#t: I shouldn’t have to remind you that I’m a minor every day but here we are

[catgrandpa]

No more Tim flinching away from him and Jason brooding about Tim being scared of him. It should be like this:

Jason: has a flash of panic/rage after seeing Tim do something particularly triggering in the Robin suit and lashes out a little

Tim: flinches back hard and falls into a defensive stance

Jason:

Tim:

Jason: lmao dude did u think I was gonna kill u or smth? weak shit

Tim: kinda, but at least I can drive down the road without being triggered by a stop light. embarrassing.

[to-thelakes]

heard ( carmy berzatto x reader )

content warnings; depiction of panic attack and anxiety, mentions of suicide/death (mikey), reader gets a cut (but super minor)

summary; you've had a really overwhelming day and carmy has to calm you down from a panic attack he mostly caused

dropping this here and running, i'm in love with carmy berzatto, i'm so sorry

Working at the Beef was stressful. Usually, you didn’t mind. In fact, you loved it. The stress meant that you didn’t have time to overthink anything because you were being ordered to do a million things all at once. It was good. You loved it.

But not today. 

Carmy had given you a new recipe to learn and you were fucking up creating the pea puree. Somehow it always ended up too runny and no matter how you changed the temperature while you cooked or how long you left it to reduce, it turned out like shit. Runny, tasteless shit.

It was like the universe had decided to take a cosmic shit on your already fucked up day.

You had left the house at the ass crack of dawn and unintentionally woken up your roommate who had decided to call you and berate you for your entire journey on the L. It’s safe to say you were regretting your 12 month lease with the roommate from hell. But you tried your best to swallow down all the cruel words and carry on with your day.

Work had always been a good distraction but it was two hours till service started and you felt like you were already losing it. You were sure everyone could see how you were cracking under the pressure too.

As you tried to learn the new dish, Carmen would come over every five or so minutes to check on your progress, taste the dish and you could see him getting increasingly frustrated under the surface. 

He had been unusually calm since the start of the day but the cracks were beginning to show. Since everyone had come in, Marcus had been distracted by his desserts which meant he had ignored all his usual prepwork. Carmy had kindly tried to remind him that desserts was not his job yet. Then Sydney and Richie had been arguing all morning which Carmy, of course, found himself in the middle of that. 

On top of that, Richie had decided that today was the perfect day to bring up how Carmy shouldn’t have even owned this place. That it was Richie’s place and just because Mikey had left it to him didn’t mean shit.

That had riled Carmy up and the two had a screaming match in the front room before Carmy came stalking back through to the office. You knew that if you fucked up on more attempt at this sauce, he was gonna lose his shit at you. 

You had never been at the receiving end of his anger before so you knew that if he lost it, so would you.

So as you fired up the next attempt, you replayed every piece of advice that Carmy and Sydney had given you since the start of the day and tried your best. You really tried. Even if T had distracted you halfway through, you thought that the puree had come out perfect.

And you were relieved. Because in your attempt to create this dish, you had forgotten about the rest of your prep work. 

“Fuck,” You cursed under your breathe as you noticed Carmy heading your way. You knew that you were about to be shouted at, you could just tell, and you could feel the anxiety rising in your chest. You had just finished plating your latest attempt and the puree seemed to be at the right consistency. Hell, it even looked good. Your station was spotless and clean. There was nothing Carmen could be mad about.

Except for no prep work. 

You glared at the plastic tubs of veggies like they could have done anything to change your fate.

“How's it looking, Chef?” Carmy asked, a frustrated edge to his voice. You snapped your head towards him and forced a smile onto your face. The tension in the room seemed to increase ten fold at that action.

“Pretty sure I finally got it down, just need to finish prepping the veg and then I’m ready for service,” You responded, forcing a smile onto your face. Carmy nodded and you passed him a fork, slipping away to the box of veggies. This was probably going to take you until dinner service.

You really fucked up but you ignored the anxious feeling in your gut in favour of beginning your prepwork. With a knife in hand, you quickly began to chop. You were skilled with a knife. That had been the main thing you were good at, something that Carmen had praised you endlessly for in the few weeks he had been here.

So, you hoped that if you just got the prep done quickly and perfectly, it would alleviate some of the simmering anger.

But then you heard a fork clatter harshly against a plate and you whipped your head to look at him. There was no alleviating the anger now. He was a powder keg about to explode and you had just triggered it..

“It’s a simple fucking dish, Chef! How do you keep fucking this up?” He shouted as he stared at you. You were looking back down at your prepwork again, going back to chopping. He slammed his hand on the counter, “Hey!” The whole kitchen’s eyes were on you now, “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” He snapped. You stopped dead in your tracks, looked at him, wide-eyed. He had caught you off guard and that pissed him off even more, “It’s a fucking pea puree. I could make this when I was 12 and you still can’t get it fucking right! It’s so fucking simple. Do I need to fucking baby you through every step? Jesus fucking Christ! A toddler could do this better than you can and you’ve been at it for fucking four fucking hours. Stop wasting everyone’s time and if you can’t get it right then get the fuck out!” He snapped. You blinked at him, frozen to your spot, “Don’t just fucking stand there, get to work!” He slammed his hand on the side again.

You nodded, mumbled “Yes, Chef” and went back to prepping your veg as Carmy picked up your plate and threw the attempt at the dish in the bin. You swallowed the lump in your throat, trying not to feel the overwhelming anxiety that was making you dizzy. You couldn’t breathe.

Your whole body felt like it was on high alert, ready to give up at any given moment. You tried to suck in deep breaths but suddenly the kitchen felt too hot. You couldn’t do this. Sydney noticed.

“Go take a breather, I got this,” She came up beside you, hand on your shoulder. You shook your head, not wanting to disappoint Carmen even more. Prepwork was where you excelled, this is what you did best. You didn’t trust yourself to speak though, you could feel your chest restricting.

You continued chopping, it became more frenzy-like as Sydney glanced around. The whole kitchen had watched your interaction with Carmy, unsure how to react to it. Sydney didn’t know what to say.

But then you sliced your finger. You were moving too quickly, mind not being able to catch up with your hand quick enough to avoid the slice. You cried out as your knife clattered to the chopping board. You grabbed tissue and quickly wrapped it up as you stepped back.

“Go get a plaster, I’ll finish your prep,” Sydney reiterated as she gently pushed you away from your station. You shook your head, desperately trying to keep up. You couldn’t but then you felt the ground feel like it was tilting under your feet.

Maybe she was right. You needed to get out and so you went straight for the backdoor. You didn’t even bother to clean up your cut, just holding the tissue to it as you stumbled down the steps to the alley. 

Your back slammed against the wall as you sucked in breaths but it was like you couldn’t get enough oxygen. The tears started and you couldn’t do it. You couldn’t do it. You slowly slid down the wall, still squeezing the tissue over your cut. 

You couldn’t do it. You couldn’t do it. You were doomed to be a failure and you couldn’t fucking breathe and it was too hot.

Your arms wrapped over the top of your head, eyes squeezed shut as you desperately tried to take in deep breaths but you couldn’t. You just couldn’t. You were sure you were going to die like this. It would be the end of you.

In the fucking back alley of a shitty restauraunt with a shitty new owner and the last owner killed himself and you weren’t surprised. You couldn’t do this. You were choking on nothing.

Then a hand suddenly came to rest against your knee and your legs were being pushed down. You were trying to fight it, words of whoever it was coming through like they were trying to speak through water.

“You gotta breathe,” They said as they finally managed to break through your strength to straighten your legs out. You dropped your hands to your lap and when you looked up, Carmy was there. You felt the panic come back twice as hard and you turned your face away, bringing your knees back up. But he shoved them back down.

“Hey, hey,” His tone had softened. It didn’t seem as angry anymore and that terrified you. Angry men who pretended not to be were the worst kind of men. You still couldn’t breathe, the panic constricting your chest as you stared at your legs, “You gotta just breathe,” Carmy said as he reached out. He grabbed your hand, the bloody tissue still wrapped around your cut, “I know it’s hard,” He said as he glanced at your face. You were completely boneless, it was like your body had lost all its will to live.

Your world was tilting underneath you and you couldn’t think straight. Carmy’s touch was somewhat grounding though as he unwrapped the tissue and wiped the cut before putting a band-aid over it. It gave you something to focus on but you were terrified that he was going to scream at you.

“I’m sorry,” You managed through panicked breaths. He nodded, “I don’t know what’s wrong,” You choked out. The tears filling your eyes as you stared down at your bandaged hand. You still weren’t breathing right but the panic was slowly starting to fall away, “I keep trying but I can’t do anything right today,” You lifted your knees up again, wrapping your arms around your head again.

“You're constricting your throat,” He said as he nudged your knees again. He was sitting against the wall beside you, watching you. 

As frustrated as he was with you and as angry as he was that you couldn’t just make the fucking dish, he also didn’t like seeing you like this. He cared about everyone in his kitchen and the thought that he had given you a panic attack tore him up inside. He didn’t know how to express it. He had always been shit at apologies.

You straightened your knees out again, letting your arms rest against your thighs as you closed your eyes.

“I’m sorry, Chef,” You said after a beat, “I know I should have done my veg prep earlier and the recipe is easy. I’ve made pea puree before, ask Sydney, I just- I don’t know why I can’t get it right today,” You muttered. Carmy looked at you, the corners of his lips turned down a little and you looked so defeated, “I’ve been off my game and I have this roommate from Hell that makes me think I’m so goddamn selfish. I just,” You let out a ragged breathe, tears welling in your eyes, “I promise, I’ll be good for dinner service,” you muttered. Carmy looked at you, his eyebrows furrowed ever-so-slightly.

“You’re not selfish,” Carmy responded. 

“Heard,” You muttered. He nodded and then turned back to look up at the sky, as did you. It was so strange with Carmy. He never really said much. He’d been here for about a month now and he was desperately trying to claw the business out of the ground. He seemed to care so much but he had an odd way of showing it, I suppose.

“I’ll show you how to make it again,” He said after a minute or two of silence. You nodded.

“Thank you.” You let out a soft breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over you. You hadn’t fucked up that much, at least.

“You two fuckers just gonna sit there or help us?” The voice of Richie broke through the relative calm that had settled between you. It was probably the quickest you had come down from a panic attack, ever.

“Like you fucking help us anyway,” You bit back as you slowly pushed yourself to your feet. Carmy was quick to follow.

“Doing a lot more than you lazy fucks right now, sat there staring at the sky like God’s gonna answer your fucking prayers,” Richie continued to bitch as you walked inside with him. Carmy followed quickly after.

“I don’t pray," You stated as you rounded the corner back to your station. Sydney was mostly done with your prep now and you were beyond thankful, “I got it from here,” You said, slipping in next to her. Sydney smiled, glad to see you feeling a bit better.

“Why’s he so calm?” Sydney asked as she watched Carmy walk past. He seemed in a better mood than he had been a moment ago.

“Fuck knows, thought he’d tell me to fuck off when he found me,” You admitted as you glanced back at him. His fucking arms drove you wild and the fact that he had his hands on you, forcing you to straighten your legs. Fuck. You didn’t want to think about it too much. And he had put that plaster on you, the warmth of his hands was something else. If you hadn’t been so fucked up with anxiety, you probably would have jumped his bones.

“You gonna fuck up another dish?” Sydney teased as she stepped away, passing you a glove for your plastered hand. 

“I’m getting a private lesson for it actually,” You retorted, a smile plastered on your face as you winked at Sydney.

“Less talking, more chopping,” Carmy said as he slipped past the two of you. You nodded.

“Yes, Chef,” You both parotted back to him. Sydney grinned and headed back to her station while you settled back into prep. You felt more like yourself now. Though, you did also really want a piece of Carmy.

[itsjuststardust]

Heaven in Hiding - Chapter 24: Ya'aburnee

Heaven in Hiding Masterlist

Chapter Summary: “Darling, you will bury me before I bury you” -Halsey

Word Count: 12,847

Author's Note/Chapter Warnings: This chapter is full of memory flashbacks and bittersweet angst. You’ve been warned. 🎵Chapter Soundtrack🎵- “Ya’aburnee” - Halsey & “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived” - Taylor Swift MINORS - DO NOT INTERACT - 18+ ONLY

Chapter 24: Ya'aburnee

“Penn, I’m home!” she yelled as she walked through the doors of her friend’s flat. 

“Kitchen!” he called back.

Alaina toed off her shoes and hung her bag on its hook by the door, inhaling the wonderful smell filling Penn’s flat. “Whatever you’re cooking smells delicious!” she commented, following her nose through the living area to the kitchen, where she found her best friend cooking dinner at the stove.

“How did it go?” Penn asked, stepping away from the stove to offer her a glass of red wine.

Alaina set her glass down so she could hop up to sit on the counter. “I don’t know,” she sighed, playing with the stem of her glass before she took a sip. “I forgot how stressful auditions could be… and for a new company…” She petered off and shrugged.

“You did great. I’m sure you’ll get the job,” Penn praised her, returning to the stovetop to stir the food in the pan. 

Alaina shrugged, “They said they’d call next week, so now I’ll just have to find something to distract me for the next week.” She paused to reach across the stove to pluck a mushroom out of the pan to pop in her mouth. 

“Stop that,” Penn scolded her, swatting at her hand. “Don’t make me ban you from the kitchen. Again.”

She let out a mock gasp. “Hey, I didn’t warrant the first ban out of your kitchen!” Alaina argued.

“Really?” Penn smirked, nodding at the glass in her hand. “How do you like my new wine glasses?” he asked, eying her over the rim of his glasses.

Alaina smirked, remembering the incident in question. “Hey, I bought these for you—”

“Because you broke my old ones,” Penn reminded her with a pointed look as he pushed his glasses further up his nose.

“Which is why we came up with the rule of no work in the kitchen,” Alaina nodded. “I can’t practice my choreography, and you!” she paused to set her glass down and slide off the counter. “You aren’t supposed to bring your work into the kitchen!” she reminded him, walking across the galley to pick up his datapad. “And what do we have here?” came her knowing question.

“Lainey, put that down!” he ordered, stepping closer to her.

“I will put it down outside of the kitchen, per our house rules,” she replied, sticking her tongue out at him. 

“For your information,” he countered, snatching the datapad out of her hand, “it wasn’t work. It was my mother’s report from her doctor.”

“Oh,” Alaina pouted. “Is everything okay?” she asked nervously, suddenly feeling childish for giving him a hard time.

“I think so,” he nodded, placing the datapad back off to the side before returning to the stove. “She hasn’t been feeling well lately, but you know how stubborn she is. I had to threaten to drag her there myself if she wouldn’t go. She just sent me the report as proof that she went right before I started on dinner. I haven’t had a chance to look over it yet.”

Alaina nodded and had to turn around to hide her tears, unprepared for the swell of grief that washed over her. 

Three months.

Three whole months since she’d lost her own mother. The grief had slowly become easier to deal with, but it had a pension for coming at the most inopportune times. 

A sad sigh came from behind her. “Lainey, I’m sorry,” Penn soothed her, coming to turn her around to pull her into a hug. “I shouldn’t have mentioned my mother—”

“No, it’s okay,” Alaina nodded into his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his middle to return the hug. “I can’t go the rest of my life sobbing every time I hear someone mention their mom,” she sniffled. “I just went two days without crying… At least this time, I’m breaking down in front of you and not at the market sobbing over my mom’s favorite fruit and everyone staring at me like I’m crazy.”

“Well, you are crazy,” he murmured. Alaina scoffed and shoved him away, chuckling along with him. “I’ve known you since you were five, Lainey; you can’t hide the crazy from me,” he teased, playfully shoving her shoulder back. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Alaina grumbled, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Don’t let dinner burn.”

“Oh!” Penn exclaimed, returning to the stove to stir the pain again.

Alaina walked back to her perch on the kitchen counter, and once her feet were dangling over the ledge and her wine back in her hand, she bit her lip nervously.

“What?” Penn asked without looking at her.

“What?” Alaina questioned, scrunching her forehead in confusion.

“I know that look, Lainey. Spit it out.”

Alaina sighed and took a long drink from her glass.

“I think… I was… well, you know how much I’ve appreciated you taking me in for the last three months. Seriously. I could not have survived being on my own at home—”

“Oh, speaking of your old place, my mother put me in touch with someone who can help sell your home,” Penn said, giving her a bright smile.

“Sell?” Alaina questioned with a frown.

Penn nodded, “You haven’t been there since… well, and you’ve got most of your belongings over here now. And when you start with your new dance company—”

“If I get the job,” she said, reminding him that she’d only just auditioned.

“You’ll get it, Lainey. They’d be idiots not to take you,” he told her, giving her an honest smile. “But when you start there, it just makes sense that you stay here, in the same city as your job.”

Alaina nodded and downed the rest of her glass for courage. “You see, that would make sense, but remember, I’m crazy,” she cringed, holding out her glass for more.

Penn eyed her with a wary look before grabbing the bottle to fill her glass back up. “Lainey?”

“You know, by train, it only takes thirty minutes to get here from my old place. Forty-five if it’s raining,” she told him with a shrug. “It’s not too bad of a commute.” Penn stared blankly at her, and Alaina’s shoulders slumped before she finally broke the news to him, “I’m going to move back home.”

“What?” Penn gasped and shut the stove off to give her his complete attention. “Why would you move back?”

“It’s home,” Alaina sighed. “This has been nice, and you’ve been amazing… but it’s home. I’m twenty, almost twenty-one… it’s time to live on my own.”

Disbelieving eyes stared blankly back at her. “You hate being alone,” Penn argued.

“I know, but I can’t just bum around here all the time—”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you want. I’ve already told you that—”

“Yeah, but that’s the kind of thing you tell your best friend, even though you know that they will eventually figure it out. You gave me time to figure it out, Penn,” she told him, smiling at him and resting her hand on top of his shoulder. “And I’m extremely grateful for that, but I think I need to work on me.”

Penn fiddled nervously with his glasses before saying, “You can work on you… whatever that means here… with me.”

“I know this has been nice being so close again, but we’re adults now,” Alaina pouted. “I can’t just live with my best friend forever.”

Penn looked gutted at that comment, making Alaina feel terrible. “What if your best friend wants you to?”

Alaina sighed, “Penn, I need to do this for me. I need to know that I can stand on my own two feet. Besides, you’re getting ready to take your new super secret job,” she reminded him. “What if they transfer you somewhere else?” Penn shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, if I move back home, I’ll only be two blocks away from your mom. So, the next time she is stubborn about going to the doctor, all you have to do is let me know, and I’ll walk over to her house and drag her there myself.”

“I guess it’s only thirty minutes,” came Penn’s defeated reply. “But only if you’re sure. Because if I gave any indications that I didn’t want you here—”

“Penn,” Alaina cut him off with a smile and set her glass down so she could lean forward and wrap her arms around his neck. “You’ve been great. I swear. I’m just not ready to let go of my home yet. And if I don’t do this now… I don’t know. It just feels like the right thing to do. It’s paid for already; it would just be the usual monthly expenses, which I can easily pay for once I get a job… I want to do this, Penn.”

Penn wrapped his arms around her waist and nodded, giving her a pat on the back before the two pulled apart. “This kind of feels like goodbye or the end of an era or something.”

“Oh, stop,” Alaina laughed and slid off the countertop. “We’ve known each other since I was five, and you were eight, and you’re still my best friend.”

“Yes, well, my mother isn’t the only stubborn woman I know,” he teased.

“What you call stubborn, I call resilient,” she countered, sticking her tongue out at him. “What I’m trying to say is after fifteen years, I’m still here, so chances are high that I’ll still be here in another fifteen years.” 

“I hope so, Lainey,” Penn gave her a short smile, and she gave him a friendly punch to his arm. 

“Okay, enough sad talk!” Alaina declared and grabbed her wine glass and the bottle. “Dish up that food, and you can tell me all about your new job, Doctor Pershing.”

Penn chuckled but nodded in agreement as he returned to the stove to grab their dinner. “I’ll be out in a second. Don’t drink that whole bottle without me!” he called after her.

“You were my friend once, and… Lainey, please don’t be stubborn.”

That dinner with Penn was the last time they would have a ‘normal’ dinner as friends. Over the next few months, she would learn that Penn had joined the Empire, Penn’s mother would pass from heart failure, she would make the mistake of showing him her powers, and then she would go on the run.

“You were my friend once, and… Lainey, please don’t be stubborn.”

If Alaina had it her way, she would never see Penn Pershing again, and the man knew that. He knew the stakes had to be big enough to get Alaina’s attention… And what bigger stake could you throw out there than dying?

Alaina scoffed as she struggled to open up the cot she had been given on Sorgan for their impending guest. Although, for Cara’s sake, she hoped the former soldier was smart enough to see through Din’s half-thought-out plan.

Dying.

Of course, now that things were finally calming down, now that she had a family, now that she had a reason to live… she was possibly dying.

“Would—you—just—open!” she growled and slammed her weight down on the offending side of the cot until it finally snapped into place.

“You aren’t doing this all just for me, are you?”

Alaina’s head snapped to the sound of the new voice and saw that Cara had returned with Din and Grogu. 

“Cara,” she greeted, getting off the floor to greet their guest. “You came,” she said flatly, glaring at Din.

Cara raised a surprised eyebrow and turned to look at Din, who ignored Alaina’s less-than-enthusiastic comment as he walked to pass Grogu off to Alaina. “Well, it’s nice to see you too, cutie,” Dune deadpanned.

Alaina sighed, “I’m happy to see you, Cara.” She grabbed Grogu from Din’s arms and smiled at the wide-eyed toddler. Grogu babbled and tugged on one of the curls hanging over her shoulder, and Alaina imagined he was giving her his version of his trip with Mando to get Cara. “What did he tell you?”

“Well, at first, I turned him down, and then he told me it was for you,” Cara informed her with a shrug. “Couldn’t turn him down then. Then Mando had to sweeten the pot by dangling the possibility of taking out some Imps along the way, and I couldn’t refuse.”

Alaina shook her head at the other woman’s words. Grogu chirped and gave her a large smile, but she couldn’t quite return it.

“I’m going to get us up in the air. We’ve got another stop to make,” Mando announced and turned to hit the button to close the hold door.

“It’s not too late, Cara,” Alaina whispered. “This is a trap. You could get hurt or killed. You don’t have to do this.”

“Are you trying to talk me out of tagging along?” Cara asked.

“She’s not,” Mando answered, his helmet lingering on Alaina’s face before he climbed up the ladder to head to the cockpit.

Cara just lifted a single eyebrow at her. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Not particularly,” Alaina grumbled.

Cara nodded as the engines to the Crest came to life. “He’s just worried about you, ya know?”

Alaina sighed and gripped the corner of the alcove with one hand to brace herself, holding Grogu in the other. The Crest rattled as it took off, heading toward wherever they were going next. “I know,” she answered sadly. 

“But, mama, please,” Alaina begged, trotting around her mother, who was currently chopping vegetables to go with the stew she was working on for dinner. “Literally, everyone is going to be at this party. I have to go!”

“Penn?” her mother drawled without looking up from dicing the vegetables.

Penn looked up from his datapad at the table, no doubt already working on his homework, and answered with, “Yes, Ms. Corra?”

Her mother heaved a sigh and glared at her friend, “What did I say about the formalities?”

Penn smirked, “That anyone who survived one of your daughter’s temper tantrums and still wanted to be her friend got to call you Ana?”

Alaina rolled her eyes before returning her glare to her mother, whose smirk matched Penn’s now. She gave him an expectant look and raised her eyebrows while she waited.

“Yes, Ana?” Penn tried again.

“Are you also going to be at this party that everyone is going to?” her mother asked. Alaina pursed her lips at the sarcasm lacing her mother’s words. The woman was just making fun of her now.

Penn’s eyes slid to hers, and Alaina gave him her most pleading doe-eyes. Besides, this was his class's last big party before they graduated. His shoulders sagged slightly before he nodded, “Under protest.”

Alaina beamed at his answer and turned her grin toward her mother. “Please,” she pleaded, knowing that getting Penn to go was half the battle.

Her mother rolled her eyes at her antics but kept her attention on her friend. “And at this party, will there be drinking?”

Alaina shook her head quickly. Penn gave her a knowing look. “More than likely,” he answered her mother’s question honestly.

Alaina scoffed and dropped into an empty chair at the table across from her so-called friend, who had just ruined any chance of her actually getting to attend this party.

“And will you be drinking at this party?’ her mother’s interrogation continued.

Penn shook his head, “No, Ms.—Ana,” he corrected quickly at her mother’s glare.

“And if I let Lainey go with you to this party, do you promise to make sure she doesn’t drink?”

Alaina perked up at that question, “If you let me go? As in, you’re gonna let me go?!”

“Yes, Ana,” Penn agreed, giving Alaina a wink.

Her mother lifted a single, high-arching eyebrow into her forehead before asking, “And when she goes behind your back and gets drunk anyway, you promise not to leave her side and bring her back home safely?”

“I promise to stay by her side and bring her back home safely,” Penn agreed with a nod. “Even if she throws a tantrum when I make her leave early or pukes on my shoes at the end of the night,” he finished, giving her a knowing smirk.

Alaina stuck out her tongue at him but couldn’t hide the smile on her face.

“Fine, you can go,” her mother eventually acquiesced before returning to prep dinner. “But if you come home and puke on my shoes at the end of the night, or I get a bad report card from Penn, you’re grounded for the rest of your life,” she threatened, stopping her chopping to point the knife in her direction.

“Eeeeek!” Alaina squealed as she jumped up from her chair to wrap her arms around her mother. “Thank you, mama! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Don’t make me regret this,” she grumbled as she kissed the top of her head.

“You won’t, I promise!”

Penn smiled at the mother-daughter duo and returned to finish his schoolwork on the datapad while they waited for dinner.

“That’s a pretty good friend you’ve got there, Lainey,” her mother told her.

Alaina smiled brightly at her studious friend and squeezed her mother tighter. “He’s the best.”

“Alaina?”

“Tranyc.”

Alaina blinked, and suddenly, her vision was filled with silver beskar kneeling in front of her.

“Tranyc,” Din murmured again, gripping her thighs.

Alaina blinked the past out of her mind while she attempted to focus on the present.

“Hey, you with me? Are you okay?”

She looked around her new room, which he had made just for her in his own ship.

“I don’t want to see him,” she whispered, duking her head to look at her hands, fidgeting nervously in her lap.

“Kuiil?” Din asked, tilting his helmet in confusion. “You’ll like him. He’s kind.”

Alaina sighed and shook her head. “Penn,” she clarified quietly.

Din’s hands gripped her thighs before he stood up and moved to sit next to her in the bed.

“I just…” she started but fell quiet as the words escaped her. “He was my best friend,” she murmured.

“And he turned you into a science experiment,” Din filled in the blanks, but Alaina shook her head.

“It’s more than that. He was my best friend in the entire galaxy. For fifteen years, no matter what happened, I knew I had Penn. Fight with my mom? Go to Penn’s. Bad rehearsal? Go to Penn’s. Get a great score on a test at school? Go celebrate at Penn’s because he stayed up tutoring me until I knew the material as well as he did. Bored? Go hang out with Penn,” Alaina paused to shake her head. “He was an integral part of my life. He was my person,” she paused to bury her face in her hands to hide her tears. “I don’t want to see him,” she finished, voice muted by her hands.

She felt Din’s hand come to rest on her upper back, and she smiled into her palms when she felt him try to soothe her by rubbing her upper back. With her elbows on her knees, she let her hands fall away from her face. “And do you want to know what the worst part is?”

Din continued to rub his hand up and down her spine as he hummed for her to continue.

“I still find myself wishing I could talk to him,” Alaina admitted with a shrug. “I wish I could tell him about you—about us. Maker, I can picture perfectly the dumb look he would make when I told him I was with a Mandalorian,” she giggled. “His eyes would get wide, and he would nervously fiddle with his glasses before he would look at me and say, ‘Lainey, please tell me this is one of your jokes.’”

“So… tell him,” Din suggested with a shrug of his shoulders.

Alaina blinked dumbly at the suggestion and turned to stare at Din’s helmet, searching for the obvious missing screws that had fallen out of his beskar armor. “Tell him? About us?”

Din shrugged, “He was your best friend at one point. Maybe you need to remind him of that.”

She scoffed and shook her head, “He ruined that before he sent you after me.”

“Alaina?”

“Look,” she continued, not wanting to rehash that nightmare again, “I know you think that you have things covered with Cara and whoever this Kuiil person is, but you don’t know him like I do. You don’t know the Empire like I do. Din, this is a trap. I can feel it in my bones.”

“Alaina—”

“What happened to I have a choice?” Alaina interrupted, pleading with Din. “What happened to being partners?” Din sighed, and his head hung in defeat at her questions. “You haven’t even filled me in on your full plan! We get to Nevarro, we have the meeting with Penn, and for the sake of arguing, let’s say that he isn’t lying and I am dying… what then? Are you just going to kidnap him and force him to help me?”

Silence hung in the small room, and Din didn’t even attempt to argue or look at her.

“Are you kidding me?!” Alaina screeched, reaching across the bed to swat Din’s shoulder.

“What? I didn’t even say anything!” he attempted to defend himself.

“You didn’t have to! I may not have known you for fifteen years, but I know what that kind of silence means coming from you! That’s your grand plan? To kidnap Penn?”

“What other options do we have, Alaina?” Din snapped.

Alaina rolled her eyes, “Oh, I don’t know, maybe nawt kidnapping an Imperial soldier!”

“Alaina, if he’s right… we need him. We can find a medical facility anywhere—”

She scoffed and pinched the bridge of her nose, “And if the Empire wasn’t after us before, they most certainly will be now!”

“And you underestimate my abilities. I’ve kept us hidden for months already!” he defended.

Alaina shook her head, “Din, I’m not underestimating your abilities. You’re underestimating Gideon’s.”

The two glared at each other when a strange noise made its way up to her room. Alaina scrunched her nose, trying to place the guttural sound, but came up empty.

“What was that?”

“A blurrg.”

Her forehead wrinkles deepened at his explanation, “A what?”

Din sighed, “Come down and meet Kuiil,” he said, standing up from the bed. “I’ve discussed my ideas with Cara, but we need to fill Kuiil in. I promise to let you make your arguments, and if we come up with another valid option, then I’m open to changing the plan.” Alaina opened her mouth to tell him exactly where he could shove his plan, but Din cut her off. “But doing nothing isn’t an option,” he finished, holding out his hand for her.

Alaina glared at the gloved hand hovering in front of her.

“Alaina,” Din murmured. “Tranyc,” he repeated, pulling her attention up to his helmet. “Friends, real friends are a somewhat new concept for me,” he began. “So, I can’t say that I’ve ever had a best friend, but I have a partner,” he said, giving her a nod. 

Alaina’s glare softened at his words, and a smile began slowly appearing on her face. “Yeah? And you're open to changing your stupid plan?” she asked, giving him a hopeful smile.

Din chuckled and nodded, wiggling his fingers for her to take his hand.

Alaina’s smile broadened at the sound of his rumbling chuckle, and she slid her hand into his larger gloved one, letting him pull her up off the bed. “What if I want you to punch him instead of kidnap him?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow but was unable to keep the teasing smile from her face.

“What if I do both?” he countered, gripping her hand tightly as he led her out of her room and to the hold.

“Now, there is no need to be an overachiever. Just one quick jab to his face,” she said, giving Mando a fake punch to the middle of his helm when he released it so she could go down the ladder.

Din nodded at the ladder, and Alaina rolled her eyes before she went down the hatch.

A warm breeze drifted in the hold, and Alaina found that the ramp was down, giving her a view of another desolate planet.

“Why don’t more places look like Dietes?” she grumbled as Din joined her in the hold. The same sound she heard earlier roared again, and Alaina jumped. Her eyes widened when she saw the animal corralled in the distance that made it. It was somehow both large and small. Standing on two back legs and hunched with tiny arms and no neck. It looked as if a child had been asked to draw what a fish would look like on land, and that’s what they drew.

“But Dietes didn’t have blurrg,” Din countered, holding his hand out for her to take again.

Alaina’s face scrunched at the thought, but she still placed her hand in his, interlocking their fingers as Din led her out of the Crest and toward the strange… animal.

The warm breeze intensified as they walked down the ramp toward Cara, who was holding Grogu next to the blurrg pen. Cara turned her head as she heard them approach, and when she caught Alaina walking hand in hand with the Mandalorian, she gave Alaina a not-so-subtle suggestive smile.

Before anyone could say anything, a short, squat man walked out of a nearby hut and made his way to greet them. Din squeezed her hand and tugged her along beside them to greet their host. The man was short. It wasn’t often that Alaina was significantly taller than someone else, but the height difference between her and the man who must be Kuiil was noticeable.

Their host shook Din’s hand and nodded, briefly turning to her and then glancing at Cara and Grogu, who were walking up behind them.

“Come inside for refreshments, and then you may speak your story,” the man said with a nod, turning to head back into his hut. “I have spoken.”

Alaina raised her eyebrows in question, looking at Din curiously. Din nodded and rested his hand on the small of her back, gently pushing her to follow Kuiil. 

Alaina punched in the code to let herself inside Penn’s new home. She looked around the unfamiliar flat and pursed her lips at the expensive furnishings. It wasn’t Penn’s taste at all, but then again, when the karking Empire was footing your bills…

She closed her eyes and took a deep inhale through her nose. Today was about attempting to mend fences, she reminded herself. Today wasn’t about arguing. It was about talking to her oldest friend and finding a way not to regret showing him her gift.

“Lainey? Is that you?” Penn’s voice floated through the flat, and Alaina forced herself to plaster on a fake smile for her friend.

“Yeah, it’s me. I hope it’s okay that I’m early. Rehearsal ended earlier than I thought,” she told him as she snooped around the new home.

“Of course,” Penn replied, stepping out of a room to her right. “Make yourself at home; I’m finishing up a meeting.”

Alaina shooed him back into his office and walked around the living area to inspect it further. 

It didn’t look like Penn had brought any of his old furniture to his new place, and while Alaina could admit that the new furniture was nice, it wasn’t him. It was modern and flashy, not like the comfortable, lived-in furniture they had grown up with. 

As she continued her survey of the living area, pictures on one of the tables grabbed her attention, and she crossed the room to examine them. She smiled at the three holo pictures flickering on the table. One was of her and Penn when they were teenagers. They were sitting together on the couch at his mother’s house. Penn had his nose buried in a book, and Alaina was stretched out across the couch with her feet resting in Penn’s lap, giving the camera a big, cheesy smile. The next one was of just Penn and his mom when he graduated medical school, and Alaina smiled fondly at the two. She remembered that day so vividly. Both of their mothers were still alive, Penn was a doctor, and everyone was happy. The last picture was just her. She was holding a bouquet of beautiful flowers and was dressed in her elaborate black outfit from her final performance with her old company.

Alaina shook her head at the three pictures of smiling people and kept moving. Things had changed so much in such a short period of time. She had lost her mother, and Penn was now employed by the… it pained her to admit… Empire. Penn had also lost his mother and had genuinely worried Alaina about how he handled her sudden heart failure. Alaina thought it was her turn to help her friend through his grief, seeing as Penn had done the same for her. Penn refused her help and instead threw himself into his new job. They’d gotten into more arguments in the last month than they had throughout their fifteen-year friendship, which was probably why Alaina had caved and showed Penn her powers.

She hadn’t regretted it at first, but she did now. Penn looked at her like a science experiment and not his best friend. It angered Alaina to the point that she had kicked Penn out of her home and refused to speak with him. That was a week ago.

Tonight was supposed to be a truce of sorts. They would have dinner and attempt to talk out their problems.

Alaina looked around the sleek apartment and hoped that she wasn’t too late to save her friend.

She blew out a long, nervous breath and headed to sit on the couch while Penn finished his meeting. Alaina frowned and scrunched her nose at the uncomfortable couch as she attempted to make herself comfortable. Apparently, Penn had traded comfort for looks, which was unfortunate and something else for her to add to the list of things to discuss.

With a frustrated grunt, Alaina leaned forward to grab one of the datapads off the table in front of the couch to try and find something to distract her from the uncomfortable couch while she waited on Penn.

The first datapad was filled with notes and documents about various trials. Everything appeared to focus on cloning people and organs. Poor Penn… He was looking for anything he could have done to give his mother a better outcome. She looked at the picture of Penn and his mom and shook her head. The next pad had even more complicated jargon, and Alaina immediately set it down to grab the last pad. Her green eyes scanned it quickly. There was more talk about clones and what looked like Penn’s personal notes and thoughts. It was all over her head, and she was just about to set the datapad back on the table when something caught her eye—a single word—Alaina.

She scanned over the pad again with renewed interest. The words melted and blurred together as she moved from pad to pad, slowly putting the pieces together—

“I thought I’d order takeout from that vegetarian place around the corner you like,” Penn announced, stepping out of his office.

Alaina’s head slowly swiveled to fix her eyes on Penn and lifted the datapad she was reading into the air. “What the hell is this?” she demanded, keeping her eyes locked on him so she could study him.

“Lainey, you shouldn’t be reading those,” he scolded her. He hurried to take the datapads away, but Alaina jumped off the couch, holding the pad out of his reach behind her.

“Then you shouldn’t have left them out. Now, what the hell is this?” she demanded again, waving the pad in front of Penn’s glasses.

He sighed and tutted, “Lainey—”

“No, don’t Lainey me! Explain yourself!”

The two stared each other down, but Penn refused to speak.

“Penn, I’m not a scientist, but this reads like you want to figure out how to clone my gift,” Alaina prodded, waiving the datapads in front of his face.

Penn’s face fell, but he had no rebuttal to defend himself.

“I can’t believe you,” Alaina whispered. “I showed you something special, something I promised my mom I would never share with anyone! You promised me you wouldn’t tell anyone else about me!”

“Lainey, your gift… your gift could be the answer to… everything!” he exclaimed frantically.

As if she hadn’t had enough surprises over the last year—that statement pushed her over the edge. “What are you talking about?”

Penn sighed and motioned for them to sit on the couch. Alaina fixed him with an angry look but eventually gave in and retook her seat. “The Force, what you have, has been lost more or less since the Jedi… well, with the Jedi disappearing, much research has also vanished. There is some out there, but not enough. Lainey, think about it… what if you could do more?”

Alaina frowned at the question, “What do you mean?”

“The Force has several documented abilities amongst its users. Your ability to move objects is just scratching the surface!” he began, and Alaina noted the familiar teacher mode that Penn was shifting into. “Some users have had several documented abilities. Some have been able to sense when a particular event in time was changed; some can harness electricity, some can heal others.”

“I can’t do any of those things,” she reminded him, beginning to feel exasperated with this discussion.

“You can’t do any of those things now, but what if there was a way to tap into the Force to learn something new? What if you can, you just don’t know how.”

“I don’t understand.” Learn something new? What in the world was he talking about? She could move things. That was it. Her mother could move objects and taught her how to control her own abilities. There wasn’t anything else she could do. “Why would you care about what I can or can’t do? Why does your job care?”

