#sorry its so short- i AM trying to keep these to quick drabbles after all

[ahamkara-apologist]

I hate to say this but a so many of those prompts are Cayde coded, actually. in the spirit of this, "Mind if I join in?", starring Cayde coming back to camp and finding Crow and the Guardian doing what like 90% of tumblr's destiny fandom writes them doing

NOOO YOU'RE SO RIGHT SHFJFHDB, SO MANY OF THEM ARE CHEESY ENOUGH TO FIT HIM ITS INSANE

Ty to @roxygobyebye for letting me borrow Lili for this one!! Bc none of my ocs would have been well-suited for the job, let alone my own YW. I needed someone who was a bit more experiencef for this job XD

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Crow was finally starting to get comfortable with the familiarity of intimacy again.

There had been a multitude of different reasons for the way he’d balked at the touch of another, but here, in the Pale Heart, those walls had finally come crumbling down. There were no obligation to please here, nor were the phantom memories of Uldren’s past experiences breathing down his neck. It was just him- just Crow, and the warm, solid form of the guardian underneath him, kissing him with just as much fervor as he was kissing her.

That they were currently making out in the precariously tiny space of the tent was another matter entirely.

Moving on instinct, Crow broke away to nip at Lili’s neck, sliding his hands up her sides to knead at the soft curves of her breasts. She arched into his touch with a purr, powerful thighs closing around his hips, and he nuzzled into her collarbone with a sigh, head spinning at the warmth and feel of her underneath him. She smelled like the wilds, sun-touched grass and crushed flowers and fresh-turned earth, but underneath it all was the faint, distinct machine-scent of an exo body, a warm, comforting, familiar scent.

“There you go,” she purred, stroking a hand down the back of his neck; he shivered and moaned, arching his back at the heat of her palm, and she laughed, a deep, rich sound. “By the Traveler, you’re pent up. Don’t worry, we’ll sort you out yet.”

The cadence of her voice stirred a flicker of recognition within him; one of Uldren’s memories, giving shape to the hazy, familiar visage of short, violet-hued exo, standing with her arms crossed and her hip popped out. Rather than give voice to the rebuttal on his tongue, he decided to make far better use of his mouth, and dragged his teeth down the curve of her breast to lap hotly at her nipple, before closing his lips around it and suckling with long, pulsing strokes of his tongue. A hint to what he could do to other parts of her body, and a proclamation that he wasn’t entirely helpless in this regard.

She moaned at that, her vocalizer fritzing as she shivered all over, and both of her hands carded through his hair, gripping just firm enough to sting. He blinked at the pleasant pain, but continued his ministrations, losing himself to the familiar task of bringing pleasure in any way he can, struck by the white-hot need to get her to make that sound again.

So enraptured was he in his task, that he didn’t even notice the footsteps approaching the tent until it was too late.

“So you’re not gonna believe the shit I just saw. There’s a full-on lucent wizard out there trying to do a ritual, and, get this, one of those awful Dread things was flapping around messing up her stuff so she was pointing and screaming at it, and I know about as much Hive as the average guy which is to say none, but- oh, hey, hello there! Mind if I join in?”

Crow shot up with a yelp, impacting the tent pole and nearly collapsing it in the process- it was only Cayde’s quick reflexes that kept it standing. Lili yipped in surprise, but then slammed her hand down and shot Cayde a glare before Crow’s mind had even begun to parse through what Cayde had said, his emotions ping-ponging between hot shame and pure bewilderment as he scrambled to try to cover himself- a process firmly stopped by Lili’s hands on his wrists.

“Cayde!” She shouted, pure exasperation ringing through her voice; Crow felt her thighs clasp firmly around his hips, and then, with a quick twist of her body, he found himself under her, pinned in place as she twisted around to jab a finger right in Cayde’s face. She was wearing nothing but her panties, but that didn’t seem to bother her one bit. “Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something here?! Or did you really have to stick that big fat horn of yours" (a noise of complaint from Cayde) "in before you tried knocking?”

The scene was ridiculous enough for Crow’s brain to finally land on ‘befuddlement’ rather than anything more self-deprecating. “What do you mean join in-”

“Hey now, I gave you two plenty of time to hear me approach. Shame on you for not realizing I was there, honestly. Can’t believe you call yourself hunters.” Cayde shook his head in exaggerated disappointment, but stopped at Crow’s outburst, squinting at him in confusion. “Wait, hold on. You mean to tell me you never showed the kid a Hunter’s nest? Lili, Lili, Lili, what are you doing?”

Lili sighed, moving her fingers up to rub between her eyes. “Cayde, if you think it was my responsibility to teach Crow the nuances of Hunter culture, then by the Traveler I swear I will-”

“Wait, can we backtrack a bit?” Crow held up his hands, head still spinning. “What Hunter nests? What don’t I know about them? And Cayde, why are you still here?!”

The lights of Cayde’s cheeks shone bright with his grin. He sat down, then scooched in closer, his crosslegged form filling up the entirety of the entryway. Lilli lounged back on her elbow, still scowling, and while it gave both men a little more room to work with, it was still far more cramped than anyone would like. “Ohhhh boy, you’re gonna love this. See kid, we got Hunter dens and Hunter nests. Hunter dens are the ones that everyone and their ghost has heard about, but Hunter nests are what you get when you throw a buncha pent-up guardians who’d spent months and months alone in the wilds all together in one spot, and then stack the place absolutely to the brim with alcohol. Goes about as you’d expect, which is to say, they’re pretty much just all the hotspots for giant, wild orgies. Real central part of Hunter culture, I’m honestly surprised that you haven’t heard of ‘em before now. Been a while since I went to one, what with becoming the Vanguard and all, but ooohh, me ‘n Andal, we-”

Crow rubbed surreptitiously at the spot where Spider’s brand used to be, already starting to zone out in favor of turning that new nugget of information over in his mind, but Lili broke in before Cayde could finish whatever rambling tangent he was about to launch himself into. “Cayde, did you even bring your dick?”

“Did I? Huh- good question.” Cayde patted between his legs, hitched a thumb under his belt to peek into his pants, and then patted along his side pockets, expressions flickering through a kaleidoscope of different emotions. “Guess I didn’t. Seems like taking a one-way trip to Travelertown isn’t very conducive for strap-having. Aw, man, I wonder what happened to it out in realspace…”

Lili shook her head, mouthplates firming into a line that made it clear that she was trying very hard not to laugh. When she spoke again, however, her voice was just as stern as ever. “You ask to join in on the ‘Lili finally gets Crow to kick back and relax a bit’ initiative, and you didn’t even bring your dick? For shame, Cayde.”

“Hey hey hey, it’s not like I’m dickless out here on purpose!” Cayde threw his hands into the air, grinning widely. Crow snorted, shaking his head, and Cayde’s attention snapped to him. A second later, there was a metal finger pointing directly at his crotch, where the faint outline of his bulge was now completely covered with his shirt. “‘Sides, it’s not like we’re peerless and peenless out here. He’s got a dick.”

“Thank you for noticing,” Crow said, his voice as dry as sun-bleached bone. Cayde nodded, as gravely serious as if Crow had just sworn his life to him. Lili just sighed, though it was clear that she was enjoying every bit of what was going on.

“That is all very well and good,” she said, and now amusement softened the bite of her tone, “but I don’t believe that Crow necessarily agreed to share it with the two of us, nor can I see you bottoming to him. No offense, Crow."

“Oh, I don’t need a dick to top somebody, sweetheart,” Cayde chuckled. Crow raised his eyebrows- both at Lili's comment, and at Cayde's. Lili laughed, and Cayde nodded to Crow, a quick bob of his head that was almost birdlike in motion. “Hey, let’s strike a deal here. You want me outta here, I’ll get my ass outta here. You’re fine with me being here, and you let me know by showing me your dick. Either way, there’s no word of this getting out to anybody, no matter what you chose. Hunter’s promise.”

Cayde’s voice turned deadly serious at that, all of his joking demeanor draining away in a heartbeat. Crow looked at him- the man that he had killed, the man who made him what he was, the reason for the burns on his back and the scar over his heart- and then sighed, not quite able to keep the fondness out of his voice as he started unbuckling his belt. Cayde’s eyes widened, and he moved hastily into the tent proper, zipping the door shut behind him so that the only light streaming through was from the glow of their eyes and the false-morning sun of the Pale Heart. “Might as well. I mean, you only really live once, right?”

The irony of his comment was not lost on either of them, but the sharp look from Lili and the snicker from Cayde was quieted by the anticipation of what was to come. Crow swallowed, suddenly a bit nervous with two hungry pairs of exo eyes set on him, but he kept his cool, folding his pants neatly off to the side before he shimmied out of his boxers, leaving him bare before the both of them.

Lili hummed appreciatively, reaching out to run one hand slowly down the curve of his thigh. Crow shivered, goosebumps trailing in her wake, and leaned back, opening his legs a little wider for a better viewpoint. This was always the worst part of sex, in his opinion (though it had been Uldren’s favorite, way back a whole lifetime ago), and despite the clear interest radiating from the both of them, it was still difficult to just…sit here and let them look at him, with his scarred-up body and his too-soft dick, bearing more marks from the short period between now and his resurrection than most guardians received in a full lifetime of Light. Scars that the Light refused to heal not because it was incapable of it, but because it still somehow felt wrong to live without them. Like he didn’t deserve to move forward without a reminder of where he’d first started out. Luckily, there was a stark lack of judgement in the way the other two hunters were looking at him, which made it all the much easier to bear.

Well. An almost complete lack of judgement. Cayde cocked his head, squinting one eye shut as he studied his penis, and then said “Feeling a little shy, aren’t we,” in a tone that ranged somewhere between carefully neutral to falsely sympathetic.

“‘Shy’ is a normal reaction to someone walking in on you when you’re trying to have sex, Cayde,” Crow retorted, his voice dry. He reached down, letting his fingertips ghost over himself, and then shivered as Lili’s hands replaced his own, already slicked up and warm. He twitched under her grasp, arousal slowly starting to trickle back in as the mood warmed back up to something more casual. “I imagine that most people would react the same in my position.”

Lili just shrugged. “Speak for yourself, pretty boy.” Her fingertip slipped under his foreskin, teasing lightly at the oversensitive head underneath, and he swore under his breath, torn between bucking into the touch and cringing away from the sudden sting of pleasure lancing up his spine. “I got frightened more by the way you jumped than by Cayde walking in on us.”

Cayde just snorted in response. He seemed to be actively wriggling out of his gear, though he still kept one eye on the scene before him, watching with a hungry sort of yearning that did not at all come through in his voice. “Lili, we both know that you’re not ‘most people’ when it comes to these sorts of things.

Lili gasped dramatically, pausing her ministrations to give Cayde a light shove on the chest with her lube-slicked hand. Even with her deceptive strength, there wasn’t enough force behind the touch to have possibly moved him more than an inch- and yet Cayde toppled backwards with an anguished yell, shouting something along the lines of ‘not the vest!’ as he nearly sent the whole tent toppling down on them for the second time in a row.

Crow closed his eyes, groaning quietly under his breath. Keeping himself from smiling was a valiant effort- but one that went almost entirely in vain.

It was going to be a very interesting morning.

[yanderederee]

Hello, i am sorry up front if this isn't a character you write for but i was so excited to see your headcannons opend. Can you please write headcannons for Mitarai, from the tr spin off, with chubby!f reader that just loves him so much and is into his hobby's? Like, she is all over him and is just so happy to be near him but is anxious around other people. (I'm really sorry if its confusing, english isn't my first launguage) thank you :D

ANON THANK YOU FOR SUBMITTING THIS ASK SHJDISOWPAPA WOOFWOOF

I’m actually a big fan of Mitarashi/Mitarai!! Sure, he only appears in a grand total of like, 5 manga panels, but from what little we know of him, he’s extremely cooperative and easy to get along with! He willingly helps Baji often, and even tries striking conversations with him to be friendly!

That being said!! I’d love to take up this ask!

I had inspiration to write a little Drabble > Headcanons, oops! I hope you enjoy..!~ beware, TOOTH ROTTING FLUFF!

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

Very rarely would you say someone made a real impression on you. People were just people, after all.

So it felt a little silly when of all the people to really take your attention, it was none other than Mitarashi himself. Sure, he may not have been much to look at. But he had a passionate heart, a caring and easily excitable nature that was so endearing to you.

He always did have a way of making you smile. Interested in the same hobbies; namely, Star gazing, there came times where you two would bump into one another accidentally.

“Ah! Y/n! I didn’t expect to see you out here tonight!” Mitarai yelled out to catch your attention, a large bag straddling his shoulder as he waved. It was late at night, but there was no better time than now to witness the Big Suspention.

*disclaimer, I do NOT know that the Big Suspension is, and google does not answer! Therefore I’m taking artistic liberties and assuming it is astronomy adjacent! (I know I’m probably wrong, so I apologize if I’m way off the mark here!)

You smiled, waving back enthusiastically and jogging to meet him halfway. It took a moment to calm your heart beat at his sudden declaration, but it was only Mitarai. He was easy to talk to, and outwardly kind. And similarly to you, apparently, passionate about stars.

“Is that your telescope?” You asked, pointing to his bag in tow. “Very observant; that it is!” He nodded, keeping up pace while you walked. “I was thinking about sneaking onto the school rooftop for a good view, but …” obviously, that wouldn’t go over with the administration very well. “So, I guess I’ll try my luck in the park just up ahead. What about you?” He asked, peering straight at you through the thick rims of his glasses.

Honestly, you weren’t sure where you were headed. It was a nice night to be out though. Maybe you’d hoped to simply wander around with your eyes glued to the sky. “Guess there’s not a lot of high vantage points around here, huh.. the park might be your best bet.” You agreed with his ultimatum.

Nodding along, Mitarai quickly went on. “I assume you wouldn’t mind tagging along with me, then?… u-unless you had something else in mind. You are looking to see the Big Suspension, right? Sorry, I kinda just assumed..”

You looked up at him, stifling a chuckle. It wasn’t often you were asked to join in on things, especially things you were actually entertained by. “I am. I’ve been looking forward to it. It’s nice to see someone who feels the same way,” you lightly nudged his shoulder. “And sure, if you’ll have me that is.”

It was only a short walk from there before you both reached the park. The sky was vacant, devoid of all clouds and light pollution. That was rare. Quick to set up your spot, you pulled out the blanket from under your arm, and unfolded it with a swift flick of the wrist.

Easily laying out the wrinkles, you crawled onto the fabric and sat victoriously before the vast night sky. Starring up admiration, your eyes twinkled with childlike excitement. You kind of forgot there was an entire person a few feet away.

“Pretty..” Mitarashi quietly whispered, causing you to nod. “Isn’t it?” You sighed happily; taking a quick glance over, only to notice Mitarai’s gaze starting right back at you. Both of you catching the other off guard, wide eyes sweep both your features before Mitarashi scrambled to look away in embarrassment.

“A-ahh, anyway..! I-I’ll set up,”

Mitarashi unzipped and reconstructed his telescope in record time. Seriously, he should get an award. “Impressive,” you nodded in recognition, causing the already flustered boy to grin in triumph.

It really did feel like the perfect night. Great weather, clear sky, light breeze, quiet and quaint. With good company to boot, you’d be lying if this moment alone wasn’t becoming one of your most sacred memories.

At school, while things were admittedly boring, you kept yourself interested wherever you could. Making friends was a little hard, given your normally timid nature. It didn’t help when girls would make off handed comments about your looks or diet; so straying away from the crowd kind of became normal.

Mitarashi was observant of these things. He personally took it upon himself to welcome in classmates who looked like they could use a helping hand. He’d even offered to buddy up with Baji Keisuke not too long ago, after having witnessed his terrible writing comprehension and math skills.

It was simply in his nature to reach out his support. And that was something you really admired in him. It didn’t take long for you to grow attached to Mitarashi. He was eager to enjoy your company, and often made sure to validate you in things you were insecure about.

As little recognition as he may get for his hard work, you knew it in your heart how deeply good he was. And it made your heart squeeze knowing you had him here now, all to yourself.

“Look, i think i found it!” He chimed only minutes later. Snapping out of your day dream, Mitarashi stepped back from the telescope, and offered it for your viewing pleasure.

Graciously, you swooped over, and placed your eye to the glass piece. Stars had never looked so clear. It was amazing. The rare sight in front of you kept you in awe for seconds, minutes almost. “I’ve never seen alignments like this!” You swooned happily, lifting your self free and rubbing your eyes to readjust to your surroundings.

That brilliant smile of yours, matched with your pleased laughter and wet eyes really did a number on Mitarai. How could one person be so beautiful? He was star struck while starring at you.

“What?” You asked, expression shifting to curiosity.

“… N-nothing!” He denied, hiding his embarrassment by looking through the scope again.

Gosh… both completely smitten by the other. It was cute. The overwhelming feeling in your chest was causing you to become antsy. You felt now might just be the right time…

“M-mitarai…” you said softly. Quick to give you his attention, Mitarashi looked up at you.

“I… think, I really like you…”

Ah, in awe once again. Mitarashi’s face completely went red. You?! Liking him?? It seemed unfathomable. He was at a loss for words. No way.

Stammering and flustered, you chuckled, only hoping he would feel similarly. “You don’t have to answer if you’re not ready, but… I’d like to see the stars with you again, soon. What do you say?”

Mitarashi’s words all but jumped out of him, straight from the heart.

“I… I’d love that..!”

… ♡

[shinobusupremecy]

hi ELI ITS BEEN A WHILE!! HRU?? ive been doing okay and i hope u r too!! i've finally wrote shit after like. years ☹ talking to ppl kinda sucked for a bit but now i feel socializing hehe

if you dont mind just dropping a small request! just a lil drabble or hcs, whatever your prefer, shinobu with an s/o who's an absolute simp for her? like, she'd be just doing her own thing and her s/o's just have this huge love struck grin on their face... slays demons? #1 cheerleader. "omigosh she smiled at me aoi-chan :D" "you are literally her gf." ive been feeling a bit of shinobu love recently >:)

HAVE A NICE DAY, THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Shinobu x gn!simp reader

A/N: AHHHH HIIIII! I'VE BEEN DOING GOOD AND I AM GLAD YOU'RE DOING OKAY! AND STOP BY WITH A REQUEST ANYTIME, I DON'T MIND AT ALL. FNAOWAO I LOVE THIS REQUEST!

I’M SO SORRY IF THIS IS TOO LONG, I TRIED TO WRITE IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE

Art source

"ARGHH-!” You let out a pained yell as you felt your rib bones breaking on impact with the demons fist. Before you could retaliate the demon kicked your stomach, sending your back into a tree, head slamming against it. 

��Y/N!” You heard Shinobu yell. You tried to take quick shallow breaths, looking up at the sky to try and distract yourself from the pain. 

Suddenly you heard the demon shriek and you looked down to see Shinobu stabbing the demon several times with her sword. 

“YESS SHINOBU!-*cough* KICK HIS ASS UNTIL SUNRISE! MAKE HIM SUFFER!” Shinobu tried to suppress a smile, you were always her #1 cheerleader moments like this. It gives Shinobu such a rush. 

The demon was getting weaker, fighting with less accuracy. 

“I pity you alot, from what I’ve heard you only attack women because you never could find one when you were human. I wanted to give you a more merciful death but, I was out of stock” You heard the faint sound of liquid and you knew Shinobu was switching poison. 

You could only blink and the demon was on the ground writhing in agony, blood pooling out of the demon, pained scream turning into a choked one. You shuddered. 

You looked to your left and it seemed like Shinobu was safe, with one sigh of relief you closed your eyes, letting your tired body sleep. 

-

You suddenly heard someone sitting down, laying things beside them. You slowly opened your eyes, getting greeted with light shining down on your eyes. 

“Hello Y/N, welcome to the world of the living!” Shinobu giggled. You smiled feeling butterflies flutter in your stomach. That genuine smile she gives while the morning sun shines down on her face. She looked ethereal.

“Come on Shinobu, I couldn’t have been gone for that long” You smiled amd Shinobu just shook her head. 

“Hmm, you’ve been asleep for long enough” She said as she kissed your forehead. The butterflies fluttered more wildly in your stomach, ready to burst out any second. 

“Well at least you woke up in good timing. I brought you breakfast” You slowly rose up looking at the breakfast that stood on the table. Shinobu gave you the plate and you ate. 

You offered her some but she insisted that she already ate before she came to you. You watched her as she read a book, the sunshine still shining down on her face making her look ethereal. 

You smiled, having a lovesick grin on your face. You looked at her with hearts in your eyes. Your moment however was interuppted when Aoi nearly stormed in the room looking frustrated as ever. 

“I can’t believe Zenitsu and Inosuke! They’re causing ruckus again! I tried to stop them but they are just so impossible!” Shinobu sighed and rose up. 

“Those two” Shinobu said with an angry smile, vein popping out of her forehead. She turned back to you, her expression much kinder. “I’ll return soon to keep you company” She said, kissing your forehead and giving you a smile. 

As Shinobu walked away you looked at Aoi with sparkle in your eyes.

“omigosh she smiled at me Aoi!” You squealed, fanning your hands. 

“She’s litterally your girlfriend” Aoi replied with a deadpan expression.

Unbeknownst to you both Shinobu walked towards Inosuke’s and Zenitsu’s room, trying to stifle her laugh.

[4dtk]

have this absolute shameless drabble of sugar daddy gojo that i wrote in between requests. my fingers have never typed so fast im sorry this is literally self-indulgent at this point ARJGJFFJ.

disclaimer i honestly can't see anyone calling gojo daddy but just for this fic..... ill allow it..... and also bc sugar daddy gojo is just always residing in my mind. did you see how he transferred 10 mil to mei mei!!!!! i will never shut the fuck up about that scene. pls spoil me <3

warnings: praise, public sex, sugar daddy/sugar baby relations, breeding kink, pet names

NSFW UNDER THE CUT, MINORS DNI

sugar daddy!gojo pushes you up against the window of the store, visible for everyone to see you getting fucked senseless. in the gucci store four floors up, it could work both ways. fortunate to be so high up, although people would be getting a treat if they happened to look up.

“you know what you’re doing, baby?” he grunts, hips rocking into your soaked pussy as the staff outside try to ignore the lewd noises coming from behind the curtains.

it was supposed to be a simple trip: get a dress for gojo’s event in a few weeks and get out. with a tight arm wrapped around his, you followed him around like a starstruck puppy, the edges of your lips curled up knowing he’d treat you a million times over if you just asked for it.

gojo wasn’t any different, either. sure, he’s had sugar babies in the past, but not quite like you who’s so easy to please and spoil, knowing you could never say no even if your life depended on it. with your desperate listing for the requirement of monetary assistance, gojo couldn’t resist taking up the offer.

he just hadn’t expected you to be so… pliant. you had taken it like a good little bitch, too, moaning out for everyone to hear because you liked it like that.

“you’re taking my cock so well, princess,” gojo muttered out, lips nibbling on your ear as he continued to pound you. his grin that you feel against your skin plagues your mind, wanting nothing more than to see how he enjoys ruining you.

the catchy, upbeat pop song playing above you seemed to provide some rhythm, the sultry lyrics fuelling you further.

"so needy that i had to buy out the whole store for an hour, huh?" the male slows his pace, delivering deep thrusts into your cunt with the precision of an expert.

all you can reply are in little pants, sentences incoherent from how deep his cock is in you.

"i don't even think an hour is enough to satisfy my pretty little girl, isn't that right?" gojo picks up the speed again, and you're brought back to the many times he's fucked over his counter, washing machine. to the times where he's eaten you out on his office table and in his sheets of his king-sized.

and now, you've got another memory locked away for nights full of loneliness and soaked underwear when gojo's just too busy for you.

a tongue to your nipples and a hand to your clit makes you choke out a moan, writhing against the glass just to feel more of gojo, more of his cock and more of his lips on your neck.

you're struggling to keep yourself up, finding the right time in between muffled moans and whimpers to ask for one more wish.

"daddy... p-please, i wanna see your-"

"what, baby? repeat it for me." goddamn, the man had no problem articulating his words, how much had he fucked you already?

clearly not enough if you're still able to speak.

"w-wanna see your face when you fuck me deep, daddy!"

your wish is taken away when you're already creaming all over gojo as your hot breath creates fog on the glass in a silent scream.

"aw, you're cumming so hard baby~ you didn't even get to see me yet," he coos, enjoying the gush of your juices that coat his dick and your thighs. everything feels sticky and dirty, but you don't hesitate to beg for one more fuck with your eyes.

gojo catches your drift immediately, hips twitching from the idea of pumping you full of his cum. after all, he hasn't come yet.

he grunts at the time with a quick glance to the clock above your head. without wasting any more time, he flips you over, the restraint to cum slowly reaching its limit with your lolling tongue and fucked-out face.

the male doesn't bother to hide the deep groan that rips from his throat when he drags his dick along your folds, strings of both your juices stretching out in a way that hypnotises gojo.

