the previous night hung heavy in the air, thick and suffocating. You could feel the bond thrumming faintly between you, a constant reminder of the connection you were trying so hard to deny.

But you knew why he was here. You had been avoiding him all day, refusing to even think about the conversation you knew was coming. But now, with the restaurant empty and the two of you alone, there was no escaping it.

You set the knife down on the counter, wiping your hands on a nearby towel as you steeled yourself for what was about to happen.

You took a deep breath, willing yourself to stay calm as you faced Azriel. The tension in the room was almost palpable, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy between you. You had been dreading this conversation, but there was no avoiding it now.

“You shouldn’t have come back,” you said, your voice firm, though you could hear the tremor in it. “We can’t do this, Azriel.”

His brow furrowed, confusion flashing in his eyes. “Why not? Y/N, you felt it too. The bond—it snapped into place. We can’t just ignore that.”

You shook your head, your heart aching at the look on his face. “I’m not ignoring it. But I can’t—I won’t act on it. Not when Elain… Not when she’s been trying so hard to win you over.”

Azriel’s eyes widened in realization, and he took a step closer to you, his expression softening as he reached out. “Y/N, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. Elain wasn’t trying to win me over… not in the way you think.”

You hesitated, frowning as you tried to make sense of his words. “What do you mean? She’s been telling me everything, Azriel. How she’s been trying to get your attention, how much she cares about you… I can’t do that to her. I won’t be the one to hurt her like that.”

Azriel sighed, running a hand through his dark hair, clearly frustrated but determined to set things right. “Y/N, you don’t have the full story. Elain… she’s not interested in me like that. She’s been trying to make Lucien jealous.”

You blinked, taken aback by his words. “Lucien? But… he’s her mate. Why would she do that?”

Azriel nodded, his expression softening as he saw the confusion in your eyes. “Yes, he’s her mate. But they’ve been going through a rough patch lately. Lucien’s duties as emissary for the Night Court have kept him away, and Elain’s been feeling… neglected. She thought that by spending time with me, by pretending there was something more between us, she could get a reaction out of him. It was never about me, Y/N. It was always about Lucien.”

You felt your heart drop as the realization hit you. “So, you were just helping her as a friend?”

Azriel nodded again, his gaze steady as he took a step closer to you. “Exactly. I was only doing this to help her. I never had feelings for her in that way, and she knows that. We were just… playing a part to get Lucien’s attention.”

You swallowed hard, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place. “She didn’t tell me any of this.”

“She probably didn’t want to worry you,” Azriel said gently. “Or maybe she wasn’t ready to admit it to herself. But I promise you, Y/N, there’s nothing between Elain and me. There never was. She’s still trying to figure things out with Lucien, and I was just trying to help her.”

You looked away, your mind racing to process everything Azriel was telling you. You had been so sure, so convinced that you were protecting Elain by shutting Azriel out. But now, with this new information, everything felt uncertain, like the ground had shifted beneath your feet.

“Azriel, I…” you started, but the words caught in your throat. You didn’t know what to say, how to respond. You had built up walls around your heart, walls meant to protect both you and Elain from the pain of betrayal. But now those walls were crumbling, leaving you vulnerable and confused.

Azriel took another step closer, his voice gentle as he spoke. “Y/N, please. Don’t shut me out. Let’s talk about this—really talk. Give me a chance to show you that this bond isn’t something to be feared. It’s something that could be… everything.”

You stood there, trying to process everything Azriel had just told you. The confusion, the guilt, the realization that you had misunderstood everything—it all came crashing down at once. You looked away from Azriel, your gaze dropping to the floor as you struggled to make sense of it all.

“Okay,” you finally muttered, more to yourself than to him. “Now I actually feel like a dumbass.”

The words slipped out before you could stop them, and you cringed internally. But when you glanced back up at Azriel, you found him staring at you with wide eyes for a moment—before a warm, rich laugh escaped him. It was a sound you hadn’t expected, a sound that cut through the tension and made your own lips twitch into a reluctant smile.

Azriel shook his head, still chuckling softly. “You’re not a dumbass, Y/N. Just… someone who cares a lot about her friend.”

You let out a shaky breath, your shoulders relaxing slightly as the weight of the misunderstanding began to lift. But even with the air between you lightened, you couldn’t shake the lingering worry, the uncertainty of what this all meant.

“I just… I don’t know you that well,” you admitted, your voice quieter now, more hesitant. “And this bond… it’s a lot to take in. I was so worried about Elain’s feelings that I didn’t even stop to think about how I felt. About how to navigate this.”

Azriel’s expression softened further, and he took a careful step closer, making sure not to crowd you. “I understand. The bond is… overwhelming, especially when it comes out of nowhere. And I know we don’t know each other well yet, but that’s something we can work on. We don’t have to rush into anything, Y/N. We can take this one step at a time, if that’s what you need.”

You looked up at him, meeting his gaze fully for the first time since the bond had snapped. There was no pressure in his eyes, no demand—just a quiet patience that made your heart ache with a strange mix of relief and something else, something warmer.

“But… what if this doesn’t work?” you asked, your voice small, the fear you had been trying to suppress finally finding its way out. “What if I can’t be what you need?”

Azriel’s eyes softened even more, and he shook his head gently. “Y/N, you don’t have to be anything but yourself. The bond doesn’t demand perfection—it’s just a connection, a starting point. We figure the rest out together.”

You swallowed, feeling the sincerity in his words. The fear was still there, gnawing at the edges of your mind, but it was tempered now by something else—a tentative hope that maybe, just maybe, this could work.

“Okay,” you whispered, more to yourself than to him, but Azriel caught it nonetheless.

He smiled softly, his wings shifting slightly as if in relief. “Okay,” he echoed. “One step at a time.”

For a moment, you both stood there in the quiet of the kitchen, the bond humming faintly between you. It wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t without its complications, but it was something. And for the first time since the bond had snapped, you felt like maybe you could handle this—together.

Azriel extended his hand, not as a demand, but as an offer. “How about we start with something simple? A walk, maybe? Just to talk, get to know each other.”

You hesitated for a moment, the anxiety still lingering, but then you nodded slowly, reaching out to take his hand. His grip was warm, reassuring, and as his fingers closed around yours, you felt a little of that fear ease away.

“Yeah,” you agreed, a small smile tugging at the corners of your mouth. “A walk sounds good.”

And as you both stepped out of the kitchen, hand in hand, you couldn’t help but feel that maybe—just maybe—this was the beginning of something worth taking a chance on.

[aycius]

IT MUST BE L-O-V-E !‧₊˚

feat. satoru gojo, suguru geto, nanami kento & choso kamo!

author’s note. finally back! i’m sorry for being mia for a while i had some things i had to deal with. here’s an older work of mine teehee, i hope you guys enjoy :3

SATORU loves seeing you in his camera roll. videos, photos, .5s, and photos you took when he didn’t have his phone with him. needless to say, it’s only mandatory that he takes photos of you whenever you two are together. especially on dates, where he turns into your personal photographer, and let me tell you—this man is good at the job. you’re trying to take a photo but it’s too dark? that’s fine, he’ll place his phone on his left hand and turn on the flash and keep your phone on his right to take the pics. your storage is low? use his phone to take pics. he’ll send them to you later. it’s a bonus in his eyes because now he has extra photos of you to add in his photo albums. this man literally has a photo album for .5 photos in which it’s raining and you both forgot to bring umbrellas. his phone is all up in your face and your hair is usually drenched and sometimes your mascara is running but satoru claims it’s hilarious to look back on. sometimes when you guys are in the middle of an argument he sends one of those pics to you and says “i miss you” while he’s literally just in the other room. 

SUGURU is on the porch of your house at two am. why? well, while you were trying to use the bathroom half awake, you were greeted with a spider crawling on the bathroom floor. and to be honest, you’d never want to bother toji’s sleep, but the spider was really big and there was only one bathroom in your house. that’s why when you open your door, your boyfriend (who also hates spiders by the way) has a face mask on, latex gloves, and bug spray in his hand. “where is it,” he whispers and it doesn’t even sound like a question, either way, you point into the direction of your bathroom and he firmly nods like he’s off to war, entering your place and letting out a deep sigh while striding into your bathroom. he hesitantly opens the door and peeks head first, scanning the bathroom but not seeing said spider. “it’s gone.” he grumbles while turning off the lights in the bathroom. before he can turn to face you, he notices you gripping onto his shirt hard and can’t help the chuckle that escapes his lips. “you seriously that scared of a spider?” he snorts.  “maybe… maybe you should just stay the night.” 

NANAMI is the type of boyfriend to take initiative. he’s observant, understanding, and does anything possible to make sure you’re comfortable and feeling okay. that’s why kento is the one who speaks up when the restaurant gets your order wrong. he’s aware that you can speak for yourself, but when he noticed you picking your food with a fork, he knows you’re not going to. and to him, it’s pointless to come to a restaurant without enjoying your meal. so, he waves at a waitress and kindly asks them to bring the correct order. and even though you tell him he really didn’t have to, he smiles at you, “i insisted on us coming to this restaurant, it’s only fair you get your correct order.” while kento thinks that what he did was the bare minimum, you think you just fell harder for him.

CHOSO is literally an angel brought to earth. you swear he’s the biggest gentleman you’ve ever met, and you’re so grateful to have him in your life. this lovely man always makes sure you’re walking on the inner end of the road. it doesn’t even matter if there are sidewalks—choso doesn’t want to take risk. since you guys live closer to the city, you take that as an opportunity to take frequent walks to enjoy the sights. the second you guys step foot on the sidewalk, making small talk and pointing at interesting views, choso will casually switch positions with you, nodding along at whatever you’re rambling about. he’s so smooth with it that sometimes you don’t even notice. “you’re being overdramatic, y’know.” you tell him, laughing at the tight grasp he has on your arm. and he laughs as well because how did his arm get there in the first place? he may worry a lot about you, but it’s only out of love. “i need you to be safe at all times, pretty.” 

[sugarushwriting]

ot7 vampire enhypen (part three). you are their personal (human) blood bank

ni-ki is out of his damn mind (sigh)

jungwon feeds on a human (you) for the first time

sfw with some nsfw innuendos and interactions (groping, making out)

please reblog, comment and like! but please do not repost or translate! not proof read.

next two parts may have some nsfw scenes

thank u for the love and support!

₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ₊˚⊹♡

you, jungwon, and jay arrived at the hotel a little while ago to set your stuff in the rooms, then went straight to dinner in the hotel’s restaurant.

that’s when you learned jays father owned the hotel (and many others). and that him (his father) was rich. and that his father was still alive as an even older vampire.

“order whatever you want.” jay said to you and jungwon.

neither you or jungwon knew jungwon was feeding tonight. jay didn’t want either one of you nervous during dinner, making the conversation awkward.

you and jungwon only knew that ni-ki was out of his mind (your words not jays) and it wasn’t safe for you to be in the home. sunoo stayed back at the house, with jake and heeseung taking turns on watch to make sure he behaves (which they know he will, but they have to be safe). sunghoon had to stay back as an elder to keep an eye on ni-ki, but also, they were upping the antics used on him to quickly get the human lust out of his system. they didn’t want you there just in case you heard anything.

after dinner, you felt you could combust at any moment with how much you ate. jay made sure you ate.

the three of you took the elevator back up to the suite you were in. it had 2 separate bedrooms with an en-suite each, a huge balcony overlooking the city, a kitchen, and a living room. you looked up the price of the room on the hotels website and glad you were close with the CEO’s son. ($5,000 a night).

“i need you both to sit on the couch. i need to discuss something important with you two.” jay announced and it worried you and jungwon.

“what’s wrong?” you asked sitting on the big couch, and jungwon sat close to you. again, jay opted to sit on the coffee table in front of you both loosening his tie. oh fuck he looked good doing that.

“jungwon is going to feed on you tonight.” jay ripped the bandage off.

you and jungwon gasped. “jay, i—,”

“you’re ready.” jay cut off jungwon.

then you added with humor, “is that why you fattened me up?”

jay smiled. “i just made sure you ate well.”

you huffed. “why are you just now telling us? do the other boys know?”

“only sunghoon. we didn’t want you both nervous. and jake can’t keep his mouth shut so we decided against to tell any of the others until afterwards.”

“can i at least shower first?”

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

after your shower, you dressed in another one of jays oversized shirts you took from his dresser. you opted out of boxers or pants, and kept it classy with a thong.

you walked out from jays room to the living room, both boys in a hushed conversation, but when they saw you, their attention turned to you.

“where do you want to be? living room or jungwon’s?” jay asked. “i was also thinking after your feed, you sleep in jungwon’s bed tonight. it’ll test his confidence in his ability to control himself.”

jungwon was shaking his head as if he had disagreed with the plan.

“i can do that.” you stated and looked at jungwon who looked at you surprised. you smiled. you trusted him.

“good. you’ll keep the door unlocked. if anything goes wrong i will be able to sense and hear it and i’ll be by your side in a flash.”

you nodded. “okay.”

all three of you went to jungwon’s room, and you laid down.

“how—how do the other guys typically do it?” jungwon asked.

you smiled, sitting up on your arms trying to ease his mind. “well first, where do you want to feed? jays favorite place is classic, my neck. heeseung prefers my hip or waist, or my sides. sunghoon and jake prefer my upper thighs.” you explained.

you lifted your shirt to show the upper part of your thighs. “sunghoon is pretty possessive over my right thigh, but you can share the left with jake if you want.”

“are you sure jake won’t get possessive?” jay snorted.

“i can handle jake.” you said. “so where do you want to feed jungwon?”

“why do you chose the neck?” jungwon asked and looked to jay.

jay blushed and scratched the back of his head. “uh—it’s more intimate.”

“he does it while we’re having sex.” you said, not embarrassed at all.

here’s the thing, you are their blood bank, you are okay with that. but you’re not their sex toy, and jay made sure to get that through your head. if you wanted to have sex with them, fine, but you didn’t have to.

jay was the only one you’ve had full sex with, as you figured out he likes to feed after your orgasm cause it lessens the pain.

jake and sunghoon have both been between your legs, and it wasn’t just to feed.

jungwon swallowed. “i’ll take the left thigh.”

you smiled, “good choice.”

you laid back down, as jay assisted jungwon in making sure to find a thick part of your thigh. jungwon gave a kiss to your inner thigh, but not as close as jake and sunghoon like to be.

“her body will tell you when you’re done. you need to listen to her, not yourself.” jay stated. “if you get out of control, which i doubt you will, i will force you off of her. you may get upset as you’ll be driven by lust.”

jungwon nodded listening attentively.

“hold my hand.” you said to jungwon and he did. “i’ll let you know.”

jungwon was excited but nervous. his first human feed as a newbie. your blood always smelt so fresh, so sweet, so good to him. he couldn’t explain it. it was a different smell, and as the olders explained, you were a different and better taste too.

jungwon kissed your thigh once more, you squeezed his hand in reassurance, and jungwon’s eyes changed and his fangs dropped. his teeth grazed your skin before it broke through.

you immediately groaned in pain, but soon it felt pleasurable as usual. since jungwon was new, he fed a little harsher, through his lips and teeth.

after a few minutes, jungwon felt your body feel different. it’s done. but his mind was telling him not to stop. to drain you of all your blood. or to turn you into what he was.

“jungwon.” jay warned, but jungwon’s ears weren’t listening.

his body and mind wasn’t either. until he heard you.

“wonie, that’s enough.” you sighed through pleasure and squeezed his hand.

he stopped. he reluctantly removed his teeth, instinctively licking where his teeth once were, and kissed it softly. his forehead soon rested against your thigh.

you ran your hand through his hair. “you did good, jungwon.” you praised. jungwon smiled and chuckled.

he looked up at you. then he looked at jay who looked like a proud dad.

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

that night you slept in jungwon’s bed with him comfortably. that was until you woke up to him hovering over you, his eyes had turned red. however, the fangs weren’t out.

“jungwon?” you questioned, and he groaned. he groaned like he was in pain and leaned in closer to inhale your scent from your neck. he kissed your neck then sank his human teeth as he nibbled.

it startled you and you yelped. he leaned up eyes staring right at you, his tongue peeking out to lick his lips.

his hand gripped your thigh—hard. “ouch, jungwon.” you groaned and he smiled.

shit.

before you knew it, he pulled your shirt up, and ripped your thong off, his nose going straight to your inner thigh where he last fed.

jay came through the door, but you held out a hand to stop him, and jay listened.

“wonie, look at me.” you pleaded. jungwon looked at you with his red eyes, before his nose ran up your body has he inhaled you.

jay went to move, but you stopped him again. jungwon’s attention turned to jay, and he literally snarled.

“wonie, look at me!” you repeated and took his head in your hands to make eye contact once again. “wonie, are you hungry or do you just miss my taste?”

jungwon closed his eyes, internally battling with himself. “taste—i miss your taste.” he cried through his teeth. he was fighting himself, literally.

“then taste me.” you said, and brought jungwon’s lips to your own.

the kiss was anything but romantic. jungwon was craving you, craving your taste. he was animalistic with the kisses, dominate, often taking your bottom lip in between his teeth.

all while, he was grinding his lower half into you. well, his hard lower half.

you moaned into the kiss, and jungwon took the opportunity to stick his tongue inside your mouth searching for your own tongue. you whimpered just as he used his hands to grab all over your body. he was harshly gripping your thighs, stomach, hips, ass, breasts, anywhere and everywhere as he grinded against your lower half with his. he had a barrier, you didn’t.

the messy make out session didn’t last much longer, as jungwon started to whimper himself, and he stopped grinding as his mouth moved to your neck, stopping the kissing altogether as he took deep breaths.

“it’s ok wonie.” you patted his back and rubbed it. he shook his head.

“im sorry, im sorry, im sorry.” he kept repeating and sniffled. he was still hard as a rock but didn’t move.

“it’s okay—,” you began but again he shook his head.

“jungwon.” jay stated using his authoritative tone.

jungwon got up, “i’ll go shower.” and he immediately ran to his en suite bathroom.

jay quickly came to your side, checking you out. “why did you stop me? it could’ve gone really south.”

“but it didn’t.” you challenged. “you trusted him for a reason and so did i, jay. he stopped. he didn’t feed further, okay?”

“do you want to come sleep with me?”

you shook your head no. “i’m fine jay, i promise.” you told truthfully. you also didn’t want to hurt jungwon, thinking you didn’t trust him anymore.

jay left, and you turned your back to the bathroom, shutting your eyes once more. jungwon’s shower was quick, redressing in nothing more than pajama pants. he smiled at your sleeping figure still in his bed. he got in behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissed the back of your neck.

“thank you.” he whispered and you turned to face him, giving him a quick peck on his cheek.

“didn’t know you were so dominating in bed.” you teased and jungwon laughed with a flush to his cheeks.

he rubbed his hand up and down your arm in a soothing gesture. “i’m sorry about that.”

“what matters is that you stopped.” you moved a fringe of his hair. your hand rested on his cheek as you moved your thumb back and forth. you finally took note of his naked chest and smiled. “nice shoulders.” you complimented.

“sorry about your thong.”

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

the next afternoon you three returned to the house. earlier that morning, the university released a statement stating that the incident with the student was an isolated incident and no further danger was present. classes would resume after the weekend.

“what if ni-ki isn’t better?”

“then we kill him.” sunghoon stated with a straight face. you didn’t find him funny.

“he’ll go to a boarding school for newbies who don’t listen.” jay offered as a solution instead.

“that exist?” you and sunoo both asked at the same time.

jay nodded. “yes, in switzerland. my father is on the board of trustees.”

“wait, if you all are up here,”

“he’s fine by himself for now. we knocked him out with something to shut his ass up while his body detoxes.”

“sunghoon!” you scolded.

“any way,” jake changes the subject, “how was the night away at the fancy hotel?”

“it was good.” you and jungwon both said together, then looked at each other and smiled.

“jungwon fed on her.” jay said. “he did good controlling himself. and she did good keeping him grounded.”

“no way!” jakes thick accent came out as he clapped jungwon on the shoulder. “how was it? where did you feed?”

“her thigh.”

“better not be the right thigh.” sunghoon stated, eyes narrowed.

“and the left is better?” jake questioned. “how come you get a thigh to yourself?”

“i’m an elder.”

“alright old man.” jake teased.

