#sorry I’m not feeling too great tonight hhh

[oracleact]

I’m so sick and tired of having to try and blend in with other humans. I don’t want this anymore; I don’t want to be exhausted and feel so lonely. I want a monster who can see me for who I truly am, beyond stupid social hierarchy and the terror and hate I suffer for just existing as myself.

I need to be swept away by something not even remotely close to human - something so completely detached from human life in every way possible. I want to be held in their arms and know that I’m finally safe and loved. I want to hear them purr as I nuzzle against them…a tender form of communication only we share: we don’t need ‘human’ words, we just need touch and gestures. we cling to each other, we see each other’s core, forever and a day.

I want to experience the love my heart aches for…I need to.

[giyuusbelovedwife]

I am feeling horny tonight, and decided to satisfy the need myself. I have tests tomorrow 🥰 (it’s 10:45PM rn)

Sub!Modern!Giyuu x SoftDom!Reader

Reader is G-N, but afab 🫶🫶

(This is like my first time trying to actually write something so 🥰🥰😁)

Warnings - idk rn cuz I’m still writing </3, porn w/ no plot (I think?), literally just put modern Giyuu so I could use a normal bed, cum eating/swallowing, reader can give really good head for some reason, I think reader has no gag reflex??…. 😭😭🙏, Giyuu is very needy 😋, giyuu just wants to nut but reader wants him to last a lil longer 💔💔

Not proofread btw 😝

NSFW UNDER THE CUT <3

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Ah yes, nothing more satisfying than the sight of him squirming in your mouth, all hot and red. A while ago, Giyuu was feeling a little… horny. And like the great person you are, you decide to help him with it. After all, how could you just leave the poor guy with his erection?

“Mmh… love please..ahhh..~” he moaned sweetly into your neck. He sat patiently on the bed, waiting for you to help him. He can’t take much anymore, not while you’re sitting on him and caressing his member through his shorts. “No teasing tonight?” You look down at him and tuck his hair behind his ear. “Mm-mm.. please… please just- g-gh-!~” his body tensed and shook the moment you pressed down on his cock. He desperately hugged and clung to you like a little kid, it just shows how much he needed you, how could you refuse? And just like that, he got what he wanted. “Alright hun, just let me know if it’s too much, ‘kay?” He shyly nods in agreement, his eyes looking down and avoiding yours .You push him to lay on the bed gently, and take his shorts and boxers off, exposing him. Hard from his erection, his dick sprung up the second you pulled his boxers down. The beautiful sight of his cock always excited you, his slim but long shlong (sorry I wanted to be funny)(7in), with that beautiful shade of pink adorned on the tip (#DA8E83). With his back on the bed, his legs slightly spread open, and his head looking up at you, he waits for your next move with flushed cheeks. You lay down and rest yourself in between his legs, your face right in front of his cock. Taking your finger and running it along the shaft of his cock, eventually licking his beautifully pink head. “Hhh… mmh~….please, ‘wanna cum.. ‘needa cum so bad..”He looks at you with desperation, guess there’s really no time to tease. In a split second, you switch from licking him, to letting his cock all the way in your mouth. Flattening your tongue to fit him easier, you look up at him to see how he’s doing, and GOD, he is majestic.

Giyuu’s untied hair resting on him, his head thrown back, his lips curled back into him, and his hand suddenly gripping your hair. The grip was sudden, but so were you. “a-ahhh..~ oh love.. please..~ please make me cu- uHm!-~ ooh!~..” His grip on your hair grew tighter every second. Bobbing your head up and down at a painful but steady pace, you keep him on the edge, wanting you to go faster. Giyuu’s small huffs along with his squinted eyes looking down at you were just perfect. You both know how bad he wants to cum, but will you let him? Of course you will, after all, it’s what he’s been waiting for. “H-ahhh…aah-!” His back arched up beautifully. His legs closing into your head, wrapping you into somewhat of a triangle-choke position. His stomach rises up and down beautifully, his rough hands grip to the sheets in desperation, and his hips start to move and grind against your mouth to get more of the feeling. He needed to cum so bad. The cracks and breaks in his voice sign him as close. “Ahh~! uggmhh-! hhh….oohgodohgodohgod-!~ mmHh!~~” You have to push his legs open because of how hard he’s squeezing around you. His muscle toned thigh look so pretty, shaking and tensing up, all for you~ Adorable, is it not?

(Kms I had to re write the next part cuz I accidentally deleted it bye 💀💀💔😔 All my hard work for nothing smh….)

You then (gonna continue this later it’s 2 am 💀💀 I ain’t boutta redo allat rn)

Edits:

Hi guys so it’s 11:36 PM so I’ll continue this tmr cause I got school and I’m feeling tired😪😢

Erm hi I'm gonna try to write again later cuz last time I lost motivation after I slept 🤓☝️(5/16)

Hi I’m back guys 😋😋 so um I literally can’t find time to write/finish this so uhh y’all’s are gonna have to wait for like another few weeks cuz I am BUSYYYY 😭😭😭🙏🙏 There may be some small updates here and there tho 🥰🥰 (5/25)

[side-shuffling-hyperfixations]

Nipping at Your Nose

Summary: Spiders are hypersensitive to peppermint. MJ unfortunately has to find this out the hard way.

Some people seemed to think that a pretty face could get you anything and everything you wanted but even with a pretty face, Mary Jane knew better. She had worked harder than most people knew to get where she was, scraping her self-esteem out of the gutter where her father had been determined to put it for good. He couldn’t keep her down.

Even with a pretty face, even with the success of her career, MJ still found herself pleasantly surprised to be receiving free samples of the perfume she had been asked to advertise.

The other pleasant surprise was that it truly was a quality product! It smelled sweet without being sickly and it didn’t feel heavy or sticky or sweaty on her skin; it wafted around her rather than clinging. She didn’t have to force a smile or a false air when explaining its value and when they offered to let her take the bottle she had used for filming, she did so gladly.

In the spirit of the holidays, she and Peter were getting dressed up and meeting for dinner at a more expensive restaurant tonight. It would be nice to see what he thought!

It would be nice if he even showed up, she admitted to herself, a touch of nervousness urging her to dab on a little extra around the swoop of her neckline for good measure. She wasn’t sure what had brought it on but lately he had been a little withdrawn and evasive for some reason—not just in regards to her (which was only a little reassuring that it wasn’t solely a “her” problem) but about the general public, about what was happening around them as the holidays neared.

Sensory overload made it difficult for him to mesh well with crowds sometimes but right now it was at the point where he would rather be left out of any potential outing and remain cooped up at home. He often cajoled her to stay in too but she wasn’t interested. The bustle, the undercurrent of excitement was part of what made the season fun! But he had promised her a candlelit dinner in a plush booth tonight and hopefully he wouldn’t be a Scrooge about it.

He was late, of course, but that adorable, dorky smile he was wearing as he slid into the booth was enough to convince MJ to cut him a little slack. “Wow, you look great, sweetheart! Sorry I got here so—hhh—” Eyes widening, he hastily buried his face in the folds of his scarf. “Hh-tchw!”

“Bless you!”

“T-Thanks.” He sniffed and then scrunched his nose immediately afterward, tucking it back into his scarf for a few seconds to scrub out the itch. “Ugh. Sorry, I’m not sure where that came from.”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe your nose?” He squinted at her, deadpan, maybe even a little bewildered, and she waved an expectant hand. “Aw, come on, I thought you’d at least give me a pity laugh!”

“I don’t think that could even count as a—ah—hh-tchw!” Fumbling through his coat pocket, he dragged out a crumpled packet of travel tissues and hunkered down to blow his nose as unobtrusively as possible. “See, even my sinuses are trying to run from that joke.”

“Remind me who it was that went with ‘Here’s your change’ during a bank robbery.”

“…Shush.”

The night proceeded as normal from there—for the most part. Peter was at least trying to be in good spirits but by the time their appetizers came and went and they were waiting on the main course, his front was starting to fall. Rather than sitting at ease and comfortable, he was acting like he was backed into a corner—fidgety, breathless, even a little panicked. He didn’t seem to know what to do with himself when he wasn’t hiding behind his tissues, napkin or water glass, chugging it so he wouldn’t have to make conversation. Eventually the waiter just left the pitcher with him.

When the refills caught up to him and he made a break for the restroom, MJ was able to let her disappointment free in a harsh, heavy sigh.

He didn’t return for a long while; the food came before he did. When he shuffled back into his seat, he kept his eyes down, sniffed hard and tried to muster himself.

“Mm, the—the chicken alfredo looks—”

“Peter, I’m well aware that you don’t actually want to be here right now but honestly, I would’ve appreciated it if you could’ve kept up the illusion until dessert.” His head snapped back up with what sounded like a gasp or a scoff and she cut off whatever protest he had in mind. “I just wanted one dinner out with you so we could enjoy the lights and decorations and music, so we could get into a fun, festive mood before we decorate the house!”

“Yeah, f-for sure! That’s gonna be lots of fun!”

“And I wanted this to be fun too so what’s the problem here?”

He was silent, holding his breath, and when he finally peeked up at her, the candlelight reflected the tears brimming in his eyes. Heart sinking at the sight, she softened her voice.

“I know the holiday season must be hard for you sometimes, remembering Ben…”

With a wet, cough-like noise, he wrested out another tissue, scrubbing furiously at his face and then blowing his nose again, barely even caring when it honked. “N-No. I mean, yes, it can be sometimes but it’s…that’s not the only reason the holiday season stings.” Squeezing his eyes shut, he shook his head with a groan. “Nngh, I didn’t want to say anything, I didn’t wanna bring you down but good grief, it’s killing me! I can’t do this anymore!”

“What do you mean? What is it, what’s wrong?” She leaned on the table toward him, but he promptly curled in on himself, shrinking away. He couldn’t even face her. Now slightly alarmed, she half-rose from her seat. Was it a meltdown, a panic attack? Was he breaking up with her? “Peter, you know you can tell me anything! Please!”

“Your—whatever you’ve got on right now, it’s p—pehh—peppermint,” he managed all in one breath, a shudder running through him as a warning to brace himself and smother another sneeze. “Hhh-tchw!”

“…What?”

“Hh-tchw! Nngh…” Sagging, he pressed the heels of his palms against his swollen, seeping eyes. “Peppermint…s’like my holiday archnemesis, M’, I try to just ignore it as best I can but I really, really can’t stand the stuff. When I was a kid I used to love it…b-but…” He sniffled thickly, swallowed several times against the urge to cough and then added in a smaller, feebler croak, “…spiders can’t stand the stuff.”

For a few seconds all MJ could do was stare at him until she reeled back, yanking her napkin from her lap to toss it onto the table. “Oh, my gosh, Peter, why didn’t you—?! I’m gonna go wash this off. I’ll be right back!”

It was a bit unorthodox, perhaps, to use a public restroom’s hand soap to scrub one’s neck and wrists but it was lavender; it did the job well enough. When she returned to find Peter with his aching head on the table next to their plates, guilt gnawed at her stomach even more strongly than the hunger. The fact that he hadn’t gone for his food while she was away was a testament to how sick he must feel.

“M’sorry,” he mumbled first, cracking a bleary, bloodshot eye open. Then he took a breath, free and full for the first time that evening, and added, “Thanks.”

“Of course. I’m just…trying to wrap my head around this. You got super strength, super healing, super senses, a master’s degree in web design…and a peppermint allergy?”

“Uh-huh. Spiders are sensitive to strong odors in general but…during the holiday season, mint is everywhere. Food, drinks, lotions, perfumes. S’why I try not to be out and about too long. S’just too much.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it a-and I knew how much you wanted this night. I thought I could t-tough it out as long as I had my tissues, kept my scarf on to cover my face…Just wasn’t expecting it on you right off the bat.”

“So what, you were just keeping your mouth shut and buying time until the day I decided to get mint ice cream?” 

He hummed something noncommittal and she reached out, forced to bite her tongue when she spotted the hives that had broken out across his hand and wrist. Sparks of helpless frustration stirred in her but she didn’t call him out for it. She followed through, interlacing their fingers, and spoke firmly. 

“Peter, you can’t keep things like this from me. We’re partners. Partners trust each other. Partners communicate when there’s a problem. I love you but I can’t love you well if you don’t tell me when I’m doing something wrong.”

“I-It’s not your fault—”

“And it’s not your fault either. It’s nobody’s fault, it’s just what is. I don’t want you suffering in silence for the sake of my feelings. You know I wouldn’t do that for you.” He snorted softly in agreement. “Or to you. I respect you enough to let you know when I’m feeling hurt or sick or just off. This is your blanket permission to do the same.”

“…Okay. I will, m’sorry.”

She would have to remind him again in the future, she was sure, but for now simple verbal acknowledgement was enough. “The whole point of this was for both of us to enjoy our night and get festive so…what say we take this to go, get cozy on the couch and see which channels are already playing Christmas movies?”

The adorable, sheepish smile that crossed his face was weary but no less genuine. “Sounds good.”

And hopefully, MJ mused as she called for the check, none of those channels would be running her particular perfume commercial in the near future.

[suddencolds]

Unreliable | Genshin Impact

Another G/ensh/in snzfic w Diluc and Kaeya! ft. Kaeya coming down w/ a fever and doing work with the knights instead of taking it easy and... misunderstandings.

—

Like always, it starts small—a headache he barely notices, the sort of fatigue he’s sure he can sleep off, a prickling sort of coldness that has him wishing he’d grabbed an extra jacket on the way out. That's what Kaeya thinks, at least, until he’s standing out in the courtyard after the knights have retired for the night. It’s freezing out, he realizes. Perhaps he should be concerned. He finds himself wondering if such a dip in temperature is reasonable for Mondstadt in the middle of spring, then finds himself wondering if it’s really just the weather that’s out of the ordinary.

Either way, he tells himself it’s nothing a good night’s sleep can’t fix.

When he wakes up the next morning, though, he’s disproportionally exhausted, and the headache hasn’t gotten any better. He’s cold, too, which is new. It’s not as if his room is colder than usual, and even with his cryo vision, he’s been enviably impervious to cold temperatures all his life, with few exceptions.

He sits a little longer than usual at the kitchen table, makes himself tea, and cradles the mug close to him, shivering. It’s nothing worth canceling for, he’s sure. He’ll get their usual work done efficiently—work with the knights is always more tedious than it is difficult, but it’s not like he can't rush through it. Then he’ll unwind at the tavern tonight, drink enough to shake this annoying chill that’s settling deep in his bones, and then sleep it off.

The walk to headquarters feels longer and more taxing than usual. The route’s familiar enough that he doesn’t have to think about it, so he lets his mind wander instead. He’s really only half-paying attention to where he’s going.

The first sneeze, predictably, catches him off guard. He barely has time to duck into the crook of his elbow.

“hihH.. hiih’IESCHHuu!”

Kaeya stumbles, narrowly avoids bumping into someone, and opens his mouth to apologize. When he looks up, though, the apology dies in his throat.

“Oh,” he says, sniffling. “It’s you. Morning, Diluc.”

Diluc is staring at him, looking a little stunned. “...Good morning,” he says finally.

Kaeya steps neatly to the side and turns to keep walking. Unfortunately, he only gets a few steps away when his breath is hitching again, and he’s lifting his forearm to his face as his eyes squeeze shut.

“hh!... hiiHH’ESCHH’uu!”

From behind him, Diluc says, “Are you getting sick?”

It sounds less like a question than an accusation. Kaeya sighs, his shoulders stilling. Of course, leave it to Diluc to see right through him. He turns around. “Aw, Diluc,” he says. The grin comes easily, as it always does. “Are you worried about me?”

It doesn't have the desired effect of ending the conversation immediately. Diluc just stares back at him, looking… annoyed. And something else.

“That’s not an answer.”

“Would it make a difference if I was?”

“Of course.” As if it’s a fact. “The Knights won’t want you there if you’re sick, I’m sure.”

“Oh?” Kaeya smirks at him, crossing his arms in hopes of suppressing a not-so-subtle shiver. He should really get moving—at least walking warms him up a little, but standing out here in the cold is only serving to exacerbate his headache. “Since when have you been concerned about what goes on with the Knights?”

Diluc’s jaw clenches. “I’m not.”

“Okay, then if it’s not them,” Kaeya says, “since when have you been concerned about me?”

He’s being deliberately difficult, he knows. Diluc’s silence, in response, is expected. Kaeya laughs through the tightness in his chest. Of course, after all this time, Kaeya’s left caring for someone who’s already cut him out of his life—tale as old as time. He should really get better at picking his attachments. “Sorry, I’ll stop asking questions we both know the answer to.”

Diluc just frowns at him. He’s still watching with Kaeya with the same intensity, so when Kaeya feels his breath catch, he thinks it’s only logical for him to turn away, if only so that Diluc doesn’t have to watch his expression twist as—

“hIIH’ESCHh’uu! hhH!... hHEHh’DSCHhH’u! Ngh…”

The sneezes are forceful enough that when he straightens, still sniffling, he feels the exhaustion settle. It takes everything in him not to let his shoulders slump.

“It would be an inconvenience to everyone involved if you overextended yourself fighting,” Diluc says finally.

Kaeya shrugs a shoulder, “I know my limits.”

“If you wanted to take the day off, I could easily pick up where you left off.”

“Please, there’s no need.”

Diluc scoffs, crossing his arms. “Considering what the knights get done usually, I doubt I would notice myself putting in any extra work at all.”

That startles a genuine laugh out of him. “So eager to steal the show? I assure you, I’m—f-fine… hh!” Talk about bad timing. The sharp gasp leaves him too preoccupied to see Diluc’s expression. “hhH.. hIIh’ESSChh’u!” He shivers, almost reflexively. He must not be making a good case for himself, standing here letting Diluc see him with what must be a burgeoning head cold. Diluc’s offer is tempting, too—if he sticks around for too long, he might actually be persuaded into accepting, and that wouldn’t be good for either of them. “I’ve worked through worse.” “I realize. That’s not the point.”

“Your concern is misplaced. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get moving. Jean will have my head if I get there late. I’m sure you’ll understand.” Kaeya lifts a hand to wave and starts off again. Diluc doesn’t call for him this time, and he doesn’t look back.

—

“You never know when to give up, do you?” Kaeya says.

