#sorry about the flickering. i did my best...but i failed...!

[cold-open]

small red wizard terrorizes bars throughout boiler city

[tsukivampyr]

take it out on me.

a leon kennedy x fem!reader oneshot.

warnings | fingering, unprotected sex, slight degradation and NOT proofread.

word count: 1,715

enjoy :P

Leon trudged through the door of his apartment, the faint light from the setting sun casting long shadows across the living room. His shoulders slumped, his face a canvas of weariness and frustration, as he kicked the door shut behind him with a little more force than necessary.

You looked up from your book, concerned about your boyfriend. "Leon?" You asked gently, as you put your book down on the couch. "What happened?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he ran a hand through his tousled hair, his jaw clenched tightly. You could see the tension radiating from his every muscle, the frustration that simmered just beneath the surface. He tossed his jacket onto a nearby chair with a heavy sigh.

"I failed," he finally muttered, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and disappointment. "I was supposed to get the intel, but... I just couldn't."

Your heart ached for him. Leon was always so hard on himself, holding himself to an almost impossibly high standard. You knew how much this mission had meant to him, how much pressure he had put on himself to succeed.

You got up and approached him slowly, reaching out to place a hand on his arm. "It's okay. You did your best."

He pulled away, stepping towards the kitchen and yanking the fridge door open. "My best wasn't good enough," he snapped, his voice harsh. "People are counting on me, and I let them down."

You flinched at the sharpness of his words, but you understood that his anger wasn't truly directed at you. It was directed at himself, at the situation, at the unfairness of it all. Still, it stung to see him so upset.

"Leon," You began again, trying to keep your voice calm and soothing. "You've done so much good. One setback doesn't erase all of that. You'll get another chance."

He slammed the fridge door shut, his eyes dark with frustration. "You don't get it," he said, his tone softer but still edged with anger. "You don't understand what it's like out there."

You felt a pang of helplessness. "You're right," You admitted. "I don't know what it's like. But I know you. I know how hard you fight, how much you care. And I know that you'll find a way to make things right."

For a moment, he just stood there, his expression conflicted. Then, with a heavy sigh, he leaned against the counter, his anger seeming to deflate. "I'm sorry," he murmured, rubbing a hand over his face.

You walked over and wrapped your arms around him, feeling the tension in his body slowly start to ease. "It's okay," You whispered. "I'm here for you, no matter what."

Leon hugged you back, his grip tight and almost desperate. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

You smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You don't have to find out," You replied.

Leon took a deep breath, still holding you tightly. The frustration in his eyes was palpable, but beneath it, there was something else—a spark of longing, a need for release. You could feel the tension in his body, the unspent energy begging for an outlet.

"Leon," You whispered, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "You can take your anger out on me, if you need to." You whispered quietly.

His eyes widened slightly, a mixture of surprise and confusion flickering across his face. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

You held his gaze, your heart pounding in your chest. "You need to let it out," you said softly. "All the anger, the frustration. You don't have to hold back with me."

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice quiet.

"Yes," You breathed.

"I'm sure."

For a moment, he just stared at you, as if trying to process your words. Then something shifted in his expression—his eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. Without warning, he grabbed you by the waist and pulled you close, his lips crashing down on yours in a fierce, demanding kiss.

You gasped, your hands instinctively reaching up to clutch his shoulders. Leon's kiss was intense, a raw expression of all the emotions he had been bottling up. His hands roamed over your back, gripping you possessively, almost desperately.

With a growl, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping into your mouth with a hunger that sent shivers down your spine. He lifted you effortlessly, setting you down on the kitchen counter. His big hands gripped your thighs, spreading them apart so he could step between them. You moaned softly, wrapping your legs around his waist. Leon’s kisses were growing more urgent, more insistent. He nipped at your lower lip, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin, and you couldn't help but grind your clothed pussy onto him, your body responding to his every touch.

"You drive me crazy," he muttered, his lips trailing down your neck. "You know that?"

You tilted your head back, giving him better access. "Show me," You whispered, your voice trembling with anticipation.

Leon didn't need any more encouragement. He kissed his way down your neck, his hands sliding up your sides and under your shirt. His touch was rough, almost possessive, but it was exactly what you needed. You wanted him to lose control. His fingers dug into your skin as he lifted your shirt over your head, tossing it aside. His lips found your collarbone, then moved lower, his hot breath sending sparks of electricity through your body. You shivered, clutching at his shoulders, your nails digging into his flesh.

"God, I need you," he groaned, his voice thick with desire.

"Then take me," You replied breathlessly, your eyes locking onto his. "I'm yours."

That was all it took. With a primal growl, Leon claimed your lips again, his hands working quickly to remove the rest of your clothes. The frustration and anger he'd been holding onto melted away, replaced by a fierce, unbridled passion. In that moment, nothing else mattered. All the worries, the failures, the weight of the world—they all disappeared as you lost yourselves in each other. Leon's dominant side came out in full force, and you welcomed it, matching his intensity with your own.

Leon’s desperation was palpable, his every touch ignited by a fierce need. He pulled you closer, his body pressing against yours with an intensity that made you gasp. His hands roamed over your skin, rough and possessive, as if he needed to claim every inch of you.

"You're mine," he growled, his voice a low rumble in your ear. "Every part of you belongs to me."

You shivered at his words, a thrill running through you, your fingers digging into his back. "I'm yours." You whimpered.

He yanked your panties down, the fabric tearing slightly in his haste. His eyes were dark, almost wild, as he looked at you, his gaze filled with hunger and need. "Look at you," he muttered, his voice dripping with desire. "So needy, so desperate for me."

You moaned, his hands gripping your thighs once again, spreading them even wider. "Please, Leon," You begged.

"Please what?" he demanded, his lips curling into a smirk. "Tell me what you want."

"I want you," You replied, your voice barely more than a breath. "I need you inside me."

He chuckled darkly, his fingers teasing your entrance. "So eager," he said, his tone dusky. "You're such a good girl for me, aren't you? So ready to take everything I give you."

You nodded eagerly, your breath hitching, as his fingers slipped inside you.

His eyes flashed with something primal, his fingers moving faster, curling inside you to find that spot that made you see stars. "That's right," he murmured. "You're mine to use, mine to fuck."

You cried out in pleasure, your body responding to his words and touch with an intensity that made your head spin.

He pulled his fingers out, and you whimpered at the loss, but he quickly replaced them with the hard length of his cock, thrusting into you with a force that made you scream. "You like that, don't you?" he grunted, his voice rough with desire.

You sob, your nails scratching down his back. "I love it."

"Good," he growled, his pace relentless. "Because I'm not going to stop until you're screaming my name."

His words sent a shiver down your spine, and you clung to him, your body moving in sync with his. "Leon," You moaned, your voice high and desperate. "Please, don't stop."

He grinned, his lips grazing your neck. "I won't," he grunted, his thrusts growing even harder, deeper. "I want to hear you beg for it."

"Please," You begged, your voice breaking. "Please, Leon, I need you."

"That's right," he muttered, his breath hot against your skin. "Beg for it. Show me how much you want it."

"I wan’ it," You cried, your body trembling with need. "I want you badly, Leon."

He groaned, his grip on you tightening. "You're so fucking perfect," he growled, his voice filled with both love, and lust. "So tight, so wet. You're made for me."

You could feel your climax building, the pleasure overwhelming. "Leon," You gasped, your nails digging into his skin. "I'm gonna- "

"Come for me," He commanded, his voice rough and raspy. "Come all over my cock."

His words pushed you over the edge, and you cried out his name as the orgasm tore through you, your body convulsing with pleasure. Leon followed soon after, his own release shuddering through him as he came inside you.

You stayed like that for a moment, your bodies entwined, your breathing heavy. Leon's grip on you softened, and he pressed a tender kiss to your forehead. "You're perfect," he whispered, his voice filled with genuine admiration.

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection. "So are you," You replied, your voice still breathless.

He pulled back slightly, looking into your eyes with a softness that belied the fierceness of your earlier encounter. "Thank you," he said quietly, his fingers brushing your cheek. "For being there for me. For letting me... let go."

You leaned into his touch, your heart full. "Always," You whispered. "I'll always be here for you, Leon. "

[thebluester2020]

[ZZZ] "How To Recieve An A+ In Housekeeping!"

Summary: Attempting to get a job in Victorian Housekeeping Co. is a very strenuous process! One must show a wide variety of skills, good vocabulary, and excellent manners— all three were skills that you were failing at but, luckily the leader of the company had the perfect method to teach you these skills and it all starts with a program! Warning(s): Dom! Lycaon / Sub! Reader, Brat-Taming [Reader's a bit mouthy at best tbh] Spanking, Slight Edging, Cum Denial [Kinda? Lycaon encourages reader not to cum but doesn't do anything to enforce it tbh], Lycian being gentlemanly as hell. (Feel free to tell me if I missed anything!) Side Note(s): I won't say I am/am not a furry. But I will say that my taste in dudes will always favor them where they're stoic and serious but have a secret soft side. Respectfully, those types of men make me want to do the sexy splits on them.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this <33

"Your manners are terrible"

When those words left the wolfman's mouth sternly as you sat before him, only a desk separating the two of you, you could've sworn you felt a metaphorical anvil drop into your stomach. You had been job-hunting for a couple of weeks now, after your last gang had disbanded due to the leader getting caught up with the law. You no longer had a steady flow of cash (albeit a little illegal ) coming in!

From gang member to attempted housemaid...it was laughable. Even to you.

And clearly, the leader of the Victorian Housekeeping company thought so too from the way he looked at your resume with a strict gaze once more before resuming looking at you. You were fully expectant of another harsh sentence to slip from his sharp-toothed youth until...you heard a heavy sigh escape him.

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, the very room seeming to react to the movement by the way the single light above you two flickered. His then he huffed. "There is a way to improve to improve your manners, however, you'll be learning from me personally."

You gasped. "Really?! Thank you so much, man!"

His ear twitched at the casual "man" you threw his way. "...Sir or mister is a more proper way of speaking to your male superiors."

You cleared your throat and uttered a 'sorry'. "The program will be for three weeks. Each week will be dedicated to a specific set of manners that you are to master if you wish to join the company."

"Which are?" You responded.

"The first week will be vocabulary, communication with clients, and the correct words to address people by," As Lyacon said this, he opened a drawer on his side before pulling out a piece of paper and sliding it to you. You slowly began to read over the paper, one that seemed like a contract of sorts as the wolf continued to talk.

"The second week will simply focus on posture."

You scoffed as your eyes flicked back up to his. "Posture? Ain't that just walkin'?"

"Proper posture is harder to achieve than one may assume Ms. Y/N." He said. "The third week will be—"

The sudden clearing of his throat made him stop immediately, your face suddenly but quickly turning red as you reached a section on the paper that caught your eye.

Complete submission is expected by those who train under Von Lycaon, especially those he offers "favors" to.

"F-Favors...?"

"Favors hint towards a sexual nature, if I'm to assume that was the inquiry to your question?"

In your former gang, you had heard about Von Lycaon and the whole attitude of the white wolfman. He was a pinnacle of perfection in seemingly everything he did! There didn't seem to be a single thing he half-assed, to put it crudely, and what's more? He didn't get distracted. So...for a document to suggest that he wanted submission during sex?

You didn't know if it was shocking or expected.

"I didn't expect the Lycaon to need a document to garner sex." You said.

A rare chuckle left him. "I don't," He answered. "But everyone learns quicker and better when praise and pleasure is included, correct? This is merely a suggestion for you to learn faster. You are more than welcome to opt out of this."

"And if I accept?" Upon that question, the corners of Lycaon's mouth curled up slightly as he slowly leaned in until you could just barely feel his breath.

"Then you will learn fast. On my honor, I promise you."

You should've said no to this optional part of the program. All you needed was a job and Lycaon made it clear that there was a sexless version of the program where you'd simply learn the old-fashioned way! No pleasure or sex included but...as your eyes steadily trailed over the thiren, you couldn't deny he was a handsome individual. It wouldn't be unpleasant in the slightest to have benefits while completing your training under him. And as you steadily came to that conclusion, your thighs beginning to clench underneath the desk.

The thiren briefly sniffed at the air before he closed his eyes and exhaled. He was as still as a statue for a brief moment before he cleared his throat and offered you a pen from his breast pocket.

"I didn't give you an official answer—"

"Your scent gave me a suggestion." His raspy voice in combination with the sudden feral look in his eyes...you all too quickly shooed away any doubts you may have had before you began to sign away on the line at the bottom of the paper. And once you did, sliding the paper gently back to the wolf, he read over it briefly before he folded it neatly and placed it back into a drawer.

"We shall begin Monday," Lycaon said. "Please be prompt and on-time, I don't tolerate tardiness."

"Yeah, yeah." You scoffed.

And thus, your training as a potential housemaid for the Victorian Housekeeping Company has officially begun.

. . .

| Week One |

You had slept in, you had forgotten to set a timer over the weekend, too engrossed with the fact that you had basically agreed to have sex with Lycaon during your three-week training! The second you arrived home, it was a struggle to not touch yourself to the thought of what he looked like underneath his kept-together appearance.

You imagined he'd be soft to the touch judging by how much fur he had.

Would he be firm with his gaze, demanding you to be perfect even in the heat of the moment? Or would be he gentle and accommodating with you?

No matter how much your body cried out for you to indulge yourself a little, you saved it until you experienced it for yourself.

But right now, as your head was bowed down in apology to the wolfman for making him wait over forty minutes to your first day. You had a strong feeling you wouldn't be experiencing anything pleasurable today. "Once again dude, I am SO sorry!" You said.

"I forgot to set a timer, then I wanted to stop and get some breakfast along the way—"

"Stop," He snapped his jaws with a growl seeming to bubble just underneath the surface, the sight of his fangs making you shudder out of fear and...the slightest hint of excitement.

"First appearances are important, the most important out of any interaction and you sullied it on your first day of training? How do you expect to work for the company with such a flippant attitude?"

"I said sorry—"

"Sorry does not cut it Ms. Y/N. Excusing being a minute or two late is another matter but forty? Punishment is the only fitting way to solve such blatant disregard for other people's time." At those chilling words, Lycaon took a single step toward you before he took your chin into his hand, his eyes scanning over your nervous form with a critical gaze before he eventually sighed.

"I have a punishment in mind, please see to it that you are undressed in my office within' five minutes, and be on time."

Your eyes widened to the size of saucers before you huffed defiantly. "I'm not doing that!" You yelled.

His ear flicked, to him? You sounded like an impudent child, screaming and doing anything to get out of being scolded by their parent. "No?" He tilted his head.

"No!"

A wolfish smirk crept onto his face. "Every minute you stand here is an additional minute to your punishment Ms. Y/N. Do take care to remember that."

And so, there you stood.

| + | + | + |

You wouldn't be able to claim that he wasn't patient for the entire duration you had a fit about being punished on the first day of training. For about ten whole minutes, you stood there staring at the thiren until you eventually got bored and decided that "your punishment wouldn't be that bad" and simply went to his office!

You sat on a black couch and waited and when Lycaon came in?

The way he so quickly got his hands on you felt like you were being thrown around by an uncouth beast, a complete switch from the gentlemanly wolf you were talking to just a few minutes ago.

Slap! "Count." He ordered.

"O-One—Ah!"

He tutted his lips with a shake of his head as his hand slapped against your ass again, your maid uniform tugged up to your midsection as he pinned your hands down with his free hand. "Proper communication is most effective when you're speaking clearly Ms. Y/N...also, it's "one, sir"."

Another slap against your red behind rang out in the air, your body jerking forward a little at the movement. "At this rate, you'll never reach fifty." He sighed.

"W-Wait...!" You begged. "J-Just give me a break...so I can c-catch my breath—" When he slowly inched his hand upward again, your eyes widened as you quickly remembered your manners. "S-Sir! J-Just let me catch my breath...please."

If your eyes weren't blurry with tears, your mind getting fuzzier and fuzzier as you tried to ignore the ache in your cunt. You could've sworn you saw his tail move a little. After a minute, however, a sharp gasp left your swollen lips when you felt a finger graze against your sex, the featherlight touch making you shudder as you whipped your head around to look at the Lycaon.

Unconsciously, his tongue poked out to sweep against his upper set of canines as he focused on how your slick oozed out from your pussy so shamelessly. But at the same time? He figured he shouldn't have been shocked at the lewd sight, his keen hearing didn't miss the way a tiny moan would escape your lips at each slap. It was as if you wanted him to keep going and didn't want your punishment to end anytime soon.

Such behavior wasn't befitting of a potential future employee at the company. "Are you done recuperating? If so, then let us continue."

"W-Wait..." You begged. "J-Just a little time- Ah!"

"Now, now—" He pressed his hand down on your wrists a little more, lightly pinching at your thigh with the tip of his claws to calm your squirming. "—If you focus and count Ms. Y/N then your punishment will be over very soon, please remain focused."

After a final warning, he was quick to resume his smacks against your ass. The pain and pleasure eventually blurring into one another enough for your brain to somehow find a way to "center" itself. And, after around twenty minutes...Lycaon finally released you from your bent-over position over his lap and got up.

A lingering rebelliousness in the back of your head wanted to curse out the wolf as he stood, fixing his cuffs until they were neat again as if he wasn't rocking a blatant boner in his trousers! Yet as your mouth began to open as he walked further away...it quickly shut when he started walking back to you after grabbing something from a bookshelf behind his desk.

"What is that?" You asked.

"Aloe cream, it should help with the burn and any burning sensations."

Oh, you thought.

How...nice of him.

At your silence, his head tilted as he sat down next to you. "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, y-yeah...I just wasn't expecting aftercare." You blushed.

"Your work would be even more affected if I didn't do this, I wouldn't want that." Suddenly, your heart skipped a beat.

. . .

| Week Two |

You didn't want to admit it to yourself at the time but you knew full well as to why your heart skipped a beat that day. At first, you tried to joke and claim that you were a masochist starting to bloom! Von Lycaon was handsome, yes but you knew how to distinguish between work and personal lives! Besides, you wanted money more than you did romance and if the latter interfered with your money...you weren't in any shape or form interested in it.

But, at the second week's coming, this week focused on posture if your memory served correctly. You couldn't lie or joke to yourself anymore.

You developed a crush on your future boss.

And it grew harder and harder to deny that fact in your...current position. Naked aside from your short black heels, you were standing right in front of Lycaon with his pants pulled down just enough to reveal his leaking dick. The tip seemed to turn increasingly into an angrier red as you continued to stay frozen in place. "Are you uncomfortable?" Lycaon's words snapped you out of your thoughts before you shook your head.

"N-No sir! It's just..." You went quiet for a second. "How...how is this going to teach me posture?"

"If you would come closer, I will show you." Like a siren's song, the beckoning of his clawed finger made you take small steps forward until you were finally in front of him. "I'll be letting you take control of me for some time," You could've sworn you caught a smirk on his lips at his words. "If you manage to fuck me until I cum with the correct posture then consider your training done, and welcome to your new job as a new maid to the Victorian Housekeeping company. I'll be generous and not even include the third week of training."

"But—" As his hand found its way to your hips, he gently tugged you forward until he slowly maneuvered you to straddle him on his lap, his cock throbbing against your stomach as beads of sweat started to appear at the back of your neck. He reached the middle of your stomach, easily! And that wasn't even considering his girth. "—If your posture fails, you will unfortunately stick to the original training program. And I must warn you, most do not manage to get through week three."

You jumped a little when you felt Lycaon's hand move down to your pussy. "What are you doing?" You voiced out shakily, your clit throbbing at Lycaon's touch as one finger alone was enough to cover your entire clit.

"Preparing you of course," He said with an "obviously" tone. "No matter how much I can smell your eagerness in the air—" A sharp moan escaped your lips when his finger started to slowly move, your cheeks burning at the fact you let out such a noise from such little stimulation. "—I doubt you will be able to fully take me without a little prep."

"Y-You..." You bit your tongue to keep a curse from flying out, your hands quickly moving to his shoulders as you tried to ground yourself and not lose yourself too quickly to the pleasure. A task that you were quickly failing at as you felt a knot slowly begin to form in the pit of your stomach, scorching hot tears brimming your eyes as a single line of drool fell from the corner of your lips.

And Lycaon was enjoying every second of it.

If he were to be honest with himself.

He didn't want you to succeed this time.

After having so much fun with you last week, he would say that he had gotten a bit greedy. As entertaining as it was to tame your bratty behavior and mold it into something more palpable as someone who would be interacting with clients often, it was torture all the same to him to not shut you up with his cock instead! It wasn't enough to rut into his hand at the end of every day, heated pants leaving his lips as his tongue lulled out of his mouth like some common dog begging for a slip of meat.

To say that it was unbecoming of him to set you up for failure was an understatement, rubbing your needy bud until you nearly squirted on him wouldn't make you last very long when you were actually seated on his cock. And as cruel as it was for him to say...how unbecoming and un-gentlemanly it was...

He was so fucking eager for you to fail.

"S-Sir..." His ears perked to your whining as your head fell his chest, his ears then moving to the sound of lewd squelching coming from your pussy. "Please...I-I'm so close..." You whined.

He allowed himself to play with you a minute longer until...he took his finger away.

He struggled to withhold a laugh at your state, your eyes seeming to be confused and stuck between wanting to glare angrily at him or beggingly like a wanton whore for him to continue. "Don't look like that," He said. "If I were to make you cum now, you would be too shaky to fuck me."

You were too shaky now.

But, you'd first kiss the seat of a toilet lid before admitting defeat.

"I-I won't fail this..." You said with determination, although breathlessly.

His tail wagged ever so slightly at your determination. "We shall see," He responded before he relaxed against the couch with a deep sigh. "Please begin at your leisure Ms. Y/N." When you took him into your hand, you felt a surge of confidence at Lycaon's not-so-quiet sharp inhale of breath. You prayed that he was just as needy as you because as you lined him up to your entrance and started to slid him into you, every inch that sunk further into you made your mouth gap wider and wider until you were certain you looked like a gasping fish.

He rubbed against your walls so nicely too, his girth stretching you out just enough to where it made you drool as it touched spots inside of you that you hadn't had a clue existed until today!

"F-Fuckkkkk..." You moaned out once you were fully seated on him.

You sucked your bottom lip into your mouth, desperately trying to ignore that burning feeling in your core as you began to move.

"Shit." Oh, how you just wanted to just shove a hand over his snout to keep him from letting out such sexy noises. His raspy voice and the way his thumbs rubbed encouraging circles into your hips...it wasn't good for you. You'd cum faster at this rate.

"Faster," Lycaon suddenly ordered, opening one of his red eyes to look at you.

"I...I can't- Oh!" Your words caught in your throat when he suddenly fucked up into you. A squeal nearly leaving your throat as you shut your eyes tightly to try and force back that urge to cum.

"Disobeying a superior now Ms. Y/N?" One of his hands slowly dragged up your back before it gently shoved you forward a little. Immediately, you fixed your posture although you nearly fell back over a couple of times. "You should watch yourself, my type of punishment for this act won't be very fun."

You doubted that.

But, as your hands tightened on his shoulders and you fucked yourself more quicker onto him. Tears started to flow down your cheeks more easily as you couldn't deny the burning feeling in your stomach anymore, how the way Lycaon's dick throbbed inside of you and pressed against your most sensitive spots...the urge to beg him for the chance to cum, just once was on the tip of your tongue but you tried to stay focused. "Oh my God..." He moaned deeply.

"Fuckkk..."

"A-Are you close?" You whined.

He scoffed. "Not even close," You felt your hopes nearly crash and shatter at those words. "But...your pussy feels so good on my cock," He praised, his tail thumping against the couch unabashedly as he stared up at you with hooded eyes and a feral gaze. "Perhaps, instead of a maid, you should be my personal breeding toy."

His smirk grew when he felt your pussy tighten around his cock.

"Yeah?" He asked. "You like that?"

You shook your head, shutting your eyes tightly as if not seeing him would help your situation anyway. However, as you felt a furred hand cup the side of your face, the feeling of breaths hitting your face. Your eyes slowly cracked open to the wolf thiren's face right in front of yours, panting and moaning with little to no shame before he smiled. "So pretty like this Y/N..." He said before his leaned down to begin pressing kisses to the side of your neck.

Briefly, the thought of whether or not this was a part of the training flashed in the front of your mind. But...as quick as it came, it was gone. You wanted to believe that...he wasn't following some manual when it came to his actions, that they were meant just for you and you alone. "You're so wet, making so much noise...I think I was right in my earlier suggestion hm? Maybe you will do better as my toy."