“was it scary” sunoo asked jungwon.

jungwon shook his head. “not like i thought.”

you patted jungwon’s head, “he did good and didn’t hurt me.” you smiled.

then jungwon suddenly remembered, “did yall know jay only feeds when he’s being intimate with her?”

you snorted at jungwon saying intimate like he was scared to say the word sex.

jay and heeseung look surprised. sunoo looked disgusted like it was way tmi. sunghoon wasn’t fazed.

“sadly i did.”

you looked at sunghoon confused. you were never loud.

“baby doll, vampire hearing.”

“well shit.”

₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ₊˚⊹♡

[kjupchurch-xx]

Intoxicated

March 16th, 2009

Today was my 21st birthday. My friend had set me up on a blind date with an actor, but didn't tell me who. She figured this would be the perfect scenario considering the hell I'd went through last Summer with a guy that was probably the biggest piece of shit on the planet. I haven't dated or been intimate with anyone since then, nor did I really have any interest in being. 

I looked over at her, "What is this guy even like?" I asked, finishing up curling my hair. 

She smiled, "He's tall, he's nice, he's super sexy and he's not American, if that gives you any hints." 

I shrugged as I sat my curling iron down, starting to put my eyeliner on, "It doesn't. But I mean, is this even someone I'd be remotely interested in?" I asked her, giving her a questioning look. 

She chuckled, "I'm positive you'll be thanking me by the end of the night." 

I rolled my eyes, "So he's an actor?" 

She nodded, bringing me a pair of ripped bell bottom jeans, "Yes. A very talented actor." 

I quickly changed into the jeans, "Is he anyone I know?" 

She walked to my living room, grabbing my keys to bring me, "Ummm... He's in that movie we watched when we were teenagers. I think it's called Swordfish or something like that." 

I gave her a questioning look, "Did you set me up with John Travolta?" 

She covered her mouth laughing, "You'll just have to wait and see. I'm not telling you anything!" 

She probably set me up with one of the extras, someone I most likely wouldn't even remember ever being in the movie. She knows I hate surprises, but I appreciate her for trying, even though the last blind date she set me up on was a complete and total dud. 

She clapped her hands at me, "Go! You were supposed to leave 5 minutes ago! He's going to meet you at RH Rooftop." She yelled. 

I grabbed my phone, made sure I had my keys and looked at her before heading out the door to our apartment, "I swear, if this is another dud, I'm going to kill you." 

She rolled her eyes, "I promise, it's not a dud. Just go." 

I rolled my eyes, closing the door behind me as I made my way down the hall, towards the elevator, then to my car in the parking garage. While making the drive to the restaurant, I'll tell you a bit about myself... I'm a Southern Belle, originally from South Carolina. I moved to NYC after obtaining a degree in journalism. I didn't have many opportunities in my small town, so I decided to move to a bigger city in hopes of pursuing a career as a reporter. I've been serving as an intern for a local publishing company, which has gone well for the most part. 

Callie and I are roommates. She also moved here for journalism, but moved here from Arizona. We met while working part-time at a coffee cafe and became roommates since the cost of living in NYC is astronomically high. She took a different career path, as a model which caused her to meet many different celebrities.She'd tried getting me into modeling with her, but it wasn't my thing. We shared a dog, Harley, who was a beautiful French Bulldog, that was treated as if he were our love child. 

As I arrived and finally found parking for RH Rooftop, I realized I was 10 minutes late. I quickly turned my car off and sprinted towards the entrance. I don't even know who I'm looking for or how to spot this dude. I approached the hostess stand, looking nervous as I skimmed the crowd of dinners wondering who Callie had set me up with. 

The hostess noticed me, "May I help you with something?" She asked kindly. 

I nodded, "Ummm... I"m here with a guy, but I'm unsure of where he's sitting. He's not American and is very tall. He's also an actor." I stammered, knowing I must sound insane. 

She giggled, "Can you tell me his name?" 

I pursed my lips, "Not really. I'm on a blind date, so I have no idea what his name is...or who he is." I chuckled nervously, scratching the back of my neck. 

She smiled, "Okay, I think I know who you're referring to. He told us he was expecting a blind date. Follow me." She said, grabbing a menu and leading me to the rooftop entrance. 

I followed behind, still curious as to who this would be. I'd probably shit a brick if it were John Travolta, but I'm pretty sure he's off the market. There was that computer hacker dude that was pretty hot too. As we reached the rooftop tables, she led me to a dark haired man that had his back towards the entrance. I couldn't make out who he was just yet and considering that was an older movie, I doubt I'd recognize him from the movie from the back. 

He stood as he heard us approach and pulled my chair out, turning to face me, "You must be my date." He said with a smile, extending his hand to shake mine, "I'm Hugh." He said casually. 

It was the computer hacker dude, and shit, did he look good. Even 8 years later, he still looked good. 

I smiled, shaking his hand, "I am, I'm Kaitlyn." I said as I took my seat. He gave me another smile before going back to his seat across from me. 

"How're you doing, love?" He asks, smiling at me, keeping his elbows off the table. Hm, a real gentleman. 

I chuckled at his flattery, already calling me a pet name. "I'm doing good, everything's going great for me at the moment. How's things going for you?" 

He shifted, "I just wrapped up filming an origin movie for a character I've played for the last 9 years, I'm finally on a much needed break and no longer on a strict regime for my character, which I'm fully intending on breaking tonight with a milkshake." 

I giggled, "I see." I said as the waiter approached us. He was a young man who was obviously infatuated with my date. 

"Holy s-, I mean, I'm so sorry-" He stammered as Hugh began cracking up, "It's quite alright, mate." He said to the young man. 

The man smiled, "Mr. Jackman, I'm sorry. Wolverine is my all-time favorite X-Men character." Hugh smiled, "Can I please get a picture with you? I swear I'll keep it professional after." He asked.

Hugh laughed, "Sure thing, mate. I'm sorry, love, but do you mind helping our waiter out with a picture?" He asked, almost embarrassingly. 

I chuckled, "I don't mind." The waiter smiled, handing me his cell phone as Hugh got up to stand beside him, making a Wolverine pose as if he had retractable claws. 

He pat the man on the back and sat back across from me, "Thank you so much, Mr. Jackman. And thank you for taking the picture. My name is William. What can I start you guys off with to drink?" He asked. 

Hugh and I looked at each other, "I think I'll take a martini." I said, flipping through the bar menu. "No problem, William. I'll take a martini, and also, a chocolate milkshake. Large, William." 

I giggled at his serious tone making sure William understood Hugh wanted a large. "Coming right up, are there any appetizers you guys want to start with?" William asked before walking off as we both shook our heads. 

Hugh looked up at me, damn was he sexy, "So, tell me about you." He said, smirking. 

I pursed my lips wondering what to tell, "Hmm, let's see... I have a Frenchie, his name is Harley. I'm an intern for a local business. I have a degree in journalism. I moved here from South Carolina after graduating college for a better chance of a career in journalism." 

He nodded, taking my words in, "I've always wanted a French Bulldog. I also have a degree in journalism. I moved here from Australia many years ago, but I moved for X-Men." He said, forcing his accent deeper as he mentioned being from Australia. 

I chuckled, "You do have a very sexy accent. I actually didn't know you weren't American because your American accent is so convincing." 

He smirked, "I happen to think your accent is sexy too." He said flirtatiously, making me blush.

I laughed, "I literally sound like cornbread, stop." 

He laughed, "You do not. Even if you did, cornbread tastes good." 

Our waiter returned with our drinks and Hugh's large milkshake, and proceeded to take our order. I reached for the menus, but Hugh swiped them from me, handing them to our server. 

He winked at me, "Gotta be quicker than that, beautiful." 

I playfully rolled my eyes, "Tell me more about you." I said, resting my chin on my hands, giving him my undivided attention. 

He smiled, "What do you wanna know?" He asked flirtatiously. 

I shrugged, "Everything." 

He chuckled, "For starters, I have two children, Ava and Oscar. They are 4 and 9. I play cricket. I enjoy singing. Every year, I go back to Australia and do the polar plunge. I'm recently divorced. Anything else you want to know?" 

I smirked, "Have you been with anyone since the divorce?" 

He looked at, surprised at my question, but smiled, "No, no I haven't. I haven't been with anyone besides her since 1995." 

I bit my lip, raising my brow with a giggle, "So you're not a douche bag then, noted."

He smiled sweetly, "No, I'm not a douche bag." He said softly. 

I shifted in my seat, taking a sip from my martini, "What are you hoping to come from this?"  

He shrugged, "I really don't know, love. I have no expectations, whatever happens, happens. What about you?" He asks, his eyes burning through me, almost with a lust. 

I smirked, "I kind of go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens." 

He bit his lip, "I like that." 

As the night went on, we ate our food and drank a few martinis. Both of us, feeling a little tipsy and beginning to ask risque questions as he moved his chair to my side of the table, now beside me. 

"So tell me, what are some of your turn-ons?" I asked with a smirk, sipping my 3rd martini.

His one hand moved to my thigh under the table, "Does it count if I say you?" He smirked, looking me in the eyes. 

I bit my lip, "Do you want to um...get out of here?" I asked him quietly. 

He grabbed my hand, "C'mon, love." and began leading me towards the entrance of the rooftop bar to head back downstairs and to the sidewalk. "Let's go to my car." He said, leading me to an SUV.

As we got to the car, he rushed towards the backseat, opening the door, motioning for me to climb in. I climbed in, sliding to the other end as he quickly slid in beside me, shutting the door and pulling me onto his lap, slamming his lips against mine as he roughly gripped my hips.  I felt him begin pushing his hips upwards, grinding into me as I reached behind us, positioning myself upwards, tugging at his belt. 

"Take this off..." I muttered against his lips as he bit my bottom lip, I pulled away and slid my top off as he helped me, tossing it into the seat beside us, leaving me in my bra and jeans. I slid off of him to remove my jeans and underwear as he undid his belt and jeans, his hard dick exposed. 

"Come here." He said, almost demanding, as he grabbed my arm, bringing my lips back to his as I straddled his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck as I lowered myself down onto him, taking every inch. 

He moaned against my lips, "Fuck, you're tight." He said lowly as he sucked on my bottom lip, nibbling at it. 

I began bouncing up and down, roughly, my moans filling the car. I felt him reach up and grab my breasts, that were covered by my bra, squeezing them. "Shit, your cock feels so good inside me." I cried out. 

He pushed my bra down, exposing my breasts as he popped one of my nipples into my mouth, nibbling at it and sucking as he started thrusting his hips up to meet mine. "Oh fuck!" I yelled as he moved his hands to my hips and started thrusting hard into me. 

"We gotta be quick, we're in a parking lot." He chuckled as he began moaning again. 

I could feel my orgasm coming, I grabbed his chin, forcing his face back to mine, crashing my lips onto his. "Cum for me, baby." He said huskily, moving his lips down to my neck, sucking and biting softly. 

I felt my eyes practically roll back into my head as I let myself go, my juices flowing down his throbbing cock as he spilled his load inside me. 

"Second date?" He asked, out of breath, laughing. 

I nodded, catching my breath, "Definitely."  

[insidekatmind]

The Unexpected Encounter- Trent Arnold x reader feat.Jude Bellingham

London was a mosaic of lights and memories that hit you like a punch in the gut every time you walked its streets. This time, though, the city felt different. Maybe because you were back with Jude Bellingham, the guy who had managed to pick up the pieces of your heart after your breakup with Trent Arnold.

Years had passed since the last time you saw Trent. Your story had been intense but crumbled under the weight of expectations and the different paths your lives had taken. Jude, with his sweetness and unconditional support, had become your safe haven.

Jude had been called up to play in the Euros with England, and the two of you decided to arrive a few days earlier to enjoy some time together.

---

It was a quiet evening, and Jude insisted on taking you to an elegant restaurant in central London.

"You can't come to London without trying this place," he said with a smile, his soft accent making your heart melt.

As you entered, your eyes landed on a group of people at the bar. Your heart skipped a beat when you recognized that familiar figure: Trent. He was there with a few teammates, laughing and chatting as if nothing had changed.

"Are you okay?" Jude asked, noticing your sudden silence.

"He's here," you murmured, trying to stay calm.

Jude followed your gaze and understood immediately. "Trent," he said, his tone neutral but with a hint of surprise.

Before you could respond, Trent looked up and saw you. His eyes met yours for a moment that felt like an eternity. Then his gaze shifted to Jude.

Later, while Jude went to the bathroom, Trent seized the chance to approach your table.

"I didn’t think you’d come back to London," he said, his voice deeper than you remembered.

"Neither did I," you replied, trying to sound indifferent.

"And now you're with Jude?" he asked, his intense gaze making you uncomfortable.

"Yeah, we've been together for a while," you answered, trying to keep your composure.

Trent shook his head, a bitter half-smile on his face. "It's ironic, isn’t it? One of my best friends."

"I didn’t plan any of this, Trent. It just happened," you replied firmly.

"It always just happens, doesn’t it?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But did you ever think about how complicated this would be?"

"Is something wrong?" Jude's voice interrupted the conversation, and you turned to see him approaching. His gaze shifted between you and Trent, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Nothing important," Trent replied, though his tone betrayed irritation.

"If it’s not important, then maybe it’s better to let us finish our dinner," Jude said, his tone calm but firm.

Trent stared at him for a long moment before slowly nodding. "Enjoy London," he said, directing the words to you with a look that seemed to hold everything he couldn’t say aloud.

---

Later that evening, back at the hotel, Jude sat on the bed and looked at you intently.

"So?" he asked.

"So what?" you tried to buy time, knowing exactly where he was going.

"How do you feel after seeing him again?"

You sighed, sitting down next to him. "It’s not easy. It never was with him."

"I’m sorry if I put you in a tough spot," Jude said, taking your hand.

"It’s not your fault. I love you, Jude. Trent is part of the past. You’re my present, and I want you to be my future."

Jude smiled, pulling you closer. "And I want to be all that for you. But if there’s anything you want to tell me about him, we can talk about it."

You shook your head, looking into his eyes. "There’s nothing to say. It’s over with him. With you, it’s everything."

Jude kissed you softly, and in that moment, you knew you had made the right choice.

[ayyy-pee]

can you do something where reader is lads mc and rafayel is her bf, and after a shift she was hanging out (something like getting a meal idk) with xavier. and rafayel is walking about and gets jealous when he sees them. like maybe something a little angsty/fluffy idk i just need me a pouty, whiny jealous rafayel i love his sass so much

idk if this is like boring or what, ignore if you dont like it tysm ily

HI NONNIE!!!! YOU ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY CAN!!! I LOVE HIS ASS!!! So here you go!!!

Discord 18+ - Twitter

Pairing: Rafayel x Female Reader

Summary: Your boyfriend's the jealous type. It's no big deal. Until one day, he literally blows things out of proportion...

Warning: Bratty, crybaby Rafayel and that's literallyyyy it LMAO

You sit in a bustling cafe hidden in one of the back streets of Linkon City, waiting at the table for Xavier to bring back your meals. He’d insisted that you take a seat, your exhaustion clear on your face after defeating a particularly difficult wanderer. It took you hours to get the situation under control and it wasn’t until Xavier had shown up to help that you were able to get a handle on things. Xavier insisted on taking you out to dinner to replenish your energy and would hear no arguments about it. Otherwise, he’d just come over since you lived in the same building to cook you dinner, and you had zero interest in putting out a fire in your home. 

Once in the building, Xavier makes his way to order your meals, and you take this time to lean back in the booth, the softness of the cushions adding to the warm ambience of the cafe. 

You spend the first few minutes catching up on your messages, completing the paperwork that was required for your last mission and checking in with Dr. Zayne. It’s all tedious and boring, until you get the sudden feeling that someone is watching you. You glance around the restaurant, eyes darting in various directions until they land on Xavier. You stare as he points to menu items at the counter, offering him a small smile when he turns to glance at you, only to quickly turn away.

He’s so awkward, you think. But it’s nice to be out with the person who has managed to save your life more than a few times. You’re grateful for the friendship you’ve developed with your mysterious neighbor. There’s a trust there that can only be built when you lay your life on the line with someone, and this connection is one you’ve made outside of work as well. It’s why you’re able to relax, to take a breath and give into the exhaustion weighing heavily on your body, and why you let yourself succumb to the dreams pulling you into the darkness.

Even though you still can’t shake that odd sensation that an extra set of eyes are on you.

“Hey,” a soft voice calls to you. “___, wake up. Food’s here.”

Your eyes flutter open, finding your blonde partner sitting across from you, a soft expression on his face as he watches you groggily try and take in your surroundings. He scoots your food towards you, and you gaze down to find what he’d ordered is exactly what you’d been craving.

“Thank you,” you murmur, a little confused, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. “How long was I out for?”

“About 45 minutes,” Xavier states casually, digging into his own meal.

“What?!”

His head tilts to the side, confused at your outburst.

“Xavier! Why did you let me sleep for so long?!” Your eyes dart back down to your food, where the steam curls deliciously off of it. “And how is the food not cold?!”

Xavier just stares at you, shrugging easily as he says, “I just asked them to wait until you were done with your nap.”

He states it like it’s that simple. Like you could just go into a restaurant and say “hey, we’re gonna get some sleep. Hold our food for us until we’re done.”

And you suppose for Xavier, it is that simple. The man is blunt and says what he means, so you’re sure he didn’t have any problem asking that of the staff. That’s so nice, you think. That he’d go out of his way to have them wait for you to recover from a brutal battle so that you would have warm food to eat the moment you woke up.

You’re grateful for the man before you looking out for you in such a way, so you fix him with a soft smile, muttering a thank you before you also dig into your meal.

Conversation with Xavier is light and easy, though you’re the main one doing the talking. That’s normal for the two of you. He’s so different from the man you’re usually with. Quiet and secretive, but sweet. He just lets you talk, contributes here and there, but he mainly enjoys your company quietly. And you enjoy his, as well. The more you’ve gotten to know your mysterious new colleague, the more you recognize him as a dear friend.

“I should be heading home soon,” Xavier states once he finishes his food, though you hear a tinge of reluctance in his voice. “We should…” his lips press into a hard line, like he’s trying to decide if he wants to say these next words. But he does it anyway. “We should do this again soon. Maybe make dinner after a mission a regular thing.”

You nod happily. You would love that! You don’t have many friends in Linkon City, and the more you make, the better. Xavier understands you in ways that not many people can, what with your occupation and the danger that comes with it, and it’s nice to have that in common.

“Okay!” You beam, holding your hand out to him across the table. His blue eyes gaze down with curiosity and you wiggle your fingers teasingly, urging him to take it. “It’s a deal, so shake on it.”

At this, Xavier smirks, reaching a hand across the table to close the gap. He’s hesitant at first, slow. But as his hand gets closer to yours, you almost feel the warmth radiating off of his palm, just centimeters away from your skin. And just when you’re about to wrap your hand around his, a piercing scream ripples through the cafe, shattering the relaxed atmosphere.

“FIRE!!!” Someone cries, and the whole restaurant is in shambles.

It’s a big one, raging angrily in the center of the building. It’s a flame so large, you fear the entire place will burn down if it’s not extinguished immediately. Xavier snatches his hand back quickly, watching the mayhem unfold with you as the workers hurry over with fire extinguishers, spraying at the flame to no avail. You feel the blaze of the inferno all the way in the booth you and Xavier sit in, knowing that this is not something you’ll be able to assist with. You’re built for fighting off space alien creatures, not kitchen disasters…though this isn’t taking place in the actual kitchen anyway.

“Weird,” you say to Xavier. “There is no reason for a fire to have started. The kitchen is nowhere near here, and there are no combustibles from what I can see.” You check your device for any metaflux activity, but see nothing. “No wanderers nearby, either…”

But just as you’re about to get up to look around, the flames vanish just as quickly as they appeared. And like the staff, you’re utterly confused. Xavier doesn’t share the same thought. 

“...perhaps you should go and see your boyfriend,” he suggests coolly, like there wasn't absolute chaos happening just ten feet away from you. You suppose it’s because he’s just as out of it as you are after that Wanderer debacle, but still…

“What’s Rafayel have to do with this?” You’re lost, your brows pulling together in thought. Mainly because you never told Xavier about Rafayel. “How do you–”

"Your phone background,” he answers easily. “And if I were in his shoes, and you were out with another man the same way we are...even if it's just as friends," Xavier’s gaze flits over to you, so quickly you almost miss it. You definitely miss the longing behind his blue eyes because you blink for not even a second, and he’s back to staring at his empty plates. “I think a strange and seemingly random fire would also coincidentally start in the same cafe you're in.”

