#too many people.....alas another time
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Itâs his birthday!
#kenzo tenma#naoki urasawa's monster#my art#originally I was gonna try to draw something with more of the cast because bday + netflix announcement#but ough thats hard lol#too many people.....alas another time#so just him with flowers. what he deserves :)
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hhhh talking about my writing was fun but 30 tags is not enough.. yes i have 3 major influences but i have minor ones too.. it is a lovechild of my favorite things.. writing is so fun and i have no self control or a concept of pacing myself i will sit there for 16 hours and get hit with every status effect but by god does it all just flow out of me. I've always been a music person yes but i also used to write a lot into early adulthood until The Incidentâą
but i am ready 2 jump back into it. i think comics are a great middle ground between the two mediums so i don't get As into writing bc i kind of started going crazy last time đ«Ą i can take a more structured approach to it that forces me to pace myself and think about it differently. i love art.... i love making things i love knowing how to do things i love knowing how to play things i love having so many creative outlets, even if i don't do a lot of them regularly lol. it is enriching đł and nice to know that it's always there to come back to when u want.
#if u want the tea my imagination at the time was like i could space out and straight up just be another person POV doing every little#thing as if i were them for hours and the experience would come together without having to even think about it.#different times/places/contexts/conversations etc. forced 2 to to my mom's lil cult meetings for 2 hours twice a week#i would opt to do these imagination exercises instead to rly put myself in a character's perspective. every stepâ stumbleâ#riding in a carriage together for the entirety from point A to B etc. WELL i was working on a horror anthology somewhere 18/19#(that had a small local following đ«¶đŸ) and it its concept was like the Twilight zone but a lot darker. it was called interdimensional#and the main recurring character never actually shows up in the story. they r an omnipresent god of death who exists everywhere but#exists outside of our realmâ and it picks random people to reveal itself to as a symbol. it can be apparent or just in passing that#the entry's MC sees it inâ it will appear on something somewhere and once it's brought up it's a cue to the reader that this person#has just been sent to an alternate reality that leads towards their inevitable death. for the character nothing ever changes immediately#but the different starts to creep its way inâ as does death's approach at its crescendo but the path's i took to get there were đš#and after enough entries i started to see the symbol irl and hallucinate some other stuff from my stories and it really scared me#and made me stop đ«Ą but i think in retrospect i just went too hard on the imagination exercises and wished i tried cultivating it instead#give myself time to settle and get in control.. but alasâ she has not written seriously since. to this day it still flows out of me if#i just sit down to do itâ but i don't think I'm at risk of something like that happening again anymore :3 so yeah ïżœïżœâ i am learning how to#draw and trying not 2 force it bc i want it to b fun as a little journey for me and i look forward to the day i can come back to actively#writing again too đ«¶đŸ i miss it but i also want to b able to draw à«źâ Ë â€ Ë âá#learn the hard thing first then do the stuff that comes naturally.... i also want to get back into music sometime but clearly i got a lot of#other stuff to work on đ i burnt myself out on it learning too many things and not having enough fun with it anymoreâ#but i have a better healthier with art these days and i know it'll be great to come back to when I'm ready đđ#i have been considering getting an acoustic or bass guitar tho đ§ the beauty of physical instruments.. they're just there ready 2 go..#I've been doing mostly digital the past few yearsâ when i was making music. it was also rly hard to when i was w my ex à«ź â ï»âá#that's a whole other rant lol. but ugh digital is like u gotta set it up u gotta make space and then u gotta be in one spot the whole time#i just wanna lay in bed and vibe or something yfm.. walk around maybe idk. do something less structured.#maybe.. hm. hmmm đ§#I'm going to guitar center lol c ya âđŸ getting a bass and amp and maybe a guitar too depending on the price
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Iâm becoming who Iâm meant to be, slowly.
Iâm inhabiting my body as a home as I make it such that it is a home for me.
đđâš
Also itâs a lovely studio! Masks required, hepa filters running, quiet area, but still near a bus route, was quiet once some of the people left (my artist was also super surprised that all of the tables were in use when they arrived at the shop too!!) and even though we didnât chat (they put in their faq basically that they often forget to chat so bring headphones or whatever to do while they work) it wasnât awkward or anything. It felt like such a safe space and I adore it so much :) (and itâs more local to get to than the other one that Iâm definitely also going to go back to too at some point hopefully this year) (yay local queer owned covid cautious studios!!!!!)
#shattersâ tattoos#shattersâ fragments#ok time to eat something else#bc itâs been a while since my last meal even if I took breaks while tattoo#had a juice box for the first break before we drew the plant in there#and then before we did my leg while they were printing out the design I had a granola bar and water#and then afterwards I had a chocolate bar and another juice box and water#and then for the buses home I just had some water between buses but considered if I wanted a fourth juice box today but I didnât really#but now Iâm a bit hungry#today was fucking WEIRD at first#like popping in real quick to work?!?#class!! which Iâm actually SUPER EXCITED for and about its great so far#and then walked around with a classmate whoâs probably now my friend and popped into a bookstore#but it was super hot by then too#so I went off to get close to the studio#and had sushi in the shade of the parking lot before walking over#and trying to like. drink water and stay hydrated before going in#was definitely intimidated by how many people were in the shop at first#they said that it was highly unusual for all chairs/tables to be in use at once#(and they own the place!!)#but itâs such a lovely and welcoming space tbh#Iâve been to the studio once before for a market#but this is the first time Iâve been while itâs set up as a tattoo studio (itâs usual use)#and itâs just so good đ#truly made my day really nice at the end#finally got to cool down quite a bit once I was sitting still and then laying down for the tattoos#(âŠactually Iâm a little annoyed I paid $9 for coffee this morning actually but alas anyway)#and it was just. SO NICE#similar vibes but like cozier than the other shop I go to#it has less tables and its more private and accessibility is a huge thing there
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ngl i think i kind of was a genius for being like 'yeah this character is a scary killyou cannibal scary killer who scary kills you' and then realizing that the way my worldbuilding works out is that there's a nonzero chance that if you leave literally any body parts over they can just come back, depending on what they believe in their heart of hearts can kill them. Of course she'd start eating her kills. She probably tried normal stuff first and then realized it didn't work and she had to try harder if she wanted to actually keep them dead.
#red rambles#im working on a character who i made up years and years ago and wasnt even happy with then because he didnt seem to have enough like#interior thoughts he was just like a guy who killed people when he was stressed and his life was constantly stressful and then he killed on#person too many and they were like 'this is fucking untenable and he has to die' and then they killed him#which is soooooooooo absolutely nothing honestly. Like it works as a barebones summary but i want to stress there was actually straight up#nothing else there. the entire rest of his whole whatnot was just being entangled with Haven who is a different character who at the time#ALSO felt unsatisfyingly lacking in interiority but at lesat he had really complex motivations and action flowcharts. that werent just 'i#get grumpy and i just go kill some random person with no regard for what the consequences will be and then i am so mean and i kill you'#now theres a lot more happening. i really didnt. like.#okay so i had a Backstory worked out but it was vague because i didnt know what the fuck he WANTEDDDDDDD right like. i had no motivations a#literally all except 'oohhh i kill people ooohhh i like killing people ooohhh im erratic i kill people' and the background i HAD was like.#Upper class scion of some rich family whose family honest to god just did not like him very much and also [gestures vaguely] i guess he#maybe kicked dogs or something and then he ??nebulous timeline meets haven and then kills his sister or kills his sister and very quickly#thereafter meets haven but i usually lean toward the former because haven LOVES convincing people to kill their whole families its like#cathartic for him because he would love to kill his entire family but physically cannot do it. but like kind of the implications of this#as far as i was concerned given this is set in the mid 1800s was like. ehhh he's getting away with this because he's rich white and male an#it pays to turn a blind eye to his indiscretions or w/e. a genderswap means that she'd be subject to a lot more scrutiny on basis of like#misogyny. LOL. and i already had the preexisting 'hates half sibling' (i genderswapped the sister into a brother because why not) and 'hate#parents' and 'parents strongly dislike her' and 'unsettling' and it worked nicely to start giving me actual fucking. Literally anything to#work with there. because it means that by going off with Haven she walks out of one situation where she has like 0 agency into another one#and like to be clear i respect anyone who is sitting around in haven's general vicinity for snapping and just starting to kill people. me t#but this works. SOOOOOOOOOO much better for real#im still working the kinks out but like also this means that she wins. she wins like multiple times actually. she comes closer to killing#haven than anyone since he learned what fucking species he was and causes him more trouble in the interest of getting the FUCK out of there#than anyone else has and then she fucking gets what she was going for against literally every effort haven could've made over ~five decades#get owned loser.#every time i draw her i cant help it i write some shit like PLEASE JUST GET DIVORCED on it even though i wrote the fucking narrative i know#it will never fucking happen and thats why she does all this shit instead#in another world she'd be like the wildly capable owner of Raytheon 2 or some other shit like that. like she'd never be a nice or good#person but she wouldn't be dead. god she could be in charge of a country or some shit. Alas. Please get divorced.
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Yet again feeling guilty for not having written in weeks, but my brain is filled primarily with thoughts of "I can't wait to explore more in BG3" and "wow I miss my girlfriend I want to see her"[saw her literally 3 times last week & spent all Friday evening and Saturday morning with her] "wow if only I could see my girlfriend :("
#speculation nation#aka free time is being spent on girlfriend and BG3 almost entirely.#sorry itnl readers im gonna work on it. eventially.#rn i am consumed by the burning need to stick my hands into every bag and box i can find in BG3#yes. every single one. not a stone gone unturned. Everything i can find. i am investigating.#im currently mostly thru the underdark rn. tho i wanna explore the mountain pass too#getting close to done with act 1 tho. xoxoxo#i love the underdark. wish there was more of it. wish there were drow that werent trying to fucking KILL MEEEE#im a drow in my game and it makes things so interesting. so many people down here are scared of me. whoopsies.#being a druid offsets it some topside but down here theyre like 'oh my fucking god not another one of you'#and im like 'đ please im niceys im niceys i swear!!!!'#the mushroom guys like me tho :] which i especially love bc im a spores druid. love that place so very much.#the wizard tower makes me sad :( alas.#im deep in the sharran temple atm. killed an important dude. took his head and now i gotta go deeper#for. some. flower? maybe. idk what it is actually. also a forge. normal underdark things.#OH i loved the big tree too. with the glowing blue petals. so beautiful#the environments of the underdark are fucking gorgeous. love this place. wish more of the game were like this.#anyways yea im enjoying bg3
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Iâm sure other people have talked about this more at length and know more than me but I would like to see a true-life rendition of the Middle Ages and Renaissance where gay marriage is on the table.
Because it actually is very diplomatically useful! One thing you want as a member of the ruling class is children to 1) inherit your lands and titles and 2) to make alliances with other rulers. However, there are many cases where marriages made for alliances resulted in children that disrupt the line of succession or planned inheritance (differently under primogeniture than under split systems). (See Henry VI)
If rich people in that time werenât pretty solidly convinced that marriages were solely between one man and one woman, they could have had the benefit of alliance without the muddling of the inheritance tree.
A lot of wealthy young men and women, even members of the ruling class, were committed to the church partially (there are a host of other reasons) to avoid their offspring making competition for their siblings (this was largely centered around gender, too, in eras where women came after their brothers in succession). (See Queen* Matilda) A child living as a member of the church can do you some favors, but arguably so can a child in a guaranteed-childless marriage.
And then thereâs sooooo much diplomacy required to feel out this stuff. If you offer a childless marriage to another ruler who NEEDS descendants, heâs going to take offense, whereas if the marriage seems like your own family grabbing for his power via succession, he might prefer a childless one. Think of how courting and arranged marriages would be handled differently, and the amount of intrigue required.
Oh, the third son stood to inherit little, and was betrothed to a man, but then his elder brothers die and he is suddenly in need of an heir? Alas! Whatever shall he do!
Oh, the most eligible bachelorette in the land is seeking male OR female suitors⊠how interesting⊠I wonder why her father has arranged it soâŠ
Oh, the lord chose to marry another man for love and lo and behold! This man hath conceived, and his family confirms that he in his childhood bore a girlâs countenance and bearing!
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dad!simon masterlist | taglist | masterlist | request info
dad!simon who will near fall asleep on the sofa, sat upright with wide legs and his arms crossed, only opening one eye to pretend heâs listening while one of his daughters rambles about school drama.
dad!simon who scoffs when another monthly subscription or amazon payment goes through his card, brows knitted together after asking just why the house has to be subscribed to four separate streaming services.
dad!simon who never remembers his kidsâ friends names. it could be his daughters best friend of seven years and he still wouldnât remember.
dad!simon who visually could not care less about the gossip his daughter waffles about, mumbling âmhmâ every so often to appear engaged though shrugging when called out on his evident boredom.
dad!simon who tsks at all the parcels that come through the door day-to-day. living with three daughters and a wife, itâs constant. he detests being the only one home and having to sign for something â will actively ignore a knock on the door when thereâs other people in the house.
dad!simon who (when drunk) is the height of amusement for his eldest. many snapchats exist of him being handed the phone already recording and goofily grinning into it while looking up at her âwhat am i supposed to be looking at?â
dad!simon who sticks post-it notes in bold handwriting to the fridge whenever anyone has an appointment due the following day. âdonât forget.â complete with a fullstop and a harsh underline of the time in military digits.
dad!simon who replies sarcastically to almost every obvious question with his natural glare, something each of his kids had genetically taken: âdonât ask stupid questions and you wonât get stupid answers.â he loves them really.
dad!simon who silenced the family groupchat as soon as he had figured out how to, only replying every other day with a thumbs up reaction or more likely a thumbs down.
dad!simon who side eyes his kids. he doesnât mean it, yet it happens. watching throw away tv? side eye. talking too loud on the phone? side eye. wearing a questionable outfit? side eye.
dad!simon who has a firm routine. he fucking detests being interrupted, and or spoken to from the hours of five till seven in the morning. heâll get up, have food and go to the gym all in this time frame before anyone can dent his peace.
dad!simon who sighs avidly. a long and painful sigh after any merely simple question is asked or heâs to pick up one of his kids from a night out. âfucking well told âer not to expect me past twelve.â while accidentally slamming the door behind him, keys jingling around his finger.
dad!simon who struggles to show affection in any other way than a short pat of the shoulder or a one armed hug, pulling his kids into his chest for mere seconds before stepping back.
dad!simon who groans whenever anything gets moved in the house. his military mind in favour of keeping things in one position, untouched and moved for preferably ever unless he was told. though, having kids didnât quite work like that.
dad!simon who: âdo i âav to do fucking everything in this house? eh?â
simon âghostâ riley taglist: @vamppxncess @crowbird @tallrock35 @fluffmonster @islanderr @blueoorchid @lea3773 @coldflapjack @rayhawk05 @han11dh @liishook @melovetitties @fallonx @rvjaa @fuckmelifesucks @bhayatsara @takeomisbitch @local-spidey @konigsblog @penutjuice @babychoi03 @sheluvzeren @sparklingtragedy @maviee @wiserebelpartypie @daddylorianisastateofmind @bhayatsara @mistydeyes @writingmysanity @johfaam0 @idkbbyx3 @gressseyy @fwibblefwobble @shibble @maladaptivedaydreamingbum @airghostlyfox @hotgirlsshareaccounts @simpxinnie @dilfdotgov @cliosunshine @bloobewy @lazybutsmexy @maki-z @yyiikes @tieflingteatime @cosmoscoffeee @lilvampirina @cinnabeanz @bubbyblob
ËËË university is still kicking my arse into next week. i joined the football team too, fuck knows why iâm making myself busier than i have to be. alas here we are, and iâm feeding the pigeons! aka sprinkling dad headcannons until i get traction again. pls love me, pls follow me, pls reblog, pls validate me.
the reason i tag this as âx readerâ as itâs ur fuckin family with him. no one bite my head off man i canât be bothered tonight.
#simon ghost riley#cod mwii#cod mw2#cod mw fanfiction#simon riley#ghost mw2#cod mw2 x reader#simon riley x reader#simon ghost riley x reader#simon riley fanfic#simon riley x f!reader#simon riley x female reader#simon riley headcanons#dad!simon#cod ghost#ghost cod#ghost x reader#ghost call of duty#simon ghost riley headcanons
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note: actor!nanami plaguing me frfr
tags: fem!reader, actor!au (you and nanami both), nanami is the most perfectest gentleman ever <3
actor!nanami who is so beloved by his audience for how respectful and polite he is. heâs not uppity like some actors of his standing, nothing like those who have let the amount of fame theyâve accumulated over-inflate their ego and level of self-importance. he treats celebrities and normal everyday people alike with the respect they deserve. nanami believes the bar must be in hell for him to be praised for having some common decency, but alas he also knows how fickle people of fame and fortune can be.
but itâs not just nanamiâs well-mannered nature that has people singing his praises. no, itâs the way he treats you â his co-star. fans were excited to learn of the two of you starring in a film together and became even more ecstatic when they learned you would be playing each otherâs love interests. you and nanami are both incredible actors, well-known and well-loved, but have never starred in the same film before until now. it has people buzzing to know how you two will mesh with one another on screen and wondering how the chemistry between you guys will take shape.
since the film is soon to premiere in just a short while, you and nanami do a number of various interviews to promote it. fans promptly lose their minds when the interviews finally air. not only do you and nanami complement each other very well much to their utter delight, but nanami is such a gentleman in each and every interview with you. heâs always offering a hand to you and helping you in and out of your seat at the start and end of the interviews. wordlessly passing you the water bottle by your feet when it seems like you may be getting thirsty. redirecting any potentially rude questions posed to you while chastising the interviewer in the process. it makes fans swoon watching how nice he is with you.
but what really has fans going wild is the way nanami helps with any wardrobe malfunctions you may have. if the strap of your top happens to slip down, nanami gently pulls it back onto your shoulder to its original place. if you bend over or lean forward too much and your chest becomes overly exposed, nanami is reaching a hand across to help cover you up. or if your skirt rides up, threatening to reveal your undergarments to the camera, nanami is carefully tugging the edge of your skirt down. he does all of this without missing a beat when speaking, his movements practiced as if heâs more than accustomed to doing this.
it quite literally breaks the internet. edits and compilations of you and nanami flood social media immediately, and rumors abound about whether you two are together or not. i mean, theyâve never seen nanami act so comfortable with a co-star before! he seemed to be throughly enjoying himself throughout the interviews, even cracking a smile multiple times, which is so unlike him. fans are divided on whether your guysâ closeness is just to generate more interest in the film or whether the chemistry between you two is real. regardless, many are shipping the two of you together, a mash of your names trending across all social medias.
it makes you laugh.
if you had known youâd receive this kind of reaction, you would have starred in a film with your husband sooner.
#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jjk x reader#nanami x reader#nanami kento x reader#new.mail#from.jujutsu kaisen#love.nanami kento
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# HAPPINESS FOR TWO
đ€ umemiya hajime ; suo hayato ; sakura haruka x reader
âą fluff, scenarios // when their friends realized youâre good for each other.
