#my boss was very nice about telling me about everything going on and not expecting me to actually have it all done litchrally at 4pm

[yandere-sins]

Bathhouse Service

[My Commission Info] | [My Ao3] | [Ko-Fi]

a/n: Here we gooo, the first commission of this year for a super sweet anon ♥

Characters: Phainon (HSR) x Male!Reader Warnings: Yandere, Sexual Content (Non-Con/Dub-Con, Pec job, Anal, Fingering, Hand job, Musk Kink), Domination, Obsessiveness, Stalking, Abuse of Power, Long Post Words: 6647

Taking a deep breath, you waded through the bathwater, happy to finally put down your golden tray for the day.

You'd been working hard, serving food and drinks to the guests of the bathhouse, constantly forcing a smile on your face even though it was hard to stand in the water, people sloshing it against your body and soaking your clothes. This job wouldn't have been your first pick if you had a choice. Being out in public and in constant contact with people was nerve-wracking on the good days, and the feeling of being constantly exposed by the bare minimum of coverage your clothes provided only added to your discomfort. 

Something more private, away from the prying eyes, would have been nice. But being a bathhouse attendant was what paid the bills. Rolling your shoulder, you breathed into the tension that had built all over your body. Ironic since the baths were the most relaxing place in all of Okhema, but all they did was add stress to your nervous system. It wasn't easy not being as socially adapt as the other attendants and more introverted when having to talk and attend to countless people every day, their prying eyes prickling like needles on your skin, and their hands were sometimes a bit too adventurous to be well-mannered. But you kept telling yourself you were merely too shy for your own good, misinterpreting everyone's intentions. 

After all, you also felt like you were being watched when there was no one around you at all.

Turning around, you looked over at the few people still lingering in the baths. It was almost closing time. Finally, you thought, your shift having taken its toll, and you desperately needed a good night's sleep. Tomorrow would be your day off work, and it was exactly what you needed to recoup and gather your strength to survive the following shifts ahead of you. Especially the busy rush hours after people finished their work were exhausting, the crowded baths being treacherous to navigate and the demands of people even harder to fulfill. You didn't have the gift of being born exceptionally tall and strong like your peers, so you often found yourself in trouble with the guests who looked down on you. Everything about you was average enough to escape trouble, but trouble seemed to try and find you wherever you went. Not everything about the job was terrible, but you were reminded every day why it simply wasn't suitable for you. 

"Hey!" someone called out, and you jerked out of your daydreams where you imagined having a nice dinner before slipping into your warm bed, already waiting for you.

"Y-Yes?" you stammered, turning towards the voice, expecting a visitor trying to get your attention. However, instead, the face was familiar, the big smile curling your boss's mouth making you dread the interaction even more. You two had very different opinions on what made you happy, and seeing him excited, almost skipping steps to get to you faster, wasn't a good sign for you at all. 

"I need you to go upstairs to the upper baths and serve some food and drinks before you leave for today. Can you do that?"

"What, me?" you asked, flabbergasted. Usually, there were special attendants for these baths. People who underwent specific training and had to sign confidentiality contracts. It was for the good of all the people to pick the very best attendants for the Chrysos Heirs, and you weren't one of them. "That's… Isn't there someone better suited for this task? I- I mean, going there is such a big honor. I'm not sure if I am worthy of it…"

"You're too modest! You're doing a great job!" your boss laughed out loud, the praise feeling undeserved, as if he was doing it just to encourage you. Still, you fumbled with the hem of your tunic, feeling flattered. Giving you a strong pat on the back that almost toppled you over, he leaned over the counter, grabbing and piling some fresh fruit and a bottle of the best drink money could buy in all of Okhema with two glasses on top of your tray before turning back to you. You got nervous just seeing the bottle that cost more than all you had ever earned, hoping you'd not be the reason it would fall and shatter along with your savings.

"Besides, it was specifically asked for you, so it's not like we can send anyone else."

Giving your boss a questioning look, he merely slipped the tray from the counter, holding it up to you. Afraid he might drop it and blame the loss of merchandise on you, you caught it, sealing your fate effectively. The bottle and glasses swayed, and so did you, trying to adjust to the weight of the tray despite your exhausted muscles. You really didn't want to do it, but when you looked up, your boss was already a few steps away from you, waving as he yelled back. 

"Amazing! See you for your next shift, then! Take good care of our customer!"

With that, he was gone, leaving you behind to figure everything else out on your own. Still a little unsteady, you bit your lip as you balanced the tray while putting one foot in front of the other. Freedom was so close, even if the way to it was anxiety-inducing and exhausting. What could your boss have possibly meant when he said someone specifically asked for you? You weren't acquainted with the heroes at all, so it seemed unlikely that they'd ask for you by name. It all sounded like manipulation at its finest when he phrased it like that, and you felt even more uncomfortable with the task than you already were. 

Nonetheless, it had to be done. The quicker you were, the faster it would be over, too, and you'd probably not have to interact much with the Heir who was expecting your service. Stepping onto the elevator platform, you kept reassuring yourself that everything was fine and you could do this. However, a knot formed in your stomach, making you wish the elevator would never stop. 

The temperature wasn't much different from the lower baths, yet you felt yourself breaking out in beads of sweat, your body heating up with every second spent in agonizing anticipation. Who was going to wait for you up there? What did they want? Would you be able to hold the ever so slightly shaking tray until you reached their table? What if all of the Heirs were there, watching and judging your service? What if you lost your job?

You walked off the platform with unsteady steps, nervously scanning the area. You had been up here before, of course. But only to clean when there was no one around. Now, even without seeing it, you immediately felt the presence lingering in one of the baths. Eyes of striking blue fixated on you, raking down your body and leaving only goosebumps in their wake as they scanned over you. Halting your breath, you heard the water swaying to your left before you saw the body moving it. Casual, relaxed, but focused—on you.

Phainon.

Barely anyone was as well-known as he was around Okhema. Naturally, every Chrysos Heir was revered, but no one was as loved as Phainon. With his cheerful nature and helpful spirit, many people looked up to him as their savior and hero. They felt safe and comfortable around him, no less because he showed everyone kindness, his smile more dazzling than most could stand without fainting. The same smile he was showing you, now that he had your attention on him.

"There you are!" he greeted you, waving from his bath as if you two were lifelong friends. You had never met him privately before, only ever watched from the masses when he returned after a mission. The two of you lived in entirely different worlds, yet it made your face heat up to be greeted by him like a friend. 

Quickly but while carefully balancing the expensive bottle on your tray, you made your way over to Phainon, his smile growing bigger as you approached. As if he was about to jump up, he leaned forward, shifting to the side on the bench closest to you and sending waves your way as you stepped into the water. With the waves crashing into you, you had to fight with your balance, the fluid soaking your clothes again, making them cling to your body uncomfortably.

There was something special about the Hero's baths; their effects were even more soothing and healing than those below. You were immediately confronted with these effects as you felt your body relax. That was one of the reasons why it took special training to serve the upper floor, and you struggled with not just giving in to the relaxing effects. You barely reached the table before letting the tray down. Accidentally, a soft groan escaped you as the strain disappeared, immediately causing you to feel ashamed as you realized how unbecoming such a sound was in front of a hero who fought for the people all day. The least you could do was serve him properly, without complaints, yet here you were.

"A- Apologies for the delay, Sir…" you mumbled, giving a small bow while averting your eyes. Your heart was pounding increasingly fast, but you tried your best to simply get the task over with, not wanting to raise more attention on yourself.

"No need, you are right on time!" Phainon replied chipperly, another large wave crashing into you, almost knocking you over. Immediately, you looked up, seeing him standing right before you, his hand reaching out. "I was looking forward to seeing you again."

Fingertips ghosted over your cheek, and your body did the most logical yet stupidly over-the-top reaction and jumped away. You were so surprised by his sudden touch that you didn't consider your surroundings, the water reaching up to your hips tripping you over as you crashed backward, barely cushioned as you landed on one of the stairs leading into the bath. Bewildered and surprised, you looked up to see Phainon slowly close the distance, his expression a mix of concern and something softer, perhaps pity… or maybe not.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself. The last mission took so long, I really missed you."

"N-No, I'm so sorry! I was just surprised, forgive me…" you quickly tried to wave off the embarrassment. Your eyes darted from side to side, trying to be polite but also not stare. From your position, it was hard not to look anywhere indecent, but you also didn't want to be rude and just bolt. Still, you couldn't help but see a few glimpses of his body, water dripping down the lines of his muscles, making him glisten in the moody lightening of the bathhouse. The towel around his hips was one of the regular ones, yet, on Phainon, it looked almost too small as it hung low on his body, leaving neither his defined thighs nor the bulge between his legs to your imagination.

It was massive. 

Gulping, you felt the heat rise dangerously hot into your face, shaming you for having even a tiny indecent thought about the Heir. Someone like you could barely stand in his presence, let alone think about what his cock must be like. You watched in a mix of embarrassment and surprise as Phainon reached out again, certainly to lend you a hand. He was that kind of man, a true hero. Selfless and kind. That's why it surprised you even more when his arms landed on either side of you, your legs opening without thinking to welcome his body between them. 

For a moment, you merely stared at him, his face so close now that you felt his breath tingling on your damp skin. Seeing every eyelash on his gorgeous eyes and the small dimples as he smiled felt utterly unreal. The next thing you knew, one hand was on your thigh, massaging your muscles as it slowly moved upwards. 

"I missed you so much," he murmured. "I kept thinking of returning to you. Guess it's too much to ask if you missed me, too?"

For the first time, you listened to his words more closely. It was easy, really, with his mouth so close that you watched his lips move. "Do we… know each other?" you asked, confused. You didn't remember ever interacting with Phainon before, much less having a relationship close enough to miss each other. The crack in his smile was noticeable, the disappointment reaching even his mesmerizing blue eyes. But as fast as it had appeared, it was gone again. Instead, you were confronted with the feeling of his hand beneath your clothes, dangerously near to your privates.

Letting out a small gasp, you looked down at it, reacting instinctively as you gripped his wrist, barely able to wrap your fingers all the way around it. The differences between you two were much more significant than you first expected, his body able to shield you from anything and all while he could break you like a twig at the same time. You never felt as weak as you did now when you were in Phainon's presence, his touch creeping higher and higher. 

"Ouch," he laughed, faking his hurt before quickly returning to his confident and sweet smile. "You know how to break hearts, don't you? And here I am, so happy to see you…"

"S-Sorry!" you immediately apologized, although you didn't know if it was necessary. 

However, your words were cut off as you suddenly felt Phainon's hand placed on top of your lower stomach, playing with the rim of your underwear. "W-Wait!" you stuttered, and his grin widened more as he dragged the fabric down. 

"I've waited a long time, don't take this from me now, please."

You could barely believe what was happening as the Phainon lowered himself before you, never breaking eye contact as he freed your cock from the clothes holding it back, the traitor jumping up and brushing against Phainon's chest with gentle arousal. It was all too much as realization finally dawned on you about what was happening, and you still found it hard to believe. But with a long sigh, Phainon's expression softened as he briefly looked down at your member, swaying his chest to move it around until it was situated right between his pecs, his eyes returning to yours with a flush of adoration in them.

And then, with more vigor than anyone had ever touched you with before, Phainon began rubbing your length up and down between his pecs. Water was sloshing all around you two as he moved up and down your cock, slowly picking up the speed. Your hands reached for his shoulders, trying to push him away, embarrassment burning in your cheeks. Instead, they only found hold there as Phainon pressed against you harder, mistaking your resistance for an invitation.

"W-Wait!" you stammered, but your words were followed by a stifled moan as you bit your lip hard. With the water acting as a rough lubricant, the friction between your skins wrapped deliciously around your cock. His tough muscles seemed to soften, adjusting so they could pleasure you better, and you heard him chuckle as your legs pressed into his sides. At this point, you didn't even know if you wanted to push him away or draw him closer while he turned you into a gasping mess. 

"This is like a dream come true," Phainon sighed blissfully as he worked your shaft between his pecs. "I've always wanted to be alone with you like this! You have no idea how long I've been trying to get closer to you."

His words reached your ears but couldn't settle your raging thoughts. Nothing about this made sense! Why would the Chrysos Heir want someone ordinary and unremarkable like you? All of Okhema laid at his feet, yet he wanted you of all people? It didn't feel right, and neither did what he was doing to you without your consent. And yet, against all reason, your head fell back just as you felt your body tensing. 

"That's right," he mumbled, his weight bearing down on you as he buried your cock between his pecs." Be a good boy and come for me. Let me have a taste, I've been starving."

All you could do was obey, your toes curling as you tried biting back the moan that finally broke free. It felt incredibly wrong, but as you watched your cum splash and spread across Phainon's chest, you couldn't help but stare in stunned silence. Both of you were breathing heavily, the motion continuing to tease your cock, which still throbbed between Phainon's pecs. Only now did you realize what you had done—and to be fair, it was his fault as well—the shame burning through your whole body as you whimpered fearfully. 

What if he'd tell everyone that you had forced yourself on him? What if he blackmailed you? No… Phainon wasn't that kind of person. You had always known him to be noble and kindhearted, your mind was merely playing tricks on you out of your own anxiety. And besides, he had attacked you first… even if you ended up being on the receiving end of the pleasure. 

At this point, you didn't know if it was merely the heat of the baths getting to your head or if you were about to pass out from exhaustion. Yet, you managed to pull yourself a few inches away, your cock slipping out from between Phainon's pecs with a nasty squishy sound, reminding you too much of sex. Well, technically, this was a form of it. Still, it made you nervous to consider this an act of intimacy. You two still barely knew each other, even though Phainon kept claiming he did. 

Stealing another glance at him, you watched him lean back, dragging his fingers through the spilled cum as if drawing patterns on himself. He searched for your eyes again, satisfied as he met your gaze. Phainon grinned, bringing his palm in front of his mouth and giving it a good lick, slurping up some of the jizz as if it was the drink of the Titans itself. Wide-eyed, you watched in horror, but as Phainon made one more step out of the bath, your gaze was drawn away, the towel around his hips loosening up before dropping to the ground. Not without getting stuck on his erection, though, and you gulped as you watched his cock bounce free the second the fabric slipped off. 

He was massive. You had suspected as much from the bulge you had noticed before, but seeing his cock fully erect, ran goosebumps all over your body. Something like that was what every man wished for. It probably made anyone faint the moment it slipped in, but it would be so worth it just to be fucked by it. Getting down on his hands and knees, Phainon crawled after you, a sight to behold, the great hero on his fours, preying on you like an animal. Now that he had a taste, his eyes had darkened with an unfamiliar desire. It made you gulp hard as you realized you were the object of lust reflected in them. 

"I- I'm so sorry! I can't tell you how sorry I am, this is unforgivable—I should leave!" was all you could come up with before quickly twisting your hips around and trying to stand up. You were already on your knees when one strong arm wrapped around your neck, and you clawed at it, fearing the enormous strength Phainon seemed to wield with ease. You had no question that he could suffocate you just like that, and the anxiety raised some panic inside you. 

Soft lips fell at the spot behind your ear, slowly kissing down your neck and making you gasp and shudder. His other hand dropped to your right pec, squeezing at it despite your body being less refined than his. Compared to your average size and looks, Phainon was like a god. Perhaps that's why he thought it was okay to play with your nipple, flicking it with his pointer while you felt the lips at your neck suck your skin into his mouth.

"Don't leave just yet," Phainon muttered against your body. "I finally got you right where I want you."

"I- I'm just an employee, Sir! I can't possibly be what you want!"

"Mhm," a long, thoughtful hum escaped Phainon before you heard his lips smack as they were pulled from your body. "And yet, you are. Always been," he confessed, and you weren't sure if this was a lie like your boss had told you or if you should have felt flattered to be confessed to by the Heir. However, your cock jerked as you listened to him, no less because of all the stimulation you were receiving. 

"And tonight, I finally have you all to myself."

Hand falling from your chest, it drove lower over your stomach. You inhaled sharply at the sensation of his fingers parting so they could wrap around the base of your dick. Jerking your hips back, you felt his length press between your ass cheeks, his hot and eager cock twitching as it was greeted by softness. Phainon let out an audible breath before he chuckled, allowing you to feel every inch of him by rubbing his cock against your butt. Simultaneously, his pointer and thumb created a circle around your own sex, stroking it up and down slowly. 

You two fell into a rhythm of stroking and rubbing, Phainon's kisses returning to the nape of your neck, together with his hot breath and wet tongue. The arm around your neck kept holding you up, choking you a little every time he pressed you forward with a push of his hips, and you gasped, making Phainon's breath shudder every time as if your voice aroused him. Soon enough, your cock was up and ready again, although you felt exhausted after all the work that day and having already spent yourself all over the hero. 

But when you felt the next orgasm built, making you snap your own hips forward into Phainon's hand, he suddenly let go of your cock, leaving it to pound helplessly into the air. "You're already ready again," Phainon teased, and you bit your lip, holding back the frustration. Suddenly, he let go of you, pulling away and leaving you to catch your balance until you found yourself on all fours this time. Your dick was twitching between your legs, upset about not finishing what Phainon had started.

But before you could come to your senses and use the chance to leave, Phainon was back, his legs on either side of your body as he got down on your level. Next thing you knew, something slimy dripped onto your butt, running off the curve and into your crack. Alarmed, you looked back, watching as a focused Phainon poured some liquid out of a golden pitcher, letting it run over his hand and thoroughly coating it in the thick substances. When he looked up again, he smiled again, assuring you, "No worries, I prepared for this."

Then, he slipped his hand between your cheeks, his middle finger pushing against your hole. Realizing that he was preparing you for penetration, you gasped, immediately trying to crawl away, but Phainon was quicker. He laughed as you squirmed, calling out, "Not so fast!" as he grabbed your ankle with his free hand, pulling you back on the first step and into the bath. The water was a treacherous accomplice, trying to soothe you with its warmth and calming effects, but as his finger slipped inside you, there was no calm to be found in you. 

"Wait!" you yelled, pushing back against the arm whose finger penetrated you with your own hand, but you didn't have the strength to fight him. The lube he used had some form of relaxant in it, making it easier to stretch you. You mewled up as he pushed another and a third finger into you, undoubtedly preparing you for his cock's girth. 

"You're ready," Phainon let you know as you breathed heavily, his fingers stirring up your insides mercilessly. When you came to serve him food and drinks, you didn't think you'd end up being assaulted. Yet here you were, at his mercy, as he placed the tip of his cock against your hole, pressing against it over and over until he was frotting the lotion and coating himself in it. You opened your mouth to protest one more time when he finally decided to go for it, his entire tip slipping inside you, spreading you to a never-before achieved level of width. No scream escaped you as he pushed himself further into you, the only sounds around being the bubbling of water and Phainon's groans. 

"That's it," Phainon purred. "Take it like you were made for me."

Even without looking back, you knew he had managed to lodge his entire shaft inside. Your cheeks were spread, and his balls pressed against your ass. You could barely endure it, your vision blurry with a mix of tears and seeing stars. Phainon had yet to move, but there was no guarantee he wouldn't knock the breath from your lungs with one deep pound, making you faint like you had anticipated his cock would. 

Grunting, Phainon slowly pulled back out of your hole that clung to him tightly, all the lube being absorbed to ease your pain. However, instead of knocking you out cold, your whole body sprung to life as he pushed into you. In an instant, you were overcome by fear, panic, pain, and the desire to get away, but with the next push, you were left a moaning mess, rolling your hips in an attempt to adjust to his thickness penetrating you. 

Steadily, the pace increased, and your body took every push with delightful pleasure that made you almost forget that you didn't want any of this. Phainon's arms soon snaked around your torso, helping you back on your knees and pressing your back against his chest, your body molding into his. You listened to his grunts, trying not to admit your own sounds of pleasure as he plowed into you, hugging you tighter and tighter.

You could feel his cock swell inside you, the signs of arousal all there, even on your own body. This was not how you imagined your first private meeting with the Chrysos Heir to go. This wasn't the kind and heroic person he had been made out to be by everyone. If anything, he was an animal in heat, forcing your head back and to the side. 

"Look at me," he murmured while continuing to fuck his shaft into you mercilessly. Licking his tongue over your lips, you sighed as his dick pressed against your sensitive spot once again, giving Phainon enough time to capture your mouth with his, kissing you deeply while holding you painfully close against him. Not even a piece of paper could have fit between you two. You could feel gravity pulling you down on his cock even when he stopped moving, accommodating your second orgasm and allowing it to spill on the pristine floors of the bath freely. You not only had disgraced the Chrysos Heir now with your juices, but also your workplace. Even wiped up, you'd never forget your cum glistening on the stone. 

Phainon sighed as your body spasmed, wrapping tightly around his cock in waves of pleasure. Your brain felt muddy, the orgasms in quick successions taking their toll on you as you allowed your body to be laid back down on the ground next to your spurts of jizz that seemed to taunt you for your easily influenceable mind. Deep inside, you knew this was wrong, but after two ejaculations, you didn't have the strength to resist him anymore. 

Instead, you mewled, feeling Phainon's cock twitch inside you, still ready and eager to come himself. You met his eyes, a victorious grin on his lips as he watched you. Your reflection looked well-fucked and dazed, and you were, moaning softly as Phainon pressed down on you, imprisoning you between the ground and him. His hands fell to your thighs, picking them up and pressing them forward, and you whimpered as it allowed his cock to bury even deeper. You knew instinctively that when Phainon undoubtedly filled you with all his cum, he wanted it to be at the deepest point, the one that would drive you absolutely insane. And it was, every roll of his hips making you shudder and cry out from the overstimulation. 

His mouth found yours once more in a mix of hot breath and drool, the kiss so intense it felt like you were melting. Both of you had worked up quite a bit of sweat, too, your bodies slipping against each other as your ass was fucked raw. "Mhm, S-Sir…" you moaned, his body threatening to bury you beneath it as he kept pressing himself against you more and more. 

"P-Phainon. My name is Phainon," he replied, grasping for breath himself but smiling from ear to ear as if telling you that made him extremely happy. As if you didn't already know his name. Then again, he seemed disappointed when you asked him if you two knew each other, so introducing himself felt like a step forward in your non-existent relationship. 

"Phainon…" you called out to him awkwardly, intending to tell him to stop as you simply couldn't take it anymore. However, it had the opposite effect, his cock twitching inside you, causing you to clamp up. Both of you turned into a mess of gasps and moans, and instead of stopping, Phainon picked up the pace. You could tell he was close, and he placed his arms on either side of your head, plowing into you thoughtlessly. His whole body enveloped you, chest now closer to your face than his head as Phainon readied himself to fill you with his cum. Salty skin rubbed against your lips, and you caught a whiff of his natural scent mixed with the gentle aroma of the baths. 

He smelled almost like metal, which wasn't surprising for a trained warrior like him. The sharp iron mixed with the salt of his sweat, and there was a faint trace of your cum left, everything about Phainon smelling so manly. His smell was everywhere, on his arms to your sides and chest above you. Perhaps with his scent points on his neck and wrists so close, it was unavoidable for you to inhale it deeply. He was all around you, there was no escaping this man.

After tasting it for the first time, you found yourself craving more of this strange combo. Without thinking, you let your tongue out of your mouth, dragging it over his pecs until you hit his nipples. Unexpectedly, it was the straw that broke the camel's neck for Phainon, the sensation of you licking him making his eyes go wide as his voice got caught in his throat, a strained groan all that he could produce. Next thing you felt was the hot spill of his seed inside you, the fluids sloshing against the walls of your bowels.

Moaning loudly, your body forced itself against Phainon's. Even in the state of pure bliss, he managed to catch you with one arm, supporting you like a true gentleman as you grew slack, while he filled you up with his jizz. You two ended up in a messy tangle, and you couldn't think straight as he hugged you, cock still balls-deep inside your hole, kissing the side of your face. 

"You did great," he praised you. "I knew it was going to be good, but I could have never expected it to be this amazing."

When Phainon finally lifted himself off you, air stormed back into your lungs, clearing your head somewhat. Your feet curled up, legs trying to close, and you whimpered as his cock slowly pulled out, unplugging you so that spurts of white jizz left you violently. You felt utterly disgusted, semen, sweat, and lube clinging to you, but at least it was over. Tears rose in your eyes as you realized what Phainon had done. You wouldn't even be able to tell anyone, as no one would believe you that he had assaulted you.

Everything hurt as you forced yourself to move. Cum kept dripping down your legs as you stood up, taking a few weak steps and picking up your discarded underwear. All you wanted was to get away and never come back. Try to forget what happened and wash yourself until you were rid of the memories Phainon had left on your body. You'd need time to heal from all of this and especially to come to terms with the fact that your body obeyed and accepted his malice so easily. Everything from your body to the image you had of the hero was utterly defiled, and you felt so, so dirty. 

"Where are you going?" Phainon asked chipperly, and before you knew it, he had picked you up from behind. In all your self-pity, you had totally forgotten about him still being here. About the weird behavior he displayed and how strangely he spoke to you. This time, you used your nails to cling to him, wanting to give him just a little bit of the pain he had caused you. 

"Let me down!" you protested, your voice hoarse after all the moaning, but Phainon didn't listen. Instead, he carried you back into the bath, sitting down on the bench with you on his lap. You could feel his cock still hard and twitching between your legs, especially when Phainon moved forward, reaching for something behind you. You managed to stifle a moan, barely. It only needed a brief rub against his length for your body to shudder, remembering all of the abuse you had suffered. And yet, sitting in the warm, soothing bath made your body tingle in anticipation, almost as if you wanted more.

"Here, drink," Phainon chimed, pushing one of the glasses into your hands. It was filled to the brim with a liquid, and with horror, you realized it was the expensive beverage you had brought up here. Hesitating, you held it in your hands, glancing sideways towards your escape route, the elevator still waiting there for you like you had left it. 

Taking a swig of his own cup, Phainon tipped against yours, urging you silently. You hated the authority he had over you, but spilling the drink could give him more reason to blackmail you if he told everyone you poured some of it into the baths. Not risking it, you took a quick sip of it into your mouth, swallowing it eagerly as your body demanded more hydration. It tasted sweet and delicious and felt so good after what you had endured. 

"Want some fruit, too?" Phainon asked as he watched you drink. His free hand had found its way to your thigh again, kneading it softly. When you finally put your cup down, you noticed the fond sparkle in his eyes, his muscles completely relaxed. Part of you had assumed he'd treat you like a quick stress relief and throw you out the second he was done with his fun. However, he seemed content taking care of you after fucking you against your will. Unconcerned, that's what he was—the complete opposite of you.

"Why?" you whispered, still so many questions on your mind.

"Well, fruits have vitamins and are very good to regain some energy–"

"Why did you do this to me?"

Phainon shut up the second you interrupted him. Placing his cup down, he took a deep breath before facing you with a smile again, wrapping his arms around your waist leisurely. "I'm a warrior, I can't afford to have everything I want. So I had to choose, and I want you. I've wanted you ever since I first came to this place. It has always been you that I looked for in the crowds, and still, I can't take my eyes off you. I want you. I need you. And now, I don't think I can part with you ever again."

"That's… But I–"

Reaching behind you, Phainon picked an apple from the platter you had served him, biting into it as he listened to your stutter. That guy had no worries, it seemed, casually dropping a confession as if it was the easiest thing to say. Maybe after already making you familiar with his massive cock, he got a bit ahead of himself, thinking that everything had a price. 

"I am not a whore," you protested firmly, standing up for yourself for probably the first time that night. "You can't just ask for me and then force me to have sex with you! We don't even know each other!"

The sound of apple crunching began to annoy you as he kept eating while you spoke your mind. Only when you tried to get up and away from him did you get resistance, his hands grabbing your sides, pressing you back down on top of his lap. 

"You're not my whore," he relented, and you thought you saw a splash of disappointment in his eyes, only angering you further. "I was hoping you'd be my lover."

"I'll never be with someone who treats people like he wants, not even caring about their feelings."

"That's fine."

Phainon's gaze was focused as he said that, his voice unwavering. The response was too quick, too calculated. His fingers gripped tighter into your flesh, and you took a sharp breath to suppress the pain. Something about him had shifted; he felt… cold. Undeterred. As if he was about to make a necessary sacrifice.

But just as quickly, his smile returned, and he pushed the apple into your mouth, muffling your complaints. 

"Eat it. You'll need the strength for the next round," he announced, setting you down beside him before getting up and stepping in front of you. His cock bopped right in your line of sight, a clear indication of what he wanted next, considering he was ready to go again. 

"What?! No!" you yelled, throwing the apple away. Despite the awkward position, you moved to slip past Phainon, but he gripped you by the hair, pulling you back. You hissed in pain, only distracted when you felt his glans poke against your cheek, his entire length sliding up your face. 

"If I'm not the one you want to be with, I just have to become someone you won't want to leave, right? I can do that," Phainon announced, appearing to be proud of his deduction. You felt a shiver run through your body as you realized you were utterly overpowered. Before you stood a Chrysos Heir, known for his strength, stamina, and aptitude. And apparently, you were the enemy he needed to subdue, no matter how long it would take. 

The sweet, kind Phainon was actually… a psycho. 

"Please…" you whimpered softly, tears filling your eyes. "I don't want that."

"You'll get used to it. "We have all night, just us two. It's a dream come true, isn't it?"

Phainon smiled at you, gently cupping your face with his other hand, rubbing his thumb over your cheek comfortingly. But before you could even utter a reply, he rested his hand beneath your jaw, pinching into both your cheeks and forcing you to open wide. 

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll do everything in my power to make you love me."

[marymary-diva17]

she is the boss

The metekayain had many things to learn when it comes to be with a human, and dreamwalker as life would be dramatically changing for them. As they will be seeing that even their challenges they had to going through, as young warriors didn't prepare them to being with a human who had grade aura to themselves and will not allow only to get away with anything.

y/n " ........" the home was very quite right now as the everyone seem to be out during their own thing, and it made you happy to see your family getting out and during their own things.

aonung " you two are such fools"

tsireya " no aonung you are the fools and act like you know everything"

rotxo " I agree as well aonung you are acting like you are the best just because you are the oldest"

y/n " hey" the kids soon looked to see you standing there as you looked at them, and soon made your way towards them.

y/n " so tell me why my little ones are fighting"

aonung " they started it they will not listen to me"

tsireyo " he being a sxkwangs mama"

rotox " he didn't want to hear us about only saying he the oldest"

aonung " no I didn't"

tsireya and rotxo " yes you did"

aonung " no"

tsireya and rotxo " yes"

aonung " nah"

tsireya and rotox " yah ha"

y/n " okay no more we are not going back forth all day on this game"

kids " yes mama"

y/n " good because right now you are all to nice or civil towards each other, as I will not have you fighting one another right now so tell me what happened"

aonung " babas had asked us to collect some things for them and we said yes, but we couldn't agree on the right things to get mama"

y/n " okay what did they ask for you all to give them"

tsireya " shells, broken coral, some pearls, and few other things"

y/n " okay and did you bring that stuff home"

aonung " yes but not that much and now babas will be mad at us, and mad with me as I'm the oldest and I should do better"

y/n " oh my aonung you have done well my son all of you have done well"

rotxo " thank you mama"

tsireya " yes thank you mama"

y/n " I love you kids so much you know that"

kids " yes mama"

y/n " good now run along my crazy kids and go have some fun" the kids soon laugh as you looked at them, as they prepared to leave the house they soon ran into your husbands.

tonowari " there you three are we had come to see how the task was going"

aonung " yes baba we brought home what we got today"

tsireya " yes did it a mixture of many things as you have asked"

rotox " we worked together as well"

ronol " oh show us what you brought home" the kids soon showed their fathers what they brought home, as it was something they were not expecting.

tonowari " well kids this si a good haul"

ronol " yes you all had done a good job"

aonung " really"

tonowari " yes"

y/n " see my children there was nothing to worry about at all" the kids had smiled brightly being so proud of themselves at the moment.

aonung " come on let go play and tsireya and pick the game"

tsireya " really" aonung had nodded his head as the kids had taken off leaving you with your mates.

tonowari " they got into a fighting didn't they"

y/n " I don't know what you are talking about my kids are good"

ronol " that one way to explain them as they are copies of you, there no lying there"

y/n " what was that my dear husband"

ronol " oh nothing just myself tell you how much I love and adore you"

y/n " nice try handsome but I heard you as I recall our children, are much like their fathers"

tonowari and ronol " ......."

y/n " I take the silence as I have won the debate here and next time, you both decide to leave home without word we are going to have a nice and long conversation"

tonowari " yes ma y/n"

y/n " good" you soon noted your head as you soon started walking away to go check on the kids, as they watch you walk away they had leaned the hard way you were the boss. When you told them anything you are true to your word, and they didn't mind that all all. That what them and many others had to get use to when they settled down with a dreamwalker.