“Lainey, what if you could do more than you know? If you could heal someone? It would take a lot of studying and tests, but what if you could heal someone?” Penn asked with pleading eyes. “If we could clone that ability so others could heal or even possess the ability to heal themselves? Lainey, what if you could have saved your mother?”

Alaina's breath hitched, and she froze at the question. That was… that would be huge.

“I know you have your opinions about the Empire, and those opinions were shoved down you by your mother,” he reminded her. “They are different now, you’ll see. Lainey, they are giving me the ability to look into possibilities no one else could even dream up. If we could figure out how to unlock or even copy your existing abilities… Imagine the possibilities! That would be a huge scientific breakthrough.”

She nibbled at her bottom lip while she processed what he was proposing. “But the Empire—”

“Is allowing me to change modern medicine as we know it,” Penn argued. “If we could figure out the cloning process, imagine being able to replace organs when they fail.”

She should have known that this had something to do with his mother. “Oh, Penn—”

“I know what you are about to say, and I promise this isn’t about my mother. I’ve had a lot of time to think and research, and the Empire wants to help. The New Republic is only worried about maintaining the status quo.”

Alaina’s eyes fell on one of the other datapads on the table, and she picked it up. “They are advancing modern medicine but willing to put their soldiers up as test subjects?” she questioned, looking at Penn for him to make it make sense.

“All volunteers,” Penn told her as if that made it better. “And I only move to them when we enter the final stages. Lainey, this is big, but think about all the good we could do.”

Alaina’s frown deepened as she stared at the pad in her hand.

“Lainey,” Penn whispered and scooted closer to her on the couch to take the datapad away from her. “The Empire is transferring me next week, and I want you to come with me.”

“What?”

Penn grabbed her hand in his, “Come with me, and you’ll see!” he pleaded.

“I’ll see what?” Alaina demanded. “Penn, you are talking about giving my gift to their soldiers.”

Penn nodded, “It’s a small price to pay for the information we could learn from this!”

“A small price?” Alaina questioned, feeling as if her world was turning upside down. “You don’t see anything wrong with having an entire legion of super soldiers?”

Penn returned the datapad to the table and grabbed her hands, giving her his full attention. “The price is small in the grand scheme of things. We’ve lost our parents, and we have no other family; we just have each other,” he started, squeezing her hands tightly. “I can’t lose you too, Lainey.”

“Penn,” Alaina sighed, melting slightly. 

Penn was spiraling. Spiraling Penn she could fix. She got him through his first finals in university, got him through applying to med school, and then his final round of finals of med school, she could get him over this. He’d been so closed off and stoic since his mother’s passing that he’d finally reached the spiraling portion of his grief.

“Penn, I’m not going anywhere. We’ve been around so much death recently—”

“You don’t know that! What if you get cancer like your mother?” he argued. “What if you get cancer or heart failure, o-o-or something else that I can’t fix?”

Alaina let his hands go to wrap her arms around his neck to hug him tightly. “You can’t think like that. Sometimes… sometimes people die—”

“Not you,” he whispered, nuzzling his head into her neck.

“Penn—” she began but was cut off by Penn’s hands on her face right before his lips crashed into hers.

Alaina froze in shock at the kiss. And the hits just keep coming today. Was there a solar flare that scrambled everyone’s brains? Or maybe a toxic sewer gas leak. Her eyes flew open in shock when Penn laid her back on the couch.

“Penn, wait,” she tried to stop him, but her words only intensified his kiss. “Penn, stop,” she murmured, pushing at his chest.

“Don’t you see, Lainey, we could change everything,” he murmured, kissing and pressing his weight into her, oblivious to her struggles.

“Stop,” she ordered, pushing harder against his chest. There was a brief moment of relief when she felt him shift, but the moment was short-lived when she felt his hands sneak under her sweater. Her struggles intensified as her panic increased when she felt one of his hands drift lower—

“Stop!” she screamed and shoved at Penn’s chest, letting her powers flow through her as she flung Penn off of her across the room.

When his weight was off her, Alaina shot up off the couch. She scrambled to straighten her sweater and looked around for where she had placed her bag.

“Lainey—”

“No,” she growled. Alaina didn’t think she’d ever growled at anyone before, but she was reasonably sure that if any situation called for it, it was this exact situation. “No, you don’t get to Lainey me! Not after you forced yourself on me!”

“B-but I thought—”

“You thought what? Listen to yourself, Penn! You’re working for the Empire! You’re suggesting using your best friend as a science project to make a fleet of super soldiers!” she finished with a screech as she stomped to the front door to snatch her bag. “I don’t know who you are anymore.”

“Lainey—” Penn tried to start, but when Alaina’s furious eyes locked on his. “Alaina,” he sighed, scrambling to stand up, but the moment he stepped closer to her, Alaina lurched back toward the exit. “Please stay. I’m sorry. We can talk this out!”

“Talk this out?” Alaina scoffed. “Talk this out?! I’m so mad I can’t even look at you! You’re the one person I’m supposed to trust!” she cried. “I’m ashamed of you, Penn Pershing,” she snapped.

“Alaina—”

“And if your mother were still alive, she’d be ashamed of you too.”

Her words had the intended effect. Penn’s eyes hardened, and he jolted back as if she had physically assaulted him.

“I’m leaving,” she announced, putting her hand on the door to leave. “I’m not going to go with you. We’re not even friends anymore. You’re not the man I thought you were, Penn.”

“Alaina,” Penn called after her, and she turned back to snarl at the blank face staring back at her. “You’ll come with me one way or another.”

“Go to hell,” she growled.

And without a look back, Alaina Corra left her best friend and life behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Alaina jumped in surprise and turned to find Din standing at the bottom of the ramp, watching her with his helmet cocked. She sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow along with a lock of hair.

“What does it look like I’m doing?” she grumbled, returning to trying to move the heavy crate from its regular spot to make room for their impending guests. She snarled and kicked at the offending box when the heavy crate refused to budge. The deep chuckle she heard from the ramp only made her angrier. “Are you going to help, or are you just going to stand there?”

Din’s helmet tilted slightly, and he hooked his thumbs in his utility belt before asking, “And what exactly am I helping with?”

Her green eyes narrowed at the Mandalorian as she felt her patience snap.

“Alaina?” Din questioned as she stomped down the ramp. She showed no evidence of slowing down as she approached him.

With one final snarl, she reared back and shoved his chest as hard as she could. Din was caught entirely off guard by her outburst, and his arms waved wildly to keep his balance before gravity won, and he fell to the ground with a quiet oof.

A cackle startled them, and Alaina glared at Cara as she stepped over Mando’s prone body to walk up the ramp.

“Good to see you haven’t lost your spunk,” Dune said, giving her a wink and a smile before passing her to head inside.

“I thought you were staying at Kuiil’s?” Din grumbled as he stood up, brushing the dirt off his armor.

Alaina perked up at the comment. “Staying?” she questioned the former Droptrooper, hoping everyone had changed their mind about this terrible plan after leaving Kuiil’s.

“For the night,” Cara clarified, holding her pillow up for Alaina to see. “Kuiil didn’t have any extra bedding, and if we’re going to be meeting your old Imp friends tomorrow, I’m gonna need my beauty sleep. Sorry, cutie,” she finished with a shrug as she walked past her to head back toward Kuiil’s hut. “Unless…” she paused to look expectantly at Mando. “Unless you want me to stay here with Spunky, and you can sleep on Kuiil’s cot,” she offered, turning back to give her a playful wink.

“We’ll see you in the morning,” Din grumbled, walking past her to the ramp where Alaina was waiting.

“Suit yourself,” Dune shrugged. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she called over her shoulder as she continued to head back to Kuiil’s.

Once again, leaving her alone with Din.

“Alaina—”

“I have work to do,” Alaina cut in, turning to head back to try and move the crate again.

The irritated sigh that followed her only fueled her anger. However, this time, she took her anger out on the crate instead of the Mandalorian.

“What is your fascination with trying to move this crate?” Din asked as he leaned against it.

It was Alaina’s turn to let out an irritated sigh this time as she stopped trying to move the impossibly heavy crate. “Mando—”

“Mando?” Din interrupted her and looked around the hold to check that they were alone. “You haven’t called me that when it was just the two of us since I gave you my name.”

“Yeah, well, when you’re irritating me, it’s Mando,” Alaina told him, smirking at the head tilt he gave her at her comment. “We’re adding two people, a droid, and three blurrgs. There’s barely enough room for the three of us in here as it is now—”

“We’re not bringing the droid,” Din stopped her, and Alaina hadn’t heard that level of disgust in his voice at the suggestion before.

She rolled her eyes, “Are we still going to Nevarro?”

“Yes.”

“Then the droid is coming with us,” Alaina told him, leveling him with a knowing look.

Silver beskar stared her down for several moments, but Alaina knew better than to think she had won that round.

“Close your eyes.”

Alaina blinked in confusion at the order, “What?”

“Close your eyes,” Din repeated, giving no other insights or indications as to what was up his sleeve. When Alaina stared blankly at him, Din’s hands gripped her shoulders before asking, “Please?”

“Fine,” Alaina agreed with a sigh, closed her eyes, and waited.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then, there was the familiar click of Din’s helmet followed by a soft hiss, and then…

His lips met hers, and Alaina sagged into his chest, eagerly returning his kiss. Din kept the kiss brief and chaste, pulling away just as quickly as he initiated the kiss.

“That’s it?” Alaina pouted.

“Well,” Din began, and Alaina opened her eyes when she heard the familiar digitized, processed voice return. “You did shove me earlier.”

Alaina smirked and then ducked her head. “Sorry,” she apologized.

“You wanna talk about it?” he asked.

She shook her head, “Not really.”

Mando cocked his helmet before saying, “You, uh, you wanna go to your room so we can not talk about it some more?”

Alaina snorted at his suggestion. “Are you propositioning me, Mandalorian?” she asked, unable to stop smiling.

Din took a step closer, “Might be.”

She shook her head and rolled her eyes at the man before her. “You’re incorrigible,” she muttered half-heartedly, a smile still plastered on her face. Alaina’s eyes slid out to the landscape and the lowering sun in the distance, a different idea coming to her mind instead. “Where’s Grogu?”

Din’s helmet nodded toward Kuiil’s hut. “Kuiil offered to watch him for the night,” he replied.

“So, if Grogu and Cara are staying at Kuiil’s, we have the Crest all to ourselves?”

“Looks that way,” Din confirmed, leaning one of his shoulders to prop it against the crate she had been attempting to move.

“Come on,” she whispered, giving him a conspiratory smile before she latched onto his hand and tugged him down the ramp.

“Where are we going?” Din asked but didn’t try to stop her. Instead, he gripped her hand tighter as she turned left.

“You’ll see, come on!” Alaina tugged on his hand harder.

She led them past the blurrg pen and Kuiil’s hut. They walked past the moisture towers and another kilometer before they came to a small rock formation. Alaina picked up her pace, tugging Din behind the rocks until they effectively shielded them from Kuiil’s hut.

“Okay, sit,” she ordered, moving him into position and pressing down on his shoulders. When the man didn’t budge, she turned her emerald doe-eyes to his helmet and laid into her pout. Hard. “Please?”

A short static sigh escaped under his helmet before Din caved and began folding himself to sit on the ground with his back propped up against the rock. Alaina smiled and followed him, forcing his legs apart so she could sit in the ‘V’ they made. After a brief moment of squirming, Alaina leaned back to rest against his chest.

“Okay, one last thing, take your helmet off,” she instructed, keeping her face directed at the horizon. “I won’t look. I’m just going to keep my head forward,” she said, pointing to the sun as it descended in the distance.

His gloved hands squeezed her waist briefly before moving up to disengage his helm. Alaina stopped him from placing his sacred piece of beskar on the ground and grabbed it from him so she could put it in her lap instead. Din didn’t say anything but instead wrapped his arms around her waist to tug her tight against his chest.

“What are we doing?” he asked, nuzzling the back of her head with his face.

“We’re watching the sunset,” she told him, keeping her face directed at the horizon. Alaina smiled when she felt Din smile in her hair before he pressed a kiss to her right temple.

They stayed like that, watching the sun as the sky changed from brilliant orange to pink to purple until the last of the sun’s rays disappeared behind the horizon, leaving them under a blanket of unfamiliar stars.

“When’s the last time you watched a sunset?” Alaina asked, not ready to move just yet.

“Couldn’t tell you,” Din answered, voice quiet and deep, sending a shiver down her spine as his lips brushed against her ear.

Alaina looked down at the silver helmet in her lap, noting how the stars reflected off the shiny surface. She stroked the cheeks with her thumbs. “Din?” she whispered, keeping her eyes on the silver beskar in her lap.

“Mmmm?” he hummed back, kissing her temple again.

“Promise me that if something happens to me, you’ll do this kinda stuff with Grogu.”

His arms stiffened around her at her request, “Alaina—”

“Stop,” Alaina murmured, but her quiet words had their intended effect. “We don’t know what is going to happen, and we don’t agree on going at all, but the one thing we do agree on is Grogu,” she started, unable to take her eyes off the helmet in her lap.

“Nothing is going to happen to you, Alaina,” Din told her, pressing another kiss to her temple. “And we’ve already talked about where we’re going to go after this is over.”

Alaina smiled. After. “We talked about the best-case scenario. But we need to talk about the worst case, too.”

“Alaina—”

“I get to tell you what I want you to do if something happens to me, and you have to promise me you’ll do it. And you get to tell me what you want Grogu and me to do if something happens to you, and I promise I’ll do it,” Alaina continued.

Din’s chest inflated behind her, but it deflated quickly as he nodded his agreement.

“If something happens to me, I want you to keep Grogu,” Alaina began in a whisper. “I know you were a loner before, but I kinda think you’ve liked having us around.” Din hummed behind her, and she gently snapped her elbow back into his gut, making him chuckle. “I want you two to travel, and explore, and take jobs, and… and whenever you come across a beautiful sunset, I want you to stop and enjoy it.”

A quick puff of air escaped Din’s nose, but he nodded before pressing another gentle kiss to her ear. “My turn?” came his quiet question, making her shiver.

Alaina nodded and pulled her right hand away from Din’s helmet to reach past her shoulder and run her fingers through the mess of helmet hair.

“If something happens to me, I’ve already told Cara to take you and Grogu back to Dietes,” he whispered. Tears pricked her eyes when she realized he’d already laid out his ‘what-if’ contingency plan for Cara. “I want you to surround yourself with friends and let them take care of you. And promise me if you—when you get bored and decide to do something rash, you’ll have Cara or Iris go with you.” Alaina snorted and wiped the tears from her eyes. “And if the worst happens,” he continued and paused. She frowned when she felt him shift and shuffle for a moment behind her. When he stopped, Alaina jumped when she felt him place something over her head.

She looked down at her chest at the silver pendant hanging from a leather cord. The charm wasn’t something she recognized, so she grabbed it between her fingers to examine it closer.

“It’s a mythosaur,” Din explained. “There’s a Mandalorian Covert hiding in the sewers under Nevarro City,” he explained. “If the worst happens, I want you to take Grogu and go find them. Show them that and tell them you were a part of my clan. Tell them you were my… partner,” he whispered, kissing her temple again. “They will take care of you.”

Alaina couldn’t take her eyes off the necklace he had given her. “What is the Mando’a word for partner?” she asked, rubbing her thumb over the mythosaur.

His lips pressed another kiss to her temple before he replied with, “Riduur.”

“Riduur,” Alaina repeated, clutching the pendant to her chest. She sniffled and frowned when she saw a drop of blood fall from her nose and splatter across Din’s helmet.

“Alaina…” Din’s concerned voice told her that he had also witnessed the beginnings of her nosebleed.

Alaina slammed her eyes closed. “Tell me everything is going to be okay,” she whispered.

His arms constricted painfully around her. “Everything is going to be okay,” he told her as another drop of blood landed on his helmet. “We are going to get to Nevarro, and we are going to find that flaming pile of osik you used to call a friend and force him to make this right,” he continued, peppering the side of her face with tender kisses. “We are taking him with us, and we are going to find the best medical facility in the entire karking galaxy, and he’s going to fix you.”

Alaina nodded, leaning her head into his lips. “And then what?” she asked, hoping for Din’s story to distract her.

“Then we go back to our moon to celebrate,” he continued, sliding his left hand over her eyes before using his right to tilt her head back, allowing his lips to meet hers. “I believe we promised to exchange equal sentiments,” he murmured into her lips before kissing her again.

“Equal sentiments?” Alaina giggled before Din silenced her with a deep kiss.

Eventually, Din broke the kiss to nod. “And then we’re going to go find your mother’s trunk, and you can give me the grand tour of where you grew up,” he continued, never leaving her lips long.

“What about Grogu?” she asked, feeling her tears slowly begin to dry up.

“The kid is going to continue to be a menace,” he teased, nipping at her bottom lip.

“Yeah, but he’s our menace, right?”

Din hummed, “Right,” he agreed, and his prominent nose knocked into hers as he nodded. “Maybe we’ll get him a sibling to entertain him.”

Alaina froze at the suggestion, and if it weren’t for Din’s gloved hand covering her eyes, she would have seen his face when her eyes flew open. “A sibling?”

Din’s lips pressed a tender kiss to hers, and she could feel him smirking against her stunned lips. “Another foundling. Obviously.”

Alaina snorted and returned the kiss. “Obviously,” she replied, shaking her head.

“Unless you want to make him some siblings the old-fashioned way,” he teased, trailing his lips down her chin to her jaw as he made his way to her neck.

“Wait,” Alaina laughed and pushed him away from her, only for him to attack her lips with his own again. “Din,” she panted between his increasingly heated kisses. “You want kids?”

“Already have one,” he shrugged. “What’s another one? Or another two or ten?”

“Ten?!” Alaina wheezed, dissolving into a fit of giggles. “And just who is going to be having your ten children?”

Din’s lips smiled against hers in answer.

“Well, having ten children is really going to put a damper on my dancing career,” Alaina argued, smiling against his.

“Mmmm,” Din hummed in mock contemplation. He pressed one last solid, sloppy kiss to her lips before he righted her back up and removed his hand from her eyes so she could see the night sky again. “That’s what we’ll do,” Din declared with a nod. “After this is over, and you’re better, you’re gonna dance again.”

Alaina smiled and settled back against his chest. “Yeah?” she asked, trying to imagine what that would look like. “Even if we have to go to the inner rim to find a good dance company?”

“Even if we have to live on Coruscant,” he confirmed.

“We’d be quite the sight,” she warned him. “What would others say when they see my Mandalorian riduur and our green kid at my performances?”

She could feel Din’s cheeks pull taut against the side of her face when he smiled at her question.

“A Mandalorian and a ballerina?” he whispered his question into her ear. “They’d never see it coming.”

Alaina couldn’t help the happy tear that trailed down her cheek at his words. She brought her hand up to cup the other side of Din’s face, running her palm up and down the scruff there.

“And maybe after a few years, once I’ve gotten to have a career… we could work on making a sibling for Grogu the old-fashioned way.”

Din’s sudden intake of air through his nose brought a smile to her face. “Really?” he whispered as one of his hands drifted down to rest low on her abdomen.

Alaina shrugged as she rested her hand over his and intertwined their fingers. “I mean, my implant would need to be replaced in five years… I could just have them take it out and not replace it… and whatever happens… happens. Just… maybe not ten,” she finished with a smirk.

Din chuckled and nodded. “You did say whatever happens—”

“Not ten,” she countered, rolling her eyes.

“Five years…” Din started and tapered off. “A lot can happen in five years.”

“Yeah,” she agreed with a whisper. “Din?”

“Mmmm?”

“Do you ever wonder what would have happened… if, five years ago, things went to plan and I never ended up as Penn’s experiment… do you ever wonder what would have happened with us? If we would still be this?” she asked, gripping his hand tightly.

There was a beat of silence from the man sitting behind her, but Alaina kept her eyes on the blanket of stars above them.

“I find it doesn’t do any good to focus on past what-ifs,” he finally answered. “I prefer to look at the future.”

Alaina smiled and nodded. “I like that. And a lot can happen in five years, but it’s also like right around the corner.”

“It is.”

“Maybe we should practice,” she suggested, attempting to sound innocent.

“Practice?” Din laughed.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I mean... we wouldn’t want to be out of practice when the time came to make Grogu a sibling, would we?”

“Alaina Corra, are you propositioning me?” he teased, nipping at her bottom ear lobe.

She giggled and squirmed at the shiver that ran through her. “Maybe,” she answered, attempting to sound aloof and coy.

In the blink of an eye, Din plucked his helmet from her lap, and Alaina’s giggles turned into squeals when he hoisted her up with him and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Din!” she laughed, not even trying to get down. “What are you doing?”

“Practicing,” was all he said before he took off toward the Crest with her laughing all the way back. 

Alaina peaked nervously around the corner.

“Well, go on, little one,” her mother encouraged her, pushing her back toward the other children playing in the alley.

Alaina bit her bottom lip nervously as she watched the other children run and chase each other around the alley.

“You’re not gonna make any friends lurking in the shadows,” her mother tried again.

Alaina’s nerves increased. She’d begged her mother to let her play with the other children, and her mother had finally agreed. However, now that the time was finally here, she found herself absolutely terrified to join in on the fun.

“Five minutes,” her mother tried again, and Alaina stopped spying on the other children to look back at her. “Just go walk around and check it out for five minutes. If you’re not having any fun at the end of your five minutes, then we’ll go home.” Alaina pursed her lips as she contemplated the offer. “It’s either this, or we go back and practice meditating some more.”

“I’ll go!” Alaina jumped—anything to get out of meditation.

Cautiously, she stepped into the alley. Children of all ages were there, running and laughing. A line of four girls looked to be about her age, sitting in a row, braiding each other’s hair. At the other end of the alley was a group of boys playing with random objects, pretending they were blasters. A mix of others were running around trying to tag each other. And to her left was another boy wearing glasses… reading?

Out of nowhere, one of the boys from the end of the alley ran up to the boy in glasses and kicked the book from his hand.

The other boys started pointing and laughing, making the boy wearing glasses look away from them in embarrassment.

Alaina glared at the bullies. She couldn’t help it. She let her powers come forward, knocking the bullies to the ground and into a large puddle of water left over from last night’s rain.

Uh oh.

She cringed and looked behind her to her mother, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind. Oh, there would definitely be extra meditating for this, she thought. But her mother did say she had five minutes…

Alaina scrambled to grab the book that had been kicked from the other boy’s hand and brushed the dirt off the cover before walking back to the boy in glasses.

“Here,” she mumbled nervously.

“Um, th-thank you,” the boy stuttered as he took the book back from her.

“What is your book about?” Alaina asked curiously.

“Um, boys who run away from home to look for buried treasure,” he answered, fidgeting with his glasses.

“Fun!” Alaina answered, plopping down on the ground beside the other boy. “My name is Lainey,” she introduced with a smile.

“Um,” the boy stuttered again, and Alaina stared curiously at his wide, nervous eyes. “P-Penn. My name is Penn.”

“Lainey!” her mother called from the open end of the alleyway.

“I have to go home, but maybe see you again? I’ll bring my favorite book to read with you!” she suggested excitedly.

“O-okay,” Penn mumbled, surprised by her offer.

With one last beaming smile at her new friend, Alaina skipped down the alley to her waiting mother.

“Lainey, what did I tell you about using your, you know what?” her mother scolded her quietly as she scooped her up into her arms. “What if someone saw you!”

“I know, but they were being mean to Penn,” Alaina argued, pouting at her mother.

“Penn?”

Alaina nodded, “The boy with the book. He’s my friend now.”

Her mother sighed and looked up at the sky. “I thought I wouldn’t have to worry about boys until you were fifty, not five,” she muttered to herself, and Alaina giggled. “What are you laughing at, runt?” her mother teased, digging her fingers into her daughter’s ribs, making Alaina squeal as they left the alley to head home.

“Can we go back tomorrow? I told Penn I would bring him my favorite book!”

“Maker,” her mother grumbled. “Your father was supposed to be here to help me through the boy phase…” she said, and Alaina frowned when her mother’s face turned sad.

“I don’t like that daddy makes you sad,” Alaina commented, turning sad herself.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and both Corras scrunched their faces when the first raindrops struck them. “He doesn’t make me sad,” her mother told her, jogging the rest of the way to the staircase that led up to their flat. “Your daddy made me very happy. It makes me sad that he doesn’t get to be here with us and see what a beautiful little girl you turned out to be,” she told her once they made it to the top of the stairs.

Her mother set her on the ground as they walked to their door, waving to the neighbor across the way as she left her flat to head out.

Her mother helped her out of her jacket and hung it up with hers next to the door.

“That smells good, doesn’t it?” her mother asked, commenting on the smell of stew simmering away in the kitchen. Alaina nodded but couldn’t take her eyes off her mother, sensing something was wrong. “Why don’t you go pick out a book to read after dinner tonight? I’ll be right back,” she said as she headed into her bedroom, leaving Alaina alone in the living room.

Alaina watched as her mother disappeared into her bedroom. She looked at the bookcase next to her but walked past it to follow after her mother. Alaina froze at the entrance to the door when she heard the sound of sniffling coming from the other side. Curiosity got the best of her, and she poked her head into her mother’s room to find her sitting on the trunk at the foot of her bed, crying into her hands.

She didn’t think she’d ever seen her mother cry before. Instinct took over, and Alaina entered her mother’s room to check on her.

After a brief struggle to climb the trunk, Alaina settled next to her mother and asked, “Mama, what’s wrong?”

Her mother sniffled again and tried to wipe any evidence of crying from her face before she turned to look down at her daughter with a watery smile. Alaina frowned at the tears in her mother’s eyes and noted that even her cheeks and nose were red and splotchy.

“Nothing’s wrong, little one,” her mother tried to tell her with a strained smile. Alaina gave her mother a disbelieving look, and her mother chuckled and brought a hand up to stroke her hair. “I’m just remembering,” she tried to explain, brushing some of her hair behind her ear.

Alaina frowned, and her eyes fell to her mother’s lap. She became even more confused when she saw her mother’s silver sword resting there. “Why does it make you sad to look at your sword?” she asked, looking up at her mother for an answer.

Her mother smiled and stroked her head. “I supposed it would look like a sword when you’re just a little runt of a thing,” she teased, bringing her fingers down to tickle her ribs. Alaina giggled and squirmed until her mother finally stopped, and she let her body sag into her mother’s side in relief.

“It has green eyes like us,” Alaina pointed out, touching one of the green gems.

“It does,” her mother nodded, brushing her fingers along the silver weapon. “And my dagger… sometimes it makes me sad, but most of the time it makes me happy. I like remembering all the happy memories that come with it,” she explained. “Some day, when you’re older, I’ll share some of those with you.”

“Why can’t you share them with me now?” Alaina asked, still rubbing the gem embedded in the blade.

Her mother’s fingers carded through her unruly curls and tisked at all the tangles she found. “How about I tell you what it reminds me of instead?” she asked, and Alaina shrugged. “It reminds me not to give up,” she told her, bringing her lips down to kiss the top of Alaina’s blonde head. 

“It reminds me that Corras,” she paused to squeeze her daughter tightly to her side, “don’t give up.” 

Alaina stared at the emerald-eyed, fanned rawl dagger in her hands. A soft cooing noise pulled her attention away from the blade, and she smiled at the wide-eyed toddler staring back at her.

“It’s gonna be okay, little one,” Alaina whispered to Grogu. She tucked the dagger away into its spot on her belt and went to fuss over Grogu, ensuring that he was tucked away and comfy in the new floating pram Kuiil had crafted for him on the journey here.

“Alaina,” Din’s voice said quietly from somewhere behind her, but Alaina shook her head, keeping her focus on Grogu. “Alaina,” he called again, and Alaina slammed her eyes closed. “It’s time.”

It couldn’t be time. There was still more to do. And Grogu… Grogu must be terrified to be back on Nevarro. She’d barely had any time to prepare him—

“Hey,” Din whispered behind her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Everything is going to be okay.”

When Alaina opened her eyes, she tried her best to wipe the tears from her eyes before she turned around, but judging by the tilt of Din’s helmet, she did a poor job hiding her tears. She looked around the hold and saw Cara at the front of the line of blurrgs, pretending to ignore them while she did one last inspection of her weapon. Behind them, Kuiil was also paying close attention to his blurrg at the end of the line, leaving Alaina and Din with the illusion of privacy inside the cramped hold.

“You’ve got your dagger and blaster?” he asked, taking a step back to do one final inspection of her. His hands fumbled with his mentor’s old blaster in its holster, pretending to shift it to a better position before letting go with a nod.

Alaina had taken advantage of her new wardrobe, which Iris had gifted her. She had changed into a black outfit, befitting her somber mood. The shirt was tight, with sleeves that went just past her elbows. She wore black tactical pants that cut off mid-calf but had plenty of cargo pockets along the sides. She smiled when Din’s helmet landed on the anklet on her right leg, which was visible now with the cropped pants. 

“You know, the last time you brought me here, it was five years until I saw you again,” Alaina reminded him, smirking when he looked up from her anklet to cock his helmet at her.

“I already told you that I’m not skipping over anything,” he whispered, reminding her of his words to her back on their moon. “Not with you, Alaina Corra.”

“Ya know, the quicker we get out there and grab the scientist, the quicker you two can get back here and finish being disgusting,” Cara commented, still keeping her eyes on the weapon she was holding.

Alaina blushed at the ex-soldier’s comment, and when Din’s helmet turned to glare at Cara, Alaina giggled when the Droptrooper gave them a wink.

“One last thing,” Din said, returning his attention to Alaina.

She didn’t even realize the Mandalorian had her old cloak hanging off his arm when he approached her. Alaina smiled as he shook out the old velvet green cloak and draped it over her shoulders. He took his time as his bulky, gloved hands struggled to tie the cloak at her neck, but once it was secured, he reached behind her to pull the hood up to cover her golden, braided hair.

Alaina couldn’t take her eyes off his helmet. She suddenly found it fascinating how her emerald eyes reflected back at her.

But then the moment was over when Din nodded. The change was instantaneous. He was no longer Din Djarin.

He was the Mandalorian.

Alaina smiled and nodded back.

“Alright, everyone knows the plan?” he asked the others, who nodded back. “Then let’s go,” he ordered, planting his boot in the stirrup before mounting his blurrg.

Once mounted, he turned to offer her his hand, wiggling his fingers at her when she didn’t immediately grab on.

A Mandalorian and a ballerina? They’ll never see it coming.

Alaina smiled and slid her hand into his, allowing him to help hoist her up to straddle the blurrg behind him.

They looked down at Grogu, who waved back up at them from his floating pram. Mando pressed a button on his vambrace that sealed the pram, hiding the Child from view, and then pressed another one that opened the hold doors.

One by one, the blurrgs marched off the Crest and onto the wasteland that was Nevarro.

“Well, well,” a vaguely familiar boisterous voice greeted them.

Alaina nervously wrapped her arms around Din’s middle and moved to peek over his shoulder. She relaxed slightly when she realized Penn wasn’t there. However, that left three unknowns as their welcome party.

“It appears introductions are in order,” the booming voice of the darker man in the middle spoke again. “It seems we both provided a security detail.”

“Where’s the doctor, Karga?” came Mando’s annoyed question.

So this was Din’s former boss, Alaina put the pieces together. The other two flanking him weren’t familiar to her, so she assumed they were other bounty hunters from Mando’s old guild.

“He’ll meet us at our previously determined rendezvous point. It’s easier for him to sneak out under the cover of darkness,” Karga explained. “But we have a different matter to discuss.”

“We’re only here for one matter, Karga,” Din growled. “We’re here to talk to the doctor.”

“Yes, yes,” Karga brushed him off. “But I want to talk about the doctor’s boss.”

Despite the layer of beskar, she could feel Din’s muscles tense, and she gripped him tighter, unsure which one she was trying to comfort. Cara, Kuiil, and Mando exchanged brief glances before returning their attention to Karga.

“What about him?” Din asked.

“I want him dead.”

Silence settled over the group at Karga’s admission. Alaina’s eyes flicked between Cara and Kuiil, but neither showed any sign of surprise.

“Why? You never had an issue with your Imp friend before.”

Alaina scrunched her face, feeling as if she missed something.

“That was before. They laid low and kept to themselves. But now they have made work virtually impossible,” Karga explained. “Help us eliminate the Imps from the city, and in exchange, I’ll clear you with the Guild,” he offered.

A nervous ball began to form in her stomach at the offer.

“I’ll sweeten the pot,” Karga continued. “Not only will I clear your name with the Guild, but I won’t ask any questions if a certain Imperial Doctor goes missing.”

“Deal.”

“This is a trap,” Alaina seethed from behind him, but Din didn’t acknowledge her warning.

It felt as if the world was closing in around her. There was some discussion about leaving Cara, but Din refused, and Alaina was only vaguely aware of it happening. One moment, they were mounted in front of the Crest, and the next, they were on the move, heading to their rendezvous spot to meet Penn.

If it hadn’t been for the sun disappearing from view, Alaina would have thought only seconds had passed.

“This is it,” Karga announced. “We’ll make camp here. The doctor should be meeting us soon.”

Din nodded and dismounted the blurrg, with Cara and Kuiil following suit. Once his boots were on the ground, he offered his hands to help her down.

“I’m telling you, something is wrong,” Alaina whispered once she joined him on the ground. 

The beskar Mandalorian helmet stared unflinchingly back at her.

“She’s beautiful, Mando,” Karga commented, slapping Din’s shoulder as he came to stand beside his former bounty hunter. “No wonder he was so upset about turning you over all those years ago!”

Alaina refused to acknowledge the other man. Instead, she kept her eyes locked on his helmet, but Mando said nothing. She spun around and stomped off toward the lava river, ignoring Mando and the rest of their party.

“Alaina!” Mando called after her, but she refused to turn around.

This was a karking trap, and Mando’s tunnel vision prevented him from seeing that. It was one thing to come here and kidnap Penn, but to go after that terrible old man who Gideon had selected as Penn’s babysitter… It was idiotic. Gideon and the rest of the Empire would be on their heels in an instant—

“Oof,” Alaina commented as she ran smack into someone because she was so lost in her own thoughts that she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings. “I’m sorry—”

She cut her apology off as she stared at the crisp white uniform she had just encountered. Slowly, her head rose, and she locked eyes with a pair of glasses and a sad pair of eyes behind them.

“Hello, Lainey.”

Author's Note #2: Ya’aburnee is an Arabic phrase meaning, “You bury me.” ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT IN 🐍🐍ACT 2🐍🐍 💔

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Heaven in Hiding Masterlist

Next chapter in series - Chapter 25: Francesca (coming soon)

[ushiwhacka]

WISH I COULD | love sick! gojo satoru + gn! reader | 1,995 words | fluff | mutual pining, hurt/comfort, very idiots in love trope-y

*:･ﾟ✧ summary: set around the time of the hidden inventory arc. gojo comforts reader after they've been injured on a mission, kisses it better. but he's a bit pathetically in love about it all. *:･ﾟ✧ warnings: mentions of canon - typical violence, minor injury

The damp air of the bathroom clings to your skin uncomfortably, making it hard to breathe. You lean on the sink, trying to steady your tired limbs. The buzzing noise from the LED and your laboured breathing becoming increasingly louder with each passing moment as the quiet feeling of unease spreads through your body. You take a swipe at the foggy mirror, trying to ground yourself and ward off the onslaught of panic that was sure to follow. Two bright red cuts - one between your eyebrows and one just below your right eye - mark your skin. They are quite shallow. Probably won’t leave a scar. But they sting just enough to make moving your face uncomfortable. And they will make for an annoying reminder of a night you’d rather forget for at least a few days. 

Your hairs stand up at the change in temperature upon leaving the steamy bathroom. But the feeling is almost refreshing. You stretch your body down on the bed, clinging to your towel. Really, you just hope you are tired enough to drift off. Usually, the familiarity of your dimly lit room would provide a sense of comfort and safety. Tonight you find the silence more disturbing than anything, your eyes drifting to dark corners and the high windows. But every time you try to close them, you see the same flashing images. Its disfigured face. Sharp claws swinging too close to your neck, almost making contact. You’re not even sure if the memory is real anymore, and not just amplified and made worse by your distressed brain. But it feels real enough.

So you lift yourself off the bed, rummaging through your piles of clothes for something comfortable and clean to put on. Despite your general uneasiness you walk through the halls a bit slower than you normally would, your arms folded across your chest, gripping the loose t-shirt. Just outside, the trees are swaying in the wind, branches colliding with the windows periodically, making your skin crawl a little bit more each time. You don’t really have a destination in mind. It is late. In fact, you aren’t really sure exactly how late it is, but there is always a chance someone else might be roaming about. Maybe in the kitchen. Or by the vending machines. 

You stop in front of a familiar door. It’s almost automatic, muscle memory. Your eyes trained on the door, you consider your options. He’s not exactly the most tactful of people, but you cannot stand the thought of spending another moment alone with your thoughts. You knock gently, praying he’s fast asleep but almost immediately the door cracks open.

“Uh, hey” Gojo was clearly caught off guard. Worn out sweater hanging off his broad shoulders, he looks cozy and you feel a stab of guilt for disturbing him. “What are you doing here anyway?” He chirps. You don’t want him to know about your near-failure of a mission. You just cannot bear his smug reaction and his smart-mouthed comments. 

“Don’t tell me that semi-first grade gave you trouble?” Satoru has always had a talent for sniffing out weaknesses and he wasn’t one to hesitate or show restraint in his delivery. “I’m almost disappointed, you know.”

“Is it that hard for you to show some basic human empathy every now and then?” That was harsh. But you were disappointed in yourself, too. It shouldn’t have been such a challenging mission, but you hesitated, you pulled back. You felt that paralysing sort of fear that was almost foreign at this point, that you know cannot allow yourself to feel out there all alone.

His body shouldn’t be drowned by such a rush of guilt for simply stating the truth, yet it is. He finds no anger in your eyes. The usual curious glint replaced with dull exhaustion. Then he feels worse. He scrambles to find the right words but they simply won’t come. After all, he has never been good at this, so why would you expect anything else? But when he sees you, you, trying to steady your trembling limbs, pulling at the wide sleeves of your shirt to find some sense of protection, he wishes he was better. He wishes he knew what to say and what to do. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Gojo doesn’t ask about your injuries. He watches you intently, noticing every small movement of your face and every twitch of a muscle. You don’t notice how his eyes soften, how his face is tense with worry. 

“I just need some company, if that’s ok?” Need. It’s silly and maybe a bit selfish of him to be analysing your choice in words given the situation. But he can’t help the way his heart swells at the thought. You need his company. Need him. It’s not that he doesn’t usually feel needed. People need him every day. He’d argue they need him a bit too much sometimes. Well, what they need are his abilities, his strength, so they have no other choice. But you chose to come to him. The realisation makes him light-headed. His mind racing as he tries to regain his composure. 

