#ugh I need to get started on Moon’s story

[smilesrobotlover]

Whumptober day 13- infection

Idk if any of you remember the post about me asking about how to write signing, but that post was for this fic. This is about Moon, my beloved Link oc and he is deaf, so I needed to write a way for him to be signing. I was originally going just use apostrophes but most of the deaf people who responded to that post said how I should use normal quotation marks, so that’s what I did. I hope it won’t get confusing, I tried to make it clear that Moon and Groose were signing, so just know that when they’re talking to each other, they’re signing. Thanks again to the deaf people who responded to that post ☺️

Anyways if you wanna know more about Moon, you can just go on the “moon” tag or “the hand of Farore” tag. There’s A LOT to Moon. You can even go to @thehandoffarorecomic if you want, but there’s no comic just yet. Rn I’m playing with the story.

Warning for an infection. It’s pretty mild lol.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Link had been distant from the others for a while now, and Groose was starting to get worried about him. Link wasn’t a very social person, so him keeping to himself wasn't at all strange, especially after what happened in Groose’s own home. But the way he walked away from Groose everytime he approached him was odd, it was almost as if he was avoiding him. Farore noticed his behavior as well, and though she tried to talk to him about it, it seemed to have been in vain.

“He won’t talk to me,” she said, her little bunny nose twitching, “I know that he’s still new at signing, but I figured that he’d at least tell me something.”

Groose shrugged. “Link isn’t that new to sign language. He’s actually quite a chatterbox whenever we talk.”

Farore frowned. “So he’s good at sign language, why isn’t he telling me anything?”

“You’re a goddess aren’t you? Shouldn’t you know everything?”

“Knowing everything is Nayru’s job, not mine!”

Groose rolled his eyes. “Isn’t that just convenient.”

“Watch it Groosie, I’m still a goddess.”

Groose snorted. “Sure sure, don’t call me Groosie. So what should we do?”

Farore hopped closer to him and rested against his legs. “Have you tried talking to him?”

“I have. He just walks away from me. I’m worried.”

“Well, you should try harder.”

Groose was taken aback. Of course he would’ve tried harder, but after what happened, he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries. “W-why me? He’s with you all the time!”

“Yes, but… I think you’re the first friend he’s ever had. Plus, you’re both the same age, I think you’ll have an easier time connecting with him.”

“Farore, I’ve tried to talk to him. It’s not gonna work now.”

“Then try harder.”

“Oh my Din, why do you want me to try harder? You’re around him more, you know him more, I… my mom tried to get him killed, why would he— why would he want to talk to me?”

“Groose, please,” Farore pleaded, giving him a serious look. “Just try one more time.”

Groose groaned “Fine! Fine, I’ll ‘try harder’!”

“Thank you.”

Groose glared at Farore and stomped away. He didn’t care that she was a goddess and that he was sassing her, she was annoying, and it wasn’t like she was Din anyways. It took him a moment to find Link, but Groose finally found him under a tree by a pond. His eyes were closed, and he was holding his leg with a strained expression on his face. Groose frowned and knelt down in front of him, lightly tapping him on the knee. Link flinched and his eyes opened wide as he stared at Groose in shock, but he calmed down when he realized he was in no danger.

“Are you ok?” Groose signed, titling his head in concern. Link was pale, and his eyes had bags underneath them.

“I’m good,” Link quickly signed back, and Groose figured that he would say that. It’s all he told him since he started acting strange.

“Just try one more time.”

Farore’s words echoed through Groose’s mind and he rolled his eyes. He should obey the goddess, or at least put some effort in. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that Link was still upset over what happened with his mother… he didn’t want to overstep his boundaries.

Link’s eyes closed and Groose tapped his leg again, being met with annoyed blue eyes.

“You’re not good. You look sick.”

Link looked away, and Groose moved so he was in his vision.

“Are you sick?”

Link pursed his lips and looked down at his leg. “It won’t slow me down. Don’t worry,” he finally answered. Groose frowned. That was a weird thing to say.

“I don’t care that it won’t slow you down, I care that it will hurt you, or worse.”

Link stared at him, his grip around his leg tightening. Groose noticed and reached for his hand, but stopped.

“May I?” He asked, and Link didn’t respond. Groose slowly reached for his hand again, and Link didn’t fight back, instead, he let his hand be taken off his leg. Groose didn’t know what he expected, but he realized that with Link wearing pants, it would be difficult to see anything wrong. Groose sighed, at least there was no visible blood. “Does it hurt there?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I got a cut. It’s been there for a while.”

Groose felt his blood run cold. Was there an infection?

“I need to see it. Now,” Groose signed rather quickly, and Link looked at him confused. He brought his fingers together in one hand and pointed them all to his palm, then dragged a finger up his arm slowly. Groose sighed and signed a little slower and more clearly. “I need to see your injury. This could be serious.”

“I’ve turned out fine before.”

“Have you had cuts like this before?”

“I have. And I’ve walked them off before.”

“Link, you can’t just walk injuries off.”

“I had to,” Link’s face had nothing but anger written on it, and he stared straight into Groose’s eyes that it made him squirm. “If I couldn’t, then I would’ve been left for dead!” Link’s arms flailed slightly as his hands flip-flopped at the end of his sentence.

Groose backed away a little as Link’s breathing grew heavy, tears beginning to appear in his eyes. Guilt gripped Groose’s heart as he thought about everything that happened before. His mother trying to kill Link, the slavers tormenting Link with their very existence, and Groose didn’t do enough to stop it. He sighed and stared at Link’s shaking hands. He looked up and waved at Link to make sure he was watching.

“You won’t be left for dead. Not with me. I promise,” he signed slowly and clearly, making sure that Link understood that Groose would never do such a thing. “You’re my friend,” Groose’s pointer fingers hooked together, and he kept them there for a while while Link just stared, looking more exhausted than before, and Groose tried again. “Let me help you. Please.”

Link finally nodded and let Groose check his leg. He rolled up his pants and inspected his shin, which was where the injury was. Groose was not a medic by any means, but he could tell that with the way the cut was inflamed that it was infected. He decided to go to Farore to help, figuring that she would know what to do more than himself. Groose’s worry grew when Link limped painfully to Farore, and he knew that the infection was severe, he just didn’t know how bad it was.

Thankfully, Farore knew ingredients for a healing potion, which Groose was able to make right away. As soon as Link drank it, he started to act more like himself. His color returned to him, his fever went down, and his eyes were lit up again. Groose was relieved that the healing potion worked, and he stuck by Link’s side while it went through his system. It didn’t take long for Link to finally fall asleep, and Groose was left alone with Farore, who was curled up on his chest for comfort.

“I knew you could do it,” she said after a moment of silence.

“Do what?” Groose asked.

“Get through to him.”

Groose rolled his eyes, but he smiled slightly.

“Why were you so intent on me getting through to him though? He likes you more, you—“ Groose paused, feeling guilty again, “you aren’t responsible for his pain.”

Farore tilted her head. “You’re not responsible for his pain either.”

“No, not for all of it, but… if I had stood up to my mother more, or had spoken up against the slavers that she worked with or���or anything to stop my mother’s involvement with slavery I— Link wouldn’t had suffered like he did!”

Farore frowned. “That’s not fair to you Groose. You are not responsible for your mother’s actions. You were manipulated by her. You didn’t understand the extent of what was happening with slavery.” Farore got close to Groose’s face. “You didn’t know any better.”

“I should’ve known. I’m going to be the king of the Gerudo, I should’ve known better.”

Farore made a sad face and backed away. “You’re only sixteen. You’re still a child.”

Groose didn’t say anything and instead held onto Link’s hand. Farore rested her paw on their clasped hands and they all stayed there for a moment, until Farore spoke up again.

“I’m not gonna be with him forever.”

Groose looked at her confused. “What do you mean?”

“When this is all over, me and my sisters will return to the sacred realm, we will leave Hylia to protect Hyrule again, and… I’ll have to leave Link behind.”

Groose stared at her. She was going to leave everything behind?

“I won’t be gone gone,” she quickly clarified, “I’ll be here in spirit, and I’ll listen and answer your prayers. But physically I won’t be here anymore. I just want…. I just want Link to have support when I’m away. That’s why I pushed you to talk to him.”

“O-oh,” was all that Groose was able to say. Though he knew she was a goddess, it was easy to forget. Farore gave Groose a smile and hopped away. But before she jumped off the bed, she turned to Groose.

“Link doesn’t blame you for anything. I hope you know that.”

Groose’s hand tightened around Link’s. He didn’t believe her, even though he knew she was right, it wasn’t ok for Groose to believe her. Farore hummed at his reaction.

“You should talk to Link about it.”

Groose pursed his lips and stared at his unconscious friend. “I’ll do it when he’s better.”

Farore smiled slightly. “Ok, fair enough. Do it when he’s better.” Groose smiled at Farore before she jumped off the bed, leaving him alone with Link.

[yanderambling]

omg i’m thrilled that y’all like him so much!!! and these ideas were soso tasty ugh your minds~ i had a lot of fun with this, maybe too much if you look at the wc lol, so i hope y’all enjoy <3 ALSO continuity note: since Adrian is so popular, i won't carry major events through different stories unless requested, that way everyone can have their own version of his story! but i'll be keeping general facts about Adrian the same unless otherwise specified, like his parents being rich because i find it funny~ thank you and goodnight <3 (and yes i switched this gif with the last part shhhh it’s okay)

pairing: Masochist Puppyboy!Yandere(m) x Bully!Reader(gn)

words: ~ 4.6k

you can read the previous part here!

CW: 18+, NSFW, yandere behavior, stalking, bullying, physical/verbal abuse, BDSM themes, poor BDSM etiquette but neither party minds

Adrian nearly choked when he heard his name read next to yours for the school project.

It took you a second to recognize his; you mostly just call him mutt. Once you realized, you loudly groaned at the prospect of spending the week with that pest.

Adrian couldn’t hear it over his racing heart.

As soon as class lets out, he's right at your side, yammering on about project materials and meeting arrangements and times and "we should really meet at one of our houses so we don't have to worry about distractions, I'm fine with coming to yours! It's closer to school anyway, right? It'll be more private- I just think it makes sense-"

You finally shut him up by making the executive decision that you’ll work at his house (you don’t need him shedding on your furniture, or potentially getting any personal ammunition against you; he is way too interested in being inside your home, and how does he know it’s closer to school?).

Adrian was crestfallen that he wouldn’t get to go in your house (and smell the pure you imbued in your furniture, and pretend he’s really your dog while you sit together- maybe in your bedroom!-, and snoop through your underwear drawer when you go to the bathroom, and snoop through your bathroom when he goes in right after you...), but he was still over the moon at the idea of having you in his space.

(He’ll just visit your window later tonight like usual, anyway- he'll still get high off that closeness alone. Win/win!)

Adrian doesn't think about anything else for the rest of the day, zoning through his classes and plastered to your side whenever he gets the chance, just alight with energy and anticipation and not shutting up about it- he's lucky there's too many witnesses for you to knock him quiet (oh, but he would feel so much luckier if you did).

You would totally bail on this project if you weren’t already failing this class, which is mostly on account of you bailing. You’re wondering if all those cut classes were worth having to work with this, but you’re not feeling hopeful.

The day seems to drag on forever for both of you, for vastly different reasons. By the time school lets out, Adrian is buzzing out of his skin and you're seconds away from ripping it off him.

As you two start the trek to his place, Adrian can't get over how surreal it feels to walk beside you. It's like you two are a couple, and you're walking him home for an after school study date!

He gets lost in the daydream easily, giving you a brief reprieve from his energy, and allowing you to absently notice his rapidly wagging tail almost propelling him down the sidewalk. You can't help but smirk a little at the image that conjures in your mind.

He's truly ridiculous, you can't really believe him sometimes. Doesn't that thing ever get tired? What does he think is gonna happen that's got him so damn excited? That he's gonna get in good with you somehow (hopefully) and you'll leave him alone? (never in his wildest dreams.)

Yeah, fat chance.

When Adrian stops at his house, you think he's joking. But then he walks right up the driveway of this random McMansion, motioning you along eagerly, and enters a security code before holding the door open for you with a clearly anticipatory smile.

...The fuck.

You did not count on Adrian’s family being loaded. He certainly doesn't dress or groom like it.

You consider berating him for not mentioning it, but decide against it for the risk of seeming stupid- to Adrian of all people. You do make a mental note for your future errand requests, though.

Adrian’s parents aren’t home, he tells you his mom is always traveling and his dad basically lives at his office. You’re relieved that you won’t have to put on a nice face for the folks, but there’s apparently still a live-in housekeeper that floats around (are you fucking kidding?) so you stay diligent.

Adrian suggests you two work in his room; you figure the further from watchful eyes, the better.

Despite it being his idea, Adrian can't help his giddy nervousness as you enter his room (he’d texted the housekeeper to make sure it was clean as soon as you decided to come over, lucky he keeps his souvenirs hidden away whenever he’s not admiring them).

The room is frankly ridiculous, easily twice the size of yours, a king bed in the corner, a desk and coffee table and two dressers, and yet adorned with piles of clothes and clutter and more genres of nerdy shit than you even knew existed.

"Yeah, okay, parts of this make sense."

Adrian cocks his head, opening his mouth to ask what you mean, when he suddenly chokes on air.

You've made a bee-line right to his desk, covered in books and papers for hobbies and school alike, but also holding a locked drawer at the very bottom in which he keeps his "school collection" (just discarded pencils with bitten erasers, torn up notebook paper he can still smell your hands on, old gym shorts you were probably gonna replace soon anyway, a bandaid here, a plastic fork there; nothing crazy).

He watches with bated breath as you sift through the contents of his desk, occasionally scoffing or chuckling at what you find. He lets out a sigh when you seem to grow bored, just for you to move on to his dresser and have his stomach doing somersaults all over again.

Maybe he should've asked the housekeeper to hide his stuff better and just braved the questions later...

You move throughout the room like you own it (you do, as far as the both of you are concerned), making little jabs at his various posters and figurines which make his whole body flush hot with pleasure because you're noticing things about him, but every other move you make sends his heart jumping into his throat in a completely different way.

It only takes a minute or two for the stress to get to him.

“Ah- hey! Uh, maybe we should- maybe we should start on the project, right?”

You bark a laugh and spin on your heel to face him, an incredulous half-grin pulling your lips and revealing a gut-twisting flash of teeth.

"We?"

Oh, yeah, he much prefers those intense eyes boring into him.

He starts spluttering placations immediately. "No! Well, uhm, I didn't mean- you, you don't- have to- obviously, I mean, I don't- I wouldn't-"

You roll your eyes and shove past him, effectively cutting him off as you flop down onto his abominably soft mattress. "Right, yeah, whatever. Let's get one thing straight here, okay?"

Adrian nods, his whole being drawn to focus at your entrancingly commanding tone. Although, it's incredibly hard to focus on anything with the sight of you on his bed right in front of him; he's already planning how to avoid that area so it'll retain your scent longer, he wonders if he could cut that part of the duvet out and keep it in an airtight container, maybe the sheets under it too just to be safe...

"This is not a "we" situation, got it? I'm not lifting a damn finger for this bullshit, that's what you're there for." Adrian has a purpose to you! "I am only here to make sure you're actually doing it, which shouldn't be a problem because if we get anything less than an A, it's gonna be your ass."

As tempting as it is to see what punishment you would inflict upon him, Adrian really really really wants to please you- and he's pretty good at this subject anyway!

You then cross your arms and lean back just enough to look down your nose at him. "Got it?"

Adrian can't answer fast enough.

"Yes! Yes, that's perfect! Awesome, good- great!"

But then he doesn’t make a move. Ha.

He looks a little lost, standing in the middle of his own room, barely biting down a grin and wringing his hands as he seems to wait for another command.

Apparently, you’ve trained him well.

You scoff and let yourself fall onto your back as you pull out your phone (Adrian's gonna need a bigger airtight container).

"Well, go on then, we don't have all day."

Adrian scrambles to get to work. He quickly positions himself on the floor by the foot of the bed and pulls the coffee table closer, emptying his school bag carelessly onto the carpet.

You huff a laugh at the sight, all this money and the kid's parents couldn't buy him any class. Maybe sloppiness is an inherent trait, like his apparent passion for service- nobody with this much money should be such a pushover. And yet...

Adrian couldn’t be happier, sitting on the floor while you lounge across his bed and periodically weigh in with (mostly incorrect) corrections or snide remarks, an almost alarmingly wide grin settled on his face as his tail taps a steady rhythm against his carpet.

It’s not an unpleasant picture, you muse absently as you look up from your phone, it’s almost comforting to have your little puppy on the floor, cheerily working away for you while you laze about. It certainly beats doing the work yourself, or having to threaten a student with an actual spine to do it for you.

Still, it doesn't take long for you to get bored. Bored enough to notice your empty stomach, at least.

"I'm hungry."

Adrian's head shoots up from the book he was hunched over, ears raised at attention and eyes glittering with something you're not sure you care to identify.

He's on his feet in the next second, knocking his knees on the way up loud enough to startle you yet showing no signs of even noticing.

"I-I'll ask Len to make something!"

He darts out of the room before you can tell him what you want, but you trust he knows your moods and tastes well enough by this point to predict. (Oh, he does, and Len's not going to be making anything- they don't know all the special ingredients!)

The second he leaves, you decide to really cure your boredom by snooping around in earnest. Certainly this creep has something actually weird hidden in here, you just have to look in the right places.

You waste no time in sifting through his bookshelf (nerd shit), closet (nerd clothes, some dirty), a dresser (nerd clothes, mostly clean), under his bed (dirty clothes, nerd shit in boxes)- the door opens behind you.

“Wha-? Oh! Ah- Wh-what- what are you doing?”

You don’t even bother moving from your crouch, most of your upper body shoved under the bedstand while the rest of you... is not.

Adrian’s mouth is completely dry for several reasons.

“What’re you, blind? I’m snooping.”

Adrian slowly comes further into the room, hesitantly setting the serving tray on the low table. He can’t stop his voice from cracking as he stutters out,

“Uh- yeah, okay, yeah, but- um, would you maybe mind- um, not?”

You snicker, at least he has some manners. “Yeah, I do mind, actually. What’s the matter, mutt? Got something to hide?”

“N-no!”

The answer is so immediate, so fervent, that it has you pulling up just to give him an unimpressed look. He stares back at you, eyes wide and frenzied.

“Jesus you’re a bad liar.”

Looking at him now, you can see sweat glistening on his face and his hands clenching by his side. His eyes dart toward the dresser you haven't checked yet.

Bingo.

You jump up from your position and stride across the room with purpose. You only make it a few steps before Adrian seems to materialize in front of you, making you stop short and almost yelp from shock.

“S-sorry! I’m sorry, I just-" he's waving his hands wildly, head ducked as his gaze rapidly flicks between your face and the floor, "You-you can’t- please, please don’t-”

“Okay, creep, I get the gist.”

You shove past him, and he wishes he could relish the firm pressure of your hands on him.

He whirls around and watches in horror as you approach the dresser. He needs to do something, he needs to stop you, but what can he do? You’ve clearly made up your mind, it’s not like it's his place to try and change it...

All he can do is watch, a high ringing in his ears and his body filling with static, while you meticulously sift through every drawer until his clothes are strewn about the floor and you're panting with frustration.

He's about to let himself take a breath when you suddenly squat down and stick your arm into the shallow space underneath. He nearly swallows his tongue when you let out a disbelieving huff and awkwardly slide out a long lockbox.

You look up at him triumphantly, eyes sparkling with glee, and he almost mirrors your smile just for how captivating it is.

"Open it."

"N-no-"

You lean up toward him and cock your head, he has to stop himself from being drawn in by the magnetism of your narrowed eyes. “The fuck did you just say to me?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't- just, I can't-"

"Oh, I think you can. Or you're not gonna like what happens next."

That's where you're wrong, and it only really strengthens Adrian's extremely shaky resolve. He tries to keep the grin off his face as he habitually starts to picture the punishment you might give him; a cuff on the ears, a knee to the stomach, a punch in the face-

But you just roll your eyes and groan, no longer in the mood now that something more interesting has presented itself.

Instead, your gaze floats down to the flimsy looking combination lock on the box, then it fixes on some heavy-standed figurine you'd knocked off his bookshelf earlier.

Yeah, good enough.

Adrian barely has time to flinch before you're snatching it up and breaking the lock with a sound crack.

Then you're lifting the lid.

"No!"

He starts to lunge forward, but your sharply raised hand halts him dead in his tracks.

Fuck.

It's too late anyway, judging by your wide eyes and slightly slack jaw (god how he wishes he could focus on the glorious curve of your open lips, or the way your perfect teeth peek over them, or how it might feel to have those teeth sunk into his skin-)

"What. The. Fuck."

"I-I can explain- It's not-!"

"I literally do not believe that you can."

Adrian's throat goes dry, he feels tears welling in his eyes. "I'm sorry- I'm sorry! I never meant- it's not like-"

You tune Adrian out as you focus on the stacks and stacks of photos arranged in the box before you. There even seem to be books underneath those, thick ones despite the shallowness of the container. You’d say there’s easily hundreds of pictures in here.

But, more concerning than the amount of photos… is their content.

They’re all you.

Undeniable, from every angle and range and setting you could imagine, it’s all you. There’s you at your spot with your friends, sitting in class, in the cafeteria, running errands in town, sneaking off to that private spot nobody else is supposed to know about, asleep in your bed- in dozens and dozens of iterations, like you could probably make a flip book of every scene.

It’s offensively redundant, honestly, a gross waste of paper. Maybe equally as concerning.

(Adrian needs to keep physical copies, and hard drives, and backup hard drives, and another box further under the dresser... What if something happens to his phone? What if he lost all his treasured photos forever? He doesn’t know what he’d do.)

"You're a bigger creep than I gave you credit for." You murmur, mostly to yourself.

Adrian never thought he'd feel anything but sheer joy from hearing that word leave your mouth. "N-no! It's not- it's not like that! I'm not- I don't-"

While Adrian's still blustering and working himself into a tizzy, you're just... processing.

It's oddly unsurprising, once you consider all the other factors together. Looking at it now, of course Adrian had more perverted reasons for complying to your cruelty, what else could he have been getting out of it? You guess you kinda always knew, on some level, but you never thought it would be like this.

But, since it is, you can't help but wonder just how far this perversion has gone, how far it will go...

This night has been boring enough that you're entitled to a little fun, right?

And besides, looking at him now- all wide eyed and droopy eared, his tail pulled between his legs and clutched in his trembling hands- Adrian actually looks a little bit... cute? In a pathetic, dirty stray caught in the rain type of way, of course.

The only real difference is that you'd be much kinder to the stray.

"Alright, shut it, stalker."

Adrian's mouth snaps closed, his tail trying to tuck further at your dangerously low voice.

"Obviously, this severe-" you flap a stack of photos at him, causing him to duck his head and whimper, "-invasion of my privacy can't go unpunished."

Adrian's eyes become impossibly bigger as they flash up to watch you stand. His ears suddenly perk, his tail tugs against his grip as it tries to hesitantly wag.

Jesus, he's shameless.

This is gonna be fun.

But first, a plan. You don't want Adrian getting too bold, so what better way to keep him in his place than by tying him there? Looking around his room, you don't have much to work with, but you're resourceful; a lace from his sneakers should do just fine (who keeps shoes in their room? what a creep).

"Alright. Sit."

Adrian is falling to his knees before his brain can process the words. When it does, he isn't quick enough to bite down on the high keen that builds in his throat.

You scoff, mentally scorning yourself for ignoring his shit for so long, then go to pull a lace. Adrian watches in rapt attention as you test its strength, your hands flexing so tantalizingly as you pull the string harshly several times over.

He holds his breath on instinct when your scrutinizing glare scans the room again.

"Okay, bed. Back to the headboard. Now."

Adrian scrambles up immediately, pulling some of the sheets off in his hurry, eager to obey before you change your mind.

You follow right after, kneeling up and leaning over him to tie his hands to the headboard above him. His dry throat click as he gulps.

You're so close, your heavenly scent filling his lungs like a sweet paralyzing vapor, he can feel the heat radiating from your skin despite the clothes between you, he could probably taste you if he just stuck out his tongue...

He whines as you yank the shoelace tight with a grunt before tying it off. You tug on his hands once more, forcing the string deeper into his skin, and your hum of satisfaction is drowned out by Adrian's low groan.

What a wonderful feeling, the sharp sting of the lace grounding him down like he needs to be; he can't help twisting and pulling until the burn intensifies, imagining it's your firm hands holding him so tightly...

"Jesus, freak, you're already getting into it?"

Adrian just whimpers, barely registering the question past your condescending tone as he continues to squirm.

You suddenly grab the front of his shirt and pull him forward until he's partially hovering off the mattress, the combined pressure of your knuckles under his chin and the shoestring grating his tender wrists pulls a breathy moan along with.

You lean in close, practically growling as you say, "Don't do my job for me, mutt."

You press a relatively fresh bruise on his arm just to see him twitch and bite his lip (it’s actually from a week ago, that’s how good he is at maintaining your marks for you!). It is pretty gratifying.

Almost as gratifying as the bulge you spot between his wantonly spread legs.

A breathless laugh punches out of you. It's oddly jarring to see, and you would later deny that it's slightly impressive, but it's not an entirely unpleasant sight.

"God, you're fucking pathetic. But you know that, don't you, you little creep?"

If your words weren't enough to have Adrian shaking out of his skin, you lean closer and nip his ear; he jerks back instinctively at the pain, which only makes its sting so much sweeter when you sink your teeth in and pull back.

He doesn’t bother trying to keep himself quiet.

“This isn’t even a punishment for you, is it? Is it, you fucking perv?”

Adrian is so far beyond saving face, he’s mostly beyond communication of any kind, so he just shakes his head fervently and grunts and hopes it’s good enough.

“Use your words, mutt.”

He gasps as you yank his throbbing ear, pulling his face closer to yours- oh dear god he can feel your hot breath against his cheeks, every detail of your perfect face so confident and dangerous and ethereal, your sparkling eyes look positively deadly and Adrian is ready to submit himself to their perils-

“Answer me," your sharp words make his lashes flutter, but he keeps his eyes wide open to stare at your taunting smile hanging just inches from his face, "are you getting off on this?”

He nods, he’s starting to get dizzy with all this nodding but he doesn't feel capable of much else, then you tug his hair back with the most glorious burn-

“Ah-Yes! Yes, I love- I love it, please- give me- more- please, I need- I need-“

He cuts off with a choked sound as your fingers slide up his throat and tighten, all too happy to oblige.

"That what you want? You happy now?" You taunt, your breath against the shell of his ear raising goosebumps all over his body.

He tries to nod against your grip, causing you to smirk and push further.

Oh god yes please-

Garbled moans fight their way from his throat as his eyes roll back in ecstasy, his straddled legs pressing tightly together as he thrashes desperately against the headboard, his whole body trembling and pushing up and up in search of contact- but you keep pulling away, putting more pressure on his neck to support yourself, bringing out the most pitiful little whimpers.

"Use your words, puppy."

Puppy.