[justmeinadaze]

What about a girl who on the surface seems to be happy. She's the one that is always there for people no matter what. Yet no one is there for her when she really needs someone. In a dark day where she thinks if she leaves the world no ones life would really change because she never really meant anything to other people. But Eddie finds her in a really bad state and somehow talks to her down and slowly overtime helps her feel wanted and loved. Shows her she's not alone.

A/N: I pushing this request and another someone gave me together because they were very similar. I get this to the core of my being and please never forget you aren't alone <3. You matter and the world is 100 time better because you're in it.

Warnings: Heavy material, mentions of emotional pain and depression especially feeling like no one cares and feeling like a burden. Enter with caution. I imagine a lot of us here have felt this at least at one point in our life.

Word Count: 2476

Everything is loud. 

Especially that voice that tells you no one cares.  Yeah you have your friends but they have their partners and their families. Yeah you have work but that’s all it is…work. The people you help are there for just that. As soon as you leave their peripherals it’s like you no longer exist. You have your family but it always feels like they are looking for number one…themselves. You’ve done everything for so many people and yet it feels like no one would do the same for you. 

It's not like you expect anyone to. You do things for people because you genuinely want to. Sometimes, however, it would just to be nice to feel like you were someone else’s first choice… 

Someone who woke up and was excited because they knew they were going to get to spend their day with you. Someone who while out in the world saw something random and their first thought was to call you to tell you. Someone who when you needed something whether it be to laugh or shoulder to cry on wouldn’t hesitate to be there. Someone who asked about your day because they were genuinely curious and not because they needed something. Someone who loved you unconditionally because you’re you.

It was a slow build up to tonight.

It starts with the little voice throughout your day telling you that no one would care. They’ll all move on after you’re gone. How long would it even take for someone to notice? No one calls unless they need something and you’re always the one to text first. You initiate meet ups with your friends and even then it’s hard to get everyone together. You fade in the background at work unless your boss needs someone to belittle. 

You haven’t seen your family face to face in so long. They always say their busy or their schedules are tight. Sometimes you call just to talk to your parents and no one answers. 

You had tried dating but most people you met up with just wanted sex. Anytime you tried finding a genuine connection, it was met with an innuendo that made your eyes roll. 

Today was particularly hard. Your account was overdrawn and you didn’t know how you were going to make it to the next check. Your boss said you seemed distracted and that you need to get your numbers to a better place or else you’d get a write up that could lead to a termination. You called your sister during your break but she didn’t answer instead posting online a selfie with her and her friends at lunch. You messaged a friend with a joke hoping to start a conversation about your worries without coming off like a bother. 

“I’m so exhausted. I wish I could meet a millionaire so I don’t have to work anymore lol”

She responded with a simple laughing emoji. 

You laid in bed scrolling through your phone at all the happy photos of people with their partners, other friends, and or children. They all seemed genuinely happy…why couldn’t you? You were really good at playing content but it took every ounce of energy you had. You didn’t want to pretend anymore. 

You wanted to place the weight of everything down for even just one day of relief while someone took you in their arms and told you that you were safe. 

The voice was practically screaming now in your head that you would never get that relief. The only way to end the pain is to remove yourself entirely from the equation. 

Your logic brain knew it didn’t want that but you didn’t know how to turn it off. 

Opening your front door, you ran outside in the rain in no particular direction hoping that you would end up wherever you were meant to be. You don’t know how long you were on your feet but suddenly you were swept off them as you fell forward into the mud beneath you. 

You heard a faint voice but it was hard to understand under the wind and thunder that shook the sky. A leather jacket covered your arms before you were lifted by your biceps and carried into a home nearby. 

“Jesus, sweetheart. Are you insane? You’re going to get yourself killed walking out there in this weather.”, the boy scolded as he shook his hair like a dog and took off the shirt he was wearing without any hesitation. “Fuck. Here let me take that here.” Grabbing his jacket, he rung it out in the kitchen and hung it on the counter. 

You watched him with wide eyes as he moved around what you realized was a trailer with purpose. 

“Alright, here’s a towel. Do you need to use my phone to call someone or—” The towel he handed you promptly feel to the floor when you didn’t reach out to take it from him, giving him pause as you both stared at it on the ground. 

His bare feet scooted against the rug as he placed himself in front of you and bent down to grab the towel again. You could feel his eyes scanning over you and when you glanced up to meet them you noticed they know reflected concern. 

“You know what? I’m being rude. I haven’t even introduced myself and I just pulled you into my humble abode.” With a big tooth filled grin, he extended his arms out wide and bowed. “My name is Eddie Munson and you are…?” He waits but when you don’t respond, he nonchalantly shakes his head as he stands to his full height again. “No worries. You can tell me when you’re ready. Um, I don’t think a towel will be enough and since it’s still storming you are more than welcome to use our shower. I have some fresh clothes you can change into and we can wash the mud off your outfit. If you want, of course. No pressure.”

“O-Ok.”

One of his eyebrows quirks at the sound of your voice before he flashes you another soft smile.

“Ok? Cool.”

***

When you step out of the shower, you can’t help but feel more relaxed under the steam that filled the bathroom. Eddie’s cigarette smelling clothes added an extra layer of comfort as they hung off your small frame. Glancing at the items on the sink, you smiled at the aftershave and hair product that lingered. Picking up his cologne, your smile grew as you inhale the smell that could best be described as home. You could get lost in that smell…

Continuing to dry your hair as you headed towards his room, you found the metalhead shoveling arms full of clothes that were on his floor into the closet. 

“Oh, uh, hey. Sorry. Yeah…my room isn’t usually this messy but…”

“It’s fine. I’m sorry for ruining your night.”

His face visibly scrunched in confusion as he took a seat on the edge of his bed. 

“What makes you think you ruined my night?”

“I just…kind of…appeared.”

“Nice, pretty girl like you shows up on my doorstep. Introverts dream right there, honey.”, he chuckles as you blush. “Naw, you didn’t ruin my night. I was just going to lay here, smoke some weed and listen to some music. Would, um, would you like to join me?”

You think for a moment as your eyes take him in. Eddie had changed out of his wet clothes and put on a long sleeve shirt with some shorts that reached past his knees. His hair had begun to dry and frizz in an adorable manner that had butterflies flutter in your tummy. 

“Ok.”

“Yeah? Cool.”

“Y/N.” As he slides down to the floor, his head tilts when he hears you speak. “That’s my name.”

Grinning, he reaches under his bedside table and pulls out a little box with a couple of joints pre rolled within. 

“That’s very beautiful. So Y/N, is there a particular genre I should stay away from or are you openminded with music?”

“I’d like to think I’m pretty open minded.”

Eddie lights the end of the paper between his lips and his chest moves with every inhale and exhale before passing it to you. The effects are immediate as you feel calmness wash over you, handing it to him before laying on your back beside him. 

While you continue to listen to the music that plays neither of you says a word as you pass the joint freely between each other. The most recent song ends and a guitar rift begins to play that you feel like you’ve heard before. When you turn to look his way, your eyes lock with his earnest ones as if he’s waiting for you to recognize it. 

When the singer begins to sing the lyrics, your eyes close as you grab your stomach and laugh harder than you felt like you ever had before. Watching the way your personality unfolded has Eddie cackling with you until you were finally able to catch your breath. 

“Is that a fucking rock version of Lil Wayne’s ‘Lollipop’?! Oh my god it sounds amazing.”

“I have this weird fascination with rap songs turned into metal covers. It just tickles my funny bone the right way.”

“I love it.”

“And I love your laugh. It’s infectious.”

Glancing his way, you softly smile as you pass him the last of the bud in your hand for him to finish. 

“Thank you.”

“It’s nice to see you smile. You seemed a bit sad when you came in.”

“Yeah…we don’t have to talk about it though.”

“Do you not WANT to talk about it?”

“No, I just…you don’t wanna hear all that heavy stuff.”, you sigh as you sit up and lean against his dresser. 

“I mean I want to hear more about you, Y/N, and if that ‘heavy stuff’ is a part of you than I wanna hear it.”, he responds as he sits up as well. 

“You don’t know me, Eddie.”

“I’m trying to, sweetheart.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why do you want to know? Like I said you don’t know me. Why do you care?”

“I care because I want to know why a gorgeous, seemingly kind woman like you was walking out alone at night during a thunderstorm. Whatever caused her to do that must be really hurting her and I know how much that sucks. I want to help…if I can.”

Your eyes take him in as he pulls his knees to his chest and wraps his arms around them to hold them in place. It was so odd to feel safe with someone you didn’t know. You weren’t sure if it was his smooth voice, the intense yet soft hues of his own eyes, or the protective concerned energy that surrounded him but you decided to take a leap and let go.

“When I get lonely…sometimes the voices in my head…get too loud. Not like you know voices, voices but just like that little voice…that makes the world…seem hopeless.”

“Like…no one cares about you to put you first and maybe the world would somehow be better without you in it?” When your gaze shifts his way, you find his have moved to the void in the floor in front him. “Yeah, I know how that feels especially when you hear it being reiterated with that voice.”

“It’s like an extra weight is pushing down on me and I can’t breathe.”

“You just want someone to take off some of that slack and tell you everything is going to be ok. And not because they want something or because they feel like they have to but because they genuinely want to.”

As you nod, you hastily try to dry the tears that fall before he notices.

“Y/N? I promise everything is going to be ok.” When Eddie slid closer to you, you couldn’t stop yourself as you climbed into his lap and curled into his broad chest as his arms circled around you. “You’re safe and the world is 1000 times better because you’re here.”

He continued to coo softly that everything was ok, rocking you gently in his arms as you continued to cry. 

################

Six Months Later

You beam as you hold Eddie’s hand at the table with your friend and her date as you wait for your food to served. 

“Hey, you know what would be fun? Maybe after we eat, we can head over to Scoops and try that new peanut flavor they have.”

“Oh, yeah!”, your friend exclaims with bright eyes. “I heard it’s so delicious.”

“I mean ice cream sounds great but Y/N can’t have that flavor. She’s allergic remember?”, your boyfriend replies nonchalantly as he quietly thanks the waiter as he places plates down in front of everybody. Without skipping a beat, Eddie opens your burger and steals your pickles he knows you give him every time before wrapping his arm around your shoulders as he eats with his free hand. 

Since that first night you met him, everything came almost easy with Eddie. For the first time, you felt heard and understood. Those first couple of months, you half expected him to disappear but every day he showed up with the same enthusiasm that made your heart want to explode. 

The first time you two fought, he realized it was because you were afraid to be open. 

“Sweetheart, how am I supposed to know it bothers you if you don’t tell me?”

“I just…I don’t want to lose you. I like you a lot, Eddie, and I’m afraid—”

“To be yourself? Baby, I like you a lot to. YOU… not some image of you. Don’t make yourself unhappy to make me happy. I don’t want that.”

From that moment on, you did everything you could to express how you felt and every time he tried to meet you in the middle. Every bad day, you were there for each other no questions asked. Every good day, you relished especially the small moments where you two would just lay on the floor and listen to music enjoying each other’s company without feeling like he’d rather be somewhere else. 

You were his first choice and he was yours. 

“How about we go to the arcade? They have that ice cream shop next door and then we can play some pool.”, you suggest knowing Eddie can smoke while you guys play as the music you both like plays. 

“That sounds like fun.”, your friend grins. “I’m not good with pool but I know Adam likes to show off.”

“So does Ed.”, you giggle. 

“Pfft, like you don’t like watching me bend over the table when I shoot my shot.”, he teases as he throws a wink your way before kissing your forehead.

##############

Eddie Asks/ Donate to me :)

Just in case y'all wanted to hear the song :P

[beenbaanbuun]

misunderstandings w/ san

words - some

genre - fluff/angst with a dash of nsfw but not smut

warnings - horny!san, soft!san, sad!reader, misunderstandings, san in grey sweatpants, mentions of sex, no actual sex/sexual acts, reader speaks in riddles and expects san to understand

it’s no surprise to anyone that san likes to be cosy and comfy

we’ve all seen that fuzzy great sweater that he always wears

that thing looks like it would send me to sleep within seconds of putting it on, but i digress…

another item of clothing he keeps close to his heart is sweat pants, more specifically grey ones

he says they’re just comfy, but you know exactly why he wears them

they cling to his thighs so nicely and leave very little to the imagination

sometimes just seeing him in them is enough to drive you insane

it’s even worse if he takes a shower before putting them on, because 9 times out of 10, that man is not putting underwear on with them

a shirt is also optional… apparently san just doesn’t like the way they feel when his skin is damp

personally, you think san just does it because he knows it drives you crazy

in fact, there’s been more than a few times when you’ve texted san throughout your day at work about how much you miss him

and shown up at the end of the day with him on your couch, just like that; half naked with sopping wet hair

and whilst ‘i miss you’ usually is just code for ‘i’m horny’, sometimes it just means you’re having a bad day and want to hold him close for the rest of the day

either way, you don’t mind showing up to your house with a half naked san on your couch

you’re about to get the best dick of your life, or incredibly soft cuddles

it all depends on your response to his obvious advances, although sometimes he isn’t the best at taking hints

“you’re home,” he opens his arms the moment you walk through the door, as if asking for a hug

you’re more than happy to oblige, dumping your bag on the floor and letting your tired body collapse onto his

it had been a frustrating day to say the least

your coworker had been off so her work had been passed to you, despite the fact that no one person would be able to do all of that by themselves

still, the boss expected it whether you complained or not

saying you were drained was an understatement

as your body connects with san’s, he grunts, but catches you effortlessly

“fucking hell, babe,” he squeezes you gently as he holds you to his chest, “careful, yeah?”

you nod half heartedly into the damp skin of his neck

“you’re naked,” you deadpan, snuggling into his warmth a little

you know what it means, but you haven’t quite decided whether that’s what you want or not

maybe sex would take your mind off the day behind you

or maybe it would overstimulate you and send you spiralling… who’s to know!

“hardly,” he replies, “i have my sweatpants on…”

“and what are the chances of there being something underneath,” you wait for his response, but he stays silent which tells you everything you need to know

not that you need any confirmation; you can feel his hardening dick pressing against your thigh

you decide then and there that no, sex definitely would not be the best option

the thought alone of the ache that would follow is enough to make you decide that you certainly could not handle it right now

“it’s covered, is it not?” he finally says through pouted lips

you sit up fully and look at him with a fed-up expression, hoping he gets the message

you’d never been too good at saying no to people

something along the lines of not wanting to disappoint people

usually you just dropped hints and hoped for the best; san usually understood sooner or later

“it’s rock hard against my leg, san,” you scoff, “i don’t think your sweatpants are going to stop me from feeling that…”

he shrugs with a smirk

“that sounds like a you problem,” he says, which is actually factually incorrect, “maybe you should do something to sort it out…”

you can’t help but sigh at his inability to take any sort of hint

“or maybe, you can take yourself up to the bathroom and get rid of the problem yourself!”

it’s more obvious that the glare you gave him previously

still, the smirk remains as though you’re just teasing him

he shakes his head with a grin

“but you’re literally right here,” he whines, “and the bathroom is all the way upstairs…”

“i’m not in the mood to ache right now, sannie,” you once again, drop a hint that he, once again, completely disregards

in fact your statement makes him smile, clearly happy with what your statement implies about how good he fucks you usually

“i’ll be gentle?”

“san!” you scold, frustrated that your rock-headed boyfriend can’t seem to understand that whether or not he was rough was not the issue here

“i’m just saying,” he puts his hands up defensively

you look down at him with tired eyes, frustrated tears forming in the corners as you grow tired of throwing hint after hint at him

as much as you hated saying ‘no’ so bluntly, you settle on the fact that you might have to

“san,” you start, taking a deep sigh to calm your nerves, “i’m trying to tell you that i don’t want to have sex right now.”

you have to force yourself to look at him

even though you know that he’ll be more than fine with that fact, you can’t help but feel a little guilty about it

and when you look up at him, you can’t help not notice that his face falls a little

not that he’s upset at you not wanting sex, he’s just upset that he clearly misread the situation

and maybe he feels a little (a lot) guilty for pushing so hard when, now that he thinks back on it, you actually weren’t that interested

“oh, baby,” he mumbles softly as he moves his hands to rest against your thighs that sit either side of hips, “bad kind of ‘i miss you’, huh?”

you nod

“the bad kind,” you respond with a shrug, as if you’re trying to pass it off as nothing

but of course, gentleman san would never let that happen

because your emotions are never nothing

“you should’ve told me straight away,” he scolds gently, “or maybe i should’ve asked…” he frowns, “either way, if i’d have known i’d never have pushed so hard… you know that, right?”

you nod ever so slightly

of course you should’ve told him straight away, but again, saying no is hard for you and the ever present fear of disappointment hangs over your head like a rain cloud

and while you were positive that nothing you did could ever disappoint san, there was still something in the back of your brain that told you otherwise

“of course i know that, sannie,” you pout, “but you know me…”

“hm, i do know you,” he mutters as he rubs gentle circles into your thighs, “and i know how scary saying no is, but it’s just me.”

just san… it’s just san

you nod, understanding exactly what he means

there’s no external judgement, or any judgement at all for that matter, because it’s just san

and san doesn’t care about these things

san just wants to make you happy and if sex wouldn’t make you happy, then san would happy live with blue balls for the night

you nod again, more enthusiastic this time

“it’s just you,” you give him a small smile, which he returns without even a second passing

“there’s that pretty smile,” he coos before shifting his hands to your waist and tugging you gently until you’re lay flat against his chest once more

and you’re happy to just lie there in silence as san trails his fingers up and down your spine to soothe you

he’s not asked about your day yet, and he probably won’t for a while, content to sit in silence and love you for now

and you’re content too

very content

[dailynnt]

ONE NIGHT AS THE PRICE OF A REQUEST

⋆˙⟡ Summary: You hate your neighbor Jungkook, but you have to ask him to pretend to be your boyfriend at a party to get rid of your annoying boss. He agrees, but you don't even imagine what you'll have to pay him with. Everything goes according to plan until Jungkook reveals his true price during the dance: one night with him or your life in the neighborhood will be hell.

⋆˙⟡ Couple: Jeon Jungkook/ The Reader, Jungkook/Y/N

⋆˙⟡ Age restrictions: 18+

⋆˙⟡ Index of chapters: ≣

⋆˙⟡ Number of chapter: 7/?

⋆˙⟡ Tags: enemies-to-neighbors-to-lover, fake relationship, hate to desire, dom!Jungkook, heated blackmail, one bed trope (later more than one bed), undeniable chemistry, forced deal, mutual obsession, dangerous game, unexpected feelings, passion on edge, impossible to resist, tension and desire, unprotected sex, sexual tension, slow burning

⋆˙⟡ From author: Hello my dear armies 💜 My birthday was so wonderful, I didn't even expect it! So many people congratulated me and I felt how much people love me and it's so nice 🤭🥰 I wanted to have time to publish a chapter on my birthday, but I didn't, because you know, I was distracted all the time! But I did it for you 💜🫶🏻 I decided to show some a little bit of Y/N's character and actually what the relationship is like between them now. They argue so much don't they? 😅 Anyway, let me know how you liked this chapter? You know how much I appreciate everyone who reads my stories! You make me happy every day! THANK YOU FOR THAT 💜🫶🏻🥺

⋆˙⟡ Dedication: to my biggest love @kelsyx33, @curse-of-art, @kooko009, @smokinghotstargirl, @myjungkookthighs, @mskookie, @minimoninini, @medstudentlifestyle for loving me for nothing. I love you girls twice as much 🥺🤭💜🫶🏻

⋆˙⟡ Tag list: @kelsyx33, @curse-of-art, @kooko009, @smokinghotstargirl, @myjungkookthighs, @mskookie, @minimoninini, @medstudentlifestyle, @bhonbhon, @ottergirl, @vantelover1306, @deepikhaprakash, @mar-lo-pap, @zeytiable, @lallataegi, @vintagemoonsstuff, @indigomoonchild09, @diame93, @bts-ruu (If you want to be on the tag list, let me know)

⋆˙⟡ Warning: English is not my native language, so please be lenient with mistakes in the text 🥹

Chapter 7. Time to start

The café was only half full, the perfect place to have a quiet conversation. You were sitting across from Jisu, stirring your long-cold coffee with a spoon. Three days had passed since the last article about you. No new headlines, no gossip. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

Jisu was flipping through her phone, she'd picked it up to see when the deadline was for a project you'd been working on together. But she seemed distracted, as her fingers scrolled through the page in her browser.

"Have you noticed that no articles have been written about you in the last three days?" Jisu took a sip of her matcha latte, not looking up from her phone. "I was getting used to the fact that every tab in my browser has your picture on it." 

You hummed, setting your cup down. You can guess who did this. You felt a little embarrassed at the mere mention of Jungkook, but you suppressed it with skill. You couldn't help but be happy that he had begun to fulfill his end of the bargain. 

"I noticed. I think it's Jungkook. He promised me he'd take care of it." 

Jisu nodded, her gaze lingering on your face.

"So you talked to him?" she asked, lowering her voice slightly so as not to sound too inquisitive. But you knew your friend very well. You were sure she was burning with curiosity. 

"Yes." you answered briefly, showing that you were not in the mood to talk about it. Besides, you have nothing to tell Jisu. You're not going to tell her that during that conversation you made a new agreement about a fake relationship and fucked after that. The memory of that night makes your stomach clench. 

"And what was his excuse about the fiancée?" Jisu continued to ask. Her eyes were burning. You knew you had to tell your friend something or she would go crazy. You looked away, telling her a half-truth.

"He said his parents were forcing him to get married. But he didn't want me to be nervous about it, so he didn't say anything about it." 

Both of you were silent. You listened to the noise of cars passing by the café. 

"So what's going on between you two now? Did you have a fight?" Jisu asked cautiously. 

You sighed slightly, noticing out of the corner of your eye that your friend was staring at you, waiting for an answer.

"No, we didn't fight," you answered, trying to keep your voice as calm as possible.

"But something's wrong," she said insistently, leaning slightly toward you. "You seem reluctant to talk about him."

You huffed a relaxed hum, grabbing for your cup even though you weren't going to drink anymore.

"I've never been one to talk about my personal stuff." 

"Y/N." Jisu folded her hands on the table and looked at you. "Are you really dating him, or is it something else?"

You froze for a split second, but quickly pulled yourself together.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't know..." She frowned. "He came into your life so... suddenly. And now this whole fiancée thing." 

"Actually, he came into my life a long time ago," you countered, and it was the truth. You had met Jungkook even before you met Jisu. You just never thought you'd have to play the role of his girlfriend. And that you would have to introduced him with your coworkers. 

"We communicated for a long time, and then it turned into something more." you lied and barely stopped yourself from squirming. You weren't at all happy about being connected to Jungkook, and being connected to Jungkook, who was the heir to one of the most powerful companies in Korea, was even worse. 

Jisu studied you, as if trying to determine how true your words were.

"But the fact that he's the heir to the ‘Jeon Group’ doesn't scare you?"

You raised your eyebrows in surprise.

"Why would I be?"

Jisu shrugged, leaning back in her chair. 

"Because of his status. He is used to power and that the world belongs to him. He... seems a little dangerous to me." She paused, searching for words. "I can't explain it, but he has this... cold look. Like someone who's used to being in control." 

You laughed a little nervously. Jisu had definitely picked up on this striking character trait of Jungkook's. He really does want to be in control. 

"It's just his communication style." you defended him, even though you didn't mean to. 

"Maybe..." Jisu still had her doubts. "But are you sure you're okay?" 

You could feel her genuine concern and even felt a little touched. You weren't okay to be honest, but you had to reassure your friend. 

"Yes, I'm fine," you answered with a smile. Jisu clearly wanted to continue the conversation, but in the end, she didn't. 

"How's our project going? You said you needed to finalize the presentation?" you asked, quickly changing the topic of conversation. 

"Yeah, I'll need your help with the layout."

"Oh, I'd love to help," you smiled. 

Jisu pulled out her laptop, and you watched her open the file she needed. But you couldn't help but think about your dialog. 

Jisu doesn't like Jungkook. Hmm. You laughed inwardly. You wondered why she thought he was dangerous. He was nice and friendly at the corporate party. You remember Jisu smiling at him and speaking to him with respect, and now she's saying he's dangerous.

Maybe she's worried that he's just playing with you and will leave you? But you're not really dating, she shouldn't be worried about that...oh right, she doesn't know that. 

"Okay, here." Jisu turned her laptop toward you, opening the presentation. "I can't decide which background is better. This one or this one?" 

She showed you two slides: one with a dark background and white text, the other light with pastel accents.

"The dark one looks more stylish, but the light one is more readable," you leaned closer, evaluating the options.

"What a dilemma." Jisu bit her lip.

You discussed the layout some more, and managed to distract yourself. But somewhere in the back of your mind, the thought was still running through your mind: why did Jisu change her mind about Jungkook so much? Did she see something that you hadn't noticed?

"You're getting your head in the clouds again," Jisu noticed, folding her arms across her chest.

"I'm just thinking," you shook your head lightly, trying to get rid of the unwanted thoughts. Your phone alerted you to a new message. 

You saw Jungkook's name on the screen. Your pulse quickened. Now your reaction to him was like this all the time. And considering your last fight, you were nervous because you hadn't spoken in almost three days. Not a single text or call. You hadn't crossed paths at the house either. 

"I'm sorry, Jisu." you said, picking up your smartphone. She got up from her seat, not even looking upset.

"Oh, don't worry about it. You can check your phone, and I'll go to the restroom in the meantime."

You just nodded without looking in her direction and immediately opened the message.

📲 Jungkook: "At eight in the evening, I'll pick you up. Be ready. We're going to an afterparty tonight."

You furrowed your brows. For three days, he hadn’t been around, and now he’s suddenly saying you’re going somewhere. He practically just told you what’s happening. You looked at the clock. It was almost four in the afternoon. If you really had to visit some afterparty , you needed to head home and start getting ready.

You noticed that he didn't even say hello to you. Was he offended or something, or too busy to take an extra second to write "hi"? This thought made you feel a strange combination of irritation and disappointment.

And one more question: What’s the after-party like? How do you dress there? Why can't he just explain it in a normal way?

You pressed your lips together, quickly typing out the answer:

📱 You: "For more information I’m needed buy a premium membership? 😤"

Jungkook replied quickly. As if he was waiting for your message. 

📲 Jungkook: "Yes. 100 thousand won." 

📱 You: "I think I'll pass. Do we have to go there together?" 

📲 Jungkook: "Yes" 

One short word. No explanation. No arguments. Just "yes". He didn't write anything else. 

You bit your lip, feeling the tension slowly building. Your trembling fingers beat on the touchscreen with excitement. 

📱 You: "Okay. I'll be ready by 8 pm." 

Jungkook read your message and didn't reply. A second later, you notice that he's logged out of the chat. Your show to be a good couple starts tonight. The thought of playing the role of his girlfriend made your shoulders tense.

A party where everyone will know you're his "girlfriend." More attention. More gossip. More pressure.

But you had no choice. You had to get your job back. And Jungkook had to get his freedom. So you just do what you have to do. For now.

You abruptly stood up from your chair, straightening your shirt. A minute later, Jisu returned to the table.

"Are you leaving already?" she asked in surprise, noticing that you were putting your bag on your shoulder.

"Yes, dear. I have plans for tonight."

You gave her a slight smile, gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, and left the coffee shop, feeling your heart pounding in your chest.

Jungkook was supposed to be here any minute. You got ready as fast as you could. After taking a shower, you put on some light makeup. All that was left was to get dressed. 

You opened your wardrobe and started sorting through your clothes, trying to find something suitable for the afterparty. You had to look nice because you were the Jungkook’s partner.

Eventually, you settled on an elegant black tight-fitting dress that fell to mid-thigh. It had graceful cutouts on the sides, revealing a little bit of waist, and thin straps that emphasized the shoulder line. You completed your look with classic black pumps and minimalist silver jewelry.  You neatly styled your hair in loose waves. 

Looking at yourself in the mirror, you were satisfied. You looked expensive, but without being too pretentious. This is not your first time attending such events. Part of your job description was to attend events related to clients, brands, or influencers. And you knew exactly what you had to look like. 

Jungkook showed up at the door at eight sharp, as promised. He was dressed in all white. A short denim jacket, a white T-shirt underneath that emphasized his perfect, pumped-up body, and white denim pants that were wide at the bottom. He was wearing sneakers on his feet. 

You were frozen holding the doorknob. Jungkook looked so gorgeous in all white. His black hair contrasted with his clean image. 

But there was one problem. Your outfit didn't match his. 

Just as you thought about it, the branded shopping bag in his hands caught your attention. He was holding a bag with the logo of Andersson Bell, one of Korea's most luxurious brands.

Jungkook quickly looked you up and down, his gaze running along your body line, and for a moment something satisfied flashed in his dark eyes, but he instantly returned to his mask of indifference. 

"Hi," he said, clearing his throat. He held out the hand in which he held the shopping bag. You pressed your lips together involuntarily, looking at him and then at the brand logo on the bag. It was not just an expensive brand, but also one of those with which his company had often cooperated. Jungkook had clearly chosen it for a reason. "Change into this." 

You were dissatisfied. You had worked so hard to choose your outfit, and he had ruined it. He could have just warned you how to dress, but this is Jungkook. He didn't do it on purpose and you knew it. This is how he shows control over the situation. But you decided that you would teach him a lesson. If he didn’t warn you how to look, it means you won’t wear what he brought you.

"What do you mean, change? I'm already dressed." you said colorlessly, clutching the doorknob. Jungkook raised an eyebrow. 

"Your dress doesn't match my look. As a couple, we should complement each other." His voice was low and confident. Not imperious, but categorical.

You were about to object, but at the same time you knew he was right. In a world where image decides everything, a couple should look harmonious. But it's his problem that he didn't tell you how to dress in the first place. You rolled your eyes slightly. You grabbed your clutch and phone and were about to leave the apartment, showing Jungkook that you wouldn't do what he said.

