#so the person is still ''hidden'' in a sense

[iuchamjohta]

SSC Part 2: Ariel's Domain Ft Yuna and Joy | Special Guest: Seulgi + RV

17561 words

Tags: Threesome, Exhibitionist, Anal, Strap-on, bi, rough sex, I don't even know just read it ahahha

Notes: Well, Cant believe I'm going to say the same thing again, but yes longest fic i've ever written, sorry this took awhile but hope you enjoy the amount of filth in this ahaha I personally enjoyed writing this. Cheers! Thanks @lockefanfic for letting me use some ideas of the queen of hearts concept!

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The next morning came quickly. You woke up to the soft hum of the ship’s engines, a gentle backdrop to the rhythmic but therapeutic waves crashing against the side of the ship. The sunlight streamed quickly in as you pulled open the curtains of your panoramic windows, causing a warm glow over your room. Stretching, you felt a lingering happiness from the previous day, the experience still felt rather surreal to you.

Gazing out at the vast expanse of the blue sea, you lost yourself for a moment in the beauty of it all. The horizon of the sea met with the sunrise which painted a beautiful landscape. After a few minutes of daydreaming, you reluctantly turned your attention to the holographic access card resting on the bedside table.

You picked up the card and with a gentle tap you activated it, and a brilliant holographic display flickered to life before you. The familiar interface materialised, glowing softly against the dim light of the cabin. The main screen showcased an array of exciting events scheduled for the day: “Dance performances”, “Blind Date events”, “Pool Parties”. One thing catches your eye when you see “Poker”. Each event was linked to various missions that promised not just fun, but also unique rewards. 

As you scrolled through the options, your heart raced at the sight of the poker tournament. You had always been a good player, and the thought of testing your skills against other participants was thrilling. You were sold. 

Then, your eyes landed on a new button: “AI Helper.” Curious, you clicked it. Instantly, a figure emerged from the hologram—a friendly, humanoid avatar with an ethereal glow. Its voice was soothing but bright and playful as it circled around you. 

“Good morning! I’m Ellinia, your interactive AI helper. How can I assist you today?” 

The holographic figure smiled, its features shifting to conveyed a sense of understanding and encouragement. 

“Tell me about today’s theme,”

Ellinia's smile widened. “Today’s theme is ‘Exploration, since it is everybody’s first day after the opening event”  The theme exploration gives bonus points for every new event you participate in and it encourages the uncovering hidden wonders aboard the ship. The more different areas you try, the more points you earn for your tiers!” 

May I recommend you to participate in the ‘Poker Tournament,’ where you’ll have the chance to test your skills against other players. Just like any other cruise, a casino is always needed.” Winners can earn exclusive rewards determined by the owner of the game!

Great you thought to yourself, it is as if Ellinia can read your mind.

There are also optional side quests that earn badges—such as the ‘Fingering expert-Make 5 girls squirt with just your fingers ’, ‘Best filmer - Earn the most likes in videos you upload for the day’ and the list is endless!” 

Damn, best filmer. A flood of questions filled your head. Is that why Jieun had given you the video? Was she secretly orchestrating this whole thing? You thought to yourself. 

Nonetheless you click on the screen and attach the video file you have compiled which links the video you had taken of the opening ceremony and your individual time you have spent with Jieun. You were shy about being naked on screen but to get your tier up as quickly as possible, this was the only way. 

The moment you hit “upload” on your video, a wave of exhilaration washed over you. You rewatched the video and noticed you had captured Jieun’s and Yuna’s (more so Jieun) stunning performance from the previous night, every moment carefully framed through your lens. Rewatching it you felt the same excitement rush through you but you had to contain yourself knowing it is going to be a long day ahead. 

As the upload progressed, a mix of anticipation and nerves fluttered in your stomach. You knew the quality was good, but the real magic was in how the crowd would respond. You went to wash up while preparing for the day ahead. 

When you checked back afterwards, you were met with a flood of notifications—likes and comments streamed in, and your heart swelled with pride. Seeing your work resonate with so many people felt incredible; it was validation that you had created something special. The video quickly climbed the ranks, landing in the featured category, and with each notification, you felt a deep sense of joy and connection, knowing your passion had struck a chord in the hearts of viewers. 

With the surge of popularity came a tangible boost in your status aboard the ship. You glanced at your holographic card, where your progress was displayed: Adventurer Tier, 15% towards Trailblazer. It was thrilling to see how your skills can be helped to attain progression in the ranks. You couldn’t help but imagine the possibilities that lay ahead—what new missions and rewards awaited you if you reached the Trailblazer tier? 

As you pondered on that thought, you remembered what Jieun was teasing out yesterday – The ship was well known for its unique theme rooms. You remembered how, as an Adventurer, access to these rooms had just been unlocked for you. Intrigued, you decided to ask Ellinia for more details.

“Hey, Ellinia, can you explain the theme rooms and how they work?”

Ellinia’s holographic form shimmered, her expression brightening. “Of course! As an Adventurer, you have several options for theme rooms. They can be created in three ways:

Apply to an Existing Room: You can browse through available theme rooms and apply to join one. Your profile will be shown, and the room's host will accept whoever they choose. It’s a great way to connect with others who share similar fetish and fantasies. 

Create a Public Theme Room: You have the option to create a public theme room where anyone can walk in and join the experience. This is a perfect opportunity to have an open platform and relationship with anybody.

Create a Private Theme Room: If you prefer exclusivity, you can create a private theme room that’s accessible by invite only. This allows for more intimate gatherings and focused interactions with selected guests. There is however a limitation as an Adventurer in the size only being 5 or less people. Private events are only unlocked at the next tier

Alternatively, you could receive a private invitation to an existing theme room, where you can engage in unique activities and experiences curated by the host.”

As Ellinia explained, your excitement grew. The possibilities for social interaction seemed endless. Whether collaborating with others in a public room or hosting an exclusive gathering, you felt inspired to make the most of this new opportunity. Today, you could not only explore but you were definitely going to find a theme room suited to your fantasies. 

“Alright time for breakfast first” 

Feeling energized by the possibilities ahead, you shoved the holographic card into your pocket, making sure it was secure. Grabbing your camera, you slung it over your shoulder, the familiar weight a comforting reminder of your passion for capturing moments. You gathered a few other essentials before heading out of your cabin. 

As you made your way down the corridor, the lively sounds of the ship enveloped you. Laughter and chatter echoed off the walls, mingling with the soft strains of music drifting from nearby lounges. You could feel the excitement in the air, a palpable energy that promised adventure.

Arriving at the dining area, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods greeted you. The expansive room was filled with passengers already mingling, their voices blending into a cheerful hum. You spotted a few familiar faces from the previous day, some animatedly discussing their plans for the day’s missions. You settled at the corner table alone. As you sat at the corner table, savouring the last few bites of your breakfast, you felt someone staring at you. Just then, a vibrant figure caught your eye—Seulgi, with her warm smile and confident stride, approached your table. 

Seulgi had a captivating presence that turned heads wherever she went. Standing confidently, her toned midriff was on display, showcasing a set of impressive abs that hinted at her dedication to fitness. Her skin glowed with a healthy radiance, accentuating her natural beauty.

Her hair framed a face that was strikingly cute and pretty..High cheekbones complemented her bright eye smiles, which sparkled with a tinge of playfulness. She wore a fitted black crop that highlighted her athletic figure, paired with pink shorts that showcased her toned legs.

“Hey there! I just wanted to say, your video you uploaded last night was hot,” she said, leaning casually against the table, and you spotted a tinge of naughtiness in her eyes. “You really captured the excitement of the performance.”

You smiled, feeling a pleasant warmth wash over you. “Thanks! I had a blast making it. Jieun and Yuna were really incredible.” 

“Absolutely, you yourself were not bad at pleasing Jieun” She winked, causing you to blush.

“I saw you signed up for the poker tournament, I’m a bit more curious about your skills at the poker table. I hope you entertain me enough during the tournament and that your skills are as good as your tongue” 

You raised an eyebrow playfully, leaning back in your chair. “Oh, is that a challenge I hear? I promise I’ll keep it interesting.”

Seulgi laughed, a melodic sound that made you grin. “Good! I like a little excitement. Just remember, the stakes are higher than just chips today.”

“And the price”, she turns and sits on the table. 

“The price could be more than just points today” She seductively said as she traced a finger up her thighs to her ass, teasing you evidently.

You leaned in slightly, matching her playful tone. “I can handle a little risk. But what if I’m the one who ends up entertaining you in other ways?”

Her eyes sparkled with intrigue, and she bit her lip, clearly enjoying the banter. “Now that sounds tempting. Let’s see if you can back it up once the cards are on the table.”

The playful tension hung in the air between you.With a wink, Seulgi straightened up and said, “I’ll be rooting for you. Just remember, I’m not an easy opponent.”

As she walked away, you couldn’t help but stare at her cute ass swaying. A mix of excitement and anticipation swirling inside you. The poker match was shaping up to be more than just a game, and you were ready to play your cards right. And if you do play your cards right literally and figuratively, you might just be in for a treat. 

As the tournament atmosphere buzzed around you, the format was announced: it is heads up poker with participating players. The winner gets to face the host named…. “SEULGI” “Fuck that is what she means” The realization hits you like a wave—Seulgi was the owner of the game. A mix of excitement and surprise coursed through you.

You saw Seulgi emerge walking confidently at the front, explaining the rules with an alluring smile.Her outfit had now changed into a full on suit looking professional. 

 “Welcome, everyone! The winner of this best of 64 will get the chance to face me in a 1-1 match. And let’s just say, as the owner, I have some intriguing rewards in store for the victor.”

As she winked at the crowd, her confidence radiated, making it clear she was not just there to play but to dominate. “So, who’s ready to take me on?” she teased, her gaze scanning the eager faces, and you felt a jolt of determination.

With each passing moment, the stakes felt higher. You knew you had to bring your A-game, not only to win the tournament but to earn that coveted chance to face her directly. The thought of what that could mean made your pulse quicken.

“Looks like I’ll be facing you soon enough, Seulgi,” you murmured under your breath, the thrill of the challenge invigorating you. With a smirk, you prepared yourself for the match ahead, eager to see how this playful rivalry would unfold.

As the first hand was dealt, you felt a surge of determination. In heads-up play, every decision mattered. Your opponent was aggressive, frequently raising the pot. You took a measured approach, letting them take the lead while you observed their betting patterns.

In the early rounds, you focused on reading their body language and betting behavior. When they seemed overly confident, you capitalized on that, bluffing at strategic moments to push them out of the pot. Your instincts serve you well as you made value calls that caught them off guard, forcing them to rethink their strategy.

In a crucial moment, your opponent pushed all-in, clearly attempting to intimidate you. You glanced at your cards—nothing extraordinary, but the look in their eyes told you they were trying to bully you. With a steady resolve, you called their bluff. The cards were revealed, and your read proved accurate; they had overreached, and you took the pot.

You easily defeated player by player with your perfect reads. Part of photography was capturing people’s emotions and this had helped to also read the emotions of players. As the tournament continued, the intensity ramped up. You alternated your play style, mixing aggression with caution to keep each different opponent guessing. With each win, you gained confidence, forcing them to reconsider their moves. 

Finally, in the climactic showdown finally.. Your opponent, a well-known player, went all-in. You paused for a moment, weighing your options against their tendencies. With a sly grin, you decided to match their bet, confident in your hand.

When the final cards were revealed, you emerged victorious. The crowd erupted in cheers, but your focus was solely on Seulgi, who watched from the side, a playful smile gracing her lips.

“Looks like you’re up for a challenge now,” she teased, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. You felt a rush of excitement; the real game was about to begin."Let's make this interesting," "The loser of each round has to remove an item of clothing, and we keep playing until someone is completely naked."

You swallow hard, your mouth suddenly dries. This is definitely not your typical poker night. You nod, trying to sound casual hoping this would not distract you. "Sounds like a deal. I'm game if you are."

The game begins, and with each flip of a card, the atmosphere thickens. Seulgi's skilled fingers gracefully deal the cards, her long, painted nails clicking against the table. You can't help but notice her slender, graceful hands, imagining how they might feel running along your skin.

Your first hand is a decent one, a pair of queens, and you smirk at Seulgi, feeling a surge of confidence as you bet a piece of clothing. She raises an eyebrow, her full lips curving into a sly smile. "Not bad, but I think I've got you beat."

She reveals her hand, straight, and you groan. As you reach for your shirt buttons, you catch a glimpse of her lips parting slightly, her eyes fixed on your hands.

"Go on, then," she urges, her voice husky. "Let's see what you've got under there." You unbutton your shirt, slowly, teasingly, revealing a toned chest. Seulgi's eyes widen slightly, her breath catching. She licks her lips, a deliberate, slow motion that sends a jolt of desire straight to your groin.

"Your turn," you manage to say, your voice hoarse.

Seulgi's hand is less impressive this time, and she pouts playfully, reaching for the tiny button on her pants As she stands to remove it, you can't help but admire her graceful movements. Her pants slid down her long legs, revealing sheer black stockings and a garter belt that made her ass look even more perfect. Your eyes travel up her thighs, past the curve of her hips, and settle on the thin lace of her panties.

"Feeling hot?" she teases, her eyes glinting with amusement.

You nod, unable to form a coherent sentence. Your mind is spinning with images of what lies beneath her lingerie.

The game continues, and with each round, the layers of clothing between you and Seulgi diminish. You lose your pants, revealing boxer briefs that tent slightly, betraying your growing arousal. Seulgi's eyes flicker down, taking in your obvious desire, and she smiles, a slow, satisfied stretch of her lips.

"Looks like someone's enjoying the game," 

You feel exposed, but the heat in her gaze only fuels your desire. Seulgi's blazer and shirt is the next to go, revealing a black lace bra that barely contains her perky breasts. You swallow hard, your eyes tracing the curve of her cleavage, imagining the weight of her breasts in your hands.

The cards are dealt again, and this time, luck is on your side. You reveal a full house, grinning triumphantly at Seulgi, who looks momentarily stunned.

"Looks like I owe you," she says.

She reaches behind her back, unclasping her bra with a swift, practiced motion. Your breath catches as she lets the straps slide down her arms, revealing her breasts in all their glory. Her nipples are hard, standing erect against the pale skin, and you feel your dick twitch in response.

Seulgi's eyes never leave yours as she slowly folds her bra and places it on the table. "Your move," she whispers.

You're down to your underwear and your watch now, and you hesitate, knowing that your last layer of clothing will reveal your full arousal. But you can't back down, not with Seulgi's smoldering gaze daring you to continue. 

You lose another round. 

With a deep breath, you slide your boxer briefs down your thighs, feeling exposed and incredibly turned on. Seulgi's eyes widen, taking in your hard length, and a soft moan escapes her lips.

"You're... impressive," she breathes, her voice barely audible.

You sit there, naked and aroused, your eyes locked with hers. Seulgi's chest rises and falls rapidly, her nipples fully hardened. You want to reach out, to touch her, but you're both caught in this erotic game, unable to break the spell. You had one piece of accessory and one more loss would mean you are out of the game.

Seulgi was not far behind, she was down to her underwear and a tie that hangs loosely between her breasts.

The next round begins, and Seulgi's hand trembles slightly as she deals the cards. Her eyes never leave yours, and you can see the desire reflected in her dark pools. You're both breathing heavily now, the air charged with unspoken longing.

Seulgi's panties are the last barrier, and you can almost taste the victory as you reveal a royal flush. You grin, your eyes never leaving hers.

"Looks like I win," you say, your voice raspy.

Seulgi's lips part in a silent gasp. She slowly stands, her hands moving to the waistband of her panties. With deliberate slowness, she slides them down her thighs, revealing a neatly trimmed patch of dark hair and her glistening folds.

Both of you have one piece of clothing left. This one round would determine who is the winner. The intensity captivated all of the spectators in this intense heads up poker. The final hand was about to unfold.

You could feel the tension as the dealer dealt the first two hole cards: you glanced down at 2-7 of spades. “What the fuck, the worst hand possible?” You maintain your composure pretending it was good. 

Seulgi seemed to have read you perfectly. She raised the pre-flop. “Since we have no more clothing, let's take it up a notch, the loser have to eat the winner out right here.” 

You called her bet. To you it was actually a win-win situation. You lose, you get to taste a feast on her glistening pussy. If you win you get,  head from one of your favourite idols. Nonetheless you do not lose sight of the bigger goal, of actually winning this game. 

The dealer revealed the flop: A queen, ten, and a four. As if by a stroke of miracle, the whole board was spade gaining you a flush. You could tell Seulgi was sizing up her next move. “Let’s further up the stakes” She said as she pushed all of her lingerie to the middle, throwing in her laced thong as well. “Winner gets to keep the others clothes” 

“Fuck it, you were here to play” you thought to yourself.

You raised the stakes even higher “Winner gets to use the loser any way they want right here right now, on this table in front of everybody.” 

“Oh? I get to fuck your ass if I win? Anyway, right?” Seulgi chuckled. 

“What the fuck, im not into that” your face turned horrified at her confidence and your life flashed before your eyes as you might have made the mistake, nonetheless you could no longer take back the bet. 

“I’m all-in too then” she declared. 

The dealer turned over the two remaining cards, an 8 of hearts and a king of spade. “Fuck, that was the worst river card possible. If Seulgi just had any spade card higher than 7, she would make a higher flush losing you the game. The prospect of losing suddenly dawned on you like a nightmare. 

Taking a deep breath, you revealed your hand, showing your flush. Staring at her hand, sweat dripped down your forehead. “You got me beat, you win” Seulgi throws her hand into the deck without revealing them. 

The crowd erupted in cheers as the realization set in. Seulgi’s playful confidence turned to surprise. “Well played,” she admitted, her smile returning.

“Looks like I’m the one who gets to entertain you now,” you said, feeling a thrill of victory.

She's lost, and now she's at your mercy.

"Looks like I'm yours to do with as you please," She chuckled. Some part of you feels she had planned for this, but you shove the thought away , wanting to claim your price. 

 "And I have a special request, if you're willing."

Intrigued, you lean forward, your curiosity piqued. "Oh yeah? And what might that be?"

Seulgi bites her lower lip. "I want you to only fuck my ass. Right here, right now, on this table." 

Her boldness takes your breath away.

You can't resist the temptation, the thought of claiming her like that in front of an audience is exhilarating. "As you wish, queen" you reply

Her body was on full display and she was a true work of art, but despite her perfection it’s her tight, round ass that commands your attention. You stand, your cock throbbing against your pants and you approach the table. The green felt is now your stage, and Seulgi, your eager participant. You gently push her forward, positioning her hands on the table's edge, her back arched, offering her ass to you. She looks back at you over her shoulder, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as she feels your warm breath on her exposed skin. 

Your hand explored her curves, and your tongue traced a pathway down her spine to her ass, giving her shivers. Kneeling before her majestic ass now, you wasted no time spreading her cheeks with your strong hands, revealing the tight pink bud of her anus. 

Seulgi moaned softly as she felt your tongue trace circle around her sensitive hole, teasing her. Your tongue was warm and wet, leaving a trail of saliva as you licked and probed eagerly driving Seulgi wild with desire. You took your time, worshipping her asshole, dipping your tongue inside, gently at first, and then with increasing urgency. 

"Oh, fuck... yes!" Seulgi cried out, her hands gripping the edge of the table. The sensation of your tongue delving into her forbidden hole sent waves of pleasure through her body. She felt her pussy dripping, aching to be touched, but you seemed intent on focusing solely on her ass. You lapped away eagerly, tasting every inch, as far as your tongue could go off her ass, leaving a generous trail of saliva in and on her ass. 

You pulled away momentarily, leaving Seulgi gasping for breath.

“Your ass taste so fucking good, Seulgi. Come and wet this cock for your ass” 

Seulgi turned to face you and kneeled before you. With her eyes locked onto you and without saying a word, she took your full length into your hands giving it a few firm strokes.

Her touch was electric, sending shivers down your spine. Her fingers glide over the sensitive skin, making you twitch with anticipation. With a seductive smile, she leaned forward, her full lips parting to take you in. Her tongue darted out, teasing the tip of your cock, swirling around the head, and collecting the pre-cum that had already begun to leak. A soft moan escaped your lips as her warm, wet mouth enveloped you, taking you deep.

Seulgi was a fucking master of her craft and she showed it. She sucked you slowly, her lips forming a tight seal around your shaft, creating a sensation that made your toes curl. Her mouth was hot and wet, and you could feel her saliva coating your length as she worked her magic. With every movement, her long, dark hair fell across her face, framing her beautiful features.

She took her time, bobbing her head up and down, her lips sliding effortlessly along your length. Her hands moved to cup your balls, gently massaging them, adding to the overwhelming pleasure. She hummed as she sucked, the vibrations sending shockwaves through your entire body.. The blowjob was sloppy and wet, just the way you wanted it. She showed no restraint, letting her saliva drip down your shaft, mixing with your pre-cum, creating a messy, glistening spectacle.

"Fuck, you're incredible," you managed to gasp between breaths. Seulgi's eyes flickered up to meet yours. Her gaze looked incredibly naughty and her face looked so fuckable at this point. She responded by taking you even deeper, her nose brushing against your pubic hair, her throat constricting around your girth. The sensation was almost too much to bear, and you had to grab onto her hair, holding her in place as you thrust your hips forward, fucking her face roughly.

Seulgi's enthusiasm only grew as she gagged slightly, her eyes watering, but she never lost her focus. She loved the taste of you, the feel of your cock stretching her mouth, and the power she held over you pleasure. She intentionally moaned around your length, to increase the vibrations that intensified your arousal.

You watched in awe as she continued to suck and lick, her mouth working feverishly. She twirled her tongue around the sensitive underside of his shaft, finding every sweet spot, and driving you wild with desire. The room echoed with the wet, slurping sounds of her blowjob.

Seulgi's hands roamed freely, caressing your inner thighs, squeezing and kneading your flesh, and driving you to the brink of ecstasy. Her fingers traced the sensitive skin behind your balls, applying just the right amount of pressure, making you buck your hips involuntarily. 

“Get on the table” if you continued to let her mouth do the work, you were not going to last much longer. Seulgi released your cock with a loud pop, and licked her lips as if she had tasted something incredible. Your cock was at this point glistening with her saliva.

Seulgi positioned herself on all fours on top the poker table, her full curves on display. Getting behind her, you spat on her ass before pressing a finger against her tight hole, slowly pushing inside. 

“Relax, baby” "Let me in. I'm going to stretch you out and make you beg for my cock."

Seulgi obeyed, surrendering to the pleasure as your finger worked its way deeper, twisting and preparing her for the invasion of your thick shaft. You added a second finger, stretching her wider, scissoring your fingers to stretch her hole further. Your other hand reaches around to rub her clit to help her relax , driving her wild. 

"Please... I need you inside me," she begged, her voice hoarse.

You  withdrew his fingers, leaving Seulgi desperate for more before bringing them to Seulgi’s mouth. “Taste yourself slut” Seulgi eagerly sucked on your two fingers, cleaning them utterly. With your fingers still in her mouth, you lined your thick cock which throbbed against her slippery entrance. With one powerful thrust, you buried himself deep into her ass, eliciting a scream of pleasure from Seulgi. 

"Fuck! Your ass is so tight, Seulgi. It's gripping my cock like a vice," you grunted, pulling out almost completely before slamming back into her.

Seulgi's body shook with each brutal thrust, her ass accommodating his length with every stroke. She reached down, her fingers finding her throbbing clit, rubbing it frantically as her asshole was pounded relentlessly.

"Yes, that's it, touch yourself," you encouraged, his hands gripping her hips tightly. "Stroke that pretty little clit while I fuck your tight ass." Your index and middle finger were now holding the side of her mouth keeping them open, while you continued thrusting deeply into her tight ass, leaving her tongue hanging out of her mouth, a true display of a buttslut.

"Fuck me," she begs, her voice raw. "Fuck my ass like it's yours. Fuck me like you own this"

You oblige, slamming harder back into her, setting a relentless pace. The sound of your flesh slapping against hers fills the room, a primal rhythm that drives you both wild. Seulgi's moans and cries of pleasure echo through the casino, slowly submitting to your dominance over her ass. 

Reaching around, you grab her breasts, squeezing and kneading them as you continue to pound her from behind. Her nipples, hard as pebbles, are sensitive to your touch, and she arches her back, pushing her chest into your hands.

"Harder," she urges, her voice barely audible over the sound of your bodies colliding. "Fuck me harder, make me cum on your cock." You drive into her with all your might, your hips crashing against her ass , as you do your best to fill that bottomless well of her ass. Her anal wall was slowly becoming a mould for your cock , massaging your full shaft so well. 

The sight of cock disappearing in and out of this greedy and tight asshole was an added stimulant for you.  Seulgi's orgasm builds, her body tensing, her cries becoming more desperate. "I'm cumming!" she screams, her body convulsing around your cock. The sensation of her ass milking your shaft tightly. 

That did not stop you one bit. Her ass had become a playground for your cock, accommodating your every desire and length. 

"You like it rough, don't you, Seulgi?" you growled. "You want me to fuck this tight ass of yours until you can't walk straight?"

"Yes! Harder! Fuck me harder!" Seulgi screamed, her body on fire.

Reaching for her loose tie that was conveniently still hanging between her tits. You gave it a pull, it now serves a function as a makeshift leash to choke her as you pull her deeper into you.

With one hand on her hips, and the other pulling on the tie, your cock continued to pistoned in and out of her ass. Seulgi felt another orgasm building, this one more intense than the last. Her body trembled, her asshole clenching and unclenching around your shaft as she rode the wave of pleasure. 

Seulgi’s pussy was practically dripping with arousal at this point, adding to the slickness between her thighs.  The sensation of being filled so completely, so intimately, was overwhelming, and she couldn't help but beg for more. "Harder... please... fuck me harder..."

You thrusted forward with increasing urgency, each push eliciting a symphony of lewd sounds—the wet slapping of skin became louder with her juice splashing all around,  the squelching of your cock plunging in and out of her tight channel. Seulgi's hands clenched the edges of the table, her knuckles turning white as she braced herself for your powerful strokes. You grabbed her hips tighter, leaving red imprints on her milky skin, driving into her with a primal rhythm, determined to mark her as yours.

"You like that, don't you, you filthy slut?" you growled into her ear, your hot breath contrasting the cool air of the casino. "My cock feels so good in your tight ass, doesn't it?" 

“It feels too fucking good, its so big and I feel so fucking full, fuckk—” Her words are inaudible breaths now, too focused on the pleasure your cock is making her ass feel. You continued pulling harder on the tie to choke her while at the same time thrust deeper into her. 

With a growl, you suddenly withdrew, leaving her feeling empty and desperate for more. To be fair removing yourself out of her ass takes hercules strength, given how tight of a ring that ass was. But you had other plans. You pushed her shoulders down, guiding her into a prone position on the table, her ass still perched invitingly in the air. Without missing a beat, you positioned yourself behind her once more, this time aiming for an even deeper invasion.

"Oh gods..." Seulgi cried out as you entered her again, this time with more force and depth. You were determined to possess every inch of her, to explore the deepest recesses of her body. Your hands gripped her hips, holding her in place as you began to piston in and out.

"Yes... oh yes... fuck my ass... claim it..." Seulgi chanted, her voice a mixture of pleasure and pain as you stretched her to her limits. You reached around to undo her tie into one long string. Placing the middle portion over her mouth, you grabbed both ends of the tie with one hand. Pulling unto it, you lifted her head slightly off the table while the tie muffled her moans. 

With your other hand you gathered both her hands and placed them behind her back, locking the wrist together behind her back with your hand. This position left Seulgi with absolutely no control and balance. She was now a vessel for your pleasure, a hole for you to use, a tight one of course.  

