#now the only thing left to do is to act more carefully around her and watch my words and actions more meticulously

[panerasbox]

—Could Be Worse; 16 Days To Go

Pairing: melissa schemmenti x fem!reader

Genre: fluff.

Word count: 1,350.

summary: Ava discovers a secret.

30 DAYS OF MELISSA SCHEMMENTI MASTERLIST

Most days, staying late at Abbott meant the usual grind: grading papers that blurred together, desperately trying to Tetris my lesson plans into some semblance of order, and silently praying the copier wouldn’t decide today was the day it finally gave up the ghost. But today? Today was different. Today, Melissa Schemmenti was leaning against my desk, arms crossed over her chest, and giving me that look. The one that made my stomach do a little flip.

"You gonna stand over there staring at me all day or are you coming over here?" Her voice was a low drawl, laced with that familiar hint of challenge.

A smirk tugged at my lips as I pushed away from my desk. I reached behind me, the soft click of the closing door amplifying the sudden intimacy of the room. "Someone's feeling bold," I murmured, my gaze locking with hers.

Melissa’s eyebrow arched, a silent dare. "Bold's the only way I know how to be." Of course it was.

This… thing between us still felt so new, a secret we were carefully cultivating in the hallways and during stolen moments at lunch. A brush of hands that lingered a second too long. Late nights that somehow morphed into something more than just shared work stress. I’d tried to convince myself it was just playful, nothing serious. Harmless flirting to get us through another chaotic school day. But then she’d kissed me. Really kissed me, like I was the only person in the world. Touched me with a tenderness that felt both unexpected and utterly right, like I was something precious she wanted to keep safe. That kind of care? That wasn’t casual. Not at all.

We met halfway across the classroom, the space between us shrinking until our lips finally connected. It was a familiar rhythm now, a language we were both eager to explore. Her hand found the curve of my waist, pulling me closer until there was no space left. I didn’t fight it. I never wanted to.

"I could get used to this," she murmured against my lips, her breath warm and intoxicating.

"You already have," I whispered back, my fingers tracing the sharp angle of her jawline, the stubble there surprisingly soft.

It was sweet. Soft. And then it shattered.

"Oh hell no. Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?"

We sprang apart like guilty teenagers caught past curfew. My head whipped around, my heart hammering against my ribs. Ava stood in the doorway, her eyes practically bugging out of her head, her eyebrows doing that ridiculous disappearing act they always did when she was truly shocked.

"This is better than the time Janine tried to twerk during field day," Ava declared, her phone already in her hand like it was an extension of her arm. "Do I call HR or TMZ?"

Melissa stepped forward, radiating an almost comical level of nonchalance. "You do either and I’ll replace your coffee pods with decaf for a month."

Ava squinted, a flicker of genuine fear in her eyes. "You wouldn't."

"Try me," Melissa said, her voice dangerously low.

My cheeks burned. I cleared my throat, trying to inject some sort of normalcy into the bizarre situation. "Okay, so… yes. We’re, um—"

"Making poor life choices? Clearly," Ava interjected, never one to miss an opportunity for dramatic commentary. "But go on, I’m listening. Intrigued, actually."

Melissa sighed, a sound of pure exasperation. "We’re seeing each other. It’s nobody’s business but ours."

Ava gave us both a long, considering look, her head tilted slightly. Then, her face broke into a wide, surprisingly genuine grin. "Damn. Good for you, Teach. Didn’t know you had that kind of game. And you," she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at me, "didn’t think you had it in you. Sneaky."

I blinked, completely thrown off by her reaction. "Wait, so… you’re not gonna say anything?"

Ava just shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Girl, I’m the queen of secrets. Besides, this is way too juicy to waste on HR. I’m saving it for the staff party. Carry on."

And with that, she turned and strutted out, her heels clicking against the linoleum like she’d just secured a major victory.

Melissa sighed again, rubbing her temples wearily. "I liked it better when she thought I was into my branzino."

A laugh bubbled up from my chest, the tension slowly easing. I stepped closer to her again, the familiar pull undeniable. "Guess the secret’s out."

She looked at me then, her eyes softening, that earlier playful challenge replaced with something warm and real. "Guess it is. Still worth it."

The next morning felt… weird.

I could feel it the second I walked into the staff lounge. The air was thick with unspoken curiosity. Jacob, mid-sip of his green smoothie, paused and gave me a look that could only be described as deeply inquisitive. Barbara offered a tight, almost strained smile, the kind she usually reserved for particularly disruptive parent-teacher conferences. And Janine… well, Janine looked like she was about to burst with unexpressed thoughts.

Melissa strolled in a few seconds later, her usual coffee mug clutched in her hand, completely oblivious—or expertly feigning obliviousness—to the palpable tension in the room.

"Morning," she said, her tone infuriatingly casual.

Jacob cleared his throat, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. "So… anything new with you two?"

My insides froze. My gaze flicked to Melissa, and I saw her eyes narrow almost imperceptibly before she turned to Jacob.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her voice held a subtle edge.

Janine, bless her well-meaning but often misguided heart, jumped in before Jacob could inevitably dig himself into a deeper hole. "Not that we’re judging! I mean, love is love, right? And you two are—well, you’re both strong, intelligent, passionate women… and honestly? We support you." She beamed, clearly proud of her progressive stance.

I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. I buried my face in my hands. "Oh my god."

Barbara’s smile remained, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Though I must say, Melissa, I thought you weren’t the type to mix work and pleasure." Her tone held a hint of gentle disapproval, the seasoned educator in her clearly concerned.

Melissa finally put down her coffee, the clink of the mug against the counter sounding surprisingly loud. "I'm not."

Janine blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. "But… you are dating Y/N."

Melissa shot a look at the ceiling, a silent plea for divine intervention. "Ava."

"Ding ding ding," came Ava’s voice from the hallway, as she leaned dramatically into the doorway, a triumphant smirk plastered across her face. "You’re welcome, everyone."

"You told them?" I asked, the words a mixture of a groan and a reluctant laugh.

"Please. I didn’t tell them. I inspired curiosity. Big difference," Ava corrected, her tone smug.

"Unreal," Melissa muttered, rubbing the bridge of her nose with a weary sigh.

Gregory, who had been a silent observer in the corner, finally looked up, his expression surprisingly neutral. "It’s not really a big deal. You two seem… happy."

Melissa glanced at me, a genuine smile finally gracing her lips. "We are."

A beat passed, the initial shock slowly dissipating as everyone looked at each other, a silent communication passing between them.

Then Jacob, ever the master of the awkward and inappropriate, piped up. "So, like, are we pretending we didn’t walk in on Janine and Tariq making out in the music room two years ago, or—?"

"JACOB!" Janine hissed, her face turning a shade of red I hadn’t thought humanly possible.

Chaos erupted. A flurry of protests, embarrassed coughs, and knowing glances filled the room.

I leaned against the counter, watching Melissa try—and fail spectacularly—not to smile as the attention shifted away from us and onto Janine’s mortification. I nudged her with my elbow, a small, private gesture in the midst of the delightful pandemonium. "Could be worse."

"Oh, it will be," Melissa said, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes. "You’ve never seen this crew at happy hour."

[ameliahiatt]

The joking is what makes Molly feel most at ease. Things feel easy with Metzli right now and it's just what she needs. There's no heavy weight of expectation. Sure, Molly's terrified of feelings right now, the near constant butterflies in her stomach are almost enough to send her running for the hills. But some gravitational pull is keeping her right here.

"I wouldn't say big boss.." She shakes her head slowly. Though that was kind of what a director was, Molly was a major team player as a director. She was fortunate enough to always work with designers and crews who were good people to work with so it was easy for Molly to give them just as much of a say as she did in the final product. It was probably part of the reason she left the profession. Her experience was, at times, too good to be true. She didn't want tainted memories.

"But I will say I was a pretty great director to work with. I guess I'm kind of only saying that because I was told that by a good number of people." It's clear to see the smirk pull across her lips at the memory. There's that confidence again. "Theatre is a collaborative effort. It takes a village to tell a story and it's hard to keep a good village when too many people want to be the mayor of town instead of a villager, you know?" She offers a shrug as she brings her drink to her lips. After a long sip she sighs, "I left the profession on good terms, with mostly good memories." Though Roger was in a lot of those memories.

But all memories of Roger disappear, buried in a grave at Metzli's response to Molly's question about the kiss. Their reply is swift as a strong current and Molly finds herself swept under without warning. In the best way. "Oh!" slips from her lips. She wasn't expecting that at all. Sure, maybe she was expecting a clever response, but to just hear "anywhere you are" right here was something else.

Well, in that case, Molly had a choice to make. They could draw this out, curate a cute little day, galivanting around town. At some point, Molly would inevitably mention Roger and possibly kill the mood. She didn't really think Metzli would run at the mention of him. They seemed like they were genuinely interested in learning more about Molly. And she certainly appreciated their thoughts the night before about her little slip about him.

Or, Molly could do something unexpected. Something brave. Without another thought she carefully tugs at Metzli's arm, pulling them just off the sidewalk, in a tiny break between buildings. "Come here," she says in a near whisper. The next few seconds happen like dominos falling in a line. There's a thin architectural ledge on the building behind them. Molly reaches for Metzli's drink and places both of them on the ledge, freeing hands.

One hand settles on the back of Metzli's neck while the other rests on the side of their face. Molly only has another split second to act. As soon as she starts thinking she fears she'll bolt. She's fucking terrified right now, but something about them is pulling her in like a stranded boat to a lighthouse in a storm. For a moment, the clouds may be breaking for Molly. And if all she's got right now is a moment, she's gotta take it. Their eyes meet just before Molly gently pulls Metzli in, planting a confident but soft kiss against their lips.

"Shut up," It's in jest, their voice is clear about that. So is their huge smile. Something obviously piqued Molly's interest in Metzli, but it still feels so hard to believe. Their interests intersect in more ways than one and their levels of empathy matched almost exactly.

It's rare to have hearts meet each other with the same level of noise. The melodies come together so suddenly, at a jarring crescendo, and Metzli lets themself be consumed by it. Which is a first. This is usually the part where they run, but my some miracle, they don't. They can't.

"Director, huh? Big boss. And you actually helped. Good to know some directors actually put more effort in than just being a prick." Metzli takes a sip of their coffee, walking happily next to Molly. Their gait is relaxed, strides matching at a pace that wouldn't make Molly struggle to keep up. Even as they walked in tandem, when they should be watching what's happening in front of them, Metzli can't take their eyes off of their date.

Especially when she asks her question and looks away. With no hesitation, they answer. They're taken by surprise by the confidence in their answer, and the answer itself. "Here. Home. A dumpster. Anywhere you are, I think."

[ivyues]

Sibling Bonds: Stray Kids x Member's sister Scenarios

Bang Chan (Seungmin’s sister)

Chris plopped down beside Seungmin on the practice room floor, immediately draping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him into a side hug. He rested his chin on Seungmin’s shoulder, swaying them side to side like an over-affectionate puppy.

Seungmin sighed, unimpressed. “What do you want?”

Chris pouted. “Can’t I just love my favorite dongsaeng?”

Seungmin deadpanned. “Hyung, if you think this is gonna make me buy you food, it’s not working.”

Chris grinned but didn’t deny it. “Okay, fine. I need to talk to you.”

Seungmin hummed in response, still scrolling. “We are talking.”

Chris huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s about… Y/N.”

That got Seungmin’s attention. He glanced up, one brow raised before giving Chris an irritated look. “Hyung, don’t think I haven’t seen the two of you throwing heart eyes at each other. It’s honestly disgusting.”

Chris groaned, already regretting this. “I just— I like her. But I don’t want you to think I’m overstepping. Like, I’m older, I’m your leader, and I don’t want it to seem like I can just… take what I want.”

Seungmin blinked before letting out an amused chuckle. “Hyung, she’s an adult. She can make her own choices. I don’t have any say in who she dates.”

“I know, but—”

“And I can’t really do anything if she’s into old men.”

Chris’ jaw dropped. “What—?!”

Seungmin shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean, you are basically a grandfather. Maybe she likes the ‘experienced’ type.”

Chris groaned, burying his face in his hands as Seungmin laughed. “You’re insufferable.”

Seungmin grinned. “Look, if she likes you and you like her, then just go for it. But don’t come crying to me when she realizes she doesn’t want to date a grandpa.”

Chris scowled. “I love you too, Seungmin.”

Seungmin smirked, unlocking his phone again. “You’re welcome.”

Lee Know (I.N’s sister)

The engine purred as Lee Know shifted gears, rolling smoothly out of the driveway. The sun was bright, the morning air crisp, and a whole day of plans stretched ahead of him and I.N. It wasn’t often that they had time to hang out as just the two of them, so today was supposed to be chill.

I.N, sitting in the passenger seat, tapped away at his phone, only glancing up occasionally at the road ahead. That is, until something caught his attention.

In the corner of the passenger seat, nestled between the seat and the door, was a very familiar-looking scrunchie.

His brows furrowed before he reached out and plucked it up between two fingers like it was evidence in a crime scene. “Uh, hyung,” Jeongin said, his tone shifting. “Why is my sister’s scrunchie here?”

Lee Know didn’t even flinch. “Because she apparently left it,” he said, voice casual as ever, eyes still on the road. He wasn’t about to act guilty over something as harmless as a scrunchie.

I.N narrowed his eyes. “When?”

“Last time I drove,” Lee Know answered smoothly. Not a lie.

I.N leaned back, arms crossed. “So, how often is she in your car, exactly?”

Lee Know’s lips twitched slightly. “We’ve been dating for a while now. I thought you were cool with it.”

I.N scoffed. “I am. But as her brother, I have to make sure you’re treating her right.”

