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scoonsalicious · 6 months

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Unwanted: Chapter 11, Unsure - Pt. 2

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Summary: When your FWB relationship with your best friend Bucky Barnes turns into something more, you couldn’t be happier. That is, however, until a new Avenger sets her sights on your super soldier and he inadvertently breaks your heart. You take on a mission you might not be prepared for to put some distance between the two of you and open yourself up to past traumas. Too bad the only one who can help you heal is the one person you can no longer trust.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, Mentions of sexual situations, pettiness.

Word Count: 3k

Previously On...: You've been pulling away from Bucky as he's been spending more time with Jade. But now, on the eve of her first mission, you realize that you want to fight for him and your relationship. Gino's is just the place.

A/N: So, I have this thing where, I'll write the angst, but then I'm like "no, I want you to be happy!" and then I'll write something like this, which is only just a band aid on their relationship for more angst to come. Sorry :( But, also, relationships and emotions aren't linear. We might know things aren't going well, but if we see even a hint of improvement, we latch onto it in the hope that it means things are getting better, even if it's just a temporary blip. We're optimistic beasts.

Banner By: The absolutely amazing @mrsbuckybarnes1917!

Thank you to all those who have been reading; if you like what you've read, likes, comments, and reblogs give me life, and I truly appreciate them, and you!

Taglist: (Please let me know if you’d like to be added!) @jmeelee @cazellen @blackhawkfanatic @les-sel @marcswife21 @buckybarnessimpp @mrsbuckybarnes1917 @erelierraceala @hayjat @capswife @itsteambarnes @jupiter-107 @marygoddessofmischief @sebastians-love @learisa @lethallyprotected @rabbitrabbit12321 @buckybarnesandmarvel @fanfictiongirl77 @calwitch @fantasyfootballchampion @selella @jackiehollanderr @wintercrows @sashaisready @missvelvetsstuff @angelbabyyy99 @keylimebeag @maybefoxysouls @crist1216 @vicmc624 @sashaisready @j23r23 @wintercrows

About forty minutes later, you walked into Gino’s looking like sin on legs. You’d made up your mind that you were going to stake your claim on your boyfriend tonight, in front of Jade and the entire team, but especially Bucky, once and for all. You were a little dizzy from the emotional whiplash you’d been putting yourself through of late, but you’d realized he was worth the chance of being hurt, and you loved him too much to not fight tooth and nail for him, and you would do so, until he told you himself that he didn’t want you anymore.

You’d chosen a pair of skin tight black leather pants that sat low on your hips and a sheer golden top with a matching satin cami underneath it. You’d left your bra at home. A pair of high, strappy gold stiletto heels completed the look, and with your hair flowing loose and curly down your back, you caught the attention of every man within line of sight as you made your way to the back of the bar.

“Jesus Christ, Pocket,” Nat said once you reached the tables at the back that your team usually secured for themselves. The redhead pulled you in for a hug, whispering in your ear as she did so: “Barnes isn’t going to be able to control himself when he sees you.”

“That’s the idea, Natty,” you said with a grin, taking the shot she offered you and throwing it back. “I’m playing for keeps tonight.”

Your friend smiled at you and motioned toward the jukebox. “Then I say ‘batter up’ because opposing teams’ already taken the field.”

You glanced in the direction she’d indicated and narrowed your eyes. Jade was dancing with Bucky. Or, at least, she was trying to dance with him. It was almost comical, really, the way she tried to grind up against him, yet he kept trying to put space between their bodies as he shuffled awkwardly from side to side. Your heart softened as you watched him resist her. He was being polite about it– of course he was, he was Bucky, after all, but his resistance was firm.

“I better go save him,” you told Nat as you put down the shot glass. “I’ll see you later.” You sauntered over to the makeshift dance floor, putting some extra sway in your hips as you did so.

“Mind if I cut in?” you asked, your voice extra sultry. Not even waiting for a response, you positioned your body between Jade and Bucky’s, and were immediately rewarded with the feeling of his hands gripping your waist as he tugged you to him.

“God damn, doll,” Bucky said as you wrapped your arms around his neck, pressing your body against his, “how’d you expect me to behave myself all night when you’re standin’ there lookin’ good enough to fuckin’ eat?”

You grinned up at him, toying with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I don’t expect you to behave at all, Sergeant,” you purred. “In fact, I’m quite hoping you won’t.”

Bucky’s eyes visibly darkened at your words, and he took his bottom lip seductively between his teeth. You were both leaning in for a kiss when you felt an impatient tap on your shoulder. You knew without turning who it was going to be.

With a roll of your eyes, you turned your head just enough to see Jade standing next to you, arms crossed over her chest, the anger on her face making her uglier than you’d ever seen her.

“Um, hello? Rude much? We were dancing.”

“Is that what that was?” you asked, turning so you had your back to Bucky’s front. You could feel the hard length of him pressed against your ass as you ground into him in time with the music. Taking his hands, you slid them under the fabric of your shirt so he could caress your bare skin. His rough fingers felt like heaven as they moved up and down the planes of your abdomen, dancing scandalously close to the underside of your breasts. You felt Bucky’s breath hitch when he realized you weren’t wearing a bra.

“If you’re that mad, why don’t you go live stream about it?” you said. “The adults are busy.”

“Bucky!” Jade whined, turning to him. “Are you going to just let her talk to me that way?!”

Your heart seemed to still, and it felt like time stopped while you waited on Bucky’s response, though in actuality, he answered her almost instantly: “You heard my girl, Vix. We’re busy.”

You closed your eyes, leaning your head back against him. His dismissal of her was like an aphrodisiac that sent wetness pooling into your panties. The sexiest thing you’d ever heard. With this new access to the exposed side of your neck, Bucky began to place wet, open mouthed kisses along your skin. God, you hoped he left marks. You wanted him to claim you, to let the world know you were his. You moaned his name as you reached your arm up to hold the side of his head, urging him to use more pressure and were rewarded almost immediately when you felt the sweet sting of his teeth as he nipped at the sensitive flesh of your skin, followed by the instant soothing sensation of his tongue against the love bites.

You heard Jade scoff, but didn’t open your eyes to see if she walked away or remained; you were too absorbed in the sensation of Bucky all around you for her to matter. You lost yourself in the feel of him, no concept of how much time went by as the two of you moved together to the beat of the music.

He eventually turned you around so you were facing each other once again. You tried to slide your hands up under the hem of his shirt, to feel the firmness of him, but gave an exaggerated pout when you were met with the resistance of it being tucked into the waistband of his jeans.

“You tryin’ to undress me right here, sweets?” he asked, giving you a playful grin.

“Don’t give me any ideas, Buckaroo,” you hummed, opting instead to grab two generous handfuls of his ass. You were going to sink your teeth into that later.

“You know,” he said, leaning in close to speak directly into your ear, “I’ve been thinking: now that Vix’s gonna be out on missions, my schedule’s gonna clear up a lot. Maybe we should take that trip we talked about. Spend some time alone, just the two of us, like we used to. I miss you.”

Your face fell. You’d love nothing more than to reconnect with Bucky, away from all outside influences, but with the upcoming presentation of the crisis algorithm system looming before you, the timing couldn’t be any worse. “I can’t, Buck,” you told him sadly.

He pulled back, away from you, a new, hard glint to his eye. “Can’t,” he asked, “or won’t?”

“Come on, Buck,” you pleaded, trying to put his arms back around you, but he refused, stepping further away, “we were having a great time; I don’t want to fight.”

“Were we having a great time, Pocket?” he asked, his teeth now clenched. “I may be old, but I’m not stupid. I know you’re pulling away from me.”

You sighed. It seems like you were going to have this out right here in the bar. “Come with me,” you said, taking his hand and leading him toward the bathrooms.

As you passed the rest of your team, an obviously inebriated Sam raised his beer glass and winked at you both. “Yeah, get it, Tin Man!” he shouted, completely misconstruing the purpose of your journey to the bathroom as Bucky flipped him off. “Didn’t realize you liked it that dirty, Baby Girl!” You rolled your eyes, ignoring him as you made your way to the men’s bathroom. Checking to make sure each stall and urinal was empty, you locked the door behind you.

Bucky raised a brow at your choice of gendered bathroom. “What?” you shrugged. “Figure dudes’ll be more than willing to have pissing contests in the alley if they can’t get in here.”

You could see him struggle to fight the smile that threatened to cross his otherwise annoyed features. You always did know how to make him laugh.

“I’m not going to have sex with you,” he said, sounding petulant.

“For once, that’s not why I dragged you into a bathroom,” you said, hoisting yourself up onto the sink counter once you’d checked it to make sure it was free from… well, whatever one might find in a men’s restroom. “I want to talk. Come here.” You beckoned him over with a crook of your finger, and like a fish on a hook, he crossed the room until he was standing in front of you.

You sighed. You didn’t want to do this now, but you were tired of lying to him, lying to yourself. You wanted your relationship back, and now was just as good a time as any to set things straight. “I wanna start by saying that the reason I can’t go away on vacation with you right now,” you said, making sure to emphasize the words, “is that I’m presenting to the Stark Industries Board of Directors in less than two weeks. I still have a lot to do to get ready.

Bucky tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “For your crisis prediction algorithm?” You nodded. Bucky’s eyes widened, impressed. “Doll, that’s amazing! But… I thought you said it was nowhere near being ready for demonstration?”

You swallowed. “We’ve been beta testing for awhile now,” you said, not meeting his eye. Normally, Bucky was obsessed with your work, keeping track of every fascinating detail, but with Jade monopolizing so much of his time recently, he’d stopped asking how things with your pet project were coming along. But you didn’t bring him here to make him feel bad.

“I haven’t been paying enough attention to you,” he said softly. He reached out and held your face, tilting your head up so you would look at him.

You shrugged your shoulders. “You’ve been busy,” you told him.

“I’ve been an ass,” he said. He took a deep sigh before coming closer, wrapping you to him. “I keep being an ass, and I keep hurting you, when I swore I never would.”

“I know you don’t mean to,” you reassured him. “But, you were right… I have been… pulling away.”

Bucky backed up to study you, his face gone white with worry. “Are you… Do you… Have I fucked this up completely? Do you not want me anymore?” If you had been standing, the desperation in his voice would have brought you to your knees.

“Baby, no!” you exclaimed, pulling his hand to your chest. “I did it because I was scared. I’m so scared I’m going to get my heart broken in all of this that I started putting my walls back up. I thought that, if I could act like your friendship with Jade didn’t bother me, didn’t drive me crazy with jealousy, then maybe I would eventually believe it. But all it ended up doing was push me away from you, and that’s not what I want. I want to fight for you. Fight for us.”

“Is that what this is, then?” he asked, indicating your outfit, hair, and makeup. “Is this some kind of offensive strategy in your battle against Vix where I’m, what– a prize?” He seemed… disgusted by the idea.

“No!” The word was out of your mouth before you even had a chance to think. “Not at all. I did all this because I wanted to look good for you. I know I’m never going to compete with her in terms of sexiness; I wouldn’t even try.”

“Huh,” said Bucky, running his hand through your hair. “And all this time I thought you were the smart one.” When you looked at him in confusion, he added: “Because that was the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Doll, when it comes to sexy, she doesn’t hold a candle to you. No one does.”

“Pfft,” you scoffed, turning your face away from him in embarrassment as color stained your cheeks. “You have to say that because you’re my boyfriend.”

“Sweetheart,” Bucky took a step closer to you, “I have to be your boyfriend because that’s how I feel. If this,” he took your hand in his and placed it over the hard bulge of his erection, “doesn’t prove that to you, I don’t know what will.”

You took a moment to palm him through his jeans, remembering back to a time when you relished the effect you had over him, not doubting it. “Are we good?” you whispered.

“We are very, very good,” he said, leaning down to kiss you. You gripped onto the front of his shirt, slipping your tongue into his mouth. When he moaned into your lips, you felt yourself clench around nothing.

“Bucky,” you gasped, coming back up for air.

“Yeah, doll?” His eyes were blown, expression delirious with his lust for you. It was intoxicating.

“You still opposed to bathroom sex?”

Bucky threw his head back and laughed, igniting even more desire within you. “I’m not, but I’d rather take you home, lay you out naked on our bed, all open and pretty for me. Let you be as loud as you want when I make you scream my name.”

Your entire body shivered at the picture his words painted, and you nodded stupidly. “Yeah,” you said, swallowing thickly , “yeah, that sounds way better. Let’s go do that.”

Bucky picked you up from the counter and gently placed you back on the floor. Putting his hand protectively on the small of your back, he led you to the door, unlocking it and walking you back into the bar.

When you made your way back to your group’s designated tables, you were surprised to find everyone staring at you in anticipation. Tony stood in the center of the group, a wide smile on his face as he raised his arms wide open, tumbler of alcohol in his hand. “Pocket, Barnes!” he cried when he saw you emerge from the hallway leading to the restrooms. “The people demand to know! ‘What the ‘F’ Was It’?”

You buried your face into Bucky’s side to hide your laughter. Once again, your sex life had become the topic of group conversation. When had this become your normal?

“I think the ‘fucks’ have it!” Tony declared after taking in your smudged lipstick and messy hair. You watched in mock horror as Nat and Sam gave each other a double high five.

“Why do we put up with this?” you muttered to Bucky.

“Stark’s superior insurance coverage?” he suggested with a grin. You smirked back up at him before turning back to your friends.

“Sorry to disappoint, again,” you said, raising your voice to be heard over the din of the bar. “We did neither fucking nor fighting, so…” You shrugged your shoulders.

“Don’t tell me I missed out by not going with frottage again,” Nat moaned dejectedly. You laughed as you shook your head.

“Very well,” said Thor. “It was not fornication, nor this frottage, nor fighting– sorry, little Fox Girl.” You raised an eyebrow as your gaze found Jade, who looked particularly put out, much to your amusement. “Let us guess!”

Your friends began shouting out answers, and they ranged from the vulgar (“‘Finger banging’!” “Oh my God, Tony! Gross!”) to the inappropriate (“‘Fertilization,’ you know, like puttin’ a baby in her!” “Clint, how’s he gonna do that without ‘fucking’?!”) to the perfectly tame (“‘Fraternization.’” “Boo, Rogers; you’re no fun!”) to, thankfully, nothing at all (“I hate this game.” “Nobody asked you, Rhodes!”).

“Frenchin’!” Bucky shouted after a moment with a snap of his fingers. Everyone turned and stared at him like he’d just grown a second head. “What?” he asked as a blush crept up his cheeks. “We talked, then we made out. Just took me a minute to think of ‘French kissin’, is all,” he finished in a mumble.

“And with that,” you said, walking over to the booth where Bucky had stashed his two motorcycle helmets, “we are going home. Make of that whatever the ‘F’ you will.” Tony positively cackled at that.

“That’s my girl!” he gasped, clutching his sides.

You didn’t even try to suppress your grin as you tossed one of the helmets to Bucky. Tucking the other one under your arm, you made your way over to him. “Ready to go, soldier?” you asked.

“With you?” he said, putting a hand around your waist and giving you a mischievous wink. “Always.”

Before you could even make it three steps toward the door, your path was blocked by Jade, who stood before you, chest heaving and fists clenched at her sides. “Hey,” she said, clearly upset, “what about me?!”

You took a step back, curious to see how Bucky was going to handle the situation.

He sighed heavily. “What about you, Vix?”

“You drove me here! How am I supposed to get home if you’re driving her?”

“Stark hired cars,” he told her, trying to steer you both around her, but the girl wouldn’t give up her ground. “Get a ride with everyone else.”

“But I wanna ride back with you,” she said, her voice a desperate whine that made you cringe internally. God, how had you been so jealous of someone who acted like such a child?

He just shrugged in her general direction as he finally guided you both around her. “Sorry, Vix; not this time.”

You couldn’t resist turning around to give her a parting smile as you walked out the door. When you turned around to follow Bucky, though, you could feel Jade’s stare boring a hole through your back.

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apolloscastellan · 2 months

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Our field of dreams, engulfed in fire | loss of my life chapter three

Pairing: Art Donaldson x Tashi Duncan x Patrick Zweig x FemaleTennisPlayer!reader

Summary: Your life had always been divided in two: before you met Tashi and after you met Tashi. The second you had laid eyes on her for the first time you knew you had been changed. You were soulmates, meant for each other Nothing could ever tear you two apart, or so you had thought. You could've pinpointed the junior U.S. Open as the night that changed everything. Now you have to juggle your hate-love relationship with tennis with your love-love relationship with Tashi and the two guys who you can't seem to stay away from. Tennis, after all, was only one of the most fucked up relationships of your life.

Warnings: challengers spoiler, challengers content warnings, super minor character death, terrible mother figure, use of y/n, polyamory.

Word count: 7.9K

A/N: sorry this took a little longer than usual, I was at the beach. This chapter is a little longer so! Let me know your thoughts! <3

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University of California, Berkeley. September 9, 2006:

“What are you doing next weekend?” Art’s voice comes through your phone, propped up on your table as you get ready to go out.

“I don’t know, we still have weekends free, at least until December, but I’ll probably go hit with some of the girls, catch up on homework, you know, the usual.”

“What if I drove up on Friday and took you out? Maybe spend a couple days with you?” He tries his best to not let his voice tremble.

He shouldn’t be this nervous, you’ve been his girlfriend for almost two months now, he has nothing to worry about. He had asked you to be his girlfriend one of the many late nights you had spent on the phone with each other, talking about nothing for hours just to keep hearing the other’s voice. It had been sweet, his voice almost giving up from nerves when he asked you if you would, maybe, like to be his girlfriend. His heart stopping for a second when you answered that you had been waiting for him to ask. Still, he can’t help but feel on edge as he poses the question. You haven’t seen each other much since the junior open, which means that you haven’t seen each other at all, not for lack of trying. It’s not that the phone calls are not good enough, they had been perfect to make him fall for you. But he misses you, and he wants to see you. He just hopes you want to see him just as badly.

“Oh my God, are you kidding?” It is almost too good to be true. “Don’t you have practice?”

“Well our coach is giving us Friday free because he is going to his daughter’s dance recital. And I have been doing well with school, which means that I can probably work ahead and have nothing for the weekend. I thought you might want to see me.”

“Are you kidding? Of course I’d love to see you. You can stay with me too, because my roommate will be out of town. Oh my God, this is perfect!” you can’t contain your excitement.

“Ok, it’s settled then.”

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You are still in practice when Art pulls into campus. You always stay over with one or two of your teammates, getting some extra reps in. He walks over to the tennis courts, too excited to be apprehensive. He leans on the side of the bleachers, not wanting to distract you. You are in your practice uniform, covered in blue from head to toe, california gold in your shoelaces and the logo on your chest. You look adorable, if Art says so himself. One of the other girls spots him first, pointing to him. You turn around immediately, Art cannot be worried about you giving yourself whiplash because before he can process what’s happening you’re jumping on him, hugging him with your entire body.

“You’re here” you say, out of breath.

“I missed you so much. You’ve tanned!” he says, pulling back to look into your eyes.

“That’s what the California sun will do to you,- sir. Well, not you, clearly” you tease him, giving him a once over.

You pull him by his t-shirt, without hesitation, unable to wait a second longer to kiss him. He reacts quickly, cradling your face with his hands and returning the kiss.

“I’ll go grab my bag and we can go. I need to grab a shower before we go to dinner” he nods, too out of breath from the kiss to think of a reasonable reply.

He watches you run over to your bag and pick it up, while your teammates laugh and whistle at you, giving you shit for the very public display of affection. You bat them off, waving goodbye at them as you make your way over back to Art. He takes your bag from you as soon as you are close enough to do so. You try to protest but there’s no use. He wraps his other arm around your shoulders and lets you lead him to your dorm room. He thinks there’s no way he could ever be happier than he is right now.

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Art lays on your bed while you shower. He calls Patrick to get himself entertained, not willing to think too much about how you are barely a wall away, showering. He has made reservations, he doesn’t want to miss them.

“Yeah we have our first preseason matches in…”

He cuts himself off as he sees you walking out the bathroom. Your hair is still wet, falling on your shoulders in soft waves and you are wearing a dress you should have never been allowed to wear, for his own sanity. Patrick yells in his ear, asking him if he’s ok, but he is too busy getting lost in you to notice.

“Who are you talking to?” You wonder, your voice finally snapping him off his trance.

“Oh, It’s Patrick.”

“Hey Patrick!” you yell, as you put on your heels.

“Tell her hello and that I miss her” Patrick calls, from the other side of the line.

“Patrick says hi” he says, instead.

“Can you put it on speaker?” he does as you say, intrigued as to what you have to say to his best friend. “Pat you need to text me back, I have to talk to you.”

“Sorry doll, I haven’t been on my phone much, I’ll check as soon as I hang up.”

You nod, satisfied with his answer. You turn around to grab one of the purses in your closet.

“What do you need to talk to him for?” Art asks, Patrick still on the phone.

“Oh, just Tashi stuff, you know. It’s really not that important, don’t worry about it. Now, say goodnight to your boyfriend, we’re going to be late.”

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The restaurant that Art picks for your dinner is on the fancier side. It’s technically your first date, your second, if you count that night at the hotel, but there were too many people for him to count it. So it’s your first official date, and he wants to impress you. It’s a little crazy, how much you both know about each other without having really gone out together once. You don’t look even slightly out of place as you follow the waiter to your table and ask for what you want. He knows you have grown up very wealthy, probably as wealthy as Patrick, if not more. It only makes him want to work harder, to be better. He tells himself he is going to be great, to give you the life you deserve.

“I can’t believe you know how I sound when I’m about to fall asleep but you’ve never taken me out. I have to step up my game before you think I’m easy” you say, mirroring exactly what he was thinking.

“Well, seeing as you made out with me and my best friend the first night you met us, I think we’re a little bit past me thinking you’re easy” the laughter bubbles out of you unexpectedly, slightly too loud for the place you are in.

“You’re a dick, you know that?” but you don’t mean it.

You didn’t expect him to bring it up at all. You expected him to act as if it had never happened, like you had done every single time you spoke on the phone. You don’t mind it, you realize. You are still smiling when they bring out your food. You thank the waiter and wait politely until he leaves before diving into your plate.

“Don’t get me wrong, I am mostly excited that you are here and I would be satisfied with rotting in bed with you all weekend, but this is such a wonderful break from dining hall meals.”

“Don’t you ever order in? Or go out?”

“I mean, sometimes my teammates will invite me, but no, not really.”

“Why?”

“Well my scholarship gives me 200 dollars a month for miscellaneous expenses, but I’m trying to save for when I either graduate or drop out to go pro. I’ll have to pay for coaches and other stuff so I want to be ready.”

“I thought your mum was really into you playing tennis, why is she not helping?” the smile drops off your face as soon as those words leave his mouth, he regrets it immediately, wants to take it back, but it’s too late.

“My mum and I, we.. We’re not on speaking terms right now” you realize how vague that is and sigh, encouraging yourself to just tell him, he is your boyfriend, he deserves to know. “By that I mean that I cut contact with her. I haven’t spoken to her since the summer.”

“That’s why you said yes to Berkeley” everything made sense in his head now. He put his hand on the table, palm facing upwards, there if you wanted to take it, which you did immediately. Then, with the softest voice he could muster he asked, “Can I ask why? You don’t have to tell me, but I would love to know.”

You bring your hands together, as your right hand starts to play with the ring on your left, rolling it around your finger. You know you need to tell him. You want to tell him, you want to share this part of you and your life with your boyfriend. You want to show him that you trust him

“My mum used to be a tennis player, when she was younger. She was great. She was this amazing up and comer, beat some of the biggest names really early in her career. She was supposed to be the greatest player in history, but then… She met my dad, and she got pregnant with me. It was a complicated pregnancy and she could never play again, not like she used to. So she resented me and my dad. The only reason she stayed with him was because he was very wealthy, and she had nothing for herself except her failed tennis career. And then she realized I could fulfill that failed career, so I became her project. I had half her genetics, so it was a given to her that I’d be good. I stopped being her daughter, I was just her little tennis star. That was all our relationship was about, tennis.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry baby” he squeezes your hand, then asks gently, “What about your dad?”

“He was great, he… He died. I was eight. He gave me this ring” you say, showing him the ring you had been playing with all night. “It's my most prized possession.”

When you look back at Art he looks so sad you want to take it all back, say that you were joking, that you love your parents and everything is ok. You hate being this vulnerable, hate people feeling sorry for you. You hate feeling like a burden. You hate making a big deal of things that you’ve accepted, that you’ve already grieved. Somehow, Art has the perfect thing to say.

“It is a gorgeous ring” he whispers as he examines it under the restaurant’s lights trying very hard not to think about giving you a ring in a much different context, now is not the time.

“Yeah…” you hesitate for a second, debating whether or not you should say what you are thinking, but the boy in front of you looks into your eyes in a way that makes you believe you could do anything, so you continue, “I don’t want you to pretend I never told you any of this. There’s a reason why I told you, I wanted you to know, but can we move on and have fun? I don’t wanna spend the three days you’re here talking through my trauma.”

Art smiles, and you know everything is going to be ok. You feel a weight lift off your chest

as he launches off into a story about one of his new teammates falling down the stairs. You laugh, the guy is fine. It feels good to be honest. it’s not like you had been purposefully trying to keep secrets, but having things out in the open and knowing that Art doesn’t think any differently of you makes you feel much lighter.

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You stumble into your dorm room slightly tipsy, hands in Art’s hair. You fall backwards on your bed, giggling, Art following right after, settling on top of you. You stop him with a hand on his chest when he sneaks his hands under your dress, brushing dangerously close to your panties.

“I’ve never… I’m not… I’m a virgin.”

Your words seem to sober him up immediately. He backs up, sitting at the end of your bed. His eyes are wide open, his pupils blown. You follow him, sitting right in front of him.

“We don’t have to… If you’re not ready, I mean, I don’t want you to think this is the only reason why I came because it’s not true and…” you interrupt him by crushing your lips against his again.

“I want to, I really do. I want it to be you, I just thought you should know.”

“Okay” he says, out of breath, then lets you kiss him again.

You get rid of each other’s clothes slowly. He starts with your dress, gasping as it lowers to reveal a matching set of lingerie you had bought for the night. You take off his polo and he eagerly helps you take off his pants. It’s frantic but tender. He kisses you in every spot he can reach, holds your hand as he pushes in for the first time. He whispers sweet praises in your ear, and you tell him how good it feels. You warn him when you’re about to come, he smiles, burying himself on your neck and sucking a mark low enough for it to be covered by a shirt. He follows right after you, coming with moans of your name in his lips. You lay next to each other, tangled in the bedsheets and a feeling neither of you is brave enough to name. He cuddles up to you, hands in your body, legs intertwined.

“That was… Wow” you whisper.

“I know,” he says right back.

“I’m glad it was you” like it’s a secret.

“Me too” he’s never meant anything more, that’s it until the next words fall off his lips. “I love you.”

But you are already asleep, too tired by the day to keep your eyes open for another second. It’s ok, he can say it again in the morning, and repeat it over and over again, for the rest of his life. He falls asleep shortly after, dreaming of the rest of his life, you by his side.

New Rochelle, New York. August 24, 2019:

Art Donaldson: 2-0-0

Patrick Zweig: 6-0-0

Both Patrick and Art are shirtless by the time Tashi comes back. As soon as she has sat down two young girls come up to her. She is kind, taking pictures with them and making conversation. You can’t help but feel sad to see people congratulating her on her job with Art. They should be impressed by her own game, the way she moves on the court, not the one she was able to force onto her husband. The all too familiar pang of guilt settles on your chest. When they turn to look at you, they are almost shaking. You will never stop being surprised that people recognize and admire you.

“Hi Ms. Y/l/n, could we get a picture with you? We are really big fans.”

“Of course, but please call me Y/n” you say, as you flash the camera your brightest smile. “Plus, I should tell you, it's Zweig now.”

“No way!” they both screech, excited.

You and Patrick had gotten married earlier that year. it had been a small, incredibly intimate wedding, just you, the officiant and a couple of friends to act as witnesses. You had planned to announce it in Roland Garros, having them announce you both as Zweig. However, Patrick’s injury had kind of put a damper on that, so not many people knew about it. You hadn’t even announced your engagement, the few interested people had figured it out when he started wearing your ring in his finger and you started wearing a different one. Although you are still going to be announced as the Zweigs in the U.S Open you figure there’s no harm in people knowing beforehand. Although he had a flare for the dramatics, neither of you cared much about making a spectacle of your private lives. Which is the sole reason why you aren’t millionaires yet.

“Can I ask you a question?” the younger-looking girl asks, almost shy.

You nod inmediately, flashing her a comforting smile

“Why do you only play doubles? You are so good!”

“Well I enjoy playing doubles a lot more, the singles life wasn’t really for me. Plus, I think I’ve always played my best tennis with a partner.”

Tashi scoffs next to you, playing it off by looking down at her phone. There’s no way you actually believe that, that you are better playing with Patrick Fucking Zweig than on your own. By yourself, with a good coach, you could have been the best tennis player in history, breaking every single record in the book. Hell, your first three years competing you had won a career Grand Slam. Until you had rekindled your flame with Patrick and given up on everything you had ever dreamed of.

You ignore her, continuing to chat with the two girls until the umpire calls for the second set to start. You look at Patrick and smile at him. He grins right back before standing up and taking his position on the court.

Stanford University, California. February 23, 2007:

You can’t contain your excitement as the bus pulls into Stanford. As always, you get there in the morning, with time to spare so all of you can do your own thing and not have cramped up legs from the bus. Usually, you and a couple other teammates explore whatever college you are playing. However, you’ve made it clear to everyone that you would be unavailable, too busy catching up with your best friend and your boyfriend to bother exploring. Plus, it’s not like it was your first time in Stanford. You spot Tashi as you walk down the steps of the bus. Immediately, you drop all your bags, making a beeline to hug her. She runs towards you too, meeting you in the middle. You sway back and forth, too happy to say anything. Then, you pull away. You’re both smiling, but her smile doesn’t really reach her eyes.

“Do you think Patrick is in love with me?” is the first thing out of her mouth.

“What?”

“Do you think Patrick is in love with me? I know you talk to him, I'm not an idiot. Has he said anything about it?”

“Ok, so no ‘hello’? No ‘I missed you’?” that seems to snap her off, she closes her eyes, rubbing her face with her hands.

“I’m sorry, you're right” she says, hugging you again. “I missed you, how was the trip?”

“Not horrible, I slept the entire way through so…” you can tell she is not fully into the conversation, so you pick up your bags and interlace one of your arms around one of hers. “Ok, take me to your dorm. We can talk then.”

Catching up and silly banter can wait. If Tashi needs you, then you’re going to be there for her.

––––––––––––––––

It’s not the first time you’ve been to Tashi’s dorm, but it feels different. You don’t take in the books, or the pictures of the two of you on the wall, you just look at her.

“Ok, so what’s this thing you were telling me, about Patrick being in love with you? Why are you asking me?”

“I had lunch with Art the other day. He had extra lunch credits or something like that. He was being a little bitch. He said he was shocked we were still together?”

“He said that?” Tashi nods.

“Yeah so i kept pressing because the was being all coy and mysterious after saying that, like, what the hell? And then he just said that Patrick is not in love with me.” She looks back at you, clearly fuming. “So, what do you think?”

“Well I… I don’t know Patrick as well as Art, but he always seems to care a lot about you whenever I talk to him. You are literally 80% of what our conversations are about.”

“Do you think he’s seeing other girls on tour?”

“No” you say immediately, completely sure of your answer. “Poor guy’s actually losing for the first time in his life, he's traveling on his own and he is trying to juggle a long distance relationship and two long distance friendships. I promise you he has no time to fuck other girls.”

“He never talks about his feelings…” she groans, you can’t help but laugh.

“Pot, meet kettle” she looks back at you, unimpressed. “Look, he is getting here in what, an hour? Less? Just talk to him. I know it’s hard but it’s the only way to know what he’s thinking. Be honest with each other!”

She launches herself into you, making you fall backwards onto her bed.

“I hate when you’re right.”

“I know you do. Now, sleep, you need to be well rested so I can beat your ass later.”

That finally pulls a smile from Tashi’s face. You close your eyes and smile, satisfied that you were able to make her feel better. You can only hope she follows your advice.

––––––––––––––––

You get woken up by incessant knocking on the door. You and Tashi are still tangled on the bed, your head now laying on her chest.

“Tashi!” you hear Art’s voice through the door. “I have something for you in exchange for my girlfriend!”

You go to stand up, but Tashi pulls you back against her, shushing you when you make a startled noise.

“If we don’t make any noise, they’ll think we’re not here and leave.”

However, the knocking on the door doesn’t stop.

“Y/n told me when you guys were, I’m not leaving without her. Open the door.”

“Sorry” you wince, standing up.

You don’t bother making yourself look presentable, yanking the door open as soon as you are close enough. The sight of the two boys standing there knocks the breath out of you. You don’t have time to process it because as soon as he sees you, Art is enveloping you with his arms, lifting you from the ground and kissing you.

“Ok, let her go now, man, you’re going to squeeze her to death” Patrick interrupts, pulling Art back from you and taking a step forward to hug you. “How are you doing doll? I missed you.”

“Look at you” you smile at him. “You’re getting buffed.”

The both of you laugh. When you look back at Art he has an unreadable expression in his face, lips pressed against each other, eyes fixed on you.

“Well, your girl is inside, probably back asleep, so me and Art are going to take our leave” you say, pulling his arm so he’s walking with you.

It’s only when you’ve made it back to his room and you’re sitting on his lap, facing him, that you dare bring Tashi up. You take your own advice, communication is the only way to go about things.

“Why did you tell Tashi that Patrick wasn’t in love with her?” you ask.

He looks a little confused at first. Then, realization dawns upon him.

“I don’t know, I thought she deserved to know?”

“Is it true then? Does he feel anything for her?”

“I don’t know. We’re boys, we don’t really talk about this stuff, you know us.”

“Why would you tell her, then? Why would you say something to her you don’t even know if it’s true? What were you hoping to accomplish?” you try not to raise your voice but it’s getting progressively harder.

“Why are we fighting about their relationship right now? Why do we care?”

“That’s a good question, Art, why do you care?” you say, standing up from where you were perched on his lap and sitting on his desk chair. “Why did you get involved?”

“You’re one to talk! You’re constantly talking to Patrick about it!”

“That’s different, I’m not trying to get into his head. I just ask because I care. Plus, Patrick is my friend, we don’t only talk about Tashi.”

“Well, maybe Tashi is my friend! Maybe I was asking because I care.”

“What about Patrick? Do you care about Patrick?”