He sidesteps as one of the treasure hoarders shoots a beam of electricity at him. He can hear crackle as it bounces off the stone wall behind him. “This would go much faster if you’d just tell me where you’ve hidden the documents.” One of the treasure hoarders makes a mistake of stepping in range—Kaeya swings his sword, quick and cutting, and knocks him to the ground. Another one of the treasure hoarders shoves him backwards. This time Kaeya has to fight to keep the grimace off his face. Treasure hoarders are barely a threat; their strength comes in the fact that they travel together, and it’s distracting to counter attacks from all sides. But on their own they’re weak; usually, an attack like this wouldn’t make him lose his balance.

Today, he’s unsteady on his feet and he stumbles a little. Another treasure hoarder takes the opening to slam into his ribs with a shovel. His back hits the stone wall behind him, hard enough to bruise.

“Fat chance. I’d watch my tongue if I were you,” one of the treasure hoarders says. “It’s six against one, and you're not at your best.”

Kaeya grits his teeth, coughing, and sends a steam of cryo back before the same treasure hoarder can shove him back again. “Nice trick. I wonder when you’re going to learn that shovels aren’t great as weapons.”

The use of magic takes more out of him than it should, and he blinks past sudden dizziness. He and Amber split up twenty minutes ago, which isn’t uncommon for them. It’s not as if there’s anything in the temple they can’t face alone, and they cover more ground this way. The rest of the knights are off chasing off a new influx of hilichurls just on the outskirts of town. Though, this temple goes deeper than he’d expected; he’s starting to regret making the call not to bring any of them with him.

One of the treasure hoarders lunges for him. Kaeya parries with his sword, steps quickly to the right so he can block another hit. He barely notices when one of the bow wielders from the side hits him in the shoulder with a cryo-infused shot. The ice spreads immediately, cold enough to burn, and he grits his teeth, suppressing a shiver as he catches his breath.

He’s off today. This fight should already be over. His head is swimming, and the coldness is making him need to—

“heEh’ISSHhh’uu! hhD’DSCHhh-uu!” He covers by reflex, which is a waste of motion that leaves him scrambling to reposition himself to evade another hit. The magic thrumming under his fingertips is a welcome relief. It’s about time. He darts forward with his sword, summoning enough cryo magic to send icicles careening around his waist—the opening they leave him is small, but it’s enough—and brings his sword down hard.

Thankfully, most of it is muscle memory, even though he’s tired, and with the ice around him dealing damage to anyone who gets too close, the rest of the fight is easy. When the last treasure hoarder crumples to the ground, Kaeya slumps backwards to lean against the wall, still shaky, and shuts his eyes for a second. He reminds himself to breathe. He’s no idea how close he is to done with clearing the temple. He’s been at it for hours now, and his head is aching, and there are no windows nearby to let him know how dark it’s gotten outside.

His cryo is getting less reliable, too—a consequence of his exhaustion, he thinks. He’s not sure how much more he can push himself.

For a moment, he contemplates finding Amber. He thinks he can backtrack far enough to find the hallway where they’d split paths. But then again, he’d been the one who had insisted he could handle this on his own.

A slip of paper catches his attention. One of the treasure hoarders must have dropped it while they were fighting. Kaeya picks it up, dusting it off a little.

He recognizes, faintly, what must be the layout of the temple. If he’s not mistaken, there’s a room marked that’s just a few hallways down from here. He perks up. It saves him time looking. He pockets the map. This will be fast, he tells himself. Just a couple more fights, and then they’ll have all that they came for.

He’s shivering again, even though he isn’t sweating, which is probably a bad sign. He lifts an arm, buries his head into the crook of his arm as his breath hitches again.

“hHh’DSCHh’hh! snf… Hhh… hiHh’ESCCh’uu!”

The sound echoes faintly off of the stone walls. He’s freezing. The cryo shot has worn off by now, but still, he can’t shake the chill that’s worked his way into his muscles. Maybe this is more than just a cold after all.

It doesn’t matter, though. It will all be worth it soon. He can handle another room of treasure hoarders.

—

When he gets to the room marked on the map, though, he finds—to his dismay—that it’s not full of treasure hoarders.

Instead, at the center of the room are three cryo abyss mages, convening for some sort of ritual. Kaeya curses to himself. He needs to find Amber to break their shields—his cryo magic is going to have no effect on them, and physical attacks are always painstakingly slow at breaking elemental shields. Three abyss mages would be a challenge on a good day, and today isn’t a good day.

He’s already turning to make his escape when one of them teleports next to him. He can feel the chill of the ice shield for its proximity to him. The other two follow suit, blinking into existence just an arm’s length away. He can hear their laughter, even if their language is foreign to him.

Shit. “Amber?” He calls. But she isn’t nearby—she must not be, otherwise he would’ve heard her.

He lifts his sword. Their mages’s shields are hard, as always. His arms protest with the effort. Now that they’ve seen him, it’s not going to be easy for him to make an escape, so he thinks he’ll have to see it through.

Except for the fact that his head’s pounding, and he’s shivering hard. Having the cryo shields so close to him isn’t helping, and his whole body feels sluggish and slow. Exhaustion weighs heavy on him as he backs away, narrowly avoiding another cryo hit. Amber’s baron bunny would be really helpful right now, but Amber isn’t here.

If he can stall long enough to get them to teleport somewhere else, long enough to let him make an escape—

One of the mages sends a flash of magic towards him. This time, stepping out of the way gets him hit by a spell from one of the other mages. It knocks him backwards off his feet. He lands hard, and though he has a hand out, it barely lessens the impact. When he opens his eyes, his vision is swimming. He sees another one raise its staff to cast, and swallows against the sharp pang of panic. Maybe if they’re merciful, they’ll leave him here and go back to their ritual, or maybe—

The next thing he registers is startling warmth. His first thought is that maybe Amber’s found him after all, but when he looks up, he sees a familiar phoenix, its wings searing, slicing through the ice shields so cleanly that it looks like they’re made up of air. Beside it is a man with fiery red hair, looking with every inch of him pissed off.

He almost laughs with the relief.

“Diluc?”

Kaeya’s already grabbing his sword, but before he can get fully to his feet, Diluc says, “Don’t even think about getting up.”

Kaeya finds he’s too tired to protest, so he sits back down. Diluc handles the abyss mages swiftly. They are never a threat once their shields are broken anyway. Kaeya watches him, a little blearily, from the ground.

“Your timing is very impressive,” he says, when Diluc is done. Diluc sheathes his claymore, stopping to stand just out of reach.

“Your choices are not,” Diluc retorts. “I thought you said you knew your limits.”

“I do.”

“If you did, you wouldn’t have gotten cornered.”

“Ah,” Kaeya says, smiling softly. “Just because I know my limits doesn't mean I honor them. Someone would’ve found me eventually.” His breath hitches again, and he ducks his head, cupping a hand over his mouth—

“hiIH’ESCHHh’uu!”

It’s very vocal and scrapes embarrassingly at his throat. He coughs, lowering his hand. His voice is starting to sound rough.

“I can handle it from here,” he says, wincing as he shifts. “You don’t have to stay.”

Diluc sucks in a breath. When Kaeya looks up, he’s surprised to find that Diluc’s hands are clenched at his sides. “Have you ever considered that this is selfish?” Diluc says. “You throw yourself into danger without any regard for the consequences. Have you ever thought about what kind of trouble that poses for others?”

Kaeya shrugs. “Funny. I don’t remember asking for your help. It wouldn’t have been your burden if you’d stayed out of it. The Knights would’ve found me.”

“There is no one else around,” Diluc says.

Kaeya waves a hand dismissively. “Amber is here somewhere.” “She doesn’t know you’re in danger. I’m sure she expects that you’re fine, given that I suspect that that’s what you told her.” He seems to take Kaeya’s silence as confirmation. “Are you dishonest to yourself? Or do you only lie to others?”

“What’s it to you, anyway?” Kaeya says, narrowing his eye. Now that he’s not in the middle of a fight, his exhaustion is starting to catch up with him. He doesn’t want to be having this conversation with Diluc right now. “If worse came to worst, the Knights would be perfectly fine without me.” He smiles, resting his chin on his hand. “You were, weren’t you?”

He expects Diluc to say something equally bitter in response, but Diluc just stares at him, expressionless except for how his eyes widen just a fraction. If Kaeya didn’t know better, he’d think that Diluc almost looks…

...hurt. Kaeya startles at it. It feels like an expression he’s not supposed to see. It makes him want to take it back—reassure Diluc that it hadn’t been what he’d meant to say—except what about he’d just said had been inaccurate, really? He opens his mouth to speak, but then his body beats him to it—

“hiiH’GKkt!-…” He can feel his eyes watering. Normally he’s not uneasy about sneezing, but the fact that Diluc’s watching right now makes him a little self-conscious—they’re in the middle of argument right now, for fuck’s sake. He presses the back of his hand to his face, his shoulders trembling. “hhHh… hIIH’NGKkt! hhH… hHh!... hh... hiIH’ESCChh’uu!”

Diluc sighs, the tension slipping from his shoulders as he crosses his arms. When he speaks, his voice is quiet. “Are you injured?”

Kaeya blinks. It’s not the question he expects.

“Not really,” he answers honestly. There’s a bruise on his ribs where the treasure hoarder had hit him earlier, and his arm is bleeding a little from the spell. Diluc sounds so uncharacteristically concerned that Kaeya musters a smile. “Thanks to you. I’ve been saved by Mondstadt’s own Darknight Hero—heh, I suppose I should be honored.”

Diluc rolls his eyes. “It’s a stupid title.” He heads over to the edge of the room, looking through the crates that have been pushed up against the wall. “Are these documents important to you?”

“They’re what we came for,” Kaeya says. “Just toss them to me, I’ll handle them. I’m going to find outrider Amber. You don’t have to stay.” He moves to stand, keeping a hand on the wall for balance, and shuts his eyes against a wave of dizziness. Diluc, who’s crossed the room while he’s been speaking, catches his arm to steady him.

“You'll head home straight after?” Diluc says as he lets go, though there’s an edge to his voice that implies that Kaeya doesn’t have a choice.

“Well, technically I’ll report to headquarters first to drop off the documents. But after that, yes.”

Diluc nods once. “Go home and get some rest. You need it.” He hands off the documents, standing straighter, and heads toward the door.

“Wait, Diluc,” Kaeya says hastily. He folds the documents and slips them into his pocket. “Thanks. For finding me.”

Diluc stares back at him for a moment. Then he sighs, his eyebrows unfurrowing, and shakes his head. “You can thank me by making sure it doesn’t happen again,” he says, and continues walking.

[astralhugs]

Hi! May i request the RFA + Saeran reacting to an MC that is too stressed bc of school/work so she starts crying? ♡

I’ve added bonuses bcs yall seemed to enjoy it and its also an apology for taking too long TT enjoy~~

masterlist

requests : open

YOOSUNG

* omgomg he understands

* HE RELATED TO YOU SO MUCH

* You’d both usually study together, take breakd together.

* It wasn’t too bad.

* Well...until final exams were coming up and Yoosung’s finished sooner before yours even started

* So you didn’t wanna bother him anymore.

* Third day of studying accounting and you passed out on the desk 🤩

* Yoosung was awake in the middle of the night, getting water when he saw you weren’t in bed.

* He checked on the desk to see you, asleep on the desk with some notes and reviews scattered around.

* He also saw some dried up tears probably from a few hours ago due to stress.

* He gently picks you up, checking the clock.

* 1.37 AM.

* The next morning, he woke up extra early to give you breakfast in bed.

* When you were about to leave, he would kiss you for good luck.

* Will help you when you have some problems during studying!

* Would even stop playing LOLOL just to help you study!!

Bonus (since most of yall loved these~) :

MC! Wahh! I can’t believe you made it this far! You did your best this school year, I believe in you okay? I can’t help you study all the time but I’m always cheering on for you~ All the best!! ♡

ZEN

* he was a good student up until middle school

* so whenever you needed help with a problem uhh he feels bad but he can’t solve it either.

* Unless its like language or a reading comprehension then he’s good at those!!

* A few days before your presentation, about some character analysis that you were still reviewing and ZEN had just gotten a new role.

* Did I mention its a major character role?

* You didn’t want to distract him so...you decided to try studying on your own.

* It was until you got too stressed out about it and started crying.

* You weren’t able to memorize it and had to look at the slides all the time.

* Zen finished his practice when he came back to see you with teary eyes, in a dark room, your laptop with full brightness.

* Zen immediately turned on the lights, worried your eyes would get hurt.

* He saw your eyes were still puffy and immediately held you in his arms.

* “Babe, you could’ve asked me...I would’ve made time for you.” he softly whispered.

* He lets you cool down for a while and asks you with a soft voice to show him your presentation.

* He started to read through it and realized what was wrong with it.

* He started to explain, little by little. Not wanting to stress you out again

* Rewards you with little kisses, be it on the lips or on the neck idk

* Its relaxing studying with him.

BONUS : Babe! <3 why are you stressed out? TT Oh! You’re studying? Take it easy~ I know exams can be important, especially during this time but please make sure to take care of yourself! Drink water and eat, okay? Love youuu mwah mwah mwah

JAEHEE

*empty i’ll write hers soon once i know what to write for her*

BONUS : Oh dear...are you still up studying? MC, I’m working late tonight so I can’t help you but I hope you’ve eaten and have been taking care of yourself well! Please know I’ll support you even from the C&R Building to my place and always will!

JUMIN

* He’s smart.

* Like high IQ smart

* Its canon

* Anyways, he saw that you were struggling with your business classes.

* One day, you were finishing up your graphs when Elizabeth got on top of it and scratched it.

* Tearing the paper apart.

* You widened your eyes, you were too tired to scold Elizabeth so you just sat there and shut down for a while until Jumin came home.

* He saw Elizabeth in the front door looking bad and poiting her paws at you.

* Jumin saw you, sitting down, staring at a torn paper and immediately saw what happened.

* He placed Elizabeth on the couch and went up to you and hugged you from behind.

* From there, you started crying.

* “I-i worked so hard on it, I’m not blaming Elizabeth but-“

* “My love, don’t worry. I’ll help you, okay?” he said in his calming voice.

* Starts from scratch with him again.

* It was easy for him because 1. he’s the ceo in line 2. he has a high IQ 3. hes a business man? tf?

* Very relaxing to study with him, though its not often, he’d try to make time to teach you<3

* Won’t yell at you if you get it wrong.

* Rewards you like kisses and ruffling your hair everytime you get an answer correct.

BONUS :

Its you. I’ll be running late tonight, Assistant Kang needed a few more files finalized before showing them to my meeting tomorrow so I won’t be able to come home early tonight. If you’re studying, please be sure to drink and eat somethinf healthy. I’ve asked Mrs. Kim, our maid to watch Elizabeth to watch her to make sure your work won’t be destroyed so I hope that helped. I’ll see you soon, my love. Wait for me.

707

* ANOTHER SMARTY

* Idk if it was mentioned but I remembered reading somewhere he had a high IQ

* WELL

* Your compsci class was teaching you how to code with C++

* You struggled with ‘HELLO WORLD!’

* Well...Saeyoung and Saeran just reunited so...you obviously didn’t want to bother both of them.

* Saeyoung was peeking around to check if you were eating when he saw your laptop, opened with C++ on it.

* “MC! Where did you learn how to hack?” he asks cheerfully.

* You turned around, tears in your eyes, “Why can’t I do it?”

* Saeyoung was shocked, he saw the piles of papers and the textbook.

* He smiled, while holding your hand tightly, grabbing a chair and sitting down next to you.

* He scanned through your code and immediately saw the error.

* He fixed it for you and taught you the basics.

* Dropped some easy hacking materials for you to impress your peers.

* Would definitely have a study session together! All three (four if Vandy wants to join) once every two weeks.

* Saeran would read the textbooks his brother would give to him and try explaining it to you while Saeyoung does the computer stuff.

* Studying with the choi twins? I’d like that.

BONUS :

DUNNNNNNN! Is my precious MC sad??? :((((, O-oh no, I didn’t mean to make you more sad! Ahh I’m not making this easier for you huh? MC, I hate seeing you sad...even if its just from a screen. Studying may be a bit hard. I was there. But I will always support and love you. Even if we are from different universes so take care, okay? :>

SAERAN

* OOO BIOLOGYYY

* You were learning about flower languages and you knew Saeran was good at it...while you weren’t.

* So you decide to ask him for help.

* Well...that day, he was in a bad mood but wanted to calm down so he thought teaching and reviewing with you would calm him down a bit.

* Well it for sure didn’t buddy.

* You showed him the book and he scanned through them.

* “How do you not get this? Are you dumb? An airhead?”

* Ever since he stopped drinking the elixir, he never really said those words to you so...it was kinda painful for you to hear that.

* He saw the tears in your eyes and regretted what he said.

* He snapped out of it and immediately held you tight in his embrace, “I’m sorry I’m sorry....” he mumbled, stroking your back gently.

* Tries not to get mad when you get it wrong.

* Would secretly put candy under your book everytime you get a question correct.

* “Princess, is that a candy you placed under your book?” he secretly placed it there.

BONUS :

Ah. Don’t ever think of yourself as an airhead when you’re studying! You’ll feel better when you don’t do that! Whenever I scold you...scold me back! Don’t just accept it and cry- hhh, please take good care of yourself even when you’re studying. I um...I love you okaythisisembarassingbyeee

OMGMGMFKFKF IM SORRY I ANSWERED TO THIS SO LATEEEE I JUST FINISHED SCHOOL LIKE TWO WEEKS AGO AND FOUND INSPO TODAY TT SO SORRY

requests : open~

have a great week guys <3

[inevitably-johnlocked]

(was originally an ask, then i rambled a crapload, so if u wanna skip through, just go to the bolded questions)

i am new to the fandom & just found your blog, just wanted to say DAMN its so detailed and everything, i cant wait to read it all! also i was so relieved to find that the fandom is still alive <3

side note im just rambling here, i binged sherlock all really quick and everything is like a blur (idk if im in a state of shock or something, but i do know i was super invested at s1 ep 2, then i finished s4 at 4am one day and i had to read me some johnlock fics to comfort myself and i really dont know how i feel about anything yet just that well, johnlock and i cried during sherlocks fake death even tho i already accidentally read spoilers, and i also cried when they just went to hang out at bars together and hhh and during sherlocks best man speech and sherlocks goodbye to john (…maybe goodbye should be plural)…also i was v mad at eurus and s4 was a hell of a rollercoaster gd), so just wondering, how many times have you watched sherlock? how was the experience each time? (can be about any season or eps or anything, also any snacks u liked to eat while watching or anything of that sort? just curious and thought that might be fun to answer)(apologies if you answered this already i tried to look for it but i got a bit overwhelmed)

btw u are amazing ^^ (also nice timer even tho it makes me sad) and MAD RESPECT for answering so many asks and like SO DETAILED-LY? (i cant grammar) and god ur metas and stuff?? absolutely fantabulous. im legit crying im so glad i found your blog. i know how much work asks take (and like i procrastinate on them for so long…mm months old esp for fic rec lists bc i know those take WORK) so like again, SO MUCH RESPECT thank you for all your hard work!! you are absolutely fantastic and awesome :D please make sure you take care of yourself too <3

ALSO you have a great profile picture + background pic (forgive me i have half a braincell (actually lets make it .7437 gave myself a tiny upgrade even tho i didnt do anything) i forgot what its called…background thing?? idk) i love them!!

if u read through all that tysm, if not thank u anyways for being so amazing, i have a habit of rambling so pls bear with me ^^

(also would it be possible to make this anon? if not feel free to delete this line ^^)

(Submitted by Anonymous)

--------

Hi Lovely!!