Suddenly he is too aware of the silence hanging heavy between the two of you. He doesn't trust himself to speak, so he just opens the door wider, stepping out of the way. 

You brush past him, heading straight for his unmade bed. The room is doused in the mellow blue light radiating from the TV. Satoru kneels down to rummage through his disorganised drawer. There’s a familiar bright smile on his face as he turns to you, holding a few different DVDs. “I’ll be nice and let you choose the movie”. 

“I don’t mind. Just pick your favourite.”

He narrows his eyes and squeezes his cheeks between long, slender fingers. Arms wrapped around your knees, you follow his movements. You watch as he fumbles with the case, mumbling about the dwarves and the elves, and grey and white wizards. Sparkling, wide blue eyes hold your gaze, are you listening? It’s amusing, the exaggerated hand movements, the animated facial expressions. His overwhelming presence lulls you away from the fear and uncertainty that had so completely overtaken your every sense. 

Satoru doesn’t mean to ramble so much. But he’s so nervous and he cannot stop himself from explaining the plot of the film in great detail, making silly jokes that he knows won’t make you laugh. Suguru would tell him to shut up. Shoko would also tell him to shut up, but in a harsher, meaner way. But they’re not here to do that, and that’s exactly his problem. It’s not that the two of you don’t ever spend time alone, you do. You train together, eat lunch together, even go on longer missions together. Never like this though. You have never been so alone that he has to keep looking at you, can’t look away to still his dizzying thoughts or the blood rushing to his ears. It has never been so quiet that he could hear your rhythmic, shallow breaths, periodically interrupted by a huff in response to his nonsense. It’s so much more than he is equipped to deal with. “And then she takes off her helmet and sa-”

Of course he catches the pillow flying towards his face and snuggles it to his broad chest. He looks at you with pouty lips and wounded eyes. “Why do you always have to spoil every movie we watch?”

“Why do you always have to be mean?” He slumps his shoulders as he walks towards you.

The bed dips beneath his weight as he settles on it with outstretched legs and arms tucked beneath his head. You try to follow his lead but you’re too fidgety, suddenly overly aware of the heat radiating off his body. The way his chest rises and falls with each breath. The way his pretty eyelashes flutter. You realise then you have moved to your side, openly staring at him. You make no effort to stop yourself as the overdue exhaustion finally takes over. Your body feeling heavier with every passing moment, sinking deeper into the mattress. 

The movie is just background noise to Satoru’s struggle for self control. He tries so hard not to look, to focus on anything but the way your body curls at his side but he just cannot. So he turns to look at your face. You’re so beautiful. He always thinks you’re so beautiful. When you look at him with stern eyes, arms folded over your chest, challenging him. When your mouth is pressed in a tight line at something that annoyed you. When you laugh with your nose scrunched up, trying to hold back cute little snorts. And he always wants so desperately to be closer to you. 

Before his common sense can catch up with his body, he extends his hand, gently tracing the claw mark between your eyebrows. “Does it hurt?” Your watery eyes, heavy with exhaustion flutter open at the contact. “Just a little”. He hums in response as his hand moves to cup your face, his thumb inspecting the cut on your temple. The clean, soapy scent of his skin drowns your senses. He is so very close. And his hands are so tender, so reverent on your face. Blood rushes to your cheeks in embarrassment, and you hope he doesn’t feel your skin burning at his touch. 

Wet lips part just slightly as he meets your gaze. His chest tightens and aches with these feelings that he cannot even begin to understand. All he knows is that, in that moment, you are the whole world. The rest of it fades to black, it’s insignificant. You are gravity.

“Can I kiss it better?” He really should be embarrassed about how absolutely pathetic he is being. But he cannot find it in himself to snap out of it. He needs to be closer to you. Closer than this. He needs to show you what he could never say. Not only because he would be too much of a coward to, but because he doesn’t know if the words he needs to say exist. 

You can hear your heart pounding in your ears. But it is him that feels so raw and vulnerable, waiting for you pull away. To crash against you and not into you. 

You nod. It’s small and reluctant but it’s there. You feel as though you might never move again as he inches closer to you. His lips hover over your forehead and you can feel his warm breath on your face. Strands of his hair tickle your skin as his thumb draws circles on your cheekbone. He hesitates. 

He is crumbling at the sight of you. Eyes wide in anticipation, you feel so warm, so welcoming. And he tries to memorise every little detail. The way your soft skin feels underneath his hands, the smell of you slightly damp hair. The way your eyebrows knot just a tiny bit. The colour of your eyes. The way your eyelashes curl and move. He wants to remember it all. Just in case he never gets another chance to. 

Then he kisses your injured face. His lips so soft and warm. It’s such a careful, caring kiss but so incredibly intimate. Your whole body trembles at the sensation.  He kisses your temple too. And somehow he’s even closer. You can feel him with every particle of your being. You want to pull him into you, melt your body with his. You want him to consume you whole. But that’s not something you could ever say. So you smile into the crook of his neck, and you hope he knows that he makes everything better. 

Not another word is said between the two of you as you let yourself succumb to overwhelming fatigue. Satoru doesn’t sleep for a single moment that night. 

thank you for reading! interaction is very much appreciated! ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

@nathalunalune @utahimeow

[modx-reborn]

The first prefromance

Something I spoke of in a discord I'm in.

So here have Simpbur and CamGirl/Camboy reader doing a show with them after working his way into their close circle.

(Yes this plays off of the two cam asks I have gotten recently)

Also please know that real cam girls/boys aren't actually going to do this, this is purely fictional in its makeup.

SMUT UNDERCUT! MINOR DNI!

"That's it j-just like that, all the way like you should be taking me. S-shouldn't be here fucking my hand w-when I could be fucking you, such a pretty thing so good for me, but such a slut t-to let others watch you like this..."

That was the last thing he had said to you on your last private call, since then he had wormed his way further and further into your shows and even into a bit of your personal life, or well your on-screen personal life, as he had the phone number you kept aside for work, from your days as a more in-person performer.

And boy did he ever make use of the number, sending you little messages and photos whenever the thought struck him, peppering you in small doses of affection and savouring the way you called him sometimes when you skipped a stream, offering him to listen to you get off instead letting him hear when you spoke about the toy he had sent you. Sometimes even getting him to call and ask for you to listen to him, getting you to mutter things to him and work him that little bit closer to his end.

But now what you're calling for may just break your dear simp, having had all the fun you could with the silicon imitation he had made for you, that now your mind was thinking about how he would feel rather than the toy. 'S-shouldn't be here fucking my hand w-when I could be fucking you' his own words playing on repeat in your head after you close down your last stream, sending little thank yous to the top donators before moving to the call ping that was coming through.

It was him. Perfect.

"Ahh, there he is, my pretty top boy Simpbur!"

"That was quite the s-show, but what did you mean by you're w-working on something big with someone else?"

"Well, that's good that you asked my dear. You are always so good for me, sending those little messages and all those donations, I was thinking you may want to help me with the next stream..."

"Y-you want me to-"

"Mmhmm, didn't you say yourself that it should be you fucking me, or was it that you should be here in me rather than fucking your hand?"

It's easy to finish your sentence with a tilt of your head, tapping one of your fingers against your bottom lip as if you were actually trying to remember when truly you were just teasing the curly-haired boy staring at you wide-eyed through your screen.

"I. Yes. I-I mean I would love to if you want me to..."

With his agreement the rest of the call was spent hashing out the rough details and leaving him open to suggest what he wanted to do for the show, leaving him with a wink and a reminder to 'Keep it simple' before you logged out and started to pack up and clean down the space you had been working in.

There would be a few weeks between your last show and the next one, having all the platforms you used teasing the next stream with images of the silicone toy being front and centre in all the images, a tease for all your viewers but a reminder for your dear simpbur that he would be more real in your world in a few days. Even when he made up his mind on what he wanted it was still so very hard for him to not scroll back through the recorded calls and streams, take himself in hand and work through the building need.

But he managed to keep his hands off, having worked himself up even before the actual day of the stream.

When you call him, he picks up on the first ring as always chipper and shaky in the same breath as he says your stage name.

"There's my good boy! You ready for tomorrow? Your first time in the red light after all, just want to make sure you're still down and want to do this."

"I-I am. I'm good and... and ready for tomorrow."

With a laugh and a quick goodbye, you hang up, heading off to the regular place you booked for longer shows needing to set up lights and the cams now, otherwise you would likely not have time when your co-star finally made his way to you. And how right you were, the moment the time for the stream rolled around he was there at your door, hands fiddling with the bottom of his button-up, mask and beanie on as if you hadn't seen his face a million times before.

Welcoming him in is easy, but getting him to calm down just enough to have him read back what the two of you had planned took slightly longer. You had him keep his mask and beanie on, using them as a way to keep him from having his real-world life ruined from doing this one little show with you, the suggestion also seems to put some of his nerves to rest.

When the cameras do start rolling, the stream on a start-up timer for switching on to a live stage, your chat on a large screen hanging over your laptop that was actually hosting the show, messages flying past as people are lured in at the promise of a different kind of show and the tagline mentioning a guest star. When the cam starts showing the room you're seated on Simpburs lap, thighs spread wide over his with his hands holding you close while you do your intro, his masked face pressed into your shoulder as he mutters something under his breath.

Your form rocking back into him once you're were done, slipping a hand under his beanie and tangling in his curls, making him groan just loud enough that one of the many mics would be able to hear him, laughing and cooing at him as you reach down with your free hand to wrap around his cock, slowly running your fingers across the heated flesh.

"You'll be good for me won't you? So pretty and brave being here on cam with me, getting a treat that so many would die for..."

His voice falters when you shift your grip, tugging on his hair just as you start to actually move your hand to jerk him off, slipping your hand out of his hair you reach for a little remote, making the camera zoom in as you close your thighs around him, burying his cock between your thighs. Cooing at him once again as his hands are braced on your hips, using this to bounce you on him, head tilted back and panting as he fucks your thighs.

The exposed skin of his neck calling for you to leave a few marks across, a little gift for him to remember this day by, or well more than the stream recording of course, pink and purple marks blooming across his neck as he changes the pace moving you more and more until you can feel him throbbing between your thighs.

"Oh, sweet thing you're cumming already? Are my thighs that good? Can't even hold on for the main performance, or are you that eager for more that you would cum now and still keep going? Hmm, what is it, pretty boy?"

The only answer you receive is a deep groan and the warm feeling of his cum seeping from between your thighs, spreading your legs to show off the mess to your cam, letting everyone who was watching see the mess that he had made. Reading your chat gave you a wonderful idea, they wanted more and you wanted to see just how far you could push your dear simp till he broke and lived up to his wants to actually fuck you.

Flicking across the remote once again the camera angle changes, showing a side view of the bed perfect for what you were planning to do, the angle giving your audience the best show as you move off his lap and kneel on the floor. Holding his cock with one hand as you lean forward to lick a stripe up his shaft, cleaning his mess off with your mouth, taking him fully once most of him was clean looking up at him through your lashes once you have taken him into your throat.

Watching how his eyes go wide, hands shaking when they reach for your head, his eyes flicking up to the chat screen reading over some of the words telling him to fuck your face, to make you cry and drool all over him, and other wanting to be where he was, whining over text that they should have been the one there with you. The majority calling for him to do something, building a need to move in him, slowly he is moving his hips, still sensitive after having cum not moments before but the feeling of your mouth wrapped around him was spurring him on.

Before long his hips are moving properly, holding your head steady as he fucks your mouth watching how you look up at him every time he pushes into your throat, tears building and falling with how harsh some of his thrusts are, but the image just makes him groan. Throwing his head back once again as he works himself back up, trying to hold out and enjoy this feeling for a little while longer, only you had other plans pulling away panting as you take in the way he looks.

Flicking your hands cross the remote once again to switch cameras for the final time settling on one that would let your audience watch how good your dear simp was for you, let them watch how full he makes you feel and how pretty he looks when he cums, when he finally gets what he wanted.

"You ready pretty boy, ready to finally get what you want? What you told me about on all your calls? Take you all the way like I should be taking you?"

"P-please, fuck just please le-let me fuck you..."

In his rush to reach for you, his beanie had come off, brown curls falling out in a mess that you tried to cover again only to have your hands smacked away in favour of him pulling you up onto the bed with him. Throwing your thighs over his own reaching for the bottle of lube you had left waiting to be used, coating his fingers before pressing them into you working you open with one hand as the other is pressed to your shoulder keeping you from moving away from his probing fingers.

"G-God look at you, do-don't even need to work my way up to two fingers, already so r-ready for them... Ready for me."

To quick are his fingers gone replaced by the head of his cock, easing his way in as he moans, hands grabbing your hips to steady himself as he finally gets to feel what it's like to be buried in you just like his toy replica had been so many times before. There is little time between him being fully hilted in you and him starting to move, his hands moving from your hips to under your thighs ignoring the sticky cum still staining them, pushing them back and using the new angle to fuck into you as hard as he liked.

Wanting to have you drooling into the mattress and calling his name, making you remember him and him alone so that if you ever did another show like this, it would be his number you called. That if he did this good enough, fucked you good enough that it wouldn't be on camera the next time he got to fuck you, it would be at your home in your bed, him calling your real name not this stage name you work under.

He comes back from his thoughts when your voice cuts through them, high pitched and whining for him to let you cum, for him to keep going to let you have what you had given him earlier, to feel him cum in you this time.

"F-fuck you w-want me to cum in you? P-paint your inside with me..."

The chat if either of you could see it was still it was running a mile a minute, calling for him to do it, to cum and let them see how it will drip out of you. Others call for him to deny you, keep you begging for your release while he took his own, but neither of you could see those words and so your ends draw near.

"T-that's it, god feels so. So good around me, j-just like I thought you would..."

The rough pace he set becomes almost brutal when he cums, there will be bruises in the shape of his hands come the next few days but that thought paired with the sight of your dear simp losing himself in you was what tipped you over.

The end of the stream was much like the beginning, albeit with a mess of brown curls keeping the camera from seeing how the mask had been pulled down and soft kisses were being placed along your shoulders, the moment you had given the final thanks and turned off all the gear the hands that were wrapped around your waist were pulling you back onto the bed, keeping you as close as possible.

After all the pressure of performing for people falls away, it's easy to give comfort to the man curled around you, wanting him to be comfortable with what you had just done. Once again tangling your hands in his hair only this time to give comfort rather than tease, cooing soft praise until the grip around you eases slightly.

"You did so well, such a good boy for me..."

[floralseokjin]

⤑ made-up love song v (m).

Your first encounter with Kim Seokjin doesn’t go so well, nor your second, or your third… and maybe that’s because it shouldn’t work on paper. You’re an elementary school teacher, never left the country despite hitting the third decade of your life not so long ago, and you’re unable to remember the last time you dated. He’s the dad of one of your students, nearly a decade older than you and divorced. Oh yes, and just another minor detail – he’s a multimillionaire. 

Your lives are lightyears apart, yet somehow, your paths having now crossed, things just seem to fall into place…

pairing; kim seokjin x reader  au/genre/warnings; strangers to lovers, romance, eventual angst, single dad! seokjin, ceo! seokjin, elementary school teacher! oc, age gap (oc is 30, seokjin is 37), seokjin is a dilf, fluff, smut; a shit ton of kissing, oral (f), seokjin likes eye contact, slight overstimulation, he also seems to have a slight potty mouth when turned on, romantic sex, protected sex, shower scene, oral (m), this chapter is basically just sex, enjoy! (yes, the dilf dick is b i g) lingerie described found here for the visuals ~  words; 9,572

↪︎ chapter index

chapters; i • ii • iii • iv • v • vi • vii • viii • ix • x • epilogue (+ drabbles)

Saturday couldn’t come soon enough. You were like a little kid at the lead up to Christmas. You couldn’t remember the last time you were this excited for something. Actually, on second thoughts, you couldn’t think of a time you were this excited for anything, period. And all over the prospect of sleeping with Seokjin, and definitely not in the innocent way… He had in no way explicitly stated that you’d be having sex this week, but the insinuation was heavy in the air. Everything leading up to this moment was suggesting come Saturday night you would not be sat in front of Seokjin’s 75” television watching boxsets… 

On the morning of you decided to pack a few things in a small case. You definitely planned on returning home in the day if needed or bored while Seokjin was at work, but the essentials were required: underwear, pyjamas, a few outfits, toiletries and skincare, your iPad, miscellaneous chargers. Soojung on the other hand was acting like you were never coming back… 

“I’m going to miss you.” She whined, having been hovering around you as you packed. “Leaving me alone with smelly Tae.” 

In a bid not to be alone in the evenings she’d invited her smelly boyfriend over for the week, but although she sounded irked it was all just an act. God knows what they’d get up to while you were gone, you dreaded to think. On second thoughts, maybe it would be best to stay at Seokjin’s place all week… You had no clue what you’d walk in on in your own home.  

“I won’t be gone the whole week. Besides, we can meet up for lunch and stuff.” You often visited her at the department store, perusing the food court until it was time for her lunch break. You weren’t secluded from the whole world while away. What did she think was happening? 

She helped you fold your clothes in momentary silence, deep in thought it seemed. “What if you love it there and want to stay permanently Dilf mansion?” 

You scoffed immediately, taking the small pile of t-shirts from her to pack away. “Soo, way to jump the gun.” You’d been dating barely six weeks, hadn’t even had sex yet, moving in together was number 1 on the highly unlikely list. Although, sliding in a couple of pairs of flats into the top pocket of your case and zipping it up, you hummed in consideration. “Dilf mansion does have a ring to it though…” 

Soojung’s attention was on another pile of clothing now – one you would be wearing this evening to leave for Seokjin’s house. Her fingertips brushed along the delicate baby blue lace of your lingerie, sitting on top of the pile and she looked up at you and grinned wickedly. “You’re going to knock his socks off with this.” 

You and her had spent yesterday browsing the mall with a very important task. To decide on the most perfect lingerie set. Knowing Seokjin for a while know, you’d noticed he had an inclination for the colour blue, so your chosen piece had to be a winner – practically see-through, littered in beautiful lace flowers. You were well and truly prepared for tonight, you were a woman on a mission. 

“His Dilf socks,” you corrected your best friend, both of you instantly exploding into a fit of giggles. 

Arin had left with her grandparents this morning, and as much as Seokjin was eager to get this weekend started and see you immediately, he actually had a few things he needed to take care of at work. It wasn’t until around 5pm that you got into your car to make the short journey, Soo waving you off proudly like you were about to attend your graduation. You were honestly quite calm given the circumstances, although one look at Seokjin as he stepped out the front door to take your case and all inner composure was lost. You were one big ball of excitement, most of it flurrying around in the pit of your stomach. Yet you kept cool on the outside, grinning at the handsome man in front of you despite your lingerie burning marks into your skin. 

And handsome he was today, (as if he wasn’t every day), his dark hair parted in the centre of his forehead naturally, his eyes crinkling as he smiled and leaned in for a kiss. You tasted a hint of mango on his mouth, an obvious sheen to his plump lips, and you presumed he’d applied some chapstick before you’d arrived – the chapstick you’d bought him not too long ago after he’d complained of cracked lips to you on the phone one night. 

“Hey,” he greeted softly, his arms around your waist, body pressed snuggly into yours. 

“Hey yourself,” you murmured, wrapping your arms around his neck, gazing into one another’s eyes before you lightly teased him. “Are we going to stay out here all night?” 

Chuckling heartily, he reached behind you, lifting your case with ease. “Let’s go put this in my room.” 

You’d never once stepped foot onto the upper level of his house before, so you were very observant on your way to his bedroom, eyes catching art pieces (you noticed numerous of Arin’s) and photos along the walls, light fixtures, as well as the odd plant here and there. You had to walk two flights of stairs to get to your destination, one average in length, the other shorter, veering off to the left of the corridor to reach a landing leading into his bedroom. You remembered what he’d said about changing and designing his bedroom himself, so you were very curious as to what it looked like inside. Yet still, the sight of it stunned you to brief silence. 

His was the largest bedroom in the house, the master bedroom if you were being fancy, but in your opinion it was more like a mini home in itself. All it needed was a kitchen and you would be good to go. It smelt just like him – of his cologne and the recognisable vanilla scent his house seemed to waft of every time you visited. The walls were warm grey, décor similar with dashes of cream and gold. The bed matched the whole vibe of the room – insanely large, and you could already tell it was going to be the comfiest thing you’d ever slept on. Directly opposite, but a long way away, were a sofa and love seat sat around a TV hooked to the wall above a stunning fireplace. There were two sets of double windows, from the ceiling to the wooden floor, dark grey drapes open – not that it mattered. Seokjin’s house was out-of-the-way, no chance of being seen. All you were met with as you looked down, was a small patch of garden you hadn’t seen before, plain and simple, but very beautiful. Tranquil. 

To the left of the room a door opened into another, perhaps a quarter of the size – his closet, and you followed him inside, still pretty much lost for words. He said there was no point putting your belongings away tonight, you could do it tomorrow, but he’d saved a drawer for you and there was an empty section of hanging space you could use too. There was also a dressing table you could put to good use, because he sure didn’t, and then he whisked you away into the bathroom, which was probably the most beautiful room in the house. Everything was warm marble in colour. A separate bath and shower (both gigantic) and double sinks. 

“I got you a robe,” Seokjin pointed out, and you followed his gaze to behind the door, two fluffy white robes hooked to the wall. 

Oh, boy. You could get used to this. 

.

.

Seokjin ordered takeout for dinner – from an Indian restaurant Namjoon kept raving about apparently. With the amount he ordered you could have sworn he was feeding a whole party, not just the two of you. You were stuffed in no time, curling up on the sofa with a glass of red wine as Seokjin loaded the dishwasher. He still hadn’t cooked an actual meal for you, and when he joined you, of course you reminded him. This week he was preparing dinner for you one night, and that was final. You needed to see what Chef Kim had in him – even if he insisted his skills were long forgotten.  

You cuddled as you watched a movie, which more often than not meant you’d start to become sleepy – just ask Soojung – but tonight was different. You were wide awake and practically thrumming with excitement. You were begging for the movie credits an hour before they were due, and when they finally popped up your heart started to beat harder in anticipation. It was nearing 11pm. Your lingerie was still burning welts into your skin… 

Seokjin kissed the top of your head, your back pressed into his chest where you’d been snuggled into him, legs across the sofa, for the duration of the night. One of his arms was crossed around your front, the other free to drink his wine as he propped his feet up on the glass topped coffee table. You could really get used to this. 

“What did you think?” He hummed, reaching forward to place his glass on a coaster. You grabbed his hand, not wanting him to leave you and he chuckled, quickly resuming position to now loop both arms around your shoulders, pressing you further into the warmth of his body. 

“I enjoyed,” you replied with a small shrug. In all honesty it would’ve been a great movie if you hadn’t been so distracted. 

You felt him lower his head, breath hot against your ear as he spoke. “I’m glad you didn’t fall asleep on me.” You giggled as he started to kiss the column of your neck, his barely there presses of his lips tickling you. Yet still you pushed into his hold, letting your head fall back. He took the opportunity to suck your earlobe between his lips, eliciting a sweet sigh from you. “I really can’t wait to spend this entire week with you.”  He whispered. 

You tried to keep your voice as uninvolved as possible – which was a lot harder when he now had your earlobe between his teeth. “Eh. I’m so-so over it.” 

“Y/N!” He scolded playfully, groaning a laugh as he lifted his head away. “Stop. Now’s not the time for joking around.” 

“I’m sorry,” you giggled, latching onto his hands. 

“Face me,” he murmured almost suddenly. “Let me kiss you properly.” 

His kisses were gentle and loving, his hands cupping your face as you leaned into him, hands placed across his hard chest. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt tucked into some black pants, he’d looked irresistible all night. He pulled away slowly, lips upturned almost drunkenly. “What’s that grin for?” 

Seokjin’s gaze flicked from your lips to your eyes repeatedly as he replied, thumbs massaging circles into your cheeks. “I’m just very happy. Is that allowed?” 

Giggling, you pressed your mouth to his, wrapping your palms around his neck to pull him in closer. He hummed loudly – indulgently, and let you lick into his mouth, his own hands slipping down to your neck and down your torso, gripping your middle. Your chest was flush to his and you welcomed the heat of his body. You were happy too. It had been a long time since you’d last felt this content, and tonight you’d realised just how lovely it was to be able to lounge with Seokjin and be in his company so casually, so naturally like this. You would become spoiled this week, but you couldn’t feel too worried right now. 

Breaking away again, it seemed like he wanted to say something, but your mouth was a greedy thing, finding its way down his neck and across his throat as he leaned his head against the back of the sofa, his breathing shallow as he let you wonder. His fingers brushed up and down your back distractedly, until he seemed to remember what he wanted to tell you. “Hey,” he whispered, breath catching in his throat when you pinched your teeth into his Adam’s apple softly. “Hey, stop for a moment. There was something I wanted to say before…” He trailed off, unsure how to finish the very obvious direction of his sentence, and as much as you wanted to nosedive straight into that pool, you pulled back to look into his eyes, waiting patiently. 

He straightened his back and you eased off him a little, finding his fond smile contagious. “I’ve enjoyed these past few weeks so much.” He began, sincerity in his tone . “I know I’m not old old by any means but dating you has made me feel like I’m young again. I mean, grinding in the middle of a bar is something I didn’t even do back in my college days.” 

“I fail to believe that,” you laughed. 

“Really,” he insisted, looking amused. “I was a nerd. A handsome one, but a nerd nonetheless.” Before you could roll your eyes he was continuing. “What I’m trying to say is that, I really like you, Y/N.” His fingers played with the ends of your hair lovingly.  “You know that already. Shit, I’m crazy about you. Just hearing your voice makes my day better. No matter how short a time we spend together, even if it’s just on the phone to say goodnight, I feel happy – I feel relaxed.” He paused to take a breath before moving to cup your face with one hand. “No matter how stressed I am you make it better by just existing.” 

“…Seokjin,” you murmured, a little lost for words at his declaration. 

He chuckled warmly, tops of his cheeks tinged somewhat rosy. “Too cheesy?”

You shook your head adamantly, reaching for his face as well. “Not at all. I’m crazy about you too.” His face lit up instantly and you couldn’t help but kiss him. “I’m so happy we met,” you confessed against his mouth. “I don’t want this summer to be over.” 

“It’s not over yet,” he laughed. “We still have time to make it even better.” You wanted that more than anything. Finding it difficult to keep away from your lips, he practically had to tear himself away. He was out of breath. “I know saying this out loud is silly given everything, but… Let’s make this official.” 

Your heart started somersaulting. You felt like you were in high school again, over the moon because Kim Rowoon had asked you to prom. Only this was better than that – much, much better. Linking your arms around Seokjin’s neck you tilted your head to the side, a grin unable to keep off your face. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend, Mr. Kim?” 

“What do you say?” He sounded hopeful and soft. 

You hummed out loud, thinking hard. “Can I get back to you? 3 to five business days seems about right.” You immediately squealed as you finished your sentence, Seokjin’s hands finding their way around your butt to tug you forward. You gripped onto his shoulders with the surprise. 

“Too bad because I’ve already been calling you my girlfriend at the office.” 

You didn’t have a chance to reply, the hard press of his lips against yours knocking you senseless. You found yourself in his lap not long after, fingers dragging through his hair as you clung to him, mouths moving in gradual urgency until you began to feel out of breath. Your tongues seemed to grow more daring, intent, as your soft moans mingled with his quiet groans. You hadn’t quite found yourself in this position before, usually moulded to the soft leather but this time you had Seokjin pinned tight, a heat that was quickly becoming unbearable burning between your bodies, and his hands running up and down your back didn’t help. 

Each brush of his fingertips had your skin prickling with warmth, dizzying your mind, and when you felt him brush against the curve of your left breast you leaned forward into his touch, desperate for more. Seokjin grunted, encouraged by your action as he cupped the soft flesh, his thumb grazing your nipple which hardened from the touch. Your kiss turned a lot more frenzied after that, Seokjin roaming your body with confidence, his unoccupied hand cupping your butt to rock you against his crotch. 

He was hard. You’d felt it stiffening ever since you’d climbed into his lap, but now he was solid, flesh pressing (probably painfully) against his pants, and feeling emboldened you lifted your hips, hovering over him for your hand to slot in between your bodies, cupping his erection firmly. He stiffened under your grasp, his breath hitching and you took that moment to drag your tongue along his, teasing him as you slowly started to stroke him above his slacks. He felt thick and rigid between your fingers, pulsing erratically against your hold, and he broke away from your mouth, head falling back as a loud, drawn-out groan slipped from his throat. You gazed at him – eyes closed, eyebrows furrowed, mouth parted as he breathed shallowly – and took a mental picture. You wanted to remember this moment forever. He looked gorgeous, basking in pleasure and you wanted to pleasure him more. It was an urge so strong you practically dived on him, mouth slamming into his. He soon gained his bearings, kissing you just as wildly as his hands groped your body. 

“Do you – mm, do you want – mm – to take this upstairs?” He asked against your lips, fingers currently digging into the soft flesh of your ass. The veins in his neck were visible, his desperation for you obvious, and you pulled away from the kiss to nod rapidly. If he didn’t get you upstairs soon you’d surely explode. 

You let out a little squeak as you suddenly found yourself in the air, safely held up by Seokjin. You immediately wrapped your arms around his neck, clinging to him as he began to make the brisk walk to the hallway and towards the staircase. “Oh, my god,” you muttered, laughing as you realised he was about to carry you bridal style all the way up the stairs. 

“What?” He laughed back, his eyes twinkling warmly. Your heart melted at the sight and you leaned in to kiss him, uncaring that you both may fall backwards and break your necks. 

“I may have forgotten about the amount of stairs in this goddamn house,” he panted lightly once you’d made it past the first set. 

“Put me down then,” you giggled. 

“Never,” he sang out, pecking you on the mouth sweetly. 

Once in his bedroom, he placed you down, closing the door behind you before caging you against it, kissing you like he hadn’t seen you for months. You keened into his touch, whole body hot and ready for him, but in the end you couldn’t keep up with his mouth. He’d never kissed you like this, he was a man possessed, you physically felt weak at the knees and you clung to him, moaning softly when his mouth fell to your neck. 

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do this,” he confessed against the wet skin, fresh waves of arousal washing through your body. His voice was an octave lower, gruff and nothing like you’d heard before. “I can’t contain myself knowing we’re going to be alone for a whole week.” 

“What do you plan on doing to me?” You laughed weakly, but to be honest, the time for wisecracks were gone. You were hanging on by a thread, this close to begging him to tear your clothes off. 

Cupping your neck he pulled away to look you in the face. His pupils were blown out, more black than the warm brown you were used to. The tops of his cheeks were tinged red, his own arousal very evident, and when he replied he sounded as sincere as ever. “Anything you want me to.” 

Okay, if he carried on like this, he’d mess up your plan good and proper. He was rude. Very rude. And hot, and sexy, and yours. God, you really wanted him. Your body was screaming for him. You pressed a kiss to his mouth, and then another, and another, determined not to get yourself glued there no matter how much he tried to drag his tongue along the seam of your lips. “L-let me freshen up,” you managed to get out, voice shaky as you (with great difficultly) held him away at arm’s length.  

At your words, he slowly made sense of them, his eyes refocussing before he gave you a short nod and politely stepped back. “Ok.” 

Before you could be tempted by that mouth of his once more, you made a dash for his bathroom, closing the door behind you. Immediately you began to rush out of your clothes, not even bothering to fold them properly because you were in such a hurry. You’d had this planned all night, wanting him to be rendered speechless, and staring at your lingerie cladded self in the giant mirror he had hooked to the wall, you reminded yourself to take a breather. You were going to walk out there calmly, the epitome of composed as you sought out his reaction. With one last look at your reflection, you walked towards the door and opened it. 

Seokjin was sat on the edge of the bed, legs sinfully spread (but oh so casually, which just made it hotter), but he wasn’t looking your way, his eyes darting around the room a little as if he was desperately trying to find some patience. Knowing he was riled and aroused made your head even more dizzy, and stopping by the doorframe, you called out to him. 

He looked your way instantly, eyes bulging even quicker. Actually they practically popped out on storks as he took in the sight of you in the baby blue underwear. He seemed paralysed. 

“Hey,” you smiled, all of a sudden feeling a little shy as you waited for him to say something. 

It took another moment, but then he was swallowing hard, wetting his mouth as his lips parted. “Oh, shit.” 

You smiled victoriously, those simple two words satisfying you fully. 

He outstretched his hand, voice thick and raspy as he beckoned you forward. “Come here.”

You obeyed, closing the distance between you quickly and Seokjin wasted no time clasping his hands around your hips as you stood in front of him, between his legs. If felt so good to finally have his hands on your bare skin. His touch was warm, soothing, but most of all, electrifying. Goosebumps spread as he dragged his fingers up and down your sides, his eyes drowning at the sight of you. 

“Do you like it? It’s not too much?” You asked, looking down at him. You glowed under his gaze. 

He lifted his head up, arching an eyebrow. “Do I like it? Is that supposed to be a genuine question?” He sounded just as baffled as he looked and it made you giggle. His fingers started to play with the thin waistband of your panties before delicately outlining the lace flower petals on your ass. The sensation made you shiver, and a small smile grew on his face as he watched you. “You look gorgeous.” He leaned forward, beginning to place small, gentle kisses on your abdomen and your skin rippled, butterflies appearing. “You’re beautiful.” He murmured, hot puffs of air hitting you, heating you up even more. 

You curled your hand in his hair, needing something to latch on to as you watched him mouth even more kisses along your flesh. The point of his tongue dipped into your navel scandalously, and as you gasped he looked up with his eyes and smirked, tongue now swirling invisible patterns along your stomach. The sight sent you a little gooey, legs feeling weak again as your heart thrummed inside your chest. 

“However… I was looking forward to undressing you…” He teased.

You teased right back. “You still have the lingerie.” 

He couldn’t handle that, growling quietly against your stomach, his hands rounding your ass to mould the flesh in his palms firmly. He’d soon tear the panties if he kept that up. Obviously the idea of stripping you naked sent him feral – something you’d remember well for this week. You yelped when you felt him sink his teeth into your hip bone, pulling him closer to your body by his hair, desperate for more. It was when you looked behind him, did you notice the pillar candles aflame on the two nightstands that sat either side of his bed. They weren’t burning before you’d entered the bathroom. You were sure of it. 

“Seokjin, did you light candles?” You asked without realising, changing the atmosphere slightly, but you didn’t mind too much, not when the image of Seokjin rushing to burn candles for the ~ambience~ was too damn adorable. 

He lifted from your skin, looking up at you. “Um, yeah.” He sounded a little awkward before he chuckled softly. “I thought against the slow R&B music.” 

“Good choice,” you laughed, fingers rubbing small circles into the nape of his neck. That would’ve been hilarious. 

“I’m totally out of my depth here…” He admitted, nudging you backwards a little to stand in front of you. He kept his hands on your waist, ducking down to be eye level with you. “I haven’t done this in a while.” 

“Snap,” you grinned, rubbing your nose against his as you wrapped your arms around his neck to hold him close. You kissed him deeply, feeling happy and relaxed. There wasn’t a nerve in sight and despite his honest words you knew he was at ease too.  

Your hands slipped over his shoulders and down his toned chest, stopping just before the waistband of his pants to tug at his t-shirt, untucking him. “You have to get naked too.” You whined, detaching your mouths. “I’m feeling sorely underdressed.” 

He let out an airy chuckle, immediately reaching for the neck of his shirt to tug it over his head. Your hands greedily started to explore his torso, running your fingers along his faintly lined abs before trailing up his hard chest. He shivered as you brushed against his nipples, a tiny laugh slipping from his throat. 

“What?” You laughed. 

“’Tickles.” He mumbled, leaning in for another kiss. You wrapped your arms around him, loving the feeling of his bare chest against yours, but soon enough you got impatient again, hands reaching for the button of his pants. You popped it open and proceeded to unzip him, at least giving his poor erection some reprieve. It had been pressed up against your lower stomach for quite some time, still rigid but as patient as ever. 

He took over, stepping back to push them past his hips, his lips still attached to yours. “Mm–Bed.” He hummed, taking you by the hips to switch places. You pulled away and sat down, watching him kick his pants off his feet and your eyes zoned in on the curve of his erection, hidden by his Armani underwear – black with a red waistband. His thighs were perfectly toned, his skim glowing in the soft lighting. He looked good enough to eat and your heart skipped a couple of beats as he walked forward. 

You laid back against the mattress, instantly groaning at how soft it was. You practically sunk inside. “Oh, damn this is comfy.” Rolling onto your side as Seokjin climbed on the bed, you hid your smirk. “I could just go to sleep…” 

“I don’t think so,” he told you, hovering over you. His hand smacked you ass causing you to squeal, and you flipped onto your back as he took the moment to cage you under his large body. 

This time his mouth completely bypassed your lips to kiss your chest, pressing into the indents of your collarbones before slipping to the tops of your breasts. He kissed the fabric, wetting it as his tongue traced the delicate flower petals and you gripped onto his shoulders with a moan as he encased one nipple between his lips, sucking gently, soaking the lace a darker shade of blue. “You drive me crazy,” he quietly panted, his hands reaching behind your back, arched into the pleasure he was giving you. “May I?” He asked, fingers finding the clasp of your bra. You nodded hastily, moaning louder when he lifted his head to kiss your lips. His motions were firm, tight pleasure filled grunts leaving him as he freed you of your lingerie. 

Immediately he pulled away, dark eyes soaking in your bare chest like it was the most stunning thing he’d ever seen. Your back arched further when his warm palms cupped your breasts, spreading a heat down your spine that settled between your legs. “You’re beautiful,” he awed, looking into your eyes, causing a sweet moan to fall from your lips. 

He moulded the soft flesh gently, before brushing his thumbs over your hardened nipples. That had you moaning again, pleasure you hadn’t felt in a long time rocketing up your body. It felt amazing to be touched by him, and you were greedy for more. He was on the same page, his lips replacing his thumbs, his tongue flicking against the sensitive bud that had you sighing out his name, your fingers threaded in his hair. He hummed against you, squeezing your breasts and pressing his body into yours – once – his erection pressing into your thighs, before he pulled away, kissing down your sternum before licking into your navel, his hands rubbing up and down the outside of your thighs. 

His lips avoided your clothed heat, which was frustrating to say the least. You were so eager by now, unsure if you could take much more kissing before you exploded, but Seokjin was a man determined – determined on kissing every inch of your body it seemed. He made it down one thigh before moving onto the next and as he got towards your knee you couldn’t help but giggle – it was beginning to tickle, but he didn’t stop, lips pressing down your calf.  

“Seokjinn,” you whined. 