“Patrick is my best friend, of course I care about him!”

“Well you’re not acting like it!” you yell.

“If you care so much about Patrick maybe you should be his girlfriend, then!” he shouts back.

You stop, he does too. He stands up, takes a step towards you. You stand up too, but you take a step back.

“Y/n… I didn’t…”

“I don’t have time to do this right now. I have a game in an hour, I need to go get ready” you say, walking towards the door, you turn around to look at him before you leave. “We’ll talk about this later. See you at the game?”

He nods, of course he is still going to your game. Then, afterwards, he is going to apologize, and all four of you will go to dinner. And everything will be ok.

––––––––––––––––

You think it’s strange, how Tashi doesn’t even look at you when you two step into the court, facing one another. Something is wrong. As the two number ones on your team you were going against one another first. You had won your first match, a doubles one. Tashi doesn’t play doubles, so this is the first time she is stepping onto the court. You look to the bleachers and spot Art immediately, sitting alone. Patrick is nowhere to be seen. You look back at your best friend, who is still frowning and refusing to meet your eye. You think she might just be in the zone, that she has developed a new game face in college. It’s still unsettling when she doesn’t smile at you before she gets ready to serve.

It is clear that she is angry the second she hits the ball. She is too good to have no precision, but it’s obvious that her focus is on the strength of the hit, rather than where she is trying to send it. It’s obvious to you thar she is not in the right mindset. She should be wiping the floor with you, because you have already played a set when she just stepped out of the locker rooms, but, somehow, you’re winning. It’s throwing you off. You’ve played with and against Tashi a million times, enough to know her game like the back of your hand and this, it’s not it. She’s playing well, but it’s not her.

That’s when it happens, you backhand the ball onto the opposite side of the court she is standing on. She is not prepared to hit it there, but she runs towards the ball anyways. She’s about to hit her when she collapses on the ground. She falls like a piece of paper blown by the wind. In a second, she is on her back, screaming for her life.

You jump over the net immediately, not caring about conduct, or rules or anything that’s not getting to Tashi as soon as possible. You couch down next to her, reaching your hand to try and rub her arm, trying to comfort her. She is screaming at you as soon as she identifies that it’s you touching her.

“Get the fuck away from me! This is all your fault!”

You don’t know what to do. You pull back, your breath catching. Art is on your side in a second. He pats your back, telling you he will go with Tashi to the hospital so she won’t be alone, that he’ll keep you updated. He probably says something else, tries to reassure you. You don’t remember. You run away from the courts as soon as you get the nod from your coach. You don’t have any more matches, and it’s not like you could play in your state, even if you did.

When Patrick finds you, you’re rolled up in an empty corner of campus. He is crying, but you don’t notice because he dries away his tears when he hears the heart wrenching sobs coming from your body. He is next to you in a second, one hand on your back. You feel it, but you can’t recognize his voice. You jerk away, breathing erratically. It feels like you’re about to die.

“Hey, hey, Y/n, it’s me. It’s Patrick. Can you hear me?” he doesn’t really know what to do, you’re still shaking, but you nod, so he places a hand on your shoulder and keeps talking. “It’s ok, you’re ok. You’re not dying, I promise. Everything is ok.”

He looks around, wondering if anyone is coming. Maybe Art, a nurse, or even a random student, anyone could do a much better job at calming you down than him. But he doesn’t see anybody. He grabs your hand and places it on his chest.

“Can you feel my breathing? Can you try to copy me?” you nod as he over acts his breathing motions.

Slowly, you start breathing calmer again. You’re still crying, but your vision becomes a little bit less cloudy and you don’t feel like you’re dying anymore. You finally recognize the boy in front of you and you launch yourself into his arms immediately. He is shocked, but he wraps his arms around you anyways.

“I ruined her career. It’s her knee, probably ACL, she’s never going to play at the same level again. I ruined her career like I ruined my mum’s and now she hates me and…”

“Hey, hey” Patrick says when he feels your breathing grow erratic again. “You’re gonna get yourself worked up again. Do you have somewhere to stay?” he asks, trying to stir away the conversation from the accident, for his own sake as much as yours.

You shake your head, still burrowed in his shoulder.

“I told my coach I’d spend the night with Tashi, they didn’t book me a room.”

“Ok, what about this, I’ll take you to my room, you can shower and spend the night there. And tomorrow, when everyone is calmer, we can talk again.”

––––––––––––––––

You call Tashi a million times, each of them going straight to voicemail. You feel like that’s impersonal, so you hang up and you try again. She is out of surgery, you know that because of the updates Art has texted you. He doesn’t say anything else, doesn’t ask how or where you are, so you don’t tell him. You give up after an hour of trying to reach Tashi, and you record a voicemail.

“Hey, Tash. I know that you’re mad at me, and I’m really sorry. I just want to know how you are. Everything is going to be ok, and I’ll be here every step of the way. That’s all I want you to know. That I’m here. You’re my best friend and I love you. I’m really sorry Tashi. Please call me back.”

The next time you try to call, it says the number doesn’t exist. You cry in the bathroom, and you’re very grateful that Patrick pretends he doesn’t hear you. Art stops replying. You feel like you just lost the two most important people in your life, you don’t know how to cope.

––––––––––––––––

When Patrick wakes up the next morning, you’re gone. On his bedside table there’s a note.

“Dear Patrick,

Thank you so much for all you did for me last night. I decided to leave on the bus this morning with the team instead of staying for the weekend like I planned. It’s obvious that neither Art nor Tashi want me around and I dont have the extra money to stay around if that’s what it’s going on. I hope I’ll see you around!

Y/n”

You get an email three weeks later. An offer for an Adidas sponsorship and a campaign. The news of your dropping out and going pro go public three weeks later. Patrick doesn’t call, you don’t either.

New Rochelle, New York. August 24, 2019:

Art Donaldson: 2-3-15

Patrick Zweig: 6-1-0

Like you expected, Patrick got cocky, and now Art is slowly making his way back. It’s what he is best at, waiting for Patrick to fuck up, then making his move. Patrick reaches for the ball, it goes past him.

“Out!” he calls, immediately.

“Thirty, Love” the umpire announces.

You see Patrick turn around, shock and anger written all over his face.

“That was out! That was way out!”

“The ball was called in.”

Patrick turns around, looking at the line judge.

“Are you blind?”

You want to yell at him, tell him to get his shit together like you do when you’re on the court next to him. Unfortunately, you can’t do that from where you are, so you just watch helplessly. The Umpire warns him again but he doesn’t let up.

“Are you here to do your job or are you just excited that Art Donaldson is over there?

“”I’m going to give you a code violation if you don’t stop this.”

You know he’s not about to stop. Patrick doesn’t give up like that. He pushes and pushes and doesn’t let up. So you know it’s coming.

“Hey Art!” he yells across the net. “This lady wants your autograph!”

“Code violation. Unsportsmanlike conduct. Verbal abuse. Point penalty, Zweig.”

You roll your eyes but you’re not shocked. Without you down there to settle him, it was only a matter of time.

“Is this how you wanna get your points?” he calls towards Art again.

“I’m ready to serve, Patrick.”

“Yeah, I bet you are.”

You sigh at the telltale sign that he is done. He is finally letting it go. He settles back, ready to play again.

“Forty, Love” the umpire says through the speaker.

Art serves.

Manhattan, New York. March 15, 2010:

You’re at one of those galas Adidas keeps insisting you need to attend when you see him. You’re standing to the side in a long maroon dress, trying to go unnoticed. He is on the snack table, stuffing his mouth almost embarrassingly. His suit is a little small on him, a little crumbled up. He has his back towards you and he looks a little different, but you would recognize him anywhere. You have missed him too much to let the pang of guilt on your chest stop you from walking over to him.

“Patrick” you say, tapping his shoulder twice, his name falling from your lips like a prayer.

He freezes, then turns around. His mouth wide open with no regards for the food he just stuffed there. He closes his mouth, swallows, then blinks a couple times. Like he is trying to fiigure out if you’re really there or if he’s making it up.

“Y/n?” he asks, you nod. “What are you doing here? Oh my God, you look gorgeous!” his arms wrap around your shoulders, yours make their way around his waist.

“This is a brand event for my sponsors, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, it’s an Adidas event? I had no idea. To be perfectly honest I snuck in, but don’t tell anyone.”

“They have security on the door, how the hell did you sneak in?”

“I am pretty charming.”

You are out of breath just by looking at him. It’s been three years.

“Hey, do you want to get out of here? I’ve done my appearance and I can’t stand this anymore. I’ll get you dinner.”

He was going to say yes without you offering to buy him food, disregarding completely the reason why he is here in the first place. The offer of food just sweetens the deal.

“Yes, let’s go, right now” his eagerness makes you laugh, it reminds you of that first night.

––––––––––––––––

You and Patrick sit in a booth across from each other, too overdressed for the shitty restaurant on the side of the road you’ve ended up in.

“So… Are you going to tell me why you’re going around sneaking into brand events in a shitty suit and trying to eat all their food?”

He almost chokes on the sip of water he was drinking. It shouldn’t shock him, the way you read him immediately and how you have no qualms on making your thoughts known. However, he hoped he would have a little more time before he had to explain his shitty life to you. It’s a little intimidating, you have everything and you look gorgeous. on the other hand, he is sleeping on his car and weaning the suit he wore to his cousin’s Bar Mitzvah five years ago. You don’t relent, looking at him expectantly but letting him gather his own thoughts. Letting him speak at his own time.

“Well, if it wasn’t obvious, I’m not doing great. I haven’t won in a long time, so” he shrugs his shoulders, you’re still looking at him, not saying anything, so he keeps going, “I’m kind of living off my car and signing up to all the shitty tournaments I can make it to to gather the participation money.”

“What about your parents? Could they not help?” Patrick never talked about his parents, but it was never a secret that they were very well off.

“I haven’t talked to my parents for about as long as you haven’t talked to your mum” you nod, understanding the feeling. “Apparently, having a son like me was a disgrace.”

You frown, shaking your head rapidly.

“That’s bullshit. You’re great.”

“Yeah well, say that to them, and Art, and Tashi. And every single person who’s ever played me. They might disagree,” the self deprecation in his voice is such a stark contrast from the confident, slightly cocky guy you were friends with. “Enough about me tho, what’s up with you?”

“I wanna quit,” you say, blunt, his mouth drops open.

“You’re joking. You’re winning tournaments and slams left and right, and you haven’t even reached the peak of your career!” he knew, because he had been following you, your career, the same way he had with Art and Tashi. “You have a career Grand Slam!”

“Yeah and I already hate it,” you sigh, looking around, checking if anyone could overhear you, but the place was empty. “Every time I step into the court I feel so… Guilty. It’s like I took her career from her. This was supposed to be her, breaking records, getting slams, even the Adidas sponsorship. It’s like I took her life. I was never meant to be the one who made it.”

“Well, your mum would be proud,” his comment makes you giggle and he smiles. “Why did you go pro, then? Why didn’t you just stop playing after college?”

“I thought about it. I didn’t feel like I deserved to play after I injured her.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” he protests.

“Well she wouldn't agree.”

“It was an accident.”

You shrug your shoulders, you know he is right, but you will never be able to let go of the guilt you feel when you think about your ex best friend.

“I was going to quit, but after everything happened… I started failing everything. I was so alone. Tennis was the only thing I could get myself to do. It made me feel close to her, to both of them. I spent hours on the court and, somehow, everything in Berkeley reminded me of them. So when Adidas offered to sponsor me if I went pro I didn’t have to think about it. I needed to leave. And now… It pays the bills.”

“Why do you wanna quit then?”

“My name means something now, which could push me enough to open an academy or something. I could move to some rich neighborhood in New York City and spend the rest of my life making decent players out of spoiled rich girls. The only reason why I haven’t quit yet is because I was always hoping I would run into Art or Tashi at a tournament, but I’m starting to lose hope. And even if I saw either of them, I don’t think they’d speak to me at all.”

“Yeah, I know how that feels. I should probably give up too. Get a real job as a waiter or something. But… I can’t”

“‘Cause you love tennis.”

“Yeah, I do,” he nods, then looks straight into your eyes. “But you do too.”

“Yeah, but I’ve never played for myself, or by myself. I played for my mum first, then I played for Tashi. I love tennis but it’s never felt so lonely as it does now. On my own, it’s just not as fun. I love tennis because I loved playing with Tashi. Like how you loved playing with Art. There’s something about falling in love with your doubles partner, am I right?” you say, adding a humorous tone to your voice, but it’s not funny.

Patrick’s head shoots around, then turns to look at you. His mouth and eyes are wide open, the shock is written all over his face.

“How did you know…?

“About you being in love with Art? Patrick that first night, at the Junior U.S Open, it was like I was looking in a mirror. The pining, the eagerness, the awkward first experience you need to say out loud because you want to make sure it actually happened. It was almost freaky. And I’m sure you felt the same way looking back at me.”

“I mean… Yeah, me and Art both thought that you had a thing for Tashi, but then you started dating him so we just thought we had made it up. I thought you were in love with Art?”

“I was, probably still am. With both of them. My love for Tashi didn't take away anything from my love for Art, it’s something I’ve learned about myself.”

“How did you not hate me?” he asks, curious. “Because I kinda hated you a little, just a little bit. I kept flirting with you on front of Art to piss him off, which was as shitty move, thinking about it now.”

“I did hate you very slightly. I was living vicariously through the things you told me about Tashi, but to be fair, I was also quite infatuated by you so, it went away quickly,” you laugh, he does too. You don’t know where you are finding the courage to be so honest with him, but you guess you always kind of felt that way around Patrick, like you could bare your soul in front of him without fear. “I used to hope the four of us would figure it out somehow, a way to make it work. I thought Art and Tashi might have been harder to sway, but I always thought you’d agree if I ever brought it up. It doesn’t matter anymore, but…”

“I would have” he says immediately, nodding, looking at you in a way that tells you he understands you completely. “I was also quite infatuated by you.”

It should be scary to be seen so openly by someone. But with Patrick, it just feels safe.

“Have you ever thought about playing doubles?” you ask, as you’re walking back to his car.

He has offered to bring you back to your house. You are trying to gather the nerves to invite him to spend the night.

“I mean, yeah, it means more tournaments, but I am not the best team player with most people and the one guy I’d like to play with hates me, so I don’t know who I’d possibly play with.”

“What about me?” you ask, his hand stops midair, on the way to open the door of his car for you.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re not winning, and I hate playing by myself. It’s perfect. My team could manage us both, you could live with me until you get back on your feet…”

“I can’t afford your team, or to pay you rent, I couldn’t ask that of you.”

“You’re not asking, I’m offering. And you wouldn’t have to pay until we start making money. You’d be doing me a favor.”

“What about your career?”

“I don’t care! I don’t want to hate what I do for the rest of my life. I need to fall back in love with tennis. You could still play singles if you really want to, but it could be our brand. We only play mixed singles with each other. I’m sure Adidas would buy it if we sold them a love story.”

“A love story?”

You’re too confident in your idea to feel shy right now. You’ve been thinking about this since you sat down for dinner, the conversation you had only proving how good of an idea it was.

“I mean, you did say you were quite infatuated by me. And the other people we’re both in love with hate us both so… I just thought we could shoot two birds with one gun.”

“I don’t think that’s quite how the saying goes.”

“Patrick,” you warn, his refusal to acknowledge your proposal head on is making you grow more nervous by the minute.

He opens the door to his car and you jump in. He drives to your house in silence, the only noise coming from the GPS giving directions. You think that’s your answer, and you wonder if there’s a way you can come back from this, if the two of you can still be friends. You’ve missed him, after all. He parks his car in front of your house, which is not as big as he was expecting. You’re about to tell him the offer for a place to sleep is still on the table when he turns to look at you, dead serious.

“So what’s the plan, then?”

You squeal in excitement, jumping over the console to hug him, you’ve never felt happier. You help him take his things from the back of his car to your guest bedroom.

“I am willing to try this. All of it,” he says, more decided that you’ve ever heard him sound. “But I don’t wanna rush it. I wanna do things right. And I don’t give a shit about playing singles, I’d love just playing with you.”

You both sit on the kitchen table as you go down the plan you’ve made in your head with him. The call you’ll have to make to Adidas, the practice times, how you’re going to make it public, the possible media reactions, etc. Patrick listens attentively, nodding and humming and asking questions in all the right places. He kisses your cheek as you both separate for the night, and for the first time in three years, you think you might be alright.

#challengers x reader #challengers #art donaldson #tashi duncan x reader #tashi duncan #art donaldson x reader #patrick zweig #patrick zweig x reader #annie writes challengers #patrick zweig x art donaldson x tashi duncan x reader #patrick zweig x art donaldson x Tashi Duncan #loss of my life series

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echantedtoon · 2 months

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Ocean Deep Ch18 Feelings Are Complicated

(Warnings: Mentions of kidnapping, Koyuki's condition, and Yn's hurt shoulder. Cursing.)

I also have an announcement. Have you ever wanted to date the Haishira all at once(minus Muichiro for obvious reasons)? Well now you can. Reverse harem Haishira fic has been launched with the first two chapters posted here! Just let me know if you'd like to be added to it's tag list!

taglist: @six-eyed-samurai @lavenderdrxp @jjamsbangtan @camilo-uwu @hopefulworld1

@shadyd3ar @amypop122 @azuredragonstrike

@mimisweetz @chaoticoperatorduckhairdo @staarflowerr @aleee-386 @summrwalkr

@nicora04 @miniverse-zen @heijihattorisgf

@lavender-moony

Remember if you want to be added to the tag list lemme know.

SPLAT!!

Silence.

There was a silence. Giyuu sat there with eyes boring into his face as a thick glob of sand ran in a teardrop shape over the left side of his cheek, and with a ka-thunk sound dripped off his chin leaving a sticky trail behind before dropping into the water below. Everyone's head looked to where the ripples floated away from the sight where it disappeared from, before exchanging looks with one another, and then slowly one by one looked at where the mysterious attack had come from.

"Now that I have your attention-..PAY ATTENTION OR ELSE!!"

A woman's voice echoed over the waves and with it carried the beginnings of anger. The normally nonthreatening image of a delicate maiden replaced by a shadow of fury's wrath. Stunning the water dwellers in the sea bobbing up and down amongst the waves.

You stared furious and scowling. "What the ever loving hell is wrong with you all?!" You shouted angry at them. "Just..WHAT have you all been thinking?!"

"Sunlight! I don't know what's gotten into them but I assure you it was a misunderstan-"

"STOP!" You ORDERED Kyojuro and held up a full hand in his direction but didn't look at him. "Just stop. You've done absolutely nothing to help in this situation! I'm disappointed in you. ALL OF YOU!!" You pointed right at the teary eyed and snarling shark. "Starting with you! Don't you dare give me that look when you know very well Kanae said she wanted nothing to do with you this entire time! You're stressing her out because you keep pushing her and pushing her! I'm surprised she didn't snap sooner!"

"SSSTAY OUT OF THIS!!"

Your gaze snapped to the snake giving you a other one of those narrowed eyed looks however unlike last time you felt no fear. Only annoyance and anger. "I'd LOVE nothing more than to mind my own businesssssss!!" You hissed back at him making an irritated vein pop on his forehead. "But unfortunately it became my business when I was brought here! And you're one to demand I stay out of it!! YOU TREAT THOSE GIRLS LIKE YOU'RE A FUCKING PRISON GUARD LETTING YOURSELF INTO THE HOUSE ANYTIME YOU WANT TO AND DEMANDING DOORS STAY OPEN ALL THE TIME!! YOU REALLY ARE MAKING YOURSELF OUT TO BE SOME KIND OF INSANE PERVERT!!"

"TENGEN!! REIN IN YOUR DAM WIFE!!"

"I'M NOT HIS WIFE!!" Your voice echoed loudly over the heads and piercing the ears of anyone who dated to be heard causing a jingling bejeweled head of wine red eyes to turn startled towards you. Fiery eyes wielding the same whiplashed expression."I AM NOT TENGEN'S WIFE!" You pointed at Tengen. Then at Kyojuro."I AM NOT KYOJURO'S WIFE! I AM NOT MAKIO'S OR SUMA'S OR EVEN HINATSURU'S WIFE! I AM NOBODY'S WIFE!"

If you were in any other state of mind then you would've felt guilty about the shocked and guilty faces upon your friends but your brain was fried from everything that not only happened to you but to those poor girls as well. You were determined to get the truth through their thick heads once and for all. EVEN IF YOU HAD TO LITERALLY POUND IT INTO THEIR SKULLS!!

"LET'S GET THAT STRAIGHT!!" You jabbed a thumb to yourself. "I DID NOT know that letting those girls groom me was flirting!! I WAS NOT FLIRTING!! I REJECTED Kyojuro's proposal!! I DID NOT ACCEPT IT!! AND I SURE AS HELL WASN'T FLIRTING WITH YOU, TENGEN!! I WAS JOKING AROUND BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HUMANS DO!! THEY JOKE AROUND WITH EACH OTHER FUCKING PLATONICALLY!! I WAS RUNNING AWAY BECAUSE YOU FUCKING SCARED THE LIVING HELL OUTTA ME?!"

Too stunned to speak. Too stunned to respond. No one spoke a single word.

"HUMANS!! DO NOT!! COURT!! THE WAY!! MERS DO!! SO THAT MEANS KANAE DOESN'T LOVE YOU!!" Sanemi's face completely dropped as the petite woman pointed at him. "MITSURI DOESN'T LOVE YOU!" Obanais eyes went wide. "SHINOBU DOESN'T LOVE THAT ONE!! AND I'M SURE AS HELL KOYUKI DOESN'T FEEL ANYTHING FOR YOU!! AND I SURE AS HELL FEEL NOTHING ROMANTIC TOWARDS ANYONE!! SO LET ME TELL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU HOW HUMANS ARE ACTUALLY FEELING AROUND HERE!!"

Sand kicked out from under your feet as you face back and forth about two yards in length motioning your arms as you did so angrily.

"These girls are away from their families for who knows how long, trapped alone on this island without anyone to help them and to them you're all responsible for everything." You stopped suddenly. Going wide eyed and silent for a few seconds. "No. Scratch that. Actually.." you snapped up again narrowed eyed and scowling. "YOU ALL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!! EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE GUILTY IN A WAY!!"

"N-Now, Y-Y/n." Kyojuro tried to do some kind of damage control shakily raising a hand. "Maybe that's going a little far-"

"Oh don't you try to spin this any other way! Do you know how much it hurt you and Tengen when your wives were kidnapped!?" Both your arms threw themselves at the house. "YOU ALL KIDNAPPED FIVE GIRLS!!!"

Silence.

Shocked.

Stunned.

D E A D SILENCE.

"SAY IT HOW IT IS DAM YOU ALL!! YOU KIDNAPPED KOYUKI!" YOU POINTED OUT AKAZA! "YOU KIDNAPPED MITSURI!!" YOU POINTED AT THE SNAKE! "YOU TWO NOT ONLY KIDNAPPED KANAE AND SHINOBU BUT THEIR OWN LITTLE SISTER TOO!!" YOU POINTED AT TWO IN THE MIDDLE! "YOU TWO AREN'T INNOCENT IN THIS EITHER!!" YOU GLARED AT THE TWO HUSBANDS WITH SUCH INTENSITY THAT YOU THOUGHT THE OCEAN WOULD BOIL THEM FROM YOUR ANGER!! "YOU ALLOWED THEM TO KEEP THOSE GIRLS TRAPPED ON YOUR OWN DAM ISLAND AND YOU DIDN'T DO SHIT ABOUT IT!! THE GIRLS AREN'T OFF SCOTT FREE EITHER! EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THOSE GIRLS THEY SHOULD'VE TOLD YOU TO LET THEM GO AFTER THEY FOUND OUT!! YOU'RE DOING TO THEM WHAT AKIRA AND HIS FAMILY DID TO YOURS! YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE TO LET THEM GO!! IF I WAS THEM I'D HATE YOU TOO!! SANEMI HOW THE FUCK COULD YOU THINK THIS IS OK WHEN YOU HAVE A LITTLE BROTHER TOO?!"

You clutched your head feeling it start to hurt and your shoulder throbbed.

"DAM IT ALL!! YOU TOOK THEM FROM THEIR HOMES!! THEIR FAMILIES!! I FUCKING SAW THE WAY KANAE'S PARENTS CRIED FOR THEM!! YET YOU'RE DEMANDING THAT THEY FORGET ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM THE MOST AND CALL THIS THEIR HOME WHEN YOU'RE ALL THE ONES WHO KIDNAPPED THEM, HELD THEM HOSTAGE OR AREN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT, AND DEMANDING THEY LOVE YOU!! EVEN IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND OUR CUSTOMS HOW HARD IS IT TO FUCKING UNDERSTAND IN ANY LANGUAGE THAT-"

You threw your arms at them eyes scary bloodshot and your voice louder than ever in your life

"-N O M E A N S F U C K I N G N O?!"

You were heaving. Chest pumping in and out with every inhale of air as you gasped l. Your voice giving a small raspy hiss with every inhale you gave. There was nothing but silence from the waters. Not surprising.

"So here's what's going to *gasp* happen." You pointed out each one of them as you addressed them with a growl. "You're gonna stop trying to court Kanae and stop trying to fucking sing to her when we're trying to sleep!! You stay away from Shinobu!She's not allowed to study you anymore! YOU FUCKING STOP COMING INSIDE LIKE A FUCKING PRISON DOG OR I'M GOING TO TURN YOU INTO THE BIGGEST PAIR OF SNAKE SKIN BOOTS!! And stay away from Mitsuri!! You-..." You regarded the colorful pinked haired man. "I don't know about you too much..But I'll leave you this Intel. Koyuki needs access to doctors! REAL DOCTORS!! Those girls only know a few things. What if Koyuki ends up really sick and needs actual medical attention!? Or God forbids she needs surgery?! She can't get that from them trapped on an island with no dam proper hospitals!! And ALL of you stay away from Kanao!! That little girl must be terrified by now!!"

Finally you looked Kyojuro and Tengen one by one in each of their eyes slowly.

"And you two." You pointed out into the ocean. "You both go think about what you've allowed to happen! Tell the girls they need to talk to you about their lack of say as well!" Your eyes scanned all of them. "And lastly- ALL OF YOU LEAVE UNTIL YOU ACCEPT WHAT YOU'VE DONE!! Don't talk to me OR any of those girls unless it's to genuinely apologize for everything and to say you'll take them home!! You all need time to think about the enormity of what you all have done!"

With that you turned. Stomping through the sand with each step through the squishy grains until you got to the door. Pushing it open before SLAMMING it shut behind you harder than Kanae did previously. A loud UGH sound left your mouth before you kicked out at a random empty umbrella stand sending the cylinder shaped furniture into the adjacent room.

"Y/n?" Your eyes snapped up to Koyuki. She was looking like she was just coming downstairs when you came in. Ah. She must've went with Mitsuri to sooth Kanae. "What happened? Are you alright?"

You must've looked quite a sight to her actually. You sighed. "Yes. I'm fine. I'm more concerned about Kanae. How is she?"

She gave a glance back upstairs. "I think she'll be alright. Mitsuri is telling her stories about her cats."

"That's good. I'll bring her bread. You go rest up. You still look tired."

You did not see a single mer the next day. Not surprising since you threatened to turn them to sushi the other day...but now that could think clearly, you DID feel guilty especially for how you yelled at your friends but they needed to hear the truth. They couldn't just look through rose colored glasses anymore and realize what they did before anything else happened. Kanae thankfully seemed ok when you saw her. Her face was pink from obviously crying, but she seemed alright for the most part.

You didn't think anyone heard you tearing into the mers outside considering Koyuki was upstairs with Mitsuri and Kanae and Shinobu and Kanao didn't come back until much later with baskets of wild fruits and vegetables. Thank God the fish soup crisis was over!!

Well that one day turned to two. Then three. And now four. Some time away from their fish pals seemed to do everyone some good. Mitsuri did comment on it once though saying how strange it was to not see them around. You only shrugged and pretended to not know about it, although Koyuki gave you a slightly confused look.

"I'm going to make some pies today!" Mitsuri announced loudly and gushed.

"Pies? Now?"

"Uh huh!" She nodded at her best friend. "We have berries and everything else from that old pantry! We can have some to celebrate! Besides we haven't had some in so long, and they're so yummy!!" She licked her lips with a happy smile grabbing her cheeks.

"A pie sounds wonderful. " Kanae had smiled at the thought of it. She seemed the most relieved by the absence of mers. In fact the other clippy was returned to the other side of her head after being cleaned up.

"Then I'll make my famous raspberry coconut pie!..Only..We don't have coconut." She slowly blinked humming. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that we're completely out of it. Maybe someone could go get some more?"

"I'll do it." You slowly got up where you were sitting with Kanao playing some kind of card game you didn't understand (and loosing since she was good) with a smile. "I saw some on the trees when I was walking on the beach."

"Are you sure you'll be ok? Isn't your shoulder still sore?"

"Yes but as long as I'm not putting strain on it or moving it too quickly I should be fine. Don't wor-"

"I'll come with you." You were surprised when Kanae stood up with a smile.

"What? Kanae, are you sure?" You raised a hand but paused. "You uh..You sure you're feeling up to it? I mean Shinobu can come instead if you're worried about me-"

She nodded happily. "I'm getting some cabin fever just staying inside all day anyways. It'll be good to get some fresh air."

"Well.. Alright. But if you want to go back anytime you can."

"I'll keep that in mind. Shall we go?"

You nodded to her still unsure of what to do. Sanemi hadn't come around but he was obviously still out there. If he saw Kanae out walking around he might try to give her more unwanted advances or start a fight. Or at most Kanae would get angry or stressed again...but you had a feeling if you pushed her to stay, she'd only go anyways. So it was better if you went along with her to make sure nothing happened.

So that's where you both were. Walking along the shore in silence. Nothing but the waves, wind rustling through the trees, the soft squishing sounds of sand, and the cawing of seagulls in the sky to break that silence. ..You cautiously gave a look out to the waters every so often to see if you were being followed but you didn't see any mers in the water. Maybe they were all throwing tantrums under the water?

"..So..Are you feeling alright?" You finally broke the silence after so long turning to Kanae.

She smiled brightly at you. "Never better. Why do you ask?"

Maybe she was feeling better because of the plans night being so close. "I mean..Well a few days ago you were uh.." Crying? In hysterics? "..Stressed?"

She smiled wider. "Oh I'm perfectly fine now. I released a lot of pent up emotions and it was quite relieving. You don't have to worry about that anymore." You still did a little bit but at least her answer was reassuring. "Are we close to the coconut trees?"

"Uh yeah." You pointed up ahead. "Just about past that weirdly shaped log there."

You both continued to walk along the sand looking up towards the tree tops in search for any coconuts. You could've sworn you saw some the last time you came through here. Where were they? You both kept walking along and looking around at any and all trees until- AHA! You stopped spotting a couple brown round lumps hanging off the ends of a palm tree. There they were. You finally found them! You pointed them out to Kanae who silently nodded and together you both walked up to the tree they hung from. It was a medium sized palm tree that hung low over the beach, and it had around eight of those coconuts bunched together. Kanae was silent still until she calmly looked at you. Or more accurately your still hurt shoulder.

"..We only need two of them. I'll climb up and retrieve them. You're in no state to climb trees."

You gave her a look. "Are you sure? That's kinda dangerous."

"I've had to climb a few trees before," she assured you. "I'll be fine."

"Alright but be really careful. I don't want anyone else hurt around here."

"You don't have to worry about me. I'll be perfectly okay."

"KANAE?!"

A scream shattered the silence around you both. You literally heard a glass breaking sound go off in your mind as Kanae looked behind you surprised to see a white haired, scarred face bobbing out near the shallow shores looking down right miserable at her.

"Oh you motherf-"

"NO!"

Kanae had snatched your good arm just. I'm. Time. Because in one fast motion that even had Sanemi flinching, you had whirled around on your heel, snatched the shoe off your left foot, and lifted your good shoulder back to launch the said show right at his face- Or you would've if the talker woman hadn't snatched onto your wrist with both hands.

"GET OUT OF HERE, SUSHI HEAD!!," you snarled at him.

"I-.." he gave to Kanae who looked a mixture of surprise, worry, and annoyance. "I-I just wa- wanna talk-"

"WE are NOT interested in anything YOU have to say!! Get out of here before I-!!"

"YOU WERE RIGHT!!"

Silence stilled the waters as the three of you stared at each other wide eyed. You were paused in the comical position of throwing a shoe half barefoot with Kanae clutching your wrist with both hands tightly. Each having a similar wide eyed expression as Sanemi stared nervous. Eventually you opened your mouth after nearly a whole minutes-

"What?"

"Y-Yo-..." He gave another VERY nervous glance at Kanae's wide pink eyes. Opening his mouth.. before closing it and gulping thickly. "I-I sa-sa-said..Y-You were right! You were ri-right about it! All of it!" You both still stared as soft splash sounds went off as his arms gestured around. "You were right! I was selfish and an idiot and it's my fault and I made her cry and now I don't know what to do so I came here to apologize because I love you so much and I want to make things right because I'm scared you're gonna hate me and I don't want you to hate me and Im a fucking idiot who made you cry! So I'm here apologizing again because I really, really do love you and Im scared you won't like me anymore so I'm here so please tell me what to do because I DON'T know what to do and I'm sorry and I promise I won't do anything else to break your trust anymore!" He rapidly fired out at you both. By the end of that he was heaving for air chest rapidly rising and falling in breaths.

You both still stood in that position in silence.

".... Well..That was certainly a mouthful." You settled on saying after another few seconds.

You glanced at Kanae when you felt her hands loosen their grip on your wrists slowly. Her face was still wide eyed and staring at the merman. "what did you just say to me?" Her voice was so small. Like a whisper. He'll you were literally just a foot in front of her and you barely heard what she said under her breath in that tiny weak voice.

Sanemi opened his mouth again under her stare.. before gulping back the nervous bile that threatened to come up. "I-I sa-sa-said that-..I lo-love you. I-I LOVE YOU, KANAE!" He uses his arms to pull himself up further onto a nearby rock. "I mean it! I love your smile! A-And how beautiful you sound when you laugh!"

Pink eyes blinked widely and unbelievably at the man.

"A-And I'm not saying this to pressure you o-o-or anything! IM IN LOVE WITH YOU!! I've been in love with you since you saved me and treated my wounds as kids!"

Wait..You snapped to her with a raised brow. Say what now?!