đ€ UMEMIYA HAJIME
Damn it all.
Hiragi wasnât sure how, but he managed to make it home without realizing he didnât have his antacid tablets on him. He checked â double checked â each of his pockets, but alas, they were gone. He sighed. There was only one place he thought it could be: back on the rooftop of Furin High.
He wasnât usually forgetful, but it had been a long day, he supposed. That unnecessarily big fight took a lot out of him.Â
It was like any other day, another leader of a gang demanding to fight Umemiya, except this guy was too persistent about it. In fact, all of his men seemed to have been of one mind. In the end, Umemiya gave him the fight he wanted. Of course, the white haired Bofurin leader reigned victorious, but he didnât leave the fight unscathed. No one did. That being said, everyone was fine; they just left with minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises.
A meeting on the rooftop was held after the fight, each captain and vice captain giving their report before leaving for the day. That was when he mustâve set them down.
Hiragi trudged all the way back to Furin High, stomach turning at the possibility of getting roped into Umemiyaâs antics again â if he was still there, anyway. The sun was about to set, and all of that dayâs teams were on their last patrol shift.Â
He had half a mind to kick down the door in irritation, but he resigned to pushing it open. With his hands stuffed in his pockets, Hiragiâs eyes peeled this way and that to look for the very guy whose mere mention gave him indigestion in the first place.
Left, clear. Right, clear. A breath of relief⊠let out too soon.
Hiragi took one step before freezing. Sat at the picnic table about 15 feet away was Umemiya and someone he recognized to be his partner.Â
Hiragi had seen you a couple times before. You would come to bring Umemiya lunch from time to time, and he would show you all of the plants he was growing in return. He really didnât know anything about you but your name, nor did he ever feel the need to know more than that.
That was probably his fifth time seeing you. You both straddled the bench, facing each other, with your legs pulled over Umemiyaâs. His hands rested on your hips as you gently wiped a cotton pad over the scratches on his face. Umemiya gazed at you with eyes that held nothing but love in them and a smile so easily made, like that of a dreamer stuck within his fantasies.
âHajime, how many times have I asked you to be careful?â You sighed.
He laughed bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck, âSorry, Sorry! I tried, I really did!â
You applied a large bandage to the cut on Umemiyaâs cheek, shaking your head lightly.
âI know. I just worry about you.â
âI know, my love,â He cupped your face, âBut, itâs okay. Iâm okay! You donât need to worry, Iâll always come back to you, okay?â
It was almost picturesque, the way you melted together like chocolate under the setting sun. Your forehead rested against his while he interlocked his fingers with yours. Hiragi felt bad watching the scene unfold in front of his eyes.
You giggled, âThat was so cheesy, you dork.â
âWhat?! I thought it was romantic!â
He would rather eat his own shoe than admit this to anyone, but Hiragi smiled at the sight of Umemiya holding his world in the palm of his hands. He seemed to have found his true other half, someone that understood and cared for him in the way Umemiya deserved.
The creak of the rooftop door closing was heard by both you and Umemiya, the only sign that Hiragi was ever there.Â
Heâd come back for those tablets later.
đ€ SUO HAYATO
Shouts bellowed down the street, drawing a crowd. Itâs not unnecessarily unusual for a fight to break out there, but the people of the town watch as if it was the first time. Onlookers lined the walls of the narrow street close to the action.
Sakura and Nirei had been walking to meet up with Suo on their day off. They agreed to meet outside of Kotohaâs cafe at noon, but Sakura and Nirei were running late. As for why, well, Nirei had to take the time to go all the way to Sakuraâs apartment and wake him up because he had overslept. Letâs just say Nirei had a rather stressful morning.
The fast shuffling of feet caught Sakuraâs attention. He quirked a brow, looking up from his shoes to see a group of people in the distance. Some of them had been sent flying back in different directions, piquing Sakuraâs curiosity.
What the hell? Thereâs a fight right now?
The itch of annoyance Sakura felt from that morning had him rearing to go. Nirei gulped. However, a comment from one of the onlookers was what sent them running towards the crowd.
âHey, isnât that eyepatch guy from Bofurin?â
Suo was in it?
They pushed through the crowd to see for themselves. Sure enough, they recognized the tassel earrings whipping in the air before they could even see their friendâs face. From the look of it, there werenât that many foes left, and he had someone fighting alongside him.
You and Suo were back to back, taking one guy after another. Your movements mirrored each other as if watching a master and student. While your actions were more limited and practiced, Suoâs refined moves looked purely instinctual. He drew in his opponents with a mere look and had them on their backs within seconds. It was a violent dance that you both had invited your foes to.
Sakura and Nirei watched in shock, seeing these men drop like flies. It was ridiculous, this wasnât a fight. There was no struggle from both sides, only one.
There were only two left, and Suo seemed to sense foul play heading in your direction. The sun gleamed off the metal bat that reeled back in front of you. You gasped. You werenât used to fighting against weapons. Hell, you werenât even that used to fighting in general. The guy smirked, swinging as hard as he could. But, the path of the bat was abruptly stopped as Suo flew through the air, swiftly kicking the guy in the face. The metal bat hit the ground with a clang, the owner flying back into a wall before crumbling onto the ground.
Suoâs venomous gaze lingered for a second on the man who sought to hurt you, though another one charged at him from behind. You called out his name â a warning hot on your lips. Suo took notice of the impending presence, but before he could turn and deal with the person, the crisp sound of a fist connecting with skin rang in his ears. Suo looked back, seeing the guy unconscious on the ground with most likely a broken nose.
Cheers erupted in the street, praising Suo and his partner in taking down the brutes. Sakura stuffed his hands in his pockets with a huff, while Nirei beamed at the two of you.
âWow! I wonder who that person is. Do you know, Sakura?â
âNo idea.â
As Nirei was about to approach them, he watched Suo take your hand in his and examine your bleeding knuckles.
You laughed bashfully and shrugged, âI improvised.â
Suo smiled softly, raising his other hand to caress your burning cheek.
âYou did well, my dear.â
Oh! Oh.
Nirei whipped his head back to Sakura, about to shout about how Suo had a secret romantic partner, but stopped when he saw Sakuraâs wide eyed blush. When Nirei turned back around, he saw Suo leading you into Kotohaâs cafe with a hand on the small of your back. Your head nestled in the crook of his neck.
The blond couldnât help the way his lips curled. He ran after the two, pulling out his small notebook. That was the first time he had seen you, but he could tell you were special to Suo and he to you. You two made one hell of a good team. A scary one, but good nonetheless.
He just hoped he and Sakura would never do anything to piss you off.
đ€ SAKURA HARUKA
Nirei was pacing.
âWhere could he be? Heâs never disappeared for this long before. One day, sure. But three? Somethingâs wrong. I just know it.â
Suo placed a hand on Nireiâs shoulder, a friendly smile remaining on his face. He understood that Nirei worried about Sakura as much if not more than anyone else at Furin High, but biting his nails over the issue wasnât going to fix it. Ever the voice of reason, Suo spoke calmly to his friend.
âRelax, Nire-kun. The last time Sakura was gone, he was sick in his home, right?â
Nirei looked up at Suo, concern furrowing his brow.
âThatâs the thing. I checked his apartment yesterday and he wasnât there.â
Suo hummed. An interesting turn of events. He doubted that Sakura would just up and disappear â he couldâve just been out when Nirei came around. Thereâs an explanation for everything, after all. Sakuraâs strong, itâs not likely he was kidnapped or anything of the sort. He was probably just sick again. Even so, it wouldnât be good if Sakura was ill and wandering aroundâŠ
âI see. Then why donât we check one more time?â
Nirei nodded and turned on his heel, making a bee-line out of the classroom with Suo following behind.
Nirei kept a brisk pace. He was always at least three steps ahead of Suo, who kept his normal pace. It was Suoâs second time coming up on the desolate complex. The scenery was less surprising this time around, but the tattered place was eerie all the same.
They knocked once, twice, thrice, receiving no answer each time. Suoâs hand grasped the knob, remembering how it was unlocked last time they came to check on Sakura, and turned it. The door opened with a ghostly creak, no sign of life anywhere in the room. Suo called for Sakura. Still no answer.
âSorry for the intrusion,â Suo murmured, deja vu creeping over him.
Nirei followed. Suo slid the door to the main room open and was greeted by nothing, Sakuraâs futon rolled away haphazardly in the corner. Not even his uniform hung where it was last time. Nirei began to wring his hands. Where the hell could Sakura have gone?
âHuh, heâs still not here,â Suo wondered aloud before turning to his worried friend, âHave you tried asking his partner if theyâve seen him?â
âNo, I donât have any way to contact them.â
The brown haired boy had an inkling that he knew where Sakura might be.
That was how they wound up on your doorstep after the sun had set. They had seen you quite a few times, even coming with Sakura to see you once or twice. Sakura had told them each time not to come, but of course his friends were curious about his partner. Suo would insist, while Nirei would just follow.
Like earlier, they knocked on the door and awaited a response. If he wasnât here, Nirei was going to lose his mind.
The knob turned. Nirei didnât waste a second.
âHello, sorry for the bother, but have you seen-â
A hand covered his mouth, surprising him. When he looked up at you with wide eyes, you simply held your finger over your mouth, signaling him to keep quiet. Suo peered through the door behind you and understood.
Surrounded by various medicine bottles and a tissue box laid Sakura, sound asleep. His monochromatic hair splayed in different directions, twirled together in some spots like yin and yang. Nirei and Suo could see his reddened nose and cheeks from where they stood at the door. All tell tale signs of Suoâs confirmed suspicion. Taking one last peek, Suo and Nirei chuckled at Sakuraâs sleeping form, a trickle of drool peeking from the corner of his ajar mouth.
You stepped outside with the two boys, closing the door behind you.
âSorry Nirei, I didnât want him to wake up. Whatâs going on?â
âHas Sakura been here for the past three days?â Nirei asked.
You nodded.
âHe started feeling sick while he was here a couple days ago, so Iâve been taking care of him. Heâs doing better though, his fever finally broke just before you came actually. Should be up and moving by tomorrow.â
Nirei breathed a sigh of relief. Sakura was fine, he could finally relax his tense shoulders. Suoâs usual kind smile melted into something softer after hearing your explanation. An unspoken thought was shared between the two boys as they glanced at each other. The heavy feeling of deja vu had dissipated because something was different this time.
Thank god Sakura has you.
note: iâm actually pretty happy with how these turned out :D also in suoâs, if not implied well, he taught you those moves :3 i hope their characterizations are all okay!!
#wind breaker x reader#umemiya hajime x reader#umemiya x reader#suo hayato x reader#suo x reader#sakura haruka x reader#sakura x reader
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The Mean Girl Bully Reader x Nerd Loser Yandere story sparked another red flag reader idea I had đ
Imagine a Bratty Female Reader x Well Mannered Wealthy Male Yandere. Unlike our favorite monster whore gal, and two-faced bully, this new reader insert is super vocal about her distaste in just about everything. Hardly anything is up to her âstandards.â She not only complains, but whines too! đ„ł
Then her poor beau weirdly loves her despite her horrid personality. I donât know how, Iâll leave that part of imagining up to you, but thereâs my request đ„ș
I just like morally grey or blatant antagonistic readers. A lot of times, itâs more fun if the reader is attractive this way to a yandere, than having stereotypical good traits, like being compassionate or respectful đ
So please, a Bratty Female Reader x Well Mannered Wealthy Male Yandere?
-đ
I was wondering if I should just incorporate this into the Yandere CEO draft I have, but I had this sudden idea for a downright shameless relationship between a beloved, well-respected politician and a perverted, needy brat of a Darling. (I don't like politicians but alas, I needed a high-stakes public profession for this)
Yandere! Politician x Bratty! Reader
Mr. Politician is a true rarity in his field of work: well-mannered, articulate, and most importantly, genuine in his dedication. He works tirelessly for change and improvement, earning the adoration of the people. There's only one exception to his loyalty: no country ever comes before his Darling. And what a demanding Darling you are...
Content: female reader, older yandere, NSFW, some exhibitionism
Many would describe their interactions with Mr. Politician as follows: he's disciplined, confident and resourceful. A natural born leader, you can tell within seconds of meeting him that he is a man to rely on. He's spent many years in the game, and nothing can shake him out of his signature calmness. He keeps everything in pristine order, and nothing escapes his scrutiny.
There is, however, one quirk only few select people know about. A detail no one dares to discuss. It is common knowledge that Mr. Politician has a partner, yet the particularities of it are kept private. His beloved is a much younger girl, rotten to the core. It is unclear how this pairing came to be; the day Mr. Politician won his place in his prestigious office, he showed up with the mysterious feminine figure at his side.
What's certain and obvious to all witnesses is that his vocabulary quickly discards any meaning of refusal whenever he's dealing with you. It almost feels like the man worships you. He's never alluded to being religious, most likely because that role's been taken already. His eyes soften whenever directed at you, gleaming with raw adoration.
Splurging on expensive things is a given. Money has never been an issue for someone of his status. In fact, it's a handy and convenient tool he frequently uses to dampen the damage of your tantrums.
"Disgusting", you spit between your teeth, pushing the plate away and crossing your arms. The renowned chef of the Michelin star restaurant can only stare in horror before Mr. Politician intervenes with a chuckle. "Not feeling it today, huh?", he coos at you with loving strokes. "May I ask that you bring everything else from the menu?" he says in a sterner voice to the employee. "E-everything, Sir?" the waitstaff questions. "Well, naturally. I can't let my Darling starve."
"I'm bored. Let's leave now", you mention bluntly, standing in front of the heavily ornate table with a huff. "Are you sure, Darling? It's an important meeting for the country", Mr. Politician tries to plead. Around him, the other men sit baffled, observing the outrageous exchange. "Now!" you conclude louder. Before anyone can protest, your boyfriend stands up obediently and reaches out for your hand. "Then allow me to guide you, love."
A paradox. His earnest work is put to a halt if you require anything from him. Somehow, he has until now managed to juggle the two with little effort, and to his credit, there have been many instances requiring nerves of steel. Such as you paying him an unannounced visit to the office, and disliking the fact he was unavailable due to a meeting. So, you marched over to the window and promptly flashed your chest against the glass. Everyone else was focused on the opposing whiteboard; he was the only one who immediately noticed your arrival. "As you can see, the expected result is irresistible", he continued with a professional smile, tapping the graph with a marker.
Everyone knows Mr. Politician is fervently devoted to his principles. Take his last public speech, for example. Knuckles white from gripping the podium, he'd nearly choked during an eloquent -but passionate - conclusion. His face was red, his jaw tightened. He needed a moment to recollect himself, and the public waited with bated breaths, visibly emotional. Of course, they couldn't tell the outrageous truth: that you were shamelessly kneeling at his feet, pumping and teasing his erection until, at last, he let go all over your face.
"I wanted to see if you'd stumble on your words", you explain afterwards, wiping the sticky liquid off with a damp cloth. "That would've been unpleasant", he responds with a shiver. "It was live on national television."
He does not seem too bothered by the potential risk of being caught. Truly, his nonchalance knows no bounds when it comes to you. Or perhaps it is part of the charm. There's something quite depraved yet tempting about this perpetual contrast.
To return your daring favor, he gently places you onto his desk and spreads your legs, leaving trails of kisses along the inner surface of your thigh. A quick glance down confirms his suspicions: your bare bottom lays on top of confidential, rather important documents he dutifully signed hours ago. How thrilling of a feeling! He already smiles in anticipation, picturing himself as he hands over the folder to the oblivious party. He's not breaking any rules, now, is he? Nowhere in the book of etiquette does it state you mustn't fuck your beloved on top of official papers.
You gaze at the disheveled face underneath you. "One day I'll get you in trouble", you blurt out between whines. "Me? Oh, Darling. You know I always have everything under control." He lifts himself up and gives you a quick, desperate kiss. "Including you."
#yandere#yandere x reader#yandere x you#yandere x darling#yandere headcanons#yandere imagines#yandere scenarios#male yandere x reader#yandere politician#yandere smut#yandere oc#yandere oc x reader#male yandere#older yandere
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favorite da2 battle lines in no particular order
i'm listening to a compilation by danaduchy on youtube rn so
literally every fenris line bcs everyone else is YELLING and he's just speaking in his regular quiet-ish voice. king what are you saying i can't HEAR YOU
except for when hawke goes down. THEN he's loudly upset.
"hawke's down! time to panic!" (isabela)
"the tame elf is down" (varric - what the fuck omg don't call fenris that)
"your pet elf has fallen" (carver - WHAT THE FUCK OMG DON'T CALL FENRIS THAT)
"that moody mage is down" (aveline)
"ugh, can someone pick up fenris please?" (merrill)
"isabela's on the ground... appropriately" (aveline - HELLO?!?!?!?)
"merrill! oh, blood mages are so dramatic" (isabela)
"aveline has fallen?" (fenris - why is this a question babe)
"they got whatshisname, the mage" (varric - i continue to believe he doesn't know anders' name until act 3)
"the dwarf has dropped a few more feet" (sebastian)
"dear varric, please learn to parry. love, your innards" (varric)
"do you have something for this, because it hurts" (carver)
"even my teeth hurt" (anders)
"i've got so many bruises now they've got names and families" (merrill)
"ugh, i have dirt in my mouth" (sebastian)
"you're going to let me walk around injured?" (carver)
"being close to death is very bad for my morale" (isabela)
sebastian describes his wounds as "oozing" or "seeping" more than once
"i know dalish are meant to be close to the earth, but we don't mean literally" (merrill)
"i'm alright, who needs kidneys anyway" (isabela)
"hawke. varric. i think this is bad." (merrill)
"stop being you and fix me up" (carver - BABY. BABY BROTHER.)