Lee Know finally turned his head slightly, giving I.N an unimpressed look. “You do realize I’m older than you, right?”

I.N didn’t back down, only tilting his chin up. “And? That just means I have to watch you even more.”

Lee Know rolled his eyes, refocusing on the road, but his fingers subtly flexed on the steering wheel. He wasn’t worried about I.N’s protective streak – if anything, it was amusing.

Casually, he flicked his gaze up to the rearview mirror. And that’s when he saw it.

In the footwell of the backseat behind I.N, barely visible but there nonetheless, was a top. Your top. His fingers tightened just slightly on the wheel as he swallowed, keeping his expression carefully neutral.

The last time he had driven with you… well, let’s just say things had gotten a little heated before you had finally gone inside. And apparently, not all of your clothing had made it back with you.

His foot pressed just a tad heavier on the gas pedal. Maybe if they got to their destination fast enough, I.N wouldn’t have any reason to look back.

Changbin (Han’s sister)

Changbin tapped his pen against his notebook, staring at the half-finished lyrics in front of him. The dim glow of the studio lights flickered against the desk, and the faint hum of an unfinished beat filled the space. Across from him, Han lounged back in his chair, spinning lazily.

“I feel like we should go for something love-related,” Changbin murmured, rubbing his temple. “Like... the excitement of a first date or something.”

Han suddenly sat up straight, eyes widening as if a light bulb had just flicked on above his head. His lips curled into a slow, mischievous grin, and he clapped his hands together with excitement.

“Oh! Oh! Wait, I just got the best idea ever!”

Changbin immediately looked suspicious. “Why do I feel like I'm about to regret this?”

Han practically bounced in his seat. “No, listen! My sister!”

Changbin blinked. “What about her?”

“You should take her on a date!" Han exclaimed, looking way too pleased with himself. “It's perfect!”

Changbin nearly dropped his pen. “What? No. Why?”

Han was already on a roll, his brain working a mile a minute. “It makes so much sense! She hasn’t dated in forever, and she’s been totally unmotivated to put herself out there. She just needs a little push.”

“And that push is me?” Changbin asked incredulously.

Han nodded enthusiastically. “Dude, think about it. You're my best friend, you're cool, responsible, buff—”

“Why do you keep mentioning that?”

“Because it's a selling point!" Han waved his hands around dramatically before grinning wider. “And besides—you're hot, and she's hot! It just makes sense!”

Changbin groaned. “Han, that is not how matchmaking works.”

“Sure it is! Attraction is key,” Han shot back. “Look, she deserves someone awesome, and you’re awesome. Plus, it’d be so fun to play matchmaker. Imagine if it works out? You’d be part of the family!”

Changbin hesitated. “What if it's weird?”

“Only if you make it weird,” Han said with a smug grin. Before Changbin could argue, Han was already whipping out his phone. His fingers flew across the screen, his grin growing wider by the second.

“Wait, what are you—”

Han: Hey, sis. You have a date. No, you don’t get a choice. Be ready tomorrow at 5.

Changbin’s jaw dropped. “Did you seriously just—”

Han locked his phone and leaned back with a satisfied sigh. “Too late to back out now. You, my friend, are officially dating my sister.”

Changbin groaned, running a hand down his face. “I think she'd like to have a saying in the matter too.”

“Look, you're already talking like a responsible boyfriend,” Han pointed out, absolutely beaming. “You guys will thank me at your wedding.”

Hyunjin (Bang Chan’s sister)

(A/N: this are 2 seperate scenarios that are not connected / have different vibes!)

Hyunjin and you stood near the door of the dorm, ready to head out for your long-awaited date. The relationship was still in its early days, the kind where every little moment felt both exciting and slightly uncertain as you both navigated the newness of it all.

Hyunjin laced his fingers with yours, flashing you a soft smile as you turned back towards the living area. “We’re heading out now,” you announced. “Bye, guys!”

Goodbyes rang out from the dorm – some genuine, some exaggerated just to be annoying.

Just as you were pulling the door closed behind you, your brother’s voice suddenly boomed through the room:

“Have fun, DON'T FORGET TO USE PROTECTION!”

Your breath hitched, fingers freezing on the doorknob. But before you could even react, the door shut completely.

Hyunjin stood frozen beside you, his eyes wide, mouth slightly open in shock. Meanwhile, your face heated up in embarrassment.

-----

The familiar scent of freshly brewed coffee filled the air as you sat across from Chan, absentmindedly stirring your drink. Your brother had practically dragged you out of your apartment, insisting you needed a break from sulking indoors. And honestly? He wasn’t wrong.

“You know,” Chan started, eyeing you over his cup, “I get that you and Hyunjin fought, but locking yourself away isn’t going to fix anything.”

You sighed, staring at the swirling foam in your cup. “I’m not locking myself away,” you muttered.

Chan raised an eyebrow. “You’ve ignored every invite to go out, haven't been responding to messages, and, according to Felix, your social battery is at negative levels.”

You huffed. Felix always had a way of exaggerating.

Chan gave you a knowing look, and you averted your eyes. He didn't push, though. He knew. Of course, he knew. He always knew. Hyunjin was one of his closest friends. And you? You were his little sister. Of course, he noticed how off things had been between you and Hyunjin lately. He didn't bring it up, though, and you were grateful.

Instead, he started talking about something else—his music, the group’s upcoming schedules, something funny Felix had done the other day. You listened, grateful for the distraction, even managing a small smile.

And then Chan’s eyes flickered to your wrist, his words pausing for just a second.

Your bracelet.

You hadn’t even realized you were wearing it until now. It had become almost second nature to have it on—Hyunjin’s gift, the one he had stressed over for weeks, secretly asking Chan for advice on what you'd like best. You had loved it from the moment he gave it to you. It was delicate but strong, simple but elegant, just like the way he saw you.

Chan didn’t say anything right away, but the corners of his lips lifted slightly. “Still wearing it, huh?”

Your fingers automatically traced over the cool metal. “Of course,” you admitted softly.

(A/N: I remembered this scene of a yt image i watched like 5 years ago)

Han (Hyunjin’s sister)

The last thing you expected when Hyunjin invited you to meet some of his group members was to see Han Jisung again.

You had harbored a tiny, innocent crush on him back in their trainee days. Something about his energy, his dorky yet endearing personality, and his talent had always drawn you in. But back then, your brother and Han weren’t exactly close. Their clashing personalities made sure of that.

During that time, you had gone abroad to study, spending years away from your brother and his now-bandmates. 

So, naturally, when Hyunjin casually mentioned that some of his members were coming over to his parent’s house to eat, you didn’t think much of it. You certainly didn’t expect your stomach to twist in nervous excitement when you saw Han standing there in the doorway, looking just as surprised as you felt.

“Oh… uh, hey,” he greeted, his voice an octave higher than normal. His hand went up in a small, awkward wave.

“Hey, Han,” you said with a polite smile, ignoring the slight flutter in your chest.

From that moment on, it was obvious.

You weren’t sure if Hyunjin was oblivious or just ignoring it, but Han’s eyes kept finding you. Every time you laughed at something, his gaze softened. Every time you looked away, you caught him sneaking glances. Every time you spoke, his attention was solely on you.

It was adorable.

You could practically see the wheels turning in his head, trying to think of something to say to you but chickening out at the last second. His usual confidence when performing was nowhere to be found.

“So, uh— you, um, still paint?” he blurted out at one point, catching you off guard.

You blinked. “Yeah, I do.”

“I— I remember Hyunjin used to complain about you taking all his art supplies,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You were, uh… really good.”

A warm feeling bloomed in your chest. He remembered?

“Thanks,” you said, grinning.

His face turned a little pink, and he quickly shoved a bite of food into his mouth to avoid saying something dumb.

Hyunjin finally seemed to catch on, because he suddenly narrowed his eyes at Han. “What’s wrong with you?”

Han choked. “N-Nothing! Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. Totally fine.”

Felix (Changbin’s sister)

Soft music played in the background as you and Felix stood side by side in the kitchen, carefully decorating a fresh batch of cupcakes. The warm scent of vanilla and chocolate filled the air, making the cozy space feel even more inviting. Felix hummed along to the song, his hands steady as he piped little swirls of frosting onto each cupcake.

“You’re really good at this,” you commented, watching his concentrated expression.

Felix glanced at you with a small, proud smile. “I’ve had practice. Baking is kinda relaxing, you know?”

You nodded, adding sprinkles to a cupcake he had just finished. “It is. And more fun when I have you as my partner.”

Felix’s ears tinged pink at your words, but he grinned nonetheless. “Of course! We’re the ultimate baking duo.”

Just as he finished decorating the last cupcake, the sound of the front door opening caught your attention. A moment later, Changbin stepped into the kitchen, pausing when he saw the two of you.

Felix, ever the affectionate one, turned to him with a bright smile. “Hyung! You’re home.”

Changbin stopped, taking in the scene – the neat rows of cupcakes, Felix’s gentle smile directed at you, and the way you both naturally moved around each other. His lips twitched as if he was trying to suppress a smile, but it was obvious he found the moment endearing.

“You two really are something else,” he said, shaking his head.

Felix chuckled, holding up a cupcake. “We made these! Want to try one?”

Changbin sighed but stepped forward, picking one up. He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully while you and Felix watched expectantly. After a moment, he nodded. “Not bad.”

Felix pumped his fist in the air. “Success!”

Changbin finally let a small smile slip through. “Alright, alright. Just don’t make the kitchen a disaster zone.”

You and Felix exchanged glances before turning back to Changbin with innocent looks. “Of course not,” Felix said sweetly.

Seungmin (Lee Know’s sister)

(A/N: I also wrote this -> X)

The afternoon sun reflected off the rippling pool water as you sat on the edge, lazily kicking your feet in the cool blue. The guys were spending some of their free time in a rented house and you visited them for the day. What they didn’t know is that the house had a pool. Therefore, you were perfectly content staying dry.

Seungmin, however, had other plans.

He waded towards the edge where you sat, tilting his head with a smirk. “Enjoying yourself?”

You narrowed your eyes at him. But before you could react, his hands were on your back, and before you could protest—

Splash!

Cold water rushed around you as you resurfaced with a gasp, pushing your soaked hair out of your face while your wet t-shirt stuck to your body.

“Seungmin!” you shrieked, glaring at him.

He was standing at the edge now, arms crossed, grinning triumphantly. “That was satisfying,” he mused. “You should’ve seen your face.”

“Oh, I’ll show you a face—” you started swimming towards him, ready for revenge.

But before you could reach him, Seungmin felt a solid push against his bag.

He barely had time to register what was happening before he was tumbling forward.

Another Splash!

For a moment, everything was silent – until Seungmin resurfaced, coughing slightly, his eyes widening when he saw Lee Know still standing at the edge.

He hadn’t said a word. He hadn’t even moved after pushing him.

“…I think I’m gonna stay here for a while,” he muttered to himself, slowly walking to the middle of the pool—just to be safe.

Because, well… Lee Know couldn’t swim. And that meant as long as Seungmin stayed in the water, he had at least one layer of protection.

From the edge of the pool, Lee Know’s stare didn’t waver.

Seungmin gulped. Yeah. Definitely staying in here for a while.

I.N (Felix’s sister)

“You know, I love you guys and all, but I feel like I’ve been abandoned,” Felix said dramatically, flopping onto the couch in the dorm’s common area. “Ever since you two started dating, it’s like I don’t have a sister anymore. My poor heart.”

You rolled your eyes, but a pang of guilt hit you. Ever since you and I.N had started dating, you hadn't spent as much time with your brother as you used to. Of course, he was joking – his tone made that clear – but there was truth in his words. And Felix, for all his mischief, had always been one of the people closest to you.

“Fine,” you sighed, crossing your arms. “How about a day out? You, me, and I.Nnie.”

“Oh?" I.N perked up from where he was sitting beside you. “That actually sounds fun.”

Felix gasped, delighted, and clapped his hands together. “A date with my two favorite people? Say less!”

That was how the three of you ended up spending the day together. Surprisingly, it wasn’t awkward at all. You had worried Felix would feel like a third wheel, or that the dynamic would feel forced, but instead, it just felt right. The three of you effortlessly fell into an easy rhythm – eating street food, teasing each other, dragging Felix away from every bakery he tried to enter, and even stopping by a claw machine.

But the highlight of the day? The photo booth.

“We have to!” Felix insisted, already pulling you and I.N inside. “For memories.”

You all squeezed into the small space, laughing as you tried to fit into the frame. The first photo was a normal one, just the three of you smiling. The second? Felix did a peace sign while I.N grinned, and you attempted a cute pose. By the third, chaos had ensued – Felix making a goofy face, I.N pretending to push him away, and you caught in the middle, laughing uncontrollably.

When the strip of photos printed out, you couldn’t stop smiling. It was perfect.

Later that night, while lying in bed, you stared at your phone screen, now set with the photo from the booth. A warm feeling spread through your chest. Felix wasn’t losing you, and you weren’t losing him. If anything, you were just gaining more memories together – ones that included I.N as well.

masterlist

[gojoidyll]

MYDEI GETS ANGRY AT YOU, or when Mydei says something to you that's hurtful when all you're trying to do is show that you care.

angst, mydei x fem!reader, arguments, mydei is kind of mean here, fluff at the end, etc.

“I- I’m sorry Mydei, I really didn’t mean anything wrong by-“

He silenced you by taking a step forward, that lone action striking fear in you as you took a step back, the back your thighs hitting the bed as you lost your balance and ended up falling into the mattress, but you were quick to sit up as Mydei looked down at you.

“You’re always sorry,” he bit, “but you don’t understand at all. You do not understand the choices I have to make or the responsibilities that I bear, and yet you preach about how I need rest or need to take a break when you don’t even know what I do to keep you and everyone else safe,” he snapped at you, barred his teeth, lashed out.

