#please be mindful of the tags/warnings on ao3

[zeciex]

A Vow of Blood S2 - Ch. 1

Warnings: This fic includes noncon, dubcon, manipulation, child murder, violence and inc3st. Tags will be added as the fic goes on. This is a dark!fic. 18+ only. Read at your own discretion. Please read the warnings before continuing.

Summary: “You will be trapped by the obligations of love and duty, unable to escape the web of expectations others have woven around you,“ the witch said….

Chapter 1: Children and the Innocent

AO3 - S1 Masterlist - S2 Masterlist

Children and the innocent–they were always the first casualty of war. 

The tendrils of war crept into every corner of life, a rot that left nothing unscathed. It was never content to simply take; it marked, marred, and tainted all it touched. Even the righteous bore its stain, their hands sullied no matter how fiercely they had once clung to ideals of compassion or justice. War eroded those virtues, grinding them into something unrecognizable. 

For the innocent, there was no refuge. Innocence was always the first sacrifice, offered up willingly or otherwise upon the altar of war. 

Daenera Velaryon had made her offering–her innocence, or what little remained of it, laid bare upon the altar of necessity. It was not stolen from her; no blade had come in the night to strip her clean of it. She had given it willingly, if reluctantly, surrendering it in the desperate hope that mercy might bloom where there had only been cold inevitability.

The weight of that choice sat heavily upon her now. Its sting was sharp and unrelenting, like the bite of a thorn embedded deep beneath her skin. Every breath she drew seemed to tug at it, the pain subtle yet constant, a cruel reminder of the price she had paid. Mercy had been what she sought, but she wondered now if she had traded too much for too little.

Children and the innocent. 

The thought circled her mind like a crow circling the ravages of a battlefield. She sat motionless, a heavy book balanced on her lap, its pages as neglected as the daylight slipping past her unnoticed. A golden coin danced between her fingers, its edges worn smooth. It glinted faintly in the soft light of her chamber, its metallic sheen mocking her in its simplicity. The eye etched on one side seemed to watch her with cold indifference, its stare unwavering, piercing. She turned the coin over, her thumb brushing against the spiral carved on the opposite face, its design both intricate and maddening in its endless loops. 

Her gaze rested on the page before her, though her eyes did not see the drawings painted upon the parchment. Dread coiled in her stomach, a searing, molten guilt that pooled low and heavy within her. The hours dragged on with a torturous slowness, the sun climbing high in the sky before beginning its descent. She had been absent all day, her mind consumed by the creeping inevitability of what was to come. She had done the deed. Now all that remained was the waiting. 

Waiting. How she loathed it.

The slip of a blade was quick, precise, and brutal–a crude finality that left no room for hesitation or doubt. It was an intimate act, one that forced the wielder of the blade to face their victim in the raw, unyielding truth of the moment. Blood spilled and life fled in a heartbeat, swift and irreversible. 

There was clarity in its violence, a grim certainty that the deed was done.

But poison… Poison was an act of patience, a virtue Daenera found herself woefully short of in this moment. Unlike the blade, poison was a quiet, lingering death. It crept through the veins unseen, stealing life slowly, leaving nothing but stillness in its wake. 

It was, in its way, a silent mercy, blessedly free of the screams and struggle that came with steel. Yet for the one who wielded it, the waiting was its own kind of torment. 

Soon, she thought. Soon, there would be no need for waiting. 

The guilt would remain, of course–it always did. But she would carry it, as she carried everything else. What choice did she have?

Daenera flipped the coin over in her hand, her thumb absently tracing its curve. She neither heard nor acknowledged the sharp voice cutting through the room, its commands ringing out like the squawking of an angry gull. It wasn’t until the sound of snapping fingers broke through the haze that her focus shifted, and the shill voice rose to an indignant pitch. 

“Are you even listening to me?” Mertha demanded, standing above her with the poise of a long-suffering septa whose voice had gone unheard for far too long. Her dull gray eyes, the color of murky dishwater, bore down on her with a scowl so deeply etched it might have been carved into stone. 

“No,” Daenera replied flatly, her tone devoid of apology. Her eyes drifted past Mertha, landing on the two servants precariously balanced atop stepladders. They struggled to hang a heavy tapestry, its intricate weave depicting a serene forest scene, with woodland creatures peeking from behind the shadows. It was a beautiful piece, though she could muster no great care for it. 

“Must I shout to make you hear my words, or have you simply no care to listen?” Mertha’s sharp voice rang out again, her frustration etched into every syllable. She planted her hands firmly on her hips, her flushed cheeks and tightly drawn mouth making her look like an overripe plum on the verge of bursting. 

“I do not care,” Daenera replied, her voice calm, almost bored, as she flipped the coin in her hand once more. It spun briefly in the air before landing neatly against her palm. 

“Well, you should care!” Mertha snapped, her tone rising with righteous indignation. She stepped closer, her shadow falling across Daenera. “Here I am, toiling away in service to you, after spending the entire day organizing your wedding gifts–seeing them put away properly or displayed where they belong–and all you’ve done is lounge here like some lazy child!”

Mertha’s voice came fast and sharp, her voice lashing like a whip, and her cheeks burned brighter with each accusation. She gestured towards the servants still working to hang the heavy tapestry on the far wall, their faces red with effort. “Do you think this is all for our amusement? For my amusement?” Her head shook in indignation. “Do you think all of this is for me? That I enjoy running around like a servant while you–” she gestured pointedly at Daenera’s languid sprawl–“sit here and do nothing? It is your household, it is your duty! It is your responsibility as a wife to serve as a pillar of strength for your husband and for those under his roof. A wife does not shirk her duties or waste her hours idling away like a spoiled child!” She paused, her eyes narrowing as she fixed Daenera with a glare meant to cut deep. “A house falls into chaos without a steady hand at its helm.”

Daenera finally lifted her gaze, fixing Mertha with a glower that could have chilled the summer sea. She let the silence stretch for a moment, then answered tersely, “It seems you’ve missed your calling, Lady Mertha. You sound more like a septa than a lady-in-waiting.”

The coin spun between her fingers, its repetitive motion a fragile tether to hold her irritation at bay. Tension thrummed beneath her skin, stretched so taut as a bowstring, fraying at the edges and threatening to snap under the slightest strain. She tilted her head slightly, her dark hair catching the light as she continued pointedly. “I didn’t ask you to do any of it. In fact, I can’t recall asking for your assistance at all. What I do recall is you waving me away at every turn, assuring me you have everything well in hand.”

Her gaze shifted past Mertha to the two servants precariously perched on the stepladders, their faces red with strain as they struggled to hoist the heavy tapestry into place. One of them wobbled slightly, the ladder creaking under the weight, and for a moment, it seemed as though the entire endeavor might collapse.”

“If you’re so certain that chaos will consume this household without my steady hand,” Daenera added, her voice smooth and deliberate, “then I suggest you turn your attention to the task at hand. That tapestry looks dangerously close to coming down.”

Mertha’s face flushed deeper, her lips pressing into a tight line. She spun on her heel with a flurry of skirts, her sharp voice rising as she barked at the struggling servants. “Hold it up! Do not dare to drop it, or I will see you both scrubbing the kitchen floors for a fortnight!”

The servants strained as they hoisted the tapestry higher, their faces flushed with excretion. Sweat glistened on their brows as they fumbled to secure the heavy fabric to its designated place on the wall. With a final heave, they managed–barely–to fasten it in place, the rings clinging against their hooks. They released a collective sigh, their breaths coming in labored puffs, relief plain on their reddened faces. 

Daenera’s gaze lingered on the tapestry, its intricate design drawing her deeper into its woven depths. Dappled greens and browns seemed almost alive in the shifting afternoon light, the shadows among the trees darkening as though seeking to hide something from view–a dozen pairs of eyes seemed to peer back at her from amongst the waved wood, unblinking and unnerving. The sensation was subtle at first, a faint itch at the edge of her awareness, but it grew steadily–a creeping sense of being watched. It prickled against her skin, cold and insistent, as if the fabric itself harbored some malicious intent. 

“Is that the tapestry the Lord Confessor gifted us?” She asked, her voice unassuming. 

Mertha turned, her expression softening as she admired the tapestry. There was a note of pride in her voice, even satisfaction, as she replied, “It is. A fine piece, wouldn’t you say?”

The servants began their descent from the stepladders, the room quieting as the laborious task came to an end. Daenera’s gaze remained fixed on the tapestry, her teeth clenched as the tightness in her chest coiled tighter, an unyielding knot of discomfort. The sensation that had begun as a faint unease now swelled into something far more oppressive–an icy prickle spreading across her skin, like needles pressed against her flesh. It was a feeling she knew too well, the same creeping chill that always accompanied Lord Larys and his piercing gray eyes.

Her breath hitched slightly, her fingers instinctively tightening around the coin in her hand as her thoughts darkened. Even when he was absent, the man seemed to find a way to linger, his presence clinging like an unseen shadow. She could almost feel his gaze now, sharp and calculating, stripping away her defenses to lay bare whatever secrets he thought he might find.

The tapestry felt no different. Those painted eyes among the trees bore down on her, heavy and oppressive, an extension of Larys himself. She could not abide it–not here, not in her own chambers, where she sought refuge from the suffocating webs of court intrigue. This was her space, her sanctuary, and she would not suffer his influence hanging on her walls, a constant reminder of his unnerving watchfulness.

Daenera already endured enough intrusions. Mertha’s ever-watchful presence hovered over her like a stormcloud, the woman’s sharp eyes scrutinizing her every movement, keeping her under guard as though she were a wayward child in need of constant correction. Beyond her chamber doors, the guards stood vigil, a reminder that her life was no longer her own, that even her privacy was a privilege rather than a right.

And then there was Aemond.

His presence loomed larger than any other, even when he wasn’t in the room. The mere thought of him pressed against her, heavy and inescapable, like a shadow that moved when she did, always just a step behind. She couldn’t decide which unsettled her more—the weight of his gaze, sharp and intense, or the flutter in her chest that his nearness always seemed to evoke, unbidden and unwelcome. That feeling—that traitorous, treacherous flutter—was what she dreaded most. It made her feel as though she were caught between wanting to run and wanting to stay.

She didn’t need another intrusion, not here in the one place where she could try to pretend she was still her own. The tapestry, with its eyes and the suffocating aura of its giver, was a trespass she could not abide. It was a reminder of everything she was already forced to endure, and she would not allow it to take root in her chambers.

“Take it down.”

The room stilled. Mertha’s head snapped towards her, disbelief flickering in her features. “Take it… down” She repeated, as though she hadn’t heard correctly 

“Yes. Take it down.”

The servants froze mid-motion, their expressions caught between confusion and exhaustion. Their eyes darted between Daenera and Mertha, clearly unsure whether to proceed or await for further instruction. The tension in the room thickened as Mertha’s carefully constructed composure began to crack. Her brow furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line as she seemed to struggle with maintaining her air of control.

“Princess,” Mertha began, her tone tight with barely restrained exasperation, “this was a gift from the Lord Confessor, one of great value and–”

“I know who it came from,” Daenera interrupted, her voice sharper now, slicing through Mertha’s objections like a blade. Her gaze shifted to meet the older woman’s cold and unwavering. “And I said take it down. I do not want it up. I much preferred the tapestry depicting the gardens of Highgarden.”

Mertha bristled, her cheeks flushing, “But the Lord Confessor will surely be offended to hear what you’ve done with his gift–”

“I said take it down,” Daenera repeated, her tone pointed, each word deliberate. “I didn’t say throw it out.” She leaned back slightly in her chair, the coin in her hand flipping once more between her fingers. “Send it to storage–or better yet, to my husband’s chambers. I do not care which, but it will not hang here.”

The older woman opened her mouth to protest again, but Daenera cut her off before she could speak. “Will you please see to it that it is done, Lady Mertha. After all, my husband entrusted me with full authority over the decorations of our chambers, and I doubt he will be pleased to hear that my instructions were ignored.”

Mertha’s mouth snapped shut, and after a tense moment, she turned on her heel, her skirts swishing as she barked at the servants. “You heard her! Take it down. Carefully, now. Do not damage it.”

The servant’s hesitated only briefly before moving to obey, their steps quick but cautious as they began removing the tapestry. It was a small victory–one that rang hollow beneath the weight in her chest. 

“Hold it up!” Mertha chided as she continued to instruct the servants, her voice sharp as it cut through the air, correcting their every movement. “Do not let it drop!” She barked. “And mind the fabric–if you tear it, the cost will come from your wages!” The servants obeyed with visible tension, their hands trembling slightly as they worked to dislodge the tapestry. 

It was only as the tapestry was finally freed from its hinges, slowly descending into the waiting hands of the servants, that Mertha’s attention swung sharply back to Daenera. Her exasperation spilled forth in a clipped huff, her eyes narrowing as she took in her posture.

“Must you sit like that?” Mertha snapped, her tone brimming with disapproval. “For the gods’ sake, compose yourself! It’s unbecoming!”

In silent rebellion, Daenera slouched even further into the cushioned chair. One leg dangled lazily over the armrest, the other draped carelessly off the seat. Her back curved into an exaggerated slump, the book resting against her lower abdomen, propped up by her bent knee. The skirts of her gown cascaded modestly over her legs, ensuring she remained decent, though her posture was anything but. 

“It’s comfortable,” Daenera said with a shrug, her tone casual, as if the older woman weren’t glaring daggers at her. 

Mertha’s jaw tightened, her lips thinning into a line so severe it looked as though it might disappear altogether. “Comfortable?” she repeated, incredulity dripping from the word. Her sharp gaze darted toward the servants still struggling with the tapestry before snapping back to Daenera, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper, as though the insult would lose its sting if overheard. “You look like a tavern wench sprawled out like that!”

The words hung in the air for a moment, sharp as a slap, before her voice rose again, full of righteous indignation. “What if someone were to walk in? Have you no pride, no sense of decorum?”

Daenera’s fingers continued to toy with the coin in her hand, her movements unhurried and steady, in stark contrast to Mertha’s rising fury. She let out a soft breath through her nose, not quite a sigh, but weighted with the quiet annoyance that stirred beneath her calm exterior. Her gaze flicked up to meet Mertha’s, cool and steady.

“If someone walks in,” she said, her tone light but edged with quiet defiance, “they’ll see me reading. How scandalous.”

Her lips twitched, not quite forming a smile but hinting at one, as though she found the older woman’s outrage faintly amusing. Daenera’s deliberate nonchalance only seemed to stoke Mertha’s frustration further, but Daenera didn’t care. Let her scold. Let her fume. It made no difference. She wasn’t about to let propriety—or Mertha–dictate her every move.

“And what is it you’re–what are you reading?” Mertha’s voice faltered before landing firmly in a tone of horrified disgust, her gaze locking onto the open pages sprawled across Daenera’s lap. Her face twisted as though she’d bitten into something sour, her eyes widening at the explicit illustration before her–two men entwined with a woman, limbs tangled in unabashed passion.

“Would you put that away?” she snapped, her voice rising in indignation. “That isn’t proper–”

Daenera didn’t so much as flinch. Instead, she lazily turned the page, revealing an equally provocative scene. This time, a man and woman lay intertwined on their sides, the woman’s lips wrapped around his cock while his face was buried between her thighs. The stark intimacy of the image sent a creeping heat crawling up Daenera’s throat and into her cheeks, but her expression remained neutral, betraying nothing but cool detachment. “‘Proper’ is a word forged by men who seek to enslave us with it.”

“Proper and propriety are virtues we should all seek to aspire to!” Mertha retorted, her voice rising with indignant fervor. Her posture stiffened, her hands clasped tightly in her skirts as though the very act of standing straighter might lend her argument more weight.

“The king would be loathed to hear I’m not enjoying his gift,” Daenera hummed, her voice calm but laced with a hint of mischief. Her silver-blue eyes flicked back up to meet Mertha’s, holding her gaze as she added, “Perhaps you should borrow it, Lady Mertha. You might find some inspiration to warm up your marriage.”

The flush in Mertha’s cheeks deepened from shock to fury, her jaw tightening as though she were physically restraining herself from reacting. For a moment, it seemed she might snatch the book straight from Daenera’s lap, smack it shut, and then strike her over the head with it for good measure. Her hands twitched at her sides, trembling with the effort of restraint, but Daenera only tilted her head slightly, her gaze steady and unapologetic.

Mertha spluttered, her outrage too great for coherent words, before finally spinning away with a sharp huff, muttering something about propriety and ungrateful girls under her breath. Daenera watched her retreat, her fingers toying with the edge of the page as the corner of her mouth twitched upward, just barely. 

At that moment, Edelin returned, a small bowl of glistening pomegranate seeds balanced carefully in her hands. Daenera had sent her away earlier, asking for something to occupy her time–something to distract from the oppressive weight of waiting. The girl moved swiftly, her steps light but faltering, her demeanor betraying her unease. 

Her pale complexion seemed even paler in the muted light, her brow knit in a worried crease. The corners of her mouth tugged downward, as though she was trying and failing to conceal the sadness lurking just beneath her expression. She flitted across the floor like a bird unsure of its perch, her gaze flickering briefly from Mertha to Daenera. 

Daenera’s stomach tightened. The weight she had carried all day seemed to shift, sinking heavily into the pit of her stomach, cold and unyielding. It was no longer the dread of waiting that gnawed at her–it was the creeping certainty of knowing. The pomegranate seeds, bright and unassuming, were no longer an indulgence or distraction. They were simply there, meaningless in the shadow of what had happened. 

Without a word, Daenera carefully closed the book resting in her lap, her fingers deliberate and steady despite the turmoil roiling within her. The soft thud of the cover closing felt louder than it should yet it was lost in the scuffle of the servants–it only seemed to reverberate within her own ears. She placed it aside with care, as though the motion itself might starve off what was coming. 

Straightening slowly, she adjusted her posture in the chair, her languid defiance giving way to something far more measured. The act felt like donning armor, each movement calculated to mask the dread rising in her chest. Her eyes flickered toward Eelin, but she did not speak, waiting instead for the girl to confirm what Daenera already knew in her bones.

The girl made an uneasy step behind Mertha, her hands clutching the bowl of pomegranate seeds tightly as though the small offering could ground her. Her gaze flicked towards Daenera again, uncertain and fretful. She lingered there, seemingly torn between the need to speak and the fear of what her words might bring.

Mertha, noticing the girl’s restless movements, turned sharply to face her. Her muddled gray eyes, narrowed in irritation, roamed over Edelin’s pale face. The snide edge in her expression faltered when her brows lifted slightly, catching the unease etched into the girl’s features.

“What is it?” Mertha demanded harshly, her tone clipped and impatient. 

“It’s the boy,” Edelin replied, her words soft yet heavy. “Patrick… He’s gone.”

Daenera’s stomach clenched, the confirmation slicing through her as sharply as she had anticipated. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, feeling her heart twist painfully around the weight of the truth. 

Daenera swallowed hard, the knot at the back of her throat feeling like a jagged rock, scraping painfully as it forced its way down. It settled heavily in the pit of her stomach, an unbearable weight she had braced herself to carry. The confirmation struck with all the force she had expected, yet instead of breaking her, she felt herself settle into its cold certainty. It was a burden she had anticipated, one she had already steeled herself to bear–because she had no other choice.

There was a strange, chilling ease in the finality of it. Her heart felt encased in ice, a numbing coldness that horrified her even as she clung to it. It was a shield, a bitter solace that allowed her to stand firm against the storm inside her. She had known this moment would come. She had orchestrated it, after all. It had been her hand, her choice.

And in that certainty, she found the resolve she needed. The weight, as crushing as it was, grounded her, providing a grim foundation to steel herself against the emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Regret, guilt, anger–they simmered beneath the surface, but the coldness of her heart kept them at bay, at least for now.

Mertha turned back to the servants as they carefully descended the stepladders, the tapestry still a cumbersome weight in their hands. Her focus narrowed in their movements like a hawk watching for the slightest misstep. “Don’t you dare drop it!” She snapped shrilly when one of the servants stumbled, before redirecting part of her attention back to the startled Edelin. “Gone? Gone where? How could he have escaped?”

Edelin hesitated, her lips trembling as she tried to keep her voice steady. “He’s dead,” she clarified, the quiet finality of her words lingering in the air like a noose. 

Mertha’s head whipped around, her eyes wide with shock. “Dead?” She repeated, her tone almost incredulous. 

“I saw them remove him from the dungeons,” Edelin continued, her voice barely above a whisper,” and take him to the Sept.”

“How–” Mertha began, her voice faltering as her eyes darted erratically, seemingly searching for clarity amid the swirling storm of her thoughts. Then the realization dawned on her, her eyes snapping back to Daenera, wide with incredulousness before narrowing into scorn. Her lips curled into a sneer as she took a step forward, her posture stiff with indignation. 

“You,” She hissed, the single word brimming with accusation.

Daenera rose from her chair, her movements measured and composed. She stood tall, her expression carefully neutral, offering no acknowledgement of Mertha’s venomous tone. 

Mertha’s hand twitched at her side, as though she fought the urge to lash out, but her gaze flickered briefly towards the servants still lingering nearby. The hesitation seemed to temper her fury, redirecting it into something colder, sharper. She straightened, her tone hardening into ice as she barked out her command. 

“Leave us!” She snapped, her voice carrying an authority that brooked no argument–and there was none to be found. 

The servants carefully lowered the tapestry to the ground, the heavy metal bar clanking softly against the stone floor as it settled with a dull thud. They straightened quickly, gathering their tools with hurried movements. Though their faces remained carefully neutral, a flicker of curiosity danced in their eyes, betraying their instincts to linger and observe. Yet they knew better than to dawdle, and without so much as a glance at Daenera or Mertha, they shuffled out of the room, the door closing firmly behind them.

“Edelin, would you please fetch—” Daenera began, but her words were abruptly cut off as a sharp slap cracked across her face, the sound reverberating through the chamber like a whip.

Her head snapped to the side, her cheek instantly aflame, a searing heat radiating across her skin. Her ear rang with the force of the blow, and her balance faltered as she stumbled backward. She barely had time to draw breath, to register the shock, before another slap followed in quick succession, landing on the same cheek with brutal precision.

The second strike sent a sharp sting through her nose, making it itch and her eyes water involuntarily. Tears blurred her vision as the back of her legs caught on the edge of the chair, forcing her to collapse into it with a harsh thud. The book she had so carefully set aside fell to the floor, its pages splaying out in a chaotic fan, forgotten in the storm of violence.

The silence that followed was deafening. Her cheek throbbed, her breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps as she clutched the arms of the chair, trying to steady herself. The sting of the slaps lingered, not just in her skin but deep within her chest, humiliation and fury twisting together in a knot that burned hotter than the pain.

“Lady Mertha!” Edelin cried out, stepping forward and seizing Mertha’s wrist just as her hand arched through the air, poised to deliver a third slap. “You mustn’t!” Her voice trembled with urgency, her expression wrought with horror. 

Mertha wrenched her hand free with a sharp, violent tug, her fury unabated. She whirled on Daenera, her lips curled into a sneer so deep it seemed to etch itself into her bone. “You did this!” she spat, her voice trembling with rage. “You wretched, evil child! You murdered that poor boy!”

Her bony finger jabbed the air, pointed directly at Daenera like a blade aiming for her heart. “Do you take me for a fool? I know you poisoned him! I don’t know how you managed it, or where you got the poison, but I know you’re behind it.”

Daenera stared up at her, her chest tightening as a storm of emotions churned within her. Her throat ached as she swallowed back the bitter anger clawing its way to the surface, fighting to keep it contained. The burning in her eyes betrayed the fury and grief roiling beneath her carefully neutral expression. She bit her tongue until she felt her teeth dig into the tender flesh, the pain grounding her as Mertha’s accusations rained down like blows.

Mertha let out a disdainful huff, her head shaking with unbridled indignation, her face flushed deep red with the force of her anger. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” she hissed, her voice rising. “How it will reflect on me–on everyone around you? I’ve been kind to you, more than you deserved! I allowed you to see him, to be near him. I gave you freedoms, and this is how you repay me?”

Her head shook more fervently now, her movements fueled by a righteous fury. “You vile, ungrateful creature! A witch! That’s what you are–a demon in the guise of a princess, cursing all who come near you with your poison and lies. The gods themselves will judge you for this! They will see you burn for what you’ve done. You mark my words, Princess.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating, as though the room itself strained under the weight of her fury. Each accusation reverberated like the echo of a whip’s crack, cutting through the tense silence that surrounded them.

Daenera remained still, her fingers curling tightly around the arms of her chair as she fought to keep her composure. The sharp point of her incisor dug into her tongue, piercing the tender flesh, and she tasted the metallic bitterness of blood as it seeped forth. The sting anchored her, keeping her rooted in place while the storm of Mertha’s wrath raged around her.

She did not rise, nor did she speak. She let the older woman’s words lash against her, each one landing like the crack of leather across her back. Daenera’s face remained a carefully neutral mask, though her chest tightened with the effort of holding her silence. The fire within her burned hot, but she refused to let it show.

The gods would indeed judge her. Of that, she was certain. 

“That is enough!” Edelin cried, stepping forward, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and determination. “If you do not get a hold of yourself, I will fetch the prince–I will tell him that you’ve laid hands on the princess!”

Mertha’s scornful gaze snapped toward the girl, her gray eyes narrowing dangerously. “You will do no such thing!” 

“I will!” Edelin shot back, though her voice quivered, betraying her nerves. “You struck her, and I have to–I will–”

“No,” Daenera interjected, her voice cutting through the exchange like a blade. It was cold and controlled, each syllable sharp with finality. There was no tremor, no outward sign of the ache burning in her throat, her chest. The weight of the moment pressed against her, but she bore it without faltering.

She rose slowly from her seat, her movements deliberate and measured. Her cheek still burned with the sting of the slap, the pain radiating across her skin like a brand, but she stood tall, her composure that of steel. Her gaze settled on Mertha, cool and steady.

“I will afford you this, Lady Mertha,” Daenera said, her tone ice-cold but edged with quiet authority. “This once.”

She let the sting linger, let the pain root itself deeply within her. She accepted it–welcomed it–as a small measure of penance for what she had done. It was not forgiveness, nor absolution, but retribution, a reminder of the blood on her hands.

“Let it be the last time,” she continued, her voice firm, her gaze unwavering, “that you raise your hand to me.”

Mertha’s jaw tightened, her teeth grinding audibly as her fingers curled into fists at her sides. Her knuckles whitened, trembling with the force of her suppressed rage. Daenera, however, turned her attention away from the seething woman, dismissing her entirely as she shifted her focus to Edelin.

“You won’t tell him about this,” Daenera said, her voice firm and unwavering. The words carried more than just authority–they held a quiet plea, veiled behind her composed exterior. She didn’t want Aemond to know. She couldn’t bear the thought of giving him the satisfaction of stepping in, of needing him, of revealing the extent of her own powerlessness.

Perhaps it was pride, the stubborn refusal to show weakness before him. Or perhaps it was uncertainty, the thought that he’d abide by it. No, not uncertainty. Deep down, she knew exactly what he would do if he found out, and it was that knowledge–the certainty of knowing to the bone what he’d do–that chilled her more than any other possibility. 

“But, Princess–” Edelin began, her voice small, the words laced with hesitant defiance.

“No,” Daenera interrupted, the sharp edge of her tone cutting through the girl’s protests. Any further objections died in Edelin’s throat, her defiance faltering under her gaze. The girl looked uncertain, her hands wringing together as she lowered her eyes.

Daenera’s lips curved into a faint, sad smile, the expression an attempt at reassurance, though it felt forced, unnatural. The weight of the moment pressed too heavily upon her, and the smile faded as quickly as it had come, leaving her face somber. “Would you bring me my shawl, Lady Edelin?” 

Before Edelin could move, Mertha stepped forward sharply, her hand latching onto Daenera’s arm with an iron grip. Her pointed fingers dug into her flesh with bruising force, the pain deliberate and punishing. “And where do you think you’re going?” Mertha demanded, her voice low and menacing. “Do you think I’d let you leave after this?”

“I wish to see him,” Daenera said simply, her voice steady and resolute, though her chest felt tight with the weight of her words.

Mertha froze for a moment, her gray, muddled eyes locking onto Daenera’s face. Fury burned within them, sharp and unrelenting, her cheeks still flushed red from her earlier outburst. Her lips trembled, stretched thin over her teeth as if she were holding back the force of her rage. But she couldn’t contain it; her mouth twisted into a scornful sneer, her contempt palpable.

“You wish to see the boy?” Mertha’s tone was mocking, dripping with venom. Her grip on Daenera’s arm tightened further, her bony fingers digging cruelly into her flesh. “Hmm? You wish to witness what you’ve done? Let us go then,” she sneered, her words a sharp lash. “Let us stand before the boy, and we’ll see if you're strong enough to face him!”

Mertha yanked her toward the doors, her bony fingers biting into her flesh with a bruising grip. She dragged her forward with the force of someone hauling a reluctant child, though Daenera offered no resistance. She moved willingly, her steps steady, intent on facing the weight of what she had done. Yet Mertha acted as if her compliance was a mockery, as though her lack of struggle only deepened her rage.

The older woman’s sneer twisted her face with disdain, her lips curling as her anger fed upon itself. With each step, her venomous words spilled forth, sharp and unrelenting, cutting through the air like shards of broken glass.

“It seems you have not yet learned the weight of death” she muttered, her voice a mix of fury and derision. “Let this  serve as a lesson. Watch as the Silent Sisters cleanse him and remove his innards. Perhaps then you will grasp the weight of your actions and carry it with you for the rest of your days, as heavy as the grave you’ve filled.”

Daenera needed no lesson in the weight of what she’d done. It pressed against her chest ever since the moment she had made her choice. It was lodged like a stone deep in her stomach, heavy and immovable. She bore it silently, carried it as she carried all else. 

She offered no opposition to Mertha. She didn’t flinch at the sharpness of the older woman’s words or the bruising grip of her bony fingers. Her nails bit into her arm with deliberate force, yet she made no effort to pull away. Instead, she stood as though carved from the same gray stone as the cliffs beneath the castle, enduring as the waves lashed against it. Each scornful word was another blow of saltwater against rock, each accusation a cresting wave that broke and retreated, leaving nothing but the cold, stinging spray in its wake. Her silence wasn’t defiance but acceptance–just as the rock accepted the punishing crash of the waves. 

As they neared the threshold, the sound of hurried footsteps announced Edelin’s return. She emerged from the archway to the bedchamber, the shawl Daenera had requested draped neatly over her forearm. Her features betrayed her unease, her lips pressed tightly together as her gaze darted between Daenera and Mertha. The tension in the air seemed to thicken as Mertha abruptly released her arm, ehr fingers prying away with a reluctant jerk. 

Edelin hesitated, her steps faltering for a heartbeat, before she stepped closer to Daenera, gently draping the soft fabric around her shoulders, her hands lingering just long enough to smooth it into place. “There…” She hummed, straightening before she pulled her own shawl tightly across her shoulders. 

Mertha snatched her own shawl with quick, impatient tugs. She wrapped it around her shoulders with an air of brusque efficiency, her scowl deepening as her sharp eyes caught Edelin’s. The corners of her mouth curled downward further, as if such tenderness was an affront. 

The silence stretched, taut and heavy, as Mertha stepped forward, breaking the moment with the scrape of her heels against stone. She didn’t bother to wait for acknowledgement, she simply went ahead, her hands pressing against the heavy oak doors, shoving them open. The hinges creaked lightly as it swung open, revealing the hall beyond and the guard–Finan–standing right outside.

A gust of chilled air rushed through the open doors, carrying with it the faint tang of damp stone and the earthy scent of rain yet to fall. Mertha stepped through the threshold first, her movements brisk and purposeful, the hem of her shawl flaring briefly. She cast a sharp glance back over her shoulder, a deep scowl on her face. 

“Come,” she barked, her voice clipped, “We’ve not got all day.”

Daenera drew a slow breath, the chilled air sharp in her lungs, and she clutched the shawl a little tighter as she stepped forward without hesitation, following Mertha into the hall. 

As soon as she crossed the threshold, Mertha closed the distance between them and unceremoniously locked her arm with Daenera’s, keeping her at her side. It was not a gesture of guidance or friendliness but of control, as though she feared she might slip away, might flee before facing the consequences of her actions. 

Mertha’s eyes flicked sideways, her gaze sharp as a blade. “Do you think your silence absolves you? It does not. The truth will out, Princess, and when it does, you will stand bare before it. You will not escape this. I won’t allow you to.”

They moved in measured steps through the corridors of Maegor’s Holdfast, the sounds of their footsteps lost among the usual shuffle through the corridors. The air inside the old walls was stagnant, laced with the faint scent of stone and old fires. As they descended the sweeping steps of the Great Hall of the Holdfast, the flickering torchlight gave way to the pale light filtering between the columns of the inner courtyard. 

The inner courtyard lay still under the waning sun. They passed beneath the high stone columns were her men and Lord Caswell had hung, their bodies once swaying lifelessly from the second-story bannisters, a grim testament to the price of her disobedience. Though the bodies were gone, the memory lingered, etched into her mind as clearly as the etchings of the stone columns. 

Beyond the inner courtyard, through the heavy doors of Maegor’s Holdfast, the afternoon air greeted them with a sharp chill, stinging against her skin like tiny needles. The sun hung low in the sky, inching toward the horizon as if eager to end the day. Thick clouds gathered in its wake, heavy and dark, slowly knitting themselves into a gray shroud that would soon cover the sky all around, swallowing any last remnants of light. The air was dense with the scent of imminent rain, more prominent that it had been within the stone confines of the Holdfast. 

A shiver traced down Daenera’s spine, and she flexed her fingers against the cold, though she wasn’t certain if the chill was born from the weather or something deeper–seeping into her from the stone she seemed to carry within the pit of her stomach. 

The Red Keep thrummed with the muted bustle of its endless activity. Servants scurried about, stripping the remnants of the wedding festivities from the throne room. Tables and chairs were hauled away, their legs scraping against the gravel and cobblestones, while garlands of flowers were unceremoniously bundled into carts. The festive energy that had briefly gripped the castle was gone, replaced by the hum of routine–a machine grinding ever onward, indifferent to tragedy or triumph. 

Daenera walked on, her steps steady but unhurried, as though the very act of moving forward was a quiet defiance. The shadow of Mertha loomed beside her, unrelenting, her hand still clutching her arm as though she might vanish into the air like mist. 

Daenera’s eyes drifted upward for a fleeting moment, drawn to the sky where a flock of birds wheeled and darted through the air, their chirping a faint melody against the growing quiet of the late afternoon. Their movements were effortless, their wings slicing through the encroaching gray clouds as if the gathering storm was of no concern to them. For a heartbeat, her gaze lingered, her thoughts following their ascent into the heavens.

If only she could join them–shed the weight of the world and take to the skies, far from this place and all it held. Her longing was sharp and sudden, like the ache of an old wound. But the moment passed as quickly as it had come, and she tore her eyes away, forcing them back to the path ahead. The ground beneath her feet was solid and unyielding, and no amount of wishing could change that. For now, she could only move forward, step by step, tethered to the earth and the choices that bound her.

The air inside the Royal Sept was thick and oppressive, laden with the mingling scents of incense and melting wax. The cloying heaviness seemed to seep into every crevice, saturating the grand chamber with its pungency. It clawed at the back of Daenera’s throat, the acrid tang almost unbearable as it coiled in her lungs. Her stomach churned in protest, the uneasy weight of nausea rising with every breath she took. Her mouth grew parched, her tongue sticking to the roof of her mouth as though the very air sought to steal what little moisture remained.

She swallowed hard, forcing down the discomfort as her eyes flickered across the room. Despite the cool touch of the marble floor beneath their feet, a damp heat lingered in the air, radiating from the thousands of candles that adorned the altars to the gods. Their flames flickered and danced, casting shifting shadows along the high walls and the length of the aisle, their light pooling in golden swathes across the polished stone. The grandeur of the Sept felt suffocating, its sanctity warped by the oppressive solemnity.

Each step she took sent echoes bouncing through the vast chamber, their sound amplified in the stillness, as though the Sept itself was listening. The grandeur of the space, with its towering columns and vaulted ceilings, felt oppressive rather than reverent. The gods’ presence here was not one of comfort but of quiet judgment.

Ahead of her, Mertha walked with purpose, her heels clicking against the floor in sharp opposition to Daenera’s softer tread. She held her arm firmly, steering her down the central aise towards the small stairway tucked into the shadows of a column. A Septa stood there, her plain robes illuminated by the soft glow of the candles she lit along the stone steps. She moved with practiced precision, her hands steady as they guided the flames into life. 

Mertha’s voice shattered the quiet, sharp and commanding as it rang out across the space. “We’re here to see the boy.”

The Septa straightened at the sound, her candle still in her hand. Her expression shifted, the faint serenity of her task giving way to wary frown. “You will have to wait,” she said, her voice calm but laced with a subtle edge. “The Silent Sisters have not yet finished their work–”

“The Princess wishes to oversee the preparations herself.”

The Septa’s gaze flickered to Daenera, lingering for a moment, searching her face for some sign of emotion–grief, anger, or perhaps something else. Daenera met the look with a quiet stillness, her expression unreadable, as she gave a small nod of agreement. The Septa’s eyes returned to Mertha as she continued, her voice unwavering.

“The boy was her ward,” Mertha said, her words clipped and precise, each syllable spoken as if it carried the force of law. “She will bear witness, as is her right.”

A flicker of something–perhaps disapproval, perhaps resignation–crossed the Septa’s face, but she bowed her head slightly in acknowledgment. “Very well,” she said softly, turning toward the steps. “Follow me, then.”

Daenera’s gaze lingered on the steps, descending into the unseen depths of the Sept. A chill traced along her spine, though whether it came from the air of the knowledge of what waited her below, she could not tell. As Mertha guided her forward, the echoes of their footsteps seemed lounder, echoing against the cold stone. 

They descended into the depths of the Sept, where the air grew colder, heavier, and damp with the weight of stone and time. The hallway stretched before them, a narrow corridor cloaked in shadow, illuminated only by the flickering torches mounted along the walls. Their flames sputtered faintly, casting wavering light that did little to dispel the oppressive darkness. The stone underfoot was worn smooth, its chill seeping up through Daenera’s thin soles with each step.

Occasionally, a thin blade of light pierced the gloom, spilling from the open doorways of nearby chambers. These brief glimpses of illumination revealed the small, narrow windows set high in the outer walls, their glass clouded with grime. The light that filtered through them was pale and distant, more an echo of the world above than a connection to it. 

The hall was eerily silent, the kind of silence that pressed against the ears, broken only by the faint rustle of fabric and the rhythmic echo of their footsteps against the worn stone. Each sound seemed to swell in the stillness, as if the very walls were listening. 

The Septa finally came to a halt before a heavy wooden door, its surface darkened with age and use. She turned to face them briefly, her expression unreadable in the dim light. Her voice, when it came, was soft and subdued, as though the very air down here demanded quiet reverence. “Wait here.”

Without waiting for a response, she pushed the door open, the creak of its hinges breaking the fragile silence like a whispered warning. A faint glow spilled from the room beyond as she slipped inside, the door closing behind her with a muted thud. 

Left in the hallway, Daenera stood still, her gaze lingering on the door as the silence closed in around her once more. The flickering torchlight cast long, shifting shadows along the walls, shapes that seemed to stretch and writhe like specters. The faint, distant sound of water dripping somewhere in the depths reached her ears, the rhythm steady and unchanging, as though marking the passage of something far older and colder than time itself.

The Septa returned shortly after disappearing into the chamber, the door creaking open just enough for a sliver of light to spill into the dim corridor. She paused on the threshold, her shadow stretching long against the floor as she met Daenera’s gaze. Her expression was solemn, her voice low but clear, imbued with the weight of reitual. 

“Take this and cover your face,” she said, holding out a folded piece of fabric. “It is ill-luck to gaze upon the face of death. The wise turn their eyes from the dead, lest the Stranger see them and think they too are his to take”

Daenera’s eyes drifted down to the offering in the Septa’s hand. The fabric was unassuming, thin as a whisper, yet the solemnity of the words imbued it with a heaviness. The Stranger knew her face, she thought bitterly. He had known it for as long as she could remember. He had followed her since she was a child. But she kept these thoughts to herself, her expression calm as she reached out to take the fabric. 

It was lighter than she expected, soft and delicate, a simple square with two strings tied at opposing corners. She unfolded it slowly, the faint scent of incense clinging to the cloth, and held it up before her face. The thin material obscured little, but its presence felt suffocating nonetheless. She tied it in place, the strings pulling tight behind her head. The mask rested just above the bridge of her nose, draping lightly over the lower half of her face.

Beside her, both Mertha and Edelin followed suit, each securing their own masks with somber efficiency. Mertha’s movements were brisk, as though impatient with the necessity, while Edelin’s hands trembled slightly, her fingers fumbling with the strings.

Once all three of them had covered themselves, the Septa stepped aside, her silent approval marked by the soft creak of the door as she pushed it fully open. The room beyond stretched out before them, the air heavy with stillness. The Septa inclined her head, her gesture both an invitation and an urging. 

Daenera’s heart felt like a weight within her chest, pressing heavily against her ribs, each beat reverberating through her like the toll of a distant bell. Her feet felt laden, rooted to the cold stone floor beneath her, and for a moment, she remained there, her body unwilling to move, before she forced herself forward, crossing the threshold. She could feel the weight of the space pressing in on her, as though it were alive, as though it knew what was to come.

The air within the room was colder, sharper, and seemed to carry with it an almost tangible edge. The faint metallic tang of death mingled with the thick, sweet-smoky scent of incense, a cloying presence that clung to the back of her throat and filled her lungs with every breath. It was nauseating. 

The shadows here seemed deeper, more oppressive, the flickering light of the candles barely holding them at bay. They clung to the corners like something alive, shifting and flickering as though reluctant to release their hold. The only true light came from the hundreds of candles scattered throughout the chamber, their soft, wavering glow casting halos against the oppressive darkness. Shelves lining the walls behind the imposing columns were filled with rows of these tiny flames, their uneven heights lending an almost chaotic beauty to the otherwise somber space. Tall candlesticks stood scattered around the room, their steady light doing little to dispel the solemn heaviness of the room. 

Daenera moved slowly, her steps measured as she walked around the table at the center of the room and came to a stop, positioning herself with her back to the hundreds of candles that lined the shelves. She drew in a breath and turned to face the heart of the room, her gaze settling upon the large stone table that loomed at its center. Upon it rested the small, still body of a boy, shrouded in an unbearable quiet that seemed to echo louder than any sound. 

She scarcely registered Mertha and Edelin as they stood beside her. Her attention remained on the boy, her eyes tracing the stillness of his form as though the world beyond the table had ceased to exist.

Her breath caught as a wave of nausea threatened to rise. She forced it down, swallowing hard against the bile clawing at the back of her threat. Her fingers curled tightly at her sides, the slight tremble in her hands the only betrayal of the storm roiling within her.

The Silent Sisters, robed in gray and shrouded by veils, glanced briefly in their direction. Their movements, like their presence, were silent, their expressions obscured by layers of cloth. Without a word, they returned to their task, their hands steady and precise as they prepared the boy’s body. One wrung a sponge into a basin of water, the droplets falling into soft, rhythmic plinks that seemed deafening in the stillness. The sponge was then dragged gently across Patrick’s pale skin, washing away the filth of the dungeons that had clung to him in life. 

Their care was meticulous, their movements measured, guided by silent prayer. One sister raised his small arm, her touch careful as she washed his side. Another dapped at his face, the strokes of the sponge revealing clean, unmarred skin beneath. 

Daenera’s chest tightened as she watched them, her eyes lingering on the boy’s face. His face seemed almost serene in the flickering candlelight. The streaks of tears that had marred his cheeks the last time she had seen him were gone now, wiped away by the Sisters’ careful touch. The sight made her throat tighten, and she forced herself to breathe evenly, though the ache in her chest felt insurmountable.

For a fleeting moment, she felt a strange sort of gratitude for the Silent Sisters, for the tenderness they shoved in their ritual. Their hands moved with reverence, their silence a balm to the oppressive grief that surrounded her. 

But even as she watched their work, her gaze inevitably returned to him, tracing the delicate planes of his face. He looked younger than she remembered, the grime and filth now wiped away to reveal pale, lifeless skin. His face was unnervingly serene, his long lashes brushing against his cheeks as though caught in a gentle slumber. In this stillness, he seemed untouched by the violence of the world, as if he had simply drifted off into quiet, untroubled sleep. 

And he had, she reminded herself. He had merely fallen asleep, his small heart slowing until it ceased entirely. It had been easy–peaceful, even. No pain, no struggle, just a quiet slipping away. It was a death most wished for. 

The thought was meant to comfort her, but it hung hollow in her chest, an echo of something that should have brought solace but didn’t. 

Few deaths were ever clean, a soft surrender without anguish or strife. Such serene ends were a rare grace that seemed reserved for a fortunate few. For most, death came harshly–heralded by blood, torment, or the slow decay of time and illness. 

There was a certain violence to death. 

It so often came with stab wounds, shattered bones, torn flesh–a brutal punctuation to life’s end. How many had laid upon this cold stone table, their bodies broken and ravaged by life's cruelty? How many wounds had the Silent Sisters stitched together with steady hands, how many rivers of blood had they washed away with water and reverence? Even death by illness or poison bore its scars. Burst blood vessels beneath sallow skin, lungs drowning in pink froth, bellies distended with blood, organs decayed and blackened–weach left its mark, a final betrayal of the body. 

And some deaths, Daenera thought grimly, left no body at all to prepare. 

Her throat tightened, and she swallowed thickly, the motion doing little to ease the knot lodged at the back of it. Her heart felt as though it were sinking, dragged down into the roiling pit of her stomach by its immeasurable weight. A chill crept along her fingers, numbing them, and the cold seemed to seep deeper into her bones with each passing moment. For one terrible heartbeat, the still figure upon the table was no longer little Patrick Piper. 

The boy she saw now was older by a few years, his hair dark and curling like her own. His features–soft yet achingly familiar–echoed hers in every line and angle. The vision struck her like a blow, stealing the breath from her lungs. Her body shifted, her mind recoiling from the image even as it lingered, burned into her sight. She blinked hard, once, and he was gone. 

It was Patrick again, his pale blond hair hanging matted from his head, his small frame unnaturally still beneath the flickering candlelight. Daenera’s chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, her trembling fingers curling into fists at her sides as she tried to banish the ghost. Yet the moment lingered, the echo of another boy haunting the quiet room. 

The Stranger follows you, she recalled, the words whispered in the back of her mind like an echo from a dream. He will claim those dear to you–some offered by your own hand, others taken by fate’s cruel turn. 

The room seemed to darken at the thought, the shadows in the corners deepening until they felt alive, shifting and writhing like silent wraiths. It was as though the dim light of the candles could no longer reach them, the darkness swallowing them whole. The scene reminded Daenera of another time, of the eerie shadows that had danced and twisted within the witch’s wagon, their shapes unnatural and unyielding. A chill traced down her spine, sharp as the edge of a blade, and the memory of those words settled deep in her chest, pressing against her ribs like a weight she couldn’t shake.

Her hands folded tightly before her, her fingers brushing against the cold skin of her palms. The chill that clung to her seemed to intensify, and she pressed her nails against her skin, dragging them in slow, deliberate motions. The faint sting offered a small distraction, a fleeting escape from the storm of unease roiling within her.

Still, the cold seeped into her, relentless and unyielding. It crawled through the soles of her feet, stealing warmth as it climbed, creeping upward with an unnatural insistence. Even with the flames of the candles flickering behind her, their faint heat licking at her back, she felt frozen, as though the cold came not from the room but from within her very soul. She clenched her hands tighter, grounding herself against the sensation, though the creeping chill showed no signs of retreating.

The Silent Sisters moved with quiet precision, their actions measured and deliberate as they set aside the sponges. One Sister lifted the basin of murky water and carried it away, returning moments later with another filled with fresh, clear water. The faint ripples in the basin’s surface caught the light of the flickering candles, adding an almost ethereal quality to the otherwise somber scene.

They worked as silently as those upon their table, their reverence palpable, an unspoken language that seemed to fill the room. There was a strange comfort in their ritual, a solemn order that pushed back against the turmoil churning within Daenera’s mind. 

Her attention flicked to the blade as one of the Sisters reached for it. It caught the light, glinting faintly in the dim room like a sliver of starlight. She heard Mertha’s breath hitch–or was it Edelin’s?–as the blade met Patrick’s skin. Pressing lightly but firmly, the sister dragged it with precision along the boy’s breastbone, the incision extending down in a single, fluid motion toward his navel. The cut was deliberate, practiced–an act devoid of hesitation, as clean and sharp as the blade itself. 

Though Daenera remained still, she felt the sharp intake of breath from either side of her. Both Mertha and Edelin gasped softly again, their reactions betraying the shock they felt, even though they should have known what the preparation of the body entailed. 

“Mother of mercy, give–” Mertha murmured from Daenera’s side, her voice breaking the quiet, though it was barely louder than a whisper. Her words faltered, and she swallowed thickly, the sound audible in the stillness. “Give me the strength…” she finished, her tone laced with a trembling resolve.

The Silent Sisters worked with calm precision, their blades slicing cleanly through the pale flesh of the boy. Another incision joined the first, stretching from one collarbone to the other, forming a line that mirrored the curve of his shoulders. A third cut followed, arcing across the hips from one side to the other. As they began to peel back the skin, their hands steady and sure, the room seemed to shrink.

A strangled sound broke the silence–a choked gasp from Mertha. Her hand flew to her mouth, muffling the noise as her body curled inward, trembling as though she were fighting to keep the contents of her stomach down. Her pale knuckles clutched her shawl tightly, her frame swaying under the weight of her revulsion.

As the Sisters peeled back the other side, the sight was too much for Mertha. She stumbled forward, her steps uneven as she brushed past Daenera, her shoulder colliding against hers with enough force to jolt her. She turned her head, catching the look of pale fury on Mertha’s face. Her expression, as colorless as Patrick’s still form, was filled with a mixture of horror and scorn, her reddened eyes brimming with tears.

“You–stay here,” Mertha commanded hoarsely, her voice shaking but firm as she pointed a trembling finger at Daenera. Her tone carried the sharp edge of desperation, as though the act of leaving the room required her to impose some semblance of control. Without waiting for a response, she turned abruptly, her footsteps uneven and hurried as she fled the room.

The sound of her gagging echoed faintly down the corridor, growing softer with each passing second until it disappeared entirely. The silence that followed felt heavier than before, settling over the chamber. Daenera’s gaze returned to the Silent Sisters, their quiet diligence undisturbed, their focus unwavering.

Daenera stood rooted to the spot, blessedly numb as the Silent Sisters worked with steady hands, their blade cutting carefully through the thin membrane protecting the boy’s organs. All she truly felt was the cold that seemed to seep into her very bones, the weight pressing heavily against her chest, and the sharp sting of her own nails as they bit into the flesh of her wrist, leaving crescent-shaped marks behind.

The quiet was broken by the wet, grotesque sound of movement–a squelch as one of the Sisters carefully lifted the organs free, placing them into shallow bowls prepared for the task. The noise was visceral, intimate, and it clawed at the silence with brutal honesty. It seemed too much for Edelin, who stood trembling at her side. Without a word, Edelin turned sharply and fled, her hurried footsteps echoing briefly before the heavy door muffled her retreat.

 Daenera didn’t flinch, didn’t follow. She remained where she was, unmoving, the only sound now the steady rhythm of the Sisters’ labors.

Her gaze drifted to the lifeless form on the table, the body laid bare in its quiet surrender. She wondered, not for the first time, what her own death might look like. Would it be as calm, as methodical as his? No festering wounds, no rotting organs, no spilled blood–just stillness. A stillness that seemed almost merciful. But deep down, she knew better. She imagined a far crueler end for herself.

It would not be a clean death, she thought. There would be no soft acceptance, no sacred rites performed by the Silent Sisters. Her death would be a violent thing, raw and ruthless. The tightening bite of a noose, the cold kiss of a blade, or the searing agony of fire and blood–that was what awaited her. The thought did not scare her, not exactly. Instead, it lingered in her mind like a shadow.

The air in the room seemed heavier now, the scent of blood mingling with the faint bitterness of herbs. Her hand loosened from her wrist, leaving pale indentations behind. She breathed in slowly, the chill settling deeper into her frame. The Sisters worked on, their movements precise, almost reverent. Daenera envied them, their detachment, their purpose. They didn’t look to the past or the future–only to the body before them. Perhaps that was their gift, their burden: to see death and yet feel nothing. To make sense of it in a way no one else could.

Daenera remained, unmoving, and let the silence press down on her, its weight strangely comforting.

Watching his body being prepared by the Silent Sisters was a weight Daenera could neither name nor shake. It lodged itself deeper within her, tightening like an unseen noose around her throat, twisting between her ribs, and settling heavily into the pit of her stomach. Every careful motion of the Sisters seemed to etch the finality of his death into her, their silent reverence only making the ache sharper–and not only his death, but all of them. Yet, beneath the grief and unease, there was a flicker of relief–fragile and awful. 

She was relieved that his end had come gently, rather than at the end of a rope, his life snuffed out in cruelty. No witnesses, no drawn-out suffering, no agonizing moments filled with fear and the bitter ache of longing for home. His death had come smooth, quick–a mercy in a world that so often denied such kindness. For that she was grateful, even as her stomach churned with guilt and her heart twisted with shame. 

She was relieved, too, that his body would not be turned into a spectacle–a grim ornament left to rot in the unforgiving sun, hanging from the bannisters of the inner courtyard of the Holdfast as a warning to others. Nor would his head be severed, mounted upon a spike, and displayed upon the infamous Traitor’s Walk, his identity stripped away, reduced to a traitor.

But that was not his fate. His body was treated with care, not contempt. There would be no mockery, no public display of his remains, no desecration of what was once him. The Silent Sisters ensured that he would be laid to rest in quiet dignity. It was a small consolation, but a consolation nonetheless. 

Daenera’s eyes remained fixed on his form, pale and still, as the Sisters continued their work, removing the organs. She swallowed hard, trying to loosen the knot that had formed in her throat, but it lingered, unyielding. She hoped he had thought of home when he had slipped into the stillness. 

The Silent Sisters worked with the quiet efficiency of those who had done this countless times before. They removed his organs one by one, their hands steady and unfeeling. The liver, the belly, the lungs, the heart–all were carefully lifted from his body and placed into plain, unadorned jars lined up on the table. Once emptied, the cavity was scrubbed meticulously with salt and a blend of spices and herbs, the sharp tang of the mixture mingling with the metallic scent of blood. 

Fragrant bundles of herbs were tucked within him, tightly bound and pressed into every space until his form was filled completely. The herbs–lavender, thyme, perhaps a sprig of mint–seemed incongruous against the natural order of decay. Only when this task was complete did they begin to close him, stitching the incisions with beeswax-coated thread that gleamed faintly in the flickering light. The process was methodical, each pull of the threat smooth and deliberate, sealing the marks of death with quiet dignity. 

Daenera watched in silence, her thoughts dark and intrusive. In the end, she mused bitterly, we’re all just stuffed like ducks. How absurd it was. The thought struck her with a grim humor she did not voice, one that almost made her want to laugh, or perhaps cry. It was a crude, awful truth.