He chuckled as he made his way back up the other leg, bending you at the knee before gently getting you to spread out for him. “What?” He murmured. Although you were distracted now, realising how aroused you had become, your underwear clinging to you desperately. He was kissing the inside of your thigh now, fingers hooked under the waistband of your panties and he was so close to where you wanted him you were trembling. He nosed his way to the apex of your thigh, groaning as he smelt you and then he was hastily tugging the lace down your legs, the last of your covering. Now you were totally naked in front of him, and he looked like he wanted to eat you up. 

“What do you want me to do?” He asked, voice gruff. He sounded so sexy. His eyes were glued to your centre yet he didn’t touch. When you didn’t reply, they flickered to your face. “Y/N. Hm?” 

You mind was a blur, you couldn’t think what to say, mainly because you wanted him to do anything and everything to you. You startled when he nosed the inside of your thigh, his hands sliding down your hips to grip the flesh underneath. “Taste you? Is that what you want?” He whispered, sending your insides somersaulting. He looked up as you nodded, and grinned. “You have to say it out loud, honey.” 

The bastard. He was teasing you. Trying to get under your skin. Your forced yourself to speak. “Taste me.” He hummed in response, pressing his mouth to your hip bone. You raised your tone, more determined. “Seokjin. Taste me.” 

He dived in. Placing gentle kisses up your slit, his lips ever so slightly brushing your clitoris. You moaned quietly, letting your eyes close as you laid back against the softest pillows you had ever felt. Your fists clutched the sheets, hips raising up when you felt the first wash of his tongue. Your breath caught, warmth turning you gooey. “Taste so good,” he mumbled into you – so quietly you wondered if you’d imagined it. 

You enjoyed the sensation for a few moments, quietly moaning intermittently before you felt the urge to take a peek. Opening your eyes and looking down your body, you saw Seokjin watching you, his eyes hungry. You quickly looked away, the back of your hand coming up to cover your mouth as a groan left you, your legs falling wider apart. The scene had been erotic but in all honesty you were feeling a little shy. It had been a long time since you’d had sex, so the idea of someone watching you so intimately made you feel funny. 

Seokjin was there to reassure you though. “Don’t look away, Y/N,” he murmured, pulling back to get your attention. “I want to see your face.” You looked again, watching him kneel low as he ran a hand up your thigh. His lips shone with your arousal. He looked beautiful. 

You moaned lowly when you felt him rub a finger at your entrance, and he watched you intently as he pushed inside, feeling you squeeze around the intrusion. He slowly began to curve the digit, pressing against your inner walls. Committed to pleasuring you, he watched your every reaction and this time you didn’t look away. 

“Does it feel good?” He asked, in awe as you writhed around on the bed, chasing the feeling. 

You moaned as you replied yes, only to jerk upwards when his thumb began to rub tiny circles against your clit. “Seokjin!” 

He liked that. Hearing you cry his name. He wanted to hear it more, dropping low to replace his thumb with his lips. He sucked the sensitive bud of nerves between them, flicking the tip of his tongue against it rapidly, earning him another cry, and he moaned gruffly against you, the vibrations shooting up your body. His free hand moved to your lower stomach, palm hot against your skin as he applied gentle pressure, holding you down. 

Oh god, you were a mass of pleasure, mind addled, unable to think straight. Not when he was making you feel so good. He slipped a second finger inside of you, his eyes flicking up to yours and you made it your life’s mission not to look away, chest heaving up and down as you squeezed around his digits. Your orgasm was building, pressure below getting harder to control – harder to ignore. Seokjin guessed it, breaking eye contact to bury his face further into your heat. The image was almost crude, so were the noises, but the most beautiful kind of crude. A crude that had you desperate for more. You jerked into him, rolling into each snap of his wrist, the pads of his fingers grazing your g-spot. 

“Want to make you cum,” he rasped, before sucking your clit back into his mouth and sucking determinedly. You groaned, head flinging back into the pillow, eyes clenched closed, a hand coming out to grip the roots of your hair as you rolled your hips into his face, giving into the pleasure well and truly. This orgasm was going to blow your brains out – and it did. 

In the end you had you to clamp your legs around Seokjin’s head in a bid to get him to stop, pleasure still rolling through your body as you panted like crazy. He eased from your clit, tongue dragging down your folds instead, meeting his fingers that were almost locked inside of your pulsing walls. With a grunt, he removed himself, kissing your mound one last time before he stopped. With his hands on your thighs as he kneeled between them, he watched you adoringly. 

“Oh, my god,” you panted weakly. Unsure what else you could say to describe what you’d just experienced. Why had he not been doing that from the get-go? From as soon as he’d reversed into your car?! 

That was all he needed anyway, your simple vocalisation, because no sooner had the words exited your mouth, he dived on you, kissing your mouth, your cheeks, your eyes, your forehead – whatever he could reach. “You’re amazing,” he gushed, his lips and chin still glistening with your wetness. You could taste yourself on him. It was glorious. His hands roamed your body like it was all new to him. As if he hadn’t been it for the last forty minutes or so. “Fuck. I can’t stop touching you.”

Your stomach flipped around, the sound of him cursing sending you dizzy. You licked into his mouth, kissing him messily, your hands raking up and down his back, before they settled on his ass. You gave the meat a squeeze and he grunted, pushing his crotch into yours. He was painfully hard – and desperate. (You hadn’t missed the way he’d been rutting into the mattress while going down on you…)

“Seokjin,” you breathed, moving your head to the side to get your words out. His tongue carried on going, swirling across your cheek. You liked getting messy with him. You tugged at his underwear. “Get naked. Need you.” 

“You don’t need a minute?” He asked, tongue now in your ear. He gyrated his hips into yours, grunting as he did so. 

You shook your head. “Like hell I do.” 

He laughed at that – breathlessly, but it was something. He moved, rushing out of the last bit of clothing he had on, and your eyes drunk up the sight. The missing piece. His dick was long and thick – smooth and warm once you got your hands on him. Hovering over you, you ran your fist up and down him steadily, just enjoying getting to touch him. He dropped to your side, pecking your lips before he pulled back.  “I need to be inside you.” 

You continued to touch him, running your fingers along the rigid flesh as he stretched behind him to pull a box from the nightstand drawer. 

It caught your attention right away. You raised both eyebrows as you let go of his length. “A hundred condoms?” 

He chuckled, sounding a little sheepish. “Too enthusiastic?”

“Do you want to kill me?” Death by (Dilf) dick wasn’t how you’d expected to go, if you were being honest. 

“Not particularly,” he shrugged, pulling one of the packet. (Discarding the box to the floor.) He turned back to you with an impish grin. “That’s why I bought the bumper pack of condoms.”

You rolled your eyes, pushing at his chest, but he grabbed your hand and kissed you, distracting you successfully. “No, if I’m being truthful,” he continued, letting you steal another kiss. “They were better value for money. I’m partial to a bargain.” 

“You’re unbelievable,” you scoffed. 

“You should’ve seen me purchasing them, I have never been more embarrassed in my life.” 

“Seokjin, you’re a near 40 year old man,” you judged openly, however on second thoughts – “But yeah, I’d be embarrassed buying a 100 condoms too.” 

Seokjin shuddered, looking mortified. “Just the thought of the cashier knowing I was going to get lucky…” 

You arched an eyebrow. “Get lucky?”

He looked comically caught out, eyes wide for a second before he shook his head. “Less talking now…” And then he was kissing you again…

Between rushed mouths and eager hands, he managed to tear the condom packet, pulling out the latex to slip it over his erection. Kneeling over you, you could see perfectly when he attempted to roll it the wrong way up.  “Oh, shit. Ignore that,” he muttered, fixing it immediately. 

You stifled a laugh. “Ignored.” 

He gave himself a tug, making sure everything was secure and your mouth practically watered. “Just warning you now, this may be a three pumps and Bam! kinda thing,” he informed you as he laid over you, pressing a kiss to your lips. “I am so turned on.”

You giggled, wrapping your arms around his middle. “I don’t mind. Just want you.” 

“I want you more.” He rubbed his nose against yours. 

Hitting his ass, you shot him a look. “It’s not a competition.” 

“Isn’t it?” He asked, pretending to be confused. 

“Quit stalling,” you whined. “Let’s have sex.” 

“Let’s,” he agreed with a warm smile. You turned gooey instantly. 

Pressing his knees to the mattress, he hovered over you, wrapping his hand around his dick to direct it between your legs. He rubbed the length up and down your slit, flesh heavy and hot, coating himself in your arousal. The sensation was good for you, but for him it seemed to blow his mind, eyes practically rolling back into his skull as he grunted. He stopped at your entrance, looking up at you as he slowly pushed the head inside. 

You shifted under him, trying to stay patient. You wanted nothing more than to be stuffed full of him, but realistically you needed to take things slow. You held onto his shoulders, silently telling him to continue. He let out a strained groan as he slipped in deeper, your walls snug and hot around him, begging him for more. Inch by glorious inch, you kept on taking him, until you were filled up just right. 

“Shit,” you uttered, looking up at the ceiling as you adjusted to the sensation. 

“Was that a curse?” He asked, voice tight but greatly amused as he nosed your throat. 

“Hardly.” Your voice was barely there, desperate for him to move. 

“I’d still class it as swearing.” He was holding his breath, yet still felt the need to be a smarty-pants. You moved your hips practically a centimetre and he grunted. He didn’t want you to win though. “I want more. Maybe not tonight, but I will turn your mouth filthy by the end of the week…”

A moan tore from your throat uncontrollably, and you couldn’t look at his face because you knew you’d be met with a gloating smirk. You steeled yourself, nose in the air. “Game on.” 

Seokjin laughed obnoxiously, but couldn’t wait any longer, slowly dragging out of you and then pushing back in. His breath hitched – so did yours, and he carried on, propping himself up with one hand as he gained a steady rhythm. 

“You feel so fucking good,” he moaned, watching your face. 

“You too.” You clung to him, feeling your face heat up and ended up dropping your gaze. 

“Honey, don’t be shy,” he whined, reaching to cup your face, in the process pressing more of his body weight into you. You clutched him tighter, wanting him as close as ever. “I like watching you. Knowing I’m making you feel good.” His mouth on yours now, you sunk into the kiss, moaning softly as his thrusts got quicker. You met each one, rolling into him. 

It wasn’t long before he was on your throat, kissing and nipping the skin, his hands exploring the rest of your body. Your ran your fingers through his hair, sighing sweety when his mouth wrapped around one of your nipples, slipping the hard flesh into his mouth to suck. 

Face pressed against your chest, his movements became a little erratic, breathing heavy until he was panting. You moaned along, loving how he was making you feel. “You are honestly the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” He awed, voice raspy. 

You let out a weak chuckle, running your fingers through the ends of his hair. “Of course you would say that with a face full of my boobs.” 

He laughed too, kissing his way back up your chest, his hands pressing into the pillow as he leaned in for your mouth. You stared at one another for a little while, your moans mingling together, and it was the most intimate moment you’d ever shared with anyone. 

“Good?” He asked. You were unsure if he was asking how you were or if you were enjoying yourself, but regardless, the answer was the same. 

“Really good,” you smiled, running your hand down his chest. 

His thrust were getting messier, less controlled, less strategic, so it was no surprise when he had a confession to tell you, kissing you once again. “I’m-I’m… close.” 

He’d exceeded the predicted three pumps at least… “Hey, you can go a little harder,” you whispered against his mouth. 

He grunted, slacking at your words but quickly got a hold of himself. Each snap of his hips got firmer and harsher, fucking – because there was no other way to describe it – you into the expensive bed. Your cries of pleasure came out stunted and unsteady, his own grunts louder now, gruffer as he chased his end. 

“Seokjin –!” Your hands fell to his ass, holding him tight as he pounded into you. “Don’t stop,” you encouraged, which seemed to tip him over the edge – quickly. 

“Fuck. Coming…”” His face fell into the crook of your neck, panting as he tried to keep moving, and then he froze, his body hot, partly sweaty, a long drawn-out groan sounding against your ear as he came. 

You wrapped your arms around him, keeping him to you because in all honesty, you didn’t want to let him go. You could feel his heart beating against your chest rapidly, even after he’d partially caught his breath, and you knew yours was beating just as fast. You kissed his shoulder when he kissed yours, and slowly he lifted his head, turning to give you a drunken smile. He sighed contently. “That honestly beats any orgasm I’ve ever given myself lately.” 

“I should hope so!” You burst out laughing, not quite expecting those to be his first words and he immediately joined you before hugging you tight. 

.

.

You awoke naturally, light from outside peeking through the loosely closed drapes. Seokjin had his arm around you, his body curved into yours, and you could tell by his breathing he was still very much sound asleep. Proving your point, he grunted softly, rolling onto his back, his grip on you loosening. Carefully, you turned around to face him, taking in the sight of his sleeping form. His lips seemed to be pouted, eyebrows furrowed slightly – of course he had an adorable sleeping face. Of fricking course. 

The bed sheets were pushed down, draped across his pelvis, one hip sticking out, while his broad chest and toned stomach laid bare. You found yourself smiling, insanely happy, wondering if you’d been a saint in a past lifetime – you had to have been. How else had you hit the jackpot? A kind-hearted, beautiful man with a banging body? You’d struck big. 

Wanting to leave him sleep longer, you got up quietly, needing to pee, not worrying that you were butt naked, and as you left the bathroom, you moved to the closet (room) to fish for your phone in your purse. You’d left it there all evening yesterday, not wanting to be interrupted, and low and behold you had a bunch of notifications waiting for you on the screen. You got back into bed, getting comfy before you scrolled through them. Most were unimportant, news updates and social media notifications. You had a text from your mom reminding you to call your grandmother soon, one reminder regarding your phone bill going out tomorrow and then, from half an hour ago, a text message from your best friend. Why the hell was she up so early on a Sunday?! 

Soojung (8:32am) Spill the details girl! How was Mr. Dilf 🥵👨🏻🍆💦 

You snorted, pretty loudly, couldn’t help it, and when you realised you shoved a hand over your mouth, hoping you hadn’t woken your boyfriend (yes, it felt so good to finally use that word) up. You glanced over, but his eyes were still shut, a peaceful look on his face, so with a relieved inner sigh, you went back to your phone, wondering how you should reply. You had quite a lot to say, messaging her “the details” wouldn’t work. Maybe you could give her a summary? Until tomorrow when you could call her while Seokjin was at work. Maybe you could meet her for lunch. And who knew, you’d probably have more to tell her come then –

“Good morning, beautiful.” 

You jumped when you heard Seokjin’s voice, his arm wrapping around you once more as he snuggled closer, encasing you in his body warmth. 

“Seokjin,” you greeted, instantly shoving your phone onto the nightstand, face down. “Good morning.” 

“Mmm.” He rubbed his face into the crook of your neck, burrowing his arm under the covers to touch your skin, hand cupping your waist. He was still sleepy, voice groggy. You settled into his hold, closing your eyes. With a kiss to the top of your shoulder, he spoke again.  “What were you snorting at?”

Your eyes immediately flew open. He’d heard that? “Nothing,” you tried to reply casually. 

He laughed, the throaty sound shooting up your body, leaving warmth in its wake. “Come on, something made you laugh.” He lifted his head, looking at you pointedly, plump lips pressed together, mouth curving up slightly. “You have to share, it’ll be rude not to.” 

It took you a second to give in. “Fine.” It was probably time to let him know anyway. Soojung might try to kill you, but she couldn’t get you if you were gated in at Seokjin’s home…  You reached for your phone and flashed the screen on, holding it out to him. “Soojung’s an idiot,” you sighed. 

He delicately held the back of your hand, steadying the device so he could read the messages. A second later he was deeply amused, lips quirking before he let out a little laugh. “Has that been my nickname the entire time?” 

“Maybe…” Amongst other things… They could wait till later though. 

He hummed, trying to keep his expression casual, but you could tell by his eyes how amused (and smug) he was. “The emojis add a nice touch.” 

You rolled your eyes, about to tell him to shut up, but immediately his lips were pressed against yours. He kissed you sweetly – which was all just an act. When he pulled away, he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, tone arrogant. “So… how was Mr. Dilf?”

“Seokjin!” You exclaimed. This couldn’t be happening. He was just as bad as Soo and Taehyung. 

Laughing loudly, he kissed you again, caging you under him smoothly. Your hands reached for his biceps, feeling them flex underneath you. “Was it good enough for a round two? Don’t expect me to keep my hands off you,” he told you, his fingers tickling your stomach as his face fell to your neck, kissing and biting the skin. 

You began to laugh, squirming under him, but no matter how much you tried to free yourself it was impossible. “Stop,” you whined. “Seokjin, you’re tickling me!” He eased off with the tickling but his mouth only seemed to ramp up, his tongue licking up your throat. “You’re so sexy,” he groaned, meeting your gaze, and instantly laughed. “I love embarrassing you.” 

You grumbled, realising you’d started to blush. “I’m not embarrassed,” you insisted. “I’m turned on.” Two could play at that game. Seokjin’s eyes widened comically, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. 

“Yeah?” He murmured, getting a hold of himself, mouth ghosting over yours. You nodded, dragging your hands down his back to settle on his ass. You could feel his dick rousing between your thighs. It was so easy to get him. He was like putty in your hands. 

“You’re okay though, mm?” He asked, tone softening as he stared into your eyes. “Did you enjoy last night?”

“I thought that was obvious,” you informed him, but his tenderness didn’t go ignored. God, you were really lucky. “I feel so happy,” you grinned, moving to clasp your arms around his neck. He grinned too, teeth on show, and then you couldn’t hold off any longer, kissing him eagerly.  

“Fuck,” he breathed, after you’d just licked a strip up his jaw line. His hands clung to hips. “I want you in so many ways.” 

You gave him a dangerous smirk. “We have all week, I’m sure you’ll be successful.” 

Groaning, he seemed beside himself, skin hot and sweaty, his hair dishevelled, falling into his eyes, cheeks patched red. Finally, he settled on a decision. “Would you like to shower with me?”

“Okay,” you replied instantly, your excitement already tenfold, and suddenly you were in his arms, rising off the bed to be carried (naked) bridle style to the bathroom. “Seokjin!” You squealed, clinging onto him tightly, but all he did was laugh. You could get used to this. 

His walk-in shower was grand, practically a separate wet room – two glass doors leading inside and a marbled tiled bench to the left with two panelled windows behind it. There were two showerheads – one large one attached to the ceiling and the other jutting out from the wall. Seokjin chose the centre one, knocking it on and enclosing you both in hot water. Warmth radiated from beneath your feet too – heated flooring, of course. 

You spent the next ten minutes wrapped together kissing, hands exploring one another’s soapy bodies. It wasn’t long before there was a very obvious erection bobbing against your stomach. “Someone says hello again,” Seokjin hummed against your mouth, nipping your bottom lip before he broke away and chuckled. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’ve been the cause of many an awkward boner.” 

You laughed, hooking one arm around his neck. “I noticed.” Your other hand wrapped around his dick, the wetness of his skin making it easy to glide your fist along the veiny shaft. You gazed up at him, admiring the way he’d pushed his wet hair above his forehead. He looked incredibly handsome – so handsome, you were finding it hard to control yourself. “Was this one of your ways?” You murmured. 

“Maybe,” he said with a smile, huffing out a little when your thumb grazed the sensitive slit across the head of his member. 

“I have a better idea…” You whispered, pushing a little at his chest. “Sit.” 

He obeyed, sitting on the bench while watching you wordlessly (but curiously), his eyes flashing when you moved to kneel in front of him. “Fuck,” he muttered, dick twitching in anticipation. You took him in your fist again, feeling oddly confident as you flicked out your tongue. It had been a long time since you’d sucked dick but you were more than ready. 

You washed your tongue across the head, hearing him grunt above you, and encouraged, you took him in your mouth, sucking firmly around the tip. His hands instantly reached for your head, fingers carding through your hair. He groaned lowly, thighs tense, but when you started to jerk your fist along his shaft, he relaxed into the pleasure, murmuring your name. 

“Okay, this idea seems better than mine,” he admitted, voice tight. 

You hummed in agreement, vibrations travelling up his length which made him groan, fingers in your hair tightening. Taking him deeper, you washed and swirled your tongue as best you could around the thick flesh. Seokjin’s length was impressive, but you had all week to grow accustomed to it, for now, you had your hand, continuing to stimulate him with both that and your mouth. The water from the shower hit your back and calves, the heat beneath you making sure you didn’t grow cold. 

“Should we go back to the bedroom?” Seokjin asked, sounding concerned, despite how good you were making him feel. A hand ran down your back soothingly. “Your knees will start aching.” 

Pulling off him, a string of saliva that attached you breaking apart, you shook your head and ran your palm all the way up his length, twisting against the tip. He bucked into your hold. “It’ll be worth it.” 

Seokjin let out a low growl, eyes dark. “Don’t say things like that.” 

You smirked, spreading your saliva up and down him slowly before speeding up, concentrating on the head. Seokjin’s mouth was open, his breathing shallow, chest littered with red blotches, making it painfully obvious how aroused he was. You wanted to run your hands all over the muscular torso, mouth too – but that could wait. First of all, you wanted to make him cum. 

“You have a pretty big dick. Has anyone ever told you that?” You purred, eyes flicking down to his crotch. 

Seokjin grinned confidently, the hand in his hair reaching to cup your cheek. “You seemed to handle it very well last night.” 

Oh. Heat exploded through your body, settling between your legs, and you took him back in your mouth, a hiss leaving his throat. He tapped your chin, gaining your attention. “Y/N, look at me,” he commanded softly. 

And you did. You watched every bit of pleasure that flitted across his face as you continued to suck his dick, never breaking eye contact, even when he did; eyelids closed, face scrunched up as he came down your throat a few minutes later…

Written 2020 - 2021. Please refrain from posting my work elsewhere. No translations allowed. © floralseokjin 2021

[the-insomniac-emporium]

Bound Blood (Cassandra Dimitrescu/Reader, Soulmate AU) Pt. 5

Fandom: Resident Evil: Village Rating: T+ for language Warnings: None Summary: Local soulmates finally reach the "friends" in "enemies to friends to lovers". A little softness goes a long way. Nice, mostly gentle chapter to make up for the previous one's angsty ending. Previous Chapters: 1: Sharing Is (Not) Caring; 2: Bloodbath, Baby!, 3: Haunt Me Dearly, 4: Portraits For Ghosts

5: Heart Of The Matter

“This is embarrassing,” you mumble, refusing to look Cassandra in the eyes. Softly, she runs her fingers over your chest, spreading the medicinal salve. There’s an unspoken judgement in her expression. Minor movements are no less painful than major ones, so you try to sit still, as much as you’d rather be with anyone else. “Can you hurry up, at least? I don’t care if it takes longer to heal in the long run, I just want to get out of here,” you snap. For a split second you think Cassandra’s going to hit you in response, with the way she looks at you, and you involuntarily flinch. But the hit never comes, merely a sharp sigh.

“If you didn’t want to get treated, you shouldn’t have started a fight- especially not such a pointless one,” she says, continuing to rub in the medicine and evidence alike. At this, you shrink into yourself, hating the harsh sting of truth. Yeah, you think, she’s got me there. Victory is a fast fading feeling, dearly missed in the wake of the growing shame in your chest. Why had you given in to your impulses? Why had you broken the only peace you had known in weeks? It’s a thought that snags on the corners of your mind, weighing down your cognition, leaving you unpleasantly distracted from the present. “Almost done. Then you can go sulk in private, somewhere you can’t bother me, alright?”

Nodding, you accept your fate with what little grace remains. What more could you even do? Ask her to stay by your side? Hardly. But as soon as the last bandage fits into place, and her gentle yet calloused hands smooth the last edge, a whisper of an ache springs into your heart. It’s not a yearning for Cassandra specifically, merely a reminder of your unwilling loneliness. When the door closes behind her, you stare down at your hands, wishing to hold some meaning within them. Maybe I can find Daphne around here somewhere, you think. Then you slowly rise to your feet. Better to sit with a kind stranger than a harsh familiar face.

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

That night, you find yourself cautiously approaching Cassandra’s room, feeling like a death row inmate on their way to the executioner. Every step is begrudging, and you almost can’t bring yourself to open the door. But you manage, in the end, stepping in with your eyes downcast. No voice, grumpy or otherwise, greets you. One glance tells you that your soulmate is already asleep, and you mentally thank all the gods you can name. It doesn’t take long to get ready for bed. It does take a minute to slide under the covers, careful not to wake Cassandra. This time you don’t move closer to her, or wrap your arm around her waist, too… exhausted to try anything along those lines.

When you dream, it is of an ever familiar room, shrouded in darkness, stained with the blood of hundreds. Someone’s laughing- a woman, maybe several. Down here, someone is always laughing. You try to laugh with them. It’s a lie, a small deception, that lets you pull your thoughts away from your misery. But they don’t appreciate it when you join their cacophony chorus. Their cackling shifts into screaming, bitter lungs sending waves of ear-splitting sound. Over and over, it gets louder, unbearably so, and closer, closer all the time. Just a few cells away. Just a few more fucking seconds and they’ll be right on top of you. This is a dream you’ve faced down before, yet the ending is unknown. They always get louder, always barrel down the path, towards you, howling endlessly.

They never reach you. No, they’re always coming, always so fucking close. Never in your sight. Never digging claws into your chest. But the anxiety does not fade- you are tipping back in a chair, never falling, never able to find your balance.

When you wake up, it’s with a flinch, teary eyes snapping open. A hand rests on your cheek, brushes away the stains. Whispered words drift through the air, too hushed to be understood, daring to lull you into a relaxed state. It’s Cassandra, of course. Even in your tired state, you know this, know that she’s trying. What you don’t know is whether or not she’s awake enough to process what she’s doing. After all, you hardly are, and her touch is the gentlest thing you’ve ever felt. But you do not get to enjoy it for terribly long. Soon enough your vision fades, the embrace of slumber overtaking you once more.

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

For a few days, there is relative peace. Meals are delivered to Cassandra’s room, where you mostly dine on your own, though she occasionally joins you, even if you do not speak. Every evening she ensures your wounds are treated, often handling it herself. When she does, you do your best not to meet her gaze, for you cannot stand the traces of affection you see there. Try as you might, you find yourself unable to taunt her the way you had done the first day. The way she’s changed her behavior, adapting to your trauma’s revelation, haunts you to no end.

“Drink this,” she says one day, before bed, holding out a steaming mug. Of course you don’t take it, of course you stare at her with an eyebrow raised. Acceptance was never an option. “It’s just tea. Bela says it might help. With nightmares. Not-” she paused to frown, unsure if she even wanted to finish the sentence- “that it helped me. But you’ve been… tolerable, lately, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try.” Then she’s reaching out again, expectantly. Blushing ever so slightly, you finally take the mug, giving her a quick nod before taking a sip. There’s a hint of sugar, just enough to make things interesting.

“Thanks,” you murmur, after swallowing the lump in your throat. Already Cassandra is turning away, focusing on getting ready for bed. You want to say more, to actually hold a conversation with her for the first time in days, but your mouth feels oddly dry. So you just sip your tea in silence. Of course, you think, I’m only ever improvising a monologue, or tripping over my own tongue, as if it were a resting place for my chattering teeth. At least the beverage wasn’t as bitter as your thoughts. By the time you’ve finished your drink, Cassandra is in bed, watching you with an unreadable expression. “Need something? Or just waiting for the poison in my drink to kick in?” You ask, surprising yourself.

“Finally remembered how your mouth works, hmm?” Cassandra teases. Again you’re blushing, having expected her to be more annoyed than amused.

“I never forgot. I simply, you know, uh… figured that you needed a break, after my last demonstration,” you counter, remembering the way your vocal chords had complained, and the way her arm had felt around your throat. It’s not the direction you meant to take the conversation in, but she doesn’t seem to mind. If anything… she’s blushing. For a moment you’re confused, then you finally recall the ‘incident’ in the tub. Oh fuck, you think, that’s worse. Maybe. Probably? What should I say? In the end, the words leave your mouth in a rush, as they were prone to do. “Based on how red your cheeks are, I’m going to assume you don’t need another reminder. Let’s just get some rest now, yeah?” Next thing you know, there’s a pillow flying towards your face.

Still, it’s better than nothing, and the impact serves only to make you smile wider. When you climb into bed, you find yourself face-to-face with Cassandra. She’s never laid like this with you before. It’s unexpected, even more so when she shifts forward, less than an inch away from your face. Understandably, you end up blushing more than you’d like to admit.

“What was that about red cheeks?” She asks, voice low and breathy, knowing exactly what she was doing to you. Before you can think of the ‘smart’ thing to do, impulse kicks in, making you go in for a quick kiss. It’s supposed to be a joke, a counter to her teasing. But she leans into it. She kisses back. Both of you are blushing hard when she pulls away, a few moments later. You’re trying to stutter out a response, clever or otherwise, and she’s rolling her eyes, rolling onto her other side, putting her back to you. Words fail you. In the end, you are forced to try to sleep, regardless of what just happened. When you dream, there are no nightmares this time. Just a warmth you had thought forgotten.

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

More days pass, with your tongue slowly loosening up, fueled by playful banter with Cassandra. Neither of you dares to mention the kiss. Nor do you ever speak for too long, as if knowing that your mind still resisted peace. Most evenings are still filled with nightmares, all mimicking your trauma, and you are left to wonder if the tea had even worked that first night, or if something else had helped. In the hopes of more success you drink a mug every day before bed. Admittedly, Cassandra does bring it to you, meaning that forgoing it would require turning her down. That was… harder to do, these days.

When she asks you to join her for lunch, you don’t hesitate to agree. But as you’re waiting in her room, casually reclining on her bed with a book in your hands, a distant scream echoes through the castle. Instantly you’re panicking, wondering who was in trouble. It reminds you so much of the dungeon that you can’t move. Was one of the servants being punished? Had someone merely forgotten to close the door to the basement, and you were hearing the same cries that caused your nightmares? Even though the screaming does not last for long, it renders you helpless, shaking in every bone. It’s not until the door opens that you can think again.

“Change of plans,” Cassandra announces, stepping into the room. There’s a worried expression on her face, and her voice tells you she’s distracted. When she sees the state you’re in, however, she’s quick to sit next to you. “Hey, you’ve got nothing to worry about. It’s Daniela that does. She- her soulmate-... it’s bad. That’s all we know. One second she was fine, the next she’s howling in pain, and there’s a huge scar on her back. We’re going to have a ‘family lunch’, per mother’s insistence, in case it helps Dani think about literally anything other than what just happened.” With that, one of her hands moves to your own, giving a reassuring squeeze. To her surprise, you’re quick to return the gesture.

“I can come with,” you blurt out. Then she’s raising an eyebrow at you, wondering why the hell you’d ever offer to spend time with her family. The family that had imprisoned you. And, of course, intended to drain you of blood, or dine on your flesh. Even you weren’t a hundred percent sure. “This has got to be hard for her. I… I knew someone who went through something similar. Strange as it is, I want to show my support. If you’ll allow me, that is.” There’s neither a pleading tone nor a hint of anger in your voice. But Cassandra still hesitates, eying you, clearly questioning your motive.

“Alright, fine,” she says, after a deep sigh. “If you do anything to make her feel worse, I can’t- and won’t- stop my family from killing you, blood bond be damned. They’ll make it painless, for my sake, but that’s the only kindness you’ll get. Got it?” You nod, giving her hand another squeeze. “Good. Now let’s get going, I don’t want to make Dani wait.”

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

It’s quiet. Awkward, even. Daniela is clearly still shaken up from her experience, with red eyes, makeup staining her cheeks. No one seems to have the slightest clue of what to say to her. Even you are silent, unable to find a good opportunity to lend your advice or sympathies. Which makes it all the more painful when you find Daniela watching you, eyes narrowed, a tremble to her lower lip. Both Cassandra and Bela seem to notice, pausing their eating to wait with bated breath. Part of you swears you can hear their thoughts of please don’t say anything, please don’t say anything, for the love of everything good in this world. So, naturally, Daniela does in fact say something. But it’s not directed at you- rather your soulmate.

“Did you really have to bring them? Huh? Felt like pouring salt in my wounds?” Her throat is obviously sore from crying, or screaming, likely both. This certainly wasn’t how you wanted your first meeting with her (or her mother) to go. So you summon the best of your courage, replying before Cassandra even opens her mouth.

“I asked to come. I wanted to show my support,” you reply. There’s a pause, with Daniela glaring at you, before she speaks slowly and with unveiled rage.

“Don’t make me laugh. You really thought I’d want to see my sister’s soulmate right now? Alive and well? God, you’re perfect for her, absolutely clueless,” she growls, smacking her fist against the table. Things have gone from bad to worse, but you don’t give up, deciding to take a risk as best as you could. After all, Cassandra had made it clear that your life was on the line.

“Tell me, was the pain bad enough that you passed out?” You ask, ignoring the way your soulmate kicks your feet. She’s desperate for you to shut up, especially now that Daniela’s too angry to even respond. “Are you still in pain now? Answer the question and I’ll either explain, or let you use my bones as toothpicks.”

“Fuck you!” Daniela cries, rising to her feet. Instantly her sisters are standing as well, though it’s unclear what ‘side’ either of them are on. For now, their mother remains sitting, staring at you intensely. When you refuse to back down, the tension in the room flickers, fading a tad. “The pain lasted ten minutes. It’s stopped. They’re…”

“They’re not dead, then. Reason to celebrate, yes?” You suggest, raising your glass before taking a long drink from it. Everyone is eying you with visible confusion. “When I was younger, I was with my best friend during the worst hours of her life. She had met her soulmate at age twelve, three years prior. We had just been… hanging out. Talking. The next thing I knew she was screaming like her blood had turned to acid, sobbing her eyes out. Then she blacked out. By the time she came to, we were at the hospital, and we ran into her soulmate’s family. She asked them what was wrong, why she was in so much pain. I, uh, I think you can guess the answer. Not the specifics, yeah, but the general gist of it. It took twenty four hours for the physical pain to stop. According to the doctors, that’s pretty average. So your soulmate isn’t dead. Chances are you haven’t even met them yet, and someday you’ll see that scar on their back, and you’ll know. I know that this doesn’t make everything okay, but I hope it helps. At least a little.” When Daniela finally brings herself to reply, having sunk back into her seat, it’s with a soft voice, hardly more than a whisper.

“It does. Thank you.”

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

Later, you’re walking back to Cassandra’s room when she suddenly pushes you against a wall, staring at you with fear in her eyes.

“What you said earlier. About your friend. Was that true?” You’re nodding, quickly, desperate to get her to release you. But she doesn’t. Instead she’s looking at you with concern, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes. “Goddamnit, you better not ever fucking die on me then, alright? Promise me. Right now!” A thousand thoughts go through your mind, a thousand jabs or otherwise cruel remarks, but when you speak, it’s with a hushed reverence you cannot describe.

“Same to you. I know you’re practically immortal, but I don’t fucking care. Don’t die on me. Don’t- just don’t. I promise, but you better fucking mean it too, alright?” You say, openly crying, ignoring the way Cassandra’s expression softens at your words. As soon as you’re done speaking she lets you go with a nod, turning back to the hallway, already walking towards her room. You’re not entirely sure what just happened… but you know you’re glad it did.

[donutloverxo]

Steeb having a HUGE temper and u being the only one who can calm him down !!!!!!

Angry Steeb

*gif is not mine* This is a bit short hope that's okay🤭🤭 this blog is 18+ do not read or interact/follow if you are a minor please 🙏🙏 Warnings - daddy kink, maybe a bit of ddlg, Steve's not that angry I just can't imagine Steve being angry to his doll lol I hope you still like it. Dividers by @firefly-graphics

You yelped, the pillow you were clutching against your chest almost fell out of your hold, "Shouldn't be watching conjuring so late at night..." you mumbled to yourself.

What else were you supposed to do when your daddy left you all by yourself the whole day?

You looked back from the sofa, to see Steve angrily heat up his food in the kitchen.

It was as if he felt your eyes on him, he turned to look back at you, quirking a brow as if he asked you to speak.

"A thank you would've been nice," you huffed more to yourself but his super soldier hearing picked it up.

"Thank you?"

"For making dinner!" You yelled as the microwave beeping alerted Steve to take out the Tupperware.

He ignored it as he ran his hands through his golden hair, messing it up just a little, he sighed about to go to you but then his stomach growled. Reminding him just how hungry he was. How having to eat every two hours because of his fast metabolism often made food a chore rather than something he can enjoy for the sake of it.

He plopped down beside you with a tub of pasta, shoving a bit in his face, his heart clenching a bit when you moved away from him, focusing on your scary movie and ignoring him.

"I'm sorry, doll. I just had a hard day..."

You were going to give him the silence treatment--which you knew he absolutely hated. He would much rather have you yell at him or even throw your stuffies at him then have you not talking to him. But he had been super mean to you!

Every evening when Steve got back from work you'd run to him and he'd catch you to give you a hug and the a deep kiss. It was your ritual. But this evening when you ran to him, and clung to his body because he was at work all day, despite it being a Saturday, you had missed him terribly.

And he...

...he couldn't wait to get away from you. He set you down without properly returning your hug and then going to the bathroom to shower without saying a single word to you.

His showers usually only lasted ten minutes, unless he was showering with you of course, but today he spent almost an hour in there.

But the exhaustion in his voice, and your endless love for him made you pity him so you looked at him, "I understand, but it doesn't mean you can take it out on me..."

"I know, it's just, shit..." He cursed, running a hand through his hair again.

Now you knew something was wrong. Steve never cursed.

"Stevie," you finally gave in, "Come here," you signalled to your lap.

He looked a bit hesitant at first but then he gave in, putting the tub of your delicious cooking on aside before laying his head on your lap. He hummed as your nails scraped his scalp, your fingers combing through his hair as your touch soothed him.

"What's got my daddy so blue?" You wanted to know.

"Sometimes I forget... that I'm a man out of time. That's all I'll ever be. There are so many things I still don't understand, even after all these years. Working with Tony... he certainly doesn't help."

You hummed as you listened to him vent his heart out to you. You will have to have a chat with Tony soon and warn him to be kinder to your daddy. You'll prepare a nice long lecture to give him at work tomorrow. But today, your daddy needed your sympathy.

"I'm sorry, doll. You know you mean the world to me. I don't know what I'd do without you," he nuzzled your bare thighs, the prickly little hair on his face stubbing just a little.

"I do know. I'm also sorry, daddy. I should give you a few moments before I go all crazy on you. I just get excited to see you is all," you looked into the grey specks in the blue of his eyes.

"I love it when you're excited to see me, doll. Makes me feel needed."

You spend the rest of the evening cuddling, convincing daddy to be the little spoon just this one time. He liked showing off his strength and just how big he was to you so it was a bit hard but you finally managed to do it and he fell asleep in your arms.

[peachy-rambles]

I'm Here

2,065 words of minor Phil angst and some good ol' hurt/comfort+fluff at the end

Techno couldn't sleep.

It wasn't exactly an uncommon problem for him. There had been plenty of times where he would end up staying awake for days, until he'd eventually pass out from exhaustion (entering hibernation mode). However, for the past few months, Techno had slept peacefully almost every night.