You knew he was stressed, and all you wanted to do was to help…

“I- I’m sorry,” you managed to choke out as tears began to bubble up at the corners of your eyes before cascading down your cheeks. Your lips doing that quivering thing they always do when you start to cry ugly tears.

“Tch, and now you’re crying,” he turned away from you, “if you stopped nagging at me and stopped being so damn clingy and acting like you know what’s best for me then you wouldn’t be crying so damn much.”

He went to leave and you called after him, asking him where he was going.

“Out, your crying is annoying. I need some peace and quiet since you talk so much.”

You bit back anything you had left in your mouth in fear that he would turn around and have even more to share with you. And when you couldn’t hear his footsteps echoing any longer and even a loud slam of a door, you fell back into the bed, your tears coming out faster and harder than before.

When you see him again, you’ll apologize. You didn’t want him to be angry at you for long.

You curled up on his side of the bed, your hands reaching for the covers as you pulled them over you in a mock embrace. You sniffled as you closed your eyes in hopes that sleep could put your mind at ease…

Meanwhile, Mydei was taking his frustration out on multiple training dummys which didn’t go unnoticed by a certain deliverer.

“Don’t you think they had enough,” Phainon mused as he watched Mydei hack yet another head off. The straw made head falling a little away from them due to how much force Mydei had used to cut it off.

“Not now deliverer. I’m not in the mood.”

Phainon watched as Mydei cut off another dummy’s head, his eyes scanning the man carefully – he observed Mydei’s body language, saw how his fist would punch a hole into a dummy’s stomach straight through before moving onto the next. Only one person could get Mydei so worked up.

“Did you fight with your wife again?”

Phainon had to hold back a laugh at the way Mydei so visibly tensed. It was just too easy to read the kremnoan man.

“Well,” Phainon pressed, “you should make up with her soon, fighting with her will do you no good.”

Mydei unclenched his fists before sighing heavily, “I do not believe she wishes to see me.”

“Why is that?”

Mydei glanced to Phainon and weighed his options, but decided to talk to the man anyway as he was … the closest person he could talk to about this. So he recounted the argument with Phainon, and much to his displeasure, by just looking at Phainon’s face he could see just how much he messed up.

“Friend, I am going to say this as kindly as possible… you messed up.”

“Tch,” Mydei crossed his arms over his chest as he looked away, “I already know that.”

Phainon sighed, “how long has it been since the argument?”

“This morning.”

It was already well passed noon.

Phainon shook his head as he gestured to the exit of the training grounds, “you better hurry on back to her.”

Mydei didn’t even need anymore convincing as he rushed home. Many in the streets wondered what at the kremnoan prince in such a rush, but he paid them no mind as he ran home to you.

Bursting through the doors, he went into each room he came across, but you were nowhere in sight. It wasn’t until he reached your shared room did he find you under the covers and curled up on his side of the bed, right where he had left you. Were you waiting for him to come back?

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he went up to you and kneeled beside the bed. He reached for your face as he brushed the stray hair from your face, your eyes were puffy and cheeks dried with tears. Regret was filled inside of him.

“Y/n,” he called for your gently as he ran his fingers along your cheek, the cool metal of his gloves waking you up as you groggily opened your eyes.

“Mydei?”

When you saw his face, your eyes were immediately started to fill with tears again, he was quick to wrap you up in a hug as he pulled you close into his chest.

“I’m sorry,” he tried not to strain those words as he apologized, tried to even make it sound soothing as he held you, “please do not cry. I was a cruel man with what I said to you, all because you were worrying about my well-being.”

You sat up a little and wrapped your arms around his waist, “I’m sorry too,” you said quietly, “I knew you were stressed and tried to help instead of giving you space.”

Mydei shook his head, “I don’t ever want you to give me space. I should have listened to you, please forgive me.”

He knew words alone would not fix what he had said and done. He knew that he scared you today, he could see it in your eyes earlier that morning when you were trying to back away from him. You were … afraid … of him.

“I’ll make it up to you, I swear.”

[teddypines]

Fight

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sumary: Dick and Batmom!reader got into a fight which upset both of them in the end.

Dick x Batmom!reader, Fem!reader (Use of she/her pronounce)

Note: Dick might be a bit out of character in this. Art/picture is from Pintrest, credits go to whoever made it.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Get back here, Richard!” Y/N yelled as Dick stormed off towards his room. The two of them had been in a fight. Dick had gotten really hurt on a patrol, but refused to seek medical attention. This, of course, upsetting Y/N. Hating to see one of her birds hurt like this. Yes, Dick was the oldest. yes he was old enough to deal with things on his own, but not with injuries like this. "Richard! Don’t you dare walk away right now!” Y/N yelled after Dick as she walked up the stairs. 

Dick ignored Y/N as he continued to struggle with walking towards his room. “Richard Grayson!!” Y/N yelled out one last time before Dick turned around to face Y/N. “Stop it! i am fine! I don't need you to baby me!” Dick hissed at Y/N. He was tired and just wanted to go to bed, but no Y/N needed to be a worried mother hen. “Just let me sleep! I do not need to be patched up!”

“Dick have you looked into a mirror? You look like hell, you need medical attention. Those wounds will get infected.” Y/N answered while trying to reach out for Dick. “I don’t need that, now stop being so annoying and let me be”

“Dickie, come on, please you really need to clean those. I am your mother, let me help you” Y/N Said, her anger slowly fading more and more as she looked at the beaten up boy. Something snapped in Dick’s tired mind and he got furious. “You are not my mother! Stop acting like you are!” Dick didn’t realize what he had said, because he turned around too fast to see the upset look on Y/N’s face. “I… I’m sorry Dick, i’ll let you be.” She said before Dick slammed his bedroom door shut. 

Y/N turned around and slowly walked towards the master bedroom, tears rolling down her face as she crawled into bed. After a while Bruce joined her in bed and wrapped his arms around her. “What’s wrong, love? Did something happen with Dick?” Bruce asked, but he didn’t get an answer. not until the next morning. Bruce understood Y/N didn’t want to talk about it just yet and just held her even closer to him.

<----------------------------------------------------------------------->

The next morning Y/N did come down for breakfast, but she was rather quiet. Not like her usual self, not telling Damian to not mess with his brothers or telling Jason to put his book down. Everyone noticed but Dick. He was still upset, but he did feel bad. Once he shut his door last night he realized what he had said and that broke him more than the wounds he had. Breakfast was quiet but not awkward. 

After breakfast Y/N just got ready for work and waved Damian and Tim goodbye as they went to school. She kissed Bruce’s cheek when he went to work. Dick looked on as Y/N did her normal routine, only feeling left out since they didn’t give him his hug.

“Mom?” Dick called out to Y/N, but she didn’t answer, too busy getting her bag ready. Dick carefully tapped Y/N’s shoulder which made her stop packing her bag. “Yes?” She answered a bit on the dry side. “Mom… I…” Dick started but he couldn’t find the right words. “It’s okay, Dick, you don’t have to call me mom if you don’t want to.” Y/N said, upsetting them both in the process. She gave Dick a sad smile before leaving for work. 

Dick sighs and gets ready for uni. “What was that?!” Jason asked shocked as he looked at Dick from the living room. He had a day off so he was going to do nothing all day, maybe bother Alfred a bit. “Nothing.” Dick answered his brother. “That was most definitely not nothing!” Jason gasped. “Oh my god, you and mom had a fight!”

“We did not have a fight,” Dick said as he shoved one of his books into his bag. “I just said something I regret…” Jason narrowed his eyes and glared at Dick. “What did you say?”

Dick groaned a bit when he stretched his arm the wrong way when grabbing another book to put in his bag. “I might have said that she wasn't my mom so she should stop acting like it” This made Jason gasp. “Yeah, I know, I screwed up...”

<---------------------------------------------------------------------->

A few days go by in which both Dick and Y/N are upset over what happened, everyone saw it. Dick did get some medical attention for his wounds but the sad smile Y/N wore that week hurt more than anything else. Dick sighed and started to make his way around the manor in search of Y/N. He eventually found her in the Batcave looking over some files and homework Damian did. He carefully sat down next to her at the Batcomputer. “Mom?” He said, which made Y/N turn her head towards Dick. “I’m sorry mom. I never meant to yell at you or say you’re not my mother. Because I do love you as my mom even with my own mom being, well not here… I was just so tired and patrol didn’t go well, and uni wasn’t great that day and… and.. I just don’t know anymore. But I don’t want you to be upset… That hurts…” Dick said through his tears.

Dick was surprised when he felt two arms around him. Y/N held Dick close to her. “I forgive you, sweetie, but please don’t ever say it again. It really hurts, when all I wanted to do was make sure you were taken care of. Maybe I shouldn't have yelled, though.” Y/N said as she slowly leaned back and started to whip Dick’s tears away with her thumb. She carefully leaned over and kissed Dick’s forehead. “I love you, Bluebird.”

“I love you too, ma”

[pastryfication]

Hi, so I'm a one:one teacher and I have heavy anxiety (among other things) especially this year and I use colouring as a de stressing method? So I was wondering if maybe you could write something about going to a GP with boyfriend!Oscar and you're caught colouring in the garage (you only do it during red flags or delays or whatever; you're glued to the race at all other times) and you get widely criticised for that and Oscar (and Logan and Estie and Lewis -- bc I love them and want to be their friends) all defend you? Grazie!

thank u so much for this request!! i’ve tried to write it as well as possible, but i know everyone deals with their anxiety differently. i’ve based this slightly on the way my sister deals with hers (though she has adhd and ocd as well so it might be a bit different) to make it as realistic as possible 🫶🫶

colouring books | oscar piastri

pairing: oscar piastri x anxious!reader

warnings: mentions of anxiety and toxic fans

your anxiety had always been something you had to manage carefully. you loved your job, and you found immense joy in successfully handling the challenges it faced you with, but the pressure could be stressful and at times very overwhelming. to deal with it, you discovered a love for colouring. the simple act of filling pages with bright, intricate patterns helped mollify your mind and ease your stress. letting your brain focus on something else, something so simple yet calming, became your sanctuary.

your boyfriend had always been supportive of this method. he knew how much colouring helped you stay calm, and he admired the way you balanced your demanding job with your personal struggles and always found peace amidst your daily chaos.

today, you found yourself in the bustling paddock in the city of monaco. the excitement and energy were palpable, even more so than normal, and while you were thrilled to support oscar, the sheer intensity of the environment began to weigh on you.

you stuck close to oscar for as long as possible, your hand holding firmly onto his. it didn’t take long for him to notice your tension, and he gave your hand a reassuring squeeze. “remember, if it gets too much, you can always find a quiet corner in the garage,” he reminded you. “you don’t have to watch the entire race.”

“i want to watch the race. i’ll be fine.” you assured him, giving him a warm smile as he left you.

as the action began, you watched nervously from the team’s garage. the roar of engines and the frenetic activity around you was both exhilarating and overwhelming. you tried your very best to focus on the race, but your mind started to spiral. when a red flag halted the race due to a crash, the sudden surge of activity and concern as the garage filled with engineers, mechanics and media personnel—all buzzing with tension and uncertainty—pushed your anxiety to its peak.

needing a moment to yourself, you found a quiet corner of the garage and pulled out your colouring book and pencils. the familiar motions soothed your nerves, gradually calming your mind.

lost in your activity, you didn’t notice the curious glances from some of the team members and fans who had found their way into the garage.

“is she seriously colouring right now?” one fan muttered.

“does she not care about what’s happening?” another scoffed.

“some support she offers . . . oscar deserves a better wag.” came a third opinion.

their criticism stung, each word amplifying your anxiety, but you forced yourself to shrug it off. they didn’t know you. they had no right to comment.

it didn’t take long before oscar entered the garage, the red flag lasting longer than expected.

he immediately noticed you huddled in the corner, trying to hide your distress. without hesitation, he walked over and placed a comforting hand on your shoulder, thump moving back and forth on your skin to comfort you.

“hey, what’s going on?” he asked, concern evident in his eyes.

you explained in a hushed voice, looking down at your lap. “some people are upset that i’m colouring. they think it’s unfair to you.”

oscar’s expression hardened. “i’m gonna go talk to them.” he decided.

“no, osc, it doesn’t matter.” you tried to calm him. “i’m used to it.”

your words didn’t help in the slightest, only working to make his frown deeper. he stood up, moving to address the group of fans standing outside with a firm voice. “excuse me, everyone. i would appreciate you not talking badly about my girlfriend. she’s not being a bad support; she’s taking care of her mental health. if anyone has a problem with that, they can come talk to me.”

the room fell silent, a few people looking away sheepishly as they halfheartedly apologised.

you looked down at your lap, slightly embarrassed, but you also couldn’t help but smile to yourself, feeling your heart swell at the actions of your boyfriend. looking pleased with himself, oscar turned back to you, giving you a sweet kiss that made your heart flutter.

later that day, when you where laying next to oscar in the hotel bed, both scrolling through your phone before going to sleep, oscar turned to you with a smile on his face.

“have you seen the way the other drivers stood up for you as well?” he asked. “some fan apparently filmed the whole thing and it was shown to some of them.”

“really?” you asked, excited at the prospect of the other drivers standing up for you.

oscar only handed you his phone in answer, the screen open on a twitter thread.

[dyeher]

“She did what?!” Sakusa’s eyes widen minutely, his hands stilling their massaging of your calf. “I- and you- you just- you just let her?!” He sounds incredulous.

“What was I supposed to do Omi! Fight her in the fucking parking lot?” you frown, nudging his hand with your shin until he resumes his massage.

