#of milk before either of them ask if he even has parents

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

Hello, Happy Holy Ramadan. I know your request box is closed, but when your request box is opened, can you make this request? if it doesn't bother you, could you do Long Ramadan headcanons for Damian Wayne and the reader? I saw your Damian wayne x muslim reader post before. And I thought it was appropriate to ask you this. If this request bothers you, feel free to ignore it. Have a nice day 🩷🩷🩷🤚

Ramadan HCs

Muslim!Damian Wayne x Muslim!Reader

hey there sweetheart and Ramadan Mubarak <3! firstly i'm so sorry that it took me so long to respond to the ask! im ashamed it took me a year honestly. requests are closed but i still wanted to be able to write for this because we obviously need more muslim representation and also the last time i posted the muslim hc for damian there were just so many of the readers who texted me or sent asks or commented saying that they really appreciated the representation

anyways i wasn't sure if i was going to respond or not because it has been a year but since it is currently Ramadan and it's going to end very soon I figured why not

Thank you for being so respectful in your ask, I really appreciate it and I hope you like it. Hope you have a very blessed Ramadan and wishing everyone a lot of health and happiness during this time. Even to my non-muslim readers, I hope you all are doing well and you're all healthy <3333

also i know that there is a very slim chance of this happening because all of you are amazing but i will not tolerate any hate of any kind. if you

your first Ramadan after being married to Damian was certainly a new experience

before being married, you were just used to your parents handling everything for you

by the time you wake up for suhoor, the table would be set

by the time you'd be home from university, your mother would be waiting by the door with a date and a glass of water

so now that you were married and you had to handle everything on your own, it took a little bit of getting used to

luckily for you, Damian is a very hands on type of man

he's the kind of person who'd just drink a cup of water or a glass of milk, maybe a couple of dates or a fruit and he'd be ok for the remainder of the day

but god forbid you even think of doing the same thing

he'd just about have a heart attack

absolutely not

initially, he'd request Alfred to make meals for you so he could bring them home for the both of you to have suhoor together

just until the both of you got the hang of it

after that damian would either help you cook before patrol so there would be food ready for the both of you

or he'd swing by some restaurant that was open and grab some takeout for the both of you

he'd heat up the food and set the table and making sure everything was absolutely ready before finally waking you up

practically carrying your sleepyass to the table and handfeeding you so he can make sure you're eating properly

since he handles suhoor, you handle iftar and keep the table set so you can eat together

you could always just stay at the manor so you wouldn't have to worry about the meals, like bruce or dick have suggested so many times

but you prefer living alone with your husband

no offense to them at all

but it's just easier for you to maintain your modesty at your own home

anyways

your marriage gets really tested during Ramadan

the two of you are barely getting any sleep and it's difficult for you both to get used to

the only time that you both spend together and are completely present is when he should be patrolling

the lack of sleep makes you both kind of cranky

and it's difficult to not snap at each other

eventually you both get pretty tired and exhausted and just slip into routine

but of course it's nothing some sleep and some time spent together can't solve

and since you've been trying to reduce watching movies and listening to music during the holy month, you end up playing board games together or going for long drives together where you just talk and talk and talk

you thought you were extremely secure in your marriage

that was until you saw damian pout and give you the silent treatment after losing a game of gin rummy

then claiming you shouldn't be playing a game called 'jinn' in the first place

not swearing or talking shit during ramadan was especially hard for him

especially with tim and steph yelling 'fi ramadan?' at him everytime he makes even the slightest snide comment

you find it hilarious but i digress

whenever you go to the masjid for nightly prayers, damian and you will go and find a new ice cream place to try out late at night

you mention in passing how the women's side of the mosque is so bland compared to the men's and damian immediately looks into getting the mosque refurbished so that you and other women can enjoy it

damian's shoes get stolen once and the great detective actually couldn't find out who it was

you hear him complain about it constantly

CONSTANTLY

this time is when you both really lean into the adorable muslim couple aesthetic

matching prayer mats with each of your names embroidered on it

matching tasbih

and other things you get the picture

you both go all out for ramadan and decorate your home from top to bottom

since you both don't really celebrate many of the western holidays, he really wants to make this a memorable time for the both of you

and so do you

you hold an iftar party at your place many times with all your friends and family

it started out with you just inviting everyone but eventually it became a weekly potluck, which you really appreciated

bro damian is more excited about Eid than you are

he literally has to keep reminding you to get your dress ready for Eid al fitr

because he wants to get a jubbah in a matching color and surprise you

you know how you have those cute texts of girlies asking their bfs for their opinions on their nails?

the exact same thing

except with HENNA

you send him like 100 different pictures a week, planning which design you want to wear for Eid

he responds to all of them with utmost seriousness

obviously, he's an artist

he knows whats the difference between arabic and indian designs for henna

but secretly he's wondering why you're sending him so many when you only have 2 hands

but um hello he's never going to tell you that

because it's ramadan and obv ramadan related stuff is going to be appearing on everyones fyp he has to deal with both you and dick sending him videos of the scholars being funny (iykyk)

hey guys let's start ramadan w a bang

also has to deal with jason asking him CONSTANTLY how he's still able to walk around when all the demons are supposed to be locked up for the month

plus he has to now deal with you watching mukbangs and restaurant reviews and crying to him about how you're starving

why on earth did silent asmr mukbangs of wingstop get so popular only during ramadan?

believe me every single prayer damian makes during this month, he is thanking god for bringing you to him and praying for your health and your happiness

when you found out, you cried in his arms for a good solid 5 minutes

he also secretly kind of prayed for kids on laylat ul qadr but you didn't hear it from me

not only is this month really special for the both of you, you take it as an opportunity to give back

damian has wayne enterprises run soup kitchens for the entire month and they serve all people meals as well as suhoor and iftar

you both volunteer there personally

you donate money of course and damian will tell you that everytime he does it, he feels fulfilled in a way he never has before

you honestly feel so proud of the man you feel blessed to call your husband

also, like the perfect husband he is, he sends gifts and food to your parents

who quickly begin to regard him as better than your own siblings

much to his secret pleasure

uk i wish i could keep going

honestly ramadan is such a magical and rewarding time of the year

and you are so happy to spend it along with damian

P.S.

while damian completely understood the point of sacrificing a goat for Eid al adha

he still cried about it to you the night before out of guilt

you definitely donated the meat that came out of that

Forever Taglist:

@simonsbluee

@notslaybabes

@superheroesaremyjam113263

@writers-whirlwind

DC Taglist:

@emmacata

@p--e--a--c--h--e--s

@sometimeseverythingsucks

@sokkas-honour

@unstable1902

@lostgirlheart

@missdisapear

@tadpole-san

@isawachickeninatree

@uxavity

@battlenix

@capricorn-stark

@evermoore580

@dumbbitchgalore

@fuckingjinkies

@some-lovely-day

[bluejutdae]

Stray Kids as dads

Chan: girl dad. The type of dad to learn how to braid hair so he can braid his daughter’s and make her all happy before school. He’d buy ice cream on their way back home, telling her to keep it a secret from mommy (he’ll tell you that same night, in bed, kissing the back of your neck and giggling, knowing that your daughter thinks they’re being sneaky).

Minho: could be either a girl dad or a boy dad. Could be both, and I’m sure he wouldn’t really raise his kids differently. There are no “boy toys” or “girl toys”. There’s toys and there's cats, and no you can’t pick up the cats like that you’ll hurt them. The kind of dad who loves to pick up his kids from school, and even host little get-togethers after school. He makes the kids snacks and lets them play, but only after the homework is finished!

Changbin: you can find more HERE but: mostly girl dad. He’d shamelessly go around wearing pink nail polish because his sweet sweet daughter wanted to play princess spa and wanted to paint Bin’s nails. And if he has star shaped hair clips in his hair during school drop off? That’s a fashion statement! Only hot dads will wear them. He lets his kids bury him under the sand when they’re on the beach, teaching them to swim and to laugh, not caring what people say.

Hyunjin: boy dad. Me-and-dad painting classes leader. Soccer mom. The one always ready to bring brownies (baked by Felix) to school and to sign up for parents-duty. I can also see him attend a prenatal class so he knows how to change diapers, feed the baby and so on…

Jisung: boy dad! the funniest dad! He buys inflatable dinosaur costumes for himself and his kid just so they can chase each other at the park, after they’ll eat ice cream and they’ll both come back with chocolate smudged on their adorable faces. The genetics are so strong there’s only 0.1% of possibility his kids won’t inherit his round boba eyes and squishy cheeks…

Felix: girl dad. Like Bin, he proudly goes around with painted nails and bows in his hair, glitters on his eyelids and silly necklaces. But he also likes rowdy games like chasing his kids in the garden or tossing them among the waves. On Sunday mornings he learns gg choreos with his daughter, laughing and singing, and when they need some fuel they bake cookies and brownies…

Seungmin: like Minho, either girl or boy dad. He’s the kind of dad other kids are scared of but he’s actually so sweet and loving! He always always sings his kid a lullaby before bed, never complains when another story is asked before sleeping, and always remembers to lit the night light (a puppy one he himself bought). He’s also the kind of dad to always attend his kid’s baseball practice, but he keeps yelling against the coaches and referees so you have to bribe him to make him quiet!

Jeongin: Boy dad. So good with kids in general, always calm, he never screams at his son even when he makes a mess. His kids spilled a glass of milk after repeated warnings? Jeongin takes a deep breath and cleans it all, with the help of the kid, so he’ll learn. But he’s also a fun dad, never focusing too much on school results, but focusing on his kid’s happiness and well being. Kids will be kids, so might as well have fun while raising them, right?

[writingsofwesteros]

Maegor Hot Thots

One of Maegor’s wives giving him twin babes, despite his cold demeanor he’s actually really happy and thankful he finally has not one but two breathing and kicking babes. However, his wife despises them not wanting to be anywhere near them. He couldn’t even trust his other wives either, only entrusting his heirs with a young wet nurse. At first he would only watch the wet nurse feed his babes to ensure their safety but after a while he stayed just to watch her feed them. He craved her motherly love and pretty figure, even asking her if she’d like to bed him instead of taking her like any other woman he wanted.

When she agrees, he’d be so greedy with her just like his hungry babes, craving her milk and affections. He’d move her and his babes to his own chambers to have them close and away from everyone else. If she wished to see the gardens, he’d let her, having more liberty than his own wives as long as she was heavily guarded.

When he’d claimed her he’d still be rough but loving with her, always letting her sleep in after a tiresome night;). If any of his wives dared speak bad of her, well it wouldn’t go well with them. Eventually he’d get rid of them, and marry his commoner lover, he was already satisfied enough to have royal heirs a son and daughter that could continue his legacy.

!!!!!

He would adore having them so close; the twins only in the next room and when they are toddlers; they would just run into their 'parents' chambers.

She would giggle as Maegor pretended to be asleep before picking up the babes and tickling them

[autumnmobile12]

My Hero Headcanon: Rei

When I think of Rei’s childhood, I think of Yuki from Wolf Children.

Just not at all being the lady her parents probably wanted her to be and living her best life collecting bugs, feathers, and small animal bones.

And just like Toga, those interests were suppressed because they ‘weren’t appropriate for little girls,’ and she was made to conform.

I mean, look at her expression and tell me she wasn’t told to sit still and be quiet too many times when she was a child.

I think she was a weird kid.

And that's why I play with the snowboarding theme when I do fanworks involving Rei, as well as the idea that Touya’s inability to sit still when he's agitated/excited comes from Rei. It's also why I have the headcanon there was never a point where Rei and Endeavor loved each other. They already have two extremely different personalities in canon, and the high-energy headcanon just highlights a further personality difference.

I’ve already gone into it in more detail with an Endeavor analysis that I made, but here’s an excerpt that illustrates my point:

...what I think shows here is they weren’t really talking all that much. Specifically, he is not ‘talking down to her.’  He is not treating her with any particular disrespect or putting her down as inferior.   He doesn’t have the arrogance he later exhibits. This also isn’t him being aloof and ignoring her either.  Look at his face, specifically his eyes.  That is the same blank, deer in the headlights, “I have one brain cell dinging around in my head that is struggling to find a way to interact with people,” stare he shares with Shouto.

He has no idea what to say to her. 

So finally, Rei turns off to the side to admire the garden, and he asks, “Do you like the flowers?”  It’s a small thing, but it does show that in some capacity, he did show some interest in Rei and making her happy.  He’s just stupidly awkward about it at this point. (Even if his ultimate goal was…well, we’ll get into that.)

...

The long and short of it is if you remove the violence/temper aspect of Endeavor's character, you basically have Shouto: An awkward dork who doesn’t entirely know how to interact with people and he probably doesn’t understand sarcasm or euphemisms either. The main reason we can’t see that side of Endeavor’s character very well is because he’s weaponized intimidation/violence to cover it up. (Dammit, dude, this it not how you patch a character flaw.) So I don’t think Shouto’s isolation and childhood training caused his social ineptitude so much as exacerbated a character trait that was already there. He got it from Dad.

So referring to the earlier pre-kids part of Rei and Endeavor's relationship before the violence actually started, imagine the awkward personality-type paired with a partner who is, by all accounts, weird and has too much energy to be contained. Arranged marriage aside, I like the idea that Rei reverted back to her odd personality after she left her parents’ house. I like to think she danced in the kitchen when there was no one home, hoarded feathers and skulls and other odd keepsakes, and looked for places where she could snowboard. She was a housewife by herself for long periods of time, so who was going to stop her?

There is a short story I absolutely love called Ink, Water, Milk by Catherynne M. Valente. The plot's not relevant to this post, but there is a scene where a bored housewife buys a bunch of those cube-shaped watermelons and just stacks them in her fridge to admire them.

And for some reason, I can picture Rei doing this.

Like Endeavor just comes home to find her sitting cross-legged in front of the open fridge and smiling happily at the nine cubed watermelons stacked neatly inside. (Keep in mind, these things average $100-$200 a piece and are inedible/decorative.) No explanation for why she's done this, she just has a big, ecstatic smile on her face and pointing into the fridge. You know, Touya energy when he's a kid and excited about something. And Endeavor, in true Shouto fashion, is baffled by what she’s done, has no idea why she’s done it, and wondering if there’s a joke he’s not understanding.

I like to mirror this behavior in Touya and Shouto when I can in writing for Ambush Simulation. Underneath the trauma, they are at their core the brother with their mother’s high energy and the brother who is socially awkward and doesn’t quite know how to deal with the unhinged behavior but doing his best.

...

Edit because I just found this gif.

Young Rei:

[lohotine]

Hello, it's me again (so soon, hehe). Sorry if it feels like I'm asking for things so much.

I have a fun request: Shadow Milk Cookie x Reader as Romeo and Juliet. I desire the juiciest star-crossed lovers angst you can make!

AN: I have only read a quick summary of Romeo and Juliet along with bits and pieces of the balcony scene so forgive me if this is inaccurate-

Um but yeah, I took some creative liberties

Shadow Milk x Reader

Oneshot

Warnings: Angst

-Frayed String-

The rough surface of the stone beneath your fingertips is the only thing keeping your mind stable and down to Earth, if the state you're in can even be considered stable.

You are being held together by only a single thread, and every moment you aren't with your lover you can feel a slice of your sanity being discarded.

You curl your fingers into a fist, the coarseness of the stone wall leaving indents in your digits.

You gaze softly to the shimering stars above. The light coming off of them are the only things making your eyes seem alive.

You cannot say that it hurts, because compared to how your heart has been ripped open, this is nothing.

Even if they were to start bleeding, would it even feel like anything compared to aching in your heart?

As you sit there silently, you wonder if Shadow Milk can see the same stars. You wonder if he is thinking of you now as you are thinking of him.

It was such a shame that your parents hated him. If they didn't then you would have married him on the spot.

That day, you practically ripped open your chest to give him your heart. To show him how it beat for him. How you lived for him.

Yet, your parents wanted you to be wed to someone else.

But that someone else wasn't Shadow Milk, and so there was no way your heart could continue to beat after that.

Fate really has played such a cruel joke on the two of you.

Since your family hated him so, to marry him would be like murdering him. Though, to not marry him would be like murdering yourself.

What decision should be made when putting your life on the line against the person giving you life.

Either way, someone would surely die in the end.

"If only you could change your name," you say to yourself. It was just one of those mindless rambles that you often did. You didn't at all expect someone to respond.

"If you call me your lover then I'd gladly change my name," a voice responded.

No more words needed to be spoken for you to recognize exactly who it was.

"Shadow Milk, what are you doing here?!" You'd ask in a hushed yell.

"My dove, I just missed you!" He faded into shadows before reappearing right besides you.

He took your hand in his while also cupping your face. "Your beauty makes even the moon look dull, my dear," He'd say.

Oh how his words made your heart flutter. If it weren't so dark, you're sure he'd see the blush spreading across your face.

"You really shouldn't be here," you told him. Though you could not deny how much you relished in his presence. Every little touch he gave you made you feel as if the world around you was spinning.

"I couldn't help it." He left a soft kiss on your lips, letting it linger for just a while before pulling away.

And so for a moment, the two of you were quiet. Just staring into each other's eyes, exchanging a thousand words that couldn't have been spoken aloud.

Then one of the servants called from outside of your room, and you were quick to speak your farewells.

"Ah, sorry Milk- You have to leave now," you said in a quiet voice.

He only gazed into your eyes while twirling a peice of your hair.

"I'm being serious-" the knock on your door would continue. "Just a minute!" You called out to the servant.

"I love you oh so much.." he said to you before disappearing to someplace else.

All that remained was that leftover warmth of his body and the lingering feeling of longing in your heart.

And now, it seemed as if the world fell silent.

How pitiful it was that the two of you were connected via a frayed string. A connection so frail that it would be worn down by even the air around you.

Oh how his words tormented you. How were you meant to be alright with letting him go when every moment you spent together made you fall so much more in love.

You just wanted to scream out your love for him on the balcony, but that would put both him and you in great danger.

But, what exactly were you supposed to do?

Were you to make him the most happy man in the world by marrying him then letting your family kill him?

Or were you to marry someone else and murder yourself by depriving your heart of the one thing it yearns for?

[seiwas]

hello sel!!! hru doing??

The ask game is super fun! How about Gojo + vindictive.

I hope u hv had a lovely day 🫶

zuro anon

zuro anon hello!! thanks for sending in a prompt!! i'm doing good 🥺 spending this lil vacay at home, mostly 🥺 and happy to be back writing 🥺 i hope you have the loveliest weekend 💗

contains: non-canon, childhood enemies to lovers (ish), (modern) arranged marriage, reader wears a braid and dresses

gojo + vindictive

you hate gojo satoru. you have ever since you were 5.

he's a bully―a real cocky one at that, with no regard or remorse for how his actions affect those around him.

on the day before your 6th birthday, right as your parents gathered together for the annual countdown, he gobbled up the entire plate of your favorite milk cakes before you could even take a bite. this marked the start, the beginning of a vengeance stewing inside of you.

at the age of 8, when you first learned how to do your own braids, he would tug at them, pull them free and unravel all your hard work for the past hour. you used to chase him for it, yell "satoru!" with all the strength your little lungs could muster and he would merely laugh and run faster.

the name "satoru," you've learned, must be synonymous with "sabotage," because it's all he's ever done. he threw the flower geto suguru handpicked for you straight to the ground, and purposely splashed gutter water all over the white dress you intended to wear on your first date.

not to mention, he's always rubbed in the fact that he's better than you, at everything―dangled all his accomplishments in front of you as if he knew they were just centimeters out of reach.

gojo satoru is solely responsible for tainting your childhood memories a miserable cerulean blue.

so, when your parents sit you down one day and tell you that you'll have to marry him, you feel transported in that moment, to each and every instance gojo has ever wronged you. it flips through your mind like a montage of flashbacks in a movie.

it's both surprising and not. your families have always been partners, in everything―business, education, and now you guess, life as well. you hate gojo's guts but this creates an opportunity you don't think can result from anything else.

so, sure, you'll agree to the marriage―only to make his life a living hell.

"hello, fiancée," he greets you, for the first time since the agreement.

you don't do anything to hide your disgust, face scrunching up as you spit out, "shut up, satoru."

the wedding planning is horrendous―at least, you hope it is for him. you pick out every single cake flavor you know he hates and choose the brightest venue possible for the event. the lights you pick for the afterparty are strobe lights, and you make sure to do multiple test runs just to play with his eyes. it doesn't occur to you that the solution to his light sensitivity is simple: just a plain pair of shades.

you wear plumping lip gloss on your wedding day, just so his lips burn when you have to kiss him. but gojo is either extremely numb or just good at faking it, because all he does is grin as he whispers quietly before parting, "spicy."

in preparation for your married life, you create a ledger of some sort―a book of accounts housing every single thing gojo has done wrong. you write down your plans to get him back for each of them, a list of pranks and inconveniences to make him regret ever messing with you all those years ago.

at half a year of marriage and 25 years of knowing each other, he casually tells you the big "i love you," but you're sure he doesn't mean it. you tell yourself your heart is racing from how infuriating his existence is; at how stupid his face looked when he'd said it. not anything else and most especially not the little dimple on his cheek that shows itself every now and then.

(you didn't know it yet then, but he'd found the ledger you kept and read through it all. the one-year plan, the three-year plan, the five, and so on. and it does nothing but strengthen how he feels about you, since he was 6, 14, and a few years ago at 24.

it's at your third year of marriage that you find out―how gojo's known all this time, but more importantly, how there were reasons behind every single instance you thought he was out to ruin your life.

with intelligence far beyond his age, gojo has always preferred the company of adults more than children. at age 6, he would listen in on conversations his mother had with her friends, roughly comprehending complex worlds with the simple ones he understood. someone had mentioned something about their daughter being allergic to milk. and so, when your birthday came up and all he saw were milk treats, he gobbled them all up in an effort to make sure you wouldn't be subjected to an adverse reaction―even though you were far off from any dairy allergy.

what he was sure of, however, was that you were severely allergic to bees. and when he spotted one perched right on the buttercup stem geto handed you, he had no choice but to smack it right out of your hand and down to the ground, stepping on it too, for good measure.

and, okay, maybe he was a little naughty for tugging at your braids when you'd just spent all that time doing them, but he always liked how they flowed into waves when they unravelled; how you'd chase him afterwards, angry but so, so pretty.

if there's one moment gojo will consider real sabotage, though, it's that date he stopped you from going to. like there was any way he was going to let another man see you dressed like that. he isn't nice that way. when gojo wants something, he's not sharing, and the sight of you in white―that was meant to be his and only his.)

[bestiarium]

The Liqimssa and the Duuga [Oromo mythology, Ethiopian mythology]!

It is said that the Oromo people – an ethnic group in Ethiopia – once lived on a wonderful mountain called Walabu (also called Ulabo). There lived a white species of cattle which was plentiful and yielded huge amounts of meat and milk, so that the people never had to sow crops or plough land. The Borana people (a subgroup among the Oromo) have a myth about a horrible, cursed beast that drove them away from this place: the Liqimssa.

Liqimssa was a shapeshifting monster that swallowed all humans in sight, one by one. Its name is derived from the verb ‘liqimssu’ which means ‘to swallow’. As such, its name translates to ‘the swallower’. In modern illustrations, the creature is usually depicted as a monstrous elephant, but I was unable to back this up with a source.