You shook your head. "Don't lie." He lightly nipped your shoulder, the sharp sudden pain being just what you needed to throw you over the edge before...Lycaon's ears moved to the sound of gushing and the feeling of wetness splashing against his pants and a bit of his thighs.

Without a second thought, his fingers shot down to gather some of your cum onto his fingers before he tasted you, a groan rumbling out as he almost shocked himself with how fast he got hard again. But before he could mention it, much less suggest it, when Lycaon returned his gaze to you. He saw you passed out against his chest, the very sight making him laugh ever so quietly before he sighed.

He supposed he was feeling a touch bit generous...he expected you to cum within seconds of fucking yourself onto his cock but it took you longer than that! To the point, he actually began to worry about cumming first or not! Although he had a mind not to be, he decided to be generous and forgiving seeing as you fucked him until the point of total exhaustion on your point.

He'd give you a passing A+ for effort.

[saerins]

⋆୨ chapter seven ୧˚ till forever falls apart

⋆୨ if not for you (masterlist) ⋆୨ previous: chapter six - redefines in every way what love is - end ୧˚

⋆୨ synopsis ୧˚ neither of you want this. both you and sae reluctantly agree to this marriage, although sae’s dissatisfaction far outweighs your own. with hidden agendas and old flames, will this ever work out between the two of you, or will your forced spark be doomed to fail?

ೀ series: sae x f!reader | wc 8.8k | ೀ content warnings: fluff/angst, modern au, arranged marriage, rich!sae and rich!reader, jealousy/paranoia, suggestive scenes, mentions of blood/children | notes: we have finally reached the end of infy !! rejoice i will no longer be able to torture you guys with the ending of this hehe but i do hope you all enjoyed this ^_^ & now onto the next !

“I came here to talk to her.”

There’s no speck of kindness left in Sae’s eyes when he looks at what’s left of his former lover. He doesn’t even notice you sauntering up behind him.

“How many times do I need to tell you to leave us alone?” Sae emphasises that last part, uncertain of how else he can possibly phrase it so that she makes herself scarce.

For the first time tonight, Mirin doesn’t even pay attention to Sae. Her eyes look past him, focused entirely on you.

You take your position next to Sae, feeling his hand tenderly grip onto your wrist. At the very least, it gives you comfort knowing that he’s here no matter what’ll happen. Though, judging by the ever slight panic you can make out from Mirin’s face, whatever it is isn’t pretty.

Mirin doesn’t say a word, only stares at you expectantly. Swallowing your ego, you nod subtly. You’re curious.

“I’m sorry,” comes out of her mouth, and you don’t know how to feel. There’s a lot of things she needs to be sorry for, but that’s your personal feelings. Somehow, you doubt it’s related to anything with regards to Sae.

“If that’s all you came to say—”

“Do you know about your parents?” Mirin ignores Sae again, instead looking to you.

Sae’s about to just shut the door in her face when you tug on his hand, stopping him. He’s perplexed by you, but he listens to you just the same.

“Yeah, barely. What about it?” 

Because Sae did tell you briefly about it, about his suspicions on what they’re trying to do. You have to admit, having Oliver and his family’s PI stalk your parents wasn’t on your bingo card this year. And what he’s suspicious of never even crossed your mind. Only because even if they aren’t the best parents in the world, you didn’t think that they’d actually let any harm come upon you.

To think, they would try to take all of the money, not only their own but yours too, in order to save their own asses.

Mirin almost looks like she doesn’t want to say anything, her fingers grasping tightly and desperately on the hem of her dress before opening her mouth and making your heart sink to the depths below.

“The police are coming and it’s my fault and I know I haven’t done anything to earn your trust but can you please let me handle it?”

She says it all in one breath. Hurriedly without pause.

Are the police already that close?

“What the fuck, Mirin?” Sae spits, his grip on you tightening as he pulls you behind him, the vein on his forehead close to popping.

Mirin swallows the lump in her throat and you’re left staring in a daze behind your husband, wondering what you’ve done that was so wrong that you deserved this; your parents, a scorned and jealous ex-lover, legal threats.

“Sae, please,” Mirin’s panicking and you wonder why that is. Correction, you can sense why—it’s plain old regret. Regret caused by rash actions done on impulse. “It’s my fault, I know but we don’t have time. Tabito’s trying to stall them but they’re coming.” Her eyes flicker over to you, and you’d think she’s beautiful if all you’re seeing isn’t just red.

You feel the injustice creeping up inside of you, threatening you to take action. “And why the hell should I trust you?” Your tone is harsher than you ever thought you could go, and even Mirin shrinks back at the venom she senses laced inside your words.

And usually you’d feel bad for it but someone has already called the cops on you for something you didn’t do and that someone is right in front of you asking you for the same trust she wouldn’t have afforded you if the roles were reversed. If you didn’t have any self control, you’d have slapped her by now.

Mirin’s about to say something when she hears seven tight raps on the door. As Sae reluctantly moves away to open the door, Mirin whips her head towards you one last time.

“Please.”

The last thing she deserves is a chance. You know that. Both your head and your heart are in the same place for once and yet why can’t you act on it? Why can’t you just tell her to shove it up her ass?

“Y/N,” Sae calls your name, hushed because you presume he’s just as cautious as you are.

Slowly, you nod your head, signalling for him to open the door. You don’t know what Mirin is planning, or whether all this is part of her evil plot to take you down somehow.

When the door opens, you see Sae’s friend, Karasu, stepping in first before a detective, a dirty blonde with dark circles under his eyes like he hasn’t slept for days. Behind him, two policemen stand guard, watching you cautiously, as though you might try to jump out the window just to run from them.

“Are you Y/N?”

The detective is addressing you, and you’re sure he’s only doing it out of courtesy because these people always do their work before nabbing their supposed targets. Beside you, Mirin steps one step forward, her earlier panic expertly masked by a puzzlingly professional expression. From your line of sight, behind where the detective stands, Sae tries to move toward you, only to have Karasu reach out to grab his wrist and keep him there, a subtle shake of his head as the only signal for him not to make any moves.

“I am,” you respond, because any under or overreaction would only prove to make you look guilty.

“What is this about, detective?” Mirin asks, a casual aloofness donned on her face now. You’re impressed by just how quickly she can change her moods.

“Oh, it’s you, Ms Seto,” the detective says, realising who she is, and you don’t doubt how influential her father’s been to all of Japan with his work. Immediately, his face softens and brightens up, as though it’s imperative that he stay on their family’s good side. He probably assumes that just because Mirin’s here in this hotel room that she’s close to you. “We received an anonymous tip regarding Ms L/N’s family here, as well as her possible involvement. We’d like to take her down to the station for some questioning.”

So that’s what Mirin had done to you. She had tried to pin part of what your parents are doing on you, too. You nearly scoff if not for the fact you know that the two policemen behind are watching you like a hawk. Mirin is the one who scoffs though, crossing her arms like she’s been through these situations a thousand times.

Beside you, any trace of guilt is absent from Mirin’s expression because apparently, and you don’t doubt it, she’s a very good actress. If it’s up to you, you’d say that her talents are wasted since she’s not one. And while your stubborn ego wants to solve this for yourself, you’d never even gotten in trouble with the local police before for anything, and something tells you that Mirin is way better than you are at this, so you keep your mouth shut and let her handle this like she asked.

“So you have no proof of any sort that she’s complicit in any illegal activities?”

The detective chuckles helplessly, like he expects Mirin to be that attentive. “No, not until the anonymous tipper provides us with what they say they have.”

Mirin’s expression falters just slightly for a split second before she’s back to normal. “So no concrete proof, then?”

“No, ma��am.” The detective seems a little laid back around her—are they family friends? Sure seems like it to you.

“Then I’d appreciate it if you don’t treat Y/N here like she’s some sort of criminal. We wouldn’t want anyone seeing her being escorted into a police car and making assumptions, would we?”

Behind him, Sae seems to have relaxed a little, lacking the earlier blind hostility he held. Maybe it partly has to do with whatever Karasu whispered to him right before this. Still, he’s as surprised as you are that Mirin’s committing herself to covering for you.

“Fine, we’ll meet at the station then,” the detective says, the mirth still on his face as he bids a temporary goodbye.

When all that’s left are the four of you, Sae immediately takes his place beside you, his hand possessively gripping your wrist, an accusatory look thrown in Mirin’s direction. “You did all of that just to mess with my wife?”

Mirin’s expression falters when he uses that term again, for you, because deep down, she still wishes for it to be her. She still wishes for that guy she fell in love with and made all those plans with to be hers. Hers, and no one else’s. But it’s evident enough that no matter how much she tries, even if you somehow ended up dead, it would never be her. He’d rather wait for the ghost of you than live with anyone else.

Karasu walks over, settling himself between the divide. He’s the one who seems the most sane, given this has almost nothing to do with him. “Sae, leave it for now,” Karasu advises, blocking Mirin’s line of sight. You presume he’s just doing it as a favour, maybe to simmer Sae’s anger, because you can feel his hands trembling with rage even as they hold on to you. “We need to get Y/N to the police station before this gets any worse for her and her sister.”

Your throat goes dry. “My sister? She’s been taken in too?”

How ironic that you were doing all this just to protect her from the harsh reality that your parents never loved either of you.

Karasu nods apologetically. “My sources say she was taken in about half an hour ago, but discreetly.”

The passive anger that was only settling on the surface seems to finally boil over, and you thank god that Sae is holding you back from possibly harming Mirin. Otherwise, you’d have probably punched her right now.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” Her voice is timid and she’s trembling but you don’t hold an ounce of appreciation for her earlier actions nor sympathy for her current emotions. This was all because of her. Her, and your parents, and you doubt you’re enough of a saint to forgive either parties.

“If anything happens to her, I’ll make sure you regret it.” Your words are a warning, and Mirin takes them in silently.

Maybe you have been too nice, and way too passive. To the point where people like Mirin felt like they could try their best because they had nothing to fear. At the very least, it still comforts you knowing that Sae was never trying to get anywhere with her. If not, it was the very opposite, though you still didn’t appreciate his lack of communication.

“Hey, I’ll drive us there, okay?” Sae tells you softly, his hand tugging yours gently, briefly washing the anger off of you. When you face him and nod, he smiles, his hand coming up to place your head against his shoulder as he walks you to the car, Karasu and Mirin trudging wordlessly behind. You let him lead the way, finding an odd sense of comfort, different from before.

Now, you know that Sae will protect you unconditionally. He’s been doing it up until now, even when you weren’t his favourite person. Despite his shortcomings, despite the fact that he had no obligation to, Sae was always on your side.

And maybe now you can see a glimpse of the future you imagined, the one where you get unconditional love, the one where you can see a happy family who’s not just obsessed with money. A proper one, with its very foundations built on love and not control over another.

When you get to the carpark, you see Mirin getting into Karasu’s car, and you silently thank him for going out of his way to get involved in all of this. The last thing you need is to be able to see Mirin in the rearview mirror of your husband’s car, sitting there as though she deserved any sort of comfort. If you could, you’d stuff her in the trunk and tell her to deal with it.

However, even without her there, both of you stay relatively quiet. Maybe because neither of you have ever been in this type of situation; neither of you know what to say. Even so, as he pulls in to the parking lot of the station, he takes your hand, squeezing it gently, his teal eyes gentle as they fall into your gaze.

“No matter what, I promise you, I’ll protect you, okay?”

You don’t doubt his words. You nod, squeezing his hand back, tightly because you’re more nervous than he is. You’d probably have to face the interrogation alone, or at the most with Mirin, and who knows what she might pull in there?

“Hey, hey,” he calls out to you softly, his other hand coming up to your cheek and turning you to face him, his forehead pressing against your own, eyes still locked on yours, his smile the gentlest you’ve ever seen. “We’ll get through this. Whatever you decide, whatever you want to do, I’ll take your side, okay baby?”

Maybe it’s the way the pet name so easily rolls off your tongue, but you still find your heart skipping a beat at such a simple gesture.

“Ready?”

You take a deep breath, nodding.

“Ready.”

While you’re in the room with Mirin and the detective, Sae finds himself pacing the waiting room restlessly despite Karasu’s attempts at calming him down.

The raven-haired man cocks a brow, amused by what he sees because Itoshi Sae of all people getting restless is always interesting. Usually, he doesn’t even get to see Sae bothered at all. The last time he saw that sliver of emotion was, well, back when Mirin left.

“Dude, relax, your wife will be fine.” That’s all Karasu can offer now, pointless words of assurance. Though he can argue he’s been plenty useful when calming Mirin down back at the hotel. 

Sae shoots him a warning look. “With Mirin in there?”

Karasu sighs, leaning back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. He doesn’t recall knowing when exactly things got so fucked up between them.

“Look, I don’t know what the fuck was up with her, I’ll be honest,” Karasu explains, the only person there with any hint of pity for Mirin. “She fucked up, she knows. And you don’t gotta forgive her, really. If it were me I’d have handled it much less classier than your wife did. But trust me, Mirin’s trying to make up for it right now, okay? We can’t do anything so relax.”

Silence falls over them for a while, the sounds of the landlines ringing and clacking of keyboards the only things they can hear.

“What did you say to make her regret it?”

Because Sae’s at the very least curious about why she was so quick to rescind her punishment for you.

His friend shrugs, “is it hard to believe it could be something as simple as realising she didn’t wanna lose you completely?”

The earlier hostility leaves Sae’s body, only a bitter upset lingering behind. Because he can believe it, because at the core, Mirin’s always been simple. The way she acts out, not so much. She’d already alienated Sae by having been the object of his affection once, and that was not her fault, but she’d exacerbated it by acting completely out of line. On the tip of her impulsiveness was just the last chance to either possibly redeem herself or risk thorough destruction of whatever was left of their entire relationship through the years.

Maybe it’s heartless of him, but he doesn’t care. Yeah, he should’ve handled it better in the beginning. He should’ve just told Mirin that he doesn’t want to be someone who wrecks his own home, even if it didn’t feel exactly like home back then. But you didn’t deserve the anger she placed onto you. After realising his feelings, that was where he drew the line. 

He doesn’t give a shit if Mirin woke up and regretted her actions. He doesn’t care if she’s trying to make up for it and save you. All he cares about is you and just you.

Sensing the tension in the air, Karasu forces a lighthearted chuckle. “What kind of magic does Y/N have to make someone like you so whipped, huh?”

There’s a pink hue to Sae’s cheeks at the mention of it, forcing him to look away as Karasu snickers at him.

“Look… don’t get mad, okay? But… do you think it’s possible she knew about it all?”

Never in his life has Sae’s fingers curled into a fist so fast, nails digging into his palms so hard, and Karasu has to throw his hands up in the air in surrender. Both of them know that if anything happens, they’re going to be recorded—and then the media will see it. And then everything will be taken out of context.

It’s routine at this point.

“She had nothing to do with it, so shut it.”

Does Sae know for sure that you don’t? Of course not. He doesn’t have evidence to support you, except that your parents left you behind. If your family’s really twisted, it could all be a part of some ploy. But Sae likes to think he knows you; you’re not sick or twisted. You’re kind and beautiful and trustworthy that he’s not even going to entertain the idea that you knew anything.

It isn’t long after that Sae spots you walking out of the interrogation room, down the corridor and back out to him. For the most part, at least you look fine. You’re trembling a little, so he clasps his hands over yours, holding you to him and kissing the top of your head.

“Hey, you doing okay?”

You can only manage a weak nod, but that’s enough for him. This situation can be a bit much for anyone. He holds you close like that, his warm body cloaking your own. You hate how it’s so easy for you to calm down when he’s here with you, and even if you’d like to condemn him for making such a whirlwind for your life you know it’s not technically his fault.

It was your parents who forced you into this marriage, or else you’d never have met Sae at all. It was Mirin who took it upon herself to try and ruin everything when Sae had refused her. And it was definitely your parents who took all their money and ran before they could get caught for multiple counts of fraud and embezzlement.

All Sae ever did was save your own money, all thanks to making that joint account. Otherwise, your parents would’ve made off with your money too, leaving you with no cent to your name, all properties seized.

You hold him a little tighter now, the tiff over what you thought was going on between him and Mirin seeming so stupid in comparison. Your own parents abandoned you and your sister, looked at you as just a pawn to get what they wanted. You don’t even know how you’re going to face Sae’s parents now that this happened.

A minute later, Mirin also waltzes out of the room, her feigned arrogance still present because the detective is still there. You gaze at them out of the corner of your eye; things only went so easy there because Mirin played her family’s cards right, and now both you and your sister are free to go.

In normal situations, this is where you thank her. But nothing about this is normal, and this was a situation partly borne out of Mirin’s impulsiveness. So all you manage is not paying her back with a slap.

“If you hear anything—”

“We’ll call you,” Sae cuts the detective off, his grip around you getting tighter.

Even if everything had been rocky earlier tonight, you find yourself comforted by the way you just know that Sae would protect you no matter what. You don’t even have to ask him, and he’d do right by you. For a moment, you wonder if this is the kind of unconditional love you’d always wanted.

“Hey, are you okay? Wanna go now?”

Sae’s voice is softer than you thought he could ever be, and all you want to do is melt into his embrace without thinking about anything but unfortunately the world is never so kind and neither is your mind because there’s a thousand questions running through it.

“Where’s my sister?”

“I got her to wait in Karasu’s car with her boyfriend. His car has more privacy and I thought it’d be best if no one outside could picture us.”

Right, because there are already some reporters who got hold of the news and are waiting right outside to ambush you into answering their questions. It’s all sorts of fucked up but you presume your parents are worse so you can’t really say anything.

Sae starts to lead the way to the carpark, his hand never leaving your side. He makes sure to look around, make sure nobody’s there to ambush you. Behind you, you can hear Karasu whispering things you can’t hear, probably to Mirin.

“That would mean there won’t be any space for her, right?” You ask, your mind still doing flips back and forth between being the bigger person and being petty about it. Because you’d love to be as ruthless as she once was to you, but ultimately, you don’t want to feel like you owe her anything.

As you reach the car, Karasu unlocks it, and Sae opens the back door, your sister sound asleep on the other side, her boyfriend muttering a soft ‘hello’. They both look tired, and you don’t blame them. At least you had Sae to warn you about what was going on, but to them it must’ve been a shock, especially for your poor sister who’s always been sheltered against the horrible things your parents could do.

“It’s fine, she can take the train,” Sae mutters, purposefully loud enough for Mirin to hear and hopefully get the hint.

Karasu’s about to suggest otherwise, but you interject—you’re pretty sure you’re the only one Sae will listen to now anyway. Even if Karasu tries to say anything, there’s a high chance that it’ll go ignored.

“She can sit in the front,” you say, because despite knowing better, it’s always been in you to try and be nice.

“Thank—”

“If she ends up getting pictured, it could blow back on us anyway,” you mutter coldly, because being nice doesn’t mean you have to make it apparent. There’s no one here you have to impress anyway, and Sae probably knows you’re just trying to hold it together for yourself, so you won’t have any regrets.

Like you predicted, Sae’s not all for it, but he doesn’t say a thing, following after you into the backseat, squeezing and trying not to wake your sister. Mirin doesn’t say a thing the whole way back, she only thanks Karasu for driving her back and leaves. Neither does Karasu say a thing, awkward silence hanging in the air as you catch him casting quick glances at you and Sae in the rearview mirror.

“Thanks for taking care of her,” you whisper to your sister’s boyfriend as he carries her out of the car. You didn’t get to talk to her all night, but that’s fine, you suppose she needs a long rest after everything she found out tonight.

He shoots you a helpless smile after he presses a kiss onto her forehead. The way he looks at her alone could make people believe in love, and you’ve never been more thankful that you tried your best to protect it. Among everyone, your sister’s always been good and kind, and even if you’ve never seen her around that much after university started for her, you love her all the same.

“You sure you don’t wanna wake her?” He asks you, quietly so he doesn’t disturb her. “She said she missed you, you know.”

You shake your head. “It’s fine, I’ll call her when things settle down,” you assure him, managing a genuine smile. “Take care of her, okay?”

Behind you, Sae smiles to himself when he figures out he must’ve married an angel, must be the luckiest man in the world. Despite everything that’s happened, you should be taking care of yourself, yet you managed to make sure Mirin got a ride home, and that your sister is in good hands. You’re a much bigger person than Sae can even dream to be and yet somehow, you chose to put all your effort into him and this marriage and even if he can’t tell where this will go from now on, he’s not going to give up on you.

When Karasu pulls out of your sister’s apartment parking, Sae slides over to your side, sitting himself on the middle backseat, putting an arm around you and gently placing your head in the crook of his neck. Then, only then, do you let your tears go, sobbing into his chest because you’d been holding back all this time, and Sae wonders if you do this a lot on a daily basis; put on a brave face as though you need to pretend you’re something you’re not. Though, if this was happening to him and Rin, he would be doing the same thing you are.

In the driver’s seat, Karasu finally understands why Oliver’s been saying Sae is a changed man. Even back then, with Mirin, Karasu doesn’t recall Sae being this gentle. Maybe it’s because he’s older now, or maybe it’s just because of you—the fact that it’s you, that’s why Sae is like this at all, a privilege only for a special person.

“Hey man,” Karasu calls out to Sae after you get out of the car. He smirks when Sae looks over at him, very much like a hopeless man in love because out of the corner of his eye, Karasu can tell that he has his hand in yours, keeping you there. Since when was he ever this clingy? “Congratulations.” Something he didn’t get to say because he wasn’t at the wedding.

But at least saying it now, he can really mean it.

Sae smiles subtly, but your head pops back into Karasu’s field of view before your husband can say anything.

“Hey, Karasu, right?”

He looks surprised, but he smiles at you all the same. “Yes, I am.”

You grin at him, and Karasu can already tell Sae’s a lucky man. Pretty wife, and from whatever Oliver’s mentioned, it sounds like you’re a keeper.

“I just met you tonight but… thank you, really,” you tell him, and he chuckles. 

You’re really something, because even Mirin had mentioned it to him earlier when she was having a full-on breakdown, when he had asked about you. Karasu thinks that it would just be a lot easier to think screw everyone and just focus on yourself, but apparently, not for you. Maybe he understands a little more of why Sae can’t help but fall for you.

“That’s a lot of shit to unload on someone who didn’t exactly steal Sae from you,” Karasu remarked, trying his best to steer Mirin in the right direction.

Mirin clicked her tongue, annoyed because she knew she wasn’t exactly acting with common sense. All she had wanted was to remove you from the picture, through any means necessary. So why? Why was it that whatever she tried would backfire on her? Why was it that no matter what, Sae would never give up on you? Where was the guy that so easily gave in when Mirin had suggested a breakup?

Why did she have to teach him everything only for you to get everything she ever wanted?

“Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you keep doing this…” Karasu trailed off, sighing as he looked away, scratching his head. “You’re really gonna lose every ounce of a friend you could possibly have in Sae.”

Mirin kept quiet for a while, then, as if she was considering something. Back then, Karasu hadn’t even known that anonymous tip she sent in to the police. If he had, he would’ve definitely acted faster.

“Is that Y/N even that bad of a girl?” Karasu thought out loud, wondering why there was all this trouble over you and Sae.

And for the first time since she got back to Japan, Mirin was completely honest with herself.

“No, she’s not.” (It was so quiet, Karasu had trouble deciding whether it was just the figment of his imagination.)

Because what had you ever done to her except unwillingly be placed in the middle of their by-then non-existent relationship?

“At your service, ma’am,” Karasu responds, grinning at you when he says his next words. “And don’t worry, I’ll keep Mirin in check.”

You still for a moment hearing those words, then pout at him before you slowly retreat out of the car, pulling Sae with you. You’re not even sure why you can find it in yourself to be worried for someone like Mirin who tried to screw you over. Maybe it’s because Sae had told you about her parents, about how she just didn’t have anyone and leaned on Sae for support out of habit. Somehow, Karasu’s words manage to comfort you a little bit; at least you knew that there was still someone else looking out for her. Your empathy is there, but that doesn’t mean you want to forgive her or even think about it.

Karasu laughs at your subtle reaction, rolling down the window, “hey Sae, your wife’s kinda cute,” he teases, and you see why Karasu managed to calm Mirin down back at the hotel. Whatever he did, it was definitely effective. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he oozes sincerity despite his jokes, something you can’t really say for Oliver and Shidou.

