#man that glaze was way too sweet i straight up did not add it to the last ones

[masatos-wig]

YAUUUP guess who tried to make mille feuilles emphasis on tried

[boytouya]

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘖𝘧 𝘈 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦

words:2.3k

WARNING: graphic depictions of violence, blood, angst, open ended/ambiguous ending, descriptions of death.

request: “Can i request sukuna x male reader. Where reader keeps reincarnating with each lifetime for a curse and every time he remembers sukuna, he dies after gaining memories back. You can choose if theres a good ending or angst. Thank you king! I fell in love with him especially after reading that one shot i had to watch jjk and hes hot! Thank you for turning me into a sukuna simp! Much love”

a/n: i went,,,overboard with this request 🗿 BUT IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITESSIJEHSHE i’m honored to have introduced you to such a foine man

When you were five, only then had you understood the curse deemed ‘Ryoumen Sukuna.’ A rather tall man with two heads, one of which had splattered blood onto your sneakers. You understood the concept of death, of course, but could never truly comprehend the feeling of nothingness after watching your life flash before your eyes until nineteen. But there you stood, clutching the loop of your shorts when you witnessed the murder of your entire village. You didn’t know evil could have a moral compass, but the tall curse seemed to exclude half of the women and children. After the widening of youthful eyes and curdling screams you learned the monster took likings to things too. Women, with shaking forms and broken spirits. He’d stop before them, stare at them with eyes that could- in fact- kill, if they truly wanted to. But then he stopped in front of you.

“Close your eyes, Brat.” Death's hands were just as large as your family painted them out to be, if not larger. Calloused and riddled with blood as they are placed over your ears. You do as he- it says, squeezing your eyes shut and enclosing your eyes behind the meat of your palms just to be extra careful. You can see stars behind your eyelids, just as you can feel the sickening twang of death lingering in the air. You were aware it would happen at some point, Death would find its place for you over and over and over again, you’d been told since the day you were born.

There’s another sound, only muted under large palms. You don’t need your sense of sight or hearing to know what it was, the warm chunks splattering onto your skin was enough. Immediately, you flinched. When you opened your eyes, there were piercing eyes staring straight into your own. It looked so human, but something was off. Uncanny, as if it took years to manipulate its flesh and bone to emulate humans to a T. But there was nothing human behind those eyes, instead a void of nothingness. Death itself. If Death could express interest, you’d have thought that was the expression it was imitating. It offers a hand, one of four. Larger than your face, with sharp claws that could almost be described as talons. Darkened by dirt and remains of your loved ones, if it truly wanted to kill you, it could. It could tear you limb from limb with the wave of a finger. And it knew that.

So you took the hand, and he became your second home.

When you were ten, you learned about the red string of fate. It could never be broken, and those connected by it would always reunite, no matter the circumstances. You often had nightmares, those of which filled with blurred faces and sharp pain that reached you in your lucid state. Dreams of talons, piercing eyes, and double headed monsters. You dreamt under the stars, tasted metal on your tongue, and choked on smoke that wasn’t actually there. You dreamt of facial markings, details that you couldn’t exactly place, a name that you couldn’t quite remember. It left your tongue feeling thick in your mouth, racked tremors through your body, and caused premature dark circles to accumulate under your eyes.

When you were nineteen, you experienced your last breath. The air was stolen from your lungs, crushed under years of heartbreak and terror, and snatched from you in the dead of night. Your eyes glazed over, and nothingness overtook you. It left you for someone else to find, cold and lifeless. A void, similar to the eyes you had finally placed. But that didn’t matter much then, you had already drifted away from your body.

And that was that.

Thus, the cycle repeated. Under different names, different ages, different genders. There was always something gnawing away at your conscience, you felt as though you were forgetting something. But when you finally remembered, it was too late. And there was nothing you could do about it.

It was almost like deja vu, stepping outside your home to find blood splattered on the concrete floor. It made your blood run cold, sent a tremor through your body and made you feel like you were five again. Small and defenseless. You take it as your best interest to go back inside before you pass out, but the second you whip your body around you meet something- someone?- large and sturdy.

“Sukuna.” That was it, the sour taste at the tip of your tongue, the lingering sensation at the back of your brain. Him. He didn’t look the same, no, much smaller with tufts of pink hair. There’s something behind his eyes this time, something almost irrevocably human. For some reason that’s much scarier than what you remember. What you think you remember. He’s much more human, but the way he looks at you is everything but humane. He looks frustrated, angry at something, as if he’ll implode any second and go on a rampage. Dread bubbles up in your stomach, nearly erupting through your mouth as bile. It felt as though something should be happening, like something usually happened when the itch went away. He chuckles, low in his throat as he cranes his neck to put his face uncomfortably close to your own. His hands, still large, find their way to your wrist, gripping your right hand uncomfortably tight. For a moment, you consider how long a trip to the hospital would be if he shattered the bone beneath his fingers. But instead there’s a jolt of electricity that would’ve had you yanking your hand back if he weren’t holding it.

“What? You look different.” He all but purrs, inspecting your palm with long nails. Not long enough to be talons, but longer than those of a claw. It was true, you did look different. He wondered if you spent your lifetimes looking exactly the same. That couldn’t have been possible, he would’ve found you much easier, then. Still quite boyish, as if the body you were in didn’t originally belong to you. Clearly grown out of cargo shorts and polos, much taller than you were before. There was no way he could have forgotten you, the way you jumped when the remains of your loved one splattered across your legs. The way you stared back at him with a look of acceptance, the way you grabbed his hand and allowed him to lead you out of the village. It explained the body memories perfectly, the feeling of large palms on your head and remnants of a brain splattering onto your knees.

“Last time I saw you,” He let’s go of your wrist with a bored expression, then replaces its spot with the top of your head. He shoves you down, and you make an effort to ignore the crack your knees make when they smack against the concrete. Then, he crouches down to stare you directly in the eye, just like he had the first time you met. His eyes were no longer dark, instead a deep shade of red that caught light from the moon. They reminded you of vials of blood. “You were this tall. Much cuter in this century.”

“And you were bigger.” Sukuna laughs as if hearing that was the funniest thing in the world. He leans his weight into you and uses you as a support beam, laughing until his ribs burn and beg for a break. But how could he laugh at a time like this? He didn’t think it was weird? He’s existed for centuries, murdered for millennias and only now has he seen you. That wasn’t how it worked, when you died, you died. But Sukuna was a walking oxymoron to that statement. When he died, if he died, he would return. He’d return through you, the last fragments of his soul would stay bound to yours until the end of time. Perhaps that’s how he knew, how he remembered. Perhaps that’s why he still took the time to find you, even after countless years of failure. It was peculiar, but not as much as being bound to Death himself. It was a sick game of turning the phrase ‘Til’ death do you part,’ because in your case it was literal.

“You’re still a brat.” His voice is closest to something fond, as if he’s reminiscing sweet memories. It was much different on your account, and part of you wondered if Sukuna understood that. He makes no effort to help you up (he explains that you’re “a big boy now”) as he invites himself into your apartment. Nothing special, he doesn’t care much for family photos or if you have them, but the stacks of letters and books on your table peak his interest. He tears apart envelopes as if he owns them, reads through the contents and discards them to the floor if he deems them useless. The way he sits nearly breaks your chair, and, honestly, you weren’t sure what to do with yourself.

So you sit beside him.

“You were so scared,” He says, almost as if he were bragging. But he was known to be arrogant and cocky, that was just his nature. He didn’t truly mean it like that, in fact, he looked quite reverent after letting the thought drift into the air. It was kind of funny, such a powerful thing fawning over past memories. But that wasn’t how this should go, you had your memory back, so why hasn’t anything happened? “When you grabbed my hand you stopped shaking.”

“...”

“It’s a shame I couldn’t keep you long,” He visibly frowns, the skin around his lips worry, but you can't tell if it’s genuine or not. He looks at you with something knowing the second the thought enters your head. “I looked for you, at first. You died young, for a human.”

Ninteen. ‘I should have been there,” he wants to add.

“Why aren’t I dying now?” You interrupt and let the panic sink in, the thought of impending doom sits on your shoulders because, really, it could happen at any moment. But this time, you don’t want it to. You remember accepting death when it came to your door at the young age of five, nineteen, countless times over and over. You had only ever gotten this far, you weren’t ready yet. You couldn’t start over, not now. “Sukuna?”

The question sours his mood in the blink of an eye, and instead of looking through your things, he raises himself from his seat to rest his palms on the table. It seemed he had a thing for staring down at people, making them cower under his stone cold gaze. You note the way his jaw clenches. You open your mouth to speak again, but he seems to have other plans. He squeezes your cheeks, making your lips purse together under the pressure of his large fingers. The movement feels familiar, like he’s done it before. The five years you spent with him were still a bit of a blur, but you remembered holding his hand quite often. He’d tell you to close your eyes if there was something he didn’t want you to see, he’d ruffle your hair a bit too hard, let you sleep on his back if he was out in the town. But that was all you remembered. He remembered it all.

“Respect your elders,” He lets go and sits back down as if he hadn’t just thrown a tantrum over you interrupting him. Sukuna was centuries old, but even then, he’d exhibit immature behavior sometimes. Living for so long had to get boring (and lonely) at some point, perhaps that was why he looked for you. He did consider you something close to family, after all. In truth, there were some lifetimes where you met. Some when you were friends, something more than that, and something inseparable. And that’s why you hadn’t died yet, you didn’t remember it all. “It’s rude to interrupt someone when they’re talking.”

“You’re much more handsome in this life.” His smile is much more intimidating than sweet, the sinister curl to his lips would only ever be associated with bloodshed in your eyes. But it was much more than that. Nights of sleeping together, days of laughter and flirtatious comments, soft moments that only you had seen. And it was bittersweet, because he knew the second he’d jog your memory you’d be gone. It wasn’t just a curse for you, but for him. Maybe it was his punishment for hurting so many people, dragging an innocent soul down with him and hanging them by the red string of fate. The comment makes your skin prickle with heat. Sukuna was quite the charmer when he wanted to be, easily picking at your weak spots with whatever you wanted to hear. But the comment was much more for the sake of his own, instead of yours.

Sukuna stands, hot on his heels as he holds out his hand one last time. If something were to happen to you tonight he’d make the most out of it, just as he did countless times over and over. So many years of starting over, getting to know you in various different bodies, realizing that being trapped away was the only way you’d get to live a full life, it was always on his mind. You were always on his mind.

So you take his hand. And for the millionth time, he’d become your second home.

taglist:

@ryoukuna @indigowren21 @cannedfoodisbestfood @junkwhoore @kissesdenji @sanderssidesangsttrash @i-d0g @kaito-asmr @jream-23 @princejasno @mel-bigia04 @mhasimp666 @onehellofasimp @corporeal-terrestrial @angelaturservice @shadows-of-nightmares @rinkindaugly

[alfredosauce50]

From a past life [Yandere vampire! Romania x reader]

Synopsis: For centuries, he waited for your return--your rebirth. So when he finally learns of your whereabouts just outside of Wallachia, he rushes to meet you in hopes of becoming what you both used to be. But he runs into a predicament when he learns you're in a relationship with a man, a pesky human mortal by the name of Daniel. He'll do anything to get rid of him, even if he has to play dirty. He made a promise to you that he would find you for the rest of your lifetimes, so God forbid that he breaks it. Wordcount: 3, 813 The reader is referred to as she/her.

A trip to Romania had always been on your bucket list. Your boyfriend was just as excited to go, but he wouldn’t have been if it turned out to be the last trip you'd ever go on with him.

Today was when you would visit the highlight of your itinerary. On the Transylvania side of the border with Wallachia, and nestled in miles of rolling hills, was Bran castle. The awe-inspiring fortress told one of the most famous tales of old as Count Dracula's abode. Or at least, it was rumored to be as it fit the description of it.

Needless to say, you were dragging him around the estate to admire anything and everything that piqued your interest or served as a potential photo spot. “Oh, hurry up, Daniel! This is where he slept!” Scrambling closer to the grand bed, which was certainly framed with more wood than needed, you leaned in behind the red rope that fenced off the artifact. Then, you flashed him a wide grin.

He returned the gesture with a tender smile of his own. “I'm as old as this castle, kicsim. Let me take things in slowly.”

“You're only three years older than me. I don't think you have the right to call me little or yourself old.” Flattening your lips at that, your frown melted away as quickly as it appeared.

“But look! Dracula's sheets and mattress. Though it would make more sense to say it was Vlad's... The guy he was based on. Hmm, but that wouldn't make sense either.”

The man rubbed the nape of his neck with a soft laugh. It was no doubt he shared your enthusiasm, but your unapologetic passion always made him fall harder than he already had. “Yep. I believe he was imprisoned here. I don't think he'd be getting the master bedroom.” He appeared from behind and rested himself on your head as you placed a pistol grip on your chin.

“Even then, I can't imagine him sleeping so soundly after sticking so many sticks up people's--” Two strong arms squeezed around your waist to make you gasp.

“Ah-!”

“Okay! What do you say we go down to the gardens for a walk, hm?”

And that was exactly what the two of you did. Skipping out in front of him, you held onto his hands and swung his arms. “I'm gonna go down to the pond, okay? You can enjoy this place nice and slowly like the old person you are.”

This was the greenest garden you ever had the pleasure to stroll through, even the tea house blended in with its moss-covered roof. It only emphasized how ancient this castle really was, and something about it delighted you in ways you couldn't articulate.

“Alright, kicsim. I'll see what nice flowers I'll add to my hair.” Daniel scooped the pink blossom from his hazel brown bangs and placed it behind your ear. “When I do, I'll come get you. Don't let any vampires find you before I do.” Shooting you a wink at that, you pecked him on the nose before running off.

Who would have thought those words would ring truer than he intended? Several miles away, slept a man who was as old as Bran castle. His name too was Vlad, though he never earned such a fearsome reputation by impaling his enemies. Instead, he kept a low profile and dedicated his long, neverending life to finding someone.

Every restless night, she was what he dreamed of since her passing.

When I go, promise me you'll find me again.

Promise me.

Fluttering his eyes awake, they glowed a blood-red in the darkness of his bedroom. They drooped with a tiredness that never seemed to go away no matter how much he rested.

Sliding off the mattress, he folded the flaps of his robes tightly around his body before making his way into the halls. Every corner of this humble countryside cottage he called his home was enshrouded with shadows, and not to mention the thick coating of dust caking the top of every shelf, couch, and tabletop.

He hadn't cleaned this house for centuries. His will to try withered away through the years in his lonesome, but he was patient. Peeking through the gap between the curtains of his overgrown hair, his irises shrunk as the blinding daylight poured into them through the drapes of his living room window. He could feel it in his dead still heart.

Something had changed.

Out there in the world scorched by the sun, was something even warmer. And it was so familiar, so tender, he could not mistake it for anything else, or anybody else for that matter.

She was nearby, and the thought filled him to the brim with a joy so potent, tears of relief welled in his wide eyes. He had waited hundreds of years for this moment. For her return. Her rebirth that would usher in his own.

The prospect was so invigorating, he felt as if his heart began to beat again. He never felt so alive. Scurrying back to his bedroom, he sat in front of his vanity to access his appearance. He had to look presentable before meeting her, hadn't he? A bedhead like this and nightwear would simply not do.

Especially when he hadn't cut his hair for at least twenty years.

Giving his long locks of strawberry-blonde a thorough comb, he let it fall straight down to his lower back. With a few quick snips, he shortened his bangs by a few inches to give the impression he had some sort of control over an otherwise uncontrollable mane of hair.

As he shed himself of his robes in exchange for day clothes, a white dress shirt paired with dark plaid pants, one singular thought repeated in his head like a broken record. As morbid as it sounded, it was more of a Godsend than anything.

Death was never the end. Not for her, and not for him. Or rather, a new beginning.

But it didn't start the way he imagined. Following her sweet scent to the gardens of the famed Bran castle, he found the smell growing more and more pungent, albeit confused. It was mixed with another's, tainted by the stench of a human male. His irises thinned to slits, and he tensed up all over. How could this be?

Hiding behind a tree, he peered over the side to confirm his suspicion.

There she was, her beauty as pristine and untouched as the last time he loved her. For just one second, he was over the moon. But his euphoria was short-lived when he saw that she was with a man. Kissing him, even. Even though it was just on the nose, any further down her face would have caused him to start an apocalypse.

That insignificant, trifling, and scheming little creature. He was about to reap what he sowed. How dare he take his place? It was him she was meant to with, not that pesky mortal!

Whipping his head to the front, his eyes went round with disbelief and his breathing grew ragged. An unfathomable ache spread in his chest as he dug his nails into the bark. How could he have let this happen? It took every shred of his willpower to keep the waterworks at bay.

His throbbing heart was also weighed down with a pang of heavy guilt. To allow another soul to be this close to her was a grave disservice to the promise he made. But that didn't mean he couldn't undo this.

In just a few seconds, he formulated an intricate plan to carry out well-deserved revenge. To have her in his arms again, and him, out of the picture where he belonged. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the man and tapped him on the shoulder. When he spun around, he grabbed him by the neck and caught him in a trance with his hypnotizing, inhuman gaze.

“You will give these flowers to the nearest young woman you see. Put them in her hair and kiss her on the lips.” Opening his own palm, he materialized three peonies before placing them in the other's.

Unable to escape the powerful snare cast by a vampire such as himself, Daniel did so as told. “I will give these flowers to the nearest young woman I see. I will put them in her hair and kiss her on the lips.” He reiterated monotonously with his eyes glazed over.

Watching the helpless man saunter off, he smirked devilishly as he exchanged glances with his long-lost lover. This would hurt her a great deal, but she would only be devastated if he never did it.

You had been watching the pond, completely ignorant to the scene that was about to unfold. Little did you know, it was purposely orchestrated. Using a stick to prod at your reflection, you lingered on the ripples distorting it before glancing up. In the distance was none other than your boyfriend, and judging from the pink in his hands, he found his flowers.

So you stood up. You would have snuck up on him as a surprise, but your feet remained firmly planted on the ground when you witnessed him give it away, then flirt with another woman. It couldn't be mistaken for anything else. He was kissing her!

Frankly, you couldn't believe it. One year was all it took for him to lose interest? Blood flushed your face as bile rose in your throat. How could he? And during a vacation at that, too! Tears threatened to spill out of your eyes, but you blinked them away when you heard the light treading of feet nearby.

This had to be a misunderstanding. Right?

Spinning to the source, you found yourself staring at the most peculiar man you had ever seen. He carried a delicate parasol to shade him from the sunlight. Combined with his pasty white skin, it was almost as if he was one of the very mythological creatures the country was renowned for.

He smiled gently, almost understandingly.

“Are you alright, domnișoară? I have a spare handkerchief if you'd like.” His alluring voice was as bewitching as a siren, but his mere presence brought you unspeakable comfort. And yet, he was nothing but a stranger, an odd one at that, so you were at a loss to realize that all it took for you to gravitate towards him was for your eyes to meet.

“I'm okay, thank you. But I couldn't possibly accept something like that. I mean, I don't know you...” Waving your hands at the man apologetically, you took the opportunity to scan him up and down.

As if he walked right out of a fairytale, he oozed prince-like charm. His clothes were traditional and refined, but that long, silky hair of his was certainly a rare sight--rare but breathtakingly beautiful. It gave his character untold notions of grandeur, mystery, and an inexplicable impression he was ancient.

But that couldn't be, not when he didn't look a day over twenty.

“What do you mean, you won't take it? It's yours.” He pulled out a small piece of fabric from his sleeve. Placing the finely embroidered cloth into your palm, he never gave you the chance to object. “It would be rude to regift something, so you'll have to keep it forever.” Mischief curled at his lips, and you couldn't help but laugh a little.

“Alright, alright, you got me there.”

You dabbed away the moisture before breathing out a sigh.

“I'm sure you're a very nice person, but I can't bother you more than I already have. Thank you, again, Mr. Vampire.” If it weren't for how heartbroken you were, you would have been mortified. Being pitied by a Romanian local was never part of your plan.

Just when you were betrayed by Daniel, he appeared like a knight in shining armor. If only you could forget what happened between you and your boyfriend. Otherwise, you would be bragging about meeting a vampire in Romania for as long as you could talk.

“Mr. Vampire?” He lifted his head before revealing a pair of sharp fangs in a grin. Now that caught you off guard. “You don't see me calling you miss human--and I have a name, thank you very much.” As he placed his gloved hand on his chest to playfully feign offense, he bit back another smile at the sound of your amused giggling.

Despite what happened a few minutes ago, talking to this actor was making you feel better already.

“And let me guess, is it Alucard?” You shook your head. “Or is it Vlad? You can't possibly call yourself Dracula looking like that.”

He blinked incredulously, then curved an arm over his face as if to cover himself with his non-existent cloak. “How did you know?”

“That your name is Alucard?”

“No, Vlad.”

“Okay, close enough. It was nice meeting you, Vlad, but I have a stupid boyfriend to scream at.” At the mention of that, you looked like you were on the verge of tears again. “All I'm hoping is that he's still my boyfriend after this. If only he were as much of a gentleman as you.”

He reflected your distress in a frown, and you would have been surprised by how much this apparently bothered him. But you already walked off. So he offered one last niceity before you strayed too far. “Good luck with your boyfriend.”

“No promises.”

He let those two words affect him more than he intended. Needless to say, he moved on quickly to watch you run to the unsuspecting brunette. Soon, his anguish was staved off by the sight of you shoving him back a few steps.

What looked like a one-sided argument broke out, and all the poor, confused man could do was just that--be confused. Shortly after, you stormed off, and he jogged behind, desperately calling your name.

A sinister smile cracked at Vlad's lips, and his irises glowed red. That little thing had no idea what was yet to happen to him.

That night, Daniel took you to the Brașov city hall for dinner. The beautiful buildings surrounding a fountain were as traditional as they were clean. Too bad your zeal was burned away by your anger. In the few hours in the hotel before, he barely managed to soothe it by explaining himself. A given, considering his explanation made no sense whatsoever.

He couldn't remember flirting with a woman.

“I think we could share a pizza. Are you okay with that?” Lifting his gaze to meet yours, you only turned away to stare out the window into the endless night. Your spaciness was deserved on his part, but little did he know, it only had so much to do with his wrongdoings.

The eccentric local never left your mind. After all, he gave you something to smile about with his whimsical kindness.

Vlad must have been an entertainer, a virtuoso at that, but his actions never came off as ingenuine. To be frank, you were drawn to his sincerity, and even looking for him subconsciously, wishing that he could magically appear because you willed it.

If only Daniel could be just as sincere.

“I must be okay with a lot of things.” His face fell. The same sorrow from when he was at the hotel room returned, but you couldn't care to give it any attention. “Like you pretending you didn't kiss someone right in front of me because you don't remember. I'm not stupid. Who else would have long hair tied back and flowers in their fringe?”

Daniel knitted his brows so tightly together, creases formed between them. “... I know it sounds like I'm lying, but I swear to you I didn't do it. You know me, (F/N).” At this point, he hadn't the foggiest what to say to appease you because he simply didn't do it. “I promise. All I'm asking is for you to trust me.”

“You promise?” You fumed.

There was only one thing you hated more than a liar.

“I trusted you, Daniel, I really did. But how could you ask me to trust you after I talked to that girl? She remembered it, so why can't you? Did you think I was that crazily into you I could let anything slide?” The biting truth silenced him, but it was the sound of you choking back tears that broke his heart.

“I'm gonna go to the bathroom to think this over.”

He had no way to argue with you, let alone the heart to when it was just broken and crushed to a thin slab of flesh. What if he really did kiss someone, and miraculously forgot?

“When I come back, I better not see you kissing anybody again.”

Standing up at that, he watched you leave with a defeated expression. Then, he folded his arms across the table and buried his face into it. There was no way he could fail that, could he?

What were the odds of kissing someone again when he had absolutely no intention to? The chances were dwindling at zero as he kept his head down. Unless supernatural forces were at work, nothing could get him to budge from sitting at this table.

But even he couldn't count on the world of the mundane to save him.

Sitting a few tables away was the exact opposite of mundane. When the front door slammed shut, he stood up and walked to the customer with their head down. While all the men in the establishment wore their hair short, his was long and flowing like time itself. There was something other-worldly about him. Something ghostly in the way he walked.

With every step he took, his feet never seemed to touch the ground as if he was floating. And his pale complexion was just as macabre as how he carried himself.

Not a minute passed, and Daniel found himself standing outside by the fountain. With absolutely no recollection, he somehow left the restaurant and wound up here in the festive courtyard. As shock paralyzed him from head to toe, the only thought that occurred to him was this. What in the hell was going on?

Rather than sitting head down in the warm restaurant, he was out here, chilled by the biting European cold. Couldn't he have at least remembered the transition?