“What do you me- yes! Yes! Knock her ass out, baby, that’s what you should have done!”

You blink at him, astonished at how genuinely upset he seems. “I could’ve ended up in a cell Kiyoomi,” you point out, calmly.

“And I would have happily bailed you out,” he sounds exasperated and that makes his reaction even more concerning.

You’re not sure what to reply to something like that. Mostly because you’ve never seen Kiyoomi so…incensed. You lock eyes for a brief moment, as you carefully bring your spoon to your lips and suck the ice cream off.

Sakusa scowls at you. “This is why I always go shopping with you. Trouble only ever finds you when you’re alone.”

You frown. “That’s mean Omi.”

“It’s true,” he vetoes. “If I were around it would have never happened.”

“I think it was an accident,” you pout, determined to give the woman the benefit of the doubt.

Sakusa cocks his head at you. “You think this woman accidentally ran into your cart with her car after you beat her to getting the last tub of cookie dough ice cream?”

You open your mouth to respond but he beats you to it.

“Nevermind,” he sighs defeatedly. “It doesn’t matter it’s in the past.”

“Uhm- I- we- we’ll have to cover the damage to her car…” you trail off when Sakusa turns to you slowly, his eyebrows furrowed menacingly.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I mean- she- the cart-“

“She ran into you! Fucking Christ,” Sakusa stands, throwing his hands into the air dramatically. “Let me guess, you apologized.”

You look away.

“Oh, come on!”

“I don’t like the way you’re acting right now,” you sniff, sullenly stuffing a spoon of ice cream into your mouth.

“Baby,” he takes a steadying breath. “Sweetheart, light of my fucking life,” he stresses, fists planted on his hips. “You have to see that this was not your fault!”

“But my cart—”

“Was the only thing protecting you from getting hit by a fucking car!”

You blanch, finally understanding why he’s so angry. “Oh.”

“Oh? Oh?”

Sakusa’s left eye twitches.

“I didn’t think of that.”

His eyes slip shut. “Of course not,” he chuckles dryly. “Of course you didn’t think about what would happen if that cart wasn’t there. Of course.”

“Omi—”

“You are never going shopping without me again.”

“Kiyoomi–”

“Don’t argue with me about this. You will not win.”

“But—”

“Never again.”

[22ayla21]

Hi!! I read your scene where the amphoreus husbands took revenge on their wives which led the kids to be concerned, I loved it so much!!

Could you do a scene that takes place a while after the incident with the kids in the morning where they notice their wife actually struggling due to pain and takes care of her?

Thank you so much! I love your works, they keep me going <333

Daddy's Mistake

Children's reaction to "daddy's mistake"

The morning at home started out a little different than usual. Mom was limping more than yesterday, and dad, surprisingly, hadn't left her side all day, helping her even with the little things she could handle on her own.

- Mom, are you okay? - the eldest asked when he saw her carefully leaning on a chair before sitting down. She smiled as always, but the children noticed that this smile was... strange.

- Everything is fine, - she answered calmly. But the youngest sister frowned.

- But you weren't limping like that yesterday... - her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

- Are you sure?

Mom just nodded, and meanwhile dad, who usually didn't get involved in such conversations, immediately moved a pillow for her comfort and put a cup of tea in front of her.

It was... strange. Very strange.

- Dad, what did you do to make you so concerned about mom now? - the middle child asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Mydei froze for a moment.

- Me?..

- Well, yes, - the eldest now also joined in the investigation. - You must have done something, if you are now so attentive to mom!

- I... - he coughed into his fist, avoiding their tenacious glances. - I am just... showing concern.

But the children were not fools. They looked at mom. Then at dad. Then at mom again. And then the middle daughter turned out to be the bravest:

- Did you accidentally hit Mom?!

Mydei choked on air.

- WHAT?!

The youngest sister looked indignant.

- Dad, did you hurt mom?!

- Of course not! - he was indignant, but seeing how the children were boring into him with suspicion, he suddenly lost confidence. And mom just sat, silently sipping tea, and did not even try to save him.

- Then why is she limping?!

Mydei glanced quickly at his wife, but she only smiled reservedly, enjoying his torment. He swallowed.

- Just... an accident.

- Oh, dad... You try so hard, but you still ruined everything, huh? - the eldest sighed compassionately.

- Exactly, - Mom nodded with satisfaction, taking a sip of tea. And the children, completely confused, but certain of one thing - Dad was clearly guilty of something - continued their breakfast, casting suspicious glances at him.

The wife tried to keep her back straight and walk as if everything was fine, but the children, as always, were too observant. If in the morning her limp could still be hidden, then by midday even the most inattentive of them noticed that their mother was moving slower than usual.

- Mom, are you in pain? - the youngest son pulled her hand, looking up from below with concern. She smiled, stroking his head.

- No, I'm just a little tired.

But children were not so easily tricked. The daughters immediately looked at their father, who was behaving... strangely. He was watching his wife too carefully, offering her to sit down, bringing tea, even taking on her share of the work.

It was... suspicious.

- Dad, did you do something? - asked the eldest daughter, folding her arms across her chest. Anaxa froze for a second, but then returned his face to its usual imperturbable expression.

- Why do you think so?

- You're acting... too nice. Like you're making amends.

The middle daughter narrowed her eyes.

- Did you do something that hurt mom?

The wife almost choked on her tea. Anaxa looked away, clearly trying to come up with an answer that wouldn't raise any more questions.

- I just... maybe... overdid it a bit with the training.

- You made mom train? - the eldest was indignant.

- Well... you could say that.

The youngest son frowned and approached his mother, hugging her tightly around the waist.

- Dad, you should be more careful! Mom isn't as strong as you are.

The wife almost burst out laughing, but she held back, watching Anaxa struggle with her pride. He wanted to object, but he knew that making excuses now would only make the situation worse.

- I'll... take it into account.

- Okay, - the youngest son nodded, pleased that his words had been heard.

The daughters looked at their father suspiciously for a while, but, not having gotten a confession from him, decided to leave the matter. But the wife was clearly enjoying the whole situation. Especially when Anaxa, realizing his guilt, carefully helped her sit more comfortably and even brought a pillow.

- Well, well, now you've suddenly become so caring? - she whispered when the children turned away. Anaxa only chuckled, but a mixture of guilt and hidden threat was visible in his eyes.

- I'm correcting my mistake. But don't think that next time you'll be able to escape so easily.

She grinned.

- We'll see.

The children began to notice this in the morning.

At first, everything seemed normal: their mother woke them up as usual, ate breakfast with them, but when she got up to clear the dishes, her movements were slower than usual. She limped slightly, and a barely noticeable expression of discomfort flashed across her face.

- Mom, does something hurt? - one of the sons asked, frowning.

- No, no, everything is fine, - she answered quickly, but her gaze slid briefly towards their father. And that’s where it became interesting.

Phainon, who was sitting next to her, immediately perked up, distracted the children and barely noticeably moved a chair towards her so that she could sit down. Later, when they were walking through the house, the children noticed that he literally adjusted his steps to hers, as if he was ready to catch her at any moment.

- Mom, are you sure everything is okay? - the youngest repeated insistently.

- Of course, - she answered, smiling softly, but glanced sideways at Phainon again.

But father... he looked guilty. All day long he had been extraordinarily solicitous of mother: handing her a cup, offering her a seat, doing all the housework himself, and when the children noticed her limping again, he immediately picked her up and carried her into the other room, despite her indignant protests.

- Dad, did you do something? - the eldest son finally asked, narrowing his eyes. Phainon froze.

- Um... of course not, - he answered too quickly.

- Then why is mother limping, and why are you acting like a guilty puppy? - father cleared his throat, and his wife only chuckled, shaking her head.

- That’s... um... a long conversation.

The children looked at each other, still puzzled. They didn’t know what Father had done, but he had definitely done something. And since he's trying so hard to make amends, it means there was something serious.

Now they have a new riddle. And they'll definitely solve it.

[daydreamteardrop]

Girlhood - Sylus x Reader Drabble

Note: Hello! This is a drabble Ive started, maybe I'll continue it. I thought about how Sylus would be so up for helping MC be more confident in a girly style, because her whole life she wasnt allowed to present girly for her safety. (im massively projecting). Grandma Josephine is carrying the brunt of that LMAOOO, idk, is not being a Josephine fan controversial?

Not beta read, we explode like Josephine.

Spoilers for Sylus' Story!

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• °.•

Girlhood wasn't really something you got to grow into.

Middle school introduced the full throttle of make-up, accessories and hairstyles onto the girls your age. And you found it fun, in fact, you always wanted to join the bandwagon.

But your dear gran was just so worried. She'd hold your hands tight and tell you that presenting so feminine can be dangerous. You will be stared at, perhaps even talked to by strangers, god - it would hurt your dear Grandma's heart should you walk outside while presenting in a girlish way. She'd be worried sick.

‘The boys would stare…’

‘Think about the way home, it gets dark so quickly during fall and winter.’

'It's unsightly.’

‘You are way too young.’

‘You’d get unwanted attention.’

And you didn't want to worry her.

So with a sad smile you were always the odd one out. You'd wear big T-shirts and pants. The girls in your class looked at you with such a pitiful yet mocking expression. One time they even ‘accidentally’ cut your hair and when Caleb picked you up from school that day, your silent begging to just go home was the only thing that stopped him from acting against the bullies. Grandma saw it as an opportunity to keep your hair short. It stayed the same even in highschool, where you were mistaken as Caleb's little brother once.

In the Hunter Academy, you were able to loosen the insistence of your grandma and managed to grow your hair to just above your shoulder again.

When you first wore the official Hunter's uniform, you couldn't be happy. The only thought that crossed your mind was ‘Grandma would worry if she saw the bare stomach.’.

When Tara would try to convince you to do anything girlish, you'd decline with a sour smile. Too scared, too constricted.

Even when the explosion took her, you just couldn't free yourself of the shackles.

-

Now, the dress Sylus made you wear for the auction was…gorgeous. The black and velvet felt so nice on your skin, it was practical to move in. The accessories glittered and reflected the dim lighting of the hallway. You didn't dare touch your hair, not knowing how, so the matching black claw-clip was in your hand. You didn't have any make-up you could use. And so it felt sinful to walk along this disgustingly expensive carpet in heels you weren't used to.

He held his hand out for you to take and wore that smirk. Black gloves met his calloused hand and he observed you. Looked you up and down and there was no way to tell if his gaze was scrutinizing. Red eyes met your face and then your hair, then to the claw clip in your hand.

“...not to your taste?”

“That's not it…”

Fingers clenched around the material of the hair accessory. He raised an eyebrow, urging you to continue.

“...I don't know how to put it in. I mean, it's kinda obvious how to, but-”

Before you could bring a finished sentence into the room, he grabbed the clip from your hand and spoke “Turn around.”

“Huh?”

He sighed. “I'll help you.”

With a bit of hesitation you turned around. Something about turning your back to the Onychinus leader was unnerving, an inner part of your brain scratched that it was crazy, but the moment his hands pulled your hair to the back with an uncharacteristic gentleness, the scratch stopped. He left a bit of hair out on purpose, letting it frame your face, and clasped the rest in place neatly by the claw clip.

Your hand traced over it carefully and you turned around and met his eyes. He huffed, satisfied with himself and put his hands in his pant pockets.

You recall the sentence that left him earlier.

‘No one can stay wary, when there's a beauty walking around.’

You're not used to being described with that adjective.

-

After the auction, Sylus waved you off when you wanted to return the dress and its accessories to him.

‘It was tailored for you. It's yours now.’

His way of using his money was…questionable to you. The dress was miles outside of your budget range and you hung it straight and neatly, in order to not even get a hint of a wrinkle in the luxurious fabric.

Closet doors were open and you stared at it, like it was some sort of glorious painting in a museum.

‘Maybe I should frame it.’ you thought as you sighed dreamily. When the tips of your hair slide over the back of your neck, you shudder, because it reminds you of Sylus' fingertips in your hair when putting it up with the clip.

Your poor pillow is the target of your suppressed squeal. A dress was in your possession.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

DaydreamTeardrop2025

[shysuccubusstuff]

Comfort with Sylus

Content: SFW stuff + boyfriend! Sylus + Vulnerable! Reader + Non proof-reading

Note: I just kind of love the option of the tete a tete cause he's just so sweet. I chose not to add an actual topic so thesfw reader was able to feel the liberty of imagining them telling him everything, I hope it was the correct choice!

You opened the door to your house, the sound of your keys left in the small table at the entrance. Today had been a rough day, moving from one side to another without even having a break to eat something. Not only that, but the ambience in your work was quite tense, with the holidays just ending, most of them were still getting prepared, with your boss constantly checking everyone's work and complaining about the most minimal thing, making everyone feel too uncomfortable to even rest for a bit. Just as you let yourself fall on top of your mattress, your phone started to vibrate, with your face still planted against the cushions, you lazily picked up the call, not even bothering to check who was calling.

"Guess who?"

"...Hello?" Your voice clearly denoted your current mood, as the voice on the other side quickly softened.

"It seems my kitten is exhausted, let me guess, a rough day in your work?" You answered with a deep sigh, the velvety voice on the other side making you relax, almost enough to get you to fall asleep. "I can't just ignore the weariness on you, give me a few minutes. I will send Mephisto while I get ready." Without allowing you to say anything else, the call ended.

