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bonesy-doodles · 3 months

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TELL US ALL OF YOUR GHOUL HEADCANONS ‼️🙏💕

I mean, you asked for this!!! This is probably not all of my headcanons, just the ones I could remember off the top of my head, as this is all still a work in progress for me!

I will also include the Ghouls pictures again so people can refer back their designs cause I do touch on design choices for them as they, to me, are included in headcanons as every makes their ghouls unique on some way.

Okay, first up!

DEWDROP!!

There’s a lot for this man. So, Dewdrop used to be a water ghoul, however he’s not a multighoul like Swiss, Sunshine and Aurora because his element was transmuted during the binding ritual when he was passed from Terzo to Copia. So, my brain thought “what is water-like fire” and it landed on magma! So that’s why he looks volcanic. His gills closed over and became lava cracks, his fish scales became reptilian, and now he runs hot like a furnace. His ears are pointed like fire ghouls, but have points kinda like fish fins still. Dew also has fire manipulation and can essentially ignite fires (commits minor arson constantly) but that’s how he lights his cigarettes. He still has retained a great lung capacity and can hold his breath long enough to almost rival Rain’s infinite breath. The biggest trouble maker of the Ghouls and the worst influence on newer ghouls (i.e Phantom). He’s the shortest of the dudes, but makes up for it by setting you on fire if you make short jokes.

Also!!! I am a defender of the dark-hair Dewdrop design!! I know it’s very common for him to have blonde or white hair, but it was just not giving for this design. I tried, I promise! (I’m glad I’ve been seeing people love it though! My agenda is spreading!)

For fire ghoul visuals, I definitely focused on emulating glowing flame visuals, using red, orange, yellow, and white to give that effect with browns and blacks to make them look crispy. Scales and long pointed ears that go upward are also common for fire ghouls.

PHANTOM

Quintessence Ghouls are basically space and/or ghostly types of ghouls, as quintessence to me is everything between the elements and makes up everything (like stardust!!) Phantom, as a Quintessence ghoul can “see beyond the elements” with what I call aura reading at the moment, like seeing vibes and emotions. They can also float! Or slow their falls essentially. Not really fly like air ghouls. Phantom is actually, to me, one of the three most chaotic ghouls, alongside Dew and Swiss, and causes a lot of chaos at the Ministry. My favorite joke with my two wives who I discuss all this lore with often is that Phantom once pissed in the Unholy Water Bowl in the West Chapel right before a midnight mass, which caused a lot of problems for the Ghoul Den Overseer. Just to illustrate the shit Phantom pulls at the Ministry.

But specifically for Phantoms visuals, he reminds me of the moon, the tone of gray, his swirling vitiligo-esc patches. He has really dark eyes which is not very common for Quintessence ghouls.

AETHER

The second tallest and most beefiest of all the Ghouls. I mean, have you seen the arms on that man!!!! Like Phantom, Aether has the aura reading ability and is the expert at floating and slowing his falls (it’s how he achieves all the wild jumps on stage, like dude gets air time). His freckles actually form constellations, and on his shoulder you can see the Big Dipper cause he’s a big guy (yes that’s the joke, that’s why I gave him the Big Dipper). Aether acts as one of the minders of the Ghoul Den, kind of like the exasperated dad of the group. Tries his best to fix the chaos the other Ghouls cause to lessen the work of the Ghoul Den Overseer, put out Dew’s fires, etc. Also a fuzzy guy, which is uncommon for Quintessence ghouls, like he’s so soft somehow.

For Quintessence Ghoul designs, I really wanted to focus on the space aspect. All of them have space freckles, and their horns all swirl in some way (Phantom and Auroras swirling physically, and Aethers have swirling grooves/markings on them). Also, their ears are bovine-like in someways, cause I’ve always categorized Aether as like a space cow in my head. Their color palettes usually veer towards magenta, purple, and indigo (cause those are my favorite colors and Quintessence ghouls are my favorite).

RAIN

As a water ghoul, Rain has gills, fins on various parts of his body, and webbed fingers and toes (it’s a bit freaky). Also, serrated teeth like a piranha. If you’ve ever touched a fish, that wet feeling of their scales is how it feels to touch him. He can breathe underwater with his gills and will often be found in the lakes on the Ministry’s grounds when he needs to chill. His tail is a bit thick than other ghouls, as well as finned to help with swimming. Also water manipulation abilities! (It’s giving Cleo from H2O). He’s also bioluminescent! His scales and the lighter markings on him all glow

He does participate in problem causing sometimes, but is also exasperated mom of the group (cue his disappointed mom pose of hands on hips). Aether and Rain are the duo that hold Dew up by his arms while he’s trying to sprint towards trouble. Rain often has his hair pulled back in pony tails, or braided as he has a lot of hair, and it’s gets in the way while he’s swimming.

Water ghouls in general have everything above that I’ve already mentioned for Rain, all the fish like aspects. They tend to be blue toned and have a variety of scale coloration, often green, blue and purple in tones (duochrome, iridescent, pearlescent, etc).

MOUNTAIN

Biggest of the Ghouls and third beefiest! He’s also fuzzy! Mountain has a connection with the earth (duh, all earth ghouls do), which allows them to feel the “heartbeat of the earth”, gives them that killer rhythm on the drums. He’s big into growing plants and taking care of the Ministry’s gardens, which he excels in as Earth ghouls also can affect plant growth as well as other earth things like soil. The flowers behind his ear in the art are actually Belladonna, also known as Deadly Nightshade!

Mountain also has two ways to shift himself, one being normal legs and his most natural ghoul state is hoofed/goat legs, which is why he doesn’t like wearing shoes (it’s a weird feeling). His horns are gigantic as Earth ghoul horns tend to be, and have a cracked earth/clay patterning (his very first design iteration had cracked clay skin, but I did not like how it looked). His coloration and markings are very deer like, along with his ears. Mountain is very quiet compared to the rest of the Ghouls, he gives cryptid energy while at the Ministry.

Earth ghouls in general tend to lean towards more green and brown tones, with the previously mentioned giant horns. They can also have a variety of mammal like variations to them, but the most common is forest animals like deer, beer, wolves, coyotes, etc. They tend to be the fluffiest of the ghouls, and also the biggest. It’s just natural for them to be tall.

SWISS

Being a multighoul of all elements, he basically is a shadow ghoul (mix all paint colors and you get dark brown/black was my idea). He’s the third tallest and the second beefiest ghoul. Swiss has shadow manipulation abilities and can kinda merge into the shadows, which he uses to sneak around, cause problems and prank people. Also as a multighoul of all elements, he can kind of emulate abilities of other elements, like him being able to hold his breathe underwater longer than natural, his singing voice is siren-like similar to air ghouls, etc. He’s also fuzzy!!

Also, Swiss is the biggest accessorizer and has the most piercings of all the ghouls. He likes how it gives him some pizzazz. Also has gifted every ghoul at least one set of jewelry they are ornamented with (thought it was funny to get Dew the upside cross earrings).

And Satanas, the shit this man gets up to. There is a reason he’s on his stage of shame most of the time. Swiss enables all of Dew’s chaos with a giant smile on his face. It’s like winding up a toy and letting it spin.

Little side note about Multighouls, there are only two all element Multighouls in the Ministry, one being Swiss, the other actually being Phil! The Special Ghoul! He was once seen playing several instruments, signifying his elemental range, but tends to keep to himself compared to Swiss.

AURORA

The newest multighoul, and second multighoulette! Aurora is dual elemental, Air and Quintessence which together makes her embody an Aurora Borealis (her name sake). With her two elements, she gets her skin coloration and patterning, eyes, and swirling horn from her Quintessence aspect. Her space freckles are a bit more on the bluer side due to the air aspect however, as well as her second set of horns as air ghouls often have two sets of horns or two pronged horns. Her ears are bovine and bat-like. She has smaller wings compared to a full air ghoul, but her floating ability also helps. It’s a very interesting combo to watch. Also, her hair is just naturally like that, no hair dye involved. Don’t ask her how it changes color as it grows, she doesn’t know.

Aurora is probably the most energetic of the Ghoulettes, and is besties with Swiss. Is constantly helping him get into shit. In general is an accomplice to Swiss and the Ghoulettes. She loves being involved in the shit they all pull. And despite her stature, as the shortest of all the Ghouls, she will body a bitch (the shorter you are the closer to hell you get)!

CUMULUS

The biggest, fluffiest hair. It’s so long and so much and it’s her pride and joy! It’s how she got the name Cumulus because of how much it reminded Copia of cumulus clouds. As an Air ghoul, Cumulus has large bat-like wings that allow her to fly. They can be folded and retracted if need be as they can get in the way. In the Ghoul Den, the Air Ghouls have a loft only accessible to those with wings, or if you tempt fate and get someone to throw you. Cumulus’s air ghoul horns formed in the shape of crescents, so she doesn’t have two sets, instead is categorized as two pronged.

As previously mentioned, Air ghouls have siren-like voices (referencing Greek myth sirens being bird women) and Cumulus is the epitome of this ability. Can get people to do her bidding just by whispering sweet words into their ears.

Cumulus and Cirrus are a duo, as they were summoned together and bonded over being Air Ghoulettes, if you see one of them, the other is not far away or far behind.

CIRRUS

The tallest of the Ghoulettes and somehow the chillest comparative to the others. She’s still a ghoul though, so the chaos scale is broken anyway. As previously mentioned, she is Cumulus’s other half and visually is opposite of her on many ways. Darker, straight hair which is uncommon for Air ghouls, along with darker eyes. She also has the biggest wing span of all the Air Ghouls, and is the fastest with Sunshine a close second. Her vocals are second to Cumulus’s however. Not nearly at the level of controlling, but she can still bring anyone to their knees if need be.

Truly, Cumulus and Cirrus are a power couple amongst the Ghouls because their siren abilities affect Ghouls as well, just to a lesser degree, so if need be (with a good enough bribe) they can put a pause on the chaos if it gets too out of hand. The bribe has to be really good like, they like watching shit get crazy.

SUNSHINE

Finally, Sunshine. The first multighoulette summoned, and her dual elements are Air and Fire. Her fire like appearance veered away from volcanic like Dew to being like Sun Spots (areas on the sun that are darker than the rest of it) and that’s why her scales are rounded compared to Dew’s. Her wings are also smaller like Aurora’s, still bat-like but also gives dragon because of the reptilian aspect of Fire ghouls. She does have two sets of horns which she likes to ornament like Swiss.

Sunshine and Aurora bond over being air based multighoulettes and also have joined the multighoul secret club with Swiss and Phil. What do they do there? Well, it’s a secret of course. It wouldn’t be a secret club otherwise!

Also, there have been several cases of arson that have been committed that were blamed on Dewdrop, but were actually done by Sunshine, but she’s a great liar and loves getting Dew in trouble. She like orchestrates that shit.

Now that I’ve touched upon all of the air ghouls, basically, air ghouls tend to be either teal or yellow in tone, usually with cloud like markings (however Aurora and Sunshine’s dual elements change that). Their ears tend to be bat shaped, along with them sporting the large bat wings that give them the ability to fly. There have been cases, however, that air ghouls have feathered wings, the only known case being the first summoned keyboardist, aptly named Air. No one knows why he’s the only one, he just claims it’s cause he’s cool like that. Also mentioned the siren like voices, it’s not a universal Air ghoul ability, some more attuned with it than others, but it’s quite common seeing as all four Ghoulettes along with Swiss possess the ability to some degree (Air does not because he’s not cool like that).

GHOULS IN GENERAL

Kind of wanted to go into some general stuff for the ghouls within the Ministry and the Summoning process.

When a Ghoul is summoned by a Papa (the only person really sanctioned to summon ghouls with some exceptions of course), they are bound to that Papa, with some sort of mark to signify this binding. For the Papas, they each use their individual grucifixes as this marking (Copia’s ghouls were for a while marked with the basic Grucifix because he was initially a Cardinal. Technically, during that Era, the Ghouls should have been bound to Nihil, however Sister Imperator pulled the exception card for her little Cardi. Once Copia became Papa, the binding ritual was redone to remark them with his new grucifix). All of the ghouls do have grucifixes essentially tattooed onto their body in different locations, but there’s a lot of development for that and some still undecided so that can’t wait until I’ve drawn full bodies for all the ghouls.

Also, mentioned a few times in this was the Ghoul Den Overseer, who is actually a Sibling of Sin character of mine (because I over indulge myself and this is my lore interpretation anyway, I do what I want). Their “confirmation” name (christened? Sataned?) is Rigoria/Rigorian, last name Mortuous. Yes, it’s a play on Rigor Mortis but my name is literally Bones. I will be drawing them as well at some point so I can show you guys my interpretation of the Siblings of Sins in different Papal Eras.

#the band ghost #nameless ghouls #nameless ghoul fanart #dewdrop ghoul #phantom ghoul #aether ghoul #rain ghoul #mountain ghoul #swiss ghoul #aurora ghoulette #cumulus ghoulette #cirrus ghoulette #sunshine ghoulette #bonesy talks #should be called bonesy yaps at this point

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civetfish · 5 months

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Was gonna wait to post this outside of ko-fi until I posted the corresponding part of my fic BUT since that's on hold for a hot second I might as well do it now!

So much yapping under the cut because I can't help myself lol (Mostly just a stream of consciousness, so its kind of a word salad)

I like to think that colors can change in brightness, mix with others, and appear in certain areas/patterns to give a bit of complexity to the use of colors for communication.

Top left is pretty straightforward- yellow is fear. It's the full body "puffed up cat" kind of fear where it's the ony emotion being processed. A lingering anxiousness would be shown more like a general yellow centered around the chest, while the rest of their body remains the same color. Feelings like a slight nervousness (Like handling a delicate object with big crab-claws, for example) would be shown through a "rippling" wave of yellow overtop of whatever colors are already present, originating from the chest or hands. ((link) this is pretty close to what I imagine (If the link doesn't work, skip to about 2:10) Spooky ocean warning! though if you're seeing this post in the first place I assume you're probably fine with it )

Green is analytical - He does this a few times in-game, and it's what makes the most sense to me. I also like to think it's the reasoning behind a lot of the Architect's... well, architecture. Green is a really predominant color in all of the architect structures / data hubs / machines / etc., so in cultural sense it would make sense for the Architects to be using the color representing their core values. The light blue around his sides is amusement/joy. (I put a little bit of this into my first chapter iirc) This is also based pretty closely to what we see in-game. (I.e. the little wave he does back at Robin, it's silly and playful and I love it sm)

The gray/dull tones (bottom left) are just that- the "muting/dulling" of whatever color it's applied to. The Architect who kind of killed his entire species is a little depressed if you can believe it! A muted blue (indigo, rather than light blue) would be melancholy, and the yellow tint in there is stress/dread. A completely dim gray Architect is basically completely numb, which is distinct from the typical "resting color" that Architects have when not feeling any emotion in particular at a given moment.

Dark blue (Or indigo, bottom right) is sadness. It could also be read as a sense of longing or wistfulnes, or a lot of other nuanced feelings depending on other colors or context clues.

And of course magenta (bottom middle) and that coral-ish color are love, more or less. It's a sense of fondness and deep affection, though Al-an himself is probably under the impression it's more like a loyalty and protectiveness; I don't think he has any real experience with love considering what we know about the network.