In front of him was the same woman he supposedly flirted with in the gardens. And judging from the blush on her cheeks, he just threw away all his chances at making up with you.

“Listen, I... I don't know you. Forget me. Forget this ever happened.” Daniel trembled, feeling a chill run down his spine as he staggered back a few steps. It was like a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. There was just no sound explanation for this when this situation wasn't sound at all. Whatever it was, this was clearly a case of sabotage.

And like hell he was giving in to whoever that masterminded it.

He ran back inside with a fearful kind of urgency. Rushing back to the table he unwillingly abandoned, he froze when he saw you marching towards him down the aisle with murder on your mind. But death was too lenient a punishment. It would grant him a clean slate, a new beginning from a past life of unfaithfulness.

So he was splashed with a glass of red wine instead.

As the crimson liquid soaked his hair, it spread over his shirt like blood. After you saw what he did, the last shred of hope you didn't know you had died, squelched out there on his clothes for the world to see. A chorus of gasps was heard from every corner of the restaurant. Unbeknownst to the patrons who murmured amongst themselves, it wasn't just any lover's quarrel they were watching.

Daniel's breath hitched as he struggled to process his mortification. Behind you stood the very gentleman that tapped him awake, but he never made the connection between him and his misfortunes.

And perhaps, it was better that way.

After leaving your boyfriend for good, Vlad offered to walk with you around the city. Once again, he had swooped in to save you, only this time around, he was staying.

“So... What are you gonna do now?” He asked, casting a tender gaze your way. Before you could wrap your arms around yourself, he beat you to it and flung his cloak around your body. When you gawked at him, he only grinned toothily with his fangs.

Your cheeks reddened and you turned away. Why he was still in his vampire getup was beyond you. But seeing his enthusiasm only reminded you that you lost yours. “... Book another hotel room. Spend the rest of this holiday crying. Maybe never think of this country ever again.”

“And I'm not letting you do any of those things.” He hummed, giving you a gentle squeeze. “Why do you think I'm walking with you right now, hm? I'm gonna take you around to the best spots in Transylvania. The most haunted ones, I mean. So you can forget about going back to the hotel.”

You sighed but managed a small smile. “That's great and all, but I'm not made of money. And my stuff is all there.”

He squinted. “... Oh yeah. But after we get your stuff, we can go elsewhere, can't we?”

A few laughs fell from your lips. His generosity really knew no bounds. “Your house, then? You do realize I only met you today, right?”

Vlad closed his eyes. He could beg to differ.

“But you're still walking with me alone. In the dark.”

“Only because you saw me cry twice today. I wouldn't be mad if you killed me so I don't have to be so embarrassed.” He frowned at the sound of that, so you added this. “I was just kidding. Something about you just makes me feel... Strangely comfortable. Like I've met you before. Isn't that weird?”

“... Not really.” Reaching the top of a hill, he stared at an old castle in the distance, sitting high up in the mountains. “There's a legend about this city. Hundreds of years ago, a vampire and a human woman fell in love. She died, of course. But people say he's still around, waiting for her to reincarnate so they can be together again.”

The way he spoke was so sad, it was almost as if he was that very vampire himself. But what did that have to do with you?

“... Okay. Then do you think he'll ever find her?”

Vlad turned to you with an unreadable expression, but there was an untold fondness in how he looked at you.

“He already has.”

[matchamorphosis]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞

𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 | ღ | 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 || what seems to be a normal rich summer morning with the women who lives across the honeysuckle boulevard from his cottage lies something else. a buttery rich feeling that spreads deep within Bucky’s heart as he takes his neighbor, alongside Alpine to the farmers market for coffee.

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞 || fluffy fluff! ➳ part one

𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 || retired!bucky barnes × neighbor![black//woc]reader

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 || 3K ➳ 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 || @firefly-graphics

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 || if you think long walks with bucky and alpine in the sunny countryside are warnings then so be it but there is lots of food mentioned. ღ also reader owns a flower shop, not a warning thought just some info!

𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬 || this version of cherry wine by hozier ღ this version of mystery of love by sufjan stevens ღ

𝐰. 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 || eeeeep!!! so this is my first bucky with alpine fluff and i’m very glad to have it be the first for my fluffy mini series that i’m doing for this month! ღ I don’t describe reader too much throughout the story but what is clear is that I don’t specify on skin tone but yes the person in the moodboard is a woc! ღ anyways I hope you cherubs enjoy reading! ღ

+ p.s || do not repost, republish or plagiarize my work on any other fanfic platform such as: wattpad, ao3, tumblr, etc or steal my work all together. do so and i will rip your spine from your scumy asshole and shove it down your talentless throat. ♡♡♡  

it was a lavish affair when Bucky found himself tangled with you in the bed of a million perennial petals.

clothing falling and bodies twisting themselves against each other in not lust but emotional apprehension. the soft petals of rose, carnation and violet keep pouring like blissful rain, entangling in his hair and in the crooks of your body.

enough to suffocate but enough to make him feel enveloped in the fantasy- the divination of you you you and only you.

for you are butterscotch benevolence that he will let pool like ambrosial nectar in the cavernous hollows of his collarbones. your tears of seventh heaven euphoria trickling onto his skin forming constellations- like the paint speckles on the forlonged artists canvas of his naked soul.

you are honey sunlight oozing from the basin of the candy floss sky, lacing with the shedding petals that continue to powder in their divine scent and morality. his fine pink sheets soft and silky as the rose petals of Heliogabalus, he’d sigh in heavenly pleasure to be buried alive in petals if she was drunk of the love he has for her.

he sees her playing, singing, dancing and bringing her virtuous spring song deep within the glossy shine of her honey hive eyes. love seeping in the melancholy streams leaking through the old creeky floorboards of his home and straight into the chambers of his heart.

so promising yet so grandeur as he feels his chest warm with her very touch, the ivory bow encased in the virtuous flowers of her emblem garden in his hands- he’d think that he was Cupid but oh how he’s been struck by his own arrow in great surprise. straight into the once extravagant chamber of his heart.

the spiraling golden arrow destined to pierce and rip through the tender muscle of breast to the beating vessel that writes a tragic tale of eternal ravishment in the movements of lyrical beats. muttering with languor-glazed lips, he’d keep her love like a an old locket against his chest for it’s what reminds him of home whenever he feels the cold element on his skin.

there are pieces of you scattered in the wonderous arteries of his heart.

nestled in the folds of the beating muscle, take heed.

for that is his home.

y/n is his perennial feelings left unsaid, exquisite pain yet ethereal serenity. his soft bed of roses and his deadly golden arrow, all meant to give his heart hope.

that he was- however it seems the bed of roses and all the lovely elements it holds have come to a staggering pause.

now as the sun hits the past super soldiers eyelids that dream of flower petals and the heavenly vision of you disappear. they flutter open to meet the single stream of sunlight that has slipped past the slit of the sheer bedroom curtains. brightening up the somewhat clustered space of the room with its single golden string.

Bucky sighs in defeat, this is the fifth dream he’s had of you in a month and he was barely pushing past the second week of May. before he didn’t mind the dreams, they calmed his mind while he layed in slumber during the thunderstorms of April but now they were resilient. it wasn’t no regular thing to dream about the women across the boulevard in the haven of flower fields and maple trees.

Bucky knew this but he couldn’t help but not treat these dreams sweetly. they were the definition of sweet torture, you never hurt him in those dreams as he did to himself but it was a pain to know that you probably don’t think of him the same way. for goodness sake ever since he and Alpine moved the only interactions he had with the maiden were just acknowledgments as they passed each other on their daily errands.

he shouldn't be this infatuated with someone who he's only met.

the soft hum of a purr finally awakens Bucky, his cats paw brushing against the half covered skin of his fleshed bicep. it takes a pat or two to make Bucky open his eyes to find Alpines blue hues staring back at his and he gives his furry friend a crooked smile. a chorus of meows welcoming him to another sunny morning in the peaceful and harmonious countryside.

“morning pal, ya slept well?” Bucky smiles as he lazily lifts his hand to scratch the right spot behind Alpines ear.

stretching out of bed till his feet touch the cool wood flooring, following the simple path from the bedroom to the kitchen he pours Alpine his dish of cream and gets started on his own breakfast. whisking hen eggs his neighbors from afar gifted him the day before and toasting the freshly baked loaves of bread he bought specially from the market yesterday.

Bucky normally didn’t take any gifts from anyone, he wasn’t that type of person to feel comfortable with those sort of things but as the days gone by the cheerfulness of the communities welcoming energy towards him has soften his doubt.

eating his simple breakfast paired with coffee, Bucky bites into his buttery egg toast whilst quickly scribbling down his to-do list for the day. of course there isn’t any tasks that the hundred and ten year old man has to get done but there were things that Bucky did look forward to ever since he settled in a month ago. the country was a lovely peacefulness he had forgotten about ever since he was a boy.

traveling to his grandparents farm away from the city for memorable childhood summers in the sun and fields. turning his head to meet the white linen sheets that draped over the kitchen panels, Bucky can see the herd of brown and black spotted cows from the distance. tapping the pencil against the shiny polish of the kitchen table he bites his lip on what else to add on.

his head lifts up to see through the other window that casts its lovely light against his paper. blue eyes meeting the toffee cobblestone path that led to her cottage, hidden amongst the shrubbery of acorn trees and flower budded bushes. hearing from lots of locals in the cobblestone village near the sparkling sea that she owns a little orchard of peach and cherry trees, a few strawberry patches amongst the vegetation.

it made sense why he sometimes finds a large wooden basket of those ruby fruits at his doorstep from time to time. a card inviting him over for some tea that he would agree to yet he would always call you the next day a stuttering mess canceling it over some important errands. nonetheless it made Bucky's heart swell how understanding you were, sweet just like the ripe fruits you pluck for him on Sundays.

Bucky would make copplers and sometimes pies out of them and if he wasn't so scared of the possibility of being too attracted to you he'd head over to your place so he and him would eat them in your gazebo. but of course he can't do everything his heart implores him to do. was it bad to want to get to know you and imagine what it would be like to befriend you?

maybe do lots more than just befriend you...

sometimes he would find a glimpse of your form in the distance as he headed for the lake neat the lavender fields up north to fish something for dinner. humming while you cared for your flowers, singing to them as you danced along the vintage radio. Bucky could see himself singing and dancing alongside you. caring for your precious tulips, primroses and other beautiful flowers that you sold.

those pretty flowers sweet and divine just as her lips and voice when the two first met, when he arrived in the too expensive car that stood out amongst the scenery. arms occupied with bouquets upon bouquets of trimmed flowers that practically shielded her face, his body ran straight into yours when he got out of his car. flower petals falling with the impact and him apologizing one thing led to another and he helped her with her bouquets all while being stricken when he got a clear look at her.

a clear look at you.

lovely in your sundress that flowed beautifully against your bodies soft planes, there was something about the sparkle in your eyes that made him start to stutter. something about you that made his heart bloom in a recherché flower he still can’t understand because he can still hear the velvety tone of your voice speaking your own name when giving each other’s your introduction.

from there on out a glowing ember of clustered stars burned in the pit of his belly when you spoke his name and he spoke yours. it was soft and innocent as the flowers in your arms but the introduction was cut off far too short for Bucky's liking but he promised you a coffee when he was completely settled in. having to do something so he could see you again cause oh how he wishes to hear you speak his name again and again and again till the flowers sprout, bloom and decay with each coming season.

maybe he should pay you a visit and bring up that coffee...

the music from the radio filling the bright cottage kitchen sweetly alongside the birds singing their song outside. Alpine takes his seat across from him, yawning over the new day that brings nothing but lazy laps and baked fish treats. forking a few honey drizzled raspberries in his mouth, Bucky walks to the front door and just in time the daily paper plops down on his feet from the passing paper boy whipping through the grassy roads on the shiny steel of a ringing bicycle.

bending down to retrieve the newspaper, he passes through the sidewalk of petunias and violets till he reaches his mailbox. the wood creaky and the metal rusty but the daisies that sprinted around the opening was a pretty site to see before Bucky grimaced at people from the outside world wanting to invade his privacy. grabbing the letters before smelling the sweet daisies, Bucky looks through the letters one by one. ripping some that had no use for to be used as fire food for his fireplace, grunting that even though he’s away from the tabloids and cameras there are still people eager enough to want something from him.

a soft voice from the distance pulls him out of his annoyance, it makes his eyes lift from his dreaded mail to the women a mile away singing her song as she reaches her mailbox. Bucky can’t help but look at her from afar; and maybe Alpine knows this to as he watch his lovesick owner admire the maiden from the kitchen windowsill.

with some obscene fortune he notices you checking your mailbox as well. heart pacing in his chest, he wishes he didn’t go outside before showering and at least brushing his hair for your waving to him from the distance.

“hello hello Bucky!” your sweet voice exclaims and it just adds onto the heaven that is the morning it makes his cheek hurt from how much he’s smiling.

“hello hello to you y/n. how is the shop coming along?” Bucky shouts and his heart sinks when you wave him over to you.

despite his mind telling him to not pursue closer his heart makes him walk his way to you standing next to your Valentine shaped mailbox. his worries slipping away when there's a underlying comfort in your posture and aura, alluring like the bees are to the flowers. welcoming and warm and he can't help but feel that way every time he's near you.

speaking of you, its reassuring to also know he wasn't the only one to wear pajama's out since your still in your blue silk nightgown. matching silk slippers adorning your feet, you sip from your tea cup as you read what he believes to be a Cosmopolitan.

“it’s coming along great, thank you! a bit slow the first week but that’s how any business starts but I just received my tenth loyal customer and i’m more than certain i’ll be selling lots of flowers today.” you spoke as you smiled to yourself then up at him.

checking your mail, Bucky’s surprised that you have quite a handful of letters and boxes. all written in lovely cursive and packaged nicely, almost like love letters and gifts. it makes Bucky’s heat sink, knowing that he might not be the only one who’s fallen head over heels for you. by all means you probably have the whole village under a spell with just the way you smile alone but he wants to see that smile the most.

he wants to be the reason for that smile.

“that’s sounds wonderful y/n, maybe I could stop by and pick a pretty bouquet or two," you only smile wider upon those words and much to his excitement you even brush your hand against his.

"oh really? have a special someone in your life who needs some loving?" you perk as you open an envelop but the question makes Bucky's throat dry on how he should answer.

you seem like the type of maiden who loves an honest man- yes, he should be honest.

"well... there is this one special lady." Bucky lingers and that makes you snap your attention away from the letters in your hands. voice dying in your throat at those words and heart beat hitting pause.

"I always thought Alpine was gonna be the only one to get to my soft spot- we sleep in the same bed together," he stops to laugh a bit, rubbing the back of neck with his metal arm and you laugh along with him.

"how is Alpine? i'm noticing he's getting into a routine with sleeping in my chamomile beds in the afternoon," you smile and bring your tiny tea cup to your lips. "would you care for a cup Bucky? this just so happens to be chamomile,"

"Alpine is doing good and thank you for bringing that up I was beginning to wonder where that rascal has been leaving for. will have an important talk to him once I get home and- I was going to ask you something," Bucky speaks while admiring how your thick lashes curtain your honey hive hues as you sip the steaming golden liquid.

no one should look that beautiful just drinking tea yet here he is, breathless on the simple action. if he truly wanted a cup he'd wish to drink from your tiny cup, to press his lips upon the porcelain rim where yours once brushed against. drink the sweet sunshine to experience the closest thing to your honey kiss...

"don't worry it's alright! I love looking over at him when I have tea at the back patio, he's quite a lovely guest. very well mannered, and yes Bucky is there anything I can help you with?" you cannot deny that your heart is practically skipping beats in your chest, fast and lively like the flutter of a butterfly wing.

Bucky runs his fingers through his hair, for someone who has done the simple thing of asking someone out for couple hundreds of times a hundred years ago from now it’s a disappointment that he’s lost his touch. however you don’t seem to notice or care but that doesn't mean he should give up. not when you're right here glowing in your morning dew radiance, anticipating the next words to slip past those lips.

it's now or never.

"h-how do you feel about that coffee I promised? today? I have a few errands to run in town and I was wondering if you would accompany me- on my errands... if that doesn't bother you,” Bucky rambles to a stop and he's thankful you're still smiling that closed lip grin against the porcelain of the cup.

"yes Bucky I would love that! there's a coffee cart near the shop I work at but what about your lady? she wouldn't mind us going out for coffee, would she?" you speak as you gather your letters in your arms. glancing up at Bucky to receive some conformation and Bucky bites his lips.

"I don't think she'll mind. in fact... I think she would love me to go out once in a while. I have a habit of only going out when necessary, coffee with you wouldn't hurt,"

"that's perfect, i'll see you at twelve then Bucky. you can help me open shop to," you smiled and Bucky returned an even warmer one back.

filling your heart with a rush of liason, like a tea cup filling with tea. something meant to be full and warm, embraced with someone's touch and lips as they drank each fluttering honey glazed sensation they have for one other.

something that seems to be happening right now before they break their strong eye contact, wiry- crooked smiles still embellishing their sun-freckled faces.

you wish you could kisses each one off his clean shaven cheeks right now, slightly rosy but oh how it would feel like peach skin against your lips.

Bucky wishes to kiss yours, the shine of your lips the form of heart shaped clouds and he just can't seem to get his head out of the amorous blue you cast him into.

"i'll be seeing you in an hour Bucky," you draw before walking away with a cheeky wink, your eyes still locking with his before you get to the rosy sunflower porch.

"and i'll be waiting for you doll,"

♡♡♡ thank you for reading part one! ♡♡♡ pretty please like, reblog and/or comment what you think and if you enjoy this join my taglist to be notified of my future works! ♡♡♡

𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 || @cloudystevie ღ @steebsbabygirl ღ @honeychicana ღ @afriendlyblackhottie ღ @chrissquares ღ @denisemarieangelina ღ @hevans-angel ღ @drewsbuzz​ ღ @assoftheamericana ღ @gracechristo ღ @little-baby-vixen ღ @sohoseb ღ @quxxnxfhxll ღ @peachesofcolour ღ @abschaffer1 ღ @sea040561 ღ @afriicanhoe ღ ღ ღ

𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 || @burninmatches ღ @lovesguiltypleasuress ღღღ

[cuppimagines]

Hi I'm currently dying trying to make this older guy with GIANT hands fuck me and your blog is like. killing me rn. Can we have some more imagines that have literally anything to do with big hands 🥺 I just want some big burly mobster w giant thick ass fingers to make me cum so hard i cry

I KINDA went really indulgent with this one, I had a TON of fun writing it which is probably why it came out as quickly as it did, SO I hope you like it too

Back straight, head held up, arms behind your back, but you were still shaking in your heels. The room smelled of cigar smoke, and the man in front of you toon the cigar from his mouth and put it out in an ashtray nearby. With his...second pair of arms. Not only was he a shady arms dealer that you were hunting down for months, but also a four armed, eight eyed dark grey spider with biceps bigger than your head on all four arms. His name was Harkan Spinner, and you found him alright, but now he had you right where he wanted you.

“So...” Harkan leaned against his desk. “What’s a cute little private eye doing getting in over their head? Did someone want you to find me? A pissed off colleague, a lonely betrayed friend?”

“I-well I uh...” you started to stutter. You had to find him because of a supposed loan he owed your client before jumping ship and taking business elsewhere in the country. But only now, standing in front of him did you realize that you didn’t know what to do now that you were here...He was huge, and could easily crush you under one thumb. Seeing the realization wash over you made Harkan let out a condescending laugh.

“I actually don’t care, I’m sure there are tons of people who hate me, but I didn’t expect any of them to send a rookie detective,” his eight eyes all glared you up and down. “Especially not one so cute, cute enough to eat I might add...” he stood up, and even with him getting closer to you, you didn’t run, instead looked up at him as you felt your face flush red hot.

“I’m not here to force anything, but my client knows your location, and so will be needing your lo- your Uh...” you got distracted when he put his hand on your shoulder, and pulled you even closer.

“You and I both know I won’t do that, because I really don’t give a shit,” he smirked. “But I will thank this “client” that you keep choosing not to name. I love the entertainment he sent me.” You stopped staring at him only to start staring at his hands. Along with the rest of him, Harkan’s hands were so large, you felt that if he squeezed your shoulder just a little bit harder it would shatter. And the thought made you very intimidated, but excited at the idea.

“Are you looking at something?” He asked, snapping you out of your thoughts. “Did something catch your eye little one?” His hand moved from your shoulder, right up to grabbing your face, with two of his hands holding your waist.

“Use your words kitten,” he smirked. He made you stare right up at him, and you could feel your body shake even more. He was so big...so cocky and sure of himself. You’d be angry at him but instead you were drawn to him.

“Y-your hands are...”

“Big?” His thumb gently rubbed your cheek. “And I got more than two of em, wanna see what they can do, kitten~?”

“Yes! Please...!” You realized you answered way too quickly, almost immediately, and turned your head in embarrassment.

“That’s exactly what I wanna hear,” Harkan smiled. At that second, the hand on your cheek wrapped around your neck, and his free hand went to your face, two fingers gently placed up to your mouth.

“Open your mouth, kitten,” he demanded. Your parted your lips for his fingers, and almost immediately his fingers went to the back of your throat. Just two fingers felt so large they filled your mouth so much. Without a command, you started licking his fingers, wrapping your tongue around them and curling against them. You moaned and whimpered, and shuddered in his touch.

“Mmm...you’re so cute,” Harkan smiled. “And so eager too...keep sucking, those fingers are gonna be fucking you to tears very soon...” The thought made you melt in his touch, your thighs pressed together as your arms went up to grab his large wrist. It felt too soon when his fingers left your mouth, and his hand left your throat. His two fingers were slick with your saliva, and you could swear you were drooling in anticipation for what’s gonna happen next.

Very roughly, Harkan tossed you down onto his desk, and you felt his hand creep up your skirt, while one of his other hands grabbed your wrist.

“Legs spread, keep still, be a good girl,” Harkan smiled. He pulled your panties down, and put them to the side, before two of his slick fingers started rubbing up and down your folds. You moaned, looking up at him with pleasing eyes while you kept your legs nice and spread. You wanted it so badly...

“What did I say earlier kitten?” Harkan asked, his slick wet fingers still against your cunt. “Use your fuckin words.”

“Please!” You cried out. “Please Harkan, please I need this...”

“Good...such a good girl...” Harkan smirked down at you, before you felt only one of his large fingers push past your entrance and thrust up and down inside of you. Just ONE felt so large, practically the same size of a regular cock you’ve taken in the past, and that alone got you moaning loudly for him. So large, yet so gentle at first. He obviously didn’t wanna hurt you, and it felt so good.

“That feels so good, oh god...!” You moaned. “Ah...ah fuck...you’re doing so so good...”

“No need to tell me, kitten,” Harkan leaned down and kissed you, before you felt his two fingers slide into you, filling you up so good while his thumb rubbed your clit. If your hands were free at all, you’d grab him by the collar and keep him in the kiss, but you were at this large spider’s mercy, and he pulled away and looked down at your glazed over expression. Your moans were so heavenly to him, Harkan could barely look away from you, like he was admiring his work.

“Oh kitten...” he sucked his teeth. “No other lover is treating you well are they? Haven’t had someone finger you like this?” You didn’t even answer, just moaned loudly and squirmed in his grip. You bucked your hips against his fingers, as you felt him go deeper than your own fingers ever could until his knuckles couldn’t go any further. Your moans were absolute music to the large spider’s ears, a sweet melody that made his pants feel tighter and put a satisfied smirk on his face.

He was gentle, so gentle with you at first, but he slowly got rougher the more he gauged your arousal. You felt him thrusting his fingers in and out of you while a fourth hand rubbed circles into your clit. There was a soaking wet mess that was dripping onto the table, and your eyes were completely glazed over, but soon shot back to life as you arched your back and cried out. Harkan started to get real rough and fast with you, his fingers getting soaked down to the knuckle in your juices as he watched you beg and plead for more.

“Please, please oh god please!” You moaned out. “I need more, please it feels so good!”

“Shhh shh shh,” Harkan leaned down to kiss you. “I know you do, you’re such a good little kitten, I can feel it, you’re almost there, come on~!” You felt yourself tighten around his fingers, moving and bucking your hips like your life depended on it. You couldn’t take it anymore, you could feel yourself tip over the edge. In one final loud moan of his name, your pussy clenched around him and you felt your body twitch and spasm as you finally came, soaking your inner thighs, his fingers, the table underneath you.

When Harkan let you go you lay there limp and exhausted. You felt a mess but a good one, and Harkan sat back with a grin on his face admiring his work. You tried to sit up, and noticed a very large, impressive bulging in Harkan’s pants, and went to rub at it while looking up at him.