Beside you, Sae uses his body to block your line of sight as he flips Karasu off. “My wife, go away,” he quips, and you can only watch as Karasu laughs it off while he drives away from your apartment.

The moment you’re back in the house, Sae sets your bag down slowly on the couch, and you pause right before you enter the bedroom. Everything somehow feels light yet awkward and it feels like you’ve been through so many emotions in the span of one night and now it’s already 2am and you’re tired but it’s not like you can sleep right away with all these thoughts in your head.

You feel Sae’s chest press up against your back, his arms wrapping around your chest. Now that you know he’s never actually even cheated on you, or even thought about it, it’s like a huge weight has been lifted off your chest.

“What’s on your mind?” There’s a strain in his voice, and you can tell he’s gotten a cold just from tonight alone.

You sigh. “I don’t know if I can handle all of this…” you mutter honestly. Everything has just been too much. It was manageable back when you thought your marriage was the only thing in ruins, but to learn now that your parents are wanted fugitives and the fact that they’d leave you and your sister to clean things up and bear the brunt of being damned just for being their kids is a lot to take in for one night.

“You know I’m here for you whatever you need, right?” Sae asks, holding you tighter, pressing a kiss on your temple.

You want to be soft for him so bad, you want to melt into his touch and let him comfort you and hug him to sleep, but can you really afford it right now? Can you afford letting him feel that everything is fine after keeping everything from you and driving you to the point of thinking about divorce?

It’s not normal. It shouldn’t be.

And while you appreciate what he’s done for you in secret, that’s exactly what you’re not so sure about—secrets. You’re husband and wife, and if there’s going to be any hope moving forward, you can’t have him try and bear the burden of knowing alone.

“If you ever keep something like that from me again, I’m not giving you another chance,” you tell him, your voice quivering but he listens to you seriously all the same. It’s times like these where you appreciate that he isn’t the type to be joking around all the time. He’s serious when you need him to be, and that means a lot to you already.

“I promise you, I’ll talk to you, whatever it is,” he says, slowly turning you around, his fingers gently gripping your chin, tipping your head up to face him. “I meant what I said, by the way. I love you, Y/N, and I’m sorry I was being stupid. And I’ll try to make up for it, however long it takes me, okay?”

This is a first for you that it makes you emotional. For your entire life, you feel like it’s been you who’s been the one trying to take care of other people’s feelings and needs so much that you step all over your own. For your entire life, no one has cared about you so much so that they’d actively try and take care of you. Everyone lets you take care of everything yourself without thinking that it’d be nice to offer you help even if you looked like you didn’t need it.

For your whole life, you’d wondered how it would feel like being loved by someone who wants to take care of you just because. And here he is, making you feel like you’re loveable, like you’re worthy of being treated like a princess, like you don’t have to mask who you are to get his love because no matter what you do, his love overpowers it.

“So don’t leave me, okay?” Sae’s lashes flutter against your own, his teeth clenched because he’s thinking of how close he was to losing you and he would’ve never forgiven himself if you did.

And maybe it’s the way you realised he’s loved you in his own way all this while, or maybe it’s the way he keeps you so close to him now, so afraid of losing you, that you feel it’s okay to let yourself go, to let yourself be you, to wear your heart on your sleeve because no matter what it is, Sae will take care of it.

“I love you, Sae,” you whisper, both of you with your eyes closed, breaths mixed together, Sae subconsciously pushing you into the bedroom because he never realised that such simple words from you would ignite such an urgency inside him.

That night, for the first time, you experience Sae’s love for you. The way it’s so subtle, so gentle, a complete opposite of what you initially thought he was. The way he holds you in the palm of his hands and takes care of you completely; a dream you thought you’d never live to see come true. So many people go their whole lives being stuck in a relationship that they find lacking and yet here you are, getting everything you need and want and you don’t even have to ask for it because Sae knows you well enough to give it to you.

In the dim light of the moon that makes it into the slivers of your blinds, Sae marks you as his own, and even though neither of you have been through it, it feels right. It feels so right even when you’re lying in bed together after everything, legs tangled together underneath the blanket, bare bodies enveloping one another as the exhaustion finally kicks in.

Sae watches you as you fall asleep, finger lightly brushing your arms and lulling you to sleep. There’s a lot he still doesn’t understand about relationships, and the only form of experience he had seemingly meaning nothing in the face of his actual love, yet he’s strangely motivated now. There’s no way he’s going to let anything, much less himself, fuck this up.

No, he’s going to do his best to keep you happy, to take care of you and make sure you don’t have to be the one who acts strong all the time just to appease everyone else. He’s going to make you smile everyday because you deserve it, and he’ll do anything to make sure that happens.

Anything.

“She had nothing to do with it.”

Of course, Sae’s parents didn’t take too well to the news. One night isn’t enough for it to blow over, because the moment they got the news, they were here to get to the bottom of it. As expected, you received nothing but accusatory remarks, and unlike Mirin’s, at least Sae’s parents had the right to be upset.

Still, Sae’s standing up to them, a protective arm keeping you behind him, making sure they don’t throw daggers at you.

They’re angry, but they’re not as bad as your own parents. At the very least, his father isn’t throwing a tantrum and breaking silverware. Doesn’t even look close to it. He only crosses his arms in disbelief, the vein on his forehead threatening to pop.

“Are you sure you want to defend her?” He asks his son, scoffing. “You know how bad of a reputation we have now thanks to her parents?”

“He’s right, honey, if you want to divorce her now we’d fully support you,” his mother joins in, and she’s every bit as submissive as your own mother, you bet. Anything for their money bag.

“I’m not divorcing my wife ever, so if that’s all you came to say, you can leave.”

Suddenly you feel guilt for being the one to bring up divorce in the first place.

The argument goes on for a while, and you keep quiet all through it. Only because Sae asked you to. It’s fair; he wants to handle his parents, so you’ll trust him to it. If there’s a need, you’d interject anyway.

Like right now, when you realise that maybe your silence is making things even worse, like your admittance of guilt.

“I’m sorry for what my parents did,” you speak up, bowing ninety degrees because as much as you hate their actions, you want to help Sae as much as you can. He must hate talking to his parents as much as you do, so the least you can do is alleviate that. “I really didn’t know what they were up to, and I didn’t expect it to affect your family’s reputation as well. I can’t even begin to repay you for what my parents did, but I can offer you everything I have now, and I’ll do anything you want me to.”

“Then easy, leave—”

“Except leave your son,” you affirm, straightening up and looking them in the eyes. “We love each other, so we’re going to make this work.” Beside you, a smile tugs on the corners of Sae’s lips at your declaration. Are you really the same person who used to be so meek in front of yours and his parents once upon a time? “As for my parents, I’ll let the authorities do their work and capture them. As far as I’m concerned, they’re dead to me.”

Perhaps it’s because of your strong words, but the Itoshis leave not ten minutes later.

You flop down on the couch, an exhausting morning followed by an exhausting night is entirely too much for you. Sae shamelessly lays himself down on top of you, head resting on your chest. He must still be tired, judging from the bags under his eyes.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbles, fingers absentmindedly playing with your hair. “You were pretty hot, though, sticking it to them.”

You stifle a laugh, though your smile speaks for itself. “Guess we should’ve expected that. They got conned out of their money too, after all. Wonder when this is all gonna blow over,” you sigh to yourself, just wishing that the problem would disappear.

Over the course of the next few days, you received texts from colleagues asking what happened, and Sumi in particular loves to cuss your parents out over text and then apologise for being insensitive afterwards. It carries a sense of normalcy that you needed, though.

It takes a few months before everything completely settles down for you, until your sister has come to the realisation that your parents abandoned you and deserve whatever hell they’re going to get. It doesn’t stop her from saying yes to her boyfriend when he proposes, and you and Sae watch on lovingly as she leaps into his arms and kisses him silly.

“You know what, a family like this doesn’t suck so much either,” you ponder out loud. All you really need is just your sister, and Sae—both of them have never failed you after all.

Sae puts his arm around you, holding you close like he always does. You notice that; that when Sae loves you he’ll crave your proximity everytime. Sumi likes to joke that he’s too clingy, but you like him just like that.

Seeing the scene unfold in front of them, your eyes twinkling as you watch the movie-like proposal in front of you, Sae feels just a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give that to you,” he mutters, though he already knows you don’t mind. To you, what matters the most is that the both of you are still together, still happy.

And that’s exactly what you say with your hands wrapped around his neck, kissing him with those perfect lips of yours, pulling him in so naturally without having to do anything.

“You give me more than enough, Itoshi Sae,” you whisper, oblivious to Sae falling even more and more in love with you.

“Have I told you I love you?”

You chuckle, nodding and Sae’s completely taken by your grin.

“We love you too.”

“We?”

And when you break it to him, in a hushed whisper because you don’t want to ruin the proposal, Sae gives you the most lovestruck expression you’ve ever seen.

THREE YEARS LATER

A lot has changed.

Turns out, you’re not as cold-hearted as you thought. Mirin is still on the list of your least-liked humans, for sure, but it’s not like you care enough to harbour any resentment anymore. She’s not worth vexing over, and much less so after that one time years ago when she came over to personally apologise. You haven’t officially forgiven her, but you don’t particularly wish the worst upon her. You’re not even sure where she is or what she’s doing because Sae doesn’t care for keeping in touch with her, but you’re both indifferent about her now.

Reo had apparently met someone special last year when he attended a charity gala. You’ve never met her in person, but from the pictures Reo takes and shares on his socials—all to show her off, no doubt—she looks absolutely breathtaking. He was there with you throughout the whole fiasco too, lending his family’s support to weather you through the tough times. You’re happy he finally found that special someone. From his texts, sometimes it seems rocky, but he’s “pretty sure she’s the one,” and you’re honestly happy for him.

Your parents have been caught—apparently, a year out they’d tried to seek shelter with one of their friends only for them to tip the police off. It wasn’t even like you, but you visited your mother in jail, just out of curiosity, and the only thing she had begged you was to help them get a good lawyer. Not that you didn’t expect it, or that it would make any difference if you did agree. Frankly, you just went there to say “no”, to let her feel the same helplessness she and your father cast upon you. You’ve never visited her since.

Sae’s been busy ever since his career shift two years ago. (His parents weren’t all too happy about it, but ever since their screw up with yours, they weren’t as forceful anymore.) Now, he’s one of the assistant coaches for Japan’s national team, and you’ve never been happier for him. It gives him more flexibility too, getting to spend more time with you back at home, but also getting to invite you with him whenever they travel.

You guess it’s lucky that you managed to land a spot helping the team out with marketing, so more often than not you get to see your husband play some soccer. Like right now, when you’re bent over the railing, watching him coach the two main midfielders and looking completely different than when he’s at home.

For one, it’s definitely the first time you get to see him all intense. With you, he’s pretty much the opposite, going all soft whenever he gets home, and you wonder how you got so lucky to be building a home with someone who loves you so much he can spot you a mile away and give you the gentlest smile you’ve ever seen.

Sae calls for a break, jogging towards your direction looking handsome as hell but you’re not going to tell him that or else he’ll tease you about it.

“How are my girls?”

Oh, and you’ve apparently managed to give him a daughter that looks so much like him. She sits on the railing, your arms wrapped around her to support her as she jumps into her father’s arms.

“She’s been bugging me all day to come and visit you,” you remark.

Yeah, she’s a daddy’s girl—and you smile watching Sae kiss her all over, her laughter ringing in the air, her happiness meaning the world to you.

Neither you nor Sae have ever experienced what a good family is like, nor have either of you seen what good parenting is like. But your daughter seems happy everyday, with parents who support her whenever she wants to try something different, so you both take it one step at a time, learning as you go. If it ever gets too difficult for you, Sae steps in, and he’s never let you down.

“Remember what we’re gonna surprise mommy with later?” Sae asks your daughter, and you’re still trying to get used to him calling you that.

You arch a brow, “I get a surprise?”

Your daughter giggles, nodding as she melts in her father’s arms. “Of course, mommy! You’ll love it!”

Her smile is infectious, a grin forming on your face just by looking at her. You shift your gaze to your husband. “What is it?”

All he does is look you in the eyes, smirking. “You’ll see.”

That night, you entertain your daughter by letting her blindfold you and lead you, well, wherever the surprise is. It smells nice, wherever you are because you’d been blindfolded even during the car ride, and you can tell it’s grand because of the way your heels are clacking against the marble and the way Sae had dressed tonight.

By your guess, you’re probably at one of the nice hotels here for one of their signature buffet dinners. Your daughter’s never been, so that could be why she’s making a huge deal out of this. Like father, like daughter, so cute.

But when your daughter urgently whispers for you to take the blindfold off, you find yourself at the entrance of huge double doors, two hotel staff smiling and opening up to unveil a huge ballroom filled with people, most of them you recognise because they’re your friends.

It’s already bringing tears to your eyes when you realise what this must be.

They’re all cheering as they see you, your daughter skipping happily into the room, choosing to run straight to your purple-haired best friend at one of the tables who you thought was still busy abroad. Beside him, his beautiful girlfriend mouths a ‘hello’, but you’re still too surprised to respond.

Everyone’s clapping and cheering and all of a sudden you feel the familiar presence of your husband right beside you, his arms wrapping around your waist as he kisses you on the cheek.

“Surprised?”

Honestly? Yes. Very. And you’re not one to be easily surprised at all.

“I wanted to give you the celebration you deserved,” he tells you, waiting for you to take it all in.

It’s a far cry from the pathetic reception you got from people you barely knew during your actual wedding reception. Sae had been nothing but cold to you back then too, so it felt more like a prison than anything.

Now? You recognise so many faces in the crowd that you can’t help but smile and wave back. You’d always wondered what this would be like, and your husband somehow manages to give it to you without having you ask for it and you’re in love. Because he seems ice cold and awkward and rough around the edges but his love for you has always, always been warm. His love has always felt like coming home and having a safe space and this might be the unconditional love you’d been praying for your whole life.

You almost gave up on it. But you know now Sae never will. And neither will you. You have a family now, a proper one built by two people who never had a stable environment, by two people who never came close to being provided one themselves.

Sae’s your pillar of support, and you begin to see now that you’re his.

Now you know it’s true what they say; you don’t have to beg for someone’s love if they truly cared about you, because Sae has always gone the extra mile for you every single day. You don’t have to act like someone you’re not just to please them so they don’t leave—because no matter how many disagreements you have, Sae is always there to listen to your point of view. You don’t have to beg someone to treat you right if they really love you, because Sae’s been actively choosing you ever since the day you got married, and whether it’s intentional or not, you think you’re the luckiest person in the world.

And now you can’t be happier; you have a wonderful daughter who has two parents who absolutely love her. You have a husband who takes care of you in every single way, loving you in every essence of the word. You have friends like Reo who would burn the world if it was ever unkind to you and dance with you atop their pile of bodies. You have everything you could ever want and you couldn’t have seen it without Sae by your side.

The do-over of your wedding reception is perfect. So, so perfect, and it’s almost hard to believe it’s the product of Sae’s ideas. He doesn’t even particularly like celebrations like this but he did this for you, for both of you, and being able to make your daughter be a part of it is like icing on the four-tiered cake he had ordered.

“I’ll love you forever, Y/N,” he whispers suddenly into your ear as you guys are making rounds at the tables.

You accept the kiss from him, flashes going off as you smile against his lips. “Yeah? What if it falls apart?” you ask, teasing him, though you never thought he’d answer you seriously.

“Then I’ll rebuild it,” he tells you, your lips hovering just above each other and his beautiful teal eyes looking into yours, a small smile on his face. “But with you, I’m pretty sure that would never happen.”

And you’ve always been pessimistic. You’ve always chosen to believe the worst because it alleviates the pain you’d feel when things don’t go as planned. But somehow, you believe in Sae with your whole heart. You’d trust him with your whole life. So you want to give him what he’s given you—everything. (He thinks you already have.)

“I’ll love you forever, Itoshi Sae.”

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[emma23]

Why do you care ?

Poe dameron x reader

————————————————————————

Y/N tapped her fingers on the side of her speeder as she approached Poe’s quarters. The low hum of engines buzzed in her ears, but her mind was elsewhere—specifically, on the disastrous date she had just been on. The man had been nice enough, sure, but it had been… dull. No sparks, no excitement.

As the door to Poe's place slid open, she didn't even bother knocking—why would she? They had been best friends for years, and Poe was practically family at this point. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different about tonight. She could feel it in the way her pulse raced when she thought about seeing him.

"Hey, Dameron!" she called as she walked into his living space, slumping onto his worn-out couch like she always did.

Poe emerged from the small kitchenette, holding two glasses of some alien whiskey they’d both developed a taste for during their time with the Resistance. His usual cocky grin wasn’t there, replaced by a furrowed brow as his dark eyes flicked to hers.

"Where were you?" Poe asked, his tone a little too casual, like he was trying not to sound bothered but failing miserably.

Y/N raised an eyebrow, kicking off her boots and pulling her legs up onto the couch. "Why do you care?"

Poe didn’t sit down. He just stood there, staring at her like she had just flown the Falcon straight into the side of a Star Destroyer. "Why do I care? Are you serious right now?" His voice edged with frustration.

Y/N blinked, genuinely confused. "Poe, what’s your problem? I went out. Big deal."

Poe took a slow breath, his jaw clenching slightly as he finally lowered himself onto the couch next to her. He set the glasses down, his hand resting on his knee as if he was trying to hold back from saying something he’d regret.

"It is a big deal, Y/N." His voice was quieter now, more serious. "Because I'm jealous."

Y/N froze, her eyes widening slightly as she turned to look at him. "Jealous? What are you talking about?"

Poe let out a dry laugh, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe he had to spell it out. "Because you were on a date with him."

"So?" she shot back, trying to downplay the odd twist of her stomach at his words.

Poe’s eyes locked on hers, and there was a flicker of something there—something raw, vulnerable, and entirely too intense. "So… he gets to take you on dates. He gets to do things that I’ve wanted to do for years. Things I’ve so badly wanted to do. I want to date you, Y/N. I want to kiss you. I’ve always wanted you."

The air between them went still, like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.

"Poe…" Y/N started, but she wasn’t sure what she wanted to say. She had never thought—she had never considered…

"No, don’t 'Poe' me." His voice was firm, but the hurt in his eyes softened the words. "You want to know why I care? Because every time I see you with someone else, it drives me crazy. Watching him take you out? It’s like—like he’s stealing something that should be mine. I’m sorry if that sounds selfish, but it’s true."

Y/N blinked, her heart hammering in her chest. Poe Dameron was in love with her. The idea felt so ridiculous and yet… right at the same time.

"Poe, why didn’t you ever say anything?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

He sighed, rubbing a hand through his messy black curls. "Because I didn’t want to screw this up. This—us. You’re my best friend, Y/N. But seeing you tonight, knowing you were out with him… I just couldn’t keep it to myself anymore."

Silence stretched between them, and for a moment, neither of them knew what to say.

Then Y/N’s lips curved into a small, teasing smile. "You could’ve said something sooner, you know. Saved me from that horrible date."

Poe’s eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, horrible?"

She shrugged, trying to keep her cool. "Yeah. He was sweet, but… kinda boring."

A slow grin spread across Poe’s face, his posture relaxing as he leaned closer to her. "Boring, huh?"

Y/N bit her lip, eyes dancing with mischief as she inched towards him. "Yeah. Not really my type."

"And what exactly is your type?" His voice dropped, turning soft and husky, their faces now inches apart.

Y/N’s breath hitched, her heart hammering in her chest. She could feel the heat between them, the tension that had been building for years. "Oh, you know… cocky pilot, big brown eyes, really good at saving the galaxy."

Poe smirked, his lips brushing against hers, teasing. "Sounds like a real pain in the ass."

"Yeah, but worth it," she whispered before closing the gap between them, her lips crashing into his.

The kiss was hot and hungry, years of unspoken feelings pouring out all at once. Poe's hands moved to her waist, pulling her closer as she straddled him on the couch, their bodies pressing together in a rush of heat and desire.

It wasn’t long before they were lost in each other, their clothes discarded carelessly onto the floor, their touches becoming more urgent, more desperate. Poe’s lips traced a path down her neck, his hands roaming her body like he was trying to memorize every inch of her.

"Y/N," he breathed against her skin, his voice thick with need, "I’ve wanted this for so long."

Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him closer, her own breath ragged. "Then don’t stop."

And he didn’t.

After what felt like hours, they lay tangled together in the aftermath, their limbs intertwined as they caught their breath. Y/N rested her head on Poe's chest, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin.

"I can’t believe it took us this long," she murmured, a satisfied smile playing on her lips.

Poe chuckled softly, his hand brushing through her hair. "Well, you’re not exactly easy to read, you know. I thought you were into the whole 'dating other people' thing."

Y/N snorted, smacking his chest lightly. "Dating other people was a mistake. You’re the one I should’ve been with all along."

Poe grinned, pulling her closer. "Damn right."

There was a brief pause before he added, "So… you think maybe you’d want to do this whole 'dating' thing for real?"

Y/N smiled up at him, her heart full. "Yeah, I think I’d like that."

Poe grinned, running his hand through his messy curls. "Well, now that we’re dating, I guess I should warn you—there’s a strict no-snoring policy in this relationship."

Y/N laughed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, you’re gonna regret that. Trust me.

[wonder-kid-pugh]

Falling for me... literally? - Alessia Russo x reader

It wasn't a secret that off the football pitch Alessia wasn't the most graceful person. Hell even on the pitch Alessia struggled to stay on her feet the entire time.

It was a running joke with the team that Alessia was quite possibly the clumsiest person alive. So the blonde did her best to prove her teammates wrong.

Although it didn't quite work out most of the time.

But overtime Alessia had made peace with it. As embarrassing as it was it was true. That despite her profession she wasn't the best on her feet. Even if she had accepted it, it didn't mean that she sometimes hated that fact.

Especially now.

"Ella shut up!" Alessia groans as Ella continues to cackle beside her as they enter the hospital.

Ella tries to stop but it only turns to giggles instead. "I'm sorry" she says not really sounding sorry at all. But another grin over takes her face as she falls into laughter again. "I just can't wait for you to explain what happened".

Alessia blushes crimson as Ella bursts out laughing again gaining the attention of other people. Alessia ducked her head down not wanting to drag anymore attention to herself.

Alessia instead busiest herself with admitting her details all while trying to ignore Ella who continuously teased her.

Surprisingly they weren't waiting all that long before someone came and saw her.

Alessia was in the middle of rolling her eyes at her best friend as she poked more fun at her when someone flew into the room.

"Sorry about that" you apologize when you see how the blonde jumped at the sudden entry. Sending her a quick smile hoping it would help her calm down. "I'm still new here. Still trying to find my bearings".

But Alessia couldn't answer. She was too busy staring at how beautiful you looked.

She was jolted out of it by a swift elbow to her side from her teammate. Her face pinkened as she gave you a sheepish smile. "It's...It's fine".

You return it and Alessia swears that if she was hooked up to one of those heart monitors she would have been screwed. "Well what brings you here today?"

Alessia rolls her eyes contemplating hitting her friend when she hears her failing to hide her chuckles but instead settles for focusing on the pretty nurse in front of her.

But it seems she's saved from explaining when your eyes flicker up to her eyebrow.

"Mind if I take a look?" You ask as you get gloves on. Alessia nods quietly as you walk closer to her. Even with the blonde sitting down you were just barely at her height standing up. But you were thankfully able to get a clear look at her eyebrow coming level with her eyes.

Which you struggled to not pay attention when her blue orbs were fixed on you.

You kiss your teeth as you look at the small split right off her eyebrow. "Ouch what happened here?"

Alessia blushes furiously which she blames on the fact that Ella once again bursts our laughing instead of how gently your touching her face. "Um".

"She has an ongoing fued with gravity" Ella teases thinking that her best friend is currently flustered due to her teasing not the pretty girl checking out her split head. "Less can't seem to stay on her feet for long periods of time".

Alessia glares at the brunette hoping that it would shut her up.  But she doesn't get the hint. She opens her mouth to tease the blonde some more but she's cut off by her phone ringing.

Ella takes out her phone and sends the striker a small smile. "Sorry it's Joe".

But Alessia waves her off almost as if relived for the reprieve. "It's okay go take it".

Ella looks over her almost as if to make sure it's okay before she ducks out of the room to answer the call.

"Sorry about her" Alessia sighs softly.

But you just chuckle as you shake her head. "Don't be" you reassure her as your raise an eyebrow at her, "we all have that one friend".

Alessia laughs and nods but immediately stops when pain shoots through her head and she winces.