Adrian chokes for reasons entirely unrelated to your hand on his neck. His tail, which had been beating a rapid tempo since you sat him down, starts flailing into overdrive.

It takes considerably more effort, but Adrian needs to please you- maybe you’ll even reward him!- so he coughs and gasps until he can force out,

"Y-Yes,” a strained cough, “Tha-agh-thank- you-"

A smile curls your lips unbidden. Such initiative! You let your fingers stroke over his throat as your hand presses in harder.

"There, that's a good boy."

Adrian's vision whites out.

He’s not even aware of the stream of whines and moans that force their way from beneath your fingers, he doesn't notice how his body squirms against the pressure of you on top of him, he couldn't tell the frantic thumping of his tail from that of his heart- all he can focus on is the red hot ecstasy filling every inch of him to bursting, the transcendent bliss of being so thoroughly claimed, so completely controlled, so wholly owned by you.

He's still hiccupping moans and thumping his tail when you withdraw your hand for fear of suffocating him, these needy little noises escaping his already bruising throat.

His head lolls back and his mouth falls open as you remain suspended above him, taking in your handiwork.

He’s so vulnerable, his entire body open and happily exposed to you, every muscle trembling in the aftershocks. His chest heaves as sweat and tears drip down onto his shirt, but he seems to pay no mind as his vacant eyes flutter up at you. He struggles to keep them open as a dopey grin spreads across his bitten lips, and you have to bite your own to stop from returning it.

Then, your eyes travel down to the steadily shrinking tent of his pants, now adorned with a dark wet stain- just like you expected.

Hot.

"Pathetic."

You sit back on you heels, seemingly alerting Adrian to your absence as his hand flies up to grab his throat with a high whine- but you cut that shit off right away.

"Yeah, no, I'm not trying to catch a murder charge tonight, thanks. Besides," your eyes pointedly flick down between his spread legs, causing his face to heat up though he makes no move to close them, "it looks like you got more than your share- frankly, you should be grateful for anything I'm willing to give you."

Adrian's voice is hoarse when he tries to insist, "I am! I-" he cuts off with a heavy cough, which only has you wincing with guilt a little. "I'm- I'm grateful. I am!"

You don't doubt it, especially looking into those watery, red-rimmed puppydog eyes of his. However, you do like to be cruel, and you did just get a bunch of texts from some of your friends about this 'super crazy thing you don't wanna miss and you gotta get down here right now!', (and you're maybe feeling a little uncharacteristically giddy as you fully process your situation) so...

"Doesn't matter, I can't reward this insolence."

You untie the shoelace with a deft tug and slide off the bed without another word.

Adrian just barely stops himself from whining again, the sudden loss of the pressure around his wrists leaving him feeling untethered. He has to dig his nails into his hands as he watches you collect your things (the covered platter lay forgotten on the table, insult to injury), just to keep from reaching out for you.

He wants desperately to follow you, but he can't make his body move for how relaxed and heavy it feels, and he knows it would probably just upset you more anyway- and not in the good way.

“Oh, and Adrian?” You slap the doorframe as you hang off of it, and your use of his name has Adrian's groggy head springing up to face you instantly, ears high and eyes hopeful.

“Next time you want a picture of me, just ask. That way I can knock some sense into you right away.” You tap the frame again, a crooked grin fixing your lips before you push off.

“See ya tomorrow!”

Still too fuzzy to move, and in fresh shock from that almost-genuine smile, he can only listen forlornly as your steps grow fainter and fainter until the door shuts downstairs. Then, he's helpless to do anything beyond replay the events of the past ten minutes in obsessive detail in attempts to permanently document every single sensation you gave to him.

He only manages to move about a half hour later, when his phone buzzes with a text.

He slowly leans over the bed and lifts his phone from the floor, blinking blearily as he reads... your name. Attached to a ludicrously extravagant lunch order for tomorrow.

The phone drops from his fingers like lead.

How?

His heart starts racing as he wracks his brain to recall when you put his number in your phone- then, his tail starts up again as he wonders if he'll be punished for already having yours in his (not for anything weird! he just likes to type out walls of text complimenting every part of you and telling you exactly the ways he wants you to destroy him and then deleting them- but maybe he'll send the next one).

It must mean something good if you want to keep in close contact with him, right? That must mean you aren't really mad at him, right? That must mean you like him, right? You still think he’s a good boy, right?

Another text lights up his phone. He scrambles to grab it back, hands shaking as he holds the screen close to his face.

[ur gnna b my bitch 4evr now]

A shaky giggle escapes him.

Those are easily the most beautiful words he’s ever read.

thanks so much for reading! feel free to send a request <3

check my pinned post~

[illdowhatiwantthanks]

Donuts (A Surprise Story)

Emily Prentiss x fem!reader Warnings: afab body parts/breastfeeding, baby times, hospital times, explicit language (let me know if I've missed anything!) Word count: 1.3k

Summary: The BAU team visits you and Emily at the hospital and meets baby Eve for the first time.

“Knock, knock!”

You’d know that bright voice anywhere. Penelope slid open the door to the hospital room, holding up a drink tray with cups of coffee.

“You’re my hero,” you gushed as she handed you a cup of decaf. “The coffee here sucks.”

The rest of the BAU trickled into the room behind her, all smiles and congratulations.

Penelope looked around. “Uh… not that I’m not over the moon to see you, my love, but… where is the sweet, tiny baby?”

Emily emerged from the bathroom, holding Eve gently in her arms.

“What am I? Chopped liver?” she complained, smiling, as her team swarmed around her, smiling and giggling and cooing at Eve.

“Diaper duty?” Rossi asked, winking at Emily.

“I’m telling you, it’s a feat of nature that someone so small can produce something so stinky.”

Emily looked around the room, then furrowed her eyebrows. “Where’s Morgan?”

“Ugh, who needs him? He’s whisking some girl to breakfast. He said he’d be by with lunch as usual.” Penelope was nearly bouncing on her toes. “Can I hold her, Emily!? Or is it too soon? It’s okay if it is.”

“Yeah,” Emily encouraged, beaming. “Just wash your hands really well first.” You’d never seen Penelope move faster than she did to the sink. After washing up, she settled herself into the room’s one chair, and Emily softly placed a gurgling Eve in her arms. The baby squirmed and nestled against Penelope’s chest.

“Oh,” Penelope breathed, looking for all the world as if she might start crying. “She’s so tiny. I’ve never held such a tiny baby! Hi, Eve! Hi, sweetheart! I’m your Aunt Pen!”

Hotch placed a box on the counter, gesturing vaguely to it. “Donuts, if anyone wants one.”

Emily and the others circled the donuts and sipped their coffee while you sat on the bed and watched Penelope play with Eve’s fingers.

JJ perched on the edge of the bed and squeezed your hand. “How are you doing?” she asked. “Really?”

You exhaled heavily and nodded. “Good. It doesn’t feel real yet exactly.”

“I mean, you are on some drugs,” she pointed out, chuckling.

“True.” You sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel… really in love. I mean, head over heels, with Eve and Emily. But also really tired and in pain and kind of weepy?”

JJ nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right. Well, you know we’re here for you guys, right? Whatever you need. Food, coffee, a babysitter. Anything.”

“I know.” You smiled at her, heart full. “Thanks, JJ.”

“Now, I need a turn with little Miss Eve,” she declared, switching places with Penelope and cooing over Eve. JJ grinned at you, booping Eve’s tiny nose. “Makes me want another one.”

You shrugged, smiling. “I mean, it’d be nice for Eve to have a BAU friend her age.”

“Don’t tempt me,” JJ protested, patting Eve’s skinny little thigh.

Rossi bent over JJ’s shoulder to pinch Eve’s cheek gently. “Bellissima,” he whispered, before approaching you and kissing your cheek.

“Congratulations, kid. She’s lovely. You both are. All three of you, a beautiful family.”

“Want to hold her, Rossi?” JJ said, gesturing toward Eve.

“Oh, I couldn’t.”

“Oh, sure you can,” you said, patting his arm as JJ stood and handed Eve off to him. “She needs to meet her Papa Pasta.”

He stared at you. “Who the hell’s Papa Pasta?!”

You giggled and blushed. “You. You’re Papa Pasta.”

“Why didn’t I get any input in my grandpa name?” he protested, and Eve’s voice cracked, like she was about to cry.

“You better zip it, Papa Pasta,” JJ said, pointing at him. “You’re gonna upset the little tortellini.”

He bounced Eve gently around the room, quietly crooning Frank Sinatra to her, before joining Hotch, Spencer, and Emily as they bent over a file folder spread open on top of the donut box.

Bits of their conversation drifted over to you, and you furrowed your eyebrows.

“And there’s no indication as to what they’re strangled with?” Emily asked.

“We’re waiting on forensic analysis,” Hotch said. “But no prints, no DNA evidence whatsoever.”

“Hey!” you called, and the team looked back at you as if they’d been caught skipping school. “No serial killer talk in front of the baby, Em. We talked about this.”

“Sorry,” she said, sheepishly, organizing the papers and shutting the file folder.

Rossi handed the baby to Reid, and Eve immediately bunched up her face and wailed.

“Uh, hey!” he said, alarmed. “Hey, she’s crying. She’s crying, something’s wrong here. Can someone…”

“I’ve got her,” Hotch insisted, drying off his hands after washing them. He took Eve and smiled softly at her as she cried. “I know,” he said quietly, walking slowly toward you. “I’m not as good-looking as either of your moms. Who is this guy!?”

Eve fussed and squalled, and you knew she was sleepy and overwhelmed and hungry. She wouldn’t calm down until you’d fed her, and as much as you were a feminist and all for public breastfeeding, you didn’t exactly want your wife’s entire work family seeing your boobs.

You made eye contact with Emily across the room and, as if she could read your mind, Emily stood and clapped her hands together and said, “Well, guys, I can’t thank you enough for coming, but I think it’s just about time for this little lady’s breakfast and nap.”

The team got the hint, standing and fluttering about and gathering their things. There were hugs and handshakes and heartfelt well-wishes. Hotch lowered Eve into your arms and your heart swelled at her little hiccup of recognition when she felt herself in her mama’s arms again.

“Congratulations, Y/N,” Hotch said, squeezing your shoulder. He ushered the rest of the team out, and you felt almost overwhelmed by the quiet now.

You’d been nearly a week in the hospital now and, besides the daily visits from Derek (“Uncle Derek,” he insisted now) and your parents, you and Emily and Eve had been mostly left to yourselves. Eve squalled in your arms, and you opened your shirt and bra so she could latch to your nipple. You let out a sigh of contentment as she gurgled and gulped, and as Emily slid into the bed next to you, handing you a donut.

“Thank you,” you mumbled, your mouth already full.

She kissed your cheek. “Thank you for being so patient with everyone. I know it was a lot.”

You raised your eyebrows at her. “Yeah, I thought visitors were capped at two at a time?” She blushed and fought off a smile. You nudged her, careful not to jostle Eve. “You want to tell me how you managed to get an entire FBI unit in here?”

“I had them flash their badges,” she admitted, grinning softly.

“That’s an abuse of power, you know,” you joked.

“Oh, an abuse of power, huh?” Emily grinned and pressed her lips to yours, tracing her fingers along the sides of your face. “I’ll show you an abuse of power.”

“Hey,” you giggled as she kissed you again and again, surging into you, until poor Eve was all but pushed out of the way, grumbling as her little mouth strained toward the nipple. “Hey! I’ll have you know you’re disrupting your daughter’s feeding.”

“Oh,” Emily cooed, helping to guide Eve’s mouth back and kissing the soft top of her head. “I’m sorry, Evie. Get back in there, sweet pea. It’s good stuff.”

You smacked Emily’s arm softly. “Don’t tell her that boobs are good stuff.”

“They are, though,” she protested. “I’m just giving her the facts.”

You yawned and shook your head. “I’m sorry, Em. I’m too tired to be funny.”

Emily positioned herself behind you so that she could support your back, pulling your head back gently until it rested on her chest.

“You just relax, honey,” she said, her voice warm, one of her hands cradled behind yours to help you hold Eve’s head up. “I’ve got you, okay? Both of you.”

And you knew she did. She always had, and she always would.

[waldau-archived]

congrats on your new milestone!! i really enjoy reading your work♡ could i please request mingyu+'we're in completely different leagues'+'i'm not sober enough to talk about this'

just the two of us — kim mingyu | 7,009 words | hurt/comfort, fluff

i typed up a mammoth sized story (to me, at least) because i had so many thoughts. behold my longest fic ever written, patiently beta-read by the wonderful @tomodachiii. thank you for your help, tomo! ily <3 and thank you, anon, for your request!

gender neutral reader. warnings: reader has massive self-doubt, gets drunk halfway through the story.

“the next time i even think of going on a date, just take my phone and force me to go out on a walk. reconnect with nature. touch some grass, maybe,” you say, kicking your feet against mingyu’s cupboard from where you’re sat on his counter.

“did you have a bad date i wasn’t aware of? was it the guy with the blue streaks?” mingyu asks, pushing the bowl of cake batter towards you. he never shies away from reminding you of the repercussions of having raw dough — that too in excruciating detail. salmonella. e. coli. things he could skip but doesn’t, just because he likes annoying you.

he lets it slide this time. you’re allowed just one big spoon, and the next time you’ll see the rest of it is when it’s baked and topped off with handmade frosting. courtesy of kim mingyu. your best friend as well as part-time chef.

“…no.”

“don’t lie to me,” he says, tilting his head. “you wouldn’t have brought it up otherwise.”

“ugh. it’s just that…every time i even think of going out on a date, i have to reset my expectations. because men can’t clear the bar, no matter how low it is.”

you take a nibble from the spoon, and it tastes so damn good. it’s crazy how mingyu manages to find time to make new recipes and perfect them despite being a world-famous model that’s modelled for almost every major fashion house. you’ve lost count of how many magazines he’s been on.

it started out as a joke when you complained about all the magazines for his first ever gig having sold out. he’d taken it upon himself to get you a very special, signed copy that you have on display with the rest of the books in your glass bookcase. just the one, though. the rest of them are all piled up under your coffee table, much to mingyu’s chagrin. at least they’re in chronological order. and you’re making sure they’re not collecting dust.

that first edition is pretty much the only thing mingyu ever teases you about, tattered as it is, and on display for whoever comes to visit you. but you’d never get rid of it, not even for a new copy. it’s a milestone mingyu deserves to be celebrated for.

“does it taste good?” he asks with a small smile and a nervous smile. as if you’d have anything except praises to heap on him. this isn’t even the first time you wonder if he’d talk like this to you if you were together — endless smiles and warm cuddles under the covers and conversations about the most random things and stolen hoodies because you’re actually dating, and not just you being a guilty friend whose imagination runs a bit wild sometimes.

he does all of those with you. but he just doesn’t like you the way you like him.

how would he be, when he’s the kim mingyu? he has his fans falling to their feet if he so much as posts a picture of his hand. he’s the most charming human being you know. he’s tall not just because of his genes but also because of all the love he holds for everyone he knows.

you’re another moon that gets to orbit in the path of the admirable planet that he is.

sometimes you don’t even know how you managed to remain friends with him after university ended. the two of you started off as being part of the same friend group, having a few shared classes and some interests that kept the two of you together apart from your friends. by the time you graduated, both of you knew enough about each other to be able to hang out without needing your mutual friends. and it was hardly your fault that you felt drawn to how warm mingyu was, how easy it was to talk to him, and how happy you felt just by being around him.

so when it came to the topic of finding a place to live, the two of you decided it would be better for you to be roommates than find a complete stranger to share a living space with, and you went from friends to best friends soon after that.

mingyu’s always been your support system for whatever you’ve wanted to do, encouraging you to do what you wanted, regardless of how it would turn out or what others would think of it. in the same way, it wasn’t anything when you encouraged him to try out a modelling gig he’d signed up for and was unsure of how he’d fare.

long story short, the shoot was a pretty good success, and soon enough he got multiple gigs, managed to earn enough money to move into a bigger house, and even offered to pay your part of the rent because he wanted you to live with him — something that made you smack him.

you no longer live together now, mainly because of mingyu’s insistence on not wanting to disturb your sleep and your daily routine with all the schedules that keep him flying over the world. you did miss the breakfast he’d make for the two you every morning, and you’d managed to work out a compromise where mingyu became your personal chef on saturdays just so he’d have some time to spend with you.

it’s far from the worst arrangement in the world, and moments like these — him putting icing on your nose — make you realize how lucky you are to have him. you generally watch movies together, or he teaches you recipes, or he listens to you talk about your life, reciprocating with his own stories. things haven’t changed that much, even though you don’t live together anymore.

but part of you wishes things did change. that mingyu would, just once, look at you the way you look at him. it’s a wonder he hasn’t once caught you staring at him, because you’ve done that more times than you can count. but you can’t help it, because he just so happens to be your whole world.

but how long is this utopia going to last for? when is he going to realize you’re just plain old you, and that maybe he’s suited for more glamorous company? people who can probably pronounce the names of all his fashion houses correctly, people he models with, people that can hang off his arm and look like they belong there? not people who like wearing shorts and an old shirt as pyjamas and have bouts of self-doubt strong enough to crush entire mountains?

“…is it that good? you zoned out a bit there,” mingyu says, snapping his fingers in front of your eyes.

you blink out of your daydreams. it’s not even his fault that you’re so head over heels for him, although it kind of is. no one asked him to be so good looking and polite and so damn lovely that it became easy to imagine a future with him. just like lee youngji can imagine having a future with hong jisoo because he opened a carton of milk for her, you wonder how you haven’t yet succumbed to those thoughts when mingyu is such a big part of your life. you wonder at what point you knew you were fucked.

maybe it was when you and mingyu became friends, although you’ll never know for sure.

“no.”

“are you sure?”

“your ego doesn’t need to get any bigger,” you quip, finishing off the rest of your spoon.

he just laughs. “good to know. let’s just wait for an hour till it finishes baking, okay?” he hands you a baking sheet to line the pan with. you work in silence as he fiddles with the knobs on the oven, ladling out the batter into the pan and sticking it inside once the oven’s warmed up enough.

“want to do something while it bakes? watch a movie?”

“i was thinking we could go for a walk,” mingyu says, taking off his apron. he looks ridiculous, a hulking six foot two man wearing an apron that’s comically small for him, but he takes kitchen etiquette very safely. he hangs it up on the hook behind the door. “the weather’s good, and i don’t think i’ve been out for a walk in a while.”

“what about all those texts you sent me about missing bobpul? i wonder what your fans would’ve thought of that.”

“you’re not supposed to bring that up,” he whines, and you can’t help the giggle that makes its way to your face. he’s a grown man. and he’s the most adorable one you know. “that was a moment of weakness.”

“and you trusted me with it.”

“because i trust you.”

“i…fine,” you sigh, because what can you really say to that? “it’s cute, that’s all.”

mingyu wiggles his eyebrows. “you think i’m cute?”

“i swear—”

“kidding!” he walks you out of the kitchen, hands on your shoulders, and you love it as much as you wish he didn’t do it. “we’ll be back within the hour. the cake should be ready by then.”

he hands you one of his hoodies that’s lying on the sofa before you head out. you look up at him when he presses the fabric into your hands.

“it’s cold,” he explains, but it’s muffled by the messy way he’s pulling his hoodie over his head.

“and i can deal with the cold just fine.”

“no, you’re going to stick your cold toes on my legs when we sit down to eat, and i’m not going to bear that. even if you’re my best friend.”

and no matter what excuse you make to avoid wearing mingyu’s clothes, it’s never enough. he has to see you bundled up to make sure you’re not going to freeze in front of him, although that’s a tad bit dramatic. this is one of his newer hoodies, and you can tell by the way it doesn’t smell like him just yet. maybe it’s a good thing. maybe you can stop thinking about him like that. one step at a time.

“some best friend you are,” you mumble, wearing your shoes. you look up and mingyu’s frowning at you. not the usual way; there’s a tiny frown that would’ve been imperceptible if you didn’t know him the way you do, but you’re not going to ask what’s up. he tells you things if they’re really bothering him, so you’re going to let him let you know in his own time.

he wasn’t wrong. it really is windy. you’re glad he made you wear the hoodie. you pull the sweater paws over your palms, loving the way your palms instantly become warm. mingyu flips the hood over your head and you’re about to thank him for it before he draws the strings together and ends up blacking out your vision. he finds it funny for about two seconds till you stumble blindly and end up jostling him in the stomach.

he's still wincing when you undo the strings, and you can’t help but laugh. “sorry, gyu.”

“are you, though?”

“…no.”

“thought so.”

“was it my fault?”

“no,” he says, and smiles, and you feel your heart flutter again. “not your fault.” it’s so pretty. even his smile’s so pretty. you love his canines, his little fangs that he feels weird about sometimes. if it were up to you, you’d do anything to make him love them just as much as you did, even if that something were kissing.

whoa. not again. not when he’s with you.

“so, about failed dates,” he says, looking at you. “are you actually looking for something, or do you just…go on them to pass your time?”

mingyu does this thing where he can read you to filth without even trying. it’s like he knows what’s running in your mind, or at least has the vaguest idea of it, and he says things that are basically truths you don’t want to admit to yourself out of fear of not knowing what to do about them.

“why does it matter?” you ask, a bit defensive.

he frowns. again, that little frown. you wish you could remove it. “because there’s so many other things you could be doing to spend time instead of creeping yourself out every time you go on a date. and you don’t need to keep getting yourself hurt like that if it isn’t leading to anything.”

“are you dating someone?”

mingyu pffts. “what, i can’t have advice for you without being in a relationship?”

“no,” you say immediately, backtracking. of course he can. “sorry. i know you didn’t mean anything by it, but…”

“but?”

“i just wish i—”

you’re cut off by the sudden bark of a dog. you look around to find the source of the sound only to see a dog running around in circles with its leash in its mouth. it looks adorable.

“hey, buddy,” you say, crouching down in front of it. it looks up at you and barks. a happy little yip! before it continues running along in circles.

“are you lost?” mingyu asks softly, crouching down next to you. he reaches out a hand to pet its head, and the puppy leans into his touch completely. it looks familiar for some reason.

“do you have any idea whose dog this is?” mingyu asks. you shake your head. maybe you’ve seen a dog like this, not the dog itself, but you’re really not sure. he’s in the process of searching the dog’s collar, but someone yelling in the distance makes him pause. he gets up and tugs the dog by its collar. it has the name tag jamie inscribed on it.

the person yelling out for jamie is none other than one of your neighbours. you know her well. as well as you can for someone you don’t interact much with. not if you can help it.

she’s the kind of neighbour that always pokes her nose into matters that don’t bother her, the neighbour that outright shows she’s not interested in something if it doesn’t get her anything. the two times you tried to initiate a conversation with her as you waited for the elevator to reach your floor are a stark reminder of the fact that she’s not the kind of person you’d ever be friends with. you don’t know what you’ve done to rub her the wrong way, but she doesn’t look like she’ll even give you a chance.

you watch as mingyu hands over the dog to her, and once she’s done making sure jamie’s okay, she looks him up and down.

you don’t blame her. you’d do the same, a bit more subtly, but it does sting to see the way she’s probably the kind of person he should be hanging out with.

“thanks for finding jamie,” she says, all smiles. she really doesn’t need to be smiling that much.

“no worries,” mingyu says with a smile of his own. “and it wasn’t me who found jamie, by the way. it was them.” he points to you with a jerk of his thumb. you smile at her, but feel icy inside when she looks you up ad down.

“oh. are they your…” she trails off with a smile on her face that screams no fucking way. you suddenly wish you could just run back to your apartment and leave the two of them down here.

“partner? you think so?”

“just…you two look like opposites, that’s all. sometimes opposites don’t attract, but you never know. life’s funny sometimes.” she simpers a little, and your hands ball up into fists by your side.

what you don’t expect is for mingyu to throw his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into himself. “yes, actually,” he says, leaning into you in a way that most definitely exaggerates your height difference. “you could call them my better half. and don’t they look good in this hoodie? it’s mine, by the way,” he says, and you can recognize the smile on his face — it’s a fake one, the corporate one he adopts when he’s in a situation he doesn’t like.

his words keep buzzing in your mind as you walk past your neighbour and back upstairs to your apartment. he’d said you were a couple so easily, even though you were not. better half? really? the way he’d leaned into you so easily, the fact that he told her it was his hoodie. it’s…weird. and too much for you.

you don’t speak much as you help mingyu remove the cake from the oven, getting it ready for frosting. he manages to get an indignant sound when he manages to get some on your cheek this time, but the rest of the evening is spent thinking about the interaction you had.

is it really so unbelievable for people to imagine the two of you together?

“hey,” he says, bumping your side with his. except he miscalculates his strength (or does it on purpose) and ends up making you stumble a few steps away from him. you don’t even have it in you to be mad when you see the giggle on his face. “you good?”

“yes. sorry,” you say, opening the refrigerator to take out the food mingyu had made last night. he cooks enough to feed a family of four even though you’re the only one that lives at your place, so it’s useful for when you don’t feel like cooking.

“who was she?” mingyu asks, setting down the plates on the table. “a friend?”

you shudder at the thought of her being your friend. “a neighbour. she lives in the flat down mine. she’s not really the kind of person i’d be friends with, but jamie’s cute. i keep seeing him around sometimes.”

“hmm.” you get the smell of reheated noodles as mingyu works at the stove. “she was…weird.”

“that’s an understatement.”

“is she always like that?”

“rude?”

“yeah. that’s not something you’d say to a couple you see, even if you don’t like them.”

“she certainly doesn’t seem to care,” you say, a bit more forceful than necessary, setting down two glasses as well.

“well, i think we’d make a cute couple,” mingyu says, a little smile on his face as he reaches out to ruffle your hair.

you swear your heart dies a little right then and there. you stare at him unblinkingly. “do you ever hear the stuff that comes out of your mouth?” you ask, regaining your bearings and filling the glasses with water.

“sorry,” mingyu says, sheepishly. “i just don’t like the idea of anyone talking like that. especially with you. especially when you’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

your heart warms at that. “thank you, gyu,” you say, reaching out to squeeze his arm. bad idea. you’d forgotten how much he’s been working out recently, and how big he is. “i’m glad i could one-up her this time.”

“just call me the next time you want to do it again.”

“yeah, sure.”

the rest of the night is spent watching this show that’s been on your watchlist for a while, and you don’t mind if mingyu conks out in the middle of it.

sure enough, you hear his soft snores after you finish your dessert, and you turn to see this big man that’s also your best friend craning his neck on the sofa as he tries to keep himself in the blanket that’s certainly not big enough for the two of you.

sometimes you wonder if he’d cuddle with you to save space and keep himself warm, and this also happens to be one of those times. You get up and reposition him as gently as you can, so that his back doesn’t hurt in the morning. His nose twitches when you rest a hand on his hair, wishing him a silent goodnight.