The room smelled of salt and herbs now, an almost soothing scent that did little to ease the ache in her chest. She felt as though a part of herself had been carved away, chipped off like stone from a weathered statue, and tucked within him along with the fragrant bundles of herbs. Her innocence–or what little had remained of it–lay buried there now, entombed with him

When the stitching was finished, the Silent Sisters began the final step of their work. They brought forth strips of cloth, thick and white, steeped in a mixture of salt and herbs to starve off the decay. Carefully, they stilted and shifted his little body, wrapping him up. Each tug of the cloth seemed to echo in the still room, a soft rasp against skin. Inch by inch, they worked, winding the fabric tightly around him until only his face remained uncovered.

“Wait,” Daenera’s voice cut through the heavy silence, startling even herself with how loud it seemed, though it was barely more than a whisper. The word hung in the air, pulled from her lips as though drawn out by some unseen force. She repeated it, softer this time. “Wait…”

Her feet moved before her mind could catch up, the rough clack of her shoes against the stone floor echoing in the quiet chamber. Every step sent a jolt through her stiff, aching body, the hours of standing vigil catching up to her all at once. She hadn’t noticed the ache in her joints until now, until her feet carried her forward, each step drawing her closer to him. 

The silent Sisters paused, their veiled faces turning briefly in her direction before one of them silently stepped aside, allowing her to approach the head of the table. Daenera hesitated, her heart hammering painfully against her ribs as she looked down at the boy. He lay so still, his features softened by death’s quiet embrace, as if he were only sleeping. 

Her eyes lingered on the small strands of dark blond hair that peeked out from beneath the burial cloth already tied neatly around his head. The sight struck her like a blade to the chest. He looked so impossibly young, his face still round with the softness of childhood. It was a cruel truth that someone so small had ended up here. And yet, this table had seen countless others before him–smaller bodies, younger faces, children who should have been spared this grim fate. 

She reached out without thinking, her trembling fingers brushing against the edge of the cloth, but she stopped herself, unsure of what she meant to do. Her fingers hovered for a moment before they fell to the rough, cold surface of the table. Her eyes remained on him, her gaze taking in his face. Slowly, almost hesitantly, her hand moved towards him again, brushing against the small strands of dark blond hair that had slipped free from beneath the cloth. The strands were soft beneath her tough, tickling against her skin.

Her movements were deliberate, reverent, as she leaned down and pressed her lips gently to this forehead, the icy touch of his skin sending a shiver through her. Her eyes closed, and for a moment, the world fell silent around her. Forgive me. The words resounded in her mind, silent but searing, a plea that seemed to sink into the stillness of the room. 

When she straightened, the air felt sharper, colder. Her breath caught in her lungs, laced with the bitter tang of herbs and the lingering, metallic scent of death. It burned, a cold fire that settled deep within her chest. She swallowed hard, forcing herself to move, to step back. 

The Silent Sister stepped forward to reclaim her place at the table. Daenera stood in silence, watching as the woman resumed her task. She wrapped the cloth around the boy's face, layer by layer, until he was fully concealed, sealed away from the world he would never return to. 

Daenera’s hands curled into fists at her sides, her nails biting into her palms. The finality of it struck her like a blow, the weight of what she could not change settling heavily in her chest. She did not look away, even as the last piece of him disappeared beneath the shroud. It was all she could give him now–her presence, her witness, her silent, aching farewell.

With one last fleeting glance at his shrouded form, Daenera turned away. There was nothing more to see, nothing more to feel but the hollow ache that had settled deep within her. The chamber behind her seemed to breathe with its own stillness, but she left it behind, stepping into the shadowed hall beyond.

The corridor was cloaked in darkness, illuminated only by the flickering torches mounted on the walls. Their light wavered against the stone, casting shifting shadows that danced like restless spirits. There were no slivers of daylight spilling in through open doorways this time, no respite from the gloom. The hall was a corridor of darkness, oppressive and unyielding, as though the very air refused to let her forget the room she had just left.

Outside the chamber, Finan stood waiting, his posture as still and steady as the walls around them. Their eyes met briefly, a silent exchange passing between them–acknowledgement, sympathy, questions. He said nothing as she moved past him, his footsteps quick to follow her own as she made her way back through the winding corridors. 

The journey felt strange, as if she were retracting her steps out of a place that wasn’t quite this word but something far colder, death. The space between heaven and hell, she thought–a space where the living were trespassers, unwelcome and out of place. Each step felt like a struggle to pull herself back from that void, back into the world of the living. 

The narrow stairway spiraled upward, its cold stone steps slick beneath her feet. Her fingers briefly brushed the wall for balance, its chill grounding her as she climbed. As she stepped into the Sept, the sound of rain filled the air. It lashed against the stained glass windows, the patter echoing in the vast, hollow space. The rain’s lamentation felt almost alive, as though the heavens themselves had been moved. The droplets raced down the panes in chaotic rivers and rivulets. 

Was it mourning with her, she wondered, or raging against her? 

Daenera’s steps faltered, her breath catching as her eyes found him–just as they always did. 

Aemond stood at the altar at the heart of the Sept, a solitary figure amidst the flickering glow of firelight. His tall, narrow frame was outlined sharply against the golden light, his pale silver hair shimmering like spun moonlight, catching hints of gold in the dance of flames. There was a stillness about him, a pensiveness in the way he stood, his lone figure commanding the vast, hollow space. His head was slightly bowed as he stared into the fire, one hand hovering above the flames, fingers splayed as though testing their heat. 

For a moment, his presence started her, the sight of him sending her heart leaping into her throat. But that initial shock gave away almost immediately to a surge of emotion that churned hot and fierce in her chest. It felt as though his presence seeped into her, inescapable as it always was, stirring emotions too tangled to name. 

Without realizing, her steps quickened, the sharp tap of her shoes against the stone floor echoing loudly in the empty Sept as she closed the distance between them. Her scowl deepened as her gaze darted around the chamber, searching for others–for any Septa, any Septon, anyone to explain why he was here, alone. But there was no one. The vast Sept was deserted save for the two of them.

Behind her, Finan had followed at a distance, his footsteps halting just far enough away to grant them a semblance of privacy.

When she reached his side, she stopped abruptly, the momentum of her steps halting so sharply that her breath caught. The scornful flare she wore remained, and she tore her gaze from him to fix it on the flames instead. The heat of the candles brushed against her cheeks, though it did nothing to thaw the ice in her chest.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and fraught, as though the Sept itself held its breath, awaiting what would follow. Aemond remained still, his expression unreadable, his hand still poised above the fire. Daenera’s heart pounded in her ears, each beat urging her to speak, to confront him, yet she hesitated. 

“Come to confess your sins?” Her voice cut through the stillness, sharp and biting, the edge in her tone unmistakable. The words fell from her lips like an accusation, yet there was something strained behind them, something forced–as if they carried the weight of emotions she couldn’t quite control. “Or have you come to beg the gods for forgiveness?”

Aemond didn’t respond immediately. Instead, a low, resonant hum escaped him, a sound that rumbled from deep within his chest and seemed to settle in the air between them. His hand remained poised over the flames, hovering just close enough to feel their heat. 

“I do not seek forgiveness,” Aemond murmured, his voice low and steady as his hand hovered above the flames, the heat distorting the air around his fingers, yet he did not flinch. “Nor do I believe the gods care to hear my sins.”

Daenera’s jaw tightened, her anger flaring hot and sharp, twisting between her ribs like a dagger. The burn of it licked at her insides, relentless and consuming. Her hands remained curled into tight fists at her sides, nails digging mercilessly into the soft flesh of her palms. She wondered absently how many red crescents would mark her skin by the time she lay in her bed that night, reminders etched into her, soon to fade. 

She felt his gaze then, a palpable weight that slid over her face like the edge of a blade. There was a deliberate intensity in the way his eye lingered, a sharp curiosity, as if he were searching for something–as though he sought to carve beneath her skin and read through the rivulets of blood inside her. She resisted the urge to look at him, her focus remaining fixed on the flames. They danced and flickered before her, offering no comfort, only a reflection of the fire roiling within her.

The sensation of his attention was maddening, a prickling heat that brushed over her skin, sending shivers racing down her spine. It was as though his presence itself sought to unnerve her, to burrow beneath her composure and drag something raw to the surface. She willed herself to stay still, to give him nothing.

“If I sought forgiveness,” he said softly, his voice like the smooth pull of silk over steel, “it would not be theirs to give.”

Her teeth clenched at his arrogance–to think that she’d ever forgive him. The air between them thickened, laden with unspoken truths and words that could cut as deeply as steel.

“If you sought forgiveness,” Daenera snapped, her voice taut as a bowstring, “you’d be on your knees begging for it, and you’d still find yourself wanting.”

The air in the chamber was thick, weighted with the warmth of the fire and the unspoken tension that hung between them. Daenera kept her posture rigid, her hands clasped tightly before her as if the act alone could keep her emotions at bay.

Aemond stood at a measured distance, the faintest curve of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth–she could feel it, the faint amusement radiating off of him. “You’ve had me on my knees,” he hummed, his voice smooth, laced with a dark humor that seemed to echo in the stillness.

The words struck her like a spark to dry tinder, igniting a cascade of memories she fought to suppress. The image rose unbidden in her mind: him kneeling before her, his pride stripped away under the weight of her will. She remembered the desperation in his gaze, the way his breath had hitched as he peered up at her, his lips parted, his touch searing against her skin. The memory was a ghost, a phantom that burned against her even now, and she hated that it still had power over her.

Heat bloomed unbidden in her cheeks, a flush she couldn’t quite hide, though she turned her head slightly to keep her face out of his line of sight. Her nails bit into her palms, a futile attempt to anchor herself.

“You weren’t there in search of forgiveness,” Daenera replied, her voice taut, strained, as though she could steady it by sheer force of will. She fought to keep her tone even, suppressing the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to surface. “You didn’t beg for it.”

Her words were a shield, a deflection meant to push away the thing she refused to name, the thing that clawed at the edges of her composure. Yet, even as she spoke, she felt the weight of his presence, his words, his gaze, pressing against her resolve. The air between them felt charged, crackling with unspoken truths and emotions too tangled to unravel.

Aemond’s hum lingered in the space between them, a sound that seemed to mock her efforts to maintain control. “You wouldn’t have granted it, even if I had. It isn’t in your nature.”

“And it's not in yours to seek it.” She refused to give him the satisfaction of looking at him, refused to meet his eye and see whatever storm brewed there. Instead, she focused on the fire, letting its heat bite at her skin, grounding her in the moment even as the past threatened to overwhelm her.

“What of your sins?” he hummed, the question curling through the air like smoke. He took a step closer, his boots barely making a sound against the stone floor, and when he spoke again, his tone shifted. It wasn’t quite an accusation, more a statement of fact, stripped of doubt.

“You killed him.”

The words hung between them, as undeniable as the heat from the fire. Aemond’s voice carried a peculiar intimacy, a quiet knowing that made her skin prickle. There was no malice in his tone–no anger or condemnation–but rather an unsettling understanding. The way he said it, as though peeling back a layer of her soul, left no room for denial.

Daenera didn’t answer; she didn’t need to. 

“The Council knows–”

“The Council suspects,” She interjected swiftly, her voice cutting through his as sharp as a blade. She turned her head slightly, the heart of the flames curling around her face. “They suspect, but they’ll find no evidence of wrongdoing.” Her words were precise, delivered with a calm clarity that betrayed none of the storm brewing within her. “The Silent Sisters will report nothing out of the ordinary when they saw to his body–no lungs filled with foam, no blackened organs, nothing to suggest poisoning.” 

She finally turned her eyes to him, her gaze as piercing as his own, her brow arched slightly. “They could raise the matter, but it would only expose their own… failings. How could I have obtained the means of poisoning? I have not been allowed near the gardens, nor have I been alone long enough to procure it.” A scoff left her. “The kitchens take it upon themselves to spare me the trouble of seeds in my apples. So tell me, how was I able to do it?” 

She paused, inhaling deeply, her focus drifting back to the flames though she no longer seemed to see them. “At best, the Council will look cruel for letting him die of illness in the dungeons. At worst, they’ll look incompetent for failing to stop me.”

The Council, Daenera knew, would much rather let the boy’s death be seen as the result of illness born from their negligence than risk the appearance of their inability to control her. To admit they had failed to prevent such an act under their own roof would expose their own weaknesses far more than it would condemn her. They might suspect the truth–might even know it in the depths of their hearts–but to accuse her outright of murder while she remained under their watchful eyes was a step they would not dare take. The risk to their authority, their reputation, was far too great.

Aemond remained silent, his expression unreadable save for the faint flicker of amusement in his eye. His hum broke the quiet, low and appreciative, a sound that sent a shiver of skittering down her spine. “And what shall you do now, with your newfound freedom?” 

“Freedom…” Daenera echoed, the word bitter on her tongue. She let the word hang in the air, tasting its lie, for she knew the truth: the cage that held her remained. The noose around her neck might have shifted, but it still remained around her neck. She stared into the flames before her, their restless dance reflecting the indignation burning in her chest. 

“That’s why you killed him, is it not?” Aemond pressed, his voice soft, almost gentle–but laced with something darker. His words curled around her like smoke, taunting, suffocating, making her choke on them. 

He always had a way of wielding words like weapons–he wielded them as deftly as he did a blade. There was a cruel precision to it now, the way he probed at the raw edges of her conscience. His tone, so maddingly composed, peeled back the layers of her actions with deliberate care, stripping away her skin to expose the truth beneath–be it guilt festering there, or the weeping of necessity. 

“What I did was mercy,” Daenera forced out, her voice steady but brittle, like ice stretched too thin over deep waters. Her gaze remained fixed on the flames before her, though she hardly saw them as their tongues lapped at the air. Yet, even as she stared into the nothing of the flames, she felt his attention sharpen, a tangible thing pressing against her, daring her to reveal the truth, to justify herself against the unbearable weight of his words. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the subtle shift in him. His head tilted ever so slightly, the faintest quirk of his brow betraying his intrigue. It was a gesture she knew all too well, a familiar, almost maddening tic that always surfaced when something piqued his interest. It reminded her of a predator catching the scent of its prey–patient, calculating, and entirely unyielding.

She turned her face slightly to meet his gaze. There was something behind his expression now, a shadow that flickered in the depths of his lone eye. It was unreadable, twisting like smoke, elusive yet undeniable. His gaze unnerved her, the way it sought to strip her bare, searching for weaknesses, for the most vulnerable parts of her. 

But she refused to give him the satisfaction of cowering before him. 

“Mercy,” he repeated, the word rolling off his tongue with quiet amusement. His lips curved upward ever so slightly, the corners sharp enough to cut her with. 

“Yes, mercy,” Daenera bit out, her tone laced with scorn. She held his gaze unflinchingly, though her throat tightened against the tide of guilt and shame that threatened to rise. It pressed against her ribs, a weight she couldn’t remove. Still, she clung to the notion that what she had done was rooted in kindness, in something nobel. 

Her eyes hardened as she stared him down, her voice growing colder, more deliberate. “I didn’t want him to rot in the dungeons for gods know how long–days, weeks, months.” She shook her head, the movement stiff, her breath catching as she forced the words out. “He didn’t deserve that. He didn’t deserve to be trapped among rapers and murders as though he were one of them–as though he had done anything wrong.”

Her chest heaved, and she swallowed hard against the lump rising in her throat. Her voice thickened with the weight of her choice. “He’d be alone. Alone and afraid, listening to every echo of footsteps in the darkness, every jingle of keys. Fearing–always fearing–that they’d come for him next. That they’d drag him from his cell to meet the same fate as his friends.”

If she hadn’t balled her hands into firsts so tight that her bones ached, she was sure they’d tremble. “Or worse,” she added bitterly, the corners of her lips arching downward. “To be tortured before they executed him–to suffer in ways no boy should ever suffer.”

Aemond’s gaze darkened, his piercing eye narrowing as the weight of Daenera’s words settled heavily upon him. The muscles in his jaw flexed, the tension rippling beneath his skin as his teeth ground together in barely contained frustration.

Daenera met his gaze without hesitation, her expression unyielding, her chin tilted ever so slightly upward, a subtle act of defiance that spoke louder than words. “He was already dead. The noose was around his neck…he just hadn’t fallen yet.”

The ease with which the justification had slipped from her lips sent a bitter pang through her chest. The tone of her words, sharp and pragmatic, echoed hollowly in the Sept. The gods might judge her for it–she knew that well enough–but surely, she thought, surely they would see the mercy in what she had done. Then again, the gods were not merciful, that was why they were gods after all.

The guilt rose unbidden, clawing at the back of her throat like bile. It was a silent, insidious thing, creeping into her mind as she fought to shove it back down.

Aemond hummed, the sound low and deliberate, a vibration that seemed to crawl beneath her skin and prick at her resolve. It was maddening, how effortlessly he plucked at her threads, how effortlessly it was for him to unravel her. She didn’t need to look at him to know his eye was fixed on her, searching her face with a cold, unrelenting precision. She could feel it, like the edge of a blade grazing over her skin–not slicing, not yet, but testing her, caressing her. 

“Mercy may be part of it,” he said, his voice smooth and silken, soft but carrying a weight that pressed against her chest. It held the intimacy of a dagger’s whisper before slipping between the ribs. “But you also did it to free yourself.”

The words struck her harder than she expected, as though they had been spoken from a place deeper than observation. Before she could summon a response, he took a single step toward her, the movement measured–testing. That single step seemed to change the air around them, and Daenera felt the shift like the tightening of a noose. His presence grew heavier, more tangible, wrapping around her like a shadow creeping closer in the dim light. 

The faint scent of sandalwood, warm and earthy, mingled with something sweeter, something she couldn’t name at that moment. It seeped into her lungs, a brief reprieve from the cloying smell of burning candles and incense that hung heavily in the great chamber of the Sept. But even that familiar scent felt intrusive, like he was taking up more space than he should, both in the air and in her mind. 

Daenera willed herself not to move, not to flinch, not to show the unease pooling in her stomach. She stood rooted, though her instincts screamed at her to retreat, to put space between herself and the monster closing in on her. 

And yet she stood firm, her heart pounding against her ribs, meeting his gaze. 

“You could have waited,” he continued, his voice soft, unhurried, as he flayed her with his words. It was a masterful dissection, peeling away the armor of her composure to expose the bloody truth as he saw it, raw and vulnerable beneath the surface. “You could have bided your time and found a way to see him free of the dungeons.”

His fingers twitched ever so slightly at his sides. There was a restlessness to him, a restrained impulse, as if he wanted to reach for her. His hand might have skimmed the curve of her cheek, brushing aside the dark strands of her hair, before cupping her face in cruel intimacy–only to drive the dagger of his words deeper into her soul. 

Daenera’s gaze flickered, caught briefly by the subtle movement before returning to his, a fraction too late to mask her awareness. She knew he had noticed–he always did.

Her eyes narrowed sharply, a warning as clear as if she had spoken aloud. His hand stayed where it was, restrained, though the tension in him was palpable. Instead, he pressed forward with his words, relentless as ever.  

“You could have found another way,” he said confidently–unforgivingly. “You could have negotiated his release, as you’ve done before. You’ve proven yourself capable of that.”

He tilted his head slightly, his lone eye fixed on her with penetrating intensity. “But you didn’t,” he continued, his voice so mercilessly soft as he twisted the blade of his words. “You wished for the burden of his life to be lifted from your shoulders. Without him caught in the cold grasp of the dungeons, without the sword of the headsman poised above him, you are free of the fear that your choices might condemn him. His fate no longer clings to yours like a shadow.”

Daenera’s teeth clenched, the muscles in her jaw tightening as she fought to keep her emotions down, shame churning in her stomach. But her eyes betrayed her, burning with anger and anguish. 

“You sacrificed him,” Aemond said, delivering the final blow with cruel certainty. The gentleness in his tone only made the accusations sting sharper. “Mercy may have played a part, yes. But you don’t have to pretend with me. I know you, ñuha byka sȳndor hen bantis rūklon.”

My little nightshade. The High Valyrian rolled off his tongue like a caress, yet there was nothing tender about the way it landed. It twisted within her chest, sharp as a dagger. 

The firelight flickered between them, its warm glow throwing their shadows onto the worn and ancient stones of the Sept. The sacred space, with its towering arches and the watchful eyes of the Seven carved into every corner, seemed to close in around Daenera as she forced herself to stand tall. Her chest heaved with the weight of her emotions, her heart pounding against her ribs like a war drum.

She would not falter–not here, not before him.

Her gaze hardened, locking on Aemond’s face. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, hot and unwelcome, clawing at her throat as though trying to choke her. But even as the emotions threatened to undo her, she summoned her voice. Low, strained, yet laced with a biting coolness, she spoke.

“Don’t presume to know my heart, One-eye,” she said, the insult deliberate, each syllable like the edge of a blade. “Not fully. Not anymore.”

Her words echoed in the vast hollow of the Sept, reverberating off the stone walls and carrying her defiance to the ears of the silent gods. Yet even as her voice rang out, she felt the weight of Aemond’s gaze pressing against her. It was unrelenting, searching, as though he sought to peel back her defenses and lay bare vulnerabilities she so desperately tried to hide.

It was maddening–the way he looked at her. His single eye, sharp and piercing, seemed to see through her façade, past the armor she had built, straight to the darkest corners of her soul. She would have preferred the judgment of the gods, their cold, indifferent stares from their carved effigies high above. Their condemnation, distant and immutable, was far easier to endure than the knowing look in his eye.

Aemond’s expression shifted, the faintest tightening of his jaw betraying his reaction to her barb.His lips drew into a thin line, his jaw tensing, the faintest flicker of emotion crossing his otherwise steely mask. She noted it all–the sharpness of his mouth, the slight narrowing of his gaze, the way his control slipped just enough to show the edges of his irritation.

His lips pressed together before parting slightly, and a low hum rumbled from deep within his chest. It was a sound that carried exasperation and something darker, something heavier.

“You may deny it as much as you like,” Aemond said, his voice soft but cutting, each word deliberate, a hammer striking an anvil. “But deep down, you know my words are true.”

He stepped closer, his shadow looming larger against the stone wall, the firelight painting him in shades of gold and shadow. “You killed him,” he continued, his tone smooth, unyielding, “to free him… and to free yourself.”

His words hung in the air between them, thick and oppressive, as though the fire itself had paused to listen. The knowing in his tone, unforgiving in its certainty, wrapped around her like a chain. It was unbearable.

Daenera felt her chest tighten, the understanding in his accusation cutting far deeper than she wanted to admit. Yet she held his gaze, her own defiance unbroken, though the tears still threatened to spill, though the gods above seemed to watch her with silent reproach.

The flames crackled softly in the silence that followed, their dance mocking the stillness between them. In this moment, it wasn’t the judgment of the gods that mattered–it was his. And she hated him for it.

Daenera’s breath caught, a sharp hitch that betrayed the storm roiling beneath her composed exterior. Her fingers twitched at her sides, the urge to lash out–strike him, shove him, anything to silence the words he wielded with such maddening ease–tearing at her restraint. Yet she remained still, her nails biting into the soft flesh of her palms until the pain steadied her trembling resolve. Her gaze dropped back to the flames, their restless dance offering a momentary distraction, though no comfort.

His words struck her, sharp and relentless, slicing through the armor of her resolve and lodging deep in her chest. They weren’t wholly true–yet they weren’t wholly false, either. Her heart twisted on that knife-edge of contradiction, torn between justifications and the inescapable truth of what she had done.

She had made her decision.

All those days ago, she had sat amidst the ruins of her room, the shattered remnants of her world scattered around her like the jagged shards of a broken mirror. The rubble had surrounded her, but it was the ruins within her chest that weighed heavier–a hollowed space where her heart should have been, replaced by the aching emptiness of loss. Her brother was dead, and they had celebrated. They had donned their smiles, raised their goblets, and filled the halls with laughter as if his life had been nothing more than a pawn swept from the board. That night, she had faced them. She had stood among those who had left her world in ruins, their merriment ringing in her ears like a dirge.

Something had changed in her then. Innocence, fragile and fleeting, had been stripped away like the petals of a wilting flower. Her girlhood, once a thing of dreams and soft naivety, had been torn from her grasp. What remained was steel–hardened, unforgiving, ruthless. She had been reforged in the fires of her loss, and the girl she had been was gone.

It was in that moment she had chosen to act, her resolve born of the wreckage around her. She had understood the cost, had weighed the consequences and accepted them. The sacrifice had been inevitable.

Patrick’s life, innocent and undeserving of its place on the scales, had been set against her own. She could still see his face in her mind’s eye, his youthful features etched with fear, his bright eyes searching hers for answers she could not give. She had weighed their lives, hers and his, and with deliberate finality, she had tipped the balance.

If she could have spared him, she thought bitterly, she would have. She would have saved him, sent him home to whatever family waited for him, his wide eyes filled with hope instead of terror. She would have seen him live, alive and unbroken, free of the shadow she had cast over him.

If she could have done it, she would have. She could have.

But she hadn’t. And the truth of that would stay with her, a shadow clinging to her soul, for all her days.

That was the truth that twisted like a dagger in her chest. She had wielded her power to end his suffering, but also to end her own. Patrick had been an anchor dragging her into the abyss, his life a weight tied to hers, threatening to drown her beneath the crushing tide of her enemies’ machinations. She had severed that weight, made her sacrifice, and ensured she would not be as helpless again. She had chosen survival–not his, but hers.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him move–each movement languid, precise, like  a shadow come alive. His long fingers curled around a taper, the warm light of the candles casting faint shadows along his knuckles. He lifted it with a quiet grace, his movements purposeful as if the weight of the act was significant–and that, in itself, sent a faint ripple of unease through her. 

Daenera’s breath caught, her throat tightening as she watched him lower the taper, passing the fire to an unlit candle. It flared, brighter now, burning with life. He paused, holding the small, wavering light for a moment, his expression carefully unreadable, as though he alone knew the weight of the act. The warm glow of the candles bathed his face, softening its impossibly sharp angles, muting the cold precision of his features. In that fleeting light, he seemed almost human–almost gentle. The warmth of it caught her off guard, and her heart tightened, the ache unexpected and unwelcome. It was a reminder of a softness she doubted existed, a shadow of what might have been but never was.

She shifted her gaze to him fully now, her chest tightening as her heartbeat grew heavy and uneven. A dreadful weight settled over her, the slow, creeping realization of what he was doing. She forced herself to speak, her voice quiet but trembling with an edge she could not hide. 

“Your father?” She asked, the question barely above a whisper. It was hope spoken aloud–futile, desperate hope she didn’t truly believe in. She already knew the truth, already knew that the flame wasn’t for his father. Aemond Targaryen would never light a candle for his father. The bitterness between them ran too deep, the wounds of neglect and scorn too raw. Aemond despised him; there was no love to mourn, no remorse to soothe the edges of his passing. His father’s death was a thing of indifference, even satisfaction–not grief.

“No.”

Daenera’s jaw tightened, her teeth clenched against the surge of anger and despair welling inside her as her gaze bore into the flame he had just lit. It flickered almost mockingly, alive and unyielding, its small light dancing as though in jest of her turmoil. She felt the heat of it, a faint warmth doing nothing to combat the chill in her fingers–in her bones. 

Her gaze followed his hand, the taper moving with unhurried purpose to the wick of another unlit candle. She knew then, without him needing to say it.

Patrick.

And Lucerys. 

Their flames burned side by side now, equal in their shared fate, and yet to her, the sight was a bitter jest. It mocked her grief, her guilt, her.

“It is not the same,” she said, her voice tense, barely above a whisper. 

Aemond turned his head slightly, his eye catching the light. “Isn’t it?”

He brought the taper to his lips, extinguishing the flame with a sharp, deliberate puff of air. Smoke coiled around his face, the faint scent of it lingering in the air, mingling with the scent of burning wax. Then he placed the stub on the altar. “You and I are the same–two sides of the same blade.”

Daenera felt the rage ignite within her, searing and wild, as though a beast of fire clawed its way through her chest, tearing and burning as it rose. It consumed her, flooding her veins with molten fury–with guilt and shame and outrage. How dare he? How could he compare their actions? How could he claim that it was the same?

“No,” she sneered, her voice low and trembling. The word tore from her lips like the crack of a whip, sharp and stinging. At last, she turned to face him, her eyes burning. 

“What you did,” she began, her voice climbing with intensity, each word a dagger hurled at him, “you did for vengeance.” Her hands balled into tight fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms so deeply she could feel the sting. “You hunted him.” The urge to lash out at him surged within her, wild and unrelenting. It prickled at her fingertips, demanding release–the temptation to reach out and swipe at him, to snatch one of the candles from the altar and hurl it at his chest, to rake her nails across his impossibly sharp features until they bore the mark of her fury. The restraint it took to hold herself back burned just as fiercely as the anger roiling inside her, threatening to spill over at any moment. 

“You chased him through the sky!” She spat at him. “You wanted him afraid–you wanted him to fear for his life. And then,” her voice broke, but she pressed on, the words spilling out like a torrent, “you struck him down. Not in justice, not in necessity, but in rage.”

“We are not the same!” she spat, her voice ringing through the Sept, her sneer cutting as sharply as any blade. Her lip curled, baring her teeth for a moment, and she caught herself thinking how satisfying it would be to sink them into his throat. For a fleeting instant, she felt more beast than girl. Her voice rose again, trembling with unbridled rage. “We are as different as fire and ice.”

He was the desolation of ice–a creeping cold that smothered life. Ice killed with no remorse, no guilt, it was the frozen soil where nothing could grow, nothing could thrive. His presence was a merciless finality, a quiet inevitability that arrived with neither fanfare nor warning but left destruction in its wake. 

And she–she was fire. 

Fire wasn’t like ice that crept in unnoticed and stole the warmth of life in silence. Fire shouted its presence, fierce and unrelenting, a force that demanded recognition even as it destroyed. To burn was to live with purpose, to bring light even as the world turned to ash. 

And fire, in the end, would burn itself out–it did not linger the same way ice did. 

Aemond’s gaze never wavered. He regarded her with that same inscrutable expression, though the faintest flicker of something–curiosity, amusement–crossed his face. His lips twitched, the ghost of a smile that didn’t quite reach his eye.

“Fire and ice,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth, a blade sheathed in velvet. “And yet, they both destroy in the end.”

Daenera’s chest rose and fell with the force of her indignation, each breath stoking the fire that burned within her. Her gaze locked onto Aemond, blazing with fury, defiance, and something deeper–something raw and painful that threatened to consume her. He met her wrath without flinching, his expression cold and impenetrable, his single eye gleaming like tempered steel in the flickering firelight. The quiet intensity in his gaze was infuriating, a silent challenge that only fed the storm raging within her.

"You don’t get to compare your actions to mine," Daenera spat, her voice low but trembling with barely restrained rage. "It is not the same."

Her words reverberated in the vast chamber, echoing back to her like the judgment of the gods. Her chest rose and fell, her breath coming fast, as if she could expel the weight crushing her ribs with sheer force. She stepped closer, the soft tap of her boots against the stone floor breaking the oppressive silence.

"The gods know it isn’t the same," she continued, her voice climbing with every word. “I feel guilty for the blood on my hands. I feel remorse.”Her hands trembled at her sides, the nails digging into her palms with such ferocity that the crescent-shaped marks would surely linger.

She fixed him with a glare so fierce it might have turned lesser men to ash, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, Aemond’s expression remained impassive, the faintest tilt of his head betraying only mild curiosity. That maddening composure stoked the fire within her.

"You," Daenera hissed, her voice breaking under the strain of her emotions. She shook her head, her dark hair spilling around her shoulders, trembling with exasperation and anguish. “You don’t even feel guilty,” she spat, her words cutting and sharp. “You don’t even feel remorseful. You don’t regret it.” Her words faltered for the briefest moment before they surged back, the pain behind them sharpening their edge.

"You take pride in the blood on your hands," she accused, her voice a blend of fury and despair, louder now, echoing off the Sept’s stone walls.

Her words hung in the charged air between them, the silence that followed pressing against her like a weight. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, trembling with the effort of holding back the overwhelming urge to lash out at him. She longed to tear that mask of detachment from his face, to make him feel even a fraction of what she felt.

Daenera couldn’t decide if it would be easier or harder if he did feel regret–if guilt or remorse weighed upon him the way it did upon her. Part of her thought it might soften the jagged edges of her grief, make it easier to see him as something other than the monster she had built him up to be. But another part of her–the part ruled by anger and pain–knew it was easier to hate him this way.

It was easier to hate him as he was now: cold, unrepentant, a creature forged from vengeance and pride. A monster, she told herself, a beast who had hunted her brother through the skies and slain him without hesitation. She clung to that image of him, sharp and terrible, because the alternative was too agonizing to bear.

If there was regret within him, if he grieved in some secret, hidden part of himself, then he would no longer be the monster she needed him to be. He would be a man—flawed, fallible, human. And that would mean confronting the tangled knot of emotions within her, emotions she could not afford to unravel.

The memory of her brother’s death loomed like a shadow over her heart, a wound that refused to heal. She had imagined the scene countless times: Lucerys fleeing through the storm, the clouds roiling and dark, the sea raging below. She saw Aemond in pursuit, his pale hair whipping in the wind, his eye alight with something savage and consuming. He had struck like a tempest, bringing his fury down upon a boy who could not hope to fight back.

No, it was easier this way. Easier to see him as a cold-blooded killer, a soulless executioner who had torn her world apart without a second thought. Anything else–any sign of remorse, of regret–would threaten to shatter the fragile armor she had built around her grief. It would demand that she see him not as a monster, but as a man.

And she could not bear that.

Aemond met her gaze, his eye gleaming with that maddening intensity that always seemed to cut her down to the bone. He held her in that stare for what felt like an eternity before finally speaking, his voice low, deliberate, and edged with something that made her stomach churn. “Do you think his parents would call it mercy?” he asked, his words as precise and cutting as a Valyrian steel blade. “Do you believe they’d see the difference between what you did and what I did?”

Daenera’s gaze fixed on the two flickering flames as she spoke, her voice measured but cold, each word deliberate and precise. “No,” she admitted, “they won’t see the difference. Because they’ll never know.” 

She straightened, her shoulders stiff and her lower back aching from the strain of standing so long. The cold of the Sept had seeped through the thin soles of her shoes, creeping up her legs like an unwelcome tide, leaving her joints stiff and protesting with every subtle shift of movement. The faint creak of her body reminded her of her own mortality, the weariness pressing down like a weight she couldn’t shake.

Her dark eyes remained fixed on the two flickering candles, their golden light dancing across her features, but her focus drifted far beyond the altar. She stared at the flames as though they held the answers she sought–or perhaps the condemnation she feared.

When she spoke again, her voice was quieter but no less cutting, each word delivered with the precision of a needle stitching together a wound. “They’ll think their son died in the dungeons. They will believe he succumbed to illness, a quiet death in the shadows of those cold stone walls, surrounded by rapers and murderers.”

Her throat tightened, but she pushed the emotion down, her expression hardening as she pressed on. “And perhaps they’ll think it a mercy,” she added, her voice softening, though the tremor in it was impossible to hide. “That he wasn’t left to rot alone and afraid. That he wasn’t to be hanged like a traitor, or worse, have his head mounted on the Traitor’s Walk for all to see–like the rest of my men.”

For a moment, the silence of the Sept pressed in on her, heavy and suffocating, the faint liker of the flames the only movement in the vast, empty space. “They’ll have their son home,” she said finally, the words bitter on her tongue. Her voice dropped, quieter now, as though the admission had drained her of life. “They’ll see his body and they will have a funeral–they will get to bury him. They will grieve. And yes, they may blame me.”

They would get to bury their child–that was a kindness in itself, she thought. It was more than was afforded her mother. “I don’t expect forgiveness. Not from them, not from the gods.” Her jaw tightened as she steeled herself. “I made a choice. He didn’t deserve to die–no child ever does–but it was a kindness… I will bear the guilt and mourn him.”

Her eyes lifted from the candles to Aemond, narrowing. “Can you say the same for my brother?”

Aemond stood still as a statue carved from marble and obsidian. His jaw clenched tight, the muscles tensing beneath his skin. His face was a mask, cold as steel–she wondered if that was all there was. It was this inscrutable facade that drove her to madness, the implacable, unfeeling calm he wore as effortlessly as the blade at his hip. And yet, she couldn’t help but throw herself against it, again and again, cutting herself on its unyielding edges.

“No,” she said, the single word trembling on her lips, almost swallowed by the emptiness of the Sept. She drew a sharp breath, her gaze leaving his, daring him to respond–to let her beneath his mask so she could rake her nails over his tender, vulnerable insides as he had hers. 

“His parents might not call it mercy,” she continued, her voice measured. “But they wouldn’t call what you did justice either.”

The silence that followed was suffocating, broken only by the faint crackle of the flames. Daenera held her ground, the tremble in her limbs belying the strength of her stare. The gods above seemed to watch, unblinking and indifferent, their stone faces bathed in the light of a thousand candles. But it was not their judgment she feared.

No, it was not the gods’ dispassionate eyes that made her chest tighten or her throat constrict. It was his.

Aemond’s single eye, sharp and penetrating, seemed to see too much–more than she wanted, more than she could bear. His gaze held no condemnation, no fiery reproach or righteous fury. Instead, there was something far worse: understanding. That unbearable, maddening understanding that stripped her defenses bare and left her feeling exposed, raw, vulnerable.

It was not the gods’ cold indifference that terrified her, nor their justice that she sought to avoid. She could face that a thousand times over, endure their silent judgment and accept their scorn. But his understanding? His love? That was the weight she could not carry, the reckoning she could not endure.

The two flames flickered on the altar, their delicate tongues of fire dancing side by side amidst the sea of light that filled the Sept. Hundreds of candles burned in quiet reverence, their glow painting the chamber in shades of gold and amber. Yet, among them all, those two flames stood out, distinct and impossible to ignore. 

Their wavering light seemed almost alive, mocking her with their unrelenting brightness. The comparison he had drawn hung in the air between them like a blade, its edge pressing against her heart, a wound too deep to ignore. She couldn’t dislodge it, couldn’t push it away–it had rooted itself in her chest, a cruel thorn left to fester beneath her armor of composure.

It was not the same.

Her ruthlessness had been born of necessity, tempered by mercy, even if it also served to free her from the suffocating weight of his life hanging over her head. At least she felt the blood on her hands, cold and sticky, clinging to her soul like an unwanted phantom. At least she bore the weight of it, the nauseating shame that churned in her stomach every time she thought of Patrick’s face–the fear in his eyes, the tremor in his voice. Her choice had been calculated, yes, but it hadn’t been without cost.

She clung to that distinction with a ferocity that bordered on desperation. It was her only shield against the relentless tide of his words. She was not the same as him–not wholly, not yet.

He felt nothing.

Aemond stood across from her, the shadows curling around him as though they were under his control, his pale features bathed in the warm glow of the candles. The light kissed the sharp planes of his face, softened the line of his jaw, and turned his silver hair into a crown of molten gold–he almost seemed godlier than the gods themselves. He had no regret. No remorse. The blood on his hands didn’t revolt him–didn’t haunt him in the dead of night or claw at his heart in the quiet moments between breaths. But he was no god.

Daenera’s jaw clenched, the tension in her muscles so sharp it felt as though her teeth might crack under the pressure. Her hands curled into fists, the fabric of her skirts bunched tightly in her grip, the embroidered pattern digging into her palms like thorns. 

The air in the Sept felt heavier now, oppressive and stifling, as though the ancient walls themselves had closed in around her. The cloying scent of incense mingled with the faint tang of burning wax, saturating the air until it seemed to seep into her lungs. It was too much–thick, suffocating, pressing against her chest and making every breath feel like a laborious effort.

 The flames on the altar danced mockingly, their light twisting and shifting like small, writhing prayers of remembrance–futile, empty gestures, as though she could ever forget. They flickered with a life of their own, their restless movement seeming almost defiant, as if taunting her with the weight of what they meant.

“These candles aren’t yours to light,” Daenera said, her gaze tearing away from the flames, locking onto his with a fierce intensity that burned as brightly as the candles themselves. “Do not feign sorrow for lives you never cared for. You feel no regret, no guilt for their deaths. You do not mourn them.”

With a sharp inhale, Daenera stepped forward, her movements deliberate and measured. Her chest rose as she drew in the cold, heavy air of the Sept, and with a forceful exhale, she blew out the flames in one swift motion. The candles flickered violently before succumbing, their light vanishing one by one. Her breath did not discriminate, extinguishing not only the two of them but also those scattered in the surrounding cluster.

The embers in the wicks glowed faintly in the aftermath, their light waning into dull orange specks as smoke curled upward in ghostly tendrils.  The tendrils of smoke twisted and swayed, rising to fill the air between them, weaving a veil of faint, grey mist that seemed almost alive. The acrid scent of extinguished fire filled the space, mingling with the stale air of the chamber.

The silence was thick, broken only by the faint hiss of the dying wicks and the rustle of smoke dispersing into the stillness. Her chest rose and fell as she glowered at him, “Lighting their candles won’t absolve you,” she said, her voice trembling. “It won’t burn away the blood on your hands, and it won’t make you forgiven. Not by the gods, not by them, and certainly not by me.” Her eyes burned. “Lighting a candle won’t make you human again.”

Aemond didn’t flinch. His expression remained carved from stone, but there was something in his eye, a flicker of an emotion she couldn’t place–too fleeting to name, too restrained to understand. His voice, when he spoke, was soft but laced with a quiet intensity that cut through the heavy air between them. “If I am a monster,” he questioned, his words deliberate and steady, “what does that make of you?”

His challenge hung in the air like smoke, curling and twisting, pressing against her resolve. He didn’t rise to her anger, didn’t meet it with rage or denial. Instead, he accepted it, absorbed it, and turned it back on her with the quiet intimacy of knowing her.

Daenera’s lips tightened, the muscles in her jaw clenching as his words struck home. Her chest tightened, her fury a roiling storm barely contained. Yet, she refused to let him see her falter. She held his gaze for a heartbeat longer before turning sharply away, her dark hair sweeping over her shoulder like a curtain. Her eyes shifted to the altar, its flickering light reflected in her cold expression.

“I am what you’ve made of me,” she answered, her tone frigid and unyielding, each word dropping like a shard of ice. Her gaze lingered on the extinguished candles, her dismissal clear. Aemond might have held her in the moment, but she would not give him the satisfaction of holding her any longer.

The silence that followed was weighted, the tension between them almost tangible. Smoke still curled upward from the darkened wicks, weaving through the space between them. 

“Most monsters are made,” Aemond said softly, his voice barely more than a murmur as he stepped back. The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning, and Daenera felt their weight settle uneasily in her chest. She knew what he meant–knew he was speaking of himself. He thought his monstrousness had been forged all those years ago when the blade had taken his eye, when pain and loss had seared into him like a brand.

Perhaps he was right, but to her, that wasn’t the moment he had truly become a monster. The moment was etched in her memory like a scar—the storm-laden skies, her brother’s desperate flight, and the roar of Vhagar in pursuit. It was vengeance that had made him monstrous, the choice to hunt a boy who could never match his strength, to bring his fury down like a tempest that left nothing but ruin in its wake.

Aemond exhaled then, a slow, measured release of breath that sent a faint prickle down her spine. The sound was soft, almost contemplative, yet it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She didn’t move, didn’t speak, simply watched him from the corner of her eye as he lingered, his gaze flickering between her and the extinguished candles.

“The council will restrict your movements further,” he informed her, his tone even, with a note of reproach. It was a statement, not an apology, delivered with the same detached authority that he wielded like a blade. “They’ve decided you’re not to leave our chambers, save to come to the Sept.”

Daenera hummed quietly, a sound neither agreement nor protest. It wasn’t much different from how things were now. The walls that surrounded her were already her prison; the only difference was that she’d lose even the pretense of freedom. She supposed she wouldn’t be able to charm or outwit her way around these new restrictions. Not anymore. Not after Patrick.

She remained silent, her gaze drifting back to the smoldering wicks, their faint glow fading into nothing. The shadows deepened around her as the last ember died, the cold stone of the Sept pressing in on her like the weight of the sky.

The tendrils of smoke still hung in the air, a ghostly reminder of what had been extinguished, and Daenera inhaled deeply, her chest tight with the weight of what was to come. The gods watched from their lofty perches, silent and unmoving, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that they, too, had judged her.

The tendrils of smoke still hung in the air, a ghostly reminder of what had been extinguished, and Daenera inhaled deeply, her chest tight with the weight of what was to come. The gods watched from their lofty perches, silent and unmoving, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that they, too, had judged her.

“I suppose they’re worried I might upset the delicate narrative they’ve been weaving with this farce of a wedding,” Daenera mused. A faint, bitter smile tugged at her lips.. “I have no cause to play their game anymore–and certainly no cause to act the part of your dutiful, adoring wife.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the subtle motion–a shift in the air, a ripple in the space between them. He moved like a shadow, silent and deliberate, his presence looming closer before she could react. His hand rose, his fingers brushing against her jawline with a touch that was soft, almost tender, yet felt like the kiss of a blade. The warmth of his palm followed, sliding beneath the thick curtain of her hair, his grip firm yet unyielding as he cupped the side of her face. The heat of his touch seared her skin, sending a jolt through her that she fought to suppress.

“Even so,” Aemond murmured, his voice low, the words a quiet claim that sent a shiver down her spine. “You remain my wife.”

His tone was calm, almost dispassionate, but there was something coiled beneath the surface–possessive, unrelenting. His single eye burned with an intensity that unsettled her, its focus locked onto her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered in that moment. The words lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning, as if daring her to deny the truth of them.

Her breath hitched, her body stiffening as her pulse quickened, a surge of conflicting emotions crashing over her–anger, unease, something deeper and far more dangerous.  Her hand shot up instinctively, fingers curling around his wrist, nails biting into the flesh as she had done before. The half-moon marks she had left the night before were still faintly visible, and now she added fresh ones, pressing harder as though she could sever the connection between them with sheer force.

“Don’t,” she hissed, her voice sharp and venomous, slicing through the tense silence of the Sept like a whip. The single word carried the weight of all the emotions she refused to name, each syllable dripping with barely contained rage and desperation. “Don’t touch me!”

Her voice rose, cracking with the sheer intensity of her anger. “You don’t get to touch me! The blood on your hands has stained me enough already.”

Daenera shoved him back, the movement swift and unrelenting, her palms striking his chest with a force that betrayed the storm roiling within her. Her skin burned and prickled where his had had been, as though his touch had left a mark there–had branded into her skin to claim her as his. Her breath came fast and shallow, her chest rising and falling in quick succession as she struggled to regain her composure.

“You can say the words as often as you like,” she sneered, her voice low but trembling, each word forced through her clenched teeth. “It doesn’t change anything. Any love I might have held for you… it died along with my brother.”

Aemond didn’t move to close the distance she had forced between them. He stood as still as a statue, his piercing gaze fixed on her with that same maddeningly inscrutable expression. His head tilted ever so slightly, a subtle gesture that betrayed nothing yet seemed to study everything. The silence between them grew heavier with every passing moment, suffocating in its weight, laden with all the words left unspoken, all the emotions neither dared to name.

For Daenera, it was too much–his presence, his gaze, the crushing weight of the tension that had built between them. The anger and grief she carried churned within her chest, clawing at her ribs, threatening to break free. She could feel his gaze on her, an unrelenting force that pressed against her resolve, daring her to break.

She couldn’t. She wouldn’t.

With a sharp exhale, she turned away from him, her movements abrupt and tense. Her arms wrapped around herself instinctively, a gesture that was equal parts defiance and self-preservation. Her fingers pressed into her arms, desperate for an anchor, for something solid to hold onto as the storm inside her threatened to spill over.

She felt his gaze linger, heavy and unyielding, like the weight of a blade poised over her neck. It burned into her back, a sensation as tangible as if he had reached out to touch her. But he said nothing. The air around her seemed to grow colder as the moments stretched on, until finally, she heard the soft shuffle of his boots against the stone.

Daenera’s eyes lingered on the spot where her breath had extinguished several of the candles. The bare patch amidst the scattered flames stood out, cold and hollow, a small void of darkness in a sea of light. Her chest felt unbearably heavy, her heart beating a slow, deliberate rhythm that felt almost like a betrayal, as though it refused to align with the stillness she craved. 

The faintest sound reached her ears–the soft scrape of boots against stone. She didn’t turn, but she felt the approach all the same. There was an undeniable awareness that prickled at her senses, a subtle shift in the air as someone drew near. It wasn’t the same as the way she felt Aemond’s presence. His movements were like ripples in the air, tethered to her in ways she couldn’t explain, each motion of his creating a reaction within her, a current she couldn’t ignore–as much as she wanted to. 

This presence was different, quieter, less intimate. Daenera felt it in the weight of his gaze pressed against her back, a familiar sensation that all eyes seemed to bring, a prickling sense of being observed. The sound of his footsteps echoed faintly in the cavernous sept, almost drowned out by the sound of rain beating against the windows. He stopped at her shoulder, close but not intrusive, his presence offering neither comfort nor threat. 

“Fenrick made it out of the city,” Finan said, his voice low, a quiet murmur meant only for her ears. 

Daenera nodded once, her expression solemn, her lips pressed into a line. She didn’t respond beyond that, letting the silence stretch between them. The faint flicker of candles reflected in her eyes, and for a moment, she was as still as the carved statues of the gods that loomed over the Sept.

The news should have brought some relief, some fleeting reprieve from the weight pressed against her chest. But it didn’t. It only offered her a small sense of vindication that she had made the right choice–a bitter hope that could crumble as easily as it was made. The darkness between the flames on the altar felt like it had seeped into her, growing and festering in the quiet spaces where her thoughts roamed. She exhaled slowly, her breath steady but laced with the tension she refused to let show.

“How much did you overhear?” Daenera asked, her voice steady, though the faintest edge betrayed her wariness. 

“Enough.” 

Daenera nodded, a subtle motion, as though acknowledging the inevitable. She drew in a deep breath, but it felt shallow, as if the air couldn’t fully reach her lungs. The cloying scent of incense clung to her senses, sharp and oppressive, and it curled at the back of her throat, threatening to unsettle her further–her stomach roiling. 

“You could have told me,” Finan said, breaking the silence again. His voice was low, quiet enough to avoid carrying through the cavernous space of the Sept, but there was a hint of reproach woven into his words. He shifted slightly on his feet, the faint sound of leather against stone punctuating the stillness.

“Had I told you, what would you have done?” Daenera asked quietly. Her tone was neither angry nor outraged–it was calm, almost detached, but her words carried a weight. It wasn’t just a question; it was a test, a subtle probe into the depths of his loyalty. Would his obedience to her have stretched far enough to carry out her will, even if it meant betraying his own sense of right and wrong? 

She turned her gaze toward him, studying him in the dim light of the Sept. Finan’s face looked more severe here, framed by the glow of the candles. His features bore the unmistakable solemnity of the North–the heavy brow, the strong lines of his jaw, the unyielding set of his mouth. His gray eyes, however, remained humanity. They were not cold but carried a notable sadness, a depth of understanding she did not think she deserved. 

“Perhaps there would have been another way,” Finan said at last, his voice quiet. 

“There was no other way,” Daenera replied, her voice steady and firm. Her gaze did not falter. “None that wouldn’t have condemned him to the dungeons far longer than he deserved. None that wouldn’t have exposed you.”

Her chest tightened further as the words left her, but she forced herself to press on. “The Greens wouldn’t have given him up for anything. He was already dead, Finan. All that remained was to choose how much he would suffer before the end.”

Finan’s jaw tightened, the faint movement betraying his inner turmoil. His hands clenched around his belt, but he did not argue. It was not reproach then, but reluctant acceptance. “I know.”

“Would you still have brought it to me?” Daenera asked softly, her voice laced with quiet curiosity. There was no accusation in her tone, no anger–only a question that carried a weight far greater than the words themselves. Her dark eyes remained fixed on the flickering flames of the altar, the light casting faint shadows across her face, as though she feared meeting his gaze might shatter the fragile stillness between them.

The silence that followed was thick, stretching across the empty space of the Sept like a taut bowstring. For a moment, it seemed as though Finan might not answer, his hesitation hanging in the air alongside the faint tendrils of smoke that drifted upward from the extinguished candles.

At last, he spoke. “Yes,” he said, the single word steady but heavy with meaning. His voice, low and solemn, echoed faintly in the cavernous chamber. “You got Fenrick out,” he continued, his gray eyes watching her intently. “I know it cost you dearly, and for that, I am grateful.”

His words were deliberate, each one spoken with care, as though he were choosing them from a place deep within himself. “I swore to you, Daenera,” he said, the faintest edge of emotion creeping into his tone. “And I am a man of my word. I am yours to command.”

Daenera exhaled slowly, the sound barely audible over the soft crackle of the remaining flames. Her fingers twitched slightly, curling into the fabric of her skirts as she absorbed his words. There was no triumph in his answer, no sense of victory—only a simple and unwavering truth.

She glanced at him then, her gaze catching on the somber lines of his face. In the flickering light, he looked as though he had been hewn from the same stone as the Sept itself–strong, steadfast, but not untouched by the weight of his choices. There was a sadness in his eyes, one that mirrored the ache in her chest, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to meet it, to acknowledge the cost they had both paid.

The silence stretched again, but this time it felt less oppressive, softened by the shared understanding between them. Daenera turned her gaze back to the altar, the shadows of the gods above seeming to shift in the wavering candlelight. The question had been answered, but the weight of their actions lingered, a quiet specter between them that neither dared to dismiss.

Daenera reached for the half-burned taper, her movements slow and deliberate. She picked it up, its weight slight but significant in her hand, and she leaned forward to touch it to one of the still-lit candles. The flame flickered to life, its yellow tongue lapping greedily at the air, hungry and alive. She held it for a moment, watching the fire dance, before guiding it to the center of the darkened space where her breath had wrought its devastation. 

She lit one candle, then another. The flames flared brightly, steady after a moment, their light filling the hollow void she had created. 

Patrick Piper. Lucerys Velaryon. 

The names echoed in her mind as her hand moved, the light glowing brighter. When she had lit the two candles, she brought the taper to her lips and blew it out, the flame vanishing in an instant, leaving behind a faint trail of smoke that curled upward and disappeared. She set the stub aside, her fingers lingering on the cold stone of the altar for a moment before she straightened. 

“I know it’s easy for you to feel guilty,” she said, her voice low. Her gaze remained fixed on the two candles she had relit, their presence a reminder of what had been lost. “To feel responsible. But the guilt isn’t yours to carry. It is mine. Do not take it from me.”

Her tone was sharp, almost harsh, but there was vulnerability beneath it, an unspoken plea she couldn’t quite hide. The words hung in the air between them, heavy and jagged, like shards of broken glass. 

Finan shifted beside her. “I provided it.”

“The smith is not to blame for the blood his sword spills,” Daenera muttered, her voice distant, as if the words were for the flames rather than Finan. Her gaze remained on the flickering light as exhaustion pressed against her bones. She extended her hand over the candles, her palm hovering above the wavering tongues of the fire. The warmth rose to meet her skin, chasing away the icy chill that had settled in her bones. 

“The blame lies solely in the one who wields it,” she continued, her tone thoughtful, almost detached. Her hand lingered over the flames, her fingers spread as though to feel the full measure of the heat. The warmth turned to something hotter, a sharp intensity that bit at her skin the closer she moved to the fire. It wasn’t pain, not at first, just a prickling sensation, almost unreal, as though the heat couldn’t truly reach her. 