"that really gets the blood flowing" but also "i will fight and pray for forgiveness later" but also "this is much more exciting than the chantry!" (sebastian - what is wrong with you <3)
"my face is not a shield!" (hawke)
"and they say drinking doesn't solve anything" (isabela)
"haawke i can't mooove" (sebastian)
"i'm too far away, what do you want me to do? shout at them?" (isabela)
"i'd have to fly to reach! of course, i've always wanted to learn to fly" (merrill - she's literally the funniest person ever)
"alas, no" (fenris)
"my faith is my armor! my cause is my shield!" (sebastian)
"if we kill them, we get their stuff!" (isabela)
"andraste's knees, it's like herding cats!" (isabela)
"AFRAID YET?!" (anders)
"RUN! WHILE YOU CAN!" (anders - he's so loud i love him)
"another one for me! how many have you gotten, hawke?" (varric)
"ah. a shame that you're going to die, no?" (fenris)
"you. me. and an audience. that's what this is all about!" (carver)
"may the creators have mercy on you! i certainly won't." (merrill)
"destructive forces of nature, coming up!" (anders)
"suck on a fireball!" (anders)
"NEVER TAUNT A MAGE!!!" (anders)
"a thrust, now a parry" (fenris)
"i'm gonna taunt you in elvish now! durgen'len! aravel! vallaslin!" (merrill)
"hello, i'm merrill, and i'll be your distraction." (merrill)
"I'LL SHOW YOU WHY MAGES ARE FEARED!!!" (anders)
"maker please forgive your children" followed immediately by "DID YOU SEE THAT SHOT" (sebastian)
"WANT TO SEE WHAT'S UNDER THESE ROBES?!?!?!" (anders)
"I'M RIGHT HERE! HIT ME!" (isabela)
"maker, the idiocy" (bethany)
"MAKER BLESS YOUR CHILDREN IN THEIR HOUR OF NEEEED" (sebastian)
"my weapon does nothing??" (fenris - he sounds so puzzled help)
"this is SO not working" (anders)
"if the pointy sticks don't work, try the other pointy sticks" (isabela)
"ah, dear. why doesn't anyone ever want to be nice to us?" (merrill)
"is there an end to the people who hate you?" (aveline)
"looks like we've got a few more puppies to kick" (isabela - HELLO?!?)
"take a step, kill, repeat repeat repeat" (carver)
"the hate you inspire is unfortunate" (fenris)
"another twenty steps, another batch of deaths" (anders)
"nobody seems to like you. do you get used to that?" (merrill - ouch. brutal hskfjhgksdjfhg)
"i can't take credit for all of this. hawke helped a little bit" (isabela)
#i wanna know everyone's favorite lines pls tell meeee#max.txt#dragon age#dragon age 2#kirkwall squad#hawke#fenris#isabela#sebastian vael#anders#merrill#aveline#carver hawke#bethany hawke#varric tethras
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just that â chwe hansol
pairing: vernon x afab!reader
prompt: "are you guys dating?" or that one time you strongly denied your relationship and he got sulky(?)
a/n: another fic for my fave secret dating x brother's bestfriend trope >.<. this was initially posted on another site before i decided to take it down and let it sit on my drafts for a year lol.
It was already two in the morning but you were still wide awake. With all the things you have done the whole day, it was expected that everyone, including you, would doze off as soon as you get on your beds. Unfortunately, you didn't.
The guilt that has been consuming you since earlier is what's actually making it hard for you to sleep. You had been rolling on the bed too many times as if that would help ease the regret you had been feeling (spoiler alert: it didn't).
When you arrived at your vacation house this morning, you and Vernon had tried to be as discreet with your relationship as possible. You going on a trip together wasn't a new sight, anyway. Vernon and your older brother, Wonwoo had been friends since freshmen year of college so the former is usually invited in times like this and so you both thought you could just let this three days pass without anyone knowing what you really have. However, it seemed like Wonwoo already had a hint about it and had been watching you the entire time. And alas! While you were having dinner, the million-dollar question was finally dropped.
"Are you guys dating?"
Vernon was about to answer but you suddenly panicked and was the one who replied instead, "Of course not. He is just like an older brother to me!"
As soon as you said it, you already wanted to take it back. But it was too late. Vernon may not have said a word but the disappointed look on his face spoke volumes. After that, you avoided each other for the rest of the night.
To be honest, this had been a subject of your arguments a couple of times before. Vernon wanted to tell your friends and families that you have been together for four months already but you're against it. It isn't because you were embarassed about your relationship or afraid that your family would say something negative (if anything, they're very very supportive). It's just that you wanted to enjoy the privacy you had without others minding your business, especially your brother Wonwoo who had been protective of you since your fallout with Joshua, even though it had been years and you have already moved on. He's also the reason why your past suitors had immediately scrammed away after going through the interrogation stage.
"Stop scaring them, will you?" You remembered complaining one time but your brother just shrugged.
"If they get scared of me and give up that easily then they're not really willing to fight for you. People like that are not worth it."
You knew you brother means well but sometimes you just want him to tone down the scare meter a little bit. Because if this continues, you might end up being single for the rest of his life.
But then, Vernon happened.
You already knew who Vernon was since he was a senior in high school. Vernon lives alone because the rest of his family is in another country. That's why when he gets a weekend off from the university, he would tag along with Wonwoo to your house to hang out. He is basically a part of your family now. However, the both of you didn't really got the chance to talk to each other because you were busy studying and usually just stays in your room the whole day when Vernon visits.
That set-up lasted for months until your first day in college. Wonwoo was supposed to give you the tour but had to cancel since he had to attend to something urgently. Of course, knowing you would whine about it nonstop, Wonwoo sent another person to guide you.
It's none other than *drum rolls please*, his best friend, Vernon. Surprise, surprise!
"Hi," that was just the first word that Vernon said to you (while sporting that smile that YOU swear would actually make anyone melt if possible), but you already knew you would fall for him. HARD.
You wouldn't admit it at first. The guy's nice (and freaking handsome and hot too) but you didn't want to give meaning to that kindness because you thought Vernon might just be doing it because you are his bestfriend's sister. However, it wasn't easy to supress the feelings when every time your eyes meet or when you smile at each other, butterflies would fill your stomach.
Not to mention, Vernon would also never forget to buy you your fave Iced Americano every chance he gets.
Luckily, it isn't a one-sided affection. Because apparently, Vernon is feeling the same towards you. The confession was nothing grand but for you, it was romantic and perfect.
It was in the middle of the crowd, during the Music Festival as your university's resident band was playing Enchanted by Taylor Swift, when Vernon looked at you directly in the eye and told you, "I like you so much y/n. I know this might be too sudden for you but I've been keeping this for a while and I just want to let it out. It's alright if you won't like me back ---"
"Shut up. I like you too," You replied while chuckling. You found Vernon blabbering cute because most of the time when you're together, you did the most talking and he would just agree and smile at you every now and then.
That was also the night that your relationship became official.
What followed was the happiest four months of your life. But now you're afraid that it would be cut short if you won't reconcile with Vernon as soon as possible.
You weren't able to take it anymore so you finally got up and carefully tiptoed as you went out of the room. You were just about to go to the next room but you heard a soft mumbling sound from the living room. That's when you realized that someone other than you were still up and is watching the television.
At first, you thought it was your brother but when you saw the brown hair peeking on the couch's headrest, it was a confirmation that it was himâyour boyfriend.
Biting your lower lip, you walked towards Vernon who still haven't noticed that you were there. It didn't seem like he was focused to what he was watching, he was more like 'spacing out".
"Nonie?" You called softly and poked at Vernon's arm. The latter automatically looked up to you and blinked multiple times, probably making sure if you were really there or just his imagination.
"Why are you still awake?" Vernon reached for your hand and squeezed it lightly. You resisted yourself from crying because of how sweet your boyfriend is right now when he should be mad at you.
"I'm sorry about earlier," you said but Vernon shook his head.
"I should be the one saying sorry, babe. I told you I would respect your decision but I still acted up."
"But I know you're upset about it, Nonie."
"No. A little disappointed, I guess. I just don't want to hide anything anymore, especially our relationship. I don't want this to stay like a dirty secret because it's not."
You nodded and came over to sit on Vernon's lap. Your boyfriend was obviously taken aback but he just let you be eventually. He even encircled his arms in your waist to pull you closer.
"Okay. We'll tell them tomorrow."
Vernon's eyes widened. "Tomorrow?"
"Why are you so surprised?" You let out a laugh. "Are you still not ready?'
"Of course, I am. I've been preparing for it for months,"
"So you're not scared of Wonwoo-oppa?"
"As my friend, no. But as your brother, yes. I can even imagine him strangling me the second he finds about us."
You both knew that's far from Wonwoo's personality so he would most likely not do that but who knows? It could be worse.
"You'll be fine, Nonie. But if ever you get broken bones, don't worry, there's a nearby hospital, we can just--aw" you tried teasing him but Vernon was already pinching your nose before you could even finish your sentence.
"You're lucky I would do anything for you."
ââĄâ
#vernon#vernon x reader#vernon x y/n#vernon x you#seventeen drabbles#vernon fluff#svt scenarios#seventeen#svt au#svt imagines#svt
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I've done it again (acted like an lovestruck fool infront of my friends)
#miranda talking shit#Im so embarrassed i hate myself i wish i didnt react this way im making people uncomfortable im making things hard#Had a looooong talk with Fabian#6... Hours? Its 3.30 am now jajfnxjskskdkcjkd#It wad great i talked way too much unfortunately but alas. And at the end ... I had previously mentioned that evening that i#Find it better or easier to see people so i can know how they react. I hate being seen but seeing others i like and it helps me understand#Them. So the last 30-40 min he all of a sudden turned on his cam and i couldnt deal. I cannot deal#A sudden change like that when its 3am? I cant be normal. So i was stuttering and giggling and just being unable#To talk. And he just ... Sat there and was chill. And when that happens i get worse bc i realize how much embarrassed i am so yes#And he just ... 'you became so giggly' YES SO DID YOU 'yeah true'#I hate this part of myself bc usually ... Its my ... My crush is around and ya know im embarrassed bc of that so i act weird#But now it was like... Im still embarrassed but its not the same but im acting the same basically and i... Youre gonna think about it too#I react so fucking strongly to everything and its weird like please! Anyone who saw or heard me would assume i have the worst crush on him#In reality i got an crush on another guy and i just got so embarrassed bc im tired and yeah... Doesnt help he is the calmest calm guy to#Ever calm. I know for a fact i react worse when i can see others arent bothered... Im scared... Fellas im scared ... I have fucked up#Hes going to be weirded out now ... I am screaming help#Its bad enough i have acted this way around people i genuinely have a crush on... At least i.. Mean if they can tell i mean i am at least#Honest. I understand people in my past who have bullied me in these situations it must be hilarious#Having a chick go from yeah ok we can talk and joke and be alright to... I-i-i-i ca-cannot ta...t-t-t-talk#I wish i could say i was faking it too. No I literally stop myself many times and try to start over but my voice just shakes and#My brain is like 'haha... Mushy mushy what do we say ' end me#Fabian#'vad fnissing du blev nu' JA DET BLEV DU MED 'jo det Àr sant'
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Hi love! I hope you are doing well âșïž
If possible could I request a Aemond X reader? Maybe something where he takes notice of a hobby reader likes and surprises them with something related to it?
Piece de Resistance
Pairing: Aemond x Wife Reader
Summary: Aemond stumbles upon your love for the arts, painting, drawing, sketching, and the like. <3
Warnings: none I don't think, Aemond being a cute and supportive husband. a good moment of domesticity :)
AN: Hello! I absolutely love this request! I hope I did it justice haha. Thank you so much for submitting it! The picture is from Pinterest! It's St Augustine by Philippe de Champaigne.
It wasnât often you got a moment to yourself nowadays. With your husband acting as Prince Regent in his brotherâs absence, you and he both were kept rather busy. Him with the Small Council and issues of the realm, you with the petty social gossipings and happenings of the Court. So rare moments of peace and quiet like this were highly coveted.
Your marital chambers echoed with emptiness as you entered and looked around. The curtains you had chosen fluttered in the breeze. Aemond had not wanted them, but ultimately he conceded, never being able to say no to you.Â
He must be in a Small Council meeting, you thought. Or perhaps training with Ser Criston, letting off some steam. Your husband seemed to have an ever-constant knot of stress in his shoulders and neck. Youâd tried to massage it out many a time, but it never seemed to budge, or it ended in a much different sort of activity â
Under your armoire, lay a dusty, maroon-red box. You bent down, moving to pull it out of its little hiding spot. You had snuck it under there after you had moved into Aemondâs chambers. The day after your wedding. Aemond had insisted that you move to his quarters as soon as possible. He didnât like being separated from you more than necessary. If he could, he would have you seated on his lap in Small Council meetings or even when he sat on the Iron Throne. But alas, that was a touch too far, and people would talk. As they always do â
Your husband was kind and dotting, if not overprotective and possessive of you. You had known one another since you were children. Your house and family coming to visit the Court, your mother and the dowager Queen had been friends since their youth. They had hoped that you and Aemond would get along well, and you did, famously so. When he had lost his eye, you had come to the Red Keep, to offer him comfort and company. You had never left after that.Â
Your fingertips graze over the top of the box, as you rest it on top of your bed sheets. Leaving an empty trail in their wake. The lock lay rusted and golden on the front, pulling a small key from the pocket of your skirt, you unlock it. A small, soft resounding click bounced off the walls. As you gingerly opened the lid, the stale smell of linseed oil filled your nostrils. Small metal tubes of colorful paint lay untouched in the box. Clean bristles and dirty brush handles scattered about, small rolls of blank canvas. All of which lay, unmoved, unbothered, from the last time you had used them.Â
When you were little, you had complained to your mother once about the bore of your lessons. For your tenth name day, she had brought in a painter from Highgarden to tutor you. He had taught you how to mix colors and paint the prettiest flowers. As you grew older, he taught you more complicated things, like ladies in bushy skirts, and golden dragons in the sky. An odd prophecy of your future.
Taking some basic colors, red, blue, yellow, and white, some brushes, and a small roll of canvas, you set up shop at your dressing table. For the time being, altering it into a makeshift desk. Deciding to paint what you knew best, you began to sketch out a dragon among roses, with some charcoal that you had borrowed from Aemond.
He wouldnât miss it, you thought. He had a small goblet full of charcoal and quills, hiding amongst the piles of books and scrolls on the table. Which he used to plot his war games, or occasionally take dinner with you. When you both grew tired of his family and their bickering.Â
The dragon began to take form on the canvas, it looked slightly like Vhagar, large, old, and wrinkly. Her age showing in her face and eyes. Around her, you drew roses, peonies, daffodils, lavender, a great colorful bouquet. Once you had begun mixing the paints, on a makeshift pallet made of spare parchment paper. The other sounds of the world seemed to fade away, the monotony of the act being therapeutic. A much-desired mindless activity in the middle of the war you all found yourself in. You would never voice this to anyone, but it was silly to you. The hubris and hypocrisy of your husband's family was vast and great, and deadly at the worst. The blood of the dragon ran thick and hot, volatile and dangerous.Â
You had become so absorbed in your work that you hadnât heard the door open, the faint call of your name. Lost on the wind perhaps. Aemond stood, leaning a shoulder against the door frame, a small smile playing at his lips, watching you, intently. He knew and had seen you become absorbed like this in a book or some piece of writing, but he had never seen you do this before. Paint.
The colorful oils stain your fingertips and wedge themselves beneath your nails. The same stale smell of the linseed oil met his nostrils.
 An odd sort of smell, he thought. He crept a bit closer, as close as possible not yet wanting you to know he was there. He silently rested his sword on the bed, the sheets muffling any noise it may have made. You were humming softly to yourself. An old hymn your mother used to sing to you.Â
As he crept closer, Aemond could make out the picture you were working on. The colors came to life before his eyes, the eyes of his dragon staring back at him.Â
âGevie (beautiful)â He muttered, under his breath.
Startled, you jumped a bit, smudging one of the petals on the peony you were working on. âShitâ you breathed out.
âAemond, Husband, I had not heard you come in!â You stand, turning to face him, stepping in front of your work as if to hide it.
Aemond chuckled a bit, noticing the pink tinge to your cheeks, embarrassed at being caught. He lifted an eyebrow, and gestured to the painting behind you,Â
âMay I see it?â He asked, his gaze meeting your own. After a slight pause, you stepped aside. Aemond walked past you, placing a loving hand on your waist, holding you to him slightly. Aemond has developed a habit of always having a hand on you, as if scared you were going to be snatched away, stolen from him.Â
Again, he muttered a âGevieâ under his breath. He turned to look at you, your face twisted in anticipation of what he may think. You had hidden the hobby from him not out of malice, but rather out of embarrassment. Other ladies and some lords of the court had mentioned that painting was a poor man's job and that someone of ânoble bloodâ neednât concern themselves with such silly things. You had been worried that he would have agreed with them, not liking it.Â
âI didnât know you painted. This is lovely,â The hand on your waist moved to tuck a stray tendril of hair behind your ear, it had fallen loose from your braids.Â
âI was afraid you would disapprove ââÂ
âWhy on earth would I disapprove my love? This is beautiful, you have a talentâ. Your cheeks turned impossibly more pink at his praise and approval.Â
âActually, I would like it very much if you were to paint something on my sword. Vhagar perhaps ââ He trailed off thinking, âOr maybe the seas or those flowers are quite lovely tooââ You had placed a finger over his lips, laughing. Aemond stopped talking, kissing the digit instead.Â
âYes husband, I would love nothing more,â Your smile matched Aemondâs from before.Â
âI would like to show it offââ He murmured against your finger, kissing it again. You moved your hand to his cheek, cupping it lovingly. This small moment of domestic bliss was needed, for the both of you.Â
âWell then, go and fetch it, and I shall get to work,â With the excitement of a little boy, your husband retrieved his sword from the bed, unsheathing it, placing it on the desk in front of you. The previous painting moved to the windowsill, to dry. Aemond pulled up a chair, sitting beside you.Â
He rested his elbow on the corner of the table, chin in palm. The only free spot on the table, not littered with paints and brushes. You began to work, and he watched you, with nothing but love and admiration in his eye. He could sit here, happily, forever, watching you work, with the setting sun twinkling on the ocean water outside of the windows. Your delicate hands painted the hard metal of his sword. He would let you paint the whole damn keep if it made you happy. And now, with the conqueror's crown resting upon his brow, maybe he would â
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with a little pixie dust | mk.l
Itâs just a little faith and trust, and with a little pixie dust, your wildest dreams will be yours.
SYNOPSIS. There are so many ways your friend group could have chosen to celebrate your graduation from university but they chose the one way that fit their childlike antics most of allâgoing to Disneyland. With all the screams of joy and laughter filing the atmosphere, you see why people call it The Happiest Place on Earth. Itâs where magic comes alive, hearts soar to the skies, and where dreams come true. With your dream job already lined up for you once you get back from this vacation, you wonder if your last and wildest fantasyâthe one that carries Mark Lee endearingly close to your heartâwill take flight. (But donât worry; your best friends, with a little help of pixie dust, are determined to make it come alive by the end of night.)
GENRE. Fluff, Comedy, Best friends-to-lovers!AU, Theme Park!AU, Disneyland!AU, meddling/matchmaking friend group, all the romantic tropes that come with a theme park setting
WORD COUNT. 11.9k
WARNINGS. a lot of Disney references (movies, songs, parks, etc.), profanity, food/drink consumption, theme park rides, nothing too crazy tbh
PLAYLIST. 200 - Mark | Popcorn - D.O. | Dreams Come True - NCT 127 | Angel Eyes - NCT 127 | Fireflies - NCT Dream | Amusement Park - Baekhyun | Candy - Baekhyun | Sh-Boom - The Chords
PARK ANNOUNCEMENTS. I understand that not everyone has been to Disneyland. Because I want to paint the perfect picture in your head as you read through the fic, each scene will be titled with the land/area they are in and a picture of the land/area will be hyperlinked with a visual. It's unnecessary to click them but it would be a lil helpful! <3 DISCLAIMER. This is work of fiction. I do not own the people/characters and concepts I have written about. You cannot translate or copy my work.