It's not the first time you wish you could kiss him, dangerous as that thought is.

you can’t stop thinking about the interaction you had a few days ago. sure, your neighbour isn’t someone whose behaviour you’d count on to matter, but was she right when she said she can’t see two people like you together? people as opposite to each other as you and mingyu?

sure, you’re not the usual kind of crowd he hangs out with, but is it so bad to imagine something between the two of you? was that just the sign to stop thinking about mingyu, get over him and resign yourself to a life without love?

as much as you complain about going on dates, there’s something that’s your fault too — you look for mingyu everywhere. none of the men you’ve gone on dates with are mingyu, and that’s the crux of the problem. none of them smile the way he does, none of them give you their jacket when you’re feeling cold, and it’s unfair for you to expect them to understand everything about you.

you can’t have mingyu, and you’re going to have to learn to accept that.

Which is why you’re at this party with your friend seungkwan. it’s not your usual scene — you’d much rather be curled up in bed with a book and some takeout, or cleaning your bookshelf while listening to music on the television — but you’re not complaining. seungkwan was right. you need to let go once in a while, just enjoy yourself before you inevitably spend weeks together keeping to yourself, immersed in your work.

“dance with me!” seungkwan yells out to you over the din of the crowd.

“i can’t dance! not like you!”

“that hardly matters! let’s have some fun, come on!”

seungkwan is nothing if not persistent. finishing off the last of the drink, you let him lead you out onto the dance floor. he rests his hands on your shoulders as he sways you to the music. it’s fast paced and something you’d be caught doing in the privacy of your own house, your own little concert, and for once you don’t care about the fact that people can see you. you’re lost in your own little world with seungkwan, and more importantly, you’re happy. the stress of whatever the fuck happened last week between you and mingyu, with him calling himself your boyfriend without knowing how down bad you are for him, is pushed to the back of your mind as the beat changes. seungkwan starts clapping to the rhythm, making you realize you’re dancing by yourself.

you’re not half bad at this. a little under confident, sure, but not bad. you could try making this a monthly thing and having fun with it.

eventually you end up too exhausted to dance to another song, and seungkwan guides you to a seat, your shoes in his hand as he asks you to catch your breath and wait for a while more till he finishes dancing with some other people.

you’ve ordered a basic drink for yourself when someone slides in next to you. you don’t pay them much attention, focusing on relaxing a bit and finishing your drink, but you have to turn around and look at them when you can actually feel their eyes piercing into your side and— boy, is he a sight for sore eyes.

he looks boyishly handsome, completely in place in this club as he watches you with his chin resting in his hand, eyes glinting in the light of the fixture above the two of you. he’s pretty, and just as handsome, and his eyes are the loveliest shade of brown you’ve ever seen.

“saw you dancing out there,” he says, his words a bit of a drawl, and accented. “you were pretty good.”

“you don’t need to lie if you’re trying to flirt,” you jest, finishing your drink.

“i’m not in the habit of lying,” he says, smiling at you. “you looked like you were having fun.”

“i…was, actually,” you say. he’s still smiling, looking at you like he’s searching for something in your eyes. you feel warm. gosh.

“can i get you another drink?”

“no, thank you, actually. i need my head to remain intact if i want to get home in one piece.”

“suit yourself,” he nods, and asks the bartender for the same drink you had. the bar is in hell, but you’re impressed he backed off immediately. you watch as he makes quick work of his drink.

“so, you come here often?” he asks, wiping the back of his mouth.

“not really. my friend dragged me out tonight because he felt i needed a break from my life.”

“just a friend?” he asks, eyes following your line of vision to see seungkwan still dancing with some strangers, looking like he’s having fun.

“why, you interested?”

“depends on who you’re talking about.”

“him?”

“cute, but no.”

“me.”

“maybe.”

you trace the ring of condensation your drink’s left on the table. “but i’m not looking for anything, honestly. i’ve sworn off dating for a while.”

“that’s fine. we could just…talk.”

you look up at the man. you don’t know if this is his way of trying to get you to go home with him, but it’s the most genuine someone’s been. “you never told me your name, by the way.”

“me? vernon. nice to meet you.”

you give him your name in return, and like the way it rolls off his tongue.

“so…can i ask why you’ve sworn off dating?”

seungkwan’s still going to take a while, going by the previous times you’ve been here, and vernon definitely seems interested in talking to you.

“you ever…had a crush on your best friend?”

vernon winces — an actual wince, like he’s seen something terrible, and it makes you laugh. “yeah…once. it sucks.”

“exactly.”

“you’re trying to get over them?”

“trying being the keyword, yes.”

“then how are you trying to get over them if you’re not into dating?”

you sigh. vernon’s a perceptive one. “trying to think of other people even if i don’t necessarily go home with them. just anything to get my mind off him.”

“anything? how bored would you be if i started talking about why i think star wars is excessive but also misunderstood?”

you don’t find vernon boring, in fact. you find yourself drawn to him speaking, the way his eyes light up and his hands get a life of their own as he lists out every single point in aid of his stance, and encourages you to contribute to the conversation. it feels like he’s an old friend, and not someone you met hardly an hour ago. it’s fun.

“…so maybe we could go out to watch that movie? it’s coming out next week.”

“go out?”

“as friends, of course. i’m not looking to take someone home, either. if anything, i came here to keep my friends company, but…i think i lost them in the crowd.”

you look around, and seungkwan’s sitting at a table surrounded by a bunch of girls, and it makes you grin. he doesn’t need you sticking with him anymore.

“you were saying?”

“does next week work—”

“it doesn’t,” says a new voice. a familiar voice. there’s two hands on your shoulders, a familiar weight. “we’re hanging out at my place next week.”

“mingyu!” you exclaim, pulling him out from behind you. “don’t scare me like that.”

“sorry,” he says, not sounding the least bit sorry. “you have no idea how much time i spent searching for you only to find you hidden here.”

“why were you looking for me? how did you know i was here?”

he looks at you like you asked him something stupid. “because it’s late, and because seungkwan’s most definitely not driving you home.” ah. seungkwan must have asked mingyu to pick you up, given that he was your ride here.

“well,” you say, directing him towards your conversational partner. “this is vernon. my new friend.”

“hi,” he says, curt, and you frown. mingyu’s generally nicer.

“hey,” vernon says coolly. then he turns back to you. “can you give me your number? i’ll text you about it later, when you’re free. think i’ll search for them now.”

you hand vernon your own phone, given he’s had less drinks than you have, and it hardly takes a minute for him to enter his details before he saves his number and claps your shoulder, wishing you and mingyu a good night.

you find mingyu watching vernon making his way through the crowd. “so, who was that?”

“new friend. vernon. like i said.”

“a new friend? seriously? he just asked for your number.”

“so? he wasn’t hitting on me or anything. he just asked me so we could go see this movie we’ve been wanting to watch.”

mingyu’s eyebrows rise. “a movie? together? doesn’t that sound like…a date?”

you frown. “two friends can go watch movies, mingyu. don’t we do that all the time?”

“Yeah, but that’s because you know me. he’s just some random guy you met today. at a club.”

either mingyu’s being obtuse, or you’re not thinking correctly. “are you saying i don’t know how to read people’s intentions?”

“you’re drunk,” he says bluntly, taking off his jacket and wrapping it around your shoulders. “you don’t know what he wants.”

something about his tone makes you angry. he wasn’t even here the whole evening. “as if you do. you didn’t speak to him at all, mingyu. you don’t even know what we talked about.”

“didn’t you say you wanted to stop going out on dates?”

the coldness in his voice makes you freeze. you’ve never heard him sound so hostile, not with you. “what do you mean?”

“why did i have to find out from seungkwan that you were out here at this club just a week after you asked me to make you touch grass if you so much as thought of a date?”

“but it wasn’t a date!” you exclaim, feeling more and more annoyed. to your horror, you feel tears stinging the corners of your eyes. “are you saying i’m—”

“you’re drunk. you don’t know what you want. did you seriously expect to make friends at the club of all places?”

this isn’t your mingyu. he’d never judge you the way he’s doing right now. you take his jacket and throw it on the counter, turning around and marching out. you’ll call a cab to take you to your place. you don’t need him dropping you home.

“hey,” mingyu calls out, jogging towards you, jacket in his hand. “it’s cold. take this, please?”

“i don’t care about what you have to say,” you sniff, wrapping your hands around yourself. “don’t talk to me.”

“listen, you can be angry with me all you want, but just take my jacket. i don’t want you freezing out here when you don’t need to be.”

“maybe you should’ve thought of that before saying all that shit to me,” you spit. “why do you want to talk to me now? just insult me some more, why don’t you?”

mingyu huffs, but says nothing. he just looks at you.

“come with me.”

“where?”

“to my car.”

“why should i?”

“i won’t leave you here by yourself. i want to make sure you’re safe. let me drop you home and you can be mad at me all you want. please.”

“what, your night’s going to be a waste unless i come with you?”

“no,” he says quietly, and it makes you pause. mingyu is anything but quiet. “It’s never a waste. but it’ll just put my mind at ease if i know you’re safe, okay?”

you see the logic in his words, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. “fine,” you say, taking his jacket from him and slipping it on.

“thank you,” he says, opening the passenger door for you.

the drive to your place is quiet. you can tell mingyu wants to say something, start a conversation, but you keep your eyes resolutely fixed ahead.

“come on,” he says, unbuckling his seat belt and getting out when you reach your building. you follow him upstairs to your apartment. he unlocks the door for you and makes way for you to step inside first.

“do you need water? food? anything i can get?” he asks, taking off his shoes.

you turn around to look at him. he’s big, as always, but for once it feels like he’s taking up all the space in your apartment.

“i’m not that drunk,” you say finally.

he stands up straight to look at you. “but—”

“yes, i had some drinks, but i know my limit. i had my last one just before i started talking to vernon. i hate that you thought i wasn’t capable of making my own decisions.”

he swallows. “i didn’t mean to undermine—”

“but you did! and you don’t know how terrible it feels. i’m not a baby, gyu. i know what i want and what i’m doing. i’m hurt. and,” you say, taking in a deep breath, “if you really want to know something, know this — we’re in completely different leagues.”

mingyu frowns. “what do you mean?”

“i—” there’s so much you mean. you can’t possibly recount all the thoughts you’ve had about feeling inadequate, all the nights you’ve spent wondering how long it’ll be before he realizes you’re not as cool as you should be. “i’m not sober enough to talk about this.”

“you just said you weren’t that drunk.”

“this is my home,” you say, a bit harsher than needed. “you got me here safe, and that’s all you wanted to do. this is me being mad at you, so if you respect me, you’re going to let me sleep. okay? goodnight, mingyu.”

“goodnight,” he says, and you hate how small his voice sounds. “sleep well.”

and you do sleep well. well enough that you sleep through your alarm, and wake up almost when it’s ten. at least it’s a saturday, so you’re not freaking out as you brush your teeth. you have some work to do today. and hanging out with mingyu is on the agenda as well, but you’re not sure if you’re keen on going through with it, especially after what happened last night.

if you were delusional, which you’re most definitely not, you’d say that mingyu had been jealous that you and vernon had exchanged numbers in front of him. except there’s no reason for him to be jealous. like he reminded you, you’re not looking for any relationships. there’s no one he has to compete with, so to speak.

so why was he that upset last night? and what about the things he’d said to you?

you’ve had fights before, fights that ended up with both of you not wanting to speak to each other, but this was different. he’d never been angry like this.

you’re the one who’s upset, you realize, as you walk to the kitchen to fix yourself some breakfast. you’re going to talk it out with mingyu once your head is clearer, and you’re going to see what he has to say for himself.

except mingyu’s already here. you can smell the delicious scent of tteokbokki wafting through the room. mingyu’s set out two plates, two glasses — the usual. you’re feeling woefully under dressed in front of him in your pyjamas, despite the fact that he’s seen you like this multiple times before.

“morning,” he says. his voice is hesitant. It’s never hesitant.

“hi. morning.”

“slept well?”

“yeah, better than…what exactly are you doing here?”

“cooking you breakfast,” he says, waving his spatula around.

“i can see that. i meant here. in my place. didn’t you go back home after dropping me off?”

“no. i felt too tired to drive back home, so i decided to crash out on your couch. and i’m making you breakfast now. isn’t that a win-win?”

you can see one win, but you’re not sure what the other is. you take a seat at the table and pour yourself a glass of water, wearily trying to assess the situation. mingyu had pretty much scolded you last night. like a parent who didn’t trust you to make the right choices despite having free will. and now he’s cooking you breakfast like last night just didn’t happen.

“can i ask you something?” mingyu says, pushing a plate of tteokbokki towards you along with a pair of chopsticks.

“don’t think i can stop you, can i?”

mingyu huffs. “hey. if you’re upset with me, just say no.”

“what is it?”

“what did you mean by yourself being out of my league?”

you set your chopsticks down. “you’re serious? you’re really asking me that?”

he frowns. “yes.”

“mingyu, you called yourself my boyfriend a week back. your…better half.”

“that was to make your neighbour leave. she was being weird.”

“sure. and then we went back to life like nothing had even happened.”

“because…it hadn’t? i thought we talked it out that night itself? what happened now?”

“i don’t think you understand how that made me feel. especially when you said—” you say, voice trembling. “you called yourself my boyfriend last week. like it’s something you throw around naturally. and last night you acted all…weird, as if i wasn’t allowed to have a normal conversation with someone who wasn’t you. why are you so confusing?”

“would you hear me out if i said i had a reason?”

“you’d better have a damn good reason.”

mingyu sets down his glass and looks at you. “i’m sorry for everything i said yesterday. i truly am. i didn’t mean any of it. i was just…jealous.”

that catches your attention. “jealous? of?”

“that guy. vernon. you seemed like you were having a good time talking to him and i thought about how if you got together you’d probably leave our relationship behind because you liked him so much.”

“whoa. slow down. i told you i wasn’t looking—”

“you weren’t. i know that. but the way you looked at him made me feel something.”

“what?”

“i’m saying…” mingyu takes in a deep breath, and focuses on something past your shoulder. not meeting your eyes. “i’m saying i like you.”

you blink. “i’m sorry?”

“i like you, and i was jealous because you seemed to be having so much fun talking to him. if you have to know, there’s no guy who possibly deserves you. i’m not saying i do, either, but i’ll try my best to be the guy you deserve.”

it’s still too early in the day for this. “stop joking, mingyu. i don’t want to go through it again. just—”

“i’m not!” he exclaims, coming over to your side of the table. “thinking i could be with anyone i wanted is a bold thing to say. how do you think i feel every time i go out for company dinners but all i want to do is spend time with you? have you as my plus one every time?”

your heart’s fluttering very fast. you feel almost breathless. “i wouldn’t even look that good by your side.”

“says you. have you ever seen yourself?”

“i have, actually, and i look—”

“so gorgeous,” mingyu cuts you off, eyes twinkling as he says so. as though he’d been holding onto it for so long and finally found the right time to release it. “you look exactly like the person i want to spend every single day of my life with.”

you almost expect cameras to pop up out of nowhere and film your reaction to what he’s just said. “the…rest of your life? you do know that’s…a long time, right?”

“i do. and i’ve already spent four years with you. eight, if you’re counting the time before we became best friends.”

it’s everything you’ve ever wanted to hear. what he’s offering is so close to you, just an arm’s length away, but you can’t convince yourself to reach out for it. you hide your face in your hands. “gyu…”

“i’m serious,” he says, gently peeling your hands from your face. his hands are so warm as he holds yours, and his boba eyes are so close to yours. he’s adorable. “give me one chance?”

“what if we…mess this up? what if you realize i’m not that fun to hang out with every single day?”

“what if you realize everything you're thinking is wrong? what if you realize there’s no way i’m going to let things go wrong, especially when it comes to you?”

you don’t know what to say. you don’t know what the future holds in store, and you have no answers to your questions just like you don’t have answers to his.

“i know you think…not so greatly of yourself sometimes,” mingyu says, squeezing your hands. “and i want to be here to tell you that everything you think in that regard is wrong. i like you because you’re you. why do you think you’re the only one who’s been my best friend for so long? you’re the only one i can be myself around completely. tell me you know that.”

“i…didn’t know that.”

“then i clearly didn’t do a very good job at being your best friend. maybe i can fix that now.”

now. now that mingyu likes you. now that you have the chance to see your relationship blossom into something more.

“you’re not even going to ask me if i like you?”

a slow blush spreads across mingyu’s face. “shit, sorry. um, do you…like me?”

“of course i like you, gyu,” you smile, feeling giddy at the way he gets redder.

“good. can i, um, be your boyfriend, then? would you like that?”

“you’re not taking me out on a date first?”

mingyu’s eyes shine and he leans in till his nose is inches away from yours. “hi,” he whispers, and you actually whimper when his lips brush yours the slightest bit. embarrassing. mingyu doesn’t seem to mind, though.

“g-good morning, gyu.”

“the best, actually. even better if you let me take you out on a date today.”

taglist: @bookyeom @wootify @strnsvt @cloudycaramel @thepoopdokyeomtouched

@minnieminshi @nonononranghaee @hrts4hanniehae @viewvuu @bewoyewo

[theblueflower05]

The Sweetest Sylaung

A/N: So I def didn’t mean to write a novel long Neteyam smut story but here we are. Debating on making this a mini series. Also the anon that requested a “curvy” reader insert- here ya go!(she’s also an Augustine- buttttt you can only see that if you squint lol)

Word Count: 6k+

Warnings: This is smut. Pure smut. Please don’t read if it is not your jam. You are in charge of cultivating your own online experience, you’ve been warned!

Pairing: Aged Up! Neteyam x Human!Curvy!Reader

Summary: After an “accidental” romp in the forest, you do your best to avoid Neteyam. It’s for everyone’s good, or so you’ve convinced yourself.

“I’m begging for you to take my hand, wreck my plans. That’s my man”- Willow, Taylor Swift

The kaleidoscope of colors explode under your eyes in endless patterns and shapes as you look over the sample of Pandora flora under the heavy duty microscope. This particular piece of the Moons terra had never been discovered before, only blooming at what you estimated to be every ten or so years, under the right monsoon like conditions

At least that’s what you had discovered so far.

The flower, which sprouted into a berry, and then dissipated into a moss like cluster of microorganisms all within its short life cycle had turned into your passion project. You we’re doing your thesis on it, the last step in getting your Masters.

You’d gone through schooling on a computer screen, guided by the greatest minds on Earth that had relocated to Pandora. Scientists of all fields who you’d grown up around. None of them had been surprised when you’d picked up botany. Xenobotany to be exact.

It was in your blood.

The desk your at shakes violently- disturbing your precision like focus. Breaking you straight out of your zone.

“Ugh” you groan, frustrated, raising your head, eyes narrowing at the culprits.

Spider, Lo’ak and Kiri freeze like deers in the headlights of your fury. Spiders arm raised, a wad of paper balled up in his hand, aimed to shoot. He lowers it slowly as the weight of your your heavy gaze zero’s in.

“Sorry, cu-”

“I told you guys, if you cant behave to get the fuck out” You seethe. Your nerves are paper thin anyway. Too much screen time frying your brain something fierce as you focused in on your studies. “Is that not what I said, verbatim?”

“You need to chill. You’ve been so high strung lately. Come hang out with us” Lo’ak suggests smooth and unhelpful. As usual. “When was the last time you left the lab?”

You roll your eyes and bite your tongue, trying not to say anything to scalding to the surprisingly sensitive Sully brother. “No thanks. I’ve gotta focus”

“Maybe Lo’aks right” Kiri starts, her face screwing up as she speaks “Eywa that sounds wrong. Nevermind, My brother is never right- but you should come hang out with us. Let’s go swimming- the watering hole is over flowing from the storms”

The deep sigh through your nose isn't calming, even though you pretend it is. You know they mean well, in the most annoying way. That you’d been buried in books and paperwork in the lab for the past couple months.

Hiding from the outside world within the thick walls of Hell’s Gate.

“Can’t. This is important, Kir- but why don’t you guys head down there? Its closer to Home Tree and its almost curfew anyway” two birds, one stone. Its a smart suggestion- but Kiri’s face falls, shoulders sagging and ears lowing. That look had always gotten you-

“I cant today, but maybe tomorrow? The samples are too fresh and I don't want to put them on ice…But I think Max made those Yovo cookie things” That’s only half of the truth, but luckily Kiri’s always been understanding.

She grabs your elbow in her long fingers and tugs you along.

The mess hall had seen better days, but the large open space still tends to be the meeting ground for the humans that were allowed to stay and inhabit the moon. With twelve foot tall ceilings and airtight exits and windows that lead out to the Avatar Program training yards. Its a common room of sorts, a place where everyone gathers. For meals, for mismatched Holidays. But mostly for gossip.

I mean, what else is there to do?

Like currently, you’re deeply engrossed in the story that Doctor Martinez’s, Xeno-Zoologist is recounting. All dramatics and dirty intimate details “It’s true, they’re gonna bring it before Mo’at and everything”

He’s talking about Trevino and Eital’i.

Everyone had heard the whispers, seen the not so subtle signs. The main Radio Tower operator had turned during the resistance, had fought beside Jake and had been allowed to stay on Pandora- better stuck on a foreign planet then thrown in a familiar jail cell. Trevino’s a cool guy, really.

A cool guy who had been sleeping with a Na’vi woman, apparently. The two had kept it under wraps, really private. No one could pin down how or when it happened,,,but to go to the clan’s Tsahik seeking a mating blessing? That’s major.

“You’re lying” you accuse in a gasp as the table breaks into whispers, all wide eyes and shaking heads. “They’re going to mate?...How?”

“It’s not like it hasn't happened before” Another scientist chimes in casually. Like it’s a known thing.

Which it kind of is.

Taboo, yes. But not unheard of, more like untalked about.

Humans and the Na’vi of the forest had lived in close quarters since the overthrow of the RDA. Jake, the standing Olo’eyktan, just had a little too much homosapien in him. Yeah, he’d survived the soul transfer and fully inhabited his blue body- but he never quite grew out of his human roots.

It had been hard, lots of politicking and good grace shown on both parts, but somehow, like all biomes in the vast perma green forest, all had learned to live in harmony. Most Omitikaya kept their distance. Very hesitant about the human presence. They had every right to be scared, hostile. Scarred by man and its weapons and its destruction.

Others had been raised in close proximity to Grace’s school. Had become accustomed to the nearly two decade long human presence on Pandora. Curious and accepting.

You’d heard about interspecies hookups.

Locker room talks that left your ears burning and your heart racing. It usually came from members of the Avatar Program- It tends to set a precedent, when the quote on quote “royal family” of the Omiticaya is a Jarhead and a native woman.

Na’vi are gorgeous, tall and lean but humanoid enough to be familiar…you’re not exactly sure what they see in humans but you know damn well what you guys see in them.

“How do you think that works? The…physicality of it all I mean. Trevino doesn't have an Avatar. How do they fuck-”

You’re not the only one zoning out from the conversation and it’s lewd turn.

You watch Kiri watch Spider and your heart aches for her. What they have is secret, delicate and forbidden. As a woman with high standing in the clan, you knew that her feelings for the boy wouldn't go anywhere. Couldn't.

When they we’re kids, it was cute. Now that they 're both technically adults, it was just plain stupid.

You tell her of the fact, often.

Kiri tells you to stop projecting.

———

The Sully Kid’s are always late. It’s like no matter how hard they try, they cant make curfew. You throw on an Exopack, hurrying them to the fence.

“Yeah, yeah okay mom. Take it easy” Lo’ak shrugs huffily as you yank hard on his arm. “I’m going, Y/N!”

“Not fast enough you strumbeast’s ass! You’re gonna get me into trouble, who do you think your dad’s gonna blame when you guys end up back at Home Tree super late again? Norm chewed me out for that shit last time!” You man handle the much taller than you alien.

Kiri and Spider a few leagues in front of you, already at the mouth of the giant fence. They’re awkward, not in their usual synched steps. You wonder how much of that conversation earlier had gone to their heads?

You’re bickering with Lo’ak, an extremely normal occurrence. He can be a real douche. and had been kind of insufferable lately. You think its nerves about his impending Iknamaya.

So engrossed with getting them on their way home that you don't even notice him until it’s too late.

Neteyam is a skilled hunter, through and through. The youngest in the clan to ever make a kill. Swift and quiet. Beloved.

But around you he feels out of his element. Clunky and awkward, no matter how hard he tries to play it off its like you can see right through him. Its scary and thrilling, sets his stomach alive with butterflies everytime. This is no different.

Showing up to Hell’s Gate to retrieve his siblings was something he had done since he was a child.

He’d used to bleed hours away playing with them at the scientists fortress, but as he had gotten older and his responsibilities had grown heavier- he had little time for it. Still, when ever his parents would send him out on a one man search party to bring them home, he’d jump at the chance.

At the hope of seeing you.

You’re arguing with his little brother, trying not to laugh at something he said and Neteyam knows. He knows he shouldn't feel jealous but he just cant help it. Cant help the acidic twist of his insides.

Especially when he chirps out his family's familiar call, letting his presence be known.

And watches that pretty smile fall right off of your face.

“You’re late, as usual” His voice has a stern edge. It’s annoying, the role he has to play. Kiri is a woman grown, Lo’ak just weeks away from being the same. He doesnt blame them for the way their feathers bristle, almost viscerally.

“Ah, big brother you didn't have to come all this way to get us” Kiri reassures, patting Neteyam on the chest good naturedly. “We we’re just about to be on our way”

Neteyam notices the way you try to look anywhere else but him. It stings because he cant stop looking at you, cant pry his eyes away from your form.

“You all should start heading back before dad notices” Neteyam starts. His father had been busy as of late, harvest season abundant and fruitful this year because of the heavy rain season “I’ll catch up, I need to speak with Norm”

“What? Dad cant use the coms now, he has to send his messenger” Lo’ak’s nose scrunches a little, always questioning. On a normal day it wouldn't affect Neteyam so much, just a normal jab from his snot nosed little brother.

Not today. Not when he’s stretched so thin. Not when you refuse to look at him but are staring at the side of Lo’ak fat head. It feels wrong, makes his skin heat up to the point that it feels itchy and tight.

“That's none of your concern. Head back to Home Tree. Now” He doesn't normally throw his weight around. But he feels the need to puff up big in front of you “Those are orders. Get out of here”

Lo’ak’s less offended and more surprised. One of his oh so human eyebrows cocks, a sly remark in his throat before he scoffs. “Aye, Aye Captain Kiss Ass. C’mon Kiri let's go. See you later Spider, Y/N”

He deuces up Spider, gives Y/N a pat on her small shoulder and glares harshly at his brother before he disappears into the thick brush of the jungle.

Kiri wraps her arms around you in a strong hug, muttering about ‘swimming’ and ‘promises’. The small impish smile she shoots Spider gives YOU butterflies so you don't blame the way he swoons, before she’s off behind her younger brother.

“I can go find Norm for you, bro. I think he’s still out in his Avv, but Max can radio him back in” Spider is none the wiser. Doesn't notice the heavy tension that simmers on a low bubble. Oblivious, as usual.

“Yeah, sure” Neteyam replies, barely sparing the human boy a glance. He’d feel bad for it later, when he could form coherent thought. When his brain wasn't on Y/N issued override.

Spider chatters, good natured. He never got to see the Olo’eyktan in training anymore. He missed his homie.