The heat became sharper, searing, a faint sting growing steadily stronger. Yet she hardly felt it at all. Her mind was elsewhere, her focus lost in the light and the words she had spoken. It had been by her hand, and hers alone. She would not share the blame. She didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away, until she felt the firm grip of a hand wrapping around her wrist. 

Finan yanked her hand back abruptly, the motion startling her out of her daze. Her palm stung sharply with heat now, the sensation flooding back as the cold air kissed her reddened skin. Her breath hitched, and she blinked, realizing how close she had brought herself to the flames. She was not immune–she never thought she was. 

His brow was furrowed, worry etched into the heavy lines of his face as he held her wrist, carefully turning her palm upward to inspect it. His calloused fingers brushed against her skin, steady but gentle. Daenera’s eyes followed his movements, her own gaze drifting to her palm. The skin was flushed, reddened from the heat, but there were no blisters, no lasting damage–only the faint pink line of an old scar, a memory etched deep into her flesh.

“You shouldn’t carry the guilt alone,” Finan said, his voice low but firm, as though he hoped the words might anchor her to something more solid than the turmoil within her.

Daenera’s jaw tightened at his words, her chest heaving with a slow, steady breath as she stared at her palm. The sting of the heat still lingered, a faint echo of the searing pain that hadn’t quite reached her. She pulled her hand from his grasp gently, letting her fingers curl into her skirts, her head tilting slightly as her gaze returned to the flames.

“It’s mine to bear,” she said softly, her voice raw and distant, like a confession whispered to the fire. “The sword was in my hand. The choice was mine.”

Children and the innocent, she thought, her gaze distant as the flickering flames seemed to blur before her eyes. Children, and innocence.

They were always the first sacrifices of war.

[folatefangirl]

A handsome stranger has arrived in King's Landing and everything from the rattlesnakes on his bandana to the secrets he keeps spells nothing but trouble for Petyr Baelish.

[pastelsugar6w6]

Mature, Rape/Noncon

Words: 1,383

[spencerreidenjoyer]

lovebird | spencer reid x reader

Spencer's little girl sets you and her dad up.

wc: 3.3k, rating: teen

tags/warnings: 2+1, kindergarten teacher!reader, single girldad!spencer, fluff, meet-cute, implied sex, use of "Y/N" because this fic would've been impossible to write without it oops

a/n: not sure what possessed me to write this, but i finished writing this in about 2 days lmao. girldad!spencer loml. thank you to my lovely friends over on twitter who fuelled my insanity. for this fic i have season 10 spencer in mind/later seasons spencer who's just full on daddy at that point <3 (also crossposted on ao3!)

Sunday

You’re at the grocery store in a ratty t-shirt and sweats, picking out fucking cereal when you hear the pitter-patter of footsteps running towards you, and a sweet, high-pitched voice calling your name. 

It’s one of your students, Ellie Reid, holding a box of cereal that’s half her height, and she comes up to you in the aisle. 

“Ellie? What are you doing here?” You ask sweetly, pushing your hair out of your face before you squat down to meet Ellie’s height. 

“My daddy wanted to get groceries. He said we would go together. But he had to pick up the phone, and I wanted to help look for the things Daddy needs.”

Her dad, Dr. Spencer Reid, is an FBI agent and a single dad to Ellie. He’s one of the best parents you’ve had this year – the fancy kindergarten you teach at lends itself to spoiled brats and uptight parents, but Dr. Reid and Ellie are a welcome reprieve in a usually stuffy environment. You’re pleased to see her here, on a weekend, but less pleased with the fact that she’s alone. 

“Oh, wow! You’re so helpful, Ellie,” you say, holding her arm gently. “I’m sure your dad is really thankful. But you shouldn’t have walked off alone. I’m glad you found me.”

“Why?” 

“Because it’s not safe for you to walk around alone in the grocery store, Ellie,” you smile. “Let’s go find your dad.”

Ellie nods, her cheeks ruddy and when you hold out your hand for her to hold, Ellie’s little hand wraps around two of your fingers. “Did you come to the grocery store alone? It’s not safe.”

“I did come alone. But I’m an adult, so it’s okay. You’re little, Ellie, so you should only walk around with your dad.” You lead Ellie down aisle after aisle, walking past canned food and bags of chips and walls lined with bottles of drinks. 

“But you shouldn’t walk around alone if it’s dangerous. When we find my daddy maybe he can protect you too!” Ellie says confidently. 

When did this grocery store feel so big? You can’t find Dr. Reid anywhere, and you feel a rising panic in your chest. You have half a mind to pull up the school’s contact information in your phone, but you hear Dr. Reid’s voice calling his daughter’s name, and both you and Ellie turn around.

“Daddy!” Ellie shrieks, almost dropping the box of cereal in her arms as she dashes toward her father. She almost trips as she closes the distance, thankfully landing in her father’s arms before she does fall. 

Dr. Reid scoops her up, holding her tightly. “You had me worried, sweetheart.”

“Sorry, Daddy,” Ellie mumbles against her father’s shoulder. “But I found Miss Y/N and she helped me find you!”

“I told her not to run off alone in the future,” you say. “Right, Ellie?” 

The sweet girl nods. She giggles into Dr. Reid’s shoulder, and his hand comes up to pat her back, a soothing gesture.

“I’m glad it was you she bumped into,” Dr. Reid says, sighing with relief. “I wouldn’t know I would do with myself if–”

“It’s okay, Dr. Reid,” you assure him. “It’s not a problem at all. You’re– You’re doing a great job with her.”

“Thank you for saying that. I– I’ll see you at the parent-teacher meeting next Friday, right?”

“Yeah, next Friday.” You smile at him. “Have a good day, Dr. Reid. Bye, Ellie!”

“Bye!” Ellie, sweet girl, waves excitedly, her gummy smile overtaking her face. Dr. Reid walks toward the checkout, holding Ellie with one hand and pushing his shopping cart with the other. 

You feel how warm your cheeks are when Dr. Reid and Ellie are finally out of sight, your hand clammy around the handle of your shopping basket. You slap your cheek lightly, willing yourself to pull yourself together.

The way your heart flutters whenever you see Dr. Reid is a cause for concern, and you wonder if you should see a doctor about it. 

Dr. Spencer Reid is a marvel. He’s admirable, juggling his job at the FBI with raising a little girl all on his own, and he’s both a great profiler and a great dad. He’s incredibly sweet with Ellie and incredibly kind to you, which you unfortunately don’t get a lot, especially with the kinds of parents you deal with. It doesn’t help that he’s incredibly handsome: his hair is slightly long, wavy and messy in a way that frames his face just right, not to mention the stubble that makes him look that much hotter.

Your little crush on Dr. Reid is certainly inappropriate, but over the parent-teacher meetings and interacting with him when he drops off and picks up his daughter from school, you can’t help yourself from falling for him. 

Tuesday

Ellie Reid is a smart girl, that you know, but you're blindsided by her genius one day at recess. You’re monitoring all the kids at the playground when Ellie comes up to you. She has a contorted look on her face but she says, “Miss Y/N, I fell.”

“You did? Are you feeling okay?” You ask, squatting down to match her height. You look at her knees – not a speck of dirt nor a red spot from falling down.

“My knee hurts. Can you call my daddy?”

“Does it hurt badly? I’ll take you to see the nurse if it does,” you say, not entirely understanding the situation. You’ve never met a four-year-old who wouldn’t be in tears over tripping and falling, even if the injury wasn’t severe. 

The look on Ellie’s face makes you think that she’s trying to match your expectations of what she should be feeling. “It doesn't hurt bad. I just want my daddy to come pick me up. Can you call him?”

You try not to furrow your brow at the strange request. You’re usually trusted to handle any little accidents and mishaps with the children, but at Ellie’s insistence of calling her father, you feel like you should. 

(It’s certainly not spurred on by seeing him at the grocery store last weekend.)

“Alright, Ellie. I’ll call your dad and see what he says, okay?”

“Okay, Miss Y/N,” Ellie says, smiling at you. You get her to sit down on the bench next to you and your co-teacher to oversee the kids before fish your phone out from your pocket to dial Dr. Reid’s number. As you wait for the call to go through, Ellie looks at you with wide, expectant eyes. You smile at her.

On the third ring, Dr. Reid picks up. “Hello?” 

“Hi, Dr. Reid. This is Miss Y/N from Ellie’s school. I’m calling to inform you that Ellie fell on the playground during recess.”

“Oh, my. Is she alright?” You hear Dr. Reid’s voice grow concerned. Ellie looks up at you, and you look the little girl up and down one more time just to be sure.

“Yes, she is. I checked and she doesn’t have any scrapes or bruises. She says her knee hurts, but that she’s also fine. Usually, we don’t call parents over small mishaps like this, but Ellie insisted that I call you.”

“I see,” Dr. Reid hums, his tone indecipherable. “Can I talk to her?”

“Sure thing, Dr. Reid,” you say. You hold the phone out to Ellie as you put the call on speakerphone and tell her, “Your dad wants to speak to you, Ellie.”

Ellie is polite, but clearly excited as she yells, “Hi, Daddy!” 

“Woah! Hi, Ellie,” Dr. Reid laughs, his serious tone while he was speaking to you gone, talking to his daughter with a delightful whimsy. “Miss Y/N told me you fell on the playground today. Does it hurt?”

“No,” Ellie answers, but she looks up quickly at you. “I mean, yes. Just a little. It doesn’t hurt too bad anymore.”

You hide your smile, and you think you can hear the smile in Dr. Reid’s voice as he says, “Okay, sweet girl, that’s good.”

“Can you come and pick me up right now, Daddy?” Ellie asks, a little whiny. It’s adorable, though. 

“Well, it’s only ten in the morning, honey,” Dr. Reid bargains. “And I know you have art class later, right? Don’t you want to stay around for that?”

“I do!” Ellie says eagerly. “Oh, I love art class!”

“I know you do, honey,” Dr. Reid assures. “So, do you feel okay enough to stick around in class until Daddy comes to pick you up at the end of the day?”

“Yes, Daddy,” Ellie nods, even though Dr. Reid can’t see her. “But you have to come pick me up!”

“I always do, Ellie,” Dr. Reid laughs, making Ellie laugh along too. “Okay, honey. Go on and play with your friends. I’ll see you later.”

“Okay! Bye, Daddy! I love you!”

“Bye! I love you too, Ellie!” Dr. Reid matches Ellie’s excitable energy, and Ellie giggles before she runs off to play again. His voice returns to a calm but engaged sort of energy. “Well, that was something.”

“She seems fine,” you say, switching the speakerphone off as you hold your phone back up to your ear. “I’m sorry to bother you in the middle of your work day, Dr. Reid.”

“Oh, please, it’s not a bother at all,” Dr. Reid laughs gently. “I love talking to Ellie. She might miss me or something, if she had to fake a fall so you would call me.”

“Perhaps,” you say, slightly surprised that Dr. Reid would be so quick to call out his daughter’s bluff. Some of the other parents would rip your throat out if you even insinuated their child was in the wrong. “I’ll still keep an eye out for her.”

“Thanks, Miss Y/N,” Dr. Reid insists. “Besides, it’s always a pleasure getting a call from you.”

You don’t remember if you thank him before he hangs up, because all you can think about is Dr. Reid saying he enjoys talking to you.

After putting your phone away, you press your hands to your warm cheeks in an effort to calm yourself and your beating heart down. 

Dr. Reid is one of the last parents to come by during pickup. It’s a somewhat regular occurrence, with Dr. Reid’s busy and hectic job. You are never bothered by spending extra time with Ellie, and you know Dr. Reid always tries his best to pick Ellie up as soon as he can. He usually makes regular pickup so you never get to exchange more than a few words with him, but days like today aren’t necessarily rare either. But considering your interaction on Sunday, you’re secretly pleased with how it’s worked out. 

Only you and Ellie are left in the classroom, you having told your co-teacher to clock out first. You’re pleasantly surprised when there’s a knock on the door frame, Dr. Reid standing there in a cardigan and a button-up shirt with his dress pants. “Ellie!”

His hair is somehow more fluffy and messy than you’d seen him at the grocery store, but it just makes him look even more soft and domestic. You try not to look at Dr. Reid with hearts in your eyes as Ellie shrieks and runs towards him, Dr. Reid picking her up easily and swinging her around before he holds her tight. “Hi, sweet girl.”

“Daddy!” Ellie giggles. “I missed you today.”

“I missed you too, honey,” Dr. Reid coos, pressing a kiss to the top of Ellie’s head. Your insides melt, gooey at the tooth-rottingly sweet display in front of you. “Were you a good girl for Miss Y/N today?”

“Uh-huh!” Ellie nods, her gummy smile absolutely adorable. 

“She was a pleasure,” you add. “Hello, Dr. Reid.”

“Hello again.” Dr. Reid smiles. “It’s nice to see you. Are you doing well?”

“Yes, I am. Other than Ellie’s little incident, today was thankfully uneventful. Thank you for asking.”

Dr. Reid’s face scrunches up in an extremely endearing way, like it’s obvious that he’d want to know about… you. “Of course. I like to know you’re doing well. It’s great to hear.”

You feel like you don’t know what to say to that, perhaps a little too caught up in your little crush on him to come up with a coherent response. You laugh shyly, tucking your hair behind your ear. Dr. Reid has set Ellie down, and she wanders around the classroom, fidgeting with the pencils on the tables, but doesn’t stray too far from her dad. “Ellie seems to be fine from earlier, but you might want to check in with her again.”

“I will,” Dr. Reid says, nodding. “Oh! I almost forgot–”

You look on as Dr. Reid fumbles in his satchel, pulling a crumpled paper bag out. The paper bag looks bulky, oil stains seeped through on the sides and on the bottom. “Oh, it looks bad. It’s good, I promise– It’s a chocolate muffin from this really good bakery near my office. I just thought I’d get you one. Since you’re so helpful with Ellie. Especially today.”

Dr. Reid holds it out for you, and you scramble to step forward and take it. “Thank you, Dr. Reid, you- You didn’t have to. It’s my job to look after Ellie, after all. Not that it’s a burden, or just a job, I mean– Ellie’s great. She’s one of our brightest, but don’t tell any of the other parents that.”

Dr. Reid smiles so bright you feel like you could feel the warmth radiating from him. “I won’t, if I bump into any of them at the parent-teacher meeting.”

You bite your lip, smiling, shy at the attention Dr. Reid gives you. You think he’s flirting(?) with you, but you try to remain professional. You clear your throat. “Thank you, Dr. Reid.” 

“Thank you again, Miss Y/N. I mean it.” Dr. Reid asserts, and you feel your cheeks flush. “Tonight is pizza night, so Ellie and I should be making our way home right about now.”

“Pizza!” Ellie yells, giddy, causing both you and Dr. Reid to laugh. She zooms past you to stand next to her dad. 

“Thank you, Dr. Reid. I’ll see you proper on Friday,” you say, nodding your head slightly. “And I’ll see you, Ellie, tomorrow, yeah?”

“Bye, Miss Y/N!” Ellie waves frantically. Dr. Reid joins her in her waving, equally silly. 

“I look forward to seeing you then, Miss Y/N,” Dr. Reid smiles. “Bye.”

“Bye!” you reply, trying not to sound too eager, and then Dr. Reid ducks out of the classroom with Ellie in hand. You feel like you’re swooning so hard you might faint.

Friday

Parent-teacher meetings go smoothly, thankfully. There are parents who only bother to hear the praise you give their children, so ignorant to the criticisms of their children that you try not to make too obvious. After seeing nineteen sets of parents, Dr. Spencer Reid is your last of the day. You don’t want to say you’ve been waiting for this all day, but checking off the nineteen sets of parents before this has only made you more and more excited. 

Dr. Reid finally enters the classroom, two minutes early for his slot, but he’s alone. 

“Where’s Ellie? She’s totally allowed to sit in for these meetings too.”

“She’s at my boss’ place for a playdate with his son,” Dr. Reid says. “Actually, that sounds pretty weird, doesn’t it? My daughter, having a playdate with my boss’ son?”

“Not at all. They say it takes a village to raise a child. I’m glad your colleagues are so helpful with Ellie.”

“They really are,” Dr. Reid asserts, smiling. “Hotch– My boss, I mean– offered, knowing I had this meeting.”

“That’s really nice of him,” you nod. “So, about Ellie…”

“Please tell me you only have good things to say,” Dr. Reid jokes, and you try very hard not to swoon. 

“Essentially, yes,” you nod. “Ellie is such a bright girl, and she’s so sweet. She’s always helpful with her classmates and polite to everyone and the teachers too. Again, don’t tell this to the other parents, but Ellie’s set high standards for the rest of the class.”

“You’re telling me an awful lot that I shouldn’t be telling the other parents,” Dr. Reid grins. “You sure you aren’t playing favourites?”

“You certainly are my favourite,” you say before you can catch yourself, and Dr. Reid looks at you with wide eyes. You imagine you look equally shocked. “I’m sorry, Dr. Reid, I didn't mean to say that.”

Dr. Reid cocks his head, a little smile toying on his lips. “Miss Y/N, did I ever tell you what I do for the FBI?”

You have no idea how this relates to how unprofessional and inappropriate you are being. You shake your head anyway, too afraid to say anything anymore before you say something even more embarrassing. 

“I’m a profiler, Miss Y/N. I use psychology and study behaviour to catch serial killers,” Dr. Reid explains, using his hands to articulate his point. Your eyes dart down to the motion; but your gaze quickly flits back up to his face. “In general, I’m good at reading people.”

“Is that so?” You gulp. Is he able to read you?

“I don’t mean to profile you, Miss Y/N, I mean it,” Dr. Reid sounds a little apologetic. “But I can’t help but notice the way you lean toward me when we’re speaking, the way you fidget with your hands a little, the way you can almost meet my eyes, but you still seem a little bashful about it. I either intimidate you, or…”

“Or..?” 

“I’m sorry if this is too forward, but would you like to get dinner with me?”

“What?” You ask, disbelieving. “Dinner?”

“You- You’re interested in me too, aren’t you?”

“Too?” You gape, sounding like a parrot as you repeat his words, simply unable to wrap your head around the fact that Ellie Reid’s young, hot, genius father just asked you on a date. 

“I’m usually not too doubtful of my profiling skills, but beautiful women like you make me second-guess if I’m reading this right.” Dr. Reid laughs, avoiding looking at you. 

“Dr. Reid, I would love to get dinner with you,” You say, trying to sound confident. 

Dr. Reid beams as he meets your eyes. “Oh, thank God.”

“Cheesy that you’re calling me beautiful,” you laugh bashfully, waving him off. 

“I mean it!” Dr. Reid insists. “And, um– Would you want to do dinner after this? If you don’t have any other meetings, of course. Or any other plans– you’d probably have plans on a Friday night, right? Way to be presumptuous–”

“Dr. Reid! I don’t have plans tonight. A dinner date sounds great,” you laugh.

“Great! Great, good. I’m glad.” Dr. Reid says, looking a little giddy that you’d taken him up on it. “Also, um- I love when people call me Dr. Reid, but please just call me Spencer. Do you think people would get the wrong idea if you called me Dr. the whole time?” 

You cackle, Spencer looking thoroughly pleased at making you laugh. 

“Okay, Spencer,” you try his first name, and it rolls off your tongue with ease. “Let me pack up and then we can go get dinner.”

“I like when you say my name,” Spencer smiles. “What’re you feeling for dinner?”

If you and Spencer kiss at the end of your dinner date in front of your apartment door, that’s between you and him. 

You pulling Spencer into your apartment with your hands fisted in his hair should also stay between you and him. 

It doesn’t entirely stay between you and him, though, as Spencer calls his boss to turn Ellie’s playdate into a sleepover before he rolls over to kiss you and take you all over again. 

[bvlgary]

～ ｡☆ FAVOURITE JJK FICS ON AO3

ft. jjk men (toji, nanami, geto, gojo, and choso)

ヾ˙❥ all of these fics are nsfw (smut, sexual content! please read the tags and the warnings inside of the story before you read!)

ヾ˙❥ click here for jjk men fic recs on tumblr!

1. heat waves (ft. choso kamo) by nagumoan

～ ｡☆ it's too hot to even move a single muscle of yours, so the only logical way to deal with it is... working up a sweat with your boyfriend. at least it's logical in his mind.

2. tease me (ft. gojo satoru & geto suguru) by meowandyouui

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ "𝐒𝐔𝐆𝐔𝐑𝐔, 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒."

↳ in which - y/n falls in love with her bullies. geto and gojo. though she can't have both, and is torn between having to choose. ︶꒷꒦︶ ๋࣭ ⭑

3. seduce and destroy (ft. toji fushiguro) by skyredvenus

～ ｡☆ moving in with a wealthy family in their mansion for your new job, but nothing is as it seems. the house is haunted by a family curse and a mysterious blood-lusted creature.

4. fruit (ft. choso kamo) by thelovelyruin

～ ｡☆ he’s your ex, and he’s having a hard time moving on from you.

5. i know (ft. choso kamo) by thelovelyruin

～ ｡☆ choso wasn’t taking the break up well, and honestly, neither were you.

6. midnight (ft. gojo satoru) by tsunderetsukki

～ ｡☆ ❝ You look tired boss, let me help you out a little. Consider it an apology for making you work late ❞

╰---➤ 𝐈𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐞-𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.

7. slow bloom (ft. nanami kento) by princesspetty

8. shirt (ft. toji fushiguro) by skyredvenus

～ ｡☆ the arrival of a mysterious package leads to a hot, sticky situation.

9. wet dreams (ft. toji fushiguro) by meowandyouui

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ "𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐀 𝐒𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐓𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐅𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔."

↳ in which - y/n is wedded off to the biggest enigma floating around. though... she can't stop having peculiar dreams about this very man. toji zenin.

10. bloodlust (ft. geto suguru) by teatimewithlevi

～ ｡☆ you move to the suburbs and a freakishly sexy man is your neighbour. he has a taste for blood—especially yours.

11. secret slut (ft. choso kamo) by meowandyouui

12. dark eyes (ft. choso kamo) by moonc0re

13. first time (ft. choso kamo) by chososdisordkitten

14. late mornings (ft. nanami kento) by l043

～ ｡☆ the weekend was for rest, relaxation, and sex.

15. feverish (ft. toji fushiguro) by angry_geese

16. cabin (ft. geto suguru) by slvttyplum

～ ｡☆ You and Suguru go on a group cabin trip, with a couple of drinks and your love for each other… what happens?

17. cadillac : a pimp's anthem (ft. geto suguru) by redskyvenus

～ ｡☆ an unexpected meeting at Suguru's nightclub ignites an interesting connection.

18. so, you got a boyfriend? (ft. geto suguru) by slttygeto

～ ｡☆ when watching a certain scary movie gives your husband, suguru, the perfect idea on how to ruin you.

19. hell is empty & love is wicked (ft. geto suguru) by soleilnomoon

～ ｡☆ geto suguru is the perfect boyfriend, until he grows bored with y/n & casts her aside; he doesn't account for y/n standing up for herself & getting revenge.

20. 00.00 (ft. nanami kento) by kamisathoes

～ ｡☆ In which you need some late night loving from your ex-lover, Nanami Kento. But things were not what you expected them to be, they were more than what you anticipated it to be.

[venusbyline]

Oasis ࿐ྂ Kinktober. 01, oct.

— pairing: Spencer Reid x wife!reader

— type: smut, Kinktober (Criminal Minds Edition)

— kink: squirting + overstimulation

— summary: Spencer finds out another guy made you squirt in the past and it hits a nerve. You agree to try this with him, even after your husband's sudden childish behavior.

— word count: 4.3k

— tags/warnings: kinktober 1st day, female!reader, husband!Reid, squirting, overstimulation, arguing, mention of safeword (no use), fingering, oral sex (female receiving), curse words, light degradation, biting, body worship, no use of y/n. english is not my first language.

— tagging list: @thatredlipped-classic @magnoliatrees-world @ehedrick012110 @hotchsmutrecs @slutcakes00

— crossposting: AO3

Ever since Spencer had to stay away from Virginia for more than fifteen days solving an extremely urgent criminal case, you've been needy all the time. Your thoughts were in an ironical division between your concern for your husband's safety and well-being, but also the pure desperation and desire to be touched by him again as soon as he returned home.

And it didn't happen.

Unfortunately, Spencer arrived so tired the night before that he didn't even bother to reheat his dinner. After all, it wasn't your fault if he returned late and the lasagna was already cold. Spencer was never a husband who demanded you anything. Both of you cooked and took turns doing the other tasks... As any couple should do. Of course he never complained if you didn't make his lunch before work. It was the least a husband should do. And you two knew it.

So it was a big surprise when there were no welcome hugs and kisses, but just the rolling of his eyes when he noticed that you put his dish in the fridge due the lateness. A spoiled attitude coming from him, and you gave up the lecture because you supposed he was just exhausted and frustrated after the case he solved with the team.

However, that didn't last long. Spencer simply took his things to sleep in the guest room. That made you angry as hell. He couldn't be being such a petty brat over a damn cold dinner, right? Spencer wasn't like that.

It was only a few minutes before you followed Spencer into the other room, asking for an at least reasonable explanation for what was happening to him.

And your hope of ending the night of Spencer's return with a good sex was completely dashed due to the unexpected argument.

During the morning, you left the room still sleepy and grumpy by Spencer's behavior last night, but tried to focus on other things. You tried to distract yourself by making the breakfast, furrowed brow as you watched the eggs and bacon strips frying in the pan.

You turned the piece of meat to the other side when you realized that it was already a little fried, but you let out a sigh when you felt hands entwining around your waist, the recognition of the shaving lotion smell preventing you from screaming in fright.

"It smells great..." Spencer hummed with groggy voice from sleep, leaning over so he could be at your height and resting his chin on your shoulder. The compliment about the good scent he was also flowing almost escaped your lips, but you remained silent, ignoring his existence right there behind you. Even though you hated giving him the silent treatment, your pride was wounded and you needed to give him a taste of his own medicine. After all, he had been trying to ignore you all night, before the uncomfortable silence turned into a stupid fight.

Not getting any reaction made Spencer's heart to ache, and he sighed. "Honey, please... Talk to me. You know how much it hurts me not to talk to you."

You couldn't help but let out a mockery sound, without even looking at him back. "Seriously, Reid? Because I remember very well that you were planning to do exactly that shit last night."

Your accusation made Spencer let out a frustrated sigh, his hands letting go of your waist and taking a few steps away. For a moment, you thought he was angry too and going back to guest room or maybe the living room, but instead, you looked at him furiously as he turned off the flame of the stove.

"What the hell? I haven't finished cooking yet!" You exclaimed with a frown, not believing your husband's boldness.

"Yeah... I know." Spencer took a deep breath, looking at you with those puppy dog eyes. "You can finish later. I need to explain myself."

"Oh, so now you wanna explain yourself?" You scoffed. "Maybe if you had done that yesterday instead of treating me like trash or-"

Spencer cut you off, holding your shoulders gently but firmly enough to make you shut up and pay attention to what he needed to say.

"I'm so sorry, okay?" He began and one of your eyebrows rose in a nonverbal sarcasm sign. "I'm serious, honey. I was an asshole last night and-"

"Yes. You were." Your words came out colder than he was expecting and he swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "You threw a lot of shit at me without me even knowing why we were fighting."

Spencer took another deep breath, trying to work up the courage to confess about what messed with his mind. He knew that nothing he said would justify his actions and that was making him anxious, his heart ached not only at the mere thought of you not forgiving his childish behavior, but also at the possibility of you keeping to avoid his touches and his attempts to talk.

Spencer let go of your shoulders, his hands coming down until they were intertwined with yours, even if your fingers were stiff at first.

"I was jealous..." The confession finally came in an embarrassed whisper.

A perplexity look appeared on your face. "Jealous? Of what?" You asked, trying to look him in the eyes, even though his face was tilted down, a few strands of hair hiding his flushed cheeks. When he didn't answer, you insisted, lightly touching his fingers that were still intertwined with yours. "Explain it to me, Spencie."

Your demand said by a less angry way made him whimper, needing to be honest. "Y-Yesterday, after the case, the team was at the BAU. JJ, Prentiss and Garcia were talking some personal stuff about their sex lives..." Spencer began. "I-I wasn't paying attention, logically, I swear. I was with Morgan and Hotch talking about random things, but my hearing accidentally picked up a certain topic of the talk between the girls and-"

"Spencie..." Your voice softer now that you noticed how he seemed embarrassed and stuttering like a little child, as well as he was also beating around the bush. "I know you're nervous, but you could try going straight to the point, please? I'm worried here too."

Spencer nodded, knowing you were right. "I accidentally heard JJ whispering to the girls that you already had a squirt." He murmured and it was your turn to get hot and rosy cheeks. You could imagine that JJ hadn't told your secret as a gossip, but rather to add some important information on the subject, but it still left you embarrassed. "But you never had a squirt with me..."

Your eyes widened with realization and you tried to work around the situation. "Baby..."

"Don't do that... Please. I know how it works, okay? I know that not every woman can squirt and I also know that those of you who can squirt don't necessarily do this often. I've also read that it's not always as pleasing for you as porn makes it seem-"

You cut him off. "So you also know that squirting doesn't always happen during a orgasm. It can also happen even without cumming. It's something individual for each woman, it's not like an exact rule."

Spencer huffed angrily. "I know, fuck. I know..." He grumbled, running a hand over his face. "I know how all this shit works. But it doesn't change anything."

"What doesn't change, Reid?" You exclaimed impatiently now.

"The fact that you hid this from me!" Spencer shouted and you immediately rolled your eyes. "Damn, don't you dare roll your eyes at me. You don't know how much hearing that behind my back hurt me."

"Retroactive jealousy? Really, Spencer? You know better than anyone this doesn't make any sense." You huffed, massaging your temples to avoid the huge urge to pick up that frying pan and hit your husband in the back of the head.

His jaw clenched when you mentioned that. "It's not... It's not just jealousy, much less the retroactive one." He was stubborn like a fucking child, the sight of Spencer crossing his arms to try to look more mature almost made you chuckle.

"Oh, I bet it is, and very immature too." The scoff escaped before you could think of something more gentle to say. "Fuck, Spencer. It's not like we share details about our past sex lives with each other. That would be really awkward and uncomfortable. I don't wanna know what you've done with other women in your past and I guess you don't wanna know what I've done in my past either."

Spencer kept his arms crossed, but his eyebrows shot up and his jaw clenched for the second time, a clear sign that he knew you were right, it was just hard to admit.

"Well, I really don't wanna hear about that old stuff, but this is important one..."

"Why on earth would this be important?"

"BECAUSE NOW I'M FEELING INSUFFICIENT!" Spencer uncrossing his arms as he looked at you with despair. "I feel like I'm not giving you enough pleasure! Now I feel like I've never given you a decent orgasm."

You felt your eyes widen again. It all still didn't make any sense, it was something completely irrational coming from Spencer. You knew that academically, Spencer was always a genius who knew about anything in the world, but when it was something regarding you or your relationship, he acted like any man, lost with most situations and also insecure at times.

"You're being ridiculous." You grumbled, trying to push past him before his hand closed around your wrist, keeping you firmly in place.

"I know. I know I'm being immature and irrational, but-"

"But what, Spencer? Jesus Christ, if you were trying to deal with jealousy, it would have been easier to have asked to fuck me last night or something."

His face flushed and he began to stutter, not knowing what to do other than let go of your arm.

After two minutes of awkward silence, Spencer tried to argue again. "That's not... That doesn't make sense. We can't solve our relationship problems by having sex..."

His hypocrisy made you roll your eyes. "Oh, sure. And fighting solved it?" You asked and he looked away, knowing you were right. Again. "Yesterday I was really desperate to have sex with you."

He lifted his head and looked at you, surprised. "You mean that?"

You laughed quietly due to the confusion in his face. "Yes, Spencie. You've been away from home for over a fortnight, do you really think I'm not fucking horny?"

Spencer stopped to think for a moment, scratching the back of his head and trying hard to find a solution to the stupid situation he created. "So can we... Can we try?"

You looked at him, thinking about denying it out of a tantrum, but you just sighed and then argued. "I don't know, Spencer... I'm not in the mood, but we can try just for learning purposes. More like a lesson than our real sex."

A guilt expression appeared on Spencer's face, along with a pang in his chest. The idea of you not even wanting to have real sex with him for now was torturous for him. He knew he had failed with you, being so immature to the point of making you lose your lust about the situation. But he could try to redeem himself. Even though it was a selfish thought at first, he was now determined to apologize properly.

"Yes... Yes, that sounds good..." He gave you a sad smile.

You lay down on the bed and put a pillow under your hip. Your pajamas were already thrown somewhere random on the floor, just like the pink cotton panties. You were ready to teach Spencer whatever he needed to learn.

There was no certainty that he would be able to make you squirt. You always had the best orgasms when Spencer was in charge of pleasuring you, but he was feeling less after the discovery that you had already squirted with the help of another man. A man who wasn't him.

Maybe hiding this fact from him hadn't been tbe wisest choice, even if you hadn't done it on purpose. You just didn't think that mentioning this situation or asking Spencer to try that would really be so important. Over the years, no man had given you half the pleasure that Spencer gave you on a daily basis, squirting or not.

"Well, let's do it." Your words came out emotionless as you parted your legs, giving him the perfect view of your still barely wet pussy.

"You're shaved..." Spencer frowned at your complete lack of pubic hair so suddenly. Or at least that's what he thought.

You rolled your eyes, impatience side by side with embarrassment, both eating you alive. "Like I said, I was desperate to fuck with you as soon as you got back from the case. So I decided to get a full wax beforehand."

At other times, Spencer would laugh hearing you confess so openly about your high desire for his body over the past few weeks. At other times, he would even tease you about needing a vibrator to help you achieve your release when he was away, even if you were more than capable of cumming with your own fingers.

But your hands didn't provide you the same ecstasy that Spencer's long thin fingers made you feel. And he knew it too.

You felt yourself holding your breath the moment Spencer took off his shirt to make himself more comfortable. As much as your pride told you to look away from his body, it was impossible for you to stop enjoying the view. Watching Spencer's bare skin was as addictive as the fresh water of an Oasis should be for thirsty people walking through deserts. And you couldn't lie... You were desperate to quench your thirst and taste him again after all that time away from each other.

Spencer knelt on the floor, carefully pulling your legs so that your lower body was closer to the edge of the bed, and automatically closer to his face.

"Are you okay, honey?" He asked with a cocky smile as he felt your thighs tingle as he touched them to adjust your position.

Hearing your husband's sarcastic smugness, you held back from punching him in the shoulder. "Yeah, I'm great." Your voice sounded angry and he chuckled softly, nodding his head and turning his attention to your center, which was finally starting to get wetter.

"I'm seeing..."

You ignored his mockery and looked at the ceiling, not wanting to exchange eye contact at that moment. Spencer's puppy eyes plus his mischievous smile were an almost fallen angel combination. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing or the Devil in disguise, just as Elvis Presley said in that song.

Spencer giggled as he ran his fingertips down your thighs, caressing your skin so gently that it felt like delightful torment. You fought to maintain an expression of indifference and boredom, but the goosebumps that passed through your body told him a different story.

Already knowing that not so soon you would give in and admit your lust, Spencer began to left kisses spread across the lower part of your thighs, enjoying the sound of your breathing becoming increasingly panting.

"What's the next step, professor? Your teaching method it's being too silent..." Spencer joked and you couldn't help but roll your eyes.

"Just... Just keep doing what you always do for now." You hummed with the last bit of patience you had left, grabbing the sheet to keep your hands out of Spencer's hair.

Another chuckle escaped Spencer's lips and he nodded, placing more soft kisses on your skin before moving closer to your pussy again, closing his eyes and inhaling the scent of your essence for a few seconds before leaving a quick delicate kiss on your bud. “F-fuck…” You squirmed slightly, your eyes widening at his unexpected action. "T-this is new..."

"I saw something like this while I was watching porn after our argument and I thought this might be good for you." Spencer confessed and you nodded with difficulty, a confirmation that the wished effect was occurring.

You looked at Spencer's cute face, but the eye contact lasted very little time, because as soon as Spencer's tongue began to tease your clit, your head arched back, more moans escaping as he held your legs firmly, not letting you give in to the normal human reaction of trying to deflect sudden pleasure. "Fuck... Why is this even better than usual?"

Spencer laughed again at the question you asked amidst the moaning session. He knew you were more touchy this time and he had an idea why. Probably due to the fact that both of you missed each other's bodies, as well as the fact that he was working hard as if it were actually a goal to be achieved, a prize to be won. But he wouldn't stop licking you to admit it. Deep down, he supposed that you were realizing that too.

"T-two fingers, Spencer! Put two fingers inside!" Your order left him a little disconcerted, since despite everything, he was used to putting in one finger at a time. As soon as he did what you demanded to him, he felt the walls of your pussy almost crushing his fingers, a desperate moan escaping your lips, fleshy and reddened from holding back the sounds that wanted to escape.

"Damn, honey... You're needy today." Spencer smirked, starting the movements more gently, wanting to enjoy the sight of you writhing around his fingers, begging for more. "You said it would just be a lesson, just a method to stop my stupid retroactive jealousy... But you're loving it, don't you?"

You just kept moaning. Even though the pleasure was obvious by the way your cheeks flushed and your hips rolled around Spencer's fingers. Pride prevented you from saying you were excited to make a mess on the sheets.

When Spencer interspersed the fingerfucking and his lips closing slightly around your clit, starting to suck gently, an immediate whimper left your lips. "F-fuck, do it again. Do it one more time, Spencie."

Spencer, the genius who learned too quickly, followed your commands like a good boy, sucking the swollen bud again, his fingers moving faster when he noticed how you eyes were rolling back in pleasure. It was a divine view. He could fuck you for hours, just as he could watch you cum for hours too.

He greedily licked away your first orgasm of the day, even though he knew it still wasn't enough. It still wasn't the goal you two were looking to achieve that morning. However, not only did Spencer never waste the opportunity to take in every drop of your sweet release, but he also knew that the first orgasm could make it easier to get closer to your potential squirt.

And to be honest, he might even be content with your normal orgasms, since you looked so beautiful when you came on his lips.

Your lungs burned for air as his breathing normalized, his heartbeat became faster and your vision readjusting to reality. When the white flashes disappeared, you look back at Spencer, who still has a cocky smile on his face, his fingers still working inside you.

"Honey, you're a very unfocused teacher." He mocked and the literal joke made you laugh, a weak, breathless sound, mixed with some sighs of pleasure that were impossible to you contain.

"Or maybe my dearest student's very diligent. Too much, actually." Your mockery made him laugh too. His lips moving closer to your intimacy again, but now focusing on nibbling the flesh of your thigh, speeding up his fingerfucking again. Even the smallest touch making you whimper, your pussy tightening from the overstimulation.

Spencer noticed this and bit your skin for the second time, now with a little more pressure, and you were sure you heard the neighbor from the next apartment knock on the wall to curse you for the sudden fucking loud moan in the middle of the morning. This only further increased Spencer's growing arousal and your need for more release. "Grumpy old woman." You mumbled about her, trying hard to hide the embarrassment that colored your cheeks.

"Oh, c'mon... Don't be shy, my dear wife." Spencer chuckled, licking your soft flesh before teasing your with his teeth again, but now just scraping them across your skin until he reached your core. You felt the moment when the central and lateral incisors brush against your clit. It was a soft act despite it taking a gasp from you due to the little pain. And then he did it again, returning to moving his fingers roughly.

When Spencer nibbled on your swollen clit, you almost screamed, but his free hand stopped you from moving away from him. “Relax, baby…” He purred, licking your sensitive pussy to redress for the pain he caused, his wet warm tongue matching perfectly with the bitter sting of his teeth returning to bit the same spot. It was so painful and hot...

“S-Spencie…” You whimpered as he blew on your slightly tortured clit. A rush of air so brief that you would barely feel it usually, but now, with your pussy burning in flames, the mere breeze of his sigh in that right spot made you shiver and squeeze his fingers tighter.

"It's okay, I'm feeling it, baby... I'm feeling your little pussy squeezing me. Are you gonna cum again? Will you be a good wife and wet my tongue with your cum?" Spencer practically growled, focusing back on fingering you, his fingers moving in and out of you at such a fast pace that the wet obscene noise joined your moans, filling the room like music to Spencer's ears.

The moment his tongue returned to licking your soaked folds, your body shook more than expected and you opened your mouth in a silent scream, your back writhing in Spencer's grip, arched and aching as the clear jets wetted your husband's face, a guttural groan escaping him as he opened his eyes to see you with your eyes closed and your legs shaking as he committed himself to drinking every drop from the fountain you provided.

Spencer didn't give you time to adjust to that non-routine orgasm. He took care of remaining with his head in the same position, between your thighs, licking your pussy as if it were the tastiest Oasis' water. Savoring the flavor, eyes closed as he concentrated on getting messy, not caring which part of his face he was rubbing against your warm cunt. Whether it was the lips, the nose, the chin... He rubbed every inch of his face, noticing how your moans became desperate again and you tried to push his head away, a mix of overstimulation and shyness.

Spencer always loved eating you out. However, nothing was like now. Nothing was like feeling eaten alive by a hungry lover, and at the same time so worshiped by him.

"J-Jesus... it's enough, Spencie. S-stop, please." You tried to push him away, enough to get a heavenly view of his face glistening due your juices, completely messed up and handsome like a angel.

But he looked up grinning like a devil. "Unless you want or need to say your safeword, then it's not enough and I'm not stopping now." He threatened, even though you two knew that the one word would stop him immediately.

Instead of answering him, you grabbed the back of Spencer's head closer to your already swollen pussy. He removed his fingers, focusing on letting you rub against his face. Every inch of the tip of his nose brushing against your folds was enough to make more pathetic whimpers come from you, plus a little liquid leaking out, now in light jets and low quantities.

You trembled, letting go of the back of his head and looking at him with your lip bleeding from biting so much. You wanted to say something, anything to say thank you, but Spencer had other plans. His fingers, still soaked from fucking your walls, began to return working on your clit. He smirked at your screams of pleasure, the tears streaming down your face... And he enjoyed every minute of all of this, exchanging his long fingers for his own palm, where the friction turned aggressiver, more painful, eliciting louder screams from you as he practically left your pussy raw, biting your thighs to create a mix of impressive actions whose only possible consequence was having you squirting into the palm of his hand, screaming like a whore. His little whore. Only his.

And when you did it, Spencer finally moved his arms away from your body. You sobbed, eyes closed and tears flowing. But he knew you were fine, especially when you let out a soft, weak and shy chuckle at just hearing the sound of him licking his own fingers so as not to waste any drop of your squirt.

"Was I better than your ex?" Spencer teased, pulling you to his chest, where he could caressing your hair and calm your tremors from all the orgasms he gave you.

Still with your eyes closed to try and calm down, you let out a scoff through your nose. He already understands how you feel, but that doesn't stop him from wanting you to say it, loud and clear. You nodded at his provocation and received a soft kiss on your forehead, while his hands snaked around your waist, getting closer to your tired and fragile body. "You're a very smart and diligent student." You managed to scoff and Spencer laughed, kissing your cheeks.

"Only because you're my favorite professor, honey."

Criminal Minds Edition - Masterlist

HOTD Edition - Masterlist

Venusbyline's Kinktober 2024 - Masterlist

[veltana]

Breaking point

✦ Pairing: Roommate!Bucky Barnes/Fem!Reader

✦ Word count: ~2,5k

✦ Rating: Explicit

✦ Warnings/tags: Dub-con (proceed with caution if this might trigger you), pwp, smut and a bit of fluff at the end, possessive/protective!bucky, degredation (slut, fuck doll, cum-bucket), grinding, choking, spitting, pussy slapping, fingering, unprotected sex, breeding kink, creampie, pet name (sweetheart).

✦ Summary: Bucky is done with you going out with losers.

✦ Note: This used to be called I will kill them if they touch you but I never liked that title so I renamed it! Also, you guys didn't know what you were voting for, but it was the banner for this story! Please reblog and comment! Asks are always welcome 💚

Masterlist | AO3

"Please don't scare this one away as you did last time," you beg and look at Bucky's reflection in the bathroom mirror. He makes a face where he's leaning against the door frame behind you and then sighs when you give him a look. "He wasn't worth shit if he didn't wanna fight for you," he points out.

Now it's your turn to sigh and you cross your arms, glaring at him. "He isn't supposed to fight for me on a first date. We're supposed to have a good time and hopefully fuck." Bucky's mouth hardens, and he looks away. He doesn’t like that, at all.

Ever since you became roommates he's been very protective of you, helping you with the smallest things, driving you everywhere you need to go, even if you can drive yourself. Sometimes it's overbearing but most of the time it's nice to have someone care for you like that.

Unfortunately, recently he's picked up a habit of intimidating the people you go on dates with. He stands behind you when they come to pick you up, and his large frame and cold stare make many of them cower. A few have turned around right away, others have asked if that's your boyfriend or something, thinking it was some type of open relationship/cuckold situation.

"Don't say shit like that," Bucky says through gritted teeth. "I don't wanna think about you fucking other people." You can't help the teasing smile that cracks your face. "Makes you jealous?" With a huff, Bucky pushes off and leaves you to continue.

Two hours later your makeup is done and your hair fixed to perfection. You sit on the couch in shorts and a t-shirt, with a glass of wine, waiting until the last minute to put on the skin-tight dress. While scrolling on your phone, Bucky sits beside you with a beer. "So where's the loser taking you?" "Don't care,” you shrug. “Honestly, my priority tonight is to get laid. The previous ones were a little too… bland. But he seems promising." "What do you mean, bland?"

Putting your phone down you look at him, "You don't wanna hear this anyway, you'll just get mad," you point out. "I don't get mad," he defends. "Pfff, you're such a liar, I can see it in your eyes whenever I mention another guy." "Because you deserve the best and all I've seen is trash."

Irritated, you put your glass down too. "Why don't you pick for me then? Who would James Bucky Barnes deem worthy of fucking me?"

The grip on his beer is so hard his knuckles whiten and his lips are a thin line. When he doesn't answer you lean back and start to count people off.

"Well, Steve seems a bit too sweet for my taste but I mean I would not mind trying a slice of that all-American beefcake," you muse. "Sam is so charming and funny! That quick tongue would probably work wonders, if you know what I mean," you wink and watch as Bucky's eye twitch, his jaw clenched hard.

"Tony," you continue. "Well, he seems a little self-absorbed but maybe he's a really selfless lover. Won't hurt to check!" "Loki is so handsome," you bite your lip. "I would surrender my body to him in a heartbeat! But I've heard that he leaves people high and dry and that would be awful."

Tilting your head, you say, "Do you think Thor and Jane would be up for a threesome? I can just imagine eating her out while he fucks me from behind and then we could-"

With a slam he puts the bottle on the table and grabs your face with his hand forcefully, silencing your tirade of words and squeezing your cheeks so that your lips pucker.

The grip is close to bruising and it's an instant pull in your lower stomach. His eyes are black with anger, something you've never seen directed at you before. "No one," he hisses. "Not one of them is fucking you, I will kill them if they touch you."

His hand releases you and grabs your neck instead. You're shocked, and instantly so horny it hurts. Opening your mouth to speak he squeezes harder, making a wheezing sound come out.

"I'll give you a chance to stop this. Tell me right now you don't want this and we'll act as if nothing happened. Otherwise, I'm fucking you into this couch until you can't remember your goddamn name." When he finishes his grip lightens. The rush of blood makes you euphoric and boneless. You want to give yourself to him, let him do whatever he wants. "Fuck me," you whisper.

The kiss is more teeth than lips and the hold around your throat hardens again. You try to keep up with him but it's impossible as he pushes his tongue into your mouth, claiming every inch, making you lightheaded with the lack of oxygen. You gasp for air as he pulls away, releasing you. His gaze is brimming with lust and want now, all signs of anger gone. Then he pushes you down onto the couch.

"You're a kinky little slut, aren't you sweetheart?" he mocks and leans in over you, spreading your legs with his. All you can do is nod and try to wiggle close so you can press your center against his clothed cock. It's clearly outlined in his sweatpants and you hope it's as big as it seems. "If I put my hand down your pants, are you gonna be wet for me?" "Yes Bucky," you whine.

The throbbing is almost unbearable and his smirk is downright sinful. "Come on, rub yourself on me, show me how much you want it." With another whine, you brace yourself against the couch and lift your hips. He doesn't move a muscle to help as you struggle to find the right position.

"That's disappointing," Bucky smacks his lips and frowns. "Thought you wanted this." "I do Bucky, I do, please I'm trying," you tell him desperately. With effort, you get into a good enough position to grind your cunt on his cock through the layers of clothing. It's not nearly enough to curb the ache.

"Useless," Bucky sighs and grabs your legs. "Do I have to do everything?" He pushes your knees up towards your chest, folding you in half and pushing his cock right into your core.

"Sorry," you moan. His mean words have only made you needier and you move yourself against him with abandon. Bucky is motionless above you, not making a sound or saying a word, just staring at you chasing your high. Your movements turn unsteady when you start to come close.

If you were of sound mind you would notice the glint in his eyes but instead, you’re barreling towards your climax. Until he suddenly moves away.

Gawking you stare at him and he just smiles wickedly in return. "Take off your clothes, spread your legs" he instructs and you quickly pull your pants off and discard your t-shirt and underwear, spreading your legs as best you can on the couch. Bucky takes in your bare body, moving his hands slowly down your thighs until his palms frame your pussy.

"Fucking shaved for him too,” he notes with a snarl. You're not sure why that upset him. "Sorry!" you say, just to be safe.

"I don't need your hair curled, your make-up done or your whole body shaved. I will fuck you anyway, sweetheart, no matter what you look like because you belong to me," he growls before he spits on your cunt, sending a rush through you, making you moan and spread your legs even more.

For the first time, he touches you properly, letting his fingers spread the spit all over your pussy before shoving two of them into your soaked core. He pistons them in and out, putting his thumb against your clit and making colors burst before you.

"You want to come on my fingers, you fucking slut?" When you nod frantically he instructs, "Open your mouth, stick out your tongue." A second after you do spit lands on your tongue and droplets on your face. It nearly tips you over.

"Swallow it," he orders and watches you as you do, some form of approval shining in his eyes for the first time. "Who do you belong to?"

The question is too complicated to understand, you can't focus on what he wants. "I don't…" is all that comes out.

"Wrong answer," he says and removes his fingers, making you shout in disappointment. Sharp slaps land on your wet cunt and you instinctively try to move away from it, but he grabs your legs, pulling you back. "Don't you fucking run from me."

"I'm sorry," you cry, looking pleadingly at him. "I'm- I'm yours James, yours to do what you want with. Please, please, please let me come!"

With a huff he pushes his fingers back in, pressing the tips into your g-spot and getting his thumb back on your clit. His unbothered state makes you feel so small and insignificant, heightening the pleasure coursing through you.

As it climbs, your body shakes, your legs trembling from being held open. "I'm- I'm- don't stop!" you beg. Closing your eyes you focus on the feeling of him, his other hand still gripping your thigh hard. You hope it bruises.

"I can feel you, slut!" Bucky's voice is the cherry on top of everything. "Come on my fingers, do it, come for me!" he commands and of course, you do as he wants. With a scream you convulse, almost pushing him out with the sensation flooding you. Bucky is talking above you but you're not sure what he's saying because all you can hear is the blood rushing in your ears.

A hard tap against your cheek makes you open your eyes. "Don't pass out on me, I'm not done with you yet." "Wouldn't dream of it," you smile dumbly, and it earns you a smile in return. But it quickly passes as he pulls off his tank top and pushes down his pants. The cock is just as big as you hoped.

He rubs the head against your soaked center, sending overwhelming sparks through you, making you twitch. When he notches the head of his dick at your opening your blood freezes. "C-condom?" you stutter.

Cocking his head he asks. "Do you really want that? Doesn't a slut like you want to be filled up with cum?" "Y-yes, but, Bucky…" you gnaw your lip.

"I want to fuck my little cum-bucket raw, make sure you feel me running out of you for days," he gives a light thrust, almost pushing inside, giving you a taste of heaven. For a second you look at each other and Bucky presses in just a little bit more. It decides it for you. "Please fill me with your cum Bucky, I need it so bad!" you whine and he chuckles before shoving his fat cock into you without mercy.

Quickly you wrap your legs around his hips, meeting his hard thrusts that are sending your body into overdrive. "Feel so fucking good sweetheart, your cunt was made for me, wasn't it?" he groans. "Yes it was," you answer breathlessly.

He grabs your face. "Those other losers are never going to satisfy you." "No, Bucky, only you!" "That's right, you're my fuckdoll now, sweetheart," he says before he leans down to kiss you. It's much sweeter this time and you grab his head, carding your fingers through his hair, feeling your chest fill with another type of warmth.

When he pulls back he says, "Beg me not to come in you." Your cunt clenches and your second orgasm is suddenly a lot closer. "Bucky, please don't… I can't get pregnant," you make your voice small and frail.

In response his laugh is cruel. "Yes you will, your purpose in life is to be bred. I'm going to cum in you every day til it sticks and then everyone will know who you belong to." "Please, pull out," you beg and reach down to rub your clit, feeling the climax shimmering underneath your skin.

"Such a bad liar, sweetheart," he chuckles. "Are you going to come on my cock? Are you gonna claim me just as I claim you?" "Yes! I just need- harder!" you pant. "Fucking hell," Bucky grunts and does as you demand.

The climax rips through you with little regard for your sanity. The sound leaving your throat makes it raw and a second later Bucky moans your name loud enough for the neighbors to hear. It's almost good enough to feel him finish inside you that you come again, but you’re too spent to do more than shudder.

Then he kisses you again, sweetly, caringly, and pushes his arms in under your body to hug you close to him. "So perfect," he whispers against your mouth. The cums start to trickle out onto the couch but neither of you care, too caught up in each other's lips.

"How are you doing sweetheart?" he asks when he comes up for a breath. "I feel a little high," you confess. "Haven't been fucked that good in a long time."

There is something in his gaze that shifts and he leans his forehead against yours. "I'm sorry. I just… I couldn't take it anymore… I like you so much." "Lucky for you I get off on that stuff," you smile. "And if I had said stop I trust you would have."

He hugs you so hard you can hardly breathe. "Of course, I fucking would." "You can make it up to me by going tender the next time," you smile. "Next time?" "As many times as you’ll have me." He laughs into your skin. "I don't think you're ready for that!"

Suddenly the sound of the doorbell jerks the two of you apart. You stare at Bucky with wide eyes. "My date," you whisper, horrified.

With a smirk, he raises himself on his arms. "I should make you go on that date with my cum running out of you, maybe even let him get as far as spreading your legs just to see that you’re already claimed."

With a groan, you cover your face with your hands. "Don't tempt me," you tell him before wiggling out from under him, finding your clothes, and hastily pulling them on.

Opening the door just a crack, you understand you look a mess by the way your date eyes you. "Sorry," your voice is small. "I wasn't feeling great and then I fell asleep on the couch." "Yeah, you look terrible," the guy notes before handing you one of the ugliest bouquets you've ever seen. Quickly stepping away he says, "I'll call you." but you know he won't. "Great, I'll see you around," you respond before closing the door.

Bucky takes the flowers from you and shoves them in the trash before grabbing you around the waist and kissing you again. "Didn't you say he was promising?" "I have no clue what you're talking about," you answer with a completely straight face but then start to giggle as he swoops you up and carries you to his bedroom.