You pressed your body weight unto her, with every thrust you would pull on the tie Seulgi was now biting down on, while pressing down on both of her wrist that is on her back,  which would arch her back further letting you bury your cock deeper into her. You continued this routine for a few moments as you stretched her ass like never before. 

Seulgi moans were now muffled by the tie but you could tell she was approaching another orgasm. You were not far behind. 

"Cum for me, you dirty girl," you commanded, your voice domineering. "Let me feel your ass milking my cock as you come."

Your words were like a trigger, sending Seulgi spiralling into a vortex of pleasure, her eyes rolling back as she orgasm hard. 

Her ass clenched and unclenched around your shaft, her pussy gushing as she climaxed, her juices flowing down her thighs. You felt her ass muscles pulsating, milking your cock as she rode out her orgasm, and it was too much for you to bear.

With a final, powerful thrust, you buried yourself to the hilt, holding her hips tightly as you emptied your load deep inside her, filling her ass with your hot cum. Seulgi's body shook with aftershocks as she continued to climax, her ass pulsating around your spasming cock, milking every last drop of your essence.

As your breathing slowed, you gently withdrew, savoring the sensation of her tight muscles caressing your sensitive cock. Seulgi collapsed onto the table, her body glistening with sweat and satisfaction. You couldn't help but admire the sight of her, knowing that you had just given her an unforgettable anal experience. "That was..." Seulgi began, her voice breathless.

"Incredible," you finished for her.

“‘I’m not done with you just give me 5 minutes” This was music to Seulgi’s ears. She was an insatiable slut and you were going to fill that bottomless well of hers, a paradox indeed. Seulgi called for a waiter to provide some water to the both of you.

As you look around you realise, that a huge crowd has gathered, you were so engrossed in fucking her ass that you did not notice this scene at all. Some were filming the pornographic display of sex between the both of you, some were touching themselves, some was just simply enjoying the performance. 

“Are you ready to go again?” Seulgi, now even more insatiable, wanted to take control, and you were more than willing to let her.As you laid down, she straddled you, her back facing your chest, her ass hovering just above your throbbing cock. Ride me, baby," you urged, your hands roaming over her smooth skin, fingers trailing her beautiful tailbone before landing on her perfect ass cheeks.

Lowering herself slowly in a reverse cowgirl position, her ass engulfed your cock inch by delicious inch. She sighed contentedly, her eyes closing momentarily as she savored the feeling of being filled by you once again. Her hips began to move in a slow, tortuous rhythm, each downward glide taking you deep into her ass, each upward lift a sweet torture as you almost slipped out. The cum is now an added lube, allowing you to slide easier into her.

You brought your hands back before connecting firmly with her plump ass cheeks, leaving a satisfying smack that echoed in the room. Seulgi gasped, her head falling back against your shoulder as she smiled wickedly.

"You like that, huh?" she purred, her voice sultry and teasing.

"I love it," you replied, delivering another sharp smack to her other cheek, watching it redden under your hand. "Your ass was made for this, for taking my cock and those spankings."

Seulgi began to ride you with increasing fervor, her ass cheeks jiggling with each bounce, providing a tantalizing visual as she worked herself up and down your shaft. You continued to spank her, the sound of your hand meeting her flesh filling the room, a soundtrack to the primal dance of your bodies.

"Oh yes... spank me harder..." Seulgi moaned, her words interspersed with little cries of pleasure. "Make my ass red... make it burn for you..."

You obliged, your hands raining down on her ass with increasing force, the sound and sensation driving you both wild. Seulgi's movements became more erratic, her ass squeezing and massaging your cock as she rode you closer to the brink. You could feel her ass tightening in coordination the moment your hand lands on her ass cheek. They were bright red at this point. 

“Slut, loving your ass getting spanked” The dirty talk only seemed to fuel her desire further as she rode you with increasing speed chasing her pleasure. You sat up, and reached around finding her clit and rubbing it in firm circles, pushing her over the edge. Seulgi's ass clenched around your cock again as she came, her juices squirting even more to create a slippery, slick sensation as she rode your cock in the throes of her orgasm. Seulgi's moans turned into cries of ecstasy as you continued to rub her clit. 

Adding now two fingers into her cunt, you thrust your fingers deep into her relentless, reaching as deep as you could. This added sensation only served to make Seulgi tighten her ass in pleasure even more, inducing a grunt from you. It was a truly wet mess, juices spurting everywhere as you work your fingers in her cunt. The squelching sound got increasingly louder as her cunt became wetter with every increasing moment.

“FUCK IM GONNA CUM AGAIN” 

Suddenly, as if a dam broke within her, a gush of force pushes your finger out and Seulgi shoots out a few burst of squirt. Her juice splashing the front seat audience wetting all of them. 

The crowd continued watching in awe as you pounded Seulgi's ass through her orgasm, her pussy still shooting spurts of liquid. Each stroke was met with a gasp from her and a collective murmur of appreciation from the onlookers.

“Let us put on a better show for your guest shall we, you whispered into her ears.” Without giving Seulgi any time to rest, you reached underneath her thighs and grabbed her thighs pulling them towards her head, exposing her completely to the crowd. Her pussy, glistening with arousal was now on full display, adding a new layer of eroticism to the scene. You locked your arms around her thighs and the back of her neck, holding her in a full Nelson position, ensuring she couldn't escape the pleasure you were about to unleash.

"You like that, baby?" you whispered in her ear, your hot breath contrasting with the cool air of the casino. "You like being on display for everyone, being fucked like the little slut you are?" 

Seulgi's only response was a nod, her eyes rolling back in her head as she surrendered herself to the overwhelming sensations. Her body trembled, and you knew she was close to the edge. You wanted to take her there, to push her over the precipice of pleasure and watch her fall into a cascade of orgasmic bliss.

You began to thrust upwards vigorously, Seulgi had zero grounding or anything to balance on so she leaned back and her body moved in synchronisation with your thrust. Your thrusts became more frenzied, your hips slamming against her ass with relentless force. 

Seulgi's moans turned into desperate cries, signaling her impending release. You could feel her asshole spasming around your cock, and that's when it happened—Seulgi's body convulsed, and she let out a scream of ecstasy as her pussy gushed and squirted again, spraying her juices across the table and again onto the captivated crowd. 

You see some of them opening your mouth to capture the juice. It was pure debauchery. 

“Fucking Exhibitionist slut” 

The spectators cheered, their voices blending with Seulgi's cries of pleasure. You continued to thrust upwards, riding out her orgasm. You sense your impending orgasm as well. Her anal walls were simply squeezing and massaging you too tight and well. Her ass was perfect. With all your might, you lifted your body off the table and thrust upwards as deep as you can, and with a grunt you orgasm hard, shooting your cum deep inside her ass. 

With that, you release the lock hold and fall back onto the table exhausted, Seulgi on top of you, her back on your chest. You hear the clicking of more cameras but you were too exhausted to bother. 

After a short break, you turn Seulgi to the side and finally pull her ass. Your cock glistening with a mixture of her ass juices and your cum. You see your cum slowly oozing out of her freshly gaped ass, staining the table. Her rosebud was now pulsing with how much you had stretched her to the limit.

“Quick left pocket of my blazer” You reached into the pocket and noticed an oval metal object. Pulling it out you realise it's a metal butt plug, with a pink jewel embedded at the base, immediately understanding her intentions. You positioned the plug at the entrance of her well-fucked asshole. With a gentle but firm push, you inserted the plug, filling her ass once more. "This will keep your cum in my ass for your baby” 

“Dirty slut, come and clean my cock, suck this dick clean off your ass juices.” Obediently, Seulgi turned her head towards your cock, which was still hard and throbbing from the intense anal session. She took you into her mouth, her warm, wet lips sliding down the length of your shaft, her tongue swirling around the head, collecting the remnants of her ass and your cum. As you withdrew from her mouth, Seulgi licked her lips, savoring the last traces of your essence. The crowd, still gathered around, erupted into applause, their cheers a fitting finale to the erotic display they had just witnessed.

You helped Seulgi off the table, her legs shaky from the intense orgasm. She leaned against you, her body still buzzing with pleasure. "That was incredible," she whispered, her breath hot against your neck. "I've never felt so exposed, so wanted, and so satisfied all at once."

“Let’s get out of here, we have garnered too much attention.” Grabbing all of your clothes you grabbed her hand to stabilise her, her legs still wobbly from the intense anal fuck you have just given her. 

You quickly walked through the corridors to your rooms until you both had to part ways to head to your own rooms. “I will catch you again soon,” Seulgi said before leaning in to leave a peck on your forehead. 

Your heart stumbles for a second, skipping a beat as something shifts in the air—it's like a sudden rush of energy, a spark that catches you off guard. Her lips brush your forehead softly, but the feeling lingers much longer, settling in your chest, a warmth that feels both comforting and a little overwhelming. You weren’t expecting it to affect you like this, but now you’re left with a racing heart as you watched her sexy ass sway with that buttplug perfectly lodged inside as she walked away from you.

Shaking your head you headed off to your own room as well. 

After washing up and crashing onto your bed, you tapped on your access card again. To your surprise you looked at your status bar which revealed Adventurer Tier, 60% towards Trailblazer. Alongside that was many missions you have cleared but more importantly the title “Poker champion” was now attached to your status. You suspected that was the main reason for the huge jump in progress.Playing with the holographic further you notice an achievement notification bar glowing. Clicking on it, it states: 

Hidden achievement unlocked. “Anal expert: Pleasure a woman using only her ass, equipment obtained : Vibrating Butt Plug” 

A package suddenly dropped into your personal mailbox in your room. Unwrapping it to discover it was a buttplay similar to the one Seulgi had used, just that it had an additional button that caused it to vibrate.. You guessed that while some general items were available upon order as mentioned by Jieun on day 1. Some other items had to be unlocked through hidden achievements.

You replayed the footage of the last hand that was now in the public server, wanting to reminisce about your victory. When suddenly you noticed something..

Seulgi had the Ace of spades all along. She had the nut flush, it was her hand to win. Why the fuck did she throw the game then? A torrent of questions flooded your head as if you were an idiot. It is obvious to anybody else why she threw the game. Seulgi just wanted to get fucked in the ass, it was as simple as that. But at that moment you could not understand and comprehend her rationale for doing so. 

Oh well, time to get some food, it was already 3.30pm and you had skipped lunch due to that intense session of poker and … well we know what happened.

As you sit in your usual corner of the cafeteria, the quiet hum of chatter and the clinking of trays seem distant compared to the thoughts swirling in your mind. You absentmindedly push your food around, your attention drifting. The kiss—Seulgi’s soft, unexpected kiss on your forehead—keeps replaying in your head. It’s strange. So simple, yet it’s left this strange, lingering feeling in your chest, like something unspoken, something new that you’re not sure how to handle. 

You do not understand the warm fuzzy feeling inside, was it more than just sex? I mean you had already taken her ass in front of a crowd , yet after that soft kiss, something within you changed. “How is she doing? Is she thinking about it too? Or was I just another sex toy for her? You can’t help ponder those idle thoughts.

Suddenly your access card started glowing again interrupting your thoughts. An email looking notifcaiton popped up. “Ellinia open message” 

Your AI helper popped up again and almost instantly you saw a simple message that made your pulse quicken.

"Invitation: Ariel’s Domain themed room"

You raised an eyebrow, curiosity immediately piquing. You hadn’t signed up for any themed room specifically, but there it was—an exclusive invitation, glowing softly against the holographic display. No sender. No hint at who had chosen you for this… mysterious experience. Nonetheless you remember that one of your goals today was to try out the theme room. 

“Ariel’s Domain…” you murmured to yourself, probably something related to water or mermaids, you guessed. It was the kind of temptation you couldn’t resist, especially with the ship’s promise of exploration. Something about the room called to you—an adventure waiting beneath the surface. 

The notification blinked again, urging you to take action.

With a deep breath, you tapped the screen to confirm your interest. A soft chime echoed in the air, and just like that, a new prompt appeared: "Follow the coordinates for the secret entry. Adventurer access required." 

A brief pause. The excitement built as the coordinates materialized on the map of the ship. It was located on another level, tucked away in a section you hadn’t ventured into yet. You didn’t know who had arranged this, but there was no turning back now.

Your heart raced as you finished your meal, gathering your things, and making your way toward the coordinates. The further you walked, the more isolated the corridors became. Along the way you could see through the cracks of the doors all sorts of scenario.

Man taking another woman roughly from behind. One woman had a luxurious silk scarf tied loosely around her wrist as she was ate out by another woman. Moans could be heard through the doors, some room had more than 10 people in it, in a fuckfest orgy. You could not help but wonder again how Seulgi was doing. Was she in one of those rooms picking up more guys to fuck again? 

“I hope she is fine” You whispered to yourselves as you continued your way through the corridors in search of the themed room. 

**Meanwhile in Seulgi’s room**

Seulgi had a mischievous smile on her face as she unlocked the door to her apartment, thoroughly satisfied by you . 

Little did she know, her naughty adventures were about to take an unexpected turn. 

As she pushed the door open, her eyes widened in shock at the sight that greeted her. 

Her three members, Irene, Wendy, and Yeri, stood in the living room, their eyes smoldering with a mixture of anger and jealousy. Each of them wore nothing but a sexy lingerie set, and prominently displayed on their hips were massive 6-inch strap-ons, glistening with lube and ready for action.

"Oh my god..." Seulgi's voice trailed off as she realized the reason for their unexpected visit. Her holes throbbed with the punishment she was about to receive.

Irene took a step forward, her strap-on swaying with her hips. "You've been a very bad girl, Seulgi. Cheating on us with a man. Was all of us not enough for you? 

Her eyes were dark and voice commanding, leaving no room for argument.

Seulgi's heart raced as she felt a rush of excitement mixed with nervousness . She knew her members were not ones to be crossed, and now she was at their mercy. 

The thought of being punished by these three beautiful women sent a shiver down her spine.

Wendy's voice, smooth as silk, added to the tension. "You've been craving something bigger and better, haven't you, Seulgi? We know you intentionally threw that last hand. You had the nut flush didn’t you? Yet you folded to him. Were you that desperate to get fucked in the ass you slut? Well, we're going to give it to you." 

She ran her hands along the length of her strap-on, making sure Seulgi got a good look at what was about to fill her up.

"Please, girls, I'm sorry," Seulgi pleaded . She knew resistance was futile, and deep down, she craved the punishment they were about to deliver.

Yeri, stepped forward, her strap-on pointing menacingly towards Seulgi. "No more talking, bitch. Get on your knees and start sucking."  Her voice was surprisingly assertive as the youngest but freakiest of them all.  Still, she was more commanding than usual which sent a thrill through Seulgi's body.

Seulgi did as she was told, dropping to her knees and taking Yeri's strap-on into her mouth. The rubbery cock filled her mouth, and she moaned around it, the taste of lube and the feel of the veiny shaft pushing her deeper into submission.

As Seulgi sucked on Yeri's strap-on, Irene and Wendy moved behind her, their hands roaming over her body, caressing her curves and driving her wild. Irene's fingers found Seulgi's clit, rubbing it in firm circles while Wendy teased and played with the buttplug still inside her , pulling it slightly to see her tight ring stretch around the plug just to shove it back in. A loud squelching sound from her cum filled ass was heard every time she pushed the plug it. Wendy continued teasing Seulgi’s well used ass playing with her body. 

"Oh fuck, yes!" Seulgi moaned around Yeri's cock, her body trembling. 

She felt so full already, and they hadn't even begun to fuck her yet.

Irene pulled Seulgi's hair gently, tilting her head back. "You like that, don't you, you little slut? You love being at our mercy." Irene's words were like a drug, pushing Seulgi further into the depths of her submission. 

Wendy added a finger to Seulgi's tight asshole along side the buttplug, stretching her, making her gasp around Yeri's strap-on. "We're going to fuck all your holes, Seulgi. Make you forget about him."

Yeri pulled her strap-on out of Seulgi's mouth, leaving her gasping for breath. "Now, bend over and show us how much you want it." She said leaning forward to land a hard spank on her ass. 

Seulgi eagerly complied, positioning herself on all fours, her ass in the air, presenting herself for their pleasure. Irene and Yeri wasted no time, each taking a position behind Seulgi's spread legs, Irene underneath and Yeri behind. 

Irene lined up her strap-on with Seulgi's dripping wet pussy, the head of the dildo nudging at her entrance. With one swift thrust, she buried herself deep inside Seulgi's tight cunt. Seulgi cried out, her body trembling as Irene began to pound her relentlessly.

At the same time, Yeri positioned her strap-on at Seulgi's sloppy asshole. Pulling out the buttplug, a wave of cum started oozing at. Before more could drop. Yeri pushed her way in, inch by inch, until she was balls-deep in Seulgi's tight rear entrance, fucking the cum deeper into her. Seulgi's moans turned into desperate cries as she was filled in both holes, her body stretched to the limit. Her moans were soon muffled as Yeri, the kinky youngest , pressed the soaked buttplug against Seulgi’s lip and wanted her to taste the mixture of your’s and Seulgi juice.

“Fuck unnie, your ass is still so tight even after he ravaged it” 

Seulgi could only produce a muffled moan. 

Wendy , not wanting to be left out , moved to Seulgi's head and grabbed her hair, pulling her head up presenting her strap-on to her lips.

Seulgi dropped the buttplug and eagerly took Wendy’s cock back into her mouth, sucking greedily as her girlfriends fucked her from both ends.

"Fuck, yes! Pound that pussy, Irene!" Yeri screamed as she felt Seulgi's ass tightening with every of Irene’s thrust making it harder for her to push the strap into her ass. 

Seulgi was overwhelmed  with pleasure. Irene's strap-on filled her so perfectly, hitting all the right spots as she’s forced to slam herself into Irene’s strap by Yeri’s ferocious pounding. 

Yeri was relentless in her assault on Seulgi's ass, pounding her mercilessly, making her feel deliciously full and used. Seulgi's body was on fire, her senses overwhelmed by the intense stimulation.

The three girlfriends worked in perfect harmony, fucking Seulgi with a rhythm that pushed her closer and closer to the edge. Seulgi's orgasm built slowly, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through her body.

Irene reached up, grabbing Seulgi's nipples, pinching and twisting them, sending sparks of pain-pleasure through her body. "You're going to come so hard for us, you dirty girl," she growled.

Seulgi's eyes rolled back as she felt the climax building, her body shaking uncontrollably. "I'm gonna... I'm gonna..." she stammered.

Wendy’s words were like a trigger. "Come for us, Seulgi! Let us feel your pussy and ass and mouth milk our cocks!"

Seulgi's body exploded in a cascade of ecstasy, her pussy clenching tightly around Irene's strap-on, her asshole gripping Yeri’s cock like a vice. She screamed into wendy’s strap-on, her throat vibrating around the rubber shaft as her orgasm consumed her.

The three women slowed their pace, allowing Seulgi to ride out her orgasm, their strap-ons still buried deep inside her. Seulgi's body trembled, her juices flowing freely as she came down from her intense climax.

"That's our good girl," Irene whispered, her breath hot on Seulgi's ear. "Now you know who can really satisfy you."

Seulgi collapsed onto the floor, her body spent but utterly satisfied. After getting her ass pounded by you, she didn’t even get a break before being so deliciously used. 

As she lay there, surrounded by her lovers, she realized that sometimes the best punishment is the one that brings the most pleasure. “Was he really that good Seulgi?” Wendy asked curiously. 

“Yea he hit all the right spots literally” Seulgi panted in her replies.

“Well we got to try him too then” Irene grinned her thoughts wandering off.

“HEY HE’s MINE” 

“Shut up Unnie don’t be a greedy slut” Yeri moved forward slapping her 7 inch Strap on on Seulgi’s face. “We are not done with you”

With a mischievous glint in their eyes, the three girlfriends helped Seulgi to her feet. "Now, let's see if we can make you come again, but this time, all together," Yeri said, leading Seulgi to the bedroom for another round of strap-on-fueled ecstasy. Seulgi knew this was going to be a long day for her. 

** Back to the present**

Eventually, you reached the entrance to Ariel’s Domain. The door was locked. 

You saw the notification on the electronic system of the door that states “access card needed” Tapping on it, the door slowly opened and a burst of mist escaped. 

Stepping inside, you see bubbles drifting lazily through the air. The room was large and expansive, with a circular pool at one corner of the room. The floor was made of soft, sandy textures that shifted underfoot as if you were walking along a beach at the edge of the sea.

In the centre of the room was a large rectangular empty space. You see a throne-like chair facing this space at the side, as though waiting for someone to take a seat.

Then you heard a seductive, siren sounding voice as if drawing you in. 

“Welcome to Ariel’s Domain” “Please take a seat, my king.”

Scooting over you sat on the comfortable chair. You noticed handcuffs with one end already locked on the armrest of the chair. “You can use those if it helps” the serenade voice repeated again. 

Before you could react, the floor beneath your feet rippled and then, a soft, surreal hum vibrated through the air. A low, almost musical sound that pulled at your senses. The rectangular empty space in front started to open , as more steam and bubbles popped up from there.

A platform started to emerge from the floor, the mist swirled around it, dissipating to reveal a large, plush bed at the center of the space. The bed looked as though it had been crafted from the finest silks, its deep red sheets glowing softly in the dim light. 

And then, your gaze shifted towards the star of the show, drawn to the figures perched delicately on the bed, as if waiting for you. Princess Joy and Princess Yuna, two beautiful redhead breathtakingly beautiful with striking, vibrant red hair cascading around their shoulders, framing their flawless faces. Their eyes were locked on you, but there was something playful—something teasing—in their gazes. They were loosely dressed in lingerie with 3 seashells covering their modesty.

Joy, sitting cross-legged at the edge of the bed, tilted her head slightly. Her lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Welcome to Ariel's Domain," , her voice soft but carrying an unmistakable allure.

Yuna, reclining next to her, stretched lazily, her hand brushing through her red locks, giving you a  glance that sent a wave of heat through your chest. "We've been waiting," she whispered, her tone both teasing and inviting. “You have been deemed worthy, after that good dicking you gave… Seulgi” 

“Fuck” you whispered. Now you know the reason, that whole escapade was obviously live-streamed and now idols are going to want some of you too. You were not going to complain though,  it was a dream come through for you.

Suddenly a red notification pop-up of your holographic screen from your card. "Emergency Mission: Failure will get you kicked out of the room immediately’

Clicking onto it the words flickered “Mission: No touching yourself for 10 minutes:”

Now you understand what those handcuffs were for. You were not going to use them however, you were confident to pass this mission with flying colours. Or so you thought…. 

“Shall we begin Yuna” Joy turned to Yuna smiling

You quickly set up your camera on the tripod , wanting to capture the momment again.

The duo approached the chair where you sat. The tension in the room thickened as you gulped down audibly, the saliva on your throat, clenching your fist on the hands of the chair, determined to fulfil the mission. Your eyes was fixated on the woman's every move. Joy and Yuna stopped in front of the chair, their faces mere inches apart, and without hesitation, they locked lips in a deep, passionate kiss. Their tongues danced and twirled, exploring each other's mouths with an urgency. 

Breaking the kiss, the women began to caress each other's bodies, their hands roaming freely over each other’s skin. Yuna's fingers trailed down Joy's neck, tracing the curve of her collarbone before dipping lower to cup her full breasts. She squeezed gently, eliciting a soft moan from Joy, who arched her back in response, pushing her chest further into Yuna's skilled hands. Joy's hands were not idle either; she grasped Yuna's waist, her fingers digging into the soft flesh as she pulled her closer, their bodies pressing together in a heated embrace.

You feel your boner becoming harder, it was painful at this point as it strained hard against your pants. You clenched harder at the armrest to prevent you from failing this mission, looking further at the reward that you will gain from this. The handcuffs were tempting to use, as means to aid yourself should you fail in your self-control but your pride refused it, believing you are able to overcome this through whatever mentality you believed you had.

Meanwhile, the seashells' lingerie that was covering all their modesty has completely been stripped and tossed to the side.Joy’s hands continued roaming over Yuna’s thighs, squeezing and kneading the firm flesh before reaching her dripping wet crotch. 

“Oh, Unnie... right there," Yuna cries out, her head thrown back as Joy's fingers stroked her already soaked pussy lips. She bit her lip to stifle another moan as Joy's finger circled her clit, applying just the right amount of pressure to send sparks of pleasure through her body. The older one was taking the lead and it was evident through her skilled fingers. Yuna's hands tightened on Joy's waist, her nails digging into the soft flesh as she fought the urge to buck her hips and seek more friction.

Sensing the younger one's growing need, she pushed her down onto the floor in front of you, her mouth replacing her fingers at Yuna's center. She kissed and sucked on Yuna's sensitive bud, her tongue darting and flicking, driving Yuna wild. 

"Oh, fuck, yes!" 

Yuna's hands tangled in Joy's hair, guiding her face closer, urging her on as waves of pleasure washed over her. She cried out as Joy's talented mouth brought her closer and closer to the edge. She loved the feeling of Joy's warm tongue, brushing against every inch of her folds.

"You like that, baby?" Joy asked

Yuna managed a nod in response too lost in the pleasure. Just as Yuna was about to climax, Joy pulled away, leaving her breathless and wanting.

“Why did you stop unnie” 

She looked up at Joy with lust-filled eyes, her body trembling with the effort of holding back her orgasm. Joy smiled, without replying she lifted both her legs over Yuna’s head, positioning herself above her face. Yuna's eyes widened as she stared directly at her unnie’s throbbing pussy, wet with arousal and her mouth watered in anticipation. She figured Joy too was turned on from eating her out. 

“Unnie gets to cum first Yuna” 

Joy lowered herself onto Yuna’s waiting mouth. Eager to please and taste the delicious pussy, Yuna wrapped her arms around Joy’s thighs, pulling her close and diving into her pussy, her tongue tasting the sweet nectar. She lapped at Joy’s folds, savouring her sweet taste, her tongue delving deep into her hole.

“Oh, Yuna... yes.. Please your unnie like a good slut you are” . The dirty talk only seemed to spur the younger one on further. Her mouth and tongue became more eager to bring Joy to the brink of ecstasy. She sucked on Joy’s clit, drawing it into her mouth and swirling her tongue around it, causing Joy to grind herself on Yuna’s face more , and her hips to buck uncontrollably. Joy was gripping Yuna’s tits at this point to balance in her attempt to stay upright as her eager junior ravaged her sensitive flesh. 

“More Yuna, make Unnie cum with that tongue of yours”

As Joy’s moan grows louder so does your self control. Your knuckles were white from clenching so hard on the armrest at this point, stopping the blood flow. The timer seemed to be going slower than usual. 5 mins remaining? What the fuck? is this rigged, how could 5 minutes only have passed. It sure as hell felt like 30 minutes to you. You started doing everything you can to maintain your composure. Shfiting around here and there. You were in an obvious paradox. To close your eyes would make it way easier in regaining some sense of composure, but to do that infront of these two sexy redheads in front of you, pleasuring each other is diabolical. Many would die to be in the position you were in.

Yuna has now proceeded to insert a finger into Joy’s tight hole, curling it upwards to seek out the magical spot deep within. With a few coordinated thrust of her fingers and her eager tongue, Joy’s resistance crumbles.

"YES! OH FUCK, YUNA!" With a loud cry, she came, her juice flooded and stained Yuna’s face and mouth. Yuna drank it all in like a good girl she is, revelling in the taste of her unnie’s essence, her own pussy throbbing in anticipation for her turn as well. 