“Well, I should be heading back. You guys have a good rest of your night-” You’re already turning on your heels when you make the announcement, eager to get back inside. Back behind the safe walls of the lab- far away from Neteyam.

“No”

Neteyam who stares at you with all too knowing eyes. He looks straight through you like he can see through your clothes, through your thinly veiled escapism attempts. He reaches out, wraps his long fingers around the top of your arm and tugs you back to him. Gentle, but very firm.

He doesn't have to say it- it’s written all over his face. Not this time. He’s not going to let you run away from him.

“Netey-” You start in a whine, tugging on his hold. He doesnt relent, if anything his fingers tighten as his eyes narrow. Dangerous, desperate.

“Just talk to me” it’s a barely concealed plea, his tail twitches anxiously behind him “I'm just asking for five minutes. Please Y/N”

Spiders oblivious, yes. Stupid? No. He doesnt know exactly what's going on between the two of you but has clued into the fact that it’s heavy and he wants no part of it.

The excuse he makes is shit- he’ll just go find Norm. Yeah… he’s so out of there.

“What is wrong with you?” You hiss as you watch Spiders awkward, quick retreating form. Eyes flickering over the empty for now training yards “So much for keeping it lowkey, huh? Could you be anymore obvious?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Neteyam is almost shaking with disbelief “What the fuck is wrong with you? You havent talked to me in over a month. Everytime I make any kind of attempt you bolt. I dont-” He sighs, pinching the wide bridge of his nose with the hand that isnt holding onto you.

He looks tortured. Tired. Run a little ragged.

Beautiful.

“I don't know what I did? If this is about that day in the forest-”

You sigh at his words, once again pulling on his hold. Shaking your head desperately because you can't.

You can't talk about it. Fuck, you’ve been trying not to even think about it.

And failing as you replay the event over and over again the darkness of your bunk. Hyper fixating on the way that his lips had felt against yours. Oh the way that his big hands had worked your body over

“Don’t” you whisper “Please don’t”

You’d never been one to beg for pity, for mercy but that’s what you do now. Beg him to let you out of his tight clutches. Metaphorically and physically.

“You’re all I can think about” It's a gutted admittance, but Neteyam makes it all the same “That night- I can’t sleep. I can barely eat- I’m falling behind on my duties because I keep coming back here. Standing outside this fence and waiting for you. I know you could hear me over the coms, right?”

And you could, a few weeks or so ago.

When he’d begged you to come out. To come speak to him. His voice so appealing that you’d almost caved. You’d had to turn off your receiver. Had sat with your head in your hands for hours as you fought the urge to crawl to him, knees raw and your bloody heart on a platter only he could divulge in.

He shuffles closer, all lean strong muscle. Firm, unmovable. “You heard me”

“Of course I did”

“And you still left me out here” He scoffs, head shaking slightly as his adams apple bobs, his ears are pinned to the sides of his head in obvious distress “I could never do that shit to you.”

“One of us needs to be the adult in this situation” Your voice is as strong as you can make it. Trying to speak reason on to both of you “We can pretend it never happened and go back to the way that things were before. You’re my friend, Tey”

You reach up, stroking at his wrist. Trying to soften him enough for him to let this go. Let you go.

He’s trying to control his breathing, all that training for all of those years for what? One fragile human girl to make him completely unspool? To lose any and all composure he’d worked so hard to gain.

He was always the adult, in all situations. Had been born with a neck cramping crown on his head. Shrouded in pressurized glory.

“If this is me being childish, so be it. Where has pretending gotten you, huh? Look at you, yawntutsyìp. you look so tired. When was the last time you slept? Kiri says you spend days in the lab without resting”

His hands, both of them, come up to cup your face. Huge and calloused. Yet he holds you like you're something precious. A small animal, a rare gem. His whole entire world since he was just a boy.

Neteyam thumbs at the cool glass of your mask, tenderly. The bags under your eyes are sunken and bruised. “Don’t shut me out”

Your body, in its entirety, clenches at his words. Velvet and sincere. He’s a fucking dream. Your head leans into his hands, neck sagging of its own accord as any and all words of protest leave your weak mind.

He makes you so easy.

“Let me in…I dont want there to be this distance between us anymore” He hisses around the word distance. Hating even having to say it “I want to be inside of you again”

Your plump lower lip gets skewered between your teeth, eyes screwed shut as you remember the last time. Your first ever time being full…you’d dreamt of it every night since it had happened.

If it wasn't for the blasted mask and your need for Earth’s oxygen he’d kiss you. Right here right now. He didn't really give a shit who saw or what they had to say.

Instead pulls you into his chest, lets you wind your arms around his lean middle and bury your chest in his diaphragm. Its as close as he can get you, for now. Makes you cling to him the way that he’d clung to every thought of you for the last weeks.

You wish it was lungfuls of his skin that you were taking as you try to bring yourself down from this abrupt shaky high. You dont get it, how your relationship couldve flipped this hard in such a short time.

He had always just been Neteyam. A shameless flirt yes- but that’s all it was.

“Would you like that?” He questions, hands working through your hair. Fingers light and soothing on your scalp. Massaging the thoughts right out of your head.

“Hmm?”

“If I was inside you again?” He presses on. You can feel the tickle of his long, thin, tail as it wraps around the back of your calf and you groan, digging your nails into his back.

“You’re such an asshole. Stoppppp it” You’re embarrassed and turned on and already feel stupid enough, he doesn't need to rub it in. His chest shakes as he chuckles.

“I’m serious. Tell me you want it-”

“Neteyam! Hey!”

The two of you break apart in an instant. You jump away from him as though struck by lightning. Instantly putting enough distance between you and the Na’vi that maybe, just maybe an onlooker might think that the embrace was friendly.

It’s Norm, having heard that the eldest Sully was looking for him he’d come eagerly.

The smile you plaster on is forced and honestly, Neteyam doesnt fair any better. He’s obviously flustered, just glad that his erection isn't tenting his tweng.

“Spider told me you and your dad are looking for me. I’m not intruding on uh anything, am I?” Norm looks between the two of you.

Your arms are folded tightly over your chest and Neteyam is rubbing at the back of his neck, strong jaw flexing as his teeth grind.

Oh yeah, Norm had definitely interrupted something.

Knows for sure as you scurry away. As Neteyam, always so level headed, has to string together words. Stumbling a little bit as he tries to remember the message that Jake had relayed.

It’s not any of his business, he thinks at the time. He sure didnt want to be the one to shine the light on whatever the hell was going on here. Turning a blind eye to the mysteries of Pandora is the only way to survive the harshest terrain known to man.

———

You dont know that though-

No, you’re spiraling more a little bit as you prepare yourself for bed. Brushing through your thick hair and staring out into space as your mind assaults you with all of the gnarly ‘What If’s’

Norm had seen and he had to know right? Oh god, what if he told Jake?

You balk. Lowering the brush as your eyes bulge out of your head.

What if he told Neytiri?

That's actually a super horrific thought. Like nightmarish. You have a lot of respect for the future Tsahik...

…And a very healthy does of fear. She didnt like humans and made it known. She tolerated them only for her husband's benefit. What if she found out that her eldest son, her golden boy, had fucked one?

You’re freak out is interrupted by static, by the beeping of your com receiver on your night stand.

“Y/N?” its Neteyams muffled voice through the device. You’d ignored it once. You should ignore it again…

“Yeah?” you wonder if he picks up on how shaky you sound through the receiver.

“Tomorrow night meet me at the East Gate. Like when we we’re kids” he’s not really asking. Not demanding either. You could ignore him again, but he has to try.

The line goes silent, quiet for minutes on end.

“Y/N?”

You’re so stupid. “What time?”

You can hear the grin he’s sporting as he replies “0100”

“Got it, over. Good night, Neteyam. Go to sleep”

———

The East Bay is on the other side of the large fortress-like building. It's not that it's forbidden, or anything. but it is deserted. It’s where the military personnel had inhabited, and since most if not all of them had gotten the hard boot off Pandora it was empty as a ghost town in these maze like halls.

When you we’re younger; you’d caught Spider sneaking Kiri and Lo’ak in through the rarely used entrance. You’d demanded the know how, if he didnt want you to rat on him for it. It was a rare occurrence, but the Sully children had all been snuck into Hell’s Gate this way over the years.

You type in the codes, disabling the alarm system in order to usher Neteyam into the pressurized, air lock. You’d toted one of the Avatar Exopacks along for him, they’re heavier then hell but he’d need it.

“Hi” you smile, suddenly shy as the tall Na’vi man stands before you.

That's what he was now. A man, not only in the eyes of his people but as a whole. Broad and muscular, strong. Verile. The next leader of his people. You know that he’s highly desired in his clan. Women fawn over him. Vie for his attention.

It doesnt feel real that he wants to give it to you.

You’re nothing special. Not tall and stunning like the Omaticaya women. Even by Earth’s standards you're short, curvy. Not particularly pretty. Insecurity gnaws at you, as it so often does.

“C’mere” Neteyam urges, boldly yanking you by your waist. Pulling you flush against his body. Grabby and insistent, he wants to feel your bare skin. All plush and soft, hes been dying to taste it since the last time.

Kicking himself over and over for not savoring every bit of your body that you gave to him. He won't make the same mistake again.

He’s not gonna lie, the concrete and metal of the walls inside of Hell’s Gate have always made him a little claustrophobic. But he can't do this outside-

His lips capture yours, demanding and needy from the jump. Big, over powering, he swallows your little chirp of surprise. Devours any and all breath from your lungs. Its messy and so good. You hadn't gotten to kiss him last time.

His mouth tastes amazing, his tongue rough in texture just like you remembered. It grates your lips as you suck on it-

“Hey, slow down a little bit” You giggle as Neteyam paws at your ass, lifting you off the ground until you squirm hard, making him release you “Not here, we can't do this here there’s cameras everywhere”

“I don't care” Neteyam pecks all over your face, trying to recapture your mouth as you avoid him “Let them watch, most of those pervs would like it”

And they would know that you’re his. The thought is beyond heady.

You gasp as his sharp canines ghost over the delicate skin of your neck, nibbling on your pulse point “Please- Neteyam”

You firmly push him away, hand on his chest and maybe if you hadn't cut him off cold turkey he would've given you space. Could've pulled away for a moment to let you say your piece. Instead the idea of letting you pull away even an inch is unbearable to him.

No. instead he tosses you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He hauls loads heavier then you every day, your protests mean little to him. With his free hand he scoops up the Avv Exo Tank,

“Where to, yawntutsyìp?”

Where too is an old conference room. Its as good as any, and Neteyam yanks a couple cushions off the old couch to act as a brace for your head as he lowers you to the floor, flat on your back.

You’re so pretty like this, he tells you of the fact.

With your hair a mess behind you, your face free of that damned mask. Grinning up at him as you rub your thighs together. He wishes he had that camera that his dad liked to take pictures on. He wants this moment of you framed, immortalized.

“I hate sky people clothes” He mutters as he tugs on the hem of your t-shirt. It hides you, hides all that skin he craves.

“You want me to take it off?” You offer eagerly, raising up enough to start peeling the piece of clothing off. You’re bare underneath, completely. Your breasts jiggle as they’re freed, nipples peaked in the cool air-conditioned air.

“Don’t ever put it on again” He demands, taking it from your hands and tossing it across the room. He’s dead serious, but by the way you're giggling you obviously think its a joke.

He can’t help it, he dives in face first. Rubbing against your soft breasts, obsessed with the way they feel. Heavy, pillowy. He drags his tongue across all of your bare skin. From your clavicle to your nipple. You always smell so pretty, but its got nothing on the way you taste. It explodes bright and savory on his tastebuds.

You let him explore, until your spit soaked and shaking. Your panties sticky as your hips search for any kind of friction. “I need you”

“You have me, my love. All of me” your eyes water at his words. At the sincerity. At how much you want them to be true.

You grab one of his hands and drag it down your chest. Past your soft, rounded belly and into your shorts. He grunts as you guide him to where you’re wet and pulsing. Rythmetically clenching around nothing.

He circles your clit, feather light. More of a tease then anything and you want to sob. You’d thought of nothing but this, touched yourself imagining him. “Tey-”

He smiles around a mouthful of nipple,tugging on with his teeth. “I missed you so much”

“Then be nice to me” you plead, trying to shove yourself down on his fingers.

“We’re being nice now? Were you nice to me when you ignored me?” he can't help it, hurt bleeds into his voice. It had been so fucking painful, knowing that you hadnt wanted to see him. To be with him.

“I’m sorry” you whine, grabbing his face, pulling it from your bosom. “I’m so sorry. I was so scared- I’m still scared but I need you”

He lets you cup his cheeks, lets you plant kisses all over him. The bridge of his nose, his eyelids, his cheekbones. You dote on him, gentle and caring and he gorges himself on your love.

“You cant ever do that again, okay?” He shivers as you kiss his ear, running your tongue along the hyper sensitive flesh “If you’re scared you come to me, not run from me. Do you understand?”

You nod, eager. “I promise, Neteyam”

It’s all he needs to hear, that you’re his. That you won't deprive him of your presence ever again. He doesn't know what he’ll do. He’s a little scared of the man he becomes when it comes to you, you’re not the only one frightened by the gravity of your feelings.

“You asked if I wanted you inside me again? Yes. So much. I never knew I could be that full” it’s like you know just what to say. You light him up from the inside. His fingers begin circling your sopping clit again, this time with intent.

It’s blurry, the fact that your lightheaded making it hard to think. To track what he’s doing to you because somehow Neteyam seems to be everywhere at once. His big body all encompassing as he takes you.

“No-no marks, baby” You try to remind him and his blazing eyes zero in on you in a glare “you know we cant…not where they can see”

You’re right, and he hates it. He’ll just have to mark you where only you can see. Where you can look at your self and be reminded that you belong to someone. That you belong to him.

He doesn't have the patience, cant stop his hands from shaking- the tear of your shorts and panties echos around the room as he removes any barriers between him and the heat at the apex of your thighs.

You cant help the thrill it sends down your spine. He’d…ripped your panties off. You thought shit like this only existed in bad Earth made Porn that you’d found on one of the labs computers.

“Sorry, sorry” his apology is far from sincere though and you can't help but giggle, patting his braids fondly.

The fingerfucking is rough, your wines and moans spilling from you as he hits spots inside of you that make you want to curl up. It’s too good. Too much-

You screech, back bowing as he bends to kiss you, loud and sloppy, right on your wet clit. His big head burrows between your thigs as he delves on your cunt, his long rough textured tongue lapping at the fat puffy lips. The texture difference has both of you groaning.

It’s heartbreakingly good, the kind of good that you’ll never be able to forget. That you’ll crave and need for the rest of your life. Addictive, as he dedicates himself to making you feel pleasure.

Neteyam eats pussy the same way he does everything else in his life, exceeding any expectations. His instincts sharp as he hones in on how to make you lose your mind.

He keeps telling you how good you taste, breaking away for heaving breaths before he reburries himself. The only sounds in the room are the beyond wet sloshing of his tongue lashing and the pathetic noises your making.

He’s eating you alive, you don’t know how you’re supposed to survive this.

His fingers, two and then three fuck in and out of you. Corkscrewing as he loosens your tightness up for him.

“O-ooh” you whine high and reedy as you feel your tummy tightening, the pressure building in a way that makes you feel like you cant breathe. You cant your hips, shoving them down at that perfect angle “Oh, sh-shhhhit. I’m gonna, I’m-”

He doubles down and you’re a goner.

The orgasm is devastating. Sofuckinggood you think you might see stars for a minute there. You can't even scream, you keep letting out these little cries that are more like wheezes. A desprate attempt to get some kind of air back in your lungs-

Which reminds you.

Even though you’re in a daze you wiggle away from him, he hisses at you about it but you swat the top of his head as you reach for the Exo Pack.

You shove the mask in his face, between your legs.

”Breathe, Neteyam” you demand him to gulp down the Pandoran air. Yeah, he could go longer in your environment than you in his but still. Death by giving head isn’t the way you’d like him to go out.

He takes long breaths and you try not to be embarrassed by how soaked his chin is.

When he pulls away his eyes are a little more focused “Thank you, sweet girl. Always thinking about me, huh?”

You nod, dropping the mask. Closer this time for easier access. His eyes quickly zero back in on your swollen pussy, on how wet he got you. On how pretty it looks. His mouth is watering all over again-

When you try to close your thighs, the burning of your cheeks getting to be too much he hisses again. It’s not a sound he often makes and it’s a revelation, he’s so sexy. Almost feral.

“Who said I’m done?”

You’re never going to be able to get over this man “I already came?...”

“Yes? So?” he rolls his eyes, lowering his head, nuzzling at the damp juncture of your inner thigh “You’re still so tight, here feel”

His fingers slip back in you and you mewl, baring down as he scissors the long digits.

“We have to get you loose enough to take me, I don’t want to hurt you” He explains it like you need convincing. Like he has to convince you to let him eat you out. You just re-spread your thighs, relaxing back onto the cool floor as you let him do as he pleases.

It takes two more orgasms that you scream and shake through until he deems that you’re ready. By the time that he begins to slide his cock into you you’re a blubbering, oversensitive mess. You’re crying rivers of tears as you cling to him.

“Hold my hand? Please ” You request and he smiles, kissing your tear streaked cheek as he interlaces his longer fingers with yours.

Humans and Na’vi can fuck, but we’rnt designed to. His dick is overwhelimgly big and will really injure you if the two of you aren't careful about this.

You both gasp sharply as his tip breaches you.

It hurts, it’s agonizing. It’s the kind of pleasure pain that you didnt even know could exist. Everytime you think you can adjust, he pushes in another inch. But oh, how you missed it. Being so full it feels like you’re going to burst. You’re pussy flutters as it fights to take him and you focus in on his face.

It’s all scrunched up in heavy concentration. His lips speared between his sharp teeth in a way that has them almost bleeding.

You can't have that. You tug him into a kiss, soothing the abused flesh with your tongue.

“I-I dont want to hurt you” He whimpers as his forehead rests against yours.

“It’s okay, you’re okay” You hum to him, grasping at his hand even tighter “I love what you do to me. I love how you feel”

When he bottoms out you think he must be in your ribs. Hes still, letting your body get used to him. Trying to be kind. You want to tell him that there’s no getting used to his size. That he could fuck you every day for the rest of your lives and he would still feel just as massive.

“Please” you wail instead “please”

The first gentle snap of his pelvis has you both reeling. Your thighs lock around his thin hips, urging him. You can take it. It only takes a little urging for him to lose himself. The harsh stretch of it has you shaking as your over sensitive pussy tightens. You’re coming again, less intense the the previous orgasms, thankfully.

Neteyam had been so focused on making you feel good that he’d neglected his hard, weeping cock. His balls are so full that he knows he’s not going to be able to draw this out.

You know you have to look stupid, mouth hanging open as you raggedly gasp for breath, letting out punched out sounds as Neteyam pounds into you. You cant look away from his face though.

It’s mesmerizing, all of it. The sounds he lets out. The way that his braids sway with the rhythm of his pleasure seeking body. His broad shoulders, bulging biceps and forearms- you are so fucked.

You’re so in love.

“Please Y/N” He wheezes as you squeeze around him, letting go of your hand so he can wrap both of his arms around your lower back “I can’t hold it. W-where should I?”

Oh. Oh, he’s the sweetest man. He always has been.

You peck his lips, not minding that he’s too lost in his own pleasure to really kiss you back

“Come inside me. Come inside me. Come inside me” it’s a heated chant, broken and breathy by the erratic rhythm of his hips and he buries his head in your neck, wailing in the skin there.

Just for a moment, lost in the haze of sex, you can tell he forgets his own strength. Thrusts into you so hard that you scream out in pain, the mushroom tip of his long cock batters your cervix relentlessly. Its a sharp, startling sensation that you’ve never known but you ride it out for him. Desperately trying to keep your whimpers of discomfort at bay.

When he comes, his whole body goes still and ram rod straight. He hugs you tightly to him. You wish you could see his face. Next time, hopefully.

He’s Neteyam, the mighty warrior. The dutiful son. The next clan leader but as he shakes and twitches and basks in the afterglow you can't help but want to baby him. But stroke his back softly, rubbing the residual tension out of his tired muscles.

He’s your big ol’ pussy cat, you’d always teased. He purrs like one every time you’re affectionate with him.

You can’t help but run your hands along his sensitive spine. Let the length of his tail run through the loop of your fingers. He grins and flicks it from side to side. He’d always thought your fascination with it was amusing.

“Are you okay?” he mutters, still hidden in your hair as he starts to come back to himself and you hum, moving up to pat his braids.

“Mmhmm” you’re maybe not as capable of making words as you though you were. He chuckles and hugs you. Holds you in his big arms in a way that makes you feel untouchable.

The two of you lie in that room for as long as you can, until he has to start heading back to Home Tree, it’s almost morning and his parents are early risers. They’ll look for him if hes not in his tent…

It's hard. Letting him go. Even though you know he’ll be back. You keep pulling him back in for kisses, holding onto his muscular arms until he laughs and peels you off of him.

“I’ll be back my love. I’ll always return for you”

You frown but agree, pushing him away to get re-dressed- “How am I supposed to go back like this! Neteyam I don't have any pants!”

He’d shredded your shorts and panties. Literal tatters of cloth are all that’s left.

Neteyam cracks up, almost keeling over. Thinking he’s oh so funny. It lightens the situation and makes letting him go- watching him disappear back in the forest a little easier.

You end up having to pull your fortunately oversized t-shirt down as far as it can go as you make a mad dash across the facility, back to your dorm. You fall asleep grinning, thinking about how the panties had been a necessary sacrifice.

———

Norms on late night watch, keeping a bored, admittedly not sharp enough eye on the security camera’s feeds. With the rainy season, came an influx of Slinths’. It made sense to have a lookout, and somehow he’d gotten saddled with an overnight shift.

He’d definitely fallen asleep for a few hours. Not that he’d tell anyone of that fact.

There is nothing that could prepare him for what he see’s on the screen, over in the desolate East Bay. First, he thinks that he’s hallucinating, his sleep bogged eyes playing tricks on him.

He rubs them hard with his knuckles, not believing the image that is large and clear on the security footage.

It’s Neteyam. Inside the facility which almost never happened. And he’s bending down, his lips locked with Y/N’s . Kissing her hard and long before she punch’s in the code, and opens the air locked door to let him back out into the shadowy eclipse.

Norm’s learned a lot living on this strange moon- Pandora was mysterious. Full of things his brilliant mind would never understand. So he does what he does’ most of the time.

Minds his own business.

So I’ve had this idea cooking for months, but didn’t have the bandwidth to get it written down. The ideas wouldn’t translate to page and I still kind of feel like they didn’t butttttt whatever. This is pure self indulgence. I am so much more in love with Neteyam now. He is SUCH a good guy. Ugh.

Also, please remember that my requests are OPEN! Send in all that good shit. Come blue alien brain rot with me!

[thebestofoneshots]

Gilded Constellations | wolfstar x reader

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Pairing: Wolfstar x Reader Word Count: 8.1 K Warnings: Graphic descriptions of violence. (Reader discretion is advised). Prompt: Turns out werewolf scratches make you more than just hungry for food. This IS a wolfstar x reader fic, but it's incredibly slow burn. They won't start all dating each other until we're very deep into the story, but I promise the long wait will be worth it.

Chapter 23: Hungry Eyes

November 24th, 1976 

“You want more sausages?” James asked as he grabbed another one from the plate. You nodded in response. 

“That’s like the 5th one,” Peter said surprised, not because of the sausages exclusively, you had devoured your breakfast, a huge plate of bacon and eggs, a slice of Sheppard’s pie, and a couple of pieces of meat. James thought that was a little odd, since you always went for sweet stuff, rather than salty things, especially on breakfast, but since he had accidentally hurt you earlier, he was ready to give you just about any food you asked for. 

You nodded “Yeah I know,” you said as you took another bite of your bacon. “I don’t get it either, It’s like I’m starving, I could eat a hippogriff.” 

“Could it be because of the scratch?” Sirius said as he put his tea cup down. 

“The scratch?” James asked. 

“Yeah, Moony’s scratch.” 

“But you’ve gotten scratched by Moony and I’ve never seen you like this,” he said pointing at you. 

“Oi, watch your mouth Potter!” you said as you side eyed the boy.

Sirius shook his head “Padfoot has gotten scratches, not me,” he clarified “And I’ve definitely felt the hunger, in more than one way.” 

Your head snapped towards the boy, your eyes going up and down his face, trying to describe his expression “Does that mean– does that mean I’m this hungry because… lycanthropy?” 

Peter shrugged “It’s possible… Do you by any chance feel the urge to bite one of us?” 

You looked at the boy with a bit of a confused expression, the image of you biting Sirius’ neck on the Restricted Section floating in your head before you could control it, you swallowed. “No,” you managed to respond. 

“Then we’re good,” the boy said with a smile “Should go away in a couple of days.” 

You cleared your throat, “Yeah, hopefully,” you added and took a bite of your sausage. “Do you think Remus’s really hungry all the time too?” 

“Not always,” said James thoughtfully “but when he gets snappy close to the moon, food makes him feel better.”

“And after?” 

“He likes chocolate,” Sirius responded. 

“Yeah… I kinda figured that one out earlier on,” you said with a little smile “I meant, do you think he wants… meat too?” 

James shrugged, “Maybe, I’ve never asked.” 

“But surely you would’ve noticed.”

“It’s James you’re talking about, luv. He wouldn’t have noticed,” Sirius said. 

“You’re being overly aggressive towards me today,” James huffed, your boyfriend shrugged in response. 

“We should take him some meat,” you said, snapping both boys from their bickering “If he’s half as hungry as I am, he needs some meat.” 

“We’ve got charms next, though.” 

“I can go and come before charms,” you said confidently, “and I want to go to the bathroom too so…” 

“You sure, want us to come with?” James asked. 

“Nah, nah… you boys keep eating and save a good seat for me.” 

“Yes, boss!” Peter joked. 

You rolled your eyes but smiled, leaning in to pick your backpack up, but Sirius stopped you, grabbing it himself. You tried to pull it again but he didn’t budge “What’s with you?” 

“I’ll take it, you don’t need any strains on your shoulders at the moment.” 

You gave him an incredulous look “Sirius I can carry my own bag, even with the thing.” 

“I’m not saying you can't, sweetheart. I’m saying you don’t have to,” he said softly, “Go on and do your thing, I’ll bring your bag to the class.” 

“You sure about that?” you asked again. 

“Ugh, just let him do the boyfriend thing,” James said as he pushed you lightly, this time being careful not to graze your arm “Don’t you see he’s trying?” 

You looked at Sirius surprised “Is that what...” You saw a tinge of red spread across his cheeks, and you raised your eyebrows, “Awww Puppy that’s so sweet of you.” 

Sirius looked to the side for a second, almost letting the embarrassment get to him but then he turned back at you with a little smirk “Don’t I get a kiss for it?” 

You smiled, looking at him as you bit your lip in amusement and narrowed your eyes at the boy, but complied, leaning in to give him a small peck on the forehead, before turning around to pick up the plate with food you had prepared for Remus. 