His hand grabbed your elbow, stopping you in the doorway. 

"Where are you going, Y/N?" he asked as he was close to you. You proudly turned your head to him, noticing the irritation on his handsome face. 

"To a party. I'm not changing my clothes." you said firmly. Jungkook stared at you for a long few seconds, clearly suppressing a wave of anger. Your heart was beating fast. 

"Y/N let's not fight with you right now, and you just take this bag and go change." he spoke clearly but you could feel how angry he was. You smiled tightly. 

"No. I'm not going to change into whatever you want. You should have told me what to wear before that. Besides, I'm not your doll that you can dress up as you please." 

Jungkook shoved you into the apartment and slammed the door. You pulled your hand away and walked away from him, stopping by the armchair.  

"You will wear what I brought and it's not negotiable." his voice sounded irritated, and sparks of anger burned in his dark eyes.

"What am I, your slave that you order? We are partners in case you forgot?" 

Jungkook walked up to you, stopping a step away. His gaze slid over you from head to toe, and then he abruptly threw the shopping bag at your feet. 

"I see you've taken to making silly scenes?" He asked. You raised your eyebrows.

"I don't make scenes. If you want us to work together properly, you have to keep me informed: "what," "how," and "where." You've decided something for own, after you just put me in front of the fact, that we're going to a party. And then you show up with the clothes that I have to wear." Your mood was spoiled and you didn't want to go with Jungkook at all now. 

He smiled, but it was far from friendly.

"Why are you so stubborn. You could have just put it on and not made a problem out of nothing. Why do you have to complicate things?" 

You snorted, looking away, unable to bear the gaze of those black eyes. 

"You complicate everything. You just need to realize that I'm part of this deal and you have to take my opinion into account."  

"Y/N," he took a step closer, making you feel the warmth of his body. You leaned into the back of the armchair and panicked a little. "Let's get one thing straight. I take your opinion into account exactly as long as it doesn't conflict with my interests." 

You glared angrily. His insolence was infuriating, but what was even more annoying was that he said it with such calm confidence, as if it were something completely normal. You exhaled slowly, trying to contain your irritation.

"Do I understand correctly?" you asked coldly, folding your arms across your chest. "If my opinion doesn't coincide with yours, then it simply doesn't exist?"

Jungkook tilted his head slightly to the side, watching you with a slight squint.

"I'd say your preferences matter... but only if they don't interfere with the bigger picture."

"Big picture?" You huffed dismissively. "You mean if I want to wear a different dress, that's going to ruin your whole image? Oh, poor thing, maybe you shouldn't have brought me along at all if it's that serious."

A shadow of a smile flickered across his lips.

"I'd love to leave you at home, kitten, but unfortunately we have to go together. We made a deal, remember?" You clenched your teeth. But he continued to speak. "And if you've noticed, I've already started to fulfill my end of the bargain. The media stopped writing about you. So be grateful and do your part." He nodded his head toward the package at your feet. 

"Our agreement didn't say that I had to dress the way you wanted. I'm going in what I'm wearing." You stood your ground. 

Jungkook squeezed his fingers and then calmly replied:

"You said it yourself - we are partners. But in a partnership, there are compromises."

You squinted your eyes.

"Compromises? What kind are those? The ones that only work one way — I give in, and you get what you want?"

He smiled, but it was almost calculating.

"You're wasting our time with this meaningless talk. If you don't change yourself, I'll do it for you." 

You inhaled sharply, staring at him in shock and indignation.

"Don't you dare touch me." 

"Then do what I ask," he straightened up, becoming serious again.

You clenched your jaws, feeling your cheeks burn with anger.

"If you want things your way so badly, you can go on your own." 

Jungkook squinted his eyes.

"Not an option." 

"For me, it is."

You walked around Jungkook and took a few steps toward the bedroom, hoping he would just get tired of it and back off. But the next moment, he grabbed your wrist and turned you around.

"Y/N, don't make me lose my patience," his voice was low and his fingers were hot on your skin.

"And don't make me hate you even more," you snapped, trying to pull your hand away. But Jungkook didn't let you. His other hand went around your waist, holding you tightly to him. Your heart skipped a beat. His closeness made your whole being tremble. His eyes fell to your lips.

"You're driving me crazy with your antics. And if it weren't for your stupid rule, I would have punished you already." He said low and confident. You unconsciously held your breath. You could only imagine the kind of sex you could have had between you. You were both on the edge. You feel throbbed between your legs. You aroused. 

"Let go of me." You said calmly, even though you were hot. Jungkook squeezed his fingers tighter. 

"Can we forget about your rule for the last time today? I could fuck you sweetly and you'd calm down." Jungkook suggested seductively, leaning closer. 

The warmth of his body, his hand, and the scent of his perfume made your mind blur. The desire he aroused in you was on the level of an animal. Your body screamed to accept his proposal, but your brain stopped you. No, you would not fall for his charms again. 

You rested your hands on his chest, ignoring the throbbing between your legs. 

"No. We won't forget the rule. You've been touching me unnecessarily for too long. Let go." 

"You want me to. I can see your eyes light up. Come on, kitten, I'll make it quick and qualitatively." said Jungkook. He took a few steps with you to your bedroom door. 

"Are you really crazy? I don't want to have sex with you. You were yelling that we were late..." you panicked. If he going to be more insistent, you mayjust give up. Jungkook led you to the back of your bedroom, and you decided that you would agree to change so that he would let you go. Jungkook kissed your neck and you immediately felt goosebumps. "Jungkook, I'm going to change the clothes. I'm going to change and we're going to the afterparty." 

He stopped and looked at you carefully. You were breathing rapidly. 

"Let’s you stay in that dress, but I'll fuck you?" Jungkook suggested with hope in his voice and a slight smile on his lips. His hands skillfully lifted your dress up your hips. He was so sure it was going to happen. 

"No. You're not going to do that. We don't have sex anymore. We have a rule. And I'm going to change into what you bought. Now let me go." You pulled out of his arms, and Jungkook froze in disappointment in the middle of your bedroom. You walked out of the room, barely able to stop yourself from shaking. Jungkook almost got what he wanted.

You grabbed a shopping bag of famous brand clothes and turned to go to the bathroom when you met Jungkook's gaze standing in your bedroom doorway. He looked disappointed and displeased. You wanted to laugh at him. You pursed your lips to keep from doing that. 

"I'll be waiting for you in the car." he said colorlessly and walked past you, no longer looking in your direction. He slammed the door, and you shrugged your shoulders and went to change. 

Jungkook chose an interesting and unusual look for you. The bag from Andersson Bell included a white asymmetrical top with long sleeves and open shoulders. Wide jean pants in ivory color. Now instead of heels, you put on your favorite white Nike sneakers. 

You went downstairs and found Jungkook's car not far from the entrance. You walked over and noticed that he was on his phone. You exhaled, opened the door, and got into the car.

You tried hard to banish the memories that immediately flooded your mind. The last time you were in this car, you had sex with Jungkook twice. It was so fucking great.

Jungkook gave you a half-view, when you got inside and then started the car and drove out of the yard. 

He was staring at the road with concentration. You sat in the passenger seat, scrolling on your phone. Jungkook was silent the whole way. You shifted a little, getting comfortable, and out of the corner of your eye, you noticed his fingers tighten their grip on the steering wheel. He looked calm, but you knew a storm was raging inside him.

You smiled at the corners of your lips, knowing that his irritation was a direct result of your stubbornness. But you didn't feel sorry for him. Jungkook always got what he wanted, and you liked that today you had managed to spoil his plans, even if only partially. 

You decided to pretend that you didn't notice his indignation and continued to scrolling on your phone, scrolling through the news feed. 

After another 10 minutes of silence, you couldn't take it anymore. You're going to have to play the role of a couple, and how can you do that when he's silent like a fish?

"What, you going to be offended now?" You asked ironically, not looking away from the screen.

Jungkook didn't answer right away. He seemed to be about to say something, but then changed his mind and pressed harder on the gas pedal.

"I'm not offended," he finally said dryly. You snorted.

"Oh, of course you are. You're just sitting there, pouting like a child who hasn't been given a toy."

"I'm not a child," his voice darkened.

"But you act like I took away your favorite candy," you mocked.

Jungkook glanced at you briefly and then returned his gaze to the road.

"You just like to spoil my mood," he said.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry I didn't let you fuck me before we went to the party," you replied sarcastically, crossing your arms over your chest. "But we agreed, nothing would have happened anyway..." 

Jungkook slammed on the brakes before the traffic light, forcing you to move forward a little. You looked at him angrily, but Jungkook just pressed his lips into a thin line.

"You're going to wish you hadn't added that rule," Jungkook said confidently, watching the traffic light, "I'm going to make you beg me." 

You raised an eyebrow, not hiding your skepticism.

"Oh, really? I'm getting scared right now."

Jungkook looked at you again, this time a little longer, a little sharper. His lips stretched into a subtle smile, the kind that sent shivers down your spine.

"You will."

He spoke so quietly and confidently that you held your breath for a second. But you didn't allow yourself to show that these words really hurt you.

"Good luck with that," you said, turning back to your phone.

The traffic light changed, and Jungkook stepped on the gas, forcing the car to lurch forward.

Jungkook got out of the car without even looking in your direction. He slammed the door, straightened his shoulders, and walked forward, leaving you a little behind.  This caused a strange feeling somewhere deep inside. But you forced yourself to put on an indifferent expression and just followed.

You walked after him, feeling the tension between you become almost physically tangible. Only when you reached the entrance did Jungkook suddenly stop and take your hand. His fingers were warm and his grip was firm. He intertwined your fingers and squeezed your palm, harder than necessary. You almost flinched from this touch, but pretended that everything was fine.

Inside the afterparty venue, it was stylish and luxurious: light panels, mirrors, elegant mannequins in the brand's new collection. The bartender was elegantly pouring champagne into tall glasses, and a jazz band was performing on stage.

Without any explanation, Jungkook led you to a group of men standing a little to the side. One of them was Kim Taehyung, the owner of a boutique and the heir to ʼVante Maisonʼ. He was famous in the fashion world and was a famous actor. He looked confident and elegant, wearing an impeccable suit, with a light, almost lazy smile. 

Next to him stood Park Jimin, graceful, charming, with mischievous sparkles in his eyes. An idol who focused on acting. 

And the third was Jeon Hoseok, whose smile could melt even an icy heart. He was a famous fashion designer. He often collaborated with ‘Vante Maison’. You knew these people only from the news on the Internet and secular magazines. And now you have the opportunity to know them in real life. 

"Jungkookie, at last," Taehyung said, raising his glass in a gesture of welcome. "We were beginning to think you weren't coming." His gaze slid over you, and he squinted his eyes. "Who is this lovely girl next to you?"

The three men looked at you carefully and with undisguised curiosity. Jungkook shook all their hands, not letting go of your palm. 

"How could I not come?"

He smiled slightly and looked at you. You smiled back at him.

"Meet friends, this is my Y/N." 

"Yours?" Taehyung paused briefly, glancing between the two of you.

"A girlfriend," Jungkook clarified briefly, squeezing your hand a little tighter as if to reinforce that statement.

"A girlfriend? That's new," Jimin smiled, but you could tell he was definitely suspicious. "I hope you know who you're messing with."

"Jimin..." Jungkook grimaced. "Don't start..."

"No, we're just concerned about this girl." Hoseok winked at you and raised his glass. "If you've stuck it out with him for even a few days, you deserve respect." 

You nodded, laughing heartily at Hoseok’s words. So you're not the only one who thinks that way about him. Jungkook clicked his tongue in displeasure. 

"I don't think he's that obnoxious. He can be charming." you said with a big smile. 

"Oh, really?" said Taehyung, raising an eyebrow in interest. Jimin snorted and took a sip of champagne, looking slyly at Jungkook.

"That's the first time anyone's ever said that about him without being ironic."

If you weren't pretending to be his girlfriend, you would have said so. But you should have pretended to be in love with him.

"She's joking, right?" Hoseok theatrically put his hand to his chest.

"No, I'm not joking." You glanced over at Jungkook, whose eyes were fixed on you. His lips twitched in a slight smile, and his fingers ran softly over your palm.

"He can be charming, you say?" Taehyung huffed, casting a quick glance at Jungkook. "Well, well. I'll have to see it for myself. In any case, we are pleased to meet you. Welcome to my party!" Taehyung raised his glass to the side. 

"I am happy to be here today! Thank you so much!" you said, making your smile as natural as possible.

"Have you said everything?" Jungkook sighed, pulling you closer to him. "Or can I take her to the others now, before you scare her off completely?"

"Actually, we're glad Jungkook has someone. We didn't expect it because our young man is so hardworking." Hoseok said sincerely, putting his hand on Jungkook's shoulder. 

"We'll go greet the other ones and come back." Jungkook said, becoming softer. "Come on. There are a few more people you should meet." Jungkook turned to you and led the way. 

You nodded, and he led you across the room, leaving behind the curious glances of his friends.

Jungkook also introduced you to a man named Namjoon, a man you had never met before. He turned out to be a businessman and art investor. A little later, Jin and Yoongi showed up, and you were also introduced to them as Jungkook's girlfriend. Namjoon, Jin, and Yoongi were very interested in you. Namjoon smiled calmly, Jin jokingly asked if Jungkook forced you to be with him, and Yoongi just hummed, giving you a long look before taking a sip of his drink.

All of this made you feel a little uncomfortable. You realized that in their eyes, you were something unexpected in Jungkook's life. You realized that they all knew about Jungkook's upcoming engagement, and now you were showing up. All these stares made you feel pressured.

Throughout the evening, you moved between guests, chatting, answering greetings, and drinking champagne. Jungkook didn't stray far away, but he was acting colder than usual. He touched you less often, didn't give you the usual meaningful glances, and didn't try to create a romantic picture, except when it was absolutely necessary.

You didn't know why it bothered you. After all, you had asked him to do this.

But when your eyes met several times with journalists or Jungkook's friends who were clearly studying you, you felt an inner turmoil. You panicked that your story might not look credible. 

You felt that your role as a passive companion was not enough. Taking a deep breath, you walked over to Jungkook and took his hand.

He didn't even flinch, just intertwined your fingers and squeezed them without any hesitation. You felt that strange harmony again. And when you leaned lightly against him, he simply hugged you with one arm, continuing to talk to Yoongi as if it were normal.

You felt a strange peace. It felt the same as it had at the corporate party. Sometimes everything between you two seemed so natural that you couldn't understand how it was possible if you were arguing more than talking normally. When Yoongi was distracted and Jungkook gave you a brief glance, you thought that you needed to show everyone that you were really a couple. 

"Shall we go for a drink?" you suddenly suggested. Jungkook looked at you, a little surprised, but nodded.

You ordered drinks, and after the first sip, you felt the alcohol relax you a little. You turned to him, feeling playful.

"Why you don't kiss me?" You asked. Jungkook raised his eyebrows skeptically. 

"You want, that I’ve to kiss you?" He asked, moving closer to you, one hand resting on the bar. You took another sip, looking over the top of your glass. 

"We're a couple, aren't you supposed to kiss me?" 

His eyes narrowed slightly, and the corners of his lips twitched in a slight, subtle smile. He took another slow step toward you. 

"I don't want to kiss you." he said casually, smiling slyly. He tilted his head, watching you mischievously. You hummed. You pretended to be surprised. 

"What do I hear?" you said. "Are you still upset that I didn't let you fuck me?" you asked, leaning toward him so that only he could hear, and leaning back with a provocative smile. 

Jungkook squinted his eyes in displeasure. He grabbed the whiskey glass and took a sip. Jungkook liked your battles, but most he liked it when he won in them.

"I will fuck you anyway, but only after you begging me." Jungkook said confidently. You almost choked on your breath. Why does he think you'll beg him? He's so self-confident. 

"Jeon, it's time for you to accept that I'm not your typical girl. I won't beg you even the world ends go." 

Jungkook's eyes lit up with fire. You were constantly challenging him. He loves challenges. Jungkook put his glass down on the bar and pulled you close. His arm went around your waist and you let him do it because you knew that people were looking at you. Jungkook leaned down to your ear. His lips left a tangible touch on your skin. 

"You will be. I know you want me too, I just don't understand why you're denying it." You wanted to say that you didn't want him, but you didn't have time. He kissed you, taking your face in his hands.

He did not kiss you lightly and gently, as he should have, because you were among people. He put his tongue in your mouth, instantly provoking a causing the butterflies in the your stomach. You put your hands on top of his. Hoping that he would let you go. But he didn't.

Your body reacted to his kiss, even though you were trying to remain indifferent on the level of your mind. You responded by intertwining your tongues, you enjoyed it because you knew that when your lips parted, you would be forced to turn on your mask of unavailability. 

When the air in your lungs ran out, Jungkook pulled away. You slowly opened your eyes, returning to reality. You met his sly smile. 

"Tomorrow, all the articles are yours." You said ironically. Jungkook smiled with the corner of his lips. A voice from the side made you tear your eyes away from each other. 

"That's a good point. I can see you're going to love being on the front page of all the tabloids, groom." 

A girl stood not far from you and you immediately realized who it was. Your heart sank. It was none other than Kang Sukhi. 

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[samanthacastano02]

Leave

Hyunjin x FemReader

Warnings: angst, fighting (Non-physical between Hyunjin and Reader), Knife violence, Major Character death (With resuscitation), Saseang, Blood, Description of getting stabbed, Medical inaccuracy, probably more (let me know if I miss any) 

Word Count: 4.7k

Summary: You get into a fight with Hyunjin, after showing up at his dorm. You had been having a hard time with work, and the hate that you were receiving from a small percentage of fans, you didn’t want to tell Hyunjin and worry him more. But when he gets angry and calls you clingy, leaving you alone in his dorm things take a turn for the worse. 

Photos are not mine, credits go to photographers

Hyunjin and I had been dating for a little over two years and it had been the happiest two years of my life. He was the sweetest and most romantic partner that I could ask for, bringing me flowers randomly, using me as his muse when he felt inspired to paint, and when he was out on tour he would send me photos of things that he saw that reminded him of me. As he and I began dating longer, I got to meet his members and they became like brothers to me. Because Hyunjin lived with Changbin, I grew close with the older boy, he treated me like I was his younger sister. He picked on me but still made sure that Hyunjin was taking care of me and threatened to handle Hyunjin if he wasn’t. 

Around six months ago we decided that we were tired of hiding our relationship from the public so we had spoken to JYP entertainment and their publicist to form a plan to announce our relationship. Most of their fans were extremely supportive and were extremely happy for us, but there were a few who weren’t too happy about it. They didn’t make it known to Hyunjin but they made it very well known on my social media pages, most of the time the comments got buried in the positive comments but sometimes it was hard to ignore them. I didn’t want to tell Hyunjin because I knew that it would worry him. 

The issues had started about three months after we had announced our relationship to the public, there seemed to be one fan in particular that was really unhappy that Hyunjin and I were dating. She had been leaving threats on almost all of my recent posts, threatening that if she ever saw me in person that I should watch my back. It made me anxious but I ignored it because most of the time they were just harmless threats. 

Present: 

It had been a long day at work, my boss had been on my ass for everything. Even stuff that wasn’t in my department, and then getting mad when I couldn’t complete the task. My project partner was no help, spending the entire day on her phone instead of helping get the report finished for our meeting at the end of the week. Hyunjin had been radio silent for the majority of the day, just texting this morning and then nothing. I knew that he was busy recording and getting ready for his next comeback but it would have been nice to hear from him. I knew that he would be home before me tonight which would be nice, because that meant that I would be able to rant about my day to him and get a very needed cuddle session from him. 

The day seemed to drag by at a snail's pace, by the time the end of the day came it was already dark out and the streets were mostly empty. Because my project partner was no help, it took way longer than expected to get the work done which caused me to leave the office at close to 8:30pm, Hyunjin usually drops me off at work but he had left this morning before I had even woke up which left me to ride the bus to work. 

With the project finally in the reviewing stage I could finally go home and relax with Hyunjin. I still hadn’t heard from him but I knew he was at home because he had made it a thing to share each other's location for safety reasons. I made my way out of the office, walking to the bus stop that wasn’t too far from my work. I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me, but anytime that I  looked around I couldn’t see any one. I was on edge the entire time while waiting for the bus, constantly looking around trying to see if there was anyone. Finally after around ten minutes of waiting the bus finally arrived, as I got onto the bus I did see a girl around my age get on but I didn’t think anything of it. Not thinking about the fan that had been leaving threats on all of my posts. 

When I finally got off the bus, I noticed that she also got off behind me. I was aware of her, deciding to test a theory to see if she just lived in the same area as me or if she was actually following me. I took the long way to get to Hyunjin and Changbin’s dorm room, which meant taking four right turns. To my horror, she turned every time that I did, I sped up my walk a little bit trying to lose her but any time that I tried to lose her she sped up as well. When I got to his dorm, I rushed up the stairs and entered Hyunjin’s dorm in a panic because she was rushing up the stairs after me. 

“Jinnie, are you home?” I called out into the silent dorm, but I didn’t hear anything back. I thought that maybe he might be in his room painting again with his headphones in. I really just wanted him to hold me and reassure me that everything would be ok. I slipped on the cute bunny house slippers that Jinnie had gotten me for my birthday earlier this year and walked to his room, I couldn’t hear anything. I knocked gently on his door before pushing it open, when it opened I could see that he was in the zone and focused on his painting. I didn't want to bother him so I was just going to lay on his bed.  He must have seen movement out of the corner of his eye because he turned towards me but instead of the usual warmth and love in his eyes, he looked at me with a cold stare.

“What are you doing here?” He asked me coldly. “What do you mean? I usually end up coming over after I get off? Your place is closer to both of our jobs and I wanted to spend time with you?” I say hesitantly.

“It wouldn’t hurt to spend time at your own place, you don’t always have to be here.” “I-I’m sorry. I just wanted to see you, today has been a hard day and I just wanted to cuddle.”

“I get no time to myself y/n, you are always around.” “Hyunjin, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to overstay my welcome here.”

“Can you just go home tonight, I can’t deal with your clinginess.” “I’m being clingy? I’m sorry that I wanted comfort from my boyfriend after my job has been stressful.”

“Your job is stressful? Don’t try to be funny.” “Hyunjin, I’m not joking. Today was really stressful.” “Just go home y/n, I don’t want you here and I especially don’t want to deal with your clingy self.” “I’ll go home after work tomorrow, I just - I don’t feel safe going home tonight.”

“God even when I ask for space you can’t give that to me. If you won’t leave then I will.”

“Hyunjin, please you don’t have to leave. I’ll leave you in your room. I’ll sleep on the couch and then tomorrow after I get off work I’ll go home to my apartment instead of coming here.” “No. I don’t even want to be in the same place as you right now y/n because you can’t respect my wishes and go home tonight.”

“Hyunjin, the reason I don’t want to go home tonight is because I was followed home.”

“If you're going to come up with an excuse, come up with one that is more believable.” “Fine, Hyunjin. I will go home, when Binnie gets here I will ask him to drive me home.”

“Whatever, I’m leaving until then. Have Changbin text me when you leave.”

“What does this mean for us? What’s going to happen to us?”

“Honestly y/n I don’t know and quite frankly I don’t care. You not respecting my wishes to leave is making me really rethink this relationship.”

“O-o-oh, I see.”

“I’m leaving.”

With that he angrily walks out of the dorm, I was in shock. The way that Hyunjin had reacted was not his normal behavior. I sat down on the couch and began to sob. I didn’t know when Changbin was supposed to get here, I didn’t know if Hyunjin would be coming back. Hell I didn’t even know if there was even a relationship between him and I anymore. I was crying so hard that I could barely breathe, sobs racking my chest. It felt like my heart was breaking over and over, I didn’t know how to deal with this pain, I wanted the ground to swallow me and never let me out. I thought that I was going to spend the rest of my life with Hyunjin and now I don’t know what’s going to happen. What I thought was going to be a night of comfort turned into a night of pure heartbreak.

I sat on the couch crying for who knows how long, when I finally heard the door open. I jumped up thinking that it was either Hyunjin or Changbin coming home. I was really hoping that it was Hyunjin because that man was the absolute love of my life, and even if what he said wrecked me I wanted to be with him. But when I got to the front entryway, it wasn’t Hyunjin or Changbin. There in the entryway stood the same girl from earlier, I slid to a stop in pure terror because in her hand was a knife. 

“Who are you? What are you doing here?” “He’s going to be mine. He won't miss you, all I need to do is remove you from the picture entirely.” she sounded crazy, not making any sense.

“You need to leave. This is private property.” “What are you going to do? Call your boyfriend for help? Oh yea, he doesn’t want to talk to you or see you right now.” “I’m calling the police.” I rushed back into the living room, where I left my phone. I can hear the girl rushing after me, just before I can get to my phone she knocks me down, feet away from my phone. I was already tired from the long day of work and the fight with Hyunjin. I tried to fight her off the best that I could, but due to my exhaustion she got the upperhand on me and shoved the knife into my side. The pain was blinding, but I kept trying to fight her off. 

My attacker continued to have the upper hand on me, repeatedly pulling the knife out of me and stabbing me somewhere else in the stomach or side. I tried to fight back but soon the pain and blood loss got too much and I stopped fighting, closing my eyes. She must have thought that she got the job done, because soon she pulled the knife out and stabbed it one last time, just because she could, before pulling it out and rushing out of the apartment leaving me bleeding out on the carpet of Hyunjin and Changbin’s dorm. With a rush of adrenaline I pulled myself the agonizing last few feet to where my phone lay. In my pain-addled brain, I didn’t think to call emergency services, I thought to text Hyunjin one last time. Knowing that there was no way I was going to survive this. I sent this text through siri, not having the strength to lift my arms anymore

To Hyunjinnie: Hyunjin, my love. I love you so much, I’m so sorry. I hope you have the happiest and brightest days my love. I’ll see you again someday. 

Changbin’s POV:

It had been a long day at the studio, I was ready to get back to the dorms and crash for the night but before that I knew that I needed to take y/n home. Hyunjin had texted me a couple hours ago saying that he and y/n had gotten into a fight and she didn’t have a ride home. When I got to the dorms, there was an odd air surrounding the building, it was oddly quiet. When I got up to our floor, our dorm door was already open. I thought it was odd but didn’t think anything of it, maybe in his rush out Hyunjin didn’t shut it all the way. I slipped off my shoes and slipped on my house slippers. I walked into the house looking for y/n so I could see if she’s ready to be taken home to her apartment. But to my horror, I find her lying on the living room floor in a pool of her own blood. I rush to her, dropping to my knees beside her. In my panic I did manage to call emergency services, I knew that I needed to apply pressure to her wounds. 

Her chest was barely rising and falling, I was panicking, I didn’t know what to do. Her eyes weren’t open, and she was losing blood at a rapid pace. Emergency services just told me to keep applying pressure on her wounds until they got here, unless her chest stopped rising. I was praying that her heart didn’t stop, I needed her to be ok. She was like my little sister. I wanted to do everything that I could to protect her, I knew that Hyunjin also loved her and would never forgive himself. 

After what felt like an eternity, the emergency services finally arrived. She was barely alive when they got to her, they rushed to get her on the gurney. As they were rushing out of the dorm, I heard them yell that she was flatlining, I rushed after them. When I came out I saw that one of the paramedics was now kneeling above her on the gurney performing chest compressions while another was putting in a tub so that they could provide air to her. They didn’t stop moving after they got everything into place, just as they shut the doors to the ambulance I heard them say that they got her heart rate back. It was a relief but it was hard to tell if she was going to make it or not. I knew that Hyunjin was with Bang Chan and I.N, I knew that I needed to call them and have them meet me at the hospital. I walked back into the apartment and grabbed my phone, but before I could call Bang Chan the police pulled me aside for questioning. Once I explained all that I knew they allowed me to call Bang Chan finally, he answered on the fourth ring. 

“Chan, are you with Innie and Hyunjin right now?” “Yeah, I am. Why, what’s up?”

“I need you to put me on speaker and then sit down.”

“Changbin, what’s going on?”

“Put me on speaker and then I will explain, ok?” “Alright, give me a second. The boys are playing a game. Can it wait until they are done playing the game?” “Sadly no this can’t.” “Alright.” I can hear him call out to the two boys, after a minute I can hear all three of them sit down.

“Alright Changbin, why’d you want me to get the boys?”

“It has to do with y/n” I say hesitantly.

“Changbin, I don’t want to talk about her.” Hyunjin says, getting angry. “Hyunjin, shut up and listen.” that shuts him up quickly.

“Changbin, what’s going on? Why the short temper?” “I don’t know how to say this.”

“Is something wrong?” Innie asks.

“When I came back from the studio, I found the door to the apartment open. I thought that in his anger, Hyunjin had left it open-”

“I didn’t.” Hyunjin cut me off.

“I know now that you didn’t. But when I walked into the dorm, I um, I found y/n.” I paused, tearing up.

“Found her how?” Chan asked, with a bit of hesitancy in his voice.

“I found her lying on the floor, in a pool of blood.” I finally responded. “What?!” Hyunjin yelled into the phone.

“She had been attacked sometime between when Hyunjin had left and when I came home.”

“Do they know who attacked her?” Chan asked.

“Yes, they do. They are looking for her.”

“Explain what you know, please.” “She had been getting hate and death threats for months, Hyunjin.” “But she never told me?” “She didn’t want to worry you, she knew that you had enough on your plate and didn’t want to add more to your plate.” “S-she should have told me.” “The police said that a sasaeng attacked her, she was stabbed 15 times in the stomach and chest. She was on her way to the hospital around 30 minutes ago, I would have called sooner but I had to talk to the police.” “Innie, get the car. I’m gonna get Hyunjin’s shoes and get him down there. Changbin, we’ll meet you at the hospital.” Chan said as I heard comotion.

Hyunjin’s POV:

I sat on the couch in shock, y/n had been attacked by a crazed fan in my dorm. A place that she should have felt safe in, she wasn’t. What kind of boyfriend was I to let her get attacked by someone who was apparently a fan of ours? Would she ever forgive me for letting this happen to her? She told me that someone followed her, that she didn’t feel safe. And what did I want to do, I wanted to send her home to where she would be alone, where it could have been days before anyone actually went and checked on her. I was moving on autopilot, letting Chan and Innie lead me to the car to drive me to the hospital. I didn’t know what to expect when we got there, I was just in a constant state of shock, what if the last thing she heard me say was that I didn’t even know if I wanted this relationship anymore. How stupid could I have been? Of course I wanted this relationship with her still, hell I wanted to marry her. The reason I had been so stressed recently wasn’t just because of comeback season, but because of the fact that I had been planning to propose to her. But I may have just flushed that down the drain when I called her clingy and told her that I wasn’t sure if I wanted the relationship.

When we got to the hospital, Chan had Innie and I wait while he went to talk to the nurses to see what her condition was like. I couldn’t stop shaking my legs while I waited for him to give us the update, Changbin said that he would be here. But I have no idea where he is, and that makes me slightly worried. When I saw that Chan was walking back towards us, I jumped up and walked towards him. 

“What did they say?” I rushed out.

“She’s up in the icu, only friends and family right now and two people at a time. I’ll walk up with you and meet up with Changbin. Her condition is stable for now.” “I-is she awake?” “I’m sorry Jinnie, I didn’t ask but the nurse did say that we could head up there whenever we are ready. She already let the charge nurse of the icu know that we were coming up.” “Can we please? I don’t think that I’ll be able to relax until I see with my own eyes that she is breathing and that her heart is beating.”