“Time for unnie to return the favor” 

Joy knelt between Yuna's spread legs, gazing at her glistening pussy with desire. She leaned down, her breath hot against Yuna's sensitive skin, and blew gently, causing Yuna to shiver and moan.

Joy began to kiss and lick her way up Yuna's inner thighs, taking her time, savoring every inch of skin. She nipped and sucked at the soft flesh, leaving behind marks of passion as she went. Yuna squirmed beneath her, her body still sensitive from her orgasm denial, but she wanted more, craved the pleasure only Joy could provide.

“Please Unnie…”

As Joy's mouth neared Yuna's pussy , she paused, her hot breath teasing her swollen lips. She blew again gently, causing Yuna's hips to buck in pleasure, teasing her further. Then, with a swift motion, she dove in, her tongue plunging deep into Yuna's hole, fucking her with a relentless rhythm. Yuna's hands gripped the carpet, her back arching off the floor as she cried out, her body already responding to Joy's skilled touch.

Joy added another finger to her assault, stretching Yuna open as she scissored her fingers, to massage her inner walls. Yuna's juices flowed freely, coating Joy's hand as she worked her magic, her thumb circling Yuna's clit in perfect counterpoint to the thrusts of her fingers. Yuna's body trembled, her breath coming in short gasps, as she hovered on the brink of another powerful orgasm.

With a final, desperate cry, Yuna's body convulsed, her pussy clenching around Joy's fingers as she came hard, her juices squirting out in rhythmic pulses, soaking the carpet beneath her. Joy lapped at her, drinking in every drop, her own pussy throbbing in sympathy as she enjoyed the power she held over her junior's pleasure.

As Yuna lay panting, her body panting from the intense orgasm. Joy leaned down and kissed her softly, sharing the taste of their juices. 

2 minute remaining. At this point you were sure they were playing some kind of sick joke, it was not your delusion or desperation, but you were so damn sure, the timer was actually moving slower than normal. Either way, failing this mission would get you kicked out of the room which is the last thing you wanted, after having come this far. 

“Let us continue this on the bed Yuna”

As they swayed their sexy hips and moved away from you towards the central bed, Joy turned around giving you a teasing look before grabbing a mysterious looking bottle along the way.

"Let's make this night unforgettable, for our dear guest Yuna” Joy whispered in a seductive voice while taking another glance at you. Yuna nodded, her eyes locked on her unnie’s face. 

With skilled hands, Joy poured a generous amount of oil onto her palms, the liquid warming as it made contact with her skin. She rubbed her hands together, creating a slippery, fragrant lubricant. Joy's eyes followed Yuna's every move, her pussy throbbing excited at what was about to unfold. 

Starting at Yuna's shoulders, Joy began to massage the oil into her skin, her touch firm yet gentle. She worked her way down, gliding her hands over Yuna’s back, her touch sending shivers down her junior’s spine. As Joy's hands moved lower down to her ass she gave it another firm squeeze. Yuna let out a soft moan, her body responding to the sensual stimulation.

"Your hands feel so good, Unnie," Yuna moaned softly. Joy smiled, her fingers tracing circles on Yuna’s back, making her squirm from the sensitivity. “This is just the beginning” Joy whispered seductively, into Yuna’ ears. 

After awhile, seeing that Yuna’s back has been sufficiently oiled infront, she guided Yuna to lie down on her back on the bed.

Squeezing more lube, Joy rubbed the special looking lube all over her own body. Her hands glided down her own arms, down to her ample breasts , squeezing and kneading them gently as she spreaded the lube to cover every inch of her breasts.. Yuna’s mouth watered as she imagined her hands touching them and eager of what was about to happen. With deliberate slowness, Joy coated the remainder of her body with the slick lube, her hands gliding over her flat stomach and down to her trimmed well kept pubic mound. 

She teased her own pussy lips, sliding her fingers through the glistening folds, but stopping short of giving herself the pleasure she craved. Instead, she moved to straddle Yuna's thighs, positioning herself above her lover’s body. Then she began to rub her oil breasts over the front of Yuna’s body, her hard nipples grazing against the skin of Yuna’s body. At times, their nipples met which elicited more moans from the Maknae.

“Unnie your nipples feels so good on me” 

Joy smiled, however, her body was starting to feel heated as well, she needed to satisfy her own arousal, her pussy was dripping wet at this point. Throwing her legs over Yuna’s face once more, she lowered her pussy to Yuna’s waiting mouth. Yuna's tongue snaked out, licking Joy's slick folds, tasting her sweetness. Joy moaned, grinding her pussy against Yuna's mouth, feeling her clit throb as Yuna's tongue flicked and teased.

Wanting to give Yuna the same pleasure, Joy shifted her position, lowering her body to a sixty-nine position. She looked down seeing Yuna’s glistening pussy, already swollen and wet. Joy wasted no time, lowering her mouth to Yuna's pussy, sucking and licking her folds, driving Yuna wild with pleasure. She teased Yuna's clit with her tongue, circling it, then flicking it rapidly, making Yuna buck her hips and moan loudly.

Yuna's mouth and tongue worked feverishly on Joy's pussy, matching the intensity of her lover's movements. Joy's thighs quivered as Yuna's tongue delved deep, her mouth sucking on her clit. The sensations were overwhelming, and Joy could feel her orgasm building, her pussy clenching in anticipation.

“Fuck Unnie, you are so good at this” Yuna managed in between her moans, her face too was drenched in the sweet nectar of her senior. 

Joy's mouth continued to devour Yuna's pussy, tasting her juices, driving her closer to the edge. Pulling away for a moment Joy screamed “ I want you inside me right now!”

Yuna obliged immediately, running her fingers through Joy’s wet folds collecting all the slick lube and her natural juices, then she began to massage Joy’s clit making her squirm and moan. 

Joy's breath quickened as Yuna's fingers teased her sensitive bud, bringing her closer to the brink of orgasm. "Fuck me, Yuna, dont make your unnie wait”

Positioning herself at Joy’s entrance she slowly pushed her fingers inside once again, feeling the tight heat of Joy’s pussy enveloping her.

“You’re so tight, Unnie”

Yuna's fingers worked in and out, scissoring Joy's pussy, hitting all the right spots. The pleasure was overwhelming, causing Joy to eat Yuna more vigorously, her own fingers now pumping into her junior at the matching pace. Yuna added a third finger, stretching Joy open, her thumb seeking out Joy's hard clit, rubbing it in circular motions.

"Oh yes, right there," Joy gasped, her body trembling. Yuna's fingers were relentless, fucking her with a steady rhythm, bringing her closer to the brink of pleasure. Joy's pussy clenched around Yuna's fingers, her juices flowing freely as she neared her climax.

"I'm going to cum, Yuna,"

“Let us cum together Unnie” 

With that both of them began to increase their pace, fingers pounding into each other’s wetness as the squelching sound of their thrusting started to fill their room. 

“FUCKKKK” Both of them screamed as their orgasms exploded through their bodies and waves after waves of pleasures washed over them. Their pussy contracted around each other’s fingers, as their juices flowed freely soaked the sheets and each other's faces.

As they recovered from the orgasm, they leaned in for another passionate kiss. “That was amazing Yuna-shi” “Well, I’m not done with you yet Unnie” Yuna smirked. Joy was more than happy to let Yuna take the lead this time.

“5….4…3….2….1” After what felt like hours , the timer finally hit 0. Quest completed. 

Rewards attained:

1x Ariel’s liquid

Description: Ariel's mysterious liquid, rumoured to have unique properties. Said to boost sexual vitality and arousal by 50%. 

On the chair you were seated in, a small compartment popped up beside you, presenting you your reward. Damn now this all made sense as to why Yuna and Joy seemed so into it and crazy in heat. The lube was an additional aphrodisiac that helped with sexual arousal you were so going to try it. Then an additional notification popped up.

Hidden mission passed

Description: Pass the quest without the use of handcuffs.

Title accquired: Restrain King

Rewards attained:

2x Handcuffs

Almost immediately the two handcuffs on the arms of the chair snapped open, allowing you to keep them. You didn't have much use for them at this point as compared to Ariel’s liquid. Just as you stood up and were about to join them, a voice thundered across the room.

“Sit the fuck back down, we arent done here” You see Joy staring at you, in a certain manner that you recognise disobedience would not be allowed. Fuck not this again, after having endured that arduous torture, you were going to have to wait again. 

“You can touch yourself though” 

Upon hearing those words , you got rid of all your clothes in a matter of a few seconds. Curious about the liquid, you squeezed some of it and started stroking your hardened shaft. Finding some relief after a long period. Shortly after, you feel your body becoming more aroused, your cock throbbing with arousal, as you continued enjoying the show unfold infront of you. 

Yuna has now taken the lead, positioning herself above Joy, with their thighs intertwined with each other. Their pussies are now aligned, ready for more pleasure.  With slow, deliberate movements, she began to grind her pussy against Joy's, their clits rubbing together, creating a delicious friction. Joy moaned, wrapping her legs around Yuna's waist, pulling her closer, desperate for more contact. 

The sensations were overwhelming and both women were soon lost in a haze of pleasure. They could feel each other’s heat. Their bodies moved in perfect sync, their pussies becoming slicker with each thrust, their clits throbbing in unison. The lube only served to aid in sliding against each other. Joy's hands roamed over Yuna's body, squeezing her breasts, pinching her nipples, driving her deeper into pleasure. Yuna leaned forward capturing Joy’s luscious lips again as they grinded against each other while making out, exploring each other’s mouth. 

Yuna felt her orgasm building, an intense pressure in her core. She increased the pace, grinding harder, faster, feeling Joy's pussy grinding around her own, the friction sending them into overdrive.  Joy's fingers dug into Yuna's ass, groping them and holding her close as they scissor their pussies together, the pleasure pushing both of them to an intense orgasm. 

“That’s it, Yuna, faster please” Joy responded to the increased grinding by also bucking her hips to meet Yuna’s pussy. At this point their pussies were smeared with each other's juices, slick from the lube , it was a slippery mess as they were grinding and thrusting into each other with desperation. 

“Let us cum together again Unnie” Breaking the kiss for a moment, Yuna managed between moans before recapturing Joy’s lips. Almost as if they read each other's minds, both their fingers went to the other’s clit and gave it a slight pinch, causing both their bodies to shake violently in orgasm moaning into each other’s mouth. You see splurts of squirt came out spraying onto each other’s body, it was a hot sight to behold. They fall onto the bed, as Joy collapses onto Yuna , their bodies recovering from the violent orgasm. 

You were done with waiting and you were going to join them despite whatever else they say.. You had waited long enough and you were going to claim what you deserve. Positioning yourself behind the two girls, you push your hard throbbing cock between the gap formed between both of their pussies, feeling the warmth of their sensitive folds, massaging both sides of your shaft. “Oh God,” Joy moaned, surprised at the sudden contact on her sensitive folds, that was still throbbing from her intense orgasm. You continued to slide your thick shaft between the pussy sandwich, teasing their sensitive skin and clit but not entering any of them. 

“Fuck this feels incredible” you moaned.

Yuna nodded, her eyes closing as she savoured the sensation of your teasing motion.You were going to draw out their pleasure, not thrusting into them just as how you were denied of touching yourself, before eventually giving them what you knew they craved. After all, they did invite you exclusively to this room. With each stroke, you felt both their pussy lips part a little, their wetness coating your shaft, allowing for you to slide more with ease alongside the lube that you had generously used on your shaft. The feeling of the slick heat surrounding your cock with the increased arousal through the lube was almost too much to bear. 

"You like that, don't you?" Joy teased, turning her head to look back at you. "You like teasing us, making us squirm."

Yuna giggled "He's a tease, but we can be just as naughty."

“Please, fuck us, take us both” Joy begged, as lust slowly overtook her.

Yuna echoed her plea, her breath coming in short gasps. “Yes fuck our pussies. We need to feel you inside”

Unable to resist their seduction any longer.. With a growl, you thrust your hips forward, aiming at the older one’s wet snatch first, driving your cock deep into her wet , warm welcoming pussy. Joy cried out, ,as she felt the full length of your shaft filling her, stretching out so well. After a few thrust, you see Yuna using her feet to massage your cock when it comes out of Joy’s pussy and slowly guiding your cockhead to her own entrance. 

Wanting to give equal attention , you plunge into Yuna’s waiting pussy. The sensation was incredible—the contrast between their pussies, Yuna’s one being tighter but Joy’s felt more wet and warm , welcoming you with her experienced pussy, which drove you wild. You thrust harder, establishing a rhythm, fucking them both with long, powerful strokes, alternating between the both of them. 

Joy and Yuna cried out in unison, their bodies moving in sync with his thrusts. They reached for each other, their hands entwining as they surrendered to the pleasure coursing through them. Joy's fingers found Yuna's nipples, pinching and rolling them gently, while Yuna's hand travelled down her own body, her middle finger dipping into her own wetness before finding Joy's clit.

"Oh fuck, yes!" Joy cried, her body bucking against his thrusts. "Your cock feels so good inside me!"

Yuna moaned in agreement, her eyes rolling back in her head as she focused on the pleasure. "I love being fucked like this, feeling you in both of us."

Your breath was coming in short,sharp pants as you struggled to maintain control. 

The sight of these two beautiful women, their bodies glistening with sweat, their mouths open in ecstasy, was almost your undoing. You wanted to make them scream your name with pleasure, to hear their cries of release as they climaxed together. As you withdrew your cock from Yuna’s pussy this time, leaving her gasping for more, you were ready to plunge it again into Joy’s welcoming walls. But before you could, Yuna ever the freaky one had other ideas.

“Wait, Let us both suck you off first so that you can paint our faces.”

With that, she slid down the bed, until her face was level with your straining cock. Joy, understanding her juniors intention, mirrored her movement, their heads coming to rest on either side of your shaft.

You looked down, your eyes widening as your understood their intentions. 

“Oh fuck” you moaned, as your hands came to rest of both of their heads, threading through their hair. 

Without further prompting, Joy and Yuna opened their mouths, their tongues extending to lick at your swollen cockhead. They teased you, their mouths hot and wet, their tongues dancing around your sensitive flesh without actually taking you in, just as how you took your time before plunging into them previously.

"Mmm," Joy hummed, her eyes fluttering closed as she savored the taste of you. "You taste so good."

Yuna nodded, her lips closing around the head of his cock, sucking gently. "We are going to please every inch of this delicious cock."

They began to work together, Yuna now took you deep into her mouth, her lips sliding down your shaft. Meanwhile Joy had moved under to focus on licking the base of your cock, that is not covered by Yuna. Your head fell back, as your breath quickened into short pants, trying to maintain whatever composure you have from the amazing double blowjob and pairs of lips on your shaft. 

As Yuna began to take the entirety of your cock into her mouth, her nose pressing agaisnt your pubic area, Joy moved to lapped eagerly at your balls. The sensation was incredible, beyond any types of description, their mouths were hot and wet and their tongues that was swirling and flicking on your cockhead and balls was pushing you closer and closer to your orgasm. 

You felt their hands on your thighs, fingers digging into your flesh as they held you in place, ensuring you were unable to escape their skilled mouths.

‘Fuck, that feels too amazing” you groaned as your hands tightened around their hair.

“You’re are both so fucking good at this”

Joy and Yuna looked up to maintain eye contact with you while giving you the best blowjob you have ever received. Sensing your pleasure hitting its peak, they increased their effort. Joy had taken over Yuna this time, her head bobbing in a fast rhythm. Joy sucked hard as she withdrew her mouth, creating a tight seal around his cock, then released the pressure as she slid her lips back down his shaft. Meanwhile Yuna attempted to take both of your balls into your mouth, sucking them eagerly. 

"Oh god, I'm gonna cum," Your hips thrusting forward involuntarily from the intense pleasure you are receiving. 

Sensing your impending release, Joy and Yuna increased their pace, their mouths working feverishly to bring you to the edge. They wanted to taste your cum, to feel it explode all over their faces, to feel the warmth on their skin. 

“Paint our faces Daddy” 

“FUCK” 

The word Daddy sent a trigger, alongside the fact that you had been denied so long, from the mission. You exploded, shooting out a massive load, the first hot jet on Joy followed by Yuna. They moaned in satisfaction, their eyes closing as they continued to stroke your shaft through the orgasm, as the cum covered their faces.

Using their fingers, Yuna and Joy collected the cum on their faces before tasting it, savoring the taste of your release.

“Delicious, we will need more of this from you, but this time in our other mouth” 

Even though you were in the midst of your orgasm subsiding and your cock softening, you were stirred by the girl's words, your cock already showing signs of recovering to its former glory. You figured that Ariel’s liquid effect was actually working very well in increasing your sexual vitality and recovery period. 

Yuna and Joy moved to position themselves on fours, presenting their gorgeous asses. Their skin was glistening in sweat and lube which only made it more enticing and an invitation that was impossible to resist.

“Which one of us do you want to fuck first Daddy” Yuna teased again. As if compelled by an unseen force, you stepped forward to the younger of two, like a siren pulling in her prey. Yuna braced herself on her hands and knees, arching her back more to offer her already wet pussy that was glistening in the dim light. 

Gripping your rigid cock, you guided it to Yuna's entrance, feeling the heat radiating from her core. With a slow, deliberate thrust, you entered her, savoring again the tight grip of her pussy walls as they enveloped your shaft. She let out a soft gasp, as you began to move in and out of her, setting a steady, sensual rhythm.

“Oh yes, fuck me, fill me up Daddy”

Her words spurred you on, and you picked up the pace, your hips moving in a primal dance as you drove into her again and again. The sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the room, mingling with Yuna's moans and the wet, erotic sounds of your bodies joining.

Joy, still on all fours beside Yuna, was not to be forgotten. As you continued to pound into Yuna's willing body, you reached out with your free hand, stroking Joy's soft, supple skin. You traced your fingers along her spine, eliciting a shiver from her, before sliding your hand down to cup her plump ass cheek.

"Mmm, I want you too," Joy said looking at you.

With your free hand, you found Joy's pussy, already wet and ready, and slipped a finger inside her. You began thrusting your fingers in the same pace that you were thrusting your length into Yuna eliciting a moan from the older one.

“Fuck that’s it’ Joy moaned, pushing against your finger. “Keep fucking us both”

You obliged, pumping your finger in and out of Joy's tight hole while continuing to thrust into Yuna's welcoming warmth. The sounds of their moans and the wet, slick noises of your fingers and cock working in and out of their pussies created a symphony of pleasure.

Yuna's body began to tremble, her muscles clenching around your cock as her orgasm built. Joy had now leaned forward to capture Yuna’s mouth in a deep kiss once again, her tongue exploring the mouth of the younger. Wanting more pleasure, Yuna moved her hands to clit and rubbed firm circles around it sending waves of pleasure through her body. You felt Yuna’s pussy began to contract tighter and tighter around your shaft before she finally broke. 

“I’m cumming!” Yuna cried out. 

You were not going to stop as you continued to pound deeply into her, driving her over the edge again and again as you sensed your own release building. You could feel Yuna’s pussy trying to push you out from overstimulation but you refused, thrusting faster into her, fucking her through her orgasm. This task proved to be too tough given how tight Yuna’s pussy was. Removing your fingers from joy and grabbing Yuna’s asscheeks. With a final, powerful thrust, you you emptied your load deep inside Yuna's pulsing pussy, filling her with your hot cum.

As Yuna's body shook with the aftershocks of her orgasm, you pulled out of her, your cock glistening with a mixture of her juices and your cum. Joy, ever eager, wasted no time in replacing your cock with her mouth, taking you deep into her throat as she sucked and licked, cleaning you thoroughly.

"Mmm, you taste so good," Joy purred, looking up at you with lust-filled eyes. "Now it's my turn to feel that big cock inside me." 

“Fuck give me 5 minutes please.” You collapsed on the bed after having two intense orgasms. Unexpectedly, Ariel’s liquid was shortening your recovery period again, faster than you expect and within 1-2 minutes you could feel cock hardening as Joy moved into position on fours and used her hands to spread her folds, presenting her glistening pussy.

You moved behind her, your cock already hardening at the sight as she shook her ass cheeks, and you were mesmerised at the ripples it formed.

“Naughty slut” You said as you gave one of her cheeks a loud spank, her pale skin turning into a shade of red. Resting your cock between her ass cheeks, you moved up and down enjoying the soft skin enveloping your cock. Before you could enter her, Yuna the freak surprised you both agian.

With a mischievous grin, Yuna crawled underneath Joy, positioning herself between Joy's legs. She looked up at you, her eyes bright before she turned her attention to Joy's swollen pussy. With a soft, wet sound, Yuna's tongue slid along Joy's slit, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from the older redhead.

"Oh fuck, Yuna!" Joy exclaimed, her hands gripping the sheets as she arched her back, offering herself to her friend's talented mouth.

Yuna's mouth worked its magic, her tongue flicking and probing, driving Joy wild with desire. As Yuna feasted on her pussy, Joy's eyes sought yours, a silent plea for more. You understood her unspoken request and moved to join them.

Guiding your cock to Joy's entrance, you slowly pushed into her, feeling her tight walls stretch to accommodate your thickness. Joy's eyes rolled back in her head as she moaned, her body accommodating your length as you filled her.

"Yes, fuck me," she panted, her hands reaching down to grasp Yuna's hair, urging her to continue her oral ministrations.

You began to move in a steady rhythm, thrusting in and out of Joy's tight heat while Yuna's tongue worked in unison with you, licking and sucking at her clit. At times Yuna would move to plant her tongue on your shaft as it came out of her Unnie’s pussy, tasting both of your mixed juices at once. She was a true naughty slut. 

You would reward her by plunging deep into her mouth every here and there and alternate it with Joy’s pussy. The sensation of being inside Joy while watching Yuna pleasure the both of you with her tongue was almost too much to bear. You could feel every inch of your shaft was accounted for be it with Yuna’s tongue or Joy’s inviting walls.

As you fucked Joy, you leaned forward, your hands grasping her slender waist, pulling her back against your chest. With each forward thrust, you slid your cock deep into Joy's pussy, while Yuna's mouth and tongue worked on her clit, driving her wild with pleasure.

"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" Joy cried out, her body trembling as her orgasm built. "Don't stop, please don't stop!"

You showed no mercy, pounding into her harder, your balls slapping against Yuna's chin as she continued to lick and suck eagerly. After a few more thrust, Yuna bit down on Joy’s clit which sent her into another orgasm for the night. 

“FUCK I’m squirting’

You felt a gush of liquid push against your cock, pushing it out as she squirted all over the younger’s face. Yuna eagerly lapped up every single sweet nectar and continued to eat her unnie out through her orgasm.

Wanting your own release, you forced your cock back into her walls. WIth a few more powerful thrust, you felt your third orgasm building and buried yourself deep inside her. Joy responded by clenching her pussy around you, milking you as her body was still shaking with the force of her orgasm. 

“FUCK IM CUMMING TOO” Your cock began to twitch as you filled her with your hot, sticky cum, your final load for the day.

Breathless and spent, you withdrew from Joy's body, your cock glistening with her juices and your cum. Yuna, still underneath Joy, looked up at you with a satisfied smile, her face glistening with the evidence of her own pleasure.

"That was incredible," Joy breathed, reaching down to caress Yuna's cheek. "But I think we're not done yet, are we?"

As the three of you lay there, sweaty and satisfied, the possibilities for further pleasure seemed endless. After a few more rounds you were utterly spent and done for the day.

“You were indeed as good as what we saw in the videos” 

“Thank you....This was incredibly crazy"  

**10pm**

You’ve washed up and have returned to your own luxurious suite. Your body is sore, your mind still reeling from the events that had just occurred, leaving you slightly disoriented. The familiar surroundings offer little comfort as you collapse onto the bed. The events of day one feel like a strange dream—an unsettling, surreal blur. But now, it's day two , nothing much has changed it still feels unreal, getting to fuck all of this idols, it was indeed a dream come through. You glanced at your newly obtained equipment, maybe it was the effect of the Ariel’s liquid still lingering. Unsure what the handcuffs were for at this point you tug all into one of the wardrobe, alongside the vibrating buttplug you had previously obtained.

Your thoughts slowly wandered again to the soft kiss Seulgi had planted…. “ I wonder how she is doing”.

Just then a message notification popped up on your window. You swipe the screen, reading the words that make your heart skip a beat.

"Want to hang at the infinity pool? At the front of the deck?".

Your pulse quickens, you are unsure why but Seulgi’s message made your heart flutter, and with excitement, you hesitated no second and replied “See you in 5 minutes”

You grabbed whatever you needed and rushed to the infinity pool as quickly as possible.

As you reach the infinity pool, Seulgi was just stepping out of the pool, water dripping from her toned body, the water glistening off her skin. In her swimsuit, she looks effortlessly stunning—so confident, so captivating. Your heart races as you watch her approach, and for a moment you lose track of your surroundings.

She catches your gaze and flashes a smile.

"Hey, nice to see you again," she says with her sweet voice but you notice a slight limp in her step as she walks toward you. 

“Damn I sure did a number on you, to have your limping” 

Seulgi flushed about hearing that “It wasn't just you, my groupmates contributed” She subconsciously blurted. 

Your mind races, trying to process her words, but before you can ask anything further, Seulgi quickly cuts in, waving her hand dismissively.

“Wait what”

 "Shh, let's move on," she adds, her voice slightly embarrassed, her tone clearly wanting to change the subject.

"So... how was Joy? Was she a good fuck?" she asks, raising an eyebrow playfully.

The question catches you off guard, and your face flushes instantly. Damn, of course she knows. You had hoped the details of your evening with Joy and Yuna might stay under the radar for a while longer, but Seulgi would be the first few to find out. 

With a sheepish chuckle, you stammer, "Yeah, she... she’s great. Really... she left me spent.. Yuna contributed a ton too”

Seulgi’s expression changes, and her cheeks turn a shade pinker, but she hides it behind a sly smile, clearly trying not to laugh.

"Spent, huh?" she teases, her voice dripping with playful amusement. "Sounds like quite the evening. You’re not too tired to hang out with me, are you?"

“No, definitely not!!" you exclaim, perhaps a bit too loudly, as if to prove how not-tired you are. "I would love to hang out with you!" You quickly beat yourself up internally, mentally kicking yourself for sounding so... eager. Desperate, even. Great. Now she probably thinks you're too into this.

Seulgi chuckles softly, clearly amused by your flustered response.

"Relax," she says gently, her tone almost teasing but with a hint of reassurance. "I was just messing with you. It’s cool." She leans back, resting her arms on the edge of the pool.

"Seulgi... you won that last hand didnt you?"

"Oh did I? I must have missed it then, doesnt matter we both won and got what we wanted" Seulgi acted innocent. Sensing she did not want to be asked further you moved on.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, Seulgi casually asks, "Do you like photography?"

It’s a question you didn’t expect, you nod feeling a sense of excitement, afterall it was your passion.

"That sounds amazing," she says, leaning in with genuine curiosity. "Teach me? I’ve always wanted to learn how to take better photos, and was thinking of opening up a exhibition” 

"Of course," you say, grabbing your camera from where it rests nearby, 

You both head over to a quiet spot with the best light—where the ocean meets the ship. You started being a total nerd, explaining the basics: shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and how to use angles to capture the world in new ways.

Seulgi listens intently, her eyes focused on your every move. As you demonstrate how to adjust the lens, your hands brush lightly against hers. You notice the way her fingers hesitate for a moment, almost as if she’s savoring the contact. Maybe it was just your imagination.

"Try this," you say softly, standing behind her, close enough to feel the heat radiating off her skin. You position her hands, your arms lightly brushing against hers, and guide the lens to focus on the horizon. "Focus on the angle—try to capture the moonlight reflecting on the water. The way it stretches across the sea. Get as close as you can without losing the perspective."