“That’s not the kind of kiss I was expecting little Vixen,” Sirius teased. 

“Guess it sucks for you, doesn’t it Puppy?” You teased back with a little wink, while James burst out into a laugh. “Save my seat, all right?” you said just before walking towards the doors. 

You went straight to the infirmary, sneaking in without making much noise, but Madam Pomfrey spotted you as you were walking in, “Hi sweetheart,” she said with a smile “You’ve come for Remus again?” 

“I have class, but I thought he might be feeling a little hungry so I brought this over,” you said raising the plate just a little “It’s not against doctor’s orders, is it?” 

“Not at all, darling,” she responded. “I was just about to call for a house elf to get his breakfast, it’s very kind of you to bring it.” 

You handed the plate to the Mediwitch and then looked towards the section at the end, the curtains were still wrapped around the bed Remus was in, “May I see him?” 

She shook her head, the same frown as earlier “I’m afraid he’s still asleep sweetheart, why don’t you come back later?” 

You sighed “Is he really? Well, I guess I’ll get to class then,” you said as you turned your heel, but turned straight back “Oh, please give this to him too,” you said taking out a bar of chocolate from your robe’s pocket “He really likes this one.” 

The witch nodded, “Will do darling.” 

You waved your goodbyes and left the room, as you did the Mediwitch approached Remus’ section and opened the curtains, looking at the boy expectantly “You should stop avoiding the poor girl,” she told him sternly as she placed the chocolate bar on his side table “She’s clearly worried for you.” 

Remus didn’t answer, he just cleared his throat a little. 

“Don’t act like a child Remus, you always seem to be better off when she’s around, you even sleep better,” she continued, “at least Mr. Black came to visit you last night, and you didn’t avoid him.” 

“If she comes back, tell her I’m still asleep, okay?” he said, still avoiding her gaze.

“She’s not stupid, she will know something’s up.” 

Finally, Remus turned to the woman, a distressed expression on his features “Please,” he pleaded. 

The woman shook her head disapprovingly and pointed towards the food “She brought you food and your favourite chocolate. You should at least write her a thank you note.”

Remus looked to the side, staring at the bar of chocolate the woman had left. It really was his favourite kind of chocolate, and it made his stomach churn. He didn’t deserve you as a friend, not only because of the way he desired you beyond belief –even if you were with Sirius, who he also liked– but because he could’ve killed you a couple of nights ago. Your friendship had to end before the damage was irreparable. 

Remus was being completely irrational, but he didn’t care much for rationality at this point. He turned on his bed, back to the nightstand and sighed, shutting his eyes as he felt some strain on his ribs from the sharp movement. He was holding back angry tears, angry for not being a normal bIoody person with normal bIoody problems. Angry for being a monster that made their friends go through dangerous situations. Angry because he knew that Moony’s intentions had never been to kill you, no, Moony wanted to bite you.

You were back at the girl’s bathroom, you had taken your robe, uniform sweater and shirt off, and you were staring at your bandaged arm in the mirror when Myrtle’s face popped right over your reflection, which startled you a little, “Told you it was a dangerous night,” she said proudly. 

You scoffed “If you knew the Slytherins were out you could’ve warned me,” you said angrily.

“I told you, you weren’t the only one roaming the castle,” she said with a shrug as she sat down on the sink. 

You shook your head, “being a bit more specific wouldn’t have hurt,” you said as you raised your bandage to check on the wound. It looked a little better than the previous night.

She shrugged again “Would I have actually deterred you from going?” 

You looked to the side as you fastened the edge of the bandage again “Probably not,” you admitted. 

“Yeah, I figured,” she said simply “Did you find the thing you went looking for, before getting attacked? Or… are you going back to the forest next full moon?” 

“I did get it,” you said, now a little proud, putting your shirt back on.

“Well, mission accomplished, and you didn’t lose any limbs so…” 

You half laughed at their stupid joke, “pleasure talking to you Myrtle,” you said as you finished putting on your sweater and tie, taking your robe in between your hands, and walking out. 

“Come back soon,” the ghost replied. “I might have some gossip for you then.” 

You turned back to look at her, narrowing your eyes as she simply floated slightly over the floor, with a tight-lipped smile, a hand behind her back and the other one waving goodbye at you. You knew what she wanted, she wanted you to stay and get the gossip out of her, “I’ve got to get to class,” you told her. 

She shrugged, “I said later,” she smiled, still waving goodbye. 

You shook your head diverted but continued on your way out, as you walked to Charms, you put your robe back on and then felt your stomach churn again “What the bIoody fuck?,” you whispered as you looked down “How can I be hungry again?” 

You ignored the churning and walked straight to Charms. Sirius was at one of the double tables, and he had placed your backpack on the seat beside him, he smiled when he spotted you and moved your bag to the floor, you sat down beside him “How’s he?” he asked. 

You shook your head “Still asleep,” you replied, “Pomfrey didn’t let me see him either.” 

Sirius frowned, Remus had rarely slept so much, not even after the moon. And he had seen the boy earlier, he didn’t look so bad he’d have to sleep, maybe Pomfrey had given him some other kinds of potions along with the Skellegro. 

You looked at Sirius’ thoughtful expression and pressed your thumb over his eyebrows “What is it Puppy?” 

That seemed to snap him out of his thoughts, “Nothing, how’s the arm?” 

You tilted your head a little, still admiring your boyfriend before responding “A lot better actually,” you said honestly “I actually went to check, it’s healing now.” 

Sirius let out a relieved breath, “that’s great,” he smiled and pulled his hand up to grab yours, intertwining his fingers with your own and leaning his head a little into your palm. “You’re cold.” 

“Washed my hands earlier,” you said simply. Sirius was about to say something when Flitwick entered the classroom with a bag in his hand and a set of books trailing behind him, once he left the bag on the floor he flicked his wand and the books floated towards all the students, one for each table, which meant you’d be sharing with Sirius.  When the book was right in front of the two, Sirius separated your intertwined hands and used them to pull your chair closer to his. 

You shook your head at his antics but smiled either way. The class went on smoothly, you had to practise a couple of new spells on the book, but it was all too easy for the two of you, which is why you had spent most of the class just stealing glances at the other. You imagined if you had been the one watching the two of you, you would’ve probably averted your gaze. It’s not that you were openly showing the PDA, but it was evident in your giggles and whispering about. On the way, Sirius held your hand and brushed his shoulder against your good one. Maybe you really were Love Puppies.

“Are you still hungry?” he asked as the class finished. 

You nodded in response, still feeling your stomach churn, “Wanna get some food before transfiguration?”

“McGonall will be mad if we get there late.”

Sirius shrugged, so carelessly that it made you smile “She secretly loves us.” 

You scoffed “I highly doubt that, you’re always messing around and I’m shit at transfiguration.” 

“You’re not that bad, you turn into Vixen gracefully.” You shook your head again, a smile playing on your lips. “So… food?” 

You took a deep breath and nodded “Yeah, food.” 

Sirius and you took a detour to the kitchens, Nimbletwist wasn’t there at the time, but another elf was more than happy to help the two of you with some treats. A small paper bag with mixed nuts, raisins and bits of chocolate and a couple of bite-sized sandwiches you could easily fit into your robe. You had already eaten around three of those by the time you got to Transfiguration. 

McGonagall eyed you compassionately as she noticed you were eating a piece of chocolate. You frowned, but quickly remembered Lily had told her you were on your period so you smiled instead, nodding a little with a thankful expression, she let you both enter the class, and you ended up sitting on the table next to the one Lily and Marlene shared. 

“Told you she loves us,” Sirius said with a little smirk.

“That’s definitely not it,” you said as you plopped a pecan into your mouth, it was a little salty, but it was definitely good enough to quench your unfaltering hunger. 

The class came and went, you managed to turn a teapot into a small squirrel once, after hundreds of tries. Sirius had already done it way too many times and he was attempting to help, but he wasn’t really good at teaching Transfigurations. 

“Come on, just wave your wand and say the words.” 

You turned to him exasperated as you shook your wand in the air “Sirius I’m waving my wand and saying the words, it doesn’t work!”

“Just do it calmly.” 

“I AM doing it calmly!” you said, and he threw you a look, which had you huff in return. 

“Black and company,” McGonagall said sternly “You either stop your bickering or I will switch your seats.” 

You swallowed thickly and nodded, Sirius on the other hand, placed his chin over his hand and stared at McGonagall with a teasing smile, giving her a wink before turning back at you, you almost smacked him for that, but he gave you his stupid charming Sirius Black grin and you barely managed to roll your eyes. You definitely were Love Puppies. 

When the class was over, Lily leaned over to you “Hey Luv, you mind coming with me to pick out some ingredients for potions?” 

Sirius gave the redhead a look, the kinda face that said “You shouldn’t make her walk more than necessary” and Evans retorted with a look and a gentle hand over your injured shoulder, clearly stating something like “I’m going to take her to fucking change her bandaged you idiot”. 

“Righ, you should go,” Sirius said then, pushing you lightly towards Lily while she pulled on your hand. You felt like you were being manhandled, but said nothing of it, and just followed the redhead along. 

“I’ll tag with you,” said Beth, as she stood up. 

“No!” Sirius stopped her “We actually need to talk about the lack of birthday party I had.” 

“After the Halloween Party fiasco there was no way in hell we made yours Sirius,” she said. 

“I’m aware,” he smiled wickedly “but that doesn’t mean we can’t do one now, if you know what I mean.” 

Beth smiled wickedly and Lily pulled you towards the door while Sirius distracted her. In a matter of minutes the two of you were back at the common room and walking up towards your empty room, “How are you feeling?” 

“Wicked!” you replied with a smile “It’s not every day you get first class healthcare.” 

Lily rolled her eyes but started unwrapping the bandage, gently cleaning the wound before starting to reapply the paste. “It does look better,” she said as she continued with her task. 

You nodded “Feels a lot better too.”

Her hands were light, and her movements were quick, and calculated as if she knew exactly what step she was going to go next, you were looking at the way she did almost completely in trance, if you were good at flying, Lily was brilliant at caring for injuries, it almost surprised you it was Mary and not her who wanted to become a Mediwitch. 

“Have you taken your medicine?” She asked, stealing you away from your thoughts, you nodded, showing her all the small vials you had placed in the pocket of your robe, “Good.” 

“We need to actually pick some ingredients up,” you said as you started to put your shirt back on. 

Lily nodded and went to her trunk, taking out a few potions from it “Already thought of it,” she said with a smile. 

You smiled back, grabbed a couple of them between your hands and started walking towards the dungeons. You arrived sooner than later and the two of you went straight into the classroom. She took a seat beside James and you turned to your lonely table. You started gathering the ingredients for the potion you would be working on when Professor Slugnorn approached your table “Oh dear, Mr. Lupin is still recovering, isn’t he?”

You nodded “Indeed, but I’m sure I can mana–“ 

“–No, not with this potion, I’m afraid not. But it’s your lucky day, as it seems someone else has also lost their partner today. Mr. Rosier, would you mind moving your things over here?” he said, turning to the boy. 

You instantly stiffened, Sirius stood from the stool he was lousily sitting on and James stood straighter, Lily looked at you with her breath hitched and even Peter stared at Evan intently. “I’m sure I can manage sir–” 

“Nonsense, Evan will make a fine partner for today’s class,” he said, shutting you down instantly. 

You swallowed and followed the blonde boy with your gaze as he sat down on the stool beside you gracefully, looking like a completely civil person who didn’t hate your guts. Like he hadn’t dug his fingers so harshly in your skin less than 72 hours ago that he left bruises behind. 

You were still tense, jaw clenching as you continued measuring ingredients, “You look delightful sweetheart,” you cringed, still not turning your eyes to him. The way he said it –mockingly, disdainfully– sounded so different from the way Sirius said it, like it was an entirely different word. “Considering…” 

You held back a scoff, closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, slowly turning to him, pretending to be completely unbothered, you could feel your friend’s eyes on you “Couldn’t say the same thing for you,” you responded, making sure to add a cold smile in the end “don’t tell me it still hurts where I accidentally elbowed you.” 

Evan scoffed, narrowing his eyes at you, not failing to notice the fact that you had added “accidentally” as if it really hadn’t been your intention. “It’s fine, thanks for your concern… How was your night then?” he asked viciously. 

“Invigorating,” you responded as you poured some ingredients inside your cauldron. “I was surprised you didn’t stay and enjoyed the show.” 

He gave you a spiteful look “As if you didn’t know why we left.” 

“What? Were you lot actually afraid of the ghosts?! I’m sure we could’ve had a very nice tea party with the undead, 3 am is their tea time, you know?” 

He frowned, you really didn’t know. “Your jinx,” he said “Something stung Mulciber and he passed out, that’s why he’s not here.” 

That actually sprung a genuinely satisfied smile “Aaaah… so that’s why you were paired up with me then, your henchmen’s bedridden,” you mocked. 

Evan’s fists tightened but he took a deep breath again, she’s bold, he thought. You had the sharpest tongue he’d ever seen, looking at him daringly as if you had no fear, just like that night. If you had been sorted into Slytherin, you might have made an excellent ally, perhaps even a friend. Regardless, he retorted  “As if you’re much better, I can clearly see your parted lip, and…” He leaned over “I wonder if you have any bruises under your robe.” 

An idea popped into your head, probably a stupid one, but you knew it would piss him off “Well, well Evan, and here I thought you were dating Barty, I’m certain he wouldn’t be pleased if he heard that you’re not only looking at my lips but also thinking of me naked.” 

He was taken aback by your daring answer, his nose flared, and his knuckles turned white, you stood straight, looking at his hand as you took a slow breath, he then moved closer to you, pretending to reach for an ingredient on the other side of the table, when he grabbed your arm –your hurt arm– harshly, as harshly as he had grabbed your neck. You ground your teeth against each other to hold back a cry. Even if the pain was excruciating, even if you wanted to jump back and hide in the cold rock again, you limited yourself to breathing slowly. You were not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing you were hurt, of knowing you had pretty much clung to Sirius for almost an entire day after because you were too terrified of how weak you had been. 

He leaned in, mouth close enough to your ear to whisper “If you tell a single sentient thing about that, you will wish we had killed you that night instead,” he spoke, words laced with venom. 

You blinked a couple of times, staring at his blond hair completely shocked for a second, managing to recover a second later, as he was pulling away, you had already shut your mouth but you were still staring at the boy, the pain in your arm long forgotten as gears inside your head turned, you had said as a joke but… Rosier really is dating Barty Crouch, your own voice resonated inside your head. 

He released his grip on your arm and brushed over your cloak to smooth it out, the pain was still there, you were sure he had drawn bIood, but you limited yourself to stare at him. Out of all the things you’d expected to be Evan’s weakness, you did not think it would be something you wouldn’t use against him. There was a line you wouldn’t cross, and outing him and Barty was way beyond the other side, no matter how awful they both were. 

That didn’t mean you wouldn’t use the opportunity to taunt him “Don’t worry Rosier, I wouldn’t dream of it,” you replied, sarcastically, smiling wickedly before turning back to your potion. You saw Evan flinch out of the corner of your eye. Which made your smile widen, you rolled your shoulder and held back a wince as you used your good arm to continue working on the potion. 

Neither you nor Evan talked to each other after that, you silently passed the ingredients, measured and mixed everything in the cauldron together. When you were about to be done, Professor Slughorn approached you, a pleased look on his face “Would you look at that?” he said pointing at your hand as you poured the mixture into a vial “May I?” he asked, you handed him the vial and he took it in between his hands, bringing it close to his face to revise it “You both have done a splendid job, seems like you two work together seamlessly, perhaps you should consider switching partners, you make an excellent pair.” 

You saw Sirius tense from the corner of your eye, but you smiled instead “As wonderful as Evan here was to work with, I’m sure Crouch would miss his partner,” you saw Evan’s breath hitch “Or is it Mulciber? I always confuse their little group...” you added in the end, playing dumb. 

“It’s Mulciber darling,” Slughorn said “Are you certain?” 

“Positive,” you added then. “Either way, I’d rather work with Remus, that way all the points we earn will go to our house and not be shared between the two.” 

Slughorn smiled “I do love seeing a competitive spirit, well then, you may clean up and retire earlier.” 

“Thank you, Professor,” you told him with a charming smile. You stood up, gaining distance between you and the blond and started gathering all the pots and vials you had used to take them to the sink. Evan gathered the ingredients and started accommodating them in their places as well. As you walked towards the sink Sirius quickly caught up with you, taking like three things, one of which Severus was still using which caused him to stare daggers at the boy. 

“Are you okay sweetheart?” he asked, brows furrowed in concern. Sighing with a small smile as you heard the nickname from his lips, making the difference you had noticed earlier so much more starker, that you really believed it was an entirely different word. 

You nodded, “He’s an asshole, but he’s not stupid,” you said as you dropped the things in the sink and waved your wand so they would start scrubbing themselves clean. Sirius dropped his as well, and walked closer, placing his hand on the small of your back protectively as you watched the vials and pots wash themselves, “he’s nothing more than empty threats.” Sirius threw you a look, threats hadn’t been empty when they threw you into the shrieking shack and left bruises all over your body. You swallowed, “He wouldn’t do anything with the head of his house around.” 

Sirius sighed, he wanted to tell you to stop trying to pick a fight with them, but he very well knew you weren’t, or rather, the fight had already started and you either played along and defended yourself or allowed them to lock you up in haunted houses and threaten you until they got bored. There was no way on earth you’d do the latter, he knew because he wouldn’t either “What did you talk about?” 

You smiled proudly at that “Turns out the one spell I managed to use against one of them, left him bedridden, and I’m like 80% sure Evan has a bruise just as bad as some of mine on his stomach where I elbowed him.” 

Sirius almost shook his head, smiling incredulously at the way you said that, the only reason you were standing still was because you had been slathered in potions and draughts, your arm was torn and you still found it hard to walk and yet, you were proud of the mild damage you had done to them “I knew you had put up a fight,” he cheered with a smile. 

You smiled back as you stared into his eyes and bit your lip “You and slime-head done?” 

“Almost. Why?” 

You pouted “Wanted to get outta here. Maybe we can go see how Remus is fairing up now and… I’m starving.” 

Sirius smiled “Then let’s go.”

“You’re ditching Severus?” 

He shrugged, “He’d be happier without me anyway.” 

You stared at him for a second and nodded, the two of you left the classroom together. Which not only made you happy Sirius was with you but also made you feel a lot more relaxed, since Evan wouldn’t dare to mess with the two of you at the same time by himself. That, you didn’t tell Sirius about. 

“Great hall and then Remus?” Sirius asked as you arrived at the moving stairs.

“Or kitchen, Remus and then great hall?” You suggested. 

“You wanna bring more food to him, don’t you?” 

“If being so hungry really is from the scratch, he must be a LOT more hungry than I am,” you said logically. 

“It’s your call,” he said as he started walking down the stairs that led you to the kitchens “How’s the arm?” 

“It’s good,” you said, you’d taken another dose of the painkiller potion so you could finish your brew after Evan crushed your arm, and because you were on a double dose, you didn’t even feel a thing at that point, you’d probably be told off by Sirius if he were to find out, so you decided to leave that information out “super.”  

Sirius squinted his eyes at you but nodded in the end. Perhaps I should check on it later, you thought as you gave your arm a quick look, but you were quickly distracted by the smell of food coming from the kitchens. This time around Nimbletwist was there, and upon hearing you say you’d been craving meat, she prepared a meat pie, Porchetta, hock & pork pies and even Venison pie.

“Thank you,” you told her with a smile. 

“So ye’ become stronger, Master,” she said with a smile. 

Sirius and you walked out of the kitchen and you were already munching on one of the pies as you walked towards the infirmary. You were the one to enter first, pushing the door with your hurt hand since you still didn’t feel a thing. Sirius was about to say something but Madam Pomfrey was staring at you from the other side already.

“Oh! Hey sweetheart, you’ve come back!” She said, almost emphasising the last couple of words. Which you thought was a little weird, but decided to ignore it. “And you’ve brought Mr. Black along, Remus’ two favourite people.” 

You smiled “Oh, don’t tell James or he’ll be jealous,” you joked, and Madam Pomfrey smiled a little wider.

“Mr. Potter better worry about taking care of himself on the pitch instead of who’s Mr. Lupin’s favourite.” 

“I’ve never really seen him in the infirmary…” you said both Sirius and Madam Ponfrey laughed. 

“Their lot has been over so often I’d say their house is the infirmary room instead of the Gryffindor Tower.” 

“Pomfrey, don’t say such things in front of my girlfriend,” Sirius chastised, the woman didn’t seem to mind Sirius’ informal manner, but she was a little surprised by what he said, not that she let it on. So that’s it, that’s why Remus doesn’t want to see the new girl, she thought. And she wasn’t completely wrong on that one either, she was very perceptive, but at least not enough to be able to tell you were hurt, and that the thing that hurt you had been Remus.

“He’s gotta be awake now, right?” The woman sighed and shook her head in response. You frowned, starting to worry, perhaps you really had hurt him a lot more than–

“–Why don’t you go see him? He’s asleep but you could leave the things you brought on his side table.” 

“May we?” you asked hopeful. 

The woman nodded, at least that way Remus would realise his friends were deeply worried for him. 

“Thanks, Poppy!” Sirius said as he walked behind you and towards Remus’ bed. The woman just shook her head at his antics as she saw the two of you walk towards the boy and sighed. 

“Hey Moons!” he said a little too loud and casually which earned him a smack from your part, from your hurt arm at that. He turned to you with a shocked expression. 

“He’s asleep, let him rest.” 

“He’s been sleeping all day!” Sirius argued, voice still a little too loud, “I’d say it’s about time to wake up! He was asking about you all night last night, might as well see you’re fine with his own bIoody eyes.” 

“Sirius!” you said sternly, which somehow got him to shut up “If he’s asleep it’s because he’s tired, and if he’s tired it’s because I jinxed him and then had the whomping willow hitting him on the side,” you whisper shouted, pointing at his bandaged stomach “let. him. sleep.” 

Sirius sighed but didn’t continue to argue. “You should just wake him,” he whispered, “‘m sure he’d love to see you.” 

“For some reason, I’m starting to doubt that,” you responded as you stared at the boy, and leaned in to leave the plate with food on the side table, staring at the untouched chocolate bar and taking one from your pockets to leave it on top. Two chocolates are always better than one chocolate.

“You think he’s really alright?” you asked as you turned to Sirius, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

Still more worried about him than herself, Sirius thought as he brought you into a careful hug “He’ll be fine, I promise,” he said as he rested his chin on your head. “Still hungry?” 

You nodded, “Very.” 

“Let’s go to our next stop then,” Sirius said, taking your hand in his and dragging you towards the door. You gave Remus’ laying figure one last look and finally turned to the door and walked alongside the longer-haired boy. 

As the two of you walked towards the Great hall, you started staring at your boyfriend, he hadn’t worn his tie that day, and his shirt was slightly unbuttoned, you barely got a peak of his neck, most of the shirt was kept closed with his school vest and robe, but for some reason you couldn’t stop staring. In fact, you even felt your mouth dry as you kept looking. Yeah, you were still hungry, just a different kind of hungry. 

“We should take a shortcut,” you said suddenly. 

Sirius raised one of his eyebrows, “You that hungry?” 

“Oh… I’m starving,” you replied, an air of mischievousness in your tone that Sirius took for a side effect of hunger rather than for what it really was. You pulled him towards a corner and then through a portrait, Sirius looked at you with raised eyebrows, you had memorised most of the map Remus had given you by now, and while you were not familiar with every single one of the secret passages in the castle, you were familiar with this one. You went up a couple of stairs and then turned, softly pulling Sirius against you, using your bad arm, which he was about to point out, but you crashed your mouth against his own, holding him towards you as he almost stumbled back. 

Sirius was a little shocked at first, but he’d never pass up a chance to kiss you, let alone hold you, so he carefully placed his hand around your waist and brought you a little closer, deepening the kiss, which had you smile, lips curling against his for a second before continuing the kiss. You started peppering kisses all over his face, a small trail towards his neck, allowing your teeth to graze against his neck as you kissed. His neck was so soft, especially compared to the rest of him, his muscly arms, strong torso and grip, which he seemed to be holding back in that instance. But not his neck, it was soft and tender and it smelled like him. 

When you wanted to bite, you managed to hold yourself back and trailed kisses back to his mouth instead “Hey luv,” he said before your lips crashed against each other “Are you sure you… I mean doesn’t your arm–“ 

You didn’t let him finish, pressing your mouth against his again, like you were starving, and you really were. Starving and hot, so hot it felt like June instead of November, so you took the one button of your robe off and slid it off your shoulders, letting it pool on the floor as you brought your hands to the back of Sirius’ neck and dragged his face closer to yours. 

Sirius wasn’t sure you’d ever kissed him like that, heck, he wasn’t sure he’d ever kissed anyone like that. Except maybe for Moony, that one-time last year they were so drunk and got dared by Marlene, who promised to buy them treats if they did. That should’ve been enough to make him notice what was actually going on, but Sirius was too focused on the way your hands were pulling on his hair, and the way your hands were angling his head whichever way you pleased. It sent a rush down his spine, Sirius was already so infatuated with you that any kiss would make him swoon, but this kiss was something else. He was the one to take the lead most of the time with you; and with every other girl he’d been with, at least. But this was different, and for some strange reason, he liked it. 

“Aren’t you hot?” you asked in between kisses, as you fumbled with your sweater. 

That made the boy frown. He thought it was rather chilly, actually. At least a tad colder than in the castle, since the passageways didn’t have the same heating spells as the more public sections. But then you pressed yourself against him, and the faintest little moan escaped your lips, which was enough to tip him over the edge. He grabbed you by the waist and pushed you into the cold wall of the staircase, walking up to the same step you were on, to tower over you,  now being he who pressed kisses down your neck, he wanted you to make that sound again. 

As he continued peppering wet kisses down your neck, he realised there was still the faintest shadow of stupid Evan’s grip on your neck and it both pissed him off and gave him an idea, he placed his lips right on top and started sucking as he kissed, grazing your skin with his teeth, his grip on your waist tightening a little as he did, eyes closed shot as he enjoyed how close he was to you.

“Ah… Sirius,” you breathed. 

He stopped sucking, kissing the spot softly before asking, hot breath against your skin “You don’t like it?”

Your eyes were blown as you panted “No… I meant– I–it was a… I definitely liked it,” you managed to say before pushing him back down. Sirius’ idea was simple, when you looked at your neck again, you wouldn’t think of Evan’s vicious fingers, instead, you would think of him, and this staircase, and how good he planned to make you feel. 

As he continued with his task, you started to fumble with your sweater again, loosening your tie and unbuttoning a few of your own shirt’s buttons, but your sweater was in the way so you started unbuttoning that as well. Sirius realised and helped, gently pulling it from the sides of your arms, trying not to brush too much against your hurt arm, but that’s when he realised– the entire area was wet and sticky. 

He quickly separated his lips from your neck and pulled back, you whined, and he would have responded with something cocky had it not been because he saw your arm first, your once white shirt had a dark red mark near your shoulder, a stark contrast with your lust filled face, you didn’t look like you had an ounce of pain, which was even more worrying to him. 