"I love you so much and I wanted nothing more than to be with you! To just..Grow old and raise a fucking family!" He felt his vision blur as stinging saltwater that wasn't the sea stung his eyes. "Bit I know in the long run it's only a fucking joke to wish for that because you're perfect! Fuck you're more than fucking perfect! You're beautiful and kind and you can have any man you want. I just thought-.. Maybe I had chance y'know? If there wasn't any other guys a-and I could show you how much I could do-"

"Sanemi. That's enough."

You blinked as a taller figure brushed past you. Each step she took left a small imprint behind as she got closer. Those footfalls reducing to soft splashes as she delved deeper into the water closer and closer towards the gulping man. "Sanemi-"

"I know. You wanna go home. I-I'll take you home I swear! I promise I won't fuck up this time. Please don't hate me anymore! I-I know I fucked up-"

"Shush."

He went wide eyed as two hands grabbed his cheeks and squished them lightly. A beautiful face looking up at pink eyes, bottom lip trembling as a thumb gently wiped at a place under his eye. The waves wetting her gown her unimportant as anything else around her-

You cleared you throat quietly looking away from the kiss to give them some space. Well...This is happening. ..Um..You should probably put your shoe back on- You did do while still averting your eyes away from the emotional scene. They uh-...They probably needed a moment to talk.

"Hey uh..If you two need to talk-" You refused to look pointing a hand away from you. "-I can just go get some of the coconuts on the ground there."

There was a small peck sound as Kanae finally turned to you with a large smile. Past her you could glance Sanemi's face wide eyed shocked and about as pink as Mitsuri's hair. Looks like he really had trouble processing this.

"That's very considerate of you, Y/n. But I don't think that'll be necessary." She turned back to Sanemi. "We'll discuss this later. I'm still upset with you." Her lips delivered one last kiss to his forehead before she turned and as graceful as a swan walked on out of the water.

"So..were you literally going to say anything about the hidden backstory or are we just walking through someone's romance novel they're still writing?", you asked her crossing your arms and raising a brow.

She giggled at you. "Let's just say some things are better left unsaid. But I'm sure you're going to be a little distracted by a 'plot hook' yourself." She pointed behind you and you looked.

"Y/N!!!" Your f/c went wide see seeing at least five people popped up out of the water, with Suma on top Tengen's shoulders smiling and waving a full arm at you.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me."

Janae giggled again. "Don't worry. I'll handle the harder job of coconut collecting."

You deadpanned. "Now I see how you're related to Shinobu. The both of you are cruel in different ways."

That statement only made her giggle harder before shrugging and turning to walk off. You shot her a dirty look before Suma calling your name again forced you to look back to the quintet of mers sitting in the water. You stared at them all and they all seemed to have some expression on their faces. Suma was beaming waving a full arm at you, Hinatsuru looked as calm as ever, Makio was looking annoyed, Kyojuro smiled widely, and Tengen seemed to be the only one who looked serious yet at the same time lightly bothered by something he was thinking about. You stood there raising your brows higher at them in silence before crossing your arms and not going further from your spot.

"I told you all Im not speaking to any of you until you apologized to everyone," you stared firmly not changing your expression.

"We know! And we did!," Suma declared throwing up her hands before losing her balance and falling off Tengen back into the water with a loud splash. If this was any other normal occasion you would've laughed at her antics.

Instead your brow rose higher. "Oh really?"

"YES! WE DISCUSSED THIS LONG AND THOROUGHLY!!," Kyojuro announced in that loud voice of his that made you blink. "WE CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE MADE EVERYONE UNHAPPY WITH OUR ACTIONS SO WE GAVE YOU SPACE TO CALM YOURSELF BEFORE WE ATTEMPTED TO TALK!! HOWEVER YOU WEREN'T HOME WHEN WE SPOKE TO THE OTHER LADIES!!"

"Uh..Yeah. I'm doing what you call forging for food. But you all are...A lot more up front and forward about this than I thought you'd be."

"WE WANT TO STILL COURT YOU AS WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!!" His blunt happy yelling did catch you off guard enough to go pink. "HOWEVER THAT'S DIFFICULT IF YOU ARE RIGHTFULLY ANGRY WITH US!! SO WE'VE CONE TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU!!"

"YAY!!" Suma added throwing up her hands behind Kyojuro reappearing.

You could only stare at the two of them with a blank look.

"I told you being straight forward was a bad idea!," suddenly snapped to the both of them before throwing an arm at you. "we should've eased in to it!! Look! You two broke her brain!"

"We did not!"

"Did too!"

"Makio, I would have to agree with Suma! Straight forward is better than beating around the bush as they say!"

"I DIDN'T SAY TO BEAT AROUND THE BUSH!! I SAID WE EASE INTO IT!!"

"Makio, let's all calm down-"

"Don't take their sides! I'm the only one who doesn't have kelp for brains around here!!"

"Tengeeeen! Makio's calling me a kelp brain again!"

You stared at the four continuing to argue with one another in usual fashion as they always did before looking back to Tengen. The 'flashy and flamboyant God of Ocean's deep' was uncharacteristically silent for himself and just looking at you like a completely exhausted man. That wasn't like him. Hesitantly you lowered your arms

"Tengen?" You stepped forward and tilted your head to him. "Are you alright?"

He didn't answer, at least not right away. Instead he just looked at you for a long silent moment and then slowly held his arm towards you. You did blink but when you didn't flinch or move away, his hand came forward to gently grab yours completely enveloping it into his palm. You blinked when you were pulled forward and suddenly found yourself pressed into his chest again but this time there was a now gentleness to it as his forehead just found your shoulder. Silently you blinked as he just rested there tired and seemingly not wanting to argue or fight anymore. ..You sighed reaching out to pay his back.

"Alright, Big Guy. Apology accepted. Don't worry about it anymore."

"I'm tired of fighting for everything." His voice sounded muffled from your dress. "I don't want to fight anymore.....Also you are very warm and soft."

"PFFFT! HAHAHA!!" You couldn't help it. Out of everything else that was serious now, his antics were still present.

"And you're getting my dress all soaked in seawater."

A smirk formed into your shoulder. "Maybe I can try saving it with medical kissing?~"

"OH MY GODS!! STOP WITH THAT!!" You death glared behind him at about four other voices laughing. "And you all be quiet! Kyojuro, I blame you for this!!"

"AND I WILL HAPPILY NEVER LET YOU LIVE THAT DOWN!!"

"UUUUUHHHHH!!!"

You give up. Just plopping your head into Tengen's shoulder back as he literally just pulled you snigger against him. Actually...this was nice. You never experienced that from Akira. Tengen hugged you tightly but he was absolutely mindful of the injuries you had and didn't squeeze or put pressure around your hurt shoulder. Guess that proved how much attention to detail he actually gave. You didn't even mind the water soaking you from his body at this point.

A few chuckles in turned to a long sigh as he stayed there snug. "...Hey. I know I said I was already sorry for everything but-"

"It's fine. I already said that I accepted your apology. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, but I still stand that everyone needed to hear what I had to say."

"I'll give you that right. ...Not going to lie, your flamboyant beauty is doubled when you're made. I wanted to kiss you passionately right then and there."

"Don't say that!" You could already feel your face heating up again. "EEP?!" It certainly didn't help were suddenly once again lifted into a certain white haired merman's arms as he beamed at you. "TENGEN!!"

"IN THE FLESH!!" He happily smiled at your blushing scowling face and cooed. "I don't suppose this would be an appropriate time to ask you if we can court you now?"

You facepalmed. "You all are the most stubborn mers I know..." You looked at him in thought for a moment. "You really want to court me that badly huh?"

"YES!" You shouldn't have been surprised at the unified answer

"Uh huh..." You rose a brow at him. You sighed. "I'll..Think about it. There's still a lot of stuff to sort out."

A look of disappointment passed over his face but it was quickly replaced by a bright smile. "I'll take that as a good sign! After all you won't be able to resist me for long ~"

"I've resisted you for longer than you think."

His pupils went wide again. Uh oh-

"Really?~ Is that so, Mrs. Uzui?~"

"Hey. I'm not your wife yet-"

"Yet?" He went quiet suddenly. Wide eyed and stared at you suddenly. Before snapping to Kyojuro. "YET?!"

"YET!!," Kyojuro confirmed back absolutely beaming.

"YET!?"

"YET!! YET YET!!"

You wanted to disappear into air the more they repeated that word before you looked back to Uxui who you SWORE suddenly looked a hundred times brighter. He made to move forward but suddenly stopped-...Ah. Right. You sighed before assuming the position and held out your arms much to his surprise.

"Alright. Kiss me then but don't take all morning. I got a pie with my name on it at home."

Again his eyes went wide. "..Home?"

"Tengen, do I have to repeat myself or are you going to kiss me? Because I will get down and go eat instead."

Kanae had to blink a moment before blushing and turning away from the sight of Tengen half cradled in your arms kissing you with Suma shouting that she was next right behind him as Makio pushed her.

"So...I got those coconuts?"

You looked up. Tengen ref faced and swooning as you held his head. "In a second."

Tengen wheezed."...I think my lips fell in love with you too."

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aihoshiino · 10 days

Text

chapter 160 thoughts

Chapters Since The 143 Kiss Happened And Went Entirely Unacknowledged And Unaddressed Count: 17

Aqua Hoshigan Status: Incomprehensible

144 held out strong for nearly 20 whole chapters but 160 comes in like a beast to take its crown as Oshi no Ko Chapter That Has Baffled And Confounded Me The Most. The way it talks about the characters and arcs it's trying to convey to the reader is just mind boggling - some of this stuff just feels completely disconnected from the character arcs it's supposedly commentating on. It almost feels like an Oshi no Ko chapter from an alternate universe version of the manga.

I kind of suspect this is actually the case, in spirit at least. Akasaka has previously stated that he's had at least an ending for OnK planned at least since midway through Tokyo Blade based on when this interview was given. You would think the amount of time between then and now would have given Aka the time to organically work towards this but I think the opposite is true here - because the story has organically drifted and grown in the telling, as is natural for a serialized work of this length, the story that Akasaka ended up telling does not naturally lead into the ending he wanted to give it. And rather than compromise he's just… going ahead with it without making any adjustments, which leads to this bizarre sense of whiplash that's come from the last handful of chapters.

It's definitely possible that some of the stuff in here will read better when we're not getting this stuff bit by bit across however many break weeks but… man. I ain't getting my hopes too high.

To my relief, we start off on a note of confirming that Nino and Ryosuke were, in fact, both freaks about Ai way before Kamiki ever got involved with them. Even so, the story's framing of how he influenced them is just… weird. Based on the little flashback panels we see of their supposed friendship I'm inclined to think Kamiki is being truthful here just because whenever we see on-panel flashbacks in this way, they tend to be more-or-less factual accounts of events. Aqua tries to say he's lying, that he definitely intended to do harm but this is really hard for me to swallow, given that this 'intent to do harm' ball would've had to have started rolling back when Kamiki was fourteen at the oldest and long before he and Ai broke up.

Not only that but I have to stress, again; Nino and Ryosuke were already freaks about Ai at this point!!! They tracked down one of her loved ones under false pretenses and entered his life presumably for the purposes of crowbarring info about Ai from him!!! Wil from the OnK Brainrot server pointed out that this comes off much more strongly like Ryosuke and Nino taking advantage of Kamiki's naivety to prey on Ai, which I agree with and think lines up way more straightforwardly with the Kamiki we saw leading up to 154 and its conclusion.

It almost feels like there's two Kamikis; the victim of circumstance Kamiki who embraces monstrousness as an act of reclamation, who knows he can never again be good so he will surrender to being bad and the flatly evil Light Yagami ass Kamiki who's bad because uhhh he just is ok? It probably goes without saying which of the two I find more compelling and overall more consistent with what the story has been building up so far, but the way the story keeps abruptly switching between the two makes it almost impossible to get a coherent read on him.

At the end of the day, I simply find it very hard to swallow the manga's attempt to almost sweep Nino and Ryosuke's culpability under the rug or to transfer the weight of their actions to Kamiki and hold him accountable for them because of this supposed manipulation. A healthy, well-adjusted person with no tendencies towards violent or antisocial behaviour does not suddenly get mindbroken into a misogynistic murderer overnight because they saw that the subject of their parasocial obsession keeps a toothbrush at her boyfriend's house. I can believe that Kamiki certainly didn't help but the idea that he is solely responsible for turning Nino and Ryosuke into violent murderers is a stretch.

I feel like I'm kind of talking in circles on this point a lot because I'm struggling to articulate why it bothers me so much so I'll end this section by paraphrasing a section of Higurashi YouTuber Bess's deep dive post-mortem on the GouSotsu anime duology. that I think sums up where I'm at.

In it, Bess quotes the original author in describing the actions of the overarching antagonist as "giving a gun to someone who is being bullied and getting emotional" and says that she agrees but points out that if the victim chooses to fire that gun, they are the ones who hold responsibility for their actions and that being the victim of manipulation does not suddenly rob them of accountability for their violence, whereas the framing of GouSotsu is that the overarching villain is the sole person who bears responsibility.

I feel like this is the dynamic at play here with Kamiki and Ryosuke/Nino too - except Kamiki, in this metaphor, didn't even fucking give anyone a gun because both Ryosuke and Nino were already armed to begin with. BUT I'LL MOVE ON NOW I SWEAR…

Aside from ^ ALL THAT ^ I also feel like this chapter's attempt to define the white/black hoshigan dichotomy is also just kind of a flop. It's so overly specific that it doesn't actually match with how the black OR white hoshigans have been portrayed symbolically before (was Aqua using his super special dark and evil star powers to dominate and manipulate others when he was eating potato chips and pumping up a pool floatie? come on, man) but it's also just so on the nose and overly dramatic that it comes off as kind of goofy and hard to take seriously.

It's also really funny and kind of frustration to see this dichotomy established seemingly for the purposes of just propping Ruby up some more. Aqua insisting that Ruby is ~just different~ from him and Hikaru REALLY flops because like… IS SHE REALLY THO???

Understand that I don't say this to shit on Ruby but like. Ruby literally had a whole arc about going black hoshigan and using her talent to manipulate and use people for her own benefit! She effectively utilized girl power to put the jobs of an entire TV show's worth of people at risk so she could clout chase a little more efficiently!!! Literally everything Kamiki tries to assert about him and Aqua are also perfect descriptions of how Ruby behaved during that leg of the manga until it flipped off like a switch and she faced literally zero consequences and learned nothing from it.

This is another indication to me that this conversation is an artifact of Akasaka's originally planned ending because this whole bit gassing up how Ruby is just ~so different~ from Kamiki and Aqua simply does not cohere with a story where Ruby had an entire arc of her just being Aqua 2.0 that was never really resolved and she never really learned anything from. If the framing here was just a LITTLE different, I think it could work - maybe instead of Aqua acting like Ruby is just intrinsically, arbitrarily Pure of Heart or whatever, a point could be made that Ruby is actively choosing to be a good and loving person even after all the shit she's been through and especially after an accidental taste of the dark side. But as it stands the accidental implication of the story ends up being that Ruby's BH era was Good, Actually and the actions she took during it were also good lol.

I continue to have all the same issues with the B-Komachi concert as I did in my previous chapter review so I won't repeat myself on that. I will, however, point out that the song Ruby namedrops in this chapter is a reference to Spica (where we translated it as 'When You Wish Upon Your Star'), in which this is a song written and performed by Ai as a message of support for her fans. That is to say, we are once again seeing Ruby, from a narrative perspective, not being allowed to stand on her own as her own idol but relying on the imagery and legacy of Ai's idolhood.

Not only that but… again, I must ask: why is Ruby the center and narrative focus of Kana's graduation concert? Like, obviously, given that Aqua and Kamiki are talking about her the framing is going to focus on Ruby but why is this conversation happening during a moment that had been massively built up to be about Kana? Why is Aqua talking about Ruby as an idol like the rest of B-Komachi just doesn't exist? Why is the narrative unironically indulging in all the same favoritism and coddling of Ruby that, in-universe, tore apart the first generation of B-Komachi?

I guess at the end of the day my problem is that I'm just kind of fed up with Ruby as a character and the way the story has been bending over backwards to coddle her so it's hard to me to get invested when the story goes YEAAAAHHH WOOOOOO RUBY!!!! Especially when, like it has been for a while now, this coddling comes not just at the expense of other characters but also at the expense of Ruby herself and the coherency and consistency of her character arc. It sucks for Ruby as a character and it sucks for me, as a reader, who used to rank Ruby as one of their top three faves but now just feels kind of exhausted with her.

LOOK OUT KAMIKI HE'S GOT A KNIFE

God this whole bit with Aqua getting double white hoshigans while he pulls a knife on Kamiki is just kind of too goofy to take seriously lol. I have some thoughts about how this potentially recontextualizes some of Aqua's actions through the Movie Arc and during the previous confrontation with Kamiki but. I just keep coming back to Aqua being like "white hoshigans means love r something which i'm going to prove by killing you in cold blood" and just shaking my head. It really feels like a moment written just to be a cliffhanger so, like I have with the last three damn chapters, I'll hold back any commentary on it until we get a continuation of this thread next week.

honestly the part of this chapter I enjoyed most was that creepypasta ass full page panel of Kamiki's fucked up smile. that genuinely really alarmed me when i first saw it and even now I don't like looking at it for too long or i get the willies lol. Genuinely fire horror imagery from Mengo as usual. Can she PLEEEEEEEEASE do a horror manga next i'm BEGGING to get spooked by mengo-sensei

no wait i lied. the best part was that cute panel of ai and her babies. <3

justice for memcho and kana, tho, for real

And I'm sure as none of you will be shocked to hear……….. break next week.

#oshi no ko #oshi no posting #onk spoilers #chapter reviews

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imaginarylungfish · 8 days

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my thoughts on the end of mha

i've had a few weeks to process the ending of mha now. when i first heard there were only 5 chapters left, i was shocked. i thought when hori said he had more story to tell, we were gonna get like 10 more chapters or something. so yeah, i felt like i got some whiplash there.

but after i had some time to recover from my shock, i got sad. this manga has brightened many a sunday for me. sure, i understand the criticism of the final war arc, but i can't say i was ever bored. i always wanted to know what was happening next.

and while i was sad the villains didn't live/we didn't see a rehab arc for them nor did we see much emotional processing by certain characters after the war, i understand this manga couldn't go on forever to adequately tackle all those stories. that's what fics are for, i guess.

izuku's ending

a really big thing i liked about the ending was izuku becoming quirkless again. that's what i wanted. i have some gripes with the execution, though. it was weird that izuku didn't show any emotion about losing ofa except in the battle. i still think that was a bit of a fumble on hori's part. you're telling me the kid who cries about everything wouldn't cry about losing something that let him live his dream? just seemed ooc.

but anyway, izuku ending as a quirkless hero was exactly what i wanted. that's exactly the way to conclude his whole arc. however, unless you fill in the blanks with headcanons, the impact of that arc is a bit lost on the reader. do we see izuku's acceptance of his inherent worthiness of being a hero (due to his unwavering spirit rather than the need for a quirk)? we don't. do we see society's acceptance of quirkless people as inherently equal to people with quirks? we don't. we must fill in the blanks ourselves. and i just don't think that type of fill-in-the-blank should happen. we should get that from the mangaka.

i also found it weird that izuku became a teacher at ua and then a quirkless hero. i understand there was some fun shock value/bait-and-switch to this little plot point (which i have to admit was amusing). but it kind of just didn't make narrative sense to me once i had my little laugh. like, pick one, hori. does izuku lose his quirk and become a ua teacher or does he lose his quirk and become a quirkless hero? having both muddies the waters.

we knew mha was going to end in a hopeful way. that's what this manga was about. it was all about trying and pushing past limits to succeed, despite the odds. i knew it wasn't going to end with izuku being depressed or anything. he was going to be happy in the end, whether he ended up as a quirkless teacher or quirkless hero because that's just who he is--he doesn't give up. so, i wish that was more of the focus of the last chapters since izuku is the protag after all. but i got the big thing i wanted (which is more than some others can say), so i can't complain too much.

katsuki's ending

i'm actually really satisfied with kastuki's ending (and his whole character arc, honestly). katsuki's whole thing was that he felt inferior to izuku his entire life because of izuku's innate heroism. so, katsuki bullied izuku to make himself feel better since katsuki always felt like he needed to be the best. but slowly, we see katsuki's worldview change as he enters ua high, fails the provisional licensing exam, and sees izuku's continued mastery of his quirks.

throughout the manga, katsuki has to grow up and mature. he has to realize that while he was born with something that makes him a great hero (his quirk), that's not all that it takes to be a great hero. and in fact, izuku has the other part (empathy and determination).

katsuki learns how to be more of a team player and less self-centered. he balances out his need to win and be the best with including others in his thought processes. enough so that he sacrifices himself for izuku, apologies to izuku, and gives izuku the final push in the war.

katsuki shows emotional growth and maturity throughout the manga which i think culminates not only in the final chapter but also in his reaction to hearing the news that izuku lost ofa. his show of emotion is big for him since we know this is not something he normally does. (i still can't believe we saw katsuki of all people cry after the war, but not izuku. ugh, i'll forever be salty about that.)

it's made clear in the final chapters through his words and actions that katsuki cares about izuku. he not only verbally expresses to izuku that he is sad they can't compete anymore, but he also checks in with izuku about how much of ofa he still has, and ultimately, works to get izuku's dream back. if that ain't redemption, i don't know what is.

so with one of the last panels of the manga being katsuki reaching out his hand to izuku (!!!), calling him deku to reinforce izuku's heroism? what a great conclusion. i am satisfied. thanks, hori.

(plus, there were no canon ships which i'm happy about. that's something that i'm glad hori left up to interpretation. now, we can all go read fics with our favorite ships without too much retconning. i think we all won in that regard.)

shoto's ending

i love shoto, so i will always want more of him. but i think that's exactly why i'm fine with his ending. i don't see it like an ending. it's a start for him. he finally gets to be himself, to be shoto. sure, he still probably has a long way to go in terms of getting over his family trauma, but throughout the manga, i think we get to see his growth in that regard which culminates with his battle with dabi and subsequent aftermath.

his story was always tied to his family's story, which made him a complex character. and while i can't say i loved everything that hori did with the todoroki family, i do like what he did for shoto individually.

i will always love shoto's thoughts during his fight with dabi. i think it exemplified his character growth. he was such an angry, cold teen when he entered ua. but he learned how to make friends, accept his trauma, and become his own person. throughout the manga, he learns how to interact with others in the way he wants. despite his treatment as a child (ie. abuse), he decides to reconnect with his mom and work with endeavor. but the main thing is that he chooses it. he gets to dictate what he does now. that's huge for him.

i particularly loved the scene where shoto says he just wants to talk with dabi/touya during their fight. it reminded me of a little kid who just wants to get to know his big brother. but also it showed the maturity shoto gained throughout the story. instead of avoiding things like he originally did at the beginning of the manga, he wants to face them head-on. he has learned talking with others and gaining new perspectives is helpful and that arguments, even though unpleasant, can be productive.

and like i said before, i have some gripe with how some pieces of the todoroki family arc ended. however, i was satisfied with shoto's ending. i loved the "favorite food convo" callback. touya's response was hopeful yet heartbreaking at the same time.

i do wish izuku and shoto talked after the war because i just think izuku would want to know how shoto's doing instead of whatever the fuck this was:

but again, overall i am satisfied.

ok i'm going to stop writing now. i already wrote more than i thought i would (and even added panels). i do have thoughts on ochaco's ending and other random things, but i think that's a post for a another day. i did the main three and that's good enough for now.

overall, i was satisfied with the ending of mha, especially after looking back on it with all pieces put together. the story impacted me in more ways than one and i look forward to re-reading and learning more in the future!

#mha appreciation post #mha #my hero academia #bnha #boku no hero academia #mha meta #bnha meta #izuku midoriya #midoriya izuku #mha ending #bnha ending #deku #katsuki bakugo #bakugo katsuki #dynamight #shoto todoroki #todoroki

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villain-byteniwoha · 2 months

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I lost the tweet earlier but someone said "I miss when bungo stray dogs was about its characters and not this death scare marathon" or something of the like, and I agree 100%. I stopped reading right around the famous Akutagawa "Just go" chapter with tears in my eyes and rocks in my chest. Now, the latest chapter doesn't even faze me anymore—because these stakes are too ridiculous for even the cast.

I miss when it was about these organizations of ability users with rivalry and a shared love for their city; hence why, when the big bad threats came to try to take over, they teamed up to take them down. I think that's why, ever since I picked it back up again, I've been more interested in the light novels.

Can't deny that I am very partial to skk and their obvious obvious queer romantic subtext but more than that, I miss when bungo stray dogs was about the characters, the "stray dogs," learning about themselves and each other.

I do think it peaked with Fyodor, who is the perfect Dazai antithesis. Fyodor could have scaled in a more organic way. Instead, readers have been stuck for what has literally been years without a glimpse of the main cast, all because the list suddenly exploded and we're getting all this exposition thrown in our face.

The S4 adaptation disappointed me greatly, the key points about war did... make sense narratively, but also felt too much like an Eren Yeager callout to be emotionally or even intellectually stimulating. My current biggest fear is that the manga will follow the blueprint that Bones set down, even if I haven't seen that happen yet.

I do think Asagiri got too lost in the sauce and, in return, lost the charm that made BSD special. Which isn't to say, boo-hoo bad author give me back my good-feels and let the characters stay stagnant in that bubble, no. But do I think he could've scaled the stakes in a more gradual/less in-your-face way? Yes. And do I think the manga would have suffered less if they did so? Also yes.

tldr: detective story with powers and mafia got too convoluted that it feels like it jumped into an entirely different genre. went from 0 to 100 too fast that the whiplash sometimes isn't worth it anymore. go read the light novels tho i love them sm

#bsd #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd chapter 117 #bsd 117 #bsd spoilers #bee.texts #bee.analysis #(somewhat)

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abitohoney · 1 year

Text

Bend and Break (Not Just the Rules)

Chapter 5 of 5 - Punishment that Fits the Crime

AO3 link

CH1 || CH2 || CH3 || CH4 || CH5

Sevika x female reader

Rating: Explicit, MDNI, NSFW

Tags: Sevika/Reader, Modern AU, College/University AU, Professor Sevika, Student Reader, Humor, Porn With Plot, Eventual Smut, Teacher-Student Relationship, a lot of this is probably super cliché and a bit silly, but I don’t give two shits cause it’s fucking hot and funny, Drinking, Masturbation, Smoking, Teasing, Size Difference, Enthusiastic Consent, Dom Sevika (Arcane: League of Legends), Sub Reader, Light BDSM, Impact Play, Praise Kink, Degradation Kink, (yes I like the emotional whiplash of both kinks), Vaginal Fingering, Strap-Ons, Orgasm Delay, Choking, Multiple Orgasms, Cunnilingus, Aftercare

Word Count: 12.8k (This sucker is chonky and filled to the brim with smut!)

Summary: When a hot professor in your field of study enters your radar, you’re quick to jump at the opportunity to get closer by taking her class. Temptations eventually lead the two of you to bend and break more than just the rules.

AN: New tags added, so please read those!

‘The only thing I’m going to bend and break is you.’

Never had you found a threat to be so incredibly thrilling. So provocative. What should have filled you with dread and fear had you squirming and rubbing your thighs together, trying to ease the ache that suddenly spread through there.

“Now, you have a choice here, sweetheart. You can either walk away right now, and we never speak of this again, or you can stay here and take what we both know you deserve,” she whispered into your ear, voice low and dangerous. “So what’s it gonna be?”

How could that even be a question, given how your body screamed for her attention– her touch? Still, in the back of your mind, you found the check for consent just as hot as whatever the hell she had in store for you.

“Stay,” you whimpered.

She chuckled against your ear, sending a wave of shivers through your body. “So, how should you be punished, hm?”

You said nothing. Merely stood there damn near dying of anticipation. You knew there was nothing you could say to get you out of this dilemma. A dilemma you very rightfully deserved to be in. Brought it on yourself. It was as if you wanted this to happen.

And deep down, you knew. You did want this to happen. Whatever this was.

SMACK!

You heard the sound of the ruler connecting with the flesh of your bottom before you felt it, but only by a fraction of a second. You yelped, body jolting forward against the desk as the pain seared across your asscheek.

“I asked you a question,” Professor Sevika growled from behind you. She was standing again, that lovely skin contact gone, but your attention was focused on the prickling sensation that overtook your skin.

“S-Sevik-”

SMACK!

“-AH!”

Another hit from that damned ruler– at least mercifully to your opposite asscheek that time, but it drew a startled cry from you all the same.

“It’s Professor,” she snarled.

“B-but you said–”

“I said what?”

“You said out-outside class I c-could call you–”

“And where are we?”

…

Oh.

“Class?” you mewled.

“Mhm. That’s right, sweetheart,” she purred, accenting that lovely pet name by lightly brushing her fingertips across your sore skin.

The moan that left your throat at the contact was deprived, wanton, and oh so very needy.

“How many times should we do this?" She taunted. "One for each month you spent tempting me? Each week? Each day?”

How were you even supposed to answer that?

SMACK!

Your resulting pained cry quickly dissolved into a soft moan as she soothed over your bottom again.

“Or maybe one for each dirty fantasy you had about me during my lectures?”

The moment you felt that lovely hand leave your skin, your entire body tensed, eyes squeezing shut tight in anticipation of another hit. When it didn’t immediately come, only deafening silence filling the room, you released your breath in a pathetic, choked whimper.

“Pro-Professor, please!” you begged.

“Please what?”

…

“Stop?”

Gods, please no.

“Answer me or I will stop.”

“No!” you cried out, far more frantic and loud than you had intended, but holy fucking hell were you enjoying this far too much. The punishment followed by her soothing touch. The pain mixed with pleasure. Her… attention. All of it for you. And only you.

“Please don’t stop,” you begged softly.

SMACK!

“Fuck!” you cried out. That time she nailed one of the spots she’d hit earlier. You pressed your mouth against a forearm, fighting desperately not to sob or moan as loudly as your body urged you to.

Your professor’s sinister chuckle rang in your ears and left a pool of warmth low in your belly. Your legs threatened to give way, and you were pretty sure if you hadn’t been putting so much of your weight on that desk, your knees would have buckled and you’d have gone crashing down.

“That’s what I thought," she sneered. "Such a dirty girl. Likes being punished." She trailed the pads of her fingers across the marks she'd left, her voice softening but still holding that taunting edge, "Don’t you?”

Though her words were degrading, they only made you yearn for her more. And you knew beneath those biting remarks, it was actually praise. Especially when she paired it with those gentle caresses across your sore ass. It left you in a daze- that contrasting pain and pleasure- degradation and praise.

But she took her hand away again, far too soon, and you unwittingly reached back with both hands in an attempt to cover your exposed ass.

“Oh no you don’t,” she chastised. “Move those hands.”

Her words went in one ear and right out the other. You were too far gone already. Too hopelessly aroused by her onslaught. It was all too much, your body simply acted on instinct.

Through your haze, you heard a familiar jingle, followed by something sliding along fabric.

And then…

SNAP!

You jumped at the sudden, loud sound, but it wasn’t the ruler smacking your ass this time. It wasn’t anything touching you. It was…

Her belt?

She’d definitely taken her belt off. Snapped the two halves together.

Next thing you knew, your hands were snatched up by her much larger ones. The soft leather of her belt wrapped around each of your wrists several times before being secured through the buckle.

She bent over you and brought her mouth to your ear again. “Comfortable?”

There was bite in that question, but it dawned on you that there was more to it than just teasing. It was another consent check.

Fuck, that’s so hot.

Untrusting of your own voice, you simply nodded.

“Good,” she husked, accenting that single word with a gentle glide of her hand across your ass. The moment she stood back up though, you knew what was coming next.

SMACK!

No longer able to bury your face in your arm, your resulting yelp was embarrassingly loud and pathetic, more like a sob. And when her hand only ghosted over your burning flesh, you instinctively tried to push back into her. Unsurprisingly, she pulled her hand away immediately.

SMACK!

“Fuck me!” you cried out. The pain of overlapping hits to your tender cheeks was indescribably somehow both horrible and delightful.

Several choked sobs escaped your slack mouth while your professor chuckled behind you, soothing you again with that glorious hand of hers. It wasn’t until your head collapsed against the desk that you realized tears and sweat were streaming down your face, your cheek slipping against where it rested on the hard wood. And with your chest now smashed against the desktop, you could feel just how labored your breathing was.

“Patience, sweetheart. We’ll get to that soon.”

Get to what soon?

Oh.

Oh god yes.

You squirmed in place, thighs rubbing together with no resistance. Shit, you were so fucking wet, and just from her punishing you. But the thought of what she just implied was soon to come left you teeming with desire.

She leaned over you again, and this time, with your head turned to the side, you could see her face from your periphery. She didn’t immediately speak into your ear. Instead, she ran that wonderful nose of hers along the side of your neck, taking in a long, deep breath.

“You know,” she purred, “I think you’re enjoying this a bit too much.”

‘W-What do you mean?” you stammered.

She ran her nose in the opposite direction along your neck, timing it with the glide of her hand across your ass, causing you to shiver and groan. Then she pressed her lips against the pulse point along your neck. Not quite a kiss, but intimate enough to make your legs ache and your core throb with need.

“Your sweet little heart– I can feel it, hear it. You’re so terribly excited, aren’t you?”

…

“And I can smell your arousal.”

The tears and sweat did nothing to cool the burning sensation that filled your cheeks. There was no denying how outlandishly turned on you were by all this. In all your fantasies about her, never had you imagined anything like this. This was so much better.

“You know what I think? For as much as you seem to be enjoying this, I think we need to find something much more severe for a count. What about one for each second you spent touching yourself in class?”

“Y-You knew?” you gasped.

“Oh I knew everything you were doing. As I said before, just couldn’t act on it with a student.”

“But then- why now?” you whimpered.

“Grades are in. You’re graduating, no longer a student.”

Oh.

OH!

She hummed in amusement against your ear, apparently catching how your eyes had gone wide in realization.

“Tell me, what did you fantasize about that day?”

Just when you thought your cheeks couldn’t possibly burn any hotter, they did the moment you thought about admitting- out loud- what you had imagined about her that day. You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to focus on coming up with the shortest, least incriminating, version of your fantasy.

But how the fuck do-

SMACK!

“FUUUuuck,” your screamed curse deteriorated into a long moan when her hand quickly replaced that god-forsaken ruler.

“I know you’re smarter than this, sweetheart,” she cooed

Apparently you weren’t, considering how many times you’d delayed in answering only to receive another deliciously brutal smack to your bottom.