Your tired brain works overtime to try and make sense of his words. But then your phone dings, and your attention is pulled to the sweet message on the screen…

…suddenly, everything's adding up. The frenzied screams and rush of bodies trying to help extinguish the flames that now you’re certain didn’t pop up from nowhere, the way the fire disappeared as soon as some distance was put between the two of you. 

You slip your phone into your pocket, clear on who the culprit of this random fire is. “Thanks for dinner, Xavier. I’ll see you later.”

You push hard, the tall doors of the manor where Rafayel resides leading into the large space of his house. The main room doubles as his art studio and it reeks of acrylic paints and wine, as usual. You search the room for the man in question, but see him nowhere in sight. Which is lucky for him, because you may need a couple of minutes to calm down before you let him have it.

“Rafayelllll,” you sing into the quiet air, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “Are you here, babe?”

No answer. 

Your footsteps echo through the home, the only sound you hear coming from the ocean waves crashing on the shoreline outside of the windows. You find it odd how quiet it is, because as far as you’re aware, there are no big art projects happening. His schedule is clear today, you even double checked with Thomas because Rafayel has a habit of deleting things from his calendar that he doesn’t want to do…which is everything. So, he should be home right now. 

Carefully, you maneuver around the usual mess Rafayel leaves scattered around his house. You’re careful not to crush his paintbrushes, and even in the dim lighting you somehow manage to avoid knocking over any paint cans. Your feet carry you down the corridor to his bedroom where you quietly push the door open. The moonlight illuminates the room, and you can just barely see a large lump buried beneath the blankets on Rafayel’s bed. 

He really makes this too easy for you.

With a smirk, you tiptoe over, careful not to make a peep until you’re able to grab hold of the sheets. In one swift motion, you yank them back, yelling “got you!”...only to be met with a pile of pillows.

You roll your eyes, because of course your boyfriend would do something childish like this, laying traps that you would easily fall into. You’d never guess that your job was to be stealthy and smart, always a step ahead with the way you so easily fall for his tricks. Rafayel knew you were coming. He knew that you were onto him and his antics, and he’d been quick to try and buy himself some time. He may come out when he’s ready, send you a mean little message that he’ll apologize for later when he realizes he’s being a little shit.

But you really don’t want to wait that long. You’re tired and have had a long day. You want him to come out already.

As if almost blowing up an entire cafe with you and Xavier in it wasn’t enough, now he’s got you on a manhunt to find him. You’re too tired for this!

Hold on…

Xavier…

You know exactly how to get your boyfriend to come out of hiding.

“Ughhh,” you groan dramatically, your voice echoing through Rafayel’s home. “Guess he’s not here. I’m sure he’s out working so hard on his art.” You force the words out, knowing his lazy ass is somewhere in the shadows. “Guess I’ll just go over to Xavier’s until he calls me ba–”

“Unfortunately,” a gentle voice rings behind you. “You may find your place up in flames as well if you finish that sentence.”

You spin around, coming face to face with the beauty that is your Lemurian lover. He’s all scrunched nose, furrowed brows, pouty pink lips and narrowed eyes as he stares down at you. His arms are folded tightly around his chest.

And you hate that you want to laugh, but he’s just so damn cute when he’s all pouty like this.

“So, you admit it was you?”

“Me what?” He mutters, turning away from you, and you can’t help but giggle at his attitude.

“That you, my little arsonist, started the fire at the cafe I was at earlier.”

Rafayel shakes his head in denial. “Wasn’t me,” he claims. “Maybe you should spend time in less seedy places and you won’t find yourself in such…predicaments.”

“Raf, I was just getting something to eat after a fight. Xavier and I –”

He peers at you from over his shoulder, lips still puckered in a pout before he sneers at you. “Oh! You and Xavierrrr,” he mocks, voice nasally as he does so. “Surprised you even remembered I exist with the way you were gazing into Xavier’s eyes.” He spins back around, glaring out the window into the water. 

You shake your head at his dramatics, stifling the laugh threatening to bubble up. “There was no gazing, Raf.”

“Oh,” he spins back around, “There most definitely was gazing. Longggg and dreamilyyyy,” he drags the words out, eyes narrowed when he asks, “How come you don’t look at me like that?!”

He looks about one second away from stomping his foot in a tantrum. And you stand there in amusement and let him spiral, going on and on about how he can’t let you out of his sight for a second without some man trying to get his claws into you. 

How he’s certain that the moment you leave his vicinity, you’ve forgotten him, forgotten all that he means to you and all that you mean to him and that one day you’ll wake up and will decide to leave him for someone else. How he just had to set the cafe on fire, he had no choice! You and your friend were just far too cozy looking for his liking. 

“I mean–” he throws his hands in the air, a loud sigh rushing past his lips. “Imagine how surprised I was to be browsing the area for a gift for my beautiful girlfriend only to see her on a dinner date with her other boyfriend?!”

You roll your eyes, closing the distance between you and the giant cry baby you call your boyfriend, gently grabbing hold of his face. He promptly stops rambling, his face immediately deepening in shade to a dark crimson. You squeeze his cheeks together, grinning at the way his lips pursed together like a little blowfish.

Wide, bluish-pink orbs stare at you. “W-what are you doing?”

“Getting you to shut up for a second so I can tell you you're absolutely insane for setting a cafe on fire because you saw me with another man,” you giggle, loosening your grip on Rafayel’s face when you feel his face muscles move when he tries to smile.

“I just don’t want to lose you,” he murmurs quietly, eyes looking away from your face. You can hear the sadness in his voice along with fear. You turn his head again, your gazes meeting and you give him a soft smile.

“Raffy…” you whisper, the affectionate nickname you had given him making his heart flutter in his chest. You think his face is even redder, if possible. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Your words have Rafayel closing his eyes with a sigh, almost like he doesn’t believe you.

“I don’t want to lose you again,” he confesses, and you tilt your head in confusion, not missing the again. Like it’s happened before. “I mean…I just like spending time with you.” He’s pouting again, so cutely this time as he says, “I just feel so jealous when I see you having fun with someone else.”

You press your lips to his, a quick peck. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise. Unfortunately, I’m stuck with you.”

“Hey!” His hand wraps around your wrist, his other arm wrapping around your waist as he pulls you to him. His soft smile is illuminated in the moonlight, casting an eerily beautiful glow along his skin. He hugs you to his chest, the tension in his body melting as he holds you. 

You inhale his scent, wrapping your arms around him. “Next time, just come say hi. Maybe even join us.”

At this, Rafayel’s hold tightens around you. “Next time?”

[spark-w-chlo]

Anything for You

Poor!Kenny x Rich!Fem!Reader

CW's: car sex, riding, p in v, nicknames, strong language, smoking, hair pulling

Enjoy! <3

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"Are you sure you want me to wear this?" I ask Kenny, showing him the long, backless black dress that he chose from the closet. Kenny lounged on our bed, staring. He agreed to live with me if we would split the rent. So our place wasn't the largest, or the nicest. But he did let me buy the decor and furniture. Besides, it didn't matter to me where we lived as long as I lived with him.

"Yes, that one. With heels too." I raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything more. Kenny and I didn't go out often as he always, always paid. He would never let me pay for our meals out. And Kenny didn't have a lot to pay with. So I tried to refrain from going out. I even learned how to cook and honestly, I loved being the one to feed Kenny. I fell in love with Kenny for who he was, his monetary situation had nothing to do with our relationship.

"Kenny, where are we going?" He just kept smiling at me, shaking his head. I realized I wasn't going to get anywhere with him.

"Okay, I'll wear the dress."

"Kenny...? What are we doing here?" Kenny and I stood in front of one of the more expensive restaurants in Colorado. I've eaten here before. It's good but way too expensive.

"I'm taking you out to dinner." Kenny was wearing a black suit, no tie. I won't lie, he looked hot. I wanted to rip his clothes off and fuck him right there when he showed me. But now I feel kind of queasy. He guided me inside the restaurant and we sat at a table promptly.

"Kenny, this place is too expensive, I don't want to eat here." I whispered across the table. "At least let me pay." He took my hand and kissed the knuckles.

"I wanted to treat you to dinner." His smile, dimples, creased eyes made me want to cry. He was so excited but he couldn't afford this. I knew he couldn't afford it.

"Kenny. I love you so much. We've been together for so long. I don't need places like this. I'd be just as happy at City Wok." He rolled his eyes, squeezing my hand.

"Kenny, please. I don't think we can afford this." The waiter popped up beside us, not allowing me to say anymore.

"Sir, the champagne you requested." He showed Kenny the bottle and he nodded, prompting the waiter to pour the golden drink into our glasses.

Now I was just confused. I gave Kenny a questioning glance as the waiter walked away.

"Y/N. I know I can't afford this place. But you deserve it. More than anything, you deserve a lifestyle I can't provide for you." I recoiled. Is he breaking up with me. I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. He takes my hand again and squeezes it.

"But I also know you so well. I knew you prefer a cheap cheeseburger than an expensive meal. I know you'd rather cook at home. I know I'll spend my entire life making you as happy as you deserve to be. I can't make more money than you do, but I can make sure you'll never know the hardships of life. But you're right. I can't afford this meal." He lifts his glass of champagne and downs the entire thing before standing up, straightening his dress jacket, and standing before me.

"Y/N..." Kenny gets on one knee before me. "I can't afford this meal because I spent it all on a ring." He pulls out a black velvet box and opens it. I gasp. A gorgeous diamond with a simple gold band shines in the felt.

"I want to spend every moment of my life with you. Eating greasy cheeseburgers and your experimental cooking. I want to fight with you and have kids with you and grow old with you-"

"Yes, yes yes." I cry, grabbing Kenny's face and kissing his lips. I couldn't hear anyone else, see anyone other than Kenny.

"We're only here for drinks, I'm getting you a cheeseburger on the way home." He smiles at me and takes my hand to slid the perfect ring down my finger.

"Grab the bottle, lets get out of here."

------------------------------------<3---------------------------------------

A breathy moan leaves my lips as Kenny kisses his way down my neck. His lips find my breast and he takes it into his hand, kissing, licking, and sucking on my sensitive skin.

We'd finished the large bottle of champagne in the car. It sat facing South Park, where the Halloween Witch Week commenced every year. It was secluded. We drank the champagne, smoked a joint Kenny had stashed away, and were now about to fuck in the drivers seat of his car.

"Kenny." I whined, wiggling on top of him. His cock was deep inside me and I could feel him every time he twitched. But he wouldn't let me move. He just kept touching me.

"Be patient princess. I want to taste my wife's skin." We weren't even married yet and he was calling me his wife. I grew impatient, my brain a little delirious with his tongue on my skin, cock inside me, drinks and weed. There was so much going on, I couldn't focus.

I began to grind on top of him and- fuck, he bit me! "Kenny!" I gasped. I looked down to my breast to find a perfect set of bite marks.

"You couldn't wait, I had to punish you." Slowly, Kenny lifted me and then let me sink back onto him. I moaned in his ear, grasping his hair. My dress was coiled around my waist, panties abandoned long ago. He repeated this, slowly. It was agonizing in the best way. I could feel every part of him. I don't think I was even doing any work. Kenny was using my body however he pleased.

Kenny wrapped a fist in my hair and pulled my head back. He stared at me as we fucked, slowly, lovingly. He brought my mouth down onto his as he pushed my hips down hard. I gasped into his mouth, allowing him to explore it with his tongue. His soft thrusts were hard, aggressive now. I couldn't focus on anything but Kenny. His body against mine, his tongue in my mouth, his cock invading me deep and hard. I could feel my orgasm rushing me.

Kenny pulled away. "I can feel you princess, are you gonna come on my cock?" I couldn't even nod. My eyes rolled back into my head as my orgasm rushed through me. I could feel Kenny follow close behind me. He groaned into my chest as he filled me.

"Kenny." I finally whispered.

"Yes, my love?" He kissed my neck tenderly, rubbing his hand up and down my back.

"I want a cheeseburger." "You want a cheeseburger."

I laughed lightly, resting my forehead against his.

"Yes, my husband. I need a cheeseburger."

[moonydustx]

Hii, i was wondering if you would like to write something about zoro being jealous? Just that haha :) btw i love your writing!

Hi Hi Hi! First, thank you for the request and the compliment, they really make my day. And second, sorry for the delay in writing, I ended up getting stuck with some work deadlines. I loved the idea and although our little greenie has a tough exterior, I think he would be one of those jealous people who refuses to admit it, you know? I think I ended up going on a more protective side with this one, but I hope you like it.

A not so friendly friend

Roronoa Zoro x F!Reader Warnings: Zoro is jealous and a little protective of his girl, he and F!Reader have a kind of secret relationship. A little smut at the end, nothing super explicit. Summary: The Straw Hats arrive on one of the islands where you lived for many years and, to your delight, you meet a long-time friend. Someone in the crew doesn't seem that happy.

requests open | one piece masterlist

It was almost impossible to keep your euphoria contained within your body. You hadn't set foot on that island in years and finally, you could spend a few days there - even if it was just long enough to record the Log Pose.

"Someone seems anxious to me." Usopp leaned next to you as the Sunny finished docking in the small port.

"Right after I left my home island, I spent a few years here, I believe I can still find some friends."

"I hope they're nice people."

"They sure are!" the two of you quickly turned your attention to Luffy, who was shouting that everything was ready to disembark. The two quickly walked towards the group, this time Franky would be responsible for taking care of the ship.

"We're finally here!" Robin joined the two of you. "From what you told me, there's a big library around here."

"Yes, I'll take you there, we also have great restaurants…" you listed. "Wait, how are we going to split up?"

"Well, from what you told me, it's five days until Log Pose finishes recording and since it seems to be an important island for you, we can do most of the things together." Nami explained and waited for the others to agree. "We've already distributed everyone's money, but today we're going after…"

"Food!" Luffy interrupted her and immediately felt Nami's hand slap him. "But you promised to take me out for that delicious pie." he turned to you.

"Yes, we will. Let's go down first, shall we?" you asked and everyone immediately agreed.

Like many other times, you watched Zoro go down first and almost automatically stretch out his hand for you to support yourself and go down. That gesture didn't go unnoticed by your crewmates, but they knew your personality well enough not to question it.

The group continues calmly to the island's central square. New stores, old schools, even some salespeople were the same and seemed to have recognized you when you waved, your cheeks already hurt from the fixed smile.

"I remember in that bar over there one time…" you commented and heard something in the background.

"Kitten?"

Everyone immediately turned towards the voice that called you as they watched you become a figure as you ran towards the blonde haired boy.

"Leo!" recognizing your former friend immediately, you threw yourself into his arms, allowing the man to lift you off the ground.

"Seems like she's well liked here." Robin chuckled as he watched you practically spin around.

"Is he also a pirate?" Brook analyzed him. "What do you think."

"He seems like a nice guy." Chopper replied smiling

"Kitten?" Zoro practically groaned when he heard the nickname, muttering under his breath.

Even with the man's hands on your waist, squeezing you tightly and your laugh being heard from afar, the way the word had come out of the other guy's mouth made it clear that Zoro wouldn't like his stay there in that city.

"Guys, I need to introduce him to you…" you pulled the man by the hand, bringing him closer to the gang. "This is Leo, he was one of the best friends I had here."

"I went?"

"Still one of the best friends." you laughed, being pulled into a side hug by the man. "Let me introduce my friends, Straw Hats."

You made a point of introducing each friend one by one and again that seemed to bother Zoro. Friend? His little rationality reminded him that you had never made anything clear about the implicit situations between the two of you, but the small bad feeling - which he refused to name - bothered him.

"Come on, I'll take you to our base." the man continued holding hands with you and guided the others.

"Wow, how different you look." "So, how has it been exploring the sea?" "I bet you haven't found anyone as good as me."

Every time the man opened his mouth to praise you, Zoro felt his hand grip tighter against the sword in his sheath. Just one of the three and he would do all the damage that crossed his mind. It was a strange feeling, watching you there with someone else, even if they were talking. Something that stirred any butterfly that might exist in his stomach, that made his eyes turn red, his hands itch to get him out and take that Leo's place. Zoro hated this new feeling that came over him.

"Hey Zoro." your voice woke him up from his trance. "Did you know that Leo is also a swordsman?"

"Interesting." His tone of voice was almost cynical, going unnoticed by you.

"This one is the executor." Leo pointed to the sword in his sheath. "It was supposed to have another name." the man turned suggestively to you.

"I would never let you use my name for that thing." you grumbled, turning back to Zoro. "He's one of the best swordsmen on the island."

"What's your bounty?" the provocation was implicit in the cynical smile that adorned Zoro's lips and this time, it had reached your eyes.

"I don't have one." the man replied calmly, reassuring you.

"Interesting." Zoro repeated and followed in silence.

The others seemed distracted, talking amongst themselves, but your eyes started to turn around a few times, following the green-haired man who started to walk further behind the group.

The afternoon passed quickly on the island. You met up with some other friends who didn't seem to be as close as Leo and when night fell, everyone decided to go to a bar. Everyone except one person.

"Zoro, can we talk?" you asked, moving away from the group that entered the place full of drinks and noise. "What is happening?"

"About what?"

"You barely spoke to me today and now you're refusing to drink?" you stood on your tiptoes, to touch his forehead. "Are you sure you don't want me to call Chopper to make sure you're not sick?"

"Everything is fine." he responded directly, even if he wasn't harsh, his eyes made it clear that something was wrong. "I'm going to go back to Sunny, take advantage of the free time to train."

"Greenie, please." the nickname you used so much to irritate him came out sweeter than he expected from your lips. That made it even harder for him to deny any of your requests.

"It's okay sweetie." his hand touched yours and the memories of watching you all day arm in arm with Leo made him pull away. "Your friends are waiting for you, go."

You watched him leave and even though your body almost involuntarily wanted to follow him, you let Zoro return to the ship.

The remaining four days felt like an eternity to Zoro. Something told him not to move away from you and on the other hand, with every laugh you gave Leo's direction, it was as if he was hurting himself. Why did he have to feel this way? It was just a friendship, wasn't it?

He managed to control himself, many times he managed to control himself. Seeing you have lunch next to him, watching the man carry you from one place to another, the stupid gifts he insisted on giving you and even Leo daring to say he could train you with swords.

Zoro didn't know if there was a god or something, but he thanked the heavens when the last night began to fall. The next morning, you would set sail and he would no longer be forced to share his attention with the idiot who called himself your friend.

The tall bonfire at the edge of the small forest was surrounded by members of the Straw Hats, Leo and some other friends. Drinks and food piled up, as did stories and songs that Brook made a point of singing. Your lips no longer smiled so much, especially when your favorite swordsman met your gaze. He was distant, it had been five days since you had barely been able to speak to him and when you did, he seemed to be as dry as the Alabasta desert. On the other hand, these days you had met a much clingier version of Leo, even uncomfortable and you didn't know how to get away - and apparently the person who could help you with this, didn't seem to be so worried.

"Kitten?" Leo bent down, stopping at your ear level. "Can we talk alone real quick?"

"Why?" you asked, seeing him find the question strange.

"We need more booze!" the man ignored what you said and said it out loud. Pretending he wasn't already talking to you, he nudged you. "Come on, help me, kitten."

Zoro watched the man say something to you and your expression changed, sulking. Leo repeated the gesture again, ignoring that he had already spoken to you. Something possessive took over Zoro - something was wrong and he wouldn't sit still until he found out what it was. Leaving the sake aside, the swordsman stood up and, following a more hidden path than yours, accompanied you to the back of the warehouse - which was the supposed base that Leo had presented a few days ago.

"What is this, Leo?" you stopped in front of him, seeing that they had taken a different direction than you expected.

"I know you're leaving tomorrow, but… Why wouldn't you stay here?" he asked and you immediately shook your head, before your lips could even say it.

"They're my family now. I still adore you, everyone here, but I'm going back to the sea." Your answer seemed to disappoint him. "You know it's always been my dream."

"I know it's selfish of me." the man approached, holding your wrists and, more gently than you expected, he guided you against the wall. "I like you, I always have. If you want, we can go to the sea together, we can form a family, we can…"

"I have a boyfriend." Leo laughed in disbelief, still keeping your arms tied to his, in an even tighter grip. "Leo, you've always been my best friend. Let's not ruin that."