“Darling your arm!” He choked out.

“What’s with it?” you asked, still focused on him, lips slightly parted, breath still heavy.

“It’s bleeding,” Sirius informed, worry evident in his voice, you blinked at his words, still a little distracted by him.

Finally, you turned to look at your arm “Oh.” 

“Oh?! What do you mean “Oh”, didn’t you feel it?!” 

You averted your gaze, as you gulped, “I might have taken another dose of painkillers,” you mumbled as you looked towards the wound, it was right where Evan had dug his hand earlier, no wonder it had hurt you so much. 

“What?” Sirius asked, leaning closer to you again since he hadn’t heard. 

“I took another dose of the painkiller potion,” you repeated, louder this time. “Let’s just say it hurt a little too much and I didn’t want Evan to realise I was in pain.” 

He sighed, he definitely understood why you’d done it, not that it made it any better “Let’s go check that one,” he said as he leaned down to grab your robe and sweater. 

You sighed, you’d rather kiss him instead, but he was right. “There are bandages in my backpack,” you said pointing at it, Sirius had slung it around his shoulder earlier, “I can switch them up in the bathroom and–“ 

“–by yourself?” 

“Well, I was planning to do it earlier, can’t keep bothering Lily whenever something like this happens.” 

Sirius shook his head “Don’t be stubborn and let us help,” he said looking straight at you “That’s what friends are for. I swear sometimes you’re as stubborn as Moony.” 

“Yeah, but you like that about me,” you said with a wink, which got a diverted laugh from him. He grabbed onto your hand and guided you up the stairs until you reached what looked like an abandoned office. There was a huge window with enough light to allow you to switch the bandages comfortably. You sat on the old wood desk and you started to unbutton your shirt, taking just that sleeve off and using a spell to remove the bIoodstain. 

You started trying to find the end of the bandage, but Sirius stepped in, finding it with ease and taking it off himself instead. He cleaned the wound with the same bandage. Using the parts that weren’t already stained with bIood and aguamenti.

Sirius pulled a clean roll from your bag, and carefully started wrapping it around your arm. When he was done you smiled and pulled him into a hug, digging your face into his chest “Thank you,” you mumbled, he embraced you back carefully, making sure not to even brush over your arm. 

“Just let me care for you, all right?” He whispered as he leaned his head closer to yours. You half nodded and then your stomach rumbled. 

“Are you the other kind of hungry now?” he asked with a little smirk, you hit him on the side lightly and he let out a dramatised “Ouch!” 

“You’re the one that insisted on stopping, I might have had my good fill.” 

It was now his turn to raise his eyebrows “Starshine, you have no clue what that sounds like to me.” 

You giggled, realising the innuendo in your words “Maybe I do,” you teased, which just caused Sirius to laugh, she’s unbelievable, he thought. You could feel the rumbling on his chest. 

He then pulled away from you, lifting you slightly from the desk and bringing you to stand right in front of you, grabbing onto your wrist and pulling you towards one of the dark hallways “Alright little vixen, let’s get you something to eat.��� 

You almost rolled your eyes at the nickname but followed the boy, casting a quick “evanesco,” over the red-stained bandages Sirius had left on the floor.  

It didn’t take long for you to arrive at the Great Hall, most of your friends were there too, Peter had even separated a plate for you with a couple of pieces of meat and the same sausages you were feasting on in the morning.

“Thanks Wormy,” You said as you sat down in front of him and next to James who passed you a goblet with some juice. 

“How’s Rem?” you heard Tom ask as he arrived, “Went to check on him this morning since he’s helping with some of my charms homework, but you guys went before coming here, right?”

You turned to Tom a little surprised, a sausage halfway into your mouth when you pulled it back down again “You went to see Remus in the morning?” 

“Yeah!” he said, “had a nice chat too, he said he should come back to classes tomorrow, he’s feeling a lot better, but you probably already knew.” 

You gulped, a frown evident in your face “You talked to him?” Tom nodded. 

“Didn’t you just come from the infirmary?” he asked.

“He was asleep,” you explained, your face was serious as you stood a little straighter, replaying the events of the day in your head. Sirius, who had been looking at you could practically see the gears turning in your head, he had already noticed something was off with Remus sleeping so much. “At what time did you go?” you asked then, tilting your head just a little, looking at him with a calm expression, a bit of a smile in the end, even. A mask, Sirius realised. 

“‘bout 6:30, just before class.” 

“Oh… And he… was awake?” 

Tom nodded, and it gave you the impression Remus hadn’t even been sleeping “Why?” 

He’s avoiding me, you realised. “Nothing, just curious,” you added “Seems every time I go he’s asleep, must have really bad timing.” 

Sirius gave you a look “Wanna try again?” he asked you, you shook your head in response. 

“Maybe after Herbology,” you said after popping another sausage into your mouth, trying to look uninterested. Even if, as you chewed, your mind was filled with a whirlwind of thoughts. The possibility that he woke up around the time Tom arrived and went back to sleep before you arrived made sense, for it to happen one time, so the chance that you were overreacting was still plausible.

But then you remembered the guilty look on Madam Pomfrey’s face when you went to visit and the uneasy feeling at the pit of your stomach grew. What if it hadn’t been a coincidence? You hadn’t talked to Remus at all after he turned, barely managing to see him get dragged away by James and Peter. The last thing he’d told you to do was to stop being stubborn and bomb the shit out of him, you cringed at the memory: Remus crouching on the floor, groaning in pain as he attempted to persuade you to murdеr him. 

And what had you done instead? You had pushed him around, had him chase you through the passageway, gotten the Whomping Willow to launch him to the side causing his ribs to crack, and then had him chase you through the forest until you literally placed the wand he had specifically given you to use against him in the floor because you thought it could appease the beast. Then Prongs came around and had to gore him one too many times and then you hid under a rock as he waited outside, angry and in pain. 

He had told you not to go to the woods, he had told you how dangerous it was. And you didn’t listen, and now he was hurt and probably in a lot of pain, definitely a lot more than you were, that was for sure. Yeah, I’d be pissed too, you thought as you shook your head. 

You didn’t regret your actions, not at all, you had gotten the flower, and it was now on Kless’ hands. That could definitely help Remus in the long run, but if you thought things through his point of view, you certainly understood why he would be avoiding you, if he was indeed doing it. 

“I’m not gonna let him,” you whispered, determination laced your words. 

“What was that luv?” Sirius asked, leaning in closer, snapping you away from your thoughts. 

“Oh nothing, we should probably get to herbology,” you said, grabbing a napkin and passing it over your mouth. 

After class, you went to check on Remus, and when you were there Pomfrey told you that he had just taken a sleeping draught because he had a severe headache. You peered through the curtain and spotted the two chocolates, still in their place, unwrapped. 

You took a deep breath and nodded, “Would you mind giving this to him from me, please?” you asked with a smile, she nodded and took it from your hands, that same apprehensive look on her face, before turning to the boy with a reproachful look. 

“Why don’t you take it to him?” She asked suddenly, “Perhaps he’s not completely asleep yet.” 

You scoffed wryly, a small, tight-lipped smile appearing on your face. “No need, it’s better he rests,” you said “I’ll get to talk things out sooner than later.”

You gave the woman yet another chocolate and walked towards the door. And it really would be sooner, since you planned to sneak out later that night. 

Series Masterlist | Next Chapter

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A/N: I'm feeling the festive spirits, decided to treat you with a little out-of-the-blue update. Hope you enjoy this chapter, and I know we all miss Rem, but trust me, the wait will be worth it.

Raead more Marauders Fiction

[idlebeks]

A few more SVSSS recs for the pile

right from the start, I gave you my heart by nex_et_nox

"Bro, you know how many words I wrote per day, and how many plants I created!” Shang Qinghua whines. "I can't remember them all, it's impossible."

Shen Qingqiu narrows his eyes. "It was used with Wife #418.”

"That doesn't narrow it down any further. I'm not going to be able to guess it, so stop punishing me and just tell me how the flower nerfed you."

Shen Qingqiu grits his teeth. Obviously he wants to draw this out to punish Shang Qinghua, but it kinda looks more like he's punishing himself. There's a muscle flexing in his jaw, and if he puts any more pressure on his fan's guard, it's going to snap. Uh, actually, Shen Qingqiu kind of looks like he's in pain—

“A false dragonhead is also called an obedient plant. It’s in the name—the flower forces you to do whatever you're told," Shen Qingqiu spits out.

or: Shen Qingqiu runs afoul of one of Airplane's stupid wife-plot devices...just before a mission to Jinlan City.

stuffed with fluff (and blood and bones and rage) by nyoomerr

Ever since he was pushed into the Abyss, Luo Binghe has been dreaming of a strange world. In it, Luo Binghe's own face is everywhere, and his story is written out in humiliating detail for some stupid twink to read about. Luo Binghe hates the story, and he hates the dream realm, and he hates the godling within it - Shen Yuan - most of all.

Unfortunately, Luo Binghe can't do anything about it - within these dreams, Luo Binghe is stuck within the body of a doll.

second-hand alibis by nex_et_nox

“All right. I’m in Proud Immortal Demon Way," he says, once he's had a chance to compose himself again. He sits back up, tossing his stupidly long hair back over his shoulders where it belongs; he is totally calm and ready to grill the System for more information.  "Who am I supposed to be?"

Please please please don't let it be someone who Bingge violently murders.

Though given the fact that he's a man in PIDW, his chances are already skewed, and not in his favor. Ugh.

[Bound Role: Shen Yuan, Rogue Cultivator. Weapon: the sword Heng Li. Starting B-points: 100.]

or: Shen Yuan transmigrates as a rogue cultivator, one completely unconnected to any canon characters or events. Right, System? Right?

Type Casting by pallas_rose

Shang Qinghua’s fertilizer has unexpected effects on the mushroom body. In addition to... that, Shen Qingqiu doesn’t remember his death. Or anything at all after planting the Sun Moon Dew Mushroom seed in the dirt.

But he doesn’t need to, right? Shen Qingqiu knows PIDW and Luo Bing-ge like the back of his hand. He’ll be fine. He just has to avoid getting noticed—you know what happens to beautiful women in PIDW!

…though would life in the harem be so bad?

says the shadow by tciddaemina

Luo Binghe wakes up to the heavy, suffocating feeling that something is wrong.

His back aches, sleeping on the floor of the woodshed has left him stiff and sore, and yet all the pain and agony of his latest caning fades into inconsequentiality, washed away in the face of the sheer, suffocating, heavy dread pressing down on his shoulders. It steals the oxygen from the air, swelling to fill every inch of the room, the pressure crushing.

His eyes open too quickly, and he scrambles up, heart pounding in his throat, head snapping towards the door of the shed. There's a knot in his throat, thick, and he struggles to swallow around it, throat suddenly dry.

The woodshed looks as it always has. Nothing has changed.

Everything has changed.

-

Luo Binghe's shizun has a qi deviation and the thing left afterwards isn't Shen Qingqiu.

Shen Yuan's School for Unrepentant Assholes by TGP

Shen Yuan has been dealt a rough hand at the beginning of his life. Then he gets sort of adopted by Shen Qingqiu, who desperately needs someone to help smooth out his interpersonal relationships. Thankfully, Shen Yuan is awesome at understanding people and what they want!

Shen Qingqiu can't decide if he regrets claiming this chaos gremlin as his own or not, but now that Shen Yuan is here, he's never letting him go. He'll have to be pried out of Shen Qingqiu's cold, dead fingers first.

Meanwhile, Luo Binghe is just caught up in the wake of both of them and trying not to be dragged under.

(Or, a drama of errors with comedic moments, exploring the growing relationship between an unforgiving misanthrope with serious issues and a traumatized kid that just wants to teach him what family means (and maybe learn it, himself))

dreaming you the same sun in a different place by JRaylin441

[Activating: Bonus Chapter – In Another Life]

[We notice that you are searching for someone. Would you like to accept the bonus chapter mission In Another Life in order to reunite with User: Shen Yuan, Bound Role: Shen Qingqiu?]

Shen Qingqiu disappears. Luo Binghe isn't going to let that stand.

Written for a Gotcha for Gaza prompt "Luo Binghe sucking Shen Yuan's dick (any dynamic)" from an anonymous prompter

[skzhocomments]

The Rising Empress (Bang Chan) - Chapter 7 - When the Emperor Takes Notice

General Masterlist

Story masterlist - please consult it for the summary of the story, trigger warnings etc.

Wattpad | AO3

Chapter 6 | Chapter 8

Taglist: @vxllxnsworld

---

Chapter 7 - When the Emperor Takes Notice

Chapter word count: 3.6k words

“Ugh…” Aristia opens her eyes. Her head is hurting, and her body is, too.

“Your Majesty, you’re awake.” Her maid, Mari, bows respectfully.

“What time is it?”

“About 4 o’clock, Your Highness. You are invited to dinner with The Sun and Prince Felix in 2 hours.”

“Tsk. You’re so polite now.” Aristia scoffs and gets out of bed.

“I would like to humbly apologise for my behaviour so far…” Mari gets on her knees and bows lowly, and when Aristia doesn’t say anything, she raises back to her feet and asks: “Would you like some soup before the dinner, or should I get you ready?

“I don’t want anything. Call for Hyunjin.”

She looks down and immediately notices the blood-stained gown.

“Wait, bring me something to change into first.”

The maid follows her instructions and brings her a new dress and a damp cloth to wipe the blood off her skin, and then leaves again, returning with the doctor moments later, giving the Empress enough time to go to the bathroom and freshen up.

“I humbly salute the Moon of the Empire.” Hyunjin bows respectfully. “How are you feeling, Your Majesty?”

“Hyunjin… I need help.” She whispers, the façade that she’s strong slowly slipping away from her expression. “The pain is unbearable…”

“We should’ve changed your bandages in the morning, but His Highness ordered us not to disturb you and let you rest instead…”

“That’s fine. Just… please do it now.” She turns around and begins taking off the dress.

Hyunjin grabs a chair and places it before the bed, instructing Aristia to sit down on her knees on the bed while he carefully takes the bandages off.

“You seem rather frail.” He remarks while disinfecting the wounds again. “You should eat more, otherwise you might have trouble conceiving.”

Aristia decides not to comment on this matter any further. It’s not like she has any intention of conceiving. Chris doesn’t care about her enough to bed her, and she can’t remember the outcome of their conversation last night.

“How are my wounds?” She decides to ask instead.

“Most of them seem to be healing.”

“They are really painful today.”

“Some of them appear to have reopened. You ought to be more careful if you don’t want to keep seeing me every day for the next few months.” He replies, and Aristia starts to chuckle.

It doesn’t take long for Hyunjin to fix her wounds, but he is more demanding of her maid regarding what she is to wear.

Nothing tight, no corsets, no harsh fabrics.

She’s only allowed light garments made of silk, and she ends up looking like she stepped out of her room in a nightgown.

She is escorted by her usual guard, although Aristia remembers clearly asking Chris to give Changbin to her. It appears that he didn’t care of her requests once again, which sends a slight pang through her heart.

Her guard is still unable to look her in the eyes.

Good. She thinks.

She continues walking towards the gardens and wonders why they couldn’t have taken dinner elsewhere instead of in the greenhouse. The way to the gardens is not particularly long, but some of the court ladies’ rooms are in the way, which inevitably means that she’d have to deal with them.

She raises her head and keeps walking, not wanting to entertain the ladies at all, but as she passes next to them, she suddenly feels her leg stop in something, and the next thing she knows, she’s on the floor.

Her back starts burning immediately, and the crown falls off her head and rolls on the floor.

As if this is a joke, it stops right at the Emperor’s feet, who picks it up and examines it for a few seconds before beginning to move towards the women, who haven’t yet noticed his presence.

“Your Majesty!” Her useless guard exclaims, trying to help her stand back up, but it’s hard to focus on his words when some of her wounds are probably reopened by now.

It hurts.

“Oh my! Your Highness! Are you able to stand?!” A woman asks, as if shocked. Aristia refuses any help and stands up on her own, dusting off her dress, listening to all the court ladies’ laughs.

She then looks at the girl who most likely tripped her, and she recognises her.

What was her name again…?

Arabella…?

She can barely remember, as she hasn’t thought of her in a long while.

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.” Aristia replies blandly, without forcing herself to show an insincere smile this time. What point is there in any courtesy, when this girl just tripped her, and everyone else is laughing at her?

Immediately, all the court ladies stop their laughter and start bowing, and as she turns around, she sees Chris right behind her.

She bows her head shortly and thinks about how embarrassing she must’ve looked on the floor. Thankfully, the pain in her back seems to mostly keep her away from any further thoughts on the matter.

“What happened? Arabella?” Chris turns to the girl, and Aristia knows it’s checkmate for her. She remembers clearly how infatuated with each other they both looked during her wedding night, the cunning smile Arabella gave her when she turned around, and the blush creeping in Chan’s cheeks when she looked at him.

No matter what truly happened, he will trust Arabella’s word over hers. She’s also from a powerful family of the Empire, and she was supposed to be his bride.

“Her Majesty happened to trip, and we were just trying to help her.” Arabella replies, and all the court ladies start nodding.

“Oh, is that so?” He looks at Aristia, who stays there expressionless. She doesn’t agree nor disagree, for it doesn’t matter. Saying anything would just make her lose more energy, so she keeps to herself.

He already believes Arabella, so why would she even try to-

“Because I’ve seen something completely different. You do know that for any affront to Her Highness the Empress, you could be executed, right?”

“Wh-what?” Arabella’s eyes go wide, but Aristia’s go even wider.

“However, you might be happy to know that Her Highness is a really kind woman. Thus, she would probably agree with me to not have you executed this time. Isn’t that right, Aristia?”

“… Yes.” She replies.

“Th-thank you.” Arabella starts bowing respectfully, and all the court ladies are confused by Chan’s demeanour. They all thought Arabella was his favourite, especially after talks of their marriage began spreading around the Capital sometime last year, before Aristia came in the picture.

“However,” he starts again, “this is not something that can be overlooked, is it?” He turns his eyes to Aristia again, who just watches him in shock.

“Your Majesty-” Arabella tries to speak, but Chris cuts her off.

“You shall pack your bags and move to Count Eckard’s estate. I hear he needs some help over there, and a lady as knowledgeable as you would surely make the South more prosperous.”

Count Eckard?

Aristia tries to think where she’s heard that name before.

This is a count living at the far south border, hundreds of kilometres away from here.

Chris is essentially banishing Arabella from the Capital… for her. The same Arabella, who’s apparently lived her whole life here, with whom he shared intimate looks at their wedding.

Was it all in her head?

He turns to Aristia and places the crown steadily on her head, smiling at her.

“Let’s go. Felix is waiting for us.” He places a hand firmly on her back, and the contact immediately makes her wince. He is quick to notice and retract his hand, letting it hover a few centimetres in front of her back instead.

All of a sudden, he leans in, whispering in her ear.

“Biting your tongue back doesn’t suit you.”

And with that, they continue walking together to the gardens, with neither mentioning anything else about what just transpired.

~

The gardens are as beautiful as ever, and once they get there, Felix excitedly greets Aristia, who smiles back at him, and they engage in some pointless dialogue as the food is served.

Her back is still burning.

Everything smells delicious, and Aristia can already picture the taste her steak will have as it will melt in her mouth.

It looks that good, and she is so hungry, her stomach almost grumbles at the sight.

She cuts a piece of her steak and puts it in her mouth, but immediately, something is wrong.

She knows that some people still dislike her, that they wish she wouldn’t have come here to marry Chris, that they still view her as an outsider, an enemy; however, she never expected them to show such outright disrespect right in front of the Emperor and the Prince.

Her steak is so salty, it is simply impossible to eat.

“How is the food? Delicious, no?” Felix asks excitedly, and Aristia smiles back and simply nods two times.

She takes a bite of the salad, hoping she can at least consume that, but to her dismay, even the salad has been tampered with: it has too much vinegar, making it too acidic and unpleasant on her taste buds.

She watches Felix and Chris eat their steaks and salads as they talk about politics, and since no one is paying any attention to her, she quietly places her fork and knife on the table and hopes she can excuse herself to her room quickly, to accept Mari’s offer of serving her soup. She regrets not taking her up on it earlier. Some soup in her stomach would’ve made everything a bit better, perhaps.

The hunger is ravaging her stomach, her head hurts, and her back – God, her back is on fire.

She should’ve eaten something in the past few days. She should’ve-

“Is there something wrong with your meal?” Chris asks, pulling Aristia out of her thoughts. She didn’t notice he began looking at her.

“No.” She denies quickly, shaking her head, and begins lying through her teeth. “I just don’t have an appetite.”

“Aristia.” He replies sternly, and Felix’s face falters.

“Yes?”

“Hyunjin said you have to eat more. Please eat.”

“Yes, sister. You’re really frail. I mean, you look beautiful, but… I think it might be good for you to eat a bit more. You said you liked the food.” Felix chimes in with a frown. He thinks he’s helping, but he isn’t realising how bad her food is tasting, and she doesn’t want to say anything about it. People already hate her.

So, Aristia smiles briefly and reassures Felix that the food is great, and cuts another piece of steak, but as she lifts it to her mouth, she hesitates.

She doesn’t want to eat it.

Is there any way around it? She wonders, looking at Chris and Felix, who are both watching her attentively.

She tries to hold her breath as she reluctantly puts the piece in her mouth, but as she chews it, she can’t help but grimace. She wants to spit it out immediately but forces herself to swallow.

“You’re lying to me.” Chris starts. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not lying.”

“Aristia.”

“Nothing is wrong.”

Aware that they’re not going to get anywhere like this and slightly annoyed, Chris stands up and grabs her plate, taking the cutlery from her hands and cutting a piece of the steak.

He puts it in his mouth and immediately feels the salty taste, and he sees red.

“What’s wrong, brother?” Felix asks, concerned.

“Tsk. Why are you forcing yourself to eat this trash?” Chris spits the steak in a napkin and turns to Aristia instead of answering Felix, and she shrugs.

“You made me.”

He drops the cutlery on the table and signals to the maids outside to come.

“Yes, Your Highness.” They bow.

“Call the chef immediately, as well as everyone else who served us the food.”

In under 5 minutes, a bunch of people stand in front of the table with their eyes stuck to the floor.

Aristia’s back hurts badly again. It shouldn’t, after just getting bandaged 30 minutes ago, but the pain is stronger than ever.

Did my wounds rip open again when I fell?

“Your Highness, I swear on my life that my team and I did our best to prepare the most exquisite meal for you.” The chef begins promptly in a slightly annoyed tone.

“Yeah? Taste this.” Chris points to the plate, and as soon as the chef tastes it, he spits it out.

“Blasphemy. We would’ve never done this to sabotage Her Highness’ meal.” He shakes his head, and Chris nods.

“Then, let’s see. Who did it?” He turns to all the maids and butlers, and none of them seem to want to fess up.

Chris notices one of the younger maids fidgeting, so he asks her to step out.

“What’s your name?” He asks gently, and Aristia can’t help but be impressed with how quickly he is able to change his tone depending on who he speaks with. The girl couldn’t have been more than 13.

“It’s Alice, Your Highness.” She bows politely.

“What a beautiful name. Alice, I have a gut feeling that you know who did this to my wife’s meal.” He continues in the same gentle, encouraging tone.

“Your Highness…” she raises her gaze unsure.

“Go on.” Chris smiles kindly. “You won’t be punished for not speaking out earlier.”

“It was…” She looks unsure from left to right, before letting out a big breath. “… Juliana. I saw her pour salt on the steak before serving the meal.”

“What?! It wasn’t me-” Another girl – Juliana – starts defending herself but shuts up when her eyes land on Chris. She bows apologetically.

“Thank you, Alice.” He pats the young girl’s left shoulder two times, before going to Juliana, who falls to her knees at his approach.

“Your Highness, please believe me!”

“You,” he looks at one of the butlers, “go tell one of the guards outside to take her to the dungeon and execute her by tomorrow morning.”

“Your Highness!” Juliana screams, moment when Aristia stands up and puts her hand on Chris’ shoulder.

“There’s no need for something so extreme.” She smiles coldly. “It’s just a meal.”

“You are a member of the royal family. It’s treason.” Chris insists.

“I just have a different idea on how to punish her. May I?”

Chris looks in Aristia’s eyes and sees that flicker once again. It makes him unable to say no to her when they are burning so bright with passion and interest.

“What do you suggest, then?”

“I want her to become one of my personal maids. That young girl, Alice, too.”

Chris was expecting a lot of things, but not this.

“Thank you, thank you!” Juliana grabs Aristia’s feet, but Aristia throws her a disgusted look for a brief second. The maid is quick to get back.

“… Fine. You’re all dismissed. Chef, do prepare a new meal for the Empress.” He nods with a sigh and turns around to go back to his seat, but he remembers that he should act more politely towards Aristia.

He turns around once more to help her to her seat, when he notices red flowers of misfortune blooming on her white gown.

“Aristia.” He starts, concerned.

“Yes?”

“You’re… bleeding.” He says, and Felix immediately stands up.

“That would explain why it’s so cold.” She smiles weakly, before sitting down in her chair.

Chris grabs one of her hands immediately.

“What are you doing?” He frowns.

“Sitting down. You wanted me to eat.”

“Sister, you should really take care of yourself more.” Felix grabs her other hand and holds onto it tightly, his eyes glossy.

“I’m all right, Lix. It doesn’t even hurt.” She smiles, trying to reassure him, as Chris shakes his head.

“Let’s get you back to your room.” He takes off his coat and places it on her shoulders, hiding her back, and Aristia feels a foreign tightness in her chest at the sight of the Empire’s golden emblems on her body.

“What about the meal?” Felix frowns. “She has to eat.”

“Go tell the maids to bring it to her room.”

Felix nods and almost runs outside as Chris begins guiding her back to her room.

“How much does it hurt?” He asks as soon as they’re outside the greenhouse.

“A whole lot. Please call Hyunjin again.”

“Aristia, when did this start?” Chan asks, truly concerned.

“What?”

“The mistreatment.”

“Oh.”

“Tell me.”

“Ever since I came here.” She shrugs.

“I wasn’t… I wasn’t aware of the extent of it. What did they do?” He grabs her arm and stops her from walking, looking into her eyes.

“Cold baths, old food, laughing behind my back, tripping me.” She shrugs again. “It’s fine. I was expecting things to be this way.”

“It’s not fine. You're their Empress. They should respect you. You should’ve come to me.”

“Yeah?” She laughs bitterly.

“Of course. This is serious-”

“Chris, let’s be honest, you didn’t even want to grant me a library pass.”

“Because I thought that you wanted intel on us…” He scratches his nape. “But this is different.”

“To you, maybe. To me, though, it’s the same, if not worse. They would treat me badly, but you forbade my access to the most important thing in my life. And I didn’t trust you.” She says, but quickly corrects herself. “I don’t trust you.”

Chris breathes in deeply and looks into her eyes.

“Aristia…”

“Besides, reporting everything back to you so you can punish them is not the way to get them on my side.”

She starts walking again, signalling that she doesn’t want to talk any more about it.