You frown at the girl's visible pain. "So what really happened?" You ask as you focus back on the wound. Careful not to cause her anymore pain.

Alessia pursues her lips before sighing rubbing her hands on her thighs nervously.

"I..." Alessia starts but relents when you smile softly at her. "I tripped" she admits with a small shrug, "I tripped and I hit my head off the corner of the couch".

You raise an eyebrow at her, "So there's some truth behind what your friend was saying?"

Alessia blushes and lets out a small cough trying to deflect. But you just give her arm a gentle squeeze. "It's okay. It's cute" you wink and giggle when you see how red the blonde gets.

You give her a grin before going back to her wound. You were so focused on her wound that you didn't see how she looked at you. How it gave Alessia the perfect opportunity to check you out while you were so close and so focused on something else.

If you had been paying attention you would have noticed all of that. Especially how big her grin was when she saw how you had to go on your tippy toes at times.

"So how are you feeling?" You ask as your eyes flicker down to hers.

Alessia's eyes widened thinking she was caught but eventually stumbled back an answer. "oh uh...fine just a headache really". Almost as if to prove a point she winces once more as you gently prod a tender area.

You raise another eyebrow at her as she smiles sheepishly at being caught. "Okay and maybe a bit sore".

You hum as you look her over putting your hand to her forehead to check her temp as she was incredibly flush. "Any dizziness? Nausea?" But that just earned you a small head shake from the girl.

"How long ago was this?" You ask as you take off your gloves.

Alessia shrugs, "Not long. We came straight here cause Ella was worried about a concussion. And we weren't waiting long. So I'd say a little over an hour ago?"

You grin at her as you cross your arms and you lean back against the wall. "Yeah that was me. I saw you in the waiting room and said we better get you out of there before people realized who you were".

Alessia nearly chokes on air. "You know who I am?" Already blushing at the fact that the pretty girl knows who she is.

"Yeah my niece adores you guys". You give her a sly grin. "I brought her to some of the Euro games. We were there when you scored you backheel". You rolled your eyes lightly but judging by your smile it was playful, "After that my niece wouldn't shut up about you after that. So thanks for that".

Alessia bites the inside of her cheek but that doesn't nothing to stop the smile blooming on her face. "Sorry about that".

You shrug, "It's fine. I guess there's worst things to talk about than a pretty girl".

Alessia can't do anything but blush unable to say anything in fear of coming off like an idiot. But she's saved when Ella barges into the room again.

"So what's the verdict Doc?" She asks oblivious to the conversation she interrupted.

You give her an amused look before focusing back on the blonde. "Well it looks like you are very lucky Miss Russo". Your arms cross and Alessia has to force herself to focus on what your saying rather than how look they look in your scrub top. "You have no signs of concussion. And the wound isn't deep so that's good which means we could probably do strips rather than stitches".

Alessia nods along but it's Ella who answers. "That's great news Less". Alessia nods along thankful that it's not serious enough for her to miss the end of the season.

"Perfect. I'll get you sorted out and then you'll be good to go" you nod as you move around collecting what you need.

Ella throws her thumb over her shoulder, "I'll give Mark a call and update him".

Alessia nods and waves her off as the midfielder once again leaves.

Alessia once again fixates on you as you put back on gloves and begin to work on her wound. "So you came to the Euro's games?"

You smile your eyes flickering down to hers briefly before focusing back on the task at hand. "Yeah my niece it seems inherited my love for football and her mother doesn't see the appeal so I took her to the games".

"Unfortunately I was working for the final though so her mom had to take her" you sighed as you gently put on the first steri strip to hold the wound closed and allow it to heal. "But I got a blow by blow from my niece about how amazing the Lionesses were".

Alessia smiles seeing how you talk about your niece. "How old is she?"

You smile grows thinking of your niece, "Lucy is eight and in love with anything Football and will probably combust when she hears I met you today".

Alessia goes to nod but immediately stops when you tisk her and hold her head in place as to not disrupt her work. What you didn't notice was how you stopped her by cupping her face which immediately stopped Alessia in her tracks.

Alessia clears her throat as she tries to deflect from her definitely reddening face. "Who does she support? The blonde asks with a grin.

You pause briefly to grin amusedly at her, "Why are you going to ask for someone else to treat you if I say I'm a city fan?"

Alessia despite knowing (and also hoping) that you were joking can't help but play along. "Maybe" she says cheekily as she smiles at you.

You scoff but can't help but let the smile slip through as you pull off your gloves. "Well then. Too bad cause I'm already done".

You hold up a small mirror, "If you look closely I spelt out City in the strips".

Alessia rolls her eyes. "Haha very funny".

"I know I am" you quip back with a wink and a grin.

Before either one of you can continue your banter Ella enters the room again. "Well that's you all sorted out". You look at Alessia, "Someone will be by to tell you anything you need to know about looking after them for the next day or so. And they'll also get you sorted with all the discharge work".

Alessia nods and smiles at you losing all her words at that moment.

"Well I hope you have a nice evening and don't have anymore fights with a couch" you tease with earns a snort from Ella.

"No promises" Alessia quips back which shocks her friend but ignores it for the moment.

You smirk as you head to leave the room, "Good luck with the rest of your season".

Alessia bites her lip seeing your about to leave. But she needs to know. "Wait!" She starts which honestly scares her best friend not expecting it. She takes a breath as you stop and turn around in the doorway. "What club do you support?"

You shrug playfully crossing your arms once more as Alessia forces herself to keep focused on your eyes. "I am a fan of the Gunners" you say as Ella lets out a loud groan. But right before you leave you wink at her. "But I don't know. United have been looking pretty good recently".

And with that she leaves not notice the love sick look Alessia is left with as you walk away to carry on with your day.

Alessia can't help but stare after you hoping to catch another glimpse but it seems her best friend is focused on other things. 

"What does she mean recently? We're always good!"

***

Two days.

It had been two days and you still consumed Alessia's mind. So much so that when she went back to the hospital under the guise that she just wanted to be sure she was fully fit to play again she couldn't help but ask for you.

Which she was only disappointed to hear that you weren't working today.

And thus her plan failed.

So for the past 2 days she has had to suffer Ella telling the entire team how she slipped and ended up going to the hospital and got flustered when she had to explain everything to you.

Thankfully she didn't know that the real reason she was so flustered was because of you, so she was saved from the constant teasing from her teammates.

A small mercy she supposed.

So when she told the team that she couldn't go to practice because she had to get checked up at the hospital it was really a plan to hopefully see you.

And if she could manage it maybe ask you out.

Only she didn't consider that it would be your day off when she thought of it. Which meant she was now alone with the day to herself.

So she went for a run.

She hadn't been training since she had split her head. And she was starting to get restless from not doing anything and decided a small run wouldn't hurt anyone.

She was only gone an hour before she was coming back up to her house. But as she was coming up to her house she started to slow down as her attention is on the massive moving truck.

Curious as always Alessia alows down to try and get a peak and what kind of stuff her new neighbors has.

But of course as if the universe was punishing her for being nosey. Her foot catches on the curb sending her tumbling. Alessia staggers forward her hand held out to try and catch herself. And right as she's sure she's about to eat the pavement, someone catches her.

"I'm starting to think you're doing this on purpose..."

Alessia immediately perked up as her head snapped towards the voice.

"Like I mean there's no possible way someone could be this clumsy without it being on purpose" you tease as you grin down at her.

Alessia was too in shock to even respond as she just dumbly stared at you.

But it seems that you catch her stare as you raise an eyebrow at her with a teasing smirk. "Or maybe you just wanted another excuse to come see me at the hospital?"

Alessia was sure that her face was as red as the jersey she wore. "I uh I don't..."

But you just shook your head as your crossed your arms as Alessia busied herself with straightening herself up. "I'm new but I'm already the talk of the nurses station apparently". You tilt your head at her, "I suppose that what happens when one of the Lionesses comes in and asks for you by name".

Alessia bites her lip knowing that she's been caught. "Uh...". But when she sees the smile your trying to contain she relaxes even the tiniest bit. "Okay yeah. I did".

You hold you hand to your chest as your face morphs in mock shock. "God I'm honored. Truly!"

Alessia scoffs lightly but smiles in good humor. "Well maybe I should be the one that's worried" Alessia teases trying to turn it back on you. "I mean your the one that's following me".

But it just earns a smirk from you as you lean up against the moving truck. "Actually no I'm not". You jut a thumb at the truck, "I'm using my day off to move into my new place".

Alessia's eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Her mouth dropped as you giggled at her.

"You...your going to be living....here?" Alessia says as she points to the apartment building right beside of them. When you nodded, her smile seemed to widen.

"Judging by your reaction, I guess I'm talking to my new neighbor?" You ask.

Alessia just smiles widely at you, "Hi".

You chuckle but can't help but notice how cute the forward is.

This seems to enbolden her as her chest puffs out a bit in confidence. "Do you need a hand with all your stuff? She asks as she leans over to look into the truck.

You lick your lips as you bite your lip before shaking your head. "No...I couldn't ask you to do that. I'm sure that's not how you would want to spend your day off".

But Alessia is quick to wave you off as she moves to grab one of the boxes by the edge of the truck. "Not at all! Seriously it's fine. Beside it looks like you already have most of it done. I'll just help you with the last of it". She flashes you a smile which makes your heart soar. "Consider it a thank you for helping me out the other day".

Now it's your turn to blush at the praise while Alessia internally cheers at the achievement.

"Well it's nice to know it's healing up nicely" you say as you brush some of the loose hairs out of her face to have a look at the old wound.

And if Alessia wasn't scared of dropping your stuff, she definitely would have dropped the box.

It seems like you catch yourself in the moment as you blush again before backing up thinking you were making the blonde uncomfortable.

You clear your throat as you grab another box and nod in thanks. "Thank you".

Alessia smiles back at you as she nods her head towards the building, "Lead the way".

You lead the way up to your apartment but of course the lift isn't working meaning the two of you have to trudge up and down the stairs with the last remaining boxes. It took about another 5 trips but the two of you got the job done.

"Thank you so much for all your help" you thank her as you flop back down to the couch.

Thankfully that came with the apartment so it was one of the few things you didn't need to carry up the stairs.

She takes a deep breath as she puts down the box on the ground with the others. "It's no problem" she says as she drops down onto the couch with you.

You give her a look, "Really it was". You playfully groan as your head drops onto the back of the couch. "I don't think I would have managed another trip up and down those stairs".

"The benefit of having a professional athlete as a neighbor?" She offers with a smile.

The two of you fall into laughter before you check the time. "Well the least I could do for taking up your evening is offer you dinner". You see her open her mouth most likely to argue but you just take her hand which was in-between you on the couch.

"It will be no hassle at all and I was planning on getting a takeout anyways. I have nothing in the fridge and even if I did I don't think I have the energy to make anything" you add. It seems that Alessia contemplate for a second before sighing and nodding.

"Great!" You smile as you squeeze her hand before getting up from the couch. "Pizza okay with you?"

Alessia nods also standing up. "Yeah that's perfect". She points her thumb over her shoulder at the door. "I'm just going to go freshen up is that alright?"

You nod before realizing you probably need to do the same. "Yeah that's fine. I probably need to do the same". You peel your shirt off you only realizing now how it was slicked with sweat.

Alessia laugh at the disgusted look on your face to which you roll your eyes. "What apartment are you? Will I come up to you when it's here or...."

Alessia nearly winces thinking how messy her apartment is right now. "No. Uh I'm right about you. And I won't take long so I'll come back down".

You grin as you nod, "Alright but if your not down in time I'll just bang the brush on the roof".

Alessia laughs as she walks out of the apartment. The moment she hit the stairs and knew you couldn't see she bolted up the stairs. Knowing how long it took her to get ready, she had the quickest shower of her life before rushing around to get ready to meet you back downstairs.

But she made sure to grab something before heading back down again.

She knocked on the door as she rocked on the balls of her feet waiting. You opened the door with a smile as you nodded you head in, "Perfect timing it was just delivered there".

She smiled as she followed you in as she hid the bag she brought drop beside the couch as the two of you tucked into the pizza.

There never seemed to be a lull between you. The conversation just flowed effortlessly. As much as you tried to turn the conversation to Alessia, she made it clear that she was interesting in your life as she asked about being a doctor. She was also surprised to find out you were a former field medic.

Although that did explain your physique.

But you remained adamant that you wanted to learn more about her as well. But not the superstar Alessia Russo. The questions were aimed more towards how she go into soccer as well as her family. Not wanting to pry into her professional life in fear of overstepping.

It was so easy to talk to her. So easy that you didn't realize how late it was getting.

"God I can't believe it's 10:30" you say shocked when you see the time. Due to it being the summer, the sun always set late which always gave off the false illusion of time to you.

"Yeah it's crazy" Alessia nods as she puts the wine glasses over in the sink.

It was only as you were cleaning up did you realize the bag that Alessia had hid when she came back. "What's this?"

Alessia blushes as she scratched the back of her head. "Uh well it's kinda the real reason I came to the hospital to see you?" She motions for you to open the bag only to find a Manchester United jersey with her name and number on the back signed.

"I thought that you could give it to your niece?" She said slowly before adding, "And I was thinking that whenever your free I could get you tickets to a game?" Her eyes widen, "Only if you would want to now! I wouldn't want to force you to!"

You shake your head as your heart once again soars at the sweet gesture. "This is amazing Alessia. Your too kind. Thank you".

But you smirk as you couldn't help but tease her. "What about me though?"

She tilts her head at you and you have to hold yourself back from audibly awing at how cute she is. It almost resembles a puppy to you.

"What? No jersey for me?" You ask wiggling your eyebrows at her letting you know your teasing.

But she seemingly plays along with you. "I didn't know if I would be able to convince you to wear it. Seeing as your a Gunners Girl".

You let out a little laugh as you moves towards her. Most people would be intimidated by the height difference. But you were used to it in your years with the army and had grown used to tougher situations. "Well I mean it would take some convincing I mean..."

By the way your eyes had flickered down from her eyes to her lips and back up again, Alessia took that as her sign.

"Maybe a date?" Alessia chances as she hopes she didn't read the situation wrong. "Would convince you I mean?"

You bite your lip but it does nothing to hide the smile on your face. "I mean" you start with a grin. "It would have to be a pretty amazing date with someone pretty special". You wink at her, "I mean I don't wear just anyone's jersey you know?"

Alessia smiled at your banter. "Well I hear that number 23 for United is pretty good".

You nod with a smile, "Hmm I heard that too". You tilt your head up at her. "How about we settle this with a little wager then?"

"I'm listening" Alessia agrees.

"Well if that number 23 can score again in their upcoming game against Arsenal...then I guess I'll agree to going on a date with you".

Alessia couldn't help but feel both competitive and giddy. "You should know that she has a good track record for scoring against Arsenal" she challenges raising an eye at you.

But you just nod subtly licking your lips as you look at her before looking back up at those gorgeous sky blue eyes and breath out.

"That's what I'm counting on".

[insomniamamma]

Needles & Pins: Tattoo Artist! Ezra x F!reader w/Cee

A/n: written for @secretelephanttattoo's Secret Springs challenge! Thank you, Mayor El, for planting this seed. I am currently mulling over a tattoo much like the one described here.

Warnings: Angst. Talk about failed marriage. Reader is an empty nester. Reader has grown children. Mentions of self harm scars. Blood. I have tattoos but it's been decades and I've done a bit of research to figure out the current state of it. Any inaccuracies are on me. And yes, Pedro's red devil Met Gala look was my inspiration for tattoo artist! Ez.

A bit of flirting. It is Ezra after all. But mostly gentle fluff.

 A chain of bells on the door jingles as you push your way through, briefly glare-blind from the sudden dimness, green afterimages from the sizzling sidewalks, air-conditioned cold hits hard, and you stand, blinking and foolish as the girl behind the counter sizes you up, wild mullet of bleach-blonde hair, face set and disproving, black lacquered nails and ears spangled with golden studs and bars.  “I’m sorry— I’m a bit early, I can come back—“ And she smiles, big and open and wide--  “Oh, heck! You’re the tardigrade lady! Ez did a bunch of sketches. Lemme go grab him-“ and she rattles her way through the beaded curtain behind the register and disappears “Ezra! Your three o’clock is here—“    A co-worker had recommended Needles & Pins when you’d admired her ink, a half-sleeve magpie with a skeleton key in its beak and constellations drawn behind it like an old map. It’s in Secret Springs. That’s kind of a haul. Yeah, but Ezra’s one of the best in the business. You’ve got plenty of PTO piled up. You’re just gonna lose it if you don’t use it. You could get out of here for a bit. Yeah, maybe. And Moira gives you a pitying look. You both know the chances of you using any of that PTO are slim. This last year and change has been a rollercoaster ride, your youngest graduating summa cum laude and fucking off halfway across the country, some job at an aerospace start up that you can’t even begin to understand, but she seems happy, and the vice-gripped, duct taped, cobbled together thing that your marriage had become finally shat out. I love you, he’d said, but not the way you need me to. And on that humid night, watching heat-lightning flicker through the clouds, you say nothing, just nod, because he’s not wrong, the two of you have been holding on for a long time, for the kids, for appearances, and it’s like unclenching a fist. Kept it civil, he let you keep the house rather than selling it and splitting the difference, moved back home with his brothers and his dad, still talk about once a week, mostly about Lilly and the boys. Married so young that you never learned to be alone. So you throw yourself into your job, because if there’s one thing you know how to do it’s press your shoulder to the wheel and shove.You and Moira laugh together, but when you get home you start researching Needles and Pins and Secret Springs, tiny state park with campsites and trails, bracketed with BNB’s and small shops, strange gerrymandered artifact, small strip of beach that hasn’t been subsumed by hotel chains and timeshares. You can’t remember the last time you’ve been on vacation, the last time you’ve done anything for you and no one else, and you’ve e-mailed Needles and Pins almost without thinking. Why not? Why the fuck not?

  Appointments only. No walk ins. High end. Serious inquiries only.   And part of you balked, new to this possibility, had your ears pierced at Claire’s when you were twelve or so, and you’d felt stupid when you sent the e-mail off with some images attached. Sorry to bother you.   What a lovely idea. Water bears and fireweed together speak of resilience. The awakening of something new after a time of trial. There are species of pine that require the heat of wildfire to dry out their cones enough to spread their seeds. I would gladly meet with you to discuss this further.   And that’s how you ended up here, in this air-conditioned cave, narrow space full of framed flash art and old maps and framed photos of Ezra and the girl behind the counter, C? Sea? You didn’t quite register her name, flustered by the cool dark in contrast to the blazing heat outside.   “No need to yell, Birdie, I’m comin-“ Ezra rattles through the curtain. Broad is the first thing you notice, loud is the second. He is a confusion of color, heavily inked arms and a Hawaiian shirt bedecked with flamingos in sunglasses, spangled ears and a gold ring through his lip, bright shock of blonde hair amid his unruly curls. Smiling bright and wide,   “Hi there,” he says, purred southern drawl, and offers his hand, “I’m Ezra.”  “I figured,” you say and take his hand, warm fingers around yours and then he folds his other hand over yours, and you see that his right hand is an elaborate prosthetic, his whole arm up to his shoulder,  gold on black, a fearsome dragon framed in blooming orchids. You barely have time to register this and Ezra is ushering you through the curtain.  “I am guessing by your demeanor that this is your first tattoo,” and you smile, but can’t quite meet his eyes, his hand finds yours again and squeezes gently. “I’ve got several sketches based on our initial discussion, but i want you to know up front, if the art is not to your liking or if you change your mind about this entire venture I’ll not judge you for it.  “But the deposit—“  “A formality. Tends to keep people who aren’t sure of themselves away. I will never ink someone who isn’t fully committed, if you decide this isn’t for you i will refund you. No harm no foul. No pressure, clear?”  “Yeah. We’re clear.” Ezra smiles, dimples sinking into his scruffy cheeks, eyes crinkling into crescents.  “Excellent,” he says, “Let me show you what me and Cee came up with.”

 

 “That one.” A tardigrade drawn in the traditional style, brilliantly colored in blues and greens with bold outlines, with two crossed fireweed fronds in watercolor.  “This is an approximation-“ says Ezra, “I will replicate the colors as best I can—“  “That one.” You say, “I like the hard and soft together.”  “I do as well,” says Ezra, “I must admit that I was hoping you’d choose this design. Strength and softness are not mutually exclusive. I should warn you though.  Watercolor tattoos tend to fade a bit faster than the more traditional styles-“  “Sunscreen and plenty of it” you say, and he smiles.  “That’s right, and A&D ointment as you heal. There’s plenty of fancy tattoo healing ointments to be found but A&D has always got me through. Why fix what’s not  broken? We’ll send you home with some instructions.” He takes the sketch you’ve picked out, “Hey, Cee! Can you finagle the scanner-“ Cee pops her head and arm through the beaded curtain. She grins, devilish and sharp like a crescent moon. “Old man, still can’t figure it out, huh?” Takes the sketch from his hand.  “Oi! You are but a humble apprentice,” says Ezra, but he smiles, “An initiate! A novice even!” Cee smiles back. This seems like an exchange that happens at least three times a week, and you feel yourself smiling along with them.  “Get her prepped. I’ll do the hard part.”  “That girl,” he mutters, “You take a seat right there—“ He gestures towards a set up that looks uncomfortably like a dentist’s chair, “Cee has my station set up, I just need to glove up and we’ll talk placement.”  “Left inner arm,” You frown. You’d said so over e-mail. Can’t help but watch the flex and bend of him as he pulls a shoulder length veterinary glove over his prosthetic, and then gloves his left hand, “It’s a bitch to take apart and sanitize. I can if needs be, but best to avoid all of that. I cannot exactly autoclave this thing. And I find the calving glove less unwieldy than Saran Wrap-“  “Wait a sec, Saran Wrap? Like on a plate of leftovers?”  Ezra dimples at you.   “Exactly like that. First time Cee witnessed it, she laughed so hard i thought she might drop dead right there on the spot. Next morning there was a case-pack of calving gloves on our front stoop like some sort of-“  “It’s Amazon, Ez, not witchcraft,” says Cee, popping back through the curtain with a sheaf of papers, shoots you a knowing can you believe this guy look, “You’d be lost without me. Just admit it.” Ezra takes the papers from her.   “Go on now, don’t you have fanfic to read? What’s that Star Wars thing? Reylo?” Cee’s face scrunches in a cartoonish display of disgust.  “Man, I never should’ve told you about AO3.” And with that she’s gone.  “Your daughter’s really something.”  “She ain’t mine,” says Ezra, leafing through the stack of prints Cee handed him, draws a pair of reading glasses from his front pocket and perches them on his nose, “I don’t have that honor. Her parents kicked her from the nest and she found her way here.” He holds two of the prints in front of his face. “Show me your arm.” And you offer him your left arm, hand turned palm up. He cradles your arm, runs his gloved fingers over the thin skin there, noting the network of silvered scars, like contrails in a hazy sky, because how can he not? Old enough to be flattened and flush with the rest of your skin, no one’s noticed in years, but you know he must and you tense, waiting for him to say something, but he doesn’t, just selects a printed sheet at holds it up to you arm.  “This the orientation you want?”  “Yeah, I want him standing on my hand. Um, Ezra, the scars-“  “won’t be a problem, darlin, they’re old and soft-“  “I’m not gonna screw up your handiwork,” you say, and he folds your hand in both of his, gentle pressure that grounds you and when you look up at him, his eyes are soft.  “I know you won’t,” he says, “You wouldn’t be here otherwise.  We can rewrite this part of your story. I trust you.” 