The coral color in the center of his chest is something I'll dive into more when I get that chapter out, but I think of it as a flush/heat, like an Architect blush. Orange is added to colors to increase the intensity of the emotion underneath, such as the inclusion with magenta to mean flustered or to red to mean a more heated rage. An embarassed architect would be fully orange, possibly leaning a bit towards pink, red or yellow depending on the specific situation.

For an "emotionless peak of innovation and efficiency" I am determined to shove SO many feelings into this shrimp horse. This stream of word spaghetti will eventually get rewritten into a basic color code.

#whoops that was about 400 more words than i intended it to be #This is why I have a side blog for this lmao #His metal plate patterns are my least favorite thing to do. Al-an ily but I'm so particular and you have SO much detail #subnautica below zero #al-an #subnautica below 0 #alan subnautica #robin ayou #al an subnautica #sbz #robin subnautica #civet's art stuff

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moonlitstoriess · 4 months

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Across the Universe-ch.3 (Fenrys x Reader)

Summary: Y/n has everything she needs in life. A family, friends, a safe place she calls home and most importantly a male whom she loves. What happens when it all changes when Y/n finds out about the betrayal of her lover and her so called family? Well, ending up in Terassen and in queen Aelin's court was not what she expected but what she will need to start her new journey full of surprises.

Warnings: Traumatic flashback, brief description of SA, abuse.

See masterlist

A/n: Hey guys! Just a heads up, I gave a brief description of y/n here but nothing too specific as in the end, I want you to imagine yourselves in y/n's place. Hope you enjoy this :)))

Following the Illyrian traditions was very important. Submitting to the males wishes, their desires and orders, being a proper house maid was the future of almost every female unfortunate enough to be born in Illyria. This point was confirmed once more as she stood near the stove in the kitchen, silently humming to herself with the hopes of drowning out the ugly laughters of him and his male friends in the dining room, drinking and burying themselves in all the fat and gluttony.

"Y/n, sweetheart, come here!" There it was, that deceptively caring voice that only came out when he was so drunk that he could not even tell the difference between a goblet and a chamber pot, drinking ale from the latter and declaring it the finest vintage in all the realm.

She knew better than to argue or even think of putting up a fight.

When she entered the room, there were 3 other males with him, all smirking at her while greedily looking up and down her body with eyes that held hunger within them. At that moment, as he got up and went to lock the door behind her, y/n realized her fate. She wanted nothing more than to die right then and there.

"Sweetness, why don't you give us a show first?" one of them said, giving her a disgusting cruel smile that displayed his rotting, yellow teeth.

And so, as her 16 year old body was forcefully defiled all night long by these vile monsters, as her pleas fell on deaf ears, as they slapped and cut her up for their pleasure, y/n knew that hell would be kinder to her than Illyria and its males.

Y/n's eyes shot open as she immediately jumped up to a sitting position on the bed with a racing heart and a sweat covered body. It had been a while since these nightmares last happened to her. Visions of those horrible, dark times. They started coming back right when Azriel stopped sleeping with her. Now it seems that they have just gotten worse.

"Shhh, oh you poor child, you are safe now."

Y/n turned her head around to see an older female, with graying hair rubbing her back in comforting circles.

She did not have the energy to use her voice, so y/n whispered, "Who are you? Where am I?"

The woman smiled as she calmly explained, "My name is Isolde and I am one of the head royal healers. You are in the healing hut where I have been taking care of you for the past one day."

"I have been in this state for a whole day?"

"Yes. After you passed out, Aedion was meant to come find me but it seemed like Fenrys had a different plan. Oh, you should have seen him when he winnowed here. He was frantic! I never saw him so worried before. He laid you down here on the hut and only said 'Help her, please.' Then he winnowed again and left you here in my care. In the past day, her majesty queen Aelin and the lady Lysandra came down here twice to check up on you, but you were still unconscious."

Fenrys was worried about her? Of course he was worried. They were all worried because y/n is their captive and they could not have her dead before they got the information they needed out of her.

With a scoff, she turned her head around to inspect the room. There were two rows of beds here on each side of the wall and two circular windows at each end of the room. Multiple shelves and tables around the place contained all sorts of books, medications, and some kinds of herbs. The light coming from the afternoon sun cast a comforting glow around the room.

The healer got up and began to gently inspect y/n as she said, "Her majesty said to bring you to her once you were better again. There is a washroom just outside this door on the left and inside you will also find some clothes. Although it was quite challenging to find a shirt that would somehow go through your wings which is why I washed your old shirt and put it back there."

That is when y/n looked down and realized that she was wearing some sort of chest binds and underpants. Oh Cauldron boil her...they had to strip her naked? At her worried face the female replied with a knowing smile, "Yes, I saw your scars and burns but do not worry, I was the only one who changed your clothes so your secret shall go with me to my grave. I swear it."

Slightly embarassed, but grateful nonetheless, she nodded her head and wordlessly padded to the washroom. After washing up and changing into a fresh and comfortable set of brown pants, her old, long sleeved shirt, and new, knee high light brown boots, y/n left the washroom and followed the healer out towards wherever this queen wanted them to be at.

When Fenrys got word from Aelin that y/n was finally awake and that Isolde would bring her to the formal sitting room soon, he immediately raced through the woods in his wolf form to reach the palace in time. He did not know why or how but Fenrys was definetly feeling something unusual and foreign whenever he was around her.

He remembers how, two days ago when Rowan felt y/n's presence within Terassen's teritorry and sent him to investigate, Fenrys did not expect to be dumbfounded by this winged female lying unconscious on the ground. She was ethereal. Her gorgeous, soft hair that he suddenly felt like running his fingers through, her plump, full lips, gentle yet defined features that made her look like a work of art. But most importantly, her unique and breathtaking black wings that seemed to glitter under the sunlight.

And then, when he winnowed them to the formal meeting room, he felt her nervousness and wanted nothing more than to make her feel safe. It did not help that being right behind her meant that he could smell her delicious scent of jasmine and peach. He remembers how, when Rowan took y/n's air out, Fenrys had this sudden and animalistic urge to kill him. Rowan, his closest companion for so many centuries, suddenly became his number one enemy.

Lastly, when y/n fell unconscious again because of shock...Fenrys could not even understand his own actions. He was supposed to wait just like everyone else until Aedion called someone but...he could not stand there and watch her lie unmoving, so he immediately winnowed her to Isolde. Even though he did not visit y/n after that, he would unsuspiciously ask everyone for updates on her. He knew he should not care but, whatever this silly thing inside him was made him care for some foolish reason.

"So what if she fell unconscious? We still need to keep our eyes on her every move. If our assumptions are true, she is a stranger from a completely different world."

Lorcans voice brought Fenrys back from his thoughts as he watched his family argue over y/n and her fate. Lorcan and Elide arrived just this morning from Perranth after Aelin sent word to them.

"I agree. But she also did not seem like a big threat either. She looked quite shocked when she realized what was happening." Lysandra said while glaring at Lorcan.

"And? it all may have just been a part of her innocent act to reach whatever her goal is."

"Lorcan please calm down, we will se-" Elide was cut off by Lysandras voice.

"You really are a soulles creature then aren't you? Gods...She fell unconscious!! How do you act that out?" Lysandra was staring daggers at him.

"Lorcan is right. Unconscious or not, she is a threat to us for as long as she is in here."

"Really Rowan? I ca-"

"Alright that has been sufficient enough, you three." Aelin said as she gave a pointed look to her mate, Lysandra and Lorcan before continuing, "We won't know anything until we speak to her and that means, we also can not come to any conclusions until we get her side of the story. So either you act like rational beings and we interrogate her properly, or you can just leave the room right at this moment because I do not wish to deal with any additional headaches right now." Her queen side truly came out as those turquoise eyes looked harshly at everyone, including Fenrys, and especially at Lorcan.

But no one could say anything else because the doors opened and in walked Isolde with y/n behind her and Fenrys once again had this urge to be near her and protect her from the unavoidable interrogation that was about to happen. She had an indifferent facial expression on that could fool anyone else but not him. Because for some reason, Fenrys could scent her discomfort and curiosity as her eyes looked around the room.

Y/n noted that his room was different from the previous one. Because while the previous one had different colors, this one was covered in various shades of green starting with pale and ending with forest dark. The floor was covered in a beige and green floral patterned rug, in the center there was a small, circular, golden brown table and on each side of it there was a green couch with hints of silver in their patterns. There also was a white marble fireplace that was currently empty. Finally, on each side of the fireplace, there were two floor to ceiling windows that displayed the gardens outside.

The strangers from the other day were all here, some sitting on the couches while others were standing in the center, but there were also two new strangers that she did not recognize. The extremely tall, tan, muscled man with brown hair that reached his shoulders was not the type that could be overlooked. It was as if his presence always demanded attention. Not to mention the fact that those threatening dark eyes were currently staring at her. If looks could kill, y/n would already be dead. Next to him, was a very small, pale woman with dark black hair and the most adorable face. She was also staring at y/n, but unlike the intimidating beast next to her, she was smiling with genuine kindness.

And then there was Fenrys who was leaning against the wall near the window, staring at her. His arms were crossed which made the impressively large muscles under his white tunic bulge and that made her feel hot all over her body. But, she managed to reign in her feelings and stood stoic faced looking straight at the blond, blue eyed female who was now walking closer to y/n.

"Well, I hope you are feeling better now." The female said, standing face to face with her and assesing y/n with her eyes.

"I am, thanks to Isolde." Y/n turned her head sideways and gave the healer, who was standing next to the door, a small yet genuine smile which Isolde returned.

"Yes. Well, she is our head healer for a reason after all. Thank you Isolde, you may leave now."

Isolde did a small bow and then turned to leave. Once the door closed, Y/n's cold facial expression came back on while looking at the female before her and already mapping out her potential exits from the room. She managed find a small but sharp needle in the washroom so, that was her only weapon as her knife was taken from her when she was unconscious. It is not like y/n was sad about it anyways because that knife was gifted to her by Azriel for their 50th anniversary.

"Y/n, come sit. Don't worry no one is going to hurt you...yet." The blond said with a small smirk as if expecting her to be afraid.

But y/n had seen and been through worse situations when she was working for Rhysand and had to go on missions with Cassian or Azriel. Her name though, how did they kn- Oh, yes, well of course Fenrys told them. Y/n cursed herself for ever revealing her name to him and went to sit on the empty couch without showing an ounce of fear. They could interrogate her all they like but they could never break her.

When she saw the tatooed male opening his mouth to say something, she crossed her arms and said with an indifferent tone, "Shouldn't I know your names? I mean, I could refer to each of you by your hair colors like 'silver hair' or 'ugly brown hair'..." at that she gave a look at the tall brooding man and continued, "but I would really rather call you by your names."

The blond female fully smirked before saying, "My name is Aelin and I am the queen of this teritorry. The 'silver hair' is prince consort Rowan and my mate."

"My name is Elide and I am the lady of Perranth" the small woman said while smiling sweetly at y/n before pointing to the still angry-looking giant beside her and saying, "he is my husband, Lorcan. Please do not be afraid of him he is just-"

"Acting like a baby? Do not worry Elide I am not afraid of men that seem threatened by my presence. It adds to my ego and confidence." Y/n said with a smirk as Lorcan got visibly angrier at her while someone on the other side of the room let out a small chuckle.

Aelin was full on smiling when y/n heard another voice, "Finally! Someone who can put Lorcan in his place. My name is Lysandra by the way" the brown eyed female said with a wink. Lastly, leaning against the couch was Aelin's look a like who, with cold eyes that were assesing her said, "Aedion." It seems like all the males here hate her. Well, how fantastic!

"And that is Fenrys, whom I believe you are already acquinted with." Aelin said, gesturing to him. Fenrys, still stuck to his place by the wall, only gave her a quick and wordless nod before looking away.

Rowan sat on the couch facing her and said, "Now, since we cleared that up, y/n, tell us where you are from."

Y/n sighed before telling them about her world, but still keeping some information hidden from them. She told them about the different courts, the type of fae, of Illyria and her wings, the mortal lands and the wars.

When she was finished, they each had different facial expressions while processing what y/n just said. Aedion, seemingly the only one to quickly gather his thoughts asked, "Then, in your world...Prythian? there are many who like you, have wings."

She nodded before saying, "Yes, these wings are specific to Illyria. Those who are from there have these black, bat-like wings. But there also are those with white, feathery wings. For instance, in the Dawn court. Those are called Peregryn."

Rowan asked her next, "And the Night court is where you work?"

"Worked. I was there for 52 years serving its High lord. But then...let's just say I was betrayed. In fact, I was packing my things and getting ready to leave right before I ended up here."

"So you just suddenly ended up here?" Elide asked curiously from her place on the couch right next to Lorcan who had one hand within reach of his knife and the other on Elide's waist. Y/n smirked, he thinks he is so slick but she has already memorized the ways of those like him. Always ready to attack. Which, if he does dare to attempt, the long and sharp needle in her pocket will find its way quicker to his throat than the knife in his hand will reach her.

"No, while I was getting ready to leave, I heard a voice calling me. I did not understand what it was saying and then, I got this deep urge within me to go find its source. So I flew to where it was and found that it was the Book of Breathings that was calling me all along."

At their puzzled faces, y/n asked, "You do know about the Book of Breathings, yes?"

Lysandra and Aelin exchanged a confused yet slightly alarmed look before the former asked, "Should we be aware of it?"

Oh, they definetly had no idea. With no other choices left, y/n explained all about the 3 objects of the Trove, how they managed to gather them, or rather how Nesta managed to gather them, and finally about the Book of Breathings.

Aelin, still seemingly deep in thought said, "That is how you won your war then."

"Well, we also had the upper hand because there were 3 of the most ancient beings, Gods of a sort, fighting on our side. My at the time high lady and high lord made deals with them in order to make them fight for us."

At that, Aelin scoffed, "How fortunate that the Gods in your world atleast agreed to aid you in your wars."

At y/n's puzzled look, Aedion smirked as he said, "My cousin killed the Gods of our world. One of her many titles is Godskiller."

To say y/n was shocked would be an understatement "How? I mean...how do you just manage to kill the Gods? How is that possible?"

Everyone in the room apart for y/n shared a look before Rowan said, "You told us about your world, it is only fair that we tell you about ours."

And so, they all,except Lorcan because he is still a brooding child, took part in explaining her all about their world. They told her about Wyrdgates, Valgs, the king of Adarlan, the Wyrdkeys, the Iron Witches and their matrons, their Wyverns, Maeve, Erawan, the war at Orynth, how Aelin managed to close the gates with her powers, and lastly, about the sacrifice of the Blackbeak witches that gave the upper hand for them to win the final battle. This all happened 3 years ago. It was clear that they left out quite a few things and by the stern looks Aelin was sometimes giving to them, it was about her but y/n did not blame them. After all, she also left out information about how the Night court or any other court in Prythian works, what is Velaris and what was her position at court, how skilled she is at war or just fighting in general, her age, Amarantha's 50 year reign and most definetly, her past.

Y/n had never heard so many shocking revelations at once. What on earth did they go through? So many innocents were being forced to wear chockers or rings with whatever those demons were? The fae of Erilea were definetly different from those in Prythian. But what spiked her curiosity the most, was the information she got on the Ironteeth, Blackbeak witches. Apparently, her wings were similar to those of their Wyverns and from what they told her, y/n felt like she would get along well with them.