Approaching her room, she notices Mari chatting brightly with Alice, while Juliana sulks next to them with her arms crossed.

As soon as they notice the pair, they start bowing respectfully.

“Mari, go call Hyunjin.” Chris commands, opening Aristia’s door himself.

“What should we do, Your Highness?” The young girl, Alice, asks brightly.

“Just stay outside until Mari gets back with Hyunjin.” Chris continues.

“Understood, Your Highness!” Alice bows lowly, while Juliana averts her gaze and does an awkward bow as well.

They walk inside and Chris closes the door behind them.

“Why are you still here?” Aristia asks with a raise of her left eyebrow.

“To make sure Hyunjin does his job right.” Chan replies.

“He does.”

“To make sure you eat this time.”

“Just send someone else to watch me like a hawk if you want.”

“What’s wrong if I stay here?”

“You talk too much.” Aristia answers, sitting down on the sofa without pressing her back against the cushions. It’s already hurting enough.

“After how chatty you were last night, I didn’t think you’d mind.” Chris counters with a slight smile playing on his lips. “So many demands in one night are tiring to listen to, you know?”

“And yet, none of them have been met. It appears I wasted my breath.” She shrugs while Chris plops himself down next to her.

The sofa is too small, Aristia notices. It’s uncomfortable that their legs brush against each other, and she feels suffocated when Chris rests his arm on the backrest. It’s like he’s holding her, only without touching.

He turns his head around and talks softly, directly in her ear.

“All of your demands have been met.”

Aristia’s eyes go wide as she twists her body to face Chris properly. Their proximity is anxiety inducing, and she feels her heart skip a few beats.

“What do you mean?”

“You have a meeting scheduled for next week with my assistants, where you will have to choose one of them to teach you about the bookkeeping and the way they’ve been handling the budget, staff and the nobles up until now. See which one of them you click with better.”

“Are you serious?”

“Of course.” Chris smiles cunningly. There’s something behind his smile that she can’t put her finger on. “I gave you power… even today, in the greenhouse. I let you decide that maid’s punishment, haven’t I?”

“You didn’t give me everything I asked for, though…”

Chris quirks an eyebrow, but his lips hold a prideful smirk, as if challenging her to keep going.

“You didn’t give Changbin to me.”

“With how badly you want him, one might think you’re in love with him.” Chris brings his face closer to Aristia, who doesn’t move away one bit. Instead, she keeps her head high, looking straight into his eyes.

“So, what if I am?” She tilts her head, provoking Chris, and she would’ve better asked him for a duel, with how quickly his gaze darkened.

“You can’t be serious.” He replies immediately.

“What, are you afraid I might fall for someone?”

“Well, it’s only natural. You’re supposed to only have eyes for me. You’re my wife.”

“Your wife.” She replies with a chuckle.

“I would be truly dejected if you searched for love somewhere else.”

“It’s not love I’m after, and it’s not like I can find it anywhere here.” She wears a fake smile, wanting to show Chris that despite his efforts of being close enough to her to feel his breath on her lips, she will not mistake what is between them.

Before Chris has a chance to reply, the doors open and Hyunjin steps through them in haste.

“Your Highness, did you call for me?” He asks as Aristia stands up from the sofa.

“Thank you for coming, Hyun.” Chris answers before she has the chance to open her mouth. “There was a small incident earlier and her wounds opened back up.”

“Again?” He frowns, and Aristia smiles sheepishly. “I just told you one hour ago to be more careful!”

“I’m sorry…” She heads towards the bed, not hesitating to take her gown off. She covers her breasts with her hands as she’s done every time Hyunjin worked on her back.

Chris approaches the bed first, as Hyunjin is taking out his utensils, and whispers in her ear.

“You were pretty quick to undress in front of another man.”

“Imagine that another man saw your wife naked more times than you did.” She replies in a mocking tone, challenging Chris even further.

It seems she discovered a new twisted pleasure in annoying the Emperor.

He tongues his cheek and says quietly “This will simply have to change.”, then heads to the sofa and waits for Hyunjin to treat her.

It’s hard to keep the blush from creeping onto her cheeks, and she’s happy Hyunjin only has to treat her back, and not her front, for he would have surely seen it.

~

Chapter 6 | Chapter 8

[fractualized]

Zdarsky’s run on Batman ends soon, thoughts? 🎤

lmao I feel like I could either toss out a dismissive one-liner or rant for like a dozen paragraphs. Guess I'll go with the latter.

We'll, I'm certainly not going to miss him at the helm. I read Batman: The Knight, and even though I agree with the criticism of the end, it showed competent storytelling with a good emotional core, which is the most basic of standards, but let's be real, this is comics, I'll take competent any day. And when his Batman run started, I had caught up on Snyder-King-Tynion Batman and was excited to follow a run in real time.

I'd say I stopped having a good time when Bruce got sent to the alternate universe. Penguin faking his death was fun. Bruce being pursued by a dramatic robot version of himself was fun. Bruce again fretting about protecting the family was… par for the course. Calling back to Zur-En-Arrh didn't bug me because I hadn't read that full storyline yet, so it felt like a gateway to digging back into lore. Bruce surviving a fall through the Earth's atmosphere was too fucking ridiculous but the kind I can look past. (Imagine you're a DC writer. You have the idea: lol what if Batman got out of this by surviving a fall from the moon. You have opened that door in your mind. Do you have the will close it or would you be like FUCK IT LET'S DO IT?)

The Red Mask universe, however, dragged any momentum at that point to a stop, and I honestly don't care enough to dig deep into all the reasons why, which I guess gets at the core of what was wrong with the Red Mask universe. (Skeleton Jim Gordon was the most interesting thing but he was just a temporary side effect or something? Whatever.)

But, of course, since I'm a Joker fan, Darwin Halliday was a major sticking point as the most boring Joker to never joke. Nearly everything Zdarsky did with Joker was a major sticking point.

It still drives me crazy that from Snyder to the Zdarsky run, we had a Joker who tried to force Bruce both away from the batfam and Selina and back to basics multiple times, so their battle could be one-on-one again. We had a Joker who, after Bruce left him to die, was notably depressed and suicidal at the end of Joker 2021. He is still that way at the start of The Man Who Stopped Laughing.

And you could follow from that with the basic beats of what Zdarsky did. You could say Joker is disillusioned with his relationship with Batman, and that's why he turns to Zur-En-Arrh, a real Batman. But no, everything has to be too fucking complicated. We have do yet another retcon of so much other stuff and say that Joker always was looking for Zur. And we have to a weird take on Three Jokers because people were really biting at the bit to get a real answer within canon like a decade after Johns wrote that nonsense?? I don't know, I don't do marketing research, but I'm pretty sure if they just quietly never addressed it, it would be fine.

And the freaking Captio stuff. Ugh. UGH. I really just. I feel like this is a product of overthinking. "Well, Batman is so thoroughly trained, it only makes sense that Joker had at least some of the same training to beat him." No. Fuck that. We don't need that. Joker rivals Batman out of sheer audacity. I like that it doesn't really make sense that a clown pushes him to the limit. I like the juxtaposition of Bruce having to do so much training and learning to survive, but Joker is a cockroach revived by the narrative. I like Joker being a plague and a mystery that Batman cannot resolve. I like Joker being essentially absurd. No, it doesn't make sense, but he's here to stab you out of love and you better know how to dodge.

So much of Batman comics now are not about telling a fun Batman story. They're stories about Batman stories, just circling back and cannibalizing each other into a total fucking mess, and putting the city on the brink of destruction so much that those stakes no longer have meaning. There has to be a writer out there who wants to get back to just telling a smaller action/detective story that makes the reader give a shit about what's happening instead of feeling like maybe they're just not getting it, like they missed homework.

And I say that as someone who started reading Morrison's full run when Zdarsky's started so I could have the Zur background. I had to pause when Morrison's writing got to be too much (for the bad reasons!). I intended to jump back in again, but then Zdarsky's run nosedived and the effort no longer seemed worth it.

Especially when everything paused for Gotham War. Jesus Christ. The only good thing to come out of that was Rosenberg's second Red Hood issue. But speaking of Gotham War, I do wonder if there'll be an article years from now that will reveal Zdarsky had to deal with too much editorial fiat. He had to interrupt his Zur story not only with the badly executed Catwoman plot and the Knight Terrors, but cram in a Three Jokers explanation.

And speaking of Rosenberg, I can't end without mentioning that because he started TMWSL around the same time Zdarsky started on Batman, and they both had their protagonists dealing with other versions of themselves, man, there was such potential for a crossover event. Me and my pals had lots of fun theories about how these series would converge, because the idea that they wouldn't seemed ridiculous. There were two Jokers in TMWSL, and at the same time in Batman #131, Halliday seemed to have created three of them. I didn't like Halliday, but still, what did that mean? It would be ridiculous for those developments to be unrelated, right? RIGHT?

Joke's on us, as usual. 🤪

[ronoholic]

unfair dare | draco m. 🪄x reader| (she/her)

"Could you write an angst fic with draco malfoy? where draco and his friends make a bet that draco has to conquer y/ n, in the end he succeeds and they become a couple, but draco begins to have feelings for her, then she finds out and ends up with him confronting him and draco feels so bad😕":

*a/n: I added some adjustments to the request bc I got a little confused 😅 and im back so I just rambled on with what my mind was giving me so hope you enjoy!! &lt;3🙏🏽

“draco! draco!” his friend came

“What?” He grumbled out turning to now face Blaise

“you up for some fun?” any interest that draco had, dropped

“no, now get out” he turned to continue the work he was doing

"it involves (y/n)"

and what would i want with a skank like her?" he turned, with a look of disgust

" y'know the rumors arent true... you made them" Blaise was the only one who would notice Draco’s admiration for (y/n) but knows Draco would never admit, no he’d much rather “kill himself” in the words of the angry blonde.

"Still, ive got to hold my ground, cant go folding on my own stories" the blonde fully turned to face his friend, with a face of intrest and forgetting his work

"what about her though?"

"ask her out"

"what" he laughed out in disbelief

"ask her out, i saw the redhead talking to her"

"so?"

"she looked swooned, over the moon with him... I dare you to take her, make him mad" blaise knew you and ron were just friends, he also knew that draco didn’t know that.. and he’d do anything to spite weasley and he wanted his two friends together and to finally put aside their feud

"i dont have time to deal with weasley, blaise"

"guess someones insecure.." he hummed leaving the room.

"ill show him who’s “insecure” he mumbled in a mocking way lightly slamming his hands on the desk.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

“Blaise!” “Blaise!” Draco stormed after him

“what?” he asked rolling his eyes, his friend not wanting to join in on what he thought was fun

“ you’re on, after potions”

“ oh yeah?” he asked, a smirk creeping onto his face

“ and ill even drop in a hundred galleons”

“ohhoho you are most definitely on mate” they laughed sealing their deal with a hand shake.

the blond tried to think of all his strategy on how to land the girl his friend had just sprung on him, but anything he thought of ended up with her slapping, kicking or punching him, after all she was friends with those red heads; and everyone knows they how they play.

“ now welcome back to another day students, thankful to all those who still decide to come back after my well, rather boring lessons” the professor tried to joke

“ now my lovelies, we will be working in pairs.. we’ll be doing a three day long project and it will count for your final marks”

she started calling out pairs and draco tried his best to make it seemed like he wanted nothing to do with you, after all he knew the teacher would do the opposite, she hated him.

her eyes finally landed on draco and she started looking at every girl watching dracos reaction until it got to you, he stiffened up and widened his eyes making it look like he was disgusted, blaise smiling in the background had her make her final decision

“ draco, you will be working with…. (y/n)” she gave an innocent smile, and he heard an annoyed sigh quietly escape from her mouth.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

( y/n)! I cant believe it, out of all people, draco?!”

“ its not like I could choose myself hermione” you replied, now slightly annoyed, this was the fourth time she had brought it up

“I know but-"

“ do you wanna switch or something? you're more concerned about this than I am!” you whisper-yelled out in the library

“no, well , yeah no.. im just looking out for you, he still y’know, acts like the rumors are true.., are you okay?”

“ugh I know..” you sighed out, sitting back down rubbing youre temples

“ its nothing to bad, I can deal with him.. i think”

“ well, if you need help you know where to find me” she gave you a comforting smile while leaving.

A few months earlier

“i told you to leave me alone (y/n)!”

“what's wrong afraid of a little competition Draco?” a young (y/n) had teased the young blonde she found slightly cute

“ no, now I told you, leave me alone or I'll make your life terrible here!” he seethed out, pushing the girl he was intimidated of to the floor.

you still tried to continue the friendship you thought you still had with the blonde throughout the time at hogwarts, until one day you noticed people whispering and snickering whenever you’d walk up or walk away from draco.

“(y/n) .. is it true? you’re my best friend I want to hear it from you.” hermione knew something was up and she needed you to confirm whether it was true or not.

you slowly looked up still confused “is what true mione?”

“they’re saying you had a few to many to drink yesterday and well went to find draco begging , and well you tried getting onto him and when he turned you away you tried getting onto blaise, also begging... ”

“what?..” you felt your heart shatter.

you walked up to draco after class and pulled him into a corner to save him some dignity “

“you absolute scum!” you yelled out while smacking him

“how could you?, honestly draco!”

“c’mon (y/n) you didn’t think someone like you could be friends with someone like me, did you he let out a sarcastic chuckle

“well I mean yeah draco I did!, I mean honestly I guess growing up with someone since they were young means nothing right?!” you were fuming, tears starting to brim your eyes but you pushed them back

“growing up?” he laughed

“yeah! seriously draco whats gotten into since we’ve arrived here? whats changed?” your heart started to hurt

“(y/n) your dad works for mine, he’s a servant, hell! he’s the closest thing to a human house elf!”

he said with a straight face, angered, but for a small second hurt crossed his face but having to keep his new character he switched back and just as fast as his face changed, he left. and so did the friendship you thought you had. walking back to the common room as fast as you could, trying to hold in the tears that were brimming your eyes.. sadly failing at the challenge you didn’t think was so hard.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

“thanks for checking up on me, this whole thing has had me a bit stressed” you finally admitted to hermione

“of course, now if you need anything, anything at all you know where to find me.. oh! and tonights password it “grapefruit”” she whispered out knowing the fat lady changes the secret word every night.

you walked back to your chair by the fire place and dove back into your books trying to figure out what potions were going to be the ones you were so secure on

“up so late?” a voice that freshly woken up, asked from behind

“yes … draco” you saw who it was after turning around “after all we do have a project to get to” you reminded him

“ yes of course we do..” “ listen go up and get some rest”

“no, nope-

“yes” he said softly while grabbing the books from you

“draco i said -

“yes but i said go, now go get some rest.. i’ll tell you the decided ones in the morning.”

you suspiciously got up, backing up and walking up the stairs

“late night? (y/n)"

“yes, guess you could say the same right blaise”

“i’ve been around a few common rooms” he winked

“i don’t know why they’re still all after you knowing they’re all being used..” you joked out

“they’re used to being used” he shrugged “ like draco said, go get some rest… and again i’m sorry, (y/n).”

blaise has always apologized for the things draco has done, knowing he’s hurt the girl whose absolutely nothing to him, he felt bad never standing up for her.

“its okay don’t worry” you assured with a sad smile, like always “good night, blaise”

“night!” he whisper-yelled while walking down to draco.

"that girl, im telling you shes the one"

"yeah you and my whole family tell me, now remember what we bet on is a bet and a bet only"

"yeah Draco.. its just a bet..."

blaise had been wanting to get you two together since you were young, he noticed how happy draco was when he was around you, you were his escape inside the manor, you were the one who could flip his mood entirely, he also knew that dracos family would never approve of you two together.

[surftrips]

TATTOOS TOGETHER

OBX WRITING WEEK DAY 5 — HOW YOU GET THE GIRL W/ KIARA CARRERA

word count: 900

summary: the pogues get matching tattoos, but y/n takes it a step further to show her love for a certain turtle-loving girl.

a/n: i feel absolutely awful for posting the last few stories for obx week late but i appreciate every single person who has participated in it by writing, reblogging, and reading along :') <3

“Let’s get matching tattoos!” JJ blurted out. 

“Are you crazy?” John B. asked his best friend.

You and the Pogues were all on the boardwalk, spending another hot summer day just wandering around.

“Come on! Something to remember this moment by.” JJ explained. 

“I don’t know…” you started.

“Wait, I actually think that’s kind of a cute idea. I mean, you only live once right?” Kiara interrupted. Not that you minded. You could never be annoyed at her. 

“Wait, are you serious?” Sarah said. 

“Yes, dude. Pogues for life, right?” 

“Yeah! Right…” you said, hoping no one noticed how quickly you changed your mind. 

But because you and the Pogues had all been friends for so long, they had found out about your “secret” crush a very long time ago. 

You had been falling for Kiara ever since you met her in elementary school. Her wavy brown hair and golden highlights, the way she cared about the environment, her sense of humor. Something about her pulled you in, you always felt the need to be in her presence. To be seen by her. You wondered how it felt to be loved by her. 

A few years ago, you were admiring Kiara as she did tarot card readings for your friends when JJ came up to you. He whispered in your ear, “Pretty, huh?” snapping you out of your thoughts. 

“Yeah— wait what?” 

“You like her, right?” 

“Uhh, no. Not like that,” you said, unconvincingly. 

“So you just look at everyone like that?”

You relented, “Ugh. Fine. Maybe I do have a tiny, tiny crush on her. But it doesn’t matter, she would never like me back.” 

Your “tiny, tiny crush” on Kiara never went away. Soon, the other Pogues began to find out (mostly because JJ couldn’t keep his mouth shut) and you were growing scared that Kiara would be next. But to your knowledge, no one had told her. Yet. 

However, this matching tattoo thing was your chance to make it known. For a while now, you have been complimenting Kiara’s tattoos. The 11:11 on her wrist, the star on her anklet, and your favorite, the sun on the inside of her arm. Once, you joked about getting the moon to match with her, but she insisted that you actually do it. 

After more convincing from JJ, Kiara, Cleo and you against Sarah, John B., and Pope, the seven of you walked into the one and only tattoo parlor on your side of the island. 

Kiara and JJ were the only ones out of the group that already had tattoos, so it was safe to say the rest of you were just a tad nervous. You were braving it for the sake of not embarrassing yourself in front of who you thought was the coolest girl in the world. 

You had all decided to get “P4L” in tiny font in various places. Kiara on her wrist, JJ on his arm, Pope somewhere “hidden” according to him, Cleo and Sarah on their back shoulders, and John B. on his thigh. You just happened to be getting yours in the same spot as Kiara. 

After everyone took turns in the chair and expressed varying levels of uncomfortability, it was finally your turn. You had made up your mind. 

“Guys, I’m actually going to get two,” you announced.

“Y/N, are you sure? It’s your first time!” Sarah asked, concerned.

“I’ve been wanting this second one for a while so might as well get it out of the way,” you shrugged. 

“What are you going to get?” Kiara asked.

“I think you know.” 

“Wait. Are you serious?” 

Pope jumped in, “What is she talking about?” 

As the Pogues waited impatiently for the artist to stencil in your design, Kiara realized what you were doing. 

“Y/N. No. Freaking. Way.” 

“Yes. Way. It’s not too late for you to take back what you said, though.”

“Are you kidding me? This is incredible!” she squealed. “I can’t believe we’re going to have matching tattoos!” 

“Woah, woah, you guys are going to be matching? You’re more in love than I thought,” JJ said. 

His comment was punctuated by a thick silence in the air. 

“What? Was I not supposed to say that?” 

It was true. You being in love with Kiara was like a blind item in the group. Everyone knew, no one was sure if Kiara really knew, so no one brought it up. You were content with being her best friend on most days, and you only didn’t make a move in fear of losing the most important friendship you had. But if there was even the slightest chance she might feel the same way…

“Y/N?” Kiara broke the silence, looking at you. 

“Yeah?” you said, sheepishly. 

“Is that true? You have feelings for me?” 

Fuck it. You were already halfway through getting a permanent matching tattoo with her, you had nothing to lose. 

“Yes, but I don’t just have feelings for you. Feelings are fleeting. I’m in love with you,” you paused. “And it’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. I’m still getting this tattoo, for our friendship. Because I want to have that forever with you.” 

“Shut up,” Kiara stopped you, placing her hand on your cheek and pulling you in for a kiss. 

“Finally!” Everyone cheered, including the tattoo artist, who just seemed happy to be there.

[catindabag]

TBOSAS on Crack short take (51)

*The Power of “Love”* Read [this] first.

Felix: Andie, stop the pizza truck right now before we crash!

Androcles: I don’t know how!😭

Felix: We’ve already passed the city’s maximum speed limits!

Androcles: What’s a speed limit?!

Hilarius: Who even taught you how to drive, Anderson?!

Androcles: Nobody!

Hilarius: Then why did you show us your freaking driver’s license?!

Androcles: That was fake! Dennis gave it to me!

Dennis: That’s a lie! You stole it from me!

Androcles: Potato, potato!

Felix: Andie, eyes on the road before you hit the zoo’s entrance gates-

Lysistrata: And the gates flew off.

Felix: The gates f*ckin’ flew, Anderson!! The gates f*ckin’ flew to the moon!

Androcles: I’m Sorry!😫

Vipsania: My auntie is so gonna strangle us for this!

Gaius: Heck! My mama will kill and disown me at the same time!

Coryo: Felix, please tell me that we’re not paying for those gates!

Felix: I hope not!

Coryo: I have no money! Sejanus, my love, help me!😫

Sejanus: I’ll pay any bill for you, my love~!😍

Coryo: Andie, watch out! There’s a rabid raccoon crossing the road!

Androcles: Should I hit it too?!

Coryo: No-

Juno: Kill it, Andie! kill it!😈

Persephone: Andie, turn left! The Tributes’ enclosure is right there!

Androcles: My left or your left?!

Persephone: We have the same view, Andie!!

Livia: I knew we should’ve just taken my ✨hot pink limousine✨!

Dennis: Liv, why are you even here?

Livia: For the ✨drama✨.💅

Florus: Guys, I think I’m going to puke!🤢

Juno: No! Not in front of my exclusive pajama onesie!😫

Felix: Andie, slow down! We’re almost there!

Coryo: Seriously, Anderson, park this f*ckin’ pizza truck before we hit something else!

Florus: Or someone!

Clemensia: Just hit the brakes already!

Androcles: Which one?!

Clemensia: I don’t know!

Felix: All of them?!

Coryo: Sejanus! Sej, Babe, do something!😭

Sejanus: Of course, Babe! Anything for my Coryo~!😍 *squeezes Andie to the side and hits the brakes*

Felix: Finally!

Gaius: Are we still alive?!

Coryo: I love you, Babe!😭

Sejanus: I love you too!!

Festus: I can’t believe the power of ✨Snowjanus✨ saved us all!

Sejanus: It’s the power of love!!

Coryo: Sure, Babe. Whatever you say-

Sejanus: My Coryo, my love, my Snow Bae, kiss me. Kiss me now~!!

Coryo: Fine. Come here.

Sejanus: Yey!😍 *starts making out with Coryo*

Livia: Can someone open these ugly ✨peasant doors✨ for me?

Felix: Liv, this is a pizza truck-

Livia: I need to get out ASAP before idiot Plinth takes their “love” making to the next level-

Felix: They’re already making out in front of us.😑

Livia: That’s the point.

Lysistrata: Get my expensive Snowjanus cameras, Creed!

Festus: Just a minute, Lizzie. My Percy Bae needs my help.

Persephone: The pizzas, Festus Bae! The bacon pizzas are ruined!😩

Festus: They’re still edible-

Florus: But where’s the milk?

Dennis: At the back with Vipsania and Palmyra-

Florus: You left the milk with Palmyra?!

Dennis: It’s fine! Palmyra can’t drink them all-

Palmyra: Hey, guys, funny story-

Felix: Monty, did you perhaps “accidentally” emptied 10 gallons of milk when we were driving?

Palmyra: Vipsania dared me to-

Vipsania: I did not! I was too busy holding on for my dear life!

Androcles: My driving was perfect, Sickle! Nobody died!

Felix: Fine.😞 Let’s just get out, meet our Tributes, and tell them about ✨Operation Felix✨-

Clemensia: For the last time, Class Pres, we are not calling your brilliant plan to stop the Hunger Games “Operation Felix.”🙄💅

Felix: But-

Vipsania: I agree. “Operation Felix” sounds lame. Instead, let’s call it ✨Operation Hunger No More✨-

Everyone: No.

Vipsania: Ugh! Fine. Let’s call it Operation Freedom-

Felix: No. My granduncle is allergic to that “F” word.

Vipsania: He’s allergic to freedom?!

Felix: He’s also allergic to rebels and mole people.

Vipsania: What the heck are mole people?!

Felix: People who secretly hide inside underground bunkers without telling the government about their existence or location.

Sejanus: Like those mole people living in District 13!

Vipsania: Don’t say that word!

Sejanus: District 13.😀

Felix: District 13? What’s that? Is that a new animal? Is it edible? Can we cook District 13?

Vipsania: Yup. Felix is in his “trauma” zone again.😔

Sejanus: But District 13 still exist!

Clemensia: We know! Everyone in our little circle knows! That’s why we are pretending that it doesn’t exist!

Sejanus: But why though?

Coryo: To protect House Ravinstill and their sacred Bichon Frisé puppies.

Sejanus: That’s all?!

Coryo: Pretty much. I mean, look at poor Felix. He’s crying again.

Felix: Is District 13 a ham?!😭

Sejanus: Fine! District 13 doesn’t exist. Now give me another kiss, my love!😍

Coryo: Sure. Come here-

Clemensia: We’re still not calling it Operation Felix though.

Coryo: Can we just change the name later? Sejanus and I are in a hurry to-

Lysistrata: Make out and f*ck?

Coryo: No, not yet. We’re doing that later.

Sejanus: We can also do it here, my love!😘

Clemensia: Ew. No. Not in front of my eyes, you fool!

Coryo: Later, Babe. At your place.

Sejanus: At my place?! Oh, my love, I’m so excited!😍

Coryo: Yeah. But for now, let’s go talk to Marcus Spartacus and Lucy Goosey.

Androcles: Yo, Sej-

Sejanus: What?

Androcles: Get off. You’re squeezing me to death.

Sejanus: Sh*t. I totally forgot about you, Andie. Sorry.😞

Festus: Lol. The power of love almost killed Anderson.

Androcles: Creed, shut up.

[rawrxdinaryheroes]

Songs I Would LOVE XDH to Cover

I Need Somebody by Day6

"Among all the people surrounding me why am I alone?"

I have a list of Day6 songs that Xdh would kill tbh but this one is just super emotional I love <3

You cannot tell me that Jooyeon would not do amazing at singing Young K's parts in the choruses

And Jungsu would do so well with Sungjin's parts

All of the instrumentals are incredibly pretty as well

XDH + emotional songs = a match (into water) made in heaven

Afterlife by Avenged Sevenfold

"I don't belong here I've gotta move on dear"

Do I even need to say anything more??