"n-need your cock, daddy! please!" you whine, grinding your hips against the tip to make sure gojo knows of your desperation. that he's the only one to fuck you so good that no one else can satisfy you.

he smiles knowingly before he sinks into you.

gojo knows that he's the only one that can make you feel this way as he picks up the tempo, hitting spots in you that you didn't know was physically possible.

gojo knows that he's the only one you call daddy shamelessly as he writes off his card to help you in your student debts and the sparkly dress you've been eyeing.

he could throw you away the second you're done with university, the second the media's off his ass about his love life but, the sweet, sweet moans spilling from your lips pull him back in every single time, eager to hear it for as long as your bank's empty and his is piled up with money.

"more! satoru, more, fuuuck..." you groan, shying away from the striking blues of his eyes the more he drinks in your current state.

he's barely holding on, not even minding the first name you called him. the short skirt he'd given you flipped up makes him go crazy, your panties moved to the side to receive the dressing room quickie you always wanted.

"you're so de..eep daddy! i need all your c-cum please...!" it's a mix between a whimper and a whine.

"yeah? 'course i am, baby. your pussy is sucking me in all the w-way," gojo's hips stutters at how you squirm in his tight grasp, locking eyes with him as yours fill with want. your pussy is throbbing, stretched out so much that you don't register the thumb playing with your clit.

"s' too much...! s' too much, d-daddy!"

"you're a good girl, aren't you?" the way you nod is pathetic, eyebrows knitted from being stuffed so full.

"pretty little thing- fuuck..." gojo's losing control himself, the way his balls slaps against your cunt resonates around the small space and nothing feels better than being inches deep in you.

you're a babbling mess by then, unable to even scream out as you cream his cock. with head thrown back, you're left frozen for a second as the orgasm washes over you and a violent shudders goes through your thighs.

"daddy has so much, s-shit- cum for you, doll," it isn't long before the other comes undone, a groan escaping his lips before he shoots his load deep into you.

your pussy is stained white from all the cum he's giving you, gasping from how much gojo is leaking into you.

"thank y-you, satoru..." you trembling has affected your voice, too, burying your head into gojo's neck while your body shivers from sensitivity.

"take all of it, baby," gojo whispers, the hand near your middle moves instantly to finger his cum back into you, fixing back your underwear over your pussy.

a cheeky giggle leaves your mouth as you untangle yourself from the embrace, welcoming a kiss from the man as he slowly begins to clean up himself.

"have you chosen a dress yet, sir?"

gojo's smile is mischievous, not missing the way your face flushes at having to face the embarrassed staff outside.

"we'll take everything, thanks," his eyes never leave you as he helps you off the changing room chair, tugging your body flush to his before leaving you with one more hungry kiss.

"you did so well for daddy, doll. i may just have to treat you tonight since you have a day off university tomorrow..."

even if it wasn't in the contract, gojo loved to spoil you, admiring your mettle when it comes to material items. although...

"you know what i mean," it's enchanting, the way his voice travels like silk, "i'll call in sick for work tomorrow, yeah?"

your mind goes to mush at what tonight might entail, losing all train of coherence when his hushed whisper of my baby's so cute reaches your ear.

in a second you're out of there, hand twined with his while you remain giddy with the thought of getting used by gojo until you reach your limit.

[7wanderingpaws]

Mess We Made - first (m)

Pairing: Baekhyun x reader

Genre: arranged marriage au (not bbh), doctor AU, highschool AU (first chapter only), university AU, fluff, ANGST

Words: 9.4K

WARNINGS: mature content, unprotected sex, cheating (not bbh), terrible family relations

Quick A/N: Finally, the anticipated full story for this drabble is coming! This will have more chapters! I am a bit self-conscious about this one. But I think it is a good challenge to grow as a writer. Hopefully it worked. Please let me know what you thought? ^^

Plot: You were willing to put the both of you through suffering without realizing you might hurt Baekhyun's feelings in the process. Even though he was yours, you were never his. And he would not stand in the way anymore.

tags: @byunfirstlady​ (hope you dont mind the tag; you were interest and since its been ages I tagged you to let you know 🥺 if you want to be tagged/untagged please reply to this post)

parts: first -- second -- third -- fourth (final)

-

Mess We Made, part 1

“Psst,” you heard from your right side as you walked through the corridors of your high school. Before you even managed to look in the direction of where the sound came from, a hand grabbed you, swiftly bringing you into the darkness of the corner, the cold wall pressing into your back. Baekhyun came into view with his breath-taking smile as his lips hovered over yours, stretched out in a mischievous smile. “It's me.”

Instantly, you grinned, mimicking his wide smile. “I was looking for you.”

“Well, I found you first,” he whispered, and leaned in, pressing his lips to yours in a gentle manner.

He had been your boyfriend since the second half of the first year in high school. You were now both seniors, ready to graduate and enter your chosen universities. You both chose the same one, the idea of not being able to see each other too ugly to risk going to different schools.

You felt Baekhyun's hands slide down your sides, reaching the hem of your short uniform skirt and his feather-like touch made you squirm and laugh right into his mouth. He followed suit with giggles. “It tickles,” you said, and looked into his smiley eyes.

He hummed, though didn't stop his wandering hand as he massaged the upper part of your thigh, the touch sending trembles down your legs, your heartbeat growing frantic. “But you like it. When I touch you there.”

Your breath hitched in your throat, growing red. “Yeah. But only when it's you.”

These final months in high school were those moments when boys were becoming very horny, the skirts of the uniforms girls had to wear driving some of them crazy. Baekhyun, thankfully, wasn't as affected, though you were thinking if it was because he already had access to you. You would tear his head off if he tried to touch another girl, but he just wasn't that type of a guy.

Same went for you, too. Baekhyun had a sharp gaze and if he saw a guy trying to lift your skirt up, he would just deal with them in his hapkido language, and nobody wanted that. Baekhyun was a literal martial arts superstar of the school. And also a terrible nerd. He was cool and nerdy. What a combo.

While that was him, the smiling, mischievous boy many girls grew a humongous crush on, you were the more unfortunate one, though many would immediately disagree. A daughter to a huge business company, money was something that was never an issue, to put it lightly. Having your own personal driver, needing to attend pilates classes to keep your form, visiting a dermatologist at least twice per month, eating small portions… everything that would scream rich, was basically you, as much as you hated it.

The reason for your hatred was simple: you didn't belong to Baekhyun's world. Likewise, he didn't belong to yours. But how would that define anything, when both of you were literally all over each other at any given opportunity, feelings too strong to fight them? Did social status really mean something? Baekhyun was studying hard to become a doctor, wanting to bring children to this world, and he had one of the best grade averages in the entire institution. Meanwhile, you, of whom it was highly expected of, didn't have it like him. Studying was not exactly your forte, and you ended up following your parents requirements of applying for business school, so that you would study something that was running in the family. As long as they did not intervene in your relationship with Baekhyun, you would accept and agree to anything. But Baekhyun was untouchable. No matter what would happen, it couldn't, by any means, include him and you always made sure about it.

“'Cause you are mine,” he murmured in your ear seductively, and you melted in his arms.

“That, I am. Always,” you replied breathily, standing on your tiptoes to crash your lips on his before anyone could catch you not spending the break outside of the building.

You just wanted to spend time with him before your family would whisk you away from him, like they always did. Rarely have you had the power to decide your free time, sitting at your father's meetings, mothers cocktails, boredly listening to conversations about money transactions that made you feel uneasy.

“Plans for tonight?” he asked as he gave your thigh a final squeeze before letting go, patting your skirt back down to its normal form.

You hummed, leaning back on the wall lazily, your chest pushed out. “Grandparents are coming over. From mother’s side,” you said, already tired at the idea of the dreadful encounter.

Baekhyun nodded, though you could sense he was a bit disappointed. He never said anything, though. It was safe to say he was used to the way things were working with your family. After all, it had been two years by now. Two years of your relationship. And with each passing moment, the both of you seemed to grow even fonder of each other. He never complained. He loved you.

“Sorry,” you sighed again, closing your eyes for a moment when you felt his palm on your cheek that forced you to open them again, his gaze gentle. He leaned in, nudging you with his nose.

“There is nothing to be sorry about, love.”

“Of course there is,” you replied passionately. “I really want to spend more time with you, Baekhyun.”

“You will. We will be together. Once university starts-”

“Can you understand that you consume my thoughts every second? And when I am not with you, the time just drags and it's like a small hell because I cannot see your face-”

Baekhyun kissed you, interrupting your small outburst. You moaned quietly, shyly, bringing him closer by his tie. He played with your lips, teasing you with his tongue, but he wouldn't go further than that. You were in school and as much as he was mischievous, he wouldn't go that far. “I love you,” he whispered.

You smiled brightly. “I love you, too.”

“And I will wait for you no matter how long it takes, okay? Don't feel sorry. I should study anyway,” he shrugged nonchalantly as if it really weren’t a big deal.

You smiled proudly while massaging his ear with your hand. “Always responsible, my prince.”

Just like you knew he would be, your driver was waiting for you, his face typically devoid of any emotions as you trudged to the school gates, ignoring the snickering gazes of students scattered around the entrance. Baekhyun was with you, hand in hand and just before you would reach the car, you stopped to kiss him goodbye. 

“Text me,” you demanded, looking into his eyes.

He nodded, and his long hair fell into his eyes. “I will.”

Not wanting to let go just yet, you took the opportunity and brushed his soft hair out of his eyes while he gently gazed into yours. 

“Promise me you won’t go against your parents,” he said suddenly, his voice quiet and hushed.

You focused on him, slowly retreating your hand from his hair. “What do you mean?” you asked, despite having a very good hunch. He knew your family very well, if not from what you have told him already, then from the experiences of when you would bring him home to study together and his parents would be cold and heartless, especially to you, not accepting your relationship with Baekhyun at all.

He sighed and looked somewhere else for a moment, letting the surroundings absorb in his mind before facing you. “I don’t want something happening to you. It just seems to me that the more you go against them, the more they will push you, mentally or physically. And I don’t want that.”

His worries made you feel warm. Someone actually cared for your well-being, unlike other people you were blood-related to. “I will be a good girl, hm?” you murmured, hearing your driver opening his door to get out, obviously impatient. “I will obey. For you.”

Baekhyun nodded and pressed a kiss to your forehead. “That’s the talk. Now go, before Mr Lee loses his cool,” he said, stepping away from you and nudging his head towards your driver who already opened your car door, obviously urging you to hurry.

You pressed your lips together and waved at your boyfriend one more time before turning and sliding inside the car, the door shutting loudly behind you, voicing the driver's dissatisfaction with your attitude.

Even if you wanted to wave at Baekhyun, you knew he wouldn’t see you. The windows were completely black.

You were dressing up for the dreaded dinner when your mother entered your room. Without knocking, of course. She looked at your dress of dark-red colour combined with a cute black bow on your back. The A skirt was hugging your curves just the right way and the hem stopped in the middle of your thighs that were covered in black stockings. Stylish, you thought.

“Slutty,” was what she said, frowning, her forehead wrinkled into three layers of skin. “Change it.”

You looked at her from behind your shoulder, sending her a poker face before facing your mirror again. “I like it. I won’t change it.”

Your mother sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re ridiculous. Who are you dressing up for? Your lover boy isn’t coming tonight.”

“And whose fault is that?” you fired back, hating whenever they as much as mentioned him. He was too good to be pronounced in their mouths. “It ain’t mine, mother. So stop irking me!”

“Watch your tone,” she said in a low voice before sighing deeply and shaking her head. “Listen. Your grandfather and grandmother will be here soon, so change. You know they are very conservative.”

“I’m not even showing skin,” you muttered, frustrated.

“You’re still a high school student. You aren’t supposed to be looking like this.”

Swiftly turning around, you walked to her slowly. “I’m not supposed to be having a chest? A butt? I am still growing, you know. Out of all people, you should know.”

“You have those because you eat more than you should and thanks to your boyfriend you are more horny than it’s okay for someone your age which leads you to have a big appetite,” she deadpanned. “So cover yourself up. This is not a strip club.”

Your mouth fell open, complete disbelief widening your eyes. She must have not been serious. But you knew she was, so what was more annoying was the fact that you still got angry and you still fought back, despite knowing their preferences for years. You tried to ignore the sting in your chest when she talked about food and about the way your body naturally worked. You were a hormonal teenager. Why couldn’t she understand?

Quickly remembering the promise you made to Baekhyun, you collected yourself and, although in pain, you nodded. But before you could answer, your mother continued: “Besides. Given the nature of our get-together today, you do need to look more responsible.”

That made you frown in confusion. “What does that mean?”

She smiled, though it was rather smug than anything else. “You will find out soon enough.”

“Mum!”

“Change,” she commanded, something dark flashing in her eyes before she walked out of the room.

Annoying tears burned in your eyes, and you quickly grabbed your phone, wanting to complain to Baekhyun, but he beat you to it and you found messages from him sent only a couple of minutes ago that immediately pacified your wild emotions.

i’m thinking of you ❤️ always

even now

and even now

and now too

gorgeous 😘🥰

You smiled through your tears, the need of wanting to be with him growing by tenfold. He melted all the negative emotions you had in yourself and you sat down on your bed, your eyes scanning the texts, the emoticons, and then the picture you had for him. He was being silly on it, wearing your sunglasses and pretending to be a girl group member looking seductive.

With a final look, you nodded to yourself, determined to follow what you had promised. 

Changing into a white shirt politely tucked into a black pencil skirt with your hair strictly tied into a knot, you looked like any worker in your father's company; not standing out, conservative and a little bit numb.

Only one thing was eating you away as you made your way downstairs to the huge dining hall, your parents already  welcoming your grandparents whose eyes gave you a strict look over. 

The nature of this dinner. 

What could that be?

All of the dinners had something into it. Your parents never did anything just for the sake of doing it. If there wasn’t something profitable in the action, they would never bother. But what did they want from your grandparents?

“Oh, finally you decided to show up. What are these manners, letting your old folks wait for you, hm?” Your grandmother’s words sounded like crow’s wailing. Annoying, terribly annoying. 

“Excuse me. Had to dress up properly for your company,” you replied in a calm tone, not paying attention to her nagging. You walked up to them and bowed politely, respecting them.

Your grandma scoffed, frowning at you while your grandfather’s eyes crinkled up a bit in a small smile, though he didn’t say anything besides nodding once to acknowledge your polite greeting. 

“Let’s just sit, shall we?” your father voiced, motioning to the prepared dining table adorned in a cream table cloth. “Before the food gets cold.”

“Yes, yes, we have things to discuss anyway,” rasped your grandmother as she sat down.

Your father was at the head of the table while your mother and you sat on his right, your grandparents on the opposite site. You ended up facing your grandfather for which you were thankful. He was one of the less evil. In fact, he barely ever showed any interest in the happenings around the dirty business your family was involved in.

Now that you thought about it, you didn’t know about him and your evil grandma. You had been secluded from any warm interaction since young age, so you never even bothered asking how they met and how they fell in love. How did grandfather even deal with someone like her was beyond your understanding.

Once your mother started talking in her superior tone, you concluded that your grandfather still managed to raise up someone like your mother. He probably wasn’t any better than the rest of the family.

“We have been in close contact with the rival company,” she started and you suppressed the need to roll your eyes.

Servants put all the food in front of you; seaweed soup, lots of side dishes, meat, fish, rice, rice cakes and corn tea. You usually liked the food but given you had to listen to another business talk, you lost your appetite.

“Their son is already in his thirties, so they requested the marriage as soon as our daughter is out of high school.”

You jumped in your seat, knocking your knee in the table rather painfully. You didn’t have time to curse and look at your mother, who continued talking as if nothing was happening: “Obviously we need to finish this deal before any more losses could happen to our business. Their company is overflowing with profit-“

“What are you talking about?” you snapped, not watching your tone that came out rude.

Your father frowned. “Your attitude is honestly disappointing. How can you talk to your mother in that to-“

“I am not getting married to anyone!” you shouted, growing hot-headed, your knee throbbing in pain. “I-I have a university to attend soon! How can I marry before getting a degree?! And I have a boyfriend-“

Your mother laughed drily. “How on earth can you even consider that boy?” she said, looking at you with utmost calmness. “He is just a middle-class boy.”

Your grandmother and father joined her in chuckles. “Don’t be silly,” said your grandmother. “It’s just a high school crush. It’s always about experimenting and not understanding what love is. Silly teenager stuff.”

“What do you know about love?” you asked doubtfully, turning to your grandmother with a death glare to which she returned it back.

“How dare you question your elders?! Calm down this instant and listen!”

If it were possible, fumes would be coming out of your nose and ears. You couldn’t believe what you just heard was true. It couldn’t be. You wouldn’t allow it.

“Besides,” started your father in a scolding manner, “you are not good at studies. We agreed to let you attend the university you chose, but your studies will be fruitless since you didn’t study as you were told to. You aren’t a man either,” he scoffed and gave a side eye to your mother who now froze. “But that isn’t your fault that you weren’t born a man. That’s someone else’s.”

Completely at loss for words, you fell back in your chair, devastated at what you just heard. Not only he degraded you, but he now attacked your mother.

In a sudden need to defend your mother as a woman rather than as your parent, you snapped: “It’s the amount of sperm that a man manages to put into a woman that decides the gender. If it’s anyone’s fault that I am a girl, it’s yours!”

Everyone went silent at what you just said, your father so shocked his mouth hung open. He blinked a few times, regaining his posture but you were already standing up. “I am not marrying anyone! I already have a boy-“

“So you do all the dirty stuff with this boyfriend of yours and that’s why your mouth is so nasty!” came your father’s voice like a thunder.

“She needs to break up with him. He is no good influence on her,” butted in your grandmother nonchalantly as she slurped her seaweed soup.

You snapped your eyes to her, and to your grandfather who was frowning down at his empty plate.

“I won’t break up with Baekhyun.”

“Then keep your delusions up. But once you're out of high school, the ceremony will take place,” said your mother resolutely, sending daggers your way. 

“I don’t want to do anything with your business,” you now said in despair. “I don’t want to own your company!”

Your father snickered drily in disgust. “You won’t own our company, daughter. You’re useless as it is, so we are going to merge the companies. That’s the only way we can save our hard work.”

You shook your hair. “No, I refuse!”

“You don’t have a choice,” shrugged your mother now turning back to her plate. “You can do whatever you want, but your fate is in our hands. That’s why,” she emphasized and looked at you, “for your own good, break up with your boyfriend. He is no good news. Save yourself the heartbreak. He is with you for the money anyway.”

You stood frozen, keeping the gasp in. Tears were spilling out of your eyes and you turned around, running back to your room, sobs leaving your mouth.

You always knew your family was a nightmare - cold, scary, emotionless. But this was too much for your young self.

All you wanted was warmth, safety and honest emotions.

All of those were what Baekhyun offered you.

He was more than just a boyfriend.

He was love.

That night, you didn't call Baekhyun, instead deciding to text him back to let him know that everything went fine. He was studying anyway, and if you wanted something, it was for him to become successful in a field that he was passionate about. Unlike you, who barely had any hobbies, let alone passions.

Finally crying yourself to sleep around 3am, your alarm went off too early in the morning, a strong headache first thing you felt as you turned off the blaring thing.

Sighing, you fell back on the comfortable pillows, their lavender smell engulfing your senses and momentarily offering a calming pat on your headache. Closing your eyes, you felt your eyes well up again, the idea of having to break up with Baekhyun just not adding up in your mind. How could you do that? Why would you deprive yourself of the only source of light you had in your life? For someone you never even met. Someone who seemed to be much, much older than you.

“I'm not doing it,” you whispered into the stillness of your room, your voice hoarse. Tears slid out of your eyes and down your sides until they tickled your ears. “I'm not.”

And with that, you faced your day; you washed up, put on your uniform, packed the necessary books and headed out, not saying your morning greetings, nor eating breakfast. Ignoring your surroundings, you went out not even waiting for your driver. You decided you will take the mundane route to school that day: bus and metro like Baekhyun did everyday.

“Hey, are you okay?” Someone’s fingers appeared in the line of your vision. Fingers all too familiar.

You looked up to see a worried Baekhyun, his shirt untucked and his tie loosen-up around his neck giving him the typical goofy, laid-back look that lived up very well to his personality. You managed to smile. “Yeah, just tired. Didn’t get to sleep much.”

“And why is that?” he asked, taking the closest seat to yours, looking around to check if the owner of the seat wasn’t there. When you pursed your lips, debating what to say, he added gently: “What is bothering you, hm? You know you can tell me.”

Releasing probably the nth sigh of that day, you closed your eyes for a moment before looking at him. “Let’s talk after school maybe. It’s not something to discuss here.”

Baekhyun nodded but you saw the rapid thinking his mind drifted off to. He could sense trouble, especially with your family. “Alright, let’s do that. But your driver-“

“He didn’t drive me to school, so he won’t be driving me from school,” you said in a monotone and Baekhyun raised an eyebrow at that.

“How did you come to school?”

You shrugged. “Like you do everyday. Public transport.”

Slowly, his mouth stretched to a soft, lopsided smile, his hand reaching out to caress your cheek with the back of his fingers. “Enjoyed it?”

You mimicked his smile, his touch easing up the tension you couldn’t get rid of since last night. “Yeah, thoroughly. Only you were missing. Then it would be perfect.” 

His smile only grew and you turned your head slightly, kissing his hand before he retracted it, keeping the eye contact while he kissed the same spot your lips touched on his hand.

You watched in small awe and you giggled when he added a louder smooch. “You’re unbelievable.”

He let out a laugh, standing up when the bell rang. “But you love me.” He squeezed your shoulder.

“That I do.”

After that, you couldn’t focus any more in any of the classes. Once again it was proved that you wouldn’t be able to even imagine your life without Baekhyun next to you. Yes, the idea of marriage was scary but you’d marry him. In an instant.

Finally coming up with a way to make something out for yourself and of that damn deal your parents made, you slipped out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang announcing the end of your last class of that day. Quickly pulling out your phone, you hid in the toilets and dialed your mother's phone who lazily picked up after countless attempts.

“What.”

So you were still in a war zone. “If I am to get married,” you started without further ado, “he can not touch me. And I won’t be breaking up with Baekhyun.”

It was silent for a moment before your mother let out a laugh. “Oh, honey. We do want you to finish university first before anything else will happen.”

She didn’t add anything more which confused you. “Okay, either way, I won’t be breaking up with Baekhyun.”

“Do whatever you deem correct. Though I bet he won’t like you getting married to someone else? Didn’t you always say how loyal he was?”

You grit your teeth. “Why do you suddenly care about his loyalty?” you hissed, pacing in the small toilet space. “That isn’t your business. You will always get what you want and I already said I will comply but on my terms.”

“Your terms are cheating on your husband? Or on your boyfriend? I really don’t know where this attitude comes from in you. Neither me nor your father are like that-“

Before she could finish, you burst out laughing. “What? You aren’t like that? Don’t be delusional, mother. You’re trying to marry me off for your own profit!” you exclaimed, raising your voice. “The only thing I am asking - no, I am going to do it whether you like it or not. I will be with Baekhyun. I’ll be with him until he breaks up with me.” Because there was no way you would do it.

Your mother was silent for a moment and then she sighed. “Do as you want. As long as you sign the papers…” she trailed off. “I have a meeting now. Let’s discuss once we are home.” And she ended the call.

You realized you were trembling only when you finally let your hand dangle next to your body, already tired from the fights. 

At least she didn’t say anything against the idea.

You took it as a positive sign.

You didn’t go home that night. Baekhyun suggested to sleep over at his house and you gladly agreed. It wouldn't be the first and certainly not the last time. His parents knew you well and you always felt their warm welcome whenever Baekhyun brought you home with him. His mother was a great cook and whenever you saw her, you were reminded of Baekhyun's kind smile.

“Are you staying for the night?” asked his mother with a laugh when you greeted her with a polite bow.

You smiled shyly, nodding and looking up at Baekhyun who was gazing down at you encouragingly. “Yes, if that is okay, auntie.”

“Of course! It's Friday night anyway. My son just keeps studying and not living his young life properly so please, be our guest.”

“Thank you,” you smiled and she said she would prepare a late dinner for you while you and Baehyun went to his room to change into something more comfortable.

“Could you borrow me some of your clothes?” you asked once in his room as you were working on unbuttoning your uniform's shirt and watched shirtless Baekhyun roam in his drawer for your favourite shirt of his.

“Here you go,” he said, coming up to you with the shirt and joggers, but instead of handing them to you, he just put them on the bed and mumbled a soft: “Let me.”

His fingers took over the unbuttoning process, and you closed your eyes at the feathery touch of his hands as he uncovered more skin. When he was reaching your stomach, he paused and you cracked your eyes open, finding him gazing at you intently before his eyes fell to the middle of your breasts that were exposed. He unbuttoned the last two buttons swiftly and then pushed his hands inside the shirt, dragging his fingertips over your hips and waist, tapping each bone of your ribcage until he slid his hands up to your shoulders, sliding the material off. “You want to keep your bra?” he asked, almost as if he wasn't breathing loudly, mimicking your rapidly rising and falling chest.

Shaking your head gently, you mumbled a soft no before he nodded in acknowledgement and with one hand unclasped the bra. He stepped even closer, your nose almost touching his broad and very naked chest. You felt his breath on your cheek as he whispered, pulling on the straps of your bra: “May I?”