Your graduation commencement came and went. The spectacle flew by so slowly but so quickly at the same time. You canât exactly describe how youâre feeling now that youâve graduatedârelief is mixed in with panic, happiness mixed with dread. Itâs a jumble of emotions you canât quite comprehend but alas, that is the wonder of adulthood.
The happiest takeaway from your college experience is not the expensive degree you earned but the special friends you made. Karina was the first friend you made in college because she was your roommate. She introduced you to her high school friend, Jeno, who then dragged you two to the ginormous welcome event. It was there you met Donghyuck and last but definitely not least, Mark Lee.Â
The other two boys were attractive, yes, but there was something about Mark that drew you to him. Donghyuck talked as much as him, sure, and Jenoâs attractiveness was on another level than Markâs but that boy immediately caught your attention. Maybe it was the way he spoke and never completed a thought or the way heâd laugh so unabashedly, losing all control of his body that got to you. He was so incredibly endearing that your heart just claimed him. Years later, when the friendship is stronger than ever, that beating muscle in your chest refuses to let Mark go.Â
One morning the summer after graduation, you wake up in a hotel room with an alarm blaring at 6:00am. You roll over and groan, blindly reaching to stop the device. Karina is rustling inside the sheets next to you, hoping the noise will go away. Jeno and Donghyuck are on the other bed snoring up a storm. Mark, on the other hand, rolls uncomfortably on the pull-out couch.Â
On normal days, the alarm set for six in the morning would be a sin but today is not a regular day. It is the day your group saved up for.Â
The five of you, with your similar interests in movies and theme parks, wanted to go to Disneyland together for years. After graduation, you finally had the money and freedom for it.Â
Your hypothetical plan finally made it out of the group chatâthat is your driving force to get up. While doing so, you hit Karinaâs side and she grumbles in response. The two of you agreed youâd wake up earlier since it would take you longer to get ready. The guys, however, could sleep in.Â
As you quietly pass by the couch, Mark asks, âIs it time to get up already?â He mustâve heard the shuffling. There's darkness under his eyes. You can tell he didnât sleep well last night. On top of his eyes struggling to open up, his voice sounds incredibly hoarse and filled with fatigue.
âNo,â you answer, patting his messy head of brown hair. His body reacts positively to your touch, eyes closed and neck stretching to meet your touch. He releases a relaxed sigh as your fingers card through his thick strands.Â
Lowering yourself to his level, you continue to play with his hair. âSleep well last night?â
âNah, not really, like dude, this shit really isnât comfortable,â he complains with a deep exhale, âbut I volunteered to take the couch soâŠâ
âMove to mine,â you tell him, gesturing to the unmade bed. You hear the water running and figure that Karina jumped into the shower to help wake herself up. âTry to get a little more sleep, Iâll wake you up in a bit.â
Too tired to fight back, Mark languidly moves towards the bed. Once close enough, his body drops onto the mattress and he wiggles his way under the covers. You watch him until his breathing evens out. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep; after all, he did most of the driving on your road trip down to Southern California. Satisfied, you move to start your morning hotel routine.Â
The fresh smell of coffee hits you as you do your skin care, apply your makeup, and brush your teeth. Karinaâs done in the bathroom shortly after and you claim it to change into your outfit of the day. When the final touches of your look are finished, forty minutes have passed and itâs time to wake up the rest.Â
You wake Jeno first because heâs the easiest and whisper that thereâs fresh coffee waiting for him. Donghyuck throws a bit of a fit when you shake him awake, stuffing his face in his pillow. He gets up after a few threats from Karina, whining over how mean she is to him.Â
Part of you wants to let Mark rest for a little bit longer, especially after knowing how exhausted he is. Thereâs the option of letting the other three go first while you wait for Mark to wake up naturally. The other half of you, however, thinks about two things: how much money you all spent getting these tickets and how you promised each other to be at Disneyland from open to close to make your splurge worth it. Being Markâs best friend, you know how disappointed the guy would be if you stayed behind with him. So with no choice left, you wake him up.
You do so gently, your hand immediately going back to his unruly hair. You comb back his bangs and hold them in place. âMark, itâs your turn now, everyone else is almost ready.â
As soon as he hears your voice, he stirs. Mark blinks the sleep away, and suddenly, you are the first thing he sees. With you sitting on the bed next to him and your hand still in his hair, Mark thinks heâs still dreaming. âHmmm?â
âItâs your turn, Spidey,â you say, taking a sip of coffee. âWeâre all ready.â
He buries his head in your lap for just a second, wanting to keep this little moment with him a little longer.Â
âOkay,â he finally says a minute later, before slipping out of bed.Â
Karina claims her rightful place next to you on your shared bed, still warm from Markâs little nap. She shoots you a look and you ignore her knowing stare. âDonât look at me like that.â
âLike what?â she challenges you, perfectly drawn eyebrows raised in question.
âThat,â you gesture to her face.
âOh, you mean the look Iâm giving you when you share a little cute moment with your best friend who is most definitely more than a best friend, fine, I wonât do that,â Karina pretends to give up, her hands raised in surrender.
You shush her at once, looking over to the boys that are currently fighting over the sink. Markâs already dressed in some black cargo pants and an oversized Spider-Man shirt. Heâs in the midst of styling his hair, struggling with one strand that will not stay in place. You hear his frustrated huffs and puffs while Jeno and Haechan chuckle at his antics.Â
âDoes my baby need help?â Donghyuck teases, reaching for Markâs hair.Â
âYo, dude, no, stop! Youâre gonna mess it up!â Mark shouts, backing away from him. âDonât you dare touch me!â
âBut you canât do it on your own, my sweet baby, Iâll help you,â Donghyuck continues with the bit.
You remove yourself from Karinaâs conversation and break the two idiots up.Â
âCâmere,â you gesture towards Mark.Â
He instantly comes to you, dipping his head down to your level as you lean against a piece of furniture. Your fingertips curl that one strand just the way he likes it, framing his forehead, and smile when itâs all finished. So focused on his hair, you almost donât notice how close his face is to yours. Your breath hitches and you lean back to create more distance.Â
Removing your hand from his hair, you smooth the non-existent wrinkles on his baggy tee.âThere you go, not hard at all.â
âRight,â he murmurs back, body frozen in place but his large, pretty eyes still aimed at you.Â
You clear your throat. âI, um, need toââ
âOh yeah no, sorry,â he stumbles over his words, moving so you can get through. You shuffle past him, pretending to do a last minute check of your crossbody bag. His stare lingers on you as you fuss over your belongings and put on your Mickey ears.
You try to shake away your thoughts but Karina wonât let you. She slides up to you with a playful smile. âNot even eight in the morning and youâve already had two little moments. Whenâs number three happening?â
âIn your wildest dreams,â you snap back with a hiss, slinging your bag over your shoulder. Wanting to avoid the conversation from moving further, you open the door. âLetâs move, slowpokes, we gotta go!â
âOr yours,â Karina takes the last word as she exits the room.Â
You canât argue with your roommate because sheâs right. You've been wanting to be with Mark and calling him yours since your first year. Yes, there were times in the past when it seemed like he wanted the sameâmoments just like the two you just sharedâbut nothing was explicitly said or done. Feelings were left unsaid. They lingered in the air until the romantic vibe fizzled out and the moment ended. To love and be loved by Mark Lee is your wildest dream. Itâs the one youâre sure will never come true. However, thereâs a sort of magic in the air in Disneylandâa magic that will make even the impossible possible. You wonder if that bit of magic will apply to you, too.
âš TOMORROWLAND
7:45am arrives and your friends are following you like little ducklings following their mother. Without you, they would be lost causes.Â
Itâs not your first time in the parks so naturally, you are the one who takes charge. You have all the tickets on your phone, scanning them one by one at the main entrance gate as your friends go through the turnstiles. They wait patiently until you are the last one through the gate.Â
Karina holds your hand, giggling as you stroll through Main Street, happily taking in the sights and sounds of Disneyland. Mark, Jeno, and Donghyuck are behind you, phones out to capture anything and everything in sight. You hear them excitedly discussing the map, mentioning things that they want to do, and you mentally take note of them all.Â
At exactly 8am, the ropes held by the cast members drop, signaling the official opening of the park. You quickly lead your friends towards the right of the famous castle and fight your way into Tomorrowland for Space Mountain. As one of the most popular attractions, itâs not so bad in the mornings when youâre one of the firsts in line. Jeno mentioned this ride in the past and you are determined to get him on it.Â
The crowd is packed like sardines and Karina links her arm through yours as people shove their way through. Amidst the craziness, someone grabs hold of your free hand from behind. From the way his hand fits in yours, you can tell exactly who it is. Jenoâs hand is much larger than this one and itâs a lot rougher than Donghyuck.Â
You turn your head to see Mark who asks you a question with a simple look. He knows youâre not too fond of crowds and is using this silent exchange as a check-up. You appreciate the gesture, much like how you appreciate every other way Mark looks out for you, and reassure him with a squeeze of his hand. Youâve frequented the park many times over the years so despite the mass of people, you know the theme park like the back of your hand. Mark returns the action and brushes his thumb against your knuckles. He doesnât let go as the crowd dissipates into the ride queue and you donât mind that at all.
As much as you love this dark roller coaster, you partially dread going on the ride, or any ride for that matter. The uneven number in your group guarantees that one person will be a single rider throughout the day and you are certain that will be you. Jeno and Karina have been dating for a while now, so it makes sense that they ride together. Even with Markâs hand still in yours, youâre certain heâll sit with Donghyuck. When it comes to Mark, Donghyuck loves to cling to his best friend, no matter how annoyed the older one gets. Itâs their thing and has been since childhood so who are you to get in the way of that?Â
The wait goes by quickly, especially with the entertaining debates your friend group comes up with while queued up. It takes your group a mere thirty minutes to get to the front of the line. Once assigned your rows, you wiggle your hand out of Markâs grip and silently move toward the last gate to make room for Donghyuck. Â
âWait, where are you going?â Mark masks his hurt with a confused tone.
âTo the back,â you say like itâs the most obvious thing in the world.Â
âOh,â his tone drops and you can barely hear him through the echoing sounds of the ride. âI thoughtââ
âHuh?â you shout from the back row.
Seeing you in the last row, Donghyuck pauses for a second as if contemplating on where to go. âWait. Why are you here?â
âWhat do you mean? Are you saying I canât be here?â
âNo. Youâre supposed to beââ Your mischievous friend is cut off by the gates opening and the employees instructing you to enter and lower your lap bars. You do what they say and Donghyuck sighs before moving to sit with Mark.
You notice the frustrated look on Donghyuckâs face and an exasperated one on Markâs but itâs too loud in the room to hear whatever serious thing theyâre discussing. You try to lean in closer to catch a glimpse of their conversation but by the time the safety checks are done, youâre launched into darkness at a high speed with the ride soundtrack and Markâs screams of terror filling your ears.
The ride ends quickly and you all rush to find your photo. Everyone in your vehicle looks like they enjoyed the ride minus Mark, who hid his handsome face in Donghyuckâs arm. The green-eyed monster makes a short appearance in your mind and you wonder how it wouldâve been if you stayed with Mark. Would he cling onto you like that too, with his arm looped through yours and his face buried in your neck?
âWhy didnât you tell me this was a roller coaster?â Mark whines as you take a picture of the screen. You immediately send it to your group chat and Giselle, the one person missing on this trip, reacts to it right away.
âBecause I knew youâd try to get out of it, you scaredy cat.âÂ
âRude,â he scoffs, clinging onto you as you lead them to a breakfast spot.Â
âSpidey, itâs really not that bad.â
âYeah, says the thrill seeker,â Mark pouts at you, which makes you pinch his cheek. Itâs not as soft as it used to be, his baby fat from your first year long gone. Itâs replaced by the prominent bone structure that only highlights the features that you secretly want to kiss. âWarn a guy next time.â
âOkay, okay but you still did it! Iâm proud of you!â
âYeah butâŠâ His voice trails off.
âBut?â You echo, wondering what Mark wants to say.
He looks shyly at you, a faint redness painting his skin, âCan you sit by me next time?â He asks because you make him feel brave even when he isnât.Â
Markâs timid request has you grinning from ear to ear and your heart beating faster than any roller coaster youâve been on. Your best friend is expecting an answer, you can tell by his teeth sinking into his thin bottom lip and brown boba eyes widening with each second.Â
âI mean, you know, like, sitting with Hyuck is cool,â Mark stutters when you donât answer, trying to explain himself, âbut Iâdâwell, I thought you were gonna sit next to me?â His voice raises at the end due to nervousness and you canât help but giggle.Â
âYou mean, you were gonna leave poor Hyuck all alone?â you poke fun at him.
Mark deadpans, âHeâd survive on his own.â
âI mean, Iâve been here before and itâs everyone elseâs first time. Iâm okay riding by myself,â you push back with a frown, trying to convince Mark and yourself for that matter, âI just want to make sure everyone is having a good time.â
âI get that butââ
âWeâre here!â you cut him off, stopping in front of a quick-service restaurant. You gesture to the door and the others go inside.Â
Donghyuck, Jeno, and Karina make their way in. You move to follow them but Mark stops you with a hand to your wrist. He hesitates, his mouth opening and closing, and you patiently wait for what he needs to express. The boy lets out a long exhale.Â
âLook, what Iâm trying to say is that riding with Hyuck is fun and all but IâŠâ He pauses again. Mark has this habit of not finishing a full thought and you think this is one of those times. Despite that, you listen attentively. âI want you to be my ride partner today, okay?â
And again, your heart shoots to the moon. Its fuel is the adrenaline that runs through your veins as you process his words. A hint of a smile begins to peak out as Mark fuses in front of you.
âI mean, like, Iâve been to theme parks with Hyuck since we were kids, Iâm not missing much with that and I justâI kindaâyou knowâwant to experience things with you today.â
The way he confesses this, like every other thing Mark does, is adorable. You hope your forgetful brain will store this memory along with the rest of your core ones. Heâs about to go off on another rant, you can tell by the small puffs of breath he takes and the redness thatâs flushing his ears, so you end it before it starts.Â
You cup a hand over his cheek to stop him from going even further and your fingers sense his rapidly beating pulse. âOkay,â you reply softly.Â
That one word alone has Markâs expression changing from an unsure one to the brightest face youâve seen him make all morning. He rivals the sparkles on top of the castle and the bright sun thatâs shining over you.Â
âReally?â He perks up.
âYeah,â you giggle at his change in mood, ânow letâs get some food in you, Spidey boy.â
âš THE CASTLE
âGet out, Hyuck! Why are you like this?â Karina yells from her spot beside Jeno, clearly frustrated with your friend.Â
Karina and Jeno stand at the side of the castle, far enough from the crowds but close enough to still get their picture with the iconic landmark. Donghyuck is just out of frame, ready to jump in to ruin whatever adorable shot the couple is trying to take. It doesnât really matter since youâre continuously snapping away on Karinaâs phone. Knowing those two, more than one picture will turn out beautiful. Looking at them, how could they not?
âBecause youâre taking too damn long and I want pictures too!â
âYou already got yours!â Completely used to their bickering, you shake your head behind the camera.
Sheâs right. Youâve already taken everyoneâs solo pictures at this picturesque spotâKarina taking the longestâand now there were requests for group or partner shots. Jeno, being the perfect Instagram boyfriend, helped take the shots of you and your girl best friend with no pointers needed. You thought you were almost done with this photoshoot but you guessed wrong.
âNot with Mark though!â Donghyuck shouts back, pulling Mark to his side.
âYo, wait, what?â Mark squeaks.
âYou got good enough shots, so move!â Donghyuck has no shame when shoving the resident couple away and dragging Mark to the exact place they stood. You shoot Karina an apologetic look, handing her phone back, right before you grab hold of Donghyuckâs device.
The younger of the duo, as affectionate as he is, has no problem hugging Mark tightly for a picture. Mark sighs but goes with it without much of a fight. You take pictures of Donghyuck hugging Mark from behind, clinging onto the olderâs arm, forcing him into making a heart and standing back-to-back. As this goes on for several minutes, you endlessly snap pictures, not even looking at the screen anymore. While doing so, you miss the hushed conversation that happens at the other end of the camera.Â
âWhy am I doing this with you?â Mark hisses in between a grin. His arm around Donghyuck tightens and the younger one almost chokes at the sudden attack. âAre we done yet?â
âWhy? Is there someone else you want to take pictures with?â
âShut up.â
âI will not,â Donghyuck whispers under his breath, wiggling out of Markâs grip. His volume raises as he announces, âMark, catch me!â With that, the mischievous kid jumps onto Markâs back and the elder of the duo has no choice but to do what he says.
Mark groans, âWhy are you so annoying?â
âI will continue to be annoying until you man up,â Donghyuck nuzzles his forehead into Markâs hair with a smirk. âI could keep this going orââ
With that, Mark lets go of his friendâs thighs and Donghyuck slides down with a helpless yelp. The boy is dramatic while dropping to the ground but Mark pays little attention to the action. Instead, he smiles shyly at you.
You raise an eyebrow at the duoâs suspicious actions. âAre you guys good or can we move on now?â
âIâum, actuallyââ Heâs stuttering over his words more than usual, a red tainting his normal skin tone. You know heâs embarrassed but you canât figure out whatâs making him feel this way. The chaotic duo is up to their usual antics of Donghyuck being irritatingly touchy and Mark slowly losing his patience with it all so thereâs no visible variable in your eyes. So, whatâs the difference in this situation?
âWhatâs up?â When he doesnât answer right away, you take that as a sign to keep moving. You turn your body away from him, adjust the straps of your bag to feel more comfortable, and get ready to move on. The park app on your phone is open to all the current wait times and you note that Fantasyland has low numbers, determining the most logical choice for your next destination.Â
You open your mouth, preparing to spill out your plan to explore Fantasyland when Markâs feeble voice breaks the silence.Â
You donât quite hear him the first time, leaning towards him in hopes that will help you focus on his voice alone. The excitement around the area only increases when the park marching band makes their way to the center of the castle for their afternoon set. Mark huffs in frustration when you fail to hear him for the second time.Â
But as they say, the third timeâs always the charm.
âTake a picture with me!â he yells when the band goes silent. The flush on his face increases tenfold and you almost coo at how flustered he is. His eyes were wide, almost begging for you to grant his request. His ears match the color of his Spider-Man plush hanging on the belt loop of his bottoms.Â
Wanting to tease him a little more, you say, âWe already took a group picture, Marky.â
You hold back your laugh when his hand goes back to fumble with his hair. He muses it, the strands now messy, making him look even more endearing than ever.Â
âYeah butâyou know what I mean,â Markâs voice drops at the end, his lips forming a pout. How desperately you want to peck his cheeks but you refrained, still scared of crossing that line. His brows furrowed. âYou know what, never mind, dude, letâs go.â
Just as he began to walk away, you tugged him back into place. âI know what you meant, Spidey, I just wanted to mess with you.â
âYouâre so mean to me,â he sulks and your fingers reach out to pinch his cheeks. Itâs not quite a kiss but itâs close enough.Â
You run your fingers through his messy hair, quickly fixing it and Mark just lets you, enjoying the little touches you are so willing to give.