It's got rap-style verses, harmonies, a kickass guitar solo, orchestral strings, drum line is drum lining, BANGING bass line, an emotional bridge UGH

You guys... they would rock this song I fear

This is genuinely my favourite song this year

Uprising by Muse

"They will not control us. We will be victorious"

Did Gunil get me into Muse? Yes.. And I've been missing out smh

The bass line is steady, the vocals are SO powerful yet soft at the same time, the drum is yummy, guitars are soloing

They would really nail the choir-like harmonies towards the ending half of the song <33

I feel like the vocalist has a similar tone to Jungsu and Jooyeon so yk- the vision is there

Rebel Love Song by Black Veil Brides

"Let us start living for today"

You guys, the guitars in this song are so pretty! I love when guitars harmonize so this song really sends me to the moon

JUNGSU WOULD DO SO WELL ON THE CHORUS

I think Seungmin singing would be a godsend <3

Also Xdh already rocked the "glam metal" kind of look sooooo.... are we seeing the vision~

A Match Into Water by Pierce The Veil

"But if we die at the same time does it still scare you?"

This song is fast paced and features down tuned guitars, distortion, loud drumming, and a strong low toned bass line

The lyrics are incredibly sad and the story behind this song is pure Alice in wonderland levels of tears

I think XDH would do really well covering this song in a more slowed down, acoustic manner

It would really bring out the sadness in this song :((

Ft. Seungmin & Jiseok rap verses UGH PLS

Twist by Korn

If you've heard this song, you'll know why I didn't put a quote for the lyrics bc.... yeah

Yk I feel like they would just sing this song to goof around bc same

It's a fun song, a very silly song with no particular meaning

Imagine warming up and just hitting a Twist... iconic

If you don't listen to any other song on this list, listen to Twist. It's a 50 second icon

Lean on Me by Day6

"Stop crying like that, lean on me"

I am not done with the Day6 Xdinary Heroes agenda

This song is one of Day6's more rock-ish type sound

There's a few rap type verses in this song as well which would go very nicely with our two rappers <3

The harmonies are also VERY pretty and would suit xdh too

There's even a part where Dowoon sings which yk- drummers singing.. Hey Gunil here's a verse!

Caffeine by Kiro Akiyama

"The strain within concealed by wrapping it in a package of joy"

This song features a repetitive guitar riff, a driving drum line, calming vocals, and an intense bass line

I think Jungsu would really sing the chorus and outro very well

This song's vibes are bit different but regardless, xdh would eat

Sunset by N.Flying

"Hold my hand wherever you go"

Guys the bass line in this song is so attractive. I am obsessed

This is also a really sweet, very cute song <3

I feel like xdh would do well with conveying how sweet this song is while also putting their unique flavour to it

N.Flying + XDH would be super cute y'all <333

Hey y'all... How y'all doing? It is I, back at it again with my wandering thoughts : 3 Can you tell my playlist is a mess? I defs have more in my noggin but yeah. Bye! Thank you for reading~

[vestaclinicpod]

Audio Drama Sunday - 20th August ✨

I must admit that I dedicated A LOT of listening hours this week to the new Hozier album (which is incredible omg) but I still had some great audio drama listening!

🌲@hellofromthehallowoods (129) What a fun break from episode convention! I’ve been highly suspicious of Nimbus from the start, and I feel vindicated that he’s not a normal cat as well as relieved that he doesn’t seem to be overtly malicious. I can’t relate to Nikignik’s dislike of felines, but it did really make me chuckle when it was revealed that all indescribables fear cats… Buddy, you can fear something without reviling it! Ough and the look-in on Jackie HURT MY FEELINGS so bad!! I can’t cope with sad dogs 🥺

🦀 @thesiltverses (30) TSV is back, babey!!! The sound design at the start of the episode was phenomenal, I loved the way they weaved music in with the sound effects in such a fluid way (the river sure does rise!) And oh man, Faulkner, you fucking idiot. They know!! They all know!!! It is such a delight to hear some of my favourite VAs doing their amazing work again. Méabh de Brún has absolutely annihilated me already. I’m obsessed with this discovery that the Trawlerman appears to still favour Carpenter while the Caring Maiden seems to slip away the more Carpenter seeks her. I should have started a S3 bingo because I was hoping so badly that Carpenter would join up with Hayward and Paige!! This season is going to be amazing. I’m so ready. 

📻 @monstrousagonies (108) Mab!! The queen returns! I am ever so slightly skeptical that Apocacorp is all bluster . . . I just feel like, even if that is the case, they’re not going away without more of a fight . . . 

🌒 @monkeymanproductions Moonbase Theta, Out (finale part 1) OHHHHH SHIT!!! It’s all kicking off on the moon!!!!! I love Alex’s sweet, sincere hopefulness in: ‘We’ve been through the end of so many things but we’re still here’ 💙 Isn’t that just it! I don’t want to give away the major spoiler because the ep only just dropped but oooohhhh my god! I was wondering if this might happen and wrote the idea off. This changes everything!! 

🎙 Welcome To Night Vale (232) HELL YES. I have been waiting literal YEARS to get into this business with the Desert Otherworld and its impact on my favourite scientist and the impact of both on my favourite community radio show host. My popcorn is ready, let’s get into it!!! 🍿

🤴I finished season one of InCo by @itmeblog! This is micro-scifi at its best and if you’re a fan of extensive single-person casts, InCo does it remarkably!! I'm really looking forward to seeing how the story develops!

🧬 Regina Prime (6) OOF I think this is one of the most intense episodes we’ve had yet! The acting was amazing in this one, Jess pulled out a full Youtuber apology and managed to keep that edge in her voice to give you the prickling sensation that something isn’t quite right. 

 💫 Wolf 359 (48) Ugh what an absolute mind fuck! I’ve been tying myself in knots trying to work out how I would personally react and cope if faced with a scenario where one of my friends is not the person I knew but is otherwise indistinguishable from them. And I just don’t know!

🎩 @ethicstownpod (8) AAH!! Ethics finale!!! This show has been a wild ride from start to finish and WOW what an ending!! I really don’t want to give anything away to people who haven’t listened yet but I’m almost ashamed that I didn’t see this coming and if you haven’t listened to Ethics you really really need to!!! 

🥾@doyoucopypod (6) More questions than answers from this episode of Do You Copy! What does Reese know?! What doesn’t like you listening?? What doesn’t like you listening?!??! 

🐬 More spectacularly odd @patterspod P Files! It’s fun to hear the obvious mistake being made and I’m really looking forward to Ryan facing the consequences of certain actions….

I hope everyone has a lovely week!

[julymarte]

Text post cause I'm gonna dive into mermay with a silly/not so silly brainstorming about ✨the fish✨ of course, as the other time this is not a fanfiction or anything it's just me taking notes of events I might draw in a scattered way that I can understand when drawing, it's not a narration of events

Today's prompt was.... Will Pravaal ever talk with his mother again? Would his mom ever send someone looking for him? Etc etc more under the cut

Context for those who might be new:

Pravaal the pink merman boy you can't have missed from my blog is the eldest (illegitimate)son of a high noble woman descending from a mildly discriminated minority (abyssals) and they don't have a good relationship. Pravaal's mother used to care for him for his very first years until her family started pressuring her to mend the mistake she made and reclaim the respect from her family...nobles of abyssal descent are obsessed with being seen well and accepted by pure blood high nobility so a child had outside a marriage with a man from another land that never came back...well, wasn't the best for her situation and instead of clinging to her son she distanced herself giving priority to her status. While his mother married a pure blood noble and had more children with him he was always mistreated,insulted, alienated until he had enough and ran away from home (not before stealing a bunch of precious stuff in retaliation including his signature earring) he was around 12 when he escaped...

Time setting: 2 years before the story circa

Scene: It's night (like night night) in the Silver Capital pravaal is about to exit the twin moons after a nice party night when he finds 4 men with light armor and the sea emblem pointing spears at him

P* startled but trying to keep the cool*: my my~ what do we have here? Did the hag finally decide to look for her lost child?

???: ugh where are your manners? This squalid place sure had left it's influence on you..and look at you what are you wearing?! That's highly improper..tch but what else could I have expected? Of course you would have joined that entourage of criminals like your father

P * genuinely surprised but his mood darkening*: to think you left your pretty perfect mansion to come find me after 10 years... What do I owe the honor of your presence,mother? * He'd do an over exaggerated bow with the hand twirls*

Narissa *annoyed but keeping an air of superiority*: I'm obviously not here for you, but for something you've taken from me *points at his earring* I want that back and if you won't be an obedient boy my guards will take it by force

P *snickering and looking at the guards as someone who would easily take them down*: you even threaten me?! For this earring? If it really mattered that much to you why wait all this time?

N* takes a moment to reply pondering if she should tell him or not*: I need it to complete the set, I will be wearing it at an important ceremony, my daughter has finally been matched with a pure blood high noble for marriage it's an important occasion for my family, it's my crest after all... It matters more to me than to you right?...so now... Hand it over and you won't get hurt

P: my sister is...? She's not even an adult yet and you already sold her out like that?!

N: it's for the greater good of the family, that is none of your business! You never were part of it, you only caused me problems and it's disappointing to see you just keep doing so.... Guards !

Guards:yes ma'am!

N: I want that earring at all costs I don't care if you have to wound him or worse

???: oi! oi! oi! What's with the commotion outside!? I was trying to entertain a small crowd there but if you keep going like this they will all come making bets here *the scruffy but charming man puts a hand on Pravaal's shoulder who recoils annoyed and mildly disgusted*

P: by the ancients if things couldn't get any worse...*grows increasingly irritated by the situation* go back there old man this doesn't concern you

Arvad: sheesh! What a bitter family reunion we have here...I just wanted to land you a hand boy don't give me the cold shoulder like that, ah and you Marissa are just as beautiful as the last time I sa-

Narissa: *she snaps, it runs in the family*YOU!!!! YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF ALL MY MISFORTUNE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH YOU RUINED MY LIFE!? STARTING WITH* points at pravaal who looks at her coldly*..THAT!? AND ITS NARISSA! you pathetic man don't even remember my name *looks at him disgusted to which in response he just averts the gaze and spaces out*

P* raises his hands and turns around leaving* that's it I'm done I am NOT gonna get involved in this, no way I'm gonna stand here as you argue over how your life was ruined-

N: DO YOU THINK I HAVE FORGOTTEN?! GUARDS!! * Arvad jumps on the side startled by her loud yelling, the guards rush towards pravaal who summons his whip sword and whips it on the ground making them take a step back, serious look on his face he starts to take a few strps towards his mother*

P: I'm not gonna give it to you, you don't really need it do you? This is not an old family heirloom you could have commissioned a copy, I bet you probably already have one, not to mention why boasting the family crest when you aim to be part of another more prestigious house?...*snaps his sword again to keep the guards at bay who are simply pointing their sticks at him unsure of what to do, his mother stares at him coldly but starts sweating* the red moon district is a small place and people talk, especially at the twin moons *Arvad nods nervously sensing the tension* and I would have known if there were a bunch of sea guards buzzing around the capital but no you paid someone to sell my exact location... Why? * She grows a bit uneasy as he uses the earring to appear as his 12yo self and steps closer* Don't Tell me you DID actually come for me~ Aww maybe you still do have a heart deep deep down, did you miss me? Or do I still haunt your dreams?*flashes her a smirk to challenge her to reply to which he freezes in silence for a while,guards looking each other in confusion and Arvad taking the moment to sneak back to his small audience with a new story, noticing him pravaal..still as a baby boi sighs*

So?

N: fine! Keep the earring...I- I'm here cause of my daughter, she was wondering if you still were alive and I wanted to- to check, for her..no way in the pits of the abyss I'll let her taint her reputation before her marriage by setting foot on land!

P:... Wouldn't these guys have been enough? And why lie about the jewels?!...*sighs and releases the illusion turning back to his normal self* listen, whatever,I don't care ,as you see I am still alive that's it...but now don't ever show your face around here again...he ruined your life, I ruined it too by existing I guess, but you ruined mine as well and it's not less important than your pretty sorry story* she twitches a little hearing that, she tries to maintain a superiority look but she's more akin to a dog with it's leg between it's legs now* but.. you are right, my my where are my manners?! * Does the mocking fancy bow again* farewell mother, may I never see you again~

[ikeromantic]

Congrats on the Ikesen 1k event! Can i request Shingen + Secret + 👹

Ok so, this one hit me like a truck. Or a train xD My brain picked it up and ran with it. A sort of fairytale AU. So, here we go! Approx. 3000 words of Shingen, secrets, and oni.

Mai arrived at the village just before sunset. She was bone tired and dusty from travel. All she wanted at this point was a bath and a soft futon. Hopefully this place had an inn, or some kind people to rent her a room for the night. 

The street was strangely empty, too quiet even for the small collection of wood houses. There was no one out and about, so she tried knocking on a few doors. No one answered. She saw no lanterns lit and no smoke from cook fires. The only signs of life came from the castle set just above the village on a low rise. Strains of music drifted from the heights, which meant there must be someone there.

Lords were a tricky lot, she knew. Some would not deign to notice her presence, and their servants would let her sleep in the barn or a shed. Some would chase her off and threaten her. Others wanted payment for a room in something other than gold. But sometimes they were welcoming too. Asking for news from her travels and offering food and a place to stay in exchange for nothing but stories.

She trudged down the street to the castle gate. “Hello?” 

As with the rest of the town, there was no answer. Mai pushed the gate open. It was heavy and she had to put her whole body into it. The gate swung open with a rusty squeal, and a shout of pained surprise.

Mai stumbled back from the gate as an annoyed looking man moved into view. He was dressed in fine clothes, accented with red. His warm brown eyes were narrowed with anger, and he was holding his elbow. “Hi?”

“You know, you could show a little patience, ya damn boar woman! Shoving the door open on me instead of waiting for me.” He gave her a severe frown. “Anyway, what do you want?”

“Umm. Sorry about that. I thought no one was coming.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, I need to find a place to rest tonight. It will be dark soon so . . .”

The man shook his head. “You can’t stay here. You should just keep walking until you’re well clear of the village.”

“Why is that?” Mai tilted her head. 

Another voice answered her, this one melodic and sorrowful. “Because this place is cursed.” A man stepped into view behind the first. He was opposite in every way. His skin was pale as porcelain, and his hair hung over his shoulder in a braid of shining dark silk. Pale eyes shone like the moon as his petal soft lips turned up in a melancholy smile. 

Mai almost didn’t notice the biwa in his hand, she was so busy staring at his beauty. 

“Ugh, you did it again, Yoshimoto. She’s about to start drooling.” The man with brown eyes named the beauty behind him with distaste. 

“I am not! I don’t drool!” She snapped. 

The beauty laughed. “Yukimura, stop being so rude. And let this lady in. I do not think she has time to clear the town before it gets dark so she will be no safer out there than in here.”

Yukimura stepped out of her way and motioned her inside. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.” He glared at Mai as if this was her fault. “I guess we should take her to see Lord Takeda. He’ll decide what’s best for her.”

Yoshimoto nodded. “Come along, lovely traveler. What is your name?”

“I’m Mai. And you are Yoshimoto?”

He chuckled. “Yes. And my rude companion is Yukimura.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened here? Everyone is gone. It’s like a zombie apocalypse. Minus the zombies, I hope.” Mai smiled nervously.

It was Yukimura that answered. “Didn’t you hear what he said before or are you deaf as well as clumsy? The place is cursed. A mad oni rages here on new moon nights and devours maidens. So everybody that could, left.”

“It . . . devours maidens?”

“Yeah, but only pretty ones so you got nothing to worry about, probably.”Yukimura smirked. 

Mai felt the urgent and sudden desire to slap him, but she restrained herself. 

Yoshimoto tutted. “That is not true, Yuki. The demon devours any woman. Old or young, maiden or matron. Though if it did hunt only the beauties, I fear you would be at the top of the menu, dear Mai.”

She blushed. “Erm, ok. So . . . is it a new moon?”

Yoshimoto nodded gravely. “But perhaps Lord Takeda will have an idea of how to keep you safe. It would be a shame to lose you on the same night we met, hm?”

They brought her to a large audience chamber. It was once sumptuously appointed, but everything was now in disrepair. A layer of dust coated the decorations, the rugs were sun-faded and worn, and the light of the setting sun gleamed in through gaps between the boards of the walls.

Mai’s eyes were drawn to the lord of this place as soon as he entered. He too had the look of faded beauty. A wide-shouldered man with grey eyes like storm-clouds and lips that were made for wickedness. 

He smiled as he saw her, a flicker of life warming his expression. “What angel has graced us with her presence? Am I dreaming or has heaven sent me a blessing?”

“Umm, I’m Mai. And . . . umm . . . and . . .”

Yukimura snorted. “Seriously? First she drools all over Yoshimoto and now she gets all speechless in front of you?”

“I’m going to guess you didn’t get such a reaction,” Shingen chuckled. “Don’t be jealous, Yuki. I’m sure you will grow into your looks one day.”

“H-hey!” Yukimura turned bright red. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”

Mai couldn’t help but giggle. 

The sound drew Lord Takeda’s eyes back to her. There was a fevered light in them, a bright heat that illuminated them like the sun behind the clouds. “Your laugh is music to my ears. It has been too long since we had anything here to smile about. So tell me, beauty, why do you grace the halls of this cursed home?”

“Lord Takeda . . . I am traveling to Sakai and I stopped here for the night. I was hoping to find an inn or rent a room. But Yukimura and Yoshimoto said, well -” she paused, unsure what to say. An oni seemed like a fanciful thing. A fairytale. 

“Call me Shingen,” he said into the silence. “We will have you stay here tonight.”

“But the oni,” Yukimura began to protest.

Shingen shook his head. “It will be fine. I will personally ensure she is safe.”

Yoshimoto frowned but nodded. “As you say.”

He closed the distance between them and took her hand. “I will let nothing touch you, my angel. Come with me.”

“L-lord Takeda -”

“Shingen.”

“R-right. Shingen. Thank you for letting me stay. You don’t need to worry about me though. I can defend myself. So if you’ll just point the way?” Mai didn’t want any special favors from this honey-tongued guy. She wasn’t sure whether or not there was a literal demon to worry about, but she knew all the dangers inherent in being around hot guys with big swords. 

He smiled at her. It was the kind of smile that had promises behind it. “It’s no trouble, gorgeous. If anything, it is I that should thank you for giving me this moment to view your beauty and a chance to prove myself worthy of it.”

“Umm. Right. Ok.” Mai felt heat creep into her cheeks. Thankfully, it seemed they reached their destination. A room at the end of the hall. 

Shingen kissed the back of her hand. His lips were warm and soft and sent a shock of pleasure up her arm. “I must leave you now. It is almost dark. Just . . . close your door and lock it. Do not open it, no matter what you hear or see.”

He pushed her gently into the room and shut the door. 

“Wait! Hey!” Mai reached to open it back up but his voice stopped her.

“Lock the door, angel.” There was something in his tone, some deep sadness as if he were on the edge of tears. 

Mai did as he asked. Once the lock slid into place, she heard his footsteps recede. Alone in the room, she set down her pack and checked the knife strapped to her arm. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself. It seemed a bath was out of the question, along with a warm meal. 

The room had a futon rolled up in one corner. She unfurled it and shook the dust out. It looked thick and soft, at least. There was a small shelf too, with some porcelain dishes and a lantern. A wall scroll hung above the shelf, depicting the town below in better times. And there was one large window that looked out on an overgrown garden. 

Even in its desolation, the garden was beautiful. Vining flowers grew up over the benches and crawled along the walls toward the window. Bushes grew in unrestrained tangles, blossoms pushing through the greenery in profusion. It was like a verdant, floral jungle. Mai decided she would look at it in the morning. Assuming she could. She swallowed her fear and went to sit down on the futon.

Everything would be fine. Oni weren’t real, so she would just need to be alert for the real problem. Maybe bandits? Or some disease that affected women more than men? A yawn disrupted her train of thoughts. Anxiety and exhaustion fought over her, leaving her limbs feeling heavy and thick and her heart beating fast and thready. 

Mai laid down on the futon. It was soft and smelled like lavender. Exhaustion started to win out and her eyes fluttered closed. 

Only to fly open at the sound of some creature in pain, howling in the night. 

“Come on, Mai. It’s not a demon. Just, like, a big dog or something. A bear maybe. A hurt bear.” She closed her eyes forcefully but the sound came again. 

She sat up and drew the slim blade from its sheath. “Ok. Ok. It’s nothing to be scared of. Probably that Yuki guy trying to scare me.” Mai sat there in the dark, nerves jangling.

The howling faded and for a moment, there was blessed silence. Then came the sound of cracking wood. Like trees being uprooted. Walls being torn down. She felt the walls shiver with the force of whatever violence took place beyond her sight. 

Mai stood and went to the door. She pressed her ear to it, listening. There was shouting in the distance, but she couldn’t make out the words. An animalistic growl and another crash, this one close enough to shiver the walls of her room. 

Then, she heard it. A soft sound just under the cacophony. “Mai,” it whispered. “Mai. Come out, Mai.” 

The voice froze her where she stood. “Umm. Hello?”

“Open the door,” the whisper came again. 

She moved back from it, fear prickling her skin. “Nope! I’m good! You can go away now!” 

Something huge slammed into her door. The wood creaked and bulged in protest. The assault came again and again. With each attack, the door looked closer to collapse but somehow held. And then it didn’t. With a shower of splinters, the wood gave way. 

Mai leapt back and ran for the open window. She crawled out of it and dropped down into the overgrown garden. 

A huge, horrid face leered out at her from her room. Gleaming white fangs, swollen red lips, horns jutting from a tangle of brown hair. “Come back Mai! Where are you going? Don’t run! I only want to eat you!”

She ran. It was never a good idea to run in the dark with a bare blade in hand, but falling and stabbing herself seemed like a better fate than whatever that monster had in store. Mai dodged around a vine covered bench and crouched behind a giant camellia bush. 

The oni crashed after her, tearing plants from the ground and smashing whatever stood in his way. “Mai!” His voice echoed through the garden. 

He sounded close. She held her breath and tried to make herself small. With luck, he’d pass by. And if he did spot her, she had plenty of room to run. Mai’s hand tightened on the hilt of her dagger. Just go away, she thought. 

“I can’t just go away. You smell so delicious little Mai.” The oni’s hot breath ghosted against her cheek as he spoke. 

She turned her head to see that he’d somehow crept up behind her and now crouched there, so close that she could not run. Mai screamed.

The oni grabbed her. His smile was wide and hungry. “It’s been so long,” he crooned. “So long. I have had nothing to hunt. Nothing to eat!”

“That sounds like a ‘you’ problem!” Mai kicked at him, trying to wriggle loose. She was so frightened that she shook like a leaf despite her vocal defiance. 

He brought her close, so close that she could see the beads of spittle on his long, sharp teeth. “I wonder if you taste as sweet as you sound.” His jaw creaked as he opened it wider.

Mai flailed, panic consuming her. The knife she still gripped slashed the oni’s face and then lodged in his shoulder. 

The oni howled and let go. It grabbed the hilt of her dagger and jerked the blade free. Blood as black as night oozed from the wound. “What have you done,” he cried. Something flickered in his eyes, a familiar grey like the overcast sky. He fell to his knees, gasping. “You’ve killed me.”

Mai wanted to run, she really did. But something held her there, just out of the oni’s reach. She watched as he slumped from his knees to the ground. His breathing grew more and more labored until finally, it stopped. 

Though she knew it was a bad idea, Mai crept carefully forward. She reached out and poked the oni. It did not move, just lay there in the spreading pool of black blood. Even though it was a monster and would have eaten her, she felt bad for stabbing it. She’d never killed anything before, much less a demon. Her chest felt heavy with conflicting emotions.

There was elation at surviving, but guilt too. And a certain curiosity. Oni were real, and that by itself was a surprise. She tentatively grabbed the oni’s shoulder, and rolled him over so that she could see his face. In death, the expression he wore was peaceful. And there was a certain nobility to it, as if perhaps, he was not all bad. 

“Sorry about this,” she told him. “You didn’t leave me much choice but . . . still. I wish we’d both parted ways alive.” She pushed back a strand of his brown hair. Did oni have families? Friends? Would anyone miss him? Or was he just a monster? “I hope you’re at peace now, anyway.” She gently closed his eyes and then, impulsively, pressed a kiss to his cooling forehead. 

As her lips brushed his skin, something began to change. She felt the oni’s limbs tremble. Mai yelped, and leapt away. It wasn’t dead! Her knife lay in the pool of black blood beside the beast, and she cursed herself for not picking it up first. 

The oni’s skin began to shift and bubble, paling in the dim starlight from the red of demon-flesh to a mortal color. And its face melted in on itself, the tusks shrinking, the horns melding with its head. 

Mai watched in horror, afraid to move, afraid to even breathe. But her fear turned to awe as the oni became the lord. “Shingen?”

His eyes fluttered open. “Mai?” 

She wasn’t sure what to do. Run? Fight? “You were the oni?”

He nodded tiredly. “I was. But you’ve broken the curse. I can feel it. The absence of it.” Shingen favored her with a smile that could woo a thousand maidens. “You really are an angel. No. You’re a goddess. A divine beauty with a soul as pure as light.” 

“Heh. I don’t know about that. I stabbed you. Not exactly angel material.” She took a tentative step closer. “Are you . . . ok?”

Shingen sat up and rubbed his torn clothes. “The wound healed. It would have anyway. The oni has been stabbed and shot and burned and cut in two. I always wake at sunrise, whole. It has been my secret shame for years. I am the lord when the sun is up, and a beast on the nights of the new moon.”

“But it’s not sunrise.” 

He took her hand and kissed it. “No. It isn’t. Because you broke my curse. You saw something good in that evil creature. And you gave me your blessing.”

“All I did was kiss your forehead.” She blushed, feeling foolish and also a little proud. How many seamstresses could say they broke a curse?

Shingen looked at her with his silvered gaze, a slow smile spread across his lips. “Would you grant me another kiss, then? Just to be sure?”

“I-if you think -” That was as far as she got before his warm lips closed over hers, with a kiss as sweet as summer melons. A slow, blossoming kiss that took her breath away and made her heart race. 

When he broke the kiss, she took a moment to get herself under control. “Whoa. I - I think you’re cured now.”

Shingen’s heated gaze held her shy one. “Are you sure, my goddess? Perhaps you should stay and treat me with your blessings for another month. Just until the next new moon passes. Just in case.” His thumb stroked her knuckles, a lovers caress. “I may need your medicine every day to keep me safe.”

“I - I think you’re exaggerating.” She knew he was. Probably. But there was no part of her that protested the idea of kissing this man every day for the next month. Maybe more than once a day. Maybe more than kissing. Mai cleared her throat. “I can see staying for awhile. Just to be certain. But - but that doesn’t mean you can just go kissing me whenever you want. I like to get to know a guy first!”

“Then let’s spend this month getting to know each other very well.” His reply was almost a purr. 

Mai wondered if the oni was really the more dangerous version of Shingen. Because this one promised to eat her up too, with those stormy grey eyes and that sensual mouth. But the way she was feeling, she wasn’t sure she would mind it much.