"Friends? You've been missing for years!" he growled, slamming your fists against the wall.

For a few seconds Zoro chose to just watch, hatred was in his eyes and if it weren't for your presence there, Leo would already be just a memory in this world. He knew you weren't a lady in distress and that if you wanted to get out of there, you would get out easily. But there was something written in your eyes, something he saw very few times in battle - fear.

Before the man repeated the gesture, you watched Leo's face get closer and when he was millimeters away, he stopped. His eyes immediately widened and before you understood what the glow was on the side of his neck, you saw a small trickle of blood appear on the man's jugular vein.

"Get your filthy hands off my girlfriend…" Zoro's low tone was even more threatening than if he had been shouting. "Before I take them out of your arms."

"So it's him." Leo muttered, frustration clear in his voice. "I should have suspected."

"I'm sorry." you whispered, without even understanding why you were apologizing.

"I could kill you right now and believe me, I'm still debating whether to do it." Zoro approached, now allowing Leo's entire neck to be covered by the blade. "But I'd hate to ruin the banquet."

"Don't worry about that." Leo threatened to pull his sword, but this time it was you who held his hand.

"Just go back there Leo, let's pretend this didn't happen." you asked and Zoro could now notice how stressed you looked, but at the same time relief appeared on your face.

"She's right." Zoro muttered, moving even closer to the man. "Let's pretend none of this happened and maybe tomorrow you won't wake up just to choke on your blood and die."

"Zoro!" Your voice sounded like a warning to him, who lowered his sword and let the man leave.

For a few seconds, the two of you just watched each other. It was good to be able to have your boyfriend there, finally within walking distance of you.

"How are you feeling?" Zoro took the initiative and held your hands, as if analyzing where the man touched you. When you felt them trembling, he placed a quick kiss between your fingers. "Did he do anything else?"

"No, he just wanted me to stay here." you let your body lean against the cold wall. "Why just now?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"All week I've been trying to reach you, bring you with me, integrate you with my friends here." you huffed, feeling Zoro get even closer to your body.

"I wanted to give you space." he lied and saw you laugh. The sound - which this time was exclusively for him - made Zoro's ego inflate.

"I didn't know you were the jealous type." a moan of relief almost escaped you when you felt his arms wrap around your waist.

"Not jealous, just protective."

"What's your bounty?" you imitated him, laughing again. "Isn't that jealousy?"

"No, kitten." this time, he let a soft laugh escape his lips.

"I am sorry dear." you sank into his chest, letting his hands slide down your back. "I was excited to see everything again and I didn't understand Leo's real intentions."

"And why didn't you defend yourself?" your eyes met his and then Zoro realized his mistake. "I mean, I'll always defend you, but I've seen you get out of worse situations."

"I know." Again you cuddled up, the cold wind sent shivers through your body. "It's just that he was a friend, you know? He saved me many times and I guess I didn't expect to have to fight with him. He was never a threat." The sound of Zoro's heart against your ear was comforting, it was like going back to any of the crows nest nights, where you would stay tangled up for hours. "I found his behavior strange, he was never like that, clingy. But I didn't know who to ask for help."

"I imagine it would be difficult." Zoro murmured, letting his lips touch the top of your head. "Sorry I didn't show up sooner, kitten." he teased you, getting another laugh from you.

"Time to stop this kitten."

"Are you sure, kitten?" he said again, but Zoro's voice came out a few octaves lower, his provocation took a new turn.

His hands that had been caressing your back found themselves on your waist and pressed you against the wall. One of them went up to your chin and held you steady, looking into his eyes, but not for long. Eliciting a moan, Zoro took your lips intensely. No time for little kisses, or any affection that could come first. His lips brought longing and the taste of sake, mixed with the sweetness of your lips.

One of his legs fit between your thighs, the hands that held your waist forced you against the fabric of his pants, moving you like an incentive. While the assault on your lips didn't stop, the heat in your intimacy began to accumulate and form a knot.

"Zoro, please." a strangled moan left your lips, trying hard to contain the noise and not attract the attention of anyone nearby.

"I'm here, love. I got you, just give it to me." his lips that bordered the sensitive spot below your ear took your lips and held all your moans just for him.

Zoro held you there for some time, sweat accumulated on your face as you were still panting. It was a version that didn't appear that often, but you loved it when Zoro lost himself caressing your face, letting his lips slide delicately across your skin.

"Zo, I think we should go back." despite yourself, you moved away from him a little. "By now, Leo should already have contact for everyone."

"Great, at least for one good thing this good-for-nothing will do." upon noticing your lost look, Zoro continued. "I was tired of hiding it."

"Are you sure?" his hands cupped your face, placing a chaste kiss on your lips.

"I love you woman, how can I not be sure of that?" the confession brought a huge smile to your lips.

"I love you more greenie."

Zoro took the lead and with his hand tied in yours, he guided you back to the fire. It was as if nothing had happened, everyone was still talking and drinking. Still feeling your legs weak from the little time you and Zoro had, you sat down and let him go get drinks.

Upon returning to his place, Zoro saw that even without saying anything, Leo was still staring at you, practically on the other side of the fire. With his chest puffed out in ego and relieved to finally have you back in his arms, Zoro sat behind you, so that you were between his legs and when he handed you your drink, he placed a kiss and a light bite on your neck. You were his and from now on that would be very clear.

"It can't be! It's too bad luck all at once!" Sanji's tearful voice attracted the attention of both of you and made you laugh out loud when you saw that the blonde was complaining precisely about the little scene between you two. "What does this mosshead have that I don't?"

"I knew!" Nami screamed and ripped Chopper's hat off. "You can go give me your money, you idiots."

"You guys bet on us?" you asked indignantly and to Nami, Usopp and Franky's joy, apparently they were the two winners.

"This world needs to end…" you laughed even harder when you saw Sanji handing the money to the navigator.

"That's it, now there are two idiots wanting what's mine." Zoro pulled you even closer to his body. "Only mine."

[infoactionratio7]

call it fate, call it carmen - c. berzatto

summary: after carmy runs into a pretty stranger in a coffee shop that morning, he never thinks he will see her again... until she walks into his restaurant.

pairing: carmen berzatto x fem! teacher! reader

word count: 2,506

note: kinda set during season one when the bear is still the beef. no warnings really, some cursing, that's it! :)

read part two here! and part 3 here!

sunday morning -

The bells of the little cafe on West Erie St chimed as you glanced up from your book, you were waiting for your name to be called by the friendly barista who had just taken your order. You were new in town, and wanted to explore all the different things Chicago had to offer. A man walked into the shop, inhaling the sweet scent of freshly brewed coffee as he went up to the counter and read an order from his phone,

"Can I get a small iced dirty chai latte and a triple shot iced espresso to go? Please, thank you " His voice was soft, as he ran his hand through his messy curls.

He glanced over to where you were standing, bundled up in a winter coat, scarf, and hat (Chicago winters got cold fast). He gave you a once over, taking note of your book, 'Chicago: A Food Biography'. You seemed to be completely enthralled in the page you were reading, captivated by every word. He was not one to ever go up to a stranger, but he felt that he had to take a chance. The barista gave him his receipt and a small smile, telling him to wait over near the pickup counter.

"You ever been to Chicago before?" You look up, wide eyed, not expecting the man to be speaking to you.

"Oh," you exclaim, flustered. "Once or twice with my family when I was a kid, but not that I can really remember."

He smiles and glances at your book, you realize this was the reason he is asking you. It was a very touristy book to be reading. Especially because the cafe you were currently standing in, was highlighted in the book. You had made a list of all the places you wanted to visit that day before you had to arrive at the elementary school down the street to start your new job. "I love trying all the foods that are in the cities I visit, it's like an obligatory tradition when I move in to find places near my new apartment." You spit put your words, not even thinking that you are telling a random stranger in Chicago that you live near this cafe and just moved in. Blushing and looking down at your feet, you hear your name called from behind the counter, rushing to grab your drink and chocolate croissant before the conversation could get uncomfortable. You put the pastry in your bag and quickly wave at him.

"Have a good day, hope you find some nice restaurants" He waves back as you open the door and walk into the blistering wind that had taken over the streets that cold winter morning.

-

You arrived at your apartment building, it was not the nicest apartment you had ever stayed in but it was not the worst either. You walked up the stairs to your door and unlocked it with the hand that was not holding the coffee you just purchased. Rushing into the apartment, you put all of your things on the kitchen table and just took a breath of the cozy air of the room. As you stood there and took off your winter layers, you could not help but think of the man who had approached you in the cafe, realizing how attractive he was, his tattooed hands running through his hair, and biceps anyone could see just from glancing at his bundled up figure. You took a sip from your coffee, thinking how could he get two iced drinks in the middle of winter was beyond you.

You went into your room to grab some of your papers from the desk you had just built from Ikea the night before. You had to do some lesson plans before you did anything else, you had not even started any for that week. It was sunday and all you could think of was when you were in high school, and using your sundays to finish all the work you had neglected to do the week before.

Deciding to just get your work done you opened the package with the croissant, and took a bite. Tasting the buttery and chocolatey pastry seemed to bring a jolt to your brain and body, motivating you to get started.

-

Carmen could not stop thinking about you, he had wished he had formally introduced himself and told her that he was in fact, the owner of a restaurant that was a block away and it would be great if she wanted to visit and try something to commemorate her moving into the city. But no he just waved and let her go, watching her leave into the bitter cold.

"Jeff, you need to focus, you almost cut your finger off," Tina pulled him out of his thoughts with her concerned tone. "What's going on Carmen, you gotta be more careful than that, take a break if you need one."

"Fuck, sorry Chef, sorry" He put the knife down and put the carrots he had finished cutting into the giardiniera container for service later that night.

"You seem more distracted than usual, I can finish the cutting, just go to the office to cool off." Tina glanced over at him as he nodded, cleaning off his knife and putting it away. Right as he walked away, Richie walked into the kitchen.

"Cousi- Where is he going Tina?" He looked from Carmy to his empty station next to Tina, still chopping vegetables.

"He's distracted or something, just let him be Richie, don't bother the poor kid," She turned around to go into the walk-in, grabbing more fresh veggies to prepare for service later. Richie, as he does, ignores Tina completely, beelining to the office, where Carmy is running his hand down his face and pacing around like a madman.

"Cousin, what's your deal? You look like you're goin' fuckin crazy" He grilled, leaning on the door. Carmy shot him a glare, sitting down in the swivel chair that squeaked every time he actually tried to swivel in it.

" There isn't a fucking problem Richie, leave me alone." Carmy pushed himself into the desk so he could look at some paperwork he had been putting off for the past week. "I gotta finish this paperwork."

Richie raised his eyebrows, looking down at the younger man, he wasn't going to push Carmy any further, because the whole kitchen knew what would happen if the chef got mad before a service.

"Fine cousin, just don't take that shit out on the rest of the kitchen." He walked out of the office dorway as the rest of the kitchen crew started to file in to prepare for dinner service.

Carmy blankly stared at his paperwork, thinking about the interaction at the cafe this morning he just couldn't stop thinking about.

sunday night -

You walked down the stairs to your apartment complex, having finished your lesson plans just in time for dinner. Before you left, you had read of a few classic dinner joints in the neighborhood, one of them was called 'The Beef', known for their italian beef sandwiches and spaghetti with meatballs. After looking at some reviews online, you decided that it was necessary to visit this local staple. The reviews talking about how some days it was as calm as anything in the restaurant, but others the employees were screaming at eachother while getting the orders out.

You approached the building, right next to a big parking lot where many people were just standing around with sandwiches. Someone pushed the door open, smells and noise leaked out of the warm dining room. You could hear the screams from in the kitchen,

"We are down five italian beef, sweet and hot dipped, two ravioli, and one spaghetti meatball, Lets go Chefs" A tall man yelled into the kitchen.

The swinging door to the kitchen opened and a woman with a blue apron and white chef's coat replied "We are only down all those things because YOU never fired them Richie, why the fuck are you not firing the orders?"

"Calm down Chefs, just fire the orders, we can catch up if you both shut up and work, okay?" A voice you had heard before cut between the two arguing, they both got quite and looked at the man who had just exited the kitchen with five sandwiches in his hands. They nodded and went back to their respective tasks, "Okay, thank you chefs. I have 5 italian beef, sweet and hot dipped for Chelsea."

You were looking at all options on the menu and had not noticed the man calling out the order was someone you had met before. Carmy scanned the room, trying to find the woman who had ordered the five sandwiches he was about to drop. His eyes stopped on a familiar figure, the same he had been distracted thinking about all day. He didn't even notice when a woman came up asking for her order, scrambling to put the sandwiches in a to go bag and giving it to the woman.

"Excuse me, you're next sweetheart, What'll you have?" A rough voice pulled you out of your focus on the menu as you stepped up to the register. You looked up at the tall man who was smiling down at you like he had never seen a woman before, when he was pushed aside and a familiar face entered your field if vision.

"Cousin what the fuc-"

A woman's threatening voice came out of the kitchen "Richie I swear to god if you don't shut up, I'm going to stab you again."

He stalked into the kitchen, mumbling something about how unappreciated he was in this restaurant. You brought your focus back to the man standing in front of you, beet red as he watched the taller man walk into the kitchen. He turned back to face you and awkwardly smiled,

"Nice to see you again, what'll you be having today?"

You scanned the menu one more time and decided to have a little fun with the man, "Can you surprise me?, I heard that this restaurant is pretty big with the locals."

He looked at you with a pointed look, "Okay," he softly said your name, "What do you want?" After a long pause he wrote down the order, then looked back up at you with his foggy blue eyes. You were flattered he had remembered your name, did he really care that much about a stranger he had spoken to for less than two minutes earlier that morning? You didn't even know his name, but his warm gaze softened you like butter.

"It's on the house okay, I promise it'll be the best meal you've had in the city since you moved here. Be ready in 10 minutes" You were quick to reply,

"No, I can't let you do that, how muc-" He cut you off,

"This one time, I'll cover it, and if you like it, next time I'll let you pay, deal?" He held out his tattooed hand for you to shake,

"Fine..." You smiled, slipping your hand into his rough palm, he shook your hand firmly, then letting it go, gestured for you to wait at one of the tables near the door. You smiled and walked over to the table sitting down. He walked into the kitchen and you could hear his faint yells through the wall, telling the kitchen your order.

"God damn Cousin, you just took my job for no reason what's your problem?" The tall man, who you remembered was named Richie stalked back out of the kitchen to get to the line that had formed. You realized you hadn't even asked the name of the man who had just offered you a free dinner. Richie stopped in his tracks when he saw you, realizing that this might have been the reason his boss had been distracted all day. Thinking about the pretty girl that he had met, and clearly liked her enough to give her a free dinner. He laughed to himself, taking a mental note to make fun of Carmy after service for getting distracted because of a girl.

The blue eyed chef burst out of the kitchen door with a to go bag, and made his way to the table you were sitting, waiting for the food. He placed the bag in front of you as you looked up to meet his eyes,

"So what are you serving me chef?" You tease, "Well that it a surprise you will just have to wait to find out" He grins as you stand up to meet his height.

"Well thank you..."

"Carmen, Carmen Berzatto"

"Thank you Carmen, I'm sure I will enjoy this, and if I don't, I'm afraid I'll have to come back and try something new." Placing your hand on his shoulder and squeezing lightly as you started walking toward the door. "I'll see you Carmen"

You turn around and start walking out of the door when you hear a yell from Richie, "Cousin has got a little sweetheart don't you"

"RICHIE I swear to God-" The door closed behind you before you could hear what the woman who just barged out of the kitchen had to say to the pompous cashier.

You silently laughed as you walked through the street, it was around the time for sunset and the sky had turned a beautiful blend of orange and purple. You reached your apartment in around ten minutes, getting out of the cold and eager to see what Carmen had packed you for dinner.

Putting the bag of food onto your coffee table, you grabbed a plate from the kitchen and started to unpack the meal. The first thing you pulled out was an italian beef, 'sweet + dipped' written on the side, then you pulled out a small side of fries, and lastly there was a plastic container of spaghetti and meatballs, with a piece of chocolate cake. You unpacked everything in front of you and the scent of the food engulfed you. It was a heavenly smell, so you dug in.

When you finished all you could possibly eat you noticed something at the bottom of the bag. A small piece of lined paper, that looked like it was ripped out of a notebook, it said your name on one side in messy handwriting and on the other it had a phone number and more of the messy chicken scratch,

hope you like dinner, would love to show you around the city sometime. call me x

carmy

You immediately opened your phone, putting his number into your contacts, then opening your message app to send him a text.

to: carmen

loved dinner, too bad i won't have to come back and get something else. i guess you'll have to show me around to see if any spots can top this one. let me know when you're free ♡

[mustangbby]

AHHH LOVED THE AL HAITHAM FIC SMM but if you dont mind what was going through al haithams head when he realized she left??

-> the house will never be the same again pt. 2

synopsis -> after being incredibly disrespected by your husband, alhaitham, you moved to liyue. what is going through his mind when you leave?

a/n -> AHHH i'm so happy you liked it!!! and i don't mind making a pt. 2 at all sorry this has been sitting here for a while but i hope you enjoy! here is part 1.

warnings -> all hurt no comfort, reader never turns up lol

w/c -> 1.2k

it’s been about a week now, and you’re already settled into liyue. you’ve caught the eye of a bunch of passersby in the city- a sumeru vision wielder living in liyue harbor? 

thankfully, you had the traveler and a kind woman from the qixing named ganyu able to assist you with questions about the city. the first day you got there, she noticed your vision, and asked you all about it. it soon led to the two of you hitting off the start of a friendship in a nice restaurant- with ganyu telling you all of the things to do in liyue, the jobs that can be taken, and how magical the lantern rite especially is. you mentioned to her that you had a passion for the arts, and she immediately helped you look for a side job to make a little bit of mora to pay rent in your nice abode in the middle of the harbor.

“so, were your travels from sumeru alright? i’ve heard trudging through desert is not a very enjoyable experience..” ganyu questioned, a slight grin to be found on her face. “though, i have heard that the city down there is very nice. i would love to visit for myself one day, but with work and adeptal business it makes my days a little tight.”

you nod before replying. “the city is beautiful, especially at night. theres a gorgeous stage down there too, where a young woman named nilou always performs on special events. it’s always been the most majestic part of the city, or at least in my opinion.” 

ganyu lets out a noise of fascination, before giggling a little. “i would love to watch her dance. nilou is a familiar name, some people here strictly go to sumeru just to see her. i bet she’s as wonderful as everyone makes her out to be.” ganyu sighs. “i wonder if she travels? we have nice performing places here, too.”

you nod. “occasionally. it mostly has to be a big event for her to arrive, though.” you take another bite of your food. “but i bet if i asked her, she’d come out for at least a few days.”

that made ganyu smile once more, before she asked another question. “well, this may be an odd question, but do you have any romantic relationships?” 

“well, that's the reason i decided to move here,” now it is your turn to sigh, making ganyu have a confused look dancing across her face. “my partner and i got into an argument. he wouldn’t stop overworking himself, and i simply just wanted him to come to bed. but he’s so stubborn, and he took his work stress out on me. there was… certainly a lot of name calling.”

ganyus look of confusion immediately switches to an apologetic one. “ah, you made the right choice. that’s no way to treat your spouse.” 

you nod in agreement, before finishing your dish and pushing it slightly out in front of you. 

“well, i’m going to head back to my apartment now. this was very nice, we should do it again sometime!” you smile before standing and putting some money on the table. “here, this should be half. have a good night, ganyu!”