[joelsdagger]

walk the line || one shot

joel miller x f!reader

masterlist | ao3

pairing: boston qz!joel x f!reader summary: you and joel have a deal: sex in exchange for supplies. no questions asked. so what happens when you do? or joel fucks you while you’re in a headlock. that’s pretty much it. rating: 18+ explicit warnings: boston qz era, undefined relationship, mentions of sexual favors, choking, rough unprotected p in v sex, dark!joel, mean!joel [in the sense that he doesn’t let her come oops :( ], dubcon [reader tries to loosen his grip], noncon [i’m putting this here just in case], no aftercare. think that’s it. word count: 1.2k

a/n: just….don’t ask. i don’t know what this is. thank you to @papurgaatika for holding a gun to my head so i would post this looking this over, love you schmooks <3 

please heed the tags. protect your peace if this isn’t for you.

He’s being rough. Rougher than the countless times he’s fucked you before. 

In the time since you and Joel started this whole arrangement, you never needed to tell him to fuck you at a blistering pace. He just did it. 

Because you and him are the same. He told you that once. He said that you and him are two sides of the same coin. Both of you are always keeping your walls up and people out. Always keeping everyone at arm’s length. It made this arrangement easy, simple. 

There was just one rule: Nothing personal. A rule you happily got on board with. Getting personal is not really your thing. You learned that it was easier to survive at the end of the world without having someone to care about. Staying detached worked for you. You didn’t care enough about Joel Miller to even bother giving him a second thought. 

At least, that’s what you wanted to believe. 

A few minutes ago, you made the mistake of doing just that. 

You got personal. Flicked open the glass casing and pushed the big red button. Nobody gets personal with Joel Miller. Most importantly, you don’t. No. Never you. And now he’s punishing you. Maybe he’s punishing himself too, because he didn’t stop you. Didn’t stop this.

He’s being brutal, intense, and mean. And usually you could handle it because, like plenty of times before, you wanted him to.

But this time, you didn’t.

Your cunt is sensitive, and it hurts; it burns more and more with every rough snap of his hips; warm liquid pricks at your eyes in discontent. Your swollen cunt betrays you, squeezes around his wide girth, and he grunts against the shell of your ear in response. You’re sure he thinks you're begging him for more. To him, the swift flutter of your cunt is a silent tell to pick up the pace. 

And he does. Relentlessly. 

With every unforgiving thrust of his hips, knocking the wind out of your lungs, and the firm hold of his forearm against your neck, compressing your throat, you were barely hanging on. Black spots spatter across your vision, and your eyes slip closed; tears of anguish streak down your cheeks.

It’s too much. You choke on a sob, and your hand comes up to his left arm, weakly tugging at it, attempting to make space between the crook of his elbow and your neck to suck in an ephemeral breath of air. 

Instead, he tightens his grip on you; his left arm pulls you into his chest, and his right hand moves heavily to the top of your head as he brutally fucks up into your throbbing hole. Your head dips back beneath his chin, and the crown of your skull stings as the plastic clip hanging out at the bottom of the valve of his gas mask digs into your scalp.

Your failure to follow his rule — his only rule — had pissed him off so immensely that he didn’t even waste a second to remove his mask.

His muffled voice cuts through the thick haze that took over your mind. “Stay,” he orders through gritted teeth, and you obey.

Because he’s teaching you a lesson.

With him, you mind your tongue.

With him, you do as you're told. 

With him, you don’t ask questions.

With him, you don’t get fucking personal. 

And with your head locked between both of his strong arms and his fat cock hammering your cunt, punching at your cervix — forcing himself in — he makes certain of that. Makes your mind go fucking blank. Because when your sloppy cunt is stuffed full of his cock, your mind goes fuzzy, and your body goes limp in his hold, you are in no position to question him. To pry. To challenge him. To fight him. A brutal, shattering reminder that Joel Miller calls the shots.

And Joel doesn’t say a word. Not this time. Not when he’s using your body as a way to cope with his anger — to get himself off. It’s all breathless groans and grunts that tell you your holes are enough to satisfy him. And for a moment, you can’t help but wonder if this is how he always saw you — a means to an end.

Maybe you felt the same way about him.

You don’t have time to dwell on it because then you feel it — he twitches inside your aching cunt, signaling his rapid release. He hisses as he pulls out of your wasted hole, his length bobs against the crease beneath your ass, smearing your sweaty skin with your mixed wet. His cock throbs against you as his seed spills onto your quivering legs, coating your inner thighs, and leaking onto the tattered, moth-eaten mattress. 

You whimper pathetically as his arms release you, and your shuddering form falls forward, crashing into the dusty mattress beneath you. Your chest heaves as your hand comes up to the column of your neck, your weak fingers pressing at the sharp, searing pang there. You don’t doubt your skin has already begun to smart. You cough profusely as your lungs fill with air, a humiliating attempt at catching your breath. 

Joel’s left hand comes down beside your head on the mattress, cushioning his fall as he hovers over you. He groans as his other hand replaces your cunt, and with every fast, wet pump of his fist, the pulsing tip bumps against your skin; his release now paints the small of your back.

A first. 

And in the back of your mind, you try telling yourself it’s his way of claiming you — that he still wants you after you stepped out of line. Your stomach lurches at the same time your cunt flutters at the thought. You’re not sure how you feel about it, but you do know you feel empty without him inside you. And other than what happened here, he typically makes you feel good. Leaves you satisfied before he chases his own release.

Today, he didn’t. He used your body as a means for punishment, and you let him. A penance. For crossing the line he told — you both agreed not to overstep. 

A few moments later, you’re pulling your distressed jeans over your cum-coated thighs while your glassy eyes watch Joel as he zips up his own, his eyes fixed on the molded wooden floor in front. “Joel,” your voice hoarse and raw. 

He peers up at you beneath his lashes, the sunlight clawing through the taped-up window catches on his eyes; the amber in his hazel irises glowering in the light. 

“It won’t happen again,” you whisper.

“No,” he leans forward, grabs his gas mask you didn’t notice he pulled off, and the orange pill bottle you were meant to deliver to him without sticking your nose where it didn’t belong, and he grunts while he moves to stand, “it won’t.” 

And only when his heavy footsteps fade down the dark hallway of the abandoned building on the outskirts of the QZ, leaving you alone to stare back at the pale, rotten wallpaper with a painful and pleading ache between your trembling legs, do you realize exactly why no one defies Joel fucking Miller.

[cuntyji]

MEOW OR NEVER ౨ৎ GETO SUGURU X READER

summary: when your mom told you to steer clear of men, you didn't think she meant all of them - fur, whiskers, and all. but hey, maybe naming your cat mr. pickles was where you went wrong, considering she's apparently a mrs. now. and oh, she's pregnant. great. just fantastic. enter suguru geto, your drop-dead gorgeous neighbor, who's not just good at stealing glances but also at being a reluctant father - well, kitten father. turns out, his annoyingly smug orange menace named gojo's the reason you're now an unplanned (grand)parent. is this co-parenting arrangement going to end in peace, or in pieces? or worse, feelings? spoiler alert: suguru geto's got more than just child support to offer, and he's about to prove it in ways that'll have you questioning who the real stray here is.

warnings & tags: fluff and crack, eventual romance, no angst, geto is a year older than reader, geto is an (international) law student implied to be rich, reader's college program is not specified, strangers to friends to lovers, eventual smut (oral, f & m + 69). cast: geto, catoru (gojo is a tabby cat), yaga, sukuna, choso, yuuji, shoko, brief mention of utahime and nanami.

author's note: how i feel adding a graphic after not touching any editing apps since eight grade: 🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺. first long-fic on here and it is obviously for my @norikuna <3 i had so much fun writing geto, i hope you like this, and yes i named her mr. pickles after your meet-cute fic/s. ‼️ i recommend reading on ao3, as tumblr's formatting this fic very poorly and often times the fic has long paragraphs mashed together. i'm so sorry, but please enjoy!

chapter one: guess who's expecting (hint: it's not you)

when your mother warned you to stay away from men, you didn’t realize she meant all species of men. in your defense, you didn’t even know mr. pickles was…well, a dudette. a full-fledged woman, even.

judging by her usual air of indifference toward the struggles of life—whether it be a broken mug, burnt toast, or the existential dread and fear of capitalism looming over you—you’d assumed she was male. an assumption, it seems, born of sheer hubris. after all, you’d done thorough background checks on everyone else you let into your life. everyone except the stray cat that had waddled into your overpriced studio apartment one rainy night and decided it was hers.

the truth? you didn’t mind. between cramming for your degree and surviving the post-mortem of your relationships (both romantic and platonic, because apparently humans are terrible at consistency), mr. pickles became the one reliable constant in your life. albeit a hairy, aloof constant who occasionally brought you hairballs and dead bugs as sacrificial offerings to her goddess. you, of course, were said goddess.

any normal, functioning adult would have taken her to a shelter, or maybe put up a flyer: “found: one stray cat, bad attitude included.” but you, lonely soul that you were, took her in. except, it hadn’t been that simple. no, the first night you met her was anything but serene.

you were drunk. plastered. wobbling through the door with a bag of takeout in one hand and your heels in the other, ready to collapse onto your bed and dream about a life where rent didn’t cost your soul. but instead of an empty apartment greeting you, there she was. sitting smack in the middle of your living room like some furry squatters’ rights advocate, tail flicking with utter disdain.

you froze, still holding the doorknob, as your eyes locked with hers.

"what the—" you whispered, blinking hard to confirm you weren’t hallucinating. nope, she was real.

the cat let out a long, guttural “yeowwwwwwwwwl,” like she was just as horrified by you as you were by her.

you screamed. naturally. "who are you?! how did you get in here?! security’s supposed to be good—oh my god, is that a rat?"

she screamed back, launching into an impressive round of yowls that rattled your very bones. it became a chaotic symphony of you, still holding your takeout, pointing at her with your shoe, while she darted back and forth in an apparent panic over your panic.

"okay, okay," you gasped after what felt like hours but was probably five minutes. "just—calm down! i’ll call the cops or animal control or—do i even know animal control’s number? is that a thing people know?!"

the cat paused mid-panic, tilting her head as if considering whether you were worth the hassle. then, slowly and with the grace of a self-proclaimed queen, she sat back down.

you stood there, panting, wide-eyed, and still clutching your takeout like a lifeline. "are…are you done? can i move now?"

she gave a single chirp in response.

you blinked. "was that a yes?"

another chirp.

"okay, cool. good talk," you muttered, inching toward the kitchen counter to set your stuff down. "you know, you really picked the wrong apartment to haunt, bro. you don’t wanna hang out here."

she followed you, hopping onto the counter with zero hesitation.

"oh, you’ve got nerve," you grumbled, waving a hand. "get down. that’s…oh my god, is that chicken grease? you’re gonna get salmonella. do cats get salmonella?"

the cat meowed, which you took as a very sarcastic no.

you sighed. "great. now i’ve got a cat."

let’s rewind back to the future, to the moment you found out mr. pickles had a party of tiny paws brewing in her belly. it wasn’t an epiphany that hit you like a bolt of lightning—no, it was a series of increasingly bizarre events that gradually chipped away at your ignorance until the horrifyingly adorable truth came crashing down.

first, let’s talk about “pinking up.” apparently, around 16-20 days into pregnancy, a cat’s nipples turn pinker and more prominent—a fact you learned after a very awkward google search. not that you were actively inspecting mr. pickles’ nipples. that felt…wrong. but you did notice, eventually. the weight gain started subtly, a little extra fluff around her midsection that you brushed off as the result of switching to a premium brand of cat food. "guess the organic kibble’s working," you mumbled one evening as mr. pickles sprawled on the couch like a spoiled heiress. she blinked at you, unimpressed, before rolling onto her side, belly on full display. it was… rounder than usual. suspiciously so. but denial is a hell of a drug.

then came the morning she beat you to the bathroom. literally.

you were nursing a wicked hangover, the kind that makes you reconsider every life decision leading up to the night before. groaning, you dragged yourself out of bed and toward the bathroom, only to freeze in the doorway. there was mr. pickles, perched in your shower cubicle, hurling her guts out like she’d been partying harder than you. "what the—" you started, but she cut you off with another violent retch. you just stood there, slack-jawed, your own nausea momentarily forgotten. "are you… hungover? can cats be hungover?" she ignored you, finishing her business before hopping out of the shower with a nonchalance that screamed you’ll clean that up, right?

and the sleeping? don’t even get started on the sleeping. mr. pickles, your once lively (read: temperamental) companion, now spent her days passed out in the weirdest positions. you’d leave for class, catch her sprawled upside down on the couch with her legs in the air, and come back hours later to find her in the exact same spot. the first time it happened, you panicked. 

“mr. pickles?” you whispered, crouching beside her. no response. 

"oh my god, are you dead?" you poked her back. nothing. 

just as you were about to call your landlord and have him prepare for the worst, mr. pickles let out the laziest, most judgmental yawn you’d ever heard.

then came the personality shift. the mr. pickles you knew—the one who hissed at your laptop every time you opened it, as if microsoft word had committed a personal offense—was gone. in her place was a clingy, purring ball of affection. she started curling up on your lap while you worked, purring loud enough to rival an industrial saw. “awwww, who’s a good kitty?” you cooed, melting into the moment. and then she shed enough fur on your clothes to build a second cat.

but the final straw, the one that shattered your fragile understanding of reality, was the nesting.

you came home one evening to find mr. pickles frantically rearranging your laundry basket, clawing at the clothes and dragging them into a fluffy pile. she paused when you entered, her eyes wild with an intensity you’d never seen before.

"uhh…what are you doing?" you asked, only to be met with a deep, guttural growl. "okay, that’s new," you muttered, backing away slowly. "you do…whatever that is."

it hit you then. the weight gain, the puking, the clinginess, the nesting. oh my god.

"oh my god," you whispered, clutching the counter for support. "mr. pickles is a girl."

your world tilted. memories of every time you called her sir or buddy flashed before your eyes. you were the problem.

you rushed her to the vet the next day, bursting through the door like a contestant on a reality show. "she’s been acting weird," you blurted to the receptionist. "and by weird, i mean…is she pregnant?"

one checkup later, the vet turned to you with a warm smile and uttered the words that changed everything: “congratulations, you’re a mother.”

your jaw dropped. "what? no. no, i’m not. she’s—she’s the mother!" you gestured wildly to mr. pickles, who was now lounging on the exam table like this was all very boring. the vet chuckled. “well, technically, that makes you a grandmother.”

a grandmother. you, a college student, were a grandmother.

as you drove home in stunned silence, mr. pickles stretched out in the passenger seat, her belly looking smugly round. you glanced at her, still reeling.

“does this mean i have to start calling you mrs. pickles now?”

she purred. of course she purred.

chapter 2: welcome to parenthood, kinda

the day after the vet visit, you were a woman on a mission. holding mr. pickles up like she was a fragile artifact, you found yourself wandering the corridors of your apartment building, knocking on doors and attempting to uncover the truth behind your feline’s unexpected condition. sure, your mother raised you single-handedly, but did that mean you had to take on the role of a cat grandmother solo? absolutely not.

the first stop was masamichi yaga, your landlord. you weren’t sure why you started with the most intimidating person in the building, but desperation has a way of clouding judgment. his door creaked open, revealing the towering man himself, wearing a slightly bemused expression. “uhh …good morning, mr. yaga,” you stammered, clutching mr. pickles tighter for moral support. “i—uh—wanted to ask…do you have a cat?” he raised an eyebrow. “a cat?”

“yeah,” you said, awkwardly adjusting your grip on mr. pickles. “because, um, she’s pregnant, and i was wondering if—well, you know…”

yaga blinked at you for a moment, then let out a low chuckle. “no, i don’t have a cat. the only thing i house around here is pandas.”

you stared at him, waiting for the punchline that never came. “...pandas?”

“yup. no cats.”

you decided not to press further. “right. okay. thanks, anyway.” you shuffled away, cheeks burning, as he closed the door behind you with a definitive click.

next, you made your way to choso’s apartment. you’d seen the guy a few times in the hallway—tall, always dressed like he’d just walked out of a corporate ad, with an aura of quiet exhaustion that screamed salaryman. when he opened the door, he looked down at you with mild surprise, a coffee mug in one hand. “hi,” you greeted, feeling oddly self-conscious under his gaze. “i, uh, have a question. do you happen to own a cat?”

choso blinked, glancing at mr. pickles, who let out a disinterested meow. “no, i don’t.”

“are you sure?” you pressed. “because my cat is pregnant, and—”

“i’m sure,” he cut in gently, though his tone held the same weariness you felt every monday morning. “i barely have time to take care of my brothers, let alone a pet.”

“brothers?”

“yeah.” he took a sip of his coffee. “one of them’s a high schooler. the other one…well, he’s sukuna.”

you froze. “wait. sukuna? as in, the scary guy with the tattoos who glares at everyone when he smokes in the hallway?”

choso nodded. “he’s not so bad once you get to know him.”

you had your doubts but decided not to argue. “right. okay. thanks anyway.”

your next stop was shoko’s apartment. you’d always admired her cool, no-nonsense vibe, but the dark circles under her eyes told you she probably didn’t have time for a pet. still, you knocked. when the door opened, shoko stood there, looking like she hadn’t slept in three days but somehow still pulled it off effortlessly.

“hey,” you said, trying to sound casual. “do you have a cat?”

“a cat?” she repeated, leaning against the doorframe. “no. i’m barely home enough to keep my plants alive, let alone a pet.”

you nodded, biting back a sigh. “yeah, that makes sense.”

“why?” she asked, eyeing mr. pickles. “is she yours?”

“yeah. she’s pregnant.”

shoko raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. “congrats, grandma.”

“don’t remind me,” you groaned. “thanks anyway.”

lastly, you tried suguru geto’s apartment. according to the building’s handbook, he was your neighbor on the floor above. but when you knocked, there was no answer. “great,” you muttered, glancing down at mr. pickles. “our prime suspect isn’t even home. what now?”

mr. pickles responded by squirming in your arms, clearly unimpressed with your sleuthing skills.

defeated, you trudged back to your apartment, where the reality of impending grandmotherhood sank in further. with no leads and no one to pin the blame on, you flopped onto your couch, setting mr. pickles down beside you. she stretched lazily, looking far too pleased with herself.

“this is your fault, you know,” you muttered, pointing a finger at her. she responded with a purr, curling up into a fluffy ball of indifference.

great. just great. looks like you were in this alone—again.

evening rolled in, and with it came mr. pickles’s dinner time. lately, you’d been overly cautious about her diet and mood—the whole pregnancy thing and all—but tonight? tonight she was testing your last nerve. there she was, stationed by the door like her life depended on it, yowling dramatically with an almost operatic flair. her tail flicked like a metronome, her cries growing more pitiful by the second. “oh, come on,” you groaned, setting her food bowl down with an exasperated sigh. “what’s with you tonight? you’ve eaten like, three times already.”

mr. pickles, naturally, ignored you, clawing at the door with all the determination of someone who just had to get out. “fine,” you muttered, stomping toward the door. “but i swear, if there’s a stray out there, you can explain yourself, motherf—”

you flung the door open mid-rant and promptly froze.

standing in your doorway was a man. a ridiculously tall, stupidly handsome man with long, silky black hair tied loosely at the nape of his neck and bangs that framed his angular face like he’d just stepped off the cover of handsome landlord quarterly. he wore a plain black sweater, dark trousers, and an expression that was equal parts bemused and apologetic. but your attention snapped to the cat he was holding aloft—an orange tabby with piercingly bright blue eyes that were somehow both smug and indifferent at the same time. “uh…hi,” he said, his voice deep and smooth with an edge of uncertainty. “this yours?”

“that’s…not my cat,” you managed, pointing awkwardly at the tabby.

“figured,” he said, glancing past you into your apartment where mr. pickles was now peeking out, her ears perked and tail bristled like an antenna. “he’s mine. name’s gojo. found him sitting outside my door screaming his lungs out, so i thought maybe…” his words trailed off as his gaze flicked between you, mr. pickles, and gojo. then, realization dawned on his face.

“wait.” he looked at mr. pickles, then back at you. “is your cat…?”

“pregnant?” you supplied flatly. “yep. as of about a week ago, thanks for asking.”

geto—because of course you’d figured out that this very handsome man was suguru geto from the floor above—blinked, visibly processing this information. “huh,” he said finally, his brow furrowing as he glanced at gojo. “but…gojo’s neutered.”

“what?” you blurted, staring at the smug orange tabby who looked anything but neutered. “yeah, had it done ages ago.” geto tilted his head, clearly as baffled as you. “so how the hell…?” you pinched the bridge of your nose, feeling a headache blooming. “you’re saying there’s no way it could’ve been him?”

“not unless he figured out how to reverse a neuter,” geto said dryly, his lips twitching in a bemused smile. you both looked at the cats the—gojo, lounging smugly in geto’s arms, and mr. pickles, glaring daggers from the safety of the couch. “okay,” you muttered, mostly to yourself. “if not gojo, then who? because i don’t exactly let her out, and she’s been acting weird for weeks.”

“well…” geto began, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. “he did sneak out a couple of times last month, but i didn’t think—”

“oh my god,” you groaned, cutting him off. “are you telling me your supposedly neutered cat is actually some kind of feline lothario who managed to knock up my cat on one of his escapades?”

“it’s not like i planned this,” geto defended, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone. you shot him a look, but before you could respond, gojo meowed loudly, almost like he was bragging. “great,” you muttered, throwing your hands up. “just great. now i have to deal with kittens, rent, and figuring out how the hell to co-parent with the guy next door who can’t keep his cat under control.”

geto chuckled, his dark eyes twinkling with genuine amusement. “well, if it helps, i’m pretty good with kids. or kittens, in this case.” you stared at him, incredulous. “this isn’t funny.”

“oh, come on,” he teased, his smirk widening. “it’s a little funny.” you groaned again, retreating into your apartment. “this is a nightmare.”

“or an adventure,” geto countered, stepping back into the hallway with a casual wave. “let me know if you need any help. babysitting, moral support, whatever.” and just like that, he was gone, leaving you with a very pregnant mr. pickles, a smug orange tabby, and far too many questions about how you’d managed to land yourself in this ridiculous situation.

-

the realization hit you as soon as you pressed "send." oh no. oh no, no, no. 

did you really just text suguru geto���your neighbor, a man who likely had better things to do than deal with your ridiculous antics a demand for child support? for cats? you flopped face-first onto your couch, groaning into a throw pillow. “what the hell is wrong with me?” mr. pickles, lounging on the armrest, flicked her tail and let out a smug little chirp, as if she’d orchestrated the entire debacle. “you’re no help,” you muttered, rolling onto your back to glare at her.

but it was too late now. the text was sent, sitting in geto’s inbox like an uninvited guest at a party. you imagined him reading it, probably over a cup of coffee in his immaculate apartment upstairs, eyebrows raised in disbelief before muttering something like, what the hell is this?

“what was i expecting?” you asked the ceiling. “a courtroom? with gojo cat wearing a tiny tie and confessing his sins?” mr. pickles yawned, completely uninterested in your spiral.

“ugh,” you grumbled, standing up. “whatever. it’s his problem now.”

-

bleary-eyed and still half-asleep, you shuffled to the door the next morning to grab the newspaper. the universe owed you at least one boring morning after last night’s embarrassment. but as you opened the door, your sleep-deprived brain screeched to a halt. there, sitting on your front porch, was a 5kg bag of premium cat food, the kind you’d seen in the store once and immediately walked past because it cost more than your monthly grocery budget. “what the…” you muttered, crouching down to inspect it.

taped to the bag was a folded piece of paper with the words “child support :)” scrawled in smooth, confident handwriting. beneath the note was what looked suspiciously like a paw print in ink. you squinted, trying to process the absurdity of the situation. “no. absolutely not. did he—did they actually ink up the cat for this?” you glanced down the hallway, half-expecting geto to pop out from behind a corner and yell “gotcha!” but it was eerily quiet. mr. pickles, who had wandered over to investigate, sniffed the bag and let out an excited meow, her tail curling in approval. “of course you’re happy,” you said, picking up the note and reading it again. “this is like winning the lottery for you.”

you flipped the paper over, looking for more, but that was it. just “child support :)” and a smug paw print. “oh my god,” you muttered, dragging a hand down your face. “he’s good. he’s really good.” you set the bag inside and grabbed your phone, your thumbs hovering over the keyboard. what were you even supposed to say to this? thank you? an apology for being unhinged?

before you could overthink it, a new message lit up your screen.

geto: hope this helps. let me know if you need anything else. gojo says hi.

you stared at the message for a long moment, torn between laughter and mortification.

“what do i even say to that?” you asked mr. pickles, who was now trying to claw her way into the bag of food. she didn’t respond, obviously, but you took her enthusiasm as a sign to type out the least embarrassing reply you could muster.

you: thanks. mr. pickles says hi too. sorry about the text, was half-asleep. really appreciate this though.

a reply came almost instantly.

geto: no problem. wasn’t sure how much to get, so i just grabbed the fanciest one. figured she deserves it.

you snorted, shaking your head. “what are you, cat royalty?”

mr. pickles let out a pleased chirp, pawing at the bag triumphantly, and you couldn’t help but laugh. whatever this situation was, at least mr. pickles was happy. and, okay, maybe suguru geto wasn’t completely terrible either.

you thought life couldn’t get more ridiculous after the whole “child support” stunt. but somehow, suguru geto managed to raise the bar so high that it was practically doing pull-ups in the stratosphere. because when you stepped out of your apartment to grab some fresh air and regroup after being up all night with a cuddly mr. pickles, you realized geto had turned this entire ordeal into a neighborhood event. “did he… throw a party without telling me?” you muttered to yourself, narrowing your eyes as you spotted a small, hand-decorated sign taped to the landlord’s door. it read: "congrats to the new parents: gojo & mr. pickles!”

“new parents?” you said aloud, incredulous.

as if summoned by your confusion, choso’s door creaked open, and yuuji popped his head out, looking entirely too enthusiastic for such an early hour. “hey, neighbor! did you see the banner?” you blinked at him. “banner?” 

yuuji pointed down the hallway. you squinted and, sure enough, there it was — a banner strung across the hallway ceiling that read: "welcome baby kittens!!!" in what looked like glitter glue. “oh my god.” you pressed a hand to your forehead. “he didn’t.”

“he totally did!” yuuji grinned, stepping fully into the hallway. “he came by earlier and told me about gojo being a dad. so cool, right? i mean, gojo’s kind of an idiot, but hey, every cat deserves a shot at fatherhood.”

“yuuji,” you said, pinching the bridge of your nose. “he’s not an actual dad. this isn’t a sitcom. it’s just…biology.” yuuji shrugged. “biology, destiny, same thing. oh, by the way, geto dropped off cookies! want one?” you looked down and noticed yuuji holding a plate of cookies shaped like tiny cats.

“what the—did he bake these?”

“nah, i think he bought them,” yuuji said, biting into one. “but still. pretty neat, huh?” you groaned, muttering, “neat isn’t the word i’d use.”

just as you turned to head back into your apartment and escape the madness, there was a loud, insistent scratching at your door. you froze. “don’t tell me…”

yuuji, still chewing on his cookie, pointed. “that’s probably gojo. he’s been making rounds all morning trying to visit your cat. i think he’s really taking this fatherhood thing seriously.” you stormed to your door and there he was—gojo cat, gojo the cat, his bright blue eyes wide and hopeful as he pawed at the doorway like a love-struck romeo. “oh, for crying out loud,” you muttered, scooping him up and holding him at arm’s length as you entered your house. “what do you think you’re doing?” gojo meowed pitifully, his tail flicking as he looked past you toward mr. pickles, who was curled up on her blanket, looking utterly unimpressed. “she’s not interested, casanova,” you told him, turning to yuuji. “can you take him back before he climbs my curtains again?” yuuji laughed, taking the cat from you. “no problem. come on, gojo. let’s give her some space.”

as yuuji disappeared down the hall with gojo, you closed the door and leaned against it, letting out a long sigh. but before you could even sit down, your phone buzzed.

geto: hope you’re enjoying the festivities. gojo’s a little excited, but who can blame him? parenthood changes you.

you stared at the message, your eye twitching.

you: i'm one sleepless night away from snapping. please stop turning my life into a hallmark movie.

geto: don’t be shy. you’re the real hero here, grandma.

you groaned, tossing your phone onto the couch. mr. pickles, who had been watching the entire ordeal with an air of feline superiority, let out a small, smug purr. “don’t you start,” you told her, flopping onto the couch. “at least it’s a long weekend.” but deep down, you knew there was no such thing as peace—not when suguru geto and his ridiculous orange menace were involved.

-

suguru geto was not having a good day.

he sighed, leaning back against his couch as the familiar hum of embarrassment settled over him. gojo cat, sprawled across the armrest, gave a half-hearted meow, probably to mock him. he’d woken up to him scratching at his front door like a lunatic, yowling for his morning ritual of inspecting the hallway for signs of mr. pickles. the normally smug and self-satisfied orange menace had been acting weird for days—restless, meowing at windows, and straight-up bolting every time geto so much as opened the front door. it had taken geto exactly one trip downstairs to realize why.

you. or more specifically, your cat.

geto hadn’t even known you had a cat until he’d knocked on your door last week, with mr. pickles in the background like some furry empress. now, not only did he know, but he also had the dubious honor of being the grandfather of mr. pickles’ unborn kittens. “how did it even come to this?” he muttered, running a hand through his hair as he stared at the glittery “welcome baby kittens!!!” banner he’d put up in the hallway. he knew he was making things worse for himself, but honestly, it was better than sitting in his apartment, spiraling. he sighed, looking down at gojo, who was perched on the armrest of the couch, lazily licking a paw. “you couldn’t just chill, could you?” geto said, narrowing his eyes at the cat. “no, you had to go and ruin my already complicated life. do you know how awkward this is? do you?”

gojo blinked at him, clearly unbothered. “of course you don’t,” geto muttered. “you’re a cat.”

the thing was, geto had genuinely thought he’d be cool about this whole situation. sure, it was a little weird to be co-parenting kittens with the girl he’d had a hallway crush on for months, but it wasn’t like he couldn’t handle it. except he wasn’t handling it. he’d told yuuji. he’d told yaga. he’d even left cookies for shoko. and now half the building knew about gojo’s escapades. “what am i doing?” he groaned, leaning back on the couch and covering his face with his hands. “you know, this is all your fault,” geto muttered, glaring at the cat. gojo, unbothered, blinked lazily.

geto had been a lot of things in his years of life—student, aspiring lawyer, occasional cat dad—but one thing he wasn’t was smooth when it came to you. you, the girl from another department who lived one floor below him. you, the one who always looked like you belonged in a wes anderson movie, with your half-hidden smiles and humour. you, who somehow managed to make even the most mundane hallway interactions feel like they had a gravitational pull. geto groaned, pressing his palms into his face. he was this close to becoming a tragic cliché. 

it wasn’t like he’d never tried to talk to you before. he had. there was that one time in the campus library, where he’d psych himself up for twenty minutes only for you to leave before he could string a coherent sentence together. or the time in the cafeteria when he thought about offering you a seat at his table but chickened out because he was certain his friends would tease him for weeks. “this is what rock bottom feels like,” he muttered to himself.

he wasn’t even supposed to live in this building. as an international law major with a full schedule and internships on the horizon, he should’ve been in one of the fancier complexes closer to campus, but fate—or sheer bad luck—had landed him here. not that he could complain. not when you were his downstairs neighbor. he had always figured you were out of reach, though. you had this aura of being completely in your own world—poised, a little reserved, but not in a way that came off as unapproachable. more like you were quietly observing the chaos around you, letting it wash over you like a passing breeze. and he’d been content to admire you from afar. well, mostly content. but now? there was a knock at the door. 

geto froze.

“please don’t let it be her,” he whispered, praying to whatever higher power might be listening.

it was you. standing in his apartment building, holding a note he wrote about “child support.”

“hey,” you said, holding up a piece of paper. “you forgot this.”

“oh,” he said dumbly. “right. thanks.”

you stepped inside, looking around at the various cat-themed decorations geto had somehow acquired in the past 24 hours. “so… big fan of cats, huh?” you asked, raising an eyebrow. geto felt his face heat up. “uh, yeah. something like that.” you smirked, crossing your arms. “you know, you didn’t have to go all out like this. it’s not that big of a deal.”

“not a big deal?” geto repeated, incredulous. “your cat is having kittens with my cat. that’s, like… monumental.” you rolled your eyes. “they’re cats , geto. not royal heirs.”

“still,” he said, crossing his arms defensively. “i’m just trying to be responsible here.” you looked at him for a long moment, and geto swore he saw the tiniest flicker of amusement in your eyes. “responsible?” you repeated. “is that why you’ve turned our hallway into a petting zoo?” geto opened his mouth to argue but stopped when gojo jumped down from the couch and strutted over to you, rubbing against your legs like the shameless flirt he was. “traitor,” geto muttered under his breath. you crouched down to pet gojo, a small smile tugging at your lips. “well, at least someone knows how to make a good impression.” 

geto stared at you, his brain short-circuiting. “uh, yeah,” he said finally. “he’s… he’s good at that.” you stood up, brushing cat fur off your hands. “anyway, thanks for the food. mr. pickles appreciates it.”

“no problem,” geto said, trying to sound casual. “you know, if you ever need help with… anything, just let me know.” you raised an eyebrow. “like what? cat parenting classes?”

“sure,” geto said, shrugging. “or, you know, anything else.” you gave him a long, considering look before finally nodding. “i’ll keep that in mind,” you said, turning to leave. “thanks, grandpa.”

geto groaned as the door closed behind you. “what am i even doing?” he muttered again, looking down at gojo, who had jumped back onto the couch, looking entirely too smug. the cat meowed, as if to say, you’re welcome.

chapter 3: first we stalk, then we brunch

later in the evening, you found yourself huddled under your comforter, laptop balanced precariously on your knees. mr. pickles was curled up at your feet, occasionally flicking her tail, as if silently judging you. you ignored her. tonight, you had a mission: to do a deep dive into the enigma that was suguru geto. you weren’t proud of yourself, okay? but curiosity had officially killed the cat—or at least put her temporarily out of commission. like any sensible person armed with curiosity and internet access, you turned to linkedin. not instagram, not facebook—linkedin. because nothing screams “serious investigation” like stalking someone’s professional achievements. “let’s see what we’ve got, mr. pickles,” you muttered, typing “suguru geto” into the search bar on the holy grail of professional snooping. mr. pickles perched regally at the foot of your bed, her gaze judgmental as ever. “don’t give me that look,” you muttered. “i’m doing this for you.”

within seconds, his profile loaded up, and your jaw practically hit the floor.

suguru geto wasn’t just good-looking. oh no. he was an overachiever of the highest order. his profile picture was annoyingly perfect: a candid (but totally staged) shot of him sitting at a café, holding a cup of coffee in one hand while looking thoughtfully into the distance, as if he’d just solved world hunger. his headline read:

suguru geto | international law student | aspiring global policymaker | passionate about justice and equality

“ugh,” you groaned, scrolling further. “passionate about justice? who is this guy?” his bio didn’t help matters. it was filled with phrases like ‘dedicated to fostering positive global change’ and ‘committed to bridging the gap between policy and implementation.’

“committed to being annoyingly perfect, maybe,” you muttered, side-eyeing mr. pickles. she let out a half-hearted meow that you chose to interpret as agreement. his experience section was even worse—or better, depending on how you looked at it. a summer internship at the UN where he ‘assisted in drafting resolutions and collaborated with member states on sustainable development initiatives.’ worked as a legal intern at some fancy law firm with a french name you couldn’t pronounce, where he ‘focused on international human rights cases, with a specific emphasis on refugee protection.’ not to mention being a volunteer coordinator for a charity in sri lanka, where he ‘organized relief efforts and distributed supplies to displaced families during the holiday season.’

“okay, mr. pickles,” you said, glancing at the unimpressed feline. “this guy’s either a saint or a robot.” what shocked you most wasn’t his saintly résumé, but the fact that he went to the same university as you. you stared at the screen, stunned. “how the hell did i not know this?” his “education” section confirmed it:

bachelor’s in international law | current student

active member of the debate team and global policy forum

that explains it, you thought. you were a year younger and in an entirely different department—he probably had his head buried in treaties while you scrambled through your own projects. still, the idea of suguru walking the same hallways as you sent your mind reeling. “was he in the cafeteria when i spilled coffee on myself that one time?” you wondered aloud. as you continued scrolling, you stumbled upon his posts. his posts swung wildly between annoyingly inspirational and oddly endearing.

the first was a very cheesy, slightly-too-polished “ringing in the new year” post, complete with a stock photo of fireworks and an unnecessarily long caption: ‘as we close the chapter on another year, let us remember the power of community and resilience. cheers to 365 days of growth, learning, and striving for a better world!’

“uggghhh, gag me,” you snorted, though you couldn’t help but admire how polished it all was.

then there was a post featuring none other than gojo cat sprawled on a cushion, mid-snore. the caption read: ‘cats are not just pets—they are companions, teachers, and sometimes, our greatest confidants. thank you, gojo, for reminding me to appreciate the little joys in life.’

“confidants? really?” you muttered, holding back a laugh. “what secrets are you sharing with your cat, suguru?” the pièce de résistance, however, was a post about his recent trip to sri lanka. it included a photo of him kneeling next to a group of kids, all of them smiling brightly, while he held a giant sack of rice. ‘spending christmas eve here has been a humbling experience. giving is not just about material wealth but about offering hope and kindness. #holidaygiving #payitforward’

“oh, come on,” you groaned. “who even has time for all of this?” mr. pickles let out an approving meow, her ears twitching at the picture. “not you too,” you sighed. just as you were about to close the tab, a final post caught your eye. it was from a few months ago: a blurry picture of the university quad, with a caption that read: ‘sometimes, it’s the quiet moments on campus that remind you why you started this journey. grateful for this space, these people, and this path.’

“quiet moments, huh?” you mused, leaning back against your pillows. “maybe he’s not all bad.” mr. pickles let out a disapproving chirp, as if to say, focus on the fact that he’s responsible for my current condition, thank you. and just when you thought you’d seen it all, there was his international cat day post. gojo cat lay sprawled in the background, his belly exposed, looking utterly unbothered. geto had written an almost poetic ode to feline companionship. ‘in a world filled with noise, cats remind us to listen to silence. they are the quiet guardians of our souls.’

you couldn’t help but snort. “quiet guardians? mr. pickles, your baby daddy is a poet now.” mr. pickles gave a soft chirp, as if to say, better him than some nobody. “fine,” you relented, closing your laptop. “maybe he’s not terrible. just… annoyingly perfect.” but as you lay back against your pillows, a nagging thought lingered: why had he never said anything? you’d walked the same hallways, shared the same campus, yet he’d never even made a passing hello. was he too busy, or something else? either way, you weren’t sure whether to be impressed or annoyed. probably both.

-

suguru geto prided himself on being polished and refined. and he had standards okay? he wasn’t some creep skulking around in the shadows. he was a man of composure, logic, and discipline. but all of that went out the window when it came to you. he is also an upstanding citizen who just happened to know your spotify account, which he checked semi-regularly. for research purposes, obviously. it started innocently enough—getting your instagram handle. no big deal. he hadn’t even followed you right away, worried it might seem weird coming out of nowhere. it was all very calculated: a "friend of a friend of a classmate of a third cousin" pipeline that eventually led him to your public page. a click here, a scroll there, and boom—your instagram aesthetic was forever seared into his memory.  but social media wasn’t enough. no, geto was too curious (and maybe just a bit too pathetic) to stop there. this led him to your spotify.

now, he didn’t just stumble upon your spotify profile by chance. this particular treasure hunt began at a house party at the start of the year. utahime had made a collaborative playlist for everyone, and while everyone else just added their favorite songs, geto decided to dive deep. deep as in scrolling through over 150 accounts connected to the playlist just to find yours. “there it is,” he had muttered triumphantly back then, his lips twitching into a satisfied smile. “gotcha.” and from that moment, your spotify profile became his guilty pleasure. your profile picture at the time? a blurry photo of what looked like you holding a glass of wine at some fancy rooftop bar. but the playlists were the real treasure.

your “gym rat” playlist was his favorite, with high energy tracks, peppered with one or two questionable choices. seriously, why was there a taylor swift song in the middle of your workout playlist? your “in the clerb, we all cryin’” playlist was interesting to say the least, comprising of indie ballads, heart-wrenching acoustics, and, for some reason, a single abba track. then there was “road trip,” featuring everything from funky throwbacks to an absurd number of songs by chappell roan. “you’ve got taste,” geto muttered to himself, clicking into the playlists one by one. “questionable taste in some areas, but still…” he often scrolled through your profile aimlessly, not necessarily looking for anything new, but just existing in your world, even if it was through music. tonight, he found himself back on your page, like some kind of masochistic ritual.

his eyes drifted to his chrome tabs, where your spotify was bookmarked for easy access. it was right there, sandwiched between his email inbox, an online soba delivery menu, an article titled “10 Tips for Acing Your Next Law Internship” and a tab about international trade law regulations. “no new playlists,” he murmured, leaning back in his chair. your gym playlist hadn’t been updated in six months (“what happened to your gym rat era?”), and your grwm playlist was untouched. “slacking, hm?” gojo cat, perched on the edge of the desk, gave him a slow blink. “boring night for you too, huh?” geto sighed dramatically, glancing over at gojo cat sprawled on his lap. the feline barely flicked an ear in response. “don’t look at me like that,” geto said, narrowing his eyes at the feline. “this is completely normal behavior. i’m not stalking. i’m just… maintaining a healthy level of interest.”

“it’s not creepy,” he justified aloud, more to himself than to anyone else. “it’s resourceful. i’m just staying informed.” gojo cat stretched lazily, letting out a yawn that sounded suspiciously judgmental. “oh, don’t start,” geto shot back, tapping lightly on the cat’s head. “you’re the reason i even know her in the first place.” geto’s eyes flicked to your “gym rat era” playlist again. still untouched. “what happened to that, by the way?” he asked no one in particular. “gave up? hit your personal best and retired early?” gojo cat pawed at the corner of his laptop, as if trying to close it.

“hey, no,” geto said, swatting the cat’s paw away gently. “i’m in the middle of something important.” his finger hovered over the profile picture you’d updated—something blurry and vaguely artsy. probably taken at a bar or café. he debated clicking it but stopped himself. what was he expecting? some secret hidden bio like “hey, stop creeping”? he sighed, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. “i’m not weird, right?” he asked the cat.

gojo, being a cat, offered no answer.

“right,” geto muttered. “this is perfectly reasonable. i’m just… interested. it’s not like i’m walking past her door at 3 a.m. or something.” a fleeting daydream crossed his mind—what if the two of you had a shared playlist? something intimate and special, where you both added songs and left little comments. “‘thinking of you when i added this,’” he mused in a mockingly cheesy tone, shaking his head. “god, what am i, thirteen?” still, the thought lingered, making him smile despite himself. just as he began to close the tab, a notification popped up.

[beef_boss_69 has followed you.]

his entire demeanor shifted. “beef boss? beef boss?” geto practically spat the name out. “who the hell—what kind of username is that?” he clicked on the profile, his eyes narrowing as he inspected the new follower. it was a faceless account, with no playlists or followers of its own. “oh, great,” he grumbled. “a bot. or worse, some guy who thinks he’s funny.” he glanced at gojo cat, who looked thoroughly unimpressed. “don’t give me that look,” geto said, pointing at the cat. “you’d be upset too if some guy named beef boss was muscling in on your territory.” gojo cat chirped, which suguru took as a sign of agreement. “exactly,” geto said, nodding to himself. “i mean, what’s next? chicken king 420? pork prince 88?” 

he sat back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “i should just send the linkedin request,” he muttered to himself. “rip the band-aid off. what’s the worst that could happen?” gojo cat let out a loud meow, almost as if to say, you’re never going to do it. “shut up,” geto shot back, though there was no heat behind his words. he closed your spotify tab, ignoring the way his stomach twisted at the thought of actually interacting with you. maybe tomorrow, he thought. or next week. or the next time beef boss made a move. as he shut his laptop, he made a mental note: tomorrow, he’d work up the nerve to send you a linkedin request. baby steps, right?

-

you weren’t even sure what had pulled you out of bed that morning. was it the ungodly racket outside your door? the growing guilt of not actually reading the paper you insisted on having delivered? or maybe just the suspiciously human-sounding yowls of mr. pickles as she nested in the corner of your room? either way, you’d dragged yourself out of bed, eyes half-closed, hair resembling a bird’s nest, and shuffled toward the door in your favorite—read: most embarrassing—pajamas. and there he was.

suguru geto, standing in front of your door in the crisp morning light, wearing an athletic jacket, sweatpants, and the expression of a man who was absolutely not ready for this level of chaos. attached to his hand was a leash, and attached to the leash was none other than gojo cat himself, strutting like he was the king of the neighborhood. “morning,” geto greeted, his tone breezy but his face clearly betraying some inner turmoil. you blinked at him. “is that… is that a harness?”

“yep.” geto scratched the back of his neck. “gojo here insisted.” as if on cue, gojo cat let out an overly dramatic meow, his bright blue eyes locking onto yours. he looked like a lion surveying his kingdom =—or, more accurately, a spoiled housecat demanding tribute. “you’re taking your cat for a walk?” you asked, still half-asleep and very much regretting this encounter. “yeah, he’s been getting a little… restless,” geto said, glancing down at the fluffball who was now trying to paw at your door. “and by restless, i mean clawing the walls like a maniac at 3 a.m.” gojo cat let out another meow, this one louder, and then craned his neck to peer behind you, as if expecting mr. pickles to emerge in all her pregnant glory. “okay, what’s he doing?” you asked, narrowing your eyes at the cat. “probably hoping to see his baby mama,” geto replied with a dry chuckle. you stared at him, your brain still buffering from the sheer audacity of that sentence. “baby mama?”

“look,” geto started, suddenly looking flustered, “i was wondering if you… i mean, if she … maybe we could —”

“spit it out.”

“do you wanna join us for a walk?” he blurted, his cheeks faintly pink.

gojo cat meowed again, clearly seconding the idea. or maybe he was just demanding that you bring mr. pickles along. you sighed, glancing over your shoulder at the aforementioned queen of your household, who was currently sprawled on her side like a beached whale. “she’s not exactly in the mood for exercise.” “please,” geto said, his tone bordering on desperate. “it might do her some good. and honestly, it might keep gojo from trying to scale your window again.” you pinched the bridge of your nose. “fine. but you owe me breakfast for this.”

“deal,” geto said immediately, his relief almost palpable.

after an embarrassingly long five minutes of wrangling mr. pickles into her carrier—complete with angry hisses and a swat to your hand—you emerged from your apartment, looking like you were about to march into battle. “ready?” geto asked, his smile equal parts charming and sheepish. “let’s just get this over with,” you grumbled, hoisting the carrier while mr. pickles glared daggers at everyone in sight. as the four of you set off, gojo cat kept glancing back at the carrier, chirping softly as if trying to woo mr. pickles through sheer persistence. “he’s really laying it on thick, huh?” you said, raising an eyebrow. “like father, like son,” geto joked, then immediately looked mortified at his own words. you snorted, finally cracking a smile. “careful, geto. i might actually start thinking you’re funny.” he grinned, his confidence seemingly restored. “well, miracles do happen.”

mr. pickles, meanwhile, let out a low growl from her carrier, clearly unimpressed with the whole ordeal. gojo cat chirped in response, pressing his face to the mesh side of the carrier in what could only be described as a show of devotion. “is he always like this?” you asked, watching the ridiculous display. “only when he’s in love,” geto replied, shooting you a look that lingered just a second too long. you pretended not to notice the way your heart skipped a beat. “well, he better not get his hopes up. mr. pickles isn’t exactly the romantic type.” geto chuckled. “guess he’ll just have to win her over.” as the morning sun climbed higher, you couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, this whole ridiculous situation wasn’t so bad after all.

geto meanwhile, was mentally spiraling. he didn’t know what was worse—the “like father, like son” line he’d just dropped on you or the fact that you didn’t immediately burst out laughing and leave him and his ridiculous orange tabby in the dust. instead, you stayed, which only made things harder for him. literally. his heart was pounding so loudly he was sure even mr. pickles could hear it from inside her carrier. he was trying to play it cool, but how was he supposed to do that when his so-called son was busy embarrassing the hell out of him? gojo cat was living his best life, pulling on his leash like a dog on a mission. his blue eyes sparkled with excitement as he trotted beside mr. pickles' carrier, occasionally pawing at the mesh as if trying to “connect” with his beloved. mr. pickles, for her part, was clearly over it. she sat in the carrier like a disgruntled queen, her ears flat and her glare sharp enough to cut diamonds.

“your cat’s persistent,” you said, watching as gojo cat did a full circle around the carrier before flopping dramatically on the sidewalk, belly up, in what looked like a plea for attention. “he’s… special,” geto replied, attempting to reel in the leash as gojo cat kicked his legs in the air, rolling onto his side to stare mournfully at mr. pickles. “gojo, stop being weird.” gojo cat let out a pitiful meow, his paws pressing against the carrier like he was performing some romeo and juliet reenactment. “is this normal?” you asked, raising an eyebrow as you crouched to take a closer look. “define normal,” geto deadpanned, tugging the leash again as gojo cat started to nudge his face against the carrier. “he’s just... enthusiastic. about life. and apparently, love.”

“mr. pickles looks like she’s about to murder him.”

mr. pickles, indeed, was having none of it. when gojo cat got too close, she raised a paw and batted at the mesh with a low growl, making geto jump. “okay, timeout,” geto said, scooping gojo cat up with one arm while holding the leash in the other. gojo cat squirmed, letting out a series of indignant chirps as if protesting his removal from the “love of his life.” “you’re really committed to this cat dad role, huh?” you teased, standing back up. “it’s not a role,” geto replied, attempting to adjust gojo cat in his arms as the feline twisted dramatically, his tail flicking with determination. “it’s a lifestyle.” you snorted, and geto decided right then and there that he would endure any amount of humiliation for the sound of your laughter.

meanwhile, gojo cat had decided he’d had enough of the timeout. with a sudden burst of energy, he wriggled free from geto’s grip and made a beeline back to mr. pickles’ carrier. he pawed at it again, letting out a chirp that sounded suspiciously like, notice me, senpai. “jesus christ, gojo,” geto muttered, scrambling to grab the leash. “can you give her some space for five seconds?”

“he’s determined,” you said, your lips twitching as you watched the scene unfold. “i’ll give him that.”

“determined to get us kicked out of the building, maybe,” geto grumbled, finally managing to wrangle gojo cat back.

mr. pickles, now thoroughly fed up, turned her back to the carrier door, her tail swishing in annoyance. she let out a loud, irritated meow, as if to say, enough of this nonsense. “looks like the queen has spoken,” you said, nodding toward mr. pickles. “yeah, well, tell that to this guy,” geto replied, holding gojo cat up like a misbehaving toddler. “i swear, he’s got no chill.”

“takes after his dad, huh?” you said with a sly grin.

geto froze, his cheeks heating up. “i—uh—he’s not my biological—uh…”

you laughed again, shaking your head. 

“relax, geto. i’m just messing with you.” but before geto could recover and try to salvage what was left of his dignity, gojo cat let out another loud meow, squirming in his grip. “great,” geto muttered. “and now i’m the guy whose cat ruins his chance to make a good impression.”

“who said it was ruined?” you said casually, your gaze meeting his for a brief, heart-stopping moment. and just like that, geto decided that maybe—just maybe—gojo cat wasn’t the worst wingman in the world after all.

honestly, when you first saw geto on linkedin yesterday—highlighted internships, connections with every fancy-sounding legal firm, and posts that made him look like a diplomatic demigod—you thought, oh, great. another rich boy who probably orders his coffee by listing ten modifications and has never eaten instant noodles in his life. add gojo cat into the mix, and you were sure this guy was going to be the embodiment of an annoying private school kid, complete with a pet who demanded bottled water and artisanal treats. but this? this was unexpected. geto was, dare you say it, fun. the man actually cracked jokes, didn’t have that holier-than-thou attitude, and seemed genuinely nice. how was he even an international law major? weren’t they supposed to be the glorified MUN kids of society?

“so, what do you think of him?” geto asked, glancing down at gojo cat, who was currently doing his best impression of an olympic sprinter, chasing a rogue leaf across the path. “him?” you asked, smirking. “i think he’s a menace to society.”

“hey, that’s my son you’re talking about,” geto said, mock-offended. “like father, like son,” you shot back, and you caught the faintest twitch of his lips. “you wound me,” geto replied dramatically, clutching his chest like you’d just dealt a fatal blow. you laughed despite yourself. “i mean, am i wrong? you’re kind of a menace too, you know. showing up with that “like father, like son” line earlier.”

“that line was gold, okay?” he said, defensive but clearly holding back a grin. “besides, it worked. you’re still here, aren’t you?” you rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling. ��you got lucky. i needed some fresh air.”

“ah, so i’m just a side quest for your morning routine. noted,” he said, looking mock-wounded again. “don’t make me regret this,” you said, though your tone was light. but then, of course, you had to spiral. because what kind of person just casually smells like bamboo? why were you even thinking about how he smelled in the first place? no, focus. you were not about to develop a crush on mr. linkedin extraordinaire.

“so, um,” geto started, scratching the back of his neck. you noticed he did that a lot when he was unsure of himself, which was oddly endearing. “did you, uh, happen to notice we go to the same university?”

“oh, i noticed,” you said, raising an eyebrow. “what i didn’t notice was how i never saw you around campus before.”

“i keep a low profile,” he said quickly, a little too quickly. 

“low profile? you? with your fifteen linkedin posts about networking events and charity galas?” you teased. he flushed, and you bit back a laugh at the sight of the ever-composed suguru geto getting flustered. “that’s professional stuff,” he said, looking anywhere but at you. “different vibe.”

“sure, mr. diplomat,” you said, grinning. “but seriously, why haven’t we crossed paths before?”

“well, you’re a year younger,” he mumbled, “and in a different department. plus… i might’ve…”

“might’ve what?” you pressed, leaning in just slightly.

“might’ve avoided you,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “avoided me?” you repeated, blinking. “why?”

his face turned a shade darker. “because i didn’t know how to talk to you, okay?” you stared at him, caught off guard by his sudden honesty. for a moment, neither of you spoke, the sound of gojo cat rustling through the bushes filling the silence. “well,” you said finally, breaking the tension with a small smile, “you’re doing fine now.” he looked at you, his expression softening. “yeah, maybe.”

and just like that, the flustered energy transferred to you, because how was this guy suddenly so disarming? you quickly turned your attention to gojo cat, who had now returned, proudly carrying a twig in his mouth like it was some grand prize. “your cat’s weird,” you said, hoping the heat in your cheeks wasn’t too obvious. “takes after his owner,” geto quipped, a little more confidently this time. you snorted, shaking your head. “yeah, well, you’re lucky i don’t scare easy.”

“lucky, huh?” he said, his lips curving into a small, genuine smile.

you groaned inwardly. maybe you were spiraling. if mr. pickles could talk, you’d be subjected to a very long, exasperated lecture right now. and honestly? she’d have a point. because here you were, fumbling in front of what could only be described as a god-sent man—minus his questionable taste in cheesy pickup lines and feline companions. and judging by the way she was scratching insistently against the carrier’s mesh, mr. pickles had had enough. “alright, alright,” you muttered, unzipping the carrier. “but behave, okay? no swatting.”

the minute she stepped out, in all her pregnant, regal glory, gojo cat lost his mind. if there were an olympic event for wooing, he’d be taking home gold, no contest. he was meowing nonstop, his tail flicking like crazy, hopping in excited circles around mr. pickles. “good god,” geto muttered beside you, watching his cat’s antics with a mixture of horror and amusement. “he’s… persistent, isn’t he?”