Just as you were about to fall asleep, you heard a small knock in your window, too lazy to move, you stayed there, your whole body still limp as you soon stopped hearing the knock in your glass. Sligthly confused, you were about to lift your face, when suddenly two strong arms lifted you up, the warmth of his arms making you feel even more cozy making you nuzzle against his chest as an attempt to keep him from moving away. "Oh? This is something quite rare, my kitten with her guard completely down." Before you could even think of a come-back, Sylus' hand started to pet your head with a slow and caring emotion, almost as if he was afraid of breaking you. "No need to answer, let me take care of everything." With that said, Sylus started to walk towards your bathroom, using only one of his hands to put the plug of the bathtub, then opening the faucet, to finally choose the bath products you always used, his arm firmly keeping you lifted as he did all of this. Sylus then let you sit on top of the bathroom sink, his hands slowly undoing your buttons, then moving to your lower half, carefully folding them on top of your basket of dirty laundry. His arms once again wrapped around your waist, your body slowly entering into the warm water allowing the tension in your body to loosen up bit by bit as Sylus allowed you to lay inside the tub. "Much better now, let me shampoo your hair." Sylus took the bottle of shampoo, opening it and taking a few drops, his fingers starting to massage your scalp as he hummed a song only the two of you knew. After he ended, he took the small bottle of conditioner, starting to spread it only on the tips of your hair. As he let the two of them act, he took the sponge, rubbing it all over your body with extreme care, sometimes leaving soft kisses all over your body as he kept cleaning it.

"Sylus, you don't have to--" Sylus stopped you mid-sentence, one of his hands caressing your hair as he hushed you down.

"It's alright, kitten. Everyone needs to be taken care of from time to time, just let me do it for you, yeah?" His honeyed voice got you to relax once again, allowing him to keep scrubbing your body clean, finally getting you out of the shower after he made sure to get rid of all the shampoo and conditioner, rinsing the water before he wrapped your body around the already warmed bathrobe. As soon as he got you all ready, he got you to sit once again on the small stool, checking to get your hair all nice and dry before he took you once again in his arms, carrying you back to your bed, not letting you down until he made sure to let you all cuddled in bed. After kissing your forehead, he moved away for a few minutes, searching around your wardrobe for some clothes he had left the last time he had slept there. As soon as he changed clothes he quickly entered the bed, hugging you completely in his homely embrace, his comforting scent causing your eyes to swell up. "Now, would you like to talk about what is bothering you?" You clenched one of your hands around the fabric of his clothes, a knot forming in your throat as you tried to get the words out of my mouth.

"I... I just-- I don't know, it's everything I guess?" Sylus hands kept stroking your back, not saying a word until you had gotten everything out of your chest.

So you finally did, you started to cry in his arms as he kept moving his hands up and down your back as a way to comfort you as you began to speak about everything that was bothering you, from the small things like not getting the sweet little treat you wanted to much bigger topics, with Sylus constantly reassuring you each time you started to doubt telling him some stuff, after all, maybe it was you just being dramatic. But he stood there, surrounding you with his embrace and allowing you to be as vulnerable as you wanted. After all, you were lying in the arms of the most dangerous man in Linkon city, not only that, but a man that would give up everything he ever got just to get you to smile once more.

[mapis-putellas]

𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉/𝑨.𝑷𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒔

It started with a headache. A deep, pulsing one that had been building for weeks, maybe even months as the weight of your marriage slowly cracked under the pressure. You loved Alexia. Loved her more than anything in the world. But love wasn’t the problem.

The problem was the distance.

You’d thought, hoped, that retirement would mean more time together. More time as a family. More time with Harper and Valentina, who missed their mamá so much it physically hurt to watch. But instead, Alexia had thrown herself into coaching with the same relentless intensity she had as a player. Late nights, early mornings, barely there conversations. Your roles as wives had faded into co-parenting and logistical planning. And the worst part? You weren’t sure she even saw it.

So when your colleague invited you out for drinks, you said yes. Not because you wanted to be reckless, but because you wanted -needed- to feel like you still existed outside of being a mother and a wife to someone who barely looked at you anymore.

You weren’t even drinking. Just laughing, chatting, unwinding for the first time in what felt like forever. And then you felt it -the weight of eyes burning into you.

Alexia.

She was across the bar, surrounded by her coaching staff and some of the players, all celebrating a win. But she wasn’t focused on them. She was focused on you.

You saw the moment her expression shifted, the moment that carefully crafted wall of composure cracked just enough to let something dark and possessive slip through. She muttered something to someone at her table, stood, and crossed the room with the kind of determination that made your stomach drop.

Before you could even greet her, she was wrapping a hand around your wrist. “Vámonos.”

You blinked. “Excuse me?”

Her jaw clenched. “Vamos. Ahora.”

Your colleague raised a brow. “Everything okay?”

Alexia barely spared her a glance. “She’s leaving.”

You scoffed, yanking your wrist from her grip. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you don’t get to pull me out of a bar like I’m some teenager sneaking out past curfew.”

Her eyes flashed. “No actúes como si no supieras por qué estoy enojada.”

“I genuinely have no idea why you’re mad right now.”

Her nostrils flared, her voice dropping into something sharper. “Te ves tan feliz con ellos. Más feliz que conmigo.”

You gaped at her. “Are you serious right now? Alexia, it’s just a drink with a friend!”

“Un amigo que te está mirando como si quisiera algo más.”

You exhaled sharply. “You’re being ridiculous.”

She didn’t argue. She just grabbed your wrist again, firmer this time, and started pulling you towards the exit.

“Alexia-“

“Coche. Ahora.”

You sent her the most scathing glare possible as you once again yanked your wrist out of her grip, grabbing your things and storming out of the bar.

The car ride was a disaster.

Alexia gripped the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white, her jaw clenched hard enough to crack. You sat beside her, arms crossed, fury radiating off you in waves.

“You don’t get to be mad at me for having a life outside of waiting for you to come home,” you snapped.

Her fingers twitched on the wheel. “Eso no es justo.”

“No? Because it’s true?”

She inhaled sharply, but didn’t deny it.

You shook your head, laughing bitterly. “God, I can’t believe you’re jealous. Do you even see yourself? You barely touch me anymore, Alexia. You barely look at me. And now you’re acting like I’m cheating on you?”

She didn’t respond.

“You know what? Fine. Since you’re so interested in my ‘friend,’ let me clear it up for you -she’s married. To a man. Happily.”

Alexia’s grip faltered. “Qué?”

“Oh, now you want to listen to me?” You scoffed. “Yeah. She has a husband. And two kids. And she invited me out tonight because she saw how miserable I looked this morning after you left before the girls even woke up. Again.”

Guilt flickered across her face, but she didn’t speak.

The house was dark when you pulled up. The only light came from the living room, where the nanny sat on the couch.

“They’re upstairs,” she said quietly. “Asleep.”

You forced a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you. You can go.”

She nodded quickly, grabbing her things and slipping out without another word.

The second the door shut, you turned back to Alexia. “I hope you’re happy.”

Her brow furrowed. “No estoy feliz.”

“Good.” You kicked off your shoes, already heading for the stairs. “Because neither am I.”

You were halfway up when a small voice called out.

“Mamá?” You froze, turning just in time to see Valentina standing at the top of the stairs, rubbing her tired eyes. Harper peeked out from behind her, clutching her stuffed bear.

Alexia inhaled sharply. “Bebé, ¿por qué no estás en la cama?”

Valentina pouted. “Estaban gritando.”

Guilt stabbed through you.

Harper toddled forward, reaching for you. “No pelear.”

Your heart broke. You scooped her into your arms, kissing the top of her head. “We’re not fighting, baby. Just talking really loud.”

Valentina crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. “Parecía una pelea.”

You sighed, reaching for her hand. “It’s late, sweetheart. Let’s get you back to bed.”

She hesitated, looking between you and Alexia.

“We’re okay,” you promised. “Go on, I’ll tuck you in.”

With one last wary glance at her mamá, Valentina nodded and followed you upstairs.

By the time you settled them back into bed, exhaustion weighed heavy in your bones. You barely had the energy to change before collapsing into bed, and just a few minutes later, the door creaked open greeting you with the sight of Alexia stood in the doorway, shoulders slumped, regret carved into every inch of her expression.

“Lo siento.”

You sighed. “We can’t keep doing this.”

She swallowed hard. “Lo sé.”

Silence stretched between you, thick and unyielding. Then, finally, she moved. Crawled into bed, curled into your side the way she always did when she needed you but didn’t know how to ask.

You exhaled, running a hand through her hair. You knew something had to change, because whilst love may not be the problem, if you kept going like this, it definitely wouldn’t be enough to save you.

**

Tags:

@ceesimz @marysfics @girlgenius1111 @codiemarin @simp4panos @silentwolfsstuff @goldenempyrean @xxnaiaxx @liloandstitchstan @ktgoodmorning @chelseacult

[worstcasescenario-if]

DEMO (NA) ⚘ LOVE INTERESTS ⚘ FAQ

Writing has been your passion ever since you were a child. You wrote whenever you could, wherever you can. It's been a part of your life for so many years now.

Now, you're twenty-five years old, with a decent job with decent pay, a loving partner, and you're also planning to write a novel of your own now. Isn't that so exciting?

What's even more exciting is finding out your OCs (that you've forgotten) you made during your teenage years came to life! Oh, but there's a catch:

They all want you dead.

WORST CASE SCENARIO is a psychological horror with lots, and I mean lots, of murdering. Please check out FAQ before proceeding.

FEATURES

-Customize your MC. What are they called? What do they look like? How do they act? What genre do they like to write about? And more!

-Face four of your original characters you put through immense suffering. And maybe romance them.

-Try to remember how you wrote them.

-Find out why your partner is acting weird.

-Choose how you want to deal with their hostility towards you. Apologize? Surrender? Or kill them yourself?

-In the meantime… run.

LOVE INTERESTS

CALVIN/CALLIE ZHU (m/f) — THE DOG

-Your partner of five years. They've been with you through thick and thin, and has supported you through everything. They're a little broken inside, but you're the one piecing them back together every single time. Will you still be able to do that?

PERSONALITY: Loyal, hotheaded and sarcastic.

SAINT CONNELLY (m) — THE SAINT

-The one that went insane. He was once an angelic boy, obedient and kind, until he inadvertently “sinned”. What his family and church did to him after left a huge, ugly scar on him; now God doesn't exist to him anymore.

PERSONALITY: Charming, enthusiastic and easily irritable.

AILEEN TWITTY (f) — THE ROTTEN

-The dumb blonde. She's a conventionally attractive rich girl who spends her money on everything and anything she wants, who posts the best pictures on her Instagram with over 100k followers, and she's happy everyday. That's on the surface, anyways. She still has unresolved issues regarding her mother she… injured.

PERSONALITY: Bubbly, energetic and sweet.

AGARI TAKAHIRO (m) — THE JESTER

-Comedic relief. He can say the most out of pocket things, make everyone in the room relax and laugh with his weirdly dark jokes. At least, that's how you wrote him, right?

There's something wrong with him.

PERSONALITY: Laid-back, nonchalant and weird.

NEKTARIA SOTIROPOULOU (f) — THE BELLADONNA

-”Dream girl”. She's an independent woman, CEO, only warm around the ones she love. A very desirable woman, no? Just tread carefully; one wrong move, and you may see a whole new side of her.

PERSONALITY: Calm, manipulative and narcissistic.

SPECIAL CHARACTER(S):

??? — It's their fault you're in this situation. They messed up. They messed up. THEY MESSED UP THEY MESSED UP

[harukyuu2]

Hello, a request please, the boys of Furin x childhood friend reader, how do the boys react when they meet their childhood friend again (the reader moved away when she was little) and their biggest crush reciprocated?

Awww hello!! Thats such a cute request! I tried my best writing some characters that i thought were gonna look cute, so there you go <3

!! Now that i ended writing it, i noticed that i got a little focused on the past..i hope you still like it tho!! i can make a part two extending the idea more <3

♡ Characters: Haruka Sakura, Nirei Akihiko, Hajime Umemiya, Tasuku Tsubakino

- Fluff, pretty angsty on the past sorry !! (Mentions of bullying for Nirei), readers acts slightly different for each of them, neutral reader but for Tsubakino there are mentions of "femenine" things, they/them pronouns for Tsubakino

♤ To be honest, Haruka isnt sure if he can consider you as someone who was his friend. Haruka had a harsh past where people bullied him by his looks, even as a kid no one wanted him around-- except you.

Haruka used to spend his days on the park, there where games, trees that he could punch like those man on the street between them and bugs. He could tell even since a young age that parents looked at him with sadness or disgust, including yours but you still didnt seem to care.

A small child approached Haruka with a little sunflower on her hand, probably stealed from the garden of the park. - "This flower matches your eye" - the small child stated and smiled shyly offering the sunflower to Haruka.

Ah, this is a memory he hates—the time he stomped on that flower, thinking it was some kind of disgusting joke, only to make the small child cry and your parents scream at Haruka. Yet, you didn’t stop trying to approach him. Every day, you took that same route after school, or maybe you’d pass by when you went shopping with your parents—it didn’t matter. Every time you walked by, Haruka was there. It was almost like the universe wanted the two of you to be close.

Slowly, Haruka started to get used to your presence, even if he still kept some of his guard up, just in case you ever treated him like a monster. But you never did. Day by day, as you kept collecting sunflowers, it eventually led to the moment where you learned how to make a sunflower crown, placing it carefully on Haruka's head with a stupidly big grin thinking it highlighted one of his eyes!

Time flew by when you were together. It got to the point where Haruka forgot he ever hated you—he even started waiting for you at the park every day, usually to play the silly games you thinked about. Even when he frowned or got annoyed, you always showed up, bringing an inexplicable warmth to his heart.

But then... you stopped coming. A week passed, then a month, then a year. Haruka eventually gave up, assuming you had left him—just like everyone else always did. And yet, no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to hate you. You were the first person to show him what affection truly felt like.

You still held a hidden place in his heart and mind, and as time passed, he couldn’t help but wonder what you’d look like when you were older.

...