It is possible that the tale of the terrible, all-consuming monster that drove the people to flee their country might actually have arisen from a real historical event. It has been proposed by historians that it could refer to a conflict with people from Somali or Sidama, but there is no evidence to support these hypotheses. It has also been proposed that it might have been the armies of Amda Seyon, emperor of Ethiopia in the 14th century, who expanded his kingdom into the territory of the Oromo.

But the link between the military threat and the folktale, however likely it sounds, hasn’t been proven either. In fact, the Liqimssa might not even have been an invading army but perhaps some kind of natural disaster (like a catastrophic drought) or perhaps an epidemic. Whatever it was, it was destructive enough to inspire a folktale that survived across generations.

Among the Borana people, however, there is at least one major variant of this story: in this version, there were three great beasts, called Duuga. They could talk, like men, but they were horrible monsters. As the people of the land knew they couldn’t fight the monsters, they decided to give one human being to the Duuga to eat every day.

One day, this task fell upon three brothers. They were told to choose one brother among them and bind him to a tree for the monsters to eat. But the three siblings loved each other dearly and could not decide: ‘choose me!’, yelled the oldest brother, ‘let the monsters devour me.’ But the middle brother argued ‘choose me, so that if I die, our parents will still have their youngest and oldest sons.’

‘No,’ the youngest brother disagreed, ‘you should bind me to that tree. As the youngest sibling I was always given the best clothing and food. If I was destined to receive the best things because I was born last, then logically I should also receive the worst punishment.’

Now their time was up, the three Duuga were nearing, and the oldest brother came to a decision: ‘if all three of us have to die, we shall fight back and try to destroy these monsters!’ After this, he sat down and prayed to Waqa, the creator god. Suddenly, he gained a bright idea, and he ordered his brothers to heat two spears in a fire.

Then he approached the Duuga. The monsters were confused, as a human being had never before willingly walked towards them. They demanded to know whether he was their meal for today. ‘Yes’, the brother said, ‘but before you eat me, I want to ask you some questions.’ ‘All right then,’ said the monsters, ‘ask your questions’.

The man asked the first monster ‘what part of me will you devour?’ to which the fiend replied ‘I only drink the blood.’ ‘Then you are a fool!’ the man said. ‘Human blood is terrible, but human meat is delicious!’ and so he convinced the monster to eat his flesh. He then asked the second Duuga the same question. ‘I will eat your flesh’ it replied, which the man approved. Then he asked the third monster, and it replied ‘I will devour the bones.’ Again, the man convinced the Duuga that skeletons are terrible food and that he should eat his flesh instead.

And so his time was up and the monsters prepared to devour him. Usually, each monster only devoured one part of their prey but this time they all wanted to eat the man’s flesh. They bickered among themselves and their argument eventually erupted into a violent battle. Now that the monsters were weakened from the fight and their legs were broken, the two other brothers came running with the red-hot spears and impaled all three Duuga, killing them and finally ending the menace.

Also, the Tulama people have a variant of this tale in which the creature that drove the Oromo people away was called ‘Amma Wayyii’ which translates to ‘the giant’. As a final note: the southern Oromo people have a somewhat similar story of a creature that swallowed people. Supposedly, this monster’s territory was located to the south of the Oromo people’s land, but I am uncertain whether this tale is related to that of the Liqimssa.

Sources: Baldick, J., 1997, Black God: The Afroasiatic Roots of the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions, Syracuse University Press, 184 pp. Hassen, M.,1983, The Oromo of Ethiopia, thesis submitted for the degree of PhD, University of London. Hassen, M., 2015, The Oromo and the Christian Kingdom of Ethiopia: 1300-1700, Boydell & Brewer. Grottanelli, V. L., 1972, The peopling of the horn of Africa, Africa: Rivista trimestrale di studi e documentazione dell’Istituto Italiano per l’Africa e l’Oriente, 27(3): 363-394. Andrejewski, B.W., 1962, Ideas about warfare in Borana Galla stories and fables, African language studies, III, p.127. Tuffa, T. Z., 2021, The dynamics of Tulama Oromo in the history of continuity and change, ca. 1700-1880S, submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy in the subject of history at the University of South Africa.

(image source: Criptozoologia e seres míticos)

[blossom-works]

Dad Duties

» Kylian is thankful for his niece and nephew because they prepared him for fatherhood. He knows how to change diapers and how to be patient. Kylian likes to think that he has always been good with kids, but taking care of his own child is something new and grand.

» His time as an uncle did not prepare him for the other things though. Did you know that a baby's first poop when they come out of the womb is called meconium? Cause Kylian certainly didn't know. He freaked out when he saw the tar-like substance in the tiny diaper. You were a bit freaked out too so you asked your nurse.

» The footballer did learn how to change a diaper fast and efficiently. Seriously, his son is like a squirt gun. You have no idea when he chooses to fire it.

» As a joke, you put Matthew in a ninja turtle beanie and turtle shell blanket. Kylian found it so cute that he took a picture and set it as his new wallpaper.

» The first few nights were horrible though. Kylian thought that all Matthew needed was a new diaper and some milk to go back to bed. Oh, how wrong he was. Babies apparently like to stay up for a while before going back to sleep.

» Since you chose to breastfeed Matthew, Kylian feels bad that he can't really do anything during the night. When you're up feeding your son, you might as well change his diaper too. Kylian does tell you to wake him up to put Matthew to sleep, but sometimes you don't listen.

» Baby's first bath went horribly wrong. In Kylian's mind, he thought that he could bathe Matthew as he did with his niece and nephew when they were little. Kylian did not realize that Matthew's first couple of baths needed to be sponge baths because of the umbilical cord. The leftover part needs to dry so it can basically pop off. When you told Kylian this, he kind of just froze in a "Oh shit" type of way.

» Kylian also had no idea how to do a sponge bath for a baby. Help.

» You and Kylian tried breastmilk for the first time too. Don't ask how that happened.

» It takes you and Kylian about two weeks to find some kind of a routine for Matthew. After that, parenting got easier.

» Matthew grew a lot after his first month of being home. He got longer and weighed a little more. It astonishes Kylian at how fast his son is growing. He wishes he could go back to when he first came home with his baby.

» Kylian's family came climbing into your home when Matthew was three weeks old. They were practically fighting to see who gets to hold him first.

» Wilfriend ends up winning and he doesn't let go of his grandson. Fayza has to scold her ex-husband to let everyone else get a turn...Then she hogged Matthew.

» Malisa gave you a lot of pointers as a new mom. Your sisters are back in America so it's good to have someone with you to guide you. Even if they live in the country next to you.

» One time when Matthew was five months old, Kylian asked you to bring him over to the club to meet his teammates. None of them have seen Matthew in person, so imagine a bunch of dudes leering over a baby. Kylian stood on the sidelines with his chest puffed with pride.

» One of Kylian's teammates held Matthew up and aided the kid in making a goal. It was all fun and games until Kylian got upset that he didn't assist with his son's first goal. He got over it eventually when you told Kylian that he could teach Matthew how to score goals better than anyone cause his dad is Kylian Mbappe.

» When you were pregnant with Matthew, you and Kylian agreed to raise your family as humbly as possible. Similar to Gordon Ramsey, when they get to a certain age, your kids will have to either pay for themselves if they want to travel or just not travel at all. They will also be prohibited from using Kylian's private jet when they reach a certain age too.

» Allowances are allowed but to an extent. You really have to be the enforcer on this. Allowance is earned when the kids do their house chores. No chores done, no money given. You forbid Kylian from giving his kids more money than they should be given. Really, you have to be strict on this with your kids and your husband.

» Oh, and as soon as the kids are legally allowed to work, no more allowances. No argument. If they really want something they better work for it. You and Kylian had a similar upbringing so you know the value of money and how to use it responsibly. You want to teach those same values to your children.

» You have to limit Kylian's options for presents though. Sure it's their birthdays and it's Christmas, but don't give the kids a freaking life-size playhouse. Presents are always reasonable and a few of those presents are name brands. If Kylian wants to give the kids something name-branded, it has to pass through you.

» To say Kylian is excited to teach his son how to play football is an understatement. When Matthew was only a couple of months old, Kylian bought a kid's football net and ball. He really wants his son(s) to love the sport and have at least one play professionally. If they don't then so be it. Kylian at least wants to plant the seed.

» At some point, Matthew becomes fascinated with ears. He is either touching his or someone else's ears. He will pull and rub his hands all over the body part.

» His first Father's Day was an emotional one for Kylian. In Spain, Father's Day is always celebrated on March 19th. Matthew is only seven months old so you came up with a cute craft. Using paint you made a shoeprint on one of Kylian's shoes and another on top of it with Matthew's footprint. Next to is a sentence that says, "Following in your footsteps".

» You did all of that while Matthew was napping so he wouldn't be fussy and mess everything up. Smart mom brain.

» Kylian refuses to let the media see Matthew until he is at least one. The first time the world got to see Matthew's face was when Kylian brought him to do the traditional player escort. Matthew stayed with you in the stands after that.

» Matthew was certainly scared when he entered the pitch with his dad. The loud cheering and flashing lights were overwhelming to the boy. He cried on Kylian's shoulder. Kylian was able to calm his son down a little by distracting Matthew with his hands.

» Kylian loves being a father. He has always wanted to be a father and now he is one. It has been a great joy to witness his son grow from inside of you to outside of you. There are certainly things Kylian can do better about his parenting skills. Maybe he can convince you to have another one so Kylian can perfect his parenting skills?

[sonnet009games]

Hey, you probably won't be able to answer this one either yet, but I've spotted a small typo / error in the new chapter. And also, I've thought of a few more questions since I actually re-read it twice since then!

The error is on this page, it says "Luke" instead of "Lucky" at the top of the page.

As for the questions I had:

Jack seemed like a pretty perceptive fellow - or at least as perceptive as you can be when you don't know about demons and stuff and one of them infiltrates your community, of course. And I'm wondering - after the first moment of mistrust, once he saw Flea and the detective interact a little bit, especially assuming we're talking about an earnest detective who openly cares a lot, did he already expect at that point that Flea will go with them once the case is solved?

Did the Duke also feed on the group of teens from time to time? Jeff saying how they gorge on hot dogs and slushies and wondering if their parents don't feed them stuck with me. And even if he wasn't saying it all that seriously, it had me wondering if there's a kernel of truth in the fact it's unusual.

Does the detective always get "poisoned" by Flea's blood, or can the fight take a different turn with some specific choices?

During the shower scene by the end, if MC thought about Flea when masturbating, did Flea actually sense it? I know he has to still be in contact with the person to feed just from watching, and he wasn't even watching at all here, but I'm not talking about feeding, simply sensing these feelings.

Do you estimate the delay for the next chapter will be one or two months? Or more? Just assuming it's either one or two since it has been your rythm so far. Not saying this to rush you - just to know when to expect more!

Not related to this chapter specifically, but how old is Ted compared to the detective? I never gave it so much thought before, but since we can pick the age of the detective, I assume it also changes Ted's? And is the age gap bigger/smaller between them depending on which age range we picked for the MC?

Flea doesn't eat meat or eggs, but he doesn't have problems with milk for example. So what are his exact yes or no's when it comes to food? Also, what does the detective use as an egg substitute for making stuff like pancakes and pasta (if homemade)? The cook in me is curious!

And then, a bit of a different one, but I was wondering if such a headcanon makes sense to you. At some point in the chapter, Flea told my detective to drop the pretense, and well, to me, it felt like a sort of wake up call for my detective, but not in the sense Flea meant it at that time. The way I like to see it, my MC sort of came to the realization at that time that yeah, he IS pretending in a way - he's pretending when he says his relationship with Flea is purely sexual because of their agreement, he's pretending when he says he cares about him the same way he would care about other people. Pretending not only when actually talking with people, but also sort of deluding himself because he doesn't really feel deserving of close relationships as a rule of thumb. Following that segment, I switched to picking sort of more "bold" affectionate answers and choice options because of that realization. Or at least, they felt that way to me. So anyway, does this make sense to you, as the author?

Well, sorry for the two extremely long asks about this chapter! I'm in no rush about answers, so don't worry about the no spoiler period and what not! This chapter really made me feel so many things that for the time being I can't stop thinking about it!

Thanks for catching the error! There were a few this chapter and I’ve released an updated version if anyone wants to re-download. Nothing major, but some annoying typo fixes.

Okay, so! Questions…

Re: Jack ��� He always knew that Flea wouldn’t stick around long-term. As soon as he saw the way he was with the detective he was like, ah—that’s his person.

Re: Duke and the teens — That actually wasn’t my intention, but it makes a lot of sense!

Re: Flea’s blood — The detective always gets dosed.

Re: Shower — Flea would’ve been able to sense the lingering pleasure in the air, but he couldn’t know for sure who or what the detective had been thinking about.

Re: Next chapter — It’ll be a two month gap again. I need time to get stuff in order. ^^; Plus Veilguard comes out next week!

Re: Ted — He’s ten years older than the detective, so at his youngest he’s mid-30s and oldest is mid-50s.

Re: Flea’s vegetarianism — He doesn’t like the idea of eating anything that was once sentient, so meat or fish are out. Animal products like milk are fine. Eggs are a big no-no, since he came from one and it weirds him out. The detective made eggless pancakes—just pick a recipe from Google and assume they did that. I’m not enough of a cook to give a better answer than that.

Re: headcanon — That makes total sense to me!

[signedeclipse]

Sorry, I had submitted this request earlier but forgot to specify the type of post I wanted. I would like to request a headcanon reader x kyogai, akaza and gyutaro (separate) where the reader is the opposite of a damsel in distress, being very cool, independent, humorous, strong, smart, never falters under pressure besides being well-groomed and civilized, she can be very sweet to them but sometimes she teases them harmlessly and can be quite persuasive. I love your writing!!!

Akaza | Gyutaro | Kyogai [X Reader]

In which their s/o is very independant and can easily defend herself.

Akaza

It's very hard to match him up in strength considering your human limitations

But even so, it's impressive that you can at least bring him to a struggle during a strength-only battle

He does go easy on you, I mean, you can't compare to his ability to punch someone's jaw off, but he has a relaxed fighting mode and you both train together sometimes

Regardless, Akaza is happy to have met someone that trains and works out with him

Besides sheer strength, you could outwit him very easily, sometimes gaslighting him a little bit over something stupid, which makes him laugh when he realised you almost got him

I mean seriously, who would think brown cows make chocolate milk? Almost him, apparently

While he is naturally very defensive of you when it comes to his colleagues, he trusts you to be on your own

No one would pick a fight with you because you're so good at working it out, and even if they did, he knew you'd leave them with a scar and a face to never forget

The one time he saw you knock a man out scared him just a bit, because you do sort of baby him in your personal time and seem so kind

EIther way, he loves his knight in shining armour

Gyutaro

You're first meeting was actually you shielding him from the sun, before he was yet an uppermoon, only a few decades after he and his sister had transformed

And with a first impression like that, you'd managed to get along very well

Gyutaro had always been the older sibling, the protector, he never had someone going out of the way to look after him

It healed a part of him he didn't know he had, the one that longs for a security only parents or a guardian figure can provide

Despite that, he viewed you as equals, but it felt nice to know someone could back him up if he wanted or needed it, that it wasn't just him protecting Daki

You acted the other half his sister didn't have, he watched you show her how to do makeup, you helped her dress to become an oiran, did her hair, found her accessories none of her suitors could find or compare in the beauty or intricacy of

Gyutaro felt for once, he could relax, he could step back and do things he needed without the fear of leaving his sister alone

You were his safe place, his person, the only human he'd allow to live a good life because you deserved it for everything you did for others

Kyogai

Surprisingly, for a human, you match him in strength if not stronger- so long as you leave the demon blood art out of the equation

That was never something he knew until you asked him to spar you for a bit, since your partner was busy that week

Before that, he just understood you to have a very heroic personality

When you met him, you had encouraged both his writing and his drumming, and gone to stores he couldn't to get him finer writing supplies, and things he could use to bind his writing so it was protected

Beyond that, you told stories of people who had met long ago and how you continue to keep tabs on them, some of them going from hobbyist to making careers out of it that's to you

It was touching, if not making him a tad guilty for being almost the complete opposite of you

Sometimes he worries you don't need him, since you were so well off without him, and so happy without him, too

But you argue that he lets you be yourself, and not have to always smile, because as joyous as you may be, everyone has their hardships

Kyogai is always there to support you emotionally

And if something happens that you can't figure out, he will go to great lengths to help you find a solution

Authors Note - This took awhile to sit down and write for some ungodly reason but thank you for requesting and I hope you enjoy!!

[lionlena]

Llamas don't drink whiskey... (JackDanielsxf!reader) one shot

Summary: Jack allows you to have many animals on his ranch, but will he allow llamas?

Warnings: fluff, a lot of fluff, a tiny bit of smut

Llamas don't drink whiskey

A few weeks after you became Jack's fiancée, he asked you to move to his ranch. You agreed immediately because you saw only the advantages. First of all, you could be closer to your beloved Cowboy. Always wait for him when he returns from his mission. Secondly, it was a good opportunity to get to know each other even better before the wedding and introduce your own changes. Although you didn't want to change his home too much, because the truth was that you loved Jack's ranch. It was wonderful, just like in the picture.

And there was a third reason: ANIMALS.

You loved animals, but you could never keep them because first your stepsister was allergic, so your parents didn't let you have pets. When you were a student, you didn't have this option either, and then, the owners of the apartments you rented didn't agree to keep animals. So it had to be enough for you to help at the animal shelter and take care of your friend's pets.

But that finally changed. Because there were animals on Jack's ranch (your ranch) and you could have kept more.

Jack was happy to make your dreams come true. Your happiness was his happiness. So you already had your own horse, dog, cat, Vietnamese pig... Jack agreed to everything.

"You want chickens, Sugar. You'll have chickens."

"You want to have rabbits, Sugar. You're going to have rabbits."

However, your last request was not met with such enthusiasm. You were lying on the couch together. You on Jack with a satisfied face after riding him. You were both catching your breath after you both reached your climax. His cock was still twitching inside you as you blurted out:

"Can we have a llama?"

Jack opened his eyes and looked at you as if you had asked for a giraffe.

"What are you gonna do with a llama, huh? You just want to get one for the aesthetic?"

You looked at him offended and pouted:

"No... Cuddling a llama cures anxiety and calms you down. They are great therapy animals."

Jack chuckled at that. He had never even considered a llama as a suitable therapy animal. But then, his mind switched gears, and he raised his eyebrow.

"But can you even ride a llama?"

You started laughing as you imagined it. Your Cowboy on a llama.

"I don't think you can ride on llamas... They might be pack animals, I guess."

"So why do you need a llama?" He replied jokingly.

You shook your head, knowing full well that he was teasing you.

"You can't ride dogs, or chickens, or even cows, but we keep them."

Jack smiled and stroked your hair.

"The dog guards the ranch, the chickens give eggs, the cows give milk, and the llamas..."

"And llamas bring comfort."

Jack laughed and looked into your beautiful eyes. He knew he wouldn't be able to resist your request for long. He loved you too much.

"So you want a llama for therapeutic purposes, right? That means you have to cuddle a giant llama every time you feel anxious or stressed. Could you do that? Would a llama even be a good cuddle partner? I mean, it has a neck, long neck, and such a goofy little face."

"A llama is a great cuddle buddy… Llamas are so cute and…" You stroked his cheek. "I think you're kind of like a llama."

"I am?" He asked, raising his eyebrows playfully. It was obvious that he wasn't annoyed by this strange comparison, after all, he was so in love with you that nothing could make him mad at you. "So... you're going to cuddle with me to relieve your stress, is that what you're saying?"

"Yes." You said and hugged him tightly. "You're perfect for cuddling."

That's what he wanted to hear. He protected and cared for you, and he didn't mind at all that you treated him like a comfortable pillow. On the contrary, it gave him incredible happiness. He wrapped his arms around you and held you close to him as if you were a precious treasure.

"You can come and cuddle with me whenever you want, Sweetheart."

You sighed in contentment and kissed his neck.

"So... Can I have llamas?"

He laughed when you asked again. It seemed like your obsession with llamas was even bigger than his obsession with you. But he was ready to fulfill this request as well.

"Of course, you can have a llama, princess. I won't even argue with your request. I'll buy you the biggest and best llama. A male llama too, in case you'd be happy knowing you'll have a little llama guy to cuddle with when you're stressed."

You giggled happily and looked into his eyes lovingly.

"You're the best."

And those were the words that immediately made him smile broadly, his heart swelling with love for you and pride in himself. He loved it when his Sugar was happy because it meant his happiness. He wanted nothing more than to live with you on your ranch. And he didn't mind that this ranch was slowly turning into a mini zoo.

He imagined that maybe one day there would be a little cowboy running among all these animals... Or a little princess.

He kissed your head and purred softly:

"You'll get your llama."

*

A month later, four llamas appeared on your ranch because: "Jack, a llama can't live alone, they need a herd."

So you had three females and of course one male. Each llama was different. One was all white, the second was white and brown, and the third was black. The male, named Cobalt, was light-colored with brown dots and... You couldn't help but think he was making exactly the same faces as Jack. You even bought him a little cowboy hat and secretly called him Jack.

Of course, Whiskey still pretended that llamas were unnecessary and that they were of no use.

However, one day you caught him hugging one of them. You entered the stable quietly and leaned against the doorframe, watching your beloved pet the llama's neck. The day before, he had returned from a hard mission and had apparently discovered the therapeutic properties of llamas.

You cleared your throat and he immediately moved away from the llama and scratched his head.

"What... I just came to feed them... She stuck to me herself."

"Of course, Jack." You replied and giggled. "So, llamas aren't that useless."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. He started stroking the llama's neck again.

"They're not that bad, but they have one major flaw." You raised your eyebrows, intrigued. "They don't drink whiskey."

You started laughing loudly. Of course, it was all Jack. He had to find some flaw, no matter how absurd. He couldn't just admit that he liked llamas.

"Oh yeah... Llamas don't drink whiskey." You repeated and walked over to him.

You wrapped your arms around his waist and snuggled into his broad chest. After all, he was always your first choice when it came to cuddling.

Jack immediately hugged you back and kissed your head.

"But you know who drinks whiskey?" You started talking. "Me. So I can be your companion."

He chuckled softly and pulled you closer to him.

"You are the best companion." He whispered into your ear. "For everything, not just drinking whiskey."

You felt yourself getting pleasantly warm. You grabbed his hand.

"Let's get out of here. Llamas shouldn't have to witness what happens after drinking whiskey."

Jack laughed loudly and wrapped his arms around your waist.

"Of course, Sugar! Leave the llamas... You can't ride them. But You can ride your cowboy!"

Pernament tag list: @harriedandharassed

[neiptune]

does he take care of you or could I easily fill his shoes?

c/w: explicit sexual content, degradation if you squint, best friend's girlfriend trope, not sure what the hell possessed me, reo isn't really great at handling the relationship between you and nagi :)

Truth is, Reo has never taken any special interest in you. Or so he thought, anyway.