“goodnight to you too, y/n! i’ll see you soon.” 

now, back on alhaithams end..

he hasn’t been home in about a week and a half, due to his work causing his presence nearly 24/7. that pretty much means he hasn’t realized you’ve left yet. 

as he walks home, he doesn’t know how he would approach you. does he pretend the issue doesn’t exist? does he keep ignoring you? does he apologize? he thought his mind would split open.

as he walks through the door, he notices that the house is a little… emptier, from when the two of you lived together. he walked through the whole place, looking into the bathrooms to see your products gone. looking at the laundry room, met with no clothes that are yours hanging from the clothesline. and now, when he went to your bedroom…

your pillowcases have been stripped from the bed, and your pillow thrown into the closet. there were only a stack of two pillows, right in the middle of the bed. now his heart was thumping, and really hard. he looked through the dressers. the left side was barren, leaving only his side full. the thing that brought tears to the mans eyes was seeing your wedding ring on your side of the table. 

so you really left him. he stands there, shocked, unknowing of what to do. does he try to find you, or does he let you go? oh, how he regrets ever talking to you the way he did. if he just took your advice, you would be in bed, waiting for his arrival. likely bringing him into a hug, shaking all his worries and stress away as you whispered questions along about how his day was. 

the next few days felt like someone kept coming over to his desk and stabbing his back with blades like his. he felt so regretful, doing everything he can to stay composed while at the same time trying to find where you’ve gone. dehya won’t give him anything besides “somewhere close to sumeru that’s not sumeru.” that could mean you’ve gone to fontaine, liyue, or monstadt. how would he ever find you?

he’d ask the gaurds, and they all told him you went in the direction of the chasm. getting somewhere, but not close enough. he could walk all that way and come up empty handed. he doesn’t have an exact pinpoint on you yet. 

he’d ask nilou. she’d just shrug and say something along the lines of “i heard what happened, but i do not know fully where they went.” 

he walked the paths of the city, lost deep in thought. everyone thought it was a little out of character for someone such as him to look and feel as lost as he is. as much as people wondered what happened, they kept their mouths shut.

and for the people who noticed your absence, too, they’d ask different people who would likely have knowledge. but alhaitham didn’t know where to go now. he could walk the whole chasm and still not have you turn up. he could check every apartment complex in liyue harbor, and knock on every door on the outskirts. he could sail the seas to inazuma, and walk every separate island to see who may be housing you, or what commission you may have been taken in by. he could fall down the very waterfall that leads an entrance to the enchanting location called enkanomiya. he could go to fontaine, dive under the waters, walk every rocky mountain, and even visit the fortress of meropide. he could fight every monster near the city of monstadt, looking upon every rooftop for signs of your art, blown through the city of wind. but he still wouldn’t find you.

now what he doesn’t know is that you’re in liyue harbor, and nobody frets to tell him that anytime soon. for now, they’re just going to let him suffer, the same way he let you.

[swiftiethatlovesf1]

Back home p.2

Hii guys I hope you enjoy part 2 of this story featuring a love triangle between Arthur and Charles Leclerc. If you've missed part 1 here it is.

As Arthur parks the car, the familiar Italian restaurant you used to frequent comes into view. The sight of it immediately warms your heart, bringing back a flood of memories. "Arthur, this is perfect! It's like you read my mind," you say, turning to him with a smile that reaches your eyes.

"I'm glad you like it," he replies, his own smile genuine as he steps out of the car. He quickly circles around to your side, opening the door for you like the gentleman he's always been.

Inside, the cosy atmosphere of the restaurant feels like a comforting embrace. The soft lighting, the smell of freshly baked bread, and the quiet hum of conversation from other diners set the perfect backdrop for your reunion. As you begin to catch up over plates of pasta and glasses of wine, it feels like no time has passed at all.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur," you say, your voice filled with concern as you reach across the table to take his hand. "When you told me through FaceTime that Carla had broken up with you, I couldn’t believe it. It must have been so hard on you."

Arthur squeezes your hand gently, his expression softening as he looks into your eyes. The truth is, Carla didn't break up with him—he ended things with her the moment he knew you were coming back. After all these years, it had always been you. But he can't bring himself to say that, not yet.

"It was hard," he admits, his tone measured. "But I'm much better now, especially with you here." His words bring a smile to your face, one that he mirrors, feeling a sense of relief that you're finally back where you belong.

After lunch, the two of you drive to your apartment, chatting and laughing the entire way. The sun is setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the city as Arthur pulls up in front of your building. He helps you with your bags, insisting on carrying the heaviest ones despite your playful protests.

As you both reach the front door, the sound of a door opening catches your attention. You turn just in time to see Charles stepping out of the neighbouring apartment, his eyes widening in shock when he sees you.

"Y/N?" he exclaims, clearly taken aback. "I didn't know you were back!"

You smile, surprised but pleased to see him. "Charles! I just got in today. Arthur was kind enough to pick me up and help me with my bags."

Charles glances at Arthur, his expression unreadable. Arthur, on the other hand, remains calm, giving Charles a polite nod. He had deliberately kept your return a secret from Charles, knowing that his reaction might complicate things.

"Here, let me help," Charles offers, quickly stepping forward and grabbing one of the bags from Arthur's hand before you can protest.

"Thank you, Charles," you say gratefully. "Why don't you both come in for a bit? I could use the company while I unpack."

Arthur hesitates for a moment, but Charles is already nodding. "We'd be happy to help," Charles says, flashing you a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes.

As you walk into your apartment, the familiar scent of home fills the air. You set your bags down by the door and turn to Charles with a curious smile. "So, are you still living with your mom next door?" you ask, remembering the days when you used to spend so much time at their place.

Charles pauses, a brief flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes as he answers. "No, I’m just visiting. I’ve been away for a race, but I thought I’d stop by to see her." He adds casually, "I’ll probably come by more often now." His tone remains light, but there's an underlying intention, now that he knows you're back he'll come around more often.

You smile at his words, completely unaware of the hidden meaning behind them. "That’s great! I’m sure she’s happy to have you around. How’s the season going with Ferrari?" you ask, genuinely interested in hearing about his racing career. You remember how passionate he was about it when you last saw him.

Charles’s face lights up as he starts talking about the season. He dives into the details of the latest races, the ups and downs with the car, and the challenges he’s faced on the track. His enthusiasm is contagious, and you find yourself caught up in his stories, asking questions and laughing at his anecdotes.

But as the conversation flows between you and Charles, Arthur’s mood shifts. He stands a little further back, his jaw tightening as he watches his brother monopolize your attention. Every laugh, every shared smile between you and Charles grates on him. He had been looking forward to this moment—just you and him, reconnecting after all these years—but now Charles is here, and it feels like his brother is stealing his time with you.

You, however, are blissfully unaware of the tension simmering between the brothers. To you, it feels like old times, catching up with people who mean a lot to you. You’re focused on the stories Charles is telling, completely missing the way Arthur’s hands clench into fists at his sides, or the way his eyes narrow slightly whenever Charles makes you laugh.

Eventually, Charles wraps up his latest story, and you glance over at Arthur, who hasn’t said much. You flash him a warm smile, hoping to bring him back into the conversation. "Arthur, you should tell Charles about the restaurant we went to earlier. It’s one of our old favourites."

Arthur forces a smile, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. "Yeah, it was nice," he says simply, his tone clipped. He’s trying to be polite, but inside, he’s fuming. All he wanted was a quiet afternoon with you, but now he’s sharing it with the one person who always seemed to overshadow him.

Charles, not as oblivious as he might seem, catches the flash of envy in Arthur’s eyes. The subtle tightening of his brother’s jaw doesn't escape him, and it only spurs him on. "That sounds great," Charles says, his voice smooth as he locks eyes with you, a hint of challenge beneath his easy smile. "Maybe we can all go together sometime."

He lets the suggestion linger, his gaze lingering on you with just enough warmth to make his intentions clear, even as he fully registers Arthur’s growing tension. Sensing an opportunity, Charles shifts a little closer, his body language open and inviting as he continues the conversation, deliberately drawing you in further.

Arthur, feeling the shift in the air, fights to keep his composure. Every instinct screams at him to pull you closer, to remind Charles that you were always meant to be his. But he knows he can't afford to lose control, not now. If he's going to win you over, he needs to play it cool—even if it's killing him inside. So he forces a tight smile, holding back the words that threaten to spill out, determined not to let his brother see how deeply he’s affected.

But Charles, fully aware of the silent battle between them, isn't about to back down. And as you remain blissfully unaware of the tension swirling around you, the rivalry between the two brothers only intensifies, each of them silently vowing to win your heart.

Here's part 3

Tags: @iamapersonwholikesunicorns, @janeh22

[bruhnze]

The promise of a ring? - Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle

Writing for asks about a ring-fic like this one and this one.

Summary: Ona thinks her life with Lucy is perfect and wants to grow old together.

Warnings: SMUT, minors dni. A teeny tiny bit of angst. They are in love, in love, so headsup for sappy behavior. A bit of degrading, so don't read this if that's not your cup of tea. deffo dont read the second half if you're not into smut xx

Wordcount: 8k

I got a bit carried away while writing this lol.

Side note for fun: i recommend keeping Ona's english/spanish accent in mind when reading her parts because i had just watched old man united interviews from her when i wrote this and i think she had a cute accent then (still, but her english got better).

not really proofread :)

The promise of a ring?

It was February, the month Lucy and Ona would be celebrating their one year anniversary. This time last year Lucy had asked Ona to be her partner and Ona had been nothing but happy ever since. After having a little crush on the English woman for a big part of her life, but never having thought about it much further then that, it had been a pleasant surprise when she’d been hit on by Lucy at a wedding she attended. Ofcourse, she had tried to look her very best that night, knowing that the taller defender would be there, but she hadn’t seriously considered that she could’ve ended up in her bed. But after a long night of subtle flirting and flirtatious dances, she had. The sex had been so good that Lucy and her stayed connected and had a couple dozen more encounters like that after the infamous wedding night.

Over time Ona was surprised to see Lucy fall in love with her just as much as she did with the English woman and the booty calls changed in to just hanging out together, changed in to dates and eventually Lucy had proposed the idea of dating. Combined with the fact she was moving back to Barcelona soon, Ona had been over the moon.

She enjoyed playing with Lucy for the club she loved, she loved living with Lucy and their two dogs and nothing in her live could be better. Lucy put in so much effort to learn her languages, get on with her friends and family and even helped her out with football, analyzing games together.

Ona felt the luckiest woman alive with the way Lucy would tell her again and again how beautiful she was and never stopped reminding her about just how much she loved the Catalan woman, even saying that her vague dream of living in Barcelona after her retirement became clearer and clearer every day she woke up next to Ona.

All of these things and many more combined had driven Ona to this idea. During one of the moments when they had time for a date and were strolling through Barcelona, ​​Ona had pulled Lucy into a nice antique shop.

She pretended that it was completely out of the blue and that she just thought it was a nice shop but secretly she had a hidden agenda. It was a shop that also sold jewelry and Ona was curious about Lucy's taste in rings.

They had casually looked at everything and by chance Lucy had pointed out the 'chunky' gold rings that she also liked as nice jewelry.

Ona had said that she liked them too and Lucy had suggested to buy them ''we can match, look there are two''.

She had pretended to think about it and then had waved it off as something they needed to think about and maybe they could do some time in the future.

Lucy hadn't noticed, Ona could make Lucy believe anything. With her big twinkling eyes and a simple touch, the Catalan could make her forget everything.

After looking at more shops, such as a candle shop, where they bought a big, lovely smelling candle, they walked a bit through the city before finding a quiet restaurant for dinner.

''Next week is our official one year of dating, did you know that babe'' Lucy said between her bites.

Ona laughed, so she wasn't the only one who was thinking about that ''mhm, ofcourse, I already have my present''.

One of Lucy's eyebrows flew up ''presents? I didn't know we were going to do that''.

The shorter woman was a little disappointed but she didn't really care, Lucy gave her presents often enough ''just being in a relationship with you is already a present Luce, you don't have to give anything, I just happened to come across something, that's why I’ve got something'' Ona said reassuringly.

Lucy grinned ''you're so cute, I was teasing you a little, of course I have something, well, I'm working on it''.

''I'm curious'' Ona said biting her lip ''but let's stop talking about this topic because it was hard enough keeping it a secret''.

''great idea'' Lucy agreed, because I’m sure I’ll tell you everything if you’d ask me ‘’but I did want to talk about what you wanted to do, because our schedule is a bit tight I thought we could celebrate a day earlier and go to that one nice restaurant with the waiter that slipped as a date?’’.

"I find it so funny that you keep calling it that, but yes, I would like to, but you have to make a reservation, right?" Ona chuckled.

‘’Already done’’ Lucy said confidently, "reserved three months ago, when our schedule was known, figured that day would be the best one as the day after our real anniversary we have to get up really early".

‘’Ah and you are planning to make it late?’’ Ona asked teasingly.

"Well, when you go out to eat it often gets late," Lucy said nonchalantly.

The Catalan blushed and rolled her eyes at the way how Lucy got her to say things like that and then acted like she was the one insinuating something.

She could already see Lucy's smug grin and hated herself for falling for it again and again. How it often went was that Lucy would deny that she meant anything by the first ambiguous statement, then she would ask what Ona meant by what she had said, and Ona would be left floundering and blushing.

Just like now: ‘’what were you thinking about then bonita?’’.

But Ona recovered herself and cleared her throat, not willing to give in ''oh, I just thought about if we were just going out for dinner or if you were thinking about having like a long dinner and drinks after that, because I'm all for eating and then going home, given our busy schedule of course''.

Lucy narrowed her eyes suspiciously ‘’mkay, and yeah just dinner and then head back home, just thought dinner there would be cute for our one year celebration and because you like their food a lot’’.

Ona nodded eagerly ‘’yeah I love it, I love that you made a reservation for us there’’.

…

The next day they had a whole day working at the club, when it was time to eat lunch with everyone Ona slipped away and drove her car to the antique shop, hoping the rings would still be there, but she was quite sure they’d be, as she had kept her eye on them for a while now.

Just as she parked her phone rang, and she saw it was Lucy and was shocked, only now realizing that of course she would be looking for her at lunch.

She denied the call and quickly texted her that she would be there soon, as she was talking to someone in the physio building.

Lucy replied that she just came from that building and hadn’t seen her, but agreed to see her in the dining hall soon.

Ona basically sprinted to the store.

‘’hi I’d like to buy the two golden rings from that display case’’ she said when she’d found the worker, when the old man had gotten them out of the glass cabinet Ona had told their sizes.

she found out that the rings were both exactly Lucy's size and therefore just a little too big for her, the man asked which one he could adjust for her, after thinking for a moment she wanted to keep the ring with the waves for Lucy, since her name means 'wave' in Catalan that would be a nice memorial, so the other one was for her.

''I can do it now, it will take about an hour'' the man said.

''uhm I have to go, but can I maybe pick them up tonight?'' Ona asked while she paid.

''I don't have the shop open in the evening'' the man said kindly ''but I live upstairs, so if you ring the bell I will make an exception for you''.

''thank you sir, that is very kind of you'' Ona said happily when she accepted the receipt and discussed the time she would be there that evening.

Just as she sat back in the car and had put the receipt in her wallet she got called again, the old man and her had chatted for a second longer before she had finally gotten back outside, without thinking it through she accepted the call.

‘’I don’t understand where you are’’ Lucy sighed in to her phone ‘’which room did you say you were?’’.

‘’o-oh h-hi Luce, I’m- I hadn’t said which room, I only said the physio building’’ Ona said uncertain as she quickly drove off.

‘’what am I hearing? are you in a car?’’ Lucy asked surprised, ‘’I wanted to look for you, to get lunch together, but I can’t find you’’.

Ona groaned ‘’I told you to just wait in the dining hall’’.

‘’What is going on, did you leave the training ground? Is this why you didn’t want to take that ice bath with me earlier?’’.

‘’Luce, don’t ask me questions, we have an hour to lunch, go eat, I’ll join you soon’’ Ona said as someone honked behind her to tell her that the light was green already.

‘’mierda’’ Ona muttered as traffic had the effect of annoying her badly.

‘’mkay’’ Lucy said suspicious ‘’I’ll get an explanation when I see you, drive safe’’.

‘’love you’’ Ona mumbled.

‘’I love you too chica loco’’.

Ona parked in the same spot where she had left the car that morning and was surprised to see Lucy standing in front of her. As she got out of the car she looked in to the surprised eyes of her English girlfriend ‘’uhhhmmm, I wanted to clear my head’’ Ona offered.

‘’oh’’ Lucy said surprised and she frowned ‘’Are you allright? What was on your mind then?’’.

Ona smiled ‘’yeah I’m good, really’’ she chuckled as she hugged Lucy ‘’let’s get some food quickly’’.

‘’You’re acting a bit weird, you sure you’re okay?’’ Lucy asked carefully as they broke their hug and started walking back to the dining hall.

Their return together apparently motivated everyone to joke about how Lucy and Ona must have already provided another lunch and something about broom closets, but Lucy couldn't really laugh about it. She was worried that Ona had wanted to clear her head by going for a drive while she didn't even know Ona was worried about anything, she thought their lives were going perfectly.

The pair was back at home, they had taken a nap, cooked dinner and were now eating dinner.

‘’I am going to walk the dogs after dinner’’ Ona said as she dished up some more food for herself.

 ‘’ofcourse, when I have done the dishes we can go’’. Lucy said as she nodded.

Ona chuckled ‘’no Luce, I’m going on my own’’.

Lucy stopped chewing and looked up to search Ona’s face ‘’but we always go together?’’ she quietly said.

‘’I know, but I wanted to do it alone tonight’’ Ona said smiling ‘’when I’m back we can hangout again’’.

‘’do you need more alone time? Or is something else wrong?’’ Lucy asked concerned.

Only now did it dawn on Ona that this must have seemed strange to Lucy, she didn't want her to think that something was wrong. ''No no no Luce, it is really nothing, don't read in to it, I promise, I love that we can do everything together and that we live together''.

‘’Would you tell me if there’s something wrong?’’.

‘’Yes Luce’’ Ona smiled as she took Lucy’s hand ‘’ofcourse, and I will tell you what this afternoon was about too one day okay, and I promise you will laugh about it, because I already am’’.

‘’you’re speaking in riddles’’ Lucy groaned.

‘’I know, just be patient mkay?’’ Ona said cheeky ‘’but I assure you there is nothing wrong with me’’.

Lucy smiled ‘’so you weren’t avoiding me?’’.

‘’huh’’ Ona tilted her head ‘’not at all, I would never avoid you, as a matter of fact, I missed you today’’.

‘’I missed you too’’ ‘’are you sure you need to walk alone?’’ Lucy asked quietly with a sheepish grin ‘’I can just keep quiet?’’.

Ona laughed ‘’I am sure babe’’, ‘’I’ll go walking alone and if you cleaned it up here when I got back I’ll give you a reward, how does that sound?’’.

‘’Is it about the messy apartment?’’

The Catalan rolled her eyes ‘’nahh Luce and stop guessing cause you won’t get it, now do you want some kisses tonight or not?’’.

‘’would I not get them if I don’t clean?’’ Lucy challenged playfully.

‘’ugh’’ Ona rolled her eyes ‘’you would because I wanted to anyways, but I’d give them with more pleasure if you’d tidied up our house’’.

‘’How about more then just kisses, I mean with inflation cleaning costs have gone up big time’’ Lucy said as she shrugged.

‘’we’ll see how well you cleaned up’’ Ona decided with a grin.

‘’Blackmailing me to clean for sex’’ Lucy groaned ‘’genius, I should’ve thought about this myself’’.

‘’nuh-uh, I claimed this tactic, you cannot use it, I have copyrights on it actually’’ Ona chuckled as she took her plate and cutlery to put in the dishwasher.

Lucy followed her with her own dishes and the glasses ‘’we’ll see’’ she whispered as she passed Ona.

It was a pretty long walk to the store but all had worked out as planned and Ona snuck back in the apartment and saw the hall was pretty tidy, all the shoes were put in the closet instead of scattered around the floor like before.

As she heard Lucy come walking to her she quickly put the present in one of the shoes in the shoe closet and bowed to untie her shoes as she happily said ´´wow very clean´´.

´´Well you gave me plenty time´´ Lucy said as she unleashed the dogs and put them away.

The dogs waddled to the living room as Ona put her shoes away and stepped closer to Lucy ´´Now i´m all yours´´.

´´hmm´´ Lucy said as she pressed herself against Ona ‘’until she wonders of again’’.

Ona chuckled ‘’but I will always vuelve a ti, always’’ (come back to you).

Lucy buried her head in Ona’s neck and took in her scent ‘’I love the sound of that, and I’ll always be here for you to come to’’.

‘’always?’’. Ona asked happily.

Lucy held herself back from Ona ​​so she could look at her, "always," she said determinedly.