“Sh-should I...?” You muttered. He just grabbed your hand and gently pulled it away.

“No, no, I’d be way too much for you to handle, for now that is,” he said. “I had fun with you tonight though. I guess that means I’ll be a good citizen and pay what I owe, if your client comes and faces me like an adult.” Harkan looked down at his soaking wet fingers, and went up to lick them, moaning at the taste.

“Cute enough to eat...” he smirked, causing you to turn red and look away. He looked down at you and gave you a few gentle, loving kisses on the cheek and forehead.

“If you’re still in town tomorrow, I’ll visit,” he said. “In fact I’ll drive you back, there’s no way in hell the buses are still running at this hour, sound good?”

“Yeah, uh, thanks Harkan,” you smiled, as he lifted you up in his arms and carried you, exhausted to the exit of his office.

“Anytime, kitten.”

[alias-levi]

flash fic friday #5

@liz-pooh​ this is for you, hun 💙💙

gooood evening people (or whatever time it is when you are reading this)! after hardcore plotting one of my wips for two weeks then procrastinating doing the next step of drafting my best friend came in with a request for me to write. the final result actually happens to be a bit too long for a flash fic but i’m just going to pretend that i don’t know that. here are some basic infos:

fandom: twilight word count: abt. 1.8 k  pairing: Felix/fem!oc warnings: swearing, alcohol consumption, verbal fighting

summary: For weeks Volterra’s streets have been reeking of mutt. The smell seemingly following Liza whenever she leaves the castle’s property. While doing some shopping, she catches a reflection that be able to explain why.

[ID: imagine, Paul imprintes on Felix’ mate]

source: unfortunately we lost the post where this matter was discussed so if anyone know is/has it/finds it, please feel free to share it with me via private messages so i can give proper credit! 

thank you and the text is below the cut :) enjoy!

It’s a dark day, the sky heavily clouded. There is a thunderstorm to come, that is for sure. Liza in the meanwhile uses the time wisely, strolling through the narrow streets, doing some shopping. Girly stuff.

For umphteenth time Liza wrinkles her nose. The almost unbearably gross, musty smell of wet dogs wavers around her. Bypassing a shapeshifter occasionally is nothing too far off the possibility scale but this right here is borderline suspicious. For a few weeks now this smell has seemed to show up every time she had left the properties of the castle.

With a sigh, and a suppressed gag, Liza takes off the sunglasses she had just tried. Turning back to the nice old man owning the small shop, Liza smiles. “Thank you very much but I don’t think these are my style.”

The man eagerly nods and tries to convince her of another pair, but Liza stops him and kindly bids her goodbyes. Just as she takes her first step to walk away, her eyes catch something in the mirror. A reflection. Someone who seemingly fits the natives yet her brain screams at her that something is off. And then the person is gone. Liza frowns. Then her eyes widen.

A few well-measured, yet fast steps later, Liza disappears into the same small backstreet the man in the reflection had stood in.

“I know you are here. I have been smelling you for weeks wondering why Volterra has turned into a hotspot for mutts.” She spits the last word out with as much disgust as she can manage. The smell has gotten worse and Liza wonders if she would throw up.

The man doesn’t hesitate now. Stepping out of the shadows and into her way he looks down on Liza, swallows hard then takes a step back. “Listen I wish I could have saved us both this situation but I have to talk to you.”

Liza snorts then spits on the floor right in front of his feet. “I’m flattered you came all this way just to get your ass kicked, Paul.” An oh-so-sweet and innocent smile plays around the vampires lips and her violet eyes sparkle with excitement. Watching the werewolf almost shrink under her gaze, breaks Liza’s smile into a grin, revealing her fangs. 

“Liza, no. Please, it is important that you listen to me.”

“Then you better spill the tea, mutt,” she puts her weight on one leg, tilting her hip and cocks an eyebrow at him, “I don’t have all day.”

“I will try to make it as quick as poss-”

“For fuck’s sake, Paul, get to the fucking point!”

“Yeah, yeah! I got it, I got it, okay?” Paul raises his hands in surrender. “Listen, remember a few weeks back when Felix and you were-”

“-in Forks and kicked y’alls asses? Yes I do remember, why do you ask?”

Entirely unphased by this snappy interruption Paul continues, “Remember that moment in the woods where I suddenly turned back? You just made a comment and then ran off.” 

Rolling her eyes Liza says, “course I do. What was up with you anyways? Fell in love with the most badass vampire chick you’ve ever seen?”

“I imprinted.”

She snorts, “on what, mutt? The trees? The dirt under your nails?”

“On you.”

The sincerity in his voice makes Liza’s next comment get stuck in her throat. He wouldn’t travel all this way around the world to find her and tell her this if he was joking. Only slowly the full extent, the full meaning behind his words, seeps into her brain. Oh fuck.

“Oh fuck.”

“Yes, indeed. Listen I will try my best not to-”

“How the fuck am I even expected to react in a situation like this?”

“This is unprecedented. There is no knowledge of something like this having happened ever before. Believe me if I knew how to deal with this, how to make this work for the both of us- I would! But for now I just had to let you know. You are in this-”

Liza can see the muscles under his skin straining. He is fighting the urge to run, yet his brain tells him to stay with his imprint. This is fucking ridiculous. 

“No, stop talking, Paul.” Closing her eyes for a second Liza sighs. She then fishes out her cell phone out of her coat’s pocket. “Give me your number I’ll call you in a couple of days. I- I need time to think.”

Paul is surprised. In all the time he had known Liza, nothing could ever knock the smartass out of her. But he obeys and states his number. He knows that he has no say in who he imprints on even though this is by far the worst scenario he could have imagined.

“Uhm, I’m sorry, you know,” Paul watches Liza scoff and nod slowly. He looks defeated, tired and worn out. 

“Yeah, whatever.” 

A shy smile tilts the corners of his mouth upwards upon hearing her sass returning.

---

The conversation with Paul gave Liza much to think about. So much, that her initial confusion has now turned into full blown anger. Paul imprinting on her is an unforeseen and definitely not welcomed inconvenience. No matter how exciting being the first of anything might be- This is not it. Liza doesn’t want it. Nursing a glass of rum and coke, Liza stares out of the window. Volterra lies quiet and peacefully beneath the castle, a stark contrast to her seething mind. The door behind her opens and Felix enters their chamber. Immediately he gags. “You smell even worse than the past days. I swear I will find and kill every single one-”

“Leave it, Felix.” 

Liza doesn’t bother turning around. Neither does she bother saying anything else for the next two hours. She just stays right there, at the edge of her seat, straight back, the glass in her hand close to bursting in her hard grip. Keeping her eyes trained on the streets, Liza almost feels Paul’s eyes on her.

“Okay,” Felix sits up on the bed and puts the book he was reading into his lap. “Okay, would you please finally tell me what the fuck is going on with you?” 

Felix is sick and tired of having Liza filling the room with the most annoyed energy, making the air almost thick enough to cut. Her occasional, totally unnecessary overly dramatic, huffs don't exactly make it better. Apart from breathing, Liza has not moved an inch and Felix thinks that if she sits there just a little bit longer, her drink will simply evaporate. 

Another very patient fifteen minutes later, Felix realizes that Liza’s hands have started to fidget and her knee has started to bounce up and down rapidly. From staring out of the window, her eyes glazed over and she also stopped pretending to blink.

“Liza,” his voice is quiet but nonetheless demanding, “What. The hell. Is. Going. On?”

She takes her time and Felix hates her for it. But if he had known what she was about to tell him, hell, he would have relished every single second of not knowing. 

“Paul imprinted on me.”

The words are so quick to leave her mouth, and oh-so-quiet, that Felix almost misses them. But he doesn’t. His brain makes sure to let him know, with the burning sensation of jealousy pumping through- no, simply filling his body. His fingertips are burning and aching to scratch that boy’s eyes out. Through gritted teeth he finally manages to press out, “He did what?” 

Felix’ voice is dangerously quiet. 

Eventually Liza turns to face him. “I met him today. He asked me to talk and then told me that. Explains why the streets have been reeking.”

“Yeah, no, but- Why on you?!”

Liza smiles upon the barely contained anger in Felix’ voice now, the fire, the jealousy burning in his eyes. 

“Well he doesn’t exactly have the power to control it!” Her voice is sharp and louder than intended. 

“I know that, Liza, I ain’t exactly fucking new in this business.” After a pause of just staring at each other Felix adds, “When did that even happen, huh?”

“Remember when we were in Forks a few weeks ago? Found the pack at the beach and had some fun with them?”

Felix nods along and Liza smiles sourly at the absurdity of this situation. The exact same conversation had happened just hours before, yet, she had been the one listening and Paul the one talking. Providing delicate information.

“You yelled at me to not go too far but I followed them into the woods anyways. Well,” Liza sighs and Felix rolls his eyes at that, “one after the other veered but one of them didn’t. He was so eager, so... hell-bent on outrunning me. It was so much fun when I finally had him, pinned on the ground he looked me in the eyes and went still. At first I thought I had been too harsh, hurt him, or broke something. Then he turned back into his human form. Looking at me like he had seen a ghost.”

“He imprinted on you,” Felix deadpans. “That motherfucker really fucking imprinted on you!” 

Fury seeps into his voice as his body goes entirely still. Liza knows this look, his reaction, the unmoving body. Felix is like an animal, waiting, preparing for that one leap that will get them their prey. With slow movements she puts her glass down onto the floor. She might be naive. Trying to hold back who is said to be the strongest vampire to ever exist, is not in her power. After almost half a century together, Liza knows that she will not be able to stop Felix if he doesn’t let her. His abilities simply exceed her power. 

So, Liza does the only slightly realistic thing that comes to her mind. Keeping up her slow movements she stands up, walking over to the bed ever so quietly. Neither of them is breathing. With a gentle smile on her lips, Liza cautiously cups Felix’ cheek, feeling him release a breath he has never held onto her palm. Their eyes stay locked this whole time.

Bringing their faces close together, she stops only an inch before him. “Let’s not deal with this today, okay? I don’t want to think about it anymore for now.” Her voice is gentle, calm and barely more than a whisper.

Felix surprises her in leaning up, closing the small gap between them and pressing a chaste kiss onto her lips. “You reek of mutt, querida.”

Liza bursts out a short dry laugh. The atmosphere is clearly more relaxed now. “Right,” she stands up again, “I’ll take another shower then... Care to join?” With a wink she leaves Felix on the bed and walks towards the bathroom.

[my-soul-sings]

This Is Everything I Never Wanted: Chapter 2

Fandom: Wannabe Challenge Characters: Everyone! Mainly Taehee VS. Yooha (but not TaeheexYooha)

Summary: An alternative account of events in which Taehee was the one who summoned Yooha from the scroll instead of MC. 

Read on AO3!

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

***

As expected, the rest were shocked to wake up to seeing a strange man in the living room. Yooha didn’t seem too bothered; in fact, he appeared to enjoy the attention and seeing them all get flustered. 

The explanation that Taehee offered (because he doubted the scroll-man possessed enough tact to phrase things properly) was of course, difficult for them to swallow. 

Hansol’s outbursts were the loudest, although he seemed to accept the story quite easily. There really wasn’t any other way to make sense of things.

Biho kept quiet, as usual, only raising the occasional question here and there. Yooha answered him smoothly enough, so his furrowed brow indicated that his worries weren’t entirely assuaged. 

MC was the most perplexed out of the three. Understandable, considering she was the only human here. Even the three goblins had a hard time digesting this much information all at once, let alone MC. But Taehee couldn’t help the rather inappropriate thought that crept into his mind as he watched her frown, struggling to form a coherent response to all this:

She’s beautiful.

“So let me get this straight,” she started, her voice hushing everyone else in the room. “You came out of that painting because Taehee accidentally summoned you by calling your name, which is Yooha. And... you’re a seonho... which means what, exactly?”

"Special beings who are born with an ability to use magic. We’re different from ordinary foxes,” the silver-haired man replied breezily with a proud smile. “Bet you haven’t met one before, little lady.”

“The name’s MC,” she shot back, clearly not appreciating the nickname. Taehee couldn’t help but smirk at her response, feeling an odd sense of victory. “Wait. Did you just say you’re a... fox?”

“A fox who can speak and look like a human after 500 years of training,” Taehee added, although it didn’t seem to alleviate her confusion. 

“Is that so surprising?” Yooha remarked, before pursing his lips in thought. "Should I show you?”

“Show me what?” MC asked, just as a soft white glow began to engulf the man. Taehee braced himself, taking MC’s wrist and pulling her behind him. He couldn’t use his magic against this guy, try as he might, but he would use the damn toilet brush to protect MC if he had to.

As it turned out however, there was no need. When the white light vanished, eight white tails had appeared from behind him. The pure white, almost glossy sheen to his fur was undoubtedly beautiful. They even seemed to be glowing.

“Well?” Yooha asked, eyebrow raised and the corner of his lips quirked up into an arrogant smirk. “Now do you believe me?”

“I’m dreaming, right?” MC murmured, though her eyes were fixed on those tails, entranced by their lithe form as they danced in the air. Like big bushy white snakes, Taehee thought to himself.

“Why don’t you touch them for yourself and see if they’re real?” Yooha asked. Taehee didn’t think much of the gesture, until he looked at MC and found her wearing an uncharacteristically dazed expression with a loose smile playing on her lips. Her cheeks were starting to flush a light pink, as if she was tipsy.

Biho and Hansol seemed to notice this too, although they didn’t seem to know how to respond, since all she was doing was stepping forward with her arm outstretched to pet Yooha’s tails. 

It didn’t seem dangerous enough to cut in.

And yet, he did.

Taehee placed a hand on MC’s wrist, momentarily snapping her attention to him. It was quick to fade, however, because her attention quickly returned to the wagging tails and the scheming fox in front of her. Yooha hardly seemed fazed by Taehee’s interruption, and that only made him angrier.

“What do you think you’re doing to her? Stop that,” he demanded, gently pulling MC into his arms to keep her from getting closer to that man. 

“Nothing, I’m just offering to let her touch my tails,” Yooha replied innocently, but Taehee knew better than to trust that cunning smile of his. His fingers itched to hurl a couple of balls of goblin fire at those tails and watch them burn up in smoke, but he knew better than to start a fight here. A seonho like him, especially one with eight tails, was far stronger than a goblin. 

Just as he thought, this fox couldn’t be trusted. 

In the end, Cleaning Day had to be adjourned for another day, seeing as there was a more pressing issue to consider. Namely, what to do with the seon-ho. Taehee just wished he would go away already, but the fox seemed intent on staying here with them.

“I can stay with you guys, right?” he had asked Taehee with the biggest, most hopeful smile yet, his tails wagging behind him.

“No,” was Taehee’s immediate response. If they ever became housemates, this house would become a living hell. The past hour was already more than he could bear for a lifetime.

“But—” his tails drooped, and his smile faltered, “you have to take responsibility.” 

“What?” Taehee couldn’t believe this guy’s nerve. 

“You summoned me out here. Of course you’re responsible for me now.” 

“And you’re welcome for that. You were trapped in there, and I released you. I owe you nothing.”

“Is he usually this cruel?” Yooha asked, directing the question to MC.

“Well, I’ve never seen him this annoyed before,” she commented, at the same time that Taehee replied, “I’m not being cruel. Besides, I’m not the one to ask; MC’s the one who owns the house.” 

“Oh.” A devilish smirk lit up Yooha’s features. 

Taehee immediately regretted revealing that tidbit of information.

“So, MC, right?” Yooha strutted over to the girl, his tails wagging a little more excitedly now. “What do you say, can I stay here?” he asked in a sweet, charming voice that was obviously fake. “Please?”

Taehee expected to hear an immediate ‘no’. After all, this was a complete stranger they knew nothing about, and to top it off, he was dangerous. The three goblins couldn’t use their powers against him, a higher being. If things ever got out of hand, none of them would be able to stop him. MC was the one most vulnerable here. The answer that she should give was obvious.

“...Sure.”

Taehee had to do a double-take. His head jerked towards her, only to find that her eyes looked slightly glazed over, just like before. She looked almost tipsy, except that had happened in the span of a few seconds, without any alcohol.

Which meant the culprit was... 

Taehee’s glare turned on the cunning fox who was grinning at MC’s response. The answer that he had made her utter by using his magic. Some kind of hypnosis, perhaps. And it probably had something to do with those tails of his that he was offering to let her touch again.

That dirty fox!

Taehee immediately grabbed MC by the wrist and teleported them into her room, all the while holding her tightly to his chest. She snapped to her senses soon enough, but it didn’t stop anger from boiling in his blood at the thought of what that sly fox had just done to MC, of all people. 

“Are you okay?” he asked, to which she nodded.

“Yeah, I am.” She looked a little confused, like she didn’t what Yooha had just tried to do to her. 

“You’re not going to let him stay here, right?” Taehee asked with a worried frown. She couldn’t possibly be entertaining the thought of letting that man stay together with them.

To his dismay, she hesitated in giving her answer. Instead, she began to look a little perplexed, and he could see that she was thinking hard about this. 

What possible reason could she have to even think about saying ‘yes’? 

“He... doesn’t have anywhere to go, does he?”

Taehee shook his head. It was unlikely, considering he had been trapped in the scroll for about two hundred years now, if what Yooha said was true. 

“I think... I’m going to let him stay,” she said slowly. MC put up a hand, silencing his immediate protests. “It’s just... you guys didn’t have a place to stay either. He reminds me of the three of you.” As if embarrassed, she averted his surprised eyes, and his shoulders slumped with resignation.

How could he argue against that?

“I’m just worried that he’ll hurt you,” Taehee sighed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She raised her head and locked eyes with his. “He’s a seonho, more powerful than the three of us. If anything happens...”

“You’re his master right? He’ll have to listen to you,” MC pointed out. “He looks mischievous but I don’t think he’s a liar. He’ll probably listen to whatever you say.” 

That... was true. As much as it pained Taehee to think about, that fox was now bound to him... as a servant. There was no escaping that fact. 

Why, why did he let Biho take that stupid scroll home in the first place? He just knew there was something off about it from the very beginning. He should have done something about it then, even if it meant making Biho sad for a few days. 

"So it’s settled,” MC declared, snapping him out of his thoughts. “He’ll stay here with us.” After making sure he didn’t have any remaining objections to add, she left the room to break the news to Yooha.

Those very words sealed his fate, and it marked the beginning of all of Taehee’s anguish. 

***

A/N: Next up: Taehee experiences the six stages of grief as he learns to manage his new roommate. 

[redhairedfeistynerd]

Break My Stride

Written for @captain-rogers-beard One hit wonder challenge. Thank you for the opportunity to take part in this and giving me extra time to complete this.

A/N The song chosen was ‘Break my Stride’

Characters: Bucky Barnes x reader, Steve Rogers, Bucky’s daughters (Piper and Riley)

Summary: A quick look at Bucky with his daughters and how they would celebrate Mother’s Day their way. (with a little bit of sass and sneaky moments)

Warnings: some fluff, sassy kids, Mother’s Day

Word Count: 2k+

Walking into a silent house was never a good sign.

“Piper? Riley? Where you two at?” Bucky pokes his head into the front room, thinking they may be flopped over the couches on their electronics. No sign of them. Continuing down the hallway, he reaches the kitchen, no girls here either. He’s surprised his house isn’t on fire yet (even though Steve has only been gone for 15 minutes) and assumes they are in their rooms doing something that is of a curious nature. 

“No better time than now to pop on some coffee,” he says to himself and reaches for the carafe, filling it as far as it allows. Setting the dials and turning the machine on, the grinder roars to life and the fragrant smell of his favourite beans, swirl around his nostrils. Reaching to pull open a cupboard by the sink, he pulls out the first mug and smiles when he glances at the design sprawled across the entire body. His girls had created this for him the year before for his birthday with the help of Y/N.  

Ya. Her.

He sighs loudly, glad that he was alone and no one could see his eyes glaze over at the mere thought of her. It was stupid of him to think about it, this was a friendship and only a friendship. Placing the mug down, he turns noticing a note on the counter.

Buck,  

The girls needed a few things from the store this morning and help setting up some kind of picnic. I helped cut up what they needed before I had to head out to the event this afternoon.  

I’ll add it to your tab,

Steve

Bucky had been called to check in with a client early that morning and Steve had agreed to watch the girls for a few hours before heading to a Mother’s Day Tea that their friend was hosting for single moms in the community. His girls had Steve wrapped around their fingers; anything they asked (safety permitting), he was in. Bucky was thankful for the help Steve had provided over the years. When he had to work odd hours, when he was sick, or even to take a quick break before his brain exploded, Steve was there for him. Parenting alone wasn’t always easy.  

He stopped to listen and thought he heard a giggle coming from outside, was that his youngest? Peeking out through the blinds, he saw the girls – Piper reaching up to one of the apple trees, handling what looked like a paper lantern and Riley kneeling on a large blanket nearby, arranging several bowls and plates.  

Bucky opens the sliding door, squinting to see what the girls were sitting on. “Is that the duvet from my bed?” Both girls turn towards him but it was Riley that couldn’t keep a straight face as she shook her head no, her eyes wide and lips folded in.

“Riley, I told you not to look at him if he asked!” He heard Piper loud whisper to her sister. Funny how they always forgot about his hearing.  

Bucky pulled the door back further and stepped out onto the back deck.

“Dammit, Piper, now he’s going to crap a brick about the blanket.”

Piper smacked her sister, a loud “shh” spitting from her mouth. “Keep your big mouth shut and let me deal with dad. I mean it!” Riley clamped her mouth shut instantly as Piper stood up, brushing pieces of grass and twigs from her dress. “Hey daddy, we didn’t expect you back so soon,” Piper said sweetly.  

Daddy. He knew something was up when she called him that. Pops, old man, or hey you, were more common than daddy. “You two, inside now,” Bucky said sternly, his thumb motioning back to the house. “You better start explaining what is going on and how you got Uncle Steve involved in this.”

Riley grumbled something he couldn’t make out while Piper was pulling her up from the blanket. “You better hope you don’t screw this up, Ri. You know how hard we worked on this with Uncle Steve.”

Once the girls had settled at the kitchen table, lemonade, fruit and sandwiches set on plates in front of them, he spoke. “So, what is all of this? You have your uncle taking you by the store, you’ve got a spread of food outside, on my new duvet might I mention, and these funky little lanterns hanging from all the fruit trees. What are you two trouble makers up to?”

He watches as Piper squirms, the wooden chair creaking with each movement of her body. “Pops, we invited y/n over for a picnic,” Piper answers, her cheeks flushing red.

Bucky pulled his sandwich away from his mouth, to stare at Piper, “You what?”

“We invited -”

“Ya, I got that... but why?”

Riley leans towards him, “Pops, it’s Mother’s Day and the thing is since, well, since you do 99% of the parenting, Piper and I thought it made sense to celebrate you today and we thought it would be nice to invite your friend too.”

Bucky raised his eyebrow, “Why do you say it like that, my friend? You two know there is a Father’s Day, right?” He lifts one eyebrow glancing to each of his daughters before taking a large bite of his sandwich.

“I didn’t wanna say girlfriend Pops but that’s what you want her to be, right? Pip and I see how you look at her and I don’t think we have ever seen you look at someone like that. You look at her like she’s a tasty burger.”

Piper snorts from across the table, her lemonade is now dribbling down her chin.

“Oh, come on Ri,” he said while running his hand through his hair, “it’s not like that at all. Besides-”

“Pops, you’re wrong. You BOTH stare at each other and I’ve seen you blush when she touches your arm. You’ve got it bad,” she tells him while nodding her head in the sassy manner he is accustomed to.  

“What would you know,” muttered Bucky.

“You know, you aren’t the only one who has great hearing,” Riley replied, throwing a strawberry towards her dad's head. Bucky caught it before it hit him and popped it into his mouth.  

**

Bucky turns when he hears the creak of the gate, a head popping in and a sweet sing-song “Hello, Barnes family.” Y/N is finally here and he is unusually anxious, he’s pretty sure it has to do with what Riley said earlier.

Piper and Riley stop what they are doing on the duvet and run towards Y/N, jumping into her arms and squealing. Bucky hears an “oof” escape her mouth from the force the girls use to squeeze her. He smiles when he overhears them telling her how much she has been missed.  

When the girls have grown restless, after the food has been devoured, I Spy games have been played; the girls started to toss clumps of grass into each other's hair. A clump of dirty knocks Piper’s forehead and before he knows it, they are wrestling beside what is left of the picnic. Bucky tells them to take it easy and to help with the cleanup and assures y/n that she can relax and he’ll be back momentarily.  

Sliding the patio door shut, he watches her, laying back on the blanket, staring up at the clouds slowly moving by above. One hand in her hair and the other up and waving her finger towards the sky. She doesn’t notice him until he takes a step closer and his shadow crosses her face.  