She turned her head towards Aelin and asked, "So, now you have no powers left?"

Aelin sighed and came down to sit next to her, which made Rowan immediately come to stand right behind her at the edge of the sofa, watching y/n with a gaze that dared her to even try doing something to his mate and queen. Y/n genuinely smiled, how impressive (and romantic) that he loves and protects her so much.

"Well, I gave most of it away but, there is still a little bit left in me. Not large enough to burn down a forest or create a fire wall but, enough to still remind me of my roots."

Nodding, y/n turned her head to everyone else, landing her gaze on Fenrys, while asking no one in particular, "What powers do the rest of you have? I know silver hair over there has some air power that can take the breath out of your body but...what about the rest of you?"

Lorcan scoffed, "Who do you think you are-"

"Shapeshifting. I can shift into any form of living being." Lysandra cut in after giving Lorcan a death stare. Y/n smirked, she liked this female very much.

After everyone, except for well...of course Lorcan and Elide said what their powers were, y/n noticed how Fenrys never once opened his mouth during this entire process, preferring to stare at her from his spot near the window.

So, she asked him, "Fenry-"

But he cut her off, "Lorcan is right. You are in no position to ask us of anything. Better you shut up than ask things that are of no concern to you. My powers are known to those that need to know of it." and with that, he stalked towards the doors and left the room.

Lorcan was smirking until Elide jabbed him with her elbow, Rowan, surprisingly, did not seem happy and Aedion had an unreadable expression. Y/n thought that maybe just maybe Fenrys would not be against her but...it truly seems like she is the number one enemy of all the males here.

Aelin let out a small cough that drew y/n's attention from the door and told her with an uncertain smile, "You...could stay in the palace, I will have a guest bedroom arranged for you if you wish. And while you're here, we could look into this whole matter of gates and help you find a way on how to get you home."

"Oh no I really should start looking for a way to leave, and besides, your males do not seem to want me he-"

"Finally, something we can agr-"

"No." Elide said, cutting of her husband and then looking at y/n, "The males can go and brood for as long as they like but you are a stranger to our world which means out there you won't find anything. Your best chance is here, within the palace walls."

"Bu-"

"I command it as the queen."

"You are not my queen."

"But you are standing on my grounds and that means, whatever I say is law."

Aelin and y/n stared at one another, unflinching, holding each others gaze before y/n finally said, "Alright!"

Aelin smiled, before saying, "Ladies, shall we escort our guest to her bed chambers?"

Lysandra and Elide both stood which caused their husbands to immediately hug them as if they are newborn babies who could not stand being away from their mother. Y/n's heart ached because that was how Azriel was with her once. What was he doing now? Was he worried for her? She doubted it.

Aelin placed her hand on y/n's shoulder to bring her back to reality, as she softly said, "Come"

When the queen and her two ladies led her to her room, y/n's shock was written all over her face but she did not care. She has lived in and seen luxury for quite a large span of her life now, but not even her bedchambers at Velaris or the ones at Dawn court could ever come close to this.

The room was medium sized which added to its comfort. On the right side of the wall, was a large bed with a golden headboard, pale pink or almost white covers and white, see through curtains hanging above. Next to it, was a small, beige nightstand that had a small vase full of daisies, lilacs and a candle that stood on a small golden holder. Opposite to the bed, on the left side of the wall, was a white table with golden designs around the corners that held a large mirror, various beauty products and a singular vase full of white roses. Right next to it, was a white door which Aelin said leads to the washroom and beyond that, the large wardrobe. In front of it was a small, soft, white chair with golden stag figures over it. In the middle of the room, was a small, low, cream colored rectangular table and next to it, were two light gold lounge chairs. Behind the table and the chairs, was one large floor to ceiling window that was covered by, again, white see through curtains and beyond that, it seemed that there was a balcony that overlooked the vast expanse of this territory. The floor was covered in a large, white rug with pale pink and gold designs all over it. The room smelled of roses, vanilla, and other lovely citrusy scents.

"Aelin, I am so glad you listened to me when I said that we needed to have a feminine guest room for our female visitors." Elide said, gazing lovingly into the room.

"One of the best rooms in the West wing." Lysandra said before winking at y/n.

"Get some rest, I shall have food delivered to you and we can begin tomorrow."

Y/n gave a small thankful nod, but before she could say anything else, a messenger with black hair and gray eyes came into the room, bowed to Aelin and said with a small smirk, "Your message was received. King Dorian can't come now which is why Chaol and Yrene are on their way."

Aelin smiled and said, "Thank you Nox, what about Manon?"

"The queen of witches has not replied yet but it seems she has a lot to do in her kingdom. After all, she has to share it. My guess is that she and Dorian will come together."

"Ah those two, I am counting down the days till I hear of their union." Lysandra said while shaking her head.

When Nox saw y/n, he swept his gaze all over her, smirked even bigger than before, before bowing to Aelin and exiting the room.

Aelin, who saw the whole thing, just smiled shaking her head and said, "Nox Owens. He is...we have been friends ever since I was 18 and now he is my main messenger."

Elide took Aelin and Lysandra's hand and led them towards the door but not before saying, "Good night y/n! See you tomorrow."

And as y/n got ready for bed and ate her food, all alone in this foreign place, she wondered what her future held for her and how she would get home.

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

A/n: 4.4k words! Wow... but it was so much fun to write and also why not give you guys some more juicy stuff? Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed reading this and see you in the next chapter <3

Taglist: @wallacewillow0773638 @cleverzonkwombatsludge @ladespedidas @mis-lil-red @going-through-shit @kaitttttttt @bunnyredgirl @crazylokonugget @blackgirlmagicforever

#bookish #fiction #fantasy #fanfics #sarah j. maas #throne of glass #acotar #acosf #fenrys moonbeam #azriel #aedion ashryver #rowan whitethorn #lorcan salvaterre #elide lochan #manon blackbeak #dorian havilliard #illyrian #chaol westfall #yrene towers

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canis-starwolf · 5 months

Text

Some fan art for an amazing SBR AU fic I read on AO3 called Wolf Like Me by 3kanite!

1000% yall should drop by and read all their work, I love their stuff so much!

So this is for a werewolf AU of Steel Ball Run! And these are some of the wolves that appear in the fic:

Black wolf, pink background:

Hot Pants, described as a black/ dark wolf with yellow eyes

Blond wolf, blue background:

Diego Brando, described as an almost white or light colored wolf with a skinny, light build and blue eyes. I interpreted that as a light blond colored wolf

Brown wolf, green background:

Gyro Zeppeli, described as a large brownish wolf with a muscular build and green eyes

He was specifically said to have counter shading (darker top, lighter belly) so I added some lighter grays and creams to his coat for variety :)

Anyways, I really hope 3kanite likes this!! I genuinely LOVED your fic and since it was SBR AND WOLVES I had to draw this for you.

#voltys art #wolf #fan art #steel ball run #steel ball run au #werewolf au #jojo's bizarre adventure #jojo part 7 #jjba part 7 #gyro zeppeli #hot pants #diego brando #sbr au #sbr werewolf au #god I love drawing wolves so much #did I draw Diego skrunkly asf on purpose??#more likely than you think

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howtobecomeadragon · 2 years

Text

Will blends in, no matter where he is.

Is he the love of Mike's life that Mike couldn't see right in front of him? Is he hiding from Vecna with every new outfit? Is he just so passive in his wants and desires that he literally doesn't stand out? Is his self doubt leading him to disappear a little bit?

Either way, it seems like his outfits, the set design, and the blocking lead to Will blending into the background in pretty much every single scene he's in.

Obviously it's a little hard to make the case when he's in the same outfit for 5 of the 8 episodes he's in, but let's take a closer look.

4x01, the only time he's wearing red, he's blends into the school doors when he has a freeze response to El's bullying.

4x02, Will blends in with background blues at the airport specifically when greeting Mike and specifically right as he makes eye contact with Mike, just a moment before their heads drop, completely synchronized.

4x02, Will is often standing in areas lit blue, with swaths of background actors wearing blue behind him.

4x03, Will wears gray as he unsuccessfully tries to get El back at the white-ish gray police station.

This is where is gets trickier: Will wears this outfit for the rest of the season.

4x03: Will blends in with the walls, lighting, and background objects in each room we see him in as he's wearing light brown, tan, and yellow.

4x05, while everyone else is popping either because of their bright white or bright colors against the yellow of the sand, Will blends in perfectly.

4x06, Will's shirt nearly perfectly matches the shades of yellow and blue in Suzie's bedroom. The patterns on Suzie's wall exacerbates this affect. Further, he's tucked into a dark corner of the room, making him nearly disappear in that top right shot above.

4x06, Will continues to blend with the yellows of the curtains and painting frame. He's blocked in front of the yellow foliage and brown bark of the trees in the bottom picture above instead of in front of the green foliage Jonathan is in front of, where he would've popped more with the contrasting colors and brightness.

4x08, Will blends with both the tan of the van and the sand outside.

4x08, Will continues to blend with the sand compared to others dressed in more contrasting clothes.

4x09, Will is situated in front of yellow walls several times, filmed from those angles instead of in front of more contrasting colors.

4x09, Will is in front of the yellow van (while both Mike and El have darker colors behind them, from the opened door and behind the van). Will stands in front of the brown door at the hospital (although I will say, Will stands out more at the hospital than anywhere else. Not too sure what to think of this). No contrasting background colors at the cabin or outside.

Has anyone else noticed this? Does anyone have thoughts about this choice throughout the season?

#byler #will byers #st cinematography #st costume design

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marlynnofmany · 7 months

Text

Accidental Training

The animal cargo of the day was large and honking, but it seemed well-mannered enough. Picture a sea lion with tiny scales instead of fur, dark gray on top and speckled pale underneath. Bobbing its head in curiosity at the cargo bay and the people in it. The squid-shaped clients maneuvering the cage into place didn’t rate a second look, but they were probably familiar and boring.

Captain Sunlight, with her lemon-yellow scales and dignified lizardperson demeanor, got a lot of attention. She ignored the honks as she finished business with the clients.

Then I stepped up to see what kind of creature I’d be in charge of for this trip, and it exploded in excitement like a 500-pound puppy, dancing in place on its flippers and honking up a storm.

One of the clients said, “It does that sometimes. Have a good flight,” then waved a tentacle and left.

Captain Sunlight squinted at the cage like she would have liked to cover her earholes but wanted to put on a strong front. Instead she looked up at me and said, “Good thing this is a short journey. It seems to like you, though.”

“I see that,” I said, waggling my fingers at it, which just made it honk louder. “Did they tell us a name for it?”

She consulted the information on her tablet while the excitable creature continued to hop around. “Looks like his name is Freckles.”

“That’s adorable,” I said. “Hi, Freckles! Are you a good boy? Yes? Are you so excited that you could break a weaker travel cage than this? Yes you are!” I pressed my hands to my knees in classic talking-to-puppy fashion, which did nothing for the noise levels in the room.

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Captain Sunlight told me. “The hover setting for the cage is turned off; it’s clamped in place; the food and supplies are here; we’ll take off shortly.”

“Got it,” I said with a wave as she left. There was a chance that Freckles would calm down if I left too, but he seemed equally likely to make lonely wails if left alone, and anyways this was the reason I’d been hired in the first place. Nobody else on the courier ship knew the first thing about animals. “All right, Freckles, are you ready to travel through space? Is that new for you? You look like you’re in good shape. Let’s aim for no medical emergencies on this trip.”

Freckles honked once, which I took for a yes. He bobbed up and down like a dog inviting another to play.

I copied the move, and he did it again. I lifted one foot, and he did the same, honking happily.

“Good boy! I’ll bet you make your people proud by holding still for tooth-brushing, don’t you? Lemme see your teeth. Ahhh.” I opened my mouth as an example.

With a similar noise, the clever animal copied the motion. His teeth looked clean enough, with none discolored or missing, and he even stuck his tongue out for a good look when prompted. I found a nearly-empty container of treats among the supplies, and rewarded him for good behavior.

“Good job. What else should we check? Can you show me your flipper? And turn like this? Very good. And like that?”

He could and did, visibly happy with the praise and treats. He was a little calmer now that there was something specific to do.

The engines started up with a quiet rumble, which caused him a moment of anxiety, but he was happily distracted when I started echoing his honks back at him.

If this had been an inanimate cargo, I would have left the cargo bay already, but I had nothing more important to do. My job today was to keep an eye on this guy. So I prompted him to do more beneficial tricks, then when the treats ran out, I decided the container made a fine toy.

“Hey look, a hat,” I told him as I put the lid on my head. The container was a mostly-round thing that twisted apart into two equal halves. That meant Freckles got a hat too. And he was so happy about it when I stuck it between the bars.

Only one coworker walked past the door while I was entertaining the cargo: Mur the Strongarm, who looked much like the people who’d brought Freckles onboard. Mur paused, saying nothing. Freckles ignored him, dancing from side to side while wearing his jaunty new hat.

I held my own pose, one foot in the air, arms spread. “Yes?”

“Nothing,” Mur said. “Nothing at all.” He continued on his way.

“You’re welcome to join us!” I called after him.

“No thanks. I’m good.”

The short trip was pretty fun. Freckles was particularly taken by the discovery that his honks echoed when the container covered his snout. He could even balance it on his flipper like a hand, taking it on and off to test the difference in sounds. When I did the same and then gave him another treat from a fresh container, he pranced in place and slapped his flippers together.

As it turned out, he was good at repeating patterns too. We did some clapping games of the sort that human toddlers love, then I found a ball among the supplies and we were all set for the rest of the trip. It was even the squishy kind that glorped between the bars instead of bouncing off, which was perfect. We played an entertaining game of catch until the engine noises changed into landing sounds.

I was honestly surprised the trip was over. The captain came back in to meet the clients who were here for pickup, and I made sure to pack away everything into the supplies. Freckles made a sad honk when I took the container back, but I gave him one last treat, and that made up for it.

These two clients looked much like the last, though one was carrying a bag from the shopping trip they’d done on the way here. They were also more talkative than the other ones.

“…Had to stop by the battery shop for three different kinds of chargers, then the feed store for more of the special diet that our oldest animal takes, and there was so much traffic!” The one typing information into the payment screen didn’t stop for breath, waving several tentacles as she talked.

“I’m just glad there was a mask attachment of the right size in stock,” said the one with the bag. “Getting Freckles his air vitamins is going to be hard enough as it is.” He pulled something from the bag: a long tube with a concave shape at one end. “What do you think, Freckles? Can this be easy for once?”

Freckles honked, which could have meant anything.

I looked at the mask. “What does he usually do when you have to give him air vitamins?”

The Strongarm sighed like a deflating balloon. “He just doesn’t want it anywhere near his face. He seems to think it’s a game to avoid it, which is fun for him but incredibly tiresome for everyone else.”

“Have you tried making it a different game?” I asked, starting to smile.

“Like what?”

“Can I see that for a moment?” When he passed it over, I got the container of treats and rattled it for Freckles’ attention, then took a position in front of the cage. I held the mask in front of my own face. “Hey Freckles. Honk honk.”