Seulgi holds the camera steady, her breath catching for a brief moment as the moonlight catches her profile. She’s beautiful, and the way she looks through the lens is mesmerizing. The world seems to slow as she clicks the shutter, capturing the moment, and you can’t help but feel the warmth between you two growing.

You step back, watching her as she looks down at the photo, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Wow," she says, her voice soft. "I didn’t think it would look like that. The angle really makes a difference." She looks up at you, her eyes meeting yours with an intensity that makes your heart race.

"You’re a natural," you reply with a grin, feeling a rush of pride for her, but also something more intimiate. 

Seulgi laugh cutely. As she steps closer to you, her breath barely a whisper away, she asks, "What about you? Do you have a favorite angle for a shot?"

You feel the connection between you two, the quiet tension that lingers in the way you both move, the way your eyes lock for just a second too long.

"I think…" you pause, feeling the weight of the moment, "The best angle is always the one that feels right at the time. The one that lets you see things in a new light. Like this moment, for example." You gesture between the two of you. She looks at you. 

She raises her camera again, but this time, it’s not the horizon, she attempts a selfie with the camera with the both of you in the frame.. "Let’s capture this moment," she says. You stand still, suddenly acutely aware of how close you are, the way her eyes linger on you. "I want to remember this."

The photo turned out surprisingly well, she was an idol afterall, you swear your face was redder from blushing. 

You and Seulgi now lie side by side on long, cushioned lounge chairs. The air is cool, the gentle sea breeze rustling through your hair. The sound of the waves is calming, like a lullaby from the ocean itself. You both have been talking and laughing for hours, it is almost midnight at this point. You simply lie there, gazing up at the vast night sky. It’s peaceful, almost surreal, the kind of quiet that allows you to just be in the moment, a good break from… well an pretty intense workout.

"This is nice," Seulgi murmurs

"Yeah, it really is,"

Seulgi shifted slightly on the chair turning her head towards you, before you can fully process it, she leans in and places a soft kiss on your forehead. Her lips are warm against your skin, and the tenderness of it makes your heart flutter in a way that takes your breath away again. You swear some love cupid had just shot an arrow at you. But just as you’re about to say something, your access card starts glowing and making sounds.

“GRR way to ruin the moment”

Pulling it out , you realise your progress bar has been filled to a 100%, probably from the completion of the missions from the theme room, you weren't the clearest on how progress all worked still.

Adventurer Tier, 100% towards Trailblazer.

It was strange that it did not automatically promote you to the next tier. Before you have further questions, another notification pops up on your holographic screen.

Rank up mission: Taming the Jins

Two more buttons appeared in the notification.

Accept

Accept

As if to play a prank that you had no choice but to accept this mission. You had a 1000 questions, you see Seulgi eyes widened slightly before wishing you good luck…

— Somewhere in the cruise���

Loud moans could be heard echoing the entire room. In the middle was a desk, a petite girl sitting in the middle, with another between her thighs eating her out. It was surrounded by many screens capturing the different sex scenes happening all around the cruise. The central one positioning in front of her was the one you were just in, Ariel’s domain room.

“Fuck yes, that’s the spot” Jieun loudly moaned from the pleasure she was receiving from the younger girl eating her out eagerly, as she rubbed herself watching all of the sex scenes unfold. Chaewon slowly emerged from under the desk, her mouth and chin glistening with the juices from Jieun’s latest orgasm. 

“How is his progression? Going well?” Chaewon asked cheekily.

“Yes, better than expected actually, I’m excited to see what he has to offer”... especially with his next task at hand…

(To be continued) 

===============

Hope you guys enjoy. If you are interested ,drop me a commission via pm!! If not reblogs comments and likes will be appreciated! Sorry this came out late, hope there's not much mistakes as I only did a quick proof read.

[anamericangirl]

"See you dont understand law."

Lmao. I literally went to law school. I'm a certified paralegal (that is a person who does the majority of the actual legal work that lawyers are credited for) and I've worked in law. I have a pretty well documented history of understanding law so if there is one of us here who doesn't "understand law" it's certainly not me.

"If it was as cut and dry as you were making it, there would be zero malpractice lawsuits."

That's not just a statement that shows you have no understanding of how law works it shows that you just lack common sense. Sorry but "If it were cut and dry there wouldn't be any lawsuits" is an objectively stupid statement.

"A medical expert would testify and say "I agree with what the doctor did" or they would say "No I would have to say the decisions they took were unreasonable for X Y and Z reasons". And yet these court cases arnt cut and dry."

I would encourage to research something called "the judicial system" and learn how court cases work. It sounds like you get all your information from TV shows. You thinking all a lawsuit takes is the testimony of an expert witness illustrates that this subject matter is way too advanced for your current intellectual abilities.

"Sec. 170A.004. CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

There I found the hidden oppression! Im sorry you dont understand how things work, but that is okay! I pointed it out for you!

See if it is a first degree criminal offense.... uhhh here it is!

12.32. FIRST DEGREE FELONY PUNISHMENT. (a) An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the first degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 5 years.

No less than 5 years!

That is why not because doctors are doing political stunts with women's bodies but the state of Texas is."

I don't know what you think you just proved but I'm sitting here laughing that you think this debunked anything I said. Yes, abortion is prohibited in Texas and is a criminal offense if performed in a situation that was not considered a medical emergency.

You responded to nothing I said. You showing the part of the abortion law that says abortion is a criminal offense if it's not considered a medical emergency is information we were both already aware of and were discussing. In the case being discussed in the article abortion would not have been considered a criminal offense because it falls under the exceptions.

And I notice you couldn't even respond to anything I said and just ignored the fact that the woman was treated, the baby was removed and she still died of sepsis and had she had an abortion it likely would have ended the same way.

So again, you are a failure in explaining in any way shape or form why abortion was needed here and how abortion laws had anything to do with this case when that wasn't even the treatment the doctors were seeking and how the abortion laws prevented her from being treated when she actually was treated and why you think having an abortion would have prevented her from getting sepsis.

All you're doing here is proving that people are only pro-abortion because they are embarrassingly uneducated and lack even basic thinking skills.

[felassan]

EuroGamer: 'BioWare knew the deepest secrets of Dragon Age lore 20 years ago, and locked it away in an uber-plot doc'

Original creator David Gaider on how "some of the big mysteries are being solved".

Rest of post under a cut due to length and possible spoilers.

"As I write about the secrets hidden in Dragon Age's mysterious Fade, and as I uncover some of them playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard, one question keeps rising up in my mind. How much did BioWare know about future events when first developing the series more than 20 years ago? That's a long time, and back then BioWare didn't know there would be a second game, which is why Dragon Age: Origins has an elaborate and far-reaching epilogue. Why lay so much lore-track ahead of yourself if you don't think you'll ever get there? But look more closely at Origins and there are big clues suggesting BioWare did know about future Dragon Age events. There are obvious signs in the original game, such as establishing recurring themes like Old Gods and the Blight and Archdemons. But there's also Flemeth, Morrigan's witchy mother, who's intimately linked to events in the series now - more specifically: intimately linked to Solas. Does her existence mean Solas was known about back then too? There's only one person I can think of to answer this and it's David Gaider, the original creator of Dragon Age's world and lore. We've talked before, once in a podcast and once for a piece on the magic of fantasy maps, where we discussed the creation of Dragon Age's world. And much to my surprise, when I ask him what he and the BioWare team knew back then, he says they knew it all. "By the time we released Dragon Age: Origins, we were basically sure that it was one and done, but there was, back when we made the world, an overarching plan," he says. "The way I created the world was to seed plots in various parts of the world that could be part of a game, a single game, and then there was the overall uber-plot, which I didn't know for certain that we would ever get to but I had an understanding of how it all worked together. "A lot of that was in my head until we were starting Inquisition and the writers got a little bit impatient with my memory or lack thereof, so they pinned me down and dragged the uber-plot out of me. I'd talked about it, I'd hinted at it, but never really spelled out how it all connected, so they dragged it out of me, we put it into a master lore doc, the secret lore, which we had to hide from most of the team.""

"This uber-plot document was only viewable on a need-to-know basis, he says, and only around 20 people on the team had access to it - other senior writers mostly. And even though Gaider left the Dragon Age team after Inquisition, and then eight years ago BioWare altogether, meaning he didn't work on The Veilguard at all, he believes - by looking at the events in the new game - his uber-plot lore "has more or less held up". That's impressive. What's even more impressive, or exciting, is that back then he also envisaged a potential end state for the entire Dragon Age series - a point at which it would make no sense for the series to carry on. "I always had this dream of where it would all end, the very last plot," he says, "which I won't say because who knows, we could still end up there. But the idea that this uber-plot was this sort of biggest, finite... That the final thing you could do in this world that would break it was there as a 'maybe we would get to do that one day'... There was just the idea of certain big, world-shaking things that were seeded in that arc, some of which have already come to pass, like the return of Fen'Harel." You've read that correctly: the idea to have Fen'Harel, also known as the Dread Wolf, reappear, was seeded all the way back then, way before Inquisition - the game in which he does actually reappear. But the concept for Solas, as a character who was Fen'Harel in disguise, was a newer idea. "That spawned from a conversation I had with Patrick [Weekes] and a number of other writers," Gaider says, "as an idea of 'what if you had a villain that spent an entire game where he's actually in the party and you get to know him?' Now, the god version and his larger role in the plot, yes that was known, but not that he would be presented as a character named Solas." Fen'Harel being known about means the other elven gods were known about, which means all of that stuff Solas reveals about his godly siblings - that they're not gods at all but evil elven mages he locked away behind the Veil - was known about back then too. "Oh yeah," Gaider says. "Everything that Solas tells you [at the end of Inquisition DLC, Trespasser]: it's all part of that original uber-lore - that was all in our mind." But why have so much lore if you're not certain you'll get to ever realise it? Well, to create a believable illusion. By creating an "excess" of lore, as Gaider describes it, Origins made Thedas feel like an old and believable place. A place with history, rather than a Western set that was all facade and no substance."

"BioWare also did something canny with the lore it did relay then, too: it shared it through the voices of characters living in the world, making it inherently fallible. In doing this, Dragon Age veiled its truths behind biases. The church-like organisation of the Chantry proclaims one truth, while the elves and dwarves proclaim another. Sidenote: you can experience this yourself through different racial origin stories in Dragon Age: Origins. This way, there's no one, objective, irrefutable, truth. "To get the truth, you kind of have to pick between the lines," Gaider says. So even though elven legends are coming true through the existence of Solas and The Veilguard's antagonist gods, it doesn't mean that's the one and only truth. There's truth in what the Chantry teaches and what the dwarves say, he tells me, which ignites my curiosity intensely. BioWare has also been tricksy in how it's rubbed out the lore the further back in time you go. "In general, the further the history goes back, we always would purposefully obfuscate it more and more," Gaider says - "make it more biased and more untrue no matter who was talking, just so that the absolute truth was rarely knowable. I like that idea from a world standpoint, that the player always has to wonder and bring their own beliefs to it." It leads into a founding principle of Dragon Age, which is doubt - because without it, you can't have faith, a particularly important concept in the series. It's where the whole idea of the Chantry's Maker comes from and with it, the legend about the fabled Golden City - now the Black City - at the heart of the Fade. This is the very centre of the lore web, and, I imagine, it's close to the series endpoint Gaider imagined long ago. All secrets end there. Did Gaider know what was in the Black City when he laid down Origins' lore? That's the question - and it startles me how casually he answers this. "Oh, yeah," he says. "What was in the Black City: that's the uber-plot. I knew exactly. "Was it as detailed in the first draft of the world?" he goes on. "No. I had an idea of the early history because that's where I started making the world. So the things that were true early-early: I knew exactly what the Black City was and the idea of what the elves believed, and what humans believed vis-a-vis the Chantry - that was all settled on really early. Then I expanded the world and the uber-plot bubbled out of that.""

"Gaider shows me the original cosmology design document for Dragon Age: Origins as if to prove this - or rather for the game that would become DAO. The world was known as Peldea back then. I can't share this with you because I see it via a shared screen on a video call, and because Gaider doesn't want me to, mostly because the ideas are so old they're almost unrecognisable from what's in the series now. But I can tell you it's a document that's just over a page in length, and that there's a circular diagram at the top showing the world in the middle and the spirit realm ringed around it. And on that document is reference to the Chantry's beliefs about a God located in a citadel that can be found there. Gaider says BioWare knew about Fen'Harel (the Dread Wolf) 20 years ago when it was developing Dragon Age: Origins, and that he'd one day reappear. The Fade wasn't known as the Fade back then, either, but as the Dreaming, because it's the place people go when they dream - an idea that lives on still. And if that sounds familiar to any fans of The Sandman among you, it should. "I'd say The Sandman series was probably fairly prominently in my head," says Gaider. "I liked that amorphous geography that was born from the psyche of collective humanity. I'd say yes, if I was to point at something specifically, that's probably where the very first inspiration of it took root." It's a lot to take in, but it reinforces the admiration I have for Dragon Age. Just as I have when hearing about the creation of my other favourite fantasy worlds, such as A Song of Ice and Fire, I begin to understand the magnitude - and the deliberateness - of the plotting that went on. I wonder if one day the Dragon Age series will end in the way Gaider first imagined, albeit slightly altered by the many other pairs of hands shepherding it along now. What a curious feeling it must be to know, so many years in advance, where things might go. Where that end is, I don't know, but I do know we'll take a significant step towards it in The Veilguard. After all, we're coming into contact with gods who were there at the recorded beginning of it all. "Yeah - we have access to people who can tell us the truth from first-hand experience," Gaider says, "although again, it depends on what the writers did with it. But if they continued the tradition of Dragon Age, you never know for sure if Solas is telling you everything, or what you're learning is the entire truth. "But yes, some of the big mysteries are being solved. I mean, will they one day definitively tell you about the Maker? Will we crack the big mysteries of the world and just make them answered finally? And does that ruin one of the central precepts that Dragon Age is founded upon? Maybe," he says. "Ultimately, that lore, when you make it big and you hint at it and hint at it and hint at it, it becomes a Chekhov's Gun of sorts. Eventually you got to pony up.""

[source]

[ssa-dado]

Three Stages of Truth - SOS

Aaron Hotchner x bau!fem!reader Genre: fluff and a lot of fun bits Summary: After years of adhering to the FBI's "no dating coworkers" policy, you and Aaron finally crossed the line, keeping your relationship hidden behind a professional facade. The team, amused by your strict boundaries, continuously poked fun at your stoic, near-platonic interactions. Despite this, once you were home, everything changed. Three fun scenarios lead to one undeniable truth. Warnings: probably there's a short NSFW bit, nothing scandalous, minors can probably still interact (?) idk sue me Word Count: 10.4k Dado's Corner: The first two parts are heavily inspired by the delightfully unhinged brainrots exchanged with @c-losur3 (bless your criminally brilliant lawyer mind, this is all pure comedy). Finally expanded into something more fun… or at least, I hope so! Hopefully I met your expectations with your request, took some creative liberties just to keep you on your toes :)

masterlist

Arthur Schopenhauer, German philosopher, once said: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

---

Stage one: “First, it is ridiculed.”

If there was one defining characteristic that bound you and Aaron together more than any other, it was your deeply ingrained sense of duty.

Duty to the job, to the rules, to the team.

This profound sense of responsibility was what held you apart for so long, faithfully upholding the FBI's strict "no dating coworkers" policy, a rule neither of you dared to transgress.

It was that deep sense of responsibility that kept you and Aaron apart for so long, both of you strictly adhering to the FBI’s “no dating coworkers” rule. It was a line neither of you dared to cross… until, one day, you did.

When you finally took that step, it wasn’t as if everything suddenly became easier. If anything, your dedication to your roles only deepened. Years of hiding your true feelings had trained you well, knowing how to navigate each other’s professional boundaries came almost naturally.

And it wasn’t just about personal pride or discipline - it was about a shared commitment to keeping the team dynamic intact and not letting personal matters disrupt the work you were all so devoted to.

Worried that your relationship might disrupt that delicate balance, you both chose to keep it private for as long as possible. Every interaction at the office was carefully managed, every glance controlled. Even in moments when you wanted to let your guard down, you reminded yourselves what was at stake.

And when you finally told the team, it wasn’t accompanied by a sigh of relief or a relaxing of your professional façade, instead, you doubled down.

Pure stoicism.

No touching.

No lingering eye contact.

What the team found undeniably funny - and maybe enjoyed a little too much - was that back when you and Hotch were just “partners”, you were actually more relaxed around each other: a comforting hand on the shoulder every once in a while, sitting close together on the jet, chatting easily about anything and everything.

Now, you barely allowed yourselves even a fleeting glance. You maintained such deliberate distance that every rare look felt like you were cautiously measuring out tiny doses of affection from a secret reserve.

"Why don’t you two just kiss in front of us once, so we can actually remember you’re a couple?" they would jest during briefings, fully aware that the likelihood of such a display was on par with the office coffee machine working on a Monday morning.

However, this only seemed to encourage them to find even more creative ways to poke fun at you. During tactical briefs, a simple "Pass the stapler, please," from you to him could warrant theatrical gasps and someone fanning themselves as if witnessing an affair.

Or watching you navigate the halls with military precision, they’d nudge each other, whispering dramatically, "Alert, potential accidental eye contact in three, two, one... Oh, never mind, false alarm!"

In reality, the one thing that could actually make you falter was when the case wrapped up and all the tension, the sleepless nights, everything came down to a single moment.

All you both wanted was to collapse into each other’s arms, but instead, the only physical contact you allowed yourselves was a strangely formal handshake - stiff and awkward, yet somehow managed to carry the weight of all the unspoken longing between you, a small tradition of yours.

"Good job catching the unsub," you’d say, your voice steady, though your eyes shimmered with a warmth reserved just for him.

"Good job deciphering the pattern," Aaron would reply. His tone was calm, but his eyes lingered on yours a moment too long, betraying his deeper emotions.

In a daring whisper, you might lean in closer and murmur, "You looked insanely hot in that vest. I’m dying to jump your bones right now."

"I know, darling, but we can't," Aaron would reply, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "And by the way, if you could stop tying your hair up when I’m around, it would make things a lot easier."

You and Aaron had mastered the art of subtle flirtation, weaving little moments of connection into the everyday rhythm of work. Casual comments, quiet glances, nothing obvious, just enough to remind each other of what was waiting for you both at the end of the day.

If someone happened to get too close, you could easily switch back into "professional mode," talking about the case with ease, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

But once you were home, everything changed.

The moment the door closed behind you, it was like a switch flipped. Suddenly, you were no longer bound by the rules of the office. In your shared space, the weight of professional conduct melted away. You could finally let go - drop your bags, let the tension fade - and just reach for him. Your arms would find their way around his neck, as if you'd been waiting for this all day.

“Long day?” he’d ask, voice softened in a way that no one else ever heard.

“Long,” you’d murmur back, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before you even realized you’d missed him. “But I think I can be persuaded to relax,” you’d add, letting a sly smile tug at your lips.

He’d shake his head, but his hands would find your waist, pulling you close. “I’m sure you’re very persuadable,” he’d reply, and the warmth in his voice would melt away whatever stress lingered from the day.

There was no one to see you both now, no one to maintain appearances for, and the freedom was almost intoxicating.

You’d end up on the couch, half-curled into his side, legs intertwined, as you both debriefed each other not just on the day’s work but on everything that made you who you were, stealing kisses every few minutes just because you could.  

When paperwork demanded attention, it quickly transformed into another reason to stay close. You’d find yourself on Aaron’s lap, either at the dining table or settled into the couch, one arm draped around his neck as you both tried - mostly in vain - to concentrate on the documents in front of you.

More often than not, the papers would end up slightly crumpled, bearing witness to the playful struggles and distractions that ensued whenever one of you became too immersed in the task - or, more accurately, when the task became anything but the focus.

With a subtle wiggle, ostensibly just an innocent adjustment, you grinned up at him. “This is just more comfortable,” you declared, your tone overly serious as if you hadn’t used that same excuse every time you sat on his lap.

His eyes narrowed, a hint of a smirk playing at his lips. “Comfortable for you, maybe,” he murmured, his hands settling on your waist, fingers drawing slow, deliberate circles on your skin that sent your heart racing.

You stretched, arching slightly, your lips brushing the spot behind his ear that you knew he loved. "Are you saying you’re uncomfortable, Agent Hotchner?" you teased, your lips still grazing his skin, before pulling back to face him as though nothing had happened. "Because we can always switch back to a more professional arrangement."

He chuckled, a rich, low sound that reverberated against your ear. "It’s only unprofessional if we’re caught," he replied, as your hand began to roam up and down the middle of his chest, your movements slowed by the bumps of his shirt buttons.

You feigned shock, your hand pausing in its path up his chest. "SSA Hotchner, suggesting we shirk our duties? I'm scandalized." Your tone was light, teasing, your fingers now slipping beneath his shirt to trace the warm skin of his torso. His slight gasp was your reward, and you pressed your advantage, your touch bold and exploring.

"And yet, you're not too scandalized to stop what you're doing, are you?" he observed, his gaze lowering to the chaos of papers that had begun to scatter across the table as you moved to straddle him, your knees pressing into the cushions on either side of his hips. He immediately moved his hands to rest on your waist.

"Shock makes us irrational," you quipped, biting your lower lip. Your left hand rested at the nape of his neck, fingers threading through his hair to draw him closer, while your right hand played provocatively with the belt loop of his trousers.

His eyebrow arched, a sculpted line of mock sternness that didn't quite mask the flicker of desire in his eyes. As your fingers playfully tugged at his belt, a barely audible hitch caught in his throat. “Oh, I think the real shock came last week,” he murmured, his voice a low, tantalizing tease, “when you chose to critique my punctuation on that witness statement  - while we were busy on the coffee table. And, of course, it wasn’t even an error.”

You paused, holding his gaze with a look of feigned innocence, your hands slid slowly over his shoulders, fingers tracing the hard lines of his upper back as you leaned in closer. "I never said it was an error. I just suggested that a semicolon would’ve made that paragraph flow better." Your fingers danced closer to the waistband of his trousers, hinting at further provocations yet to come.

"And you expected a revision on the spot?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, his voice a blend of amusement and disbelief. "You’re lucky that I was too distracted by other things." He adjusted your positioning slightly, sliding your hands from your waist to your hips, pulling you flush against him so that the closeness allowed you to feel the firm pressure of his arousal.

“Lucky?! Look, it’s not my fault that, in that position, all I could see were your terrible stylistic choices,” you breathed out, your voice a sultry whisper as you began to kiss along the side of his face, tracing a path from his forehead down to his ear. “They were staring me in the face, begging to be corrected.”

His response was a teasing smile, his eyes alight with mirth as he leaned in, his lips barely brushing the sensitive shell of your ear. “You could’ve told me, and we could’ve tried something else.”

“Oh, no chance,” you retorted boldly, your smile laden with mischief. “From now on, it’s sex on the coffee table or nothing .”

He smirked, starting to place wet kisses on your neck, letting sounds escape from you. "Alright, but don't start complaining about ink smudges on your blouse this time."

"There won’t be any smudges if you just took it off. There’s a reason undressing is the first rule in the manual, you know?" you raised an eyebrow as you guided his hand from your waist up to your breasts, earning an amused look from him as he began unbuttoning your blouse.

And, inevitably, the papers would crinkle beneath you both, completely forgotten, scattering in a mess neither of you cared about. The only certainty was that later you would need to reprint half of those, but that's exactly why you had invested in a printer for your home office in the first place.

And, inevitably, the papers would crinkle beneath you both, forgotten, replaced by the quiet, magnetic pull that seemed to dissolve every responsibility the moment you were alone together.

Then, there were the slower nights, the ones where words weren’t necessary. You’d find yourselves wrapped up in a blanket, his arm around you, your head resting on his chest as you listened to his heartbeat, each beat sounding more like home.

He loved to stroke your hair, twisting the strands between his fingers. He would trace the curve of your shoulder, his touch a promise that echoed in the walls of your empty house, all without needing to say a thing.

Until he would.

"I love you," he'd say, quiet but direct, because he knew how much words meant to you and always would. It didn’t matter if it was the twentieth time he said it that day, he would keep saying it, never once straying from his purpose.

"I love you too, Aaron," you'd reply smiling, looking up at him, watching the way his eyes softened. His hand would brush yours, fingers intertwining in that familiar dance that he always led to his mouth, kissing your hand while still intertwined with his.

When he caught you blushing, though, that’s when the real teasing would start. “Are you blushing?” he’d ask, eyes twinkling with amusement as he leaned in closer, his grin widening as he watched the flush spread down your neck.

“Maybe,” you’d huff, trying to look away, though he wouldn’t let you, his fingers lifting your chin so you had no choice but to meet his gaze.

“You’re adorable when you’re embarrassed, you know that?” he’d murmur, his voice a low rumble, making it impossible to resist smiling.

“Pretty sure you’re blushing too, Hotchner,” you’d shoot back, arching an eyebrow. And sure enough, a faint hint of pink would dust his cheeks, and he’d laugh, pulling you into another kiss.

“Guess we’re both fools, then,” he’d say, his voice softer, that rare smile reserved just for you.

You’d settle in for the night, curled up on the couch, your legs tangled together, his arms around you, holding you close. Sometimes you’d talk for hours, sharing stories, inside jokes that made no sense to anyone else but always made him laugh, that deep, genuine laugh that seemed to shake away every shadow he’d carried with him.

In the kitchen, he’d steal kisses over the stove as you cooked together, hands brushing as you reached for spices, your bodies leaning into each other in that rhythm you’d both grown to know so well. You’d nudge him with your hip as he tried to take over, insisting he was better at chopping vegetables. 

“Let me handle this,” you’d say, swatting his hand away, only for him to pull you into a kiss, completely derailing your focus. 

“Or maybe,” he’d murmur against your lips, “we could just order takeout and go back to the couch.” 

“Terrible influence,” you’d reply, but you’d never actually order takeout; you enjoyed doing tasks together way too much, even if it meant sometimes letting him cut the vegetables, letting him win - after all, it was in his nature.

Lawyers always do everything to win, skillfully bending the law to meet their needs - and Aaron, he'd willingly bend you over the counter. You weren't quite sure whether to be flattered by that, considering it meant you were his personal law.

Hours passed like that in a blur, lost in each other’s presence, the outside world never seemed to matter, it was just the two of you, existing in your own little bubble.

But that wasn’t something you allowed the team to see. It was an unspoken rule between you and Aaron - quiet and composed in public, free and true to yourselves in private.

And it had worked.

Or at least, you thought it had, until one day, the team decided they’d had enough - if you two weren’t going to let them see the real deal, they’d just have to… intervene.

It started innocently enough, with Garcia orchestrating what she dubbed a "team-building" exercise focused on open communication. The twinkle in her eye was your first hint that mischief was afoot.

Morgan delivered the coup de grâce with a wide, victorious grin, making a seemingly casual announcement that sent ripples of mischief across the cabin. "Oh no, looks like the lovebirds have to sit next to each other for the entire trip! Sorry, guys. Plane’s tight this time.”

Hotch, clearly not about to let the team’s evil plan play out in full while you all had to start briefing about the latest case, immediately shut down the smiles with a sharp, stern remark. “What, you think we’re going to cuddle on the way to a triple homicide?”

Honestly, every time he could command an entire room with that dry humor of his, you wanted to jump his bones.

You couldn’t help it, it got you every time. Your man was pure authority wrapped in a smart suit and perfectly timed jokes.

Despite what everyone might assume, Aaron was actually the kinder one in the relationship. While he had the sharp, lawyerly precision to cut things off before they became problems, always quick to resolve matters - you, on the other hand, were far worse.