It was thursday that following week, after a day of working they'd gone home and walked the dogs. This morning Lucy had made Ona breakfast in bed, but for more than that hadn't been time.

Now they were stood infront of the closet together.

"What are you wearing?" Ona asked.

Lucy rumaged through the closet "hm, think this white blouse".

Ona looked through her options aswell and opted for something cute that went well with Lucy's outfit, casual but dressed up.

"You look so pretty" lucy said from her place sitting on the bed, as she was putting her jeans on.

Ona chuckled "i am naked".

"Mhmm" Lucy hummed, beckoning "my favourite outfit of yours".

"Shut up" Ona said laughing, "black or red?".

"None".

Ona grinned "hm, maybe I'll put on my granny underwear".

Lucy rolled her eyes "okay then, eventhough in my opinion you pull everything off equally beautiful i'll choose red this time".

"Hm, im surprised you didn't choose the granny ones".

"Ohhh" Lucy acted stupid "Do you not have those in red, might have to go with black then".

As she was chuckling Ona pulled some little set of red lingerie out of her underwear drawer and put it on.

She always felt comfortable in her body, sunbathing topless, skinny dipping, etcetera, but in her own home she felt the best, and Lucy, her girlfriend, always made her feel great sure sometimes Lucy would come on to her, touch her or make some insinuating jokes, but it was alway lighthearted or when it was not, and it was a bit more intens, it always came in a moment Ona was up for it. She didnt know how Lucy did it, maybe it was the way her eyes always had love in them next to the hunger and lust, or the way she was so tactfull, but Ona never felt objectified. But she knew how to really awaken that hunger in Lucy's eyes, was to wear a nice set of lingerie that bearly covered anything. Lucy had once told her that it reminded her of a bow around a present, that if Ona put it on, she'd have done it with the thought of Lucy 'unwrapping' her later. So Ona thought, it only made sense to wear a nice pair on a special day like this.

Lucy was now completely dressed and still sat on the edge of the bed, Ona walked to the stack of clothes she'd put next to her and smiled when she saw Lucy's eyes roaming her body.

"You like it?".

Lucy nodded and looked back up to Ona "you're so unbelievebly beautiful Ona, i cant believe i get to be your girlfriend".

Ona chuckled as she grabbed her pants to put on.

Lucy sight "i don't think i want to go to dinner anymore".

"I think you should come, because i don't want to eat alone, and what if someone hits on me" Ona joked.

"Ew" lucy narrowed her eyes "i meant that we'd both be staying at home" she grabbed Ona closer to her with two hands and kissed her stomach.

Ona leaned over Lucy to grab her top as she was laughing "No i have to give you my present over dinner''.

The English woman pushed her girlfriend aside as she suddenly remembered her own present and shot up ''i almost forgot!''.

Ona staid in the room as she finished dressing up and when she went te the bathroom to apply some make-up, the older woman came bursting back in to the room ''i wanted to give you it before dinner''.

The Catalan looked in to the mirror to see Lucy approaching her behind her and chuckled as she saw her carrying a bouquet of flowers and a kind of notebook, ''huh, how did you get flowers i didn't even see you get those?''.

''Got them yesterday'' Lucy smirked ''hid them somewhere, i'm glad they're still alive tho, i actually wanted to give them to you this morning''.

Ona turned around ´´they´re pretty, and what´s that´´, she asked pointing at the booklet.

´´Okay so imagine your back at this morning, i made you breakfast in bed and then i handed you this´´ Lucy said while handing Ona the present and laying the bouquet next to the sink ´´go on, flip through it´´, Lucy encouraged.

The Catalan looked amazed at the cover, it was a picture of them both on a holiday, a day she remembered all to well, they had had so much fun spending those off-days together after the worldcup.

She opened it and saw every page with a different photo and a different writting text ''did you make this?''. she asked Lucy amazed.

''I know it's a bit corny but, yeah''. Lucy said quietly as she suddenly got a bit insecure.

In the booklet Lucy had put some of her favourite pictures from some of her favourite memories together and with every pictures she had written a little joke, something she remembered from that day or why she loved that picture.

At the end, the last page, Ona stopped, she didn't see a picture on this page, the whole page was scribbled full with text and it was signed -

from: Lucy, for: Ona, the love of my life.

Ona's eyes quickly scanned the pages and to her surprise it was all written in Catalan, which made it easy for her to read fast. Her eyes watered as she read the loving words and promises in her mothertongue.

When she read ''I quan arribi l'instant perfecte, et suplicaré que em facis el més afortunat del món'' (and when the time is right i will ask you to make me the luckiest) a tear rolled down her cheek ''Luce, it's so beautiful''.

Lucy cupped her face ''i don't know if i got it all translated right but i have the English version for you aswell if y-

''-It's perfect, it's like a Catalan poet wrote it'' Ona smiled ''i didn't know i could fall in love with you more''.

The English woman smiled ''glad you like it, i'm curious about yours now''.

''Oh yes, i'll give it to you right now, how long do we have before we need to go?''.

Lucy looked at her watch ''about 20 minutes, why?''. ''you can still give it to me over dinner, i just- , we can't have a booklet with a kiss photo of us out in public and the flowers were a practical matter''.

''Oh'' Ona said mischievious ''I hadn't planned on giving you my present over dinner either'' she thought to herself and said ''i can't offer you a ring in public'' while shaking her head and chuckling.

''A ring? did you just give away your present?'' Lucy chuckled as Ona walked around her to leave the bathroom.

''Huh oh! see i'm so bad at keeping secrets, but i guess it's more like a promise'' Ona said while she groaned at herself internally, she had prepared a whole speech, just as romantic as Lucy, not just -here a ring-.

''The promise of a ring?'' Lucy asked confused.

Ona chuckled ''i would say a ring with a promise''. ''i'll be right back''.

She came back with a folded up note, and the leather pouch that the man had put the rings in. She was a little nervous and Lucy noticed ''you're trembling Ona, it's just me remember''. she said as she guided them back to the bedroom ''let's sit on the bed bub''.

''mhm'' Ona nodded ''can i sit on your lap?''.

''Ofcourse'' Lucy smiled ''you don't even have to ask, you know that right''.

''I know'' said as she took place on her lover and leaned her head to Lucy's shoulder ''i'm a little nervous, but it's pretty similar to what you wrote so i don't know why i am''. ''i'll just read it off my note, bé?''.

''Sí, continuar querida'' Lucy said while running her hand suiting along Ona's back ''it will be perfect''.

Ona looked up and smiled at Lucy ''i just realise i wrote it for you in English, you wrote Catalan for me'' she said and kissed Lucy.

After that Ona read her note out loud and showed the rings, she also told how she had chosen the waves for Lucy and ended with the story about what had happened last week, why she went on a drive and a walk with the dogs alone. Telling her she hadn't even thought about making an excuse and that's why she had been so weird about it, but chuckling at herself how un-planned she had gone about it all.

Lucy had laughed with her and told her she was glad that it had been about the present, because she had worried a bit about it at the time.

Ona kissed Lucy tenderly, a kiss out of pure love ''tots dos volem viure junts per sempre'', she whispered in Lucy's ear ''and I want to put a ring on your finger as tangible proof of that''.

She opened the pouch and put her own ring on before she looked up to Lucy ''in Catalunya it's normal to wear a wedding ring on the left hand, the hand closest to the heart, and the promise ring on the right, but i believe it is the other way around in England''.

Lucy grinned ''i'll put it on the right, like you, they can think i'm married, i don't care, it is our thing''.

''We can wear it to think about eachother''. Ona slid the ring onto her lovers finger ''if we miss eachother''.

''It is perfect'' Lucy cooed as she traced her finger along the engraved waves ''Ona'' she said determined as felt the ring around her finger.

''Hm?''.

''Oh, the name of my future wife, it's Ona''. Lucy stated as if she was talking to someone else ''she is the love of my life and one day i'll marry her''.

The Catalan smiled ''when the time is right''.

''When the time is right'' Lucy agreed.

They got to the restaurant just in time for their reservation and as the evening went on they ate great food and even drank a glass of wine both, despite being in the middle of the season, because of the special occasion.

Ona noticed Lucy glancing at her hand a lot during the night and chuckled when she once again took a long look at the ring Ona had gifted her.

''Stay like this'' she demanded.

Lucy looked up surprised at her as she pulled her phone out.

''Look at your hand again, it looks pretty'', encouraged Ona her as she opened the camera app.

She smiled at her phone when she had taken the picture and opened it in the camera roll, and put a black and white filter on it. She was happy with the result and handed the phone to Lucy, ''muy hermosa, look''.

Lucy looked at the photo and chuckled ''i like your present a lot it seems, am i really that obvious''.

''Sí, you have a face that is readable like a book for kindergartners''. Ona chuckled back, ''but i love that about you''.

..

They didn't get back home too late as Lucy payed for the bill pretty soon after they were done eating.

Stepping out of the elevator Lucy opened her jacket and got her key out of her purse "you know the reason why I didn't want to make it too late?".  

Ona smirked back at her "hmm I don't know, tell me".  

She grinned and opened the door.

When they were both inside Lucy thumbed at the bottom lip of the Catalans mouth, "I want to take my time with you tonight".

Ona gulped, in this busy time of the season, just after the new-years break, they had had a lot going on. More training to get everyone on track again, media things, games, etcetera and that had led to a trend of quickies. That was a sad reality in comparison to their usual intimate marathons, like when they had been away for couple of days over Christmas.

Within these busy couple of weeks it had been a frequent thought of Ona's to have good sex again. Well, she wouldn't actually say it like that, because Lucy could do a lot in a few, undisturbed, minutes, but she sure did miss the way Lucy could make her feel, or rather make her cum again and again, when they’d got the time.

Ona smiled and pressed a couple of light kisses to the thumb before taking it in her mouth.

"Fuck" Lucy said under a heavy breath as the smaller woman sucked on her thumb and looked up her with those big submissive eyes, to preform that ‘fuck-me’ look she could put on.

Ona removed herself from the thumb with a pop ´´trobo a faltar la teva polla´´ (i miss your cock) she said, as she met Lucy's gaze before taking the digit back on her tongue.

The English woman groaned as she pressed her body closer to Ona's and turned her gaze back to her mouth ‘’ofcourse you do .. my little fuck doll’’ she growled before removing her thumb and pressing her mouth against the shorter woman’s lips.

A hungry kiss was shared while they both tried to undo themselves from their coats. Ona was the first to drop hers to the floor and her hands quickly found Lucy to tug at hers.

Lucy broke the kiss with a grin ''what's the rush?''.

The Catalan rolled her eyes ''Luce, vamos, la cama, now please''. (come on, let's go to the bed). she demanded.

The taller woman’s smirk grew, she tutted and shook her head slightly ''has it been so long that you forgot your manners? you're acting a bit like a slut, aren't ya?''.

Ona blushed but before she could respond Lucy was biting down her neck lightly and groaned against her skin ''lets get to the bedroom then''.

She nodded and as Lucy stepped away she automatically reached for a hand, tugging her along to the bedroom.

Once they were there she didn't waste time before undressing down to her underwear and looked up to Lucy expectantly.

''Sad we have to take these off'' Lucy said as she fiddled the golden ring she had already grew to love this evening.

Ona quickly took hers of and put it on the nightstand before reaching out her hand to take Lucy's rings.

''So fucking eager''.

''I missed you'' Ona offered as explanation.

After she had put Lucy's rings down safely as well, she stepped back to Lucy and tugged on her blouse. ''hmh'' Lucy smirked as she caught Ona's wrists ''you just said something else, hm, that you missed my cock’’. ‘’you missed getting fucked properly, hm?''.

''By you'' Ona tried to coax Lucy to get on with it ''please Luce, can I undress you?'' she pouted.

Lucy shook her head but smiled ''mkay, because you asked so nicely''.

Ona watched closely as she undressed Lucy, she had seen her naked a thousand times, maybe even more, but she was still as obsessed with it as the first day she laid eyes on the undressed older woman.

The way her muscles were so defined, those rock solid, slightly uneven abs, which she had been allowed to ride a few times. The way Lucy's arms literally looked sculpted and looked so damn good when she was training in her sleeveless training top, claiming it was for a more even tan. Yes, Ona could look at Lucy for days.

And right now, as she had taken off Lucy's blouse and shirt, as she felt the hard stomach below her knuckles and she unbuttoned her jeans. It drove her crazy all over again.

When Lucy stepped out of the pants Ona bent to help her caught ankle get out of the trouser leg. Her face was so close to Lucy's core that she could smell her arousal. Ona couldn’t help herself and dropped to her knees to kiss along Lucy's thighs ''quiero comerte'' she groaned as she hooked her fingers in Lucy's briefs ''is okay?''.

Lucy groaned, she nodded at the woman kneeled below her and stepped out of her underwear when Ona had taken it off.

The way Ona's English progressively got worse as she got more turned on always amazed Lucy. How Ona could get lost in the lust, the way she would look so pretty and satisfied as Lucy gave her what she needed,. but right now it seemed as though Ona had other ideas.

Lucy stilled as she felt two digits tracing her center ''Ona'' she gasped unprepared.

''No?'' Ona blinked at Lucy innocently ''mi lengua primero?'' (you want my tongue first?)

Lucy's eyes rolled back and she grabbed Ona's hair in a fist ''fuck Ona, do whatever you want''. she gasped and thought -this woman is going to be the dead of me-, as she felt Ona working her way to her core.

Ona completely gave in to her instincts and buried herself deep between her lover's legs, wiggling herself on her knees between Lucy's legs so that they spread further apart, giving her even better access.

After a while, an embarrassingly short while, whilst Ona's hands were firmly kneading the flesh of her ass, Lucy came. The orgasm washed over her quickly, catching her off guard and she couldn't stop her legs from clamping around Ona's head.

Ona didn't budge, it seemed that her hunger was not satisfied, but rather only further fueled.

When Lucy couldn't take it anymore, she gently removed her hand from Ona's hair, who took the hint and leaned back.

''Fuck that was good'' Lucy breathed with a small smile and saw Ona looking at her with twinkling eyes, but the most striking part of the small face looking up at her, were her chin and mouth glistening with her own wetness.

With the back of her hand, Ona wiped it away. Lucy didn't know why but this simple act made her knees buckle, but it did.

''I was so good, no?'' Ona asked.

Lucy smiled ''very good'' she said as she helped Ona up.

Ona immediately went in for a kiss, wanting desperately a relief of her own.

The taller woman gently broke the kiss chuckling ''Ona, nadó .. calma''. ''take it easy, i'm yours forever, remember?''.

Ona nodded and walked to their drawer to get the strap she wanted and a harness, ''we can go more slowly all those days'' she said as she handed Lucy the strap and kneeled with the harness to help Lucy in it.

When the harness was fixed she stood up her tiptoes to whisper in Lucy's ear ''but for now not slowly''.

Lucy swallowed hard and could feel her nipples harden from arousal. "How do you want me then''.

Ona raised an eyebrow, "my choice?" her mouth twisted into a smile, "then you know what I choose."

"Mhm, get on the bed".

The Catalan's smile did not leave her face, she loved to get fucked on all fours, it was her favorite position. How their thighs would feel gritting against eachother, the way her butt was pointed upwards, ready for Lucy to spank. But this position asked the most of Lucy's knees, so usually when they'd do it, Ona would end up on the edge of the bed so Lucy could stand. However, in Ona's opinion nothing could beat the way Lucy felt behind her when they were both on their knees.

Lucy shuffled behind Ona, who was now on her elbows and knees. She put two fingers in her mouth before tracing Ona's lips with them. She groaned "so fucking wet".

Ona muttered something incoherent and wiggled her ass a little, pressing it deeper against Lucy's digits.

Slowly the older woman worked her two fingers in, she saw Ona arch infront of her and groaned at the tightness of her hole.

It had probably been three weeks since they'd last used the strap, just simply because there hadn't been time to do so, or they had been to tired. Lucy had missed it, she loved watching her girlfriend take her rubber cock, but she knew Ona had probably missed it even more. Lucy could only love her girlfriend for it, they had great sex, their dynamics worked out perfectly and she was happy to answer all Ona’s needs.

The English woman grinned when she felt Ona trying to clench around her fingers, she knew the Catalan wanted more.

Ona whined "Luce" she pushed herself even more into Lucy "more".

Lucy smacked one of her ass cheeks, it landed a bit awkward because it was left-handed, but there was definitely an impact. "manners baby".

A moan escaped Ona's throat "please fuck me Luce".

Another crack-sound filled the room and Lucy removed her fingers from Ona to wipe the wetness along her strap.

She guided the tip along Ona's slit "thats a good girl’’. ‘’I know I thought you well, haven't I".

‘’Mhm’’ Ona nodded eager, but quickly corrected herself ‘’y-yes Lucy’’.

With that Lucy pushed herself inside, holding Ona’s hips as she bottomed out.

The Catalan let her head drop and closed her eyes to take it all in, and fuck did it feel good. When she noticed Lucy stayed still she took it upon herself to start moving.

Lucy had wanted to give her some time to get used to it but when she saw Ona grinding back down on her - a smirk clad her face. She released her grip on Ona’s hips and ran one hand along her back to hold her shoulder, giving her more leverage. With the other hand she reached for Ona’s thigh and forced her a little wider.

‘’Feels good hm?’’ Lucy asked through gritted teeth as she saw the smaller woman’s head cock back up.  

With another deep thrust Ona’s answered with a high-pitched moan.

Lucy reached around to roll Ona’s nipples between her fingers, ‘’does it not?’’ she asked mischievously before pinching the nipple she held.

A cry escaped Ona’s throat ‘’Sí .. Lucy’’ she muttered ‘’so good’’.

After Lucy had cupped the breast tenderly once more, her hand moved south along her stomach, ending between her legs, she gathered some slick and gently started caressing her clit.

This stimulation combined with the constant, deep, thrusts into her, got Ona being louder and louder.

It wasn't long before Ona moaned out her girlfriends name, ''Lu-‘’ she gasped  ‘’I-I m coming''.

''Good girl''. Lucy groaned ''cum for me''. ''come on my cock''.

Lucy felt the shorter woman convulsing around her rubber lengthiness, making it hard for her to keep thrusting at the same pace.

With a couple of seconds a loud groaning cry filled the room and Ona collapsed against the bed as her arms gave out on her.

Lucy held the lower part of her body up as she gently worked her through her orgasm, before releasing her hold and pulling out, helping Ona carefully collapse on to the bed completely.

The English woman dropped on her side besides Ona and started soothing the skin on her back, feeling the clampy skin of Ona's back beneath her fingertips she smiled and leaned over to kiss her neck softly, nudging Ona to face her.

The Catalan let out a soft groan as she shifted ‘’T'estimo’’ (I love you) she said as she draped herself over her older girlfriend.

Lucy chuckled ‘’I love you too my little bonita’’.

They shared a kiss before Ona climbed on top of Lucy without breaking their lips apart.

‘’Again huh?’’. Lucy smirked.

Ona shifted until she sat up on Lucy’s hips ‘’Sí, my favorit first, now your favorit one´´.

´´I have multiple favorites´´. Lucy said with a smug grin as she sat up to face Ona.

A small frown clouded her forehead ´´like this, no?’’. she asked with a small smile as she sat on Lucy's lap and they held each other in a close embrace.

‘’Yes I love holding you close to me’’ Lucy cooed as she pulled Ona in closer, helping her grind against her ‘’are you sure you’re ready to go again already?’’ she asked thoughtfully.

The Catalan grinned and kissed her.

While they made out Ona reached between them and sat up a bit before gently lowering herself back on the strap. She whimpered at the familiar intrusion.

For a while they just sat there together, sharing gentle, loving kisses.

Eventually they broke away and caught eachothers eyes, the smaller woman reached around Lucy to unclasp her bra, she had a little bit of a hard time getting it off because their bodies were so close together but eventually Lucy threw it next to the bed.

This movement sent a shiver running down Ona's spine and got her sensitive cunt clamping around Lucy's cock, she buried her face in the English´ neck as she felt the strong hands around her thighs, helping her up and down the shaft.

´´So good baby´´ Lucy said as she redirected one of her hands to Ona´s back, helping her grind back and forth a bit more rather then just up and down.

Again Ona got louder as she felt her second orgasm this evening build up. She grabbed Lucy to hold herself up and began riding her faster.