Swallowing harshly, you nodded and looked up at him to find his fiery gaze intently set on you. When he pushed the straps off your shoulders and your bra fell to the floor, you shivered at the cool air hitting the hot skin as Baekhyun's fingers were back again, dragging them from your back through your underarms until he reached the sides of your breasts. His breathing was irregular, hot puffs hitting your face while you whimpered softly, egging him on to finally grab you.

“You're so beautiful,” he whispered shakily and you let out a loud sigh when he finally took a hold of your mounds, squeezing them gently in his palms.

You brought your arms around his neck, stretching the skin on your chest and you kissed him hungrily, the heat in your core growing almost painful for not being satisfied as you so badly wished you would be.

Baekhyun pushed his tongue into your mouth, going for a dirty kiss right away as he gave a final, stronger squeeze to your breasts before letting them go, bringing his hands down to your backside, bunching up your skirt in lust. He let out a satisfied moan when he grabbed the meat, his finger momentarily sliding inside and between your thighs. You were fast to break the kiss, needing air and also needing to whine because you needed him so badly.

His naked torso pressed now to yours, his hands cheekily teasing you and grabbing you, he was all about games.

“Baekhyun, the food is ready! Come quickly before it gets cold!” shouted his mother down the hallway, thankfully not coming to Baekhyun's room. You froze in his arms nonetheless to which he chuckled.

“Relax,” he murmured, pressing his face into your neck. “She knows not to disturb when my door is closed and you are with me.”

Letting out a breathy laugh, you let go of him just when he did.

“Once we are back,” he said, helping you put on his big t-shirt. “I will take care of that wetness down there. Seems pretty severe.”

You quirked an eyebrow, looking at the tent that was asking for attention over his joggers. “You sound so unaffected.”

He looked down just where your eyes were set and chuckled as if it was nothing. “Oh, sweetie, it's always like this when I'm with you. I just can't help it,” he said and leaned in, biting your earlobe. “You bring out the man in me.”

Everything was a long lost dream and you should have known it. Things you imagined and desired were not what the reality had in store for you, and it just made it more difficult for you to face Baekhyun. Even when you went on the last high school trip where you had the biggest fun, made the most exciting memories, sneaking behind the group to steal a small kiss, even all of that was not able to lighten up your damp mood. Somehow, it was possible for you to fake it, but you would have been dumb if you ever thought Baekhyun believed your words or smiles. He could sense trouble from miles and given the nature of your family, he was always well-aware of how many troubles could grow overnight in your household. He just wouldn't know the severity of the problem. And you weren't planning to tell him, just like you promised yourself and your mother, not until Baekhyun would break up with you.

And right now, it was your graduation day.

The D-day had come when you would have to say goodbye to all your friends, even the fake ones, and you would be a little closer to losing Baekhyun. Except you wouldn't know it would happen that fast.

“Congratulations!” squealed Baekhyun's mother who was fast to hug Baekhyun and you both at the same time, squeezing you to her chest. Your face was pushed into the colourful bouquet of flowers that smelled wonderfully - but from a distance. You tried to  squeeze your eyes shut but you just looked down, catching Baekhyun's worn-out converse sneakers.

Baekhyun snorted a laugh when he saw your face in the freezias, and gently pushed you away from his mother to protect you. As you straightened up, you managed to scrunch your face just in time to sneeze.

“Oh dear, I'm so sorry,” giggled Baekhyun's mother and even his father chuckled from behind her which made your heart warm up.

“It's alright, auntie,” you waved your hand, feeling your eyes watering up but you laughed nonetheless because - how could you ever be mad at such a sweet woman who was the only person on Earth to have the right to call Baekhyun hers? As much as you wished, you were nowhere near close to have the right for him to be yours. And maybe you would never be. “Looking at you, I wonder how was my son able to sweep you off of your feet! You're so beautiful!”

You smiled shyly and felt Baekhyun's soft gaze on you, ready to reach out for your hand before his mother pushed the bouquet into his arms. “This is for you, son, and this is for you, my dear,” she said, giving you one as well.

Just when you were about to thank her politely and bow, your mother's cold voice interrupted the merry atmosphere, your happy smile dying down as you turned to face her, your father and a- stranger? A man, to be exact.

“Here you are,” she said, sending a cold smile towards Baekhyun's parents, ignoring your boyfriend altogether. She stepped closer so she wouldn't be overheard, and muttered: “I guess your wishes will come true soon.” She leaned back and you followed her with your eyes as she stepped aside. “Mr Kwon, please meet my daughter,” she introduced you before continuing, “and this is Mr Kwon Minheob, your fiancée. Greet him properly!” she ordered but you didn't even process what she said.

Standing frozen, your arms were about to let go of the bouquet you just received were it not for Baekhyun who was fast enough to get the flowers out of your grasp. “Oh, that's great news! I'll take these for you!” he exclaimed with a smile and you looked at him with pure horror in your eyes. “Congrats by the way! I will miss you as my classmate!” he added and quickly bowed to your parents. “I'll see you around someday!” And with that, he turned and left.

In that instance, many things were swirling around in your brain - complete, utter shock, overwhelm, fear, heartbreak. What did Baekhyun just do? Why did he say that? And where was he going-

“Nice to meet you,” said the older male with a deep voice. You turned your stare back at him, hearing your heart beating in your ears. “What a pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard a lot about you and your studies. It is so nice of you to lower yourself and your status and attend a regular high school with ordinary people. I believe we will have a lot in common.” He finally uncrossed his hands from behind his back and you found a pastel pink bag dangling off of his somewhat thick fingers. “And this is my congratulatory present for you. Congratulations on graduating high school.”

Once again, you just stared at the bag, unable to make your own hand move and accept the gift with a polite bow like you were expected to. The only thing ringing in your mind was Baekhyun and him only. He found out much sooner than he was supposed to and you hated yourself because he was most probably hating you right now. What was worse - his parents were there, too. They all saw it when it all seemed like you were just about to stay with their son forever. Yet, your family, as always, ruined it all and you weren't sure if you would recover.

Looking up to the tall, grown man, it didn't take you a lot to know he was far from anyone you could have feelings for, ever. The words he just spoke, the malice he said them with, was everything you were standing for. Obviously, he was no one you could have things in common with.

Your father stepped next to you and, painfully, pinched your side, making you gasp and automatically reach out for the gift with a low bow. His fingers were squeezing your skin through your dress and it rushed tears in your eyes, but you blinked them away while accepting the gift and staring at the polished shoes of Kwon Minheob.

“Nice to meet you,” you mumbled, straightening up. The gift bag felt heavy in your hand but you tried not to pay too much attention to it. Eventually, your father also removed his hand from your back and he gave you a pressed smile, though you didn't look at him. “Congratulations, our daughter. Now we can go all to our house and have a good di-”

“I'm sorry, but I still have, eh, friends to greet and meet,” you said, “we also all agreed to have our last meal together as a class,” you added, looking up to meet your father's eyes. You weren't lying; the entire class wanted to meet and have chicken and beer. Preferably spend the time loudly somewhere in a good restaurant.

He shot you a dissatisfied scowl, but you held his gaze. “Until when? You won't be meeting them anyway, why waste time?”

“Exactly,” pressed your mother and smiled brightly at Mr Kwon, who kept observing you with quite an unreadable expression. “And we have Mr Kwon to entertain.”

Quite literally you thought you would start wailing right then and there; everyone was going against you, nobody seeming to listen to your words. Just when you felt tears prickle your eyes, Mr Kwon spoke up and surprised all of you.

“That is not necessary,” he declared, giving a curt smile towards your parents, “she is still young and should enjoy her classmates one last time. I suppose it will be difficult to do it once they all go their own way,” he said in a diplomatic voice, looking at you the entire time. It took a lot in you not to flinch and shudder under his gaze. “So go and enjoy, miss, and I will meet you soon to have a more private conversation with you.” You nodded quickly, though blood was already draining from your face at the idea of what he suggested. Mr Kwon turned to your parents. “I will leave you to entertain your daughter and I will reach out soon.”

Before anyone else could say another word, he gave a short bow and disappeared in the mass of people.

“You do realize-” your mother started, but you were fast to push the bag into her chest, not caring whether she caught it or not, and dashing for the direction that Baekhyun disappeared into.

Of course you were aware how much you would get scolded once you actually faced your parents, but right now you couldn't care less. It was better to get scolded, but losing Baekhyun or even making him hurt just the tiniest of bits made you resent yourself.

And so you pushed past crowds, stopping to say hi, keeping an eye out for any coconut head out there with a family that shone brighter than yours would ever shine. Just when you were about to lose it and start straight up crying in the middle of the crowd, you felt a hand intertwining with yours and you just knew. He didn't turn you around, but you felt his body behind yours and it was you who turned, facing him with a scared expression. 

“Baekhyun,” you whimpered. Seeing his kind smile made you want to slap him because why was he like that after what he heard?

“Hm? Want to tell me about it now?” he asked gently and combed your hair out of your face, his smile growing by an inch. “Pretty.”

You took a deep breath, shakiness overtaking your legs from unwanted pressure. “It isn't what you think it is.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don't want to marry him,” you said and this time, your tears rapidly grew in your eyes and were rolling down your cheeks. “I-I-I never… I mean, not yet. I did-didn't know he would come, I never saw him before and-”

“Shhh, calm down,” he hushed, bringing your face to his chest, hugging you to himself. “Let's talk about it another time.”

“No,” you said, hiccuping, “I am not losing you, Baekhyun.”

“You aren't.” “I'm not losing you,” you repeated, closing your eyes and pressing your face more into him, taking a deep breath of his scent, feeling up his warmth and presence. “I'm not losing you.”

He called your name gently. “It's fine. Don't cry, hm? You know I can't stand seeing you cry. I am not mad and I'm not going anywhere,” he whispered urgently into your ear.

“I just hate my family so much,” you mumbled into his chest. Baekhyun's shirt must have been stained by make-up by then, but neither of you cared. “And I don't want their terrible attitude to damage you.”

“It won't damage me. You are important to me, you. Look at me, hm? Look at me, darling.”

You sniffed and stepped away a little, tilting your head so you could see his kind eyes. He cooed, reaching up to run his thumbs under your eyes. “My little raccoon. Let's enjoy today, alright? Just us. And our classmates,” he added with a little laugh.

You smiled weakly, nodding. Anything Baekhyun wanted, he would get from you.

Your entire class hoarded into a chicken restaurant in Hongdae, the loud cheers and chatterings making many people turn in interest to look at you. You sat down around your girlfriends while you let, though reluctantly, Baekhyun join his pals. Even though you would exchange reassuring looks here and there, you still felt incredibly anxious about the incident earlier. In fact, you were so swallowed up by the idea of losing Baekhyun that you didn't  even think about the actual fiancée, Mr Kwon.

But instead of focusing on that, you decided to enjoy tonight, for you knew events like these won't be coming up for you anytime soon. If anything, your freedom was close to gone.

“I am going to start my own clothing brand,” started one of your classmates that was sitting next to you, munching on her piece of chicken meat. She went on spilling many details that didn't add up in your brain, though you listened carefully to every word she said.

“You don't have your degree yet,” you replied eventually and took a gulp of your coke.

“Funny, coming from someone like you,” she snickered, “you can decide you want to own an island and you will.”

You sighed, rolling your eyes but your classmate just shrugged.

“I can assure you she won't,” came in Baekhyun's voice. “I know it pretty well, since I'm her boyfriend.”

The girls exchanged looks. They all had a secret crush on him, so his words made them a little embarrassed. “Would you even marry her?” they teased.

“I would. In a heartbeat,” was his answer and you looked at him with huge eyes, your mouth that was slightly oily from the chicken hanging open, your heart frantically beating in your chest.

The entire table hollored and whistled, and you caught your boyfriend smiling proudly at you, eventually sending a confident wink. He tapped his mouth with his index finger and then pointed at you. You felt your lips stretch instantly, because you knew he meant “close your mouth”.

“Whew, you really are lucky,” muttered the girl next to you, changing the topic completely.

His hand was intertwined with yours once again as you were slowly walking along the Han river. Ttukseom Han river park was, as always, busy with young people. It gave a great view on Gangnam and Cheongdam that were lying on the opposite side, the city lights of the tall buildings reminding you how life revolved around money and basically anything that smelled even the slightest of capitalism. You found yourself despising all of it.

“Cat stole your tongue?” muttered Baekhyun playfully into the chilly air as he swayed your connected hands.

“Just… thinking,” you replied and made sure your sides were brushing.

He didn't reply, instead letting silence overtake again, but you knew he was curious. He wanted to, and deserved, to know.

“Did you mean it?” you asked, looking at the dark water.

“Did I mean what?”

“That you would marry me in a heartbeat,” you said softly, scared to actually pronounce those words. They sounded so unnatural, for some reason, despite them mirroring everything you ever wanted in life. “What you said during dinner.”

“Yes, I meant it and you know it, too, sweetheart,” he said, shaking your hand.

You smiled to yourself. If you wouldn't spill the beans now, you would probably never find the guts to talk about the main issue that was simmering like the water in a pressure cooker. “My parents want me to marry that man for business. Something along merging their companies or whatever,” you started. “I found out a while ago but I was fighting them. And then you made me promise to obey,” you sighed, feeling the well-known dread eating up your insides, “and I had to agree. But I don't want to.”

“So that's why you weren't yourself,” he muttered more to himself than to you, and he stopped walking so he could look at you properly. When you wouldn't meet his eye, too ashamed, he put his index finger under your chin and made you tilt your head up. “Why didn't you just tell me from the beginning?”

“Baekhyun,” you whispered in disbelief, “how could I? It isn't some news about apples growing backwards.”

He chuckled. “Well, you have to admit, that would make the headlines.”

You giggled, rolling your eyes. “You know what I mean.”

He let out another chuckle through his nose and slid his hand up so he could cup your cheek lovingly while thinking over his next words. “When are you supposed to marry him?”

You swallowed. “Maybe after uni? I … I never wanted to talk to them, so I don't know exactly… I insisted after university graduation.”

He hummed, running his thumb over your lower lip, his gaze focused on the way he parted your lips. “So, we have four more years?”

You pursed your lips, not liking the idea of having limited time with Baekhyun. “Of course not. I will always be with you.”

He sighed, and eventually dropped his hand on your shoulder; you tried not to feel disappointed. “I think this is more complicated than you think, love.”

“How is it complicated, Baekhyun?” you asked stubbornly. “I love you. I saw that man today for the first time in my life. How can I marry someone I don't know and barely ever saw? He is almost twice my age, Baekhyun. You know this is not okay and you also know it doesn't make any sense.”

“And you know business is anything but emotions,” was his fast reply.

“I don't care about their business.”

“And they don't care that you don't care.”

“Bu-but I just don't care! I will be with you behind his back and-”

“And how would that make me feel?” he fired back, now both of you slowly getting heated up from the small exchange of opinions. Baekhyun just asked something you never wanted him to utter. If you were to talk about him, of course, he was the victim. He'd become a secret lover; the forbidden fruit.

When you didn't reply, he nodded, his hand falling off your shoulder. “I understand.”

“Baekhyun, let's talk about this step by step,” you tried, reaching for his hand which he, thankfully, didn't retreat. “We still have a long time until any of those things could even happen. Maybe it won't happen - and I will try my best not to let it happen. But let it not affect our present. Please,” you added with urgency, looking into his warm eyes.

When Baekhyun was troubled or sad, his eyes seemed to become even more down-ward than they already were. This time, it was no exception and you wanted to reach out and make the wrinkles go away but you didn't. “Let me just think this matter through, alright?” he murmured eventually.

You pressed your lips together and nodded while you stepped close to him, snaking your arms around his waist. He gladly took you in, letting out a deep sigh as he hugged you to him and kissed the top of your head. “It will be okay.”

“May I sleep at yours tonight?” you mumbled into his shoulder after a moment of silence. “I just cannot imagine going back to that hell.”

He rubbed your back gently. “Of course. My mum is already expecting us. We shouldn't disappoint her.”

You leaned back a bit and stood on your toes to press your lips to his. “You're the best.”

And so, after walking a little bit longer and enjoying the faraway noise of the busy roads and nightlife Seoul, you slowly made your way back to the metro station, heading for Baekhyun's house, and your safety.

The both of you were lying on his bed, his parents long asleep, the quietness of the apartment giving you a sense of safeness. Baekhyun had a book open on his lap while you were doodling something you weren’t sure what was yet. Manual work seemed to preoccupy your mind enough and sadly, even with Baekhyun next to you, you couldn’t find your peace of mind. 

“Aren’t you tired yet?” whispered Baekhyun and looked at you, and on the paper to see what you were so focused on. “It’s already 1am. Your parents will want you home early-“

Your sigh interrupted him and you put down the pencil rather harshly as you sat up properly to face him. “Since when do you care about them? You know I will go home whenever I want to. I don’t care, so you shouldn’t either.”

“I don’t want you to get into trouble, okay?” he said back, his voice quiet but low. “There has been enough drama.”

“What worse can happen? They want me to let go of you. That is the worst punishment for me.”

Baekhyun’s gaze softened and he also sat up properly to face you. “I know. I can’t lose you either. And I wasn’t intending on that. I meant that they might lock you up and then I won’t be able to see you so soon, hm?” he murmured gently, his lips puckering with each word as he reached out with his hand to caress your cheek. You leaned into his touch right away. “I want to enjoy what we have now.”

You smiled gently when you recognized your previously uttered words and grabbed his hand that was cradling your cheek. “You know I would sneak out just to meet you if I were to be locked up.”

He rewarded you with a lopsided, handsome smile. “You shouldn’t, you little devil.”

You sighed and shimmied yourself closer until your knees were touching his. “Kiss me,” you whispered breathily, already eyeing his lips.

He observed you a little longer before his eyes dropped on yours. Softly smiling, he leaned in, now both of his hands on your neck to angle your face. The softest of touches was what you felt first before he pressed his lips harsher, moving his mouth against yours. Your hands snaked around his neck to urge him on while he opened your mouth and invited himself in. Without meaning to, you let out a satisfied hum that seemed to ignite Baekhyun because he pressed harder, slowly making you fall back on your back, head on the pillows.

He grunted as you spread your legs so he could settle himself there as your kiss grew dirtier, all tongues and teeth, battling for dominance. Your fingers were messing up his hair while his hands were touching you over the fabric of his pyjamas.

It was your whines and a couple of pulls on the hem of his shirt that made Baekhyun lean back so that you could undress in haste, both of you eager and very much horny. Finally feeling the hot skin of his chest press up against yours he was too eager and he already lined himself up at your center, needing the release without any foreplay.

“Just keep quiet, alright?” he reminded softly into your ear under which he placed the softest kiss before he started pushing in, your mouth falling open, but your juices doing a good enough job for his easy access.

You gasped rather loudly and he silenced you with a messy kiss, interrupting it with harsh pants on your mouth as his eyes were closed in focus, his forehead pressed against yours. You panted and tilted your head to chase his parted lips while he pushed himself in all the way, reaching the stillness that you very much needed.

Unable to take the pain, your eyes were squeezed shut, scratching Baekhyun’s back while the other hand fisted his blanket. 

“Just a little longer,” Baekhyun whispered urgently, lips against your forehead, repeatedly puckering them in tiny butterfly  kisses. “The pain will be all gone, I promise. I’ll make you feel like no one on this planet.” He moved the slightest bit, the friction making him hide his face in your neck and mouth at the skin.

Your heaving chest was pressing up against his and with his next movement, you felt the tingles of pleasure that he promised you just heartbeats ago. Giving Baekhyun the sign to move, he started rocking, already setting up a faster pace for he couldn’t wait any longer. Your influence on him was too strong, his emotions for you too overwhelming. In his eyes, you were so sexy, beautiful, sensitive, and absolutely alluring. It would be brutal if he had to hold back while having you underneath him.

Who did he try to lie to? He went absolutely crazy at the idea of him having to leave you for another man; some old dude who didn’t even know you. It might have been the reason why he grew relentless, pushing you into his mattress and snapping his hips, your face of pure ecstasy only fueling his passionate drive. He hated the entire situation. He didn’t want to share you. He never wanted to have a secret relationship with you. If he imagined a future, besides him becoming a doctor, it was your presence next to his the entire time.

Baekhyun was never one to be aggressive and stubbornly go against every rule, unlike you. In your relationship, he was the cold-headed one, the peace-maker, always fighting for what the brain said instead of the heart.

But right now, his heart was in despair, already feeling the beginning of a heart break. He thrusted into you with such passion you really couldn't contain your moans and he wasn’t sure he wanted you to keep quiet anymore. Let everyone know that you belonged to him.

He bit your skin just under your collarbones, tasting the sweat, and you gasped, fisting his hair which prompted him to grunt and reach your g-spot.

“Cum for me,” he whispered harshly, biting you again and then moving his face to push his tongue into your open mouth. “Cum for me and say my name.”

He didn’t have to tell you as you were already panting his name like a mantra that would bring you to heaven. Your walls were pleasurably stretched out, the throaty sounds he made bringing you over the edge. He followed soon after your breathy moans and your arching back that caused your breasts to press to his sweaty chest made him lose it.

His arms snaked in the space between your back and the mattress and he squeezed your body to him, hiding his face in your breasts that he mouthed and licked at sensually while feeling himself release.

With one last bite to your sensitive nipple, he moved to kiss you, your tired smile welcoming him. “I love you.”

You combed his hair away from his damp forehead. “I love you more.” But please don't leave me.

--

CuriousCat Ask box is also open! Or comments!💕

[xenospacebabe]

Broken Wings pt. 3

Summary: After breaking one of his wings, Hawks breaks into an animal clinic for some help. Little does he know that the doctor there would occupy his mind this much

TW: Mentions of animal death.

Another busy week that seemed to endlessly drag on was coming to a close. There was a spike in Parvovirus cases in the last few days that had you hospitalizing as well as euthanizing beloved pets. You loved your job, but sometimes it really took a lot out of you. There were times where you lost more patients than you saved and it left you wondering if you were even good at what you do. However, there were the times where miracle patients made an unprecedented recovery. Those were the moments that kept you coming back.

The stress mounted on your shoulders, though. You had three dogs in isolation that were struggling to survive, so much so that you did your best to not promise anything to their owners. For now, they were resting in the silence of your closed clinic. You leaned back in your chair and let your head hang until you stared blankly at the ceiling. The muscles in your lower back burned and ached from standing and kneeling all day. Did you eat lunch today? Did you ever use the bathroom?

“Y’know I was really hoping you’d text me back this week, Doc.”

“WAH!” The sound of Keigo’s voice breaking through the fragile silence sent you backwards in your chair with a frightened shriek. But before you could hit the floor, you were looking up into Keigo’s eyes as he had rushed over to catch you. His good wing caught your chair while his hand cradled the back of your head.

“Woah easy there. I knew you’d fall for me but I didn’t think you’d do it literally.”

“Keigo! Oh shit, you scared me!” The winged hero looked so smug as he held you there. You were incredibly aware of just how close his face was to yours and you felt your stomach flip as a result. That stupid grin cracked on his lips, a wild eyebrow arching confidently.

“P-please help me up.” The shakiness in your voice was louder than you’d like it to be. But he brought you upright, nonetheless, in a smooth motion before sitting on your desk. “Thank you...”

“Hey it’s what heroes do, am I right? So-...” He reached forward with a gloved hand to fidget with the ends of your ponytail between his fingers. “What’s up? You seem more stressed than usual.”

Than usual? How would he know how stressed you are on a daily basis? You’d only seen each other twice, three times including today. What you didn’t know was that Keigo had a lot of time to fill while he allowed his wing to recover. Most of it was spent catching up on paperwork he had neglected back at headquarters. The rest of the time? He was watching you from afar. This strange instinct to keep an eye on you was out of character for him, he never paid this much attention to anyone who wasn’t a target for a mission.

But you...

Choosing to ignore that last statement, you let out a weary sigh. The tension in your shoulders relaxed and they slumped. Keigo observed you, choosing to stay quiet until you responded.

“It’s just...been a rough week. This business-...I don’t always get to save everyone and it was just a little more than I could handle this week.”

Something about that struck a chord in the depths of his heart. He knew about that reality all too well. Sometimes not everyone made it out alive, regardless of how hard he tried. And remarkably, you understood that. There wasn’t much he could say that would make you feel any better other than just a hum in his throat.

“Mmh...I get it. That’s a really heavy burden to carry.” The hand that played with your hair slipped out of its glove and rested on your shoulder to give it a reassuring squeeze. You felt your anxiety dissolve a little when he smiled at you.

“Anyway...that’s why I didn’t text you. I just didn’t have the moment to spare. I haven’t really left the clinic for more than a couple hours each day.” You let out an exhausted yawn behind your hand. Keigo noticed the way your nose scrunched up when you did so, and the cute squeak your throat made.

“Mmh my goodness, sorry. How’s the wing?” Back on track. He admired your tenacity and dedication to your work. Arms slipped out of his jacket followed by his uniform shirt. The redness returned to your features and you chewed your bottom lip nervously before regaining focus. It shouldn’t be this hard to look at a shirtless man. You’re an adult, get over yourself! But then again...you reminded yourself that there were no men like Keigo.