âHyuckie, can you please?â Donghyuck knows exactly what youâre asking of him, taking the phone out of your hands. He sets your phone to 0.5, bends down to get a better angle, and begins to snap away. All the while, you and Mark are a bit awkwardly standing side-by-side for the pictures. Your bodies are stiff--his hand is barely around your waist while his other hand is holding up a peace sign. You copy his pose, your fingers automatically making a V.Â
âYou guys,â Donghyuck sighs, grabbing the attention of Karina and Jeno, âat least act like youâre having fun with these pics. Weâre at fucking Disneyland right now.âÂ
Karina laughs at how hopeless the two of you are. She takes pity on you and jumps in to give directions on how to improve your poses. âMark, if you can just tighten your grip around her waistââ
Mark gulps, his nerves at an all-time high. Your best friend underestimates his own strength as he does what he is told. It happens a little too abruptly and youâre suddenly lurching into his body. Your head lightly hits his chest and you place a hand on the spot to create a little distance. He immediately fusses over you, looking down to check if youâre okay and it turns you into a giggling mess.Â
âIâm fine, itâs fine,â you reassure Mark with a bright smile on your face.
Once he notices that you are nothing but smiles, the curve of Markâs pretty mouth matches yours. It brightens his handsome face so much that it matches the glitter found at the castle tops. You take a mental picture of the face he makes, eyes and nose scrunched up with happiness, and the golden glow of the summer sun illuminating his beaming aura.Â
Mark shakes his head and chuckles, pulling you into a hug. You sink into his hold, your chin perching on his shoulder.Â
In your mind, Mark Lee is your (awkward) Prince Charming. While you stand together by the castle, you cherish every second he makes you feel like royalty. He rocks you for a couple of seconds, swaying to the song playing in his head, and then pulls away. His stare, however, never leaves yours. You donât dare break the connection. Your eyes curve up into little crescent moons and your hands drift back down to his chest. You feel the slight heaving from his laughter and it makes you giggle even more.Â
âStop laughing at me,â he says with a smile.
âNever,â you reply, sticking your tongue out at him.
The two of you are so caught up in your little moment, that you forget that your friends have phones in their hands, documenting everything that just occurred.Â
âOh, that oneâs cute,â Karina says, snapping the two out of your shared reverie. Jeno and Donhyuckâs heads peak over her shoulders to look at the picture sheâs talking about and they hum in reply. Then, she lifts up the phone to your eye level. You and Mark lean forward to take a closer look but the boy refuses to let go of you as you scroll through the selection.
Your finger swipes through what feels like thousands of photos before landing on one that catches your eye. In the photo, youâre so consumed in your laughter, lids closed happily and your dazzling smile half-covered by your hand. Mark holds you in his arms, fondly looking at you with sparkling eyes.
You stare at it a little too long, taking in the way he looks at you. You steal a glance at him and heâs wearing that same soft smile as he scans the photo. It made you wonder if your best friend always looked at you that way. You wonder if this was your first time making note of it.Â
You pull yourself out of it, knowing that if you ruminate on it anymore, you'll sink into a deep neverending ocean. Your finger taps the bottom of the screen and the heart fills up, adding the picture to your favorite album. You just know this is a picture that had to be included in your photo dump.
âI like this one,â you muster out, fighting the urge to make eye contact with him.
You feel a squeeze around your waist, one that lingers for a moment, and hear him whisper, âI like this one too.â
Mark says it with certainty and with a hint of longing like thereâs a deeper meaning behind his words.Â
There is, of course, a message buried in his words. Mark likes how itâs just the two of you in the picture. He likes how it encapsulates how happy the two of you are in each otherâs company. He likes it because it shows how in love with you he is. Mark especially likes it because it has you in it.
Mark Lee likesâno, lovesâanything with you in it.
Mark loves you.Â
Point blank.
Mark loves you.
And Mark hopes that by the end of the night in this magical place, where anything can happen, he can gather enough faith and trust in himself to tell you how he truly feels.
âš FANTASYLAND
While strolling through Fantasyland, where all things fairy tales come to life, you make a pit stop at a store filled with costumes for princes and princesses. Your friends were amazed to see that deeper into the store, there was a salon that catered especially to children. All the kids sitting in the salon chairs were beaming with excitement as they got their hair and makeup done while dressed up as their favorite characters.
Karina coos as a little princess dressed as Rapunzel passed by her. She ran her fingers through the skirt ends of the costumes, admiring all the different dresses, while the boys immediately reached for the plastic weapons and shields. You hear their dramatic noises as Donghyuck stabs Jeno with a sword. Markâs familiar laughter bounces off the walls as the fight continues, his hand shakily recording the ridiculous exchange.
âWhat is this place?â Karina asks curiously, turning to you for an answer. You knew she would love this placeâthe girl, although people perceived her as a tough girl, loved anything that had to do with princesses.Â
Thereâs a sparkle in her eye, which only brightens when she approaches the section belonging to her favorite princess. Karina grabs hold of a pretty character headband, removing the one thatâs on her head and tries on the new one. She spins to face you, silently asking if it looks good on her, and you nod enthusiastically, giving her a thumbs up.Â
âWelcome to the Bippity Boppity Boutique,â you reply happily. Pointing to the cast members working on their guests, you continued, âTheyâre called Fairy Godmothers in Training. They help the kiddos with their makeovers.â
âHave you done it before?â Mark pops up out of nowhere, a little out of breath from the play fighting he did with the other two. He mustâve joined in the little spar after taking some pictures.
âYeah, when I was little. I was Cinderella,â you laugh, remembering how pleased you were to be in the chair. You remind yourself to look for those photos; itâs been a while since youâve seen them. âCanât do it now as an adult though. Sorry, Rina.â
âThen whyâd you bring me here?â She pouts at that, âTo torture me? Thatâs mean. There goes my dream of being a princess.â
Mark bites back a chuckle at her bitter response and Karina has no trouble slapping his shoulder to shut him up. You choose to ignore the childish exchange.
âWell,â you start to say, inching towards the counter where a cast member eyes you curiously. âWe canât get full makeovers but we can get pixie dusted.â
âPixie dusted?â Mark echoes, tilting his head in confusion. Your fingers twitch and you fight the urge to pet his head.
âThe fairy godmothers have wands with them and they basically sprinkle glitter on top of your head while you make a wish. Itâs really cute!â
The light in Karinaâs eyes glows even brighter than before. âReally? Oh my god, can I do it?!â she asks, bouncing on the heels of her feet.Â
âI knew youâd like it,â you giggle.
âBabe!â She calls Jeno over.Â
His head pops up over a display, resembling a puppy hopping out of a hole they just dug. âYeah?â
âGet pixie dusted with me,â Karina requests, reaching out for him with her wiggling fingers.Â
Jeno quickly sets down the toys he was playing with, leaving a whining Donghyuck behind, and follows his girlfriendâs lead blindly.Â
You and Mark watch them silently, both with smiles on your faces, as the couple holds hands and closes their eyes. The worker mumbles a little spiel as she taps her wand, the glitter raining down on their heads. Your camera is at the ready, finger holding down on the burst button for this special moment, capturing Karinaâs tiny squeals and Jenoâs chuckles as the pixie dust settles in their hair and on their skin.Â
âAnyone else?â The Fairy Godmother in Training asks politely, looking at you expectantly.
Mark nudges your side. âYou gonna do it?â
âOf course. Iâll never pass up getting pixie dusted,â you say matter-of-factly, stepping forward.
âI want to do it, too,â Mark proclaims, stepping with you.
You laugh and warn him, âYou wanna deal with glitter in your hair? Itâs going to stay there for days.â
He shrugs, âThey grant wishes, right? Maybe I need mine to come true.â
âOh, yeah? And what wish is that, Spidey?â
He holds a slender figure to his lips. âIf I tell you, then it definitely wonât come true. And I need all the help I can get with this one.â
You eye him suspiciously and when he doesnât give it up, you sigh in defeat. Preparing yourself for the glitter, you bow your head down and close your eyes with your fingers linked together in the tightest hold. Your best friend nudges his forehead against yours and you let out a surprised giggle.
Just like Mark said he needs all the help he can get. He isnât wishing for any regular thing. He wishes for something more precious than thatâyour heart.Â
Sure, this is most likely playing make-believe but Mark Lee wants to believe in it. Maybe this is the little bit of magic he needs. Some might say heâs too old for this sort of thing but he wants to believe in fairy godmothers. He wants to believe in the shiny powder that they call pixie dust. He wants to believe in the magic that you do.
So when the glitter pours down on him, Mark shuts his eyes tightly and grips your hands with all his might.Â
Mark wishes for your wish to come true,
Mark wishes for your happiness.
But most of all, Mark wishes to be yours.
Your next stop is quite the staple in the park and itâs a must-do on your list. Luckily, they all agree with you and suddenly, you are in line for the iconic teacups. For the summer, the wait isnât too longâa mere fifteen minutes before itâs your groupâs loading time. Before getting on the ride, the five of you decide to break into two groups instead of all squeezing into one tiny spice.
In their excitement, Karina and Donghyuck rush to claim a vehicle. Donghyuck lightly shoves Karinaâs side when he realizes they are both aiming for the same cup, causing her to lose her balance. She groans once he hops into the pink teacup with hearts decorating the sides and scurries to grab another pink cup.Â
âWhy are you two like this?â You shout after them, shaking your head.
âWhen are we not like this?â Hyuck shouts back, his arms already spread across the rim of the cup. He calls you to join him and you do, closely followed by Mark.
Once you are seated and the door to the vehicle is closed, Donghyuckâs expression changes. âWe need to spin this baby as fast as we can and we need to last longer thanââhe sends a playful glare towards Jeno, whose hands are already resting on the wheelââthem.â
âOh god, not this shit again,â you roll your eyes.Â
The boys have an ongoing competition when it comes to spinning rides like these. Whoever spins for the longest period wins; the losers have to treat the winners to a prize of their choice. In the past, itâs been food, plushies, and anything else you can think of.Â
âCan we just be normal for once?âÂ
âBubs,â Mark laughs, âwhen are we ever normal?â
âTouche.â
Donghyuck dramatically drops his hands on the wheel, âAre you ready?â
Thereâs really no point in this competition. Although Jeno has a stronger build than you, Mark, or Donghyuck, there are only two of them in their cup as opposed to the three of you. Thereâs a clear winner. Despite that, you copy your mischievous friendâs actions, a smile breaking through your unamused facade. âAlright, Hyuck.â
The spiel is blasted over the speakers, the music begins, and off you all go. Laughter surrounds you as the ride begins to spin. Your hands speedily make work and giggles spill out of your mouth when your hands pile on top of Donghyuck. Your friend matches your enthusiasm, his face crinkled in concentration as he turns the wheel, his whole body moving along with the teacup. You steal a glance at Jeno and Karina; seeing them only fueled your competitiveness and motivation to win this useless contest.
Mark, on the other hand, did not add to the spinning. He just watches his best friends, phone in hand. The device captures the most candid moments of youâsmile wide enough to hear your laughter through the screen, hair flying in the wind, hands either gripping the wheel or Donghyuck when the cup goes a little too fast.Â
Mark snaps a picture of you and Donghyuck cackling, bodies thrown over each other in the height of their fun. Even when your gorgeous smile is aimed at his best friend and not him, jealousy isnât coursing through his veins. A warm feeling does insteadâMark just loves to see you happy.
He captures one last picture of you, your bright grin shining at him, and your hand reaching towards his camera. If someone were to play that Live Photo back, they would hear the giggles living in your voice as you call Markâs name to join in on the fun.
This picture is the one he saves in his favorites folder and of course, in his heart.
âš AVENGERS CAMPUS
âYouâre nervous, arenât you?â you ask Mark although the answer is obvious. Ever since you got in line, the boy beside you fidgeted with anything and everything possible. When he wasnât playing with the keychains on your bag, he messed with the drawstrings of his cargo pants. He had a hard time staying still.
âNo one asked you, Bubs," Mark hisses. His voice softens a moment later when he apologizes for snapping. The fussiness he exhibits is adorable in all kinds of ways and you fight the urge to mess with his hair in the meantime. You know it would only make him feel worse.
âItâs okay to be nervous, you know,â you reassure him as the people in front of you step forward. âItâs not every day you meet your childhood hero.â
âIsnât thisâI donât knowâa bit childish of me to feel like this? I mean, itâs just a guy in a suit.âÂ
âHey,â you say, hating the way your best friend tried to bring himself down, âweâre here to let our inner child out. If youâre nervous or excited or whatever youâre feeling, just feel it.â
Mark sighs as the line moves again. âRight. Youâre right.â
You laugh, ruffling his hair, âArenât I always?â
The boy groans, fingers immediately rising to fix his fringe. âDonât mess it up, dude, itâs almost my turn.â
A soft giggle escapes your lips instead of an apology. Youâre so fond of him. âYouâre too cute.â
His cheeks flush with a bright red which only increases his cuteness factor. Mark, flustered as ever, opens his mouth to ask what you mean by that. His sentence is interrupted by the character attendant calling for the next person in line. Your best friendâs nerves are at an all-time high at this point and he looks to you for support.
You shake your head negatively and gesture to the phone in your hand. âThis is all you, I have to take your pics!â
Mark sticks his tongue at you in retaliation before taking a deep breath. He approaches the awaiting figure with a cautiousness youâve never seen from him. But with all due respect, Spider-Man is standing right there in front of him. If your favorite comic book and superhero character of all time stood in front of you, youâd probably react the same way.Â
âH-hey,â Mark stutters out. You stifle a laugh as you snap the first picture of Mark and Spider-Man shaking hands.
âHey, man, whatâs your name?â Spider-Man greets enthusiastically. He gestures to Markâs Spider-Man shirt, âLove the shirt.â
âItâs Mark,â he manages to say, âIâm a big fan. We just went on your ride and it was so cool.â Mark gestures to the building behind them, which housed the ride. It was an interactive ride that tasked the riders to help Spider-Man save the Avengers-themed area by shooting webs with motion-tracking technology. âMy armâs kinda tired though, I donât think I could shoot webs like you.â
His rambling comment makes Spider-Man chuckle, his voice muffled through the red mask. âYeah, I guess slinging webs isnât for everyone. But hey, maybe if you train more, and go on the ride a few more times, youâll be just as good as I am. Weâre always looking to recruit new members to the team. You look like youâd be a great addition.â
Markâs eyes glow with delight as the actor continues to shower him with compliments. âYo, wait, thatâd be so cool!â
âShould I show you some poses to start off with?â Spider-Man excitedly suggests. Mark easily complies and happily follows all the instructions the superhero gives him. While doing so, they stare right into your camera and you snap several photos of each pose.Â
The joy radiating off of Markâs face is enough to make your heart soar to a new height. The merriment he and your other friends exhibit as they make their way through the park is why you keep coming back. Disneyland brings everyoneâs happiest self out and you will never grow tired of seeing peopleâs youthfulness shine through.Â
âGot âem!â you shout from your place, giving the duo a thumbs up.Â
You laugh as both of them return the thumbs up with a lightning-quick speed. Many people pointed out Markâs speedy reactions, calling them his Spidey senses. Seeing Mark stand tall right next to Spider-Man himself, reacting the same way the character does, makes the term all the more fitting for your friend.
âHey, you wanna jump in with us for a picture, too?â Spider-Man calls out to you.Â
âOh!â you exclaim, not expecting that at all. Your sole goal was to take Markâs picture with his hero. The thought of you joining in for a picture didnât even cross your mind. âSure, why not?â you grin, quickly handing the phone to the attendant on standby.
You swiftly shuffle into position, copying Spider-Manâs iconic pose, as the cast member takes a couple of shots on your phone. They prompt you to pose for the professional camera they have on hand as well and the three of you switch up your poses. The wide smile on your face is identical to Markâs as the flash goes off. A feeling higher than contentment floods your entire being. Youâre happy, incredibly so, to be in this moment with Mark and his hero.
Youâre happy.
You see Mark dive right into another rambling burst with the prettiest little sparkle in his eye and youâre in love.
Youâre happy and in love with Mark.Â
Standing by for just a second, you see Spider-Man turn to you and nod his head in acknowledgment. Wordlessly, you open your arms to ask for a hug and the character accepts. âThank you for making my Spideyâs day,â you whisper as Spider-Man squishes you to his side. âIt means a lot to us.â
The actor catches onto the nickname and comments, âHeâs your hero, huh?â
âIâm pretty sure heâs my everything,â you confess under your breath and your face immediately heats up upon realizing what you said to a complete stranger.
âYour secretâs safe with me.âÂ
The moment passes so quickly, that Mark doesnât even grasp that two of his favorite people held their own side conversation. You give Spider-Man one last wave, retreat back to the attendant who hands you your phone, and stand off to the side to swipe through the pictures. Mark stops his little rant to watch you with a slight tilt of his mouth.
âSheâs a good one,â Spider-Man brings Mark out of his thoughts, âWe could use a recruit like her too.â
âSheâs really special,â Mark lets out a fond laugh as you happily show your friends the pictures youâve captured. âSheâs my MJ, man.â
The character beside him laughs, not out of ridicule, but because of the similarities the two of you share. âDoes she know that?âÂ
âNah,â Markâs hair ruffles with the breeze as he shakes his head. âNot yet.â
âBetter let her know soon then,â he pats Mark on the back, gently pushing him in your direction. âAnd donât let her go once you have her,â his hero adds as an afterthought.Â
Mark turns back to give Spider-Man one last smile, âDonât worry, I wonât.â
Mark Lee doesnât have you in the way that he wants to, at least not yet, but once he does, there is no way he is letting you out of his sight. He may be the one who carries the heroic nickname but you are the one who has caught him in your web of love. Wherever you go, you have his whole heart.Â
You are his whole heart.Â
How can Mark Lee ever live without his whole heart?
âš CARSLAND / SH-BOOM
âHurry up, hurry up!â you call to your exhausted friends, who drag their feet behind you.Â
âBut weâre tired,â Karina whines as her steps grow heavier. Sheâs stolen her boyfriendâs hat to beat the heat but has little luck doing so. Jeno, noting this, turns his portable fan to face her. She wearily smiles at him, squeezing the hand conjoined with hers to thank him.
Donghyuck echoes Karinaâs sentiments but you ignore their complaints altogether.