´´Fuck´´ Lucy whimpered as she got grinded down on just right ´´ready for my other favorite?’’.

Ona moaned as she got flipped over by the taller woman, putting her on her back on the bed.

With rhythmic thrusts, Lucy fucked keeping a steady pace.

Ona wrapped her legs around Lucy and the Englishwoman leaned down to take a breast into her mouth.

The Catalan dropped her head on the pillow at the way Lucy's tongue twisted around her erected nipple.

After ambushing both nipples Lucy removed her mouth from Ona and panted for air, all while not haltering her pace once.

Ona removed her hands from Lucy's shoulders to continue stimulating her nipples herself.

Lucy shifted her weight to one arm as she reached down with the other, to rub Ona's clit.

"Joder" Ona muttered as her eyes screwed shut and she arched of the bed.

"That's it baby, you're taking me so well" Lucy said breathlessly.

The Catalan's hands clenched the skin of her chest and she moaned loudly as she came.

As the English woman felt the Spaniards legs tremble around her she slowed her pace, both with her hand as with her hips.

When Ona pushed her hands against Lucy's chest, indicating it got to much, she retracted.

She grabbed Ona's calves and gently forced her spasming legs apart so she could move back on the bed a little.

As she had removed the strap from her harness and dropped it besides the bed, came closer to Ona again and softly started running her hands along her inner thighs.

When her legs slowly became less shaky a smile crept on Lucy's face.

Ona watched her with a blissfull expression and couldn't even roll her eyes or pretend to be annoyed by the smugness of her girlfriend, instead she mirrored the soft smile and reached out for one of Lucy's hands.

"That was so good" Ona said, being the first to break the thick silence.

Lucy chuckled in awe "baby you were shaking".

"It felt really good" Ona said tracing her fingers over Lucy's stomach "i chose the best person to be with for forever".

Lucy chuckled "good sex is all it takes hm?".

"No" Ona grinned "but it gives bonus points".

Lucy groaned "you know i always want to score the most points" she said before lowering herself on top of Ona and littering her with kisses.

"Lucy" Ona gasped "i can't" she said as Lucy headed towards her centre.

"I'll be so gentle" Lucy murmured against the inside of Ona's thigh "i want to taste you".

..

After a couple of hours Ona was laying in a bath Lucy had ran for her.

She had protested when Lucy had left her but she had calmed down when the English defender had said she would join right after changing the sheets.

Lucy walked in to the bathroom carying two bottles of water and a bowl with strawberrys, grapes and pineapple.

She took the wooden plank that was standing against the bathroom wall and placed it on the bath, before taking the bottles and bowl from the sink and placing them on it.

Ona was smiling at the acts of her thoughtfull girlfriend "i am so in love with you Luce".

Lucy looked up and met the two loving eyes that followed her "me too Ona, and i really really love our rings, their beautiful, especially with the promise that's behind them".

"Kiss me?" Ona asked reaching out for the older woman.

"Always".

----

The end, not theirs :)

[heartmix]

Let's Go For A Ride - Mat Barzal

Pairing: Mathew Barzal x fem!reader *best friends in love*

Word Count: 1k+

Warning: sickness

Twelve Fics of Christmas - Christmas Lights

A/N: I wrote this in mind of the sickness fic I made last Christmas. Technically it's a part 2 but this can be read as a stand-alone.

Masterlist / Hockey Masterlist

As luck would have it, your little flu or stomach bug, whatever it was didn't go away in a week. Every year you'd get sick and normally it would only last for a week. Last year it was the week of Thanksgiving, the previous year it was a random week in October. This year it was getting a little too close to Christmas. Christmas was in 5 days and you were still stuck in bed, not leaving your apartment for almost two weeks. The only thing you were able to do was work and sleep. There was no fun in between. After the first 5 days, you needed to get back to work. No more binge-watching movies or picking up a new show to watch.

Mat came over a few times since the last visit at a distance. Every time it was with a bowl of soup from the Chinese restaurant. One time it was with a game-winning puck he scored against the Panthers. With these visits he could tell you were down, and not just because of your body trying to fight off the illness. He knew being unable to go outside or see a game was torture. He knew that the lack of Christmas activities like playing in the snow or skating in Central Park was killing you. Christmas, even if it wasn't your favorite holiday, was magical.

"Knock knock. I come with a surprise." Mat's voice boomed through the living room where coffee mugs and tissues filled the coffee table. Very unsanitary and unattractive but in the state you were in that was the least of your worries. 

"More soup? Please tell me you got an order of moon pie. Mrs. Chen makes them fresh for you." Your voice was painful to hear. The amount of coughing mixed with the lack of hydration your throat craved didn't help your case. 

"Well, I didn't go to Mrs. Chen's. I was hoping we could on the way back." It was only then you looked over to see him with nothing in his hands, just his car keys. He didn't even take off his coat which was confusing. 

"What are you talking about?"

"Grab your coat and a beanie, an extra mask if you want."

"I feel like shit. I'm not going out walking in freezing snow." The face you had plastered couldn't even begin to describe how dumb you thought Mat was for suggesting that you would go out in the cold while sick. 

"Who said anything about walking." His famous smirk made its way onto his face which was never a good sign.

"I get tired just making me a can of soup. I don't think I can walk downstairs Barzy."

"I'll carry you." 

"No you w-MATHEW!" Before you could even get out a protest, Mathew scooped you off the couch shifting you so you could wrap your legs around his waist and your arms went around his neck. 

"Hush hush. I'll sanitize." He calmed your worries handing you your phone while grabbing your coat and beanie before heading out the door.

The walk and elevator ride wasn't long before you reached his car. After placing you in the passenger seat and making sure your coat and beanie were on comfortably he ran over to the driver's side with the biggest smile on his face. How could you be mad at him for dragging you out while being sick? 

The driver was filled with comfortable silence while the radio played some Christmas songs. Mat every so often glanced over to see you staring out the window with a smile on your lips. The snow and lights covering the city were a sight to see. This was when New York was at its most beautiful. 

As Mat led you out of the city, away from the skyscrapers and bustling atmosphere you couldn't help but look at him in confusion. There was not a single place that came to mind. The farther you got from the city the closer you were to nature. The only place that could make your sickness worse. 

"I hope you're not luring me to the woods. I'm more concerned about my cold getting worse than you murdering me." You joked making him laugh.

"I'm not luring you to the woods to kill. It's just something I wanted to show."

It was only then it clicked that Mat had driven you to the suburbs. Also known as all the rich people going all out on decoration for Christmas. Again, the same blissed-out smile made its way onto your face. The fact that Mat was bringing you to see all the colorful lights swelled your heart. 

"You brought me to see the Christmas lights." Turning to him with the biggest smile he's seen on you in weeks. That sight alone made this all worth it, at this point, he didn't care if he got sick. He'd be sick forever just to see that smile on your face. 

"I knew you were missing the Christmas feeling, movies can only do so much." he wrote it off as nothing too big, but secretly he's been planning for it this whole week, he just wanted you to feel a bit better before he took you.

Seeing the first house Mat slowed down the car. The first house was filled multi colored lights and a fake Santa and reindeers on the roof glowing in the darkness of the night. Next to it was a house with all-white lights with a few snowmen decorating the front lawn. Many houses on the street continued like that with the addition of elves and other Christmas characters. One house went full Grinch themed as another was decorated like the Charlie Brown Christmas movie. 

As the last few houses came into view you couldn't help but reach out to grab Mat's hand and squeeze it, "Thank you for this. I didn't know how much I needed it till now." 

"I did. Maybe all you needed was a bit of joy to help get over your cold." 

[inthedayswhenlandswerefew]

1968 [Chapter 5: Artemis, Goddess Of The Hunt]

Series Summary: Aemond is embroiled in a fierce battle to secure the Democratic Party nomination and defeat his archnemesis, Richard Nixon, in the presidential election. You are his wife of two years and wholeheartedly indoctrinated into the Targaryen political dynasty. But you have an archnemesis of your own: Aemond’s chronically delinquent brother Aegon.

Series Warnings: Language, sexual content (18+ readers only), violence, bodily injury, character deaths, New Jersey, age-gap relationships, drinking, smoking, drugs, pregnancy and childbirth, kids with weird Greek names, historical topics including war and discrimination, math.

Word Count: 6.6k

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💜 All of my writing can be found HERE! 💜

“So you smoked grass in college,” Aegon says, pondering you with glazed eyes as he slurps his cherry-flavored Mr. Misty. You’re in Biloxi, Mississippi where Aemond is making speeches and meeting with locals to commemorate the first summer of the beaches being desegregated after a decade of peaceful protests and violent white supremacist backlash. Route 90 runs right along the sand dunes. If you walked out of this Dairy Queen, you could look south and see the Gulf of Mexico, placid dark ripples gleaming with moonshine. “And swore, and had a boyfriend, and presumably, what, did shots? Skipped class on occasion?”

“Yeah,” you admit, smiling sheepishly, remembering. You stretch out your fingers. “I chewed gum, I talked during mass. And I loved black nail polish. The nuns would beat my knuckles with rulers, I always had bruises. I wore these flowing skirts down to my ankles and knee-high boots. My hair was a mess, long and blowing around everywhere. My friends and I would do each other’s makeup, silver glitter and purple shadow, pencil on a ridiculous amount of eyeliner and then smudge it out. If you saw a photo you wouldn’t recognize me.”

Aegon takes a drag on his Lucky Strike cigarette, weightless smoke and the tired yellowish haze of florescent lights. Buffalo Springfield’s For What It’s Worth is playing from the Zenith radio on the counter by the cash register. “I’d recognize you.”

“I used to skip this one class all the time. The professor was a demon. I could do the math, but not the way he wanted me to. Right solution, wrong steps, I don’t know. I learned it differently in high school, and I couldn’t figure out the formula he wanted me to use. So he’d mark everything a zero even if my answer was correct. I couldn’t stand that bastard. Then the nuns kept catching me sunbathing on the quad when I was supposed to be in Matrices and Vector Spaces. I racked up so many demerits they were going to revoke my weekend pass, and then I wouldn’t be able to go into the city with my friends. So I stole the demerit book and burned it up on the stove in my dorm. Almost set the whole building on fire.”

Aegon is laughing. “You did not. Not you, not perfect ever-obedient Miss America!”

“I did. I really did.” You sip your own Mr. Misty, lemon-lime. Across the restaurant, Criston and Fosco are eating banana splits—dripping chocolate syrup and melted ice cream all over their table—and passionately debating who is going to end up in the World Series; Criston favors the Cardinals and the Orioles, Fosco says the Red Sox and the Cubs. The rest of the Targaryen family is back at the hotel watching news coverage of the Republican National Convention, something you can only stomach so much of, Otto’s cynical commentary, Aemond’s remaining eye fixed fiercely on the screen as he nips at an Old Fashioned. “I was wild back then.”

“And you gave it all up to be Aemond’s first lady.”

You think back to where it started: palm trees, salt water, alligators in drainage ditches. “My father grew up in a shack outside of Tallahassee. No electricity, no running water, he dropped out of school in eighth grade to help take care of his siblings when his mom died. They moved south to live with their aunt in Tampa, and my father wound up in Tarpon Springs working as a sea sponge diver.”

Aegon’s eyebrows rise, like he thinks you’re teasing him. “Sea sponges…?”

“I’m serious! It paid better than picking oranges or sweeping up in a factory. It’s dangerous. You have to wear this heavy rubber suit and walk around on the ocean floor, sometimes 50 feet or more below the surface.”

“What do people do with sea sponges?”

“Oh right, you would be unfamiliar. You’re supposed to clean yourself with them, like a loofah. Soap? Water? Ringing any bells?”

He chuckles and rolls his eyes. “You’re a very mean person. Aren’t you supposed to be setting an example for the merciful wives and daughters of this great nation?”

“Painters and potters buy sponges too. And some women use them as contraceptives. You can soak them in lemon juice and then shove them up there and it kills sperm.”

“I suddenly have great appreciation for the sea sponge industry. God bless the sea sponges.”

“So my father spent a few years diving, and he fell in love with a girl who worked at one of the shops he sold sponges to. That was my mother. They got married when he had absolutely nothing, and by their fifth anniversary he had his own fleet of boats, a gift shop, and a processing and shipping facility, all of which they owned jointly. They just opened the Spongeorama Sponge Factory this past April, a cute little tourist trap. But my point is that they were partners from the start. My father listens to my mother, and she works alongside him, and it was never like what I’ve seen from my friends’ parents: dad at the office 80 hours a week, mom at home strung out on Valium, just these…deeply separate, cold planets locked in orbit but never touching each other. I knew I didn’t want that. I wanted a husband who was building something I could be a part of. I wanted a man who respected me.”

Aegon watches you as he lights a fresh cigarette, not saying what you imagine he wants to: And how is that working out? He puffs on his Lucky Strike a few times and then offers it to you. You aren’t supposed to smoke, not even tobacco—it’s not ladylike, it’s masculine, it’s subversive—but you take it and hold it between your index and middle fingers, inhaling an ashy bitterness that blood learns to crave. The bracelets on your wrist jangle, thin silver chains that match the diamonds in your ears. Your dress is mint green, your hair in your signature Brigitte Bardot-inspired updo. Aegon is wearing a black t-shirt with The Who stamped across the front. When you pass the cigarette back to him, Aegon asks: “What music did you listen to? The Stones, The Animals?”

“Yeah. And Hendrix, The Kinks, Aretha Franklin…”

“Phil Ochs?”

“I love him. He’s got a song about Mississippi, you know.”

“Oh, I’m aware. It’s one of my favorites.”

“And I’m currently getting a little obsessed with Loretta Lynn. She’s so angry!”

“She’s sanctimonious, that’s what she is. Always bitching about men.”

“Six kids and an alcoholic husband will do that to someone.”

Aegon winces, and then you realize what you’ve said. Loretta Lynn sounds a lot like Mimi. He finishes his Mr. Misty and then fidgets restlessly with his white cardboard cup, spinning it around by the straw. You feel bad, though you shouldn’t. You wouldn’t have a month ago.

“Aegon,” you say gently, and he reluctantly looks up at you, sunburned cheeks, blonde hair shagging over his eyes. “Why do you ignore your children? They’re interesting, they’re fun. Violeta invited me to help her make cakes with her Easy-Bake Oven last week. And Cosmo…he’s so clever. But it’s like he doesn’t know who you are. He might actually think Fosco’s his dad.”

Aegon takes one last drag off his cigarette and discards the end of it in his Mr. Misty cup. Now he’s fiddling with it again, avoiding your gaze. “I don’t have much to offer them.”

“I think you do.”

“No you don’t.”

“I do,” you insist. “You can be kind of nice sometimes.”

He frowns, staring out the window. You know he can’t see anything but darkness and streetlights. “I should have been the one to go to Vietnam. If somebody had to get shot at so Aemond could be president, I was the right choice. No one would miss me. No one would mourn me. Daeron didn’t deserve that. But I was too old, so Otto and my father got him to enlist. Now he’s in the jungle and my mother has nightmares about Western Union telegrams. If I was the son over there, I think she’d sleep easier.”

I’m glad you’re still here, you think. Instead you say: “Your children need you.”

“No they don’t. Between me and Mimi, they’re better off as orphans. Helaena and Fosco can be their parents. Maybe they’ll have a fighting chance.”

The glass door opens, and a man walks into the Dairy Queen with his two sons scampering behind him, all with sandy flip flops and carrying fishing rods. The dad is at least six feet tall and brawny, and wearing a Wallace For President baseball cap. You and Aegon both notice it, then share an amused, disparaging glance. You mouth: Imbecile bigot. The man continues to the cash register and orders two chocolate shakes and a root beer float. At their own table, Criston is mopping up melted ice cream with napkins and telling Fosco to stop being such a pig.

“Me?!” Fosco says. “You are the pig, that spot there is your ice cream, do not blame your failings on poor Fosco. I have already let you drag me to this terrible state and never once complained about the fried food or the mosquitos. And that thing out there is not a real beach. The water is still and brown, brown!”

“For once in your life, pretend you have a work ethic and help me clean up the table.”

“You are being very anti-immigrant right now, do you know that?”

Aegon begins singing, ostensibly to himself. “Here’s to the state of Mississippi, for underneath her borders, the devil draws no lines.”

“Aegon, no,” you whisper, petrified. You know this song. You know where he’s going.

He’s beaming as he continues: “If you drag her muddy rivers, nameless bodies you will find.”

Now the man in the Wallace hat is looking at Aegon. His sons are happily gulping down their chocolate shakes. Criston and Fosco, still bickering, haven’t noticed yet.

“Oh, the fat trees of the forest have hid a thousand crimes.”

“Aegon, don’t,” you plead quietly. “He’ll murder you.”

“The calendar is lyin’ when it reads the present time.”

“Hey,” calls the man in the Wallace For President hat. “You got a problem, boy?”

Aegon drums his palms on the tabletop as he sings, loudly now: “Oh, here’s to the land you’ve torn out the heart of, Mississippi find yourself another country to be part of!”

In seconds, the man has crossed the room, grabbed Aegon by the collar of his t-shirt, yanked him out of his chair and struck him across the face: closed fist, lethal intent, the sick wet sound of bones on flesh. Aegon’s nose gushes, his lip splits open, but he isn’t flinching away, he isn’t afraid. He’s yowling like a rabid animal and clawing, kicking, swinging at the giant who’s ensnared him. You are screaming as you leap to your feet, your chair falling over and clattering on the floor behind you. The man’s sons are hooting joyously. “Git him, Paw!” one of them shouts.

“Criston?!” you shriek, but he and Fosco are already here, tugging at the man’s massive arms and beating on his back, trying to untangle him from Aegon.

“Stop!” Criston roars. “You don’t want to hurt him! He’s a Targaryen!”

“A Targaryen, huh?” the man says as he steps away, wiping the blood from his knuckles on his tattered white t-shirt, stained with fish guts. “All the better. I wish that bullet they put in Aemond woulda been just another inch to the left. Directly through the aorta.”

Aegon lunges at the man again, hissing, fists swinging. Fosco yanks him back.

“Are you gonna call someone or not?!” Criston snaps at the girl behind the cash register, but she only gives him a steely glare in return. This is Wallace country. There’s a reason why it took four years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to finally desegregate the beaches.

“We should go,” you tell Criston softly.

“Yes, we will leave now,” Fosco says, hauling Aegon towards the front door. Then, to the cashier: “Thank you for the ice cream, but it was not very good. If you are ever in Italy, try the gelato. You will learn so much.”

“I can’t wait ‘til November,” the man gloats, ominous, threatening. His sons are standing tall and proud beside him. “When Aemond loses, you can all cart your asses back to Europe. We don’t want you here. America ain’t for people like you.”

“It literally is,” you say, unable to stop yourself. “It’s on the Statue of Liberty.”

“Yeah, where do you think your ancestors came from?!” Aegon yells at the man. “Are you a Seminole, pal? I didn’t think so—!” Fosco and Criston lug him through the doorway before more punches can be thrown.

Outside—under stars and streetlights and a full moon—Aegon burst out laughing. This is when he feels alive; this is when the blood in his veins turns to wave and riptides. You didn’t think to grab napkins from the table, so you wipe the blood off his face with your bare hand, assessing the damage. He’ll be fine; swollen and sore, but fine.

“You’re insane, you know that?” you say. “You could have been killed.”