“Heya Buck, why don’t you come down here and trace the shapes the clouds make with me. I’m curious to see what you see,” Y/N said as she reaches for his hand, pulling him towards her. He stumbles and has to catch himself from falling onto her and all she can do is laugh at him when he lands hard on his backside. “I wish I could show you the look on you face,” she laughed, “oh man, the girls would have loved to see an instant replay of that.”

Bucky’s face gradually turns red the more y/n keeps laughing, her feet stomping at the beginning of each breath. “All right, all right, so I was trying not to fall on you, it’s no big deal.” He brushes his hair back and looks over to her a big smile still across her beautiful face. She pushes at his shoulder until he’s lying beside her and looks up at the sky. Reaching for his hand and lifting it towards the white fluff, she moves it along the largest cloud above them.  

“This one right here, you know what I see, Buck? He looks over to her, a huge grin across her face before she says, “It’s a hippopotamus playing the accordion, do you see it?” She turns her head to look back over to him. It’s the same moment he chooses to look back at her, his blue eyes sparkling with the sunshine.  

“I have no idea how the hell you see that but I’m enjoying your imagination. Tell me some more about these clouds. What about that small one over there, by the peaks of that mountain?” He gives her another smile and reaches over to take her hand in his, squeezing it and waiting to hear what she came up with this time.  

“What do I see in that one,” she replies quietly to herself as her mind swirls with ideas of what that shape could be. Y/L feels Bucky’s thumb sliding softly over her hand. Swish, swish. Swish, swish. It was gentle and calming, encouraging her to tell him about the cloud he had chosen. “Buck, I see Pip, that first time we went for hot chocolate and she had that crazy chocolate mustache, do you see it? Notice how it swipes across her face, like it did that day?” She looks over to him and he’s not smiling anymore but there’s something in his eyes that she hasn’t had the chance to experience yet. A look that could be considered to be longing. Gosh, she hopes that’s what it is.

“Yeah, I remember that day better than most,” he tells her as he turns onto his side to face her and moves his hand to the side of her face. He stalls for a moment, telling himself he can do this and his fingers gently touch her cheek, moving across the soft skin a few times before she decides to turn and face him as well.  

“Don’t stop Buck, okay?” She can smell the hand cream she bought him for his birthday that year, the one for dry skin, the smell of beeswax and olive oil; she swore up and down that it was the only thing that helped her when she was working with her hands as much as she did. He had blushed when she gave him the gift, he had told her it was unexpected and he was flattered that she had thought of him. Y/L reaches over to touch his hair, softly at first but as she notices Bucky leaning in to her hand, she pushes deeper and runs her fingers through the strands. This is the moment. THIS is the moment. Just DO IT already. With her mind running wild, she goes for it, gently pulling his head towards hers and kisses him. She’s pretty sure Bucky is shaking or is it her? He isn’t arguing and he’s not pushing away, so she pulls him a bit closer and has another go at it. He’s kissing her back now and her heart is doing somersaults with each press and each slide of his tongue.  

Bucky Barnes is kissing her. On a blanket. In his backyard.

It doesn’t go on for much longer, he’s worried that they girls might be peeking out of the windows and watching their old man lock lips with his friend. When he pulls away, she looks disappointed but he smiles and runs his thumps across her bottom lip. “Don’t worry, okay? We’ll have other days. She smiles and nods back. “What do you think about going inside and eating some of the ice cream Steve picked up with the girls earlier today?” She didn’t expect Bucky to take her hand in his and she was happy that he didn’t seem to notice that she missed a breath when the warmth spread over her palm and fingers. He pulls her gently into the house and calls the girls down for dessert.

Two pints have been devoured when Riley jumps up from her chair and belts out “Last night I had the strangest dream-”  

Piper chimes in “I sailed away to China In a little row boat to find ya, And you said you had to get your laundry cleaned, Didn't want no one to hold you, what does that mean? And you said-

“What are you two going on about?” Bucky looks at Piper and Riley, confusion crossing his face.

Y/l slides across the tiled floor and belts out “ain’t nothing gonna break my stride.” The girls join in and bounce around each other, singing the chorus, while Bucky puts down the bowl he was washing and turns to watch what he thought was the women in his life going mad.  

Y/N’s eyes meet Bucky’s and she bursts out laughing mid song. In the few stride’s it took him to reach her side, she was already curled up on the floor laughing hysterically with his daughters. He crosses his arms and looks down at the three of them. “Anyone want to let me in on what is going on right now because I’m a little confused.”  

“Don’t you pay attention to what your kids are watching online?”  

“He’s old, don’t even bother asking him,” Riley added, rolling her eyes.

“Hey now, I know all about your Insta-spam thing or that Clip-Clopping stuff you guys do.”  

“Our what? UGH! You are SO EMBARASSING!” Shouts his youngest.

Y/L is howling and Bucky swears he can see tears falling down her cheeks. He can’t help but laugh with her. It’s true, a lot of these devices and apps are beyond him but he’s glad that Y/N can relate to his girls. He’s happy that he met her all those years ago, he doesn’t think life would have been as easy without her smile and laughter.  

*

The bowls are sticky and sprinkled with coloured bits and left on the table for now. He looks up from his phone, smiling at a thank you message from her, for the great day and the kiss. He thinks he hears a gentle tapping and looks up to see Riley leaning against the doorframe, her smile wide.

“Ain’t nothing gonna break your stride, Pops. I swear she’ll be your girlfriend soon enough,” and with that, Riley winks at him and sprints up the stairs to get ready for bed.

He smiles as he watches her and thinks that maybe, she is on to something.

[canumoveurseatup-no]

Tie Me Down

Summary: Peter was never the kind to be dominant. He had trouble asserting himself when it came to everyday tasks. So it didn’t surprise you when he finally admitted he likes to be controlled in the bedroom

Requested by: @obserheytiondeck

Pairing: sub!Peter x Dom!Black!Reader (both are 18+)

WC: 2.6K

Warnings: pegging, light D/s dynamics, praise kink, little degradation, crude language, sex toys, sex shops, anal play, paddling/spanking, aftercare.

A/N: Everyone in this is an adult, no one is under age. I love the idea of Sub!Peter because he’s so tiny and cute and ugh. Please comment and reblog!! ALSO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND IF YOU ARE NOT ACTIVE (BY THAT I MEAN INTERACT WITH THE WORK YOU’RE TAGGED IN, LIKE COMMENTS AND REBLOGS) YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE TAG LIST!

—————

“Pick what you like, babe,”

You were used to the scene of sex shops. Peter however was scared as hell, afraid an FBI agent was gonna bust him for being an adult buying stuff for his personal use.

“Babe, I- I’ve never done this. I dunno,” he shrugged.

“Fine. We look for beginner items, simple,”

You started roaming the store and Peter followed you like a lost puppy.

You start picking up beginner dildos, nipple clamps, lube, a ball gag, a cock ring, a flesh light, rope, a strapless strap on; or strapless dildo per se, and paddles.

The strapless strap was good for both you and Peter. It was like an L and the shorter part you inserted inside of yourself and the longer part stuck out from you like a real penis. That way whenever you moved, you were getting pleasure as well

“Anything you want me to put back?,” you ask before heading to checkout.

“The ball gag. I... I want you to be able to hear me,” his cheeks turned cherry red at his admission. You walked back to put the ball gag back where it came from and you were good to go. You were excited.

“Any toy cleaner or batteries for the vibrators?,” the man asked.

“Yeah, go ahead and add that in,”

You and Peter spent almost two hundred dollars at the sex shop. Pleasure was not cheap clearly.

He was silent the whole ride back to your apartment, “There’s no reason to be so nervous, babe. I’m not gonna hurt you unless you want me to. This is something you’ve wanted for a while so we’re gonna warm you up and make sure you feel good,”

“You don’t think this makes me less of a man?,”

You pulled into your parking spot and turn the car off before staring at Peter incredulously.

“Asking to be pleased does not make you any less of a man. You like butt stuff, so what? The only thing that makes you less of a man is having toxic masculinity and that’s not you, baby,” you snatched the bag up from his lap and opened the door, excited to get started

“Now lets go. I wanna see how cute look with your legs up in the air and a dick inside you,”

Peter has never heard you speak with such vulgarity but it made blood rush to the head of his penis and he had to hurry up and get out of the car before he begged you to take him right here in the parking lot.

———

You made sure Peter was well hydrated before any of this started. You made sure to talk with him about his hard and soft limits and his safe word which was ‘neighborhood’

Now you had him tied and secured to the bed which his cock ring tight around his balls, head leaking precum already and you haven’t even really touched him there yet.

Your soft hands melted into his soft skin like silk and he shuttered under you. You swirled a wet finger around his nipples, pinching the hardening nub, his hips thrusting in the air.

“Release that lip, baby. I thought you wanted me to hear you?,” he had a habit of biting his lip when he was feeling good

His moan was beautifully orchestrated as his chest rose and fell quickly.

You swirled a finger around the tip of his swollen cock, collecting the clear fluid that dropped down his length, “Open for me,”

He was such a good listener, you placed your finger on his tongue and moaned at the way his lips felt so good wrapping around it. His pretty pink lips complimenting the beautiful brown of your skin.

“Don’t you taste good? I can never get enough of your taste when I’m on my knees with you deep in my throat,”

A deep groan rumbled within him as your breath fanned against his skin. You ran your tongue against his neck and and down the creases of his torso that accentuated his slight abs. You wrapped your lips around his pert nipples and felt his cock nudge against your stomach as he bucked his hips up, leaving a wet spot in its wake.

“Be patient, baby,”

Your teeth tugged on his nipples and he threw his head back as another moan vibrated his body. He was so responsive.

Your hands ran up and down his thighs as you kissed your way to his waiting length. He had such a beautiful size. It stood at about seven inches, was just the perfect girth too. He filled you right up.

You licked a strip up his length to swirl it around the tip. Wrapping your lips around the head you heard Peter tug at on the rope as your headboard creaked. You moved your mouth all the way down on him and ran your tongue along his perineum knowing it was such a sweet spot

“Oh God, Y/N,” his legs flexed in your hands as you moved your head side to side to get him deeper, “I’m not gonna last,”

You slurped as you came back up for air and slowly stroked his cock, “You’re gonna last if I tell you to last, baby,”

You loved seeing him like this, tied up and waiting like a good boy. Waiting for you to use him.

The wet sounds of you jerking him off filled the room with his labored breathing, you felt his balls tense up in pleasure before you moved you hand away from him and paid some attention to his heavy sac. They felt wonderfully heavy in your mouth as you were practically making out with them. You heard his little whimpers from above and decided to cut him a break... only for a little.

“I’m so wet for you, Pete,” you swirled your wetness around your clit and lips, “Bet you just wanna feel me, don’t you,”

“Please, Y/N,” his eyes were glazed over already and you just begun. You straddled his hips and ran your pussy against the length of him,

“I don’t think you’ve earned it yet. All you get is this right here,” moving your lips faster, you threw your head back as the ridges and veins in his cock created the perfect about of friction to your clit, “You’re gonna make me cum, Pete,”

You stared at him and made sure he saw you fall apart. You had a had wrapped firmly around his throat to keep his gaze on you, “Gonna cum all for you, all over your cock. You like it when I use you to please myself don’t you?,”

“Fuck yes, yes, yes. Cum on me, please,” his voice cracks were what pushed you over the edge. He sounded so needy you couldn’t help but oblige to his pleas. Your eyes rolls into your head slightly as you huffed for air. You rode your high out by slowly moving your hips on him.

“Y/N, baby please, I wanna feel you,” you watched the sweat bead on his forehead, he was taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down.

“I wanna feel you too, baby. I’m ready to feel you deep,” you sighed happily while running your hand along his hot cheek.

You lined himself up with you and felt your juices dripping, strings of clear fluid attaching themselves around his cock before you sunk down on him.

“Fuuuck,” you raised his head to watch you fuck yourself on him. You leaned over to the nightstand to get the nipple clamps that you just knew his pink nipples were hungry for. He groaned at the delicious pinch, “Baby please, harder, faster,”

You tugged on the chain connected to the clamps and road him faster, making his mind go blank on which sensation to focus on. He was a mess of whimpers and you haven’t even started to fuck him, fuck him yet.

“I’m gonna cum,” you tugged harder and he all but shouted out into the hot air that filled the room.

“N-no need to feel you longer,” he wheezed for air.

His words went in one ear and out when you came a second time. He was trembling under you as he tried to control himself so he didn’t cum. He wanted to hold off as long as he could. You lifted yourself off of him and saw that your cum coated him.

“You ready for your turn, baby?,” you softly kissed.

“So ready, Y/N please, please,”

You had brought all the toys on the bed and opened the lube, you took a pillow and placed it under his hips, “Lift those legs, pretty boy,”

You saw a flash of pure white skin as he instantly did as you said. You let the lube drip down his balls and to his pink puckered hole.

You two had decided on a purple crystal jellies anal starter dildo. It would look so good against his skin, going in and out him while his hole welcomed it.

You nudged the head of his against his hole and he tensed up, “Gonna need you to relax, baby,”

He released a deep breath and you visibly saw him relax before probing him with the very slim dildo, “Look at you opening up for me,” you sighed happily.

The head finally made its way inside of him and you heard him groan. You were taking his anal virginity and you were happy he trusted you with this.

You working the flexible yet sturdy toy in and out of him and his cries send tingles straight to your clit.

“M-more please. Please,” he huffed. You grabbed the suction cup bottom in your hands properly and started moving the purple toy out him at a faster pace. His hole glistened with the lip and you loved hearing the toy being inserted and withdrawn from him. You wrapped your lips around the head of his cock again, going in rhythm with your hand.

“That’s gonna make me cum,” he mutter. His little toes curled in the air and he was moving himself against the toy

“You gonna make a mess for me, baby?,” your other hand took over and worked him fast to push him over the edge

“Oh God yes!!,”

You twisted the toy with each thrust knowing you were about to milk him of his first orgasm for all he’s worth.

“Be a messy boy for me, Pete,”

You sped up both of your hands and smiled at the way his eyes were clenched shut and he was hissing in pleasure. You loved seeing his nails dug into his palms and the way his thighs shook.

“Y/N!,”

You watched in adoration as his cum coated his stomach, “You have soo much for me! Good boooy, baby,”

You slowed your motions down as he softly sobbed at the mess he’s become.

“Never had anything other than my own fingers in me,” he admitted bashfully.

“You’re so dirty, aren’t you?” You swiped your tongue against a stripe of cum that decorated his stomach.

“Mhm,” he sucked his lip into his mouth.

“Can I have the strap-on now?,”

Go big or go home then, right? You were gonna work him for a few more minutes but he wanted it all.

You were thankful you cleaned all the toys before that way you wouldn’t have to keep taking breaks to clean them for each round.

You picked up the fleshlight, a slim vibrator and the strapless strap on. The strap on was close to your skin but was slim. All the other black dildos were huge and intimidating but you two got lucky when you found this skinny one.

You pushed it inside of you and moaned at how it hit all the right spots right away, this thing wasn’t cheap but you can tell it was a good investment. You applied lube to your hand and began jerking the toy off, staring hungrily at Peter.

“You’re doing so good for me. Such a patient little slut waiting to be used. Gonna fuck that cum out of you now, okay?”

“Please,” was all he could squeak out. Taking him in your hand again, you worked him up to relax him.

“Just relax, this is only a little bigger than your other toy. You’ve been a good boy so I’ll be gentle at first,”

Peter has tears running down his cheeks, he looked irresistible. He his pleads didn’t go unheard.

Rubbing the head of the sturdy cock against his hole had him pushing against you for more until you finally gave it to him. Once the thicker head pushed past his ring of muscle he was done for. You added more lube as you worked the entire length into him.

“Baby come here, please,”

You had his legs resting on your shoulders as you leaned forward and left marks all over his chest and neck.

“You okay? You like feeling me inside you like this? Filling you up,”

“I fucking love it,”

Peter struggled to keep his eyes open. His tongue farted out to lick his lips when you wrapped your lips around it, kissing him deep to match your thrusts. You yourself were getting lost in the sensation as the dildo worked in you too, hitting you in your sweet spot.

“Fuck, this is so good, Peter,” you head fell against his shoulder as you started moving your hips faster.

“You fuck me so good. So good,” he praised you.

You two always loved praising each other during these intimate moments.

Your skin clapped against his while his mouth hung open, noises of pleasure escaping. Sitting back up you take the vibrator and place it on the angry red tip, this action has Peter calling out for you.

“Baby, that’s gonna make me cum again. Fuck I’m gonna cum again,”

“Yeah? Gonna make another mess all over yourself?,”

“Nnnn. Fu-,” he was having a hard time catching his breath and you couldn’t help but move faster.

You turned the vibrator off picked up the clear fleshlight. You inserted his cock and moved it in rhythm with your hips.

“Cum for me, baby. Fucking cum like a good boy,”

He wrapped his legs around you to pull you deeper, you knew you were hitting his spot. You picked up the paddle, spanking his thighs and sensitive nipples watching his body twist in pleasurable pain. You were lightly smacking the tip of his cock with the little leather paddle, making tears rush down his heated cheeks.

You felt yourself on the edge when Peter broke free from his ropes, he couldn’t help it. He held his cheeks apart, hoping to feel you more. He was fucking himself on you, pushing back into you.

“I’m gonna cum, Pete,” you rasp as you twist the fleshlight against him, watching the way it moved against his clock.

“Gonna cum for you,” he cried. He removed the fleshlight from himself so you can see him cum all over himself again.

Your eyes roll in your head as your body convulses with another orgasm at the same time Peter’s cock bobs up and down as he shouts while cumming again.

“Fuck baby! Fu-fuck oh my God,” he repeats over and over.

You rest your head against his shoulder, littering kisses over the marks you left on him, “Shhh, it’s okay. You did so good for me. So good,” you kiss him lips softly.

“Gonna clean you up now okay?,”

“Yes, please,”

You washed his hair and soft skin for him in the shower while he did the same for you.

After all the toys were clean and put away, you soothed him with lotion and gave him pain meds just in case you went a went a little too hard.

“That was perfect,” he whispered in your arms.

“You think?,”

“I know. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, you have me what I’ve fantasized and then some, thank you so much,”

He was now trailing kisses up to your neck and working you up, “We just showered, Pete. Let’s wait for the morning,”

You pulled him close to you and kiss his head, hearing him hum as he finally settled and was falling asleep.

“Want you to recuperate before I ruin you again,”

—————

AH I HOPE YALL LIKED IT! So glad I wrote more Peter

Please comment and reblog!!

Tags- @blackreaders-assemble @mbaku-babygirl @babybubastis @vozit @yournonlocalpoc @adryloki @5hineehappiness @crawlingnightmares @spideys-wife @mokacoconut @warmchick @valentinevirgo @here-for-your-bullshit @sexysamsungl @curlyhairclub @thelostallycat @fromlia-withlove

[gotmetalkinginmysleep]

Neon Glow

Genre: Smut with Hoseok x Female Reader (Y/N)

Warnings: Swearing, oral sex (male and female receiving), unprotected sex (be safe folks), begging, edging, fingering, Daddy Kink, a bit of fluff at the end.

Summary: Hobi needs you for a booty call.

Reference: Suncity (feat. Empress Of) by Khalid

Word count: 3635 words

Big thanks to resident Hobi expert Edie from @sweet-teeth-mfs. Thank you for allowing me to ask you many, MANY Hobi related questions over the past few weeks. I wanted to get this just right and I didn’t want to let Hobi fans down. Enjoy x

- - -

Just a message from Hobi and you’re on the next flight out to him. There was no context. No emoji like he’d normally sign off with so you knew he was dead serious. While sat in the last minute airplane seat, with just one hour to go before landing you read the message over and over, trying to figure out what he had in store for you.

Hobi: I didn’t get to see you before I left.

Hobi: Get on a plane.

Hobi: I need you.

Hobi: Now.

A car was waiting for you on arrival, so as soon as you landed you were whizzing through neon-lit streets straight to the hotel. The wet tarmac reflecting the ambient colours into the sky. The lights blurring through the rain that beads on the window, noticing them trail past your eyes.

He had never done this before. When he was away you’d put your filthy mind to great use and it was no different over these past few days. Texting him your most intimate thoughts whenever the moment arose. Normally bombarding him until he’d return home, normally resulting in the most intense sessions and a few days of working from home, but something was different this time. Absence certainly made something grow stronger.

Thankfully, you’re not having to explain who you are at reception, Hobi having already arranged everything. An envelope at the check-in desk is handed over as soon as you present your ID. Anticipation starts to set in as the lift ascends the building, unconsciously tapping your feet as the floor level counter increases.

As soon as the doors ping open, you’re out of the lift clutching your handbag tight, it being the only luggage you brought with you. Approaching the hotel room, you’re eager to find out what he had in store. You’re tapping the door, “Hobi?” There’s no reply. You fumble with the card key to let yourself in the room.

Upon entering, the room is in darkness, the curtains open and the neon glow from the streets below being the only light reflecting into the room. His suitcases piled in the corner, his clothing hung up so neatly and his mobile studio set up on a section of the desk.

“Hobi? Are you here?” Again, no answer. Removing your shoes, you pad into the room to find it empty, just a box and note on the bed. Placing your handbag on the desk you pull out your phone, sending one more text hoping it would buzz somewhere in the room.

Y/N: Hobi, where are you? I’m in your room.

Yet no ringtone or vibration in the silence. He’s not here.

Intrigued by the box, you edge closer. A black box, around the same size as a shoe box, with a folded note on top complete with your name. You look around, checking he’s not hiding somewhere in the room as you unfurl the paper to read it.

My Darling. This is for you. I’ll be back tonight. Your Hope x

Gingerly, you remove the lid on the box to find pressed tissue paper hiding items underneath it. Peeling it back you’re surprised to see a gorgeous set of underwear. In the neon light, it’s hard to make out the colour but you assume black intricate lace. Your phone buzzes.

Hobi: Sorry baby. On my way. Stuck in traffic.

Hobi: IMG.

Chuckling at the cuteness, you head to the bathroom with your new attire and hop in the shower. Thinking about all the things you sent to him over the past few days as you wash away work and plane from your body. ‘He must really miss me already’ you smirk.

“Sweet-One. Are you still here?”

“Just in the bathroom. Will be out in a sec”

Considering you went straight to the airport from work, carrying just a handbag for supplies, you’re pleased with what you’ve been able to achieve. A fresh bit of makeup, used some of Hobi’s supplies to freshen your skin and this new underwear fits you perfectly. The black lace offers a peek of your skin through the sheer material, something he loves. You look and feel great. Putting on heels to complete the look, making your legs look longer. A quick tousle adds a bit of volume to your freshly washed locks, before switching off the light and opening the door.

The room was still lit with pink hues and complete silence as you leave the bathroom. His soaked shoes neatly placed by the door so you knew he was still here. Quietly closing the door, you walk into the room, where Hobi is sat on the edge of the bed, legs outstretched and looking damn fine. His wet black hair framing his gorgeous face, the white tee he wears glowing pink from the neon, contrasting with his leather jacket and black jeans.

He looks to you, lust filled as he sees how the underwear accentuates your curves. How the sheer offers a sneak peek of skin. How the heels make you confident and the light reflecting pink and purple highlights on your moisturised skin. You always look beautiful to him, but all this effort just for him is mind-blowing.

“Did you run here?” you ask, noticing his jacket covered in raindrops, his jeans sticking to his skin and his tee covered in translucent spots where the water was trying to make it see through.

“The taxi was taking too long. Come here,” he beckons wanting to feel you and you don’t deny him. “I’m sorry to make you do this Kitten. I just needed you tonight. I love you.”

“Love you too,” you whisper standing between his now spread legs, your navel right in his eye-line. Tempting enough to bring his lips to the sensitive skin below, sending sparks through your body.

Your hands meet his as he grips your hips tugging slightly to imply for you to kneel, your face coming to meet his. Running your hands up his wet thighs as you reach the ground, adding your first touch on his eager body. You watch him intently as his breathing starts to exaggerate.

“So, what is it that you need… Daddy?” your eyes flicking to his lap and back again. His vision glazes at the mention of his name. Beads of water from his hair run down his face, dripping onto his white tee. His lips subconsciously pout, as though to say ‘oooh’ but it makes no sound. He grazes his hand along your shoulder until it reaches the back of your head, fingers combing through your hair as he pulls you into his lips. He starts off tender but you latch onto his bottom lip with your teeth, pulling away slightly to cause a slight sting. Swiping your tongue along his lip before releasing it, his eyes widening at the implied rawness while you bite your bottom lip reactively. This sends him slamming into your lips, kissing so hard it causes your lips to swell. Your hands fumbling with his jeans while he moves to your neck, his movements sending tingles through your body.