 Ezra preps your skin, alcohol wipes and mild soap and he shaves your inner arm with a disposable razor, rubs some gooey stuff on you that makes you think of putting on aloe after a burn. Gotta let this dry a beat, he says, we want the stencil to come out nice and clean, rests his hand over yours while the transfer solution dries, got to let it get tacky, he says.  Not quite holding your hand but not letting go either.  “I should warn you, the bit over your inner wrist will likely be the most painful,” swipes his hand over your skin, testing the resistance against his glove, “Skin’s thin there. Not a whole lot of meat between the skin and all the veins and little fiddly bits.”  “Fiddly bits,” you echo, and feel yourself smile, “You mean the bones?”  “And tendons,” says Ezra, clips out the stencil.  “That looks like carbon paper,” you say, and Ezra grins, “It’s functionally the same, but Cee insists that the thermographic printer makes cleaner stencils than the old methods, so here we are.” He lays the sheet of paper over your arm, rubs at it with a balled up paper towel, “We want the transfer solution to soak into the paper. It’ll leave the stencil behind on your skin. There’s some tricks involving deodorant, but i find this method works the best-“ you can’t help but notice how pretty he is, face pinched in concentration, pout of his lips, those dark eyes focused on the strip of skin between your wrist and elbow like this bit of you is the only thing in the universe. “—hey! you still with me?”  “Yeah, sorry. What did you say?”  “You got a hotel room for tonight? It’s not by business, but i know you’re not local and getting tattooed blows a surprising amount of adrenaline-“  “I’ve got a  room booked,” you say, “Up over Peli’s.”  “Hope you brought earplugs,” says Ezra, “That place can get a bit rowdy on a Friday night.”   “I’m counting on it,” you say, “It’s been forever since I’ve gone to a bar.”  “Hmm,” he rubs at the transfer paper, “Do you feel your skin tightening a bit? We should be just about ready. I’m gonna click the gun on for a beat so you can hear it.”   “I’m not scared.”  “Didn’t say you were.” says Ezra, “I find this tends to go easier if people know what to expect. This buzz and my endless yap are going to be filling your ears for the next few hours-“  “It’s not bad. The tattoo machine, I mean.” And Ezra grins, slow curve that just hints at a dimple.   “My Ma always said my tongue is hung in the middle and wags at both ends. If, at any point in this venture, you need me to shut the fuck up do not be shy in saying so,” his face falls, eyes flick away a little, “There’s one more thing before we peel this stencil and get on to our business. I will need to stretch your skin, to make sure the lines are nice and clean, and for that i must rely on this foolish thing.” Ezra catches you around your wrist with his prosthetic hand and squeezes slightly.   “I do not have the sensitivity nor dexterity that i once had,” he says, “I have some haptic feedback, but it’s not the most reliable. If I grip or pinch too hard, you sing out and I will manually adjust the pressure.”  So focused on your left inner wrist and the tracery of your skin that he startles, flinches when you reach for him and grip his upper arm, brief squeeze and then gone.  “I trust you.” His eyes widen for a second, and flick away from yours.   ‘I suppose you do. Else you wouldn’t be here. Let’s get a good look at these lines before we get to fencin’.” Ezra peels the transfer paper up and you feel the pull of it, dark purple lines printed on your inner arm. And that makes it feel real.

You’re going to walk out of here with something like a story in your skin forever.   “The fireweed—“  “I know. The stencil lines are just there to keep me from going too loosey-goosey,” says Ezra, “That being said, how would you feel about some slight splatters? So the stems do not rise so harshly from the water bear’s back, perhaps a bit darker than the color of the fireweed. Something to really make this little fella pop.”  “Dark. Like a dark purple fading up into the pinks.”  “Yeah? What do you think?”  “I like it,” you say, and you feel yourself grin wide, and Ezra’s smile mirrors your own, “This is gonna be so fucking cool.”  “It will,” he says, those dark eyes bracketed in delighted crinkles, “I’ve got you, darlin. We’re gonna make some magic.”

 It doesn’t hurt as much as you thought it would, and you tell Ezra so, and he smiles, bent over your arm.  “Everyone’s pain threshold is a bit different,” he says, “You are squirming very little for your first ink.”’   “I was in labor with my oldest for twenty three hours. This doesn’t even register.”  “The linework is usually worse in terms of sharp pain,” he says, “The color and shading tend to be more persistently annoying. Like a shirt collar rubbing on a sunburn.” He has a light on a swing arm like a dentist uses, framing him in a bright halo as he hunches over your arm, catches his curls in bright filaments, the scruff of his cheeks, slope of his neck, breadth of his shoulders. Sharper pain as he touches the crease between wrist and hand, bracelets of fortune, you think they’re called, draw your breath in a sharp hiss, little hooked curves of the tardigrade’s claws.  “Breathe, sugar, you’re doing just fine. Worst part’s nearly done.” His eyes flick up to catch yours, warm soft and magnified by his glasses. “And I really must know. what’s your favorite dinosaur?”  “Deinonychus,” you answer unthinking, “Dromeosaurs are pretty cool in general, but Deinonychus is my favorite.” And you smile. Knowing exactly what he’s doing and thankful for it. “The raptors in Jurassic Park were actually Deinonychuses. Modeled on them at least. Actual velociraptors are turkey-sized.” Ezra smiles up at you, perfect plump lower lip bisected by a gold ring, damn he’s pretty, and nothing hurts at all.  “Huh,” he says, “And here I was thinkin you were a T-rex girl. S’pose that’s what i get for making assumptions.”  “Well you know what they say about assuming—“  “Indeed I do. My mother was very fond of whipping out that particular turn of phrase.” He stretches your skin so he can get the tardigrade’s odd little mouthparts just so.  “What’s your favorite?”  “Favorite what?” The curved, segmented back takes shape.  “Dinosaur. You can’t just ask someone that question and not answer it yourself.” Ezra stills for a beat, and then the needle starts up again, line sloping down to meet up with a hook-plated foot.  “Ankylosaurus.” he says.  “Really?”  “Sure. Mother Nature took a cow, a snapping turtle and a panzer tank and stuck em in a blender and then tied a cinderblock to the end of it’s tail. What’s not to love? Hmmm,” he swabs at the beaded blood and oozing ink, “Hard part’s done. How about a little breather?” Ezra stands and stretches like a lazy cat, rolls his neck side to side, heads for the refrigerator, tucked in the corner and plastered in stickers, punk bands or microbreweries, you can’t really tell.   “Stretch your legs,” he says, “This next phase will take some time.” You swing your legs over the side of the chair, stand up and then plop back down.  “You okay, darlin?”   “Stood up too fast.”   “Apple or orange?”  “Huh? Orange,” You feel your face going hot, “I followed your instructions—“ Ezra hands you a cold, sweating bottle of orange juice.  “I know you did,” he says, “When you get tattooed, you are signing up for an injury. One that happens over the course of several hours, but an injury all the same.  Everyone reacts a little different. Your sugar just dropped is all. You drink that juice and you’ll be right as rain in no time at all.”  “I thought I’d be okay-“  “And you are,” says Ezra, “I’ve had three hundred pound bikers slither out of the chair at the first sight of blood. It happens sometimes. I’ve gotten woozy a time or two myself.”

He shoves up his shirtsleeve and shows you a dog in a space helmet,   “That’s Laika,” you say.  “Patron Saint of one way trips,” says Ezra, “You can see a bit of wobble in the curve of her helmet. It was far from my first ink and it still hurt like a sonofabitch. You didn’t do a thing wrong, okay?” He rests his hand on your shoulder briefly, warm weight of it grounds you, and he hunkers down so his eyes meet yours, no judgement there, just concern, and without thinking, you mirror him, rest a hand on his vibrantly inked bicep, Laika brave and doomed amid a swirl of watercolored nebulae, his skin warm beneath your palm and you feel the breath rush out of you, didn’t know how hard you were clenching your jaw, didn’t know you tight your chest was.  “Thank you.” And for a beat those lovely, dark eyes hold yours, before they slide away, cheek curved up in a half-smile.  “You are most welcome. Shall we proceed?”

 The color inking goes much as he described, more annoying than painful, like a constant pressing of fingernails against your skin, different gun with more needles packed together, ink laid in, blood wiped away, back and forth over the same bits of skin, needles dipped and rinsed, tiny plastic cups of color that make you think of a child’s paint set, and the two of you settle into easy conversation, a flow back and forth like a gentle tide, mostly Ezra explaining all the hidden delights of Secret Springs, you simply must get breakfast at Cisco’s, it don’t look like much but they’ve got the best biscuits and gravy i’ve ever tasted, and Cee swears by their Hangover Helper, it’s like a layer dip of grease. Hash browns and corned beef hash and scrambled eggs with sausage gravy and cheese sprinkled over it. I keep tellin Frankie he should rename it the Heart Attack Platter, but he won’t hear it— Ezra’s voice and the buzz of the tattoo gun and the rhythm of him pressing into your skin and wiping away the blood and excess ink set you drifting, content to listen to him ramble, like the patter of falling rain.  “So what got you here?” asks Ezra.  “Moira. I saw her ink and asked—“  “No, darlin, what got you here?” And you find it hard to speak, to put into words, did everything right, married and had kids and a house and a good job and a husband who loved you until he didn’t, did everything right and still ended up with an empty house and no one to come home to except the cat. Lilly and Liam and Joey off on their own and settled and they all call you on Sunday like clockwork, as if you are an obligation and not someone who held them when they were small, talked them through the fears of monsters in the closet, talked them through the humiliation of first love, you know they love you, they tell you every time, at the end of every visit, hug you so tight and tell you they love you. Love you too, but you still come home to a dark house and an empty bed, you honestly can’t remember the last time you’ve been touched or kissed or held. Been so long since you did things for you without thinking of him and the kids that it feels wrong, shameful.  “I wanted to do something just for me, I guess.” You frown.  “I’m guessing you are not in the habit,” he says, “Of doing things just for the joy of it.” You laugh, a bright and brittle sound that pulls itself from your throat, even as your eyes burn, his eyes flick up from the brilliant pinks and oranges and purples, and you turn your head away.  “I’ve prodded a raw nerve, I’m sorry. Cee rightly says I have no filter-“  “It’s okay. It’s just…you do everything right and you still end up all alone, you know? Lil and the boys are all doing fine. They call me every Sunday, and I know I should be happy, and I am happy. Happy for them-“  “But not for yourself,” says Ezra. And you think of how the intimacy slowly bled out of your marriage, held on so tight for so long, thought you could muscle through it like you do everything else in your life, but love wasn’t enough, determination wasn’t enough, gritted teeth and stubbornness weren’t enough.   “No. Not for myself.” You frown. You haven’t put it in words before, too busy keeping it together, trying to gut through it like you do everything, keep your head down and push through, “You think your life is one thing and then it just isn’t anymore— this probably seems silly to you.”  “Not at all. I often think of cicadas,” he says, and returns his attention to the fireweed blossoms.  “Cicadas?”  “Yes. They live the majority of their lives under the ground, feasting on roots content with living in the dark and then something calls them up above. They split themselves open, crawl out of their old skins and take flight.”  “You’re saying I’m in the process of crawling out of my own skin,” you say.  “I’m saying that your future doesn’t have to look like your past,” says Ezra.

 “The past is another country,” you say, and you can’t remember where you’ve heard the phrase.  “Just so,” says Ezra, “Just so. We’re redrawing the map right here. And it is a joy to redraw it with you.”  “Are you—are you flirting with me?” Ezra scrunches his face in mock disdain, “I would never ever flirt with a client. That would be deeply unethical and Cee would undoubtedly yell at me. However, once I finish inking this last frond and we slather you in ointment and wrap you up you will no longer be my client-“  “And then?” He smiles at you, all dark eyes and dimples.  “Well then we are just two folks enjoying the moonlight and wetting our toes in the surf. If you’d walk with me a spell. If you can further tolerate my rambling,”  “I think I’d like to get my feet wet.”

[ghostbustting]

vampire!Nikki sixx x reader smut where Nikki is just fucking the daylights out of her and won't stop commenting on her heart rate (superhearing) like the smug man he is.

Sorry if you don't write stuff like this feel free to reject, I just thought this sounded hot.

Love you 🩵

don't usually write stuffs like this, but hope I did well !! :")

╰┈➤“𝑪𝑶𝑳𝑫 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫𝑬𝑫„ ๋࣭⭑

Vampire!Nikki Sixx x Reader

Contains Smut and Blood.

The moment I stepped out into the city late at night like this, I knew it might mean trouble. Los Angeles was wild. Too wild, perhaps. You’d see people driving in cars and blasting music loudly, people partying here and there, even some fights. But here I am, only trying to make my way back home from work.

My steps weren’t calm, yet weren’t so fast either. I would’ve chosen a taxi. But I wasn’t taking the chance of getting into a taxi with a creep again. However, was walking any better?

Surely not.

The road was crowded, sure. But not every one of them would seem to give a fuck if a woman was approached by creeps, no matter how obvious a scene is going on, some of them would most likely just avoid the scene in order to ‘protect’ themselves.

Hence, I take shortcuts along my way home. Not saying it’s any safer, but it would be useful if any sketchy dudes with big hairs, leather jackets, and tattoos were going your way.

I walk into the alleyway, the lights of L.A that were always so bright, turned dim and flickering in this area. Puddles of god knows what liquid were everywhere, I had to do my best to avoid them. Which is why, black shoe soles were better in this case, hiding what would be a fucking dirty sole.

However, my steps stops when I see a figure ahead of me. His body tall, dyed black hair big and long enough to hide the back of his neck, he was dressed in black, big boots and gloves covering what would be his slender fingers.

Another thing about the Los Angeles, is that not every corner of The City of Angels was always filled with angels.

Some of the Angelenos tends to stay in the dark late at night, blending perfectly well into the shadows like a camouflage and lurking slowly behind you, catching you off guard the moment you notice them and their demeanor.

Their cold skin seems to look pale by nighttime, teeth pointy if you got the chance to see them talk, often longing for blood, their eyes always as sharp as a razor, cutting through the person’s head each time they were gazed at.

Not a single heart beat would manage to escape their ears that can hear thousands and thousands of noises all at once. But if you run, you stand no chance as they move deadly fast.

I gulped and slowly take a step back, trying not to make any triggering sound. Yet the puddle my shoe just happen to step on betrays me, making a small noise yet loud enough for him to hear.

His body turned around, his greyish green eyes meeting mine in an instant, the way he holds his eye contacts never failed to make my heart thumps loudly, which I hated, knowing he can hear them with such ease. His presence always had it’s way to seduce me, it takes a lot in me to hold back the secret desire in me to feel him.

I’ve encountered Nikki Sixx a couple times before, sometimes when he’s playing with his band, sometimes in situations like this, often finding it easy to avoid him and the troubles he’d surely bring towards my way, even though he never went too far over flirting. But seems like today just wasn’t my luck as he immediately went to me and pinned me up against the alley’s wall.

My breath hitched as I look up at him, a small grin on his lips now, his sharp teeth just slightly peeking out. “Got you now..” He murmured, the proximity between us making me able to take a sniff of his intoxicating cologne, the scent filling my nostrils as if I just walked into a fragrance boutique.

“..I’m just trying to go home..” I say sternly in order to make my statement crystal clear to him. I try to keep my eyes on his, trying to make him think I’m not scared. Which, I am, partially that is. In a way, I don’t think he’d hurt me. The thing he does might be very unexpected, but one thing about him is that his true desires are visible right in those eyes of his like a window to his heart.

Nikki chuckled, rolling his eyes as he lean down close to my ears, his cold breath meeting right against my skin, sending shivers up my spine as I stiffen up. “Then why don’t you let me take you home?” His hands slowly make their way towards my hips.

I froze and clear my throat before trying to speak again, “I don’t—”

But before I knew it, he cut my words of protest off as he lifted me up and threw me over his shoulder before he start run.. really fast. I yelp and hold onto his head tightly, grasping onto his hair. “What the fuck, Sixx?!?” I screamed, punching his shoulder over and over again as if it’d stop him.

The not so humanlike speed he had in his run made my heart beat fast, afraid of falling off, even though the firm hold he have on my hips are supposed to be enough to keep from falling. “Slow down! Fuck!” I protest, holding onto him for dear life and closing my eyes.

“Oh you’ll scream that again later!” He laughed like a maniac. I blush when I realize what he meant, smacking his shoulder again in response. I can’t tell whether to be flustered or feel the need to kill him, thought the possibility of the latter seems very very impossible.

Next thing I knew, we came into a stop.

Slowly, my eyes starts to flutter open while Nikki lay me down on my bed.. I flinch and look around, shocked to find us in my bedroom in a flash of light. It felt like only 5 seconds ago we were still in that nasty empty alleyway.

“How the fuck—"

I was cut off yet again when Nikki made his way on top of me on the bed, he was hovering over my figure with that same devilish grin he wore the whole time.

My breath got stuck in the middle of my throat as he towers over my body and took the back of one of his hand to caress my cheek. “Don’t be afraid, I don’t bite.” He whisper, then he paused before chuckling to himself, his sharp fangs being shown even more clearly now. “Well woops, that one’s a lie.”

Though I tried so hard to act like he doesn’t intimidate me one bit. Yet of course, my heart beat was too easy for him to detect and use as a proof of my intimidation, along with the heavy breaths I let out, each noise his ears catches making his grin even wider and devilish.

The eyeliner around his eye made the color of his eyes even more lighter and intriguing, those green eyes of his so majestic with the moonlight that peeks from my window shining his way, illuminating and spotlighting every single features that face of his owns.

Each blink my eyes made, they open to a different vision of him, each new vision, another new breathtaking features of his takes ahold of my attention while he continued to grin down at my statue-like state.

“Let me have you..” His voice echoes in my mind, like a sweet seduction for me to open up my heart, to let my desire take over my body just like the way his own desire take over his body. “I’ll take.. very good.. care of you..”

When his face leaned down even more, my eyes slowly flutter close on it’s own, acting as a permission for him to take an act.

Next thing I know, his hands clawed on my clothes and rip them apart with his strong bare hands, meanwhile his lips immediately move to mine, his kiss already passionate and rough from the moment our lips touched, his movements driven by lust and a burning flame in him.

I always knew no matter how wild this man can be, there are always much more deeper and wilder layers to unfold within him. And that is exactly what I’m doing right now.

Something in me myself burned, as if he shared that flame with me through our locked lips. My hands tugged on his hair while small gasps leaves me when my body became fully exposed within minutes, the fabrics that once covered my body were thrown away, his cold hands roaming over my warm body, the difference between our body temperature only making things even more intense.

Suddenly, I feel his fangs sink into my bottom lip, wincing when he licked up the blood that leaks from my lip and pull back from me, smirking as he starts to undress himself.

“Nikki..” I softly whisper, squirming on the cold sheets.

His finger then meets my lips, sushing me while he slowly take off his clothes.

With each fabric removed, more of his pale skin reveals itself, seducing me to touch him. His clothes were thrown to the floor, joining my own pile of ripped up clothes. I watch his body silently, the tattoos he had on his arms, the way his chest rise and fall, the happy trail leading down to his hard cock.

Then back up to the grin on his face as he slowly spread my legs apart. He was so tempting, his hands as cold as ice while he touch me with such lust in his eyes.

With his cock in his hand, he lead it to my cunt and slipped it in with such ease, almost immediately taking control over my hips and thrusting in and out of me with a surreal speed.

I gasp and grasp onto the sheets around me, squirming at the feeling of his cock filling every spot in me, the pleasure building up inside of me and pushing out dirty noises from my lips, the noises that only made him grin even more, his fangs showing much clearly.

His thrusts were incredibly fast, too fast to the point I can’t even keep up any more with it, yet it haven’t even been 5 minutes since he’s been inside me. My eyes were already rolling to the back of my head, my lips apart as I moaned out his name.

“Nikki..! Fuck..! Slow down..!”

“Feel good huh?!” He laughed a sinister laugh that fills my ears.

“So good..!” I nodded and pant for breath, desperate to have control of myself again. But this man above me was way stronger and powerful than I am, he knew way too much how to please me, or rather please himself.

His cock continued to thrust in and out of my tight hole, our skin meeting each other each time he thrusts, creating a loud slapping noise that harmonize along with my moans and his groans.

I could tell that he was losing control over himself, his head thrown back and he was letting out the loudest groan ever before he lean down and bury his face in my neck.

I thought nothing of it until I feel those sharp fangs strikes blood again, this time on my neck while he suck on the blood desperately, tasting me. I wince and held onto his back, tears building up in my hazy eyes.

Another sinister laugh leave his lips as he connects his lips to mine, making me taste my own blood on his tongue.

One of his hand that was previously on my hips trails up to my chest, his fingernails lightly caressing over the skin of my chest, making me arch my back and yearn for more of his touch.

“Your heart.. it’s beating very loud..” I can practically hear the grin in his voice as his nails gently press against my skin, making me think his nails are going to sink into my skin and steal my heart that is uncontrollably pounding very fast and loud. “I bet it’s for me, hmm? No man can give you this much pleasure, yes?”

The feeling of his cock continuously hitting that special spot in me made it hard for me to even utter out a single letter.

“Answer me!”

“YES!!”

I moaned out, my fingernails creating a big scratch mark down his back, making him groan and laugh once more before accelerating his thrusts. “What a slut.. your little heart’s practically beating out of your chest.. and it’s all for me.. your heart’s all mine..”

The tension behind his voice and choice of words only made the pleasure more unbearable, my toes curling as my legs shake, his hands still taking full control of my hips. “Yes! Yes!” I continued to pant out, not even able to breathe correctly.

Suddenly, I can feel my walls close up around his member, squeezing him in as I feel a strong knot on my stomach, my eyes wide and filled with tears that now stains my cheeks. “I need to cum.. please please let me..” I beg, half sobbing.

“Let go, baby.” He then held my legs up and place them on his shoulders, pausing before he thrusts even faster now.

Screams escapes my mouth as his faster thrusts pulls out the strongest release from me ever, my back arching off the sheets beneath me while his hips’ movement slowly falters as he fills me up with his seeds, shooting in white streaks all around my hole before pulling out.

As I try to take control of my breathing, his body plopped onto the spot beside me, pulling me close to his chest. “Told you I’d take care of you..” He panted out with that same grin never leaving his face.

I scoffed out a chuckle and rest my head on his chest, still panting. “What.. Whatever..”

He was breathing heavily, his chest rising up and down just like mine is, though I did not hear a single heart beat the whole time I rest on his chest.

But I suppose that’s just what he is.

A cold-blooded creature with a once dead heart that’s been brought back to live.

[kittyball23]

Could you make a fanfiction of when Poppy surprised Branch that she was expecting to have a baby? And they tell all their friends and family the news? How would Branch react? And how would their family and friends react to the news too? I always imagine that they're excited to become parents, and so do their loved ones!? Could you do that? I also love the idea that their little girl had blue eyes, like her father's, Branch, indigo hair, and I imagined she looked like her mother, Poppy.

Hi! I wanted to break this up into 2 parts, this first one will be the siblings’ reaction to the news - I think Branch’s deserves a separate oneshot (I can’t say when I’ll have it ready for, as I do have a couple other requests from my Inbox to fill, but I hope you enjoy!)

Taking the News (a Trolls fanfic)

“AAAIIIIIIIYYYYYYYAIIIII!!!!”

Viva’s excited scream burst through the air, the Putt Putt Queen leaping a good couple feet up in an uncontained joy. The energy only doubled once she landed, waving her hands wildly about and gushing while she paced about and spoke a mile a minute. “OMIGOSH, OMIGOSH, OMIGOSH, I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” She zipped over to Poppy and gently patted at her belly.

“Hello in there! It’s your Auntie Viva! Oh, I just know you’re gonna be so itty, and bitty, and cutie-wootie just like your Mommy was! AND I’M SO EXCITED TO MEET YOU!”

The Pop Queen giggled at her sister. “Veevs, I’m only a couple months. I’m not even sure if they can hear you yet!”

Branch on the other hand differed on this viewpoint. “After that scream? Yeah, they probably did.” Viva grinned sheepishly when she noticed the blue Troll rub his ears.

“Oh! I’m so sorry, Branch! It’s just that this is so, SO fantast-amazing!! Actually, it’s better than fantast-amazing! It’s fantast-AMAWESOME!” She squealed and bounced off to the side, expending her energy in one of the best ways she knew how - braiding! By the time her feet were back on the ground, it was Clay who was donning a brand-new French-braided hairstyle, topped off with little bows and glitter of all sorts of colors.

Clay groaned at how silly it looked. “Viva! Why me?” he whined.

Viva sprang to his side and gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “Because you need to stop being a serious-boy grumpy-poo and get loose! My sis is gonna be a mom!! And your brother’s gonna be a dad!!” She celebrated by grabbing Clay in a tight hug and twirling him around.

When he was released, the lime-green-Troll found himself taking her advice, forgetting all about his hair and grinning broadly at Branch.

“Congrats, bro! I’m real proud of ya!” He fist-bumped the bashful blue Troll. Branch readied himself to reply, when he suddenly heard a sniffle. It came as no surprise that the Troll who had burst into tears was none other than Floyd.

“Oh, Branch, this is such a special thing! I’m honored to be an uncle, and I’m so happy for you…” He trailed off, a sob taking place where words failed him. He easily wept into Branch’s shoulder when his younger bro pulled him in for a hug.

