#though i was watching something while drawing this

[naniwatig3r]

CONTOUR LINES (18+)

Mingyu x artstudent!Femreader

Summary: You’ve finally broken up with your boyfriend Mingyu. Ignoring him has been hard, but you were finally at peace. But he had other plans, as he shows up to the figure drawing class you T.A…. And as the model.

Warnings: Unexplained breakup (im lazy lol), angst, cute fluff sometimes, art school stress, public nudity, public unprotected penetrative sex (no one is around though!), quickie

a/n: this was a idea i got while messing around with my friend who has a thing for mingyu, lol.

Word count: uhhh, around 7k ? I can’t remember 😅

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Another miss call.

Great, you thought, the tenth missed call from your ex boyfriend Mingyu this week.

It’s been about a month since you broke up with your ex, Kim Mingyu. It was an odd pairing in the first place. You met him coincidentally in the quad the beginning of the year, as you sat at the edge of the school fountain. Your sketchbook open, as you drew the scenery and people around you. A normal activity you did as an arts student.

You were clearly in the zone, drawing the fold in a random college student’s arm, before a voice interrupted your thoughts.

“Whoa, you can draw.”

Your eyes snap up, seeing a towering figure, completely blocking your view. No shit, you thought.

“Yeah, I guess.” You say plainly, hoping your short answer would deter this guy. But then the sunlight is back on the page you’re drawing, and you feel his warm presence sit right next to you. Maybe he’s just sitting down to sit down, so you try and finish your life drawing of the current student, but they were gone. Probably going to their next class.

Huffing, you still for a moment to put your pencil down.

“I wish I could draw like that,” You hear, as you glance to your side. Furrowing your eyebrows in irritation as the man leans over to stare directly into your sketchbook. “You’re a really good drawer.” He says in awe.

“Yeah, uh, thanks.” You say curtly, as he continues to stare at your sketches like he’s at a museum. These sketches were nothing compared to a Degas or something, yet he stared at them like it was, his brown eyes flickering around in interest.

He clears his throat, as he looks up to meet your eyes. He smiles, a toothy one where you notice how sharp his canines were. Cute.

He pulls his sleeve up from his wrist to his elbow, holding his large hand out, “Mingyu. Kim Mingyu.” He says, introducing himself. You nod, reluctantly shaking his hand, his grip tight and strong.

“Y/n.” You say back shortly, eyeing him, wondering how long this tall man was going to bother you.

He lets go of your hand, as he adjusts his position to turn more towards you. One leg over the other, leaning forward. His bangs falling so perfectly across his eyebrow, that it made you narrow your eyes. It’s crazy, people like this seriously exist huh?

“Do you do art or something?” No shit.

You nod, “Yeah, I’m a fine arts major.” You respond, giving him a strained polite smile. It felt like you had to, the way this guy has been beaming at you like a puppy as you give the driest replies.

He grins, “Whoa, no way. Thats cool,” He praises, “I’m—“

The rest of the meet cute didn’t matter.

After this, you kept bumping into him, coincidence you thought at first, but thinking back… he had no reason to be near the art school area of the campus.

He always asked to see your sketchbook, or whatever was in your portfolio folder as you tried to get to your studio. Even helping you carry your supplies and folders inside, and once he learned where you worked he came with iced coffee when he could.

At 3 am, he’d lay on the floor of your messy studio, watching you as you mix another color on your palette. Your sweatshirt pushed to your elbows, paint on your hands and face as you work on the gigantic canvas for your final.

“You don’t have to be here, you know,” You say a bit softly, your eyes tired despite your multiple energy drinks. “It must be boring to watch me throw paint for the last few hours.”

He shakes his head, sitting up as he looks at you with his puppy like eyes. “No, I like it. You’re so focused…” He trails, “I didn’t think art would be this hard.”

You glare at him for that remark, making him immediately tread back. His mouth gaping open and closing like a fish, “Ah! Not like that it’s easy — just that you’re so passionate you know?” He explains, throwing his hands around.

Rolling your eyes, you put your brush back into the muddy cup of water. “Why? Engineering not doing it for you?” You ask lazily, as you pull your claw clip out of your hair. Massaging your scalp from the tension.

Mingyu’s eyes focused on you, his cheeks slightly flushing. Eyes roving over how strands of your hair effortlessly frame your face. He clears his throat, “Uh, no. I like it. I’ve always been good at studying, and I get the material so,” He says, as he scratches his head.

“But I guess, it’s different watching you. Your eyes are different when you’re drawing, painting, sculpting. Whatever.” He says quietly.

“Different?” You muse, standing up to stretch your legs. Mingyu following instinctively, his tall frame dwarfing you.

He nods, “Mhm, yeah. I thought art was just a major for people who didn’t want to do anything, but getting to know you…” he says, as he follows you to your studio table. As you open the most recent energy drink you got from the vending machine. “You just don’t stop. Like you’re meant to do it.” He breathes.

His genuine words make you raise an eyebrow, turning to him. You give him a small smile, making his heart rate jump. “Yeah? It’s like you, I think.” You say, taking a sip of that battery acid of a drink. “I’ve just been doing this since forever. Natural to keep going.” You say nonchalantly, but Mingyu looks at you like you’re a living genius.

“Thats whats so cool,” He gushes, “You’re just made to do this.” He says, as he glances at your current work in progress. A large canvas with pleasing colors, his eye being drawn to the right areas. The beautifully rendered figure, framed with all the right strokes.

He looks back at you, with such an adoration you think it’s hallucinations from doing so many allnighters.

“Ah,” he starts, as he moves his long legs to shuffle through his bag, pulling out some tupperware. “I forgot, I was making uh, some dinner earlier and I had leftovers.” He lies, knowing full well he made it for you. He turns around, opening the tupperware to reveal a lunch box of different side dishes and protein. It could rival any meal inspo on pinterest, as he even carefully cut out seaweed to make cute faces.

You snicker, making Mingyu’s cheeks pink. “Leftovers huh?” You say, as you grab the lunchbox from him. Your fingers brushing over his, a welcome warmth from the cold air conditioning of the studio. “Thanks, I appreciate it. I was just gonna make some ramen.”

“Yeah no problem,” He strains, smiling. “You need energy to keep on going right? At least eat well if you’re gonna sacrifice your sleep.”

You take a bite, and even though it was cold, you nod in approval at the taste. The annoyingly large man could cook. Your reaction makes Mingyu grin, as you can see shamelessly how much that did to his ego.

“Still, you should go you know?” You say, as you remember Mingyu talking about his week a few days ago as you painted. “Don’t you have an exam tomorrow?”

Oh? He doesn’t focus on the fact that you’re asking him to go. Only that you remembered his schedule. He grins, “You remembered huh?”

You roll your eyes, “Of course I did. You told me.” You say, your own cheeks reddening from how embarrassed you felt from Mingyu’s reaction. Why was he so excited?

He shakes his head, “It’s fine, I was reviewing earlier. It’s in the afternoon anyways.”

You finish the lunchbox, washing it down with your energy drink before going to pick up a new large paint brush. “Fine by me then,” you sigh, not bothering to argue with him. It was weird the first time he accompanied you on an allnighter, but Mingyu’s presence became a normal occurrence since then.

And there he was, sitting obediently like a dog next to you as you continued painting. Your playlist ending hours ago, as the only sounds are the strokes of your brush, and the breathing of both of you.

It was like this for a while, until near the end of the year. This time, you were running out of steam.

Maybe it was all the all nighters the whole year, or the fact you got sick right before finals, but you were stuck in your studio once more. Slaving away as you work on your third painting of the night, trying to get your exhibition finished before sunlight.

You hear the sound of the door opening. He had his own key now — you copied one at one point since he always was knocking. Mingyu coming in with late night take out in one hand, clad in grey sweatpants and a hoodie, ready to tackle the night with you.

You don’t even bother looking behind you, his familiar presence and cologne already telling you who it is. “Hey,” He says softly, putting the food down as he notices your tired state. It was like you were running on fumes, the amount of empty redbulls and monsters around your studio telling him all he needed to know.

You grunt, “Yeah, hey.” You say tiredly, as you wipe your face with the back of your hand. Paint smearing on your cheek. Mingyu comes over with a napkin from the takeout container, huffing as he wipes your cheek with it.

“Whens the last time you took a break?” He asks, a bit worried. Despite hanging out with you for so long, he wouldn’t say he knew anything about art. But he knew you. And the way your wrist movements against the canvas were sluggish, and the way your eyebrows furrowed as the strokes didn’t land and look the way you wanted… he knew you were at your limit.

“Doesn’t matter, I have another painting after this.” You say roughly, “Fuck, I’m such an idiot. I should have painted when I was sick. At least worked on the concepts and colors so I didn’t have to figure it out right now.” You rant, sucking your bottom lip into your teeth.

Mingyu frowns, “No, y/n. What about a fifteen minute break? I got burgers, it’ll help.” He says, but your face isn’t budging, like the strict deadlines for the paintings.

You curse, “God, Mingyu, I can’t stop. All the fucking pieces look like shit, if I stall any longer I’ll never finish this ass of an exhibition.” You say shakily, as you haphazardly throw your brush into the water cup, the muddy water splashing out. You grab another brush to pick up a new color.

He looks around the 10 other pieces littered around the room drying, he doesn’t get it, and he never would. They all looked great, cohesive despite your protests. “Y/n, they look great. You gotta take a break you know? Maybe it’ll help. Maybe your eyes will like, reset or something. You’ve been looking at this painting for hours.” He says, trying to reason.

You don’t listen, as you flick your wrist harshly to create a quick line of color.

clack!

You wince, dropping your brush to clatter on the floor. Your wrist acting up at the worst time, as you curse under your breath. Mingyu’s hands go up instinctively to hold your wrist, holding it still.

“God, now my wrist is flaring up too. Great, just what I need!” You curse bitterly, your head down.

Mingyu holds your wrist gently, despite your angry state you don’t push him away as he gingerly inspects your wrist. “Hey, come on. Lets take a break, and then we can wrap your hand alright?” He says softly, trying to coax you.

He leans down to see your hidden face, and it breaks his heart. Hot tears welling in your eyes from stress, frustration, and the impending deadline.

He doesn’t think twice, leaning down to hold you into an embrace, pulling you off your stool into his arms. Tight, the tips of your shoes barely grazing the floor. You can’t help but cry into his shoulder, “God, why am I so bad? I can’t show anyone any of this,” You sob, as Mingyu rubs your back. His grip tightening around you, holding you close as you basically collapse into his arms.

“Hey, y/n, you’ve just been working too long. Lets take a break alright? It’ll look better once you rest your eyes a bit, I promise.” He coos, “I’ve got some burgers and sweet potato fries, even convinced them to give me extra —“

“Mingyu, why are you always here?” You ask bluntly, choking back your tears. Through the whole year you’ve been tolerating him getting closer. First, random conversations when you bumped into each other on campus, then visiting the art school, coming to your studio, staying to keep you company. You never once tried to push him away, but you didn’t understand how he hasn’t been turned off yet. Your all nighters, your insecurities, the way you reject his invitations to campus parties and events to work. It was all a mystery, especially as you crash out in his arms, over some acrylic and oil on canvas. This must look pathetic to him.

His eyes are a bit panicked at the question, “I uh, do you not want me to be?” He asks reluctantly, still holding you close.

You sniff, your hand against his chest, gripping the fabric of his hoodie into your fist.

“No, I just... Thank you.” You say quietly into his chest, and Mingyu felt his head spin. You could definitely hear it, he thought, the way his heart was pounding out his chest. How you relied on him, telling him to stay. If it wasn’t for the fact you were leaning on him to stay up, he’d probably melt into a puddle on the floor.

Mingyu takes you to the table, helping you sit down on one of the comfier chairs. A foldable one with a pillow he brought at one point, so he could watch you comfortably. He boasted once — y/n look! Found this by the dumpster!

You let out a deep sigh as you sit down, Mingyu bending down to his knees to look at you eye level. A hand to your cheek as you close your eyes tiredly. “Hey, you okay?” He asks, searching your face.

You nod, “Yeah, um, sorry,” You sigh, “I’m just — I’m just stressed. I didn’t mean to have a breakdown in front of you.” You say apologetically, embarrassed by it. But he shakes his head, not affected by it. In fact, it probably caused him to fall harder, seeing how hard you work.

“Don’t apologize,” He says, pushing strands of your hair back. You look up at him, straight into his brown eyes. The way he looks at you so fondly, worried, that his bottom lip juts out slightly as he observes you. The way his fingers felt along your cheek, how he’s warmed you up in the cold room, brought takeout for you.

Fuck, how his hair is tousled under the hood, and the fact his face was a sight for sore eyes after looking at your paintings all day. Something with actual 3d planes staring at you, instead of flat canvas. Maybe it was the all nighters, the fact you’re on multiple energy drinks on an empty stomach, or that Mingyu is there for you.

You lean forward, shutting your eyes shut as you push your lips against his.

It’s warm, soft… might even get lost in it if—

You pull back after a second, as you see Mingyu’s wide eyes.

Oh fuck, did you read this wrong? Shit, at least you can blame it on lack of sleep—

A pair of lips crash into yours again, this time, you part yours as Mingyu’s warm lips mold into yours. Its warm, and comforting and everything nice, as you grab his collar to pull him closer. Making him stumble forward as he holds onto the edge of the chair to steady himself close to you.

You let out a soft breath as Mingyu snakes his free hand around to the small or your back, pushing you close as possible to him. Mingyu compensating for your lack of energy with his, as he kisses you deeply, something he’s always wanted to do. Every since he watched you draw random people at that campus fountain.

He pulls back as you pathetically try to chase his lips, as he kisses you chastely before speaking. “Y/n,” He breathes, “Fuck, you don’t know how long I wanted to do that.” He confesses, as he holds your face in his large hands.

You smile softly, “Mingyu, I—“

The box of charcoals clatter, as you accidentally drop it right next to the table of supplies. Sheepishly you bow at the students in class, not meaning to disrupt their focus.

You bend down to pick up the charcoal. What are you doing? It may be the third figure drawing class today, but dropping a box of pencils as you recount your days with Mingyu was horrible. Terrible.

Especially when you boasted to one of your friends as you shared a meal, Ah, Kim Mingyu? Thats over. Lets just focus on grad review.

You sigh, standing back up as you slide the box of art supplies on the table. Checking the time, you slide the notifications of Mingyu’s missed calls away. It was five minutes before class started, where the hell was the model?

And as if on cue, the other T.A. comes skitting towards you, pushing her glasses up as she avoids the boxes of supplies around the room. “Ah, Y/n—“ She starts, talking quietly to not cause alarm.

She stops in front of you, as you furrow your brows. Today the professor wasn’t in. As the consistent T.A., she trusted you to handle today with no substitutes. It wasn’t anything hard. You just helped set up the drawing horses and supplies, adjusted the lights and made sure the models were comfortable. It was easier especially when another T.A. was assigned to assist you today.

“Hm? What?” You ask, as you dust your hands.

She takes a deep breath, “Um, well, the model got food poisoning.” She starts. Leaning in so other students didn’t hear. “I just learned this right now, she’s like in the bathroom in the main hall throwing up like crazy.”

You frown, “What? Is she okay?” You say, straightening up, walking towards the front door grabbing your jacket off one of the stray art horse chairs.

She follows clumsily, “She’s fine! But she can’t model for this class. I know you’re in charge, but I panicked and just called whoever was on the emergency model list.”

You stop, causing the other T.A. to bump into your back, with a little squeak. A small what should have been insignificant memory flooding back.

“You’re TAing now? Seriously?” Mingyu asks lightly, as he fiddles with a loose strand of your sweater, the rough pads of his fingers pulling on it.

You slap his hand away disapprovingly, causing him to pout. “Yeah, just for figure drawing. I want to make a little money anyways, but working at the campus cafe is too time consuming.” You respond, as you continue to draw in your sketchbook. Outlining the foliage in front of you with your pen.

“Hm, what would that mean?” He asks, leaning forward to wrap an arm around your shoulder. Careful not to disturb your drawing, as he rests his chin on your closer shoulder. Watching you draw was his favorite past time nowadays.

“Just like, setting up, taking care of the figure drawing models. Things like that.” You respond absentmindedly.

“Models? Like, thats a job?” He asks, making you crack a smile. You forget how normal people knew nothing about art. You’re just glad he was openminded about basically everything.

You turn to look at him, “Yeah, the school hires people to pose for drawing. Its for studying.” You respond, as you tap your pen against the tip of his nose, where his beloved mole resided. Making him scrunch his nose, the corners of his lips turning up.

“Actually, I should write the emergency contact list. The professor updates every semester of models to contact if theres no shows, and the et cetera. I should just do it now so I don’t forget —“

“Add me on there then.”

You blink.

“Huh, what?” You say confused, looking at him with raised brows.

He straightens up, “You heard me. Add my number to that list. It sounds interesting,” He defends, his tone light.

You shake your head, smiling. “Mingyu, you don’t get it. You have to stand there naked, and do different poses every five to thirty minutes. Its not an easy thing to do.” You say, dismissing his words as nonsense. Sometimes he was too eager to try things just because they existed in your world.

Mingyu doesn’t falter. “Yeah I know. I just, it sounds cool. Also having a bunch of people drawing me, I don’t know… sounds nice. Also its like emergency contact right?” He says shrugging, “It’s not like it’ll actually happen. I know you’d never call me if it was an emergency, but just add me on it. If all models decide they’re not feeling it that day.” He suggests lightly.

You stare at him still in disbelief, narrowing your eyes. He scoffs, leaning forward to lean his forehead against yours as a challenge. A little goofy smile on his face, “What? Come on. Just add me to the list.”

The rational side of you knew this would never actually happen. Mingyu had no qualifications, and besides, there was a dozen other numbers to call before him. So you suck it up, sighing, writing his name down. Just for the sake that he’d shut up about it.

“Okay, fine.”

Your heart beats, eyes wide as you try to calm yourself. You didn’t want to release your anger against this girl for trying to fix the situation. It was your fault, really, in the first place to put his number on there. But this never was something that has happened before.

“Which number picked up?” You ask calmly, clasping your hands together as you focus on not exploding on your fellow T.A.

“Uh, just called the first one. He said he was on campus so he was down, and we only have five minutes till class—“

“Jesus, his name please?”

“Kim Mingyu.”

Oh fuck. Fuuuucckkkkk.

Mouth wide, and panicked eyes, you start to speak, before you hear the opening of the classroom door. You turn, and your face practically goes pale.

There he was — Kim Mingyu, just in a simple coat and pants. His eyes immediately landing on you. Its only been a month, but he cut his hair. Slightly shorter than you remember, as you tilt your head.

Stop it. You have to act normal.

You take a deep breath, trying to act professional. There was no time to question why the hell he’d even pick up and walk all the way here. Or why your heart was beating so fast, just looking at him.

“Um, escort him to the dressing room area.” You start, prying your eyes from Mingyu to the other T.A. “There should be a clean robe there too.” You inform, patting her arm as you beeline straight away from them.

You find a haphazardly stacked amount of newsprint, focusing on making all the edges match as you calm your heart. It’s fine, it really is.

For some reason Mingyu was interested in figure drawing modeling before. Maybe he just wanted to cross that off his bucket list, and had nothing to do with you.

The other T.A. comes back to stand beside you, “Is he comfortable?” You ask.

“Yeah, he’s fine. Just seems a little inexperienced,” She responds, scratching her cheek. “He asked if he had to take all his clothes off, and I was like, huh? Yeah? But other that that—“

“Yeah, alright.” You interrupt dryly. “Thank you. I’ll just take over after this.” You say, as you grab the timer from the table.

You walk towards the center, clearing your throat as the art students look up. “Right, hi. Professor Kang isn’t here today, but don’t mind. Today will be quite an easy day.” You start, crossing your arms.

Your eyes immediately follow to the ruffle of the dressing curtain, as Mingyu walks out in a fluffy robe. Brown eyes meet yours, and for a second you think this will be fine. Until the corners of his lips turn up, into a toothy grin only you knew so well.

That motherfucker. Bucket list my ass, he said yes just to mess with you!

You turn away sharply, focusing back on the class. “The model today is Kim Mingyu.” You say shortly, before stepping off the small platform.

You gesture for Mingyu to walk to the center, your face stone cold as you watch him step onto the platform.

He clears his throat, “Do I take the robe off now?” He asks cluelessly.

Great, just show everyone you have no clue what you’re doing. If this was a few months ago, it’d be cute. But Mingyu standing hopelessly waiting for instructions was annoying you, to say the least.

You nod, and immediately, he undoes his robe and lets it fall to the floor.

You can’t help but stare. Your lips pressed into a thin line, your body tense. Stop stop stop! You couldn’t give him a reaction. As an artist, it was normal to see naked bodies. It wasn’t a sexual thing, especially in figure drawing. But Mingyu wasn’t just an old man or something. He was a conventionally attractive, tall, well built man. In more places than one.

“Oh shit, he’s hot.” The other T.A. whispers to you, covering her mouth. You bite back your embarrassment, as you just send her a glare for her unprofessional reaction.