“persistent? your cat’s acting like he just won the lottery,” you said, watching gojo cat crouch low and wiggle his butt like he was about to pounce. “mr. pickles deserves the best,” geto said with a smirk, his tone dripping with mock sincerity. “she deserves peace and quiet,” you shot back, laughing as mr. pickles calmly let gojo cat have his little moment of excitement before promptly swatting him on the nose.

gojo cat froze, blinking in shock. then, as if nothing happened, he tried again. another swat.

“he doesn’t give up, does he?” you said, shaking your head. “like father, like son,” geto said with a shrug, and you snorted.

“oh, so you’re like that too, huh?” you teased, raising an eyebrow at him. he froze for a second, his brain clearly buffering. then he laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “i like to think i have a bit more self-control.”

“hmm,” you said, pretending to consider. “debatable.”

“harsh,” geto said, placing a hand over his heart like he’d been wounded. things weren’t any better for geto. watching you laugh at his lame attempts at humor was doing something dangerous to his brain. you were so close, and the way your eyes lit up when you laughed…

he couldn’t help it. he felt the same urge gojo cat must’ve felt—like physically shaking, meowing, jumping, doing whatever it took to make sure you were looking at him. but he was a man with poise (he reminded himself), so instead of resorting to anything outrageous, he blushed furiously, smiling so hard his cheeks hurt. “you okay there?” you asked, noticing his face had turned an alarming shade of red. “yeah, yeah,” he said quickly, waving you off. “it’s, uh… warm out here.” you glanced up at the sky. it was barely sunny with a light breeze. “sure,” you said, smirking. “totally the weather.”

“don’t call me out like that,” he mumbled, looking away and rubbing the back of his neck again. “you’re cute when you’re flustered,” you said before you could stop yourself, and the words hung in the air for a second too long. his head snapped toward you, eyes wide. “what?”

“i — nothing ,” you said quickly, suddenly very interested in the stray thread on your sweater. “no, no, go on,” geto said, leaning in slightly, his voice teasing now. “what were you saying?”

“i said nothing,” you insisted, but your face was practically on fire. he grinned, leaning back and crossing his arms. “mm-hmm. sure.”

you groaned, hiding your face in your hands. “mr. pickles, save me,” you muttered, but she was too busy fending off gojo cat’s latest round of attention to care. and next to you, geto was grinning like an idiot, his blush finally starting to fade as he realized he might not be the only one spiraling.

amidst the awkward giggles and blushes, your stomach decided it had enough of the coy flirting and declared war. a low, awkward rumble escaped, loud enough for both you and geto to freeze. “was that…?” geto began, his lips twitching.

“no,” you lied immediately, your face heating up. “that was probably…gojo.” as if on cue, gojo cat meowed loudly, almost like he was backing you up. but mr. pickles wasn’t having it, her head snapping toward you with a “you’re kidding, right?” look. geto, bless his golden heart, didn’t press further. instead, he scooped up a very indignant gojo, who was in the middle of another extravagant attempt to woo mr. pickles. 

“sounds like breakfast is overdue,” he said, grinning. “my treat, as promised.” you hesitated, watching as mr. pickles, the opportunist she was, pranced toward her carrier with the regal air of a queen boarding her royal carriage. she gave you a look that screamed, what are you waiting for? let’s go, servant.

“uh,” you started, scratching the back of your neck. “so, funny story — i didn’t bring my wallet, and even if i did…” you trailed off, remembering the bleak state of your cashapp. $27.53 stared back at you the last time you checked. it was a miracle you even had that much. “...i wouldn’t be able to afford it.” geto blinked at you, as if you’d grown a second head. “what?”

“yeah,” you said, already feeling the mortifying urge to dig a hole and crawl into it. “i’m, uh, broke. like, hilariously broke. economy, y’know?” you added with a weak laugh. “you think i’m letting you pay?” geto said, looking genuinely offended. “what kind of guy do you think i am?”

“a nice guy?” you offered, unsure where this was going. “no, no,” he said, shaking his head. “a gentleman.”

oh god, the drama. you stifled a laugh. “well, excuse me, mister gentleman. i just didn’t want to assume you’d pay.”

“assume away,” he said, already heading toward the nearest fancy breakfast café like he hadn’t just kidnapped you and the cats. “i’ve got you covered.” you glanced down at mr. pickles, who gave you a look that screamed, hurry up, i want my eggs.

the café, of course, was fancy. fancier than anywhere you’d normally set foot in. as you walked in, clutching mr. pickles’ carrier like a lifeline, you whispered to geto, “you couldn’t pick a normal place?”

“normal?” he asked, arching a brow. “what, like mcdonald’s?”

“that would’ve been perfect, ” you muttered. he just chuckled. “relax. it’s on me. besides…” he leaned in slightly, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “i have a reputation to uphold. international law guys don’t slum it, you know?” you snorted. “you’re so full of it.”

“maybe,” he admitted, grinning. “but you’re here, aren’t you?” you rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling as you followed him to a table, where gojo cat immediately tried to climb onto the nearest chair, only for geto to gently push him back down. “don’t even think about it,” he told the cat, who meowed indignantly. mr. pickles, meanwhile, sat primly in her carrier, surveying the café with a look of mild disdain. she was probably judging the lack of gold-plated bowls. “so,” geto said once you were seated, his tone casual but his eyes warm. “what are you having? and don’t say something cheap to be polite.”

“how’d you know i was going to say that?” you asked, narrowing your eyes at him. he shrugged. “just a hunch. order whatever you want.”

you hesitated, glancing at the menu. everything was overpriced, and you were 80% sure a single pancake here cost more than your rent. “fine,” you said finally. “but if i order the most expensive thing on the menu, i don’t want to hear you complain.”

“deal,” he said, smiling like you’d just agreed to marry him. god, he really was trying to woo you. and judging by the way your heart was doing somersaults, it might’ve been working.

the cafe was everything you imagined a “fancy breakfast spot” would be—muted beige tones, big windows letting in soft sunlight, overpriced art hanging on the walls, and tables filled with people who somehow looked like they owned hedge funds. there were plants too, the kind that didn’t seem real, and a faint jazz tune played in the background. if geto was trying to impress you, he was definitely succeeding, albeit unintentionally making you feel a little out of place. but all of that took a backseat the moment you heard that voice.

“you’re joking,” you muttered under your breath as you caught sight of none other than ryomen sukuna, towering like a goddamn villain straight out of a noir film. the cigarette smell hit first, faint but unmistakable, lingering on his dark uniform. his face twisted into a scowl the second he spotted your table. “ugh, pets,” he grumbled, eyeing the carrier with disdain. “this is why this place is going downhill. who even lets cats in here?”

“good morning to you too, sukuna,” geto said smoothly, leaning back in his chair with a calmness that only pissed sukuna off further. you, on the other hand, were seconds away from panic. this is choso’s brother? you’d seen him before, sure—usually smoking in the hallway and glaring like everyone had personally wronged him. but now? here? as your server? gojo cat immediately picked up on your distress—or maybe he just didn’t like sukuna’s face—because he started growling in geto’s lap. it was the tiniest, most pitiful growl, but sukuna’s eyes snapped to him, narrowing in challenge. “what’s that thing’s problem?” he asked, jerking a thumb at gojo cat. “his problem is you , ” geto said, smiling. “can’t say i blame him.” sukuna shot geto a flat look before turning his attention back to you. “what are you having?” he asked, his tone sharp enough to cut steel.

you panicked, your eyes darting to the menu. “uh… ummm …i’ll have the, uh…” you started, struggling to pronounce the ridiculous name of the dish. “the croissant…something?”

“you mean the croissant aux truffes?” sukuna interrupted, rolling his eyes. “yeah, got it. anything else?” you shook your head furiously, feeling your face heat up. “and you?” sukuna turned to geto, clearly already over this interaction. “my usual,” geto said casually, resting his chin on his hand. sukuna raised a brow, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a mean smirk. “your usual , huh? what’s that again?”

geto froze for half a second, his cool demeanor slipping ever so slightly. “you know what my usual is,” he said, his voice a little sharper. “do i?” sukuna asked, feigning innocence. “must’ve slipped my mind.”

“it’s soba,” geto hissed, his calmness now completely abandoned.

“oh, soba,” sukuna said, nodding slowly like he’d just solved the mystery of the century. “got it. soba. anything else, your highness?” geto glared at him but didn’t say anything, and sukuna walked off, muttering something under his breath about “stupid regulars.” the moment he was out of earshot, geto leaned back in his chair and let out a dramatic sigh. “i’m never coming back here.”

“really?” you asked, raising a brow. “because it sounded like you practically live here.”

“not after this humiliation,” he said, though the way his lips twitched betrayed the fact that he wasn’t as annoyed as he pretended to be. you couldn’t help but laugh, the earlier tension melting away. “for what it’s worth,” you said, “your ‘usual’ sounds pretty fancy too.”

“don’t,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. “i’ll never live this down.”

from the corner of your eye, you saw gojo cat attempting to claw his way out of geto's lap, probably planning to finish what he started with sukuna. mr. pickles, ever the drama queen, merely yawned, completely unfazed by the chaos. it was going to be a long morning.

sukuna’s approach to serving was efficient, sure, but it was laced with the kind of attitude that made you question why this place hired him in the first place. he practically slammed geto’s soba on the table with a smile so forced it could rival a ventriloquist dummy, and your croissant—although perfect—arrived with a snide comment about “petting zoos” under his breath. you gave him a tight-lipped smile, muttering a quick “thank you,” while geto tried to hide his snicker behind his hand. sukuna walked off, grumbling something about “pretentious cat dads.”

“don’t mind him,” geto said, breaking his chopsticks with practiced ease. “he’s just like that with everyone. well, maybe worse with me.”

“so you’re special, then?” you teased, tearing off a piece of your croissant. “you could say that,” geto replied with a grin, feeding gojo cat a tiny bit of soba under the table. gojo, the shameless flirt, lapped it up happily, ignoring mr. pickles’ death glare from her carrier. things were calm, peaceful even—until the gaggle of women arrived.

they were the type you’d expect to see in glossy magazines: perfectly coiffed hair, subtle but expensive-looking makeup, and outfits that screamed “we brunch in designer clothes.” they made a beeline for gojo cat, cooing and fawning like he was some sort of feline casanova. and, like the attention-seeking traitor he was, gojo lapped it all up, practically preening under their praise. “oh my god, look at him!” one of them squealed, petting gojo as he leaned into her touch. “he’s so cute!”

“what’s his name?” another asked, giving geto a smile that could only be described as predatory. “gojo,” geto said, chuckling awkwardly. “you named him after yourself?” one of the women teased, clearly mistaking him for the egomaniac in question.

“uh, no, actually—”

“oh, sugurruuu!” another one interrupted, clearly recognizing him. “it’s been ages! how have you been?” you raised an eyebrow as the women began circling him like sharks. apparently, they were his seniors from a past internship, which made sense because they had that polished, professional air about them. “we missed you at the office!” one of them gushed. “you were so good at handling those client presentations,” another added, her tone a little too sweet for your liking.

you took a bite of your croissant, trying to ignore the sudden twist in your stomach. it wasn’t like you had any claim over geto, right? and yet, seeing him chuckle nervously and entertain them, even though it was clear he was uncomfortable, made you bristle. beside you, mr. pickles was practically vibrating with irritation, her tail flicking furiously as she watched gojo soak up the attention. she let out a low, guttural growl that you could’ve sworn mirrored your exact mood. “he’s such a ladies’ man,” one of the women purred, gesturing to gojo. “just like his owner, huh?”

“actually,” geto said, his voice cutting through the chatter. he looked at you, his expression unreadable but his tone steady. “this is my partner.”

wait, what?

the table went silent for a moment as all eyes turned to you. the women’s faces fell ever so slightly, their previously cheery expressions dimming as they processed the information. “partner?” one of them repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief. “yep,” geto said, leaning back in his chair with a small, satisfied smile. “we’re co-parenting these two,” he added, gesturing to the cats. you blinked, your mind racing. co-parenting? he wasn’t wrong, technically speaking, but the way he said it made it sound...a lot more serious than it actually was. the women muttered half-hearted congratulations before awkwardly excusing themselves, their heels clicking against the tiled floor as they walked away. once they were out of earshot, you turned to geto, your cheeks burning. “partner, huh?”

“what? it’s true,” he said, a hint of smugness in his tone. “we’re co-parenting.”

“you do know how that sounded, right?” you asked, narrowing your eyes.“sounded perfect to me,” he said, giving you a lopsided grin. you rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. maybe, just maybe, you liked geto a little more than you thought. meanwhile, gojo cat continued basking in his stolen glory, and mr. pickles finally settled down in her carrier, clearly satisfied with how the situation had turned out.

chapter 4: he brought kibble, you brought your heart

the days following your chaotic breakfast outing became a mix of heartwarming absurdity and mild chaos, all thanks to geto and his ever-determined cat. 

it started with the pet supplies. one offhand comment about needing more for mr. pickles, and suddenly geto was at your door with an entire armful of toys, treats, and nesting materials. “you said you needed stuff,” he shrugged, looking entirely too pleased with himself as he handed you a bag that looked heavy enough to contain bricks. “this is…a lot,” you said, peering inside. “did you buy out the entire pet store?”

“nah, just the essentials,” he replied, brushing off your comment. “besides, i had to get stuff for gojo anyway.”

the “stuff for gojo” turned out to be a single can of tuna.

then came the vet visits. geto had decided, entirely unprompted, that your vet appointments were now his responsibility. he would show up unannounced, a coffee in hand for you and a carrier for gojo in the other.  “i don’t think the vet needs to see gojo,” you’d said the first time he came along. “you never know,” he’d replied, entirely serious. “what if he has sympathy symptoms for mr. pickles? he’s been sneezing a lot lately.”

“that’s because he shoved his face into a pile of dust bunnies,” you deadpanned. still, you couldn’t deny how much easier it was having him around, even if it meant enduring his occasional attempts to one-up the vet with random facts he’d googled beforehand. “you know, some studies say cats feel pain differently during pregnancy,” geto commented as the vet checked mr. pickles over. the vet gave him a flat look. “that’s…not entirely accurate.”

“huh, weird,” geto said, leaning back with an entirely too smug grin. “i’ll look into it more. it’s good to stay informed, right?”

meanwhile, gojo cat’s relentless courtship of mr. pickles had reached new, unhinged heights. every day brought a new “gift” for her nesting area, ranging from sweet (a soft sock) to outright concerning (a half-dead lizard that had you shrieking and yuuji wielding a plastic lightsaber like some kind of jedi exterminator). “gojo, no!” you’d yelled, trying to wrestle the lizard out of his mouth. “don’t hurt him!” geto shouted, entirely missing the point as he held gojo back. “don’t hurt him?!” yuuji echoed, brandishing the lightsaber dramatically. “what about me? what if it jumps at me?!”

amidst the chaos, mr. pickles remained the picture of serenity, carefully arranging each of gojo’s offerings in her nesting area like some kind of bizarre art installation. she even started tolerating his presence, which was a minor miracle in itself. “look at them,” geto said one day, gesturing to the two cats as they napped side by side. “they’re like us.” you raised an eyebrow. “one of them brings in literal trash and the other barely tolerates them. which one’s supposed to be me?”

“well, obviously, you’re mr. pickles,” he said with a grin.

“and you’re gojo?”

“exactly.”

you laughed, shaking your head. “geto, you’re ridiculous.”

“and yet, here you are,” he teased, nudging your shoulder lightly.

despite the chaos, you couldn’t deny that your little makeshift family—complete with a sock-stealing, lizard-catching cat and his annoyingly thoughtful owner—had started to grow on you. mr. pickles seemed calmer, you felt more relaxed, and even geto’s awkward attempts at affection were kind of endearing. maybe, just maybe, these two weren’t so bad after all.

but honestly, you should’ve known geto would take a casual dinner and make it look like an event. the moment you opened the door and saw him standing there, you realized just how badly you underestimated the man’s ability to weaponize his looks. he’d ditched the usual button-ups for a fitted black turtleneck that clung to him like a second skin, paired with tailored gray slacks that looked more expensive than your monthly rent. his hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail, but a few stray strands framed his face just enough to be annoyingly perfect. and then there was the smell—some cologne that was equal parts warm and spicy, making your knees wobble like a newborn deer.

“you…uh, look nice,” you managed to stutter, awkwardly gesturing him in. he chuckled, stepping inside. “thanks. figured i should dress up a little since you’re going all out with dinner.” oh, so now it’s your fault for making dinner sound like a five-star experience when it was really just some pasta and garlic bread. meanwhile, your own reflection in the hallway mirror mocked you mercilessly. you were still in your semi-formal college attire: a blazer that was slightly too big, a wrinkled blouse, and pants that had seen better days. you could have changed, but no, you thought you’d save time and effort. bad call.

dinner itself went surprisingly smoothly. mr. pickles and gojo cat managed to coexist at the food station, which was nothing short of miraculous. out of the corner of your eye, you saw gojo nudging a small portion of his food toward mr. pickles, who sniffed it delicately before accepting. “look at them,” geto said with a soft smile, catching your gaze. “sharing like that. think it’s love?” you scoffed, trying to ignore how his smile made your heart race. “or maybe gojo’s just trying to butter her up so she doesn’t swat him later.”

“harsh,” geto replied, leaning back in his chair. “you’re cynical. i like it.”

after dinner, you were about to tackle the dishes when geto, ever the overachieving law student, pulled out his macbook. the glow of the screen illuminated his face as he typed furiously, answering emails and looking like the poster boy for "i have my life together."

“work?” you asked, carrying a stack of plates to the sink. “just a few emails,” he said, not looking up. “one of the partners at my internship sent over some last-minute questions.” you blinked, watching him with mild disbelief. “it’s a friday night.”

“welcome to international law,” he said dryly, fingers flying across the keyboard. against your better judgment, you found yourself… impressed? his focus, his confidence, the way his sleeves were rolled up just enough to show off his forearms—it was annoyingly attractive. “ugh, law students,” you muttered under your breath, scrubbing at a plate. “what was that?” suguru asked, looking up with a smirk. “nothing,” you said quickly, turning back to the sink. “just saying how dedicated you are.” he laughed, the sound low and warm. “you’re bad at lying, you know.”

“and you’re bad at taking a break,” you shot back, trying to ignore the heat rising to your cheeks.

after a few more minutes of typing, geto finally closed his laptop and joined you in the kitchen. “here, let me help,” he offered, rolling up his sleeves further. “you cooked,” he said, taking a plate from your hands. “least i can do is clean up.” you wanted to argue, but the sight of geto, sleeves rolled up, standing beside you at the sink, made your brain short-circuit. “fine,” you mumbled, handing him a dish. “but if you drop one, i’m not forgiving you.”

“noted,” he said with a grin, elbow brushing yours as he worked. as you both washed dishes in companionable silence, you couldn’t help but glance at him every now and then, heart doing a stupid little flutter each time he caught you looking. maybe this dinner wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

geto had never been one to overthink simple things. he prided himself on his ability to stay cool and collected, whether it was during an exam, an internship interview, or wrangling gojo cat after he’d somehow escaped onto a neighbor’s balcony. but here, standing next to you, washing dishes, his heart was doing its best impression of a jazz drummer—completely out of rhythm and far too loud. he tried to focus on the task at hand, scrubbing a plate with the precision of a surgeon, but his brain was too busy short-circuiting over the sheer domesticity of the moment. you, standing next to him, a faint smile on your lips as you passed him a dish. mr. pickles and gojo cat sitting like a mismatched elderly couple in the corner, their rivalry seemingly paused for the evening. this was too much. domesticity was his weakness, and you were unknowingly his kryptonite.

"you know," he started, trying to sound casual, "i’ve been working on my forearms lately. gotta make sure gojo has a sturdy perch when i carry him." your laugh was soft but genuine, and it hit him right in the chest. "oh yeah? is that why you’ve been flexing every chance you get? because i was starting to think you were just trying to flirt." he froze, plate in hand, before turning to look at you with a mock-offended expression. "flirt? me? that’s slander. i’m just a humble man with well-defined forearms doing his civic duty.”

"right," you drawled, rolling your eyes as you handed him another dish. okay, suguru, he thought. focus. this is the perfect moment. ask the question. it’s not that big of a deal. except it was a big deal. because it wasn’t just about asking if you’d like to carpool to college every day. it was about getting more time with you, sharing little moments like this. he cleared his throat, trying to find the right words. "hey, uh…you know how i drive to college every day?" you glanced at him, a little confused. "yeah?"

"and you, uh, also go to college every day?"

"correct," you said slowly, raising an eyebrow.

he could feel his palms starting to sweat despite the soapy water. this was ridiculous. why was he nervous? it was just a question! but somehow, the thought of you saying no made his stomach twist. "so," he continued, trying to keep his tone light, "i was thinking…maybe we could drive together? you know, save on gas, reduce our carbon footprint, that kind of thing." you blinked at him, clearly caught off guard. "you want to carpool with me?"

"yeah," he said quickly, nodding. "i mean, it makes sense, right? we’re both going the same way, and i wouldn’t mind the company. plus, i’ve got this playlist i’ve been dying to share." that wasn’t entirely true. his playlist was a chaotic mix of instrumental lo-fi, 90’s rock and songs gojo cat seemed to enjoy, but he’d happily curate something just for you if it meant hearing you laugh and sing along. 

"you’re serious?" you asked, and he swore he could see a hint of a smile tugging at your lips. "dead serious," he said, putting on his best poker face. "it’s a purely logistical decision, of course. nothing to do with the fact that i think you’re great company or anything." you stared at him for a moment before breaking into a laugh, and he felt his shoulders relax just a little. "okay," you said finally. "sure, let’s carpool." he grinned, feeling an almost embarrassing amount of relief. "awesome. you won’t regret it, i promise." as you turned back to the sink, he couldn’t help but steal a glance at you, his heart still doing its offbeat jazz solo. yeah, this was going to be good. better than good, even.

the last dish was set on the drying rack, and with it came the awkward silence that always followed. you and geto exchanged a glance, both of you clearly trying to decide what came next. do you send him off with a polite "thanks for the help," or do you suggest something casual? ugh, why was this so hard?

"soooo," you started, awkwardly fidgeting with a dishtowel. "uh, do you…want ice cream?" geto blinked at you, his expression pleasantly surprised. "ice cream?"

"yeah, you know, frozen dairy, sugar, flavors," you said, waving your hands vaguely like you were describing some rare delicacy. "do international law students even like convenience store ice cream? or are you more into, like, artisanal stuff churned by monks in the alps?" his laugh was low and warm, the kind of laugh that made you feel like you’d just won something. "as tempting as alps-monks-churned ice cream sounds, i’m fine with rocky road if you’ve got it."

rocky road. he’s perfect, you thought as you rummaged in the freezer, pulling out a pint. mr. pickles, ever the queen, trotted over and sat primly by your feet, tail twitching as if she expected you to serve her a scoop. gojo cat, on the other hand, had found a stray spoon to bat around the kitchen floor like it was his life’s mission. you handed geto a bowl, and he graciously accepted before pulling out his macbook and setting it on the table. "mind if i put something on?"

"as long as it’s not UN debates or a soba recipe tutorial," you teased, leaning over to peer at his screen. to your credit, you weren’t snooping—you were just curious about what kind of stuff an international law student kept on their homepage. but the minute you saw it, you froze. nestled among his neatly arranged bookmarks for email, law journals, and a soba takeout joint, was your spotify profile. your brain went into immediate overdrive. oh dear god. oh no. oh yes. wait, what?

you fought the urge to gasp, to point, to scream into the void. instead, you settled for the most nonchalant reaction you could muster. "huh. your bookmarks are so…organized." but your awkward tone gave you away, and geto, sharp as ever, followed your gaze. when his eyes landed on the offending bookmark, he paused mid-scoop, a faint blush dusting his cheeks. "oh," he said, clearly trying to play it cool. "uh, yeah. that’s—uh, for convenience. you know, for when you share playlists and stuff."

"totally," you replied, nodding far too enthusiastically. "makes sense. who doesn’t bookmark their friends’ spotify profiles?" you were lying through your teeth, and you both knew it. but instead of feeling weirded out, your heart felt like it might actually burst. he bookmarked your spotify. this ridiculously attractive, smart, and funny guy has done something so nerdy and cute, and you think you might die. the silence stretched awkwardly until you couldn’t take it anymore. "so…what’s your favorite playlist of mine?" you asked, trying to keep your tone casual but failing miserably.

geto, to his credit, recovered quickly. "probably the one you called ‘in the clerb, we all cryin’.’ it’s got a lot of questionable choices."

"questionable choices?" you gasped, feigning offense. "excuse me, those are carefully curated emotional masterpieces!"

"right, right," he said, nodding solemnly but with a teasing glint in his eyes. "masterpieces like, what was it? ‘torn’ by natalie imbruglia followed by party rock anthem?"

"that’s called range, geto."

he laughed again, and you swore it was the best sound you’d ever heard. meanwhile, gojo cat had successfully cornered the spoon under the fridge, and mr. pickles let out an indignant meow, clearly unimpressed by the lack of attention directed her way. "anyways," you said, clearing your throat and desperately trying to steer the conversation away from how much your soul had ascended, "what are we watching?" he smirked, clearly enjoying your flustered state. "how about a soba recipe tutorial? you know, for research purposes."

"get out of my house," you deadpanned, throwing a napkin at him. but deep down, you couldn’t stop smiling. maybe you did like geto. just a little. or a lot. who’s counting?

-

the youtube video played on, gordon ramsey passionately dissecting the finer points of why "tiramisu supremacy" should be the law of the land, but you weren’t paying attention anymore. instead, you were hyper-aware of the ridiculously attractive man next to you, lounging on your bed, casually eating rocky road like he wasn’t a complete menace to your sanity. gojo cat had stationed himself at your feet, swiping lazily at a loose thread on your blanket. mr. pickles, in a rare display of domestic harmony, perched regally on a pillow next to geto like she was claiming him as her territory. you could almost hear her smug little cat thoughts: this one? yes, acceptable.

meanwhile, you? you were losing it. somehow—through some strange twist of fate or cosmic joke—your head had ended up resting on geto’s chest. his chest. his sculpted, unfairly perfect chest. you told yourself it was for comfort, or convenience, or whatever excuse your brain could scramble together. oh god, is this okay? what if he thinks i’m weird? or worse, what if he doesn’t care at all?

his arm was just kind of… hovering there, like it didn’t know what to do. his bicep flexed every time he adjusted, and you swore it was on purpose. it’s not on purpose, idiot. calm down. "you good there?" his voice cut through your internal spiral, warm and teasing. you cleared your throat, suddenly self-conscious. "uh, yeah. totally fine. just... comfortable, i guess."

"comfortable, huh?" he echoed, his tone light but his heart doing cartwheels. she’s comfortable. okay. don’t freak out. play it cool. meanwhile, geto was absolutely not playing it cool. this is fine. this is normal. people hang out like this all the time. friends. buddies. totally platonic. on a bed. watching gordon ramsey. with her head on my chest. oh god, i’m dying. his arm was still hovering awkwardly, and it was starting to cramp. should he just—? no. too much. but maybe? before he could overthink it further, you shifted slightly, glancing up at him.

"you can, you know," you said, your voice barely above a whisper. he blinked down at you, dumbfounded. "can what?"

"put your arm around me," you mumbled, cheeks heating up like a furnace. geto’s brain short-circuited. oh god, she said i can. she actually said i can. is this real? am i dreaming? where’s gojo? he needs to see this. wait, no, absolutely not. this is private. oh god, my arm.

"uh, yeah. sure," he finally said, his voice cracking just a little as he tried to sound casual. his arm settled around your shoulders, warm and solid, and you let out a content sigh. meanwhile, internally, he was screaming. this is the best day of his life.

"you’re stiff as hell," you teased, glancing up at him. "sorry, it’s just—i’m not used to—" he fumbled, trailing off. "chill out," you said with a soft laugh, your hand lightly resting on his chest. "it’s just me."

just you. the girl he’d been pining after for weeks. the girl whose spotify profile he’d bookmarked. the girl whose cats he’d willingly co-parented like an idiot in love. he wasn’t even sure how he was still breathing. "yeah," he said softly, his lips quirking into a small smile. "just you."

"hey, are you even watching?" you asked, gesturing at the screen where ramsey was now passionately defending the honor of cannoli. "uh, yeah. totally," he lied, having absolutely no idea what was happening in the video. "oh yeah? then what’s his stance on panna cotta?" you challenged, raising an eyebrow. geto paused for a second, then grinned sheepishly. "panna whatta?" you groaned, laughing despite yourself. "you’re hopeless."

"hopelessly charmed," he muttered under his breath, but thankfully, the loud volume drowned it out. gojo cat let out an exaggerated yawn, curling up at the foot of the bed, while mr. pickles blinked at both of you with what could only be described as approval. and for a brief moment, with you curled up against him, geto thought that maybe, just maybe, domesticity wasn’t so bad after all.

the clock on your bedside table glowed 9:30 pm, the red numbers a cruel reminder that sunday was slipping away. geto shifted slightly, the arm around your shoulders reluctantly moving as if to signal his departure. right. college tomorrow. responsibilities. but neither of you moved. instead, his attempt to lift his arm ended in a poorly executed maneuver that pulled you closer—much closer. suddenly, your face was inches from his, and you could feel the warmth radiating off his skin. his breath hitched. oh god. oh no. oh yes. what if he does something stupid? like kiss you? no, bad idea. abort. retreat. pull away. you’ll think he’s weird—

you kissed him first. his brain went blank.

your lips pressed softly against his, a tentative, curious movement that sent every coherent thought in his mind scattering like autumn leaves in the wind. your lip balm—something fruity, maybe peach?—lingered on his lips, blending with the faint taste of rocky road ice cream. his heart stopped, then kickstarted with a force that left him lightheaded. "oh," he murmured against your lips, his voice barely audible. "oh?" you pulled back slightly, a teasing smile quirking your lips. "i — i mean —" he stammered, his cheeks flushing a deep pink. "uh, wow."

"wow?" you laughed softly, your hands sliding up his chest, your fingers curling lightly into his shirt. "shut up," he groaned, but his grin betrayed him as his hands instinctively found your waist, steadying you as you moved to straddle his lap. oh god. oh god. she’s on my lap. this is not a drill. repeat, this is not a drill. "you’re awfully red, suguru," you teased, your tone light, but the way your fingers brushed against his jaw made his pulse race. "yeah, well, you’re—" he cut himself off, his eyes flickering to your lips before meeting your gaze. "you’re unfairly pretty, okay? and i’m trying not to pass out here."

"pretty?" you echoed, feigning innocence as you leaned in closer, your noses brushing. "is that all?" he chuckled, low and breathy. "pretty, gorgeous, unfairly cute. take your pick." before he could spiral into another wave of self-doubt, you kissed him again, and this time, he responded in full. his lips moved against yours, slow and deliberate, like he wanted to savor every second. his hands tightened on your waist, pulling you flush against him, his fingers flexing like he couldn’t quite believe you were real. in the background, gordon ramsey’s voice bellowed something about undercooked risotto, but neither of you noticed. this is what dreams are made of, right? he thought. her lips, her taste, the way she’s holding onto me like i’m her favorite person in the world. rocky road and lip balm and… gordon ramsey? okay, ignore that. focus. focus on her.

"you good there, suguru?" you murmured against his lips, your voice laced with amusement. "good?" he echoed, his hands sliding up to cradle your face. "i’m amazing. incredible. best night of my life, no contest."

"you’re such a dork," you laughed, your forehead resting against his. "yeah, well," he said, his smile softening as his thumb brushed along your cheek. "you like this dork."

"i do," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. his heart soared. he tightened his hold on you, his lips ghosting over yours once more as he whispered, "good. because i don’t think i’m letting you go anytime soon." the clock ticked on, but neither of you cared anymore. responsibilities could wait.

-

just as geto’s lips brushed against yours for what felt like the hundredth time that evening, a loud, synchronized cacophony of meows erupted from the corner of the bed. you both froze.

there sat gojo cat and mr. pickles, staring at the two of you with matching expressions of feline judgment. mr. pickles, her fur slightly puffed and her eyes narrowed, let out an indignant mrrrow that sounded suspiciously like "get a room." gojo cat, ever the instigator, joined in with an exaggerated meeeooowwww, his tail flicking dramatically as if to say, "seriously? right in front of us?"

“oh my god,” you mumbled, burying your face in geto’s neck as he chuckled, the sound rumbling against you. “i think we’ve offended the fur babies,” he said, clearly trying not to laugh too loudly as gojo cat began pacing in circles, yowling like a siren. “offended? they sound like they’re trying to declare war,” you muttered, pulling back reluctantly. “maybe they’re just jealous,” geto teased, his dark eyes twinkling as he reached up to tuck a strand of your hair behind your ear. “jealous of what?” you scoffed, glancing at the cats. mr. pickles was still bristling like a wronged queen, while gojo cat was now attempting to paw at the edge of the bed for dramatic emphasis.

“of this.” geto smirked, leaning in like he was about to steal another kiss, but mr. pickles let out a sharp hiss, cutting him off. “okay, okay, time out!” you said, waving your hands in surrender. with a sigh, geto released you, though his hand lingered on your waist for a moment longer. “guess that’s our cue.” you followed him to the door, the cats trailing behind like disapproving chaperones. gojo cat let out one last, drawn-out meow as if to say "good riddance," while mr. pickles sat primly by the door, glaring up at geto with all the disdain she could muster. “she’s really protective of you, huh?” geto said, slipping his shoes on. “always has been,” you replied, your hand resting on the doorknob. “probably doesn’t help that you keep bribing her with treats.”

“bribing?” he repeated, feigning offense. “that’s called building trust.”

“sure it is, mr. international law,” you teased, leaning against the doorframe.

he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “speaking of trust, uh… i’ll pick you up tomorrow? for class?” you raised an eyebrow, smirking. “trying to make this a habit now?”

“well,” he said, his cheeks pinking slightly, “i figured i’d bring you another one of those fancy croissants. and, you know, maybe see you smile first thing in the morning again.” your chest tightened at his words, warmth spreading through you. “smooth, geto.”

“is that a yes?” he asked, his voice softer now, his gaze locked on yours. “yeah,” you said, your lips curving into a smile. before he could step out, he leaned down, his lips brushing yours in a quick but lingering kiss that made your heart race. when he pulled back, his smile was uncharacteristically shy.

“goodnight,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“goodnight,” you replied, watching as he walked away, his hands stuffed into his pockets but his stride noticeably lighter.

as you closed the door, you turned to find mr. pickles sitting side by side, staring up at you with unreadable expressions. “don’t look at me like that,” you said, pointing at her. “you’re the ones who ruined the moment.” mr. pickles let out a chirpy meep , as if to say "i’m just doing my job," before padding back to her nesting area with an air of smug satisfaction. you shook your head, unable to stop the grin spreading across your face. whatever this thing with suguru was, you didn’t want it to end. not now, not ever.

chapter 5: justin bieber and other forms of groveling

you swung the door open, expecting to find a text from geto telling you to come downstairs like a normal person. instead, you were met with him. suguru geto, standing at your doorstep, looking like he’d just stepped out of a gq photoshoot. “morning!” he greeted cheerfully, his voice as smooth as his suit. yes, a suit. a dark, perfectly tailored one that hugged his broad shoulders and slim waist just right, paired with a crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the top, exposing just a hint of his collarbone. the whole look was topped off with a skinny black tie and shiny leather oxfords that somehow made you question if you were even allowed to walk next to him. and don’t even get started on his hair—pulled back into a low bun, with a few loose strands framing his stupidly perfect face. “why—why are you here?” you stammered, gripping the doorframe for support because, honestly, this man might be a health hazard. “thought i’d save you the trip downstairs,” he said casually, though his lips curled into a smirk like he knew exactly what he was doing. “besides, i wanted to see you earlier.” great. now your heart was doing this weird fluttery thing, and you hated it. “you know you could’ve just texted me, right? like a normal person?”

“where’s the fun in that?” he quipped, his voice tinged with amusement.

ugh. 

the first thing that hit you when you slid into his car—a sleek black bmw z4 convertible with the top down—was the overwhelming scent of car cleaner mixed with him. “did you—did you just get this cleaned?” you asked, wrinkling your nose at the smell. “maybe,” he replied, a little too quickly. you glanced at the dashboard, which was spotless and gleaming. the leather seats looked freshly polished, and there wasn’t a single crumb or speck of dust in sight. well, except for the faint trace of orange fur on the passenger seat. “you missed a spot,” you teased, pointing at the fur. “gojo,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. “aw, don’t be mad at him,” you said, grinning. “he’s just marking his territory.”

“yeah, well, he’s not paying for this car, is he?” suguru shot back, though the corners of his lips twitched upward. the car smelled like money, honestly. the leather had that rich, almost intimidating scent, and the steering wheel looked like it had been handcrafted by someone with a phd in luxury interiors. but somehow, there was this comforting undertone of suguru’s cologne—spicy, woodsy, and ridiculously distracting. you tried to act normal, like you weren’t suddenly hyper-aware of how close you were to him in this car that felt way too intimate for a ride to campus. “so, what’s the occasion?” you asked, nodding toward his suit as he pulled out onto the main road. “internship meeting after class,” he explained, keeping his eyes on the road. “wanted to make a good impression.”

“yeah, well, mission accomplished,” you mumbled, more to yourself than him, but he still heard. “what was that?” he asked, glancing at you with a playful smirk. “nothing,” you said quickly, your cheeks heating. as he drove, you found yourself sneaking glances at his hands on the wheel. his sleeves were rolled up just enough to expose his forearms, which looked unfairly muscular for a guy who claimed to “barely have time for the gym.” the veins running up his arms were just… there, taunting you.

“you’ve been working out, huh?” you blurted, unable to stop yourself. he chuckled, a low, warm sound that made your stomach flip. “noticed, huh?”

“kind of hard not to when your biceps are trying to break out of that shirt,” you retorted, trying to sound nonchalant. “oh, this?” he said, flexing his forearm slightly as he adjusted the gearshift, clearly showing off. “ugh, stop,” you groaned, covering your face with your hands. “you’re so annoying.”

“and yet here you are,” he teased, shooting you a quick grin before turning his attention back to the road. as you sat there, half-annoyed and half-smitten, you couldn’t help but think that this man was going to be the death of you.

-

the two of you sat in the car outside your campus building for a moment longer than necessary. the engine was off, but the atmosphere buzzed with something heavy, something neither of you dared to name yet. geto had one hand draped lazily over the steering wheel, the other resting casually on the gearshift, but you weren’t fooled. his jaw was tense, and his thumb tapped nervously against the leather, a small tell that you’d come to recognize. he didn’t want this ride to end. neither did you, if you were being honest. “so,” you started, your voice almost shy. “thanks for the ride.” he glanced over at you, his dark eyes soft but smoldering all at once. “yeah,” he said, his voice low, “anytime.” and just when you thought he’d let you leave, he moved.

his hand—large, warm, and calloused just enough to send a thrill through you—slipped behind your neck, his fingers brushing against your skin in a way that sent goosebumps racing down your arms. the touch was firm but gentle, commanding but tender.

“come here,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

you didn’t even have time to process before he pulled you in, his lips crashing against yours with a fervor that left you breathless. this wasn’t just a goodbye kiss; no, this was something deeper, something that spoke of longing and frustration and a thousand unsaid things. his lips were soft but insistent, moving against yours like he was trying to memorize the feel of you, like he didn’t care that the windows weren’t tinted enough for the scene unfolding inside. his tongue swept against your lower lip, asking, no, demanding entrance, and you couldn’t deny him. the taste of him—coffee from earlier, a hint of mint, and something uniquely suguru—was enough to make your head spin. your hand instinctively came up to his chest, fingers curling into the soft fabric of his shirt as if to steady yourself. but instead of pulling away, he deepened the kiss, tilting his head to get a better angle, and you thought you might actually lose all sense of reality.

when he finally pulled back, it wasn’t abrupt. no, he lingered, his lips brushing against yours one last time, as if reluctant to let go. his breathing was heavy, his cheeks slightly flushed, and when you looked up at him, you saw the faint sheen of your lip gloss smeared on his mouth. his lips—pink, swollen, and thoroughly kissed—were enough to make your brain short-circuit.

“you’ve got—” you gestured vaguely to his mouth, your voice shaky. he raised an eyebrow, smirking in that infuriatingly confident way. “lip gloss?” he guessed, his thumb brushing over his bottom lip like he was testing the feel of it. “yeah,” you mumbled, feeling your own cheeks heat up. “good,” he said simply, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “i’ll keep it.” you wanted to scream, cry, and maybe kiss him again all at once. instead, you just sat there, dazed, as he leaned back, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

“guess i should let you go now,” he said, though his tone made it clear he wasn’t entirely thrilled about the idea. “yeah,” you managed to say, though your legs felt like jelly just thinking about walking into that building. as you stepped out of the car, the smell of car cleaner and his cologne still lingering around you, you could feel the weight of people’s stares. it wasn’t like fancy cars were a rare sight, but you stepping out of that car, looking thoroughly flustered and kissed? yeah, that was something. you glanced back at him one last time before closing the door. he gave you a small wave, the smirk still firmly in place. “i’ll pick you up later,” he called out, and you swore you heard the faintest hint of smugness in his voice. “yeah, okay,” you replied, trying to sound normal even though your entire body felt like it was on fire. as you walked toward the building, your mind raced with one singular thought: suguru geto was going to be the end of you. and honestly? you were okay with that.

-

as geto shifted gears and eased into a parking spot, he let out a long breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. "oh, suguru, what a smooth operator you are," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his already-perfect hair. but as his fingers grazed his lips, he froze. oh no.

your lip gloss—that faint pink menace—was still there. he squinted into the rearview mirror, tilting his face left and right like he was analyzing evidence at a crime scene. yup, definitely there. and definitely noticeable.

“cool. love that for me,” he said under his breath, grabbing a tissue from the glove compartment. he dabbed at his lips gently, trying to erase the sheen. but no matter how much he rubbed, it refused to disappear completely. a faint tint lingered, stubborn and utterly humiliating. not that he minded, of course. secretly, he was fighting the urge to giggle like a high schooler who just got his crush’s number. she kissed me, he thought, his inner monologue doing cartwheels. and now her lip gloss is on me. does this count as shared property? do i need to buy her a ring now? he glanced at the building where you’d disappeared moments ago. a soft smile tugged at his lips, but then he caught his own reflection again, and the smile turned into a scowl.

“focus, suguru. you’re an international law student, not a lovesick teen,” he muttered, trying to psych himself up. but then, completely unbidden, the lyrics hit him: shawty’s like a melody in my head that i can’t keep out—

“oh my god, no,” he groaned, dropping his forehead against the steering wheel. “pull it together.” he sat up straight, fixing his tie like he was about to walk into court, not class. still, his thoughts wandered back to the kiss. he could still feel the warmth of your lips on his, the way you tasted faintly of coffee and lip gloss. “yeah, okay, maybe i’m a little lovesick,” he admitted to no one, sighing dramatically. a loud honk snapped him out of his reverie, and he jerked upright, eyes darting around. some guy in a beat-up sedan gave him a look as if to say, get moving, pretty boy.

“right, right, focus,” geto muttered, putting the car into park. but the distraction had already done its damage. in his daydream, he’d nearly considered driving through the building instead of parking near it. and not for the first time. last semester, there’d been that unfortunate incident where he’d been too engrossed in memorizing legal jargon to realize he was barreling toward the curb. it wasn’t his finest moment, but hey, everyone made mistakes. this time, though, it wasn’t legal jargon messing with his head. it was you.

after ensuring his car was perfectly parked (and double-checking for rogue curbs), he checked his reflection one last time. hair? immaculate. tie? sharp. lips? …still faintly pink. he sighed, leaning back in his seat. "well, if anyone asks, it’s my new look," he muttered, smirking to himself. but deep down, he wasn’t bothered. in fact, the idea of walking into his building, pink lip gloss and all, knowing it was from you? yeah, he could live with that.

-

you glance at your phone for what feels like the millionth time, the lock screen mocking you with its time: 6:45 p.m. every minute that ticks by feels like an eternity. where the hell was geto? the man who swore on rocky road ice cream and cats that he’d pick you up after class. “ugh, liar,” you grumble under your breath, clutching your phone tighter. you dial his number again, half-hoping, half-dreading, that he’d pick up. the line rings once, twice, and then straight to voicemail. “figures.”

the campus courtyard is thinning out now, with most students heading home or to their dorms. you, however, are still standing at the edge of the parking lot, looking like the poster child for loser-core chic. a group of girls you vaguely recognize from your department walk by, their giggles low and conspiratorial as they glance in your direction. one of them nudges her friend and whispers loudly, “see? i told you. you can’t trust law guys. they’re always playing games.” you stiffen, feeling your cheeks heat. okay, rude. but also…they might have a point?

“poor girl,” another one says, her voice dripping with pity. “she probably thought she was special.” your jaw tightens as you resist the urge to shout back, no, actually, he’s probably just late! maybe traffic, or… or… you groan inwardly. even you don’t buy your excuses anymore. just as you’re debating whether to crawl under a bush and live there forever, your deskmate, nanami kento, approaches. ever the epitome of politeness, he clears his throat softly before speaking. “hey,” he begins, adjusting the strap of his leather satchel. “are you, uh, waiting for someone?”

you force a smile, trying to appear less like a rejected rom-com protagonist. “yeah, uh… my ride’s just running a little late.” nanami’s brow furrows slightly, and he glances at his watch. “it’s been over thirty minutes.”

ouch. okay, way to rub salt in the wound, kento.

he sighs, looking almost…sympathetic? “i could drop you off if you’d like. it’s on my way.”

normally, any sane, self-respecting woman would jump at the chance to be chauffeured home by nanami kento—a man so punctual and reliable, he’s basically a walking swiss watch. but alas, you are neither self-respecting nor particularly sane at this moment. “thanks, nanami, but i’m good,” you say, waving him off with a grin that’s probably more pained than reassuring. he nods slowly, clearly unconvinced but too polite to argue. “alright. take care, then.” as he walks away, you let out a long sigh, your earlier bravado crumbling. “ugh, geto, you’re so dead,” you mutter under your breath, kicking a stray pebble across the pavement. by now, the campus is nearly deserted, and the idea of taking the bus home looms over you like a dark cloud. with a resigned sigh, you check the bus schedule on your phone. the next one isn’t due for another 15 minutes. just perfect.

the bus ride home is as glamorous as you’d expect—fluorescent lights that make everyone look vaguely ill, the faint smell of stale chips and rubber, and the occasional bump that sends you jerking forward. you plop into an empty seat, your bag clutched tightly on your lap. a group of teenagers in the back snicker about something, and the guy across from you is humming off-key to whatever’s blasting through his headphones. yeah, this is way better than being driven home in a bmw z4, you think bitterly, rolling your eyes.

the faint scent of orange fur clings to your bag, and you wonder if it’s from gojo cat sneaking into geto’s car this morning. the thought makes you irrationally mad all over again. i bet the car is fine. he probably just forgot or something stupid like that. you lean your head against the window, watching the city lights blur past. the rhythmic hum of the bus is oddly calming, but your thoughts are anything but. what if he’s hurt? a small, worried voice pipes up in the back of your mind. but you squash it quickly. no, he’s just being an idiot.

-

geto is convinced this is how he dies—not by some massive legal scandal or a tragic car accident, but by sheer embarrassment. the moment the clock hit 6:00 p.m., he knew he was doomed. when the hands of time ticked past 6:45, panic set in. it’s fine, he had told himself, gripping his steering wheel with white-knuckled determination. she probably hasn’t even noticed yet. but she had noticed. oh god, had she noticed. every missed call and unread text was like a dagger to his heart. he could practically feel your disappointment vibrating through his phone. the sheer audacity of his internship, requiring him to sit through endless discussions about treaties and bylaws while you were out there—waiting for him like some rom-com protagonist.

and what does he find when he finally arrives at campus? absolutely nothing. a deserted lot, the soft hum of crickets, and not a single trace of you. he rubs a hand over his face, groaning as he slams his car door shut. great, suguru. really great. not only do you make law students look unreliable, but you’ve also officially cemented yourself as a clown in front of the only person who matters.

so, he does the only thing a desperate man can do: breaks every traffic law ever invented, zipping through yellow lights and cutting corners like it’s his goddamn personal mission to get to the apartment before you disappear entirely. “please don’t hate me,” he mutters under his breath as his bmw roars down the street. “i’ll get on my knees if i have to. maybe not in public, but like…if it comes to that.”

meanwhile, you’re trudging through the dimly lit hallway of your apartment complex, the bus ride home having sucked every last ounce of life out of you. your feet ache, your bag feels heavier than ever, and your faith in men has plummeted to new depths. he didn’t even call back. the audacity, you think bitterly, fumbling for your keys. wasn’t i just defending international law men this morning? god, i’m so stupid.

you’re too busy cursing geto to notice the looming figure leaning casually against the wall by the elevator—sukuna. he smells like croissants and cigarettes, an objectively weird combination that somehow works when it’s him. his uniform—a black button-down rolled up to the elbows and an apron slung lazily over one shoulder—is dusted with flour. “yo,” he greets, his voice low and gravelly as always. you freeze mid-step, praying you don’t look like a drowned rat after that miserable commute. “uh, hey.”

“late night?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow as he takes in your obvious exhaustion. “something like that,” you mumble, trying not to sound as annoyed as you feel. sukuna’s sharp eyes flick to your bag. “bus, huh? thought you were too fancy for public transport these days. what happened to prince charming?” oh great. just what i needed, you think, rolling your eyes internally. “prince charming is currently on my list,” you snap, more to yourself than him. “yikes.” sukuna lets out a low chuckle, his smirk infuriatingly smug. “guess mr. perfect isn’t as perfect as you thought.”

“okay, first of all,” you shoot back, “i’m not having this conversation with you. second, why do you even care?” he shrugs, clearly unbothered. “i don’t. just funny to see you slumming it with the rest of us peasants.” before you can muster a witty retort, the sound of rapid footsteps echoes down the hallway. you both turn just in time to see geto rushing in, his tie slightly askew and his expression one of pure panic.

“there you are,” he blurts, skidding to a stop in front of you. his eyes dart between you and sukuna, his brows furrowing slightly. “oh, now you show up,” you say, crossing your arms. “did you have fun ghosting me for two hours?”

“wait, i can explain—”

“can’t wait to hear this,” sukuna mutters under his breath, earning a glare from you.

geto runs a hand through his hair, his words spilling out in a rush. “i got stuck at my internship, and they don’t let us use our phones— stupid rule, i know—but i swear i tried to get to you as fast as i could. i even broke, like, five traffic laws. maybe six.” you narrow your eyes, unimpressed. “and that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

“no! i mean, yes! i mean…” he groans, clearly flustered. “look, i’m sorry. really. i’ll do anything to make it up to you. please don’t be mad.” sukuna snickers, leaning back against the wall. “wow. anything, huh? bold move, law boy.”

“can you not?” you snap at sukuna before turning back to geto. “fine. you can start by explaining why my calls didn’t matter enough for you to pick up.”

“they did matter!” geto insists, his voice rising slightly. “i swear, if i could’ve answered, i would’ve.” sukuna snorts, muttering, “sounds like excuses to me.”

“dude, seriously?” geto snaps, finally losing his patience. “guys, enough!” you cut in, throwing your hands up. “i’m too tired for this. suguru, if you’re really sorry, you can start by leaving me alone for the rest of the night.”

geto’s face falls, but he nods reluctantly. “okay. yeah. i’ll go.” as he turns to leave, sukuna shoots you a smug grin. “guess prince charming isn’t so charming after all.” you groan, pinching the bridge of your nose. 

-

you’re sprawled out on your couch in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, mr. pickles perched on your chest like some kind of feline overlord. her tail swishes back and forth, slapping your face occasionally as if she’s judging you for your life choices. can’t even secure a law student, her gaze seems to say. and honestly? fair. lanas haunting voice croons “the other woman” from your speaker, because of course your brain thought this was the perfect soundtrack to your misery. who is the other woman, his degree? you wonder, staring blankly at the ceiling while mr. pickles kneads your collarbone with zero regard for your comfort. maybe it’s the un charter. maybe she’s prettier than me. you groan, picking up your phone to scroll aimlessly, only to see it light up with a string of notifications. it’s geto.

geto: hey. geto: i’m so sorry, seriously. geto: please don’t hate me. geto: gojo cat is crying.

and there it is, a picture of gojo cat edited with comically large tears streaming down his face. you snort despite yourself.

geto: i can explain. geto: the internship is evil. geto: satan himself probably drafted those treaties. geto: and i had to read them all. geto: sorry :((((

you roll your eyes but feel your lips twitch. the messages keep coming.

geto: look, i even made a playlist called “my apologies” to make it up to you. geto: song 1: sorry by justin bieber. geto: song 2: call me maybe by carly rae jespen. geto: song 3: i’m a fool by cee lo green.

you’re this close to laughing when another message pops up.

geto: please forgive me, i’ll do anything. geto: i’ll even let mr. pickles sit in the bmw.

now you’re grinning. typing back, you send:

you: door’s unlocked.

the next sound you hear is heavy footsteps thundering down the hallway above. you blink. “he’s running,” you mutter, barely containing your laughter. within seconds, there’s a knock at your door, and when you yell for him to come in, the door swings open to reveal a completely disheveled geto. his hair’s a mess, his suit jacket is halfway off his shoulder, and he’s panting like he just ran a marathon. “you’re serious about leaving your door unlocked?” he breathes out, a hand on the doorframe for balance. “why are you out of breath?” you ask, trying not to laugh. “you live one floor up.”

“sprinted,” he replies, straightening up. “priorities.”

mr. pickles hops off your chest with a disgruntled meow, sauntering over to sniff him. she gives a little approving chirp before settling down by his feet. “even mr. pickles forgave me,” he says, grinning like an idiot. “so, am i forgiven?” you lean back into the couch, trying to look unimpressed. “you sent me a justin bieber song.”

“a classic apology move,” he counters, stepping closer. “and gojo cat cried. that’s how sorry i am.” you roll your eyes but hold out your hand. “fine. you’re forgiven.” he takes your hand, pulling you up from the couch into his arms without hesitation. “good. because i’m never missing another ride again. next time, i’m picking you up in advance, like a whole hour early.” you snort. “you’d probably park outside my window and text me to hurry up.”

“absolutely,” he says, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “i’ll even bring coffee. and croissants.” mr. pickles lets out a loud, approving chirp. ah, love.