“Yes, we can go up.”

Chan grabs my arm, becoming a support for me as we walk to the elevator and head up to the floor that the icu is on. I didn’t know what to expect when we got to her room, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for it or not to be honest. I waited by the door, not ready to go in yet, scared to see what condition that she would be in. Chan saw that I was hesitating, knowing that I was worried. 

“Hyunjin, do you want me to go in first? Talk to Changbin and see how she’s doing?” “Please? I don’t think I can go in yet.”

“No worries, I got you.” Channie walks into her room to talk to Changbin. 

It wasn’t that long before both Chan and Changbin walked out of her room, Changbin looked like a mess. When he saw me he broke into tears again and immediately ran up to me, hugging me. At that, the dam broke and the tears began to flow. 

“Hyunjin, I’m so sorry. I should have been there sooner, this should have never happened to her.” “Binnie, what are you talking about?” “If I hadn’t worked so late, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” “Binnie, this isn’t your fault. This is my fault.” “Why is it your fault” “Because, if I hadn’t gotten upset with her then I wouldn’t have left her and that sasaeng wouldn’t have broken in.” “Hyunjin, you can’t blame yourself. Neither of us can blame ourselves for this.” “Go see her, she’s awake. She wants to see you.” Chan interrupts.

I look at Chan and then back to Changbin, they both nod at the fact that she wants to see me and that gives me a little hope that our relationship isn’t completely ruined. I turn towards her door and begin to push the door open, ready to see my beautiful girl. When I finally entered her room, I saw that she was hooked up to an IV and oxygen. When she heard the door open, she turned her attention to me, the smile that lit up her face broke my heart. After everything I couldn’t believe that she was happy to see me.

“You came back! Did you get my text?” 

“Lovie, what text?” “T-the text that I sent earlier tonight. Um r-right after the attack.” “My love I haven’t paid any attention to my phone, I am so sorry.” “Jinnie, I don’t care. I’m just happy that you are here. You're here and that’s all that matters now.”

“I’m not going anywhere now. I will never leave you again. I almost lost you due to my own stupidity and then because of someone who claims to be a fan. But anyone who attacks you and nearly takes you from me isn’t a fan.” “Jinnie, I know we had a fight. What you said hurt a lot. I will try to be less clingy going forward, I don’t want to do anything that could cause me to lose you.” “No no, y/nnie you aren’t clingy. You have never been clingy. I said that in a moment of weakness, and I never ever meant it. Nor did I mean that I didn’t know if I wanted our relationship. I was stressed and I know that’s not an excuse, and I will spend the rest of my life making up for it if you let me?” “Jinnie, what are you asking?”

“Y/n will you marry me. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you if you’ll let me. I will spend every minute of every day showering you in love, love that you deserve. You mean the world to me. I want you to cling to me, I want you to cling to me for the rest of our lives. Until we are gray, old and wrinkly.” “Jinnie. I-I, god yes I’ll marry you. I love you so much.” She tries to lean into me but cries out in pain. I immediately stop her from trying to lean towards me more. I gently pushed her back into her bed and gave her the kiss that she wanted.

Your POV:

I somehow survived the stabbing and because the sasaeng didn’t wear gloves when she broke in, she left fingerprints on the door and the police were able to find her, sentencing her to prison for attempted murder. Jinnie stayed with me the entire time that I was in the hospital, JYP allowed him to go on a short-term hiatus. I had to be in the hospital for a month, the bed was uncomfortable and the food wasn't very good but he was there with me the entire time. We had both talked to JYP and asked if he and I would be allowed to release a statement during a live about what happened and about the engagement, surprisingly he gave us permission to release it on our time as long as when we did the live a staff member was there with us, in case they needed to step in for any reason. 

Epilogue:

 It was the day that we decided to do the live, to both announce the engagement and the statement about what happened and why Jinnie had to take a hiatus. The staff member actually ended up being a friend of mine, which I found slightly funny. I was still on bed rest so Jinnie had set the phone up on the bed in a way that allowed both him and I to be seen, while I was sitting up with my legs resting in front of me. It was comfortable enough for the duration of the live. 

“Hey guys, it’s amazing to see all of you here. Unfortunately this is going to be a short live. We just wanted to clear the air on some stuff and a small but big announcement.” he read the comments for a little while, letting more fans log onto the live. 

“One of the reasons we wanted to do the live, is because we wanted to explain why Hyunjin went on hiatus for a month and a half. He’s back now but we both thought that you deserved an explanation. And before you guys ask, yes we got permission to tell you.” Hyunjin nodded in confirmation.

“I went on hiatus because y/nnie here was in the hospital and I wanted to be with her, I didn’t want to leave her alone in case she needed me.” he read the comments, reading quietly out loud, asking why I was in the hospital. 

“While Jinnie and Binnie were out of the apartment, someone who was very angry with me broke in and attacked me, stabbing me 15 times. Nearly taking my life, I spent two weeks in intensive care before I was moved down to the main floor of the hospital. I’m ok now, just still on bed rest. Hence the giant pile of pillows behind me, because Jinnie here refused to do the live unless I was extremely comfortable and not in pain.”

“She’s ok, and she will continue to be ok. And I thank god every day for that, because I don’t know what I would have done without her. She is my world, her, the boys, and stay, mean everything to me. Sorry boys if you are watching this, she’s higher on the list.” He teases the camera. I lean over and press a kiss to his cheek.

“The other thing we wanted to tell, stay was that-” Hyunjin cuts me off.

“Wait! I want to tell them.” “Go ahead, love.” I gesture towards the camera.

“I asked y/nnie here to marry me, she said yes. Y/nnie here is now the future Mrs.Hwang, if you are unhappy about it please keep it to yourself.” the staff member clears her throat from behind the camera, Hyunjin smiles unapologetically at the camera.“Thank you, all for the well wishes. For those of you asking if we can give health updates, yes we can. We love you, Stay, so much. Continue to be amazing, until next time.” Hyunjin finishes the live before turning towards the staff member, waiting for her to leave. Once she left, he leaned down to give me a loving kiss, one that had a promise of tomorrow and a promise of happiness. I knew that there would be hardship in the future but I knew that we would be happy

[thezombieprostitute]

Tech Tuesday: Johnny Storm

Summary: You may have gotten the drop on him, but Johnny's not ready to surrender.

Warnings: Bad food combinations. Please let me know if I missed any.

Previous

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

"Look, Johnny, this isn't a performance review or anything," Syverson assures. "I'm just worried about ya. You've been actin' a lot more withdrawn lately. Is everything goin' okay?"

"Yeah," Johnny shakes his head. "Just...got into a funk. It happens." Inwardly Johnny grimaces at lying to his boss. But what is he supposed to tell him? Oh yeah, boss. A big time hacker has my information and now I gotta do her favors or she'll dox me. No, he'd handle this on his own. He got himself into this mess, he'll get himself out. Preferably without getting himself fired.

Syverson sighs. If he knows there's more to it, he isn't telling. "So long as you know you can talk to me, Pine, hell, anyone. Alright?"

Johnny nods, "yeah, I know. So can I go now?"

Syverson nods, almost in defeat, and Johnny practically runs back to his desk.

Johnny knows he's been more withdrawn lately but if Syverson is noticing he's going to have to be more careful. He doesn't like when people know he's upset. Especially not when it's because he messed up. If DarkAngel was able to get his information, it was because he got sloppy. Overconfident. He's not going to make that mistake again.

He's stopped in his tracks by the sight of the G's at his desk. They gesture for him to take a seat and he knows better than to argue. As soon as he's in his chair they bring out a few canisters of wasabi peas, a small bag of atomic warheads and a giant bottle of chocolate milk.

"We know you've been troubled lately," Geralt starts.

"Don't know the details, don't need to," G adds.

"You're clearly in the midst of battle," Geralt continues.

"And you can't do proper battle without the proper gear," G says, pointing to the food.

"How did you guys know?" Johnny asks, bewildered. He thought he'd been doing a good job of hiding it, but between Sy and the G's, he's worried everyone knows he's having problems.

"It's been quite some time since you pestered us for snacks," G tells him.

"We initially thought it was a nice break, letting us focus on work," Geralt sighs.

"But now we can't focus because we keep expecting you and you're not showing up," G grumbles.

"And we're certain the others in this department have been feeling the same," Geralt nods.

Johnny lowers his head in embarrassment. "Well, thank you."

"May your victory be swift," Geralt encouraged.

"And decisive." G concludes.

Johnny smiles genuinely for the first time in weeks as the G's leave his cubicle. He opens up the first round of snacks, taking in the unusual mixture of aromas, and sets to work.

------

You have to admit, having TheHumanTorch69, now simply JStorm, under your thumb has been very good for business. With his help, you've been able to crack a lot more virtual safes than usual. You really don't understand how someone with his skill could be happy with the corporate life. Did he also dream of a house with a white-picket fence? You roll your eyes at the thought.

No. You like being in the wind. It's safer for you. Can't be doxxed if you're never in one place too long. Plus, if you don't have to worry about rent or a mortgage you can spend your money on actually important things. It's genuinely comforting to know you never have to worry about money.

There's a signal on your laptop. Johnny's signed in. He sends you a message and your smile drops. It's your mug shot from ages ago, before you stepped up your precautions.

JStorm: This you? DarkAngel: That was me. I don't get caught anymore. JStorm: Then how'd I find this? DarkAngel: Obviously you hired O'Malley. Can't believe you can afford him. JStorm: Excuse you! I got your name and everything on my own! DarkAngel: Bullshit. I've seen your work. You're not good enough to catch me. JStorm: You trying to convince me or yourself?

That makes you pause. You were just thinking about how good he is. Have you gotten so sloppy in covering your tracks? Wait! This photo was taken ages ago! It's only one of your old identities.

DarkAngel: You're right. If you'd hired O'Malley you'd have more recent information. Not stuff from over a decade ago. JStorm: Okay. Yes. This is all I could find for now. But I needed something for leverage. DarkAngel: Fine. We're done. We'll just avoid each other from now on. JStorm: I don't know that we can do that. DarkAngel: The internet is a large place. We can avoid each other. JStorm: We have personal information about each other that others might want. DarkAngel: Don't you dare threaten me! JStorm: Right now I just want to talk. DarkAngel: That's what we're doing. JStorm: In person. DarkAngel: Fuck no!

You've been down this road before. It's an obvious trap. Did he really think you were so dumb?

JStorm: I saw the pattern in your targets.

You don't respond. You should just close the chat and move on. But you're curious about what pattern he's seen. You've been careful to only give him bits and pieces so the true target wouldn't be known.

JStorm: Your hacking into the communications of some very bad people. DarkAngel: You planning on selling my info to them? JStorm: Not my style. I'd report you to the authorities. DarkAngel: As if they could do anything. JStorm: That why you got into this? The bad guys got away with everything?

Your eyes tear up as the memories come back. The misplaced hope in the system. The crushing realization that money determines guilt or innocence, not facts. The despair and anger that's lived with you since.

DarkAngel: What are you? My therapist? JStorm: Oh hell no. I'm not good at helping others with their mental problems. I've got too many of my own. DarkAngel: Then what do you want? JStorm: A truce, for starters. I need to know you're not going to release my information. DarkAngel: I'll consider it. What else? JStorm: I need my HumanTorch name cleared. I've got a job to do and I can't do that if everyone's suspicious of me. DarkAngel: More difficult to do. But might be possible if you make it worthwhile. What are you offering? JStorm: Obviously, I won't release that mugshot and other personal information. But I'd also like to offer my services. DarkAngel: I already have your services. JStorm: No, you have my reluctant servitude. You free me, we work together, more like partners, and you'll get my full arsenal of skills. DarkAngel: I knew you were holding back. How much time do I have to think about this? JStorm: I need an answer now. DarkAngel: Asshole. JStorm: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ DarkAngel: Okay. Truce for now. I'll get to work on clearing your name. But don't think I'm not ready for you to betray me. JStorm: I can promise you, that ain't my style.

We'll see about that, you think. Trusting others leads to nothing but pain. Johnny will turn out no different from all the other people in your life that let you down as soon as things got tough. But, until you can find a way to purge your criminal history, you'll have to play along. You got sloppy and now you're paying the price.

Next

Tech Tuesdays Masterlist

Tagging: @alicedopey; @darsynia; @delicatebarness; @ellethespaceunicorn; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @irishhappiness; @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory; @kmc1989; @late-to-the-party-81; @lokislady82; @ozwriterchick; @ronearoundblindly; @thiquefunlover63

[strawheart-pirate]

What they do for their sick s/o who can’t leave the ship

Sanji, Nami, Law, Penguin & Shachi, Kid, Killer

CW: SFW. This is just fluff. no drugs, no alcohol, no smokes, just soup and pampering. Comfort. They go above and beyond for you.

Scenario: After weeks at sea, you finally reached an island, but you were unable to leave the ship. You had the flu, and because it came with a cough, fever and chills, you were not allowed to leave your bed. Your s/o went on the island to get some goods, and maybe they have a surprise for you.

Read part 1 here: Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Robin, Franky, Brook

Sanji

- Since Sanji is a good listener and observer, he knew exactly what you needed. - Although he didn't want to leave your side, he had to gather a few things that would help you overcome your sickness. It took him only a short time to gather everything and he was back sooner than you expected. - He prepared a nice stew with only the best and freshest veggies and wrapped some small gifts. Not long after, he wheeled a small service cart next to your bed. It was packed with the small gifts, flowers in a vase and a steaming stew full of veggies. - “Sanji, it smells delicious.” – “I made you a very rich stew. We’ll get you back on your feet in no time with my special care.” You smiled at him. He insisted on feeding you, even though you were perfectly capable of holding the spoon with your own hands. You sulked at first but seeing him so happy made you enjoy it. - After your meal you unwrapped the little gifts. It was a few souvenirs and the one thing you’d been talking about for weeks. “Thank you, Sanji.” – “Anything for you. Now tell me. Do you want me to give you a massage, or do you want to watch a movie, or how can I help you?” - “This may sound strange, but can you read to me or tell me a story while I try to sleep?” – “Of course, just make yourself comfortable. Shall I tell you stories of the North Blue?” Sanji sat down on the bed beside you, and you made yourself comfortable and laid your head on his lap. - You fell asleep listening to Sanji’s smooth voice.

Nami

- Would boss the whole crew around to make you feel better and recover faster. Sanji would get most of her wrath, and he’d be ordered to cook you a soup and whatever you want. - Hits Luffy when he tries to steal your food away and is in a very bad mood because she wanted to enjoy the island together with you. - You would send her off to the island to give everyone a break (but make sure not to phrase it like that!). She would be gone for the whole day. - When she returns, she’ll apologize (but only to you) for being so stressed, but she’s just worried. She’d tell you about how she got nearly everything for free and show you all the new clothes and accessories. - In the end, she’d hand you a small box. She got you a little souvenir with the name of the island on it and added a voucher to it. “For later. We could take the shark submerge and visit an island of your choice...” She said with a soft smile, and you were once again amazed at how generous Nami could be. “Thank you Nami, you’re the best. I’m looking forward to our little trip.” You hugged her show your gratitude. - You spent the evening watching a movie until you fell asleep on her shoulder.

Trafalgar Law

- Your captain was very strict about the bed rest he prescribed you, so no island for you. Not even a glimpse of it. - Though he acted serious and cold towards you, his heart ached when you begged him to go. But it was for your own good that he was this persistent. - He made sure to have Bepo watch over you, knowing that you loved the bear and that he would be able to comfort you. - As he went about his duties on the island, his mind wandered off to you frequently and he thought hard about he could get you to lighten your mood and make up for not being able to visit the island. - He returned to the Polar Tang with a small bag in his hand. As he entered the room, you were fast asleep. He placed the paper bag on your nightstand and was about to leave quietly, when you shifted. - The smell of your favorite pastry woke you up and you saw Law before he could leave the room. “Law?” He slowly turned around. “I came to check on you, but you were asleep and-“ You interrupted him as you saw the paper bag on the nightstand. “Is that what I think it is?” Your eyes sparkled with excitement as you grabbed the bag and looked inside. “You went to a bakery for me?” You flashed him a smile and he looked away feeling caught. “Don’t read too much into it…” he muttered. You took his hand and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Law.”  Law only squeezed your hand a little as an answer. “I have to go to set the new course.” He mumbled and left the room. - You just giggled at how flustered he was. As you ate your favorite pastry, you smiled thinking about how Law really went out of his way to treat you.

Penguin & Shachi

- They sat on either side of your bed and cried as if you were going to die. But you weren’t, and no matter how many times you told them, that you were going to get better, they still cried. The trash was full of wet tissues, and as much as you liked them, you needed a break. - So, you sent them off to the island to do whatever they wanted. - They were determined to find you something, anything that would help you and keep you from dying. They were not that good at cooking, so they needed to help you in another way. - When they came across a beauty shop, they went in. They took notes on how to do nails, how to give proper massages and how to do face masks and compressions. They left the shop with a large bag full of creams, oils, and tools. - Once they returned, Shachi prepared the tub for you with your favorite bubble bath and your rubber ducky, and washed your hair while you soaked in the tub. Meanwhile Penguin set up the room ready for your surprise. When you came back into the room, you noticed all the candles, cosmetics, and the incense sticks. It smelled nice. - “What’s this all about?” – “We can’t help your immune system, but we can help you relax.” Penguin explained and soon you found yourself being pampered by the men. Their hands were not as skilled as the professionals with the utensils or the movements, but they managed it quite well. And you really enjoyed it. - If you ask them to do your nails, they will make a competition out of it. - You had the most precious spa day with these guys and your weakened body really enjoyed their pampering.

Eustass Kid

- Kid was angry. Not at you, but the fact that you couldn’t get out of bed because of that damn flu really pissed him off. You tried to calm him down and told him, that you were okay (you weren’t okay, but he needed to calm down, so you swallowed your own sadness), but he wouldn’t listen. - “If I can’t kill the fucking flu, I’ll at least burn this fucking island to the ground.” He said and left. You were left alone in your bed, hoping for the best. - Kid left the ship alongside Killer. “Do you know how to kill the flu?” - “Give it some time and they will be fine. Some soup or medicine can ease the symptoms.” - With that in mind, Kid wandered around with an angry expression on his face. The people who came across him hid behind walls or changed their direction, no one wanted to be the one facing his wrath. Finally, Kid found what he was looking for. - “You!” He broke down the door and scattered inside. “You're caring for a sick one, I saw it from outside.” He had an angry scowl on his face, a vein was ticking, and his voice was demanding. The woman at the stove nodded hesitantly. - “I need that soup and whatever you have, that makes a sick person feel better. Now.” He commanded with a twisted smile. The frightened woman hurried up and placed a soup, some herbs, and creams in a bag. “Well done.” He said and left for the ship. - “The soup is good.” You smiled at him and took another spoonful of it. “That’s good, otherwise I’d tear this city apart.” You saw that he was restless and tense. “Tell you what, come here.” You moved to one side of the bed, and he sat down beside you, putting an arm around you. “Can you show me your little trick?” You asked and he smirked and was about to give a cocky answer, but you had already placed some screws and small metal parts in his palm before you continued to eat your soup. So, he let it slide and activated his powers. First, he locked the door, no need for an audience, and then he stacked the parts and formed little butterflies with them. You watched in awe as he let them fly across the room. - You set down the now empty bowl. “Thank you.” You said and played with one of the little metal creatures as Kid watched the scene with a confident smile.

Killer

- He has a plan. He knows how to deal with a sick Captain Kid, and he definitely knows what you need. - Grabbing his list, he went to the island and was determined to be back soon. But then Kid caused some trouble on the island, and he had to deescalate the whole situation. He came back with everything on his list, an angry captain, and a sour mood. - He went into the kitchen and started to prepare everything for you. If anyone entered the kitchen, he would take his anger out on them, so everyone avoided going near the kitchen, no matter how hungry they were. - You woke up when a now calm Killer entered the room with a hot meal, some meds, and a bottle of water. “Hey, sorry if I woke you up.” You gave him a tired smile and a delicious smell entered your nose. “It’s okay. Did you cook?” – “Yeah, hope it helps you get better.” You sat up and he placed the food on your lap. It tasted good and you hummed appreciatively. “Thank you. It’s delicious.” – “I’m glad you like it. I also bought some meds, just in case.” He said placing the meds on your nightstand. - After the meal, Killer sat down beside you and you curled up against him. You mumbled a small 'thank you' and quickly fell asleep while Killer watched over you.

All content unless otherwise stated belongs to: ©Strawheart-pirate. Please do not copy / modify / translate / repost my writing, banners or art on other platforms. Comments, reblogs or likes are highly appreciated!

[beestriker015]

Yandere Lusamine x male s/o

It’s fairly well known amongst employees of the Aether Foundation that the once bubbly and kind personality of their president took a sharp turn for the worst when Lusamine’s husband disappeared several years ago, even to the point of driving her own two children away, which only helped to damage her psyche even more.

Whether it be to find something/someone new to bestow her affections onto, or perhaps to cure a well hidden loneliness, Lusamine eventually began obsessing over something other than Ultra Wormholes and pokémon, that being a man named s/o.

S/o is a nice looking man in his early thirties who used to work for Silph Co. in the Kanto region during his younger years before joining the Aether Foundation due to his love of caring for pokémon.

“Hello Miss Lusamine! My name is s/o, and it’s an honor to be working for you.”

This was what s/o said upon meeting his new boss for the first time after being hired to be her assistant, thus kicking off Lusamine’s obsession.

“Yes! He’s the one! I can tell already that this man is worthy of the love so many seem to throw away! I will make him mine soon enough.”

Aether’s president thinks to herself before turning to s/o and smiling sweetly at him.

“Such good manners. I like that. I look forward to having you by my side s/o.”

She tells him in a tone that both flusters him and unnerves him slightly.

“T-thank you ma’am. I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.”

“Glad to hear it. Now come along s/o, there’s already work that needs to be done.”

“Yes ma’am!”

Following Lusamine to her office, s/o begins his first day working at the Aether Foundation.

Working for Lusamine was rather strange to s/o.

Despite being his boss, she seemed to be doting and almost…loving to him.

Yet s/o didn’t think much of it, and in fact actually enjoyed it due to developing a crush on Lusamine.

The more time they spent together, the more Lusamine’s unhealthy attraction to s/o grew.

“I can’t hold back anymore! The longer I wait, the more I risk some other woman sinking her claws into my darling s/o! He is the only person deserving of my love, and I will not lose him!”

She tells herself before deciding to confess to s/o first thing in the morning.

“Before we go over our itinerary for the day. There’s something you need to know s/o.”

“W-what is it ma’am?”

He asks in a shaky voice, fearing he’s about to be fired.

“I’ll get straight to the point. I want you to be mine.”

She says with a blank expression, which changes to a small smile once seeing her darling’s flustered expression.

“C-can you repeat that please? I might have misheard you.”

“You heard me just fine s/o. Ever since you’ve started working for me, I’ve become romantically attracted to you. I repeat, will you be mine?”

Not wanting to pass the chance to be with his crush, s/o nods and smiles.

“I’d like that. Honestly, I kinda fell in love with you not long after I became your assistant.

Hearing this brings a great big smile to Lusamine’s face as her heart beats faster, incredibly happy that her darling loves her back.

“Oh s/o! Come here so that I may shower you with my love!”

She pulls him into a bone-crushing embrace and kisses him passionately.

“I’m yours now my love, just as you are mine, and I will never let you go.”

Lusamine whispers into s/o’s ear, thus officially making them a couple.

Unknowingly dating a yandere can be problematic at times because Lusamine very much tries to isolate s/o from his friends, family, and coworkers.

If s/o ever questions her behavior, his girlfriend manipulates him into believing whatever lie she comes up with.

“I’ve heard them say awful things behind your back my love, so it’s best that you cut them out of your life and focus on me. You know I would never treat you badly, unlike those wretched people.”

Due to being incredibly trusting, s/o believes everything Lusamine tells him, much to her glee.

Lusamine gets jealous very easily, and if she sees another woman talking or Arceus forbid flirting with s/o, bad things are about to happen.

While not a murderous kind of yandere, Lusamine has the money and connections to ruin the lives of anyone she deems a threat to her relationship with s/o.

A woman flirted with s/o?

Well, she will soon gets a call from work telling her that she’s fired, and unfortunately for her, no other reputable business or company will be hiring her thanks to Lusamine.

“Hmph! That’s what the harlot gets for messing with what’s mine.”

Lusamine thinks to herself while smiles like a lunatic after receiving the news.

One benefit from being in a relationship with the president of the Aether Foundation is that s/o is constantly showered with gifts, whether it be clothes, jewelry, trinkets, or anything else.

Nothing is too grand or expensive for Lusamine’s darling s/o.

“Honey, I appreciate everything you do for me, but you didn’t have to get me this.”

“Nonsense, you deserve it for being such a loyal and loving boyfriend.”

“But a weeklong stay at a villa in Undella Town? That’s all the way in Unova!”

“Yes, considering it a reward for all your hard work as my assistant. It’s about time you and I take a vacation together don’t you agree?”

Lusamine is also incredibly affectionate with s/o, even in front of her employees.

“Have you seen the way the President acts around her assistant?”

“Yeah, she seems so much happier than before. It’s like Miss Lusamine’s back to her old self again.”

A pair of employees whisper to each other while watching Lusamine cling to s/o with a happy smile on her face while touring the Conservation Area of Aether Paradise.

If s/o has any pokémon under his care, they automatically become Lusamine’s favorite pokémon.

After all, if these pokémon belong to her beloved darling, then they’re worthy of her love as well.

“Look at you. You’re all so beautiful! Much like your trainer, but to a lesser degree of course.”

She tells s/o’s pokémon with adoration in her voice, although they are slightly scared of her due to sensing the crazy vibes of their trainer’s girlfriend.

Because of the age difference between her and s/o, Lusamine often feels insecure about their relationship.

“My darling says he loves me, but what if he meets someone younger! I’m a previously married woman in her 40s with two ungrateful children! Not that I’d ever let him leave me, but what if s/o woke up one day and decided he no longer wants my love?!”

This thought drives Lusamine to the brink of insanity, but luckily s/o reins her in and does his best to reassure his girlfriend, unaware of her darker thoughts.

“I don’t care that you’re older than me, or that you had a family before we got together. I love you Lusamine, and I’m never gonna leave you.”

“D-do you promise?”

She asks him, letting the more innocent and child-like side of her personality shine through.

“Yes. I’d never lie or joke about something like that babe, you know that.”

S/o’s reassurance calms her down quite a bit as she hugs him tightly.

“Thank you my darling s/o. You truly are deserving of all my love and affection, even more so than the rarest pokémon in the world.”

Not long after this, Lusamine asks for her beloved’s hand in marriage one day after having a very romantic evening together, which he happily accepts.

“S/o, the light of my life, will you make me the happiest woman in the world and marry me?”

Before she can even get on one knee and pull out the ring, s/o gets up from the table and nods with a very ecstatic smile on his face, much to her delight.

“Yes! Absolutely! I love you Lusamine!”

He hugs her with happy tears in his eyes as she chuckles and smiles softly with a crazed twinkle in her eyes before speaking.

“I love you too my dear, and once we’re married, our love will be eternal.”

Despite her previous husband and children leaving her (at least in her twisted point of view), Lusamine takes solace in knowing that s/o, the lone person worthy of her immense love, will never abandon her like they did, and if someone foolishly dares try to steal the object of her obsession away, well…

The experiments Lusamine and the Aether Foundation plan on conducting involving Ultra Wormholes will require a few test subjects….whether they’re willing or not.

[itstheghostofmypast]

Girlboss

Corporate Worker Jung Wooyoung x (F)Reader

Summary: Why would his angel hide this from him? Especially when he'd been waiting day and night for this day to come- no, especially when he'd give her the whole world on a silver platter, all she had to do was ask. For Jung Wooyoung, lived to serve- lived to serve her.

Genre: Fluff

Warnings: none

Word Count: 1.2K

Est. Read Time: 10 min

Rating: SFW

Networks: @cromernet @k-labels

Banner: @cafekitsune

A/N: The amount of oneshots I've written to cope with exams is frightening- anyway, @edenesth- GOOD LUCK

"What are you doing here?"

His head snapped up at the question,  eyes widening at the realisation of being caught, a crimson hue spreading across his face, the same face he had tried to hide- with the classic glasses and cap duo.

"I … um…" Pulling down his glasses he blinked at her, "Sorry miss, I don't know you." with that he went back to texting- or rather pretended to do so. Ignoring the sound of her sitting across him, the screech of the chair was muffled by the people around them.

Placing her bag on the table she hummed, leaning forward to get a better look at his all-black choice of attire, "Are you twinning with me or are you wearing black because you wanted to hide?"

A cheeky smile broke past his 'cool' exterior, a chuckle following suit before he pulled off his glasses, neatly placing them on top of his cap, " A bit of both, boss."

"I'm not your boss, Wooyoung."

"Well," he leaned closer, enough for only her to hear his words, "Not yet." His hand reached for hers, lacing their fingers together with ease, no resistance was met, which meant she was in a good mood, which meant she had good news, which meant the rest of the day would perhaps be good too- well, at least in terms of chronology and the cycle of 'luck be with you'- whatever that meant when San told him to slip in the small 'lucky cat' keychain in her purse.

"True." she hummed in response, looking around the almost empty cafe, smart, he chose the place across her office, the office where she had an interview, but she did instruct him not to follow her, so why was he here?

"So, you got good news, they said they'll definitely get back to you?" his words were quick, fast-paced and laced with excitement, honestly, he had never been excited about his own work as much as he was for hers- possibly because he had been present during the late nights and endless hours of research, managing life, struggling to maintain those pesky grades all the while trying to be an active and emotionally available partner.  What he did not expect was for her not to tell him about her interview date, she had invited him for everything, else convocation and whatnot, so why keep this a secret?

"Even better, we discussed my salary as well." she smiled at him, brighter than the stars he'd love to watch with her at night, warmer than the summer sun that he loved. 

This was it, it was exactly this very reason that had him go all spy mode early in the morning and follow after her. He'd been awake before she slipped out of bed, he'd been awake when she came out of the shower, he'd been awake when she was trying to quietly make himself breakfast and he was awake when she came up to his side and planted a soft kiss on his cheek, mumbling an 'I love you'. He had thrown off the blankets, already dressed for the mission - he changed when she was in the kitchen- putting on the cap and glasses he had made sure to follow her discreetly, to not take his car but use public transport, to reach the destination before she could- while she was busy looking for a place to park, he had already found a nice seat across the road at the cafe, making sure to have a view of the entrance of the office- what he did not expect was for her to catch him. For when she did, he was actually formulating a text, calculating if she was free by now, to surprise her and tell her to come into the cafe across the street where she'd arrive and be greeted by the loving sight of him and her favourite English breakfast.