Always can make something Anon if y’all ask <3

First of all, SORRY for how long it took me to get back to you with this one. I’m a giant heap of trash and I’m surprised people still come here LOL

Secondly, WELCOME TO THE FANDOM! We love having y’all here, and I’m honoured that you enjoy my blog and content! Also will comment on your praise on my meta here: THANK YOU. I’m very proud of my meta, and especially the SHEER AMOUNT of it I have produced still boggles me mind. Y’all remember when I was creative and thoughtful??? LOL S4 dragged me hard hahah. I still try to write S4 meta, just not as much as I used to. I like speculating, I truly do, but I have so little free time these days because of the nature of my full time job, so I tend to just... do nothing LOL. I find Fic Reccing really relaxing when you have nearly 800 bookmarks. I’m worried I’m becoming stale though. Oh well. I’m just trying to leave my mark here. <3

Thirdly, HAHHAH Thank you for your compliment about my replies to my asks; I genuinely wish I could get more asks finished every day, but I tend to ramble, as you can see, and I just... don’t finish them in a timely manner. Honestly, it’s a relief when I don’t know something because I can then get the community involved to help me out AND I also get new fic recs that way too LOL. I also draft a TONNE of asks and when I do that, I tend to just keep adding MORE and MORE and MORE so I have to post them, LOL. 

And finally: My fave episode is TAB; it was the episode I studied the closest and my analysis of the trailer is my “claim to fame”. I just love it to bits. It’s the episode I’ve watched the most. S3 is my fave season, and it’s the SEASON I’ve watched the most, no less than 30 or 40 times. Season 2, then 1. I have only seen S4 like 5 times in full total, and horribly enough, TFP is the most-watched episode: I watched the Leak, the airdate, and I went and saw it in the theatres because I already bought the ticket before it aired so I just... didn’t care. And then at least 3 more times in Watchalongs. So yeah :| I still haven’t watched the BluRay I bought, but I hated having an incomplete set so I bought it when it went on sale fore 10 bucks LOL.

But yeah, S1 and 2 I watched together, and I LOVED the show. I joined fandom the summer before S3 aired, and S3 is when I REALLY got into the fandom. I’ve been pretty much here since then, about 7 years I think now. When I saw S4, it was incredulity and disappointment with it. That’s really it. I’m still a fence sitter these days about the series as a whole, but I’m leaning more and more to “no S5 for at least 3 more years” kinda thing. Just... everyone involved seems so disinterested in the show these days, minus Mofftiss to keep pushing the Sherlock™ Brand to make money.

ANYWAY. Thanks for writing to me!! This was such a joy to read when I first got it, and I just... have been really overwhelmed the past few weeks that I just have only been sticking to shorter asks. But I had some free time tonight when I’m answering this, so THANK YOU. 

I hope you’re still around, and I hope you still enjoy your time here! Don’t hesitate to ask me anything else!! <3 <3

[creaturedom]

Dinner Rush

Listen, listen, I’ve had these OCs and this idea in my head for a while, now y’all gotta deal with them. Forgive me for the length I just got real excited about it 🧡

————————————————————-

It was a warm evening, the streets packed with cars glistening under street lamps and people wandering about with friends, all with wide eyes and rolling laughter. Now that summer had rolled along this beach town was filled with tourists, all eager to get away from their mundane cities and live life to the fullest. Which, in Beto’s case, meant it was a full house at the restaurant.

Beto was a slender man with short, curly brown hair with some lighter brown highlights to it, while along his jawline he kept a nicely maintained scruff of hair against tanned skin. His eyes were a darker brown, but they seemed to have a certain glint of color whenever exposed to the light. He was never one to openly complain or make a fuss out of things, and overall most liked him for his calm demeanor and almost lazy smile. Always quick to fulfill everyone’s needs and eager to ensure things went smoothly, lest his manager Valencia catch wind of a table meltdown or employee scuffle. Normally he would have been left to greet customers and show them to their tables, but he found himself blinking in surprise as Valencia shoo’d him from the front counter.

“Gina just jumped ship, I need you to serve up top tonight.”

“What..?” He put aside the menus he was holding, but before he could ask more the manager waved her hands dismissively.

“Bitch said something about her gerbil, ran off crying like usual, don’t have time to be pissed about it! Can I count on you? Please, I can’t afford to lose anyone else tonight.” He scanned the worried look on the woman’s face and gave his usual lazy smile, rolling up his sleeves as he spoke.

“I won’t let you down, Val.” This calmed her down enough to smile at least before she shoved a notebook and pen into his hands and shoo’d him along. “Keep service quick, we’ve already got a big party seated up there so good luck!” And with that he gave her a polite wave and made his way upstairs.

Much to his delight, the top floor was already brightly lit by the hanging lights around the parameter. Each season the restaurant took great strides in giving the rooftop a different theme, complete with heaters in case it got too cold, and nice decor to give things a splash of color. This season, he found himself staring in awe at large flower arrangements, filled with things like Chrysanthemums and Sweet Peas, as well as others that he couldn’t recall seeing before. Their petals shook with a gentle breeze, and he found himself closing his eyes with a soft sniff to take in the aroma around him. Simply gorgeous... But, he had a job to do, and he could already see the large table waving him down. With a smile he strode over, the smell of the flowers hitting him much better now that he was closer.

“Buenas noches, and welcome to La Fuente! I’ll be your server tonight, you can call me Beto. Is there anything I can get you guys started with..?” He looked over the eager faces with his usual smile and began writing down each drink order. As he listened though he found himself sniffling lightly, a curious tickle appearing in his nose. He wiggled it a bit in hopes it would pass, but it was steadily becoming a prickle, and a distracting one at that. “Ah, pardon, what was that..?” He asked with a scrubbing of his nose.

“Are the sangrias any good?” He glanced over to a man sitting at the end of the table, short red hair cropped and styled into a neat fohawk and thick eyebrows raised slightly to punctuate the question. He couldn’t help but notice the deep blue in his eyes and the more square jaw, he was quite handsome. Beto smiled back despite another sniffle and nodded “Y—Yes, the kitchen just got a new wine and it’s to die for, fresh pears, some grapes, crih... Crisp...” With no more warning than a finger raised he hid his face behind the long notebook and dipped back with a loud “ghhTSHhh!”

Quick to recover he popped back up with a soft laugh and smile, waving the notebook in front of his face “‘Scuse me! Crisp pink lady apples, I just saw them come in today.” The man seemed to be interested, but he lingered a moment before nodding and popping up the menu again.

“Yeah, sounds good, I’ll take that. And bless...” Beto beamed at this and dipped his head respectfully “Thank you, and I’m sure you’re gonna love it! Now, anyone decide on appetizers, or entrees? We have a few new specials..” Beto swung himself back into the usual routine pretty cleanly in his opinion, but the tickle wasn’t going away just yet. He would start listing off some ingredients or answering a question and in between his breath would start hitching lightly while a glazed look in his eye set in. Worst still he couldn’t help feeling self conscious, a couple of them were exchanging looks, but none were really staring like the man across the table. Not that he could blame him, but he couldn’t really control it, and eventually he dipped behind a menu like he’d done before “H-Hih-! Gtschhhh! Hih’ktsschxx! Hihh..... S-So sorrhITSCHHH!” A few people at the table winced sympathetically and offered a few blessings, but he didn’t have the heart to look them in the eye. An embarrassed blush was appearing on his cheeks, but for the life of him he couldn’t figure out what was overwhelming him. “I-I’ll get right on this, I’m so sorry.”

He rushed downstairs and placed the ticket on the counter, scrambling into the kitchen despite some confused squawking from coworkers. He ripped a few paper towels off and rushed into a corner near the oven, body shuttering with a sharp gasp as he buried his face deep into the rough material “Huh’Resshh! Hah—Esshhh- kshh!”

“Hey, hey, what the fuck do you think you’re doing?” The sous-chef grabbed him by the collar to tell him off, but his face only buried deeper into the paper towels, tears starting to spill from now red rimmed eyes “Huh’tschhhh! Hah-! Esshhhh! Heh’tschhhh!”

Some of the line chefs paused to check out the display before them, all murmuring something about what was going on and some questioning if he was alright. But the man holding him was scowling, and called overhead “Val, get his ass out of the kitchen!”

“What?” The manager stormed in just in time to see two more sneezes rip through Beto, wincing a bit when he finally raised his face enough to show how flushed it was “What the fuck- did you come to work sick? What’s wrong with you, you said you could handle things!”

His mouth gapped, but he lost this battle before it could even begin “I-I—I’b dot—gUH’TSCHHhhh!!” Just barely he shoved his face into the paper towels, and the sous-chef was quick to shove the waiter in her direction. Valencia was less than pleased, but she at least took him by the shoulders and guided him to the employee restroom, shouting over his sneezing to get back to work.

Once inside she waited for him to let out one more sneeze before taking his face in her hands, feeling against his cheeks, forehead, and neck “Okay, no fever, not clammy yet... Your eyes are looking a little puffy though, ugh. Why the fuck didn’t you call in sick?” In all honesty, it broke his heart she would even ask that. He had felt just fine beforehand, she saw he was fine! Holding up a finger to pause this conversation he looked away to blow his nose, wincing as the paper scraped against the sides of his reddened nostrils and a pressure built under his eyes.

“M’not sick,” he insisted “I was doing fine and then all of a s-suhhh... Sudden my nose started to t-tihhih— tickle...”

“Then are you getting sick, do I need to send you home?” Her words were sharp, but there was a clear worry in her eyes as she looked over him. These two had been working together for years, she knew this wasn’t like him “What set you off?”

“I... I don’t know...” Beto admitted, deflating with a light sniffle “Please, whatever it is, don’t send me home yet. I can finish at least a c—couple-” he raised the paper towels once more, but when nothing came he let out a shaken sigh “Just a few more tables... Please, it’s packed tonight. I can’t strand you with this.”

He could see it on her face. A genuine flash of worry, anger, and consideration. So much was going through Valencia’s mind, and the most he could do was look to her pleadingly. When she finally spoke again it was with a heavy sigh and a pointed finger pressed against his chest “You get a few more tables. I’ll help out up top where I can, but if you can’t get this under control I’m sending you straight home. If for a second you feel about ready to drop, you tell me and head right home. Understood?”

His face managed to light up, and with a nod in agreement to her, she merely patted his shoulder and walked out. Alright, if he was gonna stay, he needed to get cleaned up first.

————————————————————-

At first things were looking up. After a quick wash of his face and another nose blow he was back to serve his previous tables and greet new customers. At the table where it all began, a few of the guests asked if he was feeling alright, to which he assured it was only a mild tickle and apologized. But, there was two things he couldn’t shake.

The first was a low buzzing sensation in the back of his sinuses. He managed to get it together in the bathroom and even stave off the tickle, but the longer he was up here the more he was feeling it build. And the other, was the gaze of the blue eyed guest. Every now and again while serving drinks and bringing food they would happen to catch a glimpse of one another, always when Beto least expected it.

When he rubbed his nose, when he was sniffling under the cover of chatter, there was the man’s eyes again. They didn’t feel judgemental by any means, but there was something there as they would both glance away rather quickly. What a mess he must have looked...

“Excuse me, sir?” Beto’s attention snapped back to said table and, much to his dread, it was the blue eyed man again. Beto’s cheeks carried a light blush as it caught him off guard, but he quickly shook it off to be near him with the usual lazy smile.

“Yes, is there anything I can do for you?”

“Maybe, but um, seems a little silly.” The waiter tilted his head at this but merely grinned, internally cursing as he felt the tickle slowly build further “N... Nonsense sir, your comfort is our priority. Another drink maybe, some sides..?”

“No, no, I.. I was curious about these.” The pale man reached over to one of the smaller flower arrangements on the table, holding it up to the other “Any idea what these are called?”

“Oh! They’re quite beautiful, aren’t they? Let’s see, ah... Chrysanthemums, a little Sweet Pea, which I always think would look like actual peas, but they’re just pretty flowers?” Beto chuckled at this and pointed to a few others “For sure sunflowhh... S-Sunflowers, but I don’t...” Oh no, not again. He tried to sniff sharply, but the fragrance of the flowers only seemed to make it worse. The customer, on the other hand, filled in the blank.

“Yeah, I’m trying to figure out these ones,” he pointed to a few more vibrant flowers, a deep burgandy and orange “At first I thought they were Zinnias, but the way the petals fall they’re so much closer... They’re all over the place, but I can’t say I’ve seen them before.” As he man looked back to his waiter he blinked calmly, watching as Beto hid the lower half of his face behind his notebook and watery eyes screwed shut.

“Th—They’re gorgeous, but I c-can’t... Can’t-!” With a sharp gasp he bent to the side, trying desperately to stifle “HIH’TXxxx! G’htsxx! H-Hih... Hah-! Huuh’tschhhh!” He tried to look back to the man to apologize, but the oberwhelming smell and sharp tickle threw off all concentration, and he was helpless to do more than double over again, catching his face in the crook of his elbow as two sudden, wet sneezes burst from him “Hih’pTSCHHhh! E’TSCHhh..!”

The sneezes left his ears ringing, he could hardly hear the sympathetic blessings offered from the table over the crowd’s usual chatter. Unsure what else to do he simple rushed off from the table, going to the closest restroom he could to ride out the fit.

The first sneeze struck just as he opened the door, then again half way in, and ended with him desperately clinging to a sink as they continued to tumble through his system. His eyes stung, he could hardly catch his breath between harsh sneezes, but worst of all, he knew deep down this was it. He had to admit something was wrong, and his manager would find out any minute. As he blindly reached for paper towels to wipe the mess now dripping from his nostrils, the door swung open with a slight squeak. Oh, wonderful.

But there was no disgusted noise, at least not that he noticed as he gave a gurgling blow into the rough paper. Instead, he was met with a firm hand on his shoulder, and what sounded like a rattling bottle.

“I’m sorry, I can’t take it anymore.” Confused, Beto wiped his eyes, seeing before him a clear bottle filled with long white pills. Blinking softly he looked up, far too drained to do more than stare in a daze at the one who offered them. The man with the red fohawk and bright blue eyes. Only this time, they were much softer, full of a sympathy he never would have expected from a stranger “I promised my sister I wouldn’t say anything, but you’re really dying out there. I was hoping you’d give up and take a break, but... Now I just figure you don’t know what you’re dealing with.”

“Wha..?” Beto took the pills from the man and scrubbed his eyes to get a better look at them. Off-brand antihistamines. At first he opened his mouth to question it, but as realization struck, it closed again. Though the man merely smirked, a bit playfully, and continued.

“Allergies, Einstein. From the look of it, bad ones at that...”

“I... I don’t understand, I‘ve never hahh... Ngh, had allergies..”

“Actually,” he corrected “you just didn’t know you did. It’s cool man, I’ve got some bad allergies myself, so I assumed you just didn’t want to admit to it. But turns out you’re just dealing with a flower you haven’t had the pleasure of smelling yet...” As if out is sympathy the man scratched the side of his own nose, sniffing a bit with a chuckle.

“I doped myself up long before I got here, but I don’t mind sharing with a guy in need...” There was a certain relief to hearing the other say that. If it was allergies it could be cured, the endless sneezing could stop. Not hesitating a moment he took out a couple pills out and downed them, using the sink to get some water and grimacing at the taste. After, he turned to the man with a relieved sigh and handed him back the bottle.

“Sir, I can’t thank you enough. Can I get you a free drink, maybe your meal on the house? I feel awful f-for hhh... How I’ve been all night..” The man smiled at Beto and shook his head, pocketing the precious pills in his jacket. “No way, I just wanted to help a good guy out. And you’ve been holding up great all evening, it was just my dumbass that pushed you over the edge.”

The two of them laughed at this, though Beto’s was a bit hoarse at this point. As things settled though the man paused, putting a hand on his shoulder again “Though... I wouldn’t complain if I maybe got one thing...” His attention caught, Beto straightened up a bit.

“And... What would that be, sir?”

“... Your number, maybe?” There was a long silence that hung in the room. At first the other man felt it was due to it being a ridiculous request, but as he saw Beto’s already red face grow redder, he knew it just needed a moment to process.

“... W... We can... Trade...” Oh god, was that stupid? It felt a little stupid as Beto watched the man snort out a laugh, but when he took the notbook from his hands and started writing, suddenly everything shifted. The two of them wrote on the same piece of paper, Beto being careful to rip off his number and hand it over to the kind man.

“I guess I’ll be seeing you around then, Beto..” The waiter’s knees felt weak as the man smiled, god he smiled with his eyes, they just lit up the whole room in such a quick moment.

“W—Wait, what’s your name?” He called right as the man reached the door, another pause before he came back with that smile. He wasn’t taller than Beto, but in this moment the waiter felt like they were on the same level as his heart skipped a beat.

“Lucas Beckett. Everyone calls me Lu though.”

“... B... Beto Perez...” The two of them stood there grinning for a while, and when satifsied Lu nodded and shoved his hands in his pockets, already turning for the door “I’ll see you around, Beto. Let me know when your schedule is free, alright?”

“Sure thing..” And just like that the handsome man was gone. He needed a bit to blow his nose and wipe up his face, but there was a new excitement in his body that he couldn’t describe. Mr. Lucas Beckett... Beto’s mind was swimming with ideas about him, and for a moment he wondered if it really happened, if the man was truly thinking of him like that.

“Hih’tSCHHhhhh!”

Apparently so.