“I- I imagined- kneeling before you,” you stammered, keeping your eyes closed to hide your shame as you continued to confess, “Be-Between your legs, at-at your desk…” You trailed off, foolishly hoping that would be enough to placate her.

“Hmm. And what were you doing there?” she hummed, her hand still caressing your tender skin, tracing along the marks she’d left there as if admiring her handiwork.

“I- I was touching your thighs… getting ready to- to take your- your pants off.”

You could feel her fingers travel closer and closer to the apex of your thighs with each swipe of her hand, making it more and more difficult for you to concentrate.

“Mmm. And then?” she asked, her voice so undeniably deep and sultry.

“I- I was going to- to-”

“Hm?”

Fuck! Just say it!

“-to give you head!” you blurted out the rest, flinching as if you would feel her disgust hit you like the fucking ruler. But there was no disgust. None whatsoever.

“I should have known. You are the pleasing type.”

Before you could respond to the wonderful praise hidden in that statement, you felt her run two fingers between your slit through your panties.

Your legs trembled at that tiny bit of stimulation, a barely contained moan caught in your throat.

"Look at you. Already so wet and I haven't even touched that pretty little cunt yet."

“Professor,” you whined and attempted to push back against her hand.

“I think you’re enjoying being disciplined this way far too much. Maybe you’re more deserving of a punishment that fits the crime. Maybe I’ll just tease you,” she accented that word with a literal tease- another drag of her fingertip through your slit. “Just dangle what you desire right in front of that pretty face of yours, but make you wait. Make you crave it so bad it’s all you can think about.”

Good god, was she implying that’s what you’d done to her? Had she wanted you so badly all this time and just not acted on it to save both of you from possible firing and expulsion?

“Does that sound like a fitting punishment?”

You’d honestly take anything she’d deal out. Anything. But you still weren’t ready to admit to that.

“I- I don’t kno-” your answer was cut short by one final SMACK of the ruler.

“Fuck!” you cried out. That hit had been particularly harsh, nailing your already raw skin. But you were crazy. Simply crazy. Because you enjoyed that pain, at least when it was dealt by her.

You didn’t immediately feel her soothing touch, instead you felt her slip her fingers beneath the waistband of your soaked panties and carefully pull them down to just below your knees.

“Hmm,” she hummed appreciatively from behind you, “very nice.”

You clenched around nothing at that praise, and she obviously took notice.

“So needy,” she teased, chuckling lowly when you attempted to push back against her hand as she ghosted it over your ass.

“Sev- Professor, please,” you whined. You bit your lip, too fearful to ask for what you really wanted.

“Please what?”

Of course she’d make you say it.

“Please touch me.”

Your professor’s smug face appeared in your periphery. “Where?”

…

“Here?” she asked, tauntingly brushing the tips of her fingers across the back of your neck and causing you to shiver.

…

“Or here?” she slipped her hand beneath the back of your shirt and lightly drug her nails down your spine.

You shuddered and moaned involuntarily, eyes fluttering shut at the delightful sensations coursing through your body.

“What about here?” With her hand never leaving your skin, she trailed her fingers over your ass, all the way down to your thighs, her middle finger dangerously close to where you really wanted her.

You tried again, without success, to push back against her hand, only for her to pull it away with a scolding, “Tsk.”

“You’ve got to use your words. I can’t spend all night guessing.”

She fucking knew where you wanted to be touched. She was just toying with you. And you’d be lying if you said you didn’t like how sadistic she was. So you took in a shaky breath, screwed your eyes shut, and forced out a defeated, “Between my legs.”

You knew that wouldn’t satiate her desire to have you admit the filthy specifics, so after taking another breath, you whispered, “My cunt.”

Still hovering over your face, she chuckled darkly. “Atta girl."

Gawd that was almost… demeaning, but holy fuck did it make you feel good.

She stood back up, placing a hand back on your bottom, only this time, as she dipped her spread fingers lower, she let her middle finger tease just along the outside of your wet folds. She reversed the path, moving her finger aside just before she could reach your entrance.

Goddamn tease!

And she just repeated the motion, leaving you sucking in a breath each time that tantalizing digit came close to your dripping center, only to release it from your lungs in a shaky groan. She kept at it until you were left squirming and pulling against the belt restraining your hands. Even with your eyes closed, you knew she was back there wearing the biggest, sexiest, most evil grin.

“Professor please!” you begged when she made another pass, this time the pad of her finger ghosting over your slit.

So close.

Of course she said nothing, but you knew what she was thinking. ‘Please what?’

“Inside, please,” you pleaded.

“All you had to do was ask,” she taunted.

With your eyes still squeezed shut, all you could focus on was the wonderful pressure of her thick finger finally slipping inside- slowly. So fucking slowly.

Your toes curled and you bit your bottom lip, struggling to remain quiet. Something primal started building in your throat, threatening to spill past your pursed lips at any moment. She was only the first knuckle deep and your head was already spinning.

“Mmm,” She hummed from behind you. “So warm-” Her second knuckle slid inside, then her voice sounded closer. “-wet-” she purred. Halfway to the final knuckle and her sultry voice even closer still. “-and tight,” she husked against your ear as she buried that finger clear to the last knuckle.

The breath you’d been holding to keep quiet fell past your parted lips in a wanton moan, your body trembling with the pleasure that coursed through your lower half.

God, if just a single finger feels that heavenly, how would two feel?

“Feel good?” she purred.

“Yes. Very…” you groaned when she slowly pulled her finger out, curling and dragging it along your walls. Warm air fanned across your cheek as she laughed tauntingly. You slowly opened your eyes to find her leaning against the top of the desk on her forearm, wearing the most shit-eating grin while she watched your expressions.

“Think you can take two?”

Not sure.

“Or should we work you up a bit first?”

Fuck no.

“I can take another,” you huffed out, struggling to remain still, the tip of her finger threatening to slip out completely.

She chuckled again, and you instinctively clenched at that undeniably sultry sound just as she slipped a single digit back inside.

“Forget your manners?” she taunted, stilling inside you.

“Pl-eeease,” you moaned when she dragged back out again. She’d obviously timed that with you trying to talk just to fuck with you. That should have made you angry, but good god did you enjoy the torture. And any bit of torture you felt disappeared the instant you felt her start to push two digits back in.

Oh fuck was it a stretch. You whimpered, spreading your legs wider to try to accommodate. Two of her fingers were easily as thick as three of your own. Had to be. And when she forced you to open wider, going deeper and deeper, you fought to bite back another moan. Fists clenched from where they were still bound behind your back, you didn't even notice the pain of your nails piercing your own skin when her fingers finally bottomed out.

No amount of fantasizing could ever have prepared you for how good you felt at that moment. So full. Only the slightest tinge of pain, but it was completely overtaken by the pleasant ache that spread from your core through the entirety of your body.

But you needed more.

You needed motion. Friction.

“Pro-fessor, please,” you begged, “Fuck me.”

Your body felt like it was on fire, and you weren’t sure if it was the embarrassment of how desperate and pathetic you were, the intense pleasure and anticipation, or a combination thereof. Whatever it was, you could feel a thin sheen of sweat forming across your forehead and chest.

Another low taunting chuckle timed with the drag of retreating digits and you thought you might just lose it right there.

Your lips parted, another plea ready on your tongue, only to come out in a sharp gasp the moment she rammed both fingers back inside your dripping hole.

“Fuck!” you cried out, but she left you no time to recover, immediately starting to finger fuck you at a slow, steady pace.

She was laughing from somewhere behind you again, but it barely registered in your lust-laden mind as she scissored, curled, and pumped her fingers in and out.

Gradually, she started to increase the speed, plunging deeper with each thrust and bringing you closer and closer to that blissful climax.

“You think that boy could fuck you like this?” she taunted, her lips dragging along your sweat-slick neck as she bent over you. She used her own body weight to push her fingers deeper, your insides burning and growing tighter with each thrust, each derisive little comment. “You think he could make you feel this good? Know exactly how to please you? All the right spots?” She accented the last word with a swipe of her thumb across your throbbing clit.

White light flashed behind your closed eyes, a feeling so electric firing straight from your core to your toes.

You were so close. So fucking close. Just a few more swipes. Just a few more- and you’d be there.

“P-Please!” you sputtered.

Another tease across the swollen bundle of nerves.

“I’m so close!” you cried out. You opened your eyes, hoping you could use them to plead with her, words no longer an option. Unfortunately, you could only see a blur of her face through your own tears.

And then her fingers were gone.

“Oh god no! No, please! Please Professor!” you sobbed frantically. You pushed up off the desk as much as you could without the use of your arms, squirming against your restraints and struggling to get strength in your legs to push back against her.

“Calm down!” Professor Sevika snarled.

Your eyes went wide, but you were too overwhelmed with desperation. You opened your mouth to protest, beg her more, only to have it filled with two thick, wet fingers. She spread them wide and shoved them clear back to your throat.

“Do you want to get caught right before your graduation ceremony?” she seethed against your ear.

You shook your head frantically, blinking away tear after tear, sending them spilling down your burning cheeks. The taste of your own slick filled your mouth as your tongue rolled along her fingers.

“You’ll get your release. You just have to learn to be patient,” she hissed. “ Like I did.”

Oh boy. Should have seen that coming.

“Got it?”

You took a deep, calming breath and murmured in affirmation around her fingers.

“You gonna be quiet now?”

You nodded, blinking away the last of your tears.

“Still think you deserve this?”

Another consent check, another nod.

She slipped her drool-coated fingers from your mouth and you watched as a string of saliva and slick clung between you two, core throbbing at the sight of it.

After wiping her fingers off across your ass, she gently helped you lie back down against the desk. With her mouth pressed to your ear, she whispered, “Now you be a good girl, and I’m going to get something else I think you’ll really like.”

Your eyes opened wide at the possible implications of that statement. You tried, without much success, to lift your head off the desk to see what she was doing behind you. Unfortunately, she was just outside your field of vision, but you could hear her rummaging through her bag on the floor. Then more shuffling, jingling of… buckles? More than one for sure.

“Not sure this is necessary given how dripping wet you are,” she taunted from behind you. Then you heard something squirt.

Lube?

Oh god.

She was lubing up a strap-on.

You shifted in place, rubbing your soaked thighs together, the thought of what was coming next leaving you yearning for what would assuredly be another delightfully full feeling.

“Oh!” you gasped when something unexpectedly wet and cold prodded at your warm entrance.

Sevika chuckled and teasingly dragged the tip through your slit. “So sorry sweetheart. Might be a little cold.”

No shit.

You didn’t respond, instead focused on your breathing, which was still heavy from getting so worked up. With your chest pressed against the unforgiving wood of the desktop, you could feel your heart throbbing faster each time she ran the head of the dildo through your folds.

“You’re gonna have to get a little higher for me.”

Easier said than done.

Your legs felt like they’d turned to jello, but you still forced them closer together and pushed up on your tiptoes, muscles screaming at you to cease the demand.

“That’s my good girl.” She gave your ass a light pat with her free hand and pressed the tip of the toy just far enough inside to keep it from slipping out.

It was not a small one by any means. You could already feel the girth by the paltry amount sitting just inside your entrance. A soft moan fell past your lips and you rested your slick forehead against the top of the desk.

“Think you can take it all?” She asked, both her hands massaging the round, plump flesh of your ass.

You honestly weren’t sure. Her two fingers were the perfect fit, and this felt even larger. However, you were not about to tell her no to anything she offered you. Not in this lifetime or any other.

“Yes,” you forced out with a shallow breath.

“Hmm. I think so too,” she husked. She pressed both her thumbs against the underside of each asscheek and forced you to spread open more, revealing you in all your wet, lascivious glory.

Then, ever so slowly, you felt the toy start to sink deeper. It dragged almost tormentingly slowly along your walls. You weren’t sure if she was doing it to toy with you, or to give you time to adjust, but whatever her reason was, it was leaving you struggling to think.

“Mmm. Look at that,” she hummed, delighting in the vision of the silicone cock sinking deeper between your wet folds. “Fuck, that’s real good.”

Instinctively, your body jerked back towards her, forcing the toy considerably further in. You gasped at the sudden intense stimulation, muscles straining and fingers curling into fists.

Professor Sevika moved her hands to your hips, her nails digging into the soft flesh as she held you in place.

“Uh-uh,” she chided mockingly. “I’m in control here.”

“I-I’m sorry,” you stammered, “It-It just feels so good and you’re just so… I’m so…” You trailed off, mind blanking the moment she pushed in the last remaining length of the toy, her hips pressing fully against your ass.

“What was that? I didn’t quite catch that.”

Through the haze in your head, you heard the taunting lilt in her words, but it only made the knot forming low in your gut pull tighter. And with the height difference, the strap pressed in at an odd angle, to the point you could swear there was a bulge low in your stomach where it rested against the desk.

A sudden sharp pain in your hips knocked you temporarily back to your senses.

“I asked you a question,” she snarled, her nails sinking into your flesh.

“I- I’ve never felt so good. Never needed something- someone- so bad,” you exhaled as she started to pull back out.

“We’re only getting started, sweetheart,” she taunted. Then, just as the tip threatened to fall from your needy cunt, she snapped her hips, burying the faux cock clear to the hilt.

All the air rushed from your lungs in a sharp cry of pleasure, surely loud enough that anyone in the vicinity could hear. Hopefully nobody was.

“You’d better stay quiet. Or do I need to busy that mouth of yours again?” She seethed, leaning over your body to speak into your ear.

What was with all the difficult questions? There was no way you could keep quiet while she fucked you. It was too intense- too fucking good. And good god, she was making that angle so much worse- or better- with the way she was positioned. You stretched on your tiptoes, trying to relieve some of that overwhelming pressure.

“I’ll be good,” you mewled, “I’ll be quiet.”

“That’s my good girl,” she purred as she ran the tip of her nose along your ear. “Keep this up, and maybe I’ll let you cum sooner than later.”

You clenched around the toy, and you knew she could feel it by the evil little laugh that rumbled through her chest to where it pressed against your back.

She stood back up, and you whimpered at that loss of contact, only to be distracted by the strap withdrawing again.

Just as she’d done with her fingers, she started fucking you with a steady rhythm. Except this time, she only pulled out slowly, reentering at a much faster speed. Her hips slammed against your bottom each time, leaving you biting back moan after moan.

“How’s it feel having that wet little hole fucked by your professor?” she taunted. “Did you fantasize about this too?”

You’d literally dreamt of this moment a thousand times, a thousand different ways. Though none had ever compared to how it truly felt.

“Yes- many times- but I- never imagined- it would- feel this- good,” you moaned between each push of the toy along your walls.

“Such a filthy girl,” she jeered.

Maybe she was right, but if this was how filthy girls were punished, you weren’t about to change a damn thing.

She started fucking into you harder, faster, deeper– using your hips as leverage to pull you against her while she continued to thrust her hips.

Her grip was anything but gentle, sure to leave bruises you were more than willing to have. The force of her thrusts shook the desk hard enough to rattle the pen and pencil holder that sat precariously at the edge. Not that either of you gave a damn. You were too caught up in absolutely falling apart at her doing, and she was too caught up in watching it.

It wasn’t long before you once again found yourself at the precipice of bliss. The knot low in your belly pulled so taut it threatened to break at any moment.

“You’re close, aren’t you?”

The question echoed through your clouded head in her husky voice, but you weren’t sure you could form the words necessary to answer that. So instead you nodded your head, cheek sliding across the desk where it still rested in a pool of your own sweat and tears.

Between the maddening drag of the faux cock, you could feel one of her hands slide from your hip down around one of your thighs. Her middle finger ran along a trail of slick gathered along the inside before climbing up to circle your throbbing clit.

You gasped, a string of incoherent babbling following immediately after.

Just a few more of that motion and you’d be falling.

“Don’t think I’m letting you have it that easy,” Professor Sevika taunted. She was bent over you, those full lips of hers teasing along your ear yet again. “You’re gonna have to earn this.”

Fuck, god no.

You whimpered and pulled against the belt restraining your wrists.

If you could just-

“You brought this on yourself, sweetheart.”

True or not, you weren’t in your right mind to accept that, but neither were you capable of disputing it.

“How about a test? If you can answer these questions, I’ll let you cum. If you can’t, well, I’m just going to keep you right on that edge.”

She’s got to be fucking kidding.

“First question; What is the viscosity of an inviscid fluid?”

What?!

You weren’t sure if it was the haze that had taken over your head, or if that was a trick question.

“Zero?” you moaned as she timed another thrust of her hips with your answer. “𝝂 equals zero.”

“Good girl,” she purred into your ear, swiping the pad of her finger across your clit again.

You keened, body trembling.

At least the questions were easy as hell.

“Now, what type of fluid continues to flow regardless of forces acting on it?”

Scratch that last thought.

Shit.

Think.

She continued to fuck you, but dragged that goddamn finger just outside your aching bundle of nerves, distracting you each time it came within close proximity.

Fucking hell.

Come on. You know this.

OH!

“Newtonian fluids!” you choked out.

“That’s my smart girl,” she whispered into your ear and flicked her finger against your swollen clit.

“Fuck!” you cried out as pain and pleasure radiated from that tiny point.

“Now, give me an example.” Her finger dipped lower, gathering more slick that had collected just above your entrance. “-in this room,” she added with a very obvious teasing lilt.

A fluid that continues to flow regardless of forces acting on it… in this room…

Was she really trying to get you to say that?

As she smeared the wetness from her finger all around the hood of your clit, you knew you had the answer she was looking for.

“My- My cum?”

“Mhm,” she hummed against your ear, her finger circling your clit once more.

“Please, Professor! I’m so close!” you begged.

“Not yet, sweetheart. Gotta be patient like I was. One more question.”

You bit your lip- hard- desperation to reach the end driving you mad.

“What is the coefficient of compressibility?”

Fuck.

“I- I-”

Another thrust, finger teasing so close.

With no coherent thought left in your head, all you could do was beg for her mercy.

“I can’t! God, p-please Professor. Please! I’ll do anything! Anything you want!” Your desperate pleas fell past your lips in a pathetic babble.

Her other hand left your hip and slipped between the desk and your stomach. With what little strength you had remaining, you lifted yourself up, allowing her hand to slip higher, between your breasts until her large fingers wrapped loosely around your throat, her forearm taking most of your weight.

“Anything?” she growled into your ear.

“Fuck yes!” you sobbed, your eyes flying open and allowing the tears of desperation to flow freely.

“Hmm, yes you will,” she hummed.

Then, god bless that fucking sinful woman, she slipped two fingers on either side of your swollen clit, timing each glide with a pump of the strap between your legs and the tightening of her fingers around your neck.

Your vision blurred, lids fluttering shut and eyes rolling back behind them. Airway restricted- just the slightest bit- you felt as if you were approaching a high. Any moment you’d fall, come crashing down into a pool of bliss.

“Should I stop this?”

The question echoed through your empty head. You had no idea what ‘this’ was, but you wanted nothing she was doing to stop.

“No, god please, no.” The voice you heard speak those words sounded nothing like your own. It was so deep, guttural, and uncontrolled.

“You like this?” she husked, fingers squeezing just a tad tighter, but enough to have you seeing stars.

“Fuck, yes,” you groaned.

“Good. Now cum for me.”

One more perfectly timed squeeze of her hand, glide of her fingers, and thrust of her faux cock was all it took to finally, finally send you toppling over the edge.

Your breath rushed out with a sputtered string of curses, her name mixed in. You felt weightless, like you were falling, even as her arm held the full weight of your chest. Waves of heat spread from your core throughout your entire body, every muscle burning as they contracted.

“That’s it. Let it all out,” she husked against your ear, her hand loosening its grip on your neck and pace slowing while she let you ride out the high.

When your babbling died down, fading into soft, labored breaths, she finally stilled completely and carefully lowered your upper half back down to rest on the desk.

Even with your eyes open, the room was a blur. As you settled against the desk, your cheek slid against the wooden top, still slick with more tears and sweat.

“You still with me, sweetheart?” your professor asked, combing through your hair with one hand while the other caressed your bound arms. She chuckled when all you could give her was a tiny nod. “That good, hm?”

You nodded again. Even if you could speak, words could never express the utter bliss you felt.

Her hands moved to the belt still binding your wrists and carefully removed it, tossing it aside on the desk as your hands fell limp along your sides. She shifted behind you, causing you to flinch when the silicone toy pressed against your overly sensitive walls.

“I’m gonna pull out now,” she warned, but before you could reply, she pulled back, ripping a sharp gasp from your sore, overused throat.

“Fuck,” you cursed under your breath.

She merely chuckled again and gave your ass a playful pat.

As you started to come to your senses, you realized your full weight rested on the desk, your legs had given out at some point. You tried to put a minuscule amount of weight on them, only to feel them tremble and threaten to buckle.

“I- I can’t stand,” you admitted sheepishly.

“No need.”

The next thing you knew, you were being manhandled– picked up, turned, and pulled onto your professor’s lap from where she sat in her chair. Somehow you managed to maneuver enough to straddle her, kicking your panties off the rest of the way in the process. The sticky strap rubbed against your swollen clit, overstimulation leaving you whining and grasping your professor’s shoulders.

“Shh,” she hushed you. Though her lips curled into a cocky, self-satisfied grin, her honeyed words were contrastingly sweet and soothing. “You did so well,” she cooed. She took your hands into her own, kissing along the red marks left along each wrist from where the belt had rubbed them raw during your struggles.

Then she cupped the side of your face and neck, examining how the sweat and tears had run your makeup, stained your bright red cheeks. “Look at you. Such a mess.” Her gray eyes glistened behind her glasses as they followed the path of her thumb tracing the apple of your cheek. “Such a beautiful mess.”

Your chest swelled and heated, spreading clear up through your neck to your cheeks. You pressed your cheek against her hand, biting your lip and giving her a bashful smile. When you swallowed, you felt a faint throbbing in your neck, a heated memory of where she’d wrapped that strong hand around it. One of your hands moved there instinctively, touching as you closed your eyes and relished the memory.

“Was- that too much?”

Your eyes flew open, alarmed by the unexpected hint of concern in your professor’s tone. That smile of hers was long gone and her eyes searched your neck after you pulled your hand away.

Oh fuck.

“Not at all!” you assured her, taken back by the sudden change in her demeanor, and admittedly rather moved by it. “I- I really enjoyed that,” you admitted with a shy, but reassuring smile.

“Yeah?” The corner of her mouth tugged upwards again.

You nodded, meeting her gaze and taking one of her hands to place it against your neck. Your hand slid over hers, squeezing it gently.

Her lips curled higher and she gripped your neck in her large hand, pupils dilating as she watched you close your eyes.

Your head lolled back, a soft moan falling past your parted lips.

She pulled you closer by the neck, her plush lips gliding over your chin and up along your jawline.

“Maybe you’re not such a good girl,” she husked.

Your hand slid down to wrap around her wrist, to ground yourself when your head began to spin, renewed lust taking the reins once again. The other hand fell to grip the arm of her chair as you felt her lips tease over yours.

It dawned on you that she’d fucked you stupid, and yet you hadn’t actually kissed her yet. But she just taunted you, held you still by your neck and let her warm breath mingle with yours.

“Professor, please,” you pleaded breathlessly. Your head may have been restrained, but your lower half was able to remove freely, allowing you to grind against her strap.

“Please what?” she asked, voice deep and taunting.

“Kiss me,” you pleaded, lips ghosting over hers as you spoke.

“Hmm,” she hummed, “Do you really think you deserve it?”

When you felt her run the tip of her tongue over your bottom lip, it took every ounce of willpower not to try to capture her mouth with your own. You attempted to swallow the lump forming in your throat, struggling to remain still for her. The heat returned between your thighs and you ground against her strap again. “Yes. I- I’ve been good for you.”

“You still gonna keep your word and do anything for me?”

“Yes.”

“You gonna ride my cock?”

‘Yes.”

“And clean the mess you’ve made after?”

“Yes ma’am.”

…

The silence that followed nearly drove you to the brink of insanity. Her warm breath fanned across your dry lips, but when you attempted to wet them with your tongue you were met with the tease of hers. Your resulting wanton moan became muffled the moment her lips finally pressed to yours.

Her hand slid down from your neck to slip under your shirt and grasp one of your breasts, squeezing it roughly while her tongue delved deeper into your mouth. She all but devoured the soft, sweet sounds you made as your senses were invaded by her heady kiss and touch. The taste of her mouth- smoky and just a hint of sweetness. The press of her lips- so unbelievably soft. The aggression of her probing tongue- overwhelmingly good. And the warmth of her large hand- teasingly rolling over the hardening peak of your breast.

When she finally broke the kiss, she let you rest your forehead against hers while you caught your breath. Staring into her gray eyes through those sexy glasses, you couldn’t believe any of this was happening. All those days and nights you spent thinking about her, you never truly thought you’d get here, especially like this. Never thought a woman so smart, sexy, gorgeous, and strong would give you the time of day, let alone fuck you so wild and passionately. It was utterly mind-blowing.

And yet, as you sat there, straddling her lap and feeling that familiar knot forming in your belly, she was watching you with just as much admiration and desire.

“Ready?” she asked, breaking the silence.

You nodded, teeth capturing your bottom lip in anticipation.

She tucked your skirt up and into its waistband then grasped your hips. She lifted you up over the tip of her faux cock, just letting you hover there for a moment. Raising her hips off her chair just enough to rub the tip over your sensitive clit, her lips curled into a smug smile as your face contorted at the teasing touch.

Hands braced on her broad shoulders, you locked eyes with her when she let you control your descent. You lowered yourself, ever so slowly, and though you were already looser from your first round, the stretch was still indescribably fulfilling. It took much of your remaining control to hold back the moan that tried to escape, the skin of your lip on the verge of breaking with how hard you bit down.

She captured your chin between thumb and forefinger, gently prying your lip out from between your teeth. “I want to hear those pretty little noises you make.”

Your cheeks heated, but you nodded obediently. As you sank lower, you finally let a soft, long moan slip free. The way her smile grew at that only served to encourage you further. “Fuck,” you breathed when you finally bottomed out. You collapsed forward, burying your face in her neck for a moment while you regained your senses and adjusted.

“Not already giving up on me are you?” The vibrations from her low chuckle reverberated from where her chest pressed into yours.

You sat back up, smiling at her shyly. “No, I just need a minute. Very sensitive after all… that.”

Her lips twitched at your last word, clearly proud of herself.

Fuck that lopsided grin of hers is so damn sexy.

“Take all the time you need,” she replied and ran her hands up and down your back beneath your top. She started to lift it up, then paused suddenly.

You met her eyes, curious why she stopped, and noticed she had raised a brow expectantly. She was asking for permission.

Hot.

And better yet, maybe you could use that to your advantage. Your eyes dropped to the gold chain she wore, followed it all the way down her neck and chest to where it disappeared between her cleavage and under her shirt.

“Can I unbutton yours?” you asked sweetly, feigning innocence despite the fact that you were obviously trying to bribe her.

She eyed you suspiciously for a moment, and you thought for sure she was going to deny it, but to your surprise, she gave you a short nod. “Suit yourself.”

You beamed and immediately reached for her top button.

“Ah-”

You stopped dead in your tracks, eyes flitting back up to hers.

“Yours first.”

Of course.

Not that you minded. Especially with how her eyes raked appreciatively over your exposed chest after she pulled your top off and tossed it onto the desk.

“Hmm,” she hummed and ran her hands up from your waist, over your sides, and slid her thumbs beneath each breast, pressing gently into the soft flesh. “So pretty.”

Beyond flattered by the compliment and excited to get to her shirt, you squirmed on her lap, completely forgetting the fact that her faux cock was still buried inside you. You whimpered at the unexpected stimulation, earning yourself another one of her sexy, taunting little laughs.

You sucked in a breath and held it, shaky hands reaching for that first button. You managed to get it out with little to no problem, but each subsequent button became increasingly difficult as your professor’s ministrations became more aggressive, fingers teasingly rolling and pinching your nipples. Without looking you could feel her smirk growing at your frustration while you struggled to remove the second to last button above the waistband of her slacks.

“Need some help?” she taunted.

“No. I can do IT!” the bite in your words was lost in the squeal you released when she gave both nipples a particularly hard, but downright blissful, pinch.

“What was that?”

“I said I can do…” You once again couldn’t finish your statement, this time because she had lifted her hips, pushing the silicone toy deeper inside you. “Fuck me,” you cursed under your breath, trying to clear the fog that pleasure had generated in your head.

She chuckled again, but took mercy on you and held off on the stimulation, allowing you to quickly remove the remaining buttons.

The excitement of finally seeing beneath her blouse had your every nerve firing up in overdrive. Bottom lip pulled between your teeth again, you slowly pushed her blouse open, revealing the expanse of that beautiful rich brown skin. Your eyes trailed from her deliciously toned abs to her equally delectable breasts. Turned out she wasn’t wearing a bra either and you wondered if that was specifically planned for tonight. And good god were her breasts beautiful, lying soft and heavy against her chest.

You met her gaze, a question in your eyes.

Can I touch?

A little nod of her head was all it took and your fingertips were at her abs, tracing each line, working your way up to her chest. You paused your exploration, nerves alight with anticipation. You weren’t prepared though, for the response she gave when you finally cupped that round, supple flesh in your hands and gently squeezed them.

The low, strained groan that left your professor’s mouth had your gaze darting to her face. With what little you could see behind her half-lidded eyes, her pupils had dilated. Even her hands had ceased their ministrations on your breasts.

Oh. Wow.

Fuck, you wanted to explore more of that, but the moment your hands froze in shock, her eyes narrowed and honed in on you.

“That’s enough. Now ride my cock or I’ll make you do it myself.”

You swallowed hard, not about to argue with that, and moved your hands back up to her shoulders. As soon as you started to lift off her lap, the toy dragging along your walls, her smirk reappeared. You knew she could see you straining, fighting the ache that spread through your legs at the stimulation.

She slid her hands to your back, gently running them up and down as she watched you set a slow, but not so steady pace.

You closed your eyes, trying to block out her distractingly smug grin while you struggled to remain composed enough to bounce on her lap. Each descent drug a low moan from your throat. And as you increased the speed, the muscles in your legs throbbed and threatened to give out.

“That’s my good girl, bounce for me,” Sevika husked. She slid one hand down to your lower back while the other grabbed one of your tits.

“Professor,” you mewled, faltering at the distracting sensations.

She ignored your plea and instead leaned forward to catch your nipple in her mouth while you attempted to keep riding her.

Blunt nails skimmed down your back until they sank into your hip. That hand guided your motions and kept the pace as soon as you started to lose the ability to use your legs, weakened when the pleasure became too much.

“Professor, I- I can’t,” you huffed between descents. You sank your own nails into her shoulders, willing yourself to keep going despite your muscles screaming and burning.

She chuckled against your breast before swirling her tongue around the hardened peak. “Thought you said you could,” she murmured teasingly against your other breast.

“I- I was- OH!”

She bit down on your nipple, and judging by the curl of lips against your skin, she was intentionally trying to fuck with you.

“Professor, please. I- I was wrong,” you managed to get out.

The hand playing with your breast slid down to your other hip, gripping it tight.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” she husked after pulling back from your breast to examine your strained expression.

She took over control, lifting you up and pulling you back down at a pace that had you gripping her shoulders tighter. And each time she pulled you down, she lifted her hips to grind the base of her strap against your clit.

With the sensitivity still lingering from your first orgasm, and her skilled arms and hips, it didn’t take long for that familiar tightening sensation to return.

No longer able to even hold your body upright, you collapsed against her chest, your breasts bouncing against hers as she continued unhindered. You buried your face in her neck, murmuring and moaning how good it felt while the lewd squelching sounds of your sopping cunt being pummeled echoed off the classroom walls.

Feeling the inevitable climax fast approaching, you sucked in a breath and sank your teeth into the soft flesh between her neck and shoulder, muffling your cry of ecstasy when your second orgasm tore through you.

Too lost in the pleasure rippling through your body, you failed to hear her hiss of pain when your teeth sank deeper, nearly breaking skin.

Her grip on your hips tightened, but she never faltered, bouncing you on her cock until she felt you release your bite and fall completely limp against her.

Both of you sat there for a moment, saying nothing, only listening to the other’s heavy breathing. Your chests rose and fell in sync, skin sliding along skin slick with sweat, and you were grateful for her allowing you to open that shirt. The contact grounded you while you recovered from your high.

Professor Sevika slid her hands from your hips to your back, fingertips drawing lazy patterns along your spine. It was contrastingly sweet compared to the wild night she’d given you and it made your racing heart skip a beat.

It dawned on you, as the haze cleared from your head and your lips glided over her skin, that you had left quite the mark on her. Blinking, you lifted your head just enough to peer down at the damage. You really had done a number on her, left two nice rows of dark red indents along that beautiful brown skin. Brows furrowed in worry, you sat up and examined her face. She didn’t seem upset- a lazy, cocky smile on those dark lips.

“I’m so sorry about that,” you whispered, voice hoarse from overuse. You trailed your finger tenderly across the marks.

She chuckled. “Don’t you worry about that. I’ll wear it like a battle scar.”

You smiled at her bashfully, not only relieved that she didn’t mind, but flattered that she would so proudly let them be seen.

She pulled you closer, ghosting her lips over yours. “Besides, I’ll just have to make sure I mark my claim as well,” she purred.

And just like that, the pleasant ache of arousal returned to your lower half.

God, she knew just what to say to make you melt.

Before you could lean in and take the kiss she was teasing you with, she pulled back. “Now for you to keep to your end of the bargain. You’re gonna clean the mess you’ve made.”

What exactly she meant didn’t immediately register, but the moment you followed her eyes when they dropped to where your body met hers, you realized what she meant.

Oh.

You had no qualms with that, but there was the problem of your legs. Every muscle burned and ached, threatened to turn to liquid the moment you attempted to put any weight on them. “I- I still don’t know if I can use my legs.” Your cheeks heated at the confession.

“I can help you with that,” she replied, and you could hear the cocky edge in her tone. Her hands returned to your hips, ready to lift you off.

“Wait!” You exclaimed, a little louder than intended.

She raised a brow, but her hands stilled at your sides.

“Can I have another kiss first?”

“For someone who’s deserving of a good punishment, you sure have a lot of requests,” she sneered.

“Is that a yes then?” you asked, trying but failing to hide your smile.

She said nothing, instead slipped one hand behind your head and pulled you closer.

Your lips parted the moment they connected with hers, a quiet sigh escaping at the softness. Her tongue teased along the inside of your upper lip, drawing back when you tried to meet it with your own. The muffled whine of protest that pulled from your throat turned into a sharp gasp when she captured your bottom lip between her teeth and tugged.