You’ve always been a good friend, one of the old ones from middle school first and high school later, your family nothing more than acquaintances for his parents. But he genuinely liked spending time with you, always so wild and fun and certainly shameless enough to make him pay for your tickets or gas every time you decided to go on random roadtrips and general weekend getaways. It was like you were his better half in a way, the one person he could truly be himself with just because you were so similar to each other. The only exception to his otherwise dull friendships.

He’s the only one you’d wake up in the middle of the night to not so timidly ask if he could pick you up to go for a ride, you’re the only one he’d actually get out of bed for and drive all the way to Roppongi, the choice of either staying in his black Bugatti to share burger and fries in an empty parking lot or wandering around the lively neighborhood until dawn always belonging to you.

That is, until he met Nagi and his entire being started gravitating towards a whole new world, one that didn’t have much space left for you to squeeze in. Or so you thought. Because despite his new dream, exclusive friendship, a whole elite training program that had eventually opened the doors of a successful career as a pro player, Reo has never really allowed you to recede to the back of his mind. His calls grew more sporadic and he often left you on read but you still kept in touch and he never failed to let you know when he was in town. Sometimes he’d even go as far as texting you out of the absolute blue, something dry as well as demanding like playing on national tv tonight, make sure you watch.

The particular balance of your friendship further shifted when you met Seishiro, an unexpected additional presence in what was meant to be a chill afternoon at your favorite cafe to catch up and spend some time together. Reo was happy to finally be able to introduce you guys to each other, he truly was. Until you hit it off so quickly it only took him ten minutes to scoff at how you were looking at his best friend.

There was that glint in your eyes, the one you got whenever you liked something enough to sit cross legged and smile that pretty smile of yours until your eyes crinkled. Just as Reo absentmindedly took note of how good that sundress looked on you, just as he wondered if he could find an excuse to give you another hug to breathe in more of the tropical body mist you must’ve sprayed on before leaving the house, right as he suddenly ached to ask if you had watched their latest game, his winning goal, Seishiro decided that your smile was distracting enough to put his phone down, forget about the game he was playing and actually engage in conversation.

Reo didn’t see it coming at all. All of a sudden, you were always around once again but for the wrong reasons. Of course you’d won Nagi over, it was naive of him to expect his friend to resist your charm. And so leave it to him to make all the efforts Reo had been too blind to make throughout the years: he’d buy you expensive dinners, take you out even when he was too worn out from training, he’d insist on taking you with them whenever they had to travel overseas for a game and holy shit, didn’t you always comply? You were mockingly happy, sitting on his lap in front of the whole team, all affectionate smiles and gentle fingers carding through milk white hair. Nagi’s hands were always on you somehow, nose grazing your neck, breathing you in as he pressed his lips right along the line of your jaw again and again, persistent enough for Reo’s train of thought to pathetically derail at your giggles.

He hates when you travel with them. The nights and early mornings are the worst: his room would always be right next to Nagi’s, walls thin enough for him to hear each and every sound you draw from each other. His best friend’s barely suffocated groans and panting, your honeyed whimpers inevitably turning into lewd moans as he picks up his pace, if the headboard slamming against his wall is an indicator. Fuck, he hates it. Even as he gives himself lazy, languid strokes, he hates it. Don't you remember how good he had kissed you all those years before? Drunk and happy and together, your hands in his hair tugging at the strands so wonderfully he didn’t even care if your jeans were probably scratching the hood of his car. He wanted to devour you right then and there. He probably would’ve had and you certainly would’ve let him if his stupid phone hadn’t interrupted your ministrations. If Reo closes his eyes, he can still see your fingers ghosting over his hips, eager to undo his pants. He doesn’t think he’ll ever forgive you for forgetting.

And what to say about Seishiro? How can he succumb so easily to a distraction so huge? They still have plans. They’re supposed to become the best players in the goddamn world, does he believe he’ll be able to achieve something as important by burying his dick in you every single night? What a fool. What an idiot. He’s never even had a girl before, does he even actually know how to pleasure you?

Fuck.

Reo hisses at your muffled cries, they have him desperate enough for his cock to painfully throb in his hand. He knows he'd have you creaming on his fingers without even putting in the real effort. Hell, he’d press his lips to the shell of your ear right as he rubbed you back and forth, refusing to stop as you dripped and dripped and the obscene sound of his fingers persistently stretching you open would be the only thing your fucked out mind would be able to focus on. He’d stroke your hair and whisper gentle words in contrast with his unforgiving pace: you could so easily be his good girl, his princess, his perfect little slut.

Ah, man. You need him, you both need him. He’s enough to take that stupid relationship of yours to the next step, he’s the missing fucking piece. He knows Nagi, he’s sure he’d be into it as long as he wouldn’t have to do more than he needs to and Reo certainly is good enough of a friend to efficiently take care of both of you. Isn’t he?

[fictionallystable]

Rating: Mature

Fandom: Call of Duty (Video Games)

Relationship: Phillip Graves (Call of Duty)/Reader

Characters: Reader, Phillip Graves (Call of Duty), Original Male Character(s)

Additional Tags: Author Has Played Call of Duty, Childhood Friends, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Civilian!Reader, Pre-Canon, Jealousy, Angst, Kissing, Mild Smut, Time Skips, Brother's Best Friend, Toxic Family Dynamics, Eventual Smut, Drama, Misunderstandings, Getting Together, Minor Age Gap

Words: 9,080| Chapters: 5/6

Authors: @orphancains & @collinnmckinley

Chapter 5: Reminiscence

Chapter summery: You spend more time with Phil than you expected during your visit, and more old memories and new emotions start to surface.

A/N: Apologies for the long wait! Here is another longer chapter. Next chapter should be the final one in this story. We hope you've been enjoying it so far. ////

the fic can also be found on AO3

tags will be updated!!

When you woke up, your eyes still felt swollen from crying the night before. But you trudged out of Matty’s room, surprised to hear voices already from the kitchen of your parents’ home. You were expecting to see your mom in her same old bathrobe and your dad sipping his usual black coffee as he read the paper. But instead you saw Matty making fluffy pancakes at the stove and Elaine cutting some strawberries. 

“Mornin’, sleepy head,” Matty said when turned and saw you. “Pancakes are almost done.”

You rubbed your eyes. “Good morning,” you said to both him and Elaine, who smiled back. “Where’s mom and dad?”

Matty placed a plate with a tall stack of pancakes on the table and took a sip of his coffee before answering you. “They went to the beach house a few days early. To clear their minds a bit.”

You frowned. “What? Why? I thought they were gonna stay the day with us and catch up.”

“Because if either of them had greeted you this morning it would’ve been another shouting match.”

Elaine came up to the table and shot Matty a pointed look, as if telling him ‘You could’ve explained it a bit more gently,’ before setting down the bowl of fruit. 

You groaned and sat down at your usual seat at the kitchen table. You let out a long sigh wishing you could crawl back to bed and that this was all a nightmare you still hadn’t woken from. You weren’t sure if you were sighing from defeat, shame, or even relief from learning your parents had fled from their house because of last night. You scratched your head in frustration, remembering the furious look in your father’s eyes and the disappointing glazing your mother’s all night just a few hours prior. 

Matty shrugged but still smiled his usual relaxed smile. “It’s alright, that just means there are more pancakes for us three, so let’s dig in.” 

Elaine pursed her lips, feeling the awkwardness begin to build in the air. “Did you want coffee, [Y/N]?” Elaine asked. 

“Yes thank you, with some milk please,” you replied, and she replaced the mug with a glass instead. Usually you were excited to eat some of your brother’s famous fluffy signature pancakes, with chocolate chips throughout the soft dough. But the headache still lingered in your temples from last night and your eyes still burned from the tears. 

Above all, you felt embarrassed for what happened the night before. You knew it was neither your fault nor Matty’s. If anyone was to blame, it was your father and Richard conspiring a surprise proposal on you without any regard for your actual wishes, or Matty’s for that matter. And you knew Matty, even after all these years, was still protective over you. Still, you realized that your relationship exploding overnight had also upended and shattered a night that was supposed to be for him and Elaine. You felt like you once again felt like the little sister who brought unnecessary drama to his life.

But your family life had possibly never been this messy before. You’d bickered with your father about trying to make more friends in high school and of taking your studies beyond art more seriously. But the fury that reddened his face and made him grab and shake you was something you’d never seen. You only hoped that somehow things could get better between you all by the time you were going to meet up with them at the beach house in several days. You hoped it would just be the four of you, plus Elaine, at the beach house. You always dreaded when your social butterfly of a father would invite other families to join along during your beach trips. But for once, you prayed others would be invited to melt some of the bitterness and tension that you were confident you’d run into once you entered the house.

You pondered deeply before taking a sip of the orange juice and grabbing a few pancakes from the tower that your brother had practically constructed at the center of the table. Already he was digging in, dousing his pancakes with nutella and syrup. But he took a break from wolfing down his breakfast to continue his conversation with you.

He lifted his coffee mug with the faded maroon Texas A&M University on its side, but before he took a sip, he decided to break the silence “So…. I saw you and Phil caught up with each other a bit last night too.” He took a loud sip from the mug and peered at you over the mug.

Your fork clanked against your plate. You breathed in sharply, remembering the butterflies and emotions that flooded you when you saw him. The anger, the relief, the nostalgia, and even the old adoration you always felt for him even as a kid. Along with another emotion you still couldn’t quite put your finger on. Upon seeing your reaction, your brother tried to contain the smirk that wanted to appear on his lips. 

“Yeah, he changed a lot but also didn’t change one bit.” You bit your lip, puzzled. “How’s that even possible?”

Matty chuckles with a glint in his eye, making you raise an eyebrow. “Well, little sister, that’s what happens when boys become men .”

You shot him an unamused look, almost glaring at him. Beside him you could see Elaine rolling her eyes but also holding back a grin before she ate some of her fruit. Seeing your annoyance, Matty only laughed more. 

“Something some jackasses I know of are still struggling to do,” you muttered darkly while you stabbed one of your pancakes with your fork. 

Your brother still grinned widely. “What did you guys talk about?” 

Now it was your turn to roll your eyes. “Nothing too amazing, Matty. Probably the same as with you. His time in the Marine Corps, some of the friends he made while there.” You tried to downplay it.

“Mhmm.” he narrowed his eyes with a smirk. 

You gulped nervously. “Anyway, can we talk about something else?”

“Sure, sure…” Your brother held up his hands, feigning defense. “We can talk about whatever, as long as you're comfortable, [Y/N].”

“Thank you, Matty.”

Elaine hummed approvingly beside him, impressed with how gentle and open he seemed to be acting with you.  

Matty cleared his throat and filled his mug with more coffee. “So, what did you think of the catering? The Mediterranean food we ordered for dinner?”

You squinted trying to remember. “It was pretty good, actually.”

“Right? I thought so too! I thought it was a great idea.”

You blinked. “Yeah…” you paused. “I guess I was surprised you guys didn’t just settle for a barbeque just because it’s summer. Where was it from?”

“Oh, it was from Calypso’s Bistro, close to the plant nursery you liked as a kid.” He said with a cheeky grin.

You furrowed your brow, wondering why he was acting so oddly. “Okay… that’s nice.”

“Phil recommended it to me.” He grinned again.

You clanked your fork again against your plate as you dropped it. He was not going to drop Phil from this breakfast conversation, was he? You glowered at him and crossed your arms. From the corner of your eye, you could see Elaine shaking her head but also holding back a laugh.

“Come on, what else did you guys talk about?” He said. “I know he talked about his work, but I’m curious about what he asked you !”

Rolling your eyes, you sighed as you poured yourself some more coffee in your mug. “I dunno, Matty! I don’t know what you want to hear! I mean, he did ask me about my designs and architecture plans. He seemed curious and interested about that!” 

Matty ogled curiously. “I’d bet he’d like the designs you worked on, you know. Maybe if he gets a building of sorts for his work one day when he retires from the military, you can design it for him.”

“Okay, that’s a big if, Matty,” you grumbled back.

“But it’s possible! Good thing you guys probably exchanged numbers, right?”

You ignored him but noticed your coffee was still black. “Could you pass the milk, Elaine?”

“Remember when Phil bought you three of those little school lunch chocolate milk cartoons because you mentioned to him that you liked them? And then his mom gave him an earful for spending so much of his allowance on that?”

Elaine was starting to have enough. “Matty, give it a res—” 

But your eyes narrowing into another glare, they widened. “Yes! I think I actually drank two of them but he and I split the third one because I was starting to get full.”

“Oh yeah! That’s how he defended himself when his mom was yelling at him. ‘Ma, we drank ‘em together after school, because we both like chocolate milk. And plus she’s Matty’s little sister.’” You both chuckled together. Suddenly, you felt the pulsing tension at your temples and behind your eyes started to melt away a little. 

“Yeah, that was something I totally forgot about. I mean, last night we did talk a little bit about when we were kids. Like, I remembered how he helped carry my books when I broke my ankle and you were stuck at baseball practice.”

“Oh yeah, you could barely use your crutches.” He snickered.

You tried to ignore that. “And we did talk a little bit about when… he left for bootcamp out of nowhere.”

Matty knew that was a sensitive nerve and he grimaced slightly before looking back down at the puddle of syrup and nutella on his plate. He knew that roadblock in the conversation might pop up but he was hoping that somehow both of you had agreed to not touch that topic. But now he was worried the two of you didn’t want to face each other again.

“But… I think both of us understand we were both kids with shitty communication skills and have moved on from that.”

At this Matty perked back up. “Really? Thank God!” He paused. “I mean, I’m glad y’all have made peace over that. I’m sure it’s a weight off both of you.”

You nodded pensively, actually agreeing with him. In spite of all the discord and pain that surfaced last night. You still felt a blackhole gaping in your chest, knowing how disappointed your parents were in you. But there was also a flickering happiness and relief that you felt when you remember that you and Phil were back on speaking terms. Maybe you could even stay in touch after this vacation…

Matty continued. “See? I mean, you and him—a-and of course me and him—go so far back. I know you maybe weren’t expecting to see him last night, but I’m glad that at least I know I can invite him to Elaine’s and my wedding.”

Elaine piped up. “You sure he’d want to come?”

You stared in confusion. Elaine noticed.

“What I mean is I know it would mean a lot to you, Matty, but he’s military. I don’t know too much about those guys, but I can’t exactly picture him being excited to put himself in a suit and bowtie for a long ceremony in a church.”

Matty shook his head. “No, no no. I know, Phil. He’d be totally happy to come. He told me himself that he would also invite me to his wedding when his time comes. I mean, come on, we're practically brothers. We’d do anything for each other. We even joked about naming our kids after each other.” 

You wanted to almost scoff at that in disbelief. “Phil with kids?” 

“Oh yeah. I know for sure Phil wants a family. He said that he wanted at least three kids.” 

You nearly staggered back at this. “Three ki—What? When did he say that?” Maybe you’d gotten so used to seeing Phil as a protective friend that the thought of him being a family man himself felt foreign to you. The image of little kids running behind Phil in a Texas backyard or him cooing at a swaddled baby in his arms was one that you’d never thought about before… but it was one that for some reason made your chest clench for a split second.

“Uhh, right after graduating from high school I think. He seemed pretty dead set on it too.” Matty replied nonchalantly as he picked up his plate, heading to the sink to rinse. 

You scoffed. “Matty, that was ages ago. He was still a kid himself then! He could’ve changed his mind since then. You never know what he might’ve seen while in the Marines and it could’ve changed his perception on his family and kids.”

Matty laughed, walking back to the kitchen table to pick up Elaine’s now empty plate too. Before he returned to the sink he bent down to look at you closer. “Never underestimate a man’s dream when he’s serious about it, [Y/N].” He turned around and continued chattering on. “Plus, the military sometimes only enforces your plan of wanting a family.”

You crossed your arms over your chest again, amused with how your brother seemed to know everything about the military now because of Phil. “Oh yeah? And how in the hell would you of all people know that? Did he tell you that himself? I doubt—”

“Actually, yes he did. Last night.” Your brother smirked at you. “And that's exactly what he said to me. Because you never know what will happen and when it will happen when you’re in combat overseas.”

You sank down on your chair, feeling a little defeated from your bickering match with your brother. You were glad he was able to catch up with Phil too. But your chest continued to strangely clench at the thought of Phil looking for a wife and planning to have a big family with them. You weren’t sure what you were expecting. That he’d always be the nice guy in the neighborhood  who’d play with you and your brother, but also treat you gently and whom you could always count on to protect you when you were playing too late outside at night?

You didn’t know how to answer. “Good for Phil”? You felt at a loss for words. You were surprised too that this conversion never appeared when you were chatting with Phil last night. But you also knew it was foolish to not realize Phil was probably dating other women all the time. He was handsome, he was charismatic and smart, and he had a successful military career. He checked off all the boxes and knew he was probably a women-magnet wherever he went. 

You felt a small pool of jealousy begin to well up in your gut. But you didn’t understand why. He had every right to date other women. Just like he had every right to date girls when he was a teenager—even if it broke your heart—and to invite them to his home, and to kiss in his pool in his parents’ backyard even if you were clueless to it all. The memories of that day suddenly flashed back. You shook yourself out of it and brought a banana slice that Elaine had cut earlier to your mouth, trying to blink the memories away from your vision. 

“Soooo…. What’re your plans for the rest of the day?”

You shook out of your reverie “I’m not sure to be honest. I’m back in town after so long—but after last night I don’t feel like doing much. So I might just stay home. Plus I have a few emails from work I need to look at—”

“No, no, no, no, no. You’re here on vacation, [Y/N]. No work. No emails.”

Elaine nodded vigorously as she added the last pancake onto her plate. “Absolutely no work.”

You groaned. “Fine. What do you want me to do today then? You’re the engaged couple whom we’re meeting in honor of, after all.”

Before answering, Matty glanced over at Elaine and gave her a knowing look, one with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Oh, we’re ain’t planning to babysit you. And you’re definitely not gonna be third-wheelin’ us. You gotta get your own plans going, lil sis.” 

Once again, you groaned and rubbed your hands over your face in frustration. “Then why bother asking me?!” You really didn’t want to leave the house. Word of Richard’s horrible from last night would’ve probably traveled across your friend and family groups. The thought of them asking you about it made your stomach churn. The idea of crawling back into bed and burying yourself in blankets was the only thing that appealed to you. But you knew that you would only lie awake in bed, staring at the ceiling fan, replaying all the horrible events from the party in your head over and over again until you went insane. 

Elaine chimed in, her soft voice catching you by surprise. She was always soft-spoken and quiet, a total opposite to Matty’s outspoken and blunt nature. You were surprised she’d be offering an idea. “Honey, didn’t Phillip say that he was staying all by himself at his parents house? Maybe [Y/N] and him could keep each other company while we go visit the bakery about our wedding cake.” 

You looked at her with wide eyes, totally baffled by that suggestion. That was something you’d expect from Matty who kept on teasing you all morning about Phil. Even Matty looked at her in bewilderment. But, holding his gaze with his fianceé’s, he mouth fell ajar as if he suddenly understood what Elaine said. As quiet as Elaine was, she always paid attention and caught small cues around her. It was one of the advantages of listening instead of constantly speaking. And she definitely noticed Matty constantly bringing up Phillip Graves throughout their breakfast with his little sister.

“Oh! That’s right. Yeah, I’m sure Phil would be more than happy to catch up with you. He’s actually kind of on the same boat as you. You both have been living out-of-town for so long. Y’all would be a good pair—t-to spend the day together and see how the city’s changed.”

Elaine nodded, a small smile on her rosy lips. “I obviously didn’t grow up with y’all, so I only know anything about your past from what you’ve said, but you and him seem to still have a lot of chemistry from when you were kids.”

You wanted to blush. Maybe even disagree and meekly explain you were just making small talk and being polite with each other. Instead, your thoughts were interrupted when your brother said, “Well, we’re gonna go wash up and get ready to head out. We made an appointment with a wedding cake business the town over.”

Oh . You were hoping you could spend the day with them. You rarely got to see Matty due to your work. Usually you could only catch up during Christmas, Thanksgiving, maybe for a birthday or for a special Fourth of July party your parents would throw every couple of years when they were in the mood. You also wanted to catch up with Elaine. As a child, you always wanted a sister. And she was like the sister you never had. Growing up, you struggled making friends, sticking instead to becoming a shadow behind Matty and Phil when they would hang out after school. Usually, you watched as they played video games or played basketball, drawing in your sketchbook when they didn’t invite you to join in. As a younger girl, you did play with dolls with some girls. But it was harder to make friends once you got intensely passionate about your art. Yet, Elaine seemed sweet enough to form a friendship with. 

“Then, after that, I wanna show Elaine around town a little more. We’ll probably be home maybe for a late dinner. So until then, try to keep busy, alright? No emails! No work.”

You raised your hands up in defense. “No emails,” you repeated.

“Maybe give Phil a call. He can keep you busy while we’re out.”

You rolled your eyes, averting your eyes in embarrassment early enough to miss the smirk on Matty’s lips. It was one that made Elaine want to roll her own playfully, but she giggled quietly instead to herself. The two of them headed to their quarters to get dressed, while you trudged back to the guest room. You also needed to get washed up, but the thought of strolling through your hometown by yourself, especially after the embarrassing scene of last night that surely spread like wildfire through your family’s social circles, seemed unpleasant.

It was almost lunch time, and you still could not budge out of bed. Still in your pajamas, you were laying in bed idly, watching as the time passed as slowly as ever. You found yourself scrolling through social media, eyes scanning everyone’s elated comments under Matty and Elaine’s photos from last night’s engagement party. You were tagged in a few of them, earning you a few new friend requests from former high school classmates that you wished you could’ve forgotten entirely. 

In some photos, your eyes snapped to find Phil among the group of family friends. When you first found him smiling next to Matty in one photo, you swallowed hard and felt butterflies form in your stomach. Your eyes lingered over his photographed form longer than others. How did his smile seem to become even more handsome and radiant after all these years? You felt yourself grow tense, even while laying down, when you noticed how toned his arms looked in the shirt he wore last night. You remembered thinking the same when watching him as he talked to you in the living room after… the incident. In Matty’s room now and with the photo, you couldn’t stop staring. Your mouth grew dry when you saw there were at least four other photos of him and Matty in the collection of photos. But you found yourself disappointed to see that, no, Phil himself was not tagged. In fact, Phil didn’t have any social media accounts. Probably because of his sensitive line of work, you figured. Still, it would’ve been nice to learn more about what he was like now as an adult.

Wait , why are you thinking about him so much?! You wondered how you got to this point where you were practically drooling over photos of your brother’s best friend and staying inside all day like a hermit during your free time back home. You found yourself blushing by yourself in Matty's old bedroom, realizing what you’d spent the last ten minutes of your morning doing. You groaned as you threw your phone down against the pillow on your bed. You decided, come on, you need to get up. You need to at least get some lunch. 

Preferring not to look through the pantry of healthy, over-priced super-foods your mom kept in stock, you knew a diner or fast food joint was your best bet for something that was actually tasty. It was warm outside, but thankfully the diner you had in mind was close enough that an Uber would not cost too much to take you. It was the very same one that you and Matty would take you when you were feeling sad or discouraged from schoolwork or from drama with some of the girls in your class. He’d always buy you a milkshake and fries. That paired with a pep talk from your big brother always managed to cheer you up.