[midoriyaizukustan-inactive]

@the aizawa getting kidnapped/quirk stolen/being disappointed in himself stuff,,,,,, he comes back and feels like he isn't enough and that he shouldn't teach 1a so takes time off/leaves the school and 1a are so worried and outraged they basically strike until he comes back. so he comes in to yell at them to listen to their new teacher and then they all bombard him with - (1/2)

- how cool he is and what a good teacher he is and how he doesn't need his quirk to be an amazing hero and they all love and respect him so much (mic and all might get in on this too ofc) and by the end everyone is a blubbering mess and aizawa is there trying not to cry like. okay, i'll come back. and then the teachers go to the staffroom and he breaks down crying becAUSE HE JUST LOVES HIS KIDS SO MUCH ??????????? AND HE'S SO PROUD OF THEM AND THEY'RE ALL SO GOOD and now i am crying too (2/2)

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

BRO THIS IS SO GOOD IM FYCKIGNNGJKGJNK FUCK

when aizawa gets back after Everything his depression has Kickstarted bc the one thing he held on to (being a hero and protecting the kids from what he and shirakumo went through as ua students) was forcibly taken away from him and now he has no other coping mechanisms

plus having ur quirk like forcibly taken from you must suck so much ass,,like quirks r described in canon to be a physical extension of one’s self so to be violated like that,,aizawa is just not feeling great is all im saying

once he’s back from the hospital (and he actually stays the whole time he was recommended to bc he just. doesnt see the point in leaving early anymore bc how can he protect his kids when hes broken like this) the first thing he does is go to ua to tell nezu he’s stepping down

and like nezu tries to convince him otherwise and it ends w aizawa there the wholeass day bc we all know how long nezu can talk, but aizawa just cant. he and his inadequacy cant be the reason why his kids get hurt any more than they have already

nezu compromises that there’ll be a sub until aizawa is ready to take the mantle back and aizawa is like “im not going to do that but okay”

as he’s heading out he runs into mic and all might and they ask him how he’s doing but aizawa’s Spent bc arguing w ur weird rat dad thing for hours on end is exhausting so aizawa just pushes them off

he’s not even harsh abt it tho he’s just completely tired and all might and mic are Worried

anyway they find out the next day that aizawa is “steppnig down for the time being” and theyre both like oh no. ohh no.

meanwhile in class 1-a the new sub is explaining what’s going on and the kids fucking riot. bakugou straight walks out. midoriya is arguing w the sub abt whats going on and the sub is just like “kid i didnt ask for this i dont know why aizawa’s doubting his abilities right now”

uraraka tsu and iida are like aight we’re gonna head out after like fifty minutes of this and the rest follow. the sub is just like “wtf am i even doing here”

anyway class 1-a strikes like this for a week and so nezu calls up aizawa (who’s been having a Very bad depressive episode at his apartment including ignoring all might and mic’s and even ms joke’s calls) to tell him that his kids r throwing a fit abt having to move on (nezu knows how this’ll end up if he can just get aizawa to go to his kids so he miiight be making it a bigger deal than it is but oh well)

so aizawa storms into heights alliance and hes tired and a lil touched but also hurt bc he cant protect his dumb kids anymore that’s the whole point of this why cant they just accept it

and he has a script in his head of wht he wants to say but when he enters the common room mic and all might r there and midoriya sees him first nd just. stands v suddenly and storms over to aizawa and aizawa is like “oh shit are they mad at me?? i guess they have a right to be but..” and then mido just hugs him

aizawa is like v confused for a couple moments bc what the fuck. the other more affectionate kiddos of class 1-a join mido (uraraka, tsu, ashido, kirishima, etc) before mic nd all might tell the kiddos to give him some space

before aizawa can say anything the kiddos have launched into talking abt how much they missed him and that they hope he’s okay and that he better be coming back to teach soon Or Else and also that they love him so much and they know he went thro a lot but “the sub said they would be there indefinitely but u should have a time limit on ur healing right?? youll be coming back soon?? youre such a good teacher sensei we might be able to do it w/o you there but we dont want to do this without you”. basically what u were saying hhh

and aizawa is just rlly overwhelmed bc he wasnt like expecting this at all. all of his kids have said at least something even bakugou and kouda and he’s just like. bruh.

then mic and all might ask if he’s okay bc they can tell he’s getting a lil overwhelmed nd aizawa tries to respond but he just breaks into silent tears. class 1-a FREAKS the fuck out like “OH MY GOD SENSEI WE’RE SO SORRY ARE YOU OKAY??? FUCK”

and aizawa needs a Second but he’s like “no you dumb brats didn’t do anything i’m just- fuck give me a second” and im,,,

all might and mic hug him then and im emotional. i am emotional!!!! we are crying in this chilis tonight.

anywya the kiddos keep going on abt hwo much they care for aizawa all night nd aizawa crashes on the couch surrounded by all his dumb kids and all might nd mic

when he gets up the next morning he goes to ask nezu abt maaaybe teaching again nd nezu smiles into his teacup knowingly

anyway im so fucking emo dude. dude

[feel199x]

♛┈⛧┈┈•༶to protect our district ༶•┈┈⛧┈♛

I II III IV V VI VII

ceo!hwang hyunjin, mafia!au, fem!reader

masterlist

a/n: hey there! hhh this isn’t too fluff heavy but it’s there if you squint! thanks for reading! hope you enjoy! (title subject to change bc i couldn’t think of anything)

warnings: angst, alluding to death and assassination, branding

words: 2362

                            ♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡

 It was said that the Hwang family was always successful, and came from a line of royals. Now, they ran a mega-corporation, known internationally. Your family, however, came from a long line of right-hand men and servants, and apprentices. All your life, you were being prepared to follow the CEO of that company, the heir of the throne you could say- Hwang Hyunjin. It should’ve felt major, something you were indebted to do, and you were. But Hyunjin never made you feel that way. You weren’t supposed to interact with the Hwangs unless they asked something of you. But here he was, sneaking off from an important family banquet and talking to you.

“Aren’t you scared?” you whispered, looking up at him. “Won’t it be hard to handle a huge corporation like your dad?” It was something you always probed him when you had the chance, even though you knew you’d get a vague answer.  He scoffed. “A mega-corporation is the least I’m afraid of.” You raised an eyebrow at him. “I should get going,” he added, “They’ll get suspicious.” You grabbed his hand and looked up at the stars. “Just stay for a minute longer,” you asked, “admire the stars.” You both leaned against the railing of the porch? “If anything,” he muttured, “You should be afraid.” The stars were exceptionally bright tonight, it felt like they burned through the atmosphere just to shine.

“Of what?”

“Everything.”

And when you turned around to tell him off for being weird and vague, he was already gone.

You hadn’t seen Hyunjin since that night. You had assumed that he was busy preparing his coronation of sorts. But you were busy too, preparing for the same things he was. But the truth was, you weren’t exactly sure what the preparation was for. “But how am I supposed to help Hyunjin if I can’t speak directly to him?” Your mother smacked the back of your head. “Refer to him as Mr. Hwang!” Your arms flailed up and over. “He’s only two years older!” you said, “And he’s not even here!” This earned you another smack. “It doesn’t matter,” she scolded, “We work for them, not the other way around.”  For eighteen years, you had asked the same questions, and received the same answers- if one could even call it that. But tonight, the night of the ceremony, was the night of answers, and more questions. Your mother zipped up your evening gown, a color that complimented your skin tone well. It was good fabric, silk, and wrapped around your body tightly. “You look great,” your mother whispered in your ear, “All grown up.” You shuddered at the thought of growing old.

“Where’s dad?”

Your mother paused before brushing your hair back. “He’ll be back before you and Mr. Hwang Hyunjin sign the contract,” she responded, “He just had to take care of something for his father.” You held out your pinky, looking at your mom from the mirror. “Pinky promise?” She put your pinky down. “I can’t promise you anything.” You brought your hands together, and you didn’t push. “You should go,” she said, “You don’t want to be late.” Your mother cupped your face as you turned to leave. “I love you,” she said, “And I’m sorry for putting you through this.” You shrugged. “Nothing to fear but fear itself.” Your mother smacked your head again. “I don’t know if you’re brave, or just utterly clueless.”

The fact was, even if you didn’t want to admit it, was that you were. You were utterly clueless.

You stood at the entrance you were sent to. Playing with the skirt of your dress absentmindedly, you heard someone approach. “Jinnie,” you called out, “I thought you wouldn’t have made it.” He scoffed, leaning against the doorframe. “I couldn’t miss this if I tried.” You smiled. You smiled at him. “Always one with words,” you teased, “I bet you’re unbelievably popular with the ladies.” You made a dramatic gesture, your hand on your forehead. “I’m going to have you guillointed.” “Oh Jinnie,” you called out after him, “You’re sweeping me off my feet.”

“Shut up!”

Your laughing came to a cease when the door opened, a young man around the same age as Hyunjin, motioned for you to come in. “It’s time.” You nodded, making your way throught the narrow and long corridor- dimly lit and ominous. “You must be nervous,” he commented, “I am too.” “Oh yeah?” you asked, “What’s your position?” His step slowed down for a moment before picking up again. “His right hand man,” he continued, “Han Jisung, to live and to serve. And you?” You pondered for a moment. “I guess I’m not too sure,” you said, “Probably his assistant or something. They never really told me.” He opened his mouth to say something, but hushed as the light peeked into the hallway. You both stepped into the banquet hall, upon the right side of the band’s stage. The light shined in your eyes, making you cover your them as you walked to the center. You quickly pulled your hand down once you realized there was a grand number of people in the room- all of their eyes on you. You spotted Hyunjin on the opposite side of the stage, in a formal black suit. His hair was parted to the side, as usual, but something about this lighting made him look soft and almost angelic. Hyunjin caught you staring and winked, then resumed to wave to people familiar to him. It took all of you to maintain a poker face and not stick your tongue out at him, you reminded yourself that this was a serious event.

Even if you weren’t too sure what exactly it was for.

It wasn’t until Hyunjin’s father walked upon the stage, that you stopped zoning out and fix your posture. “It is a pleasure to welcome you all into my home, and present you to the next generation of our organization,” he recited, “Let me introduce you to my son, your next leader, Hwang Hyunjin.” Hyunjin walked and stood next to his dad, you wish you could say he looked nervous, but he was completely composed. Except for the nearly imperceptible tapping of his fingers on his thigh, he looked like the next ceo. “We have Han Jisung and Seo Changbin, taking over as Hyunjin’s right hand men,” he announced, “Their predecessors have worked will within their area. We expect and promise that these young men will do the same.” You leaned a bit to see another boy stand by the side of Hyunjin. His face was long, and he had the best poker face you had seen. Both boys bowed at either side of Hyunjin and stood behind him, formally. “And ___,” you looked up to see Hyunjin’s father look at you expectantly. You fixed your posture and walked as professionally as you could to the father’s side. You looked for your father within the crowd, but found your mother instead. She looked down and shook her head. “When ____ was born, we expected a male to take her father’s place. But we do not discriminate,” he paused as the crowd laughed knowingly. And you took this time to give a questioning look at Hyunjin, who ignored your gaze. “Here to take care of whatever must be taken care of.” A group of older men, including Hyunjin father took a paper within their hands, as their children stood before them. Your father stepped on stage, limping, but on the stage nonetheless. He smiled brightly at you, holding the contract tightly in his hands. “This group of young men,” he paused again, “and woman, hold our future in their hands. Signing this contract, you agree, in front of the entire organization, to take the role you were assigned at birth. Within life and death.” All of the fathers extended the contracts, and the pen that sat within the pocket of their expensive suits. One by one, you signed. You hesitated for a moment, not too sure what the future held in store for you. But you signed nonetheless, mostly because you had no choice.

You eagerly waited to get off stage, when Hyunjin’s father spoke once more. “I know you’re all waiting to go home,” he spoke into the microphone, “But there’s one more thing we must have you do to prove your loyalty.” There were murmurs and smiles amongst the crowd. You looked worriedly at Hyunjin, and he nodded without looking at you. A hot piece of metal was brought to the almost former leader on a velvet cushion. He turned to the group.

 “Who’s first?”

The boys looked nervously at one another, but before you could stop yourself,  you stepped forward. “Me,” you tried to say it firmly, but your voice wavered at first, “I’ll go first.” Hyunjin’s father looked at Hyunjin and gave him the cushion. He held it in his hand for a moment before reaching for the metal bar. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in your ear before brushing your hair away from the nape of your neck. He pressed the bar’s logo onto your nape and your eyes welled with tears as you bit your lip. A small, curved nine forever imprinted on the back of your neck.

“Welcome to District Nine!” the crowd shouted, their drinks raised in the air. And one by one, you all had the same curved nine on the nape of your necks.

You stepped of the stage, as the actual band came up and played lively jazz music. Jisung poked the back of his neck and winced. “I don’t think it’ll hurt less if you keep touching it.” He whined in response. “Give me a break! I didn’t think it’d hurt this bad.” Changbin slapped his back. “I think the brand is officially the least of our problems.” The conversation muted as Hyunjin joined the rest of you. “It’s just me,” he scolded the group, “I’m not high and mighty like my dad.” “Oh Mr. Hwang,” you teased, “Don’t be so modest.” He clicked his tongue and frowned at you. “Actually can I talk to you,” he added, “Alone.” The boys took this as their cue to leave silently, Jisung’s cheeks puffing out as he quickly took some food from a nearby waiter’s platter.

“Are you scared now?” Hyunjin asked. You sat at the creek’s edge, admiring the surrounding garden. “I guess I should be,” you commented, your fingers skimming across the water’s edge. “But now I know that you don’t work for a huge company now.” He sat by you. “No,” he corrected, “I do. But I do more than that.” You looked at him, his side profile illuminated by the moonlight. “Like what?”

“Trick people. Make money.”

You laughed, but he still didn’t look at you. “Jinnie,” you said, “You would never. You’re too nice.” He shook his head. “People change under pressure, under difficult situations.”

“Do you even know what your job is?” he inquired, “What you’ll have to do?” His voice cracked and your concern grew. “Well,” you paused, thinking about it, “Your dad said-”

“Not what my dad said,” Hyunjin cut you off, “But what he meant.” He shook his head before you get a word out. “You don’t understand. You’re not ready.” You both stared out at the garden. Looking at the greenery and organized rainbow of flowery upon you. You loved flowers, and if you could, you would be a botanist. Your voice grew steady and clear. “I’m not stupid you know,” you said, “Whatever bad thing I’m about to do, I was made to do. That’s the only reason I was born.” Tears grew welled up in your eyes, as you stared up at the sky. “We could run away,” he whispered. “No,” you said sadly, “They’d find us.” You looked back at him to see him crying, tears falling like raindrops down his face. You wiped them away. “You’re even handsome when you cry,” you said bitterly, “That’s so annoying.”

You picked a rose nearby, cutting the tip of your finger on it’s thorn. You dropped it on his lap. “Jinnie,” you nudged his arm, finally earning an annoyed look from him, “Every rose has it’s thorns.” You laughed as his eyebrows furrowed. “You’ll change too,” he said as he pushed hair out of your eyes and tucked it behind your ear, “And you’re just a kid.” You both leaned in, but he pulled away nervously. He picked up the rose where there were no thorns, and walked away before you could say anything. “You should get back before anyone starts asking questions,” he yelled, “Technically only the Hwangs are allowed up here.”

“Oh you little-” you got up and ran after him, holding up the skirt of your dress with one hand and heels in the other. “If that’s how you woo girls then I take it back,” you yelled, “You’re awful!”

You both made your way back into the banquet hall, out of breath and barely holding yourselves together. As his Hyujin’s father approached the both of you. “I’ll deal with you two later,” he scolded and looked at Hyunjin, an added, “We’re having a meeting with your team.”

His father lead the both of you into a room where Jisung and Changbin stpod, and another boy you didn’t recognize. They all bowed at the sight of Hyunjin, and you moved to join the others. “Your first assignment,” Mr. Hwang handed a stack of files to Hyunjin, “I trust that you’ll brief them as necessary.” Mr. Hwang left the room, and Hyunjin passed out the files. “Each of you have a role,” Hyunjin started, “Changbin is our informant. Jisung is my second in command. Chan is the organizer. And  ___, our executor.  In order to work as a team, we must all recognize our roles and respect one another.” Hyunjin opened his file, and flipped through it until he reached a group of pictures. “These are our rivals,” he slid the file across the table, “We meet them tomorrow to negotiate..” He paused, taking a glance to look at you.

“Or take them out.”

[inconvenient-sneezes]

oh boy. what’s better than pre-serum steve with a nasty cold and caretaker!bucky?

Would I grant all your wishes and be proud of the task? Only forever, if someone should ask. How long would it take me to be near, if you beckoned? Off hand, I would figure less than a second.

[[this is a multi-chapter fic, so read part two and part three here]]

Time After Time

Chapter One: A Night on the Town (Before)

***

Steve Rogers straightens his collar nervously as he gets ready for his “date.” Bucky had managed to get him a blind date; they were supposed to meet up at Steve’s house and go to the bar from there. Steve knew it was going to be a disaster from the get-go, but Bucky had insisted.

Turning on the water, Steve let it run while he searched for his razor. He didn’t actually grow much facial hair, but he wanted to at least make sure he was clean shaven for whatever poor dame had been set up with him. He’d also contracted a cold, which wasn’t surprising, but he wasn’t excited to have to hide it from his date. The last thing he’d want to do is get her sick.

He lathers up the shaving cream in his hands and applied it to his face. The razor itself is a cold blade and makes him shiver. Steve shaves with gentle, even strokes. Out of nowhere, his nose begins to tickle. Before he can do anything, he sneezes, razor still near his face.

“Kuh’TSCHHH!” His head snaps forward and he feels the blade cut him. 

“Ugh...” He groans as he watches a thin line of red appear on his cheek. 

Steve hurriedly snatches a piece of toilet paper and holds it to his cheek. A knock on the door startles him and he’s immediately thankful there’s no one there to see him jump.

“Hey!” Bucky Barnes says and laughs, stepping into the threshold. “How’s my favorite—”

“Hh’TCHOO!” Steve backs away from Bucky and barely catches the sneeze in his elbow, one hand still pressing the cloth on the nick.

Bucky frowns. “Uh oh. I don’t like the sound of that.”

“I have a cold,” Steve admits, rubbing his nose. “It’s okay, I can still go out.”

But Bucky doesn’t look so sure. He’s seen Steve sick plenty of times, with illnesses far worse than a cold, but still, it makes him nervous. 