After one more quick press of her lips to yours, she slowly lifted you up off the sticky silicone toy, pulling a long whine from you in the process. The overstimulation you’d felt before had increased tenfold. Though you could tell she was trying to be gentle, the upward tug at the corner of her mouth did not go unnoticed.

Then she carefully helped you sink down to your knees between her spread legs.

You moved your hands over her thighs, letting them hover there for a moment while you peered up at her, waiting for her permission to touch. When she nodded, you let your hands run up the length of her legs, from knees to the very apex of her thighs.

The dark black faux cock was more than a little coated with your release, a clear indication of just how fucking good she’d made you feel.

Scooting closer, you peered up at her through your lashes, watching her reaction closely while you drug the tip of your tongue from base to tip. That earned you a pleased smirk, encouraging you to keep up the display. The taste of your own release filled your mouth, bitter but arousing. Your eyes fell shut, a soft moan rolling past your lips.

“That's it,” she purred from above you. She caressed your cheek with the backs of her knuckles as you peered up at her sweetly. "Now be a good girl and get it all for me."

You ran your tongue up the length again, this time with the flat of your tongue, half-lidded eyes still on hers.

Her hand moved from your cheek to the back of your head to gently guide you over the tip. “How much can that pretty mouth of yours take?” she husked.

As much as she fucking wants.

“Can you take it all for me?”

You weren’t sure, but there was no way in hell you weren’t going to try your damnedest. So you gave her an innocent little nod and adjusted your position, raising yourself up higher despite your legs protesting against the extra strain. Her hand, though heavy where it rested at the back of your head, remained still, allowing you to control the motion. Taking a deep breath, you wrapped your lips loosely around the tip and slowly descended, taking the sticky strap inch by inch until your lips kissed the base.

Your eyes watered as you struggled not to gag when the tip touched the back of your throat. You closed your eyes, concentrating on your breathing. Then, with your tongue pressed against the slick silicone and lips pursed, you slowly dragged back up the length, coming off the end with a wet pop.

“Let me see,” she demanded before you could swallow. She took your chin between her thumb and forefinger and gently pressed down.

Obediently, you let your jaw go slack, allowing her to open your mouth. You watched her expression closely when you stuck your tongue out, relishing in how her lips curled higher in approval.

“So good for me,” she purred, and she slowly leaned down to capture your lips with hers.

Your eyes fell shut and her tongue immediately delved inside your mouth, swiping over yours to collect the slick and saliva that coated it. You groaned and pressed further into the kiss. A deep hum of satisfaction rumbled from her chest and up through her throat. You dug your nails into her thighs.

When she broke the kiss, you peered up at her from beneath your heavy lids. She met your gaze through her glasses, gray eyes sparkling with mirth.

How does she stay so cool and in control while you kneel at her feet dizzy and overwhelmed from her kiss alone?

"That's only half the job.”

What?

That statement pulled you from your thoughts, but even as you repeated the words in your head, you weren’t sure what she meant. Your attention dropped to the strap, which was, in your opinion, pretty fucking clean for having only used your mouth.

Without warning, Professor Sevika stood, nearly knocking you backward when the faux cock sprung close to your face. You tilted your head back, staring up at her with a quizzical look.

Fuck she’s so damn tall.

She simply smirked down at you while she slipped off her harness and tossed it into her bag on the floor.

You patiently waited, hoping whatever she meant to happen next would come to light. And it certainly did the moment she reached for the top button of her slacks.

Oh god yes.

She must have noticed when the realization struck you, given how her lips curled even higher. With the button pushed out of its loop, she slowly- teasingly- pulled the zipper down.

Your fingers curled, clawing at the tops of your thighs where your hands rested. You were finally going to get to relive that fantasy and there was no containing the excitement that sparked through your body like lightning.

Hands back at her sides, she regarded you for a moment, enjoying just how eager you appeared kneeling there at her feet. “Go ahead.”

Those two words, though alone sounded like permission, you could tell there was more to it. She wanted to reward you.

Despite how badly you yearned for this moment, you reached out slowly, hands damn near trembling as you slipped your fingers beneath the waistband of her slacks and underwear. The skin beneath was warm, smooth, and taut, and as you stripped her down, bit by bit, you could see a very prevalent v-line poking out from beneath the hem of her blouse.

As you slipped her clothing past her ass, she took a seat at the edge of her chair. Even when you pulled them clear down to her ankles, she kept her legs closed, unlike the way she’d typically sit. It was clearly her way of dragging the moment out, teasing you, getting you even more worked up. And it sure as hell was working.

You met her eyes when she bent down to gently lift your chin with her forefinger beneath it. Your throat bobbed as you swallowed hard, anticipation boiling up inside you, threatening to break what little control you had left.

"You like being teacher's pet, hm?” She hummed. “You have been very good for me. I think you deserve a treat."

When she released your chin, your wide eyes dropped to the apex of her thighs, mouth damn near salivating as she ever-so-slowly began to spread those strong, thick thighs of hers. Thighs you’d give anything to have your head between. And you’d finally have that. Any second now.

The smell of her arousal permeated the air around you. Your thighs rubbed together in an attempt to soothe the growing ache quickly taking over your lower half once again.

She smelled so fucking good.

Eyes hungrily glued between her legs, you whimpered at the sight of just how wet she was.

And it was all for you. You got her wet. You excited her. You turned her on.

As you settled between her thighs you ran your hands up the length of her toned legs, fingertips memorizing each muscle as they flexed beneath smooth brown skin. Her gaze felt heavy and heated while she watched you, and you wondered if she was struggling with patience as much as you were. For as much as you wanted to just dive right in, you wanted to take this moment slowly, enjoy it, relish in everything she offered you.

When your hands reached the tops of her thighs you peered up at her through your lashes. She wore a smile unlike one you’d seen before, lips slightly parted, revealing a small tooth gap you’d never had the opportunity to see before.

Could she possibly be any more attractive?

You smiled up at her sweetly and began gradually peppering soft kisses up along the insides of her thigh. Those wonderful muscles flexed beneath your lips the closer you got to her center, her legs spreading wider to allow your head more room. When your mouth pressed against the line where thigh meets pelvis you let your eyes fall shut and took a moment to just breathe in the scent of her. Musky, but with the slightest hint of that smoky spice you’d come to associate with her.

A large, warm hand at the back of your head drew your attention back up to your professor. You expected her to either give you a look suggesting you get to it, or to just pull your face against her, but she simply looked down at you through heavy lids, mouth still pulled into that little smile.

But you weren’t going to make either of you wait a moment longer.

Eyes locked on hers you leaned forward, tip of your tongue creeping out to barely tease through her wet slit. Even with that tiny swipe, the taste of her overwhelmed your mouth. Though slightly bitter like your own slick, she had her own unique flavor and it left your head spinning. You groaned, in unison with her own quiet sigh. You could feel her fingertips lightly curl against the back of your head where her hand rested.

So good.

Her lids grew heavier, urging you to take another taste and see just what kind of reactions you could get from her. You went in for another, this time tracing her soft folds, one swipe for each side. That earned you another delightfully deep groan that made your clit throb with need. And it seemed with that, her patience was finally wearing thin.

“C’mon. Be a good girl for me and clean up the mess you’ve made.”

Her voice- good god her sexy voice- was far raspier than usual, just dripping with lust. And you could see it in her eyes too, through the tiny slits that remained beneath her lids. She wanted this bad.

Not about to keep her waiting any longer, you gripped the top of her thighs and pressed the full length of your tongue inside her. Blunt nails dug into your scalp when you swirled your tongue around her walls, collecting as much of her arousal as you could before dragging it back out. You moaned as you swallowed, but immediately delved back inside, nose rubbing against her clit while you lapped at the fluids leaking from her.

She adjusted slightly in her seat, moving herself closer to the edge, and guided your face closer.

You were more than happy to oblige her by getting your face further in there, sucking on her folds before finally wrapping your lips around her swollen clit. Nose buried in the thick, dark patch of hair above, you slid your tongue around the tiny bundle of nerves, delighting in how that made her hips buck towards your face.

Her quiet, deep groans quickly became more prevalent the more you worked at her, and her grip on the back of your head became tighter and tighter. The moment you added suction to the mix of stimulation, she seemed to lose her composure.

“Fuck,” she groaned, nails biting into your scalp as she thrust toward your mouth again. “Just like that.”

Your own moans filled the air, pleasure coursing through your body at all the lovely reactions you were getting from her. You were beginning to wonder if you’d simply get off right there to just that.

Focused on her clit, you sucked, swirled, and flicked it, increasing the speed and intensity when you sensed her approaching climax. You could feel the muscles beneath your fingers tensing tighter.

The hand at the back of your head tightened in its grip and she started grinding against your face in earnest. And good god you could suffocate right there and die literally the happiest person on the fucking planet knowing you were the one making her feel so fucking good, making her want to fuck your face so wildly. It was heaven.

Unable to ignore your own needs any longer, you let one of your hands slip down between your legs, focusing your attention there, letting her take the reins and ride your face. Your insides tightened with each stroke of your fingers through your slick folds, each thrust of her hips, and each beautiful groan that spilled from her mouth.

Her movements suddenly became erratic and her thighs clamped around your head, holding you in a vice grip. Had you not been so overcome with your own delirious pleasure, you would have been disappointed that her curses of pleasure had been muffled by the press of her thighs against your ears.

She came hard and hot on your tongue and chin, smearing it across your face while she rode out her high. You were close yourself, but your focus switched to her again when her movements faltered. Your hand stilled between your legs and you worked your tongue to clean up every last drop that spilled from her.

When her hand and thighs finally released their death grip on your head, you fell back on your haunches, chest heaving while you stared up at her in a daze. To your utter delight, she appeared to be just as fucked out, at least compared to her typical cool composure.

Professor Sevika sat slumped back in her chair, breasts exposed between her mostly unbuttoned shirt, rising and falling with her heavy breaths. Her forehead glistened, covered by a fine sheen of sweat. She peered down at you through her foggy glasses, gray eyes barely open.

You wiped the side of your hand across your face and tried to contain the proud smile pulling at your lips. She looked utterly fucked, and you did that to her.

The two of you sat like that for a short period, trying to catch your breath, observing the other. She, miraculously, seemed to recover first. Not that it really should have surprised you. She clearly was far more experienced and skilled.

She stood to her full height before you and pulled her pants back up. With that lopsided grin painting her face once more, she knelt down and pressed the tip of her forefinger beneath your chin. “Now to clean you.”

Oh fuck yes.

Feeling the pressure she applied beneath your chin, you took that as her silent command to stand, and so you did, all while keeping your eager, wide eyes locked with hers.

The moment you were on your feet her hands slipped behind the backs of your thighs and she hoisted you up.

You squealed in surprise, earning yourself a low chuckle from her. She plopped your ass down on her desk without any regard to the papers, pens, and pencils that then scattered and fell to the floor. With your hands braced against the edge of the desk, you waited with bated breath for what was to come next.

She bent down to steal a quick kiss, but slipped away before you could lean in to deepen it. Your disappointment was short-lived though, as you watched her take a seat in her chair and roll herself between your spread legs.

“Lay back.”

You did as you were told, but propped yourself up on your forearms, wanting nothing more than to see her beautiful face between your legs while she assuredly gave you the most mind-blowing head you’d ever receive if any of her other performances were an indication.

“Wait!” you called out when she reached to pull off her glasses. She arched a brow and your cheeks flushed in embarrassment. “Keep them on, please,” you asked softly.

“You really are a dirty girl, aren’t you?” she sneered, but she obliged your request and instead busied her hands by running them up and down the sides of your thighs.

Unlike you, she did not take her time. With a firm grasp on your hips, she pulled your ass closer to the edge.

The startled yelp that pulled from your throat turned into a soft gasp when she grasped the back of your thighs, just below the back of your knees, and pushed them up towards the sides of your chest.

It left you spread wide open and on display in all your- soaked- glory, which she made sure to point out to you as if you hadn’t noticed.

“Look at you. Sweet little pussy just absolutely dripping,” she teased. Her eyes remained on your face though, watching you squirm and try to hide your embarrassment by turning your head away.

“Hey! Eyes on me!”

The sharp, dangerous tone of that command had your head pivoting back to face her so fast you’d quickly forgotten about your exposure.

“Good girl. I want to see that pretty face, understand?” she asked, tone softening.

Not trusting yourself to speak, you nodded.

And then, as she lowered her head, every muscle in your body tensed, the anticipation- from both of you- palpable.

The moment her mouth connected with your folds you released your breath in a shaky whimper. Once again she gave you no time to recover, running the flat of her tongue up through your entrance, the tip just barely teasing over the hood of your clit.

You clenched around nothing, earning yourself a wicked little smirk from your professor. Bottom lip caught between your teeth, you tried to hold back needy moans while she pushed that devilish wet muscle of hers deep inside you. Even though it couldn’t fill you like her fingers or strap, she managed to press and drag it along your walls with perfect precision and hard enough to leave you trembling.

You reached forward with one hand, barely keeping yourself stable with the other, and carded your fingers through her hair. And oh how fucking soft it was. Like silk. You tugged on it while her tongue swirled teasingly around your clit.

As much as you wanted to watch her, you weren’t sure your arm could hold you up much longer. With every glide of that tongue, and every deep hum of satisfaction that rumbled from her chest, you could feel your muscles burn and ache more and more.

You finally lost that remaining strength when you felt her soft lips wrap around your clit and suck. You fell back against the desk, both hands clawing at the unforgiving wood while she quickly worked you up.

“Oh fuck, Sevika, that feels so good,” you whimpered. Too drunk on your pleasure, you hadn’t even realized you’d forgotten to use her honorific. But she either didn’t hear or didn’t care, as she continued to drive you closer to the edge of your third orgasm of the night.

Your eyes rolled back behind their lids, heat pooling deep in your abdomen. The obscene sounds of her slurping, sucking, and all but devouring your cunt dissolved into muffled echoes behind the blood roaring in your ears.

Any second.

A gentle suction of lips.

Just a little more.

A sharp flick of the tongue.

A flash of bright white light took over your vision as trails of fire spread through your trembling body. Your cries or ecstasy rang through your ears and everything else faded away. Muscles contracted repeatedly, feeding your professor more and more of your slick.

Just as quick as that high hit you, it started to fade. And then set in the overstimulation, far worse than after your previous orgasms. Each swipe of her tongue made your body jerk involuntarily.

“Pro-Professor!” you whined. “Please! No more!”

She ceased immediately, sitting up to observe you through hooded eyes with blown pupils. And fuck, if you hadn’t felt so much pain from the overstimulation, you would have gladly let her keep going. But you were officially spent. You had nothing else to give.

She said nothing, wiping her mouth off on the back of her hand while she watched your breasts rise and fall. She moved her chair closer and carefully pulled your limp body across the desk and onto her lap.

You wrapped your arms loosely over her shoulders and collapsed against her, face buried in the side of her neck. Two large, warm hands ran up and down your back, soft lips pressing the most tender kisses along your hairline, and you simply melted.

“You alright, sweetheart?” she finally asked after a moment, voice low and raspy, but you could hear the hint of concern in there.

You slowly sat up, meeting her worried gaze with a sweet smile. “Never felt better.”

There was that haughty smirk again.

She pulled you closer, her lips capturing yours in a soft, but passionate kiss.

Your lips parted to release a soft, content moan, allowing her tongue to dip inside and for you to taste the bitter remnants of your arousal.

When she broke the kiss- much to your disappointment- she quickly soothed away any complaint you had with a playful tease. “Think you’ve learned your lesson?”

Your breathy laugh made her lips pull higher, revealing that cute tooth gap again. “I’m not sure that punishment really taught me anything,” you admitted with a big smile.

A single brow lifted. “That so?” she asked and you simply grinned in response. “Guess I’ll just have to go harder on you.”

Your eyes widened.

Is she just joking, or would she really do this again?

“You know, I am teaching a summer course this year. Could use the help of an intelligent grad.”

Your eyes lit up.

“Really?!”

She pulled you closer again, running her nose along the side of your neck as she pressed her lips against the taut flesh. “Mhm,” she murmured just below your ear, drawing a shiver down your spine. “Know anybody?”

Eyes falling shut as you succumbed to her sensual attention, you found yourself unable to formulate words, instead giving her a low “mhm.”

“And who might that be?” she purred into your ear, warm breath tickling the tiny hairs along your neck.

You squirmed in her arms, releasing something caught between a quiet giggle and a soft moan. “I-” your words caught in your throat when you felt her take your lobe between her teeth and gently bite down.

“Hmm?”

Fuck.

She really knew how to mess with you. And you’d be a damn liar if you ever claimed it didn’t drive you mad with desire.

“Me?” you managed to whisper.

“Yeah?”

You hummed in agreement.

She pressed several more kisses along your jawline before finally pulling back to regard your very flustered expression. “Now, why don’t you come back to my place and tell me about more of those fantasies, seeing as we’ll have all summer to live them out?”

Hell, fucking, yes.

#arcane #sevika #arcane sevika #sevika x reader #arcane sevika x reader #fanfic #honey writes

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rogueddie · 9 months

Text

Different Time AU, Steddie Fics

Important: READ THE TAGS! Also, leave a comment and kudos! These fics are amazing and I love them and I hope y'all do too 🕓

I'm a Fool to Want You

senoritablack

Steve Harrington is a regular at Valentine’s, a word-of-mouth, traveling party for queers. As a hard-knocked detective in a town meant to kill you slowly, he’s not meaning to be anything but drunk at tonight’s shindig. Somehow, with the help of a gorgeous pianist, he finds himself in love.

Words : 7,755 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

( Set in the 1940s )

Don't threaten me with a good time

QueenOfSwords1312

No sooner is Eddie through the door, bottle in hand, than he’s being swept up in someone’s arms and pressed back against a wall. He blinks a few times to steady his vision after the near-whiplash move and comes face-to-face with Coriolanus himself, Steve Harrington. He’s got one hand on Eddie’s waist and the other has smoothly made its way into Eddie’s hair at the back of his head. And Eddie’s still clutching the damn wine bottle neck so he only has one free hand to grasp at Steve’s sweater.

The last time Eddie had seen the beautiful man, he’d been on stage, covered in fake blood and waxing poetic about all the bad decisions he made in his life to land him where he was. Which was hot , if a bit sad, but definitely fucking hot.

“You’re—” Eddie starts, but Steve cuts him off.

“Gonna kiss you now, if that’s alright,” Steve says, already staring at Eddie’s mouth.

Words : 7,496 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

( Modern au )

What Do You Want?

Sharpbutsoft (BuckysButt)

He hears the clink of glass pearls first, then feels a bare arm pressed alongside his own, warm through his thin cotton shirt.

“You here alone, handsome?” asks a low, husky voice, right into his ear. Steve turns to see the most beautiful person on whom he’s ever laid eyes.

Tall, with long, dark hair and darker eyes. A gash of red lipstick on her full lips, a stylish fringed dress and a strings of pearls hanging off her boyish frame.

Words : 1,543 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

( The whole series is great, and it is also written / co-written by dodger_chan. Set in the 1920s. )

May I Have This Dance?

sky_neverending

Steve attends a masquerade with Robin, and ends up meeting a handsome stranger who awakens a new feeling.

Words : 3,162 Chapters : 2/2 Rating : Teen And Up Audiences

AO3 : x

( Set in the 1800s )

Moments can be Monuments to You, if Your Life is Interesting and True

DiscoSuperFly

Working 911 dispatch in a small town is equal parts stressful and rewarding. Steve likes to think he's making a difference.

Eddie quietly returns to Hawkins and is surprised by everyone who chose to stay.

Why would a golden boy like Steve Harrington stick around in this dead end town?

Words : 58,749 Chapters : 7/7 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

( Set in the 90s )

Betting On Your Name

FIick

“But I don’t want her Eddie!” The prince throws his hands up. “Why can’t my father see there are other candidates who are closer to me, right here at home!”

“Who do you want then?” Eddie asks his breath catching in his throat, his hands itching to reach out and reassure. This is a dangerous game. Far more so than a silly childhood bet. It’s a very easy thing to say he’ll give Prince Steve the air from his lungs, and another entirely to do so.

Words : 4,533 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : General Audiences

AO3 : x

( Medieval au )

the devil’s camaro (please don’t remember me, it’s only 1993)

roosterroo

It’s 1993. Eddie works at his local garage after serving time for a drug charge in high school. There he meets Steve, a typical well to do suburban dad type, who turns everything Eddie believes on his head. And he’s married- but also flirting with him?

Words : 32,798 Chapters : 6/6 Rating : Mature

AO3 : x

Here is the Repeated Image of the Lover Destroyed

stevefuckingharrington

He could feel the warm, wet red of his blood slipping down over his fingers and dripping onto the forest floor. He had been stabbed before of course - it came as part of the job - but never quite like this. He could feel himself dying, his life slipping through his own weak grasp.

It was no longer a case of ‘if’, but ‘when’.

Words : 1,744 Chapters : 1/1 Rating : Mature

AO3 : x

( Medieval au )

Blood 🩸 & Caffeine ☕

Witch_Weakly

Eddie's got a little vampire...problem. You see, he normally feeds once a month from the blood bank at the hospital where he works. And that's normally fine. The blood provides him with life for a few days - breathing, hunger for real food, a healthy sex drive. And then that fades away, replaced by a mild bloodlust that gets stronger until he finally needs to feed again. This cycle is fine as long as he doesn't go too long. As long as he feeds before he gets so numb and so hungry that he loses himself. Except one day, that's exactly what happens. And it's only been a few weeks since his last feeding. Way too soon. In a panic, he feeds early and now needs silly human things like sleep during his scheduled night shift. Guess it's time for a trip down to the coffee shop. But on top of meeting a hot barista, Eddie finds that his little problem is only getting worse.

Words : 17,756 Chapters : 9/9 Rating : Explicit

AO3 : x

( Modern AU )

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #fic rec #ficrec

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dummie-writes · 4 months

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the party walkers

self insert ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* school bus graveyard

words: 4.08k

previous part: a demon inside of my skin

next part: over the horizon, somewhere

note: woah hey I'm back so soon whattt, anyway. sorry that chapter was kinda more scene setting, we only got to interact with the group at the very end 😭 also, I'd like to say this is gonna be pretty self indulgent for the time being bc idk where I want the story to go 🧍‍♀️keep in mind that while I'm trying to keep it gender neutral, at times y/n may lean more feminine,and this is because I am more feminine. please enjoy :3

ii. a rescue mission

again, there's a tension. there has been for the past minute you've been sitting here. after telling them your name and settling down cross legged on the classroom floor, you kinda expected some questions or something. that blonde kid and ashlyn are still having that weird little staring contest. it's as if everyone wants to start, but no one knows how. like you've passed a test, but they aren't sure if you'll actually pass their little assignment or whatever. you were having nightmares, and eerily, the blonde knew to ask you about them even when you hadn't said you'd been having them. so, they were also having nightmares. at least, from what you could infer.

“um, okay,” a sandy brunette boy with glasses begins. he's not looking directly at you, but instead at your bag beside you in a spaced out manner, his thumbs tapping the wooden pencil in his hand. “nightmares, monsters, right? what kind of monsters?”

“like, gray ones? they're kinda big? sharp hands?” you say, still somewhat confused. a robotic voice comes from next to you, and as you turn your head, the tallest of the group has his phone held up, the screen facing you. on it, in black lettering, it asks “humanish?”. you blink, and then nod at it. not much of a talker, apparently. the girl who originally spoke to you, sitting next to Tyler and who you've quickly remembered is his twin sister, though you don't remember her name from the beginning of the year, opens her mouth to speak, but then ashlyn cuts her off.

“well, that's weird. what notes do you have on savannah?”

a second of slight whiplash from the subject change, everyone (except for tyler) gives the freckled girl a weird look. they hadn't expected it either, but they aren't going to interfere. she has a colder tone - not entirely mean, but like she knows how to stick to decisions that she makes. actually, you'd seen her before - this town wasn't where you grew up, but you'd been here since middle school. ashlyn always kept to herself, for what rare times you did see her. the only words that you'd really ever heard from her were “excuse me” “thanks” or just glowering. you didn't know when she got all these friends.

you also had friends - unfortunately, they weren't really happy with you at the moment. with the whole “several hours or so in hell” situation, you hadn't really been the greatest companion. one too many times had you had to stay home from a group putting, or just slept straight through. they had a right to be upset with you, especially when you wouldn't communicate and were crabby.

“again, not really my fault! what am I supposed to tell them? that I'm bleeding out in the bathroom all night?” but, you know, whatever.

you pulled out your notebook, reading through the few notes you had written down since the start of the group project. you wouldn't argue right now. maybe they were just weird, maybe they were all in the same boiling pot you were. either way, the six of them didn't seem open to talking about it, which means another lonely night in the bathroom for you.

not for them, though. as you tried to be as quiet as possible on the cold, tiled floor, and then moving to the shower so the blood from your back would trickle down the drain instead, they would have a rather rambunctious evening.

“tyler, seriously. if they're here too, we need to get them!”

“that isn't a risk we should be taking!”

ash cringed just slightly at the volume of tyler's voice, and picked at the peeling fabric of the bus seat she was in. this argument had been going on for about an hour, stopping them from any sort of progress in terms of supplies, information, or anything, really. aiden was seated in the seat across from herself, foot dangling as he rhythmically tapped the seat, smiling as he usually did. his red eyes swung back and forth between the aggressors, not saying much except for the offhand comment or joke.

“guys, what if it was one of us? what if it was taylor?”

“fields, don't even think about using that kind of an argument. it's cheap, and that's my sister. not a random classmate - who, by the way, might not actually even be here! they could just be having bad dreams! but, no, i’m the crazy one, right?”

ben shifted uncomfortably, tensing and releasing his fists. tyler was defensive, that much was for sure. truth be told, he in fact did not actually like the idea of possibility leaving you stranded somewhere. it wasn't moral. but he was right, he knew he was right. they didn't have the actual information needed, the possibile required resources, and he wouldn't put taylor in any sort of unnecessary danger like that. not when you lived almost four blocks away from where they already were. despite not saying so, ashlyn agreed almost entirely. she wouldn't lose her entire team saving one person. at the very least, not until they were positive you were actually I'm this other dimension.

“remind me again why we didn't just ask them if they were here?” aiden questions, his cheeks rising a little as he stared at tyler in an almost dare to reply.

“we won't even tell our parents what's going on. if they're just having nightmares, they'll think we're crazy or on drugs. and in that case, who knows what they'll tell the school, or the police,” ash replies in an even tone, raising an eyebrow as her eyes meet aiden's, and then to taylor as she speaks again.

“but it isn't right. you know it's not right. and there was that unexplained scream you heard at the hotel, ash,” taylor points out, throwing her arms out as she paces back and forth. her hair was starting to tangle from all the moment, and a stern look in her eyes told everyone this isn't something she would let go of. at least not thus far.

ashlyn sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and looking down. a quiet pooled in the bus as the ginger thought through the possibilities and risks. taylor was right. they couldn't just leave you wherever you were to rot, possibly die. even if she wasn't a people person, she wasn't a monster. she couldn't let any phantoms hurt you or anyone else in good spirits, that would just be horrible and wrong. she knew tyler wouldn't mind getting you either, if it wasn't such a huge risk, and a major liability if you actually weren't there.

a small glow emitted from a couple feet away from her, looking up to Ben's phone screen as her hand slid to hold up her head. “we need more info”.

logan tapped his foot tentatively, his face soft but unagreeable. he had been making a more logical argument, but was emotion driven nonetheless in his words. having another person would be an advantage. it would come with its own challenges, yes - explaining why they had another person hanging out with them to ashlyn's already suspicious parents, keeping track of an entire other human being, the extra general supplies - but having another person who wasn't a phantom on their side was also a benefit. another pair of eyes, hands, ears. more supplies could be carried.

not to mention, you are not just a video game character. you're an actual human being, with a life, with sentience. in the end, that's the defining factor. they can't abandon you. but they won't come looking for you without being sure you'll be there when they search.

“this is a stupid argument because we aren't actually arguing about saving them, but about when.”

taylor looks up to ash, lightening from how upset she was previously, and her shoulders beginning to drop. an unspoken understanding passes through them as everyone else mumbles something of agreement.

“and how the hell are we supposed to pull that off? do any of you even have their phone number? we didn't add them to any group chats because we were still in our own world when class ended,” tyler huffed, crossing his arms and leaning back into his chair, a sour expression in the creases of his face and eyebrows.

“I could run over there,”

everyone stared at Aiden for a second as he smiles in excitement before tyler thwacks him in the back of the head. not hard, but audibly. aiden’s mouth opens slightly, his smile unwavering but now wider as he scoffs in hubris.. “that's not happening, you moron.”

that next morning is a hard one for you. for one, trying to clean that horrible slash with isopropyl alcohol isn't working. it's making things worse, in fact; the flesh around it is red and dry, it throbs when you move too much, and every so often, it'll crack further down your back because you moved too quickly. not to mention, it hurts like a bitch when you do so. not cleaning it runs the risk of infection, but honestly, you're too exhausted to care anymore. your mind is messed up, clearly. talking to a psychologist isn't an option, you'd get put in an asylum before you could finish your sentence. this was just your life now. and you would properly clean it later.

walking into class, you felt the jab of a finger at your back. jumping, you turn around to give a dirty look at whoever was giving you a difficult time, before realizing that it was aiden, from your group project. you take a breath and smile. “hey, how are you?”

despite it being a very normal question that usually results in a “im fine”, aiden clark is not a normal person (to be fair, you aren't at this point either), and answers with a much more winded explanation.

“oh! I'm doing pretty great, haha. last night's homework wasn't all too difficult or anything, and since you're having trouble with your work, you can copy off mine if you'd like. speaking of last night, how'd you sleep? you know, with sleeping issues and everything? sorry about my friends yesterday, they can be a bit argumentative. it think it's funny lol.”

at this point, ben, who you remember now as being introduced as aiden's cousin and is walking behind, looks at you, nodding and giving a small wave. you, in return, smile widely at him.

“well, aren't you just a ray of fucking sunshine or something,” you hear an irritated, grumpy voice from next to you, and then a yelp, followed by “ow! don't pinch me!” and a “then be nice!”

turning to taylor and tyler, the long haired of the two smiles in a nervous apology. “sorry, he's always kinda cranky in the morning. he didn't mean that, I swear.” as taylor tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and chuckles softly, you notice she has a soft sparkle in her eye. that, and the fact that she has been nothing but kind to you in the entirety of the while you've interacted with th pushes her to be your favorite for the time being.

“it's okay, i'm not all too great for the first couple hours too. coffee helps, would you like some? do you have a cup or something?” you're being a little over-nice on purpose, mainly to make him feel bad for being a bit of an ass- but it's a genuine offer. he wasn't downright cruel, just a little mean. and the eye bags on top of his cheeks tell you that taylor wasn't lying about him not being a morning person.

tyler scowls, wrinkling his nose and glancing at the thermos you have on your desk. it's your favorite color, and the metal is warm with the creamy, light brown coffee inside. for a second, his face drops a little, and he looks like he's genuinely considering your offer, before rolling his eyes scoffing. “I'm good.”

rough start for a group that hasn't entirely accepted you as part of their project, but he didn't cuss you out a throw a shoe at you, so you'll count it as a win! you don't have much time to process, because you turn your head again and jump at the bright write paper, half an inch from your face. holding it is a pale hand, and connected to that hand is aiden, wide eyed. actually, that might just be his face. you're starting to think he looks like that more than he doesn't. oh, yeah, actually, that's the homework he was talking about. you had only gotten a couple questions done last night before giving up, and trying to comfort yourself with hot chocolate before midnight arrived.

aiden was still looking at you expectantly, so you gingerly pinched the paper, smiling at him again as you took out your own unfinished work, and compared them side by side so you could at least not down most of them before mr. thomas got to class. as you did so, a bright yellow post-it note caught your attention, and in messy handwriting, it reads:

“what are your nightmares about????”

your eyebrows knit themselves, and glancing up at aiden, he's already looking at you. he turned away to talk to ben about something almost immediately, but it makes you wonder if he knows something you don't. you peel it off, filling out a few of the questions before glancing at the note again, and flipping it over to scrawl down your response of “why do you want to know so badly”. instead of a blank back, you find a phone number, which you can only theorize belongs to aiden. snatching up your phone, you pat the number in, and then hurry to finish what of the homework you can. after filling out what you think will get you a passing grade, you roll up the work and tap the blond on the shoulder with it.

he stops mid sentence to turn toward you, smile widely, take his homework back, and then continues talking to ben. all just as mr. thomas walks through the classroom door.

actually, the fact that he gave you that post it note makes you giggle a little. it looks like an ad for a psychic. you nonchalantly doodle and scribble on your paper during the lecture, nearly falling asleep a couple times before you're all dismissed to sit in groups. you pause for a moment, glancing to your old group. brandy looks in your direction, smiling and standing up to walk over. oh wait what no don't -

“hey! listen, so, about yesterday,” she whispered speedily, a note book in her right hand, tapping her pen on the cover with her left. you purse your mouth, nodding. awkward. “I'm sorry if I was being mean. I failed this class last year, and I can't repeat it again. I know that's harsh, but I'm not taking any chances.”

a silent, uncomfortable nod and pause later, she continues. “I copied down a bunch of my notes for you, because I hope you can still pass. I'm sorry if I made you mad. I'll just, go, um, yeah.”

a second later, you're holding a few pieces of lined paper to your chest and watching her run off and back to her group. a sinkhole opens in your chest, and you bite the inside of your cheek. would ashlyn's group be expecting you? would they talk to the teacher about getting you removed too, since they might not have wanted to fail as terribly as they already were? your eyes find their circle, where three pairs of eyes are looking to yourself, and there's a large enough gap by taylor's seat for your own.

a soft grin presses onto your cheeks, relief emanating from you when you sigh, grabbing your chair to haul it over. at least you had a solid group for your project now, even if it was going to fall apart. and, even if your group members were a tad, let's say, bold in how long they stared at you for. not in an entirely creepy way, but in a puzzled way, like you were something to be figured out.

“um, he gave you his phone number, right?” logan confirmed, pushing his glasses up his nose with his index finger while he spoke. after the glint from the ceiling light left his glasses, you realized his eyes weren't entirely blue, but had a twinge of turquoise to them. or aqua. something like that, either way, they weren't a strict blue. you acknowledge his question by pulling your phone from out of your jean pocket, shaking it a little. “yep, it's all right here.”

“good! be-”

“we have something we should really talk about with you. a few questions.”

“oh my fucking - you're making it sound like we're a cult.”