It doesn’t help that other people around the room are pleasantly surprised by Mingyu, as I see pink dusting around people’s cheeks. It was infuriating, to say the least.

“Holy shit, a hot model. Is this real?”

“I thought we had a middle aged woman today. Bro… score!”

“I’ve never stared so closely.”

“Alright, warm ups. Ten one minute poses.” You say plainly, holding up the timer and pressing down on it. Immediately, Mingyu nods, springing into action.

His poses were something else. They were a bit awkward, as he stood there. First putting his hands on his hips, staring at the ground.

But he started getting more comfortable. After the ten one minute poses were up, the other T.A. Adds a stool to the platform for Mingyu to sit on.

“One pose, 15 minutes.” You say, setting the timer again.

This time instead of looking at the ground, wall, or ceiling, he stared straight at you. His eyes unwavering. The sight makes your mouth go dry, as the studio lights enhance Mingyu’s features perfectly.

His face framed by the little curl of his bang, light bouncing off his tanned skin as the definition of his muscles are on display. The way his large shoulders balance his proportions, and his skin smooth and tightly wrapped around his toned torso. He always was working out, and it seemed like he kept that up, as your eyes trail from his abs to his bottom half. Your cheeks flushing as he’s so unabashedly bare in front of the whole room.

But it only propelled your anger. How could he? Just step into your domain — the art school wing — and just come here? Posing like a gangly weirdo, riding on his looks so none of the students complained. Staring straight into your eyes as a confrontation. So much it felt like he was telepathically speaking to you.

Why aren’t you returning my calls? Or, how does this make you feel? It was infuriating.

And as if satisfied in your attention on him, he smirks, like he won some imaginary battle. This idiot.

The timer rings, making you flinch against the supply table. Your cheeks flush slightly, as you clear your throat. “Another 6 poses, each 2 minutes.” You manage to choke out, pressing the timer.

As the figure session goes on for the next hour, Mingyu’s confidence was starting to irritate you to no end. At first what was awkward, was now overtly dramatic. His poses of showing off his muscles, flexing his back, it was too much. People were here to draw, not ogle.

You decided to play, not wanting Mingyu to have the upper hand. As Mingyu goes to pick up the robe off the ground, you yell, “Stop right there!”

Mingyu freezes immediately, mainly out of confusion. His eyes drifting to you, a slight furrow of his brows.

“Now, the model will stay still. Do you see how the arm connects to the shoulder blades? Please turn to a new paper and start focusing on that area.” You say, stopping Mingyu in an uncomfortable position in the name of education.

You eye how his leg starts to shake from holding it, but it only fuels you. “Now focus on the thigh muscle, we’ll hold this pose for another 3 minutes.” You say, a little glee seeping into your voice.

Mingyu’s eyes shooting up to glare at you, as you cock your head and smile.

You push Mingyu to do crazy things, like pretending to do a lay up for 10 minutes to talk about line of action. Or when you asked the students to move in closer to draw his face, having twenty people at once hyper fixate on his expression. Now, the class was fun. You completely turned it around.

The timer rings. “Alright, lunch break.” You say, as it’s half way through the 6 hour class.

Theres a collective sigh of relief, as students massage their wrists, and Mingyu putting his robe back on, but loosely. Letting his chest peek out through the fabric, as he walks around the room.

You watch as he circles, smiling and complimenting others.

“Wow, thats really good.”

“Whoa, really love how you drew that one.”

“Is that how I look? I’m flattered! Thanks.”

You huff, looking away as you catch a glimpse of him leaning over a pretty girl’s shoulder as she shows her sketches. Purposefully letting the loose robe drape his exposed chest as he examines the drawings.

Students get up to stretch their bones outside, getting lunch during the break. The other T.A. goes to check on something, leaving only you and Mingyu in the figure drawing room.

You stand, ignoring him as you walk towards the platform, readjusting the power of the studio lights. “Next part of the class is long poses,” You say, twisting the knob. “So it’ll be harsh lights. you just have to sit there, it’ll easy.”

You turn back around, Mingyu looking at you with a small smile, barely a yard away. His hands on his hips, as he looks down at you. “You know,” He drawls, his voice low. “This was a lot more fun than I thought.”

“Is it?” You respond bitterly, “Well I’m glad. Because you’re not gonna be paid for this.” You inform him, as Mingyu isn’t a real model signed with the school.

“Thats okay, I’m getting what I wanted anyways.”

You sigh, as you cross your arms. Deciding not to beat around the bush.

“What are you doing here, Mingyu?” You ask tiredly, finally looking at him straight, your brows furrowed. You boldly looking into his playful eyes.

His smug expression softens, almost reminiscent to how he would look at you before everything. He takes his bottom lip under his teeth, chewing as he looks at you.

“You seriously need me to answer that? Like always?” He says quietly, but with only you two in the studio, he could whisper from across the room and you’d still catch it.

“What, like you actually answer me with anything that makes sense?” You respond back tightly. Sighing, you relax your shoulders, biting your cheek as you glance away from him. A student’s messy pencil case catching your attention, albeit forced.

A deafening silence falls. Mingyu never really liked to fight anyways.

“You’re, you’re difficult, you know that?” He starts, as he ruffles his hair with his hand, as if that would release his pent up frustration. “When I got the random phone call that you guys needed a last minute model, I thought for a second it was intentional.”

He takes a step closer, “But of course not. You looked like you saw a ghost when I walked in.”

You gulp, “Well, to be fair, thats what you are now.” You say quietly. Avoiding his eyes.

“Oh? So I’m just dead to you?”

“No, that would be easier.” You snap, finally looking back to face his eyes. Mingyu’s jaw clenched, his eyebrows knitted, trying to figure you out like an abstract art piece.

He swallows, his adam’s apple bobbing as he lets out a disappointed huff. “y/n.” He starts firmly, in a tone he barely used.

But of course, directed to you, making your skin crawl in the overly air conditioned room.

Hands on his hips, as he takes a long breath, his head facing down as he hides his expression. “For an artist, you’re really shit at expressing your feelings.” He sighs, his bangs hiding whatever you could gather from him.

“Fine.” He concludes, looking up, his shoulders more relaxed. “I’ll stop bothering you about it, since you’re so sure.” He says throwing his arms out. “On one condition.”

You furrow your brows in confusion, wary of whatever condition he was gonna propose. Mingyu could be unpredictable when you pushed him, making the hair at the back of your neck stand.

“Draw me.” He says finally. He glances at the clock on the wall, “They still have that lunch break. So just draw me at least once, before everyone comes back.” He proposes, turning around to walk casually to the platform, as if he’s assuming you would just do it.

Is he serious? You weren’t even together anymore, and yet he wants a free commission from you? Thats crazy, like you’d ever —

“Fine.” You say curtly, “Since you’re so desperate for my attention anyways.” You quip, walking over to the supply table, making sure your shoes stomp against the hard floor. You swipe some spare paper, clipboard, and some charcoal.

The second you were at an art horse in front of Mingyu though, your fire waned slightly. The dead silence of the room was deafening, as you adjust your clipboard. The sound of the metal clips thumping against the paper, the feet of the art horse squeaking as you adjust sitting on the worn wood.

When you gaze up at Mingyu, it was obvious. He really was getting what he wanted, and it was your undivided attention.

Once ready, the charcoal in your hand, Mingyu sits down on the stool, eyes steady on you as he grips the already loose tie around his robe with his large hand. Letting it fall, as he exposes himself once more in the bright lights you set up yourself. He kicks the robe away off the platform, set on you drawing him like this.

You blink back any feelings that threaten to show on your face, readjusting the charcoal in your hand as you avoid Mingyu’s eyes, pressing down to finally start a line.

Its been a while since you last drew figures, and it usually took an hour of continuous drawing before you really found your pace in figure drawing sessions. But it was different this time.

Your heart beats in your ears, a silence of the room highlighting the sound of your charcoal smearing against the newsprint — the sounds of your breathing and of Mingyu’s, as time passes. Agonizingly slowly, yet a focus every artist aches for.

Your hand moves accordingly. Outlining the contour of his silhouette, the way his neck slopes, the soft lines that shape his abs he always was working on. Pressing for pressure with your charcoal as you indicate the weight of him sitting on the stool, hands in his laps loose as you capture his likeness with ease.

But the focus doesn’t last for long, especially when you flicker your eyes back to his. Already flicking a stroke to mimic his right eyelid, before you still. Pressing the tip of your charcoal into the paper, crumbling against the grain as you stare into his large brown eyes.

Fuck. What are you even doing?

Why are you drawing him so intently, when you vowed just a while ago that you never wanted to see Mingyu again?

Your breath hitches, as you raise your arm, flickering back to your drawing. Charcoal in the air, swinging to run a huge line through your figure of him, to smear it, to destroy it, to —

Your wrist stops mid air, as you feel a warm grip tightening around you. Eyes wide, you unfocus on the paper, to look up. Somehow in your tiny melt down Mingyu got down from the platform.

He looks down at you, eyebrows furrowed. Jaw tense, “You were just gonna ruin it, weren’t you?” He asks you quietly.

You can’t help but knit your brows, a pained expression forming that matches the one in his eyes.

The charcoal clatters out of your hand, landing on the floor in broken pieces.

Tears start welling in your eyes, your bottom lip trembling. “You’re right,” You start shakily, “I don’t know… how to address anything unless I’m drawing.” You say weakly.

Mingyu’s eyes soften slightly, swallowing hard as the bright lights highlight the contour of throat bobbing. “Yeah, seems like it.” He replies carefully. You expected him to use this as a told you so, maybe give you a smug smile, like, I knew you weren’t over me.

But Mingyu was never like that anyways. No matter how much he craved your attention, he also wanted your peace of mind. A hard thing to ask from an artist like you.

His grip on your wrist softens, as he kneels down, getting eye level with you as you still sit on the art horse. Holding your hand in his, rubbing a thumb over the veins on the back of your hand gently.

“I miss you.” You finally muster, your eyes focused on his.

“I miss you too.” He responds back, before cracking a small smile.

You strain your brows into a furrow, blinking back the warm tears you naturally formed from the vulnerable moment. A shaky huff also coming out of you, as you decide to lean forward.

Inching your face closer, until the tip of your noses brush, Mingyu stiffening slightly as you shyly graze your lips against his lips. A small breath escaping his lips, fanning over yours before you finally part them.

Your lips against his — it was like home. Finding your way back after such a tumultuous and useless road. The warmth of his lips seeping into you, Mingyu as relieved as you are. His hands finding its way to the sides of your face, pulling you impossibly closer.

It only escalates, as you open your mouth wider to push your tongue against his, making Mingyu groan out as he meets you with similar enthusiasm.

He pulls you forward, off the art horse. Taking you down to the ground, maneuvering you until your back is against the hard floor. Covering you with his large frame, his weight pressing down on you in ways you were having such a hard time admitting you missed.

It was fast, and albeit messy and rushed. Like trying to make up for wasted time as you pull him close, hands wrapped around the back of his neck as your lips go numb, your teeth clashing.

You let out a whine, when Mingyu pulls away with a heavy breath, fighting against your attempts to pull him back for a kiss.

“Y/n — fuck, can we?” He asks hurriedly, his voice breathless. A look of want in his big eyes, but there was also a little responsibility.

First of all — anyone could walk into the studio any second. There was only a lunch break, sure, an hour. But at least half of it has passed.

As you take your bottom lip under your teeth, chewing at your swollen lip as you think. And Mingyu knows exactly what look you were giving him, and he wasn’t going to reject you. Not now.

He leans back in, crashing his lips against yours in a sloppy kiss, breath hot against yours, before moving to your jaw. Leaving open mouthed rushed kisses down your neck, as you move your hands down his back. Feeling the muscles you were forcing yourself to look away from during the whole first half of class.

Touching Mingyu was way better than just drawing him from afar. You’re sure on that.

He moves his hand down, to push your midi skirt up, bunching the fabric to your hips. Your legs exposed to the cold air of the studio, as he wastes no time to slide your panties to the side. Already wet and damp from the heavy making out, and partially to the adrenaline of being in such a risky place.

“Damn, already?” He says, with a slight tease to his voice, making you pinch his arm. He lets out a pained chuckle, before placing his thick fingers against yours core, a gasp escaping your lips.

It helped that he knew you so well already, your legs squirming around the sides of him as he runs his fingers through yours wet folds, his thumb circling your clit as he inserts two fingers in, stretching you out as you gasp, Mingyu attacking your neck with messy kisses as he gets you ready for him.

“Fuck, Gyu,” You whine, your eyes rolling back in pleasure as he curls his fingers, hitting the spongy flesh that makes you arch your back off of the floor.

You weren’t the only one worked up, Mingyu being bare this entire time. His dick pressing up against the inner of your thigh, hardening at the sounds of your pleasure.

Your hand shoots down to grab hold of him, helping him get hard as he lets out a moan, as you tighten your grip. Pumping him a few times, lining him up to you as he removes his hand from your entrance.

You both let out soft gasps as you hold his dick to swipe against you, coating him in your arousal, his tip leaking with precum.

He doesn’t even ask, he just knows, as he pushes in, filling you inch by inch. The friction from your pulled to the side panties, to the tight warm walls of your pussy, making him feel lightheaded with pleasure.

“Fuck, you’re so tight baby,” He breathes, without even adjusting, he ruts into you roughly. Bottoming out as he knocks the wind out of you.

A whine escapes your throat, as you hold tightly around his shoulders, as Mingyu doesn’t slow his pace.

Its rough, its fast, and overall — desperate. The lewd sounds of flesh colliding echoing in the empty studio. Your mind going dumb at his fast pace, only focused on how he goes in, out. In, out.

The smell of his sweat, the way your hands run down his exposed body, all for you. He did this all for you. To get your attention, to get you back. God, does he even know how that makes you feel?

“Fuck, fuck,” He whines, burying his face into the crook of your neck. Already feeling a little fatigued from abusing your pussy so fast. But it was just too good, he missed it so much. So, so much. And he made it evident, as he pushes the back of your thighs higher to your chest, getting deep as he can. And fucking you like his life counted on it.

You feel the familiar build up of your orgasm, your walls tightening as you grip Mingyu’s shoulders. “Gyu, Gyu, I’m —“ You manage to choke out, as he moves his face from your neck to yours. Catching your cry with his mouth, drowning it as he kisses you messily.

You shudder, squirming under him as you feel the familiar high. Your body tingling with sensitivity and pleasure, as he overwhelms you with what can only be love.

He follows soon after, not being able to maintain his mouth to yours as he lets out a shaky grunt. Spilling inside you, his cum warm and filling, making your cheeks flush in contentment and relief.

He slows, stilling as you both catch your breaths. Pulling out of you with a reluctance. Pushing himself up, to lean back to sit. You follow as well, adjusting your skirt back as you push yourself up to your elbows.

Mingyu was a sight, as he always is. His tan skin glowing with a layer of sweat. The way his toned chest rises from catching his breath. The way his bangs are sticking to his forehead, his cheeks flushed with a rush of blood. A satisfied look on his face, as he sighs, licking his bottom lip as he looks at you.

You can’t help but smile, a warm one. As you gather yourself.

“Lets get you cleaned up before the second half. Where did you throw your robe?”

“Oh fuck. I don’t know. You got any other ones?”

[atiyasnake]

As predicted, I wrote some more (1,143 more words). TW for mentions of blood and vomiting.

~~

On The television Gotham watched as the Joker smiled with glee at this ‘supposed Wayne’. It was hard to believe considering how many black-haired and blue-eyed children there were. Either way, it was with waited breath that they watched what was about to happen to the Joker's latest victim. 

When the Joker finally released the kid’s face he pranced around on the screen before reaching off to the side to grab something.  A modified gas makes came into view. A crude drawing with red and white paint of a familiar smile was on the front. 

With resignation, they watched as the Joker roughly put it on the boy’s face. 

__________

The mask was tight. It dug into Danny’s skin and pulled at his hair from the straps the Joker roughly pulled over his head. In comparison, it wasn’t as bad as what he had grown used to. Still, he wanted to rip the damn thing off.  

Instead, a hand gripped his hair and yanked, showing his face again to the camera. The Joker hummed before caressing his hair and then clapping with a laugh. 

“Now! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you a front-row seat to a new treat I’ve made with my dear dear friends,” the Joker said as he showboated in front of the camera while a couple of men stood off the side. 

He was getting tired of this shit. He didn’t want to be anyone’s show pony, he had enough of it with Vlad. 

The Joker kept talking with little chuckles in between, and with each one Danny clenched his jaw more and more. 

“Now let the show begin!”

Suddenly, there was a hissing sound from the mask and reflexively Danny tried to hold his breath. He had heard about the different gases in Gotham before in short mentions in the news. He’d rather not test anything. He had enough experience with all sorts of ‘concoctions’ and their ‘interesting effects’.

Though, as expected, whether it be scientists or rogues in Gotham they didn’t like to see him be stubborn. So with a snap of the Joker’s fingers, a swift punch was delivered into his gut and Danny couldn't help but gasp and try to take another breath.

A sickly sweet and rotten smell filled his nose, making him gag which only made it worse. 

At first, it didn’t do anything, but slowly his chest began to hurt and there was a warmth inside. The Joker laughed, monologuing to the camera and the warmth began to burn. 

Danny had already been hurting. He’s been continuously hurting for far longer than he’d care to think about. He knew the routine. He knew how this went. 

Stay quiet. 

Keep still. 

It’ll pass. 

He tried to keep telling himself this when the echoes of screams started. 

Danny didn’t know how much time passed as he just kept still. The fire was burning underneath his skin and he could feel it leaking out of his nose and mouth. There were still men around and the red dot of a camera looking towards him. He kept quiet and a bigger hand grabbed his hair, pulling it enough to make his neck strain as he was still tied down to the chair. 

Then suddenly shadows rained down with shattering glass and all hell broke loose. 

The hand retreated but another pulled his chair down and he fell to his side, his head knocking into the ground. Another point where fire leaked out while the mask dug into his cheek. He could only watch around him. 

There was yelling and laughter. The sound of crackling of electricity sent phantom spasms down his limbs as the echo of screams reached a higher pitch. 

There were so many shadows moving around. The grunting sound of bodies surrounded him.

At some point, he felt the restraints fall away but still, he didn’t move. 

Be still. Be still. Be still. Be still bestill bestill bestillbestill bestillbestillbestill. 

Except a hand was reaching for his face. 

The mask straps tugged at his hair as it was slipped off. It no longer dug into his face. The gas was taken away. Except whenever they take away the mask it's for something worse. They lure you into a false sense of relief only to rip it away. So he did what he always did. 

He got his mouth on the closest hand near his face and he bit down.

They hated when he did that in the lab. They’d scream for ‘it’ to let go. He never let go unless they made him. 

Danny knew how this went. He clenched his jaw shut harder and felt something begin to give beneath his teeth. He couldn’t taste whatever it was given his mouth full of his own burning blood. He still didn’t let go. 

He could barely see past it all but he would not let go. He couldn’t, he was burning inside and out and the screams were pulling at him. Hands were reaching out to him but then there was an explosion and they were blown back. 

His body rolled and he caught himself hitting something before scrambling onto all fours. Fire was licking at his throat and he couldn’t stop it from coming up. He hacked and coughed as something wet and hot filled his mouth. The taste of iron and the sight of red on his skin were far too familiar. 

It was ironic. This weird ‘concoction’ seemed to make him bleed just like the lab did. Just when Danny thought he finally got away. He chuckled. 

Light and shadows danced off to the side. Two of them looked like they had pointy ears and one of those looked like it had wings. They moved swiftly and gracefully around each other, never straying too far as if they were bound back together by some unseen force. 

Huh. 

The light caught on something and Danny found himself looking at the camera, its red light still lit. His limbs shook as he grabbed the camera, it was surprisingly high quality and he couldn't help but laugh lightly. Still, the button to turn it off was the same.  Someone was running towards him and he threw the camera chuckling again when it hit their head and they dropped though he had to stop when he coughed up more blood that burned. 

It hurt.

The room wouldn’t stop shifting as the colors warped around him with stains of black. His chest was in agony and pressing his head against the floor and curling up wouldn’t stop it. The whispers and screams were coming back again, reaching out to grab a hold. His throat kept spasming with each cough that wouldn’t let him get rid of the taste of iron. 

He couldn't do anything but let the agony and darkness take hold. 

Be still. Be quiet. 

It’ll pass.

Shrodinger's BatCat Child

DP x DC Prompt

When Selina was pregnant with her's and Bruce's child, she was thinking of settling down and raising the child. But when she had given birth to the boy, someone had broken into the hospital and stolen not only her baby but also other babies had been taken from the hospital. She tried to find out who took her baby boy but couldn't find the perpetrator.

Heartbroken at the loss of her baby, Selina masks her grief with being Catwoman. She doesn't tell Bruce about their baby boy, even after the new boy that goes under the Bats wing. She does treat each new Robin as if they were her own son. She talks to Harley about what had happened when Damian comes into the fold, where she then reveals that she had a baby with Bruce to the man and what happened to their baby after a few sessions with Harley.