“How the hell did you manage to get a cold in the summer? Isn’t it supposed to be fall or winter for you to be able to get a cold?”

Steve scoffs. “Bucky, temperature has almost nothing to do with my getting a cold. In fact, you can’t really catch a cold from—”

“I know, I know, I’m just teasing. What happened to your face?” He points at the scrap of toilet paper pressed against his friend’s cheek.

“I cut myself shaving, of course.” The young man tosses the scrap in the garbage bin. “Does it look okay?” A small, angry mark presents itself on his cheek.

Bucky nods. “I think it makes you look tough.”

Steve’s heart flips in his chest. He loves when Bucky says these kinds of things to him. “Thanks.”

“Now let’s go. We can’t leave those girls waiting on us.” He claps Steve on the shoulder, careful not to knock him down.

***

As the cab approaches the bar, Steve gets more and more nervous. He can’t ever recall a girl actually liking him, especially when Bucky is in the same room. Steve’s just too skinny, too scrawny and truth-be-told, much too average for a girl to like. Bucky? Well, Bucky’s the great war hero, about to be shipped off again. 

Sometimes Steve wonders if they know Buck’s a sniper and if they’d feel the same way if they saw him in action, killing. They probably would. Sure Steve gets jealous sometimes, but he really does like Bucky, a lot.

“There they are.” Bucky breaks Steve out of his thoughts and nods to two beautiful girls waiting outside the pub.

Two of the most beautiful girls Steve has ever seen are standing outside, waiting for them. They’re both wearing dresses, one sapphire blue, the other a nice yellow, and both sport high heels. 

The girl in blue looks a bit nervous, but probably not as much as Steve is right now. She’s chewing gum and glancing at down the street. Her friend appears to be bored, lazily twirling her curly locks around a finger while she chats. She has to have the reddest lips on the block, Steve thinks to himself.

“Wow,” he breathes.

“Yeah,” Bucky agrees. “The one in yellow is all yours.”

Steve gulps and rubs his wrists. “Uh, Bucky. I don’t know what to do.”

Bucky grabs his friend’s hands and puts them in Steve’s lap. “Look, just follow my lead. She’ll love you.”

“Eh’TSHOO!”

“And don’t sneeze too much,” he adds, before handing the driver some money and climbing out of the cab.

They walk over to the women, Steve sweating and Bucky smiling. “Hey girls,” he says with a wave. “How are you?”

“Bucky!” the girl in blue squeals, throwing herself on him. “I thought you’d never show.”

Steve stands by awkwardly, waiting for Bucky to introduce him and trying not to sneeze. The yellow-dressed girl gives Steve an apprehensive glance. “Is this...?” she begins, sounding like she almost doesn’t hope it’s true.

“Girls, this is Steve,” Bucky says, then gestures to the girl in blue. “Steve, this is Evelyn,” he adds, nodding at the girl in yellow, “and Ruth.”

“Hi,” Steve offers, knowing Ruth already doesn’t like him.

She smiles pleasantly. “Hello.”

Bucky puts his arm around Evelyn. “Let’s not wait around ladies, it looks like it’s going to rain.”

And indeed it does. Storm clouds hang in the sky, surely ominous first-date signs. Or so Steve believes. They approach the doors and of course, Bucky is the one to hold them open.

***

They’re sitting together, boy-girl, boy-girl, but things are mostly centered around the soldier. Steve figures he should be used to it by now, but he never feels like he is. 

He’s not even a real big drinker, but tonight he’s already had two and a half drinks, more than normal. Bucky says something and both girls giggle.

Steve feels his nose itch but doesn’t make a real effort to stop it. He doesn’t try to make it unnoticeable. “Hih’KSHHH!”

Ruth is turned away from him and is facing Bucky. He smiles as he says something else and then tries to pull Steve into the conversation. “Steve here likes baseball too, don’t you?”

Both girls are staring at him now and he tries not to look like an idiot. “Yeah. I um, like the New York Yankees.”

“Me too!” Evelyn says, giving him a small smile.

“He has both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig’s signatures on a baseball,” Bucky brags, making Evelyn’s face light up. 

Ruth looks completely uninterested. 

“You don’t like baseball, Ruth?”

You don’t like me, Ruth? Steve imagines him saying this to her face, but his itching nose has other plans. “HhH! Kh’XTSHH!” 

Stifled, it’s such a girlish sounding sneeze, Ruth and Evelyn snicker and Steve can see Bucky smiling behind his hand. “Excuse me,” Steve mutters and both girls giggle again.

“Steve has the most adorable sneezes, doesn’t he?” Bucky jests, earning a laugh or two out of the pair.

To his dismay, he can’t help sneezing again. “Hiih’XXST! Er’SHH!”

They bless him, still looking that like they want to laugh, but don’t.

“That’s so cute!” Evelyn comments.

“That’s so funny,” Ruth says in an almost flat tone.

Steve sniffles. This is embarrassing and not how it was supposed to go but Bucky’s loving it. He’s also kind of drunk.

“Do it again, Steve!”

Now he’s even more motivated not to. His nostrils twitch but he angrily rubs them with a slender finger.

A couple drinks later and Bucky is kissing Evelyn like there’s no tomorrow and he’s not being discreet about it. Every time Steve hears their lips smack or when Evelyn moans quietly, he blushes. They’re in public, for God’s sake. Ruth is still sipping from her glass, more bored than ever.

“I like your lipstick,” Steve tries, sniffling. Ruth doesn’t answer or give him any acknowledgement she heard him. After awhile, Steve’s head is bobbing up and down and he’s fighting to stay awake.

“Hihh’GNKK!” 

He’s too tired to get his hands up but instead stifles one into his shoulder. Evelyn is sent into a fit of giggles upon hearing the sound and Steve is so done. He’s got a killer headache and his nose keeps running. 

He can’t even relax with Ruth sitting beside him. Steve stumbles down from his chair and tugs on Bucky’s sleeve to tell him he wants to go home. 

He must not feel it though, because he doesn’t pull away from his girl. That’s just fine with Steve. He mutters a goodbye and an apology to Ruth and leaves.

***

It’s raining outside, hard. Steve can barely see, what with the way his eyes are watering and the blur of rain. Soon, he’s soaked to the bone and shivering. 

“Hihh’TSHOO!” Finally, he can sneeze in peace.

Steve desperately wants to get home, though. Unfortunately for him, he’s terribly drunk and can’t remember the direction his apartment is in. He could hail a cab, but he doesn’t have money and can’t recall exactly what his address is.

“Watch it!” A voice growls before barreling into Steve. He has such a small frame that he’s knocked completely to the ground. Steve sits there in a puddle, dazed, and watches as the large man continues walking. 

“Ehh... eh’TSHHH!” Steve sneezes into his hands, his hair dripping.

“Steve!” Someone shouts and Steve feels himself being hauled up. For some reason, this causes him to cough until the same person pats him on the back.

“What are you doing on the ground? You know what, it doesn’t matter. Let’s get you home.” 

It’s Bucky. He leads his friend over to the curb and whistles for a cab. He helps Steve in and soon follows him. 

Bucky tells the driver his own address (because there’s no way Steve’s going back home to his house) and they’re off, speeding through the night.

“Whad aboud Evelyd?” Steve asks, congested and out of it.

“She... well, it wasn’t going to work out with us anyway. Plus, I didn’t appreciate the way Ruth treated you.”

“You didn’t? Id wasn’t — hh’XXKSHHUHH!” A strong sneeze racks his body, but he still covers his nose and mouth with his hands. A true gentleman.

“Yeah, yeah, but I shoulda known.” Bucky rubs his face tiredly. “I’m sorry for taking you out, Steve. I really shouldn’t have...”

Steve shakes his head and unintentionally sprinkles his friend with water. “Doe, id’s defidetly dot your fauld. I just ged worse id the bordigs ad dights. Besides, I probably scared her away with by... uhh... huhhH!” But he pinches his pink nose and the sneeze stops in its tracks. “With by sdeezig.”

“No, you were fine. You did everything right.”

The ride home is quiet except for Steve’s occasional sneeze and coughing.

*** Bucky leads the man inside, shaking and shivering. Bucky shut his door and locks it. He didn’t think he was going to let Steve go back home by himself tonight.

He collapses into the couch, exhausted. “I’b sorry I ruined your dight.”

Bucky gave him a sad smile. “Steve, you didn’t ruin my night. It looks like I ruined yours, more like.”

“Hehh... hih’GSHHOO!” Steve sneezes into his hands again.

“Oh God, right. Um, first things first. Get out of those clothes I guess.” Bucky had switched from friend into caretaker. He’d taken care of Steve so many times, it’d just felt natural at this point. Flu, strep, even pneumonia. You name it, Steve had contracted it at some point.

Steve shakily tries to unbutton his shirt. “B-Buck... I cad’t — ehh... HMPPP!” He presses his nose into his shoulder.

“I got it.” Bucky’s fingers move down his shirt, unbuttoning as they go, despite the many drinks he’s had tonight. Soon, Steve is shivering in his underwear and Bucky takes a quick moment to marvel at exactly how skinny he is. He can see all of his ribs and the goosebumps that seem to be everywhere.

Buck brought a blanket out of the closet and put it around his bony shoulders. “I’ll be right back, let me get you some clothes.”

And by clothes he really means “bathrobe” and pajamas. Steve puts his hands on Bucky to steady himself before stepping into the pajama pants. They’re much too big for him, but oh-so-comfortable. 

“Don’t forget the shirt,” Bucky reminds him and Steve puts his arms through the sleeves and lets Bucky button it. Lastly, he slips a bathrobe on his friend and watches as the ends of the robe pile at his feet. Bucky ties it around him and hands him the blanket. “You want to listen to the radio?”

“Ad this hour?” Steve’s mouth stretches into a yawn.

Oh, yeah. “You’re right,” Bucky nods. “It’s probably too late.”

Steve shakes his head. “No, id’s okay. Led’s try to find sobethig. Ahh... ATSCHHH!”

So Bucky takes the radio he owns and messes with the dial until someone’s singing drifts into the room. Steve grins. “I love this sogg.”

It’s Bing Crosby’s “Only Forever.” To Steve’s amusement. Bucky sits on the couch and starts serenading him. “Would I grant all your wishes and be proud of the task? Only forever, if someone should ask.”

Steve grins like an idiot when Bucky moves on to the next verse. “How long would it take me to be near, if you beckoned? Off hand, I would figure... less than a second.”

Bucky smiles at Steve until he sees his nose twitch. Annoyed, Steve scrunches up his nose and rubs it cruelly with his knuckles. “Ehhh... hehhHH!” He pinches the sneeze away, making Bucky throw up his hands.

“Steve, we’re alone! You can sneeze in front of me if you want.”

He shrugs. “We’re sitting close together ad I don’t wadda — AhhHH!” The tickle is back and Steve’s hands immediately come to his face. Bucky sighs to himself and grabs Steve’s wrists.

“B-Bucky... I g-gotta... hahh... Hahh’SHHHH!” He sneezes into the air and sniffs, flushing bright red.

“I’ve seen you with much worse than a nasty cold,” Bucky reminds him. “No need to be shy about it.”

“Bud id’s hahhH... e-embarrassig.” His nostrils are still flaring. “Ad I cad’t ged by dose to stahh... to stop doig this. Also, I think you’re drunk,” Steve points out.

“You are too.” Bucky can’t help thinking that Steve looks adorable like this, all drunk and so helpless. “Shhh...” he says as the song changes. “You like Sinatra, right?”

Steve nods, still blushing, but he lets his eyes flutter shut as Bucky starts bobbing his head. It starts with humming and turns into singing. “I said all, nothin’ at all. If it’s love, there ain’t no in-between.” 

Steve loves this so much.

Bucky watches Steve, his eyes still closed. He looks so naive and small, shivering underneath the blanket he’s wearing.

“Why begin, then cry for somethin’ that might have been? No, I’d rather, rather have nothin’ at all.” Bucky warbles softly, discreetly scooting closer to Steve. 

He figures sitting closer will keep his friend warmer, and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s what he’s had to do in the service sometimes, sleeping together or back to back to keep warm. But he can’t exactly hide the feelings he has for Steve.

“Ihh... ITSCHH!” Steve sneezes an itchy-sounding sneeze and then gears up for another. “Hahh’ESHHH!”

“Bless you,” Bucky murmurs, allowing Steve to put his head on his shoulder. They fall asleep there with the radio on at a low volume. 

Steve snores congestedly the whole night, but Bucky doesn’t even wake up.

***

request some stuff/give me feedback!! read more stuff!!

[fluffyllamas-23]

@caramelfuzz requested Stucky with a sick Bucky, and how could I refuse?

Fic is below the cut :D

Between producing and directing a play at their college (which is one night only, and a huge deal), and covering for the majority of his coworkers who have been struck down by the devil flu going around, Steve is more stressed out than he’s ever been in his entire life.

Bucky wishes there was some way to alleviate it, but all he’s able to do is make sure the housework is done and dinner is ready when Steve gets home.

This is the last night of both, and then it’s opening night and he’s done.

Bucky takes the steak out of the oven, and turns his head to aim a cough into his shoulder.  He shivers as he sets down the pan, sniffling lightly.

“Ihh...Hh'ktschGNX! *snff* Guh…ihh...Ht'ksshh!  *snff*“”

“Bless you, bless you,” Steve says, walking into the kitchen.

Bucky scratches his nose, still sniffling, “thanks.”

Steve wraps his arms around Bucky and kisses his cheek, “it smells great.”

Bucky grins weakly; he doesn’t mention that he’s been sneezing all day, which made him too congested to smell anything, so he had no idea if it did smell great or not. He also doesn’t mention that he’s most definitely coming down with something (if the scratchy throat, headache and congestion are anything to go by).  He doesn’t want Steve to worry, though, not when he has the opening of his play to focus on.

Bucky just has to get through tomorrow, and then he can tell Steve that he’s actually completely miserable.

“Good...mb’glad.”

Steve frowns, “you sound stuffy.”

He sniffles, twisting away from Steve to stifle a trio of congested sneezes that end up sending an explosion of pain through his temples and in his forehead.  

“Ugh...I amb...it’s just allergies, though,” he lies.

His frown deepens, “you sure? Those didn’t sound like allergies.”

Bucky coughs lightly into his fist, “yeah…yeah, I’mb finde.”

“Alright,” Steve says, kissing Bucky’s cheek again, “can we eat? I’m starving.”

“I...uh...I was gonnda chop up a salad, but I rand out of timbe,” he says, rubbing his nose.

“That’s fine.”

Bucky blinks, scratching the side of his nose again, “I think...umb...oh yeah! I mbade rice.”

Steve doesn’t seem to notice that Bucky hardly touches his dinner.  He’s sure that the steak is great - hell, he knows it’s great. He’s made this meal a thousand and one times, but the congestion is throwing off his sense of taste, and it just tastes…off.  He’s not hungry either, which is adding to how unappetizing it is, so Bucky settles for pushing it around his plate and trying to ward off impending coughs and sneezes.

He doesn’t get much sleep that night.  He had fallen asleep around eleven, but was woken up at just past midnight, too congested to breathe.  

Now, it’s almost four in the morning, and Bucky is slumped over at the kitchen table, trying to ride out his symptoms until the shit ton of medicine he took kicks in.

Steve had fallen asleep at ten, too exhausted to stay awake for much longer than that.  Bucky wishes that he could fall asleep, too, because he’s dizzy, and nauseous, and achy, and congested beyond belief.

“I can’t believe you,” Steve growls, gripping the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turn white.  “I just can’t believe you.  I’ve been working on this for months.  MONTHS, James!”

Bucky winces at the use of his first name, “Steve, I-”

“-No,” he snaps, glancing at Bucky out of the corner of his eye.  “Let me talk.”

“Okay,” Bucky rasps, squeezing his eyes shut.

“How could you fall asleep? You slept through the entire show! I worked on it for so long....and you just...you completely missed it.  How could you? It was one night.  One. Fucking. Night.  And you slept through it,” he seethes.

“I’m so sorry...I just...I’m exhausted.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Steve spits out, clenching his jaw.  

“I-”

“-I don’t want to hear it. I really don’t.  I just...I’m furious. I don’t want to talk right now.”

Bucky groans and slumps against the window.  He should have just told Steve that he’s sick, but instead he medicated himself into oblivion.  His symptoms are all hidden, and now he’s just completely exhausted and fuzzy headed and feels so, so bad for falling asleep.  

When Steve pulls into the garage, he refuses to make eye contact with Bucky.  

“Steve-”

“-You should go to sleep. Since you’re so tired,” he says, voice tight.

“Can we-”

“-I said I didn’t want to talk.  Maybe in the morning, but not right now.  I’m just...tired.”

“Okay...I love you.”

“Yeah,” Steve sighs, “I love you too, but I’m sleeping on the couch tonight.”

“I can sleep on the couch,” Bucky mumbles.  

“Okay.”

Steve wastes no time in shutting himself into the bedroom, and the guilt gnaws at the pit of Bucky’s stomach. Why didn’t he just tell Steve he didn’t feel well? All of this could have been avoided.

Steve wakes up around two, to the sound of the shower running.  He feels a bit like he’s on autopilot as he gets out of bed and walks into the bathroom.  

“Bucky?” He mumbles, rubbing the sleep from his eyes

He’s sitting on the floor against the wall, knees drawn to his chest and his head between them. He looks up when Steve opens the door, eyes glassy and unfocused.  

“Did I wake you?” He asks, voice low and rough with congestion.

“Oh, honey,” Steve frowns, kneeling down in front of him, “are you alright?”

Bucky shakes his head, turning away to cough into his fist, “I...umb...I couldnd’t breathe...sorry for waki’gg you up...I’mb really, really sorry for falli’gg asleep-Hh'ktschGNX! Ht'ksshh! *Snff* ihh...ugh...I’mb just...so, so sorry, Stevie.”

“Stop apologizing,” he says, squeezing Bucky’s shoulder lightly.

“But, I’mb-”

“-Were you feeling this bad when we left?” Steve asks softly, pressing a hand to Bucky’s forehead.

He gives a tiny nod, staring up at Steve through half-closed eyelids.  

“Honey, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didnd’t wandt you to worry,” he rasps. “You had endough goi’gg ond.”

“I appreciate it, I do, but you need to tell me when you’re not feeling well. How long have you been sick?”

“Umb...a few days...s’wasnd’t bad undtil like...four yesterday mborndi’gg.”

“Bucky.”

“Sorry.”

“Do you want me to get you the humidifier? The bed will be more comfortable than the bathroom floor.”