“aren't we kinda?? at this point lmao??”

“aiden, you're not helping.”

“excuse me?” your features are slightly scrunched in both confusion and amusement - you're assuming this has something to do with the whole weird “what's in your nightmares” note, and on its own this exchange might actually kinda freak you out. but the way tyler looks like he's about to pop a vein has you beaming and nearly laughing. not to mention, aiden is just kinda, weird. a bit creepy too, but mostly weird.

“hey idiots, shut up! it was your guys’ decision to do it this way, and now you won't even talk with them about it properly!” tyler gives everyone a dirty look, noticeably glancing at ben and then not glaring at him. ben has a flat expression, and just glances at aiden, who is already chuckling to himself and looking back at him.

“ahem,” ashlyn clears her throat, pointing her eyes at you. as you turn to face her back, tyler huffs, crossing his arms and sitting back in his seat, glaring daggers at you even though you. haven't actually done anything. “so, these nightmares.”

it's interesting that she's the one to bring this all to a head, after specifically dodging the subject yesterday in class.

“tell me about them.”

when she puts it like that, it feels a lot more individual. you haven't really talked a whole bunch to ashlyn banner, even when you guys have been paired together. she was sorta… floaty.

“well, uh, what do you want to know?” you feel stupid for asking, but they were the ones who put you on the spot. and who are also glaring down at you, mostly in a friendly way. you think, at least. it's starting to get a bit stuffy.

“what color are the skies?”

“kinda, red. typically. but I feel like that's sort of normal. for nightmares.”

this was weird. this was so entirely strange, actually. maybe you were too sleep deprived to actually notice, but the fact that they're dissecting you like a bug isn't normal. especially when they keep sharing glances like that!

“okay, hold on. what's going on? I think I should get to know why you guys are trying to scoop my soul apart with your eyes or something,” you stab a dirty look at tyler, who rolls his eyes and looks away. the rest kinda lose their gaze, sights now wandering the classroom- of course, this is excepting aiden, who's still staring at you. oh well. you kinda expected that at this point.

ashlyn gives a low sigh, clenching her teeth together and crossing her arms. her fingers tap on her jacket, and aiden leans over to smoosh himself into her shoulder- which she seems irritated by, but doesn't do anything to push him off because he starts speaking.

“I don't think we're getting anywhere with guessing games guys.” his eyelids are low, and he puts his hands behind his head, crossing his legs to put them on ben's lap like he's relaxing. that's when ash gives him a hard shove with her other arm, and he lands swiftly on the floor, drawing a giggle out of taylor. “hey! I'm right! don't push me :(.”

“I hate to say it, but we might need to be just straightforward here,” tyler interjected, glancing at ash. “that's not a good idea, wh-”

“hello! hi! I'm still here!” you interrupt, your palms facing upward out you wave your arms around. disbelief crosses your face, and you're about to laugh because, what the fuck? what do they know, and what are they not telling you - and why are they being so rude about it! “I would appreciate someone being straightforward with me! actually! if my opinion matters at all here!”

“of course it matters!” taylor responds almost immediately, her shoulders dropping and her eyes becoming soft. ben stops for a second, signing “yes” in consensus. for the first time, logan speaks up, his words muddled together too quickly for you to understand for a second.

“yeah okay so theresthislike alternative dimensions thingandwedontactuallyknow what'sgoingonbutwould youhappentoknowhatwe're talkingabou-”

“dude, breathe, what the fuck,” you answer, eyebrows tilted in more concern than anything else. while logan wasn't the type to talk so quickly he didn't enunciate his sentences, he didn't want to be stopped by any of the group - specifically tyler, who, surprise, you'll never guess, was glaring at him.

“... did you say alternate dimension?”

“yeah lol.”

“and what exactly does he mean by that?”

“exactly what i, um, said. there's a shift, it starts at midnight, and we're there for seven hours. only seven minutes actually pass, but, uh, no one actually gets any sleep at that point.”

that is… exactly what your little nightmare issue sounds like.

“the red skies, the phantoms-” who you're assuming are those demon things. “-they all match with our little, uh, nightly problem. the only thing that doesn't match up is how on earth you're there too. we know what caused us falling through - but why are you there?” logan asks, and the more he talks, especially about something he knows, the more he seems less shy. tentative, sure, but more confident in his words. it makes your heart drop into the pit of your stomach.

if he's serious about this, maybe they aren't playing some joke on you- which was already unlikely, but you've gotta cope somehow. if there are who knows how many other people in that little hell hole of an evening, then it isn't only you that you need to worry about, and you can't just hole up in the bathroom if there are others too.

“when did you start going?” aiden asks, poking you in the back again so you turn to him.

“that night at the hotel after the field trip.”

“hmmm. anything weird happen?”

“i mean, I went with my group. and I was kinda lagging behind and got tossed up with another group who was touring some haunted house because the lady thought I was with them.”

“... what house?”

“ummmm, seed house? something weird like that? ‘s’ somethi-”

“the sorrel weed house. “

that time, ashlyn didn't ask, but stated. it was a ghost of her usual, stronger tone.

“you must have gotten tossed up with our group.”

the cold bathroom tile that you sat on was uncomfortable when you awoke that night, but the air was chilled with excitement. you were getting busted out. you'd have to do the more difficult part of maneuvering out of the house with what ashlyn and her group called “phantoms”, as well as trying to grab some stuff on your way out. blankets, first aid supplies, food, bags- anything you could really get your hands on. but escape was everyone's first priority. which is why your ear is pressed so hard to the cheap wooden door, and your breathing is as quiet as you can force it to be. you're listening for footsteps. or tapping. or whatever other noises might hint to otherworldly existence.

you hadn't been out of this bathroom in your entire time here. had you been hungry? yeah. but… what else were you supposed to do? you didn't exactly have a group to watch your back while you grabbed a lunchable from the kitchen.

nothing. nothing for the past ten minutes. the others should be here in about twenty. that's how long you have. so, with that in mind, you focus on your first location: your bedroom, where your phone, backpack, and blankets were.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

that's right, get part 1'd. hope you enjoyed

next part: over the horizon, somewhere

43 notes · View notes

builtbybrokenbells · 1 year

Text

Gold Dust Woman | V

Unexpected does not always mean unwelcome, but just because it is welcome, does not always make it right.

Read part four here

Pairing: sam kiszka x f!reader, jake kiszka x f!reader

Word Count: 10.7k

Warnings: SMUT 18+, unprotected sex (wrap it), fingering (f!receiving), oral (f!receiving), praise, dirty talk, teasing, slight male sub dynamic ig, begging, drinking, swearing, love triangle shit, you know the drill, sorry if I miss any!

hello lovely people 🤭 so happy to be back again. sorry this took so long, but i hope this meets your expectations. i love you all dearly and hope that you aren’t too upset with me for my small hiatus. i will say that thus far, I’ve kept the lyrics in chronological order mostly because they’ve always aligned with the chapter theme. now, they’re going to be mixed up a bit to fit a little better! anyway, without further ado, enjoy, don’t mind any grammar mistakes, and please be kind 🫶🏻

Of all the situations in the world, you figured this particular one would be at the top of the list for awkwardness. When Sam stepped into your home, the door latch loudly clasping shut behind him, you waited for the dread to seep in, for the whiplash of anxiety that so often accompanied the presence of the brothers. Instead, a bubble of anger formed in your chest. You were mad at him for not making a move sooner, and for only making one after Jake did. Upset at the fact he had no issue involving you in their twisted dynamic, or remorse for playing with your feelings. You were no longer blind, being strung along aimlessly by ignorance and emotion. Danny was right; you were in control of the situation, and you intended to prove that. No more guilt for a situation the two boys created, and long ago, at that. No more pain over a fate they chose for themselves.

Wordlessly, you made a move to the kitchen. He followed, unsure of how to verbally approach the thoughts he was having about you. You located another bottle of wine, calling to you with temptation greater than the one you had for the boy standing behind you. As you cracked the cap, sipping from the bottle with little care, you finally turned to face him. “Why are you here?” It took him a moment to process your blunt inquiry, curious about your sudden shift in perspective from the day prior.

“To see you.” He said, simple and to the point.

“Mmm,” you hummed, now much less embarrassed about your attire, or lack of, rather. It was a great head start to your course of action. “To see me, or to fuck me?” The alcohol was a violent instigator, disrupting any filter you would normally have on your thoughts.

“To see you.” He confirmed again, unwavering on his stance, but his gaze was drifting away from your face and settling on the parts of you he was previously so eager to discover. A smirk tugged at your lips, finding his loyalty to his answer funny. You could tell the truth was not within the words he spoke, and his curious eyes were giving him away.

“Okay, you’ve seen me. Want to leave, now?” The angry part of you had no sympathy for the boy you had been so desperately in love with. Although he was still the same person, the new perspective on him casted a different light, now. One that illuminated faults instead of solely positives. The love was the same, still craving his touch with a ferocity like no other, still so profound that it made your head spin and your chest ache. But, love was subject, because the idea of love in your mind was heavily dependent upon your imagination, reliant on the idea that Sam was perfect.

Your feelings were real, but no longer cemented with the notion that he could do no wrong. The pedestal was crumbling, cracking and falling more by the second, finally returning him back to common ground. He lost his ability to consume you entirely, his baggage weighing him down and giving you a chance to surface for some air. The angelic aura that surrounded him was laced with sin, but it made him all the more loveable. His imperfections lessened his ability, but made him more realistic than before. Perhaps your freedom to close the gap of the power imbalance worked more in his favour than anything else. Your momentary sense of control was exhilarating, allowing you to finally plant your feet firmly on the ground, but it only made you fall victim to him even further.

Love cannot be true without equality, and your new understanding of Sam gave you exactly that. The equal playing field resulted solely from the destruction of the barrier between idolization and acceptance. Harnessing control seemed like a way to regain your own power, but it was your biggest mistake thus far. Choosing to continue your dance with the devil only allowed you to shatter the world in which Sam could do no wrong, and learn to love him despite the flaws. It was only a matter of time before the realization seeped through the cracks of the false sense of control; the power did not belong in the hands of any of you, no matter the belief that it did.

Once again, the devil laughed loudly, remaining baffled at your inability to heed the warning.

“I can’t come see you unless I have a reason?” He asked, eyes still drinking in the way the red lace complimented you. “I like your company.”

“You can,” you nodded, showing him you weren’t contesting him on that specific point. “Just don’t think that’s why you came today.” You watched him, examining his face for any faltering expressions.

“Why do you think I’m here, then?” He asked, challenging you the same way you were challenging him. You didn’t respond right away, unsure of the correct answer to his question. You didn’t want to give yourself away, or let him know that you were aware of his history, but you had to make sure he knew you weren’t going to conform to his rules this time.

“To make sure I didn’t forget about our conversation, yesterday.” His eyes flickered to meet yours, curious that you caught on to his intent so quickly. “I didn’t forget, Sammy.” You whispered, voice barely breaking through the silence.

“You mean to tell me you had no intent when you opened the door like that?” His lips upturned in the corner, a smirk now painfully present. He was taunting you, begging for the upper hand to offset your head start. As much as he enjoyed your company, it did not make him completely willing to allow you control.

“I don’t think you want me to answer that, baby.” As you spoke, a flash of emotion crossed his eye, like a spark catching a fume of gasoline. As soon as it ignited, it burnt out in an instant. You weren’t sure if it was because he was covering his emotion, or if he was really that unbothered by the thought of you waiting for his brother. You were both well aware that the initial invitation inside was calling Jake’s name, rather than his. Still, that did not mean he was unwelcome, and he was planning to soak up every bit of hospitality you were willing to give him.

“So I am intruding?” He asked, expecting you to grovel for him to stay. You let out a small laugh, shaking your head at his question.

“You’re not going to leave, Sam. Don’t pretend you will, because we both know it’s not true.” Instead of focusing on the shocked expression he was giving you, you held the bottle of wine to him, silently offering him a drink. Rather than responding, he took the bottle from you and unscrewed the cap, taking a long drink to wash down his distaste for you calling his bluff. He wasn’t sure what to expect of you, but this certainly wasn’t it. The version of you he’d seen yesterday was much different, timid and lovestruck by him. Now, you almost seemed bored, like you were waiting for him to prove himself to you. He was scared that Jake had already won the race, but fear was second to intrigue; he was enticed by the idea of winning you back. He was enticed by you, standing and speaking with so much confidence, your beauty never shining quite as bright as it did in that moment.

He knew he was an idiot for waiting so long, stupid for giving his brother a chance to make an advance. He was stupid for not letting you know how he felt about you sooner, always keeping his admiration silent and making you second guess yourself. He felt, if anything, he owed it to you to to let you express your distaste for his actions. So he played along, allowing you to rid yourself of any ill feelings, knowing he was bound to enjoy the process, anyway. Any attention from you was worth more than the world in his eyes. He let you take the lead, believing that he was doing it willingly; as much as he convinced himself that it was voluntary, he knew that you had him wrapped around your finger. The nights events would only solidify the fact even further, making the entanglement all the more dangerous.

That was the funny thing about your relationship; you both felt the need to harness control, but were both fools for each other. Desperately searching for a sense of power, but willing to give in at the simplest request. The defensive nature that you both tried to maintain, one that radiated with cockiness and carelessness for each other was just for show. You were one misspoken word away from cracking; the weight of his stare was overwhelming, begging to disrupt your entire process.

“Are you sure about that?” He asked, placing the bottle on the table, freeing his hands in anticipation of an advance. You gave him a soft smile, finding his confidence charming.

“So sure that if the time comes, I’ll even hold the door open for you.” Your words struck a nerve in him, but he didn’t break. “But, I’ll leave it unlocked, because I know you’ll come back.” His eyes were burning into you, making the temptation to reach out and touch him overwhelmingly strong. Still, you stood with your feet firmly planted to the ground, imploring him to make the first move. His head tilted to the side, watching you with curiosity. When he realized your play, a smile crossed his lips.

“So sure of yourself, but you haven’t done anything to make me want to stay, princess.” The pet name shook you to your core, shattering all of your values and consuming your thoughts with anything but purity. Both brothers were so charming, perfect with their words but in different ways. Jake made it unable to think about anything other than him, leaving you without a choice in wanting him. He stole the air from your lungs and made the suffering pleasurable. Sam gave you freedom of choice, but ensured to bury himself in every available thought, making the decision of keeping him around easier than anything else. The idea of choice was false from either side, but the ignorance to the truth was fantastic, making you believe you really had a say in the matter and in turn, making you fall for him further on your own accord. They were both evil, no doubt about that, but you were just as bad for allowing them the power over you.

“So far you haven’t done anything other than give me a headache.” You said, almost as if you were bored with the banter. You weren’t sure what came over you; the back talk, the taunting, the confidence all seemed to be new, summoned at the idea of Sam believing he was winning the argument. Maybe it was the wine, or maybe it was your annoyance with his insufferable attitude. Whatever it was, you had dug just deep enough under his skin for him to throw the act to the side. He was eager to get the rest of your clothes off, and the conversation was giving nothing other than annoyance to both of you. Without a response, he stepped towards you and pulled you into him by your hips in one swift motion. Before you could comprehend the sudden movement, his eyes were busy casting the familiar spell over you, drawing you into him without a second thought. Within a few seconds, his lips were on yours.

Your hand snaked around his neck, eager and accepting of the new position. The kiss was heated, different than the ones you had shared before. The bitterness of the wine lingered on your lips, offsetting the sweetness of your satisfaction. The gratification that coursed through your veins was heavily accredited to his willingness to give in, making you think that for a moment you had won the battle. In turn, that was true in a sense, but it had only laid the foundation for a war to begin. Your personal needs were fulfilled, the agenda was almost to completion, but the nagging voices in your mind were screaming at you to recognize that they were achieved at a cost. You wished, with his hands on you, his lips distracting you, that the voices would cease to exist. No matter which path you chose, there was some moral dilemma begging to be heard above the sinister power of the little devil that was controlling your every move. As delightful as his touch was, some part of you finally begun to understand that it was not the answer to your questions, or the solutions to your problems.

But, you were never one to deny pleasure, and pleasure was nothing compared to what he was capable of giving you.

You felt like you were melting into him, completely immersed in his presence and one with every movement. His hands were steady, holding you to him to make sure you knew he wasn’t backing down. Your chest was burning, heart racing at the idea of finally having him so intimately. Months of tension spent waiting for a moment of relief, begging for him to notice, was finally coming to an end, but not in a sweet confessional. It was heated, passionate and hungry, both of you feeling no need for any sort of formalities. The lust was primal, and seemingly desperate. Whether that was for each other, or just to prove a point, was unclear. Despite his arrogance moments earlier, he didn’t seem to have a plan in mind to progress. He wanted you to take charge, to allow yourself the opportunity to rid yourself of any frustrations or fears that you may have been experiencing previously. You were in control, and he was willing to do whatever he could to please you.

You parted for a moment, lungs aching for a breath. Your hands drifted downwards, fumbling with the bottom of his shirt. He released his hold, allowing you to pull it over his head and expose his upper body. Your eyes washed over his bare torso, wanting to admire him, but your hands were already guiding him backwards to one of the kitchen chairs. You felt like you were in a frenzy, needing to know every part of him and appreciate the detail, but unable to slow down to allow yourself to do so. You wanted all of him, but you wanted it right away. Waiting was out of the question; your patience had withered away long before he showed up at your doorstep.

Before he sat, he took a second to remove his jeans, leaving you both in the same position. Minimal fabric concealing the most intimate details, details that you were both eager to explore. Once he kicked his pants to the side, he allowed you to guide him down on the wooden chair. Before he could even settle himself in the seat, you had taken it upon yourself to make yourself comfortable in his lap. With your legs on either side of him, you placed your hand on his shoulder as you guided yourself into the new position. His hands found your hips again, showing his appreciation for your advance. He held you down on him, the small friction providing relief only for a few seconds.

“How’s that?” He hummed, the warmth of his palms searing into you, branding you with his touch. You knew in that moment, there was no escaping Sam. He had permanently engraved his essence within you, his name knotted around your tongue, his presence making home in your heart and his touch burrowing under your skin. He was like a parasite, showcasing it with his ability to latch on to you and take control, to slowly leech all life from you. The certain death was the most comforting part; you would never have to live without him, to feel the ache if he disappeared. “Still giving you that headache?” He mustered out, almost distracted from his jab by the slow roll of your hips against him. The gentle movement was barely causing any friction, yet it was grand enough to completely break his focus. You knew just as well as he did that your effect on him rivalled the one he had on you, and you were using it to your advantage.

“Shut up, Sam.” You snapped, feeling his hands find the clasp of your bra. With expert precision he unhooked it, the tension releasing instantly and the straps drifting down your shoulders.

“Hey, now. No need to be like that.” He cooed, the soft sound of his voice sending a shiver down your spine. The difference in bed between him and his brother was astounding; if you had spoke to Jake with even an ounce of the disrespect you were giving Sam, chastising would have been for certain, and punishment would be expected. Instead, Sam took the gentle approach, coaxing you with kindness to do what he do badly wanted. There was no authority in his tone or his touch, only need that could not be described with such simple words. He was completely at your disposal, willing to do anything you wanted with little argument. The similarities you’d seen previously had finally begun to divide, branching off to show you the different sides of both boys. Even with the differences, you still found yourself falling further for each of them with every moment that passed.

In one sense, your adoration for Sam was growing larger with every second, faster with every touch he ghosted over your skin. In another, the surge of emotion snowballed into guilt, feeling like you were betraying Jake by encouraging Sam’s advances. You vowed to fight, to settle the score and finish their endless battle for them, but you were slowly beginning to understand that the peace would come at risk of casualties; the casualty being you. Still, you walked into your own demise with content, just happy to be loved in the process. Your willingness to sacrifice your own sanity stemmed from the fact that the feeling of being loved by both boys was too grand to deny. As much as you wanted to believe your intent was selfless, that it was to protect lovers from future conflict like such, it was not wholly true. The biggest force was solely the desire to be with them, to be needed by them. You were drowning in your own feelings, but the water was warm, more comforting than the thought of never swimming again.

His fingers drifted over your shoulders, begging you to move just enough so he could remove the red fabric from you. You adhered to his silent plea, moving back from him and allowing him to slip the straps from your arms. He lazily tossed the bra to the floor, not even bothering to notice where it landed. Instead, his eyes were focused only on you, engraving the memory into his brain forever. His curious hands drifted to where the bra had been previously concealing you, his thumb brushing over your nipple, soft enough that you could have missed it. He leaned forward, lips connecting with the sensitive skin on your neck. He familiarized himself with you, his movements slow but calculated.

When the first breathy moan slipped past your lips, he was sure he could die in that moment, more content than he’d ever been. His actions were seemingly genuine, like all he was doing was for the sake of your pleasure. It was partially true, and he was happy that he could give you what you wanted, but it was more than that; every touch, kiss, all of the silent encouragement was selfishly motivated. Much like his brother, he was determined to make you fall victim to him, just so you never wanted to leave. The game was natural to them, but losing you was not something he was willing to do. As much as he hated to sacrifice his brothers feelings for his own sake, he didn’t care. In the end, he wanted you no matter the sacrifice or strife, and he was certain of it. For the time being, he made it a mission to make your decision easy, to make you want to come to him, to fall in to his arms as if you’d always belonged there.

He lowered his mouth, capturing your nipple in his mouth. A soft flick of his tongue over the sensitive bud sent a shiver down your spine. Your back arched, allowing him easier access to your chest. As you did so, his erection pressed further into your heat, intensifying your arousal. His mouth focused on one breast while his hand found your other. The two different sensations created a whole new feeling for you, quickly realizing that he also had a touch of magic within him as well. As if it were your new mantra, you found yourself blaming it on the Kiszka charm once again. You felt as if you’d been reciting that in your head more than anything else, chalking up every moment to a universal aura all of the siblings possessed. Deep down, you knew it was likely because they knew you, that they’d studied you in attempt to understand what would win you over, and now they were using it to their own advantage. Still, ignorance was easier to choke down than truth, and the truth was that charm was part of the game.

You found your hips grinding into him more as his tongue moved with expert precision. He was growing more excited by the second, eager to get the rest of your clothes off and get a taste of the mess he’d created. His hand wandered down, tickling the soft skin of your torso as he searched for something more. Eventually, his fingers knotted through the side of your underwear, the lace tempting him too much to withstand. He let his fingers rest for a moment as he removed his mouth from your nipple, barely giving you time to process the loss before his free hand was guiding your head down to meet him in a kiss. It was a messy show of tangled lips and curious tongues, nothing desirable about the sloppiness, yet more inviting than anything else you could imagine.

Little by little, his parasitic nature began to suck the life from you, beginning with your own morality. The more you had of him, the more the cloud of guilt floated away. No thoughts of Jake, or his hands that you’d been begging for only moments before Sam’s arrival. The only thing that mattered was your growing impatience and how badly you wanted him inside you. When you parted from him, you were both fighting for a full breath, lungs burning with something bigger than just a lack of oxygen; overwhelmed by the pure desire surrounding you. “Stand up for me.” He managed out through a long exhale. You did as he pleased, but ensured that the process was drawn out, teasing him as you did so. Once you were planted on your feet, he took it upon himself to rid you of the red lace that left little to the imagination. Once they dropped to your ankles, he sucked in a long breath in attempt to cover the shock on his face.

He couldn’t hide the look of adoration his eyes were glistening with, overwhelmed at the thought of finally being with you so intimately. He would have told you that you were gorgeous, the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, but his words seemed to fail him. Seeing you fully exposed before him seemed to cause a short circuit in his brain, unable to comprehend the feelings he had for you in that moment. It was a slow build up, letting him believe he was in control of how hard he was falling for you, allowing him to think that you didn’t have any power over him. The bliss that he felt in that moment told him all he needed to know; he was in love with you, falling harder and faster than he ever had. There was no stoping it, no cushion to break the fall, and the only way to protect himself was to make you love him, too.

He was certain his brother felt the same pull, the same adoration and the same love. It was only then he realized that the world they had been living in was far more dangerous than it had ever been before. This time, the love was real, and catastrophic. Neither could bear the thought of losing, and they were pulling you in both directions as they fell opposite of each other. The cushion of protection that brotherhood provided only extended so far, and the truth of this heartbreak stretched far beyond covered ground. As he reached out for you, slowly turning you around and guiding you backwards to him, he tried to push the thought away. As your legs found home on either side of him, the warmth of your back searing into the skin of his chest, he knew it was here to stay. When his hand drifted between your legs, fingers dancing through the wetness and finding their way to your clit, he didn’t care. Your head fell back on his shoulder, eyes fluttered shut in bliss at the relief he was giving you.

“Oh, god.” You sighed, immediately causing him to close his eyes, too. The sound alone was enough to make him forget any worry in the world. His free hand returned to your breast, gently playing with your nipple as he focused on your clit. He was painfully hard, almost unable to hold himself back from fucking you right then, but he persevered. Getting you off was the only thing he cared about. In that moment, he was living for it. Your head turned inward towards his own, your forehead resting against his cheek, silently begging for more contact with him. He turned his head towards you, enjoying every bit of affection you would permit.

“Is that better, princess?” His voice was low, vibrating through you with an intensity you could barely comprehend. He was barely touching you, barely giving you anything at all, but he was driving you crazy. Every small touch or slight movement was a million times more powerful than they appeared. You worried that you were tangled in his web, too, your limbs tied down with no hope for freedom. Even with the restraint, the unwillingness to accept the inevitable consequence of being intertwined with him indefinitely, some part of you you knew you would be okay, because he would take care of you. He would always take care of you, and you knew that from the minute his hands touched you.

You thought it ought to be impossible, to be so intricately woven within both boys, to be tied down willingly even with the knowledge that there was no way out. After all, how could you be so immersed in two different worlds? The question hammered against your skull as his fingers danced through your cunt, pushing you to the brink of an orgasm without any effort. The words grew louder as the knot in your belly tightened, the stimulation of your nipple pinched between his fingers driving you even closer to the edge. As he turned his head and caught you in another kiss, you thought the pondering would be silenced, that the voice would fade into nothing. While his tongue danced with yours, sadistically paired with the expertise of his hands, the question was indefinitely answered. The web was the same, just much larger and complex than you originally understood. It was completely possible to be trapped by both brothers because their web was identical, and over years of playing their same disastrous games, they had intertwined and become one.

Danny was right in saying that it was impossible to fall for one and not the other, but not because of their similarities. Sure, they had lots in common, but that was not the driving force that made it so easy to love both. They were different in many ways, and you could tell just by how Sam was touching you, how he chose to love you in that moment. Different than Jake, but fantastic all the same. You loved both with the same intensity, but for all different reasons. In the struggle, it was easy to view the feelings as identical because you never had a moment to slow down and think of it any other way. It was possible to fall for both of them so intensely because they made it so; their whole exterior was a guise, perfectly crafted in retaliation to the feeling of insecurity and inferiority. Mistakes from their younger days led them to believe that the pattern was set in stone, rather than something they allowed. Instead of changing, working towards the common goal, they played into the idea that they were never going to escape the curse. You had fallen for both of them so quickly because they moulded into one mindset, mirroring each other in the worst ways.

The boys were different, much more than you had perceived before. You wished that with the realization, picking one over the other would be so much easier. As Sam coaxed you into an orgasm, sending a wave of pleasure through you so intense that you couldn’t catch your breath, you knew it wasn’t true. In the few short days they had spent trying to win you over, you’d fallen for them as individuals. Caught in the same web, but in love with two different versions of it. One side was not greener than the other, nor more promising, which made it all the more painful. As you came down, skin tingling with the ghost of pleasure, you clung to him for comfort. The warmth of his skin was inviting, so inviting that it was easy to ignore the warnings your brain wished you would adhere to. There was no hope for a brighter side, and it didn’t matter who you chose in the end, because they had both planted the seed of promise within your brain. Promise of love, happiness, comfort, and the thought of losing either was excruciating. Different as they may be, the euphoric feeling of being loved by them was all the same.

Suffering was a promise coated with momentary gain. Nobody was in control, and you were all finally beginning to understand.

Once you had regained your senses, Sam prompted you to sit up for a moment. You hovered above him, allowing him the chance to free himself from his boxers. He barely had the fabric out of the way before he was guiding you back down to him, lining his cock with your entrance as he did so. There was a slight moment of hesitancy from both of you, but it was quickly forgotten when he pulled you down on him fully, your ass meeting his hips as he bottomed out inside of you. A shared groan of relief sounded from both of you, as if it was something you’d been waiting for your whole lives. He pulled your upper half back to his chest, reaching around to find your clit again. Once you’d recovered from the overwhelming feeling of him inside you, you began to rock your hips. He didn’t move his fingers, letting you set the friction with the pace of your hips. It was a small injustice, one that drove you insane. His generosity weakened and he was silently telling you that if you wanted more, you had to work for it.

You sped your movements, finding your will to argue with Sam completely non-existent. Arguing with Jake was fun, because you knew you went into the conversation with no chance of coming out on top. With Sam, it was a ruthless battle. You could both scream until you were blue in the face and neither of you would give in. You could spend all night running in circles, or get yourself off on your own accord, and you chose the latter. Your only hope was that he felt the same about you, and when it was your turn for a command, he would oblige with the same enthusiasm. As you sunk back down on him, he was unable to hold back the sound of pleasure that slipped through his lips. It only served as motivation, telling you that he was just as crazy for it as you were.

He had one hand firmly on your waist, fingers decorating the soft flesh with enough pressure for you to notice, but not near enough to hurt you. His touch radiated caution and care, so unlike the hands you had on you the night before. “This is what you came over for, isn’t it?” You hummed, your head tilted back and his cheek pressed against yours. He refused to answer, but didn’t change his position. “Tell me, Sam.” You ordered, but the tone was gentle, coaxing it from him at his own pace rather than forcing it.

“Fuck, yes,” he finally said, hissing his answer through clenched teeth. Your eyes closed at the sound, pleased at his answer but not completely satisfied with him yet.

“Is it as good as you thought it would be?” You taunted, not changing your pace but coming down on him with more force each time. “Exactly what you dreamed of?”

“Yeah, baby.” He nodded against you, sucking in a sharp breath as you rolled your hips on him. “You feel so good, even better than I imagined.” His voice was strained, like he was trying to fight back a moan as he spoke. A smirk played at the corner of your lips, content to have him in such a mess below you.

“God, you do too.” You sighed, realizing that if he was willing to be so kind, you would, too. “I’ve wanted this for so long, Sammy.” The statement caused his fingers to tighten on you and his pressure on your clit to increase. A moan fell from you, content with his effort. He was just happy you were enjoying yourself. In a twisted turn of events, you understood that in that specific scenario, he was existing solely to please you. So many months wasted pinning after him, and he had been so eager to make you feel good the whole time. As if it were a silent apology from both of you, he was doing so now, and praising him only seemed right.

“Now you have me, princess.” He whispered, leaning down and placing a few kisses on your shoulder. The small act of love was heartwarming, but you didn’t let it deter you from the filthy things you wanted him to do to you. “I’m all yours.” You swallowed hard at the statement, not quite ready to bear the weight of it yet.

“Just like that, baby.” You gasped, shifting slightly in hopes that he would continue hitting the same spot inside you. The circles he was rubbing into your clit were steady, ruthless in their efforts to get you to another climax. You sped the pace, the tip of his cock hitting the most sensitive spot inside you from the new angle. “M’gonna cum,” you warned, praying he would keep his rhythm.

“Yeah?” He asked, his tone hopeful and anything but condescending. You let out a murmur of agreement, your eyes squeezed shut in anticipation. Your forehead was glistening with sweat, the position clearly taking a bit more energy than you anticipated. The strands of his hair that were in disarray were tickling the skin of your shoulders, a simple beauty in the mess of vulgarity. He was beautiful, and so was the way he was making you feel. It seemed as though he worshiped the ground you walked on, ecstatic that he even had the opportunity to please you. Like your words had changed his demeanour, morphed him into something you never expected from him. He was so witty and even snarky by times, and you fully expected that persona to carry over from every day life to the bedroom. Instead, he was almost a different person, desperate to make you feel good and even willing to be chastised in the process. Had you attempted to tease Jake, you would be met with nothing rewarding. The difference was astounding.

“Oh, fuck Sam!” You whined, the muscles in your abdomen tensing as a wave of pleasure washed over you. The pressure had reached its peak, leaving your legs shaking and hands gripping at him for support.

“There you go, princess.” He breathed, in awe at the elegance of you, even in such a dirty way. “Did that feel good?” Once again, the vibration of his voice resonated throughout your body, settling under your skin and igniting every nerve.

“Felt so good, baby.” You assured him. Without another word, he lifted you off him, keeping a hand on you to support you. With a swift motion, he cleared the clutter of the table with a swipe of his hand. Most items were pushed backwards, some toppling over and some papers floating to the ground with grace. You watched as the items settled in their new positions, a spark of intrigue filling you. He turned to you, picking you up with ease and settling you on the now empty spot on the kitchen table. “Hi,” you let out a small giggle, processing the change of position. As he nestled between your legs, you couldn’t help but feel a fleeting moment of innocent joy. The soft features of his face, beautifully crafted and meant to be admired. The hair cascading down his shoulders, framing every detail in the most elegant way. The dim overhead light and the sun from the window painting him with a bit of a golden glow. It was all too much to overlook, too profound to go unnoticed. He was perfect, unbearably compelling, and the tug on your heartstrings from the sight was irrefutable. You couldn’t help but take the moment, even if it broke the momentum of sex.

“Hi, gorgeous.” He smiled, eyes drifting over your face and admiring you in the same way. After a moment of silent appreciation, he pulled you into a kiss. It was sweet, but it didn’t last for long and the blame was shared between both of you. The need for more was obvious, and the tender action quickly turned messy, desperate, even. You felt him line himself up with you again, but you broke away and stopped him before he could advance. He looked at you with worry, wondering if he overstepped. You shook your head, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently guiding him towards the floor.

After a moment, he caught on to your demand. He sunk to his knees, almost embarrassed that he hadn’t thought of it himself. He was so worked up that he hadn’t even taken the time to fully grasp what was in front of him. He placed a few kisses to your thighs, gentle and loving, building up to what you so badly wanted. He hooked his arm under your leg and gently guided you to the edge of the table. He didn’t waste too much time, not wanting you to lose interest in the action. He ran his tongue through you, savouring the taste of your arousal. He let out a hum of pleasure, letting you know he was more than grateful to have you like that. Your hand found his hair, tangling in the locks of brown. You watched him, eyes glazed with lust, realizing how many times you wished you could have him exactly as he was. You didn’t have the chance to dwell for too long, his tongue quickly finding your already quite sensitive bundle of nerves.