Danny is on the run from Amity, from the Fentons, from the GIW, and from Vlad. The Fentons found out about him being Phantom and attacked him. They then teamed up with the GIW to hunt him down. He doesn't want to go to Vlad, as the Fruitloop is slowly becoming more and more crazy to get him to become his son and slowly focusing less and less on Maddie.

He heads to Gotham, as the city spirit, when she was chosen to be part of his court because of her knowledge and power, had told him that he was one of hers, a child born in Gotham to a woman that wasn't Maddie, Catwoman, and that's also how he found out that he's the son of Batman as well, because Lady Gotham gave him that answer as well, but she didn't tell him their real names. He just hopes that his mom and dad will be happy to learn that their son is still (mostly) alive and on his way to them.

And then Danny is caught by the Joker. He couldn't put up that much of a fight as he used up a lot of Ectoplasm escaping the lab he was in. Tucker's family moved away during middle school, and so did Sam's family when the start of high school came, Jazz had returned from college to help him escape the lab he was held in, but had to go back if she wanted to keep the scholarship.

The Batfam was having a family day out in Gotham. Bruce and Selina were engaged and wanted to bond as a family. Then Joker began broadcasting across Gotham.

"Hello Gotham! Today, I have a special guest with me"

The camera panned to a boy tied up in a chair, head hanging low.

"Brucie Boy seems to have forgotten to mention that he has another brat to call his own, so I took it upon myself to inform you all about him!"

When Joker grabbed the face of the boy and showed it to the camera, the entire Batfam tensed. Because the boys face had the features of both Bruce and Selina, the cuts, bruises, and blood on the boys face couldn't hide that fact, and now they need to find the boy to save him from what Joker has planned for their son.

[themusingsofacurlyhairednerd]

Ludos Imperiales 6

Summary: More battles and more bargains come into play as things go from bad to worse.

Content Warnings: Blood and Gore, Violence, Character Death (Unnamed); Mentions of Slavery/Assault/Incest (the twins are back)

Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

-------

I’ve aged a decade in the time it takes to get inside the Imperial Palace. The blistering heat makes sweat bead down the back of my dress, every inch of heavy fabric feeling like it’s plastered to my skin. Everything feels too heavy on my body. I need to get home and into the tub, maybe with enough soap and water I will be able to purge the oppressive weight that clings to my skin.

Though I have my doubts. It’s not just the heat or the dirt, it’s this whole place. Everything I have known and loved about the city feels like it has been stripped down to nothing but the oozing, wretched thing that has been hidden beneath golden arches and layers of stark white marble. It reeks of a decay that has nothing to the crucified bodies hanging outside our doors.

Senators and Commanders mingle, wives dripping in expensive jewels hanging from their arms, laughing and talking about how magnificent this celebration for Amarantha is. I’d be shaking with the rage I feel clawing up my insides were it not for the way Rhysand still held me in his mental grip.

“Steady,” he warns for what feels like the fiftieth time today. I don’t know how he’s managed to stay so calm, especially when his men have been taken through the back streets of the city. There is a prison on the outskirts of the capitol, on the eastern wall, hopefully there will be less cruelty on the streets now that they’re away from the parade, but it is still a fate I wouldn’t wish on anyone. It cannot be easy to be forced to stay here, with the enemy at every turn, while your men labor in a dungeon, yet he and Cassian, stand with their heads high behind me.

One of the guards untethered them from the back of my horse, but holding their chain in my hands is just as bad as leading them on horseback. Cassian gives me a wide berth, far enough away that if I take two steps ahead I’ll drag him by the throat. Azriel, however, hovers near my left shoulder, head down like he’s trying to hide, even as I watch his shadows slither down the back of his legs and scatter across the floor in search of something. One still remains coiled around my ear, hidden by my hair.

“Be careful around the twins,” I warn as my cousin catches my eye and makes her way towards us. She’d been too far behind us in the procession for me to see her reaction to the horrors, but, judging by the grin on her usually stoic face, I’d say she enjoyed it. 

Rhysand shifts so he’s standing behind my right shoulder, so I’m framed on either side by a towering Illyrian. Their presence is soothing, especially when Brannagh’s grin could peel paint. She obviously wants trouble. I’d be a fool to think the bloodshed outside was enough. She’ll need something to sink her fangs into before the night is over to be satisfied with the day. 

“There you are, cousin!” We have the same slate colored eyes and that is where the family resemblance stops. Everything about her is rigid and uniform and for so long being near her had made me feel like a lamb being watched by a lion. Yet, with the males at my back, I don’t feel so small anymore.

“I’m surprised you made it,” she says, eyes raking over Rhysand, then Azriel, then Cassian, sizing each of them up to see which would be an easier meal.

I’m suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to punch in her teeth. 

“First the Games, now this,” Dagdan says as he abandons an attempt to woo one of the Senators with his bullshit war stories, and joins us. “Maybe we are related after all.”

Rhysand withdraws his mental presence from my head and I draw my mental shields back up to make sure I keep the twins out. 

Brannagh walks a slow circle around us, tongue running over her lower lip. “I really didn’t think you were capable of this.” Her bony fingers reach out to flick the chain looped around their throats. “It’s a little… what’s the word you always throw at us? Barbaric for you?”

“All it took was Mommy Dearest to lose her head for you to grow a spine, huh?” Dagdan sneers.

Azriel’s shadow hisses angrily in my ear as his head jerks up off his chest. The glare he throws over my shoulder could melt a glacier, the heat in it seering across my skin. 

“This one’s pretty,” Brannagh coos at him, her fingers reaching out to brush across his cheek.

“Don’t touch him,” I bite out through my teeth. 

“Careful, we bite,” Cassian snarls.

This only makes Brannagh grin further and my first instinct is to draw all three of them behind my back, as if they were small children in need of protection and not three fully grown warriors. As if I had not seen them kill a Giant and a handful of Wargs in the Arena just yesterday. 

“Were they fun?” Brannagh teases, making another circle so she can draw her nails over Rhysand’s nearly bare chest.

Red tints my vision. 

“They look like they’d be a good fuck.”

I clench my hands into fists to keep my power from erupting and taking out everything in the room. Rhysand can’t save me from this one, not without them sensing his mental presence. And if we are to play this game, I need to be able to stand on my own two feet. I might not be the most skilled fighter in this room, but I have plenty of other weapons in my arsenal. 

“How would you know? The only thing you’ve ever fucked is Dagdan.”

She flinches like I’d punched her right in the stomach. It was all rumors of course, but the whispers were there. The twins still insisted on sharing a room; still went everywhere together. They were toxically co-dependant and on more than one occasion they’d mentioned old practices of keeping bloodlines pure. I knew it was a sore spot, I didn’t care very much if it was true. As long as the blow landed; as long as I had something strong enough to cut her, so the bond screaming in my ears didn’t prompt me to cut off the hand still lingering too close to my mate’s skin. They were not hers to touch. 

Cassian chokes out a cough, trying to keep back a laugh as Brannagh’s face twists. 

Dagdan’s teeth flash in a snarl.

I merely grin as I give the chain in my hands a very subtle tug. “I think we’re done catching up, cousin. Do enjoy the rest of the celebration.” I do my best to leave them in the dirt as we head deeper into the palace. I’m sure she’ll find a way to make me pay for the remark later, but for now, I’ll count it as a victory. 

The exchange took place in the open foyer, the roof held up by pillars and the outside world only separated by billowing sheer curtains. I mount the steps that lead us into a secondary foyer, where bubbling fountains and a pool of multicolored fish take up much of the space. Standing guard atop the fountains are twin statues of our gods of war and victory; the golden bowls at their feet overflowing with coins left by worshipers as they come and go from the Palace. We need more than a little luck and victory on our side and I leave a handful of coins on Victory’s altar. I will go to the Temple later and beg the Mother for forgiveness for how blind I have been, and seek a Priestess to make an offering for her blessing in what is quickly becoming an act of outright treason.

I feel Rhysand’s violet gaze on me as I make the offering. 

“The twins really are… like that?” Cassian asks as we round the fountain. It has to be morbid curiosity that prompts the conversation, but the fact that he’s speaking to me at all makes my heart race in my chest. I’ll take whatever scraps he’ll throw my way, if it only means he doesn’t hate me as much as he did yesterday.

“I’d be more surprised if they weren’t than if they were,” I say, unable to suppress a shutter when thinking about it. “They’ve always been… together… and weird about it.”

“Sure, and we’re the animals.”

I can see the back of Amarantha’s blood red head as the inner circle makes its way towards the atrium for food and whatever entertainment could be dragged into this den of vipers for the afternoon. Servants carrying goblets of wine drift through the clusters of visiting dignitaries and soldiers. There’s more than a couple armored gladiators, acting as guards for their sponsors, in attendance. I try to keep track of who belongs to who as we go, in order to give us an edge for the next match. Senators Beron and Tamlin, former lords from Prythians courts, now given new titles within the Empire for merging their kingdoms, both have sponsors shadowing them. The males have to be half Giant, with arms and thighs thick as tree trunks. Their armor has to be custom made to be able to fit them. I don’t know the names of either males, only that they’ve been employed long enough for their conditions in the Arena are they don’t fight Amarantha’s Attor. Too much money has been put into them to let them get torn to ribbons by that beast. 

I slide my way through the throngs of people to get closer. To play this game, there is no doubt that they will have to go back into the Arena a couple times. I need to start finding ways to give them an edge. I can start by seeing up close just how much taller they are then Cassian. If they have to go hand-to-hand in the future, I want to see how they compare next to each other so I can plan to get around it. 

The gladiators have at least two feet on Cassian, which makes me basically an ant in comparison. I already have to tilt my head up to look my mates’ in the eye, these males make me have to keep distance between us to be able to see anything other than they’re stomachs. 

Cassian is fairly nimble, from what I’ve seen so far, as long as the wound on his leg is healed by the next match, he can use that to his advantage. But the thought of having to watch him fight males this size makes my stomach twist. I’m going to need to do more than size up the competition. 

Beron is accompanied, as always, by several of his sons, but it is always Eris by his side. The well dressed male turns a grin in my direction when he catches sight of me. “Highness,” the bow is graceful, fox-like in a way that reminds me of Lucien, wherever he is in the crowd to avoid his Father. It’s not like him to leave Tamlin alone in these situations, they’re usually joined at the hip.

“It does me good to see you outside,” Eris continues, as he reaches out to take my hand and press a chaste kiss on the back of my knuckles.

Azriel’s shadow hisses in agitation in my ear as something hot flickers down the bond.

“It’s been too long since you’ve graced us with your presence.” I’ve known the Vanserra’s for a long time, Eris is not quite the flirt Lucien is, but he has no shortage of sway over females, males too for that matter. It had always surprised me that Father hadn’t tried to arrange a union between us. Eris was known, from time to time, to share the same savage brutality the Emperor valued in his court; it should have pleased him to have Eris for a son in law. 

“Are you finally feeling better?”

“It took longer than I expected to recover,” I say honestly. Better to not oversell anything; all lies have a little truth woven in. “But getting some air has been good.”

His russet gaze jumps to the males behind me, and the grin I’ve known for decades turns serpentine. “And profitable, I’d imagine?”

“For the Empire, of course, all earnings will go to aid the far reaches.”

“So I heard,” he nods, still studying them. “You always did have a bleeding heart, Highness. It is good to see it benefit you.”

The compliment feels underhanded, but so do most things around here. 

“When will we get to see them in action again?”

Talking about them like they’re not standing here makes me want to start smashing things, but I reign in my temper. “I was just about to ask you the same about your Father’s gladiators.”

He glances back at the male and shrugs. “Felix is always ready, but we’ve gotten no summons.”

Interesting. The Gamesmaker should already have a match-up in place, even if the Arena will be closed for repairs for a few days still. 

“How unfortunate, it’d be quite the fight for Cassian.”

I feel Cassian shift a little closer, the scent of sandalwood and snow-capped mountains invading my senses. It is an effort not to step back and lean into him, he’s never dared be this close before. 

“It would be quick,” he states.

Eris huffs a laugh. “For your neck to be broken, brute? Yes, we’d be in agreement.”

There’s a snap as Cassian’s wings ruffle and whip closed again, his agitation so clear I can taste it. The frayed edges of our bond simmer, but I can’t tell if the rage is his or my own. We are alike in that aspect.

“Who was summoned, then?” We can’t linger too long here, especially not for information I do not yet need. Rhysand still needs to get a better look around and we’re starting to linger on the stairs, people clustering behind us.

“Not Tamlin’s man either,” Eris says with a shrug. “I’m as in the dark as you.”

“You?” I force a teasing smirk to my features. “I thought you knew everything around here, Eris?”

His russet gaze darkens as his perfect teeth dart out to bite his lower lip. It’s a move I’ve seen thousands of people swoon over. “I’ll happily find out for you, Highness.”

Azriel’s shadow snarls in a language I can’t make out, but it is Rhysand’s side of the bond that ripples with promised violence. Is that jealousy I feel? I try to shove the thought aside; hoping that they feel this thing between us is too much to ask for. I will only hurt myself if I start to hope that I am more than a means to an end.

“Please do. I’d be indebted to you.” That’s all it takes for the Autumn male to bow and disappear into the crowd.

Senator Thessian and his large entourage of guards pushes past us on the stairs, the armored guard slamming into Rhysand from behind hard enough that he stumbles forward, hands reaching out to catch himself on my hips before he can take both of us to the floor. My whole body freezes under the contact, the warm press of his body against mine enough to make all rational thought fly out of my skull.

He leans in, like he might offer an apology, breath ghosting over my neck as his lips brush the shell of my ear. My whole body shivers in anticipation. “Clever, little vixen.”

The low baritone of his voice makes heat rush between my legs, something hot coiling in the pit of my stomach. Now the citrus and jasmine scent of him invades all my senses and I really, truly have no thoughts left in my head. 

My knees wobble as he gives my hip a squeeze, even as the bond roars at the loss of contact as he steps back. Maybe it’s just been awhile since I’ve been intimate with anyone, but that small amount of contact feels like an electric current beneath my skin. It is an effort to keep moving up the stairs and not turn and do something foolish, like press my lips to his and slide my fingers into his hair. 

The atrium is a wide, open room with tables piled with food lining the far walls. On the left are floor to ceiling windows, thrown open to let in the warm summer breeze, a few Praetorians standing at attention amidst the billowing curtains.. There are low couches along the walls, some of which are already taken. If not by anyone with a gladiator, I don’t linger on who sits where. 

A servant with a tray of wine passes and I snag one to try and calm the sizzling beneath my skin. I didn’t realize one of today’s many battles would be trying not to throw myself at my mates. 

There is a raised dais against the far wall, the couches and lounge chairs far more plush and ornate than the rest. Father has found his seat, a slightly less gaudy throne than usual, and reclines as a servant fans him with a palm frond. Amarantha has taken her usual seat on his right, reclining against one of her pleasure slaves. The male wears little but a strip of crimson fabric between his legs, every inch of bare skin lean and smooth. There’s another perched on the armrest of her chair, holding a goblet of wine for whenever she needs it; a third sitting at her feet, running idle fingers up the side of her calf. All that attention, and yet her dark gaze still tracks the males behind me with enough hunger I debate how much trouble I’d be in if I threw my own wine glass at her head.

She is not the only one who pays such close attention to the Illyrians. A couple dignitaries’ wives and high ranking soldiers gawk blatantly at how much skin they have on display. More than one head turns to get a better look at Rhysand’s ass in this get-up.  He neither cowers or preens under the attention; it’s like he doesn’t even register it. I can’t help but wonder if that was the point: Everybody is so busy ogling him, they’re not really paying attention to what he’s doing. It’s a good mask, it shields his intentions and lets him observe without it being obvious, but the way they look at him, like he’s a piece of meat makes me wish I had claws to scratch out their eyes. 

I take another sip of wine, trying not to look too desperate for the emptiness it’ll bring as I head in the direction of the dais. 

“You’ve surprised me,” Father says as we approach. It’s the first real acknowledgement he’s shown me all day.

The shadow curled around my ear burrows a little deeper under my hair to avoid detection, the soft ether brushing against a sensitive spot on my temple that has me gripping the wine glass a little tighter to keep from reacting.

“As I said, I am trying to do better, Father.”

His gaze flicks to the chain in my hand, down the length of it like he’s inspecting the strength of each wrung before finally arriving on the occupants tethered to it. He grins in triumph as he takes in their attire. Maybe they were right to ignore what I’d brought out. It certainly looks like I’ve intended to humiliate them by dressing them in the same attire many of the Senator’s slaves are sporting. 

“Tell me how you managed to bring the three of them to heel when Amarantha couldn’t?” 

Amarantha bristles in her seat, her perfect teeth flashing in her pale face.

Another small victory. 

“Tell him you instructed the healer to give us a sleeping drought in our wine.” The twins haven’t reappeared and his sudden return in my head nearly makes me jump out of my skin. “And faebane in the water this morning.”

I repeat his instructions as I move to take the seat that is mine on his left and force myself not to think about how it’s a couch instead of a chair like his because it used to be shared with my Mother. 

“You’re hoping to acquire mirthroot in the city to keep us docile until the next match.”

I repeat that too, making a mental note to ensure that I follow through with it. He will monitor my every move in the city, if I don’t follow through, he’ll know it and then we’re dead. An issue that seems far less pressing when Rhysand’s hand brushes over my wrist. Watching him in the Arena did nothing to show just how agile he is, not when he expertly maneuvers my hand towards his chest, the chain blocking his part in this. The next thing I know, I’m moving to sit and he’s falling into the couch behind me so it looks like I pushed him down into the seat so I could recline against his chest. The motion takes him seconds, it looks like he rehearsed it down to the exact placement of the chain to hide the fact that he’d been the one moving me and not the other way around. 

Azriel seats himself on the armrest wordlessly; Cassian grunting as he sits on the floor with his back against the couch. I get the distinct impression he is only keeping his shoulder against my knee because being any farther away would mean his wings were in reach of Father’s hands. 

It takes me a minute to find my bearings again as my brain short circuits over how close they all are. Rhysand’s heartbeat is steady against my back, his skin warm even through the fabric of my dress. He lets his head lean back against the back of the couch, feigning exhaustion or maybe repulsion from being “forced” to be this close to me. I’m close enough that I could run my hand up Azriel’s thigh if I wanted, and damn me do I want to. Or close enough to Cassian that my fingers itch to brush through the thick strands of his hair. It is a cruel trick of fate that my mates are close enough for me to touch and I can’t.

At the mention of the mirthroot, one of Amarantha’s males leans around the Emperor to offer a rolled cigarette, even dried the hint of mirthroot is obvious. The male’s eyes are glassy, shining under the effects of it himself, the grin on his features lazy and unbothered. Far too soft a male to be shackled to Amarantha. 

I tap Cassian on the shoulder to prompt him to take it. A mistake because he flinches like I hit him and I think I might have undone any effort I’d made to get him to at least tolerate my presence. He snatches the offered cigarette, and the liter that follows and passes it back to me with a huff.

The Emperor watches the exchange with more interest than he’s ever shown me in my life. “What would you have done, Amarantha?” He asks.

“The same,” she says through her teeth. 

I take a deep breath through my nose to keep from making a disgusted face at her. “Ember said that’s what she used to do for Amarantha’s slaves before she came to my keep, so I simply took a page out of her book.” 

I pass the cigarette and liter to Azriel, and pray the sight of the flames doesn’t cause the same reaction it had when he’d been branded. He grits his teeth, but there is no angered flash down the bond or hiss from the shadow to indicate it’s anything other than a show as he lights it and takes a long drag. 

“I’m glad to see that in your seclusion you’ve finally grown half a brain,” Father says. “I was beginning to worry that your Mother’s poisoned tongue had gotten to you.”

I flinch despite myself and all three of the males tense around me. Cassian’s jaw ticks, the flutter of movement brushing across my knee. For the first time all day, his hazel gaze flicks to me, and  maybe it’s a trick of the light, but I swear I see a flash of pity there.

“No, it didn’t,” I whisper, unable to put any feeling into the words. I haven’t been back here since the execution. I’d found every reason to avoid it. Being back feels like peeling a scab off the wound and letting it bleed all over the floor.

Azriel takes another drag and I wish more than anything to take a hit of it myself and numb this feeling in my chest. What I would give for the empty numbness that had filled me in the early months of my grief. There are so many tangled emotions here, between the loss and my mates and the horrors of what we just witnessed outside. I cannot pick just one to focus on; can’t find some outlet to expel the building pressure. It all tangles and lodges itself in my throat like it's trying to drown me.

Rhysand’s fingers brush over my arm as he draws his hand up to take the cigarette from Azriel. To an onlooker it looks accidental, maybe it is, maybe I’m just reading into it, but even that faint brush drags me back to the surface for a bit of air again. At least I am not alone in the water anymore. Mother had always been emotionless, nothing got to her. I was always the one that felt too much. At least now the emotions can be shared.

“Your actions yesterday inspired me,” the Emperor says after a beat. 

Apprehension licks its way up my spine.

“I haven’t taken a champion of my own in a long time. It’s become dull, betting on someone else’s man.”

Shit!