“Thanks. I’m pretty psyched, too,” Branch agreed, smiling as he pictured their child. What would they look like? Perhaps they’d have his dark, indigo hair and sparkling blue eyes. Or they could be all Poppy, in gorgeous appearance and stunning personality. Or maybe their kid would inherit King Peppy’s orange skin tone, or Grandma Rosiepuff’s teal button nose. Branch’s head spun with all of the possibilities, each and every one perfect and plausible, until the reality of the situation weighed down on him. Being a father was a big responsibility. A flicker of doubt seemed to flash across his face right at that moment, which did not go unnoticed by Bruce.

The purple-haired Troll approached him and patted a hand on his back. “Hey, man, I know it can seem kinda scary at first - I know I was a little nervous for my first kid - but trust me, it becomes a breeze. And when it’s not, just call me for help! I got your back, bro.” He winked at Branch, making him feel a lot better. Bruce, after all, was an experienced dad, having fathered 13 kids of his own - all of who would become cousins to the new bundle of joy entering into his life.

John Dory suddenly swept in alongside them. “And me, too!”

Branch and Bruce gave him a curious look. “Wait… John, you’re a dad?”

JD’s jaw dropped. “Uh, yeah! You forgot? Man!” He strolled over to his caterbus, Rhonda, and patted her side lovingly. “It’s okay, girly,” he cooed, “they didn’t mean to forget about you, darling. Who’s the cutest caterbussy in the whole wide world? Huh? You are!”

Rhonda trilled in appreciation at John Dory’s sappy words, while Branch exchanged a look with his other brothers. While he wanted to point out that taking care of a caterbus was not all the same as it was taking care of a little Trolling, Branch couldn’t help but feel his own bout of appreciativeness towards his bro’s offer to help. Feeling playful, he grabbed JD with one arm and noogied him with the other, the pair of them laughing by the end of it.

Poppy and Viva in the meantime were having their own share of sisterly love, hugging and shrieking, and jumping up and down over the elation of it all.

“Ohhh, I can’t wait to tell everyone!” Poppy cried. “I’m gonna tell Bridget, and Biggie, and Mr. Dinkles, and Guy Diamond, and Satin and Chenille, and - “

“And Dad!” Viva cut in with a grin.

Poppy squealed. “Oh, my gosh!”

She and Viva shouted at the same time at the top of their lungs: “DAD’S GONNA FREAK!” Both girls burst into a fit of giggles just picturing the look on the elderly king’s face once the news hit him full force.

Viva bounced up and down once again and wrangled Poppy and the boys together.

“Aw, come here, guys! Group hug!” Arms enveloped Poppy and Branch from all sides in a flurry of limbs, letting the two happy parents know that they - along with their new kiddo - were indeed loved very dearly.

**********************************************************

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving!!

[localkeifc]

Scars

Request : Can you do a Hawks x reader with self harm? Like the reader being shy/hateful about the past scars and him being chill/comforting about it.

Requested by : Anon💗

Warnings : Mentions of SH

Summary : The first time Keigo finds out you used to SH and comforts you

A/N : I apologize if anything regarding SH in this is not accurate! I've personally never gone through this, but I've tried my best!

[ Fluff, H/C, Gn!Reader ]

Tags : Hugs, kisses, Keigo being an absolute sweetheart, Hurt/Comfort

Pulling the sweater off of you, you were left in a simple t-shirt, nothing more, nothing less. Prepared to head to the showers, there was an abrupt knock on your window.

You turned to see Keigo, perched by your balcony, top floor of the building, giving you a sly smirk.

You knew the windows weren't locked, and he would easily just walk in. He only knocked for the mere reason of respecting your privacy and to alert you of his presence.

Without thinking twice, you immediately grabbed your sweater in attempt to pull it back on to cover up yourself.

Failing miserably and getting caught in between the fabric, Keigo had already gotten in and was right by your side, helping free you from your misery.

"Woah there, babybird. Easy." He lets out a laugh, setting your sweater on the couch next to him as you swiftly hide your hands behind your back.

"Kei.. you're here." You muster a smile but your voice sounds small in the confined space between the two of you.

He raises a suspicious brow at your demeanor, eyes flicking up and down over your body to make sure you weren't hurt.

"Hey." He says, looking straight into your eyes. You can't bare the compassion, love and worry in his eyes and turn your head away.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Keigo lifted his hand to cup your cheek, turning your head to check if you were still intact. "(Y/n), talk to me, please."

"'It's nothing."

"You sure?" He whispers, pulling you into a tight embrace. You bury your face in the crook of his neck as he gives gentle pats on your head.

"Hey. What's going on?" He mutters. "You're scaring me, my love."

"I'm sorry. It's nothing, seriously."

"Stop saying that. Tell me what's wrong."

He takes hold of both your fore arms, which were by your side, and his eyes flicker over you. He reaches both your arms and his gaze lingers for a bit too long.

He's noticed.

"Those were from a while ago." You tell him.

He simply hums in response, barely acknowledging your words, too focused on the scars by your wrist.

"You did this?" He asked. He didn't seem mad, he didn't seem sad, he was just asking a simple question. Keigo was way to good at hiding emotions.

You nod and he brings your wrist up to his face and gives them both a small little peck.

"When?" This time, you hear the concern as his brows were furrowed as well.

"Before I met you." You whispered. You didn't necessarily like being seen with all those scars, but it was something you couldn't happen to get rid of after many years.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better now." Keigo simply says, pulling you into a tight embrace. "Let me know if I'm crossing boundaries, I know you don't like to bring up your past."

"It's not that big of a deal, really. I just don't like them."

"Why not?"

"They remind me of everything I've tried to leave behind."

"Scars tell stories, babybird. You don't have to be hateful about a symbol of your growth." He squeezes you even tighter, finally pulling away to sit on the couch as you followed.

"Still don't like them." You curl up next to him as he wraps a wing around your body.

"I think they look cool."

"Really though?"

"Of course. They're what makes you, well, you."

He kisses you. You smile.

"And I love you."

BACK TO MAIN MENU

[sapphire-writes]

Thin Ice (modern!HOTD)

pairing: Aegon x Reader & Cregan Stark x Reader

summary: The night of the hockey formal. Chaos ensures of course, because nothing's that easy with this group!

word count: 3.2k

warnings: 18+ series general language & mature themes (p in v, fingering, kissing, praise, unprotected, slight hair pulling).

note: hope you enjoy my loves 😘

series masterlist

previous chapter ~ Ch. 5: Formal ~ next chapter

“How’s the studying going?” Helaena asks, looking up from her book.

You’ve been sitting with her in the student lounge for about an hour now, staring at your phone. Aegon’s text messages have been on your mind for a while now. Not that he’s been responding. He’s been MIA since the neon party.

“Y/N,” Helaena says as you continue to stare, brows furrowed together. 

Helaena closes her book loudly, but still, you fail to look up. Where is he?

“Y/N!” Helaena says, louder this time. 

You blink rapidly, locking your phone and smiling apologetically. 

“Sorry, what Hel?” you ask.

“How’s studying? With Egg?” Helaena asks. 

The feeling of his lips on your returns, the feeling of his tongue slipping into your mouth. The cool metal of his tongue ring. His lips. Fuck, his lips. An ache grows between your legs, and your mind flashes to the memory of riding his thigh. 

“Studying’s going great,” you manage to say, forcing a smile on your face.

You send Aegon another text. 

“Are you excited for formal?” Helaena asks, eyes flickering from your face to your phone, “Who’s got you so grumpy?” 

“What?” you say looking up, “No one, shit, just Sara. Um-” you rub a hand over your face, “Yeah, yeah formal should be fun!”

“Egg looks forward to it every year,” Helaena muses, “I hear he’s taking Lydia Tyrell.”

Your heart drops into your stomach, but you try to ignore the hot flash of jealousy that rolls through you. Helaena’s brother. Off-limits. 

“That’s nice,” you tell her, “They make a cute pair.”

“Yeah,” Helaena says snorting, “For however long Egg holds onto her.”

You frown.

“What do you mean?”

Helaena closes her book, folding her hands on top of one another.

“Aegon is a manwhore,” she tells you, “He chooses a pretty, desperate girl, lavishes her with attention, and then throws her to the curb when he’s done.”

Your throat tightens at her words. 

“He chews them up and spits them out,” Helaena continues, “My brother’s not the nicest guy to fool around with. Not that any of my friends have to worry about that. I’d kill him.”

Shit. 

You force a smile.

“You would?” you ask nervously, and Helaena nods.

“Did I ever tell you about Cassandra? My best friend in high school?”

You shake your head and Helaena sighs.

“Aegon broke her heart. Shattered it into a million tiny pieces. She never spoke to me again,” Helaena tells you. 

Your heart nearly stops beating at her words. 

“My best friend,” Helaena says, enunciating the words, “Aegon doesn’t think about anyone but himself. Love him, but he’s got issues.”

Nervousness swirls in your stomach. Helaena tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, sighing and shaking her head.

“I’m so sorry that happened, Hel,” you tell her. 

“Me too,” Helaena says, placing her cheek in her hand and reading her textbook.

It’s settled. You need to pursue this thing with Cregan. Aegon is off-limits. 

Later in the day, you and Sara get ready together doing your makeup in front of your floor-length mirror. Sara chose a skin-tight red dress that looks amazing on her. 

Your dress is in deep forest green, hugging your curves perfectly. Sara’s eyes bug out of her head when you exit your room.

“Cregan’s going to cream his pants,” she says, wolf-whistling at you.

“I sure hope so,” you say, snickering slightly. 

You look your arm through hers, grab your purse, and exit the apartment. You’re supposed to meet at the hockey house, Sara offers to drive blasting your favorite songs all the while. When you park, you feel your skin prickle with nervousness, all the hairs on your arms standing at attention. 

Some guys stand outside, dressed in suits, sharing drinks. You spot Jace and Cregan standing on the front steps as you exit Sara’s car. She calls out to Jace, waving at the pair. You notice Aegon talking with some teammates, not acknowledging your arrival. 

“We got a limo together, to take us all,” Jace tells you, kissing Sara’s cheek. 

Cregan eyes light up as you appear, scanning you up and down. A wolfish grin appears on his face and he wets his lips. 

“You look great,” he tells you.

“So do you,” you say smiling. 

“Let’s get this show on the road!” Aegon says, arm slung over Lydia’s delicate shoulders.

He’s wearing an all-black suit, his silver hair slicked back. He gives you a sideways grin before looking away quickly. 

You all pile into the limo together, knees bumping against each other in the crowded space as music blasts from the speakers. Neon lights flash and a disco ball reflect the light in all directions.

Though Cregan and you make conversation you can’t help but watch Aegon and Lydia, who sits perched on his lap, with a ring-clad hand tightly gripping her upper thigh. His fingers play with the edge of her dress, slightly disappearing underneath it. 

Your eyes flicker to his face and you meet his violet eyes. He’s looking back at you. Flustered at being caught staring, you quickly lower your gaze, cheeks burning. 

The ride is pretty quick, and you don’t look at Aegon again. 

You all start to exit the limo, walking in pairs into the hotel. It’s fancy as hell, with a huge spiral staircase and grand chandelier sparkling in the foyer. Aegon has already disappeared inside, you catch a glimpse of Lydia’s auburn hair, Aegon’s hand pressed against her lower back. 

Cregan takes your arm, beginning to lead you up the stairs when your stomach drops.

“Shit,” you mumble, slapping your side.

“What’s up?” Sara says stopping, arm linked through Jace’s.

“I left my purse in the limo,” you tell them, smiling at Cregan apologetically.

“I can get it for you,” he says smiling.

“It’s okay,” you assure him, “I’ll be just a second, you guys head upstairs without me.”

“You’re sure?” he asks, squeezing your hand.

You nod, and they continue up the stairs without you.  

You walk back down the steps, goosebumps appearing the longer you’re in the cold air. You find the limo pretty quickly in the parking lot, the driver standing across the lot smoking a cigarette.

“Excuse me,” you tell her, “I left my purse inside.”

“No problem,” she says clicking the unlock, “go right ahead sweetheart.”

You give her a kind smile and continue walking to the limo. The door opens are you poke your head inside. The lights are still going, but no music plays now. It’s sort of spooky just multicolored lights flashing over the leather seats. 

You duck, but it's still incredibly spacious as you slide down the seat to where you had been seated with Cregan in the back. With no one else in the limo, it’s very roomy. Your purse lays squished between the cushions and you sling it on your arm when the door shuts behind you. 

Your head whips around, panic slicing through you until you see who it is. Aegon slouches against the seat, manspreading his legs as he leans his head back on the headrest of the seat. He watches you as he taps his fingers on the door. 

He’s wearing rings again.

Stop that. Bad girl. Go back to Cregan.

“What are you doing?” you ask him, not moving.

“What are you doing?” he playfully mimics, raising a brow and smiling widely.

You hold up your purse.

“Sure you’re not avoiding Stark?” he asks, wetting his lips.

You let out a sharp breath, laughing slightly.

“And why would I be doing that?”

“You tell me.”

You roll your eyes.

“I don’t have time for this Aegon, Cregan’s waiting for me.”

You start to scoot down the seat toward him. There’s no way out without passing over him. 

���Mhmm,” he answers, rubbing his eyes. He leaves his palm on top of his eyes. 

You stop scooting as you reach the corner next to him. 

“Are you avoiding someone?” you ask referring to his date. 

Aegon splays his fingers on his face, peering at you between the cracks of his fingers. 

“Maybe,” he says, lower lip jutting out into a pout.

You chuckle.

“Lydia Tyrell not doing it for you?” you ask, hoping the bitterness you feel isn’t evident in your tone.

“She’s nice enough,” he murmurs.

A moment of silence happens between you, the tension is palpable in the small space.

“She’s probably missing you about now,” you tell him.

“Told her I needed a smoke.”

“I didn’t know you smoked.”

“I don’t.”

You laugh despite feeling bad for the abandoned Lydia. Aegon watches you laugh, a smile tugging at his lips. 

“You could have come alone,” you tell him, but he snorts.

Silence again. You feel the need to keep talking.

“How’s your studying?”

“You’re seriously asking me about studying right now?” he asks, hand falling from his face to his thigh.

“Should I be asking about something else?”

“You tell me, bunny.”

You stare him down for a moment, those violet eyes looking into your soul. Don’t be a pussy, you hear Sara’s voice in your head.

“Why did you kiss me?”

He smirks then, as though he was hoping you’d be brave enough to ask.

“To help you with Stark.”

“No,” you clarify, “At the neon party. You didn’t need to, but you did it anyway.”

Aegon continues to stare. 

“Maybe I just wanted to kiss you.”

Your face flushes. He’s wearing that damn earring again. Two of them. Both hoops, the one lower on his lobe holding some animal’s tooth. The multicolored lights dance across his features and it suddenly feels warm, too warm, like you’ll suffocate.

“Cregan is waiting for me,” you tell him, moving to leave.

Aegon takes this as defeat, nodding as you begin your exit. There’s no way to get past him, not without going over him. He leans up as you move one leg over him, basically straddling him. His hand glides over your leg and you freeze, hand gripping the headrest to help your balance. Your hair is brushing against his face, and you meet his eyes. He’s right in front of you, close enough to kiss. 

Your other hand is on the handle of the door.

His eyes flicker to your lips, just once, and your thighs give, crashing you into his lap. You gasp, feeling the hardness present between his legs, before he swallows the sound with his lips against yours. 

Your hand drops from the door tangling in hair as his hands slide under your ass. One hand snakes up your back, gripping the back of your neck keeping your mouth securely against his.

He tastes the same way he did the other night, he feels like he did that night. His lips are forbidden fruit, and you’re starving. Aegon’s hands are everywhere, sliding up your sides, squeezing at your breasts, your ass, your thighs, just constant pressure. His teeth sink into your lower lip and you moan into his mouth. 

“Fuck,” he groans, pressing you closer to him. 

His hands drop only so he can reach for his belt. You watch him unbuckle it. 

“We don’t have time,” you tell him, as he recaptures your lips.

“Sure we do,” he insists.

You whimper against him, dropping your hands to assist his efforts. Once his cock is freed, you wrap your hand around him and pump his length. Aegon groans as you do so before pushing your dress up around your waist. You’re all uncoordinated, limbs flailing all over the place, and you’re not sure how but Aegon manages to wrestle you out of your panties while you’re still on his lap. 

He swipes a finger through your slick folds, grinning as you spasm against him.

“Just fuck me,” you tell him, desperate to be quick.

Aegon playfully frowns.

“We’re not being that quick,” he says, sinking two fingers into your tight heat, “what, do you think I’m not a gentleman? Huh?”

The strangled noise that leaves you only fuels the fire of Aegon’s pride. You can feel the metal of his rings pressing into you, eliciting more erotic noises as he crooks his fingers in you just right. 

“You think after all this, I’m not gonna make you come?” Aegon teases.

“Fuuck,” you whine, grinding your hips against his fingers.

“Yeah, fuuck,” Aegon agrees, mimicking you; biting his lip, and nodding his head. 

He’s such an arrogant asshole. 

Your palm slams against the window as his thumb presses against your clit rubbing even little circles around the slick bundle of nerves. Thank the fucking gods the windows are tinted. Aegon chuckles at the state of you as he works his fingers in your dripping cunt. 

“Fuck, this pussy is gonna feel so good on my cock,” he murmurs.

“Aegon, oh fuck,” you squeak, walls clenching around his fingers.

“Soak my fingers, that’s it,” he encourages, unrelenting with his movements, “keep saying my name baby.” 

Your orgasm washes over you, sending you slumping against him as he moves to replace his fingers with his cock. 

“I’m on birth control,” you tell him, feeling the fat head of his cock spreading your lips.

He kisses your neck, nipping lightly.

“You want my cock?”

“Yes,” you breathe.

“All yours,” he tells you, and you lift your lips before sinking onto him. 

It takes no time at all to figure out Aegon likes to be vocal, not that you expected anything else. It’s all dirty praises wrapped between grunting, gasps, and moans as you ride him. The sounds of wet slapping echo throughout the limo, the smell of sex evident in the confined space. 

“Perfect fucking pussy,” Aegon murmurs, hands resting on your ass. 

Your dress is scrunched at your middle, tits out. His head is buried between them, voice muffled as he worships them with his mouth. He alternates licking the full mounds before taking your nipple in his mouth grazing it with his teeth and sucking, sending sparks of pleasure tricking down towards your navel. His mouth never leaves you, not even to come up for air, he simply traces his lips over your tits, through the valley between them to make sure he’s giving equal attention to each one.

The sensations are almost too much for you to handle, your thighs tremble, and sharp whimpers and whines leave your bruised lips. Your pussy clenches around him, feeling every vein, every curve of his thick length.

All you can do is moan, head thrown back as you bounce on his fat cock. He fills you so fucking perfectly, better than Jason, better than anyone. 

“Oh gods,” you moan, “Oh fuck.”

The tip of his cock is curved so perfectly, nudging against that sweet spongy spot that makes your breath leave you with each roll of your hips. 

“That’s it, come all over my cock,” Aegon says, “That’s my girl.”

You’re sent over the edge once more and feel his warm release soon after, as he spills inside of you with a breathy, whimpered, moan. Aegon captures your lips once more in a searing kiss, hands tangling in your hair. 

You breathe into each other for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes. 

Oh fuck.

Aegon blinks rapidly and you shy away from his gaze. 

You reach for your panties but he stops your hand.

“I think I’ll keep those,” he says smiling, stuffing the lace into his pockets.

Your eyes are wide as he kisses you once more. When he pulls away he keeps his hands tightly on your jaw, just enough so you can’t look away from him.

“Now you go in there, dance with Cregan, and have a fucking ball with my cum dripping down your legs,” he purrs. 

Your lips are parted in shock, eyes wide and dumb.

“You hear me?”  

“Uh huh,” you answer. 

Aegon drags his thumb over the shape of your lips. 

“We got to go,” he tells you, as you rise from his softening cock.

You fix the straps of your dress and pull it down to cover your ass as he opens the door. Aegon exits first and holds a hand out to help you out. You take it, rising on shaky legs. 

“Let’s go,” he says grinning. 

He holds your hand until you enter the hotel, following him up the stairs and into the ballroom. He turns, winking at you, before strutting across the room to Lydia. 

Sara comes barreling over to you.

“Got your purse?” she says, her smile faltering as she sees your expression. 

“Bathroom, NOW,” you tell her, grabbing her hand. 

She follows your lead and you hurry to the restroom. 

“What is it?” Sara asks.

You can feel him running down your thighs. Sara raises an eyebrow.

“Sara,” you tell her, “Don’t freak out.”

She freaks out.

“You fucked him? Just now?” she hisses, eyes falling to your chest, “Oh shit, Y/N your chest-”

You rush to the mirror. Dark red blotches are forming from Aegon’s attention. You pull the collar of your dress up.

“Here,” Sara says, digging into your purse, “I put our concealers in here.”

“What the fuck do I do?” you ask as she uses her fingers to apply the makeup, “Shit, Helaena’s going to kill me, Cregan is going to kill me.”

“Do you like him?” Sara asks, “Aegon?”

“Um,” your head is spinning, “I mean. Yeah. But it's Aegon! Helaena literally was just telling me how horrible he is to girls.”

“Girl yikes,” Sara says shaking her head, “I mean, you’ve seen his track record.”

“Fuck,” you tell her, “So I should just forget this right? I mean it's probably a one-time thing, he probably doesn’t even like me-”

“You cannot tutor him anymore, he’s just going to keep fucking you,” Sara tells you, “Tell him to find someone else.”

Doesn’t sound like too bad of a deal, if you’re being honest. 

“But-”

“No,” she tells you firmly, “We are not having another Jason Lannister moment. Date Cregan. Fuck Cregan. A nice guy.”

You look at her wide-eyed. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” she tells you.

“It was really good.”

“Did you come?”

“Yeah,” you tell her nodding and biting your lip. 

“Fucking Aegon Targaryen,” she says shaking her head, “Okay, you’re good, let's get back out there.”

You go to the bathroom, wiping the remnants of Aegon’s release from your thighs with shaking hands. Sara’s right. 

You make your way to Cregan, he takes your hand spinning you around. You smile. He’s so nice, such a good guy. Jace and Sara dance next to you as a slow song begins to play. You loop your hands around Cregan’s neck, glancing behind him. 

Aegon’s leaning against the wall, a smirk on his face, hands stuffed in his pockets. He removes his left hand, slightly revealing the dark green lace of your panties before shoving them back in. Your eyes widen and he winks.

You have a feeling Aegon Targaryen is nowhere near done with you.

note: I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!! 😘

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[babayagakeanu]

outer harbor sunsets*

pairing: Shane falco/reader

Summary: Shane takes you out on the water for your third date, and even against the cool breeze, Shane doesn’t fail to heat things up.

Warning: smut, NSFW 18+, fluff, water play, literally every other smut warning

Washington in the summertime is hot, with the glaring sun beating down against pavements and waves, it’s almost impossible to stay cool until nightfall. At night, there’s a slight breeze that rolls in from the west, fluttering against your cheek, kissing you coolly, and it’s cold enough to wear a light shawl. That’s what you’d worn tonight, on your date with Shane. You donned a distressed white shawl, and it looked like that of a fishing net, wrapping around your shoulders, providing ample room for the breeze to roll in. Underneath the shawl, is a beautiful, silk and sapphire-colored, slip-dress, which against your soft skin, felt amazing in the subtle heat of the night. Strapped sandals were your choice of footwear tonight, you didn’t wanna take your chance on the dock to Shane’s boat.

Shane’s boat, your destination tonight, is where you’ll have your third date with him. You’d admit that you are a little nervous, as things between Shane and you have grown more serious. He’s incredibly kind, keeps you guessing in the best possible way, and best part of all, he’s always made you laugh like never before. Shane, with deep eyes, always seemed to relax you at the sight of them, and you’ll find solace in looking at them every chance you'd get. Ever since he quit football and the fast-track life, he’s slowed down in life, enjoying everything it has to offer, especially with you by his side.

He’s busy at the dock right now, he’d said in a text early, and said to meet him later on this evening wearing something pretty for him. Even through text, he never fails to make your cheeks heat up. The sun was setting slowly as you walked the short distance to the pier where Shane’s boat rests. Wind flying past you, shuffling your hair around, Shane catches a glimpse of you and calls out your name. In the far distance you see him, waving his arms with a wide grin on his face.