"That's great." giving her hand a little squeeze, before he let go and sighed, "I just…I don't wanna ruin the mood but…" sighing he averted his gaze, was the question really worth it? Should he bring it up? This was about her achieving a huge milestone in her life, about how she was going to start something new, something she'd been striving to achieve- maybe she didn't want him to be there because it would be better that way, maybe she wanted some space, maybe he was holding her back, maybe-

"I was…scared," she whispered, reaching for his hand again, clasping it in both of hers, pulling him closer so he was leaning across the table, much like her, "I was scared of disappointing you, so I didn't wake you up and-"

"Disappoint me? my sweet angel, if anything, you are the reason why I get up for a nine-to-five job every morning, how could you ever disappoint me? Do you think I'd be upset if you got the job at the same company as mine?" Frowning at her, he scanned her features, trying to look for any signs of discomfort or unease, had he been not expressing himself enough? Had he not been telling her how much he was proud of her enough? Had he been a bad boyfriend-

"I was too afraid of rejection, Woo, I didn't want to come out of that office to see the disappointment on your face- I know how bad you want us to work in the same office." She smiled, sensing his inner turmoil, she could tell when he'd be debating on choosing his next words carefully, which was rare because Wooyoung's chattering would often be quicker than his brain could formulate the pros and cons of the chatter.

"I- how could they reject you, you're literally the coolest person I have ever met." he gasped, pulling back with a scoff, "I'd personally go in there and knock some sense into Hongjoong."

Shaking her head at his comment she chuckled, "Only you would think that is a great quality for a job applicant." Smiling, she waved to the waiter who was looking for the only table that had ordered the special breakfast at noon.

"I know you would- but to celebrate I got us-," leaning back she thanked the waiter to place the platters of English breakfast, four to be exact, four platters? He thanked the two before speed-walking away, probably presuming the two were insane.

"Um…did you order an English breakfast too?" she asked, eying the food, only for him to sigh and shake his head at her antics.

"I was going to surprise my angel with a nice warm meal- guess we're so in love we're basically ruining each other's surprises." With that, he pushed a platter towards her and a glass of juice, "Eat up lovely, the corporate world is not for the weak, and my girl ain't no one to be messed with." 

Her heart almost leapt out of her throat and into his palm at the statement, to be all snug and all his, watching him slice and dice her breakfast into smaller pieces for her, now literally standing above the table to do so, he really was a blessing and she was grateful to whatever entity out there for gracing her with him.

"Imma call you snookum's at work." "I'll report for harassment." "Damn, tough crowd."

Taglist: @edenesth @yessa-vie @marsvillee @mlysalt @spooo00oky @the-kpop-simp

[kikyoupdates]

Indebted ⭑˚🥀⭑ 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒

yandere!ocs x f!reader

yandere, reverse harem, yandere reverse harem, original characters x fem!reader, slowburn, isekai

Following your mother’s recent passing, you are visited by a group of men claiming that your father abandoned all his debt and obligations, leaving you to take his place.

previous | story masterlist | next

"Reqests that still need to be processed get marked ad sorted into that pile over there for the boss to review himself. Other things like business receipts get filed away, and the ones we've already rejected are taken to be shredded," Yuki explained. "Does that make sense to you?"

You nodded once. "Seems simple enough. I guess I'm just worried. I might accidentally throw out some important papers."

"It's fine," he chuckled. "Anything you're not sure about, you can just ask me. I don't expect all of this to come naturally right from the start, but you'll get used to it eventually. I know some yakuza groups get a bad rep, but most of what we do isn't all that exciting, really."

"Right..."

Considering te fact you'd been kidnapped right after your mother's funeral, you would say that he was probably underselling it quite a bit.

"In any case, I'll always be here to help," he smiled, lightly patting you on the shoulder. "I'm a fairly new member myself, so we're kind of in the same boat. We should look out for each other."

"I'm not exactly a member," you replied grimly. "Ryu brought me here to work off my father's debt."

"Oh, uh... well I sort of figured that there was a catch. We don't exactly have any other women working in the offices, but for the time being, we're still coworkers, aren't we?"

"There are still other women that are part of the yakuza?"

He hesistated for a moment. "Unofficially, yes."

"Meaning...?"

"Wives or girlfriends of the members, or other family members with special connections. There's also the women that get put to work, um elsewhere."

"Like on the streets," you swallowed, remembering all-too well what Ryu had threatened you with just last night.

"Not always. They're usually taken care of pretty well. But you're right that a lot of their business isn't exactly legal."

Yuki offered you a sympathetic smile. It didn't matter how nicely he tried to put it, the fact of the matter was that they were being forced to sell their bodies in order to fund the yakuza's activities. Perhaps he was even telling the truth. Perhaps some of those women were content with their jobs, their lodgings, and knowing that they'd be under the group's protection. But that could never be you. Which is why you were determined to do everything in your power so that it wouldn't come to that.

"Here," Yuki said, trying to change the subject. He handed you a large stack of papers. "Start with these ones for now. Remember, if there's anything you are struggling with, I'll be right over here to answer your questions."

He smiled one last time and sat down at the desk just beside yours. You appreciated the fact he was at least treating you with some respect. Even now as you tried to bury yourself in work, you just couldn't seem to avoid the scathing looks you kept getting from all around the room. They seemed outright disgusted that they were sharing the same space as them. They were probably even wondering why you were still alive, given that you were going to do your best to survive.

At first the process was quite slow. You were being as careful as possible to make sure that you didn't mess up any of the filing or throw away something that would be important later on. Yuki was very kind and patient and was there to lend a helping hand whenever you needed it. Perhaps it was because you were so immersed in your task, but time started passing much faster than you'd expected, and before long, you'd actually gotten the hang of things.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

Your peace was short-lived, however, and the cry caught you so off guard that you actually jumped back in your seat a bit.

Hardly a few moments later, the door to Ryu's private office came swinging open. You told yourself not to look over at him, to just mind your own business and keep your head down, but as always, curiosity got the best of you. Immediately, you wish you hadn't given in to your shallow urges. The look on his face was dark, vicious. He seemed ready to destroy anyone who stood in his way.

Ryu gritted his teeth and faced his underlings. "Would one of you morons care to explain why I'm just now hearing that the Imai group has been dealing drugs on our turf?"

Nobody answered. You had no idea who this Imai group was, but they had clearly got themselves on Ryu's bad side. Yuki glanced over at you for a moment and pressed hs lips together. He'd seemed so bright and carefree just earler but now he was visibly stressed.

"None of you, huh?" Ryu scoffed loudly. His gaze eventually fell upon one of the men who had the misfortune of standing closest to him. "You. I believe I put you in charge that day when I sent out some men to monitor rival gangs. You didn't think to tell me something like this was happening right under my nose?"

The man stared at him in confusion. "Me? Sorry, boss but I think you have me mistaken for someone else-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. The sickening sound of flesh colliding aagainst fles reverberated across the walls, and you stared in horror as Ryu cracked the man's nose against his fist.

Blood sprayed out and drenched the man's face. He let out a broken wail, but Ryu had already pinned him to the floor.

"Don't you ever talk back to me," he seethed. "You're saying I'm the one who's wrong? I'm the one who's made a mistake? All I ask is that you do your fucking job, and you're not even capable of that much. You goddamn maggot."

The man mustered up the beginnings of an apology, but it was too late. Ryu punched him again, then again. Over and over until his knuckles were glistening with dark, crimson fluid. The sound was positively horrendous. He just kept on going, seemingly to no end. It only stopped when the man's body went still on the ground.

Ryu stood up and wiped his brow off. "Useless prick. Let this be a lesson to all of you. Stop letting me down, or you'll regret it."

You were so terrified that you hardly even dared to breathe. You watched as one of the other men crouched down and pressed two fingers against the fallen victim's neck. "He's alive," he whispered to one of the others. "Clean him up and take him to the infirmary. I'll call the doctor in."

That same men then walked over to Ryu and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Ryu, let's take a walk. After that, we'll figure out how to deal with this situation. We should get in touch with the group's boss and set up a meeting."

Ryu didn't say anuthing at first, and for a moment, you were worried he'd whip around and started beating this one half to death as well, but mercifully, it didn't go down that way.

"Like that'll accomplish anything," he scoffed. "You know how that bastard is. Never learns his goddamn lesson. I thought he'd been awfully quiet recently."

"And we'll get it sorted, just like we always do," the man reassured.

"Whatever. I need a smoke."

Ryu wiped his bloody hand off with a napkin and started walking down the aisle. Everyone else had already averted their gaze, clearly attuned to this sort of behavior, but you weren't so quick on the uptake. You couldn't help it. You'd just seen him bash in another man's face without even batting an eye.

He must have caught you gaping at him, because he paused right in front of your desk. "What?" he snapped. "You don't know how to mind your own business? I thought I told you to focus on your work. If you don't get your shit together, I really will make you spread those legs."

You shuddered but did your best to hold in your tears. He didn't say anything else, just grimaced as he passed you by. The older man who was walking by his side also stared at you for a few moments. His gaze wasn't exactly cruel, but it was ice cold just the same.

Ryu eventually left te rom, and then only did you allow yourself to actually breathe. Yuki leaned over in his chair and placed a palm over your trembling hands.

"Hey," he frowned. "It's alright. This only happen every now and then when he gets really pissed off. We've been dealing with another problematic yakuza group for a while, and it just frustrates him. He might seem scary, but he's not the type that you take his anger out on a woman."

You knew he was only trying to cheer you up, but after what you'd just witnessed, it was getting harder and harder to believe him.

"Did that man really not do anything wrong?" you asked, quickly wiping your misty eyes.

"I'm not sure," he contemplated. "But I don't think so."

"So, he got hurt that badly for no reason?"

"It sucks that he got hurt, but like I said, sometimes the boss just needs a way to take out his frustration. He recognizes the good from the bad. He's aware of which members work hard and do their part. Even if that guy wasn't responsible this time around, he probably hadn't been pulling his weight for a good while."

"That's just horrible," you grimaced. "How can you follow a person like that?"

"He's a good leader," Yuki defended. "The boss is able to make tough decisions when the situation calls for it. But if I'm being perfectly honest, most people here probably joined around the time his father was still alive and in charge. I've heard that guy was a legend."

Seeing as how most of the members were older than Ryu himself, it made sense that they'd simply stayed out of respect for the original leader's lineage.

You gave Yuki a curious look. "What about my father? Did you work with him?"

"I've never met him," he said. "But I've heard what he did. It's really an unfortunate situation. You seem like a really nice person. so the fact you're only here because of him... it's shitty. But not to worry!" he quckly perked up. "Like I said, I'll look after you. The boss can be harsh at times, but he appreciates hard workers. Do your job well and you have nothing to worry about. I'll make sure to put in a few good words as often as I can."

"Thanks, Yuki."

"No problem! Oh, you should probably take advantage of the fact he is out with Masahi right now."

"Masahi?"

"Yeah, the guy he was just talking to. He's sort of like his right-hand man. He worked for Ryu's father most of his adult life, so he's known the boss ever since he was a kid. Take a break for a little bit, you've earned it."

"Alright," you nodded. "I'll do that, then."

You were thankful for Yuki. If nothing else, it felt lke you might at least have one person to get along with in this hellhole. Sometimes, little things like this made all the difference. It was too early to call him a friend yet, but perhaps one day it would get to that point.

You walked over towards the water tank and poured yourself a cup. It was cold and refreshing, exactly what you needed in a suffocating environment like this one. A lot of people were still glaring at you, but you were starting to take it in stride. You'd quickly realized that no one was as terrifying as Ryu.

So immersed were you in your little reprieve that you didn't notice the man walking up to you until he was right by your side.

"Oh, shit!" you spluttered, dropping the cup to the floor in your surprise. Great. Thankfully, it was just water, but if Ryu came back right now and saw that you'd made a mess, you were certain he wouldn't go easy on you.

But before you could clean up after yourself, the man had bent down and picked the cup off the floor. He handed it to you, still with a bit of water left inside, and proceeded to grab a wad of napkins and wipe the puddle up.

"T-Thank you," you flushed. God, how embarassing. These people absolutely hated you, and you weren't exactly making yourself look very good right now.

The man stood up, and you noticed right way that he was one of the few younger members. You couldn't tell exactly how old he was, but he didn't seem far from you in age. He had dark, short-cropped hair, tan skin and blue eyes that were almost blindingly pale.

"Are you okay?" he asked. His voice was much deeper than you'd expected, but smooth and clear.

You weren't sure what he meant. "I beg your pardon?"

"Earlier. You looked scared."

"Oh..."

Clearly, you'd been a lot more obvious that you'd thought. You couldn't really help it, though. The act of violence had been completely unprompted. You knew that you were gong to have to get used to things around here but couldn't see yourself ever becomng numb to this sort of stuff.

"I'm alright," you said, smiling weakly. "I was just taken by surprise, that's all."

"This isn't a good place for you to be," he frowned. "What does he have against you?"

"My father stole a lot of money from him, so he tracked me down. I have to work here until I can pay him back."

His eyes widened for a moment. "That guy was your father?"

"Yes... unfortunately. I'm [Name]," you introduced, extending your hand out.

"Hikaru," he said. He hesitated for a moment before shaking your hand, but eventually did so. "I don't know what else to say, other than I'm sorry. I'm only here because of my old man too."

"Did he also leave you in debt?"

"Not exactly. It's complicated."

"Where is he now?"

"Dead. Good riddance."

You had no idea how you were meant to respond to that, so you quickly changed the subject. "My father... did you ever speak with him? How did he act? I'm only curious because I haven't seen him in almost ten years."

"He was a piece of shit," Hikaru said, without a moment's hesitation.

"Right," you laughed. "I guess I should have expected that."

"Don't waste your time thinking about him. Family that only burdens you without any concern for your wellbeing is hardly family at all."

"You're right. I'll try not to."

Hikaru glanced around the room. "Also... be careful. I doubt any of these guys will try hurting you since they all know you've been brought in by Ryu personally, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were scheming something. Just don't give them any reason to make your life difficult. Try to be as invisible as possible."

"I'll try, but that's easier said than done."

"Yeah. Yuki's one of the better ones, so you should be fine as long as you stick with him. Good luck," he said, tipping his head slightly before walking away with his own cup of water.

There were a lot of things you still wanted to ask, but you doubted he had all the anwers anyways. Like Hikaru had said, there was no point in trying to figure out what kind of person your father had been like around here. You already knew far too well. He was selfish, cruel and heartless.

Being thrown into the lap of someone like Shimazaki Ryu felt like a bitter irony of sorts.

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💞 main masterlist ♡ character appearances

[peonyneko]

To Know You Pt.2 | OldestSon!Nanami x YoungestDaughter!Reader

Notes: Once again, this fanfic is very self-indulgent, so many of you may not be able to relate to it... I don't know how often I will post, I just like writing about it. Requests are open?? But to be veryy honest, I'm not sure if I have for request, but I'm open to discussions through the inbox/request box. Send me any anon messages~

I'll clean up any mistakes soon!

Word count: 6k+

Genre: Angst(?), Fluff, A touch/sprinkle of suggestive content (not really), NO SMUT YET

Warnings: Grammar mistakes (I'll fix it), vomit, not good eating habits, cursing, and arranged marriage things(?)

Extra info:

Nanami's Friends: Gojo, Geto, Shoko, Utahime, etc

Nanami's Juniors: Mainly Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara, does include Maki, Yuta, and Toge.

Nanami is hinted to be in his mid/late 30s and reader is hinted to be in her twenties.

Part 1

---

OldestSon!Nanami who woke up from the smell of something good. Looking at the clock, to realize it’s past 11 AM, but quick to also realize his father gave him a week off. One, to get to know you better. Two, to plan your honeymoon for later on.

He notices you weren’t in bed, so after freshening up he follows the delicious scent. He watches as you look through the cabinets, very quietly, familiarizing yourself with what's there. You sigh in relief when you see maple syrup in the cabinet.

He found it… odd, to be honest. He usually was the one cooking for others, especially his younger siblings. He banned his brother, at that time in his early twenties, from entering the kitchen after he had burnt milk… Milk! (Though he is now much better at cooking.)

So to have you cook something was… fresh, but normal for an adult nonetheless. He wondered if you cooked for yourself often.

“Good morning. It smells nice,” he says, his voice rough and deep. You turn around with a spatula in your hand and next to you what seemed to be strawberry pancakes on a plate.

You nod, “Good morning… Yeah, thought I’d make something before you go to work.”

It clicks that he never told you. Shit. 

“My dad actually gave me the week off. I apologize for the confusion. I should’ve told you during our date,” he says, nearing you and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

“That’s okay. We barely had the time,” you say, turning back to your pancakes and putting the last one on the plate. Another plate with scrambled eggs.

“Do you have work?” he asks and you shake your head. 

“I’m off for a week too. My boss found out I was getting married out-of-nowhere,” you shrugged, the words leaving your mouth so casually.

“You didn’t tell them?” he continues, bringing out plates and utensils to place on the table.

You shake your head, “Not that I didn’t. I told them, but they didn’t expect it so soon.”

OldestSon!Nanami hums, being in a similar position himself. Everyone’s jaw dropped when they found out, from Gojo’s loud mouth, not himself. He didn’t even tell Gojo! His mom did. She adored that blue-eyed lunatic. 

You fetch the water jug filling up the water cups. You both sit on opposite ends, a little far from each other. It gnawed at his chest, so he asked.

“Why did you want to get married?” The silence lingers for a while, and he could tell you, too, are looking for words to not hurt him.

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t judge your reasons. I’m sure I’m no better,” he reassures.

You licks your lips. “For my family, I guess. My mom really wants to see me get married. She’s quite old and has health problems, so I agreed.”

Nanami noticed you held your guard up, keeping a distance between the two of you. Something you’re not telling him, but he doesn’t press.

“Do you regret it?” he asks and you shake your head.

“Not if you don’t,” you whispered before taking a bite of your pancakes. His gaze lingered on you. Not if he doesn’t? 

“You’re my wife. I won’t regret the wife I chose. Yes, we don’t know each other, but I don’t want you to feel suffocated, so please do tell me anything and everything.” 

You look back at him with sparkling eyes and then you change the topic.

He took a bite of the pancakes and eggs and was surprised. He could hug you for how fluffy and delicious they are. It didn’t even take a second to know it was better than any he made.

“What do you want to do today?” you ask. 

He hums, “I have a few places in mind, where we can go, but where do you want to go?”

“Oh, what did you have in mind?” you ask and he tells you the locations after another big bite of the pancakes. His mind can’t get over how you made the pancakes this fluffy and good.

“We can go there,” you say and his ears perk up.

“Where exactly?” he asks for specifics.

“The, um, restaurant, the Salt one,” you tried to repeat what he’d said early, only to fail.

“Ah, Saltspringlis?” he clarifies, telling you that he’ll take you tonight for dinner.

OldestSon!Nanami who notices you skipping lunch and asks you about what you wanted, only for you to say you’ll eat later, stalling on it. Hours go by and he noticed you were busy unpacking your things. He helped you, in hopes that you’d take a break and go eat, but you just continue unpacking, so he asked.

“Well, I had breakfast with you and I don’t want to be full for dinner,” you say, not paying mind to the utterly confused look on his face. Huh? 

“I also forgot,” you mumble, folding another shirt into the drawer. He felt compelled to scold you, the way he used to scold his siblings for taking way too long to go eat. But he doesn’t.

“You should eat a snack,” he suggests, folding your pants and putting it in the drawer of pants. He leaves the room, bringing back an apple, then somewhat “orders” you to sit down and eat while he unpacks for you.

OldestSon!Nanami who neatly organized your clothes the way he noticed you organizing them. Who casually reaches inside the duffle bag beside the nightstand, only for you to tighten the opening, stops his hand from moving. Your eyes were panicked and with the apple in between your lips. He stops and there are a few seconds of silence between you two.

“Um, I have underwear in this,” you explain.

OldestSon!Nanami removes his hand from the bag, the feeling on lace and silk catching his attention as he does. Your face was red and he isn’t dumb. He knows that these were perhaps lingerie packed for activities, maybe by someone else. But he’s also not crass or rude. He acts like he doesn’t know what's inside, nor does he sexualize it. 

OldestSon!Nanami who takes you to Saltspringlis, a seafood restaurant, but also invites some of his friends and company juniors. Gojo and Geto come with Yuji and Megumi, while Shoko arrives with Nobara and Maki. He was glad to know you got along with them, even if they did most of the talking, you still looked pleased but…

OldestSon!Nanami who wonders why you don’t touch your food, you just pick at it. You pick at the scallops and shrimp risotto. In the hour that passed, everyone had finished their plate except you. And soon it was time to leave. 

He wasn’t angry, no, no, no! He was curious and maybe a little disappointed. 

Your marriage was arranged. He didn’t dislike you, no it was the opposite. He liked you, platonically. But he noticed you barely ate your dinner.

He grew up being told to appreciate food and finish his plate. “Others aren’t as fortunate as we are, Kento,” his mother would say. His parents didn’t force him to finish his food if he really couldn’t. But he grew up learning it’s proper and respectful to finish what you got for yourself or what was served.

His younger siblings were told the same about finishing meals, but less tied to the rule. They weren’t kept on the table until they finished like he and another one of his siblings were. And as Nanami sees from your habits, you were probably given that leniency too.

You bit into the shrimp, eating maybe a quarter of the meal before never touching it again. And soon it was time to leave. He noticed others' questions if you were hungry. “You didn’t even eat much,” Yuji, who was around your age, exclaimed. You simply told everyone you’re full. Nanami told you to get it packed to-go and you nodded, doing just that. 

OldestSon!Nanami who fought with OnlyChild!Gojo to pay the bill for everyone. In the end, Gojo beat him by a millisecond to tap it on the card reader.

OldestSon!Nanami who was a little surprised when your stomach growled in the silent car ride. He looked over to you for a second, suggesting, “Finish the food at the house.” You only nod, not saying much.

OldestSon!Nanami who was just a tiny bit irked when he saw the to-go box still in the fridge the next morning. So, once you told him with an avoidant gaze that you didn’t want it, he ate it himself.

OldestSon!Nanami and you went through the motions of your break, one week passing by fairly quickly. You both ate together for almost every meal. ‘Almost’ because you had a tendency to avoid meals and lean towards snacking. Though, at least you’d have breakfast and dinner. Two days into the break, he helped you settle in, encouraging you to decor the place however you’d want. He didn’t mind. He wanted you to feel like you belonged.

So there you were, day three of seven days of break, at a home goods store, gawking the prices as you tried to find the cheapest ones. Why are they so expensive?! Nanami, too, was looking but he looked rather unfazed. 

You found one of the shelves to be beautiful, so beautiful you wanted it. But that feeling quickly sizzled out once the price of $1,500 revealed itself on the tag. You carried on with a tight smile, not looking back. You looked everywhere, and no matter what, nothing was under $500. Even a nightstand. A nightstand!

OldestSon!Nanami who sees you silent sigh to yourself as you walk back to the same place you started off. He asks you if this store was not to your taste, but you simply shake your head, quietly telling him it’s over your budget. 

Perplexed, he leans down, “I’m well-over capable to pay it.”

OldestSon!Nanami watches you explain that you aren’t going to let him pay for it! If you like it and want it, you’ll buy it. He is just there looking back, absolutely astonished. Though, he hid it well behind his stoic face and clenched jaw. Who told you you’d be paying for these things?

“I respect that you want to pay for it, but you’re not going to. Moreso, I won’t let you. If you like something, I’ll get it. It’s for the house,” he replies, beginning to walk towards someone.

Before you can even attempt to convince him not to, he tells an employee to buy two items, giving the item number, as well. You watch him not hesitate the slightest. Even on the drive home, he doesn’t say much about what he bought, so you assumed he got what he liked. 

OldestSon!Nanami who tells you to come down the next day, because a delivery came in. You look at him in utter disbelief as the same beautiful shelf stood in front of you. He watches as your expression goes from confusion to shock to admiration and then to…

“Wait, I- Did you buy it because of me?” your brows furrowed as your voice got small. You had a sort of guilt in your voice, almost as if you didn’t want him to get it.

So he panics. “No! No… I got it because I really liked it,” he lied, “Why? Did you?”

Your face calms and you sigh in relief, “Yeah… Can I help you build it?”

OldestSon!Nanami and you who spend day 4 of your break building and moving things around the house. He notices you bump into things here and there, so he just… moves them out of the way when you shuffle around. He quietly reorganizes the pantry, so you don’t risk breaking your hip when you climb the countertop.

What? He caught you easily climbing it on your knees, as if you do that often when he’s not looking. It made you avoid his gaze for hours, with an embarrassed laugh, mumbling, “Sorry. I’ll clean it.”

YoungestDaughter!Reader who still notices him reorganizing the pantry because she’s always aware of Nanami. Who enjoys building the shelf with Nanami, her brows furrows in focus and eyes fixed on the screws. She organizes her book, usually by title and genre, but quietly places Nanami’s favorites to his eye level (knowing from his family and friends). 

YoungestDaughter!Reader who places a cup of water on the kitchen counter, knowing Nanami will just drink it. He’s done that before. What? She’s just making sure he’s hydrated. Who softly asks Nanami if he has any photos he wants to put up there.

He does. 

OldestSon!Nanami who opens up his album of high school memories and recent pictures with his juniors. All of them. Who stupidly skips past the wedding pictures, not noticing YoungestDaughter!Reader’s eyes wait in foolish anticipation.  

YoungestDaughter!Reader who is quick to move on from the slight disappointment. After all, this relationship had no feelings, it’s arranged. She smiles at the memories, but it dawns on her that she doesn’t know him… At All. Certainly not anything close to what his juniors even know. So she asks about his high school and college, hoping for any response even if it’s not a deep one.

“It was fun,” Nanami whispered, brushing his thumb over two faces. A girl and a guy. 

Silence. Horrible, awkward silence.

“Uh, what year was that?” you ask from behind him. He doesn’t talk and so you let it go. You hated this feeling, the sticky, horrible feeling of begging for him to respond or talk. 

After all, you grew up knowing to swallow your feelings and just let people be, especially if they didn’t want you. You grew up being the listener. When no one asked or responded, you wouldn’t speak either. You hated this sticky, unbearable feeling or being the only one wanting to talk.

You look through your own set of pictures, ones of your friends and family, some that you already printed to frame. You and Nanami decorated the shelf, but sadly it looked as if two roommates had done it, not a married couple. 

You keep your thoughts to yourself. You knew what to expect coming in. No matter how much his mother told this would be love, the moment you knew Nanami seemed to have… settled, you knew this is just that, a settlement. 

But you stupidly already started to enjoy his presence.

YoungestDaughter!Reader who has countless sketches of Nanami in her sketchbook, all of them in her forbidden, never-open-in-front-of-others sketchbook. All of them are drawn in the month you’ve known him.  Some doodles, others a bit more detailed. 

OldestSon!Nanami, who saw the sketch book lying around, picks it up out of curiosity, but never opens it. He respects your privacy. 

OldestSon!Nanami and you spend day 5 in the park with a beautiful garden. He noticed your eyes sparkle at the flowers, taking yet another picture as you walked around. He sends it to his mom, who replies with a dozen pink, yellow, and orange hearts for you, calling you, “So cute.” You come back to him, with a couple small flowers in your hand, dropping it into his palm without touching him, “I didn’t want to rip them off, but I found some instead.”

OldestSon!Nanami who blushes as you turn your back and continue walking as if you didn’t just give him the cutest small flowers of yellow and blue daisies.

OldestSon!Nanami who brings home salmon the next day and you cook it. He notices you eat only part of it and wait for him to finish before claiming that you're full. He lets it go, not saying anything about it.

The rest of the day you two are within each other's vicinity, but doing different things. You sketching something in your sketchbook and he's reading.

OldestSon!Nanami begins to dose off as he's reading, his book slipping from him a sliver. Despite being high alert with others, he can't help but feel a little at peace with... you.

You place your sketchbook aside, taking the blanket off yourself and putting it on Nanami instead. You take the book from his sleeping state and hesitantly tuck him into the blanket.

Nanami wakes up right when you put the blanket on him and he can't help but feel weird fluttering in his stomach. A few seconds of silent stares that happen between you two. You to him. Him to you.

"Um," you break the silence, "You should sleep... in the bedroom. You'll hurt your neck."

Nanami who hums, knowing that if he spoke, it'll be a stutter of words. He notices how you look so "caught in the act" when you did nothing wrong. He gives you a smile, clearing his throat as he stands up.

"Are you tired?" he asks.

You look back at your materials splayed out on the living room table and couch. Looking back at him, you shrug your shoulders.

"I'm not tired, but I can... keep you company after I clean up."

OldestSon!Nanami who waits 20 minutes, too giddy to sleep because you said you'd keep him company. Usually, you two went to sleep at different times. You were always staying up later than him.

OldestSon!Nanami who whispers goodnight as you settle into the bed, reading a book in your hand and small light on the book. He told you that you can keep the lights or lamp on, but you refused. You use a tiny book light

OldestSon!Nanami and you spend the night of your last day of break together at yet another expensive seafood restaurant. Nanami had asked you where you wanted to go, but you let him decide, telling him you didn’t know the place well.

You’d ordered a salmon dish with a side of asparagus. The price wasn’t the issue. He didn’t mean to get a little… irked. You took twenty minutes to order, but he didn’t mind. And by the time he’d eaten his food, you barely made a dent in yours.

He waited and waited, the conversation between you two was longer than the length you took to eat. The conversation was nothing out of the ordinary, just about both of your jobs and going back to the usual work routine. All that stuff. 

Your food long went cold and you were lingering, not touching it.

“What’s wrong?” He asks, curiously.

“Oh, no nothing. Why?” You ask, tilting your head.

“You’re not eating and your food is cold,” he points out. You look down at your plate and curl up. He should’ve stopped.

“It’s not good to waste food,” he adds, wiping his hands on the cloth.

“Yeah, um, I’m just full,” you quietly say, your neck heating up from his gaze. The same one that you got when you were younger. From many, many people.

You’d grown up similar to Nanami, but instead of being let off the hook your family yelled at you to eat and finish food. Admittedly, you avoided food because you were easily full, you’d prefer to have small portions. It didn’t help that your parents were on the poorer side. They’d guilt you about the money they spent on food.

And as Nanami said those words, you relive those memories.

“You’re all skin and bones! Why are you not eating?!”

“Fish is good for you, why are you being so picky?”

“She never eats. It’s such a hassle. What did I do wrong?.”

“I tried so many times to make her eat fish, she never does.”

“You should be happy. Lots of people can’t even eat fish.”

So, to avoid giving Nanami the wrong impression, despite heavily disliking seafood, you forced yourself to at least finish half, until you just couldn’t anymore. This month alone, you've eat more fish than you have in a lifetime.

The salmon left a bad taste in your mouth and you felt like throwing up. You would’ve had it not been for the asparagus you finished.

“Are you done?” Nanami asks, again. You nod your head with flushed cheeks, squeezing your hands in your lap. Sorry. 

He sighs and finishes paying. He barely says a word to you as you both go to the car. The food swirls in your stomach, the taste of the seafood still in your mouth palette. You didn’t get the chance to wash the gag-worthy taste away with water.

“Thank y-“

“If you didn’t want to eat out, you could’ve told me,” he bluntly said, gripping the steering wheel. He drove without looking at you, just a little bit irked. Okay, not just a little. Irked. He’s annoyed.

Gojo buys you food that you didn’t eat, then you don’t eat this time either. You never seemed to finish it, but then you eat something else much later on, ignoring the food container from the restaurant. Did you want fresh food? He’d get it. He just wanted you to be honest if you didn’t want to eat it anymore now that it’s old. Or that you didn’t want to eat with him and his friends in the first place.