Bucky nods, and holds his hands out for Steve to help him up.  The moment he’s on his feet, black spots gather in his peripherals, and his vision goes out momentarily.

Steve puts his hands on Bucky’s shoulders to steady him, worried that Bucky is going to topple over.

“Thanks,” Bucky rasps.

“You okay?” Steve frowns, peering into Bucky’s eyes, “when’s the last time you’ve had any medicine?”

“Cand’t rembember.”

“So awhile, then. Are you okay to walk back to bed, or do you feel like you’re going to pass out? You just got paler.”

“I think I’mb okay.”

“Alright. I’m going to go get supplies and then I’ll be right there.”

Steve can’t help the guilt that’s gnawing at the pit of his stomach. Of course he’s sick, he never would have fallen asleep if he had been feeling alright.

Steve should have picked up on it, he shouldn’t have bought the excuse that it was just his allergies acting up...it was a weak one and if Steve hadn’t been so stressed out and tired, maybe he would have been a better boyfriend and noticed.

Instead, he got mad at Bucky for falling asleep when the poor guy was exhausted, and miserable, and probably hadn’t slept the night before.

He was just the worst.

The next afternoon, Bucky is even more of a mess than he was the night before. He hardly slept, and what little sleep he did get was restless and not that deep. 

Steve hated it, and his chest clenched every time Bucky coughed, or sneezed, or sniffled.  He sounded so, so miserable, and there was nothing Steve could do about it.

“Hhh...Hh'ktssh! Hih’ktschGNX! Ht'ksshh! *snff* *snfff* guh,” Bucky groans before his breath catches and thrown into another coughing fit.

“What do you need, honey?” Steve asks anxiously, rubbing Bucky’s back.

“Ndothi’gg,” he rasps, clearing his throat. He’s slumped against Steve, head nuzzled against his neck as he gives lets out a wheezy, stuffy breath.  

“Do you want more medicine? How about some tea? Your throat is sounding like it’s bothering you.”

“Ndo...mbeds dond’t help...I’mb finde.”

“How about some soup? You need to eat something. If you don’t want soup, I think we have some ice cream, or I could go get you a smoothie? How about-“

“-Relax, Stevie,” Bucky rasps, chuckling lightly. He coughs twice into a fist and then pulls his knees to his chest as he slumps a little bit more into Steve.

“I’m being a little bit overbearing, aren’t I?” He chuckles, tightening his arm around Bucky’s shoulders.

“Just a little…but it’s okay…you’re cute whend you’re worried.”

“Sorry...I just...it’s my fault you’re this sick.”

“I’mb pretty sure it’s mbinde. I should have just told you.”

Steve chews on his bottom lip, “just...please don’t ever feel like you have to hide that you’re sick from me...I don’t care how busy I am, okay?”

“Sorry...you were...so busy and so excited for the play...I didnd’t wandt to disappoindt you...but I guess I did andyways, I’mb so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing. You’re sick, it’s not your fault.”

“Okay.”

Bucky shivers a little and presses his burning forehead to Steve’s neck.

“You’re still warm...too warm.”

“Yeah well...it explainds why everythi’gg hurts so mbuch...umb...I think I’mb tired endough to sleep.”

“Yeah? Want to go to bed?”

He nods.

He’s desperate for sleep - he hasn’t really gotten any in more than forty eight hours, and his body is screaming at him to get some.

“Cand you please just kndock mbe out with NdyQuil? I dond’t kbdow if I’ll actually be able to sleep.”

“You...you want NyQuil? I thought that you hated that stuff. You’re always talking about how weird you feel the next day”

“I dond’t care…I’mb so tired,” he whimpers, tears stinging his eyes, “I ndeed to sleep...I ndeed to.”

“Okay...alright, just breathe,” Steve soothes, “go get in bed, I’ll get you some.”

“Sorry...I’mb sorry,” Bucky groans, rubbing at his eyes.

“You’re sick, and sleep deprived and exhausted.  Don’t apologize.”

“Yeah...okay. Umb, I’mb goi’gg to go lay downd.”

Steve kisses his cheek, “I’ll be in there in a minute.”

“Steve?”

“Yeah?”

“I’mb really dizzy.”

“Okay…do you need some help?”

“Just…mbake sure I dond’t fall over.”

Steve follows Bucky to their room, “are you good?”

Bucky coughs into the blankets, “yeah…thank you.”

Steve kisses his burning temple, “I’ll be right back.”

Bucky doesn’t register when Steve leaves.  He’s floating, just on the edge of sleep but not quite there.  He needs the NyQuil, because he’s so exhausted that sleep isn’t coming.

It feels like forever until Steve gets back, but once he takes the medicine, it’s not long before sleep pulls him under.

[heyymonkey2]

First Night Back in Fuuga Ch 35: A Girl and a Boy Who Loves Her

AO3 Link to Chapter 35

Summary: Things culminate in Yona and Hak’s special night alone together

Hak’s hand leading Yona’s. Bare feet. Anxious hearts.

The moon is a great yellow orb on the gently cascading water, slight steam rising off the surface as the warm element meets the cool night air.

When Hak reaches the edge of the pool, he turns to his wife. Yona glances up at him, her expression a mix of scandal and excitement.

“We just… go in... naked?”

Hak smiles wryly. She’s feeling shy?! But she’s been so… forward lately.

Yona tries to clarify her meaning, “Is it OK?”

OH. Right. She’s not used to being allowed to do things like this around here. Not even close. Hak comforts, “We’re the only ones here if that’s what you’re worried about. And if by chance some lost person comes stumbling through, I’ll be able to hear it and protect your modesty. Promise.”

“OK…,” Yona considers, “turn around.”

Hak’s smile morphs to total delight at Yona’s unexpected behavior. He knows her so well, anything new is a fun angle to tease. But he’s holding his tongue tonight. So he turns and--

“I’ll go first,” then tosses his robe to the side and dives into the water.

Yona stares after him with wide eyes. So bold! How does he even know how deep it is?!

“Hak, you dummy! Don’t die!”

Then she sees his head pop up, flip his wet hair back out of his face, and turn to her with a wide grin--

“The water’s perfect! Warm, not hot. Feels great. Come here...”

Yona watches her personal warrior gracefully tread water as she musters her courage. Yes, Hak has seen her naked many times now. To be literal about it, he’s had his hands on every inch of her and been inside. But it’s different when they’re in the heat of things. They’re so close in proximity and she’s distracted from all her insecurities. Those moments are intense.

But this… feels like he might actually see her. And there are some parts of her body that are less than perfect in her eyes. She doesn’t want to be less than perfect in his.

Hak watches Yona consider her way forward. He’s sooo holding himself back. If he wasn’t on his best behavior, he’d absolutely be pulling her in right now -- robe and all. As he thinks about the look on her face if he’d done that...

...Yona is wary of what that mischievous smile on Hak’s face means as she walks to the edge of the water, pulls her robe up so she can dip her legs in, slips the rest of her robe off, immediately covers her breasts with an arm, and quickly drops herself into the water.

“Oh!” He wasn’t lying… this feels amazing.

Yona’s hair splays out behind her in pretty waves as she finds her footing. Ah, swimming -- yet another thing her father wouldn’t let her try, let alone learn. And of course Hak knows this about her but doesn’t say a word. Gracefully, he’s already at her side. She feels a strong arm around her waist to steady her.

“It’s shallow here. We can stay at this end if you’d like. ...but if you’ll let me take you -- the view out in the middle is worth the effort.”

Yona breathes out that thought with a sparkle in her eyes. Now that she’s actually in the water, her insecurities have taken a backseat to new exhilaration -- she can go out into the middle of a body of water? And naked… with Hak?! This is beyond anything I ever imagined in my palace life. It feels so… free.

“I want to go with you,” Yona bites her lower lip.

Hak feels her tense in his arm, but sees the determination and light in her eyes. And that damn lip. Stay strong. You’ve done this a million times before. Hak loves this part of her. Whenever he gets to teach her anything, she has this passion. And it always turns him on.

As Hak takes Yona out into the depths, he holds her at a bit of a distance so she doesn’t bump into… how he feels right now.

Yona is so wildly turned on in Hak’s hold around her bare waist as he glides her along, powering forward with his incredible legs. She loves how in control he is and so skilled at everything physical. Everything. She blushes.

When they reach the center, Hak gently shows Yona how to starfish in the water so she can float on her back. Not letting go of her, he does the same beside her and together they stare up at the incredible light in the sky.

It’s the time of year that the moon looks enormous against its dark backdrop and shines like a precious jewel. With the still, warm water hugging their backsides and the steam in the cool night air dancing over their bare skin, it’s an incredible, rare sensation.

“Hak…”

“Mm?”

Yona literally feels her heart squeeze she’s so happy, “You’re going to be such a great father.”

Hak looks over, the joy on her face and her smooth skin lit by the glow of the moon. He glances at her tummy, knowing what can’t yet be seen, also feeling a tug at his heart, “What I know for sure is… this child should thank the heavens daily for getting you as its mother.”

“What do you mean…?” Yona sincerely wasn’t expecting that.

“Don’t tell me you’re surprised. You nursed half this country back to good health by walking village to village. You tame beasts and nourish dragons. You’re the most loving, gentle, brilliant, kind-hearted woman I’ve ever seen,” then with a besotted smile, “and cool.”

Yona scrunches her nose in embarrassment, then remembers, “The first time you told me I was the coolest girl you’ve ever seen. ...that’s around when I first realized how deeply I’d fallen for you.”

“What?”

“When I said I wanted to touch you that night… I was too embarrassed to say it again. But I wanted to...”

Hak facepalms.

“You didn’t tell me that you liked me either!”

“I kissed you multiple times, licked honey off you…”

“I thought you were joking.”

“I know,” Hak remembers the night in the tent when she actually asked him to stop joking, “I wasn’t.”

They giggle and smile, flirt and tease there in the water for a little while longer before Yona starts wondering why Hak is keeping a distance between them. Her heart is still racing from doing any of this at all, so she’s feeling very…

She tries to maneuver her body a little closer to Hak… it’s a fail. Yona loses her balance and drops like a rock into the water -- only to immediately feel his arms around her and being pulled protectively against his body as he brings her back up.

“Easy there.”

Yona coughs up water, “Sorry… I… was just trying to get closer,” then realizing their position and becoming acutely aware of his strong biceps keeping her afloat, “It seems to have worked.”

Hak shakes his head as though he just lost years off his life, “I’m gonna teach you to swim.”

Yona notices his hair stuck to his face in the moonlight, droplets of water on his skin. Hak... is gorgeous.

“Tsk,” Yona smiles, beginning to look just as naughty as Hak on his most playful days, “If my father knew all the things you’d go on to teach me.”

“I’d have been out of a job,” Hak affirms before accidentally noticing her breasts cresting over the top of the water. Thank the gods King Il could not read minds. I definitely, most certainly would have been out of a job.

Yona watches him notice her, then purposely cuddles against him so he can feel her softness against his bare chest. That’s when she feels him below, poking against her belly. His breath catches and she can’t help herself--

“Especially because there’s one more thing I want you to teach me...”

“Hhh!” Hak gasps as Yona runs a hand on him below the surface of the water, “Yona…”

The way she looks up at him, those eyes, before he’s able to think, his mouth is on hers and they’re making out, her hold on him below strained and eager, his urges mounting, their bodies rubbing under the water, and before he knows it--

--he’s inside of her. Was it the rubbing or did she just…

“Yona!”

Hak sets Yona down on a chair in the great room of the main building, a robe loosely draped over her shoulders.

“Hak...” Yona is stunned he had so promptly pulled away and brought her back to the water’s edge.

Hak has a towel around his waist as he tries to calm down and think rationally, “Sorry, I panicked. I… I don’t want to hurt you.”

Yona sees the fear on his face, “I spoke to the doctor about this… I’m not fragile, it’s completely normal to still… do that.”

Yona watches the realization wash over Hak’s visage. The morph from concern to awe sets Yona at ease and then into laughter--

“I wondered what was going on.”

“Well, it also was a little reckless, too,” then Hak bashfully scratches the back of his head, “It was obvious I was avoiding it?”

“Hak. It was just us. In the moonlight. Naked,” she remembers wistfully, “It was perfect! But you kept holding me at arm’s length, just basically making sure I wasn’t dead or dying even though you clearly noticed me,” she nods at his ahem, then, “Yes: obvious.”

Hak is all sorts of pink, “Would you prefer I act on my impulses tonight?”

Yona’s smile rises… “You said you want me to relax. Then exhaust me.”

The moon still shines majestically over them as Hak leads Yona into a flowered clearing in the woods behind the bath house. Knowing what’s likely coming… Yona is filled with anticipation and her breathing is heavier than it should be.

Both lovers are loosely wearing their robes from before and Hak has a pillow and blanket tucked effortlessly under one arm.

Yona’s heart races as she watches him lay down the bedding in this beautiful setting. When he’s done, he sits facing her with his arms gesturing she join--

“It’s not the water, but we’ll still be naked in the moonlight.”

Yona scooches next to Hak, wanting him so badly, savoring the scent of being near him. She looks up at her man, her lips slightly parted…, “It’s chilly.”

Hak leans down and takes her lips with his. They make out with needy kisses like electric shocks, his hands cupping her face, her hands pawing up onto his hard chest and straining against him.

Hak gently lowers Yona onto her back, his hands move down and deftly untie her sash before parting her robe. He pulls his lips from hers so he can take in the sight of her body here like this -- swollen mounds and glowing skin. The heaving of her chest. Goosebumps he’ll do his best to send away.

All Yona’s inhibitions are gone. She sees the look in his eyes -- wanton. She opens her thighs and hardly realizes it as she moves a hand down to touch herself.

Hak loses it. His arms slide under her legs to lift her hips toward him and his mouth joins her hand at her womanhood. Acting on his impulses, indeed. He licks her like a beast, no restraint, his tongue wild and mouth heated. Yona gently bucks into him, feeling too much and desperate for more.

The feeling of his large, strong hands on her thighs, the sight of his sexy black hair whipping across her belly as he works, the sound of the moans he can’t quite control -- or doesn’t want to -- as he kisses her as intimately as a man can.

“Nnn nnn ahnn,” Yona gasps and whimpers as her husband follows his desire. And then his tongue is inside her -- she spreads her legs as far as she can for him, her head presses back hard into the pillow and she turns her head back and forth and back and forth as she tries to handle the sensations.

Hak loves the taste of every nook and opening on her body. He’s drawn to them -- they cloud his eyes with lust and send all the blood in his body rushing to one place. His mind completely lost. The ultimate distraction. She before him, writhing in pleasure at his touch. Her taste on his mouth driving him crazy.

“Hak!” Yona puts her hands in his hair as she screams it, as she feels the squeeze in her core begin to culminate already. Fuck, he’s good--

As Yona comes, her hips spasm and her breathing stops, her body becomes boneless, exhausted and pleased. When she looks up at Hak and sees how he’s still looking at her -- like he’d take her there again and again if she’d let him -- she smiles softly up at him.

“I’m not... cold... anymore.”

Hak watches a bead of sweat slide down her forehead.

Yona watches him take his robe off -- and sees a bead of precum on the tip of his erect cock.

“This is…,” still trying to catch her breath, “...what I wanted you to… teach me,” she continues staring at his swollen member.

Yona reaches her hand up to Hak. He helps her sit up and allows her to reposition his sitting position as he tries to gather her meaning. While she looks at his body, he can’t help but lean forward and take one of her breasts into his mouth. She wraps her arms around his broad shoulders as he arouses her, suckling and flicking, taking so much into his mouth and moaning affirmation.

When Hak pulls away, Yona sees how intensely turned on he is and pushes him down onto his back. He watches up at her, ready to be a slave for whatever she desires.

Yona takes his great erection in one of her petite hands and licks it from base to tip. She looks up to see his chest heaving.

“Yona…” he whimpers in worship.

She’s still a little nervous -- given she’s made some pretty embarrassing mistakes at this before -- but looks to her teacher for guidance, “What feels good?”

“That,” he confirms, “and… a little more wetness, then squeeze gently, small twists.”

Yona does as she’s instructed -- taking him as far into her mouth as she can and getting it as wet as possible, a mix of his precum and her saliva. Then with both hands, she carefully squeezes and twists, watching his reactions to gauge how much harder to go.

“What else?” she’s loving what this is doing to him, his eyes rolling back into his head.

Hak is shy to be teaching her this… and yet he’s in heaven and can’t resist, “...cup my balls with one hand, rub me with the other, and suck the tip.”

Yona obliges, now really getting into it -- gently cradling his sack, rubbing his cock faster and harder with her other hand, and sucking his tip as thoroughly as she can -- naturally bouncing her head up and down on it, allowing it to collide with the back, top of her mouth again and again.

Then suddenly she feels the surge in her hand and her mouth begin to fill with something -- she pulls away and lets the rest shoot up onto his stomach. There’s. so. much. stuff.

Yona stares at him bewildered -- there’s stuff in her mouth. She has no idea what to do.

Hak realizes, “You don’t have to… swallow that if you don’t want to.”

Yona spits it into the grass -- mind blown -- and starts laughing in embarrassment and genuine amusement, “Girls… swallow it?”

Hak’s face is beet red as he works to regain his breath, “...sometimes.”

“Wait. How do you…” Yona’s accusatory now.

Hak lifts his hands in innocence, “I’ve heard! Not experienced.”

Yona smiles relief, then cuddles up against his hot body on the blanket. She’s embarrassed but curious when she asks, “Would that… turn you on? If I swallowed it...”

Hak is incredulous that this conversation is happening. He glances off to the side so she can’t see his face.

Yona crawls over him to see his expression and it’s written all over it -- “It would!”

Hak’s smile is so big.

Yona giggles, then looks down at the stuff still left on his belly. The same stuff that had gotten her pregnant. She realizes how much more there is to explore with Hak and their bodies… and she can’t wait.

“Thank you for your patience, Sensei. Next time I’ll do even better.”

Hak laughs up at the sky as he wipes his stomach with a small cloth they brought, “I'm done for. No man stands a chance against this,” then he pulls her close against him as they lay naked looking up at the stars, surrounded by sweet-smelling flowers, “A lifetime with you isn’t enough.”

“I feel the same,” Yona looks away from the stars and looks at what’s so much more mesmerizing to her -- him. She begins to trace one of his pecks with her fingers, “I love being out here with you like this. I wish… our life could be like this.”

“Then let’s make it like this.”