“Not too bad. The pain killers have helped but I didn’t wanna take them too long.” The splinted wing lifted and tried to flex. There was a tightness in the limb that was driving him crazy. And boy was it itchy. You noticed and began to remove the tape and gauze so you could feel the bone with your fingers.

To your surprise, Keigo didn’t flinch. In fact, you didn’t feel much of the break anymore. That was odd. One hand gently grasped the far side of his wing and slowly flexed it open. Once more, no pain response. You let go and told him to open and close it, which he did with a little strain but after a few tries it opened and closed in a smooth motion.

“How the-...this was a completely transverse fracture two weeks ago.” You muttered to yourself, truly confused but intrigued. Without thinking, you snagged Keigo by the wrist and yanked him into the radiology suite for immediate xrays.

“Woah hey! What?! What’s wrong?”

“On the table. Flex the wing. Hold still.” You were in like a trance, transfixed on getting answers. He did as you instructed without his usual teasing banter, the less he said the quicker you’d speak to him. You said nothing throughout the process, even after the images printed and were clipped to the lightbox.

“How?!” You gasped with your eyes trained on the image of Keigo’s healed wing. There wasn’t even the typical crease that came with the fusion of broken bones after they healed. You felt stupefied just gawking at his xrays.

“What?!” He practically shrieked, you were making him nervous by not explaining as quick as you usually did.

“It’s healed. I don’t-...did you know you could heal this quickly?” Keigo had the audacity to look embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly with a dumb smile on his handsome face.

“Ah yeah, I guess I did. But I dunno, I just figured I needed an excuse to keep seeing you.” Once again you found yourself in close proximity to the winged hero, too close, in fact. Being this close made it suddenly dawn on you that now he didn’t need to come back anymore. He was healed and had no reason to sneak into your cute little clinic after hours.

Keigo could see the realization on your face, your expressions were incredibly loud in spite of you not having said a single word. You’d only seen each other twice before today but even he could tell there was something there.

“Hey, why don’t you take a short break and come on a test flight with me, there’s something I wanna show you.”

“What now? Keigo I-..” His back was already retreating back to your office to put his shirt and coat back on. When he returned, he held your hoodie out that was on the back of your office door. You looked at the clock, your overnight tech would be here soon to look after the hospitalized patients. Maybe you could afford to slip out for just a little while.

“Come on. You won’t let me pay you with money, so let me thank you my way.”

There really was no arguing with Keigo, he was too headstrong. So you reached for your hoodie, only for him to yank it back. Instead, he held it open for you to slide your arms into. You were trying so hard not to swoon.

“Alright...let’s go.”

A/N: I’m really glad you guys are liking this drabble. I’m thinking of making it into a fanfiction of sorts, maybe. With some conflict and maybe a lil romance. Let me know what you think! I love feedback!

[saffron-nova21]

IX. Talking to Him

Remember Me Masterlist

< Previous Chapter • Next Chapter >

Warnings: Implied slut shaming, brief mentions of sexual assault (nothing graphic, you are taken into a spare room during a party, but the boys stop it before anything happens), depictions of violence, coercion/manipulation (basically, blackmail), mentions of underage drinking

A/N: This will be a summary of the chapter, for anyone who cannot read it. Y/N goes to get the rings with Atsumu, hoping it would cheer them up. Someone replies to the post, judging them for being out with Atsumu, instead of at the hospital with Rintaro. Before they get back to the hospital, Y/N tell Atsumu that they need to spend time apart, so more people don’t assume that they’re dating behind Rintaro’s back. Atsumu grows very emotional, worried it would be the end of a nearly twelve year friendship. Kita texts Y/N, asking where they are and they tell him that they are at the hospital with Rintaro. Shortly after, it is revealed that Y/N is being blackmailed by the same person that replied to Atsumu’s post. It isn’t revealed until the end of the chapter that the person has pictures to prove it was the twins and Suna who hospitalized someone for attempting to sexually harass you. Pictures that would ruin their reputations, possibly their future careers, and that would probably have them facing serious charges.

Sinking down into the chair next to his bed, you shut your phone of and hide it. Looking towards the doorway, you give Rintarō’s parents a soft smile, both of them collecting a few things to leave, little Rei fast asleep in her father’s arms.

   After your farewells, your shoulders slump a bit and you lean your head forward so it’s resting lightly on the edge of your boyfriend’s bed, a few tears trickling down your cheeks.

   It was about a few months ago when you’d met a seemingly very nice person. You’d met them, while Rintarō was at a training camp. They really did seem nice and they kept you company, while your closest friends and boyfriend were away at a training camp that they’d each individually been invited to. It was when that week was over that they started to show their true colors. They were the main reason that you and Rintarō never attended parties, unless it was the twins hosting.

   You’d had a drink or two - just enough to make you giggly. After those two drinks, you’d picked out a water bottle, so you’d be sober enough to take you and your boyfriend home. 

   The person you’d met said they’d known where Rintarō was. So you’d followed them, not realizing what was happening until it was too late.

   Long story short, your knights in shining armor had come to your rescue, before you clothes were even off. It had shaken you up, though. There was no denying that. 

   Rintarō, Atsumu, and Osamu would have faced serious charges if anyone had found out it was them who hospitalized the person.

   Their reputations would be ruined. It would possibly ruin their future volleyball, and Osamu’s pursual of opening a restaurant. It might get them kicked off the volleyball team. Hell, there was even a chance they’d be facing serious charges.

   You fidget with the cloth on his bed. “I’m sorry,” you whisper weakly, tears finally beginning to trickle down your face. It wasn’t fair. Why did you have to lose your boyfriend and best friend all at once?

   “Please wake up, Rintarō... I need you,” you whisper as you pick your head up to look at him. “I’ve gotten myself in some deep shit... I don’t know what’s going to happen and I’m really...” You let out a shaky breath. “I’m scared, Rintarō... Please wake up...” You gently place your hand on his, tracing his knuckles, thumb pausing as you spot another row of stitches across the skin of his hand.

   You hated this. You hated this so much. 

   But what could you do, but just hope that he would wake up?

You’ve had this person blackmailing you for a while now, but only now have they made you do something drastic like pushing Atsumu away.

You told Shinsuke what was happening. And though he’s trying to handle it, you’re afraid there’s nothing he can do.

You’re terrified that this person has an end goal. They’ve been terrorizing you for the past few weeks. What will you have to do, so they’ll finally get rid of the photos and stop threatening to go to the cops.

This was a rough chapter. Please, before you continue, remember that this is not a SMAU that’s going to have any comfort tied in, anytime soon. On my other blog (linked at the very bottom), I have several drabbles for Atsumu and Suna that are fluffy and comforting, if you need quick comfort. 🤍

You guys better be getting something to eat, drinking some water, and taking care of yourselves mentally and physically! Remember that no matter what, I am proud of you guys and I love you! 🤍 Keep it up, alright? You’re doing wonderfully, love! 🥰

General Taglist:

@kookie-doughs @halesandy @ermahgerd-larry-and-ziam @kac-chowsballs @saltylettuce @its-the-aerieljeane @javj @ash-levi @babyshoyo @hiraeth-z @random-fandom-girl-24 @kodzuklutz @tsukkiswifeey​

My main blog:

@iamverysmall-andihavenomoney

[painting-wings]

Secret garden | ASTRO |

Description: You knew about a secret garden that had the most beautiful flowers and the rarest of flowers but there was something interesting with the people who looked after them. 

Warnings: None

Astro x fem reader

M.list

A/N: *fun fact this story has been sitting in my drafts* but Here it is a short drabble of the events inspired by the song and video ( all night )  enjoy! 

                                                            ****

Everyday on your walk to work you always pass this greenhouse, it’s big and grand. Inside is always filled with healthy plants that hug the glass windows, attached is a small house which is consumed in vines and ivy. It looks aesthetically pleasing, but today you wanted to know what was inside. 

Walking past the stone wall that guarded the greenhouse, you notice the tall iron gate wide open. A stone path that seemed very inviting almost like the yellow brick road, looking around and peering into the garden you notice that there is no one around, just as you're about to leave and carry on your day a small whisper of your name catches your attention. 

“Hello?” you say as you take a small step into the garden, walking over the threshold you feel a soft wind swirl around you intoxicating you with a sweet smell of flowers. Gently pushing open one of the glass doors of the green house you are amazed at how beautiful this place was. 

Hand carved stone path that had swirls of patterns made by different colour stones, hues of green from the shrubbery as well as splashes of pink, red and purple, walking around this wonderland of perfect plants there is a fountain in the middle, the bottom is a pond while the other tiers of the fountain are consumed by lavender and soft pink carnation flowers. 

Captured in its beauty you knew this was trespassing on someone's land as well as home, looking around one last time you hear some soft talking as well as clinking of glassware. Timidly you go in further to investigate, peering over one of the large bushes of a flower you never seen before, there was a boy wearing a white flowy shirt and beige pants his dark hair contrasting with the vibrant colours around him as he looks at some light purple substance in a test tube. As well as other glassware with more unusual substances in them. 

To be oblivious you did not feel the new body that was standing next to you. “Can I help you miss?” a soft voice spoke, making you gasp and jump back nearly falling into a bush. 

“I - I am so sorry” you speak as you try to compose yourself. 

“Sorry for what?” he speaks again but this time it’s not the flowers that are holding the beauty, another dark haired boy, wearing a pastel rose shirt, matching pants. His features look like they were blessed from heaven. 

“I’m trespassing...I’m sorry, I walk past here everyday and your flowers always look so beautiful anyway I should really go” in a flustered state you go to walk past him but he gently grabs your wrist. 

“Miss please stay, no one said you were trespassing and if you like the garden so much feel free to look around i’m sure the other boys won’t mind” he spoke giving you a smile that melted your heart. 

“Other boys?” you mumble, as this mysterious guy leads you up some stone steps into another part of the green house, this time it looks more like a conservatory. 

Inside the flowers and plants still follow as the floral pattern on the furniture matches the plants consuming the walls. “I didn’t get your name?” he asks you. 

“Y/n my name is Y/n and yours?” you ask him as he takes your hand gently kissing the back of your hand. 

“Cha Eunwoo nice to meet you Y/n. would you like to meet the other boys?” Eunwoo asks as your face is probably as read as the rose bush next to you, giving him a slow nod.

Turning the corner you see a boy similar to Eunwoo but he has pink hair, wearing the same colour clothing. He looks peaceful with his eyes closed, that is until you approach his eyes gently open to reveal bright blue eyes. 

“Cha Eunwoo who’s your friend” he speaks giving you slight shivers as his cat shaped eyes look fondly at you. 

“This is y/n and she was admiring the garden we have” Eunwoo spoke “Y/n meet Moonbin” you give him a small wave as he lounged on the floral sofa they have giving you a smirk. 

You felt Eunwoo gently grab your elbow as he led out of back into the main garden area, taking in more of the unusual plant life, the soft lighting made everything look like a dream from Eunwoo pastel coloured shirt that flowed as he walked, and also his dreamy looks. 

Eunwoo took you to another part of the greenhouse tucked into the corner was iron railings that went up and over into a curve creating a cosy hiding place filled to the brim of a rose wall, in the middle was a table with beautifully designed glassware. But sitting at the table was another boy, he looked younger, he had a cuteness to him. Watching him intently he held something in his hands, to your curiosity yourself and Eunwoo walked in.

“Sanha, this is Y/n she came to admire our beautiful garden” Eunwoo spoke as Sanha placed a goldfish into a cup of water, you wanted to question his choice but decided not to, Sanha looked up at you and smiled. 

“Hai! I’m Sanha, thank you for liking our garden” his smile is bright as you smile back. Before you get a chance to ask him anything you hear someone coming up behind you and Eunwoo. 

“Eunwoo, Sanha and friend I’m Mj nice to meet you” Mj says brightly as his smile has an effect on you, making you feel warm and happy inside. Enwoo gives a small wave, “what are you doing Mj?” Eunwoo asks Mj as he holds up the basket filled with lemons. 

“I was going to make some fresh lemonade, have you seen Rocky yet I need to ask him a few things.” 

Eunwoo plucked a pink flower from one of the bushes nearby as he twisted it between his fingers, giving a sigh “No I haven’t seen him but I assume he is with Jinjin.” You looked at his side profile and was still in awe by his features, you still believed that this was a dream, how have you walked into this mystical place with the most handsomest people, it was definitely a fairytale dream. 

“Y/n I think you meet the other two” Eunwoo speaks softly, again gently grabbing your elbow “I think I saw one of the others, he had dark hair and was doing some chemistry?” You question as Eunwoo gives a small smile, “Ah yes that would be Rocky he is our Botanist” you must’ve given Eunwoo a puzzled look as he let out a small breathy laugh, “Botanist is someone who studies plants and experiments with them, Come I will show you” being led off to the other side of the green house near to where you first saw Rocky, hearing the clinking of glassware, the small sound of something bubbling over and the delicate smell of flowers hung in the air. 

You had a sense of déjà vu when you saw Rocky again but now you knew his name, you stood behind Eunwoo timidly peeking from behind him, Rocky looked so intently on the glass beaker that had purple liquid in it, swirling it around, “Rocky, are you busy?” Eunwoo spoke as Rocky glanced over, slowly placing down the beaker, his face held little emotion, his eyes flickered over to you, studying you as you slowly slipped out from behind Eunwoo’s shadow. 

“No I’m not busy” his voice was calm, “who is the guest?” he questioned; Eunwoo placed a hand on your shoulder pushing you forward “Rocky meet Y/n” you gave a small wave feeling somewhat of an intimidation from Rocky as he gave a small nod of the head. “Not much of a talker” you mumbled. “I’d rather observe” he replied, you clenched your jaw, casting your eyes away from his not wanting to feel intimidated.

 The room was silent for a moment as a new voice came out of nowhere, “I wouldn’t take it too personally Rocky isn’t much of a talker” the voice was slow, you spun around to see a guy with pink hair sitting up in a tree, reading a book. “You must be Jinjin'' you blurted as he gave a smile “how do you know?” he asked again with a smirk growing on his face, “I just guessed and you're the last one I haven’t met yet” you replied seeing Jinjin’s eyes light up, jumping down from the tree you noticed that he was slightly shorter than his other friends. “Well now that you have why don’t you stay for dinner?” Jinjin proposed kindly taking your hand, you glanced down at your now entwined hands and you felt a blush slowly pink your cheeks. 

“I, well I should really be going I was only stopping by-” “it's already noon”  Eunwoo spoke over you as your eyes widened, looking down at the watch on your wrist it read 2:30pm, realisation started to catch up with you as it was only morning when you first wondered in and you was only having a quick glance, with all these thoughts building, you became overwhelmed and then 

You blacked out. 

                                                           --

Your eyes slowly opened, everything was bright, when they adjusted you was in a white room with vines climbing the walls as they were decorated with pink flowers of various shades, you was laying on a big bed, lifting your head up looking around the minimal room, your eyes landed on a figure sitting in a bathtub in the corner of the room. Confused was an understatement, sitting up in the bed you soon realised that it was Moonbin sitting in the bathtub, you watched him slip under the water. Panic set in as you jumped out of the bed and over to the tub to see him under and the water filled with flower petals, just as you went to grab him his eyes opened and he broke the surface.  

“Moonbin!” you panicked, held his head down low watching the water roll off his body “you never seen someone take a bath before?” he questioned, glancing up at you with his cat eyes, “you take baths in your clothes” you deadpanned watching him break out into a laugh. “Hahaha...no maybe I should take my shirt off,” he began to unbutton his shirt, squirming as you placed your hands over your eyes, “NO! No no keep the shirt on I will find you a new one- a dry one!”  running out of the room and down the corridor you soon noticed that you don’t know where you are going and that the walls were glass with unusual flowers behind them.

“Oh Y/n your up” a voice behind you as you whipped around and saw it was Mj “oh MJ hi..i’m a little lost” you spoke as Mj broke out his beaming smile, “no worries Y/n I will help, did Moonbin wake you?” he asked “Erm..yea but does he normally take baths in this clothes?” you questioned. Mj shook his head and sighed “I need to remind him to stop doing that, the others are in the downstairs if you wanted to be with them” you nodded as then being escorted towards the room where the rest of them were. Coming down a spiraling staircase, into a grand foyer with a large chandelier hanging in the centre of the dome ceiling, that was framed by four pillars. Going through a large grey door you see the rest of the boys lounging on sofas, the first to your surprise was Rocky who spoke first. 

“Y/n how are you?” as he flashed a smile, that made you melt on the inside, trying to form words you stood there looking like a fish with your bobbing mouth, Sanha giggled “looks like she fell under the rocky swag spell” Eunwoo playfully punched Sanha in the arm making him squeak. 

“I’m fine thank you Rocky” you replied as his smile grew and he nodded, satisfied with your answer.

“Y/n we hope you’re feeling better, we’d hate for you to be ill” Eunwoo spoke as he gestured to the seat beside him. “I’m fine, really I think it’s because I forgot to eat” you explained as you now took a seat. It was comfortable sitting with them as the silence was soon broken by Mj and Moonbin entering, your eyes widened as Moonbin came in shirtless, you squeaked as Eunwoo placed his hand over your eyes. “Moonbin not in front of the guest.”

Moonbin smirked as Mj handed him a shirt to slip on, conveniently he decided not to button it, as he sat across from you, Eunwoo removed his hand when he thought was clear, as you looked over to Moonbin, who bit his bottom lip and raised an eyebrow at you, looking like a gaping fish again, you just wanted the sofa to eat you up so he couldn’t see your blush. 

“Y/n what was the real reason for you coming here today?” Jinjin spoke as you looked over to him sitting in a singular arm chair, you’d admit he looked like a king the way he held himself in the chair, not like the chill laid back guy from when you first met. 

“Well I always walk past on my way to work and I see the beautiful flowers and it smells amazing and well...curiosity got the better of me” you shrugged as the boys all agreed, 

“Well Y/n you're more than welcome to come back anytime” Mj said as he gave you another infectious smile. “Oh thank you guys it really means a lot, erm if you excuse me I must really get home” you said as you prepared to leave, Eunwoo got up to escort you out.

Walking back through the greenhouse it looked a lot different at night than it did in the day, now it was filled with fairy lights, the soft glow made it feel cosy, turning around to say goodbye to Eunwoo you noticed that all of them are there, you smiled “thank you guys for a lovely day and again the garden is beautiful.” 

“Our pleasure Y/n” Jinjin said giving you a small smile and wave, you opened the gate to go taking one last glance behind you, they all waved and smiled. 

And that you left the garden, Eunwoo looked up into the star filled sky, sighing,

 “Such a goodnight.”

[lilacslovers]

💎 Lilac x Gordie {Royalty + Royal Guard AU Fic} Chapter One | The Meeting 💎

aaa i’m so happy! i’ve finished a fic of the first meeting of my s/i and gordie in the royalty au <3

yes it does say chapter one but. idk if this a proper series, its possibly a figurative ‘lets start from chapter one !’ its also just. omg it’s just a chapter like. not even a drabble. just a whole chapter HSJSND

but i truly hope you guys enjoy this! :0 (fic is in the keep reading !! ^^)

•••

The dark oak-stained carriage rattled around Lilac with every prance of Rapidash transporting it, the tight space and cool, pillowy seats barely making up for the sheer cold she was moving into.

In her gloved hands lied a handwritten letter from the Royals in Circhester; a neat cursive paragraph requesting her and her other guard apprentices to protect their home. After all, they would need good protection to hide their most precious jewels in the family, and they required the best of the best. In a way, it flattered Lilac to know they wanted her to assist them.

She folded the letter back into her sac tied at her waist, cuddling into her cape in shock from the sudden Circhesterian chill; she wasn’t too far from the castle now, and wished that they could’ve made her Royal Guard uniform more cozy inside. Perhaps they considered this weather late spring or summer temperatures...

Off guard, the shrill of Rapidash’s cry as it finally came to a halt nearly catapulted her into the rock-hard wood in front of her. She gasped in relief to have caught herself in time, straightening herself to correct such unawareness.

A crunch came from the snow as she dropped down from her carriage, a bag with her necessities slinged over her armoured shoulder. Walking to the near entrance, she turned to the coachman.

“Brr, it’s quite cold around here! You better stay safe in that house, Lilac!” he said, smiling cheerfully.

“Thank you, coachman.” she replied, turning next to the Rapidash, stroking its soft mane.

“And thank you, Rapidash.” she grinned at the Pokémon, in which it whinnied gleefully in response.

Walking across the tiled road to Circhester Castle, the snowy bushes brushed up against her, gorgeously grown flowers to withstand the eternal cold peeked their heads out of the fluffy hedges. Already employed guards outside were gossiping to each other about the family; perhaps they were new guards, like herself. Lilac halted, gaining the attention of the two guards at the grand door they stood up against.

Lilac decided to break the tension between them.

“I am incredibly sorry to interrupt. I am Lilac. I am here to sign myself into the occupation of Guard. I have a letter from the castle itself if you were to want it-“

Before her quiet voice were to finish her sentence, the doors loudly creaked open, revealing the Queen herself; the entrance surprised all three of the guards, yet they all retained the same serious face to show their composure. The Queen gave Lilac a stern look...

“Oh!” came the cheery exclamation of the Queen Melony, holding her hand to her face. “Welcome, dear! I suppose you must be the new Indoor Guard, correct?”

“I- um,” Lilac mumbled, clearing her throat to free the words she had before being surprised. “Yes, your Majesty. I have brought your letter. It is an honour to work with you.”

“Come inside!” invited the Queen. “‘Tis warmer in here, after all! I’ll show you to your position here in the castle.”

“Ah, thank you, your Majesty.”

•••

The warmth of the castle quickly defrosted Lilac’s freezing arms, and the sudden relaxation couldn’t help but make her stare in wonder at the details within: the castle walls were extremely high, regal tapestries hung. Across the tapestries came multiple family portraits from popular artists, and looking closely at the painting would reveal details drawn ever so to-the-point, it made Lilac ponder how someone could even make such a realistic piece in a time limit...

“Oh, I must say,” the Queen began to state. “My children can be quite the troublemakers, hoho... My youngest, a daughter and three sons, I believe they sometimes choose whom they like to see more often, more with my sons, I think. But... my oldest...”

She stopped in her tracks, and so did Lilac.

“... Well, he’s heir to the Throne, now. He possibly cannot choose who he works with, hoho!”

“I see, your Majesty.” Lilac lightly smiled to match the emotion of the Queen’s conversation. “I shall wish the Prince congratulations on being first to the Throne.”

“Oh, he would simply love that,” the Queen chortled. “He is quite the sensible man. I do hope he is excited to rule... I’ve had quite the years around here.”

It was hard for Lilac to decipher who this Prince was; after all, the long generations of family portraits across the wall couldn’t help Lilac’s imagination at all.

Queen Melony pointed to a space by a door, where Lilac stationed herself onto.

“Perfect! Your routine will to be to guard at this area, as well as to watch the household members around here if needed.

You will also patrol around here with other guards around 12 to 1 o’clock PM. Is that understood?”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Lilac agreed, straightening herself stoically. The Queen promptly smiled, and as she went out of sight, another guard poked their head out from the corner.

“Psst, hey. New guard.” they squeaked.

Lilac made eye contact with the other new guard.

“Have you seen Prince Gordie yet?”

“Who?”

“Prince Gordie!” another guard peeped. “C’mon, ‘who?’ Like, the Prince that is, like, constantly just... around? And cool?”

“I really don’t mean to be out of the loop, but...” Lilac held her chin to think. “I haven’t heard anything about any Prince Gordie... All I heard back from my town was when the Queen of Circhester came to visit, and when she did, it was never a ‘visit’ visit, only a ‘come to check out the best carriages’ visit.”

“Oh my Arceus, the Prince...!” yet another guard joined the conversation. “He looked shortly at me once. I just... I felt so seen...”

Oh, brother. Lilac looked away, until the commotion of the group caught her attention once again.

“Ah, look, there he comes...!”

A man came from the depths of the hallway, and suddenly it felt like everything was going slower - or perhaps Lilac was imagining things...

The man had his soft hair tied into a well-kept short ponytatail, as well as his soft and cute lapis eyes kept relaxed and sensual.

He walked with such confidence only a prince could ever have, his cape drifting gently across the satin carpets below. A slight jingling sound came from his minimalistic, yet beautiful necklace around his collar, the pendant resting on his chest where his relaxed blouse shaped the area around such jewellery.

His shoes lightly skipped across the satin carpets to not make even one noise, yet his heels made an dull tap that satisfyingly echoed across the area.

Whatever decent vision Lilac had of the Prince completely went from her mind; the Prince of Circhester, in her eyes, was indeed quite more handsome than she thought.

The guards squealed in delight, making all sorts of gestures to make Prince Gordie look over.

“Gordie! Could you please have a quick discussion with us? We need to talk to you about something?”

... And suddenly, all light the Prince had in his eyes disappeared as soon as he looked at them.

“... Gordie?” his deep, muttering voice repeated, his eyebrows furrowed. Lilac could see the optimism drain from the group, herself shivering along with them even if not involved.

“Never, in all my life, have I heard a stranger call me only by my first name. From what I recall, my title here is ‘Prince Gordie of Circhester’. Is that correct?” his angered voice paused for a while to let the guards rapidly nod their heads, truly attempting to not get into trouble.