Aegon pats your cheek twice and grins, blood on his teeth. “The world would keep spinning, little Io.” Then he starts walking back towards the White House Hotel.

~~~~~~~~~~

When the four of you arrive at your suite, Aemond, Otto, Ludwika, and Alicent are still gathered around the television. The nannies have taken the children to bed. Helaena is reading The Bell Jar in an armchair in the corner of the room. Mimi is passed out on the couch, several empty glasses on the coffee table. ABC is showing a clip they recorded earlier today of Ludwika travelling with Aemond’s retinue after he made an impassioned speech condemning the lack of recognition of the evils of slavery at Beauvoir, the historic home of former Confederate president Jefferson Davis. The reporter is asking Ludwika what she thinks makes Aemond a better presidential candidate than Eugene McCarthy, as McCarthy shares many of the same policy positions and has an additional 15 years of political experience.

“This McCarthy is not a real man,” Ludwika responds, her face stony and mistrustful. “He reminds me of the communists back in my country. Did you know he met with Che Guevara in New York City a few years ago? Why would he do such a thing?”

Now, Otto turns to her in this hotel room. “I love you.”

Ludwika takes a sip of her martini. “I want another Gucci bag.”

“Yes, yes. Tomorrow, my dear.”

“What happened to you?” Aemond asks his brother, half-exasperated and half-concerned. Criston has fetched a washcloth from the bathroom for Aegon to hold against his bleeding lip and nose. Aemond is still wearing his blue suit from a long day of campaigning, but he’s taken out his eye and put on his eyepatch. His gaze flicks from Aegon’s face to the blood still coating your left hand. On the couch, Mimi’s bare foot twitches but she doesn’t wake up.

“There was a Wallace supporter at the Dairy Queen,” you say. “Aegon felt inspired to defend you.”

Aemond chuckles. “Did you win?” he asks Aegon.

“I would have if the guy wasn’t two of me.”

On the television screen, Richard Nixon is accepting his party’s nomination for president at the Republican National Convention in Miami, Florida.

“He’s a buffoon,” Otto sneers. “So awkward and undignified. Look at him sweating! Look at those ridiculous jowls! And he comes from nothing. His family is trash.”

“Americans love a rags to riches story,” you say. And then, somewhat randomly: “He loves his wife. He proposed to Pat on their very first date, and she said no. So he drove her to dates with other men for years until she finally reconsidered. He said it was love at first sight. He’s never had a mistress. And jowls or no jowls, his family adores him.”

Aegon turns to you, still clutching the washcloth against his face. “Really?”

You nod. “That’s the sort of thing the women talk about.”

There’s a knock at the door. You all look at each other, confounded; no one has ordered room service, no one is expecting any visitors, and the nannies have keys in the event of an emergency. Fosco is closest to the door, so he opens it. A man in uniform is standing there with a golden Western Union telegram in his hands. Alicent screams and collapses. Criston bolts to her.

“It’s okay,” you say. “He’s not dead. Whatever happened, Daeron’s not dead.”

Otto crinkles his brow at you. “How do you know?”

“Because if he was killed, there would be a priest here too.” They always send a priest when the boy is dead. Aegon glances at you, eyes wet and fearful.

“Ma’am,” the soldier—a major you see now, spotting the golden oak leaves—says to Alicent as he removes his cap. “I regret to inform you that your son Daeron was missing in action for several weeks, and we’ve just received confirmation that he’s being held as a prisoner of war in Hỏa Lò Prison.”

“He’s in the Hanoi Hilton?!” Otto exclaims. “Oh, fuck those people and their swamp, how did Kennedy ever think we had something to gain from getting tangled up in that mess?”

“But he’s alive?” Aemond says. “He’s unharmed?”

“Yes sir,” the captain replies. “It is our understanding that he is in good condition. The North Vietnamese are aware that he is a very valuable prisoner, like Admiral McCain’s son John. He’ll be used in negotiations. He is of far more use to them alive than dead.”

“So we can get Daeron back,” Aegon says. “I mean, we have to be able to, right? Aemond’s running for president, he’ll probably win in November, we have millions of dollars, we can spring one man out of some third-world jail, right?”

The captain continues: “Tomorrow when your family returns to New Jersey, the Joint Chiefs of Staff will be there to discuss next steps with you. I’m afraid I’m only authorized to give you the news as it was relayed to me.” He entrusts the telegram to Otto, who rapidly opens it and stares down at the mechanical typewriter words.

“I have to pray,” Alicent says suddenly. “Helaena, will you pray with me? There’s a Greek church down the road. Holy Trinity, I think it’s called.”

Obediently, Helaena joins her mother and follows her to the doorway. Criston leaves with them. Otto gives his new wife a harsh, meaningful stare. Ludwika, an ardent yet covert atheist, sighs irritably. “Wait. I want to pray too,” she says, and vanishes with them into the hall.

As the captain departs, Mimi sits up on the couch, blinking, groggy. “What? What happened?”

“Go with Alicent,” Otto tells her. “She’s headed downstairs.”

“What? Why…?”

“Just go!” he barks.

Mimi staggers to her feet and hobbles out of the hotel room, her sundress—patterned with forget-me-nots—billowing around her. The only people left are Otto, Aemond, Fosco, Aegon, and you. The fact that you are the sole woman permitted to remain here feels intentional.

After a moment, Otto speaks. “You know, John McCain has famously refused to be released from the Hanoi Hilton until all the men imprisoned before him have been freed. He doesn’t want special treatment. And that’s a very noble thing to do, don’t you think? It has endeared him and the McCains to the public.”

Aemond and Otto are looking at each other, communicating in a silent language not of letters or accents but colors: red ambition, green hunger, grey impassionate morality. Fosco is observing them uneasily. Aemond says at last: “Daeron wants to help this family.”

“You’re not going to try to get him out.” Aegon realizes.

Aemond turns to him, businesslike, vague distant sympathy. “It’s only until November.”

“No, you know people!” Aegon explodes. “You pick up the phone, you call in every favor, you get him out of there now! You have no idea if he has another three months, you don’t know what kind of shape he’s in! They could be dislocating his arms or chopping off his fingers right now, they could be starving him, they could be beating him, you can’t just leave him there!”

“It’s not your decision. It could have been, had you accepted your role as the eldest son. But you didn’t. So it’s my job to handle these things. You don’t get to hate me for making choices you were too cowardly too take responsibility for.”

“But Daeron could die,” Aegon says, his voice going brittle.

“Any of us could die. We’re in a very dangerous line of work. Greatness killed Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Huey Long, Medgar Evers, John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Vernon Dahmer, Martin Luther King Jr., does that mean we should all give up the fight? Of course not. The work isn’t finished. We have to keep going.”

“Will you stop pretending this is about America?! This is about you wanting to be president, and everything you’ve ever done has been in pursuit of that trophy, and you keep shoving new people into the line of fire and it’s not right!”

“Aegon,” Otto says calmly. “It’s unlikely we’d be able to get him out before the election anyway. Negotiations take time. But if Aemond wins in November, he’ll be in a very advantageous position. The North Vietnamese aren’t stupid. They wouldn’t kill the brother of a U.S. president. They don’t want their vile little corner of the world flattened by nukes.”

“Still, it feels so wrong to leave a brother in peril,” Fosco says. “It is unnatural. Of course Aegon will be upset. We could at least see what a deal to get Daeron released would entail, maybe his arrival home would be a good headline—”

“And who the fuck asked you?” Otto demands, and Fosco goes quiet.

“Okay, then tell Mom,” Aegon says to Aemond. “Tell her you’re going to pretend Daeron made some self-sacrificial vow not to come home until all the other POWs can too. Tell her you’re going to let him get tortured for a few months before you take this seriously.”

Aemond replies cooly: “Why would you want to upset her? She can’t change it. You’ll only make her suffering worse.”

“What do you think?” Otto asks you, and you know that he isn’t seeking counsel. He’s summoning you like a dog to perform a trick, like an actor to recite a line. He’s waiting for you to say that it’s a smart strategy, because it is. He’s waiting for you to bend to Aemond’s will as your station requires you to, as moons are bound to their planets.

“I think it’s wrong,” you murmur; and Aemond is thunderstruck by your treason.

Without another word, you walk into the bathroom, turn on the sink, and gaze down at Aegon’s blood on your palm. For some reason, it’s very difficult to bring yourself to wash it away.

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s mid-August now, the world painted in goldenrod yellow and sky blue. The Democratic National Convention is in two weeks. You and Aemond are posing on the beach at Asteria, surrounded by an adoring gaggle of journalists who are snapping photographs and jotting down quotes on their notepads. You’re sitting demurely on a sand dune, you’re building sandcastles with the children you borrowed from Aegon and Helaena, you’re flying kites, you’re gazing confidently into the sunlit horizon where a glorious new age is surely dawning.

“Mr. Targaryen, what is it that makes your partnership so successful?” a journalist asks as flashbulbs pulse like lightning. “What do you think is the most crucial characteristic to have in a wife?”

Aemond doesn’t need to consider this before he answers. He always has his compliment picked out. “Loyalty,” your husband says. “Not just to me or to the Targaryen family, but to our shared cause. This year has been indescribably difficult for me and my wife. I announced my candidacy, we embarked on a strenuous national campaign that we’re currently only halfway through, I barely survived a brutal assassination attempt in May, in July we lost our first child to hyaline membrane disease after he was born six weeks prematurely, and at the beginning of this month we learned that my youngest brother Daeron was taken by the North Vietnamese as a prisoner of war. To find the strength not just to get out of bed in the morning, not just to be there for me and this family in our personal lives, but to tirelessly traverse the country with me inspiring Americans to believe in a better future…it’s absolutely remarkable. I’m in awe of her. And when she is the first lady of the United States, she will continue to amaze us all with her unwavering faith and dedication.”

There are whistles and cheers and strobing flashbulbs. You smile—elegant, soft, practiced—as Aemond rests a hand firmly on your waist. You lean into him, feeling out-of-place, bewildered that you’ve ever slept with him, full of dull panic that soon you’ll have to again.

“How about you, Mrs. Targaryen?” another reporter asks. “Same question, essentially. What is the trait that you most admire in your husband?”

And in the cascading clicks of photographs being captured, your mind goes entirely blank. You can think of so many other people—Aegon, Ari, Alicent, Daeron, Fosco, Cosmo—but not Aemond. It’s like you’ve blocked him out somehow, like he’s a sketch you erased. But you can’t hesitate. You can’t let the uncertainty read on your face. You begin speaking without knowing where you’re going, something that is rare for you. “Aemond is the most tenacious person I’ve ever met. When he has a goal in mind, nothing can stop him.” You pause, and there are a few awkward chuckles from the journalists. You swiftly recover. “He never stops learning. He always knows the right thing to do or say. And what he wants more than anything is to serve the American people. Aemond won’t disappoint you. He’s not capable of it. He will do whatever it takes to make this country more prosperous, more peaceful, and more free.”

There are applause and gracious thank yous, but Aemond gives you a look—just for a second, just long enough that you can catch it—that warns you to get it together. Fifteen minutes later, he and the flock of reporters are headed to one of the guest houses to conduct a long-form interview. This will be the bulk of the article; you will appear in one or two photos, you will supply a few quotes. The rest of the story is Aemond. You are an accessory, like a belt or a bracelet. He’s the person who picks you out of a drawer each morning and wears you until you go out of fashion.

Released from your obligations, you return to the main house and disappear into your upstairs bathroom. You are there for fifteen minutes and emerge rattled, routed. You pace aimlessly around your bedroom for a while, then try again; still no luck. You go back outside and stare blankly at the ocean, wondering what you’re going to do. Down on the beach, Fosco is teaching the kids how to yo-yo. Ludwika is sunbathing in a bikini.

“What’s wrong with you?”

You whirl to see Aegon, popping a Valium into his mouth and washing it down with a splash of straight rum from a coffee mug. “Huh? Nothing. I’m great.”

“No, something’s wrong. You look lost. You look like me.”

You gaze out over the ocean again, chewing your lower lip.

Aegon snickers, fascinated, sensing a scandal. “What did you do?”

Your eyes drift to him. “You can’t make fun of me.”

“Okay. I won’t.”

There is a long, heavy lull before you answer. When you speak, it’s all in a rush, like you can’t unburden yourself of the words fast enough. “I put a tampon in and I can’t get it out.”

Aegon immediately breaks his promise and cackles. “You did what?!” Then he tries to be serious. “Wait. Sorry. Uh, really?”

You’re on the verge of tears. “I’ve been bleeding since I had the baby, and I hate using tampons, I almost never do, but Aemond wanted me to wear this dress for the photoshoot and it’s super gauzy and from certain angles I felt like I could see the pad bulge when I checked in the mirror, so I put a tampon in for the first time in probably a year. I’m not even supposed to be using them for another few weeks because my uterus isn’t healed all the way or whatever. And now I can’t get it out and it’s been in there for like six hours and I’m scared I’m going to get an infection and die in the most pointless, humiliating way imaginable.”

“Okay, calm down, calm down,” Aegon says. “There’s no string?”

“No, I’ve checked multiple times. It must be a defective one and they forgot to put a string in it at the factory and I didn’t notice, or the string somehow got tucked under it, I don’t know, but I can’t get it out, it’s like…the angle isn’t right. I can just barely feel it with my fingertips, but I can’t grab it. I’m going to have to go to the hospital to get it taken out, but I’m scared word will spread and journalists will show up to get photos when I leave and then everyone will be asking me why I was at the emergency room to begin with and I’m going to have to make up something and…and…” You can’t talk anymore. There are other reasons why you don’t want to go to the hospital. You haven’t stepped foot in one since Ari died; the thought makes you feel like you are looking down to see blood on your thighs all over again, like you’ll never have enough air in your lungs.

“Did you bleed through it? Because that should help it slide out easier.”

“I don’t know,�� you moan miserably. “I mean, I guess I did, because there was blood when I checked a few minutes ago. I had to stuff my underwear with toilet paper.”

“Why didn’t you just tell Aemond you couldn’t wear this dress?”

You give him an impatient glance. “I’m tired of having the same conversation.” When do you think you’ll be done bleeding? When do you think it’ll be time to start trying again?

Aegon sighs. “Do you want me to get it out for you?”

“Please stop. I’m really panicking here.”

“I’m not joking.”

You stare at him. “You can’t be serious.”

“I have fished many objects out of many orifices, you cannot shock me. I am unshockable.”

“I’d rather walk down to the sand right now and strangle myself with Fosco’s yo-yo.”

“Okay. So who are you gonna ask to drive you to the hospital?”

You hesitate.

“I’d offer to do it,” Aegon says, grinning, holding up his mug. “But I’m in no condition to drive.”

“But you are in the proper condition to extract a rogue tampon, huh?”

“Two minutes tops. That’s a guarantee. My personal best is fifteen seconds. And that was for a lost condom, much trickier to locate than a tampon.”

Perhaps paradoxically, the more you consider his offer, the more tempting it seems. No complicated trip and cover story? Over in just a few minutes? “If you ever tell anyone about this, I will never forgive you. I will hate you forever.”

Aegon taunts: “I thought you already hated me.”

You aren’t sure what you feel for him, but it’s certainly not hate. Not anymore. “Where would we do it?”

“In my office. And by that I mean my basement.”

“Your filthy, disease-ridden basement? On your shag carpet full of crabs?”

“You’re in luck,” he jokes. “My crab exterminator service just came by yesterday.”

You exhale in a low, despairing groan.

“Hey, would you rather do it on the dining room table? I’m game. Your choice.”

You watch the seagulls swooping in the afternoon air, the banners of sailboats on the glittering water. “Okay. The basement.”

You walk with Aegon to the house and—after ensuring that no one is around to notice—sneak with him down the creaking basement steps, the door locked behind you. Aegon is darting around; he sets a small trashcan by the carpet and tosses you two towels, then goes to wash his hands in his tiny bathroom, not nearly enough room for someone to stretch out across the linoleum floor.

You’re surveying the scene nervously. “I don’t want to get blood all over your stuff.”

“You’re the cleanest thing that’s ever been on that carpet. Lie down.”

You place one towel on the green shag carpet, then whisk off your panties, discard the bloody knot of toilet paper in the trashcan, and pull the skirt of your dress up around your waist so it’s out of the way. Then you sit down and drape the second towel over your thighs so you’re hidden from him, like you’re about to be examined by a doctor. Your heart is thumping, but you don’t exactly feel like you want to stop. It’s more exhilarating than fear, you think; it is forbidden, it is shameful, it is a microscopic betrayal of Aemond that he’ll never know about.

Aegon moseys out of the bathroom, flicking drops of water from his hands. He wears one of his usual counterculture uniforms: a frayed green army jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, khaki shorts, tan moccasins. He kicks them off before he kneels on the shag carpet. He checks the clock on the wall. “2:07. I promised two minutes max. Let’s see how I do. Ready?”

You rest the back of your head on your linked hands, raise your knees, take a deep and unsteady breath. “Ready.”

But he can see that you’re shaking. “Hey,” Aegon says kindly, pressing his hand down on the towel so you’re covered. “Do you want me to go to the hospital with you? I’ll try to distract people. I’ll pretend I’m having a seizure or something.”

“No, I’m okay,” you insist. “I just want it out. I want this over with.”

“Got it.” And then he begins. He stares at the wall to his left, not looking at you, navigating by feel. You feel the pressure of two fingers, a stretching that is not entirely unpleasant. He’s warm and careful, strangely unobtrusive. Still, you suck in a breath and shift on the carpet. “Shh, shh, shh,” Aegon whispers, skimming his other hand up and down the inside of your thigh, and shiver like you’ve never felt before rolls backwards up the length of your spine. “Relax. You alright?”

“Fine. Totally fine.”

“Oh yeah, it’s definitely in there,” Aegon says. His brow is creased with comprehension. “No string…you’re right, it must either be tangled up somehow or it never had one to begin with. Maybe you accidentally inserted it upside down.”

“Now you insult my intelligence. As if I’m not embarrassed enough.”

“I should have put on a record to set the mood. What gets you going, Marvin Gaye? Elvis?”

“The seductive voice of Richard Milhous Nixon. Maybe you can get him on the phone.”

Aegon laughs hysterically. His fingertips push the tampon against your cervix and you yelp. “Sorry, sorry, my mistake,” Aegon says. There are beads of sweat on his forehead, on his temples; now his eyes are squeezed shut. “I’m gonna try to wiggle it out…”

As he works, there are sensations you can’t quite explain: a very slow-building indistinct desire, a loosening, a readying, a drop in your belly when you think about the fact that he’s the one touching you. Then he happens to press in just the right spot and there is a sudden pang of real pleasure—craving, aching, a deep red flare of previously unfathomable temptation—and you instinctively reach for him. Your hand meets his forearm, and for the first time since he started Aegon looks at your face, alarmed, afraid that he’s hurt you again. But once your eyes meet you’re both trapped there, and you can’t pretend you’re not, his fingers still inside you, his pulse racing, a rivulet of sweat snaking down the side of his face, his eyes an opaque murky blue like water you’re desperate to claw your way into. You know what you want to tell him, but the words are impossible. Don’t stop. Come closer.

Aegon clears his throat, forces himself to look away, and at last dislodges the tampon. It appears dark and bloody in his grasp. “No string,” he confirms, holding it up and turning it so you can see. “Factory reject.”

“Just like you.”

He glances at the clock. “2:09. I delivered precisely what was promised.” He chucks the tampon into the trashcan and then grins as he helps pull you upright with his clean hand. “So do you like to cuddle afterwards, or…?”

You’re giggling, covering your flushed face. “Shut up.”

“Personally, I enjoy being ridden into the ground and then called a good boy.”

“Go away.” You nod to where he disposed of the tampon and say before stopping to think: “You’re not going to keep that under your ashtray too?”

Aegon freezes and blinks at you. He smiles slowly, cautiously. “No, I think that would be a little unorthodox, even for me.” He pitches you a clean washcloth from the bathroom closet. “That should get you upstairs.”

“Thanks.” You shove it between your legs and rise to your feet, smoothing the skirt of your dress. “I owe you something. I’m not sure what, but I’ll figure it out.”

“Hey,” Aegon says, and waits for you to turn to him. “Maybe I’m not that bad.”

“Maybe,” you agree thoughtfully.

Just before you hurry upstairs, you steal a glimpse of Aegon in the bathroom, the door kicked only half-closed. He has turned on the water, but he’s not using it yet. Aegon is staring down at the blood on his hand, half-dried scarlet impermanent ink.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hi, it’s me again. I’m in solitary confinement. There’s a guy in the cell next to mine; we talk to each other with a modified version of Morse code. Tap tap tap on the wall, he taps back, etcetera etcetera, you get the idea. You’re not going to believe this, but he says his name is John McCain. Well, actually, he told me his name is Jobm McCbin, but I think that’s because I translated the taps wrong. I might be in the Hanoi Hilton, but at least they have me in the VIP section! Hahaha.

Every few hours the guards show up to do a very impressive magic trick: they wave their batons like wands, I turn black and blue. Sometimes one of my teeth even disappears. Isn’t that something? Houdini would love it. There’s a rat that I’m making friends with. I give her nibbles of my stale bread, she gives me someone to talk to. She’s good company. I’ve named her Tessarion.

Allow me to make something absolutely fucking clear.

I would very much like to be rescued.