“I’m not trying to force you to do anything. We’re married even though it was arranged, but I’m not here to force you,” he adds, and your stomach sinks further.

“I’m sorry,” you mumble as he drives in silence, paying you no mind. A few minutes go by. Your guilt grew more and you could physically feel his irritation.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to go eat,” you add, playing with your hands. I’m sorry. 

“Then?” He raises a brow, eyes in the road.

Your throat felt hot and your stomach swirls as the car hit a pothole. You didn’t want to admit it. You didn't want to admit that you didn’t like fish. You didn’t like seafood. Few exceptions, but fish was definitely not one. You tried to like it, but nothing ever got you to.

“I felt full,” you mumble and he is quick to click his tongue.

“Then you could’ve ordered something you wouldn’t waste. That simple,” he adds. 

He didn’t know why he got worked up. You weren’t a kid. He normally doesn’t care about habits. But you didn’t even have a full meal since breakfast. Yes, he noticed. How are you NOT hungry?

Growl! You bit your lip as your stomach made noises. Nanami sighed as he, too, heard it. You clearly were if your stomach was still growling.

“You don’t have to lie. I won’t blame you if you feel weird about going out with me. As I said, this marriage was done quickly and we’re not in love. ”

“No, I just… couldn’t finish it. I knew I probably would like it. I wanted to try, but… It didn’t taste good,” you mumble at the end. As Nanami drives, the sight of swift cars and alternating lights makes your stomach flip like hurricane swirls.

“But you got it anyway. You should’ve ordered something you could finish.”

“I’m sorry,” you mumble out, your hand reaching up to cover your nose and mouth.

“No need to apologize to me. Just… it’s not good to waste food,” he said, voice flat and stern.

You felt shame rise up to your cheek as the food began to rise up your throat. You’d tried to swallow the sickly throat-wrenching feeling, but it was getting more and more unbearable. More and more the food climbed up your stomach and throat.

“Stop- Stop the car,” you quickly express, opening your seatbelt. And he does, pulling over immediately..

You stumble out of the car, and spill your guts out. Every bit of fish and asparagus you ate now spilled out on the ground. Nanami curses, his stomach sinking to the floor as you heave and bend over. He leaves the car to rub your back, his eyes brimmed with worry.

Fish usually made you queasy, especially if it smelled fishy. So you avoided it, but seeing Nanami always eat it so deliciously made you want to match his preference too. He got you water and you profusely apologized. He shakes his head, worried to no end. He checks your temperature and finds nothing. He’s there with you crouched down until your stomach calms, your arms settling beside you.

“What's wrong?”

“I’m sorry… I don’t like seafood.” And it clicks for him. Your face dropped when you looked through the menu, which had nothing but fish and scallops.

Fuck, he thought. He loves seafood, so did his entire family. It seemed like your family also enjoyed it, so he assumed you liked it too. But not once did he ever see you reach for any seafood dishes. Ever. 

He’d grown up eating anything, he wasn’t picky, moreso he wasn’t allowed to be. He didn’t care as long as it wasn’t sardines. You must’ve forced yourself to eat even half of the salmon. He carries you to the car, clicking in your seatbelt for you.

“I’m sorry,” he admits, “I should’ve told you it was seafood. It’s my fault, not yours.”

“Still it was expensive and you paid, so I can pay you back for wasting it,” your voice was so small and quiet. As if you expected him to be mad about it. As if you expect him to yell at you.

His heart aches, and he shakes his head, “No, no. What? That doesn’t matter. The price doesn’t matter. I’m your husband, it’s only a given.”

He help you get back into the car, making sure you were no long queasy. OldestSon!Nanami who has a small stash of medicine in a box of his car. He gives you a bottle of water and some nausea relief. Driving a little slower to avoid making your vision hazy and stomach churn again. Right when heard your stomach rumble, he was quick to stop at a random late night bakery.

“Do you like sweets?” He asks and you nod, only to panic when he starts to leave the car.

“No, you don’t have to! You’re wasting money,”

His brows furrow, “What? Nonsense, you threw up. And you’re hungry”

“I’ll buy it myself. Seriously.”

“No, sit here. What do you like?”

“I’m not telling you,” you insist.

“Then I’ll just get one of every flavor.”

You scoff at his ‘promise,’ “No you won’t.”

“You think?” he smirks, cocking his head to the side.

“You won’t,” you dryly chuckle, crossing your arms. You were too weak from the nausea to get up as he shut the car door, assuming he was joking. Surely, he’d just get a croissant.

He didn’t, in fact, just get a croissant. Keeping his word, Nanami comes back with a box full of pastries. Your eyes widen at the sheer amount in your lap.

“I- I can’t finish this!”

“I’ll help. Anything left over I’ll give it to friends. Please, I don’t want you fainting.”

He noticed you hesitate to grab the fancy one, the tiramisu croissant, so before you go for the plain butter croissant instead, he speaks.

“Go for it. I bought it for you,” he softly encourages. With a sheepish smile you take it, biting into the croissant.

“I’m sorry for scaring you,” Nanami says, regretting his lecturing.

“You’re not a kid and you’re free to eat however much and whatever you want. I don’t mean to control you. I have no idea what got over me to act like that. I’m sorry.”

You nod your head, “That’s alright. I know you said it from a good place. I, uh, need to get better at letting you know about these things too.” 

That night, nothing big changed, but Nanami was sure of one thing: He never wants to see you sad and uneasy.

He couldn’t help that your tears made his heart ache. Maybe it was similar to the way he can’t see his juniors hurt? He just knew he didn’t want to see you unhappy. Maybe you were becoming a friend? He doesn’t know.

OldestSon!Nanami and you who still sleep with your backs faced away from each other, but closer. The distance would completely disappear if one of you flipped over. 

OldestSon!Nanami checks on you when waking up at the crack of dawn, he touches your forehead. And then realizes….

Realizes he hasn’t even hugged you, let alone held your hand. The farthest you’ve both gone was this… Him touching your forehead. And right then, he wanted to bang his head on the wall.

But maybe it was for the best? What if you don’t like him? What if you want a divorce soon? What if you liked someone else? Why would she like you? Someone so fucking old-

You groan in your sleep, moving around and facing him. His breath gets caught in his throat as the palm of his hand is now pressed between the bed and your cheek. Your hair strand cover part of your face, and fuck you looked so cute. 

An ache sew itself into Nanami's heart. He felt as though he'd ruined your life. Your love life. He wonders if you given no choice. Because why would you agree to marry him? You could've chosen anyone... But you chose him...

OldestSon!Nanami who went to sleep like that, not daring to move his hand from your cheek. So when you wake up, you wake up confused as to why you accidentally practically pinned Nanami to the edge of the bed (it was only his arm under you).

YoungestDaughter!Reader who wakes up a little excited because she gets to make him a lunchbox for the first time. She really wanted him to try one of her recipes that she made herself. She hesitates, thinking of cooking something common, but listening to her heart, she makes him something she came up with.

OldestSon!Nanami who smiles at the lunch you made him for before he headed to work. He gives you a small smile, thanking you. You smile back, shrugging and playing with the hem of your shirt, as if it was too embarrassing for him to notice it. 

OldestSon!Nanami who also drives you to your office place, making sure you went inside the office before driving to his own.

OldestSon!Nanami who got many compliments and congratulations for his marriage. He even got a couple of sad eyes from some singles. He didn’t know why. Were they sad he got married before them? (No, they were sad it wasn’t them who he got married to. Both those employees flirted with him before, but he never took the hint. Gojo and Geto knew, but they never told him.)

OldestSon!Nanami who didn’t touch the lunch you made for him, forgetting about it when Gojo practically dragged him to eat out because, “Suguru is too busy to eat with me.” 

Not only that, he didn’t even get the time to catch his breath because of how busy it got with him back in the office. When he took a shower after work, you noticed the lunchbox was heavy, opening it to only find it full and untouched. 

YoungestDaughter!Reader’s heart fell to the floor seeing the food not even halfway done. She contemplated asking him, but when he came to the kitchen with a laptop in his hand and a stoic face, her questions answered themselves. Maybe he didn’t get the time.

That day you both did not speak much with each other. Both of you had different jobs and after the week long break, there was much to catch up on for both of you

So the very next day, you make him lunch again. A different recipe with salmon and rice. You even tasted it to make sure it was good, even if you’d prefer it with chicken instead. 

Your routine of waking up together and leaving together continued for a second time. You were dropped off first and then he went about his way.

OldestSon!Nanami whose second day back was hectic, more so than the first. He didn't even get a break, let alone the chance to touch his lunchbox.

YoungestDaughter!Reader’s heart, once again, shattered seeing the lunch full. The note she left inside of “Hope today is good! Take deep breaths^^” discarded all the way at the bottom. Crunched up and discarded.

OldestSon!Nanami and you spent the day in different work rooms. You in yours. Him in his. You slept in the same bed. Close, but once again faced away. Backs towards one another. 

OldestSon!Nanami didn’t say anything when he noticed you didn’t make lunch the next day, thinking you were tired, so he made it himself. You saw him do so, as you grabbed a yogurt and canned coffee. In silence, he dropped you off and went about his way to work. This continued for the week, before he asked. He asked right when you returned from work, surprisingly returning later than usual. Much later. Perhaps two hours late.

“Why did you stop making lunch?” He notices you freeze, trying to gather your thoughts. You had just gotten out of the shower, freshly wet hair and in your baggy mix-matched pajamas.

“Not that you must. You don’t. I’m a grown man. I can make it myself. I was just… I was merely curious,” he adds, hoping to put off the pressure of answering.

“Oh,” you begin, playing with the hem of your sleeve, “I thought you didn’t like it. I didn’t want to force you to eat something you didn’t like.”

“Why’d you think that?” he tilts his head, completely lost.

“You told me one time that you went out to eat and brought back a full container, so I assumed you didn’t want to eat it. But, I shouldn’t have assumed, I’m sorry.” 

“No!” he says, stepping closer to you,“I should’ve clarified. Gojo forcefully took me out to eat. I also… completely forgot you packed me something. So it’s my fault, not yours.”

You look up at him, nodding, a hint of sadness in your eyes “So, you don’t mind eating what I make?”

He frowns, shaking his head and leaning down to you, “Why would I? Is anything wrong?”

You shake your head, as if you wanted to avoid talking about it. Before you can leave, he gently pulls your arm, leaning in close. He tilts his head to connect your face with his, a slight worry in his eyes.

“Hey, talk to me,” he whispers, “I don’t want you silently trapping your thoughts.”

You stall a bit more, before sheepishly chuckling. Shrugging as you answer, “No big deal, really. It’s a small thing that I guess I took too far. You don’t need to worry.” 

You attempt to leave, again, but he doesn’t let you. Stopping you in your tracks with his arm out with stern look, the same one he’d give his younger siblings with his brow raised so they spill whatever secret they had. You, being the youngest in your family, also know that look very well.

“Just… I- Whenever I made food for my family when I was younger, it was alway untouched,” you whisper, your eyes looking down at the floor instead of up at him. His heart aches as the words reach his ears.

You dryly laugh, “It is not even that serious, but I guess it still hurt. I remember making them breakfast one time and no one ate it. Yeah, I was a teenager and maybe it didn’t look good, but… I hoped at least one person would have some.” 

You looked so small, curling into yourself as you seem to be overthinking the memory. 

Your words getting quieter and quieter as you spoke, “It also seemed like they didn’t think I could make good food? I don’t know. It’s not even that serious, really. My older sisters were better at making traditional food anyway. Even when I got better, I always worried no one would like it, so I just wouldn’t make it.” 

He swallows the ball in his throat, feeling his heart crumble. That explains the hesitant stare you’d give him as he ate your food. Whenever you make something, you’d add a small ‘It’s probably not good.’

He noticed, but just assumed you were learning to cook, not that you were embarrassed of your skill. Hell, you were better at many dishes than him. He’d have your food over anything his family made.

He lets out a guilty sigh and hesitantly reaches for your hand, “You’re a good cook, so please try not to demean yourself. I understand this hesitance of yours, but I would never, ever leave your food to rot. I’ll eat everything and anything you make.”

OldestSon!Nanami who silent vows to always eat the lunch you pack him. And as always your cooking was nice. YoungestDaughter!Reader who encourages him to at least decide the menu, so she does not make him something he dislikes. Who tell Nanami that he’s never obligated to eat everything, just as much as he wants.

OldestSon!Nanami and you who have yet to go on a honeymoon or big trip because your works have you two so, so busy. 

A month and a half has passed and the only time you really spend is either sleeping in the same bed or drinking a late warm beverage together. Only on weekends do you ever really spend time, time that you two spent on talking and slowly getting to know each other. Though, Nanami noticed you still tend to avoid getting too deep about things. He wasn't much better with talking about his past either, so he understands.

OldestSon!Nanami, who during one of the weekends, takes you to yet another hang out with his friends and juniors. It was a small get-together a Gojo’s. Everyone, except for those driving, was a tad bit (or really) drunk. Nanami avoided drinking and you did not drink either. You were allergic.

OldestSon!Nanami who kept you in eye distance even when he knew everyone. Who felt so fucking jealous when Gojo and Geto leaned into your space to hear you over the music and loud juniors. Who pretended to “fix” your sleeve, his hand grazing the wedding ring to clean it. Nanami, who makes quick glaring eye contact with Gojo and Geto, before stepping away from you.

YoungestDaughter!Reader who isn’t dumb about what just happened. She can assume what just occurred, but she still has her big doubts. The little touch of her ring, in front of two other good-looking men (who are Nanami’s friends), left her a little speechless, but she brushes it off. Because what if it was just that simple a brush of her rings and no thought to it? 

OldestSon!Nanami who would get you everything and anything you need, even when you always refused to want anything. Never asking. Never relying. Always being okay with anything. Who notices that you always getting something on the cheaper side.

YoungestDaughter!Reader who grew to be on her own and not rely on others. Who has a hard time letting others do anything for her. Who feels overwhelmed every time Nanami takes her out because she really cannot get used to him paying for things. Her solution? Anything cheap. 

OldestSon!Nanami and YoungestDaughter!Reader who try to unknowingly dance around the other, trying to adjust to what the other feels comfortable with. OldestSon!Nanami and YoungestDaughter!Reader who have been sleeping facing each other for a month and a half. You take a glimpse of him before closing your eyes.. And Nanami taking one last look at your peaceful, sleeping face before succumbing to sleep.

----

Credits for the characters to Gege Akutami, but this plot and these versions of the character are of my own (maybe OOC sometimes), so please refrain from plagiarizing.

I am currently NOT posting this elsewhere, so if there are works of thse anywhere else, let me know!

Thank you for reading!

[smilingformoney]

Die With a Smile

Chapter VI. Never Tear Us Apart

Elliott/Mary (OC) | Turpin/Mary (OC)

Summary: Every action has a reaction, but nothing lasts forever.

Read on Ao3 or below the cut:

Mary had never expected to get married, but of course, she’d fantasised about it. When she was fixing a hand-me-down wedding dress, she’d wonder about the kind of dress she might wear. She thought about children, and the sort of things married couples did to create them, and though she yearned for a brood of her own, she never thought she’d have one. She’d accepted long ago that her purpose in life was to protect Tommy, and maybe one day he’d be the one to find a nice girl to marry.

She’d thought about a wedding day, the first night, the life that comes after. She’d fantasised about what life would be like to live amongst the gentry.

She’d never imagined it would be like this.

Elliott was right. Turpin only wanted her for her body. He filled her up with his seed at every opportunity, at minimum every morning and every night. He’d mutter filth into her ear as he fucked her, telling her how good she’d look once her belly began to grow with his child.

The rest of the time, he ignored her. He spent most of the day at court, and if his evenings weren’t spent socialising with his peers, he sat at his desk and worked on his paperwork. Sometimes he’d have visitors over, other important-looking men who sat around drinking gin and smoking cigars, talking about whatever men talked about.

Mary always had to stay out of sight when visitors came over. She didn’t mind that. Turpin’s friends frightened her almost as much as he did. And sometimes he’d be too drunk for sex, so she’d have a night of respite, and sometimes a morning too if his hangover was too troublesome.

At least when he was out, Mary could see Tommy. They’d go out into the courtyard and play games, and because he was acting under orders of the Lady of the House, the butler who bossed him around couldn’t tell him off.

She had a weekly allowance, which she used to buy materials, as Turpin had allowed her to turn Johanna’s old room into a makeshift workshop. She wasn’t to sell anything she made - Lord Turpin couldn’t have anyone thinking his wife had to make her own money - but he allowed her to do it as it kept her busy and out of the way. She mostly made children’s clothes, and at night Tommy would sneak out with them and give them to Mrs Harris to hand them out to the children who lived on the street, those who had once been Mary and Tommy’s friends.

After the first month, Mary worked up the courage to ask Turpin about the promise he’d made.

She knew she had to get him in a good mood first. Some days he ordered her to visit him at court during lunch, so when he sat at his desk with a sigh of frustration, Mary obediently knelt between his legs and took him in her mouth.

When he finished, she licked him clean, then sat on his lap as he tucked into the sandwich she’d brought him.

“Sir, might I ask you about something?”

Turpin grunted through a mouthful of sandwich.

“When you proposed to me, you said you’d put Tommy into school. Did you really mean that?”

Turpin snorted derisively, then swallowed.

“Yes, I did. But surely you don’t expect me to follow through on that, do you?”

Mary blinked in surprise. “Oh - um —”

“You also told me you’d marry me, then promptly made every effort not to do so. I don’t see why I should follow through on my promise when you tried so ardently not to follow through on yours. He’s working in the kitchens, that’ll teach him everything he needs, and I’ll hear no more on the subject.”

“…Right. Of course. Sorry, sir.”

After Turpin returned to court, Mary went down to the Post Office.

She was learning to read and write, but her progress was slow. All she had were the letters Elliott had taught her. She had to put words together bit by bit, and no doubt her spelling was atrocious. Fortunately, since very few people in London could read or write, the Post Office offered a scribe to write out dictated letters to those who could pay. And thanks to her allowance from Turpin, Mary could pay.

Once the letter was written, she almost cried when the scribe read it back to her.

Dearest Elliott,

I know you must hate me, but I beg of you not to throw this letter in the fire. When I first accepted William’s proposal, before I knew of your feelings for me, he promised an education for Tommy. I know now he has no intention of following through on that promise. I cannot stand the thought of him spending his life in the kitchens, but it seems William is determined to leave him there. I know he would thrive with you. I don’t ask you to adopt him as you said. Employ him as you would any other, if you must. But please, I beg of you, take him away with you. I know I would never see him again. But I’d rather he leave forever, and know he’ll thrive, than have him by my side but wasting away in the kitchens. I know I ask a lot. But Tommy is only a boy. None of this is his fault. I won’t ask you to forgive me, and if you refuse, I’ll understand. But please, if you truly loved me, do this one thing for me. For Tommy.

All my love, Mary

She gave the return address as Mrs Harris’ shop, and waited anxiously for a reply. Even just to hear a “no.” And when the night came that Tommy delivered the weekly bundle of children’s clothes to Mrs Harris, Mary waited for his return, hoping he’d come back before Turpin woke up and found her missing from the bed.

The response she received was worse than a no.

Tommy handed her an envelope addressed to her, and inside was another envelope - her own letter returned, unopened. With it a note. By candlelight, and with much difficulty, Mary managed to read:

Lady Turpin,

I return your letter unopened. Although curious, it’s not for me to interrupt the communiqué of lovers. My nephew left for Australia mere hours after you left for London. He’ll be almost to Cape Town by now. Below is his address in Australia. Though I warn you, you may wait six months before receiving any reply. Good luck.

Sincerely, Duke R. Beaumont

Mary tore off the bottom part of the letter containing Elliott’s address, stashed it away between the pages of her sketchbook, and promptly burnt both her unopened letter and the body of the Duke’s response.

It was another hour before she went back to bed, once her tears had dried. She knew Turpin would never stand for her crying in bed, much less if he knew the reason for her tears.

It was about two months into the marriage that Mary realised one day that she hadn’t yet had her monthly - not, she realised, since the week before she’d met Elliott. The only bleeding she had was after sex, when Turpin hadn’t prepared her properly.

She tried not to think too much of it. But when she began bringing her food back up for no apparent reason, she couldn’t deny the truth.

She told Turpin her suspicions one night after he’d finished, and in a rare display of emotion other than irritation or lust, he grinned with excitement and kissed her.

“Oh, darling, I knew you’d be able to give me a son! Such a good, dutiful wife.”

He took her again, the news apparently springing his cock back to life, and held her close against his body as he thrust into her.

“What a good wife you are, taking my seed so well… mhm, yes, I can’t wait to see you swell. My perfect wife, carrying my son…”

He’s not your son.

The thought came unbidden, but Mary knew it was true. Logically, she couldn’t. She couldn’t even know it was a boy, let alone that Elliott would be the father. But something deep inside her - perhaps her mother’s instinct, or perhaps something deeper, something in her soul - it told her the truth. Yes, she was carrying a son, but not her husband’s son.

She swore to herself, there and then, as her husband spilled his seed inside her for the second time that night, that he would never learn the truth.

She was already lying to him. He still thought that he’d taken her virginity the night he’d snuck into her bed and raped her. What harm could it do to let him think the child was his?

When the baby was born, Mary had little choice over the name. He was William Turpin’s first son, so tradition dictated he would also be William Turpin.

It felt strange, though, to call her son the same name as her husband, so she nicknamed the child Billy.

Turpin wasted no time trying to get Mary pregnant again. She was exhausted from spending all day looking after the baby, too tired for sex, so she simply laid there and let her husband do what he needed to do. He quickly got bored of that, though, so he hired a nanny to help look after the child, giving Mary some time to rest.

Not because he loved her, or because he cared about her needs. Mary had accepted a long time ago that things like care and kindness were things she’d never get from him. But it was because, he told her, she had a duty to her husband. And, despite everything, she was still attracted to him, so when she had the energy for sex again, she was an eager participant.

It was really the only connection they had. And because he kept her inside, it was pretty much the only connection she had at all other than Tommy. So Mary took what Turpin would give her, and if that was nothing but sexual chemistry, then so be it.

It wasn’t long before she was pregnant again. She recognised the symptoms straight away this time, but there were some other symptoms she was more concerned about than her own.

Turpin was sick.

The doctor threw every treatment he could think of at him, but sickness was even more powerful than the great Judge Turpin, and he died within a week of falling ill.

Mary sat dutifully by his bed every day, nursing him the best she could, making sure he got as much time with little Billy as he could.

He must have known when he was about to pass. He’d been stubbornly trying to get up and go to work all week, even flirting with Mary as if he was in any state to do anything. But that day, he’d been lethargic and quiet, not like himself at all. And as Mary rocked Billy to sleep in her arms, Turpin just watched her.

“Mary,” he croaked when she returned from putting the boy in his crib. “Mary. Mary…”

“Yes, I’m here, Will,” Mary said softly as she sat back down and took his hand in hers. His hand that looked nothing like his hand, now it was ghostly pale and thin, hardly capable of moving.

“Mary… I need you to tell me the truth. I know… I know you loved Elliott. Tell me… is the boy his?”

Lying to him was almost second nature to her now.

“No. No, he’s not, Will. I’ve only ever been with you. You know that.”

Turpin let out a long sigh.

“I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “Mary, I’m so sorry. For taking your innocence as I did, for forcing you to marry me. Elliott was right. You can tell him that, from me. He said so, didn’t he? He said I’d die miserable and alone, that no one could ever love me.”

“You’re not alone,” Mary said earnestly. “I’m here.”

Turpin looked at her and smiled.

“I couldn’t help falling in love with you.”

Mary wiped away a tear.

When she looked back at him, he was gone.

She cried. She didn’t know why. She hated him, didn’t she? He’d trapped her, hadn’t he?

But he was her husband, and he’d been alive, and now he was neither of those things.

So she cried.

- - -

Elliott was having a lot of fun playing with his food.

Ever since his return to Australia, his men had noticed a change in him. He’d always been ruthless; he’d slaughter an Aborigine camp without a second thought just to get a nice spot to build a new pigsty. But something had changed, and nobody dared ask why, because just the slightest change in the wind was enough to set him off.

He had a vendetta, but the source of his ire was back in London, so he took his frustrations out on anyone who pissed him off.

And for the last few weeks, that someone had been Matthew Quigley.

Now, he had his prize in front of him. The great Quigley, the hero of the Aborigines, the fucking pain in Elliott’s backside. He thought he could show up, take Elliott’s money, and refuse him. Well, nobody said no to Elliott Marston. Certainly no one who lived to tell the tale.

“Now you’re right in front of my old pistol target,” Elliott laughed. How many times had he practised shooting here, imagining himself in a duel with some outlaw? Now here he was, laying down the law - his law, on his land - and the American cowboy was no match for his quick draw.

“Some men —” Elliott began, but he cut himself off when he heard the familiar sound of a horse’s hooves on the ground, the creaking of wooden wheels turning.

Elliott frowned as he looked in the distance at the approaching carriage. He wasn’t expecting any visitors.

“O’Flynn, get the gate,” Elliott commanded. “Dobkin — take back the revolver, make sure he can’t do anything while my back is turned.”

His two remaining men ran to follow Elliott’s command, both well trained by now to obey him without question.

Elliott watched as the carriage came closer and passed through his gate. He thought it intriguing that it was a carriage, not a wagon. The visitor must be someone important, or unused to Australian heat, or both, with very little luggage.

The driver finally pulled to a stop and hopped down to open the carriage door. Elliott approached with a mixture of caution and curiosity. The door opened, the driver gave a small bow, and held out his hand to help the mysterious occupant down.

It was a good thing Elliott’s gun was still in its holster. He might have dropped it in shock.

He never thought he’d see her again. He’d resigned himself to a life without her, come to terms with the fact she’d been a fleeting light in the darkness. He’d neither love nor marry again, and that was something he’d accepted months ago.

Yet here she was, as beautiful as the day she’d left for London, despite his begging and his promises. She’d left with a cloud of misery hanging over her shoulders, and leaving another hanging over him too.

She reached back into the carriage for something. She pulled back, and the driver closed the door as Mary straightened up, holding…

A baby.

She had a baby.

She turned, her eyes searching, and when she spotted him, she smiled. A true, radiant smile that, although Elliott didn’t know it, she hadn’t sported in a very long time.

“Mary…” Elliott croaked. He took a few steps towards her, then jogged the rest of the way, too impatient to walk.

“Mary, what - what are you doing here?”

Elliott glanced around, wondering who else might be in the carriage, but he saw no sign of the man who’d torn them apart.

“You said you’d wait for me,” Mary said hesitantly. “…Did you?”

“Yes! Yes, of course I did, I… oh, Mary, look at you.” Elliott took her face in his hands as if to check she were real. “I could never love anyone but you. But why — where —?”

“He died,” Mary said, answering the question he was hesitating to ask. “Some sickness, it took him quick. I sold everything and bought us passage to Australia. I don’t expect anything from you, Elliott, but… I wanted you to meet your son.”

“My —?”

Elliott looked down at the baby in her arms, one hand carefully reaching out to cradle the boy’s round, bald head.

“The moment I knew he was there, I knew he was yours. I just knew.”

She didn’t have to explain. There was no science to prove it, the timing told them nothing, but Elliott knew it too. He could tell, looking at this tiny human clinging to his mother, that he was his son.

“What’s his name?”

“I didn’t dare tell him he was yours, so I didn’t have much choice. Everyone calls him Billy, though.”

“Hello, Billy,” Elliott said softly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Buh,” said Billy, and his tiny fingers wrapped around Elliott’s thumb.

“What a gentleman, he’s shaking your hand!” Mary laughed.

“He certainly is. Oh, Mary, he’s perfect.”

He looked up at her, a grin on his face and the threat of tears in his eyes.

“Just like his mother.”

Mary smiled coyly. Over her shoulder, Elliott saw the driver unloading the bags from the back of the carriage. And with him, a few inches taller than Elliott remembered, was Tommy.

“Tommy!” Elliott called. “I’m glad to see you’re alright!”

Tommy waved back, then turned his attention to the bag he was lifting. Elliott turned back towards his men, who were both standing guard over Quigley, watching with no doubt a lot of confusion.

“O’Flynn, keep an eye on him. Dobkin - put the boy’s bags in the lodge, and Mary’s in my house.”

“You’ll - you’ll let us stay?” Mary said cautiously.

“Mr Marston, what’re we doing with him?” O’Flynn called over, interrupting before Elliott could respond.

Elliott rolled his eyes. He glanced lazily over at Quigley, who was still standing by the fencepost, not daring to move with no gun to defend himself with and O’Flynn standing guard.

He’d spent the last few weeks obsessing over capturing Quigley, and now, Elliott found he didn’t care about playing with his food. The man had to be executed, and Elliott would certainly not be giving him a gun for a duel, not with three precious lives so close.

He whipped his pistol out and shot Quigley clean in the head.

Mary yelped in surprise, and her hand flew to cover Billy’s exposed ear, the other already pressed against her chest.

“Chuck him in a ditch somewhere,” Elliott called back to O’Flynn before reholstering his gun and turning back to Mary, who was staring in shock at Quigley’s dead body.

“Elliott, you killed him!”

“Sorry, darling, you came right in the middle of his execution. He’s a dangerous man — or was, anyway,” Elliott smirked. “He killed almost all of my men. Dobkin and O’Flynn are all that’s left. I can’t have him free, especially not with you here. Come on — let’s get you out of the sun. Dobkin will get your bags.”

Elliott put an arm around Mary’s waist and guided her towards his house.

“I know you told me how big Australia is, Elliott, but it’s hard to comprehend until you see it. It’s enormous! I thought we must have been going in circles with how long it took to get here from Perth. And the driver told me most of the land we crossed is yours!”

“It certainly is,” Elliott said with pride. “And I took about another 200 acres of farmland after I came back. Here we are. Do you want some water? You must be parched.”

Once inside, he guided her to the sofa, and gestured to his butler to bring her some water. Elliott sat down next to Mary and rubbed her back gently as she adjusted Billy to sit on her lap.

“Was the journey okay for you? I know how arduous that boat journey can be, and the ride here from Perth isn’t exactly fun either.”

The butler set down a tray on the side table and Elliott dismissed him with a wave of his hand so he could pour Mary a drink himself.

“Honestly, Elliott, it was awful. As it turns out, I get horribly seasick. I was so worried for the baby, but everybody was so lovely to me. People would give me portions of their food to make sure I ate enough, even though most of it ended up coming back out again.”

“Well, you’ll just have to make sure you never make that journey again,” Elliott said cheekily. “Good thing everything you need is here. And how’s Tommy? I’m glad to see he seems to be alright, I was worried that even if you married William, he’d still harm him.”

Mary smiled gratefully as she took the glass of water from Elliott.

“Oh, Elliott. You really worried about Tommy?”

“Of course I did. I’ve been worried for both of you. Trapped in a house with him — I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you.”

Mary took a long drink of her water.

“It wasn’t too awful. He ignored me most of the time except when he wanted sex. He could be callous, but he wasn’t cruel, not really. He never wanted to hurt me — he just didn’t care if he did. So long as I was obedient, he treated me well enough. I had an allowance and he even let me set up a workshop in Johanna’s old room. And I taught myself to read! I used the letters you taught me to figure out words in books. I’m not so good at writing, though.”