-

it did feel a little ridiculous, the way you were sprawled on top of geto on your couch, both of you tangled together in a heap of limbs. but neither of you seemed to care. he had one arm slung around your waist, keeping you steady, while his free hand lazily traced circles on your thigh. you were lying chest to chest, close enough to feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat under your cheek. "you know," he said, voice slightly muffled as he buried his face in your hair, "if i ever screw up like that again, i’m giving mr. pickles full authority to end me. claws out, no mercy." you lifted your head to meet his gaze, one eyebrow raised. "oh, she’d do it too. and with that belly of hers, she’s got some extra power now."

as if on cue, mr. pickles let out a loud, approving purr from her spot at the other end of the room, delicately grooming her very pregnant self. her tail flicked in what you could only assume was satisfaction at being included in this hypothetical revenge plot. geto chuckled, his hands tightening slightly on your waist. "there you have it. mr. pickles as judge, jury, and executioner. i’m officially terrified." you smiled, tracing the line of his jaw with your finger. "as you should be. she takes no prisoners."

“and neither do i,” he murmured, his tone dipping as he tilted his head up to kiss you. the shift in mood was sudden but not unwelcome. his lips pressed against yours with the kind of determination that made you forget how to breathe for a second. his hands slid to your hips, holding you in place as he leaned back against the cushions, taking you with him. "you’re really trying to prove a point, huh?" you teased, breath hitching as his grip tightened. "i don’t think words are enough," he said between kisses, his voice low and smooth. "actions speak louder, right?" and speak they did. his hands wandered lower, firmly grabbing the soft curve of your ass, earning a surprised squeak from you. "suguru," you warned half-heartedly, though your hips involuntarily shifted against him. he grinned up at you, the picture of smug satisfaction. "what? i don’t hear you complaining."

“yet,” you shot back, but your body betrayed you, rolling your hips again as heat pooled in your stomach. "thought so," he said, voice dipping into a near growl. his hands guided your movements, holding you steady as he kissed you again, deeper this time. it wasn’t just apologetic; it was hungry, desperate, and laced with a promise to make up for every missed second. mr. pickles, ever the unbothered queen, yawned loudly from her perch. apparently, the impending chaos was none of her business. 

things were absolutely peachy—literally and figuratively—because there you were, straddling geto on your worn-out couch like it was the most natural thing in the world. his tie had been discarded somewhere (you’ll probably find it wedged under the couch cushions next month), and his usually crisp shirt was wrinkled beyond salvation.  his hands, warm and firm, roamed over your thighs and hips, eventually settling on your ass, which he seemed determined to commit to memory with the way he kept squeezing. it was flattering, really. all those squats and lugging around mr. pickles’ oversized carrier had not gone unnoticed.

“you’re really into this, huh?” you teased between kisses, nipping at his bottom lip just to feel the soft hitch in his breath. he grinned against your lips, shameless and unrepentant. “what can i say? i’m a man of taste.” his hands squeezed again, making you jolt slightly. “and damn, this is a masterpiece.”

“oh my god, suguru,” you groaned, half-laughing, half-mortified. “you sound like a bad rom-com character.” he tilted his head back, letting out a deep, rumbling laugh that made your stomach flip. “hey, i call it like i see it. can’t help it if i’m honest.”

“yeah, well, your honesty’s about to get you kicked off this couch,” you shot back, though your hands betrayed you, sliding up his chest to cup his face. “oh, c’mon,” he said, leaning up to kiss you again, softer this time, like he was trying to remind you exactly why you hadn’t kicked him out yet. “you’d miss me too much.” and then, because suguru geto couldn’t let a moment of peace exist, he smirked and said, “besides, you’re the grandma of the house. gotta respect my elders.” you froze, pulling back just enough to stare at him with a look that could melt steel. “excuse me?”

“grandma,” he repeated, entirely too pleased with himself. “you know, since you’re mr. pickles’ mom and all. technically makes you—”

“i swear to god, suguru,” you interrupted, cutting him off with a sharp pinch to his side that made him yelp. “do you have a death wish?”

“what? it’s a term of endearment!” he tried, though his laughter betrayed him. “you’re lucky i like nerds,” you muttered, but your lips betrayed you, curving into a reluctant smile as you leaned down to kiss him again. “lucky indeed,” he murmured, hands finding their favorite spot once more. mr. pickles, meanwhile, let out a loud, judgmental meow from her perch, as if to remind both of you who really ran this house.

and geto? geto was panicking. like, full-blown, internal monologue of doom panicking. sure, he looked calm on the outside—well, except for the faint pink creeping up his neck and the way his hands were starting to tremble just a bit against your hips. but inside? oh, it was a mess.

he loves ass. he loves your ass. in fact, he loves you. and while those three facts should be enough to keep him focused and confident, they were doing the exact opposite. because—plot twist—he hasn’t exactly been in the game for a while. “okay, breathe, suguru,” he muttered to himself under his breath, trying to keep his cool as your hands idly played with the collar of his shirt. but your superwoman instincts picked up on everything , and your raised brow as you looked down at him only made things worse. “you good?” you asked, voice soft and teasing, but laced with genuine concern. “yeah, totally,” he replied too quickly, clearing his throat like that would erase the way his voice cracked. “i’m just—uh. just, you know... thinking.” you tilted your head, watching him with that infuriatingly cute little smile that made his stomach flip. “about what? you’re usually a lot smoother than this, geto.”

“oh god, i’m blowing it,” he groaned, letting his head thump lightly against the back of the couch as he finally let the words tumble out. “it’s just... it’s been a while, okay? i’m out of practice or whatever, and now i’m worried i’m gonna, like, disappoint you or something. and that grandma joke? yeah, that was supposed to kill the mood so i could avoid all of this.” you blinked at him, caught between laughter and disbelief. “are you serious right now?”

“painfully.” he sighed, running a hand through his hair, his other hand still planted on your hip. “you’re amazing, and i just... i don’t want to mess this up.” for a moment, you just stared at him, and he could feel himself shrinking under your gaze. but then, the smile that spread across your face was nothing short of wicked. “oh, suguru,” you murmured, leaning down so your lips brushed against his ear. “you have no idea what���s coming, do you?” his breath hitched as your hand slid down to the buttons of his shirt, popping one open with a practiced ease that made his heart skip a beat. “w-what do you mean?”

“i mean,” you said, voice dropping to a low, sultry tone that sent shivers down his spine, “i’m about to make sure you never, ever doubt yourself again. you’re gonna be too busy thanking me to think about whether or not you’re ‘out of practice.’”

he swallowed hard, trying to think of a coherent response, but all that came out was a strangled, “uh — okay.”

“good,” you said simply, shifting your weight and sliding down his lap. and as he looked down at you, wide-eyed and completely at your mercy, one thing became crystal clear to suguru geto: he was absolutely, 100%, in over his head.

-

diva down? diva down. the diva in question being you.  you, the self-proclaimed diva of the century, were currently on your knees, ready to turn suguru geto’s jittery, bashful energy into something far more relaxed—well, if relaxed meant completely wrecked. and honestly? you were thriving. “oh god,” geto let out a breathless laugh, raking a hand through his loose hair as he looked down at you, his cheeks pink and his eyes hazy with anticipation. “you don’t have to—”

“stop,” you cut him off with a teasing smirk, fingers already working on his belt with the precision of someone on a mission. “don’t ruin my moment, suguru.” he laughed again, that soft, breathless kind that made your stomach do flips. “right, wouldn’t dream of it.” as you slid his belt free and popped open the button of his slacks, you couldn’t help but notice how his chest rose and fell just a bit faster, the faintest hint of nerves lingering in his gaze. “you good up there?” you asked, giving him a little grin. “y-yeah,” he stammered, licking his lips. “just... uhh, taking it all in.”

“oh, you’re gonna be taking a lot more than that in a second,” you teased, tugging at his slacks. he groaned, tipping his head back against the couch as he laughed again, but he still lifted his hips eagerly to help you slide the fabric down. and holy shit.  those slacks had been doing a lot of heavy lifting, and now, with them out of the way, you were faced with undeniable proof that suguru geto was not just hot, but also packing. “damn,” you muttered, your eyes widening just a bit as you took him in. “what?” he asked, his voice tinged with nervousness, but also curiosity. “nothing,” you said quickly, though your smirk betrayed you. “just... wow.”

“wow?” he echoed, his brows lifting.

“wow,” you confirmed, leaning in closer. “you’re full of surprises, huh?”

he chuckled softly, his hand coming down to rest gently on your cheek, his thumb brushing over your skin in a way that was almost too sweet for the situation. “i could say the same about you,” he murmured, his voice low and warm. “oh, suguru,” you said with a teasing lilt, your hands bracing against his thighs as you leaned in, letting your breath ghost over him. “you have no idea.” and as you finally got to work, suguru let out a sound that was half laugh, half moan, his head tipping back as his hand slid into your hair. yeah, it was definitely going to be a long night—for both of you. and honestly?

bless men raised by their mothers. or at least men who respect women beyond a surface level, because suguru geto? he was proving himself to be a certified sweetheart even with his brain turned to mush. "god, you're...you're so good at this," he babbled, voice pitched just enough to send a shiver down your spine. "like—ohhh, fuck—you’re perfect. seriously, i don’t know how—fuck—you’re even real."

you couldn’t help but smirk around him, though the sheer earnestness in his tone was making your head spin. suguru wasn’t just moaning—no, he was giving you a running commentary like his life depended on it. and honestly? the mix of his praise, his ridiculous vocabulary, and the raw honesty of his reactions were doing more for you than you cared to admit. "shiiit, babe," he groaned, his hand tightening in your hair as his hips shifted just slightly, like he was trying to hold himself back. "you’re incredible. so... so fucking—god, you’re beautiful." you hummed against him, letting the vibrations travel through him, and the broken moan he let out in response was almost enough to make you moan.“i—fuck,” he stammered, his free hand clenching and unclenching on the couch cushion as though he was trying to ground himself. “i can’t even—fuck, you’re amazing. you know that, right? like, amazing.” 

it was ridiculous, really. this level of detailed, horny babbling shouldn’t be hot, and yet, suguru’s desperate, unfiltered honesty was doing a number on you. you’d kiss him if your mouth wasn’t otherwise occupied. “you’re gonna—oh fuck, you’re gonna ruin me,” he rasped, his words punctuated by a low, shaky laugh. “like, actually. no coming back from this. you’re—shit—so perfect, babe. i don’t even know how you’re real.” you glanced up at him briefly, catching the flush on his cheeks and the dazed, almost reverent look in his eyes. he looked wrecked already, and you weren’t even close to finished. yeah, men raised right were a blessing. and suguru geto? he was living proof.

suguru was going to cry. or die. or both. maybe at the same time. because when a simple, god-loving, god-fearing man like him thought of you—his girl, his love—his mind didn’t stop at the surface. no, it wandered far, far into the future. he dared to dream big: marriage, a nice house with you, gojo cat and mr. pickles running the place with their eventual brood of kittens, and maybe, if he let himself get really carried away, a kid or two of your own. but this? this was not in the script. not the way he imagined this happening, not this soon. was he complaining, though? no, not one bit. still, suguru couldn’t shake the way his brain was short-circuiting. what if you thought this was weird? not the moment itself—because, holy shit, this moment was unreal—but the way he couldn’t control the ridiculous rambling bubbling out of him.

“god, you’re... you’re gonna be the death of me,” he stammered, his voice breaking slightly as his hand tightened on the couch cushion beneath him. “seriously. i’m done for. you’ve—fuck—you’ve got me wrapped around your finger. literally, figuratively... h-hell, every way there is.” he let out a shaky laugh, his other hand brushing the edge of your jaw, his touch featherlight like he was afraid he’d break you—or worse, wake up and find out this was all a dream. “you have no idea, do you?” he murmured, his tone softening even as his breaths came uneven. “how much i—fuck, how much i love you.”

that admission was supposed to stay locked in his chest, hidden away alongside the future house and the diary full of thoughts he would probably never admit aloud. but there it was, laid bare in the open. his throat tightened as he watched for your reaction, his heart pounding in his chest like it was trying to break free. his mind raced with every possibility—what if you thought he was moving too fast? what if this ruined everything?

you were going to die. or cry. or both. maybe not in that order, but the emotional whiplash was real. because while you were—let's face it—giving the performance of your life, suguru geto had the audacity to play the wildest card in his hand: he told you he loved you. the words hit you like a sucker punch, making your brain screech to a halt. you paused, pulling him out of your mouth with a slick, obscene pop, a strand of spit still connecting the two of you as you gaped at him like he’d just told you the earth was flat. “wait, what?” your voice was hoarse, a little breathless, and full of disbelief. your hands remained steady on his thighs, but you weren’t about to let that slide. “say that again.”

suguru blinked at you, his flushed face half-covered by the messy curtain of his hair. and yet, somehow, he still looked every bit the breathtaking dork you fell for. “i... i said i love you,” he mumbled, his voice soft, but you could see the telltale signs of his nerves in the way his hands fidgeted at his sides. oh, you knew you won now. your lips curved into a sly, wicked grin, your heart pounding in your chest for reasons that had nothing to do with what you were doing moments ago. “good,” you said simply, your voice low and teasing, before brushing your thumb over his hip bone in a way that made him shiver. “because i love you too, suguru.” the way his eyes widened, his chest hitching in disbelief, was almost enough to undo you completely. but you weren’t done. oh no, not by a long shot.

you leaned in again, doubling down on your efforts with a newfound determination, your mouth warm and eager as you took him back in. this time, you didn’t hold back, letting him feel just how much you meant those words. the soft noises tumbling out of him turned into broken, desperate moans as you let him slide deeper, letting him bump against the back of your throat with a confidence that made his hips jerk. “holy—fucck, baby, ” he gasped, his voice trembling as his hands instinctively tangled in your hair. “you’re—oh my god—i can’t—”

and just like that, he was gone. the way his body tensed, his hand gripping the back of the couch like a lifeline, was all the warning you got before he tipped over the edge, his release hitting you with an intensity that left him trembling beneath you. you pulled back slightly, swallowing and smirking as he looked down at you with dazed, love-struck eyes, his chest heaving. “you okay there, lover boy?” you teased, wiping your lips with the back of your hand as you crawled up to straddle him. he groaned, dragging his hands over his flushed face, but even through his embarrassment, you could see the adoration shining in his gaze. “you’re going to be the death of me,” he muttered, but the small, lovesick smile on his lips said he wouldn’t have it any other way.

somewhere in the tangled chaos of his mind, suguru was thinking about reciprocity in customary international law—something about how states are expected to treat each other in kind. why this popped into his head as he helped you up from your knees, he had no idea. maybe his brain was short-circuiting from everything that had just transpired. or maybe it was just his nerdy coping mechanism for the sheer intensity of what was about to go down. either way, he shelved the thought because all he knew—clearly, distinctly, and beyond a shadow of a doubt—was that you needed help. erm, his girl needed help. and suguru geto? he was nothing if not a gentleman. “alright, up you go,” he said, his voice warm and teasing as he hooked an arm around you, effortlessly lifting you.

before you could even fully process what was happening, he threw you over his shoulder like you weighed nothing, carrying you to the bed. “oh my god, suguru!” you squealed, smacking his back, but there was no real heat behind it. " shh, this is for your benefit,” he said, laughing softly as he adjusted his grip. and with a surprising amount of precision for a man who had just been thoroughly flustered minutes earlier, he tossed you onto the bed. somehow, miraculously, you landed gracefully—no awkward angles or unflattering positions. before you could catch your breath, suguru was already yanking down your pajama shorts, his movements sure and deliberate. his hair, still a little messy from your earlier efforts, framed his face as he looked down at you, his dark eyes filled with a mix of affection and hunger. you smirked, propping yourself up on your elbows. “you know, if you’re really feeling sorry, there’s one thing you could do.” his brows raised, intrigued. “oh? what’s that?”

“sit down,” you said casually, leaning back against the pillows. “because i’m sitting on your face.” suguru froze for half a second, and you could swear you saw his soul leave his body. but then he let out a low, almost reverent laugh, his hands already sliding up your thighs as he knelt onto the bed. “you’re killing me,” he muttered, his lips curving into a grin that was equal parts adoring and wicked. “but if you insist…” and as he settled himself beneath you, looking up at you with pure devotion, he thought to himself—if he had a ring right now, he’d propose without a second thought.

sit on his face? seriously? where the hell did that confidence come from? because let’s be real—have you ever sat on someone’s face before? no? yeah, that’s what i thought. so it really serves you right for hovering over suguru’s face in the most awkward, hesitant way possible after you practically tore your underwear off like a woman on a mission. and suguru, bless his sweet, sweet soul, was waiting so patiently. expectantly, even. until he let out this deep chuckle—low and warm and way too sexy for your own good—and before you could spiral any further into overthinking, he reached up and yanked you down onto his face. oh. OH. there was no time to process, no moment to think, because suddenly the same mouth that usually went on and on about laws, treaties, and whatever international nonsense was now french kissing your cunt like it was his one true calling in life.

you moaned—loud and borderline pornographic—but could you really help it? suguru groaned against you, the vibrations shooting straight through you as his grip tightened on your thighs, holding you firmly in place like he had absolutely no plans of letting you escape. you tried. god, you tried to play it cool. tried to pull a geto on him with a little bit of horny babbling of your own, figuring he’d appreciate the effort. but every time you so much as opened your mouth to string a coherent sentence together, suguru would double down on his actions—his tongue flicking or curling in ways that had you seeing stars—and whatever you’d been planning to say vanished into the void, replaced by high-pitched whines and breathy moans.

“suguru—oh my god—”

he hummed in response, the sound smug and almost teasing as he looked up at you from between your legs, his dark eyes practically glowing with amusement and pride. “you talk too much,” he mumbled against you, the words muffled but clear enough to make your face heat up. and honestly? you’d be offended if he weren’t so goddamn good at what he was doing.

geto was putting in the work. the work. and you? you were trying not to cry or completely lose your mind, but if you did, you had a sneaking suspicion he’d love it more than anything. the man had a thing for drama—especially if it was drama he caused. but in the middle of all this face-sitting, tongue-lapping, thigh-gripping madness, you noticed something else.

geto was hard. painfully so. the sight of him below you was already sinful enough, but the way his erection strained against his boxers, twitching every time you moaned his name, was almost too much. his response time to recover was unreal—maddening, even—but considering it was you on top of him, you liked to think you deserved the credit. and since a wise saying says to love your neighbor as yourself, you decided to help a man out. literally. your hand snaked down between you two, wrapping around his length with a touch that had him freezing for a split second. “what are you—oh, fuck, ” geto choked out, the sound muffled against your thighs as you yanked down his boxers and started stroking him.

he let out a garbled groan and—you couldn’t make this up—spat. he outright spat onto your cunt, the hot slickness dripping between your folds, and you? you loved it. the move earned him a sharp gasp, followed by a breathless laugh as you sped up your hand, squeezing him just enough to draw out those pretty whines you loved so much. “oh my god, suguru,” you teased, voice shaky but teasing nonetheless. “did you just—?”

“shut up,” he grunted, his words nearly swallowed by a low moan as you swiped your thumb over his tip. “you’re the one—fuck—driving me insane right now.” and judging by the desperate way he buried his face against you, tongue moving feverishly as his hips bucked into your hand, you’d say he was enjoying this just as much as you were. but the real kicker? when you came, your body instinctively pressed down against his face, your thighs squeezing tight enough to almost cut off his air supply. geto didn’t complain. not once. if anything, the muffled groan against your cunt and the way he jerked against your hand as he came told you he’d gladly die like this if it came to it. but luckily for both of you, you lived to tell the tale.

once the both of you had managed to throw on some semblance of clothing, clean up, and collapse into the bed, that’s when reality hit geto like a brick wall. what. the. hell. just happened. as he laid there, his arm slung lazily around you, your soft breathing against his chest, his brain decided now was the perfect time to spiral. he glanced over at mr. pickles, who sat perched on the counter in the kitchenette, her tail flicking in judgment. the cat looked like she was debating calling the authorities on him for defiling her beloved owner. oh god. what does this make the two of you?

no, scratch that. the real panic set in when he remembered: he told you he loved you. not in some subtle, cute, roundabout way either. no, it was the full-blown, l-o-v-e type of confession. the kind he wrote about in his secret diary he kept under his bed. the kind that implied white picket fences, shared dreams, and a life together. and judging by the way you were pressed against him, one leg draped over his, your fingers tracing lazy circles on his bare chest (because yes, the formal shirt had been entirely ditched), you were either about to let him down easy or...

oh god.

“you okay?” your soft voice snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts, your hand pausing its movements as you tilted your head to look up at him. he cleared his throat, his cheeks flushing. “uh, yeah. yeah, totally fine.” you squinted at him, your lips twitching like you were trying not to laugh. “you sure? you’re looking a little... out of it.” well, there was no way out of this now. in all his dorkus glory, he blurted out the dreaded question:

“so, uh... what are we?”

the words hung in the air for a second, and geto wanted to melt into the mattress. but instead of laughing or teasing him, you smiled, your expression soft and fond. “what do you want us to be?”

“i mean...” he swallowed hard, trying to sound casual and failing miserably. “i said i loved you, so... maybe something serious?” you grinned, pressing a kiss to his chest. “good. because i’m not letting you go after that performance, lover boy.” and just like that, geto decided he could die happy. even if mr. pickles never forgave him.

chapter 6: the class you’ll never forget

geto woke up feeling like the main character in some rom-com where everything had finally fallen into place. the sun was shining directly on his face, his skin was clear, the tension that had been tying his muscles in knots for weeks was gone, and most importantly, there was you snuggled up next to him. your soft snores were music to his ears, and mr. pickles' contented purring from her nesting area completed the picture. everything was perfect. except for the yeowling.

it started faint, like the distant sound of a car alarm, and grew steadily louder. groaning, geto rubbed his face. “what the hell...?” he suddenly bolted upright, realization hitting him like a freight train. “oh no. oh no, no, no.” you groggily stirred beside him, blinking up at him in confusion. “what’s wrong?”

“gojo,” he groaned, flopping back against the pillows dramatically. “i left him alone in my apartment last night. he probably thinks i’m dead.” you blinked, then snorted. “that’s dramatic, even for a cat.”

but geto wasn’t joking. he’d seen gojo cat throw tantrums over him leaving for ten minutes to grab milk. this? this was abandonment on a grand scale in the eyes of the overly dramatic feline. as if on cue, the voice of your landlord, yaga, boomed from the other side of the door. “keep that cat quiet, or i’m calling animal control!” you gasped indignantly, sitting up. “excuse me! mr. pickles would never—”

“it’s not mr. pickles!” geto groaned, already throwing on his pants. “it’s my overly theatrical—”

just as he was about to open the door to go upstairs, a loud thud echoed from the direction of your fire escape. the two of you froze.

“what was that?” you whispered.

geto peeked out the window, his jaw dropping. “oh my god. no.”

there, perched precariously on the fire escape outside your window, was gojo cat. his tail swished furiously, and he was glaring through the glass like he had just tracked his runaway owner down on sheer willpower alone.

“he... jumped from my window to yours.”

“that’s, like, one story up!” you exclaimed.

“i know!”

gojo cat let out another ear-piercing yeowwww! that sounded suspiciously like he was cursing geto out in feline language. “okay, okay , i’m coming!” geto sighed, sliding the window open to let the cat in. gojo cat pranced inside with all the dignity of someone who had just won an olympic gold medal, ignoring you entirely as he hopped onto geto’s torso and began aggressively kneading his shoulder. “i’m sorry, okay?” geto muttered. “i didn’t mean to abandon you.” gojo cat meowed smugly, his forgiveness conditional.

“so... how mad would you be if i told you yaga still thinks this is mr. pickles’ fault?” you asked, biting your lip to hold back a laugh. geto groaned, flopping back onto the bed, gojo cat still perched on his chest. “this is my life now. cat dad, tenant offender, and boyfriend to the world’s most beautiful woman.” you grinned, kissing his cheek. “and don’t you forget it.”

gojo cat, ever the drama queen, was about to make a grand display of his wrath, his tail swishing like an emperor preparing to deliver a royal decree. but then, he saw her.

mr. pickles. lounging in her nesting area, belly round with her impending litter, she cast him the most witheringly judgmental side-eye known to catkind. it wasn’t even subtle. her disdain radiated like heat off asphalt, and for a moment, gojo cat’s indignant rage faltered. but then, like the suave rogue he believed himself to be, he straightened up, puffed out his chest, and strutted toward her with a confidence that could only be described as delusional. it was all tail flicks and exaggerated steps, as though the very floor beneath him had the privilege of bearing his paws.

and then—smack. the grand feline tumbled, face planting into the ground with all the grace of a wet noodle.

you tried to stifle your laugh, but the sound still slipped out. geto choked back a snort, muttering, “that’s my boy.” mr. pickles, however, did not laugh. no, the dignified queen merely let out a single approving chirp, a sound that might have translated to "pathetic, but amusing." gojo cat, undeterred by his embarrassing mishap, rose with renewed determination. and with the kind of courage that made you question if he had a screw loose, he approached mr. pickles once more, his intentions clear.

“no way,” you whispered.

“he wouldn’t,” geto added, equally mesmerized.

but he did. gojo cat, in what he undoubtedly believed was the ultimate gesture of love, began grooming mr. pickles. grooming her. and she let him.

for a moment, you thought she was going to swipe at him with all the fury of a hormonal mom-to-be. but no. she actually closed her eyes, her purring like a soft motor. it was... surreal.

“did we just witness the biggest romance of the century?” you asked, genuinely baffled. “bigger than us?” geto teased, pulling you closer. “way bigger,” you deadpanned.

as you both watched the unlikely duo share their moment, you couldn’t help but laugh. gojo cat was clearly putting his all into his attempt at love, and mr. pickles? well, she looked like she was actually enjoying it.

“ah, love,” geto sighed dramatically, resting his chin on your head. “even dumber than us,” you added, shaking your head in disbelief.

-

you were on cloud nine, feeling a level of peace and contentment that only came from having a hot law nerd boyfriend and a cat with enough sass to rival gojo cat himself. geto's bmw hummed quietly beneath you as the two of you cruised toward campus. it wasn’t just the morning coffee kicking in; it was the knowledge that if this man dared to be late—even by two minutes—mr. pickles would end him. like, not even metaphorically. she’d leap on him, claws out, and make him regret. because mr. pickles loved his hair. she loved kneading it, curling her paws into his long, luscious locks as if claiming her personal throne. and honestly? you got it. if you were a cat, you’d do the same. hell, even as a human, you’d do it (and did, regularly).

as he pulled into the parking lot, the goodbye routine began. “don’t forget to text me when your class ends,” he said, already pulling you into a warm hug. “don’t forget to pick me up, or we’re breaking up,” you countered sweetly, earning a laugh from him. “you’re scary, you know that?” he teased, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face. “and you’re my very gorgeous, very whipped boyfriend,” you shot back, leaning up for a kiss. he wouldn’t dream of ghosting you—not when you were this beautiful, amazing, kind, and, obviously, a little unhinged. as he opened your door and helped you out like the true gentleman he was, he insisted on walking you all the way to the front entrance. his hand rested at the small of your back, a gesture that had you swooning even as you teased him.

“you do know you’re going to be late, right?”

“worth it,” he replied with a grin, bending down to kiss your cheek. but just as you were about to part ways, a booming voice shattered the moment.

“GETO! LAW STUDENTS BUILDING! NOW!”

you both turned to see a very exasperated professor waving frantically at him from across the quad. you couldn’t help but laugh as geto sighed, muttering under his breath about how “love is a battlefield.” he gave you one last kiss, muttered a promise to pick you up later (or else), and jogged off. you watched him go, smiling like an idiot as you whispered, “ah, love.”

the day started fine. better than fine, actually—you left geto’s bmw with a kiss and the knowledge that your cat, mr. pickles, was safe and sound in her nesting area, glaring at gojo cat with the fury only a pregnant feline could muster. but halfway through your lecture on post-modern feminist theories (a riveting topic, truly), your phone buzzed. it wasn’t a normal notification. no, it was the cctv feed suguru had installed as a “gift” to keep an eye on your “queen” (read: your absolute dictator cat). and there she was—mr. pickles—kneading her nesting area with an urgency that sent a chill down your spine.

“oh. oh no. oh dear god.” you whispered, staring at the screen as she let out a war cry that could only mean one thing: grandmahood was happening. you shot up from your seat so fast your desk screeched against the floor. “is everything okay?” your professor asked, startled by your abrupt movement.

“uh, yeah! just — cat emergency! she’s — uh — giving birth!” you stammered, already halfway out the door.

“congratulations?” someone in the back called out, earning a round of laughter you had no time for.

you sprinted through campus like a woman possessed, your backpack bouncing behind you as you cursed yourself for not realizing mr. pickles’ morning mood wasn’t jealousy but labor. and then—because fate had to test you—geto appeared, casually strolling toward the law building with his usual unbothered grace. “babe?” he called out, watching you bolt past him like you were auditioning for the olympics. “no time to explain!” you yelled over your shoulder. he frowned, putting two and two together because, let’s face it, the man’s a genius. “is it mr. pickles?!”

“YES!”

and then he started running behind you.

“suguru!” you wheezed, already out of breath. “GET YOUR CAR!”

“why?” he shouted, effortlessly keeping pace with you.

“because we’re running across a campus that’s like thousand acres and I WILL DIE!”

he paused, muttering something about how you were so dramatic, before pivoting on his heel and sprinting toward the parking lot.

you barely made it to the main road before suguru’s bmw skidded to a stop beside you.

“get in!” he barked, throwing the passenger door open.

“i swear to god, if she starts delivering while we’re stuck in traffic —”

“she’s not gonna start without you,” he said, rolling his eyes.

“cats don’t work like that, suguru!”

“well, neither do women, but here we are,” he shot back, pulling into the driveway of your building.

you bolted out of the car, taking the stairs two at a time while suguru trailed behind with all the urgency of a man who knows he’ll be the one cleaning up whatever mess awaited. when you burst into the apartment, mr. pickles was mid-contraction, glaring at you like, finally, my useless human has arrived. gojo cat, meanwhile, looked terrified, hovering at a safe distance as if he was considering calling 911. “okay, okay, we’re here!” you panted, dropping to your knees beside mr. pickles. suguru followed, looking at the scene with wide eyes. “do...do we call a vet?”

“no! she’s got this. we just have to support her!”

“support her how?”

“i don’t know! emotional support?”

“she’s a cat!”

mr. pickles let out a low growl, silencing suguru’s protests. “okay, okay, i’ll shut up,” he muttered, backing away slightly. the door creaked open, and there stood shoko, still in her scrubs and sporting the exhausted yet curious expression of someone returning from a night shift only to walk straight into chaos. “what’s going on here?” she asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. you barely spared her a glance as you clutched suguru’s arm. “mr. pickles is in labor. it’s a whole thing. prayers are appreciated.”

“prayers?” she scoffed, stepping closer. “i’m a doctor. i got this.”

relief washed over you. “thank god, shoko! we could use an actual professional!”

but the moment she peeked over the edge of mr. pickles’ nesting area and caught sight of a tiny kitten halfway out, her calm demeanor shattered.

“OH MY GOD, WHAT IS THAT?!”

“what do you think it is?” suguru deadpanned, visibly unimpressed. “i don’t know! i didn’t sign up for this!” shoko shrieked, stumbling backward and holding her hands up as if warding off an unholy demon.

you blinked at her, utterly dumbfounded. “aren’t you a doctor?”

“a human doctor! this is nature gone rogue! ”

mr. pickles, clearly unamused by shoko’s dramatics, let out a low, guttural growl that sent the so-called professional scurrying back to the doorway. “you’re on your own,” shoko muttered, lighting a cigarette like the events unfolding in your living room weren’t directly her problem. meanwhile, gojo cat, always the overachiever, decided he needed to help. unfortunately, his idea of help involved attempting to paw at the nearest kitten. “don’t even think about it!” suguru warned, his voice laced with exasperation.

but it was too late—mr. pickles, mid-contraction, turned her fiery gaze on gojo cat, who froze like a deer in headlights. one wrong flick of his tail, and mr. pickles let out a feral hiss that could have sent shoko back to med school. gojo cat, realizing he had crossed the line, slinked back to the corner, tail tucked between his legs, his usual swagger replaced with what could only be described as embarrassed defeat. “well, that’s one way to keep him in line,” you muttered.

“this is insane,” shoko said, still watching from the doorway. “how do you people live like this?”

“we manage,” suguru replied, his tone completely void of humor as he massaged his temples.

the next hour was a whirlwind of cat screams, your whispered words of encouragement, and suguru pacing like an expectant father in a sitcom. “should we name one after me?” he asked at one point, earning a glare from both you and mr. pickles as she finally let out one final push, and another tiny kitten entered the world. you let out a relieved sigh, and suguru finally cracked a smile. he was crouched beside you, holding your hand as if you were the one giving birth. “you did amazing,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to your temple.

“she did amazing,” you corrected, motioning to mr. pickles.

“team effort,” he replied with a grin.

and as mr. pickles began cleaning her newest babies, shoko muttered from the door, “you’re all insane. call me when it’s over.”

“you’re the godmother, shoko!” you called after her, earning a muffled string of curses as she disappeared down the hall.

“we’re gonna need so much cat food,” he muttered, pulling you close.

ah, the miracle of life.

-

a few weeks had passed since d-day—delivery day, or as suguru had renamed it, “domestic chaos day.” the kittens were growing faster than you thought possible, transforming your once peaceful apartment into a battlefield. mr. pickles ruled the roost with an iron paw, while gojo cat’s ego took a daily beating as the kittens bested him at every turn. every time one managed to leap higher, run faster, or swipe his tail just right, his tail would puff up in indignation like a furry balloon. you’d managed to rehome a few of the kittens, starting with shoko.

her kitten—affectionately dubbed “roach” for her uncanny ability to survive despite zero effort—was the perfect match. low-maintenance, unfazed, and perpetually napping. shoko had initially protested, but now you’d catch her sending you pictures of roach curled up in her sink or casually perched on her liquor cabinet.

then there was yuuji. poor, sweet, persistent yuuji. he’d campaigned harder for a kitten than some politicians do for office. the boy went through hoops — begging you, suguru, choso, sukuna, and even mr. pickles. you weren’t sure how he’d pulled it off, but eventually, he was deemed worthy of a black-and-white troublemaker he promptly named “gumi.” the kitten adored yuuji and spent most of his time riding on his shoulders like a parrot, though you suspected yuuji let him get away with far too much.

sukuna, on the other hand, had reluctantly taken the runt of the litter after it refused to leave him alone. “don’t need some damn cat,” he’d grumbled the entire way home. now? the tiny kitten followed him everywhere, even sneaking into his apron pockets after he came back from work. he pretended to hate it, but the soft grumbles about “stupid runt” were always followed by careful, protective pats on the kitten’s tiny head.

but the biggest surprise of all came when suguru decided to make your relationship public—on linkedin. linkedin, of all places.

it had started as a joke. you’d teased him about not “properly asking you out” after all this time, and before you knew it, he’d crafted a three-paragraph-long post about you. “in a comitted relationship with the love of my life, and no, this isn’t a humble brag — it’s a masterpiece,” he’d typed with the fervor of a man defending his dissertation. the post included references to romantic literature, quotes from classic movies, and, somehow, a detailed analysis of how mr. pickles and gojo cat played pivotal roles in your story.

you’d wanted to die of second-hand embarrassment, but the post blew up. colleagues, professors, and even strangers commented, congratulating the two of you. “you’re insane,” you’d told him, hiding your face in his chest as he laughed. “insane about you,” he replied, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

life wasn’t perfect — it was loud, chaotic, and occasionally overwhelming. but with mr. pickles, gojo cat, and your ridiculous yet lovable boyfriend, it was better than you ever imagined.

feline parenthood? best decision ever.

[letsgoletsgetit08]

two is better than one

summary: Yunho walks in on you and your boyfriend, Mingi. Where things go next is beyond your wildest dreams.

warnings/tags: MDNI!, 18+, explicit, smut, free use, head pushing, creampie, unprotected sex (it's safe here, but please use protection!), threesome, spanking, light dom/sub, au non-famous, mingi is a pussy king

pairing: dom!song mingi x sub!fem!reader x dom!jeong yunho

author's note: Yungi is living in my brain rent free lately. I want two boyfriends and I want my boyfriends to be boyfriends and

ao3 link: two is better than one

word count: 4.2k

two is better than one

It wasn't the first time Mingi had picked you up and caged you in on the kitchen countertop. Situating himself between your open thighs, tongue quickly finding its way inside your parted lips, sparring with your own, breath coming in heavy. Soup on the stove turned to low, forgotten momentarily - the two of you had become very suddenly hungry for something else entirely during your dance party in the kitchen as dinner was cooking. A slow song had come on and your need had become palpable. A small gasp as he hoisted you up. You're tall, soft curves but athletic and he made you feel light as air.

His mouth moved to your neck as his hand found its way down the front of your satin pajama shorts, fingers swiping up your already wet folds, beginning their familiar dance with your throbbing clit.

You were both so absorbed in the moment that you hadn't heard the front door unlock, and therefore didn't stop when Mingi’s roommate, his best friend, Yunho, started to walk past the kitchen. You gasped when you saw him, his cheeks going red, but his gaze was unmistakable as he watched Mingi’s fingers begin to plunge inside of you, eyelids going heavy, the subconscious flick of his tongue across his bottom lip.

"Oh, sorry-" Yunho said after too long of a pause to be innocent.

Mingi didn't pull his fingers out, but slowed his hand, turning his head ever so slightly so he could see Yunho from behind him, pausing as he assessed the new tension in the room. Yunho turned to go, and a soft whimper escaped your mouth.

"Yunho." Mingi's voice was low, laced with a dark lust, "I don't think she wants you to go." His fingers resumed their ministrations as you watched Yunho's ears turn red, his right hand flexing by his side before he turned around to face you.

"Oh?" He said, still a little shy, but his demeanor was quickly changing in front of you as he began to approach, "And that's okay with you, Mingi?"

"Whatever my girl wants." Mingi growled, his thumb finding your clit as he beckoned his fingers inside of you. "Is that what you want, baby?" Mingi asked, lips ghosting over the tender skin of your neck.

You swallowed, "Is that... okay?"

Mingi laughed, his voice husky, "Angel, if I had been bothered by how I've seen Yunho look at you since we started dating, I would have said something by now." He pulled back, his expression going softer as he checked in with you, "Hey, you can say no, it's okay. If it were anyone else I wouldn't be down, but I trust Yunho." He said it so softly, just for the two of you to hear, that your anxiety quickly eased. He caught on quickly, "But if you want this," His hand started moving slowly again, "I think it would be very hot."

Yunho was devouring you with his eyes as this conversation happened. You would be lying if you said it hadn't crossed your mind. Mingi and Yunho were practically extensions of one another at this point. Nearly twins in height and build. Your hips bucked involuntarily at the thought of it, "Yes," You gasped as Mingi reacted immediately, his fingers resuming their original pace. "Fuck, yes. I want this."

Yunho was there in three long strides, sidling up beside Mingi, your hand coming to his waist in greeting as his hand came up to carress your face.

"Hi there." He breathed, his thumb tracing gently across your bottom lip, "God, you're even more stunning up close."

You tried to respond, the words, "Thank y-" falling into a moan as Mingi added another finger, no longer just trying to get you off for fun in the kitchen, you realized, but prepping you to take him. Or Yunho. Or both.

"Mmh, is Mingi making you feel so good, honey?" Yunho's other hand found its way underneath your shirt, knuckles grazing your nipples through your lace bralette.

You gasped at the sensation, but couldn't quite answer. Mingi pulled off of your neck, "Don't be rude, baby. Answer Yunho like a good girl."

"Y-yes-" You inhaled sharply as Yunho rolled your nipple between his long, deft fingers - fingers attached to beautiful hands you had admired on more than one occasion, clocking them to be the same size as Mingi’s.

"What a good girl." Yunho growled into your ear, "Can I kiss those pretty lips now?"

"God, yes, Yunho, please." You all but begged, barely getting the words out before his lips were on yours. It was a different sensation than you were accustomed to with Mingi, more gentle, taking his time to explore before they became more urgent, is tongue licking across the seam of your lips, moaning in satisfaction as you allowed him inside. You pulled back to warn Mingi, "I'm so close-"

He kissed your cheek, "You can come when Yunho tells you to, cutie."

A look you had never seen before - possessive and domineering - passed over Yunho's face as he smiled, "You think you can be good and do that for me, sweetheart?"

"Yes, sir." You tried the formal title, just testing it out. Mingi didn't care for it, preferring hearing his own name, but based on how Yunho moaned quietly at your words, you surmised it was the right move.

"Such good manners, y/n." Yunho whispered, lips grazing across your jawline as both hands occupied your breasts, kneading them softly as you fucked Mingi’s hand, "You've trained her well, Mingi."

Mingi hummed, "Mmh, barely had to, she has always been so sweet for me." His free hand found the back of your neck, providing stability as you were becoming weak to their touch.

Yunho tweaked your nipples, making you gasp. He was loving this so much, "Well, then I think she deserves a reward, don't you?" He nipped your earlobe lightly with his teeth.

Mingi added more pressure right where you needed it, "Yes, definitely. I wanna see my baby's pretty face when you tell her to come on my hand."

"Please, Yunho." You begged, sweat beading on your forehead, so close to the edge, walls quivering as you threatened to fall apart.

"Very well," Yunho pinched your nipples once more, "Go ahead and come for me, darling."

His words were all you needed, not knowing whose name to say as you clenched around Mingi's fingers, settling on a near-delirious cry of pleasure instead.

"That's my good girl." Mingi praised as he worked you through it before removing his fingers.

"So responsive," Yunho took Mingi’s hand - the one that had just been inside you - into his own, guiding it up to his lips, "Can't wait to hear it again when you're coming on my cock." He didn't let you respond before he was sucking Mingi’s fingers into his mouth, licking them clean of your essence. Mingi moaned at the sensation and heat curled in your abdomen as you watched them. "Mmh," Yunho pulled off, "I don't know how you ever keep your hands off her, Mingi."

"I don't." Mingi laughed. You smiled at how true it was. You found it impossible to keep from touching one another, and most days ended with Mingi’s head between your legs at minimum. He was a bit of a fiend. But you liked it. You had given him free access to you months ago, making your IUD work overtime with his insatiable appetite and propensity for finishing inside. 

“I'm lucky.” You preened. 

Mingi and Yunho corrected you at the same time, "I'm lucky.” “He's lucky.” 

The three of you couldn't help but laugh and you felt yourself feeling extremely fond of your boyfriend and his best friend. 

Yunho's eyes turned darker once again as his hands found your waist, looking at Mingi to ask, “Bedroom?” 

Mingi nodded, his gaze taking in every inch of you, “Let's go.”

You were about to hop down off the counter but before you could even move an inch, Yunho was tossing you over his shoulder like a sack of flour, arms wrapped around the backs of your thighs, pinning them to his chest. 

“Mmh,” Mingi grabbed a handful of your partially exposed ass cheek as it was now eye level up by Yunho's head, “I could get used to this sight.” 

Yunho placed you gently onto the middle of Mingi’s bed. The two of them looked at each other, standing close by the side of the bed, then turning to look at you, Mingi speaking first, “Do you think we should give her a little show?”

Yunho smiled, reaching for the hem of Mingi’s shirt, highlighting what the man had meant, “Whatever your princess wants.” 

“Yes, please.” You simpered from your spot on the bed. 

You wondered briefly if they had done this before, and judging by the way Yunho grazed his fingers over Mingi’s hip bones, looking like he knew exactly the reaction it would elicit, you assumed they had. Yunho pulled Mingi’s shirt over his head, kissing down his neck as Mingi reached for his shirt in turn. Pants were next, then they finally gave you what you wanted, the thing causing you to soak through your already wet underwear, closing the distance as their mouths fell on one another's. It was almost lewd how they licked at one another, messy and so fucking hot. You whimpered pathetically, wanting to touch yourself so badly at the sight of them making out in only their underwear, which were tented with matching massive erections. You had assumed Yunho was packing but the confirmation had your hands twitching towards your inner thigh instinctively. Mingi caught you from the corner of his eye, pulling back from Yunho's embrace, “Aw, my poor baby.” He removed his boxers and crawled into bed behind you, “Come here, Yunho, our sweet little y/n needs some attention.” 

Our. The word made your breath hitch. The implication that this could turn into something more permanent drove you wild with desire. Both of them. Mingi was more than enough, better than you had ever dreamed, all on his own. But if Yunho was interested and Mingi was open… you had to push the thought from your mind as Yunho finally revealed his beautiful flushed cock - maybe slightly longer than Mingi’s, but it was splitting hairs - and crawled into bed, situating himself between your thighs, finally removing your shorts and underwear as Mingi released you of your shirt, laying down beside you so he could kiss you and tend to your pert nipples with his mouth as Yunho's head plunged down between your bent knees, no fanfare needed as he started making out with your slick folds, his tongue lavishing your dripping hole before moving up to suck on your pounding clit. He came up for air, “Fuck, you taste incredible, honey.” 

His face was glistening with your arousal and you felt your hips buck absentmindedly at the sight of it, “Thank you, Yuyu.” You smiled coyly, feeling yourself blush at the compliment. His eyelids fluttered at the nickname.

Mingi's mouth popped off of your breast, “Show her what your fingers feel like, Yunho.” 

“My pleasure.” He kept his eyes on yours as his graceful fingers began toying with your aching clit before slipping down and diving into your eager cunt. 

“Fuck, Yunho-yah!” You cried. 

He was already working your clit with his tongue again, humming in amusement to your reaction. 

Mingi watched your eyebrows knit together in pleasure, fingers skimming your face to remove the sweaty strands that had fallen onto it, clearly entertained at the knowledge that you weren't far from releasing. “Yunho, I know she tastes amazing, but I think she wants the real thing, don't you, jagi?” 

“Yes, god, yes, please Yungi.” You had combined their names on accident in your altered state. 

“‘Yungi'” Mingi chuckled, quoting you, fond as ever, “That's cute.” He reached backwards, grabbing the lube (the edible kind, of course) out of his bedside table drawer, “You just got tested, right, Yunho? My baby likes to take it raw.”

“I did, I'm clean. I can pull it up on my phone if you want-” Yunho offered but you cut him off.

“No, I trust you, please just fuck me, Yunho-yah. I need you inside so bad.” You were begging but it didn’t cross your mind at all to feel embarrassed about it, especially given how hungry Yunho looked when he heard you whine his name. 

He applied the lube Mingi handed him. Not that you really needed it, but he was quite large, so you wouldn't say no to a little extra help. 

“Gonna fuck you so full, sweetie.” He stroked his leaking cock as he positioned it at your entrance, “Can't wait to see it leak out of you.” He started pushing inside, the stretch felt almost overwhelming but you let yourself relax into it. 

“Then I'm gonna fuck it right back into you.” Mingi added, lips skimming your jawline, laughing softly as he saw your eyes roll back at the sensation, “Look at you, peach. Taking him so well.” 

Yunho finally seated himself fully, buried to the hilt, unable to resist rocking his hips immediately, “Fucking hell, honey. You feel amazing. So goddamn tight.” He glanced up at Mingi, “How do you not cum immediately every time? Jesus Christ.” 

Mingi chuckled, “Lots of practice.” His fingers traced down your flank and over to your clit, “Just wait until you feel her come on your cock. You'll never want anyone else again.” 

Your back arched off the bed as Yunho's movements gained momentum, gasping as he damn near hit your cervix. “Mmh, what was that, kitten? Does someone like it rough?” 

Mingi’s fingers matched Yunho's pace, “I could answer that for you but I think y/n should tell you.” He gave you a look that you read easily as him asking if you were still okay. You answered them both at the same time, “Yes, you can be a little rough with me. Please, Yunho.” Your hips bucked, matching his motion, “Put me in my place. Spank me if you want. Use me.” 

Yunho's pace picked up some more, “Fucking hell. Safe word?”

“Rosemary.” You and Mingi answered at the same time. 

And without any further ado, Yunho pulled out, flipped you to your stomach, hitched your hips up so you were on your knees, and took you from behind all in one go. Mingi had to readjust slightly, kneeling in front of you instead, so your head wasn’t bumping into his. He pet your hair lovingly, “So lovely like this, baby.”

“Why don’t you say thank you for the compliment by letting Mingi fuck that pretty pout of yours, darling?” Yunho’s cock was filling you so perfectly, dragging along your walls everywhere you needed him. You couldn’t manage anything more than a whimper in response. 

Yunho tsked, “I asked you a question, y/n.” His palm came down sharp, leaving a slight sting on your ass cheek. Your ass was nothing to scoff at, one of your best features, especially if you asked Mingi (and he was one to talk), but you couldn’t help but notice just how many square inches of skin were stinging from Yunho’s large hand. 

“I’m sorry,” You whined, lost in the sensation, “I’m sorry, sir.” You glanced down at your boyfriend’s delectable cock, a shiny pearl of precum sitting at the tip, begging to be licked up, “Yes, please let me taste you, Mingi.” 

Yunho leaned forward, grabbing your hair into his fist and guiding your head down, “Open wide, princess.” 

You were glad for all of the throat training Mingi had been doing with you as you began to swallow him down, licking all his sensitive spots as you went. “Mmh, god, your mouth was made for me, wasn’t it, baby?”

You hummed in acknowledgement, gagging slightly as you felt him hit your soft palate. 

Another sharp spank, “Sorry, I wasn’t spanking you for gagging, I just couldn’t resist. I don’t think you realize how hot it is when your ass jiggles like that.”

You almost laughed at his words, it was funny, with him having been so calm, collected, and dominant just a minute ago, you were reminded that at the end of the day, he's still just a horny 20-something year old man. 

Mingi’s hips bucked, bringing you back into the moment, “Look at you, baby. Taking both of us so well.” 

Yunho began fucking you genuinely then, his hand helping guide your head up and down Mingi’s length as the two of them did their best to match each other’s rhythm. 

Yunho’s other hand found its way around your front, toying deliberately with your clit. You whined at the sensation and it sent them both reeling. 

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum. Let go of Mingi so I can hear you scream my name, jagi. He needs to finish inside this pretty pussy anyways.” 

Mingi pulled out and Yunho let go of your hair, moving his hand to your throat instead, his fingers loose but still possessive.

“Yunho, I’m so close-” You managed. 

“Come with me,” His fingers picked up in speed, matching the pistoning of his hips, “Fuck, y/n-”

His hips stilled, cock quivering inside you as he pumped you so full that the excess spilled out around him. The sensation drove you over the edge, too, your walls clenching around him, milking him absolutely dry, calling out, “Yunho-yah!” Just as promised.

“Oh, that’s my good girl.” Mingi praised you as he watched, halfheartedly stroking himself. 

Yunho steeled himself after he worked you through your orgasm, pulling out and falling to the bed beside you rather than collapsing on your back, which you were grateful for as you laid back down, muscles spent from being in that position. 

“Holy hell.” Yunho panted, “I might be an addict.” 

Mingi chuckled as he moved from behind you, laying on your other side, “Join the club,” He kissed your temple, “You got one more in you, baby? You know I hate to stop before three.” He turned your head towards his face, kissing you sweetly on the mouth, mumbling on your lips, “Wanna clean up Yunho’s mess and then fuck it right back into you, sweetheart.”

You were nearly spent, but you craved your boyfriend so bad you thought you might cry, “Yes, please, Mingi. I want you.” 

Mingi maneuvered himself so he was bracing on top of you, kissing down your neck, “Plus, Yunho didn’t get to see your face when you came and he’s really missing out.”

Yunho kissed your cheek, “Can’t wait to see how good Mingi makes you feel.” 

Mingi kissed his way down your torso before you finally felt his tongue begin to lap up Yunho’s cum from your drenched core. “Mmh, you taste amazing even mixed with him.” Mingi praised before resuming the task at hand. His tongue was slow, almost lazy. Not focused on bringing you an orgasm so much as it was just exploring you, despite the fact that you knew he had you mapped out very well. Your hips started to rock slowly as his tongue fucked your tight hole, his nose providing the perfect amount of pressure on your clit. 

He pulled off and sat up, reaching down to apply lube to his achingly hard cock. You knew he wouldn’t last long, not after practically being edged earlier, but you were glad for the lube anyhow, especially given how hard Yunho had fucked you with his massive dick. 

Yunho’s hands traced lazy patterns over your expanse of skin, kissing you anywhere he could reach, almost absentmindedly, clearly just enjoying taking in the view. 

Mingi pressed in slowly, not having to do much as your cunt sucked him in with practiced ease. He let out a low moan, “Fuck, yes. There’s my girl. You were made for me. Take me so well.” 

“Feel so good, Mingi.” You sighed, your hips matching his pace perfectly, a dance you had danced together many times. He pressed your knees towards your chest, folding you in half to get the exact angle he knew you needed and so he could kiss you while he fucked into your sweet spot. 

Yunho’s fingers found your clit once more, helping you along as you and Mingi careened towards your releases. The sound your bodies made due to how wet you were was downright pornographic. 

“Mingi,” You moaned, “Gonna come, baby.” 

You knew he was close, too, knowing well the look on his face as he watched himself spear you over and over again. He looked up to meet your eyes, “Go ahead, baby. Let me have it.” 

This orgasm rolled over you slowly. Warm waves of pleasure rocking through your body. Incomprehensible pleasure, full head-to-toe shivers, your hands grabbing on to whatever they could reach, one on Mingi’s waist, the other on Yunho’s thigh. 

“Goddamn.” Yunho was mesmerized as he watched you, “You’re otherworldly.”

“She’s perfect.” Mingi grunted, hips bucking a few more times to ensure you had enough stimulation to give you a nice prolonged peak, finally letting himself go as he felt your aftershocks slow. “Fuck, y/n, baby-”

“Mmh, Mingi-” You loved how he felt when he came inside you. Filling you with warmth as he spilled his seed deep inside. The twitch of his cock against your walls at his release. It was heaven. 

“Feel better now that you’ve been bred by both of us, honey?”

You knew you couldn’t get pregnant, but the thought of it - being claimed by both of them in that way, was so goddamn hot to you. “Yes, sir. Thank you. S’ good.” You could barely make words come out of your mouth. Completely spent. 

Mingi pulled out, falling back to his spot beside you on the bed, caressing your face with his hand, “That’s our good girl.” 

“Mmh,” You hummed happily, “‘Our’ girl.”

Yunho chuckled, “I think she likes that.”

Mingi kissed your cheek, “She can have whatever she wants as long as she’s mine. I wouldn’t share her with anyone else, though.” 

“No, only Yuyu.” You sighed, reaching blindly for contact with him. 

“Only Yungi for our girl.” Mingi recalled the name you had coined accidentally earlier. 

Yunho kissed your temple, “Our girl.” 

After lots of cuddling and sweet talking to one another, you remembered the soup from earlier and given that you were all spent and starved, you dressed and filed into the kitchen to eat it. 

Somewhat out of the blue, Mingi looked at you and said what was on his mind, “Y/n. Move in with us.” 

Yunho perked up, “I love that idea.” 

“That wouldn’t be… too much?” Your cheeks flushed, embarrassed by how excited the thought made you. 

“No, baby, it would be perfect. Your lease is up next month anyway, right?” Mingi knew he was right. 

“It is.” You nodded. 

“We’d love to have you. And not just for the sex.” Yunho smiled, “I, for one, really like you as a person. And obviously Mingi does, too.” 

“I love my baby as a person.” Mingi corrected him. 

“Plus, you practically live here already.” Yunho laughed. 

You didn’t have to think about it. Really, you had been hoping Mingi would offer soon as your lease end date approached. “Okay, yeah. If you’re sure, I’d love to.” 

“Will we be including Yunho in our… arrangements?” Mingi quirked an eyebrow at you, smile tugging at the corner of his pretty plush lips, “You can think about it, of course.”