The diner hadn’t changed much. As usual, blue, red, and white jerseys of the Houston Texans football team were draped proudly on some of the walls and old photographs of the owner with other football players from the nineties were framed for visitors to marvel at while they ate. You were almost as shocked by how unchanged it was as you were by the fact it was still standing. Such an old business still managed to remain alive after all these years. The same smell of french fries and the sound of sizzling burger patties in the kitchen while old classic rock played made you feel like you were a little girl again waiting for Matty in his letterman to ask the server for a booth instead of a table. 

Milkshake and fries, you ordered by instinct when the server, a nice woman in her fifties and short cropped graying curls approached your table with her notepad. You were starving. The growling of your stomach made you add one of their new bacon-and-kimchi burgers to your order that the server had hyped up. “I’ll get that right out for you, hun,” she said with a smile and left you to your thoughts.

You felt tempted to scroll again through the photos from last night. But you tried desperately to pull yourself away from those thoughts whirling down that rabbit hole again. You played aimlessly with the paper napkin on the table in front of you and watched around you as families and couples sat together. They chattered endlessly, some even bursting out laughing in joy, as they enjoyed their lunch together. You huffed out a long sigh seeing this. You had gone out to feel less alone, to feel like you were doing something. Instead, you were reminded of how alone you were now that everyone in your hometown and your brother were busy.

You opened your phone under the table, averting your gaze from everyone else. You almost felt embarrassed by what you were about to do. Matty definitely would’ve disapproved. You pulled up the Uber app again. You would just ask for a to-go box and eat your food in peace at home without the cacophony of other people around you in your own lonely company. Next time, you would just order delivery instead of wasting money on Uber, you scolded yourself.

While you were going through the app, someone slid into the booth to sit across from you. You tensed up. Annoyed, you were prepared to tell this person that you were in fact saving that seat for someone else—a lie—and that they needed to leave you the hell alone. When you lifted your head back up to glower at the uninvited lunch guest, your mouth fell agape. 

Seeing the look of shock on your face, Phil chuckled in amusement and beamed knowingly at you. How in the hell did he end up here at the same time as you? You spent all morning thinking about him and practically studying his photos from last night, you felt like you were now simply imagining him sitting across from you. 

The almost smug look on his face told you that he knew he was confusing the hell out of you. You had a lot of questions but were left speechless at the sight of him. His hair was slightly damp, as if he’d just finished showering a while ago. He had on a plain white t-shirt and had his keys in his hands still, making you realize he had just driven and parked his car here not too many minutes ago. He also held a paper cup with no lid, revealing some black coffee he must’ve picked up before he got here. Phil himself wanted to break the ice and brush away the confusion clearly still in the air. But he couldn’t help but continue to bask in the hilarity of the baffled look on your face, like a deer stuck in headlights. Since a kid, he always loved how expressive you were with your face. But now, as an adult, he also couldn't help but admire your face for how bright and warm your eyes looked, your cheeks for how you blushed furiously at some of his comments, and your lips for how soft he imagined they could be-.

“Hi there,” he chirped.

You were still totally bewildered but slowly began to shake yourself out of it. “H-hi…”

“So, are you here to try the new burger? I heard good things about it.”

You couldn’t believe that of all things to bring up, he decided to mention the damn bacon-and-kimchi burger. “Um,”  you stammered, “yeah, Matty mentioned that they were trying new ‘experimental’ burgers now… Honestly, I intended to come here for the shake and fries.”

He hummed in understanding before taking a sip of his coffee. All you could do was stare, and he stared back at you sharply over his cup as he sipped his drink—his eyes never once leaving your face. Last night, you two never stopped chatting. Yet here, everything between you was nauseatingly silent so far, and you clicked your phone’s screen off, forgetting about your Uber plans immediately.

You studied him closely again. This time you noticed the veins running along his hands as he sipped his coffee, his rolex his father gifted him ages ago adorning his wrist too. You noticed even a small scar running across his outer forearm that you didn’t notice the night before. Then, your eyes traveled back up to glance at his neck, leading up to the curve of his jaw. You bit down hard on your lip as you began to rip away little pieces of the napkin you were toying with this whole time. You were growing frustrated by how nervous you felt around him, at how a heat seemed to rise from your skin when you noticed how his eyes didn’t leave your own form while yours couldn’t seem to stay still on him. It was like staring at the sun. You felt like you couldn’t stare too long at him, otherwise you would tread into dangerous territory. You felt your soul tremble under his eye. From your small glimpses, you could see that his eyes harbored a lot more untold memories and hardships that he’d collected over the years since he left your hometown. Still, the hardened look in his eyes made something in your stomach stir, and you felt yourself crossing your legs at your ankles nervously. 

He placed his coffee back on the table, a smile now on his face, his eyes softening once again into a much for familiar gaze. Still, you looked away frantically, studying instead now the dead ants and dust that collected in the window sill beside your booth. You took a deep breath and let it out sharply, before plucking the courage to ask Phil, “So, was it Matty? Or was it Elaine?”

He blinked, feigning ignorance. “Hm? What are you talking about?” 

He couldn’t fool you that easily. You almost rolled your eyes. Instead you gave him a pointed look, raising an unamused eyebrow at him. He was aware that you knew that him finding you eating a burger all by yourself in your favorite childhood burger joints was not simply a coincidence. And that he just happened to be going to that diner the exact same day and time? Not a chance. 

But as much as you wanted to pry the truth from him, Phil was also stubborn. Sure, it wasn’t a coincidence that you met in this diner once more, but he wanted it to be one. He wouldn’t give Matty or Elaine the credit for him running into you. Maybe Matty did send him a text this morning that you’d be spending the day alone, since Elaine and him would be in the next town over. Maybe he also did add that he suggested you try that kimchi burger from your favorite  burger joint. But it was him, Phil, that put one and two together and knew you’d probably end up here of all places for lunch.

He leaned in across the table, his eyes still locked on you sharp. “Remember what I told you last night after we exchanged contacts?”

You furrowed your brow. So many words were exchanged that night, your mind was scattered with how he was looking at you. You felt speechless, breathless.

“If you don't come by my house today, I would snatch you myself,” he quotes himself from last night with a mischievous glint now in his eyes. You, on the other hand, felt your heart start to pound in your chest. Once again, you felt something stir in your lower stomach. You didn’t know how to respond, instead staring at him like a deer caught in headlights.

The server from earlier sauntered over to your booth. You expected her to be carrying just one plate with your burger. Instead, you saw that on either hand, she had two plates with the burgers. “Here y’all are,” she said as she placed both plates in front of you and Phil. Instead of a kimchi burger, he had a classic bacon cheeseburger. You actually smiled at the sight. It was his same order from when he was a kid. Looks like his taste buds hadn’t changed too much since then.

You watched instead as Phil thanked the server, using his best southern manners.

“And that milkshake will come in a few minutes, miss,” she added before leaving once more.

Phil glanced up at you, smiling calmly. “Looks like great minds think alike, huh,” he chirped.  

You scoffed. You wanted to snap back at him, but you were starving. Both you and Phil devoured your burgers. It felt nice to just sit and have a meal with him. At first it was silent but not the awkward silence that would engulf you and make you feel small. Instead, it felt relaxing. There was little pressure to be someone you weren’t, to put on a performance or slip on a mask, when you were around Phil. But as you started to finish up your burger, he began to pipe up again. “So, how are you feeling today? After…”

“Better,” you sighed. “I mean, thankfully my brother and Elaine were okay with how the party kind of turned into a disaster. But I haven't spoken much to my parents… they’re, um, out of town already.”

This caught Phil's interest. He narrowed his eyes slightly, but nodded along as he listened. 

“Your dad was always a man with… high expectations. High standards. My dad was the same way, as you well know. No one was immune from my dad’s criticism. I think that’s why they got along so well. Because they could turn their nose up at everyone.”

You chuckled. “Right.”

“That must be why he liked Richard, too.”

You nearly choked on your water. You coughed, looking up at him in shock, but he wore the same nonchalant, innocent look on his face while he dipped the last of fries into the ketchup on his plate. “Speaking of which, have you heard anything from him? Spoken with him since?”

You couldn’t scowl as hard as you wanted to. A part of you wanted to ask Phil why it mattered to him in the first place. But another part wanted to flood him with the disappointment you were feeling in knowing that Richard had not bothered to call you, to visit you. Instead, he sent you a text message this morning with nothing more than a link and phone number of a local moving and shipping company in Seattle—as if to say, “Here, move yourself out or get someone else to do it. But don’t count on me.”

You sighed. “No, I think it’s clear he’s done with me… just like I am with him,” you confessed to Phil, who furrowed his brows as if he was in deep thought as he listened to you. In reality, gears were turning in his head. “I, um, will probably move out of his place once I return to Seattle. Honestly, with all he said to me, I’m just trying to avoid him right now, as much as I can.”

He nodded in understanding. “Well. I know your parents didn’t react in the most ideal of ways last night. But you always have Matty’s and my support, alright? How’d you even get here anyway?”

“Uber,” you admitted.

He rolled his eyes. “Well, in addition to offering you my unconditional support in this moment of your life, I will also offer to drive you anywhere you’d like while you’re in town.”

“You sure?”

He scoffed in disbelief. “Of course! An Uber? Really?”

Before you could reply, however, the same server returned with your chocolate milkshake to-go. You smiled and gave thanks. As you dug into your purse to look for your wallet, you heard Phil. 

“Oh, no, no, no. I’m covering this,” he said firmly. “You do not have to worry at all.” From his own wallet, he pulled out several bills to cover the cost and enough to give the kind server a hefty tip for her attentiveness. 

“Phil!” you hissed in panic. “You don’t have to do that!”

The server chuckled as she collected the bills. “Don’t worry, hun. You found yourself a nice gentleman with manners who knows not to let the lady pay when on a date, right?” she grinned at Phil, who only chuckled back. Of course the cocky bastard didn’t bother to correct her. With that she turned away, wishing you both a good rest of your day, and left you alone with Phil once again.

“Just being polite, huh?” you looked at him pointedly, both of you heading out the door of the diner now, getting immediately engulfed in a warm, but gentle breeze.

“Like my mother taught me,” he replied, winking at you slyly. You both walked to his car, your mind in deep thought. You had gotten snacks and lunches with Phil and Matty in the past as kids, but Phil never covered your meal for you. And you never felt the buzzing in your stomach around him with anyone else before. You swallowed hard and took a deep breath. Phil had changed a lot, hardened by the military and by life under his draconian father’s sometimes unfair expectations. And some parts of him hadn’t changed a bit, especially his boyish and sometimes cocky humor. Yet, it was undeniable this was the kid Phil that you only tagged along with sometimes. He looked at you, spoke to you differently, in ways that made your heart race, your palms sweat, and made you bite your lip in frustration. 

As he unlocked the doors to his car, he asked, “So, where’d ya wanna go?”

You shrugged. You frankly had no plans laid out for the day, other than lazing around at home waiting for Matty and Elaine.

You both slid into the car, him behind the wheel and you at shotgun. He looked over at you after starting his car, the A/C blowing gently against both of you. You sipped on your milkshake, as he lowered the music that was playing to continue chatting with you without interruption. You noticed he still liked classic rock, just like the bands you and Matty would listen to with him after school. “You wanna come by my place?”  he suggested. “I did tell you I wanted to cook you dinner at some point while we’re both here.”

You nearly gasped, but still looked at him in disbelief. But you couldn’t conceal the contagious, sheepish smile that was crawling onto your face at this offer. “Phil, you just bought me lunch, you can’t make me dinner either! What am I supposed to give you in return?”

He shrugged but shot you a cheeky grin. “I dunno. Your company?”

Again, you felt your skin start to grow hot and you bit your lip. “Phil, do you always try to charm your friends like this? Or is it just me?” you chuckled.

As he turned into a new street, he hummed as he feigned contemplation. You didn’t realize he was taking your question seriously. He glanced at you through the corner of his eye, “Maybe just the ones I really like.”

At this you blushed and toyed with the straw of your milkshake. He’s joking, maybe flirting to be funny , you thought to yourself. Nonetheless, you considered his offer to visit his home with him. “Fine,” you said in surrender. “I’ll go.”

“Attagirl,” he said cheerfully, his smiling beaming even more now.

“Just dinner, correct? It’s not like you are going to kidnap and murder me, and then have me as your dinner, are you?” you joked with a chuckle, deciding to poke back at the man who didn’t seem to know when to stop with the jests and jokes. 

But Phil didn’t laugh back. Instead, he was silent for a few seconds. You thought maybe he didn’t find it funny, offensive even. But your last sentence has brought many ideas in his head, many images that he never thought he could conjure with you. But he decided to join your banter, seeing how your laughter was beginning to nervously die down with his silence.

He leaned in, his lips inching closer to your ear. With the hazy music playing in the background and with you clutching your milkshake tighter, he muttered, “No promises.”

He pulled back and chuckled, especially seeing the way your eyes widened at this. Now your own mind was racing with thoughts and scenarios you would feel embarrassed to share with anyone. You could imagine him devouring you in more ways than one, especially the look in his eyes he’d hold as he consumed you. Before you could submerge yourself into those daydreams, you cleared your throat and fixed a strand of your hair that had fallen near your face. 

Silence fell once again between you, only the muffled sound of grainy guitar riffs and solos filling the rest of the short drive back to his house. You struggled to relax. Around Phil, you felt calm, relaxed, like you were at home. But other times like now, Phil fuckin Graves knew how to leave you utterly breathless. It always felt like that, now that you tried to reminisce on your childhood with him. Just when you were in your early teens, you thought you were going through puberty, your hormones making you think and feel things that you normally wouldn’t. Years later, you figured your feelings for him as a teen really didn’t really amount to anything other than small childhood crushes and you making sense of your sexuality for the first time. Yet, years later, here you were in his car crossing your legs nervously and squeezing them when you remembered his gravelly voice against your ear when he muttered, “No promises.”

Looking at him now as he drove, you realized how touch- and love-starved you really were, especially after such a miserable relationship with your ex. It was hard not to gawk at Phil, to study how his hands held onto the wheel as he drove, or to stare at how his arms flexed when he turned his car or shifted gears periodically. How his voice uttered your name so smoothly and how his cologne made you want to breathe him in deeply now that you were around him. It was becoming almost impossible to deny that you were feeling something serious for Phil now even as a grown woman. But you felt that if you admitted this to yourself, you would be in grave danger.

“We’re here,” he said moments before you both hopped out of his car, heading to his house’s front door. You walked in with him, and immediately noticed not much had changed, not even now that his parents had converted the place into an AirBnB rental spot. It still had some of the same white, minimalist furniture that Phil’s mother liked so much, with a sparkling chandelier hanging over the entrance. One thing you did notice was the lack of family portraits. No photos of strangers probably for the sake of whoever was renting the home for a brief stay. Still, you were flooded with memories of swimming in the backyard with Matty and Phil over many summers, of helping his mother bake cookies while he and Matty played video games, and of the time the three of you accidentally shattered one of the family vases with a baseball one day. The three of you had quickly hid the shards far from any place his parents could ever find them.   

“Not much has changed,” you noted, while he hummed in agreement. You slipped off your shoes, just as Phil did, while you remembered all of this. He placed his keys on a table and turned to look at you. 

“So, you never did mention how long you’re in town for.”

“Hm?” You suddenly remembered that, indeed, you were only here for a brief visit. Phil wanted to laugh seeing how dazed you still seemed around him even after all this time. He held back, however. “Right. Well, I’m not leaving any time soon. I Took my yearly vacation, so I have the next few weeks free from all work while I’m here.” You groaned. “And even if I wanted to, Matty and Elaine will have my head if I even try to go near my work laptop.”

He nods as he hums in thought. It felt like he was going to say something, but remained silent.

He slipped off his leather jacket he had worn this whole time. Your eyes trailed over him as he did. You couldn’t help but admit how his back’s muscles rippled as he did this, how his biceps muscles flexed through the shirt he was wearing as he bent his shoulders back to get the jacket off it. Was your staring too obvious? Was it obvious you were daydreaming of the many different ways you would hold onto his shoulders, arms, and back? You breathed out sharply and tore your eyes away.

When he finished hanging his jacket, he turned and looked at you. You both strolled to the kitchen, where the silver, shining appliances and marble counters reminded you of Phil’s father’s wealth once again. Despite how empty and sterile parts of the home now seemed, Phil seemed calmer here, his smile still warm but more relaxed and maybe less mischievous. “Did you want something to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

“Oof,” you said, “I just had that milkshake, so, um, maybe just some water to help it go down. I don’t want to have something that’ll make my stomach upset or something, you know?” you squeaked out. You didn’t know if it was because it was just you and Phil now, no passerbyers at the restaurant or anything, or because of how big his house was. But you felt small. You felt like shrinking yourself. Maybe it was a stupid idea to come here alone with Phil, you chastised yourself , especially since I’ve been acting so weird around him already today. But you glanced back up at Phil’s reassuring, calm smile with his same caring eyes he always shone at you. You felt some relief and calmness from that. 

“I do need to use the bathroom, though,” you said. “Just to wash up.”

“There’s the one attached to my room upstairs, since the AirBnB guests don’t use it.” As he spoke, he grabbed one of the expensive glass bottles of flavored water from the fridge. Even though your parents were also well-off in their own way, his family’s wealth was on a different level, one that managed to still baffle you. “Oh and I should add that my room is upstairs, just to the left as you climb. But you already know that.” He started pouring the glasses. “Just go on up, I’ll be right there.”

You left Phil in the kitchen as he continued to pull glasses from the cabinets. As you climbed the stairs, you noticed how the varnish on the wooden rail had worn from years of his family’s use. You couldn’t help but remember all the times you gripped and slid your hand down it when you dashed down the stairs, the promise of football or a relaxing drive with Matty and Phil waiting for you outside. So much had changed. The house was dimmer and quieter now than in those days. But the memories still lingered like wisps of smoke, especially once you reached the second floor.

The bathroom was unchanged. All you noticed once you used it was how flushed your cheeks were, a little bead of sweat tempting to form near your hairline. Was it from the Texas heat having an effect on you after living up North for so long, or was it because of how Phil made you feel under his gaze this afternoon? You decided to splash some water on your face after washing your hands. Maybe you should pass Phil’s offer for some drinks instead grab a cold water before you pass out in his home.

You were about to head back down the stairs to do just that. But instead you noticed how the door to one of the rooms was left ajar. You peeked inside curiously, expecting it to be a sterile, bland room you would find in any AirBnB. It was dim, the blinds shut securely, but you were still hit with a flash of nostalgia when you saw that his blue comforter and sheets in his bed were the same as the last time you were here. You were still barely a teen, just a few weeks before Phil departed for the Marine Corps without a word. Matty and him were sitting in the very same room, some slightly trashy MTV show playing low in the background while the two of them were planning to go to GameStop in a few minutes. 

Memories of that evening inundated your senses as you mindlessly stepped inside. The posters once splayed on his wall, now years later, were stripped from them. His TV with his Xbox no longer were there—you figured his parents sold both when he left for boot camp. Yet, his bed was no longer the messy pile of blankets. Instead, it was neat. The corners were tucked in sharply, and the blankets were spread as cleanly as possible so that you could practically bounce a coin on them without a problem. Yes, this was Phil’s room, the same one from years ago. Yet, the man who made the bed was not the seventeen-year-old, still immature boy you sometimes ogled at from afar. Things had changed, even if memories still clung to your mind. 

You floated over to his desk near the window, only a picture frame and a lamp sitting simply on it. You reached down, taking the photo frame in your hands . You brought it closer to your eyes, feeling your heart skip a beat at the photo. 

It was you, Matty, and Phil, of course. You had clearly taken it with an old disposable camera—you remembered you’d bought it at the drugstore. The flash made the skin on everyone’s face shine oddly, and even one of Matty’s eyes turned out red. Both of them had more flesh on their baby cheeks. Matty stood next to you, holding a football; his other hand held onto your forearm gently. He was always worried about you leaving his sight. On the other side of you was Phil, his hand resting on the top of your head, the other nestled gently on your shoulder. You could tell from the flyaways and frizz framing his hand that he had just ruffled your head full of hair, a usual trademark of his when he hung out with you. Meanwhile, you shined with a toothy grin, your eyes squinting a little at the exposure of the camera’s harsh flash hitting you all. 

“That’s my favorite picture of us, you know.”

You gasped at the sudden intrusion. Whipping around, you saw Phil standing just a few steps away from you. Relieved at seeing it was just him, the frame still in your hand. Slowly, he inched toward you with just a few steps. How long was he there? How long were you there, just snooping through his childhood bedroom? You were perplexed as to how you didn’t even notice him stepping into the room from the hall, or feel his form lingering just a few meters away from your own oblivious one. 

You felt a little nervous, embarrassed at being caught in his room. You glanced back down at the picture, noticing that he actually did take the time to encase it in a black metal frame. Even if it was just a somewhat crappy, overexposed photo you took as a little girl—he still took the time to find the right size frame for it. You had so many similar, amateurish photos from back in the day sitting—perhaps “rotting” is the best word for it—in a scrapbook somewhere in the back of your closet in Seattle. Maybe you would revisit them when you got back home… especially when you would have to pack all your things to move out and abandon Richard’s lease. 

You cracked a smile as a finger ran across the photo, brushing a few specks of old dust away. “Yeah, it’s one of my favorites too. I still remember that day a little.”

Phil stepped closer to you nonchalantly, a hand of his reaching out to touch the frame too. A this, he noticed how you stiffened just a bit. He glanced up from the frame to look closer at you. When your eyes met, he noticed how yours widened ever more slightly before you gulped. His eyes couldn’t help but notice how your throat moved. His thoughts began to wander. He blinked quickly, trying to banish the images and ideas that had formed cross currents in his mind, before his eyes returned to yours. They scanned your face slowly, like a student observing every detail and brushstroke on a painting’s canvas hanging on a museum’s walls. His hand encroached yours on the picture frame, his warm fingers making contact with your hand. They barely grazed yours, but it was enough for your heart to speed up and for it to feel as though your fingers were now tingling. 

You noticed then how his eyes strayed from yours, traveling lower. They landed on your lips, you could tell without a doubt, making you hold your breath silently. Phil noticed how pink and plush they looked. He had been admiring your beauty, realizing just how alluring you’d become in a span of years. He wanted nothing more than to lean down and taste your lips, to draw your body closer and to envelop it in his. He couldn’t help himself… he even noticed how you seemed to be relaxing, your eyes fluttering and lips slightly parted. He could swear you were leaning in too.

Yet, you flinched hard when you heard a phone start to ring out of the blue. Phil leaned back slightly with an annoyed sigh. He dug his hand into his pocket to pull out his phone. He steps away once more and answers it, greeting the person with faux amiability. You, meanwhile, took a sharp breath in and loosened your shoulders. Prudently, you placed the frame back on the nightstand, just as you had found it minutes before. 

After a “yup” an “of course,” an  “Around what time?” and a “I’ll see what if I can,” he hung up the phone. He looked at you with pursed lips before placing both his hands on your upper arms. 

“Everything okay?” you gently asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“Don’t worry about it,” he said while wrapping an arm slyly around your waist. You nearly didn’t notice. “Now, didn’t I promise you dinner?” 