Azriel’s shadow dares to peek out around my bangs, observing the crowd as they begin to settle in their seats with plates of food, as if on some silent command. Brannagh and Dagdan join us on my left, on the seat closest to the dais, the stare they level at me hot enough to melt glass. So much for Rhysand being in my head the rest of the evening. 

With a wave, the Emperor motions over a creature I have no name for. It walks on two legs like a man, but is covered head to toe in thick, brown, fur. Horns curl from the top of its head; a beak with a hooked tip jutting from its face. Its hands end in talons like that of a bird, but there are five on each hand instead of three. Its tunic has been folded down around its waist, leaving its chest bare, revealing a spider web of scars gouged through the heavy layer of fur. A thin, whip-like tail ending in a spiked tip flicks back and forth behind it as it walks, each step sending a shutter through the Palace. 

My skin pricks with goosebumps. Some strange sort of alchemy made this thing.

“I was hoping to test it in the Arena, but with the repairs in order, I thought a smaller show would do just as well.”

My stomach hurdles into my throat.

“Why don’t we pick one of your champions to break it in, daughter?” The Emperor suggests as if this is a thought that just came to him and not something he’s been planning from the beginning. 

I take another sip of wine as I turn to look at him, trying to steady the rapid pounding of my heart. I can’t let one of them fight this thing! Its maw opens and snaps shut with a clack as it stands before us, growing impatient.

“I’d personally like to see Cassian’s thick skull get crushed like a watermelon,” Amarantha chimes in from her seat.

I’m really going to throw up right here in front of all these people.

“A splendid idea from our woman of the hour, don’t you think?” He grins like he’s caught me, like he knows I’ve been playing games and have walked right into his trap.

“Nothing can be as bad as listening to you speak, Amarantha,” Cassian snarls as he gets on his feet, effectively making the decision for me.

He cracks his neck and rolls his shoulders, wings ruffling behind him, but before he can step into the center of the room, he turns to face me, much to my surprise. Hands scarred from swordplay reach out to give the chain around his neck a little tug. “Mind letting me off the leash, Princess?”

One of the Praetorian steps forward to unchain him but I stand and snag the key from his hand instead. I’ve seen enough males get stabbed or injected with something right before a fight to give the opponent an upper hand to know I can’t trust anyone near him. And, maybe, just maybe, the act of giving him a little relief from the chain might make him not hate me so much.

My hands shake as I reach up to his neck to unclasp the chain. I know better than to take the whole collar off while there are so many people watching even if I wish I could. His breath is warm on my face as he watches me, waiting for his moment of freedom. The urge to stretch up on my toes and kiss him for luck is overwhelming; maybe in another life we could have. 

I step back with the chain in my hand and return to my seat before I can follow my impulses. 

Cassian turns to face his opponent and even though I saw him perform yesterday, I can’t shake the sinking feeling that I have just sent him to his death. The creature sizes him up like it's calculating the best spot to take a bite out of him and its beady eyes settle on the bandage tied around his bare thigh.

Rhysand leans forward, resting his chin on my shoulder to watch, arm loosely looped over my waist. It looks casual. No one bats an eye at the gesture, but I am pretty sure he’s done it so he can keep me from jumping off the couch.

Azriel leans forward, bracing himself with his knees on his elbows, hazel gaze tracking the steps of Cassian’s opponent as he also calculates its weak spots. 

“Let’s make it interesting, shall we?” The Emperor asks, leaning over to be heard over the rush of excitement the audience gives to the challengers.

I tear my gaze away from where I’m trying to memorize every line in Cassian’s wings, every curve of tattoo over his back and shoulders, just in case. “How so?”

“Cassian wins and I’ll let you pick their next opponent in the arena,” he suggests. 

I like the offer; it gives them a better chance at surviving. 

“Cassian loses, and you give Rhysand to Amarantha.”

The world flips and spins and the roaring in my ears has me clutching my hands in my skirts to keep a surge of power from destroying the room. My power singes the fabric, only the smoke from the mirthroot hides the smell. 

There is no way in Hel I am making that kind of bet!

Rhysand stiffens behind me, heartbeat skipping for half a moment before he pretends to be unbothered by the comment and takes another drag of the mirthroot. 

I’d rather throw myself on a blade than chance that. Cassian is an exceptional fighter, but I cannot take that risk. I am already risking his life by letting him fight like this, how can I risk both of them?

My chest aches. There are too many opportunities to lose them. Too many things that can go wrong. 

“And let our people think I am weak and incapable of following through on the deal we made yesterday?” I challenge. My voice trembles as I fight to hold his gaze steady. 

Azriel’s shadow hisses what sounds like a warning in my ear.

“You know if we split them up now it makes me look as if I can’t handle them.”

“Attached, are we?”

“No, but I am tired of looking weak,” I hiss. “If Amarantha wants them, she can challenge me for them herself.”

Rhysand stiffens behind me. The twins are too close for him to slip into my mind again, but I can practically feel him shouting at me down the bond.

She huffs a laugh around the other side of him, “As if you’d stand a chance in that!”

I ignore her as I hold my ground with my Father, “You have always thought so little of me.”

He doesn’t deny it.

“So if you really want to make this interesting, then fine. If Cassian wins, I pick when and who all their matches are with. And if he loses, well, you’ve already chosen a husband for me I’m sure, so you can speed up the process and I’ll provide them the heir you so desperately want by the end of the year.”

The bond shakes so hard in my chest it feels like Azriel’s screaming in my ear. Rhysand has gone still as death behind me and I didn’t think I said it that loud, but Cassian’s head whips in our direction, eyes wide.

Father throws his head back and laughs at that. “This new found confidence is amusing. I will allow you to pick the next two fights, but not all.”

Better than nothing.

“Deal.”

I think I can hear Azriel’s teeth grinding together beside me, so I force myself not to look at him. The bond thrums like he’s in physical pain and I hate that I have caused it, but I will not barter with their lives.

“To first blood!” The Emperor calls to the room.

“To the death!” Brannagh chants instead. 

When this whole Empire goes up in flames, I’m pushing her in first.

The crowd begins to murmur to themselves, debating. “I’ll put some money on it if they fight to the death,” Tamlin tosses out. 

“As will I!” Shouts a commander whose name I’d never learned.

The motion goes around the room in a full circle, by the time the Emperor concedes, I’ve drank my full glass and abandoned it on the couch. Didn’t we just do this?

The Praetorians provide blades for the two males, but the Emperor’s creature can’t hold the blade with its claw tipped hands and tosses it to the ground with a screech. Its barbed tip tail draws back behind it as it drops into a defensive stance. 

I forget how to breathe as Cassian drops into his own.

Time slows in a familiar sensation of undiluted horror as the creature moves first, striking forward with its tail like a spear. Cassian pivots back a step, rearranging his feet as he blocks with the sword.

The crowd cheers excitedly and I distantly recognize coins changing hands as they take bets, but cannot tear my eyes away enough to watch who is participating in it. Cassian remains on the defensive as the creature rears its tail back and attacks from the other side of its body this time, testing the Illyrian’s reaction time. When the strike is blocked a second time, it switches tactics and goes for a punch, talons extended towards Cassian���s face.

While the creature is taller, it is not as agile, and Cassian side steps out of the way of the blow, using the momentum to lunge into the next step and strike the tip of his sword across his opponent’s stomach. Its ear shattering screech shakes the room as the blade makes contact, drawing black blood. If it wasn’t for Brannagh, the challenge would be over, Cassian would have won. It would have been easy for once.

Enraged, the creature strikes with its talons again, missing a second time, but catching Cassian in the jaw on the backswing. The whole room can hear Cassian’s teeth clack together as he stumbles backwards.

It takes everything in me not to squeeze my eyes shut, not to wince and react to every blow. I have to keep telling myself that this is part of the game and I cannot give them away, but by the Mother it is harder and harder with every passing second!

Rhysand remains with his chin propped up on my shoulder, the bulk of his weight keeping me in my seat. I so desperately want to reach out and take his hand, give myself something to ground in, but I can’t. I have to accept that this might be all we’re ever allowed to touch, especially after today.

The creature strikes again with its tail, once, twice, a third, each like a punch. The third blow shatters Cassian’s sword into pieces and my heart plummets into my stomach as he dodges a fourth assault. He’s not so fast on the fifth and that barbed tip punches right through his bandaged thigh! Blood splatters as the tips hurdles through muscle and sinew until it pushes through the back of his leg.

One of the dignitaries' wives reaches for a bucket and wretches as Cassian’s roar of pain rattles my teeth. 

Azriel flinches, looking like he might just jump into the fight and stop it, but then catches himself. 

The bond screams and bashes against my insides as my powers flare again, singing more of my skirts as I hold them in a death grip that only worsens as the creature yanks the barb back out of Cassian’s leg, bringing him to the floor. Blood pours from the wound from both ends, cascading down his calf to make a puddle on the stark white tile.

There’s enough of my skirts to hide the motion, Rhysand buries his hand beneath them to hold onto my hip tight enough to bruise. I don’t know if that’s to keep me in place or himself. 

The creature snarls out a noise that sounds like triumph as it pulls its hand back, aiming to use its claws to sever Cassian’s head.

Not again! Not again! Not again!

I have to stop this! I have to do something!

At the last second, Cassian throws himself out of the way, knees tucked to his chest as he rolls out of reach, right to where the creature’s discarded sword lies. He snags the blade with a grunt, one hand pressed to the gaping wound in his thigh as he pushes himself back onto his feet. His face twists in pain at the slightest movement, but he manages to stay upright. 

Rhysand breathes a little easier behind me, but his grip on my hip hasn’t let up.

The Emperor frowns beside us, displeased with the outcome thus far no doubt. He really expected this to be easy. 

The creature strikes again, sticking to what it has found successful, and it becomes a mistake. Cassian twists at the last second, blade raised so when the strike comes, he doesn’t need to block it. At this angle, not only does it miss him, he has a height advantage and he brings the sword down as hard as he can, cleaving the tail in half. The barbed tip hits the floor twitching as the creature reels backward and wails.

Holy shit! I’ve seen a lot of warriors in my life, but I don’t think I’d ever describe them as beautiful until now. Each move is calculated, backed with training and muscle. His tattoos seem to come to life with his body as his muscles shift and strike. 

He doesn’t let up as his opponent stumbles back either, he uses the distraction to his advantage and plunges the sword into the creature’s shoulder. He might have been aiming for the heart, but the wound in his leg gives him too great a limp to lunge far on. The blade catches in bone, the resounding crunch deafening in the domed ceiling, and when he reels back to pull it out, he twists it just enough to make his opponent’s arm absolutely useless.

With two of its preferred methods of fighting gone, the creature bends at the waist and charges with a roar, hoping to use its horns like a battering ram into Cassian’s chest.

An otherwise horrifying sight, if Cassian didn’t laugh and step dramatically out of the way so the creature rams right into the wall. “Is that really all you’ve got?” He taunts as a rain of dust falls on his head. 

The creature screeches as it yanks itself free from the wall and shakes its head, clearing the debris from its beady eyes. 

Cassian spins the blade in his hand, adjusting his grip, and I think it might be one of the hottest things I’ve ever seen in my life.

He can’t crouch with his leg, but he doesn’t need to. The creature tries to ram him again and he dodges and brings his hilt down on its neck, knocking it to the floor. He wastes no time in rearing back with the blade and bringing it down, easily cleaving the creature’s head from its shoulders. 

Amarantha throws up her hands in a huff at the sight.

I finally take what feels like my first breath in an hour as Cassian tosses the blade on the floor. He did it! He won!

Azriel removes his elbows from his knees and reclines back against the armrest, clearly satisfied with the outcome. 

“Excellent! Excellent!” Praises the steward as he goes about helping anyone who placed bets collect their proper earnings. 

I tear my gaze away from the carnage to the nearest guard, “Find him a healer, now.” Before he bleeds out on the floor or Father decides he has another champion he wants to test. 

The Emperor takes a long drink from his goblet, eyes narrowed on the severed head the staff has to now clean off the floor. Around him, his dignitaries drink and argue over why they bet the way they did. It is business as usual, completely unbothered by the blood around them. 

When he finally turns to me, I have to brace myself against the anger simmering in his eyes. This is usually the part where I put my chin to my chest and try to make myself as small as possible. Usually. But not today. 

“It seems I’ve underestimated their talent for bloodshed.”

Cassian hobbles back over to us and I make a show of telling Azriel to help him before he gets blood everywhere, so no one thinks I just let them wander off on their own. 

“The Games will continue at the start of next week,” the Emperor continues.

That gives us days. I try not to look at the gaping hole in Cassian’s thigh. Thank the Mother it looks like it missed bone, but how is he supposed to participate with that? There’s no way it heals in time, even if I have Ember work twelve hours a day on him.

“I expect you to have their opponent picked out by the Senate meeting in the morning. You still have that end of your bargain to uphold.”

This victory will not be without repercussions, but it is still a victory nonetheless, and we have to take what we can get.

--

Managing to procure the mirthroot I need to trick my Father into thinking I’m following through with the regime I’d given him, as well as finding horses for the Illyrians to ride back on takes longer than usual, given the massive partying happening in the streets. We have to take the backroads home to avoid being pelted with more rocks, or outright mobbed. Compared to the rest of the day, the journey is uneventful, spent mostly with the others ensuring Cassian doesn’t pass out on the horse. 

The sun is already changing colors by the time we return to the River House, but I know if I try to prepare for bed now I’ll never sleep. Instead, I leave Anise with instructions to look into potentially safe opponents in the Arena, so when I see Eris again tomorrow I can compare their notes, and then set out for the Temple built on the edge of the property. 

I doubt there are enough blood offerings and animal sacrifices to cleanse the sins of this Empire, but I offer as many as I can in apology for my part in it. I don’t know how I’ve been so blind to all of it. I can’t stop seeing it now, it should have always been so obvious to me.

The Priestesses do not ask why I linger for over an hour, praying long past the time it takes for my offerings to burn atop the altar. I’d hoped that, if I said them hard enough, the weight of the day would slip off my shoulders. I’d thought, with enough sacrifices, the guilt would ease, but I can still feel my mates’ agitation and pain clearly through the bond. 

I return to the House as weary as before. Tomorrow will be a whole new set of problems. I cannot put it off by lingering in the Temple. 

The walk doesn’t clear my head, or loosen the tension, and I climb into the tub with that same heaviness still clinging to my skin. I heat the water as hot as I can, hoping it might cleanse me in a way my sacrifices couldn’t.

Exhaustion creeps its way in as I scrub and scrub and scrub until my skin is pink. Every time I close my eyes I can see the crucified bodies, gasping for air as they slowly suffocate under the weight of their own body pinned to the wood. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that sight; I can only imagine how it would feel to know each of those males before this. The bond still swirls beneath my skin, heavy with agitation the hot water can’t touch. 

I wish there was a way to take that from them, but how can I do that without calling attention to the mating bond? 

I give myself a few extra minutes in the blissful heat before dragging myself out and tossing a silk robe over my waterlogged skin. My brush is on the vanity where Anise left it this morning and I have just started to brush the knots out of my hair when I hear the bedroom door open. My hand stills halfway through my hair; it is unlike Anise to not announce herself when it’s this late. 

The door clicks shut again, the eerie silence that follows enough to make my heart drop into my stomach. The darkness of the room makes it hard to see beyond the candlelight that fills the bathing chamber and my hand goes instinctively into the vanity drawer, where my Mother had always kept an extra knife. The blade is cool in my fingers, the handle smooth and undamaged from never being used. The benefit of having constant guards is you usually never see the threats against you, though there are always exceptions.

There’s no footsteps on the carpet, but I can practically feel movement next to my bed. 

I’m a sitting duck here among all the candlelight, but if I step into the darkness beyond I’ll be totally blind. Better to wait for something to make itself known. 

I suppose there’s enough guards around, I can always start screaming for help if it comes down to it.

A heartbeat passes before something dark and snakelike comes slithering across the floor. The ether loops itself around my ankle and crawls up my thigh like a purring cat before the shadow takes its perch behind my ear.

I set the knife on the vanity with a sigh of relief as Azriel steps into the light. “You scared the shit out of me!”

His shadow caresses the back of my ear in apology, far more expressive now than it was earlier. “Sorry.”

He side steps out of the doorway, but not in my direction, which is odd until Rhysand steps out of the shadows behind him.

“How did you two get in here?”

“Found the lever on the door to your secret tunnel,” Azriel says as his eyes trace up my bare legs, brazenly taking in all the damp skin I have on display.

Heat flushes up my cheeks and I have to look away from him. The candlelight and the hour of the evening makes this feel more intimate than it should, given the way Rhysand looks like he might burst out of his skin. I certainly shouldn’t be entertaining the idea that Azriel would look at me as anything other than a means to an end. Hope is too dangerous a thing to have right now. Just because we agreed to do this, doesn’t mean they’re anxious to accept me as anything other than help. Besides, I need to remind myself that it will be even more dangerous for us than it already is if we were to acknowledge the bond.

 “We were careful, no one saw us,” Azriel assures.

I should be relieved that they’re being safe about it, but the frown on Rhysand’s face makes me rethink it.

“What the hell were you thinking back there?!” He snarls.

Normally, that kind of outburst from a male would make me jump back in surprise, but at this point I’m too exhausted to move, let alone figure out what the hell he’s referring to. “I’ve had a lot of thoughts today, Rhysand, you will have to be more specific.”

The chain rattles around his neck as he steps further into the room, like it's fighting to hold back his powers. “Your bet with Hybern!”

Ah, right. That. “What of it?” Is he really still upset about that? Cassian won, nothing was lost.

Azriel winces and the shadow at my ear hisses in warning. 

“What of it?” He repeats, his voice rising to an octave just shy of shrill, like he can’t believe he heard me right. “You can’t just offer yourself up like that!”

“And what was my alternative?”

“He gave you an alternative!” He seethes. “All you had to do was say yes!”

I fold my arms over my chest in irritation, but I don’t miss the way both their eyes dip to my chest at the motion. “Oh so it’s ok for you to put your body on the line, but I can’t do the same with my own? Seems a little hypocritical, if you ask me.”

“That’s different!”

“How so?”

He’s inched his way into my space step by step, until I’m very aware of the jasmine and citrus scent of him. Sometime after he returned home he’d changed into the clothes I’d had laid out for him, the swirl of ink along his chest just barely poking out around the dark collar. Even hidden, the urge to reach out with my hands and trace the swirls with my fingers remains. 

“Because,” he says through his teeth. “It’s not a deal I can live with.”

“You don’t have to live with it because Cassian won anyway,” I retort, tearing my gaze away to look at Azriel. Rhysand is too close to me like this. I can barely think past the urge to touch him, let alone hold the argument like I need to. “Tell him he’s being ridiculous.”

Azriel folds his arms over his chest and frowns. “He’s not. You shouldn’t have made that deal.”

I throw my hands up and push past Rhysand, trying to give myself room to breathe. “You two are impossible!”

They follow like I’m still holding onto their leashes, footsteps somehow impossibly silent despite their size.  

“You’re honestly going to stand there and tell me you’d rather I offered you up to Amarantha?”

“If it meant you were safe,” Rhysand snarls. “Yes.”

I find myself gritting my teeth, a snarl working its way up my throat. “Well that’s not a deal I could live with, Rhysand.” 

Their legs are a hell of a lot longer than mine, Rhysand manages to snag my arm and turn me back around to face him before I make it more than three steps into the darkness of my chambers. 

His face looks strained, eyes rimmed red. He has to be exhausted. The bond feels fragile, strained from all the emotions that have been blared down it today. “I need you to find a way to deal with it,” he says, voice verging on pleading. 

I hate myself, but I can’t help but wonder what the hand holding onto my bicep would feel like travelling down the rest of my body. 

“Whatever you have to tell yourself, whatever you have to do, I… We need you to find a way to live with it.”

Azriel comes to stand on the other side of him, so they’re nearly shoulder to shoulder. “If Cass had lost and you had to…” even in the dim light coming from the bathroom I can see the heaviness in his eyes. 

I glance back and forth between them. “You’ve all suffered enough, I can handle myself. I knew what I was doing.”

Rhysand shakes his head, “I can bear a lot of things, but not that.”

Hope is a cruel bastard, and I’ve never learned to master it. “Why? What does it matter to you?”

He lifts the hand not holding onto my arm, fingers just barely brushing over my damp cheek and my heartbeat is suddenly very loud in my own ears. His mouth opens like he might say something, and then he clamps it shut again, debating with himself over the words.

While he can’t seem to find the words, Azriel’s scarred hand reaches out to gently grab my chin and tilt my face in his direction. “It matters,” he huffs, voice low and rich and the reverberations of it send shivers down my spine. “Because you’re our mate.”

------

Author's Note: Hehe was gonna wait for the reveal at the end but couldn't bring myself to do it. Let me know what you thought about it! And as always, if you want to be added to the taglist, let me know :)

@sirenpearldust, @saltedcoffeescotch, @littlemissfix-itfic, @waka-babe, @raisam

//

@anainkandpaper, @rafeecameronsbitch, @whothehelliskayleigh, @lifetobeareader, @blimpintime,

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@hjgdhghoe, @krowiathemythologynerd, @urfunnyvalentin3, @mack234-blog1, @kissfromnovalie

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@marrass , @lia-h-r, @celestialzdiviner, @daughterofthemoons-stuff, @tenshis-cake,

//

@of-outerspace, @erencvlt, @corvusmorte, @lindsayjoy444,

[cherryxbooo]

Just us. Just this. Just love.