Thereâs no time to slow down, you think, as you make note of the time. The sun is about to set and your group still hasnât reached the spot you wantâno, needâto be in. You understand their exhaustion because you feel the same way but deep down, you know the hustling will be worth their while.Â
âYou guys, just do what she says,â Mark comes to your defense, giving you a reassuring glance, âI mean, she hasnât let us down this whole day. Iâm sure whatever sheâs rushing us for will be worth it.â
You weave and bob through the crowds with ease and your friends fall in line behind you. You pass through the entrance of Avengers Campus and lead them straight into Carsland. A mass of people are gathered at the entrance of the land and you cringe at how packed it is. But upon hearing Donghyuck gasp with excitement, you grin and bear it. In the past, your friend mentioned that Cars was one of his favorite childhood movies. Since youâve found that out, youâve gifted him a Lightning McQueen present every year for his birthday.
âHoly shit, bro, Iâm in Radiator Springs,â Donghyuck clutches your arm, âThis is the best thing ever.â
âOh, believe me, Hyuckie, it gets even better,â you say, pulling your friend along with you. You giggle at his reactions to every little detail you point outâhow everything is built to scale, that all visitors are meant to be cars, how every third blink of the traffic light is slower just like the movieâand his brown eyes widen in childlike wonder.
Once again, Mark stands back as you take care of Donghyuck. He appreciates all the thought you put into this tripâmaking sure you know everyoneâs specific interests and adjusting the dayâs itinerary to meet everyoneâs wishes. Jeno wanted to get on every thrill ride possible, so you purchased the Lightning Lane express passes to guarantee he had a good time. Karina wanted to feel like a princess, so you took her to the Boutique to get pixie dusted and scheduled time in the Fantasyland area to take as many pictures as she wanted. You spent a bit of time in Avengers Campus so Mark could get the entire Spider-Man experience. And now, youâre expertly guiding Donghyuck through Radiator Springs, equally excited as your friend whoâs experiencing everything for the first time.
When everyone else voiced how worn out they were throughout the long summer day, you kept the spirits up and took care of each and every one of them. You may have not outwardly mentioned how spent you were but Mark caught onto the signs. While you were busy tending to each person's wants and needs, Mark found himself taking care of you. Youâve done so much for the group, he wonders what exactly he could do in return.
âAlright, stop right here,â you stop in the middle of the land, granting the group the perfect view of the land, âand face this way.âÂ
âWhy are we stopping? Isnât the ride right there?â Donghyuck points to the end of the area. âI thought we were heading there.â
âYeah,â you reply, âthereâs something we gotta do first.â
âWhatâs everyone standing around for?â Jeno asks, hugging Karina from behind.Â
The others take a look around to see that a large crowd has formed in this area of the park, all facing the same way. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the same thing you are, their phones propped up in the air. You take another peek at your weather app and it deems it around one minute before sunset. Perfect.Â
âWell, my good sir, you are about to find out,â you answer cryptically.
You squeeze Donghyuckâs hand. âYou ready, Hyuck?â
âFor whaââ His sentence is cut off by the area loop music increasing in volume. Everyone around you cheers as Sh-Boom by The Chords starts to blast through the speakers. âOh my god.â
The rest of Donghyuckâs sentence is trapped between his teeth as the neon lights, starting from the furthest point of the area, begin to light up. Itâs an exact replica of the movie, the lights flickering on with the beat of the old-time music. The bright lights resemble your friendsâ expressions, the giddiness of experiencing this iconic moment apparent on their faces. Donghyuck is practically glowing with childlike wonder, bouncing on the balls of his feet. You snap a photo of him as he continues to take it in. Jeno sways Karina back and forth, his arms wrapped around his girlfriendâs waist and chin resting on her shoulder as she records the whole thing.
Smiling, you turn to look at Mark whose eyes are solely trained on you. His phone is in hand, aimed in your direction, and you assume he took a picture of the lit-up signs behind you. âIsnât it so pretty?â you ask, hands gesturing to the entire area.
Markâs gaze doesnât falter, doesnât leave you when he answers, âItâs the prettiest.â
A heat spreads to all parts of your face and body at his flirtatious response. You turn away from him, too embarrassed to meet his soft stare. âItâs one of my favorite times of the day. My family always came here at sunset just to watch it. Itâs fun watching everyoneâs reactions and seeing people dance to the music, like themââyou point to a dancing couple, the man spinning his partner and the woman laughing gleefullyââI dunno, it just makes me happy.â
âI can see why,â Mark chuckles.
Your gaze lingers on the duo and Mark spots a look of longing in your eyes. Your best friend sees a chance, one as clear as day, and with all the bravado he can muster, Mark takes it. He tugs you towards him and you gasp at the sudden movement.
âWhat?â you whisper.
Mark sticks out a hand for you to take and bashfully says, âDance with me.â
âWhat?â you repeat in shock, eyes dropping from his face to his outstretched hand.
âYou heard what I said,â your best friend chuckles, âDance with me.â
Instead of waiting for a response from you, Mark takes your palm in his and gently places his other hand around your waist. Your breath catches in your throat, anxious eyes meeting his own, and the boy shoots you a reassuring smile. He takes the lead, guiding you through a few swing steps as you dance on the street. Youâre a little unfocused through it all, your mind wandering from the warmth of his touch to his unfaltering look.Â
âHave you always known how to swing?â you ask as he leads you into a spin.
Mark dances with an ease you donât expect from his clumsy self. Youâre used to his harder, sharper style of dancing he exhibits when you all go out dancingâthe lighter style catching you completely off-guard. It makes you fall for your best friend a little more than you already have.
He nods as he catches you in his arms before turning you around again. âYeah, I learned from watching my parents dance. I only really danced with my mom, though. I guess I was justââ Mark coughs, shaking his head.
âJust what?â You egg him on, wanting to hear what your crush has to say.
âNo, never mind, itâs nothing.â
âDoesnât sound like nothing to me,â you quip.
âNah, itâs stupid,â Mark tries to dismiss it, distracting you with another spin.
With him being the perfect leader, your sneaker-clad feet move in time with him, following wherever he goes. âNothing you say is going to be stupid,â you add, squeezing his palm.
You know youâve won the argument when Mark sighs. Heâs so close to you now, you can feel his breath hit your face. Thereâs a hint of fresh spearmint, coming from the gum you offered him earlier. Any closer and your lips can press right into his, completing the romantic moment that you could only dream about.Â
Mark gulps nervously as you look up at him with confusion. The words come tumbling out before he can stop himself from making a fool, âI guess I was just waiting for the right partner.â
Thereâs more to Markâs sweet reply than meets the eye. Once again, you burn up at the implications. You shouldnât assume the meaning behind your crushâs words but something about the way he said it makes you believe that you are the partner he is waiting for. To be deemed worth waiting for is a girlâs deepest fantasy and your heart swells in your chest at the thought of it all.
Despite the rapid thoughts running through your head, the only thing you can spit out is a quiet, âOh.âÂ
Mark renders you speechless at the favorite part of the day and in your favorite place in the entire world; he pockets this as a big win. With his warm hand resting at your waist and the other clutching your calm, Mark leads you into a flurry of sequential moves. Never once does he bump into another person in the crowd, he navigates through the small space youâre granted so gracefully. Dancing with him brings you to such a natural high, you feel lighter than air.Â
The laughter that spills from your lips fills his heart with joy and as the song reaches its end, the arm at your waist tightens enough to usher you into a dip. As your torso lowers, his body follows your own. He keeps you in this position, his pretty brown eyes glued onto your shaking pupils. Heâs so near, that your sight triangulates from his eyes down to his grinning lips. You notice the pink that tickles his skin, from his squishy cheeks to his pierced ears.
As Mark pulls you back up, you circle your arms around his neck and give him the biggest hug in existence. You whisper a light and heartfelt, âthank you,â in his ears and Mark responds by pulling you closer.
While the song that played through the speakers announced, âLife could be a dream,â Mark Lee deems that his life already is. To him, his life is a dream and thatâs because youâre in it.Â
âš FIREWORKS
The sun has set and your entire group is tired but the dayâs not quite over yet. The five of you are amongst the throng of people seated on the asphalt, bodies splayed in all sorts of configurations. Karina and Jeno are in front of you, whispering happily as they go through all of their pictures together. Donghyuck has no problem taking a nap on the floor, using some plastic bags as his makeshift mattress and Karinaâs new plushie as a pillow. Mark, on the other hand, is seated on your right and silently playing a game on his phone.Â
The extent of your tiredness didnât hit until you sat on the floor, a groan leaving your mouth as you fought to find a comfortable position. The ground really isnât the best place to sit but you have to camp out for the best view of the castle and the fireworks. You find yourself hugging your legs and resting your face on your knees to keep yourself warm. The weather is a lot cooler than it was earlier in the day and the slight breeze has you shivering.Â
âYou okay?â Mark asks, still looking at his phone.
âWhat makes you think Iâm not?â
âYou keep moving around like youâre uncomfortable or something,â Mark pauses his game and notices the goosebumps on your skin, âBubs, are you cold?â
âYeah, just a little bit but Iâll deal with it.â You leave out the fact that youâre tempted to buy a sweater from a gift shop, just as you do every single time you get cold in the parks. Itâs an expensive tradition you need to break. Plus, thereâs no more room in your closet for more cozy crewneck sweaters.Â
Another quiver runs through your body as the winds blow through the area. Mark frowns as you tighten the grip around your legs. He immediately shrugs off the zip-up he wore, draping it around your curled-up shoulders. The warmth of the fabric combined with the smell of his cologne hits you all at once.Â
âMark, I told you Iâm okay,â you pout at him as he gets up from his spot. He stops you from taking it off, his palms firm on your back. âYouâre gonna get cold.â
He disagrees, pulling the hood over your head. âNah, I run hot anyway. I donât want you to get sick or anything so just leave it on, okay?â
âButââ
âFor me?â Mark pushes. He smiles when you pout even further, knowing thereâs no way you can beat him in this conversation. âThatâs my girl,â he adds, a hand coming to cup the back of your neck. A sudden urge comes over him and before he even places what he's doing, Mark plants a tiny kiss on the top of your head. You feel the slight pressure of his lips between the fabric and your head is reeling the second he pulls back.
âIâll be right back,â Mark whispers before setting off into the crowd.
Youâre frozen in place, the ability to respond nonexistent in your mind. You simply watch as he fades away and then, the shyest smile breaks through. There are no clouds left in the sky but youâre officially on Cloud 9, your heart beating rapidly in your chest, and your face buried into the sleeve ends of his jacket. Â
True to his word, your best friend returns fifteen minutes later with a plastic bag in one hand and a hot drink in the other. Mark pulls out the coziest Disney-themes blanket you have ever seen, folds it in half, and then places it onto the floor. He motions for you to sit on it and you smile even wider. âBetter?â he asks as you settle crisscross on the soft fabric.Â
A relieved sigh slips past your lips as the soft material rubs against your skin. âSo much better.â
Mark plops himself right beside you. His bare arm presses against yours in an attempt to fit on the blanket. Thereâs lots of space left but you donât mind, snuggling right up to his side. He chuckles at your action, draping his arm around your hoodie-clad shoulders to pull you closer. âGot you a hot chocolate too, passed by the cafe across from the gift shop,â your crush gently places the drink in your hands.
âYou really didnât have to,â you mutter, hiding your smile behind the drink.
âWanted to.âÂ
âThanks,â you reply in between your tiny sips.
âAnything for you, Bubs.â
With his arm around you and your body cozied up to his side, the time passes quickly. Youâre in your own world, your quiet conversations drowned out by the chatter of the large crowd surrounding the castle area. The cocoa is passed back and forth between his hand and yours, an indirect kiss shared each either of you takes a sip. You laugh over things that happened throughout the day, from Markâs burnt tongue to all the hideous ride pictures your friends took while wholeheartedly enjoying themselves.Â
When Mark takes a big sip, you crack an unexpected joke that leaves him choking on the drink. Your roaring laughter attracts the attention of the others around you but you are so into Mark, you donât even notice. Heâs a sputtering mess, with the hot drink all over his cheeks and hands. You help him through it, one hand patting his back and the other reaching up to wipe away the liquid with his sleeve.Â
âYouâre so silly,â you whisper fondly as your thumb rubs against his soft cheek.
âNo, you just caught me off guard,â Mark replies, nuzzling into your hand. The moment feels a little too intimate, especially when his fingers reach up to connect with yours, but you donât want it to end. It finally feels like something good is happening. It feels like the dream youâve kept deep in your heart is coming true and you donât want to fight it.Â
You pay no attention to the way your friends are staring knowingly at you like this was all meant to happen. Your eyes are solely trained on Mark and how he holds you so delicately as if you were a bubble about to burst. Mark keeps you tucked into him until the five-minute before the fireworks announcement blasts through the speakers.Â
Mark is the first to get up off the blanket and you hate how easily he does so. The feeling of pins and needles travel down your legs as you try to get up. You moan in pain, struggling to get up. When you finally rise from the ground, your knees buckle and you lose your balance. A little noise slips out as you stumble, your clumsiness almost leading you straight into another person. Strong hands from behind immediately fly to your hips to keep you steady and you fall right back into Markâs sturdy chest.Â
His hands remain at your hips as you turn to look at him. You mumble an apology and he clutches your waist a little harder. âWhoâs the silly one now, huh?â
âShut up.â
Even as the moment ends, Markâs hands stay in place. The only movement he makes is a minuscule tug that molds you into his chest. He hears no complaints from you, just a pleased little sigh, that signals youâre one hundred percent okay with what is happening.Â
The surrounding lights dim, projections on the castle come alive, and music that could only be described as magical begins to play. Itâs the scene of your dreamsâyou are in the hold of someone you love as fireworks light up the sky. The showâs just begun and here you are, wishing you can stay in this moment forever.
Seeing as how heâs made it this far, Mark puts on his bravest face and circles his arms around your waist. You hum in approval, resting your hands right above his. He replies by tangling his digits with yours and you smile so widely, itâs brighter than the pyrotechnics shooting off above you.Â
The soundtrack isnât new to you; itâs the show the park features every summertime, so you find yourself humming along to every section and transition that passes. By the time the love-themed section bleeds through the sound system and the castle glows with pinks and reds, you tell your best friend, âThis is my favorite part.â
He says nothing in response, too busy admiring you instead of the show. Mark rests his chin on your shoulder, his gaze directed at the side of your face. He takes in the sight of the glow the lights cast on you, your lips curled up as you mouth each and every lyric.
Itâs quite obvious that heâs staring at you. Even if you didnât catch him from the corner of your eye, you feel Markâs steady breath hit your neck and cheek. Your entire body radiates heat upon this realization. You sink your teeth into your bottom lip to calm the hopeless romantic inside you.Â
You want to look at him, you really do, but youâre scared of what will follow after you meet Markâs eyes. But when he whispers about your favorite song playing, your heart swells at his great memory, and you turn.Â
The tip of Markâs nose grazes yours after your sudden movement. Youâre right there, less than a breath away from him, and his eyes are filled with immense tenderness. In your years of knowing Mark Lee, youâve never seen him look at another person the way heâs looking at you at this moment. Itâs a look filled with endearment and affection, leaving your heart swelling in your chest.Â
You barely hear the boom of the fireworks shooting off, not when Markâs eyes flitter down to your parted lips. Heâs captivated your heart and soul, you canât help but nudge your nose against his as you inch closer. Itâs a silent signal, one he understands without further explanation. Your best friend shuts his eyes, calls upon the glittery pixie dust that sits in his hair and makes his final wish of the night. He wishes for the strength to make his next move.Â
Markâs soft lips touch yours most delicately; the press is merely there, and it throws you for a loop. The kiss makes you so incredibly giddy, that you turn your head even more and your hand anchors itself to his cheek. It keeps you steady as he dives in for seconds, this one more eager than the first. With your favorite love song in the background and the fireworks booming in the distance, you are happier than ever.
You are so happy that your wide grin and little giggles cause Mark to break away for a short moment. He plants another peck amid your laughter and soon heâs chuckling too. The arms around your waist lock you in place as he burrows into the crook of your neck, placing the tiniest kiss where your pulse hammers against your skin.Â
Markâs feet are on the ground but he feels like heâs flying. His heart has grown wings, allowing him to soar to new heights. He feels like he can touch every little star in the sky. Kissing you in this land of make-believe, underneath the fireworks, feels like a miracle and he fears that he will never come down again.
Heâs pretty sure the gleam in your eyes mirrors his own. Itâs so pretty and bright and magicalâit encompasses all the emotions stirring in his chest. They start from his heart, bubble up through his neck, and the words heâs been meaning to say spill out as a crescendo booms throughout the area. âYouâre my wish come true.â
Turning in his hold, you circle your arms around his neck. You draw him closer, your lips ghosting against his to say, âAnd you are mine,â before closing the sentence with another kiss.Â
Youâve always loved fairytale endingsâhow the prince always gets the princess at the end of the story. When he grins against your lips, you realize youâve been in one the entire time. The story of you and Mark is more than a dream that filled your head. Itâs more than something you wished upon a star for. Your story is the slowest burn that led to the greatest happy ending.Â
All it needed was a little faith, trust, and a whole lot of pixie dust.
TAGLIST. (tagging my gen taglist and friends that I think will be interested in it hehehe) @winwintea @johtenrecs @lavendersuh @itsapapisongo @nctsworld @hotdogct @smileysuh @suhnnyskiess @jaemdonuts @haetrack @bat-shark-repellant @bebsky
FINAL PARK ANNOUNCEMENT. Hey everyone! Long time no post. I think the last time I posted a fic was in either December or January? I'm happy to be back for a hot second. This fic was inspired by many things: Mark calling his fans "his MJ," my personal visits to Disneyland over the years, and especially the trips I've gone on with friends that I've met on this site. Hehehe. I really hope you all enjoy this rainbow of magic and fluff. Please let me know what you think of it. Your feedback keeps me going! Love always, Nikki <3
© SEHUNNIEPOTWRITES, 2024
#nct scenarios#nct fanfic#nct imagines#nct x reader#mark lee#mark imagines#mark scenarios#mark fanfic#mark fluff#mark lee x reader#mark x reader
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Practice On Me â Part Fourteen â Azriel x Reader
Summary: Reader is readying herself for the ball. Hot Daddy Finâąïž opens up to her a little and shares some worrying truths (and then some). Azriel and Reader reunite, body and soul.
Word Count: 8.2k
Warnings: Adult content, 18+, NSFW, minors dni.
Tried my best with this part but sorry if it's a bit iffy! This girlie is ill as FUCK. Still hope you enjoy, tho, loves!
âYou know, I have to admit, I was dubious at first.â
Mor is knelt at your feet, and you think this might be the closest you ever come to having a goddess on her knees before you. A strange part of you wants her to snap out and sink her teeth into your thigh, leave a bright red mark on the skin â but alas, her attention is fully on the hem of your gown.