Because for the past few months, he had shared his bed with Phil.

It had simply been out of convenience at first, since there had only been one bed in Techno's cabin and there wasn't exactly any room for a second one. They had never spoken about it and it had never been a big issue, so they had just continued to share.

It had been...nice, sharing a bed with someone. With Phil.

To have Phil lay next to him, only a few inches away and easily within arms reach. To hear Phil's gentle breathing as he slept, and to know that he was there, that he was safe, that he was with Techno.

Usually in the morning, they'd end up waking up in each other's arms, having gravitated towards each other throughout the night. Phil, being the early bird he was, would always wake up first, but for some reason he'd stay in bed and wait until Techno eventually awoke.

"Good morning, Techno," Phil would say, smiling at him.

And every morning, Techno had to resist the urge to lean forward and kiss him because while Phil always looked beautiful, he truly looked like an angel in the morning. With his hair mussed from sleep and wearing a fond sleepy expression as he gazed at Techno, the morning light would filter through the curtains on the window and cast a soft golden glow around Phil.

Techno let out a large sigh at the memory and glanced over next to him where Phil's side of the bed lay empty.

Phil had finally completed building his own house next to Techno's and had finished moving into it earlier today. Which meant, they didn't need to share a bed anymore, not when Phil had his own house now where he could put a bed.

Techno understood, he really did. It made sense for Phil to want his own space and make his own house. His own bed.

Still, it didn't mean Techno didn't already miss him. He'd gotten used to sharing a bed and knew it'd probably be a while until he readjusted back to sleeping alone.

About an hour passed with Techno attempting to fall asleep, until he eventually gave up and tossed the blankets off, climbing out of bed.

He grabbed his cloak and threw it over his shoulders before heading downstairs. He figured he might as well go for a walk or maybe check on the animals because he certainly wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon.

He stepped outside into the cold night air and his eyes widened when he saw Phil standing on the bridge connecting their houses, leaning over the railings of it and staring out into the distance.

"Phil?"

Phil startled, turning when he heard his name and Techno couldn't help the low whine he let out when he saw tears flowing down Phil's face, his eyes red and puffy no doubt from crying.

Phil quickly reached up and wiped the tears from his face with sleeves of his robe, but it was already too late. Techno had seen it.

"Techno! I-I didn't hear you come out. W-what...what are you doing out so late?" Phil let out a nervous chuckle, as he finished wiping his face.

"I could ask you the same thing," Techno approached him with cautious steps until he was standing next to Phil. He reached down and placed a hand under Phil's chin, tilting his face up. "You've been crying."

Phil pulled away from Techno and took a step back, avoiding Techno's gaze. "I-it's nothing-"

Techno let out a growl, immediately silencing him. "It's not nothing, Phil! You wouldn't be out here in the middle of the night crying if it was nothing!"

He hadn't meant to snap at Phil, but he was worried, damnit. Phil always put up a brave face, joking and acting like nothing ever bothered him, insisting that he was perfectly fine. And Techno knew that if he didn't confront Phil about this now, if he let it go, then Phil would no doubt push whatever was bothering him deep down and ignore it.

Techno loved Phil too much to just let him suffer in silence.

Phil stared at Techno with wide eyes, seemingly shocked by Techno's words.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that," Techno sighed, "I just...want to help you. I'm here for you, Phil. I always will be."

"But you won't!"

Techno was silent, watching Phil as he took in a deep breath before continueing.

"You're not...you're not going to always be here, Techno. You'll leave me someday and then...then I'll be alone, again. I-I can't-"

Phil choked and let out a sob as more tears flowed down his face. Techno didn't hesitate to reach out and pull Phil into a hug, glad when Phil didn't try to push him away.

Phil gripped the sides of Techno's cloak tightly in his hands and pressed his face into Techno's chest before he began to cry. He wasn't quiet either, openly sobbing against Techno's chest, his entire body shaking as Techno held him.

Techno didn't say anything, since he didn't think there was really anything he could say to comfort Phil. So he just held him and let Phil cry.

Eventually, Phil's tears began to slow down and his breathing evened out, only occasionally letting out a small hiccup or whimper. He still held onto Techno's cloak, but his grip wasn't as tight anymore and his body seemed to have relaxed slightly in Techno's hold.

"Better?" Techno asked after a few moments.

Phil let out a noncommittal hum against Techno's chest, which...didn't really answer Techno's question, but it was better than nothing.

So he was surprised when he heard Phil speak, his voice somewhat muffled against Techno's chest.

"I don't want to be alone anymore, Techno."

"You won't," Techno said and immediately felt Phil tense up against him.

"Hey, Phil, look at me," he loosened his hold on Phil and placed his hands on either side of Phil's face, gently guiding Phil's head out from where it was still hiding against Techno's chest.

"There you are," Techno smiled down at him when their eyes finally met and he was able to look properly at Phil.

His face were red and blotchy from crying, and while he still seemed upset, he looked a little calmer and like he wouldn't burst into tears again.

"Phil, I promise you I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. I'm not going to leave you. Not now or ever," Techno promised before bending down to press a brief kiss against Phil's forehead.

Phil let out a tired sigh, "Don't make promises you can't keep, Techno."

"I've already promised you the world. I think I can handle keeping up with you for at least the next few centuries," Techno replied back. He paused before adding, "Us immortals have to stick together, right?"

Phil let out a weak chuckle, the corner of his mouth rising ever so slightly in a small smile, "Right."

A sudden gust of air flew past them just then and Phil shivered, reminding Techno how cold it was out here at night.

"We should probably head back inside before we catch a cold or something," he suggested and slowly separated himself from Phil. "You think you'll be okay for tonight?"

Phil glanced down at his hands, where they were fiddling with the hem on his sleeve. He stayed quiet, and Techno stood there patiently, letting Phil gather his thoughts.

"I...I don't know. I don't really want to go back inside my house..." his voice trailed off for a moment before he quietly asked, "Could I...maybe sleep with you tonight?"

"Yeah, of course," Techno smiled and held out his hand to Phil, who took it and let Techno lead him into his house.

"You go up first, I'll be up in a minute," Techno said when they entered, letting go of Phil's hand.

Phil nodded and headed to the ladder leading up to the bedroom. Techno joined him a minute later, holding a warm washcloth in his hand. Phil was sitting quietly on the bed and Techno sat down next to him, raising the washcloth up to Phil's face. "May I?"

Phil nodded and Techno began to wipe Phil's face, making sure to go slow and gentle as he did.

By the time he was done, Phil definitely looked better, the tear tracks now gone and his eyes less red.

Techno stood up, tossing the washcloth into the hamper in his room and hung his cloak back up before walking back to the bed, where Phil had already climbed under the covers. Techno slid into the bed next to him, turning on his side so they were face to face, both quietly staring at each other.

"Phil...could I ask what you were doing out there before I came out?" Techno eventually said, "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Phil let out a sigh, "No, it's...it's fine. I...well, I had a nightmare. I don't even remember it, but when I woke up, I was alone. You weren't there and I guess I just...panicked. I went out to get some air and try to calm down, but then you found me."

"So that's why you didn't want to go back into your house," Techno realized.

"Yeah, I...don't like being alone," Phil confirmed and suddenly let out a yawn, "I think...I'm gonna go to sleep now. Goodnight, Techno."

"Goodnight, Phil," Techno smiled, "I'll be right here when you wake up."

Phil smiled, "Thanks, Tech."

Techno wasn't surprised when Phil managed to fall asleep a few minutes later, the man was no doubt exhausted from the emotional turmoil he had just gone through. Techno ended up falling asleep quickly after.

---

To Techno's complete surprise, he was the first one to wake up in the morning.

It was a bit strange, to have their positions reversed for once, but he didn't mind.

Phil was curled up in his arms, his head resting on Techno's chest, snoring ever so softly. Techno smiled and stared down at Phil, watching as he slept.

It was about an hour later that Phil began to stir, slowly opening his eyes and letting out the cutest chirp Techno had ever heard as he woke up.

"Good morning, Phil," Techno said, a warm smile on his face.

"Tech, you're here," Phil looked at Techno with that familiar sleepy fond expression on his face.

"I said I would be, wouldn't I?" Techno teased.

"Mm, you did," Phil said and let out another happy little chirp before sitting up slightly, so he was leaning on his elbow and looking down at Techno.

"Tech, I have something to tell you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I was...a mess last night. But you were there for me, just like you always have been," Phil said, "This morning, waking up next to you, I realized something that I don't know why I never figured out before now."

"...Figured what out?" Techno asked, unsure as to where exactly Phil was going with this.

"That I want to wake up in your arms every morning, for the rest of our lives, if you'll let me," Phil confessed, smiling down at him.

Techno, the incredibly intelligent and articulate person that he was, responded aptly.

"Heh?"

Phil laughed before leaning down to whisper, "I love you, you idiot," and kissed Techno.

Techno was frozen in shock for a moment before he kissed back, bringing his hand up to cup the back of Phil's head.

They separated after a moment to catch their breath before Techno pulled Phil back down into another kiss.

"I love you, too," Techno said when they separated again, "But I should say in advance that you probably shouldn't count on me to wake up first in the morning. I have a feeling this was a once in a blue moon kind of thing."

"I think I can live with that," Phil chuckled and leaned down to kiss Techno once more.

[vincess-princess]

war?

Fandom: Motley Crue Characters, pairings: minor Nikki Sixx\Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars Rating: Teen so far, may change in the future Warnings: displays of extreme radiation poisoning, violence, unreality (so far) Summary: The boys go into a post-nuclear war-themed quest room, but is it really just a quest room?

idea by @dopefreshprincess, thank you so much for giving me inspiration <3

Chapter 1/?

Word count: 8059

“Wow!” Tommy looked around, eyes sparkling with excitement. “This is sick!”

Nikki did not reply, as did the others were gaping silently at the landscape extending in front of them. Escape room managers always tried to assure them of the reality of the experience, but the layout of all the escape rooms they visited before could be usually proved fake, sometimes by smallest of details. Not this one, though: the desolate, ravaged, post-nuclear war landscape looked uncannily real. They could even feel the hot breeze in their hair, bits of sand carried by it scraping their skin.

A desert sprawled in front of them, the ceiling that imitated the sky painted pale orange, no clouds, the lamp replacing the sun emitting so much heat Nikki could already feel droplets of sweat sliding down his back. Here and there bare, skeletal-looking trees stretched their branches up towards the sky – they barely reach the group’s waists, but trailed along the ground for meters. The only other plant around was spiky grey grass with frail stems. Nikki kneeled in front of one of them, trying to understand how it managed to grow through a completely dry, hardened soil. Wait, that’s a fake, he reminded himself. It was probably made of rubber and just stuck into the ground, it didn’t need no water.

Nikki reached out and tried to tear the plant out of the ground, but quickly drew his hand back with a hiss. The stem had little hair-thin thorns, sharper than needles. A few of them pierced through his skin and got stuck in his finger. Fuck, those sure as hell weren’t rubber.

“Huh?” Vince turned his head, distracted from fascinatedly observing the location by Nikki’s hiss. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Nikki said quickly, knowing how sharp-tongued Vince was. “Just got a splinter.”

“Are you gonna survive?” Vince inquired in a serious tone, but with a sly smile on his lips.

“I hope so,” Nikki muttered, trying to be angry at the mocking smile Vince shot him and failing miserably. “Careful with these things. They’re damn realistic.”

“Told you, these guys make the best escape rooms I’ve ever been in,” Mick said. He was the only one to remain relatively unimpressed, though his gaze lingered on the sand dunes a little bit longer than needed. “It’s gonna be a real survival quest, so buckle up.”

“Ain’t no quest too hard for us,” Tommy grinned. “Let’s set a world record on this one, lads.”

“Hell yeah!” Vince joined him, eyes sparkling. “The harder, the more fun!”

Mick rolled his eyes in exasperation. “That’s why you two absolutely can’t have nice things. You’re on a thin fucking ice, Sixx,” he added, side-eyeing Nikki.

“Hey, I haven’t even said anything!”

“I know you well enough.”

Nikki huffed with annoyance, but purely to keep face. He knew, of course, that Mick was right.

“Are we setting off at last?” Tommy was practically jumping with excitement. “Come on, come on, you snails!” he waved his hands in an inviting gesture. “Could you speed up a little?”

“We ain’t in a hurry,” Mick cut him down, but carefully stepped off the platform that took them to the location. The platform rose up swiftly and disappeared in the sky. Nikki traced it with his eyes. They would not be able to call it back, only in an extreme emergency, and the level of emergency was going to be decided by the quest room staff, who were supposed to watch the travelers constantly. In reality, though, when Nikki peeked into the security room half of the cameras weren’t working, and the only guard there was too busy playing his new Nintendo switch. So they couldn’t really count on staff; from now on they had to complete the quest to get out. Usually it added to the thrill, but now Nikki’s guts felt uneasy at the thought.

“Hm.” Mick stomped his foot on the ground. “The sand is very thin. We shouldn’t have any problem walking.”

“Then let’s walk!” Vince called, fidgeting in his place. “I wanna see the destroyed city replica! Is it gonna have real radiation there?”

“You ask me? Boy, I’ve never been here. I can only tell you what Chris told me, and he never mentioned it. Everything is possible. Do you even know where the city is?”

“It’s gonna show up eventually anyway, no?” Vince tilted his head. “The quest zone is not that big.”

“Why are you so sure?” Mick raised an eyebrow. Nikki could feel frustration radiating off him. He probably wanted to make every second of this adventure worthwhile instead of speedrunning it. “Besides, you ain’t getting to no goddamn city without supplies and gear.”

“Aren’t they in the backpacks?” Vince frowned, then pulled his backpack off his back. The easiness with which Vince tossed it around was suspicious, like it carried no weight whatsoever.

Nikki weighed his own backpack with his arm and a cold shiver ran down his spine. How could he not notice how light it was?

Meanwhile, Vince had already opened his bag, and his eyebrows arched in surprise.

“There ain’t nothing there!”

“The hell-“ Nikki pulled at the zip and tore the backpack open. His bad feeling proved right - it was empty.

“Mine too!” Tommy shoved his hand inside, feeling the material up as if trying to find secret pockets there. The thin, chip fabric of the backpack couldn’t hide any pockets within it even with the most intricate design.

“Same thing”, Mick pursed his lips, having checked his. “Shit’s getting interesting.”

“The hell we’re gonna do without supplies? We are in a desert!” Tommy exclaimed, throwing his backpack to the ground with frustration. “We paid for an empty backpack?!”

“What, the quest suddenly too tough for ya?” Mick snorted, but then his face softened at Tommy’s helpless expression. “Relax, kid. They ain’t gonna let their clients die. We’ll probably find supplies along the way.”

“They probably aren’t gonna just lie there in the middle of a desert, though,” Nikki said. He could understand Tommy’s disappointment – the quest from the average difficulty just switched to expert, and Tommy was never the one to enjoy meticulous resource-gathering instead of fighting and cracking codes. He, however, didn’t seem to share Tommy’s feelings – instead, he could feel anticipation building up in his chest. This was gonna be a real test of character, and he was gonna show everyone he could pass it. Especially Vince.

“No shit, Sixx,” Tommy murmured, still worked-up, but relaxing slightly. “Then where the hell are we supposed to find them? We don’t even have a map.”

“Hey, quit whining,” Vince joined in. He didn’t seem to be upset in a slightest, though his flippant smile disappeared from his lips. “Nikki is right. We gotta find a city or some settlements. They must be full of lost stuff. And we’ll get a shelter from the heat.” He wiped sweat off his forehead, caught Nikki’s gaze and smiled with corners of his mouth. When he turned away, Nikki smiled back.

“Well, I’ll look at y’all after a couple of hours walking through the desert,” Tommy muttered indignantly, but didn’t continue his rant. He went to a big rock a few feet away and plopped onto it with a grim expression. Mick, Nikki and Vince exchanged looks.

“Okay, so what are we doing now?” Vince asked in a low voice. “I’m already thirsty. Where’s that city of theirs? Mick?”

“Don’t ask me,” Mick waved his hand. “I haven’t been here before, remember? I just know that it exists. I don’t think it’s that far away, though. The zone can’t be bigger than a day or two of walking. The building didn’t look that big to me from the outside, at least.”

“These plants probably have some water in them, like cactuses,” Nikki nodded at the grey spiky grass. “You could try sucking on them-“

“No, thanks, I’m not that desperate,” Vince interrupted him, rolling his eyes. “So what, we’re looking for a city?”

“Well, you’d rather stay here?” Mick raised his eyebrow. “No? Good. I swear, a little bit more of this senseless talk and I’m leaving without you.” He turned his back to them and headed forward, not sparing them a single look.

“Why is he so pissy?” Vince muttered to Nikki.

“Angry because of the supplies?” Nikki shrugged in response and looked back at Tommy, who was still sitting on the rock with his back turned to the rest of the world. He seemed to hunch, looking at something on the ground. “Hey, T-bone! We’re leaving!”

“Uh-huh,” Tommy murmured, not paying them any attention. What, was he refusing to come with them?

Well, that was getting ridiculous.

“T-bone!” Nikki approached him and not so gently slapped him on the shoulder. “Are you coming?”

“Yeah,” Tommy looked up at Nikki distractedly. “Nik, do you think this map is supposed to have enemies?”

“I’m gonna be disappointed if it doesn’t” Nikki grinned. “But probably not in the middle of a desert. Maybe in the city. But we’d be supposed to find weapons for them, wouldn’t we?”

“Yeah,” Tommy nodded and rose up from his rock. “Where we going?”

“Looking for the city,” Vince said from behind Nikki’s back. “We’re pretty sure it’s somewhere close.”

“You’re sure,” Tommy made a dissatisfied face. “Okay, if you’re so sure, let’s go there.”

“You’re such a pain in the ass today,” Vince told him, but with no malice in his voice. “How’d you survive in a real apocalypse? Y’know, when there are no supplies lying around, prepared specifically for you?”

“Well, there ain’t gonna be no apocalypse in my lifetime,” Tommy shook his head, picked up his backpack and headed after Mick, who was already a tiny silhouette against the orange skies and seemingly had no intention of waiting for them.

The thin layer of sand was easy to walk on, and their heavy boots prevented them from getting sand between their toes. What they weren’t preventing them from, however, was the heat. The lamp imitated the sun a little bit too well; as it traveled across the sky (Nikki wondered if it was fixed on a rope or if some mechanism did the moving), it became hotter and hotter. Soon their jackets were off, and their t-shirts were soaking wet.

“How long has it been? Two hours?” Vince asked, fanning himself with his stupid cowboy hat that Nikki hadn’t managed to talk him out of wearing. “I swear, if we don’t find water soon, I’m gonna drink my own piss.”

“I can offer you another, much more nutritious fluid-“ Nikki was interrupted by a backpack flung at his face and barely managed to duck in time. “Hey, you could’ve just said no!”

“I’d rather die of thirst,” Vince promised gloomily, but before he turned away, Nikki caught a glimpse of a smile on his face. He sped up to catch up with Mick. Nikki didn’t want to march forward alone, so he slowed his pace, waiting for Tommy.

“What kind of enemies do you think we’re gonna encounter?” Tommy asked him, somewhat anxious.

“No clue, dude,” Nikki said carelessly. “Some mutated rabid rats? Mad scavengers? I hope it’ll be mad scavengers. The robots we were shooting last time were too predictable.”

“And the weapons?” Tommy didn’t seem relieved by his words in a slightest.

“I hope paintball guns – so you can see when you hit someone, y’know. Laser guns are too glitchy.”

“You think it will be just actors?” Tommy shot him a glance. Nikki frowned. Why was he so worked-up anyway? They were on a quest, they were supposed to have fun, not worry.

“Of course. Do you think they’re gonna release actual animals on us or something? That’s just a game.” Nikki shook his head at Tommy when he opened his mouth again, no longer willing to answer weird questions. “Come on, let’s catch up with those two. Or they’ll find loot earlier than us and will take all the alcohol.” He grabbed Tommy’s arm and pulled him forward. Tommy followed, like a puppet obeying every twitch of its master’s fingers.

Half an hour later, literally nothing changed. The sky was the same sickish orange; the sand was crumpling under their boots with barely audible crunching sounds. The tension was hanging in the air like fog, enveloping their little group whole, getting more and more thick. The frown on Mick’s face deepened with every their step.

“I swear, if I knew how fucking big it would be…” he began.

“Hey, hey, no need to apologize,” Nikki interrupted him.

“I wasn’t,” Mick flashed him an irritated glance. “I wanted to say I’d tell Chris to stuff his recommendations up his ass. I fucking knew he’s a survival games junkie. He gets a kick out of harsh conditions. Unlike me.” He stopped so suddenly Tommy almost collided with him. “That’s it. We’re making camp here.”

“Not that we have anything to make that camp with,” Tommy murmured, but wilted under Mick’s stern gaze. “You can sit on your backpack,” he suggested hastily. “Or on that rock over there-“

“Um, guys,” Vince, who wandered away during their conversation, spoke up from where he was bending over to the rock Tommy offered Mick to sit on, “you need to see this.”

“What’s that?” Mick shuffled towards him. When his gaze landed on the rock, his eyebrows flew up. “Holy shit.”

Mick and Vince’s troubled faces evoked a bad feeling in Nikki’s gut. The feeling of wrongness that hatched in his stomach ever since they discovered the backpacks were empty raised its head again, making him shiver. He almost didn’t step forward to look at the rock, almost turned away. Almost.

Run, the rock said in uneven, shaky handwriting, probably done with chalk, probably in a hurry. Run.

“What the hell?.. Nikki raised his head to meet Mick’s gaze, knowing he had no explanation for this, but still nurturing a stupid little spring of hope that the smartest of them, the oldest of them would be able to explain it. But Mick’s face showed nothing but bewilderment. And… what was that?

Tommy approached them quietly from the back, read the inscription and inhaled sharply through his teeth with a hiss. He said nothing. It was weird, but not weirder than this entire fucking thing.

“It’s a joke, right?” Vince said in a shaky voice. “It must be a joke.”

“I’d love to tear off the arms of whoever wrote this and shove them up their ass,” Mick muttered disgruntledly. “Not funny at all.”

Nikki just nodded, kneeling in front of the rock. He rubbed the word with his thumb, wanting to see if it could be erased easily. His thumb got a little dirty, but the writing remained intact. Nikki licked his finger and tried again, to no avail.

“That’s not chalk,” Mick said, frowning. “It would erase. Why the hell didn’t Chris tell me about this shit? Maybe he did it?..”

“I don’t think so,” Tommy said suddenly. “It looks old.”

“And the sky is orange here, do you think it really is in real life?” Mick cut him off angrily. Tommy bit his lip and stared at the ground, fidgeting with something in his hands. “It’s probably just a prank by another visitor. Well, good job, asshole, now you’ve got everyone worked up.” He turned his back to the rock. “Dunno about you, but I’m not gonna stand around this goddamn rock all day. We still need to get supplies somehow.”

“Yeah, right,” Nikki nodded, getting up and lining up with Mick. “Let’s go, guys. It’s getting late.”

“I’ve heard deserts get super cold at night,” Vince remarked. “We better find a shelter by the time the sun sets.”

They set off again, but the decisiveness that floated in the air when they just entered faded. Instead the tension and frustration returned, and there was a new one now - fear. The latter was completely illogical, Nikki tried to persuade himself, but all in vain – the icky cold lump in his stomach remained, gaining more thorns the more Nikki thought about the writing on the rock. Fuck, he definitely needed a drink. He could only hope the supplies would have alcohol – they usually did, allegedly for medical purposes.

Nikki didn’t know how much time passed. Maybe half an hour, maybe more. It was hard to determine with the sky the same orange color, the “sun” invisible behind thick clouds. Eventually, though, it began to get colder – Nikki only realized that when he caught Tommy shiver. Already sulky, Tommy now looked like a ruffled chick that just fell out of the nest.

Nikki was already thinking about suggesting calling it a night and making camp where they were when Vince broke the gloomy silence.

“There’s something ahead.”

Nikki squinted, staring forward. Against the sky, now reddish as the “sun” was setting, was a group of silhouettes.

“Those might be just mountains,” Mick said, barely trying to cover the exhaustion in his voice.

“They’re too upright for mountains,” Vince shook his head. “The sides are too flat. And anyway, that would be better than spending the night in the middle of a fucking desert. My throat is dry as a fucking sandpaper.”

“Whatever,” Mick threw his hands up. “We ain’t got nowhere else to go anyway.”

They headed towards the shadows in the distance. Although none of them was ready to say it, reaching something after an entire day full of sand already felt like a small victory. They might even find a cave to sleep in there, Nikki mused. Now even a rough rocky mountain soil was better than getting sand in their asses.

But as they drew closer it became clear those were no mountains. Though destroyed and decayed, those were buildings. Soon they reached a road – battered and covered in sand, but a road nevertheless.

“Hell yeah!” Vince smiled triumphantly. “Told ya we’re getting there!”

“Okay, okay, don’t forget to mark this date down. It’s not often that you turn out to be right,” Mick grumbled, but relief in his voice was obvious. Vince rolled his eyes, but did not say anything in return – maybe didn’t want to spoil the mood. Even Tommy cheered up. They sped up to reach the city before the night set.

It turned out to be farther than they imagined, and when they did reach the city, it was already night. Just as Vince said, the heat was soon replaced by freezing wind, so they weren’t feeling picky and headed to the first building on their way. The left half of it lay in ruins, concrete mixed with metal, crooked metal rods sticking out of the walls that were still standing. Nikki touched the concrete – it was cold and coated his fingertips in dust. The right half, though, remained relatively unharmed, apart from shattered windows. It even still had a door intact.

“With our luck, I won’t be surprised if the door is locked,” Mick muttered as he touched the door handle with uncertainty. It easily yielded under his touch. He carefully pushed the door.

A musty smell enveloped them, the dust in the air making them cough. It was dark inside, and the windows didn’t provide enough light to make out details – the night was moonless, and there were no stars in the sky, - but this just made the image more uncannily real. How did they make the dust covering the floor look like it hasn’t been touched in ages while the building probably had visitors the very night before them?

“I can’t fucking see anything,” Mick grumbled somewhere ahead. “Should’ve brought headlights.”

“There must be at least some loot in here,” Nikki tried to cheer him up. “Maybe there’ll be flashlights.”

“There might just as likely not be any,” Mick sighed. “But at least we won’t have to sleep in a freezing wind. Though it’s not much warmer here either, those goddamn windows-“

A loud crash followed by a yelp interrupted him. Mick and Nikki shot each other alerted looks and sprinted towards the source of the sound. In the corner of the room, there was a hole covered by a thin sheet of metal – apparently not strong enough to hold a man’s- Vince burst into the room, waving around a metal rod in his hand that he probably pulled out of a broken wall, - not strong enough to hold Tommy’s body weight. Nikki plopped onto his knees and peered into the hole. Vince grabbed him by the collar, to make sure he wouldn’t fall. It was so dark down there they couldn’t even see the floor.

“Drummer, you alright?” Mick called out anxiously, staring into the darkness of the hole intensely. A second of silence felt like an hour, Nikki’s heart skipped a bit. Then Tommy spoke from down there.

“Yeah… I think.” They listened intently to the rustling and creaking from down there as Tommy tried to get on his own two feet. “I’m al- oh, shit!” something heavy fell onto a metal sheet with a loud clatter.

“T-bone?” Nikki called again, but received no response. A little lump of anxiety in his stomach reminded of itself again as it began to unravel. “Tom, fucking say something!”

“Fuck,” Tommy finally hissed. “My knee hurts as shit.”

“Broken?” Vince tried to catch a look of Tommy, but the view of the hole was obstructed by two dark messy heads.

A few pained breaths later, Tommy replied. “No, I don’t… think so.”

“Can you stand?” Nikki jumped up, looking around the room for a ladder, or a rope, or, at least, a wooden bar to put into the hole. But the room was barren, apart from a few chairs looking like they would turn to dust the moment they’re touched, ruined bookshelves with burned black books scattered across the floor, and a broken computer standing on the only remaining desk.

The desk had three drawers and a cabinet. The cabinet was locked. The drawers were mostly empty, one even had a couple of dead cockroaches in it. Nikki almost overlooked a little cylindrical object in the corner of the lowest drawer. He carefully touched it. The surface felt like cheap plastic.

Upon closer inspection it turned out to be a flashlight. Nikki fidgeted with it for a bit and found a button, which he carefully pressed. The first couple of seconds it wasn’t lighting up Nikki’s heart skipped a bit; but then a weak ray of light shone through the dirty glass.

“Guys! Look what I found!” He dashed back to the hole, where Mick and Vince still stood, quietly discussing something. Tommy’s voice from down there joined them occasionally.

“A flashlight?” Mick raised an eyebrow. “And that’s all?”

“Well, do you want a stage projector instead?” Nikki snapped back. “This is better than nothing. Tommy, can you walk?”

“Not sure,” came a muffled reply. “Gimme a sec… Ouch.”

“So no?” Nikki frowned.

“Well, I can stand, but it hurtsб” Tommy reported. “Not sure about walking. I can’t see a thing, and there’s so much debris here, I don’t wanna break a leg on one of them.”

“Well, then I’ve got you covered, pal.” Nikki showed him a flashlight. Tommy squeezed his eyes, trying to make out what Nikki was holding. Then he beamed.

“Man, that’s great! It’s definitely a part of the quest, so we’re on the right track! Give it to me, I’ll try to look around.” He caught the flashlight thrown by Nikki. “Eh, man, they could have put better props here. This one looks like it’s from a gas station.”

“What, you think they would give you top-tier gear here?” Mick raised his eyebrow. “Be thankful for what you have.”

“Hey, don’t be so bitter,” Vince stood up for Tommy. “For all the money they get, they could have bought better props as well. This thing looks like it may kick the bucket at any moment.”

Nikki decided not to listen to their banter anymore. “Look for a ladder, or at least a rope,” he told Tommy and moved away from the hole to walk one more time around the room in case he missed something. He tried to sit in a chair, but it cracked so threateningly under him he decided not to tempt fate. Then he turned to bookshelves. Books were often used to hide clues; maybe that was the case here as well?

However, most books were burnt and battered. Nikki opened one, but the pages were so dark the text was unintelligible. Some of them were glued together, others torn. It was just another fucking prop, Nikki realized, flinging the book into the wall in frustration. Just a waste of a good book-

The book crashed into the wall and fell onto the floor, pages flying around. One of them was significantly lighter than the others. It landed right next to Nikki’s feet, as though inviting him to pick it up.

Well, Nikki rolled his eyes, for sure that wasn’t supposed to be a clue or something like that, not at all.

He picked up the piece of paper and turned it upside down. On it a few numbers were written, in ornate, neat handwriting. Must be a password or something. But for what?

Nikki turned around, and his gaze fell on a seemingly dysfunctional computer. Why did he assume it was dysfunctional first hand?

Nikki carefully touched the keyboard sprinkled with dust. They really did a good job making everything look old and abandoned. He pressed the space key, then ran his fingers along the keys, pressing many at once – no reaction. Then he reached out for the turn-on button. Also no reaction.

Oh well, it wasn’t going to be as easy as this, after all. Nikki stuffed the paper piece in his pocket and returned to the hole, where Mick and Vince conversed lazily. Judging by the occasional streaks of light landing on the walls, Tommy was exploring down there.

“Oh, hey, guys, it’s pretty nice in here!” he shouted, attracting their attention. “Is that a fucking potbelly stove?”

“What? Are you sure?”

“Well, I’ve only seen those in movies but it does look like one. And what are those…” his voice quietened for a few seconds as he was fussing with something. “Guys! There are sleeping bags here!”

“Really?!” Vince would have dove into the hole headfirst if not for Mick who grabbed him unceremoniously by the collar. “Hey, what the fuck, man?!”

“Who the fuck is gonna drag you two up then? My back won’t let me, you want Sixx alone to do it?”

“Well, if there are sleeping bags, then there must also be a ladder or something,” Vince muttered, ashamed. “Isn’t it clear that’s a checkpoint?”

“No, it isn’t,” Mick cut him off. “Not until we find a lad-“

“I found rope!” Tommy’s jubilant voice rang through the building. Mick, stopped mid-sentence, pursed his lips.

“Hey, Mick, do you think I should start a notebook to mark down when I’m being right?” Vince patted his shoulder, grinning. Mick shook his hand off.

“Bring it here,” Nikki said, looking around for something to fix the rope on. The table seemed sturdy and heavy enough, but they all were grown adult men as well. Nikki headed over to the table and tried to move it, to no avail. Maybe it was screwed to the floor for this very purpose.

“Hey, we can fix the rope to the table over here, if it’s long enough,” he suggested.

“Might work.” Mick glanced towards it and nodded. “Though I’m not a keen rope-climber…”

“Me neither,” Nikki tried to reassure him. “I always failed at it on the P.E. lessons”

“You had rope climbing on your P.E. lessons?” Mick raised an eyebrow. “Wow. Schools sure have geared up since I graduated.”

“We also jumped a bench,” Nikki recalled, “and did pull-ups on a bar. Oh how I hated it.”

“Y’all are spoiled,” Mick murmured. “All we had were a ball and the teacher’s whistle. A volleyball net, if the school was fancy.”

“Hate to interrupt your sweet chatter.” Vince suddenly appeared behind their backs. He already held the end of the rope in his hands. “But if I don’t get into a sleeping bag within five minutes, I’m gonna riot. You checked the table?”

“Yep, seems trustworthy.”

“Mick, your time to shine,” Vince offered him, the only one among them knowing how to tie a reliable knot, the end of the rope.

“You forgot a magic word,” Mick grumbled but kneeled in front of the table. “There are rope traces on this table leg already, so it must be the right way.”

“Are all clients supposed to hurt themselves falling through the floor?” Nikki wondered, kneeling beside Mick. He loved watching his rope work, though never managed to do it quite like him.

“You wanted adventure, you got it,” Mick replied, his fingers quickly working.

“Well, yeah, we all know it’s just an imitation,” Nikki shrugged. “A pretty good one, but still.”

“There wouldn’t be one if all those people didn’t actually want it to come true, even in part.”

“Well, I don’t,” Nikki resented. “I don’t want the world to fucking burn to the ground. And all those people don’t, too. They just want to… I dunno. Feel like movie protagonists for a while?”

“Movie protagonists always have a purpose. They don’t go out into the wild just because they love the wild that much.” Mick finished the knot and got up, cutting their conversation short. Nikki tried to follow him but hit his head on the tabletop.

“Ouch!” he fell back on his knees, checking his head for damage. Just as he reached for the sore spot on his head, he noticed a wire that was running along the wall of the cabinet and sliding into a hole on the floor. The wire was connected to the computer. Oh, so they need to fix it in the basement for the computer to start working, Nikki realized. That the computer was supposed to be turned on he had no doubt, or there wouldn’t be a password in the book.

“You alright?” Vince asked when Nikki crawled from under the table and got up. “We don’t need any more injuries here.”

“I’ll survive,” Nikki promised. They headed towards the hole where Tommy already stood with the flashlight, waiting for them.

“Wait a sec, I’m gonna move all those debris away,” he hurried to clear the floor under the hole, stumbled on something and hissed in pain. “Shit! I hope there’s a first aid kit somewhere here.”

“If you still can walk, then it’s not that serious,” Mick told him. “Not a fracture or a broken bone at least. Gonna heal in a couple of days.”

“Yeah, but where are we gonna get these couple of days?” Nikki murmured so that Tommy wouldn’t hear him. “Our time here is limited. We can’t just waste it waiting for him to recover.”

“What are you gonna do then, send him back?” Mick snapped. “Let him hobble through the desert alone, with no supplies?”

“Well, no, of course not,” Nikki mumbled ashamedly. “But we could… I dunno… investigate the location while he heals his ankle?”

“Yeah, and he totally won’t jump after us on one leg the whole way,” Mick said sarcastically, diminishing Nikki to a puddle on the floor. He didn’t bring the topic up anymore.

Vince was the first to descend, carefully sliding down the rope. Tommy, beaming, waved the flashlight around, demonstrating the room so proudly he as though had decorated it himself. A smile slowly widened on Vince’s face.

“Come look!” he called them. Nikki climbed down the rope so fast he burned the skin on his palms. Mick wasn’t that eager to follow; quite on the contrary, he stood up there looking around for a few seconds and then hurried out of sight.

“The hell he went to-“ Tommy began, but Mick was already back, dragging something clanging with him.

“We are gonna attract the entire local wildlife with the light and the voices,” he explained, breathing heavily. “Better cover up.”

“Oh, Mick, c’mon!” Vince laughed. “Who are we gonna attract? Actors are all at home sleeping at this time.”

“Some of them work night shifts,” Mick reminded as he carefully lowered his legs into the hole and wrapped them around the rope. He grasped the metal sheet he brought and drew it over the hole, leaving only a small crack. “And some of them aren’t people,” he finished once his feet were firmly on the ground.

Vince huffed, but did not continue the argument. And Nikki was thankful to him for that.

The shelter they accidentally discovered was small but neat. It was a little bit warmer here, without the wind, but the walls still couldn’t really protect from the cold. They were probably drywall, but they did look appropriate for the location - like old, weathered-down concrete. Even the smell was authentic, dusty and heavy. Four sleeping bags were laid out around the potbelly stove in the center, looking old but functioning. A pipe ran down one of the walls with a very convenient tap in the middle. Every now and then a drop of water fell down from the tap onto a small wet spot on the floor. In the corner there were some boxes piled up on top of one another, and in the other – wooden crate. The entire location was poorly lit by groups of green, toxic-looking mushrooms in the corners and on the ceiling. They looked so real Nikki had to grab and feel the material of one to confirm it was rubber.

“Were you in a real apocalyptic setting, this one could have burned off the skin on your fingers,” Mick muttered.

“Glad we aren’t,” Nikki said, words coming out a little bit strained. “Though there probably wouldn’t really be mushrooms glowing with radiation. Is that even possible? Won’t it just kill them, like any other living thing?”

“Nature always finds a way,” Mick said, kneeling on front of the potbelly stove and peeping inside. “Jeez, this one belongs in a museum. And we need coal or wood to light it up.”

“There were carton boxes in the corner,” Nikki nodded towards them. “What about a lighter? I hope we won’t have to use a flint or something.”

“I have one,” Tommy said from the corner where he examined the crate, fingers carefully running over the lid. He “I had to take out my sigs, but they didn’t notice the lighter.”

“That’s technically cheating,” Vince said lazily, already sprawled on a sleeping bag. “But practically you just saved us a lot of trouble.” He sat up, his shoulders twitching from cold. “Damn, it’s freezing here. Gimme the lighter.”

Tommy threw it over his shoulder in Vince’s direction, missing by a few feet at least. Vince caught it nevertheless – probably the only time his baseball school team skills were put to use.

“Don’t burn the entire basement,” Mick advised half-heartedly as Vince trudged to the boxes in the corner. Vince grumbled something unintelligible in reply.