He of course honked happily and shoved his nose through the bars, eager for his turn. I settled it against his snout — perfect fit — and he honked away. I pulled the mask back and gave him a treat, then turned to beam at the clients.

“What! He’s never done that!” said the one.

“How did you train him to do that?” demanded the other.

“Honestly, I wasn’t trying to,” I admitted. “But he’s very smart. He seems to like copying motions, and he’s definitely food-motivated.”

“Oh yes, those are the good treats,” said the client with the bag. “The new kind that my cousin’s book club host recommended.”

I handed back the mask. “Then you might keep these in reserve for important things, like rewarding him for taking his air vitamins. Though given how much he’s enjoying the new game, you might not even need to.”

The clients were overjoyed. They thanked me, thanked Captain Sunlight, and showered Freckles with praise as they unclamped the cage and started up its hover function. We helped them down the ramp, then they waved off any further assistance on the way to a flatbed skimmer with a loading arm. The guy with the bag of shopping struggled just a bit managing all the supplies too, but neither Captain Sunlight nor I were about to insult a Strongarm by suggesting they needed help carrying something. So we just waved our goodbyes and made sure they got everything loaded onto the skimmer before we closed the cargo bay door.

“Bye, Freckles!” I called as it closed. I heard one last honk, which I decided sounded excited about the skimmer ride to come.

“Well,” said Captain Sunlight. “That was fortunate. Good job.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I think they’ll all enjoy the vitamin process more now, especially Freckles.”

We walked through the empty cargo bay to the hall, where Paint met us, with confusion on her scaly orange face and a jar lid in her hands.

“Mur said to give this to you?” she said, holding it out to me.

I laughed. “Mur thinks he’s very funny.” I dutifully set it on my head. “Yes, the height of fashion. But I think it would look better on him. You can tell him I said so.”

“Okay,” Paint said, taking the lid back. “Why?”