“I don’t know how…”

“You do. It’s how you were when we traveled together. Be that honest with your heart even now. And if you ever feel yourself losing touch with it… let me take you back here, to this place that’s just ours to be free, and we can remember together.”

“You’re right,” Yona feels her heart lift at the thought, “Coming back to the palace, I slipped back into my stuffy old life, how I knew things were, as though I couldn’t change anything. But that’s not how we got this far. Not by following politics.”

“I’d hate to see you living that kind of life… It would be a shame. Not just for us. For this country.”

“I need to reject the politics and do what’s right no matter what. Starting with the Generals’ Meeting tomorrow.”

Hak turns to her and strokes her cheek, “After our baby comes, I want you to know… if you want to travel again, I support that. Even if it’s hard. I want you to protect your freedom. You can’t be locked up in the palace. ...I want our children to see their mother thrive out there. They’ll be strong because of it, too.”

“Hak…” Yona is deeply moved to hear these words from him, knowing how hard it must be for him to offer that freedom. Few husbands of the age are this understanding. Even fewer kings. But to Hak, her happiness has always come before everything else.

Yona stands and pulls her husband up with her. She leads him through the flowered field, the moon still casting a beautiful light over everything in the face of the night. Yona stops and takes a step back, letting Hak look at her out here like this. See her. And she sees him.

The scars. The hard-earned muscles from thousands of hours training. Training for her. To protect her. To be the best for her. But most beautiful of all… the soul inside him. He’s not the same boy from the palace before. Even being romantic tonight… he’s still changing, growing, becoming.

Hak looks at Yona. The now-rough hands on her otherwise flawless body. The hair she’d cut for him now midway down her back. But most incredible of all… the spirit inside her. She’s not the same girl from the palace before. Even taking chances tonight... she's still changing, growing, becoming.

And it's happening together. Their hearts becoming closer. Their lives for each other.

Yona reaches up and touches his face, tears in her eyes. He leans down to kiss her and they make out, hands wandering. Yona tackles him down onto the flowers and crawls on top of him into a lotus position -- he sitting leaning back slightly, her legs wrapped around him, his legs bent out before him.

She lowers herself onto his shaft and slowly, gently rises on and falls on him, her hands wrapped around him over his shoulders, fingers playing in his hair. He gently holds her waist as he watches himself go in and out of her and then stares into her eyes as he feels it instead.

Yona leans in and they continuing kissing, loving each other. When he can feel she’s coming near her climax, he flips her onto her back so he can hit the exact spot inside he’s figured out she likes. It’s an incredible feeling now especially that he’s more sure than ever that this doesn’t hurt her -- rather, it feels incredible for her.

“Unnhh,” Yona gasps in pleasure as she tightens around him -- and for the first time she pinpoints the exact feeling of Hak coming inside of her. It’s a magical sensation in her core, intensely emotional -- to have pleased him this way -- but also a warmth tangibly spreading inside.

Yona and Hak hold each other -- sweat and sweet sticky naked skin in the moonlight, hands in hair, eyes full of wonder.

"I'm exhausted," Yona admits.

Hak kisses her closed eyelids and smiles down at his princess.

Thank you, gods.

It's a night of gratefulness.

That this boy loved this girl. That she loved him back. And that their love only grows… together.

[fluffyllamas-23]

This is for everyone who’s down with the fuckin’ plague and depression right now.  I hope you all feel better soon <3

*

Tap. Tap. Tap.

It’s only six in the morning, but Lance has been awake for the better part of the last three hours, listening to the rain hitting the roof and windows.  

He squeezes his eyes shut, lets out a groan, and buries himself further into the blankets.  

Lance had gotten caught in the rain last night, which normally wouldn’t have been a big deal.  Except, he had been feeling a cold coming on for nearly a week now, and the rain had just kickstarted it.  

He would get out of bed, but it’s so cold, and his bed is so warm, and he feels like hell.

He sniffles, nuzzling his face into the pillow. He muffles a coughing fit into it and then shivers and pulls the blankets over his head (which is throbbing in time with the rain drops).

Sometime later, there’s a knock at the door. He feels his bed dip and there’s a hand on his shoulder, shaking him.  

“Nnnngh,” Lance groans, rolling on his stomach and hiding his head under the pillow.  

“Come on, Lance.”

“Go away, Keith,” he croaks, voice muffled by the pillow.

“The storm is going to hit tonight, and you promised us you’d come help me stock up.”

Lance groans.  The weather is calling for the biggest storm of the year, which is dumb, because why are they getting a storm in the fall?

“Just go without me, I’m tired.”

“We’re in college, we’re all tired.  Come on, classes are cancelled today, you can sleep when we get back.”

“I’m tired,” Lance gripes, gripping his blankets tighter.  

Keith sighs in frustration and gets off his bed.

Lance grins sleepily into the pillow, but then, “Shiro, he’s being a stubborn ass.”

“What?” Shiro asks.

“Lance. He won’t get up.”

“Why are you getting so mad?” Lance asks, struggling into a sitting position, “and why are you telling on me? What, are you five?”

Keith’s head whips around to look at Lance.  “Because you always do this.  You promise to do something, and then you flake.  Shiro has to go to work, I can’t get everything by myself.  Get up.”

Lance groans and flops back down. There’s no way he’s winning this. “Can you just give me ten minutes?”

“Yes.  Now hurry up.”

Forty minutes later, Lance is trudging behind Keith as they walk up and down the aisles at the store.  He just wants to go back to bed, because walking is becoming more and more of an effort.

“Lance, come on,” Keith groans.

“I’m...heh...s-sorry...eh-heh...hitsch! *snff* I’m just tired.  I want to go back to bed.”

“You can after we get everything,” Keith says, tone clipped.

It’s a long process - Keith is about to murder Lance, because if he hears ‘I’m tired’ one more time, he’s going to throttle him. Finally though, they’re done, and Keith is driving them back to campus.

Lance sniffles again, which triggers a spluttering coughing fit.  He quickly buries his face in his scarf, and lets out a low groan of discomfort.  Keith grimaces when he hears Lance’s cough, and he glances over at him, concern gnawing at the pit of his stomach.

“Are-are you, um, okay?” Keith frowns.

Lance sniffles again and shrugs, slumping against the window.  

*

Lance is bundled up on the couch, wearing a sweatshirt that’s four sizes too big. The hood is flopped over his eyes and the thickest blanket they own draped over his shoulders. He’s gripping a hot cup of tea in his trembling hands - they’re shaking so badly that he doesn’t even bother trying to drink it, because he knows he’ll just spill it all over himself. He wishes he was able to drink it though, because his throat is killing him, and hot tea seems like the only thing that will help.  

Keith is pacing the living room, one hand is behind his head, gripping his hair as he waits for Shiro to pick up.

“Keith?”

“Lance is sick. What do I do?”

“Is he okay?”

“I just said he's sick,” Keith bites.

“Relax,” Shiro chuckles, “what's wrong with him?”

“I don't know, the fucking plague or something.”

“It's not the plague,” Lance croaks, “it's just a cold, I'm fine.”

“You almost passed out,” Keith bristles, pulling the phone away from his face to glare at his sick friend, “you're not fine.”

Lance grimaces - the minute they had walked through the door, black spots clouded his vision, and he had to grip the doorframe and sink to the floor to avoid passing out.  If he didn’t feel so terrible, he would have laughed at how panicked Keith looked.

Keith turns his attention back to his phone conversation, “I don't know what to do, when will you be home?”

“They just sent us home, the storm is starting to pick up. I'll be home in fifteen.”

Lance sniffles, blinking heavily as his vision swims.

“Keith...could you...u-um take the tea...needa lie down,” Lance mutters, shaking his head. Keith takes it from him, and Lance grips the blanket tighter around him as he shivers and drops down onto his side.

“Hhh...hih’nngxcht! *snff*”

Lance curls into himself, eyelids drooping.

“Hey, are you alright?” Keith asks.

“Jus’don’t feel good.”

“Why didn't you just say you were sick this morning?” Keith demands.

“You were right...I do flake.”

“Being sick isn't flaking, you moron.”

Lance shrugs.  Once the world stops moving, he pushes himself into a sitting position.

“M’going to bed.”

Keith nods, watching as Lance trudges into his room.

As soon as Shiro walks through the door, Keith sighs in relief.

“Thank God.”

“How's Lance?” He asks, depositing his jacket, umbrella and laptop bag on the floor.

“I don't know. He sounds like hell, though.”

Lance is lying in bed, half asleep when there's a knock on his door.

“Hey, Lance?”

Lance sniffles, rolling on his side, “yeah, come in.”

“Hey, man,” Shiro says, leaning against the doorframe.

“Hhh...hey...hh-h-huh…*snff* Hih-ihtsch! Ngsh! *Snff* Nnnngh.” Lance groans, pain exploding in his sinuses and temples.

“How are you feeling?”

“Not great...kinda lightheaded *snff* I’m freezing.”

“Have you had any medicine?”

“Nhhh...hh-hih-hih...heh-eh…*snff* hh’ihtsch! Ngsh! Ehtsch! *snff* ndo.” He croaked, congestion seeping into his voice. He chokes on a coughing fit, and Shiro is at his side and pulling him into a sitting position in an instant. At the end of the fit, Lance sags back into the pillow, and Shiro has a hand on his forehead.

He purses his lips, “I'll be right back.”

*

Lance wakes up in the middle of the night, shivering miserably. He wants to stay in bed, but ice is in his bones, and if he stays in bed, he’s positive he will freeze. He manages to get up, but he’s trembling so badly his teeth start chattering.

Why is it so cold?

“Sh-shiro? K-keith?” He rasps, staggering out of his room. Shiro and Keith are standing in front of the fireplace, both of them are bundled up in jackets and scarves, and they turn to look at him when they hear him emerge.

“Shit, are you alright?” Shiro asks, crossing his arms as he shivers. “I was just about to come check on you.”

“C-c-cold,” Lance says weakly, stumbling to the couch.  He drops down face-first, and groans through a coughing fit that makes his chest burn and throat ache.

He feels blankets being dropped over him, but they don’t seem to work. He’s still trembling.

“The power went out, we have no heat, I’m sorry.” Keith sighs. As soon as they get the fireplace on, Keith slips under the blankets, and Lance immediately cuddles up to him. He’s desperate for warmth, and Keith feels like a space heater right now.

“Here,” Shiro says, dropping a pile of clothes next to Lance. “Put these on, stay warm. I’m going to make you some tea.”

“I’mb tired,” Lance croaks.

“Clothes on, then sleep.”

Lance sniffles, coughing into the blankets.

“Come on,” Keith says, poking Lance.

After much poking, prodding and convincing, Lance is wearing two sweatshirts, a scarf, beanie and gloves, and he’s curled up underneath the pile of blankets.

Shiro walks back over to him a few minutes later, places the cup of tea on the coffee table and then disappears into his room.

He appears a minute later, carrying his laptop.

“I vote we watch a movie.”

“I second that,” Lance croaks, voice muffled by the blankets.  

Shiro sets up Netflix and then gets underneath the blankets on the other side of Lance.

Lance sighs in relief at the increase of body heat. Gradually, the shivering decreases, and then, he’s asleep.

[fluffyllamas-23]

Part one of this can be found here, but you don’t need to read it to understand, I don’t think

Paisley is lying in bed, bored out of her mind.  She’s had this stupid flu for what feels like weeks, when in reality it hasn’t even been two.  

She and Logan had been texting pretty frequently, and he’s stopped by a few times with tea or soup or medicine when she runs out.  He never stays for long, because Paisley doesn’t want him to get sick, and he’s worried about overstepping.

‘Are you in class?’ She texts him, and then chews on her bottom lip, rolling on her side.  She’s started to become dependent on his texts, and she waits anxiously for him to respond.

‘Nope! Just doing homework, why?’

‘I’m bored.’

‘LOL being sick does that. Hey, how are you feeling?’

‘Better, I think’

‘:D good!’

Finally, a week later, Paisley’s up and running again.  For the most part, she feels great, she just tires easily, but it’s nothing she can’t handle.

She texts him the morning she finally wakes up feeling better, and they set a day for their date - Saturday night at seven, two days from now.

Paisley has never been this excited for a date before - in fact, she’s never been this excited for anything before.

Logan has never been this excited for a date before either, he hasn’t been talking to her for that long, but he’s been crushing on her for months.  And now, he’s falling hard for her.  

So, when he wakes up the day of their date sick, he let’s out a string of curses and pushes himself into a sitting position. His vision swims and dances, and then he’s flopping back down into the pillows.

He can’t be sick, not today. He has too much to do - he has to work all day, and then he’s taking her out, and he’s just…confused.  Because, how can he be sick again? He was just sick less than two months ago.  

Maybe it was just a mind over matter thing.

Maybe he doesn’t actually have a headache, maybe the sore throat is just because he had been sleeping with his mouth open.  Although, he can’t figure out a way to explain away the body aches or the chills, or how congested he feels.  

No, he’s definitely sick - he feels like hell, there’s no denying it.  

He sniffles, rubbing under his nose as he forces himself out of bed. The room tilts slightly, and he plops back down on the bed, cupping his head.  He briefly thinks that he should cancel and reschedule, but he pushes the thought away.  

No.  He’s fine, he shouldn’t cancel just because he’s a little sniffly.

He’d be fine.

He checks his phone, a grin crossing his face when he sees a text from Paisley. He gets back under his covers and rolls on his side as he peers at it.

‘I hate everything and everyone right now.’

‘:o even me???’

‘You’re the exception.  I honest to God can’t wait for tonight.  Save me from these morons.”

He definitely can’t cancel now.

‘Sorry your day isn’t going great’

‘It’s okay, I’ll live, probably.’

‘XD’

He sniffles, pinching his nose to stifle a string of sneezes.  Great.

Logan’s been at work for three hours now, and he just wants to lie down and die (not to be dramatic, or anything).  He’s been helping customers almost constantly, and he’s been fighting the urge to sneeze the entire time.  

“Excuse me, sir?” Someone says.  

He turns around, forcing a smile on his face, “hello, ma’am, hhh…how c-can I help you?”

“Where’s your furniture section?”

Logan sniffles, swiping at his nose with the back of his hand. He sounds heavily congested, but luckily none of the customers have commented on it.  

“We don’t have one, but-”

“-yes you do.”

He blinks, “um…no…no we don’t.”

“You used to.”

“We haven’t had a furniture section for years.”

“Well that’s just ridiculous,” she bristles, “I’m very disappointed in you.”

She turns on her heels and storms off.  Logan sniffles again, coughing lightly into his fist before hurrying off to the bathroom.  He locks himself in a bathroom stall, not even caring that he’d probably get in trouble for leaving the floor.  

“Hih’ihnGNX! IhngXCHT! Ihh…*snff* hhh’ihgCHT!” He sniffles miserably. After a few minutes, he comes out of the bathroom and returns to the floor.

He walks into the stockroom, and grabs one of the five carts that’s full of gobacks.  He trudges through the store, pushing the cart. His head is swimming, and he feels a bit like he’s floating.  He’s woozy, too, and his vision feels jerky and unfocused.  

“Logan?” Paisley says, coming up behind him.  

After a few moments, he squints at her, confusion on his face, “What’re you doing in my swamp?”

She stares at him for a full minute before she bursts out laughing, “what the hell?”

He sniffles, staring at her blankly before shaking his head and squeezing his eyes shut. “Um…I didn’t think I was going to see you until tonight.”

“Well you’re at Target…so…”

“…Target?”

She frowns, “yeah…you’re at the store…work, I’m guessing because of the nametag…are you okay? You don’t sound…well.”

He sniffles, coughing into his wrist as he shivers, “I’m okay.”

She steps towards him and holds her hand out hesitantly before pressing it to his forehead.  She hisses, narrowing her eyes at him, “why didn’t you tell me you’re sick? Why are you not in bed?”

“I’m fine,” he croaks weakly.

“Bullshit, Logan.  What the hell? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

He mumbles something unintelligible, and she grabs his hand before dragging him through the store to the cold and flu aisle. Once she has them in her basket, she nudges him gently towards the cash register.  

“Hello, can I speak with a manager?” Paisley asks the employee.

“I’m a manager,” The man chirps, but then his eyes go to his sick employee. “Logan? You said you were fine, what the fuck, man? You look like hell.”

Logan coughs miserably, swaying on his feet, “I…um…I think I need to go home.”

“Go. I’m taking you off the schedule for the next few days, just…get some rest.”

Paisley puts the basket on the counter, and grunts as Logan droops into her, his six foot three, one hundred and sixty pound frame nearly crushing her.  

As soon as she pays for everything, she half-carries him to her car.  

“What are we…huh?”

“I’m taking you back to my apartment.”

“But…work.”

“Logan, I’m fairly positive you’re a minute from passing out.”

“Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad, I’m probably the one who got you sick…I’m sorry.”

“Why did you kill Logan?” Ashton asks, staring over the back of the couch at him.  Logan is completely hopped up on cold meds, which effectively knocked him out, and he’s been fast asleep for hours.

“I didn’t kill him.”

“Well he hasn’t moved in…fifteen hours.”

“He had a one hundred and three degree fever. He passed out,” she says defensively, crossing her arms, “he needs to sleep.”

Still though, she crouches in front of him and puts a hand on his forehead.  His skin is no longer burning beneath her touch, he still feels warm, but not worryingly so.

“Logan,” She says gently, putting a hand on his shoulder, “it’s time to get up.”

He inhales sharply, opens his eyes, and then goes into a harsh, grating coughing fit.

He looks around wildly, eyes glassy and filled with confusion and slight panic. “Wha-”

“-hey, relax,” she soothes, putting a hand on his cheek, “you’re at my apartment, don’t freak.”

“I don’t remember coming here…what day is it?” He croaks.

“Saturday morning.  Do you remember last night?”

“I think…I was at work.”

She nods, “that’s where I ran into you…and then you asked me what I was doing in your swamp.”

Ashton starts laughing so hard she has to leave the room to compose herself.  

Logan’s cheeks flush even more and he groans, “Shiiiit.  I watched Shrek two nights ago.”

“Anyways,” she chuckles, “you had a one hundred and three degree fever, you’ve been asleep since last night.  You need to eat though, what are you in the mood for?”

He sniffles, shivering lightly as he curls into himself, “I’m sorry I ruined our date.”

“Logan, we’re going to have more,” she says, rolling her eyes.  “Don’t be so dramatic…but also, please be a little bit more dramatic when it comes to your health, yeah? If you’re sick, just tell me, you moron.”