“What arrangements?” Yunho looked between the two of you.

You felt your cheeks go red, “Um, we have a free use agreement.”

“Free use?” Yunho wasn’t quite understanding. 

Mingi cleared his throat, “There’s finer details we’ve worked out, but basically I’m allowed to take, use, fuck - whatever verbiage you want to use - y/n any time I want her without needing to ask. She of course can stop me any time, it’s not like a rape kink or anything.”

“It’s just kinda hot knowing it could happen any time and it takes the anxiety out of it for me, weirdly enough.” You hid your face in your hands, feeling bashful all of the sudden. 

Yunho’s hand reached over and stroked your wrist, “Hey, no, don’t be embarrassed, cutie. I get it. It sounds hot as fuck. We can discuss it after you move in-”

“No.” You looked up at him, knowing already what your answer would be. You found it too hot to be at their mercy as it was, “I want it. If you’re both comfortable.” You swallowed at how aroused you were getting at the mere thought of it, “I want you both to be able to use me any time you want.” 

Mingi looked at you with stars in his eyes, “How the hell did I get so lucky.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth.” Yunho gaped at you, practically salivating. 

The three of you shared Mingi’s bed that night, not wanting to be away from one another quite yet. You awoke the next morning to Yunho’s face between your legs, pajama shorts pulled down your thighs, already having worked you halfway to an orgasm. Mingi stroking your chest lazily from beside you. 

Two boyfriends were definitely better than one.

[megamindsecretlair]

Make Me Weak, Part 2

Pairing: Sex Therapist!Terry Richmond x Sub!Black!Fem!/ Plus Size reader

Warnings: 18+, Minors DNI, You are in charge of your own reading experience. Intentional use of AAVE. Cursing, mentions of depression, anxiety, and description of sex acts and sexual issues. Hair pulling, PIV, condom use. Power imbalance, Shy!reader. Dark!Terry. Dom!Terry, AU Terry, all consensual. Sorry if I missed some. I'm not a therapist and while I do not make light of therapy, this is purely for my own fun. Please seek real medical attention when necessary.

Summary: You followed Dr. Richmond’s instructions to the best of your ability. You spent so much time in your mind that willingly descending into your body was an experience that opened your eyes to how much you had neglected. Your second session forces you to confront more truths than what you were ready for. 

Terry reaches some conclusions of his own as he tries to shake whatever is ailing him by disappearing between Tasia’s thighs. Yet his mind is on you, on your thoughts and words. During the second session, he can’t help but push you beyond your limit.

Word Count: 5,018k

Part 1 | Part 3 | AO3 Link

A/N: I'n back babbyyyy. I got so inspired reading so many lovely fics. Plus the encouraging asks really helped. I had TOO much fun writing this and you will not hurt my feelings if you don't want to read this one. However, I must tag to keep my taglist updated. Forgive me, my loves. Toss a coin to your blogger by leaving a comment, gif, or unhinged ask.

You

Hot steam rolled out from the shower as you set it to your desired temperature. You faced yourself in the mirror, thinking over Dr. Richmond’s words. You supposed that there was some truth to what he had told you.

Most people did start by exploring their own bodies first. It must be so easy for guys. Close the door, grab some lotion, and rub one out. Girls on the other hand…your life was constantly spent in a state of panic.

Panic that anything on your person would make your mother snap. Harsh criticisms hidden behind “just talkin’ shit” that Black people liked to hide behind. You were too sensitive to jokey-joke with when you weren’t able to reciprocate. It’s not like you could talk about your mom. It’s not like you could throw insults back in her face and tell her to take it in stride.

Panic that you could be caught or exposed at any point. You were a grown woman, yes. You were also taught to believe that you needed to act as if someone was watching. You believed there was some kind of life after all this and so wouldn’t it stand to reason that someone or something would be looking at you? Or worse, someone would come flying through your door because your family lacked boundaries? 

Panic that you didn’t know what lay on the other side of an orgasm. How would you feel? How would you look? Surely something like that changed a person. Feeling that rush of relief for the first time had to be special. Had to be amazing. Otherwise, why would anyone ever be obsessed with sex? 

Panic that you’d never reach that peak and fall over. Never feel that rush of euphoria that everyone talked about. Porn, books, friend groups. You always felt left out and you didn’t want to anymore, dammit. 

You watched yourself in the mirror as steam overtook it, inch by inch. Until you were only staring at your eyes and the disbelief written all over your face. Would this even work? Were you wasting your time? 

“I need total, focused commitment from you.”

Dr. Richmond’s sultry voice skittered along your naked skin. Goosebumps raised on your flesh from the cold air moving through the house. You would be focused. You would be committed. This was something you wanted so badly, you were fucking desperate. 

So you took deep, measured breaths using the Box method a previous therapist told you about. You inhaled for a count of four, held for four, exhaled for a count of four, and then held it for four. You repeated the process, doing a full body scan. 

You focused on your head, starting with your scalp. You focused on your forehead, feeling the tension melt away and your eyebrows start to relax. You hadn’t even realized that you had it scrunched.

You brought your attention to your eyes, unfocusing them, and allowed them to close. You repeated the process, breathing the entire time, settling down into your body when your mind wanted so badly to escape. To flee. To leave the Horrors. 

When you felt your mind drift, you didn’t chastise yourself. You continued to breathe, focusing on your breaths until you continued with your scan. Your body relaxed fraction by fraction. Your shoulders lowered from up around your neck. Aches and pains became more prominent. 

Your belly expanded and you sighed. You hadn’t even noticed how often you clenched your stomach, never allowing yourself a full breath. You always had to be on edge. Never knew where the next danger was coming from. What new fresh hell you would encounter just around the corner. 

By the time you reached your feet, you felt more relaxed than you had in a long time. Your body prickled with your newfound awareness. Steam caressed your bareskin and you quickly hopped in the shower, letting the warm water cascade across your body.

The water felt different on your body. Each droplet may as well have been a tiny earthquake, popping all over your skin and making you tingle. This…wasn’t too bad. 

You lathered up your facial scrub and gently moisturized your face, soothing the stiff areas. Your jaw popped as it loosened and you moaned from the relief. 

How long? How long have you spent outside of your body? A stranger to it? A foreigner to this vessel you carried around? Had you truly loved your body when you were so alien to it? Or had you just learned to layer on the armor and pretend? 

God, you felt like crying. With one session, Dr. Richmond already had you re-thinking your entire life. Like the answer was there in your face the entire time and you just needed him to shine a light on it. 

You rinsed your face while you grabbed a washcloth and lathered up with your favorite soap. You added body wash and then took your time trailing the washcloth around your body. Starting with your neck, you worked your way down to your chest. 

You took your time feeling the rough cloth against your smooth, watery skin. You rounded the washcloth across your nipples and they beaded under the slow torture. Oh, this was new. This was very nice. 

You were focused, letting the water act as a sound machine, lulling you into a further relaxed state. You followed the washcloth with your hand, moving over and under your areolas and nipples. You pinched your nipples and gave it a tug. You gasped from the responding tug in your pussy.

You moved on, remembering Dr. Richmond’s words about not making it sexual. But fuck, how could you not? 

Heat flushed beneath your skin that had nothing to do with the hot water on your body. You washed your back and then moved lower, skirting your throbbing pussy and washed your legs and dug the cloth between your toes. 

On the way up, your fingers glided around your mound, your hips pushing forward. Your breathing turned rapid, feeling yourself getting more and more excited. Your brain turned to mush, retreating from your actions. Like it wanted to picture something else. You shook your head, and started up with your Box breathing again.

You stopped mid-shower to reorient yourself and get yourself back into that zone of ultimate calm. If Dr. Richmond were there…

You focused on what he might say. There was no rush. There was no rulebook for this sort of thing. There was no reason to chastise yourself. There was no test to pass or box you had to check in order to achieve an orgasm. You just needed to relax, dammit. 

Slowly, achingly slow, you went back to that calm. You continued lathering up your body and then rinsed the soap off. You repeated the process, adding more soap to thoroughly wash your body. To enjoy the feel of the cloth and water and soap on your skin. On your body. 

“This is the only body you’ll ever have so it’s time to think beyond simple body maintenance. Admire your body.”

This was the only body you would ever have. It was time you stopped treating it like the enemy. 

You turned off the water and then got out. The chill air hit the water on your back and you shrieked and shivered, quickly drying off. You went through your nightly routine, taking care of your teeth, face, and deodorant. You sat down on a decorated stool in your bathroom to apply your lotion.

As instructed, you looked at your body. Every mole, every scar, every bump, and every wayward hair. Being in your body was weird to say the least. You had to disassociate to survive your childhood and you never learned to drop those defenses. Your body never realized that it wasn't at war anymore. Or perhaps it was and this was battle fatigue. You were so damn tired.

You massaged the lotion into your skin and then slipped in your panties. You pulled on an ankle bracelet you got while visiting New York once and it made you feel extra pretty, so why not. You turned on your bedside light and pulled out a notebook.

You started a new entry and wrote about the sensations and revelations you experienced. Some of it you would discuss with Dr. Richmond and some of it was never leaving your grave. It felt good to get it all out, uninterrupted.

Sometimes, venting to someone else just gave them room to talk over you. To steer the direction back to them. Brooklyn was like that. In an effort to relate, she ended up taking over the convo and made it about her situation. Then you ended up comforting her about her issue and never feeling truly heard about yours.

In a journal however, you pretended that you were just relaying it to a friend. The type of friend who allowed you to speak. To get your jumbled thoughts out without getting mad or trying overshadow you. 

Done, you collapsed against your bed as if every ounce of strength left your body. You breathed through it, allowed your body to rest for a moment. The hell kind of voo-doo shit did your therapist put you through?

Immediately, warning bells went off in your mind. Surely, you would be whisked away to some super important task around the house. Surely, your phone would ring with some awful accident you had to attend to. Surely…nothing. You were drained. You had nothing. 

You had just enough energy to put the journal up, turn off the light, and drift off to the deepest sleep of your life.

Terry

Tasia bounced like a porn star on Terry’s dick and it wasn’t doing a damn thing for him. He felt himself getting soft the more Tasia shuddered with her pleasure. At least one of them was having fun. 

Maybe he rushed this. Too intent on getting you out of his mind that he hopped immediately into Tasia’s warm heat and didn’t consider that there was no substitution. He knew it was irrational to be drawn to you so fast. After only one session. He was conflicted on that front, but it went beyond just looks. 

Your case, your assessments, your willingness to try, and your obvious smarts was a cocktail shooting through his veins and turning his body liquid. The perfect sub was dropped into his lap and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

And as a man used to getting his way in the bedroom, it stuck in his craw that he couldn’t have you. That it wasn’t your pussy that his dick disappeared inside of. Would you moan loudly? Were you shy in the bedroom? Were you enthusiastic? 

What would your mouth look like taking the full length of him? How far down could you suck him? Did that same determination translate to the bedroom?

Tasia grunted beneath him as his dick rose back to life, thoughts of you turning him harder than a brick. He could build a house with how hard he was at the moment, picturing the curves on your body. The natural handles in your waist for his big hands to wrap around. To hold.

He moaned, picturing it all so clearly. His thumbs would dig into your back. The sounds you would make. His hips jerked just thinking of pounding into you. No mercy. You weren’t some fragile flower. Your insightful thoughts were like a mirror to his own. He wanted to explore with you. And the fact that he couldn’t had him pulling Tasia’s hair back.

“Call me Dr. Richmond,” he commanded.

“Yes, D-Dr. Richmond,” Tasia moaned. It was starting to piss him off. 

“Softer,” he said.

“Yes, Dr. Richmond,” she said, bringing her voice lower, softer. It was nowhere near your voice, but it’d do for the fantasy he concocted in his head. He didn’t have time for any extra tricks tonight. He just needed to get to the other side of his nut. 

He closed his eyes and thought about your case. He wondered if you were doing as you were told. He wondered how well you would take commands in the bedroom. If he even had to give commands at all. If you’d instinctively know what he needed when he needed it. Tasia used to know that. Tasia used to have him out of breath. 

Now…she was a beautiful girl with deep mocha skin, a cute face, and wide expressive eyes. She was like a little doe in a meadow somewhere. He was attracted to the overall softness of her and of her body. The natural way she seemed to know what he needed. 

Perhaps it was him that had changed. His tastes. He was no longer interested in a casual sub-relationship. Perhaps he wanted a more permanent sub. One he could explore every single nasty fantasy with and never get bored. He was getting older, getting into his early-thirties without a significant partner.

And that was what he wanted. A partner. An equal. Someone he raced home to see or spent his days thinking about how he would break her and put her back together like a puzzle box. 

Terry groaned and came into the condom, gripping Tasia’s asscheeks for dear life. It was one of the hardest climaxes he ever experienced. His release triggered hers, causing her to fall forward as her pussy gripped his dick. 

He pulled out and immediately disposed of the condom, coming back to help clean up Tasia. 

“That was…different,” she said, using the word in place of something else. He didn’t want his reputation to slacken in that regard, but hell, this whole thing had been a mistake. He still made sure she came twice before he did, but he usually put more oomph into his sexual exploits. 

He usually had Tasia popping her pussy on his face, or contorting her like a pretzel. Now…he was just over it. Over trying to impress someone that wasn’t permanent in his life. That he couldn’t play with whenever he wanted. He was no longer excited at the prospect of making many women cum. He just wanted to make one cum over and over again. He wanted to collect each one like trophies. 

Terry grabbed Tasia’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Forgive me. Tonight should’ve probably been a gym night,” he said. He smiled for good measure, but it was a close-lipped smile.

“Oh, I’m not complaining. That dick still know how to rock my world,” she said. She stood up, pulling on her sweats and sweatshirt, and slipping on her sneakers. He sat down on the bed and watched her, not feeling an ounce of desire. 

She leaned over and grabbed his chin, making him look up at her. “You take care of yourself and whatever or whoever got you in this funk. And if you need more relief, you know my number,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said with another close-lipped smile. Tasia had been one of his longest play partners, he’d be sorry to see her go. She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek, showing herself out. 

Terry sat in his fancy bedroom in his fancy house, staring at the empty archway Tasia disappeared through. His mind and body told him that he was ready for something more. Something tangible. Something he could hold and never let go. He only hoped he found it soon.

You

You clutched your journal to your chest as you sat in Dr. Richmond’s office. Nothing about it had changed except the man himself. He chose to wear a cream colored outfit. A soft, oatmeal colored sweater and khaki pants with white sneakers. His gold rimmed glasses flashed every so often from the light overhead and you couldn’t help catching every single thing about him. If only to distract you from your racing thoughts.

It was one thing to live in your body when you were in the comfort of your own bathroom. Your mind escaped once more, retreated to the safest place you knew. Your knee bounced with nervousness. 

“You don’t have to share if you don’t want to. This is a safe space. It’s your space. You get to decide what we do here,” he said. 

You closed your eyes to the sound of his voice. If he wasn’t so damn helpful, you’d ask for someone else. Literally, anyone else. But he was the first therapist to give you a glimpse of the other side. You wanted that more than you were embarrassed.

“No, I want to share. I need to share,” you said. You licked your lips and then cracked open your journal. You skimmed over things you didn’t want to reveal just yet. Too embarrassing for a second meeting, of course.

“I think…I think my mind is safer. I am constantly on alert that I’m “doing the right thing”, as opposed to what actually makes me happy,” you said. 

When you didn’t say anything, Terry leaned back in his seat. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing the golden brown of his forearms. Your mind emptied of any other thought until he cleared his throat. “Can you expand on that?” 

You looked up into his eyes before heat rushed to your ears. You looked back at your journal, focusing on that rather than his lush, pink lips. 

You told him more about how you reached this conclusion. That there was a standard for being Black that you never quite achieved. That at any moment, multiple mobs of people were coming for your Black card. Or, you were constantly trying to over-achieve at school. You had to work twice as hard, had to be the smartest in the class, because if you came home with a B, your mom went on a long rant about being stupid and never achieving anything real in life. Or how everyone praised you at work for going above and beyond and then got mad when you couldn’t sustain it. You were constantly on the lookout for someone else’s standard.

“I have so many fucking voices in my ear, telling me to do this or do that. And I fucking hate it. Which is wild considering that that’s what I seek in a sexual partner,” you said.

Dr. Richmond smiled and nodded. “Your mind is trying to re-contextualize your upbringing. Being submissive is actually about putting yourself in the position of power. A dom is only as good as how well he treats his sub. It’s about the ultimate act of trust on the submissive’s part,” he explained.

“Yes! And how can I trust that someone isn’t going to…take what I say or want and abuse that or make fun of me for it?” You asked. You played with the corner of your journal, not willing to look at Dr. Richmond. You didn’t need to see the pathetic pity in his steel blue eyes. 

“You have to stand resolute in what you want. You have to recognize that pleasure and sex is about give and take. Trust and acceptance. The right partner isn’t going to make fun of you, abuse you, or rush you,” he said. 

You sighed and leaned back on the brown sofa. You felt like you were chasing a unicorn. What kind of guy was willing to be dominant and care about your needs? Reassure you when you needed and took control when your body sent massive panicked waves at him? Took care of the trust you were placing in him to help you relax and cum? While also being physically attractive to you and have you be attracted to him; not a chubby chaser, not a creep, and not an abuser? 

It was impossible. Hopeless.  

“If you’re comfortable, tell me more about what you found,” he said.

You took your mind off of your dream mystery man. When the fuck was it going to be your turn? 

You scanned your journal once more, noting the sensations about actually living inside your body. “I think when I feel an orgasm approaching, I get scared. And that could be part of why I’m blocking it, but even when I’m alone, I don’t know what it feels like. Or…”

“Or…?” Dr. Richmond prompted. 

You grimaced. Fuck, this was so hard to put into words. Too hard to expose yourself like this. But did you want to reach your sixties, seventies, never having a true orgasm? Never finding your way to actual release? 

“Or, there’s no way to control the orgasm,” you said.

Dr. Richmond nodded. “The goal isn’t to control it, you know,” he said. 

“I know!” You groaned and stood up. You thought better on your feet. Or maybe when you had something to do, you were better able to regulate the jumble of emotions inside of you. No wonder your emotions were all over the place. You spent too long disassociating, too long in your mind and not enough in your body. 

“What benefit do you get from being in control all the time?” The scratch of his pen on the notebook drew your attention to him. To his pretty face, dark eyelashes, and push lips. You watched as he wrote in his notebook. Watched the lines and planes of his gorgeous face. His short curled afro. 

“If I’m in control, if I never look weak or stupid or incompetent, then I win. I win at life. And all my bullies, from school to home are all wrong. There’s nothing wrong with me because I know what to do. I know what to say. I’m not an alien,” you said, taking a deep breath at the revelation.

Whatever your insurance company was paying him, they needed to double it. You admitted things you never had in the past. Your previous therapists attacked your problem sex first, focusing on different methods you could try. Some wanted you to describe, in detail, whatever you did to get yourself off. Safe to say they weren’t practicing ever again. 

“Do you believe there’s something wrong with you?” He asked. He leaned back in his seat, giving you an unflinching stare. His face gave away nothing, revealed nothing, as you thought through his question. 

“All the fucking time. Why else do friends keep leaving me? Or guys don’t want me? Or my mom is…my mom,” you said. 

“Have you considered that you aren’t the problem?” He asked.

“How could I not be? I’m the only common denominator,” you said. You flopped back onto the couch but it wasn’t that soft. It thudded under your weight and you took a deep breath. Fuck, you wanted to cry. Tears pricked your eyes, turning them hot and itchy. You refused to cry in front of this man. 

This strange, quiet man who seemed to read you like one of the many books on his bookshelf. No wonder he had so many degrees. He could drag a full confession from a mute. 

“That may be true. But, bear with me, consider that you aren’t the problem. If you take yourself out of the equation, what are you left with?” He asked. He leaned forward on his desk and the sudden intensity of the question made your mind blank.

You had…nothing. No explanation, no back up. You were used to making yourself the problem. The issue had to be you. If it wasn’t you…

You shrugged your shoulders and looked away from him. The silence stretched on, so quiet you could hear the quiet tick of the clock on the wall. 

“Don’t shy away now, dig into it. If it’s not you, then…?” Dr. Richmond prompted. 

The question only seemed to make you clamp up. Your tongue swelled. Your throat constricted. If it wasn’t you, then what? Everyone was incapable of giving you what you wanted? Everyone just had an agenda against you? Please, that was narcissistic as hell. 

Dr. Richmond stood up from his desk and took off his glasses. He pulled out a drawer and retrieved a glass cleaner cloth. He cleaned his glasses and walked around the front of his desk.

“Consider, for a moment, that other people have deficiencies as well. That people congregate in groups because biologically, it’s safer. We seek groups to be in and when we can’t find one, we tend to think that we’re the problem. That we are outcasts, getting left out to defend ourselves. But all that means is that we haven’t found our group yet. You’re trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. You don’t belong with the squares, so no, you won’t fit in with them. 

“The same goes for sex. Everybody has their preferences. People have their kinks, their needs. When those needs aren’t meant, society teaches us to look at our own deficiencies rather than someone else’s. Perhaps the man you need sexually is far different from the men you take to bed,” he said. He waved around his glasses as he spoke, drawing attention to his massive hands. 

Seriously, they were huge. Like two lion paws that could strike down someone with one hit. He held his glasses by the frame, waving it around delicately as he spoke. You were still paying attention to his words, but fuck…he was unreal. 

“But how do I find the man that I need sexually?” You asked.

Terry

Terry inwardly groaned as you asked him that. Plenty of suggestions came to mind, each too crass to suggest. How could he tell you to go into another man’s arms? How could he send you to another man to unleash that hidden hellcat within you and he wouldn’t get to experience it? 

He needed to end this. End this before it even began. He placed his glasses back on his face and crossed a line that he never thought he would. “I think we have more work to do to adjust the way you think about sex before we get into how you attract what you’re seeking. In fact, I’d suggest you abstain from sex until we get deeper into this,” he said.

“Abstain?” You snorted and he fought a smile. Your face showed absolute disgust, like the mere thought was abhorrent. 

“Abstain. From what you’ve told me and what’s in your file, you jumped from overcoming your initial thoughts and reluctance about sex right to jumping into bed. Without really, truly exploring yourself first. Kids explore their bodies all the time right? They grow conscious of themselves and start thinking about hey, my equipment is different from someone else’s equipment,” he said.

You couldn’t help but giggle and it caused him to smirk in return. Yes, it was silly. Talking about sex was silly. But it was true. “And as you start to notice people that you’re attracted to, you start to grow conscious of hormones in your system. Brain chemistry. All the fun stuff that goes into attraction. You start to touch yourself more, explore your preferences through porn or books or experimentation.”

You cringed when he brought up experimentation. He tilted his head. “Did you go through an experimentation phase?” He asked.

You closed your eyes and sighed as if it were the last question you wanted to answer. You completely fascinated him. He had no idea what would come out of your mouth next. How you would respond to certain questions or ideas. 

He snuck a glance at the clock, he was nearing the end of the session. He flexed his jaw. This was so damn irritating. By the time you were willing to open up, it was time to end it. He wished he could carve out a month of sessions to get you to lower your defenses and let him inside. 

“No? I grew up in the wrong generation. All everyone thought about was sex and while I did too, no one was checking for the fat Black nerds unless it was a prank. And I saw everything as a prank. I was always getting pointed at, made fun of, stared at. Jesus, being exposed fucking sucks! So, no, I didn’t experiment. There was no one to fucking experiment with. 

“And it wasn’t like I could go ten feet from my mom without her up my ass about where I was going. Claiming she just didn’t want me to get snatched when all she really wanted was just to control me. To not let me end up like her. Young and pregnant,” you practically yelled, spewing way more vitriol than he expected.

He figured it was a sore spot for you by the way you grimaced, but he hadn’t been expecting…that. Again, he balled his fists thinking of every person that ever let you down. Every person that was supposed to uplift you, guide you, help you, all dropped the ball in teaching you about self love.

Every experience every kid was supposed to have was denied to you. Instead of being asked out with interest, with sincerity, boys treated it like a prank. He was wild in his youth, he wasn’t always nice to people, or he went through life like a little gremlin. But he liked to think he mellowed somewhat in high school. Treating everyone with respect. From the nerds to the jocks. He didn’t know what not trusting people’s words felt like. Like everything that someone said came laced with poisoned barbs ready to sting. 

“This is so fucking stupid,” you whispered. Your lip trembled but no tears fell down your face. 

Fuck, even now you were trying to hold everything in. Control a natural response to something painful. “When was the last time you cried?” Terry asked.

You stood up and snatched your purse and journal from the couch. “Session’s up, right?” You asked. You avoided looking at him as you rushed to the exit. The faux glass door clanged against the wall as you threw open the door and left, steps echoing on the linoleum flooring. 

He stared at the door as it lazily swung back and he wondered. And he pondered. 

Wheww, need more? The Secret Terry Richmond Files | Part 1 | Part 3

Taglist: You guys, ya'll gon make me cry with this taglist! Thank you!

@planetblaque @chaos-4baby @amethyst09 @ciaqui @we-outsiiiide

@browngirldominion @iv0rysoap @thecookiebratz @harmshake @00aijia00

@judymfmoody @multiversefanfics @tvchi @xo-goldengirl @superhoeva

@avoidthings @lovedlover @blackgurlnhermoods @flydotty @sageispunk

@semi-yah @halfreal-and-halffiction @motheroffae @melaninpov @pinkpantheris

@slutsareteacherstoo @blackerthings @dreamsinfocus @brattyfics @mermaidchansons

@monaeesstuff @henneseyhoe @blowmymbackout @charismablu @playgurlxoxo

@misskiki90 @miyuhpapayuh @satoruya @starcrossedxwriter @yamst3rdamctrl

@steampunkprincess147 @sweettea-and-honeybutter @theblacklewinsky @soft-persephone @notapradagurl

@thegreatlibraryofalex @amyhennessyhouse @hihellogoodbyebruh @becauseimswagman1

[excusemyobsessions]

A Silent Poem

Zayne x MC/You

Word count: 4700 words

Genre:  Smut, One Shot, Female MC POV

Little note: This is basically a transcript of the A Silent Poem audio, filled out with what I imagine is happening all throughout plus a little extra bit. That audio altered my brain chemistry and I really needed to get this out of my system because it was all I could think about. (Not sure if you can listen to the audio while you read it but if you try it, let me know!) Tags below!

Warnings: Explicit sexual content, sensual(?) massage, dry humping, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, creampie, pet names (baby/babe/honey/my love)

(Also posted on AO3)

Minors please do not interact.

You didn’t hear Zayne come in, nor into the house nor the bedroom.

Originally, you’d intended to wait for him, especially since you were at his house. However, exhaustion had taken over and you’d found yourself dozing off on his office chair.

After a text from him apologizing and saying he’d be home late, you’d given up all together and slipped off into bed, telling yourself you’d spend time with him in the morning. Maybe you’d make him cook breakfast.

It wasn’t all that bad, in fact. The pillow smelled like his shampoo and you found that quite soothing.

You fell into quite the sound sleep, only to be disturbed by the sink of the mattress when the weight of another body was added, and the feel of gentle lips against yours.

You stirred then.

“My apologies. Did I wake you up?”

Zayne’s hushed voice gently reached your ears and you forced open your eyes, blinking them a few times. He was smiling at you, lying next to you still in his work clothes, head propped up on his hand.

“You’re home,” you mumbled, shifting your position just a little, to face him.

“Yes, it’s been hectic at the hospital as of late. Every night I had to return home in the middle of the night…” he explained calmly, watching you get closer. “You were sleeping so peacefully. I couldn't resist the urge to kiss you.”

Over the covers, Zayne slipped an arm around you, resting his head on your pillow, his face barely a few inches away from yours. When he sighed, you could feel the warmth of his breath against your cheeks. He smelled of mints, his woodsy cologne and a faint scent of disinfectant, so characteristic after his long shifts at the hospital.

“Aren’t you tired? Go shower,” you whispered, one hand reaching out to rest against his chest.

“Let me hold you for a bit. This helps me chase away my exhaustion,” he responded.

He clearly had no intention to move for a while.

Backlit by the gentle glow of the moon coming in through the open blinds, you could see the outline of Zayne’s broad shoulders. The tension in the muscles after a long day of work.

You moved your hand higher, letting your fingers run over the line of this shoulder, up to rest on the side of his neck. You felt sorry for him, for the long hours, for how he was so busy he barely had time to relax. Such was his life, and you knew that from the start. But you couldn’t help wanting to provide a gentle place where he could relax, a warm embrace where he could rest.

“We should relax more,” you whispered out your thoughts, your fingers hooking around the nape of his neck.

The gentlest chuckle rumbled from his chest.

“We should relax more?” he repeated back, voice laced with mirth. “But how exactly… will you help me relax?”

There it was, the shift in his tone, the underlying challenge. You knew exactly where his mind had gone, yours too was directed down that same path along with his. Yet, you couldn’t help but want to mess with him just a little bit. Take away his tension before anything else.

You slipped out of the covers, hands hooking around his shoulders to push him down in the process, staying on your knees right next to him.

“You…” he let out in surprise.

The moonlight shone on his handsome features and you could see the raise of his eyebrows, the slight widening of his eyes looking straight up into yours. You gave him no time to react as your hands made quick work of the buttons of his shirt, and soon you were helping him out of it, tossing it away in whichever direction. 

You realized he was holding his breath when you finally laid your hands on his bare skin. You let your fingers hook around his shoulders, digging in your palms with just the right amount of pressure to hear Zayne let out the air trapped inside his lungs along with an appreciative hum.

“I think you need a massage, your shoulders are too tense,” you told him, your voice laced with mirth.

You dug in a few more times, working your fingers along the muscles of his shoulders, from their very edge all the way to his neck. He responded to your touch with soft, appreciative hums, his hot breathing so very audible, laced with little sighs.

“Mmm… Massage, I see…” he whispered. “I thought…”

Oh, you were aware of his thoughts.

“What?” You blinked, feigning an amount of innocence you did not possess.

You could see the sudden embarrassment wash down on him. He averted his gaze, very lightly clearing his throat.

“Ahem, never mind,” he answered.

You continued massaging along his shoulders and when you made motion to move on to his neck, Zayne lifted his head for you, letting your fingers slip around the back of his neck. You hit a very specific spot at the nape and he responded scrumptiously, with an open mouthed gasp, followed by a shuddering breath.

“My eyes aren't as tired as they were before, and my neck and shoulders feel so much better,” he mumbled, clearly lost in the feel of your hands.

You could feel one of his hands come up to rest on your thigh, the comfortable warmth and weight of it through the fabric of your pajama pants.

You adjusted your position, when your legs began to feel a little dormant from the way they were bent under you. Zayne noticed, his fingers running over your thigh ever so lightly.

“Just sit on me. It'll be easier for you,” he whispered, most deliciously.

Butterflies took off in your stomach and you could feel your breath hitch in your throat. As thoughtful as it sounded, he knew exactly what he was doing with how he lowered his voice just like that. And your body responded instantly. Like he knew just what string to pluck to drag out the most beautiful melodies.

Holding on to his shoulders, you got on your knees again and swung one leg over him, stradling Zayne’s hips. When you put down your weight on him, the delighted hum that rumbled from his chest resonated deep within you. With your legs wide open you were very much aware of your own arousal, of how wet you already were. And he was very much aroused too, you could feel the outline of his length against you, through the fabric of both your clothes.

He leaned up just a little, fitting his head right next to yours, temple to temple.

“I feel much better already,” he purred in your ear.

You had to suppress a little whimper that almost let itself loose. But he was keen on pushing you further.

“It's more effective than the strongest, most soothing medicine in the world,” he told you.

His hands moved up to circle around the back of your knees, fingers running all the way up the back of your thighs and outlining your buttcheeks. You couldn’t help the way your breath trembled out through your lips. His hands stopped at your hips.

“Your lips are dry,” he noted, “Do you want some water?”

What you desperately wanted was a caesura, a moment to collect your already fleeting thoughts.

“Will you give it to me?” you mumbled, unsure where that request came from.

Zayne chuckled, a soft and low rumble.

“You haven't learned to drink it on your own yet?” He teased you.

However, his hands did move away, onto the mattress to prop himself up, making you slip just a bit further down, straight onto his lap. No sound left him but you could see how his eyes fluttered for a fleeting moment at the shifting of position.

You watched him as he reached for the jar of water at the bedside table and poured it into a cup. Cup half full in hand, he turned back towards you.

“Here.”

With his free hand, he lifted up your chin a little bit, and led the cup to your lips. He tilted it carefully, aiding you as you took a sip of the cold water, basking in how it slid down your throat. His eyes were focused on your lips and you could feel the blood quickly rushing to your face at how attentive and intense they were.

“Steady now…” he told you when in your bashfulness you forgot how to function.

The hand that was on your chin shifted to fully grip it, between his index finger and thumb, gentle but firm, tilting your head in the right direction so the water wouldn’t spill.

But it did anyway and he chuckled.

“Don't rush, it's spilling out.”

Was he aware of what he was doing to you with that hushed tone and his firm grip? It felt so obscene you wanted to melt right there and then.

He caught part of the water that dripped down your chin with his thumb but it still dribbled down your throat.

He turned to set down the cup and you wanted to whimper at the sudden distance, as if you weren’t still very much seated on his hard dick.

“It’s a mess now, look,” you noted, lifting a hand to push your loose hair away from your wet skin.

“All right, I'll help you clean up,” he responded, turning back to you.

Big hands came up to cup your cheeks, his thumbs caressing the skin right under your eyes when your eyelids fluttered close. The lips that met yours were soft and gentle, the kiss was warm, dragged out. First he kissed your lips then your chin, right where the water had dripped down. 

“Is this what you wanted?” He teased you.

Oh, but you’d had enough of his teasing. 

You pressed your hands against his shoulders and pushed him down onto the mattress again, following the motion, keeping the distance between you. Well, in fact, you closed it further, stealing a kiss from his lips.

“I knew it… You want to do this… to me again…”

His words were interrupted by your assault, kiss after kiss stolen from his lips to which he responded gently. He held your face in place and kept you there, mouth on his mouth, breathy kisses disrupting the silence.

“You’re… taking advantage… of the situation…” you accused him, arms circling his neck.

“What do you mean… I'm taking… advantage… of the situation?” he responded, feigning an innocence he too did not possess.

What a silly thing this was, accusations and defences being let out between kisses. You couldn’t help but smile into his kisses, fingers slipping into his hair, holding him in place, against your lips.

“Aren’t we just… helping each other relax?” he reminded, still part of his defence.

Oh, but he was far from innocent. Especially with how his hands began a slow travel down your shoulders and shoulder blades, continuing further down your sides. One of his legs also lifted, knee bent, his thigh causing you to slip just a little, right onto his hard-on. He let out a shuddering breath.

“You were… helping me clean up…” you observed, letting your hands slip away from his neck, further down to rest on his chest.

It took him a few heartbeats to answer. Clearly, the weight on his lap was making it as difficult for him to think as his cock pressed up to your wet core and his hands exploring down your hips.

“Well…” He paused for a kiss. “It's clean now.”

It was said in such a matter-of-fact way that you couldn’t help but want to punish him for so much teasing. You parted your legs just a little further, adding just a little more pressure onto his lap and he responded with a long, drawn out sigh. The hand that was tracing down the contour of your ass suddenly groped at the very junction between thigh and ass and you let out the most undignified little yelp.

“...Sorry, did I hurt you?” he asked, so very gently, alarmed.

“I… was just surprised.”

The alarm in his eyes gave away to this softness that seemed to be reserved just for you. His hands moved back to your waist, a gentle but firm grip.

“It's been a long time since we last saw each other… I missed you,” he confessed in the most earnest way, so candid under the dim lights.

The moonlight traced the contours of his face, made his eyes glow in just the most beautiful way. You could see the love in them, the raw need for you.

He was being so honest, so unreserved. The butterflies in your stomach would not settle down. That or the heat between your legs.

You pushed yourself up with your hands which rested at his chest and grounded your knees. He’d lined up your hips just right with the earlier shifting of his leg so all you had to do was grind down against him. A long, slow movement, dragging your wet core over his length. You basked in how he shuddered and his breath hitched.

“Does this also need to relax?” 

There was a little smile on his face. You wanted to tear away his ability to tease you, to turn him into a little puddle of incoherent thoughts.

You ground down your hips again. The friction was delightful.

“You look so tired, I want to help you,” you told him.

You lowered your upper body again, closing the distance, barely a few inches away from his lips.

“Of course. I understand you only want to help me feel less fatigued,” he whispered, eyes glued to your mouth.

Ah, yes, that was exactly what you wanted. His eyelids slowly drooping in each movement of your hips, his breath growing heavier, the sweet sounds he couldn’t contain. His darling hums and little grunts mingled with your own little sounds, the little hums you couldn’t hide, the occasional quiet moan when you angled your hips just right. You could feel your underwear stuck to your drenched pussy.

“Different muscle groups call for specific massage techniques… Sometimes… Being skillful is what really makes a difference,” he was mumbling incoherently now, and you weren’t really sure he was aware of what he was saying.

It was awfully cute.

When he leaned up, you eagerly accepted the kiss he planted on your lips and leaned further down to deepen it. He breathed heavily against your mouth and moaned into it and suddenly your head was spinning. It was his hot kisses and the friction and how his hands couldn’t stay still and how they slipped under your shirt, feeling up every inch of skin.

“I think it's… getting more tense now,” he confessed, between a kiss.

Indeed it was. He was harder, that was for sure. You could feel it through the fabric. You wanted to feel it without it.

You moved your hands down to unbutton his pants, never stopping the rhythmic movements of your hips, so consumed by how he responded so beautifully.

“Perhaps… you could add a little more pressure?” he requested in such a small, hesitant voice.

You couldn’t help biting your lower lip, watching that sheepish look in his eyes as he gazed at you.

“Oh, honey,” you breathed out.

You finally pulled down his pants and let out his hard cock. Truth be told, there wasn’t an inch of this man that wasn’t beautiful. The same could be said about his cock, firm, heavy, with a hint of precum already glowing on the head. You took it in your hands and pressed it down against his stomach, perfectly lined right between your folds which were unfortunately still covered up by your clothes. But it didn’t matter because you saw his eyes roll back when you ground down your hips against his cock again, now with far less layers between you two.

One of his hands flew up, hooked around the nape of your neck and pulled you down against his mouth. The kiss was far more urgent this time, his grip harder, more desperate for contact, security. His tongue was in your mouth and you could taste the mint clearly now.

Suddenly, he took hold of your hips and tossed you down onto the mattress, rolling over and kicking off his pants and underwear in between. You loosely slipped your arms around his neck. He was shaking in your embrace, still lodged between your thighs.

When his eyes met yours, he broke into a gentle smile, accompanied by a soft chuckle.

“I wonder… How long were you planning to pull this stunt on me?” he mused, clearly amused.

You grinned, quite proud of your endeavor and the reaction you had earned from him.

“I just… really missed you,” you confessed, capturing a strand of his dark hair between your fingers and giving it a little twirl. “Did you miss me?”

Zayne was busy dragging off your pants and underwear. You heard the dry sound they made, falling on the floor somewhere in his room.

“Yes, of course. I missed you too,” he responded earnestly.

His eyes and hands slid down your body, fingers soon busy pushing up your shirt so he could freely run them down the extent of your now exposed skin.

He was earnest, but far too distracted for your taste.

“How much did you miss me?” you whispered, right in his ear.

“How much?” he repeated, a little surprised.

His eyes returned to yours and he seemed to quickly catch up on the underlying impatience behind your words. There was a sudden hint of amusement in his fiery gaze.

One of his arms came down to circle your waist, supporting his weight and lifting up your hips just a little. His other hand continued further down to wrap around his length and angle it correctly. Holding his cock, he gently rubbed its head right up against your hard clit, easily teasing you, sliding it back and forth a few times because of how wet you were. It stole a precious little moan from you, one hand flying up to your lips. He chuckled.

“From another perspective, I suppose I'm also your special dose of medicine,” he whispered.

He dragged his cock further down and slowly thrust it forward, inch by inch into you, lowly humming his appreciation, eyelids fluttering. He didn’t quite go all the way in, just halfway. It was enough to have you arching up into him, holding back a moan by biting your lower lip.

“Rest in my embrace… Just like this…” he whispered into your ear, nuzzling your earlobe.

He shifted a little, just to slip his other arm around you, encasing you in his warm embrace, so utterly connected even your hearts were beating to the same rhythm, to the same cadence.

“Now…” he began, capturing your lips in a tender kiss. “Let me tell you…” Another kiss. “How much I missed you when we couldn't see each other.”

Zayne hummed into another kiss, slowly pulling back his hips then pushing them forward again, burying himself in you just a little further. And then he did it again, the same slow motion, pulling back and then pushing in again. He kept your mouth busy, kissing you deeply, any sound you made melting on his tongue.

“Relax,” he told you.

His hand caressed your hip which indeed seemed to be more tense each thrust of his hips. You gripped onto his neck tighter, seeking more contact and he tightened his grip on you. You could feel the weight of his body on you, constricting yet soothing.

He rolled his hips back and buried himself deeper in your drenched hole. The sudden and overwhelming sense of fullness, made you shudder and whimper into his mouth.

“I'm sorry,” he responded instantly, pressing an apologetic kiss to the corner of your mouth, “I didn't mean to hurt you.”

He dragged his hips back, and you found yourself shaking, whining at the loss.

Zayne himself seemed a little lost, sheepish, pressing yet another kiss now to your cheek.

“Does it still hurt?” He was just so genuinely concerned, stealing a quick kiss from your lips.

You wanted to reply but soon he was angling his hips differently yet the result was the same when he thrust back into you. You were just so full of him. Your breath hitched, fingers digging into his shoulder blades.

“What about this?” A hot kiss. “Do you feel better now?” Another hot kiss.

This man was just so careful, so attentive. He wanted to make sure you were comfortable no matter what yet he was clearly frantic, unable to stop his hips from rolling back and thrusting back in, clearly so lost in the feeling of you.

“Or… do you want to change positions?” he asked, attentive eyes scrutinizing every little reaction from you.

You were overwhelmed, by his questions, by the feeling of him. You needed more and he was being so slow, so careful.

“Babe, just do it and stop asking questions,” you snapped, gripping his hair to make him stop and look at you.

You saw the very clear shock of your reaction flash across his features even in the dark. How he blinked, how his mouth was slightly agape. He was dumbfounded for a few heartbeats and then his lips curved into a smile. Amusement flashed in his eyes yet again.

“What do you mean… ‘just do it and stop asking questions’...” he repeated, the grin very clear in his voice.

You opened your mouth to speak, attempting a response but all that came out was a “Just- hmmm… ah…”

Zayne rolled back his hips and thrust deep into you and all coherent thought shattered into little pieces. And he had the audacity to keep teasing you while keeping that delicious pace, his scorching cock slipping almost out then fully back into you, the most obscene wet sounds coming from where your bodies were connected.

“Didn't you ask me how much I missed you?” he purred.

He captured your lips again and drank up all the sweet sounds you made. He seemed quite lost in it too, his tongue dancing with yours, his hips relentless. He pulled away from your lips after a bit.

“So much time has passed, no? Don't you want me to say something?”

He was fully into this whole teasing mode. From the way he rolled his hips to the way his voice was coated in honey which dripped with every word.

The duvet was bunched up right next to you so reached out to hide your face with a corner of it. It also muffled a moan which slipped through your lips.

“I swear…” you threatened, really not threatening at all with how your body shuddered when he plunged back in.

“...Tired already? You want to sleep?”

He deliberately dropped his voice. It resonated within you just like it had earlier and made you tense up. You could feel your walls squeeze his cock and he shuddered on top of you. He shifted his position and you heard his breath right next to your ear.

“We're not done here. Quitting halfway isn't something I would do.”

You could hear the smile in his voice.

“The night is still young. We have plenty of time to learn from each other.”

Zayne was right. When you two got tangled it felt like a new experience every time. A learning curve. A trial and error. Every time you'd find new keys to press, new strings to pluck. You’d learn how his body was in fact quite sensitive, how his hands were gentle but firm, how they were in fact quite talented. And everytime he’d learn new ways to make you squirm, to make you blush and to make you wet.

A big hand came to drag the duvet away and his lips captured yours, urgently. Like he was trying to communicate something words simply could not. He pressed his forehead against yours, eyes locking onto yours, burning with unspoken desire, unresting tenderness.

“Let me hear your voice,” he pleaded.

He rolled his hips in deep and drank up the moan that fell from your lips straight onto his tongue. He shuddered above you, tensed shoulders, arms gripping you tighter. 

He was done teasing.

Every moan that slipped through your lips added flame to the fire, and had him grow more restless, more desperate, the thrusts of his hips more erratic.

“Right now, just like this,” he mumbled, coherent thought seemingly slipping through his fingers yet again.

He kissed you, deep, teeth clashing, his tongue exploring your mouth as if to taste you, like he could suddenly forget what your lips felt like, what your mouth tasted like.

“Say my name…” he breathed out.

He was begging for it, as if his name on your tongue was all he ever wanted to hear, all he ever needed.

“Zayne… baby… ahh…”

He moaned against your mouth, thrusting harder into you, burying himself in so deep your back arched and your head fell back, giving him full access to your neck. And he buried his face right up against your throat, planting open-mouthed kisses over it, suckling at the skin, breathing heavily against you.

He picked up his pace, the most filthy squelching sounds echoing throughout the room, mingled with his grunts and heavy breath and your unhinged moans which you could no longer control.

You slipped your arms around his neck again and held onto him tight, fingers dug into his shoulders, needing support and contact and to feel the wild beating of his heart right up against yours.

“Zayne, baby, don’t-don’t stop,” you begged of him.

Your hips lifted to meet his thrusts again and again and Zayne moaned deliciously onto your skin. He moved his head again, to suck at your earlobe now, his fingers dug into your hips.

“You feel so good, my love, so so good…” he mumbled into your ear.

You deliberately squeezed his cock when he pushed it back in and he shuddered in such a way that had you moan ridiculously against his shoulder.

You were just so lost in each other, nothing else mattered.

Zayne was shaking above you but so were you, his thrusts slowing down just a little so he could savor the feeling of slipping his cock deep into your hot pussy, the heat just so dizzying, so addicting.

“I’m close,” he breathed out into your ear.

“Come for me, baby, I want… I want to feel you… I’m close too,” you told him.

Zayne moaned. He ground his hips in so deep it was almost overwhelming again. Yet, you tightened your grip and held him there, meeting his thrusts to encourage him.

He pulled back just enough to capture your lips once more. He rocked his hips slow but deep, hard enough to make you sure you were going to be sore the next day. But it didn’t matter. He moaned against your mouth, sloppy kisses replacing tender words, hot and breathy.

And he pushed into you again and again until he was holding onto you like a lifeline, rolling his hips yet again to bury his cock deep inside, the loud squelching sound and his breathy moan sending you over the edge.

Zayne’s head fell on your chest while yours dropped back onto the mattress, back arched as he filled you up to the brim, riding out his height along with yours.

When both of you came down from heaven, Zayne could no longer hold himself up. He crashed down onto you, both of you panting, and sweaty. You moved your hand to run your fingers through his damp hair and he hummed against your chest, exhausted, glowing in content, satiated.

“I love you,” you whispered down to him.

He shifted, turning his head so he could look up at you, eyelids clearly far too heavy on his bleary eyes.

“I love you, too” he whispered back, with the most tender smile on his features.

One of his hands moved up to slip into yours, fingers tangling with your own. With your free hand you pulled the covers over you two, bending your neck to press a kiss to his forehead.

The shower could wait.

Thank you for reading!

[spencerreidenjoyer]

we've already done it in my head | spencer reid x reader

You have fantasies about Spencer, and you feel bad about it when you have to see him at work. Thing is, he has fantasies about you too.

wc: 4.8k, rating: explicit

tags/warnings: professor!spencer, post prison!spencer, bau!reader, fem!reader, sexual fantasies, masturbation, daddy kink, getting together, hookups, friends with benefits (?), mentions of public sex/exhibitionism (they don't actually do it), fucking with feelings but neither of them really realise it yet lol...

a/n: i am insane and that's all i'll say about this fic. jk i started this at the top of the month and i'm glad i've finally finished it. this was such a crazy one to work on, aside from being swamped with school work. thank you to my lovely friend from twitter vic who kept encouraging me to work on this hehe. inspired heavily by taylor swift's guilty as sin? (obviously) and chappell roan's picture you just for those horny yearning vibes yknow? please enjoy this insanity!!! (crossposted to ao3)

Spencer rushes in from the university when Emily calls. It’s a serious case, one that Emily decides Spencer needs to be pulled away from his teaching for. She doesn’t feel good doing it – the whole team knows how important teaching is to Spencer, but he understands all the same when he comes into the round table room. Spencer sits down at the last empty seat next to you, his hair a mess as he sets down his things and flips open the case file. He turns to smile at you, before Penelope starts the case brief.

It’s a long, tiring day of work after landing in California, the BAU having been called in to investigate the murders of young moms in the area, and you need a glass of wine and a nice hot bath to even fathom everything you’ve seen today.

You should just turn in for the night, the Bureau being particularly kind with their budget as you all get individual rooms. Your drowsiness should put you fast to sleep, but your mind is racing with thoughts of Spencer.

Spencer’s been in his nice suit all day, filling out his shirt nicely. You’ve noticed his stubble growing in, and his hair is messy and gorgeous. You can’t help yourself for feeling this way, as guilty as you feel about it. You’ve been harbouring your crush on Spencer for way too long, in the couple of years since you joined the BAU. Spencer is a sight for sore eyes for sure, but his kind gentleness despite the horrors of what you all do for work is a welcome reprieve. 

While his sweet nature was what had you falling for him in the first place, Spencer could be extremely sexy, even if he didn’t know it. 

Today was especially tough for you. You and Spencer were sent in to interrogate a particularly uncooperative suspect, playing into the good cop-bad cop dynamic. Your coaxing wasn’t doing anything, and Spencer had ended up raising his voice in an attempt to intimidate them. He’d slammed his hand on the table, a loud clang against the metal, and his large figure only served to crowd the suspect in to scare them further.

You only got to know Spencer after the mess that was him getting wrongly sent to prison, but Spencer supposedly wasn’t like this before prison. Still, you found Spencer’s quiet intimidation incredibly attractive, and you had to keep your composure in the interrogation room earlier.

And your mind drifts to Spencer from earlier, his rough callousness with the suspect, his glare wild and intimidatingly sexy, you end up thinking about him.

About Spencer, who is so kind and sweet with you and the rest of the team, seeming like he couldn’t hurt a fly. 

About Spencer who could also be domineering and intimidating. He seems like he’d only pull it out if you asked, but the duality has you hot under the collar. 

Your eyes slip shut, mind swirling with thoughts of Spencer, about having him all to yourself, about him wanting you. 

About his large hands on you, making you feel so small under his firm grasp. 

About him pinning you down on the hard, cool metal of the table in the interrogation room. 

About him caging you in with his arms, the look in his eyes almost crazed and full of lust for you. 

“Spencer,” you gasp, before Spencer kisses you fervently. His stubble is rough against your skin, but you don’t care. Spencer kisses you like he’s a starved man and you’re his next meal, with such desperation that you feel weak in the knees.

“You’re gorgeous,” Spencer says. He kisses your jaw, down your neck, and his large hands are all over your body. You feel so secure in his grasp, he feels you up and drinks his fill of you. He gropes your tits, your thighs, your ass, manhandling you into spreading your legs, so he can press the hardness of his cock to your cunt. “Look what you do to me.”

You whimper, fully indulging in this wet dream as you slide a hand into your underwear. “Spencer,” you gasp.

“You’re so hot, you make me feel crazy,” Spencer hums, rolling his hips against you. You’re separated between layers of fabric, but Spencer humping you like this turns you on to no end. 

You rub at your clit in tight little circles, your wetness aiding the slide as you get yourself off to the thought of Spencer.

“Spence,” you moan, frustrated. While Spencer’s hardness grinding against you is literally a dream, you want to imagine his cock buried inside of you. You’re perfectly capable of moving this along, so you do. 

Magically, Spencer’s clothes are off and so are yours, the perks of a fantasy being that you don’t have to awkwardly stumble through taking your clothes off. You have a hazy picture of what he’d look like naked in front of you. You imagine toned muscle, a slight pudge to his tummy from his time in prison, his pecs filled out nicely. You imagine his cock would be pretty, as pretty as he is, veiny and thick and all sorts of perfect. 

“You’re too fucking good to me, baby,” Spencer groans, the blunt head of his cock pressed up against you now. He rubs off against you, sliding over your clit, your folds, over the wetness leaking from your whole. “Gonna fuck you so good, just like you deserve.”

Without hesitation, Spencer’s cock slips into you, the perfect thickness to make you feel full as he slides in inch by inch. 

You slip your fingers into yourself, aided by how impossibly wet you are just at the thought of Spencer, and your groan weakly. Two fingers aren’t enough, not when you bet Spencer could fill you up, like he’d split you in half on his cock. 

He pushes into you until he’s pressed flush against you, buried inside of you to the hilt. He starts to pound into you, like he’s uncaring of what you need, but the way he treats you turns you on impossibly.

Your fingers aren’t enough to satiate you, but you thrust them in and out of you in an effort to mimic how Spencer fucking you might feel. You moan, a little louder than you’d like.

“Spence–” you gasp, in your fantasy. It should be scandalous, Spencer taking you over the table in the interrogation room. You don’t know if the thought of people being behind the one-way mirror turns you on or not – being watched, letting Spencer take you in front of everybody. You like the thought of Spencer being so obsessed with you, so desperate, needing to fuck you right where you work.

The metal table is cool and harsh against your hips, but you don’t care if it hurts as Spencer fucks you relentlessly, quickly taking on a brutal pace. It’s exactly what you need, what you want Spencer to do with you, being rough and frantic enough to make you scream his name.

You whimper his name under your breath, bashful even while in your fantasy. 

Spencer has you pinned down, but it’s not like you intend to get away. You want to savour this even if it’s only in your mind, shameful as you’re getting off to the thought of your coworker. You just need this out of your system, need Spencer out of your system, and then tomorrow you can face him like a normal, well-adjusted person. 

“Fuck,” you gasp, palm grinding against your clit, fingers pressed inside of yourself. You’re shaking, with the thought of Spencer fucking you until you can’t take it anymore, the ideal of him in your mind too perfect, until you’re moaning into your hand as you orgasm. You sob, clenching tight around your fingers, feeling your slick gush out as you ride your high.

You don’t mean to fall asleep, but after both a long day and a crazy good orgasm, you end up passing out with a tissue clenched in your hand, with your panties and sleep shorts kicked off to the foot of the bed.

---

Spencer can’t stop thinking about you.

He shouldn’t, not when you’re his coworker and also one of the people he’s friendliest with in the unit. 

Spencer would say he couldn’t bring himself to trust many, especially after coming out of prison, but you were the one he warmed up to the easiest. A new face in the BAU wasn’t uncommon, but Spencer had found himself drawn to you. You were kind and warm to him fresh out of prison, your tenderness a welcome reprieve as he’d gotten accustomed to being back at the BAU. With your intellect and quick wit, matched with your beauty, Spencer could not help but be attracted to you – but that’s besides the point. 

Spencer knows how much your friendship with him means to you, and he’s certain that that’s all you see him as: a friend. 