Summary: Days off for Oscar are rare, but whenever he does have one, the two of you love spending it with nothing but slow, lazy mornings.

Reader x Oscar Piastri

Genre: fluff

I woke up to the dim morning light barely filtering through the curtains.

The warmth beside me was familiar, Oscar’s arm draped lazily over my waist, his steady breathing tickling the back of my neck.

For a moment, I just stayed there, wrapped in the comfort of him, listening to the quiet hum of the world outside.

It was rare for him to have a morning off, and I was selfishly savoring every second of it.

No early training, no media duties, no team meetings. Just us.

I carefully turned over in his arms to face him, my movements slow and careful, not wanting to wake him up just yet.

His features were soft in sleep, his messy hair falling over his forehead, lips slightly parted.

He looked so peaceful like this, so different from the focused, determined driver everyone saw on race days.

I traced a light fingertip down his cheek, smiling to myself when he stirred slightly but didn’t wake up.

My heart swelled at the thought of how lucky I was to have him.

Despite everything, the fame, the pressure, and the constant travel, Oscar always made time for me.

He never made me feel like I was just a part of the background noise in his fast-paced world.

Just as I was about to settle back into the warmth of the blankets, he shifted, pulling me closer and mumbling something against my hair.

“Mmm, you’re staring love.” His voice was thick with sleep, groggy and low.

I giggled, tucking my face into his chest. “I am not.”

“You so are,” he argued, his arms tightening around me.

“Why are you awake? It’s early.”

“I like watching you sleep. You look cute when you’re not scowling at data sheets or wearing that severe‘ race mode’ face.”

Oscar let out a soft chuckle, his lips pressing a lazy kiss to the top of my head.

“Race mode face? That’s a new one.”

I hummed, tilting my chin up to look at him.

“It’s real, I swear. It’s the face you make when you’re so focused, your eyebrows practically fuse together.”

“Sounds attractive,” he mused, eyes finally fluttering open to meet mine.

“Very,” I teased, poking his cheek. “But I like sleepy Oscar better.”

“Oh yeah?” His voice was still laced with sleep, but there was a playful edge to it now.

“And why’s that?”

“Because sleepy Oscar is soft and cuddly and doesn’t mind staying in bed with me all morning,”

I replied, tangling my legs with his under the blankets.

He smirked. “I don’t mind staying in bed with you any time of the day.”

I rolled my eyes, though my heart swelled at his words.

“Good, because I don’t plan on moving anytime soon.”

He grinned, eyes full of something warm and lazy, before reaching over to pull the blankets higher around us.

“Fine by me.”

The morning was slow, soft, and wrapped in warmth, the kind of morning I never wanted to end.

Oscar and I stayed tangled up in each other, limbs lazily intertwined under the covers as the early sunlight peeked through the curtains.

His arms were snug around me, his fingers drawing absentminded patterns on my back, while my head rested comfortably against his chest.

His heartbeat was steady beneath my ear, a soothing rhythm that made me want to stay in bed forever.

Neither of us spoke much at first, just enjoying the peaceful quiet, exchanging sleepy kisses and whispered words that didn’t really mean much, but still felt important.

His lips brushed against my forehead, my nose, my cheeks, soft, feather-light pecks that made my heart squeeze in my chest.

I hummed contentedly, tilting my head up to steal another lazy kiss, but just as our lips met, my stomach decided to betray me with an embarrassingly loud growl.

Oscar froze for a second before bursting into laughter, his chest shaking beneath me.

“Wow,” he teased, running a hand through my hair.

“Didn’t realize I was dating a little gremlin.”

I groaned, burying my face in his chest to hide my embarrassment.

“Ignore it. I’m perfectly happy staying right here forever.”

“Yeah?” He chuckled, rubbing slow circles on my back.

“And what if I start listing all the breakfast foods you love? Pancakes… eggs… bacon… a warm croissant with butter…”

“Stop,” I whined dramatically, but I could already feel my resolve crumbling.

He grinned, pressing a kiss to my temple.

“Come on, let’s get up babe. We’ll eat, and then we can be lazy the rest of the day.”

I sighed, finally giving in, though I made a show of stretching as dramatically as possible before sitting up with him.

“Fine,” I muttered. “But only because you promised we could be lazy later.”

Oscar smirked as he got out of bed, stretching his arms above his head.

“Deal.”

Still half-asleep, I shuffled behind him into the bathroom, where we moved around each other effortlessly, like we’d done this a hundred times before.

He automatically reached for my toothbrush, squeezing just the right amount of toothpaste onto it before handing it to me.

I raised an eyebrow, amused. “Taking care of me now?”

He simply shrugged, already brushing his own teeth. “Always.”

I smiled at his reflection in the mirror before starting to brush mine, our shoulders bumping lightly as we stood side by side.

The morning was quiet and easy, one of those moments that made me feel like we’d been doing this forever like we’d always been meant to.

After we finished, I reached for my hairbrush, but before I could, Oscar plucked it from my hands.

“Let me,” he said, tugging me gently to stand in front of him.

I turned, raising an amused brow.

“Oh? You offering to be my personal hairstylist now?”

He grinned. “Maybe. You’re a little high-maintenance, but I think I can handle it.”

I gasped, swatting at his arm, but he only laughed as he started brushing my hair.

His touch was careful, surprisingly gentle, like he was afraid of hurting me.

Every now and then, his fingers would graze my scalp, sending warm shivers down my spine.

“This is nice Osc,” I murmured, watching him through the mirror.

Oscar met my eyes, a small, proud smile playing on his lips. “Yeah?”

I nodded. “I think you’re actually pretty good at this.”

He tilted his head, mockingly thoughtful. “Maybe I should quit racing and open a salon.”

I snorted. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, babe.”

He chuckled, finishing up before setting the brush down.

Satisfied with his work, he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“I like getting ready with you.”

I leaned back into him, my hands covering his. “Me too.”

Oscar pressed a lingering kiss to my cheek before pulling away.

“Alright, let’s get you fed before you start getting grumpy.”

I gasped, feigning offense as I turned to face him.

“I do not get grumpy.”

He gave me a knowing look.

“Tell that to that one time you almost cried because your pancakes took too long.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “That was one time.”

He smirked, lacing his fingers with mine as we walked out of the bathroom.

“And I learned to always keep snacks on me.”

I groaned, though I couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.” He grinned, squeezing my hand.

And he was right, I didn’t. I loved him, more than I could ever put into words.

As we made our way to the kitchen, Oscar kept a firm grip on my hand, lazily swinging it back and forth between us.

The apartment was quiet except for the soft padding of our footsteps against the floor and the occasional yawn that slipped past my lips.

“Alright, chef,” I said, leaning against the kitchen counter.

“What’s the plan? Pancakes? Eggs? A five-star gourmet breakfast?”

Oscar smirked as he opened the fridge. “How about toast?”

I gaped at him. “Toast? That’s it? I expected something a little more… grand.”

He turned, giving me an unimpressed look.

“Did you want breakfast or a three-course meal?”

I sighed dramatically. “Fine. But at least let’s make something fun.”

Oscar hummed, grabbing eggs, butter, and milk from the fridge. “Pancakes it is.”

I grinned, immediately moving to grab the flour and sugar from the pantry.

“Now you’re speaking my language.”

As we started prepping, Oscar wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, trapping me between him and the counter.

“Are you actually going to help, or are you just going to look cute and distract me?”

I tilted my head back against his shoulder, pretending to think.

“Mmm… a little of both?”

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck before finally letting me go.

“Fine. But at least stir the batter.”

I happily took the whisk, dipping it into the mixture, but after a few turns, I felt Oscar’s hands settle on my waist again.

He leaned forward, chin resting on my shoulder as he watched me stir.

“You’re whisking too slow love,” he murmured, his voice low and teasing.

I scoffed. “Oh, I’m sorry. Would you like to do it instead, Mr. Professional Whisker?”

He grinned. “No, no. You’re doing great. Just… here.”

He reached around me, his hands guiding mine, and suddenly, we were whisking together, his chest pressed up against my back, his lips dangerously close to my ear.

“This feels like a really lame excuse to be all over me,”

I pointed out, fighting back a smile.

Oscar hummed, pretending to think. “Maybe. But are you complaining?”

“… No.”

“Exactly.”

I giggled, nudging him away playfully. “Okay, okay, I can take it from here.”

He backed away with a smirk but didn’t go far, staying close as he grabbed a pan and placed it on the stove.

“Fine. But if the pancakes suck, it’s on you.”

I rolled my eyes. “They won’t suck. Have some faith in your girl.”

As I poured the batter into the pan, I felt his hands on my waist again, and before I could react, he lifted me onto the counter effortlessly.

“Hey!” I squeaked, grabbing onto his shoulders.

“What was that for?”

Oscar smirked, standing between my legs as he settled his hands on my thighs.

“You looked too cute standing there. Had to put you somewhere I could admire you properly.”

I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my lips.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And yet, you love me.”

I sighed dramatically. “Unfortunately.”

Oscar gasped, clutching his chest like I had just mortally wounded him.

“Wow. That hurt.”

I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck. “You’ll survive.”

He grinned, leaning in to steal a kiss, slow and sweet, as the smell of pancakes filled the air.

I melted into him, hands tangling in his hair, completely forgetting about breakfast for a moment.

Then, suddenly—

“Crap! The pancakes!”

Oscar and I both jumped apart, scrambling to grab the spatula as we turned back to the stove.

He flipped them just in time, revealing a perfectly golden-brown pancake.

I exhaled in relief. “Crisis averted.”

Oscar chuckled, peering over at me. “You were the one distracting me this time.”

I huffed. “You kissed me first.”

“Yeah, well, you kissed back.”

I rolled my eyes, bumping my shoulder against his.

“Whatever. Just focus before you burn our breakfast.”

Oscar smirked but didn’t argue, instead stacking the finished pancakes onto a plate before drizzling syrup over them.

Once everything was ready, he grabbed two forks, handing me one before hoisting himself up onto the counter next to me.

Instead of using his own plate, he cut a piece of pancake and held it up to my lips, wiggling his brows playfully.

“Say ahh.”

I gave him a look but still leaned in, taking the bite.

“Mmm,” I hummed dramatically.

“Okay, I’ll admit it. You make good pancakes.”

Oscar smirked. “Told you.”

We ate like that, sitting on the counter, sharing bites, laughing between mouthfuls, occasionally stopping for soft kisses in between.

The kitchen smelled like butter and syrup, and the warmth of the morning mixed with the warmth of being with him, making everything feel soft and golden.

And as Oscar reached over to wipe a smudge of syrup from the corner of my mouth, his touch lingering a second too long, I realized something.

I loved this. I loved him.

I also realized that I should cherish these moments with him the most.

After finishing off the last few bites of pancakes, Oscar stretched his arms over his head with a satisfied sigh.

“Alright, we should probably clean up before we slip into full food coma mode.”

I groaned dramatically, letting my head fall against his shoulder.

“Can’t we just leave it for later?”

He snorted. “Yeah, because future us is going to be super thrilled to walk into a kitchen full of dirty dishes.”

I huffed, kicking my legs lightly against the counter.

“Fine. But only if you help.”

Oscar smirked. “I was planning on making you do it all by yourself, but since you asked so nicely…”

I swatted his arm, making him chuckle as he hopped off the counter and reached for the plates.

“Alright, lazybones. You wash, I dry?”

I slid off the counter and wrapped my arms around his waist from behind, resting my cheek against his back.

“You’re the best, you know that?”

Oscar chuckled, leaning back into me. “Yeah, yeah. Now get to washing.”

I rolled my eyes but did as he said, filling the sink with warm, soapy water and dunking the dishes in.

Oscar stood beside me, towel in hand, waiting to dry whatever I handed him.

It was quiet, the comfortable kind, with only the sound of running water and the occasional clinking of dishes breaking the silence.

Every now and then, Oscar would “accidentally” bump his hip against mine, and I’d retaliate by flicking a few soap bubbles his way.

After a particularly well-aimed flick that landed on his nose, he turned to me slowly, an exaggerated look of betrayal on his face.

“Oh, you’ve done it now love.”

I gasped, laughing as I tried to back away, but before I could escape, Oscar grabbed a handful of bubbles from the sink and wiped them across my cheek.

“OSCAR!” I squealed, swatting at him. “That is NOT how you clean dishes!”

He grinned. “Maybe not, but it’s a lot more fun babe.”

I rolled my eyes, but my lips twitched up into a smile as I grabbed a towel and halfheartedly smacked his arm with it.

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Oscar wiggled his brows. “I know.”

With a dramatic sigh, I turned back to the sink and finished washing the last plate.

“Okay, all done. Can we be lazy now?”

Oscar threw the dish towel onto the counter and grabbed my hand.

“Finally. Come on.”

The second we reached the couch, I flopped down face-first into the cushions with an exaggerated groan.

“This is where I live now.”

Oscar chuckled, sitting beside me and tugging at my arm.

“Nope, you live here, with me.”

I let him pull me up until I was curled against his chest, his arms wrapping securely around me.

I sighed in contentment, burying my face in the crook of his neck.

“Mmm. This is nice.”

He hummed, running his fingers up and down my back in lazy strokes.

“Told you I’d make today a lazy day.”

I tilted my head up to look at him.

“You also forced me to clean the kitchen, so I don’t know if I fully trust you Osc.”

Oscar smirked. “That was an essential task. Now we can be lazy without guilt.”

I huffed, but I couldn’t argue with that logic. “Fine.”

He reached for the blanket draped over the back of the couch and pulled it over us, tucking me further into his warmth.

“Better?”

I nodded, feeling sleepier by the second. “Much.”

Oscar pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. “Good.”

We sat there like that for a while, legs tangled together, his fingers tracing random patterns on my arm.

The TV was on, playing some random show we weren’t really paying attention to, but neither of us cared.

At some point, I let out a yawn, and Oscar chuckled, pulling me even closer.

“Getting sleepy on me already darling?”

I mumbled against his chest, my voice heavy with drowsiness.

“Maybe.”

He smiled, his lips grazing the top of my head.

“Then sleep. I’ll be right here.”

I sighed happily, pressing a lazy kiss to his collarbone. “Love you.”

His hold on me tightened just slightly, his voice softer than ever.

“Love you more.”

And just like that, with the warmth of his embrace, the soft hum of the TV in the background, and the slow rhythm of our heartbeats syncing together, I drifted off, wrapped up in the kind of love that didn’t need grand gestures or perfect moments.

Just us. Just this. Just love.

The end

[musingsofmajesty]

𝐬𝐡𝐲 𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐱 𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 [𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 → 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬]

summary over than span of the school year, you go from the girl who plays with Eddie's hair to so much more | wc 700

.・゜゜・ ・゜゜・．

Shy!eddie who doesn’t dare say anything when you begin twirling the end of his curls around your finger by week three of sitting behind him in Mrs. O’Donnel’s class.

The gentle tug feels nice, and he’d be devastated if you stopped. He knew who you were—all of Hawkins High did. You always smiled at him in the halls, and he’d know the scent of your vanilla perfume anywhere. 

Then one day, playing with his hair transitions to you drawing small shapes on his back. When the dismissal bell rings, he finally musters the courage to turn around and look you in the eyes with a shy smile. 

“Hey,” he says. 

You realize then that he has faint freckles dotted on his cheeks. Over the bridge of his nose. You smile back like it’s the easiest thing to do. 

“Hi.”

He didn’t think this far ahead. Doesn’t know what to say, so he dips his head down and lets out a chuckle while praying his cheeks aren’t the dusty pink color he remembers his mother’s rose bed being when he was a little boy. 

“Sorry,” you murmur. “I can stop.” 

His brows lift a bit as if you startled him. He doesn’t have time to muster up a façade of nonchalance, so he rushes out, “No, it’s okay, you don’t have to. I don’t mind.” 

You bite your lip and tilt your head at him as you fight off your growing smile. “Okay.”

“Okay.” 

Next week at lunch, you mosey over to where he’s sitting by himself listening to music. 

Upon noticing you, he clumsily takes his headphones off and sets them on the table. He’s nearly halfway through his lunch. What he’s not expecting is for you to reach for the headphones and put them on your own ears. He shifts as if he instinctively wants to stop you but ends up refraining. 

Warmth rises to his cheeks. “It’s, uh, Metallica.” 

You hum. “Obey your master, huh?” you quote the lyrics back to him as they rattle in your ears. 

Eddie smiles sheepishly. 

“Are you doing anything after school today?” 

He blinks like he misheard the question, but musters up an answer anyway. “I—no. Not really...” 

You smile in a sweet way that makes his chest flutter. “Would you like to?” 

Shy!Eddie who starts seeing you outside of school more and more. At Lover’s Lake, the diner, the arcade, Family Video. You come to realize that turtles do come out of their shells. It’s easy to talk to him, and it helps that he’s cute. He feels the same way about you. 

You go to see him play at The Hideout, and wave at him from within the small crowd. You’ve listened to him practice in his room on multiple occasions, and there’s something gratifying about watching him do his thing in front of an audience of more than just you. 

Shy!Eddie who lets it slip that he’s glad he met you. 

One fateful evening, several months into this friendship, the two of you are sitting on his couch as rain patters onto the windows outside. There’s a sitcom playing on the TV, and even though you’re both looking at the screen, neither of you are paying attention. Over the span of thirty minutes, you’ve managed to press yourself even closer to his side without saying a single word. 

Finally, like he did back before you were friends, he musters up the nerve to peek over at you. The way you bite your lip makes something flutter low in his gut.

“Hi,” he murmurs, beginning to smile because he can’t help himself. 

You reach out to tug one of his curls. As you scoot even closer, your thigh presses against his. Eddie holds his breath when you close the gap between you to place a gentle peck on his lips. 

“Hey,” you whisper. 

Shy!Eddie who’s warm all over and can’t help but lean back in.

Thanks for reading ♡

[kp-alice]

How bend-over-able are the Ateez members? | MTL

...and how would they react to seeing themselves in the mirror during it?

Desc.: what it says on the tin, 1 762 words, sub!ateez x dom!reader smut, implied pegging if you're afab (tbh some of these don't even have to be about penetration), assumed established relationship, mostly suggestive, slightly fluffy if you squint

1. Hongjoong - Loves it loves it loves it. Did I mention he loves it? It makes him feel so slutty and attractive, like you just can't help yourself and need him right then and there. Be it over the kitchen counter, your desk, or the couch, just take him anywhere and everywhere. Over time, the two of you might even make it a game of sorts - whenever Joong wears that pretty green bracelet on his wrist, you already know he's prepped himself that morning and is keeping himself ready with a plug for when you'll inevitably pounce on him. He loves the thrill and surprise of it, you love how he plans in advance to accommodate your every desire. It's a win-win, really.

As for seeing himself during the act, he's a bit confusing. Mirrors are too clear and distracting for him, but seeing your joint reflection in something more matte or colorful really gets him going. He likes both feeling and seeing as you drive into him, making him really hold onto the couch cushions as he watches you two in the dark TV screen.

2. Seonghwa - While Seonghwa definitely likes it when you bend him over, what really gets him is when he bends over for you. He loves the immediate attention it gets him as your eyes trace his every line and curve, whatever you were about to say disappearing from your lips. The way such a simple motion can completely entrance you, drawing you to him like the strongest magnet known to man, riles him up like nothing else. After a few seconds of pure tension, when you finally reach him, he lets you take the lead, lets you get lost in the feeling of, well, him. And while he may be the one who's about to be taken, it's only because you couldn't resist his purposeful charms and movements. Make him feel worshipped, lavished, and powerful, like you've never experienced anything as wonderful as him.

Doesn't really enjoy mirrors, preferring to instead use his imagination to think about how debauched he must look right now. It feels like a dirty little secret he keeps in his mind while you claim him from behind.

3. Wooyoung - This one loves it, end of story. He loves teasing you with it like Seonghwa, loves being surprised by it like Hongjoong, and anything in between. It makes him feel both desired and a little bit more in control than usual since he's still mostly standing and able to move around more while you're inside him. He likes how natural it feels for either of you to initiate this way, and how effective it is in turning the other on. He loves teasing you with it as well, bending over right in front of you to present his best assets, only to scamper away into the bedroom, laughing giddily as you run after him. It's not like either of you mind the chase, though, since it just makes you go that much harder on him once you finally get him under you. Another big plus is how convenient it is whenever there's no bed around or when you're near other people. Your hand clamps down over his mouth, silencing most of his sounds while you drive him up the bathroom counter.

And don't even get me started if there's a mirror in front of him, god. He'd love to look at himself as you're ruining him, only to then cheekily meet your eyes in the reflection. You can't see his smile under your hand, but you can tell it's there from the way his eyes turn into playful, twinkling crescents. He feels so sexy like this, and judging by your intense, laser-focused expression, he knows you agree.