“Yes. Now, all I want to hear from you few now is to refer to me as ‘Prince Gordie’. If you cannot, then ‘your Highness’, but if you can’t even manage a formal tone with a prince, you shall expect to be evicted from this castle. Is that understood?”

The guards nodded once again, mumbling out a few ‘Understood, Prince Gordie’s out from their held breath.

“Now. Don’t you have some patrolling to do? It is, after all, 12 o’clock. Go.”

The guards scurried away slowly, cowering from the unfortunate interaction.

Lilac, afraid herself of getting into an altercation, began to steadily inch her way around one corner.

“Please wait.” the Prince interrupted in a much normal, albeit naturally deep tone. Lilac hastily straightened her back once again, turned to face him.

“I did not mean you, I apologise for any confusion.” he stated, grinning. “It’s not actually 12, I just wanted them to leave, hehe.”

“My complete mistake, your Highness.” Lilac replied. “That is quite a tactic to make somebody leave, it’s certainly impressive, your Highness.”

“Hm,” Prince Gordie hummed, taking his chin with one hand. “Tell me, what is your name?”

Lilac paused, finding herself quite confounded at his question; oftentimes, asking for a guard’s name would be informal, as was taught in training.

“Ah, um, if you want it, It’s Lilac, your Highness.”

“Lilac, eh?” Prince Gordie grinned to himself. “A fitting, lovely name for a lovely guard.”

Lilac’s heart struck from the compliment, trying not to show any emotion upon her face, but the Prince began to speak again.

“I must go. I have quite a lot of errands to do.” he sighed, flicking his hair away from his vision.

“But, I do hope to see you again... Lilac.”

Prince Gordie gave a wave as he walked back out of the corridor, Lilac waving goodbye at the same time. As soon as he went completely, she faced the brick wall, intensely pondering the peculiar conversation she had had...

Surely...? Surely, he wasn’t trying to get her into trouble...? But, why would he take interest of only getting her name? Perhaps he was... No, absolutely not, Princes don’t form relationships with their servants...!

Unless, Prince Gordie wanted to?

Nevertheless, Lilac herself had duties to do. But, as she began to walk away, she couldn’t help but think as she rested her palm on her blushing cheek...

[captainamericasbeard]

Warm Cinnamon (Prequel to Honeysuckle Girl)

Honeysuckle Girl

Pairing: Alpha!Bucky x Omega!Reader

Word Count: 1,686

Warnings: None.

Summary: Y/N moves into the Tower and she’s overwhelmed by the scent of a certain Alpha. 

A/N:  My daughter was throwing up at 3 o’clock this morning and this dropped into my head. It’s the prequel to Honeysuckle Girl, a drabble I wrote for @the-ss-horniest-book-club​ a few weeks back. Read it in chronological order or release order, whichever you chose. Fair warning, there’s no actual Bucky in this one but isn’t the thought of his scent almost enough? 

“You’re really going to like it here, everyone is really nice,” Steve says, making small talk as the elevator speeds its way up to the residential levels of the tower. You smile nervously at him while your hands fidgeted.

“I’m not going to lie, I am nervous,” you said.

“There’s no reason to be,” the alpha replied, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. The elevator reaches its destination and the doors glide open with a ding to reveal a modern yet cozy living space. Large couches and plush chairs surround a huge tv. To your left is a hallway that seems to lead to private bedrooms. From your right you can hear boisterous laughter and the sounds of cooking.

As you step off the elevator you catch a scent. It’s not fresh but it’s there and it eases your nerves head to toe. It’s all warm cinnamon and spices and leather thats been in the sun. You breath deeply looking for the source of the scent but there’s no one there.

“You okay?” Steve asks at your sudden stop. You realize you’re standing still with your nose slightly in the air and your eyes closed. You shake your head to clear your thoughts.

“Yeah, sorry. I just smelled something is all,” you reply.

“Probably dinner. It’s Italian night and Sam goes a bit heavy on the garlic. Hope you packed your toothbrush,” Steve says chuckling at his own joke. You have to laugh at him as he puts your bags down by the elevator and leads you to the kitchen.

The whole team is gathered there and it’s an intimidating sight that stops you in your tracks. Your overwhelmed with the scents of all the alphas in the room but none of them is the one you caught by the elevator. Your shoulders slump slightly in disappointment.

“Team, meet Y/N. Y/N, meet the team!” Steve announces and every eye turns towards you. They’re all friendly smiles and waves and a girl with long red hair gets up to wrap you in a warm hug.

“I’m Wanda! Let me introduce you around,” she says, kindly hooking her elbow in yours and guiding you around the room. She introduces you to everyone and settles you at the table next to her as dinner is served up. You fears and nerves are quickly calmed in the presence of these heroes. After a dinner of traditional spaghetti and meatballs and a dessert of tiramisu (Sam really goes all out) Steve catches you yawning into the back of your hand.

“Ready for bed?” He leans over and asks quietly.

“Yes, please,” you murmur sleepily. Steve gets up and announces your departure to bed while you stand and offer a wave to the group. Wanda stands and gives you another hug.

“Movies and drinks tomorrow night, yeah?” She asks glancing at Natasha.

“Absolutely,” you say, giving her hand a squeeze.

You follow Steve into the hall where he’s grabbing your bags. There’s that scent again and it gets stronger as you move down the hall. You stop in front of a closed door.

“Whose room is this?” You ask Steve, feeling rather sheepish.

“That’s Bucky,” Steve says, “he’s away on a mission. Left today.” The disappointment is clear on your face.

“For how long?” You ask.

“Couple of months at least. Sorry kid.” Steve says, chuckling at your obviously smitten state. He gently puts his hand on your back and leads you to your room. He opens the door to a beautiful cozy room complete with flowers on the bedside table.

“Wanda’s been pretty excited for you to move in. She’s the only omega in the house so I think she’s been looking forward to a friend.” You smile thinking of Wanda as you open your bags searching for a t-shirt and a pair of shorts.

“Thank you Steve. For everything,” you say and the alpha gives you a quick squeeze before he leaves closing the door behind him.

You toss and turn for a few hours until you hear everyone’s doors close for the night. Once it’s all silent you sneak from your bed, down the hallway to Bucky’s door. Looking to your left and right you silently open the door and slip into his room. It’s simple with a messy bed, a set of drawers and an overflowing bookcase. But more importantly it smells wonderful. You lean against the closed door as you breathe in his scent for a few minutes. You feel totally relaxed as waves of spices and leather wash over you.

You know you can’t sleep in here so you slip over to the open closet and sneak out a well worn hoodie. You slide it on and zip it up letting the warmth of Bucky’s scent envelope you. You tip toe back over to the door and slip out, closing it behind you. You turn around and there’s a super soldier leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and a shit eating grin on his face.

“Watcha doin’, Y/N?” He asks.

“Nothing!” You reply.

“That’s Bucky’s favorite hoodie, you know.” You wrap your arms tightly around yourself as if Steve is going to try to wrestle the hoodie away from you.

“I can tell,” you say a slow smile stealing over you features.

“Alright,” Steve says with a sigh, “back to bed, kid.”

“Okay, Dad,” you joke sticking your tongue out at him as you follow him back up the hall. You slip into your bed and pull the hood over your head. You breathe deep and slip off into a sleep filled with dreams of a mystery man you’ve never met.

————

Over the next 3 months the entire team learns of your crush. You get caught sneaking out of Bucky’s room several times. Sometimes you slip in there when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Othertimes you just want to feel close to him so you lie in his bed while you scroll on your phone. And you’ve started walking around in his clothes which is pretty much a dead giveaway. Even clueless Clint eventually figures it out.

Sam teases you mercilessly about it. When you learn he’s in contact with Bucky you have to promise to do the washing up for 2 weeks to keep him from saying anything. Nat thinks it’s sweet. You had been most intimidated by the super spy at first but after a few movie nights you realize she’s and old softie with a romantic streak. Wanda shows you pictures of Bucky and you’re pleasantly surprised to find he’s the handsomest man you’ve ever laid eyes on.

One day Steve comes into the kitchen at breakfast and announces that Bucky will be returning the next day. Your heart skips a few beats and your stomach does flip flops while the rest of the team turns and looks at you.

“What?!” You cry out, crossing your arms defensively.

“Whats your move, kid?” Sam asks. You sit there with your arms crossed, staring at your empty plate and worrying your bottom lip for a few minutes. An idea crosses your mind and you look to Wanda to see what she thinks. The red head easily reads your thoughts and gives a shrug of her shoulders while she nods.

“I think it could work,” she says nonchalantly.

“What?” Sam asks impatiently. You swiftly get up from your seat and dump your plate in the sink as you scurry out to put your plan in action.

You go out and buy beautiful fresh white linens and a new white comforter for Bucky’s bed. Then you come home and spend hours meticulously crafting the loveliest nest you ever seen out of every pillow and blanket you can find in the tower. Finally you put on your favorite bright yellow scarf and curl up in the nest to take a nap, letting your scent fill the room. When you’re done sleeping, you curl the scarf up in the middle of the bed. An offering for having taken so many of Bucky’s clothes.

The next day is torture. Your a bundle of nerves, annoying everyone as you pace the tower and wait for Bucky. Finally around 3 o’clock Steve finds you and informs you that Bucky probably won’t be in till past midnight. You look as though you could burst into tears.

“I’m sorry Y/N. I know how anxious you are to meet him. I can smell it off of you.” Steve says with a kind smile.

“It’s not that Steve. What if he doesn’t like me? What if he hates my scent. What if I’ve been dreaming about him for 3 months and it all means nothing.” You spilled out all your fears as Steve wrapped you up in a hug. Steve was all sunshine and fresh cut grass and while it was nice, it wasn’t Bucky.

“He’s going to like you, I’m sure of it. And the way you caught his scent when you first got here, the way it was the only thing that could calm you down at times, I honestly think you might be true mates. Try not to worry about it too much. Just see what the morning brings, okay?” You pull away and nod your head.

You stayed up as long as you could but eventually Steve was shaking you awake on the couch and Bucky still hadn’t come.

“Get some sleep kid,” he says as he shoves you off to bed.

“Okay Dad,” you tease. You get to your room and pull on Bucky’s favorite hoodie, zipping it all the way up. It doesn’t smell like him anymore, it mostly smells like you, but you take comfort in the fact that it’s his. You crawl into bed and you’re asleep within seconds.

Somewhere in the wee hours of the morning your consciousness stirs at the sound of the elevator dinging. A warm inviting scent wanders down the hallway, slips under your door, and tickles your nose. You sigh deeply in your sleep and roll over feeling calm and comforted like you haven’t felt in months.

[winetae]

➯ a saint in her halo (m.) 10:21pm

↳  drabble; 2.7k

:: smut, college!au, sunbae!jin

:: phone sex, humiliation

beneath his immaculate appearance and flowery words, no one would expect such filth to spew from his lips

...

or; kim seokjin is simultaneously the best and worst kind of distraction

a/n : this is a sequel to a saint in her halo 3:49pm :)

Late at night, you finally give Seokjin a call.

.

.

The memory of your last encounter is still fresh on your mind. Even when you’re not consciously thinking about it - about him - your upper thigh burns like it still remembers the sharp dig of the ballpoint pen rubbing across your bare skin. The constant physical reminder of his touch makes it difficult to concentrate on your everyday activities. It feels like he’s branded you, burned his way into you and made you his. Each time you think you forget, your thigh throbs and heat simmers beneath the surface.

The scrawl of numbers has long since been smudged and erased. To the naked eye, your skin has become a blank canvas once more.

“Call me,” he had said. And God, do you want to.

You don’t work up the courage right away. How can you?

At the time, immediately saving his phone number into your contact list had seemed like a brilliant idea. Now you’re not so sure. Imagination and fantasies are one thing - but in the reality you live in, you aren’t half as bold or confident as you aspire to be. A million reasons stop you, not all of them unfounded - rationality, embarrassment, fear of rejection.

That doesn’t stop you from letting your mind wander, however. The possibility that the call might go well, that it might lead to something else... You sigh, stopping your thoughts before they have time to root themselves deep inside of you and grow into something you can no longer control.

Your friends attempt to urge you into action.

“He gave you his number. I doubt he gave it to you just so you could store it away for safe keeping.”

“What if I read the situation wrong?” You bite your nail. In all honesty, you’re not intentionally trying to be obtuse. Even if you’re unsure as to why, you know deep down that Seokjin’s actions, the way his low voice toyed with you and messed with your insides, are impossible to misinterpret.

“I get it. You like him a lot and don’t want to fuck it up. But if you don’t even try, you’ll never know - and isn’t not knowing worse?”

There’s logic behind the argument, you concede. As the rest of the week stretches on and your mind never fully stops revolving around Seokjin, you start to think that the strange limbo you find yourself stranded in can’t possibly be a crueler fate than rejection. At this point, you don’t feel like yourself anymore, constantly stuck in a phase of uncertainty and hazy arousal. Your thoughts are no longer yours; they belong to Seokjin. All of your half-hearted attempts to banish him from your mind prove to be futile. By diligently trying not to think about him, you only exacerbate the problem.

Perhaps it would be wiser to simply give into your desires instead of driving yourself half-delirious with desire.

Your thumb hovers over the call button more than once. Every time something stops you, whether it be the doorbell ringing, your roommate’s dog barking, the smell of burning toast. There’s always something, always an excuse to back out instead of taking the plunge. You don’t know if these interruptions are supposed to be blessings or curses in disguise. Maybe it’s the universe’s way of telling you that calling Seokjin is a terrible idea, one that should never be acted upon.

Against the universe’s wishes, you press call. The press of your fingerprint against your screen is quick, too quick to process and too quick to take back. You stare at your phone dumbly as it rings on. It’s finally at the third ring that something akin to panic snaps inside of you. What have you done? But before you can hang up and delete the number from your call log, he picks up.

“Hello?”

Your insides clench. Your thigh burns.

“Sunbae. Hi.” You clutch the phone as you press it against your ear.

“Oh?” On the other side of the line, he perks up, sounding pleased. You can hear him move around until the background voices become muted, like he’s secluded himself to talk to you without any distractions. Knowing that he’s focusing his attention solely on you makes your heart stutter pathetically. “I was starting to think you’d never call.”

“You know who I am?” Only then do you realize you had forgotten to introduce yourself.

“I don’t give out my number often. I remember when I do.” He doesn’t even give you any time to process his words, just proceeds to shamelessly continue on, his voice dropping an octave, “I’ve never - I kept thinking about last time. I thought you would call that night.”

“Oh.” There’s a lump in your throat you struggle to swallow down. “I was - busy. Had an assignment due. Sorry.”

“Don’t. I’d expect nothing less from a good girl like you,” he chuckles. “I’m happy to talk to you now.”

Your gulp is audible. There it is again - the praise. Except this time you can’t help but feel like you don’t deserve it. If he knew what sort of salacious thoughts ran through your head all day, maybe he’d change his mind.

“I’m not.”

“What?”

“I mean.” You backtrack, voice small. “I’m not as good as you think.”

“Oh?”

You shut your eyes tight. You’re so embarrassed you might die on the spot. Never in your life have you attempted to say something so brazen. While it’s definitely not as risqué as the pick-up lines you’ve heard your peers employ, it’s so out of character that your friends would probably all freak out if they discovered that you were flirting with Seokjin - one of the most confident and self-assured people on campus, who had a good half of its population chasing after him. In other words, not only is he not in your league, but you’re way out of your depth.

Seokjin gently coaxes you out your inner ramblings by saying your name once or twice.

“Are you alone right now?” he says, his voice smoother than the fanciest silk dress.

“Yes, I’m, um... My roommate won’t be home for another hour.”

You bite your nail, wondering why you would offer that last bit of information up unprompted. In hindsight, it seems awfully forward, almost like you’re hoping for something to happen. Are you? What do you want to happen?

He hums in response. Your heartbeat doesn’t slow down. You can feel it knock against your ribs, shaking your core.

“An hour is—” you stop yourself before you can finish. Can you really say this?

“Is?” Seokjin encourages.

Idly, you wonder how he’s able to do that - coax you out of your shell and get you to say things you’d normally never dare utter. Maybe hiding behind a phone call makes you reckless and brave. There’s no one present to witness you make a fool of yourself. No one except for Seokjin - but he’s been nothing but kind and patient.

You let out a shaky breath and steady your heart. Somehow, you know that even if you still lack the skills to pull this off, Seokjin will refrain from poking fun at you. That piece of knowledge is enough to steel your nerves and give you the final push you need.

“Is an hour enough to play with me?”

A more experienced girl would’ve made the phrase sound seductive and enticing. Your clumsy attempt is evidently less alluring than what you’d been aiming for but Seokjin, surprisingly, seems affected all the same.

He exhales sharply before chuckling, the rumbling sound doing strange things to your insides. “Cute.”

Cute? You’d been hoping for ‘sexy’.

“What are you wearing right now?”

The question catches you off-guard. You glance down and frown at the sight. You’d thrown on an old pair of shorts and a tank top as soon as you’d gotten home. Should you lie and say you’d worn a sheer negligee instead? You don’t want to ruin Seokjin’s fantasy but you have a feeling that even if you fibbed, you’d be found out in an instant.

“It’s really nothing special...” You squirm, limbs twisting in the sheets as you try to find a more comfortable position. Talking with Seokjin makes you restless. “Just a tank top and shorts. Ah, but—”

You worry your bottom lip between your teeth. Maybe it won’t make a difference but you have nothing to lose at this point, right?

“I’m not - I don’t have a bra on.” In the back of your mind, you’re grateful Seokjin can’t see how flustered you are right now. You’re certain his presence would have made it worse.

There’s a brief silence, too long for your liking, before Seokjin finally speaks up.

“You said you wanted to play a game with me?”

“Yes.” Your throat feels dry. Although you suspect he already knows, you do your best not to gulp too loudly, unwilling to make your nervousness apparent.

Not even a week ago, you’d been just another girl he knew who admired him from afar. Too shy to strike up an actual conversation with him, you’d been content with attending the same class together. Who would’ve known you’d be here on the phone with him now? The idea is so surreal that you’re tempted to pinch yourself awake.

“Good. Why don’t you go ahead and tell me why you’ve been a bad girl?”

Coming from anyone else, the words would have made you cringe. You suppose that’s the main difference between you and him - he actually has the suaveness to pull such acts off.

“Well—” You can do this. You wet your bottom lip, aware of how chapped your lips are - nothing like Seokjin’s plump mouth, pink and lush. “I’ve been - I’ve thought about you a lot.”

“I’m flattered.” He sounds smug and not all that surprised. “What were you thinking of?”

“I -” A shiver runs down your back. “Just. You know.”

“If you want to play, you have to follow my rules,” he says gravely. “Tell me what you were thinking of unless you want to see how I deal with bad girls.”

Your eyes widen. Secretly, the promise of punishment excites you terribly.  

Seokjin catches on and laughs, short and airy. “You that interested in finding out?”

“I’m - no.”

He hums in reply. “Tell you what - if you really want to find out, I can show you. But I think you’ll find that the rewards I give are much sweeter than my punishments.”

You stretch your toes, silently weighing the pro and the cons. A selfish part of you wants it all - the rewards, the praise, the punishment, everything. You’d take whatever he’s willing to give, like a glutton with no notion of moderation.

“I thought of your fingers. And, um, I thought of them touching me. Under my skirt. Like last time, b-but —” Your fingers played with the wrinkles of your loose shorts. “Higher.”

Seokjin makes a pleased noise that vibrates low in his throat. “Good girl. Tell me more. Did you think of me touching your pussy in class, hm? Is the thought of me playing with your pussy in front of all our classmates what gets you wet?”

You moan, the sound surprising yourself. In the privacy of your shared bedroom, you close your eyes and let his crude words wash over you. Your underwear feels sticky already, and you rub your thighs together, hoping that it’ll somewhat alleviate the throbbing ache between your legs.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Seokjin groans, and with the phone pressed up against your ear, it feels like he’s right next to you.

“Yes.” Arousal clouds your mind and makes confessing easier. “I’d let you play with my pussy all you want.”

“Is that so? You’d let me use you? Be my good toy?”

“Yes!” You agree greedily. “Please?”

“Are your nipples hard? Can you see them through your shirt?”

You glance down, and, sure enough, your nipples are visible through the thin tank top. You tell him so, happy to listen to him groan in approval.

“When we end this call, be my good girl and send me a picture. I want to see you with your shirt still on, all horny from the thought of me playing with your pussy in public. God, that’s hot.”

“Sunbae.” One of your hands tentatively reach for the waistband of your shorts. “Can I - can you give me permission to touch myself?”

“Lose the shorts,” he agrees.

You hurriedly comply, wondering if he’s also going to touch himself. Or maybe he’s already getting himself off? The thought makes your cunt clench.

“Bend your legs and spread them wide for me.” He waits until you’ve assured him you’re in the position he wants. “Good kitten. Is your pussy wet? You can touch yourself but only over your panties.”

“Ugh, fuck.” Your legs twitch as you slide your fingers along your clothed slit. “There’s a wet patch. Ah!”

You’d always been sensitive, but never to this degree. You feel like you could cum from the slightest touch to your clit.

“You sound like you’re close. You must really love the idea of my fingers fucking your wet, little pussy. What would your classmates say if they found out such a sweet, shy little kitten was playing slut in the back of the classroom? Hm? They’d turn around and see you spreading your legs wide for me, riding my fingers desperately while wishing it was my cock instead.”

He paints the picture with such ease that you can’t help but wonder if he’s thought about it before - secluded in the back of the classroom, his fingers stuffed deep in your pussy as you struggle to muffle your sounds of pleasure.

“Oh, oh, I—” Your fingers dug into your sodden underwear as you imagined yourself in that scenario. Shit. Your fantasies seem tame in comparison to the filth coming out of his mouth.

“Gonna cum hard for me, kitten?” He asks. “What is it that’s pushed you over the edge? The thought of me using your pussy? The promise of my cock filling you up afterwards? Or is it the idea of everyone finding out that you’re not a good girl, but a desperate little slut who likes to be fucked in public?”

Maybe - maybe it’s all three. You don’t have time to analyze what the answer is. Seokjin barely finishes his sentence before your body seizes up in a long, hard orgasm that leaves the ends of your toes tingling. Your back arches off the bed, your hard nipples straining against the cotton material of your top. Through it all, you think you might’ve heard Seokjin reach completion, but you’re so wracked with pleasure you can’t be sure.

The haze doesn’t lift right away. You hear Seokjin’s heavy breathing in your ear and with your eyes closed it almost feels like he’s laying right here with you. Honestly, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring - if this game can continue or not. If he’d been serious about a next time. You know, however, that for you nothing will be the same as before. You can never go back to silently pinning after the popular upperclassman. Now that you’ve had a taste of him, you fear you’ve become addicted.  

[meow-bebe]

Witches’ Brew (Part 1)

Pairing: Witch!Yoo Kihyun x Witch!Reader

Genre: Modern fantasy, urban fantasy, fluff

Warnings: nothing! despite the dark nature of the banner, this series is really just adventures and whatever misdemeanors our main characters manage to get themselves into

Word count: 709

A/n: this has been sitting in my drafts for ages, so I finally decided to do something with it! after quite a bit of consideration, I decided Witches’ Brew is going to be a drabble series, posted in parts that are probably going to be somewhere between 500 and 1000 words. for the magical bits, I draw from BBC’s Merlin, Harry Potter, the shadowhunters universe, bits of witch lore and tips I find on tumblr, and my own imagination. you can find a post explaining the different types of magic users here. as of right now, I have three parts written, and am planning to post one a week to allow myself to continue writing without pressuring myself too much, because I can’t keep a schedule and we never know when my brain is going to shut down completely. and to be honest theres literally no plot to this series, it doesn’t have an end point so I don’t know how long it’ll be. anyways, sorry for the long note, I hope you enjoy!

Two disastrous witches, an unfamiliar city, and magic surrounding them on every side. What could go wrong?

“Y/n this building is filled with magic,” Kihyun called, flitting around your new apartment nervously trying to find spaces for your belongings as you padded barefoot down the hallway. You had just woken up for the morning, despite the fact that it was already nearing eleven. “How did we not feel it when we first looked at this place?”

You yawned, stretching your arms above your head and looking far too unconcerned about the matter for Kihyun’s liking. “Probably has something to do with the fact that we were both absolutely exhausted and you had almost burned yourself up with the effort of that last spell. Remember, I can’t sense magic as well as you can  and neither of us are very good, we’re witches.” Not being able to do magic yourselves, sensing other magic was harder for witches. “Plus we really needed to find a new place to live, and quickly.”

After your magic had been exposed to an entire neighborhood of magically-unaware humans, Kihyun had quickly put together a mass memory altering spell, yet despite its effects the pair of you had needed to find somewhere else before people started to recognise you again. When he heard what happened, your friend Minhyuk had been quick to offer sanctuary in his house for the time being, and the two of you reluctantly accepted. You were grateful for the tight sense of camaraderie that came with being a part of the magical community, you really were, and your friend offering to let you stay with him on such short notice was a kindness you weren’t sure how to repay. (When you had brought this up to Minhyuk, he had just waved you off, saying that making him a pan of brownies would be more than enough to compensate for squeezing two extra people into his already somewhat squished living space.) However, the fact that Minhyuk and his housemate constantly lived like teenagers whose parents were on a trip for the weekend, combined with his knack for wordless spells was slightly off putting, and so you and Kihyun had decided to try and find a new place to live as quickly as possible. 