Pulling him to stand by his waistband, you release him from the confines of his jeans. You pump him a few times, smearing the pre-cum at the tip to lube your hand movements. A few groans from his lips make you look up at him. He looks divine, watching you intently as his cock is so close to your face with every stroke. The pink glow illuminating his face, making his darkened eyes appear jet black. He removes his leather jacket, not once breaking his attention from you leaving him in his white tee, stood at the end of the bed with you kneeling before him. Hobi places a hand to the back of your head, not to push you onto him but to give you the nod to go ahead.

Starting from the base you lay him flat on your tongue making sure to maintain eye contact, moving painfully slow up his cock until the tip reaches your lips, pressing the lightest of kisses to coat your lips in his precum. He’s pouting again so you know you have him just where you need him. Wrapping your hands pumping him onto your tongue, making sure he’s watching your every move as more pre-cum leaks, pooling in your mouth. When he starts to glaze over, you inch down to this base covering him in a mix of pre-cum and your drool.

He rolls his head slowly as he lets groans leave his throat, like his body is forcing them out but he’s keen to keep watching you take him in your mouth. Brushing his hand through his wet locks, ensuring his hair isn’t in his eyes. He’s obviously been thinking about this all day as he’s getting firmer in your mouth by the second. Flicking your tongue over him and sucking a little when he needs it. You begin to swallow around him to prevent drool from leaving your lips. Hobi’s breathing increases when he starts to hit the back of your throat, pushing him closer to his climax.

“No, not yet Kitten,” he pleads making you pull off with a pop, pouting your lips at him in disapproval as he sits back on the bed. He already knows you miss his taste.

“I’m not ready for that yet,” he says before pulling you up to him in a kiss, making you straddle his lap. Hobi’s kissing you like a man starved, desperate to be as close to you as possible. His hands roaming your back, pulling you into his chest. He leans back falling onto the bed and rolls over. You’re both half off the bed as he rolls on top of you, his legs between yours as his hair drips cold beads of water.

Hobi finds the soft spots on your neck, working his way down your body. His hands roaming your skin as they find your hardened nipples through the lace bra, making him smirk at you. He knows how you love him roaming your body and the soft material allows him to see this. He bites your nipple through the fabric causing you to cry out and buck your hips up into him.

“Oh, you like that?” he smirks at you, already knowing the answer, but awaits your reply anyway.

“Y-yeah,” you mutter between your increased breathing.

“Yeah, what?” he smirks at you, running his nimble fingers delicately along the scalloped edges of the bra cup, teasing your exposed flesh.

“Yes, Daddy. I like it.”

“That’s better.” He pulls the lace down to expose your breast to the air before he’s wrapping his lips around the hardened peak. Tongue flicking as he gently sucks on it, sending electric through your veins reaching your core with a bang. Instinctively writhing under him searching for friction where you ache. His other hand cupping your other breast, thumb teasing the nipple through the lace.

“M-m...more,” you beg.

“Hmmm?” Not once stopping his movements on your chest.

“H-Hobi!” Crying lowly.

“What’s that Sweet-one? What do you need?” Not once being phased by your requests, teasing you with his words as well as his touch, continuing his light nipping and flicking on your chest.

“More!” You beg.

Hobi bites down on your nipple, pulling it between his teeth once more. You’re shooting your hips up into the air, arching yourself to meet his body, desperate for friction. His other hand reaching the small of your back to hold you against him. His lips trailing over your stomach, past your navel and along the sensitive skin sparking excitement wherever he places them. His hands sliding behind you across your tantalised flesh down to where the waistband of your briefs lies, hooking his fingers under. His face inspecting the lace detailing as he slides off the end of the bed to his knees.

“Oh Kitten, I buy you new underwear…” Hobi pauses as he teases, his tongue running along the wet sheer lace, offering glimpses of your sticky core underneath, noting how wet you are. He grips the waistband with his teeth, watching your face intently as you prop yourself on your elbows. He’s peeling your briefs from you with his teeth, hands assisting at your hips, removing them completely before lifting them to his face. He breathes in the scent while you watch him, eyes latched on his,“...and you go and ruin these already.” You’re left agape, shocked at his actions but they’re thrilling. Discarding the briefs, he’s running his hands up your thighs to grip your hips, pulling you closer to him. His touch is so sensual that it verges between a tickle and desire.

Fingers continue to trace over your skin, grazing the softness at the tops of your legs before running down them and twisting inwards, encouraging you to open your legs for him. His hands settling at the apex of your thighs, squeezing lightly as whimpers leave you.

“Perhaps I should punish you,” Hobi teases as he traces his fingers over your soaked core, dipping his index into you a little before removing it. Rolling your wetness between his index and thumb watching it string between them, making sure you see just how wet you are for him. Your cheeks flushed red as he continues to tease with his fingers, your mouth open as though it’s the only way to breathe. Your breathing hitches as he taunts with a single digit parting your folds to enter you, a welcome relief yet not enough. You sigh at the slightness, desperate to feel stretched and he knows that’s what you really want. He’s smirking as you groan at the absence, making it known that this is your punishment.

He places the pad of his thumb against your clit, adding pressure before circling it, building tension within you. It’s so gentle that it shouldn’t feel so good, his nimble finger stroking your walls finding that spot far too quickly. His movements increasing, tightening the coil within you. It’s too soon for you to cum. Too soon, you keep telling yourself, yet you can start to feel yourself clench around his finger. Your head falls back to the bed unable to hold yourself up any longer. Your gasps and moans fill the room as you’re nearing your high, temptingly close, when he stops and removes himself from you.

You groan as you lift your head to look down at him, his eyebrows raised suggestively as though he’s telepathically telling you, ‘you knew this was coming’. He’s still kneeling between your thighs, hands caressing your body as it comes down from the peak it almost reached, he’s feeling for your breathing to settle before he begins again. This time, tempting you with two fingers, stretching you ever so slightly, yet it’s still not enough. He repeats his mission, bringing you close to your high and stopping just as you’re about to throb all over his fingers.

“Hobi!” you groan.

“What’s up Sweet-one?”

“Stop teasing me, p-please?”

“What do you want?”

“You know what I want”

“How about you ask me nicely?”

You sigh, your body slick with a neon pink sweat sheen.

“D-Daddy, please?”

“Please, what?”

“P-please fill me. Please?”

He rests back on his heels, still on the floor at the end of the bed fully dressed. A devilish grin spreading across his face.

“Let me think about it”

That’s when he’s latching his lips to your clit while he delves three fingers into you. You’re wet enough that the room fills with the sounds from his movements as well as your gasps. You’re temptingly close to cumming all over his fingers, his tongue flicking back and forth over your clit while his fingers curl to hit that spot within you. Already clenching, pleas leaving your lips between whimpers, begging Hobi not to stop. You’re desperate to finally cum, wishing and hoping that he’ll let you this time. Before you know it, you’re beginning to throb.

“C-close” your mouth so dry from trying to breathe that your voice is barely audible. But he doesn’t stop, only starts to suck on your clit allowing the tension to build. Your stomach is so tight from your previous closeness that it’s ready to snap. Then it does, your body awash with pleasure as you jolt from the sensation of your release. You’re so in the throws of it that you don’t notice Hobi stops his movements to suck his fingers, removing his clothes and kneeling behind you on the bed. You glance up at him, a satisfied grin across your face when you see just how hard he is.

“Up.” He commands. When he uses this tone, you know not to delay so you shakily get up still recovering from your high.

“All fours.” He asks as you maneuver yourself on the bed into the position he wants. He unclasps your bra, allowing it to come undone so you can simply toss it to the side. He brushes his hair back once more, encouraging the black strands away from his face.

“Closer.” You shuffle backward so your legs are either side of him. He’s stroking himself, pre-cum leaking from the tip.

“Good.” Stroking the skin on your thighs and ass with his other hand before going in to bite it, leaving a mark.

Before you can screech at the sudden attack on your cheek, he’s brushing his tongue on it to soothe the mark before his hand is reaching between your legs cupping your soaking cunt. He shuffles to rub the head of his cock between your folds.

“Are you ready for me baby? Your pussy says so,” his pre-cum smearing into your wetness, covering his cock as you nod a reply. He groans at the feeling of your cum on his cock. His hands trace your ass cheeks as they reach to grip your hips, before pulling you onto him, thrusting deep in one swift movement. The sting of the stretch making you gasp out, hissing through your teeth at the welcomed intrusion. You love feeling stretched around him. He stalls for a second, getting comfortable with his girth as he pushes your shoulders down, sliding his hands up your shining body encouraging you to be face down and ass up. Perfecting the angle before he begins thrusting into you, hands tight on your hips as he’s brushing and hitting your spot every time.

The once spent coil within you begins tightening again as he continues his onslaught, skin slapping against skin as he ruts into you. Pushing all the right buttons and sending you into a groaning mess.  

“What do you need Sweet-one?” he questions between thrusts.

“Y-You Hobi. I need you,” he reaches around, pulling you up so you’re riding him. Legs spread across his lap as you lean into him, giving him the perfect view down over your shoulder. He’s watching you intently while you’re grinding on him as he thrusts up into you. Your mouth’s agape as you seek air with whimpers leaving you on the out breath, all while your chest bounces with each of his thrusts. Your back against his bare chest as both of your sweat covered bodies glimmer in pink hues. His black hair in strands sticking to his forehead as his jet black eyes feast on you.

“Good...” he groans against your ear, lips tantalising your neck and shoulder as his hands reach around your front. Hobi’s actions sending flows of electric to where you need it, making you ache. His left hand moves on your breast, rolling the hardened peak between his thumb and finger. His right hand reaches down to your clit, toying it with his fingers as he helps you find a second release. “...I need you too.”

His admittance sends you clenching around him, groans leaving both of your lips as you both near your high. Your circular motions mimicking the rhythm of his cock, almost like it’s a dance to an imaginary Latin beat. Hobi’s lips are all over your neck, biting down and marking shades of purple while the pressure he’s adding to your clit has the familiar feeling returning as you start to throb. He stops his work on your breast to reach to your shoulder, holding you down on his cock as he cums up into you. The feeling of him coating your walls sending you over the edge, clenching around him as you cum, head thrown over his shoulder calling his name. A white blinding light sending you into a heavy-lidded darkness as the feeling overwhelms.

He lays you on the bed as you become vulnerable, wrapping you in the duvet and kisses your forehead. You’re tired and it’s been a long day. You had extra hours at work, then travelling until late to come and see him on his beck and call. He loves you dearly, and you know it. He holds you, smoothing your hair as your body succumbs to exhaustion.

A while later, you’re being carried to the bathroom his lips on your forehead as he peppers you with kisses. A tepid bath run and filled with bubbles as he gently lowers you in, before getting in behind you so you’re laying on his chest. Reaching over to grab the sponge to wash your body. He brushes the sponge on your body as you wake to his luxurious aftercare.

“Wait,” you sigh. Hobi stopping in his tracks, sponge lightly squeezed in his hand and dripping into the bath questioning his actions. You turn your head to place your lips against his, a long loving sweet kiss to remind him just how much you love him. You gush at each other when you stop, beaming smiles and chuckling a little when you say, “Ok, carry on”.

Read more on the Masterlist.

[evengayerpanic]

Beyond the Hollows [Week 1]

Read Another Part: [One]    [Two]    [Three]    [Four]

_________________

The end of the world came about so subtly that unless you were watching out for it specifically, you probably missed all of the signs until it was too late.

Sarah Anne Murphy, better known as Sae, was one of the one’s who was unlucky (or lucky) enough to be blindsided by the chaos that was about to engulf her. 

As she hurtled down the highway going 100kms an hour, her car screaming 90′s hit songs almost as loudly as the excited chatter from her 1994 Honda Civic’s three other passengers, there was only one thing that actually occupied her mind.

How she was going to come out to her older sister Katherine with as few victims as was possible.

One victim was inevitable, Lukas Keizerfjord.

He was a sweet boy, only three years older than Sae herself. He had a decent job in construction (which was what Katherine’s fiancee Curtis also did), appeared to be clean-cut, and had been nothing but respectful since they had picked him up in Hamilton on their way to the resort they booked in Niagara.

Sae knew what her sister and her sister’s fiancee were thinking... he was perfect for her. Maybe he was?

But he wasn’t Kristin Reynolds from her Gender Studies course; who had kissed her in her dorm room while they had been studying for their final assignment, who had held her hand when nobody was looking, and who was waiting back in Toronto to spend two weeks alone with her figuring out what they were before she started Teacher’s College.

This trip with the four of them was supposed to celebrate Sae’s graduation from Queen’s University, the young blonde woman just hoped they’d still be celebrating once she shook up the picturesque double-date that Katherine had set up for them.

The what if’s roared through her head as their journey came to a close, her GPS signaling that they were less than twenty minutes away from the resort.

It overwhelmed Sae; more than the news reports of a strange illness spreading city to city, more than the stress of her last year of university, and more than her unconventional childhood experiences.

Katherine had been her only constant growing up, and the very thought that her big sister might be disappointed in her for who she was, tore Sae up.

“Sae...” A voice came from beside her, so quiet that Sae’s busy thoughts drowned it out. “Sae.” The voice repeated, once again to deaf ears. “Sarah Anne!”

As the last call of her name came out more as a shout, Sae jumped in her seat, the car swerving slightly before the young blonde was berating her sister. “Kate, what the hell! I almost crashed the car!”

“You missed the exit.”

“Oh, sorry, I’ll take the next one.”

Katherine narrowed her eyes at her sister for a second. “What’s wrong, you look upset.” At the silence, the brunette leaned over and nudged her sister’s shoulder as she drove. “You don’t need to be nervous, I’m sure he’s going to really like you.”

“He’s not the one I’m worried about.” Sae mumbled under her breath, her eyes trained on the road ahead of her as she followed her newly recalculated GPS.

“What was that?” Kate feigned confusion as her gaze lingered on her little sister for just a little too long.

“I asked what the plan was for tonight?” Sae recovered quickly, throwing Kate off. “After we get to the hotel, I mean, where are we going tonight?” 

“Oh! Dinner at Copa Cabana, then the Casino!”

The conversation between the two sisters died down as Sae turned off onto the next exit, the resort popping into view, and the mood in the car changed.

The rest of the drive was full of excitement; the two men in the back chattered away about the games they were going to play at the casino, and the attractions in town they wanted to visit, Katherine ranted about all the stores she wanted to check out, and Sae... Even Sae couldn’t escape the excitement over getting to take pictures of the Falls up close.

_________________

The excitement was indescribable. Whether it was the look of the main street as they passed it to the resort; a cacophony of screams coming from the arcades, casinos and funhouses that littered Clifton Hill, or perhaps the beautiful views of the water as they passed through the more residential side of Niagara... there was a magic in the air that took away all of Sae’s self doubt and anxiety.

The resort, if possible, looked even more amazing than the views that they had passing it, and as Sae parked the car, she felt the light and airy feeling of vacation wash over her in a rush.

It was vacation, her graduation vacation.

Tones of blue, and accents of silver flooded the quartet as they brought their belongings from the car to the bustling front desk. Sae let her eyes wander as Katherine took over checking in to the resort, like the older and in charge sister that Sae knew and loved.

If there was anything wrong going on in the world, then this resort was far from it; a huge fence closed them off from the outside world, and the televisions littering the main foyer, had all been switched to some sort of aquarium channel, anything to further solidify the feeling of being in paradise.

“We have three hours until our reservation, what do you say we get ready as the boys check out the resort?” Katherine would tease once they got up to their rooms, and for a little while, Sae would feel normal about the whole adventure.

The girls took turns helping each other with their hair, practically wrestling to straighten Sae’s natural blonde waves, and add a bit of crimping to Kate’s naturally pin-straight auburn locks. Make-up was done together as well, Katherine taking on her duties as the older and more feminine of the two, and carefully giving Sae a smokey eye look that rivalled her own.

“We’ve got to impress Lukas, right?” Kate smirked, bringing Sae’s mood down from the vacation-glazed excitement she had been in since arriving.

“Actually...” Sae whispered, as she helped Kate finish gluing on her lashes. “I wanted to talk to you about-”

A loud bang on their door cut the blonde off quickly, and made both girls jump. “Must be the boys.” As confident as Kate was about that, Sae didn’t share the same idea as her sister moved to the door.

“Are you sure? It’s kind of early for them to be back.”

“Who else would it be, silly?” Popping open the door, the two girls shared a moment of confusion when there was nobody there, only to jump as a door down the hall slammed and a shriek was heard behind it.

“A bit early to be playing around like that, but hey, maybe someone is on their honeymoon.” Kate raised an eyebrow playfully, even as Sae’s eyes narrowed in worry as she scanned the empty hall.

“I don’t think that sounded playful at all.”

“Don’t be naïve, besides we should go see if the boys are back, it’s almost time for our reservation.” Kate chastised her, turning back to grab her purse and fixing Sae with a look that meant no nonsense.

The uneasy feeling didn’t shake off of Sae, even as she grabbed her own cross-body bag and followed after Katherine closely, her eyes not leaving the door that had slammed shut and her ears not ignoring the sudden silence that came from that suite.

_________________

“Something’s up, Kate, they won’t let us leave the resort.” Curtis’ words rang in Sae’s ears as her and her sister found the boys among the crowd that had gathered haphazardly in the lobby. 

A feeling of dread was palpable, especially as Sae looked around the crowd to see the worried faces of both staff and guests alike as they looked around, trying to find some answer of what was going on.

Her gaze lingered for a moment on a little girl, no more than eight years old, being held by her Father, the child’s arms wrapped tightly around the man’s neck, a look of terror and confusion on her face.

She tried to smile but all that came out was a grimace, especially as she heard Lukas cut Curtis off with something even more terrifying. “There was these two brothers behind us maybe 200 yards back, only teenagers, they weren’t allowed back in. The resort locked the gates soon as me and Curt got in.”

“Why wouldn’t they let a couple kids in?” Sae wondered out loud, before a loud voice came from the front of the room, effectively quieting over half of the murmuring from the crowded room.

“Everyone!” The voice boomed, Sae strained her neck to look overtop of the crowd at the man (she recognized him from check in) that it came from. “We understand you are scared and confused right now!”

“What’s going on?!” Came a yell from behind Sae.

“Why did you lock the gates, my wife is still out there shopping!” A voice sounded to the right.

“Please! We need everyone to stay calm!” This time a shrill voice came from one of the waitresses of the resorts restaurant. “Let Thomas explain!”

The murmuring of the crowd died down again, the man stepping on top of the check-in desk so that he could be seen by everyone in the crowd.

“It appears that there is a riot going on downtown.” Sae glanced around, stepping closer to Kate and taking her hand tightly, noting as several others seemed to be getting closer to their loved ones too.

“We don’t believe that we are in any danger, but there are reports of people fighting, and-”

He was cut off by another staff member, a parking valet. “There’s even been reports of a few deaths.”

A gasp ran over the crowd.

“We understand you are afraid, but it is our job to keep you guests safe.” 

“I recommend everyone return to your rooms, lock the doors and wait for more instructions.”

At the sound of a scream from the rear exit, Sae turned to see a man climbing over the gate, and her heart thudded into her chest as he dropped down and immediately began stalking towards a young woman who was busy on the payphone.

“Kate... I think we need to go.” Sae tugged at her sisters arm, noting that both Kate and Lukas seemed to be staring in the opposite direction.

As she turned her head to see what they were looking at, a scream popped out of her mouth as another man leapt onto the reception desk and tackled the manager to the ground with an animalistic shriek.

Curtis, seeing this as well, leapt to action, grabbing a chair and breaking the leg off of it, brandishing it in front of him before shoving Kate and Sae towards the staircase. “Get to our room, now!” He yelled as the screams began to erupt around them as people started to catch onto the chaos.

_________________

The next few moments seemed to take forever as the terror set in and people all began to try to get away from the carnage that was happening at the reception desk.

Sae found herself fixated, staring as the man who had knocked the manager to the ground, began to dig into his chest with his fingers, tearing chunks of flesh away from the poor man as he shrieked at the top of his lungs in pain.

It was a mix of confusion and horror that held it’s grip on Sae before her soon to be brother-in-laws hands shoved her into action, breaking her glance and snapping her into focus.

“Run!” He screamed again, right in her ear as she began to take the stairs by two, her sister almost half a flight ahead of her, screaming for Sae to hurry up.

The group ascended the stairs quickly, few other guests following their actions as they all rushed to their rooms, to some preconcieved notion of safety that would await them as long as they could get behind a pair of locked doors.

The chaos was ringing in Sae’s ears, screams coming from the left and right of her as more and more guests were both attacked, and caught on to the attacks happening to the people around them.

As they cleared the first flight of stairs, the small group broke off from the pack of resort guests just in time to start sprinting down the hall to their room. The boys were in lead, trying to clear the way, their keys out to get the door open when Sae ran past her sister, frozen and staring at an open door.

“Kate!” The blonde screamed, skidding to a stop and turning back to her sister. “Come on!”

“That’s the room.” Kate yelled back, her voice weak and small. “The scream from earlier, it was her. Look, she’s hurt, Sae, she needs help.”

“What are you talking about?” Her voice is scared and hoarse, and it’s only when the silence sets in that Sae realizes the screaming she heard earlier was her.

Thats when she sees her.

In the doorway across from Kate, the room that they had heard screaming from what seems like forever ago, a woman stands in the doorway and shakes.

“She’s hurt Sae, I can help her, I’m a nurse.” Kate demands, and Sae freezes like ice when she sees the blood dripping from the girls finger tips.

“I don’t think we can help her Kate, we need to go.”

The boys have already reached the room, and are fumbling with the door key, they haven’t noticed that the girls have stopped running... not yet.

“I’m a nurse, I have to help...” Kate says, her voice is fierce and determined and yet Sae can sense just the slightest hint of fear.

“We need to get to safety.” Sae tries to talk her down, tries to talk her sister over the guilt she has that what she thought was a playful sexy scream earlier was anything but playful or sexy.

Kate takes a step forward, hand out to the trembling woman. “Come with us, we’ll help you, I’m a nurse.” 

Sae sees the expression on the woman’s face change just a second too late before she’s grabbing onto Kate’s hand with full force, pulling the brunette closer and sinks her teeth into Kate’s shoulder. 

The sister’s let out a scream in unison, Kate’s in pain, Sae’s in horror as the woman tears a chunk from Kate’s shoulder and begins chewing on it desperately.

“Kate! Kate!” She screams, the boys finally noticing and running back towards the girls in defense.

Lukas runs at the girl who attacked Kate, and Curtis begins to use the chair leg like a bat to beat the woman away from his fiancee and her sister as Kate crumples to the ground and Sae rushes towards her.

“Kate... Kate, please talk to me, please!” Sae begs, cradling her sister’s head in her lap and trying to stop the bleeding of her shoulder by pushing her hands against the wound, blood seeping between her fingers and staining her hands and dress a bright red.

Life flashes before Sae’s eyes; her and Katherine as children, holding hands and sobbing as their Father is put into the ground, the moment that their Mother brought home her first boyfriend, coming home from elementary school to find her sister nursing some fresh bruises from that very same boyfriend, and finally, promising each other that they’ll always be there for each other, no matter what happens.

It’s those words that she repeats to herself as she desperately tries to stop the bleeding. “I’m right here Kate, I’m right here!” Sae cries as she can feel her sister shuddering underneath her, her wound pulses with every fleeting heartbeat that Kate has.

“Come on Katie, you’re okay...” Sae begs as she feels the stillness of her sister begin to settle in. Tears mix with blood as Sae drops her head over Kate’s and begins to sob, taking in loud gasps of air as her cries quickly become frantic and hysterical.

“Get away from her.” A voice warns from behind Sae, but she’s stuck watching as the life drains from her sister. “I mean it, you need to get away now!”

A gasp leaves Sae as rough hands pull her backwards, moments later that gasp is turning to a shriek as the young woman notices Katherine’s eyes are beginning to open again, only instead of the warm brown honey that Sae is used to, she meets a milky white.

“Kate?” She screams, a snarl leaves her sisters mouth as the brunette gains momentum, leaping from her place on the ground towards Sae. “Stop!”

A pair of rough and calloused hands shove at Kate, knocking her back to the ground, giving Sae a moment to look beside her and see the man from earlier who was holding his young daughter, standing in the doorway of a room directly behind them.

Sae can see the young girl just inside the room, screaming for her Daddy, but only briefly before another shout focuses her attention in front of her.

“No!” Comes the desperate scream from Curtis, his heart stopping as he sees Katherine, or what’s quickly become of her. Her focus doesn’t change from Sae.

“Move, now!” The man beside her yells, simultaneously as Kate once again lunges at Sae, stopped by his bare hands as he manages to grab her arm and keep her from reaching the young woman.