Captain Sunlight huffed a laugh and headed off to the cockpit while I began the explanation of how I’d spent the recent flight.

~~~

The ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book. More to come! And I am currently drafting a sequel!

#simple one this time #sometimes the job is just Dealing With Animals #and all that that may entail #my writing #The Token Human #humans are weird #haso #hfy #eiad #humans are space orcs

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tornado1992 · 7 months

Text

Sonic has always loved the golden color, that specific yellow was such a beautiful, lively color.

Red is his obvious answer to the “what is your favorite color?” question, but if they told him that he had to choose only one color he could see for the rest of his life, he knows golden yellow and baby blue would be the ones fighting for the throne.

How could they not? Those were his little bro’s colors.

Every time he looked at Tails it was like the sun had embraced the sky into a tiny fluffy ball, making both of them brighter and brighter, shining against each other, the softest shade of sky blue being evolved into a heart warming sun.

Tails was the infinite answer to the happiness question. His unstoppable potential to achieve anything he wanted, the endless possibilities of a wide happy future for him, the one who always accompanied him in his worldwide runs, just like the sky.

His brother was a soft light that warmed his heart everyday, a bright path to follow when he fell to deep in the dark, a reason to keep fighting for.

Yeah, Tails felt like the sky. But he was Sonic’s sun. And if he had to fight all his life to make sure that those bright baby blue eyes keep shining and that golden yellow fur keeps glowing, then he’ll fight till the world itself ended.

His world was ending. Slowly.

It was so sudden, so uncanny, and so, so unfair. They were happy, they were running together, they were laughing and racing each other until Tails abruptly fell from the sky, Sonic almost too late to catch him. “Just a headache” he said while being cradled in Sonic’s arms. Headaches were not supposed to make you faint, but Tails was fine, so it had to be okay.

It stated slowly. Tails kept fainting for some time, they worried, they went to the hospital and all the doctors said it was nothing. He started to vomit every time he ate, they returned to the doctors and the same answer was given.

He couldn’t sleep, they no longer believed the doctors.

His tails went limp, he couldn’t fly anymore, and his bright yellow fur was fading its color, he took matters into his own hands and after lots of analysis and test they got an answer for his predicament.

Tails was sick.

His fur was no longer shining, his eyes were no longer sparkling. Bright golden being rebalanced by an ashy sad yellow, and baby blue being covered by an infinite gray shadow.

Leaving a dark cloudy sky with a sun no longer shining.

His body was getting thinner by the day, Sonic could always carry Tails easily, he was a big brother, it came in the job’s description, so if he had to help Tails stand and walk for some time it didn’t matter, he’ll be by his side until he recovered. Until he no longer had to apologize for not finishing Amy’s cooking, until they’d stop bringing him to Angel Island trying to get the Master Emerald to heal him.

It didn’t matter how long would it take, he’ll be with him until he shines brighter than the sun once again.

Why

That was his only question

Why him? Why did it have to be him? Why wasn’t there any existing cure yet? Why didn’t even Tails had an answer? Why couldn’t Sonic do anything about it?

Tails was eight years old, eight, he hadn’t reached double digits yet, his birthday still too many months away. It could’ve been anyone, anyone but him. He had so much yet to live, and he told Sonic he knew he was dying.

A non believer would pray to a god to save their child. A believer would fight their god to save their child.

Sonic has already killed so many gods, and he’s already prayed to the ones that were left. So why wasn’t his sun shining again?

What deity did he annoy this time? What could’ve offend the universe so much that it has to take it on his baby brother? Why couldn’t it just burn the whole world down? Why couldn’t every enemy he’s ever faced come back and fight him? Why couldn’t reality just rip both his legs out instead? Why did it have to be Tails?

Sonic was willing to fight, bleed and die for that kit, so why couldn’t they just taken Sonic instead?

When his fur no longer showed any yellow brightnes and started getting covered by his own blood anytime he tried to speak they knew it was too late. When not even an over analysis on Shadows blood gave any hint of a cure, when not even Eggman’s biology knowledge and failed antidotes could even slow it down.

Not any deity, not the Master Emerald, not Sonic. No one could save him.

There was no solution. This was a threat he couldn’t outrun with Tails in his arms. An unforgiving curse slowly taking away his pride and joy to never give it back. A mocking laughing unknown force killing the only thing he would chose over anything else, his sun and sky, his kid.

Amy showered his forehead with kisses every time she came over, reading him bedtime stories to try and help him sleep, spoon feeding him his favorite ice cream when he was too weak to do it himself and too embarrassed to ask his brother. Knuckles stayed near their home, ready to assist in case there was an emergency, always bringing handmade wood toys so the kit could still play with something even if his arms were weak enough not to hold a small wrench, it wasn’t tinkering, but it made him a little bit happier.

They both told Tails how much they loved him every single time they were with him.

And Sonic couldn’t.

He hadn’t tell him that he loved him, not enough times before all this, never enough.

He couldn’t tell him he loved him now, not with words. He couldn’t voice that well known fact. Because his little bro already knew. Because it was something that was supposed to be shown with actions, not words. Because it went unsaid.

Because telling him he loves him now would mean accepting he’ll be gone. Accepting he lost, accepting he will lose him.

Sonic refused to lose him.

He needed to run, he needed to go away, because if he stayed, he didn’t think he’ll be strong enough not to crumble if they take his light away, when they take his light away.

He didn’t run, because that’s his brother, because even if his own heart is threatening to stop every time he looks at the cub’s small trembling frame, his heart wasn’t the one stoping in real time. So he stayed.

He stayed when Vanilla came over to check on Tails, to gift him a knitted beanie and matching gloves so he wouldn’t be cold in his own bed, the bed he hadn’t left in weeks. He stayed when he couldn’t properly take a bath by himself, helping him cleaning and brushing his fur while memories of baby fox fangs and campfires invaded his mind. He stayed when Tails couldn’t do anything but cry at the aching in his bones, and Sonic couldn’t do anything but hold him close.

His heartbeat was slower than usual, and that was already too slow.

And he was so, so cold. He wasn’t supposed to be cold, no, his golden fluffy fur was supposed to keep him warm.

The memory of his little squeaky voice was still engraved in Sonic’s mind, even if it had been months without properly hearing, and yet…

“I’m sorry”

“What’s that buddy?”

“I’m sorry, for making you wait for me to go”

No.

Why was his eight year old brother apologizing? Why did his kid feel the need to apologize for not dying? No. He knew exactly way, the reason were his feet’s constant tapping on the ground whenever he had a medic visit. The reason was how his own smile fell whenever the kid wasn’t looking at him. The reason… was because the kid just wanted to go, and Sonic wouldn’t let him. Sonic wanted him to get better, Sonic wanted him to stay with him. Not to let him go.

How could he? When he hasn’t had him for enough time? When he still had so much to live? When he still needed to apologize for not giving him the life he deserved? When he still needed to tell him that he loved him without feeling he’ll lose him forever?

Ten seconds of silence. Two voices in unison. The same feeling behind them, different words.

“Forgive me”

“I love you”

#sonic the hedgehog #miles tails prower #sonic and tails #unbreakable bond #they are cosmic truth #they’re brothers your honor #hmmmm this wasn’t very wholesome

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kakushino · 1 year

Text

Lady in Red, Gentleman in Black

Tomioka Giyuu x Fem! Reader

Your boss had given you the responsibility of hosting that night. It led to something you didn't anticipate.

Tags: Mafia AU, mentioned character death, Yandere content, fluff, dub-con, smut, creampie, sub reader, mild bondage, mention of contraception/lack of it Word count: 6,8k

Masterlist

Your boss had given you the responsibility of hosting tonight; it was an honor to finally do an event solo - an important gala at that. Your boss had been secretive about the people who you were hosting though.

Makeup on point, hair styled to perfection.

You were ready.

At least once you found your neutral gray suit, you would be. Where was it? You swore you put it somewhere…

Oh, you were not ready.

You totally forgot to wash it. The suit of your choice was laying in the hamper, where you left it over a week ago. That meant only one thing… you had to wear the red dress your boss bought you for Christmas, or well, her money bought it - she’d given you a gift card to one of the fancier stores in the city so you had to make use of it. You’d planned to wear it to an event for fun not for work… it was even hardly suitable, with how low-cut the décolleté was. Had you not put on mascara already, tears of frustration would stream down your cheeks.

It was not going to be totally appropriate… but it would have to do. At least the skirt was flowy and not hugging your figure; it would have been hell on earth if you would have to be in a tight dress for the whole night.

You quickly found a pair of comfortable low heels, grabbed your purse and went to catch a taxi to the venue. It was still some hours before the start, but you had to make sure everything was perfect.

And it was. You’d spent weeks planning it with the knowledge the client was important and was not to be displeased. All the specifications were assented to by your boss before you finalized anything, so you were pretty confident in the client’s approval. The catering was on point, waiters ready, bars stocked, and the opening went without a hitch. You kept up your rounds checking on each staff group to keep things running smoothly.

There was only one thing that was… not perfect.

There was a man behind you from the start, though he kept his distance.

He was following you, that much was obvious to you. A gentleman in all black - black suit, black dress shirt, black tie, black hair, eyes dark like the night sky-

“Miss?”

You looked up from your flute of non-alcoholic champagne. A man in a dark blue suit with a green and yellow turtle-shell patterned tie approached you. “How may I help you?”

He gave you a friendly smile. “You just seemed lonely in your little corner. Thought you needed some company.” He grabbed a glass of wine from a passing waiter and raised it to you.

You hesitantly clinked glasses together, a polite smile on your face as you both drank your drink of choice. “That’s very kind of you, sir.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘sir’. We’re all friends here, aren’t we?”

You finished off your glass so you didn’t have to respond. He was quite forward, yet he hadn’t even given you his name.

And you weren’t willing to tell him yours first.

“Do you live nearby?” he asked, swirling the wine in his glass, seemingly uninterested yet hanging on every word you were about to say.

You regretted chugging your drink. Setting down the flute on a nearby table, you were about to answer-

“May I have this dance?”

You turned. It was not the man in front of you who asked. Instead, it was the gentleman in black who had been watching you the whole evening. His jaw was clenched, but expression was otherwise unreadable. His dark eyes were actually blue, and they pierced you with intensity you were not used to.

“Yes, thank you,” you shot an apologetic look to the man, who was speaking with you just moments before, and followed the gentleman to the dance floor.

“The name’s Giyuu, Tomioka Giyuu,” he murmured as he took you into his arms, slow waltz starting to play. His frame was solid, offering you all the support a follower could want in a leader; it was as if he had been dancing for years and years, and the first few steps confirmed it - that is, if he wasn’t just crazy talented.

You told him your name as he led you into a spin, making you feel like a princess as your skirt flowed in the motion. There weren’t many dancers on the parquet but you still felt very much alone there, with his warmth and strength leading you through the waltz. You didn’t want the dance to end.

Tomioka remained silent throughout the first song.

Thinking it was a one time deal, you stepped back from him once it ended. However, his grip on your hand did not let up.

“One more?” he asked quietly as a much faster music started to play. Yet another classic, a viennese waltz this time.

Though you weren’t sure if you could keep up with him, something made you agree. Perhaps it was the way he didn’t force needless small talk on you, or the way he offered you the support you needed to glide through the forms and figures of the dance. Maybe it was the way you two fit like a glove, or the way his darkness complimented your bright red dress.

Either way, you spent more time in his arms than out of it for the rest of the evening, orbiting each other like galaxies about to collide.

You still had to do your rounds, and it surprised you he kept you company even then, guarding your back as you did so. As the night wore on, you started to actually talk in between the conversations with the staff and the many, many dances.

He lived at the edge of the city, he didn’t have any pets, he liked the color blue, his favorite food was salmon with daikon.

You sat down for the first time of the night, moaning softly in relief. Your heels were comfortable, but not that comfortable.

Though he wasn’t as animated with his emotions, there were minimalistic expressions on his face that you were able to catch because… well, you were looking. Giyuu was an attractive man, and you wouldn’t mind at all if he asked-

“May I have your number?”

You looked up at him as he stood by your side, a silent protector. You wondered why he hadn’t sat down at all. “Only if I may have yours.” You smiled, face feeling hot.

You went out shopping before your first date. He'd told you to wear something classy, formal.

You were lucky to find a nice dark blue dress to your knees. It looked classy enough in the shop, but by the time it was five minutes until he was to pick you up, you were overthinking.

Was it formal enough? Was your make-up too slutty or was it just right? Should you wear higher heels or-

The doorbell rang.

All your thoughts vanished. Giyuu was here.

And gods did he look amazing. He wore a dark blue dress shirt, which was only slightly off-shade to your dress, and black suit, no tie.

Your face was flushed as he led you to his car - black and elegant, like him - while he complimented your dress.

Ever the gentleman, he opened the doors for you - the car, the restaurant - and pulled out the chair for you too. Chivalry wasn't dead.

The restaurant itself was fancy yet cozy, the type you thought you'd only see in movies. The tables were far apart to offer privacy yet close enough not to be completely isolated. It was situated in a high rise building, giving you a view of the city skyline in the sunset.

"I hope this setting is fine with you. I admit it has been a while since I'd gone out," Giyuu told you softly.

You smiled. "I've never been treated like this on the first date before. I think you're doing more than fine."

This seemed to please him, the corner of his lips quirking up a little. “Good. I didn't want to make you think I would harm you in any way… That's why I chose a public place to meet at first.”

Your heart squeezed a little at the quiet confession, touched and a little in love that he thought of your feelings about the subject. It was true - had your first date been somewhere isolated, you wouldn't say yes to it, the threat of… what happens to women, and men both, too vivid in your mind's eye.

"Thank you. I appreciate the thought, Giyuu." Your smile widened, your face feeling a little hot.

He only nodded in response, his eyes flitting between you and the rest of the room, as if he were keeping watch. He'd told you during the gala that he wasn't much for crowded spaces, so this kind of date was perfect.

"Have you been here before?" you asked when a waiter brought you the menus.

"A few times, yes." Giyuu opened his, more looking at you than the lists of food on paper. "I don't want you to look at the prices… I asked you to accompany me so I'm paying."

Chivalry was not dead indeed.

The conversation flowed smoothly, both of you relaxing in the push and pull of different topics, gentle waves on a calm sea. As you spoke, you placed your hand on the table, nearly touching his own. Second by second, you both inched closer unconsciously.

Your hands met, as did your eyes. Your face felt hot but you were smiling, delighted at the show of comfort and intimacy with this handsome man. His own lips were set in a relaxed line, not quite smiling but close, the deep sapphire of his eyes bright.

The waiter came and went, collecting the menus and your orders, leaving you alone again. A glint of a gold bracelet on the hand of one of the other guests reminded you of something.

“Do you like art, Giyuu?”

He tilted his head a little, the only reaction you got before he told you, “Art gives me a lot to think about.”

There was a deeper meaning to his words, but you could not decipher it just yet. His response was not negative however, and you latched onto that, hope budding in your chest. “There will be an art exhibition in town soon. It’s called ‘All gold that glitters’ - I don’t know if you’ve heard about it?”

Giyuu studied you for a moment, the silence just a few seconds short of becoming awkward. “Most of the display will be Gustav Klimt.”

Excited, you said, “Exactly! Once I heard it would be here, I wanted to see his works up close… Though I don’t know if I will get in. A friend told me the tickets might be sold out already. The painter is very famous after all.” All your energy evaporated as you realized the futility of the situation. “The crowds would be too much too… I’m sorry for rambling. I don’t know what has gotten into me.” You tried to laugh it off.

Giyuu looked at you for a moment longer before nodding. “You aren’t much for crowds either?”

You nearly sighed in relief when he accepted your diversion. It amazed you how receptive he was with these hints despite appearing stoic.

You smiled at him, “Not really. It sometimes gets too much. Even at work I…”

Even with your brief stumble in the conversation, you both enjoyed talking to each other for a long while. The topics flowed from one to another again, there wasn’t ever a lull in you sharing your thoughts. The gentle atmosphere of the restaurant added to your ease.

You were comfortable with him. And that surprised you - how quickly you let down your walls in front of a…

He could no longer be called a stranger. The time you spent together at the gala made you friends in your eyes. This outing was a date - could you say he was your boyfriend?

The food arrived, interrupting your thoughts.

His salmon with daikon looked delicious, and Giyuu must have thought so too, for he dug in very quickly, barely muttering out an “Itadakimasu,” before he munched away. You slowly started eating as well, looking at him.

Your face felt hot as you watched him. He looked so cute; he was clearly enjoying each bite, his cheeks full of the food.

He looked up only once, and he spoke, but you were not able to understand a word he said, his words sounding like gibberish to your ears. You could only giggle; you had never thought a gentleman like Giyuu would do this.

“Sorry, sorry,” you looked down at your food with a secretive smile. It was endearing to see him so unguarded. Though you had to say that he seemed relaxed in your presence, that pleased you greatly.

You ate in silence, each stealing glances at the other.

One glance at him bestowed a gift upon you that you never thought you would see, yet again. Giyuu was smiling while he ate his dish. Not only that. He was a messy eater, little bits of the food sticking on his cheeks. He looked absolutely adorable. You were smiling wide and you had a sudden impulse - one which you acted upon.

Giyuu froze when you leaned forward, rising from your seat a little. The blue dress clung to your chest, trying to contain your breasts from spilling over, digging into your skin a little.

He forced his eyes away from your cleavage, staring you in the face instead, but you were focused on his lips-? Were you about to-?

You reached out, thumb wiping at his cheek gently, and sat back down.

“You had a bit of rice on your face,” you grinned and ate the grain off of your thumb.

His face was red, blush stretching all the way to his ears.

Giyuu realized that he was in trouble, because something happened - something he didn’t account for.

He fell, hard.

“Where are we going?”

Giyuu had picked you up at your apartment, dashing as always in his black clothes. You didn't know how he did it, but everything looked so elegant on him - even if it was just a short-sleeved fitted shirt and black pants.

"You'll see."

He'd offered you his arm, ever the gentleman, as you walked to his car.

The two of you were a study in contrast, he thought. Where Giyuu was the dark, you were the light. You’d chosen a white sundress today, loose and airy - innocent and pure. A white rabbit hopping around in its meadow of flowers, unaware of the presence of a predator hiding in the shadows - a starved wolf, ready to pounce and claim the rabbit for its own.

The analogy reminded him of the fact he hadn’t given you any flowers yet. Fuck. He should’ve gone and bought you some before this date. Would you even appreciate flowers?

The drive was filled with warmth, despite the near-silence. It didn’t feel uncomfortable to not talk, you both were very much content.

Or at least you were.

Giyuu had an urge to place his hand on your thigh, but he didn’t want to overstep or break the atmosphere, the comfort you were both in.

In the end, his willpower won.