âMy uncle, love him though I do, is a calculated bastard.â She pushes to her feet, straightening out the fabric. âBut I think he actually enjoys your company.â
âHe does.â Roza pitches in from her place on the couch. âI know Fin. Y/N has him eating out of the palm of her hand.â
Though she smiles, her tone is laced with clear concern. Not because she cares about Fin, but because she cares about you. Doesnât want you to forget that this is the High Lord of the Night Court youâre meddling with.
âMales are vapid and predictable, every last one of them.â You shrug your tense shoulders. âThrow them a few pretty smiles and theyâll do anything for you.â
Mor steps back, a low whistle leaving her. âForget the males. Iâll do anything for you.â
Her eyes rake over your gown. So do Rozaâs. And youâŠyou want to crawl out of your skin and hide.
Youâve never owned a beautiful gown like this, never been able to afford one. The couple of dresses you do keep amongst your clothes are plain ones that just about do for special occasions. What hangs off your body now isâŠa work of art.
Almost feels like sacrilege for the beautiful fabric to touch your marred skin.
Itâs sheer, showing off more than youâve ever before dared to, and yet thereâs a modesty, an elegance, to the many whorls and swirls made up entirely of little blue jewels and pearls and beads. It gives the gown a weight that makes it cling to you, and it outlines a body thatâŠthat quite frankly, youâd never considered beautiful until this very moment.
A body that commands the garment, and not the other way round. That makes you feel like far more than just another mistreated, unfavoured Illyrian female that will one day be lost to history.
This gown makes you think: I do not need the wings I have spent my life longing for.
It makes you think: There is nothing more beautiful than a good spirit and soul, and I have both.
It makes you think: Never again will anyone â friend or family or foe â make you feel less than worthy. Less than deserving. Less than strong.
You have always had strength. And this dress somehow amplifies it. Will amplify it to a room full of people who will see, through that sheer fabric, your scars, your lack of wings, and they may pity you, or not pity you at all, or may even laugh.
But you will still be beautiful.
Movement has you realising that tears have blurred your eyes. You swipe them away, and Mor is smiling at you, and Roza looks like sheâs a little choked up, too.
âYou are so godsdamned gorgeous.â Mor says earnestly. âEvery last inch of you.â
Indeed, you glance over your shoulder at the mirror behind you, your gaze immediately finding your scars sitting brutal and undeniable beneath the sheer fabric. You donât hurriedly force your gaze away like you have done your whole life, donât try to avoid them.
You justâŠlook. Look at what has been a part of you for so long, now.
ââŠMor?â Roza says quietly. âCan youâŠgive Y/N and I a moment?â
âOf course.â Mor agrees. âTime for me to find a snack.â
The stunning blonde squeezes your hand as she strolls past, and as she leaves the room, the door is pulled shut behind her.
Roza rises from her seat, making her way over to you. And as she stops before you, her hands move up to cup your face.
âDid you know,â she murmurs, âthat Iâve always thought you were one of the prettiest females in all of Windhaven?â A soft scoff leaves you, but before you can glance down, sheâs holding your face firmly. âI mean that â even when Azriel brought you to the cottage that very first time, and you were covered in dirt and mud, your hair all knotted, a leaf or two in there â you thanked me for feeding you, and you gave me a smile that was just likeâŠsunshine. Such a rare thing in Windhaven. I remember thinking, this girl deserves to smile like that, always.â
A single tear spills down your cheek, and Roza wipes it away. She definitely looks like she might start bawling, too â a rare thing for her.
âI know you were never given much of a chance to feel worthy.â She whispers. âYour mother abandoning youâŠyour father taking your wingsâŠthey were the two people who were supposed to love you more than anyone, and they broke you and left you broken.â
âYou put me back together.â A lump in your throat fractures your words. âYou and Rhys and Azriel and Cassian. Your loveââ
âMy little dove, you put yourself back together. We just loved you through it. I just want you to know thatâŠI just want you to remember, the next time you feel worthless, that you are beautiful, and you have always been beautiful. Youâre strong, and spirited, and determined. You have a resolve like no other I have ever seen, and you can do anything â which is why I know you will achieve whatever it is youâre planning with Fin.â
Only then does your gaze drop. âI only wish to appeal myself to him enough that heâll value my opinion â that this Fenlaros business cannot go ahead. But I still feel awfulâŠheâs your mate.â
âGods, in the loosest definition, Y/N.â Her hands move to yours, then, liking them together. âBelieve me when I say that if it werenât for my children, Iâd never see that male again. I think you know that I do not hold him in high regard.â
âI do know. But I respect you and care about you more than anyone in the world. And if you feel even a shred of discomfort about what Iâm doing, Iâll stop. Iâll find another wayââ
âThe only discomfort I feel,â she squeezes your hands gently, âis at the thought of any harm coming to you. But Iâll feel that way through everything you do in life, because I love you. I also feel awe, because youâre brave and brilliant, and youâre doing whatâs right. What I will teach this little girl,â she places your hands on her swollen belly, âto do â to stand up against what is wrong, and do so without a lick of shame.â
âIâll protect her with my life, you know â the babe. Iâll love her unconditionally.â
âAnd she will love you, my dove, just as I do. So,â she steps back, eyes your dress again. A smile curves her lips. âDo whatever it is you have to do, Y/N, to change Finâs mind â you have my full support. I only ask three things of you.â
Your expression softens. Anything â youâd do anything for her. âOf course, Roz.â
âFirst, donât get caught with your scheming.â She says. âAnd second â you may feel like murdering Fin. Gods, believe me, I get it. But please do refrain. Heâs my childrenâs father, after all, and Rhys isnât ready to be High Lord just yet.â
You breathe a laugh, dipping your chin. âNo murder. Got it. And the third thing?â
Roza steps up to you, her fingers finding the beautiful, jewelled material that clings to you like a second skin. She smiles.
âGo to that ball,â her fierce eyes meet yours, âand show everybody there that your father didnât take one bit of beauty away from you.â
â§: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸ
You pace the length of your room. Back and forth, back and forth. Youâre restless tonight.
Day after day is swept behind you like the snow that blankets the mountains. Time is a racing thing. Starfall is fast approaching, and thus, so is the ball. But you still feel as though you canât get a good read on Finâs thoughts.
No matter how many dinners you share with him, how many walks through the city streets you take together, the shows you watch in the RainbowâŠhe does not offer you the candidness with which he spoke through that very first conversation in his study. Any attempts to talk about Tathaln, about Fenlaros, are promptly diverted. He wants to talk about you â wants to know you.
It feels like the opportunity to stop this shit show in its tracks is slipping through your fingers, and you canât grab hold of it, pull it back.
So instead of sleeping, you think, and you pace, and youâ
Gods, you just want to see Azriel.
How much space, you wonder, is enough space? You have respected his needs, have kept to Velaris, given him time to confront his innermost thoughts and feelings. But you donât know how long he needs, and right nowâŠright now, all you want is to see him. Look into his eyes. Hear that soft, quiet voice telling you that everything will be okay.
You need to know if heâs made a decision about Fenlaros. Youâve tried not to think about it, not to dwell on the possibility that he could choose to run from his feelings over embracing them. But the longer the silence stretches onâŠthe more you find that hole in your heart gaping, threatening to swallow you whole.
You pace more and more, up and down in time to the ticking of the clock. Itâs a wonder you havenât worn a track through the carpet. You donât know why youâre suddenly so antsy, but perhaps if you could just talk to Az, some of your worries could be allayedâ
Before your thoughts can catch up with your body, youâre tearing through the drawers in the desk, scrambling for paper, a pen. Practically throw yourself into the chair. A letter â a letter will do the trickâ
But you donât know what to write.
You stare at the blank parchment like the words will simply appear by your willing. They donât.
A love letter? No, no, not a love letter. Just a letter toâŠto remind him that you are still here. That you are reason to stay in Windhaven, and you think you could be reason enough.
Azriel⊠you picture him as you crawl his name. His honey-golden eyes and his silken hair. The sharp bone structure that could slice through paper, the full lips. The memory of how those lips feel is fading, and you want â need â it back. Your pen pauses, hovers at the parchment, and those lips are all you can think of, the urgency with which you crave them.
Azriel, you write again, I want to see you. I need you, tooâ
A soft knock lands on the door, and the pen clatters against the desk where you drop it.
The clock has just timed three in the morning â the knock is an unexpected obtrusion in the dead of night. One that makes you anxious.
But a second knock comes, and you shove the parchment and pen back into the drawer, scrambling to your feet. Perhaps itâs Roza â the more the pregnancy progresses, itâs not unusual for her to wake up in the night with need for something. You hurry over and tug it open.
Fin stands on the other side, lookingâŠunkempt. His hair is mussed, like heâs been dragging his fingers through it. The first few buttons on his shirt have been undone, and a glimpse of a fine, chiselled chest peeks out. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. He looks as though he hasnât been to bed.
He drinks in the sight of you in your nightgown, bathed in the roomâs glow. He swallows. âForgive me, IâŠI saw your light on. Thought you might be having trouble sleeping again.â
You incline your head. âI was.â You admit. ââŠAnd you?â
âToo much in my head to even attempt it.â
Youâre not sure what to reply with, how to help. Fin watches you closely likeâŠlike he needs to. Like gazing at you brings him comfort.
You are treading a very, very dangerous path. But you shift on your feet and ask him, âWould you like to come in?â
A tiny nudge of a smile pulls one side of his mouth up. âI was actually wondering if youâd allow me to take you somewhere.â
Your eyes widen a little. The surprise isnât for show, and it seems to please him. âRight now?â
âThe City of Starlight doesnât sleep. Ever.â
A fact youâve learned all too well during your stay here. Thereâs always some sort of activity, something going on that sends a constant pulsing through the city streets. For some reason, you hadnât imagined Fin to be a participant in the night life.
âItâs somewhere I go when I canât sleep.â He explains, as though youâve spoken your thoughts loud and clear. âI think youâd like it. And from one insomniac to another, IâŠI would be honoured to share it with you.â
How can you possibly say no to that? For all Fin is mysterious, for all he keeps his cards tightly pressed against his chest, you truly believe that he finds a strange sort of solidarity in this one affliction that burdens you both. You may have wildly different reasons for pacing your room at night â and youâre not sure heâll ever tell you his â but when the world is too quiet and thoughts are too loudâŠthereâs comfort in knowing that somebody else is staring down those early hours, also.
It almost makes him seemâŠnormal.
And perhaps thatâs why you offer him a dazzling smile that isnât entirely disingenuous. âFrom one insomniac to another,â you say, âIâd love to come with you.
The way his eyes light up makes you wonder if youâve played your role, appealed yourself to him, a little too well. âThen Iâll wait here while you get dressed.â
You incline your head. âIâll just be a moment.â
He waits patiently as you change from your nightgown into warm clothes that will shield you from the freezing night air. With no indication of where you might be going, a sweater and breeches and boots seems like the safest bet. You sweep your hair out of your face and shrug the weariness from your bones. When you emerge from the room, Finâs gaze traces you like youâve donned an evening gown and not the thickest layers you could fine.
âI find you so very intriguing.â He comments unexpectedly, and youâre not sure what he means.
You plaster a smile on your face, all the same. âWhere are we going, Lord of the Night?â
Heat stokes his hickory eyes, and he looks as though heâs actually trying to tamp down on a broad smile. âItâs a surprise.â
You hold a hand out. He takes it. âThen surprise me.â
â§: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸ
 âTilt your head up.â The instruction comes from close behind you. Near enough that a warm breath tickles the back of your neck. You dutifully obey. âNow, open your eyes.â
Your eyelids flutter open slowly, cautiously. What youâre met with has your next breath catching in your throat.
A dome of starlight arcs high above you. The twinkling jewels in the sky feel almost close enough to reach out and touch, and they shine brilliantly through the glass roof, an occasional transient one cartwheeling its way past in pursuit of another place.
You can only stare. Gape. Your feet move forward a couple of steps, but your face remains tilted upwards.
You were in this building only a couple of evenings before, but it had been so packed, then, so filled with music and chatter and laughter and activity, that you hadnât noticed what sat above your head. Youâd been far too enamoured with the performers, their poetic verses and fluid dances, the tragic climax that had brought you to tears.
Now, the largest theatre in Velarisâs rainbow is empty and bathed in darkness, broken only by silvery moonlight. You and Fin are the only two here. And standing on the gargantuan stage, a mass of empty, folded seats staring back at you, you have the perfect view of the night sky that gives a performance all of its own above you.
There are soft footsteps, and Fin is also stepping forward, stopping at your side. âIn over nine centuries, Iâve never tired of that sight,â
You shake your head, a little dazed. Youâre lost for words. âI can see why.â
âThere is so much unexpected, so much chaos and burden, in being High Lord. But no matter what I may face, what choices I make, and what reactions they receiveâŠthere will always be the night sky and its stars.â
Only then do you remove your gaze from the domed glass ceiling â to drink him in and wonder how many layers deep his true heart lies. This male who is as cunning and cruel as he is handsome and charming. How many dimensions does he have that youâve never stopped to consider?
âI know it doesnât exactly support the imagine of a calculated High Lord who shouldnât be crossed.â Fin says, staring had at the surface of the stage whilst a wry smile graces his lips. âSneaking off to an empty theatre in the dead of night when sleep evades me. But I findâŠpeace here.â
You eye the ginormous building around you, dipped in shimmering moonlight and the shadows of twinkling stars. All those empty seats, the vacant orchestra pit, the stage that has trapped so many beautiful voices and words, guided so many dances and echoed so much beautiful music. Thereâs a haunting loneliness to the desolation. And you canât help wondering ifâŠif Fin relates to that, somehow.
When you snap out of your thoughts, you find heâs moved again. Now, he sits on the very edge of the stage, legs hanging down and palms bracing him. He stares out at the rows and rows of red velvet seats, not one of them disturbed by a spectator.
Youâre moving before you tell yourself to. Sitting at his side and tucking your legs beneath you. You spend a short time in still silence, but the heaviness of the High Lordâs thoughts seems to spread to every corner of the building.
âWhen you brought me here the other night,â you angle yourself towards him, âit was my first time in a theatre â ever. I never saw a show before.â
A very slight frown pinches Finâs features. He seems to consider that. âOne of my flaws, Y/N, I have to admit, is that I often forget that thereâs a world outside of my privilege. That people lack where I never will.â He tugs his bottom lip between his teeth. âRoza was right to take Rhysand to Windhaven. Heâs grown with a humility that I very much do not have.â
You snort softly. âI spend a lot of time with your son, My Lord. I assure you heâs just as capable of arrogance. Iâve kicked his ass a good few times because of it.â
A quiet laugh rasps from him. âSomehow, I donât doubt that.â He pauses, and then his elbow is gently nudging you. âI told you, anyway â itâs Fin. I consider us to be friends. Donât you?â
In some ways, you really do. Ans what a lying, using, devious little friend you are.
Especially as you scoot closer to him. And youâre softening your features and staring openly at him.
You donât miss the way his gaze falls to your lips.
âI do.â You say, and he lifts his eyes to yours again. âAnd as your friend, Iâd like to know what weighs so heavily on your mind tonight.â
His mile falters. And you donât want to lose him, to let the moment slip away from you. You quickly grab his hand before he can tense up.
âI want you to talk to meâŠâ You make your voice soft as butter, sweet as honey. âI like talking to you, Fin.â
Thereâs a beat. A tense one. And then his body is loosening, relaxing, his eyes becoming infinitely warmer.
His hand wraps around yours, the pad of his thumb tracing your nail. âI like talking to you, too.â He admits, and pauses again. ââŠWar isâŠa great likelihood, Y/N.â
Itâs your turn to go still, then, to tense up. Icy cold surprise bolts through you. ThatâŠisnât what you were expecting.
âWar?â You breathe, your mind already conjuring images of your friends on a battlefield. âWith whom? When?â
âI do not know when. It could be in a yearâs time; it could be in a decade. That all depends on how long it takes for humans to rise up and rally against our kind.â
âHumans?â
âThere has been more and more pushback, in recent years, from humans. Humans who are enslaved by our kind and are sick of it. More and more of them are beginning to stand up against it, to protest how theyâre forced to live. Theyâre willing to go to war over it. I donât know when or where, but they will. In years to come, they will.â
âAs they should.â You sit up straight. Perhaps itâs the wrong thing to say, but you donât care. âThey should revolt. I think itâs barbarous, the way our kind treat them. Their purpose is not to serve us. They have just as much right to live freely as we do.â
You mean it, mean it with your whole heart. You know what itâs like to be used for somebodyâs personal gain, what itâs like to have freedom always lurking just out of reach. And youâve heard about the treatment of enslaved humans. Most would rather die that live under the cruelty of their fae masters. That the practice hasnât been outlawed utterly sickens you.
Fin says nothing for a while. His hand continues to hold yours. His eyes drink you down with a muted intensity. Like this is the first time heâs ever really taken you in.
âI agree.â He murmurs, much to your surprise. âAnd when war comes â and it will, and Iâm preparing for it â when war comes, I will fight alongside the humans. To liberate them.â
You look at him, then â a male who has lived for almost a millennia, but doesnât look a day over forty. Who is so universally feared, who carries a reputation for things you canât even bear to consider. You will not fool yourself into believing that the darkness hides an inner light, or that the cruelty is a front. He is not soft and he is not kind.
But perhaps heâs not totally bad, either. That he would put himself in the firing line for the liberation of innocent humansâŠit has to speak somewhat to his character.
It almost makes you regret your scheming, your manipulating.
Before you can muster a response, the High Lord is leaning closer. Your body tenses as his face stops inches away from yours.
âYou need not be afraid of me, Y/N.â He whispers. âI find youâŠmagnificent. I like that you donât filter yourself in front of me, that youâre not afraid to speak your true thoughts and feelings. YouâŠyou are an asset. Worth so much more than youâve ever been given credit for.â
Your gaze dips, cheeks burning at the compliment. âI donât know about thatââ
âI mean it.â His finger hooks under your chin, soothing the skin there. âMagnificent.â He repeats, and heâs leaning in closer, closer, until his lips are coasting your flushed cheek. The kiss he presses there is cold in contrast, but you have no chance to react as his mouth brushes its way to the shell of your ear and lingers there. âAbsolutely brilliant. And do you know what?â
ââŠWhat?â
âAfter the ball is over,â his breath tickles your ear, âIâm going to bring you back here, to this stage. And those stars above our heads will watch as I strip you bare and fuck you hard enough to shake the building.â
It takes every morsel of your resolve not to start at the words. You release a shaky breath â one that makes you seem eager, responsive. Itâs convincing enough that you donât think youâd be out of place up here on this stage.
Thankfully, you donât have to drag words from your spinning thoughts. Fin lets go, and he pulls back, rising to his feet.
âBut until then,â he holds a hand out for you, âthere is much to be done. Starting with you and I getting a good nightâs sleep.â
You wear a mild smile as you allow him to pull you up. âA girl can dream.â
âAnd so can a High Lord.â
You donât say much else to each other as he tugs you close and spirits you back to his palace. You are both pensive, and you are both tired.