“Why aren’t you more bothered by this? The whole reason we had to move is because there were too many magic users in one place and we were the ones who took the brunt and were found out after that enchantment was discovered.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m not as high strung as you,” you said, across the room to try and orient yourself in an unfamiliar place. You always took a while to wake up in the mornings, and the short notice whirlwind of moving wasn’t helping your disorientation, and therefore your mood. Disregarding how your boyfriend was pacing around the room attempting to unpack, your gaze settled on the fridge, and despite the fact that you knew it was empty except for the bare necessities to get you through a day or two of settling in, you made your way through the maze of boxes to look, hoping something for breakfast had appeared overnight. 

“I’m not high strung,” Kihyun spat, and you paused your rummaging around in the barren kitchen, finally noticing how distressed he seemed to be. “I’m just worried, and personally, I think I have every right to be because there is no way that this high of a concentration of magical beings or users can be safe-” 

He cut himself off with a groan, raking his fingers through his hair. Concerned, you closed the fridge and maneuvered your way through the labyrinth of a living room, tripping your way through the mess before coming up to Kihyun and wrapping your arms around him. One hand found its way to his back, rubbing comforting circles as you buried the other into his hair, bringing his head down and pressing your cheek against his. 

“Hey,” you say, hugging him tightly as he pressed himself further into your grasp, “it’ll all be okay. I doubt that any of the other magic users will be a threat to us. If the concentration of magic here is as high as you made it out to be, I doubt they’ll even notice us being here. We’ll be alright.”

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[dingletragedy]

Drabble idea: Ben refusing to leave Callum's side at the hospital (doesn't have to be the kidnapping thing!)

hey lovely! thanks for the prompt, it’s a little more than you asked for - but it is my little take on a post-kidnap hospital scene ft ben refusing to leave!

Ben’s entire heart falls through his chest at the view of Callum in the hospital bed. He almost makes an aborted sound, a hurt lump torn from his throat, but he remains silent and shivering, petrified at the harrowing what-if’s running his mind. Heat prickles his eyes and he looks away, looks down to his chest. His shirt hangs loose and defeated, spots of red burning at his skin. There are no words for the weight that’s curled a fist into his stomach, pushing and pushing, dragging his heart down. It’s guilt, fear, pain; something he’s only felt once before. Paul.

The panic gripping his spine only intensified then, seeping through into the cracks between his ribs and wrapping long, spindly fingers around the bones there, pulling and pulling until Callum’s eyes begin to flicker.

Ben closes his eyes for a moment, attempts to breathe through the memories taunting his mind. Callum tied up and bloodied. Callum screaming his name.

It’s almost funny, how the the only thing he wants to forget is the one thing that he probably never will.

Callum looks exhausted in the harsh light, there are dark bruises under his eyes and a web of cuts drawing attention oh his cheek. Ben hates it all.

And then, as Ben watches on, numb all over, Callum’s eyes move, rounded and panicked and—

“Ben?”

Everything blurs before Ben, throat closing up.

“Cal,” he whispers, tripping his way around the bed. His heart is kicking against his ribs as he reaches a hand out, rests his fingers in the gaps between Callum’s own. “Are you alright?”

“I’m sorry,” he blurts then, frantic and hurt and full of tears, fear grasping at his throat. The panic is still hot in his chest, but it’s controlled slightly at seeing Callum, eyes open and breaths steady. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to—”

“Ben. Ben, calm down,” Callum whispers, and he puts his hands to Ben’s shaky own. “You don’t have anything to apologise for. This ain’t your fault, alright?”

“I was trying to be the best version of myself, trying to be better, for you. And now look at you, you’re in the hospital because of me.” Ben says, honesty seeping out of him in waves now, shaking his head as he fights the swell of tears. “I’ll never be good. I don’t know how to be, Callum.”

“That’s not true,” Callum presses, feeble and wet, eyes springing with tears to match Ben’s own.

They’re closer now, Ben perched on the plastic chair by Callum’s bed, their eyes shined, and Ben can’t help it when he lets the first tear go, hot and dewy where it clings under his chin.

“You’ve done nothing but make me feel like I belong, even at the times you feel like you don’t,” Callum continues. “You’ve done nothing but allow me to be myself, and in that you’ve been patient, and kind, even when I pushed you away time and time again. And it hasn’t been a smooth ride, no, God knows I’ve shed some tears over you, Ben. But for every tear, there’s been a thousand smiles, a thousand laughs, a thousand kisses. I want a thousand everything’s with you, Ben. The good and the bad.”

Ben hangs his head at Callum’s words, because if he looks him in the eyes at this moment, he’ll crumble. And he doesn’t want to crumple, but he feels his face caving already, caught out and helpless. His vision keeps blurring and he can’t make it stop.

He doesn’t know what to say. It’s so quiet between them, just the steady beeping of the machine, the distant sound of sirens, and the creeping moonlight resting on the window sill and peeking through the yellow gaps of worn curtains.

“How can you say that? You’re hurt because Keanu wanted to hurt me” Ben says eventually, voice cracked. “And, God—Callum he could’ve—could’ve killed—“

“Hey, I’m fine,” Callum cuts him off, voice suddenly stern. “Barely a scartch on me. I was in the Army, remember? Proper tough, I am.”

“Callum—” Slowly, gingerly, he reaches out and brushes Callum’s hair from his eyes. “This ain’t a joke.”

“I know that, Ben. I know. But it ain’t your fault either, so can you just come here and stop blaming yourself, yeah?”

“Are you—” Ben cuts himself off, and they just watch each other for a moment, gazes skidding before they settle on other parts of their bodies, a shoulder or chest, unable to maintain that contact. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I will be,” Callum answers. “But only if I have you to look after me, yeah?”

“Always. I promise.”

Ben’s still shaking when Callum leans forward then, when he presses their foreheads together, and Ben wants to melt himself into this moment of comfort. Callum’s skin is cold, rough, and he smells like hospitals and something so entirely foreign. Yet behind Ben’s closed eyes, he’s still the first break of sun in the morning, the moon peeking through on a brumous night; he’s still the warmth Ben’s been missing his whole life.

When Ben dares to open his eyes again, he wills Callum to still be there, alive. Their eyes are reflective, wet mirrors of each other, and Callum’s breath ghosts over Ben’s lips, his chin, shaky inhales and exhales that he matches.

“You should go home,” Callum says, voice barely above a whisper, scratchy and worn. “Get some rest.”

“No, no I ain’t leaving you,” Ben exhales, all in a broken, trembling rush. Heat prickles in his eyes again, and he shakes his head, determined, nose brushing and bumping Callum’s. “I can’t.”

“Ben—,” Callum starts, “you need to look after yourself too. You look like you ain’t slept for days.”

“I haven't, been too worried,” Ben answers honestly and he brings his hands up to cup Callum’s face, thumbs drawing gentle circles the skin of his cheeks. “And I ain’t going to be able to sleep another wink until you’re home again. Safe. With me.”

“I’m worried about you, though.”

“I’m staying. No discussion.” Ben protests, fierce when he lifts Callum’s chin with a gentle finger. Their eyes meet, Callum’s shiny and anguished, Ben’s pleading and stern.

“But you don’t have to,” Callum says, eyes averted.

“If you think I’d leave you here alone—,” Ben replies fiercely, shaking his head as words fail him. “No, I ain’t going. So just, shut up, will ya.”

“Right. Yes boss.”

The quiet around them that follows m is a fragile thing, and Ben barely breathes as Callum pulls in and out of sleep for the next hour. As he wakes again, Ben reaches for his hands, cups them in his own with intent.

Ben holds his wrists with light fingers, stokes his thumb over the inside of them and breathes shakily.

“I was so scared, Ben,” Callum admits then. “I still am. I thought—thought he was going to—“

“You’re gonna be fine, okay?” Ben whispers, slightly shaky because hearing Callum say anything like that makes him feel blue and numb all over. He kisses Callum’s forehead, brushes his hair back. “Everything is gonna be fine.”

Callum starts to cry then, tiny sobs that he tries to trap by scrunching up his face. Ben pulls him in, hugs him close despite the obstacles in their way, and hushes him, just kisses his hair over and over again and lets Callum cry and heave and curl his fingers into Ben’s shirt until the material stretches. “What if he comes back?”

“Hey—hey, he won’t, okay? He won’t,” Ben promises. And God, he’s never meant anything more. “It’s all over. You’re safe. Ssh, you’re safe.”

He’s still touching Callum’s face, almost absentmindedly now, like he’s forgotten his fingers are dragging gentle through his fringe.

Callum leans into him, like instinct, and Ben lets out a tiny sigh at it, the comfort of the touch.

“Ben,” Callum says, a fumble between their mouths. He looks so distressed, eyes so desperate and full. In the distance, there’s a series of sirens alerting.

They stare at each other, half-gasping through their breaths and their tears.

When their lips meet its molten, soft and melty and cautious. It’s desperate and sleepy and they kiss like they’re dying for it, Ben’s bottom lip caught wetly between Callum’s.

“I love you, you know?” he murmurs as he pulls his mouth away a fraction, a sad smile curling over his lips before he can stop it, because he’s scared, terrified even, and mad at himself, so mad it’s taken until now to say the words. The moment the words leave his mouth, he feels something tug in his chest, something welcomed and unexceptional, making his mind swim, vision fuzzy, yet mind clearer than ever before. “So much.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I love you,” he repeats, quick and swallowed straight up by a kiss. Callum fumbles their mouths together, breath stuttered and short.

“Love you, too,” Callum replies, the words smudged against Ben’s bottom lip.

“Get some rest,” Ben whispers. His thumb brushing over Callum’s eyebrow, mindful of the bruise there. Then, softer, distant, he says, “You’re safe here. With me.”

[beautifulletdownfics]

Twenty Good Reasons :: Part Two

Hello! Welcome to the ‘Someday, Someday’ sequel! I hope you’ll enjoy your time here! Before you start, make sure you check out the Harry & Nina Chronology page to catch up on a few of the drabbles and novellas that slot in the gap between ‘Someday, Someday’ and ‘Twenty Good Reasons’. As always, please don’t be strangers, posting into the void is a terrifying thing! Love K x

+++

As soon as Harry sent me a text saying he was getting on the plane home I got flighttracker.com up on the television set in the lounge room.

It took sitting staring at the screen for the twenty minutes I ate my breakfast before I let out a loud groan and decided I really couldn’t sit on the sofa all day watching Harry’s eighteen hour flight move painstakingly slowly across the screen. I spent the whole previous day cleaning the house from top to toe, and even got on top of the weeding in the garden. I was driving myself mad.

Laykn came over just after lunchtime to return Harry's Xbox console that he borrowed the day Harry left. I made him stay for a cup of tea and forced answers out of him about how every aspect of his life was going. It turned out University Lakyn wasn't always keen on filling in his big sister in on things. I rang my parents afterward, telling my mother everything I'd been able to get out of her son, and comparing notes from the last time she spoke to him.

After I took all of my own questioning from her, I spent an hour walking down to the high street and picking up a few food items I didn't keep in the house while Harry was away. When I got back I distracted myself by making a vegetable lasagna that would still be nice for Harry to reheat later on.

Friends reruns were playing on the telly but after three episodes I found myself spending more time checking the time than I did concentrating on Ross and Chandler's romantic weekend away together. It was well and truly dark outside, and I knew that Harry would be between phones right now, not quite fully tuned into his personal until the work one was off.

At ten pm—an hour after his flight was due to land—I gave up on flighttracker which decided to freeze and refused to let me reload the page. Optimistically, I put the kettle on and set out tea for two, ascending up to the bathroom and getting ready for bed as slowly as I could make myself. I returned to the kitchen and made the tea, taking both mugs with me up to the bedroom and setting Harry's on his bedside table. I remembered pulling back the covers, getting in and flicking through to where I was up to in the book I was reading.

The next thing I knew, I was startling awake with a kink in my neck, my book open on my chest and the morning sunlight streaming through the windows at the foot of the bed.  

"Harry?"

He wasn't in the bed next to me, and when I sat up there wasn't any luggage anywhere to be seen.

I swallowed thickly and kicked myself out of bed, stumbling around the corner of the bed and holding out my hand to keep from falling over. I legged it out and down the hall, skipping down the stairs as quickly as I could, running a hand through my hair when the entrance hall was empty of all traces of Harry as well.

It was in that exact moment that I scolded myself for not picking up my phone and seeing if there was anything there, but I left it on the loudest setting and told myself I would have woken up from its disturbance had it rung.

Just when I started running through a list of serious but not life-threatening things that might've gone wrong with the flight I stopped dead in my tracks and took a few deep breaths.

He was asleep on the sofa.

Lying on his tummy with his face pressed into the seat, his cheeks pink and hair a mess. I dropped the hand from my own hair and slumped my shoulders, he was okay.

Comatose, but okay.

Home

I readjusted my pyjamas, suddenly nervous but a slow building happiness was also rising. I was wearing an old Clavin Klein windcheater of Harry's and my own pair of sleep shorts that hardly poked out underneath the jumper. I'd take the time to shave my legs the previous morning and bit my lip through a small smile as I approached the sofa. I rested one knee at Harry's hip and slowly lay down, half on top of him.

"You're in trouble, Mister," I said, pressing a warm kiss to the shell of his ear.

A noise rumbled through Harry's chest and he puffed out a breath as he woke, "Hmmm ... Hi."

I smiled against his skin at the croak in his voice, "I didn't wake up to you, why are you down here?"

"Didn't wanna wake you up," He managed to get out, sounding only slightly more awake. His words slurred and they weren't laced with the affection I was used to when Harry had just arrived back home.

"How about me waking up to an empty bed when your flight was supposed to get in last night?" I whispered, thinking it might lull the affection I desired out of him.

But maybe it was too much to expect, too soon.

His voice was blunt, “Nina, I'm exhausted and jet lagged and a little hungover."

“Oh—

“—And a bit grumpy," He finished over me, sounding exactly as he had described himself.

"Okay then," I backed myself up and pushed up on my hands to leave him be, disappointment and hurt rippling through my chest.

"No," He blindly waved an arm about to try and grab hold of me but failed, "Where are you goin'?"

"Go back to sleep," I said, standing over him and considering whether or not I had the emotional strength to tell him to go up to bed.

I decided I didn't and allowed the cruel idea of letting him sleep poorly on the sofa be his punishment for hurting my feelings. I didn’t care if he was tired and hungover, I missed my boyfriend and he was finally home. I wanted a loving moment from him.

When I got into the kitchen I barely looked up out the window at the kitchen sink, slowly filing the kettle with water, when a tall body pressed heavily up against my back. I watched his tattooed arms come out in front of us, one winding around my tummy while the other turned the tap off.

“I’m a shit.”

I let out a long sigh and let Harry hold me, also allowing his statement to hang over us. I shut my eyes when he dropped his forehead to my shoulder, resting it there for a few moments before eventually giving my tummy a tight squeeze and then pressing his lips to the crown of my head.

“I love you,” He said, “I’m sorry … That was a terrible homecoming.”

I wasn’t sure what to say, so I didn’t say anything, just letting the moment happen silently as my throat clogged up. I covered his arms with my own though and did my best to hug him back, both of us facing the garden. After a moment I reached forward and turned the tap back on. Harry didn’t step away from me, instead, he kept our bodies pressed together and moved with me as I leaned over to put the kettle on the holder and then reached for tea bags, Harry opened the cupboard above and got the mugs.

I could feel Harry’s eyes on my every movement as we waited quietly for the kettle to boil and I then set about pouring the hot water. I ducked out underneath Harry’s arm to go to the fridge for milk, smiling when he hadn’t moved from his spot and wordlessly held up his elbow so I could slip back in front of him.

“Hungry?” I asked quietly, turning my neck only half of the way back to look at him before tugging on the string of my teabag as a distraction.

I felt Harry nodding against my head, “I need food and ibuprofen and about three years sleep. Neens, I really am sorry.”

“I know you are,” I put him out of his misery, turning around and resting my tailbone against the bench while holding my steaming mug between our chests.

“I’m home, Nina,” Harry declared softly, “Like, home home. Proper home … Long home, not little home. Me and home, we’re in it for the long haul. Eight weeks of no work phone, that’s gotta be almost silver anniversary status, yeah?”

His self banter made me giggle, and his eyes lit up as mine did, “Do you and home need a moment?”

“No,” Harry shook his head, “But my girlfriend and I do.”

Our mugs were set behind us on the counter and it was then that Harry and I finally got our moment of reunion together. Even though he tasted stale from travel, it was still Harry and I kissed him with all I had.

"You need to shower," I scrunched my nose at him when we pulled apart, watching as Harry tangled our hands together.

"Rude," Harry scoffed back. I raised my eyebrows at him. "Come wash my hair?" He asked through a sheepish smile, raising my hand to hip lips and pressing a kiss to my wrist.

“No,” I said petulantly, turning my head away from him, “You’ve killed the mood and I shaved my legs for nothing.”

Harry tilted his head back and let out a fabulous, loud belly laugh. I crossed my arms over my chest and watched him, my heart fluttering from seeing him so happy but trying to keep my face straight. He leaned forward, languidly pulling my body against his and pressing his mouth to the shell of my ear, “I can get the mood back real quick, trust me.”

My toes curled on the tiles below us and I followed him up to the bathroom when he pulled on my arm, a glint in his eye.

+++

Afterwards, Harry refused to have a nap and instead followed me back into the kitchen in just a pair of sleep shorts and a headband I hadn’t the heart to tell him was actually mine, not one of his.

Harry hands rested on my hips as I started the kettle again for tea, but his fingers ghosted around and ended up firmly pressed against my bum, forcing me closer to him as his kisses down the back of my neck became more heated. He let out a breathy laugh against my lips when I flicked some water at him, breaking the contact of his lips on my skin. I let out a definite squeak after Harry gave my backside a hearty squeeze.

“Gotcha,” He taunted quietly, looking quite proud of himself.

I settled myself back on the heels of my feet and turned around to face him, “I don’t appreciate being man handled!”

“Aw,” Harry pressed a kiss to my nose, “But I’m your man, baby. And I’m home.”

I laughed at the megawatt grin on his face, he looked more than proud of himself, “Eggs?”

“Please!” He finally stepped away from me and patted at his non-existent tummy for dramatic effect.

“Sit up,” I gestured to the stools behind the breakfast bar, “I’ll make them now.”

I knew he was watching me, but I soon forgot and let myself focus on assembling everything for eggs on toast. Everything was set out and I was waiting for the pan to heat up on the hob, Harry cleared his throat and when I looked up at him he only raised his eyebrows at me.

“Why aren’t you talking?” He asked after a beat of me looking at him, unsure what he was getting at.

“Huh?”

He pointed to the frypan to remind me it was on the heat, I turned back to it but Harry spoke behind me, “You usually talk to me when you’re cooking.”

“Oh,” I shrugged, cracking three eggs for Harry and two for me into the sizzling butter, “You’re tired and worn out … Figured you could use the quiet.”

“Talk, please,” He responded quickly, without letting my last word hang. “I was a grumpy jerk earlier. I want to chat.”

“Well,” I started slowly, deciding what story might be best to launch into, “I think your Mum had a nice time down here last week for her birthday—

“—She did” Harry interrupted quickly, “She told me multiple times she loved staying with you.”

I moved around to face Harry and bit at the tip of my thumb, “Yeah … She might’ve called me a few days after to reiterate that.”

Harry’s eyes crinkled with a proud smile.

“Um,” I thought for a second, squishing my lips together as I pondered and set out the toast on our plates, “Laykn had a second date with that economics student, Rosie. Won’t tell me anything about it though …”

“I’ll get on it and go for a drink with him, see if I can get more out of him,” Harry winked at me, reaching for the plate I was holding out to him.

I boosted myself up onto the chair next to him, waiting a moment to watch Harry take his first mouthful. When he didn’t have an adverse reaction I was happy to eat myself, it wasn’t unusual that I’d have to get up for salt and pepper to redeem my attempts. Unsurprisingly, he ended up scoffing down his food and then reaching over to fish bits off my plate when I was a little slower than him. Harry always picked at plane food and came off  nearly every flight hungry.

"So ... What are we gonna do with all our freedom?” Harry's warm hand pressed down on my shoulder so I'd sit down when I started gathering up our empty plates, instead he stood and walked them over to the sink, “We have weeks to get thoroughly sick of each other.”

"I figured you'd sleep most of the day today and ... And maybe tonight we could just go for a walk and get Indian or something easy for dinner?"

I watched for Harry's reaction as he rinsed off the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher, "Let's get in the car and drive ... End up somewhere by the sea."

"Tonight?" I asked, confused.

"No," He shook his head and stuck his left arm up to scratch at his right shoulder, "I mean let's go right now. We'll pack and go away for a few days."

"Harry," I laughed, "You've just been away from home for five months."

"Not with you," He replied quickly.

"I'm going to be here!"

“You don’t have anything planned for the next few days, do you?”

“Well, no,” I began, “I thought it would be nice to have a few free days with you—

“—Exactly! Neens, I just want to go and have a few days somewhere where it's just us … I just don't want to feel like the rest of London is watching us all the time. I'm sick of being watched, please?"

He had made his way back around to me, and I turned in my chair so that he could stand between my legs and make his appeal directly to me. I ran my hands over his cheeks and then back up over his head as far as I could reach, scratching at his scalp carefully. I understood what he meant, being on tour was a fishbowl and photos of Harry were streaming in by the minute; the fans and the rest of the world were completely saturated with what felt like his every movement.

"Okay," I agreed, "Whatever you want ... Do you want me to call your mum and tell her we'll be there later—

“—No," He said quickly, "No, I don't want to go to my Mum’s ... Or your parent’s place. I don’t want to see anybody else, I just want us for a bit,” He leant in and kissed my lips slowly, pulling back but only to rest his forehead against mine and watch me.

“Okay,” I nodded.

Harry smiled, “Good. Let’s be on the road by ten.”

*******

In the end, it was more like eleven thirty by the time we got ourselves sorted.

I had expected Harry to collapse on the bed at some point after we were dressed, or while we were packing, but he never did. He never grumbled again, or outwardly looked tired, he was lighthearted and silly and seemed genuinely excited to be heading out of the city with me. I wouldn’t have blamed him for changing the plans in lieu of sleeping once he realised how tired he was. I saw him take two ibuprofen and then it was like the complaints he’d had when I woke him up vanished. Usually, when he got home off a tour he slept for seventeen hours, ate a few meals worth of food, showered when I made him and then passed out on the sofa.

When we started packing our bags, he loudly made a 'no fancy clothes' rule because we weren't going to be going out anywhere while we were away. I thought I was being helpful when I put his Blackberry charger on the bed to be packed but he dramatically snatched it up and threw it across the room.

"Not taking that stupid thing," He muttered, turning on his heel and going into the bathroom to collect our toothbrushes.

When he came back out I was still looking at the cord on the floor near the door, I couldn't remember the last time Harry hadn't obsessed over making sure the charger was with us. He never let his work phone run out of charge.

"No phones," Harry said sternly, frowning when he considered the best thing to pack our toiletries in, "I'm going to put my iPhone on aeroplane mode and just use it for the camera. If someone really needs to reach me they can go through you, and if they don't have your number they don't know me well enough to need me."

"Harry," I said softly, "Is something going on? I mean, is something wrong?”

“What? No,” He responded loudly, the kind of loud that meant he was lying. His stance got defensive and his eyes were wide as he shook his head at me like what I had suggested was preposterous.

“Harry,” I started carefully, “You’re kind of frantic right now. It’s understandable that you’re tired and I get that you want to be away from people, I really do, but the sea will still be there tomorrow after you’ve slept.”

His shoulders slumped, "I'm freaking out a bit, yeah?"

"Just a bit," I nodded, waiting for him to find the words to explain and also giving myself a moment to breathe through the tight feeling that had bubbled up in my chest.

"I got a car back with Tim last night and ... And he's not doing so well, Neens. It made me really sad, then it just made me desperate for ... For not having that happen to us. I mean," Harry tossed his electric shaver onto the bed haphazardly and looked defeated, "Like, he's going home to an empty house for the first time. It sucks."

"H," I went to reach for his hand but it was already on its way up into his hair.

"I know, we're not Tim and Alexis but at the start of the tour they were fine, just like us and now ..."

"It's awful, Harry, I know."

He looked up at me then with red, glassy eyes, "It fucking sucks, Neens."

"So we're going away for a few days," I said simply, hoping he saw that I understood now. Over the course of a few years, Harry had grown to love and trust his tour bassist, Tim who had broken up with his girlfriend shortly after Harry returned to the Asia leg from seeing me in London. Harry found it hard to navigate to to best be a friend to Tim during it all and I’d had my suspicions that Harry had been shaken by it for his own reasons as well.

"Yeah," Harry sniffed. "I don't know exactly what went wrong for them ... But I just need to know that you know I'm gonna be here. And if you every needed me to come back, I would. But also just that ... That I always want to be with you. Always."