4. Yeosang - Now, contrary to his reserved personality, Yeosang is down for a lot more than most people might think. Similar to Hongjoong, he loves the spontaneity of it and how much it shows your genuine want for him, along with how powerless he gets to feel when you just bend him over to your will whenever you so desire. The only downside is that once you really get into it and are stimulating his g-spot, it's so hard for him to stay in position. Your touch from the inside makes him incredibly squirmy, and if it wasn't for your other hand holding him up by the waist, his knees would have given out long ago. When he does cum eventually, you need to be quick to catch him or he'll literally fall to the ground. Hold him as you slowly slide down with him and make him feel safe in your arms while he comes down from his high. The more secure he feels with you, the more eager he is to do this again in the future <3

As for mirrors, they scare him for most of your session... until he's feeling so submissive and desperate for release that most of his inhibitions disappear. By that point, seeing himself only feeds that craving for powerlessness even more and gets him that much closer to the edge. In other words, if timed right, you'll get him to cum almost immediately; if not, you'll have to reassure him and start all over again. High risk, high reward.

5. San - Being an ass-man himself, he definitely understands the appeal of this position for you and is happy to indulge you often as long as you make him feel good in return. He also enjoys the slightly primal feel of it, much like when you get him on all fours on the bed. He likes feeling conquered, pushed into submission, but only because you wanted him so much you just had to have him. He feels pursued and admired, in a way. Sexy. However, like I said, all of those feelings can be evoked in the comfort of your bed too, and most of the time, San would prefer that over the table or the counter. If that isn't available, though, you can definitely count on him to hold steady and eagerly push back against you as you claim what's yours.

Sometimes, seeing himself in the mirror turns him on further, other times it's too distracting. With San, it all depends on the mood and how adventurous he's feeling that day, really.

6. Jongho - While he definitely enjoys being manhandled by you at unexpected times, Jongho has to be in a very specific type of mood to really enjoy himself like this. That being when he wants you to dom him without any mercy, moving inside him rough and fast. In those moments, he's more than ready to be ravished by you, wanting to feel weak and small. Unlike your usual switchy or soft-dom times, he just wants to let go, to turn off his brain completely while you do whatever you want to him and make your authority physically known. Don't go easy on him, really press him down into that kitchen counter, lean over his back and bite his shoulder while you use him as you please. You both know the safeword, and until then, everything's fair game.

The only permanent "no" from Jongho are mirrors or reflections of any kind, since it distracts him too much and he can't properly get into the headspace he craves so much.

7. Yunho - This one's a bit conflicted. On one hand, bending over means no direct eye contact, which usually makes him really shy and, in turn, more tense than either of you would like. On the other hand, letting you push him down and fuck him from behind makes him feel a little too exposed and slutty, which leads to him blushing and clamping down even more than normal. So, unless you're willing to put in additional time just to get him to relax and come out of his shell, you're probably better off just facing him on the bed and loosening him up until he's properly ready for you. If you do have the time and will, though, he's happy to try and let go for you. In addition, if the two of you succeed, it makes him feel really relaxed and proud of himself afterwards. To put it simply, more time and effort will bear bigger rewards, but it may not be the most convenient or comfortable option for either of you.

Due to the reasons stated above, definitely do not bring a mirror into the equation, since it would just combine the worst of both worlds and he's stuttering his safeword in two minutes tops.

8. Mingi - Despite loving it when you get rough and impatient with him, Mingi is also really big on intimacy when submissive. He loves to look into your eyes as you take him, make sure you can see just how good you're making him feel while he gets to feel small and safe in return. Sometimes he does like to indulge in you fucking him on all fours, sure, but that's because he can still feel your touch on most of his body and loves it when you drape yourself over his back as if you're shielding him from the world. When you bend him over, though, he doesn't really get either. Even if he turns around to look at you while you do it, it just doesn't feel the same and it strains his back and neck after a while. And, well, given his size, it's hard to really lay over him in this position when he can't arch his back and press his chest into the desk properly. So, no matter how many times you've tried this, eventually, it always ends with either Mingi pausing to turn around, or just moving to the bedroom altogether to lie down and face you comfortably. As hot as he'd look bent over for you, it never lasts long, if it even gets to that in the first place, sorry.

Not even a mirror can fix his issue since he wants to see you, not himself. So when he's facing it so closely and directly, his eyes keep flitting to himself until he gets too self-conscious and shy to continue.

[pascaloverx]

STARVE

Summary: You lost your husband some time ago while he served as a gladiator for Emperors Geta and Caracalla. General Acacius saved you from becoming an object of pleasure for the emperors. Since then, he has taken you as his mistress. In your free time, you became a disciple of Ravi, the healer, dedicating yourself to tending to wounded gladiators. All seemed to be in perfect harmony until Hanno, a gladiator driven by a thirst for vengeance, crossed your path.

Author's Note: And the gods said: Starve will be a multi-chapter fanfiction (I hope readers will follow it all the way through). Without further ado, the characters belong to Ridley Scott's Gladiator II universe, though there will be significant deviations from the film. Historical accuracy regarding life in the Roman Empire may not always be strictly observed, so I hope you can overlook that. Yes, this story revolves around a love triangle, but I will strive to satisfy everyone. This fanfiction will include adult content, violence, and potentially coarse language. Enjoy!

three

FOUR

You lost consciousness, yet fleeting moments of the struggle to bring you back to life drifted through your mind like a fevered dream. Ravi, frantic, attempting to stitch your wound. Your body burned with searing heat. Someone held your hand, cold lips pressing against your forehead, as you fought to return—to reclaim a life you were no longer certain you deserved. But the thought of never waking again, of being torn from those you held dear, was a nightmare far worse.

Your late husband appeared before you. He spoke no words, only extended his hand, beckoning you to follow him. You embraced him as one does in farewell, knowing it was not yet your time. And then, whether by day or night, you awoke. Pain throbbed low in your abdomen, a grim confirmation that this was no hallucination—you had been wounded. More than that, Hanno had sought your life. Yet your wound was dressed with care, wrapped securely in bandages. Your attire was unfamiliar, the fabric of your tunic impossibly fine—far beyond anything you had ever worn. You had been tended to with great attention, that much was certain.

"It is a relief to see you recovered," came a voice, firm yet measured. Emperor Geta stood at a distance, observing you intently before stepping forward. In that moment, the pieces began to fall into place—the luxurious garments, the richly adorned chamber. Of course. These were his quarters.

"I would not say recovered, Emperor, merely awakened." Your voice was steady, though your body remained weak. "I see that you are safe." Fragments of memory returned—the gladiator revolt, the last moments before your collapse.

"General Acacius managed to quell the disorder among the gladiators," Geta remarked, his voice smooth yet watchful as he moved closer. "I suspect his true aim was to save his beloved mistress from the grasp of death, though that is something you shall have to confirm with him yourself." You pushed yourself upright, adjusting to the ache in your body, making space on the bed for him to sit. After all, these chambers belonged to him.

"I must thank you for your care. I imagine my recovery is due to your efforts," you say, your gaze fixed upon Emperor Geta. Years had passed with the two of you in such close proximity, yet always bound by the same unchanging dynamic—he desiring you, while you belonged to another. If not to your late husband, then to the great General Acacius.

"You saved my life, healer," Geta murmurs, his eyes locked with yours. His hand comes to your face, a gentle yet deliberate touch, urging you to meet his gaze more fully as he draws closer.

"And your act of bravery will not be forgotten. The gladiatorial games shall resume as soon as you are well enough to attend them—at my side, fulfilling your new role in Rome." Something feels amiss. A new role?

"Forgive me if I seem ungrateful, but what new role do you speak of? And I had assumed the gladiators would not be so willing to continue their battles in the arena," you say, your thoughts reeling, trying to piece together what has transpired in your absence.

"I do not wish to overwhelm you, but your actions have made something clear to me," Geta replies smoothly. "A companion willing to sacrifice her life for me, one who possesses both skill and knowledge in tending to wounds, would be of great use. From this moment on, you shall be my attendant before all of Rome. I assure you, you need not spend every moment at my side—but while you do, you shall keep me entertained."

He pauses, his tone sharpening slightly. "And let me make one thing very clear—you need not concern yourself with what the gladiators wish. They will stand in the arena for as long as I decree it. We decree it—my brother and I."

A faint smile lingers on his lips as he rises. "Now, rest and recover. These chambers—and whatever garments you may require—are yours." Then, with deliberate ease, he leans in, pressing a lingering kiss at the corner of your lips before pulling away. The unexpectedness of it leaves you momentarily stunned. And just as swiftly as he came, Geta turns and departs, leaving you in silence.

Not immediately, but moments later, you rise. With some difficulty, you make your way through the palace, recalling the times you accompanied your late husband to his brief meetings with Caracalla. You needed to see Ravi—perhaps the only one truly concerned for you. As you prepare to take the risk of mounting a horse to go to him, General Acacius appears, accompanied by several guards on horseback.

"Where do you think you're going?" Acacius questions the moment his gaze meets yours. You look at him, anger simmering beneath your composure. Years by his side—tending to his wounds, watching over him—and when you were the one struck down, he left you in the hands of Emperor Geta.

"General Acacius, there is a certain recklessness in your question. We are no longer connected, and surely, it is inappropriate for you to question my actions when they matter so little to you," you respond, continuing to ready the horse for your departure.

"Leave us," the general commands his guards, dismounting. "If defiance is your intent, I suggest you try harder," Acacius murmurs behind you, his breath warm against your ear. His hands graze your arms, a slow caress that makes you shut your eyes at the familiarity of his touch.

"Did you even spare a thought for my well-being while I lay dying?" you ask, uncertain now whether your survival is of any importance to him at all.

"If you must ask me that, then you never truly knew me, despite all these years," Acacius says. "I would have faced all of Rome to save your life if it came to that. And indeed, I put an end to a rebellion to ensure that you would stand before me once again, looking at me with that same cold indifference. And here you are." He moves in front of you, seizing the reins of the horse you had been preparing to mount. You avert your gaze, momentarily ashamed.

"I imagine you have punished the gladiator responsible for this," you say, meeting his eyes once more.

"I cannot do that. In the chaos, we were unable to identify who attacked you," Acacius replies. But something in his demeanor shifts—something is not right.

"That will not be an issue. I can identify him," you lie, watching him closely. You need to understand why he is suddenly hesitant. "Do not do this," he says almost immediately.

"And why not?" you demand, struggling to comprehend why Acacius would have any interest in sparing Hanno.

"I cannot tell you. Not yet. Just… don’t," he pleads, his voice softer now, almost desperate.

"Let me guess—it has something to do with Lucilla?" you say, feeling your blood boil. "Your wife comes before any retribution for an attempt on Emperor Geta’s life? Or nearly sending me to my death?" There is no need for him to answer—you already know. Perhaps it is better this way. The sooner you accept that Acacius does not belong to you, the easier it will be to accept the reality that, piece by piece, you are being handed over to Geta. Always belonging to someone—never having someone who belongs to you. Perhaps one day, you will belong to yourself.

"Believe me, it is not easy letting the one who hurt you go unpunished, but there are circumstances that prevent me from—" You do not let him finish. In one swift movement, you mount his horse, the one he had so foolishly left within your reach, since he still blocked the one you had prepared. Yes, you are stealing a general’s horse.

"A word of advice before I leave, General—if you continue placing your wife above all else, you will die. A person blinded by love loses all the instinct for survival," you tell Acacius before spurring the horse forward. But instead of heading toward Ravi, you turn in the direction of the one who owes you the most answers. Hanno.

Your wound threatens to slow you down, but with determination, you press on, each step a test of endurance. At last, you arrive at your destination—the dim, squalid cells where the gladiators are kept like beasts awaiting slaughter. The air is thick with the stench of blood and sweat, the groans of the injured echoing through the narrow corridor.

A guard, stationed at the entrance, swiftly steps forward to block your path, his expression wary. "You are the savior of Emperor Geta, correct?" he asks, scrutinizing you.

"In a way," you reply, your voice steady. "I have come to visit one of the gladiators—I used to tend to his wounds." He studies you for a moment before stepping aside, though his eyes linger on you with mild curiosity.

"You saved our emperor. You may visit whomever you wish. But be warned—none left unscathed. They were punished mercilessly for their part in the rebellion," the guard cautions.

You nod and move forward, your gaze sweeping over the men behind the iron bars. Some are barely conscious, their bodies marred with fresh wounds, while others simply stare blankly ahead, their spirits crushed by suffering. You cannot help but think of Ravi, who must be overwhelmed, desperately trying to mend the broken bodies around him. Then, a sound catches your attention—soft yet urgent. A woman’s voice, one you recognize.

Your steps slow as you follow the sound, until you find yourself before Hanno’s cell. The heavy iron door is ajar, and within, you see him—battered, bruised, barely standing. But he is not alone. Lucilla is there with him, locked in what appears to be a hushed, heated exchange. A strange unease coils in your stomach. Whatever is happening, it is not something they expected to be witnessed. You take another step forward and clear your throat, making your presence known.

"Am I interrupting something?" Both of them freeze, their heads snapping toward you, eyes wide with surprise. And Hanno—Hanno looks utterly ruined.

Your chest tightens at the sight of him. His body bears the cruel marks of battle—wounds torn open, bruises darkening his skin like the aftermath of a storm. It is evident that Ravi has not tended to him, that no gentle hand has sought to mend what was broken. You should feel some measure of satisfaction at his suffering, for he nearly cost you your life. And yet, all you can summon is a strange, unwelcome pity.

"You are alive." Hanno’s voice is urgent, as though the mere sight of you breathes life back into him. He moves toward you, instinctively drawn closer.

But you retreat—a step, then another. His pale blue eyes search yours, and in them, you find sorrow. Perhaps it is for himself, or perhaps for the wariness that now defines the space between you. It matters little. The last time he stood this close, you were left at death’s door.

"Yes, I live." Your tone is measured, though not without bite. "And I see you have already sought comfort elsewhere." Your gaze flickers toward Lucilla, her presence beside him casting shadows of suspicion. The truth strikes swiftly—this is why she so fervently opposes Acacius bringing Hanno to justice. Lucilla stiffens, her face drained of color.

"It is not what you think, Y/N!" she exclaims, a thread of panic woven through her voice. She steps away from Hanno, as though distance might absolve her. You do not reply, merely observing as she turns toward him, her voice lowering to something just above a whisper. "I cannot explain why I am here. I shall leave that task to you."

Then, with a fleeting touch to his arm, she murmurs, "Stay safe." And with that, she departs, leaving you and Hanno alone. There is hesitation in both of you, a guarded uncertainty. And yet, beneath it, something else lingers—a strange, unspoken pull, as if despite all reason, some part of you still longs to close the distance.

"Was it for her that you tried to kill Emperor Geta? He was not even the intended target, was he? Or would you have slain him first, then Acacius, so the two of you could be together? What kind of reckless fool are you, Hanno?" Your voice rises, edged with fury, the mere thought of it setting your blood aflame. Had he truly risked everything—had he risked you—for Lucilla? Acacius had always belonged to her, but Hanno had not.

Before you even realize it, your hands are upon him, shoving his body against the iron bars of his cell. He grunts in pain but does not resist, allowing you to press him further into the cold metal. And then—he smiles. As though your rage amuses him, as though he welcomes it.

His rough hands close over yours, steadying them, though he does not force you away. And then, with a swift motion, he pulls you into his cell. Before you can utter a word, his palm is over your lips, silencing you.

"I will explain everything," he murmurs, his voice low, commanding, "but not if you refuse to listen. Be a good girl and keep still for a moment." Your eyes flash in warning before you sink your teeth into his hand. Hard.

He curses, releasing you with a sharp intake of breath, shaking his hand as if to rid himself of the pain. The faint taste of blood lingers on your tongue.

"I shall remain silent for your explanation," you say coldly, "but do not lay a hand on me unless I grant you leave to do so."

Hanno huffs out a soft chuckle, flexing his fingers as though to ease the sting. He is still smiling—perhaps at your audacity, or perhaps at the sting of your defiance. Then, his expression darkens.

"Lucilla is not my lover," he says at last. "She claims to be my mother, though the fact that she brought me into this world does not necessarily make her one." His words strike you like a blow.

You take a step closer, your mind racing. "That would mean…" The realization unfurls within you, pieces of an old tale assembling into a truth long buried. The missing child. The son of Lucilla, lost to the world. "Lucius." Your voice is scarcely above a whisper. "Lucius Verus Aurelius."

Hanno—or rather, Lucius—gives a slow nod. "I had no wish to reveal it, but I could not allow you to believe there was something between us." There is something oddly hesitant in his gaze, something almost vulnerable.

"Were you afraid I would tell Acacius?" you ask, searching his face for an answer. "Though if he spared your life, it means he already knows."

Lucius exhales, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I care not if you tell Acacius or Geta what I have done or who I am. My only concern was that you might believe I meant to harm you." His voice wavers, and for the first time, you see the torment behind his eyes. "I wished the gods had taken me instead of you. Believe me, it was never my intention to wound you. I have suffered for it every day since, for I wounded the only person who made me feel alive since the death of my Arishat." His voice is thick with emotion, his eyes dangerously close to tears. You stare at him, your chest tightening, before your hand flies across his face in a sharp slap. His head turns with the force of it, his cheek reddening, but he does not flinch. He merely watches you, unreadable.

"Nothing you say will undo what you have done," you say, your voice trembling with anger. "The sheer folly of striking against an emperor! And worse—of keeping this from me."

You push him back against the stone wall of his cell, your gaze flickering over him—his bare chest, the rise and fall of his breath, the defiant set of his jaw. His lips.

Lucius tilts his head slightly, his breath warm against your skin. "Strike me again if it pleases you," he murmurs, his voice nearly brushing your lips. "If pain is what you wish to inflict upon me, then I shall welcome it." His words send something hot and wretched through you, something you refuse to name.

Your hands tighten at your sides, your anger warring with something far more dangerous. "How could you do this to me?" The words spill from you in a whisper, your strength faltering as tears well in your eyes. "Do I mean so little to you?" For the briefest moment, you let yourself break.

"No—do not doubt what I feel for you simply because I was reckless," Hanno says, his voice strained yet firm. "I sought vengeance for Arishat’s death. I thought that if my target were Acacius, it would create a rift between us. If only I had realized sooner that it was vengeance itself I should have abandoned, not merely my aim."

He steps closer, his fingers brushing against your cheek as he wipes away your tears. Your voice trembles with emotion as you ask, "You abandoned your attack on Acacius… for me?"

His jaw tightens. "And it nearly cost me your life. I shall never be so foolish again." His hand rises to your chin, tilting your face up toward his.

His lips hover just above yours, his breath warm against your skin, his gaze locked onto yours with an intensity that sends a shiver down your spine.

"I have not forgiven you yet," you murmur against his mouth, your words barely above a whisper, "but listen well—tend to your wounds with Ravi, and next time, think before you act. Strength without strategy is a wasted effort." Your lips are so close that it is almost a kiss, a ghost of what could be.

The hunger in his eyes is unmistakable, mirroring the heat pooling in your chest. Your body aches to close the distance, to surrender to the pull between you. But you cannot. Not yet. Without another word, you step away, turning swiftly on your heel. You do not dare look back as you slip from his cell, leaving him behind.

[lovelylittlegrim]

Paint it Black

Steddie (Steve Harrington x Eddie Munson)

pre-relationship - 1.4K words - no warnings

———————————————————————

“I like when you paint your nails.”

Eddie startles at the sudden sound of Steve’s voice, even with how softly he spoke. It’s been quiet for a while between them, a movie playing in the background that they’ve both seen before, the voices just muffled ambiance.

He looks up to find Steve staring at him. “What?”

“Your nails.” Steve holds up his own hand, wiggling his fingers like maybe Eddie will understand better if he sees what Steve’s talking about. “I like when you paint them.”

Eddie looks down at where he’s been steadfastly applying black nail polish to his right hand, it’s harder than doing his left but he’s had a lot of practice and he’s damn near perfect at it these days. The layer is even, glossy, not a smudge to be seen.

“Uh, thanks,” he says slowly, unsure what else there is to say. He peeks back at Steve through his bangs.

Steve hums and drops his hand back to the couch, he continues to watch Eddie even though Eddie’s finished.

“Do you want me to paint yours?” Eddie doesn’t know why he’s asking. He’s never seen Steve with painted nails before and… he can’t imagine it when he thinks about it. Steve in his crisp blue jeans and his clean polos, black on his nails. It would look so out of place. Like some dirty part of Eddie rubbed off on him. Tainted him.

“Yeah,” Steve says.

Eddie blinks. “What?”

“You can paint them, it’s not like anyone else will see.” Steve slides off the couch, joining Eddie on the floor at the coffee table. He drops his hands on the stained wood and splays his fingers. “I’ll take it off before my shift Thursday.”

“You’re serious?”

“Why not?” Steve gives a single shoulder shrug, a smile pulling at one corner of his mouth. “It’s not the first time my nails have been painted.”

That makes Eddie pause. “It’s not?”

“Robin paints my toes whenever she sleeps over. They’re probably still purple actually, I haven’t bothered to take it off, not like anyone sees my feet.”