The next few moments feel like they go by in slow motion, stumbling away from her sister and the man, Sae watches as Curtis and Lukas both run forward.

While it looks as if Lukas is going to run for Sae, and Curtis for Kate, fate takes a strange turn and the two boys go for the opposite sister; Lukas runs full force at Katherine and the man, his lips screaming out a hoarse “Get away from her!” as he tackles Kate away from where she’s trying to pull towards Sae.

Curtis on the other hand slams full force into Sae, knocking her backwards into the open room. For a moment she tries to scream and fight against him that they need to go save Kate, but Curtis doesn’t listen past yelling at her to get inside to safety.

As the man is broken free from Kate’s hold by the flailing and fighting Lukas, he also manages to enter the room, turning to face the frenzied Lukas with a quick demand to “Hurry up and get inside!”

With Sae momentarily stunned, Curtis turns his head to watch as Kate grabs a hold of Lukas, and in a last minute decision, Curtis slams the door closed and throws a wardrobe in front of it.

There’s a second of shocked silence before hell breaks loose in a flurry of screamed threats and desperation.

“What are you doing, your friend is still out there?!” The man demands in a roar of confusion.

“We need to go back out there, Curtis!” Sae is shrieking in endless desperation, held back by her would-be brother-in-law as she tries to fight to the door. “We have to get Kate and Lukas!”

“She’s dead!” Curtis finally growls, managing to fight Sae onto one of the hotel beds in the room. 

She stills in fear, her eyes wide and red with tears.

“Kate’s dead, Sarah... Lukas is too. Unless you want to be responsible for getting the rest of us killed, including that man’s daughter, you’re going to shut the fuck up and just accept that your sister is dead.”

The room falls into silence as Sae turns away from Curtis, putting her face against the pillow and attempts to drown out the rest of her crying.

[fangirllifu]

Sweet Like Pudding Ch. 22

Italics - thoughts

It's been roughly two months since the end of the training camp. Kanna and Kenma had kept in touch. They chatted and even video called at times, as she does her homework and Kenma plays his games. They'd talk about the troublesome people surrounding them, Kuroo and Koutarou, Kenma's teammates annoying him, and just whatever topic Kanna has on her mind on that specific day.

Much to the delight of Akaashi, who found out they kept contact, despite Kanna trying her best to hide it (she still doesn't know that he knows). It wasn't really that hard for him to figure it out though, what with how much she's recently been glued to her phone and all the smiles she tries oh so terribly to not make them notice. Koutarou maybe, but not him. But in the meantime, he'll keep this all to himself and he'll let the others find out on their own. It's more fun this way anyway. Plus, he gets more pictures for the scrapbook and to possibly bribe Kenma with in the future.

Currently Kanna and Akaashi were at Kanna's home/apartment doing their respective assignments. After a straight hour of continuous studying, they decided to take a break, which reminded Kanna of an upcoming special occasion.

"Hey Keiji, you know how its Kou's birthday next week right?" Kanna brought up the topic, earning a nod from the male.

"We should really do something, even if it's small. Or else he'll whine about it." She grimaces, to which Akaashi shows a sympathetic expression of agreement.

"Small party after school at the house?" Akaashi suggests.

"I'll talk to Aunty then. We should invite Kuroo right?" She nods and adds in question, sure that her cousin would be delighted to have his best friend there.

Akaashi nods. "You can ask Kenma if the both of them are free."

"Hm. I'll ask then." Kanna then got her phone out and proceeded to type a message to Kenma.

—Hey, Kenma

—Are you free to talk? Keiji and I were wondering about something

She had just pressed send, when she suddenly realized something. "Wait, how did you—"

Only to be cut off by the sound of her phone ringing, indicating an incoming call. She pressed accept, and put it on speaker phone so Akaashi could be included in the conversation as well.

—Call—

"Hello, Kenma?"

"Yes?"

"Ah! Keiji's here with me and we were just wondering if you and Kuroo would be free next week for Kou's birthday?"

"Hmm... That's on Thursday, right?"

"Yes"

"I'd have to ask Kuroo if we have practice on that day. Though I'm sure he'd want to attend, since it is Bokuto's birthday. But we might be late in case we do have practice."

"That's alright Kozume. I'm sure Bokuto-san would be glad with just the mere fact that the two of you are coming to attend." Akaashi interjects.

"I see. Is that all?"

"Yes, thank you so much. I'm sorry if we interrupted anything." Kanna replies in a grateful but apologetic tone.

"Its fine, you didn't. I'll just message you when I have Kuroo's answer."

"Okay! Thank you again! Bye~"

"Hn"

—Call End—

"That went well." Kanna smiles looking towards Akaashi, only to see him staring down at her phone with a contemplative expression.

"Ken-kun?" Akaashi asks, lifting his head up and looking at her highly amused with the unexpected discovery.

"W-h-a-t~" Kanna drawled, looking away from Akaashi in embarrassment.

"Dang it! I was hoping he wouldn't notice it. But of course, he did!" She thought, slightly troubled.

Akaashi merely shook his head in mirth at her denial. "So, plans?"

"Right! Hm~ It's his last birthday before he graduates, so we need to do something a little special. It doesn't have to be big, just, I don't know… memorable?" Kanna vaguely reasons.

"We could have the usual team celebration moved to the morning instead of morning practice. We would have to get the coach's permission, but I'm sure he could make an exception." Akaashi offers.

"That works. You'll inform the rest?" Kanna asks and Akaashi merely takes out his phone to inform the rest of the team the change of plans for the set date.

"Then we'll have a second party in the afternoon, but this time along with Kuroo and Kenma." Kanna confirms, earning a nod from Akaashi.

"…..What else can we add?" She says as she closes her eyes, deep in thought.

"There's that cake shop downtown that does crazy cakes on request, we could ask them to make one." Akaashi proposes, remembering the shop he walks by every day.

"That's… a wonderful idea Keiji! I'm sure he'd be over the moon! We could split the cost once we get all the details down." Kanna sits up and clasps her hands in delight at the proposition.

"We could go there tomorrow after classes, since we don't have practice." Akaashi suggests, to which Kanna nods in approval.

"Hmm…. Presents?" Kanna asks, wondering if she'll even be able to.

"I don't think we'd have enough money to buy him a separate present. I'm sure the cake would cost a lot, it would be customized after all." Akaashi reasons

Kanna shrugs in response. "Knowing him, he'll be happy with just the cake, so we probably don't even need to get him anything more."

Seeming to come to an agreement, they end the planning there. With that they returned to finishing their works in silence.

—~~~— —~~~— —~~~— —~~~— —~~~— —~~~— 

The day is finally here. Kanna, along with the Fukurodani Team (minus Koutarou), woke up extra early to get the gym ready for the celebration. Kanna arrived on school grounds at about the same time as the rest of the guys, who were carrying a couple decorations, as well as a medium sized box of cake. They hurriedly shuffled towards the gym and quickly got started on things, as it was only a matter of time before the guest of honor arrived.

Meanwhile, Koutarou was having a very good morning. Why, you ask. That's because it's his special day.

"Happy~ Birthday~ to~ me~" He sings in his head. If you squint, you'll see the glowing flowery background surrounding him, as he skips down the street with the biggest and dorkiest smile on his face.

As he reached the school grounds, he began to wonder if his team had remembered the special occasion.

"It's my last year… wonder what I should do with the team?" Koutarou thought as he opened the doors of the gym, only to be greeted with a loud.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAPTAIN!"

There the team, plus his cousin, were gathered as a group in the middle of the gym, wide smiles on their faces. A whiteboard covered in decorations was behind them with the words 'Happy Birthday to the Bestest Captain', in front of them was a table with a medium sized chocolate cake with a single lit candle on top, waiting to be blown.

"YOU GUYS~~!" Koutarou exclaimed as he ran up to join the group.

"Oy Oy! Don't get mushy now!" Konoha yelled alarmed at Koutarou as he got close enough to see the glazed eyes of his Captain.

"Come, blow the candle before it melts on the cake." Shirofuku herds, effectively gathering all of their attention.

They sang him a 'Happy Birthday' with Koutarou enthusiastically joining in. He childishly closed his eyes as he made a wish, smiling brightly as he blew the candle. After a round of clapping and another 'happy birthdays', the group happily cut the cake, excited to dig in on the sweet treat.

Koutarou looked on fondly at every single one of them, saving to memory every single smiling face. He really was glad to have been a part of this team. And he wouldn't trade them for the world. With a big bright smile on his face, he joins in on indulging himself with the chocolate cake in his hand.

—~~~— —~~~— —~~~— —~~~— —~~~— —~~~— 

That afternoon, Akaashi walked with Koutarou back to his house, making sure to keep the older male distracted to not question anything. Though it was proving to be an even easier task than he had anticipated, as Koutarou was much too engrossed in his good mood and was continuously blabbering about to notice anything amiss. Like his currently absent cousin.

Kanna had left early to pick up the cake and prepare for the second part of their surprise, Akaashi only hoped that he was able to stall enough time for her to finish. Nonetheless, Akaashi was thankful as they arrived at the Older Bokuto's household without a hitch.

They walked up to the house, with Koutarou opening the door and greeting in his usual highly enthusiastic way.

"We're home!"

With Akaashi quietly voicing an almost nonexistent, "Excuse me for the intrusion."

"Welcome Home! We're in the kitchen dear!" His mom answers back in the same volume.

They took their shoes off and made their way to the kitchen to be greeted by the two women of the family busy cooking, Koutarou and Kanna's moms.

"Kou-kun! There's the birthday boy! Or should I call you birthday Man~" Kanna's mom exclaims teasingly, causing a loud and jolly laugh to burst from the aforementioned male.

"Hello Keiji-kun, so nice of you to join us again." Koutarou's mom greets with a smile, earning her a respectful nod from the raven-head.

"Kanna-chan's not here?" Koutarou asked as he looked around not noticing any sign of his cousin.

"Oh, she went out to buy matches, saying we ran out. She should be back any minute now." Kanna's mom answers as she goes back to preparing and plating the food.

"Oh—" Koutarou began only to be cut off by the doorbell ringing.

*Ding Dong~*

Koutarou looked questioningly at his mom and aunt, and lastly Akaashi. He knew it wasn't Kanna as she wouldn't have any need to ring the bell, so he wondered if they were expecting anyone. The three only gestured for him to go on ahead and open the door. Shrugging as he complied, Koutarou made his way towards the door. He opened it to see Kuroo and Kenma in front of him, causing him to exclaim.

"Bro!"

And Kuroo answered in equal enthusiasm. "Bro!"

"Bro!"

"Bro!"

This went on for a minute or two, before Kuroo decided to break it.

"Happy Birthday!" Kuroo says.

"Hahahaha! Thanks!" Koutarou chuckles in response, as he ushers Kuroo in so he can close the door behind him. "Come in! Come in!"

Only to freeze along with Kuroo once they turned around. There was Kenma, out of his shoes, looking at them, waiting.

Kuroo recovered first and broke the silence. "Kenma? When did you get there?"

"When you were having your idiotic moment." Kenma deadpanned. He'd sidestepped and chose to ignore the duo sharing a single brain cell, in favor of stepping inside and out of the cold night air.

Koutarou merely shrugged and ushered the two along. "Come, they're in the kitchen."

"Mom! Kuroo and Kenma are here!" He yelled as he skipped in front of the two.

"Hello! Excuse us for the intrusion." Kuroo greets as they came into view, Kenma bows in greeting to the group.

Kenma scans the room and notices Akaashi along with two older women, one who he knows to be the older Bokuto's mom. He glances to the other and thinks. "….she must be Kanna's mom."

"Hello boys! Thank you for coming." Koutarou's mom greets back to the two with a smile.

"Oh! Hello there, I don't believe we've met before?" Kanna's mom looks curiously between the two, making Kenma twitch.

"Aunty, this is my bestest bro Kuroo and this is his childhood friend Kenma. Guys this is my Aunt Kumiko, Kanna-chan's mom." Koutarou introduces, gesturing to each person as he named them.

"Kuroo Tetsurou, Nice to meet you Kumiko-san!" Kuroo respectfully bows.

"Kozume Kenma." Kenma softly says, bowing along with Kuroo.

"So this is him…" Kumiko thought with a warm smile.

"Not much of a talker, are you. Well that's alright, my dear Kanna's the same with people she just met. Nice to meet the both of you too! Thank you for looking out for my baby at the training camp." She nonchalantly waves her hand and fixes the two with a grateful smile.

"It was nothing, Kumiko-san! If anything we should be the ones who are thankful, as she helped us. Speaking of which, where is the little owl?" Kuroo respectfully answers, and wonders as he hasn't seen the younger Bokuto anywhere.

"She stepped out for a bit, she should be back—" Kumiko explains only to be cut off by a loud yell.

"I'm back!" Kanna exclaims, the door closing shut behind her.

"I got the—" She started, but cut herself as she came into view and saw the new additional people.

"Kenma!" She says with a wide smile.

As their eyes locked, the visible change in the male didn't escape those watching the two. He might've been facing away from the group, but they could clearly see how he was much more relaxed than when he first arrived.

"Kuroo-san! You guys made it!" She continues as she turns to the taller male.

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world." Kuroo replies with a chuckle at the enthusiasm, and secretly at how Kenma reacted to Kanna's arrival.

"She still calls me with a '-san' though..." He inwardly sighs. "Guess she's not that comfortable with me yet."

"Did you find some, dear?" Her mom interrupts.

"I did!" She answers, brandishing the box of matches in her hand "Let's start?"

"Alright then, Kou-kun close your eyes." Koutarou's mom orders with a clap of her hands.

Koutarou follows, eagerly waiting. Kanna nudges Akaashi and gestures towards the other room for help with the cake. He walks over with her and lifts the cake, with Kanna's guidance, he carefully places it on the table along with the others. Kanna lifts off the covering, causing Kuroo to whistle and Kenma to widen his eyes.

Kuroo's whistle, of course, caused Koutarou to fuss. "What?! What?! I wanna see~!"

"Shh! We're almost done." Kanna remarks as she carefully places the candle on top and lights it. "Okay, done!"

Koutarou opens his eyes and glows—literally glows—in utter delight as he joyfully cheers in happiness. There, in front of him, was the coolest cake he has ever seen. It was an owl cake, but most of all, A Horned Owl cake in his likeness.

"THIS—IT'S— IT'S—WAAAA~!" Koutarou sobbed as he fussed over the cake. Everybody laughed at the birthday boy's antics.

"Alright enough of that, dry your tears Kou-kun and blow the candle or else the it'll melt on the cake." His mom playfully chides.

Koutarou reigns in his composure and closes his eyes to make a wish, before he opens them and blows on the candle. Afterwards, the two ladies ushers the group of teenagers for a picture, laughing at Koutarou's snot and tear stained face.

They all sat down to eat, saying thank you to the two lovely women who prepared everything. A little while after, they were joined by Koutarou's Father who had just gotten off of work. They laughed as Kumiko-san scolded her brother for being late to his own son's birthday party, but it was all in good fun. After the meal, the adults ushered the group into the living room as they cleaned up, refusing help along the way. The five of them sat around the living room as Kuroo presented him his gift.

"My Dude, My Man, My Bro…" Kuroo started, earning groans from three individuals at the side, which he pointedly ignored.

"Kenma and I pitched in to get you this extra special birthday present. And I know you'll love it, so here you go!" He finishes as he hands Koutarou the wrapped present.

Koutarou eagerly rips it open and he beams. Kuroo and Kenma had gifted him a pair of Kneepads. But not just any old pair of kneepads. It was a pair of Owl Kneepads. He laughed and glomped Kuroo, spluttering his many thanks with a big smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Akaashi's eyes twitched in slight irritation, already picturing the impending chaos he'll have to deal with at practice with the addition that's bound to double—if not triple—his Captain's already boundless enthusiasm. Kanna sweat dropped at Akaashi's expression, while Kenma merely looked on unbothered.

"Why, did you agree to that?" Akaashi sighed exasperated, looking at Kenma with a betrayed expression.

"It's what he wanted to get. Kuroo said he found it a while back but didn't have enough money to buy it. So when I proposed on pitching in for a birthday present for Bokuto, he jumped on the opportunity." Kenma shrugged, pointedly ignoring the light glare he was receiving from the taller male.

Kuroo, Kenma and Akaashi didn't stay for long as it was getting late and they all had to take a couple of train rides back, not to mention they still had school early the next day. They all said their thanks to the Bokuto family, and excused themselves. Kumiko-san offered to drive them to the station on their way home, they wanted to refuse, but ultimately they couldn't decline Kanna's mom. So they all piled into Kumiko's car with Kanna on the passenger seat, and the trio at the back.

As Koutarou, his mom and dad, waved watching the car pull out of the drive way. Koutarou began to ponder, he really was blessed. The three years in Fukuroudani had been nothing but wonderful, but this had been the best year out of all for him. And that was because finally. Finally. He'd get to see Kanna, his precious baby cousin, genuinely smile and be happy again.

"Thank you all so much!"

Notes:

Happy Holidays Everyone! Also Happy Birthday Month for our very own Bokuto-Handler who-needs-more-appreciation-and-recognition-for-his-efforts, President Akaashi Keiji!

Here is the b-day special for Bokuto I have promised. I hope you all liked it! The next one (On New Year's) would be Kenma's, please do look forward to that as well.

Please Meet Kanna's mom, Bokuto Kumiko (OC). She's got the signature energetic personality of a Bokuto, and the brains Kanna inherited. She's has no partner and happily enjoying life (not a lot of people are capable of handling a Bokuto, especially a smart one). She's best friends with Akaashi, and regularly gets updates on her baby's recent development (who is clueless).

Once again, I got carried away while writing this chapter. This is by far the longest chapter I have done (so far). But I sure did enjoy myself while writing it, so...

[Previous Chapter | Next Chapter]

Chapter List

[uzumaki-rebellion]

“Stark’s New Intern” Chp. 3

Summary: Erik has lunch with Tony and gets a new roommate...

"Don't let your young life get you down It always had a certain mystery Many changes come to everyone About the time that they turn seventeen Grandma said at times you'll feel a sting There'll be sharp turns and uphills and closed doors Then she said hold onto your faith 'Cause in this world you've got to go and get yours

So you stand up Be strong go out there Hold on to the real things that matter 'Cause no one's gonna hand it to you on a silver platter..."

The Brand New Heavies—"Brother Sister"

Pepper Potts glared at Tony like he stole cash from her purse.

"What have I done now?" Tony asked.

He placed his hands on the table in an open palm stance. A waiter walked up behind Pepper holding a martini and Erik watched Tony shake his head and the waiter slunk back to the bar. Clearly Boss Man wasn't supposed to be at Durangos. And it appeared that he wasn't supposed to be drinking either. Erik grabbed a menu and stuck his nose down in it to figure out how much of Tony's money he was about to use up. He was hungry and bold enough to spend hundreds at that moment.

Pepper ignored Erik and pulled out a file from the charcoal gray attaché case she had slung around her shoulder.

"I told you I needed these physically signed, not electronically, before you left the office. I told you this three times yesterday and now I have a defense contractor in Germany up my butt because of you. You never listen to me."

"You look lovely today, Pep—"

"Save it. Just sign."

She jabbed a pen Tony's way and he quickly signed several forms before handing her back the pen.

"Lovely to meet you, Erik," Pepper said with a little bite in words. She stormed out of the restaurant.

"So...about her..."

"No need to explain to me," Erik said.

Another waiter approached the table.

"The Lobster and filet mignon for both of us. Medium. One dirty martini...two dirty martinis and a Shirley Temple—"

"Coke," Erik interjected putting down the menu. "I'll have the lobster bisque and glazed duck sliders too."

The waiter took the menus and Tony looked at Erik with humor in his eyes.

"How did you like the morning portion of the tour?"

"It was alright."

"Just alright? State of the art décor, cutting edge tech and all you give me is 'alright'?"

"It was cool, man. Whatchu want me to say? I ain't like them other dudes tripping over themselves to get next to you."

"Yeah, you turned down doing this internship twice...seriously...what do you really think?"

Erik took a sip of the soda the waiter brought over to him and sat back in his seat.

"I was impressed."

"Have you decided what department you want to be in?"

"Cybertech."

"Emphasis?"

"Biometrics."

"Good choice. Perfect for your interests. Who is your hotel roommate?"

"Tyler. The dude from Canada."

"Getting along?"

"He's quiet. Keeps to himself."

"When we move you all over to the Oakwood next week, do you want to keep him as a bunk buddy?"

"You can stick me with anybody—"

"No, you don't get just anybody. You are here for three months and I need all my interns focused at the office and not having problems at night."

"Stick me with whoever. I don't care. I'm here to learn and keep to myself."

"See, that's not how this works at Stark Industries. The lone wolf mentality is not conducive to below the line teamwork. I am building a future team. Ten people are going to be kept on, and I want you to be one of those ten. You have to get rid of this individual crusade you got going on."

"It's worked for me so far—"

"At Annapolis?"

Erik looked at his glass of soda.

"They break you down and build you up to be the Borg. I know the drill, Stevens. Cut the crap."

"You gotta stop separating me then."

"I will do that. This is just a little formality to make sure your head is straight."

"I'm straight—"

The lobster bisque and glazed duck sliders were set before Erik by a different waiter and he tucked in right away. By the time he had wolfed down his first course, the lobster and steak were in front of him, and he ate his meal in peace.

Tony sipped on his martinis and checked his cell from time to time. Erik ordered dessert, chocolate bread pudding with French vanilla bean ice cream. When they were finished, he followed Tony out to the valet stand.

"Do your best and your place here is assured, Stevens."

Erik nodded.

But he wasn't there to get a career. He was there to learn what he could use in the future. A future writ in his father's blood.

###

"Fuck."

Erik stood in the lobby of the Oakwood Apartment office staring at his cell phone.

Maria's name and picture stared back at him. They were partnered as roommates. Apartment key card in his hand, Erik rolled his large suitcase and duffle bag to the furnished upstairs unit he was assigned. It was near the pool and jacuzzi and Erik felt his mood sinking even lower because he knew this was going to be the party spot, and he didn't want to be around loud noises. He went back to the apartment office and tried to get re-assigned, but the woman there said there were to be no changes without Mr. Stark's approval. Erik already knew Tony did this to him on purpose. Stuck him with the most annoying person he had met so far.

When he tapped his key card to the entrance and stepped in, Maria was already standing in the middle of the living room with her three bags.

"Roomie!" she said.

He rolled his eyes at her and closed the door.

"I wanted to wait until you arrived so we could choose rooms."

"Whichever one doesn't face the pool."

"Cool! Because I want the other one that does!"

Maria took off to find her room. The good thing about the layout was that the bedrooms were opposite one another. He planned to spend as little time around her as possible.

Unpacking in the slow methodical way he had always done since he was a child, he took time to organize his living space and changed clothes. He was happy to be in a t-shirt and baggy jeans again. He grabbed the bottle of Gullah Red Rooster hot sauce he had wrapped in his suitcase. Slipping his feet into some comfy black slides, he headed into the kitchen to see what they had as far as cooking utensils.

Maria was already there digging in the cupboards.

"They have a rice cooker!" she squealed.

He nodded, happy that he didn't have to buy one. He was always eating rice. At least they had that one thing in common by the way she was pleased by the discovery.

"I cook a lot," she said.

"I do too."

She stared at him as if she didn't believe him. Cooking was something that was instilled into him early by his father. His Mom was a great cook, but his father was exceptional. It was a skill that was passed down to him, and he planned on using the kitchen a lot to get comfortable. If he had to suffer this living arrangement, he would at least eat well and stuff his pain with good food. He opened up the cupboard closest to the stove and stuck the hot sauce on the bottom shelf. Maria stared at him with a smile on her face.

"What?" he said glaring at her.

She held her hands out to him. A bottle of Louisiana's Finest sat in her palm. Erik couldn't help the smile that crept across his lips. She stepped next to him and placed her bottle next to his in the cupboard.

"Pedestrian," he said staring at her bottle.

"Look who's talking with that mild stuff you're depressing us with—"

"Mild?"

"Watered-down pepper sauce—"

"I know you not talking trash 'bout my Nana's shit—"

"Put up or shut up!"

They both grabbed their bottles and snatched spoons out of a kitchen drawer.

"You first," Maria said.

She opened up her fresh bottle and shook a drop onto the spoon. Erik took the spoon and stuck it into his mouth. A subtle smoky-sweet flavor, a slight tingling in his gums—

"Shit!" he said as his eyes watered and his mouth gaped open from the wicked heat.

Maria cackled. Once Erik could see again and his tongue prepped to create a new layer of skin for his burned off taste buds, Maria took his bottle and shook two drops on her spoon.