You sat next to Bear and Matty in the living room of your family’s beach house, wishing you had gotten a better pedicure before this beach trip. The beach house was gorgeous, of course, just as you remember. The sofa was turquoise and the sound of the distant waves crashing onto the shore would be soothing you if it weren’t for your father sitting across from you with a grave look etched on his face. This was Elaine and Matty’s idea to mend the latest strains in your family ever since you rejected Richard’s “surprise” proposal. A few days at the beach by the Texas coast could heal your family’s freshly formed wounds, they figured. 

As much as you sometimes detested Houston, you wanted to stay. First, you didn’t have a bathing suit from Seattle packed for a beach trip. Second, you had to admit that one of the highlights of returning home was rekindling your friendship with Phil. Just two nights before, you had sat down in Phil’s home. You sat at the kitchen island, chatting idly about his life in the military and your time in university. Jokes sprinkled in the conversation kept it lively too, dissipating any awkwardness that might’ve lingered after your short conversation and moment in his bedroom upstairs. His parents’ finest wine and a home-cooked Italian meal filled your bellies while you chatted at the dining table. At one point, you nearly fainted when he did the classic “You got a little in the corner of your lip,” bit that you thought only happened in the movies. And knowing how guileful Phil was, you knew that he knew he had an effect on you and was relishing in it that night. 

You almost wanted to ask him for more nights together like that, at least until you both had to part your ways again. That was, until Matty and Elaine called you later that night insisting that you accompany them to this beach trip. “Think of it as a proper celebration of mine and Elaine’s engagement with less… interruptions from our invited guests,” Matty had spelled out for you. You groaned at this, the embarrassment of Richard ruining that night creeping back up inside you. Matty had done so much for you, and you really wanted Elaine to feel a truly warm welcome into your family as your new sister-in-law. Begrudgingly, you agreed, even if it meant that dinner in Phil’s home would be your last you could share with him until God knows when. 

You ran your hands along Bear’s thick, albeit graying, mane, while your brother and Elaine gave your mother a hand in the kitchen with the watermelon she was carving and dividing up for later. Your father, meanwhile, averted his gaze from meeting yours. He tapped his foot against the leg of his chair idly, while scrolling through his smartphone. He sipped on his black coffee as he scrolled, while you sipped on a glass of cool water. You couldn’t imagine the news was so interesting that he would suddenly be glued to his phone during a beach trip. Rolling your eyes, you focused on massaging Bear’s ears in the awkward silence of the living room. 

“Oh!” Matty suddenly exclaimed. “Finally, he’s at the door.”

You frowned. “The bell didn’t even ring.” Was there even a doorbell in this cabana?

“You messed up the food so bad that you had to order takeout?” your father grumbled, not lifting his head from his phone. You rolled your eyes at his sour comment while you sipped on your water to hide the extent of your frown.

Matty scampered excitedly to the door, his sandals squeaking as he did so. “No, I never said I ordered take out,” he said with a mischievous grin. 

Without answering, he opened the door dramatically. “PHIL! You made it!” 

You choked on your water. There he stood. You almost didn’t recognize him in the state he was in. Rather than the polo and slacks he wore the other days you met up with him, he wore a simple cotton t-shirt that hugged his body deliciously, as well as some shorts. His hair was slightly disheveled, possibly from the beachside breeze brushing through his locks. Lastly, you noticed how his eyes were covered by a pair of dark shades. His pearly white smile, radiant as ever, was too recognizable. 

“Of course, I’m not gonna let you down,” Phil said as he hugged your brother, who took Phil’s bag from him and placed it in one of the bedrooms down the hall.

You, meanwhile, were in shock. You would’ve frozen were it not for the coughing fit the water you choked on caused. Sure, just a few minutes ago you were totally downcast about how any plans—imaginary or real—with Phil in Houston had to be put away due to this beach trip. Yet, you had no clue that your conniving brother had managed to invite the man you were crushing on since you were a kid to this trip.

“Phil—” you choked out. “What are you doing here?”

“Ooh,” he said, grimacing slightly at slight shock, maybe offense, he thought he detected in your voice. He sheepishly scratched his head. “I, well—I uhh-” Phil didn’t have anything to use as an excuse, he didn’t know why he thought of making excuses to begin with.

You swore you could hear your brother snickering quietly, as he returned from putting Phil’s bag away. 

“It was actually my idea!” Elaine chimed in calmly as she sauntered in from the kitchen, too. “The fish tacos are turning out fantastic by the way. I highly recommend it.”

“I wasn’t sure if I was gonna come to be honest.”  He crossed his arms, and continued. “But Elaine here insisted very kindly so I said—why not.” he finishes with his signature grin.

You wanted nothing more than to strangle your brother. Yes, you had to admit seeing Phil here was a pleasant surprise, especially with how he looked in that shirt that you couldn’t stop your eyes from darting to. But you could swear on your life that he and Elaine were scheming this ever since that day. Of course, you had no proof of that, but you knew how cunning your brother could be. And Elaine? It seemed like they were starting to make more sense together as a couple with how devious she could be too. 

Elaine continued. “Your mom was totally okay with it too… and we could use a third party to join us to clear the, you know, the awkward fog that is hanging in the air… which clearly she was right about.” Matty and her both stole a glance toward your father who sat now with his arms crossed. You noticed, however, that he had placed his phone on the coffee table moments ago. He was now actually glancing at the three of you, the frown on his wrinkled face a little softer. 

“Phillip, it’s good to see you as always,” he said curtly with a nod. “Let me see what’s taking so long in the kitchen. I’m starved.”

Your brother and Elaine trailed after him. “It’s really not going to take much longer,” Matty said in annoyance. “We have some fruits ready to eat as well if you’re really that hungry…” 

With that, it was just you and Phil standing alone in the living room once again, save for Bear. The German Shepherd got up from the sofa and padded over to Phil. He jumped up, his two front paws landing and holding onto Phil’s hips. “Hey, buddy,” he cooed to the dog. “I missed you too, Bear.”

Once Bear landed back on the floor, Phil returned his attention to you. He stepped closer to you, you glanced around, realizing and relieved that neither your parents nor Matty and Elaine have returned from discussing lunch in the kitchen.

He placed a heavy hand on your shoulder, part of his hand just grazing part of your neck for a few moments as he did so. Once again, his eyes scanned over you, from head to toe. Anyone else whom he would’ve studied so intensely would have been shaking, but he noticed you stood , your eyes not leaving his.  He noticed how your chest rose and fell with each breath a little more rapidly than before. Seeing how you looked up at him, wordlessly, with your soft doe eyes he felt his heart flutter in his own chest as well. 

You put down your glass of water, clearing your throat one last time. “Make yourself at home, Phil. I’ll see you at dinner.” You smiled sheepishly, patting his hand on your shoulder before gently guiding it off you. And with that, you turned around, and tried to scurry to your room.

You woke up from a nap you didn’t remember deciding to take. Rubbing your eyes and feeling a headache creep into your skull, you got up from your bed in your room in the cabana to find some water. The heat of the Texas summer was getting to you, and you kept forgetting to hydrate. Your mom would scold you for that if you found out.

When you dragged your feet over to the cabana’s kitchen, you were surprised to see your parents, Matty, Elaine, and Phil also sitting in the living room together. Your mom was reading a magazine, your father a thick, hardcover biography of what was probably an unfamiliar nineteenth-century politician. Your brother, Elaine, and Phil sat around the coffee table on the floor. On it, was a messy, nearly scattered, stack of UNO cards, and each of them held small decks in their hand. 

“Oh, [Y/N], you slept through dinner,” your mother said when she noticed you walking in. “We saved you a plate covered in the kitchen. You can bring it here and join us if you’d like.”

You furrowed your brow, “What time is it?”

“9 p.m.,” your father huffed, his eyes not leaving the dense book in his hands. 

Your eyes widened, but you could feel your stomach rumbling as you could hear Elaine bickering with Matty about whether they should be stacking the cards they’re playing. You decided to take your mother up on her idea and carried the plate of dinner with you back to the living room after warming it up briefly in the microwave.

Phil smiled briefly at you as you sat beside him on the floor. You watched as the three of them played another round, Phil shrugging and accepting defeat when Matty managed to beat him and Elaine. You munched on the tacos for the next several rounds. Phil let you glance over his shoulder to peer at what cards he had in his deck. Whenever he made a shrewd play, he would look over at you with a glint in his eyes to see how you reacted. Seeing you breathe in sharply, impressed with one of his plays, made Phil’s chest swell in a form of pride. 

After you finished your dinner, you noticed that your mom and dad were yawning among themselves before heading back to their room. Your dad’s coffee didn’t seem to have helped him stay up as long as he’d hoped. You glanced down at your watch, seeing it was almost 10pm You thought that maybe you should head back to your room to wash up. 

“Oh, no. You have to join us for a few rounds,” Elaine exclaimed as she shuffled the deck. “Just for one or two. Then you can go.”

“Yeah, remember we used to play all the time with Phil?” Your brother chirped. “You always were close to beating us.”

At this you remembered indeed staying up at night during various thunderstorms and low-category hurricanes at Phil’s house when you were barely 7 or 8. Your parents, meanwhile, would usually be with Phil sharing wine downstairs discussing local politics and stocks. The windows in Phil’s bedroom would be covered with metallic shutters. The electricity and Phil’s bedroom light would have flickered and cut out hours before from Houston’s strong winds and rains. You, him, and Matty huddled in his bedroom with a flightlight weakly illuminating where the three of you sat. The sound of the howling winds, sounding almost like ghosts, would usually send chills down your spine. The thunder crashing would make you flinch.

But in the company of Matty and Phil, you would forget about the howling. By the lantern, you played Go Fish, Uno, and even Monopoly. Knowing you were scared of the thunder, Phil had the habit of draping you with one of his blankets. When thunder clapped or lightning flashed, he distracted you with the cards. Cards, something you almost never play now as an adult, was still something that you remembered fondly. Even as you got older, before Phil left for the Marines, you remembered seeing Phil go through his nightstand’s drawer to find his deck of cards if it looked like the lights might go out again. 

Memories still swirling in your mind faintly, you felt Phil shift beside you slightly. His shoulder lightly grazed yours and you felt a warm feeling blossom in your chest. You brought your hands to your face, fingers touching your cheeks, as you felt them grow warm too. You glanced at Phil tentatively and saw that he also was looking at you in anticipation for you to join in. 

You sighed in faux defeat, “Alright maybe one round. Then I’m heading back to bed.”

Next thing you knew, several rounds had passed. More than a decade after having last played against Phil and Matty, you finally managed to win. Elaine won most of the rounds, however. She teased him several times by stealing very obviously glances at his hand, making Matty dramatically call for a rematch or to disqualify Elaine. Witnessing this kind of back-and-forth bantering normally would make you feel like an awkward third wheel. But, thankfully, Phil was there to crack jokes with you about how their bickering felt like a strange sneak-peek into their future lives as a married couple.

After a few rounds, you decided to take another break and watch. You got comfortable laying down on your side on the velvety sofa behind Phil. Knowing you were behind him, Phil also felt it was hard to hide his grin, especially when he could feel you shifting and breathing while he played. After a while, he could almost hear how your breathing slowed and you seemed to sink, more relaxed, into the cushions of the sofa. He glanced back behind you, noticing your eyes were closed and how you nestled your head into the pillow shams in the shape of a beach palm tree. The corner of his mouth twitched into a soft smile at the sight. 

Your brother stretched his arms above his head and yawned, while Elaine gathered all the discarded cards and shoved them back into the main deck. “I think we’re gonna start winding down now,” Matty mumbled out. “I can’t believe it’s almost one in the morning.”

Phil checked his watch, the same watch his father gave him many years before. “Oh, shoot. Time sure flew by.”

Matty and Elaine got up. “Well, we’ll see you tomorrow morning, Phil. Hope you can get some rest,” Elaine said.

“G’night!” Matty said, his eyes noticeably growing heavier. Phil waved them goodbye with a polite smile, wishing them a good night’s rest as well.

Phil stared at them, slightly bemused, as they shuffled away from the living room toward their shared bedroom. He was shocked they didn’t bother to wake you up so you could go to your room. He turned around, noticing you were still sound asleep. He peered down, not sure how best to wake you. For a few moments, he just studied your features. At times, when you breathed out slowly it sounded like a soft, almost airy snore. Your brows were knitted, as if you were in deep concentration in whatever images were flickering in your dreams. 

Sometimes, Phil found he was still in denial of how much you had grown—how much you had changed . Of course, he still felt the same protective affection toward you, much like Matty did as your older brother. But along with that affection, he also felt new things that he couldn’t quite nail down. Sometimes, he wanted to curse himself for staring at how your hips moved when you walked or how your clothes hugged your body. When he saw that Richard was your partner, he even felt some jealousy bleeding into his thoughts. He brushed off those thoughts as him just being a man—and a brutish one at that sometimes. Still, other times he found himself growing anxious over you. He thought, yes, it was obvious you’d grown so much, but you still were better fitted with someone who understood you better, someone who would protect you rather than talk down to you, unlike Richard. He felt this inexplicable instinct to simply bring you closer to him, whether it meant embracing you in his arms, to weave his fingers with yours, to never stop talking to you or observing every one of your little movements and quirks. How he wanted to flee from his hometown of Houston during his vacation time if he meant he got to spend more time with you—and yes, your family, but especially you—at this beach house. 

Phil shook himself out of his thoughts. He glanced again at the watch on his wrist and told himself it really was getting late, and he didn’t want to end up sleeping in tomorrow if he was here as a guest. But he also didn’t know what to do with your sleeping form on the sofa. He didn’t want to wake you with how deep in slumber you seemed to be. 

Without thinking twice, he strode over to his guest room. He saw that he had about three blankets neatly folded on top of his bed. He snatched one and returned quickly to the living room to find you still there. Carefully, he draped the fuzzy blanket over your form, making sure it covered your shoulders and feet just right. You started to move, making him freeze where he stood. But his muscles relaxed in relief when he saw that you were only snuggling into the blanket more. Your brows were slightly furrowed before, but now they relaxed and you seemed truly at rest. Good . You at least seemed comfortable. 

He turned around and headed to the lightswitch. He admired your sleeping form one last time, before deciding that he too was also exhausted, especially after a day of travel. He flicked it off, and headed back to his room.

[silver-hwaberry]

FOURTEEN: insomnia

Warnings: oral (f receiving), fingering, protected sex, slight soft dom, feelings of being overwhelmed during sex.

Word count: 9.8K

Taglist: @kiwibaekie @fudgeflyssworld @kodzukein @elk-1998 @khjcoo @pepperony-7 @ateez-babygirl @starillusion13 

I lay in bed, staring at the window. I can hear the occasional car passing down below. A week has passed since the meeting and work was busy. I was also struggling to sleep. The guys have their final promotion schedule the following day and then thankfully have a few days off before rehearsals for the tour and upcoming kcons begin. Despite seeing each other every day at home and at work, we had all been busy that we had barely spent any quality time together. Seonghwa, Yunho, Hongjoong, San and Wooyoung were going to see their families for a couple of days while Yeosang, Mingi and Jongho were staying in Seoul. My parents and sisters were also arriving in a couple of days, too, and I was looking forward to seeing them. 

I sigh and give in. I accept that sleep is not coming anytime soon so I throw my cover off me and get out of bed. I open my bedroom door and make my way to the kitchen. The entire apartment is quiet. Everyone is asleep. Oh, how I envy them. I bitterly envy everyone who is in the land of nod right now while I am wide awake but absolutely exhausted at the same time!

I get some milk from the fridge and pour it into a saucepan. I am hoping some warm milk might help me get sleepy. As I wait for it to heat, I check my phone. There is a message from Soojin. I smile as I open it. It is a simple ‘I love you’, but it melts my heart. I quickly reply that I love her too and that I can’t wait to see her. 

I settle onto the sofa with my mug of warm milk and switch the tv on, turning the volume down. I pull the throw over the back of the sofa over myself. I scroll aimlessly through Netflix trying to find something that would lull me to sleep. I don’t even know what I’ve put on, as I am more focused on scrolling through my phone.

“Can’t sleep?” I hear Yeosangs deep voice ask softly from the doorway, giving me a fright as I hadn’t heard him come down the stairs.

“Nope.” I answer, sitting upright and switching the tv off with the remote. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

“of course not. I didn’t know you were even awake until I got into the hallway and saw the light on.” He says, coming into the lounge. He is wearing a black tank top and loose red and black plaid pj bottoms.

“You can’t sleep either?” I ask as he shakes his head and runs a hand through his dark hair. I can see how tired he is in his face. Yeosang is naturally pale, but I can’t help notice how much paler he looks than normal. It worries me, as I know how hard they are all working right now, both physically and mentally. “Want to cuddle?”

I open the side of my blanket and pat the space beside me. He smiles and comes over. I can feel how tense his body is as he lays down beside me. He tucks me into his side, my head resting on his chest as his arms wrap around me. Usually our cuddles are fleeting as there is always someone around and normally in the kitchen or hallway. It feels nice to be actually lying down to hug him, no fear of interruptions or someone walking in. I feel him place a kiss on the crown of my head, causing me to look up at him. 

“I’ve missed you.” he sighs

“Me too.” I reply. “About you, I mean. Obviously, I don’t miss myself!” This causes him to chuckle and I can feel his deep laugh vibrate in his chest. I cautiously rest my leg on top of his and immediately he pulls me closer, his right hand holds onto my left. His other hand resting on my lower back, his fingers making soft circles through my shirt. I feel the tension in his body lessen.

“Anything in particular keeping you awake?” He asks as his fingers play with mine.

“Just a little bout of insomnia.” I answer, resting my head back on his chest and looking down at our hands as my fingers playback with his. “What about you?”

“Wooyoung is talking in his sleep.” He answers.

“Woo is a sleep talker?” I laugh. The fact he talks in his sleep when the man talks a lot when he is awake is funny to me.

“He does sometimes.” He laughs. “I can still go to sleep and sleep through it when he does it, but not tonight, for some reason.” 

“Can you make out what he says when he does it, or is it like mumbling?” I ask trying to picture Wooyoung talking in his sleep. The night I had slept in his bed I had heard nothing, but then I can sleep through anything so he could have been having a full-blown concert in his sleep and I wouldn’t have known!

“Oh yeah, he speaks very coherently!” he replies. “Tonight it is something about pandas and pineapples chasing him to steal a wooden spoon.” He answers, his fingers pretending to catch mine now.

“Sounds like an interesting dream.” I giggle.

“Yeah.” He chuckles as he continues to play with my hand, it turning into a gentle game of thumb wrestling, making us both laugh quietly. It feels comfortable laying with him like this, like we do it all the time. The reality is we have only had a couple of kisses and hugs when we have had moments alone, which have never lasted long, as there is always someone around. So this feels nice. Yeosang is completely at ease right now because everyone is asleep. We know there will be no interruptions and it’s nice to see this touchy and playful side to him I’ve never got to see before. After a few minutes, he asks softly, “Do you get insomnia often?”

“I used to struggle from time to time when I was a teenager, but the last time I had it was over a year ago.” I say. 

“How long has this one been going on for?” he asks.

“I am on day 3 so far.” I answer.

“You haven’t slept in 3 days?!” he asks. “Sorry, I am asking you a lot of questions.”

“I don’t mind answering your questions. I got around 2 hours last night, but it was broken up.” I reply, yawning. I can feel myself beginning to relax into Yeosang.

“Does this help? Cuddling into someone?” he asks. I nod and smile gently at his questions, but also at what he is asking. “Anytime you can’t sleep, you know you can come to one of us.”

“Can I come to you for cuddles in the middle of the night?” I ask, my fingers intertwine with his now.

“If-if you feel it would help you, then of course you can.” he says quietly. I can hear his heart beating a little faster now. 

“This is helping me.” I say sleepily.

“I am always here for you.” His voice is soft as I let out another yawn. “Close your eyes and get some sleep.” He whispers and I feel his hand that was on my back move up to my head, stroking it gently.

“What about you?” I ask, moving my head slightly to look up at him. “You need to sleep too.” 

“I’ll be going to sleep soon.” He replies, kissing my forehead. “This is helping me too.”

“That’s good.” I move further up his body, pressing my lips on his. He kisses me back softly and smiles at me when our lips part, before I place a kiss on his bare shoulder. I cuddle into him once again, my knee bending over his legs to get even closer to him. 

“Sweet dreams.” I hear him whisper as he delicately caresses my back.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

As I feel myself begin to wake I can feel a warmth behind me. There is a distant clattering noise coming from the kitchen and someone making a shushing noise. I open my eyes and can make out through my blurred vision that I am on the sofa. I am lying on my left side, facing the backing of it and there is a heavy weight over my right hip and a hand on my stomach. I look behind me and squint my eyes to see Yeosang asleep. His left arm is under my head while his right is over my waist. His leg is draped over my hips as he is flush against my back. The top half of the blanket has fell off and lying on the floor while the bottom half is covering our feet.

The early morning light is coming in from the large window behind the sofa. My alarm hasn’t gone off so I know it isn’t 6am yet. Another noise comes from the kitchen and I hear a deep yet hushed voice say “Could you make anymore noise?!” I recognise it as Seonghwa, the reply of “Sorry!” belongs to Mingi and a “You’ll wake up Luna and Yeosang making such a racket!” from Seonghwa.

I put my head back down onto Yeosangs outstretched arm I had been sleeping on before I woke up and close my eyes. I feel Yeosang move slightly behind me, his arm over my stomach pulling me into him. I move my hand to his and hold on to his fingers as I doze in and out of sleep, but I can hear Seonghwa and Mingi quietly walking around. I hear one of them come in to the lounge and pull the fallen blanket over us both before a kiss is placed on my temple. I can tell from the scent as they leaned over me it was Seonghwa, and then hear them leave the apartment. I knew they both had an early schedule, and the others were joining them at the music show later on.

I begin to feel Yeosang waking up behind me. The hand that has been on my stomach moves to my hip as he partially sits up and leans over me. I turn my head and open my eyes to look at him. “Good morning.” I smile at him, rolling onto my back.

“Did you sleep well?” he asks, his morning voice much deeper than normal as I nod. 

“I did. Did you get to sleep soon after?” I ask him.

“I fell asleep straight after you did.” he replies.

“I am glad.” I reply, gently pulling his head down so I can kiss him.

It starts slowly, our lips softly moving against one another. Just at our usual easy pace. That is, until his top half lowers onto me and my hands move to his long hair. Before I know it, his entire body is on top of mine and our kisses are turning needy. I feel him getting hard as his hips subtly move against me. 

“We should stop.” He mumbles against my mouth, panting heavily.

“Ye-yeah.” I reply as he moves off me but keeps his hand on my waist. “Sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry. I don’t want to stop but…. I know if we keep kissing like this I will want to do more and I don’t want to rush you.” he says

I can’t help but smile at this and it also makes me want to kiss him again at how sweet he is being, but I am respecting what he is saying. “You wouldn’t be rushing me, but I understand where you are coming from.” I reach for his hand and play with it like we did in the early hours of this morning when we both couldn’t sleep. “I don’t want to rush you either.”

“Since we have some alone time, which is rare in this house, I want to use this time to ask you if I can take you on a date tomorrow afternoon?” he smiles at me.

I feel like a million butterflies have been let loose inside my stomach as I look at him. “You want to take me on a date?” I ask, knowing I am smiling like a lunatic right now.