The small bell in the door of Cafe Pothos ringed giving the announcement of a new client. Haruka was too focused on chewing his second omurice of the day while Kotoha welcomed the customer. He noticed the sudden weird silence, but who cares.

"Haruka...?" - someone asked, their voice barely above a whisper, that it almost seem like it was breaking in confusement. He almost choked upon hearing someone say his name like that. And then, with wide eyes and a faint blush creeping onto his face, he froze, staring at the person standing before him—a beautiful sight he had left behind in the past long ago.

And here he is, with his usual frown looking at the opposite direction while the first person to approach him in the past is sitting at his side pretty close. Asking annoying questions, with the annoying teasing look of Kotoha and the annoying lack of space between them.

"Why did you moved here? I didnt expect to find you again! Im so happy..." -Your tone went lower on the last part but there was a clear pleased smile in your face

"To be on Furin, on the top better said." -He responded quick and bluntly, dont be confused! He is just really nervous to see you again, who would know you just got prettier than you already were on his eyes? the fact youre so close doesnt help either.

"Furin? Be on top?" - You ask curious raising an eyebrow since you just got here so... Well, anyways! if Haruka says it, its probably something interesting.

"A school for deliquents, wanna be on top." - He responds and looks at you for a moment, looking in your eyes for any negative emotions towards him

"Oh..." - You hummed, surprised by the thought, but in the end if Haruka wants that goal, youre gonna support him. Giving him a sweet smile that made him quickly look away again. Seeing his reaction, you placed a hand on his shoulder, feeling how he straightened up nervously, his whole body tense.

"Well, why dont we take a walk together? Its been years since I moved away because of my parents work, and running into you in this town is kinda crazy! I really want to know how you’ve been. You know... You were such a cutie back then, and— Haruka, are you okay!?" - you asked, alarmed as you noticed him frozen in place, his face completely red and looking like he was about to steam from the heat.

Whoops! Even if Haruka stopped working, atleast a part of his heart is warm knowing you didnt leave that shitty city because of him. At the end, you two had a nice walk talking about how your lifes are going, Haruka gived you back a flower of a park as a form of remembering when you gived him those sunflowers (He panicked for ten minutes before almost breaking the flower and giving it to you all flustered and pouty) and walking you home since he was worried for your safety. After all this time, you gived him a small hug to thank him but he runned away before you could say anything else. No worries! you will give him more affection the days you encounter him.

♤ Nirei admired you so much, to the point you were the first person he writted about in his small journal of strong people. Yeah, maybe you werent strong physically! But you were...someone he admired.

This warm feeling about you came from a while ago when you two become friends even if he was a person who has been bullied since childhood, you were one of the few things he didnt hate of the school you two went.

In his middle school years, he had their only friend since childhood worried almost everyday, just as the usual beaten ended, you always appeared to heal his wounds with a frustated expression since you couldnt do anything about it. He always noticed that, and his crybayby tears didnt help at all to comfort you, he just wished to be stronger more for you than himself. He was worried that those guys decided to do something to you, after all you werent scared of showing that you were pretty close to Nirei.

His fear camed to reality pretty early. One of those days where he was being beaten up, it got more heated by the group of his bullies throwing him against the wall in the back of the school and starting to punch him restless for not having the notes they asked for in time. A big kick was about to come when the bully suddenly stopped seeing a girl in front of him

"Stop it please, its not good to go punching people. If you wanted notes..." - She was trying to defend him, he could see from the back how her arms that protected him from their view shaked and more when the bully gived her a slap. Nirei could only look her back, afraid of them hurting her more but not being able to help because of the fear, he is thankful a teacher saw them and stopped this inmediately.

But that bringed your overprotective parents to know about the situation, just as Nirei saw you as something precious, for your parents was the same thing. Taking the decision to move out because of their work and to change you into another school before the situation brings more hurtness to you.

Even then, with a smile you gived him a phrase that still sounds strongly in his heart- "Until we meet again Nirei!"

...

It was a normal day after Nirei managed to learn some defensive moves for the upcoming fights thanks to Suo. Those two were coming back from one of their sessions of practice, but couldnt help to hear a yelp from one of the abandoned valleys that is a little far from the center of Makochi. They quickly runned there finding someone Nirei knows pretty well being pushed against a wall and two boys asking you to give everything in your bag to them. Nirei, shocked to see you again runned screaming your name without thinking of the fear or anything, making not only you to be surprised but Suo too.

"Nirei!?" - you screamed, your eyes wide in shock as you saw him all grown up, completely forgetting about your situation. Did he dye his hair? you thought. It looks good on him! A smile spread across your face, but it quickly faltered, your heart skipping a beat as Nirei narrowly avoided a punch. Wait—did he just make that guy roll when he dropped to the floor? You couldn’t help but let out a small laugh on how he looked like a little bug, which only seemed to irritate the guy who had been cornering you against the wall. He tightened his grip on your wrist, but before anyone else could react, Nirei lunged at him, tackling him to the ground even if it meant recieving some punches of that guy on his back.

You let out a small gasp of surprise, but before the chaos could escalate, another guy with an eye patch stepped in, delivering a final punch that knocked the two aggressors out cold. Letting out a sigh of relief and giving a thankful smile to the eyepatched guy, you walked slowly toward Nirei, who was still on the floor catching his breath—he looked exhausted.

"Nirei..." - You called him again bringing yourself down to him with a calm smile. You heard his small sobs before he looked at you and started to mumble incoherent stuff, but you bringed yourself to understand he missed you a lot. Your smile widened slightly so you decided to caress his hair to calm him a little - "Yeah, missed you too silly. You been training, right? i can tell, you look like a...hero! You just saved me right now, that was awesome!" - You said knowing how obsessed Nirei was with being one before finally hugging him softly, you heared his small yelp but still how shakily he reciprocated the hug, feeling a warm on his heart of having you back with him.- "Lets go to eat something 'kay? i missed you!" - You said finally getting up with him and following him close, oops! you two forgot Suo was there too.

Umemiya always thought of you two on the past as that phrase people use of "Right person, wrong time".

When he got to the orphanage, he wasnt the most easy kid to take care of. He was really sad and deep into believing it was his fault what happened to his parents, wanting to push everyone away and believing he didnt deserve to still be here. But still, you always showed up, trying to spend time with him. You didn’t like seeing him alone, so even when he tried to push you away, you kept following him, curious about what he was up to. You were always there, making sure he ate his food and explaining what the flavors were supposed to taste like, trying to get him to play games and see if he felt anything. You tried everything for him.

One of his favourites memories is when you smiled really big after he finally started to get his happiness again and felt the taste of food after a lot of time. He started to love spending time with you, he even learned to braid hair with you! but still something felt different than with the other kids, he couldnt bring himself to think of you as a sister...he thinked of you as something more special.

So you can imagine his surprise when a family about to move out of town decided to adopt you. He was happy for you—of course, he was—but he couldn’t ignore the ache in his heart at the thought of you being far away.

During those last days by your side, he always smiled, trying to show you that he was handling it well, even if you could clearly see the sadness in his eyes. That’s why, on your last day there, the other kids at the orphanage gave you goodbye drawings, but you decided to secretly slip one into Umemiya’s hands and hug him tightly.

"Lets have a meal together when i come back 'kay?" - You smiled at him and Umemiya returned the hug, nodding at your words and hoping that the future reunites them again.

...

It was a normal day of helping around on the town for Umemiya until the sweet old lady of a bakery grabbed his arm to stop him from walking away.

"Aw sweetie, wouldnt you mind tasting the new parfait i want to put on the menu of the bakery? you can sit down and tell me your opinion while someone comes to help you with all those bags people gived you!" - The old lady seemed pretty eager to convice him and in the end, she managed to do it.

"Ask for the parfait there on the counter while i fix the shop! it has to look cute, Ume" - The old lady adds when they enter the bakery with a small laugh, but Umemiya didnt expect to see you on the counter. Just as shocked as he was, you opened your mouth to talk-- it trembled a little in hesitation before it leaved on a shaky whisper - "Ume...?"

And here you two are, after Umemiya jumped over the counter to hug you and taking you out of the bakery, now wandering through the city as he animatedly tells you stories about what he’s been up to with Furin and the town. You listened, amused by all his achievements, nodding along as he spoke. He looked so cute, talking so excitedly about everything he had accomplished, that you didnt even realize he had led you to the rooftop of the school he loved so much.

He eagerly presented you to his plants like if they were his babies, excitedly explaining to you that he is waiting for the tomatos to mature for the next barbecue. He standed up slowly going closer to you

"I hope you come to the barbecue, it would be nice seeing you there. Oh! you can also come around this week to know my friends! Ah, i want you to meet the boys of first year too, they are..." - He hears your small laugh from hearing his ramble since quite the few minutes, making him stop for a moment and admire your face with a small smile starting to form. He leaves a small laugh and rubs his neck - "im talking pretty much, arent i?"

"Yeah, but dont worry i dont mind. Its been a while since i have a talk with you" - You shake your head fixing a strand of hair out of your face, the sunset falling behind you two. - "Im happy you seem... more alive than the last time we saw each other"

There was a moment of comforting silence while you saw each other, taking in the fact that you two finally are together again. Umemiya gently passed one of his arms around your neck, pushing you against his chest and whispering softly - "Missed you..".- you inmediately passed your arms around him too, the moment lasting forever for you two.

Tsubakino always admired you, even in your childhood years, Tsubakino always admired how your hair was long and well taken care of.

But for the most part, they loved sneaking away from those boring car talks with the boys by running to find you in the courtyard. They’d excuse themself by saying they were curious about your makeup dreams for when you got older, claiming they were just bored. (They couldnt bring themself to admit that they really wanted to try that pink lipstick with glitter of yours.)

The time they spent with you always felt just right. You never seemed to mind them talking your ear off about things typically considered "feminine," and that meant the world to them. It helped them so much that, even today, Tsubakino is grateful to you for introducing them to those things.

Still, Tsubakino saw you go before they could tell you openly all the things they loved about your makeup, your hair, how you styled the uniform even if the teachers scolded you, Tsubakino loved all your style. But they couldnt bring themself to say that before you had to leave the town with your family, you gived something precious to Tsubakino that they promised to take well care of. Your red lipstick that they were always peeking how you used it

"Take care of this while im gone! i know you like it in secret" - You said between giggles with a wink putting the lipstick on Tsubakino's palm and gently closing it. - "If you ever want, you can use it just...dont lose it 'kay?" - You ask with a gentle smile before running away since your parents were calling you, Tsubakino just nodded in awe pressing the lipstick against their chest, hoping for the future to reunite you two again

...

Tsubakino was doing some shoppings with Kotoha, mostly based of seeing clothes but they were also trying to get a new limited color palette that was on sale in a huge store! and yet even if they runned there early, the line was packed up of people. Tsubakino saw Kotoha sigh but tried to cheer her up that they would probably get it if they are lucky, and also it wont be that bad of a wait if they are together.

Almost all conversations on the line were interrupted by a boy who pushed a person back and didnt even apologized for taking their place without a warning.

"Hey! You cant just cut in line! I was here first!" - The voice made Tsubakino flinch slightly, almost like they knew who it was. When they turned around, Tsubakino immediately recognized you—you still took such good care of your appearance. Your makeup, your hair, even your outfit was so cute! Ah—They had almost forgotten you were in the middle of an argument with that boy.

Tsubakino quickly turned to Kotoha, putting on a focused expression while fixing their own hair and lightly tapping their cheeks to make sure they looked good. Once satisfied, Tsubakino hurried over to where the argument was happening, determined to step in and resolve it—obviously as a proud member of Furin!

"Well, i dont think its necessary to make such a trouble for everyone! could you please not cut in the line?" - Tsubakino ask to the guy with a gentle smile while their hand rested on their own hip. Tsubakino could feel your gaze studying them, like if you were trying to confirm who they actually were. It made Tsubakino's heart ache and hope they are impressing you by their new appeareance and how cool they are acting

The other guy turned slowly with a frown - "Ha? who the hell you think you are to..." - The guy stopped talking seeing the uniform of Furin and then recognizing Tsubakino, he gulped and nodded just going away with his head low

Tsubakino turned to you with a gentle smile, walking closer and giggling at how your eyes seemed to light up the moment you finally recognized them.- "Tsubakino!?" you exclaimed, your smile widening as they nodded.

You couldn’t help but gasp, tilting your head as you spoke, your hands flying in the air to emphasize your excitement. "I— you look so good!! I love the color of your dyed hair! How do you manage to take such good care of it? It almost looks natural!"

The two of you immediately launched into a flurry of compliments, excitedly gushing over each other’s looks and how they reflected the styles you both used to dream about. Kotoha, watching from the sidelines, couldnt help but feel a little amused by the situation. She sighed softly and decided to let you two talk.

After a moment of sharing compliments, Tsubakino smiles sweetly at you starting to look for something on their purse, you couldnt see what Tsubakino hidded in his palm until he grabbed your hand and landed you the lipstick you gived them a couple of years ago. - "I think its time to give you back this, isnt it? Such a pretty color you lend me...i used it but still kept the container as a lucky charm!" - You couldnt help the small blush forming on your cheeks, such a silly thing and yet Tsubakino decided to follow your words? Thats so cute...

Tsubakino noticed your nervousness and gived you a knowing smile, in the end he called Kotoha so you three made the line for the product. The rest of the day you spended it shopping with those two while sometimes Tsubakino took advantage of the fact the mall was crowded so they could grab your hand and squeeze it just so you dont get lost of course!

With that said, when Kotoha leaved, Tsubakino walked you home and gived you a little lipstick charm as a gift for coming back as you said on your promise with them. With a smile Tsubakino hugged you slowly, knowing you could feel their perfume. Such a lucky guess they used the expensive one today! - "Hope we can do more and more shoppings together..." - You smiled warmly at Tsubakino's words and said back - "Sure, and you will let me do your makeup to test it, right?"