The car pulled into a side street, and you drove through a steel bar gate, the gate-keeper nodding at Giyuu respectfully. It made you curious where you were going. A small part of you rang warning bells - you didn’t know where you were and you didn’t know what would happen to you. But you trusted him, despite meeting with him only twice so far - today being the third. You hoped your trust was not misplaced.

Giyuu parked and turned off the engine, quickly getting out of the car and locking it when you reached for the handle. You looked at him in confusion, but then he was on your side, opening the door for you. Like a gentleman.

Blood rushed to your cheeks as you smiled at him. How could you have doubted him? He was such a silly man, trying to be as accommodating as possible for you. Giyuu took your hand in his, a loose hold which you could get out of easily if you wanted to.

He led you inside through a clearly personnel-only door, making you curious what exactly he’d planned for you two.

An employee met you there, guiding you through various halls filled with wrapped… things? It looked like paintings but you couldn’t be sure.

“Enjoy your time,” the employee said, opening a door for you two at last. The light in the room turned on, reflecting golden hues off of every piece in the room.

This was it - ‘All gold that glitters’ was in front of you. But- it was supposed to open tomorrow, and there were no more tickets left, you’d checked, so how-?

You’d subconsciously stepped inside, letting go of his hand. You slowly looked around in awe, tears gathering in your eyes. You felt as if your soul had been caressed by Giyuu’s warm hands.

Here, illuminated by the professional lighting and surrounded by paintings, the only art he saw was you. You spun in a circle, your loose skirt flaring up a little, your eyes sparkling as you took in the exhibition - devoid of life, sans the two of you. If he hadn't fallen for you already, he would have now.

Giyuu closed the distance, taking your hand in his again, bringing it to his lips to kiss your knuckles. Your excited expression made all the trouble he went through to get you both here worth it.

Nevertheless, he asked, "Do you like it?"

You beamed. "I love it!"

You tugged at his hand, nearly skipping over to the first piece, absolutely delighted.

Flitting from piece to piece, you eventually let go of each other, content to enjoy the art at your own paces. There was no rush, no one to interrupt you two, you were there alone; just the two of you and the art.

You stood in front of Fulfillment, admiring the patterns. Each painting, each art piece, had a meaning and was supposed to evoke something in the viewer. Staring at the embrace of the two lovers, it gave you the same feeling you had when Giyuu took your hand for the first time - today. Dancing with him didn’t count, the restaurant didn’t count, that was you reaching out to him. Today was him seeking you out.

Butterflies danced in your tummy as you smiled.

“Enjoying yourself?”

You looked at him, your smile widening. “Yes. You don’t know how special this is for me,” you admitted, walking closer to Giyuu. Glancing to the side, your cheeks felt hot. He was standing in front of the arguably most famous piece by Gustav Klimt.

The Kiss.

Giyuu remained silent.

You took in the details of the painting - the flowers, the position, the intimacy. You wished you’d be kissed like that, at least once in your life. An image flashed in your mind’s eye - of Giyuu holding you exactly like that, of kissing you exactly like that - and you had to blink and look at him again to make sure it was just a daydream, and not reality.

He was staring, his focus not on you as a whole, but on your lips. Your breath hitched in your throat.

There was conflict in his eyes when they met yours. It seemed as if the world held its breath for the two of you.

The distance closed slowly as you gravitated towards each other, separate galaxies a hair’s width away from becoming one. So close yet so far.

You closed your eyes. Warmth touched your soul.

The first kiss was but a peck to the corner of your lips; your head tilted back slightly, one of his hands cradling the nape of your neck, the other cupping your jaw. You exhaled shakily. The first became second, right on the lips, soft and feather-light; then third, the air shared between the two of you.

There was a mist inside your mind, your thoughts incorporeal yet comforting, encompassing you in a blanket of Heavens. It didn’t feel wrong, nothing about this felt wrong; it was just right, being with Giyuu felt right. Each kiss stole your breath and returned it to you in the same second.

Giyuu felt as if life was filling his lungs for the first time in forever. Your warmth was everything, absolutely everything to him. You were so receptive to him, eyes closed and completely pliant in his hands. It felt as if you were made from the thinnest layer of gold leaf and one wrong move, one wrong touch would crumple you up, eternally lost.

Only when you both were nearly gasping for breath did you pull away. Giyuu was cradling you in his arms tenderly, a bright blush on his face, and you were hanging onto him for dear life, your own cheeks flushed.

It was a moment of understanding that you stood at the edge of something great blooming between the two of you, and neither wanted to stop it.

Giyuu signed the death certificate, numb.

Urokodaki Sabito, aged 28, dead.

The pen rolled off the table and clattered onto the ground but he didn't care. The slight incessant ache in his arm hardly bothered him, the ache where his heart was felt like a more life-threatening wound than a mere scratch.

Sabito had nothing to do with the Ubuyashiki family, except being the relative and a friend of its members; Urokodaki Sakonji's only adopted son and Tomioka Giyuu's very best friend lay dead, the corpse long gone cold in the morgue.

It had happened so fast too.

One moment, Giyuu and Sabito were talking about Sabito’s upcoming wedding, the next, both were diving for cover as bullets flew overhead. Sabito had had some training from Urokodaki, though he'd steered clear of the true depth of mastery despite his clear talent at it. He'd always been better than Giyuu, at everything.

So why?

Why was Sabito dead and Giyuu alive?

Why was Giyuu still breathing and Sabito's chest forever stilled?

More importantly, who targeted him - them? Why had they done so?

Were they going to strike again?

Oh no…

Not [Name].

Anything, anyone, but her.

He wanted to shout, to scream - She has nothing to do with this! Leave her alone!

He knew, however, that it would be in vain. Whoever targeted them had done so very deliberately. They knew who would be where and at what time.

And they could get to you too.

No.

He could not allow that to happen. He'd just gotten his first taste of you, an ambrosia for a mere mortal.

And it wasn't even by his own making. It had been Sabito who'd forced him to approach you that night of the gala. He'd noticed Giyuu was following you around like a lost puppy all evening. He'd noticed and acted on it.

Sabito's interference led to a few of his happiest days in his life - the gala itself, the dinner, the museum, and the days spent texting one another.

All this could be lost with a short crack of thunder, a bullet released from the barrel of a gun - so disgraceful in these parts, where family conflicts were best solved honorably, with swords.

He could not allow it to happen - no, he would not allow it to happen. He felt an intense hunger, his teeth ached with the need to bite, to tear flesh to shreds of those who would even think of hurting you, of those who would even look at you.

Giyuu's mind spiraled, a maelstrom pulling everything in reach down to treacherous depths. Plans made and discarded, his hand reached for his phone before he knew it, dialing your number before he could stop it.

"Hi," came your voice. Giyuu closed his eyes, enjoying the simplicity of hearing you, the knowledge you were still alive and well making his heart beat like a drum. "What's up?"

"Are you home?"

"Yeah. Why? Is something wrong?" Hearing the concern in your voice would have made his chest feel warm normally, but this time the warmth was brought by the fact you were home, home meant safety… at least for a little while. He needed to get you close, to hold you in his arms.

His eyes snapped open. “I have something planned for us.”

"Planned? It's so sudden… It is a little late now but-"

“You just have to trust me," he interrupted you. “Understood?” He'd never used this tone of voice on you, the mask of a killer slipping on subconsciously.

There was a brief moment of silence. "Alright, Giyuu… I trust you.”

I trust you.

He hoped you’d trust him with your safety and life too.

“Thank you, dear. Wear that red dress for me.”

He hung up, texting you his address along with 'Take your time' in the same breath.

Giyuu had some preparations to make, after all.

You got out of the car - a driver he’d called for you, making you wonder just what his job was to have these connections - and stared at the house. You checked your maps, and it was indeed the address Giyuu had given you.

The house was much bigger than you thought it would be. Sure, he was an elegant man, always put together but nothing about him screamed fancy… Okay, maybe a little. But this was a whole another level of-

The door opened.

Your heart leaped in your chest, a smile rising to your face. Giyuu looked- your smile wobbled a little - he looked like he carried the whole world on his shoulders. You hurried to his side, clutching your purse and the wine you found in your storage - you wanted to bring at least something when visiting his home for the first time. Now it seemed you’d be drinking away some stress instead of celebrating life.

“Are you alright?”

Instead of answering, he pulled you close, hugging you tightly, as if you’d run away from him if he was just a touch gentler. He buried his head into your neck, breathing you in. “You look beautiful… As beautiful as a rose in a bouquet…”

Yet another thing he failed to do… He didn’t prepare any flowers for you again. He kept ruining everything, didn’t he?

You hugged him back awkwardly, the things in your hands a bit uncomfortable to hold at the same time.

Giyuu took a deep breath and pulled back enough to guide you inside. He closed the door and locked it. You placed the bottle and your purse both on the shoe cabinet at the side and embraced him again. He seemed to really need it.

A moment later, he whispered. “Maybe that’s a wrong metaphor. You aren’t just one of many. You deserve to be the sole focus of the beholder…” His hold on you tightened again. “The beholder being me.”

His tone of voice made you shiver a little. Giyuu seemed to still be out of it. You had never seen him being as clingy or heard him speak as possessively as you did now.

“You’re mine, right?”

The question was a bit out of character to how you knew him. He was usually so reserved and soft with you. You didn’t hate it per se, but it was certainly strange. “Of course.”

“That’s right, you’re mine. Never doubt that you’re mine and only mine.”

You were a little confused about why he was like this, but you stayed silent.

“You never know who you can trust these days.”

You shivered again. “Giyuu, maybe we should sit down, yeah? Where..?”

He stepped back and knelt at your feet, one of his hands raising your foot gently, the other pulling the straps of your shoes loose. Both heels fell to the ground, and he left them there, laying in the middle of the hall.

He stood up and took your hand in his, fingers intertwined and grip tight as if he never wanted to let go. Giyuu led you inside in a hurry, taking you through a spacious living room and up the stairs to- his bedroom?

“Don’t be afraid. You don’t need to be afraid of me,” he said lowly. “I’d never hurt you, my dear.” The pet name made blood rush to your cheeks.

Giyuu sat at the edge of the bed, guiding you to the space beside him, still clutching your hand.

“Giyuu, I know you’re probably going through something… You don’t have to tell me. But I’m here for you, you know that, right?”

He nodded. You both stayed silent for a time. Your thoughts kept looping back, trying to think of what could be going on in his head. You realized you knew him, but at the same time you knew nothing about him.

His voice interrupted your train of thought. “I worry a lot for you.”

You tilted your head, looking at him, “I worry for you too.”

Giyuu’s face relaxed minutely. He let go of your hand, stood up and grabbed you by your waist, moving you up the bed to lay on it, as he hovered above you, supporting his weight on his left hand beside your head. “From all the people I met in my life, from the billions I could have had - you are the One, and you are perfect. You’re perfect for me.” His right hand cupped your cheek, caressing your skin with his thumb. His eyes half-lidded, he leaned down for a slow and soft kiss.

The kiss was everything to him.

When he pulled back, you said, “I’m just me… I can’t be perfect.” Yet he made you feel like you were.

His eyebrows twitched, as if he held back a frown. “Don’t ever doubt your worth, lovely.”

The next kiss was just as slow as the previous one, but deeper, more sensual. It stole your breath away and conjured a fog over your mind; all you could focus on was him.

Giyuu trailed his lips over your jaw, pausing by your ear to whisper, “Nobody else can touch you but me.”

“Yessss…” you hissed lowly in a daze, arching your head back, allowing him to continue kissing down your neck unobstructed.

“I’ll have to warn you, my dear, I am the jealous type,” he murmured against your pulse point. You wondered if he could feel it drumming against his lips.

Giyuu bit down hard. You cried out in a mix of pain and surprise, waking up from the dreamy headspace he’d lulled you into.

“Giyuu!” You tried to struggle, but he held onto you, licking away the ache his teeth brought. Where before anticipation made your heart race, now it was fear, but you could only tremble in his grasp. There was no escaping the wolf now, and the wolf was starving.

He knew the effect this had on you. He knew that he wasn’t being as careful as he should be. It made his heart clench but it had to be done. He had to show everyone you were his. “There is no need to be scared as long as I’m here, my dear. I won’t hurt you and I won’t let anyone else touch you.” He won’t ever let you go.

You tried to slap him when he pulled back enough but he just caught your hand by the wrist, pulling it closer and kissing your palm gently. He maintained eye contact all the while, trailing his lips to the pulse point of your wrist. Your heartbeat grew faster against your will, the sensuality and intimacy of his gesture not lost to you.

His other hand reached into the back pocket of his pants, taking out a familiar green and yellow turtle shell necktie. "Please, don’t struggle so much," he whispered.

Giyuu placed the tie next to your head.

"You don’t want to see me angry, do you?"

You shook your head, this new version of him scaring you and arousing you at the same time. It was intoxicating.

Would you even be allowed to speak? Did that count as ‘struggling’? You didn’t want to test his patience.

“Strip.” He leaned back, sitting on your thighs and waiting for you to obey.

You couldn’t deny him. You knew he was strong, too strong to fight off or resist. You knew he’d take what he wanted regardless of what you tried to do. It was hot, your body felt hot all over. You felt like a freak for enjoying this, shame burning in your stomach as you undid the zipper on your side.

Giyuu watched you, eyes dark, while he himself undid the buttons on his black dress shirt one-handed. He shrugged off the material just as your dress slipped off your shoulders, leaving both of you bare from waist up.

He was covered in lean muscle, a few scars on his torso- his biceps was in a bandage, a bloodied bandage. Your eyes focused on it, but he was focused on something else entirely.

Giyuu took your hands and bound them to the headboard with the green tie. You tried to wiggle out of them but he only smirked, dragging the red dress off of your figure, leaving you only in your panties.

"I never do something halfway, my dear, and I do need to prepare you for me," he murmured against your lips, his hand slipping under the seam of your silky panties. You were wet since before he'd led you to bed, too excited at seeing him, too turned on by his voice and scent. Now it only made you feel shame, for it made things easier for him.

But you couldn't truly say you hated what he was doing, especially when his nimble fingers slowly pushed into you. You gasped at the feeling, and he stilled for a moment.

"Does it hurt?" You shook your head, spreading your legs wider.

Giyuu swept his thumb through your wet pussy lips to circle at your clit in soft and slow motions. He studied your face for any discomfort as he started to pump slowly.

"How do you want me to fuck you? Hard and fast or soft and slow? I will do whatever you ask of me, my dear." He curled his fingers inside of you, trying to find the spot that should make-

You moaned, flinching away from the shock of pleasure.

Giyuu swore later that your moans were the sweetest sounds he'd ever heard in his life; they were the only art a killer like him could create, and he intended to make a masterpiece of you.

As his right hand worked you up, he leaned down to kiss and bite at your throat, the vibrations against his lips feeling like Heaven on Earth.

His fingers played you like a string instrument, each flick and movement and curl dragging you higher and higher against your will, your moans pitching and breaking and finally cutting off in a silent scream as you came all over his hand.

"Beautiful…"

Giyuu withdrew his fingers, glistening with your cum, and brought them to his face, studying how the slick created a gooey string between them as he spread them apart. You had to look away from the lewd display, making his eyes snap back to your face.

You heard his belt buckle open, his weight briefly disappearing from your side. When the bed dipped again, his rough warm palms traced a path down your body, from your breasts, over your stomach, thumbs catching the fabric of your panties and pulling them down, down, down… off.

"To say you’re special is an understatement, [Name]," he whispered, spreading your legs and settling between them.

Your whole body trembled, your arms tugging at your restraints again, but you were too weak, your orgasm chipped away at any strength you had left to truly resist him.

“You don’t just make me want you…" His lips kissed along your neck with feather-light touches, breath hot against your skin. "…You make me need you.”

…Fuck if his confession didn't make you clench around nothing. Your mind fought against your heart and body in a three-way war, each trying to one-up the other. Your heart told you how deep you had fallen for him, how this was as good as a love confession. Your brain warned you you were in trouble, your boyfriend had lured you inside and was about to use you. Your body sang for the future pleasure he would bestow upon you, his talented fingers proving his skill.

"I'm keeping you here… for your own good."

What? No- and Oh yes, please-! echoed in your mind.

"You will stay with me, you will never leave me, you will be safe here."

Oh, but how could you fight this?

"I love you."

I love you.

Giyuu kissed you on the lips, deeply and passionately, setting you on fire with his touch.

You could feel him - feel his cock - against your body.

You could only shake in his all-encompassing arms.

He realized you were scared - of him. "I won’t harm you… I won’t ever, ever even think of harming you."

He kissed you again. He kissed you as if he needed it, needed you just to survive, like he needed you more than air itself. It was like he tried to devour you, a hungry wolf and a sweet rabbit.

And then he was sliding in. He'd prepared you to take him; even then the stretch was nearly too much anyway.

Giyuu slurred out a curse against your lips, the feeling of finally being enveloped by your snug warmth too much. His mind was nearly breaking, he'd never felt so loved, so intimate, so close to someone than he did as he bottomed out inside of your sopping wet cunt.

"You're perfect," he breathed out shakily, resting his forehead against yours.

He started slowly, letting you feel him inch by inch. You swore you could feel him in your throat, each glide felt as if he was pushing your organs apart, rearranging you from the inside to his liking.

Oh, but was it a delight. Fireworks exploded behind your lids every time his cock brushed against your sweet spot, earthquakes rocked your world, waves of pleasure crashed against each nerve under your skin. He set you aflame and quenched you in the same stroke.

You sang pretty moans for him, Giyuu joining you in the duet of passion the two of you shared. Skin rubbed against skin, sweat beaded at your brows, air was shared - Giyuu tilted his head and kissed you again, and again, and again.

He stole your heart, he stole your pleasure, he stole your breath, he stole you and yet…

“Let go for me, my dear-” he ground out between his teeth.

You went out with a whimper.

Toes curled, back arched, but all you could do was take it as Giyuu continued to thrust, chasing his own release inside your heat.

He kept staring at your blissed out face. "I'm gonna-" One, two, three slams of his hips and he released a shaky moan, spilling his seed deep into your pussy. "…stuff you full of my love."

The warmth of him inside, the firm muscles against your thighs, his scent, the dripping sweat-

He hadn't even asked if he could cum inside. He hadn't asked if you were on the pill. He truly intended to keep you, didn't he?

"I love you, my dear."

Tears welled up in your eyes and fell one by one down your cheeks. But damn him, you loved him too. You'd fallen in love with him, and he'd become your captor.

Giyuu slowly leaned even closer to embrace you. “Shhh, this was meant to be, my dear.” He buried his face into your neck. The kiss he placed there was wet with his own tears.

What was he crying about? You were the one he was going to shackle down. You were the one with no way out. You were the one losing everything but him.

“I know this will take some time to adjust to.”

How else was he supposed to keep you from harm? There was no other way. He couldn’t regret it, wouldn’t regret it.

“In the end… all you have left is-” he leaned closer to your ear, “me.” Giyuu buried his face in your neck again, taking in your scent and listening to your heart beat - steady and well. Alive.

You were far safer with him, under his roof - in your now-shared bedroom.

“It’s better this way.”

There was nothing he wouldn’t do for you. He would make sure you had everything you needed.