Your head fell back, too focused on the feeling to watch him any longer. His initial exploration was long forgotten about, eager to get you to another climax. Part of it was selfish, not wanting to wait any longer to be inside you again, but most of it was desperation to make you feel such a way again. The knowledge that he could make you feel so good was worth more than the world to him. He was sure there was no greater motivator in the universe. His tongue was focused on your clit, relentless in its pursuit of an orgasm. His fingers were grasping your thigh, holding you to him like he was scared you would get away. Little did he know, that was the last thing you ever wanted to do. You wished you could stay like this with him forever.

After a moment, he added his fingers to you, pumping them in with a slight curl every time. The added stimulation made it impossible for you to hold back any moans. Your grip on his hair was tight, and if you weren’t so lost in the pleasure, you would be in fear of hurting him. It didn’t bother him, though. If anything, it drove him further, making him enjoy the experience even more. He was crazy for you, and he knew that in that moment, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to have you like this again. His previous concern about Jake and his feelings were obsolete. The need to be with you was greater than his worry of hurting his brother. Even if someone was bound to get harmed, he was just happy to have you for the time being. Even if you didn’t choose him. After all, having you for a brief moment was better than never having you at all.

“S-Sammy,” you whimpered, eyes squeezed shut at the pure ecstasy of his mouth. He hummed against you, acknowledging your exclamation without breaking away from you. “Fuck that feels so good.” You groaned, the words ripping from your chest in a violent manner. He used the praise as motivation, ensuring his movements were consistent to give you the most pleasure he could. Although his pace was slow, it did not mean it wasn’t impactful. He flattened his thumb against your cunt, pulling his mouth back only slightly so he could slip the digit just below his lip. The pause in movement took you for surprise, making you wonder what he was doing. After a few seconds, he continued on and answered your question immediately. A sharp gasp sounded, the slight change introducing you to a whole different type of pleasure.

With every upstroke of his tongue, he brought his thumb up under it, keeping it in time with his tongue. The new feeling made it so your clit was constantly stimulated, never giving him a chance to miss a beat. He continued pumping his fingers in you, the curl hitting your g-spot with ease. There was no doubt the brothers talent on their instruments had contribution to their skillful hands, but you had no idea to what extent it would be. Now, you were certain that every lifetime lived would only be worth it if it was spent with a guitarist. “Please don’t stop,” you pleaded, drawing in a long breath. The burning in the pit of your stomach was intense, easily telling you that he didn’t have to work for much longer. One last pump of his fingers was all you needed. When you came, it was more intense than the ones he had previously given you. You were clenched around his fingers, your legs shaking and your fingers knotted tightly in his hair. You struggled to catch your breath, your chest burning for air and your head swimming with nothing meaningful.

When he noticed your body relax, he slowly tapered his pace. When he fully removed himself from you, you felt disappointment at the lack of attention. He smiled up at you, noticing the look of displeasure on your features. Slowly, he rose back to his feet and made home between your legs again. “You taste so good, princess. Could do that all day.” He said, his words sincere and no hint of a lie in his expression.

“It was so good, Sammy. You make me feel so good.” You sighed, pulling his upper body into you. You wrapped your arms around him, pulling him into an embrace. You weren’t sure if it was because you were craving the comfort after such an earth-shattering orgasm, or if you were craving him. Either way, the comfort that came from the feeling of his arms around you was unexplainable. He placed a kiss to the top of your head, flooding your body with a type of warmth you can only feel from another person. He held you there, feeling the same way that you were. He never wanted to leave, never wanted to let you go, and it was dangerous. Much like his brother, he had to face the reality that you weren’t his. At least, not yet.

“Can I fuck you, please?” He asked, voice barely above a whisper. It was an attempt to ward off the ache that settled within him, knowing he would walk out of the house with no promise of more.

“You want to fuck me?” You asked, pulling back to look up at his face. He met your eyes, giving you a nod. You watched his face, wondering if you wanted to allow him the opportunity so soon. There was a slight glimmer of hope in his eye, one that you couldn’t look past. “Since you did such a good job,” you teased, a small smile on your lips. “You can fuck me, baby.” You said, the permissive statement sparking him into action immediately. His hands shot to your hips, pulling you just a little closer to the edge. You leaned back slightly, allowing him easier access. His hand trailed to your thigh, landing on your knee and pulling your leg up and around him. You locked it there, drawing him in closer as he lined himself up with your entrance.

He pushed into you, both of you letting out a sigh of relief at the feeling. He thrusted his hips slow at first, giving you time to adjust to him again. You appreciated his patience, you were sensitive from the events that had already ensued, and him caring about your comfort more than his satisfaction meant a lot. After a moment, you were well acclimated and wanted more. You guided his body closer to you, wrapping an arm around his neck and pulling him into a kiss. He responded enthusiastically, happy for the new invitation. Your tongue danced over his bottom lip, driving him crazy and inevitably causing him to quicken his pace. The angle in which the position allowed was deliciously precise, the tip of his cock reaching your cervix as he thrusted. The small jolt of pain was immensely noticeable, but just as pleasant as every other sensation.

You were certain that anything would be delightful as long as Sam was the one doing it.

You let a moan slip into his mouth, unintentional but perfectly good for him. His fingers seared into your skin, tightening at the sound. You were having a hard time keeping your lips to his with the way he was pounding into you. Your leg that was locked around him attempted to pull him closer, even if it was impossible. You wanted to be immersed in him, for his being to suffocate you. You never wanted to leave the moment, never wanted him to stop touching you. Every nerve was ablaze with months of tension finally coming to an end. Your skin was on fire, not with heat, but with the pure electricity his body was giving off. It felt perfect, like this was exactly where you should be. The decision to be with Sam should have been easy, especially when you were feeling like such. Still, there was a little voice in your head telling you that something wasn’t right, and you couldn’t rely on the feeling because you felt the same way with Jake.

You felt despicable even thinking of his brother while engaging in such an act, but the thought was fleeting, never lasting for too long but always appearing when you least expected it. Much like poison slowly creeping into your veins and overthrowing your own body. It was killing you, but was so good, so similar to a drug. Both of the boy’s love was branded with toxicity and was dangerously volatile, but always left you wanting more. Left you believing that you couldn’t live without it. “I need you to cum again, princess.” He pleaded. The words cut through your thoughts like a blade, shattering any abstraction of anything other than him. He was close, begging you for one more climax before he reached his own.

He had done a fantastic job pleasing you, ridding you of any indignation you held for him in the previous hours. With the offer of his body alone, he’d managed to erase any ill feelings in an instant, and in such a selfless manner. You thought you could give in, allow him what he wanted at his request. If you wanted to, you could make him go all night, and you were sure he would oblige. You certainly wouldn’t mind, but you had a streak of sympathy for him in that moment, feeling generous enough to give him a break. His hard work was appreciated, and you had gotten far more than you originally hoped for. “Are you close, baby?” You asked, using your free hand to cup his cheek in your hand. He gave a nod, leaning forward to rest his forehead on yours. “You want to cum with me?” You pried, wanting a verbal answer from him.

“Fuck, yes.” He groaned. Seeing him in such a state was enough to drive you over the edge. His desperation was thrilling; you couldn’t help but feel your ego inflating at the thought. You’d spent so long desperate to have him, and now that the roles were reversed, you couldn’t help but revel in it for a while. “Please, y/n, want it so bad.” The begging was new to you, never having experienced it from someone else. You’d been on the other end of it before, but receiving it was a whole new level of gratification. You didn’t want to make him grovel for too long, but we’re certain to remember the feeling for next time, just to ensure you could experience it again. You didn’t have to make him wait, anyway, because your next orgasm was approaching fast.

“Oh, god.” You growled, the sound primal and your grasp on him feral.

“That’s it, princess.” He encouraged, his grip tightening again. Every feeling was euphoric, otherworldly, almost. You had yet to comprehend the truth of the situation, that you were actually with Sam, and not just in another daydream or fantasy. He was in front of you, inside you, with his hands all over your body and his name embedded into your tongue.

“Fuck!” You choked out, abdomen rigid as your muscles contracted. You uttered his name, a gentle allowance for him to cum, too. He pulled you into another kiss, silencing any further admissions. You couldn’t help but let a whimper out, muffled by his lips on yours. That was all it took for him to reach his peak, both of your orgasms crashing over you at once. His movement halted, his hands pulling you into him as he spilled his release into you.

You were a mess of tangled limbs, glistening with sweat and surrounded by muttered noises of pleasure. Long after the climax, even after your bodies were relaxed and recovered from the excitement, you were both still wrapped around each other with no sign of release. He rested inside you, fingers ghosting over the spot he’d been previously holding. Your palm was cupping his cheek, keeping him close with no intention of letting him go. His forehead was on yours, both of your eyes closed in bliss, basking in the comfort of each other for as long as you could. His lips were hovering over yours, tempted by the thought of kissing you again. You ended his internal debate, capturing him in a sweet kiss, wanting it just as bad.

Time passed, filled with kisses and whispers of adoration and appreciation for each other. It was tender, loving and inviting. It was a moment you wanted to live in forever without fear of ever losing it. His touch was gentle, like he was scared you were made of glass and he’d break you with one wrong move. He thought you were perfect enough to be framed, to be an exhibit in the most prestigious art museum, but even that wouldn’t do you any justice. He wanted to speak, to tell you everything he’d held back for so long, to show you that he felt the same for you and he was foolish for waiting so long. His silence was thick, heavy in the air. He’d fallen victim to his cowardice, the same way you and Jake had. So many feelings ready to burst at the seam, but never enough courage to speak them aloud. All three of you held the belief that if it was left unspoken, it would hurt less when the inevitable downfall occurred.

“Let’s get cleaned up?” He offered, but his chest ached at the thought of breaking from you. You gave a small nod, head heavy with exhaustion and intoxication. Instead of pulling away, he wrapped his arms around you with caution, carefully picking you up off the table. He carried you to the bathroom before he finally let you stand on your own.

You both cleaned up, ridding yourselves of the dirty act you had committed. An invitation of a shower bounced around your soul, but the fear of rejection was far too large to speak it into existence. Instead, when you were both ready, you led him to your bedroom. You searched for a moment, locating a t-shirt that hung down to your thighs. You slipped it over your head as Sam disappeared, likely in search of his own clothes. He returned a moment later clad in just his boxers, carrying the other articles of clothing in his hand. He discarded them on the floor again, not caring where they ended up. You were both caught in wordless comfort, not wanting to disturb the peace in fear of saying something wrong. You took a seat on the edge of the bed, holding a hand out for him to join. A small smile crossed his lips, happy at the idea that you wanted him to stay.

He disregarded your gesture, climbing in behind you and wrapping his arms around your torso. He gently pulled you back as he laid down, settling you in his arms, pressing you firmly against his chest. You let out a giggle of delight, content at the position. Even though your back was to him and you couldn’t see his face, you knew he had a grin plastered on his cheeks. He grabbed a fistful of blanket, carelessly pulling the comforter over you both. The warmth surrounded you with more welcome than you anticipated, the familiar feeling immediately prompting a wave of tiredness. The sound of slow breathing filled the room, heartbeats in sync and all worry subsided. Within moments, you’d both drifted into a slumber that not even an earthquake could disturb.

A little while later, you woke with a start. Shuffling behind you and the stab of cool air penetrated the aura of comfort you had created. You rubbed the sleep from your eyes, groggy and disheveled from the deep slumber you had just been in. You looked up, noticing that Sam was cautiously climbing from the bed, trying not to disturb you. He didn’t notice your open eyes until he had pulled his shirt over his head and turned to check on you. “You’re leaving?” You asked, voice gravelly and laced with confusion.

“Oh, yeah. I have to get home.” He said, a note of sympathy ringing from him. It seemed like he wanted to disappear before any conversation could begin.

“Oh,” you said, trying not to let your disappointment show. Now that your eyes were fully open, your head was pounding from the hangover beginning. You cursed the wine for being so easy to drink, knowing you were in for a night of discomfort. “That’s okay. Thanks for coming over, it was nice.” You managed out, eyebrows furrowed from the pulse of pain beating against your skull. You tried to make the words sound as genuine as possible, not wanting any awkwardness to ruin the evening you shared. He pulled on his pants, then leaned down over you and placed a kiss to your lips.

“It was my pleasure.” He assured you, giving you a small smile. “I’ll see you soon?” You nodded, unable to fight back a smile in return.

“Yeah, text me later or whatever.” You tried to pass the comment off with nonchalance, but you were really hoping he would.

“Of course.” He said, kissing you once more. The temptation was just too strong to resist. With that, he straightened up, bidding a small goodbye and disappeared through your bedroom door. You pulled the blanket to your chest, feeling a fizzle of sadness spark in your heart. Perhaps the night you spent with Jake had conditioned you to believe that your entanglements were more than they actually were. In truth, they were nothing greater than messy hookups, even if you all had feelings buried deep below the surface.

You heard the front door shut followed by silence filling the home, screaming emptiness and seclusion again. You stayed stagnant for a moment, wondering if sleep was the best option to rid the looming sense of loneliness that made fast work at creeping back in. Instead of focusing on it, you crawled out of bed and faced the cool air. Your head ached as you stood, but you figured water and advil was the only sure way you would get any decent sleep. Plus, the thought of waking twice to the same violent hangover was too miserable to chance. So you trudged down the hallway, still slightly disoriented from the nap you couldn’t seem to pull yourself completely out of. When you saw the state of the kitchen, you felt the overwhelming urge to turn around and go back to bed.

There were papers strewn across the room, the table a mess of items that Sam had thrown into disarray. Your lingerie decorated the hardwood floor and the chair you and Sam had favoured was still a showpiece in the middle of the room. Your wine bottle that was barely broken into was begging you to take another sip, but you threw it in the fridge to fight the temptation. You grabbed a bottle of water, wasting no time chugging it down. The hydration felt nice, but it was no competition for the amount of alcohol you had consumed earlier that day. You searched the cabinet above your fridge for some painkillers, taking two and leaving the bottle out for the night.

You slowly picked up the mess of paper on your floor, neatly arranging it back on the table. You pushed the chair back in its place and collected the red lace that was taunting you with your bad decisions. Your focus fell back on the table, straightening some things up and making it look more presentable. As you finished the task, your eye caught sight of something laying underneath the stack of papers. You froze, eyes wide and heart thudding against your ribs. You reached out, slowly retrieving your phone from the mess. A sense of dread washed over you, scared to turn the screen on, realizing that you would likely be met by a plethora of missed messages from Jake. When Sam arrived, the whirlwind of events allowed for your previous arrangements with Jake to completely slip your mind. Or, perhaps you shoved them to the side intentionally. Either way, you were certain that the hours without a response hadn’t gone unnoticed, and you were certain he was not happy about it.

Part of you had a small thrill at the idea of him being pissed off, hoping the confrontation would turn into something quite enjoyable for you. There was a bigger, more imminent fear that he was genuinely just going to be angry at you, especially if he knew the reason as to why you were ignoring him. You were crushed at the idea of him being upset, even if his own game was the reason behind the hurt. As much as you hated to admit it, the feelings you had for him were very real and ran much deeper than lust. You tapped the screen, turning it on in an instant. When you registered the entirety of the missed notifications, your heart dropped. Two missed calls, and three texts.

You clicked the notification bars, nervous for the impact. The first two were light, mostly teasing you for the way he had ended the call. Then, when those went unanswered, he called. No voicemail, but you were sure he was tempted to leave one. Fifteen minutes later, he tried again. The second missed call really struck a nerve in him, because the third text came much later and was far heavier than the previous two. No loving undertone or lighthearted demeanour, just blunt and upfront.

Jacob

Have it your way, angel. Two can play that game.

Your stomach churned with unease, unsure exactly what he meant by the statement. Your ignoring him was not intentional, but after your behaviour earlier, there was no way in hell that he would believe you, now. Even if he did, how could you explain yourself without making yourself sound even more like a villain. You collapsed in the kitchen chair, head hung low and shame washing over you once again. You thought you ought to take the loss, move on and realize you messed up. Apologize, even, and rectify the mistake so hopefully he would accept it. But, the little devil was louder still, begging you to answer, pretend nothing happened at all just to feel his touch again, or even just to get him to call so you could hear his voice. Instead of doing either, you set your phone down, realizing it was best left alone until the morning.

You trudged back to bed, trying to rid yourself of the ache that settled in your bones. Most of it was due to the regret you felt about doing such a thing to Jake, but the other part because you felt like nothing more than a forgetful hookup to Sam. He’d been so loving during sex that it was almost earth-shattering when he seemed to be in so much of a rush to leave. With Jake, he stayed all night, tangled in your blankets and your heart, playing house for as long as he could. The sex with him was far from sweet, but the aftermath was astoundingly different. Your head was swimming, unsure of how to feel or how to know which was better. You closed your eyes, once again stuck in the rut of falling in love with the Kiszka’s. You begged for sleep, wondering if the despondent feeling would ever subside.

Rulers make bad lovers

TAGLIST: @itsdannysworld @gretavansara @jaketlove @laneygvf @freefallthoughts

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sashaisready · 10 months

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Chapter Sixteen - Friends?

Bucky Barnes Mob AU x Femme Reader

You're hard at work in Pepper's Bakery when notorious mob boss James 'Bucky' Barnes darkens your doorway one typical afternoon, and life is never the same again

18+ - see Masterlist for full list of warnings

Chapter 17

Series Masterlist

The next day at the bakery you opened up as normal, yawning and stretching as you laid out everything you’d already baked in the early hours. You kept an eye on the door all day, expecting another visit from your mobster stalker, but there was no sign. Maybe he’d finally listened to you this time. Maybe it was over.

But you had a feeling it wasn’t.

You went out briefly in the afternoon, asking Wanda to keep an eye on things while you dropped some cash off to pay in at the bank and picked up change for the register. You told her to call you if you know who made an appearance. It wasn’t fair for her to keep fighting your battles.

You must’ve only been gone half an hour but were stunned when on your return you could barely open the front door. As you battled your way in you understood why - the bakery was absolutely jammed full of helium balloons. In every possible colour. They were squeezed into every available space, covering the ceiling entirely as the ribbons hung down to the floor. You could barely walk through the store.

“What the…” you spluttered as you fought your way to the counter.

Wanda cried out when she realised you were back. “Oh thank God!” she exclaimed as she untangled a rogue ribbon caught around her ankle.

“They showed up literally seconds after you left. I thought maybe it was Peter again after the minions y’know? But the delivery men kept bringing them in! They kept coming!! They said I couldn’t refuse them as I’d already signed - I thought that was it but I'd only see the first batch...”

You groaned, snatching a small white envelope off the counter and tearing it open - like you didn’t already know exactly who did this.

So you like balloons? Then balloons you get.

I’m sorry for all of it but I’m not giving up

- JBB

You rolled your eyes.

“This is ridiculous” you shout.

You wade through the mess of ribbon and navigate through the balloons to lean over the counter and pull out a pair of scissors. You begin to cut open and pop each balloon you encounter, clearing a path and scooping the deflated debris into a trash bag as Wanda watches on, amused.

“Pathetic dick measuring contest” you mutter.

“What have you got yourself into…?” Wanda sniggers.

“Don’t…I cannot deal right now…”

Your phone buzzes in your pocket and you know exactly who it is. In spite of yourself, a small part of you is flattered by this over the top, excessive and silly gesture. Clearly, you have his attention. But you ignore that part of you.

“Doll. Did you get your gift?” a low voice purrs through the receiver. You shudder briefly, before snapping yourself out of the effect that voice has on you.

Before you answer him you snip the edge of the balloon you’re holding, moving it to your mouth and inhaling deeply.

“What gift?” you ask, your voice comically squeaky with helium.

Bucky laughs at that and it catches you off guard. It’s a genuine, unselfconscious laugh. A giggle if anything. Worlds away from the big bad wolf everyone sees him as. You soften slightly at that giggle.

But then you remember his coldness towards you. The woman in the bakery with him. Cancelling your date.

You harden once more.

“I told you to leave me alone” you hiss down the phone at him. "How is trashing my store leaving me alone?"

But he just laughs. Not the sweet laugh you just heard, but the mocking laugh he reserves for his cruelty. You sigh. You’re exhausted from the emotional whiplash. Every time you see a glimpse, a glimmer of a Bucky you could like (maybe could even love?) it’s extinguished quickly and the mob boss Bucky is back.

It’s tiring. You have no time for it. You want consistency. Transparency. Sweetness.

You want Peter.

“Goodbye, Doll” he rasps and promptly hangs up.

You roll your eyes, resisting the urge to launch your phone across the room.

Wanda looks at you expectantly and you just wave the scissors at her dismissively. “He’s just being a dick” you shrug.

Wanda nods, but can’t help but see how flustered you are. She understands firsthand how deeply Bucky grates on you, but can’t help but think the fact he bothers you so much is significant.

“Seems weird to spend hundreds of dollars on balloons just to be a dick” she says pointedly.

You shrug again. “Well, he’s a pretty weird guy so...” you say.

Wanda nods again, grabbing a trash bag and helping you with the balloon massacre. She would never tell you of course, but wonders if there are stronger feelings on both sides than either are willing to admit.

Friday rolled around and you were buzzing with excitement for your date. You took the early shift so you had time to get ready, Wanda waving you off as she looked after the bakery.

The rest of the week had been mercifully uneventful, no more balloons, no more sudden SUV visits. You’d sent your feedback on the Assistant resumes to Pepper and she had started the interviews. The candidates seemed really promising and you had a great shortlist.

If Bucky was still watching you - his henchmen had been more discreet than usual.

After trying on seemingly every piece of clothing you owned, you settled on a figure hugging black dress. It showed off your curves without being too revealing. You posed in the mirror as you slipped on your black heels, feeling confident and happy in how you looked. You’d styled your hair in your favourite way and spent a decent amount of time on your make-up, painstakingly applying it - even mastering your eyeliner flicks. It was nice to dress up, normally you were covered in flour and frosting at the bakery - dressing for comfort rather than style. You’d even put on your lucky red lingerie set…just in case things went really well.

You felt a bit nauseated as you thought about the last time you’d had sex. That night with Bucky. As good as it had been (and it had been good) - his subsequent rejection of you had been too much to bear. You didn’t want to open yourself up to that again. You wanted to take things slow, get to know Peter, not let your libido lead you again.

Although he was very attractive…

You checked your phone to re-read Peter’s confirmation of your plans. You were meeting him at a nice Thai place in Manhattan. You checked the time and rushed out, hopping on the subway and making your way there. You were full of excitement, optimism and hope for what lay ahead.

The date was going really well. You and Peter hit it off, talking like old friends and laughing away. He worked for a shipping company with a real cast of characters, all with colourful nicknames like Drax and Rocket. He had you doubled over as he told you stories of them and their escapades, seemingly rarely able to get through a project without some sort of high jinks.

He liked a lot of pop music, but nothing before the 90s. He listened attentively to you in return, smiling warmly as you spoke and gushed about the bakery as you ate your meal.

He was open, straight talking and upfront. It was genuinely refreshing to be on a date with a man who didn’t play games or make you second guess his motives. What you saw was what you got with Peter.

He even shared a bit about his ex, Mora, who he split with earlier in the year. No drama or fireworks. Just a gentle fizzling out, wrong place wrong time for them both. He spoke about her fondly, and you felt jealous that his life was so drama-free.

As dinner rolled on, you had a sudden sad epiphany. As much as you liked Peter, and you did a lot…you weren’t sure it was in a romantic way. He was handsome, funny, sweet, great company, honest…what was wrong with you exactly??

But ‘it’…whatever it is…just wasn’t there.

You told yourself you just hadn’t given him enough of a chance yet. You swallowed your doubts down, shaking them off as you continued the conversation.

You could have a nice time with Peter. Have fun with him, dance to 70s hits in your apartment and laugh until the early hours. Never doubt how he’s feeling, know exactly where you stand at all times. No SUVs. No goons. No crime.

Later after too many glasses of wine, Peter accompanied you home to be sure you were safe. You laughed for the entire journey, basking in the light of his company.

As you got to your building you stopped and smiled at him as you leaned against the brick wall of the block's exterior, the warmth of the wine spreading in your belly.

He smiled back at you, his hand reaching out and cupping your cheek. He leaned over and kissed you softly, his tongue tenderly slipping into your mouth. You returned the kiss, your hands slipping up around his neck as you pressed into him.

It was nice.

Very nice.

But nice was all it was.

You felt nothing.

No fireworks. No excitement. No delight that this was happening. You could’ve been kissing anyone.

Not like Bucky. When he kissed you it was like a thousand explosions at once within you, your legs wobbling and your skin inflamed.

Maybe that was because you knew Bucky was bad for you, and you were stupid.

Regret and sadness washed over you as Peter pulled away. Just as you went to speak, you watched his face pull into a grimace.

He inhaled sharply. “Oooh” he said as his lips curled around his teeth.

“What?” you asked, your hands still locked around his neck.

“Look. Don’t take this the wrong way. You’re great and all…but…I didn’t feel anything from that” he said kindly, wincing. “Like…nothing. I’m real sorry”.

You stared at him in shock for a moment before your expression relaxed and you began to laugh.

“What?” he asked nervously.

“Me fuckin’ neither, dude” you grinned with relief. “Oh…thank fuck”.

You both laughed together as you took your hands down from his neck and he exaggeratedly mimed wiping the sweat from his brow in a gesture of relief.

“Thank God” he muttered. “I mean I had fun tonight. Really. And you’re great to hang out with. But I thought I was going to have to break your heart…”.

You swatted him playfully, shrieking with amusement.

“Get over yourself, bro” you laughed.

He smiled back at you.

“Friends?” he asked, extending his pinky.

“Friends” you agreed, hooking your little finger around his before you shook them together.

“It’s been genuinely great getting to know you, Peter”.

“Have I blown my chance to get free danishes?” he asks teasingly.

You grin. “Of course not…come by any time”.

Once again, you valued Peter’s candour. And you were always happy to have new friends.

You waved him off after some further giggles and shook your head, amused at the idea of you both uncomfortably squirming throughout dinner - both too nervous to tell the other that you weren’t feeling it.

As you stepped towards your building door your smile dropped when you saw a familiar car parked up across the street. The initial annoyance you felt at seeing it was suddenly replaced with fear as you realised they’d witnessed everything. You doubted they’d heard your mutual declaration of agreeing to be friends - but definitely would’ve seen Peter kissing you. And that would be radioed to their boss, pronto.

Nope, not on your watch.

#mob bucky barnes #mob bucky x reader #bucky barnes #mob bucky au #mob bucky x you #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #james bucky barnes #sweet and sour fic

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weaveandwood · 4 months

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Weave and Woods Chapter 12: Light and Darkness

Gale/Named Tav | Slow Burn | Angst | Read on AO3 | Entire Work

Summary:

After a wondrous night under the stars, Auroria and Gale have to head back into the gloomy grey reality of the Shadow Curse and the Absolute

“It’s not your fault.” He repeated again, softly punctuating each word, the pads of his thumbs brushing away the wetness on her cheeks. He knew she was thinking about her friend, still feeling like it was her actions that caused her death. That, coupled with this new guilt would lead her into a spiral. He could see it on the fringes of her eyes - recognizing his own experience when he isolated himself from the world after the orb took root in his body and again after receiving Mystra’s demand that he take out the Absolute via detonation. She had been unrelenting in dragging him away from that place in his mind. She still was. It was his turn to protect her, to fight for her

AN: This chapter is emotional whiplash and I'm sorry. CN: death

Auroria stirred as she woke up early, the sun’s gentle beams hitting her face and the distant sound of morning birdsong rousing her from her peaceful slumber. She stretched, feeling like a housecat as she laid in the warm light, comfortable in the soft bed watching dust motes float by. The weight of Gale’s arm draped over her bare waist and the gentle sound of his breathing in her ear only made her want to delay the inevitable return to gloomy, grey reality indefinitely. No, let her stay here in this idyllic setup for just a while longer.

She felt his thumb start to move in languid circles on her hip and she smiled to herself. He would live, he would choose to defy his goddess. For her, for their love. She turned over, and was greeted with a lazy smile and half-lidded eyes.

“Good morning, my love,” he said, his voice gravelly from sleep. Oh, she could listen to that voice forever.

“Good morning,” she said with a smile, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen loose during the night behind his ear before settling in next to him, her head on his chest, his arm wrapped around her. My love - she had never been called that before. “You brought me the sun.”

“I know you’ve been missing the sunrise each morning, so I wanted to surprise you.” He kissed the top of her head. “You inspire me. You deserve the sun, Ora. You deserve so much more than just illusions - you deserve everything. I hope when all of this is over, you will still find me worthy so I can attempt to give it all to you.”

“You are already worthy of me, you know that, Gale. I thought I made that clear.”

“Speaking of…” he hesitated. “I wanted to speak with you about last night.”

She furrowed her brow and sat up, her hand tenderly placed on the orb marking as she looked in his eyes, thoughts racing through her head. Was it acting up again? Did he think last night was a mistake? Was he having second thoughts about them? About defying Mystra’s command?

“What about it?” she asked.

He paused, as if gathering his thoughts.

“Have you ever stood at the edge of a great precipice and shuddered at how easy it would be to just…take one step forward and fall into the void?” He asked, staring up at the sky.

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Ever since Elminster delivered Mystra’s demand of me, it has felt like I have been balancing on that edge every minute of every day, a great drop to nothingness never out of my sight or my mind.”

He looked at her and took her hand, pressing a gentle kiss along her knuckles.

“You led me away from that edge, Ora. Your words and your touch have reminded me what living can feel like. I no longer want to seek solace or purpose in that void - only in your love for me and my love for you.”

Auroria’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears that she blinked away. It may have been an illusion, but the sunrise was too beautiful for tears.

“You flatter me,” she smiled. “But I believe you did a lot of the work last night between the illusions and…other things,” she teased.

He sat up and pulled her close to him. “They do say generosity is a noble virtue, whether in the streets, the charity box, or betwixt the sheets,” he said with a devilish grin before sweeping her underneath him, laying her back on the bed as she laughed in surprise. He settled between her legs and leaned down to speak softly into her ear.

“Besides, given my propensity for verbosity, it can’t be surprising I have a practiced tongue,” he teased before kissing her neck gently.

She laughed, tilting her head to the side to give him access to the one spot just below her ear that drove her wild. “How much time do you think we have until everyone else is awake and we have to start the day?”

He kissed her. “Enough time for me to get a little more practice in.” He smiled and pulled the sheet over them before moving down her body, placing gentle kisses along each of her scars until he reached his destination, the sound of her laughter and pleasure merging with that of the distant birdsong.

******

As the party edged closer and closer to Moonrise Towers, the horrors grew worse and worse. Perhaps because he was so preoccupied with his own imminent demise, Gale had never fully noticed the carnage outside of the Last Light Inn before that afternoon. Now that his mind was clear he could finally see, though he wished he couldn’t when they came around a bend in the path they had taken. Ora froze and fell to her knees ahead of him, a large group of slain tieflings in front of her. They hadn’t been as lucky as the ones who were in the prison.

“No, no, no,” she moaned, a far different sound from the ones that morning - this was one he never wanted to hear again. She looked around, searching everyone’s faces before finally locking eyes with Gale. “We didn’t…we didn’t see them when we went to the prison, we took a different path to Moonrise. We told them to come this way after the party, I said it would be safe,” she said, scanning the corpses of so many of the tieflings they had seen not long ago at the grove, everyone in a jubilant and hopeful mood after the goblin camp was neutralized. “I said it was safe. This is my fault.” Her face crumpled and she buried her face in her hands and cried. Gale recognized some of the tieflings he had spoken to at the party and earlier when they were exploring the grove itself. They knew there had been an ambush, but he wasn’t prepared to be confronted with just how many died. He felt his own eyes grow wet with tears.

He rushed up to her, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Ora, Ora…no. This isn’t your fault.” He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back as she clutched at his robes, heavy sobs pouring out of her. She was always so quick to blame herself when things went wrong.

“This keeps happening. I make plans that other people count on for survival and they die,” she sobbed, losing herself to grief and despair.

He looked at the rest of the party, their faces showing nothing but worry. He made eye contact with Wyll. “Give us a moment?” He asked softly. Wyll nodded and they congregated a few paces up the road, around a small bend to give them privacy.

He held her tighter, his hand lightly resting on the back of her head, pressing her gently to his chest. He rocked her slowly as she let it all out. “It’s not your fault my love, it’s not your fault,” he repeated. “You couldn’t have known they would be ambushed. And think of the ones you saved - they are so grateful for you, Ora.”

She pulled away and looked at him, her eyes red-rimmed and her face puffy from crying. She wiped her eyes, unsuccessfully trying to stave off future tears from falling. He put his hands on both sides of her face, angling her to look at him so she couldn’t see the fallen tieflings.

“But…how can you keep putting your faith in me when this is the result?” She whispered, looking down at the ground, studying a particularly gray pebble between them.

“Ora. I will say this a thousand times. This is not your fault,” he said as he placed a finger under her chin, tilting it up so he could look into her eyes and smiled softly. “You have such a big heart. From the beginning, you’ve taken everything on yourself - no matter how many times I tell you to let others help to carry the burden, you try to be the savior for everyone. These are dark and dangerous times. We cannot save everyone, but we must remain grateful for the ones we can. You cannot sink into the pits of despair. These lives are lost, but think of all the lives we will save when we defeat the Absolute. Together. Because of you.”

He kissed her gently, feeling her lips trembling underneath his as she resisted breaking down again. He knew this one conversation would not assuage her guilt over the fate of these tieflings, but he would do his best to keep her afloat just as she had done for him since he met her.

“All of us are here because of you. We are only here because of how much you care, how deep your love is for anyone who needs help. It’s who you are as a person, as much as you’re a ranger or I am a wizard. We would all be wandering separately without you. You are the gentle bond that formed this group and holds it together. So yes, we will put our faith in you. We will put our faith in you until the end of our journey and even farther than that. And I will put my faith in you until the end of my days.”

Ora looked over the bodies of the tieflings once more, as if trying to burn the memory into her mind so she wouldn’t forget what they were fighting for - not just for their own reasons of ridding themselves of the tadpoles in their brains. Their fight had taken on a larger purpose, though Gale couldn’t exactly pinpoint when. Perhaps it always had once they stepped foot in the grove.

He stood up, holding out his hand for her.

Her brow furrowed and she got that determined look in her eyes that he loved so much. There was a fire inside her that wouldn’t be put out, a fight that would never end as long as there were those in need who couldn’t defend themselves. She took his hand, standing up and kissing him deeply.