You didn’t rush to fix things or settle for easy solutions.

No, your method was more intricate, more drawn out sometimes it required humiliation before you got to the point. You were a master of patience, allowing people to dig themselves into a hole first, letting them build their own assumptions, and only then would you pounce, proving them wrong in the most delightful way possible.

Being a philosopher at heart, you liked to draw things out, just to let people stew a little bit in their own misguided assumptions.

In these instances, your strategy was pure, calculated evil - a slow burn of sweet, sweet revenge that only you could orchestrate.

Morgan's comment, far from a mere joke, sparked something much more dangerous within you - the thrilling anticipation of proving to them that they really didn't want to know what you and Aaron were truly like behind your professional facades.

“If we're traveling real tight this time, I guess I’ll just have to sit on your lap, Aaron,” you quipped, batting your eyes innocently at him.

Hotch blinked, his usual composed demeanor faltering for a split second, clearly caught off guard by your bold move. You could already see the faintest flush creeping across his cheeks, a rare crack in his otherwise impenetrable exterior.

But then, a slow, knowing smile tugged at the corners of his lips, the realization dawning on him that this was just the beginning of one of your devious plans.

He was, after all, your favorite partner in mischief. With a teasing glint in his eye, he patted his lap, a mock invitation and you wasted no time, making yourself comfortable on top of him.

The game was on.

“So,” you began, snuggling into him with exaggerated sweetness, “Hotch, you ever think about triple homicides?”

If you ever called him that in private, he’d probably have walked out on the spot, but here, in the middle of the case, using his work name felt like the only boundary left between you and the truth. It was the one little shield that kept the line between professionalism and the chaos of your relationship.

“All the time, Teach” Hotch murmured back, his voice low and humorously serious while his hand carelessly rested on your thigh, in its natural position.

Garcia, who ‘coincidentally’ happened to be traveling with you that day, shifted excitedly in her seat, mouthing "OTP" as she gave you both an enthusiastic thumbs-up, her delight in your theatrics clear as day.

Meanwhile, Reid looked on with wide eyes, his academic mind probably filing this under 'unexpected field observations’. "I... I think I should call my mom more often," he muttered, seemingly to himself but loud enough for others to hear. "I don’t think I show enough... affection."

Hotch’s fingers inched higher up your inner thigh at the mention of ‘affection,’ tracing patterns that almost made you question whether or not to intertwine your fingers with his to make him stop. You leaned in to whisper something cheeky into his ear, only for him to capture your lips with a swift kiss.

Now this, was unexpected.

His bold move even caught Rossi’s attention, who had been trying - and failing - to bury himself in paperwork, clearly uninterested in the team's antics. But Rossi had endured the deliciously excruciating tension between you and Hotch for far longer than anyone else. After all, there was a reason he still had that picture of you at his book release party in '99 hanging on his office wall - right in plain sight, as if to remind everyone who had been in on this secret for years, even before you two.

So you played it up even more, leaning in with a dramatic flair. "I love you," you declared, your voice slow and deliberate, gazing deeply into Hotch’s eyes. Every syllable was crisp and clear, you could practically hear the gears grinding in the team’s heads as they went into full overdrive, still scrambling to process what was happening.

"I love you more," Hotch replied, the soft chuckle accompanying his words causing a collective groan from around the cabin - yes, you two were cheesy, you and Hotch were far from the type to indulge in the most clichéd of romantic exchanges… probably because he already knew if you two ever started it, considering your competitiveness, it would have probably escalated into something so ungodly he didn’t even want to know.

"No, I love you more," you shot back, the stakes of your playful banter rising – you almost wanted to puke.

"Impossible," Hotch retorted, his lips curling slightly in that way that made your heart skip a beat. "Because I loved you first." you blinked in surprise, eyes widening just a little.

Now, that was new information.

But before you could fire back with another over-the-top retort, something in his gaze shifted, and in an instant, you found yourself pulled into a kiss, this one deeper, more intense, and completely unexpected.

The kiss was slow at first, drawing out the moment as his lips moved against yours with a deliberate slowness that made your pulse quicken, no room left for hesitation.

His hand slid to the back of your head, fingers threading into your hair, his grip tightened just enough to hold you in place, but it was gentle, as if savoring every second. His other hand found the small of your back, pulling you closer, until you could feel both of your shirts crumpling against each other.

The kiss deepened, his tongue slipping into your mouth with urgent intensity, exploring and tasting, oblivious to the hum of the jet engine masking the sounds of your teammates' shocked reactions… and the click of Garcia’s phone camera.

His movements were fluid and confident, each touch perfectly synchronized with the growing heat between you. You met him with equal fervor, your lips and hands moving in sync, the kiss becoming more insistent, more desperate – it was this raw, unreserved passion that finally pushed Rossi to his breaking point.

“Alright we got it! You were right! Stop it, stop whatever this is. We won’t tease you about the PDA anymore, I swear," Rossi exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air in dramatic surrender.

Thank you.

You and Hotch broke apart, the kiss lingering in the air as you wiped a smear of lipstick from his lips with a quick swipe of your thumb. Without missing a beat, you slid back into the seat next to him, immediately adopting your professional mask.

The sweet talk, the casual touches - all of it disappeared, as it should, leaving behind only the steely, composed agents the team was more accustomed to.

“Good,” you said coolly, taking the pen from your jacket pocket and clicking it with an exaggerated focus as you pretended to examine the case files.

It was as if the entire heated exchange had never occurred. Your calm demeanor was flawless, but inside, you couldn’t suppress the gleam of triumph in your eyes.

Oh, how you loved being right…

…Rossi, on the other hand, was still recovering from the emotional whiplash.

He shook his head with a rueful smile, a flicker of regret in his eyes. “If I ever see you two so much as glance at each other that way again, I’m quitting, for real” he muttered, his voice laced with mock seriousness.

Garcia, however, shot up in her seat, practically vibrating with enthusiasm. “No, no! Ignore him! You guys, please, be as mushy as you want. It’s a safe space here! I want this. We all want this,” she insisted, her eyes wide with fervor as she shot Rossi a defiant look. “Come on, meet me in the middle, Dave! I’ll buy you bleach! A privacy curtain! I’ll even throw in a soundproof booth! Just let them be adorable in peace!”

Rossi, who had clearly reached his limit, held up a hand, shaking his head in resignation. “I’d rather have earplugs and a set of blinders.” His voice was full of mock defeat, though it was clear he couldn’t stop the faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Really, Dave? Blinders?" Morgan chuckled from the back, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. “You’re not going to let them have a little fun? Come on, man. This is way better than watching you flirt with the coffee machine in the break room.”

At that, you and Hotch immediately turned your heads toward each other, exchanging a look that only the two of you could understand.

Oh, if only they knew the real story. If only they knew how much Rossi had a thing for that coffee machine...

… especially the one in the Section Chief’s office.

You and Hotch had both noticed it long ago.

It was impossible to miss, really.

Rossi’s eyes would soften whenever he found himself near that ‘coffee machine’, as if it held some magnetic pull. Or the way he would suddenly volunteer to deliver reports to the coffee machine’s office, even when it was Hotch’s responsibility.

It was so painfully obvious to you two - Rossi was absolutely smitten with that ‘coffee machine’.

But, of course, you weren’t going to spill that little nugget of gossip just yet. Not today, anyway.

Although Hotch’s dry humor kicked in, and he glanced over at Rossi. “It’s all in the Italian blend,” he said flatly, his voice as deadpan as ever. You squeezed Hotch’s hand tightly to suppress the burst of laughter that threatened to slip out – damn, how you hated how much he managed to let you crumble like that all the time.

Oh, how much you loved him.

Thankfully Reid came in to save the day “I’ll buy the earplugs, Dave,” he said in all seriousness, looking at Rossi like he was ready to place an order for industrial-sized ear protection. “And maybe a seat in the very back of the plane. For everyone's sanity.”

“Thanks, kid,” Rossi muttered with a sigh. “This is the last time I’m taking a flight with you two lovebirds.”

You exchanged a playful glance with Hotch, both of you struggling to keep straight faces. The rest of the team seemed caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement, clearly trying to hold it together, but clearly failing.

"You know, we really should've started this sooner," you mused aloud, crossing your arms and leaning back in your seat. "It’s such a great way to keep everyone in line."

Hotch's lips curled into a slight smirk, though his eyes stayed locked on the case files in front of him. "Next time, I'll save the theatrics for after the case. If we make it that far."

“Good call, as always, Unit Chief,” you replied, your voice playful, but just serious enough to leave them wondering if you were still messing with them or if something had changed.

And that’s when it happened - the first domino fell.

Hotch’s hand, now shifted from the table to rest on your knee.

The weight of his touch was different this time - it wasn’t calculated, nor was it part of the show you’d put on to mess with everyone - it was simply him, expressing something real.

For a moment, you froze, the air around you feeling suddenly charged with something more intimate than you’d allowed to settle between you at work. But as you looked at him, you saw that he wasn’t expecting you to respond theatrically, either.

His gaze was steady, his hand resting casually, without any of the usual distance he’d maintained before.

The shift was subtle, but it was there.

You let out a soft breath, your muscles relaxing for the first time all day as you allowed yourself to lean slightly into the touch. “Thanks,” you whispered, your voice barely audible, but Hotch caught the meaning behind it. He squeezed your knee just slightly, a wordless acknowledgment that you were both on the same page.

Maybe it was time to stop being so stiff…

---

Stage two: Second, it is violently opposed.

…and so you did.

Over time, you allowed yourselves some liberties here and there — small gestures, quiet moments shared in the midst of the chaos of the job - only when no one was watching, of course.

You still made sure that the workplace environment remained as professional as possible, the last thing you wanted was for anyone to feel uncomfortable or for your relationship to ever be questioned.

But if there was one thing Aaron was particularly good at, it was finding loopholes.

He would argue, “It’s not a breach of the rule if the statement isn’t clear on that at all." And when the rules weren’t clear, he was quick to take advantage of it, slipping into those grey areas that never seemed to get any real clarification.

Lawyers.

The rule had applied to the workplace, yes, but it never specifically mentioned physical spaces - like the FBI parking lot, or the elevator. So more often than not, you and Aaron found yourselves “stretching” the limits there, enjoying those quiet moments away from the eyes of the team.

The elevator rides were your favorite…

There, it was just you two, no cameras, no one listening, and nothing to hold you back. Sometimes it was just a kiss, other times... well, you both liked to test just how far you could go before someone walked in.

But, as always, timing had a funny way of messing everything up. It seemed like every time you’d start kissing or your hands would wander just a little too much, someone would always show up.

And somehow, it was always Rossi.

No one else.

Just him.

It never failed.

He’d clear his throat loudly, or tease you both with that exasperated tone of his, as if he was constantly trying to escape what he couldn’t avoid. It was like he had some sort of sixth sense for catching you two in those exact moments, and no one else seemed to be quite as lucky - or unlucky, depending on how you looked at it.

At this point, Rossi had had enough of the cosmic joke that always seemed to land him in the middle of your most inconvenient, and often highly personal, moments.

His will was already written, and it came with a very clear clause: Only one of them is allowed at his funeral or grave at a time. Lovebirds policy only. He had his reasons, of course, he didn’t need to explain why he didn’t want to see that particular dynamic at his final resting place.

So, in his infinite wisdom - and desperation - Rossi scheduled a mandatory HR seminar.

“Dave, I don’t have to attend the seminar, I’m Unit Chief” Hotch told him one afternoon, looking as though he might be able to talk his way out of it.

“Oh no, you do,” Rossi shot back, practically pointing at Hotch like he was an unruly student. “You’re the very reason I called them in. You and your... antics.” He threw his hands up dramatically. "This has to stop."

You exchanged a look with Hotch, trying not to laugh at how utterly serious Rossi was about this whole thing. But as usual, Hotch wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. “We’re managing it well, Dave. We never cross professional boundaries when you’re around.”

Not exactly, it should have been ‘we never cross professional boundaries when we know you’re around’.

But he continued talking anyways, intense and relentless as usual “In fact, we don’t even sit next to each other on the jet anymore, especially after hearing someone mention how she falls asleep on my shoulder after cases and thought it was 'cute,' apparently,” he said, glancing at you with a playful look.

Rossi’s eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Oh, don’t start with that," he grumbled. "I know you two are playing some kind of game with me. And don’t act like you’re the picture of professionalism, Aaron, just because you sit on opposite ends of the jet."

Hotch then took a deep breath, rolling into lawyer mode. His voice dropped lower, each word becoming more deliberate – it was time to pull out the big lexicon. “Furthermore, Dave, I find it rather hypocritical for you to bring up a matter like this, considering you’re the very reason these fraternization rules were implemented in the first place. For the record, we’ve been transparent. Strauss was informed as soon as we started dating. There’s no issue here.”

Rossi blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in Hotch’s tone. He frowned, a bit of surprise flashing across his face. “Did she teach you the word ‘hypocritical’?” he quipped, looking at Hotch with a knowing smirk.

Hotch, taken slightly off guard by Rossi’s jab, blushed a little - his cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. He wasn’t usually one for showing any signs of fluster, especially in front of his team.

The HR seminar had barely begun, but you were already feeling your patience thin.

Everyone had been summoned to the bullpen, begrudgingly forced to sit through a mandatory lecture on fraternization and professional conduct.

Rossi, in all his glory, had managed to schedule the whole thing thinking that a lecture about fraternization and workplace boundaries would somehow curb the “antics” he thought were getting out of hand.

But what he definitely didn’t anticipate was the sheer chaos that would follow.

The HR representative - Carmen, an overly cheerful woman in her late forties with a name tag that read "Carmen" - stood at the front, facing the group with a bright, forced smile that didn’t quite match the tension hanging in the room. She seemed oblivious to the undercurrent of discomfort flowing through the team.

“Today, we’re going to talk about how to maintain professionalism in the workplace,” she began, clicking through slides on the projector. “Specifically, we’ll be discussing fraternization, boundaries, and how to handle uncomfortable situations when they arise.”

You exchanged a quick glance with Hotch.

This was going to be painful.

Carmen continued, oblivious to the growing tension, moving to the next slide. “So, let’s start with a simple question. What should you do if you ever feel harassed or like professional boundaries are being crossed?”

“Do you ever feel like there’s a couple who barely show any emotion beyond stoicism but make it a point to talk about…”

You blinked.

Stoicism?

Did she even understand what that word meant? It wasn’t just about hiding emotions or being composed. It was a whole philosophy, a way of understanding life and how to deal with adversity. And yet here she was, using it as some sort of generic descriptor for a couple that was, apparently, too controlled, while also being embarrassingly not controlled enough in their personal moments.

You could almost hear her thoughts: “Stoicism” sounds intellectual, let’s use that to make things sound deep and professional. But she was so off the mark, you almost couldn’t bear it.

Carmen paused, her finger hovering over the remote.

She clicked the button again with the kind of confidence that suggested she had absolutely no idea what the word stoicism even meant. In fact, as you sat there, trying to distract yourself from the growing tension in the room, you found yourself profiling Carmen.

You were pretty sure she had just Googled the term moments before this presentation, probably during the coffee break, her face lighting up when she stumbled across something that sounded smart enough to say in front of the group.

The way she adjusted her glasses after every click, the small, almost nervous laugh she gave when she spoke a little too loudly, and how she constantly tugged at her sleeves like she was just a little too eager to prove she was in charge - she was someone who tried hard to project authority but clearly lacked a deeper understanding of the material she was presenting.

Her behavior hinted at a kind of surface-level preparedness, just enough to get through the presentation without anyone questioning her qualifications. She was the kind of person who relied on buzzwords to sound impressive…

The entire room went dead silent, but Carmen, continued without skipping a beat. "Next, we’ll look at how professional boundaries really can be blurred in the workplace..."

“Stop shaving, your beard makes me want to schedule sick leave for the both of us.”

That hit you quite hard. Damn… you still remembered how you didn’t let Aaron get out of the bed for two whole days when he grew one of those himself.

Your weakness... how the way it highlighted the lineaments of his face, casting shadows like something painted by Caravaggio himself, was irresistible.

Not to mention the heavenly way it felt against your skin… oh you were so feral… you had never had so much sex in your life like you did in those two days…

Your mind wandered back to those moments, the soft temptation to bribe him into growing it back.

“Your lectures make me want to…”

Lectures? Very oddly specific.

“My son wants a sibling.”

You blinked, trying to wrap your mind around it, but then the realization hit you. Fun, the agents in that room who had a child could be counted on your fingers, so the words felt oddly out of place. But still, you couldn’t quite grasp why they felt so familiar.

And just like that, it hit you - 32 languages, three PhDs, and years of teaching... all now reduced to the deductive powers of a ladybug.

You hadn’t realized it until now - probably because you were still thirsting over the memories of your hot man with his hot beard - but those weren’t just any words.

Those were your words.

Your conversations.

The moments you and Hotch thought were just whispered between the two of you, moments you thought no one heard. And there they were, broadcast on the screen for the entire team to see.

A chill ran down your spine as the final line appeared.

“Stop quoting Hagel or we might have to leave to take something we left back in...”

The moment those words appeared on the screen, you felt something snap inside you. The misspelling of Hegel - with an A instead of an E - was a personal betrayal.

Your mind immediately spiraled, fixating on the glaring error. How could they get something so fundamental so wrong?

To have something so simple and fundamental, so easily identifiable, mangled like this felt like an insult. Your whole body stiffened in protest, and your jaw clenched so tightly it ached.

You could feel the weight of your teammates’ stares burning into you, but it barely registered.

It wasn’t much their reaction to the personal details of your relationship with Hotch that had you worked up - it was the glaring inaccuracy before you.

The universe had somehow decided that this moment wasn’t going to be about the privacy that had been stripped away from you, but about this mistake - a simple, careless error that was now at the center of your fury.

You couldn’t think about how embarrassing it was to be outed like this. Your brain couldn’t process any of it, it shielded itself consuming by the fact that someone had managed to butcher the name of one of the greatest philosophers of all time.

Prentiss leaned forward slightly, her brows raised in surprise, but her reaction was drowned out by your growing irritation. JJ, trying to keep it together, looked over with wide eyes, an unmistakable flicker of realization dawning on her face. Reid’s expression was a mixture of curiosity and confusion, as if he were trying to piece the scene together in his usual analytical way.

Then there was Morgan, letting out a low whistle, clearly amused by the sudden turn of events. But it was Garcia, sweet, innocent Garcia, who was practically glowing with excitement, a huge grin spreading across her face as though she had just won some grand prize. Her eyes sparkled with giddiness, clearly delighted by the personal details she’d just uncovered.

The entire team had turned toward you now, their attention fully on you and Hotch, clearly not expecting the turn of events.

And it was embarrassing.

But still, despite everything - the exposure, the teasing, the whispers of your relationship that had never meant to be public - it was the misspelling of Hegel that was making your blood boil.

Every fiber of your being screamed to correct it, to stand up and storm to the front and take the projector down, fix it, fix everything.

But before you could even move, Hotch must have felt the shift in your energy. His hand, almost instinctively, moved to rest on your knee. His thumb rubbed gently in small circles, a calming touch, grounding you.

“Y/N, stop,” he whispered, his voice low and urgent, sending a shiver down your spine.

You could feel his breath warm against your ear as he leaned in closer, the subtle press of his body against yours grounding you, even if everything else felt like it was spiraling out of control. “Stop before you point out they misspelled Hegel and make a lecture out of it, or we might have to leave to take something we left back in the car.”

It was a mix of teasing and flirtation, the very phrase the HR rep had just banned from its existence. And damn it, it was working. The fire in his eyes pulled you in so completely, you almost forgot where you were, who was watching, or why you were so angry in the first place.

You wanted to stay mad, to stand up and correct the error, but the way he was looking at you made it hard to hold onto anything except the electricity that was building between you. The rest of the world faded into the background.

But of course, Rossi - ever the opportunist - had been listening intently. He leaned in, catching your words before they even left your mouth. “She just finished saying that,” he muttered, a smug look crossing his face as he caught your eye.

You shot him a glare that could have frozen him in his tracks, but it only seemed to fuel his teasing. “Please, Rossi," you said through gritted teeth, your voice low and dangerous. "Next time, forget to plug in your hearing device so you can stop listening to things you don’t want to hear. Or, better yet, don’t make me tell you the very reason you’re hypocritical in the first place."

Rossi’s smile widened, obviously enjoying your frustration. "Hypocritical?" he repeated, his tone dripping with mock curiosity. “Maybe you should teach me more of those big words.” He was goading you, trying to get under your skin.

Hotch, sensing the escalation, placed a hand on your shoulder, his voice smooth and controlled as he stepped in to defuse the situation. "You're welcome to take your concerns about our so-called 'unprofessional conduct' crossing boundaries directly to the Section Chief, Dave," he said, his gaze never leaving the screen as he remained calm. "But mind you, you have no proof."

Still, you couldn’t help it.

The frustration and tension of the whole situation - everything that had been building up - finally boiled over, and you couldn't hold it in anymore. "And on that subject, Rossi," you began, your voice firm, steady, and dripping with challenge, "don’t you regularly cross those unprofessional boundaries yourself?"

The room went dead silent.

You could feel Hotch’s eyes on you, and when you glanced at him, you saw the exact same understanding in his gaze. You both knew exactly what was about to happen. The words had already left your lips, and now Rossi was about to learn just how much the two of you had been paying attention to his “subtle” behavior.

Hotch, the perfect picture of calm, added with the slightest tilt of his head and a mischievous glint in his eye, “We noticed that you and…”

Rossi, visibly caught off guard, stumbled over his words, “Why did I even open my mouth? I knew this was gonna make everything worse… porca puttana,” he grumbled, rubbing his face in frustration.

Carmen, completely oblivious to the escalating tension, continued with the presentation as if nothing was happening.

But you weren’t going to let it go that easily.

You leaned back in your seat, arms crossed, eyes fixed on Rossi with a smug grin playing at the corners of your lips. “You know, Dave,” you said, your voice light but dripping with satisfaction, “this lecture has been very informative. But maybe next time, you should make sure to include a few slides on how to keep your own relationships under wraps. Might help you avoid the hypocrisy.”

Rossi’s face flushed as he shot you a glare, but you could tell that, for once, he was caught completely off guard. “Oh yeah? Well, why don’t you join me and Erin for dinner tonight then? It’d be fun, wouldn’t it?” He threw back, but you could hear the hesitation in his voice as he scrambled to regain control of the situation.

You leaned over to Hotch, lowering your voice just enough so only he could hear. “Aaron, I swear if I see them even touching hands, I’m going to puke.”

Hotch gave you a deadpan look, trying to suppress a grin. “I feel you, but…” His tone dropped into a mock-dramatic whisper. “What if we crank up the unprofessional behavior right in front of them? Scare them off a little?”

You raised an eyebrow. Oh, this was going to be fun.

Hotch looked like he was seriously considering it. “That could either work like a charm, or - let’s be honest - knowing Rossi, they’ll just double down and serve us a taste of our own medicine. And sure, we love a good challenge, but…” He leaned in closer, his voice lowering even more. “Do we really want to go there?”

You smiled to yourself, already picturing it in your mind. “Oh no, I can already picture it.”

Hotch sighed dramatically, as if considering his options. “We could leave earlier with the excuse we need to work on paperwork...” he trailed off, giving you a look.

You smirked. “‘Paperwork,’” you said, making air quotes with your fingers, knowing exactly where this conversation was going. “Our paperwork?!”

Hotch and you both knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Hotch’s smirk turned a little more serious, and he leaned in slightly. “You know, we could always go all out. Maybe I could place my hand on your shoulder every now and then. Keep them guessing.”

You gave him a look, one eyebrow raised. “Oh, I love you, but I fear that would be too scandalous.”

Hotch’s smirk widened as he leaned back a little, but the glint in his eyes didn’t fade. “Well, then I’ll settle for resting my hand on your knee. Once. For three and a half seconds.”

Your eyes flickered with amusement, and you couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Wow, last time you only allowed yourself three,” you teased, knowing he had a habit of pushing boundaries, but always so carefully… you were an old Victorian couple with people you knew from the job afterall.

“I know, I’m practicing more self-control,” he said, voice thick with sarcasm but still looking at you in a way that made you forget you were attending a seminar about this specific behaviour.

You leaned a little closer, watching him intently, enjoying the banter more than you cared to admit. “You’re so hot when you’re so unprofessional," you whispered, the words dripping with playful intent. "Almost makes me want to kiss you on the cheek.”

Hotch’s expression never wavered, but the amusement in his eyes was undeniable. "So unprofessional..." he murmured under his breath, his voice tinged with humor but also something deeper, something more familiar with the man you knew in the safe walls of your house.

You didn’t need to be obvious to make things very clear. It was all in the subtlety, the small gestures, the private moments that only you and Hotch understood.

And as you both settled back into your seats, you couldn’t help but grin to yourself. It was going to be a long seminar, but at least it was going to be entertaining.

---

Stage three: Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

After an evening of forced pleasantries with Rossi and Strauss, the two of you were finally free.

Walking into Aaron’s apartment, you let out a long sigh of relief, kicking off your shoes and feeling the weight of the night slip off your shoulders. The moment the door clicked shut behind you, Aaron turned to you with that familiar smirk - the one you’d missed to helplessly melt into all day long.

As if there had been no build-up, no tension at all, you found yourself pressed up against the door, his lips crashing against yours the second you crossed the threshold. The kiss was hungry, urgent, like both of you had been holding your breath all evening and could finally release it now that you were alone.

His hands moved instinctively to your waist, pulling you closer as your bodies melted into each other, until there was no room left between you two.

When you pulled away, breathless but grinning, you teased, “You know, after all that drama with Rossi and Strauss, I’m exhausted. Think I could spend the night here?”

“Well, I do have a guest room…”  Aaron raised an eyebrow, letting the words hang in the air, as if he was seriously considering it.

You narrowed your eyes, taking a small step back but keeping the playful smirk on your face. “Guest room? That’s so nice of you, love” you said, folding your arms. “But I was thinking maybe I could sleep in your bed you know, just for the night. It’s so cold here. I mean, really cold. We wouldn’t want me freezing to death, would we?”

Aaron's lips curled into a mischievous grin as he stepped closer, his gaze playful. “I’ll tell you a secret,” he said casually, his voice smooth. “It was all part of my plan,” he added with a glint in his eye. “That’s why I’ve kept all the windows open.”

He paused dramatically, his hands slipping around yourhips, pulling you closer. “Wouldn’t want you getting too comfortable, would I? Now, you’re basically obliged for cuddles.”

You let out a soft laugh, shaking your head at him, already feeling the heat between you two. “Oh, you’re so devious,” you teased, leaning in to kiss him again, this time slower, with just enough space between your lips to let his tongue slide in.

“You know you don’t have to plan so much for us to sleep together. I thought that was a given by now, cuddles included... maybe even something more. Who knows?” You pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, the playful challenge lingering in the air.

Aaron chuckled against your lips, deepening the kiss with just as much passion, his hands sliding up to your shoulders, gently but firmly pushing you back against the wall.

For a moment, you both paused, breathless, eyes locked in shared understanding before you leaned in closer, your voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “So, how exactly do you manage to get to the office first every morning?” you asked, your smirk widening as the question hung in the air, taunting him.

Aaron’s smile deepened, a mixture of wry humor and something much more tempting in his gaze. He leaned in, lips brushing against your ear, his voice low and playful. “I love you,” he said softly, almost tenderly, before pulling back to meet your eyes. “But not a chance.”