“Y/n! You made it!” He exclaims as you grew closer, and he embraces you in a tight hug that makes your heart flutter. “You look and smell fantastic.” he smirks, and enjoys as your cheeks turn as red as the sunset.

“Thanks, Shane.” Your soft smile makes him grin even wider his cheeks might hurt. Your wandering eyes take note of the table topped with piping hot Italian food and large glasses of wine, even glancing at the candles he placed around the boat. “Sure the candles won’t be a fire hazard?” You crack, relishing in the sound of his deep laughter that rumbles from his belly.

“Even you, Y/n, can’t resist poking fun at my romantic schemes. That’s what I love about you, girl.” The sentence makes your heart jump in your throat, and you clear your throat to cover your surprise.

“Well, I guess you’ll need to plan on me sticking around more often, huh?” You tease, and he gives you an equally teasing look of his eye.

“Maybe I already did.” He states, pulling out your chair for you as your mouth catches flies. You sit with a sly grin as he takes the seat across from you. Somehow, you felt hot under his heavy gaze, and maybe it’s the way the candle light warmed your skin, or the way the light teasing flickered and danced across your skin for him. Either way, he’s staring at you like you derived from the stars, placed down onto this earth just for him. To be his, and only his.

“I can’t believe you did all this for me!” Your smile is uncontainable as you take everything in again. “This is just so beautiful, Shane.” Looking at him, his eyes grow soft. “Of course I did this for you, y/n, I feel really good about us, and sorry if it’s too crazy, but, I can’t stop thinking about you.” Your hand pauses in front of your mouth, hiding your giddied smile. His hand grasps onto yours that rests on the tablecloth, and plays with the delicate Pearl bracelet you adorned, gifted by your grandmother a few summers back. Little things like this, made life so much more intimate that us as humans know—how close we can be to another person, to be able to share the same breath with that person.

You could tell Shane was it for you, and you were beginning to think he’s feeling the same way. “Shane, I’m so glad you said that. You are a constant track in my mine, and it just plays on loop.” He smiles at you, giving your hand a soft squeeze, his index finger running along your palm. As you finished your dinner together, he never let go; he needed to prove to you he was here to stay.

About ten minutes went by since you’ve finished your meal, and your leg occasionally brushed along Shane’s as the waves slightly rocked the boat, he stood up, not before sneaking a quick kiss on your cheek, and grabs the dishes and walks them downstairs into the boat’s lower deck. Suddenly missing his presence, you follow him downstairs where you let out a short gasp at the sight in front of you; rose petals scattered around the bed and floor, candles lining the bed’s shelves, and Shane, standing against the counter with a smirk on his face.

“You didn’t—“

“I did,” he shrugs, “but it was supposed to be another surprise.” he states, tsk-ing you as your giggle fills the room.

“I’m sorry,” you pout, stepping down the stairs and throwing your arms around his waist, where you then rest your chin on his chest looking up at him with big doe eyes. He sighs, smiling and rolling his eyes, annoyed at how quickly he gives into your charms, how weak he is for you.

“Luckily for you, with a face like yours, I can’t even be fake mad with you.” Another giggle from y/n, and the sound of it fills something he didn’t know he needed in his heart.

“Y/n?” he asks after a moment in silence. To which you hum in response. “Will you be my girlfriend?” Your heart almost leaps out of your chest as you nod fervently, allowing him to press his lips to yours. It’s like a dam breaks, and he’s on a mission to taste you. The wine leaves a sensual bitterness on your tongue in which Shane savors, his tongue dipping in to caress yours, and his hands are seeking purchase on your body. First, they land on your back, splaying and smoothing circles as his lips continue to work with yours, and a small gasp leaves your throat as he bites your lip.

“Tell me you want me just as much as I want you.” he breathes, his hands snaking lower to grab at supple flesh through silk. With another gasp, you reply, “God, please Shane, I’ll always want you.” Another smirk forms against your lips from Shane, and his knees slowly back you up, before you’re met with the soft sheets of Shane’s bed. Your hair lays around your head like a halo, and gravity has worked on pushing your breasts further into his view. You look like an absolute vixen before his eyes.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” he breathes, and dips down to kiss you again. You’re on cloud nine, still reeling from when he’d asked you to be his girl, and you’re about to fuck each other’s brains out right now!

“Shane!” You gasp, grabbing at his chocolate locks, “Please,” you bed, and he hums. He discards your shawl with about the same ease as trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, and you laugh again. The comfort you have with Shane, scares you and surprises you, but with the way Shane has been nothing short of a gentleman with you, you shouldn’t be worried.

“I got you, baby.” He smiles up at you as he kisses the middle of your clothed-stomach, “Jus’ want you to relax and let me pleasure you.” His calloused hands, from years of football and working on his boat, remove your dress, and you’re naked for the first time in front of Shane. Heat festers in your cheeks but your shyness evaporates when you look at him and he’s looking at you like you’re the last giant stuffed prize from the carnival.

“My God, woman.” He stares at you hungrily, “Can you get any hotter? You’re killing me, here.” Giggling, you pull at his shirt, desperate to get it off, and when he does, your hands are finding their way around his body as he kisses you. Your hand dips lower and finds he’s already hard as a rock, and you can tell he’s big.

“Fuck, your hand on my cock is almost enough for me” he breathes, and he stands up, unbuttoning his jeans that you forgot to mention, looked sinfully good on him, and his cock sprung free, red and angry at the tip, and leaking too. Your mouth waters as he stands there in all his naked glory.

His lips find yours again, only this time staying there for a quick second before dipping down to leave hasty and hot kisses on your neck, getting drunk on the scent of you. Warm vanilla and amber. The waves lap against the boat sides as Shane’s lips finally land on your nipples, nipping and sucking and teasing gasps and moans from your throat as you get lost in the feeling. You’re unraveling before him and it’s the most sexiest thing he’s ever seen; needy and begging for more of him.

“You’re so fucking sexy, my girl.” Words are mumbled from being preoccupied with your nipples, and all you can do is mewl and paw at him. “Gonna make you feel so good, make you feel so loved.” Lips travel further and they dance across your navel, sending shivers up your spine and goosebumps litter your skin.

“So sensitive there, little girl?” The statement ended more like a question and when he doesn’t get a response, a light smack lands on your inner thigh. You jolt, unbeknownst to such pleasure from slight pain, and you whimper. “Shane,” you beg and again, a slap on the inner thigh.

“No, baby, I asked you a question.” He states, a teasing look on his face. A finger lands on your clit and presses down, causing you to moan loudly. “Yes! It’s so sensitive there!” You whimper like a little brat, and in your drunken haze of pleasure, you fail to notice him grab from a bucket of ice. His finger remains on your clit, slightly wiggling around and adding some friction.

“Shane!” You gasp as you feel the ice on your clit, the mixture of cold and the heat from your dripping cunt are almost enough to send you over the edge as he marvels at you.

“Does that feel good, princess? Am I making you feel good, baby?” He asks as the ice travels lower, and rests against your hole. This i something foreign to you, but you’ve never felt hotter.

“Yes, fuck!” You squeal, and the ice is flung somewhere and your waist is pulled towards the edge of the bed, your cunt meeting face to face with Shane’s devilishly-smiling mouth. His eyes latch onto yours as his tongue dips in, making your eyes roll to the back of your head. His tongue expertly dips into your hole, while a finger plays with your clit.

“Fuck, you taste so fucking good.” he moans into your pussy, and your hand flies to grab onto his hair. He switches his rhythm, his fingers replacing his mouth, two digits slowly pumping into you. You can feel the familiar knot building in your stomach, and you warn him. “Shane…!” You cry.

Speeding up his movements, “Let go, baby, that’s it.” He states as you peak, your orgasm hitting you hard. His name falls off your lips like a mantra as you come down from your high, and you feel his kisses against your forehead, bringing you back down to earth.

He shifts you two, so you’re laying back up at the head of the bed, and tugs on his cock in front of you, which pre-cum has soaked the tip. “Shane, I need to fuck me, now.” Your words are breathless, but he gets the point. You feel his tip teasing at your hole, before slowly and deeply entering you. You moan at the fullness of him, and he can feel your cunt tighten around his cock, a groan rumbling in his chest.

“Fuck, y/n. You’re so fucking tight, shit,” he breathes as he slowly pumps into you. You can feel him sliding inside you, that fullness never leaving and the burn of his cock stretching you is fading fast, pleasure soon replacing it.

“fuck, Shane, please fuck me!” You cry, as he’s driving into you now, his tip hitting your g-spot perfectly. You’ve never felt so full, and his lips press against yours sloppily and greedily.

“Yeah, I bet you feel so full of my cock, probably already addicted to it.” His words are filthy in your ears and it only heats up the moment more.

“Shane, fuck, you’re so big!” You whine, whimpering as his hips snap against yours at a bruising pace.

“Shit, I’m not gonna last long, baby,” he states, and you can feel the falter in his hips as your orgasm sneaks on you, the tip of his head hits your g-spot just right and sends you over the edge. You cry out his name as his orgasm follows shortly after, feeling him fill you full of his cum. Slumping against your body, his eyes find yours and he offers you a smile that’s so lazily in love with you.

——

Post-coitus, your legs are entertained with each other’s under the covers in Shane’s bed, an old Seinfeld re-run playing on his laptop, but you’re too lost in each other’s embrace to even care. You’re Shane’s priority now, and he’s going to make sure you’re only his for the rest of your lives.

———————————————-

YALLLL, I’ve literally sat and did this in maybe like two hours??? record-breaking if you ask me! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

[planetpedri]

Softly — Leandro Trossard.

Pairing: Leandro Trossard x Fem!Reader

Summary: You wake to the smell of your best friend making you breakfast, a normal routine when he visits. If only you knew it would take one tiny accident for the two of you to get out what you’ve been trying to do for years.

Word count: 983

Disclaimer/s: none, just pure fluff!

A/N: This one’s for all my babygirls(angie)… i see you ladies(angie).. i’m lurkin(freaking).. and im stalking(ur reposts).. when you least expect it(its very evident i tell u every time)…

The smell of freshly cooking bacon wafted throughout your small apartment on the outskirts of Brussels. You’d lived in the city since you were a fresh adult, while starting Uni and hadn’t moved since.

The only difficult part, was the distance it put between you and your best friend, Leo. When he’d moved away for career purposes, you were stuck in Belgium. Although, he did try to visit as much as possible.

Today was during one of those visits. In which, he had always stayed at your place. And every morning, you would wake up to the smell of him cooking breakfast.

Exiting your bedroom with a smile on your face, you shuffle your way into the kitchen. The smell hitting your nostrils in the most heavenly way.

“Leoooo.” You sighed out, accidentally startling him in the process.

“Christ!” He grumbles, “you scared me.”

You laugh, waving away his still wide-eyed state. “Sorry to interrupt, just cannot fathom how good this smells.” Walking toward the stove, your eyes flutter shut. “Maybe I do need to move to the UK.”

Leandro, admiring the way you looked in the morning light, hums softly. “Please do.”

Taking a few steps back so the man could take the pieces of bacon off the pan, you nod thoughtfully. “Unfortunately, moving to a whole ‘nother country for a friend wouldn’t make a very good reason on my resignation letter.”

Rolling his eyes, Leandro moves to open the waffle maker, diligently taking them out one by one. “Just say you’re getting married or something.” He kids, turning to you with a teasing look.

You loved moments like this, when he was more playful than serious. It was a moment just like this, all those years ago, that made you realize you were deeply in love with him.

“Yeah? And who would I be marrying?” You quirk an eyebrow, taking a plate from the newly cleaned stack before handing it to him.

Leandro begins his process of making you a traditional Belgian waffle as he speaks, “well, me of course?”

It was a joke, of course it was. But that didn’t stop your stomach from flipping. Before you know it, you’re speaking again. “Ah, my childhood dreams of our marriage, finally fulfilled?”

You’d mean’t that to come out as a joke, but the way his gaze landed on you, his lips tugged into a lopsided grin, eyes twinkling in the light, oh you’d really meant it.

“You dreamt about that?” He asks, his voice still laced with humor, but with a little bit of something you couldn’t quite place. Something a little more.. wishful.

Cheeks burning a light shade of red, you shrug, trying to find a way to play it off. “Don’t let that get to your head.”

He finishes the waffle, adding a few extra strawberries on the side just the way you liked. “It already has, sorry.” Leandro hands you the plate, his face amused as he watches your eyes roll.

Taking the plate, you tense at the sudden flesh to flesh contact, your hands then failing to grip the plate once his pull away.

A loud shattering sound making the both of you jump back, “shit!” You grumble, slouching down to pick up some of the pieces, only for them to be swatted away.

“Don’t!” Leandro snaps, “don’t touch them, you might get cut.” He softens his voice, concern etched across his face as he swiftly moved to grab a broom from the pantry.

While he sweeps it up, you watch with a from. “Sorry, all that hard work and I drop it.”

“It’s okay,” he sighs, eyes flickering up at you. “Are you okay?”

“Hm? Yeah, why?” Your eyebrows furrow.

“You just seemed a little tense thats all,” he shrugs it off, dumping the contents into the garbage before putting the broom away.

You—still upset— hadn’t noticed he’d made his way over to you. “Don’t worry about it… i’ll make you more. It’s no trouble.” He reassures, his hands holding your biceps with a comforting squeeze.

“I know, I just feel bad.” You pout, eyes meeting his.

His eyes. His dark raccoon-eque dark circles, which only seemed to lighten when during his bi-monthly visits.

Leandro chuckles, placing a gentle kiss to your forehead. “I’d make you a dozen waffles, don’t worry about one. It probably wasn’t that good anyways.”

You pull away from his touch for a second, examining his face. You were certain in that moment, you had never loved him so much.

“I love you.” You blurt out, eyebrows scrunching together.

“I know.” Leandro lets out a breathy laugh, “I love you too.” His hands drop from your arms to his side, already walking back toward the ingredients to make more waffles.

You purse your lips. “No, Leo.” You huff, “I love you.”

He pauses, turning around. “I know, and I said—“

“No, i’m in love with you.”

You said it. After nearly ten years of loving him, so silently, so passionately, you’d finally just said it. And he was quiet. Probably stunned, probably in disbelief.

“And, I said I love you too.” He finally speaks, taking painfully slow strides back toward you.

“Yeah, but I—“

“But nothing.” Leandro tilts his head to the side, his hand coming to rest on your cheek, a feeling you welcome. “I love you, too.”

“Oh.” You blink, subconsciously leaning into his touch, “oh..?”

You two stand like that for a moment, reveling in the moment. An unspoken understanding passing between you in that moment, with you simply reveling in the fact that you’d spent ten long years loving him in silence when the whole time, he’d loved you right back.

You don’t comprehend it when his lips touch yours for the first time, it’s a soft peck. A small, tender act of affection that made your heart do summersaults. Smiling, you press your lips back into his.

DTS , @halfwayhearted & @ar4ujos . Please no comment on how ?? this is i wrote it at 4 in the morning and i have been awake for like 28 hours straight now so…

[shiro-00s]

heaven on earth

33. unwanted encounters .. ✮

[ genshin impact smau / idol!xiao x fem!reader ]

Loud steps echoed in the vacant hallway of the hospital. Anger and humiliation etched themselves on the man's face as your mother attempts to reason with him. And fails.

"Honey, come on, she was just trying her best for us!" Your mother's desperate voice filled the silence that hung heavily in the air. She always sought to be on the good side of everyone, perhaps that's why she struggled when it came to her husband and you.

Her pleas went into one side of the ear and left out the other it seems, when the door of the hospital room was burst open by the bane of the male species—your father.

However, you remained unconscious, and the one that has to greet him is the one person you wish would have never met your father, Xiao.

Golden eyes widen at the sudden intrusion into the private room, brows furrowing at the sight of unfamiliar people. He could instantly tell they weren't staff, nor your friends so who were these people?

Your mother was the first to speak. "I'm sorry, who are you? What are you doing here?" Xiao was relieved that the unknown woman’s voice carried a soft tone, at least it suggests that you're not in danger. His eyes were still unwavering though, piercing into the only potential threat in the room, the man who barged into the room with a face that looked so upset you could see steam coming out of it.

"No, who are you?", is the cold reply that Xiao offered without much thinking. He didn't feel like revealing his name or whatever information to some stranger.

Your mother gulped at the cold tone, mustering up a breath before explaining herself.

"I'm [Name]'s mom, so who are you?"

Oh. No wonder she looked familiar.. how did I not catch that?

Before Xiao had a chance to explain himself, your so-called father interrupted, "You're from that famous band right? I knew I saw your face somewhere."

Grimacing at the realization that your father knew who he was, Xiao’s mind scrambled to conjure up explanations for why he was in this room, with their daughter. He couldn't tell them that he went into the wrong room; that'd be an obvious lie considering his earlier actions. A subtle nod was what Xiao settled with, not bothering to elaborate on the reasoning behind his presence to your father.

Unfazed by his celebrity status, your mother insisted, "It doesn't matter, dear! What are you doing in this room?" Half-screaming at your dad for the idiotic priorities he seemed to have.

Gulping, Xiao eventually spoke in a monotone voice, "I live next door and saw her passed out." In the corner of golden eyes, Xiao detected a slight movement—a barely noticeable flicker of amusement that quickly dissipated from your father’s eyebrows.

“Oh? Well, aren't you so kind as to send my daughter to the hospital for me?” The man’s lips curved into a smile so fake that even a toddler could see through it. The idol sensed a range of emotions flickering in your father’s eyes—amusement, curiosity, cruelty. “But I’d be worrying about you being seen with [Name] exposed to the public y’know..”

The sound of your father's voice filled the silent room, tension rising with each passing second, thick enough to be sliced with a knife. Xiao concluded that the words your father uttered were as absurd as he expected they would be. Here he was, worrying about someone else while their daughter lay in the bed right before his eyes. Some father he was. In an attempt to insult your father backhandedly while avoiding showing them the closeness between the two of you - as he concluded that it’d make it worse - Xiao pondered, “Nice of you to worry about me but I’m not the one you should be concerned about, don’t you think?”

Childe pisses people off by just breathing.

If I were to mimic his personality, it’ll piss that thing off.

Upon hearing Xiao’s words, your father grimaced, clearly disliking the idea of appearing bad in front of a soon-to-be one of the most successful idols. However, one thing about your father was that he hated losing anything, even if it was just a minor argument, which he concluded this entire situation to be.

“Sure. But isn’t it a little strange how considerate you are towards my daughter? What? Got a crush on her or something?” A snicker escaped through those disgusting lips that could never seem to shut up. The corners of his lips curled up further as he noticed Xiao's body tense. Never would he have imagined that someone like you would have gotten so close to an idol. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage. Could he manipulate the idol into hating you as well?

With a feigned sigh that seemed longer than intended, the man readied himself to reveal to your little friend a little bit of the past you so hated.

“You shouldn’t.” your father’s lips dropped slightly, an attempt to look sad for the idol he was trying to deceive. “She’s someone who plays with others’ feelings, you know? Maybe that’s why she didn’t tell you about the bad blood she had with the whole school.”

A laugh almost escaped from those deceiving lips as your father tried to stifle it as much as he could. It was so genuinely funny how quickly people could lose trust in you. Judging by Xiao’s widened eyes, he appeared intrigued by the information your father had presented. However, the subtle, pleased smile on your father’s lips vanished as he noticed Xiao’s furrowing brows and his stance, lean body leaning back as he crossed his arms. One side of his face had an eyebrow tugged upwards, showing distrust.

Desperation quickly overcame your father, failure was something he could never accept, it seems. That same principle that was forced over you since birth. “There were so many rumors about her in school, I couldn’t even keep count of it! From what I heard, she used to flirt with people she doesn’t even like,” with the volume that he was speaking, people from outside the room could faintly hear it. A wavering smile formed on your father’s lips as he tried to figure out whether Xiao would believe him or not. Your mother winced at the words spoken by the man she once swore to love, her face displaying a pained expression as she witnessed the true side of her husband.

Xiao looked taken aback, blinking softly for a moment before a furrow of his brows took its place in expressing his stress. As much as he would never trust this man over you, the words your father uttered had him questioning and overthinking your relationship. Before he had the chance to reply, a ginger had slammed open the door.

“Why don’t you try being a good father instead of trying to rid her of her friends?” Harsh words being blatantly thrown at your father by an extremely successful and famous person was not how your father wanted his time in your hospital room to be, much less get insulted for the way he treated you. Only when he was about to spew some more lies, the ginger spoke again, this time with a cheerful tone.

“I’m gonna borrow Xiao while you do your thing, m’kay? Xiao, we gotta goo!”

With that, Childe practically dragged Xiao away from the side of your hospital bed where he had been standing. The flutter of your eyelids caught your mother's attention. As the sound of the door clicking echoed in the room, your fists clenched by your side.

Nudging the man beside her with her elbow, your mother wore an ashamed expression, trying to avoid making eye contact with your figure, which was now slowly beginning to stir. Your father raised an eyebrow at your mother’s action before turning his gaze to you, a shiver running down his spine.

Before him was you, sitting up on your hospital bed, your face brimming with rage and anger that you struggled to contain.

“What the fuck did you do?”

heaven on earth - 33. unwanted encounters

previous | masterlist | next

synopsis ; 🗝️ — in which you befriend your next door neighbour who, unbeknownst to you, was apart of a soon-to-be one of the most popular bands throughout liyue. you're unable to tell if cupid was helping you or not when things with xiao keept going up and down. will he continue to keep his secret from yours truly?

NOTES — back ‼️‼️ sorry to keep u guys waiting, studies are a pain in my ass and my time management skills are as u can tell, very ass. but now that the writing part is over, texting part is a lot faster so you can expect a new chapter out tmr maybe

TAGLIST#1 [OPEN] — @mikctp @ghostlysyntaxed @kazemiya @nnasv @gojoandelsalovechilde @candy-purple-cyanide @kissingkzuha @zyilas @lunaavity @luminescent-lightbulb @mave-in @rizakari @riikyu @kokoscutie @starsxnight @sketcheeee @softlie @izakyun @xiaxilia @the-sweet-madame @rifran @milkwithspiceyicecubes @coffeethoughtsandanxiety @rxkan7 @goodthingimsam @pomeiu @fogturtle @farelady-fate @tzu-scara143 @wonderful-worlds @cianalikesbeans @h3xi2g0n3 @jasxiao2317 @rosaryia

(ask to be added or removed)

[quoththemaiden]

Hey @mrghostrat, I haven't been able to stop thinking about your middle-aged men and their middle-aged-man problems all day, so have a ficlet inspired by your struggles at properly posing an Aziraphale-and-Crowley-hover-hand selfie.

[Ficlet below cut]

"C'mon, you're acting like you've never been someone's beard before." Crowley's grin was saucy as he tried to angle the camera to get both him and Aziraphale in frame, while Aziraphale tried his best not to overthink every single statement or movement Crowley was making. Both of them were failing rather impressively at it.

"I very much have, thank you. Although this is the first time I've done it for a man."

"Ohh?" Crowley was still half-distracted by trying to work out a good pose and whether it'd be better to abandon the bench for it. Aziraphale's stiff-backed posture certainly wasn't helping matters. He considered sassing back that the "man" bit was totally optional, but he suspected that making Aziraphale feel like he'd committed a faux pas would make him close off even more, and he counted himself lucky he had a better grip on his tongue than his typing. "I sense a story there."

"Not much of one, I'm afraid. I don't think her parents liked me very much, but it went well enough for its purpose."

"You did it in front of the parents? Then this should be easy-breezy. It's just for randos." Crowley swiped to a different camera setting to see if adding background blurring would help. It did. Kind of.

"Yes, well, none of that involved immortalizing it with a camera."

Crowley drew back suddenly. "Hey. I didn't— If you aren't comfortable— Look, I said from the start this was a batty idea and I stick by that so you can call it off anytime. Okay?"

Aziraphale's face flickered through five different emotions that Crowley wasn't enough of a visual artist to be able to name before settling into a reassuring smile. "Crowley" — and the name was said like a balm — "I told you that I slept on this decision. I assure you that I thought through the consequences." All of that was even technically true. He'd said he'd sleep on it, and he had thought through the consequences, even though the latter was before he'd initiated the call to Crowley and the former was hours after he'd already made his choice.

"Yeah, but if this is gonna cost you something—"

"I assure you that it's something I am glad to be able to do for a friend."

Crowley nodded slowly, trying to take Aziraphale at his word. "I, er... Well. Sorry for making your first photo with a guy be for a totally fake date?"