“Shhh, sleep now.”

banners by the amazing @/benkeibear

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bobohu4eva · 2 months

Text

Golden

Part 1/2

Characters: Reader x Baekhyun

Genre: College AU, Baekhyun as an adorable art student and campus heartthrob, shy OC, hurt/comfort, mutual pining, angst, eventual smut

WC: 8.3k

Warnings: Harassment, alcohol consumption

Masterlist

The streets of Seoul set your mind ablaze in all their bright, manicured chaos.

It had been three years since your first time in the city, but again it sucked you right in without as much as a glimpse of hesitation. Not unlike you with a bowl of your favorite ramyun.

The American midwest had its charms, if you looked hard enough, but your eyes were getting tired. The city had always been more your speed, and Seoul was, in your mind, the absolute best there was. When the opportunity finally came to spend your last year of college at Korea University you eagerly took it.

No matter the area, the time of day, or one's specific interests, there was always a good chance that something uniquely enticing was just around the corner, waiting to be discovered. Getting bored wasn’t an option, even for those who might crave it every now and then.

Patience, like boredom, was not on the menu in Seoul either. Ppalli-ppalli is what they call it, ‘quickly-quickly, the culture that drives the city to cater perfectly to the needs of those as antsy, or really just anxious, as yourself. It’s hard to overthink for hours when there is so much constantly changing and happening around you, demanding your attention. You found that profoundly comforting.

Independence had always been a strength of yours, so the first several weeks flew by, but by the third week, and then the fourth, even you got a little lonely.

After a few years studying the language, your Korean was decent. Passable. But fluent, you were not. Ordering in restaurants, reading directions and street signs, that was no problem, but having to make any kind of meaningful conversation was humbling, to say the least.

It was a relief to finally get a roommate, Heejin, another senior at the university. She was thrilled to practice her English with you, and you your Korean with her.

Before you knew it the semester was starting, and right on your first day of classes, you noticed him. Surrounded by a large group of friends all laughing together, he was at the center in all his beauty.

It would be hard not to notice him, really, given his clothing. They were unusually colorful, in contrast to the muted neutrals most Koreans favor, and were often dotted with what looked like paint stains, mainly shades of yellow and gold. In the crowded lecture hall, he was a sliver of sunlight against the sea of black, brown, and gray.

He wore round glasses, which framed kind, puppy-like eyes the color of your favorite chocolate. The dark curls of his hair were perfectly fluffy, and his lips perfectly pink. Moles and freckles decorated his nose and cheeks generously.

You struggled not to stare. He was just so pretty. Especially when you saw him smile. Just the sight of him laughing at a joke you hadn’t even heard, brought a smile to your face.

He was shining, glowing, radiating so much warmth you’d blissfully forgotten the still looming chill of early spring.

“That’s Baekhyun, he’s a studio arts major, pretty much every girl I know has a crush on him. I get it, though, he is super cute, he seems really nice, too, though I don’t really know him myself.” Heejin told you, when you asked about him that same evening.

Against your better judgment, or any rational thought, really, you let yourself be drawn to him, taking your seat the next day in the row directly in front of his. You didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but you couldn’t help it, listening in on him and his friends' conversations before class started. He was whitty, charming, and effortlessly funny, though he never made jokes at anyone else’s expense, like his friends did. He seemed like a genuinely sweet guy, just like your roommate had said. And basically every girl on campus saw it too, along with how devastatingly cute he was.

Despite feeling relatively confident in the subject matter of all your classes, you still did your best to fade into the background and avoid being called on by the professors. Trying to sound smart and confident wasn’t something your Korean skills (or still slightly fragile psyche) were up to yet.

But as fate would have it, you couldn’t avoid talking in class forever. At the end of the second week, during your last class of the day, you were called on to answer something pretty simple, yet you still ended up stumbling over your words, sounding awkward at best.

You easily picked up on the snide comments and snickers coming from the girls behind you. Back home you would’ve thrown her a mean side eye at the very least, but now you just kept your head down. Making enemies so early on here couldn’t be a good idea. Not only that, but you knew Baekhyun would be witness to all of it.

“Sumin, it took you three tries to pass elementary English, talking about someone else’s language skills is wild.”

His voice was just as lovely as the rest of him, so you didn’t even have to turn around to be sure who’d said it, but you still did. There was a small reassuring smile on his lips, and a pout on hers. He’d said it so casually, like it was nothing, but it definitely meant a hell of a lot to you.

She was gorgeous, and you’d wondered in the past if there was something going on between them. But Baekhyun didn't appear all that impressed with her, at least not the way she clearly was with him.

You kept replaying it in your mind, until finally class was over, and you headed quickly towards the door, worried you’d be hearing more rude comments.

“Hey! Y/n, right?”

“Huh?” Too shocked to fully react, you spun around to see him walking straight towards you.

“I’m Baekhyun, sorry about my friend earlier. You’re an exchange student, right?” His English was nearly perfect, the slight accent he had making him sound even more endearing.

“Yeah… Thank you, by the way. How do you know my name?”

“Well, you do kind of stand out. In a good way though.”

He was grinning, looking gorgeous as ever, even in a simple red tshirt and jeans, dotted with the usual colorful specks of paint. Now that he was standing so close to you, you got a good idea of how tall he was, and although he wasn’t the biggest, most muscular guy you’d ever seen, his shoulders were surprisingly broad, and his arms looked sturdy. As your eyes stayed glued to his form, your mind wandered off, thinking about how lovely it must feel to get a hug from him.

It occurred to you then that he must’ve asked someone about you, the same way you’d asked about him.

“I do?” You asked, starting to make your way towards the building’s exit.

“Well, yeah, there are other foreigners going here too of course, but I’m sure most of them don’t get as much attention as you.”

You blushed, not wanting to read into it too deeply, but you wondered if that was his way of telling you that he thought you were cute.

“I don’t know about that…”

“So, where are you headed now?” He asked, holding the door as you both left the building.

“Back to my dorm, that was my last class of the day.”

“Same, can I walk with you?”

“Sure, it’s a little far though.”

He shrugged, “I don't mind.”

As he accompanied you across campus, you couldn’t help but wonder why he was being so nice. He seemed like a nice person, of course, but he didn’t know you at all. You weren’t even an artsy type like he was.

“You’re an art student, right? Is that why some of your clothes have paint on them?”

He nodded, a big beautiful smile on his face. “My favorite is oil paints, and they stain like crazy so now I just let it happen, I kinda like the way it looks.”

“I like it too.”

“Yeah? Maybe I could paint on your clothes too sometime.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I don’t think I could pull it off.”

“What? Of course you could, if I can then you definitely can.” He teased, swaying slightly as he took his next step, letting his shoulder brush your own.

It was troublingly easy for him to make you blush, and you hoped he didn’t notice just how flustered he was making you, without even really doing anything.

“What about you? What's your major?”

“International business, I've wanted to move here for years, and that major was recommended to me for this exchange program.”

“Well, I'm glad you finally made it.” He grinned, warm and lovely, and if you hadn’t known better, you might’ve thought that he was flirting with you. “You're from America, right?”

You nodded.

“What made you want to move to Korea?”

“My favorite professor back in the states was Korean, she told me that she thought I would do well here, and introduced me to the culture, the language, all of it. I eventually came here for a week-long spring break thing, and ended up liking it a lot.”

Even from the outer echelons of your gaze, his smile was still bright as ever, those beautiful kind eyes fixated on you with intent. You couldn’t look back at him, not yet, your fragile heart needed time. He wondered why the architecture of the surrounding buildings suddenly became of such keen interest to you.

“What about you? Why art?”

He shrugged, “I've always been the creative type, ever since I was a kid. I can’t really imagine doing anything else at this point.”

“I'd love to see some of your work, if you'd be willing to show me.”

“Of course!” His face lit up even more, somehow, and he immediately pulled out his phone, opening up a photo album of his recent projects and handing it to you.

You assumed he’d be pretty good just based on how popular he was, but when you got a good look at some of his work, it stopped you dead in your tracks. You froze, swiping through some of the pictures, speechless.

“Do you like them?”

You let out a short laugh, more in disbelief than anything else. “Are you kidding? These are amazing, you’re so talented.”

Most of his paintings were dreamlike scenes bathed in yellow and gold, bright shapes and colors coming through in the most beautiful ways, creating so much atmosphere and movement, even just through the screen of his phone. They all depicted people, mostly women, just going about their normal lives, but the colorful and abstract nature of his style made it all so much more alluring to look at. Without a doubt, he had a real gift.

He just shrugged, “I do my best.”

You were a little disappointed to reach your dorm so soon, and have to tell him goodbye, though he assured you he would see you in class. For the first time, you actually looked forward to it, the promise of seeing him and his wonderful smile again making all of your previous uncertainty melt into comparative irrelevance.

When the next class period came around, you’d expected to hear him sit down behind you with the rest of his friends. You did hear his friends sit down, talking among themselves, but he walked right past them, sitting down next to you instead.

He started asking you about the homework, totally casual, and you had to act like you weren’t internally screaming the entire time. You acted as normal as you could, all the while feeling Sumin’s eyes like sharpened pencils stabbing into the back of your skull.

Eventually class started, and that took your mind off things at least a little, but as soon as the professor dismissed everyone Baekhyun was once again asking if he could walk you home, and of course, you agreed.

An awkward silence filled the air as you tried to find something to talk about, but just having him there next to you made you so embarrassingly shy, you could hardly think straight. As he held the door for you, that disgustingly sweet fluttering sensation filled your belly, and while familiar, you’d never experienced it to such a degree.

“Do you have a favorite painter?” You eventually blurted out. It was the first thing that came to mind, and to your relief, he seemed excited to answer.

“Yeah! I mean, there are a ton that I love, but the one I’m most inspired by in my own work is Gustav Klimt, the way he combines art nouveau, with more classical and Japanese influences, it's so cool. I try to do something similar, but with a more Korean flair. He was really controversial during his time too, but he didn’t care and just did what he liked anyway.”

“Why was he controversial?”

“Well…” He cleared his throat, and you swore, for a second, it looked like he was blushing. For once, he wasn’t looking at you, seemingly avoiding eye contact himself. “Many of his really famous pieces are of women, usually without clothes on. There’s a lot of symbolism around sexuality and eroticism, so early 20th century Austria labeled his work as pornographic.”

“Oh?”

“Well it was the 1910’s!” He replied, maybe a little too quickly, “One rogue boob was enough to thoroughly scandalize them, you know what I mean, right?”

You smiled, comforted by the fact that he actually seemed to be the one getting flustered now. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Different time.”

“He was ahead of his time, for sure. That's one of the things I love about him and his work.”

He just kept gushing about the different pieces he liked best, showing them to you on his phone, talking about the different motifs and what it was about them that he loved. It was so sweet, his enthusiasm for it, and you took it all in happily.

You could listen to him talk about art all day long. You could see the sparkle in his eyes, the passion and excitement he had for it, and you were almost jealous of him, that he was so great at something that he loved so much. Sadly though, you soon made it back to your dorm again. However this time, when you turned to start walking up the steps, he stopped you.

“Wait, um, if you wouldn’t mind, could I get your number?”

You stared back at him for a minute, happy but surprised, before nodding. He handed you his phone and you added your contact, heart beating rapidly, trying your best not to look as excited as you felt.

When you reached your room, you saw the first text from him, one of the paintings he’d shown you. It was the same colorful yet overwhelmingly golden color scheme you’d seen in his own work, and depicted a man kissing a woman on the cheek. The racing of your heart took several minutes to return to a more normal pace.

As the semester went on, he always sat with you, and always walked you home. It took you another few weeks to really start opening up to him, but as you gradually did, his kind and warm demeanor made you feel at ease. He asked you about your family, your hobbies, whatever he could to get to know you better. You told him about your love for music, your favorite artists, and he always listened intently. He’d check out songs you recommended, and singers he’d never heard of, seeming as eager as you to get to meet again and discuss them more in depth.

Even as you talked to him about more personal matters, he never made you feel judged, always keeping an open heart and mind. That was another thing about him that you grew to admire.

You loved Seoul, and Korean culture, but learned that people could be more judgemental, and on the basis of quite superficial matters. Not only that, but these judgements were perfectly acceptable to express, adding an extra layer of pressure to everyday life. Baekhyun, however, didn’t partake in any of it.

Despite how attractive, popular, and as you came to learn, wealthy, he was, he never talked down to anyone. Jokes of that sort, that were normal to basically all of his friends, he wouldn’t react to, noticing the way he’d steer the conversation away from such topics when they came up.

He was accepting of everyone, regardless of their status, appearance, or various other factors. He was friends with basically everyone, too. As he’d walk with you he would always be greeting people left and right, giving everyone a smile and a friendly wave, never once ignoring someone or showing any condescension. He was just good.

His kindness, as lovely as it was, unfortunately also made you realize how not special you were to him. It was simply in his nature to be kind, even to those who might not deserve it, or could get the wrong idea. It was obvious how many girls had crushes on him, and though it never contained any malicious intent, he flirted with basically all of them. It was just part of his good nature. When he could tell someone liked him, he liked to make them happy. He never purposely misled anyone, or got their hopes up, but you still saw it happen time and time again. He would compliment a girl, and she would get all flustered, just like you had, wondering if maybe he really did like her, only to be disappointed when he did the same to her friend. If he wasn’t such a goddamn sweetheart he probably would've been labeled a playboy long ago, but everyone could clearly see that he wasn’t like that. Sleeping around wasn’t something he seemed to do either, though he definitely could’ve if he wanted to.

All of that being said, you still fell hard for him. It felt silly, being so infatuated and getting so flustered around him due to his sweet words, knowing that there wasn’t anything special about the way he treated you. He was that sweet to all of the girls, and you couldn’t even be mad at him for it, so you learned to hide how you felt. At least you wouldn’t end up looking like a fool that way.

Walking to class in the mornings always felt like such a chore, especially ever since Baekhyun had started to accompany you on your way back home everyday. You missed his company, and it was usually still quite cold, too, something you hated. Getting to listen to music uninterrupted was the only part that brought you some solace.

One morning was particularly stressful for you, having overslept the day before an exam, already late to the very necessary hour of studying you’d planned before going to your first class.

You were walking quicker than usual, headphones on, focused on making it to the library. However none of that seemed to deter the guy who started walking alongside you, now talking at you, motioning for you to take your headphones off.

Annoyed as you were, you didn’t want to be rude either. You took off the headphones, telling him, “Sorry, I’m kind of in a hurry.”

He didn’t seem to care, and when you started putting your headphones back on, he grabbed them from you.

You stared at him, clearly pissed off and in slight disbelief, but still, he just kept walking, now uncomfortably close to you. “I’m Jaeyong. I’ve seen you around, you’re really pretty. My dad basically owns this whole place, you know.”

“Oh yeah?” You tried to take your headphones back, but he kept them out of reach.

You’d seen him around campus too, surrounded by a posse of other rich kids, though they weren’t the kind Baekhyun associated with, and it was easy to see why. You immediately had a bad feeling about the guy.

“Can I get your number? We should go out sometime, I only date foreign girls. You guys are way less stuck up than the girls here, more open minded.”

Oh lord. You’d been warned about guys like him. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Come on, don’t be a bitch. At least give me your number.”

You ignored what he said, trying again to get ahold of your headphones, and he still refused to give them back.

“You’d be lucky to go on a date with someone like me, you know.”

“Sorry, but I’m not interested. Can I please get my headphones back now?”

“What? You have a boyfriend or something?”

He’d been following you long enough that you were already in front of the library, and you really didn’t want him to follow you inside. For your own sanity, but also to spare the other students the annoyance, knowing he likely still wouldn’t shut up.

Unfortunately when you didn’t go inside, he ended up backing you up to the side of the building, blocking you into a corner.

“You can get your headphones back if you agree to go on a date with me.” His face was so close to your own you could smell his breath, turning away from him, refusing to respond. “Come on Y/n. You know you want to.”

The greasy smirk on his face made you feel sick. You didn’t remember ever giving him your name.

“I really need to go study.”

“I said, don’t be a bitch. It would be really stupid of you to reject me.” He spat, a jarring change in his tone.

He was no longer smiling, either, clearly getting frustrated with you. Fear started to take over, and you decided you could get new headphones later, you just needed to get away. You tried to get past him, but his hand on your shoulder shoved you against the side of the building roughly, painfully, and panic quickly set in, tears forming in your eyes. He didn’t even seem to care that there were other people around, clearly confident nobody would bother to stop him.

He was talking again, and you could hear the malice in his voice, though you were too scared to even really tell what he was saying anymore, cheeks now wet, repeating again and again to please just leave you alone. Your shoulder ached, still being held against the brick wall hard enough that you knew it would bruise.

Your eyes were squeezed shut, shaking your head, and suddenly the hand on your shoulder was gone. You collapsed to the ground, only vaguely aware of the voices around you.

There was a cacophony of “Leave her alone”, “Mind your business”, “Fuck off”, and more coming from only a few feet away but you just sat slumped against the wall, wishing it would all go away.

The sudden touch from a pair of hands taking hold of your own made you jump. You finally opened your eyes again, and to your great relief, it wasn't the guy who’d been bothering you, it was Baekhyun.

“Y/n? Are you okay?”

A pair of concerned eyes met your own, feeling his thumbs as they softly ran across the backs of your hands. You stared back at him, dumbfounded, too stunned to speak. He was crouched down in front of you where you still sat against the wall, the other man nowhere to be seen.

“Please say something.”

“I- I don’t know.”

You didn’t notice, but Baekhyun grew increasingly aware of the people starting to gather around. His grip on your hands tightened and he pulled you back up to your feet, disappearing into the library with you. He made his way into the first empty study room he could find, his hand still firmly holding your own.

Now that you knew you were actually safe the adrenaline finally began to wear off. Baekhyun pulled out a chair for you to sit, so you did, and he soon followed. He moved so he was facing you instead of the table, and you tried to do the same, but when you braced yourself against the table and put even the slightest pressure on it, pain shot up towards your shoulder, making you wince.

He caught on right away, moving your chair for you.