Yet, he can’t stop himself from thinking about you in those pants. Those pants that hug your curves just right. Those pants that make your ass look great – not that he was looking – especially when you’re leaning over an interrogation table, trying to play the good cop with the suspect from earlier.

Spencer had hung back, trying to get a read on the suspect while you spoke to him. Him getting to ogle your figure and stare at how good you looked in those pants was unintentional, but he definitely wasn’t complaining. 

Spencer only felt a bit bad wrapping his hand around himself in the shower, mind flooded with thoughts of you. Water, almost scorching, running down his body, his hand moves fast and reckless, exhaling harshly as he gets himself off. 

He can’t get you out of his mind, your gorgeous figure, your pretty face, your wide eyes and thick thighs and soft lips – he shouldn’t be thinking of you like this. You were a coworker, a friend, for God’s sake, and yet he can’t stop imagining you under him. 

He can’t stop imagining pressing you against the table in the interrogation room – your lithe frame underneath him, making you look so small, making him feel so big. 

He presses his growing problem to your perfect ass, watching you writhe underneath him. You keep looking back up at him, with your wide, wet eyes and your flushed cheeks, looking like you need him to give you exactly what you need.

“Please, daddy,” you whine, and Spencer is groaning and undoing his belt before your pants get pushed down too. Stroking his cock quickly, Spencer easily finds his way to your entrance, wet and dripping with your slick. He pushes into you, pressing kisses to your neck as you groan with the intrusion. 

“Daddy,” you whimper, “Feels so good.”

“Yeah?” Spencer coos at you. Spencer feels you press yourself back up against him, pushing his cock deeper, and he loses all sense of control as he starts to fuck you hard. He feels like a madman, unable to hold himself back as he takes and takes and takes, fucking into your tight wetness, his head spinning with how good you feel around him. 

You’re whining and moaning under him, your noises music to Spencer’s ears as they echo off the walls. Your cunt is wet and sloppy as Spencer fucks you, wanting to give you everything you need and more.

“Fuck, baby,” Spencer groans, his hand tightly fisted around his cock. The way the tip of his cock leaks is easing the slide, as he pictures in crystal-clear detail how your cunt would draw him in, slick and messy be fucks into your perfect, tight cunt. “You’re too good to me.”

“Daddy,” you sob, your hands clawing down Spencer’s back. Spencer gropes you greedily through your clothes, grabs your tits and feels his fill of your waist, your perfect ass, your thighs as he rocks himself back and forth between them. 

“Gonna cum inside of you, love,” Spencer grunts, his pace unrelenting. His hands are on your thighs, gripping you tight, both fucking into you and dragging you onto his cock over and over. “You’re gorgeous. Gonna make a mess of you.”

You’re whining underneath him, making him feel too good, as you clench around him tight and moan even louder. Spencer can’t help himself, thrusting into you hard and fast and eager until he’s cumming.

He spills into his hand, the thick white ropes of his cum washed down the drain with the spray of the shower from above him. Visions of you flash through his mind, your gorgeous frame, your pretty face, your mouth on his. 

He’s barely towelled off before he’s knocked out in his bed, too tired to even process feeling guilty about jerking off to you. 

---

Sure, perhaps it’s childish to try and avoid Spencer all day, especially when you have an active case all of you need to be working on. You must be a fool to think that getting yourself off to Spencer would help, because all you can think about is your fantasies of him last night, how you imagined him bending you over and taking you– Not helping, you remind yourself.

Emily must secretly be on your side or be able to read your mind or something, because Spencer is relegated to work on geographic profiles and speed-read through case files back at the police precinct, while you get sent out onto the field to chase down your killer. 

But you can’t avoid Spencer forever, and you aren’t any good at it either. You feel like Spencer’s eyes are on you the whole day when you and him are in the same room, but you never look up at him to find out. While you could chalk up your nerves to a serial killer still being out on the streets, you don’t have any more excuses at the end of the day when you’ve finally caught him, and the team decides to get dinner to celebrate.

You purposely wedge yourself between JJ and Emily when you sit down at the table, trying to avoid Spencer, and you think you’re successful with getting away with seeming a little out-of-it when you end up slipping away early, claiming you had a rough sleep last night.

You’ve barely settled down in your hotel room for the night, finally feeling like you can relax, when there’s a knock at your door. You have no clue who it could be, but you open the door, and–

There Spencer is. 

“Hi,” you say curtly, feeling embarrassment wash over you all of a sudden, because all you can think about is getting off to the thought of him last night. You feel your cheeks warm, but you hope it’s not obvious that you’re blushing. Then, in an attempt to seem somewhat normal and well-adjusted, you add, “What’s up?”

“I should be asking you that,” Spencer says, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. “What’s up with you today?”

You press your lips together in a thin line before you say, “Nothing’s up. I’m fine.”

“Come on,” Spencer prods, his head cocking to the side as he deadpans. “You know I can read you like an open book. Something’s up.”

You frown, Spencer stoking the flames of brattiness in you. “Yeah? Tell me what’s the matter, if you can read me so well.”

Spencer’s eyes widen slightly. You watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows.

“I- I thought we said no inter-group profiling,” Spencer says, his voice a little weak, and for the first time, you see Spencer look a little helpless. It’s kind of hot. 

Do you make him… nervous?

“Yeah, but if you insist on thinking something’s up with me…” You shrug, smiling. Spencer just blinks at you.

No. You couldn’t possibly entertain the thought. 

Spencer clears his throat. You watch him fidget with his hands just slightly, before he puts them by his sides to seem confident. “Well, you’ve been avoiding me, on purpose or not – both attest to your desire to avoid me somewhat. You could barely look me in the eye all day, which means you might be embarrassed or guilty of something, likely having to do with me.” Spencer says, his voice even, but he isn’t looking at you. 

You raise your eyebrows. His explanation is both specific and vague, and you feel slightly called out and safe from his scrutiny at the same time. But, you can’t shake off the feeling that there’s something more to Spencer’s words, the way he’s looking at you like he hopes you can’t pick his brain apart. 

So, you turn it back onto him, “Then, what do you think is the problem? You aren’t looking at me either, and you were fidgeting with your hands. Is something up with you, then? It almost sounds like you’re projecting, Dr. Reid.”

Spencer freezes, like he’s a deer caught in headlights. You can practically see his brain running a mile a minute, overthinking every possible outcome, overly self-aware of himself, his actions, his thoughts.

You try to stop yourself from smiling, because Spencer is kind of cute like this. “You wanna tell me what it is then, Reid?” 

“When did this become about me?” Spencer squeaks, his usually cool facade quickly disappearing. There’s a look in Spencer’s eyes, as he nervously looks you up and down, and oh– “I just– Well, I– You–”

“I’m thinking we might be on the same page, here,” you say, smirking. “Wanna tell me what it is?”

Spencer furrows his brows, his mouth agape as he looks up at you, but you’re putting your hand on his chest and trailing it down slowly. “Oh–”

“Tell me, Dr. Reid,” you cock your head, eyeing him up and down lazily. When you look at Spencer’s face, he’s shocked, enamoured and turned-on all in one. 

“You’re… attracted to me,” Spencer says, somewhat uncertain. “The same way I’m attracted to you.”

“And what makes you say that?” You hum. 

“I thought I heard you last night. Through the walls,” He says timidly, nothing you’ve seen from him before. “Thought I should’ve gone over to help, but I realised you were, um– You were pleasuring yourself. To- To me.”

“The walls are thin, huh?” You laugh, a little sheepish, but you note how Spencer’s becoming shy at the thought. “Did you…?”

His eyes grow wide. “Did I do what?”

You smirk. “That tells me everything I need to know, Reid,” you say, laughing.

“Well, you shouldn’t presume–”

“Shut up and kiss me, Reid,” you huff. You pull Spencer closer to you by his tie and you press your lips to his. 

It’s too perfect, when Spencer’s mouth is finally on yours. His hands cupping your face, Spencer kisses you hard and eager, like he can’t believe that he finally gets to have you. He kisses you like he’s starving, desperate for you as his next meal. You moan as his hands reach for your hips, pulling you in closer to him, greedy as he feels you up.

“Did you fantasise about this too? About me, like this?”

“This is better than I could’ve ever imagined,” Spencer says breathily. “You… You’re so attractive.”

“Could say the same about you,” you laugh, reaching to unbutton his shirt. His tie is already loose, hanging around his neck, but you want to see more. You undo the top few buttons, revealing more of his chest. You trail your finger over the exposed skin, letting your nail graze it slightly. You hear Spencer inhale sharply, and grin to yourself, proud of the effect you have on him. “So, do you want to just stand around and talk, or do you want to fuck me?”

Spencer’s eyes widen, and you chuckle. As if he hadn’t expected this was how it was going to go. Spencer purses his lips. “I mean, absolutely. I want to fuck you. But, um– We should definitely talk about this though.”

“Later,” you say, waving him off, before you lean in to kiss him again. Spencer grabs your waist again, like he needs to have you close. He lifts you slightly, making you squeak, but the both of you stumble over to the bed, unable to keep your hands off of each other, unable to keep your mouths off each other. You sit down on the bed, Spencer crowding you in with one of his knees on the mattress.

You loosen his tie and take it off, while Spencer moves to unbutton your shirt. HIs hands move deftly, eager to undress you, and he pulls away to marvel at the curve of your breasts in your bra when he pushes the satin shirt off of you. “Wow.”

“Wow yourself,” you say. You appreciate the view: a dishevelled, eager Spencer Reid in your bed, his hands all over you, his shirt half-undone, revealing tanned skin and a gorgeous body. “Need you to fuck me right now.”

Spencer laughs, perhaps a little incredulously, and he instead moves to take his shirt off instead. “I’ll- I’ll do that.”

“Good,” you say, distracted as you admire Spencer’s frame, the lines of his body, the softness of his stomach. He’s so hot you might die. “Very good.”

“I’m glad you like the view,” Spencer says, a little timid, like he’s shy to show off in front of you. He meets your gaze when you look up at him, caught in the middle of ogling him with no shame. 

You smile up at him sheepishly. “Please fuck me, Spencer.”

“Okay,” Spencer smiles, warm and gentle. He helps you slide your pants and underwear off your legs before you spread them. Spencer’s jaw drops, his eyes focused on the slick mess of your cunt. “Oh, my God.”

“Yeah?” you laugh, thoroughly amused with his reaction. “Show me how much you want me, too.”

Spencer’s hands are quick to push down his bottoms, dress slacks and boxer-briefs on your floor in an instant, wrapping a fist around himself as he works himself up for you. You can’t tear your eyes off of him – “Spencer, you’re… big.”

“Am I?” Spencer asks, and you’d lose your mind if you weren’t expecting Spencer to fuck your brains out. 

“You are,” you say calmly, because if you let yourself sound any more excited he might think you were insane. “But I can take you.”

Spencer grins. “Good.”

His fingers press against your cunt after you tell him to do so. His slender digits pick up all the slick that’s leaking from your hole, spreading it around messily as he toys with your clit. You shudder with the sensation, throwing your head back against the pillows. Then, one of his fingers slips into you, and he coaxes you open with a care you haven’t felt from most partners before. “How’s that?”

“So nice,” you groan, getting used to the feeling. He fucks you on his fingers, slow and careful, intent on stretching you out until you’re comfortable. You whimper and whine, feeling embarrassed at how vocal you’re being, but Spencer is kissing your breasts without a care in the world, and then you’re thinking about letting him know that you do feel good. Your next gasp is less ashamed, as Spencer coaxes a second finger in.

You’re panting as Spencer fucks you on his fingers, the repeated motion only working you up even more. The squelch from his fingers fucking you is obscene, and his eyes are wide as he looks at you. “You’re perfect,” he whispers. 

“Fuck me, Spence,” you say. 

Spencer bites his lip as he sits up and settles between your legs. He’s tugging at his cock as he lines himself up with your entrance. He slides his length along your folds, wet with your slick, and you groan at the friction. You grunt, wanting more, “Come on, Spence.” 

His hand on your leg, Spencer leans forward so he can press into you, and Spencer is practically folding you in half so he can fuck you. You moan at his thickness deep inside of you, filling you up, and the stretch is so undeniably amazing. Spencer’s length drags against your walls, such a delicious sensation deep in your bones, and you sob a little.

“Does that feel good?” Spencer asks softly, his voice tender. 

“So good, Spence,” you gasp. Spencer kisses your cheek, down your neck, and waits patiently for you to give him the go-ahead.

You feel his cock twitching inside of your heat, both your fantasies unable to live up to the real thing. Confident, cocky Spencer in your dreams is just that – a dream. The Spencer right in front of you is perfect, more perfect than what you’ve dreamed: shy but so attentive and sweet. He takes such good care of you. It makes you lose your mind a little bit.

“Fuck me,” you insist, and Spencer puts his hands on your hips as he starts to move. He fucks you deep, just the way you need him, and you cry out as he digs into your soft flesh, holding you tight so he can fuck you hard. The way Spencer pounds into you has your whole body trembling, pleasure coursing through you like electricity, till your mouth has fallen open and your toes are curling. 

“You’re so much better than I imagined,” Spencer groans, eyes squeezed shut as he puts all his energy into railing you. “Can’t believe this is real.”

You clench around him just to hear him moan, and you’re proud of yourself when his hips stutter and a groan rips through his throat in his pleasure. He glares at you. You grin, as Spencer keeps fucking you.

“What- Oh, fuck– What did you imagine? With me?” You gasp, as Spencer rolls his hips in a particularly deep thrust.

Spencer squeezes his eyes shut, before looking down at you, like he’s really contemplating if he should say this. “I– I pictured bending you over the interrogation table. Fucking you, making you scream my name, taking you right there, I–”

You moan as Spencer hits that perfect spot inside of you, your legs trembling as you gasp, “I– Why did we have the same fucking fantasy? Fuck–”

“What? You thought of me that way too?” Spencer sounds incredulous, like he can’t imagine you thinking of him that way– As if he isn’t drilling you into the hotel bed right now.

“Fuck, Spencer– Oh, my God– Yeah, I– You had me pinned down on the table, and you were fucking me in the interrogation room, in front of all of them–”

“God, you’re perfect,” Spencer grunts, burying his head in your shoulder as he uses the leverage to fuck you deeper, harder, faster. You can’t stop moaning Spencer’s name, simply too overwhelmed with the pleasure he’s giving you, the way he’s fucking you into the mattress. This is all you’ve ever wanted. Spencer fucking you like a madman, giving you all the pleasure you need but still being greedy enough to take and take and take. 

“Please! Spencer, you– I’m gonna cum, I can’t–” You cry, sobs wracking their way from your throat, so loud but you can’t be bothered to keep yourself quiet. Spencer groans your name, a sweet, sultry sound, and you feel like you’re going to lose your mind. 

“Cum for me,” Spencer hums. “You’re so perfect, and you’re laid out like this all for me. You’re so fucking hot. Show me how good I make you feel.”

You’re sobbing as your orgasm hits you, overwhelmed by Spencer’s filthy words and his filthier actions, so intense as he fucks you into next week. It’s too good, and you lose yourself much sooner than you expect. Your pussy clenches tight around Spencer with your orgasm, sending him over the edge as he fills you up, cock twitching as he cums inside of you.

He collapses on top of you, his weight comfortable as you both catch your breath. Your mouth feels dry, but you don’t care when Spencer is leaning over to kiss you again. It feels so right, this wild feeling you only thought existed in your dreams.

The next morning when the team is gathered in the hotel lobby to head to the hangar to fly back to Quantico, Emily gives you a pointed look, and Rossi is clapping Spencer on the back with a knowing grin. You apologise sheepishly, while Spencer grows red, avoiding eye contact with the rest of the team. He only meets your eyes, and the two of you share a smile. You can tell neither of you want this to end here. Maybe you’ll talk about it when you get back home. 

[kinkuary]

master list

welcome back. did you miss me?

here is the kinkuary 2025 master list. here is a link to the collection on ao3. it will open sometime in the evening of january 31.

a few notes:

the collection is unmoderated and i am not reading each individual entry. please be mindful of your fellow participants and tag and warn as is appropriate!

this is a pan-fandom event. all pairings from all fandoms are welcome, no exceptions. no anti nonsense will be tolerated, and if you see any please send me a note so i can ban that person from participating.

there are no minimum participation requirements for this event. you can do some, all, or none, and the prompt fills don't have to be posted the day of—this is just a guideline to hopefully help spark your creativity in a tough month of the year! in the past, people have even combined multiple prompts for one larger work. whatever you want! just try to keep the theme in mind.

leave comments! we all do our best to write for ourselves, but communities are only as strong as the participants. i hope we all work hard to lift each other up, especially this year!

and finally—this is an 18+ only event. no exceptions.

happy writing!

[kiwriteswords]

Hiya! May i please request protective Aaron Hotchner? Thanks Ki!

To the Ends of the Earth [Aaron Hotchner x Female Reader]

Masterlist || Ao3||Word Count: 4k|| AN: LOVE PROTECTIVE HOTCH!! Thanks for requesting!!

Tags/Warnings: no use of y/n, canon-typical themes, reader was taken advantage of by a powerful figure, protective!Hotch, mentions of sexual assault/harassment, mentions of physical altercations, blackmail, canon-typical violence, angry Hotch, protective!Derek Morgan, Hotch's POV, Reader defending herself, established relationship, Strauss is a nightmare boss sometimes, Aaron "I must make sure justice is served" Hotchner, bureaucratic politics

Summary: When an opportunity of a lifetime turns into a nightmare for you, Aaron Horchner needs to make it right.

Aaron Hotchner was not a man given to fits of rage. His demeanor, honed by years of service and hardship, was one of controlled calm, a fortress of logic and order. But as he watched you move around the kitchen that morning, something stirred deep within him—a tumultuous blend of protectiveness and fury that he hadn't felt since the harrowing days of George Foyet.

Something was off about you. It had been for a few weeks now, ever since you returned from that high-profile assignment with the task force. Hotch remembered how proud he had felt when you were selected, the honor that lit up your eyes, the excitement that animated your every gesture. But now, the light had faded from your eyes, replaced by a haunted, distant gaze.

Your movements were mechanical, your smiles forced. You flinched at sudden movements and seemed to wrap yourself tighter in your own arms whenever the house fell too quiet. The changes were subtle, but to Hotch, they screamed of something profoundly wrong.

He watched now as you poured coffee with slightly trembling hands, the dark liquid spilling slightly over the rim of the mug. Hotch's jaw clenched. He approached you, his steps silent but purposeful.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft yet carrying an undercurrent of concern that made you pause and look up. "We need to talk."

You nodded, setting the coffee pot down a bit too quickly, liquid sloshing onto the counter. "I know," you murmured, avoiding his gaze.

Hotch reached out, gently lifting your chin so you were looking into his eyes. "What happened on that assignment?" he asked, his voice low and intense. "You've been different since you came back."

Your eyes filled with tears, and you bit your lip, a clear struggle within you. The room was thick with tension, the air heavy with unspoken fears.

"It's... it was nothing, Aaron. I—I just got overwhelmed with the work, that's all," you stammered, but Hotch's eyes darkened. He knew you. He knew when you were hiding something painful.

"Talk to me," he pressed, his hand firm yet gentle on your arm. "Please."

The floodgates opened then, and as you told him about your boss—the respected and powerful figure within the Bureau, the one with connections that reached the highest echelons of government—Hotch felt a cold fury settle in his stomach. The man had taken advantage of you, betrayed your trust in the most despicable way, and used his power to silence you.

"He told me... he told me if I said anything, it'd be the end of my career. He's friends with—"

Hotch cut you off, his voice icy, "I don't care who he's friends with."

You flinched at the steel in his voice, and he immediately softened, pulling you into a protective embrace. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just so, so angry that he did this to you. That I wasn't there to protect you."

Hotch held you close, his mind racing. His instinct was to protect, to avenge, to rectify. But he was also Aaron Hotchner, a man of the law, bound by rules and protocols—even if his heart screamed to break them for your sake.

"We're going to handle this," he whispered into your hair, his voice a steady rumble of contained fury. "I promise you, I won't let him get away with this. No one hurts you and just walks away."

Hotch felt your body tense in his arms, the weight of your emotions palpable against his chest. He held you tighter, a silent promise in the embrace.

"Look at me," he urged gently, tilting your chin up so your eyes met his once again. In them, he saw a storm of hurt, fear, and defiance—a maelstrom that made his own heart clench with an indignant rage he seldom allowed others to see.

"I... I don't want to make this into something big, Aaron. It's... it's embarrassing," you whispered, your voice breaking with the weight of your vulnerability. "And I... I don't want to be seen as a victim. He's too powerful. What if—"

"No," Hotch interrupted firmly, his tone brooking no argument. His gaze was intense, almost piercing, as he spoke with a clarity that cut through the fog of your worries. "You are not a victim. And this... this man has committed a crime. His power doesn't protect him from the law—not from justice. Not as long as I'm here."

You searched his face, looking for the certainty that felt so elusive to you now. Finding it in his eyes, the relentless determination that defined him, a small, fragile sense of security began to weave through your trepidation.

"Aaron, I'm scared," you admitted, the truth sounding stark and raw between you. "I'm scared of the fallout, of what it means for us, for my career..."

Hotch's expression hardened, the lines of his face setting into that familiar mold of resolve that had carried him through countless challenges. "I understand your fear, and it's valid. But you're not alone in this—not now, not ever. We'll do this together and on your terms. We'll take every precaution, use every resource at our disposal. We'll fight this, and we'll win."

The certainty in his voice was more than just comforting—it was a bastion against the doubts that threatened to overwhelm you. Hotch stood, his posture rigid with controlled anger, a testament to his unwavering support.

"And if he thinks he can intimidate or silence you, he doesn't know who he's dealing with. He doesn't know who I am," Hotch added his voice a low growl of protective ferocity. It was the same tone he'd used years ago, a sound born of fury and pain from darker days. It reassured you, reminded you of the strength you had beside you.

You nodded, leaning into him, drawing strength from his presence. "What do we do now?" you asked, the practical part of you ready to take the next steps, no matter how daunting.

"We start by documenting everything. Every interaction you've had with him, anything that can support your case. We'll get statements from anyone who might have noticed anything during your assignment," Hotch planned out loud, his mind already sifting through procedures and protocols. "I'll talk to Strauss personally. We need to make sure this is handled by the book and with the utmost seriousness."

"And then?" Your voice was small, but your eyes were steady, meeting his.

"Then we make sure justice is served," Hotch stated simply. "And we ensure that this never happens to you, or anyone else, ever again."

The resolve in his voice was unwavering, the promise not just of a lover but of a protector, a leader. 

The next day, Hotch’s steps were purposeful as he approached Erin Strauss's office, his jaw set in a firm line, his thoughts a whirlwind of strategy and barely contained anger. This wasn't just another bureaucratic hurdle; it was personal, and the stakes were far higher than usual.

Knocking briskly, Hotch didn't wait for a reply before pushing the door open. Strauss looked up from her desk; her expression schooled into one of cautious neutrality.

"Agent Hotchner, what can I do for you?" Strauss asked, her tone as meticulously controlled as the rest of her demeanor.

"We need to talk about an urgent matter," Hotch began, his voice laced with a severity that made Strauss straighten slightly in her chair.

"It's about the conduct of a high-ranking official in the task force assigned to an agent on my team. There have been serious allegations made against him," Hotch stated bluntly, not one to dance around the subject.

Strauss's eyes narrowed, a flicker of concern passing over her features before she masked it with a bureaucratic calm. "I'm aware of the individual you're referring to," she said slowly. "However, you know as well as I do the complexities involved. He has significant connections, Aaron. This could become a highly volatile situation."

"That doesn't excuse his actions or absolve us of our duty to act," Hotch countered sharply, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "We have a responsibility to protect our agents and uphold the integrity of the Bureau."

"Aaron," Strauss began, her tone firmer, more authoritative. "I understand your concerns, as well as your….personal connection to this, but we must approach this carefully. Rushing into this could backfire, not just on us but on your agent as well. We risk turning her into the subject of a very public, very messy scandal."

Hotch felt his frustration mount, the protective fury simmering beneath his cool exterior. "With all due respect, Ma'am, I'm not willing to let this go because it's complicated. If we start picking and choosing which battles to fight based on political convenience—"

"This is not about convenience, Agent Hotchner!" Strauss interrupted, her voice rising slightly for the first time. "It's about strategy. It's about ensuring we handle this in a way that ensures justice without causing unnecessary harm. I am not saying we do nothing. I'm saying we need a plan."

Hotch paused, the logical part of his brain recognizing the truth in her words, even as his emotions rebelled against the implication. "I want your assurance, then, that we will pursue this. That it won't be swept under the rug because he's 'connected.'"

"You have my word that we will take appropriate action," Strauss said, her gaze locking with Hotch's. "But I need you to be patient. Give me time to navigate this minefield. I need to talk to the Director, maybe even higher. This isn't just about the Bureau, Aaron. It's bigger than that."

Hotch's expression hardened the lines of his face set in determination. "Time is something I can give, Erin, but silence is not. If we don't see action, I will take this to every authority necessary."

Strauss met his gaze, a silent battle of wills taking place in the quiet tension of the room. Finally, she nodded. "Understood. Let's reconvene in forty-eight hours. I should have more information then."

Hotch nodded curtly, the promise of action the only thing tempering his rage as he left her office. The fight was far from over, and while the bureaucratic wheels turned slowly, his resolve was as swift and unyielding as ever. Justice, he knew, sometimes required more than just good intentions. It needed steadfast, relentless advocacy, and that was something Aaron Hotchner was all too ready to provide.

As Hotch sifted through the case files on his desk, his focus was frequently interrupted by a far more personal concern. The events involving you had left a residual tension that permeated not just his office but his every thought. It was during one of these distracted moments that he heard the familiar knock of Derek Morgan at his door.

"Come in," Hotch called, setting aside the files and steeling himself for the conversation he anticipated was about more than just BAU casework.

Derek stepped in, closing the door behind him with a seriousness that matched the gravity Hotch felt. "Hotch, I've heard about what happened. How's she holding up?" Derek's voice carried a mix of concern and protective anger.

"She's coping, Derek, but it’s far from ideal," Hotch admitted, feeling the weight of his responsibilities as both a unit chief and a partner, “She's strong, but this... this isn't something anyone should have to be strong for--what happened... it’s unacceptable."

Derek's presence was reassuring, a reminder that he wasn't alone in his resolve to address the issue. "We can't just wait for the system to grind forward. What are we doing to make sure she feels safe, not just now but in the future?" Derek asked, his stance resolute.

Leaning back in his chair, Hotch considered the proactive steps they needed to take. "Strauss is handling the investigation, but we need to tighten our own security measures. I’m thinking about revising our late-night protocols and perhaps reintroducing a buddy system."

Derek nodded, folding his arms across his chest. "And maybe we should look into a refresher on self-defense for the team. It's been a while, and it might help give everyone a bit more sense of control," he suggested.

"That’s a good point. I’ll arrange for a workshop. We should also consider implementing more discreet ways for team members to alert security. Fast and effective responses could make a big difference," Hotch said, feeling a strategic plan forming.

"Like panic buttons?" Derek proposed.

"Exactly," Hotch confirmed, his mind already running through logistics and implementations. "I'll ask Garcia to look into integrating something seamless yet powerful."

Derek’s next words struck a chord, emphasizing the culture Hotch always strived to foster within the team. "We need to make a statement, Hotch. Not just with new systems and training, but in how we handle this. We protect our own, not just out there," Derek motioned towards the world beyond their office walls, "but in here, too."

Hotch met Derek’s gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the shared commitment. "I agree completely. Let’s set up a team meeting tomorrow. We’ll discuss these changes openly and ensure everyone knows we’re serious about safeguarding our own."

As Derek left, Hotch turned his attention back to the files before him but with a renewed focus. The safety and well-being of his team, particularly you, now had a clear path forward. With Derek's support and the team's collective effort, Hotch was determined to transform this challenging situation into an opportunity to strengthen the BAU from within. The resolve in his heart was matched by the plans forming in his mind, and he felt ready to lead this crucial initiative.

The wheels of bureaucracy had finally begun to turn, albeit slowly. Hotch could feel a subtle shift in the atmosphere within the Bureau as whispers of the investigation started to circulate among the upper echelons. Strauss had been true to her word so far, initiating discreet inquiries that didn’t draw undue attention yet signaled a clear intent to address the allegations seriously.

However, just as Hotch was beginning to see a glimmer of progress, a new, more immediate crisis erupted. It was late in the evening, and you were at home with Hotch, the two of you trying to enjoy a quiet dinner together to take your minds off the ongoing turmoil. Your phone buzzed with the arrival of an email, and the change in your demeanor was immediate and alarming.

“What is it?” Hotch asked, noting the sudden pallor that washed over your face as you stared at your screen.

“It’s him,” you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper. “He’s... he’s threatening me, Aaron.”

The words hit Hotch like a physical blow. His jaw clenched, and his eyes hardened with a fury that had been simmering just below the surface, now brought to a boiling point by this new provocation. He took the phone from your hands; his movements controlled but brisk, and read the email himself.

The message was succinct, laced with venom and arrogance. The man threatened to ruin your reputation, to make sure you would never work in law enforcement again if you continued to "drag his name through the mud." The audacity of the threat, the blatant attempt to intimidate and silence you, ignited a fierce protectiveness in Hotch.

“This ends now,” Hotch said, his voice low and dangerous. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor with a sharp screech. “I won’t let him get away with this.”

You reached out, touching his arm. “Aaron, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to make sure he understands the consequences of threatening an FBI agent,” Hotch replied, his tone leaving no room for doubt about his intentions. “He thinks he can intimidate us into silence, but he’s gravely mistaken.”

Hotch’s first call was to Strauss, informing her of the new development. His words were clipped, his anger barely contained as he explained the situation.

“Erin, he sent a threatening email. He’s trying to intimidate her into dropping the charges. This is witness tampering, and it’s unacceptable. We need to act, and we need to act now,” Hotch insisted, his demeanor unyielding.

“We will start with securing a formal censure against him. I’ll also alert the Director immediately. This is serious, Aaron, and we’ll treat it as such,” Strauss responded, her voice reflecting a new urgency.

Satisfied that the Bureau was finally mobilizing with the necessary aggression, Hotch turned his attention back to you. He could see the fear and uncertainty that the email had sparked, and he knew he had to be the rock you could lean on.

“Listen to me,” he said, taking your hands in his. “I promise you, I won’t let anything happen to you. We’re in this together, and we’re going to see it through. No one threatens you and gets away with it. Not on my watch.”

As Hotch spoke, his assurance, his unwavering support, you felt a flicker of hope. Despite the darkness of the situation, with Hotch by your side, you believed that, somehow, everything might still turn out right.

Aaron Hotchner had settled into the kind of focus that came with years of late nights and urgent cases. The dim light from his desk lamp cast long shadows across the paperwork in front of him, the numbers and details blurring into a singular narrative of crime and consequence. He was deeply immersed in a complex profile, one that needed to be finished before morning, when a faint noise caused him to look up. It was a sound out of place in the quiet of the late evening, a soft shuffling, a hesitant step.

The sight that greeted him was one he was wholly unprepared for. You were leaning heavily against the doorframe, your face visibly battered and bruised, your clothing disheveled as if from a scuffle. There was a black eye forming, swelling under the stark fluorescent light, and blood was trickling from a cut on your lip, dripping onto your collar.

For a moment, Hotch froze, his brain trying to process the scene before him. His files, his profile, the pen still poised in his hand—all of it faded into irrelevance as a surge of protective anger rose within him. He was on his feet in an instant, his chair pushed back with such force it nearly toppled.

“What did he do?!” The words burst from him, laden with fury and concern as he closed the distance between you and him in a few long strides. His hands hovered just inches from you, itching to reach out, to confirm you were real and standing there, yet hesitating out of fear of hurting you further.

Your appearance was a stark, visual slap to his system, igniting a rage in Hotch that was pure and lethal, a reminder of the days when he'd hunted the most dangerous criminals. His mind raced with the implications of your injuries—how it had happened, where, and most importantly, who was responsible.

Seeing you in such a state, so vulnerable yet defiant, was more than just a call to action. It was a personal affront, a challenge to everything he stood for, both as the unit chief of the BAU and as the man who loved you. Your safety had been compromised under his watch, and the violation of that trust was something he took as a personal failure.

“Who did this?” His voice was a low growl now, demanding an answer, needing to know whom to direct his burgeoning wrath towards. The protective barrier he always maintained—the one that kept his professional judgment clear of emotional interference—was crumbling fast, chipped away by each drop of blood he saw staining your skin.

Your response was shaky but filled with a fire that spoke volumes of your resilience. “It was him. In the locker room,” you managed to say, your voice a testament to both the physical pain you endured and the psychological battle you were fighting. “There are no cameras there. He knew that.”

Hotch’s jaw tightened, his eyes hardening with resolute anger. You had defended yourself, survived, and prevailed, yet the cost was written all over your face, and it was a price too steep for him to bear without retribution.

��We’re going to Strauss now,” he stated unequivocally, the protective fervor in his voice leaving no room for negotiation. “He won’t get away with this. Not now, not ever.”

He quickly grabbed a first aid kit, gently tending to your wounds with a steadiness in his hands that belied the storm of emotions inside him. Once he was sure you were stable, he offered you his arm, ready to accompany you to Strauss’s office. The walk there was tense, each step heavy with the weight of the incident and its implications.

Upon reaching Strauss’s office, Hotch knocked firmly, not waiting for an invitation to enter. Strauss looked up, her expression turning from surprise to alarm at the sight of your condition.

“Aaron, what happened?” Strauss stood immediately, her eyes wide as they took in the visible marks of the attack on you.

“She was attacked by him, in the gym locker room. There are no cameras there. It was premeditated,” Hotch explained, his voice controlled but the underlying fury unmistakable. “She defended herself and subdued him. He’s still there, unconscious and handcuffed.”

Strauss’s face hardened, her eyes now reflecting a mix of anger and determination. “I’ll call security, have them take him into custody and ensure he’s watched until he can be formally charged. This is attempted assault on a federal agent, at the very least. We’ll push for the maximum charges.”

You nodded, leaning slightly on Hotch for support, both physically and emotionally. “Thank you, Strauss. I... I defended myself, but I want this to be handled by the book. We need to make sure he never has the opportunity to hurt anyone else.”

Strauss moved around her desk, reaching out to gently touch your shoulder. “You did good, and I’m sorry this happened under our watch. We’ll take care of it from here. And you,” she looked at Hotch, “make sure she gets to a hospital, and then take some time off. Both of you. You need to recover from this.”

Hotch nodded, his protective instincts fully engaged as he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, guiding you out of the office. The rage still simmered within him, a fierce protectiveness that would not soon abate. But alongside it was a profound respect for your strength and resilience and a renewed commitment to stand by you, no matter what lay ahead.

That night, the world outside seemed distant, almost irrelevant as you and Aaron Hotchner returned to the sanctuary of your home. The hospital visit had been thorough but exhausting, leaving both of you drained yet relieved that nothing was critically amiss. Now, in the quiet comfort of your bathroom, Hotch took on the role of caretaker with a gentleness that made your heart swell despite the pain.

You sat on the closed lid of the toilet, watching him gather supplies—antiseptic, cotton pads, and some fresh bandages. The care with which he handled each item, his movements deliberate and focused, was a quiet testament to his concern for you. As he turned to you, his expression softened, his eyes meeting yours with an unspoken promise of tenderness.

"Let's get this cleaned up," he murmured, wetting a cotton pad with antiseptic. His touch was feather-light as he dabbed at the cut on your lip, the one that had stopped bleeding but still throbbed with every movement. You flinched slightly, not from pain, but from the intimacy of the gesture, the proximity in a moment filled with so much vulnerability.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this," Hotch said quietly, the weight of his emotions making his voice thick and unusually expressive. He paused, his hands steady as he tended to your wounds, but his heart was anything but calm. "I should have—"

The words trailed off as a tide of frustration and guilt surged within him. Hotch despised the feeling of helplessness, the gnawing thought that he might have prevented your pain had he anticipated the threat more effectively. It was a violation of his deepest principles, both as a protector and a partner, to see you hurt and know he had not been there to prevent it.

He gazed at your face, noting the bruises that marred your skin, each one a stark reminder of the violence you endured. It pained him to see these tangible signs of trauma on someone he cared deeply about. The instinct to shield you from harm was ingrained in his very nature, honed through years of leading a team that faced danger daily. Yet here, in the quiet of your shared space, the reality that you had faced such danger alone was a bitter pill to swallow.

As Hotch looked into your eyes, seeing the trust and understanding there despite the shadows of the recent ordeal, he felt a renewed surge of resolve. His role was not just to protect but to support and ensure such a breach never occurred again. This incident, while closed legally, would prompt him to reevaluate his own vigilance. The emotional undercurrent of this moment, the blend of regret and protective fervor, was a powerful catalyst for Hotch. It reinforced the essential truth that his duty to protect you extended beyond the physical; it was emotional, a bond forged in mutual respect and shared trials.

The silence that followed his unfinished apology was filled with a heavy understanding. He knew you didn’t blame him—you had faced the situation with incredible resilience. But he held himself to a standard that was often unrelenting. Hotch needed to articulate this, not just for you to hear, but for him to acknowledge it openly.

“You shouldn’t have had to handle this alone,” he continued, his voice firmer, reflecting his internal commitment. “I’m here, and I will do everything in my power to ensure you never feel that isolated again. We’ll increase security protocols, and I’ll personally review them.”

His promise was not just words; it was a vow, a pledge of his ongoing commitment to your safety and well-being. Hotch knew that recovery from such events wasn’t just about physical healing—it was about restoring a sense of security and normalcy. He was prepared to lead that effort, standing by you as both your staunchest ally and your devoted partner.

"Don't," you interrupted gently, placing a hand over his. "Don't do that to yourself. You couldn’t have known. And you were there when it mattered. You’ve always been."

He looked at you, really looked, as if seeing you anew, and nodded slowly. "It's over now," he reassured you and himself more than anyone. "He's in custody, and he's not getting out anytime soon. Strauss is making sure of it."

You nodded, feeling the weight of the past weeks begin to lift ever so slightly. "It’s hard to believe it’s over," you admitted, allowing yourself to lean into his care, into the promise of safety his presence provided.

"It is, though. And we're going to make sure you're safe, that this never happens again," Hotch said, his voice firm with conviction. He finished bandaging a smaller scrape on your cheek, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary, as if to impart comfort through his touch.

You reached up, your hand brushing against his. "Thank you, Aaron. For everything. I don’t know how I would have handled all this without you."

Hotch’s hand covered yours, his grip warm and reassuring. "You're not alone in this. You’ll never be," he said, his gaze holding yours. "We’re in this together, remember?"

As you nodded, a silence fell between you, comfortable and healing. It was the kind of silence that spoke of shared struggles and mutual support, of battles fought and won together. Hotch finally stood, helping you to your feet.

"Let’s get some rest," he suggested, his tone lightening a bit as he led you toward the bedroom. "You need to heal, and I need to make sure you stop finding trouble," he added, a hint of humor glimmering through the residual tension of the day.

You chuckled softly, leaning against him as you walked. "Deal," you replied, knowing that whatever the future held, you faced it not alone but together, stronger and more united than ever.

Tag List:

@zaddyhotch

@estragos

@todorokishoe24

@looking1016

@khxna

@rousethemouse

@averyhotchner

@reidfile

@bernelflo

@lover-of-books-and-tea

@frickin-bats

@sleepysongbirdsings

@justyourusualash

@person-005

@iyskgd

[veltana]

The winter rebound

✦ Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Fem!Reader

✦ Word count: ~3,6k

✦ Rating: Explicit

✦ Warnings/tags: Avengers!Bucky, alcohol consumption, fluff, pwp, smut, oral (fem receiving), piv sex, safe sex, dirty talk.

✦ Summary: You go with your friend to Stark's holiday party

✦ Note: This was the first thing I wrote and published when I got back into the marvel fandom, so it's a super self-indulgent piece! But I hope you like it anyway! As always, please comment and/or reblog! Asks are always welcome!

Masterlist | AO3

It was Friday. You watched yourself in the mirror and told yourself that you would have fun tonight. Forget about your ex of five years who broke off your engagement a month before the holidays, whom you had spent the last three weeks crying over.

Tonight you were accompanying your best friend to the annual Stark holiday party, and you would not think about him once during the night, while you danced and drank yourself into a stupor.

Standing outside the huge compound made you anxious. Maybe it was too soon to meet the real world without him. No! Don’t think about that asshole! You cut yourself off before your thoughts started to spiral.

“Come on!” your friend Lily laughed. Her genuine smile was contagious and you returned it, squaring your shoulders and forcing every dumb thought down before you took her arm as the two of you made your way down the gold and red carpet. At the end, two large glass doors were opened by life-sized mechanical nutcrackers.

“I sure hope those don’t spring to life and ruin this party too,” you mumbled. Lily giggled, “Don’t worry, I helped with the software, unless Mr. Stark went a completely different direction there should be no worries.” “So there is a possibility,” you joked as the doors closed behind you.

If she answered you didn’t hear because you were too busy taking in the amazing winter-themed party. The waiters were also dressed as nutcrackers and there were dancers in amazing outfits performing all over the floor. Music played in the background and some were moving to the beat while others stood around and talked.

Honestly, you had expected more people, like at least two hundred but there were only about fifty in the huge hall. Not only the regular people, like your friend, who helped with software, hardware, management, and the day-to-day running's of the compound, but it was impossible not to notice the heroes also in attendance.

Not all of them were there, no sign of Thor or Loki, or the Guardians, but this was your first time so close to any hero ever, you would take what you could get.

“Come, I’ll introduce you to everyone,” Lily said and started to pull you along while you gazed at the shifting decorations adorning the walls, obvious to the blue eyes that followed you with interest from the bar.

Too many names spun through your brain, accompanied by the alcohol your friend had been plying you with.

Everyone you had met so far had been incredibly nice and friendly and hadn’t minded when you asked all the dumb questions about working at such a place.

Finally, it came down to the big event, meeting Mr. Stark and maybe the rest of the Avengers currently there.

Lily stepped up to her boss and greeted him and Pepper Potts like they were friends rather than her superiors and then introduced you. Not a lot of people got to shake hands with Iron Man and Pepper Potts but now you had, and it was totally normal.

“Interesting hair color,” Tony Stark pointed out. “Is it meant to look like that?” It was such an old man thing to say you could only laugh as Pepper elbowed him in the ribs. “I am sorry,” Pepper apologized but you waved it off.

“He is paying for everything I drink, so if he wants to make fun of my hair, it’s fine.” Pepper gave you a relieved look and was about to say something else when a voice interrupted.

“It looks like the Aurora Borealis.”

Bucky Barnes had appeared out of nowhere, like the skilled assassin he had been trained to be. It was like he had materialized out of thin air at your side and you jumped when he spoke.

Before you knew what you were doing, you reached out, slapping your palm against his hard chest, and said “For fuck’s sake,” while your other hand rested over the heart trying to work its way out of your chest.

Then you realized what you’d done and pulled back your hand quickly, covering your mouth. Bucky stared back at you, mouth slightly open, while Lily and Tony both cackled in amusement. “That’s what you get Barnes,” your friend pointed out.

With a crooked smile, Bucky just said, “How about I buy you a drink to make up for it?” and held out his arm. “As long as it’s crazy expensive since the old man made fun of my hair,” you shot over your shoulder at Tony as you took the offered arm.

Your friend winked at you before she returned to her conversation with Natasha Romanoff, whom you would just have to say hello to some other time.

Bucky led you the short way to the bar and you eased your way on to the chair, making sure not to get tangled in your long dress, as Bucky leaned over the bar and asked for the most expensive champagne they had.

“I’m Bucky,” he said. “I know,” you smiled at him before introducing yourself too.

In no time there were two flutes in front of you, he offered you one, saying cheers before you took the first sip. The unabashed moan that left you wasn’t meant to be sexual but Bucky stopped his glass halfway to his lips to just stare at you. It cracked you up, “Sorry,” you said, “I’ve never tasted champagne this good before.” He also took a sip, his eyes widening a little, and when he’d swallowed all he said was, “Wow.” “I could get used to this,” you took another mouth and closed your eyes.

When you opened them again you found him looking at you and it made a shiver go down your spine. For the first time in a long time, you felt desire pool in your lower belly. “Will this make up for Stark’s comment?” he asked. “It will absolutely!” you promised. “I think your hair looks great and I’m like twice his age so…” he trailed off.

“My friend, Lily, has told me about these crazy old super soldiers, but you look spry for your age,” you winked at him. “You can only imagine,” he flirted back, and your cheeks heated. You had forgotten about this, about the utter intoxication of flirting with a man and having it returned to you.

After several weeks of drought, your body suddenly knew what arousal was again and flooded you with it, making your heart beat twice as fast and your skin flush. “Oh, you want me to think of everything you can do?” you asked with a raised eyebrow. “Anything you want, doll,” he leaned forward, “But I’m sure your imagination won’t hold a candle to the real thing.” “Are you going to show me?” “If you want to,” he smirked and you felt yourself grow wetter by the second.

You leaned in too, unable to resist him and not wanting to either. You wanted to get lost in him for as long as he would have you. He finished off the rest of his champagne like it was a shot of liquor.

“Come on, I have just the place,” he smiled, holding out his hand. Not even second-guessing yourself for a moment you finished your glass and let him lead you away.

Bucky took you through a side door, into a corridor that led to the heart of the compound which was now deserted, and finally into a large room with a domed ceiling.

It looked like a cinema almost, except the screen was the whole ceiling, and in the middle of the floor was an enormous sofa-like thing that easily fit several people.

After Bucky pressed something on a side panel the room lit up with the Aurora Borealis.

You let go of his hand, staring with huge eyes at the display. Maybe you had misinterpreted his intentions and they were actually pure, not at all the filthy things you had thought this would end up being.

Never had you been happier to be wrong.

This time when he appeared out of nowhere he didn’t scare you, he gripped your waist with the vibranium arm and spun you into his chest, before using his other hand to pinch your chin between his fingers.

“I’m going to kiss you, tell me if I should stop,” he breathed. Instead of answering with words you surged up and crushed your lips against his, wrapping your arms around his neck, and pulling him impossibly closer.

It was almost like he expected you to be timid or something because, for a few seconds, he didn’t move, but then he rushed into action, moving his lips and kissing you like a man starved.

Desire flooded you, making every one of his touches feel like fire even through the fabric of your dress. He moved you backward until your knees hit the oversized sofa, and you laid down.

Bucky’s face was burning with desire as he looked down on you, before he could move or say anything you grabbed your skirt and pulled it up until it bunched around your waist so that you were able to spread your legs without restraint.

The growl erupting from his chest made you smile and you crooked your finger toward him. He knelt between your legs, grabbing your thighs to spread them even more before he leaned down over you to capture your lips again.

The action made the hard cock in his jeans brush against your heated core, making you moan into his mouth.

He pulled back, eyes wild, “Your sounds make me fucking crazy.” he groaned, moving his hands down your naked legs, caressing them and gripping them, like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to be rough or gentle.

“Hope so,” you smiled and started to tug at his suit jacket, needing to see his body. He obliged by sitting back and ridding his upper body of clothing. As soon as you could your hands splayed out across the expanse of his naked torso, feeling the hard muscles under the soft skin.

Your eyes grazed over the scars on his left shoulder but didn’t pay it any mind. The man had trauma, that was no secret, but tonight you didn’t need to delve into that. Instead, you sat up, kissing the skin you could reach and licking at his nipple, making him moan most deliciously.

He reached around you to unzip your dress and you whined when you had to move away from him to let him pull it off you. Now you were almost completely naked with the super soldier, except for the thong you wore that did little to hide anything from him, and your heels.

Without another word, he stood up and unbuttoned his pants, peeling them off and kicking off his shoes in the process, before he was back over you. Now it was his turn to taste your skin and when he closed his mouth around a nipple, using his vibranium hand to pinch the other, you released a high-pitched mewl you never heard from yourself before.

That only spurred him on, alternating between sucking and licking at you, squeezing or pinching your sensitive buds. The pleasure was too much, like you would implode or maybe even come from just him playing with your tits. You fisted the fabric under you, pushing your chest even more into him as moans and words tumbled from your lips.

“Bucky, please!” you tried forming a coherent sentence but failed. “What do you need, doll?” he asked, lips shiny with his spit as he looked up at you. “Touch me, make me come, please Bucky,” you didn’t want to wait another second for the pleasure you had missed for a lot longer than the weeks since your break up. This temporary connection with a stranger was already better than what you had experienced over several years.

“Can I taste you?” his voice was husky, filled with restrained want. “Yes!” you smiled and raised yourself on your elbows.

You watched as he kissed his way down your form, pulling off your thong and throwing it away. He grabbed your thighs and spread them wide before letting the thumb of his vibranium hand slowly drag up, separating your folds, groaning, almost whispering “Fuck, your pussy is perfect,” and leaning in to carefully lick up your spread lips. You fell back, staring up at the beautiful display as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier, one of the Avengers, ate you out with perfection.

Every move he made sent sparks through your entire body and pulled cries from you. Your hands tangled in his hair, not pulling or pushing, just needing to anchor yourself on something. Nothing would hold a candle to this for the rest of your life you suspected, because even though you had just met, Bucky Barnes took his sweet time, caressing his hands up and down your sides, down your legs, and back up again, using his tongue and lips to make your body blaze.

Your crescendo built steadily, as did your voice, the closer you got the more you pleaded and begged, even though he was doing exactly what you wanted him to. When two fingers on his right hand breached you with no problem your back bowed, the pleasure rushing through you, and when he crooked them and moved them inside you, it was everything the dam needed to break and the coil inside you snapped.

You screamed his name as the orgasm hit you like a freight train. What was even better was that he worked you through it, coaxing every last drop of pleasure out of you before you had to instead beg him to stop.

"Too much," you whimpered when the uttermost tip of his tongue gently floated across your clit. "No, darling, not enough. A man could get addicted to hearing you scream his name."

You whimpered again, your body rocking with overstimulation at every pass of his tongue. It was wonderful to hear him say those things but you needed more.

"Please tell me you have a condom so you can fuck me," you groaned and that made him stop, staring at you from between your legs before kissing up the side of your thigh to sit back on his heels before he got up. He freed himself from his underwear before he bent down to grab his pants and pulled a condom from a pocket and that gave you a chance to admire him. His cock was hard, glistening, and a lot bigger than what you were previously used to, but that only sparked more excitement in your lower stomach.

"Hands and knees, baby," he smiled and made a twirling motion with his fingers. You wasted no time rolling over, and getting into position. His flesh hand slapped your ass playfully when he knelt behind you and when you moaned he chuckled. "You like that huh?" he asked as the tip of his cock started to press into you.

He was big, you whined and whimpered with every inch he pressed into you. Maybe why he took his time eating you, because he needed you to be as aroused as possible for it to fit. You clawed at the fabric, feeling like you were having an out-of-body experience with how he filled you.

"So good, taking it all," he praised when his hips were finally flush with your ass. Trying to answer him with words was out of the question, instead, you rocked your body, feeling his cock press against everything inside you, giving you the most delicious sensation you probably ever felt.

His hand landed on your ass again and that spurred you on, starting to move a bit faster. "Look at you, fucking yourself on my cock," he sounded a little breathless and you wished you could see him. "Do you like it, darling? Do you like my cock filling you to the brim?"

Fuck, Bucky Barnes had a mouth on him you had not expected. He grabbed your hips and helped you along, starting to fuck you deep and hard, pulling almost all the way out before shoving back in again.

With every move, you cried out in sheer ecstasy. Bucky kept on telling you how good you sounded, he didn't mind at all that you were loud.

The pace was hard but not hurried, he seemed to like taking his time, not rushing through the action just to get to the finish line. But it was driving you mad, it felt like you were at the precipice constantly, ready to tip over but needing something more to do it.

Then he grabbed you around the waist and pulled you up until you were flush against his chest, his pace never stopping. "Hi, sweet thing, enjoying yourself?" he wasn't even winded and you were a panting, whimpering mess, feeling like you were about to lose it.

"Yes, Bucky, please touch me, make me come again." He kissed your shoulder, "My pleasure," was his answer and his left hand descended on your aching clit.

A shudder and a scream passed through you when he started to rub small circles over it. Suddenly you were so close to the edge you could almost taste it, and Bucky knew it too.

"That's right, come on my cock, doll. Can you do that for me? Be good and come for me?" he said between kissing up your neck, moving the arm around your waist up to grab your jaw, and turning your head to the side. The kiss was sloppy but delicious, and with the aid of his fingers and so full of his cock the orgasm took you by full force, making you shake in his grip.

He released your mouth and let the sounds you made fill up the room, pressing his mouth to the side of your head and telling you over and over again how fucking good you felt coming around him.

If he hadn’t held you up, you would have collapsed no doubt, but Bucky had no problem keeping you up as he found his own release, pressing his forehead against your neck and mumbling obscenities, his hips stuttering against your ass.

Now he was breathing heavier, holding you tight against him with both arms, letting his fingers draw random patterns on your skin.

You were in a post-orgasmic haze, only existing in that moment with no past or future, only his warm body, and a sated need. "Gonna need to let you go now, darling," he said in a low voice "Lay down." His arms loosened around you and you braced yourself with your arms and eased yourself down on your side.

Bucky got up, probably to dispose of the condom, before laying down behind you. You hadn't expected him to want to cuddle, but he draped his arm across your side, pulling you flush against him.

"You okay?" he asked in a whisper. "Fan-fucking-tastic," you answered with a small laugh and felt a million times lighter all of a sudden.

After a few minutes of laying there, you felt like you'd been gone from the party long enough, but judging by Bucky’s heavy breathing, he had fallen asleep behind you.

He didn't wake as you gathered your things. When you found the thong, you looked at it, looked over at his gorgeous form laying there, and giggled as you found his pants and stuffed the thong down his pocket.

With the help of some items in your clutch, you patched up your make-up and fixed your hair before slipping out and closing the door behind you.

It was a small miracle that you could find your way back to the party but you did and immediately went to the bar for a drink.

Lily found you minutes later and she just raised an eyebrow, you shrugged and tilted your glass towards hers, clinking them together, and then you both burst out laughing.

*

Monday rolled around and it was hard to work because you kept getting lost in the memories of Friday night.

His eyes, his scent, his voice as he said those things to you. You squeezed your legs together and stifled a low moan.

Suddenly your phone chimed and pulled you back into the real world. A text from Lily.

[So, Bucky Barnes just came by and asked for your number. I gave it, of course, just so you know!] [Okay? Did he say why he needed it?] [Apparently, you left something(????) here on Friday and he wanted to return it.] [Hmm, okay, thanks!] [What did you leave?!?!?!?] [Don't be so nosey, go back to work!]

Your stomach did a flip when the next message was from an unknown number. It had a picture attached, your thong tangled in his fingers, and the text [You left these.] For a second you imagined him using them as he got himself off. You bit your lips as you responded. [Keep them or throw them away, I have more, don't worry.] even added a little wink-emoji.

[I want to return them, personally. Are you free this afternoon?] His response was quick and very to the point.

A wonderful shudder traveled through you at the thought of seeing him again. You had meant for this to be a one-time thing, something to get you back into the world and learn to exist without your ex but there wasn't any harm in seeing where this could go, and hopefully, you would have a lot more amazing sex on top of it.

[Sure, I get off at five.]