"I know," I said, taking the few steps to him and slipping my arms around his waist. "I know you do."

"Good," He nodded, roughly fisting at his eyes where a few tears had fallen. "Fuck, Post Tour Teary Harry, how spectacular."

"Do you want to cuddle and nap before we go?" I whispered. "You're exhausted, Harry."

"No, I want to go find a disgustingly quintessential English seaside cottage and cuddle there."

I silently nodded against his chest, squeezing him once and placing a kiss against his sternum, "Let's get a wriggle on then."

Harry wanted to drive, claiming to have missed his car. And if we were being honest I missed him driving, I hated trying to navigate the stupid thing. I thought he might give it up though, being so tired, but he insisted he was okay.

The first hour up and out of London was spent with Harry expelling story after story from the last few days of tour, which were always especially fun. I laughed along with them all because it was nice hearing stories from someone who was getting paid to do what they loved; even if his job meant he was away a lot it was worth it to see Harry so happy with his lot in life.

Laughing helped the ache in my chest as well.

Driving with no intended destination was interesting, but Harry was filled with a boyish joy every time we got to a major intersection and we picked one way or the other. He was quick to reject any sign that pointed to the areas of the Midlands that were familiar to him. And even though we ended up heading in the same direction up the country, it was nice to be going through different villages to what the main highways take.

"Okay," Harry rested my phone on the bonnet of the car and angled it towards me. We had stopped for lunch about four hours into our drive, "There's a place about an hour away that looks nice, should I call?"

I saw two photos of lake views and a huge bathtub, "Yes. Walks and baths, perfect."

His eyebrows scrunched together, "It's too far to walk to the beach from though, are we okay with driving to the beach?"

"Harry," I latched my hand around his forearm and drew his eyes my way, "It looks perfect."

He paused for a second and then smiled, "Great. Gimme a kiss and then I'll call while you go get some more car snacks."

I reached up on my tippy toes and planted a kiss right in the middle of his lips, "Back in a minute."

I turned around and waited for some traffic before crossing the road to where the little line of shops that made up this small village were. I briefly heard Harry politely greeting someone on the other end of the phone line before I started considering my options for prime road trip munchies.

When I got back to the car Harry was leaning against it, facing the direction I was coming from, with his head tilted back to catch the warmth from the sun. He had pushed his black Ray Bans up to the crown of his head and his legs were casually crossed at his ankles.

"Working on your tan?" I said by way of greeting.

He didn't open his eyes straight away but a lazy smile turned up his face, "Yeah. Some of us get colour when in the sun, you wouldn't know about that though, Miss Pasty.” I swatted at his stomach and he was quick enough to catch my hand and pull me into his chest, "Don't worry, I love you anyway."

"How big of you," I said sarcastically.

“Naw, don’t be nasty, Neens,” Harry kissed my temple and left his lips to rest warmly against my skin. “You smell nice.”

“Thank you,” I smiled up at him and watched as the decision to kiss me played out on his face.

When someone driving past gave their car horn a little toot at us, Harry pulled away with a goofy grin on his face, smacking his lips together where they had just been caught with mine. By the time he got around to his side of the car my blush had subsided and I let Harry take my hand in his as he pulled out into the road again.

It was still light when we got to the neighbouring village to the cottage Harry booked. He pulled up at one of the houses in town and kissed me quick on the cheek, saying he’d be right back. I watched as he jumped up the steps and knocked on the front door. He talked briefly with an older gentleman who looked around Harry at me at one point, I held up my hand in a wave. Harry took a key and piece of paper from him, shook his hand and then made his way back to the car.

“So the house is about ten minutes away on the lake,” Harry began, handing me the map and crossing his seatbelt back across his body, “He said his wife went out there earlier to put the lights on for us, and a few basics in the fridge for tonight and tomorrow morning. He said there’s a Tesco in the village that opens at eight a.m.”

“Right, well, I can guarantee we won’t be there at that time,” I said quickly.

Harry laughed briefly but was then the picture of concentration when I started pointing out the little streets and back roads we needed to be taking. Eventually, we were crawling up a tree lined driveway towards the dull light from a beautiful, white house.

“This place is so much bigger in real life,” I marvelled, leaning forward in my seat as more and more of the cottage came into view.

“Yeah, sorry,” Harry began, “I really should have told you the phone screen wasn’t to scale.”

I hit him in the arm, “Don’t be a git.”

Once we had figured out the locks on the door and dumped all our luggage in the lounge area, it took the two of us all of three minutes to spread out across the entire house and find the best bits. There were four bedrooms, two living areas, three bathrooms and a strange library conservatory hybrid in the centre of the second floor.

I found Harry lying flat on his back on the floor of the master bedroom ensuite.

“Wow,” I leaned against the doorframe, “Having a good time there?”

“I was just standing …” He said, his eyes not opening as he let out a slow breath of air, “And then I thought, ‘Harry, it’s time to lie down, you’re tired, mate.’ So now I’m lying down and Neens, it’s really nice.”

“Ah, okay,” I sang lightly, stepping into the room and crouching onto my knees next to him, it was obvious his exhaustion hit him all at once, “I think it’s time for bed, yeah?”

“Nina,” His palm landed on my knee and when Harry turned his head to me his eyes were open, “I’m really happy right now. Let’s sleep here.”

“That’s a terrible idea, Harry,” I whispered, covering his hand with my own, “Let’s count backwards from thirty and by the time we’re done you’ll be in bed and half asleep. Ready? Thirty … Twenty nine …”

“Oh,” He faked crying, but pushed himself up onto his elbows, “You’re so awful to me.”

“I truly am … Twenty eight,” I stood up and braced as much of Harry’s weight as I could manage, “Twenty seven.”

When he was standing he loped his arms heavily over my shoulders and leaned against me clumsily, “Nina, you don’t have to keep counting.”

“Twenty six …” I said, “I feel like now that I’ve started it’s something I’ve got to finish.”

“You don’t,” Harry said softly, leaning out and dropping his head down to my level for a slow kiss, “You got me off the floor,” I sucked in a breath as his fingers slotted into the top of my jeans, skirting around to my hips and then back to the zipper, “Let’s shower before bed, hmm?”

“We showered this morning at home,” I said hoarsely.

“We definitely need to shower again.”

I could only look up and watch Harry’s eyes as his long fingers expertly popped the button of my jeans and slowly shimmied them down over my hips. He kissed my knee on the way back up and I braced my hands on his shoulders as he stood. Harry silently tugged on the bottom of my shirt, prompting me to lift my arms so he could remove it too, when it was gone he traced the outlines of my bra with the backs of his fingers.

“God, I’ve missed you,” He breathed out, voice cracking as he looked back up and just blinked at me. “Does it make me a dick to say that when I’m getting you naked?”

I shook my head back and forth twice, never breaking eye contact but slowly reaching out for Harry’s t-shirt, I gripped the material at his shoulders and pulled it up. Harry’s hands went down to pull it over his head and he backstopped out of his jeans when I tugged them down his legs.

When I was standing upright again Harry’s hands came up to my face and held it carefully, looking across my features carefully before pulling me in for a languid, hot kiss. A kiss that moved into our bodies pressed against each other and Harry slowly removing our final pieces of clothing. My breathing was getting heavier and Harry noticed, because he wrapped his arms around me to still us.

“I’m sorry,” He kissed the hollow of my ear, “I know I started this … But I’m so tired nothing we do from here will be any good for either of us.”

I let out a small laugh and leaned in to kiss his chest, “It’s alright. Tomorrow.”

Unlike earlier this morning, we showered together in the most innocent of ways, although this time he shampooed my hair. Once we were out Harry had just enough energy to pull back the duvet and roll himself underneath before he was out and completely unresponsive. It was still only early in the evening, so I took a few extra minutes to slip into some sleep shorts and a jumper, before unpacking a few of our things and trotting downstairs to make a cup of tea.

I did a slow walking tour of the house then, mug in hand and the fingers of my other hand dancing across surfaces and picking up trinkets to find their purpose. It felt magical, to be somewhere unfamiliar but homey with Harry. I found myself thinking he’d been quite astute in thinking we needed some isolated time together. By the time I was back upstairs, pulling back the covers on my side of the bed, Harry had already rearranged himself onto his stomach and kicked one leg out of the duvet and back on top of it.

I got in quietly, and held my breath for a moment to make sure that I hadn’t woken him up. When he didn’t move or make a sound I let my back sink into the mattress and took a moment to be fully comforted by the fact he was merely lying beside me. I thought of all the countess nights I’d fallen asleep on my own, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to trick myself into believing Harry was actually in the bed with me. But every morning I’d wake up alone and have to force myself into positivity again; force myself into being happy for him. So many nights I fell asleep to the sound of my own tears, and woke up in the morning to a headache from them. And for some unknown reason the overwhelming sense of relief I felt right now had me crying here too. Silent tears that rolled uncomfortably down my face and tickled my neck, and it was impossible to stop them so I let them go, breathing steadily but biting my lip to stop any sobs coming out.

It just felt so unreal to be in a moment I had held as a beacon of hope for so long. It felt like I’d been holding down the fought by myself for a lifetime, and all Harry had to do was walk in the door and suddenly I could breathe again. He was warranted in his fear of turning out like Tim and Alexis, because while he was away there was something about us that seemed so false, so conditional. I understood why them breaking up had shaken him so much, because while I had no reason to, there was something in every day that had me thinking perhaps today would be the day a delicate cord between Harry and I might be severed, taking everything down with it.

Sometimes, fragility was beautiful.

The rest of the time it was fucking terrifying.

*******

Harry didn’t wake up until almost two p.m. the following day.

I heard his heavy footsteps coming down the stairs from my spot cocooned in a rug on the sofa. They were slow at first but once he got to the top of the stairs he called out my name, I responded, and he jogged the rest of the way to me.

“It’s the afternoon!” He said, breathless and diving into the spot next to me, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Hello,” I said into his kiss, “I wanted you to rest. You obviously needed the sleep.”

“What have you done all day?” He asked, peeling the book out of my hands and not bothering to look where it ended up on the floor. At least he’d managed to slip my bookmark into the right page.

My eyes followed it momentarily but then Harry’s hands pulling apart my blankets distracted me, “Hey, I’m warm.”

“Wanna be warm with you,” He mumbled, frowning as he turned his body around and coaxed me into his lap with the blanket now over his shoulders and around me too. “Just been reading?”

“Yep,” I nodded, covering Harry’s cheek with my hand when he rested his head on my shoulder. “And I went into the Tescos earlier for some food type things, it’s a sweet little village. They only had the milk chocolate Digestives though—

—No,” Harry dramatically threw his head back against the sofa, “Milk chocolate sucks.”

I laughed for a second before he settled back against me, “You feeling better?”

“Positively refreshed … And starving,” He laughed, “But human again … Sorry about yesterday …”

“Sorry?” I questioned, trying to get a look at his face but Harry’s eyes were directed at his hands. “Harry,” I nudged him with my knee.

“You were crying last night,” He said in a small voice.

I looked away and rested my head back against the cushions, “You heard …”

“I woke up and I think you’d only just fallen asleep, but you left the lamp on and I could see your face. What was going on, Neens?”

“Just having a moment,” I smiled at him. Harry sat up next to me and took my hands into his lap. “I’m okay.”

“Don’t give me that shit, Nina. Why were you crying? ‘Cause I was a dick yesterday at home? ‘Cause I was crabby at you?”

“No,” I replied urgently, but my voice didn’t have any of the weight I wanted it to, it sounded pathetic.

“Nina,” He warned sternly.

“Okay,” I sighed, “You … It hurt when you didn’t … When you were less that excited I was there yesterday, it hurt that you didn’t make a fuss like you usually do. I mean, I know it was only four weeks ago that you came to London—

“—Stop,” Harry told me, “Don’t make excuses, I hurt your feelings.”

I felt like I was going to cry, “I missed you. And I know it takes a few days for you to switch out of tour mode, that you’re all go-go-go until you get off the plane at Heathrow and you collapse at home. I know your job is physically and mentally and emotionally taxing, Harry.”

“But …” He prompted, not looking defensive or accusatory.

“But … But when you’re away I’m at home counting down the days until you’re back,” I took a deep breath and tried not to let any tears escape, “I’m just holding onto the hope that in three months … In two weeks … today, will be the day you come back and I get to feel like you’re a real thing I get to have that’s special and mine and no one else’s … And then I guess, you come back ready to shut down to rehabilitate but I’m just gearing up to launch into just being together and … And it clashes a bit.”

“Neens,” Harry swallowed, and I heard the slightest sniff from him, “I don’t … I didn’t want to shut you out, that’s not what I was … I just … When I got back I …”

He had no idea what to say, and I didn’t know how to extend anything out to him to help.

“I was crying last night because I was relieved you were home, and I wasn’t alone anymore,” I said after a moment or two of silence. “It just caught up to me that you were safe and well and happy in the bed next to me. That’s all I ever want for you, Harry. And I know that towards the end of tour you’re often not those three things anymore like you are when you first leave me … I worry about you.”

Harry seemed to spend some time to take in what I had said, and after a few minutes he nodded solemnly, “I know you worry … And I think … I think sometimes people simplify it—and I go along with it—but they think the hardest part about being apart or me being ‘on tour’,” He used his pointer fingers as air commas, “They think it’s all about staying faithful, that the challenge is not cheating. But that’s a load of shit and quite frankly kind of insulting,” Harry’s frown was deep set, “It’s easy not cheating. It’s really, really easy being faithful,” He shrugged, “That part of it is simple. What isn’t simple is navigating emotions and anticipating your needs over the phone, or trying to figure out how tired you are over Skype. Trying to work out where you need motivation or encouragement from me in your life, and working out what you’re not saying when I don’t see everything. If I’ve had a shit day I can avoid you, or I can edit things to make you feel better about my being away. Or … Or I can blame you and lash out when you don’t automatically get stuff; when I have to explain through my frustrations.”

“It’s so much easier when we’re together,” I added at the end.

“Exactly,” He sighed, “We can’t always have the right conversation on different continents. Not properly.”

I thought carefully about whether or not to say the next thing, “Awhile ago when I saw her, before they broke up, Alexis said her and Tim weren’t talking anymore … Not like they used to. I didn’t think too much of it but I look back on it now …”

“I didn’t really notice he wasn’t mentioning her much anymore,” Harry nodded slowly, “Tim said it was too late when he was scrambling at the end to save it, that they’d both hurt each other too deeply to be able to fix it over Skype.”

“I don’t want that to ever be us, Harry,” I melted my body further into his, desperate for connection.

“I just don’t want us to hurt each other,” Harry agreed, “Or when I do you’ve got to tell me, Neens.”

“I knew you didn’t mean to hurt me yesterday,” I defended him.

“Who knows though,” He argued, “Maybe that’s where it starts. Maybe it starts with unintentional bumps that neither of us notice, or think are serious, and then …”

“… Then comes stuff I don’t want to sit here and think about any longer,” I finished.

Harry held me tightly then, "Let's go for a walk. Around the lake."

And just like that he was up, charging around the place getting warmer clothes and jackets, and finding walking boots and scarves even though it wasn't that cool out. He was suddenly giddy and excited about exploring, it was infectious and I laughed until my sides hurt as Harry layered us both up and swatted at my backside to get me out the door. But the time we were outside the whole sad mood had lifted from us, Harry's cheeks were red from the wind and his hand latched onto mine tightly.

We walked in silence for a long while, balancing on the edges of a one person path side by side. Whenever there was a puddle he would try and force me to lose my footing just before it, or blatantly try and push me into it. It always ended in a good cuddle though, because I'd scream and then grab hold of some part of Harry’s body which he would then manipulate into a side hug.

It was cold down on the lake, the wind coming off it tangled in my hair and made a shiver run down my spine. But it was beautiful because the sun's reflection was hitting it at just the right angle for beams to strike at the trees all around. It was the perfect evening with the ever present chill that covered Northern England.  

I knew from experience there wasn’t much in life Harry loved more than getting lost on long walks. Every time we went home to spend time with his mum, or with my family, he would always drag me out into the countryside to spend a few quiet hours together; palms, fingers and souls locked. Sometimes Harry would want to chat, but more often then not it was simply being together that was enough. Anne had told me once that as a kid—even a teenager—it wasn’t unusual for Harry to disappear for an afternoon and come home with muddy wellies and wind-chapped lips.

We stopped walking when the path came almost to the water’s edge, right in the centre of a wide opening in the trees that meant we had a breathtaking view of a wider area of the water. I adjusted myself in front of Harry, smiling to myself when he easily rested his arms over my shoulder and latched them together across my chest.

“What would you do if Nessie stuck her head of the water, right there?” I pointed out at the centre of the lake.

I felt Harry’s laugh against the crown of my head, “Definitely not tell Scotland, it would destroy them. Can you imagine?”

I turned around in his arms, “I think if I was Scotland I’d want to know my whole life had been a lie.”

“C’mon … There’s another clearing a little bit further ahead.”

It never occurred to me to question how Harry might know there was a second clearing coming up. But the path got a little rocky, and Harry backed himself down so he could hold my hands and help me keep my footing. I was staring at my feet the whole way and when we were finally at the bottom I looked around, but kept my eyes up where the was now a wall of trees around us and then a steep incline into the water. It looked like a spot that might be where people swam in summer.

I stumbled over as close as I could get to the edge without feeling like a might fall and just looked out over it all. This wasn’t the same was looking over the Themes, or even like watching the ocean in Blackpool, this water was calm and smooth. I wished there was some way to be sitting out in it.

“Nina.”

I turned back to look for Harry and just like that my calm, smooth thoughts were gone. He was still back where the trail ended and I hadn’t realised he wasn’t right behind me anymore.

Harry was down on one knee holding out a ring box in front of himself, his smile growing slowly as I took him in. I watched him for what felt like a long moment, but really it would have only been a few seconds. I noticed his hands shaking slightly and the way his very expensive jeans were covered in dirt.

My eyes went back up to where Harry hadn’t moved a muscle except when he waved me forward, coaxing me to come closer to him. Harry laughed when I stumbled a bit, my hands shaking but somehow completely ready for what was about to happen.

“Nina Mae,” He started formally, with a fondness that seeped straight to my tummy, “I love you … Beyond what I ever thought I could. And everyday with you is safe and happy and … And full of love. I feel like I already said that,” He backtracked quickly, but then seemed to snap back onto task, “But … It’s true. I’m an idiot who can’t remember what he wanted to say … Just that …” He took a deep breath and steadied himself, “I love you. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” I said without any hesitation an barely giving him time to finish the question.

Harry’s eyes widened, “Yeah?”

My eyes went glassy so I nodded my head instead, “Yes.”

Harry gave me the most magnificent smile I think I’d ever seen, and as my own face cracked into happiness so too did the tears fall. I gave him my left hand when he reached for it, and tried to hold still enough as he plucked the ring from the box and fumbled his way into putting it on my finger. I couldn’t see though happy tears and it wasn’t until Harry launched up at me and picked me up into a hug that I looked over his shoulder at my hand.

“Harry what the fuck is this ring!”

When he put me down his face was right up to mine, I noted his tears and the way his smile hadn’t dropped a millimetre, “What?” But he instantaneously looked panic-stricken, “Do you not like it?”

He’d taken my hand in his and was holding it between us, “No, you idiot, it’s gorgeous, it just looks like it cost more than a car!”

Immediately he started shaking his head at me, “No, we’re not talking about how much it cost, only what it means. And it means that I get to see you wear it every day for the rest of our lives.”

I quietened, drinking his last words in, “The rest of our lives,” I mused.

His face exploded in a beaming grin again as his arms wound around my waist and rocked me, “Yeah. You like that?”

“I love it,” I said and hooked my hand around the base of his neck, pulling his lips down to where I could reach them.

Harry’s hands cradled my face as we kissed, but it was a hopeless way of expressing our happiness when breathy laughs and huge smiles were still our reactions. I didn’t care because surging through me—more than possibly any kiss could convey—was such a feeling of togetherness and just being completely in love with the man in front of me. I didn’t care if our lips were bumping and our noses were knocking each other out of reach.

Somehow though, we figured out how to express everything with our bodies. The kisses slowed down eventually, Harry’s hands lingered lower on my body. I might’ve liked to have taken in more of the lake, but that was before I climbed back up the hill Harry’s fiancé. I could hardly take my eyes off him for a second as we walked back, both our faces split in grins and red from happiness. Harry had his phone out and kept taking photos of me and of the two of us together.

It wasn’t long before my mind was suddenly rushing with a hundred questions for him.

“How long have you had the ring?

“Oh,” Harry breathed out slowly, swinging our joined hands between us, “I … Uh, I got it in New York.”

I pulled back quickly and had to squint through the growing sunset, “New York?”

Harry looked down at me dumbfounded, like he couldn’t understand why my tone had changed, “What’s the problem?”

I frowned, “That was months ago.”

My hips were convincingly pressed back against Harry’s then when he seemed to understand I was curious, not upset. He leaned down to kiss me once with smiling eyes, “Yeah, it was a while back. It was virtually just after you were with me for the first week of tour … I drove you to the airport then went straight into the jeweller and picked it out.”

“Harry …”

“I’ve had it in my luggage for five months and been terrified something would happen and I’d lose my bags, or you’d find it. It’s been a petrifying secret to have, trust me.”

He waited for a few moments, watching me as I thought about all the time that had passed with Harry having this magnificent thing hidden in with his stupid t-shirts and smelly socks. Eventually though, he leaned down again and snuck his hands underneath my shirt before guiding me into another brilliant kiss.

“What about our families?”

Harry hummed a laugh, “They knew. I rang your dad in a panic the minute I left the shop.”

“My dad?” I looked over at him as we started walking again.

“Well,” He took a deep breath and had a glint in his eyes that told me story time was beginning, “Last Christmas when I told him I wanted to ask you to marry me he requested to see the ring, which at that stage I didn’t have, so when I had it I just sort of felt like I had to tell him first.”

“What did he say?” I asked. “Wait, last Christmas? As in, more than a year ago you told my dad you wanted to marry me?”

Harry smiled broadly, “I knew well before last Christmas, but yeah. It was a year ago I started properly thinking about it. I waited until now thought because I didn’t want to propose and then fuck off for six months, that felt unfair.”

I tilted my head to one side, “I’d have said yes a year ago.”

“I know,” Harry replied simply. “Back then your dad told me I’d be stupid not to ask you, and that he knew the first time he met me that one day I’d want to marry you.”

“Really?” I grinned.

“Yeah, your dad’s an old softie.” Harry squeezed my hand, “And when I called him from New York he asked me if I was scared. I told him I was petrified!” He laughed, “And I showed my mum and Gem the ring a few months later when they visited me in the States in summer, from then on basically any time I’ve been with any of them—my family or yours—I’ve just been getting harassed about when I was going to ask you.”

“They haven’t!” I was horrified at the thought.

“Oh my god,” Harry cried out dramatically, covering his eyes with his free hand for a moment, “I was sure you’d notice all the looks they were giving me at Christmas this year. The number of times I was positive you were about to walk in on a conversation I didn’t want you to overhear … I gave your brother a dead arm one morning because you walked in right as he asked me if I wanted him to ask you for me. Fucking idiot.”

“I didn’t realise at all!”

He squished up his nose, “I’m glad … But it was okay … They’re all just excited. Your brother has put himself in charge of my Stag do as well which I’m a bit scared for, if I’m honest. It’s been killing Gemma too, as soon as I told her she was furious at me for giving her a secret she couldn’t tell you.”

“I had no idea …”

“Good,” Harry looked over at me in mock seriousness, “‘Cause I told her if you ever got wind of anything she was the prime suspect, stinking tattletale.”

“You’ve all had this really big secret,” I pouted, but smiled when Harry leant over to kiss it away.

“T’was a good secret though, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“I mean, also completely terrifying,” Harry added in a rush.

“Why terrifying?”

“Because I had no idea what to say!” He exclaimed, “How do you ask the most important person in your life to tether themselves to your tree forever?” I held back a laugh, loving the way Harry came out with the most ridiculous ways of saying things when he got passionate and silly like this, “There’s a lot of pressure to plan everything perfectly and then say the right thing, Neens."

I suddenly froze and grabbed his wrist, "Wait."

Harry paused and looked puzzled by my stopping, "What?"

"Is this ..." I pointed all around us, "This wasn't all just a last minute thing, was it? You had this place booked ages ago."

A slow smile crept over Harry's face, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Harry!" I cried out, "You knew we were coming here! It was all an act, convincing me to come, taking random turns all the way here. You'd already booked it and knew exactly where we were coming!"

"No comment."

"You're a liar!" I accused through a smile, jabbing my index finger to his chest.

Harry snatched my hand and squeezed his palm over it, "You really think I've had the ring for nearly a year but wouldn't plan the proposal?"

"You're the worst! I was worried about you packing us up in a flurry all anxious and jittery."

"Well the jitters weren't fake ..." He smiled at me, "I’ve been recording notes on my phone for months. In fact," He pulled on my arm and draped his over my shoulder, walking us back up the final path to the front door, "I very nearly asked you to marry me at 4am in that hotel room after your debut."