The cracking sound from the other corner distracted them.

“Guys, I think I found supplies,” Tommy said, holding up the lid of the crate that he had just opened.

“What’s there?” Mick and Nikki rushed towards him. Vince looked at the box he held in his hands for a second, dropped it and joined them. “Any food?!”

“Well, those feel grainy,” Tommy brought a plain fabric bag to his eyes, dug his fingers into its sides. “Cereals, probably.” He put it back, picked up some other package and shook it. “Those sound like crackers.”

“Three cans with corn,” Nikki reported, rummaging in the other end of the crate. “And, uh, ramen,” He dug out a familiar-looking box. At least they removed the plastic wrapping that they have on in stores.

“Any fruit, veggies?” Vince peered over their shoulders. “No? Well, we aren’t gonna last long on such a diet.”

“We aren’t gonna stay here long either,” Nikki reminded him. “What did you expect from a post-apocalyptic setting, an all-you-can-eat buffet?”

“Nothing, man,” Vince retreated, “I’m just saying, we’ve seen plants and trees on our way here, some edible plants could as well survive too- uh, nevermind.”

“That’s all good and stuff, but where are we supposed to put them? I haven’t seen any plates here.”

“Over there, in the corner,” Mick headed to the farthest, most poorly lit corner of the basement, which Nikki overlooked at first, and with a clang pulled out a pot, rather old and battered, but seemingly without any holes. “But these need to be washed first, or we all will get poisoned.”

“I’m busy with the fire,” Vince immediately said, grabbing the box he dropped and holding it in front of himself in a protective gesture. “Tommy can do it. Or Nikki.”

“Guys, there’s something else beneath the food,” Tommy said, pulling out a yellow box with a black wire. “Some device?”

“Oh!” Mick’s face lit up for the first time during the day. “That’s a Geiger counter, if I’m not mistaken. Since we’re in a post-nuclear war wasteland, it’s gonna prove useful.”

“Does it work from the batteries?” Tommy turned it over in search of a switch. “Because there might be problems with electricity here.”

“It’s supposed to,” Mick took the box and examined it as well. “The limit for this one is 5000 mSv – uh, what are mSv? – and I have literally zero idea how dangerous it actually is. Did anyone read up on the theory before the quest?”

He received only confused mumbling in response.

“Do you think anyone else who completed this quest did?” Vince finally said defensively. “I’m pretty sure they weren’t experts on radiation either.”

“That does not excuse our ignorance,” Mick sighed. “Well, 5000 is a big number so if there is this much radiation, it’s not safe.”

They fell silent for a second, only Tommy kept rummaging in the crate. Finally, he fished out something with a victorious yell.

“Knew it would be here!” He waved a piece of paper in front of their faces. “Vince is right – they wouldn’t have given us this thing without explaining how it works. There are some numbers here – I guess radiation levels, but I can’t see them, it’s too dark.”

“Gimme,” Mick immediately snatched it from Tommy’s hands, receiving an indignant yelp in response. “Shit, I can’t see a thing either. Vince, what’s up with the fire?”

“This damn carton doesn’t want to burn,” Vince said from where he was kneeling in front of the potbelly stove. “It just chars.”

“Lord, why do I have to do everything myself,” Mick raised his eyes to the moldy ceiling. “Hold this and don’t let go for dear life,” he handed Vince the piece of paper. Vince pressed it to his chest in an overplayed protective gesture. A few curses later the carton finally caught fire from the lighter, and the flame started strengthening slowly but surely.

“Now, gimme.” Mick grabbed the paper and brought it closer to the fire, maybe a little bit too dangerously close. “Yeah, drummer was right. So, 2 mSv is what a person receives daily, 100 is what radiation workers receive in 5 years, 1000 causes cancer in 5% of people exposed… doesn’t sound too dangerous to me. 5000, though… kills a half.”

“Shit,” Vince commented laconically. “So anything above 1000 is a big no-no, we get it.”

“Pretty much,” Mick nodded. “How much is here, I wonder. Turn this thing on.”

Nikki reached out and pulled the switch. The arrow wandered a little over the bar, but never ventured into even remotely dangerous areas and finally stopped on 12 mSv.

“Well, that’s a little more than usual but still not much,” Mick concluded. “But we should be careful when advancing into the city. It’s supposed to have suffered a nuclear blast, and radiation will go up the closer we are to the center.”

“You think it will ever reach the limit on the counter?” Tommy asked, anxious.

“Don’t think so.” Mick waved his hand in the air. “But we gotta check it frequently, just in case.”

Nikki, who was silent all this time, finally spoke.

“I mean, it’s nice that y’all are enjoying yourself so much, but can we at least stop pretending that there’s actually radiation? This thing just shows what it’s programmed to show. There ain’t no radiation neither here nor in the city center. Where the hell would they get it from?”

Mick raised his eyes, examining Nikki with his piercing gaze. He wasn’t angry or disappointed – thoughtful, rather.

“Well,” he finally said a few seconds later, “there are two things to this. First – when in Rome, do as Romans do. Second – how do you know the radiation isn’t real?”

“How?” Nikki frowned, surprised by Mick’s answer. Mick’s, who was the most sensible of them all and the least prone to stupid illusions. “Because this ain’t real post-apocalyptic wasteland, and these walls are built out of drywall, the sun is a lamp and the mushrooms are made of rubber!”

“And what is radiation made of?” Mick asked. “No, really, how can you fake radiation well enough to deceive a Geiger counter? Because the counter is very real, we’ve been given those at school”.

“Well, then it’s programmed to show what it shows,” Nikki retorted. “And we can’t actually prove it’s not lying.”

“Nor that it is,” Mick replied. “Of course, this is all just a big game of pretend, Sixx. But it doesn’t matter that everything here is fake. We’re gonna take the counter with us anyway; even if it’s lying, its data will show us what places to avoid, since it’s been programmed, as you’re claiming. It was left here for a reason.”

“I guess,” Nikki sighed, turning away. He didn’t know how to explain that their interest and excitement was a little bit too fake in its genuineness. He knew how quests worked. He has completed them many times. A couple of riddles to solve, a couple of actors dressed as zombies to “kill” with laser guns. The ultimate satisfaction upon reaching the end – and after that, all-encompassing boredom again, again, until the next dose of adrenaline.

And this one is going to be just the same. Should be just the same.

Oh god, please let it be just the same.

“Anyway,” Mick broke the silence first. “I’m putting this thing in my backpack, but we’re gonna take it out regularly to check radiation level. Now, I don’t know what about you, but I’m hungry as hell, and the dishes question still stands.”

“Nikki should do it,” Vince said immediately, receiving an “et tu, Brute” look from Nikki. “Since he’s such a wet blanket.”

“Yep,” Tommy quickly counted the odds and sided with the right people. Nikki shot him a death glance. Tommy smiled sheepishly, but didn’t take his words back.

“Well, then go on, Sixx,” Mick handed him the pot, and Nikki wanted to put it on his friend’s head. With a loud bang. “We’ll sort out the rest of equipment while you’re busy.”

The water from the tap was cold, but seemed clean and only smelt a little of metal. Nikki rinsed the pot and the plates he was handed, not quite thoroughly, but the others were too hungry to notice. Meanwhile, Vince and Tommy dug out of the corner three empty plastic bottles, tastefully rumpled to look old, but nevertheless functional. As hard as they tried, they couldn’t find any cutlery, though. Apparently, desert rogues in a post-apocalyptic landscape were too down-to-earth to eat with spoons.

Soon they were sitting around the potbelly stove watching the water heat up terribly, terribly slowly. Nikki never paid attention to how much time it takes to heat a liter or two of water. This fire was no match to his electric kettle back in his apartment. But that was probably why kettles were made anyway.

“So, what do we have?” Mick spoke again. He didn’t seem to like the role of a leader much, but this quest was like no other – without him, the other three would have probably given up by now. “Three packages of cereals, four packs of crackers, three cans of corn which we’re gonna eat right now, a pack of noodles, the Geiger counter, a flashlight, sleeping bags, a pot and four plates and three water bottles.” He sighed. “And not a single medical item. That’s not much. Drummer, how’s your leg?”

“Hurts,” Tommy said honestly. “But like, more in a dull, pulsating way. I can bear it. I can walk even. I won’t make you wait, I promise.” He was nervous, his eyes darting between the other three, checking their reactions. “Just don’t send me back. This quest is so much fun, I don’t wanna miss it.”

“Okay, okay,” Mick raised his hand in a calming gesture. “Nobody was going to leave you behind anyway, right?” His eyes stopped on Nikki, and a frown was sent his way. Nikki huffed and turned away.

“Thanks, guys,” Tommy said with visible relief. “I took one for the team to find this amazing place, after all.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a hero,” Nikki reassured him distractedly. He was getting cold: he could feel how icy the floor was even through the fabric of the sleeping bag. “D’ya wanna light up the fire a little bit? It’s freezing here.”

“You can try, but I tell you, that won’t be enough,” Mick shook his head. He was sitting hugging himself on the sleeping bag, his feet propped up right against the stove for more warmth. “These boxes don’t burn hot enough. We’re gonna need coal or lighter fluid. Which we don’t have.”

“Sucks,” Vince murmured, for the first time in a while. That was strange – he was usually the most talkative one of the bunch, challenged only by Tommy.

Nikki leaned in to him, examining his face anxiously. Vince looked at him tiredly from under his eyelashes, but didn’t move back. His lips were of sickly bluish color, his fingers grappling the folds of his jacket, fruitlessly squeezing them together, unnaturally white.

“Are you alright?” Nikki whispered to him. Vince jerked his head towards him, a sarcastic retort ready to drop from his lips – but then, a tired sigh replaced it.

“Is that really so noticeable?” he whispered back. “I mean, you guys don’t seem to be bothered by it much. But Nikki, man, I’m gonna turn into an ice statue soon. I can’t feel my toes already.”

“Shit,” Nikki ran his gaze across the room again, hoping to find something, anything that could help. But, apart from the trash in the corners, discovered nothing new.

“Get in the sleeping bag,” he said finally. “At least put your feet in it. And take my jacket. Corn’s gonna be done soon, a nice hot meal will warm you up. And we’ll put together some kind of tea after that-”

“Hey, chill, man,” Vince smiled slightly. Nikki felt the tips of his ears warm up. “I ain’t taking your jacket, I don’t want you to freeze to death. Just… I dunno. My hands are so cold…”

“Here,” Nikki moved so close to him their knees bumped together, gently wrapped his hands over Vince’s wrists and guided his hands under his jacket, where his body warmth collected. They felt like ice chunks even through his t-shirt. Vince sighed with pleasure and closed his eyes. Nikki caught Tommy chuckle quietly and made a scary face towards him. Tommy raised his hands in pretended surrender.

Everything was okay. Everything was going to be okay.

The corn was consumed in tired silence. Thanks to the potbelly stove, the room did warm up slightly after a while, and a meal after a long day of walking made them all drowsy. By the rules, they should have left a guard up, but none of them dared to suggest it, afraid of being the one picked to watch. And what could get them in a basement of a destroyed building in the middle of a desert?

A lot, it turned out later, but that night they slept soundly, still happy in their ignorance.

[lumina-rose]

Tear You Apart

Chapter 2/4

AO3 Link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32168824/chapters/79765408#workskin 

Pairing:

Laszlo x Reader

Summary:

Mere months after the conclusion of the Beecham case, Dr.Kreizler and his associates are asked once again to solve a new series of murders that plague the streets of New York. They are joined by the alienist's new assistant, who's presence soon unravels startling revelations. Not only within the case, but also within the mind of one of their own.

(This story is set between the events of Season 1 and Season 2)

Warnings:

Murder Mystery, Graphic Description of Corpses, slight dark!Laszlo (kinda. Think Will “This is my design” Graham), Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut (MINORS DNI), Minor Violence, Friends to Lovers,Assistant, Boss/Employee Relationship,Tension, Sexual Tension, Mutual Pining.

(More Future Warnings TBD)

Notes:

Chapter 2: Love & Hate

It had been a full day since your strange interaction with Dr. Kreizler.

After waiting to for him to gather everyone involved with the investigation, you were troubled when no call came. Part of you worried that it was due to your disturbing experience, but you fought back your anxieties with logic. Even if something had happened between the two of you, Laszlo would never let it interfere with the case. Still, that did not stop you from worrying about the alienist. Your mind constantly returning to that moment.

His tired appearance, caused by countless hours of work and stress, which were aided by sleepless nights theorizing the motives and background of the murderer that haunted New York. The vacant trace-like state that overtook him, as though his actions were being controlled by something else. Someone else. The warm feeling of his palm against your skin, a feeling that would have been calming and welcome, had it not been placed around your throat. Yet, the firm but gentle hold had thrilled you- excited you. But it also frightened you. And even now, you debated your mixed, complex emotions. There was fear, yes, but excitement too. Or was there both? Or were they the same? What was the difference between the two?

You had felt like this before, in fleeting moments and never quite as strong. You had felt it with small admirers from your past, though nothing ever came from these interactions. You had felt it when you first began your work at the Kreizler Institute, upon seeing the care taken to provide the city's troubled youth with a sanctuary, free from the pressures of society. And recently, in small moments with Dr. Kreizler, himself, after working by his side tirelessly. On your trips to the Opera, when you both would be given a chance to simply talk- not about work or the mentally ill- just genuine conversations, discussing your hobbies, interests, and hopes for the future. One particular moment had stuck out to you, thinking back. It had been late, and you had joined Kreizler back at his home after a long day of work. You shared a drink together, when he finally asked you what you hoped to gain from learning from him.

Usually when men asked about what you wanted to do as a working woman, they were against the notion that you wished to become an alienist, believing that a woman could never become a doctor despite the fact that there were a rare few that already were. Indeed, even with the likes of Marcus, Lucius, and John Moore there was apprehension. With Dr. Kreizler, however, he never tried to persuade you otherwise and spoke only with respect and encouragement in regards to your dream. Ever since that moment, you had harbored affection for the alienist, though you would never act on it. If not for the sake of your own feelings, then for Laszlo's reputation.

"Ms. (L/n)?"

Your mind found its way back to the present, returning you to your surroundings. You stood in the small apartment that had become your home, a space you had rented out from a Mr. Louis Arnett. He was an older man who had been left a widower, and remained unmarried to this day. While he was a bit older than yourself, perhaps eleven years your senior, it wasn't impossible to imagine the possibility of him remarrying. It often made you wonder if his lack of interest in remarriage was due to his age or grief. Due to the sudden passing of his late wife, he had moved to a new house in the city, but offered for you to live in his previous residence, as long as you kept paying your bill on time. Since the Kreizler Institute was more generous in terms of wages, that had never been an issue for you. Still, sometimes the older landlord would come by to check on the space, often taking time to sit and chat with you despite your insistence that it wasn't necessary.

"I must apologize, Mr. Arnett." You sighed, giving a small smile that didn't quite reach your eyes. "I'm afraid my mind is elsewhere as of late."

The older gentleman sat at a small table in the center of the room, drinking from a cup. He wore his typical suit, all black- save for one pin attached to his tie. A lily was depicted on the small item, as a tribute to his late wife. You eyed the item warily now, only being reminded of the bloodied bouquets.

He gave an understanding look. "As I can imagine. Nasty business. I must say, I'm rather concerned about that alienist you say you work for....Kreshner, was it? Letting a lady such as yourself work well into the night, with all these horrible attacks going on."

"Kreizler. Doctor Kriezler." You corrected. Another burning heat flashed through you, upon Arnett's mentioning of your employer, wrapping around the collar of your dress jacket. "As for myself, I am capable of finding my way home safely."

"Of that, I am certain. I do hope the man doesn't keep you there too late." Arnett relented, chuckling slightly at your reaction.

You turned to the landlord, scoffing.

"I assure you, if Dr. Kreizler had it his way, I'd be back well before the sun had begun to set. If anything, it's at my insistence that I spent so much time at the Institute."

"Is that so?"

You were used to speaking casually with the older gentleman, during such visits, but your comment seemed to intrigue the man. Perhaps you should be a bit more careful with your words. You stiffened slightly, rushing to correct your mistake.

"With the attack of those four women, I believe we should be using what time we have to catch the person responsible. My beauty sleep can wait, for now."

The man nodded, thinking for a moment, before standing to come closer to my side. Holding a hand out, he gave a quick goodbye. "Very well, Ms. (L/n). I suppose I shouldn't keep you. Though, I do wish you would take care of yourself."

"I thank you for your concern, Mr. Arnett." You nodded. "I should be heading to the Institute soon, anyways. Perhaps I can walk you down?"

"You are too kind, my dear."

You brushed off the endearment, convincing yourself it was merely a phrase he used often, and went to join the man in his exit. Once outside, the sounds and smells of the street hit you, reminding you that even with a killer on the loose, nothing could stop the momentum of New York. You escorted Mr. Arnett on the sidewalk, waiting as he attempted to hail a cab. After a few long minutes of idle conversation, a small carriage approached, stopping before the two of you. You gave a quick goodbye to the landlord, beginning to rush him away, as you grew more concerned with the time. Finally, once the cab was out of sight, you let out a heavy sigh.

It wasn't that the man's company was unpleasant. In fact, you were grateful to find a landlord in the city who was so welcoming and reasonable with rent prices, there was just something about Mr. Arnett that seemed odd. It was as though he sought to interject himself into a person's life, whether or not it was welcomed. Though you were now used to the man's occasional visits, it had been a bit unsettling at first. From what you'd heard before moving here, most people in the city didn't bat an eye when it came to the lives of strangers. Then again, he was a widower, offering up what used to be his home to anyone who would be willing to pay. Maybe having a woman in the house reminded him of happier times?

Now on your own, your mind was drawn back to Dr. Kreizler and the investigation that had taken over your current daily life. You had been a bit untruthful in your conversation with Mr. Arnett earlier, in saying that you needed to return to the Kriezler Institute for the day. In fact, you had been given the day off in advance by the alienist, for what he called a "well deserved break". Nevermind the fact that he had ignored you when you suggested he do the same. Looking back on it now, you wished he had taken your advice. These murders were clearly effecting him, if yesterday was any indication.

The walk to the Institute had been short, given that you only lived a few city blocks away. Even from the sidewalk outside, you could hear the cheers and laughter of the children inside, followed quickly by the voice of one of the matrons. You smiled lightly, knowing that at least the patients of the Institute seemed happy, despite the dark times the city was currently facing. It reminded you why your efforts in the investigation were so important. You faced the ugliest parts of life, so that they wouldn't have to.

When you entered the front doors of the Institute, you were relieved to see that no one appeared to be in the halls. While you usually enjoyed the company of the children, you didn't want to be pulled away from your current goal of finding Dr. Kreizler. You made your way towards the alienist's study, knowing you might find him there. After the fourth victim had been found, there was no doubt in your mind that he had once again stayed up all night, trying to go over every detail of the murder.

You found the door to the doctor's study left ajar, a sight that unsettled you. You crept inside, calling out softly for the doctor, before stepping in fully. After receiving no response, you glanced around. The walls of bookshelves towered over you, but you noticed spaces were there were empty slots where certain books were meant to be, no doubt to help create the ever-growing mountain on the main center table. Papers and pages were scattered about, messily, along with notes and photos from the murder victims. A chalk board had been placed inside the study, and had stayed there ever since the new case began. Countless questions were written, some organized to certain corners, while others were placed haphazardly.

Sleep fascination? Somnophilia?

Meaning of Flowers? Personal or Symbolic?

Physical Strength- perhaps a labor worker or military background?

Love and Hate?

Your eyes landed on the last question, drawing you back to your last discussion with Sara. Only now it seemed the question wasn't love or hate, rather love and hate. Much like your fear and excitement, it seemed Dr. Kreizler was starting to blur the two. In your distraction, you had failed to notice the door to the side laboratory open, where Laszlo emerged from, followed closely by a young girl.

"Ms. (L/n)?"

The gentle questioning tone in words were countered only by the rough, scratchiness in his voice. Turning quickly, you gave the doctor a startled stare. The circles under his eyes were darker, confirming your suspicions, but you were pleased to see that he had taken the time to clean up his appearance overnight.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Kreizler, I had called for you but you never answered." You explained.

"It's quite alright, I was just talking with Loretta." He gave a small smile to the girl, who clung to his good hand. When his eyes came back to you, a small jolt went through you. "I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Never."

The man quickly told the young girl to go join the other children outside, earning a silent nod and goodbye from her. As she rushed out, her hair bounced behind her, as she eagerly went to find her friends. You couldn't help but grin. Loretta was one of the more troubled youths. After an incident with a wild dog as a small child, she had been left with an intense fear of all animals. That fear later formed into troubling habits of torturing and hurting any creature she came across. Even going as far as to set fire to a neighboring cat's tail. You never would expect such a sweet smile to hide such violent tendencies.

"How did she react to the monkey?" You asked, curiously, looking back at Laszlo.

"She's improved, but is still afraid of them unless someone shows that they're friendly. It may be a while until she can deal with animals on her own." He nodded, mostly to himself, as if making a mental note. He stayed in his spot, by the door, as he continued. "I wasn't expecting you, I'm afraid. I believe I told you that you could have the day off."

"You did."

"And yet, you are here."

Still, he remained in place, as if he wanted to be near an exit at all times. You paused for a moment, stepping back towards the chalk board.

"I wanted to discuss something with you, but if you are otherwise occupied, I can wait." You said.

He stepped closer now, but still a good distance away. For some reason, that fact irked you. "Then you caught me at just the right moment. Tell me, what's troubling you?"

Ah, avoidance.

You didn't miss the fake curiosity in his tone, as he vaguely asked you what was on your mind. It was a test, and you both knew it. Would you mention his strange behavior? Did you dare? Did you want to? Did he want you to, or was this simply an attempt to forget the action, altogether?

You bit the inside of your cheek, biting back a frown. Two could play these games. "I wanted to share a thought I had about the case."

Instantly, Kreizler approached the table, overlooking the piles of read and unread books, in order to watch your expression, gauge your behavior. His expression became serious. "Go on?"

"I was thinking about why the killer used chloroform on his victims, despite failing to render them unconscious." You answered, your eyes meeting his. "I thought about the possibility that perhaps putting them to sleep wasn't his goal, nor was it to be used as a painkiller. As you pointed out, if reducing pain was it's purpose then he wouldn't resort to strangling the women. So then what if his goal was merely to disorient them, to make them unable to fight back? Perhaps the combination of panic and the effects of the drug caused them to go into shock? If that were his goal, then that would explain why he continues to use it."

The alienist pondered this for a moment. "He’s created an obsession with his true target, creating a delusion and using his victims as substitutes for her. If this is true, then perhaps the use of chloroform was simply a desperate attempt to keep them from fighting, from breaking the illusion he's created in his mind."

"That would also explain why he would then turn to using violence against them when they struggled." You nodded. "I suspect our latest victim fought a bit harder than the others, due to the stronger markings on her."

"It also supports the killer’s effort to cover up the wounds of the struggle. It would suggest that the victims didn’t want it to happen, when his delusion depends on their submission to him." Laszlo added, looking over the photographs. "He's become obsessed his target, taking pleasure from the idea that they will accept him, and escalating to violence when he's denied that pleasure."

He moved with a strong purpose, over to the chalk board, writing down a new series of thoughts and questions. There was a serious focus in his gaze, contradicted by a light glint in his brown eyes. You focused on his hand, as he quickly scratched the white chalk against the board's surface, following its path until he was done. The doctor stepped back, his chest heaving up and down slightly. A slight, satisfied smirk on his face.

"How did you come to this conclusion?" He asked, curiously, sighing.

A burning blush had reached your face, and your heart raced at the fact that your theory had brought some level of joy to the man. Blinking, you looked away, slightly embarrassed by your reaction. "I had an idea back at the morgue, before you..."

...before you grabbed my throat. You had trailed off, not wishing to speak the words aloud. Still, It seemed your message got through to Laszlo.

Now his eyes turned away, looking to the ground, as a rosy color reached the apples of his cheeks. There was a mixture of emotions in his expression, ones you could see he was fighting to hold back. Shame, embarrassment, regret, and something more. He no longer stood far away from you, as he had been just a moment before, yet you could tell he wanted nothing more than to be closer to the exit of the room.

“I must apologize, it was improper on my part and disrespectful to your boundaries." A hand went through his hair, a nervous reaction. "I fear I’m not sure what came over me.”

He didn't seem capable of looking at you, and you found yourself desperate to see his eyes. Taking a small step towards him, his head slowly turned to you. You gave him a reassuring smile.

"This case has been disturbing for all of us, Doctor, I won't blame you for being effected by it. Trying to understand the thoughts of the person responsible for these acts has proven to me that there is darkness in all of us... and that it's hard not to be consumed by it." You said, hoping to sound understanding.

You now stood only a couple feet away. His eyes met yours, as his expression gave way to something softer. "I’m not sure how I could make it up to you, after frightening you in such a way. If I still...”

Now you understood. There was the slightest tremor in his voice, but it was there. He was afraid. Afraid of his actions, afraid of how you'd react, afraid that you were scared of him now.

"I don't fear you, Laszlo." You admitted, softly. "I fear for you. If you truly wish to make it up to me, then allow yourself a break, if only for a day."

"I.." He shook his head, stubbornly, and glanced back to the photographs. "I can't-"

"-you will do no good if you work yourself to death before we even find a suspect." You countered, standing your ground. "Perhaps time away would clear your head. Please, Laszlo."

You bit you lip, as you prayed your heart would stop racing. You knew that Kreizler could be stubborn, often not listening to reason once he'd made up his mind. He paused, debating whether or not to listen to your advice. The ghost of a smile flickered over his face, before disappearing just as quickly as it came.

"How long has it been since we last went to the opera?"

You stared, unable to process his question for moment, as you focused solely on the word: “We”. After your initial shock, you cleared you throat. "I..I believe a month, perhaps?"

In truth, you weren't sure. After your investigation began, days and nights began to blur. You knew it had been more than a couple of weeks, at the least. Kreizler chuckled, softly.

"Well, then we must remedy that, shouldn't we?"

You weren't sure why you were so nervous. Going to the opera with Laszlo wasn't a first for you, so why did it feel so different this time?

You stared at yourself in the mirror, after changing into yet another dress for the outing. Perhaps it was because you felt surprised that Laszlo had asked you to join him, after the events of the day before. Or maybe it was because you couldn't get his actions out of your head, constantly thinking back to the feeling of his hand on you. You had been understanding that his action wasn't completely his own in that moment, but had that changed anything between you? Had he thought back to that moment, as you had?

Surely not, since you were about to accompany the alienist for the night. Then again, when you had insisted that he took a break, you didn't think he'd want to spend it with you, and yet here you were: stressing over what you should wear to the engagement. You wondered if you were just making a big deal out of nothing. He had said he wanted to make it up to you, and perhaps this was a compromise he'd found acceptable, allowing you both to have a night without worry or stress.

"Foolish." You sighed at your reflection, and the obvious blush that overtook your features, making it clear that it was not simply makeup that gave your cheeks a darkened color. "Absolutely foolish."

It wasn't often that you wore your formal attire, nor did you have an entire day to prepare for the night ahead. The payoff was that you looked far better than usual, a small comfort for your nerves. Was this too much? The question was now an echo in the seemingly endless cave that made up your mind. You shook your head, turning away from the mirror, once again cursing yourself for thinking in such a manner. Regardless, it was far too late now to worry about these little details, as the clock in your home rang out, signalling the time. You'd have to leave soon in order to make it to the theater at a reasonable time.

Every so often, as you began to gather you things for the night, your mind returned back to the investigation. You'd scold yourself. Tonight was a break, you didn't need to think about the horrors you'd seen. Laszlo needed this. Lord knows you needed this. Despite your nervousness, tonight was just a fun outing with a dear friend. And you intended to enjoy it, while you still had the chance.

A knock at your door startled you, as you prepared to leave for the evening. A shadow danced under the crack at the bottom of your door, signalling that there was indeed someone there, and not just your ears plating tricks on you. Cautiously, you reached for the knob. Was someone meant to visit today? No, you wouldn't have forgotten if Sara or the Isaacson twins were meant to come by.

When you opened the door, a man stood there, smiling down at you.

"Oh, hello Cyrus!" You greeted, sighing in relief.

The tall man gave you a nod, a smile playing out over his features. "Ms. (L/n)."

"Why..I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you, has.. Has something happened?"

Your heart and mind raced together. Had Laszlo changed his mind? No, he wouldn't be so rude as to cancel your plans last minute. Unless there was something important. Had another body been found?

Cyrus chuckled, shaking his head. "No, nothing of the sort. Dr. Kreizler just asked if Stevie and I could take you to the opera."

"Oh." It's all you could say, as you fought back another flush from your face.

"You look lovely tonight, Ms. (L/n)." Cyrus said, comfortingly, before turning his head back to the street. 

There, Laszlo's young ward, Stevie, sat at the driver's seat of the carriage, clearly itching to leave, so that he might race through the streets. You smiled, unable to hold back your joy.

"Thank you, Cyrus."

You had already gathered your belongings for the evening, not that there was really much you could bring, only a small bag attached to your wrist. You stepped out of your home, pausing only to lock the door behind you. You hurried down the front steps to the sidewalk, where you were promptly let into the empty carriage. Once inside and settled, you beamed, unable to contain yourself. You reasoned that your unexpected escort was probably due to concerns for your safety at this time of night, and nothing more. Still, a certain lightness in your chest emerged, bubbling up inside you, causing you to beam as you looked out the side window. 

You heard Stevie cheer out, and suddenly the vehicle pulled forwards. After a moment, you felt the wheel hit a large bump. You laughed after a second of surprise. Maybe your ride wouldn't be as calm as Doctor Kreizler had expected, but you couldn't find it within you to care.

When you finally made it to the theater, you had arrived a bit earlier than you expected. Not that you should be surprised, given how Stevie raced you through the city. On the carriage had stopped, Cyrus opened the door and bid you farewell. You watched the boy-driven carriage disappear into the night, before turning to face the opera house. The building was a towering structure, with large marble beams that made up the entrance. The warm, yellow light from the inside called to you, ushering you to join the fun. Given that Cyrus hadn't told you when Laszlo would arrive, you assumed he was waiting there for you. Picking up the skirt of your dress, you began your climb up the stairs, a slight urgency in your step.

You had found him a few minutes later, standing by the large stair case that lead to the upper level seats of the theater. Before he had seen you, you took a moment to admire his form. You had seen him in his formal suit before, a simple black suit with a white bow tie, but you always had to stop and admire the expensive outfit. He also had his cane with him, the one with the bird handle that you had once said you liked before. The one detail you thought was odd was the fact that he held the item with his right hand, as opposed to his left. Due to the weakness in the arm, he usually kept it close to his side in order to keep from hurting himself. It was only until he pulled a pocket watch from his vest with his dominant arm that you understood the change.

You walked towards him, until your approaching figure finally drew his attention. With a shy smile, she greeted the man. "I hope I'm not too late."

He shook his head, giving you a warm look. "Right on time."

He seemed rested now, compared to earlier, no longer wearing the dark circles that had plagued him for the last couple of days. You felt happy, knowing that he must have taken a break from the day as well.

"I apologize for sending Cyrus and Stevie to you without warning, I thought it'd be best if you didn't travel alone." He explained, before quickly looking over you. "You look beautiful tonight, (Y/n)."

"Thank you, Laszlo." You replied, blushing, while clasping your hands together nervously. "Though, you didn't have to go through all the trouble."

"It was no trouble at all. Stevie, in particular, seemed more than willing."

When the crowd of people began to move into the auditorium, you joined Laszlo as he led you up the stairs, towards the direction of the private box seats. You were a bit surprised to see this, given that he had gotten the tickets on such short notice. As you entered the box, you each took a seat next to each other, with you seated in your usual spot on his left. The opera you were watching was Aida, a story about an Ethiopian princess of the same name who was held captive in Egypt, and fell in love with an Egyptian general, Radames, and he with her, despite being promised to the Egyptian princess. As the show began, Laszlo quickly explained to you that the opera had been made by Antonio Ghislanzoni and Giuseppe Verdi, and had premiered December 24th, 1871. You chuckled, mostly to yourself, as you knew he'd be listing off little facts like this throughout the night.

As the show went on, you slowly realized a running theme in the show, in relating to it's star characters. Love & Hate. You found it a bit ironic, given the circumstances. In the first act, Aida, the main character, loves her country deeply but has hate for the Egyptians who have taken her and her people captive. Including Radames, as he continues to fight against her country. Time passes in the story, and the two begin to fall for one another. You were impressed with how the performer playing Aida was able to portray the conflicting emotions of the character- with her love for her country and her love for Radames, as she begins to fall for the Egyptian general. 

One of the reasons that made Laszlo's company so enjoyable was his ability to talk during a show, without taking away or distracting you from the experience. Often times, he'd speak quietly, leaning slightly for you to hear him over the music. He'd go on to tell you the historical origins that the opera was based on, and you had a feeling he had studied the opera before coming here. It seemed nearly impossible for him to know so much, if that were not the case. However, once the music began and each new song was sung, Laszlo's words would fall silent as all his focus was placed on the stage. Occasionally, his hand would twitch in the edge of you vision, pulling away your focus to the watch as his fingers shot up and down in the air, as though he were trying to play something.

Act Two played out similarly to the first, but showed how Radames fights with his own loyalties. By the end, the Egyptian general asked for the Pharaoh to release Aida and her people, but the Pharaoh would only accept if the general agrees to marry his daughter. Once the woman on stage stopped singing, the curtains closed and lights flickered back on. Already, some of the crowd had begun to leave the auditorium, in order to socialize with the other members of New York's society.

The two of you join them, going out into the crowded halls and lobby in order to celebrate your evening. Drinking champagne, you exclaimed your love for the story so far, as well as the performer's work. Laszlo agreed, complimenting the orchestra as well, before listening to your thoughts on the characters, occasionally interjecting how it's history was exaggerated for the sake of entertainment. Truly, you felt content in this moment, sharing your same passions with the alienist, while being able to give each other new thoughts and opinions. 

You were both finishing up your drinks, when your name had been called from some far off part of the room. Turning, you were shocked to see none other than Louis Arnett for the second time today. The man came over to you, dressed to the nines.

"Mr. Arnett, what a surprise to see you." You greeted, politely. "I thought I recalled you saying you weren't fond of the opera?"

"I've been known to come on the rare occasion." He replied. "It's a pleasure to see you, my dear. Lovely, as always. I also seem to recall the fact that I said you could call me Louis."

Kindly, you shook your head in denial. "I apologize, Mr. Arnett, but I highly doubt that'd be appropriate."

Before, you may have brushed off the endearments, but now they were beginning to irritate you. Especially with Laszlo present. Turning your head, you looked at Laszlo, who's warm smile had returned to his usual subdued expression.

"Mr. Arnett, I must introduce you to Dr. Kreizler!" You said, steering the conversation away from you. Laszlo gave you a confused expression, before you quickly explained: "Mr. Arnett was kind enough to open his home to me for such a low price, when I first moved here. He'll stop by on occasion."

Laszlo smiled, giving Arnett a nod, before placing his cane back into his right hand. With his left, he shook your landlord's hand, introducing himself.

"Ah, the alienist." Arnett hummed. "Tell me, Kreizler, do you always take your assistants with you to the opera? One might think you're trying to keep (Y/n) all to yourself!"

"Mr. Arnett, please." You hissed out, appalled.

Arnett chuckled, but you found nothing about his words humorous. Not only were they rude, given the circumstance, but the implication alone was entirely inappropriate. You also despised how he had spoken as if you weren't right there in front of him. Laszlo was clearly uncomfortable with the man's words, but tried his best to hide it.

The alienist merely sighed. "While it's true, Ms. (L/n) does work with me, It's been a pleasure to enjoy her company. Though she does assist me with my work at the Institute, I'm honored to consider her a close colleague and friend."

The last word was barely more than a small whisper, yet Arnett seemed to catch it. The older man nodded in understanding, before looking to you.

"I understand entirely. I don't blame you for wanting to spend more time with her, especially way from those horrible murders."

You blushed, stiffening slightly at the mentioned case. "Mr. Arnett, I'm afraid the purpose of our outing was to get away from the investigation. I'd highly appreciate it if we could enjoy our night in peace."

"Ah," He cleared his throat, embarrassed at your reaction. His hand went up to smooth out his tie, his thumb brushing over the lily pin. "I apologize. Of course you wouldn't wish to speak of it here. " Something in the distance seemed to catch the older man's eye, drawing his attention. "If you'll excuse me, I must be going."

You found yourself stunned at his erratic behavior, as he moved away back into the crowd. Once out of earshot, you let out a heavy sigh, turning to Laszlo with an apologetic look.

"I must apologize for Mr. Arnett. He has a tendency to overstep in conversations. I hope he didn't offend you too greatly."

Kreizler's brown eyes had followed Arnett, before finally looking back to you. While his smile hadn't returned, the warm look he gave you had. "John has, on occasion, accused me of doing the same. I suppose its only right that I should have to experience the same hardships I deal to others."

With that, the crowd was then directed back into the auditorium, as intermission drew to a close. To your surprise, Laszlo had offered you his arm, as you both returned to the private section. As the curtains rose and the next act began, you found yourself thinking about Mr. Arnett's strange behavior and how he'd spoken with Laszlo. You could understand if the man didn't like the alienist, given that Dr. Kreizler didn't have the best reputation among most of New York. Still, you weren't prepared for how casually he had disrespected him and spoke about you as though you were merely there to entertain them. Your chest felt warm, as you recalled how kindly Laszlo had spoken about you, complimenting your company. However, the way his voice has weakened upon calling you a friend had stirred all your anxieties back to the surface.

As the first song began, you looked to Laszlo, admiring him as he watched the show. Did he truly see you as a friend? Or was his hesitation an indicator of something more?

The third act began, with the story immediately picking up where it left off. Aida and her lover, Radames, perform in a song, where the characters are lamenting their forbidden and doomed romance. Once the song ends, Aida then began to plead with the gods, praying that they take pity on her people and the two lovers. In such dark times, as the one you live in now, you felt as though you would've done the same, had you believed in such a God. 

With the song at an end, you had expected Laszlo to then make another small comment about the show. However, when his gaze remained focused on the stage, you found yourself a little disappointed. It wasn't until you felt a warm brush against your hand, that your attention switched. It was brief, just for a moment, but Laszlo's left hand had touched yours, yet his eyes remained in place. Somehow, it seemed as though he hadn't noticed. Or if he had, he didn't mind. You blinked, clearing your throat silently, before looking back to the stage. The next song began, and followed the story with interest, wondering what would come of the two main characters, and the enslaved people of Ethiopia. 