“Are you hurt?”

Embarrassment slowly took hold now that you’d come to realize the gravity of the situation. As much as you didn’t want him to worry about you, you knew you couldn’t just lie, either.

“It isn’t too bad, I’ll be okay.” You were avoiding his eyes, growing more and more shy by the second. “You should get to class, I need to study anyway.”

“What?”

The softness and confusion in his voice pierced through your heart, even with only that one word. He was moving closer, and you hadn't even realized that you were still crying, not until his thumb began to gently wipe your tears away.

You were painfully aware of the rapid increase in your heart rate, as well as the redness spreading across your cheeks. He was so close now, his hands delicate on your face, looking at you with those beautiful brown eyes swimming with unease, still so worried about you.

His eyes moved to your shoulder, and his hand to the collar of your sweater.

“Can I..?”

You nodded, turning that side of your body towards him, and he slowly moved the fabric aside.

Seeing how his eyes widened, you looked down, and saw the blue and purple bruises for yourself.

“You are hurt. Let's get you to a nurse.” He said as he stood, but you stayed seated.

“Baekhyun, it's ok, I can go by myself later, you don't have to do all this.”

“Yeah, I do. I want to help.” He said, and held out his hand, beckoning you to get up and go with him. His eyes met yours, holding your gaze with intent. You couldn’t say no to him, not when he looked at you like that. His hand was warm when you finally took it, gratefully accepting his kindness, bashful as you were.

His hand stayed holding yours the entire way to the health services building. It wasn't far, but you still noticed the looks you got, especially from other girls.

You assumed that Baekhyun would leave for class once he dropped you off, but he didn't. He took a seat with you as you waited for your name to be called, and soon enough, you were being led down the hallway, with him still by your side.

“Sorry, your boyfriend can't come in the room with you.” Said the nurse, and you and Baekhyun exchanged nervous glances, though neither said anything to correct her..

He sat himself down in a nearby chair to wait, and you followed the nurse into the room. When you returned, he still wore that same nervous expression, asking, “How bad is it?”

His sweetness brought a long overdue smile to your face. “Not bad.” You said, and pulled your sweater aside to show him the tape and bandages. “No heavy lifting for a few weeks, and I should try not to move it too much, but nothing serious.”

Finally, you saw him ease up a bit, showing you a small smile as well. “Can I walk you to class?”

You nodded, and he was once again by your side as you headed across campus, though this time without his hand holding yours. As much as you tried to deny it, you missed the feeling. Once or twice you felt his hand brush up against your own, and you wondered if he was thinking the same thing, but you knew you shouldn’t get caught up in those kinds of thoughts.

“I don’t want to intrude, but if you’d like- I mean, if it would make you feel more comfortable, I could walk with you in the mornings, too, and between classes.”

As he said it his eyes were fixed on his hands, fidgeting with a ring he had on.

“Are you sure? I don’t want to make you late, or be a bother.”

“It’s no problem at all! Really, I think I would also feel better, just knowing that you’re safe.”

“Oh..I would like that, yeah.” You found yourself looking down at the pavement, blushing, mind once again wandering off, the sickly sweet feeling fluttering within you. When you turned onto a larger road, you didn’t miss the way his hand gently took hold of your good shoulder, positioning himself between you and the street.

You went on to text him your class schedule, and he happily agreed to walk with you wherever you needed to go, though you still found it hard to believe that he wouldn’t end up making himself late as a result. He seemed so happy to do it, though, you didn’t question him any further. When you thought about the very real possibility of running into Jaeyong again, you were grateful you’d have Baekhyun by your side.

He waved you goodbye when you got to class, and when it was over he was in the same spot, already waiting for you.

It went on like that for the rest of the day, with him being his usual wonderful self. You could tell that he was trying his best to brighten your day after it started so badly, and you appreciated it more than you could put into words. During your last class, he was joking around more than usual, complimenting you more, making you smile every chance he got. When it was finally time to say goodbye for the day back at your dorm, you didn’t want to let him go.

The next morning, true to his word, he was there waiting for you when you walked outside. Instead of heading towards campus, though, he insisted you sit down on the closest bench, “I have a surprise for you.” He said.

You played along, sitting down, following his directions to cover your eyes. He seemed to rummage around in his backpack for a minute, then set something down on your lap.

He gently took hold of your wrists, moving your hands aside, and you finally got a good look at the surprise he’d prepared.

It was a pair of headphones. The same model you’d had, but the newest version. Your old pair had been expensive enough, you almost couldn’t believe that he actually spent the money on a replacement.

“Do you like it? I tried to get your old pair back yesterday, but that asshole broke them.”

As much as you wanted to fight him and insist it was too much, he looked so excited, the smile on his beautiful face so pure, you just couldn’t bring yourself to do so. You grinned back at him, standing up to throw your arms around him without a second thought. The way he hugged you back was just as amazing as you’d always imagined it would be. He was warm, his chest and arms firm in the most comforting way, and even the way he smelled was addictive. His embrace was nothing short of perfect, and it took everything in you not to whine when it inevitably came to an end.

“Thank you.”

“I know how much you love music, so I figured a nice pair of headphones would be pretty important to you.”

“It is, this is so sweet, I don’t even know what to say.”

He grinned, a teasing look on his face, “I wouldn’t mind another hug, if that’s easier.”

Your smile told him more than enough. This time, he was the one to pull you in, and he held you even tighter, letting the embrace linger for a moment longer. You put the headphones in your backpack, and started walking to class.

“You know I think that's the first time I've ever heard you call someone an asshole.”

“Well he really, really is.” He laughed. “I couldn't stand him even before he did all that. It's not the first time he's done that kind of thing either, but nobody ever stops him since his family donates a ton of money to the university and is on the board of directors.”

“That's awful..”

“Yeah he's the worst. How's your shoulder?”

“It only hurts if I put pressure on it or move it wrong, it’s really not too bad.”

You didn't have the heart to tell him that it did kind of hurt when he hugged you, but you'd happily deal with the slight discomfort of it, if it meant you'd get to do it more often.

He seemed to catch on anyway, only lightly holding onto your good side when you got to class and he told you goodbye. You wondered if he'd been thinking about holding you the same way you had been for weeks, now that he seemed so keen on it.

Every time he was sweet to you, you felt yourself falling for him even harder. Just walking with him was enough to turn you into a giddy mess, gradually falling in love with every little part of him. Whenever you felt especially shy, you would ask him about different art projects he was working on and he would show you, going on and on about what inspired it, the different motifs and themes. His voice always calmed you down after a little while, but by then, you'd usually be home or at your next class.

For days you thought about inviting him over, telling yourself you'd finally just do it, but always chickening out at the last minute. With how he treated you, you started to think that if he was alone with you, he might actually make a move. Maybe.

It wasn't until the end of midterms that you finally worked up the courage to invite him in.

He asked what you were up to that evening, as he usually would, and you told him that you were just going to study for the exam the next day, in the class you shared with him.

“Me too.” He said, looking at you with an expression you couldn't quite read as you got to the entrance of your dorm.

There was a moment of awkward silence as you both stood there, not yet wanting to let him leave, and it seemed to you that he didn't want that either.

He moved closer, about to hug you goodbye when your hand landed on his shoulder.

“Wait-”

He froze, swallowing, glancing nervously at the door.

“If you’re just gonna study tonight too, would you want to maybe come inside and study together?”

You braced yourself for the rejection, already dreading the excuse he would make, so it came as a surprise when he showed you a big dazzling grin.

“That sounds great, sure.”

You didn't miss Heejins face when he walked through the door with you, raising her eyebrows suggestively with a grin on her lips as soon as his back was turned.

“Baekhyun, this is my roommate Heejin.”

He smiled and greeted her, and you knew she'd be bombarding you with questions as soon as he was gone again.

You led him to your room, getting out your textbook and settling in on your bed, with him right next to you.

Part of you hoped that he wouldn't be all that keen on actually studying and you'd be able to just talk and hang out. Maybe, he would even make a move. Unfortunately though, he really did want to study.

Even as you both studied in silence, he somehow still managed to make the room feel far hotter than it realistically was. You felt his eyes on you more often than seemed normal, and a few times you'd looked back up at him, but he'd always quickly returned his attention to his textbook. He kept inching closer to you as well, every brush of his shoulder or thigh against your own increasing your heart rate.

You probably stole a few too many glances at him too, but he just kept drawing you in. Every detail of his face looked so kissable, your mind drifted away from your class work, wishing he was in your bed as more than just a friend.

Every time he would turn a page his hands caught your attention. The mole on his thumb was so cute, you thought, just another part of him you found yourself becoming obsessed with.

Hours went by in what felt like minutes, and when you both started yawning, you decided to call it a night. He hugged you again before leaving, only holding onto the side that wasn’t hurt.

You were proud of yourself for actually taking the initiative and inviting him in. The way he’d kept looking up from the textbook at you, more often than felt normal, kept replaying in your mind. As much as you didn’t want to fall victim to his charm only to be disappointed later, you couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he really did like you the same way you liked him.

You couldn’t get him out of your head as you got ready for bed that night, and even as you tried to go to sleep, his soft smiles and the way his thigh brushed against your own consumed your thoughts. Your mind wandered off, wondering how he’d react if you made some kind of move on him, though you knew you’d never actually have the confidence to do so. The idea of him reciprocating any of it, kissing you, touching you, almost seemed like it would be worth it. However the possibility of rejection, of losing his friendship, was still too scary for you to consider it.

It was well past midnight when you finally started dozing off, but the sound of your phone pulled you back to reality. For a second you considered just ignoring it until morning, but something inside told you not to. It must've been intuition, because when you did look, it turned out to be a text from him.

Are you awake?

You replied pretty much right away,

Yeah, why?

Can I call?

Sure

Fuck. Before you even had the chance to properly freak out, his caller ID was flashing across the screen. You picked up.

“Hi, y/n. Sorry to call so late, I can't sleep.”

“No worries, is everything okay?”

“Yeah.. I think I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Oh…”

“Is that weird to say?”

“No! I mean, you could call me at any ungodly hour and I'd probably still pick up, to be honest.”

The words slipped out before you had any real chance to think about what you were saying, and true as it was, you were still grateful he wasn't there to see how hard you were blushing.

“Really? That's awfully tempting… I might end up keeping you up a lot, though. Heejin’s gonna hate me.”

You laughed as quietly as you could, “She has her own bedroom, she'll be fine.”

“Thank you again, by the way, for inviting me in today.”

Your cheeks ached with how hard you were smiling, staring up at your ceiling with the phone pressed to your ear.

“It's nice to have some company. I always get so distracted when I try to study by myself.”

“Well, if I hadn't put it off for so long I probably would've just talked the whole time. I don't know if I'm really a good study partner, but if you want company again just let me know.”

“Well next time don't procrastinate so much, dummy.”

“So you're cool with me distracting you?” You could hear it in his voice, the way he grinned as he said it.

“Maybe a little..”

A brief pause.

“Did you have a boyfriend, back in America?”

The sudden question caught you off guard.

“No.. why?”

“Just wondering, I guess… I mean that must be hard, right? Having all your loved ones so far away.”

You wondered if you should tell him, but decide it would be best to just be honest.

“Okay that wasn’t entirely true. I was seeing someone, but he wasn’t a boyfriend and I knew I wanted to move here, so I ended it. I do miss my family and friends, but I still talk to them basically every day.”

“What about when you graduate? Are you gonna move back?”

“No,” You giggled, amused with how concerned he sounded, “Hopefully not, I like it here.”

“Thank god”

“Why? Would you miss me?”

He was quiet for a moment, dropping the teasing tone and answering with surprising tenderness.

“Of course I would miss you.”

“Oh.. I would miss you too.”

“Awww, cute.” You could practically see the shit-eating grin on his face.

“Baekhyun!”

“What?”

“You can be such a little shit, you know that?”

“How am I a little shit?!” He gasped, though even over the phone, you could tell he was just being his usual dramatic self.

“You get a kick out of fucking with me!”

“I wasn’t fucking with you! I just genuinely think it's cute that you would miss me, that’s all.”

“You can’t tell, but I’m rolling my eyes.”

“What? I’m not allowed to think you’re cute?”

There was a long pause, and you considered if you should really believe him. It wasn’t that you thought he was being dishonest, you just didn’t want to set yourself up for disappointment.

“Baek…”

“What?” His voice was once again soft, bringing with it a tightness in your chest.

“Nothing.. It’s just late, I guess, I’m pretty tired.”

For a while he was quiet. You would’ve given anything to know what was going through his head right then.

“You’re right.. I’ll let you get some sleep. I’m glad you were still up when I texted you. Goodnight, Y/n.”

“Goodnight.”

As much as it pained you to hang up, inevitably staying up much much later now that he’d given you so much to think about, his flirting just wasn’t something you knew how to handle. Even if he really did like you, why didn’t he say something more than just playful flirting? It would be a dream if he actually confessed to you, but it was exactly that; just a dream. That was clear enough considering how openly he flirted with other girls around you.

The next week he was his usual friendly self, walking with you, joking around, though you felt he’d pulled back a bit on the flirting. Part of you was relieved, since it turned you into a blubbering mess, but of course you also missed it.

He did still keep calling you though, often late at night, when he said he couldn’t sleep. A few times, you’d both even passed out with the call still ongoing. He told you that talking to you calmed him down, and once, he’d even said that he wished you were there with him. You’d laid awake nearly all night, wondering how he’d meant it. Did he just want company? Did he hate sleeping alone? Or did he also want something more than just friendship with you? Either way, until he said something more concrete, you wouldn’t be the one to ask.

It was during one of those late night phone calls that he invited you to a friend's birthday party. It was at a popular club near the university, and at first you weren’t going to attend, but he managed to talk you into it. After all, he would be there. Alcohol and music also meant dancing, and the possibility of dancing with him was enough to ensure that you’d be there too.

He wasn’t able to walk you, since he had to help set everything up, so you ended up going alone. Which wasn’t a big deal, in theory, but as someone who’d always been on the more anxious side, it still made you uneasy. Seoul was very safe, that wasn't the problem, it was what would happen once you got there that worried you. Baekhyun was your only friend there. You didn’t want to be a bother and hang onto him all night, since the rest of the guests were basically strangers to you.

When the time came you wore your favorite outfit, and stepped into the subway towards Hongdae with all the confidence you could muster.

You arrived a little later than the time he’d told you, not wanting to seem overly eager, and to your relief he already seemed to be waiting for you. When he pulled you in for a hug it was tighter than usual, and the smell of tequila on him was pronounced. You quickly took a shot with him, wondering how many he’d already downed prior to your arrival.

The club was still relatively empty, but that didn’t seem to bother Baekhyun as he pulled you towards the dance floor. You protested, and he pouted.

“I don’t really dance, at least not when I’m this sober.”

Seconds later another shot of tequila was pressed into your palm, and Baekhyun clinked his glass to yours, spilling a little, before you downed them in unison. Before you knew it, he had you on the dance floor.

It was your first real night out in Seoul, and it left you every bit as breathless as you’d expected. Now happily drunk, you danced with him, back pressed to his chest, both his hands on your hips.

Any worries you’d had about the amount of alcohol being consumed were long forgotten. You just let the music guide you, swimming in the euphoria of his hands on you and the closeness of your bodies.

When his warmth behind you disappeared, you spun around to search for him. Without him as an anchor, everything became far more overwhelming. There were more people now, the crowded space growing warmer, almost suffocating, until he burst through with a grin on his gorgeous face and two cups of water in his hands.

You hadn’t even realized how dearly you needed it until he’d appeared, grateful to drink something other than tequila. When one of your favorite songs began, and you beamed at him, and he beamed back at you even brighter. He remembered, of course he did. He knew all of your favorite music, because you’d told him so much about it.

Now as you danced, you couldn’t keep your eyes off him. His hands gripped your waist, and your arms were slung around his neck, swaying to the familiar beat, getting lost in the drunken haze of it all. You realized then that he was staring at you just as intensely as you stared at him.

This is what it’s all about, you thought to yourself. Letting go completely, enjoying the music you love, and sharing it all with your favorite person. His smile shone so brightly, and you mirrored it, unable to imagine a more perfect moment.

You hardly realized it when he began to drag you off the dance floor. The song had long ended, and as the speakers became more distant, his voice became clear.

“Y/n?”

His eyes were bigger than ever as you looked up into them, in awe of their gentle downward slope, their deep brown color, the sincerity always behind them.

“Baekhyun?”

“I want to tell you something.”

“Okay.”

“I..” He trailed off, still looking at you, seeming to lose his train of thought. “You… You look really pretty, you always do, but especially right now.”

It was nothing he hadn’t told you before, but it still hit you harder than ever. For a while you just held his gaze, until in a burst of blind, drunken, confidence, you moved closer. You stood on the tips of your toes, and ever so softly, you let your lips meet his blushing cheek. Before the confidence could wear off and you’d start to second guess yourself, you pulled him back onto the dance floor.

You both downed a few more drinks, your attention devoted fully to each other. It was silly, now, to think of how worried you’d been about coming here. You hadn’t had this much fun in ages.

Eventually you had to excuse yourself to find a bathroom. You stared into the mirror as you fixed your lip gloss, wondering if Baekhyun had a mark on his face, from where you’d kissed him earlier. You liked the idea of other girls knowing that you’d been there.

You held onto the sink with an iron grip, closing your eyes for a second to steady yourself, all too aware of the way the room spun around you. Drinking this much wasn’t like you, but you were having so much fun, you didn’t care.

The bright flashing lights and hoards of strangers were disorienting, especially in your intoxicated state. You ended up on a sort of balcony, overlooking the dance floor, trying to find Baekhyun somewhere among the crowd.

When you finally spotted him, your heart sank to the pit of your stomach. He was dancing with Sumin.

Everything that happened next felt like it went by in slow motion.

Her eyes broke away from him, scanning the room, and briefly met yours. You saw her throw her arms around his neck. She kissed him, and he kissed her back.

The music seemed to wane into a dull buzz, sudden dizziness causing you to stumble. It took you a minute to get your bearings again, but when you did, you pushed your way through the crowd and out onto the street without a second thought.

It had started to rain. The smell of wet concrete was your only company as you walked towards home, a cruel, painful pit swallowing you from the inside.

Baekhyun didn’t like you like that, of course he didn’t. He was like that with all the girls.

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