[gojoidyll]

There is No Law that Emperors Must be Fair

Emperor ! Jing Yuan x Princess ! Reader

Chapter 16 | The Lion, the Wolf, and the Not Amnesiac

Summary | You are set to marry the Emperor, Jing Yuan. In order to break the engagement, you stage an accident and fake having amnesia. But now, your own cruel, cold, and distant fiancé, who seemed to not want anything to do with you, is now acting all lovey dovey!

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You fiddled with your necklace as you paced your room. Throughout the rest of the day Jing Yuan had shown you around his castle. To say you were impressed would be an understatement. The place was huge and it was far more than you have seen then in your previous lives. He even showed you the door to his room which was a lot closer to your own room then you previously thought.

And now that you were back in your own room for the night after dinner, you were left with a promise that Jing Yuan would come get you.

You’ve already bathed and done all the other basic hygiene routine, so now you just have to wait… right?

Or maybe Jing Yuan wants you to come to him!

You immediately started to pace the room. Your eyes hastily turning to the door before steadying your breath and deciding to just go for him. That way you can just get this over with and not get any grey hairs while you wait here!

Opening the door, you had accidentally startled Gepard who had so graciously taken up Blade’s- wait Blade is guarding my door too?!

“I- is it really necessary for me to have two guards at my door?”

“Usually one would suffice,” Gepard answered, “but Blade here doesn’t trust me,” he ended his sentence with a pointed glare directed at Blade.

“You are a guard from a foreign land and the princess doesn’t remember you.”

“Funny, cause last time I checked you’re a guard keeping her in a foreign land who she also doesn’t remember.”

The two glared at each other causing you to sweatdrop, oh dear…

“Well, while you two chat I’m just going to…”

“And where are you going princess?”

“To… go to the Emperor’s room…”

“Didn’t he say that he will come get you.”

You fiddled with your nightgown, “he’s taking too long and I feel like I will back out if I wait any longer. Besides, he never said I couldn’t go to him first.”

Blade sighed at your explanation, but Gepard saw this opportunity, “alright then princess, we’ll be right with you.”

Blade grumbled something under his breath, but didn’t say anything else on the matter as you left to go in the direction of Jing Yuan’s room. The two following closely behind you.

“Then it’s just this turn here, right?”

Bingo!

Smiling to yourself as you spotted the familiar door, you went right up to it.

Knock first, y/n.

Straightening your night gown, you then lifted your arm and gently knocked on his door. Your knuckles hitting hard against the wood as a sound reverberated loud.

You heard an irritated, muffled voice from behind the door and hoped he wasn’t mad at you, but it was too late now. Just smile and-

The door opened and you found yourself frozen still.

The maid from the dining room who had spilled your drink on you by pushing Jiaoqiu was standing before you. Her top and skirts where gone, along with her under clothes. The only thing that covered her was a heavy blanket.

“How many times do I have to tell you girls, it’s my turn-,” she stopped herself when she finally focused on who was in front of her. Her lips slowly curling into a small little smirk.

“Oh princess,” she said in a mocking tone, but you weren’t going to have it. Stepping in front of you, Gepard glared down at you, “you dare present yourself to the princess and mock her, maid?”

Push her aside and confront Jing Yuan or go back to your room. You weighed the options carefully.

“Gepard.”

You grabbed his arm and tugged at him to get him to back down.

“Yes, princess?”

“You are not to follow the Emperor’s orders anymore, and Blade. I don’t care if you’re my supposed guard. Gepard is all that I need, so you are dismissed.”

You turned on your heel, “follow, Gepard.”

The blonde was happy to oblige, leaving Blade at the Emperor’s door next to the maid.

“You better get back in there, or the Emperor will wonder what’s taking you so long.”

The maid merely giggled and closed the door back. Meanwhile, you hurried back to your own room and even went as far as brining Gepard in there.

“Uhm.. Princess, I don’t think I should be in here…”

“Gepard, please not now.”

He watched you for a few seconds as you paced around the room, and Sunday’s words echoed back at you on how you needed Blade as an ally, however, you looked to Gepard and made your decision. At one point in time, you and Gepard were friends. He was someone you could trust with your life.

“Gepard.”

“Yes, princess?”

“I don’t have amnesia.”

“I know.”

“In fact, I staged the whole thing of getting amnesia in hopes of the engagement being broken off and so I can go home- wait…. You know? How?!”

“That act may fool the Emperor and Blade, but I’ve known you since we were kids. You have a few tells that let me know when you’re lying.”

“I have tells?! Like what?”

Gepard smiled and kept his lips shut tight on the matter, “if I told you, then you would just try to hide your tells.”

You grumbled as you crossed your arms over your chest, “and when were you going to tell me,” you asked.

“When we were alone or at least near other allies.”

“Other allies?”

Gepard nodded, “I didn’t just come here to be your guard, I came here to get you out too. Your father… talked to some trustworthy people a day or two ago, and we think they can help us out.”

“Who?”

“Do you know who Jiaoqiu and Moze?”

You nodded. Technically speaking, you hadn’t met Moze in this life yet- wait. But Moze literally helped kill you that first time?!

Calm down, y/n. That was a past life and at the time your father hadn’t gotten help yet, so when you died that one time, Moze wasn’t an ally then, but he is now.

“But they are retainers of…”

Gepard nodded again, “we are getting help from General Feixiao.”

Taglist pt 1

@danae-misfortune @frogsasfrogs @openthenyoor01 @zuhaine @ughlostmyotherac @joyfulnightprincess @thechibifoxcub @ceaether @satanisasofties @thetwinkims @yanrandom @honeybunbunn @superdonkeypatroleggs @ohmyfinggod @baboon-milk333 @zareri @kclremin @rains-mae @yccoffeesimp @bloomiesty @moon-taffy @superdark-soul @pinkismyfavcolor @isa-l0v3r @its-astrotea-love @reapersan @junephantom21 @erisfayred @greyrain23 @justadekusimp @uzxotic @alisstaa @avalordream @unlivingdisaster @pix-stuff @sleepyxion14 @pillows-blankets @anicega @junni-berry @niaainthere @sorachitsuki @dyingsweetmackerel @rosariymchapter @immahuman @fluffy-koalala @momoniq @orphiclueur @insightedly

[onlyhereforthestories]

Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Leah Williamson x Reader)

Day 4! Anyone else think that decorating the tree is one of the best parts of the festive holiday?

As the holiday season approached Leah got more and more excited. You knew she loved the holiday but being as last year you had only been officially dating for about 3 months, she had dampened it down a little as to not overwhelm you. This year though you could tell she was fully comfortable sharing her excitement with you, something you were more than happy with.

Leah had insisted that this Christmas, you’d be decorating the tree together in her apartment. Last year you had left her house one evening and came back the next night to find her house transformed into a winter wonderland of sorts. This year however, she was going to make sure you were a part of her plans, being as you were a lot more involved with each other.

You could tell she’d been looking forward to it all week, she’d already picked up the perfect tree which has spent the last day dropping out. She had also spent an afternoon at the garden centre, bringing home boxes filled with ornaments, lights, and ribbons stating that as this was your first joint tree it had to be new things that you both would like.

Tonight, she’d even set up a holiday playlist so that while you decorated, the living room would be filled with soft, nostalgic carols. She pulled out a big box filled with ornaments, each one carefully wrapped in tissue paper. “I went a bit overboard,” she admitted, laughing as she took out a few of the shiny baubles. “I just couldn’t pick!”

“You went all out, huh?” you teased, grinning as she unwrapped a glittery red ornament and held it up for inspection. She rolled her eyes at you, a playful smile tugging at her lips, and handed you a few decorations to start with.

“Christmas isn’t for half assing a job, not that I ever do that anyway love. But this is like the best holiday of the year, you have to do it proper.” You couldn’t help the smile that took over your face at the excitement coming from the Lioness captain. Only offering her a slight hmmm of semi agreement, before you took the box of ornaments off of her.

As you both worked, Leah passed you ribbons, tinsel and ornaments, her eyes lighting up whenever you hung one up. Some of the decorations were traditional, tiny wooden reindeer, little stars, and glass bulbuls in classic red and gold. But Leah had also picked out a few quirky ones: a mini soccer ball, a tiny camera, and a little book with “Our Adventures” scribbled across it. You couldn’t help but laugh as she explained each one, her enthusiasm bubbling over as she shared the stories behind each choice.

“We obviously have to have a football one, its literally the only reason we are here now…”

“If I had a pound for every photo you took of me or a pretty view then id be richer than a men’s player…” You did mention her and a pretty view are one and the same which got your favourite pink cheeks and scoff reaction from her.

“This feels like the beginning of our adventures, and I saw that one and thought is was a fitting first Christmas together properly ornament. Much better than the cheesy actual ones act least.”

After a while, you noticed a small, lumpy bundle at the bottom of the box. Unwrapping it, you found an old, handmade ornament. It was a little star painted in Leah’s favourite colours and was a bit worn around the edges. “What’s this one?” you asked, holding it up.

Leah looked at it and smiled, a little sheepish. “I made it when I was a kid. It’s terrible, isn’t it?” She laughed, looking a bit embarrassed, but you could see the fondness in her eyes.

“It’s perfect,” you replied, giving her a warm smile as you carefully hung it in a prime spot near the top of the tree where everyone could see it with just a glance. She watched, her face softening as she took your hand and squeezed it gently.

After an hour or so, the tree was nearly complete, draped in lights and covered in the mix of classic and quirky ornaments Leah had chosen. You both stood back, admiring your work as she reached over to switch on the lights. “This is always the best part, the first light up. It’s just magic.” The tree glowed softly, casting the room in a warm, magical light. You couldn’t help but agree with her.

Leah wrapped her arms around you from behind, resting her chin on your shoulder as you both gazed at the finished tree. “It’s perfect,” she murmured, her voice warm in your ear. You leaned back into her, feeling her arms tighten around you in a quiet, contented hug.

She glanced over at the last item on the table, a silver star meant for the top of the tree. With a grin, she picked it up and handed it to you. “You want to do the honours?”

You nodded, feeling a spark of excitement as she lifted you up slightly, helping you reach the top of the tree. Carefully, you placed the star on the branch that stuck out at the top, and she set you back down, pulling you close once again as you both admired the final touch.

“Absolutely perfect,” she whispered, kissing your forehead softly. Her hand stayed at the small of your back, grounding you as you both took in the soft glow of the room.

After a moment, Leah grabbed a couple of candy canes from a nearby bowl, handing one to you before popping the other into her mouth, grinning as she let it dangle between her lips. She looked at you with that cheeky spark in her eye. “Come on, I can’t be the only one getting into the Christmas spirit,” she said, nudging you playfully.

You laughed, taking a bite of your candy cane and settling down beside her on the couch. She pulled a blanket over both of you, leaning against you as she pressed play on a classic Christmas movie that she’d queued up earlier. Together, you snuggled up, munching on candy canes, watching the lights twinkle on the tree, and laughing at the silly holiday scenes unfolding on the screen.

As the night came to and end, you tried to unwrap yourself from the cozy blanket covered position you and Leah had gotten into. The blonde didn’t let you; she tightened her hold on your waist and whispered into the calm night, “Thanks for making this the best Christmas.”

You smiled, reaching to take her hand that had settled on your stomach. “Thank you for letting me be part of it.”

With her hand in yours and the lights from the tree casting gentle shadows across the room, you felt like this was exactly where you were meant to be. It wasn’t just about the tree or the decorations, it was about being with Leah, sharing those little moments that you hoped would happen for years to come, and feeling perfectly at home in each other’s arms as the night settled around you.

[weaveandwood]

The Snake and The Crow

Pairing: The Viper x Female Rook (Bianca, an Antivan Crow mage) Words: 3.4K NSFW Summary: The Viper and Rook had chemistry that was instantaneous, obvious. It was only a matter of time before they acted on it. And then kept acting on it over and over again. This takes place on one such night.

AN: I have never been more feral for a non-romanceable NPC before, and now...I get it.

Read on AO3! Read Chapter Two

He met her, as always, by the Eluvian at the shop. She crossed through, as always, wearing Shadow Dragon robes to blend in, though she knew they wouldn’t stay on long enough for it to really matter. He stepped forward, pulling her into his arms for the quickest of moments before leading her through the hideout, taking a path she had grown very familiar with these past weeks. Though it was the middle of the night when only the fewest and most discreet Dragons were around, he would remain vigilant and masked, only unveiling himself once they were alone in his quarters at the hideout. Not much longer, she thought, ready to rid herself of both her clothes and her tension with a few hours spent tangled up in him. 

Their chemistry had been instantaneous, palpable to the point where even Neve commented that she felt like she was intruding on something after the first time they met. It seemed like a forgone conclusion then, that by their third meeting they found themselves in hidden corridors, entwined in each other. Since then, she made appearances every other night, and the two spent hurried hours forgetting about duty for the first time in a long time. 

Tonight though, something was different - they turned left instead of right. The went out the entrance to the streets of Dock Town instead of to his small converted office that she intimately knew every flat surface of. 

“Viper, where are you taking me?” Bianca asked, following him through the streets, crowded even at this hour. He pulled her into a side alleyway and pressed her back against the wall of a building. He looked left and right before unhooking his mask and kissed her - deeply, and far, far too quickly - before pulling away. She was left breathless and desperate for more, clinging on to his coat to regain her balance as he fastened his mask back into place. 

“The hideout is too busy for me to be able to do all the things I want to do to you,” he said softly into her ear. He tucked a curl behind it, his fingers tracing the outline of the elegantly pointed tip, sending a shock through her. 