You gasped in mock outrage, your hands finding his chest as you pushed yourself off the wall, trying to distance yourself a little. “Come on, no fair. You’ve been so open tonight with all your little secrets,” you teased, making air quotes. “Now you won’t share this one?”

Before you could move away, Aaron caught you effortlessly, pulling you back into his embrace. His strong arms wrapped around you, sending your heart racing. His lips grazed your ear again, his voice hushed and playful as he whispered, “I’ll tell you in 83 days,” his tone dripping with mock seriousness.

You froze, eyes widening in surprise.

The playful smile slipped from your face, and the warmth from his embrace spread through you, despite the coldness of the apartment.

You blinked, the realization hitting you all at once.

The bet you two had made years ago - the one where if he beat you to the office for 1,000 days, he’d have to propose - flashed through your mind. And now, he was casually dropping 83 days like it was just another countdown.

“Come on, don’t pretend you’re shocked,” Aaron said, his voice softening with affection. He leaned in closer, brushing his lips lightly against yours. “You knew this was coming, if you keep failing… this is your last chance to beat me.”

His lips captured yours in another soft kiss, and you could feel the unspoken weight behind his words. “Unless you really want to spend the rest of your life with me.”

Your breath caught, and the sudden heat flooded your cheeks, turning them a deep shade of red. You couldn’t help but melt into him, the gravity of his words settling in, even as you clung to the teasing spark that still flickered between you.

“You still have to find out my answer,” you teased, raising an eyebrow, your voice light but full of challenge. “You know, just to keep you on your toes. It’s not all settled yet… and who knows, maybe you won’t even ever know it. I’ve still got 83 days to beat you.”

Aaron shot you a pointed look, the corners of his lips curling into a smile. His hands slid up your back, pulling you closer. “I wouldn’t be so confident, considering your terrible track record,” he said, his voice rich with teasing. Without giving you a chance to respond, he kissed you again - harder this time - his lips claiming yours with a passionate force that spoke of promises yet to be fulfilled.

You melted into the kiss, every nerve in your body aware of just how close you were, how real everything felt. When the kiss finally broke, your hand remained lightly against his chest, still feeling the thrum of his heartbeat. “Haven’t you learned yet that you should never underestimate me, Hotchner?”

Aaron chuckled softly, the sound vibrating against your ears as he leaned down to kiss the top of your head. “This is the only thing I allow myself to underestimate you on,” he teased, pulling back with a glint of mischief in his eyes. “You’re terrible at it. Even worse than your shooting skills.”

You raised an eyebrow, still smirking, a playful spark lighting up your eyes. “Oh, now you’re exaggerating,” you said, poking his chest lightly with your finger.

“It’s not like if I can’t beat you at something, I’m mathematically bad at it. And also, really? You expect me to outdo a sniper?” You tilted your head, teasing him about his former SWAT team background.

“Absolutely,” Aaron replied, his grin widening. “You still have to keep up with me on long-distance shots, and don’t even think about blaming it on your blurry vision.”

He gave you a pointed look, then leaned in slightly, his voice low and playful. “I still love you, of course, even if you might need a little more training from the ‘sniper’.” He winked at you, that familiar, mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

You laughed softly, shaking your head, but the idea seemed to settle in your mind. “You know,” you said casually, leaning against the counter with a thoughtful look on your face, “I just realized something. If I married you, we’d have two Agent Hotchners on the team.”

Aaron’s eyes twinkled with amusement, but there was a hint of something deeper in his gaze. He leaned down slightly, getting closer as if he were about to tell you a secret. “Oh, so you’re considering it?” he teased, the playful tone only slightly covering the vulnerability that was starting to show through.

You leaned in a little closer, your voice soft and teasing as you whispered, “Well, we’ve still got 83 days to figure it out, don’t we?” You let the words hang in the air for a moment before adding, with a sly grin, “Unless, of course, you want to start planning now.”

Aaron’s smirk softened, a chuckle escaping him as his arms tightened around you just a little more, pulling you in closer. “Oh no,” he said, his voice low, full of mischief. “I still need to do everything in my power to make sure you’re the one to lose the most important bet of your life.”

You raised an eyebrow, a playful challenge in your gaze. “Getting a little cocky, aren’t we?” you teased, a smirk tugging at the corner of your lips. “Just because you think you’ve got me cornered in this bet doesn’t mean you’ve won yet.”

He raised an eyebrow, his smirk never faltering as he leaned in a little closer. “Maybe I just wanted to make sure I’m doing things right,” he said, voice low and teasing. “For example… I wanted to check if sapphire was still your favorite stone,” he added, his grin widening. “You know, just in case I need to upgrade the plan.”

The question caught you off guard. You blinked at him, your heart skipping a beat as the realization hit you. “What?” you stammered, feeling a blush creep up your neck. “Shut up, Aaron,” you said, your voice a little shaky as you tried to recover from the surprise. “You’re ridiculous.” You tried to pull away, but his arms were still around you, pulling you closer, his grin widening at your reaction.

Aaron laughed softly, his thumb brushing your cheek, the teasing light in his eyes evident. “I swear, you’re so easy to fluster,” he teased, his voice low but affectionate. “You’re blushing, and I haven’t even asked you yet.”

You couldn’t stop the blush from deepening, your face now a full shade of red. You crossed your arms over your chest, looking away in embarrassment, but it was too late, he’d already noticed. “You’re going to be the death of me,” you muttered, feeling the heat in your cheeks spread.

Aaron reached out, his fingers gently tilting your chin up so you were forced to meet his gaze. His voice dropped to a quiet, serious tone, though the warmth still lingered. “Til death do us part, right?” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from your face.

“Don’t make me cry,” you whispered, the teasing edge to your voice slipping away. The laughter, the playful teasing, they all seemed distant now.

Aaron’s gaze softened, his thumb gently caressing your jawline as he studied you, he didn’t say anything at first, letting the silence stretch between you. His hand lingered on your chin for a moment longer before he slowly, carefully, let it fall to your waist, his touch grounding you.

His voice, when he spoke, was quieter, more intimate. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said softly. “But if I do, I hope it’s because I’ve made you happy, not because I’ve made you doubt what we have.”

You swallowed, the words tugging at something deep inside you. It was the way he spoke to you, like he meant every syllable, that made your heart swell, and for a brief moment, you almost wished you could freeze time and just stay in that moment, locked in his arms, no words left to be said.

You couldn’t stop yourself from smiling a little, despite the overwhelming feeling in your chest. “Well, you’ve already got me feeling all kinds of things,” you teased, trying to lighten the mood again, even as your voice wavered just slightly. “But I think you’re safe for now.”

Aaron chuckled softly, his hand gently brushing down your arm, a reassuring gesture that made you feel grounded. “I don’t want to just be safe, though,” he murmured, his eyes dark with something a little more serious. “I want to be the one who makes you feel like you’ve found home, even when the world is too much.”

Your breath caught in your throat, the weight of his words settling deep in your chest, causing your heart to flutter in a way you couldn’t quite put into words, no matter how many languages you spoke.

There was something about Aaron - his warmth, his steady presence, his certainty - that made it so easy to get lost in him. You didn’t know what the future held, but with him by your side, the world seemed less daunting, less frightening.

“Then maybe you’ve already won,” you whispered, your voice thick with emotion. The walls you’d so carefully built around your vulnerability came crashing down, and for the first time, you let yourself feel the full force of it. “Maybe you’ve already made me feel at home, windows open or not.”

Aaron’s lips brushed gently against your forehead in a soft kiss, his arms tightening around you in a way that made you feel completely safe. “Then I’ll keep doing it,” he murmured against your skin, his words a promise, a vow, and a reassurance all in one. “Every single day.”

"In love, one and one are one." Jean-Paul Sartre

---

taglist: @beata1108 ; @cuddleprofiler ; @c-losur3 ; @fangirlunknown ; @hayleym1234 ; @justyourusualash ; @kyrathekiller ; @lostinwonderland314 ; @mxblobby ; @prettybaby-reid ; @reidfile ; @royalestrellas ; @ssa-callahan ; @theseerbetweenus ; @todorokishoe24

[ghostieblr]

Melting Glaciers

Because the universe is unfair, it gives Derek Hale a kitten. One that is just as black as his wolf fur, and just as scary looking until you manage to get close to her by a painstakingly long process of trust exercises and find that oh, she's the most adorable thing in the world, too.

See, Stiles is a realist. When constant skirmishes with one certain older werewolfman, where his life was equally threatened and saved by this said werewolfman, made his little Stiles happy to the point of constant little deaths in the not-so-privacy of his bedroom, he'd choked down the realization of not being so straight as he'd mistakenly thought. At the time, the sorrow of it had more to do with the fact that his crushes were always so unattainable rather than the fact that it was a man he was crushing on, one that his dad had arrested too. And then when his dad was brought into the fold of the hidden layer in their world, and he saw his dad recognize the real Derek, he knew he had his dad's permission.

His dad's always been a realist, too. Stiles' affection is anything but secret when it comes to Derek, because he deserves all the good things in the world, and despite his design to push and prod until the person Stiles is talking to comes undone and shares their secrets, Stiles has done anything but that with him. In the beginning, it was curiousity. It was his desire to know the unknown, to gather all the facts, to know enough to get over Derek Fuckin' Hale. Somewhere down the line, but very close to beginning, his feelings turned warmer, though. Glacier of ice melting into rivulets of water, carried away on a sea of emotions he'd denied himself to dip toes in for far too long.

And now that Derek's brought home a kitten he found abandoned near the Walmart, and named her Princess of all things, Stiles has been forced to take a fucking dive into that sea.

He makes a choked off sound when Derek, in the middle of the Loft, takes off his soft-looking, cozy green henley, and Stiles is assualted with the very vivid view of his gorgeous abs.

Derek opens his arms and Princess, deeming it her cue, climbs atop him, her little claws her little helpers, and Derek's enchanting smile Stiles' doom. Once she's nestled against his chest, he looks at Stiles. Another sound falls from Stiles' mouth, without his permission. It's a whine, he thinks; a call for help.

"You okay?"

O-K-A-Y. Four letter word, where sometimes the last two alphabets are unnecessary. Just like this question.

"What do you think!" Oh no. He needs to calm down. Princess is looking at him, her green eyes wide and anxious. Stiles whispers, hisses really, "Her! You! Henley!"

Derek looks at his little princess, then looks back at him. "You are not making sense, Stiles." Looks back at Princess, says, "Your Tata is acting crazy." Princess meows, as if in agreement, and oh fuck, seriously universe? Why should Derek look so damned adorable when he's just paying attention to his kitten like many others do! Hell, Peter was doing the same thing in the last pack meeting, and Stiles had thought nothing of it. But Derek does it, and it's like Stiles has discovered a whole new world of kinks. What the hell.

During Stiles' inner freakout, Derek has managed to sit on the couch, and now he's petting Princess, who is still attached to his chest like a barnacle. Why isn't Stiles a kitten?

Wait.

"DID YOU JUST ME CALL ME HER TATA?!"

Princess hisses quite venomously at him, probably at the volume of his voice, because Derek winces too. Oops. But no, not oops!

This is serious business.

He points a finger at Princess. "Don't talk to me like that young lady," he waggles his finger for emphasis. She follows it with her eyes, looks at Derek once, then settles down and watches him with wide, unblinking eyes. What an attitude on this one. Just like her dad, really. Who is... looking at him, the corner of his lips tilted up in amusement. "You. Words. Explain."

"Words are usually his thing," Derek tells Princess, who meows once in acknowledgment. Then he lifts his eyes towards Stiles and pats the free seat beside him. Stiles sits. "I am more of an action person."

And then Derek takes Stiles' hand and puts it on top of his other one, the one Derek's been using to constantly pet Princess. Stiles' breath stops for a moment at the touch.

"Is this okay?"

"More than," Stiles admits, and watches with awe as Derek's eye sparkle under the waning sunlight, the way his mouth stretches further up into a grin, unabashed and unbelievably pretty this close up. Stiles forms a grin in response too. "So," he says, playfulness creeping away the shock. "Since I am her Tata... I vote to name her Princess Leia."

Derek's laughter in response echoes through the Loft, and Princess makes her displeasure known at the vibrations on her comfy spot by jumping onto Stiles' chest. They remove their hands at the movement, and Stiles puts his hands back on her, lets her burrow in his chest. She's already in his heart, anyways.

"Stiles," Derek says when he's calmed down, only a minute later. Stiles isn't even offended; The sound of Derek's laughter is like eating candy. Like pure bliss. "That's already her name."

Stiles blinks.

Derek calls, "Leia, come to dad," and she goes.

"I love you so, so, so much, you don't even know, Derek Hale," the words come out, and he... is not afraid they're out there, because Derek has, once again, Princess Leia on his chest, and his left arm comes around Stiles' shoulders to pull him in towards himself.

Derek kisses the top of his head, and Stiles melts, and he is a realist, so when Derek replies, "I love you, too, so, so, so much," he knows he's done for life.

Stiles' heart will belong to no other, but Derek Hale.

As if reading his thoughts, Princess Leia meows, and Stiles amends his mental declaration: his heart will belong to no other, but Derek Hale, and the family they create.

[redislazy]

Deadly Attachments, Chapter 05

<< Chapter 04

[EVENTUAL SMUT] - Minors DNI > ao3 <

Pairing: Simon "Ghost" Riley x female!Reader

Word Count: 7,318

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Summary: As a skilled mercenary, you've navigated countless high-stakes missions—until one job puts you in the crosshairs of Task Force 141 and the elusive "Ghost." Now forced into an uneasy alliance, you’re drawn into a dangerous game of shifting loyalties and hidden motives. But as the stakes climb higher, one question lingers: how close can you get to the man who was meant to be a shadow in your path?

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Content Tags: Enemies to Lovers, Military Action & Romance, Mercenaries, Soldiers, Non-Canon Antagonists, Eventual Smut, Military Inaccuracies, Slow Burn, Will add smut-specific tags later as the story goes

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"Do you know who the leader of Aegis is?” Price asks, his voice low and direct.

You're seated with Task Force 141 in the main room of your makeshift base, the air thick with the smell of strong coffee and tactical gear. Maps and intel reports are strewn across the table, the faint rustling of papers filling the silence. Price leans forward, a serious glint in his eyes as he waits for your response.

You shake your head, feeling a pang of frustration resurface. “No one really does. The leader’s kept their identity hidden, even from most of their own people. Only a few high-ranking lackeys know anything, and they’re the ones who dish out orders to the mercs under them. It’s… compartmentalized.”

Price exhales sharply, leaning back in his chair as he considers this. “Figures. Bastard’s running a whole operation from the shadows.”

Soap’s brows knit together as he glances around at the team. “So what? We take down a few agents, and they just keep popping up like cockroaches. We’d be at this forever.”

Gaz nods in agreement. “The only way to cut them off for good is to go after the one running the show. Take out the leader, and Aegis would crumble from the top down.”

A heavy silence falls over the room as the reality of it sets in. Ghost’s eyes flicker toward you, his gaze unreadable. “You’re saying we need to hit the head of the snake,” he says, tone even but grim. “Find whoever’s pullin’ the strings and make sure they stop for good.”

You swallow, feeling the weight of their words. They make it sound simple, but the truth gnaws at you. Aegis’s leader is more than just a face or a name—they’re a shadow, always out of reach. Tracking them down would be like chasing smoke through the dark, nearly impossible. But it’s what you’ll have to do if you want the target on your back to disappear, if you ever want a chance at being a free, independent mercenary again.

You sigh quietly, thinking over the task ahead. “It won’t be easy. They’ve built their whole operation on staying hidden, letting others take the heat and make the moves.”

Price’s gaze softens, a rare moment of understanding. “We’re not saying it’ll be easy. But you’ve got an advantage the rest of us don’t—you’ve been inside their system, seen how they work. You might be our best chance at getting close enough to flush ‘em out.”

You nod slowly, feeling both the pressure and the strange, growing sense of resolve. This mission was more than personal survival now; it was a matter of closing a chapter that’d haunted you, taking down the very organization that once counted you as their own. It would be hard, maybe harder than anything you’d done—but the path ahead is clearer, and for the first time in a long while, you have a sense of purpose.

“So,” Price says, a determined look passing over him as he glances around at the team, “we go all in. Aegis’s leader is our endgame. Let’s find this threat hiding in the shadows.”

Gaz clears his throat, breaking the determined silence that’s settled over everyone. He leans forward, eyebrows knit together in a frown. “Alright, but where do we even begin with this?” He looks to Price, then over to you. “If she worked with Aegis for ten years and still doesn’t know who’s running the show… it’s like we’re chasing a ghost.”

Price crosses his arms, his gaze fixed on the wall for a moment as he thinks. “You’re right—it won’t be easy. But every organization, no matter how secretive, has a trail. It’s just a matter of finding the cracks, the weak spots in their setup.” He glances over to you, his expression firm but steady. “And you might know where to start looking.”

You shift uncomfortably, feeling the weight of their eyes on you. “They’ve always kept the hierarchy vague, even for those working in it for years. Only the most trusted agents deal directly with whoever’s at the top. Orders trickle down through a few of those loyal yes men, but they don’t leave much of a trail.”

Ghost’s voice cuts through, calm but edged with skepticism. “So we’re sifting through shadows. Fine. But if we know who their high-ranking lackeys are, maybe we can press them hard enough to get to the top.”

“Problem is,” you reply, feeling the familiar frustration at Aegis’s elusive nature, “even their lieutenants aren’t easy to track down. They’re careful, and most of them use proxies or intermediaries. Aegis is designed to protect the leader’s anonymity at all costs.”

Price nods, absorbing the information. “Then we take it one layer at a time. Start with any connections we can find. Places Aegis is active, recurring contacts, anything that can get us closer."

Gaz sighs, running a hand over his face. “Even with that, it could take months, years even, to get anything solid. And if they know she’s working with us against them, they’ll close ranks tighter than ever.”

You clench your jaw, knowing he’s right. Aegis’s leader wasn’t just running an organization—they’d crafted a fortress of secrecy, one that you never even questioned back when you were part of it. The odds feel almost impossible. Yet, a part of you feels a strange, stubborn determination settling in.

“If we want to dismantle Aegis for good,” you say slowly, meeting each of their eyes, “we’ll have to be as relentless as they are. I know it’s hard to track them down, and I know it seems hopeless. But if there’s one thing I learned in all those years, it’s that they get comfortable in their own secrecy. And that… that’s where we’ll find them. Somewhere they think we’ll never look.”

Soap grins slightly, trying to lighten the mood. “So what you’re saying is, we go on the world’s hardest game of hide and seek?”

Ghost rolls his eyes, but there’s a spark of agreement there. “Something like that,” he mutters. Then, to you, he adds, “Just don’t think you’re going at this alone.”

You nod, taking a steadying breath. For the first time, you have allies—ones willing to dig as deep as it takes to uncover Aegis’s secrets. You’d spent a year running from them, dreading the target on your back. Now, with Task Force 141, it’s different. Now, you’re not just trying to escape—you’re going to hunt them down, piece by piece, until there’s nowhere left for their leader to hide.

Captain Price looks around at each of you, a steady resolve in his gaze. “We may be staring at a pile of scrambled intel right now, but HQ’s got the resources and expertise to make sense of that damned hard drive. Once they break through these files, we’ll have a clearer picture of what Aegis is planning and where they’re vulnerable. This hard drive’s our way in, so we sit tight, let them do their part, and be ready to move the second we have actionable intel. We’ve got the edge now, so let’s use it.”

A quiet determination settles over the team, and you feel a renewed sense of purpose, knowing the next step is coming into focus.

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A week after the intense mission in Istanbul, everyone gathers in the briefing room, pouring over the latest intel reports the team itself has gathered while waiting for HQ's findings. The progress is disappointing—Aegis has gone quiet. Their network seems to have retracted, pulling resources and high-ranking members out of sight. It’s almost as if their encounter with Task Force 141 spooked them into hunkering down.

Price studies the map in front of him, a frown etched deeply into his face. “Looks like Aegis is trying to play it safe. They’ve pulled back any valuable assets. Istanbul’s gone cold.”

Soap leans back in his chair, letting out a low whistle. “Almost like they’re on to us, yeah? As if they know we’re here sniffin’ around.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Ghost says, crossing his arms. “They’ve always been good at keeping just out of reach.”

Price nods slowly, looking at each of you in turn. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. We’ve scoured every lead we had in Istanbul, but if Aegis is keeping low, we’re just spinning our wheels here.”

“So we pull out?” Gaz asks, sounding a little reluctant.

Price’s jaw tightens before he lets out a resigned sigh. “Aye. We regroup back at the main HQ, review the intel, and see what we can dig up once we’re back on our own turf. If Aegis resurfaces, we’ll be ready.”

You feel a mix of relief and frustration. On one hand, the thought of leaving Istanbul without a clear victory is disheartening; on the other, the relentless days and nights have worn you thin. You catch Ghost watching you from the corner of his eye, and you know he hasn’t forgotten your exhausted misstep on the last mission. Maybe pulling back isn’t the worst idea.

Price stands, dismissing the team. “Pack it up. We're flying in two hours.”

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Back on British soil, the familiar surroundings of the main base bring a strange sense of comfort. The hallways are quieter than the bustling streets of Istanbul, and the air feels less charged with tension. Still, the unresolved mystery of Aegis hangs over you all like a dark cloud.

You spend most of your first day back debriefing and sifting through what intel you gathered in Istanbul. While the team disperses to their respective quarters that evening, Price calls you into a conference room where Ghost is already waiting.

“We’re going to regroup, assess what we’ve got,” Price begins, looking between the two of you. “But while we’re back here, I want you both digging into anything that could link to Aegis. Old contacts, forgotten leads, even whispers you’ve heard from your past. We can’t let them slip through our fingers just because they’ve gone quiet.”

Ghost nods, his gaze focused and unreadable as ever. You feel his presence beside you, a constant reminder of the grudging partnership you’re both locked into. He’s quiet as Price outlines the plan, but you can sense the intensity beneath his stoic exterior.

When Price finally dismisses you, Ghost falls into step beside you in the hallway.

“You know what this means,” he says, his voice low and measured.

You glance up at him, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

“No more running on empty.” His tone is pointed, and you feel the weight of his earlier frustration still lingering in his words. “If we’re going after Aegis, I need you sharp, not half-dead from a lack of sleep.”

You open your mouth to argue, but his stare holds steady, and for once, you’re out of comebacks. Maybe he’s right. Istanbul was close, too close. If you’re going to face down Aegis, you need to be ready, fully prepared.

With a resigned sigh, you nod. “Fine. I’ll be ready.”

Ghost’s eyes linger on you for a beat longer than necessary, as if assessing whether you’re being sincere. He gives a curt nod, satisfied. “Good. Then let’s get to work.”

The hunt isn’t over yet—far from it. But with Task Force 141 at your side, and your resolve steeled, you feel a strange flicker of confidence. Aegis can try to hide, but they can’t run forever.

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When you’re shown to your quarters, a small, amused smile tugs at your lips. It’s the same room you were kept in last year, back when Kozlov’s case threw you headfirst into the chaos of the SAS and Task Force 141. Back then, this room had been a cage, a place where they held you in custody as both a suspect and a temporary asset, neither trusting you nor willing to let you walk away.

But now, stepping inside, the feeling is… different. It’s strange how much can change in a year. You’re still an outsider, technically speaking—still a mercenary with your own agenda and your own grudges to bear. But here, under the weight of the memories of that tense alliance with the SAS, you feel the difference. You’re no longer here out of necessity or suspicion. You’re here because you’re needed, a part of something that, in its own way, feels like it might actually have your back.

You drop your bag on the bed and scan the room, a flood of memories filling the empty space. The walls feel less confining now, less like they’re pressing in to remind you of every questionable choice that brought you here. There’s a strange warmth in knowing you’re trusted enough to roam freely this time, not a captive but an ally.

Leaning against the doorframe, you let out a quiet laugh. If someone had told you a year ago that you’d be willingly working with Task Force 141 again—especially Ghost, of all people—you’d have called them insane. But here you are, and even though the threat of Aegis looms just as dark and dangerous as before, you feel a sense of resolve settling in your bones. For the first time, the title “ally” doesn’t feel like a chain; it feels like a choice.

With that, you toss yourself onto the bed, letting yourself sink into the familiarity of it, not as an outsider or a prisoner but as someone who has fought with them, earned her place beside them—even if, at times, it feels like you’ve only just managed to keep up.

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Days slip by in a steady rhythm, quiet and uneventful—a rare stretch of calm that you hadn’t anticipated but can’t help appreciating. There’s no immediate mission, no dire orders waiting in the wings. You almost don’t know what to do with yourself without the constant pressure of survival and strategy weighing on your shoulders.

It’s a welcome change, really. For once, you have time to simply exist in one place without fear of attack or the ever-present anxiety that Aegis might be around the corner. Here, in the heart of the SAS base, you know they won’t get to you. Not with the layers of security, the trained eyes watching every corner, and the presence of Task Force 141 keeping things in check. You hadn’t realized just how exhausting it was to live with that constant threat on your back—how much it had worn you down until now, when you could finally breathe a little easier.

And the days of rest are doing their work. The wound on your shoulder, a stinging reminder of that reckless call during the last mission, is healing steadily. At first, the pain had flared up with every movement, a sharp reminder of the risk you’d taken for Ghost. Now, though, the ache is dulling, settling into a faint throb that only bothers you when you forget it’s there. You’ve been able to patch it up, tend to it properly, and let your body rest—something you haven’t allowed yourself in far too long.

In a way, it’s ironic that the safest you’ve felt in years is here, surrounded by soldiers who were once ready to interrogate you, in a base that was once meant to hold you captive. Yet, with each day that passes, you feel yourself easing into this strange routine, letting down your guard little by little. The thought of Aegis creeping closer doesn’t linger as it once did; for now, you know you’re out of their reach. As long as you’re here, protected and hidden within these walls, they can’t touch you.

Every so often, you catch yourself almost… enjoying it, this sense of quiet security. It’s unfamiliar, this feeling of not having to look over your shoulder or map out an escape plan. For once, you can simply heal, both in body and mind, without the shadow of Aegis looming close. And as strange as it feels, you allow yourself to embrace it, even if it’s only for a little while.

You’re making your way through the base, aimlessly wandering to pass the time, when the low thud of weights and the soft hum of grunts from the training area catches your attention. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you follow the sounds, your steps quieter as you approach.

And there, across the room, is Ghost—his focus entirely on the barbell in front of him as he lifts it with practiced strength. He’s shirtless, a rarity you’ve never quite had the opportunity to witness, and for a second, you’re almost stunned into place. The soft sheen of sweat glistens on his skin, tracing the defined lines of his muscles as he moves, each lift accentuating the raw strength in his arms, chest, and shoulders. He’s a fortress of a man, each muscle honed and cut, but it’s not just the sheer size of him—it’s the quiet, unwavering power in the way he works, every motion controlled, almost methodical.

Your gaze trails from his shoulders down to the faint scars that mar his skin, stories etched into his body that you know only hint at what he’s seen. His biceps flex with each lift, veins standing out against his forearms, and you can’t help but let your eyes linger. There’s a pull to him, this silent allure that makes it hard to look away. You’re drawn in by the way he moves, powerful yet careful, as though he’s attuned to every shift in his muscles, every beat of his own strength.

And the mask—he’s still wearing it, a reminder that even here, stripped of nearly everything else, he still keeps part of himself hidden. There’s something strangely endearing about it, almost funny in a way, that he’s still clinging to this one piece of armor. But it adds to the enigma of him, this contrast of being both revealed and guarded, and the sight makes your stomach flutter in a way you hadn’t anticipated.