Once again, you felt his hand against your own. There was no doubt now. Without moving you head, your eyes went back to his hand, a finger draped over your own. Slowly, you moved your hand into his, your palm covering over his own. Your heart raced, and the room felt significantly warmer. You began to doubt yourself, cursing whatever god there was for your foolish actions. But it all stopped, as his fingers wrapped into your own. You felt your breath hitch, but fell into a comfortable silence, watching the opera with a racing heart. As the song came to an end, you weren't sure if you welcomed it's conclusion or mourned it.

Laszlo turned, facing you. Even with the dim lights of the theater, you could make out the pink color of his cheeks and neck, as he continued to stare at you. His eyes held the same intensity as the day before, but that vacant expression was gone, replaced with something much softer. A binding energy trapped you in place, unable to look away. Even as the music began, signalling the next song, the doctor did not break his stare. Instead, his gaze slowly traced over you, a soft caress.

It wasn't until the music softened, transitioning from a loud crescendo to a soft steady melody, that you heard him whisper your name, as if asking something. You responded with his own.

You didn’t know who let go of the other’s hand, but it didn’t matter. Kreizler’s hand slowly reached up to you, the back of his fingers brushing over your cheek, as he pushed back a small section of your hair behind your ear, before finding it's destination against your jaw. He was hesitant to lean into you, not wishing to overstep your boundaries. It until you matched his actions, did the space between you disappear.

It was a small, innocent kiss. Even as you broke away, you felt the soft gentle buzzing on your lips. Your noses brushing, you looked up at him, staring into those brown eyes you've grown to love. You only broke the stare to lean in again, chasing the feeling of his lips on your own once more. You hardly cared where you were at the moment, as you lifted a hand to place over his own. You kissed him gently, not wanting to ruin this moment, as you lightly parted your lips for him. The hand on your jaw fell, finding it's place back against your neck, making you gasp. He seemed to grow more bold, matching your desperate enthusiasm. His fingers then dug down, not harshly but just enough to add pressure. The sensation was enough to send a sudden jolt of heat through you, making a small instinctive whine fall from you.

Suddenly, he broke away from you, a strange glint in his eye. As you caught your breath, you couldn't quite tell if his expression was one of excitement or fear. Before you could even ask what was wrong, the doctor got up from his seat, moving to leave the small theater box, not even stopping to take his walking cane. The light happiness in your chest died as quickly as it was born, and all that was left was the sinking feeling of fear and confusion. You then followed, doing the same, as the same nagging question played over in your mind. Had you done something wrong?

Tears threatened to form, but you fought to keep them down. At least until you had an explanation for Laszlo's actions. You found him just outside, in the empty halls of the theater. As you approached, he looked back at you, a troubled expression on his face. Your heart broke at the sight.

"Laszlo, I.. If I've done something wrong I sincerely apologize. I.. I'm sorry-"

Cutting me off, his head shot up, as if stunned. "You've done nothing of the sort!"

"Then why are you troubled?" You stepped forwards, searching for answer. "If I am not at fault, then you must tell me what it is I have done that has made you react in such a way."

"I just...I don't wish to see you get hurt. By being close to me." Laszlo looked conflicted, pausing as he tried to form his thoughts. His eyes looked to the ground, as he sighed. "By me."

The phantom hold on your neck returned, as you noticed the look of fear in his eyes. This man, who has trouble follow him wherever he goes, seemed haunted by something. You bit your lip.

"I've already forgiven you for you previous actions, as I know they were not entirely your own in that moment." You took a deep breath in order to keep your voice from failing you. "And even if they were, I trust you enough to know that you'd never hurt me, Laszlo."

"And if I wanted to?" He spat it out, quickly. Though the words didn't seem directed towards you, rather.. himself.

You blinked, a blush rushing to your face once more, as you were taken aback. Gathering yourself, you reached for his hand once more, silently. Lifting it gently, you gave a soft squeeze, a comforting gesture. His eyes met your own again.

"I'll trust you even then." You replied, feeling genuine in your response.

His lips parted slightly, his eyes widening as he looked down at you. He squeezed you hand, holding it in a grasp that was almost tight. A warning. Yet you stayed right there, watching as his eyes fell to your lips.

He pulled you forward, against him, as his lips met your own again. Unlike before, this wasn't so sweet and gentle as it had once been. No, now that underlying desperation, that need, broke to the surface as his teeth pulled on the soft subtle skin on your mouth, almost forcing you to open your lips for him, hadn't you not already been willing to. His weaker right arm found a place against your waist, as his left found the back of your neck, a strong hold keeping you there.

You gasped in surprise at the sudden forwardness of the typically reserved man. Your hands fell against his suit, finding a hold on the vest beneath his suit jacket. One of your hand slowly traced a path, running against the hairs behind his ear, as you gently pulled against them. The action sent a groan from Laszlo's throat, an unfamiliar experience for you, as you felt his voice against your skin. And Oh, how you craved more, smiling at how you had earned such a reaction. In response, you felt a quick nip at your bottom lip, a small jolt of pain coming from it, before his tongue ran along the same area. At the same time, the hand around your neck squeezed down. A thrilling chill passed through your entire being, finding it's destination just below your stomach. His lips changed direction, trailing a path from your lips to your jawline. You moaned, quietly, just enough for the alienist to hear.

"Laszlo."

Lust wasn't a look you were a stranger to, but seeing it overtake every aspect of Laszlo's appearance as he looked down at you definitely was. And you had no doubts that you looked the same. He pulled away from his advances, hesitating for a moment, blinking away the haze in his eyes. You leaned up, pressing a kiss against his cheek, as his left hand came down to your waist. As you silently stared at each other, you heard the volume of the opera's music return, reminding you of your surroundings. As much as you wished to continue, you knew you couldn't. Fortunately, it seemed Laszlo had come to the same conclusion, leaning back as he smiled again.

"It would be best if we return, before we are found in such a state..." He sighed, almost sadly.

He was right of course. If anyone had gone out into the halls at that moment, the mere sight of your disheveled states would be enough to cause a scandal, something neither of you wanted for the other. You looked away, nodding in agreement as you blushed, bashfully. As if you hadn't just clung to him, wishing that he'd continue. You returned to your seats, the two of you smooth out your clothes, erasing as much evidence to your actions as you could. Once you returned, Laszlo once again placed his hand against yours, drawing gentle circles against the back of your hand throughout the rest of the show. Permanent smile crept to your face.

The opera ended, with Aida and Radames dying in each other's arms. A tragic love story, doomed to fail from the start. But then again, did it truly fail? After all, Aida's people had escaped captivity and she had found her last moments with the man she loved. Perhaps if you hadn't missed part of the story you would've come to a suitable answer. You didn't regret missing it though, finding comfort in a far more enjoyable feeling in whatever it was that was between you and the alienist by your side.

You left the theater, with your arm wrapped around his own, sharing electric glances and soft touches. Once outside, you saw the familiar faces of Stevie and Cyrus, who apparently had been waiting to escort you back. Laszlo lead you to the carriage, opening the door for you. He took your hand, helping you step into the vehicle, before quickly joining you inside. Once settled, you met his gaze once more.

He smiled, warmly. "I hope you enjoyed yourself tonight. John has told me that the opera can be rather dull, at times.."

You blinked, bewildered. Surely, he was joking. You couldn't help but laugh, as you gave him a strange stare. "You're the alienist, Dr. Kreizler. What would you believe?"

Laszlo chuckled in response, taking your joke as a good sign. Lifting his cane, he tapped the roof of the carriage twice, signalling Stevie to start our journey. Your ride home had been much calmer than earlier, and you enjoyed the comfortable silence that fell over the two of you. However, as you neared your home, you sensed that Laszlo had something to say. 

"I'm sorry if my reaction startled you, that hadn't been my intention. The troubled minds of other have always been something that intrigued me, yet when faced with it myself, I find myself at a loss." He said quietly. "I meant it when I said you could get hurt, being close to me. Someone I held dear was taken from me, and I still fear that the same fate may reach you, the way it did her..."

He spoke as though a ghost hovered over his shoulder, a new level of vulnerability you'd never seen before. You realized that perhaps this is what John meant when he said Laszlo had been hurt the most by the last investigation. 

"I understand," You looked up, reading his expression as you spoke. "But you shouldn't blame yourself for the past. If you truly cared for her and could have changed whatever happened, I know you would have. You cannot punish yourself for something you could not control. If you worry for me, for whatever may come, I know you will work to keep the same from happening."

Laszlo stared at you, a sad smile playing over his face, as he mulled over your words. Once more the silence fell over you. It was only a few minutes more, when you reached your home.

As you glanced out the window, you paused. "Thank you, Laszlo. I had a lovely time, enjoying your company."

"Perhaps we should go to the opera again?" He suggested, hopeful.

"I.." You blushed for what felt like the hundredth time at this point. "I didn't wish to assume."

"Never, kedvesem." He replied, speaking a Hungarian word you hadn't learned yet. But it didn't take much to know that it was an endearment of some sort. "Though, perhaps we should save Delmonico's for the next trip to the opera."

You heart leapt at the notion, sending a rush through you. You gave your farewell, before stepping out of the carriage. Quickly, you did the same for Stevie and Cyrus, once again thanking them for their services for the night. As you watched the carriage disappear into the night, you felt as though you could die from happiness. Stepping into your home, the door being left unlocked, you gave a sigh of relief. The night had been a success and so much more.

You dragged yourself into your private room, tired after the long night.

 And in your distracted state, you hardly noticed the small bouquet of roses on your pillow.

[canonconspiracy]

The Millennium Rose (Teaser)

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters

Fanfiction By: @rmorningstar21​

Pairing: Yami Yugi/Atem x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Minor violence, loneliness (?), nothing gets more violent than the series itself - Rated T.

Posted on AO3 (rmorningstar21) as The Millenium Rose; Posted on Wattpad (rmorningstar21) as The Cursed Millennium Rose, and The Struggling Millennium Rose - Third book for Wattpad coming soon as “The Rejuvenated Millennium Rose”. 

AN: Okay, so I will be the first to admit that my The Millennium Rose series is an older series of mine - one of the first chapter stories I truly got invested in.  It’s been on hiatus for quite some time, but that hiatus will be coming to an end soon. For those of you who haven’t stumbled upon this on either platform, I wanted to share a little teaser (first chapter) of my series.  This follows from Season 1 onwards..  Reader and Atem are married before Pharaoh Atem is sealed in the Millennium Puzzle. I was going to end this one after the Battle City Finals, but due to popular request, posting will begin after my current commission chapter story is up.  I typically age up, but was started prior to doing so.  Due to the rating, I haven’t changed that.  Wanted to keep it accessible for all readers.

A chill crawled up your spine, stinging with each centimeter it moved, grasping your hands tightly to your arms to attempt to shield yourself.  Though you were not sure exactly what you were shielding yourself from, albeit the pain or the darkness that was engulfing your body. As you felt the darkness falling hard upon you, like a weighted blanket that you could not hold, a faint light laid on the floor, illuminating each twisting maze as you stepped.  Each time you walked further through the maze, you could feel the pain increasing, beginning to make your steps more and more tedious. You attempted to call out, to call for his name in the dark, with no avail. Your mouth opened, but as the air escaped your lungs, your voice did not ring. It was almost like choking - the pain that strode into your lungs from your throat - but you could not utter a single word.

Hours passed as you circled the maze, walking in each and every stone cold direction, the pain of the chills slowly seething your skin.  Your surroundings were blackness, and yet you seemed to walk in a labyrinth, swearing that you had turned this way prior, been in each and every spot before, again and again.  Inaudible cries of pain burned in your throat as you continued to walk on, your legs growing tired, lungs constricting. Hopelessness swelled in your chest as you continued on and on, silent tears beginning to fall from your tired eyes.  

Your tired, crying eyes met a figure, merely ten feet away from where you were walking in what seemed like a room.   For a moment you froze, studying the figure, but as you were met with lilac orbs, you took your exhausted legs and ran towards the figure.  The small glimmer of hope taunted you, showing you the man that kept your legs going on your weighted journey, lonesome darkness entangling down to your very soul.  Hope swelled in your chest as you ran, but as you did the room began to get further away, his lilac orbs seeming to grow smaller and smaller away from your vision. Still your feet patted forward until there was no ground beneath you.

As the ground had disappeared, you had begun your journey downward.  Hastily the gravity took your body, plummeting into a deep abyss. Tears once again rained from your eyes.  Your heart dropped as you did, and you tried so hard to scream, feeling it scratching at your throat, constricting it.

He was gone, and you had failed to reach him.

***

You awoke with soaked cheeks and labored breaths, before glancing around and realizing that you were not in that labyrinth any longer.  Another nightmare, you thought to yourself, though every day you lived the nightmares that you slept with.  I miss him.   Ironically, your nightmares had held your memory intact over time, reminding you of the reason you kept on fighting day in and day out in this monotonous world.  Though you would never be able to forget his handsome face, his lilac orbs burned into your skull. As your y/e/c eyes scanned the room, it was simply a relatively plain room surrounding you, little trinkets upon your dresser in the form of plush monsters, and your deck sitting comfortably next to a kuriboh plush that you had grown to adore.  Attempting to steady your breath, you wiped your face free of the salty sadness and glanced at the time flashing upon your alarm clock, your eyes still holding a light redness from when you had been crying in your sleep. Springing to your feet, you nearly fell over, steadying yourself on the side of your bed before further action. Your head was woozy with the newfound movement, the room slowly coming back to you as your dizzy spell passed you.

Making your way to your small, gray walled bathroom, you threw your prior clothes aside and hopped into a quick shower.  Hastily you scrubbed yourself with your f/s body gel, not getting enough time to even enjoy the kisses of the warm water that drenched over your frigid body.  In less than five minutes time, you were already dressed, hair dried, and grabbing at your black messenger bag that laid next to the door. You tucked your deck safely into your bag before gentle fingers reached to touch lightly upon your golden wristband.  For a moment, you allow your eyes to close, thinking of your wristband. It held the symbol to keep your life intact as well as cursed, leaving you to deal with the merits and disappointments of this life. Then as your eyes were still closed, those lilac eyes showed in your mind, reminding you of the reason you keep on with this silly charade, hoping that one day everything will change.

Practically jogging out the door, you made your way to your new life once again.  Domino High School, as you read upon the sign, looked bustling and boring from the eyes of a woman who had attended countless high school’s over time.  The crowds had shown that it was definitely a more lively school than the last you had attended, though not as lively as the one you had attended prior.  Maybe if you did not forever look 16, you would not have to attend so many boring lectures in your life, but you had attended plenty in your time, across the globe.  Each curriculum merely had minor changes to it, if any, and you had to purposely get things wrong from time to time to not seem out of the ordinary. The world changed and grew around you, while you stayed the same, the same h/c h/l, and young y/e/c orbs.  The only thing that had changed over time was your skin, which had lightened from your Egyptian tan to a pale ivory, just as everyone else looked around you. It was just another boring day in monotony for you, but there was a presence around that had kept you on your toes as you entered your newfound high school.  You could feel something was different in the world now, which had rose excitement and fear in your young body.

***

You were coming out of your geometry class, holding your books tightly to your chest and walking quickly to your locker before lunch, your eyes at your feet as you walked.  As you did so, you were lost in thought, and before you knew it, you whacked directly into something solitary, causing you to stumble backwards, staring up in a moment of terror.  What you had found was that you ended up slamming directly into another student, and blush began rising in your cheeks from the embarrassment. It was needless to say that the boy looked unpleasant with his round face that seemed to hold a permanent scowl.  The boy looked as if he were maybe 17, largely boned, while you had a very tiny frame, yet he glared angrily at you as if you had pushed him off of a cliff. On the other hand, you were the one with the books scattered all over the ground, and the impact had caused your tailbone to whack the floor, causing a sharp, yet temporary pain.

“I’m so sorry!” you said frantically, grabbing your books quickly and pulling yourself to your feet.  You bowed slightly in respect and began to rush off before you felt a pull at the back of your uniform.  Seconds later, you were pinned against the wall, staring up at the unpleasant boy you had angered, his face looking even more unpleasant than previously.  It was as if the anger building in him was surfacing due to what you would assume was a slight inconvenience.

“Don’t think just because you’re new you can get away with that,” he growled, pressing harder against your shoulder.  

Just my luck that I run into the school bully on my first day here, you thought to yourself, your heart pounding in your chest.  This was not particularly an uncommon occurrence for you, seeing as you had attended plenty of high schools over the last couple thousand years, but nevertheless, you were still a relatively scrawny girl with a 16 year old body.  Old souls still did not have super strength, after all. Though you could likely send him to the shadow realm, doing something so rash on your first day would have been a mistake that you would have to live with for the rest of the time you could attend school there, and you shied away from that idea.  “I didn’t mean to harm you,” you said cowering back, pain beginning to build in the shoulder he was pressing on. “I-I it’ll never happen again.” You attempted your best fake smile, and yet it dropped almost immediately as the rage fueled his face, watching it scrunch even more.

The boy drew his free hand back, and was about to send it directly into your face.  You could see the build up, and your eyes squeezed shut tightly. After a few moments without impact, you opened your eyes back up to see the boy being held back by another student.  “You shouldn’t hit a lady,” the slender boy said with the relatively pointed hair, all coming up at the top. As you finally were fully registering what was going on, you saw that the boy was holding the bully’s fist, twisting it slightly.  “And if you don’t let go of her, we are going to have problems, buddy.”  

The school bully that was about to attack you cowardly ran away, letting go of your shoulder, and letting your body slump to the floor.  You could hear a few people talking to the boy that had just saved you, but you were too busy trying to control your breathing, and attempting to ignore the pain that seared through your shoulder.  After a few moments, you noticed a hand outstretched to you, paired with a gentle smile on the boy’s face whom had just saved you. With your good arm you had taken it, letting him bring you to your feet.  

“Uh, thank you, so very much,” you said bowing slightly, a formal gesture that you had not broken over so many years.  You smiled softly at the boy, holding your books tightly to you, despite the pain that you felt still radiating through your shoulder.  There was no doubt that the bully had at least left a bruise upon your shoulder from the pressure he was using, and though he was a coward to the boy that had saved you, he likely would have slammed a fist directly into your face.

“You’re new here, aren’t you?” the boy said with a genuine smile.  

You had nodded at his words, meekly saying, “I just moved here.”  In actuality, of course you had just moved there, but you knew that every school was basically the same.  Each school that you had run into, you had your share of those issues. Sometimes there were kind strangers willing to help, occasionally you had friends that had your back, and then sometimes you would have to deal with a swift fist hitting you somewhere.  Bullies were a common occurrence for high schools, and that was one of the few things that made you regret not aging.

“I’m Tristan, and these are my friends.”  He gestured back to the group you assumed you were hearing while you were still on the floor.  

“I’m Tea,” a girl with short brunette hair said with a kind smile.

A boy with a Brooklyn accent and blonde hair said next, “I’m Joey.”

And the last boy could have given you a heart attack standing right there.  He said, “I’m Yugi,” but as you noticed the spiked multi color hair on his head, the first thing you thought of was him.  Your heart skipped a beat, though the boy was definitely smaller than the one that you longed so desperately for. The differences were subtle, and yet you could see each one.  His stature, for one, and for two, the shaping of his eyes was much more child-like than him, though they held the same lilac color. Yugi had a shy, yet kind smile upon his face, and continued with, “Would you like to come with us to lunch?”

For a moment, you bit your lip, unsure of what to say.  As you weighed your options, you studied the group, though your eyes were mainly set upon the boy who called himself Yugi.  He was so much like him, and yet not. If he was a reincarnation of him, would that be even possible? As your y/e/c orbs raked over the peculiar group, you noticed something odd hanging from the short boy’s neck.  Just as your item held your wrist was Egyptian, you could clearly see that what he had was an artifact, a very familiar one for that matter. Thinking, you glanced to your wrist, and back to it, and it dawned upon you, making you nod quickly.  “I-I would love to, thank you,” you said rushed, realizing that you had been standing there in awe and silence. “I’m Y/N, by the way.”

As you walked with the group, you couldn’t help but keep looking over at the Millennium Puzzle adorning the young boy’s neck.  Maybe, you wondered to yourself, but attempted to shake the thought of as you stood in line with the group and got lunch with them all.  Even if it was, would he remember me?  

When the group had gotten their lunches, you sat beside Tea and Yugi while Tristan and Joey sat across from you three.  Through your peripheral vision, you would occasionally catch small glances of Yugi, particularly of the millennium item adorning his neck.  Excitement was rising in your chest, even paired with a small bit of hope that you could be right. If the prophecy was truly real, then you would be right.  What ifs ran through your mind as you thought more and more about it, though you attempted to keep regular conversation going on with the group when necessary.  They seemed like kind people, and even if somehow you were wrong, you picked the right group to hang out with for this attended school.

[jaeminscoffee]

Hiraeth (m.)

Hiraeth - A homesickness for a home you can't return to, or that never was.

Pairing - Jung Jaehyun x reader

Genre- Angst, Smut.

Word count - 3.37k (i got carried away while writing i am so sorry)

Warning- extremely thick skulled y/n, smut, unprotected sex (be cautious irl!), super angsty, not so happy ending. I felt like cutting a bitch throughout the writing process because of y/n.

(minors kindly try not to interact with my blogs!)

Summary- You walk away from the only home you were comfortable in.

Showing up at Jaehyun's house with tears running down your face isn't a new thing. 

A habit that dated back to when the two of you were in the final year of high school. You found out the hard way that your excuse of a boyfriend had never really liked you. There, the one person who you found comfort in, Jaehyun was ready with his arms wide open, for you to come in so that he could hold you tight, only for you to slip out of his grip.

It was a thing between Jaehyun and you. Get your heart broken, heal it in each other's warmth, be fine for a while and then repeat. 

Jaehyun was the least heartbroken among the two of you. He knew that you needed each other, not just at night, not just for relief, but to put both your broken pieces together. A little too late at realising that but at least he did. Unlike you. 

The first night things got heated between the two of you, he had mentioned not wanting anything more than healing time with you, he was young, wild and stupid the day he said that and it stuck to you. 

You're fine with that, it's doable until you see Jaehyun all over another female, seeking the same attention he'd wanted from you, you wanted him, you knew that, but the constant fear of having your heartbroken once again, made you turn deaf ears at almost everything he'd said till date, something along the lines of wanting more than just lust. 

And it became a routine like that, but it was getting harder and harder for Jaehyun to just stand there and see you cry.

It wasn't even that you had deep feelings for him, it was just a mere infatuation you'd say, so thinking that he should reserve himself all for you was too much to ask for. 

"Y/n" Jaehyun rasped out, flopping down beside your worn out body, watching as you drift away into your subspace the minute after he'd gotten you off. 

"Y/n..?" Once again, this time, you turned around to face him, slightly nodding your head for him to continue, but he didn't. He looked straight at you, watching your glazed eyes with his eyebrows raised.

He said nothing, just pulled you in towards his sweat covered body, you didn't mind, it was the same with yours so it's fine. 

The moment you felt his warmth the second time that night, platonically this time, you broke into a fit of sobs. 

He pulled your body in closer, almost on top of his, "Am i that pathetic? Don't i have what it takes for someone to stay for longer than a month or so?" he shushed you, sitting up, resting his back on the headboard, pulling you into his lap, rocking you back and forth. 

"I don't understand it, Jae. Is it my looks? Or my behavior? What about my attitude?-" you ask between hiccups, all rhetorical questions. But Jaehyun hates seeing you doubt yourself over guys you dated, even though you were way out of their league. 

"I feel so awful Jae, i don't know what t-to think, i don't k-know what to say, i don't know a-anything and t-that makes me feel s-so, so awful-" he continued to rock you, pulling you in for a soft kiss, gulping down your choked sobs. "Don't princess, you know they're not worth it.. " and they really weren't, hell he wasn't sure if he was either. 

But he knew you felt home with him, you were just.. A little scared. You needed someone to constantly remind you of your worth and he wanted to be that someone. "Jae, i don't want to be alone, i really don't want to, it-it hurts a little more each time."

You sob harder into the nape of his neck. "and you don't have to be, y/n..you have me" he said, but you were too occupied to hear him say it. 

Minutes later, your sobs came to a halt, eyelids weighing down, tired from the intercourse before and the breakdown, but sober enough to hear Jaehyun pour his heart out. 

Feeling your breath calm down, breathing now normal, Jaehyun let out a sigh, "You don't realize Y/n..I was, am and will forever be there for you. Just you're not in the state to take another confession. But until you're ready, know that I love you. I just wish we could turn back time so you wouldn't have just found comfort in my body.." and that's when you think he's exhausted from your constant crying. 

And here you were, walking down the neighborhood to his house, a week after his confession, a week after you said something you regret, a week after you left him heartbroken. 

You felt stupid, you've been pushing him away all along, maybe it was for the best, maybe it was because you felt he didn't need another burden as such, or maybe you really didn't feel anything for him. Maybe, just maybe. 

It wasn't right from your end. Having the boy waste his life in mending your pieces. You didn't make it obvious that you heard his true feelings for you, but you gave hints.

You ring the bell, hearing a 'coming!' from the other end. You weren't crying, instead you had a huge smile on your face, that was a pleasant surprise for Jaehyun. 

"Y/n, Hey" he said, opening the door wider to let you step in, instead the moment you see him, you crash your lip onto his, you needed this. He stumbled back from the impact, hands automatically finding your waist but he didn't return the action. And that made you conscious.

He tugged at your waist, pulling you back, catching his breath as you chased after his lips. "Jae, just-" you lean in again, "wait y/n no-" he pulled away yet again, now tears finally started to form by your waterline. "d-don't you want me anymore?" "y/n that's not it-" "is it the same reason as the other guys, Jae?-" "You know that's not it-" "I'm sorry I'm not good enough-" "y/n listen-" "Jaehyun i thought-" "for god's sake Y/n listen to me!" he screamed, gripping your shoulder, shaking you in order to get you out of your trance. 

"Y/n listen to me.." his guilt starts kicking in, feeling bad that he shouted at you. "Why doesn't anyone like me Jae?" you ask, voice feeble. 

"Let me do the talking and you just listen alright?" you hum back in response, letting him guide you towards the couch situated at the middle of his living room. 

He pulled you into his lap after sitting down, something he did almost every day. "Why do you think no one likes you princess?" Jaehyun asked. 

you lean forward, resting your head on his shoulder, "no one does, why would they? Reason you ask? Because I'm Y/n" you reply, your sobs not completely dying down, but a little less frequent than before. "I like you, Y/n. I don't know how much of it you're going to believe, but i really like you, because you're Y/n" 

There it was, his second confession in the span of a week. "you don't. Y-you can't" you try getting up from his lap, but he held you down, he wasn't going to let you run away this time. "I do and I can. I always have Y/n" he pulled you back to look at your face, watching your expression contort into a frown. "you shouldn't Jae, I'm sorry-" "you say you want someone to stay for more than just a month, yet here you are, pushing me away". Jaehyun sighs as he sees you tearing up again. You shook your head, "I don't deserve you.. " "Stop deciding what i deserve and i don't, Y/n" 

He took your hands into his, "you don't want to be heartbroken you said, so let me protect it, yeah?" he said, his voice soft. You think of it for a while, 

You're gonna be heartbroken again.

He's the same as the others. 

You don't deserve him

You're not worthy of having someone like him in your life.

He's saying it out of pity.

"No. I'm really, really sorry Jaehyun. You deserve so much better. I don't want you to be wasting your life on someone like me." you said, getting up from his lap, making your way towards the door, walking out before he could even stop you. And you made a promise to yourself that you'd never go back there again, because it will only end up, hurting both of you. Mainly Jaehyun. 

But promises are meant to be broken, right?

So here you are, not even five days after the incident at Jaehyun's house, having pressed Jaehyun onto the wall the moment you stepped in with tear filled eyes. This time around though, he didn't resist. Maybe he knew something would change after today, something either beneficial for the pair of you, or something that'll leave you craving for each other's warmth once again

Kissing, turned make out session as the tables turned, you up by the wall, Jaehyun had his crotch pressed against yours. The kiss wasn't rushed, it was rather slow, lust flowing from your end and feelings from his as he swiped his tongue against your bottom lip for access, which you gladly granted him. 

"Y/n.." he moaned out against your lips, as your hands, oh so softly made its way down his chiselled chest, to his toned middle, finally at his erection. Before you could slip your hands into his grey sweats, he took a hold of your hand, breaking the kiss as the two of you gasped for air, his hands gripped the back of your thighs, adding pressure there signaling you to jump and you obliged. 

With you in his arms, head buried in his neck, marking territory, he made his way to his room, opening the door with one hand, carefully not to drop you. "Jae..hurry" you said, giddy from the feeling between your legs. Jaehyun stumbled his way into the room, closing the door behind him, as he walked towards the bed "Patience, baby". 

He placed you down on the bed softly, placing a soft kiss on your lips before leaving a trail of kisses from the back of your ear, to your neck, nibbling at a particular spot where you let out a louder moan. 

He pulled back, looking straight into your eyes, lifting you up slightly to remove the shirt from over your head. No matter how many times he's seen you naked before, he still couldn't get over how ethereal you looked, he wanted to prove it to you that you're much more than you credit yourself for, but you wouldn't let him, not with words that is, so he retorted to actions instead. 

He resumed leaving wet kisses from your breast, his hands making its way behind you, reaching for the hook of your bra, which he skilfully undid.

The moment the material slid off your shoulder, he attached his lips onto your perked up bud, shivers running down your spine one, due to the sudden exposure and two because of the circles he drew with his tongue. "Oh fuck.." moans after moans left your mouth as he gave equal attention to the neglected breast, twirling the bud between his fingers, while sucking on the other.

Jaehyun let out a growl due to your constant squirming, "Stay still, princess" he held you firm against the sheets, "then hurry up, Jae.. Please" you retort, impatiently. His hand left your chest, making its way down the side of your body, towards the waistband of your jeans, pulling it down and off your ankle before discarding it somewhere behind him. 

He lowered himself just a bit, to let his fingers slide into your panties in a more comfortable angle, feeling the wetness soak through the material "Fuck baby, you're so wet.." Jaehyun rasped, sighing in content as he felt how wet you were for him just from his kisses. He started drawing slow, long eights onto your clit, as you jerk forward, finally getting some attention in the part you needed it the most. "So so eager for me".

There's something about his voice, that has this impact on you, deep and low, admiration and equal want dripping from it.

"Ah! Jae, god-" you whimper, as he fastens his pace, you could've gotten off just that, but you wanted more. And he sensed that. Jaehyun collected some of your essence before sliding in a finger, pulling it out and putting it back in along with another finger, finding a steady pace in pumping in and out of you.

"Yes, baby just like that..fuck" you let out. He curled his fingers inside you, finding the spot that always had you come undone in seconds, but you held it in a little longer, wanting to savour the feeling of his fingers brushing against your wall.

When it got too much to hold in, you let out a loud moan, almost screaming even, coming undone, continuously chanting Jaehyun's name as he helped you ride out your orgasm, cooing at you when he kept going, the feeling a little overwhelming as you'd just gotten off.

"You're doing so good baby, you can take one more right?" he asked, not wanting to push your limits, pumping in a slower pace to not make it painful, which backfired. You were occupied with letting out lewd noises, unable to choke out a yes even, so you nod your head. He kissed your temple, resuming at the same pace, adding pressure onto your sensitive bud with his thumb, you thrashing around, still worn out from the last orgasm.

His pace quickened, attaching his lips back onto your nipples, throwing you off the edge as you came undone for the second time that night, this orgasm being much more powerful than the last, tears trickling down your cheek "Jaehyun! " 

He removed his hands from your core, standing up from the bed, placing it into his mouth, you watch him clean your juice from his fingers, squirming at the sight in front of you. Gasping for air, trying to stop your thighs from shaking, you look back up, seeing Jaehyun looking at you with so much fondness, but still fully dressed.

"Unfair, h-how I'm the only one naked here" you breathe out, only now releasing the death grip you had on the sheets. Jaehyun let out a chuckle, tugging his black shirt over his head and onto the floor, "Better?" he asked, clearly teasing. "no! Pants, off!" you whine out, though tired, you still wanted to feel him inside you. Just this once. 

Jaehyun wanted to waste no more time, immediately sliding his sweats off along with his boxer. Satisfied that he's just as bare as you, you sit up, crawling forward and tugging his hands, pulling him down onto the bed. Jaehyun realised what you wanted to do, so he held you by the waist firm onto the sheets shaking his head.

"But Jae-" you start your complaint, "no, let me take care of you" he said, cutting you off, looking with an almost pleading look, straight into your soul. You can't say no to that and so you nod. 

He placed one last kiss at the corner of your lips, turning back, reaching out to the side drawer to get a condom, you stop him. "Go raw.. It's fine" you say, voice hoarse from all the moaning. You see the doubt in his eyes, "are you sure?" he asked, voice soft. You give him an assurance that it's fine, as he positioned himself above you, one hand pumping his shaft, preparing to slide in, the other keeping his body from colliding on top of yours. 

Jaehyun looked at you as he aligned himself by your entrance, the tip poking in, your eyes shut tight to embrace yourself, "Look at me when i enter you, baby" he said, stopping half way in. 

You try moving your hips forward to take him in whole, but he pulled his hips back, and so you had no other choice than to force yourself to keep your eyes open. "such a good girl" he whispered by your ears, slowly sliding in the entire length with ease. He let out a groan from the tightness of your walls, slowly pulling out, and back in, to see if you were still sensitive from the previous two orgasms. 

Upon finding no signs of discomfort, he let himself pull out once again, slamming in with much force than before. "Fuck, Jae!" you moan out, a chain of curses leaving both of your lips. "how are you still this tight, baby?" Jaehyun growled, picking up a faster pace. You find yourself getting closer to the edge faster than you expected, clenching around his length a little more frequently than before, him letting out rough sounds at the feeling he felt around his member.

"J-jae-" was all you could get out, fingers dragging down his back, gripping harder when you felt his fingers find your clit once again "i know, can you hold it in just a little longer? I-fuck.. I'm close too" he picked up his pace, looking at you as your face scrunched up when you felt his tip brush against a particular spot, squirming and nodding your head nevertheless.

"Fuck baby.. I'm so close.. So so close" his fingers fastened the circles on your clit, his member twitching inside of you.

Jaehyun looked at you, you immediately knew what the question was going to be so you nod again. "c-come in me baby.." that was the final string, and you felt him release his seeds into your already dripping core, you following suit. He helped the two of you ride out your highs.. Slipping out panting, as you whine at the sudden loss of warmth, getting up, giving you a kiss on your forehead, before making his way towards the washroom. 

You did it again.

You went back to him when you promised you wouldn't. And you realised that a little too late. 

You were going to hurt him again. 

When he returns back from the washroom with a wet cloth in his hand, he finds you there, spaced out, tears once again making its way out of your eyes. He knew where this was going to go. Nevertheless, he made his way towards you. He placed the cloth, prying your thighs apart as you flinch away from his touch, taken off guard. 

"Just..let me clean you" he said and started cleaning you up. Face to your legs, cleaning all evidence of the previous activity. 

You sit up once he's done, bending down and taking his shirt, pulling it over your head, and sitting back down. Jaehyun walked out of his closet, in shorts and a new shirt, sitting beside you.

"Y/n.." he starts. 

"Don't, Jaehyun.." your voice cracking, 

"Why are you doing this to yourself..?" Jaehyun asked, clearly frustrated now.

"Because i don't want to be heartbroken Jae-" you say the same old reason again, he wasn't buying any of it. 

"Is it really being heartbroken that scares you or catching feelings?" he asked, raising his voice just a bit as he watched you get out of the bed, picking up your jeans that were previously thrown away, pulling it up your leg. You didn't respond to his question. But gave him the same look you gave five days ago. "I'm sor-" you start as you start making your way towards his door. 

"And you're running away..once again" he cut you off. You stood still by the door, scared to turn back and look at him. 

You hear Jaehyun let out a sigh. 

"Do you regret it?" he asked in a deep, soft voice.

This would do the work.

"Yes. I'm sorry Jae." and you walk out of the door and out onto the streets, already feeling homesick as you walk away from the only home you felt comfortable in. 

Jaehyun stared plain at the ceiling, feeling a tear slip out of his eyes, down his cheek 

Unrequited love is such a bitch.

[myhockeyworld87]

Bubble Wrapped - Part 4

Word Count: 5,762

POV: Reader

Warnings: Same as always, Language, Smut, NSFW, Please see the note in the Masterlist

Teams: Bruins, Caps, Flyers, Lightning and Pens

Notes: This part got a little crazy...haha! We have a lot of players involved this time, so I hope you guys like it. Feedback is always welcome. Happy Reading!!!

Day three and four in the bubble were sedate. There were a few minor glitches here and there, but not any brawls or fighting, and you weren't thrown in the pool again. You chalked it more up to the fact that the teams were practicing more and watching films so there was a bit less downtime. After breakfast on day five, you made your rounds, making sure that the conference rooms were cleaned to perfection for the lunch crowd and doing the same with each workout room. Though the latter was a bit more complex considering most of them were occupied.

Once you found everything under control, you headed over to the tennis courts and found Sidney Crosby playing on the one court with a couple of his teammates. It felt kind of wrong to just stand there and watch him, but you couldn't help yourself. He had on a pair of black sweats and a grey Pens t-shirt that clung to his body from where he was working up a sweat. His locks were shorn as if he had just gotten them cut before coming in the bubble. Every muscle was defined as he would swing the racket and connect with the ball. Automatically, your eyes went to his ass, which was just sheer perfection and you longed to feel his glutes under your fingertips. There was part of you that wished he was wearing shorts so you could appreciate his thighs as well. Your eyes followed every move that he made, every swing of the racket; step of that he took. It made you weak in the knees and your mouth go dry.

 You tried concentrating on the other players, Letang, Hornqvist, and Petterson, but your eyes always came back to Sid. It's been five days in the bubble and you'd yet to get Sid alone, as he was always surrounded by teammates or coaches. You were going to have to do something soon, for there was always the chance they could end up losing in the qualifying rounds. You waited until they finished, then grabbed the fresh pile of towels that were sitting on the outside table, and decided to take them inside the court. They normally stayed outside, but it wouldn't hurt for them to be inside the court. They were just walking out, and you used your ass to open the door, making as if you didn't know they were coming out. As the door open, you stumbled forward, only to have Sid's strong arms grab you. "Oh sorry, I didn't realize anyone was there?" You told him.

 "No, it's my fault, I should've been paying attention instead of chirping these two," Sid said, his arms still around you.

 "Anyone need a towel?" You offered with a smile and only then did his hands come off your waist, so he could grab one. The other three did as well and soon you only had a couple left. "Everything fine with your stay here?"

 "Oh yeah, we always love staying here," Sid commented and the other three agreed.

 "Whoever put these tennis courts in was a genius," Letang added.

 "Thanks, I'll be sure to mention that you appreciate my ingenuity to my bosses when I talk to them."

 "No way, it was your idea?" Sid seemed impressed and you didn't mind taking the credit since the courts had been your idea when they decided to build this hotel.