“Oh,” she whispered, a hot flush creeping up her neck though she couldn’t recall seeing more than the usual handful of Dragons when they cut through the hideout before. She could sense something simmering under the carefully crafted veneer he exhibited as The Viper, and wondered what was in store for her when he could be Ashur once more. He took her hand and led her on a winding path through alleys, side streets, and up some ladders before finally arriving at a small apartment. 

“Did you bring me to…your home?” she questioned with a teasing smile, looking around while walking through the front door. It was modest, sparsely furnished - the mark of a man who never spent any time there. She leaned against a wall and watched him take off his hat and mask, finally revealing the handsome face that she had grown so fond of over these last weeks, specifically his full lips. 

He knew what he was doing with those lips. 

“I know I can trust you,” he said matter-of-factly, hanging up his coat. “Now, where were we?” 

“I believe you were going to elaborate on all the things you wanted to do to me,” she said. He stepped close to her, unfastening the closure of the robes she had hastily thrown on before leaving the Lighthouse that night and sliding them off her shoulders, leaving her in just a pair of leggings. 

His fingers traced the outlines of the feather shaped scars she had gotten carved into her skin the night she was initiated as a Crow. The pain had been worth it for the feeling of his light touch, tonight and every night they were together.

“I want to touch every one of these feathers,” he rumbled in her ear. “With my fingers, with my mouth…especially your wings.” Bianca’s breath caught at the mere thought of him behind her, mental images from previous nights creeping to the forefront of her memory - one hand on her waist, pulling her back into him, the other in her hair, tugging slightly to turn her head to kiss him roughly. He had always been particularly drawn to the feathers carved into the shape of wings on her back. His mouth trailed from her earlobe to the side of her neck, kisses following a path left by his touch, causing her magic to react wildly within her. Sparks of lightning felt like they followed each press of his lips against her heated skin, bringing a gasp from her own. Her neck, her collarbone, the lowest scarred feather between her breasts - nowhere escaped Ashur’s diligence.

Still, he moved lower, and the sparks within her ignited to fire as she watched him. She was ready to self combust when she felt his fingers reaching inside the waistband of her leggings. He let out an approving hum when he realized she didn't wear undergarments - she never did on nights they spent in each other’s company.

“You’re lucky I even wore those.”

“You shouldn’t have.”

“That would have made for one awkward walk through Dock Town,” she laughed seeing the smirk on his face looking up at her. “It wouldn’t be good for Mr. Anonymity to be seen walking the streets in the middle of the night with a pantsless woman, don’t you agree?” 

“It may have been worth it,” he smiled against her stomach, kissing it once more before sliding off the slippers she wore and pushing her leggings off her hips, the dim light in his apartment revealing the curves and dips of her strong frame. He traced the outlines of her legs from her ankles to her calves to her thighs before settling his hands on her hips. Bianca admitted to herself that there was something very pleasing about a fully clothed Ashur kneeling before her naked body. She closed her eyes, leaning back against the wall and felt his warm breath on her. He kissed each hip bone, each thigh, her lower stomach as if he had all the time in the world, his soft lips branding her yet never moving to the place she wanted them the most. 

“Ashur,” she whispered, “it isn’t like you to tease me so much.” Most nights were frenzied with him - there was never time for much else. They had a simple arrangement, and it worked. Or so she thought, until she felt him kissing almost every inch of her skin. Things couldn’t be different between them, but…what if? 

“There is less of a chance of someone flinging my door open with an emergency here,” he looked up at her before draping her leg over his shoulder, kissing the crease of her thigh. “Besides, here you can be as loud as you want,” he smiled before flattening his tongue, dragging it from her entrance to her clit, the lightning within her raging once more. She tightened her grip on his shoulders and arched against the wall, soft moans spilling from her mouth as he continued licking, alternating between soft slow laps and fervent flicks against her, reading her body like a book he was well acquainted with. Her hips rocked against his face, and she wanted more, more, more…

His fingers dug into the soft skin of her hips, his tongue keeping its steady rhythm like a dutiful soldier. She tensed up and shuddered against him, her cries echoing through the apartment as he tasted her pleasure.  

He stood and swept his hand from her hips to her stomach to her breasts in an agonizingly slow path.  It was pleasant torture - every second he spent exploring her body increased her want of him tenfold. The warmth of his lips soon followed as he took each nipple into his mouth - sucking, flicking, biting gently. She felt him hum against her as each one hardened at his ministrations. He dragged his tongue in a path between her breasts, following the outlines of her scars back up to her collarbone, her throat, then finally her lips, where he kissed her like he would never kiss her again. Kissing Ashur was what she assumed a religious experience would be like, if she had been religious at all - he kissed her deeply, intensely, and with a fervor that was unmatched by all the others she had kissed before. Their tongues slid together, well-practiced at knowing what the other liked. His hands threaded through her hair, wrapping in her tangle of curls, while hers busied themselves by pulling his shirt free from his pants. He had been wearing it far too long. She began fumbling with the buttons blindly, distracted by both the heat of his kiss and the hardness pressing against her hip, letting out a frustrated groan when they did not yield easily. She was desperate to have him inside her and in that moment, those buttons were proving to be almost as big a foe as the gods they were fighting. 

He pulled away, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth before grabbing her hand and leading her down a small hallway to his bedroom - as sparsely furnished as the rest of the apartment, but comfortable enough. Bianca perched on his bed, watching him. 

“I thought I was lucky just seeing the entryway to your apartment, I didn’t realize I’d be seeing your bedroom too,” she laughed. “You’re pulling out all… the…”

She was quickly silenced by the sight of him undressing. Ashur had a grace that was hidden by the layers he wore. He surprised her that first night they were together, how elegant his movements were when unconstrained by large jackets and layers of clothing, layers of duty, layers of pressure. He never shied under her gaze, even when she watched him as intently as she was now - head tilted, eyes following the path of his hands. Sliding his shirt off, pushing down his pants, taking off his undergarments. It had to be said Ashur in no clothing was her favorite Ashur of all. Completely unburdened, completely himself. It was a rare occasion they had the opportunity to fully undress as most nights were stolen moments, a rearrangement of clothing to allow for quick access and an easy exit. Tonight…well tonight there felt like there was time, even if they both knew there wasn’t. Not really. 

“Now you’re really spoiling me,” she said. “A girl could get used to this, you better watch out. Soon, I won’t want to be bent over your desk anymore,” she laughed. 

He laughed as he crossed the room, climbing on to the bed behind her. He made good on his promise from earlier as she felt the first touch of his fingers softly tracing the scars on her left shoulder, followed by his lips. Slowly, methodically, he traced each one from her shoulder blade to her arm and back. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, focusing solely on the feeling of him on her skin, anticipation of his next move adding to the bonfire raging within her. 

“We both know that’s a lie,” he whispered into her ear, gently nipping at her earlobe and eliciting a soft gasp from her. Bianca was wound so tightly she felt she could explode at any moment, and though she hadn’t even touched him yet, she could tell he must be feeling similarly - he was hard as stone against her backside. She pressed her hips back into him, smiling at the moan he used her shoulder to muffle while he resumed his careful appreciation of the scars on her right arm. 

He ran a finger lightly up and down her spine, goosebumps spreading all over her body. She wasn’t sure what magic he possessed to cause her to react so vividly to his touch, but she would not complain, not when it felt like this. His hands went to her waist, pulling her against him, her back now pressed against his firm chest. She rocked back against his hardness, wanting him even more if that were possible. She wanted him to push her forward into the mattress and take her. Instead, she felt a hand slide to her center, parting her and finding her swollen clit before rubbing it gently. The other hand slid up to her breast, his palm fully covering it as it kneaded the soft flesh, his hips rocking in time with hers. 

“Ashur…please…” she moaned. This wasn’t fair - they didn’t tease each other, they didn’t drag it out. That was something for normal people with normal lives who weren’t trying to save the world. That was something for…feelings. Something they agreed they couldn’t — wouldn’t — risk. “Don’t make me beg.” 

He stopped moving. 

“Would you beg for me?” he whispered into her ear. She could almost hear the smile in his voice. “You want me that badly?”

“I want you inside me right now,” she whispered, her voice dripping with lust. “Don’t make me wait any longer.” 

“Lie down for me. I want to be able to watch you while I have you,” he said. If she thought she was heated before, it was nothing compared to how she felt then. Her body was molten - she was liquid fire in his hands as he pushed her back onto the mattress, her head resting against his pillow. It was faint, but it smelled of him. She guessed this was probably the first time he’d been here in over a week. She watched him through half-lidded eyes as he settled himself between her spread legs, pressing them farther apart with his muscular thighs. 

“You are beautiful, you know that right?” he said, leaning down to kiss her as he took himself in one hand, guiding himself into her slowly, steadily, just the way she liked it. The initial burn gave way to pleasure as she felt herself open and give around him. Ashur was a large man, especially where it counted. She moaned into his mouth as he pressed deeply inside of her, filling and stretching her perfectly. Any worries she had during the day left her mind whenever he was inside her and tonight was no exception. 

He set a deliberate pace from the beginning. There was no need for easing her into it, she preferred it this way - with him pulling almost completely out of her before driving back in fully. Each time his hips snapped against hers she felt the world melt away. She arched against his bed, her arms wrapped around his back just as his were around hers - the two of them clinging tightly to each other as they sought to forget everything outside of this moment, if only for a moment. She knew her nails were digging into his skin, and selfishly hoped they would leave a mark, even if no one would be able to see it. 

“More, Ashur, more,” she whispered into his ear. “Have me. Take me. I’m yours.” 

He looked into her eyes, something quickly flashing across them but gone in an instant before he sat up on his knees, his hands on her hips. He drove into her faster, harder, grunting with effort. His eyes darkened as he watched where they were joined, his hardness glistening with her arousal.

For a long while, the only noises in the bedroom were the sounds of their collective moans, their bodies hitting together, and the creaking of the bed. Ashur managed to hit every spot that drove Bianca crazy, even some she didn’t even know he could hit from this position. He moved her feet to his shoulders, using her thighs as leverage as he continued his relentless pace - long, driving strokes that hit every inch of her. She felt herself starting to tighten around him, wanting that release so badly but not wanting this night to end. She could be like this with him all night every night and never be satisfied. She was selfish when it came to being with him, that she knew. How could she not be? She was certain she was ruined, that no one else could possibly make her feel this good. The scary thing that raced through her mind occasionally was that she wasn’t sure if she wanted anyone else to try. 

“Ashur, I -” she panted, unable to get a complete sentence out before he started to rub her clit once more, a jolt running through her, causing her hips to buck at his touch. He knew what she needed. He kept the same pace, watching her face as she got closer and closer to the edge, ready to throw herself over that great precipice. She cried out his name, sending it to whatever gods were listening, if there even were gods anymore and came hard around him. Pleasure crashed over her in waves as her orgasm shuddered through her body once more. 

He lost control, thrusting into her roughly as he raced to the peak of his own desire. He kept eye contact as he finally, blissfully reached it, driving into her once more before crying out loudly, his release filling her. He was beautiful when he came, she couldn’t deny it. He was beautiful always, but unguarded, unfiltered, and knowing nothing but pleasure was a side of Ashur no one else got to see but her, at least at this moment in time.

A small consolation. 

Sweaty and panting, he pulled out of her and lay beside her on the bed to catch his breath. She turned to her side to look at him, unused to having time to relax after finishing their near nightly ritual. 

“Why don’t you stay tonight?” he asked quietly, breaking the silence. His finger played with a wild curl that had fallen across her face before pushing it back into place with all the others. 

“That doesn’t sound very ‘no strings attached,’ Ashur,” she laughed. She wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to.

“Maybe we could have a couple strings,” he replied. 

“Hmm...and what would a couple strings be like?” she asked, her fingers tracing the shell of his ear, the sharpness of his jaw, the fullness of his lips. He responded with a gentle kiss to her fingertips. 

“Maybe sometimes we come here if there’s time. Maybe you stay the night instead of running off straight back to the eluvian.” He sighed. “There are other, more dangerous strings I am thinking of, but those are not possible.” 

She laughed. “And what constitutes a dangerous string?”

“Something like us not hiding, something like us seeing what this even is. Or could be.”  

“Those are…dangerous strings. You know that. I know that. If anyone found out, the Venatori would use me against you and Elgar'nan and Ghilan’nain would use you to get to me. We…can’t,” she said, her brow furrowed as her heart sank. “As much as I want to.” 

“So…I’m not alone in feeling this way?” he asked, his fingers intertwining with hers. 

“No, you’re not. Which may be dangerous in its own way. We both have important work to do. When that is done, we can revisit the dangerous strings.” Relief poured through her veins as he nodded in agreement. 

“And until then?” he asked, kissing each one of her knuckles, the inside of her wrist, her shoulder, her neck. He was relentless, and she was already cursing herself for being logical for once in her short life. And he knew it. 

“We can have a couple…non-dangerous strings. I do think I like being in your bed.” 

“And you staying here?” 

“I like that too,” she smiled. “Just not tonight. I have to leave in a few hours to meet with Grey Wardens in the Anderfels and find a monster hunter named Davrin. I should be back in a couple days, though. If it's a night where there’s time…I’d like a repeat of tonight. More than one.” She paused, her heart racing. “I like this. I like us. If it were any other world…” 

He kissed her then, softly. 

“If it were any other world, we wouldn’t have met. It is what it is. I’m happy to revisit the dangerous strings later. Come on, let’s get you home. Unless…” he pulled her back on top of him, making her laugh in surprise. She felt him already starting to harden beneath her once more. “You have time for a quick round two?” 

“I think I can make the time. Who needs sleep anyway?” she smiled before kissing him.