"Yo, you might wanna go easy—"

Maria stuck the spoon in her mouth with attitude. Three seconds later she was crying and sticking her mouth under the kitchen sink trying to wash away the taste.

"Told ya," Erik said watching her struggle. The sauce burned away the whites of her eyes turning them a watery red mess, and she kept panting as she rubbed her fingers across her tongue. After a full display of histrionics that Erik felt was overexaggerated, Maria leaned against the kitchen stove and wiped more tears from her face.

"You win," she said, her tongue stuck out for him to see.

"Don't bring no knife to a gunfight, girl," he said putting the bottles into the fridge.

"Keep that away from my stuff!"

He placed their sauces on separate shelves.

The rest of their time was spent at the kitchen table going over house rules. Mainly Erik's rules. No talking or loud noises before ten a.m. No house guests without two days' notice. Shared spaces had to be immaculate. No dishes left in the sink under any circumstances...clean as you go. No touching or eating another's food. Bathroom and toilet had to be cleaned daily. No traces of shaved hairs in the sink or bathtub. No hair ties or traces or hair after washing in the tub/shower. Phone conversations shouldn't be heard by a third party. Shoes off in the apartment at all times. Trash taken out every three days even if it wasn't full. No loud noises after nine at night. No smoking indoors unless it was weed.

Maria stared at the list he had emailed to her.

"You have anything to add?" he asked her staring at his own cell.

"Am I allowed to breathe or fart at any time?"

Erik quirked his lips at her and she giggled.

"Can we play music?" she asked.

"Yeah. Just be cognizant of the other person if they are working on something. Use headphones at appropriate times."

"Have you always been this anal?"

"Anal?"

"I know military training is imprinted on you, but jeez dude—"

"I just want to keep the peace. I need order and cleanliness, Ma. For reals. I can't stand living with nasty ass people. Can you deal?"

"I can deal."

They heard music blaring from outside. Maria jumped up and ran to their tiny balcony window throwing back the drapes.

"People are out at the jacuzzi already. We should go down!"

Erik let out an exasperated sigh.

"You are such an old man! Lighten up, Erik. God, I love this song!"

Maria grabbed his hand and dragged him out the front door.

Five interns sat inside the jacuzzi while an additional ten stood around with beers in their hand. Someone already made a beer run? They all wore swimsuits.

Erik glanced around. No Giselle or Curtis.

"Hey look, it's Stark's boy!"

Wesley Bretts. Boston. New money. Ultra redneck vibes masked under an upper-middle-class persona. Trouble.

"I ain't nobody's boy," Erik said with a little thunder behind his tone.

"No harm no foul, man. Just pointing out your favored status."

Wesley grinned with perfect bleached teeth and a phony all-shucks demeanor. Erik could feel all eyes on him again. He was younger than everyone else there, but he wasn't about to let no Boston bum talk to him any ole kind of way. Erik sauntered over and stood toe to toe with him.

"Watch how you talk to me and there won't be no problems in this bitch—"

"Hey, Erik, have a beer," Maria said.

She grabbed one from one of the women there and shoved it into his chest. Someone splashed water on Wesley from the jacuzzi and he wrenched his eyes from Erik's.

"You are so in trouble for that!" Wesley said dropping down into the jacuzzi and splashing water back at a blonde who had her eyes on Erik.

Erik opened the tab on his beer and gulped down the bitter brew.

"He's a dick. Ignore him," another blonde said to him. Her smile was sincere.

"I'm Hayley, that's Irene and Valentina—"

Erik took in their names and faces. Maria introduced herself to them and he stood there feeling uncomfortable, wishing he had stayed inside the apartment. If he couldn't get through a beer bash at an impromptu party, he was going to be on struggle mode the rest of his time there. Better to man up and push through the dumb shit.

"You and I will be under the same project manager," Valentina said.

"What?" he said tuning into her face.

Valentina was a raven-haired beauty with the lightest milky blue eyes he had ever seen up close. They almost looked fake. Her dark hair and tanned skin made her look Mediterranean. She stood out among the bleached blondes and suspect red-heads in the bunch.

She held up her cell to him.

"The team list was just posted," she said. Her smile was genuine and Erik felt himself lighten up a bit.

"Ohmigosh, I'm with you guys!"

Maria gave a little jump. Why was she so excited about every little thing? She held her phone up to Erik. He took it from her hand and scanned the other names. He found Giselle listed with a design and innovations team. He wondered where she was staying in the complex. Why couldn't he be living with her? Or teamed up with her at the office?

Other interns began showing up at the pool and the noise level rose. He was about to excuse himself when he saw Giselle walking into the pool area with a big Swede named Roland. She was caught up in an intense convo with him, and when her eyes caught Erik's, she waved but kept right on talking to Roland.

"See you guys," Valentina said.

"Where you going?" he asked, curious to know her since they would be around each other for three months.

"The pool is heated," she said, "we're getting in."

"We should go get our swimsuits," Maria said clutching his arm. Erik watched Giselle pull off the shorts and shirt she had on revealing a red string bikini underneath that had heads turning.

"Bet," he said. He followed Maria back to the apartment. He threw on an old pair of OP trunks and grabbed a towel from the bathroom.

"Whoa," Maria said when she saw him. Her eyes flitted up and down his body, "You must work out...a lot," she said.

He saw her cheeks turn a little red. He looked at her green one piece. She had a cute shape although she slouched a bit like she was trying to hide her little round body. A swimsuit that worked with her curves instead of against them would probably help her confidence.

"Maybe I should forget the pool," she mumbled throwing her towel around her shoulders and covering most of her body.

"You suggested this, so now we're going," he said.

He headed toward the door and she hesitated following him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"Now you wanna be shy all of sudden?"

"Look how you're built. Did you see Valentina's body? Giselle's?"

God yes, he saw their bodies, and he played it off like he didn't, looking hella slick while doing it too.

"Stop trippin' girl. You got a cute shape. Go show it off. Thick thighs save lives too."

Maria started laughing.

"Wait...you think I have a cute shape? You're not just saying that to be nice right? I shouldn't care because men always make women feel like shit if they don't meet some ridiculous beauty standard, but this is real life and I have to deal with this bullshit even if I don't want to."

"I'm not going to lie to you. You really do have a cute shape. Cute face too."

"Thank you. I do think you're lying, but if I walk out with you, they won't notice my frumpy—"

"Listen. If we are going to be on the same team, I can't be with someone who has no confidence. Fake it 'til you make it, Ma. C'mon. Don't be dragging me down with your poor self-image. I'm telling you...you look fine. Act like it or else stay in the apartment. My Nana always told me that a closed mouth don't get fed. So if you want to make a good impression, get out there, mix and mingle and stop worrying about how you look. Let these bitches know who they fuckin' with."

"Easy for you to say when you look like a Greek Adonis and have the brain of an Einstein."

"African Adonis. And better than Einstein. Get it right."

He opened the front door and he felt her rush behind him.

"I'm sticking with you if that's okay," she said.

"When have you not?" he said while locking their front door.

###

Chapter 1  Chapter 2  Chapter 3  Chapter 4  Chapter 5

Tag List:

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[tartagilicious]

love is a bad word (arthur x reader)

“This city night looks like you: brilliant but a little lonely. Your knotted heart, I’ve followed it downthese strange streets. Tell me how you want it, tell me how you need it. There’s enough time. We dive into that sky and melt into the night.”

title: love is a bad word

pairing: arthur x you

genre: smut

requested: yes, thanks so much for the support, anon :)

song: stay up by baekhyun + beenzino, gymnopédie no. 1, erik satie

edit: the original copy was deleted by accident through me trying to edit this on mobile, so, if text wasn’t appearing for a while, that’s all it was. 

—

Beyond the windows of his bedroom, the street lamps hung brazenly against the star-studded sky and cast warped shadows across your face. Your expression weighed down with dim longing, yet inexplicably, you still somehow remained as ethereal as the stars not so far out.

No longer was there a blindfold over your eyes, and no longer were you inept to the tension that had arisen between the two of you. Just mere months ago, the premonition of even a friendship between you and the author had seemed unlikely, yet still, there you were, living in the very situation you’d deemed as impossible from the start.

Starting out in the mansion, Arthur had done things you thought were unforgivable. His unsolicited touches and damningly flirtatious words putting a mark in your brain that you were sure you’d never forget as long as you lived. But between things like his sincere apologies, the way he regarded you with friendly intent and talked with you as if he’d known you for years — the dynamics had confused you to no end.

By now, you knew him almost as well as you did yourself, and everything about him proved to only add onto the fact that you were irrevocably in love with the writer. Maybe he would never forget the lives that slipped through his fingers. The people he tried so hard to save — and couldn’t. But when the darkness creeps up to tell him he’s a failure or that he’s not worth it, you want to be there to say it’s wrong.

You want to be with him for as long as you could to remind him that he would never be alone. He didn’t need to push himself. You want to shield him so he didn’t have to mask his pain anymore.

You want to stay with him to remind him that he too was deserving of happiness.

You’d jokingly named this feeling love one night, once upon a time. But you’d had no idea then.

He brushed your cheek with the lightest, most tender of touches, keeping an achingly teasing distance even without his gloves on. His actions were slow, but his eyes showed the real depth of his yearning. He wanted you as much as you wanted him.

“Arthur,” you mumbled, reaching out to slide beneath the line of his jaw. The simple action made his lips quirk up in a silent motion, and before you realised it, your lips were almost touching. His lips brushed over yours with a tantalising sensuality that made your knees weak and had your heart skipping beats as he whispered,

“Tonight, I’m going to fill your heart to the brim with me.”

You closed your eyes as his paced words reached your awaiting ear, your fingers tangling into where his hairline ended at the nape of his neck.

“You can try,“ you whispered, your voice light. “But I don’t think you can do it much more.”

He hummed, his lips brushing yours with every word he spoke. “My dear ___, victory goes to the swift I’m afraid.”

Arthur took his time kissing you, kissing you deeply as though he ached to. His hand then moved to grip your jaw, forcing your mouth to open as his fangs teased your bottom lip ever so slightly. It only became more obvious with the passing time that Arthur wasn’t messing around, every action going straight to your core.

“Arthur-!”

You cried out as his hand that was once pressedfirmly to your hip now gently twisted and prodded at the sensitive peaks of your chest through your shirt. He did nothing but smile against your lips, though; the sensation driving you mad.

He hummed almost jovially, as if silently approving the sounds that escaped your lips. “It feels so good you can’t help yourself, hm?”

An uncouth whimper left you as you stared up at your partner with wordless yearning.

“My.” Arthur laughed teasingly as he merely sped up his actions for sake of getting more reactions out of you. “That’s a naughty look you’ve got there.”

“It’s your fault- " You pulled Arthur closer by the hand resting near his nape to rest his forehead against yours as you panted, your words cutting off as he began to unbutton your shirt. “It’s always your fault that I’m like this.”

His fingers played attentively with your nipples through the fabric until the clothes that had been covering your upper half were completely discarded, leaving part of you bare for him.

“And, my little bird, I hope it will stay that way.” He smiled so sweetly you almost forgot about the burning sensation between your legs, your chest swelling with endearment.

But he reminded you quickly enough.

Your hands gripped his shoulders tightly as he lifted you into the air, giving you the feeling of weightlessness for a few fleeting moments before dropping you to straddle his lap as he sank to the couch behind him. His lips encased yours again immediately, his mouth warm and insistent as your arms wrapped around his neck tightly.

Arthur wasted no time in moving to your neck now that you had a comfortable position, alternating between licking and sucking on your skin before coming across your jugular veins. They beat hard and fast against your skin, showing just how much of a frenzy the author could throw your heart into.

You moaned as he dragged his fangs down your neck, careful to give you just enough pleasure without breaking the skin just yet. He left the action halfway undone, though, ultimately deciding to save it for a later time. You lost the thought of any protests when he turned his attention back to your since hardened nipples.

He teased you almost unbearably, suckling lightly on the pert nub as your fingers tangled in his hair. You knew that he had been somewhat of a casanova before your arrival to the mansion many months ago, but you still never quite understood what kept women coming back even without the promise of a genuine relationship. His tongue continued to explain all you needed to know, wordlessly answering any sliver of doubt remaining.

Arthur pressed up into you as he nipped at your chest, a moan slipping from his lips in turn as you began to feel just how hard you had made him. So, tightly gripping his hair, you tried your best to entertain him as well as he was you. You pressed back with a sharp inhale, the only thing standing between your goal being your skirt and his pants, respectively.

He gasped under his breath, ceasing his actions for just a moment as his eyes fluttered shut in bliss. But before you could get very far, he put his hands on your hips, and with a gentle yet overwhelming strength only a vampire could possess, stopped your movements all-too easy.

“Not so fast,” he panted, his lips curving up into a mirthful simper. “Didn’t I say tonight is about you? Lay back and close your eyes, ___.”

You spent a long few moments staring at him without a word. But having finally made up your mind, you simply shook your head.

“Did you?”

Just watching Arthur as he quirked a brow, you guided him to lie down across the couch instead. He made little attempt to stop you, and even groaned as you went up to straddle his stomach, his eyes fluttering shut once again. You felt the coil in your stomach tighten again at the very sight, and soon you inevitably began to grind against the man’s taut chest, looking for any stimulation you could.

“Ah, ___-”

The skirt you adorned was hiking farther up with each movement of your hips, letting your arousal drip through your already soaked panties almost virtually unguarded. This, unbeknownst to you in your state, had left a sizable spot on his oxford, the sweet smell driving Arthur more insane with every second that passed.

And while he enjoyed the way your eyebrows bunched together so delicately as you worked, his hard-on was enough to cut the experience short. He hurriedly helped you out of your remaining clothes, leaving you bare on top of him before calling up his strength to help you over his face.

You cried out in pleasure as you sank down onto his tongue, fingers going to grasp anything near you as he face-fucked you mercilessly. He licked long stripes along your pulsing lips, sucking lewdly as your moans filled the otherwise empty room. You were sure that the whole mansion could hear you by then — but that still didn’t faze you. You began to quiver on top of him, his name falling from your lips over and over again as you came right onto his tongue.

But he still kept going, even after lapping up everything you’d given already him.

Your pussy throbbed against his tongue that just seemed to go deeper and deeper, leaving no crevice of you out. Moans fell out of your mouth sporadically, but you didn’t pull away. You knew Arthur would let you — yet, you just couldn’t bring yourself to deny the pleasure he was giving you.

“Arthur!” you hissed, small tears forming in your eyes as you leaned over him. This just prompted him to act faster, though, only pushing you back when you came for a second time.

Your breaths were equally heavy, your eyes meeting over the faint haze you both felt.

“Arthur,” You repeated, your hands going out to stable yourself with his shoulders as pulled himself up to sit. You were now straddling his waist, and with his erection poking up directly between the apex of your thighs and your juices coating his chin in a light glaze, you were hard-pressed in finding an excuse not to move on.

He smiled tenderly, though his words came out with a sly huff. “By jove, I could get drunk on your sweetness all night, ___.”

“You’re always even more flirty when I have you like this,” You couldn’t help but smile back, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaning into kiss him sweetly and uncircumstanciously. In that moment, you might have both been silently wanting the same lustful thing, but you still stopped to enjoy the feeling of simply being together.

The fates had been against you from the start, placing you in a relationship full of misunderstandings and bad first impressions with almost no guarantee of a time above that. But you’d both found your way to each other despite that, overcoming your past mistakes side by side and growing off one another. That, you thought, was what made your bond so strong to begin with.

You broke away slowly, a thin string of saliva connecting you as Arthur said, “How could I possibly resist? With such a beautiful woman staring down at me, it would be exceptionally strange to act normally.”

Smiling into your next kiss, he cupped your face delicately. To this day, it still managed to astonish him that you’d fallen in love with someone like him. He’d frightened you terribly upon your first meeting and had continued to put you off your wits in every meeting, but you had still seen right through everything he’d done. You’d been the first person to tell him that he had a pure heart, and he wanted to hold on to that memory in his heart forever.

Because coming from you, the one person who had him enamoured from the start — it meant the world.

Your hands moved to unbutton his shirt as you consciously slipped your tongue between his lips, the change in demeanour catching him off guard, but still being all-too easy to follow. Your skillful hands slipped off his shirt, throwing it to the side to lie on the floor along with your own clothes.

“You’re fast,” he praised you lightly, his words carrying you into yet another blissful smile.

“I could go on like this all night.”

—

this is the second time i’ve ever written smut and it shows 🗿

[sexyshakespeare]

Sasuke comes home - Part 3: You’re special to me

“Man, that cockroach was huge..”, I muttered to myself. It was the third of the day. This kitchen sure was filthy. I had managed to clean out the cabinets under the sink and the sink itself. The stove was wiped down with soap and dried.The fridge needed some serious sponging. Thankfully, I had cleaning supplies in the closet. I was a very proper, clean kid once upon a time. Living in an underground cave and on the road for the rest of my life had shot a bullet through that side of me. I had temporarily started to live like a dirty vagabond because, a dirty vagabond I was.  But now, it was time to revel in wiping down refrigerator gunk. That’s depressing. I sighed woefully as I removed the shelves from the fridge and scrubbed them down with soap water. The whole process must have taken at least an hour to do. Should I have just gone and bought another fridge..  I observed my work of art, a little smirk showing on my lips. With a sense of finality, I reached over and turned on the power to the fridge. I had had the good sense to check the power first of course, and as expected, it hummed to life.  After a quick mop and wipe of the counters, I was ready to hit the market for groceries. I quickly washed up and headed to the village produce market.   Everywhere around me I saw supermarkets and convenience stores. There were a few obasan selling vegetables off to the side, but too few in comparison. I went into one supermarket, feeling strange.  I, Uchiha Sasuke was wheeling a trolley down the vegetables aisle looking for carrots. I felt several pairs of eyes on me as I picked out tomatoes. I got myself some potatoes while another lady busily picked some out too. She handed me a larger potato that she didn’t need in exchange for two small ones from my basket. It calmed me, this simple act, I don’t really know why.  When I was done with vegetables, I went to get myself some condiments and spices. Shoyu was a must, as was sweet vinegar. A little boy came running into the aisle. We both stood side by side looking at all the different spices in little bottles. We both looked on with awe. As he reached for the chilli, I picked it up and handed it to him. “Arigato Sasuke san!”, he yelled cheerfully and ran back the way he had come.  Does everybody know who I am? I got conscious suddenly and readjusted my bangs, making sure to cover up that weird eye. Well, my other eye was weird too put apparently not as weird. I really really really don’t want a kid coming up to me asking to see my Sharingan. I groaned slightly at the possibility and suddenly wished I had just asked one of Kakashi’s chunins to do the shopping. 

I wheeled my cart towards the cashier as fast as I could. As the young woman billed me she said, “Do you cook Sasuke-san?”, beaming at me as she did. I muttered quietly in the affirmative, pretending to be busy picking out the change from my wallet. I grabbed my bags and headed back towards my shitty little flat.  It was about 6 pm on a Saturday. The Saturday that Sakura would be coming over. And bringing things for the apartment. And having dinner with me. And..  My eyes widened with panic. She’s coming to my home. This was very poorly planned. What would we talk about. What happens after dinner, do I just ask her to leave? Will she leave on her own? Dinner guests tended to leave on their own, right? I couldn’t bear to ask her to leave. What if we just talked all night and she fell asleep here. How much would we even talk, that’s not possible. 

I started to wash and cut the vegetables. I had bought some duck as well at the poultry shop next door. I set about cutting off its head and draining the blood from the body. Before I went ahead, I put on an apron I had bought. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any other kinds of aprons at the combini. I felt like an idiot, but it didn’t matter right now. Kiss the shinobi cook would have to do. 

Ridiculous. Itachi used to make duck roast for us when our parents were away. It would take him exactly 3 hours during which he’d get all the sides done. I smiled at the fond memories flooding my mind. I left the skin on the potatoes and cut them the way he’d taught me to. I remembered cutting my pinky finger once while doing this chore. 

Niisan, make chocolate pudding now. Itte ittee. You have to make it now cause it’s my favourite. 

Sasuke! Did you cut yourself just so I’d make that. Seriously, you’re such a- 

Niiiisaaaaaan- 

With a large grin on my face, I started on the sauce. The cut vegetables were boiling. I put in shoyu, chilli powder and vinegar and let it simmer. The duck needed to be cut up, washed and basted. After about half an hour had passed, I put the readied duck breast and legs in the oven. I’d add in the vegetables after about an hour. While the duck cooked, I put some rice in the little steamer I had borrowed from Hinata. I’d fry it up with some ginger to flavour it, to go with the duck.  The clock showed 8 pm before long. The last leg of the preparations was in motion. The duck was sitting with its vegetables, the fatty juices bubbling and bathing them. I took out the duck pieces and put them in the fry pan to glaze with the now cooled sauce. The smells in the kitchen were making me mad with hunger. I contemplated eating a leg or two, nothing she would notice- but then settled for some cola from the fridge. 

At 8:45 pm, the duck, rice and miso soup were ready, sitting on the kitchen counter. I wiped down and brought out plates and chopsticks for us. Carefully, I set the plates down on the little table, the glasses for water, the chopsticks. I even bought napkins for us, the nice smooth velvety kind. I arranged the duck and rice on the table, leaving a bowl of miso each on either side. For a minute or two, I kept fidgeting with the duck breast, aligning it one way or the other. Taking a sharp breath in, I saw the time was 9:05 PM. As I stared at that dusty grey, rectangular clock on the wall I suddenly realized that I had forgotten dessert. Kussoo. I looked up at the ceiling in despair, wishing I had made that chocolate pudding. I would have loved to eat it after this tiring day.  Then I heard a knock on the door. My head snapped in its direction and I immediately walked towards it. Taking a deep breath, I wondered if I should open it with a smile, or if I ought to say something the second I opened it. There you are! or I hope you like duck! No, that would be stupid. Just open the fucking door.  I quietly opened the front door and saw an anxious faced Sakura standing before me. Her hair was put up in a little bun, little chunks of her hair fanning around it, loose strands falling to her neck. Her neck. She was wearing a dress, no sleeves. Her neck was very visible right now.  “Sasuke-kun?”

The color of her dress matched her eyes well, I thought. It was a jade green, her dress. Her neckline went lower than I’ve ever seen. 

“Sasuke-kun.. can I come in..?”  I suddenly snapped out of it and realized that I hadn’t said a word to her for a while now. I now noticed that she had bags on the floor next to her, with little frames and things sticking out. “OH- yeah. Sorry. Come in..”, I managed to say. She started to pick up her things, and I helped her. 

We carried the bags to the couch. “What’s all this?”, I asked her curiously. She beamed at me. “Why they’re for your apartment of course! You asked me to brighten up the place.. right?” 

I started to take out the things from their bags, smiling at them, when in fact I was smiling because she had remembered. Sakura looked embarrassed as I pulled out framed photos of cat after cat, all cartoons or paintings. “Um- it’s a sort of neko overload- sorry”, she said. I started smiling wider as I pulled out a shuriken shape. “Is this for the wall? To hang?”  She nodded gleefully. “I mean. We could have just hung up an old shuriken of yours, but I figured you’d rather use that in actual battle than put it on a wall...”, she explained in a quick breath. 

I found a bundle of cloth in one of the bags that I unfolded. “Oh- perfect. I needed curtains.” 

“You like them? I’m sorry, all they had were Sakura prints-”

I looked at her and smiled. “Red and black are some of my favourite colours-” I stood up and put the curtain against the window to show her. The little sakura flowers were red on a black background. She smiled at my reaction and pointed at the rest of the stuff, starting to apologize again. 