 "I've been affiliated with the company for a while, and had a lot of ideas for when we built this place."

 "No wonder they put you in charge of the place for this whole thing. You've really done an awesome job." The compliment from Sid had you blushing.

 "Thank you, if there's anything at all you need; don't hesitate to call me." You made sure that you looked Sid in the eye as you said that. Letang elbowed him at your insinuation.

 "We'll meet you upstairs," Hornqvist stated then patted Sid on the shoulder and the three left the two of you alone.

 It was a bit awkward at first, but then you broke the silence. "So are you missing Pittsburgh at all?"

 "Nah, not really. It was kind of boring quarantining alone. This is a nice change of pace." Well, at least you had your answer about if he had anyone waiting at home for him. "Are you into architecture that you had this idea of the tennis courts?"

 "I took a few classes in college. I find it intriguing. I'm by no means an architect but I have great ideas." Well, that sounded a bit conceded. "I mean, I'd like to think they are great at least."

 "Architecture has always fascinated me as well. What else did you do here?"

 "Well, the rooftop pool was, though that took a little bit of engineering. I just loved the idea of having it up there. We ended up sacrificing the indoor part to have it, but I think it was totally worth it." It was definitely a highlight of the hotel, well as long as you weren't being shoved into by a certain rat player.

 "Oh, it's definitely beautiful. I'd love to see something like this in Pittsburgh, maybe we can steal you away from here and get you to think up something for us." A cute little smirk appeared on his face and you wanted to kiss him so bad. What was it about this man that just made you weak? You'd only ever felt this way around one other guy, but that wasn't what you wanted to think about now.

 "Well, I'm sure you could persuade me if you wanted to."

 "Really?" Sid didn't seem so unaffected by you as Tyler assumed. Apparently, hockey wasn't the only think on his mind.

 "Yes, in fact…"

 "(Y/N), I need you in the kitchen it's an emergency." Logan said breathless, as he came rushing into the tennis court.

 "Sounds like you're needed," Sid stated grabbing the door and holding it open for you. "I'll let you go."

 You were seriously going to murder Logan, especially if this was like the towel incident. "Yeah, I should probably go, but if you need anything call me." You rushed out to follow Logan, plotting the many ways to kill him on your way to the kitchen. It had better be on fire. When you walked into the kitchen things seemed under control. "What seems to be the problem, Logan? Things look fine."

 "Oh, they're not though. Chef said that no one brought in the dirty dishes from conference room two and now we don't know if we'll have enough plates for lunch." If Logan made it out of the bubble alive, it would be a damn miracle.

 "Sorry (Y/N), I thought when I told him that he would go get the dishes and not you."

 "It's ok Marco." You told the chef, before turning to Logan. "Could you please go get the dishes, then bring them in here and wash them." You tried to spell it out as best you could for the kid.

 "Yeah, sure I can do that. Don't know why I didn't think of that before." You didn't know why he didn't either, but he had just effectively ruined your opportunity with Sid. At least you were able to lay the foundation so that hopefully the next time you saw him, you'd be a bit more successful. Logan scurried out of the kitchen and Marco again apologized for not being more specific with the young pup.

 Marco told you he'd keep a better eye on Logan the rest of the day so that you wouldn't have to worry about him, and you thanked the chef and went on your way. The rest of the day went pretty easy. You tried to look for Sidney but seemed to just miss him, so you called it a night and went to your suite to get ready for bed. You were just slipping out of your skirt when the phone rang. "Hey Car, I was just going to grab a glass of wine and head to bed. What's up?"

 "Well, there's a little congregation in conference room one. It's not out of hand or anything, but they really shouldn't be in there since it's all ready for breakfast."

 "So tell them to move to their floor."

 "You know me Y/N, I'm chicken shit around these guys." It was true Carly was used to saying yes with being a concierge and most of her dealing were on the phone and she could get what she wanted that way but face to face, she found it hard to say no, or in this case move somewhere else. "Besides, I don't think they're all from the same team."

 "Ok, I'll be down in a minute." You threw on an oversized shirt and leggings and headed down to the conference room. You were surprised to see that two members of the Flyers and two from the Penguins were playing cards. It was common knowledge that the two teams were rivals, but they seemed to be enjoying the game. Well, you could hear some chirps back and forth but it seemed to be in fun. "Hey guys, I hate to break up this party but you can't be in here."

 "Aww, come on, we promise to keep the fighting to a minimum." Carter Hart said with a cute innocent little look on his face and it reminded you that Tyler said to keep away from him and not corrupt the boy.

 "Seriously Y/N, it's all in good fun," Brandon Tanev echoed and you really started to wonder if everyone in this damn place knew your name. "Hayes and I have a long-standing game from when we both played for the Jets. Thought we'd get these two involved in it since we're all here."

 "I don't care if you guys play. You just can't play here." You told them as you took in the money laid out on the table as well as the hand that Hart had. You wanted to tell him to fold for his hand was shit.

 "Well, there's nowhere else this time of night." Zach Aston-Reese chimed in. He had a point, most of the common areas closed at this time of night.

 "So like what are we talking, only a few more hands, or is this some all-night game, because I may have an alternative."

 "Not all night, we've got a game in the morning." Kevin Hayes said reminding you that the two played each other in exhibition tomorrow.

 "And no one's going to flip a table or throw a punch?" Your question was definitely valid, considering how'd you seen the two teams go at each other on the ice.

 "Scouts honor," ZAR stated, though you didn't see his fingers crossed behind his back.

 "Fine, come with me." They got up and followed you out of the room. You stopped and grabbed Carly. "Are you coming?"

 "Where? And why?" She said as you grabbed her hand and pulled her along to the elevators.

 "My room and for moral support." Once inside you pressed the twenty-ninth floor. The elevator stopped on the twelfth floor first. You crossed your fingers in hopes that whoever was getting on wouldn't question the odd mix of people in it.

 Unfortunately, you had no such luck as Brayden Point, from Tampa Bay, got on, and the first thing out of his mouth was, "Umm, what's going on here?"

 "Nothing," was what came out of your mouth. While at the same time Carter Hart said, "We're playing poker."

 "Poker? You got room for another?" Point asked and it was easier to tell him yes then have him make a scene. Thankfully, you made it to your room without any more stops along the way. "Wow, nice setup you got here." Brayden let out with a low whistle.

 "Thanks, there's no poker table but you're more than welcome to use the dining room table to play. As long as you're here do you guys want anything to drink?"

 "Tell me you have alcohol?" Kevin asked as beer was kind of at a premium in the bubble. They didn't want the players partying too much so it wasn't as readily available as they would've liked.

 "Sure that's smart with games tomorrow?"

 "One isn't going to kill us," Tanev remarked and you supposed as long as they didn't get drunk it was fine.

 "I have beer and wine. Who wants what?" Four of the guys chose beer with Carter choosing water. Which was probably a smart choice considering he was probably the starting goalie for the game. Carly went into the kitchen to help you get drinks, claiming a glass of wine for herself.

 "You sure this is a good idea Y/N?"

 "No, but what's the alternative, have them cause a riot in the lobby where everyone can see?" Carly shrugged her agreement. "At least here we can control them a little bit." Or so you hoped.

 You headed back to the dining room, drinks in hand. "You two want in on the action?" ZAR asked, which was nice of him.

 "I'm sure the sakes are a little too rich for our blood," They were Carly's words but you had to agree with her.

 "We don't have to play for money," Kevin suggested and you raised an eyebrow at him. "You know strip poker and all." Part of you started to wonder if they had made this plan before they even started to play in the conference room. You wouldn't put it past them. All eyes turned to you and Carly, and you turned to her with a shrug as if to say your call. You knew she hadn't had any fun yet in the bubble, well at least not like you had.

 "Alright gentlemen, deal us in." You took a seat between Tanev and Hayes; while Carly sat between ZAR and Point. Hayes declared himself the designated dealer for the first round, saying that you'd be playing a basic five-card draw game, and that winner could choose two players to lose an article of clothing, instead of all six individuals losing clothes. He then proceeded to deal out the first hand. Best you had was a pair of nines, so you tossed in the three cards that were pointless in hopes of gaining something that would help you out. You did pick up a pair of twos but you really didn't think two pair, nines high were going to win you anything. And you were right as Point ended up having three of a kind.

 "Y/N and Carly have to lose a piece." He declared.

 "Look I have no problem stripping but if you seriously pick the two of us every time, I'm calling an end to the game and you can all go back to your rooms." You said before stripping anything off your body.

 "That's only fair," Tanev agreed. "From now on you can only ask one of the girls to take something off." It seemed a fair addendum to your original rules, which seemed to be nonexistent before this moment.

 You stripped off your shirt and Carly did the same. Carter's eyes popped out of his head as he took in your lace bra and you realized that Tyler was right; he was way too innocent for the rest of the guys at this table or even you and Carly for that matter. Hopefully, Hayes would send him off to bed before things got too out of control. "If I didn't know better I'd swear you both wore those bras on purpose," Hayes commented and you let your hand glide up his thigh before answering him.

 "Maybe we did." You gave his thigh a little squeeze and saw him jump a bit, which caused you to giggle. "Now I believe it's my turn to deal." He handed over the cards. The round went quick and thankfully Carly came out on top, so you knew that you were safe this time.

 "Point it's payback time."

 "Gladly," he announced before throwing off this t-shirt.

 "You too Brandon. Might as well be both the B's" You caught a whiff of Tanev's cologne as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the floor. His scent seemed to be a mix of sandalwood and something purely masculine, it was intoxicating and you found yourself getting damp just thinking about what the two of you could get up to. The six-pack he sported on his abdomen didn't help your wondering thoughts any.

 "My turn," he said, palm upturned for you to place the cards into them. The smirk on his face told you, you'd been caught staring, and you handed the cards over in a hurry with a discreet cough. The third round had Carly winning again and you were hoping she was on some kind of hot streak.

 "Hayes and ZAR, you're up." She stated matter of factly and the two men divested of the shirts, leaving Carter the only one fully clothed. "I mean you're welcome to join them, Hart, if you feel left out." He simply shook his head no. "I really think you need a beer to loosen up." Carly was right and you walked out to the kitchen to grab him one. He took a long swallow and it seemed to help him a bit.

 The next round had Carter winning and the poor boy seriously looked confused about who he should choose. "It's easy Hart, pick one of the girls and one of us," Brayden told him.

 "I know," Carter said indignantly as his eyes moved back and forth between you and Carly. He seemed completely torn and part of you just wanted to take off your leggings and put the boy out of his misery, but just then he finally made a decision. "Carly, since you've been winning it's only fair." She gave him a little wink before wiggling out of her bottoms and tossing them to the floor with her shirt. Carter's eyes bugged out as he took in her thong and you heard a low whistle from Point right before she sat down.

 The deck was moved to the next person and cards were dealt. It was hard to hide your smile when you were dealt with three aces, and you were fairly confident you'd win this round; it just so happened you did. You had five guys to choose from and it was a difficult decision, but you really wanted to see what Brandon was hiding underneath his shorts, so it was a no brainer in choosing him. It was the other one that you were debating on. Tapping your finger on your chin, you mulled over your choices. "Brandon and ZAR, time for those pants to go." The problem was you didn't know which way to look. ZAR pulled the fly down on his just as Brandon yanked his down drawing your attention. There was no disguising the bulge in Tanev's boxers and you wet your lips without even thinking. He caught your attention and you swore you saw his cock twitch, but then ZAR's bottoms were falling and you took a moment to appreciate him. Both men were well-endowed and you couldn't wait to see what was underneath their boxer briefs.

 Cards were dealt again and when you looked over at Carter, you noticed the beer you got him moments ago was gone. That wasn't a good sign. Both you and Carly lost this time, with Carter coming out ahead. He looked a bit woozy after downing that beer so quickly and didn't seem to realize he'd won until Hayes pointed it out. "Hayes and Point..." he stated and before he could say anything more; all four guys were breathing down his neck.

 "What the hell?" you weren't sure who said it but it was echoed by all the guys, and you snickered before saying. "He's made his decision boys, now lose the pants."

 "But I meant to ask which one I should pick." Hart protested.

 "Too late," Carly chimed in a satisfied smile on her face. They both dropped their drawers then, each man sporting a hard-on that was outlined by the cover of their underwear. "I need more wine," Carly said and you could tell her mouth had gone dry from checking both men out.

 "Grab us another as well, would ya?" You gave Hayes a look, making sure that this was a good decision as you made your way to the kitchen. "It's fine. I swear this is the last one."

 This time Carly left you to fend for yourself as she didn't want to prance around in her thong. You were rummaging through the fridge and pulled out the five beers that you needed when Brandon came into the kitchen. "Need some help?" There was that cute little smile on his face and you returned it with one of your own.

 "That would be nice." The kitchen wasn't large and he reached around you to grab a beer that you had on the counter, effectively trapping you against it. His body was pressed against yours and you could feel his cock hard against your stomach. Your breath hitched and before you could say anything his lips were on yours. You opened right away for him as his tongue sought entrance into your mouth. Brandon was a good kisser and you found yourself reaching around to the back of his neck and pulling him closer.

 "Hey, what's taking so long," someone yelled and you pulled apart from Brandon. "Wanna continue this after the game?" He asked and you nodded your head yes, before grabbing two bottles of beer and the wine and slipping under his arm. You winked at him as you left the kitchen and could've sworn you heard him groan.

 The game started back up and this time ZAR was declared the winner. His eyes raked up and down your body before he said, "(Y/N) it's got to be you." You pushed the chair back then made a show of wiggling out of your leggings, making sure Brandon got an eyeful of your ass before reclaiming your seat. All eyes but Carly's were on you; who coughed discreetly to remind ZAR he still needed to pick someone else. "Oh um, I guess Hart by default." Carter's cheeks got red, as both you and Carly turned your attention to him, though it just seemed sort of wrong since he seemed innocent. He was definitely sporting some wood and from what you could tell he had most of the guys there beat in the length department. He hurriedly sat down as soon as his shorts were off.

 When the game resumed, it was Hayes who had a straight and won the round. "Point, since you joined the game late, I'm going with you." Brayden rolled his eyes but still stripped out of his briefs leaving him completely naked. His dick was average but still nice and you could see Carly squirming in her seat taking him in. You didn't really think Point was her type but then when you'd been in the bubble for a couple weeks like you both had those sorts of things went to the wayside. He seemed to return her interest, for as he reclaimed his seat his eyes never left hers. "(Y/N)," Kevin said bringing your attention back to the fact that you lost. "Lose the bra." You had kind of forgot that Kevin had to name another person, but you should've figured it would be you as you'd teased him earlier when you squeezed his thigh.

 "Fine," you said and you let the strap slink down your right shoulder before drawing your arm through it. You repeated the process with your left, then moved to unclasp the eye hooks in the back. Keeping one hand holding the bra together you let your other slip to the front to hold the cups, before letting the bra go. The cups released into your hands and you slowly peeled it away, teasing the boys as you did, until finally your breasts were revealed. You knew you had nice boobs. It had been commented about by almost every guy you'd ever been with, not to mention the stares you got when wearing a low cut top. Tyler had said on more than one occasion that they were perfect and he could spend hours playing with them. So when the guys' eyes went wide, you weren't surprised. It was Carter's look of shock as he downed the rest of his beer that had you suppressing a giggle. You knew he was innocent but it almost seemed too much for a hockey player to be this inexperienced. You hoped it was just the setting of the game and all. "Ok, now that that's done; on to the next hand." They seemed a bit disappointed that the game was back on instead of just ogling your boobs.

 Brandon dealt the card, the side of his hand accidentally brushing the side of your breast as he dealt you yours. It was hard not to think of the encounter in the kitchen earlier and you kind of wished this game was over and you could move on to bedroom games with Brandon. As the hand went on, you saw Carter sway a bit. "Hey Kev, you better take your goalie back to his room before he's unfit to play tomorrow." They were Points words, but he was absolutely correct as Hart was not looking good to finish the hand let alone the game.

 "Hart, you good?" Kevin asked and Carter made to put his thumb up but couldn't. "Fuck man, you're really one of those, sniff the beer cap drunks, aren't you?" Carter just smiled over. "Alright bud, time to call it a night, before we both regret this; though you owe me. Big time!"

 Hayes threw his clothes back on before tossing Carter's shirt at him, which smacked him in the face. They made their way to the door, Hayes none too happy to be leaving. "Guess this means the game is over." You said thinking to put an end to things around the dining room table and move it to the bedroom with Brandon.

 "What do you mean? It was just getting interesting." Zach pointed out, looking directly at your chest.

 "I gotta agree," Brayden added, looking over at Carly. "I have a good feeling about this next hand."

 "Don't you guys have a game tomorrow?" you asked Tanev and ZAR.

 "Yeah, that's what naps are for," Brandon told you with a little wink. "But I see your point, only a few more rounds than we'll call it a night." He picked up the cards and started to deal. They did not fall your way and this hand saw Point come out on top of everyone, which was lucky considering he was now in his birthday suit.

 "Zach looks like you're up this time." ZAR dropped his drawers without even thinking about it, giving you a nice view of his cock. It was erect, almost pressing up to his stomach. You didn't know if it was the fact that he was hard or not, but his dick was kind of pretty if that was even a thing. He sat back down before you could check it out too long, which was disappointing. Point look at Carly and said, "Your turn." There was a cocky little smirk to his face but as Carly removed her bra, she directed all her attention at Brayden.

 "You two need to get a room," Tanev said off-hand and you saw Carly cock her head as if to ask if he wanted to go to hers. Point nodded a yes, and Carly started grabbing her clothes off the floor.

 "Thanks for the game (Y/N). I'll see you downstairs." She said throwing clothes on and heading for the door. Point right behind her.

 "So, umm…" you hummed, not really knowing what to do now that you had both Brandon and Zach alone.

 "One last hand?" Brandon asked, and you couldn't really see the point of it. "If I win, I get to kiss you."

 "And if I win, I get the kiss." Zach chimed in.

 "And what if I win?" It was a valid question.

 "Then you can pick either one of us or neither of us." Brandon offered.

 "Ok, who's dealing?" You asked with an all-in attitude. ZAR picked up the cards and started to shuffle. You picked up the five cards in front of you, two jacks being dealt. It wasn't a bad start and when you got the redraw there was another one. Brandon laid down his pair of tens first, knowing that he probably wasn't going to win. Zach went next, a smile on his face that told you he'd thought he'd won with his two pair queen high.

 With a satisfied grin, you laid down your winning hand. "Read them and weep boys." They both frowned at you picking up their stuff and got ready to leave, thinking that you'd choose that option. "Oh, neither of you is not my choice." They both looked back at you, a little stunned at your statement.

 "Who's it going to be then?" Zach asked, hand still holding onto his boxers and shorts.

 "What if I say both?" They looked over at each other, a silent agreement passing between the two teammates. You grabbed Brandon's hand, then walked over to take Zach's as well, leading them over to the sofa. They both went willingly, one on each side of you as you stood there. You looked over at Zach first and went up on your toes to give him a heated kiss. He cupped your cheek, drawing you closer to him. Zach was a good kisser and you got lost as your tongue swirled with his, until you felt another pair of hands on your body, starting at your waist and working their way up to fondle your breasts. Brandon twisted your nipples and you moaned into Zach's mouth before breaking apart. Brandon turned your hips so that you were facing him, before threading his fingers through your hair. With hardly any pressure, he had you leaning into him so he could kiss you. Brandon was skilled with his tongue and you melted into him. But it was Zach's cock that pressed against your back that you felt even more. You reached behind you to palm him and he hissed out his pleasure as he dropped kisses to your shoulder blades.

 There were four hands all over your body and you weren't sure who was doing what as you felt someone slide your panties down off your legs. Brandon's mouth left yours, only to move south to your breasts, where he took a nipple in and sucked, eliciting a moan from you. Zach's fingers, at least you thought they were his, were delving between your folds. It was too much and you lost your grip on his cock. Zach pushed a finger inside you while his thumb toyed with your clit. Pleasure ripped through your body, Brandon now switching breast to give your other nipple the same lavish attention. You threw your head back enjoying their ministrations. You missed the communication between the two, but the next thing you knew was that they were lowering you down to the sofa.

 Brandon slid down to his knees in front of you, spreading your legs wide for him to go between, while Zach sat down beside you on the couch. Zach's hand immediately went to the back of your neck so that he could pull you in for yet another heated kiss. Your hands skated down his well-chiseled chest until you found his cock. Wrapping your fingers you began to stroke the length of him and he deepened the kiss.

 It was at that moment that Brandon licked a stripe between your folds. The action causing you to stutter your rhythm on Zach's cock, as your body tingled from Brandon's tongue. Two of Brandon's fingers spread you pussy for his mouth to go to town on you and you found yourself breaking the kiss from Zach. "Fuck Brandon…that feels so good," you moaned out.

 Brandon's mouth worked its magic on you, sucking and nibbling on your clit, before he looked up at Zach. "You have to taste her man, she's so fucking sweet." A quick shift in positions from the two and then it was Brandon's mouth on yours as you tasted your own juices off his lips. His hand found yours and he guided it to his member urging you to stroke him.

 Zach's fingers delved into your cunt, sliding up and down between your folds collecting your moisture. "You're so wet…I just have to taste you." He breathed out before going in with his tongue and licking at your pussy. He hummed out his approval as he continued to eat your out.

 Brandon moved his hands to your breasts, where he pinched your nipple between his thumb and forefinger causing you to gasp. His head moved down to your other nipple and he gently bit down on the turret peak. You moaned out as that familiar tingle of orgasm started to hit, from the combination of both Brandon and Zach. "Don't stop…" You panted out. "Please don't stop." Zach increased the speed of his fingers as they thrust in and out of you, while his mouth and tongue flicked and sucked your clit. "Oh god…" Brandon bit down on your nipple and it sent you shattering, your legs tightening around Zach as they shook with the force of your climax. "OOOHHH," you exclaimed and you swear your moan echoed off the walls of the suite it was so loud. Both men worked you through your orgasm, a satisfied smile on each when you finally made your way back to them. "That was…" you didn't have time to finish your thought as there was a loud knock at the door.

 "Who the fuck is that?" Brandon asked in a hushed whisper and you honestly had no idea as most of the employees of the hotel would've called your phone and not come knocking at this hour.

 "I know you're in there. I could hear you." The voice said from the other side of the door and suddenly it registered who it was on the other side.

[mudwingprince]

hello i exist and i've been working on the fanfic XD

ok this is probably gonna be the last time that i remind you cause i've said this literally every time but

I do not think anything bad about my friends, they're amazing people that deserve much love, this fic is entirely fiction

tw: poison, illness, panic attacks, suicidal/intrusive thoughts(?)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

reblogs help out a lot :D

“You poisoned me, didn’t you,” Radi0 said. “That’s why I’ve been feeling this way.” I dropped the snapdragons and took another step back.

“W-what?” I stammered. “N-no I didn’t! I would never do that to anyone!”

“LIAR!”

“I’m not lying! I don’t even know what you're talking about! How the hell would I even be able to poison you?”

“The fucking berries, Mud! The berries were poisonous!”

“But… I had them too… t-there’s literally no way!”

“You’re not human, Mud! Of course the toxins would work differently!”

“O-oh… oh my god…” I grabbed onto my hair. I poisoned him. Why didn’t I think that our reactions would be different? Why didn’t I think twice about giving them to him? I shook my head and stepped back. “N-no, no, no, no, no, no, no! I-I’d never do that!”

“Mud…” Radi0 said, his voice quieter than before. “Did you mean to?” I shook my head again and took another step back, tripping on a branch and curling up on the trunk of a tree. I wrapped my wings around my head, just trying to take this in. How could I do this to him?!

“J-Just give me a second…” I muttered, taking some deep breaths. I sat there.

I just tried to kill him… No, stop it, it was unintentional, it was just an accident. It’s fine, he’s not going to die! There’s no way those berries can kill a person! It’s fine!

I let out a breath and stood up, brushing myself off. I looked at Radi0. We stared at each other silently. I stepped towards Radi0 and wrapped my arms around him.

“I’m so, so, sorry…” I muttered. “I didn’t know…”

“It’s okay, Mud,” he replied, hugging me back. We stood there for a minute, exhausted from how these past few days have gone. At least, I was. We let go of each other and stood there for a second. I looked around for a way out of here until I spotted a breach in the trees. I looked back at Radi0 and pointed to the opening.

“We might be able to find a way out of this forest through there,” I said, then started to walk in the direction that I was pointing to.

“Hey Mud?” Radi0 asked. I looked back at him but didn’t slow down my pace. “What do you think the berries were?” I thought for a moment.

“At first I thought they were blueberries, but it makes more sense that they would be elderberries. They’re not extremely deadly, but they do cause nausea, weakness, dizziness, and numbness. Are you feeling any of that?”

“Uh, yeah,” Radi0 replied. “I am feeling kind of nauseous… and a bit weak… and dizzy… I’m not feeling any numbness though, is that a bad thing?”

“I mean, it shouldn’t be, if you don’t have a symptom, that would be good,” I said, but something whispered in the back of my mind that he wouldn’t have any symptoms if I had just stayed dead. I shook my head, trying to shake the thought with it, but it clung to my mind. I sighed and kept walking, hoping that this thought wouldn’t stay with me for more than a day.

As we walked the trees and bushes slowly got thinner and there was a small, old trail that led for miles in each direction. I looked to the left down the path and all I saw were just more trees. Then I looked right. It wasn’t close, but the path seemed to change from an old, barren path, to a busy, city street. I stepped onto the path. A city? Out in the middle of nowhere? It wasn’t just a small town, it was a literal city. Tall buildings, busy streets, people walking. And it wasn’t just humans walking on the side of the road, from what I could make out, there also seemed to be animals. Animals that walked on two legs, animals that walked on four. Winged humans with tails, scaly animals without tails. It was diverse, it was intriguing. I wanted to go towards the city, I wanted to explore, I wanted to talk to other people. I wanted to learn.

“Hey Radi0!” I called for him, then looked over. He was wrestling with vines that had somehow managed to get tangled around him. I walked over and carefully ripped the vines off of him.

“Wait, come look at this!” I ran back onto the path, Radi0 following close behind. I pointed. “There’s a city! We might be able to rent an apartment there so we can have a place to live!”

“We don’t have any money though…” Radi0 said. “What are we going to do about that?”

“Uh…” Shoot. I hadn’t thought about money. “M-Maybe someone will see that we’re minors without shelter? We… might be able to get a home then?” I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know… I'm not sure what's going to happen from here on out, but hopefully it'll get easier once we have a home."

"Hopefully it will…" Radi0 said before we both started walking towards the now intimidating city.

[blitzturtles]

Title: Countdown

Rating: Explicit (Pure PWP)

Fandom: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders (though quite a bit in the future.)

Pairing(s): JotaKak, Minor Jotaro/Kakyoin/Polnareff

Summary: “Interested in adding time to our arrangement?” Kakyoin asks, casually as he sets to testing his latest attempt at a fix. Jotaro bites back another pathetic sound that does more to Kakyoin than he’s willing to let on.

Notes: This fic starts mid-scene and has some (pre-negotiated) voyeurism kink, which is where Polnareff comes in (though his timing is more convenient than planned.)

I was going to do the aftercare scene, but this got long enough on its own. orz

-

Kakyoin is busy looking over a chunk of code that Polnareff had directed him to. Apparently he’s having persistent problems with bugs. The sort where, when one gets resolved, another (one or two, sometimes three) pops up in its place (is there any other kind?), and Polnareff is at his wits’ end. Fortunately, Kakyoin has nothing better to do than to try and isolate the problem for him. Or, well, he doesn’t feel like he has anything better to do. Someone else might disagree.

As if on cue, Jotaro squirms in his lap and lets out a soft whine. It’s a bid on his part to get more. More friction, more contact, more-- anything, really. Desperation drives him to do what he typically wouldn’t, but Kakyoin is hardly moved by the attempt.

“Interested in adding time to our arrangement?” Kakyoin asks, casually as he sets to testing his latest attempt at a fix. Jotaro bites back another pathetic sound that does more to Kakyoin than he’s willing to let on. He grinds his hips up, pressing further into Jotaro. If he doesn’t want to abide by their rules, then Kakyoin is all too happy to provide some incentive. “What did I say about censoring yourself?”

Jotaro sucks in a breath and curls forward, nearly collapsing on the desk in front of them. His fingers grasp at the edges. “Not- ah, not to,” he breathes out, then adds a belated, “Sir.”

Kakyoin takes mercy on him and decides against punishing Jotaro for the nearly forgotten honorific. He’s trying; Kakyoin knows that. Besides, he finds the whole thing rather endearing, from the failed attempts to keep quiet to the stuttered replies. Never mind the flush of Jotaro’s skin. Spread across his shoulders and up his neck, all the way to the tips of his ears. It’s such a lovely color on him. Kakyoin really ought to get this on video one of these days.

The computer pings and rips Kakyoin out of his thoughts. He blinks at the textbox that appears and quickly answers back. No luck, and, no, he can’t chat.

Oh?

Damn Polnareff for being the ever curious sort that really can’t read a room to save his life. And damn himself for his inclination toward the mischievous.

We’re in the middle of something.

He sends the message knowing damn well that Polnareff will follow-up. That he either won’t pick up on the insinuation or won’t care to. The man is nothing if not too curious for his own good, and Kakyoin is in the mood to take advantage of that.

I didn’t realize I was interrupting.

Kakyoin barely catches the amused sound that bubbles in the back of his throat. Jotaro’s too focused on counting the seconds to look at the screen, and he wants to keep it that way for now.

Do you want to see?

There are probably more subtle ways to ask. If nothing else, he could have been much more coy about the whole thing, but his own patience is beginning to wear thin. Jotaro squirms on his lap like Kakyoin can’t feel every little twitch, and he’s not sure how much longer he can hold out. He glances at the clock while Polnareff types and lets out a-- slow and careful, so as to avoid raising suspicion-- relieved breath to see that they have less than five minutes to go.

It would be a privilege.

The formality, and its meaning, aren’t lost on Kakyoin. Polnareff is drooling for it, and Kakyoin wouldn’t mind an opportunity to show off his boy. Beautiful and perfect and on full display. Someone ought to know how good Jotaro is for him. How patient he can be, if offered the right incentive.

“Shit,” Kakyoin sucks in a breath, feigning alarm even as he’s the one to start the camera.

Jotaro’s head snaps up. His eyes glance at the screen, then to Kakyoin, “What?”

“Polnareff’s starting a video chat,” Kakyoin feels more than hears the way Jotaro sucks in a breath and goes tense. For a moment, he thinks he’s mis-stepped, but he knows Jotaro.

“Shit,” Jotaro echoes his earlier sentiment and starts to move. A low moan escapes him as he does, and he falls back into Kakyoin’s lap with a huff of air. He barely managed to lift himself, yet his head falls back against Kakyoin’s shoulder as he lets out a high-pitched whine.

Kakyoin takes the opportunity for what it is and hooks his arm around Jotaro’s middle like a lap bar. He turns his own head to press his lips against Jotaro’s neck in a quick, reassuring kiss, “He knows.”

Jotaro’s eyes snap open, but he doesn’t dare move. Can’t bring himself to check to see if the camera is already on. He’s as bare as the day he came into the world (where Kakyoin is almost completely dressed), and he knows the camera is already set at a downward angle. It only ever works when it’s placed up high, which usually makes it the bane of Kakyoin’s existence. Right now, it’s Jotaro’s.

“Color?” Kakyoin asks, nuzzling into Jotaro’s neck like the bastard he is.

“Green,” Jotaro manages in another gasp when Kakyoin grinds into him. A promise for what’s to come later if he can behave himself. “And fuck you, Noriaki.”

Kakyoin laughs, unable to help it. There’s no heat in Jotaro’s words, and he won’t punish him for it, though he could. It wouldn’t be entirely fair, given-

“Such language.”

Both of their attention snaps to the computer screen then. Polnareff smiles sweetly at them, completely unphased by the sight that greets him. His hair is pulled into a loose ponytail, low at the nape of his neck, and he’s wearing an older t-shirt that indicates that, in combination with his hair, he hasn’t left the house all day. Which means this might very well be the most interesting thing he’s had the opportunity to lay eyes on.

Kakyoin’s little theory only gets further confirmation when Polnareff leans forward and rests his chin in his curled hand.

“Please, feel free to pretend I’m not here.”

“Easier said than done,” Jotaro grumbles under his breath.

Kakyoin isn’t buying the put upon act, not when he can wrap his fingers around Jotaro’s cock and feel how hard he is. Jotaro tries to press into his hand, apparently forgetting the rules once more. “You’re fortunate we have a guest, or that would be another five minutes.”

“Oh?” Polnareff perks up a bit. He ignores the desperate sound that Jotaro makes to ask, “How long has it been?”

“Since you sent the last email. Jotaro was getting a bit restless, and I thought we could both use a reminder,” for Jotaro, one of patience, and, for Kakyoin, one about staying on task. He can’t say that it’s worked out all that well for him, considering how the situation has devolved a tad beyond his initial intentions, but he has a feeling Polnareff won’t mind much if it takes them a while longer yet to work out the bugs in his code.

Polnareff sucks in a breath and whistles, impressed to say the least, “How much longer?”

“Didn’t you say to pretend- fuck,” Jotaro jerks forward out of reflex, and he regrets it immediately. The added separation is like torture. With his nerves already on edge, he can barely stand the lost contact, and sinking back down is damn near fatal. It’s all he can do to hold the desk so tightly that the wound threatens to splinter. One little rush of stand energy. That’s all it would take.

“My apologies,” Kakyoin starts in that sickly sweet tone he gets when he wants someone to know how insincere he is, though it isn’t Polnareff that he’s making his point to. “He’s usually better behaved.”

“Non, it’s been quite awhile,” Polnareff still doesn’t look phased. Jotaro can’t bring himself to look him in the eyes, but it’s unfair how relaxed he is when Jotaro can’t do anything. Not to hide and not to get off. “How much longer?”

Kakyoin takes a peak at the clock again, “Less than two minutes. If he doesn’t push his luck.”

It shouldn’t make his cock twitch, the way they talk about Jotaro like he isn’t there. Watching him like an object. He has no control here. No recourse. And his thoughts are too scattered for any kind of plotting. He wouldn’t, anyway. Because he wants this. Wants so badly to be good for Kakyoin and to do what he’s told. He likes sitting perfectly still while filled completely. It takes him out of his own head, away from the thoughts that race too frequently to be healthy.

“One minute,” Kakyoin says, breaking through the mottled thoughts. He reaches up to mess with the camera, adjusting it until- oh.

Oh.

He points it at their bed, and Jotaro doesn’t need to be fully aware to know what that means. It doesn’t stop him from planting his feet on the floor and preparing himself for what comes next.

Vaguely, he’s aware of the fact that Polnareff and Kakyoin have been talking the whole time. That Polnareff has his commentary and that Jotaro would be completely humiliated if he could process any of what’s said, but he’s too busy anxiously counting down the time until,

“Up.”

Jotaro whines, helpless. He can’t resist the tone Kakyoin gets when he gives an order and leaves no room for misinterpretation or arguments. For a moment, he forgets Polnareff is there, watching. Listening.

“I can’t- I can’t,” he whines even as he tries. And he really does try, but each little bit of Kakyoin that slides out of him leaves behind an emptiness that he can barely breathe around. He’s only vaguely aware of the tendrils that wrap around him, pulling him upward regardless of what he wants. He leans into the touch despite himself.

“Bed,” Kakyoin directs. Whether it’s aimed at Hierophant or Jotaro doesn’t really matter. They make it to the mattress in a tangle. Hierophant has no shame in running the length of Jotaro’s torso and beyond.

“How?” Jotaro breathes when Kakyoin approaches; it’s a bastardized and short winded version of what he’s supposed to ask.

“Head down. I want you on display,” and not only for himself, though Kakyoin isn’t above admiring his work when there’s no one else there. They’ve only ever talked about doing this before. Actually following through is something else entirely, and Kakyoin knows that neither of them will last long. If he can’t offer length, then he sure as hell intends to offer a show.

Jotaro rolls over onto his hands and knees. His thighs shake with the effort. He’s already at the point of exhaustion, but there’s an eagerness to the way he gets into position with his head dropped down into his arms after a moment of situating. He rests on his elbows now, rather than his hands, and his ass is on full display.

Kakyoin retrieves the bottle of lube with Hierophant. He pops the lid open and pours out enough to coat himself. Hierophant takes the opportunity to spread Jotaro open with their tendrils. Polnareff lets out a small gasp that has Kakyoin smirking. No matter who he’s sharing Jotaro with now, the man belongs to him.

“Like what you see?” He asks, knowing the answer already, but he doesn’t mind stroking his own ego. For putting someone so powerful and unrelenting in such a state. For having him in the first place.

“I do,” Polnareff confirms and earns the both of them a whine. Or, perhaps, Jotaro is just losing his patience. “Though Hierophant may beat you to the best part.”

Kakyoin glances back to find his stand sliding one of their tentacles into Jotaro. He watches, mesmerized for a moment, as it fucks into him. He could watch the two until the end of time, if it weren’t for the minor detail that he can feel everything Hierophant does, and he won’t last much longer.

“Enough,” he says and recalls Hierophant.

Jotaro nearly yelps at the sudden loss of contact, but Kakyoin is there immediately, pressing the tip of his cock against Jotaro’s twitching hole. It’s one smooth motion until Kakyoin’s buried deep with a groan, and he damn near loses it right then.

It takes everything in him to hold still long enough to regain some of his composure. He takes several deep breaths and refuses to move until he’s sure he can do so without cumming on the spot. Jotaro tries to press back against him, but there’s not any fight left in his body. He’s easy enough to shove back down into the mattress until Kakyoin’s ready.

He starts his pace slow at first, but it doesn’t last long. He can’t last long, and Jotaro babbles almost ceaselessly into the crook of his elbow after only a few, short minutes.

Kakyoin fumbles for a moment to undo the cock ring that Jotaro’s had on for the better part of the last couple of hours. It doesn’t take him much more than that, a few strokes and stuttering, half-thrusts before Jotaro comes across his own belly with a broken sound. Kakyoin barely outlasts him, buries himself deep and loses himself in the aftershock of Jotaro’s orgasm.

His vision blacks out for a solid few seconds, and all he can do is keep his grasp on Jotaro’s hips as a grounding point. At least until his breathing calms down and the blood stops rushing around so rapidly.

Jotaro’s collapsed into the mattress, too exhausted to be concerned with how he looks now.

Kakyoin takes a moment to appreciate his work anyway.

“I hope you enjoyed the show,” he says after another minute.

Polnareff hasn’t said anything. Not a single word, nor a sound, but the look on his face says it all. “Very much so,” he answers after a beat, “Though I think I’ll leave you two to your privacy now.”

“I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” Kakyoin answers, only halfway serious. He doubts he’ll be working on anything anytime soon. He has a very overdone husband to attend to, and he wouldn’t miss the cuddling for anything.