“I do.” He nods, chuckling, and I can see through my slightly blurry vision that his cheeks and ears have turned red as he looks away. “If you want to, that is.”

“Yeo, of course I do!” I cuddle into him, and he lets out what sounds like a sigh of relief. “Where are we going?”

“Ah, I want to keep it a secret. However, I remember the debacle you had over what to wear when you went on a date with Seonghwa….” He says. 

“Hey! There was no debacle!” I laugh, playfully tapping his stomach with the palm of my hand 

“Oh, you were 100% flapping. We all saw it!” He laughs back.

“Ok, so I might have flapped a little, I guess!” I reply as it was true, I did!

“So to stop any flapping over this i will tell you it involves food and is somewhere really casual but cute. Well, I think it is cute. I haven’t actually gone to it. I’ve only seen photos of it and walked past it too, but it is somewhere I’ve always wanted to take someone special, so this is perfect.”

“I am someone special?” I ask him.

“You are very special. To all of us.” he says, tilting my head to kiss me.

“I thought you didn’t want to kiss me anymore.” I playfully tease him, poking his shoulder 

“Oh, I want to kiss you and so much more!” He laughs deeply. “But I don’t want our first time together to be a quickie before the others wake up. I intend to take my time with you when the time comes.” He grins, kissing me once more. I feel my tummy flip at the thought of it and I can’t help but squeeze my thighs together as heat pools in my core. 

I know he is teasing me now as the hand that was on my waist moves lower and squeezes my ass over my pyjama bottoms. His teeth lightly nip at my lower lip. He pulls my left leg over his hip before moving his hand back to my ass. I can feel us getting carried away again as he suddenly pulls my hips into his and I can feel the outline of his hard on through our pyjama bottoms. He moans lightly against my mouth before my alarm suddenly blares from my phone, causing us both to jump in fright. Yeosang quickly turns over and picks it up from the floor and hands it to me as we both laugh.

“Your loud ass alarm always makes me laugh.” he says as we sit upright.

“Sorry!” I giggle, nudging his shoulder with my head

“Do you want to come down to the gym with me?” he asks, moving my long bangs off my face and cupping my cheek

“I think that would be dangerous.” I playfully grin at him.

“Worried you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands off me?” he smirks back, his hand moves down to my neck. “I saw you watching me in the mirror last time we went to the gym.” It spins my head how he can go from being so shy to so cocky.

“Can you blame me? Look at you!” I laugh, feeling my face blush. “I think I’ll stick with my usual run around the park this morning. It is less distracting.”

“Probably safer too.” He nods as he leans forward as if to kiss me, but just before his lips touch mine, he pulls back and stands up with a smirk on that innocent face of his. He is teasing me once again, but I cannot lie and say that I am not liking this new side to him I am seeing. He holds out his hand for me to take and he helps me up. “I shall see you later on.” He simply says before leaving the room. I run my fingers through my hair and shake my head as I laugh lightly to myself. I did not expect this amount of teasing from him, but I am not complaining either.

─── ･ ☆: *.☽.* :☆ ･ ───

The final performance is at Inkigayo. There is a series of fancalls scheduled for after the stage performance, so I was there to help with any translations, but overall the guys handle each call really well. In previous fancalls I have barely been needed by any of them. As soon as we arrived at the studio, they went straight into hair and makeup and then to wardrobe, so I was waiting alone in the room where everyone had left their things.

“Hey Luna!!” Hyunshik says as he comes into the room.

“Hiya!” I smile, putting my phone down

Since the meeting a few days ago, we had been talking more. Hyunshik was one of the junior assistant managers. He joined the company a year before I did and had been training ever since. He was a really funny guy and easy to talk to as well. I could see how much he loved his job and wanted to be promoted to full manager status and not assistant manager, which was basically doing whatever the managers told him to do from what I could see.

“What a manic week it has been!” he sighs, sitting across from me. “I cannot wait for a few days to do absolutely nothing!”

“Are the promotions always like this?” I ask him

“Generally yeah. This one has felt so much busier, though. With all the music shows, interviews, the group and individual schedules, online fan calls, in person fan signs. I think because this is the first comeback with full audiences, it has felt more hectic than other comebacks.” He replies, opening his laptop. “And things are only going to get busier too, with the kcons and tour dates coming up! I honestly don’t know where the guys get their energy from. I go home exhausted every single day and I am not on stage performing multiple times a day every day.”

I can only nod silently. I don’t know where they get it from either. I am seeing them come home every night on the brink of exhaustion, but still practicing in their bedrooms. Hongjoong normally going from the apartment to his studio until the early hours doing even more work. Honestly, it has worried me, but Yunho had told me to trust them to know their own limits when I voiced my concerns about their wellbeing the previous week. So I was trying not to worry, but that was easier said than done. So I have been doing a lot of tongue biting recently.

“Do you have any plans for your time off?” he asks, pulling me from my thoughts

“My parents and sisters are coming to Korea for a couple of weeks on Tuesday, so I’ll spend some time with them.” I answer.

“Do they not live in Korea?” he asks

“They live in London. I moved here in 2017 for college, but I was born in New York.” I answer. It is always an automatic answer that comes out of my mouth whenever I am asked where my family lives.

“Wow!” he gasps, looking up at me. I never tire of that reaction either. It is always been entertaining to me. The next question is always “Are both your parents Korean?”

“They are. Both were born in America too, but all 4 of my grandparents were born here and moved to America.”

“I didn’t think you could get any cooler Luna, but you surprise me! It explains your American accent when you speak English.” he smiles. Everyone says that too about my accent when I tell them. “So, what are your plans with your family?”

I go to answer, but the door opens, causing us both to look over. Seonghwa, Wooyoung and Jongho come in. They are ready for the stage and I have to stop myself from gasping at how hot they look for their final promotions stage outfits. Seonghwa is wearing a sleeveless top and honestly, seeing his bare arms is a weakness for me. I hope to god he never finds out about it! Wooyoung is wearing a white shirt that is unbuttoned dangerously low, a slim black tie around his neck with a black baseball style jacket and ripped jeans. Jongho is in all black. Black jeans, black shirt, black jacket with a white rose pinned near the pocket. Honestly, he looks amazing and I know I am staring. I am dreading seeing what the others are wearing as I may start drooling! I’ve never felt this way over boyfriends in the past. Wooyoung smiles as he sees me and goes to come over, but stops when he sees Hyunshik. 

“Oh, hey Hyun!” he says to him

“You guys nearly ready for the stage?” he asks, looking back at his laptop

“Most of us are. San is still getting his hair done, and the stylist is making a small change to Yunhos shirt.” Seonghwa answers.

“Myeonjin said the stage is almost ready, too.” He replies. “Ah shit, I’ve left the paperwork for the fan calls in the office. Ilsung will kill me if he finds out I don’t have them! I’ll be back in an hour! Don’t tell him!” He adds, grabbing his mobile and bag.

“Your secret is safe with us!” Wooyoung laughs

“We can finish our conversation later on too, Luna!” He smiles at me before running towards the door. 

“We sure will!” I laugh as I watch him run out of the room and then feel Seonghwa kiss my cheek from behind. I tilt my head up to look at him from my seated position as he puts his hands on my shoulders. I place my hands over his as he bends down and kisses me on the lips. “Hi.” I whisper to him in English.

“Conversation?” I hear Wooyoung say.

I look over at him to see him actually pouting. “Are you jealous?” I ask 

“No!!” He replies immediately and rather loudly, causing Seonghwa to laugh. “I was just wondering what kind of conversation you guys had that needs to be continued at a later time is all!” But I can see he is a little jealous. Wooyoung does not have a good poker face.

“You are jealous!” Jongho teases him as I stand up, moving towards Wooyoung, and he huffs slightly as I cuddle him, taking care not to ruin his hair or makeup.

“Give me a proper hug!” He whines, pulling me closer.

“We were talking about our plans during the break.” I say to him softly, my hands stroking his lower back as I relax into his body. “That is all. Nothing to be jealous of.”

“I am not jealous.” He says quietly to me.

“I know.” I whisper back. “But just so you know, if you were…” I look up at him “…it would be really really hot!” I raise my eyebrows as he breaks into a cheeky grin.

“Noted.” He replies before kissing me.

“Your make up!!” I giggle, pulling my head back 

“I don’t care!” He says, leaning down to capture my lips once more. I am now used to how open around the others he is with his affection and kisses. I kiss him back as I feel his hands move down my sides and rest on my ass. I can also feel his breathing change, becoming a little faster, his hands pulling my body even closer to his than it already was. This kiss feels so much more different from our usual kisses. It is getting heated and I know he is forgetting his surroundings, and to be honest, so am I. 

Seonghwa and Jongho are still in the room and the others would come any minute, not to mention a staff member could arrive too. I need to put my sensible head on and stop the kiss now. Reluctantly, I pull my lips away. His eyes are dark as he looks down at me, trying to catch his breath. “Sorry, got a little carried away there.” he says quietly

“It is ok.” I smile at him, pecking his lips.

“I.. erm, should go to the toilet before we get called on stage.” He says as his cheeks suddenly flush pink. I nod and let go of him. He walks rather awkwardly towards the bathroom, his hands covering his lower part, and I realise he has a boner. Instantly I feel my own cheeks heat at this and look towards Seonghwa and Jongho who are sitting on the sofa, scrolling on their phones. Either they are so occupied with what they are doing on their phones they weren’t aware of what was going on or they are trying to look like they were busy. Either way, I am thankful there is no teasing.

One by one, each of the other guys comes into the room. All their performance outfits for this comeback have been amazing, however, this last set is definitely my favourite and I feel like the stylists have left the best ones for last. Each outfit suits them so well, and I can see how comfortable they feel in them too. Not to mention how hot they look too! My horny teenager side coming out once more. I try my best to calm myself down and stop thinking dirty thoughts. Especially when a sleeveless San sits next to me and rests his hand on my thigh as we all talk.

“Time to go to the stage now.” Myeonjin says as he comes into the room.

“Good luck!” I smile as they all get ready.

“Come with us.” Yunho says taking my hand into his. “You can watch from the side of the stage.” His smile shining brightly as he looks down at me.

“Am I even allowed to?” I ask.

“Of course.”

“We want you there.” Hongjoong says

“All of us.” I hear Jongho say from beside me, causing me to look at him. He is looking at me in a way I’ve never seen him do before, and it makes my tummy flip. “So please come.” I look around at them all, smiling at me, and I nod. Of course I want to be with them, there isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be. 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The apartment is quiet tonight. San, Wooyoung and Jongho are having a night out with some of their idol friends they haven’t seen for a while. Yunho had left to go home straight from the studio after the final round of fancalls finished while Seonghwa, Hongjoong, San and Wooyoung were leaving tomorrow. I was pleased for them because they deserve it and I know how it is to miss your family, but I also knew I would miss them, too. 

Saying goodbye to Yunho was difficult, and I wasn’t expecting to feel the emotions that I did when he was leaving. It made me realise that my feelings for not just him, but the others, were slowly growing. He hugged me for as long as he could until Hongjoong had to come into the room and tell him it was time to leave. Before he left, he kissed me and whispered that he would miss me, promised to text and send photos while he was away, too. I told him “Don’t! Just enjoy the break and spending time with your family!” The kiss he gave me before he finally left was long and lingering. It wasn’t heated but I could definitely feel his emotions through it and I felt like his lips were still on mine the entire car ride home as I sat looking out the window. I wasn’t certain, but it felt like he was finding it difficult, too. Or maybe it was all just in my head.

When we got home, I went straight to my bedroom to take out my contact lenses and get changed into my pyjamas. I also just wanted a moment of being alone, too. I was adjusting well to going from living completely alone to with 8 men, especially men who are very attentive to me, but there were times I just needed a bit of solitude. Thankfully, the guys appeared to know when I needed to be alone and didn’t question it. 

When I told Hongjoong about the bipolar, he asked if there were things I ever needed and I told him space was one of them, especially when I would feel overwhelmed. Rarely, but from time to time I just need to be by myself for a little bit. So I wasn’t sure if he’d told them to give me time alone or if they just intuitively knew when I needed it. They left me be, gave me the time I needed, then didn’t make a fuss when I came back to them either, and I appreciated it. 

As I walk into the lounge, it feels weird having the apartment so quiet. I don’t quite know what to do with myself, but there is only one person I need to see right now. I go upstairs and knock on Seonghwa and Hongjoongs bedroom door. I hear Seonghwa say to come in.

“Hey Luna.” he smiles at me

I can see a pile of clean washing on his bed that he is putting away. His already packed suitcase for tomorrow is sitting beside the bedroom door. It makes me smile lightly at how organised he is and I hope that some of it will rub off on me as I am the most disorganised, ‘wait until the last minute then freak out’ person ever! 

I walk over to the window and look out at the skyline. I honestly love the view from their apartment, especially at night time. You can see Han River in the distance. It is honestly a beautiful view. I feel Seonghwa wrap his arms around my waist from behind.

“You okay?” I hear him ask.

“Yeah, I am.” I turn around and smile at him.

“You sure? You were quiet on the drive home and then went straight to your bedroom.” he says.

“I haven’t been sleeping well recently but I am honestly ok.” I reply as he kisses the top of my head. “So don’t worry!”

“Hopefully, with the break from work we all have and your family coming to visit, you can relax and we can get you back into a good sleep pattern again.” he says

“‘we’?” I ask, smiling as I look up at him

“Yes, ‘we’!” he smiles back at me as he pecks my lips. “I know most of us are going away for a couple of days, but whatever we can do to help you, we will.”

“I’ll be fine in a day or two.” I sigh happily.

We spend a few more minutes cuddling before I pull away from him. He goes back over to his side of the bedroom and picks up a shirt from his bed, placing it on a hanger. I go over to the display cabinet with his Lego Star Wars creations and look at them. It brings back happy memories of my dad and I spending an entire day just building, just the two of us. My eyes fall onto Hongjoongs bed. An open suitcase is sitting on it, some clothes haphazardly thrown inside it. 

“Where’s Hongjoong?” I ask Seonghwa

“Where do you think?” He replies, laughing.

“Is he seriously at his studio tonight?” I ask in shock, turning to look at him. “He is going home tomorrow morning!”

“Thought you would have known by now the man pretty much lives there.” He says. “He got changed and left straight away.”

“Of course I knew that, but you guys have finished work for a few days. I didn’t expect him to be at the studio tonight.” I reply.

“Did you come to see Hongjoong then?” he asks me as he is hanging up a clean sweater and I feel nervous.

“Not really.” I say, my fingers fiddling with the bottom of my t-shirt.

“So you wanted me?” he teases, turning around to face me as I nod, feeling the heat rush to my face. I hate how shy I get around them sometimes, as I am not a shy person. I feel his hand cup my face, causing me to jump lightly as I hadn’t realised he had crossed the room to me. “You know Hongjoong won’t be back until like 3am. So we have this room to ourselves for a few hours.” His hands gently tilt my head to look up at him. He has that devilish look on his face, the same one he has had on his face for the past 3 weeks on stage. The one that has caused me to need to stop watching him and the others because of the effect they’ve all been having on me. “And there is also no one else in the apartment, either.”

“Hwa!” I blush as he pushes my hair behind my ear and puts his head beside it.

“I saw how you watched us earlier.” His voice is low and I can feel his breath on my ear. “When we were on stage.” His hands move lower. “The way you slightly bit your lower lip, your thighs rubbing together subtly.” His hand slides into my pyjama bottoms. “And now here you are, in my bedroom....” his fingertips slip past the waistband of my underwear and I cannot help the small moan that escapes my mouth as his fingers glide through my wet folds. “…and ready for me.” There is no denying how extremely turned on I am now. “So, my darling, just tell me what you want and I’ll give you it.”

“You.” I whimper as I feel his fingertip slide in and circle my clit lightly

“I didn’t quite hear that.” He teases, pulling his finger out.

“You.” I say louder. “I want you, Hwa.”

“I love it when you call me Hwa.” He says, his voice low before he captures my lips.

He catches me off guard, causing me to step backwards, but I recover quickly, kiss him back hard and wrap my arms around his shoulders as he removes his hand out of my pyjamas and tugging down on the waistband. He pulls them off along with my underwear and lifts me up. Instinctively, my legs wrap around his waist as he moves over to the desk in the room’s corner. He places me on it and continues to kiss me, his tongue massaging against mine.

My hands move from his shoulders to the bottom of his t-shirt, tugging at it, and our lips separate as I quickly pull it over his head and throw it on the floor beside us. “Tell me again who you want.” he presses his forehead against mine as I feel his fingers slide into my folds once more.

“I want you.” I moan lightly. My hands hold on to his shoulders to steady myself.

“I can’t hear you.” His voice is laced with desire.

“You Hwa! I want you! Please!” I beg loudly 

“I am all yours.” he smirks before dropping to his knees. He swiftly throws my legs over his shoulders and kisses my inner thighs. My fingers thread through his hair as he opens my legs further. His kisses stop and he places his hands softly on my thighs. 

I look down to see why he’s stopped and I see him looking at the bruises from my night with Mingi. Although they were in the early stages of fading, it was still clear imprints of the fingerprints he had left on me from holding onto my thighs and hips so hard. Seonghwas hands touch over them delicately, examining them closely with his eyes. I open my mouth to say that I am ok but stop when he smirks up at me. “This is really sexy!” I can’t help but smile back at him.

He continues to kiss my thighs, his hands moving under my knees to push my legs back, opening me more. My eyes close as his mouth moves higher.

“Oh, fuck…” I moan as his tongue flicks against my clit, my fingers tighten in his hair.

From the start, he is relentless. His tongue moves quickly, licking and sucking at my clit. Instantly, my back arches from the pleasure and I nearly fall backwards. One of my hands falls from his head and I place it surface behind me to keep my balance. Within minutes I can feel myself becoming undone, my fingers tighten in his hair as his mouth ravishes me. I bite my lip to muffle the noises coming from me, but he stops what he is doing. 

“You better not be holding back!” He says. “We are home alone.”

“Someone might come home, though.” I whine in a little annoyance that he has stopped when I was so close.

“They won’t.” He smirks, coming back up to kiss me and I feel him put a finger inside me. “Let’s take advantage of this rare moment where we don’t need to be quiet.” His lips capture mine once more as he slides another one in. He continues to kiss me deeply as he curls them to hit my spot with each thrust, causing me to moan into the kiss and my body to jerk against him. “Now let me get back to making you feel even better than you are already feeling.” 

He goes back down to his knees again and wastes no time in putting his tongue on me as his fingers continue to thrust inside of me. This time, I don’t hold back, allowing whatever weird noises want to come out of me and just let myself feel good. The feeling of both his fingers inside me and his tongue against my clit has me on the edge again.

“Hwa…. I am going to come!” I moan.

“That is my intention, darling.” he says, his voice laced with smugness

His movements increase. He sucks harshly on my clit, and within seconds, I am coming. As my legs try to close instinctively, he pulls his fingers out of me and holds my legs open further as he continues to eat me out at a fast pace.

“S-seonghwa!” I moan loudly, my fingers tugging on his hair harshly

He groans into me as his hands grip onto my thighs tighter, pushing my legs further apart. I am struggling to keep myself upright as the arm supporting my weight gives out. I am thankful the space behind me is clear as I fall backwards, the back of my head resting on the wall now. Seonghwa is not letting up either, his tongue pushing inside of me now as he continues to groan loudly, making a second orgasm hit harder than the first.

“T-too much!” I pant as his mouth moves faster against me, which I didn’t think was humanly possible.

“And yet you are still grinding against my face like you want more!” He says, pulling his mouth off me. He is right. It is as if my body craves more of him despite it being over sensitive. “Give me one more orgasm and then I’ll let you rest.”

“I need you inside me now.” I whine lightly. “Please, Hwa! I want your dick inside me!” I have never in my life begged so shamefully like this! He suddenly stands up, putting his hands on either side of my neck, his lips so close to mine that I can feel his hot breath.

“You want my dick?” he asks, his lips ghost over mine. “Want me to fuck you?” I nod desperately. “Such a needy girl!” I lean forward to kiss him, but he pulls his head back. 

“Seonghwa!” I pout as he laughs. I lean forward again, but he pulls back, laughing even more. “Stop it!!” I laugh too. 

“You are so fucking cute when you get annoyed!” he grins at me before kissing me and lifting me up once more. He carries me over to his bed and puts me on it. I watch as he shoves his clean washing on the floor and pulls his sweats down.

“Wow, has THE Park Seonghwa just made a mess?” I giggle as he takes a condom from his bedside drawer. “Throwing his clean clothes on the floor?”

“I washed the floor this morning and used the roller on it then hoovered when I got home so I know for a fact that floor is not dirty.” he laughs in reply

“I didn’t say your floor is dirty!” I say, smirking at him. “I simply said that you made a mess of the very tidy floor.”

“Luna, do you want me to fuck you or do you want me to start cleaning?” he asks, getting on the bed and pulling my legs harshly towards him so I slide down the bed. “Because you know I will do it! And once I start, I won’t stop!”

“Fucking or cleaning?” I ask back as I watch him put the condom on.

“You are being a bit of a brat tonight!” he states, leaning down on top of me, his face close to mine. His facial expression is unreadable to me. I can’t see what he is thinking and for a second, I think I have actually pissed him off with my banter until his mouth curls into a smirk. “Now, are you going to be a good girl and let me fuck you?” I nod as he kisses me before leaning back.

His hands push my t-shirt up and over my head, throwing it onto the floor with the rest of the clothes. We are both naked now and he is looking down at my body with dark, lust-filled eyes. “So pretty.” he says as his hands run down my body and move under my knees. He pushes them together and up towards my chest, leaning forward, trapping my legs between our bodies. I feel him push himself inside of me in one swift movement and immediately thrusts in and out. He gives me no time to adjust to him being inside, but it feels good from the start. The noises coming from him are deep and almost feral. It is turning me on even more. “You feel so fucking good.”

With each thrust, he is going harder and faster. My head is becoming clouded and my toes are going numb as my body shakes with the pleasure he is giving me. His eyes are closed and I can see he is completely lost in the moment. I try to hold on to his arms, but it is like my body has no strength and my hands just keep falling down. My entire body feels weak as he thrusts sharply into me. Every movement is hitting my g-spot with perfect precision and with the combination of how fast he is thrusting into me and the way my legs are folded between our bodies, unable to move I am feeling incredibly overwhelmed too and I try to speak, but nothing is coming out. Everything feels too intense. 

“Are you still with me?” he asks softly, slowing his movements down

“My… head… feels fuzzy.” I mumble in reply as he gently puts my legs down onto the bed on either side of his hips and leans down on top of me, his elbows supporting his weight.

“Do you want me to stop?” His hips stilling.

“No! Please don’t stop!” I attempt to grasp onto him as I feel him move back from me. “Don’t leave!”

“Hey, it is ok! I have you, my darling. I won’t leave you.” he whispers soothingly, kissing my lips. “I won’t stop, but I am going to slow down, though.” I feel his hips move again, but slower than before. “Is this ok?” I nod my head. “Am I being too rough?” He asks.

“No.” I shake my head. “You aren’t being rough.” My voice is slightly shaky and I am praying he doesn’t notice it.

“I never want to hurt you.” He says. “Or get carried away, and it causes you any pain or discomfort.”