“Oh,” Eddie huffs at the mental image of Steve with his face coated in a face mask and lotion, his bangs pulled up in a little rubber band and Robin painting his toenails every color of the rainbow.

Actually, it’s kind of cute. He wants to see Steve like that.

“So,” Steve drums his fingers on the table. “You gonna paint them?”

“Yeah,” Eddie pulls lightly on one of Steve's hands, drawing it closer to himself. “Don’t move.”

Steve doesn’t. He sits quiet and still, watching Eddie work without complaint. When Eddie’s done he leans back to inspect all of the nails, wiping at an edge here and there to clean it up, uncaring that he’s staining his own thumbs. When he’s satisfied he leans back in and lightly blows at the paint.

Somewhere above him, Steve’s throat clicks, and Eddie glances up at him through his lashes curiously.

“You’re much better at it than Robin,” Steve says after a beat. “She gets it all over my skin, doesn’t even try to clean it up.”

Eddie laughs, air puffing right out of his lungs. “I’ve met Robin so I’m really not surprised.”

He picks up one of Steve’s hands, turns it left and right to make sure he sees the paint from every angle, and makes sure there are no rough patches or opaque spots he needs to go over. He doesn’t know why he cares so much about it looking good, Steve’s just going to take it off in less than twenty four hours.

He drags his thrums lightly over one of Steve’s knuckles and then lets go, his fingers curling in on themself. “All done.”

Steve holds his hands up, fingers spread to see Eddie’s work. “It looks great.”

And it does.

Eddie grins as he twists the polish closed tightly and stuffs it back into his bag. He watches with something close to fond amusement as Steve very carefully settles back against the couch, hands on his knees so he doesn’t touch anything until the paint is well and truly dry. Eddie settles next to him, his own hands already dry enough to not cause a problem but he mirrors Steve and they watch the rest of the movie, making snide little comments about the acting and the plot.

He doesn’t let himself think about the feeling of Steve’s warm hand in his or the feeling of Steve’s eyes watching him so intently.

It’s not good for his health.

—

It’s two days later before he finally sees Steve again, the movies in Eddie hand already grievously late. Robin will chew him out but he knows Steve will waive the late fees with a stern waggle of his finger like a disapproving parent and tell him to do better next time. He’s so dorky, Eddie doesn’t know how the guy was ever cool in highschool except… Well, he does, because even now Steve is annoyingly good looking, better looking in Eddie’s opinion. More rugged even though he’s still so put together, confident in different ways and funny.

The bell jangles loudly when Eddie enters family video.

Robin looks up, eyes narrowing instantly. “You're late, Munson.”

Eddie winces. “Please accept my most humble apology, I was otherwise inconvenienced on the eve of these returns.”

“You mean you forgot until Wayne told you this morning.”

“Yeah.”

She snorts and holds her hands out for the videos. When Eddie gives them to her she says, “I better not have to rewind them.”

Eddie thanks Wayne over and over in his head for having the forethought to do that before forcing Eddie into Robin's clutches. “They are.”

“They better be.”

Eddie takes his time browsing the stacks of tapes. He knows what’s here, he spends most of his time bothering Steve and Robin but Steve’s on break in the back and he wants the chance of seeing him before he leaves.

It’s another ten minutes of staring at Night of the Comet before the door to the back opens and Steve strolls out. He spots Eddie instantly and Eddie grabs the movie he’d been stalking with and heads for the counter.

“Hey,” Steve grins. “You finally returned your movies.”

He holds his hand out for the new tapes and Eddie goes still. His eyes wide as he takes in Steve’s hand.

“Your nails,” Eddie says, ignoring all semblance of a greeting. “They’re still painted.”

Steve glances down at his hands, laughs a little quiet and awkward. “Yeah, does it look weird on me?”

“No.” Eddie thought that it would. That Steve, perfectly put together Steve Harrrington, would look tarnished and sullied by Eddie with the black paint. That he would look tainted by all that Eddie is but… “I like it.”

“Oh,” Steve grins, drags Eddie movie choices closer to ring them up. “Me too, it’s kinda like having you around even when you’re not here.”

Eddie swallows hard. “Yeah.”

It’s just a little splash of black paint, but it makes Eddie want impossible things just to see it still there. He wants more of himself on Steve. His clothes, his rings, himself. He wants to cover Steve in the things that he loves, show everyone that this pretty and perfect boy is something that Eddie Munson treasures.

“Will you paint them again?” Steve asks without looking at him.

“I’ll paint them anytime you want,” Eddie says honestly. He hands over a few crumpled bills to pay as he remembers how easy the moment between them had been. How quiet and perfect. He would probably do anything for Steve Harrington and he’s not even embarrassed to admit that.

Steve’s smile is soft.

“Thanks,” he says and then holds the tapes out to Eddie. He glances over his shoulder at Robin who is doing her best to pretend she’s not watching them. Steve huffs and turns back to Eddie, lowers his voice and leans a little across the counter. “How about tonight?”

Eddie glances back down at Steve’s still perfect nails then up to Steve’s face, his dark eyes watching Eddie just as intently as they had two days ago. His nails don’t need to be touched up yet. “Yeah, I’m free.”

“Great,” Steve says, hand brushing Eddie’s as he hands over a receipt. “I'll see you later?”

“Yeah, yes, I’ll be there,” Eddie stumbles over the words.

When Eddie leaves his head is a mess of want and confusion and hope. So much hope.

[wrestlingwithlife]

(COD Monster AU)

Wow this took me way longer to do than it should have.

Monster!Task Force 141xKaiju!Reader

————————————————————————

Price’s tail flicked idly, his eyes narrowing as he sat across from Laswell. She slid a folder onto the table in front of him, its edges slightly worn.

“What’s wrong with this one?” He grunted, reaching for it, his claws grazing the paper as he flipped it open.

Laswell exhaled sharply, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “There’s nothing wrong with him, John. It’s just... getting more dangerous out there. With you sidelined from most of these missions, I figured you could use a heavy hitter.”

“Half of this is redacted,” Price muttered, flipping to a new page, his sharp eyes scanning the censored text.

Laswell leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed. “He’s a special case,” she said slowly, choosing her words carefully.

Price glanced up, his gaze fixed on a striking photograph of the new recruit. A man — or what seemed to be a man, though something about him felt different. A pair of piercing e/c eyes stared back at him from the image, their intensity almost unnerving.

“Shit…” Price muttered under his breath, feeling as if those eyes were staring straight through him, into something deeper.

Laswell’s voice cut through his thoughts. “You don’t come across beings like him often. The higher-ups like to keep him under lock and key, for... reasons.”

Price shut the folder with a snap, feeling a cold unease settle in his gut. “What is he?” His voice dropped low, his tone skeptical.

Laswell met his gaze evenly.

“Kaiju.”

---

The courtyard was silent for a moment, the distant sound of approaching vehicles stirring the air.

Soon, the unmistakable hum of an armored truck filled the space as it rumbled into the compound, kicking up a small cloud of dust behind it.

Two heavily armed guards emerged, their tactical gear glinting in the midday sun.

"Bloody hell," Ghost muttered under his breath, watching the truck's slow arrival. “What kind of super weapon has Laswell assigned us?”

The back of the truck was lowered with a mechanical hiss, and one of the guards moved inside while the other approached Price, holding out a fresh set of documents. The guard’s expression was tight, his posture rigid.

“Apologies for the previous file, sir. The higher-ups have certain protocols they insist on following,” the guard said, as he handed Price the new set of papers.

Gaz raised an eyebrow, wings flicking as he eyed the truck with suspicion. “Is all this really necessary?”

The first guard nodded gravely. “Transportation protocol for him, issued by his last captain. It's... standard procedure.” He paused, as if trying to choose his words carefully. “For him, it’s just safer this way.”

As the conversation waned, the truck's back doors creaked open. The guard’s partner emerged, his hands tightly gripping a thick chain that led to something inside the vehicle.

He also held a cattle prod, the prongs gleaming menacingly in the sunlight. The chain rattled with a cold, ominous sound, drawing all attention to the truck.

Then, with a slight groan of metal, a massive figure ducked out of the truck and into the light. The Task Force froze, their eyes widening at the sight of the newcomer.

The first thing that struck them was the size of the figure. A man, or something resembling one, but far larger. His skin was s/c, almost ashen, with wild, untamed h/c hair falling in waves around his broad shoulders. He was bound, a thick chain wrapped around his neck, connected to a steel collar that gleamed under the sunlight. His arms were shackled, cuffs linking his wrists in front of him.

And the final touch — a muzzle, covering his lower face, making it impossible to see his expression fully.

Y/n stood there, motionless for a moment, eyes adjusting to the light, his thick, black tail kicking up dust as it scraped across the dry ground. His presence was overwhelming, his sheer size dwarfing the guards and the rest of the Task Force. For a heartbeat, no one moved.

"Hot damn..." Soap muttered under his breath, not bothering to hide his surprise. The werewolf can’t help but feel his instincts rage at the amount of restraint the kaiju was under, fighting the urge to tear it off of him.

The second guard spoke, his voice betraying a mixture of discomfort and apology. “It’s all really unnecessary,” he admitted, passing the chain and the keys to Price. “But his last Captain... he was terrified of what he could do if he wasn’t controlled.”

Price’s gaze locked onto the hulking figure in front of him. He could feel the dragon within him stir, a primal instinct to claim this broken soldier. The eyes of the creature before him — the glowing e/c orbs — seemed to burn into him, even from across the distance. He felt a cold shiver down his spine, though he refused to acknowledge the sensation.

“No one likes being *locked away* like this.”

The first guard seemed to agree, shrugging slightly. “Protocol’s protocol. Can’t be helped. But he won’t be easy to control.” He turned his gaze to Y/n, who stood, unblinking, before them all.

“Seems like we’ll find out soon enough,” Price said, his voice hardening. He stepped forward, taking the keys from the guard’s hand, his eyes never leaving Y/n.

Y/n remained silent, the chain clinking softly as it swayed with his movements. The moment hung in the air — a heavy silence, thick with the weight of uncertainty and danger. Then, as if on cue, the guards stepped back, leaving Price and the Task Force to deal with the Kaiju.

Price was the first to break the silence. “Alright, then,” he said, his voice a low growl. “Let's see if you’re worth all this trouble.”

—————————————————————————

Im so sorry that this was a bit rushed and is not that great, I wanted to get the intro for this series done so I could open things up a bit for more suggestions.

I’ll let you guys have the reins a bit more for this series, but I imagine it will be a collection of one offs that have minimal timeline to it, unless that’s something you guys suggest!

~ Mwa Mwa

[alelathedragon]

THERES MY BABYYYYY LOYBOOO AAAAAAA CUTIEEEEEE U DREW HIM SOOO CUTE... LUCIAN CHECKING ON HIM 💦💦💦 MY HEART

" huh?? "

The little creature was startled by the sudden question by the tall male with duel pistols as if they were zoned out in their own little world... Shifting nervously

" oh... I'm okay... Thank you,,, I am a bit worried!! This is my first time being in a big group that isn't the Boos!!! I don't know a lot about customs or or... Uh- how people talk out here away from the woods- its so big and intimidating "

" I'm just.... Going to mostly hang in the back... Draw on my tablet..... I hope that's okay... "

[some yummy context for Loyboo in RTV's universe below]

Loyboo lived out in the darkest point of the woods since she materialized into existence like all the other boos do- following King Boo from day 1 but that doesn't mean her interests don't expand!!! Shes sweet, nervous, a drawer, though she has a bit of a dark side- will torture and kill for the thrill of it. Loves pranks and dark humor. Her upbringing in King Boos house led her existence to feed off more negative emotions so if shes hungry- someones going to suffer for it.

Shes a mixed media. Not always evil but not necessarily good either.... Though living out in the middle of nowhere he didn't find out about RTV like everyone else did via the mass brain washing (they didn't have a tv out there lol!)

Loyboo went out of the forest for a good ol' prank on some random stranger! When his interest was suddenly drawn to one of the televisions violently integrated into one of the structures near by- as there was a cartoon playing! Loyboo loved cartoons when he came into town and had a chance to watch them!! So he sat down and watched.

Eventually the puzzlevision logo appeared and RTV right after promoting something as usual- the natural brainwashing tried to manipulate Loyboos brain.... But living with King Boo and all his tricks made her heavily resistant to it and she didn't get brainwashed. In fact. She could recognize what was happening and pulled herself away from the television to not lose her brain privileges.

While wondering around. That's how she figured out that the world was under RTV's finger tips... All the televisions, odd behavior, the sound of static.

.....

COOOOOOOOOL >:D this is awesome

Loyboos eyes got stars in them as he wondered around and began to follow RTVs advances in the world by his own merit. Always pulling himself away before being brainwashed because he didn't want to become a zombie! He wanted to continue to enjoy himself and the content RTV was handing out as himself. And maybe eventually meet the famous fellow. Ask for pointers.... Loyboo fancies themself a good artist but no one will buy their work.... Maybe she could get pointers from someone who has an understanding of artistic vision and is also so powerful!

Worth a shot.......

Right?

1st Group!

The first people have arrived at Puzzlevision Studios for the tour!

@alex-dolmatescu2-0 @alelathedragon @liliththequeenofdemon @runrabitrunrunrun @lunatic-artz @mrtophat518 @mylifeisfakeenjoy @theghostinthestudio @just-j3ster

[py-dreamer]

...hi again?

"WHAT IS THIS?!"

"WHERE'S THE MONKIE GANG? OR SHADOWPEACH?"

"HAS PY DROPPED OUT OF THE LMK FANDOM?!?!"

To answer that question: no. No I haven't

Short and concise answer is I do personally feel a little burnt out on lmk but while that doesn't mean I've abandoned it. Not in the slightest

Anyways, very busy time for me rn so updates and any art in particular will be VERY sparse in the coming months I'm afraid.

That being said, gotten back into an oldie of mine I'd never thought I'd revisit: Object Shows!

More specifically: Inanimate insanity

Look I was into this when I was like a preteen and grew out of it then all of a sudden II s2 ep18 dropped. Like hell, I didn't even know that invitational existed (and lowkey still haven't seen it- BUT I KNOW THE LORE, BOT IS MY WEE BABY OK I KNOW THE LORE)

And drawing these gijinkas kinda gave me more flexibility and let me design people again even though I'll admit quite a few ideas are very common in gijinka's used in the fandom

So um I'll see how this goes, I already have the sketches for the other season's cast and will probably post them regardless though.

Let's start with S1's king, the fruitiest lad on the aisle: OJ!

(Btw I think it's HOP rather than HOJP)

I know he's meant to be like a glass of OJ, so theoretically his hair should be more slick/smooth but I decided to go for the flowy juice angle! Something to make his hair look more like flowing liquid.

Orange slice earings! In fact, orange slice accessories everywhere! (it's so marketable srsly don't know why it ain't used more often)

The orange watch was a fun concept ^u^ specially since after getting the hotel, I'd imagine him being a lot more uptight with sh!t and use clocks/watches to keep track of things

TBH, he'd probably also have a pair of rectangular long glass dangly earings to swap out for like the formal events.

Yay! For slacks! Thought they'd look really cute on him and other than Suitcase, wanted to give him something unique rather than just a suit/suitjacket (eg the hosts, Taco)

But oh, look at that he comes with two outfits! Just like a doll...

Bet paper would bu-

(no but srsly I lowkey bet that fan has like mini action figures of the S1 cast in his room or something, maybe even S2 & 3 too.

Also this man might be snazzy but he has the ugliest ties. We're talking about the same person who designed his hotels to have hallways with windows but not bedrooms.

Paper! Such a cutie pie!

Looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you, what's not to love?

Don't have much to say about him sadly

Though his eyebrows gave me a LOT of issues. I like his stripes though! Seemed like the guy to have freckles like when peeps give him pencil sketch lines in this object form, what do ya'll think about the warm brown eyes though? Wanted to make him seem welcoming but idk.

(Bonus: paperclip earing!)

Gosh, I'm too tired for this rn, I'll elaborate on the designs another time

OH!

And happy new year!

And happy Chinese new year!

[gabbiecasso]

Sharing my recent journal entry about Neve Gallus and myself, so let me yap

One of the biggest reasons Neve means so much to me is because I see myself in her. I’ve always been logical and analytical, always trying to figure things out—why something works, why it doesn’t. That curiosity naturally led me to problem-solving, but it also made me intellectualize my emotions instead of just feeling them, even though I know I’m a deeply emotional person.

Neve’s struggle is not that she lacks emotions—it’s that she feels too much. She’s the kind of person who catches the smallest inconsistencies, pieces together the truth with precision, and always seems to know what’s really going on. Her logic is sharp, her deduction skills nearly unmatched. And yet, when it comes to her own emotions, she shuts them down. Not because she doesn’t understand them, but because she does. She knows that if she lets them take over, they might unravel everything she’s built—her discipline, her duty, her control. And god, do I feel the same way.

The way I see it, our logic isn’t just a tool—it’s a shield. We both intellectualize our emotions, treating them like puzzles to be solved rather than experiences to be felt. But emotions aren’t rational, and the more we try to categorize them, the more they slip through our grasp. So instead, we repress them.

But repression isn’t the same as control. Neve’s emotions don’t disappear—they linger beneath the surface, showing up in subtle ways. In the way she hesitates before making a choice that should be easy. In the way she avoids thinking about what comes next. In the way she convinces herself that as long as she keeps moving forward, she’ll be fine.

Her emotional logic is a paradox—she tries to rationalize feelings that, by nature, resist logic. And deep down, she knows she can’t keep running from them forever.

When my emotions rise and start clouding my judgment, I panic—not because I don’t understand them, but because I know myself. I know how deeply I can feel, but I don’t always know how far those feelings will take me. I think Neve is the same way. She’s confident in herself, but she doesn’t know her breaking point.

And maybe that’s why falling in love can feel so terrifying for someone deeply logical and analytical. You can study it, observe it, notice the smallest details, and even rationalize why a person makes you feel the way they do—but love isn’t something you can fully understand. It has to be felt. And for someone like Neve, who’s spent so long relying on logic, that’s exactly what makes it so daunting. She knows she has feelings for Rook, but acknowledging them isn’t the same as allowing herself to feel them. So she represses them, over and over again.

Man, human behavior and emotions have always been my favorite topics, so stumbling upon Neve’s character was such a treat. But honestly? Watching her struggle was like watching myself, LOL. Not to mention, we both share the same deep-seated need to be of service to others. The need to fulfill a duty, god. As someone who thrives on acts of service, I get it. When you want to be there for people, you start taking on everything yourself without even realizing it. Sometimes it’s so second nature that I don’t even notice I’ve gone out of my way to do something I swore I wouldn’t—like taking a route I hate just to make sure a friend gets home safe—until someone else points it out.

Learning to balance logic with emotion—understanding my feelings while also allowing myself to truly feel them—and balancing the need to be of service to others and to myself, it has been a lifelong journey.

It's exactly the reason why I draw.

I’ll remember Neve for a very long time. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a fictional character who mirrors me this well.

I don't follow zodiac signs religiously but me being a Capricorn (Sun) and Virgo (moon) is too much of a coincidence that explains my overly logical + overworked ass LOL

[etclouie]

day four — misunderstood moves

ᯓ ꨄ︎ — summary; trying to ask your best friend out on a date, but he thinks you’re trying to ask someone else (Lip Gallagher x fem!reader)

ᯓ ꨄ︎ — warnings; mutual pinning, they’re both kinda oblivious, they kiss at the end, possible ooc lip, that’s it tho i think?? 

ᯓ ꨄ︎ — word count; 1,096

ᯓ ꨄ︎ — a/n; special thank you to @carmenberzattosgf for being the motivation to write for lip and carmy, thank you olive🫶🫶

prev day | next day louie’s 14 days of love | main masterlist

you and Lip have been friends for as long as you can remember, doing everything together and being classes as joined at the hip due to your closeness.

this of course, led to speculation and rumours that you were dating.

you’d never understood it before, neither of you did, but now— now you harboured feelings for Lip that you hadn’t told anyone about.

tonight though, you planned to tell him.

you’d invited him over, on the premise of having to tell him something. this of course had piqued his interest, though everything about you intrigued him, because he felt the same exact way about you. 

tilting your head, you lay it on his shoulder. ignoring the plume of smoke as he exhaled and pulled the cigarette from his lips, offering it over to you before you shook your head. 

“hey Lip?”

you murmured softly, looking up at him with softened eyes. catching the way his lips curled up slightly before he hummed, looking away again as he took another drag of his cigarette. 

“if you liked someone, how would you.. you know, ask them out?”

the words came out quieter than expected, nervousness riddled through them. 

he choked on the drag he had taken, something he’d never done in all the time you’ve known him and he’d started smoking. 

Lip coughed, his face scrunching in surprise at the unexpected question. he quickly cleared his throat, trying to play it cool as he exhaled a cloud of smoke but his eyes flicked over to you with that familiar mix of curiosity and hesitation.

“dunno, i uh—you asking for a friend?”

he teased, though his surprise remained. his lips had curved into a half smirk, but his eyes avoided yours. 

with the way he failed to meet your eyes, his demeanour avoidant— it had you shifting anxiously next to him. 