But when he bids you goodnight outside your bedroom and strolls off to his own, sleep seems further away than ever. Youâre thinking too much at once. Humans. War. Fin. Azriel.
You still desperately want to see Az, talk to him.
You dig back into the drawer, meaning to retrieve the letter youâd started to write.
But your hand merely knocks against wood, and the letter is gone.
â§: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸâ§ïœ„ïŸ: *â§ïœ„ïŸ
Youâre tempted â to write another letter, or note, orâŠwhatever. You donât even know what became of the first, unfinished one, whether it made its way to Azriel or not.
But days pass, and youâŠyou begin to lose your nerve a little. Perhaps itâs better to live in ignorance for as long as possible than know, either way, what Azriel is thinking. Choosing. Canât help feeling that the more time pedals on without a wordâŠthe worse the outcome will be.
Distractions help. But tonight, it would seem, there are none. And itâs strange, because everything around you is bathed in luxury, in excellence, but you find yourself missing the stripped back simplicity of Windhaven. The crumbling cottages, the mead hall, the rough-and-tumble way of life. Thereâs always something happening in that harrowing place, something to keep you occupied. As you stare down an evening in a huge, mostly empty palace, youâre actually struck by your longing for it. Both Roza and Fin are busy. Mor is away. Only the mountains and the distant sounds of the city are your companions tonight.
And once again, your thoughts take you to Azriel.
You think maybe this need for him is getting out of hand. And maybe itâs just the sugar-sweet things that Fin has been speaking into your ear, the knowledge that deep down, thereâs only one person you want to make such promises to youâ
No. Itâs not just that. Not just a pathetic influence of suggestive words. Itâs a need.
You need Azriel.
Your closest friend. Your safety blanket. The male who saved you and brought you into the fold of a loving, supportive unit. You stared down awkward adolescence together, faced such trying times by each otherâs sides.
And you need him.
Your heart, your body, your skin, is hot and heavy with it. Restless. Like the craving is pulling you apart from the inside.
You need to do something, anything, to occupy yourself; take a late-night stroll, read a book. Anything to stop you from staring at the ceiling and being eaten alive by the fire that scorches your veins.
Youâre so desperate to get moving that you donât bother to grab a jacket â just shove your feet into your shoes. A spring mildness has blanketed the city, anyway. Youâll be fine. You just need to moveâ
But you yank your bedroom door open, and Azriel is on the other side.
His beauty punches you straight in the gut.
Heâs a vision, stood there in casual clothing, a note â your note â clutched in his hand. He takes in the sight of you just as hurriedly.
âWhat are you doing here,â you breathe.
He opens his mouth. Closes it. His eyes rove you again, and he swallows. âI got your note.â He answers. âI wanted to see you, too, andâŠthe High Lord summoned Rhys, Cass and I hereâŠto warn us to be on our best behaviour at the ball.â
You canât say anything. Canât speak. You just gawk like a godsdamned fool.
A strange concoction of a frown and a laugh comes from Az. âIâŠsnuck away afterâŠto come hereââ
Before you even know what youâre doing, your hand is bunching in the front of Azrielâs shirt, and youâre dragging him into the room with all your strength. He looks bewildered as you shove the door shut behind him.
âAz, have you lost your mind?â You round on him. âIf Fin knew youâd come to my roomââ
âHe isnât here.â He cuts you off. âCass went straight back to Windhaven, and Rhys knew I wanted to see you, soâŠheâs currently having quality family time with Roza and his father in the city.â
Thereâs a lot to unpack. But all your mind wants to zero in on is that one little sentence â Rhys knew I wanted to see you.
Pathetic, how your entire stomach flips.
ââŠYou call him Fin?â
It takes a moment for your mind to catch up enough to understand Azrielâs question.
âWeâve been living under the same roof.â You shrug slowly. âIâŠguess he got tired of me using his title.â
Az stares at you, assessing. Youâre not sure what heâs looking for, but you fidget under the intensity of his gaze.
âWhat is it?â You ask him.
âIâm worried about you. I know heâs taking you to the ball. I donât want you playing his games.â
You purse your lips. ââŠThat why you snuck here to my room, Az? To give me a warningââ
âI came here because you said you wanted to see me, and I want to see you, too.â
So open â for him. So straightforward that for a beat, youâre not sure how to react.
But then youâre moving, and so is he, and your bodies slam together in a tight, long-awaited embrace. Feeling his arms wrap around you isâŠeverything. Everything youâve missed and longed for. Everything you will ever long for. Whatever happensâŠAzriel is the only thing youâll need, when all is said and done.
And thatâs why youâre suddenly crying, clinging to him.
On instinct, Azrielâs arms tighten around you. He moves a hand up to cradle the back of your head, and he whispers, âY/NâŠâ
âPlease donât leave Windhaven.â The words choke out of you. âPlease, Az, justâŠdonât go to Fenlaros. Pleaseââ
âY/N. Look at me.â
Tears and all, you do. You remain as close to him as you possibly can as you lift your head to meet his eyes.
You donât know how you know, but you do â from that one, heavy stare, you can tell that things have changed. That he has changed. He looks like the same, stunning male that youâve always admired, but something else sits on his face.
Emotion.
Determination.
Fire.
He opens his mouth. Takes a slow, shuddering breath that you feel through every inch of your body. And then he says, with utter clarity, âIâm not going anywhere.â
You almost break all over again. But he keeps talking, keeps sharing.
âI love you. No â Iâm in love with you. I love you more than I can put into words. I want you and only you, and Iâm not leaving you. The only reason I would ever walk out of that camp is if you were by my side, and we were leaving together.â
You areâŠweightless. Boneless. Held up only by Azrielâs arms. A tear rolls down your cheek, and you allow it to fall to the carpet.
âMy handling of my feelings,â Az stares down at you, âhas been one huge fuck up. I loved you long before you offer to let me practice intimacy on you. Experiencing those things with youâŠthe things you made me feelâŠonly brought those feelings to the surface. And instead of facing them as I should have done, I hid behind Kaeda to avoid them. But it was never about Kaeda. It was always you. It will always be you. And Iâm scared, Y/N, Iâm fucking terrified. But Iâm done running. Done hiding.â
Silence sweeps into the room on swift wings, and you are suddenly incapable of thought, and of somehow turning it into words. Without Azrielâs voice to distract you, youâre aware of the tremors that wrack through his body. As though this is the scariest thing in the world to him, and heâs trying to hold strong against it.
It probably is.
He studies you closely. Croaks out, âPlease say something.â
And perhaps itâs giving him the wrong impression entirely, but youâre stepping out of his arms and putting space between you. You justâŠneed to gather your thoughts. To remember how to speak.
âIâŠâ You blink. âI handled it badly, too.â
âIt doesnât matterââ
âI made selfish choices. IâŠI acted out of jealousy because I wanted you, but you and Kaeda wereâŠâ
He shakes his head resolutely. âWhat I told you before was true. I never touched Kaeda like that. Even before I found out about all that Fenlaros shit, I think I knew that I wouldnât. That I couldnât.â
A fact that breaks your heart. Your eyes fill with tears again. âBut I still did. Cass and Iââ
âCassian was there for you when I should have been, and I had no right â none â to react the way that I did. If anyone did anything wrong that night, it was me. But what you and Cass didâŠit does not matter. Not one bit.â
Youâre pivoting on the spot, turning your back to him, before you can crumble entirely. He really means it. Really does not hate you for the choice you made, even though it hurt him.
âY/N,â Azâs voice shakes behind you. âPleaseâŠlook at me.â
Now youâre confronted with the situation, part of you wants to run â to hide.
But Az is being open. Honest. No matter how hard, how terrifying it is for himâŠheâs here. Heâs trying.
And so youâll try, too. And you think you might be shaking just as much as he is as you turn back to him.
The two of you stare at each other. Feel the situation out with your gazes alone.
Azriel is the one to break the extended silence.
âYou said you need me.â He eyes you. Heâs visibly trembling all over, and it has nothing to do with the chill in the room. Trembling like heâs trying to hold himself together against the weight of the situation.
ââŠYes.â You swallow. âI do, AzâŠI think Iâve always needed you.â
âSo show me.â
You pause. Blink, your eyes blown wide. âWhat?â
âShow me how you need me.â He steps closer, and though heâs shaking, he outreaches a hand and find yours. âShow me how to give you what you need.â
Your fingers brush his, and youâre forcing a lump down your throat. Drinking him in. HeâŠheâs exquisite. âYou meanâŠâ
âI mean,â the gap is closed between your bodies, and his heat is reaching you, âI donât want to practice. I want it allâŠeverythingâŠwith you. I want you to take me. Only youââ
Youâre surging forward with so much pent-up need that when your lips collide with Azrielâs, it almost knocks you both to the floor.
But Azrielâs arms are banding around you, and heâs a pillar against you, kissing you back with just as much heat.
You donât know which of you makes what move. Your hands are all over him, and his are all over you, and heâs walking you backwards and groaning as the kiss deepens.
You find the hem of his tunic, dip your hands under, fingertips skating warm skin that shudders beneath your touch. âCan I take this off?â You murmur, and he swallows your words greedily.
âAll of it â take it all.â
And so you do. There is no method to it. Youâre a woman starved and crazed as you tear at his clothing, not caring about where it ends up, so long as itâs no longer on him. More and more tan skin is exposed, more muscles, more scars. And when he kicks out of his boots and breeches and his underwear is the only remaining barrier, youâre reaching for him, for the hardness thatâs pushing through the dark grey fabric and taunting you.
But Azriel reaches out an arm to gently stop you. His hand brushes your cheek, and his eyes are pure hunger as he says, âYour turn.â
And it hits you just then that up in until this point, Azriel has never seen you naked â in this capacity, anyway. There have been plenty of non-sexual circumstances over the years in which youâve gotten a glimpse of each other, but not like this. Even when he began practicing on you, you never took your clothes off.
And youâre fucking nervous. Even more so under the press of his gaze. He looks like he may combust as you slowly move your hands to your shirt and tug the front laces loose. You pull the hem out from where it was tucked into your breeches.
The fabric parts enough that it more or less slides off you and pools on the floor. You do not meet the heavy stare that watches you so closely. You may lose your nerve if you do.
But when the last few items of clothing are off and kicked away from you, and youâre left entirely bare, you hear a sharp intake of breath. Curiosity gets the better of you. You lift your gaze and resist the urge to fold your arms over your chest.
Azriel is staring at you likeâŠlike nobody ever has before.
Like you are the rare rays of sunlight that break through the grey landscape of Windhaven. Like the world around you was forged from your own two hands.
Like youâre beautiful, and worthy, and unruined.
ââŠWhat is it?â You clear your throat, shifting on the spot.
Azriel shakes out of a daze and takes a single step closer to you. âYou areâŠâ His throat bobs, âYouâre the most beautiful person Iâve ever seen.â
You almost laugh. Almost. But something stops you.
The sincerity in his tone, his eyes. The realisation that he truly means that.
Your eyes travel from his face, down his sculpted chest and stomach. The firm, toned legs and what sits beneath him. Youâve seen plenty of his body naked. ButâŠnot all at once.
You think the air might be punched from your lungs.
Heâs hard as a rock â from looking at you. The tip of his cock is already leaking moisture. His wings flare proudly at his back.
âSo beautiful.â He cups your jaw, guiding your eyes back up to his.
Thereâs nothing else you can say, in that moment, than the words that tumble from your lips.
âI love you,â you whisper.
Emotion crosses his face, and both hands are gripping your cheeks. He kisses you deeply; so deeply that it steals your breath.
And then he pulls away, and heâs repeating his earlier words, his forehead pressed to yours. âShow me â show me what you need. No games, justâŠyou and me.â
No games, indeed. You cannot wait any longer.
You rise on the tips of your toes and claim his mouth with yours, and youâre guiding him back, back, until his legs are hitting the bed and heâs gladly falling onto it. He sprawls out, watching as you climb over him. As your hand caresses his stomach and moves down.
And when your fingertips brush the head of his cock, a deep, delicious noises rumbles in his throat.
You mop the moisture up with your palm, using it to slick the length of him and slide your hand up and down. He hisses between his teeth, hips jerking, hands bunching within the covers on your bed.
âNo games,â he repeats through gritted teeth. âThis is about both of us.â
And you know that, and youâre not patient enough, anyway, for foreplay right now.
It dawns on you that there will plenty of time for that.
He is not leaving Windhaven â not leaving you.
You will have experiences together beyond this one night.
And with that very fact warming your heart and making it set to burst, you place your legs either side of his body and stare down at him. His cock brushes against your centre, and he can feel how wet you already are for him. His eyes travel down.
You watch, and you ask him, quietly, âYouâre sure about this?â
His gaze flicks up immediately. âIâve never been surer about anything in my life.â He reaches out a trembling hand and brushes a strand of hair out of your face. âThat doesnât mean Iâm not nervous â gods, I really fucking am. So scared. I justâŠwant to do it right. To be good for you.â
The sentiment almost brings tears to your eyes. âYou couldnât do it wrong if you tried, Az. Do you trust me?â
âWith my whole heart.â He sits up a little â angles himself closer to you. âAnd I love you with my whole heart, too.â
And thatâs all either of you need, isnât it? Love and trust. The need that exits between you. Everything that is justâŠyours and Azrielâs relationship in its entirety.
Your eyes remain locked with his as you gently reach down and position his cock at your entrance. He breathes shakily. Doesnât look away from you once.
Not as you slide down onto him just a little. You pause at the first feel of your walls stretching to accommodate him. A pleasured frown furrows his brow. A moment passes, two, and then you slide down further.
More and more. Sinking onto him. Pausing. Adjusting. With every inch of his huge length that disappears inside you, you feel like every one of your nerve endings is struck by lightning. Azrielâs head lolls back, and he makes a soft noise.
âYouâre okay?â You check, hovering over him.
âYou feelââ He chokes on his words. âFuck.â
Itâs the encouragement you need to sink the rest of the way onto him. The last few inches slide into you quick, thanks to the slickness that soaks your folds, and then heâs pushed into the hilt and hitting a spot so deep inside you that you canât stifle the noise that breaks from your throat.
âDid I hurt you?â Azriel gasps, and you can only shake your head. He seems to study your face for confirmation, before heâs pushing up to kiss you.
And you kiss him back. For a moment, thatâs all either of you do.
But when heâs losing himself in your mouth, his tongue dancing around yours, seemingly distracted by your kissâŠonly then do you lift your hips and sink down onto him again. And then youâre falling into a slow, steady rhythm.
Azriel is gasping again, his mouth moving from yours to press kisses to your jaw, your neck, your collarbones â your breasts. As you rock slowly against him, the walls of your pussy squeezing him, coaxing him, he buries his face into your chest and explores you, lips and tongue paying attention to your nipples, teeth grazing with a gentleness thatâs almost heartbreaking.
âSo beautiful.â He whispers, and the hands that are sitting on your hips travel up your back â up to the scars that live in the place of your stolen wings. âGods, Y/N, youâre everything.â
You moan, rocking harder on him and wrapping your arms around his neck. You justâŠwant to hold him to you, to feel him against you. Itâs like it all comes crashing down on you that he very easily could have left.
But he didnât. He wonât. He is here and so are you. He is yours and you are his.
âTalk to me,â you breathe, raking your nails down his arms. âTell me how you feel.â
âSo good â feels so good with you wrapped around me.â
âYeah?â You lean down, brush a kiss to his lips. âYou like being inside me?â
âThere is â fuck â there is no one, Y/N, that I want to do this with, besides you.â His mouth slants over yours, and he whispers two words â take me â before heâs giving himself to your kiss.
Heâs so big, so deep. And the blood in your veins feels like molten lava as the pace picks up, as his trembling begins to subside, and he grows more confident. His groans are loud, and his hands roam over your body before finally landing on your hips. Fingertips dig into your flesh with a dizzying bite, and heâs rocking you, encouraging you to take him. To fuck him.
This is not practice. This is two bolts of lighting striking in the same place. The friction between your bodies is perfect, like nothing else youâve ever felt. The pleasure may just finish you yet. Itâs electric. Addictive. You want to feel like this forever, with him.
And more pleasure floods you as in one swift move, he flips you over â takes you entirely by surprise. Youâre landing on your back, and heâs hovering over you. He stills as he stares down at you.
âThis is perfect.â He says, dipping down to kiss you again. It makes him move inside you suddenly, and the different angle has you both gasping into each otherâs mouths. âGods.â
âFuck me, Az.â You moan. âJust like that.â
What starts out slow quickly builds in pace. The roll of Azrielâs hips become thrusts â and the moans, the cries, the words that leave you, all guide them to be deeper, harder. You think you could stay like this forever, with him buried inside of you, wringing pleasure from every corner of your body. It snakes through your veins and zips up your spine, and when his hand travels down and his fingers find your clit, you fucking explode.
You cry out, bucking up from the bed as your orgasm hits you full force. Azriel fucks you through it, and his groans are growing louder, more desperate, as the walls of your cunt clench around him. He breathes out a fractured, desperate noise, leaning down to brush his lips over yours as he fucks into you harder.
âI canât last much longer.â He chokes around his pleasure, pressing quick, nipping kisses to your mouth. âI canâtââ
âCome for me.â You gasp, locking your legs around his waist. âCome inside me.â
The noise that your words coax from him is downright sinful. He grabs your hips in his hands, slants his mouth over yours. He slams into you again, again, again, and then heâs roaring his pleasure with enough force to shake the bed, and you feel every rope of come that he spills into you.
Youâre trembling. Or maybe thatâs him. Or both of you. Both slick with sweat, and both shaking, and both unable to hold yourselves up any longer.
Azriel collapses beside you, his body still tangled with yours. He buries his face into the crook of your neck, his heavy breaths heating your skin. You sink a trembling hand into the strands of his hair.
âThat wasââ His voice hitches, âI canâtâŠcanât put it into words.â
Neither can you. Itâs all you can do to nod as you catch your breath.
âThank you.â A kiss is pressed against your neck. Another. Azâs arm drapes over your chest, and he moves his mouth to yours. âThank you.â
Still void of words, you settle on kissing him. Deep. Slow. Unhurried. Your hand cups his cheek, and your tongue strokes into his mouth. Lays out a litany of sentiments that youâre currently incapable of verbalising.
It feels like you kiss each other forever. But then youâre pulling back, pressing your foreheads together. And you stare into Azrielâs eyes as you tell him once again, âI love you.â
Emotion floods his eyes, and he holds you as close to him as he possible can, murmuring onto your mouth, âI love you, too. I think I always have.â
You know you always have. You tuck yourself into his side, content to feel his skin against yours. The rest of the world floats away. There is nothing and no one but you and him. Your Azriel.
Your eyes are growing heavy when he brushes his lips against your forehead, and he whispers the words youâve needed to hear for so, so long.
âWhatever happens, Y/N,â another kiss joins the first, âyou and I will face it together.â
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