Aziraphale smiled a little more warmly and purposefully opened his posture, extending an arm in invitation for Crowley to lean in towards him. "I can't say I'll mind having a little memento of the time my dear friend and I visited the park."

"Ngk..." Crowley gave in and accepted his invitation, sidling closer to him and trying to paste his confident smile back on. It was surprisingly hard when he was blanketed by Aziraphale's understated generosity like this. "Yeah. Me neither, angel."

The camera flash flickered, and a few moments later, Aziraphale's phone was the first recipient of their new photo.

[porcelainbirdss]

those summer nights ⋆·˚ ༘ * kuroo tetsurou

kuroo tetsurou x f!reader

content warning: health issues, alcohol consumption (by adults and in reasonable amounts), chapter’s kinda long but dynamic

ch. four - "look back." ↓

sixth of july, 1991

"no, you don’t understand, kenma! it was absolutely… crazy? i mean—"

right now, kuroo was talking to his friend kenma. mainly because he missed the younger man, but also he was simply bored out of his mind.

"uh-huh. wanna put anymore emphasis on how "insane" sneaking out at night was? and how you almost "died” multiple times?" kenma’s static voice rang on the other side, and kuroo swore that he sounded almost uninterested.

"cause it was! i swear to god, she dragged me through the forest, and we still hadn’t found her cat, so obviously she was panicking, i was panicking, like, you know, and then it suddenly got so light outside, and we’re still searching-"

at this point, the younger one already spaced out. at first the story seemed somewhat captivating, but when his friend started to repeat himself for the third time, it got boring rather quickly. he held back a yawn, his fingers playing with the phone’s cord. suddenly, kuroo stopped his yapping and a second, distant voice could be heard. a beat of silence passed.

"uhh… sorry kenma, my grandma’s here and she wants something from me." the man explained, noticeably upset that his logorrhea got interrupted, "i’ll call you back later, okay?"

"fine, fine," kenma’s soft tone resonated in the receiver, "have fun there.”

with that, he put down the phone, turning to face his grandma. the woman held a basket filled with various things, smiling at him from the kitchen.

"talking with your friend?" she inquired, calmly scanning the man who began approaching her.

"yeah, yeah," he answered shortly, his intrigued gaze flickering over to the basket the older woman was holding. there was some soup in one of the jars, along with a multitude of herbs and vegetables. "what’s this for?"

she pushed the thing into his arms, sending him a knowing look. "this is for y/n. give it to her aunt” she explained, "the poor girl will need it. i’m so worried about her…"

right. y/n turned out to be sick the same day they returned from their nightly escapade. it’s been almost three days and she still failed to step outside. whatever got her, it must’ve been a nasty cold.

considering everything given, kuroo’s days were awfully monotone.

having an excuse to visit her was great, so he took the basket without any complaints. he quickly walked over to the neighboring house and knocked thrice, careful not to drop the things. if he did, jars with soup would surely shatter. a prolonged moment passed before a woman opened the door.

he already had the chance of talking with her. she was y/n’s aunt. she always seemed to move with so much grace in her step, it was somewhat mesmerizing to look at. he was the first one to politely smile, for whatever reason trying to appear as best as he could.

"good day, miss. we heard that y/n is sick,” he breathed, staying mindful of what he was saying, "so my grandmother prepared some essentials for you."

her aunt momentarily reciprocated his cordial expression, stepping aside to let the man in.

"that is such a pleasant surprise, kuroo," she chimed, taking the basket from his hands with a grateful nod, "would you like to go see y/n? she’s upstairs in her room." the woman offered, placing the gift on the table.

hearing that, kuroo’s confident posture faltered a little bit. he didn’t have anything against seeing with the girl, no. however, she was in the bed now, probably sleeping or struggling with her high fever. she hated being caught off guard, so won’t she get mad at him if he barges into her room without notice?

even so, it wouldn’t hurt to try. pushing all his doubts back, he nodded his head. "yeah, sure. i can pay her a quick visit,” he replied nonchalantly while taking off his shoes, "i hope she won’t mind."

her aunt send an encouraging smile towards the man, explaining which room belong to y/n. with that, he swiftly climbed upstairs and reached for the door on his left. once again, he knocked three times before a muffled "come in" could be heard.

he walked into the space, absorbing everything with his wide eyes. wow, he surely didn’t expect… whatever this was. first thing that caught his utmost attention was a pile of canvases, adorned with landscapes and other things his non-artistic mind failed to grasp. they all stood in one corner, varying in size.

the longer he stood there, the more lost he felt. trinkets, photos, paintings. his mind spun at the overwhelming amount of colorful stuff, unable to focus on only one thing. finally, a sound of familiar voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"hey, are you here to see me or gawk like an idiot?" y/n’s hoarse tone tore kuroo’s gaze from the decorations her room held, making him look at the bed she was currently chained to.

he cleared his throat, feeling dumb that he got so lost in admiring the inside. truth was, his rooms never looked like that. no matter if he was in college or childhood house, they always seemed rather bland. same goes to all his friends - neat, but nothing extraordinary. this space however? it was absolutely cluttered, but not in a bad way.

if he could, he’d stare at the paintings and pictures forever, studying how they were made, and when y/n took them. it was so captivating, and for what?

"gosh, i’m sorry, y/n," he chuckled, walking up closer to her bed, "your room is just so messy, i couldn’t see where you are." a smirk grew on his face with a tinge of mischief.

the girl furrowed her brows, sending him a faked look of offense. she pulled up the covers over herself, only her head peeking out. the man wondered - how is she not cooking alive? it was humid in the room, and she was hiding under her sheets.

"well, if you don’t like it here, you’re free to go." she huffed, tossing on the other side.

kuroo grabbed the nearest chair and sat by her bed, observing her form for a short second. the woman seemed indeed sick, even though she still had the strength to bicker with him.

"no, i actually love it," he assured, gently tugging at her duvet, "don’t be mad?" he pleaded, feigning a whiny tone.

at that, y/n turned back in his direction, snickering weakly. their gazes locked and both of them remained still for a while before the girl began to speak.

"i know i already told you that, but i’m grateful for your help." she smiled at him, lying on her side as she called out to bee. the small cat was hiding under the desk the whole time. it emerged from the shade, jumping up on her bed. the animal’s tail was high up, but it measured the man with intense disdain in its eyes.

y/n held bee close to her chest, gently petting her orange fur. "bee’s grateful too, right?" she cooed towards her pet, which seemed to react with indifference.

"i’m just glad your cat’s safe," kuroo spoke, reaching his hand towards it, but it scurried back under the desk. he sighed, rolling his eyes. "even though she doesn’t seem to like me. just like her mistress."

at that, y/n let out a laugh. it was heartfelt.

"sorry, sorry," she breathed, calming down her sounds of joy, "ah… anyway, once i get better, i’ll treat you to something. deal?" she offered, her eyebrows lifting upwards.

seeing the woman won’t let go of the topic unless kuroo agrees to do something about it, he simply nodded. "alright, deal."

well, it was… kind of her to pay him back, even if only with a small onigiri. he searched with her, expecting nothing out of the whole ordeal, since y/n didn’t seem to like him that much.

right now, a clear shift in the air happened. the girl was much more amiable to him, and to his surprise, she didn’t chase him out of her room. was he unsatisfied with the change? no.

when she opened her mouth to say something more, suddenly her aunt entered the room with a plate. kuroo took notice of all the medicine lying on it, along with a bowl of soup. the man quickly stood up from his seat, placing the chair back where it belonged.

"are you two having fun?” the older woman asked with a chime in her tone, placing everything on the bedside table, "y/n, i brought you some meds and soup. try to finish it all, okay?" she measured her niece with a strict, yet at the same time careworn look.

the younger one murmured a meek "mkay", pulling herself up in order to reach for the colorful pills. the black-haired man glanced between both women, finally deciding it would be better if he returned home. he went for a quick visit, not to stay there forever and converse about silly things with an already tired girl.

"i’ll be going now," the corners of his lips curled up in a polite way, "i don’t want to bother you anymore." he took a wide step towards the door, ready to leave and get busy with his rather boring day.

"wait, kuroo!” y/n’s weak call stopped him in his tracks. he sent her a questioning look. "your hoodie is on my desk."

oh. right. he forgot that he lended it to her, worried that the night’s air would be chilly. the man cleared his throat, grabbing the familiar clothing. for whatever reason, he felt oddly embarrassed.

with a short goodbye, he left.

july thirteenth, 1991.

the day kuroo visited y/n, it turned out that she needed to go to a hospital. home remedies weren’t working, and during the night her fever reached a worrisome degree. so, her uncle along with aunt drove all the way over to town, checking the girl into one of the local hospitals. it was better than risking her health.

at least that’s what his grandmother told him.

in all honesty, the man was slightly concerned for her. not to the point of any anxieties, but he still sometimes thought about whether she was doing better or not. it’s not everyday someone has to go through such a severe illness.

she wasn’t occupying his mind too much. surely not.

his sleep wasn’t too good either, and he felt tired most of the time. days stretched on, and even though he tried to keep his hands busy, they still seemed repetitive. wake up around 5 am, help his grandmother, read some magazines, stare mindlessly into the tv. take a walk, sit on the patio and wave the fan at his face. phone kenma, receive an occasional call from his parents. go to sleep. repeat.

life without somebody his age to accompany him was dull, that much was true. fortunately, y/n finally got checked out from the hospital today. when he heard the news, a wave of relief washed over him. his torturous boredom finally came to an end.

“really, grandma? that’s great," kuroo perked up from his slouched position, "is she home? i haven’t seen her yet."

seeing his sudden enthusiasm, the older woman chuckled, “no, she’s not. y/n’s aunt told me that she immediately stormed off to the fields. she tried to stop her, but…" his grandmother sighed, shaking her head with an amused smile, "y/n was just too eager. she got sick of being bedridden."

that sounded just right. from what kuroo deduced, the girl was free-spirited alright. with her stubbornness and enormous amounts of energy, of course she’d do something like that instead of recovering for a few more days.

"okay, uhh… i’ll try to go look for her." he stated, pulling himself up and starting to head towards the door.

"you missed her?"

kuroo stopped putting on his shoes, his breath hitching. no, no he didn’t miss her. not at all. he just - he wants to see her is all. it didn’t mean anything. was he not allowed to get bored?

"nah, i wanted to take a stroll anyway." he replied briefly, as he finished tying up the lace of his shoes. he stood up and reached for the handle. "i’ll be back soon."

his grandmother replied with an acknowledging hum, dropping the topic.

the man stepped outside, and to his surprise the weather was actually bearable today. the sky wasn’t exactly overcast, but the clouds travelled across the firmament rather quickly. it was a pleasant change. he enjoyed the wind, especially during summer when it cooled down his body.

starting to stroll through the streets in a rushed manner, kuroo sorted through the options of where y/n could possibly be. suddenly his mind got struck with an obvious realization, recalling the easel standing on one of the hills. the woman seemed to be a big fan of painting, so it could have belonged to her.

he rendered the distance between him and the 'wilder' side of the village, basking in the breeze and chill it provided him. alas, the man’s brain began throwing uncertainties at him. what if y/n didn’t wish to see him? it was a possibility, since she just got out of the hospital, and perhaps wanted a while of solitude. it would be embarrassing to show up, and the first thing she tells him is to "go away" with that frigid look in her eyes.

on the other hand, their bickering now took a more playful approach and it would seem y/n finally warmed up to him. yes, that’s right. he mustn’t worry.

after about twenty minutes passed, he lifted up his head from the gravel patch and recognized a familiar looking environment. kuroo looked around, noticing a silhouette atop the hill.

there she was.

the man waved towards the girl, as her gaze trailed over to him as well. she waved back, a bright grin growing on her face (which blew away all of his lingering doubts). there was a palette placed in her hand, and a brush in her other one. his wild guess was right - y/n was painting.

suddenly, a strong gust of wind took the girl’s hat, making it fly away with its course. she failed to grasp it in time, and it went straight in kuroo’s direction. he waited for a second before jumping up and catching the hat with his hands. y/n cheered at that, and the black-haired man walked over to the hill, starting to climb up.

"here you go." he handed her the thing, a proud smile blooming on his features.

"why, thank you so much." she chimed, putting the hat back on her head. it’s white lace tied up in a neat ribbon complimented her current attire. it was, well… putting it simply, nice to look at.

"are you not scared of catching another cold?" kuroo inquired, quirking up his eyebrow, "it’s windy today."

"i mean…," the woman started, her eyes trailing back to the canvas standing before them, "i’d rather be here than in my room." she shrugged, mindlessly dipping the brush in some paint.

kuroo scanned whatever she was creating right now. it didn’t look like anything yet. just some base colors and shapes, barely outlining the concept y/n carried in her mind. it was hard to make out what the final product would look like. the man hummed, observing as she began to place more smooth lines.

"anyway, uh, how was your stay at the hospital?" he asked, his amber irises fluttering between y/n and the canvas.

she let out a breathy laugh at his question, focusing on keeping her hand steady. "not that fun, as you can imagine. i almost thought of escaping, but the nurses along with my aunt would probably kill me."

kuroo shifted on his feet, giving her an acknowledging nod. for an unknown reason, his usually good social skills weren’t doing anything good in his favor today, and his mind was pretty much blank. it was either the fault of his (kind of) tired mind, or the hypnotizing hand movements y/n did whenever she placed another stroke.

"yeah, escaping hospitals is always a bad idea, you know," he muttered without putting too much thought to his words, "anyway, what’re you painting?" he swiftly changed the topic, thinking that maybe now his words won’t fail him.

the girl’s head turned in his direction, a secretive smile tugging at her lips. she clicked her tongue, putting the brush down.

"i won’t tell you." y/n teased, "plus, i don’t like when someone’s gawking at me while i’m painting."

that made kuroo recoil slightly, as only now he realized that he was leaning into her and measuring every movement without an ounce of shame in his eyes. he cleared his throat, mustering up a nervous chuckle.

"my bad." he brushed his fingers through his unruly bangs that got messed up by the wind, “should i go now?"

“hmm, maybe?” the woman shrugged, "but come out on the balcony at night, okay? i’ve got a gift for you." she offered him a small smirk with a lighthearted tone in her voice.

the man sent her a quizzical look, getting momentarily lost. a gift? y/n was very vague about it, so he didn’t really know what to expect. still, he decided against questioning her about it.

"as you wish," he reciprocated her smile, taking a step backwards, "see you soon then."

with that, kuroo walked down the hill, pondering about what the surprise could be. one thing was for sure - he wouldn’t be getting any sleep that night.

july thirteenth, 11:12 pm

the man just finished getting changed into some more comfortable clothes when his gaze flickered to the clock hanging above his desk. it was already pretty late, and yet he stayed up, eager to see whatever y/n conjured up. even if he tried to get some shuteye earlier, the thoughts would keep him up anyway.

finally deciding to step out on the balcony, he opened the glass door and got hit with a wave of humid air, wind blowing straight at his face. a storm was coming, and the first rain drops started to dance on his skin. as he predicted, the girl was nowhere to be seen. however, her doors were slightly ajar, so he decided to call out to her.

"heey, y/n!" he leaned over the barrier as much as he could, "you there?" his voice carried all the way to her room, and the girl arrived in the doorframe almost instantly.

"took you long enough," she send him a snicker, walking up to the edge of balcony as well, "c’mon, you’ll need to jump over to this side, so prepare." she waved at him with encouragement, her eyes glimmering with tangible mischief.

"what? wouldn’t using the door be easier?" his eyes widened as he measured the distance between him and the ground. it’s not like he was scared, he just- well, the idea was kind of absurd.

y/n rolled her eyes, "but where’s the fun in that?" she chuckled, reaching her hand out to kuroo. "if you’re scared you’ll fall, you can hold onto my hand."

ah, those words seemed familiar. was he getting déjà vu?

never mind. y/n did that before; speaking more precisely - when she practically broke into his house in the middle of the night, so it’s probably safe. in the worst case, he’ll simply slip and break a few limbs.

kuroo tilted his head, thinking of the best way he could execute his leap. it was kind of tricky, nevertheless didn’t seem too hard nor far away. he grabbed the barrier, hooking one of his legs over to the edge’s other side. he did so with another one, finally turning back to be met with y/n’s expectant expression. even though she seemed to be laid back about the whole ordeal of jumping between balconies (unsettlingly so), her vigilant eyes still trailed over his every movement.

the man searched for the most optimal angle, stretching his joint to reach the other edge where the woman was standing. somehow he managed to grasp the railing and steady himself, swiftly taking the last step. damn, he got to y/n’s side by doing a weird split. how graceful.

seeing him success, she clasped her hands together. "impressive. you actually didn’t chicken out," her cheerful voice resonated right beside kuroo’s ear, "c’mon, i’ll help you out."

"i’m not some old grandpa, you don’t need to help me," he protested, even though the woman’s hands were already supporting his kind of unsteady grip. without thinking too much, he quickly put his legs over the barrier, now safely standing in front of y/n. he sighed, realizing he was holding in his breath the whole time.

"see? it’s easy!" she chimed, starting to walk into her room. kuroo followed after her, looking around. it seemed familiar, yet at the same time not. perhaps it was because darkness dominated the space, only minor lights being turned on. he closed the door, shaking his head in order to get rid of the rain’s droplets dripping from his hair.

“anyway", the girl started, "when i was checking out from the hospital, my uncle had to buy some things from the town, and i got this!" she exclaimed, reaching for an expensive-looking sake. she dangled the bottle before kuroo’s eyes, practically forcing him to examine it with utmost care, as if buying it was her biggest life accomplishment.

"so is this the gift you were talking about earlier?" he asked, a teasing smile stretching his lips. "wow, i didn’t expect you to be so big on alcohol."

"i’m not! i just… kinda didn’t know what to get you— i mean, as my thanks for helping me with the whole bee situation, so i thought some sake could be good." y/n stumbled over her own words, a small ounce of embarrassment blooming on her face.

the man let out a sigh, hearing that the rain outside was getting stronger by the second. honestly, he didn’t have anything against occasional drinking with good company. he plopped down by the table, happy to see that she previously prepared the shot glasses.

"i hardly attend any parties, but that’s nice of you," he snickered, cracking his knuckles, "though, can you drink, y/n? you barely got out of the hospital." he offered her a slightly concerned look, resting his chin on his hand.

the woman sat down too, already opening the bottle. "i’ll be drinking in moderate amounts today," she winked, a smirk growing on her face as she popped the sake open. the woman poured the liquor into their glasses, and they quickly clinked them together before flushing the fiery water down their throats.

kuroo nodded approvingly at the taste, putting his glass down. "what about your uncle and aunt? are they not home right now?" he inquired, glueing his gaze straight onto the girl’s face.

"nope, they’re visiting their friends tonight." y/n briefly explained, "so it’s just the two of us."

the man smiled at the agreeable revelation.

and with that, the two began to drink. about one and a half hour later, they were already five shots in. alcohol started to take course in their veins, making their bodies along with minds sluggish, and slower than they usually were. they managed to talk about many things in the meantime - from heated discussions to peaceful conversations about their favorite childhood food.

right now they were sitting close to each other, kuroo pointing at the photos hanging on y/n’s wall and asking about them.

"what about this one?" he slurred, his index finger fixated on one of the pictures. he squinted his eyes at it, trying to decipher what it was showing.

y/n hummed out loud, fingertips grazing her jaw as she pondered over the contents of the photo. “i guess i took that one, when uhh," she coughed, furrowing her eyebrows, "when i was in art club during high school. honestly, i had so much fun there."

kuroo turned his head in the woman’s direction, his eyebrows lifting up. for whatever reason, her being a part of an art club surprised him, when it obviously shouldn’t.

"damn, that’s so cool," he declared, straightening out a little, "so, what do you even do in an art club? is it, like, hard?" he bombarded y/n with questions, as the topic was pretty much alien to him.

"i mean, it was hard sometimes, yeah. but we mostly enjoyed it." she responded, her eyes remaining pinned to the photography. kuroo couldn’t put his finger on it, but something on her face betrayed yearning.

hearing her vague answer, he stopped for a second to study the woman’s expression. "so… did you go to academy of fine arts? or something in that direction?"

y/n’s jovial mood faltered just a bit, as she finally tore her gaze away from the picture, instead focusing on kuroo’s eyes. he doubled like some kind of a mirage, making it hard to actually look into his honeyed irises.

"no. no, i did not." she shook her head, a sad smile tugging at her lips. "i actually managed to get into one of the academies, but i was forced to reject it."

the man’s eyes shot wide as he had to physically stop his jaw from falling to the ground. "what? your art is so beautiful i could bet my whole arm you did attend some academy!" he exclaimed, knitting his eyebrows together, "why did you reject, though?"

seeing a mixture of disappointment and shock painting itself across kuroo’s features made y/n giggle weakly. "ah, you know. some shit happened and i had to move to the countryside. mainly because of my poor health, and some other factors…" she mumbled, supporting her suddenly heavy head on her palm. "so i’m just freelancing now."

he nodded in acknowledgment, finally taking notice of her somewhat saddened energy. it would be awful to ruin the whole mood, so he kept his mouth shut.

a beat of silence passed before the woman started to talk again, "and what about you? what did you do in the past?"

kuroo blinked twice, taken aback by her question. "oh, me?" he mused, as if trying to remember what was a mere few years ago, "i played volleyball. i was the team’s captain." a proud expression turned his lips upwards.

now it was the time for y/n to be surprised. she gasped, excitement blossoming on her face anew. "really?" she chimed happily, "are you, uhh… some professional player that i’ve never heard of? oh my god, was i talking to a celebrity the whole time and had no idea?" the girl clasped her head in astonishment. her feelings didn’t seem to be feigned.

at that, the man let out a cackle, the sound resembling a caw. he patted y/n’s back in a heartfelt manner, wondering where did she even get that idea from.

"no," he began with a prolonged breath, "i went to a college completely unrelated to sport."

"did you get an injury that made you resign from volleyball?" the woman asked disheartened, because kuroo was, in fact, not popular.

"nah, none of that," he chuckled, his shoulders shaking with the sound of joy, "i guess i just needed to do something different," the man turned his head to look straight into y/n’s hazy eyes, fogged by the alcohol, "or be someone else too."

the girl gave him an understanding nod, slightly leaning into him with a somber smile stretching her lips. "to think we both lived for so long, and yet hardly at all."

yeah. that much was true. the two of them shared a common characteristic - their life turned out simply wrong, and nothing like planned. sometimes fate likes to give you false hope, and then tear it away from your arms, leaving you wounded and lost. it’s nothing special.

kuroo probably had no right to grieve over his lost dreams, when others had to deal with it too.

the woman finally rested her forehead on the table, showing her body was at the brink of what it could endure. "i wanna go to sleep", she slurred, her voice fuzzy, "kuroo, you can lay in my bed if you’d like… i can just rest on the floor."

hearing y/n’s nonsense, he stood up, gently grabbing her arm and pulling the girl up. "don’t say stupid things." he muttered, sitting her on the bed. "lie on your side. yell if something happens." he sent her a small smile before turning back on his heel.

something within y/n told her to pull the man’s dark red shirt and stop him. she didn’t like being by herself while drunk, as it made her feel completely alone. alas, he was already too far, and she didn’t have the courage to protest. the woman let out a disdained sigh, listening to the sounds of thunder outside. she closed her eyes, deeming her trail of thought as unreasonable.

meanwhile kuroo already reached his destination. the bathroom. he felt like sleeping in the tub would be better than being sprawled out on the floor in the most uncomfortable position one could imagine. he stepped inside, lying down after making sure it’s not too wet.

when he stared at the ceiling, it spun around before his eyes. the man felt as if he was sitting on the carousel, mounting a dignified horse. he growled, cursing at himself.

"fuck, i’ll never drink again." he mumbled, shutting his eyelids, regret already filling him up.

that night, kuroo slept for one hour.

🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐 🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚🎐 🫧𓇼𓏲*ੈ✩‧₊˚

notes: there’s a lot of time skips in this chapter, i know i know. but i decided to take a more dynamic approach, otherwise the fanfic would turn out to be like 200k words lmfaoaoao

also i struggled with writing this so muuuch. there’s a lot of digression from the previous chapters, everyone REFUSES to stay in character, the dialogues arent flowing, and i was constantly tired or uninspired. i practically forced myself to finish ts 💀🙏 anyway i hope y’all liked it ^__^

just to be sure: i quoted charles bukowski