“I really love them. Thank you for getting them for me. The cats are- great. Really..”, I chuckled and tapped the cartoon of a chubby calico. She laughed too.  Then her gaze went to the table with the food on it. Her eyes swallowed in every detail it seemed, which made me nervous. She stood up slowly and turned to me. “You made all of that.. for tonight?”  I felt my cheeks burning and looked away from her eyes, “Yeah.. I hope it tastes good-” She was looking straight at me now. I couldn’t help but make eye contact. Her eyes sparkled as they trailed from my face to my chest. I felt extremely conscious all of a sudden, and also like my chest was ugly for some reason.  She was struggling not to laugh, but a little giggle escaped her pink lips anyway. “That’s a cute apron..”  I stared at her for a second or two, slowly processing what she was referring to. Her lips pulled in different directions as she bit them, to stop the laughter. Then it dawned on me. I quickly put my hands on my chest and scrunched up the cloth to hide it, blushing severely as I did. I started to remove the apron and tried my best to sound dignified, “The stupid shop didn’t have normal aprons so I had to take this silly fucking thing.”  “NO it’s-it’s really cute. Just.. doesn’t go with-you..”, Sakura giggled some more, some strands of hair falling over her face as she shook with laughter. I looked at her, wanting to touch her hair again, smiling at her laughing. There wasn’t a purer sound in the world than that.  “The food will get cold. Let’s eat.”, I said and pulled out a chair for her. I sat opposite her. “Itadakimasu”, we both said in unison and started on our soup. I served her some of the duck and rice with it. “OISHII! SASUKE-KUN! YOU COOK LIKE THIS? WHY HAVEN’T YOU EVER TOLD ME!”  I looked at her, surprised at her reaction. She tended to be loud. “Uh-Yeah I guess. I really haven’t cooked a lot in my life..”, I shrugged it off, not wanting to talk about myself too much. It was strange to be under the spotlight, even if it was a small spotlight between two people at dinner.  “It’s so good, I want to die!”, she said with her mouth full of rice. A grain or two fell out of her mouth and she patted at it with the napkin, looking embarrassed. That made me smile a little too much. She must have thought I was laughing at her. I really hope she didn’t think that.  As we ate our meal, I was panicking slightly. I didn’t know what to talk about. Small dinner banter was really not my thing. I looked up at her from time to time to gauge her mood. She seemed to be in a pleasant mood, but I couldn’t read anything else. She also looked up at me from time to time and smiled. All the things I ought to be saying and all the things I could be saying were flashing through my mind. Instead my eyes strayed to her neckline again. 

In an instant, Sakura’s napkin fell off the side of the table. I was about to pick it up when she stopped me and proceeded to do so herself. That’s when I saw her leg come out of a slit in her dress. I could not for the life of me pull my eyes away. Oh God, you’re being creepy. At least say something while you check her out. Don’t just stare.  I really could not be bothered to come up with something to say at the moment. I could barely manage to chew my food straight. Sakura straightened up and continued to eat. She looked so beautiful in that dress and I hadn’t even worn a nice shirt for the occasion. 

She really did look beautiful. It was a strange feeling, to notice that in a woman. I had noticed it about her before, but this was different. This was very pointedly about her appearance. 

My thoughts went back to when Karin used to dress provocatively around me. That couldn’t have just been coincidence like I had imagined then. She had made some advances too. But it hadn’t fazed me in the least. It was so strange, the difference- how I had felt nothing biting into that woman’s neck, and how I felt just looking at Sakura’s neck right now.  I felt so horrible for looking so much, she had no idea even. It was plain wrong. I forced myself to stare at my empty plate instead. She’s an attractive woman. Sure. She knows that. We all know that in Konoha. You just noticed. That’s nothing to be announced.  I looked away from the table, to one bag that we hadn’t opened. And then I remembered something to say, though I said it unhappily. “I forgot to make dessert-” My voice resounded in a disappointed way.  “Oh I’m so glad! I brought us some flavoured mochi.”, she smiled at me. “It’s my favourite kind, strawberry. I wanted you to try some, my mom makes them.”  I stood up and started to clear her plate. “Sakura isn’t your favourite flavour?”, I smiled back at her. She made a face, “No- sakura mochi is just weird.” She began to help with the dishes. We put them in the sink one by one.  “Well- I like how sakura tastes”, I said unwittingly. Sakura started to go red standing next to me. I don’t think I go red when I’m flustered, but I started to sweat. 

Why are you such a goof. Change the fucking subject, NOW. 

My eyes moved to the unopened paper bag sitting on the couch once again. “What’s in that? Something else for the house?” She looked relieved that I had broken the tension. “The mochi is in there- oh and a little present for you.”  I looked at her perplexed. “Wasn’t all of that enough of a present-”, I laughed.  When we were done with the dishes, we sat on the couch and she brought out the home-made mochi for us. She also pulled out a bottle of sake with a pink ribbon tied around the neck. “Thought you might like this. It’s a nice flavour..”, she placed the bottle on the table.  I chewed on the sticky mochi with delight. It was yummy stuff. “It’s really nice Sakura.” Her legs poked out from the slits in her dress slightly, taking up a large chunk of my attention span. They seemed to be looming up at me. I quietly ate my mochi, trying not to look too hard. 

She adjusted herself a bit to hide them. I felt like screaming. I made her conscious about it because I was staring. What is wrong with me. I’ve seen women before. Why am I behaving like a 13 year old.  The tension between us was very palpable now. She was clearly uncomfortable, probably regretting the whole thing already. I eyed the sake and immediately said, “Why don’t we open that now- that’s a good idea.”  Sakura protested politely, “You don’t have to Sasuke-kun. It’s for you-” I grabbed the bottle and went to find glasses for us. “When am I going to drink something alone anyway..” I found glasses, and washed them a bit, before bringing them to her.  “Well okay. If you’re sure.. I’ll have some-”, she gave in a little too fast. I looked at her suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you drink like Tsunade does now..”, I teased her. She rushed to defend herself, “NO- she doesn’t drink all that much anymore. She’s treated me now and then after a hard week of work that’s all!” I laughed a little and poured for us. “You don’t have to explain all that to me- I’m not judging.”, I clinked my glass with her’s and drained it down my throat in one go. She blinked at me in surprise. “Sasuke-kun, when did you start drinking like that?” I poured some more for myself, thinking back to the days travelling in Hebi. I was so sour all the time, I found that downing a few glasses of sake would help with my mood. I’d stop with that much, cause it was just enough for me to not snap at everyone around me, but not too much that I’d let Karin snuggle up to me and not move.  I downed another glass. “Ah it’s just for the nerves.”  “Why are you nervous?”, she sipped at her glass. She was clearly holding herself back, I could tell. 

I sat very still for some time, thinking about what I could say next. As I sipped my third little glass of sake, I looked at her. “You really drink that slowly? Or are you just trying to be appropriate. Wait-am I being inappropriate? Drinking with you like this?”, the questions kept piling up in my head and I kept vomiting them out with abandon.  She smiled at me slowly. “Well Sasuke-kun, I happen to know that this sake is stronger than the kind I usually take. It’s a special variety.”  I thought back to the sake I used to drink. It was some awful cheap kind that we found in little stores on our travels. It didn’t taste half as good as this did.  “OH-OH I see..”, I exclaimed. I considered being quiet for the rest of the night, but it just didn’t seem to work, my plan.  She sipped some more and crossed one leg over the other. She looked very strong and poised at the moment, leaning back. I turned on my side to face her. My head resting on my hand, I looked at her. 

She began to speak,“Thank you for making this meal for us. You really didn’t have to.. You could’ve ordered in or even made cup ramen for us-”  ”Hey-Hey, I’d never make fucking cup ramen for you the first time you came over...”, I frowned at her, my eyes narrowing. I started to laugh. “I’d make cup ramen for that doggy guy- Kiba or someone if they suddenly came over one night-” She started smiling and biting her lip.  ”Sakura- you’re special. I’d only ever cook a proper meal for you if you came over”, I said to her face. Her eyes fixed on mine, her lips parted slightly. I felt very conscious suddenly and tried to make light of what I had said. “You know that! You’re- you’re a member of team Kakashi- we’ve gone through so much together...” My voice trailed off and my eyes struggled to find a place to rest that wasn’t her eyes or her neck. Her hair seemed to suffice for now. I looked at her hair, the little jade stone comb she had fixed in place, the etching of a flower on the stone...  ”Sasuke-kun...”  A thought occurred to me, a rather scary thought. Before I could process it, I decided to tell her because it was worth sharing. It really was a scary thought. I looked at her alarmed, “I mean, Naruto is a part of team Kakashi too but I don’t mean him. I mean he’s special and all that but that’s not what I meant-”  ”Sasuke-kun!”, Sakura raised her voice a little. My mind snapped to attention. Seeing that, she smiled widely. Then her smile faded until just a little smirk remained on her pink lips. Her eyes lowered as she said, “I’d really love that... you cooking for me, the way you did tonight-”  That look on her face was driving me crazy. I felt like I’d cook every single meal in the day for her just to have her look like that when she talks about it. I’d pack her a bento when she went to the hospital, and she’d look like that when she opens it.  I gulped slowly, the sound of my heart was filling the room. Please don’t hear this. I sipped some more of the sake, trying to calm down. I felt foolish. I was praying she brings up a topic, something we could talk about it and not just have extreme blushy reactions to.  “Where did you even learn to cook so well?”, she asked excitedly. I smiled at her and looked up at the ceiling to remember. “Ah I’ve learnt since I was 5 probably-” I looked back at her face and continued. “Itachi used to cook for us as kids. He was so good at all of this, he was a freaking genius!”, I smiled really wide, my teeth showing. I tried to hide them by pursing my lips, but my eyes glimmered with the memories of a past life. “He would make excuses to our parents, say that he used up all his pocket money- and get more to buy expensive ingredients. Then when they were out, he’d try new recipes and have me taste them.”  I put my legs up on the couch and hugged them to my chest, my eyes glazing over. “He made me the best chocolate pudding ever, every time I’d fall or scrape a knee-” Sakura moved closer to me, and put her legs up on the couch too. I looked at her, she had her chin in her hands, her hands resting on her knees. “EHH really? That’s amazing. What a great niisan-”, she said, her eyes sparkling.  She totally knew I was drunk now. But she didn’t seem to notice. She didn’t care. Sakura just listened to me with her beautiful green eyes pouring over my face, her pink hair bobbing around every time she laughed, her lips always stretching into a smile at just the right moments.  I stopped thinking about what I was saying now. I just talked and talked and talked. I felt like I was 6 years old. “Niisan used to lie to me, saying that he’d teach me the shuriken- but he never did. He just lied to me all the time-”, I said frowning slightly, taking another swig of the sake.  Sakura took the bottle from me and took a small swig too. Her speech was slurring slightly. “Awww- little Sasuke-kun must have annoyed him wanting shuriken practice all the time! You can’t blame him!”  I turned to her feeling indignant. “Well- I didn’t need him. I learnt on my own-” She laughed loudly at me and put her hands on my lap, “Gomen! Gomen! I didn’t mean it like that- awww look at your face-”  I didn’t know what she was talking about. I felt like I ought to be annoyed with her, stop this game right now.  But I couldn’t. I could not stop wanting to play this game where she laughed at me and her giggling was uncontrolled. Her hair was almost all out of her bun now, strands of pink getting in her eyes.  She kept struggling to take the hair out of her eyes, and then going back to laughing. I leaned forward a bit and carefully parted her hair, removing it from her eyes, tucking it behind her ear. 

Sakura stopped laughing. She gulped visibly, and stared at my face like a cornered animal would its hunter. “What-”, I whispered. “I’m not going to eat you-”, I whispered again. She smiled and then chuckled. “Oh- I know that-”  I was very close to her now, her smell strong and intoxicating. I went a little quiet now, trying to gather my thoughts. I felt like it had to be said. I touched her face with my fingers lightly, trailing away. “Thank you for coming tonight..”, I said slowly. I frowned slightly, the memory of bad times filling my head, “I haven’t laughed like this since my parents died...”  She looked at me carefully, seriously. She took my hand and squeezed it with both of hers. Her eyes looked sad, as she nodded slightly at me in understanding. “I want nothing more than to do this for you, any time you want..”, she said to me.  I really wanted to lean in to her lips. I really wanted to hold her face in my hands and part her lips with mine... smell her...bite her. My eyes widened a little, I took a sharp breath, trying to knock out that thought from my head. I can’t bite her- get it together man. I pulled away slightly, ashamed. She seemed to come out of her dream-like state too. She was conscious of her bare legs uncovered now from the slits in her dress. I can’t believe I had actually missed that before. Well, they had my full attention now, and it was uncomfortable to say the least. 

I cleared my throat, and looked at the time. It was half past 2 am. She followed my lead and exclaimed in alarm, “OH MY- is that really the time? It is late- we should head to bed Sasuke-kun...”  I exhaled slowly as we made awkward eye contact. “I mean- my bed- our beds- our s-separate beds-”, she sputtered. I interrupted her, her panic infecting me as well, “Yeah- of course- you’ll be fine getting home? You won’t get lost or anything? It’s dark and you’re- inebriated...”  “Yeah- I’ll be fine. And besides, you’re inebriated too, probably more than I am-” , she giggled at me again. I was starting to absolutely love that giggle. I shrugged, “You know what you’re doing. Sakura-senpai, I have a lot to learn from you-” That little quip made her blush, as expected. I smirked a little at my sly manipulative skills. 

She stood up with me and instantly toppled onto me. I lifted her up, being careful not to let my hands or my eyes linger. I felt awful for enjoying that clumsy exchange as much as I did. She had no idea...  Sakura took the comb out of her hair. Her shoulder-length pink hair, though wild and pretty was now covering up her neck. I was saddened. She made her way to the front door, turned around and beamed. “Oyasuminasai Sasuke-kun!”, she shouted. I cringed and shushed her. “Oyasuminasai Sasuke-kun!”,she repeated but in a forceful whisper now. I chuckled at her and returned the phrase, “Oyasumi.” 

She tiptoed down the stairs of the quiet building and out on to the street. I watched her walk pretty straight for most of the way, till I could not see her anymore. Then, I went inside and threw myself on my bed.  I didn’t want to think about what this night would mean tomorrow. I just knew that I still really wanted to kiss her, really hard. I smiled to myself. How had she known exactly what to say.. My head was filled with images of her laughing as I fell asleep. 

[daedriclorde]

Krent Mon Do Akatosh

Humble Beginnings; A series of one-shots

 read it on AO3

Competition

Aerisif slammed down her tankard on the bar of the Ragged Flagon. The underground tavern echoed with voices regaling tales of thievery and crime. The smith that had moved in was clanging away at some piece of metal. Tonilia scoffed at an offer. Her mead was cold, her feet were warm, and her pack full of stolen things. Life was good.

“Another?” Vekel asked, nodding at Aerisif’s empty tankard.

She slid the mug toward him, with a do you even need to ask expression on her face. He chuckled and began refilling the tankard.

“Ah, back from a job, eh?” Delvin slid onto the barstool next to Aerisif.

She leaned forward. “Check it out. Hit ‘em hard, just like you asked.” Aerisif leaned down to the pack at her side and removed an assortment of items: an ornately decorated potion bottle, two silver necklaces with an emerald and sapphire embedded in them respectively, and a golden ring that glowed with an enchantment.

Delvin inspected each one with scrutiny. “My, my, you have out done yourself again, Aer,” He nodded to a thief at a nearby table, who hurriedly gathered them up and went to catalog them. “And here’s your cut.” Delvin handed Aerisif a heavy leather pouch.

Her eyes glinted greedily. “My favorite part!” She smiled, quickly tucked away the coin and took a swig from her newly refilled tankard of mead. Aerisif let her eyes close for a moment, savoring the sweet taste of the Black-Briar Mead that was always on tap.

“Risky business there lass, a thief with her eyes closed.” Brynjolf smirked at her as he took the seat on the other side of Delvin.

Aerisif rolled her eyes pointedly while Delvin was looking, but once he turned to look at Brynjolf, she let her eyes twinkle and smirked back.

“Strong words from a man who spends most of his time bent over a table,” she jabbed back, cocking her head to one side. “Or is that just what’s comfortable for you now? I’m sure with all the bending over you do for Mercer—“

“I’d end that sentence right there, lass,” Brynjolf said over Devlin’s guffaws. A couple other nearby thieves snickered, and Vekel was chuckling as well. Brynjolf snuck a wink at Aerisif.

She felt a chill run through her body, but concealed it. Knowing she had his attention, she took another drink from her tankard, letting her eyes roll back as she savored the flavor. She thought she caught Brynjolf bite his lip a little as she opened her eyes and put the mug back down.

“Say what you will about the Black-Briars, but that clan knows how to make some damned good mead.”

“And you best watch what you say about the Black-Briars,” Delvin warned. “Word has it Maven’s been speakin’ with Mercer. And that’s never good.” He took a long swing from his own mead.

The three thieves all grimaced slightly and drank again. Maven was the patroness of the Guild, and if she was unhappy, everyone was unhappy.

“Did I see you bring back some darling little trinkets for Delvin?” Brynjolf asked, changing the subject.

“Darling little trinkets?? DARLING LITTLE TRINKETS? I pulled a solid bedlam job, that’s what I did!” Aerisif pretended to be indignant.

“Oh, and I’m sure you did it very well, lass,” Brynjolf said patronizingly, “Good on you. We need someone to pull the little jobs while us real thieves commit true acts of larceny.” He smirked again. His emerald eyes sparkled.

“Little jobs? Delvin, please tell Brynjolf the exact value of that haul.” Aerisif pulled herself up haughtily.

“Well, I don’ know if I know the exact value—“ Delvin began.

“Fuck off with that nonsense. You see an item, you know its worth in every currency man or mer exchanges.” Aerisif cut in.

Delvin raised his hands defensively. “Fine, fine. That one was…let’s see…carry the one, add three…” he pretended to need his fingers to solve the equation.

“Today, Delvin.”

“Twenty two and forty three septims.”

Aerisif turned to Brynjolf. “Did you get that, lad, or can you count that high?” She grinned, mocking.

Brynjolf chuckled. “Cute, lass, real cute. I remember when I would have counted that as an accomplishment myself, waaay back in my days as a footpad.” He crossed his arms. “Face it lass, I’m the best thief around here.”

“Dare you to say that to Mercer.”

“I said I’m the best thief, not the dumbest thief.”

“Oh, come off it you two. Actin’ like damn children.” Delvin shook his head, smiling and faking disappointment. “There’s no need for this.”

Aerisif sat straight up. “You’re right. There is no need. We can settle it, once and for all.”

Brynjolf matched her devilish gaze. “You’re on. What do you have in mind?”

“A competition. Delvin can moderate.”

Delvin froze, his tankard to his lips. “Delvin can what now?” he said, his voicing echoing off the tankard.

Aerisif leaned forward. “Three days. Three challenges. The winner brings back the highest valued item. Riften only. Jail time is instant disqualification.” She looked between Delvin and Brynjolf. “Deal?”

“Deal.” Brynjolf reached his hand out across Delvin, and Aerisif shook it. “Delvin, what are our marks?”

Delvin sighed. “You two,” he shook his head. “Fine. Each challenge, bring back the highest valued item you can get your hands on, any item. No gold, items only. One at a time, can’t hit the same mark twice. That’s for the first two.”

Aerisif eagerly jumped in. “And for the third?”

“Once you’ve both brought back your first two items, I’ll assign a high level target. One item. Winner is the first one that brings it back to me.”

“And what’s the winner get?” Brynjolf crossed his arms. “What are the stakes?”

“Braggin’ rights.”

“Delvin,” Both Aerisif and Brynjolf warned.

“Fine. Winner gets all the gold the items are valued at. Fair?”

Aerisif nodded. “Fair.”

Brynjolf winked at her. “Fair.” And with that,  he launched himself from his stool and took off into the Cistern.

Aerisif lunged after him, grabbing her pack as she raced off. “You ass!”

***

It was perfect night for thieving, the new moon having been only a few days past. Clouds covered the sliver of moon, giving Aerisif ample shadow to slip through.

The lock on Aerin’s door picked easy. Aerisif’s leather boots made no sound on the wooden floors. She crept towards the stairs. Mjioll and Aerin kept their valuables upstairs in their bedroom with them. They thought it kept them safer.

Doesn’t make a damn difference to us, Mjioll. We’ll get ‘em anyways.

Aerisif had just put her foot on the first stair when

THONK.

Aerisif froze.

THONK CLINK.

The sound—a rock on a window pane?—came from upstairs. Mjioll and Aerin leapt out of their beds and were shouting. They started to thunder down the stairs.

Aerisif tore out of there like her ass was on fire.

Once outside and in the safety of a shadow, she saw she wasn’t alone.

Brynjolf was crouched next to her, practically in tears holding back laughter, a rock in his hand and several more piled at his feet.

“You ASS!” Aerisif smacked him on the head and took off running down the street.

Brynjolf won the first round; he came back with a golden necklace, and Aerisif returned with a finely crafted sword. Not finely crafted enough.

***

Aerisif was drinking up the first shadows of the evening, leaning up against the Bee and Barb, listening to the shoppers trade gossip. She was getting bored; nothing newer than Bolli still cheating on his wife. She was about to leave when she heard a new voice. Lifting her eyes to its source, she wasn’t too surprised by what she saw.

A broad man in shining armor sauntered through the market. He was followed by another man, also fully clad in armor, but of a lesser quality. This second man wore a shield, with the Windhelm bear and chevron inked on its face.

A thane and his housecarl, mused Aerisif. Bless the fools for being so easily identifiable.

The thane was browsing Modesi’s wares. His housecarl was always nearby, like a dog. Poor thing, Aerisif thought in disgust. To be pining so hard for attention, to be so close to power, and yet have none. Aerisif frowned. That thought made her think unkindly on her position in the Guild, so she shook that thought out of her head. Just in time to see the thane pick up a second shadow.

Brynjolf was a good thief, but brash. He kept his distance from the thane, and never took his eyes off the thane and his house-dog, but he was being reckless with no one to watch his back. Aerisif smirked as an idea came to her. She circled the market, watching Brynjolf watch his mark.

Brynjolf cut the thane’s purse swiftly and slunk away. He quickly sorted the contents; he sifted the coins away and grinned ear to ear at the one, two, THREE gold diamond rings in his palm. Aerisif watched closely as he tucked those in his pocket.

Your POCKET, Bryn?? Aerisif felt her heart quicken. Too easy. You cocky bastard.

Brynjolf never saw his shadow, never felt the hand in his pocket. It wasn’t until he returned to Delvin and realized with a drop of his jaw that he was empty handed and Aerisif was reaping the rewards of his efforts. The rewards of three gold diamond rings.

Aerisif won that round.

***

Brynjolf left Delvin’s issuing of the third and final challenge, his mind working out how to pull off the heist. Delvin had declared that the thief that could bring him the ledger that Anuriel kept, the Steward to the Jarl, would be the winner.

Getting into Mistveil Keep was no easy task. Stealing from it was even harder. Brynjolf walked aimlessly through the cistern, eyes glazed slightly as his mind worked through the plan.

An hour or so later, he had figured it out. There was no way he could just walk into the Keep and into the Steward’s quarters, the guards would stop him. But he knew of a back way, a series of tunnels that ought to put him in the hallway outside.

After dark, Brynjolf crawled though the stone tunnels under the city. Dressed in Guild leathers, he was nearly invisible in the shadows. He made no sound as he lifted the trapdoor outside the steward’s quarters. Opening it an inch, he watched as a guard turned the corner and out of sight.

Aerisif is going to be so mad when I win this, he thought with a smirk. Brynjolf knew he wouldn’t have much time before the guard would come back on her rounds. He slid silently into the steward’s quarters.

Anuriel was sleeping soundly, lying still and breathing steadily. Brynjolf crept over to the table by the bed. A floorboard creaked.

Brynjolf froze. The sound seemed to echo in the night.

But no movement came from the bed where the steward slept, and no commotion came from the hallway outside. He held his breath and took another step.

Silence.

Releasing his breath, Brynjolf took the final few steps to the bedside table. He lifted the leather bound book from its resting place and quickly turned back to the door, avoiding the noisy floorboard this time. Pausing at the door, he listened for the sound of the guard’s steps. The heavy clunk of metal boots grew louder, stopped for a moment, and then diminished as the guard continued her rounds.

Brynjolf grabbed his chance. He slipped back into the hall and through the trapdoor in the floor. Safe once again in the Ratway, Brynjolf ran through the tunnels and burst into the Cistern.

“Delvin, we can put this little competition to an end. I’ve got the book.” He slammed the book onto the table in front of Delvin with a flourish. It was then he noticed Aerisif sitting next to him, smirking silently.

“Ah. Well. Um. This is awkward.” Delvin looked down into his cup. “Actually, mate, Aerisif here beat you to it.”

Brynjolf crossed his arms confidently. “Bah. I pulled this out of Anuriel’s room just moments ago, this is the book!”

“Open it.” Both men turned to Aerisif, who was smirking even harder if it was possible. She held an identical leather bound book firmly in her hands.

“Fine then, see what’s inside.” Brynjolf ordered. Delvin raised his eyebrows and did as Brynjolf asked, opening the cover of the book the redheaded thief had just presented him.

Inside, the most of the pages were blank, until the centerfold. There, in big letters was scrawled, “Aerisif is the best thief” and “Brynjolf is a fool”, and what appeared to be a most unkind cartoon of Mercer and Brynjolf, with the latter in a rather compromising position.

“Open yours!” Brynjolf demanded, red faced.

Aerisif obeyed. The book she held had neat lines of the daily meetings and ongoings of the Jarl, the accounts of shipments and inventories kept precisely, and details of the Jarl’s correspondence with other Jarls and traders.

Brynjolf cursed and stormed away. Aerisif smiled wider.

“I guess not everyone is cut out to be the best,” Aerisif gloated as she kicked her feet up onto the table and took a long swig of her mead.