“Sorry,” he grins, eyes sliding shut.

“It’s okay…you almost gave me a heart attack when you passed out in the parking lot, but it’s okay.”

His eyes fly open, “I passed out?”

“Oh yeah.  You just…ate it.”

“Oh my God,” he groans.  

“I was putting stuff in my car, and I heard a thump, and I looked over and you were lying on the ground.  Scared the shit out of me.”

“Please just kill me,” he coughs, pulling the blankets over his head.

She pulls them back down, “but who else is going to quote Shrek?”

“I hate you,” He mumbles into the blankets.  

She laughs, ruffling his sandy blond hair, “what do you want to eat?”

“Nothing.”

“Mmm…not an option.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Yeah, I gathered. Want some soup?”

“It’s nine in the morning,” He croaks.

“And you’re sick, I’m sure your throat is killing you.”

“It is,” he mumbles, hiding half his face in the pillows.  

She pulls the blankets up over his shoulders and leans down to kiss his cheek.  She freezes, eyes widening.  “Oh…um…I’m s-”

He rolls on his back, reaches out and grabs her hand before pulling her down so she’s lying on top of him.  He wraps his arms around her, and she rests her head on his chest.  

“You can kiss me as much as you want.”

Her cheeks flush, “okay good, because I intend to kiss you a lot.”

He sniffles, but grins lazily, “perfect.”

[fluffyllamas-23]

I…have some regrets

Day whatever of sickdays   I think it’s day 5? But I honestly can’t remember lol

Prompt: Your character did something, but now it’s coming back and biting them in the butt. 

This is so much longer than anything I’ve written lately lol enjoy my peeps.

Shiro and Allura had been flirting back and forth for months now.  It was obvious to everyone that knew them and saw the two interact, that they liked each other very much.

Finally, after weeks of psyching himself up and convincing himself that she most likely wouldn’t say no, he asked her out.  To his relief (and surprise, honestly), she said yes.

Since they were both college students, and their schedules were so different, it took them a while to nail down a day that worked for both of them.  

Shiro had been looking forward to it the days leading up to their date.  

School had been beyond stressful these past few weeks - between all of the projects, papers and tests that his professors had assigned, he had gotten very little sleep.  His immune system had suffered - his apparent penance for all the sleepless nights - and he woke up the day of the date, head pounding and throat aching.  

“No.” He groaned, hiding his head under the pillow.  Not today.  Not now.  Not when he was finally, finally, going out with her.

He had been waiting so long for this.

Typically when he got sick, he could feel it coming on for days in advance, but this had come completely out of the blue.

He felt weak, and heavy and achey and cold.  It was then that he noticed he was shivering, and no matter how deeply he burrowed into his blankets, he still couldn’t get warm.  

He needed to kick this thing before he saw her, because there was no way in hell he was canceling.  

Shiro forced himself out of bed for some medicine.  

“Good morning…well, afternoon, sleeping beauty.” Hunk greeted him, looking up from his laptop when Shiro walked in the kitchen. “What time is it?” He rasped. “One…are you okay?” “I’m…uh…not feeling too great.” Hunk slammed his laptop shut.  “Do you need a doctor?” Shiro rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.” “I just…you never admit when you don’t feel well.  It’s gotta be pretty bad then.” Hunk frowned. “You’re shivering too.  Fever?” Shiro rubbed his forehead.  “I think.  I was going to grab some medicine and go back to sleep.” “Hey, isn’t your date tonight? You gonna cancel?” Shiro scoffed.  “No.” “You look like shit.  Sound like it, too.  She’s going to be so pissed if you show up sick when you should be in bed.” “I’ll be fine.” He said, waving Hunk off.

Luckily, he wasn’t coughing or sneezing, and he hoped it would stay that way.

Shiro took some DayQuil, and then walked back into his bedroom and collapsed into bed. He sent Allura a ‘Looking forward to tonight ;) I’ll see you at seven’ text, set his alarm, and then promptly fell asleep.

When he woke up, he didn’t feel any better. While that sucked, and he was hoping he would have felt a greater improvement, he didn’t feel any worse.  So that was okay, he guessed.

He glanced at the clock, rubbed a hand over his face, and forced himself out of bed.  He would have rather stayed in bed, and he knew that he should have postponed, but he had been waiting to take her out since the moment he met her.  He wasn’t going to let his stupid immune system screw with his plans.

Shiro stepped into his bathroom, pressing a hand to his face to gauge how warm his skin was - he was no longer shivering, which was an improvement.

Thirty minutes later, he was standing on her stoop, waiting anxiously for her to open the door.

“You look beautiful.” Shiro breathed when she finally did.  He handed her the bouquet of wildflowers, and she immediately blushed and shot him a shy smile. “Thank you. These are gorgeous.  I’m going to go put them in a vase - would you like to come in?” He nodded, stepping inside as she walked back into the kitchen.  He watched as she walked away, his eyes drifting down to her slim waist and then down to her ass. She looked over her shoulder at him, a smirk on her face and he flushed. His eyes immediately snapped to the ceiling, and she just laughed.  “Shiro, you naughty, naughty man.  Were you staring?” “Who? Me? No, never.” She chuckled, and disappeared into the kitchen.  When she returned, she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest.  “I’m really looking forward to tonight.” “Me too.” He rasped, wrapping his arms around her.   She frowned and looked up at him. “Are you alright? You sound…off.” “I’m okay.” Her eyes searched his face, and her frown deepened. “You’re pale.” He sighed in defeat. “I’m a little..under the weather, but I’m fine.” Her face fell.  “If you’re not feeling well, we can always reschedule.” Shiro shook his head frantically.  “No.  Really, Allura, I’m fine.  I don’t feel that bad, promise.” Allura eyed him warily.  “You’ll tell me if you start to feel too bad, right?” He nodded, but had no intention to do so.  “Yeah, I promise.” She let out a sigh.  “I don’t know…we can always stay in.  I don’t want you to get worse.” “Allura, I’m fine.” “Okay, okay! I’m sorry.  I’ll leave you alone.” She grinned. He grinned at her.  “Are you ready to go?” She nodded, a smile crossing her face.

They had gone to dinner.  Shiro didn’t eat much, and although Allura noticed with a pinched expression, she stayed silent.  Then they went to see a movie - Shiro definitely kept nodding off, and again, Allura noticed but said nothing. Currently, they were currently grabbing a cup of coffee.  

Shiro had steadily felt worse over the course of the night, and he was doing a terrible job of hiding it.  

“Shiro.” Allura said softly, reaching forward across the table to put her hand over his.  “You’re looking really miserable.  I really think it’s time to get you home.” He wretched away from her, burying his nose and mouth in a napkin. “Hhh…hiiH’TSHH! Hih’tSHH! Hihh’ktSHH! *snff* I’mb finde.” She shot him a sympathetic look, and stood up from the table. “You’ve been sniffling and sneezing all night.  Come on, you can’t be feeling well. You promised you’d tell me if you felt worse.” He sniffled, eyes filling with tears.  “I’mb sorry.” “Why are you sorry?” She frowned, standing up.   He blinked the tears away and then cleared his throat.   “I ruined the date.  I’mb sohhh…hih…hiiH’TSHH! *Snff* Sorry.” Her eyes softened.  “You didn’t ruin the date.  I had a great time, I’m just sorry you’re not feeling well.” He just sniffled.  Allura put a hand between his shoulder blades, and he stood up.

She moved her hand so it was on his lower back, and they walked out of the coffee shop.

“Oh shit. It’s raining.” She hissed, crossing her arms. It wasn’t just raining, no, it was a torrential downpour. It was cold out, too, and Allura hadn’t brought a jacket, instead she was just in her jeans, boots, and short-sleeved, flowy blouse.   “Here.” Shiro croaked, and draped his jacket over her shoulders. She looked up at him with wide eyes.   She tried shrugging “Shiro, no.” “Dond’t fight mbe ond it, Allura.” He sniffled. “You’re sick. If you get caught in the rain, you’re going to get really bad.  Let me go grab the car and bring it around.” He shook his head.  “Ndo.  I’ll be finde, if we have to end the date early, please let mbe have this. Besides, I dond’t wandt you to catch andythindg.” She sighed, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Despite how awful he looked, he was wearing such a hopeful expression, and looked so cute, that she couldn’t say no.  “Okay…but I’m wrapping you up in a blanket and making you tea and soup when I get you home.” He nodded, pinching the bridge of his nose and stifling a flurry of sneezes.  “*Snff* Deal.” “I don’t like this.  I really don’t like this.” “It’ll be finde.” He promised.

He took a deep breath, and then stepped out into the pouring rain.  Immediately, he was soaked, his black shirt clinging to his body.  His hair was plastered to his forehead, droplets of water falling into his eyes.  

He regretted his decision instantaneously, but made the two minute walk to his car as quickly as possible.

*

Allura’s place was closer, so they went there instead of going back to his place.  She immediately sent him upstairs to take a hot shower, and then called Hunk.

“Hey, Allura!” He greeted her. “Would you be able to bring Shiro some clothes to my place?” “What have you two crazy kids been up to?” He asked suggestively. She rolled her eyes.  “We got caught in the rain, and he’s really not feeling well.” “Shit, is he okay?” “Uh…not sure? He will be, though.  He just needs some dry clothes.” “Yeah, I’ll be there soon.”

Shiro was too exhausted, and felt too weak to stand upright in the shower.  He found himself sitting on the floor, his back against the tiled walls with his head back as the hot water hit his body.  He was shivering hard, his teeth chattering as his body trembled.  He wanted to get out, dry off, and bury himself underneath a mountain of blankets, but he was too achey and heavy to stand. He had been coughing almost incessantly, and it was making his chest burn.

Ten minutes later, the water had gone cold, but still, he couldn’t bring himself to stand up. The congestion had gotten worse - both in his head and his chest, and he felt miserable.

There was a knock on the bathroom door, and then Hunk poked his head in.

“Hey, man.  How’re you doing?” Shiro frowned, confusion going through his fevered brain.  “Hundk? I thought…amb I at Allura’s?” “Damn, you’re really out of it, huh?” Hunk asked, eyebrows furrowing together. “Yeah, you’re at Allura’s, she just asked if I could bring you over some clothes.  Ready to get out? You sound like shit, I could hear you coughing from downstairs.” Shiro just groaned.  Hunk shut off the water, and hissed when some of it hit his hand.  “Why is the water so damn freezing? You’re just making yourself worse, what the fuck, man?” Shiro sniffled.  “It was hot at first.”
  Hunk helped him out of the shower, and wrapped a towel around him.  “Okay, are you able to dress yourself? I’m really not down for doing that.” Shiro nodded dazedly after a beat, and Hunk nudged him towards Allura’s bedroom. 

A pair of sweats, long sleeved shirt, hoodie, underwear and fuzzy socks were folded up and sitting on her duvet.  

Hunk left to give him some privacy, but told him to call for him if he needed help.

“How is he?” Allura asked anxiously. “Not…great.” Hunk sighed. “He was sitting on the floor of the shower with icy water beating down on him.” She groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.  “I knew that it was a bad idea for him to give me his jacket.  Do you think he’s feverish?” “Oh, absolutely.  I didn’t check, but I was helping him out of the shower and I could feel the heat radiating from him.  He’s really out of it, too.” They heard a weak and raspy “help” coming from her room. When Hunk opened the door, he burst out laughing.  

“What?” Allura asked. “I feel bad for laughing, but…hey, buddy.  You good?” He asked, crouching in front of Shiro.  

Shiro had managed to get his underwear on correctly, but that was it.  He had pulled one of his sweat pant legs over both of his, trapping them.  His shirt was around his neck like a scarf, and his head was trapped in the sleeve of his sweatshirt.  

“Help.” Shiro croaked, swaying lightly in his spot.  Hunk and Allura pulled Shiro to his feet, and then sat him on her bed.  Hunk fixed Shiro’s sweats, and Allura fixed his shirt and sweatshirt.  He immediately flopped to his side, coughing miserably.

“He sounds really bad.” Allura grimaced, putting a hand on his cheek. “Oh shit.  Yeah, he’s burning up.” Hunk glanced at the time on his phone.  “I would stay and help, but I need to get to work.” Allura put her hand on his shoulder.  “It’s fine.  Thank you, Hunk.”

*

When Shiro opened his eyes next, he glanced around the room blearily.  He had no memory of anything after parking in Allura’s driveway at the end of their date.  He was in her bed, he presumed, buried underneath a thick pink duvet. He pushed himself to a sitting position, and slumped back into the pillows.  

He felt worse than he remembered, so much so that it nearly brought him to tears. 

Everything felt wrong. 

His entire body hurt, as if he’d been been ran over by a semi truck, and then dragged through hell and back. His head was aching, in fact, he was pretty sure he was getting a migraine.  He was stuffed up, too; it felt like his head had been filled with sludge, and he had a constant, deep-seated itchy tickle in his sinuses. He could feel the congestion in his chest crackling with each inhale, and he felt an incessant urge to cough.  He shouldn’t have gone out in the rain yesterday, he should have just let her bring the car around.

“Shiro?”  Allura asked softly. “How are you feeling?’ He whimpered pitifully, lying back down, closing his eyes.  “I have sombe regrets.” She got onto the bed next to him, and he immediately cuddled up to her and put his head in her lap.  She began carding her fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I’ll bet you do.” She sighed. “I’m going to go get you some medicine, okay?” He shook his head, grabbing onto the bottom of her shirt.  “Ndo…dond’t leave.”

“Okay.  I’m not going anywhere.” She said softly.  They lapsed into silence, the only sound being his congested and ragged breathing.

[fluffyllamas-23]

Heeeeeeey.  So I felt like the fic I posted last night needed a part two.  Again, this was inspired by @itisasign‘s Hunk caretaker prompts, and the idea that @toosicktoocare made one thousand times better

It was ten that same morning.  Hunk was always an early riser, and didn’t need more than a couple of hours of sleep to function.  He was sitting at the table, scrolling through his phone when he heard Shiro’s door open.  His head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes when he saw Shiro stumble into the kitchen, unsteady on his feet.   “What are you doing?” “Gotta get to class.” Shiro mumbled, his voice nothing more than a weak croak. “It’s Saturday.” Hunk said, raising a brow. Shiro stopped in his tracks and blinked at him.  “Huh?” “It’s Saturday.” Hunk repeated, standing up. “Which means that you don’t have to go to class or work. Come on, back to bed.” Shiro shook his head, the movement making his head swim. “No…gotta get to class…gotta run errands-Hh'itschGNX! Hhh…Hh'itschGNX!! *Snff* Gotta do homework.”   “Buddy, it’s Saturday.  You don’t have to do anything on Saturdays, and you’re sure as hell not running errands or doing homework. You’re getting your ass back in bed and staying there until your fever breaks.”

Black dots clouded Shiro’s vision, and he swayed heavily on his feet.  Hunk steadied him, and then took in Shiro’s expression.  

His heart nearly broke. Shiro looked distressed - his eyes were glassy and unfocused, and tears were threatening to spill over.  He was biting his bottom lip, and he looked dangerously close to tears.  Hunk pulled Shiro into a hug, and he dropped his head down in response and pressed his face to Hunk’s shoulder.  He could feel Shiro shaking as he broke off in silent sobs.  He just held him, waiting for him to stop crying.  

After a few minutes, he quieted, and his knees buckled as he slumped into Hunk.

“Oof! Alright, okay, you need to be lying down.” Hunk grunted, supporting Shiro’s dead weight as he half dragged, half carried him to the couch, and after great difficulty, convinced him to go to sleep and to stop trying to do things.

As soon as he was sleeping, Hunk draped a blanket over him and then stuck the thermometer in his mouth (he was too sleepy and out of it to register the thermometer).

The thermometer beeped, and he sighed in frustration.  It was back up to 103.  

“Hey!” Pidge greeted them rather loudly. “SHH!” Hunk shushed, shooting her a dirty look.  “Do you know how long it took me to convince the moron to lie down and sleep? A long time.” “Oops.” Pidge whispered. “Sorry, how’s he doing?” Hunk rubbed a hand over his face. “Not great.  I’m thinking he might need an emergency room.” “Want me to call Lance and Keith? It can be a group effort.” “Give it a little while. If it hasn’t started going down by tonight, then we can take him in.” He whispered, crossing his arms and staring down at him in concern.  Shiro didn’t get sick often, he was the one who usually took care of everybody else, and it was worrying them all.

Someone opened the door, and unnecessarily kicked it open.  

“WE HAVE ARRIVED!” Lance cried, throwing his hands in the air as he walked inside, Keith trailing behind him. “Shut UP!” Hunk hissed, glaring at Lance.  Shiro jerked awake, looking around blearily. “Go back to sleep.” Pidge said softly, stroking his burning cheek, and then patting his head. He mumbled something unintelligible, his eyelids drooping as he fell back asleep. “Damn it, Lance.” Hunk whisper yelled, stepping away from Shiro.  “You knew he was sick, what makes you think that coming in here and yelling was a good idea?” “Ah shit.” He groaned.  “I’m sorry, I forgot.” “How’s he doing?” Keith asked, frowning as he looked at Shiro.   “His fever is back up to 103.  He’s really sick, guys.  I don’t like it.” “Me neither.” Pidge mumbled, pursing her lips.

*

Shiro sneezed himself awake, and immediately went into a harsh, grating coughing fit.  

looked around bleary eyes, saw that hunk was sitting at his feet, and Shiro practically crawled into his lap.  

Hunk looked down, a small smile crossing his face.  “I would ask how you’re feeling, but  I’m assuming you don’t feel any better.” Shiro just shook his head.  

“M’throat hurts.” He rasped, curling into himself and shivering.  Pidge draped a blanket over him, and the placed a cool hand on his cheek. “Your fever is down, at least.” “Want some tea?” Lance asked him, but was on his feet and in the kitchen before Shiro could answer him.   “You guys don’t have to do this.” He croaked. “Do what?” Hunk asked, looking down at him with a frown.   He sniffled.  “I don’t have to be taken care of…I’m fine.” Keith scoffed.  “I was pretty sure you died last night.” “Shiro.” Hunk said firmly.  “We’re family.  Family looks out for each other.  Of course we’re going to take care of you.” “Here.” Lance said, putting the steaming mug of tea on the coffee table.  “Hunk’s right.  We’re going to take care of you, now drink your tea and just relax so you don’t die, yeah? We need you, man.”

He simply nodded, a small smile crossing his face.