“Then I suppose I ought to teach you. Tommy, too. And Billy, once he’s old enough. Would you like that, Billy?”

“Ga ba da ga!” Billy replied when Elliott looked down at him with a smile.

“What about you, Elliott? Are you alright? I tried to write to you after a month or so, but your uncle told me you’d left soon after I did, and I was too ashamed to write to you here.”

“You’re the one who was forced into a loveless marriage, and you’re worried if I’m alright?”

“I broke your heart, Elliott,” Mary said in a small voice, hanging her head slightly in shame. “It’s haunted me every day.”

“Hey.” Elliott took her chin between his fingers and forced her to look up at him. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and her lip began to wobble.

“It - it is my fault, though. Oh, Elliott, I’m so sorry!” Mary sobbed, and Elliott immediately wrapped an arm around her and held her close, rubbing her arm soothingly.

“It’s not your fault, Mary,” Elliott said again. “It was his. He took Tommy hostage and forced you to marry him. You had no choice. I know that.”

Billy seemed to notice his mother’s distress, because he started crying too.

Elliott was at a bit of a loss. He was exhausted from being awake all night watching out for Quigley, and now he had a crying woman and a crying child in his lounge.

Fortunately, at that moment Tommy and Dobkin came in with the bags. Dobkin was as confused as Elliott, but Tommy simply put down the bags he was carrying and came over to pick Billy up.

The child clung to him, and Elliott realised that Billy must recognise Tommy as caregiver just as much as he did Mary.

Tommy carried Billy outside to soothe him, and Mary took the opportunity of being babyless to wrap her arms around Elliott’s waist and bury her head against his chest. Tears were still streaming down her face, but Elliott realised he didn’t give two figs if she got his shirt wet.

“Take her bags to my room,” Elliott said to Dobkin, then turned his attention back to Mary. He didn’t know what to do or say, but she seemed to want to be held, so he wrapped his arms tight around her and held her close, rubbing her back and muttering words of sympathy against the top of her head as she sobbed.

After Dobkin left, not without another uneasy glance at the mysterious crying woman who’d suddenly appeared, Elliott and Mary were left alone for a little while — that was, until the door opened again, and one of the Aborigine women backed into the room, apparently carrying something.

“What do you want?” Elliott snapped.

Mary looked up, curious, still sniffling although her sobs had subsided.

The woman didn’t respond. She just carried on into the house, followed by another of the women, who was carrying the other end of —

“A cot!” Mary gasped.

It was rudimentary, and Elliott would definitely have to send someone to Perth to get a good and proper one made, but it was a cot.

“Put it in the bedroom,” Elliott commanded when the women hesitated, unsure where he would want it. They obeyed, and when they emerged, they kept their heads bowed respectfully as they passed back through the lounge to leave.

“Thank you!” Mary called after them. They paused, evidently surprised to be thanked, then curtsied clumsily towards her before leaving.

“Oh, Elliott, they gave us a cot! How kind! I must see it!”

Mary sprung to her feet, her tears apparently forgotten, and Elliott had to hurry to follow her into his bedroom, where the cot had been placed against a wall.

She examined it with a grin on her face. It was literally made of sticks stuck together with resin, the most basic, clumsy cot that Elliott could have imagined. Billy had probably had a significantly fancier cot back in London.

And yet, Mary loved it. Something about the rudimentary cot that had been made by an Aborigine whore for her halfling child was magical to Mary, and that was what Elliott loved so much about her. She saw wonder in everything — even him.

He couldn’t resist her.

“Mary…”

Elliott crossed the room in a few long strides and took her in his arms, pulling her in for a kiss. Their lips met, and Mary reciprocated eagerly. Her lips were still a little wet with tears, but Elliott didn’t care. She was here, she was real, and she was his. That was all that mattered.

He placed his hands on her waist, ready to encourage her out of her dress, when he felt a strange fluttering coming from her belly.

Mary broke the kiss and looked down, laughing. She took Elliott’s hand and guided it over her belly.

“Someone’s saying hello.”

He’d been so focused on her, he hadn’t looked at her belly. Hadn’t noticed the way it protruded just a little. Not obviously, easily missed, but now that he looked, it was clear as day.

She was pregnant.

Pregnant with his cousin’s child.

The thought didn’t anger Elliott as he would have expected it to. So what if he was a Turpin by blood? Elliott would make sure he was a Marston by name. Billy and Tommy too. He’d adopt them both, and if Mary wanted more children, he’d give her more. They were her sons, and that was enough for Elliott — they’d be his too.

“Marry me.”

Mary looked up at him, eyes wide.

“You’re certain? Even after everything that’s happened? Even - even with a child that’s not yours?”

“But he is mine. Because he’s part of you, and you are mine. I told you that a long time ago, didn’t I? I’ll adopt Billy, Tommy too, and we’ll have more if you want more. I’ve got plenty of space. We’ll have a whole litter if you want. Just say yes, Mary. Say you’ll marry me.”

She beamed up at him with the most adorable smile he’d ever seen. It lit up not just her face, but the entire room, and Elliott’s heart with it.

“Oh, Elliott, of course I’ll marry you! I won’t let anybody come between us this time, I swear it!”

“Perhaps we should do it quickly, just in case,” Elliott said, only half-joking.

“I know you jest, Elliott, but let’s do it! I don’t need a big fancy ceremony, I already had one of those and I hated it. All I want is to pledge my heart to you.”

“Alright, then,” Elliott agreed. “There’s a chapel in Meekathanga nearby. Let’s see if the chaplain’s at home, shall we?”

Elliott barked some orders at his men outside, instructing one of them to clean up the bodies that Mary hadn’t even noticed were scattered around, and he sent the other to Meekathanga to bring back the chaplain.

“Oh, and if you find any men looking for work, tell them I’ve got plenty of work and gold for them,” Elliott added as an afterthought. “I can’t be picky, so take deserters if you must. I’m sure Ashley-Pitt will forgive me, given the circumstances.”

“Elliott, why are there so many dead bodies around here?” Mary asked with trepidation as Tommy handed a now calmed Billy back to her to feed.

“Thank God you didn’t arrive earlier. Quigley, the man I shot earlier - he’s been on a rampage across the Outback recently. Murdered nearly all my men last night. Fortunately I - bloody hell, darling, warn me before you get your tits out, won’t you? I’m as weak a man as any.”

Mary laughed as she held Billy up to her breast and he eagerly latched onto her nipple to feed.

“This is what they’re made for, you know.”

“They can have two purposes. There are two of them, after all. One for him and one for me.”

He grinned cheekily, leaning against the pillar of his porch as Mary sat in the shade with Billy in her arms, and Mary thought he looked particularly handsome out here, in his natural environment. London had never suited him. It was too cramped, too stuffy. Someone like Turpin might thrive there, but Elliott, he belonged out here, in his home country. It was very easy to believe that he owned the ground he walked on.

“What are you smiling at?” Elliott asked with a smirk.

“I was just thinking about how handsome you are.”

“Oh, really? And how handsome am I, exactly?”

“Handsome enough that I sailed halfway around the world just to see your face again.”

“Ah, so you’re only here for my looks!” Elliott put his hand to his heart in an imaginary wounded gesture. “What if I’d had a horrible accident that disfigured me, hm? Would you turn around and run back to London?”

Mary laughed. “No, of course not! I’d love you just the same no matter what. Even if you shaved!”

“Now that is love,” Elliott teased. “Maybe I’ll shave just to test that theory.”

“Oh, no, please don’t!” Mary said in alarm, and Elliott laughed to see just how much the thought of him shaving panicked her. “You look perfect just the way you are.”

“I’m joking, I’d never shave it off. It makes me look powerful, don’t you think?”

“Oh, yes,” Mary agreed earnestly. “And I like the way it feels against my lips when we kiss.”

“Oh, you do, do you? So something like this?”

He crossed the gap between them, then leant down to kiss her — and cheekily grabbed her spare breast while he was at it.

“Elliott!” Mary laughed as he fondled her breast brazenly, for all to see — not that there was really anyone left to see.

“God, look at them, they’re so fucking full,” Elliott growled. “I knew pregnancy would suit you.”

“Elliott, stop it,” Mary blushed, covering up her breast again as she batted his hand away. “Not while I’m feeding, please. They get very sensitive.”

“Of course, darling,” Elliott said, and he kissed her gently on the head before pulling another chair over to sit next to her. He looked away for only a moment to grab the chair, and when he sat himself down and looked back at her, she had tears in her eyes. “Oh, Mary — did I do something wrong?”

Mary shook her head as she wiped a tear from her face.

“No. No, quite the opposite. Oh, Elliott, I’m sorry. That’s twice now I’ve cried since getting here.”

“Hey, it’s alright. You’re pregnant. If women weren’t unpredictable enough as it is, pregnant women are even worse. Is there something I can do?”

“No, Elliott, there’s nothing you can do. It’s just… oh, but I shouldn’t speak of William, it’s uncouth…”

“Nonsense. Tell me what you’re thinking, Mary. Tell me what’s got those pretty eyes all wet.”

He wiped away a tear from her cheek, and she smiled as she leaned into his touch.

“Well, it’s just… he used to do that too, he’d grab my breasts and - and even when I said it hurt, he didn’t care. He said that because we were married, they were his to play with as he pleased.”

Elliott sighed. There was no doubt about the fact that his cousin had left Mary with a lot of trauma. It was going to take him a long time to help her heal — and fortunately, they had the rest of their lives to do exactly that.

- - -

It was a good few hours to Meekathanga, and the same again in return. That left Mary and Elliott waiting all day for Dobkin to return with the chaplain — and, Elliott hoped, some new men looking for work. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to manage with just Dobkin and O’Flynn around.

Fortunately, they had a lot to entertain themselves with. Elliott introduced Mary to the horses in the stable, and the cattle in their pen, and he promised that when he next went out to tend to the sheep, she could come with him. He earned himself an extra kiss for that promise.

When the heat became too much for Mary, she said goodbye to the farm animals, and Elliott brought her back inside. Billy was getting restless in her arms, so she opened up one of her bags in the middle of the lounge and Elliott moved some furniture around to make some space for a little play area.

“I couldn’t bring much with me, but I brought his favourite toys,” Mary explained as Elliott rolled out a woollen blanket for her to lay Billy down. “He doesn’t really play with them as much as he tries to eat them.”

She put him on his back and placed his favourite coloured blocks just out of arm’s reach.

“You’re not going to give them to him?” Elliott asked with amusement.

“It’s important that he gets them himself so he learns to move. Look, see!”

She watched with a grin of pride on her face as Billy spotted the colourful blocks, reached out for them, and when he couldn’t grab them, he rolled over to his front to bring himself closer.

“Good boy!” Mary cheered. “Isn’t he clever, Elliott?”

“A veritable genius,” Elliott replied sarcastically as Billy began trying to put the square blocks in his mouth.

“Oh, shush,” Mary laughed. “It’s been difficult to teach him to roll over when he’s spent half his life on a moving boat. I imagine it must feel rather odd to him now to be on dry land.”

“Gahhh baya!” Billy exclaimed excitedly, holding up a blue block and showing it to Elliott.

“Do you want to play with papa, Billy?”

“Baga!” Billy replied, still trying to give Elliott the block.

“Alright. Christ, I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Elliott sighed. He looked the block from Billy. “Now what do I do?”

“Show him how to play with it!”

“It’s a cube, Mary, I don’t know how to play with it. Unless I’m supposed to eat it too?”

Mary plucked another block from the pile and placed it in front of Billy.

“Show him how to make a stack.”

“…Alright.”

Elliott placed the block he was holding on top of the other. Billy looked up at it, eyes wide and curious, then reached out and knocked it over with a squeal of joy.

“Hey, I built that!” Elliott protested indignantly, but Mary just laughed.

Billy, catching onto his mother’s mirth, laughed too, and he began banging the two blocks together, enjoying the clacking noise they made.

Mary turned to Elliott and looked up at him with a grin.

“He likes you! He doesn’t share his blocks with just anyone, you know. Do you think he can tell that you’re his papa?”

“Maybe. Did William ever play with him?”

Mary’s face dropped and she glanced away.

“No. He wouldn’t even hold him. He said he didn’t know what to do with a baby. As if any of us know… I certainly didn’t when Tommy was a baby, and I figured it out. He didn’t even try…”

Elliott rubbed her back soothingly. “It’s his loss, Mary. You won’t be doing any of this alone anymore. Tommy’s clearly good with him, and you’ve got me now. I can hire a nanny to come from Perth as well, if you like. You might need the help when Elliott Junior comes along and we’re trying to juggle two babies.”

“Elliott Junior?” Mary laughed. “Is that what we’re calling him, is it?”

“Well, why not? William named my son after himself. I might as well return the favour.”

“Well, I — I did have another name in mind. But if you really want to call him Elliott —”

“No, no, tell me,” Elliott said, placing his hand over hers. “What did you have in mind?”

Mary threaded her fingers through his.

“Well… your uncle was so kind to us. And after William died, I went to him, and he refused to listen to arguments when he proposed to buy everything from me. It was his idea, you know — he insisted on buying the house, the furniture, everything, under the condition I use the money to buy our transport here. I’m not sure he even wanted the house — I think he just knew I wouldn’t accept it as a gift. So, well, I was wondering… maybe we could call him Rupert.”

Elliott smiled. “You’re right, he was very kind to us. A byproduct of having nothing but daughters, I think, it turns a man soft. I’ll have to write to him and thank him for everything. But, I’ll be honest with you, Mary…”

“You don’t like the name?”

“It’s an awful name.”

Mary laughed. “Alright, alright, not Rupert. But maybe as a middle name?”

“A middle name, yes. What’s Billy’s middle name, by the way?”

“Sinclair Alexander Lionel. Why do rich people have so many names?”

“God knows. I think my father asked the same question, so I ended up with just the one.”

“Which is?”

“Elliott James Marston, at your service, milady,” Elliott said with a mock bow.

“Oh, James, that’s a lovely name! My parents didn’t even give me a surname, let alone a middle name. I was always just Mary. I added the Taylor on myself.”

“Sounds better than Mary Seamstress, I suppose.”

“Or Mary Theapprentice, that’s how Mrs Harris used to introduce me.”

“You know what name does sound good? Mary Marston.”

Mary blushed. “Yes, it does, doesn’t it? Oh, but I do like James. Maybe we can give him your middle name.”

“Well, James was my father. I wouldn’t mind naming him for my father.”

“And if it’s a girl? What was your mother’s name?”

“God, no, we’re not naming her after my mother. I adored her, of course, but her name was Eunice.”

“Oh, Lord, the Beaumonts didn’t have the best taste in names, did they?”

Elliott laughed. “No, they certainly didn’t. Is Mary Junior out of the question?”

“I’m not giving her my own name! What about Victoria, for the Queen?”

Elliott hesitated.

“Well, ah… I never told you this, but… I was married once before. Her name was Victoria.”

“Oh.” Mary bit her lip. “What - what happened?”

“The sickness took her. Too much sun can make you sick, and… well, it made her sick. This was… it must have been five years ago now that she died.”

“Oh, Elliott, I’m so sorry,” Mary said softly, stroking her thumb gently over the hand she was still holding. “How long were you married?”

“A year.” He frowned. “Strange, that we both were married for a year before they got sick. But Victoria was nothing like William, she was amazing. She really got stuck into farming the land, it was a matter of pride for her not to ask the men for help. That was her downfall, I think — she’d rather stay out working on something alone for hours than get it done in half the time with help. So she’d spend much longer in the sun than she should have… and it took her in the end.”

“She sounds wonderful. I wish I could have met her.”

“As fun as it might be in bed, I think two wives might be a little much to handle.”

Mary slapped Elliott playfully. “Get your mind out of the gutter, El! Honestly.”

“I’m just teasing you, Mary,” Elliott replied, tickling her back to make her squirm. “I have you now, and you’re all I want.”

“Well, back to the actual topic at hand! If we have a girl, I’ll gladly call her Victoria. Both for the Queen and for your first wife.”

“Really? You’d do that?”

“Of course. It’s a lovely name. And Victoria Marston deserves to live on, don’t you think?”

“Oh, Mary. Your good heart knows no bounds.” He gave her a quick kiss. “Alright, then. James for a boy and Victoria for a girl. You don’t want to use your parents’ names?”

“I… don’t know what their names were. I always just called them mama and papa. Maybe they were Mary and Tommy too, who knows?”

“Well, Mama and Papa Taylor made two wonderful children. Strong, resilient, hardworking, and very, very brave. I especially like the daughter, she’s ever so beautiful.”

“Sounds like you have a bit of a thing for her,” Mary teased.

“I most certainly do,” Elliott teased back, wrapping an arm around her waist to hold her close. “I think I might marry her, actually. Do you think she’ll say yes?”

“It’s not her you’ll have to ask.”

Mary picked Billy up off the floor, where he was still trying to eat his blocks, and sat him on her lap.

“What do you think, Billy? Should mama and papa get married?”

Elliott uncrossed his legs to lay down on the floor, propped up on his elbows, so that he was face-level with Billy.

“Oh, please say yes, Billy, I’ll treat her ever so well,” he pleaded. “I’ll show her that I love her every single day, and I’ll give you as many little brothers and sisters as you want. What do you say?”

“Bah nana!” Billy said confidently.

“…Did he just respond to my proposal with ‘banana’?”

Mary laughed. “I think he’s calling you bananas. But it sounds like a yes to me.”

“Oh, Billy, you’ve made me the happiest man in Australia,” Elliott grinned.

He leaned forward to give his son a peck on the forehead, and Billy laughed to feel Elliott’s moustache tickling his skin. He reached up and grabbed at Elliott’s face, curious and amused by the funny hair on his face.

“You like it too, hm? Yes, mama likes it, so I’ll be keeping it. Maybe one day you’ll grow a nice strong moustache like mine, hm?”

“Gabada!” Billy replied.

There was a knock on the door, and Elliott reluctantly pulled away from his son’s grip to answer it.

Dobkin looked over his shoulder, still flummoxed by Mary’s presence, but decided against questioning who this woman was and why she had suddenly appeared.

“Just got back from town, Mr Marston. The chaplain’s here, and I managed to pick up half a dozen men. I can get more from Perth.”

“Excellent. Get them settled in the men’s quarters, then put them to work. I want a count of all the outer pens, I wouldn’t put it past Quigley to murder my livestock as well as my men.”

“Yes, sir.” Dobkin hesitated, glancing again at Mary, who was standing up now with Billy in her arms. “Mr Marston, can I ask —”

“What? Oh, right. Introductions.” Elliott beckoned Mary over. “Mary, this is Mr Dobkin. He’s the best of my men, even before they were all slaughtered. He kept the place going while I was away. In fact, if I weren’t able to trust him, I’d have never gone to London.”

“Oh, in that case, I must thank you, Mr Dobkin!”

“Er - no problem?” Dobkin replied with confusion.

“Dobkin, this is Mary. She’s to be my wife. She’s to be treated with nothing but respect, so make sure those new men know it, alright? She has just as much authority as me. More, in fact, because I do what she says.”

“Elliott!” Mary laughed.

“Pleased to meet you, miss,” Dobkin said with a tip of his hat. “And who’s the little one?”

“This is our son, Billy,” Elliott said. “And the lad you met earlier, that’s Mary’s brother, Tommy.”

“Your —?”

“Our son, yes. I’ll tell you the whole story later, but I need those headcounts. And where’s the chaplain? He has a wedding to officiate.”

- - -

All that time Mary had spent imagining what getting married would be like, she’d never imagined this.

Her wedding to Turpin had been large, opulent, the pews of St Dunstan’s filled to the brim.

It had also been terrifying. Mary was miserable, she didn’t know a single one of the guests, and any affection she might have harboured for her groom had dissipated the night he’d threatened to hang her brother if she didn’t marry him.

But her wedding to Elliott was everything the first hadn’t been.

It was small, intimate, with only Tommy and Elliott’s trusted worker, Mr Dobkin, in attendance — and Billy, of course, in Tommy’s arms. Mary had married Turpin in a church and become a Lady — now, she was marrying Elliott in the middle of the desert, and she didn’t care that she was relinquishing her title as Lady Turpin. She’d rather be Mrs Marston any day.

Mary hardly heard what the chaplain was saying. She recognised the prayers and the blessings she’d heard at her first wedding, but she didn’t really listen. All she could do was look at Elliott, so handsome in the Australian sun, and when he recited his vow to her, she began to cry.

She just about managed to hold it together as she repeated the vow back to him.

There was no wedding ring, but neither of them cared for that. That could come another day. All that mattered was that the other was there.

More prayers, more blabbing from the chaplain. Mary began to get impatient. Then, finally, she heard the words she wanted to hear.

“I now pronounce you man and wife.”

“Finally,” Elliott growled. He wrapped his arms around Mary’s waist, pulled her in close, and kissed her fiercely.

Somewhere, Tommy and Dobkin were applauding, but Mary didn’t pay them any mind.

She was married! To Elliott! She was married to Elliott! She was Mrs Mary Marston, and nobody could change that.

Elliott eventually pulled away, and quickly scooped Mary up in his arms, causing her to squeal with surprise.

“Right, nobody disturb us for at least an hour. I need to spend some time alone with my wife.”

“Er - just a moment, Mr Marston,” the chaplain said, hesitant to interrupt Elliott’s enthusiasm. “The certificate first, please.”

“Oh, right, right. Quickly!”

Elliott set Mary back down to her feet and the chaplain unrolled the certificate onto the table on the porch.

“Right, then, here we are. Names… Elliott James Marston… Mary Turpin… ages?”

“Forty-three,” Elliott replied.

“Nineteen,” said Mary. Not that she was certain, but it was her best guess.

“Condition - both widowed. Rank or profession. Pastoralist, I suppose, Mr Marston?”

“Yes, fine.”

“Father’s name and profession?”

“James Marston. Merchant.”

The chaplain looked at Mary expectantly, and she hesitated.

“Oh, um… I don’t know.”

“That’s alright, we can leave it blank. Mr Marston, sign here — Mrs Marston, there. Then these two can sign as witnesses and we can leave you two to, uh… celebrate.”

Elliott had never signed anything so fast or with such certainty. Mary did her best attempt at a signature, though it looked childish next to Elliott’s, and Tommy’s was just a cross.

“Come on, Dobkin, hurry up,” Elliott snapped as Dobkin signed the last signature. “Right, is that it?”

“Yes, I’ll get this registered back in town and send it back to you,” the chaplain said, but Elliott hardly heard anything after “yes.” He swept Mary up in his arms again, grinning, and practically kicked the front door down.

“No interruptions!” he barked back at Dobkin. “And I want those headcounts!”

The door slammed shut behind him, and Mary laughed as he practically sprinted to the bedroom, kicked that door open too, and threw her quite unceremoniously onto the bed.

“Clothes off,” he commanded, already shrugging his waistcoat off, and Mary eagerly stood to undress. “I’ve waited too fucking long for this. You have no idea - no idea… you ruined whores for me, you know? I tried, but they were all disappointments. I’d rather my own hand than a cunt that’s not yours.”

“I… thought of you,” Mary admitted with a blush as she loosened her dress and let it fall to the floor to reveal her undergarments. “When I was with William, I’d… think of you.”

Elliott grinned with pride. “I bet you did. Thinking of my cock while taking his. The little one might as well be mine. Go on, let me see him.”

Mary pulled her vest over her head, revealing her swollen breasts and her slightly protruding stomach, and Elliott groaned. The sight of Mary - his wife - round with child… it touched something primal within him.

He knelt down and placed both hands on Mary’s belly, his lips ghosting her skin softly.

“Hello, James. Or Victoria. But hopefully James.”

Mary laughed.

“Another man may have planted his seed, but make no mistake, I am your father. And once you’re out, I’ll put another one in there, as many as your mama wants.”

“Two more,” Mary told him. “I’d like two more, if that’s alright with you.”

Elliott looked up at her with a grin. “Oh, I will very happily keep impregnating you. Let’s practice, shall we? Get these bloody things off.”

He hooked his fingers under the waistband of her bloomers and pulled them down, leaving her fully nude in front of him.

“God, I missed this,” Elliott groaned. He guided Mary to sit on the edge of the bed, instructed her to lie on her back, and promptly buried his face between her legs.

“Elliott!” Mary gasped as his tongue began exploring her folds, hungrily lapping at her like a man starved.

It had been a long time since she’d felt his mouth down there. Turpin had certainly never seen the point, since it wasn’t for his pleasure. And Elliott had never eaten a whore’s pussy — he didn’t pay to give her pleasure, only to take his own. So he really was a man starved, not having tasted a cunt since he’d last brought Mary to orgasm with his tongue in Sussex a million years ago.

Not that he seemed out of practice. He easily recalled the way she liked his tongue to circle her clit, and when he slid his fingers inside her, he knew exactly where to go to find that inner sweet spot.

He showed no mercy to her, continuing his precise movements as she came, and only when she mumbled, “Stop… too much…” did he pull away, grinning victoriously with a face covered in her juices.

“I could stay buried in there all day,” he said as he wiped his face on the back of his hand. “I’d gladly die suffocating between your thighs.”

“Mmm, well, I think it’s time you put something else between my thighs, don’t you agree?”

Mary shuffled up the bed as if to prove her point, laying her head against the pillow as she spread her legs for him.

“Oh, someone’s grown bold,” Elliott purred. He gladly climbed on top of her, rubbing his cock between her legs to spread her slick along it. “All that time I spent trying to get you out of your shell, and all I had to do was marry you.”

“I spent over a year without you, El. I thought I’d never see you again. I don’t want to wait any longer.”

Elliott leant over her, their torsos pressed together, though he tried not to put too much weight on her belly. He kissed her neck and nibbled on her earlobe, then muttered in her ear, “Tell me what you want, Mary. I’m yours to command.”

She wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms around his shoulders, desperately trying to pull him close.

“Fuck me, Elliott.”

There was no way he could resist that.

He lined himself up with her entrance and pushed, and her cunt gladly let him in. It gave him all the wetness he needed to move without resistance, and her walls easily acquiesced to him, stretching around his cock as he moved deeper inside her.

Mary had never felt the pull of any drug, but she suspected that the first hit of an addict’s substance after a long time without it felt something like this. Like she’d been missing something, and finally she was whole again.

Pregnancy made her cunt more sensitive, she’d learnt this last time, and so she felt every inch of her stretching around him, every nerve on fire as his cock filled her up so perfectly. And when he began to thrust, Mary felt like she might just die of pleasure as his cock dragged along her walls and pushed against that sweet spot inside her.

“More, Elliott, please,” Mary begged, desperate with frustration at his slow pace. “I can take it. I won’t break, I promise.”

He chuckled, and looked at her with his amber eyes darkened with lust.

“Anything you wish, my love.”

Mary clung to Elliott as he fucked her harder, his hips pummelling into hers as if trying to make up for lost time. The bed began to creak — Elliott had had this bed for a long time, and he’d never known it to creak. He’d taken plenty of whores here, his first wife too, and none of them had ever made the bed creak. Maybe it was getting old. Or maybe he just hadn’t ever desired someone as much as he did Mary.

The creaking of the bed was matched only by their moans. Mary was sure she’d never heard a sound so beautiful, so arousing, as the noises Elliott was making right now.

“Elliott…” Mary panted between moans. “Elliott, I love you.”

He grinned, full of pride. “Of course you do. I love you too, Mary. I love you so - fucking - much. Fuck! Mary… Mary, I’m afraid I won’t - ah! - last long.”

“Fill me up, El,” she begged. “Please, El, please, I wanna feel it inside me…”

“Oh, I’ll fill you up. Gonna fucking - mhm - fill you up with my cum. ‘Til you’re leaking. You want that, huh? You wanna be full of my cum?”

“Yes, yes, please, Elliott, I need it, need to be full of you…”

“Say it,” he commanded, his eyes flashing dangerously. “Say you want my cum, Mary.”

“I want your cum, Elliott, please, I need it, need your cum…”

He exploded with a roar of pleasure, his cries loud enough to be heard back in Perth, and Mary felt his cock pulsing inside her as, just as he promised, he filled her cunt up with his seed.

He’d barely finished when he was kissing her again, his tongue demanding entrance, as if he needed to follow his cock fucking her cunt with his tongue fucking her mouth.

His cock was softening inside her, but it was only a temporary reprieve. Elliott knew he had more in him. Oh, he’d fill her up alright. Again and again until his balls were expended and he had nothing more to give.

They finally parted for breath, and Elliott propped himself up on his elbows, gazing down at her with a possessive pride.

“I hope you don’t think that was all I have for you,” he purred. “You wanted my cum, you’re gonna get it.”

Before Mary could answer, Elliott pulled out of her and shuffled down the bed to position his head between her legs again. He used his fingers to push apart her lips, gazing with pride at the way his seed was leaking out of her.

“This is what this cunt was made for. Being stuffed full of cum. Fuck, you take it so well, Mary. Better keep it all inside, though, hm?”

He used his fingers to scoop up the cum that had leaked out and pushed it back inside.

“Gotta keep it all in there,” Elliott said, as if he needed a reason to push his fingers up inside her. “Mmm, such an obedient cunt… it deserves a reward, no?”

He pressed his lips against her clit, which was still swollen and sensitive, and Mary moaned his name as he licked her again, his fingers fucking her cunt as fiercely as his cock had.

He could feel it twitching to life again against the mattress, but Elliott ignored it. He was enjoying this, savouring every moment of his wife’s pussy against his face. Besides, the way she was gripping his head now, her fingers tugging on his hair, he couldn’t have moved away even if he wanted to.

To his surprise, just when he thought she was about to reach her peak again, Mary pulled his head back, and he looked up at her.

“Lie on your back,” she said.

She didn’t need to tell him twice. Elliott moved over to lie on the other side of the bed, his cock fully awake again now, and Mary took full advantage of it. She swung her leg over his waist, took his cock in her hand, and sank onto it with ease.

“Oh, Mary,” Elliott groaned. The short time they’d had together, she’d never done this. Never taken control — never owned her pleasure. She was too shy, too eager to please. She had no idea how to do anything for herself, only for others.

And she rode like an expert. She’d definitely had practice — it seemed Turpin had been good for something, at least.

Lord, she was beautiful like this. Her belly round with child, her tits swollen with milk. She was already pregnant, she had no need to take his seed. No, she was taking it because she wanted it. She was riding him for the pleasure of it, for the intimacy, for the sheer decadence of bringing herself to orgasm. And when that orgasm began to build, Elliott grabbed hold of her hips and took over thrusting, letting her lose control of her body as she came around his cock, her tight walls squeezing him. He had no choice but to follow suit, another round of seed exploding inside her as they both cried out, Mary’s cunt milking his cock for all he had left.

She collapsed, exhausted, on top of him, and Elliott gently rolled her to her side, ever wary of her belly.

They laid there together in silence for a little while, Mary comfortably snuggled up in Elliott’s arms, as they both caught their breath.

“When you said you wanted to learn to ride, I thought you meant a horse,” Elliott murmured eventually. “But I think I like this better.”

Mary giggled and looked up at him. “Well, I definitely didn’t sail halfway around the world to ride a horse. There are plenty of them in England.”

“Plenty of men, too. And I’m sure they’d happily let you ride them.”

“Mmm, but none of them are you.”

Elliott smiled at her.

“I’m so proud of you, Mary. I know how difficult it is for you to do anything for yourself. And yet, here you are, following your heart half a world away.”