“You never could.” I can hold on to his face now that my body is relaxing again. “You were actually making me feel really good. It was just intense and I… I am still not used to feeling this… good during actual sex.” I can feel my entire face heat up in slight embarrassment at this. 

“I understand.” He says so soothingly it is almost a whisper. I look up at him and see him looking down at me with the softest look. “While I am glad that I can make you feel good during it, I don’t want to you to feel overwhelmed like that.” I pull his lips towards mine and kiss him again. He is still slowly and gently thrusting into me. I can feel my orgasm building again, so I move my hips to match his movements as our kisses become needy. I pull my legs higher around his waist, causing a slight change in the angle of his thrusts. My walls clench around him, causing him to groan loudly into my mouth. “Fuck Luna!”

“Feels good.” I whimper as his forehead touches mine. “G-go faster please, baby!”

“Are you sure?” He asks, staring deeply into my eyes as I nod in reply. “If it gets too intense again, let me know.”

I move my left hand to his waist and hold on to him, as his hips increases in speed, but I can feel him holding back. My right hand is still on his cheek. I tilt his head so his lips meet mine. He starts to move faster, grunts and groans being passed from his mouth to mine as he lets himself go once more.

“Hwa, you are making me feel good!” I moan, my body moving with him. 

“I’m so close, baby.” he mumbles as I clench around him again. I muster up all the strength I can get to push him to roll over. Thankfully, he takes the hint, holding onto me as he rolls onto his back, and I am lying on top of him now. My knees are on the bedding, on either side of his hips as I start to move against him. One of his hands holds onto my ass tightly as the other gathers my hair into a ponytail, and he pulls my head down to his. His kisses are frantic from the start, and I can feel how close he is. With every back-and-forth movement, I am getting closer to my own release. I can feel it just there but I can’t reach it. 

Seonghwas groans are becoming louder as his hand in my hair tightens and his hips move, matching my pace. I pull my lips away from his and look into his eyes. 

“What can I do to help you come darling?” he asks

“I.. need to sit up.” I reply, pushing myself upright. His hands instantly move to my hips to help steady me as I settle down on him. I let out an unstable breathe as my body shakes a little at how much deeper he is inside of me.

“Are you ok?” he asks me

“I am… the angle is deeper. It is good, though.” I place my hands on top of his that are still holding my hips as I begin to move again. The new angle is hitting me perfectly and I can feel my release approaching again. “Shit, Hwa that’s it!” 

“Oh.. fuck!” he groans, his head falling back onto the bed. His hands suddenly move underneath mine, flipping over so our fingers intertwine. “You are taking me so well! I am gonna come!” 

I can use the leverage of his hands holding mine to steady myself better and I get into a good rhythm. The noises Seonghwa is making are so deep and loud. We are both being loud now.

As I feel myself start to come, my fingers tighten in his hands and I lean down, pushing our hands so they are flat against the bed above his head. I press my lips against his as I keep moving on top of him. Lewd noises spilling from us both as he comes at the same time as my high finally hits hard. My head falls into his neck as I try to regain my breath. We are both panting so hard as our bodies come down from our joint highs. I let go of his hands and run my fingertips through his sweat soaked hair.

“You are amazing!” He sighs, his hand caressing my lower back. 

“So are you, baby.” I reply, kissing lightly at his neck. I can taste the sweetness of the sweat on his skin on my lips as I continue to kiss him and he makes contented sighs.

The room is silent, as I stay laying on top of him, my face buried happily into his neck. We stay like this for a while, just enjoying the comfortable silence and being close to one another.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” he finally says, sitting upright while holding onto my waist. He lifts me out of the bed so easily and takes me into his bathroom. It is my first time seeing it and it’s massive. 2 sinks, a walk-in shower and a separate bathtub.

“You guys have a bath in here?!” I ask when I see it

“Well, I was going to put you into the shower but seeing how big your eyes just got, I am definitely making you a bubble bath!” he chuckles, sitting me on one of the worktops. He pulls off the used condom, tying it and throwing it in the little bin before lifting his black bath robe from the hanger on the wall and wraps it around me “Don’t want you getting cold.” he smiles, tying it around my waist before kissing me. “You look so tiny wearing this.” He chuckles, he affectionately rubs his nose against mine and pecks my lips again.

I watch as he starts the bath. He opens a box that has a lot of different bath bombs in it, asking me to pick one. I pick up a pink one and smell it. It smells of cherries and I instantly like it. “That one is my favourite.” He smiles 

“I’ll pick another one then.” I say, but he takes it from my hand and drops it into the running water before I can say anything. “Seonghwa! Why did you do that? It’s your favourite!”

“Because I could see you liked it.” He replies, his hands cup my cheeks. He places a series of kisses on my lips as I smile widely. “I’ll let you use the toilet. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He kisses the top of my head. He leaves the bathroom, closing the door behind himself and I stand up. I am thankful he’s given me the privacy to use the toilet, as I was desperate for a pee! 

After I’ve used it, I wash my hands before leaning over the bathtub to smell the amazing scent coming from the water. The water has turned a beautiful shade of pink and it makes me smile as I dip my hand into it, checking the temperature. It is perfectly hot. It is has been so long since I had an actual bath as my old apartment only had a small basic shower and I am looking forward to this. I hear a knock at the door and see him peek his head in before he walks in. He has put on a pair of boxers but is still topless and as he comes over to turn off the water; I notice a small red mark on his neck, near his collarbone.

“What is it?” He asks as he sees me staring 

“Don’t freak out but I.. I think I may have… given you a love bite.” I say nervously, motioning to his neck. He turns around to look in the mirror and touches the mark. “Sorry, I didn’t even notice I did that!” It must have been when I was kissing his neck after we had finished and still in that post sex haze.

“Do not apologise, I love it!” He grins, turning back to hug me. “My little vampire!”

“You aren’t mad?” I ask, looking at him as he shakes his head. 

“Absolutely not!” He replies, kissing me. “Now get into the bath before it gets cold!”

Seonghwa helps to take the robe off me and I feel cold, as it was so warm and comfortable. He holds my hand as I step into the bath. As soon as I sit down in the hot water, I feel my body instantly relax. “You aren’t going to join me?” I ask him as he sits on the floor beside the tub.

“Do you want me to?” he asks back, a faint hint of a smirk on his face

“You have made me the most perfect bubble bath, and I want to enjoy it with you, my boyfriend.” I say, reaching out to hold his hand. The little smirk instantly drops, and he smiles so softly at me. “So please, join me!” He presses the back of my hand against his lips and nuzzles his cheek into it.

“You know I cannot say no to you ever.” He whispers, standing up. I lean forward to make room for him behind me as he takes off his boxers and climbs in. He settles in behind me and I lay back against him. His hands wrap around my body. I feel instantly serene in his arms. The smell of the bubble bath, the warmth of his skin and his hands on me. 

“These look fresh.” He says, his fingers tracing the bruises on my thighs. “I am not prying, just wanting to check you are ok.”

“I am absolutely fine. Mingi didn’t hurt me at all. He didn’t even know, to be honest, and I didn’t let him see them the following morning in case he thought he had.” I suddenly realise I’ve said Mingis name. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have told you that!” I add quickly, my heart suddenly racing. “Please don’t tell him!!” I sit upright.

“It is ok!” He says quickly pulling me back into his arms. “It’s ok.” He soothes kissing my temple

“You said one rule was not talking about what we did, though.” I say.

“That is mainly between the guys, so you don’t think we are talking about you behind your back. You are free to talk about whatever you want to with us, though. Only if you feel comfortable enough. The guys and I agreed in advance it was ok if you wanted to talk about anything with us. We are all in this relationship together.” He says, one of his hands rubbing comforting circles on my stomach, the other resting under my breasts. “You don’t need to worry about that or feel you can’t talk to us either.”

“Makes sense.” I nod slightly. “Mingi wasn’t being rough with me or hurting me. I bruise really easily, so I usually have one somewhere on my body, anyway.” I turn my head to look at him again. “Plus, I kinda like sex bruises, too. So I don’t mind them.”

“You are definitely a kinky little thing, aren’t you?” He laughs, kissing me. 

“You know, I will definitely have more tomorrow from you.” I say to him. “You were holding onto my legs pretty hard earlier on.”

“As long as you aren’t hurting from them.” he replies

“Only in a good way.” I smirk at him before letting out a small laugh.

“You really are kinky.” he laughs again. “You are going to keep us all on our toes.” He adds softly into my ear.

I rest my hands on his knees as we continue to relax in the warm water. The scent of the bath bomb is comforting for us both. The closeness and intimacy of having a bath together is making me feel happy.

“Are you looking forward to going home tomorrow?” I ask him.

“I am. It’s been a while since I saw my family.” he replies.

“What do you normally do when you go back home?” His hand under my breast soothingly cups one of my breasts. There is nothing sexual behind it at all.

“Our house is in the country, middle of nowhere. There isn’t a lot to do like here in Seoul. It is quiet and peaceful. We go on walks. My dad usually fires up the fire pit at night time and we just sit around, toasting marshmallows and talking. I love it.” he answers, kissing my temple as I smile at the thought of it. He deserves this break so much to rest and be happy. “You must be looking forward to your family arriving on Tuesday.”

“I cannot wait to see them!” I smile as my fingers rub the skin on his knees on either side of me. “The girls are going to be so big! Are you nervous about meeting my parents?”

“A little. I know you told me your dad will put on his scary army face, but that he isn’t scary. However, I am still nervous. I’ve never met a girlfriend’s parents before.” he says.

“You don’t have to be nervous. My dad has already told me he likes you, so there is a chance of no scary army face. If he does, my mom will reign him in! She wears the pants in that relationship. He does whatever she says.” I laugh. “So don’t be nervous. The plan is on Thursday to have a nice, quiet, relaxed, home cooked meal at the apartment they’ve rented. No pressure.”

“Will the twins be there too?” he asks, his head resting against mine as I lean back further into him

“No, they’ll be staying the night with my Uncle Jihoon and Aunt Soomin. So it will just be the 4 of us. Like I said, no pressure.” I answer.

Truth be told, I am feeling rather nervous myself. With my mom knowing me inside and out, I am worried she’ll know there is something more to my relationship with Seonghwa. I can only pray that on Thursday night we look like any other normal, regular boyfriend and girlfriend, and that my mom suspects nothing. I feel Seonghwa place a kiss on the side of my head, pulling me from my worried thoughts, and I smile. I don’t want to worry anymore, I just want to enjoy this precious alone time with Seonghwa.

[ladylooch]

Take What You Need - [Mack X David]

A/N: Idk if you all are ready. But here we are. I would like to thank Starbucks for their gracious hosting of me while my internet tried to cockblock Mack and David harder than Lucie and Con. And I would like to thank my vanilla oat milk latte for helping me power through. Also, I can’t post this without thanking the bestest of the besties @casualhilarity. I’d be lost in this world without you 😭 This one is for you!

Enjoy 6.7k words of Mackenzie Hischier and David Carlson finally giving in.

Mack’s eye open as the wheels of the Airbus A340-300 slap down on the tarmac at JFK. The roar from the massive plane breaking on the asphalt roars through her audiobook as she blinks away her dreamless sleep. 

“On behalf of our flight crew at Swiss Air, we are excited to be the first ones to welcome you to New York City…”

Mack stretches her neck, looking over at the woman next to her, still engrossed with her book. To the left, Mack can see the skyline outlining the metropolis she calls home for now. Her eyes scan over the buildings as she bites her lip.

Good to be home, she murmurs internally. 

Good to be back in the place she went running from two weeks ago. 

14 days ago to the day, she laid awake at Lucie’s unable to stop thinking about the mustached man tucked away in his apartment. She kept tossing and turning, trying to decide what she wanted to do with David Carlson and his insistent proposition. When no clear decision came to her, Mack did what she does best and dove into work. An opportunity had been in her inbox in the morning and she jumped to take it. It just happened to be in Switzerland. Perplexingly, Mack hasn’t heard from David since that night either. No cheeky texts. No general inquires. Nothing. Not even when she has been missing from Stella’s dance recital. Mack had talked to Lucie a few days ago, but she didn’t bring up David or if he was asking about her either. 

Fine. She didn’t care anyway. I guess that tells her more about her answer than any forced proximity or space would. She isn’t interested. Next time she sees him, her answer will be a firm and resounding no.

“Ms. Hischier, always a joy to have you on board.” One of the pilots, Bruno, nods in greeting when Mack gets to the plane door. “We hope to see you again soon on Swiss Air.” This personal treatment always happens on this airline, dating back to when she was a kid and her dad had a partnership deal with them. She remembers getting a pair of clip on wings every flight to and from Switzerland while hanging from her mom’s hand. 

“I’m sure you will.” She jokes. “Thanks for the smooth flight.” 

Mack turns out of the plane, ready to begin her long journey home. She glides through customs easily with her global entry and dual citizenship, thanks mom and dad, then rushes to grab her bag from the baggage carousel. When she finds the sleek black case, she hoists it off. With the wheels spinning next to her, she hails a cab, then nestles in for her ride home. She tips the driver, then smiles at Ron, her doorman, coming down the stairs to open the door for her.

“Back sooner than usual, Ms. Hischier.” Ron greets her.

“Work trip, so not much family time.” She is more than capable of carrying her bag up the stairs, but every time he insists for her. He grabs the door, twirling the handle of her suitcase back to her.

“You should stop by the desk before you head up. There is a delivery for you.” The delivery in question is visible from the door. A beautiful vase of hydrangeas, roses and lilies in various shades of pink has a card peaking out from the top. She knows who they are from before she even reads the note. 

Sorry we missed you, Mackie! Hope these brighten your other home for you. We love you! 

See you next month. Love, Mom and Dad.

Mack smiles, snapping a picture and sending it off to the two people she didn’t get to see when she was home. Her parents had a pre-scheduled Mediterranean vacation. They tried to come home early when they heard she was in Switzerland. Mack had thrown a fit, insisting they couldn’t possibly change plans because of her. Her parents rarely get time away from Switzerland. The would surly be in New York again soon to visit. She would see them, apparently, in a month.

Tiredly, Mack goes upstairs, unlocking her apartment and falling into bed face down. She curls into her pillow, the sheets she washed before she left. She knows she should get up, not give in to the sleep whispering seductively in her brain, but she can’t help it. Her bed is too welcoming. She falls asleep curled into a comma on top of her comforter. it is dark outside when she wakes up.

“Shit.” She moans to herself, smacking her face with her palm. She is going to be up all night. She grabs her phone, scanning through her texts. There is one from her parents, a picture of them drinking umbrella drinks on a rooftop overlooking the sea. The others are from her older sister, asking if she is still coming over for dinner tonight.

I hate when you do this 🙄 Tacos are at 6. Let me know if you aren’t coming so I don’t worry.

Sorry, I fell asleep. I’m on my way.

It’s 5:38. She should be able to make it on time for dinner.

When Mack walks out of the elevator on Connor and Lucie’s floor, her heart begins to pound excitedly at the person standing outside of their door. Stella Wood is wrapped around David’s leg, begging him not to go. All the pretending that Mack doesn’t want the man in front of her evaporates. As if she hasn’t been gone for two weeks, Mack’s internal turmoil begins to churn where it left off. She longs to touch him even with the knowledge that they can’t be so forward about such things in front of present company. If they were alone, she would run her fingers through his black hair and lean in slightly to kiss him, knowing he would go most of the way to her anyway.

“Stelly, I gotta. I’m meeting a friend.” David pats the young girl’s hair lovingly with his palm.

“You’re so secretive about this friend.” Connor jokes as Mack gets closer. Her stomach tightens then swirls. The recklessness of such a reaction has Mack’s steps faltering. Friend? What friend. David and Connor glance over to Mack as they hear her footsteps swipe along the carpet. David grins at her, making Mack’s chest even tighter.

“Welcome home.” David murmurs as she comes to a stop to his right. He looks so handsome and sexy. He is dressed in a pair of nice, worn in jeans. There is a bulge in his back pocket where his wallet rests. A dark wool coat drapes over his big shoulders while underneath is a waffled, cream sweater. On his feet brown dress boots are tied tightly, looking new and rarely worn.

“Thanks.” 

“You fell asleep?” Connor asks.

“Yeah.”

“You’re fucked.”

“Yeah, I know. I travel internationally more than you, bud.” She pats Connor’s arm as she walks between the boys and into the apartment. Mack withstands the urge to inhale David’s scent as she does.

“That is why she is my least favorite sister in law.” Connor jokes to David.

“Ha-ha.” Mack shoves Connor’s ass with her Ugg boot. 

“So who is this friend?” Connor asks David again, clearly not wanting to let it go. Mack glances at David who is staring beyond his teammate at her.

“Just someone from home.” He says. He licks his lips, then pulls his gaze off Mack as she walks away to say hi to her niece. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye, David! Keep my husband in line on the road!” Lucie yells from the kitchen.

“Luc, I don’t think you know what you ask of me.” David calls back to her.

“Dude.” Connor snaps, slapping David’s stomach. “Tell her the truth.”

“He is lame as hell.” David confirms.

“Yeah, baby, I’m lame as hell.” Connor repeats.

“I’m sure you are.” Lucie nods. David tosses another wave to the group then leaves. Slight disappointment, scratches at Mack’s eyes. “Hi Mackie.” Lucie opens her arms for her sister. Mack curls into her, wanting to lay on her shoulder for a minute. “Oh, she so sleepy. Did you miss mom and dad on your trip? Apparently they are in Greece?” Lucie pets her hair for a moment.

“Yeah, I missed them by a day.”

“Mack.” Lucie rolls her eyes. “You could have stayed another day to say hi.”

“I could have.” Mack nods, reaching into the shredded cheese bowl and grabbing a pinch to eat. “But I know they’ll be here soon anyway. Apparently in a month?”

“You and I are not the same.”

“Nope.” Mack sighs. “Do you need help?”

“Can you bring all the toppings to the table?” Mack nods. “Stell, please go wash your hands. Bring your daddy too!” 

The rest of the night is spent munching on tacos, talking about Mack’s travel, and Connor’s upcoming road trip. Then they each have a homemade cookie, ice cream sandwich, with sprinkles wrapped around the ice cream filling. Lucie made them and wants everyone’s honest feedback. They all agree, even picky Stella, they are a 10! 

“Is David back from his date yet? He should come try one.”

“He says it wasn’t a date.” Connor shrugs.

“Then why is he so weird about who it was with?”

“I don’t know. He is kinda weird about his Iowa life.” Connor mumbles. “Probably because big city women don’t get it.” 

“I apologized.” Mack snips. 

“He really appreciated it.” Connor says sincerely. Mack knows that. She can still feel his lips on hers weeks later. “I’ll text him babe.” Connor says to Lucie. “What do you want to watch?”

“You two pick. I’m going to get Stell ready for bed.”

Mack takes the remote from Connor, who seems more interested in watching reels to pick an actual movie or show to watch. A knock sounds at the door as she is reading the summary of a documentary on the Ocean.

“No, I don’t wanna learn.” Connor instantly nixes what is on the screen as he stands up.

“You’ve never learned a thing in your life.” Mack snorts. Connor opens the door. 

“See.. this… right here, Mack.” He snaps her fingers to get her attention. She looks over her shoulder, then startles a bit at seeing David with a 12 pack of Modelo. “This is a good friend.”

“Cause he brings beer?” Mack laughs. “Your standards are impossibly low, Wood.” 

“And yet I bagged your sister.”

“Yes, because her standards are impossibly low.” 

“Says the girl no one is good enough for.” David murmurs, then drops a bottle of beer over her right shoulder. 

“I need a bottle opener.” David takes the bottle back, cracks the top open with the ring on his right hand, then hands it back to her. “Here, princess.” He is in a mood. Mack furrows her eyebrows, watching as he plops down on the couch next to her. He tips the bottle back, glugging down half of it.

“Dude, what is up?” Connor asks, sensing the angst in his teammate like Mack.

“Dinner didn’t go well.” 

“She wouldn’t come back to your place?” Connor moves into the kitchen with the rest of the beer.

“It wasn’t with a she.” David rolls his eyes. “It was with my shithead brother.”

“Which one?”

“Exactly.” David scoffs, slumping down more on the couch. He widens his thighs farther apart, jiggling his left foot anxiously. Connor continues to put beer away in the fridge. Mack observes David’s down posture, hating the way he looks so frustrated and deflated. 

“What happened?” She asks quietly to David. He turns to look at her. His eyes scour over her face, almost like he is trying to decide if he trusts her. Then he sighs and looks away.

“He asked me for money. And a lawyer. That’s all he ever wants from me.” He mutters, shaking his head again. Mack remembers her conversation with Lucie in the bathroom before the mentor’s trip. How his brothers both have significant issues and use David for what they want.

“I’m sorry.” She says sincerely, a deep frown pulling her mouth down. He looks over at her again, licking his lips. Lucie calls Connor from Stella’s room. Mack and David are quiet as he goes to join his girls down the hall.

“You go to Switzerland to get out of giving me an answer?” David immediately changes the subject when Connor is gone.

“No.” She answers anxiously. Neither of them are convinced.

“Blink if it’s yes.” He grins at her.

“Oh shut up.” She rolls her eyes, pushing his thigh with her foot. He captures it in his hand, holding it hostage. His fingers on her has her heartbeat pounding in her ribs. So much for firmly saying no to this man. God, what is happening to her? 

“Don’t blink, baby.” His voice lowers, getting husky around the edges as he devours her with his eyes. That’s what is happening to her. His pull is too strong for her to overcome. Mack’s lashes flutter from the heat and need she instantly feels building in her core 

“Mackncheeeee.” He sing-songs, holding the vowel at the end of her nickname. He leans over and nips right behind her ear. 

“Oh my god.” She startles, then shoves him back into his spot. They both notice how her fingers stay curled into his cream sweater, like she can’t decide if she wants him to stay there or pull him back over to her. One by one, she releases them, then puts her hand on her own chest.

“I’m going to make an excuse to leave and go back to my place. Meet me down there.” He reaches out, cupping her cheek. Mack turns into his touch. This lingering decision cannot be put off any more. Her eyes hesitantly reach his. He wants her. His green eyes burn with liquified fire for her. Mack chews her bottom lip as David finish his beer, then stands. He tosses his bottle in the recycling bin, then goes down to say goodbye to Connor and Lucie. He goes back to the freezer, grabbing an ice cream sandwich that Mack is sure Lucie insisted he needed to take.

He comes into the living room again, stroking along Mack’s cheek before he teases her lips with his. His thumb traces down the center of her throat as their eyes stare. Then, without any confirmation that she is coming, David leaves. Mack’s whole body stays still. She tentatively breathes, mind running a million miles an hour. She closes her eyes, swallowing hard, then opens them when Lucie and Connor come down the hall together. 

“What are we watching?” Her sister wonders.

“Um, I actually have to go.”

“Oh, are you okay?” Lucie asks. Mack nods her head.

“Do you need some water or-”

“No. I just need to go.” Mack insists, standing up.

“Are you okay to go by yourself? Connor, walk her-“

“No. I’m good.” Mack nods, then gives a faint smile. 