“Let’s go,” she said before stalking off down the path, leaving everyone in her wake.

There she was, his fierce ranger.

******

This place was exhausting. Whenever Auroria thought they were moving forward on their plan to take down the Absolute, five additional things were added to the long, long, long list of things they needed to do first. After seeing the tieflings on the path, helpless and ambushed and murdered, Auroria wanted to do nothing more than put a flaming arrow right between Ketheric Thorm’s eyes. Or maybe a void arrow - being sucked into an endless void seemed like an appropriate end for such a monster. Though it wouldn’t have mattered which arrow she chose anyway - Ketheric apparently couldn’t be killed. They just hadn’t figured out his secret yet. Add that to the list .

At least she got to get out some of her seething rage when she dealt with the goblins on Z’rell’s orders. Not another word - in fact, not another breath from any of you. It gave her satisfaction to watch them struggle, then finally die without lifting a finger. She felt the tadpole in her brain squirm with delight as she gave in to its influence for just those briefest of moments. She remembered feeling Gale’s hand on her shoulder after that, an unspoken question between them - Are you okay?

She was not, but her boiling rage had quieted to a warm simmer.

Trudging back to the campsite at the end of a long evening of pouring over maps and developing strategies with Jaheira, a few Harpers, Lae’zel, and Wyll, all she wanted to do was turn time back to that morning with bright sunshine in her eyes, laughter, and Gale pressed against her. It felt like so long ago, like it had happened to a different person. As she opened her tent flap she thought about finding the biggest glass they had in camp for wine. Maybe she’d just drink straight from the bottle.

On her bedroll was a note. She smiled, recognizing the elegant script easily.

My love, I know today was difficult for you. Come to my tent when you’re comfortable.P.S. I have wine at the ready.

She entered his tent and was greeted with a warm embrace. His arms wrapped tightly around her, and his hand moved to the back of her head, pressing her into him just as he did on the path earlier that day. He pressed a soft kiss on the top of her head and she melted into him.

“I never told you thank you earlier,” she said. “For pulling me out of the darkness. Twice.”

“You don’t have to thank me, this is what we do for each other. I promise to pull you out of the darkness, just like you pull me back from the precipice,” he said before kissing her softly.

“Deal,” she said, smiling. “Now, I believe you mentioned something about wine?” “Right this way, my lady,” he gestured to the side of this tent, two glasses and a bottle on a small table beside his bedroll, which had been combined with one of the spares to be twice as wide. He settled down onto it, patting the space beside him. He grabbed a book of poems and as they drank and laughed, he read passages out of it to her, his warm voice instantly relaxing her and draining her tension away. When the wine was gone and she was curled into him, her arm draped across his stomach as he continued reading out loud, she thought of the unasked question from the tower again - Are you okay? As long as he was with her, she would be.

#gale dekarios #gale of waterdeep #bg3 #baldur’s gate 3 #bg3 fanfiction #gale fanfiction #gale x tav #gale x f!tav #gale x auroria #woodweave #weave and woods fic #weave and woods #bg3 ao3 #my writing

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soapyghost · 2 years

Text

Sparks

Firefighter Price x Fem! Reader

I honest to god did not expect this to get the love it did?? So thank you??? I’m blown away. Also this chapters kindaaa short- and its the epitome of slow burn and I am not sorry. It will get more- angsty soon ehehe. Also I did my best to try and remember everyone who wanted to be added to the tag list and I am so sorry if I forgot anyone! Let me know if you want/ed to be added!

Warnings: hinting at a super gross manager being gross - Mostly fluff. Swearing. Character developments babyyyy

Taglist: @330bpm-whiplash @blueoorchid @deadbranch @sofasoap @c0wb0yenthusiast @emmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaa @fruitymoonbeams-blog @averyyreads @lostmypopsicle @jxvipike @moonlighting87 @amatis-gray

A week had passed since the fire in your apartment complex. It had taken a couple days before you were able to go back to your apartment to search for any belongings that may have survived. Luckily your phone somehow managed to survive the inferno, lord knows you didn’t have the money to replace it.

After about 2 days of staying at the hotel, your best friend April was generous enough to let you stay on her couch until you could get enough money scraped together for a deposit on a new place. As nice as the hotel was, you felt terrible about the possibility of racking up a bill for Price. No matter how much you begged the receptionist she would not let you pay a dime for the room, stating that John had given her strict rules to not let you.

The images you managed to squirrel away in your mind of the egnima known as John Price would not stay hidden back there. You weren’t ready for a relationship- not after your ex. And yet, you still woke up every morning in his jacket, the smell of him was vaguely noticeable underneath the overpower scent of smoke.

You had just moved out of your ex boyfriends house and into your apartment, on the opposite side of the state. Well, your ex apartment now. The idea of having to start all over brought tears to your eyes. You had been here less than a month and already things were turning into a shit show.

Today was your first day back at work after the fire, your new manager, Sheppard or Shep for short, was surprisingly kind about the situation. He completely understood and let you take some time off to get your things together. You didn’t understand why the other waitstaff disliked him so much. They always whispered about how cruel, rude and dirty Shep was.

As you rushed into the restaraunt to start your first shift back you were taken aback to see none other than John Price and the entire crew. As you made your way passed his table your eyes locked- and that perfect smile crept upon his face. His smile felt like rays of sunshine. Like a breeze on a summer day.

“Well if it isn’t Y/N” Price bellows, drawing the attention of the whole restaraunt to you. Soap looked at you and waved, “glad to see you alive lass!” You smiled weakly back at him before glancing over to the paramedic who wrapped your hand. “Hows that hand looking” he asked, nodding at your right hand which was now bandage free.

“It’s much better. Thanks” you say, holding it up breifly. You’re positive your face is about as red as the tomatoes on the omelet Soap had infront of him. Your blood runs a cold as your eyes glance over the party and see the man in the balaclava- except this time it has a skull on it.

Who the hell wears that out in public! A shiver runs through you and Price seems to notice. “So Y/N what brings you here” he says, taking your attention away from his terrifying counterpart. “Oh uhm well. I work here” you reply, ”and if I don’t get back to clock in I might not have one much longer. But I’ll be back out!” “Good. Because you haven’t been properly introduced to the 141 house” he beams, gesturing at the men at the table with him.

With that you slip through the kitchen door and back towards the lockers. You press your forehead onto them to help cool your face down so maybe it won’t give away your embarassment. Why is he here? Does he know you still have his jacket? Oh fuck.

“You alright Y/N?” Sheps voice booms, pulling you from your daze. He drops a hand on your shoulder and looks down at you with concern in his eyes. “Yeah yeah. Sorry. I just.” You sigh, trying to collect your thoughts. Did you really want to trauma dump on your boss? His hand raises to cup your cheek, causing you to flinch.

“That crew was the one who saved me from the fire” you say, turning your face away from his hand. Something flickers in his eyes, just for a second, anger? Jealousy? Rage? You’re not sure what it is but before you can place it his eyes change back to concern. “Oh. Well. What a coincidence!” He forces a chuckle and a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll see you out on the floor in 5” he states, before turning curtly and walking out.

You blink a bit, startled by his sudden change, the rumors about him being a piece of shit seemed a lot more plausible now. Shaking your head, you open your locker and stuff your purse in it before throwing up your hair into a ponytail and heading back out to the front.

Lucky for you, the 141 were not in your section today. But that didn’t stop you from stealing glances over at their table in between taking care of your own guests. When you had finally taken care of your section, you decided to venture over to be introduced to the whole “squad”.

“Hey yall didn’t have to wait for me guys” you say, noticing the empty plates.

You sauntered over, catching the Captians eye before flashing a small smile, “sorry for making you wait boys” you say, noticing they had long since finished their breakfast. “Oh luv’, you ain’t gotta apologize to these muppets” Price replies, his accent thick. “Hey who you callin’ a muppet, Cap?” Gaz questions, his eyebrows furrowed in mock anger.

Price laughs and you swear that must be what heaven sounds like. “But I wanted to introduce you to everyone. That as you already know, is Gaz. Best paramedic this side o’ the town” he says, voice full of pride. “That shaggy man is Soap. Don’t ask” he quips, before you could even open your mouth. “Strange name for a strange guy” you giggle. Soap brings his hand up to his chest feigning pain, Price let’s put a small chuckle at that. “Those two are Alejandro and Rudy. They keep us well fed at the house and are pretty decent at their jobs” John says, gesturing to the two men at the other side of the table from him. Both men wave and flash you big smiles. “And this,” he says, gesturing to the terrifying man in the skull balaclava, “this is Ghost.”

Ghost simply grunts, “can we go now captian. We have shit to do” and begins to stand. “Ghost. You need to learn to relax once ‘n a while.” Price reprimands him. Before you have a chance to say anything or greet the team, Sheppard voice booms, “Y/N what are you doing? Get back to your section”. You whip your head around to see the face of your extremely angry boss.

“Shep, cut her some slack eh?” Price retorts, his face contorting into anger. What happened between the two of them? “No no he’s right” you smile weakly, trying to alleviate the obvious tension in the room. “Go Y/N” Shep says, before coming up behind you and putting his hand on your lower back and pivoting you away from the table.

“Sheppard. You don’t need to move her” Johns voice rises slightly, “she was going”. The temperature in the room was rising. “Boys it’s fine. Really. I’ll see you around yeah?” You say, voice quaking. “Of course luv” Prices says, relaxing slightly, “Cmon boys. We have shit to do back at the house.”

At this, the 141 house gathers their stuff and begins heading towards the door. Price and Sheppard exchange a death stare from across the room, causing goosebumps to form all over you. Now you had to know what happened between them.

You smile, feeling your heart slam in your chest at the thought of them leaving. Would you ever see them again? This is stupid. Just because John Price saved you from a burning building doesn’t mean he wants anything else to do with you. It’s his job. Just like it’s your job to serve them food. “Alright boys, you have a good rest of your day alright?” You say sweetly. Desperately trying to cover up how nervous you are.

The boys all give you a wave goodbye as they head out the door. John flashing you a smile before saying “it was good to see ya again, Y/N”. Now your heart feels like it’s about to smash through your ribs, he’s glad? To see you? You nearly melt as you whisper “you too John”. His eyes crinkle as his smile widens ever so slightly before heading out the door.

Seeing the boys climb into the fire truck and head out of the parking lot you felt a bit giddy. It wouldn't be the last you would see of John Price, if he knew your manager it had to mean he frequented your restaurant. A small smile crept on your face at the thought, but it was quickly wiped away by the shouting of Sheppard telling you to stop standing around.

You return to their table to help your coworker clean it up when you see it. Written on the back of the receipt in probably the worst handwriting you’ve ever seen, was a phone number and a simple message:

"Incase you ever want to return that jacket- John Price"

#mw2 #modern warfare 2 #mw2 smut #mw2 x reader #price mw2 #john price #captain john price #captain price smut #captain price x reader #captain price #firefighter fic #firefighter price #slow burn #price

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irrevocableloves · 1 year

Text

violent delights

twilight rewrite! edward cullen x fem!witch!reader

chapter five: blood type

previous chapter ౨ৎ masterlist ౨ৎ chapter six

summary: edward gives in, no matter the efforts it took to keep himself away from her.

warnings: swearing, fluff, blood, gore

words: 4.9k (unedited)

Throughout the entire night, Edward’s words replayed in my mind. It's better if we're not friends. What did that even mean? That he wanted to? That he felt this pull just as I did, but was too afraid to embrace it? Or was it just me? My stomach twisted. He must’ve noticed how engrossed I was by him and didn’t want to lead me on. Perhaps he was a mind reader. Oh god. The pathetic thoughts I’ve had towards him… I was considering it.

Normally, it was so easy for me to read people. For all my life, I was able to take in someone's thoughts from just their expressions whether it was genuine or forced. I knew someone was so annoyingly obsessed with me or completely hated my guts. Lauren wasn’t even a good example, anyone could see right through her act even though she tried to hide it with fake smiles and interactions. She didn’t like me and even the entire school could catch onto that. My dad always wondered if I could hear his thoughts because of how in tune I was with his emotions. He was closed off, which was part of the reason him and my mother ended things, but for me? I could always see right through him and know exactly what to say to him. But, Edward on the other hand? He drove me absolutely insane.

My thoughts were thankfully interrupted by a buzz on my cell.

jess <3: Mike said YES!!!!

And then an immediate call afterwards.

Jess had me on the phone for almost an hour talking about Mike, the dance, Angela and Ben, and then of course, the so-called ‘tension’ she felt with Edward and I. But, I quickly changed the subject to shopping for dresses which kept her occupied for another hour.

Finally, she hung up and I went onto doing homework and answering emails from my mom before eventually passing out.

Turning into the school lot, I made sure to park even farther than usual from his Volvo for my own sanity. Getting out of my car, I realized I’d left my keys and yanked it out a bit too swiftly, the keys flying into a puddle just outside my car. As I bent down to get it, a white hand swooped in and grabbed it, causing my jerk upright. I looked up, seeing Edward Cullen casually leaning on my car, my keys just dangling in his hands for me to take.

“How the hell do you do that?” I ask with an exasperated huff.

“Do what?” He held out my keys for me and I snatched them. He gave a light-hearted chuckle.

“Appear out of thin air.” I spat out.

“Y/N, it’s not my fault that you’re exceptionally unobservant.”

I didn’t want to have this conversation again. I was tired of it. Instead, I walked past him. This time not even bothering to serve him a glance towards his way, no matter how much I wanted to.

To my surprise, he jogged towards me.

“So, why the traffic jam yesterday?” I huffed. “Thought you were supposed to be pretending I don’t exist, not deliberately annoying me.”

He gave a light chuckle. “That was for Tyler’s sake, not mine. Seems like he wanted a chance with you.”

That’s when I finally faced him, finding the urge not to hit his perfect face or perfect anything for that matter. “You’re fucking kidding.” He only seemed amused by my response.

“And I’m not pretending you don’t exist.”

“Oh, really? So you’re trying to annoy me to death? What? Since Tyler’s van didn’t do the job?” This anger was new to me. Usually, things didn’t bother me this much. But, Edward was different.

I expected anger from him as usual, but he only looked down at his feet, before muttering, “Y/N, that’s not–”

“I don’t care. Can you just leave me alone? Please? I just can’t keep up. One minute you're angry and the other you're consoling me. Your mood swings are giving me whiplash.” I interrupted him, not daring to look him back in the eye.

Silence followed, which was my que to head off to English.

I hadn’t realized class started by the time I walked in, Mr. Mason gave a huff with a “Thank you for joining us, Miss Y/L/N.” I headed to my seat in a rush.

The entire class, I spent the majority of the time zoning out, thinking about what Edward had said. It wasn’t until class ended that I realized the seat next to me wasn’t occupied by the usual Mike, who would whisper my ear off for a straight hour. The silence was quite nice, but it worried me a bit. Once we all walked out of class, Mike’s spirits seemed to have lifted somehow as Eric mentioned the beach trip. Even with your sixteen years living here, it amazed you how Jess and the boys enjoyed surfing in this weather. No matter how much you favored Forks, California sure had Forks beaten with beaches. Most of the beach trips at Forks consisted of Angela and I waddled up in blankets at the back of Tyler’s van and watching movies off of one of my old DVD players.

The rest of the morning passed in a blur. Now, it was lunch. With my shaking nerves, I attempted to keep all my focus on Jessica’s babbling instead of searching for those golden eyes. I could hardly keep up with her pace as she rambled on about the dance plans, even convincing Angela to ask out Ben. I couldn’t help but wander my eyes towards his table. He wasn’t there. His four siblings sat in their usual spots, the only one with eyes on me was the one with a pixie-cut, Alice, with a slight smile curving on her lips.

“Edward is staring at you again,” Jessica said. I broke eye contact with Alice, bringing my attention towards Jessica. “I wonder why he’s sitting alone today.”

I followed her gaze from across the classroom. There he was. Edward. His crooked smile widening once he’d caught my attention. Suddenly, I’d lost my appetite. He waved his fingers towards me, motioning for me to join him, then a wink. Fuck.

“Does he mean you?” Jessica’s voice staggered. I’d forgotten we weren’t the only people in the room for a moment. “Told you he was into you.” she whispered, fighting through her giggles. I swore he heard that asI saw him fight a chuckle.

I shoved Jessica with my shoulder, hesitantly walking towards Edward with Jessica’s giggles in my rear view. When I reached the table, I didn’t sit, instead I stood behind the chair waiting for him to speak.

“Why don’t you sit with me today?” he asked, smiling. I eyed the chair, pulling it opening and sitting on the edge of it. His smile felt unreal, as if it was another ploy to reel me in again and push me away just as hard.

“Thought you didn’t wanna be friends?” I questioned.

“I said it would be better if we weren’t friends, not that I didn’t want to be.”

“What does that even mean?” I couldn’t read him. Why put so much effort into someone he hardly even knew? Why was I doing that?

“It means if you were smart, you’d stay away from me.” I tried.

“Haven’t I tried that already? You’re the one who wanted me here.”

“Well, I’ve decided to hell with it. As long as I’m going, I might as well get to know you better.”

“Hell? Now you’ve just expanded my theories.” I had none. No logical ones at least. I couldn’t even think them, let alone say them out loud, it was too bizarre.

“Oh, really? Won’t you tell me then?” he asked, tilting his head to the side with a tempting smile.

“Nope.” I shook my head, giving him a malicious smile.

“That’s really frustrating, you know?” So was he.

“Well that’s too bad.” I snickered. I decided not to make a scene, I could’ve bursted to him about the many ways he’s frustrated me. For starters, him being absolutely disgusted by me, ignoring me, then suddenly being enamored by me, then saving me, then ignoring me again, then suddenly he wants to get to know me? But, I wasn’t about to let the entire cafeteria know my frustrations with him.

“Fair enough.” He chuckled, then moved his gaze towards my original table. “I think your friends are angry with me for stealing you.”

I looked towards them. Angela and Jessica wore the same attitude: smiles and a fit of giggles. Lauren was angry as always, forcing herself closer to Tyler as he watched Edward and I with careful eyes. Eric pretended he wasn’t looking at all. Mike on the other hand, thankfully Jess hadn’t noticed, was burning holes at the back of Edward's head.

“They’ll survive.”

“Your boyfriend seems to think I’m being unpleasant to you – he’s debating whether or not to come and steal you away from me.” My face fell.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” I mumbled.

“He sure acts like he is.”

“Yeah, well that’s not my problem.”

Our table fell silent for a moment, until he spoke, “Aren’t you hungry?” No. I was full of nerves.

“No,” I said plainly. “You?” I knew what the answer was. It was embarrassing how attentively I watched him. He had food and he nibbled at it, but he never once ate. Same with his family. Emmett always carried a large amount of boiled eggs for whatever reason.

“Can you do me a favor?” I breathed out, hesitant to even say anything at all.

“Depends on what you’re asking for.”

“Not much…” He waited for my response. “What is this? What are we doing? Are we friends? Cause I don’t wanna waste my time if you’re just gonna ignore me again.”

“I told you – I got tired of trying to stay away from you. So… I’m giving up.” His smile was almost contagious, but I can see the pained look in his eyes.

“Giving up?”

“Yes, giving up. I’m not good for you, I know that. But, for some reason, I can’t seem to stay away from you.” He said softly. My breath hitched. I can’t seem to stay away from you. So, I wasn’t the only one.

“So…” I breathed in. I could hardly even bring myself to speak. “Friends?”

“Only if you tell me one of your theories.”

“Maybe later. Too many people around.”

He’d gotten up, I assumed that he’d wanted to leave. Instead, he moved his arm in front of himself, gesturing for me to go in front of him. “Lead the way.”

“You can’t be serious.” I laughed. The entire cafeteria’s eyes were on us, even his siblings and the stare they wore seemed unwelcoming, besides Alice, who tried her hardest to not break out into a smile.

All he did was give me another famous smirk. I practically jumped out of my seat, feeling all eyes on me as Edward and I left the cafeteria. We walked until no one was in sight, leading me to the back of the school on a hillside.

“Now, just one theory – I won’t laugh,” he said, plopping himself down in the grass.

“Yes, you will.”

“Please?” he breathed, leaning towards me.

I froze. My mind had gone completely blank. It took me a minute to recuperate before responding, “It’s dumb. I–I don’t know? Bitten by a radioactive spider?” It didn’t even sound better in my head at all.

“Well that’s not creative at all,” he scoffed.

“Well that’s all I’ve got. You haven’t given me much,” I laughed.

“You’re not even close,” he teased.

“No spiders?”

“Nope.”

“And no radioactivity?”

“None.”

“Dammit,” I sighed.

“Kryptonite doesn’t bother me, either.” He chuckled.

“Hey! You’re not supposed to laugh, remember?”

He struggled to compose his laughter.

After a few moments of silence, I started up again, “I just feel like… this doesn’t feel real. I’m here guessing which superpower you have and it sounds ridiculous, it really does…” I was caught up in thought, not even realizing the words I was saying aloud. “But I know what I saw. I just need a little help feeling a little less crazy here.”

“I wish you wouldn’t try.” His tone was serious again.

“Because…?”

“You say superpower, as in superheroes, but what if I’m not a hero? What if I’m the bad guy?” He tried to hide his remorse with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“No.” He seemed surprised by my remark. “I don’t believe that you’re a bad person. Dangerous, maybe? I don’t know. But not bad.”

“You’re wrong.”

Before I could even respond, the bell had rang, not even allowing me to process my thoughts.

I got up, offering my hand to his. “We’re gonna be late.”

He ignored my offer, gracefully standing up on his own.

“I’m not going to class today.”

“Why not?” I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

“It’s healthy to ditch class now and then.” He smiled, but still had a look of uneasiness.

“Not me. I’m gonna go,” I said. I couldn’t miss any more school than I already did, plus, I was a coward.

“I’ll see you later, then.” I wanted to stay with him. I considered it about fifty times in my head, but once I heard the first bell, my feet moved to its own accord.

As I fast-walked to class, I couldn’t help that my mind wandered to Edward. How none of my questions were answered, how I wasn’t afraid of him, how he thought of himself as a bad person. Only one question had been answered: I wasn’t the only one who felt a mental and physical pull towards him.

Lucky for me, Mr. Banner wasn’t in the class yet, so I hurried to my seat, hearing Jessica and Angela plead to come to their table for ‘deets’. Mike on the other hand looked resentful as he stared at me with his dejected eyes. I hushed them before Mr. Banner finally came into the room, juggling a few cardboard boxes in his arms, ordering Mike to pass them around.

“Okay, guys, I want you all to take one piece from each box,” he said, pulling a pair of disposable rubber gloves from his desk onto his hands. “The first should be an indicator card,” he went on, grabbing a white card with four squares marked on it. “The second is a four-pronged applicator –” he held up what looked to be a nearly toothless hair pick “– and the third is a sterile micro-lancet.” He held up a small piece of blue plastic and split it open. The barb was invisible from this distance, but my stomach flipped.

It happened when I was 12. I always saw my dad watching sports, but no matter how hard I tried, I was never engaged. One thing I did love: tossing around a foam football in our backyard. It was something that I could be a part of, rather than being lost in all the rules and regulations, tossing around a ball with my dad was almost effortless, with either no rules at all or ones that I maliciously made up on the spot. One day, my dad’s hand was far too strong, throwing it far into the woods. Normally, there was never an issue. Either one of us would run over and pick it up because what was the harm? It was only our backyard after all. So, I ran to get it. I found myself wandering a bit too far off than usual, hearing my dad’s shuffling and yells to head back. When I turned to head back, on my left there was a foot in the distance. I ran to it, calling out to my dad over and over to help the poor person who laid motionless in the middle of the woods. But when I reached them, they were far from gone. There was blood, a lot of it. I could hardly stand the gory horror movies with the blood even knowing it was fake. But this was something entirely different. Blood was absolutely everywhere, pooling from the neck. I was mortified. I ran back screaming, fully broken out into sobs as I tried to explain to my dad what I’d seen. That was the first animal attack in years. Ever since then, I’ve had what the doctor’s called ‘hemophobia’. It had gotten better over the years, the only exception being television or movies where I mostly closed my eyes, but physically? Needles and blood draws were a different story entirely.

“I’ll be coming around with a dropper of water to prepare your cards, so please don’t start until I get to you.” I felt like all my senses had heightened. At Mike’s table again, he started by carefully putting one drop of water in each of the four squares. “Then I want you to carefully prick your finger with the lancet…” He grabbed Mike’s hand and plunged the spike into the tip of Mike’s middle finger. Fuck. I felt sweat accumulate on my body, my hands leaving marks on the black countertop.

“Put a small drop of blood on each of the prongs.” He demonstrated, squeezing Mike’s finger till the blood flowed. That was it. The entire room spun around me and I couldn’t move a single inch. The words of Mr. Banner turned into a mumble as the ringing in my ears rang at an uncomfortable volume. I squeezed my eyes shut, attempting to tune out the entire world. A flash of red floods through my vision, not blood, but hair. A fiery red shade that complimented her pale skin and dark lips. She ran through a forest, impossibly fast, never breaking a sweat. Next to her, a man, just as pale as her, blonde with his hair tucked away in a ponytail. Then a third, one with much darker skin, but they all shared the same quality: red, bloodthirsty eyes. Then there’s water. A dock. A boat. Then, blood. Lots of it.

“Y/N, are you alright?” a voice said. I opened my eyes and I was back in the classroom, Mr. Banner hovering over me. What the fuck.

“I– uh– I already know my blood type,” I said in a weak voice, wiping the sweat from my hands on my pants.

“Are you feeling faint?” I nodded in response. “Can someone take Y/N to the nurse, please?” I didn’t even have to look around to know that it was Mike who volunteered to take me.

I attempted to stand, but Mike had practically ran to my side, putting his arm around my waist and my arm to his shoulder, forcing me to lean on him on the way out of the classroom. While he lugged me across campus, my mind was moving faster than my body, which had almost completely shut down from the shock.

“Can we stop for a minute, please? I– I just need to sit.” I yelped out. He brought me to a bench on the side of the building before I begged, “And p-please, keep your hand in your pocket.” I didn’t know what would happen if I saw blood again. I shivered at the thought.

“Bella?” his voice called from the distance. No, please, no.

“What’s wrong – is she hurt?” His voice was much closer, a voice filled with worry?

I didn’t even bother opening my eyes, instead I rocked my body back and forth, knocking my head on the wall, hoping that by some miracle, I was dreaming.

“I think she fainted. She didn’t even stick her finger, I don’t know what happened.” I could hear the stress in Mike’s voice, also the anger. He wanted more than anything for Edward to go away and so did I.

“Y/N.” Edward was inches away from my face. “Can you hear me?”

“No,” I groaned. “Go away.” A chuckle left his lips.

“I was taking her to the nurse,” Mike explained defensively, “but she wanted to stop.”

“I’ll take her,” Edward said. Please, no. “You can go back to class.”

“No,” Mike protested. Oh god, here we go again. “I’m supposed to do it.” Even with my eyes closed, I could picture Mike attempting to stand his ground against Edward, who was probably three inches taller than him. If I wasn’t so mentally and physically drained, I would’ve giggled at just the mental picture.

Suddenly I didn’t feel the bench anymore. My eyes shot upon. Edward had effortlessly scooped me up in his arms as if I weighed nothing at all.

“Put me down!” Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I could hear Mike yelling in the back, but Edward had already strode quick enough to the point where he was only a mumble.

“You look awful,” he said, grinning.

“Edward. Please put me down.” The rocking felt worse. He wasn’t listening, so I settled my arms around his neck to steady my movements. I couldn’t help but notice how much his body had gone rigid.

“So you faint at the sight of blood?” he asked. Yes... and apparently have freaky visions too… I didn’t answer. “And not even your own blood,” he continued, obviously amusing himself.

“Oh my,” I heard a female voice gasp.

“She fainted in Biology,” Edward explained.

Opening my eyes, I found myself in the office with Edward already making his way to the nurse’s door, to which a lady opened for him. Edward gently placed me on the cot, moving only just inches away from me.

“She’s just a little faint,” he said to the nurse. “They’re blood typing in Biology.”

“Just lie down for a minute, hon. It’ll pass.” I nodded in response. “Does this happen a lot?”

“Hasn’t happened in a while.” I couldn’t help, but notice Edward from the side of me, barely being able to contain a laugh.

The nurse faced Edward. “You can go back to class now,” she told him.

“I’m supposed to stay with her.” The nurse didn’t seem to argue with him. How did Edward have such a way with people?

The nurse had left the room to get ice, to which I laid down on the cot, groaning, “You were right.”

“I usually am – but about what in particular this time?” I didn’t have the energy to argue.

“Ditching is healthy.”

“You scared me back there.” His tone surprised me. The way his breath hitched, as if he was confessing his deepest darkest secrets; that he was worried about me. “I thought Newton was dragging your dead body off to bury it in the woods.”

I stifled a chuckle. I tried to imagine poor Mike Newton, anxiety and all, trying to cover up my murder.

“How’d you see me? Thought you were ditching?” I sat up, facing him. Finally, the dizzy spell had passed.

“I was in my car, listening to a CD.” For some reason, it surprised me. So, he was normal-ish?

The door opened, revealing the nurse with an ice pack in hand, laying it across my forehead. “You’re looking better,” she chirped.

“Yeah, I think–” I was interrupted by the door opening, the receptionist had her head peeking through, claiming there was a boy waiting at the door for me.

The door fully opened to reveal Mike, awkwardly walking through the door, glancing from me to Edward, a look of loathe stretched across his face.

“You look better.” I nodded in response. He continued, “So, you ready to go back to class?”

The nurse interrupted before I could reply, “I think it would be best if she stayed. What’s your next class, dear?”

“Gym.”

“Oh my, Ms. Cope here will get a note right out to your class, dear, don’t you worry about that!”

Mike left awkwardly, mumbling, “Feel better. See you at the beach.” before heading back to Biology. I didn’t even realize Edward had left too. I took the time alone to lie back down, placing the ice pack back on my forehead, hoping the ice would numb my mind too.

I felt the cot from beneath me disappear and was once again surprised to see Edward scooping me up in his arms. I yelped, “What are you doing?!”

“Taking you home.” As it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Once we were through the doors, I could feel all eyes on me, both the nurse and Ms. Cope looked at me in admiration. I could feel my cheeks burning red from the embarrassment.

“I can walk, you know?”

“Yep.” I didn’t miss the smirk on his lips, especially when we’d passed Mike, who’d become even more red from the sight of us. Edward simply laughed it off.

As soon as we got to the parking lot, he set me on my feet, leaving us both to walk side by side until we reached our cars.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“A little, yeah.” That damn smile.

When I went to walk over to my own car, something caught my jacket, yanking me back.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, his eyebrows completely raised.

“Home?”

“I promised I’d safely take you home. You think I’m going to let you drive in your condition?”

He was right, as much as I hated to admit it. Not even twenty minutes ago I was recovering from a dizzy spell, accompanied by whatever the hell I saw when I closed my eyes. I only asked, “What about my car?”

“I’ll have Alice drop it off for you after school.” He loosened his grip on my jacket, placing his hand on my back to guide me to his car, to which he opened and closed for me once I’d gotten in.

He got into his car and settled his keys in, cranking up the heat. I didn’t even realize how freezing I was until he cranked up the heat, which eventually settled down my shivers. Before we set off, I told him my address. Then, a familiar tune flooded my ears.

“Clair de Lune?” I asked, surprised. When he said he was listening to a CD, I didn’t know what I’d expect to blare from his speakers, but it definitely wasn’t the elegance of Claude Debussy.

“You know Debussy?” He sounded just as surprised as I was.

“From my mom.” I nodded. “She plays a lot of classical music – I only know a couple of my favorites.”

“It’s one of my favorites, too.”

I leaned back into the gray leather seat, watching the rain, and letting the music soothe my nerves. The view outside had blurred completely into green and gray streaks, showing just how fast we were going, but the ride had felt as smooth as ever.

“If you don’t mind me asking… Why are you sensitive to blood?”

“Um…” I paused. For some reason, I felt alright with telling him. No one else had known besides my dad, the doctors, and the occasional therapist. “When I was 12, I saw an animal attack. It was in the woods by my house. There was a lot of blood… and since then, I don’t know… I just freak out.”

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely.

I let silence invade the space, before mumbling, “Your turn.”

“What?” He looked terrified. As if I’d just asked him to reveal one of his deepest and darkest secrets.

“Tell me something about yourself. It doesn’t have to be as deep and traumatic as mine… What about your family?” I deserved to know even a portion about his life at least.

“What do you want to know?”

“The Cullens adopted you?” I confirmed.

“Yes.”

“Can I ask what happened to your parents?” I didn’t expect an answer. Even after all that I’ve told him, it seemed too overbearing.

“They died a long time ago.”

“I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “I don’t remember them much. Carlisle and Esme are all I’ve ever known really. I couldn’t imagine two better people.”

“I’m glad.” I continued on, “And your brother and sister?”

“My brother and sister, and Jasper and Rosalie for that matter… they are going to be quite upset if they have to stand in the rain to wait for me.” He chuckled.

“Oh, shit.” I hadn’t even realized we stopped, let alone in front of my house already. “Sorry, yeah, I’ll um– see you later?”

I didn’t get out of the car yet. I wanted to ask him something, even if I ended up regretting it later.

“Did you wanna come with us to the beach?” I breathed out.

A smile littered across his face. “Which beach?” Was he considering it?

“La Push.”

His smile lessened. So I asked, “Something wrong?”

“No, sorry.” His eyebrows furrowed intensely. “I just remembered Emmett and I had plans. Hiking in the Goat Rock Wilderness.”

“Oh,” I said. “Well, have fun.” I tried to hide my disappointment, but I don’t think I fooled him too much. A smile was still spread across his face, almost amused by how I reacted.

Just as I was about to open the door, he said, “Maybe another time. Just the two of us. Somewhere more quiet.” I felt shivers down my spine.

“Y-yeah.” I stuttered. “Thanks for the ride.”

Slamming the door shut, I turned to face him, his smile still radiating even after he drove off.

next chapter

a/n: this one is a lot longer than the others and i had to rely on the book a lot for some of the dialogue, but just some little changes here and there! i hope you all like it!

tags: @measure-in-pain @brekkers-whore @rejectedbimbo @leilanileila

#violent delights #edward cullen x reader #edward cullen x you #edward cullen x y/n #edward cullen fanfiction #robert pattinson #robert pattinson x reader #twilight #twilight fanfiction #twilight rewrite #edward cullen #violent delights fanfic #violent delights fanfiction

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