“well.. yeah—i just, guess i’ve never known how to”

you mumbled, chewing anxiously on your bottom lip. after a beat, Lips eyes focused on you again, as if he was giving your words more weight than he usually would. 

“wouldn’t overthink it, you just.. ask”

he shrugged, lifting the cigarette to his lips again and taking another drag from it. you watched him as he did it, sighing slightly as your mind raced. 

it felt silly, being so worked up and worried over something you shouldn’t be, but Lips your best friend. 

and best friends don’t have crushes on each other.. right?

“who were you uh, trying to ask?”

he spoke up, glancing towards you and tilting his head ever so slightly. giving him a half smile before you sighed, mouth opening and closing as words failed to form proper sentences. 

each word died on the tip of your tongue, which made you sigh again. 

“just this guy”

you had managed to get out after a minute, glancing away as he quirked an eyebrow. something akin to a chuckle leaving him as he took the last draw of his cigarette, flicking it aside as he exhaled. 

“this guy?”

he questioned, and you could practically hear the smirk on his face. rolling your eyes before slapping at his shoulder, earning another chuckle from him. 

despite his chuckles and the smiles he was giving, he was fighting an inner turmoil and worry. 

he wanted that guy to be him, but you wouldn’t. you were best friends after all. 

“there’s this girl too”

that piqued your interest, though it also broke your heart a little. 

there was some girl that your best friend liked, while you liked him. if there was any chance with him, it was currently going out the window. 

“what girl?”

you asked quietly, almost embarrassed by your eagerness to know. he gave a chuckle as he shook his head, dropping his gaze to where you were basically curled into his side. 

both of you often sat like this, or even closer, but tonight it all felt different. 

“she’s cute”

he shrugged, but it didn’t answer your question. it only made your worries of losing him to another girl worse. 

in his head, he thought it was obvious he was talking about you. he thought you were the only girl in the world really, and he done his best to show it. 

now though, Lip had taken notice to the way you failed to meet his eyes and the deep sighs you let out. 

“what’s up?”

you met his eyes again at his question, giving another half smile before sighing again. 

“you like another girl”

he froze at your mumbled words, though his lips quickly curled into a smirk. he nudged your shoulder before wrapping his arm around you to pull you closer. 

your eyebrows knitted together as he stifled a laugh, trying to pull yourself from his arms to ask what was funny when he replied. 

“i don’t like another girl, i like you”

it was your turn to freeze now. 

he liked you? Lip Gallagher liked you?

god that felt like a dream, and you couldn’t help your lips curling into a smile at the fact that actually liked you back. 

“you like me?”

he chuckled again but nodded, letting you turn to face him as his arm fell away from around you. 

“yeah dummy”

you nudged at his shoulder at the name, but leaned into him again nonetheless. 

resting your head on his shoulder as you whispered to him. 

“i like you too”

you couldn’t see the look on his face but you knew it was something akin to smug, his lips still curled into a smirk. 

“thought it was obvious that i liked you”

he told while resting his head against yours, listening to you scoff slightly before shaking your head. 

meeting his eyes again, whispering out to him before his eyes fell to your lips. 

“clear as dirt”

he gave a half offended ‘hey’ while you laughed, Lip laughing too after a moment. 

generally, whenever the two of you were this close Lip always admired you, but now that he knew you liked him it made his admiration go further. 

“can i kiss you?”

he asked without thinking, and you nodded just as mindlessly. 

his lips pressed to your softer than either of you expected, quickly melting into his kiss while his hands cradled your face. 

after a minute you pulled apart, though keeping your faces inches apart as you whispered out to him. 

“kiss me forever please”

Lip stole another kiss, just as soft as his precious kiss. pulling back again he whispered against your lips. 

“whenever you want them”

reblogs are highly appreciated !

[thehollowwriter]

RAAAH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AHSJDJD. I did actually make a post a while back discussing how mysgony and favouritism towards men is especially blatant when it comes to parents. Mr and Mrs Rosehearts, Amity's parents (thank you for that btw I'm tired of Mr Blight being so babied), and even Vi and Silco from Arcane (Vi is not a mom and she and Silco aren't together obviously, but Vi is parentified and demonised as an abusive monster while Silco is regarded as the "best father in animated history")

Mrs Rosehearts is terrible of course, but it's very telling when fans take it and run and suddenly not only is she controlling, now she's homophobic and transphobic and racist even though there is 0 indication of that. Even I fell into this trap in the past, and looking back on it it's nothing but mysgony.

If Mr and Mrs Rosehearts were to trade places, it's very likely that, even though the fandom would still hate him, he would be given mountains of backstory and characterisation that would make him more sympathetic and human. In reality he, like you said, is either ignored or automatically assumed to be a victim too even though his silence and lack of action is also abuse (And, at least in my experience, that makes him almost worse than Mrs Rosehearts)

We barely know anything about Azul's bio dad, and though some people imagine him to be abusive, there's a lot of grace given to his character. If we were to make him Azul's bio mom instead, well, there would be a lot of character bashing and hatred and probably "I think Azul's bio mom is the reason he hates himself actually!" type of shit

Like op says, that it's fairly common to find some creators writing/drawing/etc mainly Mrs Rosehearts getting what she "deserves" by depicting her being hit by car, attacked, mutilated, murdered, having her life ruined, etc. This isn't necessarily bad on it's own, but it's the intense pleasure people get from it feels less like "justice" and more of a reminder of how much people subconsciously love watching female characters suffer even if it's for the most minor of things. It's uncomfortable. It's scary.

I know for a fact if she was a man it would just be "Oh silly Mister Rosehearts you need to go to therapy so you can stop traumatising your son lol" maybe "You need to be bonked on the head/beat up a bit and sent to therapy" at worst. (I'm an avid Rollo defender but even though people are fairly terrible to him, he still gets the "poor guy needs therapy" treatment and is not treated with anywhere near as much vitriol as Mrs Rosehearts)

Lilia, as much as I love him, isn't the best most perfect father in the whole wide world. He loves children deeply of course but he is also unintentionally neglectful and sometimes blind to their struggles (*gestures to book 7*) This is however simply brushed over and ignored (in fact it's treated more like "just silly fae family things") and it's a shame because it really does feel like something that's important to acknowledge.

There's also the problem of side characters who appear in events or in important story moments. Skully? Neige? Baul? Knight of Dawn? Tons of fanart, fanfic, theories, analysis, etc. So much appreciation for their designs, how they're written/their story overall, and so on, even if their appearances are brief. (*cough there's also the fact that Baul's wife gets tossed aside to ship him with Lilia and I've read too many fics where he's just cheating on her and it's just "Eh I didn't love her that much anyway" like come on :/)

But then we get to Najma (though she's a poc girl so she's ignored most of the time)... and Meleanor... and Dilla... hell, even Epel's grandmother, and it's "mommy" and art of them in skimpy clothes that barely hide anything (and in Najma's case from some art I've seen... incredibly racist "hot bellydancer" art) and "Milf! Milf! Milf!" "Ohhh her booobs..." which sure the other side characters got too... but the difference is that isn't *all* they got. People literally fell in love with a MOB STUDENT (Scarabia Student B iirc) and gave him all kinds of lore and characterisation, but these ladies barely get anything.

Yes there is some analysis mainly with Meleanor (but c'mon she's the most popular male twst characters' mom so :/) but there still isn't... much. Nobody cares unless it's turned into something hot and alluring. Nobody has much to say apart from lustful comments about their bodies.

Anyways yeah that's my rant for the day ansnsnsnddndnfn

It really is quite noticeable that when the male characters in TWST (even the one-off ones) do somethings fucked up that there's at least 10 people writing essays on how their pookie is So Much More Complex than that vs a woman being even mentioned negatively by a male character and therefore we get treated to people drawing her "getting what she deserves" and calling her a bitch.

[distinctlywhumpthing]

In League – Mend (Bath pt 2)

Masterlist

Immediately following this, time for a little wound care first-aid. Late-19th century, indentured servitude, power imbalance, past-noncon implied, carewhumper/sympathetic whumper dynamics. Beta read by @alittlewhump!

Wyatt lends August as much time as he can. The younger boy’s arms locked around his neck, forehead resting at the base of his throat. His back aches from holding them both above the steaming water earlier, sweat prickling along his spine. The fabric of his shirt adheres to his skin under August’s damp skin, wet hair tickling his jaw, too hot-breath trapped just beneath Wyatt’s collarbone. He lets himself stifle until he can scarcely breathe. 

“I’ll need you to release me if you want something dry for when you get out,” he finally grates. 

“Oh—” August straightens immediately, dropping his hands and startling when they hit water. “I’m sorry. Of course, sir. I forget myself, I’m sorry, sir.” 

“None of that.” He clears his throat. Forces air into his lungs against the feeling of confinement to better soften his voice. “You’ve done well, lad.”

August looks away, uncertain in the face of an admonishment and a compliment. He slowly draws his knees up to his chin, wrapping his arms around himself with a shiver. 

The afternoon has worn thin by now, the fire mere embers in the hearth. Without a pause to turn on a lamp or light a candle, the room fell into an early twilight. Meanwhile, the light from the window tells of a brilliant sunset starting beyond but the angle is all wrong to benefit from any of the glow. 

Wyatt bundles August in the bath linens Midge set out and ushers him to sit on the bed while he adds coal to the fire. He lights the lamp on the bedside table, favouring a warm flame over the electric. August tries to hide his flinch when Wyatt strikes the match, flicking his eyes away as though he hadn’t been watching closely the whole time. He’s desperate for a smoke—and a drink for that matter—but decides better of it, not wanting to push August more than he already has to. 

“Shall we see to your hip?”

August shrinks against the wall. “Nnn-no, no, no more.” Tears spring to his eyes and he pulls all the linens trying to bundle himself tigther. “I can’t—I can’t take anymore. Sir, I beg mercy of you, please—”

Evidently, August’s nerves are just as spent as Wyatt’s patience. The faster they get this over with, the better. 

“Easy…” He takes his hands out of his pockets, holding them out in a gesture of goodwill.

It takes a moment but awareness finally breaks through August’s fear. “I-I’m sorry, sir. I shouldn’t—I won’t—” Not enough awareness evidently, since he’s apologising for shying away even though he feared pain. It’s been beaten into him that such a misstep will cost him even more dearly. He visibly flinches as he pushes himself back to the edge of the mattress, closer to Wyatt. “It’s—I’ll—Please, please, forgive me—”

When Wyatt continues to give him space to settle, he panics. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he repeats urgently. His hands untangle themselves from the linens, lifting as if to reach for Wyatt but he stops himself, folding his shaking fingers on his lap instead. “Please, sir. I’m sorry for being so much trouble. I’m thoughtless and difficult and I dishonor your generosity—”

“August, enough.” Wyatt finally interrupts, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “I understand you are afraid. I understand you do not yet fully trust me. You have equal rights to both and need not excuse yourself further. I promise you, I do not take either as an affront to my person. There is no need to continue debasing yourself with this litany of apologies.”

It may well have been a slap. August looks down, nodding once. He won’t meet Wyatt’s gaze as he stands to shuck off the linen sheets. His fingers hesitate at the waistband of the still-damp drawers and he curls them into fists when they begin to shake. He makes a sound in his throat, a half-whimper that’s probably a swallowed apology.

The boy looks wretched. Trapped wrestling with his own will, having just been stripped of his only defense or safety by Wyatt’s ill-timed directness. 

Wyatt takes a measured breath, releasing his clenched jaw to make his voice softer. “It’s all right, steady yourself. Just one thing at a time, lad.” He reaches past the younger boy to pull one of the linens off the bed but August recoils so much at the proximity he nearly falls into the gas lamp before Wyatt catches him around the waist. 

Instead of panicking even more at the contact, August buries his face in Wyatt’s chest, fists gripping his braces to pull himself closer. 

“It’s all right, you’re all right.” Wyatt’s never known someone so terrified of assault to be so equally desperate for physical comfort. He would have expected a strong aversion to the latter, a fact he need not dally on, especially now. He grits his teeth and indulges August a few more moments of shushing and rubbing his back until goose pimples begin to rise on the younger boy’s skin despite how much he clings to Wyatt’s warmth. “Come along. We’ll finish quickly and get you settled by the fire.”

“Yes, sir.” August whispers. He pulls back, red in the face and still averting his gaze as he releases his grip on Wyatt’s braces. He lets Wyatt reach past him for one of the linen sheets which he folds for August. He turns his back, even taking a few steps away to ease August’s fears, waiting until he clears his throat, apparently unable to find his voice to tell Wyatt he’s ready.

It’s a task in itself to remove the old bandage. Thankfully, Doc left a pair of shears as there’s no way in hell August could stand Wyatt using a knife. Nevertheless, he whimpers when the cold metal brushes his upper thigh and holds his breath until Wyatt’s through. 

The wound still looks as raw and painful as when it was cauterized but his leg around it is less red. 

“You’ll have to lie back,” he instructs as gently as he can. 

“I—of course. It’s—I—” August still won’t meet Wyatt’s gaze, an aversion that does him no favours as Wyatt watches his grow distant. The lad bites back at least a dozen more apologies as he tries to arrange himself, attempting to keep his shoulders and head propped with one arm behind himself, gripping the sheet between his legs with the other. But he doesn’t have the strength, besides the angle being all wrong. 

Wyatt forgets to stifle his sigh and August flinches. “On your side, lad.” 

August corrects his position as instructed, breath growing ragged as Wyatt prepares the supplies they’ll need. He should talk August through this, say anything to distract him, but he only finds himself growing angry. Angry at the cruelty that broke the trembling boy before him so that he awaits even basic care with fear. Angrier still at the man who caused all of that pain. 

August flinches when Wyatt dabs the wound to dry it, bending his knees as if to curl up before he catches himself. “Sorry—I’m sorry. I’ll do better, I swear it.” 

The pledge only makes Wyatt’s temper flare. Sworn rival and enemy aside, he’ll kill Keats the next time he lays eyes on him. 

When Wyatt touches him with the iodine-soaked cotton, August’s hand flies out to grip his wrist. His eyes widen and he releases his fingers from Wyatt’s wrist one by one, taking pains not to make another sudden movement.

“Sir, I—”

“I’m sorry,” Wyatt says, beating him to the punch. August blinks, hand still hanging in the air between them. “I should have given you notice. I know it hurts.” 

“No, I’m—” August finally meets his gaze and Wyatt wishes he hadn’t. Can August see he’s wrestling with ill-timed anger instead of comforting him? “It’s nothing.” 

He’s the one who should do better. “Here.” He holds out his free hand. August hesitates. “Take it, if it helps.” 

August does, gripping his hand tightly, probably as tight as he can, though it’s nothing close to strong. He works adamantly to keep himself quiet through the rest of the treatment. Wyatt can only imagine how badly it must hurt from the way he bites his lips together, tears escaping even as he pinches his eyes shut. 

“There, that’s it,” Wyatt says, discarding the cotton and putting the stopper back in the iodine.

August blinks quickly, dispelling more tears. Wyatt pulls him up slowly in case it’s from the fresh movement.

“It should hurt less the next time,” Wyatt says, if only to assuage his own concern. 

August looks down at his wound for the first time since they started. “It doesn’t—” He meets Wyatt’s eyes, a strangled sound escaping his lips. 

It’s all Wyatt can do to scramble for the wash basin and get it in the boy’s arms before he gets sick. 

“I’m sorry—” he starts gasping even as his stomach still tries, now in vain, to empty itself further. “I’m sorry, sir.” 

“Hush, lad. Hush.” He runs his fingers through the still-damp curls at the nape of his neck, waiting for him to find his breath again. 

August accepts a damp cloth to clean his face. Takes a sip of the water he’s offered. “I’ll clean it myself. Please, sir.” 

Wyatt tsks. “You’ll do no such thing. You’re staying in bed once your leg is redressed.” He tries to remove some of the impatience from his tone. “Midge will bring you some broth and then you can sleep or read, whatever you like, but you’re staying in bed.” 

“Yessir.” August turns away, hiding his face and the colour rising there. 

He deserves patience and kindness, especially since he’s already stuck with Wyatt for a nurse. As pathetic as it is, Wyatt knows he’d have more of both if he could have a cigarette. But they only have one task left and he August’s nerves are wrung out as it is. They’ll both just have to survive a few more minutes. 

“Think you can stand again?” He pulls August back to his feet. “You can hold my shoulder.” He kneels and August grips a fistful of his shirt instead, fingers finding their way inside his open collar. 

Just another minute. 

He undwinds the beginning of the clean bandage, carefully aligning it with the wound before letting it rest there. Unwinds some more length to wrap it behind—

August jumps out of reach, jerking Wyatt aside with him. He’s forced to crane his neck to avoid being choked. “August.” 

He releases him immediately. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.” His voice trembles. “I shouldn’t have—I didn’t mean—Sir, truly—” 

Wyatt holds up a hand. “It’s fine, I’m fine. Let’s try again.” When August doesn’t immediately step back in front of him, Wyatt pulls him into place, making August gasp. 

“Sir, I—”

“Please, August. Just one more minute.” 

He takes his silence as assent. 

Wyatt begins again, aligning the bandage over his wound before continuing to wrap it between—

He prevents him from stepping aside with a hand on his good hip. 

“August. Take a breath.” 

August only whimpers above him, free hand fluttering as though he can’t decide between gripping Wyatt’s shoulder or pushing him away. 

“I’m trying to be as quick as I can. Just hold still and—” Again, August can’t stand his hand passing between his legs. He tries to twist out of Wyatt’s hold but with nowhere else to go, pitches over Wyatt’s shoulder. 

Wyatt lunges to prevent him from hitting his head on the soaking tub. August cries out, fighting against hands on him even trying to break his fall. When they hit the ground, Wyatt’s beneath him, face pressed between August’s bare chest and the thick carpet. His skin starts to teem. 

August tries to move but his arms are pinned between them. “I’m sorry—”

Wyatt shoves him off, getting to his feet and dragging August up by the tops of his arms in one swift motion. The boy yelps in surprised pain but Wyatt’s certain he’s not holding him tight enough to leave any mark. 

“Sir, please—” He whispers, fear thinning his voice as Wyatt heaves him onto the bed and lets him drop to a heap there. 

“Fuck,” Wyatt huffs, raking his hair out of his eyes and straightening his shirt. “Now you’re bleeding.” 

August’s eyes flick down but not long enough to truly appreciate the red blooming on the bandage, holding it in place despite the fall. He doesn’t dare take his eyes off Wyatt, not now. 

“It’s either me and you—” He jabs a finger at himself and then August who flinches at the gesture, terror plain in his face. “—or it’s the rest of the house holding you down again.” 

August shakes his head quickly, eyes filling. “Please, sir. I beg your pardon. I—”

He groans and turns away. His outburst has landed them back at baseless groveling, right where they started. He tries to pull in a deep breath but can still feel August’s weight, meager as it was, pinning him. He has to get out of this room. Just recenter himself and they can try anew. 

August sees the departure in his eyes as soon as he turns and rushes to right things. “Sir, please. Forgive me—” 

“August—”

“It was stupid of me, thoughtless and stupid.” Wyatt takes a step back but it only serves to carry August further from logic. “I swear I’ll do better. Please, sir. I don’t deserve it but please give me another chance.” 

“Enough—”

“Please,” August cries, voice breaking. He abandons the sheet and rises to his knees, holding out his arms to reveal their scarred undersides. “Punish me then, make me do it right. Sir, please—” 

Wyatt shakes his head and lets the overwhelming tide of defeat carry him from the room. 

Next...

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[lilliezzzzz-fics]

Painter

Yuki x Male!Artist!Reader

author's note: is this self-indulgent? mayhaps... but self-indulgence is nice sometimes :3

warnings: potentially ooc I'm sort of unsure of how to write for him still

word count: ~200

you'd probably been dating a while before he noticed you drawing

he just found you doodling on the couch, pens scattered around you and your head buried in your sketchbook with a grimace mimicing the one you're drawing

he finds it endearing how you're so immersed in your craft, though he'd probably scare you, just because it's funny!

after he found you that one time though, it'd become a habit of him finding you painting somewhere, then just watching you, perhaps admiring his very focused boyfriend

oh if he finds you drawing him he'd be so flustered but also so teasing about it

he totally finds you drawing attractive, something about your intensive care to the work you're doing, it's so hot

and he'd be very vocal about it too

random compliments when you're painting, throwing you off and making you lose your focus

either way, he just loves you and your craft so much

he will brag about you to his friends, show off pieces you're proud of etc

like, "yeah my boyfriend drew this, he's so amazing right?"

just loves you so much

hangs up every single one of your paintings, no matter if you dislike them, because they're yours

so incredibly supportive no matter what

brings you meals, hand-cooked, whenever you're too busy and focused to get something yourself

also brings you your favourite snacks from time to time

even if he isnt an art connoisseur he tries his best to give fitting compliments to your art

something like, "you made the sky very blue and nice"

he tries his best, he does

©lilliezzzzz-fics: please don’t copy or distribute my work on any platform

credits: @/cafekitsune for the dividers <3

author's note (again): i don't reeeeeally like this one but I can't like everything I make >_> hope u like it, even if it's sloppily made lol