Your eyes wander over the expanse of his shoulders, tracing the lines of his tattoos that weave across his skin. They’re intricate, dark swirls of ink that curl over his biceps and up along his forearms, striking against his skin in a way that only adds to his mystique. You can’t help but feel a sense of awe at how the designs accentuate the muscle beneath, each tattoo seeming to carry its own story—a past he never talks about but is forever etched into him.

The ink follows the contours of his arms, slipping beneath the mask of sweat and shadow as he moves, and you realize how each mark, each line, only amplifies that unapproachable air he carries. The tattoos make him look even more dangerous, more untamed, yet there’s an undeniable allure to them, a kind of dark art that keeps you captivated. You’re struck by how fitting they seem on him, how seamlessly they blend with the person he is—enigmatic, guarded, and quietly powerful.

As he lowers the barbell and finally catches sight of you, you feel yourself snap back to reality, heat rising in your cheeks when you realize just how openly you were staring. He tilts his head slightly, and you catch the faint glimmer of amusement in his eyes, half hidden behind the shadows of his mask.

“Somethin’ interestin’?” he asks, his tone low but edged with a challenge.

Your heart skips a beat, but you somehow manage to keep your cool, shrugging as casually as you can. “Just admiring the…artwork,” you reply, unable to stop the hint of a grin from tugging at your lips.

He huffs softly, grabbing a towel and running it over his arms, brushing over those very tattoos you were just admiring. “Didn’t peg you for a fan,” he mutters, but there’s a spark in his eyes, as if he finds it amusing that you’re drawn in by something so personal to him.

You feel a flicker of nerves as you meet his gaze, aware of the way he’s watching you now, the barest suggestion of a smirk pulling at his lips. It’s like he knows exactly the effect he’s having on you, and there’s something undeniably thrilling about it.

Caught off guard by your own thoughts, you can’t help but let out a soft chuckle under your breath at the absurdity of it. Here you are, shamelessly ogling the one person who’s probably lectured you the hardest about staying sharp. And yet, there’s something about seeing him like this, so intensely alive and real, that makes it hard to think about anything else.

You raise an eyebrow, recovering just enough to give a smirk. “Didn’t mean to intrude.”

“Always do,” he replies, a faint challenge in his eyes. He grabs a towel, running it over his arms and chest before casually throwing it around his shoulders. His gaze stays on you, unreadable, and you feel a pang of nerves twist in your stomach.

“Well, I’d hate to disturb your… intense routine,” you manage, trying for a light tone even as your pulse quickens.

He only grunts, but there’s a slight twitch in the corner of his mouth that suggests a smile. “Could use a spotter next time,” he says, deadpan, though his eyes hold a hint of mischief.

It’s a simple moment, laced with more tension than you’d expected, but there’s something unmistakable in the way he looks at you—something that leaves your heart thudding a bit faster as you return his gaze.

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Later in the day, you and Ghost are in the operations room, pouring over files and databases, the air thick with tension. Hours have passed, and the list of potential Aegis operatives and higher-ups sprawls across the screen. You’re deep in focus, building a list of names when Ghost leans over your shoulder, his usual presence looming a little closer than necessary.

“Gonna check the background on each name?” he remarks, voice laced with skepticism. “Doesn’t do us much good if they’re not active in the field anymore.”

You close your eyes for a moment, suppressing the urge to sigh. “Yes, Ghost, I know what I’m doing. This is just a preliminary list. I’ll get to backgrounds in a second.”

“Preliminary doesn’t mean sloppy,” he mutters, and you swear he’s leaning even closer. “Miss one detail, and we’re back at square one. We can’t afford any mistakes.”

You turn to glare at him, trying to ignore how close he is. “I’m not being sloppy. I’m gathering leads. You could always give me five minutes to breathe without hovering.”

He raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms with that infuriatingly stoic expression. “Not hovering. Just making sure we don’t waste time on mistakes. Aegis doesn’t let anything slip, so neither should we.”

“Oh, I get it.” You sit back, crossing your arms with a smirk. “You’re just this nitpicky with everyone, yeah?”

Ghost’s gaze narrows. “If you’re looking for me to tell you ‘good job’ for half-finished work, you’re gonna be disappointed.”

You roll your eyes, leaning in with a playful, challenging grin. “You know, you’re awfully invested in how I do my job. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were just trying to spend more time with me.”

For a second, he looks taken aback—just for a split second before he schools his expression. “If that’s what you need to tell yourself to focus, go right ahead.” He steps back, but his eyes are still fixed on you with that intense, unyielding look. “This isn’t about me, it’s about doing it right.”

You let out a small laugh, tilting your head at him. “Uh-huh. So you’re hovering because you don’t want to spend time with me. Got it. This is about quality control, not about you caring so much about what I’m doing that you can’t stay away. Makes sense.”

He doesn’t reply at first, just lets out a low, exasperated sigh, but you catch the hint of a smirk tugging at the edge of his mask. “Believe what you want, but if you screw this up, I’m not pulling you out of the mess.”

“Because you’d just hate to see me fail, wouldn’t you?” you tease, leaning back in your chair with a challenging grin.

“Failing’s not your issue,” he replies, his tone smooth. “Getting distracted is.”

“Oh, really?” You mirror his expression with a raised brow. “Last time I checked, you’re the one causing the distraction.”

Ghost huffs, crossing his arms, and his gaze is unwavering. “If you spent as much time working as you do trying to rile me up, you might actually get something done.”

“Maybe I just work best under pressure,” you reply, shrugging with mock innocence.

“Then consider this a performance review.” He pauses, his voice softer but still with an edge. “For the record, I’ll be watching.”

You chuckle, rolling your eyes but feeling the lingering warmth of his gaze. For all the back-and-forth, the tension between you doesn’t feel quite as sharp. It’s there, but lighter, laced with something almost fun, a reminder that even amidst the mission, you’re not just rivals but two people with a shared drive.

Just as the tension between you and Ghost reaches a lull, Soap bursts into the room, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Oi, lovebirds, wrap it up!” he announces, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. “We’re headin’ out tonight. Pub in town. Price gave the go-ahead, so consider it an order to blow off some steam.”

You blink in surprise, barely processing Soap’s words before he adds, “Come on, we’re all going—no excuses.”

“Pub night, huh?” Ghost’s voice has a rare note of interest, and he actually seems…enthusiastic? His gaze flickers to you, the edge in his expression softening. “Been a while since we had a proper night out.”

You raise an eyebrow, trying to picture him in a more casual setting. “Didn’t peg you for someone who’d enjoy a pub crawl, Ghost.”

He shrugs, crossing his arms. “I don’t mind a pint every now and then. Especially after dealing with you.”

A smirk tugs at your lips. “Well, the feeling’s mutual,” you retort, but there’s a warmth to it. Maybe it’s the idea of seeing a different side of him outside the usual grind.

Soap grins, nodding approvingly. “That’s what I like to hear. Now go on—get yourselves outta those uniforms and into something halfway decent. We’re out the door in an hour.”

As he leaves, you catch a flicker of amusement in Ghost’s eyes. “Guess we better not keep them waiting,” he says, his tone almost teasing.

You tilt your head, still a bit surprised by his openness to the idea. “Guess I’ll have to see what ‘relaxed Ghost’ looks like.”

He chuckles, a low, rumbling sound. “Don’t get your hopes up. But maybe you’ll see me a bit more…human.”

It’s a surprising statement from him, one that lingers as he gives you a nod and heads off to get ready, leaving you with a sense of anticipation you hadn’t expected.

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The pub is warm and bustling, a far cry from the quiet and regimented SAS base. The dim lights, hum of chatter, and scent of wood polish mixed with spilled beer create an atmosphere of easygoing revelry. You’re seated with the team at a table near the corner, where Ghost and Price lean back in their seats, both relaxed yet observant. You glance at Ghost, surprised by how much more at ease he seems here. There’s still an edge to him, but he doesn’t look like he’s on guard in the same way.

Soap, on the other hand, has made it his mission to kick off the evening with as many pints as he can get his hands on. He slams his drink down on the table, letting out a dramatic sigh. “Right, here’s a thought for you lot,” he says, his Scottish accent thickening with each drink. “If a merc like you could get Ghost to crack a smile, that’d be somethin’ of a miracle.”

Gaz raises an eyebrow, grinning. “I’d say we’ve got better odds of winning the lottery.”

You smirk, nudging Soap’s shoulder. “Please, I think I’ve done that already. He’s just hiding it under that mask of his.”

Ghost narrows his eyes, though there’s a hint of intrigue. “Careful what you wish for. Smiling from me might send you running.”

Soap grins mischievously, leaning in as if he’s about to share a grand secret. “You know, mate, I reckon you’d look downright charming if you let loose a little. Flash those pearly whites, give the ladies a thrill.”

Ghost shakes his head, deadpan. “The day I take advice on charm from you, Johnny, is the day hell freezes over.”

Price chuckles, raising his glass. “Don’t think there’s anyone here who’d survive if Ghost suddenly turned on the charm.”

Soap raises his glass in agreement, a wicked glint in his eye as he points it at you. “Oi, what about our resident mercenary? Bet you’ve got a right bloody wild side we haven’t seen yet, eh? All that time sneakin’ around with Aegis—you must have some stories.”

You roll your eyes, pretending to think. “Wouldn’t you like to know?"

Gaz smirks, chiming in. “What, afraid to tell us? Must be some top-secret stuff. C’mon, give us a little taste.”

You shrug with a mischievous smile. “Only if Ghost spills his secrets first.”

All eyes turn to Ghost, who gives the barest shake of his head, clearly unimpressed. “Secrets? You lot wouldn’t last a minute with half of ‘em.”

Soap snorts. “Oh, big man’s too mysterious for us, is he?”

Ghost glances over, voice low but steady. “If you’re keen to learn, there’s plenty I could teach. But somehow I don’t think you’ve got the spine for it, Johnny.”

The table erupts into laughter, and Soap throws his hands up in mock surrender. “Easy, Ghost! I’ll pass on the torture sessions, thanks.”

Grinning, you look over at Ghost, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t know, Ghost. You think he could handle it?”

Ghost meets your gaze with that intense stare, and there’s the faintest flicker of mirth behind it. “Not a chance.”

Price chuckles, taking a sip of his drink. “Here’s what I’m curious about,” he says, looking at you. “You keep trading barbs with Ghost like it’s second nature. Takes a special kind of person to keep up with him.”

You tilt your head, a playful glint in your eye. “What can I say? I like a challenge.”

Soap cackles, slapping the table. “Oh-ho! Listen to that, Ghost. She’s got your number.”

“Is that right?” Ghost replies, his tone dry.

You lean in, unphased. “You can try and intimidate me all you want, but I’m still here, aren’t I?”

Ghost looks at you, one corner of his mouth tugging up in the faintest hint of a smirk. “For now.”

Gaz laughs, clapping a hand on your shoulder. “See, I knew it! We’ve got ourselves a real daredevil here.”

“Right,” Soap says, raising his glass high. “Here’s to this mad lot—ain’t a soul here with sense, and thank God for it.”

Everyone raises their glasses, and even Ghost gives a small nod of approval as he lifts his drink. You clink glasses, the laughter and ribbing reminding you that, somehow, you’ve found a place among this group of misfits.

As the night goes on, the drinks flow and the banter gets bolder. At one point, you lean back with a mischievous glint in your eye, glancing over at Ghost. “Alright, I’ve got a question for you. Be honest—is Ghost really your name? Or is it just to keep everyone guessing?”

There’s a pause as the whole table goes quiet. Soap nearly chokes on his drink, barely containing his laughter as he looks between you and Ghost. “Oh, aye, that’s a good one!” he says, slapping the table. “Imagine his ma callin’ him Ghost. ‘Time for supper, Ghostie boy!’”

Gaz bites back a grin, chiming in. “That's sounds a little bit too accurate, no?"

Price chuckles but keeps his face straight. “You’re barking up the wrong tree there,” he says in a low, amused tone, glancing knowingly at Ghost.

Ghost just stares back at you, his expression as closed-off as ever, though you could swear you see the faintest flicker of amusement in his eyes. “You’re asking all the wrong questions,” he replies coolly. “Keep dreaming, though. Might even let you think you’re getting close.”

You roll your eyes, leaning back in your seat with a half-smile. “Fine, keep your mystery,” you say, as if you’re letting him win the round. “But one day, I’ll get it out of you.”

The table erupts in laughter, and Soap shakes his head, giving you a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. “Good luck, lass. Took me years to even learn his favorite color.”

You laugh along with the others, but as the night settles, it hits you: they know things about Ghost that you’re nowhere close to finding out. If you want to be someone he trusts, someone he’d share even the smallest parts of himself with, it’s going to be a long journey.

But, sitting here with the team, sharing laughs and drinks, you think maybe, just maybe, that’s a road you’re willing to travel.

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The walk back to base is quiet, the night air crisp and cool after the warmth of the pub. The team trails off one by one to their respective quarters, with Ghost hanging back to make sure you make it to yours. You’re a bit buzzed, not quite unsteady, but everything’s a touch softer at the edges, and you can’t help but notice how large his presence feels next to you as he walks silently, hands in his pockets.

When you finally stop at your door, you fumble a little with your keycard, squinting as you try to slide it into the card reader. You can feel Ghost watching, arms crossed, probably waiting for you to admit defeat and hand him the keycard, but you’re determined to manage it on your own.

Of course, in your tipsy state, your balance betrays you. You stumble, and before you even realize it, Ghost’s hands are on your shoulders, steadying you as you fall back against him. His touch is firm and unyielding, but there’s something… soft in the way he keeps you close, ensuring you don’t lose your footing completely. You blink, surprised by the solidness of him, and he doesn’t step away immediately. His expression is unreadable, eyes shadowed beneath his mask, but his hands don’t move from your shoulders.

Without thinking, you tilt your head back, squinting up at him. “Oh, look at you, all grumpy as usual.”

“Grumpy, huh?” he replies, one brow arched beneath the mask, his tone teasing but laced with something else.

“Yeah, always brooding, always scowling. What’s your deal?” You poke lightly at his mask, as if you were trying to pry something out of him. “You’re always hiding something, aren’t you?”

His hand moves to your face, cupping your cheek gently, his thumb brushing lightly over your skin. His gaze drops to your eyes, studying you more intently now, like he’s taking in how badly you’re buzzed, how off-kilter your thoughts are. His fingers linger there for a moment longer than you expect, his touch gentle yet possessive. For a heartbeat, it feels like the world has shrunk to just the two of you, his presence overwhelming and solid, his mask hiding everything but the emotion in his eyes. It’s an unspoken understanding, but it also feels like something more.

You don’t pull away. Instead, your eyes stay fixed on his, and the alcohol loosens your tongue even further. “Why do you always look so grumpy?” you murmur, half-joking. “You really think you’re that scary, huh?”

He chuckles, low and rough, breaking the tension. “Maybe it’s just how I look,” he answers, but there’s an amused gleam in his eyes now, something different from earlier.

You shake your head, not letting him off the hook so easily. “No, you look like you’re hiding something. But you don’t need to, you know?”

There’s another long pause between you, his thumb still brushing against your cheek, and the closeness has your breath catching in your chest. You can’t quite place what it is, but something shifts in the air, something that makes your heart race faster.

Leaning in just a little, you murmur, “You know… you’re actually really handsome, Ghost.”

His eyes widen just the slightest bit, the expression behind his mask shifting into something unreadable, but it doesn’t stop him from holding you there, his hand still cupping your face. “Is that so?” he murmurs, voice deeper now, amused and almost… pleased?

“Yeah, you’ve got that whole mysterious, dark vibe going for you,” you say, your gaze drifting down to his chest as you sway slightly on your feet. “Don’t let it go to your head, though,” you add with a half-smile, trying to lighten the moment, “but it’s true.”

There aren’t many moments you’ve seen Ghost without his mask—just enough for you to count with your fingers. Mostly, it’s been during meals, those rare occasions when he’s forced to shed the barrier between him and the world. You can’t help but notice each time he does; how could you not?

The first time you saw him without the mask, you felt a jolt of surprise. His face was striking in ways that you hadn’t expected—strong, sharp features that seemed carved from stone. His jawline was all hard angles, his eyes intense and deeper than they seemed when half-shaded by the mask. But what drew your gaze more than anything was the scar on his left cheek, a thin, pale line running down just shy of his jaw. It looked like a relic from some old battle, faded but unmissable, giving his face a harsher, almost haunted edge.

And yet, that scar softened something too. It hinted at a history, at moments he’s endured that you could only guess at. You’ve never asked him about it—he’d probably shut down if you tried—but each time you’ve seen his face, you’ve memorized it just a little more. His gaze always flickers away when he catches you looking, but you can’t help noticing the smallest details: the faint crease between his brows when he’s deep in thought, the way his mouth barely tilts when someone cracks a joke he finds halfway amusing. He always brings the mask back up quickly, as if remembering the distance he needs to maintain.

Each time he lifts that mask, you feel as if you’re glimpsing something guarded, something that only a rare few have ever seen. And even though he never lets you linger on it for long, the memory of his face—scar, guarded eyes, the subtle but undeniable humanity there—lingers with you.

His fingers tighten just a fraction, his grip still gentle but more assertive now, like he’s grounding you in this moment. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he replies, the playful edge to his voice now tinged with something else. Something closer to appreciation, or maybe… curiosity?

Before you can say anything else, his thumb drifts slowly, tracing the line of your cheekbone, then gliding downward until it rests just at the corner of your mouth. You feel the warmth of his skin through the fabric of the glove, so close you can almost imagine his bare touch, imagine the weight and warmth without the barrier.

He studies you with an intensity that makes your pulse race, his gaze drifting from your eyes to where his thumb hovers over your lips. His gloved hand is careful but certain, as if he's savoring each detail. Slowly, his thumb meets your bottom lip, light enough to make you shiver, but there’s a sense of restraint in the gesture, like he’s letting himself test boundaries. He brushes along the edge of your bottom lip in a slow, careful sweep, almost as if he’s mapping it out, savoring the softness beneath his touch. He’s close enough that you can see the way his gaze darkens, focused entirely on you, on the way his thumb drags so gently across your lip. Each pass is deliberate, his touch achingly slow, as if he’s caught somewhere between curiosity and something deeper—something he won’t admit, not out loud.

His fingers trace down your jaw, but his thumb stays at your mouth, brushing with a gentleness that makes your heart pound, your breath catching just slightly at each delicate movement. You feel his eyes watching the way your lips part under his touch, as though he’s fascinated, as if each soft curve and line of your mouth is something he’s committing to memory.

The air between you is thick with the weight of things unspoken, a tension you can’t ignore. His touch remains tender but holds a barely restrained intensity, his thumb finally pausing at the center of your lip, resting there like he’s weighing his next move. His gaze is fixed there, as if you’re some intriguing mystery he can’t help but explore. You stand frozen, unable to process the moment. Nobody has ever touched you like this, like you’re an enigma trying to be deciphered. Nobody ever bothered to.

You close your eyes, accepting the strange intimacy of his touch. Your heart beats fast, your hands almost clammy, but you don’t want to pull away. Almost instinctively, you let your lips press softly against his thumb, giving it a light, chaste peck.

You slowly open your eyes, searching his face for a reaction. Did that small gesture bother him? Make him angry? Maybe you went too far. But the moment your gaze locks with his, your doubts crumble. His eyes are dark, intense, almost... possessive. Longing. This isn’t the Ghost you know—the one who watches you with cold, calculating eyes, ready to nitpick your every move, sometimes even with a hint of regret, as if he thinks bringing you back here was a mistake.

Right now, he’s looking at you differently. He’s looking at you like you’re somebody. Like you mean something. Like you’re not just a piece on this chessboard that everyone else is playing.

He’s seeing you.

And it terrifies you.

As if snapping yourself from a dream, you take a quick step back, chuckling awkwardly to break the tension. “Remind me never to drink with you lot again.”

Ghost seems to snap back to reality at the same moment you do, but there’s a flicker of frustration in his eyes, a strain in how his jaw clenches. He doesn’t say anything, and neither do you. Instead, you take a slow breath, grounding yourself as best you can, then slide the keycard through the reader with a soft beep.

Before you step inside, you glance over your shoulder at him, catching that dark, unreadable look he wears all too well. “Thanks… for walking me to my room,” you murmur, trying to sound casual, like nothing strange just happened.

He nods, barely a movement, but there’s something in his silence that feels heavier than usual, as if he’s holding something back. He lingers for a split second before turning, walking back down the hallway, his steps fading into the distance.

Once the door shuts behind you, you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you’d been holding. You lean back against the door, then slowly sink down to the floor, pulling your knees up and resting your forehead against them. Your face is practically burning. Just a few simple touches, a look, and yet here you are, feeling like everything you thought you knew has shifted. It’s hard to explain what exactly happened, even to yourself. But whatever it was, it’s left your heart pounding and your mind spinning with thoughts you can’t quite put into words.

A soft, bewildered smile plays on your lips as you sit there, alone in the quiet, feeling both terrified and somehow… happy.

[persevereforahappyending]

A Beacon in the Dark |9|

Pairing: Joey x Reader

Summary: Joey likes helping people, it's what she's best at. Hunting down the monsters of myth and legend might be the best way to save people.

Warnings: Death, Killing, Shooting, Stabbing, Kidnapping, Violence

Word Count: 5.2k+

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9

Joey ran through the woods, she knocked branches out of her face, jumped over a few fallen logs, doing everything in her power to not lose speed. She didn’t even bother glancing back, she didn’t want to lose focus, but she also didn’t know if she’d like what she’d see if she turned around. She lifted the device you had her grab out of your pocket and pressed the button, trusting that it would alert Grace like you said, though she didn’t know what good that would do. She slid to a stop; her body froze when a thunderous roar ripped through the woods.

She slowly turned her head and scanned her surroundings. She didn’t hear anything, not even so much as a crunch of the leaves. She kept her eyes searching for a flicker of gold staring back at her. She was sure by the time she got a glimpse of those yellow eyes it would already be too late. She was still frozen in place, she wasn’t sure if moving would signal where she was, as if you didn’t already know.

You. Joey released a shaky breath; she couldn’t get the image of you out of her head. She knew there was something off about you, she pegged it during your first meeting at the diner. She dismissed you as a vampire, but she didn’t even consider you would be a werewolf. She felt stupid, it all made sense, you refused to talk about what happened to you, all you told her was werewolves. The way you talked about monsters at times, it almost sounded personal, Joey wrote it off as just a hatred for the supernatural, but it was hatred for yourself.

She wondered if that’s why Grace worked with you, because you hated what you were. It was clear Grace knew what you were, the two of you were close and had been acting particularly weird earlier. You didn’t seem thrilled by this case because it was a on a full moon, it was why Grace stressed that it needed to get done quick. Everything about you was finally clear.

That didn’t stop the conflict within Joey though. You were a monster, something she was hired to help fight. You had been nice up until this point where it was clear the beast had full control. Joey couldn’t be working with you if you were what could tear her apart, that was assuming she’d even survive you this time. And lastly, you lied, you and Grace kept this secret from her, she didn’t think she could ever trust either of you again, if you kept something like this a secret, something that literally could put her life in danger, there was no telling what else you would try and keep hidden.

Joey was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone running towards her, someone running fast. She felt around for her gun and silently cursed when she realized the witches must have taken it. She looked around and grabbed a decent size branch, it wasn’t the best, but it might at least be able to buy her some time. She raised it like a baseball bat and narrowed her eyes, waiting for whatever was coming towards her to come out of the shadows.

One of the witches came barreling out of the darkness, her eyes widened upon seeing Joey and fell backwards. Joey continued to hold the branch up, but she hadn’t even moved a muscle before the witch was scurrying backwards, tears quickly filling her eyes.

Joeys’ eyes widened, she froze, the branch she was holding even stopped moving because of how still she was standing. Joey felt hot breath on the back of her neck. She slowly turned her head, glancing back to see a large wolf, black fur, bright yellow eyes, teeth that were probably once white but now dripped with blood, and claws that were as big as Joey’s forearm and would have no issue tearing through her flesh. The beast was on all fours, but it slowly rose up until it was towering over Joey on its hind legs.

Joey whipped around only to fall to the ground from the abrupt movement. She propped herself up on her forearms, her eyes never leaving the beast. It dropped back down on all fours and let out a loud roar right in her face. Joey flinched, turning her head as she felt the saliva and bits of blood spray out of the creature's mouth. This was how she was going to die; she was going to get eaten by a fucking werewolf, in the middle of the wood, and her son would never know. It would never come out how she died, her body would never be found, if there was even a body left, she would written off, everyone assuming she just abandoned her son again. Her eyes filled with tears, not at the thought of her death, but the thought of knowing Caleb would never know how much she loved him, that he’d go forward in life thinking she once again broke every promise she made him.

Joey felt a rush of air then there was a loud thump that shook the whole ground. She opened her eyes and no longer saw the monster in front of her. A scream pierced the air and Joey turned around to see the beast had jumped over her and was now ripping into the witch. She slowly slid away, making sure her eyes never left the beast, her eyes not able to look away as it tore through the witch’s flesh, keeping her alive so her screams were the only thing that could be heard for miles. Joey rose to her feet, and she made eye contact with the witch, seeing the pain written all over her face, the silent plea for death to take her, then Joey turned and ran.

She didn’t know where she was going, she didn’t have the GPS, you were the only one that had that. She didn’t care where she ended up, she just needed to put enough distance between her and you. It was you. The beast was you. Joey knew that but when her eyes met the monsters, she didn’t see any of you in there. There was nothing of you behind the yellow eyes, it was only the wolf. You were about to kill her, you could have killed her, she didn’t see any sort of recognition of your face, it wasn’t why you spared her, you just went for the greater threat in the moment. Joey knew that she would need to survive you until the sun came up because if she came across your path again you would certainly kill her.

Joey ran until her foot got caught on something and she was sent tumbling to the ground. She groaned as she crashed hard, she rolled over, intending to push herself up when she was met with the sight of a body. Joey scurried back, sitting up once her back was against the nearest tree. Her eyes widened as the sight before her, eight of witches lay dead, scattered around the clearing. They were all killed within seconds, none of them having time to escape, only a few it seemed were able to turn around, as if they were going to attempt to run.

Joey brought a hand to her mouth. The job was to stop the witches, and you certainly did that. Not having to worry about the witches, on top of you, was definitely a plus, she just never imagined you’d go through them so quickly. If there was no one else left to fight it was only a matter of time before you found her. The eight bodies here and the one Joey just left you with meant nine witches were dead and there was still three out there, assuming you hadn’t killed them yet.

Joey slowly pulled herself to her feet. She hadn’t heard you when you appeared behind her, she wasn’t sure if it was her fear or the natural predator in you that made you so stealthy. For all she knew you killed the witch and then came after her, you could be circling the area right now, waiting for the perfect time to make your move. She slowly lifted her foot and began walking across the area, she wasn’t sure where she was going but she needed a place to hide or a way out, it was dark, the area was vast and unfamiliar, and you were hunting her, she didn’t stand a chance trying to run back to your car, that was if she could even figure out the direction to run in.

Joey stopped and searched each body as she passed them. Not a single one of the witches had anything useful on them, not even a weapon. She guessed if they had magic there wasn’t really a need for weapons but a lot of good that seemed to do them. None of them had keys or a phone of any sort, she wondered how they possibly got there without a vehicle and how they communicated without a phone, if they didn’t use any sort of modern technology at all, or if they did where they tucked it away if it wasn’t on their person.