After rushed goodbyes, Mack’s back hits the steel of the elevator. The box descends. She waits for the door to open on David’s floor. She pauses in the doorway, licking her lips, so nervous for what she is about to do. Then she shakes her head, turning to the left, walking down to the one with the 4 numbers of his unit beside it. She stares at the grey door, imagining him tucked behind it, waiting for her. A shiver of pleasure zig-zags from her scalp to her toes. She raises her hand and knocks. His soft footsteps come closer to the door. She looks down at her boots. The lock flips. She raises her gaze and meets his head on. 

David slowly opens the door, then leans his shoulder against it. He cocks an eyebrow at Mack. 

Leap! Her need roars. So she does.

“Yes.” She whispers. His second eyebrow dashes up, his mouth drops a little open. 

“Say it again.” He demands.

“Yes.” Mack says more forcefully, then she stuffs the last remaining shred of doubt down deep into her stomach for another time.

Mack shoves David back into his apartment with two palms on his chest. David barely gets the door shut behind her, their mouths attacking each other. As she pushes him farther back, he wraps his arms around her. Mack places his back against the opposite wall, near his living room. She loosens her grip now that she has the leverage of the wall.  David takes advantage of the opportunity to twirl her, then pin her against the wall with his hips. 

His hands slide down to grab her wrists, bringing them up by her head and pinning them there. She moans into his mouth. He loosens his grip in response, moving his hands around her waist again to eagerly pull her flush against him. She brings her hands to his hair and shoulder. His hands glide from her waist to connect with the backs of her thighs, hoisting her up. Mack clings to him like she did a few weeks ago, unable to get close enough to his heat.

They roll down the hallway to, presumably, his bedroom. Mack has never been here and as much as she wants to look around, she wants him to fuck her more. She reaches down, between their abdomens, rolling her hips back so it will fit. His hands on her ass dig in, wanting to keep her close. He lowers her a bit, letting the apex of her thighs hit the hard erection she was working towards. Mack shudders at how large he feels. She knows, without even seeing it, he will be the biggest she has ever had. David must sense her hesitation.

“I’ll make it good, honey. I know how to use it.” He murmurs. His tone is the sexiest and sweetest elixir of temptation. 

Into his bedroom, David strides. Mack pulls back from him, looking down at his face. He smiles at her. She smiles back, then purses her lips, feeling excited flutters assault the walls of her stomach. His palms let her legs slide down until her feet touch the floor again. She steps to the left, he turns to follow her, his back towards the bed. She forces him down, standing triumphantly between his spread thighs. Teasingly, she pulls her shirt up over her head, leaving her in the lace bralette she put on just in case. David’s green eyes feast on her as she loses that too. It falls to the floor. She pauses, nodding at him to take something off. He sheds his sweater fast, exposing an incredible body, taut from hockey and farming. Fuck, he is so hot. It makes Mack’s brain dizzy and her pussy clench around a frustrating emptiness.

David’s fingers wander to the belt on his jeans, opening it up. He pops the button and zipper down too, almost looking relieved to not have his dick confined so tightly anymore. He lifts his hips, working them to his ankles. Mack leans forward, putting a palm on his abdomen, scraping her nails down the hard ridges until she gets to the Calvin Klein waistband. Her fingers grip the white elastic, then tug. She watches with glittering eyes as his cock springs free. She inhales heavily. David watches her with such intensity, like he can know every thought of hers if he doesn't take his eyes off her face. She bites her lip, swarming butterflies filling her stomach with anticipation of having him buried deep inside of her soaked core. Her pussy flutters again then she backs up as David sits up. He presses his mouth to her abdomen.

“Wanna see you.” He murmurs, grabbing the waistband of her leggings and tugging down. He brings her panties with, practically sneering at the wet trail down Mack’s thighs from how drenched she is. “So wet for me.” He mumbles. “Been wondering how you taste here.” 

His fingers slide through insistently, confidently, like he’s been there hundreds of times. Mack can’t help but wondering if he has in his mind. All the times he touched himself to the thought of her. She spreads her thighs wider, swaying forward when he rolls her clit once. David’s hand goes around to her back and he forces her more forward until she falls. Her palms hit the bed, catching her momentum as he explores her folds with his more dominant hand.

His fingers play with her slickness, gathering more from her entrance and spreading it against her clit. Mack moans urgently. David grabs the back of her thigh, then glides his fingers down to her knee, lifting. He maneuvers out from between her legs, then gets on his knees behind her. Mack’s eyebrows furrow, she is about to ask him where he is going with this when she feels his mouth against her folds. She jolts forward. He brings a hand up to her hip to steady her. Mack arches into his tongue swimming through her folds, on it’s way to her clit.

“Holy.” Mack squeaks. This is far from Mack’s first time, but the way he sucks her clit brings new sensations to her core. She falls a bit more forward, gripping the sheets in front of her. “Oh…” She says again. She starts saying words before she even has time to think of them, completely uninhibited squeals streaming from her lips. 

David devours her pussy like it’s his favorite meal and he’s been starved for days. His tongue does a majority or the stroking and building. Then he goes in for the kill, sucking her sensitive bud into his mouth, rolling and prodding, until Mack’s legs and arms start to shake. She comes hard, wetness dripping down from her entrance and collecting on his chin. In thirty seconds, he has ripped her first orgasm from deep in her core. 

Mack blinks rapidly, trying to catch her breath. She looks down at her hands fisting the comforter, trying to release them but she can’t. That’s when she realizes she is still coming. She jolts against his face again. His nose bumps her clit as he kisses his way out from between her thighs.

Once will not be enough with him. Any hope of that is dashed.

“You taste so good for me.” He murmurs. “Sweet and desperate. You been desperate for me, Mack?” She swallows hard, closing her eyes and nodding. “Never thought I’d see you speechless.”

“I-I- Oh.” She finished with a profound moan as he glides a finger into her entrance. She clenches around it desperately. 

“Need me so bad, huh, honey? Need this cock to split you open?” His filthy words have her collapsing forward, losing the battle of staying upright. David taps her hip. “Lay on your back.” Mack rolls compliantly. He climbs onto the bed beside her, long hard cock bouncing with each of his movements. Mack reaches for it.

“Not yet. Trust me.” He murmurs, leaning down to kiss her. She can taste herself on him, melting into the bed as he swipes along her right nipple. His lips coast along hers, dropping lazy and wet smooches. Mack moans loudly as his fingers glide over her soaked folds, rolling her clit gently, careful not to overstimulate her, then fills her entrance with them. “Those skinny Swiss boys you hook up with make you feel like this? Heard that’s your type.”

“No.” Mack chokes.

“Didn’t think so. You need to be fucked by a real man.” He lays on his side next to her, playing between her legs like he has all day to pleasure her. “Didn’t think I could take care of you?” He stuffs a third finger in. Mack gasps, feeling the stretch. “This is how big I am.” He coos to her. Mack gets wetter, they both feel it. He grins, kissing her neck. “My needy girl. Show me you can take this cock.” He begins thrusting harder into her. Mack’s hips shift up, searching for more. He stretches his fingers, then curls the pad of his middle one up to circle her velvet button.

“C-close, Davi-d…”

“Yeah you fucking are. Let go for me, honey.” Mack’s whole body tenses, legs shaking violently on his sheets.

“Oh fuck.” Mack groans, jolting forward as a second, harder orgasm grips her. She turns on her hip towards David, thrusting down onto his hand. Her thigh hits his hip. He pulls her close. She can feel his dick against her other leg as she shakes. Her whole body seems to grip his fingers, pulling them deeper.

“That’s it, baby. Use me. Take what you need.” Mack groans as she goes limp when her orgasm completely releases. Her limbs have turned to gelatin. She no longer can speak, barely breathing, and he hasn’t even put himself inside of her yet. While Mack recovers, David kisses along her face for a few more moments, taking the limited breath she is capable of breathing right now. Then he rolls away from her. Mack closes her eyes, trying to refocus. 

David reaches to his bedside table. He grabs a foiled condom, tearing it open with his teeth before rolling it down his shaft. Mack watches, lip folded between her teeth. He didn’t even ask. He just did it out of respect for her, not putting her in the awkward position to say yes and then watch how disappointed he is at her answer. At least in her previous experience.

“Ready for one last ride, baby?”

“Wha-?”

Suddenly, David has her on top of him. She looks down anxiously, feeling how unsteady her legs and core already are. Her muscles still shake. There is no way she has the strength for this. 

“David, I can’t…” 

“Shhhhh baby, you think I’m gonna make you work now?” He chuckles lowly at her confusion, plants his feet flat on the mattress and grips her hips in both hands, “I got you baby.”

He glides her carefully down his cock. The stretch is a pinch, even with his fingers preparing her, it stings for a few moments. He rocks her forward and back, getting her comfortable, watching her face. Her moan croaks from her chest when the pinch turns to raw pleasure. Mack jolts forward as David thrusts up into her, hands scrabbling on his chest to hold herself up as he fucks deep up inside her, hitting her spot with every thrust.

“Oh, oh, oh, oh.” Mack hears herself moaning. “Oh fuck. Oh mygOD.” She cries out. “Don’t stop.” She bites down hard on his shoulder. David moans loudly at the pain.

“Feel so fucking good for me, Mackenzie. Such a good fucking girl, aren’t you? You like big cock, huh?”

“Yes! Yes!” Mack yells back. “David, I’m… oh shit…” Mack feels the creamy release of the most intense orgasm of her life slide down his latex wrapped shaft, collecting on his balls and making a mess between her thighs. David enjoys the feeling of her coming undone on his cock. She clenches down tighter. This spurs him on more as his jerky thrusts chase his own white hot release. He falls into it seconds later, turning his face into her hair, moaning her name desperately, holding her to him like she’s his only tie to this planet.

David reaches around Mack’s spent body. He grips the latex at the bottom of his shaft, then gently eases out of her. Mack whimpers at how empty she feels without him, pressing her face deeper into his neck. His head and shoulder lean down as an attempt to hug her head.

“You okay, pretty girl?” Mack nods, then kisses his throat. He hums in appreciation of her gesture. “I’m going to take care of this okay?”

“No. Not yet.” She whispers.

The second his skin moves from hers, reality is going to begin to descend- what they just did, how he made her feel, the things they said to each other. It’s going to be a cold bath of the truth Mack isn’t ready. She wants to stay here for hours until she can memorize every part of what they just experienced. David kisses her forehead, feathering his fingers over her spine.

This continues for several more minutes of quiet contentment. Then, when the reality of a leaking mess is close, he moves her to the side, off his chest. His hand runs the length of her body. After, he struts to the bathroom, holding the latex tight to his softening form.

Mack rolls to her back, trying to put words to what she feels. Before this moment, sex had always been so transactional. You help me, I help you. We feel someone else’s touch besides our own and go our separate ways. Never has it felt like that. She never craved sex before. She liked it, had fun plenty of times, but it was never an all consuming fuckfest focused on her pleasure.

Mack hears the shower turn on in the adjoining bathroom. Apparently he is a shower after sex kinda guy. For some reason, that really bothers Mack. She wants to go home smelling like him and he can’t wait to wash her off? She sits up, glancing around for her clothes. She avoids David’s gaze as he comes out of the bathroom. She is trying to decide how to get off the bed without smearing what is on her thighs across the sheets when David comes over, holding a hand out to her. She takes it and he pulls her up, putting an arm under her knees. He carries her into the bathroom then delicately puts her feet on the bath rug. He lets her test her weight on her legs. They both see how she is basically Ariel coming out of the sea for the first time, so he keeps an arm wrapped around her waist as he test the temperature of the water.

For once, Mack and David are quiet within each other’s presence. David washes her hair and skin, sudsing her up with no hidden agenda, taking care of her worn out body. She holds onto his back or hip or stomach the entire time, needing to be close to him as he attentively loves on her body. When they are both clean, David pulls her into his chest, turning so her back is hitting the steam, but her face remains out. He presses his mouth to the top of her head, swaying them gently. Mack could fall asleep right here with him in this warm and comfortable cocoon. 

“Done?” He murmurs a few moments later. Mack nods. They step out together. David wraps her up in a fluffy towel. “I don’t really… have any um, lotion or anything?” He says, but brings out what he does. She sees CeraVe daily moisturizer and figures that is enough for now. He watches her smooth it out on her cheeks. She holds up some extra on her fingers. 

“You need some?” 

“Mhm.” He murmurs, presenting his face at her. While she works it over his skin, he makes funny faces at her. She chuckles. His eyes are closed, so he uses her hips as a steadying anchor for him. 

“All done.” She tells him, rubbing the rest into her hands. 

“Am I as pretty as you now?” Mack blushes. 

“Close.” David nibbles at his mustache as he looks at her intently. Mack looks away, seeing so many emotions and words that it is too early to talk about. They walk together into his bedroom. Mack glances at her clothes again, then walks over to where her shirt is. 

“Don’t you dare. We sleep naked in this house.” The question hangs in the air. Is she staying? Or is she going? To both of their surprise, Mack drops the towel and gets back into the sheets they ruined earlier in the evening. David slides in next to her and without hesitation, pulls her into his arms. “Are you comfortable?” He asks her.

“I usually sleep on my right side.” She is currently on her left. She didn’t want to turn her back to him immediately, feeling that was rude. He lifts the covers so she can roll. She does, then nuzzles her bare backside into his bare front. She closes her eyes, feeling his cock stir against her still puffy lips. She is going to be sore in the morning.

David holds her tight to his chest. Mack trails her nails over his forearm, feeling the heaviness of her eyes. She thought she would be up all night. 

Luckily, David found the solution to her jet-lag.

- - - 

In her dream, Mack is wrapped up in a cozy blanket at her parents cabin in the Swiss mountains. The fireplace pops in front of her as she wiggles her way deeper into the warmth of the fluff. A bit of sweat is forming at her hairline, but the comfortable feeling outweighs everything else. Someone is under the blanket with her. She can’t tell who in her dream, but his light breathing tickles her hair as she looks out at the falling snow. 

Her eyes suddenly get lighter and pop open. Gone is the Swiss snow and in its place is a room she has never seen before. Was this the dream instead? She inhales, then stiffens in the heavy arms wrapped under and around her. What the-

“Don’t get weird on me, Hischier.” David mumbles sleepily behind her. The rush of memories crash into her. Their lips and the desperation and the steamy connection. Mack gets warm instantly, inhaling heavily, but relaxes into his body. She brings her arm out of the covers, hoping to release some of the furnace under the blankets with them. Damn, he is burning hot behind her.

He runs his finger tips along her arm, easing forward to kiss her shoulder. Mack sighs, pressing her hips back into his. She can feel his solid length pressing into her cheeks, then the awareness of a dull ache between her legs. Despite that, her nipples tighten as David continues to gently stroke her skin. Her hips instinctively press back into him more, giving David all the approvals for a playful morning.

From her arm, his fingers glide across her chest, playing with each nipple until they are aching point, sending pleasureful need to her throbbing clit. His fingers work their way there soon. Mack spreads her legs eagerly for him, pressing down into his touch.

“You like helping.” He mumbles gruffly. His rough voice coated in sleep makes her wetter. She loves the idea of being the first thing he has in the morning.

David’s fingers continue their lazy wander, working her up. He alternates between thumbing her nipples and rolling her clit with two fingers. Then he does both, catching Mack’s head on his shoulder as she moans.

“Needed a real man to touch you, hmm? Never felt like this before have you? Practically coming the second I touch you.” She nods. Then he moves south, the pain of his finger tip circling her sore entrance is too much for her to work though.

“I-I’m too sore for that.” She murmurs regretfully. He backs off immediately.

“S’okay, honey. You’ll get used to me.” He kisses her neck softly. His fingers glide up her slickness to rest against her clit again. “This okay?” He asks. She nods eagerly. He rolls the pads over her, taking his time so he can memorize every curve and place that makes Mack press harder against his firm cock. He settles himself slightly between her cheeks, then rubs her to her morning bliss. She comes with a soft cry of his name, so much gentler than last night. He finishes her off with a kiss on the back of her neck. Her eyes are closed, but she brings her hand around to his hip, holding him while she recovers.

Mack feels more than hears David get out of bed. She turns, surprised.

“As much as I want to do that about three more times, I’ve gotta get going.” He tells her questioning look. He walks into the bathroom, shutting the door. When he comes back, Mack is waiting for an answer, blanket tucked under her arm pits. “I’m heading to practice, then we are heading on the road immediately after.”

“Oh. Yeah.” She remembers. She lays back into her pillow, yawning.

“You even do that cute.” He chuckles. Mack smiles at him, but has to roll her eyes too. Now he’s just sucking up.

Mack watches him get ready, stuffing down the disappointment she feels at him disappearing from New York for a few days. She wants to ask him when he will be back, but she doesn’t want to appear desperate. Well, any more than she already has in the past 12 hours. After putting a suit on, he goes back into the bathroom then emerges with a travel bag. He tosses it into the duffle bag on a chair by the door, then zips it up. Mack can see the LV on the black leather from here. It surprises her. She wouldn’t pick David for a designer kind of guy. 

He comes over to her side of the bed, putting his palms on either side of her to lock her in place. She drinks him in, admiring the complimentary tailoring of his green suit. It makes his eyes look like exploding emeralds, especially in the morning light filtering in. His black tie swings down by her chest. She grips it, tugging him down inch by slow inch with the silky fabric.

“There is breakfast food in the fridge. Help yourself to whatever you want. I do have milk if you want some oatmeal.” He quips. “I’m sorry I can’t stay.” He goes the remaining distance without her help, kissing her. “Or bring you back to your place.”

“Most hook ups don’t do breakfast or drop offs.”

“Or sleep over.” He points out. He’s got Mack there. “You gonna hide from me when I get back?” Although his tone is light, there is a seriousness to his question.

“Maybe.” She smirks as she says it, wanting to keep this interaction light.

“Something tells me you’ll be back for more.” He moves his eyes down her body, drinking her in, all tangled up in his soft sheets. Mack rolls her eyes, ignoring how true that is. He burst apart her world and put it back together last night with him as the center of it.

“Something tells me you’ll still be interested even if I’m not.” She sits up, letting the blanket fall down to her lap, exposing her bare chest. He grins, leaning forward and tickling her nipple with his mustache. Mack breathes in deeply, then lets her head fall back towards the ceiling as he sucks it into his mouth. His nose traces over it too.

“I’ll see ya, honey.” He murmurs after kissing her breast tenderly. Then he stands up, full hard on displayed while he heads to his travel bag by the door. “I’ll leave the spare key on the counter for you.” He calls over his shoulder as he leaves the room.

“What? We are definitely not there yet.” Mack calls. He pops his head back in.

“No, but I’d appreciate it if you could lock my door when you leave.” Mack purses her lips together, dimples turning pink at her embarrassing assumption. She nods after clearing her throat awkwardly. 

“Yeah. I’ll do that.” 

“Thank you.” He murmurs, laughing heartily at her sheepish look.

Mack waits until she hears the apartment door close behind him. Then she collapses back into his bed, laughing loudly and excitedly. She can’t help but kick her feet too, rolling around a few times to get tangled up completely in the blankets like a burrito. The outside world peaks in from an opening in the curtains. She watches a few birds fly by the window. As they soar through the air, sun soaking their feathers, they tweet their greeting to her then continue on. 

Mack reaches out at them, content smile on her face, feeling as free as they are this morning.

[navnae]

How about stuck up city boy Eddie who’s used to the fast way of living and he’s always on the go, that would explain why being on tour for him was always an outlet because he never stopped moving. One day his tour bus breaks down in Hawkins near a farm and it looks like the bus isn’t going to be running any time soon. Him and his team are all out of luck until a guy around Eddie’s age come up to the bus wearing some overalls that were extremely dirty, he looked concerned. He asks them what happened and the whole situation is explained, he tells them that they can crash with him and his parents for awhile until things are settled. Eddie later learns that the guy name is Steve and so far he’s pretty okay but Eddie doesn’t make things any better with his slick comments about his clothes, basically telling him that he needs a makeover. Even with all those comments Eddie was throwing his way Steve still managed to laugh about it and even tease Eddie back. Steve has come to the realization that Eddie only spits out a snarky remark when he gets flustered or blushes, Steve knows that Eddie has a crush on him but he just sits back and waits to see what Eddie is going to do about it. Eddie is so used to getting chased by anyone who wants him, they’d even beg on their knees to be with him and it was killing him that Steve wasn’t doing any of that.

Eddie goes out of his way to get Steve’s attention even if it meant wearing those dirty overalls, milking cows, washing horses, and feeding the chickens. The farm life was nothing like the Hollywood life that Eddie has spent years living. Steve loved every second of it too, making Eddie do unnecessary chores that he made up on the spot and he was actually stunned by the lengths Eddie would go through just to get Steve’s attention. This goes on for several weeks since the bus is still a wreck and it’s hard for Eddie’s team to get in contact with anyone to help them. Overtime the two start to bond and grow closer, they talk about how different they are from one another but they work so well. It doesn’t take Steve long to catch himself almost failing at his own game with Eddie and he’s so close to giving in and blurting out how he feels about him. The tension between them is insane especially when they get in each other’s face just have that last word after a remark and one of them will slowly close the gap just to rile each other up. Eddie feels like he’s going to lose his mind because the longer he stays the more he falls in love with Steve everyday and all of this e feelings starts building up inside of him until he just explodes.

One night Eddie pulls Steve by the his shirt making their faces come close and they could feel their breath tickling each other’s lips. Eddie’s eyes flicks to Steve’s lips the entire rim his looking at him and honestly he didn’t really care at this point, Steve did the same thing and a smirk played on his lips. They didn’t know if they were going to rip each other’s clothes off or passionately makeout until both of them were exhausted. All of it was a complete mystery as Eddie finally got the courage to speak up.

“Listen here cowboy, I’ve been busting my ass for weeks and sacrificed my fashion sense because I wanted you to look at me. I’m done with all the games you either like or you don’t, which one is it?” Eddie tried to keep up that confident voice that he had when he first got here but his voice cracked slightly through his sentence. Steve smiled before putting his hands on Eddie’s waist then pulling him forward, a light pink blush could be seen on his cheeks.

“I’ll stop playing when you tell me how you feel,” Steve whispered near Eddie’s ear making him shiver slightly. Steve wanted to hear Eddie say it, if he could say whatever he wanted on a stage in front of millions he knew Eddie could confess his feelings for him in a small town in a little shed with only them in it. “The stage is yours.”

“Don’t get smart with me asshole and fine I like you, shit I’ve liked you ever since I saw you come towards the bus. You’re sweet, funny, caring, hard working how could I not? So yeah, Harrington. I really like you… happy?” Eddie was a blushing mess when Steve cupped the side of his face and started closing the gap between them. He’s never had someone make him into a pile of mush the way Steve did and he fucking loved it.

“Very.” Steve said as he leaned in closer to Eddie’s face. Eddie felt like Steve was taking to long and he just pulled Steve by his shirt so their lips could finally connect after weeks of waiting. The kiss started off slow then eventually it became rough while their hands were rubbing all over each other’s bodies. Both of them becoming breathless once they pulled away.

“Let’s put those hours of horse back riding to good use, yeah?” Steve said lowly before lifting Eddie up and he wrapped his legs around Steve’s waist. Eddie’s eyes widened at the implication that Steve was making. For the first time in forever Eddie was speechless, Steve smiled before he pulled him in for another kiss.