"You did?"
 "Yeah," Harry nodded, "I left you in the room and was downstairs waiting for my car and just thought, 'You idiot, Harry, why do you keep leaving this woman without her wearing that ring?' All I wanted to do was run back up and ask you right then, flight to Japan be damned."

"So many secrets," I shook my head playfully at him.

He kissed my palm in response, "No more now."

We made it to the house and when we pulled apart to take off our shoes and outer layers it wasn’t long before we were joined hands again and tugging on arms to get back to the house as quickly as we could.

“Can I listen to them?” I asked, almost tripping over the entrance-way mat when we fell through the front door together, Harry and I joined at the lips and his fingers tugging on the zip of my jeans again.

“Huh?” He forced out, walking himself backwards through he living room. His shirt was already off, with his jeans looking to follow soon.

“The voice recordings,” I reminded him, jumping slightly when his cold fingers slid against the skin around my hips.

“Nina,” He let out a deflating groan, “Later,” His lips traced the line from my ear, along my jaw and almost to the side of my mouth.

“Sorry,” I said quickly.

He whispered lowly, right into my ear, “I know you can be a curious little thing sometimes, but right now I’ve got other priorities. Because my beautiful, gorgeous, sexy girlfriend is now my fiancée ... So I’d really love to just spend some time—a lot of time really—just completely ravishing her, yeah?”

I blushed and nodded against his chest, feeling daft but in a warming, endearing way, “Yep, okay.”

“Alright,” He breathed out, his hands slipping underneath my jeans and moulding around my bum, “I love you.”

Harry slowly started lifting my layers of clothing off, pressing his lips over any newly exposed skin he deemed necessary to kiss. The joy bubbled in my stomach, not only at his contact, but every time my eye caught my left ring-finger my need to feel Harry got more urgent.

He wasn’t lying either when he said he wanted to take his time, although when it came down to it he still had weeks of exhaustion under his belt, mixed with the joy and celebration of the day. Movements were clumsy in spots, and awe giggled our way through a few mishaps. But Harry knew my body, and his forehead creased in beautiful concentration as he did everything he could to pleasure us both.

We could only last so long before I was snuggled into his side, trying to catch my breath completely content. It had been a funny back and forth between us, because while I was charged with the excitement of the engagement, Harry was slow and considered, enjoying the fact this was the kind of love that was made when we knew we wouldn’t be separated in a few days, and I supposed it was some kind of relief to him as well, that he'd been thinking about this moment for months and now he could enjoy it.  

I hadn’t noticed him fiddling with his phone until I heard Harry’s voice fill the room.

“Uh, okay. Proposal idea number one: Ask her at Brighton Pier … Like every other stupid boyfriend … No, no. Maybe Blackpool? The waterfront is nice there. You could have tea-light candles on the beach.”

“Stupid idea, candles wouldn't stay lit outside,” Realtime Harry said, rolling over onto his side to face me and holding the phone between us. I watched as he clicked on the next recording.

“No matter what you say, you’ve gotta start with ‘I love you’. Then something about how she makes everything better. And maybe something about the start, when she would hardly talk to you but it just made you want her so much more … And so you’ve always known having her in your life was a gift … A privilege. Ah shit, call Mum and ask her for ideas.”

I giggled at the last bit, knowing Harry definitely would’ve called Anne for help.

“Will you marry me … Will you do the honour of marrying me … The honour of becoming my wife … I want to be the man you call your husband … Shit, no … Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” I said aloud, smiling softly when Harry’s eyes met mine.

He had already hit play on another recording but I didn’t register what it was saying, instead I propped myself up on one elbow and leant over him. Harry naturally fell onto his back as I moved, letting me rest across his chest and tangle my fingers through the hair at the base of his neck.

“Are you happy?” He asked quietly, searching my face for the answer before I gave it.

“So happy,” I swallowed back emotion, “So, so happy. I can’t wait to be your wife. I mean, it sounds weird now, but happy weird, you know?”

“Yeah I know,” Harry grinned, “I’ve been picturing it for months now, like more than just the idea of it like when we were dating, really imagining what it would be like.”

"Hmmm," I pondered, "Being Harry Styles' wife ... Am I old enough to do that?"

"I certainly think so," Harry was quick to supply, and while I knew he wanted to say more I was much more pleased when he didn't. I didn't want to think about anyone else's opinion of this at all right now. I had been stupid to even mention what I had.

"Wife Nina," I mused slowly.

"I don't want to wait," Harry said, "You said you can't wait to be my wife and I know that's just an expression but ... Let's actually do it, Neens. I don't wanna be engaged forever. I want to be your husband, at your earliest convenience, of course," He finished with a silly voice but it took nothing away from his urgency at the beginning.

Let's actually do it ... I want to be your husband.

I had a thought that turned my cheeks pink and Harry noticed straight away, his knuckles came up to my face and pressed against the blush, “Stop,” I whined.

His green eyes met mine, “Did you think something naughty?”

“No!” I tugged on his hair, “I just thought that … I think you’ll be really hot as a husband.”

“I’d prefer if you interchanged ‘hot’ with ‘wonderful’,” Harry corrected, but he was smiling a cheeky smile that had me wanting to roll my eyes at him.

“That too,” I deadpanned, leaning back into him where we had naturally moved apart to talk.

Instead of starting another conversation though, I slotted my leg between Harry’s and smiled to myself when his eyes widened at the movement. I took my time leaning in for the kiss he knew was coming, holding myself over him and just grinning when he moved his head up to meet me and I pulled back ever so slightly.

When our lips finally met Harry wanted it, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders so I couldn’t move back again and before I could build the kiss up his teeth were already lightly tugging at my bottom lip, giving perfect access to his tongue tracing the bitten skin.

When I rearranged myself so my hips were further up the bed and I could control our movements better we were both startled by Harry’s voice continuing to come out of his phone. Harry looked down to where it had been wedged underneath is arm and was now where we could hear it again. I couldn't care less about the phone and instead focussed on nipping at a small patch of skin at Harry’s collarbone, he moaned and squeezed my hips.

“Neens,” He rasped, “I’m so completely down for what’s happening here, just … Just for god’s sake help me pause this stupid recording!” He was fumbling with the phone and the sheets and I laughed at his obvious distress, his breathing laboured and eyes wild in desire, “I can’t listen to myself talk while you’re naked on top of me and giving me a hickey.”

“Alright, okay,” I swatted his hand away and held the side button of his phone down, just resorting to turning the thing off completely. “There,” I heavily placed it in his hand to make a point.

“Brilliant, thanks,” He dropped the phone over his shoulder behind him, forgotten, and ghosted his fingers over the bare skin across my neck, “Hi, fiancé.”

I bit my lip and his hands worked back underneath the covers and went straight for the backs of my thighs, “Hi.”

+++

Author will do tricks (more chapters) for praise

[screamingintosilence]

A/N: I started this at 8am this morning all because I saw the Dior Homme ad with Robert Pattinson and Camille Rowe in the elevator and felt compelled to write this as a Bughead drabble. I have no regrets. Sorry I didn’t finish sooner, I actually had to do work so I don’t get fired, oops.

She had been unsuccessfully trying to ignore the hormones coursing through her body for weeks now. 

He was her boss, after all. Not only that, he was founder and CEO of the entirety of Triple S Enterprises, while she was merely his personal assistant.

It didn't help that he was deliciously gorgeous - mid-thirties, all dark, brooding looks, silky tresses that she wanted to sink her fingers into as she held his head between her thighs, a toned, lean body that she dreamed of licking whipped cream off of. 

Down girl, she chidded herself. It was far too early in the morning to be getting so worked up, especially when she had yet to even face her boss.

Betty made her way through the crowd of bustling workers in the main lobby that were vying to get into the main bank of elevators leading to the upper floors of the skyscraper. 

She thanked her lucky stars that if she had to do office work instead of her dream job of investigative journalism (thank you very much post-grad New York job market), at least she was able to land working directly for a bigwig that had the finances to lease a private elevator for his upper level staff and their assistants.

“Ms. Cooper,” a deep gravelly voice greeted her as she passed the guard station by said elevator. Gerald “Tall Boy” Petite tipped his uniform hat to her as he did every weekday morning.

“Hi Jerry!” She beamed back as he blushed. Betty was the only person besides his wife allowed to call him that because no one was immune to her Betty Cooper charm. Well, except him, she thought bitterly as her mind once again turned to the image of her boss’s devilishly handsome face.

“Boss man hasn't been in yet, ma'am,” Tall Boy - as he was referred to by nearly everyone else - informed her as she continued on toward the elevator.

“That's fine, thanks Jerry.”

She hummed to herself as the elevator doors opened, running through her mental list of things she needed to get done today and what was on the agenda for her boss as well.

While she would rather spend her days researching into leads on breaking cases, freelance writing to get her foot in door didn't pay the bills on her 1 bedroom apartment. She knew that she could downgrade to a studio, but after 4 years of college in said living arrangement, she had refused. Hence needing a full-time gig that paid well enough to cover her expenses.

Her mind drifted to her best friend Veronica's offer to let her move-in, but Betty was intent on making it on her own as a way to prove her parents wrong. Always so stubborn, it'll get you in trouble if you're not careful, her nose scrunched at the voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like her mother.

However, she did take up Veronica's offer of helping her find a job in which they would accept her Journalism degree instead of the usually preferred Business Admin one. V’s father, Hiram Lodge, was a bigwig himself and had several business associates in high places, and it was thanks to him and his connections that she found herself in her current predicament of constant arousal over Forsythe Pendelton Jones the Third.

Who knew such a pretentious sounding name could very well fit a brooding bad boy type, who thankfully was in no way an asshole to his subordinates. It was only to his business rivals that he was truly ruthless. And if Betty was being honest with herself, his domineering tone he used during those business dealings had her panties soaked. His emanating power was her ultimate weakness and she wished she could just bang her head on her desk in utter embarrassment over how her insides turned to jelly.

“Hold the door!” An all too familiar commanding voice had her hand shooting out to block the doors closing right after she heard hold.

“G’morning, Mr. Jones!” was heard. 

A rushed “Tall Boy” the only response, before the tall frame of the man who haunted her dreams and played a starring role in her dirtiest fantasies crowded the doorway of the elevator, pulling up short at the sight of his PA.

“Ms. Cooper,” his voice like velvet caressed her as she felt her nipples go hard and her breasts grow heavier from it alone. “Perfect, you’re here.” His smile nearly had her falling to her knees at his feet.

Get it the fuck together, Cooper, she berated how easily he undid her without even knowing. Or caring, the voice in her head added snappishly.

She had been late getting up this morning, which hasn’t left her enough time for her normal daily AM self-care session with her favorite vibe that she had found extremely necessary since starting at Triple S. In the month of being his PA, she hadn't missed a day, but her she was, stuck on an elevator ride with the one man she wanted to get utterly lost in.

He leaned past her, hitting the button for their floor where his office was. It was all she could do to keep breathing normally, something she regretted at once when the intoxicating scent of his cologne washed over her senses and she felt a gush of wetness at the apex of her thighs. The doors slid shut and the box started to rise.

Fuck, not now, Cooper. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, a terrible idea on her part as the lace of her underwear only made the friction more intense. She could feel her arousal painting the inside of her thighs.

You're such a horny mess, she squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment. As attuned as she was to her own body, she could practically smell herself and her face flushed at the realization. She only prayed that the scent of his cologne would mask the smell from the object of her arousal.

She tugged at the hem of her shorter than normal pencil skirt, her brain once again cursing itself for sleeping through her alarm. She realized too late how terrible of an idea it was. His eyes snapped to get at the movement, taking in her form and where her garter belt peaked out from under the skirt.

She watched in horror as his nostrils flared and he took a deep breath to compose himself. It was the wrong, or right, decision on his part as he caught the unmistakable whiff of her excitement. His eyes fell shut for the briefest moment before opening once more. 

To her shock, his normally green eyes were nearly overtaken with the black of his irises blown wide. “Ms. Cooper,” his voice was so deep she could feel the vibration of it to her core.

He stepped towards her, all but backing her into the corner. Her breath caught in her throat as her chest heaved, drawing his eyes down to her cleavage that was nearly spilling out of the low cut shirt that she had thrown on in her haste to not be late. She watched as his tongue darted across his lips, a soft mewling sound dropping from her own unwittingly.

There was a soft growling sound in response as a soft “Sir” fell from her mouth. 

She could see the tether snap in his eyes as they flashed at her unbidden address, his right hand grasping the nape of her neck as his left wrapped around her waist, hauling her lithe form to his.

Their lips were millimeters apart, her eyes having fallen shut at the sensation racing through her veins. She could feel his lips hovering over hers, but moving no further. She pried her eyes open, confused by his hesitation, and then she saw it. 

The unspoken question his eyes of if this was ok, if she wanted this, if she wanted him. Her heart stuttered and her whispered “Yes” was all that was heard before his soft lips came crashing down in the most passionate kiss she’d ever experienced.

He knew how to kiss, soft pecks littered between passionate dances of his tongue tangling with hers. He tasted of the spearmint gum he chewed and tobacco of the cigarettes she had been trying to get him to quit. It was an intoxicating flavor combination and she couldn’t get enough.

Her hands had tangled in his silky hair, she noted in the back of her mind how it felt so much better than she had ever imagined, as her knee rose and hitched itself over his hip. His hand that had been around her waist dropped to her ass, pulling her somehow even closer into his embrace. His hips rocked, grinding his stiff erection into her core, the sensation causing her brain to short circuit and her lips broke away from his as her head fell back against the cool metal of the elevator box.

Uncaring that his lips were no longer on hers, they attached themselves to her neck, kissing, biting, sucking until they reached the top swells of her breast. She was moaning at each kiss, feeling like she was about to become completely boneless in his arms as her hands, still gripping his hair, pulled him tight to her bosom, never wanting this feeling to end.

She was so lost in everything he was doing, she didn't even notice the elevator starting to slow. Thankfully he was aware enough of where they were that he pulled back slightly as he felt the box of metal reaching its destination. He pecked her lips twice more, tucked her hair that had fallen out of her bun back behind her ear, and lowered her still hooked leg back to the ground.

They both straightened their clothes and hair as he folded his suit jacket which he had yet to put on over his arm to hide the evidence of how much she excited him. He gave her a quick wink before guarding his features as the elevator pinged to signal their floor and the doors slid open to reveal a matronly Ms. Grundy at the executive receptionist’s desk.

He placed a hand at the small of her lower back which caused her to shiver with delight.

“Morning Geraldine,” he greeted the older lady warmly. “Looking beautiful as ever.”

“Good morning, Gigi!” Betty added brightly.

“Morning Mr. Jones, Betty,” the lady blushed at the young CEO’s greeting.

“Please hold all my calls and reschedule any visitors for me this morning, Ms. Cooper and I have a very important last minute meeting that is expected to last for a while. I'll let you know when it's done.” Betty’s eyes flashed to him in surprise. What meeting? Did he mean? Oh God. His face gave absolutely nothing away.

“Of course, Sir. Have a wonderful day!” Her face showed absolutely no sign of suspicion and the tightness in Betty’s chest receded by a fraction. 

His hand, still pressed to her lower back, pushed her forward, ushering her down the hall. They passed her desk and he guided her into his office. His sound proof office, she reminded herself. Closing the door and flipping the lock, as an extra precaution, he guided her until her back was pressed against the mahogany and his arms were caging her in.

A cage you very much don’t mind being in, her mind was racing at all the possibilities of this unexpected turn her morning took.

“Now, Ms. Cooper, where were we?” His hooded gaze weighed down on her and she bit her lip at how his voice washed over her.

Her hands grasped his tie to pull him closer and she looked up at him through her lashes. “Mr. Jones.”

[ibelieveinahappilyeverafter]

Boku no Hero Academia - nevermind nevermind its just a broken heart

I think you guys are starting to see the pattern between my love of family dynamics and my even bigger love of ridiculous titles for things. 

Summary:  Aizawa was quiet for a moment, finally asking a simple, “How many fights have you been a part of?” Hitoshi flinched at that, trying to figure out how to answer. He didn’t even get to before Aizawa cut him off with a hard, “Not how many you started.”

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Hitoshi did his best not to look at Aizawa, breathing out slowly and trying to calm his heart before he really did give himself a heart attack. He finally managed to struggle out a quiet, “A lot.”

Relationship: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Shinsou Hitoshi

Characters: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Shinsou Hitoshi

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 1,910

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“This was a bad idea.” The words were spoken to no one and responded to with silence, but Hitoshi rarely expected anything else. There were very, very few people willing to talk to someone who had a brainwashing quirk, after all. “This was a really, really bad idea.”

Struggling to suck in a steady breath, Hitoshi winced as his body wanted to cave in at the new stretching pose he was trying to complete. He had been shown over a dozen when this mess he had found himself in really started and he hadn’t expected them to just get more difficult as time went on.

“He’s probably just doing this where he has a little extra free time and pity,” Hitoshi muttered, words bouncing and echoing off the empty gym walls instead of around his head. “As soon as classes start to really pick up again, he’ll have no reason to keep helping me like this.”

It had been a spur of the moment decision, in all honesty. Hitoshi had felt, for the first time in his life, a shred of hope. He had been beaten so easily in that first round of the tournament, but then his class… His classmates had cheered for him. Pro heroes were muttering in the stands about how his quirk was useful. For the first time in his entire life, Hitoshi had felt that there was a chance for him to actually be a hero.

“This is the fifth session, after all. He has to be getting sick of me.” The words were a bit of a struggle to say where he was so bent over, but Hitoshi managed, unable to stop the words like he was unable to stop his thoughts. “This can’t last forever. I’m a kid from General Studies, not one from the Hero Course.”

Hitoshi had just been so hopeful, and he had let that feeling get the best of him. He had gone up to the teacher of Class 1-A of the Hero Course and asked if he would train him. Hitoshi had gone up to Eraserhead, no doubt the strongest underground pro hero to ever exist, and essentially asked him to take pity on him and train him to get into his class.

“He said we’d start sparring today. He’ll see how hopeless I am, tell me to keep at it, and then leave. That’s all there is to it.” Finishing his last stretch, Hitoshi settled on the ground, a hard exhale leaving him as his muscles already started to ache; although it was nowhere near as bad as the last few times he had done his stretches. “Ah, well… It’s to be expected.”

Hitoshi was just a kid from General Studies who was butting in where he didn’t belong, but that didn’t mean he was just going to give up and do nothing. If it ended after today, well… he always had next year’s Sports Festival, at least. This was the training session that would decide it all, though. If he had any shred of hope for being a future hero, he would need to show it now.

Hearing the gym door pushed open, Hitoshi scrambled to his feet, trying to shove down the unavoidable spike of childish glee at seeing Eraserhead walking in. He really needed to get over that lingering hero worship before it got him in trouble.

“Good. You’re here.” Eraserhead - Aizawa, Hitoshi reminded himself - looked as tired as he always did, bags under his eyes and body curved in exhaustion. Hitoshi knew just how quick he could be, though, and how that exhaustion could fade for deadly force in an instant. “Stretches?”

“I went through all twelve,” Hitoshi nodded, pretending for a moment he could see pride in Aizawa’s eyes. It wouldn’t hurt too badly to pretend just for a moment.

“You said you had limited knowledge in fighting, right?” It hurt to admit, but Hitoshi gave a short nod. He should have been trying to learn some type of fighting before coming to U.A., but he hadn’t thought he would even make it into General Studies. That was a mistake on his part, and one he needed to pay for, now. “A lot of kids have that same limited knowledge when they come here. Your quirk isn’t a physical one, though, which puts you at a disadvantage.”

Something Hitoshi already knew and something Aizawa had told him about when this started. Hitoshi’s quirk wasn’t suited towards combat. It relied on surprise and no previous knowledge of what he could do. It wasn’t physical, but then again, neither was Erasure. Eraserhead essentially fought quirkless. All he did was level the playing field; a luxury Hitoshi wouldn’t get.

“You need to be able to go up against people who will be stronger, faster, and have quirks that you won’t be able to escape. You may be able to control them, but that doesn’t mean shit if you get killed in the first few minutes of the fight. Understand?”

“Yes, Eraserhead-sensei.” At the slowly raised eyebrow, Hitoshi tried to shove down his embarrassment, correcting himself with a quiet, “Aizawa-sensei.”

“We’ll start simple, then. I’ll lead you through a few examples, have you copy them, and then we’ll put them into practice by the end. We only have a few hours instead of the weeks this would normally take.” Aizawa’s grin grew, a sharp, toothy thing that reminded Hitoshi of old movies he used to watch when there was nothing else on. “Unless you want to back out now.”

Hitoshi narrowed his eyes, feeling a mix of anger, spite, and understanding rise within him. This was a challenge and it wasn’t one he would let himself lose. He said as much with a quiet, “I’m ready for whatever you want to teach me.”

At least, Hitoshi had thought he was ready, but he was starting to learn that there was no way of being ready when fighting one-on-one with Eraserhead.

The start wasn’t so bad, Hitoshi studying the poses and moves Aizawa went through before copying them, letting himself be poked and prodded every time he made a mistake; which was often. It took two hours until Aizawa was satisfied enough and Hitoshi was exhausted by the end of it. It would have been fine if it ended there, but then they went into the actual sparring.

Aizawa hadn’t been kidding about being at this for hours, Hitoshi feeling like he was on the verge of a heart attack as he tried to keep up with Aizawa’s movements, blocking attacks and throwing back his own weak punches which were easily blocked - not that that mattered. Hitoshi was pretty sure he could land a hit and it would only feel like punching a brick.

Despite all odds, though, Hitoshi felt as if he was finally starting to get the hang of it, frantic thoughts calming and relaxing as he fell into a rhythm of blocking and punching, mind narrowing in on the goal of landing at least one hit before the session came to an end. Just one hit might prove he could do something right and earn him a bit more time.

So focused on hitting, Hitoshi didn’t notice his concentration slip until he stumbled in his steps at a hasty dodge, exhaustion long since past the point of weighing him down. Getting his feet back under him, Hitoshi jerked his gaze back just in time to see a fist flying towards his face.

Exhausted, off-guard, and thoughts a mess, Hitoshi followed his body’s immediate instincts, freezing in place, slamming his eyes shut, and bracing his body for the hit that was about to come.

An agonizing few seconds of waiting happened before Hitoshi heard a quiet, “Shinsou.” Cracking his eyes open to see Aizawa, Hitoshi’s breath left him in a rush of air, thoughts slotting back into place as he realized this was a sparring session. No one was trying to attack him. It was just sparring.

Taking a moment to focus himself, Hitoshi realized Aizawa was still staring at him. His stance had dropped completely and Aizawa was looking at him with a complicated expression that was a mix of so many things Hitoshi couldn’t even begin to name them. If he had to guess, pity was no doubt one of them.

“Sorry,” Hitoshi finally said, feeling as if his heart was pounding out of his chest as he realized just how badly he had messed up. “I got distracted.”

Aizawa was quiet for a moment, finally asking a simple, “How many fights have you been a part of?” Hitoshi flinched at that, trying to figure out how to answer. He didn’t even get to before Aizawa cut him off with a hard, “Not how many you started.”

Rubbing at the back of his neck, Hitoshi did his best not to look at Aizawa, breathing out slowly and trying to calm his heart before he really did give himself a heart attack. He finally managed to struggle out a quiet, “A lot.”

“How many of them were bigger or older than you?” The question was simple, but Hitoshi’s teeth clicked together from how fast he shut his mouth, memories of how it wasn’t always his classmates to attack him filling his head. “Shinsou.”

“It’s really not that bad, Sensei, I was just caught off-guard and let myself get distracted. I promise it won’t happen again if you decide to keep training me, I promise-”

“Hitoshi.” His name wasn’t shouted at him, or yelled, or said like he was in trouble. It was more… like an exhausted realization. “How many?”

Hitoshi swallowed, eyes flitting up to Aizawa’s face as he managed a near whisper of, “A lot.”

“Okay.” Aizawa breathed out a heavy sigh for a moment, exhaustion seeming to cling to every part of him before he nodded. “Okay.”

He walked over towards him and Hitoshi just barely managed to suppress his flinch, startled and confused when Aizawa stood beside him and took up a new stance, giving Hitoshi an expectant look. Letting his confusion grow, Hitoshi warily copied the stance, Aizawa nodding.

“What I was showing you before is good when you need to constantly be on the move and ready to throw your own attack back, but this stance is better for ducking oncoming attacks and, eventually, disengaging from the fight entirely.”

Hitoshi was breathless, staring at Aizawa as he realized what the man was doing. Just like before he had walked in, Hitoshi’s head was filled with more than it could hold, but all he could get out was a quiet, “You don’t…” He didn’t know how to end it. There were too many ways to end it.

“There’s a difference.” Aizawa’s voice was quiet, barely louder than the pounding in Hitoshi’s ears. “There’s a difference between fighting villains and fighting bullies.” Aizawa took a slow, steady breath, looking back at him with not a trace of regret or reluctance. “I’m going to show you how to deal with both of them.”

Feeling the burning in his eyes start, Hitoshi shot his gaze towards the ground, too much going on in his head to begin to make sense of it. After a minute or two of steadying himself, he finally managed to pick out two words, voice soft and quiet and grateful as he whispered, “Thank you.”

Maybe all of this wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.