Joey came to a stop at the area, in front of her was nothing but darkness, the fire only illuminated so far. She wasn’t sure if it was better to trek into the unknown or stay by the light. She looked around, seeing no movement from anything, she couldn’t even hear bugs, it was just the crackle of the fire. With a shaky hand she reached into her pocket, feeling around for the candy wrapper she knew was in there. When her fingers finally brushed against the wrapper, she pulled it out and popped it into her mouth, instantly letting out a relieved sigh. She stood there for a moment, her eyes closed as she soaked up the cherry taste.

She opened her eyes with a new determination, turning around she walked straight to the woods and broke off a decent size branch, not even flinching at the loud crack that surely would have alerted everyone to her location. She slid off her jacket and ripped the sleeve of her shirt, then began wrapping it around the top of the stick. She held the stick over the fire and almost immediately the scraps up her shirt caught.

When she pulled it away, she couldn’t help but smirk at her torch, she spun around on her heel and marched off into the darkness. She didn’t know a lot about werewolves, only what she’d seen in movies, she had no idea how to know what was fact and what was fiction, but she knew that when someone was burned by fire it hurt, and she never heard of a werewolf being immune to fire.

Joey had only gone a few feet when she slowed down, tilting her head, it sounded like there were screams. She furrowed her brow and looked off to her right, the direction the screams seemed to be coming from. It couldn’t be campers; it sounded too muffled, like something was trying to block the sound from getting out. She also didn’t believe it was the remaining wishes, there were at most three of them left and the screams sounded like they were coming from more people.

Joey turned her foot, the leaves crunching beneath her boot as she slowly inched towards the noise. She knew she shouldn’t be going towards unknown screams in the middle of the woods, at night, while a werewolf was after her, but curiosity got the best of her. She couldn’t ignore the fact that the whole reason they came out to the woods was because witches were doing human sacrifices, and she had yet to see any humans. Even when you and her were chained up she never once saw another human, which meant the witches had to have some place to store all the girls.

Joey kept going until her foot kicked something hard and metal. She furrowed her brow, whatever it was had been heavy. She crouched down and began brushing the leaves off the area she kicked. Underneath was a metal cover, made to look like the bark of a tree. Unless someone took a close look or kicked it like Joey had they would just walk right past it, never knowing it was a secret hatch. She switched the torch to her other hand and gripped the handle on the cover with her dominant hand then began to lift.

She gritted her teeth as she tried to lift the cover with only one hand, it was a lot heavier than any sewer cover, that was for sure. She would bet money the witches used their magic to lift it, the weight was probably a way to deter prying eyes, if someone actually happened to stumble upon the passage. Joey finally lifted it up enough to slide it to the side, it was just like a sewer cover. She held the torch over the cover, trying to illuminate as much as she could. There was a rather rusty ladder and that was it, she couldn’t see the bottom and wasn’t sure how far it went.

Joey looked up and smiled to herself before scouring her surroundings until she found a little rock. She kept hold of the rock as she got her watch ready. She pressed the side button to start the timer on her watch and dropped the rock. She listened for the rock, silently watching as the seconds ticked by. When she finally heard the rock hit what sounded like a hard surface, she paused her watch, seeing hardly any time passed. She smiled to herself, the passage wasn’t super deep, just several feet, the torch probably just couldn’t reach that far, if she had a flashlight, she would have been able to see the bottom.

She stood up, looking down at the passage below. Going down without backup and without knowing what she was getting into was a terrible idea. Staying above ground where you definitely were was a terrible idea, it was a guaranteed death sentence. She steeled herself before turning around and slowly lowered her foot onto the first bar of the ladder. She had half her body down the tunnel when a roar ripped through the air. Her blood ran cold as her head snapped up, searching for the direction it might have come from.

She took a few more steps down, lowering herself further until just her eyes were barely peeking out of the hole. She glanced to the side at the cover, it was hard enough getting off and she couldn’t guarantee she’d be able to push it off again if she closed it. Her internal debate was interrupted when she saw a witch run out of the darkness, headed directly for her. The witch spun around and as she raised her hand a stream of fire shot out. She moved her hand, directing the fire to create a wall in front of her. It seems you were right behind her as you came out of the same darkness a second later, sliding to a stop before you could hit the wall of fire.

You snapped and growled at the fire as you paced back and forth. Joey watched with wide eyes, holding her breath as she feared if she so much as breathed you would hear her. The witch stared at you for a second, seeming to silently taunt you before turning and making her way directly for Joey again. Your pacing got more impatient before you turned around, quickly circling back around and getting a running start as you jumped through the flames. The witch didn’t even have time to look back before your jaws snapped around her neck and flung her body in the air, not even giving her the chance to scream.

“Shit,” Joey whispered.

She wrapped her arm holding the torch around one of the rungs of the ladder and used her other hand to grab the metal cover. She kept glancing at you, watching as the witch’s body fell back to the ground, only for you to catch it and whip your head back and forth, before finally dropping the body to the ground. Joey gritted her teeth as she lifted the cover with all her strength, leaning her entire body forward to try and get it to budge. The cover grated against the ground, barely moving.

You lifted your head from the witch’s body, licking your chops as blood and flesh continued to fall out of your mouth. Joey let out a shaky breath as her eyes met yours, without a second thought she dropped the torch and used both hands to pull at the cover, making sure to lean her body against the ladder so she didn’t fall. The cover seemed to move an inch each time she lifted it. When you started walking towards her, she moved faster, she could feel her heart trying to beat out of her chest. The cover was about halfway over the hole when Joey took a few steps down, finally losing sight of you. She pushed up with both hands, trying to bring the cover over the rest of the way. The cover just fell back into place when she caught sight of your teeth snapping at it.

She had the ladder in a death grip, listening as you growled and scratched at the cover. The cover groaned but never moved. With shaky legs she slowly began to descend into the darkness. She had no idea where she was or what she would find but going back up wasn’t an option. When her feet finally hit the ground, she could feel concrete, not dirt. She held out her hand, feeling around in the darkness until she finally came in contact with a concrete wall. She felt around her pocks, finally remembering she had a phone until she pulled it out, the witches hadn’t taken it. She held it up to see she had no signal, no way of getting in contact with Grace, she had to hope the device worked and Grace was on her way, she wasn’t even sure how much time had passed since she pressed that button.

Her phone might have been useless for calling for help, but she could still use the flashlight. She held it up, using the little light to guide her way. The entire tunnel stretched forward, for she didn’t even know how far, she heard the echoes of screams every few seconds. The tunnel itself was all concrete, cracks spread throughout, a section crumbling from years of wear and tear.

She furrowed her brow when she saw light at the end of the tunnel, she knew it wasn’t from sunlight though. She slowly lowered her phone as she approached the end of the tunnel, there was a large opening, the walls were lined with torches. She nearly dropped it when she saw twelve cages lining the far wall, each holding a girl, all of them within the age range Grace talked about.

“Oh my god,” she whispered. She didn’t hesitate to run towards them, searching the cages for any sort of lock.

“The-there’s a key,” one of the girls said, pointing across the room.

Joey ran across the room and grabbed the key off the wall. It was a rusty metal key connected to a ridiculously large metal ring. She ran back to the cages and began unlocking each one, letting the girls out. The girls huddled together, whispering thanks as Joey released them.

“I need to get you out of here,” Joey mumbled more to herself.

“There’s an exit down there,” one of the older girls spoke up, pointing to an opening on the side of the room, similar to the one Joey had come out of. “It’s how we were brought in.”

“The tunnels stretch throughout the woods,” another girl said. Joey nodded, it all made sense, the witches used interconnected tunnels under the forest, to get around and to hide what they’ve been doing all these years. “It goes back to the surface.”

“Do you think you’re able to find the way out?” Joey asked. The girls nodded. “Okay,” she whispered and looked around the room. Her eyes widened when they fell on a familiar duffle in the corner of the room. She ran for it, dropping to the floor instantly. She unzipped it to see all the weapons still in place. She dug around until she pulled out two flashlights. “Take these,” she handed the flashlights out to the girls. The two oldest, who seemed to be doing the most talking, each took a flashlight. “Stick together and don’t stop until you’re out of here.”

They nodded and one girl moved to the front of the group while the other girl fell to the back of the line. “You aren’t coming with us?” the one asked.

Joey shook her head. “Unfinished business.”

“Be careful.” Joey couldn’t help but smile, she appreciated the gesture but telling her to be careful when she was going to be facing a werewolf, and witches was rather comedic. “What’s your name?”

Joey opened her mouth and then paused, smiling to herself. “It’s Joey.”

“Thank you, Joey.”

Joey smiled and watched as the group of girls slowly made their way down the tunnel that was supposed to lead them out. Joey crouched back down at the bag and dug around, pulling out a pistol and instantly putting it in her waistband. She continued to dig and pulled out a large hunting knife, the silver glinting in the flames of the torches, before she strapped it to her side.

“Well, haven’t you made quite the mess,” someone said, making Joey whip around to see the last two witches, the one who spoke being the one that was talking to you while you were chained to the tree. She had never been more disappointed at being right that they were still alive. “Your pet,” she snarled. “Killed the rest of our coven.”

“You were the ones that captured us,” Joey snarked.

The witch was on her in the blink of an eye, gripping her tightly by the chin as she pressed her up against the concrete wall. “You came into our territory,” she snarled.

“You were sacrificing girls,” Joey gritted out.

“We’ve been doing it for centuries.” She ran her sharp nails across Joey’s chin and down her neck, somehow not breaking the skin. “All you had to do was mind your own business.”

“They’re innocent.” Joey stared into the witches’ eyes, not caring she would probably be struck down in a moment. She couldn’t see a way of getting out of this alive and if she was dying then she was going to go down fighting.

“So, much strength.” The witch let go of Joey and looked at her with something she could only describe as admiration. “I see why they like you. Too bad they’re still going to kill you.”

The witch turned Joey around, gripping her by the hair as she forced her to walk forward. “Go,” she ordered the other witch, pointing down the tunnel Joey had come out of.

The other witch led the way. Joey stumbled in the dark, neither witch using any sort of light to light the way. She couldn’t help but wonder if they could see in the dark or knew where they were going from constantly walking it. Every time Joey stumbled the witch only gripped her hair tighter. She didn’t let go of Joey’s hair until they reached the ladder.

The other witch began to climb the ladder, with Joey behind her, and the other one behind Joey, leaving Joey trapped between the two. They came to a stop when they reached the top of the ladder, the witch moved her hand, effortlessly sliding the cover off the opening. Almost as soon as there was enough of an opening the witch was yanked out of the tunnel. Joey tried to take a step down, but the other witch was there, keeping her in place. Joey’s entire body shook as the screams of the witch echoed throughout the tunnel, you were there, waiting for them as they came up.

“Damn mutt,” the witch grumbled. “Go!” she ordered Joey, giving her a hard shove to force her to keep moving. As Joey got closer to the top the witch did a spell, sending the cover flying off the top.

Joey slowly peeked her head out of the hole, seeing you ripping apart the witch a few feet away. She quickly scrambled out of the tunnel, the other witch right behind her. Joey didn’t even have time to pull herself to her feet before she was gripping Joey by the back of the hair again. She held Joey up, making sure her head was pulled back so she could see everything. She whistled, getting your attention. Joey moved her feet, trying to pull away from the witch as your yellow eyes focused in on her.

Joey fumbled around until her finger brushed against the knife. Her gaze hardened as she tightened her grip around the handle before yanking it out of the holder and stabbed back, stabbing the witch in the side. The witch hissed as she let Joey go, making her stumble to the ground.

“You bitch!” the witch said, holding a hand to her bleeding wound. She raised her hand as if to do another spell, Joey’s eyes widened, her entire life flashing before her eyes, everything she didn’t get to do, Caleb, everything she didn’t get to tell him.

Death never came though. One second the witch was raising her hand towards Joey and the next you were digging into her hand, ripping it off before ripping into the rest of her. Joey wasn’t sure how much of your memory you had, if any, but it seemed like you remembered something because you were making this witch suffer more than the others. Her once-youthful face couldn’t be identified after you got done with her. The only way Joey would have been able to know who the witch was compared to the other was from her black braid.

Joey scrambled back as you looked over your shoulder while you were still crouched over the witch’s body. You turned around and stood to your full height, towering over Joey even when she wasn’t lying on the ground. She continued to scramble back, reaching for her gun as she did so.

You slowly stalked towards her on two feet, clearly not seeing her as a threat, not like the witches. Joey raised the gun and fired, the bullet sailing right past your head from how much her hands were shaking. She fired again and again, missing each time. You were nearly right in front of her, probably the easiest target she ever had, and she missed again. She dropped the gun, tears spilling out of her eyes as she accepted her fate.

A bright light filled the area, making Joey turn away, she thought she might actually be dead now but a second later a large truck came out of nowhere, hitting you, making you fly across the clearing. The truck spun around before parking. Joey raised her hand, squinting as the headlights were still shining on her, she saw someone hop out of the car and then a shot was fired.

Joey flinched her eyes widened as her vision cleared. Grace stood in front of her, a determined look on her face as she held up a shot gun, and began firing at you every time you stepped forward. Each shot found a home somewhere on you, whether it be your shoulder or your leg, you eventually went down. Joey could tell it wouldn’t kill you though, the wounds were healing, just not as fast as Grace was shooting. Grace fired a shot at your leg, sending you to the ground, then shot out your other leg, making you collapse fully.

She let go of the shot gun, letting it hang at her side as she lifted something Joey couldn’t see and pressed a button, dropping a ramp at the back of the truck. Joey got a better look at the truck, the wheels were huge, meant for off-roading, there were two seats up front and then the back was a giant metal trailer with no windows. As you pulled yourself to your feet Grace pressed another button and a large metal spike connected to a wire shot out of the trailer, impaling itself in your shoulder. You let out a roar just as Grace pressed another button, sending another spike into your other shoulder. You roared and thrashed around but the spikes never budged. Grace pressed another button, and the spikes began to retract, dragging you into the trailer.

As soon as you were in the trailer the ramp flipped up, sealing you inside. The entire trailer shook as you thrashed around on the inside. Joey wasn’t sure how strong you were, but she was surprised you hadn’t ripped a hole through the side yet. Joey furrowed her brow as Grace pressed another button, she couldn’t see anything happen but your thrashing around slowly got quieter, until there was none at all.

“We need to get moving,” Grace said, turning around and holding a handout to Joey. Joey took the hand, allowing Grace to pull her up without a word. “They’ll be out for a little while, but we need to get back home as quick as possible.”

Graced put her foot up, preparing to step into the truck again when she looked back, seeming to notice Joey hadn’t moved. Grace dropped her foot back down and walked over to Joey. “Hey,” she whispered, gently brushing her fingers against Joey’s arm, though Joey still flinched at the touch. “We need to move.”

Joey looked at Grace, tears still falling from her eyes. “You knew,” she rasped out. It was the only thing she could say, she didn’t know what else to say, what she wanted to say.

“I’m sorry,” Grace said, her voice the softest it had been since she arrived. “I promise I’ll explain everything, but we need to go.” Joey looked past Grace and at the trailer where she knew you resided. “They can’t escape.” Joey directed her attention back to Grace. “You have my word that you will be safe.”

There was no reason for her to trust anything Grace said after what just happened. Grace and you had been lying and keeping this secret from her since the beginning. Both of you willingly let her come on this mission knowing it was a full moon and what would happen to you. There was absolutely no reason to take Grace at her word again, but Joey did. Joey nodded and followed Grace into the truck. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, where this left her, she wasn’t sure what she even wanted anymore.

Taglist: @thinking1bee @so-to-aqui-pelas-fic @alexkolax @thatshyboy1998 @chxrry-lov3 @bella423 @morganismspam23 @pianogirl2121

[kurigohan0909]

Rewatching Link Click: Easter eggs in your noodle soup?

So I've just finished watching both seasons of Link Click/Shíguāng Dàilǐ-rén, which means that obviously I'm watching it all over again. What did you expect me to do, sit around waiting for Bridon arc while the Bilibili official account taunts us with replays??

Besides, Link Click is one of those dishes that is best served twice. The early episodes are packed with hints and foreshadowing that only become clear once you've gotten up to date, so I've made it my mission to catch 'em all.

You don't say.

It's well known that certain early mini-arcs (for instance Chen Xiao's basketball match, and Doudou's kidnapping) have implications for the larger plotline or at least contain important exposition/character insights that the story would not feel complete without. There are also several that get written off as filler, or are generally considered to not have any purpose beyond familiarising the audience with the characters and setup, and lulling you into a false sense of comfort before everything goes to shit. Episode 2: Secret Recipe, AKA the Noodle Lesbians episode, beloved as it is, tends to fall into the second category.

Or does it?

On a rewatch, I still don't think it does anything to advance the main plot. We don't even really know where it fits into the timeline, because we're never told what day it is and Lu Guang's watch is never shown on screen (I'll get around to a longer analysis of this another day). However, I'm instead inclined to believe that it's one of the most important episodes in the show - if not THE most important - because it's essentially an allegory for the story of Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang, and gives you a bird's eye view of how the relationship between them is going to develop - which, as you know, is what the show is all about. And the fact that it's not situated in a specific time, in a show that cares heavily about timeline construction, makes it better.

The episode starts with this quote from German photographer August Sander, who believed that, through photography, he could reveal the characteristic traits of people. "The portrait is your mirror. It's you." It's pretty explicit, when you think about it. This episode is a mirror of the entire series, specifically of its protagonists.

Moving on. The episode's storyline is quite simple: two college "roommates" start a noodle shop together, and as time passes, they drift apart and eventually fall out as their priorities change. Yu Xia, the business-oriented one between them, wants to get hold of the secret ingredient used by Lin Zhen, to whose cooking the shop attributes its success. Does Yu Xia really want to steal the secret recipe? Or is it just one of the many things that the quieter Lin Zhen keeps hidden from her that she desperately wants to know, along with everything that went wrong between them? Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, there are lots of indirect parallels between Xialin of the noodle shop and Shiguang of the photo studio, even if for now they're very distinct individuals with their own personalities and struggles. It does, however, give some indication of what's to come.

This question isn't purely rhetorical, as we find out in the very next arc, where Cheng Xiaoshi has a fight with Lu Guang over letting his client's loved ones perish in the Wenchuan earthquake. Even if they eventually come to a consensus, they have fundamentally different life philosophies and approach their missions in very different ways. Cheng Xiaoshi is a hyperempathetic idealist who keeps trying to use his forays back into the past to fix his clients' personal problems, while Lu Guang remains utterly indifferent and staunchly against interfering, even in life-or-death situations. Which turns out to be a facade, because we later learn that he's just as much of a meddler as Cheng Xiaoshi - except he's focused on a singular, selfish goal, which is to keep Cheng Xiaoshi alive at any cost.

Let's go back to the noodle shop. After ten years of running the business together, it becomes clear that the ladies' aspirations are no longer compatible. Yu Xia has big plans for the shop. She wants to broaden their customer base - for profit, of course, but also so that more people can be made happy by the chance to taste their noodles. Lin Zhen's dreams, however, are on a smaller scale - perhaps only on a personal scale. Throughout the episode, it seems that she only really cares about making noodles for one person.

Sound familiar?

At the risk of digressing, it needs to be said that Yu Xia and Lin Zhen are absolutely very much a WLW couple. This isn't bait, it's elegant and really quite unsubtle queercoding that says 'to hell with censorship' loud and clear. Honeymoon jokes, the taxi driver assuming Lin Zhen had fought with her husband, and Lin Zhen's very bold attempts at flirting... we see you.

More to the point of this post, I think it's important to point out that Lin Zhen does not actually care for too many people other than Yu Xia. She's all worn out from making noodles for customers, but she forgets all about that when it's time to make a bowl for Yu Xia. She also keeps her special ingredient - which is one of the secrets she shares with Yu Xia, as we find out - highly guarded. She's never going to let these pesky reporters in on something so intimate.

Why is this important? Because, as it turns out, the episode's storyline - and Lin Zhen's motives - are all about saving Yu Xia.

We learn that the secret ingredient is a local specialty from Yu Xia's hometown. Lin Zhen has been using it for years, keeping the taste of home alive while Yu Xia's drifted further and further from home to the point where she can no longer remember where the ingredient came from. At the end of it all, when Yu Xia returns home, she finds Lin Zhen there waiting for her. Lin Zhen, mind you, does not hail from the same town. The girls met in college. It's home to her simply because it's Yu Xia's home.

This comes directly after a pilot episode that establishes the contrast between urban isolation and rural/familial warmth, through Emma's eyes, and in a show that continually reinforces the concept of longing for home and loved ones. By forcing Yu Xia to reevaluate her priorities, Lin Zhen manages to bring her back home - which is a place that includes herself.

Perhaps it's too early to say. But to me, it's a pretty neat thematic parallel of Lu Guang's solo quest to save Cheng Xiaoshi from death; which is intertwined with a greater goal of giving Cheng Xiaoshi a home, one that is safe and secure and surrounds him with those that love him and are there to stay.

But in the process of achieving this, one of his biggest obstacles is Cheng Xiaoshi himself - his insistence on interfering with the timeline so that Lu Guang can't predict events with certainty, his objections to the way Lu Guang does things, and the definite resistance Lu Guang will come up against if Cheng Xiaoshi learns about his plan. Pretty much every minor mission they undertake is a rehash of the same argument; Cheng Xiaoshi wants to use their combined powers to make a difference to other people's lives, and Lu Guang just has one goal in mind which means that he's going to ignore absolutely everyone else.

Notice how Yu Xia's looking to the future, while Lin Zhen's dream is to go back to a point in the past? Neat.

And when they finally part ways because it's clear Yu Xia is not going to support Lin Zhen's goal? Yu Xia asks her where she's going to go after they part ways, and Lin Zhen says:

I wonder where we've heard that before.

And if you need any more proof that this episode is in fact intended to be a mirror, do consider:

Their seating positions are mirrored too. Yeeeeaaaaaahhhh.

In conclusion: if this allegory is to be believed, then trust that Lu Guang will eventually succeed in his mission and Cheng Xiaoshi will find his way home to him. It'll happen, guys. In the meantime, at least our beloved noodle ladies will be living a peaceful life out in the countryside.

Since I don't know how to shut up and this website seems to be giving me infinite space to yap, let me include some more details about this episode that I found cool. There are so many.

Lin Zhen and Lu Guang are both shown while this line is being said. What with all that the fragrant flowers represent, it makes you think about what these characters' best memories might be and how much they treasure them.

This is such a tiny detail that you'd almost definitely miss it on the first watch, and it seems insignificant - until it isn't. When Cheng Xiaoshi hops into the girls' picture taken during their college days, he screws up and suggests they'd be better off dabbling in tech stuff like apps or intelligent management than running a noodle shop. Lu Guang makes him quickly eat his words, but they seem to have still struck a chord with Yu Xia - because later we see that she works over years to integrate an intelligent supply chain management system into their business. In fact, one of the reasons for Lin Zhen to alienate herself from the business is because she feels like it's gotten too techy and lost its human touch. Not really fair considering it was her own idea, is it?

I mean. This is probably a stretch. Digitization is pretty inevitable for big businesses nowadays, so Yu Xia, being as enterprising as she is, might have gone for it whether Lin Zhen suggested it or not. But it's interesting to think that it might be Cheng Xiaoshi's tiny alteration of the past that unfurled outwards like a hurricane from the beating of a butterfly's wing and catalysed their falling out. Especially because these kinds of bootstrap phenomena very much occur in later episodes and are a core feature of Link Click's time travel model.

Some suspicious behaviour on Lu Guang's part. He's quite certain there are no useful clues in the last picture Yu Xia and Lin Zhen took in front of their shop, despite it being the only one taken by Lin Zhen (seriously! you could go to her house, look through her phone, the possibilities are endless!) and the fact that this is the photo Cheng Xiaoshi did end up solving the mystery in, thanks to the ticket stubs he found in her purse (see?) Secondly, they outright miss a picture in the envelope - the most important picture of all which would have given them the answer right away, since this was when the fragrant flowers were first used. Not your best work, Lu Guang.

...or is it? Lu Guang is pretty meticulous, and it's unlike him to slip up in such obvious ways. He's also skilled at slipping things back into envelopes when he doesn't want them to be seen, as we know. Could it be that he didn't want Cheng Xiaoshi to solve the mystery? But why? Maybe it's metaphorical, like so much else of this episode: he doesn't want Cheng Xiaoshi to uncover his true intentions. The fact that all this is ultimately for his sake.

Interestingly, Lu Guang was very dejected at the idea of them seemingly being out of luck - they'd tried so many times and failed to fulfill the mission. Was he, perhaps, thinking about another mission he'd hate to fail? Anyway, it falls to Cheng Xiaoshi to cheer him up and give him hope for another try, which he accepts, with a small but genuine smile. My heart.

If you've scrolled this far, I'm glad you enjoyed my ramblings! I must say I don't know much about how Tumblr works so apologies if I mess up on formatting or tags, but I'll probably get the hang of it soon enough. I'll also probably end up enjoying Tumblr more than Twitter since it allows me unfettered yap space and won't feed my writing to the machine (yet). It's late and I should probably stop stop thinking bout it around now... but look forward to more random ramblings and thank you for reading!

[lover-of-mine]

https://www.tumblr.com/lover-of-mine/765462292829700096/httpswwwtumblrcomlover-of-mine76546098972450

Oh that is.. wow.

Yeah ok this is definitely a lot worse then the one I sent in 💀

Was Oliver tagged in this one too? The poor man. He just wants to kiss his muse and is trapped in nepo baby hell instead 😭

Oh yeah. And Oliver was definitely tagged too. Someone free him.

[symbioticsimplicity]

Y’all what if Lilith didn't choose to take a vaycay in Heaven? What if she got redeemed?

[hearts401]

raises my hand i actually like the concept of a shitty parent getting better i just hate when its used to be like "im good now so you should forgive me."

people grow and change and hurt people!!! and those hurt people deserve to move on without having to forgive their abuser!!!

[hiddenobject-fanblog]

i love the idea of curioso sitting on the couch watching cartoons and him singing from happiness is too cute 🤧

thank youu for gracing this niche fandom with your writing! ❤️

Thank *you*! I'm glad you're enjoying the story still..! <3

I can't wait for Curioso's past to come up, I have some personal headcanons + additions I've added to it that I'm dying to get to. Time and patience, thouuugh....

[redhotarsenic]

When I think about Valantinez in a trigun situation I don’t actually picture them with the overly fucked proportions and the hand guns. Like they still have blood ammunition and a prosthetic leg gun and they use that thing bayonetta style but the blood ammunition connects to regular dual pistols instead

[lecliss]

I've still been fucked up ever since I found out that(according to an actually plausible timeline), Konoha has only existed for like 90-something or whatever years??? It's not like. Fucking 200 years old or whatever. And that Madara died when he was 74 but he had himself hooked up to, fuckin what was it??? The Gedo statue?? A tree?? Whatever. In order to keep himself alive and you look at him all old and crusty and think he's like. Over a hundred at least. But no, that man's 74. He's just an average fucking grandpa!!! And Hashirama had been dead for a LONG while, so he actually died pretty young all things considered. And that also means Mito died like. Fuckin. I'm guesstimating here but in her 60s I guess???? But it's a significant thing that the Uzumakis have longer than average lifespans so like. What the fuck is the average life expectancy in Naruto for this bullshit to make sense???

[thefleshyougoveggie]

having to fight every molecule in my body not to overthink everything he sends😭😭😭

[kyouka-supremacy]

Soo about what I asked you what do you think of yosano x higuchi

I said in the reply there I think higuchi is in her early 20's so therfore an adult

You didn't really say what do you think of this pairing outside of wanting to know how old is higuchi so can you say what do you really think of it?

Mmmhh idk, I don't have any strong feeling about it? I don't think I can picture them together romantically