Mary shook her head. “No, I - I didn’t do it for me. I did it for Tommy, so he could have a better life, away from the class system that keeps him from achieving so much. I did it for Billy, so he could know his real father, and for the baby, so he can live without ever having known the struggles Tommy and I faced.”

“You don’t have to justify yourself, Mary. Not to me, never to me. Yes, I swear it, your sons - our sons - they will have a better life here. But if it weren’t for them - if you were all alone, with no home and no family in England, just your late husband’s inheritance - would you not have come anyway?”

“I - I guess,” Mary admitted. “If there was truly no reason to stay in England, and I knew you were out here… I suppose, yes, I would have come to find you.”

“Then I am truly honoured to be the first thing you ever chose for yourself.”

Mary blushed. Elliott tucked her hair behind her ear, and kissed her on the forehead, before letting her settle back against his chest.

“I think you might be my soulmate,” she whispered.

Elliott thought back to the day they met, the way she instantly felt so familiar to him, so comfortable. Like home was within her… as if the homesickness he thought he felt for Australia had been for her all along.

He remembered the day he’d decided to visit England. Nothing in particular had triggered it. It was something he’d wanted to do, but the timing had never felt right — until it did. As if fate itself had whispered in his ear: She’s waiting for you. Go and get her.

Mary giggled at something, interrupting Elliott’s train of thought.

“You know, we only met because you were pickpocketed,” she said, looking up at him with amusement. “If you hadn’t been in the right place, at the right time, you may never have walked into the shop. Isn’t it lucky you were?”

“I don’t think it was luck, Mary… I believe it was fate.”

“Do you think we find each other in every life?”

Elliott cupped her face with his hand and looked deep into her eyes, as if trying to communicate with her very soul.

“Mary Taylor-Turpin-Marston —”

She giggled at the silly name.

“— with God as my witness, I promise you this. Whatever happens in the next life… I’ll find you. I will always find you.”

Mary grinned.

“Not if I find you first.”

[ask-nurse-curly]

[ask boxes are open again! transcript under the cut]

curls.

it’s like early as fuck

so i’m sure you’re awake, not like you sleep.

happy birthday

this is jimmy btw, don’t ask questions

Oh! Jimmy, hi. Thank you. :-)

...Why are you on Cap's phone?

didn’t i just say don’t ask questions.

well, if you insist on being in my business

cap and i were having a lesson and she left to go do some woman crap

left her phone behind so i figured i’d take the opportunity to be first.

Oh

I see

Well, I appreciate it. Should I expect a protein cake? :-)

better, a pony express cake is on its way

got to love the artificial artificial sugar.

but if we were on earth rn, i’d definitely whip up something fancier

Darn, here goes the surprise I guess. :-)

It's the thought that counts! Maybe next year we'll be on Earth for this.

can a birthday really be a surprise? happens every year.

heh

unless a miracle happens, i don’t think that will be a problem

damn, does cap never message anyone? what a boring life.

I still couldn't count on it being my turn. :-)

What with communal celebrations and all.

But no matter.

She doesn't? I suppose there isn't much going on.

I think it was the most excitement on my end when you had my phone, too.

Wouldn't you rather come talk in person? Leave Anya's phone be?

nah, i’ll catch up with you later but right now i’m pretty comfortable

plus, there’s so much fun stuff on here.

have you ever seen her camera roll?

i didn’t think she was all that vain until i saw all these selfies. if i had service i’d send them to myself.

Uh, no, I can't say that I have.

Well, you're a fan of taking selfies too, aren't you? :-) It's harmless fun.

very, very harmless fun.

thanks for reminding me that i should be taking selfies, she’s got enough storage, she can make room for me

just like you did in your camera roll heh

Well you know me, not really my thing.

How are you and Anya doing? Everything okay?

oh everything is great.

she’s practically all over me, thinks i’m a real savant behind the wheel.

a bit prickly tho. not sure what all that is about.

You're doing great! I'm glad you enjoy it. You've certainly got the brains for piloting.

Hey, maybe by the time Swans retires, you could take over as co-pilot for the crew. :-)

i highly doubt it.

would be nice, bossing people around seems to be fun.

but the likelihood of us being around that long is yikes.

What's that supposed to mean?

nah, just that it seems our kind and benevolent captain has been keeping secrets from us all.

isn’t that sweet of her?

Jim, what are you saying?

when we get home, all of us are getting fired and the queen bee is getting some hot shot promotion.

Fired? Why?

why do you think? you’re smarter than that, curls.

they don’t give a shit about us.

pony express is going under so why do they want to pay for a human crew when robots do it so much better than you.

That's

But

PE is going under? How is Anya getting a promotion then? There must be a mistake of some kind.

fuck if i know. maybe she’s transferring out.

but the letter seems to be pretty clear.

Are you sure?

Maybe there's something we are missing?

not like we would be given all the pieces anyways.

after all, cap didn’t even tell us about this in the first place and she’s been sitting on this letter for awhile.

She...she was going to tell us, I'm sure.

Probably just waiting for the right moment. This isn't easy news to break.

you keep believing that.

do you know how many secrets she keeps?

that woman is like a vault.

but hey, maybe i can convince her to drag me with her and i can get a fancy new job too. i’ll take care of you, curls.

Haha

Yeah, I'm sure we'll figure something out.

It's just a job. Not the end of the world, yeah?

yeah, sure.

except you don’t really have the skills to obtain another good job, yeah?

pony express didn’t exactly hire professionals.

Jim, you know why I had to take this job.

oh yeah? and why is that?

because YOU decided to stick your nose in someone else’s business?

because YOU had to be the good guy and make the sacrifice?

because YOU made a choice and keep feeling the need to throw it back in my face?

you had to take this job because you didn’t have what it takes to do something real. do not put that on me.

Right.

Sorry. I didn't mean it that way.

I'm sure it will work out once we're back.

yeah. i fuckin bet.

anyways, sounds like cap is finally getting out of the shower, so i’m gonna go take mine.

catch you later, curls.

and like i said, happy birthday.

Thanks, Jim.

[bookworm551]

Take the Edge Off | Part 2 | Focus

Things are tense between you and Miguel, and it all comes to a head when you try working a mission together.

A/N: this is technically a part 2, but it stands on its own pretty well. I might just keep going with these posts bc I can’t get him out of my head

Warnings: p in v, fingering, biting (ykwim), MINORS and my roommate DNI

Word count: 4.4k

Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

With all the time you spent in Miguel's dimension, sometimes, you forgot that you had your own. You loved spending time amongst the Spider-Society, so many of different people who were like you in all the important ways. It was a nice environment, but it was also nice to be home every once in a while.

You'd been home for about 10 days now. You had never gone so long without being called in for a mission, and while it was nice to take a break from capturing anomalies, it also made you a little nervous. You came back the day after Miguel had visited you and left you a new gizmo...

...among other things.

Now, it had been nearly a week and a half, and there had been complete radio silence from Earth-928. You were starting to think that your little encounter with Miguel was to blame. Maybe he wanted you out now.

You had gone out to your favorite spot in the city to clear your mind. Just as you were preparing to swing back home, a beeping noise captured your attention from your wrist. Your heart leapt as you raised your arm in front of you, and Lyla's glowing, yellow form appeared from your watch. "Hey there," she greeted casually. "Boss wants you to run backup on an anomaly on Earth-287."

You smiled faintly as the code appeared on your device. "Sounds good," you replied, standing to your feet and walking onto the side of the building so that you were staring straight down at the street hundreds of feet below. "I'll be right there."

You activated the code, and a dimensional portal opened up in front of you further down the building. Taking a breath, you let go of your grip on the building and allowed gravity to pull you down into the portal. The shift in gravity was exhilarating as you emerged from the portal into Earth-287.

Emerging from the portal, everything was dull. The sun had set a while ago here, but even if it had been out, the colors would still be strangely muted. The building that you stood atop of overlooked a large city with strange gray, yellow, and green lights. This was a weird dimension.

Standing together, Pavitr and one of the many Peter Parkers was there. Upon seeing you emerge from the portal, Pav perked up. "You're here!" He said in an excited voice as you approached. You smiled under your mask and replied with the same energy, "I am!"

Glancing around, you noticed the lack of a certain presence you had expected to be there. "Is it just you guys here?" You asked casually. Before they could answer you, a cold voice behind you said, "What are you doing here?"

You whipped around and found Miguel's figure looming over you. Though his face was concealed behind his mask, you could tell by his rigid stature and unwelcoming tone that he was not very happy to see you. This was not really the greeting you'd hoped to receive from him.

"Lyla sent me," you told him defensively. "She said you wanted me to run backup with you." The eyes of his mask squinted down at you menacingly. "I didn't send for you," he said in an level tone. You crossed your arms in front of your chest and stared up at him stubbornly. "Then why am I here?" You demanded to know.

"Actually, you did mention calling for an extra member," Pav reminded him cheerfully. You looked back at Miguel with triumphant posture. "And here I am," you said. Miguel didn't seem amused, and he stared down at you for moment before sighing in resignation.

"Fine," he muttered reluctantly before turning away from you to look at his watch. "We have a Goblin anomaly somewhere in the vicinity. This is a routine bag and tag, but we need to cover our bases and sweep the area separately. Whoever finds him first needs to call it in for the rest of us. Am I understood?" His gaze seemed to be fixed on you, and you felt like his last question was directed at you.

You cocked your head a little at him before replying in a smooth voice, "Yes, sir." Miguel didn't reply nor did he give you any sort of reaction, but you could feel his eyes on you as you walked toward the edge of the building. "I call the north side," you stated before casually falling off the side and swinging away.

Leaving them behind, you were gliding between the buildings, looking for any signs of the anomaly or any traces of environmental glitching he may have left. You swung through the strangely-colored city until you landed on the top of a building to observe the cityscape below. You crouched low on the edge of the building, scanning carefully for any signs of the anomaly.

After a few minutes, you were about to get up and swing away before the sound of feet landing behind you stopped you. You whipped around and shot a web reactively. Miguel sidestepped your web, his head tilted in an unimpressed posture.

"I told you, I called north," you said with a huff of annoyance. "I have reason to believe the anomaly is somewhere in this direction," he told you vaguely. You put a hand on your hip. "Okay, well, this is my direction. I'll let you know if he shows up," you stated stubbornly.

"Hey, this is my mission," he argued. "I can go where I want." You rolled your eyes under your mask. "Whatever," you muttered. "Just don't get in my way."

He chose not to respond to your comment. An uncomfortable silence settled over you, and you didn't know whether to leave it or to try to alleviate it. Miguel made the choice for you. "Where have you been?" He asked finally. It was an attempt at a normal conversation, at relieving some of the tension that was wedged between the two of you.

You shrugged and replied nonchalantly, "Home. I figured you'd call if you needed me, and you did."

"Need is a strong word," he muttered. You scoffed softly. Miguel never wanted to seem like he relied on anyone. "Well, in that case, I can just go home. The newest episode of my favorite show comes out tonight." Despite his face being hidden behind his mask, you could tell that Miguel was unamused. "Let's just focus on finding this anomaly," he grumbled, turning his face away from you back to the streets below. 

"I'm focused," you told him casually. "Are you focused?" "I could probably focus if you could shut your mouth," he snapped. "Maybe I would if you asked nicely for once," you shot back, a smile pulling at your lips behind your mask. "Ever heard of saying please? Or maybe...por favor?"

His head turned slowly to look at you, and it was impossible for you to tell what he was thinking. "No?" You said. "Okay, then I'll do as I please."

He sighed in exasperation but didn't say anything. Just as the silence felt overbearing, a large crash captured your attention. "Sounds like our guy," you said before somersaulting over the edge of the building and swinging toward the sound. Miguel was right behind you as you both headed for the noise together.

There in the streets was your guy. Goblin was recognizable across any dimension, and this was no different, but looking at this short figure below, you almost wanted to laugh. He was thin, and his figure was stooped, and he didn't have a glider like you were used to seeing. This would be a cinch.

The anomaly spotted you before you could reach him, and he crouched with a sneer and called out, "Spider-Man!" Then, seeing your figure next to Miguel, he added, "...and company?"

"I'm Spider-Woman!" You clarified cheerfully as you shot your web at him. "Nice to meet you!" The little goblin rolled out of the way before your web was able to catch him.

"Where am I?" He demanded to know. Behind your mask, you rolled your eyes. "Always the same questions," you muttered. "'Where am I?' 'Who are you?' 'What is this place?' When are you guys gonna switch it up and ask how I'm doing?"

"Can you stop talking and focus?" Miguel snapped as he tried webbing the anomaly to no avail. You sighed. Banter was your thing. In fact, it was almost every Spider-Person's thing except for Miguel. It was definitely not his thing.

"You'll have to forgive my colleague here!" You called out to Goblin as you twisted in the air to avoid one of the bombs launched at you by him. "He's a little crankier than usual. I'm not sure why."

"You want to know why?" Miguel called out to you in irritation, webbing a bomb and throwing it back at the villain below. "It's because you're getting on my last nerve!" You sighed in exasperation. "I'm pretty sure you've only got one nerve, and someone's almost always on it," you grumbled.

You both managed to knock the anomaly into a dim warehouse. Together, you webbed his arms to the wall he was cornered into. He was looking around frantically for an escape. "Listen, bud, this isn't personal," you told him. "We just need to make sure you go home." You felt pretty confident about this whole mission, definitely one of the easy ones.

Goblin stopped struggling to free his hand and looked at you with a crazed smile, and you felt the hairs on the back of your neck stand up at the sight. "Workplace relationships can be tricky," he stated. "I think you two should try resolving some of this tension."

Before you could reply, the anomaly kicked his leg, and a small, metallic sphere came rolling out of the sole of his boot. You barely had time to say "Uh oh," before the explosion knocked you and Miguel backwards. As you were recovering from the impact, the Goblin actually took flight, breaking free of the web bindings.

"What the hell?" You exclaimed. This Goblin didn't use a glider like you were used to, he had some weird type of rocket boots. He flew up and smashed his way out of the warehouse window and out to the sky with a loud cackle.

"He's getting away!" Miguel shouted as if you weren't already aware of the fact. You both slung yourselves up to the window and outside the building, but the Goblin was much faster than you both, and before you could catch up, he was out of sight.

Miguel punched the wall next to you and snarled in frustration. After taking a few breaths, he lowered his arm and stood completely still except for his deep, even breathing. His back was toward you, and you could tell that he was holding back a tidal wave of fury. Well, you might as well break the dam.

"You're awfully quiet," you stated reluctantly. "Anything you want to get off of your chest?"

Miguel whipped around and looked over you menacingly. "You let him get away!" He shouted at you.

"Me?!" You asked incredulously, ripping your mask off of your face. "How was that my fault?" His suit receded from his face as well, displaying his frustrated expression. "You were supposed to catch him! It's a very simple expectation," he told you angrily.

You scoffed. "Well, excuse me for not knowing this Goblin had flying boots instead of a glider," you said. "It's just as much your fault as it is mine."

Miguel wasn't happy with that statement. He took a step closer to you and crossed his arms over his chest. "It is your fault," Miguel snapped at you. "And now he's gone again." You stepped toward him defiantly and crossed your arms to mirror him. "Maybe if you weren't breathing down my neck, I could've gotten him," you retorted.

"That's your excuse?" He asked in an exasperated tone. "Yeah, it is," you replied sharply. "What's yours?"

"You're distracting me."

"I'm distracting you?"

"Yes."

"What does that mean?"

"It means," he said in a low voice as he took another step towards you so that his face was inches from your own, "you are distracting me. You never should have come on this mission." Your heartbeat sped up a little at how close he was now, and you couldn't help but look at his lips as he spoke.

"Well, too bad," you told him stubbornly. "I'm here, and you've got to deal with it. So, instead of fighting about it, why don't you get off my ass and help me catch this guy?"

"You don't get to tell me what to do," he argued. "I'll stay on your ass if I want to." You raised an eyebrow at his comment and had to suppress a snicker. Miguel realized as soon as the words left his mouth how they sounded, and he closed his eyes in a mix of exasperation and embarrassment. "Just focus on finding the Goblin anomaly," he grumbled.

"Oh, so you don't want to stay on my ass anymore?" You clarified with a smirk. He scowled down at you and snarled, "Do you ever just shut up?" You weren't deterred by his temper. Instead, you batted your eyelids up at him and gave him an overly-sweet smile. "Only if you ask nicely, remember?"

Miguel finally had enough of you. He shoved you back against the wall, making you gasp in surprise, and placed a hand on your throat. "I'm done being nice with you," he growled before crashing his lips down on yours with every ounce of his frustration.

You kissed him back with as much aggression, your tongues exploring each other's mouths impatiently. His hand slid down from your neck to grope your breasts over your suit. You sighed loudly as his hands roamed across your body, and when he pressed his knee between your legs, you couldn't stop the moan that emerged from your throat.

"What about the others?" You gasped. "What if they find us and—," Miguel cut you off with another open-mouthed kiss. "I don't give a fuck," he murmured against your lips. "They can watch for all I care."

You took a shuddering breath as he pulled at the neck of your suit. It had been designed for easy removal when you needed a quick change back in your world, but now, Miguel was using it to his advantage to pull it down over your shoulders. You didn't resist him disrobing you. You hadn't expected this at all, but with the frustration you both caused each other, you shouldn't have been so surprised.

You pulled your arms out of your suit as he peeled the fabric off of your torso. Miguel didn't have the patience left in him to properly undress you. Your suit was at your knees before he abandoned any further effort of taking it off. "Fucking full-body suits," he muttered in annoyance as he pressed heated kisses to your exposed neck.

You huffed an amused breath while you kicked off your boots and the remainder of your suit. His lips left a trail of sloppy kisses from your collarbone, up your neck, until they finally found your mouth. His tongue forced its way between your lips, and you couldn't help but moan at his overpowering touch. You barely even felt rough surface of the wall against your back as Miguel pushed his body against yours.

He was so tall that it seemed like his figure was devouring yours. To remedy the height different, Miguel's large hands hoisted you up by your thighs close to his own height and pushed you up against the wall roughly. You grunted at the force of his body shoving you against the brick, but you didn't care, wrapping your legs around his waist to pull him closer. You had both hands gripping his head, pulling his mouth to yours eagerly, tongues practically down each others throats.

Miguel's hands were gripping tightly at your thighs before he reached up and pulled down on your underwear. He wasn't holding you up anymore, relying instead on your ability to stick to the wall to keep you upright. Now that he didn't have to support you, his hands were free to do what he liked.

Your breathing quickened as his fingers teased the outside of your hot entrance. He traced over your clit, causing you to groan and throw your head back against the brick. "Is this what it takes to get you to shut up?" He growled in your ear. You wanted to say something snappy back to him, but right as you opened your mouth, he pushed two of his fingers into you, and you were unable to do anything but let out a gasping moan.

Your fingers ran through his hair, gripping it tightly as he continued pumping his fingers in and out of you. "Not such a smart ass now, huh?" He observed smugly. You wanted desperately to prove him wrong and shoot him a smart retort, but the pace he was setting with his fingers rendered you speechless.

You leaned your head against his as you took shaky breaths to regain some semblance of thought. "What h-happened to focus on the— on the mission?" You managed to ask through panting breaths. His fingers were curling inside you, making it difficult to speak properly.

"I told you," he whispered in a low voice, his lips tickling your ear. "You're distracting me. How am I supposed to focus when you're here with me?" He placed a wet kiss on your neck, and you sighed at the sensation.

"All I can think about is how good you feel around me," he murmured against your skin, "and all the pretty sounds you make." His fingers continued fucking you while his thumb started moving in circles around your clit, forcing a loud moan from your mouth.

"Even your scent," he continued. "I could smell you the minute you arrived. It's been driving me fucking crazy." Your legs were starting to shake as you felt yourself growing closer. Miguel could sense it too, no doubt, from your staggering gasps and the tightened grip you had on his hair.

"And now, you're letting me touch you like this in the middle of a mission," he said. "How do you expect me to focus on anything when you're here?" His voice sounded frustrated, angry almost, and that frustration was evident in the way his pace increased.

You were gasping his name over and over again, unable to say or do anything else. He was touching you in all the right places in all the right ways. The resentment you had felt for him before had completely transformed into lust, and as he continued moving his fingers in and out of you, you knew you weren't going to last much longer.

Miguel ran his tongue up the side of your neck before whispering into your ear, "Look at you. Are you gonna cum on my fingers while we're on a mission?"

As if to answer his question, your whole body began shaking, and you let out a trembling moan out as your orgasm overtook you. Something resembling a laugh came from Miguel's lips as he felt your body clenching around him, and he was pulled in closer by your gripping arms. Your breathing came in shallow gasps as your body trembled with his touch.

After a moment, his hand slowed down until he pulled out of you completely. Dazed, you blinked your eyes open to look at him. His eyes were red with lust, and he brought his hand up and sucked his soaking fingers without looking away from you. Your body was still twitching from your high, and the sight in front of you made you moan softly.

"I'm not done yet," he murmured as he gripped your jaw in his hand. You were still recovering from the intensity of your orgasm, and your head was limp in his hands. He noticed and moved your face back and forth to test your submission. "Dios mío, you're a mess," he noted with a smirk. "Are you gonna let me fuck you like this?"

Still trying to recover your breath, you were barely able to give him a faint nod of your head. "That's right," he said softly, placing another kiss on your neck, but you were barely registered it as you felt something hard at your soaking entrance. Miguel had retracted his suit just at his waist, and it seemed that this time, he hadn't even bothered with wearing anything underneath.

"Must be convenient having a nanotech suit," you commented under your breath. "It's not nanotech," he corrected. "It's much cooler than that." You rolled your eyes. Even during sex, he had to be right. "Whatever," you replied. "You don't have to nerd ou—"

You cut yourself off with a sharp gasp as Miguel pushed himself into you without warning. You tugged at his hair reactively as the stretch of your pussy made you whine. "Just shut the fuck up," he muttered into your ear.

He gave you a second to adjust before he started moving his hips against yours. You head fell back against the wall as he thrust in and out of you desperately. He had no regard for how the rough brick was scraping against your skin. He was now engaged entirely in his own pleasure, using you to channel all his frustration into satisfaction. You didn't mind one bit.

His pace was relentless. His head was pressed against your temple, and his panting breaths tickled your ear. You still had a tight grip on his hair as he fucked you mercilessly while your other hand held onto his shoulder in desperation.

Miguel's hands were digging into your thighs as soft grunts formed in his throat. "I've been craving you all week," he told you with a gruff voice, interrupting the repetitive sound of his hips slapping against your cunt. "The way you feel, how you take me so well, it's all I can think about."

You whimpered in his ear as he continued rolling his hips against yours at a savage pace. You were getting high off of his words, and all you could do to encourage him was moan. "I've been...thinking about you, too," you whispered to him, the overwhelming sensation of him railing into you causing you to pause every few words. "Late at night...when I'm all alone. I think about h-how good you feel...inside me. It makes me so hot."

Miguel growled in response, your words obviously having an effect over him. His lips met yours in a hungry kiss, and he actually let out a soft moan of his own. He let go of one of your legs to bring his hand up to the wall to support himself, and you heard the brick next to your head crack as his fingers clawed at the stone.

He pulled away from your lips and brought his mouth down to kiss your neck. His movements were growing more desperate and sloppy, and you knew he was getting closer to finishing. After a second, he raised his head up from your neck to rest against your own.

"Do you trust me?" He whispered in your ear.

What kind of a question was that? He had you pinned to the wall, fucking you mercilessly in another dimension in the middle of a mission. You certainly didn't not trust him.

Still, at his relentless pace, you found it difficult to speak properly, so you nodded your reply. "I want to hear you say it," he grunted. You were breathing hard as you tried formulating words. "I do," you gasped. "I-I do trust you."

That seemed to satisfy Miguel. His hips moved faster and harder into yours, and without further warning, he sank his teeth into the base of your neck. You cried out in alarm as you felt the tips of his fangs pierce your neck. You hadn't expected him to do that, but you couldn't deny that the pain made the pleasure even sweeter.

For Miguel, having his teeth in your skin made him go wild. It was like a primal reaction, and whatever self-control he'd had evaporated. He began pounding into you, using your neck almost like an anchor while he thrust into you over and over again.

Your eyes became unfocused as a knot formed in your stomach from the overwhelming sensation of Miguel's cock and teeth inside of you. "Don't stop," you begged with a gasp. "Don't stop, I'm gonna—"

You couldn't even finish your sentence before another powerful orgasm took over your body. A loud cry emerged from your throat as your thighs tightened around his waist, and your whole body began shaking. You gripped Miguel's back and hair desperately as his movements became erratic.

Just as it was becoming too much for you, Miguel's body tensed, and he let out a long, rare moan against your neck as his hips grew still and he came inside you. He took a couple seconds to recover his breath before he released the grip of his jaw on your neck. You let out a small whimper at the feeling of his teeth being removed from your skin. In response, Miguel ran his tongue over the two new sets of puncture marks you now had.

"Was that alright?" He asked with surprising softness, referring to his bite. You nodded honestly and replied, "I thought it would hurt more than that." He licked over it again as he pulled out of you, earning a quiet sigh from you. "Believe me, it could have," he said in a low voice.

You turned your head to look at him, meeting his eyes with your own, and you couldn't help the faint smile that pulled at your lips. You tilted your face up and kissed him. It wasn't the ravenous kisses from earlier, it was soft and slow, a token of appreciation.

"You're not allowed to come on missions with me anymore," Miguel mumbled against your lips. "Do you understand?"

You chuckled softly at his statement. Truthfully, you'd forgotten you were even on a mission. You opened your eyes to look at him before you whispered, "Yes, sir."

His jaw twitched, and he ran his thumb over your lips in admiration. "We need to get going," he told you after a pause. You looked up at him with a sly smile. "Think you can focus now?" You asked. His eyes flashed up from your lips to your eyes, and a faint trace of a smile formed at his mouth.

"I wouldn't count on it."

[dudelymantits]

Tell us more about your Adler/Star pairing please 👀✨

Sure! Thank you for asking! As usual this ended up longer than intended oops

So originally a few months back a friend mentioned how there should be more Signalis rare pairs and one of the ones she ended up mentioning was Star/Adler. For some reason this one stuck with me and kinda marinated in the back of my mind until I started to flesh them out more.

They both are stationed at my totally normal radio outpost B-92 Becquerel, because of Becquerel’s smaller size this station’s work hierarchy is set up differently than S-23 going like:

KNCR-B9201: this Kranich is the main head of the facility, she takes the place of a Falke unit and has a lot of other things going on that are not really relevant to this post besides the fact she is eternally tired because of them and therefore dismissive of certain issues that she shouldn’t be.

The three “heads”: these guys oversee the three main sektors of the facility with each being, Radio/military, Research, and Civilian/other. That last category is run by our Adler!

ADLR-B9201 or Grey is a newer unit being commissioned after the death of the previous Civilian overseer gestalt, Grey handles most of our usual expected Adler paperwork and bureaucratic duites, but he thinks due to the other two guys being “lackluster” in their own ways Adler often finds himself having to pick up whatever technical work they “didn’t end up doing in time”. Grey wants to run the place nice and organized, but his gestalt coworkers and boss seemingly having better things to worry about they don’t care he has a larger workload than everyone else. He stresses over performance and often wishes he worked as a normal Adler unit with a more clean cut ladder, but here? To many variables and people he has to get along with.

Thing is that it’s partially his own fault, he wants everything ahead of schedule and obviously that’s not happening, and if he would just work at a more normal even pace and communicate with the rest of his coworkers a large number of his problems with his work environment would be fixed, or at least lessened. Basically he’s the last guy you’d want to work with, very controlling and wanting to completely change the place he works at rather than adapting to what already had worked there before.

This bleed into his personality making him just a ass to be around, “pissy little bitch” was what I called him for months, he was whiny and short tempered especially when things didn’t go his way. And this is where Star comes in.

STAR-B920?: Eloka is a pretty average star, higher ranking than most but not to the point I’d call her high ranking yk? Above average…! Eloka also likes to push buttons and see exactly what she can get away with. This is partly why she’s in the middle of B-92’s Star ranks, she’s pissed off the ones above her so much they wouldn’t dare promote her more than they already have but also they recognize she’s more skilled than the newbie’s and weaker stars. She doesn’t care for hierarchy like most Starlings, and therefore finds it entertaining to break their rules.

Eloka has a record for getting herself in a mess, with other Star, with other Protektors, with relationships, hell she probably has gotten stuck in the Ara vents or on the rooftop a few times. She’s pretty silly. So when the new Adler got stationed and she heard about his poor temper you know exactly what she started doing, fucking with him!

Pretty quickly this turned into a game of “how quickly can I get Grey mad today?” Typically with insults. She also gave him the nickname Grey rather than referring to him as Adler, which he saw as a disrespect of his authority, she gave it to give him because of his atypical grey chest plate. Now you may be thinking, if she’s causing so much trouble for a higher up wouldn’t she be decommissioned? Well this is where it goes back to the other two heads, basically they would all have to agree to the decommissioning of a Protektor and Kranich would then order it. So even if he wanted to and probably threatened to at first they both knew that was an empty threat. It wasn’t constant picking but slowly became more consistent.

At first they really hated each other due to this strange routine they developed for obvious reasons, but slowly Grey started to grow more used to it and became less explosive in his reactions and he actually started to like her interpretations, and she started to also get used to this pattern. The pranks got lighter and rather than her fucking with his office she’d rearrange the files in a less disastrous way, tripping him lightly, ruffing his hair etc. He still found these mildly annoying but when they didn’t happen their days didn’t feel complete.

Both were oblivious to their growing affection but started to be with each other more and more, Eloka finding reasons to be in his office and Adler finding reasons to be less of a dick and controlling because he actually had something else in his life now to focus on and was kinda forced to chill out. She also started to find his grey chest plate cute. and a small bet was started by the stars and eules on who would ask the other out first, some units put their bet on Eloka because she had a history of girlfriends before and was usually the one to ask them first, where others argued that because she usually was so blunt with women why hadn’t she done so with him yet?

I’m not sure who wins the bet yet, but I do have it that Eloka was flirty with Grey from the start originally for fun but later actually meaning it sometimes [he still is bad at picking out when it’s serious or not] he also started to return the small pranks and insults back now, and the flirting that came with that. After they actually get together I imagine it would remain mostly the same as before, but with them now exploring their new relationship.

I also feel like Eloka would talk to him about guns a lot, and him talking about his stress at work. I have a scene in my head of her just in his office talking to him while kicking her feet like a teen girl lol. This could lead to him getting more into weapons, but I also like the idea of him getting into computers as well. He’s still a workaholic but not as much of an ass so improvement for sure.

Other thing to note: I don’t think Adler’s need a Falke specifically to function, I think they need structure. The reason it’s painted as them needing a Falke is national propaganda. Adler’s I feel work very well with clear hierarchy which is why I made grey specificly hate the one he’s in. Also why you shouldn’t have multiple Adler’s in one place most of the time, they don’t work well in teams. Even for Adler’s like S-23 we see him have issues with the Kolibri’s in his notes, who I see as being on equal footing to Adler but handling different parts of the facility than him. Adler’s also don’t strike me as leaders, they are helpers and need someone or something to follow, and for a country like the nation why not make sure he follows your literal man made goddess? Someone made to embodied your ideals?

Oh yea no Falke at this station lol

If you read all this text ily